bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Triazole Resistance Is Still Not Emerging in Aspergillus fumigatus Isolates Causing Invasive Aspergillosis in Brazilian Patients
Authors: Negri Clara E. , Gonçalves Sarah S. , Sousa Ana Cristina P. , Bergamasco Maria Daniela , Martino Marinês D. V. , Queiroz-Telles Flavio , Aquino Valerio Rodrigues , Castro Paulo de Tarso O. , Hagen Ferry , Meis Jacques F. , Colombo Arnaldo L.
Published: September 2017

Aspergillus fumigatus
azole resistance has emerged as a global health problem. We evaluated the
in vitro
antifungal susceptibility of 221 clinical
A. fumigatus
isolates according to CLSI guidelines. Sixty-one isolates exhibiting MICs at the epidemiological cutoff value (ECV) for itraconazole or above the ECV for any triazole were checked for
CYP51A
mutations. No mutations were documented, even for the isolates (1.8%) with high voriconazole MICs, indicating that triazoles may be used safely to treat aspergillosis in Brazil.
Gemini Cationic Amphiphiles Control Biofilm Formation by Bacterial Vaginosis Pathogens
Authors: Algburi Ammar , Zhang Yingyue , Weeks Richard , Comito Nicole , Zehm Saskia , Pinto Juanita , Uhrich Kathryn E. , Chikindas Michael L.
Published: September 2017

Antibiotic resistance and recurrence of bacterial vaginosis (BV), a polymicrobial infection, justify the need for novel antimicrobials to counteract microbial resistance to conventional antibiotics. Previously, two series of cationic amphiphiles (CAms) which self-assemble into supramolecular nanostructures with membrane-lytic properties were designed with hydrophilic head groups and nonpolar domains. The combination of CAms and commonly prescribed antibiotics is suggested as a promising strategy for targeting microorganisms that are resistant to conventional antibiotics. Activities of the CAms against
Gardnerella vaginalis
ATCC 14018, a representative BV pathogen, ranged from 1.1 to 24.4 μM. Interestingly, the tested healthy
Lactobacillus
species, especially
Lactobacillus plantarum
ATCC 39268, were significantly more tolerant of CAms than the selected pathogens. In addition, CAms prevented biofilm formation at concentrations which did not influence the normal growth ability of
G. vaginalis
ATCC 14018. Furthermore, the biofilm minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC-Bs) of CAms against
G. vaginalis
ATCC 14018 ranged from 58.8 to 425.6 μM, while much higher concentrations (≥850 μM) were required to produce ≥3-log reductions in the number of biofilm-associated lactobacilli. The conventional antibiotic metronidazole synergized strongly with all tested CAms against planktonic cells and biofilms of
G. vaginalis
ATCC 14018. The synergism between CAms and the tested conventional antibiotic may be considered a new, effective, and beneficial method of controlling biofilm-associated bacterial vaginosis.
Novel Cell-Killing Mechanisms of Hydroxyurea and the Implication toward Combination Therapy for the Treatment of Fungal Infections
Authors: Singh Amanpreet , Agarwal Ameeta , Xu Yong-jie
Published: September 2017

We have previously reported that an
erg11
mutation affecting ergosterol synthesis and a
hem13
mutation in the heme synthesis pathway significantly sensitize the fission yeast
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
to hydroxyurea (HU) (1, 2). Here we show that treatment with inhibitors of Erg11 and heme biosynthesis phenocopies the two mutations in sensitizing wild-type cells to HU. Importantly, HU synergistically interacts with the heme biosynthesis inhibitor sampangine and several Erg11 inhibitors, the antifungal azoles, in causing cell lethality. Since the synergistic drug interactions are also observed in the phylogenetically divergent
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
and the opportunistic fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
, the synergism is likely conserved in eukaryotes. Interestingly, our genetic data for
S. pombe
has also led to the discovery of a robust synergism between sampangine and the azoles in
C. albicans
. Thus, combinations of HU, sampangine, and the azoles can be further studied as a new method for the treatment of fungal infections.
A Four-Center Retrospective Study of the Efficacy and Toxicity of Low-Dose Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole for the Treatment of Pneumocystis Pneumonia in Patients without HIV Infection
Authors: Kosaka Makoto , Ushiki Atsuhito , Ikuyama Yuichi , Hirai Kazuya , Matsuo Akemi , Hachiya Tsutomu , Hanaoka Masayuki
Published: September 2017

The dose of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) for the treatment of
Pneumocystis
pneumonia (PCP) in patients without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has not been verified. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of a low-dose TMP-SMX regimen in such patients. A retrospective study was conducted in four hospitals. We reviewed the medical records of patients with PCP but not HIV (non-HIV-PCP) who were treated with TMP-SMX between 2003 and 2016. The patients were divided into conventional-dose (TMP, 15 to 20 mg/kg/day) and low-dose (TMP, <15 mg/kg/day) groups after patients who received high-dose (TMP, >20 mg/kg/day) treatment were excluded. Grouping was done according to a correction dose, which was based on renal function. Eighty-two patients had non-HIV-PCP. The numbers of patients who received high-, conventional-, and low-dose treatments were 5, 36, and 41, respectively. Kaplan-Meier analysis for death associated with PCP showed no statistically significant difference in survival rates between the conventional- and low-dose groups. Ninety-day cause-specific mortality rates were 25.0% and 19.5% in the conventional-dose and low-dose groups (
P
= 0.76), respectively. Adverse events that were graded as ≥3 according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 4.0) (National Cancer Institute, 2010) were 41.7% and 17.1% in the conventional-dose and low-dose groups (
P
= 0.02), respectively. Moreover, vomiting (
P
= 0.03) and a decrease in platelet count (
P
= 0.03) occurred more frequently in the conventional-dose group. Treatment of non-HIV-PCP with low-dose or conventional-dose TMP-SMX produces comparable survival rates; however, the low-dose regimen is better tolerated and associated with fewer adverse effects.
Influence of Mechanical Ventilation on the Pharmacokinetics of Vancomycin Administered by Continuous Infusion in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Medellín-Garibay Susanna Edith , Romano-Moreno Silvia , Tejedor-Prado Pilar , Rubio-Álvaro Noelia , Rueda-Naharro Aida , Blasco-Navalpotro Miguel Angel , García Benito , Barcia Emilia
Published: September 2017

Pathophysiological changes involved in drug disposition in critically ill patients should be considered in order to optimize the dosing of vancomycin administered by continuous infusion, and certain strategies must be applied to reach therapeutic targets on the first day of treatment. The aim of this study was to develop a population pharmacokinetic model of vancomycin to determine clinical covariates, including mechanical ventilation, that influence the wide variability of this antimicrobial. Plasma vancomycin concentrations from 54 critically ill patients were analyzed simultaneously by a population pharmacokinetic approach. A nomogram for dosing recommendations was developed and was internally evaluated through stochastic simulations. The plasma vancomycin concentration-versus-time data were best described by a one-compartment open model with exponential interindividual variability associated with vancomycin clearance and the volume of distribution. Residual error followed a homoscedastic trend. Creatinine clearance and body weight significantly dropped the objective function value, showing their influence on vancomycin clearance and the volume of distribution, respectively. Characterization based on the presence of mechanical ventilation demonstrated a 20% decrease in vancomycin clearance. External validation (
n
= 18) was performed to evaluate the predictive ability of the model; median bias and precision values were 0.7 mg/liter (95% confidence interval [CI], −0.4, 1.7) and 5.9 mg/liter (95% CI, 5.4, 6.4), respectively. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed for the administration of vancomycin by continuous infusion to critically ill patients, demonstrating the influence of creatinine clearance and mechanical ventilation on vancomycin clearance, as well as the implications for targeting dosing rates to reach the therapeutic range (20 to 30 mg/liter).
Pharmacokinetic/Toxicodynamic Analysis of Colistin-Associated Acute Kidney Injury in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Forrest Alan , Garonzik Samira M. , Thamlikitkul Visanu , Giamarellos-Bourboulis Evangelos J. , Paterson David L. , Li Jian , Silveira Fernanda P. , Nation Roger L.
Published: September 2017

Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in a substantial proportion of critically ill patients receiving intravenous colistin. In the pharmacokinetic/toxicodynamic analysis reported here, the relationship of the occurrence of AKI to exposure to colistin and a number of potential patient factors was explored in 153 critically ill patients, none of whom were receiving renal replacement therapy. Tree-based modeling revealed that the rates of AKI were substantially higher when the average steady-state plasma colistin concentration was greater than ∼2 mg/liter.
Supraventricular tachycardia diagnosed by smartphone ECG
Authors: Tabing Ariana , Harrell Travis Edward , Romero Steven , Francisco Gregory
Published: September 2017

Diagnosis of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) may be difficult due to its episodic nature, which can be brief and self-limited, limiting the ability for clinicians to diagnose the specific rhythm disorder in a timely manner. We present a case of PSVT, which was unable to be diagnosed through typical evaluation with an event monitor despite several years of symptoms. The patient was ultimately diagnosed using the AliveCor Mobile ECG, a smartphone-based ECG device and application, which he purchased himself and captured a typical atrioventricular node re-entrant tachycardia. The patient was then able to email his cardiologist the tracing, which led to an electrophysiology study and successful slow pathway ablation procedure. Smartphone-based technology has the potential to push diagnostic evaluations outside of the healthcare system and empower patients.
Fever, bone pain and erectile dysfunction. Where is the cat?
Authors: Trefois Quentin , Marot Jean-Christophe , Yildiz Halil , Wieers Gregoire
Published: September 2017

Cat-scratch disease is due to Bartonella henselae and commonly presents as a localised papular lesion with regional lymphadenopathy. We report the case of a young man suffering general symptoms and dysautonomy characterised by an erectile dysfunction due to an invasive cat-scratch disease. He was successfully treated by tetracyclines during 3 weeks.
Genomic basis of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Bapat Aneesh , Anderson Christopher D , Ellinor Patrick T , Lubitz Steven A
Published: September 2017

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a prevalent arrhythmia associated with substantial morbidity, mortality and costs. Available management strategies generally have limited efficacy and are associated with potential adverse effects. In part, the limited efficacy of approaches to managing AF reflect an incomplete understanding of the biological mechanisms underlying the arrhythmia, and only a partial understanding of how best to individualise management. Over the last several decades, a greater understanding of genome biology has led to recognition of a widespread genetic susceptibility to AF. Through genome-wide association studies, at least 30 genetic loci have been identified in association with AF, most of which implicate mechanisms not previously appreciated to be involved in the development of AF. We now recognise that AF is a polygenic condition, yet a great deal of work lies ahead to better understand the precise mechanisms by which genomic variation causes AF. Understanding the genetic basis of AF could provide a better understanding of AF mechanisms and cardiovascular biology, inform the management of patients through risk-guided approaches and facilitate the development of novel therapeutics.
Computed tomographic assessment of equine maxillary cheek teeth anatomical relationships, and paranasal sinus volumes
Authors: Liuti Tiziana , Reardon Richard , Dixon Paddy M
Published: September 2017

Disorders affecting the equine maxillary cheek teeth and paranasal sinuses are relatively common, but limited objective information is available on the dimensions and relationships of these structures in horses of different ages. The aims of this study were to assess age‐related changes in the positioning and anatomical relationships of the individual maxillary cheek teeth with the infraorbital canal and maxillary septum and the volumes of the individual sinus compartments. CT and gross examination were performed on 60 normal equine cadaver heads that were aged by their dentition. The intrasinus position of cheek teeth, length of reserve crowns, relationship to the infraorbital canal and measurements of rostral drift and sinus compartment volumes were assessed from CT images. The findings included that Triadan 10 alveoli lay fully or partially in the rostral maxillary sinus (RMS) in 60% of cases. The infraorbital canal lay directly on the medial aspect of the alveolar apex in younger horses. The Triadan 11’sclinical crowns and apices drifted a mean of 2.48 and 2.83 cm more rostral to the orbit, respectively, in the >15 years old vs the <6 years old age group. The mean volumes of sinus compartments ranged from 175 cm3 for the caudal maxillary sinus (CMS) to 4 cm3 for the ethmoidal sinus (ES). This information should be of value in the diagnosis and treatment of equine dental and sinus disorders and as reference values for further studies.
Has respiratory cryptosporidiosis spread to black grouse Tetrao tetrix?
Authors: Parsons Nancy , Warren Philip , Duff James Paul , Baines David
Published: September 2017

Infection by Cryptosporidium baileyi was first confirmed in red grouse in northern England in 2010 and within three years spread to 48 per cent of moors. These form the last English stronghold for the rarer black grouse, and given the rapid spread of respiratory cryptosporidiosis among red grouse, concern has been expressed about possible infection. In 2010, the authors started screening black grouse for cryptosporidiosis in (1) dead birds taken for postmortem examination, (2) sample birds caught at night and (3) an observational study of birds attending leks. Between 2011 and 2016, five males were sent for postmortem examination, of which three had suspected cryptosporidiosis. No disease was found in one; the second had extensive, subacute to chronic sinusitis; and the third had severe sinusitis and unilateral conjunctivitis. PCR analysis detected cryptosporidial DNA in the third bird only; however, the parasite was not seen in stained preparations or on histopathology. No cryptosporidiosis clinical signs were observed in 69 birds caught at night or in 170 birds attending leks. The authors have no conclusive evidence that cryptosporidiosis is causing sinusitis in black grouse. However, a single positive cryptosporidia PCR result from an affected bird does raise the possibility that they may be infected with the parasite.
MicroRNAs in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes: new research progress and future direction
Authors: Miao Chenggui , Zhang Guoxue , Xie Zhongwen , Chang Jun
Published: September 2017

miRNA is a short non-coding RNA that can influence mRNA processing at the post-transcriptional level. A large number of miRNAs have been found in virtually all species so far, and these small molecules play an important role in many different physiological processes and various pathologic conditions, such as cell metabolism, cancer, autoimmune disease, and diabetes mellitus. T2D arises from a dysregulated response to the elevated glucose level in the circulation. The prevalence of T2D has increased dramatically in all age groups, and T2D in older adults is associated with more T2D complications and higher mortality. Despite the existing findings describing the pathological mechanism, T2D pathology is more complex and the pathophysiology of the disease is still not fully elucidated. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of miRNA-mediated modulation of gene expression in T2D pathogenesis, as well as related signaling pathways, and insight into the important role of miRNA in various T2D complications. Furthermore, the potential therapeutic value of miRNA for T2D patients is also discussed in detail.
Prelude to a panzootic: Gene flow and immunogenetic variation in northern little brown myotis vulnerable to bat white-nose syndrome
Authors: Davy Christina M. , Donaldson Michael E. , Rico Yessica , Lausen Cori L. , Dogantzis Kathleen , Ritchie Kyle , Willis Craig K.R. , Burles Douglas W. , Jung Thomas S. , McBurney Scott , Park Allysia , McAlpine Donald F. , Vanderwolf Karen J. , Kyle Christopher J.
Published: September 2017

The fungus that causes bat white-nose syndrome (WNS) recently leaped from eastern North America to the Pacific Coast. The pathogen’s spread is associated with the genetic population structure of a host ( Myotis lucifugus). To understand the fine-scale neutral and immunogenetic variation among northern populations of M. lucifugus, we sampled 1142 individuals across the species’ northern range. We used genotypes at 11 microsatellite loci to reveal the genetic structure of, and directional gene flow among, populations to predict the likely future spread of the pathogen in the northwest and to estimate effective population size ( Ne). We also pyrosequenced the DRB1-like exon 2 of the class II major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in 160 individuals to explore immunogenetic selection by WNS. We identified three major neutral genetic clusters: Eastern, Montane Cordillera (and adjacent sampling areas), and Haida Gwaii, with admixture at intermediate areas and significant substructure west of the prairies. Estimates of Newere unexpectedly low (289–16 000). Haida Gwaii may provide temporary refuge from WNS, but the western mountain ranges are not barriers to its dispersal in M. lucifugus and are unlikely to slow its spread. Our major histocompatibility complex (MHC) data suggest potential selection by WNS on the MHC, but gene duplication limited the immunogenetic analyses.
Evolving convex surfaces to constant width ones
Authors: Gao Laiyuan , Zhang Yuntao
Published: September 2017

Given an [Formula: see text]-dimensional convex surface [Formula: see text] in the Euclidean space [Formula: see text], this initial surface can be deformed into a convex surface with constant width by a new evolution model which preserves the convexity of the evolving surface, provided that the initial principal curvatures satisfy a [Formula: see text]-pinching condition. Some examples of the flow are also constructed via spherical harmonic expansion of the support function.
Salvianolic Acid A, a Component of Salvia miltiorrhiza, Attenuates Endothelial–Mesenchymal Transition of HPAECs Induced by Hypoxia
Authors: Yuan Tianyi , Chen Yucai , Zhang Huifang , Fang Lianhua , Du Guanhua
Published: September 2017

Salvianolic acid A (SAA), a polyphenols acid, is a bioactive ingredient from a traditional Chinese medicine called Dan shen (Salvia Miltiorrhiza Bunge). According to previous studies, it was shown to have various effects such as anti-oxidative stress, antidiabetic complications and antipulmonary hypertension. This study aimed to investigate the effect of SAA on pulmonary arterial endothelial–mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) induced by hypoxia and the underlying mechanisms. Primary cultured human pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (HPAECs) were exposed to 1% O2 for 48[Formula: see text]h with or without SAA treatment. SAA treatment improved the morphology of HPAECs and inhibited the cytoskeleton remodeling. A total of 3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M SAA reduced migration distances from 262.2[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m to 198.4[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m at 24[Formula: see text]h and 344.8[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m to 109.3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m at 48[Formula: see text]h. It was observed that the production of ROS in cells was significantly reduced by the treatment of 3[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M SAA. Meanwhile, SAA alleviated the loss of CD31 and slightly inhibited the expression of [Formula: see text]-SMA. The mechanisms study shows that SAA treatment increased the phosphorylation levels of Smad1/5, but inhibited that of Smad2/3. Furthermore, SAA attenuated the phosphorylation levels of ERK and Cofilin, which were enhanced by hypoxia. Based on these results, our study indicated that SAA treatment can protect HPAECs from endoMT induced by hypoxia, which may perform via the inhibition on ROS production and further through the downstream effectors of BMPRs or TGF[Formula: see text]R including Smads, ERK and ROCK/cofilin pathways.
Enhanced equivariant Saito duality
Authors: Ebeling Wolfgang , Gusein-Zade Sabir M.
Published: September 2017

In a previous paper, the authors defined an equivariant version of the so-called Saito duality between the monodromy zeta functions as a sort of Fourier transform between the Burnside rings of an abelian group and of its group of characters. Here, a so-called enhanced Burnside ring [Formula: see text] of a finite group [Formula: see text] is defined. An element of it is represented by a finite [Formula: see text]-set with a [Formula: see text]-equivariant transformation and with characters of the isotropy subgroups associated to all points. One gives an enhanced version of the equivariant Saito duality. For a complex analytic [Formula: see text]-manifold with a [Formula: see text]-equivariant transformation of it one has an enhanced equivariant Euler characteristic with values in a completion of [Formula: see text]. It is proved that the (reduced) enhanced equivariant Euler characteristics of the Milnor fibers of Berglund–Hübsch dual invertible polynomials are enhanced dual to each other up to sign. As a byproduct, this implies the result about the orbifold zeta functions of Berglund–Hübsch–Henningson dual pairs obtained earlier.
Brownfields Remediation: Impact on Local Residential Property Tax Revenue
Authors: Sullivan Karen A.
Published: September 2017

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Brownfields Program provides grants to assess and clean up brownfields. There are few studies that estimate tax revenue impacts from cleanup beyond those generated directly from within the remediated site’s property lines. This study estimates the increased residential property tax revenue attributable to brownfields cleanup at 48 sites remediated between 2004 and 2011 under the EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grants Program. Findings from a previous study of a 5% to 15.2% property value increase following cleanup at these sites are applied to the assessed values of nearby residential properties along with local tax laws, assessment ratios, and rates to estimate tax revenue gained as a result of brownfields cleanup. The estimated increase in residential property tax revenue for a single tax year from remediating 48 brownfields properties was between $29 million and $97 million (2014 USD).
Co-registered photoacoustic and ultrasound imaging for tongue cancer detection
Authors: Guo Heng , Qi Weizhi , He Ming , Rong Jian , Xi Lei
Published: September 2017

Tongue cancer is an increasingly common disease with high morbidity. Besides clinical observation, biomedical imaging techniques have been investigated for early detection of tongue cancer. In this paper, we proposed a co-registered dual-modality photoacoustic (PA) and ultrasound imaging technique to simultaneously map the functional and structural information of human tongue, which has the potential to detect and diagnose tongue cancer in early stage. The imaging probe comprises a 20-MHz side-view focused transducer for ultrasound imaging and PA detection, a light path constructed by a multimode optical fiber, and a prism for PA illumination. Phantom experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the system including penetration depth, spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. In vivo imaging of animal tumor and human tongue was carried out to show the feasibility of the proposed technique to detect tumor lesions in human tongue. The results of phantom and in vivo experiments suggest that the proposed technique has the potential to detect the early-stage cancer lesions in human tongue.
Numerical simulation and experiment of medium flow energy field in vibrating mill
Authors: Yang Xiaolan , Wang Yuting , Xia Zhengqing , Zhang Ting , Liu Jifeng
Published: September 2017

In order to solve to the technical bottleneck that powder is easy to reunite and without refining in the vibration ultrafine grinding (UFG) technology, the energy field of medium flow was studied by analyzing crushing energy and energy transfer. The numerical simulation model of medium flow based on Particle Flow Code (PFC) was established. By setting four kinds of working conditions of amplitude and frequency, the dynamic graphics and curves of the energy field (such as kinetic energy, strain energy, velocity field, force chain and so on) were obtained. In the situation of mid-frequency with large amplitude, the average speed of front medium flow was 1.3–5.03 times that of others and the low-energy region was decreased by 6% to 10%. The largest kinetic energy and strain energy were 3.25 and 2.94 times the average value of others, respectively. The diamond UFG was analyzed in new vibration mills under the conditions of low frequency with large amplitude and mid-frequency with large amplitude. Utilizing a laser particle size analyzer, it was discovered that the particle sizes d(50) in these two models were 3.840[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m and 0.260[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m and bandwidths were 9.940[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m and 3.825[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m. This highlights the effect of mid-frequency with large amplitude in particle refining and bandwidth narrowing, which is of great importance in the fields of ultra-hard particle refining research and energy utilization.
vSAN
Authors: Fink Bryan , Knauft Eric , Zhang Gene
Published: September 2017

Hyper-converged storage is the state-of-the-art for enterprise deployments. VMware's vSAN is the industry leader in this space. This article takes a look at some of vSAN's internal architecture and analysis frameworks to illustrate how modern distributed storage is designed and debugged.
Building an Extensible Open vSwitch Datapath
Authors: Tu Cheng-Chun , Stringer Joe , Pettit Justin
Published: September 2017

The virtual switch is the cornerstone of the today's virtualized data center. As all traffic to and from virtual machines or containers must pass through a vSwitch, it is the ideal location for network configuration and policy enforcement.

The bulk of Open vSwitch functionality is platform-agnostic and portable. However the datapath, which touches every packet, is unique to each supported platform. Maintaining each datapath requires duplicated effort and the result has been inconsistent support of features across platforms. Even on a single platform, the features supported by a particular kernel version can vary. Further, datapath functionality must be broadly useful which prevents having application-specific features in the fast path.

eBPF, extended Berkeley Packet Filter, enables userspace applications to customize and extend the Linux kernel's functionality. It provides flexible platform abstractions for network functions, and is being ported to a variety of platforms. This paper describes the design, implementation, and evaluation of an eBPF-based extensible OVS datapath. The eBPF OVS datapath delivers the equivalent functionality of the existing OVS kernel datapath, while significantly reducing development pain points around maintainability and extensibility. We demonstrate that these benefits don't necessarily have a trade off in regards to performance, with the eBPFbased datapath showing negligible overhead compared to the existing kernel datapath.
Ingens
Authors: Kwon Youngjin , Yu Hangchen , Peter Simon , Rossbach Christopher J. , Witchel Emmett
Published: September 2017

Memory capacity and demand have grown hand in hand in recent years. However, overheads for memory virtualization, in particular for address translation, grow with memory capacity as well, motivating hardware manufacturers to provide TLBs with thousands of entries for larger pages, or huge pages. Current OSes and hypervisors support huge pages with a hodge-podge of best-effort algorithms and spot fixes that make less and less sense as architectural support for huge pages matures. The time has come for a more fundamental redesign.

Ingens is a framework for providing transparent huge page support in a coordinated way. Ingens manages contiguity as a first-class resource, and tracks utilization and access frequency of memory pages, enabling it to eliminate pathologies that plague current systems. Experiments with a Linux/KVM-based prototype show improved fairness and performance, and reduced tail latency and memory bloat for important applications such as Web services and Redis. We report early experiences with our in-progress port of Ingens to the ESX Hypervisor.
Jejunojejunal Intussusception due to Metastatic Melanoma Seven Years after the Primer
Authors: Giakoustidis Alexander , Goulopoulos Thomas , Boutis Anastasios , Kavvadias George , Kainantidis Aristidis , Zaraboukas Thomas , Giakoustidis Dimitrios
Published: September 2017

Intestinal intussusception in adults is a rare medical condition accounting for less than 5% of all intussusceptions. Herein we present a 45-year-old patient with a history of abdominal pain and loss of weight. CT scan revealed jejunojejunal intussusceptions. The patient was subjected to exploratory operation and small intestine resection due to a mass causing intestinal intussusception. Pathology confirmed suspected diagnosis of metastatic melanoma to small intestine secondary to melanoma, 7 years after the initial manifestation. Postoperative evaluation with 18FDG-PET/CT revealed increased uptake in the thyroid gland. Subsequent total thyroidectomy revealed severe Hashimoto thyroiditis and no signs of metastasis. The patient received adjuvant immunotherapy and is healthy with no signs of recurrence 3 years after the initial diagnosis and treatment.
Following Spinal Cord Injury Transected Reticulospinal Tract Axons Develop New Collateral Inputs to Spinal Interneurons in Parallel with Locomotor Recovery
Authors: May Zacnicte , Fenrich Keith K. , Dahlby Julia , Batty Nicholas J. , Torres-Espín Abel , Fouad Karim
Published: September 2017

The reticulospinal tract (RtST) descends from the reticular formation and terminates in the spinal cord. The RtST drives the initiation of locomotion and postural control. RtST axons form new contacts with propriospinal interneurons (PrINs) after incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI); however, it is unclear if injured or uninjured axons make these connections. We completely transected all traced RtST axons in rats using a staggered model, where a hemisection SCI at vertebra T10 is followed by a contralateral hemisection at vertebra T7. In one group of the animals, the T7 SCI was performed 2 weeks after the T10 SCI (delayed; dSTAG), and in another group, the T10 and T7 SCIs were concomitant (cSTAG). dSTAG animals had significantly more RtST-PrIN contacts in the grey matter compared to cSTAG animals (p<0.05). These results were accompanied by enhanced locomotor recovery with dSTAG animals significantly outperforming cSTAG animals (BBB test;p<0.05). This difference suggests that activity in neuronal networks below the first SCI may contribute to enhanced recovery, because dSTAG rats recovered locomotor ability before the second hemisection. In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that the injured RtST forms new connections and is a key player in the recovery of locomotion post-SCI.
Long Short-Term Memory Projection Recurrent Neural Network Architectures for Piano’s Continuous Note Recognition
Authors: Jia YuKang , Wu Zhicheng , Xu Yanyan , Ke Dengfeng , Su Kaile
Published: September 2017

Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) is a kind of Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN) relating to time series, which has achieved good performance in speech recogniton and image recognition. Long Short-Term Memory Projection (LSTMP) is a variant of LSTM to further optimize speed and performance of LSTM by adding a projection layer. As LSTM and LSTMP have performed well in pattern recognition, in this paper, we combine them with Connectionist Temporal Classification (CTC) to study piano’s continuous note recognition for robotics. Based on the Beijing Forestry University music library, we conduct experiments to show recognition rates and numbers of iterations of LSTM with a single layer, LSTMP with a single layer, and Deep LSTM (DLSTM, LSTM with multilayers). As a result, the single layer LSTMP proves performing much better than the single layer LSTM in both time and the recognition rate; that is, LSTMP has fewer parameters and therefore reduces the training time, and, moreover, benefiting from the projection layer, LSTMP has better performance, too. The best recognition rate of LSTMP is 99.8%. As for DLSTM, the recognition rate can reach 100% because of the effectiveness of the deep structure, but compared with the single layer LSTMP, DLSTM needs more training time.
Resources Scheduling Algorithm in Power Wireless Private Network Based on SDON
Authors: Xing Ningzhe
Published: September 2017

With the increasing of the business carried by the power wireless private network and the continuous development of the new network technology, the problems in the traditional mode of power wireless private network are becoming more and more obvious. In order to solve the problems such as poor business service quality, low system throughput, and fairness problems in the uplink resource scheduling process of power wireless private network, a dynamic uplink resource scheduling algorithm is proposed on the basis of Software Defined Optical Network (SDON). By studying the business characteristics of the uplink transmission of power wireless network, the priority of the service is evaluated before the resource scheduling is carried out. According to the characteristics of OFDM resource allocation and the numerical control separation and programmable feature of SDON, different scheduling methods are designed for different services. Simulation analysis shows that this algorithm can effectively improve the system throughput, guarantee QoS, and improve the transmission performance of different services.
Nonlinear Dynamics of a PI Hydroturbine Governing System with Double Delays
Authors: Luo Hongwei , Zhang Jiangang , Du Wenju , Lu Jiarong , An Xinlei
Published: September 2017

A PI hydroturbine governing system with saturation and double delays is generated in small perturbation. The nonlinear dynamic behavior of the system is investigated. More precisely, at first, we analyze the stability and Hopf bifurcation of the PI hydroturbine governing system with double delays under the four different cases. Corresponding stability theorem and Hopf bifurcation theorem of the system are obtained at equilibrium points. And then the stability of periodic solution and the direction of the Hopf bifurcation are illustrated by using the normal form method and center manifold theorem. We find out that the stability and direction of the Hopf bifurcation are determined by three parameters. The results have great realistic significance to guarantee the power system frequency stability and improve the stability of the hydropower system. At last, some numerical examples are given to verify the correctness of the theoretical results.
Stem Cell Tracking Technologies for Neurological Regenerative Medicine Purposes
Authors: Zheng Yongtao , Huang Jiongwei , Zhu Tongming , Li Ronggang , Wang Zhifu , Ma Fukai , Zhu Jianhong
Published: September 2017

The growing field of stem cell therapy is moving toward clinical trials in a variety of applications, particularly for neurological diseases. However, this translation of cell therapies into humans has prompted a need to create innovative and breakthrough methods for stem cell tracing, to explore the migration routes and its reciprocity with microenvironment targets in the body, to monitor and track the outcome after stem cell transplantation therapy, and to track the distribution and cell viability of transplanted cells noninvasively and longitudinally. Recently, a larger number of cell tracking methods in vivo were developed and applied in animals and humans, including magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear medicine imaging, and optical imaging. This review has been intended to summarize the current use of those imaging tools in tracking stem cells, detailing their main features and drawbacks, including image resolution, tissue penetrating depth, and biosafety aspects. Finally, we address that multimodality imaging method will be a more potential tracking tool in the future clinical application.
Portland Cement Hydration Behavior at Low Temperatures: Views from Calculation and Experimental Study
Authors: Liu Zhuangzhuang , Jiao Wenxiu , Sha Aimin , Gao Jie , Han Zhenqiang , Xu Wei
Published: September 2017

Environmental condition affects the property of construction materials. This study gives an initial understanding of Portland cement hydration under low temperatures from the views of laboratory experiments (including electrical resistivity, degree of hydration (DoH), and maturity) as well as thermodynamic calculation. The hydrates of Portland cement at the given period were detected with X-ray diffraction (XRD), and their microstructure was observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). Experiment result (i.e., DoH and electrical resistivity) indicated that the hydration of Portland cement was delayed by low temperature without hydration stopping at −5°C. Based on a basic kinetics model, the thermodynamic calculation predicted that the final hydrate differs in dependence on environmental temperatures. The mechanical behavior trend of Portland cement paste affected by low temperatures potentially is linked to the appearing of aluminate compounds and reduction of portlandite.
Benchmark Solution for Free Vibration of Moderately Thick Functionally Graded Sandwich Sector Plates on Two-Parameter Elastic Foundation with General Boundary Conditions
Authors: Li Haichao , Pang Fuzhen , Wang Xueren , Li Shuo
Published: September 2017

The free vibration analysis of moderately thick functionally graded (FG) sector plates resting on two-parameter elastic foundation with general boundary conditions is presented via Fourier-Ritz method, which is composed of the modified Fourier series approach and the Ritz procedure. The material properties are assumed to vary continuously along the thickness according to the power-law distribution. The bilayered and single-layered functionally graded sector plates are obtained as the special cases of sandwich plates. The first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is adopted to construct the theoretical model. Under current framework, regardless of boundary conditions, each displacement and each rotation of plates is represented by the modified Fourier series consisting of a standard Fourier cosine series and several closed-form auxiliary functions introduced to ensure and accelerate the convergence of the series representation. Then, the accurate solutions are obtained by using the Ritz procedure based on the energy function of sector plates. The present method shows good convergence, reliability, and accuracy by comprehensive investigation with some selected classical boundary conditions. Numerous new vibration results for moderately thick FG sandwich sector plates are provided. The effects of the elastic restraint parameters and so forth on free vibration characteristic of sector plates are presented.
Caudal Regression and Encephalocele: Rare Manifestations of Expanded Goldenhar Complex
Authors: D’Angelo Gabriella , Marseglia Lucia , Aversa Salvatore , Manti Sara , Cuppari Caterina , Cutrupi Mariaconcetta , Salpietro Carmelo , Gitto Eloisa
Published: September 2017

Oculoauriculovertebral spectrum, or Goldenhar Syndrome, is a condition characterized by variable degrees of uni- or bilateral involvement of craniofacial structures, ocular anomalies, and vertebral defects. Its expressivity is variable; therefore, the term “expanded Goldenhar complex” has been coined. The Goldenhar Syndrome usually involves anomalies in craniofacial structures, but it is known that nervous system anomalies, including encephalocele or caudal regression, may, rarely, occur in this condition. We report two rare cases of infants affected by Goldenhar Syndrome, associated with neural tube defects, specifically caudal regression syndrome and nasal encephaloceles, to underline the extremely complex and heterogeneous clinical features of this oculoauriculovertebral spectrum. These additional particular cases could increase the number of new variable spectrums to be included in the “expanded Goldenhar complex.”
Retroperitoneal Solitary Fibrous Tumor: A “Patternless” Tumor
Authors: Myoteri D. , Dellaportas D. , Nastos C. , Gioti I. , Gkiokas G. , Carvounis E. , Theodosopoulos T.
Published: September 2017

Introduction. Solitary fibrous tumor is a rare type of mesenchymal, spindle-cell tumor reported mostly in the pleura. Retroperitoneal occurrence is rare and histopathological diagnosis is challenging. Case Presentation. A 55-year-old woman with nonspecific abdominal pain was found to have a retroperitoneal/pelvic mass adjacent to the upper rectum. The patient underwent surgical resection in clear margins of this pelvic tumor, entering the total mesenteric excision surgical plane. Final histopathology revealed a solitary fibrous tumor and the case is presented herein. Discussion. Solitary fibrous tumor in the retroperitoneum is rarely found in the literature and to the best of our knowledge less than a hundred cases are described so far. Histopathological diagnosis is mostly based on a “patternless pattern” on microscopic examination, which is a storiform arrangement of spindle cells combined with a “hemangiopericytoma-like appearance” and increased vascularity of the lesion. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment and recurrence rates are generally low.
The Correlation between Pore Structure and Macro Durability Performance of Road Concrete under Loading and Freeze-Thaw and Drying-Wetting Cycles
Authors: Zhou Sheng-bo , Liang Jun-lin , Xuan Wei-an , Qiu Ye
Published: September 2017

The grey correlation theory and multiple regression method are used to reveal macro performance degradation rules of road concrete under loading and freeze-thaw and drying-wetting cycles; then the correlation between mesoscopic pore structure and residual strength and antifreezing index of concrete is analyzed. Under the freeze-thaw and drying-wetting cycles with 50% loading level, the pore structure parameters that influence concrete strength show the following sequence: fractal dimension > most probable pore size > porosity > less harmful pore. The correlation between strength and pore parameters can be represented with multiple nonlinear equations. A negative correlation is shown between strength and fractal dimension and most probable pore size. Conversely, a positive correlation is shown between strength, porosity, and less harmful pore. Under the freeze-thaw and drying-wetting cycles with 80% loading level, the pore structure parameters that influence concrete strength show another sequence: fractal dimension > porosity > less harmful pore > most probable pore size. The correlation between antifreezing index and pore parameters should be described with multiple linear equations. The relative dynamic elastic modulus shows a positive correlation to most probable pore size, pore surface area, and porosity but a negative correlation to less harmful pore and pore spacing coefficient.
The Effect of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor on the Progression of Atherosclerosis in Animal Models: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liu Manli , Liu Kejian , Chen Dongdong , Chen Hongzhi , Sun Kunming , Ju Xinxin , Lan Jiaojiao , Zhou Yang , Wang Weishan , Pang Lijuan
Published: September 2017

Background. Atherosclerosis is a common inflammatory disease. Stem cell and endothelial progenitor cell treatments can improve cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a mobilisation agent, mobilising stem cells from the bone marrow to circulation in the blood. G-CSF may constitute a treatment of atherosclerosis. We have conducted meta-analysis to evaluate the current evidence for the effect of G-CSF on the progression of atherosclerosis in animal models and to provide reference for preclinical experiments and future human clinical trials of atherosclerosis treatment.Methods. We searched several databases and conducted a meta-analysis across seven articles using a random-effect model. All statistical analyses were performed using Review Manager Version 5.2 and Stata 12.0.Results. We found that G-CSF therapy was associated with reduced atherosclerotic lesion area (weighted mean difference (WMD): 7.29%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.06–12.52%;P=0.006). No significant differences in total serum cholesterol (P=0.54) and triglyceride levels (P=0.95) were noted in G-CSF treatment groups compared with controls. Multivariable metaregression analysis revealed that the animal type (rabbit,P=0.022) and frequency of G-CSF administration (>20,P=0.007) impacted the atherosclerotic lesion area changes.Conclusion. The meta-analysis suggested that G-CSF treatment might inhibit the progression of atherosclerosis in animal models.
Reactive Path Planning Approach for Docking Robots in Unknown Environment
Authors: Cui Peng , Yan Weisheng , Wang Yintao
Published: September 2017

Autonomous robots need to be recharged and exchange information with the host through docking in the long-distance tasks. Therefore, feasible path is required in the docking process to guide the robot and adjust its pose. However, when there are unknown obstacles in the work area, it becomes difficult to determine the feasible path for docking. This paper presents a reactive path planning approach named Dubins-APF (DAPF) to solve the path planning problem for docking in unknown environment with obstacles. In this proposed approach the Dubins curves are combined with the designed obstacle avoidance potential field to plan the feasible path. Firstly, an initial path is planned and followed according to the configurations of the robot and the docking station. Then when the followed path is evaluated to be infeasible, the intermediate configuration is calculated as well as the replanned path based on the obstacle avoidance potential field. The robot will be navigated to the docking station with proper pose eventually via the DAPF approach. The proposed DAPF approach is efficient and does not require the prior knowledge about the environment. Simulation results are given to validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed approach.