bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compositional tomography of a gold‐bearing sample by Laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Gervais Félix , Rifai Kheireddine , Plamondon Philippe , Özcan Lütfü , Doucet François , Vidal François
Published: June 2019

This contribution presents the first results of compositional tomography of a geological sample. The volume render of 6 × 8 × 1 mm3 was constructed by assembling 63 compositional maps acquired in 21 min (19.5 s/layer) by laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), which determines the chemical composition of the analysed spot from the light emitted by a plasma produced by the laser. This technique is, therefore, able to directly reveal the 3D distribution of chemical elements in a sample. As an example, the spatial distribution and 3D geometry of visible gold in an ultramafic schist are presented. Inasmuch as this newly developed portable LIBS instrument is able to the rapidly characterize the 3D geometry of any geological materials, it has a high potential to be useful for the mining industry and for a wide range of geosciences, such as structural geology, petrology, sedimentology and economic geology.
Assessing the impact of unilateral trade policies EBA and AGOA on African beneficiaries' exports using matching econometrics
Authors: Sorgho Zakaria , Tharakan Joe
Published: June 2019

The existing literature studying the impact of non‐reciprocal preferential trade agreements (NRPTAs) assumes implicitly NRPTAs are non‐randomly assigned without showing the evidence of that. Using a matching methodology, this paper investigates whether the “African Growth and Opportunity Act” (AGOA) and the “Everything But Arms” (EBA) unilateral trade concessions have had an impact, and in what magnitude, on the exports of African beneficiary countries in the light of the evidence of the non‐random nature (endogeneity) of NRPTAs. Methodologically, previous studies using the matching procedure focused on bi or multilateral trade agreements. Our work focuses on NRPTAs that depend only on donors' conditions. Accordingly, we show that for NRPTAs, gravity covariates cannot be used for the matching procedure. We propose to use political variables as determinants for obtaining non‐reciprocal trade preferences in order to address the endogenous nature of NRPTA assignment. Our main results confirm that a country becomes eligible for a NRPTA only when it meets certain conditions, defined by their donors, such as political stability and economic regulation (for AGOA), and freedom of expression and human development (for EBA). Results also show that both AGOA and EBA policies have had a positive impact on African beneficiary countries' exports to NRPTA's providers, even if the magnitude impact of EBA is significantly lower than that of AGOA.
Effects of spermidine and salinity stress on growth and biochemical response of paraquat‐susceptibe and ‐resistant goosegrass (Eleusine indica L.)
Authors: Deng Chengxi , Li Jing , Liu Simin , Zhu Xiaofeng , Chen Yong , Shen Xuefeng
Published: June 2019

This study aimed to investigate the interaction effect of spermidine (Spd) and salinity stress on growth, photosynthetic rate, antioxidant system and free polyamines (PAs) contents of goosegrass (Eleusine indica L.) seedlings. E. indica was raised in a growth chamber under normal and toxic salt stress (100 mM of NaCl) and sprayed with 0 and 1.00 mM of Spd. The degree of growth inhibition caused by salt stress was lower in a paraquat‐resistant (R) biotype compared to a paraquat‐susceptible (S) biotype. Salt stress significantly elevated the accumulation of malondialdehyde, electrolyte leakage and proline and resulted in the degradation of chlorophyll; reduction in chlorophyll fluorescence; and a decrease in photosynthetic rate, relative water content and biomass. Spd‐treated plants maintained higher activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase), a greater rate of photosynthesis and lower osmotic pressure than untreated plants in the S biotype. Endogenous Spd content was reduced significantly in response to salt stress in both biotypes, but free PAs content in the S biotype was remarkably enhanced with exogenous Spd application under normal or salinity stress conditions. The result indicated that the S biotype was more sensitive to salinity than the R biotype; meanwhile, exogenous Spd maybe play an important role in protecting S biotype plants from salt stress.
Convective Heat Transfer Utilizing Magnetic Nanoparticles in the Presence of a Sloping Magnetic Field Inside a Square Enclosure
Authors: Al-Balushi Latifa M. , Rahman M. M.
Published: June 2019

Unsteady natural convection flow and heat transfer utilizing magnetic nanoparticles in the presence of a sloping magnetic field inside a square enclosure are simulated numerically following nonhomogeneous dynamic model. Four different thermal boundary conditions: constant, parabolic in space, sinusoidally in space, and time for the bottom hot wall are considered. The top wall of the enclosure is cold while the vertical walls are thermally insulated. Galerkin weighted residual finite element method is used to solve the governing nondimensional partial differential equations. For simulations, 12 types of nanofluids consisting magnetite (Fe3O4), cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4), Mn–Zn ferrite (Mn–ZnFe2O4), and silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles along with water, engine oil, and kerosene as base fluids are used. The effects of the important model parameters such as Hartmann number, magnetic field sloping angle, and thermal Rayleigh number on the flow fields are investigated. The results show that the average Nusselt number, shear rate, as well as the nanofluid velocity decreases as the Hartmann number intensifies. Moreover, the rate of heat transfer in nanofluid exaggerates with the increase of the thermal Rayleigh number and the magnetic field sloping angle. Sinusoidally varied in space thermal boundary condition at the bottom wall provides the highest average Nusselt number and the shear rate compared to the other types of thermal boundary conditions studied here. For this case, the highest average Nusselt number is obtained for the Mn–ZnFe2O4–Ke nanofluid. On the other hand, Fe3O4–H2O nanofluid delivers the highest shear rate compared to the other premeditated nanofluids.
Irrelevant speech effects with locally time-reversed speech: Native vs non-native language
Authors: Ueda Kazuo , Nakajima Yoshitaka , Kattner Florian , Ellermeier Wolfgang
Published: June 2019

Irrelevant speech is known to interfere with short-term memory of visually presented items. Here, this irrelevant speech effect was studied with a factorial combination of three variables: the participants' native language, the language the irrelevant speech was derived from, and the playback direction of the irrelevant speech. We used locally time-reversed speech as well to disentangle the contributions of local and global integrity. German and Japanese speech was presented to German (n = 79) and Japanese (n = 81) participants while participants were performing a serial-recall task. In both groups, any kind of irrelevant speech impaired recall accuracy as compared to a pink-noise control condition. When the participants' native language was presented, normal speech and locally time-reversed speech with short segment duration, preserving intelligibility, was the most disruptive. Locally time-reversed speech with longer segment durations and normal or locally time-reversed speech played entirely backward, both lacking intelligibility, was less disruptive. When the unfamiliar, incomprehensible signal was presented as irrelevant speech, no significant difference was found between locally time-reversed speech and its globally inverted version, suggesting that the effect of global inversion depends on the familiarity of the language.
Performance Differences Between the Modified Star Excursion Balance Test and the Y-Balance Test in Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability
Authors: Ko Jupil , Wikstrom Erik , Li Yumeng , Weber Michelle , Brown Cathleen N.
Published: June 2019

Context: The modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT) and Y-Balance Test (YBT) are common dynamic postural stability assessments for individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). However, the reach distance measurement technique and movement strategy used during the mSEBT and YBT differ. To date, no studies have compared task performance differences on these tests in CAI patients. Objective: To determine whether individuals with CAI perform the mSEBT and YBT differently. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Biomechanics laboratory. Participants: Of 97 consented participants, 86 (43 females, 43 males; age 21.5 [3.3] y, height 169.8 [10.3] cm, mass 69.5 [13.4] kg), who reported ≤25 on the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool, ≥11 on the Identification of Functional Ankle Instability, and had a history of a moderate to severe ankle sprain(s) participated. Interventions: Participants were instructed to perform the mSEBT and YBT in a predetermined counterbalanced order. Three anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral trials of each test were completed on the involved limb after 4 practice trials. Test direction order was randomized for each participant. Main Outcome Measures: Normalized (expressed in percentage) reach distance in each direction. Paired sample t tests were performed to compare each of the 3 directions between the mSEBT and YBT. Results: Significantly shorter reach distances in the anterior (58.9% [5.8%] vs 61.4% [5.4%], P = .001) and the posteromedial (98.8% [8.6%] vs 100.8% [8.1%], P = .003) directions were noted on the mSEBT relative to the YBT. No differences in the posterolateral directions were observed. Conclusions: Within those with CAI, mSEBT and YBT normalized reach distances differ in the anterior and posteriomedial directions. As a result, clinicians and researchers should not directly compare the results of these tests.
Effectiveness of Mechanical Treatment for Plantar Fasciitis: A Systematic Review
Authors: Schuitema Dorianne , Greve Christian , Postema Klaas , Dekker Rienk , Hijmans Juha M.
Published: June 2019

Context:Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common foot injuries. Several mechanical treatment options, including shoe inserts, ankle-foot orthoses, tape, and shoes are used to relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis.Objectives:To investigate the effectiveness of mechanical treatment in the management of plantar fasciitis.Evidence Acquisition:The review was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane up to March 8, 2018. Two independent reviewers screened eligible articles and assessed risk of bias using the Cochrane Collaboration’s risk of bias tool.Evidence Synthesis:A total of 43 articles were included in the study, evaluating 2837 patients. Comparisons were made between no treatment and treatment with insoles, tape, ankle-foot orthoses including night splints and shoes. Tape, ankle-foot orthoses, and shoes were also compared with insoles. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 5 days to 12 months. Cointerventions were present in 26 studies.Conclusions:Mechanical treatment can be beneficial in relieving symptoms related to plantar fasciitis. Contoured full-length insoles are more effective in relieving symptoms related to plantar fasciitis than heel cups. Combining night splints or rocker shoes with insoles enhances improvement in pain relief and function compared with rocker shoes, night splints, or insoles alone. Taping is an effective short-term treatment. Future studies should aim to improve methodological quality using blinding, allocation concealment, avoid cointerventions, and use biomechanical measures of treatment effects.
Does Early Low-Intensity Aerobic Exercise Hasten Recovery in Adolescents With Sport-Related Concussion?
Authors: Henke Ryan D. , Kettner Savana M. , Jensen Stephanie M. , Greife Augustus C.K. , Durall Christopher J.
Published: June 2019

ClinicalScenario:Low-intensity aerobic exercise (LIAEX) below the threshold of symptom exacerbation has been shown to be superior to rest for resolving prolonged (>4 wk) symptoms following sport-related concussion (SRC), but the effects of LIAEX earlier than 4 weeks after SRC need to be elucidated.Focused Clinical Question:Does LIAEX within the first 4 weeks following SRC hasten symptom resolution?Summary of Key Findings:Two randomized controlled trials (RCT) and 1 nonrandomized trial involving adolescent athletes (10–19 y) were included. One RCT reported faster recovery time with LIAEX versus placebo stretching. Likewise, recovery time was faster with LIAEX versus rest in the nonrandomized trial, but not in the underpowered RCT, although effect sizes were similar between these studies (0.5 and 0.4, respectively). All 3 studies reported a reduction in concussion symptom severity with LIAEX; however, the magnitude of symptom reduction across the recovery timeline was greater in the LIAEX group than the rest group in the nonrandomized trial, but not the 2 RCTs. Importantly, no adverse effects or incidence of delayed recovery from LIAEX were reported in any of the studies.Clinical Bottom Line:LIAEX initiated within 10 days after SRC may facilitate a faster recovery time versus placebo stretching or rest, although additional clinical trials are strongly advised to verify this.Strength of Recommendation:Level 1b and 2b evidence suggests subsymptom exacerbation LIAEX may decrease Postconcussion Symptom Scale scores and hasten symptom resolution in adolescent athletes following SRC.
Depolysulfidation of Drp1 induced by low-dose methylmercury exposure increases cardiac vulnerability to hemodynamic overload
Authors: Nishimura Akiyuki , Shimoda Kakeru , Tanaka Tomohiro , Toyama Takashi , Nishiyama Kazuhiro , Shinkai Yasuhiro , Numaga-Tomita Takuro , Yamazaki Daiju , Kanda Yasunari , Akaike Takaaki , Kumagai Yoshito , Nishida Motohiro
Published: June 2019

Methylmercury precipitates heart failure by increasing Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission.
TAMs target MLKL
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: June 2019

TAM family kinases promote necroptosis by stimulating the phosphorylation and oligomerization of the pseudokinase MLKL.
Emergence and Spread of Neisseria gonorrhoeae Strains with High-Level Resistance to Azithromycin in Taiwan from 2001 to 2018
Authors: Liu Yen-Hung , Wang Ya-Hui , Liao Chun-Hsing , Hsueh Po-Ren
Published: June 2019

A total of 598
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
isolates obtained from patients in Taiwan from 2001 to 2018 were evaluated. The MICs of ceftriaxone (CRO) and azithromycin (AZM) against the isolates were determined by the agar dilution method.
N. gonorrhoeae
isolates with AZM MICs of ≥1 μg/ml were identified and characterized by the presence of AZM resistance determinants.
mSphere of Influence: Evolutionary Strategies To Sensitize Drug-Resistant Pathogens
Authors: Shapiro Rebecca S.
Published: June 2019

Rebecca S. Shapiro studies antimicrobial resistance and genetic interaction networks. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how the papers “Bacterial evolution of antibiotic hypersensitivity” by Lázár et al. (V. Lázár, G. Pal Singh, R. Spohn, I.
Content analysis of clinical questions from Australian general practice which are prioritised for answering: identifying common question types and perceived knowledge gaps
Authors: Muscat Danielle Marie , Patel Pinika , Reid Sharon , Hoffmann Tammy , Albarqouni Loai , Trevena Lyndal
Published: June 2019

Perceived knowledge gaps in general practice are not well documented but must be understood to ensure relevant and timely evidence for busy general practitioners (GPs) which reflects their diverse and changing needs. The aim of this study was to classify the types of questions submitted by Australian GPs to an evidence-based practice information service using established and inductive coding systems. We analysed 126 clinical questions submitted by 53 Australian GPs over a 1.5-year period. Questions were coded using the International Classification of Primary Care (ICPC-2 PLUS) and Ely and colleagues’ generic questions taxonomy by two independent coders. Inductive qualitative content analysis was also used to identify perceived knowledge gaps. Treatment (71%), diagnosis (15%) and epidemiology (9%) were the most common categories of questions. Using the ICPC-2 classification, questions were most commonly coded to the endocrine/metabolic and nutritional chapter heading, followed by general and unspecified, digestive and musculoskeletal. Seventy per cent of all questions related to the need to stay up-to-date with the evidence, or be informed about new tests or treatments (including complementary and alternative therapies). These findings suggest that current guideline formats for common clinical problems may not meet the knowledge demands of GPs and there is gap in access to evidence updates on new tests, treatments and complementary and alternative therapies. Better systems for ‘pulling’ real-time questions from GPs could better inform the ‘push’ of more relevant and timely evidence for use in the clinical encounter.
Resolution patterns and duration of retinal haemorrhages measured by two-dimensional retinal area pixel counts from sequential retinal imaging in childhood encephalopathies: a morphometric study
Authors: Jones Patricia A , Minns Robert A , Tandon Anamika , Fleck Brian , Mulvihill Alan
Published: June 2019

Objective

To determine the time to resolution of different-layered retinal haemorrhages (RHs), and to describe the main patterns of their resolution in a group of children with encephalopathies.

Methods and analysis

From a prospective study of 114 children with traumatic and non-traumatic encephalopathies, 429 selected individual RHs (iRHs) from 18 children were serially imaged from admission using a RetCam. Photoshop and Scion Imaging software allowed calculation of RH area in pixels.

Results

Two patterns of the resolution were recognised on the basis of area measurements: a progressive decrease (pattern A, 60% of iRHs), and a form of asymmetrical decay in which iRHs first increased in size before then progressively decreasing (pattern B, 35% of iRHs). Within the pattern A group, the Kaplan-Meier median survival time (MST) (95% CI) was 10 (9.3 to 10.7) days for intra-RHs (IRHs) and 38 (10.8 to 65.2) days for pre-RHs (PRHs), log rank (Mantel-Cox) p=0.001. The mean percentage reduction in area per day was 12.5% for all iRHs, 14.5% for IRHs and 6.3% for PRHs.

Conclusion

Serial area measurements of iRHs revealed that 35% haemorrhages became temporarily larger before decreasing to resolution. Serially imaged selected RHs showed a longer MST for PRHs than for IRHs.
Lifeworld interpretation of tinnitus
Authors: Pryce Helen , Shaw Rachel
Published: June 2019

Lifeworld-led care provides a route through which research and practice can navigate the ‘biopsychosocial’ allowing us to overcome the shortfalls of the medical model and enabling us to prioritise humanity in the care of people living with tinnitus. In this article, we sought to explore qualitative descriptions of life with tinnitus. We aimed to address the question ‘what it is like to live with tinnitus?’ In doing so we examined qualitative studies and provide suggestions about key themes that seem consistent. This is a narrative, thematic overview of the way lifeworld has been conceptualised and explored in tinnitus research.
Net greenhouse gas fluxes from three High Arctic plant communities along a moisture gradient
Authors: Wagner Ioan , Hung Jacqueline K.Y. , Neil Allison , Scott Neal A.
Published: June 2019

Climate in high latitude environments is predicted to undergo a pronounced warming and increase in precipitation, which may influence the terrestrial moisture gradients that affect vegetation distribution. Vegetation cover can influence rates of greenhouse gas production through differences in microbial communities, plant carbon uptake potential, and root transport of gases out of the soil into the atmosphere. To predict future changes in greenhouse gas production from High Arctic ecosystems in response to climate change, it is important to understand the interaction between trace gas fluxes and vegetation cover. During the growing seasons of 2008 and 2009, we used dark static chambers to measure CH4 and N2O fluxes and CO2 emissions at Cape Bounty, Melville Island, NU, across a soil moisture gradient, as reflected by their vegetation cover. In both years, wet sedge had the highest rates of emission for all trace gases, followed by the mesic tundra ecosystem. CH4 consumption was highest in the polar semi-desert, correlating positively with temperature and negatively with moisture. Our findings demonstrate that net CH4 uptake may be largely underestimated across the Arctic due to sampling bias towards wetlands. Overall, greenhouse gas flux responses vary depending on different environmental drivers, and the role of vegetation cover needs to be considered in predicting the trajectory of greenhouse gas uptake and release in response to a changing climate.
Machine Learning Methods for Ranking
Authors: Rahangdale Ashwini , Raut Shital
Published: June 2019

Learning-to-rank is one of the learning frameworks in machine learning and it aims to organize the objects in a particular order according to their preference, relevance or ranking. In this paper, we give a comprehensive survey for learning-to-rank. First, we discuss the different approaches along with different machine learning methods such as regression, SVM, neural network-based, evolutionary, boosting method. In order to compare different approaches: we discuss the characteristics of each approach. In addition to that, learning-to-rank algorithms combine with other machine learning paradigms such as semi-supervised learning, active learning, reinforcement learning and deep learning. The learning-to-rank models employ with parallel or big data analytics to review computational and storage advantage. Many real-time applications use learning-to-rank for preference learning. In regard to this, we introduce some representative works. Finally, we highlighted future directions to investigate learning-to-rank methods.
Tribological Properties of Composite Langmuir–Blodgett Coatings of OLEIC Acid with Molybdenum Disulfide Nanoparticles
Authors: Salamianski A. E. , Agabekov V. E.
Published: June 2019

Tribological properties of composite Langmuir–Blodgett monolayers of oleic acid (OA) with MoS2 nanoparticles formed on silicon surfaces by the horizontal precipitation method were studied. Incorporation of MoS2 (the average particle size [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]nm) into the structure of the layer was found to result in the increase of minimal area per molecule from 0.43[Formula: see text]nm2 to 0.58[Formula: see text]nm2 and wear stability of OA monolayer.
Radial Basis Function-Based Stochastic Natural Frequencies Analysis of Functionally Graded Plates
Authors: Karsh P. K. , Kumar R. R. , Dey S.
Published: June 2019

This paper deals with portraying the stochastic natural frequencies of cantilever plates made up of functionally graded materials (FGMs) by employing the radial basis function (RBF)-based finite element (FE) approach. The material modeling of FGM plates is carried out by employing three different distribution laws, namely power law, sigmoid law, and exponential law. A generalized algorithm is developed for uncertainty quantification of natural frequencies of the FGM structures due to stochastic variation in the material properties and temperature. The deterministic FE code is validated with the previous literature, whereas convergence study is carried out in between stochastic results obtained from full scale direct Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) and MCS results obtained from RBF surrogate model of different sample sizes. The percentage of error present in the RBF model is also determined. The influence of crucial parameters such as distribution law, degree of stochasticity, power law index and temperature are determined for natural frequencies analysis of FGMs plates. The results illustrate the input parameters considered in the present study have significant effects on the first three stochastic natural frequencies of cantilever FGM plates.
SolarDB
Authors: Zhu Tao , Zhao Zhuoyue , Li Feifei , Qian Weining , Zhou Aoying , Xie Dong , Stutsman Ryan , Li Haining , Hu Huiqi
Published: June 2019

Efficient transaction processing over large databases is a key requirement for many mission-critical applications. Although modern databases have achieved good performance through horizontal partitioning, their performance deteriorates when cross-partition distributed transactions have to be executed. This article presents SolarDB, a distributed relational database system that has been successfully tested at a large commercial bank. The key features of SolarDB include (1) a shared-everything architecture based on a two-layer log-structured merge-tree; (2) a new concurrency control algorithm that works with the log-structured storage, which ensures efficient and non-blocking transaction processing even when the storage layer is compacting data among nodes in the background; and (3) find-grained data access to effectively minimize and balance network communication within the cluster. According to our empirical evaluations on TPC-C, Smallbank, and a real-world workload, SolarDB outperforms the existing shared-nothing systems by up to 50x when there are close to or more than 5% distributed transactions.
The edge of computational photography
Authors: Kirkpatrick Keith
Published: June 2019

Smartphones and consumer cameras increasingly give professional photographers a run for their money.
API copyrights revisited
Authors: Samuelson Pamela
Published: June 2019

Deliberating on the main arguments in recent sets of briefs filed in support of Google's U.S. Supreme Court petition.
Urachal Mucinous Cystic Tumor of Low Malignant Potential with Concurrent Sigmoid Colon Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Brennan Kelly , Johnson Paul , Curtis Heather , Arnason Thomas
Published: June 2019

Urachal mucinous tumors are rare neoplasms with behaviour that can range from relatively benign to malignancy that can spread distantly or throughout the peritoneum as pseudomyxoma peritonei or peritoneal carcinomatosis. Here we describe a unique case of urachal mucinous cystic tumor of low malignant potential confined to an intact cyst at the dome of the urinary bladder, without rupture or peritoneal spread. The urachal mucinous tumor was an incidental finding on a staging CT scan performed for sigmoid colon adenocarcinoma. We believe that this case illustrates a potential diagnostic pitfall which could have prognostic and therapeutic implications. Due to the intestinal phenotype of these neoplasms, a urachal tumor of low malignant potential could be mistaken for metastatic spread from a colonic adenocarcinoma in the rare situation such as this case, where the two neoplasms occur concurrently.
Salvia officinalis, Rosmarinic and Caffeic Acids Attenuate Neuropathic Pain and Improve Function Recovery after Sciatic Nerve Chronic Constriction in Mice
Authors: El Gabbas Zineb , Bezza Kenza , Laadraoui Jawad , Ait Laaradia Mehdi , Kebbou Aaziz , Oufquir Sara , Boukhira Abderrahman , Aboufatima Rachida , Chait Abderrahman
Published: June 2019

The leaves of Salvia officinalis L. have a traditional reputation for the management of pain in Morocco. This study was conducted to investigate the curative effects of Salvia officinalis (SO) and its major constituents Rosmarinic (ROS) and Caffeic acids (CAF) on peripheral neuropathic pain in mice. Chronic constriction injury (CCI) was induced in mice, and neuropathic pain behaviors tests were evaluated by mechanical, chemical, thermal sensation tests and functional recovery of the sciatic nerve at different time intervals, i.e., (day 0, 1, 7, 14, and 21). Ethanolic extract of SO (100 and 200 mg/kg, p.o.), ROS (10 and 20 mg/kg, i.p.), CAF (30 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.), and CLOM (5 mg/kg, i.p., a positive control) was given for 21 days after surgery. Hematological and biochemical parameters were also measured as well as histopathological analysis. CCI produced significant development in mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia, cold allodynia, and rise in the sciatic functional index in mice. Chronic treatments with SO extract, ROS, CAF, and CLOM for 3 weeks significantly increased mechanical sensibility, cold, and thermal withdrawal latency and enhanced functional recovery of the injured nerve. The same treatments remarkably ameliorated hematological parameters and did not alter biochemical levels. The histopathological findings had revealed the protective effect of SO, ROS, and CAF against the CCI-induced damage. Our data support the use of SO in folk medicine to alleviate pain. Their main phenolic constituents could be promising antineuropathic compounds, which may be attributed to their biological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective effects. SO leaves may be a good candidate to treat neuropathic pain.
Tracking Full-Body Motion of Multiple Fish with Midline Subspace Constrained Multicue Optimization
Authors: Liu Xiang , Zhu Pei Ru , Liu Ye , Zhao Jing Wen
Published: June 2019

Capturing the body motion of fish has been gaining considerable attention from scientists of various fields. In this paper, we propose a method which is able to track the full-body motion of multiple fish with frequent interactions. We firstly propose to model the midline subspace of a fish body which gives a compact low-dimensional representation of the complex shape and motion. Then we propose a particle swarm-based optimization framework whose objective function takes into account multiple sources of information. The proposed multicue objective function is able to describe the details of fish appearance and is also effective through mutual occlusions. Excessive experimental results have demonstrated the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method.
Pituitary Hyperplasia in Severe Primary Hypothyroidism: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Shukla Prateek , Bulsara Ketan R. , Luthra Pooja
Published: June 2019

Pituitary hyperplasia is commonly present but remains largely undiagnosed in primary hypothyroidism. It is easily reversible with thyroid replacement therapy. If imaging is performed prior to biochemical evaluation, then patients may undergo pituitary surgery. We present the case of a 34-year-old female with profound primary hypothyroidism and secondary pituitary hyperplasia that resolved after thyroid hormone supplementation. We will discuss the current literature regarding pituitary hyperplasia in primary hypothyroidism in adults.
A Provably Secure Biometrics-Based Authentication Scheme for Multiserver Environment
Authors: Wang Feifei , Xu Guoai , Wang Chenyu , Peng Junhao
Published: June 2019

With the rapid development of mobile services, multiserver authentication protocol with its high efficiency has emerged as an indispensable security mechanism for mobile services. Recently, Ali et al. introduced a biometric-based multiserver authentication scheme and claimed the scheme is resistant to various attacks. However, after a careful examination, we find that Ali et al.’s scheme is vulnerable to various security attacks, such as user impersonation attack, server impersonation attack, privileged insider attack, denial of service attack, fails to provide forward secrecy and three-factor secrecy. To overcome these weaknesses, we propose an improved biometric-based multiserver authentication scheme using elliptic curve cryptosystem. Formal security analysis under the random oracle model proves that our scheme is provably secure. Furthermore, BAN (Burrows-Abadi-Needham) logic analysis demonstrates our scheme achieves mutual authentication and session key agreement. In addition, the informal analysis proves that our scheme is secure against all current known attacks and achieves desirable features. Besides, the performance and security comparison shows that our scheme is superior to related schemes.
Novel CT Features of an Abdominal Gossypiboma in a Female Dog
Authors: Auger Mylene , Olin Shelly , Morandi Federica
Published: June 2019

Case Description. An eight-year-old Golden Retriever was presented with hypercalcemia and a complex abdominal mass. Clinical Findings. A well-defined, heterogeneously contrast-enhancing, cavitary, soft tissue attenuating, non-organ associated abdominal mass was identified caudal to the right kidney. This mass was confluent with the distal tip of the right limb of the pancreas. A connected large, rim enhancing, cystic subcutaneous mass was also present in the right lumbar subcutaneous tissues, and there were multiple fistulous tracts through the hypaxial musculature. Treatment and Outcome. The dog underwent a surgical exploratory laparotomy and a gossypiboma was removed from the intra-abdominal mass; the cystic extra-abdominal mass was drained percutaneously. Surgical recovery was uneventful and a follow-up CT after 3 months was consistent with resolving granulomatous inflammation and fibrosis. Clinical Relevance. The presence of multiple peripherally enhancing tracts extending from the abdominal mass through the hypaxial musculature is a CT feature which has not yet been described in the veterinary literature. Additionally, incorporation of the pancreas into the abdominal mass has also not yet been described in the veterinary literature.
Stationary Distribution and Extinction of a Stochastic SIQR Model with Saturated Incidence Rate
Authors: Zhang Qiuhua , Zhou Kai
Published: June 2019

In this paper, we consider a stochastic SIQR epidemic model with saturated incidence rate. By constructing a proper Lyapunov function, we obtain the existence and uniqueness of positive solution for this SIQR model. Furthermore, we study the dynamical properties of this stochastic SIQR model; that is, (i) we establish the sufficient condition for the existence of ergodic stationary distribution of the model; (ii) we obtain the extinction of the disease under some conditions. At last, numerical simulations are introduced to illustrate our theoretical results.
Integrated Metabolomics and Network Pharmacology Study on Immunoregulation Mechanisms ofPanax ginsengthrough Macrophages
Authors: Hao Junjie , Hu Huangwanyin , Liu Jing , Wang Xuan , Liu Xiaoyi , Wang Jiabo , Niu Ming , Zhao Yanling , Xiao Xiaohe
Published: June 2019

Panax ginseng(PG) is a widely used functional food and herbal with immunoregulation activity. Currently, immunoregulation studies of PG mainly focused on the specific actions of individual constituents. However, the integral immunoregulation mechanisms of PG need further research. In this study, an integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology approach were used to investigate it. High-content screening was used to evaluate macrophage phagocytosis activity of PG. Untargeted metabolomics profiling of murine macrophage cells with UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS and a multivariate data method were performed to discover the potential biomarkers and metabolic pathways. Then, a macrophage phenotype related “ingredients-targets-metabolites” network of PG was constructed using network pharmacology for further research. As a result, PG can significantly enhance macrophage phagocytosis of GFP-E. coli. A total of twenty potential biomarkers and ten main pathways for which levels changed markedly upon treatment were identified, including glycerophospholipid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, choline metabolism, and taurine metabolism. Twenty compounds of PG associated with metabolomic changes were selected by the network pharmacology analysis, including ginsenoside Re, ginsenoside Rg1, frutinone A, and kaempferol. The network pharmacology results also showed that PG can polarize macrophages to both M1 and M2 phenotype but may be prone to M2 phenotype. In conclusion, our results indicated that PG may be prone to polarize macrophages to M2 phenotype by mainly regulating the glutathione and choline metabolism, which was related to twenty compounds of PG.
Growth and Characterizations of Organic NLO Imidazolium L-Tartrate (IMLT) Single Crystal
Authors: Raval Hiral , Parekh B. B. , Parikh K. D. , Joshi M. J.
Published: June 2019

Good quality single crystals of organic imidazolium L-Tartrate (IMLT) are grown up from aqueous solution by slow solvent evaporation technique. Various structural parameters and monoclinic crystal structure have been confirmed using powder X-ray diffraction method. The presence of various functional groups has been identified by ATR-FTIR. UV-Vis-NIR spectroscopy has shown more than 60% of optical transparency with the lower UV cutoff at 245nm. The optical band gap value of the material is evaluated to be 4.8 eV. Other optical parameters such as refractive index, optical and electrical conductivity, Urbach energy, extinction coefficient, and optical and electrical susceptibility have been evaluated from transmission spectrum data. The above essential parameters manifest appropriate usage of IMLT as an NLO material. The thermogravimetric analysis indicates high thermal stability of material up to 214°C. Apart from that, the dielectric study at various temperatures confirms decrement of dielectric constant and dielectric loss at higher frequencies. The efficiency of Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) is found to be 3.5 times that of the KDP crystals. A range of analysis suggests suitability and potentiality of IMLT crystal for various optoelectronic applications.
MYC Expression and Metabolic Redox Changes in Cancer Cells: A Synergy Able to Induce Chemoresistance
Authors: Marengo Barbara , Garbarino Ombretta , Speciale Andrea , Monteleone Lorenzo , Traverso Nicola , Domenicotti Cinzia
Published: June 2019

Chemoresistance is due to multiple factors including the induction of a metabolic adaptation of tumor cells. In fact, in these cells, stress conditions induced by therapies stimulate a metabolic reprogramming which involves the strengthening of various pathways such as glycolysis, glutaminolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway. This metabolic reprogramming is the result of a complex network of mechanisms that, through the activation of oncogenes (i.e., MYC, HIF1, and PI3K) or the downregulation of tumor suppressors (i.e., TP53), induces an increased expression of glucose and/or glutamine transporters and of glycolytic enzymes. Therefore, in order to overcome chemoresistance, it is necessary to develop combined therapies which are able to selectively and simultaneously act on the multiple molecular targets responsible for this adaptation. This review is focused on highlighting the role of MYC in modulating the epigenetic redox changes which are crucial in the acquisition of therapy resistance.
Role of Bile Acids in Dysbiosis and Treatment of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Wang Caihua , Zhu Chunpeng , Shao Liming , Ye Jun , Shen Yimin , Ren Yuezhong
Published: June 2019

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major health threat around the world and is characterized by dysbiosis. Primary bile acids are synthesized in the liver and converted into secondary bile acids by gut microbiota. Recent studies support the role of bile acids in modulating dysbiosis and NAFLD, while the mechanisms are not well elucidated. Dysbiosis may alter the size and the composition of the bile acid pool, resulting in reduced signaling of bile acid receptors such as farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and Takeda G protein-coupled receptor 5 (TGR5). These receptors are essential in lipid and glucose metabolism, and impaired bile acid signaling may cause NAFLD. Bile acids also reciprocally regulate the gut microbiota directly via antibacterial activity and indirectly via FXR. Therefore, bile acid signaling is closely linked to dysbiosis and NAFLD. During the past decade, stimulation of bile acid receptors with their agonists has been extensively explored for the treatment of NAFLD in both animal models and clinical trials. Early evidence has suggested the potential of bile acid receptor agonists in NAFLD management, but their long-term safety and effectiveness need further clarification.
Effect of Social Factors and the Natural Environment on the Etiology and Pathogenesis of Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Dong Guangtong , Qu Lianlian , Gong Xuefeng , Pang Bing , Yan Weitian , Wei Junping
Published: June 2019

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is currently a public health problem worldwide and a threat to human health and social development. The incidence rate of the disease is steadily increasing. Various genetic and environmental factors have been established as influencing the pathogenesis of this disease. However, the influence of social factors and the natural environment on DM incidence should also be considered. Low-grade inflammation could represent a central point of connection integrating all these potential triggers, being partly responsible for the development of insulin resistance. This paper aims to elaborate on the impact of the natural environment and social factors on DM development, with a special focus on six aspects of the pathogenesis of DM: pollution, radiation, psychology, drink, sleep, and exercise. We identified a two-way relationship between T2DM and social and natural environments. Changes in these environments may lead to low-grade inflammation, which in turn induces or aggravates T2DM and vice versa. Poor lifestyle may lead to increased insulin resistance and promote DM development. Improvements in blood glucose control can be achieved through nonenvironmental and behavioral interventions.
Price Discrimination in Dynamic Cournot Competition
Authors: Zhang Wei-li , Song Qi-Qing , Jiang Yi-Rong
Published: June 2019

This paper introduces a new Cournot duopoly game and gives an applied study for price discrimination in a market by dynamic methods. One of two oligopolies has two different prices for a homogeneous product, while the other charges one kind of price. It is found that there is only one stable equilibrium for the discrete dynamic system, and a corresponding stable condition is given. Using a discriminative price is not always beneficial to a firm in equilibrium. If both oligopolies carry out price discrimination, the market’s average price is lower than when only one oligopoly does it. The results are verified by numerical simulations.
A Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled 12-Week Follow-Up Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Polycan in Combination with Glucosamine for the Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Truong Thi Thanh Thuy , Lim Jong Min , Cho Hyung-Rae , Kim Young Suk , Dao Duc Giang , Tran Quoc Hung , Choi Jae-Suk
Published: June 2019

Aim. The aim of the present study was to examine the efficacy and safety of Polycan, a β-glucan produced from the black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001, in combination with glucosamine in reducing knee osteoarthritis-associated symptoms. Methods. This was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial of a formulated product composed of 16.7 mg of Polycan and 250 mg of glucosamine (Group A), 16.7 mg of Polycan and 500 mg of glucosamine (Group B), or 500 mg of glucosamine (control group) per capsule, administered as three capsules once per day over a period of 12 weeks, conducted with 100 osteoarthritis patients, aged 35–80 years. The primary outcome measure was osteoarthritis symptoms assessed by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. The secondary outcome measures included rescue medication use (according to data from a patient-reported diary) and other safety indices (body weight, blood pressure, hematological, and biochemistry markers). Results. Compared with the control group, Group B demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in the total WOMAC score after 12 weeks of treatment (p < 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the frequency of rescue medication used in Groups A and B compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant changes in hematology and biochemistry parameters or health indices between the active and the control group. Conclusion. Among patients with mild or moderate osteoarthritis, a daily oral dose of Polycan (50 mg) in combination with glucosamine (750 mg or 1500 mg; Group A or B, respectively) resulted in a better treatment outcome than treatment with glucosamine (1500 mg) alone.
Soft Tissue/Bone Decomposition of Conventional Chest Radiographs Using Nonparametric Image Priors
Authors: Liu Yunbi , Yang Wei , She Guangnan , Zhong Liming , Yun Zhaoqiang , Chen Yang , Zhang Ni , Hao Liwei , Lu Zhentai , Feng Qianjin , Chen Wufan
Published: June 2019

Background and Objective. When radiologists diagnose lung diseases in chest radiography, they can miss some lung nodules overlapped with ribs or clavicles. Dual-energy subtraction (DES) imaging performs well because it can produce soft tissue images, in which the bone components in chest radiography were almost suppressed but the visibility of nodules and lung vessels was still maintained. However, most routinely available X-ray machines do not possess the DES function. Thus, we presented a data-driven decomposition model to perform virtual DES function for decomposing a single conventional chest radiograph into soft tissue and bone images. Methods. For a given chest radiograph, similar chest radiographs with corresponding DES soft tissue and bone images are selected from the training database as exemplars for decomposition. The corresponding fields between the observed chest radiograph and the exemplars are solved by a hierarchically dense matching algorithm. Then, nonparametric priors of soft tissue and bone components are constructed by sampling image patches from the selected soft tissue and bone images according to the corresponding fields. Finally, these nonparametric priors are integrated into our decomposition model, the energy function of which is efficiently optimized by an iteratively reweighted least-squares scheme (IRLS). Results. The decomposition method is evaluated on a data set of posterior-anterior DES radiography (503 cases), as well as on the JSRT data set. The proposed method can produce soft tissue and bone images similar to those produced by the actual DES system. Conclusions. The proposed method can markedly reduce the visibility of bony structures in chest radiographs and shows potential to enhance diagnosis.
Associations of Cigarettes Smoked Per Day with Biomarkers of Exposure Among U.S. Adult Cigarette Smokers in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study Wave 1 (2013–2014)
Authors: Rostron Brian L. , Corey Catherine G. , Chang Joanne T. , van Bemmel Dana M. , Miller Mollie E. , Chang Cindy M.
Published: June 2019

Background:

The dose–response relationships between number of cigarettes smoked per day (CPD) and health outcomes, such as cancer and heart disease, are well established, but much less is known about the relationships between CPD and biomarkers of exposure.

Methods:

We analyzed biomarker data by CPD from more than 2,700 adult daily cigarette smokers in Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. Tobacco use categories consisted of exclusive cigarette smokers, dual cigarette and e-cigarette users, and dual cigarette and smokeless tobacco users.

Results:

Biomarker concentrations consistently increased with CPD for each tobacco user group, although concentrations tended to level off at high smoking levels, such as those at and above 20 CPD. Dual cigarette and e-cigarette users had higher levels of some biomarkers such as Total Nicotine Equivalents-2 (P = 0.0036) than exclusive cigarette smokers, and dual cigarette and smokeless tobacco users had higher levels of 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (P < 0.0001) and N′-nitrosonornicotine (P = 0.0236) than exclusive cigarette smokers.

Conclusions:

Among daily smokers, exposure to tobacco toxicants and constituents exhibits a dose–response relationship by number of cigarettes smoked, but the relationship is not necessarily linear in form. Dual users of cigarettes with either e-cigarettes or smokeless tobacco are exposed to higher levels of certain toxicants and carcinogens than exclusive cigarette smokers.

Impact:

Availability of biomarker data by CPD may aid in comparisons between cigarette smoking and use of new and potentially reduced exposure tobacco products, which may result in different levels of constituent and toxicant exposure.