bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rehabilitation Effect Evaluation of CFRP-Lined Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe under Combined Loads Using Numerical Simulation
Authors: Hu He , Niu Fujun , Dou Tiesheng , Zhang Heng
Published: November 2018

Prestressed concrete cylinder pipe (PCCP) has been widely used for water transfer and transit projects. However, prestressing wire breaks may result in the rupture of pipes and cause catastrophes. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) liners adhered to the inner concrete core can provide an effective method of internal repair and strengthening of PCCP. To evaluate the rehabilitation effect of CFRP-lined PCCP under combined loads, two contrasting three-dimensional finite element models that investigated the visual cracking of concrete and the yielding of steel cylinders were developed. A conceptual zone was introduced to analyze the different states of the pipe during the phase of wire break. In particular, the complex CFRP-concrete bonded interface was simulated by a cohesive element layer with a bilinear traction-separation response. The results show that CFRP has a good rehabilitation effect on the inner concrete core and steel cylinder but only a slight effect on the outer concrete core, prestressing wire, or mortar. A one-hoop CFRP layer diminishes the area of a yielding steel cylinder of 4.72 m2. In addition, CFRP works more effectively along with an increase in the number of broken wires. This research can provide a basis for strengthening distressed PCCP pipelines.
Immunoglobulin E and G Levels in Predicting Minimal Change Disease before Renal Biopsy
Authors: Hsiao Ching-Chung , Tu Kun-Hua , Hsieh Chun-Yih , Lee Cheng-Chia , Chang Chih-Hsiang , Fan Pei-Chun , Tian Ya-Chung , Fang Ji-Tseng
Published: November 2018

Purpose. The diagnosis of minimal change disease in adults relies mainly on renal biopsy, but this procedure is not without complications. Despite the advancements in technique of percutaneous renal biopsy, biopsy-related complications still occur. Bleeding is one of the major complications, which may lead to hemodynamic instability and, sometimes, even death. Thus, we developed a model to predict MCD for high-risk patients unsuitable for renal biopsy. Methods. We enrolled 142 patients with nephrotic syndrome who received renal biopsy between October 2007 and April 2011 at one tertiary medical center in this study. Demographic, clinical, and prebiopsy laboratory variables were retrospectively recorded and analyzed. Results. The overall prevalence of MCD was 26.8%. Age, hemoglobin levels, 24-hour urine protein, immunoglobulin (Ig) G, and IgE differed significantly between the MCD and non-MCD groups. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant increase in the risk of developing MCD as the number of Ig risk factors, namely, IgG < 450 mg/dl and IgE > 110 mg/dl, increased. Having both risk factors significantly increased the chances of receiving a diagnosis of MCD (by 31.84-fold, P =.007) compared with having neither. Combining the aforementioned clinical model and the 2 Ig risk factors was the best in predicting the diagnosis of MCD, with the area under a receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.91. Conclusions. Combining clinical model and this 2 Ig risk factors provides physicians simple and valuable clinical markers to diagnose MCD.
Artificial Neural Network to Predict Varicocele Impact on Male Fertility through Testicular Endocannabinoid Gene Expression Profiles
Authors: Perruzza Davide , Bernabò Nicola , Rapino Cinzia , Valbonetti Luca , Falanga Ilaria , Russo Valentina , Mauro Annunziata , Berardinelli Paolo , Stuppia Liborio , Maccarrone Mauro , Barboni Barbara
Published: November 2018

The relationship between varicocele and fertility has always been a matter of debate because of the absence of predictive clinical indicators or molecular markers able to define the severity of this disease. Even though accumulated evidence demonstrated that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a central role in male reproductive biology, particularly in the testicular compartment, to date no data point to a role for ECS in the etiopathogenesis of varicocele. Therefore, the present research has been designed to investigate the relationship between testicular ECS gene expression and fertility, using a validated animal model of experimental varicocele (VAR), taking advantage of traditional statistical approaches and artificial neural network (ANN). Experimental induction of VAR led to a clear reduction of spermatogenesis in left testes ranging from a mild (Johnsen score 7: 21%) to a severe (Johnsen score 4: 58%) damage of the germinal epithelium. However, the mean number of new-borns recorded after two sequential matings was quite variable and independent of the Johnsen score. While the gene expression of biosynthetic and degrading enzymes of AEA (NAPE-PLD and FAAH, respectively) and of 2-AG (DAGLα and MAGL, respectively), as well as their binding cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), did not change between testes and among groups, a significant downregulation of vanilloid (TRPV1) expression was recorded in left testes of VAR rats and positively correlated with animal fertility. Interestingly, an ANN trained by inserting the left and right testicular ECS gene expression profiles (inputs) was able to predict varicocele impact on male fertility in terms of mean number of new-borns delivered (outputs), with a very high accuracy (average prediction error of 1%). The present study provides unprecedented information on testicular ECS gene expression patterns during varicocele, by developing a freely available predictive ANN model that may open new perspectives in the diagnosis of varicocele-associated infertility.
Impact of Additives on Heterogeneous Crystallization of Acetaminophen
Authors: Hsu Hsinyun , Taylor Lynne S. , Harris Michael T.
Published: November 2018

Introducing foreign substrates or additives is the common way to regulate polymorphism or kinetics of crystallization. Most present studies consider the substrate factor and additive factor separately. Here, the interplay between the additive, crystallizing molecules, and the substrate was investigated. Acetaminophen (APAP) was used as the model compound. 5 wt.% dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (AOT), poly(acrylic) acid (PAA), and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) were employed as additives. The interfacial crystal growth rate of APAP in the presence of additives was studied between slides coated with chitosan (CS) film. The crystallization kinetics of the additive/APAP mixture on CS substrate was also investigated. The additive/APAP was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the interfacial molecular interaction was studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results indicate that the additive-substrate interaction can change the interfacial growth behavior observed in the additive-APAP binary system. Nevertheless, crystallizing without confinement, the additive-APAP interaction is more effective at controlling the crystallization of APAP, and the substrates did not have much effect.
Association between Comorbidities and Progression of Transvalvular Pressure Gradients in Patients with Moderate and Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis
Authors: Salinger Tim , Hu Kai , Liu Dan , Taleh Scharoch , Herrmann Sebastian , Oder Daniel , Gensler Daniel , Müntze Jonas , Ertl Georg , Lorenz Kristina , Frantz Stefan , Weidemann Frank , Nordbeck Peter
Published: November 2018

Background. Fast progression of the transaortic mean gradient (Pmean) is relevant for clinical decision making of valve replacement in patients with moderate and severe aortic stenosis (AS) patients. However, there is currently little knowledge regarding the determinants affecting progression of transvalvular gradient in AS patients. Methods. This monocentric retrospective study included consecutive patients presenting with at least two transthoracic echocardiography examinations covering a time interval of one year or more between April 2006 and February 2016 and diagnosed as moderate or severe aortic stenosis at the final echocardiographic examination. Laboratory parameters, medication, and prevalence of eight known cardiac comorbidities and risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, peripheral artery occlusive disease, cerebrovascular disease, renal dysfunction, body mass index ≥30 Kg/m2, and history of smoking) were analyzed. Patients were divided into slow (Pmean < 5 mmHg/year) or fast (Pmean ≥ 5 mmHg/year) progression groups. Results. A total of 402 patients (mean age 78 ± 9.4 years, 58% males) were included in the study. Mean follow-up duration was 3.4 ± 1.9 years. The average number of cardiac comorbidities and risk factors was 3.1 ± 1.6. Average number of cardiac comorbidities and risk factors was higher in patients in slow progression group than in fast progression group (3.3 ± 1.5 vs 2.9 ± 1.7; P=0.036). Patients in slow progression group had more often coronary heart disease (49.2% vs 33.6%; P=0.003) compared to patients in fast progression group. LDL-cholesterol values were lower in the slow progression group (100 ± 32.6 mg/dl vs 110.8 ± 36.6 mg/dl; P=0.005). Conclusion. These findings suggest that disease progression of aortic valve stenosis is faster in patients with fewer cardiac comorbidities and risk factors, especially if they do not have coronary heart disease. Further prospective studies are warranted to investigate the outcome of patients with slow versus fast progression of transvalvular gradient with regards to comorbidities and risk factors.
Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Antibiogram of Bacteria Isolated from Milk of Goats with Subclinical Mastitis in Thika East Subcounty, Kenya
Authors: Mahlangu Precious , Maina Naomi , Kagira John
Published: November 2018

A cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence and risk factors of subclinical mastitis in dairy goats in Thika East Subcounty, Kenya. Further the bacterial pathogens and their antibiogram were investigated. Farm level data on risk factors were obtained from 41 farmers using questionnaires. Milk was obtained from 110 lactating dairy goats and tested for submastitis using California Mastitis Test (CMT). The prevalence of subclinical mastitis at goat level was estimated to be at 50.9% using CMT, out of which 86.5% yielded bacteria on culture. The significant risk factors associated with the occurrence of subclinical mastitis were cleaning schedule (p=0.022, OD=1.047) and parity of the goat (p=0048, OD=1.37). Higher prevalence of subclinical mastitis was observed for goats residing in houses cleaned at least once a fortnight. Does in the first parity were least affected. 169 bacterial isolates were obtained from culture, of which 52 isolates from major classes of isolated bacteria were tested for antibiotic sensitivity to six antibiotics. Fourteen different bacteria were isolated and identified from the milk samples. Coagulase-negativeStaphylococci(20.7%),Serratiaspp. (19.5%),Citrobacterspp. (16%),Klebsiellaspp. (11%),Staphylococcus aureus(10.7%),Enterobacterspp. (6.5%),Escherichia coli(5.9%),Proteusspp. (3%),Corynebacteriumspp. (1.8%),Morganellaspp. (1.8%),Streptococcusspp. (1.2%),Providenciaspp. (0.6%),Micrococcusspp. (0.6%), andStaphylococcus intermedius(0.6%) were isolated and identified from the samples. All the isolates were resistant to Penicillin G, while 98% of the isolates were sensitive to Streptomycin. In conclusion, the study showed that a large proportion of goats were affected by subclinical mastitis, with the main bacteria beingStaphylococcispp. and coliforms, and that most of the tested antibiotics can be used in the treatment of mastitis.Farmers need to be trained on improved control of mastitis through adoption of good dairy husbandry and milking practices.
Characterization of Erythromycin and Tetracycline Resistance in Lactobacillus fermentum Strains
Authors: Anisimova Elizaveta , Yarullina Dina
Published: November 2018

Lactobacillus fermentum colonizing gastrointestinal and urogenital tracts of humans and animals is widely used in manufacturing of fermented products and as probiotics. These bacteria may function as vehicles of antibiotic resistance genes, which can be transferred to pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, monitoring and control of transmissible antibiotic resistance determinants in these microorganisms is necessary to approve their safety status. The aim of this study was to characterize erythromycin and tetracycline resistance of L. fermentum isolates and to estimate the potential transfer of resistance genes from lactobacilli to the other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Among six L. fermentum strains isolated from human feces and commercial dairy products, five strains demonstrated phenotypic resistance to tetracycline. PCR screening for antibiotic resistance determinants revealed plasmid-located tetracycline resistance genes tet(K) and tet(M) in all strains and erythromycin resistance genes erm(B) in the chromosome of L. fermentum 5-1 and erm(C) in the plasmid of L. fermentum 3-4. All tested lactobacilli lacked conjugative transposon Tn916 and were not able to transfer tetracycline resistance genes to Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Listeria monocytogenes, Acinetobacter baumannii, Citrobacter freundii, and Escherichia coli by filter mating. Staphylococcus haemolyticus did not accept erythromycin resistance genes from corresponding Lactobacillus strains. Thus, in the present study, L. fermentum was not implicated in the spread of erythromycin and tetracycline resistance, but still these strains pose the threat to the environment and human health because they harbored erythromycin and tetracycline resistance genes in their plasmids and therefore should not be used in foods and probiotics.
The VAD Scheme versus Thalidomide plus VAD for Reduction of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Multiple Myeloma: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: He Gan-Lin , Xu Duo-Rong , Zou Wai-Yi , He Sui-Zhi , Li Juan
Published: November 2018

The VAD (vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone) regimen has been used for decades to treat multiple myeloma (MM). Based on reports that vascular endothelial growth factor- (VEGF-) mediated angiogenesis is critical for MM pathogenesis, the antiangiogenic compound thalidomide has been added to VAD (T-VAD). However, it remains unclear whether T-VAD is more efficacious than VAD for serum VEGF reduction or if the difference influences clinical outcome. Pubmed, Cochrane library, China Biomedical Literature (CBM) database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, Vip database, and Wanfang database were searched for relevant studies published up to June 2017. RevMan5.2 was used for methodological quality evaluation and data extraction. Thirteen trials (five randomized, seven nonrandomized, and one historically controlled) involving 815 cases were included. Serum VEGF was significantly higher in MM cases than non-MM controls (MD=353.01, [95%CI 187.52–518.51], P<0.01), and the overall efficacy of T-VAD was higher than that of VAD (RR=1.36, [1.21–1.53], P <0.01). Further, T-VAD reduced VEGF to a greater extent than VAD does ([MD=-49.85, [-66.28− -33.42], P<0.01). The T-VAD regimen also reduced VEGF to a greater extent in newly diagnosed MM patients than it did in recurrent patients ([MD=-120.20, [-164.60–-39.80], P<0.01). There was no significant difference in VEGF between T-VAD patients (2 courses) and nontumor controls (MD=175.94, [-26.08–377.95], P=0.09). Greater serum VEGF reduction may be responsible for the superior efficacy of T-VAD compared to VAD.
Analysis of Top Quark Pair Production Signal from Neutral 2HDM Higgs Bosons at LHC
Authors: Hashemi Majid , Jafarpour Mahbobeh
Published: November 2018

In this paper, the top quark pair production events are analyzed as a source of neutral Higgs bosons of the two Higgs doublet model type I at LHC. The production mechanism is pp→H/A→tt¯ assuming a fully hadronic final state through t→Wb→jjb. In order to distinguish the signal from the main background which is the standard model tt¯, we benefit from the fact that the top quarks in signal events acquire large Lorentz boost due to the heavy neutral Higgs boson. This feature leads to three collinear jets (a fat jet) which is a discriminating tool for identification of the top quarks from the Higgs boson resonances. Events with two identified top jets are selected and the invariant mass of the top pair is calculated for both signal and background. It is shown that the low tan β region has still some parts which can be covered by this analysis and has not yet been excluded by flavor physics data.
Testing Pathological Variation of White Matter Tract in Adult Rats after Severe Spinal Cord Injury with MRI
Authors: Song Wei , Song Guiyun , Zhao Can , Li Xiaoguang , Pei Xiaojiao , Zhao Wen , Gao Yudan , Rao Jia-Sheng , Duan Hongmei , Yang Zhaoyang
Published: November 2018

The purpose of this study was to assess the pathological variation in white matter tracts in the adult severe thoracic contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) rat models combined with in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as well as the effect of spared white matter (WM) quantity on hindlimb motor function recovery. 7.0T MRI was conducted for all experimental animals before SCI and 1, 3, 7, and 14 days after SCI. The variation in the white matter tract in different regions of the spinal cord after SCI was examined by luxol fast blue (LFB) staining, NF200 immunochemistry, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters, including fraction anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusion, and radial diffusivity. Meanwhile, Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan (BBB) open-field scoring was performed to evaluate the behavior of the paraplegic hind limbs. The quantitative analysis showed that spared white matter measures assessed by LFB and MRI had a close correlation (R2 = 0.8508). The percentage of spared white matter area was closely correlated with BBB score (R2 = 0.8460). After SCI, spared white matter in the spinal cord, especially the ventral column WM, played a critical role in motor function restoration. The results suggest that the first three days provides a key time window for SCI protection and treatment; spared white matter, especially in the ventral column, plays a key role in motor function recovery in rats. Additionally, DTI may be an important noninvasive technique to diagnose acute SCI degree as well as a tool to evaluate functional prognosis. During the transition from nerve protection toward clinical treatment after SCI, in vivo DTI may serve as an emerging noninvasive technique to diagnose acute SCI degree and predict the degree of spontaneous functional recovery after SCI.
IoT-Based Ambulatory Vital Signs Data Transfer System
Authors: Misbahuddin Syed , Zubairi Junaid Ahmed , Alahdal Abdul Rahman , Malik Muhammad Arshad
Published: November 2018

In emergencies or life-threatening situations, patients are generally shifted to hospitals in ambulances. The health conditions of on-board patients can become critical if they are not evaluated and treated in time. Chances of saving lives can increase significantly if patients’ vital signs inside an ambulance or on-site triage area are transferred to a hospital in real time. If the ambulances are linked to target hospitals, then the physicians in emergency rooms can monitor on-board patients’ vital signs and issue instructions to paramedics to stabilize patients’ medical conditions before they reach the assigned hospitals. Transferred vital signs data may also be archived for medical records. The Internet of things (IoT) is a paradigm which envisions Internet connectivity of virtually everything on the earth. In this paper, an IoT-based low-cost solution is proposed to monitor, archive, analyze, and tag the vital signs data of multiple patients and transfer them to the remote hospital in real time. This opens up a lot of possibilities in telemedicine and disaster management. As a proof of concept, the functionality of the proposed system was validated by developing a prototype model utilizing an IoT-enabled medical sensor board and a Linux server mimicking the remote hospital server. Results of actual data transmission obtained during experimentation are also provided. It is hoped that the proposed system can play a role in saving human lives in disaster situations.
Rifle Shooting Performance Correlates with Electroencephalogram Beta Rhythm Network Activity during Aiming
Authors: Gong Anmin , Liu Jianping , Jiang Changhao , Fu Yunfa
Published: November 2018

To study the relationship between brain network and shooting performance during shooting aiming, we collected electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from 40 skilled shooters during rifle shooting and calculated the EEG functional coupling, functional brain network topology, and correlation coefficients between these EEG characteristics and shooting performance. Our result shows a significant negative correlation between shooting performance and functional coupling between the prefrontal, frontal, and temporal regions of the right brain in the Beta1 and Beta2 frequency bands. Global and local brain network topology characteristics were also significantly correlated with shooting performance. These findings indicate that under these experimental conditions, shooters with higher shooting performances exhibit lower functional coupling, higher global, and lower local information integration efficiency during shooting. These conclusions may provide a theoretical basis of the EEG brain network for studying the mental status of shooters while shooting.
Digital versus Traditional Workflow for Posterior Maxillary Rehabilitations Supported by One Straight and One Tilted Implant: A 3-Year Prospective Comparative Study
Authors: Ferrini Francesco , Capparé Paolo , Vinci Raffaele , Gherlone Enrico F. , Sannino Gianpaolo
Published: November 2018

Objectives. The aim of the study was to evaluate and compare digital and traditional prosthetic workflow for posterior maxillary restorations supported by an upright and a distally tilted implant at 3-year follow-up. Materials and Methods. Twenty-four patients were treated in the posterior maxilla with 24 immediately loaded axial and 24 distally tilted implants supporting 3-unit or 4-unit screw-retained prostheses. Three months after initial loading patients were randomly stratified into two groups: definitive traditional impressions were carried out in the control group, while digital impressions were performed in the test group. The framework-implant connection accuracy was evaluated by means intraoral digital radiographs at 3, 6, 12, and 36 months of follow-up examinations. Outcome considerations comprised implant and prosthetic survival and success rates, marginal bone level changes, and required clinical time to take impressions. Results. A total of 24 patients received immediately loaded screw-retained prostheses supported by an upright and a distally tilted implant (total 48 implants). No implant dropouts occurred, showing an overall survival rate of 100% for both groups. None of the 24 fixed prostheses were lost during the observation period (prosthetic survival rate of 100%). No statistically significant differences in marginal bone loss were found between control and test groups. The digital impression procedure required on average less clinical time than the conventional procedure. Conclusions. Clinical and radiologic results suggest that digital impression is a predictable procedure for posterior maxillary restorations supported by an upright and a distally tilted implant.
Taxi Efficiency Measurements Based on Motorcade-Sharing Model: Evidence from GPS-Equipped Taxi Data in Sanya
Authors: Gui Jiawei , Wu Qunqi
Published: November 2018

Urban traffic congestion has become a global problem and has garnered special importance in recent years in the transportation sector, especially in taxi markets. To unlock the potential of Internet of Vehicles (IoV) in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), it was vital to make efficiency measurements. In this study, Distance Formula was built to calculate distances by GPS data based on mathematical equations, and Motorcade-Sharing (MS) Model was proposed to improve the efficiency of collaborative vehicles. The experimental data of 2191 GPS-equipped taxis in Sanya of China was adopted to make comparisons between original results and modelled results. Measurement results showed that MS Model had 10.54% more leisure taxis, reduced 5 overdriving taxis, and saved 33.73% running distance in total compared to the original. This indicated that the application of MS Model could not only alleviate urban traffic congestion but also optimize urban taxi markets, and it has a bright future in the field of taxi and other collaborative vehicles. Future directions could be improving MS Model and expanding data.
Method Development for Assessing Carbamazepine, Caffeine, and Atrazine in Water Sources from the Brazilian Federal District Using UPLC-QTOF/MS
Authors: Sodré Fernando F. , Cavalcanti Cínthia M. P.
Published: November 2018

About 3.0 million people living under a typical tropical savannah climate in the Brazilian Federal District (FD) have faced an unprecedented water crisis. Considering the need for indirect reuse of wastewater for public supply, this work aimed to investigate FD water sources regarding the presence and risks of three contaminants of emerging concern: caffeine, carbamazepine, and atrazine. Samples from two current water sources (Descoberto and Santa-Maria Lakes) and two future water sources of the FD (Paranoá and Corumbá Lakes) were analyzed by solid-phase extraction followed by liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF/MS). Method precision and accuracy were satisfactory and limits of quantification ranged from 0.37 to 0.54 ng/L. Higher concentrations were observed for caffeine in the future water sources (39 to 180 ng/L) followed by carbamazepine (5.4 to 25 ng/L) and atrazine (3.9 to 15 ng/L). The less-impacted water sources, in current use in the FD, present caffeine concentrations ranging from 4.8 to 32 ng/L and atrazine levels varying between 2.4 and 5.5 ng/L. Carbamazepine was not detected in these reservoirs. Environmental risk assessment indicates a possible risk for carbamazepine and atrazine, evidencing the need for further studies. No human health risk was depicted within the results.
Bacterial Colony Algorithms for Association Rule Mining in Static and Stream Data
Authors: Cunha Danilo S. da , Xavier Rafael S. , Ferrari Daniel G. , Vilasbôas Fabrício G. , de Castro Leandro N.
Published: November 2018

Bacterial colonies perform a cooperative and distributed exploration of the environmental resources by using their quorum-sensing mechanisms. This paper describes how bacterial colony networks and their skills to explore resources can be used as tools for mining association rules in static and stream data. A new algorithm is designed to maintain diverse solutions to the problems at hand, and its performance is compared to that of other well-known bacteria, genetic, and immune-inspired algorithms: Bacterial Foraging Optimization (BFO), a Genetic Algorithm (GA), and the Clonal Selection Algorithm (CLONALG). Taking into account the superior performance of our approach in static data, we applied the algorithms to dynamic environments by converting static into flow data via a stream data model named sliding-window. We also provide some notes on the running time of the proposed algorithm using different hardware and software architectures.
Effect of Osteopathic Visceral Manipulation on Pain, Cervical Range of Motion, and Upper Trapezius Muscle Activity in Patients with Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain and Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled Pilot Study
Authors: Silva Andréia Cristina de Oliveira , Biasotto-Gonzalez Daniela Aparecida , Oliveira Fábio Henrique Monteiro , Andrade Adriano Oliveira , Gomes Cid André Fidelis de Paula , Lanza Fernanda de Córdoba , Amorim César Ferreira , Politti Fabiano
Published: November 2018

Previous studies have reported that visceral disturbances can lead to increased musculoskeletal tension and pain in structures innervated from the corresponding spinal level through viscerosomatic reflexes. We designed a pilot randomised placebo‐controlled study using placebo visceral manipulation as the control to evaluate the effect of osteopathic visceral manipulation (OVM) of the stomach and liver on pain, cervical mobility, and electromyographic activity of the upper trapezius (UT) muscle in individuals with nonspecific neck pain (NS‐NP) and functional dyspepsia. Twenty‐eight NS‐NP patients were randomly assigned into two groups: treated with OVM (OVMG; n = 14) and treated with placebo visceral manipulation (PVMG; n = 14). The effects were evaluated immediately and 7 days after treatment through pain, cervical range, and electromyographic activity of the UT muscle. Significant effects were confirmed immediately after treatment (OVMG and PVMG) for numeric rating scale scores (p < 0.001) and pain area (p < 0.001). Significant increases in EMG amplitude were identified immediately and 7 days after treatment for the OVMG (p < 0.001). No differences were identified between the OVMG and the PVMG for cervical range of motion (p > 0.05). This study demonstrated that a single visceral mobilisation session for the stomach and liver reduces cervical pain and increases the amplitude of the EMG signal of the UT muscle immediately and 7 days after treatment in patients with nonspecific neck pain and functional dyspepsia.
A New Distribution for Multiplicities in Leptonic and Hadronic Collisions at High Energies
Authors: Chawla Ridhi , Kaur M.
Published: November 2018

Charged particles' production in the e+e-, p¯p, and pp collisions in full phase space as well as in the restricted phase space slices, at high energies, is described with predictions from shifted Gompertz distribution, a model of adoption of innovations. The distribution has been extensively used in diffusion theory, social networks, and forecasting. A two-component model in which PDF obtained from the superposition of two shifted Gompertz distributions is introduced to improve the fitting of the experimental distributions by several orders. The two components correspond to the two subgroups of a data set, one representing the soft interactions and the other semihard interactions. Mixing is done by appropriately assigning weights to each subgroup. Our first attempt to analyse the data with shifted Gompertz distribution has produced extremely good results. It is suggested that the distribution may be included in the host of distributions more often used for the multiplicity analyses.
Determination of Optimal Extrication Location of High Extraction Roadway of Large‐Mining‐Height Fully Mechanized Face
Authors: Zhang Xue-bo , Yang Ming
Published: November 2018

Determining the optimal extrication location of the high extraction roadway can improve the gas extrication effect of highly gassy mine and solve the problem of gas concentration overrun at the upper corner, which is of great significance to safety and efficient mine production. According to the actual situation of mine, the gas gushing amount in the goaf, pressure difference at both ends of the working face, the 3D porosity, and permeability distribution of the caving zone and fissure zone were obtained by field measurement and numerical calculation. Through theoretical calculation, the proper extraction site of a high‐position alley was determined. On this basis, the optimal extraction site of a high‐position alley was determined by numerical analysis of the gas extraction effect at different sites. The results show that as the perpendicular distance between high‐position alley and goaf floor increases, the gas extraction amount increases first and then decreases. The concentration of extraction gas gradually increases, and the increasing trend is gradually diminished. With the increase of the horizontal distance between the air return way and the high‐position alley, the gas extraction amount and gas extraction concentration increase first and then decrease. The optimal extraction site of a high‐position alley should be 39 m vertically away from the goaf floor and 30 m horizontally away from the air return way.
177Lu-DOTA-HYNIC-Lys(Nal)-Urea-Glu: Biokinetics, Dosimetry, and Evaluation in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer
Authors: Santos-Cuevas Clara , Ferro-Flores Guillermina , García-Pérez Francisco O. , Jiménez-Mancilla Nallely , Ramírez-Nava Gerardo , Ocampo-García Blanca , Luna-Gutiérrez Myrna , Azorín-Vega Erika , Davanzo Jenny , Soldevilla-Gallardo Irma
Published: November 2018

SPECT/CT images in patients have demonstrated the ability of [99mTc]Tc-EDDA/HYNIC-Lys(Nal)-Urea-Glu ([99mTc]Tc-iPSMA) to detect tumors and metastases of prostate cancer. Considering that theranostics combines the potential of therapeutic and diagnostic radionuclides in the same molecular probe, the aim of this research was to estimate the biokinetics and dosimetry of 177Lu-DOTA-HYNIC-Lys(Nal)-Urea-Glu (177Lu-iPSMA) in healthy subjects and analyze the response in patients receiving 177Lu-iPSMA therapeutic doses. 177Lu-iPSMA was obtained from lyophilized formulations with radiochemical purities >98%. Whole-body images from five healthy subjects were acquired at 20 min, 6, 24, 48, and 120 h after 177Lu-iPSMA administration (185 MBq). The image sequence was used to extrapolate the 177Lu-iPSMA time-activity curves of each organ to adjust the biokinetic model and calculate the total number of disintegrations (N) that occurred in the source regions. N data were the input for the OLINDA/EXM code to calculate internal radiation doses. Ten patients (median age: 68 y; range 58–86 y) received from 1 to 4 cycles of 177Lu-iPSMA (3.7 or 7.4 GBq) every 8–10 weeks. Response was evaluated using the 68Ga-PSMA-ligand-PET/CT or 99mTc-iPSMA-SPECT/CT diagnostic images and serum PSA levels before and after 177Lu-iPSMA treatment. The blood activity showed a half-life value of 1.1 h for the fast component (T1/2α = ln2/0.614), 9.2 h for the first slow component (T1/2β = ln2/0.075), and 79.6 h for the second slow component (T1/2γ = ln2/0.008). The average absorbed doses were 0.23, 0.28, 0.88, and 1.17 Gy/GBq for the spleen, liver, kidney, and salivary glands. A total of 18 cycles were performed in 10 patients. A PSA decrease and some reduction of the radiotracer uptake (SUV) in tumor lesions occurred in 60% and 70% of the patients, respectively. 177Lu-iPSMA obtained from kit formulations showed high tumor uptake with good response rates in patients. The results obtained in this study warrant further clinical studies to establish the optimal number of treatment cycles and for evaluating the effect of this therapeutic agent on survival of patients.
Hard Tissue Preservation in Minimally Invasive Mandibular Third Molar Surgery Using In Situ Hardening TCP Bone Filler
Authors: Engelke Wilfried , Lazzarini Marcio , Beltrán Víctor
Published: November 2018

Background. Maintenance of hard tissue in the case of impacted third molars (M3M) with close relationship to the mandibular canal is still a surgical challenge which may be overcome using the inward fragmentation technique. Methods. A consecutive case series of 12 patients required the extraction of 13 impacted M3M with a close relationship to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). Via occlusal miniflaps, M3M were exposed occlusal under endoscopic vision and removed by inward fragmentation. All patients received socket preservation with resorbable in situ hardening TCP particles to reduce the risk of pocket formation at the second molar. Results. All 13 sites healed uneventfully. Bone height was assessed using CBCT cross-sectional reformats pre- and 3 months postoperatively. The bone height was reduced by 1.54 mm lingual (SD 0.88), 2.91 mm central (SD 0.93), and 2.08 mm buccal (SD 1.09). Differences were significant at a 0.05% level. No tissue invagination at the extraction sites was observed. Conclusions. Major bone defects can be avoided safely using inward fragmentation surgery. The self-hardening bone filler appears to enhance the mineralization of the intrabony defect.
Design and Implementation of an Assistive Real‐Time Red Lionfish Detection System for AUV/ROVs
Authors: Naddaf-Sh M-Mahdi , Myler Harley , Zargarzadeh Hassan
Published: November 2018

In recent years, the Pterois Volitans, also known as the red lionfish, has become a serious threat by rapidly invading US coastal waters. Being a fierce predator, having no natural predator, being adaptive to different habitats, and being with high reproduction rates, the red lionfish has enervated current endeavors to control their population. This paper focuses on the first steps to reinforce these efforts by employing autonomous vehicles. To that end, an assistive underwater robotic scheme is designed to aid spear-hunting divers to locate and more efficiently hunt the lionfish. A small-sized, open source ROV with an integrated camera is programmed using Deep Learning methods to detect red lionfish in real time. Dives are restricted to a certain depth range, time, and air supply. The ROV program is designed to allow the divers to locate the red lionfish before each dive, so that they can plan their hunt to maximize their catch. Lightweight, portability, user-friendly interface, energy efficiency, and low cost of maintenance are some advantages of the proposed scheme. The developed system’s performance is examined in areas currently invaded by the red lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico. The ROV has shown success in detecting the red lionfish with high confidence in real time.
The Effectiveness of Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy with 5-Fluorouracil/Cisplatin and Systemic Chemotherapy with Ramucirumab in Alpha-Fetoprotein-Producing Gastric Cancer with Multiple Liver Metastases
Authors: Doi Yasuhiro , Takii Yasushi , Mitsugi Kenji , Kimura Koichi , Mihara Yutarou
Published: November 2018

Alpha-fetoprotein- (AFP-) producing gastric cancer (AFPGC) is characterized by a high incidence of liver and lymph node metastases and poor prognosis. Although several case reports have described successful multidisciplinary treatment, there are currently no standard therapies for AFPGC. A 57-year-old man presented with upper abdominal pain. His serum AFP level was extremely high (588.9 ng/mL). Computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple liver metastases with several lesions at an imminent risk of rupture. Five days after admission to our hospital, one lesion ruptured. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) of the ruptured tumor was performed, and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/cisplatin (CDDP) to the other liver metastases was administered. The patient’s AFP levels decreased to 297.1 ng/mL. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed Borrmann type 2 lesion in the pyloric portion. Pathological examination indicated hepatoid adenocarcinoma of the stomach and metastatic liver. The final diagnosis was AFPGC and multiple liver metastases. The patient underwent systemic chemotherapy with capecitabine/CDDP (cape/CDDP) for three months. His AFP level increased extremely, and CT revealed progression of the liver metastases. TACE was performed, and HAIC (5FU/CDDP) was administered to the progressive lesion of the liver. Originating from the gastric lesion, a distal gastrectomy and D2 + α lymph node resection were performed. One month after the operation, the patient underwent systemic chemotherapy with paclitaxel/ramucirumab (PTX/RAM). After eight cycles of chemotherapy, his AFP level had declined, and CT showed a complete response. After three months of drug withdrawal, the patient has undergone maintenance treatment with RAM. It has been two years since the recurrence. Our experience suggests that HAIC with 5-FU/CDDP and systemic chemotherapy with a regimen including RAM may be an effective treatment for AFPGC.
Study on Fracture and Stress Evolution Characteristics of Ultra‐Thick Hard Sandstone Roof in the Fully Mechanized Mining Face with Large Mining Height: A Case Study of Xiaojihan Coal Mine in Western China
Authors: Ju Feng , Xiao Meng , He Zequan , Ning Pai , Huang Peng
Published: November 2018

Ultra‐thick hard sandstone roofs present high thickness, poor delamination, and wide caving range. The strata pressure of the working face during actual mining increases, having a significant influence on the safe mining of the working face. Especially, in the mining areas of western China, the fully mechanized mining faces with high mining height and high‐strength mining are more prominent. Understanding the fractures and stress evolution characteristics of the ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof during actual mining is of high significance to control the dynamic pressure on the working face. In this paper, the typical ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof of the Xiaojihan coal mine was taken as an example. The structural and chemical composition characteristics were analyzed. Besides, the fracture characteristics of ultra‐thick hard roof during the working face mining were analyzed. Moreover, the fracture structure consistency was verified through physical simulation and a field measurement method. Finally, the stress evolution laws in the ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof fracture were studied through numerical simulation. The findings demonstrated that (1) the ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof was composed of inlaid coarse minerals, which had compact structure, while the Protodyakonov hardness reached up to 3.07; (2) under the high‐strength mining condition of fully mechanized mining face with large mining height, the ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof had the characteristics of brittle fracture, with a caving span of 12 m; (3) under the high‐strength mining condition of fully mechanized mining face with large mining height, the ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof followed the stress evolution laws that were more sensitive to the neighboring goaf. Therefore, it was necessary to reduce the fracture span or layering of ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof through the manual intervention method adoption or increase either the strength of coal pillar or supporting body, to resist the impact generated during ultra‐thick hard sandstone roof fracture.
Generalized Lebesgue Points for Hajłasz Functions
Authors: Heikkinen Toni
Published: November 2018

Let X be a quasi-Banach function space over a doubling metric measure space P. Denote by αX the generalized upper Boyd index of X. We show that if αX<∞ and X has absolutely continuous quasinorm, then quasievery point is a generalized Lebesgue point of a quasicontinuous Hajłasz function u∈M˙s,X. Moreover, if αX<(Q+s)/Q, then quasievery point is a Lebesgue point of u. As an application we obtain Lebesgue type theorems for Lorentz–Hajłasz, Orlicz–Hajłasz, and variable exponent Hajłasz functions.
Attractors of Compactly Generated Semigroups of Regular Polynomial Mappings
Authors: Alghamdi Azza , Klimek Maciej , Kosek Marta
Published: November 2018

We investigate the metric space of pluriregular sets as well as the contractions on that space induced by infinite compact families of proper polynomial mappings of several complex variables. The topological semigroups generated by such families, with composition as the semigroup operation, lead to the constructions of a variety of Julia‐type pluriregular sets. The generating families can also be viewed as infinite iterated function systems with compact attractors. We show that such attractors can be approximated both deterministically and probabilistically in a manner of the classic chaos game.
Problems with Facial Mimicry Might Contribute to Emotion Recognition Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Prenger Margaret T. M. , MacDonald Penny A.
Published: November 2018

Difficulty with emotion recognition is increasingly being recognized as a symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Most research into this area contends that progressive cognitive decline accompanying the disease is to be blamed. However, facial mimicry (i.e., the involuntary congruent activation of facial expression muscles upon viewing a particular facial expression) might also play a role and has been relatively understudied in this clinical population. In healthy participants, facial mimicry has been shown to improve recognition of observed emotions, a phenomenon described by embodied simulation theory. Due to motor disturbances, Parkinson’s disease patients frequently show reduced emotional expressiveness, which translates into reduced mimicry. Therefore, it is likely that facial mimicry problems in Parkinson’s disease contribute at least partly to the emotional recognition deficits that these patients experience and might greatly influence their social cognition abilities and quality of life. The present review aims to highlight the need for further inquiry into the motor mechanisms behind emotional recognition in Parkinson’s disease by synthesizing behavioural, physiological, and neuroanatomical evidence.
Prevalence of Bovine Leukemia Virus Antibodies in US Dairy Cattle
Authors: LaDronka Rebecca M. , Ainsworth Samantha , Wilkins Melinda J. , Norby Bo , Byrem Todd M. , Bartlett Paul C.
Published: November 2018

Objective. To estimate current US herd-level and animal-level prevalence of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) in dairy cows and characterize epidemiologic features. Design. Cross-sectional observational study design and survey. Animals. 4120 dairy cows from 103 commercial dairy herds in 11 states across the US. Procedures. Milk samples were collected from dairy cows through routine commercial sampling and tested for anti-BLV antibodies by antibody capture ELISA. Based on the ELISA results of a sample of an average of 40 cows per herd, within-herd apparent prevalence (AP) was estimated by a directly standardized method and by a lactation-weighted method for each herd. Within-herd AP estimates were summarized to give estimates of US herd-level and animal-level AP. Differences in AP by lactation, region, state, breed, and herd size were examined to characterize basic epidemiologic features of BLV infection. Results. 94.2% of herds had at least one BLV antibody positive cow detected. The average within-herd standardized AP was 46.5%. Lactation-specific AP increased with increasing lactation number, from 29.7% in first lactation cows to 58.9% in 4th and greater lactation cows. Significant differences were not observed based on region, state, breed, or herd size. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance. These results are consistent with a historical trend of increasing prevalence of BLV among US dairy cattle. Given the findings of other studies on the negative impacts of BLV infection on milk production and cow longevity, these findings are clinically relevant for veterinarians counseling dairy clients on the risks of BLV to their herds.
Congenital Ventricular Diverticulum or Aneurysm: A Difficult Diagnosis to Make
Authors: Halpern Lloyd , Garabedian Carl , Worrall Neil K.
Published: November 2018

A pouch protruding from the free wall of the left ventricle may be either a congenital ventricular diverticulum (CVD) or aneurysm (CVA). Being aware of these rare congenital anomalies is critical in making the diagnosis. Differentiating the two is important for treatment decisions. We describe a patient with dextrocardia, Tetralogy of Fallot, and a congenital left ventricular apical diverticulum diagnosed following the induction of anesthesia. CVD and CVA may present in the antenatal period through late adulthood with differing morphology, location, and symptoms. Echocardiography is paramount in the diagnosis and characterization of these lesions. If this anomaly is encountered after the induction of anesthesia or during intraoperative echocardiography, the cardiothoracic anesthesiologist should make the surgical team aware so it can be further characterized and a treatment plan made prior to incision.