bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender and Handedness Prediction from Offline Handwriting Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Morera Ángel , Sánchez Ángel , Vélez José Francisco , Moreno Ana Belén
Published: January 2018

Demographic handwriting‐based classification problems, such as gender and handedness categorizations, present interesting applications in disciplines like Forensic Biometrics. This work describes an experimental study on the suitability of deep neural networks to three automatic demographic problems: gender, handedness, and combined gender‐and‐handedness classifications, respectively. Our research was carried out on two public handwriting databases: the IAM dataset containing English texts and the KHATT one with Arabic texts. The considered problems present a high intrinsic difficulty when extracting specific relevant features for discriminating the involved subclasses. Our solution is based on convolutional neural networks since these models had proven better capabilities to extract good features when compared to hand‐crafted ones. Our work also describes the first approach to the combined gender‐and‐handedness prediction, which has not been addressed before by other researchers. Moreover, the proposed solutions have been designed using a unique network configuration for the three considered demographic problems, which has the advantage of simplifying the design complexity and debugging of these deep architectures when handling related handwriting problems. Finally, the comparison of achieved results to those presented in related works revealed the best average accuracy in the gender classification problem for the considered datasets.
Recurrent Transformation of Prior Knowledge Based Model for Human Motion Recognition
Authors: Xu Cheng , He Jie , Zhang Xiaotong , Cai Haipiao , Duan Shihong , Tseng Po-Hsuan , Li Chong
Published: January 2018

Motion related human activity recognition using wearable sensors can potentially enable various useful daily applications. So far, most studies view it as a stand-alone mathematical classification problem without considering the physical nature and temporal information of human motions. Consequently, they suffer from data dependencies and encounter the curse of dimension and the overfitting issue. Their models are hard to be intuitively understood. Given a specific motion set, if structured domain knowledge could be manually obtained, it could be used for better recognizing certain motions. In this study, we start from a deep analysis on natural physical properties and temporal recurrent transformation possibilities of human motions and then propose a useful Recurrent Transformation Prior Knowledge-based Decision Tree (RT-PKDT) model for recognition of specific human motions. RT-PKDT utilizes temporal information and hierarchical classification method, making the most of sensor streaming data and human knowledge to compensate the possible data inadequacy. The experiment results indicate that the proposed method performs superior to those adopted in related works, such as SVM, BP neural networks, and Bayesian Network, obtaining an accuracy of 96.68%.
Soft Lithography and Minimally Human Invasive Technique for Rapid Screening of Oral Biofilm Formation on New Microfabricated Dental Material Surfaces
Authors: Alvarez-Escobar Marta , Freitas Sidónio C. , Hansford Derek , Monteiro Fernando J. , Pelaez-Vargas Alejandro
Published: January 2018

Introduction. Microfabrication offers opportunities to study surface concepts focused to reduce bacterial adhesion on implants using human minimally invasive rapid screening (hMIRS). Wide information is available about cell/biomaterial interactions using eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells on surfaces of dental materials with different topographies, but studies using human being are still limited. Objective. To evaluate a synergy of microfabrication and hMIRS to study the bacterial adhesion on micropatterned surfaces for dental materials. Materials and Methods. Micropatterned and flat surfaces on biomedical PDMS disks were produced by soft lithography. The hMIRS approach was used to evaluate the total oral bacterial adhesion on PDMS surfaces placed in the oral cavity of five volunteers (the study was approved by the University Ethical Committee). After 24 h, the disks were analyzed using MTT assay and light microscopy. Results. In the present pilot study, microwell structures were microfabricated on the PDMS surface via soft lithography with a spacing of 5 µm. Overall, bacterial adhesion did not significantly differ between the flat and micropatterned surfaces. However, individual analysis of two subjects showed greater bacterial adhesion on the micropatterned surfaces than on the flat surfaces. Significance. Microfabrication and hMIRS might be implemented to study the cell/biomaterial interactions for dental materials.
Increase of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Decrease of MCP-1 and Some Updated Epidemiology Aspects of Cystic Echinococcosis Human Cases in Calabria Region
Authors: Matera Giovanni , Loria Maria Teresa , Peronace Cinzia , Catanzariti Tatiana , Settembre Pio , Giancotti Aida , Lamberti Angelo G. , Barreca Giorgio S. , Galati Luisa , Dodaro Gessica , Mazzitelli Maria , Strazzulla Alessio , Torti Carlo , Quirino Angela , Liberto Maria Carla , Focà Alfredo
Published: January 2018

We aim to investigate some of the pathogenetic mediators of the human echinococcosis and to obtain updated epidemiological findings on cases of echinococcosis in Calabria, Southern Italy. Echinococcosis diagnosis was based on imaging, serological investigations, and molecular assay. Indeed, real-time PCR indicated the presence of G2/G3 genotypes ofEchinococcus granulosuscomplex. Regarding pathogenesis, a relevant novel tool of immune depression should be deemed the reduced level of serum MCP-1. Also, we found a previously unreported VEGF, possibly associated with neovascularization requested by the parasite cyst metabolism. Cytokine profiles suggest a bias of the immunity toward Th2 and Treg responses. Nitric oxide levels exhibited a significant decrease one week after therapy versus basal level measured before surgery and/or chemotherapy. An increase of serum total IgE class and IgG4 subclass was found inEchinococcus-positive patients versus controls. Our data demonstrated an endemic spreading, at least in the province of Catanzaro and neighboring Calabria territories, for such parasitosis with the novel issue of the number of female overcoming male cases. In conclusion, the novel findings of this study were the increased VEGF and the reduced serum MCP-1 in the studied cases, as well as the number ofEchinococcus-infected females overcoming the infected males.
Western Blot-Based Logistic Regression Model for the Identification of Recent HIV-1 Infection: A Promising HIV-1 Surveillance Approach for Resource-Limited Regions
Authors: Huang Jiegang , Wang Minlian , Huang Chunyuan , Liang Bingyu , Jiang Junjun , Ning Chuanyi , Zang Ning , Chen Hui , Liu Jie , Chen Rongfeng , Liao Yanyan , Ye Li , Liang Hao
Published: January 2018

Objectives. Identifying recent infections is necessary to monitor HIV/AIDS epidemic; however, it needs to be further developed. Methods and Results. Participants were defined as having recent infection or older infection according to the estimated duration of HIV-1 infection and further assigned into training set and validation set according to their entering time points. Western blot (WB) confirmatory test and BED-CEIA were performed. The performance of the two methods on recent HIV-1 diagnosis was evaluated and compared. 81 subjects were enrolled in the training set and 72 in the validation set. Relative grey ratios of p24, p39, p31, p66, gp41, and gp160 were significantly higher in older infected patients of the training set. The present status of p55 was more frequently missing in recently infected patients in both sets. The logistic stepwise regression analysis of WB method shows sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 93.02%, 92.11%, and 92.59%. For BED-CEIA, they were 76.74%, 86.84%, and 81.48%. In the validation set, overall agreement rate, sensitivity, and specificity were 88.46%, 84.78%, and 86.11% in the WB-based method and 50.00%, 84.78%, and 72.22% in the BED-CEIA method. Conclusions. WB-based method is a promising approach to predict recent HIV-1 infection, especially in resource-limited regions.
Extra-Anatomic Jump Graft from the Right Colic Vein: A Novel Technique to Manage Portal Vein Thrombosis in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Magistri Paolo , Tarantino Giuseppe , Olivieri Tiziana , Pecchi Annarita , Ballarin Roberto , Di Benedetto Fabrizio
Published: January 2018

Background. In the context of cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is present in 2.1% to 26% of patients. PVT is no longer considered an absolute contraindication for liver transplantation, and nowadays, surgical strategies depend on the extent of PVT. Complete PVT is associated with higher morbidity rates and poor prognosis, while comparable long-term outcomes can be achieved as long as physiological portal inflow is restored. Materials and Methods. We report our experience with a 45-year-old patient undergoing liver transplant with a PVT (stage III-b). To restore portal vein inflow to the liver, an extra-anatomic jump graft from the right colic vein with donor iliac vein interposition was constructed. Results. The patient recovered well, with a progressive improvement of the general conditions, and was finally discharged on p.o.d. 14. No anastomotic defects were found at the postoperative CT scan 10 months after the surgery. Conclusion. Our technical innovation represents a valid and safe alternative to the cavoportal hemitransposition, providing a proper flow restoration and reproducing a physiological setting, while avoiding the complications related to the cavoportal shunt. We believe that the reconstitution of liver portal inflow should be obtained with the most physiological approach possible and considering long-term liver function.
Simultaneous Quantification of Gallic Acid, Bergenin, Epicatechin, Epicatechin Gallate, Isoquercitrin, and Quercetin‐3‐Rhamnoside in Rat Plasma by LC‐MS/MS Method and Its Application to Pharmacokinetics after Oral Administration of Ardisia japonica Extract
Authors: Yu Xie-an , Teye Azietaku John , Li Jin , Wang Hui , Zheng Fang , Hao Jia , Chang Yan-xu
Published: January 2018

Ardisia japonica is a well‐known traditional Chinese medicinal herb used as a diuretic, for treating cough and for stopping uterine bleeding. A simple, sensitive, and reliable LC‐MS/MS method was developed to determine six active compounds in rat plasma and this method was further applied to the pharmacokinetic study of these compounds after oral administration of Ardisia japonica extract. Acetonitrile was used to precipitate the protein in the plasma samples. Using acetonitrile and formic acid aqueous solution (0.05%) as the mobile phase, the separation of the six compounds and internal standards was achieved at a flow rate of 300 μL min−1 on an Eclipse plus C18 column at an elution time of 16 min. A tandem mass spectrometer having an electrospray ionization (ESI) source was used in the detection of the analytes and internal standards using multiple reactions monitoring (MRM) in the negative ionization mode. The LLOQ was 2, 2, 4, 2, 1, and 0.4 ng mL−1 for gallic acid, bergenin, epicatechin, epicatechin gallate, isoquercitrin, and quercetin‐3‐rhamnoside, respectively. The validated method was applied to the pharmacokinetic study of gallic acid, bergenin, and quercetin‐3‐rhamnoside in rat plasma after oral administration of A. japonica extract to rats.
Numerical Analysis of the Influences of Geometrical Deviation on Delamination in Composite Laminates around the Countersunk Hole
Authors: Liu Xueshu , Yang Yuxing , Huang Li , Zhang Ping , Gao Hang
Published: January 2018

During countersunk hole machining, defects like geometrical deviation of the chamfer angle and delamination are easily introduced into the structure. To investigate the influences of geometrical deviation on delamination propagation around the countersunk hole during assembly, a progressive damage model (PDM) combining cohesive element was proposed and validated. Numerical analyses were then carried out to study delamination propagation behavior under the influences of geometrical parameters including delamination factor, chamfer angle, and location of delamination. The results show that when delamination appears at the transition area of the countersunk hole, the load causing the delamination evolution is much smaller than other cases.
A Study of the Correlation between VEP and Clinical Severity in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Sayorwan Winai , Phianchana Nutthida , Permpoonputtana Kannika , Siripornpanich Vorasith
Published: January 2018

Visual evoked potential (VEP) is a technique used to assess the brain’s electrical response to visual stimuli. The aims of this study were to examine neural transmission within the visual pathway through VEP testing in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and compare it to age-matched controls, as well as search for a correlation between the VEP parameters and the symptoms of ASD. Participants were composed of ASD children (9 males) and typically developing children (8 males and 4 females), aged between 3 and 5 years. Checkerboards were chosen as the pattern-reversal VEP. The clinical severity of ASD was assessed using the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales 2nd edition (VABS-II). Our findings demonstrated that children with ASD had significantly longer N145 latency compared to the controls. A longer N145 latency correlated with a higher score of ATEC within the sensory/cognitive awareness subdomain. In addition, a slower N145 response was also associated with a lower VABS-II score within the socialization domain. The correlation between longer VEP latency and abnormal behaviors in children with ASD suggests a delayed neural communication within other neural circuits, apart from the visual pathway. These lines of evidence support the possibility of using VEP, along with clinical parameters, for the assessment of ASD severity.
An Integrated FDD Approach for an Intensified HEX/Reactor
Authors: Zhang Mei , Li Ze-tao , Cabassud Michel , Dahhou Boutaïeb
Published: January 2018

In this paper, a fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) scheme is developed for a class of intensified HEX/reactor, in which faults caused by sensor, actuator, and process are taken into account in the unified framework. By considering overall heat transfer coefficient as a function of fouling and fluid flow rate, a dynamic model which is capable of identifying these two faults simultaneously is derived. Sensor measurements, together with estimation by adaptive high gain observers, are processed, aimed at identifying sensor faults and providing adequate estimation to substitute faulty measurements. Then reliable measurements are fed to several banks of interval filters to generate several banks of residuals; each bank of residuals is sensitive to a particular process parameter/actuator. By evaluating these residuals, process/actuator fault isolation and identification are achieved. The proposed strategy is applied to actual data retrieved from a new intensified heat exchanger reactor. Simulation results confirm the applicability and robustness of the proposed methodology.
Imagine the Superiority of Dry Powder Inhalers from Carrier Engineering
Authors: Mehta Piyush
Published: January 2018

Inhalation therapy has strong history of more than 4000 years and it is well recognized around the globe within every culture. In early days, inhalation therapy was designed for treatment of local disorders such as asthma and other pulmonary diseases. Almost all inhalation products composed a simple formulation of a carrier, usually α-lactose monohydrate orderly mixed with micronized therapeutic agent. Most of these formulations lacked satisfactory pulmonary deposition and dispersion. Thus, various alternative carrier’s molecules and powder processing techniques are increasingly investigated to achieve suitable aerodynamic performance. In view of this fact, more suitable and economic alternative carrier’s molecules with advanced formulation strategies are discussed in the present review. Furthermore, major advances, challenges, and the future perspective are discussed.
Refractory Ventricle Arrhythmias Alternating with Pulseless Electrical Activity in a Young Woman Rescued by Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Lálová Ilona , Filipovská Lucie , Skalická Hana , Šmíd Ondřej , Linhart Aleš , Kollárová Helena , Bělohlávek Jan
Published: January 2018

Introduction. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is a challenging approach for treating refractory out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Case Presentation. The authors describe a case of a 40-year-old Caucasian female who suffered from refractory OHCA, was admitted to a hospital while receiving ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and was connected to venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation 73 minutes after collapse. Ventricular tachyarrhythmias alternating with pulseless electrical activity resolved after eight hours. Following complete cardiac and neurological recovery, only adenoviral genome was found in myocardial biopsy. After 11 months, another episode of identical arrhythmias was rescued by an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. Conclusion. Adequate prehospital and early hospital logistics is a prerequisite for successfully implementing extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation for refractory OHCA.
Subacute Urinary Retention due to a Subpubic Cartilaginous Cyst Treated with Surgical Resection and Internal Fixation: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Taniguchi Yu , Kamada Hiroshi , Sugaya Hisashi , Nishino Tomofumi , Mishima Hajime , Ochiai Naoyuki , Yamazaki Masashi
Published: January 2018

A subpubic cartilaginous cyst is a rare mass lesion derived from the pubic symphysis, which can cause acute or subacute urinary retention. We report a case of a subpubic cartilaginous cyst in a 62-year-old woman that caused lower abdominal pain and subacute urinary retention, requiring surgical resection. On physical examination, a hard, flexible, nontender mass, 4 cm in diameter, was palpable along the lower border of the pubic bone, extending to the perineum. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a clearly distinct (3.8 cm × 3.8 cm × 7.2 cm) mass on the midpelvic side of the pelvis, centered on the pubic joint. We proceeded with en bloc resection of the mass, including a resection margin of 1 cm on either side. The bony defect was fixed with a locking plate. On pathological assessment, the mass was diagnosed as a subpubic cartilaginous cyst arising from the cartilage of the pubic symphysis. No tumor recurrence was identified over a 4-year follow-up. Based on our experience, we propose that en bloc resection of the mass, including a wider resection centered on the pubic symphysis, with internal fixation, is a possible treatment for a subpubic cartilaginous cystic mass lesion.
Danhong Injection Alleviates Mechanical Allodynia via Inhibiting ERK1/2 Activation and Elevates BDNF Level in Sciatic Nerve in Diabetic Rat
Authors: Wang Qi , Guo Zhuang-Li , Aori Ge-Le , Kong Da-Wei , Yang Wen-Qiang , Zhang Li , Yu Yan-Bing
Published: January 2018

Danhong injection (DHI) has been widely used in China for cardiocerebrovascular diseases treatments. And in this study, we demonstrated the therapeutic effect of DHI on experimental diabetic neuropathy for the first time. Methods. Streptozotocin‐ (STZ‐) induced SD rats were used. In experiment 1, 4‐week treatment with DHI or saline started 4 weeks after STZ injection; mechanical allodynia was measured before and every 2 weeks after STZ injection. In experiment 2, chronic intrathecal infusion of U0126 was conducted during the 8th week of diabetes. Phosphorylated and total ERK1/2 in spinal cord were analyzed by western blot. BDNF level in sciatic nerve was evaluated by ELISA. Results. DHI treatment significantly alleviated mechanical allodynia at the end of the study and downregulated the expression of phosphorylated ERK1/2 in spinal cord. In addition, DHI treatment also elevated brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) level in sciatic nerve of DPN rat. In experiment 2, inhibition of ERK1/2 activation was confirmed to result in the alleviation of mechanical allodynia. Conclusions. We demonstrated that DHI was able to alleviate mechanical allodynia in diabetic neuropathy rat through inhibiting the activation of ERK1/2. The reduction of BDNF content in sciatic nerve was also partially reversed by DHI treatment.
Successful Rotational Atherectomy for an Angulated Calcified Lesion in an Anomalous Right Coronary Artery Using the “Mother-and-Child” Technique
Authors: Ogita Manabu , Suwa Satoru , Sonoda Taketo , Tsuboi Shuta , Miyauchi Katsumi , Daida Hiroyuki
Published: January 2018

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) involving the anomalous coronary artery is challenging with respect to difficulty in achieving stable catheterization. Rotational atherectomy (RA) can facilitate severely calcified lesions to improve stent delivery and stent expansion; however, its utility in tortuous and angulated coronary arteries is limited with difficulty in delivery of the RA burr. The mother-and-child technique is effective for complex PCIs with increased backup force for device delivery in such complicated cases. We report a case of successful rotational atherectomy using the “mother-and-child” technique with a Dio thrombus aspiration catheter for an angulated calcified lesion in an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery.
Research on Dynamic Facility Layout Problem of Manufacturing Unit Considering Human Factors
Authors: Li Jinying , Tan Xin , Li Jinchao
Published: January 2018

As many said, industry 4.0 is an epoch-making revolution which brought the manufacturing market much faster changes and severer competitions. As an important part of the manufacturing system, facility layout has direct impact on business benefit; at the same time, despite the intelligent factory, intelligent production has its own characteristics. However, there is one point on which industry and academia have basically formed a consensus: it is not true that industry 4.0 does not need human beings; on the contrary, human initiative plays an unabated role in the development of industry 4.0. This paper will focus on the dynamic facility layout of the manufacturing unit. Based on the system above and the traditional optimization model, a mathematic model is built to find the best solution combining safety, sustainability, high efficiency, and low cost. And penalty function with adaptive penalty factor and advanced artificial bee colony algorithm is used to solve the constrained model. In the end, by studying few cases, the model is proved to be effective in both efficiency improvement and the implementation of safe and comfort human-machine interaction.
Multiple Culprit Coronary Artery Thrombosis in a Patient with Coronary Ectasia
Authors: Matte Bruno da Silva , Araujo Gustavo Neves de , Valle Felipe Homem , Krepsky Ana Maria Rocha
Published: January 2018

We here report a case of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) due to simultaneous acute coronary artery occlusions of two major coronary arteries in a patient with coronary ectasia. The patient had been previously submitted to percutaneous coronary angioplasty with bare metal stent implantation in both culprit vessels. Very late stent thrombosis could be the cause of the first occlusion, triggering the event in the other vessel. In addition, concomitant embolic sources were not identified. Although routine aspiration thrombectomy in STEMI was not proven to be beneficial in randomized clinical trials, it was of great value in this case. We also discuss the relation between coronary ectasia, chronic inflammatory status, and increased platelet activity which may have caused plaque disruption in another already vulnerable vessel.
First Steps in Creating Online Testable Reversible Sequential Circuits
Authors: Khan Mozammel H. A. , Rice Jacqueline E.
Published: January 2018

Synthesis of reversible sequential circuits is a very new research area. It has been shown that such circuits can be implemented using quantum dot cellular automata. Other work has used traditional designs for sequential circuits and replaced the flip-flops and the gates with their reversible counterparts. Our earlier work uses a direct feedback method without any flip-flops, improving upon the replacement technique in both quantum cost and ancilla inputs. We present here a further improved version of the direct feedback method. Design examples show that the proposed method produces better results than our earlier method in terms of both quantum cost and ancilla inputs. We also propose the first technique for online testing of single line faults in sequential reversible circuits.
Influence of Cu Content on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cr-Cu-N Coatings
Authors: Ding Ji Cheng , Zhang Teng Fei , Wan Zhi Xin , Mei Hai Juan , Kang Myung Chang , Wang Qi Min , Kim Kwang Ho
Published: January 2018

The Cr-Cu-N coatings with various Cu contents (0–25.18 (±0.17) at.%) were deposited on Si wafer and stainless steel (SUS 304) substrates in reactive Ar+N2 gas mixture by a hybrid coating system combining pulsed DC and RF magnetron sputtering techniques. The influence of Cu content on the coating composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties was investigated. The microstructure of the coatings was significantly altered by the introduction of Cu. The deposited coatings exhibit solid solution structure with different compositions in all of the samples. Addition of Cu is intensively favored for preferred orientation growth along (200) direction by restricting in (111) direction. With increasing Cu content, the surface and cross-sectional morphology of coatings were changed from triangle cone-shaped, columnar feature to broccoli-like and compact glassy microstructure, respectively. The mechanical properties including the residual stress, nanohardness, and toughness of the coatings were explored on the basis of Cu content. The highest hardness was obtained at the Cu content of 1.49 (±0.10) at.%.
Complex Pulmonary Aspergilloma: Surgical Challenges in a Third World Setting
Authors: Ngo Nonga Bernadette , Bang Guy Aristide , Jemea Bonaventure , Savom Eric , Yone Perfura , Mbatchou Ngahane , Ze Jean Jacques
Published: January 2018

Background. Surgery for pulmonary aspergilloma (PA), especially complex forms, is greatly challenging in a resource-poor setting such as Cameroon. We report our experience of surgical management of PA in this environment.Method. We prospectively assessed patients who underwent surgery for PA from January 2012 to May 2015, at the University Hospital Center of Yaoundé. Records were reviewed for demographics, history and physical examinations, radiological findings, surgical procedures, and outcomes. The study has received approval from the institutional ethics committees.Results. In total, 20 patients (17 males and 3 females (sex ratio, 5.66); mean age, 30 years; range, 23–65 years) with a past history of tuberculosis were assessed. The median follow-up was 21.5 months. The primary symptom was hemoptysis, followed by cough and chest pain. All patients underwent surgical treatment and lung resection. Postoperative complications (bleeding, air leak, empyema, and severe anemia) occurred in 4 patients and 1 patient died. Although 3 patients were lost to follow-up, the survival rate was 80% with improvement of the preoperative symptoms.Conclusion. Although surgery for complex aspergilloma is very challenging in environments such as ours, we believe that it is the best treatment modality for symptomatic diseases in our setting.
Effect of Endotoxemia in Suckling Rats on Pancreatic Integrity and Exocrine Function in Adults: A Review Report
Authors: Jaworek Jolanta , Tudek Barbara , Kowalczyk Paweł , Kot Michalina , Szklarczyk Joanna , Leja-Szpak Anna , Pierzchalski Piotr , Bonior Joanna , Dembiński Artur , Ceranowicz Piotr , Warzecha Zygmunt , Nawrot-Porąbka Katarzyna , Gil Krzysztof
Published: January 2018

Background. Endotoxin (LPS), the component of Gram-negative bacteria, is responsible for sepsis and neonatal mortality, but low concentrations of LPS produced tissue protection in experimental studies. The effects of LPS applied to the suckling rats on the pancreas of adult animals have not been previously explored. We present the impact of neonatal endotoxemia on the pancreatic exocrine function and on the acute pancreatitis which has been investigated in the adult animals. Endotoxemia was induced in suckling rats by intraperitoneal application of LPS from Escherichia coli or Salmonella typhi. In the adult rats, pretreated in the early period of life with LPS, histological manifestations of acute pancreatitis have been reduced. Pancreatic weight and plasma lipase activity were decreased, and SOD concentration was reversed and accompanied by a significant reduction of lipid peroxidation products (MDA + 4 HNE) in the pancreatic tissue. In the pancreatic acini, the significant increases in protein signals for toll-like receptor 4 and for heat shock protein 60 were found. Signal for the CCK1 receptor was reduced and pancreatic secretory responses to caerulein were diminished, whereas basal enzyme secretion was unaffected. These pioneer studies have shown that exposition of suckling rats to endotoxin has an impact on the pancreas in the adult organism.
Gait Analysis Using Computer Vision Based on Cloud Platform and Mobile Device
Authors: Nieto-Hidalgo Mario , Ferrández-Pastor Francisco Javier , Valdivieso-Sarabia Rafael J. , Mora-Pascual Jerónimo , García-Chamizo Juan Manuel
Published: January 2018

Frailty and senility are syndromes that affect elderly people. The ageing process involves a decay of cognitive and motor functions which often produce an impact on the quality of life of elderly people. Some studies have linked this deterioration of cognitive and motor function to gait patterns. Thus, gait analysis can be a powerful tool to assess frailty and senility syndromes. In this paper, we propose a vision-based gait analysis approach performed on a smartphone with cloud computing assistance. Gait sequences recorded by a smartphone camera are processed by the smartphone itself to obtain spatiotemporal features. These features are uploaded onto the cloud in order to analyse and compare them to a stored database to render a diagnostic. The feature extraction method presented can work with both frontal and sagittal gait sequences although the sagittal view provides a better classification since an accuracy of 95% can be obtained.
Water-Soluble Polymer Assists N-Methyl-D-Aspartic Acid Receptor 2B siRNA Delivery to Relieve Chronic Inflammatory Pain In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Peng Jie , Ma Jiahui , Yang Xue , He Huan , Wu Haopeng , Ma Tongtong , Lu Jianhua
Published: January 2018

We constructed a water-soluble lipopolymer (WSLP) as a nonviral gene carrier to deliver siRNA targeting NR2B. The cytotoxicity and serum stability of WSLP loaded with siRNA were evaluated, and the knockdown efficiency of WSLP/NR2B-siRNA in PC12 cells was examined. The results showed that WSLP could protect the loading siRNAs from enzymatic degradation in serum and exhibit low cytotoxicity to cells. After transfection, WSLP/NR2B-siRNA complexes reduced the NR2B transcriptional level by 50% and protein level by 55% compared to control siRNA. Moreover, 3 days after intrathecal injection of WSLP/NR2B-siRNA complexes into rats, the NR2B protein expression decreased significantly to 58%, compared to control treatment (p<0.01). Injection of WSLP with scrambled siRNA or of polyethylenimine (PEI) with NR2B-siRNA did not show this inhibitory effect. Additionally, injection of WSLP/NR2B-siRNA complexes significantly relieved inflammatory pain in rats at 3, 4, and 5 days with reduced MWT and decreased TWL scores, while injection of WSLP with scrambled siRNA or of PEI with NR2B-siRNA did not. These results demonstrated that WSLP can efficiently deliver siRNA targeting NR2B to PC12 cells and relieve pain in rats with chronic inflammatory pain.
Sample Selected Extreme Learning Machine Based Intrusion Detection in Fog Computing and MEC
Authors: An Xingshuo , Zhou Xianwei , Lü Xing , Lin Fuhong , Yang Lei
Published: January 2018

Fog computing, as a new paradigm, has many characteristics that are different from cloud computing. Due to the resources being limited, fog nodes/MEC hosts are vulnerable to cyberattacks. Lightweight intrusion detection system (IDS) is a key technique to solve the problem. Because extreme learning machine (ELM) has the characteristics of fast training speed and good generalization ability, we present a new lightweight IDS called sample selected extreme learning machine (SS‐ELM). The reason why we propose “sample selected extreme learning machine” is that fog nodes/MEC hosts do not have the ability to store extremely large amounts of training data sets. Accordingly, they are stored, computed, and sampled by the cloud servers. Then, the selected sample is given to the fog nodes/MEC hosts for training. This design can bring down the training time and increase the detection accuracy. Experimental simulation verifies that SS‐ELM performs well in intrusion detection in terms of accuracy, training time, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) value.
Feasibility and Safety of Bariatric Surgery in High-Risk Patients: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Moulla Yusef , Lyros Orestis , Blüher Matthias , Simon Philipp , Dietrich Arne
Published: January 2018

Introduction. Despite the feasibility and safety of bariatric procedures nowadays, high-risk patients with vast obesity and severe comorbidities demonstrate relatively high perioperative morbidity and mortality rates and, therefore, form a distinguished challenge for the bariatric surgeons. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed high-risk patients, who underwent bariatric surgery in University Hospital Leipzig between May 2012 and December 2016. High-risk patients were defined when (Bergeat et al., 2016) at least one of the following risk factors was met: age ≥ 70 years, body mass index (BMI) > 70 kg/m2, liver cirrhosis, end-organ failure, or immunosuppression by status after organ transplantation along with (Birkmeyer et al., 2010) at least two comorbidities associated with obesity. Our analysis included early postoperative complications. Results. A total of 25 high-risk obese patients were identified. All patients had a standardized postoperative management with a mean length of hospital stay of 4 ± 1.4 days. One patient required an operative revision due to a stapler line leak after sleeve gastrectomy. No other major postoperative complications occurred. Conclusion. Bariatric surgery for severe high-risk patients can be performed safely in high-volume centers following standardized procedures.
Tetrahydroxystilbene Glucoside Produces Neuroprotection against 6‐OHDA‐Induced Dopamine Neurotoxicity
Authors: Huang Chun , Lin Fengqin , Wang Guoqing , Lu Disheng , Wu Qin , Liu Jie , Shi Jingshan , Zhang Feng
Published: January 2018

Parkinson’s disease (PD) was one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases with a slow and progressive loss of dopamine (DA) neurons in the midbrain substantia nigra (SN). Neuroinflammation was identified to be an important contributor to PD pathogenesis with the hallmark of microglia activation. Tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside (TSG) was the main active component extracted from Polygonum multiflorum and held amounts of pharmacological activities including antioxidant, free radical‐scavenging, anti‐inflammation, and cardioprotective properties. Recent studies demonstrated that TSG exerted neuroprotection from several neurodegenerative disease models. However, the underlying mechanisms were not completely elucidated. In the present study, rat nigral stereotaxic injection of 6‐hydroxydopamine‐ (6‐OHDA‐) elicited DA neuronal injury was performed to investigate TSG‐mediated neuroprotection on DA neurons. In addition, primary rat midbrain neuron‐glia cocultures were applied to explore the mechanisms underlying TSG‐exerted neuroprotection. Results showed that daily intraperitoneal injection of TSG for 14 consecutive days significantly protected DA neurons from 6‐OHDA‐induced neurotoxicity and suppressed microglia activation. Similar neuroprotection was shown in primary neuron‐glia cocultures. In vitro studies further demonstrated that TSG inhibited microglia activation and subsequent release of proinflammatory factors. Moreover, TSG‐mediated neuroprotection was closely related with the inactivation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. Together, TSG protects DA neurons from 6‐OHDA‐induced neurotoxicity via the inhibition of microglia‐elicited neuroinflammation. These findings suggest that TSG might hold potential therapeutic effects on PD.
The Role and Impact of Salivary Zn Levels on Dental Caries
Authors: Sejdini Milaim , Begzati Agim , Salihu Sami , Krasniqi Sokol , Berisha Nora , Aliu Nora
Published: January 2018

Introduction. Minimal attention has been given to the role of salivary microelements, the importance they have in reducing the intensity of caries, and the effect of caries prophylaxes.Aim. This research aimed to determine the concentration and quantity of Zn and its impact on the prevention and the reduction of the intensity of caries in schoolchildren aged 12-13 years with permanent dentition.Methods. For this research, we analyzed the stimulated and nonstimulated full saliva of 106 schoolchildren divided into three groups by mean decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) index. The control group consisted of 25 caries-free children, the second group had 47 children with mean DMFT index of 1 to 6, and the third group had 34 children with DMFT index of ≥ 6. Complete saliva was collected from all children in a sterile test tube.Results. The concentration of Zn in saliva before stimulation in caries-free children has variations of the order of 0.001+ to 0.01 mmol/l. The maximum concentration after stimulation is 6.72 mmol/l, while the maximum value is 64.38 mmol/l.Conclusion. The Zn concentration in the stimulated saliva showed a significant increase in the group of caries-free children and could be described as a positive value for the reduction of caries.
Advective Displacement Method for the Characterisation of Pore Water Chemistry and Transport Properties in Claystone
Authors: Mäder Urs
Published: January 2018

The advective displacement method applies large hydraulic gradients to a confined rock core sample to yield small aliquots of the preserved in situ pore water, applicable to aquitard rocks with hydraulic conductivities as low as 10−14 m/s. Examples from argillaceous rocks indicate that only minor artefacts are induced and that analytical methods optimized for small aliquots provide a comprehensive chemical and isotopic characterisation. Multicomponent transport properties are derived from extending experimental time and using a traced artificial pore water for injection. Examples include quantification of the anion exclusion effect that can even resolve a small difference between transport properties for chloride and bromide in claystone. Controls by mineral saturation and cation exchange processes are also constrained by data from this approach. Technical details are provided for construction, material selection, components, sensors, and analytical issues.
Model Analysis of Digital Models in Moderate to Severe Crowding: In Vivo Validation and Clinical Application
Authors: Yoon Jae Hee , Yu Hyung-Seog , Choi Yoonjeong , Choi Tae-Hyun , Choi Sung-Hwan , Cha Jung-Yul
Published: January 2018

Objective. We investigated the suitability of intraoral-scan models for measuring tooth dimensions and the amount of crowding in patients with severe tooth crowding. Materials and Methods. Fifty-eight patients who had undergone intraoral scans for diagnosis were included. Cast models were divided into two groups depending on the amount of crowding, as determined by initial caliper-based measurements (mild crowding [MC] group: <3.0 mm; severe crowding [SC] group: >4.5 mm). Twenty maxillary models and 20 mandibular models were used in this study. For the three types of models (i.e., IS digital model, C cast model, and CS digital model), the reproducibility and the precision of linear measurements were evaluated. Results. We found that linear measurements made using digital calipers on a plaster model and on the relevant software were reproducible. There was no significant difference in most linear measurements between digital models and the C model. There were differences in the amount of crowding (p<.05), although these were not clinically significant. There was no relationship between the precision of crowding in the three types of models and the severity of crowding. Conclusions. Digital models can be used for measuring crowding in both mild and severe crowding cases. However, crowding measured by digital models tends to be lesser than that measured by cast models, and this should be considered during clinical application.
Effect of Qufengtongluo Decoction on PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway in the Kidney of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rat (GK Rat) with Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Huang Wei-Jun , Fu Qiang , Xiao Yong-Hua , Gong Qing , Wu Wen-Jing , Shen Zi-Long , Zhang Hua , Jia Xu , Huang Xue-Min , Zhang Ya-Xin , Zhao Jin-Xi , Wang Shi-Dong , Jia Mian , Zhang Yu-Ting
Published: January 2018

Qufengtongluo (QFTL) decoction is an effective treatment for diabetic nephropathy (DN). However, the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we try to investigate whether QFTL decoction acts via inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Twenty‐four GK rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: blank group, sham‐operated group, and QFTL group. After model establishment, rats in QFTL group were given QFTL decoction by gavage, while the rest were given pure water. During the 8‐week intervention, 24 hr urinal protein was measured every 2‐3 weeks. After intervention, kidneys were removed for pathological smear, quantitative real‐time PCR, and western blotting to detect expression levels of p‐PI3K, p‐Akt, PTEN, TGF‐β, PI3K mRNA, Akt mRNA, PTEN mRNA, and TGF‐β mRNA. QFTL group showed a slighter degree of renal fibrosis in Masson and PASM staining and a greater reduction of 24 hr urinal protein than blank group. Compared to blank group, expression levels of p‐PI3K, p‐Akt, PI3K mRNA, and Akt mRNA were lower in QFTL group, while expression levels of PTEN and PTEN mRNA were higher. Besides, TGF‐β was downregulated by QFTL decoction. In conclusion, this study suggests that QFTL decoction might inhibit PI3K/Akt signaling pathway via activating PTEN and inhibiting TGF‐β.
Effect of Atropine Eye Drops on Choroidal Thinning Induced by Hyperopic Retinal Defocus
Authors: Chiang Samuel T.-H. , Phillips John R.
Published: January 2018

Purpose. To investigate the effects of atropine on choroidal thinning induced by hyperopic retinal defocus. Methods. Ten young adults with myopia (−1.00 D to −5.00 D) viewed a video at 6 metres for 60 minutes on successive days. On day 1, one eye (control) was distance corrected with a contact lens; the other (experimental) eye wore a contact lens imposing 2.00 D of hyperopic retinal defocus. Sub- and perifoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT, PFCT) were monitored with optical coherence tomography. On day 2, the procedure was repeated but the experimental eye had received one drop of 0.5% atropine 22 hours earlier. Results. On day 1, eyes exposed to hyperopic defocus developed progressively thinner choroids (SFCT (baseline) = 253 ± 32 μm versus SFCT (40 mins) = 244 ± 31 μm, p=0.004), whereas SFCT and PFCT in control eyes did not change (p>0.17). On day 2 (22 hours after instilling atropine), baseline SFCT and PFCT were not different to day 1 (p>0.05) and hyperopic defocus failed to thin the choroid (max change in SFCT = +2 ± 2 μm, p=0.36). Conclusions. Atropine abolished choroidal thinning induced by hyperopic defocus without changing baseline choroidal thickness. The results suggest that atropine inhibits signals associated with hyperopic defocus, for example, from lag of accommodation during near work. This trial is registered with ACTRN12617001519347.
Modeling Lane-Changing Behavior in Freeway Off-Ramp Areas from the Shanghai Naturalistic Driving Study
Authors: Zhang Lanfang , Chen Cheng , Zhang Jiayan , Fang Shouen , You Jinming , Guo Jingqiu
Published: January 2018

The objective of this study is to investigate lane-changing characteristics in freeway off-ramp areas using Shanghai Naturalistic Driving Study (SH-NDS) data, considering a four-lane freeway stretch in various traffic conditions. In SH-NDS, the behavior of drivers is observed unobtrusively in a natural setting for a long period of time. We identified 433 lane-changing events with valid time series data from the whole dataset. Based on the logit model developed to analyze the choice of target lanes, a likelihood analysis of lane-changing behavior was graphed with respect to three traffic conditions: free flow, medium flow, and heavy flow. The results suggested that lane-changing behavior of exiting vehicles is the consequence of the balance between route plan (mandatory incentive) and expectation to improve driving condition (discretionary incentive). In higher traffic density, the latter seems to play a significant role. Furthermore, we found that lane-change from the slow lane to the fast lane would lead to higher speed variance value, which indicates a higher crash risk. The findings contribute to a better understanding on drivers’ natural driving behavior in freeway off-ramp areas and can provide important insight into road network design and safety management strategies.
Macrophage Polarization in Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Killers or Builders?
Authors: Parisi Luca , Gini Elisabetta , Baci Denisa , Tremolati Marco , Fanuli Matteo , Bassani Barbara , Farronato Giampietro , Bruno Antonino , Mortara Lorenzo
Published: January 2018

Macrophages are key cellular components of the innate immunity, acting as the main player in the first-line defence against the pathogens and modulating homeostatic and inflammatory responses. Plasticity is a major feature of macrophages resulting in extreme heterogeneity both in normal and in pathological conditions. Macrophages are not homogenous, and they are generally categorized into two broad but distinct subsets as either classically activated (M1) or alternatively activated (M2). However, macrophages represent a continuum of highly plastic effector cells, resembling a spectrum of diverse phenotype states. Induction of specific macrophage functions is closely related to the surrounding environment that acts as a relevant orchestrator of macrophage functions. This phenomenon, termed polarization, results from cell/cell, cell/molecule interaction, governing macrophage functionality within the hosting tissues. Here, we summarized relevant cellular and molecular mechanisms driving macrophage polarization in “distant” pathological conditions, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and periodontitis that share macrophage-driven inflammation as a key feature, playing their dual role as killers (M1-like) and/or builders (M2-like). We also dissect the physio/pathological consequences related to macrophage polarization within selected chronic inflammatory diseases, placing polarized macrophages as a relevant hallmark, putative biomarkers, and possible target for prevention/therapy.