bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Safety Facilities on Driver Distance Perception in Expressway Tunnels
Authors: Wei Leyu , Xu Jinliang , Jia Xingli , Zhang Xiaodong , Li Haoru
Published: September 2018

We investigated the effects of four safety facilities in expressway tunnels—information boards, flashing lights, human-voice broadcasts, and siren broadcasts—on driver distance perception by questionnaire surveys and field experiments. Results from a survey questionnaire given to 436 drivers indicated that each of the facilities, except the human-voice broadcast, was perceived to increase the driving safety. Consistently, results from field experiments involving 150 participants in China’s Xingshuliang Tunnel indicated that information boards, flashing lights, and siren broadcasts increased the distance perception accuracy of drivers, while human-voice broadcasts decreased this accuracy. The results of human-voice broadcasts may be due to the fact that drivers could not catch and understand the information they heard from human-voice broadcasts while driving in tunnels. This research can assist engineers in identifying the effective safety facilities in tunnels and provide a basis for prioritizing the implementation of these facilities, ultimately increasing driver distance perception accuracy and decreasing rear-end collisions.
2 + 1 Highways: Overview and Future Directions
Authors: Romana Manuel , Martin-Gasulla Marilo , Moreno Ana T.
Published: September 2018

Most of the rural transportation system is composed of two‐lane highways, and many of them serve as the primary means for rural access to urban areas and freeways. In some highways, traffic volumes can be not high enough to justify a four‐lane highway but higher than can be served by isolated passing lanes, or can present high number of head‐on collisions. In those conditions, 2 + 1 highways are potentially applicable. This type of highway is used to provide high‐performance highways as intermediate solution between the common two‐lane highway and the freeway. Successful experiences reported in Germany, Sweden, Finland, Poland, or Texas (US) may suggest that they are potentially applicable in other countries. The objective of this white paper is to provide an overview of the past practice in 2 + 1 highways and discuss the research directions and challenges in this field, specially focusing on, but not limited to, operational research in association with the activities of the Subcommittee on Two‐Lane Highways (AHB40 2.2) of the Transportation Research Board. The significance of this paper is twofold: (1) it provides wider coverage of past 2 + 1 highways design and evaluation, and (2) it discusses future directions of this field.
Use of Boron Compounds as Grinding Aids with Alcohol Amines and Their Effect on Portland Cement Setting Points
Authors: Çallı Murat , Pehlivan Erol
Published: September 2018

Milling aids have been predominantly developed to increase the performance or grinding capacity of cement products, and alcohol amines have been used as grinding aids in cement grinding processes for many years. Moreover, the setting point of cement produced with grinding aids is most often changed. In this study, the effects of alkanolamines and boron compounds in different mixing amounts as grinding aids on the set point of cement were researched. Triethanolamine (TEA) and triisopropanolamine (TIPA) were used as alkanolamines and boric acid (BA) and anhydrous borax (AHB) as the boron compounds. It is evident that BA with TEA had a small effect on the cement setting point where the former decreased the retarding effect of the latter, but BA had no effect with TIPA. AHB decreased the retarding effect of TEA but had no effect with TIPA on setting times. When the boron compounds were added to TEA, they accelerated the initial setting points of cement by 15 to 20 minutes and the final setting points by 25 to 30 minutes according to the amount of TEA used.
The Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction during the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Wu Meng-Yu , Yiang Giou-Teng , Lai Tzu-Ting , Li Chia-Jung
Published: September 2018

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most serious microvascular complications induced by hyperglycemia via five major pathways, including polyol, hexosamine, protein kinase C, and angiotensin II pathways and the accumulation of advanced glycation end products. The hyperglycemia‐induced overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induces local inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, microvascular dysfunction, and cell apoptosis. The accumulation of ROS, local inflammation, and cell death are tightly linked and considerably affect all phases of diabetic retinopathy pathogenesis. Furthermore, microvascular dysfunction induces ischemia and local inflammation, leading to neovascularization, macular edema, and neurodysfunction, ultimately leading to long‐term blindness. Therefore, it is crucial to understand and elucidate the detailed mechanisms underlying the development of diabetic retinopathy. In this review, we summarized the existing knowledge about the pathogenesis and current strategies for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, and we believe this systematization will help and support further research in this area.
Quantitative Detection of miRNA-21 Expression in Tumor Cells and Tissues Based on Molecular Beacon
Authors: Liu Qingxin , Fan Jialong , Zhou Chuang , Wang Liqun , Zhao Bin , Zhang Haibin , Liu Bin , Tong Chunyi
Published: September 2018

As a new tumor marker, the microRNA-21 (miRNA21) level can provide important information for early diagnosis, drug treatment, and prognosis of gastric cancer. With the tool of molecular beacons which can hybridize specifically with target miRNA-21 and generate fluorescence signal change, this paper develops a direct, simple, and rapid method for miRNA-21 detection with detection limit of 0.5 nM. Under the optimal conditions, the method was used to detect the expression of miRNA-21 in tumor cells and tissues. The results showed significant differences of miRNA-21 levels in tumor cells which have different origins and different degree of malignancy. In 8 cases of gastric cancer tissues and adjacent tissues, the level of miRNA-21 in 6 cases was higher than that in adjacent tissues, 1 case had lower expression level than that in adjacent tissues, and 1 case had no significant difference. Furthermore, qRT-PCR method was used to verify the detection results based on the fluorescent probe detection method. The consistent results show that the molecular beacon assay has a good prospect in direct and rapid detection of miRNA-21 expression and will be widely used in the functional research and clinical diagnosis of microRNA.
Loss, Gain, and Singular Points in Open Quantum Systems
Authors: Eleuch Hichem , Rotter Ingrid
Published: September 2018

Non-Hermitian quantum physics is used successfully for the description of different puzzling experimental results, which are observed in open quantum systems. Mostly, the influence of exceptional points on the dynamical properties of the system is studied. At these points, two complex eigenvalues Ei≡Ei+iΓi/2 of the non-Hermitian Hamiltonian H coalesce (where Ei is the energy and Γi is the inverse lifetime of the state i). We show that also the eigenfunctions Φi of the two states play an important role, sometimes even the dominant one. Besides exceptional points, other critical points exist in non-Hermitian quantum physics. At these points a=acr in the parameter space, the biorthogonal eigenfunctions of H become orthogonal. For illustration, we show characteristic numerical results.
HLA-C Alleles and Cytomegalovirus Retinitis in Brazilian Patients with AIDS
Authors: Biberg-Salum Tânia Gisela , Veronese Rodrigues Maria de Lourdes , Fernandes Ana Paula Morais , Deghaide Neifi Hassan Salum , Paula Jayter Silva de , Castelli Erick C. , Mendes-Junior Celso Teixeira , Donadi Eduardo Antonio
Published: September 2018

Purpose. Since cytomegalovirus retinitis (CR) is an important cause of visual impairment among AIDS patients and HLA-C alleles have been associated with AIDS disease outcome, we typed HLA-C locus in patients with AIDS exhibiting or not CR. Methods. Three groups of individuals were studied: (i) 49 patients with AIDS and CR (Group I), (ii) 161 patients with AIDS without CR (Group II), and (iii) 202 healthy HIV-negative individuals (Group III). HLA-C typing was performed using commercial kits. Results. The HLA-C∗07 allele group was underrepresented in AIDS patients with CR (P=0.005) when compared to controls or when compared to AIDS patients without CR (P=0.006). The HLA-C∗05 allele group was overrepresented in Group II in comparison to Group III (P=0.017). The frequency of the HLA-C∗16 allele group was increased in Group III in comparison to Group II (P=0.004). Conclusion. The HLA-C∗07 allele group conferred protection against the development of CR in Brazilian AIDS patients, whereas the HLA-C∗05 and HLA-C∗16 allele groups were associated with AIDS susceptibility or protection, respectively.
Osteogenic Potential of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Coralline Hydroxyapatite/Calcium Carbonate Microparticles
Authors: Day A. G. E. , Francis W. R. , Fu K. , Pieper I. L. , Guy O. , Xia Z.
Published: September 2018

Coralline hydroxyapatite/calcium carbonate (CHACC) is a biodegradable and osteoconductive bone graft material with promising clinical performance. CHACC has been shown to support proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)in vitroand demonstrated to work as a functional scaffold for bone formationin vivo.Umbilical cord matrix is a more accessible and abundant tissue source of MSCs, but its osteogenic capacity in comparison to human bone marrow when cultured on CHACC has not yet been demonstrated. In this study, we assessed the osteogenic differentiation capacity of human MSCs, isolated from bone marrow and umbilical cord matrix and characterised by flow cytometry, when cultured on 200–300 μm CHACC granules. The 3D cultures were characterised by brightfield and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Osteogenic potential was assessed by immunocytochemistry and qPCR for key markers of bone differentiation (alkaline phosphatase, runx2, type I collagen, and osteocalcin). By day 1, the MSCs had enveloped the surface of the CHACC granules to form organoids, and by day 7, cells had proliferated to bridge nearby organoids. Extracellular matrix deposition and osteogenic differentiation were demonstrated by MSCs from both tissue sources at day 21. However, MSCs from bone marrow demonstrated superior osteogenic differentiation capability compared to those from umbilical cord matrix. In conclusion, it is possible to culture and induce osteogenic differentiation of umbilical cord matrix MSCs on CHACC. Further research is required to optimise the osteogenicity of umbilical cord matrix MSCs to release their full potential as a readily available, accessible, and abundant tissue source for bone tissue engineering.
Prevalence of Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Gene among Community AcquiredStaphylococcus aureus: A Real-Time PCR Study
Authors: Karmakar Amit , Jana Debarati , Dutta Kunal , Dua Parimal , Ghosh Chandradipa
Published: September 2018

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (luk-pv) is a cytotoxin that causes leukocyte destruction and tissue necrosis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of thepv1,mecA, andnucgenes inStaphylococcus aureusisolates obtained from anterior nares and superficial infection sites of skin in a slum population of West Bengal, India. Expression level ofpv1gene was also analysed. Twenty-twoS. aureusstrains were isolated, and phenotype and genotype specific examinations forS. aureusisolates were carried out. Molecular identification was done by PCR using species-specific 16S rRNA primer pairs and finally 22 isolates were found to be positive asS. aureus. The antibiotic responsiveness of all these isolates and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of MRSA isolates were determined using the broth dilution method with vancomycin. Antibiogram analysis of isolatedS. aureusstrains with respect to different antimicrobial agents revealed antibiotic resistance ranging from 27 to 91%. The results of MIC for vancomycin showed 95% of strains to be VSSA and 5% to be VISA. 68% isolates were resistant to methicillin. All the isolates were subjected to detection ofpv1, mecA, andnucgenes, and 9%, 68%, and 27% were found to harbourpvl, mecA, andnucgenes, respectively. All the MRSA strains produced high to moderate levels of biofilm.pvlgene expression was carried outin vitroby Real-Time PCR. The low ∆Ct value (0.493) was indicative of high expression ofpvlin oneS. aureusstrain. Thus, detection ofpvlgene in community acquiredS. aureusindicates the emergence of pathogenicS. aureusin community setup in the studied region. The existing exploration is extremely imperative and informative for the high level multi-drug resistantS. aureusinfections inclusive of MRSA.
Efficacy and Safety of Bevacizumab in the Treatment of Pterygium: An Updated Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Sun Yi , Zhang Bowen , Jia Xiuhua , Ling Shiqi , Deng Juan
Published: September 2018

Purpose. Studies investigating efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in pterygium have increased and reported controversial results. Thus, we updated this meta-analysis to clarify the issue. Methods. Studies were selected through search of the databases Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) from their inception up until June 2017. The pooled risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for recurrence and complication rates by using random effects model. Results. 1045 eyes in 18 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolled. Overall, the pooled estimate showed a statistically significant effect of bevacizumab on the reduction of recurrence (RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56–0.97, P=0.03). Subgroup analyses presented significant results beneficial to bevacizumab (primary pterygium group, RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.33–0.83, P=0.006; conjunctival autograft group, RR 0.48, 95% CI 0.25–0.91, P=0.02; and follow-up longer than 12 months group, RR 0.36, 95% CI 0.13–0.99, P=0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed in complication rates. Conclusions. Application of bevacizumab showed a statistically significant decrease in recurrence rate following removal of primary pterygia, or in cases with conjunctival autograft, or with follow-up longer than 12 months, while complications were not increased.
Retrospective Cohort Analysis of Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infection following Introduction of a Central Line Bundle in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Bannatyne Molly , Smith Judith , Panda Malavika , Abdel-Latif Mohamed E. , Chaudhari Tejasvi
Published: September 2018

Background. Central Line Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSI) constitute a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in neonatal populations. There has been an overwhelming increase in the use of evidence-based care practices, also known as bundles, in the reduction of these infections. In this report, rates of CLABSI and central line utilisation were examined following the introduction of a central line bundle in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Canberra Hospital. Methods. The research undertaken was a retrospective cohort study in which newborn infants admitted to the Canberra Hospital NICU between January 2011 and December 2016 and had a central line inserted were included in the study. Data regarding central line days, bed days, infection rates, and patient demographics were collected before and after the introduction of an intervention bundle. CLABSI rates were calculated per 1,000 central line days for before (2011-2013) and after (2014-2016) the introduction of the bundle. The postintervention period was retrospectively analysed for compliance, with data regarding the completion of maintenance forms and insertion forms collected. Results. Overall, the results showed a significant decrease in CLABSI rates from 8.8 per 1,000 central line days to 4.9 per 1,000 central line days in the intervention period (p<0.001). Central line utilisation ratio (CLUR: ratio of central line days to bed days) was also reduced between pre- and postintervention periods, from 0.177 (4414/25013) to 0.13 (3633/27384; p<0.001). Compliance to insertion forms and maintenance forms was observed to increase within the intervention period. Conclusion. The implementation of a central line bundle was effective in reducing both CLABSI rates and dwell time (CLUR) for central venous catheters.
The Association between Earlobe Crease (Frank’s Sign) and Abnormal Ankle-Brachial Index Determination Is Related to Age: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Del Brutto Oscar H. , Mera Robertino M. , Costa Aldo F. , Zambrano Mauricio , Sedler Mark J.
Published: September 2018

Background. Information on the association between earlobe crease (ELC) and peripheral artery disease is limited. We assessed this association in community-dwelling older adults. Study Design. A total of 294 Atahualpa residents aged ≥60 years were enrolled. ELC were visually identified by two raters. The ankle-brachial index (ABI), used as a surrogate of peripheral artery disease, was categorized using American Heart Association criteria. Using logistic regression and probability models, adjusted for demographics and cardiovascular risk factors, we assessed the relationship between ELC and abnormal ABI determinations, as well as the influence of age on this association. Results. ELC was identified in 141 (48%) individuals, and abnormal ABI determination was carried out in 56 (19%). The association between ELC and abnormal ABI was nonsignificant in logistic regression and probability models with individuals stratified according to their median age. Conclusions. The association between ELC and abnormal ABI determinations is probably attenuated by the high prevalence of both conditions in older persons. ELC might not be useful for identifying candidates for ABI determination.
Retrospective Analysis of Ventriculitis in External Ventricular Drains
Authors: Albano Stephen , Berman Blake , Fischberg Glenn , Siddiqi Javed , Liu Bolin , Khan Yasir , Zafar Atif , Quadri Syed A. , Farooqui Mudassir
Published: September 2018

Background. Nosocomial EVD-related ventriculitis is a major complication and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill neurological patients. Questions remain about best management of EVDs. The purpose of this study is to compare our incidence of ventriculitis to studies using different catheters and/or antibiotic coverage schemes and determine whether c-EVD with prolonged antibiotics given for the duration of drain placement is inferior to ac-EVD with pp-abx or ac-EVD with prolonged antibiotics for prevention of ventriculitis. Methods. A retrospective chart review of all patients who had EVDs placed from January 2010 through December 2015 at home institution was performed. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher’s exact test to compare incidence of ventriculitis identified in other studies with that of home institution. Results. The study included 107 patients, 66 (61.7%) males and 41 (38.3%) females. Average age was 56 years ranging from 18 to 95 years. Average length of drain placement was 7.8 days ranging from 2 to 23 days. Average length of drain placement in infected drains was 13.3 days ranging from 11 to 15 days. There were 3 cases with positive CSF cultures (Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus epidermidis x 2). There were 2 cases with a CSF having a positive gram stain but failed to yield any bacterial growth on culture and did not meet predefined criteria. Conclusions. The c-EVD with prolonged antibiotics given for the duration of drain placement is not inferior to ac-EVD with pp-abx or ac-EVD with prolonged antibiotics for prevention of ventriculitis. The c-EVD with prolonged antibiotics is superior to c-EVD with pp-abx and conventional EVD without antibiotics for prevention of ventriculitis. Selection should include considerations for antibiotic stewardship and cost effectiveness. Future studies should also utilize clinical and CSF profile criteria in addition to positive CSF cultures for identifying ventriculitis to prevent line colonization from classification as ventriculitis in analysis.
Generalized Fractional Integral Formulas for the k-Bessel Function
Authors: Suthar D. L. , Ayene Mengesha
Published: September 2018

The aim of this paper is to deal with two integral transforms involving the Appell function as their kernels. We prove some compositions formulas for generalized fractional integrals with k-Bessel function. The results are expressed in terms of generalized Wright type hypergeometric function and generalized hypergeometric series. Also, the authors presented some related assertion for Saigo, Riemann-Liouville type, and Erdélyi-Kober type fractional integral transforms.
Determination of Chlorpromazine, Haloperidol, Levomepromazine, Olanzapine, Risperidone, and Sulpiride in Human Plasma by Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Authors: Khelfi Abderrezak , Azzouz Mohammed , Abtroun Rania , Reggabi Mohammed , Alamir Berkahoum
Published: September 2018

Background and Objective. In this study, turbo-ion spray as an interface of tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was performed for sensitive and accurate quantification of chlorpromazine, haloperidol, levomepromazine, olanzapine, risperidone, and sulpiride in plasma samples. Methods. Separation was performed by gradient reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography using a mobile phase containing ammonium formiate 2 mM, pH 2.7, and acetonitrile flowing through a Restek PFP Propyl C18 analytical column (50 mm×2.1 mm i.d.) with particle size of 5 µm, at a flow rate of 800 µL/min. Positive ion fragments were detected in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Sample preparation was achieved by solid phase extraction (SPE) (Oasis HLB). Results. Mean extraction recoveries ranged from 82.75% to 100.96%. The standard calibration curves showed an excellent linearity, covering subtherapeutic, therapeutic, and toxic ranges. Intraday and interday validation using quality control (QC) samples were performed. The inaccuracy and imprecision were below 12% at all concentration levels. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) for all analytes were under therapeutic ranges for all tested analytes. Thus, the proposed method was sensitive enough for the detection and determination of subtherapeutic levels of these antipsychotics in plasma samples. No interference of endogenous or exogenous molecules was observed and no carryover effects were recorded. Conclusion. According to the results, the proposed method is simple, specific, linear, accurate, and precise and can be applied for antipsychotic analysis in clinical routine. This method was applied for the determination of the tested antipsychotics in plasma samples taken from 71 individuals.
Robotic-Assisted versus Conventional Laparoscopic Approach for Rectal Cancer Surgery, First Egyptian Academic Center Experience, RCT
Authors: Debakey Yasser , Zaghloul Ashraf , Farag Ahmed , Mahmoud Ahmed , Elattar Inas
Published: September 2018

Background. Undoubtedly, robotic systems have largely penetrated the surgical field. For any new operative approach to become an accepted alternative to conventional methods, it must be proved safe and result in comparable outcomes. The purpose of this study is to compare the short-term operative as well as oncologic outcomes of robotic-assisted and laparoscopic rectal cancer resections. Methods. This is a prospective randomized clinical trial conducted on patients with rectal cancer undergoing either robotic-assisted or laparoscopic surgery from April 2015 till February 2017. Patients’ demographics, operative parameters, and short-term clinical and oncological outcomes were analyzed. Results. Fifty-seven patients underwent permuted block randomization. Of these patients, 28 were assigned to undergo robotic-assisted rectal surgery and 29 to laparoscopic rectal surgery. After exclusion of 12 patients following randomization, 45 patients were included in the analysis. No significant differences exist between both groups in terms of age, gender, BMI, ASA score, clinical stage, and rate of receiving upfront chemoradiation. Estimated blood loss was evidently lower in the robotic than in the laparoscopic group (median: 200 versus 325 ml, p= 0.050). A significantly more distal margin is achieved in the robotic than in the laparoscopic group (median: 2.8 versus 1.8, p< 0.001). Although the circumferential radial margin (CRM) was complete in 18 patients (85.7%) in the robotic group in contrast to 15 patients (62.5%) in the laparoscopic group, it did not differ statistically (p=0.079). The overall postoperative complication rates were similar between the two groups. Conclusion. To our knowledge, this is the first prospective randomized trial of robotic rectal surgery in the Middle East and Northern Africa region. Our early experience indicates that robotic rectal surgery is a feasible and safe procedure. It is not inferior to standard laparoscopy in terms of oncologic radicality and surgical complications. Organization number is IORG0003381. IRB number is IRB00004025.
Modeling the Effects of Bus Stops on Bicycle Traffic Flow by Cellular Automata
Authors: Huang Zhaoguo , Guo Xiucheng , Zhang Chunbo , Zhang Hongying
Published: September 2018

Since currently huge traffic demands for public bus and bicycles exist in the majority of cities of China, it is highly likely that the bus stop has undeniable impacts on the bicycle flow that is close to the bus stop. In this paper, we proposed the test in several bicycle paths beside bus stops in Nanjing and aimed at exploring the specific effects of bus stop on the bicycle flow nearby. We assumed there were two such effects: space restriction and pedestrian conflicts. Further, we built up a cellular automation (CA) model to study the feature of these effects and find out not only the outcome of these two effects, but also the inner correlation between them.
Oblivious Transfer via Lossy Encryption from Lattice‐Based Cryptography
Authors: Li Zengpeng , Xiang Can , Wang Chengyu
Published: September 2018

Authentication is the first defence line to prevent malicious entities to access smart mobile devices (or SMD). Essentially, there exist many available cryptographic primitives to design authentication protocols. Oblivious transfer () protocol is one of the important cryptographic primitives to design authentication protocols. The first lattice‐based framework under universal composability (UC) model was designed by dual mode encryption and promoted us to find an alternative efficient scheme. We note that “lossy encryption” scheme is an extension of the dual mode encryption and can be used to design UC‐secure protocol, but the investigations of via lossy encryption over the lattice are absent. Hence, in order to obtain an efficient authentication protocol by improving the performance of the UC‐secure protocol, in this paper, we first design a multibit lossy encryption under the decisional learning with errors () assumption and then design a new variant of UC‐secure protocol for authenticated protocol via lossy encryption scheme. Additionally, our protocol is secure against semihonest (static) adversaries in the common reference string (CRS) model and within the UC framework.
Experimental Investigation of Combustion Kinetics of Wood Powder and Pellet
Authors: Haobin Peng , Li Yuesheng , Li Yunquan , Yuan Fangyang , Chen Guohua
Published: September 2018

The combustion kinetic characteristics of wood powder and pellet were investigated within thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) and tube furnace system. The kinetic parameters of these two different forms of woody fuel were measured and derived by double-step-and-double-equal and isothermal method, respectively. The results showed that the combustion mechanisms of wood powder kept consistent through the whole process, while the combustion mechanisms of wood pellet differed significantly between the volatile and char combustion stages. The most probable mechanism functions of the two different forms of woody fuel were not the same due to the differences in internal heat and mass transfer properties. In addition, activation energy values varied from 92.33 kJ·mol−1 for wood powder to 71.20 kJ·mol−1 for wood pellet, while the preexponential factor value of wood powder (2.55×108 s−1) was far greater than the one of the wood pellet (78.55 s−1) by seven orders of magnitude.
An Appraisal of Pumpkin Seed Extract in 1, 2-Dimethylhydrazine Induced Colon Cancer in Wistar Rats
Authors: Chari K. Yogeswara , Polu Picheswara Rao , Shenoy Rekha R.
Published: September 2018

Background. Cancer is one of the most important public health burdens in developed and developing countries. Colon cancer (CC) is the sixth most common cause of death in India and third most important cause in developed countries. For treating cancer, several synthetic agents are available but they cause side effects. Therefore, there is a need to investigate plant derived anticancer agents with lesser side effects. In this direction, we have made an attempt to unravel the potential of pumpkin seed extract for treating colon cancer. Objective. The objective of this study was to evaluate pumpkin seed extract as prophylactic and treatment for 1, 2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH) induced colon cancer in Wistar rats. Materials and Methods. Male Wistar rats were divided into seven groups, namely, control, DMH (disease control), 5-Flurouracil (standard), treatment groups (100mg/kg and 200 mg/kg), and pretreatment groups (100mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) with pumpkin seed extract. The animals were euthanised at the end of study and colons were examined. Results. A significant difference in the aberrant crypt foci (ACF) number in all treatment groups compared to control and DMH groups were noted. Pretreatment group at a dose of 200 mg/kg showed a significant decrease in the colon length/weight ratio. Pretreatment groups showed a significant change in the colonic glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels when compared to control and DMH control. The nitrite content was decreased in treatment group 200 mg/kg at 5.203±0.852 when compared to DMH control at 8.506±3.866. All treatment groups demonstrated decreased hyperplasia and ACF in histology. Conclusion. Pumpkin seed may prevent the risk of CC when consumed in dietary proportions.
Overweight and Obesity in Schoolchildren: Hierarchical Analysis of Associated Demographic, Behavioral, and Biological Factors
Authors: Reuter Cézane P. , de Mello Elza D. , da Silva Priscila T. , Borges Tássia S. , Klinger Elisa I. , Franke Silvia I. R. , Valim Andréia R. de M.
Published: September 2018

Studies focused on the mechanisms involved in the development of obesity in children and adolescents have reported associations between this condition and birth weight, sedentary lifestyle, and hereditary conditions. However, few studies have simultaneously evaluated these factors. This cross-sectional study aims to identify demographic, behavioral, and biological factors associated with overweight/obesity in children and adolescents. 381 schoolchildren aged seven to 17 years were included in the study to evaluate the associations between overweight/obesity and biological factors (including family history of obesity, birth weight, and the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) rs9939609 polymorphism), demographic variables (including gender and age), and behavioral variables (including physical activity and/or sports participation). The results of this study showed that there was a lower prevalence of obesity in schoolchildren aged 11–17 years (PR: 0.89; p=0.004). Obesity was more prevalent in children whose father (PR: 1.24; p<0.001) and maternal grandmother (PR: 1.16; p=0.019) were obese. Higher prevalence rates of obesity were also identified in schoolchildren who were overweight at birth (PR: 1.18; p=0.002) and carriers of the obesity risk genotype (PR: 1.13; p=0.016). Biological factors, such as family history of obesity, overweight at birth, and the presence of the fat mass and obesity-associated rs9939609 polymorphism were associated with the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents.
Determining Equivalent Administrative Charges for Defined Contribution Pension Plans under CEV Model
Authors: Chen Hongjing , Yin Zheng , Xie Tianhao
Published: September 2018

In defined contribution pension plan, the determination of the equivalent administrative charges on balance and on flow is investigated if the risk asset follows a constant elasticity of variance (CEV) model. The maximum principle and the stochastic control theory are applied to derive the explicit solutions of the equivalent equation about the charges. Using the power utility function, our conclusion shows that the equivalent charge on balance is related to the charge on flow, risk-free interest rate, and the length of accumulation phase. Moreover, numerical analysis is presented to show our results.
Potential Pitfalls of the Humanized Mice in Modeling Sepsis
Authors: Laudanski Krzysztof , Stentz Michael , DiMeglio Matthew , Furey William , Steinberg Toby , Patel Arpit
Published: September 2018

Humanized mice are a state-of-the-art tool used to study several diseases, helping to close the gap between mice and human immunology. This review focuses on the potential obstacles in the analysis of immune system performance between humans and humanized mice in the context of severe acute inflammation as seen in sepsis or other critical care illnesses. The extent to which the reconstituted human immune system in mice adequately compares to the performance of the human immune system in human hosts is still an evolving question. Although certain viral and protozoan infections can be replicated in humanized mice, whether a highly complex and dynamic systemic inflammation like sepsis can be accurately represented by current humanized mouse models in a clinically translatable manner is unclear. Humanized mice are xenotransplant animals in the most general terms. Several organs (e.g., bone marrow mesenchymal cells, endothelium) cannot interact with the grafted human leukocytes effectively due to species specificity. Also the interaction between mice gut flora and the human immune system may be paradoxical. Often, grafting is performed utilizing an identical batch of stem cells in highly inbred animals which fails to account for human heterogeneity. Limiting factors include the substantial cost and restricting supply of animals. Finally, humanized mice offer an opportunity to gain knowledge of human-like conditions, requiring careful data interpretation just as in nonhumanized animals.
Development and Verification of a Transient Analysis Tool for Reactor System Using Supercritical CO2 Brayton Cycle as Power Conversion System
Authors: Wu Pan , Gao Chuntian , Shan Jianqiang
Published: September 2018

Supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle is a good choice of thermal-to-electric energy conversion system, which owns a high cycle efficiency and a compact cycle configuration. It can be used in many power-generation applications, such as nuclear power, concentrated solar thermal, fossil fuel boilers, and shipboard propulsion system. Transient analysis code for Supercritical CO2 Brayton cycle is a necessity in the areas of transient analyses, control strategy study, and accident analyses. In this paper, a transient analysis code SCTRAN/CO2 is developed for Supercritical CO2 Brayton Loop based on a homogenous model. Heat conduction model, point neutron power model (which is developed for nuclear power application), turbomachinery model for gas turbine, compressor and shaft model, and PCHE type recuperator model are all included in this transient analysis code. The initial verifications were performed for components and constitutive models like heat transfer model, friction model, and compressor model. The verification of integrated system transient was also conducted through making comparison with experiment data of SCO2EP of KAIST. The comparison results show that SCTRAN/CO2 owns the ability to simulate transient process for S-CO2 Brayton cycle. SCTRAN/CO2 will become an important tool for further study of Supercritical CO2 Bryton cycle-based nuclear reactor concepts.
Monthly or Weekly Supplementation with Cholecalciferol 20,000 IU in People Living with HIV: Results from a Nested Cohort Study
Authors: Noe Sebastian , Moeckel Christine I. , Schwerdtfeger Christiane , Oldenbuettel Celia , Jaeger Hans , Wolf Eva , Spinner Christoph D.
Published: September 2018

Background. There is still considerable uncertainty in handling vitamin D deficiency in people living with HIV (PLWH), due to a lack of comparative data and the wide range of recommended daily intake. Nondaily supplementation might be preferred in many PLWH, but recommendation on dosing has not been established. We aimed to compare the efficacy of weekly versus monthly supplementation with cholecalciferol 20,000 IU in a group of PLWH with vitamin D deficiency in Western Europe. Study Design. Longitudinal, retrospective nested cohort study of PLWH from two large clinical care centers in Munich, Germany. Results. Of 307 patients with vitamin D deficiency, 124 patients received vitamin D supplementation (weekly supplementation in 84 (67.7%)). 46.4% and 22.5% of patients achieved 25(OH)D levels ≥30 ng/mL after 12 months of weekly and monthly supplementation with cholecalciferol 20,000 IU, respectively (p=0.011). Dosing interval as well as 25(OH)D baseline levels >15 ng/mL were associated with the normalization of 25(OH)D. Conclusion. A higher rate of 25(OH)D level normalization can be achieved via weekly supplementation. For several PLWH, even a weekly dose of cholecalciferol 20,000 IU might not be adequate to maintain 25(OH)D levels >30 ng/mL without an initial “loading” dose. The response to supplementation is poorly predictable at an individual level.
The Urinary Phosphate to Serum Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 Ratio, Deemed the Nephron Index, Is a Useful Clinical Index for Early Stage Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: An Observational Pilot Study
Authors: Yamada Hodaka , Kuro-o Makoto , Funazaki Shunsuke , Ishikawa San-e , Kakei Masafumi , Hara Kazuo
Published: September 2018

Renal function decline is associated with progressive type 2 diabetes mellitus, which causes mineral and bone disorders. In the present study, we defined the ratio of urinary phosphate excretion (mg/day) to serum fibroblast growth factor 23 as the nephron index. We examined changes in the nephron index in type 2 diabetes patients with early stage chronic kidney disease (stages 1–3), enrolling 15 patients and retrospectively analysing the follow-up data. After follow-up at 5.4 years, we observed no significant changes in the estimated glomerular filtration rate; the nephron index, however, was significantly reduced between the baseline and the follow-up. We propose that the nephron index may be potentially useful as a biomarker for monitoring the decline of renal function in the early stages of diabetic chronic kidney disease patients.
Comparative Protective Effects of N-Acetylcysteine, N-Acetyl Methionine, and N-Acetyl Glucosamine against Paracetamol and Phenacetin Therapeutic Doses–Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats
Authors: Saleem Tahia H. , Abo El-Maali Nagwa , Hassan Mohammed H. , Mohamed Nahed A. , Mostafa Nashwa A. M. , Abdel-Kahaar Emaad , Tammam Azza S.
Published: September 2018

Background and Aims. Both paracetamol (PA) and phenacetin (PH) are analgesic and antipyretic agents. Part of phenacetin therapeutic activity is attributed to its metabolism into paracetamol. Paracetamol causes direct hepatic oxidative stress damage. The present study aimed to investigate the possible damaging effects of both PA and PH, when used in therapeutic doses, on rat liver and to compare the antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), N-acetyl-methionine (NAM), and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) against PA- or PH-induced hepatic damage.Methods. 90 male Wistar albino rats (120-140 gm) were undertaken, categorized randomly into 9 groups of 10 rats each, and administered by gavage for 2 weeks with DMSO 1% (controls), PA, PA+NAC, PA+NAM, PA+NAG, PH, PH+NAC, PH+NAM, and PH+NAG. Biochemical assays of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), reduced glutathione (GSH), total thiols, and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in liver homogenates and serum assays of ALT, AST, 8-hydroxy guanine (8-OH-Gua), and AFP were done. Also histopathological examinations of liver tissues in various groups were done.Results. PA and PH cause significant increase in hepatic levels of MDA, NO, and AFP and serum ALT, AST, and 8-OH-Gua levels, with significant decrease in hepatic GSH and total thiols. NAG and NAC significantly improve the PA- and PH-induced hepatic and blood, biochemical, and histopathological disturbances, respectively.Conclusions. Both PA and PH induce oxidative stress in rat liver within their therapeutic doses. NAG and NAC in pharmacological doses can antagonize the oxidative damaging effect of both PA and PH.
Fear Avoidance Beliefs and Risk of Long-Term Sickness Absence: Prospective Cohort Study among Workers with Musculoskeletal Pain
Authors: Jay Kenneth , Thorsen Sannie Vester , Sundstrup Emil , Aiguadé Ramon , Casaña Jose , Calatayud Joaquin , Andersen Lars Louis
Published: September 2018

Background and Objective. Musculoskeletal pain is common in the population. Negative beliefs about musculoskeletal pain and physical activity may lead to avoidance behavior resulting in absence from work. The present study investigates the influence of fear avoidance beliefs on long-term sickness absence. Methods. Workers of the general working population with musculoskeletal pain (low back, neck/shoulder, and/or arm/hand pain; n = 8319) from the Danish Work Environment Cohort Study were included. Long-term sickness absence data were obtained from the Danish Register for Evaluation and Marginalization (DREAM). Time-to-event analyses (cox regression) controlled for various confounders estimated the association between fear avoidance beliefs (very low, low, moderate [reference category], high, and very high) at baseline and long-term sickness absence (LTSA; ≥6 consecutive weeks) during a 2-year follow-up. Results. During the 2-year follow-up, 10.2% of the workers experienced long-term sickness absence. In the fully adjusted model, very high-level fear avoidance increased the risk of LTSA with hazard ratio (HR) of 1.48 (95% CI 1.15-1.90). Similar results were seen analyses stratified for occupational physical activity, i.e., sedentary workers (HR 1.72 (95% CI 1.04-2.83)) and physically active workers (HR 1.48 (95% CI 1.10-2.01)). Conclusion. A very high level of fear avoidance is a risk factor for long-term sickness absence among workers with musculoskeletal pain regardless of the level of occupational physical activity. Future interventions should target fear avoidance beliefs through information and campaigns about the benefits of staying active when having musculoskeletal pain.
Optimized Direct Padé and HPM for Solving Equation of Oxygen Diffusion in a Spherical Cell
Authors: Sandoval-Hernandez M. A. , Vazquez-Leal H. , Sarmiento-Reyes A. , Filobello-Nino U. , Castro-Gonzalez F. , Herrera-May A. L. , Callejas-Molina R. A. , Ruiz-Gomez R.
Published: September 2018

This work presents the application of homotopy perturbation method (HPM) and Optimized Direct Padé (ODP) to obtain a handy and easily computable approximate solution of the nonlinear differential equation to model the oxygen diffusion in a spherical cell with nonlinear oxygen uptake kinetics. On one hand, the obtained HPM solution is fully symbolic in terms of the coefficients of the equation, allowing us to use the same solution for different values of the maximum reaction rate, the Michaelis constant, and the permeability of the cell membrane. On the other hand, the numerical experiments show the high accuracy of the proposed ODP solution, resulting in 3.58×10-4 as the lowest absolute relative error (A.R.E.) for a set of coefficients. In addition, a novel technique is proposed to reduce the number of algebraic operations during the process of application of ODP method through the use of the Taylor series, which help to simplify the algebraic expressions used. The powerful process to obtain the solution shows that the Optimized Direct Padé and homotopy perturbation method are suitable methods to use.
Phosphate, Calcification in Blood, and Mineral Stress: The Physiologic Blood Mineral Buffering System and Its Association with Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Pasch Andreas , Jahnen-Dechent Willi , Smith Edward R.
Published: September 2018

Phosphate is an important cardiovascular risk factor and lowering elevated blood phosphate concentrations is a main therapeutic target in kidney patients. Phosphate is subject to the blood mineral buffering system which controls the precipitation of calcium and phosphate. Calciprotein particles (CPP), self-assembling complexes of calcium phosphate and serum proteins, are the nanomorphological correlates of this system. CPP1 are spherical, 50-100 nm in diameter, and contain amorphous mineral. CPP2 are oblongated, 100-200nm in the long axis, and they contain a crystalline mineral core. The relative abundance and biological activity of these particles are a matter of intense research, because they can cause oxidative stress, inflammation, and calcification in cellular assay. Therapeutically reducing this endogenous stressor by prolonging crystal formation time might improve patient outcome. This concise review article summarizes our current knowledge about the blood mineral buffering system and proposes Mineral Stress as a novel modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. It furthermore outlines possible implications this might have for improving patient care.
Induction of Paracrine Signaling in Metastatic Melanoma Cells by PPARγ Agonist Rosiglitazone Activates Stromal Cells and Enhances Tumor Growth
Authors: Pich Christine , Meylan Patrick , Mastelic-Gavillet Beatris , Nguyen Thanh Nhan , Loyon Romain , Trang Bao Khanh , Moser Hélène , Moret Catherine , Goepfert Christine , Hafner Jürg , Levesque Mitchell P. , Romero Pedro , Jandus Camilla , Michalik Liliane
Published: September 2018

In addition to improving insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes, the thiazolidinedione family of compounds and the pharmacologic activation of their best-characterized target PPARγ have been proposed as a therapeutic option for cancer treatment. In this study, we reveal a new mode of action for the thiazolidinedione rosiglitazone that can contribute to tumorigenesis. Rosiglitazone activated a tumorigenic paracrine communication program in a subset of human melanoma cells that involves the secretion of cytokines, chemokines, and angiogenic factors. This complex blend of paracrine signals activated nonmalignant fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and macrophages in a tumor-friendly way. In agreement with these data, rosiglitazone promoted human melanoma development in xenografts, and tumors exposed to rosiglitazone exhibited enhanced angiogenesis and inflammation. Together, these findings establish an important tumorigenic action of rosiglitazone in a subset of melanoma cells. Although studies conducted on cohorts of diabetic patients report overall benefits of thiazolidinediones in cancer prevention, our data suggest that exposure of established tumors to rosiglitazone may be deleterious.

Significance: These findings uncover a novel mechanism by which the thiazolidinedione compound rosiglitazone contributes to tumorigenesis, thus highlighting a potential risk associated with its use in patients with established tumors. Cancer Res; 78(22); 6447–61. ©2018 AACR.