bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple risk factor control, mortality and cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Hamada Shota , Gulliford Martin C
Published: May 2018

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of multiple risk factor control (MRFC) at reducing mortality and cardiovascular events in diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in clinical practice.

Design

Population-based cohort study.

Setting

Primary care database in the UK, linked with inpatient and mortality data.

Participants

Participants aged 40–79 years with type 2 diabetes and valid serum creatinine measurements, including 11 431 participants with CKD (estimated glomerular filtration rate: eGFR 15–59 mL/min/1.73 m2) and 36 429 participants with non-CKD (eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2).

Exposures

MRFC consisted of four components: Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) <53 mmol/mol (<7.0%), blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg, total cholesterol <5 mmol/L and no smoking. The main exposure variable was the number of risk factors controlled at baseline.

Outcome measures

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the overall participants. Cardiovascular events, including coronary heart disease and stroke, in participants limited to those without a history of cardiovascular diseases at baseline.

Results

In participants with CKD, 37% or 13% met three or four MRFC criteria, respectively. Increasing numbers of risk factors controlled were associated with lower relative hazards for all outcomes studied compared with those meeting no or one criterion. For participants with CKD meeting four criteria, the adjusted HR for all-cause mortality was 0.60 (95% CI 0.53 to 0.69) and the adjusted subdistribution HR for cardiovascular mortality was 0.60 (95% CI 0.50 to 0.70), considering a competing risk of non-cardiovascular death. Participants meeting four criteria also had lower relative hazards for coronary heart disease (adjusted subdistribution HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.91) and stroke (0.63, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.89), considering death as a competing risk.

Conclusions

MRFC may lower the increased risks for mortality and cardiovascular events in people with diabetes and CKD. Further research is needed to evaluate appropriateness of MRFC according to individual participants’ health status for improved management of cardiovascular risks in this population.
Synthesis of a simply modified electrochemical nicotine sensor based on silver nanoparticles
Authors: Ameer M.A. , Fekry A.M. , Azab S.M. , Shehata M.
Published: May 2018

An innovative electrochemical nicotine modified sensor was created by chemically mixing a carbon paste with silver nano powder to prepare an Ag nanoparticle modified carbon paste electrode. Different electrochemical techniques including cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in both aqueous and micellar media were used. The surface morphology was also detected using scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray analysis techniques. Nicotine measurements were investigated in Britton–Robinson buffer solutions with a pH range of 2.0–8.0 containing 1.0 mmol/L sodium dodecyl sulfate. The electrode-based NIC sensor exhibited a high sensitivity in quantitative analysis, and its detection limit could be as low as 0.0036 μmol/L with linearity ranging from 0.8 μmol/L to 800 μmol/L. In addition, due to its good reproducibility, anti-interference performance, and long-term stability, the proposed sensor is capable of detecting trace levels of nicotine in urine samples and different brands of commercial cigarettes.
Excavating Anticonvulsant Compounds from Prescriptions of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Treatment of Epilepsy
Authors: Zhao Zefeng , He Xirui , Ma Cuixia , Wu Shaoping , Cuan Ye , Sun Ying , Bai Yajun , Huang Linhong , Chen Xufei , Gao Tian , Zheng Xiaohui
Published: May 2018

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history and been widely used in prevention and treatment of epilepsy in China. This paper is intended to review the advances in the active anticonvulsant compounds isolated from herbs in the prescription of TCM in the treatment of epilepsy. These compounds were introduced with the details including classification, CAS number specific structure and druggability data. Meanwhile, much of the research in these compounds in the last two decades has shown that they exhibited favorable pharmacological properties in treatment of epilepsy both in in vivo and in vitro models. In addition, in this present review, the evaluation of the effects of the anticonvulsant classical TCM prescriptions is discussed. According to these rewarding pharmacological effects and chemical substances, the prescription of TCM herbs could be an effective therapeutic strategy for epilepsy patients, and also could be a promising source for the development of new drugs.
Baicalein Ameliorates Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Caused by Monocrotaline through Downregulation of ET-1 and ETAR in Pneumonectomized Rats
Authors: Hsu Wen-Lin , Lin Yu-Chieh , Jeng Jing-Ren , Chang Heng-Yuan , Chou Tz-Chong
Published: May 2018

Baicalein (BE) extracted from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi is able to alleviate various cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. However, the effects of BE on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remain unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to examine whether BE ameliorates pneumonectomy and monocrotaline-induced PAH in rats and further investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Administration of BE greatly attenuated the development of PAH as evidenced by an improvement of its characteristic features, including elevation of right ventricular systolic pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Moreover, the increased protein expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and ETA receptor (ETAR), superoxide overproduction, and activation of Akt/ERK1/2/GSK3[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]-catenin pathway that occurred in the lungs of PAH rats were markedly reversed by BE treatment. Compared with the untreated PAH rats, higher expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), but lower levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and vWF were observed in BE-treated PAH rats. Collectively, treatment with BE remarkably attenuates the pathogenesis of PAH, and the protection of BE may be associated with suppressing Akt/Erk1/2/GSK3[Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text]-catenin/ET-1/ETAR signaling and preventing endothelial dysfunction. These results suggest that BE is a potential agent for treatment of PAH.
Geometric phase of cosmological scalar and tensor perturbations in f(R) gravity
Authors: Balajany Hamideh , Mehrafarin Mohammad
Published: May 2018

By using the conformal equivalence of f(R) gravity in vacuum and the usual Einstein theory with scalar-field matter, we derive the Hamiltonian of the linear cosmological scalar and tensor perturbations in f(R) gravity in the form of time-dependent harmonic oscillator Hamiltonians. We find the invariant operators of the resulting Hamiltonians and use their eigenstates to calculate the adiabatic Berry phase for sub-horizon modes as a Lewis–Riesenfeld phase.
Numerical simulation for flow shadowing and multiple reflections between two flat plates in the free-molecular regime
Authors: Jin Xuhong , Huang Fei , Cheng Xiaoli , Wang Qiang
Published: May 2018

A free-molecular flow past two parallel circular flat plates is analyzed by the test particle Monte Carlo (TPMC) method. Flow shadowing and multiple reflections have a vital influence on aerodynamic coefficients of the two plates. At the pitch angle of 0[Formula: see text], lift coefficients of each plate do not equal to zero. Flow shadowing has a significant effect on the front side of the shaded plate while multiple reflections play a dominant role on the back side of the shading one. The area ratio of the two plates has an evident effect on flow shadowing and multiple reflections, and different area ratios lead to different pressure distributions on the front side of the shaded plate and the back side of the shading one.
Five-Level Cascaded H-Bridge MLC-Based Shunt Active Power Filter for Active Harmonics Mitigation in Distributed Network
Authors: Tandekar Jitendra , Ojha Amit , Jain Shailendra
Published: May 2018

This paper presents an investigation on mitigation of current harmonics, using Cascaded H-bridge Multilevel Converter (CHB-MLC)-based Shunt Active Power Filter (SAPF). Development and analysis of SAPF for harmonic compensation in distribution network for power quality improvement has been discussed. In the proposed work, transformer-less CHB MLC is used which reduces weight and cost of the system. Moreover, a novel controller based on average power method is adopted for generation of compensation active filter current. In order to generate switching signals, multi-carrier Alternate Phase Opposition Disposition (APOD) — Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) schemes are used. The proposed CHB-MLC SAPF reduces the source current THD below 5%. The results are simulated in MATLAB/Simulink and demonstrate the effective mitigation of current harmonics with APOD-PWM schemes. Opal-RT OP4500 real-time digital simulator is used to validate the proposed scheme under different steady state and transient conditions.
FOURTH-ORDER COMPACT SCHEME FOR OPTION PRICING UNDER THE MERTON’S AND KOU’S JUMP-DIFFUSION MODELS
Authors: PATEL KULDIP SINGH , MEHRA MANI
Published: May 2018

In this paper, a compact scheme with three time levels is proposed to solve the partial integro-differential equation that governs the option prices in jump-diffusion models. In the proposed compact scheme, the second derivative approximation of the unknowns is approximated using the value of these unknowns and their first derivative approximations, thereby allowing us to obtain a tridiagonal system of linear equations for a fully discrete problem. Moreover, the consistency and stability of the proposed compact scheme are proved. Owing to the low regularity of typical initial conditions, a smoothing operator is employed to ensure the fourth-order convergence rate. Numerical illustrations concerning the pricing of European options under the Merton’s and Kou’s jump-diffusion models are presented to validate the theoretical results.
Vertex Connectivity of Fuzzy Graphs with Applications to Human Trafficking
Authors: Ali Shanookha , Mathew Sunil , Mordeson John N. , Rashmanlou Hossein
Published: May 2018

Connectivity is the most important aspect of a dynamic network. It has been widely studied and applied in different perspectives in the past. In this paper, constructions of [Formula: see text]-connected fuzzy graphs for an arbitrary real number [Formula: see text] and average fuzzy vertex connectivity of fuzzy graphs are discussed. Average fuzzy vertex connectivity of fuzzy trees, fuzzy cycles and complete fuzzy graphs are studied. The concept of a uniformly [Formula: see text]-connected fuzzy graph is introduced and characterized towards the end. An application related to human trafficking is also discussed.
Surmounting the Learning Curve of Core Suture Placement with Tendon Repair Simulator
Authors: Sirisena Renita , Lahiri Amitabha , Chong Alphonsus Khin-Sze , Foo Tun-Lin
Published: May 2018

Background: Attaining competency in placement of core suture with adequate distance from juncture is a key skill for learners of tendon repair. Currently, this is most commonly practiced on animal models in wet laboratory environment. To improve accessibility and availability, we developed a tendon repair trainer that aims to guide learners in obtaining this key competency.

Methods: A customized tendon dock was designed and manufactured with additive method that permits insertion of 6mm silicon tendon rods to simulate flexor tendon repair along a digit. Four residents, divided into two groups, were instructed to repair two sets of tendon rods (60 rods per resident) with Kessler suture loop placed at 10 mm from juncture (Group A: rods marked at 10 mm, Group B: unmarked rods). The main criterion for passing was a loop placed within 1 mm of the target distance (10 mm). At a second session, both groups repaired unmarked tendons, and these were marked based on similar criterion.

Results: At the first session, 100% of those who repaired marked rods (Group A) passed while 25% of unmarked rods (Group B) attained a pass. At the second session, where both groups repaired unmarked rods, residents from group A achieved a pass rate of 95% while group B achieved 33.3% pass.

Conclusions: Learners who had previously repaired marked rods were able to retain their experience when repairing unmarked rods. This suggest that the proposed model may be a helpful adjunct to sharpen learners’ skills prior to practicing tendon repairs in more costly animal or cadaveric models.
The Acutely Blue Finger: Cause for Concern?
Authors: Seifman Marc A. , Johnstone Bruce R.
Published: May 2018

An acutely blue finger may cause concern, with both ischaemic and non-ischaemic aetiologies. Achenbach syndrome is a rare condition involving spontaneous haematoma of the finger. We present a case with distinct histological findings and a family history.
Therma–Volvi–Gomati complex of the Serbo-Macedonian Massif, northern Greece: a Middle Triassic continental margin ophiolite of Neotethyan origin
Authors: Bonev Nikolay , Moritz Robert , Borisova Maria , Filipov Petyo
Published: May 2018

We present field, chemical and U–Pb age data for metamafic–ultramafic bodies of the Triassic rift-related Therma–Volvi–Gomati (TVG) complex of the Serbo-Macedonian Massif (SMM) in the northern Aegean region. The TVG rocks record igneous textures overprinted by Alpine metamorphism and deformation. The high-Ti Volvi body was transformed into amphibolites, which also rim the low-Ti Gomati and Nea Roda bodies. The compositions are compatible with normal (N-) and enriched (E-) mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) and weak ocean island basalt (OIB) signatures of the high-Ti rocks, whereas the low-Ti rocks are depleted with respect to MORB, suggesting melt extraction from a mantle source. U–Pb geochronology reveals Triassic crystallization of the Volvi body at 240 Ma. Ordovician to Carboniferous xenocrystic zircons were found in the Stratoni body of the TVG complex, which were sampled from the SMM basement. The Triassic Arnea rift-related metagranite intrudes the Volvi body. Comparison of the compositions of the Volvi body and the Arnea metagranite of the SMM with Triassic metagranite of the Rhodope Massif (RM) supports the presence of a regional bimodal rift suite. The location of the TVG complex at the SMM–RM margin of Eurasia confirms its origin as a Middle Triassic rift suite, and its nature as a continental margin ophiolite representing an ocean–continent transition of the propagating Neotethys.

Supplementary material:
Whole-rock chemical analyses and U–Pb geochronology analytical results data tables are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4087022

Thematic collection:
This article is part of the ‘Tethyan ophiolites and Tethyan seaways collection' available at:
https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/tethyan-ophiolites-and-tethyan-seaways
The Bolca Lagerstätten: shallow marine life in the Eocene
Authors: Friedman Matt , Carnevale Giorgio
Published: May 2018

The Eocene limestones around the Italian village of Bolca occur in a series of distinct localities providing a unique snapshot of marine life in the early Cenozoic. Famous for its fishes, the localities of Bolca also yield diverse invertebrate faunas and a rich, but relatively understudied flora. Most fossils from Bolca derive from the Pesciara and Monte Postale sites, which bear similar fossils but are characterized by slightly different taphonomic and environmental profiles. Although not precisely contemporaneous, the age of these principal localities is well constrained to a narrow interval within the Ypresian Stage,
c.
50–49 Ma. This places Bolca at a critical time in the evolutionary assembly of modern marine fish diversity and of reef communities more generally.
The history of hydrocarbon exploration and development in North Yorkshire
Authors: Haarhoff M. Q. , Hughes F. , Heath-Clarke M. , Harrison D. , Taylor C. , Ware D. L. , Emms G. G. , Mortimer A.
Published: May 2018

Hydrocarbon exploration in North Yorkshire began in 1937, targeting Triassic and Permian reservoirs below the surface expression of the Cleveland Anticline. D’Arcy drilled the successful well Eskdale-2, marking the first gas discovery in the Zechstein carbonates in the UK. Since then approximately 100 wells have been drilled in the basin with exploration success relatively high. Out of the 25 pure exploration wells in the region, 13 have found hydrocarbon accumulations (flowed gas) and eight of the discoveries have been developed to date. The primary reservoir is the Permian-aged Zechstein carbonate sequence and, more specifically, the Z2, Kirkham Abbey Formation (KAF), which is a tight carbonate reservoir overprinted by a high permeability fracture system. Despite considerable investment and effort over the years, the historical development story of these fields has been very much one of repeated technical and investment failure, with approximately 39 Bcf (billion cubic feet) of the mapped gas initial in-place (GIIP) of
c
. 326 Bcf produced to date, an estimated recovery factor of 12%.

Historical production data show that all the Zechstein reservoirs have experienced early water breakthrough, leading to impaired gas rates and low recoveries. The water influx is due to a highly mobile, but finite aquifer, which under field production conditions preferentially flows through the high permeability fracture system, bypassing the gas stored in the tighter matrix. Third Energy is aiming to resolve the issue of water influx by using artificial lift to encourage the gas to flow. A trial is currently being undertaken at the Pickering gas field and, if this programme is successful, this will provide sufficient confidence for a phased redevelopment programme of surrounding fields.

Whilst North Yorkshire has experienced only limited exploration and production (E&P) activity in the last decade, solving the issue of premature water influx in the KAF fields, combined with the search for unconventional resources in the Bowland section of the Mid and Lower Carboniferous strata will herald a new and exciting phase of E&P activities for this province.
‘Uniformity in Geological Reports’ (1917) by Josef Theodor Erb, petroleum geologist and manager (1874–1934)
Authors: Wannier Mario M. A.
Published: May 2018

One hundred years ago, standards in geological report writing were formalized within the Royal Dutch Shell Group. Chief Geologist Josef Theodor Erb defined these standards in an internal report aimed at geologists working for Shell subsidiaries. His purpose was to raise the level of scientific reporting and to provide a measure of uniformity in geological reports sent to head office from all parts of the world. Ultimately, ‘Uniformity in Geological Reports’ was to allow the chief geologist to readily identify and follow-up on the better business opportunities. With time, Erb's report developed into the Shell ‘Standard Legend’. Erb's career is symptomatic of a developing company culture, which he embraced as his life's goal. Realizing the shortcomings of this narrow personal philosophy of life may have been at the root of the mental problems that led to his death.
Myron Kinley and the ‘Torch of Moreni’
Authors: Spencer Jeff , Furcuta Marius
Published: May 2018

Myron M. Kinley (1898–1978) has been called the first, the dean, the grandfather and the original pioneer oil-well firefighter. He and his father Karl are often credited with being the first to use explosives to extinguish an oil-well fire in 1913 in a California, USA oil field. Myron formed the M.M. Kinley Company in 1923, specializing in controlling well blowouts and extinguishing well fires. During Kinley's long career, he fought hundreds of oil-well fires throughout the world.

On 28 May 1929, after drilling to a depth of 1453 m, the No. 160 Romano-Americana well in Moreni, Romania had a blowout and caught fire. The derrick was destroyed and the 100 m-high flames could be seen in the city of Ploiesti over 50 km away. Attempts to extinguish the well were unsuccessful and the well burned for over 2 years. More than 100 workers were injured and 14 died in the process of trying to extinguish the fire. By the spring of 1931, the ‘Torch of Moreni’ had created a crater 76 m wide and 20 m deep. Newspapers covered the attempts to extinguish the fire and many of the photographs of the fire were used to create postcards.

Kinley first visited the No. 160 well in 1930, but was unable to convince the operators to allow him to try his firefighting methods. It took a second visit, a year later, before he was hired by the Romano-Americana Company, an affiliate of Standard Oil. A three-man crew consisting of Americans Kinley and Grady Chupp, and Romanian Costeca Luper battled the fire for 3 months. The fire was finally extinguished and Kinley was paid his $50 000 fee and he returned to the USA. American newspapers recounted his exploits and praised his heroism. Eighty-five years later, oil production facilities and producing wells surround the crater, and patches of carbonized ground attest to the intensity of the ‘Torch of Moreni’.
Supercontinents: myths, mysteries, and milestones
Authors: Pastor-Galán Daniel , Nance R. Damian , Murphy J. Brendan , Spencer Christopher J.
Published: May 2018

There is an emerging consensus that Earth's landmasses amalgamate quasi-periodically into supercontinents, interpreted to be rigid super-plates essentially lacking tectonically active inner boundaries and showing little internal lithosphere–mantle interactions. The formation and disruption of supercontinents have been linked to changes in sea-level, biogeochemical cycles, global climate change, continental margin sedimentation, large igneous provinces, deep mantle circulation, outer core dynamics and Earth's magnetic field. If these hypotheses are correct, long-term mantle dynamics and much of the geological record, including the distribution of natural resources, may be largely controlled by these cycles. Despite their potential importance, however, many of these proposed links are, to date, permissive rather than proven. Sufficient data are not yet available to verify or fully understand the implications of the supercontinent cycle. Recent advances in many fields of geoscience provide clear directions for investigating the supercontinent cycle hypothesis and its corollaries but they need to be vigorously pursued if these far-reaching ideas are to be substantiated.
Analysis and numerical modelling of large-scale controls on aquifer structure and hydrogeological properties in the African basement (Benin, West Africa)
Authors: Dickson Neil E. M. , Comte Jean-Christophe , Koussoube Youssouf , Ofterdinger Ulrich S. , Vouillamoz Jean-Michel
Published: May 2018

The metamorphic basement units of the Upper Ouémé watershed in Benin have been investigated to identify the structural controls on aquifer properties, groundwater flow and water balance at large scale. Spatial analysis of borehole and hydrogeophysical data suggests that large-scale weathering profiles, aquifer transmissivity and storage properties are better correlated to a palaeo-weathering surface. Multi-model analysis, combined with assessment of nine transient numerical groundwater models against observations, suggests the best conceptualizations are those where hydraulic conductivity and specific yield are distributed within a weathered zone determined through interpolation of weathered zone thickness. When compared to previous studies, the general groundwater balance of simulated models suggests the groundwater system contributes, on average, 49.8 m
3
s
−1
to the river flow (mostly during the rainy season). The same volumetric flow would be lost to groundwater evapo-transpiration and deep/lateral drainage of the catchment. Borehole abstraction (about 7.5 m
3
s
−1
) represents only 6% of the average groundwater recharge and 1% of the average rainfall. This suggests that despite relatively low borehole productivity, the basement aquifer system still has an important unused potential for rural to mid-scale water supply and that, at present, the main external drivers for groundwater resource sustainability are changes in climate and land use.
Infliximab Trough Levels and Quality of Life in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Maintenance Therapy
Authors: Parra Rogério S. , Feitosa Marley R. , Ribeiro Letícia C. H. , Castro Lais A. , Rocha José J. R. , Féres Omar
Published: May 2018

Objective. Investigate the association between infliximab trough levels and quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease patients in maintenance therapy. Methods. We carried out a transversal study with inflammatory bowel disease patients in infliximab maintenance therapy. Infliximab trough levels were determined using a quantitative rapid test. Disease activity indices (partial Mayo Score and Harvey-Bradshaw Index) and endoscopic scores (endoscopic Mayo Score or Simple Endoscopic Score in Crohn’s disease) were obtained. Quality of life was assessed using the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ). Results. Seventy-one consecutive subjects were included in the study (55 with Crohn’s disease and 16 with ulcerative colitis). Drug levels were considered satisfactory (≥3 μg/mL) in 28 patients (39.4%) and unsatisfactory (<3 μg/mL) in 43 (60.6%). Satisfactory trough levels were associated with higher rates of clinical remission and mucosal healing. Higher trough levels were also associated with improved IBDQ scores, particularly regarding bowel symptoms, systemic function, and social function. Conclusion. Satisfactory trough levels of infliximab were associated with higher rates of clinical remission, mucosal healing, and improved quality of life in inflammatory bowel disease patients on maintenance therapy.
Probabilistic Caching Placement in the Presence of Multiple Eavesdroppers
Authors: Shi Fang , Fan Lisheng , Liu Xin , Na Zhenyu , Liu Yanchen
Published: May 2018

The wireless caching has attracted a lot of attention in recent years, since it can reduce the backhaul cost significantly and improve the user‐perceived experience. The existing works on the wireless caching and transmission mainly focus on the communication scenarios without eavesdroppers. When the eavesdroppers appear, it is of vital importance to investigate the physical‐layer security for the wireless caching aided networks. In this paper, a caching network is studied in the presence of multiple eavesdroppers, which can overhear the secure information transmission. We model the locations of eavesdroppers by a homogeneous Poisson Point Process (PPP), and the eavesdroppers jointly receive and decode contents through the maximum ratio combining (MRC) reception which yields the worst case of wiretap. Moreover, the main performance metric is measured by the average probability of successful transmission, which is the probability of finding and successfully transmitting all the requested files within a radius R. We study the system secure transmission performance by deriving a single integral result, which is significantly affected by the probability of caching each file. Therefore, we extend to build the optimization problem of the probability of caching each file, in order to optimize the system secure transmission performance. This optimization problem is nonconvex, and we turn to use the genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the problem. Finally, simulation and numerical results are provided to validate the proposed studies.
Education and Social Support as Key Factors in Osteoarthritis Management Programs: A Scoping Review
Authors: Ali Shabana Amanda , Kokorelias Kristina M. , MacDermid Joy C. , Kloseck Marita
Published: May 2018

Systematic reviews of self-management programs for osteoarthritis suggest minimal evidence of benefit and indicate substantial heterogeneity in interventions. The purpose of this scoping review was to describe the nature of self-management interventions provided to patients with osteoarthritis focusing on the inclusion and type of education and social support components. We searched PsycINFO, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases from 1990 to 2016 to identify studies addressing community-based management strategies for osteoarthritis that included aspects of disease-specific education and ongoing social support. Results are presented as a narrative synthesis to facilitate integration of diverse evidence. Data were extracted from 23 studies that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria, describing complex, multicomponent interventions for osteoarthritis. All studies included education components, and 18 of these were osteoarthritis-specific. Social support was most often offered through peers and health care professionals, but also through exercise trainers/instructors and researchers, and lasted between 5 and 52 weeks. We charted positive social interaction offered by peers in group settings and emotional/informational support offered by health care professionals. Overall, descriptions of self-management provided limited documentation of the rationale or content of the programs. This suggests that more precise definitions of the theoretical underpinnings, components, and mechanisms would be useful for greater insight into best practices for osteoarthritis self-management programs.
Hydrolysis of Methionine- and Histidine-Containing Peptides Promoted by Dinuclear Platinum(II) Complexes with Benzodiazines as Bridging Ligands: Influence of Ligand Structure on the Catalytic Ability of Platinum(II) Complexes
Authors: Rajković Snežana , Warżajtis Beata , Živković Marija D. , Glišić Biljana Đ. , Rychlewska Urszula , Djuran Miloš I.
Published: May 2018

Dinuclear platinum(II) complexes, [{Pt(en)Cl}2(μ-qx)]Cl2·2H2O (1), [{Pt(en)Cl}2(μ-qz)](ClO4)2(2), and [{Pt(en)Cl}2(μ-phtz)]Cl2·4H2O (3), were synthesized and characterized by different spectroscopic techniques. The crystal structure of1was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, while the DFT M06-2X method was applied in order to optimize the structures of1–3. The chlorido Pt(II) complexes1–3were converted into the corresponding aqua species1a–3a, and their reactions with an equimolar amount of Ac–L–Met–Gly and Ac–L–His–Gly dipeptides were studied by1H NMR spectroscopy in the pH range 2.0 < pH < 2.5 at 37°C. It was found that, in all investigated reactions with the Ac–L–Met–Gly dipeptide, the cleavage of the Met–Gly amide bond had occurred, but complexes2aand3ashowed lower catalytic activity than1a. However, in the reactions with Ac–L–His–Gly dipeptide, the hydrolysis of the amide bond involving the carboxylic group of histidine was observed only with complex1a. The observed disparity in the catalytic activity of these complexes is thought to be due to different relative positioning of nitrogen atoms in the bridging qx, qz, and phtz ligands and consequent variation in the intramolecular separation of the two platinum(II) metal centers.
Hysterectomy with Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy in Female-to-Male Gender Affirmation Surgery: Comparison of Two Methods
Authors: Jeftovic M. , Stojanovic B. , Bizic M. , Stanojevic D. , Kisic J. , Bencic M. , Djordjevic M. L.
Published: May 2018

Introduction. The optimal route for hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in female-to-male gender affirmation surgery is still under debate, due to the quite limited and inconsistent published data. The aim of this study is to present and compare the results of vaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomy as part of gender affirmation surgery in female-to-male transsexuals. Materials and Methods. Between 2012 and 2017, 124 female-to-male transsexuals, aged 18–43 years (mean age: 28.5), underwent hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, followed by colpocleisis and gender affirmation surgery. Transvaginal and laparoscopic hysterectomy were performed in 92 and 32 patients, respectively. Standard outcome measures (types and rates of complications, operative time, blood loss, and postoperative hospital stay) were used to compare the two groups of patients. Results. The mean follow-up was 41 months (ranged from 6 to 65 months). The duration of transvaginal approach was significantly shorter (51 minutes compared to 76 minutes, p<0.001). The total complication rates (less than 3%), reoperation rates (0%), blood loss, and postoperative hospital stays (4.3 days compared to 4.5 days) showed no statistical difference. Conclusions. Both approaches are safe, with minimal complications. However, we prefer transvaginal hysterectomy due to its shorter operative time, cost-effectiveness, and simpler continuation with one-stage female-to-male gender affirmation surgery.
Enhancement of Immunoregulatory Function of Modified Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Targeting SOCS1
Authors: Zhang Xiaoming , Hua Fei , Yang Ziying , Chen Yueqiu , Teng Xiaomei , Huang Haoyue , Zhao Yunfeng , Shen Zhenya
Published: May 2018

Objective. The study aim to investigate the role of microRNA-155 (miR-155) on the immunoregulatory function of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Methods. MSCs were isolated from 2-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats and identified by flow cytometry using anti-CD29, anti-CD44, anti-CD34, and anti-CD45 antibodies. MSCs were transfected with miR155-mimics, miR155-inhibitor, and control oligos, respectively, and then cocultured with spleen mononuclear cells (SMCs). The mRNA levels of Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg cell-specific transcription factors (Tbx21, Gata3, Rorc, and Foxp3, resp.) and the miR-155 target gene SOCS1 were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in SMCs. The proportion of CD4+ FOXP3+ Treg cells was detected by flow cytometry. In addition, the effects of MSCs transfected with miR-155 on the migration of rat SMCs were investigated by transwell chamber. Results. CD29 and CD44 were expressed in MSCs, while CD34 and CD45 were negative. The percentage of CD4+ FOXP3+ Treg cells in the SMC population was significantly higher compared with that noted in SMCs control group (p<0.001) following 72 hours of coculture with miR155-mimics-transfected SMCs. In contrast, the percentage of CD4+ FOXP3+ Treg cells in the SMCs cocultured with miR155-inhibitor-transfected MSCs was significantly lower compared with that noted in SMCs control group (p<0.001). MiR155-mimics-transfected MSCs inhibited the expression of Tbx21, Rorc, and SOCS1, while the expression of Gata3 and Foxp3 was increased. In contrast to the downregulation of the aforementioned genes, miR155-inhibitor-transfected MSCs resulted in upregulation of Tbx21, Rorc, and SOCS1 expression levels and inhibition of Gata3 and Foxp3. In the transwell assay, miR155-mimics-transfected MSCs exhibited lower levels of SMCs migration, while the miR155-inhibitor-transfected MSCs demonstrated significantly higher levels of migration, compared with the blank control group (p<0.01, resp.). Conclusion. miR-155 favors the differentiation of T cells into Th2 and Treg cells in MSCs, while it inhibits the differentiation to Th1 and Th17 cells.
Development of Flow Injection Spectrophotometric Method for 1-Napthylthiourea Using Sodium Nitrite and Sulphanilic Acid Diazotization Reaction
Authors: Asghar Muhammad , Yaqoob Mohammad , Ullah Sami , Ali Samar , Munawar Nusrat , Nabi Abdul
Published: May 2018

A simple spectrophotometric method in conjunction with flow injection analysis is developed for the quantitative analysis of 1-napthylthiourea (ANTU). The reaction is based on the alkaline hydrolysis of ANTU to 1-naphthylamine at 30°C, coupled with diazotized sulphanilic acid resulting in 4-(sulphophenylazo)-1-naphthylamine which is monitored at 495 nm. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) is 0.01 mg/L with a sampling throughput of 45/h. The method is linear over the range of 0.05–120 mg/L (R2=0.9995,n=7), with calibration equation y = 0.031x−0.018 (y = absorbance; x = mg/L) and relative standard deviation (n=3) 1.8–3.6%. Experimental variables are optimised, and the interfering effects of different pesticides, organic compounds, cations, and anions at environmentally relevant concentrations are investigated. The analysis of ANTU in spiked water samples is extracted with solid phase procedure using disposable Sep-Pak C18 cartridges, and the recovery was 93 ± 1.9–110 ± 3.0%. The results of the proposed method are compared with the HPLC method by applying the F-test and paired Student t-test at 95% confidence level.
Surgical Quality in Rectal Cancer Management: What Can Be Achieved by a Voluntary Observational Study?
Authors: Dziki Łukasz , Otto Ronny , Lippert Hans , Mroczkowski Paweł , Jannasch Olof
Published: May 2018

Purpose. Countries with nationwide quality programmes in colorectal cancer report an improved outcome. In Germany, a self-organized and self-financed observational quality assurance project exists, based on voluntary participation. The object of the present study was to ascertain whether this nationwide project also improves the outcome of colorectal cancer. Methods. The German Quality Assurance in Colorectal Cancer Project started in 2000 and by 2012 contained 85,000 patients. Inclusion criteria for the study were participation for the entire period of 13 years and treatment of rectal cancer. The following parameters were analysed: (1) patient related: age, gender, ASA classification, T-stage, and N-stage, (2) system related: frequency of preoperative CT and MRI, and (3) outcome related: CRM status, complications, and hospital mortality. Results. Forty-one of the 345 hospitals treating 11,597 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median age increased from 67 to 69 years (p=0.002). ASA stages III and IV increased from 32.0% to 37.6% (p=0.005) and from 2.0% to 3.3% (p=0.022), respectively. The use of CT rose from 67.2% to 88.8% (p<0.001) and that of MRI from 5.0% to 35.2% (p<0.001). The proportion of patients suffering from complications decreased from 7.9% to 5.3% (p<0.001) for intraoperative and from 28.0% to 18.6% (p<0.001) for postoperative surgical complications, but general postoperative complications increased from 25.8% to 29.5% (p=0.006). The distribution of histopathological stage, anastomotic leakage, and in-hospital mortality did not change significantly. Conclusion. Participation in a quality assurance project improves compliance with treatment standards, especially for diagnostic procedures. An improvement of surgical results will require further investment in training.
Affordable Bimodal Optical Sensors to Spread the Use of Automated Insect Monitoring
Authors: Potamitis Ilyas , Rigakis Iraklis , Vidakis Nectarios , Petousis Markos , Weber Michael
Published: May 2018

We present a novel bimodal optoelectronic sensor based on Fresnel lenses and the associated stereo-recording device that records the wingbeat event of an insect in flight as backscattered and extinction light. We investigate the complementary information of these two sources of biometric evidence and we finally embed part of this technology in an electronic e-trap for fruit flies. The e-trap examines the spectral content of the wingbeat of the insect flying in and reports wirelessly counts and species identity. We design our devices so that they are optimized in terms of detection accuracy and power consumption, but above all, we ensure that they are affordable. Our aim is to make more widespread the use of electronic insect traps that report in virtually real time the level of the pest population from the field straight to a human controlled agency. We have the vision to establish remote automated monitoring for all insects of economic and hygienic importance at large spatial scales, using their wingbeat as biometric evidence. To this end, we provide open access to the implementation details, recordings, and classification code we developed.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote the Osteogenesis in Collagen-Induced Arthritic Mice through the Inhibition of TNF-α
Authors: Liu Chang , Zhang Huayong , Tang Xiaojun , Feng Ruihai , Yao Genhong , Chen Weiwei , Li Wenchao , Liang Jun , Feng Xuebing , Sun Lingyun
Published: May 2018

Objective. To investigate the effects of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (UC-MSC) transplantation on joint damage and osteoporosis in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice and to explore the mechanisms by which UC-MSCs modulate the osteogenic differentiation. Methods. CIA mice were divided into the following treated groups: UC-MSC transplantation group, antitumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α group, and zoledronic acid (ZA) group. Microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) was used to analyze the bone morphology parameters. Osteogenic differentiation of treated CIA mice was determined. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) from CIA mice were treated with TNF-α in vitro to explore their effects on osteogenesis. Results. The arthritis score was significantly reduced in the UC-MSC transplantation and anti-TNF-α-treated CIA groups, compared with control mice (P<0.001). Micro-CT showed that CIA mice developed osteoporosis at 12 weeks after immunization. The bone morphology parameters were partially improved in UC-MSC-treated CIA mice. Impaired osteogenic differentiation functions were indicated by decreased ALP activity (P<0.001) and reduced mRNA and protein levels of osteogenic marker genes (P<0.05) in CIA mice compared with DBA/1 mice. UC-MSC treatment significantly upregulated the impaired osteogenic differentiation ability in CIA mice. Meanwhile, the serum TNF-α level was decreased significantly in the UC-MSC group. The osteogenesis was reduced with the addition of TNF-α in vitro. Conclusion. This study demonstrated that UC-MSC transplantation not only significantly improved the joint damage but also played a beneficial role in osteoporosis in CIA mice. Mechanistically, the improved osteogenic differentiation of CIA under UC-MSC treatment may be achieved by inhibition of TNF-α.
Novel Nanofluid Based on Water-Loaded Delafossite CuAlO2 Nanowires: Structural and Thermal Properties
Authors: Alhummiany H.
Published: May 2018

Ultra-high cooling performance is a crucial requirement of many thermomechanical systems, such as microelectronic devices, engine cooling systems, nuclear power systems, chemical reactors, and refrigeration systems. Recent experimental results reveal the potential thermal properties of suspended nanometallics in conventional fluids. In this study, the facile synthesis of one-dimensional delafossite CuAlO2 nanowires by microwave hydrothermal treatment was presented. A novel type of nanofluid consisting of CuAlO2 nanowires suspended in distilled water at various volume fractions (0.0, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 wt%) was successfully synthesized using an easily scalable sonication method. The microstructures of as-synthesized CuAlO2 were investigated by adopting X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Furthermore, the thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity of water-loaded nanofluid were measured at different volume fractions and temperatures. The results reveal a significant increase in thermal conductivity with increasing CuAlO2 loading levels and temperatures. The obtained results propound the fact that water-loaded delafossite CuAlO2 nanowires-based nanofluid is a promising candidate for future industrial applications.
The Involvement of MicroRNAs in Modulation of Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Lupus Nephritis
Authors: Honarpisheh Mohsen , Köhler Paulina , von Rauchhaupt Ekaterina , Lech Maciej
Published: May 2018

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including microRNAs (miRNAs), represent a family of RNA molecules that do not translate into protein. Nevertheless, they have the ability to regulate gene expression and play an essential role in immune cell differentiation and function. MicroRNAs were found to be differentially expressed in various tissues, and changes in their expression have been associated with several pathological processes. Yet, their roles in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN) remain to be elucidated. Both SLE and LN are characterized by a complex dysfunction of the innate and adaptive immunity. Recently, significant findings have been made in understanding SLE through the use of genetic variant identification and expression pattern analysis and mouse models, as well as epigenetic analyses. Abnormalities in immune cell responses, cytokine and chemokine production, cell activation, and apoptosis have been linked to a unique expression pattern of a number of miRNAs that have been implicated in the immune pathogenesis of this autoimmune disease. The recent evidence that significantly increased the understanding of the pathogenesis of SLE drives a renewed interest in efficient therapy targets. This review aims at providing an overview of the current state of research on the expression and role of miRNAs in the immune pathogenesis of SLE and LN.
Niffler: A Context‐Aware and User‐Independent Side‐Channel Attack System for Password Inference
Authors: Tang Benxiao , Wang Zhibo , Wang Run , Zhao Lei , Wang Lina
Published: May 2018

Digital password lock has been commonly used on mobile devices as the primary authentication method. Researches have demonstrated that sensors embedded on mobile devices can be employed to infer the password. However, existing works focus on either each single keystroke inference or entire password sequence inference, which are user‐dependent and require huge efforts to collect the ground truth training data. In this paper, we design a novel side‐channel attack system, called Niffler, which leverages the user‐independent features of movements of tapping consecutive buttons to infer unlocking passwords on smartphones. We extract angle features to reflect the changing trends and build a multicategory classifier combining the dynamic time warping algorithm to infer the probability of each movement. We further use the Markov model to model the unlocking process and use the sequences with the highest probabilities as the attack candidates. Moreover, the sensor readings of successful attacks will be further fed back to continually improve the accuracy of the classifier. In our experiments, 100,000 samples collected from 25 participants are used to evaluate the performance of Niffler. The results show that Niffler achieves 70% and 85% accuracy with 10 attempts in user‐independent and user‐dependent environments with few training samples, respectively.
A Study on Coupling Faults’ Characteristics of Fixed‐Axis Gear Crack and Planetary Gear Wear
Authors: Wang Xin
Published: May 2018

To identify the fault frequency characteristics of the gear transmission system under coupling fault of fixed‐axis gear crack and planetary gear wear, dimensionless dynamical equations of gear transmission system were established. Bifurcations in normal condition and coupling fault condition were contrasted. The affected excitation frequency range was found. Fault frequency characteristics in sensitive interval caused by the coupling fault of fixed‐axis gear crack and planetary gear wear were analyzed. Simulation analysis shows that the crack fault in fixed‐axis gear brings up peaks in doubling of 1~10 for fault frequency, the wear fault in planetary gear increases the amplitude of meshing frequency and its double and triple, and the coupling of both shows two kinds of fault features around the planetary gear meshing frequency.