bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spiral wave of a two-layer coupling neuronal network with multi-area channels
Authors: Wu Yong , Wang Bing , Zhang Xiaoxiao , Chen Hao
Published: December 2019

Using the Hindmarsh–Rose (HR) model, a two-layer neuronal network is constructed to study the spiral wave dynamics. The first layer generates spiral wave induced by random values of boundary under appropriate coupling intensity and external force, and the second layer is in the different states. Coupling channels between the two layers are set in multiple areas and spiral wave of first layer affect second layer via the coupling channels. The spatiotemporal pattern of neuronal network is investigated in the second layer. It is shown that spiral wave can be found under appropriate conditions, multi-area channels are more likely to generate spiral waves and target waves than only one local coupling area. A statistical variable on the second layer is calculated by increasing intensity of channels between layers. The larger the coupling areas between layers, the more obvious the synchronism phenomenon is.
Invariant solutions of hyperbolic fuzzy fractional differential equations
Authors: Vinothkumar C. , Nieto J. J. , Deiveegan A. , Prakash P.
Published: December 2019

We consider the hyperbolic type fuzzy fractional differential equation and derive the second-order fuzzy fractional differential equation using scaling transformation. We present a theoretical and a numerical method to find the invariant solutions of such equations. Also, we prove the existence and uniqueness results using Banach fixed point theorem. Numerical solutions are approximated using finite difference method. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the obtained results.
The crystal structure, linear and nonlinear optical properties of 3-Aminonitrobenzene for photonic application — A combined experimental and theoretical investigation
Authors: Latha A. Arputha , Anbuchezhiyan M.
Published: December 2019

Optically transparent good quality single crystal of 3-Aminonitrobenzene (3-ANB) was grown by slow evaporation technique using methanol as solvent. The grown crystal was subjected to single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis in order to reveal its cell parameters, crystal structure and space group. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis was carried out in order to verify the crystalline nature. UV-Vis study was carried out to measure the optical transparency of the title material and also optical band gap was determined from the transmittance window. The existence of second harmonic generation (SHG) in the title material was confirmed by Kurtz–Perry powder technique. In order to throw light on the crystal structure, linear and nonlinear optical properties at molecular level, Density Functional Theory (DFT) was employed using B3LYP/6[Formula: see text]G (d, p) level of basis set. The DFT study illustrates the HOMO–LUMO energy gap analysis and the existence of SHG behavior of 3-ANB at molecular level.
White light continuum in negative hollow-core fiber filled with inert gases
Authors: Palacio Sebastian Vergara , Herrera Rodrigo Acuna
Published: December 2019

As of the writing of this work, generation of white light continuum (WLC) in hollow-core photonic crystal fibers (HCPCF) filled with gases is being thoroughly researched. These structures allow the possibility of adjusting light generation properties by changing the fill gas pressure. Kagomé hollow-core PCF and silica capillaries have been used to study the nonlinear effects in gases as they facilitate exploring these weak properties. In this paper, we numerically analyze the generation of WLC in a new type of hollow-core PCF, called negative curvature hollow-core fiber (NCHCF), itself filled with different inert gases. We show that this type of fiber is a better alternative to the Kagomé and capillary fibers because it exhibits low losses and the WLC spectrum generated presents a relatively flat wavelength span from around 400[Formula: see text]nm to 2400[Formula: see text]nm under certain circumstances.
STUDY ON VISION-BASED MULTIDIRECTIONAL POSTURE AND MOTION ANALYSIS SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT
Authors: CHONG WOO SUK , SHIN MI YEON , YU CHANG HO
Published: December 2019

In this study, a multidirectional posture and motion evaluation tool system using a camera-based vision system was developed. By installing a camera on the top, back, left, and front of the system, kinematical information of the participant was collected and analyzed on the sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes. A dedicated color light-emitting diode (LED) marker was developed for increasing recognition rate of marker. Based on LabVIEW, images collected from four cameras were printed on one screen, and the detection angle of each marker was calculated using the cosine second law. To evaluate the performance of this system, a motion analysis experiment was performed on 20 office workers in Jeonju area. The reliability was measured using POFOMO, Dartfish and the results were compared. The comparison results indicate that the concurrent validities of the two results for the knee angle, left shoulder, and right shoulder were highly correlated as [Formula: see text], 0.988, and 0.991, respectively. Because the POFOMO image analysis tool in the present system reduces the analysis time and involves a simpler measurement procedure than that of Dartfish, this system can be used as an effective device for measuring the posture alignment of the human body.
Determinants of Social Community Value Creation: An Exploratory Empirical Study
Authors: Wu Chien-Hsing , Wu Chuan-Chun
Published: December 2019

Based on the Value–Belief–Norm Theory (VBNT), an exploratory study is conducted that proposes a research model to describe the social community value creation. The proposed model is examined via empirical survey. The mediation effect of community beliefs is also explored. The model considers extrinsic perceived value (EPV), intrinsic perceived value (IPV), and biospheric perceived value (BPV) as the main determinants of value creation behaviour for online communities. Results from the analysis of 335 valid community users are obtained. The intrinsic perceived value is significantly associated with the value creation attitude (VCA) towards intention, implying that community users, thus far, likely appreciate such intrinsic effect of community as participation and sentiment values. The beliefs partially mediate the effect of IPV on value creation behaviour. Active behaviour in public issues and private behaviour in the community are because of the perceived participation value, whereas non-active behaviour in public issues is due to the perceived network value in online community. Trust and norm alternate no effect of IPV on value creation attitude towards active and non-active behaviours in public issues and private behaviour in the community. This draws attention to the idea that beliefs probably have interplay effect on the value creation behaviour. This study serves as a theoretical and practical groundwork for researches on value development of virtual society with a focus on the effects of EPV, IPV, and BPV. Discussions and implications are also addressed.
A Review of Research Relevant to the Emerging Industry Trends: Industry 4.0, IoT, Blockchain, and Business Analytics
Authors: Zhang Caiming , Chen Yong
Published: December 2019

Industry 4.0, Internet of Things, Blockchain, and Business Analytics are the hot research topics and have attracted much attention from scholars and practitioners in recent years. In order to identify the forces driving their development and to promote their development, this paper reviews the extant studies on these topics. The review provides a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art researches on Industry 4.0, Internet of Things, Blockchain, and Business Analytics. The results assist scholars to figure out the directions of future studies on these topics.
An Internet-of-Things Solution to Assist Independent Living and Social Connectedness in Elderly
Authors: Forkan Abdur Rahim Mohammad , Branch Philip , Jayaraman Prem Prakash , Ferretto Andre
Published: December 2019

Social isolation has been identified as a major risk in elderly people living alone because of their association with cognitive decline, depression, and other mental health-related issues. Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) is identified as a key technology to facilitate independent living and maintain social connnectedness between elderly, their families, and caregivers. AAL combines Internet of Things, Smart Homes, and machine learning to produce a smart solution that encourages independent, safe, and socially active life for elderly people within their own home. In this article, we propose, develop, implement, and validate a novel Internet-of-Things-based solution that uses passive (i.e., non-obstructive methods) sensing for real-time monitoring of elderly in their homes. The significance of the proposed solution is in the use of machine learning and statistical models to automatically build a personalised model by learning the normal behavioural pattern for the person from deployed sensors in the house. It then uses this model to detect significant changes in the behavioural pattern, should they occur, that could be a consequence of possible health deterioration. We evaluate the performance of the proposed solution via real-world in-home trials installed in six elderly people’s home for a period from 1.5 to 4 months. A discussion and analysis of the in-home trial outcomes and feedback from elderly who participated in the trials conclude the article.
Complete Shadow Symbolic Execution with Java PathFinder
Authors: Noller Yannic , Nguyen Hoang Lam , Tang Minxing , Kehrer Timo , Grunske Lars
Published: December 2019

Regression testing ensures the correctness of the software during its evolution, with special attention on the absence of unintended side-e ects that might be introduced by changes. However, the manual creation of regression test cases, which expose divergent behavior, needs a lot of e ort. A solution is the idea of shadow symbolic execution, which takes a uni ed version of the old and the new programs and performs symbolic execution guided by concrete values to explore the changed behavior.

In this work, we adapt the idea of shadow symbolic execution (SSE) and combine complete/standard symbolic execution with the idea of four-way forking to expose diverging behavior. There- fore, our approach attempts to comprehensively test the new be- haviors introduced by a change. We implemented our approach in the tool ShadowJPF+, which performs complete shadow sym- bolic execution on Java bytecode. It is an extension of the tool ShadowJPF, which is based on Symbolic PathFinder. We applied our tool on 79 examples, for which it was able to reveal more di- verging behaviors than common shadow symbolic execution. Ad- ditionally, the approach has been applied on a real-world patch for the Joda-Time library, for which it successfully generated test cases that expose a regression error.
A Sound Dynamic Partial Order Reduction Engine for Java Pathfinder
Authors: Storey Kyle , Mercer Eric , Parizek Pavel
Published: December 2019

When model checking a multi-threaded program, it is often nec- essary to enumerate the possible ordering of concurrent events to evaluate the behavior of the program. However, enumerating every possible order of events quickly leads to state-space explo- sion. Dynamic Partial Order Reduction (DPOR) is a method to dynamically determine a subset of schedules that need to be evaluated to observe all the relevant behavior of a program. A sound implementation of DPOR in Java Path nder (JPF) can be tricky without incurring unacceptable amounts of overhead, be- cause JPF does not support subdividing existing transitions and conservatively inserting choice generators to end transitions at each possible scheduling point causes JPF to save a large amount of state. We present an extension to JPF, which is an efficient implementation of DPOR that attempts to minimize spacial com- plexity. It handles the directing of the search and uses a simple interface to allow the user to de ne the set of events to operate on and to determine which of those events are dependent. It keeps its own internal representation of all possible scheduling points without inserting choice generators at each point. It then restarts portions of the search, if necessary, to insert only the needed choice generators.
Software Engineering for Smart Cyber-Physical Systems (SEsCPS 2018) - Workshop Report
Authors: Bures Tomas , Weyns Danny , Schmerl Bradley , Fitzgerald John , Aniculaesei Adina , Berger Christian , Cambeiro João , Carlson Jan , Chowdhury Shafiul Azam , Daun Marian , Li Nianyu , Markthaler Matthias , Menghi Claudio , Penzenstadler Birgit , Pettit Aedan , Pettit Robert , Sabatucci Luca , Tranoris Christos , Vangheluwe Hans , Voss Sebastian , Zavala Edith
Published: December 2019

Smart Cyber-Physical Systems (sCPS) are a novel kind of Cyber- Physical System engineered to take advantage of large-scale cooperation between devices, users and environment to achieve added value in the face of uncertainty and changing environments. Examples of sCPS include modern traffic systems, Industry 4.0 systems, systems for smart buildings, and smart energy grids. The uniting aspect of all these systems is that to achieve their high level of intelligence, adaptivity and ability to optimize and learn, they rely heavily on software. This makes them software-intensive systems, where software becomes their most complex part. Engineering sCPS thus becomes a recognized software engineering discipline, which, due to specifics of sCPS, can only partially rely on the existing body of knowledge in software engineering. In fact, it turns out that many of the traditional approaches to architecture modeling and software development fall short in their ability to cope with the high dynamicity and uncertainty of sCPS. This calls for innovative approaches that jointly reflect and address the specifics of such systems. This paper maps the discussions and results of the Fourth International Workshop on Software Engineering for Smart Cyber-Physical Systems (SEsCPS 2018), which focuses on challenges and promising solutions in the area of software engineering for sCPS.
Corticosteroids for Acute and Recurrent Idiopathic Pericarditis: Unexpected Evidences
Authors: Perrone Antonio , Castrovilli Anna , Piazzolla Giuseppina , Savino Sabina , D’Introno Alessia , Sabbà Carlo
Published: December 2019

Pericarditis is a common disease, often postviral or “idiopathic,” diagnosed in about 5% of emergency room visits for non-ischemic chest pain. Although pericarditis often occurs as a benign and self-limiting disease, it may present recurrences. The first-line therapy includes aspirin/nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (ASA/NSAIDs)pluscolchicine. Steroids especially at high-dose have been associated with a higher recurrence rate. In this retrospective study, we evaluated efficacy and safety of ASA/NSAIDs and prednisone in the treatment of acute or recurrent idiopathic pericarditis (colchicine was off-label in the period of the study). The cohort included 276 patients diagnosed with acute idiopathic pericarditis. Mean age was 45.4 ± 12.7 years, and males were significantly higher in number and younger than females. Sixty-one patients (22.1%) were treated with prednisone and 215 with ASA/NSAIDs (77.9%). 171 patients experienced at least one recurrence (62%). No difference in recurrence rate was observed (p=0.257) between the groups treated with prednisone (55.7%) vs. ASA/NSAIDs (63.7%). The recurrences were treated with steroids at low doses and very gradual tapering, and the dose reduction was slower as the number of relapses was higher. Steroids alone were administered to about 80% of patients, while in the remaining 20% of cases, they were associated with ASA/NSDAIDs or colchicine. Approximately 90% of patients had a very favorable course, that is no more than 2 relapses and no patients presented serious side effects. Steroids at low dose, did not act, surprisingly, as an independent risk factor for recurrences and therefore may be considered a successful and safe treatment for acute and recurrent idiopathic pericarditis.
Morphological Neuroimaging Biomarkers for Tinnitus: Evidence Obtained by Applying Machine Learning
Authors: Liu Yawen , Niu Haijun , Zhu Jianming , Zhao Pengfei , Yin Hongxia , Ding Heyu , Gong Shusheng , Yang Zhenghan , Lv Han , Wang Zhenchang
Published: December 2019

According to previous studies, many neuroanatomical alterations have been detected in patients with tinnitus. However, the results of these studies have been inconsistent. The objective of this study was to explore the cortical/subcortical morphological neuroimaging biomarkers that may characterize idiopathic tinnitus using machine learning methods. Forty-six patients with idiopathic tinnitus and fifty-six healthy subjects were included in this study. For each subject, the gray matter volume of 61 brain regions was extracted as an original feature pool. From this feature pool, a hybrid feature selection algorithm combining the F-score and sequential forward floating selection (SFFS) methods was performed to select features. Then, the selected features were used to train a support vector machine (SVM) model. The area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy were used to assess the performance of the classification model. As a result, a combination of 13 cortical/subcortical brain regions was found to have the highest classification accuracy for effectively differentiating patients with tinnitus from healthy subjects. These brain regions include the bilateral hypothalamus, right insula, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, left rostral middle frontal gyrus, bilateral inferior temporal gyrus, right inferior parietal lobule, right transverse temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus, right cingulate gyrus, and left superior frontal gyrus. The accuracy in the training and test datasets was 80.49% and 80.00%, respectively, and the AUC was 0.8586. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to elucidate brain morphological changes in patients with tinnitus by applying an SVM classifier. This study provides validated cortical/subcortical morphological neuroimaging biomarkers to differentiate patients with tinnitus from healthy subjects and contributes to the understanding of neuroanatomical alterations in patients with tinnitus.
Investigation on True Stress‐Strain Curves of Flat and Corner Regions of Cold‐Formed Section Using 3D Digital Image Correlation Method
Authors: Xu Bo , Xia Junwu , Ma Renwei , Wang Jian , Chen Xiaomiao , Chang Hongfei , Zhang Lihai
Published: December 2019

The true stress‐strain curve is the critical method to describe the practical material mechanical performance and the essential precondition to develop the advanced numerical simulation. Experimental, analytical, and numerical procedures were performed in present research to investigate the true stress‐strain curves of flat and corner regions of the cold‐formed channel section. The coupon tests with the 3D digital image correlation system were conducted on flat and corner specimens to directly obtain the true stress‐strain curves. The experimental results indicate that the tensile secondary‐hardening phenomenon at the plastic strain stage was observed in the true stress‐strain curves of flat coupons, and initial strain hardening behavior was produced in that of corner coupons. Flat region exhibits a significant improvement of true ultimate strength compared to the engineering value. The stress status of the corner region is developed to ultimate strength at the early strain phase and exhibits a slight increase compared with the nominal values at the plastic phase. Cold‐rolling action limits the ductility performance of the corner region, which highly restrains the tensile strain hardening at the plastic condition. Thus, the true yielding strength of the corner region is obviously higher, but the true ultimate strength is significantly lower than that of the flat region. Together with the optical measuring results, a trilinear model with two‐stage strain hardening and a simplified trilinear models were established for describing the true stress‐strain curves of flat and corner regions, respectively. The load‐displacement curves from numerical simulations fit very well with those of coupon tests, which validate the reliability of the optic measurement and the dependability of the simplified constitutive models.
The Role of In Situ Stress in Organizing Flow Pathways in Natural Fracture Networks at the Percolation Threshold
Authors: Jiang Chuanyin , Wang Xiaoguang , Sun Zhixue , Lei Qinghua
Published: December 2019

We investigated the effect of in situ stresses on fluid flow in a natural fracture network. The fracture network model is based on an actual critically connected (i.e., close to the percolation threshold) fracture pattern mapped from a field outcrop. We derive stress-dependent fracture aperture fields using a hybrid finite-discrete element method. We analyze the changes of aperture distribution and fluid flow field with variations of in situ stress orientation and magnitude. Our simulations show that an isotropic stress loading tends to reduce fracture apertures and suppress fluid flow, resulting in a decrease of equivalent permeability of the fractured rock. Anisotropic stresses may cause a significant amount of sliding of fracture walls accompanied with shear-induced dilation along some preferentially oriented fractures, resulting in enhanced flow heterogeneity and channelization. When the differential stress is further elevated, fracture propagation becomes prevailing and creates some new flow paths via linking preexisting natural fractures, which attempts to increase the bulk permeability but attenuates the flow channelization. Comparing to the shear-induced dilation effect, it appears that the propagation of new cracks leads to a more prominent permeability enhancement for the natural fracture system. The results have particularly important implications for predicting the hydraulic responses of fractured rocks to in situ stress fields and may provide useful guidance for the strategy design of geofluid production from naturally fractured reservoirs.
Particle Swarm Optimized Hybrid Kernel-Based Multiclass Support Vector Machine for Microarray Cancer Data Analysis
Authors: Segera Davies , Mbuthia Mwangi , Nyete Abraham
Published: December 2019

Determining an optimal decision model is an important but difficult combinatorial task in imbalanced microarray-based cancer classification. Though the multiclass support vector machine (MCSVM) has already made an important contribution in this field, its performance solely depends on three aspects: the penalty factor C, the type of kernel, and its parameters. To improve the performance of this classifier in microarray-based cancer analysis, this paper proposes PSO-PCA-LGP-MCSVM model that is based on particle swarm optimization (PSO), principal component analysis (PCA), and multiclass support vector machine (MCSVM). The MCSVM is based on a hybrid kernel, i.e., linear-Gaussian-polynomial (LGP) that combines the advantages of three standard kernels (linear, Gaussian, and polynomial) in a novel manner, where the linear kernel is linearly combined with the Gaussian kernel embedding the polynomial kernel. Further, this paper proves and makes sure that the LGP kernel confirms the features of a valid kernel. In order to reveal the effectiveness of our model, several experiments were conducted and the obtained results compared between our model and other three single kernel-based models, namely, PSO-PCA-L-MCSVM (utilizing a linear kernel), PSO-PCA-G-MCSVM (utilizing a Gaussian kernel), and PSO-PCA-P-MCSVM (utilizing a polynomial kernel). In comparison, two dual and two multiclass imbalanced standard microarray datasets were used. Experimental results in terms of three extended assessment metrics (F-score, G-mean, and Accuracy) reveal the superior global feature extraction, prediction, and learning abilities of this model against three single kernel-based models.
Field Test Investigation of the Pile Jacking Performance for Prefabricated Square Rigid‐Drainage Piles in Saturated Silt Sandy Soils
Authors: Wang Xiangying
Published: December 2019

The rigid‐drainage pile, designed to accelerate the dissipation of excess pore water pressure around the pile, is a new type of pile that combines the bearing capacity of ordinary rigid piles and the draining capacity of gravel piles. Field tests of these new piles were performed for the first time at a construction site in the new campus of Jiangyin No. 1 High School. Numerous parameters were observed for the test piles in many trials, including the excess pore water pressures, horizontal soil pressures, and displacements. At the measuring position at 0.6 m from the pile center, the rigid‐drainage pile dissipates 70% of the peak excess pore water pressure in 1000 s, whereas the ordinary pile requires nearly 4000 s to dissipate the identical amplitude. The field test results clearly demonstrate that the rigid‐drainage pile can reduce the amplitude of the peak pressure caused by piling in the liquefiable layer, quickly dissipate the excess pore water pressure, reduce the loss of effective stress in the soil surrounding the pile, and maintain the foundation stability.
A Multibiomarker Approach to Assess the Health State of Coastal Ecosystem Receiving Desalination Plants in Agadir Bay, Morocco
Authors: Elazzaoui Ahmed , Moukrim Abdellatif , Lefrere Latifa
Published: December 2019

The present study aims to evaluate the initial health status of two stations receiving seawater desalination plants in Agadir Bay (Tifnit-DouiraandCap Ghir) and to assess their potential environmental impact on the marine ecosystem health. Six pairs of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) were collected at six sampling sites on a monthly basis over two years. Each pair was homogenized to obtain the postmitochondrial fractions (S9). Toxicological effects were measured using a multibiomarker approach based on either acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) rate. The results show a seasonal variation of the biomarkers: their activities increase in summer and decrease in spring and winter. High activities were recorded during summer in Cap Ghir (17.94 ± 0.88; 5.91 ± 052 nmol/min/mg of protein) for CAT and MDA, respectively. In Tifnit-Douira, low activities were recorded during winter for GST (3.74 ± 0.52 nmol/min/mg of protein) and during spring for the CAT (3.52 ± 0.45 nmol/min/mg of protein). The fluctuations in the activities of measured biomarkers could be attributed to different factors including the changes in environmental parameters, the influence of seasonal variation, and the contamination of the aquatic ecosystem. The data obtained in this study should be taken into account in the monitoring and management of the health of the ecosystems when the desalination plants are established.
Antitumoral and Immunomodulatory Effect of Mahonia aquifolium Extracts
Authors: Andreicuț Andra Diana , Fischer-Fodor Eva , Pârvu Alina Elena , Ţigu Adrian Bogdan , Cenariu Mihai , Pârvu Marcel , Cătoi Florinela Adriana , Irimie Alexandru
Published: December 2019

The prodrug potential of Mahonia aquifolium, a plant used for centuries in traditional medicine, recently gained visibility in the literature, and the activity of several active compounds isolated from its extracts was studied on biologic systems in vitro and in vivo. Whereas the antioxidative and antitumor activities of M. aquifolium-derived compounds were studied at some extent, there are very few data about their outcome on the immune system and tumor cells. To elucidate the M. aquifolium potential immunomodulatory and antiproliferative effects, the bark, leaf, flower, green fruit, and ripe fruit extracts from the plant were tested on peripheral blood mononuclear cells and tumor cells. The extracts exert fine-tuned control on the immune response, by modulating the CD25 lymphocyte activation pathway, the interleukin-10 signaling, and the tumor necrosis-alpha secretion in four distinct human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) subpopulations. M. aquifolium extracts exhibit a moderate cytotoxicity and changes in the signaling pathways linked to cell adhesion, proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of the tumor cells. These results open perspectives to further investigation of the M. aquifolium extract prodrug potential.
Deep Recurrent Neural Networks for Edge Monitoring of Personal Risk and Warning Situations
Authors: Torti Emanuele , Musci Mirto , Guareschi Federico , Leporati Francesco , Piastra Marco
Published: December 2019

Accidental falls are the main cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries, which typically lead to hospital admissions among elderly people. A wearable system capable of detecting unintentional falls and sending remote notifications will clearly improve the quality of the life of such subjects and also helps to reduce public health costs. In this paper, we describe an edge computing wearable system based on deep learning techniques. In particular, we give special attention to the description of the classification and communication modules, which have been developed by keeping in mind the limits in terms of computational power, memory occupancy, and power consumption of the designed wearable device. The system thus developed is capable of classifying 3D-accelerometer signals in real-time and to issue remote alerts while keeping power consumption low and improving on the present state-of-the-art solutions in the literature.
Al servicio de un consumo socialmente responsable
Authors: Montero Simó María José , Araque Padilla Rafael A.
Published: December 2019

Hoy día pocos niegan los importantes efectos económicos, sociales y medioambientales que están íntimamente ligados al fenómeno del consumo. Efectos que también conciernen a la práctica empresarial. El futuro que se nos dibuja exige resituar la innovación empresarial en un contexto de mayor implicación social. Y es urgente.
A Study on the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Iranian Mothers towards Childhood Obesity
Authors: Karimy Mahmood , Armoon Bahram , Fayazi Neda , Koohestani Hamid Reza
Published: December 2019

Objectives: In the recent decades, a dramatic increase in childhood obesity is one of the main public health problems. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) of Iranian mothers towards childhood obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive research was conducted on KAP of 432 mothers and their children aged 6–7 years (214 boys and 218 girls) who were referred to the Zarandieh health centers, Iran, in 2017. The participants were selected via multistage random sampling. Demographic and KAP data were obtained by self-report using standard questionnaires. The weight and height of the subjects were measured according to standard methods and body mass index was calculated. Data were analyzed by inferential statistics using SPSS18 software. Results: The prevalence of obesity (OB) was 11.5% in boys and 7% in girls. The mean score for attitude for mothers with normal-weight children was higher than for mothers with obese children. Food habits like consumption of breakfast, having fast food at least twice a week, and eating in front of TV were associated with OB. Physical activity habits like duration of TV watching/computer games/sleep and regular physical exercise were associated with OB. Conclusions: This study identified the importance of educating Iranian mothers to change of lifestyle (eating and physical activity habits) and attitudes towards weight control in their children. Therefore, it seems that these results may be valuable in the development of educational programs and strategies for the prevention of childhood obesity.
Predicting Patients Found to Have Malignancy at Nipple Duct Surgery
Authors: Alshurbasi Nour , Cartlidge Christopher W. J. , Kohlhardt Stanley R. , Hadad Sirwan M.
Published: December 2019

Introduction: The unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer following total duct excision is distressing for patients. Despite advances in radiology and the description of suspicious nipple discharge, pre-operative diagnosis of malignancy still evades us. The aim of this study was to review the pathological findings of total duct excision and microdochectomy with reference to pre-operative symptoms, ultrasound, or mammographic findings and identify features associated with increased likelihood of malignant disease. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively of all patients who underwent total duct excision surgery in a single centre (2011–2017). Pre-operative demographics, symptoms, and imaging findings were recorded and correlated with subsequent pathology. Results: 214 patients underwent total duct excision; data were available for 211. Median age was 53 years. 175/211 (82.9%) patients had benign pathology (duct ectasia, papilloma without atypia, fibrocystic change) on final histological examination, 21/211 (10%) had “risk” lesions (papilloma with atypia, atypical ductal hyperplasia), and 15/211 (7.1%) had malignancy (ductal carcinoma in situ). Of the 15 patients with malignant lesions, 6/15 (40%) had normal imaging (M1, U1). 71/211 (33.6%) had normal imaging (M1, U1): 60/71 (84.5%) had benign disease, 5/71 (7%) had “risk” lesions, and 6/71 (8.5%) had malignant lesions. 83/211 (39.3%) patients presented with bloody discharge: 64/83 (77.1%) had benign pathology, 9/83 (10.8%) risk, and 10/83 (12%) malignancy. 38/211 (18%) patients presented with non-bloody discharge: 32/38 (84.2%) had benign disease, 4/38 (10.5%) risk, and 2/38 (5.3%) malignant lesions. ­Conclusion: Neither imaging nor presenting symptoms correlate with the likelihood of malignant disease being present at final pathology. Even with advances in pre-operative diagnosis, total duct excision remains an essential diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.
РОЛЬ МЕДИЧНОЇ СЕСТРИ В ПРОВЕДЕННІ СПІНАЛЬНОЇ АНЕСТЕЗІЇ
Authors: Khliwna M. V.
Published: December 2019

У статті висвітлено роль медичної сестри в проведенні спінальної анестезії пацієнтам, яких підготовлю­ють до операційного втручання. Розгорнуто питання щодо показань та протипоказань до виконання цієї маніпуляції. Значну увагу приділено підготовці пацієнта та його правильному положенню під час спінальної анестезії.
НАДАННЯ МЕДСЕСТРИНСЬКОЇ ДОПОМОГИ ПАЛІАТИВНИМ ПАЦІЄНТАМ ХОСПІСНОГО ВІДДІЛЕННЯ ЧЕРНІГІВСЬКОЇ МІСЬКОЇ ЛІКАРНІ № 4 ЧЕРНІГІВСЬКОЇ МІСЬКОЇ РАДИ
Authors: Rega N. I. , Yastremska S. O. , Mishkina M. M.
Published: December 2019

У роботі наведено структуру захворюваності та причини смертності пацієнтів хоспісного відділення Чернігівської міської лікарні № 4 Чернігівської міської ради, оцінено інтенсивність хронічного больового синдрому в цих хворих та запропоновано рекомендації для покращення надання медсестринської допомоги паліативним пацієнтам.
ТУБЕРКУЛЬОЗ ЛЕГЕНЬ ЯК ГЛОБАЛЬНА ПРОБЛЕМА УСЬОГО СВӀТУ
Authors: Zhavrichenko K. V.
Published: December 2019

У статті проаналізовано причини розповсюдження туберкульозу в Україні та за її межами, а також фактори, що спричиняють виникнення цього захворювання.
ПЕДАГОГІЧНІ ПЕРЕДУМОВИ В РОБОТІ МЕДИЧНОЇ СЕСТРИ ЩОДО ПРОТИДІЇ ТЮТЮНОКУРІННЮ СЕРЕД ПІДЛІТКІВ
Authors: Tolokova T. I. , Moskovkina A. S.
Published: December 2019

У статті проаналізовано вплив розробленого навчального курсу на ставлення до тютюнокуріння після проведеного навчання. У навчанні розглядали питання, що орієнтовані на пропаганду здорового способу життя, розвиток творчого потенціалу, демонстрували мультимедійний навчальний матеріал, передбачали співпрацю з батьками та відповідальними органами, що підтвердило ефективність заходів.
Effect of Blood Flow Restricted Resistance Exercise and Remote Ischemic Conditioning on Functional Capacity and Myocellular Adaptations in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Groennebaek Thomas , Sieljacks Peter , Nielsen Roni , Pryds Kasper , Jespersen Nichlas R. , Wang Jakob , Carlsen Caroline R. , Schmidt Michael R. , de Paoli Frank V. , Miller Benjamin F. , Vissing Kristian , Bøtker Hans Erik
Published: December 2019

Background:

Patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have impaired functional capacity and inferior quality of life. The clinical manifestations are associated with structural and functional impairments in skeletal muscle, emphasizing a need for feasible rehabilitation strategies beyond optimal anticongestive medical treatment. We investigated whether low-load blood flow restricted resistance exercise (BFRRE) or remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) could improve functional capacity and quality of life in patients with CHF and stimulate skeletal muscle myofibrillar and mitochondrial adaptations.

Methods:

We randomized 36 patients with CHF to BFRRE, RIC, or nontreatment control. BFRRE and RIC were performed 3× per week for 6 weeks. Before and after intervention, muscle biopsies, tests of functional capacity, and quality of life assessments were performed. Deuterium oxide was administered throughout the intervention to measure cumulative RNA and subfraction protein synthesis. Changes in muscle fiber morphology and mitochondrial respiratory function were also assessed.

Results:

BFRRE improved 6-minute walk test by 39.0 m (CI, 7.0–71.1,
P
=0.019) compared with control. BFRRE increased maximum isometric strength by 29.7 Nm (CI, 10.8–48.6,
P
=0.003) compared with control. BFRRE improved quality of life by 5.4 points (CI, −0.04 to 10.9;
P
=0.052) compared with control. BFRRE increased mitochondrial function by 19.1 pmol/s per milligram (CI, 7.3–30.8;
P
=0.002) compared with control. RIC did not produce similar changes.

Conclusions:

Our results demonstrate that BFRRE, but not RIC, improves functional capacity, quality of life, and muscle mitochondrial function. Our findings have clinical implications for rehabilitation of patients with CHF and provide new insights on the myopathy accompanying CHF.

Clinical Trial Registration:

URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT03380663.
Associations Between the Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate Pathway and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: MESA
Authors: Ying Wendy , Zhao Di , Ouyang Pamela , Subramanya Vinita , Vaidya Dhananjay , Ndumele Chiadi E. , Guallar Eliseo , Sharma Kavita , Shah Sanjiv J. , Kass David A. , Hoogeveen Ron C. , Lima Joao A. , Heckbert Susan R. , deFilippi Christopher R. , Post Wendy S. , Michos Erin D.
Published: December 2019

Background

cGMP
mediates numerous cardioprotective functions and is a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. Preclinical studies suggest that plasma
cGMP
is reflective of natriuretic peptide stimulation. Epidemiologic associations between c
GMP
and natriuretic peptide, as well as cardiovascular disease risk factors, are unknown.

Methods and Results

We measured plasma
cGMP
in 542 men and 496 women free of cardiovascular disease and heart failure in
MESA
(Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). Cross‐sectional associations of N‐terminal pro‐B type natriuretic peptide, sex hormones, and cardiovascular disease/heart failure risk factors with log(
cGMP
) were analyzed using multivariable linear regression models. Mean (
SD
)
cGMP
was 4.7 (2.6) pmol/mL, with no difference between the sexes. After adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors, N‐terminal pro‐B type natriuretic peptide was significantly positively associated with
cGMP
(
P
<0.05). Higher blood pressure and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate were associated with higher
cGMP
(
P
<0.05). Triglyceride levels, total/high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, presence of diabetes mellitus, and the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance were inversely associated with
cGMP
(
P
<0.05). Among women, free testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone were inversely associated with
cGMP
, while sex hormone binding globulin was positively associated (
P
<0.05).

Conclusions

In a community‐cohort, plasma
cGMP
was associated with natriuretic peptide signaling. Higher blood pressure and greater renal dysfunction were positively associated with
cGMP
, while adverse metabolic risk factors were inversely associated. Increased androgenicity in postmenopausal women was inversely associated with
cGMP
. These novel associations further our understanding of the role of
cGMP
in a general population.
Feasibility and Efficacy of His Bundle Pacing or Left Bundle Pacing Combined With Atrioventricular Node Ablation in Patients With Persistent Atrial Fibrillation and Implantable Cardioverter‐Defibrillator Therapy
Authors: Wang Songjie , Wu Shengjie , Xu Lei , Xiao Fangyi , Whinnett Zachary I. , Vijayaraman Pugazhendhi , Su Lan , Huang Weijian
Published: December 2019

Background

Persistent atrial fibrillation may lead to a higher probability of inappropriate shocks in heart failure patients with an implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (
ICD
). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of His‐Purkinje conduction system pacing combined with atrioventricular node ablation in improving heart function and preventing inappropriate shock therapy in these patients.

Methods and Results

A total of 86 consecutive patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and heart failure who had indications for
ICD
implantation were enrolled from January 2010 to March 2018. His‐Purkinje conduction system pacing with
ICD
and atrioventricular node ablation was attempted in 55 patients, and the remaining patients underwent
ICD
implantation only. Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, LV end‐systolic volume, New York Heart Association (
NYHA
) classification, shock therapies, and drug therapy were assessed during follow‐up. Overall, 31 patients received
ICD
implantation with optimal drug therapy (group 1). atrioventricular node ablation combined with His‐Purkinje conduction system pacing was successfully achieved in 52 patients (group 2). During follow‐up, patients in group 2 had lower incidence of inappropriate shock (15.6% versus 0%,
P
<0.01) and adverse events (
P
=0.011). Meanwhile, improvement in LV ejection fraction and reduction in LV end‐systolic volume were significantly higher in group 2 than in group 1 (15% versus 3%,
P
<0.001; and 40 versus 2 mL,
P
<0.01, respectively).
NYHA
functional class improved in both groups from a baseline 2.57±0.68 to 1.73±0.74 in group 1 and 2.73±0.59 to 1.42±0.53 in group 2 (
P
<0.01).

Conclusions

His‐Purkinje conduction system pacing combined with atrioventricular node ablation is feasible and safe with a high success rate in persistent atrial fibrillation patients with heart failure and
ICD
indication. It can significantly reduce the incidence of inappropriate shocks and improve LV function.
Unexpected abnormal coagulation test results in a 2-year-old child
Authors: Banković Radovanović Patricija , Živković Mikulčić Tanja , Simović Medica Jasmina
Published: December 2019

Rejection of the sample with repeated blood withdrawal is always an unwanted consequence of sample nonconformity and preanalytical errors,
especially in the most vulnerable population – children. Here is presented a case with unexpected abnormal coagulation test results in a 2-yearold
child with no previously documented coagulation disorder. Child is planned for tympanostomy tubes removal under the anaesthesia driven
procedure, and preoperative coagulation tests revealed prolonged prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time,
with fibrinogen and antithrombin within reference intervals. From the anamnestic and clinical data, congenital coagulation disorder was excluded,
and with further investigation, sample mismatch, clot presence and accidental ingestion of oral anticoagulant, heparin contamination or vitamin K
deficiency were excluded too. Due to suspected EDTA carryover during blood sampling another sample was taken the same day and all tests were
performed again. The results for all tests were within reference intervals confirming EDTA effect on falsely prolongation of the coagulation times in
the first sample. This case can serve as alert to avoid unnecessary loss in terms of blood withdrawal repetitions and discomfort of the patients and
their relatives, tests repeating, prolonging medical procedures, and probably delaying diagnosis or proper medical treatment. It is the responsibility
of the laboratory specialists to continuously educate laboratory staff and other phlebotomists on the correct blood collection as well as on its importance
for the patient’s safety.
Hermit Crabs as Emergent Icons of Global Waste Epidemic and Their Unreal Estate Housing Struggles
Authors: Cortés Zulueta Concepción
Published: December 2019

A hermit crab housed in a broken glass bottle or inside a plastic cap is becoming like a polar bear stranded on a tiny, melting iceberg: those pictures are emergent icons of the plight faced by oceans and creatures, caused by human waste excesses and wrongdoings. These inventive crustaceans fulfill a warning role akin to charismatic megafauna, and induce empathy with varied sources, dominated by human projections like the housing crisis metaphor. Crabs emerge like a cluster where many opposed notions collapse, while they stage the frictions of a complex, fractured balance. They are wild animals, and controversial companion animals, and when they live inside human trash, they show resilience that questions the natural-artificial divide. Simultaneously, they remind humans of strains imposed upon them, the oceans, and the planet, becoming tokens of the unbalances with which humans have to deal in their often-misguided attempts to fix the things they are rupturing.
Ibn Sīnā’s Philosophical Interpretation of Sūrat al-Falaq
Authors: Meisami Sayeh
Published: December 2019

Philosophical hermeneutics of the Qurʾān in the classical period has three major characteristics that are discussed in this paper in light of Ibn Sīnā’s work. First, philosophical hermeneutics falls under the category of symbolic interpretation (taaʾwīl)1 rather than technical/linguistic exegesis (tafsīr). Second, it selectively chooses Qurʾānic passages that lend themselves to philosophical interpretations. Third, it tends primarily towards metaphysical and moral issues, and is, for the most part, disinterested in ideological biases. This paper examines Ibn Sīnā’s interpretation of sūrat al-Falaq (Kor 113), and has two objectives: to elucidate the hermeneutical methodology adopted by Ibn Sīnā, and to investigate the consistency between the philosopher’s understanding of evil as well as the discourse used in his interpretation of al-Falaq and the treatment of the same issue in his major and minor philosophical writings. It demonstrates that, in the commentary on al-Falaq, evil emerges at the level of “particular realization” (qadar), while at the level of predetermination (qaḍā) evil is only a latent potentiality. Ibn Sīnā, in both his commentary on al-Falaq and his philosophical texts, tries to prove that evil at the level of predetermination can be explained as intended by accident (bi- al-ʿaraḍ).
Type studies on cyphelloid species (Agaricomycetes, Basidiomycota) described by Rick kept at Herbarium PACA

Authors: TRIERVEILER-PEREIRA LARISSA , THORN R. GREG , GUGLIOTTA ADRIANA DE MELO
Published: December 2019

Type specimens of cyphelloid fungi described by Johannes Rick kept at Herbarium PACA (São Leopoldo, Brazil) were studied, described, illustrated and their species names were updated when necessary. Two invalid names, Cyphella grisea Rick and Solenia minima Rick, are reduced to synonyms of existing names, Lachnella subfalcispora D.A. Reid and Henningsomyces minimus (Cooke & W. Phillips) Kuntze, respectively. Cyphella congregatissima Rick, Glabrocyphella rubescens Rick, Solenia pezizoidea Rick and Theleporus griseus Rick are combined to Seticyphella Agerer, Henningsomyces Kuntze, Maireina W.B. Cooke and Resupinatus Nees, respectively, with the last requiring a new name, Resupinatus rickii. Descriptions, color photographs of basidiomes, and line-drawing illustrations of microstructures from the examined material are given.