bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
COMPUTATIONAL INVESTIGATION OF THROMBIN CONCENTRATION IN CEREBRAL ANEURYSMS TREATED WITH FLOW-DIVERTING STENTS
Authors: LIU XUDONG , CAI YUNHAN , SU LUYU , WANG SHENGZHANG , YANG XINJIAN
Published: November 2018

Flow-diverting stent is an ongoing embolization device to treat cerebral aneurysms, and it diverts the flow direction to reduce the flow velocity inside the aneurysmal sacs and promote the thrombus formation. However, its effect for aneurysm embolization is controversial. A hemodynamic-biomedical coupling model was constructed to describe the generation and transport of thrombin in arteries, and the model was applied to investigate the variation of thrombin concentration, which plays a key role in thrombus formation, in two patient-specific cerebral aneurysm models when they are treated with Pipeline flow diverting stents. It is observed from computational fluid dynamics simulations that thrombin concentration in the aneurysmal sac without collateral artery increases significantly after Pipeline implantation, however, it has hardly any variation in the aneurysmal sac without collateral artery or in the giant aneurysmal sac after Pipeline implantation. Therefore, we believe that single Pipeline is very effective to embolize a small aneurysm without collateral artery, but cannot embolize a giant aneurysm or a small aneurysm with a collateral artery on its sac effectively.
VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA AND FIBRILLATION DETECTION USING DWT AND DECISION TREE CLASSIFIER
Authors: MOHANTY MONALISA , BISWAL PRADYUT , SABUT SUKANTA
Published: November 2018

Ventricular tachycardia (VT) and ventricular fibrillation (VF) are the life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias that require treatment in an emergency. Detection of VT and VF at an early stage is crucial for achieving the success of the defibrillation treatment. Hence an automatic system using computer-aided diagnosis tool is helpful in detecting the ventricular arrhythmias in electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. In this paper, a discrete wavelet transform (DWT) was used to denoise and decompose the ECG signals into different consecutive frequency bands to reduce noise. The methodology was tested using ECG data from standard CU ventricular tachyarrhythmia database (CUDB) and MIT-BIH malignant ventricular ectopy database (VFDB) datasets of PhysioNet databases. A set of time-frequency features consists of temporal, spectral, and statistical were extracted and ranked by the correlation attribute evaluation with ranker search method in order to improve the accuracy of detection. The ranked features were classified for VT and VF conditions using support vector machine (SVM) and decision tree (C4.5) classifier. The proposed DWT based features yielded the average sensitivity of 98%, specificity of 99.32%, and accuracy of 99.23% using a decision tree (C4.5) classifier. These results were better than the SVM classifier having an average accuracy of 92.43%. The obtained results prove that using DWT based time-frequency features with decision tree (C4.5) classifier can be one of the best choices for clinicians for precise detection of ventricular arrhythmias.
Microstructure and electrochemical performance of LiFePO4 cathode materials modified with binuclear metal aminophthalocyanines
Authors: Su Yuanyuan , Xu Feifei , Wang Ruiqiong , Zhang Ronglan , Zhao Jianshe
Published: November 2018

The monodispersed LiFe[Formula: see text]M[Formula: see text]PO4/C [[Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] 0.0040; [Formula: see text] = Mn[Formula: see text], Co[Formula: see text], Ni[Formula: see text], Cu[Formula: see text], Zn[Formula: see text]] nanocomposites obtained by LiFePO4 modified with binuclear metal aminophthalocyanines (M2(PcTa)2O and M2(PcTa)2C(CF[Formula: see text] are utilized as positive electrode materials for lithium ion batteries. The preparation method for these nanocomposites is a controllable solvothermal method using a mixture of ethylene glycol and [Formula: see text],[Formula: see text]-dimethylformamide as the solvent. The microstructure and electrochemical properties of the different nanocomposites are discussed and compared. The results show that the LiFePO4 samples modified with M2(PcTa)2C(CF[Formula: see text]can improve the initial discharge specific capacity of the lithium ion battery up to 154.2 mAh.g[Formula: see text]at the rate of 0.1 C, and 93.5% of the initial discharge capacity could be retained after 50 cycles. This research shows that the proposed process can enhance the electrochemical performance of high power LiFePO4 for lithium ion batteries.
Modification of P25 titania in presence of hydrazine for Staphylococcus aureus inactivation
Authors: Joshi Bhupendra , Lee Soo Wohn
Published: November 2018

Titania and its polymorphs are one of the most studied semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, the P25 titania was used as a precursor to modify the phase and structure with microwave-assisted hydrothermal and sonochemical methods in presence of alkaline hydrazine. The outcome results show the cotton ball structure titanate composite phases (nanotubes, nanosheets and nanoparticles) and monoclinic titanate phase (TiO2-B) with microwave-assisted hydrothermal method and sonochemical method, respectively. The nitrogen doping was confirmed by FTIR and DRS in modified TiO2. And some visible light absorption was observed in modified TiO2 due to the nitrogen doping. The composite phase titanate having cotton ball structure was found to be efficient for methicillin-resistant superbug Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) inactivation. Herein, we also reported the submicron TiO2-B sword like morphology fabricated by sonochemical method for the first time in presence of alkaline hydrazine.
The first report of coronates (echinodermata) from Africa
Authors: Zamora S. , Sumrall C. D.
Published: November 2018

Coronates are widely distributed in Ordovician and Silurian rocks from Gondwana but have never been reported from Africa. A single theca of
Mespilocystites
sp. is the first representative of this blastozoan clade from the African continent, extending its geographical range. Previous reports of
Mespilocystites
include the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. The African specimen was collected from the Upper Ordovician (Katian) Upper Tiouririne Formation of the Moroccan Anti-Atlas Ranges, and is preserved in siliciclastic rocks associated with isorophid edrioasteroids and echinosphaeritid rhombiferans.
Recognition of Symbolic Gestures Using Depth Information
Authors: Mahmud Hasan , Hasan Md. Kamrul , Abdullah-Al-Tariq  , Kabir Md. Hasanul , Mottalib M. A.
Published: November 2018

Symbolic gestures are the hand postures with some conventionalized meanings. They are static gestures that one can perform in a very complex environment containing variations in rotation and scale without using voice. The gestures may be produced in different illumination conditions or occluding background scenarios. Any hand gesture recognition system should find enough discriminative features, such as hand-finger contextual information. However, in existing approaches, depth information of hand fingers that represents finger shapes is utilized in limited capacity to extract discriminative features of fingers. Nevertheless, if we consider finger bending information (i.e., a finger that overlaps palm), extracted from depth map, and use them as local features, static gestures varying ever so slightly can become distinguishable. Our work here corroborated this idea and we have generated depth silhouettes with variation in contrast to achieve more discriminative keypoints. This approach, in turn, improved the recognition accuracy up to 96.84%. We have applied Scale-Invariant Feature Transform (SIFT) algorithm which takes the generated depth silhouettes as input and produces robust feature descriptors as output. These features (after converting into unified dimensional feature vectors) are fed into a multiclass Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier to measure the accuracy. We have tested our results with a standard dataset containing 10 symbolic gesture representing 10 numeric symbols (0-9). After that we have verified and compared our results among depth images, binary images, and images consisting of the hand-finger edge information generated from the same dataset. Our results show higher accuracy while applying SIFT features on depth images. Recognizing numeric symbols accurately performed through hand gestures has a huge impact on different Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) applications including augmented reality, virtual reality, and other fields.
Factors Associated with Composting of Solid Waste at Household Level in Masaka Municipality, Central Uganda
Authors: Nsimbe Pius , Mendoza Hilbert , Wafula Solomon Tsebeni , Ndejjo Rawlance
Published: November 2018

The domestic solid waste stream composition of urban settings in many developing countries including Uganda is largely biodegradable in nature, and thus, composting provides the most suitable solid waste management option for these wastes. However, there is limited information about waste composting at the household level and associated determinants in Uganda. A cross-sectional study was employed to collect quantitative data from 368 residents of Masaka municipality, Central Uganda. A semistructured interviewer administered questionnaire was used which assessed knowledge, perceptions, and practices of composting. Data were analysed using STATA 13.0, and binary logistic regression was used to determine the factors that influence composting at the household level. Of the 368 participants, 11.4% were engaged in composting. Factors associated with household level composting were age of 46 years and above (aOR = 2.69, 95% CI = (1.06–6.80)), possession of a garden (aOR = 28.88, 95% CI = (3.85–216.72)), engagement in waste segregation (aOR = 5.56, 95% CI = (2.25–13.86)), and periurban residence (aOR = 3.81, 95% CI = (1.78–8.16)). The practice of composting at the household level was low. This therefore highlights the need for urban authorities to develop initiatives for promoting composting at the household level while considering the identified predictors associated with composting.
Nonlinear Biomechanical Characteristics of Deep Deformation of Native RBC Membranes in Normal State and under Modifier Action
Authors: Kozlova Elena , Chernysh Aleksandr , Manchenko Ekaterina , Sergunova Viktoria , Moroz Viktor
Published: November 2018

The ability of membranes of native human red blood cells (RBCs) to bend into the cell to a depth comparable in size with physiological deformations was evaluated. For this, the methods of atomic force microscopy and atomic force spectroscopy were used. Nonlinear patterns of deep deformation (up to 600 nm) of RBC membranes were studied in normal state and under the action of modifiers: fixator (glutaraldehyde), natural oxidant (hemin), and exogenous intoxicator (zinc ions), in vitro. The experimental dependences of membrane bending for control RBC (normal) were approximated by the Hertz model to a depth up to 600 nm. The glutaraldehyde fixator and modifiers increased the absolute value of Young’s modulus of membranes and changed the experimental dependences of probe indentation into the cells. Up to some depth hHz, the force curves were approximated by the Hertz model, and for deeper indentations h>hHz, the degree of the polynomial function was changed, the membrane stiffness increased, and the pattern of indentation became another and did not obey the Hertz model. Quantitative characteristics of nonlinear experimental dependences were calculated for deep bending of RBC membranes by approximating them by the degree polynomial function.
Prechoroidal Cleft in Type 3 Neovascularization: Incidence, Timing, and Its Association with Visual Outcome
Authors: Kim Jae Hui , Chang Young Suk , Kim Jong Woo , Kim Chul Gu , Lee Dong Won
Published: November 2018

Purpose. To investigate the incidence and timing of prechoroidal cleft development and its association with visual prognosis in type 3 neovascularization. Methods. This retrospective study included 166 eyes that were diagnosed with type 3 neovascularization. All eyes were treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. The incidence and timing of prechoroidal cleft development were evaluated. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at diagnosis and at final follow-up was compared between eyes with (cleft group) and without (no-cleft group) prechoroidal cleft. The incidence of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) tear and subretinal hemorrhage was also compared between the two groups. Results. During the mean 39.7 ± 18.5 months of follow-up, prechoroidal cleft developed in 37 eyes (22.3%) at an average of 14.6 ± 10.4 months. The BCVA at final follow-up was significantly worse in the cleft group than in the no-cleft group (P=0.024), whereas the difference was not significant at diagnosis (P=0.969). The incidence of RPE tear (P=0.002) and subretinal hemorrhage (P<0.001) was significantly higher in the cleft group. Conclusions. Prechoroidal cleft is a frequently observed finding during the treatment course of type 3 neovascularization. Eyes with prechoroidal cleft are at high risk of RPE tear or subretinal hemorrhage and subsequently associated with poor prognosis.
Image Hashing for Tamper Detection with Multiview Embedding and Perceptual Saliency
Authors: Du Ling , Chen Zhen , Ke Yongzhen
Published: November 2018

Perceptual hashing technique for tamper detection has been intensively investigated owing to the speed and memory efficiency. Recent researches have shown that leveraging supervised information could lead to learn a high-quality hashing code. However, most existing methods generate hashing code by treating each region equally while ignoring the different perceptual saliency relating to the semantic information. We argue that the integrity for salient objects is more critical and important to be verified, since the semantic content is highly connected to them. In this paper, we propose a Multi-View Semi-supervised Hashing algorithm with Perceptual Saliency (MV-SHPS), which explores supervised information and multiple features into hashing learning simultaneously. Our method calculates the image hashing distance by taking into account the perceptual saliency rather than directly considering the distance value between total images. Extensive experiments on benchmark datasets have validated the effectiveness of our proposed method.
“Traditional” and “Healthy” Dietary Patterns Are Associated with Low Cardiometabolic Risk in Brazilian Subjects
Authors: Silveira Brenda Kelly Souza , Novaes Juliana Farias de , Reis Nínive de Almeida , Lourenço Larissa Pereira , Capobiango Ana Helena Moretto , Vieira Sarah Aparecida , Hermsdorff Helen Hermana Miranda
Published: November 2018

This study aimed at determining the dietary patterns and investigating their association with cardiometabolic risk markers in a brazilian population at risk. This transversal study was carried out with data of 265 patients (n = 123 M/172 W, age 42 ± 16 years) of the Cardiovascular Health Care Program—PROCARDIO-UFV, Brazil—who had their first appointment between 2012 and 2017. A 24-hour recall was applied. The dietary patterns were determined by Principal Component Analysis. Anthropometric, clinical-metabolic, sociodemographic, and lifestyle data were collected through medical record analysis. Five patterns were identified: “Traditional”, “Caloric”, “Unhealthy”, “Healthy,” and “Healthy Snacks”. In bivariate analysis, the “Healthy” pattern was negatively associated with WC (waist circunference), BMI (body mass index), WHR (waist-to-hip ratio), SBP (systolic blood pressure), fasting glucose, TG/HDL, LDL/HDL, and TG/HDL values and positively to HDL. The “Traditional” pattern was positively associated with adiposity indicators (WC, BMI, and WHR) and negatively associated with body fat, TyG (triglyceride-glucose index), HDL, and LDL (P<0.05). However, in adjusted models of Poisson regression, individuals with positive factor score (higher adherence) in the “Traditional” and “Healthy” patterns had less occurrence of abdominal obesity (PR 0.85; 95% CI 0.74–0.99/PR 0.88; 95% CI 0.02–0.76), as well as dyslipidemia (PR 0.06; 95% CI 0.02–0.51/PR 0.03; 95% CI 0.01–0.27), diabetes (PR 0.05; 95% CI 0.01–0.45/PR 0.02; 95% CI 0.01–021), and hypertension (PR 0.06; 95% CI 0.02–0.50/PR 0.02; 95% CI 0.01–0.21). A greater adherence to the “Healthy” pattern was associated with lower values to cardiometabolic risk markers and less occurrence of chronic diseases, while the “Traditional” pattern presented contradictory results.
Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Ophthalmology: General Overview
Authors: Lu Wei , Tong Yan , Yu Yue , Xing Yiqiao , Chen Changzheng , Shen Yin
Published: November 2018

With the emergence of unmanned plane, autonomous vehicles, face recognition, and language processing, the artificial intelligence (AI) has remarkably revolutionized our lifestyle. Recent studies indicate that AI has astounding potential to perform much better than human beings in some tasks, especially in the image recognition field. As the amount of image data in imaging center of ophthalmology is increasing dramatically, analyzing and processing these data is in urgent need. AI has been tried to apply to decipher medical data and has made extraordinary progress in intelligent diagnosis. In this paper, we presented the basic workflow for building an AI model and systematically reviewed applications of AI in the diagnosis of eye diseases. Future work should focus on setting up systematic AI platforms to diagnose general eye diseases based on multimodal data in the real world.
Receding Horizon Least Squares Estimator with Application to Estimation of Process and Measurement Noise Covariances
Authors: Shin Vladimir , Thien Rebbecca T. Y. , Kim Yoonsoo
Published: November 2018

This paper presents a noise covariance estimation method for dynamical models with rectangular noise gain matrices. A novel receding horizon least squares criterion to achieve high estimation accuracy and stability under environmental uncertainties and experimental errors is proposed. The solution to the optimization problem for the proposed criterion gives equations for a novel covariance estimator. The estimator uses a set of recent information with appropriately chosen horizon conditions. Of special interest is a constant rectangular noise gain matrices for which the key theoretical results are obtained. They include derivation of a recursive form for the receding horizon covariance estimator and iteration procedure for selection of the best horizon length. Efficiency of the covariance estimator is demonstrated through its implementation and performance on dynamical systems with an arbitrary number of process and measurement noises.
Facilitating Airway Surgery in a Morbidly Obese Patient Using Transnasal Humidified Rapid Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange (THRIVE)
Authors: Lee Si-Jia , Quek Kelvin Howyow
Published: November 2018

Transnasal Humidified Rapid Insufflation Ventilatory Exchange (THRIVE) is a relatively new noninvasive oxygenation technique with a broad range of applications. It is used in the treatment of type one respiratory failure, as a preoxygenation tool, as a rescue and temporising measure in difficult airways, and as step-down oxygen therapy in patients after extubation. Its use has also been described in laryngeal surgeries, but they mainly involved normal-weight subjects or were used as a bridging oxygenation therapy before definitive airway is secured. The major benefits of using THRIVE in obese subjects undergoing laryngeal surgery include a tubeless and uninterrupted surgical field. This advantage is especially crucial in obese patients as they tend to have limited oropharyngeal space, rendering a shared airway technically challenging for surgeons. However, concerns of potential difficult airway and shorter safe apnoeic time in the obese population limit its use. In this case, we report its use as the sole oxygenation strategy in a morbidly obese patient undergoing airway surgery. Our experience suggests that THRIVE can provide a conducive operating field and adequate oxygenation in short apnoeic laryngeal procedures in the obese population, without causing excessive hypercarbia.
A Complicated Case ofSerratia marcescensInfective Endocarditis in the Era of the Current Opioid Epidemic
Authors: Yeung Ho-Man , Chavarria Brijaé , Shahsavari Dariush
Published: November 2018

While bacteremia due toSerratia marcescensis not uncommon, it rarely causes infective endocarditis. We report an isolated case of a 53-year-old male with history of intravenous drug abuse who presented with multiple acute pain symptoms and was found to haveS. marcescensbacteremia with septic emboli in his spleen, brain, and testes, secondary to a large aortic vegetation, as well as aortic infective endocarditis with severe aortic regurgitation requiring aortic valve replacement. His course of disease was further complicated by epidural and psoas abscesses and a necrotic testicle requiring orchiectomy due to his ongoing intravenous drug abuse. This case is an atypical presentation ofS. marcescensinfection, as he had no overt signs of infection such as fever or significant leukocytosis that are typical of bacteremia, and it also highlights the severity and complicated nature ofS. marcescens-infective endocarditis.
A Force-Directed Algorithm for Drawing Directed Graphs Symmetrically
Authors: Xu Taihua , Yang Jie , Gou Guanglei
Published: November 2018

Symmetry is one of the most important aesthetic criteria on graph drawing. It is quite necessary to measure the extent to which the drawings can be considered symmetric. For this purpose, a symmetric metric based on vertex coordinate calculation is proposed in this paper. It is proven theoretically and experimentally that the proposed metric is robust to contraction, expansion, and rotation of drawings. This robustness conforms to human perception of symmetry. Star-subgraphs and cycles are two common structures in digraphs. Both of them have inherent symmetry which should be displayed in drawings. For this purpose, a force-directed algorithm named FDS is proposed which can draw star-subgraphs and cycles as symmetrically as possible. FDS algorithm draws cycles as circles whose positions are fixed to provide a scaffolding for overall layout, renders non-leaf vertices by a standard force-directed layout, and places leaf vertices on concentric circles via a deterministic strategy. A series of experiments are carried out to test FDS algorithm. The results show that FDS algorithm draws digraphs more symmetrically than the existing state-of-the-art algorithms and performs efficiency comparable to O(nlog⁡n) YFHu algorithm.
Flow Correlation Degree Optimization Driven Random Forest for Detecting DDoS Attacks in Cloud Computing
Authors: Cheng Jieren , Li Mengyang , Tang Xiangyan , Sheng Victor S. , Liu Yifu , Guo Wei
Published: November 2018

Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) has caused major damage to cloud computing, and the false- and missing-alarm rates of existing DDoS attack-detection methods are relatively high in cloud environment. In this paper, we propose a DDoS attack-detection method with enhanced random forest (RF) optimized by genetic algorithm based on flow correlation degree (FCD) feature. We define the FCD feature according to the asymmetric and semidirectivity interaction characteristics and use the two-tuples FCD feature consisting of packet-statistical degree (PSD) and semidirectivity interaction abnormality (SDIA) to describe the features of attack flow and normal flow. Then we use a genetic algorithm based on the FCD feature sequences to optimize two key parameters of the decision tree in the RF: the maximum number of decision trees and the maximum depth of every single decision tree. We apply the trained RF model with optimized parameters to generate the classifier to be used for DDoS attack-detection. The experiment shows that the proposed method can effectively detect DDoS attacks in cloud environment with a higher accuracy rate and lower false- and missing-alarm rates compared to existing DDoS attack-detection methods.
Forecasting of Chinese E-Commerce Sales: An Empirical Comparison of ARIMA, Nonlinear Autoregressive Neural Network, and a Combined ARIMA-NARNN Model
Authors: Li Maobin , Ji Shouwen , Liu Gang
Published: November 2018

With the rapid development of e-commerce (EC) and shopping online, accurate and efficient forecasting of e-commerce sales (ECS) is very important for making strategies for purchasing and inventory of EC enterprises. Affected by many factors, ECS volume range varies greatly and has both linear and nonlinear characteristics. Three forecast models of ECS, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), nonlinear autoregressive neural network (NARNN), and ARIMA-NARNN, are used to verify the forecasting efficiency of the methods. Several time series of ECS from China’s Jingdong Corporation are selected as experimental data. The result shows that the ARIMA-NARNN model is more effective than ARIMA and NARNN models in forecasting ECS. The analysis found that the ARIMA-NARNN model combines the linear fitting of ARIMA and the nonlinear mapping of NARNN, so it shows better prediction performance than the ARIMA and NARNN methods.
Source Codes Oriented Software Trustworthiness Measure Based on Validation
Authors: Tao Hongwei , Zhao Jie
Published: November 2018

Validation is critical to the success of software trustworthiness measurement. A large number of software trustworthiness measures are proposed; however, most of them are not validated from a theory perspective. Therefore, they lack theoretical foundation and will induce unnecessary cost and useless calculation. In this paper, we bring measurement theory into software trustworthiness measurement, construct a source codes oriented software trustworthiness measure based on extensive structure in the measurement theory, and validate the developed measure by use of axiomatic approaches. Compared with some software trustworthiness measures that are already presented, this measure can evaluate software trustworthiness better from a theory perspective.
Investigation of Interleukin-27 in the Sera of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Patients
Authors: Ghahartars Mehdi , Najafzadeh Shiva , Abtahi Shabnam , Fattahi Mohammad Javad , Ghaderi Abbas
Published: November 2018

IL-27 has been shown to have both tumor promoting and suppressing functions. IL-27, with its diverse influences on immune responses, has not been studied extensively in nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC), including Squamous and Basal Cell Carcinomas (SCC and BCC), and its roles in tumor initiation, progression, and its probable use in NMSC treatment have yet to be unveiled. A cross-sectional analytical study was designed to investigate the serum levels of IL-27 in NMSC patients in comparison to normal individuals. Levels of IL-27 in the sera of 60 NMSC patients along with 28 healthy controls were measured by means of quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this study we observed that IL-27 serum levels were significantly higher in NMSC patients in comparison to healthy individuals (0.0134versus0.0008 ng/ml; P<0.001). Furthermore, when subcategorized based on pathological diagnosis, both BCC and SCC patients had higher levels of IL-27 in their sera compared to controls (P=0.002 and P=0.033; respectively). However, these levels were not different among SCC and BCC patients. According to our results, it seems that IL-27 is involved in antitumor immune responses in NMSCs. On the other hand, these observations might be indicative of this cytokine involvement in NMSC tumorigenesis and progression. Therefore, administration of this cytokine for therapeutic purposes in patients with such conditions should be erred on the side of caution.
Sulphur and Nitrogen Fertilization as a Potential Means of Agronomic Biofortification to Improve the Content and Uptake of Microelements in Spring Wheat Grain DM
Authors: Klikocka Hanna , Marks Marek
Published: November 2018

The aim of the field experiment was to analyze the impact of various nitrogen and sulphur doses on the content and uptake of spring grains of iron, manganese, copper, and zinc. The study was conducted in southeastern Poland (2009–2011) on Cambisols (WRB 2007), in conditions of low soil sulphur content. The experiment included 4 doses of N fertilization (0, 40, 80, and 120 kg/ha) and 2 doses of S application (0 and 50 kg/ha). The analysis showed that fertilization with nitrogen and sulphur had a positive effect on the studied features of spring wheat. The combination resulted in beneficial content of Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu (Fe 45.00, Mn 35.67, Zn 34.63, and Cu 3.65 mg/kg) and beneficial uptake of microelements by grain DM (Fe 216.1, Mn 171.3, Zn 166.4, and Cu 17.52 g/ha). The highest grain yield (5.43 t/ha) was obtained after the application of nitrogen at a dose of 80 kg/ha and sulphur at a dose of 50 kg/ha. In relation to control, this increase of grain yield amounted to 13.3%. Significant correlations were also found between grain yield and the content and uptake of all microelements, as well as between elements. No significant correlation was found only between the content and uptake of Fe and the content of Mn and between the content of Mn and Cu. Sulphur supplementation of NPK fertilization can be a good means of agronomic biofortification for spring wheat in order to increase the content and uptake of micronutrients such as Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu.
Dietary Tomato Powder Inhibits High-Fat Diet–Promoted Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Alteration of Gut Microbiota in Mice Lacking Carotenoid Cleavage Enzymes
Authors: Xia Hui , Liu Chun , Li Cheng-Chung , Fu Maobin , Takahashi Shingo , Hu Kang-Quan , Aizawa Koichi , Hiroyuki Suganuma , Wu Guojun , Zhao Liping , Wang Xiang-Dong
Published: November 2018

Both incidence and death rate due to liver cancer have increased in the United States. Higher consumption of lycopene-rich tomato and tomato products is associated with a decreased risk of cancers. β-Carotene-15, 15′-oxygenase (BCO1), and β-carotene-9′, 10′-oxygenase (BCO2) cleave lycopene to produce bioactive apo-lycopenoids. Although BCO1/BCO2 polymorphisms affect human and animal lycopene levels, whether dietary tomato consumption can inhibit high-fat diet (HFD)–promoted hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development and affect gut microbiota in the absence of BCO1/BCO2 is unclear. BCO1/BCO2 double knockout mice were initiated with a hepatic carcinogen (diethylnitrosamine) at 2 weeks of age. At 6 weeks of age, the mice were randomly assigned to an HFD (60% of energy as fat) with or without tomato powder (TP) feeding for 24 weeks. Results showed that TP feeding significantly decreased HCC development (67%, 83%, and 95% reduction in incidence, multiplicity, and tumor volume, respectively, P < 0.05). Protective effects of TP feeding were associated with (1) decreased hepatic inflammatory foci development and mRNA expression of proinflammatory biomarkers (IL1β, IL6, IL12α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and inducible NO synthase); (2) increased mRNA expression of deacetylase sirtuin 1 and nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase involving NAD+ production; and (3) increased hepatic circadian clock genes (circadian locomotor output cycles kaput, period 2, and cryptochrome-2, Wee1). Furthermore, TP feeding increased gut microbial richness and diversity, and significantly decreased the relative abundance of the genus Clostridium and Mucispirillum, respectively. The present study demonstrates that dietary tomato feeding independent of carotenoid cleavage enzymes prevents HFD-induced inflammation with potential modulating gut microbiota and inhibits HFD-promoted HCC development.
Diabetes Mellitus: Is It Protective against Aneurysm? A Narrative Review
Authors: Patel Kanchi , Zafar Mohammad A. , Ziganshin Bulat A. , Elefteriades John A.
Published: November 2018

Objectives: In the course of extensive clinical aortic surgery, we noticed that the aorta was quite thick and fibrotic in diabetic patients. We thought the diabetic aortic aorta might be inimitable to aortic dissection. On this basis, we set out to review information in the literature regarding aortic growth and dissection in diabetic patients. Methods: We used a 2-step search approach to the available literature on diabetes and aneurysm. Firstly, databases including PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and TRIP were searched. Secondly, relevant studies were identified through secondary sources including references of initially selected articles. We address the relationship between diabetes and the incidence, prevalence, growth, mortality and rupture of an aneurysm. Results: Diabetes is thought to exert a protective role in both thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Diabetics were shown to have a slower aneurysm growth rate, lower rupture rate, delayed (> 65 years) age of rupture, decreased rate of mortality from an aneurysm and a decreased length of hospital stay. There was also noted a decreased rate of incidence and prevalence of TAA and AAA in diabetics, smaller aneurysm diameter, reduction in matrix metalloproteinases and an increased aortic wall stress in diabetics. Antidiabetic agents like metformin, thiazolidinediones and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors may protect against an aneurysm. Conclusion: Our literature review provides strong (but often circumstantial) evidence that diabetic patients exhibit slower growth of aortic aneurysms and a lower rate of aortic dissection. Furthermore, clinical and experimental studies indicate that common antidiabetic medications on their own inhibit growth of aortic aneurysms. These findings indicate a paradoxically beneficial effect of the otherwise highly detrimental diabetic state.
Evaluation of D1/D5 Partial Agonist PF-06412562 in Parkinson’s Disease following Oral Administration
Authors: Papapetropoulos Spyros , Liu Wenlei , Duvvuri Sridhar , Thayer Kathleen , Gray David L.
Published: November 2018

Background: PF-06412562 is a moderately potent, highly selective oral D1/D5 dopamine receptor partial agonist. Objective: To study the efficacy and safety of a single, oral, split dose of PF-06412562 in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Methods: Following overnight levodopa (L-dopa, Sinemet®) washout, subjects received a single dose of levodopa in open-label period 1. Periods 2 and 3 had a double-blinded, sponsor-open, randomized, 2-way cross-over, placebo-controlled design, during which subjects were randomized to PF-06412562 30 mg (+ 20 mg 4 h later) or placebo. Maximum percent improvement from baseline in finger-tapping speed (measure of bradykinesia) measured using KinesiaTM technology (as the primary end point) and change from baseline in the Movement Disorder Society’s Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPDRS-III) motor section scores (the preferred exploratory end point) were evaluated. Results: Nineteen subjects received levodopa; 13 met the period 2/3 entry criteria and received PF-06412562, 30 + 20 mg, or placebo. The prespecified primary efficacy criterion for significant improvement in finger-tapping was not met due to inconsistencies in the task leading to large between-period fluctuations of within-patient baseline values. Change from baseline in MDS-UPDRS-III score with PF-06412562 resulted in a placebo-adjusted point estimate of –10.59 with a one-sided 90% upper CI of PF-06412562 versus placebo model-based contrast of (–inf, –7.44) at 1.5–2.5 h after the dose (p < 0.0001). All adverse events were mild-to-moderate. Conclusions: We report the first evidence of potential anti-parkinsonian efficacy of the oral selective D1/D5 partial agonist PF-06412562 without the significant acute changes in cardiovascular parameters reported with previous D1 agonists.
Confined Thalamic Deep Brain Stimulation in Refractory Essential Tremor
Authors: Isaacs David A. , Butler Jonathan , Sukul Vishad , Rodriguez William , Pallavaram Srivatsan , Tolleson Christopher , Fang John Y. , Phibbs Fenna T. , Yu Hong , Konrad Peter E. , Hedera Peter
Published: November 2018

Background: Thalamic ventral intermediate nucleus (VIM) deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an effective therapy for medication-refractory essential tremor (ET). However, 13–40% of patients with an initially robust tremor efficacy lose this benefit over time despite reprogramming attempts. At our institution, a cohort of ET patients with VIM DBS underwent implantation of a second anterior (ventralis oralis anterior; VOA) DBS lead to permit “confined stimulation.” We sought to assess whether confined stimulation conferred additional tremor capture compared to VIM or VOA stimulation alone. Methods: Seven patients participated in a protocol-based programming session during which a video-recorded Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Part A (FTM-A) tremor rating scale was used in the following 4 DBS states: off stimulation, VIM stimulation alone, VOA stimulation alone, and dual lead (confined) stimulation. Results: The average (SD) baseline FTM-A off score was 17.6 (4.0). VIM stimulation alone lowered the average FTM-A total score to 6.9 (4.0). Confined stimulation further attenuated the tremor, reducing the total score to 5.7 (2.8). Conclusions: Confined thalamic DBS can provide additional symptomatic benefits in patients with unsatisfactory tremor control from VIM or VOA stimulation alone.
8p11 Microduplication Is Associated with Neonatal Stridor
Authors: Puvabanditsin Surasak , Gengel Natalie , Botti Christina , Jacob Marianne , Jalil Maaz , Cabrera Kenya , Mehta Rajeev
Published: November 2018

We report a term male infant with congenital stridor secondary to tracheomalacia and a mild coarctation of the aorta. Developmental delay was noted upon follow-up. Whole genome SNP microarray analysis showed an ∼846-kb interstitial duplication of the short arm of chromosome 8 (8p11.21p11.1). We report novel clinical findings of this rare genetic condition.
Galectin-1 Promotes Metastasis in Gastric Cancer Through a Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor 1-Dependent Mechanism
Authors: You Xiaolan , Wang Yuanjie , Wu Jian , Liu Qinghong , Chen Dehu , Tang Dong , Wang Daorong
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Increased expression of galectin-1 (Gal-1) in gastric cancer (GC) promotes metastasis and correlates with poor prognosis. The mechanisms by which Gal-1 promotes GC metastasis remain unknown. Methods: Gal-1and Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1PR1) were determined by immunohistochemistry(IHC) and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in GC specimens. Stably transfected Gal-1 or S1PR1 into SGC7901 and MGC-803 cells, western blot and invasion assays in vitro and nude mice tumorigenicity in vivo were also employed. Results: Overexpression of Gal-1 enhanced expression of S1PR1 in SGC-7901 cells, and increased cell invasion, while knockdown Gal-1 in MGC-803 cells reduced S1PR1 expression and diminished invasion. Simultaneous knockdown of Gal-1 and overexpression of S1PR1 in MGC803 cells rescued invasive ability of MGC803 cells. S1PR1 was associated with expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers in vitro and in clinical samples. EMT induced in MGC-803 cells by TGF-β1 was accompanied by S1PR1 activation, while knockdown of S1PR1 reduced response to TGF-β1, suggest that Gal-1 promotes GC invasion by activating EMT through a S1PR1-dependent mechanism. Overexpression of S1PR1 promoted subcutaneous xenograft growth and pulmonary metastases, and enhanced expression of EMT markers. Conclusion: Galectin-1 promotes metastasis in gastric cancer through a S1PR1- dependent mechanism, our results indicate that targeting S1PR1 may be a novel strategy to treat GC metastasis.
Doublecortin-Like Kinase 1 (DCLK1) Regulates B Cell-Specific Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus Insertion Site 1 (Bmi-1) and is Associated with Metastasis and Prognosis in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Li Jian , Wang Yunchao , Ge Jiayun , Li Wenhua , Yin Liangyu , Zhao Zhiping , Liu Songsong , Qin Huan , Yang Jiali , Wang Lijiang , Ni Bing , Liu Yongkang , Wang Huaizhi
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are largely responsible for tumor relapse and metastatic behavior. Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) was recently reported to be a biomarker for gastrointestinal CSCs and involved in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor progression. B cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus insertion site 1 (Bmi-1) is a crucial regulator of CSC self-renewal, malignant transformation and EMT, and a previous study from our group showed that Bmi-1 is upregulated in pancreatic cancer progression and participates in EMT. However, it remains unclear whether DCLK1 is involved in pancreatic cancer or whether DCLK1 is associated with the altered level of Bmi-1 expression. Methods: The correlation of DCLK1 expression and clinical features of pancreatic cancer was analyzed in 210 paraffin-embedded archived pancreatic cancer specimens by immunohistochemical analysis. The biological effects of DCLK1 siRNA on cells were investigated by examining cell proliferation using a cell counting kit and cell colony assays, cell migration by wound healing assay and cell invasion by Transwell invasion assay. We further investigated the effect of therapeutic siRNA targeting DCLK1 on pancreatic cancer cell growth in vivo. Moreover, the molecular mechanism by which DCLK1 upregulates Bmi-1 expression was explored using real-time PCR, western blotting and Co-immunoprecipitation assay. Results: DCLK1 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and is related to metastasis and prognosis. Knockdown of DCLK1 markedly suppressed cell growth in vitro and in vivo and also inhibited the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Furthermore, we found that DCLK1 silencing could inhibit EMT in cancer cells via downregulation of Bmi-1 and the mesenchymal markers Snail and Vimentin and upregulation of the epithelial marker E-cadherin. Moreover, high DCLK1 expression in human pancreatic cancer samples was associated with a mesenchymal phenotype and increased cell proliferation. Further co-immunoprecipitation indicated that DCLK1 did not interact with Bmi-1 directly. Conclusion: Our data suggest that upregulation of DCLK1 may contribute to pancreatic cancer metastasis and poor prognosis by increasing Bmi-1 expression indirectly. The findings indicate that inhibiting DCLK1 expression might be a novel strategy for pancreatic cancer therapy.
Long Noncoding RNA SNHG16 Promotes Cell Proliferation by Sponging MicroRNA-205 and Upregulating ZEB1 Expression in Osteosarcoma
Authors: Zhu Chenlei , Cheng Dong , Qiu Xubin , Zhuang Ming , Liu Zhiwei 
Published: November 2018

Background/Aims: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been a research hotspot, as they play important roles in tumor development. However, their expression pattern and biological function in osteosarcoma have not yet been clarified. Methods: Differentially expressed lncRNAs in osteosarcoma and paracarcinoma tissues were identified by screening an lncRNA microarray, and candidate lncRNAs were verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). A series of bioinformatics and molecular biological methods were adopted to investigate the interaction among lncRNA, microRNA (miRNA), and miRNA target genes during the development and occurrence of osteosarcoma. Cell viability was measured using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Results: Chip microarray screening combined with the validation of differentially expressed candidate lncRNAs showed that the lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 16 (SNHG16) had the largest fold change. SNHG16 was highly expressed in osteosarcoma tissues and cell lines, and its downregulation led to the suppressed proliferation of osteosarcoma cells. Further investigations revealed that SNHG16 could upregulate zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) expression by acting as an endogenous sponge of miR-205. Moreover, rescue assays proved that the effects of SNHG16 on the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells were dependent on miR-205. Conclusion: SNHG16 can significantly enhance the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells. In addition, SNHG16, miR-205, and ZEB1 interact in a common pathway during the development and occurrence of osteosarcoma, providing novel targets for intervention in the treatment of osteosarcoma.
Addition to the knowledge of Cyphomyiactia costai Artigas, Papavero & Serra, 1991 (Asilidae, Laphriinae, Atomosiini): description of the male, and illustration of the holotype and structures of male and female terminalia
Authors: Vieira Rodrigo , Cezar Lucas De Araújo
Published: November 2018

The male of Cyphomyiactia costai Artigas, Papavero & Serra, 1991 is described and illustrated for the first time. New records are provided from the states of Bahia, Maranhão and Mato Grosso, Brazil. The holotype is illustrated, as well as structures of male and female terminalia.
Catalogue of Neotropical Curtonotidae (Diptera, Ephydroidea)
Authors: Mello Ramon Luciano , Pereira-Colavite Alessandre
Published: November 2018

The Neotropical species of Curtonotidae are updated and catalogued. A total of 33 species names are listed, including two fossil taxa and one nomem dubium. Valid and invalid names and synonyms are presented, totaling 45 names. Bibliographic references are given to all listed species, including information about name, author, year of publication, page number, type species and type locality. Lectotype and paralectotypes are designated to Curtonotum punctithorax (Fischer, 1933). Curtonotum simplex Schiner, 1868 stat. rev. is recognized as a valid name.
Description of the female of Poeciloxestia plagiata (Waterhouse, 1880), and of the male of Iuati spinithorax Martins & Galileo, 2010 (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae)
Authors: Nascimento Francisco Eriberto De Lima , Santos-Silva Antonio , Ramírez Hernández Juan José
Published: November 2018

Based on material recently collected in Peru (Loreto department) the female of Poeciloxestia plagiata (Waterhouse, 1880), and the male of Iuati spinithorax Martins & Galileo, 2010 are described and figured for the first time. Both species are recorded for the first time from Peru.
Por mais experimentos de escrita antropológica: Crumpled Paper Boat: Experiments in Ethnographic Writing, de Anand Pandian e Stuart McLean (orgs.)
Authors: Fleischer Soraya
Published: November 2018

Por mais experimentos de escrita antropológica: Crumpled Paper Boat: Experiments in Ethnographic Writing, de Anand Pandian e Stuart McLean (orgs.)
Catarrhal mastitis by Staphylococcus simulans in a nulliparous goat
Authors: De Moura Guilherme Santana , Marques Michele Flávia Sousa , De Souza Fernando Nogueira , Da Costa Luciana Bignardi Brisola Casimiro , Acosta Abad Atzel Candido , Mota Rinaldo Aparecido
Published: November 2018

The present paper is a case report of a one-year old nulliparous Alpine Goat belonging to a dairy goat farm in semi-arid region of Brazil. Both glands were naturally infected by α-hemolytic Staphylococcus simulans and evolved similar clinical signs. The mammary glands presented an acute catarrhal mastitis with systemic clinical signs that responded positively to treatment with gentamicin associated with amoxicillin. The present report suggests the importance of the pathogenic potential of non-aureus Staphylococci strains (NAS) as a cause of clinical mastitis also in nulliparous animals. The isolate showed resistance to tetracycline and contained staphylococcal toxin production genes (sec, sec and TSST-1). Moreover, it has been reported that Staphylococcus simulans is an emerging pathogen in humans causing cutaneous and osteoarticular infections, mainly in those in close contact with farm animals. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a clinical mastitis in a nulliparous goat caused by Staphylococcus simulans.