bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reversal of Azole Resistance in Candida albicans by Sulfa Antibacterial Drugs
Authors: Eldesouky Hassan E. , Mayhoub Abdelrahman , Hazbun Tony R. , Seleem Mohamed N.
Published: December 2017

Invasive candidiasis presents an emerging global public health challenge due to the emergence of resistance to the frontline treatment options, such as fluconazole. Hence, the identification of other compounds capable of pairing with fluconazole and averting azole resistance would potentially prolong the clinical utility of this important group. In an effort to repurpose drugs in the field of antifungal drug discovery, we explored sulfa antibacterial drugs for the purpose of reversing azole resistance in
Candida
. In this study, we assembled and investigated a library of 21 sulfa antibacterial drugs for their ability to restore fluconazole sensitivity in
Candida albicans
. Surprisingly, the majority of assayed sulfa drugs (15 of 21) were found to exhibit synergistic relationships with fluconazole by checkerboard assay with fractional inhibitory concentration index (ΣFIC) values ranging from <0.0312 to 0.25. Remarkably, five sulfa drugs were able to reverse azole resistance in a clinically achievable range. The structure-activity relationships (SARs) of the amino benzene sulfonamide scaffold as antifungal agents were studied. We also identified the possible mechanism of the synergistic interaction of sulfa antibacterial drugs with azole antifungal drugs. Furthermore, the ability of sulfa antibacterial drugs to inhibit
Candida
biofilm by 40%
in vitro
was confirmed. In addition, the effects of sulfa-fluconazole combinations on
Candida
growth kinetics and efflux machinery were explored. Finally, using a
Caenorhabditis elegans
infection model, we demonstrated that the sulfa-fluconazole combination does possess potent antifungal activity
in vivo
, reducing
Candida
in infected worms by ∼50% compared to the control.
Identification of Bacterial Species That Can Utilize Fructose-Asparagine
Authors: Sabag-Daigle Anice , Wu Jikang , Borton Mikayla A. , Sengupta Anindita , Gopalan Venkat , Wrighton Kelly C. , Wysocki Vicki H. , Ahmer Brian M. M.
Published: December 2017

Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium is the only organism demonstrated to utilize fructose-asparagine (F-Asn) as a source of carbon and nitrogen. In this report, we first used a bioinformatics approach to identify other microorganisms that encode homologs of the
Salmonella
F-Asn utilization enzymes FraB (deglycase), FraD (kinase), and FraE (asparaginase). These candidate organisms were then tested with up to four different methods to confirm their ability to utilize F-Asn. The easiest and most broadly applicable method utilized a biological toxicity assay, which is based on the observation that F-Asn is toxic to a
Salmonella fraB
mutant. Candidate organisms were grown in a rich medium containing F-Asn, and depletion of F-Asn from the medium was inferred by the growth of a
Salmonella fraB
mutant in that same medium. For select organisms, the toxicity assay was cross-validated by direct mass spectrometry-aided measurement of F-Asn in the spent-culture media and through demonstration of FraB and FraD enzyme activity in cellular extracts. For prototrophs, F-Asn utilization was additionally confirmed by growth in a minimal medium containing F-Asn as the sole carbon source. Collectively, these studies established that
Clostridium
bolteae
,
Clostridium acetobutylicum
, and
Clostridium clostridioforme
can utilize F-Asn, but
Clostridium difficile
cannot;
Klebsiella oxytoca
and some
Klebsiella pneumoniae
subspecies can utilize F-Asn; and some
Citrobacter rodentium
and
Citrobacter freundii
strains can also utilize F-Asn. Within
Salmonella enterica
, the host-adapted serovars Typhi and Paratyphi A have lost the ability to utilize F-Asn.

IMPORTANCE
Fructose-asparagine (F-Asn) is a precursor to acrylamide that is found in human foods, and it is also a nutrient source for
Salmonella enterica
, a foodborne pathogen. Here, we determined that among the normal intestinal microbiota, there are species of
Clostridium
that encode the enzymes required for F-Asn utilization. Using complementary experimental approaches, we have confirmed that three members of
Clostridium
, two members of
Klebsiella
, and two members of
Citrobacter
can indeed utilize F-Asn. The
Clostridium
spp. likely compete with
Salmonella
for F-Asn in the gut and contribute to competitive exclusion. FraB, one of the enzymes in the F-Asn utilization pathway, is a potential drug target because inhibition of this enzyme leads to the accumulation of a toxic metabolite that inhibits the growth of
Salmonella
species. This study identifies the potential off-target organisms that need to be considered when developing therapeutics directed at FraB.
Development of Envelope Protein Antigens To Serologically Differentiate Zika Virus Infection from Dengue Virus Infection
Authors: Premkumar Lakshmanane , Collins Matthew , Graham Stephen , Liou Guei-Jiun Alice , Lopez Cesar A. , Jadi Ramesh , Balmaseda Angel , Brackbill James A. , Dietze Reynaldo , Camacho Erwin , De Silva Aruna D. , Giuberti Camila , dos Reis Helena Lucia , Singh Tulika , Heimsath Holly , Weiskopf Daniela , Sette Alessandro , Osorio Jorge E. , Permar Sallie R. , Miley Michel J. , Lazear Helen M. , Harris Eva , de Silva Aravinda M.
Published: December 2017

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging flavivirus that can cause birth defects and neurologic complications. Molecular tests are effective for diagnosing acute ZIKV infection, although the majority of infections produce no symptoms at all or present after the narrow window in which molecular diagnostics are dependable. Serology is a reliable method for detecting infections after the viremic period; however, most serological assays have limited specificity due to cross-reactive antibodies elicited by flavivirus infections. Since ZIKV and dengue virus (DENV) widely cocirculate, distinguishing ZIKV infection from DENV infection is particularly important for diagnosing individual cases or for surveillance to coordinate public health responses. Flaviviruses also elicit type-specific antibodies directed to non-cross-reactive epitopes of the infecting virus; such epitopes are attractive targets for the design of antigens for development of serological tests with greater specificity. Guided by comparative epitope modeling of the ZIKV envelope protein, we designed two recombinant antigens displaying unique antigenic regions on domain I (Z-EDI) and domain III (Z-EDIII) of the ZIKV envelope protein. Both the Z-EDI and Z-EDIII antigens consistently detected ZIKV-specific IgG in ZIKV-immune sera but not cross-reactive IgG in DENV-immune sera in late convalescence (>12 weeks postinfection). In contrast, during early convalescence (2 to 12 weeks postinfection), secondary DENV-immune sera and some primary DENV-immune sera cross-reacted with the Z-EDI and Z-EDIII antigens. Analysis of sequential samples from DENV-immune individuals demonstrated that Z-EDIII cross-reactivity peaked in early convalescence and declined steeply over time. The Z-EDIII antigen has much potential as a diagnostic antigen for population-level surveillance and for detecting past infections in patients.
Naturally Occurring Frameshift Mutations in the
tvb
Receptor Gene Are Responsible for Decreased Susceptibility of Chicken to Infection with Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroups B, D, and E
Authors: Li Xinjian , Chen Weiguo , Zhang Huanmin , Li Aijun , Shu Dingming , Li Hongxing , Dai Zhenkai , Yan Yiming , Zhang Xinheng , Lin Wencheng , Ma Jingyun , Xie Qingmei
Published: December 2017

The group of highly related avian leukosis viruses (ALVs) in chickens are thought to have evolved from a common retroviral ancestor into six subgroups, A to E and J. These ALV subgroups use diverse cellular proteins encoded by four genetic loci in chickens as receptors to gain entry into host cells. Hosts exposed to ALVs might be under selective pressure to develop resistance to ALV infection. Indeed, resistance alleles have previously been identified in all four receptor loci in chickens. The
tvb
gene encodes a receptor, which determines the susceptibility of host cells to ALV subgroup B (ALV-B), ALV-D, and ALV-E. Here we describe the identification of two novel alleles of the
tvb
receptor gene, which possess independent insertions each within exon 4. The insertions resulted in frameshift mutations that reveal a premature stop codon that causes nonsense-mediated decay of the mutant mRNA and the production of truncated Tvb protein. As a result, we observed that the frameshift mutations in the
tvb
gene significantly lower the binding affinity of the truncated Tvb receptors for the ALV-B, ALV-D, and ALV-E envelope glycoproteins and significantly reduce susceptibility to infection by ALV-B, ALV-D and ALV-E
in vitro
and
in vivo
. Taken together, these findings suggest that frameshift mutation can be a molecular mechanism of reducing susceptibility to ALV and enhance our understanding of virus-host coevolution.

IMPORTANCE
Avian leukosis virus (ALV) once caused devastating economic loss to the U.S. poultry industry prior the current eradication schemes in place, and it continues to cause severe calamity to the poultry industry in China and Southeast Asia, where deployment of a complete eradication scheme remains a challenge. The
tvb
gene encodes the cellular receptor necessary for subgroup B, D, and E ALV infection. Two
tvb
allelic variants that resulted from frameshift mutations have been identified in this study, which have been shown to have significantly reduced functionality in mediating subgroup B, D, and E ALV infection. Unlike the control of herpesvirus-induced diseases by vaccination, the control of avian leukosis in chickens has relied totally on virus eradication measures and host genetic resistance. This finding enriches the allelic pool of the
tvb
gene and expands the potential for genetic improvement of ALV resistance in varied chicken populations by selection.
Actin-Dependent Nonlytic Rotavirus Exit and Infectious Virus Morphogenetic Pathway in Nonpolarized Cells
Authors: Trejo-Cerro Óscar , Eichwald Catherine , Schraner Elisabeth M. , Silva-Ayala Daniela , López Susana , Arias Carlos F.
Published: December 2017

During the late stages of rotavirus morphogenesis, the surface proteins VP4 and VP7 are assembled onto the previously structured double-layered virus particles to yield a triple-layered, mature infectious virus. The current model for the assembly of the outer capsid is that it occurs within the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. However, it has been shown that VP4 and infectious virus associate with lipid rafts, suggesting that the final assembly of the rotavirus spike protein VP4 involves a post-endoplasmic reticulum event. In this work, we found that the actin inhibitor jasplakinolide blocks the cell egress of rotavirus from nonpolarized MA104 cells at early times of infection, when there is still no evidence of cell lysis. These findings contrast with the traditional assumption that rotavirus is released from nonpolarized cells by a nonspecific mechanism when the cell integrity is lost. Inspection of the virus present in the extracellular medium by use of density flotation gradients revealed that a fraction of the released virus is associated with low-density membranous structures. Furthermore, the intracellular localization of VP4, its interaction with lipid rafts, and its targeting to the cell surface were shown to be prevented by jasplakinolide, implying a role for actin in these processes. Finally, the VP4 present at the plasma membrane was shown to be incorporated into the extracellular infectious virus, suggesting the existence of a novel pathway for the assembly of the rotavirus spike protein.

IMPORTANCE
Rotavirus is a major etiological agent of infantile acute severe diarrhea. It is a nonenveloped virus formed by three concentric layers of protein. The early stages of rotavirus replication, including cell attachment and entry, synthesis and translation of viral mRNAs, replication of the genomic double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), and the assembly of double-layered viral particles, have been studied widely. However, the mechanisms involved in the later stages of infection, i.e., viral particle maturation and cell exit, are less well characterized. It has been assumed historically that rotavirus exits nonpolarized cells following cell lysis. In this work, we show that the virus exits cells by a nonlytic, actin-dependent mechanism, and most importantly, we describe that VP4, the spike protein of the virus, is present on the cell surface and is incorporated into mature, infectious virus, indicating a novel pathway for the assembly of this protein.
Hospitalisation trends in India from serial cross-sectional nationwide surveys: 1995 to 2014
Authors: Pandey Anamika , Ploubidis George B , Clarke Lynda , Dandona Lalit
Published: December 2017

Objectives

We report hospitalisation trends for different age groups across the states of India and for various disease groups, compare the hospitalisation trends among the older (aged 60 years or more) and the younger (aged under 60 years) population and quantify the factors that contribute to the change in hospitalisation rates of the older population over two decades.

Design

Serial cross-sectional study.

Setting

Nationally representative sample, India.

Data sources

Three consecutive National Sample Surveys (NSS) on healthcare utilisation in 1995–1996, 2004 and 2014.

Participants

Six hundred and thirty-three thousand four hundred and five individuals in NSS 1995–1996, 385 055 in NSS 2004 and 335 499 in NSS 2014.

Methods

Descriptive statistics, multivariable analyses and a regression decomposition technique were used to attain the study objectives.

Result

The annual hospitalisation rate per 1000 increased from 16.6 to 37.0 in India from 1995–1996 to 2014. The hospitalisation rate was about half in the less developed than the more developed states in 2014 (26.1 vs 48.6 per 1000). Poor people used more public than private hospitals; this differential was higher in the more developed (40.7% vs 22.9%) than the less developed (54.3% vs 40.1%) states in 2014. When compared with the younger population, the older population had a 3.6 times higher hospitalisation rate (109.9 vs 30.7) and a greater proportion of hospitalisation for non-communicable diseases (80.5% vs 56.7%) in 2014. Among the older population, hospitalisation rates were comparatively lower for females, poor and rural residents. Propensity change contributed to 86.5% of the increase in hospitalisation among the older population and compositional change contributed 9.3%.

Conclusion

The older population in India has a much higher hospitalisation rate and has continuing greater socioeconomic differentials in hospitalisation rates. Specific policy focus on the requirements of the older population for hospital care in India is needed in light of the anticipated increase in their proportion in the population.
Handling the procurement of prostheses for total hip replacement: description of an original value based approach and application to a real-life dataset reported in the UK
Authors: Messori Andrea , Trippoli Sabrina , Marinai Claudio
Published: December 2017

Objectives

In most European countries, innovative medical devices are not managed according to cost–utility methods, the reason being that national agencies do not generally evaluate these products. The objective of our study was to investigate the cost-utility profile of prostheses for hip replacement and to calculate a value-based score to be used in the process of procurement and tendering for these devices.

Methods

The first phase of our study was aimed at retrieving the studies reporting the values of QALYs, direct cost, and net monetary benefit (NMB) from patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) with different brands of hip prosthesis. The second phase was aimed at calculating, on the basis of the results of cost–utility analysis, a tender score for each device (defined according to standard tendering equations and adapted to a 0–100 scale). This allowed us to determine the ranking of each device in the simulated tender.

Results

We identified a single study as the source of information for our analysis. Nine device brands (cemented, cementless, or hybrid) were evaluated. The cemented prosthesis Exeter V40/Elite Plus Ogee, the cementless device Taperloc/Exceed, and the hybrid device Exeter V40/Trident had the highest NMB (£152 877, £156 356, and £156 210, respectively) and the best value-based tender score.

Conclusions

The incorporation of value-based criteria in the procurement process can contribute to optimising the value for money for THA devices. According to the approach described herein, the acquisition of these devices does not necessarily converge on the product with the lowest cost; in fact, more costly devices should be preferred when their increased cost is offset by the monetary value of the increased clinical benefit.
Predictive value of prebronchodilator and postbronchodilator spirometry for COPD features and outcomes
Authors: Fortis Spyridon , Eberlein Michael , Georgopoulos Dimitris , Comellas Alejandro P
Published: December 2017

Introduction

We compared the predictive value of prebronchodilator and postbronchodilator spirometry for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) features and outcomes.

Methods

We analysed COPDGene data of 10 192 subjects with smoking history. We created regressions models with the following dependent variables: clinical, functional and radiographic features, and the following independent variables: prebronchodilator airflow obstruction (PREO) and postbronchodilator airflow obstruction (POSTO), prebronchodilator and postbronchodilator FEV1% predicted. We compared the model performance using the Akaike information criterion (AIC).

Results

The COPD prevalence was higher using PREO. About 8.5% had PREO but no airflow obstruction in postbronchodilator spirometry (POSTN) (PREO-POSTN) and 3% of all subjects had no aiflow obstruction in prebronchodilator spirometry (PREN) but POSTO (PREN-POSTO). We found no difference in COPD features and outcomes between PREO-POSTN and PREN-POSTO subjects. Although, both prebronchodilator and postbronchodilator spirometries are both associated with chronic bronchitis, dyspnoea, exercise capacity and COPD radiographic findings, models that included postbronchodilator spirometric measures performed better than models with prebronchodilator measures to predict these COPD features. The predictive value of prebronchodilator and postbronchodilator spirometries for respiratory exacerbations, change in forced expiratory volume in 1 s, dyspnoea and exercise capacity during a 5-year period is relatively similar, but postbronchodilator spirometric measures are better predictors of mortality based on AIC.

Conclusions

Postbronchodilator spirometry may be a more accurate predictor of COPD features and outcomes.
Current and future therapies for SLE: obstacles and recommendations for the development of novel treatments
Authors: Touma Zahi , Gladman Dafna D
Published: December 2017

SLE is a serious, debilitating autoimmune disease that affects various organs and body systems. Of all the heterogeneous autoimmune diseases, SLE is perhaps the most heterogeneous. Patients with SLE, who are primarily female, have diverse disease manifestations and severity. SLE is characterised by substantial concentrations of autoantibodies against nuclear antigens, which are thought to be caused by immune cell dysregulation. Until recently, several immunosuppressant agents were used to treat this disease. Efforts to develop drugs against targets potentially involved in disease mechanisms have resulted in the identification and use of BAFF (B-cell activating factor)/APRIL (a proliferation-inducing ligand) inhibitors to treat SLE. Drugs in late-stage development that focus on pathways that are dysregulated in SLE include those that target the interferon pathway, T-cell signalling and B-cell signalling. New therapeutic agents are still necessary because of the unmet medical needs associated with this disease, including insufficient disease control, poor health-related quality of life, comorbidities, toxicity of the majority of therapies and diminished survival. Despite the substantial long-term investment of research, clinical activity and resources for identifying new treatments for this disease, only one new therapy, the biological belimumab, has been approved in the past 50 years. Efforts to develop drugs to address these needs are challenged by problems associated with disease heterogeneity, variable disease mechanisms and trial design. This review provides an overview of current and future treatments, discusses challenges in the SLE drug development process and offers recommendations for overcoming these challenges.
Arterial pathophysiology and comparison of two devices for pulse wave velocity assessment in elderly men: the British regional heart study
Authors: Ellins Elizabeth A , Smith Kirsten E , Lennon Lucy T , Papacosta Olia , Wannamethee S Goya , Whincup Peter H , Halcox Julian P
Published: December 2017

Objective

Vascular disease is highly prevalent in the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate arterial phenotype in elderly men and compare carotid–femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) assessed by two techniques (Sphygmocor (S)and Vicorder (V)).

Methods

1722 men (72–92 years), participants in the British Regional Heart Study, underwent ultrasound assessment of carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT), carotid distensibility coefficient and presence of carotid plaque. cfPWV and ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI) were also assessed. 123 men returned for between visit reproducibility assessments.

Results

Good reproducibility was demonstrated in all measures (Gwet’s agreement=0.8 for plaque, intraclass correlation=0.65 for ABPI and coefficient of variation <13% for all other measures). Measurements were obtained in >90% of men for all measures except cfPWV(S) and ABPI. In 1122 men with both cfPWV(V) and cfPWV(S) data, cfPWV(S) was greater than cfPWV(V) (mean difference=0.23,95%CI 0.10 to 0.37 m/s). cfPWV(V) was higher at low cfPWV values and cfPWV(S) was higher at high cfPWV values. Correlation of V transit time (TT) against S carotid and femoral TT demonstrated that the slope of the regression line for femoral TT was steeper than for carotid TT, resulting in a proportionally greater subtraction of carotid TT from femoral TT at higher PWVs.

Conclusions

Reproducible, satisfactory quality non-invasive measurements of vascular phenotype were obtainable in a large proportion of elderly men. The discrepancy in results between the two PWV measures may partly be due to the differential impact of subtracting carotid TT when deriving cfPWV(S) across the clinical PWV range.
Near-field explosion effects on reinforced concrete columns: an experimental investigation
Authors: Braimah Abass , Siba Farouk
Published: December 2017

Explosion effects on structures have been an area of active research over the past decades. This is due to the increasing number of terrorists’ action against infrastructures. Although significant amount of work is continuing on the effects of explosions on infrastructures, experimental work involving live explosion testing is limited. Moreover, experimental testing of reinforced concrete (RC) columns subjected to near-field explosions is scant. This paper presents results of an experimental program designed to investigate the effects of near-field explosions on RC columns with different tie spacing and at different scaled distances. The results show that the response of columns is strongly dependent on scaled distance. As the scaled distance increased the severity of damage reduced; seismic columns showed better response. The effect of axial loading was also observed to increase the level of damage on reinforced concrete columns at the axial load level and blast loads considered in the test program.
The effects of atom–cavity coupling constant on physical observables for different transitions
Authors: Parvin Babak
Published: December 2017

The aim of this work is to investigate the changing effects of the atom–cavity coupling constant on an atom–cavity system. A three-level atom in the Λ configuration with q-photon transition between levels 2 and 3 is confined in a single-mode Fabry–Pérot optical cavity. To solve the master equation of this system in the steady-state by using the appropriate physical quantities, the matrix continued fractions method for recurrence equations is applied. The behavior of physical observables including atom–field correlation, mean photon number, and second-order coherence function is discussed. The effect of altering the atom–cavity coupling constant for different transitions on these observables is fully considered. The results of calculations show that by increasing this coupling constant, the range of atom–cavity correlation becomes longer, the maximum value of the output mean photon number from the cavity remains almost constant, the broadening in the curves of the mean photon number increases and the lasing process is amplified in the system. Finally, the transformation of the three-level atom into a two-level one under several specific conditions in a four-photon transition case has been studied. The obtained results of the two-level atomic pattern are adequately confirmed by the simulations related to the three-level atom.
Anisotropic solution in phantom cosmology via Noether symmetry approach
Authors: Oz I. Basaran , Kucukakca Y. , Unal N.
Published: December 2017

In this study, we consider a phantom cosmology in which a scalar field is minimally coupled to gravity. For anisotropic locally rotational symmetric (LRS) Bianchi type I space–time, we use the Noether symmetry approach to determine the potential of such a theory. It is shown that the potential must be in the trigonometric form as a function of the scalar field. We solved the field equations of the theory using the result obtained from the Noether symmetry. Our solution shows that the universe has an accelerating expanding phase.
Nuclear structure investigation of even–even and odd Pb isotopes by using the Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov method
Authors: El Bassem Y. , Oulne M.
Published: December 2017

The nuclear structure of even–even and odd lead isotopes ([Formula: see text]Pb) is investigated within the Hartree–Fock–Bogoliubov (HFB) theory. Calculations are performed for a wide range of neutron numbers, starting from the proton-rich side up to the neutron-rich side, by using the SLy4 Skyrme interaction and a new proposed formula for the pairing strength which is more precise for this region of nuclei as we did in previous works in the regions of Neodymium (Nd, [Formula: see text]) [Y. El Bassem and M. Oulne, Int. J. Mod. Phys. E 24 (2015) 1550073] and Molybdenum (Mo, [Formula: see text]) [Y. El Bassem and M. Oulne, Nucl. Phys. A 957 (2017) 22]. Such a new pairing strength formula allows reaching exotic nuclei region where the experimental data are not available. Calculated values of various physical quantities such as binding energy, two-neutron separation energy, quadrupole deformation, and rms-radii for protons and neutrons are discussed and compared with experimental data and some estimates of other nuclear models like Finite Range Droplet Model (FRDM), Relativistic Mean Field (RMF) model with NL3 functional (NL3), Density-Dependent Meson-Exchange Relativistic Energy Functional (DD-ME2) and results of HFB calculations based on the D1S Gogny effective nucleon–nucleon interaction (Gogny D1S).
Nonlocal Approaches for the Vibration of Lattice Plates Including Both Shear and Bending Interactions
Authors: Hache F. , Challamel N. , Elishakoff I.
Published: December 2017

The present study investigates the dynamical behavior of lattice plates, including both bending and shear interactions. The exact natural frequencies of this lattice plate are calculated for simply supported boundary conditions. These exact solutions are compared with some continuous nonlocal plate solutions that account for some scale effects due to the lattice spacing. Two continualized and one phenomenological nonlocal UflyandMindlin plate models that take into account both the rotary inertia and the shear effects are developed for capturing the small length scale effect of microstructured (or lattice) thick plates by associating the small length scale coefficient introduced in the nonlocal approach to some length scale coefficients given in a Taylor or a rational series expansion. The nonlocal phenomenological model constitutes the stress gradient Eringen’s model applied at the plate scale. The continualization process constructs continuous equation from the one of the discrete lattice models. The governing partial differential equations are solved in displacement for each nonlocal plate model. An exact analytical vibration solution is obtained for the natural frequencies of the simply supported rectangular nonlocal plate. As expected, it is found that the continualized models lead to a constant small length scale coefficient, whereas for the phenomenological nonlocal approaches, the coefficient, calibrated with respect to the element size of the microstructured plate, is structure-dependent. Moreover, comparing the natural frequencies of the continuous models with the exact discrete one, it is concluded that the continualized models provide much more accurate results than the nonlocal Uflyand–Mindlin plate models.
COUPLE STRESS FLUID MODEL FOR PULSATILE FLOW OF BLOOD IN A POROUS TAPERED ARTERIAL STENOSIS UNDER MAGNETIC FIELD AND PERIODIC BODY ACCELERATION
Authors: PONALAGUSAMY R. , PRIYADHARSHINI S.
Published: December 2017

In this paper, a magnetic and non-Newtonian fluid model for pulsatile flow of blood with periodic body acceleration has been investigated by adopting Laplace transform and finite Hankel transform. A closed form of analytic solution is obtained for physiologically important quantities such as velocity profile, flow rate, wall shear stress and flow resistance. Effects of different physical parameters reflecting couple stress parameter, Darcy number, Hartman number, tapering angle (divergent tapered tube or convergent tapered tube), shape stenosis parameter and amplitude of periodic acceleration on wall shear stress and flow resistance have been emphasized. For any value of taper angle ([Formula: see text]) and stenotic height ([Formula: see text]), it is pertinent to point out here that the wall shear stress is less in the case of flow through the asymmetric stenosed tube as compared to the case of flow through the symmetric stenosed tube when one is in the up-stream of flow region, but it is of opposite behavior as one moves in the down-stream of flow region. It is important to note that the flow resistance increases significantly and more nonlinearly with the increase in the axial distance in the case of flow through a converging tapered artery with stenosis as compared to that of the same flow through a stenosed artery. The size of trapping bolus becomes larger for the flow of couple stress fluid through a converging tapered arterial stenosis than that of the same flow through a stenosed artery. Another important result is that as compared to the case of Newtonian fluid, the couple stress fluid behaviour plays a key role in increasing the size of trapping bolus. This investigation puts forward important observations that the asymmetric nature of stenosis considered plays a predominant role in reducing the flow resistance in the case of diseased blood vessel and the flow resistance is higher for the case of couple stress fluid than that of Newtonian fluid. Finally, some applications of the present model have been briefly discussed.
Shannon–Cosine wavelet spectral method for solving fractional Fokker–Planck equations
Authors: Mei Shuli , Gao Wanlin
Published: December 2017

The windowed-Shannon wavelet is not recommended generally as the window function will destroy the partition of unity of Shannon mother wavelet. A novel windowing scheme is proposed to overcome the shortcoming of the general windowed-Shannon function, and then, a novel and efficient Shannon–Cosine wavelet spectral method is provided for solving the fractional PDEs. Taking full advantage of the waveform of sinc function to hold the partition of unity, Shannon–Cosine wavelet is constructed, which is composed of Shannon wavelet and the trigonometric polynomials. It was proved that the proposed wavelet function meets the requirements of being a trial function and possesses many other excellent properties such as normalization, interpolation, two-scale relations, compact support domain, and so on. Therefore, it is a real wavelet function instead of a general Shannon–Gabor wavelet which is a kind of quasi-wavelet. Next, by means of the Shannon–Cosine wavelet collocation method, the corresponding algebraic equation system of the fractional Fokker–Planck equation can be obtained. Approximate solutions of the fractional Fokker–Plank equations are compared with the exact solutions. These calculations illustrate that the accuracy of the Shannon–Cosine wavelet collocation solutions is quite high even using a small number of grid points.
Numerical Study on Ship Motion Fully Coupled with LNG Tank Sloshing in CFD Method
Authors: Zhuang Yuan , Wan Decheng
Published: December 2017

In this paper, numerical simulations of ship motion coupled with LNG tank sloshing in waves are considered. The fully coupled problems are performed by our in-house RANS/DES solver, naoe-FOAM-SJTU. The internal tank sloshing and external wave flow are solved simultaneously. The considered model is a three-dimensional simplified LNG FPSO with two prismatic tanks. The ship motion responses are carried out in beam waves to compare with existing experimental data to validate this solver. The coupling effects between ship motion and sloshing tanks are observed. The anti-rolling characteristics are found, and this kind of characteristic is obvious in low-filling conditions. Different incident wave amplitudes and frequencies are considered. When the incident wave frequency is close to ship motion natural frequency, the ship motion response is strong and an overturning behavior in sloshing tanks is observed. Meanwhile, impact pressures on bulkhead are also discussed. The pressure signal explains the phenomenon in tanks we discussed before.
Dynamic correlation of Eastern and Western markets and forecasting: Scale-by-scale wavelet-based approach
Authors: Oral Emrah , Unal Gazanfer
Published: December 2017

In this paper, dynamic four-dimensional (4D) correlation of eastern and western markets is analyzed. A wavelet-based scale-by-scale analysis method has been introduced to model and forecast stock market data for strongly correlated time intervals. The daily data of stock markets of SP500, FTSE and DAX (western markets) and NIKKEI, TAIEX and KOSPI (eastern markets) are obtained from 2009 to the end of 2016 and their co-movement dependencies on time–frequency space using 4D multiple wavelet coherence (MWC) are determined. Once the data is detached into levels of different frequencies using scale-by-scale continuous wavelet transform, all of the time series possessing the same frequency scale are selected, inversed and forecasted using multivariate model, vector autoregressive moving average (VARMA). It is concluded that the efficiency of forecasting is increased substantially using the same-frequency highly correlated time series obtained by scale-by-scale wavelet transform. Moreover, the increasing or decreasing trend of prospected price shift is foreseen fairly well.
Infraorbital Foramen and Pterygopalatine Fossa Location in Dry Skulls: Anatomical Guidelines for Local Anesthesia
Authors: Masabni Omar , Ahmad Maha
Published: December 2017

Purpose. The aim of the study was to locate the infraorbital foramen (IOF) in relation to the infraorbital margin (IOM) for proper injections of local anesthetics in skull specimens. Another aim was to determine the depth of needle penetration into pterygopalatine fossa through the greater palatine canal (GPC). Materials and Methods. 102 skull halves were used to measure the distances between (1) IOF and IOM and (2) IOF and alveolar ridge of maxilla at second premolar. Needles were inserted and bent at a 45° angle, passing through the GPC at the level of hard palate. The depth of the tip of needle emerging out of GPC into pterygopalatine fossa was measured. Results. The mean distance between IOF and IOM was 6.46±1.57 mm on the right side and 6.74±1.72 mm on the left. The mean distance between IOF and alveolar bone process of the maxilla at second premolar was 29.07±3.58 mm on the right side and 29.39±3.78 mm on the left. The mean depth of penetration of the needle into the pterygopalatine fossa was similar on both sides. Conclusions. Proper identification of IOF and pterygopalatine fossa is of great significance during local anesthesia injections, due to their close proximity to vital anatomic structures.
Structure and Composition of Mangrove Associations in Tubli Bay of Bahrain as Affected by Municipal Wastewater Discharge and Anthropogenic Sedimentation
Authors: Abou Seedo Kholoud , Abido Mohammad S. , Salih Ahmed , Abahussain Asma
Published: December 2017

The effects of municipal wastewater discharge and anthropogenic sedimentation on the structure and composition of gray mangrove (Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh.) communities along Tubli Bay coastlines in Bahrain were investigated. Growth and regeneration of mangrove were measured, and its community was characterized. Sediment profile was analyzed for texture, pH, and salinity. Mangrove area covered by sand depositions was measured using Google Earth Pro. ANOVA and regression tests were employed in the analysis of the data. Results indicated that mangrove overwhelmingly dominated plant community in the study area, which was zoned by a community of other salt-tolerant species. Three main habitats exist in the study area with high similarity in their floristic composition. Species richness and the number of habitats were low due to the aridity and high sediment salinity. The dilution effect of the secondary treated wastewater had a favorable effect on height and diameters of mangrove trees. However, no differences were observed in leaf area index, basal area, and density of mangrove. The long-term accumulation of anthropogenic sedimentation had a detrimental effect on the mangrove community, expressed in swath death of mangrove trees due to root burials and formation of high topography within the community boundaries.
Chrysin Administration Protects against Oxidative Damage in Varicocele‐Induced Adult Rats
Authors: Missassi Gabriela , dos Santos Borges Cibele , de Lima Rosa Josiane , Villela e Silva Patrícia , da Cunha Martins Airton , Barbosa Fernando , De Grava Kempinas Wilma
Published: December 2017

Oxidative stress is known as the leading factor responsible for varicocele‐related infertility and for that reason, many antioxidant therapies have been proposed. Considering that, we evaluated the reproductive outcomes and fertility of varicocelized rats and the impact of chrysin within these parameters. The animals were allocated into three groups: sham (control), varicocele treated via gavage with 50 mg/kg/day of chrysin (V1), or vehicle (V2) for 56 days. Chrysin treatment prevented oxidative damage resulting from varicocele by decreasing testicular concentrations of malondialdehyde and sperm DNA fragmentation. It also improved histological aspect of the testis and maintained morphometric parameters similar to the sham group. Furthermore, there were no differences in body and reproductive organ weights, histopathological analysis of epididymis, sperm counts and morphology, testosterone levels, sexual behavior, and fertility parameters among experimental groups. Our results reinforce the idea that injuries provoked by experimental varicocele are related, at least in part, to oxidative stress. Moreover, varicocele showed bilateral deleterious effects without interfering with fertility. Chrysin administration significantly ameliorated sperm parameters, protecting the reproductive system against varicocele damages. For that reason, chrysin might be an alternative adjuvant therapy to improve sperm quality in men presenting this condition.
The Diagnosing Challenge of a Positive ANCA Vasculitis in the Paediatric Age
Authors: Preto Clara , Silva Armandina , Alves Sandra , Guedes Margarida , Matos Paula , Mota Conceição , Rocha Paula , Fernandes Paula C.
Published: December 2017

ANCA-positive systemic vasculitides, rare in paediatric age, present multiorganic involvement. A female teenager presented with a history of subglottic stenosis diagnosed at the age of 12. From the investigation carried out, we highlight hematoproteinuria and negative ANCAs. At 15 years old, she was admitted for gastrointestinal symptoms and respiratory distress. She presented poor peripheral perfusion, pulmonary haemorrhage, respiratory failure, and severe renal insufficiency. She was started mechanical ventilation and emergency haemodialysis. The immunological study revealed ANCA MPO positive. A presumptive diagnosis of ANCA-positive vasculitis was made, and she was started corticotherapy, cyclophosphamide, and plasmapheresis. A renal biopsy, performed later, showed crescentic glomerulonephritis with chronicity signs. Positive ANCA vasculitis may progress slowly or suddenly. The diagnosis was confirmed by a biopsy; however, we can make a presumptive diagnosis based on clinical findings and in a positive ANCA test in order to start an early treatment and decrease the associated morbimortality.
Composite Plate Phased Array Structural Health Monitoring Signal Reconstruction Based on Orthogonal Matching Pursuit Algorithm
Authors: Sun Yajie , Gu Feihong , Ji Sai , Wang Lihua
Published: December 2017

In order to ensure the safety of composite components, structural health monitoring is needed to detect structural performance in real-time at the early stage of damage occurred. This is difficult to detect complex components with single sensor detection technology, so that ultrasonic phased array technology using multisensor detection will be selected. Ultrasonic phased array technology can scan the structure in all directions and angles without moving or less moving the probe and becomes the first choice of structural health monitoring. However, a large amount of data will be generated when using ultrasonic phased array with Nyquist sampling theorem for structural health monitoring and is difficult to storage, transmission, and processing. Besides, traditional Nyquist sampling cannot satisfy the sampling of large amounts of data without distortion, so a more efficient acquisition technique must be chosen. Compressive sensing theory can ensure that if the signal is sparse, it can be sampled in low sampling rate which is much less than two times of the sampling rate as defined by Nyquist sampling theorem for a large number of data and reconstructed in high probability. Then, the experiment result indicated that the orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm can reconstruct the signal completely and accurately.
Semantic and Virtual Reality-Enhanced Configuration of Domestic Environments: The Smart Home Simulator
Authors: Spoladore Daniele , Arlati Sara , Sacco Marco
Published: December 2017

This paper introduces the Smart Home Simulator, one of the main outcomes of the D4All project. This application takes into account the variety of issues involved in the development of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) solutions, such as the peculiarity of each end-users, appliances, and technologies with their deployment and data-sharing issues. The Smart Home Simulator—a mixed reality application able to support the configuration and customization of domestic environments in AAL systems—leverages on integration capabilities of Semantic Web technologies and the possibility to model relevant knowledge (about both the dwellers and the domestic environment) into formal models. It also exploits Virtual Reality technologies as an efficient means to simplify the configuration of customized AAL environments. The application and the underlying framework will be validated through two different use cases, each one foreseeing the customized configuration of a domestic environment for specific segments of users.
The Effects of Consumer Innovativeness on Mobile App Download: Focusing on Comparison of Innovators and Noninnovators
Authors: Lee Junseop , Son Jungmin
Published: December 2017

In the new market for mobile apps, innovators, that is, early adopters of new products, have drawn attention from various researchers for their role in contributing to the success of a product. Due to the discrepancies between findings in these studies, a research framework and empirical model must be established to demonstrate how innovators affect the market for mobile apps in comparison to other types of users. To clarify the empirical basis on which innovators contribute to market development, we compare mobile app download patterns between innovators and noninnovators. Using the app download data of actual users in one of the largest app markets in Korea, we compare and analyze download behavior for a period of less than two years following their subscription to the market. The empirical analysis reveals that the download volume of innovators remains constant over a long period, while for noninnovators, volume is initially high, reflecting their interest in downloading, but it rapidly decreases thereafter. The results of this study have practical implications for companies seeking to assess the market value of innovators.
A Randomized Comparison of Bougie-Assisted and TracheoQuick Plus Cricothyrotomies on a Live Porcine Model
Authors: Henlin Tomas , Michalek Pavel , Tyll Tomas , Ryska Ondrej
Published: December 2017

Objectives. Cricothyrotomy is a rescue procedure in “cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate” scenarios where other methods of nonsurgical airway management have failed. We compared 2 cuffed cricothyrotomy sets, bougie-assisted cricothyrotomy (BACT) and novel percutaneous TracheoQuick Plus, on a live porcine model in a simulated periarrest situation. Methods. Thirty-four anesthetized minipigs were randomly allocated into two groups: BACT technique (n=17) and TracheoQuick Plus (n=17). The primary outcome was duration of cricothyrotomy while secondary outcomes were total success rate, number of attempts, location of incision, changes in heart rate, oxygen saturation, and the incidence of complications. Results. BACT was significantly faster than TracheoQuick Plus cricothyrotomy, with a median time of 69 sec (IQR 56–85) versus 178 sec (IQR 152–272). The total success rate was without difference. 94% of BACT was performed successfully on the first attempt, while in the TracheoQuick Plus group, it was only 18% (P<0.001). Trauma to the posterior tracheal wall was observed once in the BACT group and 5 times in the TracheoQuick Plus group. Oxygen saturation was significantly higher in the BACT group both during and after the procedure. Conclusions. BACT is superior to TracheoQuick Plus cricothyrotomy on a live animal model.
Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Activities of Five Samples of Prunus mume Umezu from Different Factories in South and East China
Authors: Chen Zhi-Yi , Lin Yao-Sheng , Liu Xue-Ming , Cheng Jing-Rong , Yang Chun-Ying
Published: December 2017

This paper investigated chemical composition and antioxidant activities of umezu, pickling liquid of Prunus mume, from different factories in South and East China. The organic acid and phenolic acid profiles were also analyzed. Results showed that umezu was rich in organic acids and extremely sour as P. mume fruit in addition to its high NaCl level (≥20%). Total acid in umezu was more than 43.78 g/L in which main organic acids were citric acid and malic acid. Umezu contained more than 250.54 mg GAE/L total phenolic in which dominant phenolic acids were hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. Umezu exhibited powerful antioxidant activities in ORAC, ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays. Reducing sugar, phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities of umezu were affected by sample origins and fruit cultivars. Given its rich flavor components and high antioxidant activity, umezu could serve as a new dietary supplement or a natural preservative in food industry.