bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Investigation on the Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships of the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Diterpenoid Alkaloids
Authors: Li Xiao , Li Ning , Sui Zhenyu , Bi Kaishun , Li Zuojing
Published: February 2017

Diterpenoid alkaloids are extracted from plants. These compounds have broad biological activities, including effects on the cardiovascular system, anti-inflammatory and analgesic actions, and anti-tumor activity. The anti-inflammatory activity was determined by carrageenan-induced rat paw edema and experimental trauma in rats. The number of studies focused on the determination, quantitation and pharmacological properties of these alkaloids has increased dramatically during the past few years. In this work we built a dataset composed of 15 diterpenoid alkaloid compounds with diverse structures, of which 11 compounds were included in the training set and the remaining compounds were included in the test set. The quantitative chemistry parameters of the 15 diterpenoid alkaloids compound were calculated using the HyperChem software, and the quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) of these diterpenoid alkaloid compounds were assessed in an anti-inflammation model based on half maximal effective concentration (EC50) measurements obtained from rat paw edema data. The QSAR prediction model is as follows: log ( E C 50 ) = − 0.0260 × SAA + 0.0086 × SAG + 0.0011 × VOL − 0.0641 × HE − 0.2628 × LogP − 0.5594 × REF − 0.2211 × POL − 0.1964 × MASS + 0.088 × BE + 0.1398 × HF (R2 = 0.981, Q2 = 0.92). The validated consensus EC50 for the QSAR model, developed from the rat paw edema anti-inflammation model used in this study, indicate that this model was capable of effective prediction and can be used as a reliable computational predictor of diterpenoid alkaloid activity.
A General Asymmetric Synthesis of (R)-Matsutakeol and Flavored Analogs
Authors: Liu Jia , Li Honglian , Zheng Chao , Lu Shichao , Guo Xianru , Yin Xinming , Na Risong , Yu Bin , Wang Min
Published: February 2017

An efficient and practical synthetic route toward chiral matsutakeol and analogs was developed by asymmetric addition of terminal alkyne to aldehydes. (R)-matsutakeol and other flavored substances were feasibly synthesized from various alkylaldehydes in high yield (up to 49.5%, in three steps) and excellent enantiomeric excess (up to >99%). The protocols may serve as an alternative asymmetric synthetic method for active small-molecule library of natural fatty acid metabolites and analogs. These chiral allyl alcohols are prepared for food analysis and screening insect attractants.
Proteins in Soy Might Have a Higher Role in Cancer Prevention than Previously Expected: Soybean Protein Fractions Are More Effective MMP-9 Inhibitors Than Non-Protein Fractions, Even in Cooked Seeds
Authors: Lima Ana , Oliveira Jennifer , Saúde Filipe , Mota Joana , Ferreira Ricardo
Published: February 2017

The search for anticancer MMP-9 inhibitors (MMPIs) in food products has become a major goal for research. MMPIs in soy have been related only to saponins and isoflavones, but recently, low specific protein fractions in soybeans were shown to reduce MMP-9 activity as well. The present work aimed at comparing the MMPI potential of protein fractions (P) and non-protein fractions (NP) isolated from soybean seeds, before and after soaking and cooking, mimicking dietary exposures. Reverse and substrate zymography, as well as a fluoregenic DQ gelatin assay were used to evaluate MMP-9 activities. Colon cancer cell migration and proliferation was also tested in HT29 cells. Regarding MMP-9 inhibition, proteins in soy presented IC50 values 100 times lower than non-protein extracts, and remained active after cooking, suggesting that proteins may be more effective MMP-9 inhibitors than non-protein compounds. Using the determined IC50 concentrations, NP fractions were able to induce higher inhibitions of HT29 cell migration and proliferation, but not through MMP-9 inhibition, whilst protein fractions were shown to specifically inhibit MMP-9 activity. Overall, our results show that protein fractions in soybeans might have a higher role in soy-related cancer prevention as MMPIs than previously expected. Being nontoxic and active at lower concentrations, the discovery of these heat-resistant specific MMPI proteins in soy can be of significant importance for cancer preventive diets, particularly considering the increasing use of soy proteins in food products and the controversy around isoflavones amongst consumers.
Protein Nutrition and Malnutrition in CKD and ESRD
Authors: Zha Yan , Qian Qi
Published: February 2017

Elevated protein catabolism and protein malnutrition are common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). The underlying etiology includes, but is not limited to, metabolic acidosis intestinal dysbiosis; systemic inflammation with activation of complements, endothelin‐1 and renin‐angiotensin‐aldosterone (RAAS) axis; anabolic hormone resistance; energy expenditure elevation; and uremic toxin accumulation. All of these derangements can further worsen kidney function, leading to poor patient outcomes. Many of these CKD‐related derangements can be prevented and substantially reversed, representing an area of great potential to improve CKD and ESRD care. This review integrates known information and recent advances in the area of protein nutrition and malnutrition in CKD and ESRD. Management recommendations are summarized. Thorough understanding the pathogenesis and etiology of protein malnutrition in CKD and ESRD patients will undoubtedly facilitate the design and development of more effective strategies to optimize protein nutrition and improve outcomes.
Does Competency-Based Education Have a Role in Academic Pharmacy in the United States?
Authors: Medina Melissa
Published: February 2017

Competency-based Education (CBE) is an educational model that allows students to learn and demonstrate their abilities at their own pace. CBE is growing in popularity in undergraduate educational programs and its role in pharmacy education in the United States (US) is under review. In comparison, medical education is utilizing competency-based approaches (such as competencies and Entrustable Professional Activities) to ensure that students possess the required knowledge, skills, and attitudes prior to graduation or program completion. The concept of competency-based approaches is growing in use in pharmacy education in the US, but the future related to aspects of this concept (e.g., mandatory Entrustable Professional Activities) is not certain. A review of pharmacy education’s evolution in the US and a comparison of competency-related terms offers insight into the future use of competency-based approaches and CBE in pharmacy education in the US through the lens of benefits and challenges.
Sensitivity-Based Economic NMPC with a Path-Following Approach
Authors: Suwartadi Eka , Kungurtsev Vyacheslav , Jäschke Johannes
Published: February 2017

We present a sensitivity-based predictor-corrector path-following algorithm for fast nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) and demonstrate it on a large case study with an economic cost function. The path-following method is applied within the advanced-step NMPC framework to obtain fast and accurate approximate solutions of the NMPC problem. In our approach, we solve a sequence of quadratic programs to trace the optimal NMPC solution along a parameter change. A distinguishing feature of the path-following algorithm in this paper is that the strongly-active inequality constraints are included as equality constraints in the quadratic programs, while the weakly-active constraints are left as inequalities. This leads to close tracking of the optimal solution. The approach is applied to an economic NMPC case study consisting of a process with a reactor, a distillation column and a recycler. We compare the path-following NMPC solution with an ideal NMPC solution, which is obtained by solving the full nonlinear programming problem. Our simulations show that the proposed algorithm effectively traces the exact solution.
AMPS/AAm/AAc Terpolymerization: Experimental Verification of the EVM Framework for Ternary Reactivity Ratio Estimation
Authors: Scott Alison , Kazemi Niousha , Penlidis Alexander
Published: February 2017

The complete error-in-variables-model (EVM) framework, consisting of both design of experiments and parameter estimation stages, is applied to the terpolymerization of 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS, M1), acrylamide (AAm, M2) and acrylic acid (AAc, M3). This water-soluble terpolymer has potential for applications in enhanced oil recovery, but the associated terpolymerization kinetic characteristics are largely unstudied. In the current paper, EVM is used to design optimal experiments (for the first time in the literature), and reactivity ratios are subsequently estimated based on both low and medium-high conversion data. The results from the medium-high conversion data are more precise than those from the low conversion data, and are therefore used next to predict the terpolymer composition trajectory over the full course of conversion. Good agreement is seen between experimental data and model predictions, which confirms the accuracy of the newly determined ternary reactivity ratios: r12 = 0.66, r21 = 0.82, r13 = 0.82, r31 = 0.61, r23 = 1.61, r32 = 0.25.
Quantifying Variation in Gait Features from Wearable Inertial Sensors Using Mixed Effects Models
Authors: Cresswell Kellen , Shin Yongyun , Chen Shanshan
Published: February 2017

The emerging technology of wearable inertial sensors has shown its advantages in collecting continuous longitudinal gait data outside laboratories. This freedom also presents challenges in collecting high-fidelity gait data. In the free-living environment, without constant supervision from researchers, sensor-based gait features are susceptible to variation from confounding factors such as gait speed and mounting uncertainty, which are challenging to control or estimate. This paper is one of the first attempts in the field to tackle such challenges using statistical modeling. By accepting the uncertainties and variation associated with wearable sensor-based gait data, we shift our efforts from detecting and correcting those variations to modeling them statistically. From gait data collected on one healthy, non-elderly subject during 48 full-factorial trials, we identified four major sources of variation, and quantified their impact on one gait outcome—range per cycle—using a random effects model and a fixed effects model. The methodology developed in this paper lays the groundwork for a statistical framework to account for sources of variation in wearable gait data, thus facilitating informative statistical inference for free-living gait analysis.
Intelligent RFID Indoor Localization System Using a Gaussian Filtering Based Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Wang Changzhi , Shi Zhicai , Wu Fei
Published: February 2017

Nowadays, the increasing demands of location-based services (LBS) have spurred the rapid development of indoor positioning systems (IPS). However, the performance of IPSs is affected by the fluctuation of the measured signal. In this study, a Gaussian filtering algorithm based on an extreme learning machine (ELM) is proposed to address the problem of inaccurate indoor positioning when significant Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) fluctuations happen during the measurement process. The Gaussian filtering method is analyzed and compared, which can effectively filter out the fluctuant signals that were caused by the environment effects in an RFID-based positioning system. Meanwhile, the fast learning ability of the proposed ELM algorithm can reduce the time consumption for the offline and online service, and establishes the network positioning regression model between the signal strengths of the tags and their corresponding positions. The proposed positioning system is tested in a real experimental environment. In addition, system test results demonstrate that the positioning algorithms can not only provide higher positioning accuracy, but also achieve a faster computational efficiency compared with other previous algorithms.
The Escape of Cancer from T Cell-Mediated Immune Surveillance: HLA Class I Loss and Tumor Tissue Architecture
Authors: Garrido Federico , Perea Francisco , Bernal Mónica , Sánchez-Palencia Abel , Aptsiauri Natalia , Ruiz-Cabello Francisco
Published: February 2017

Tumor immune escape is associated with the loss of tumor HLA class I (HLA-I) expression commonly found in malignant cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that the efficacy of immunotherapy depends on the expression levels of HLA class I molecules on tumors cells. It also depends on the molecular mechanism underlying the loss of HLA expression, which could be reversible/“soft” or irreversible/“hard” due to genetic alterations in HLA, β2-microglobulin or IFN genes. Immune selection of HLA-I negative tumor cells harboring structural/irreversible alterations has been demonstrated after immunotherapy in cancer patients and in experimental cancer models. Here, we summarize recent findings indicating that tumor HLA-I loss also correlates with a reduced intra-tumor T cell infiltration and with a specific reorganization of tumor tissue. T cell immune selection of HLA-I negative tumors results in a clear separation between the stroma and the tumor parenchyma with leucocytes, macrophages and other mononuclear cells restrained outside the tumor mass. Better understanding of the structural and functional changes taking place in the tumor microenvironment may help to overcome cancer immune escape and improve the efficacy of different immunotherapeutic strategies. We also underline the urgent need for designing strategies to enhance tumor HLA class I expression that could improve tumor rejection by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL).
Long-Term Impact of Sediment Deposition and Erosion on Water Surface Profiles in the Ner River
Authors: Dysarz Tomasz , Szałkiewicz Ewelina , Wicher-Dysarz Joanna
Published: February 2017

The purpose of the paper is to test forecasting of the sediment transport process, taking into account two main uncertainties involved in sediment transport modeling. These are: the lack of knowledge regarding future flows, and the uncertainty with respect to which sediment transport formula should be chosen for simulations. The river reach chosen for study is the outlet part of the Ner River, located in the central part of Poland. The main characteristic of the river is the presence of an intensive morphodynamic process, increasing flooding frequency. The approach proposed here is based on simulations with a sediment-routing model and assessment of the hydraulic condition changes on the basis of hydrodynamic calculations for the chosen characteristic flows. The data used include Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), cross-section measurements, and hydrological observations from the Dabie gauge station. The sediment and hydrodynamic calculations are performed using program HEC-RAS 5.0. Twenty inflow scenarios are of a 10-year duration and are composed on the basis of historical data. Meyer-Peter and Müller and Engelund-Hansen formulae are applied for the calculation of sediment transport intensity. The methodology presented here seems to be a good tool for the prediction of long-term impacts on water surface profiles caused by sediment deposition and erosion.
Highly reactive, liquid diacrylamides via synergistic combination of spatially arranged curing moieties
Authors: Maier Maximilian , Schmidt Magnus S , Ringwald Markus , Fik Christoph P
Published: February 2017

Six polymerizable N,N’-diacylamides containing spatially arranged N-acryl, N-allyl and/or N-alkyl groups were prepared via two-step syntheses and characterized by 1H/13C NMR-spectra, refractive index (RI) and viscosity measurements. Photo DSC measurements on activated samples provided reactivity parameters ∆Hp, Rp,max and tmax, while FTIR spectra before and after curing elucidated the underlying polymerization mechanism. Mechanical testing of the obtained polymers exhibited gradual differences in network densities, depending on the intramolecular arrangement and number of functional groups. Overall, a general building principle for highly reactive, liquid diacrylamides via synergistic combination of optimally arranged functional groups could be identified. The highest possible level of intramolecular synergism was found for low viscous N,N'-diacryloyl-N,N'-diallyl-1,4-but-2-enediamine.
EPIC 219388192b—An Inhabitant of the Brown Dwarf Desert in the Ruprecht 147 Open Cluster
Authors: Nowak Grzegorz , Palle Enric , Gandolfi Davide , Dai Fei , Lanza Antonino F. , Hirano Teruyuki , Barragán Oscar , Fukui Akihiko , Bruntt Hans , Endl Michael , Cochran William D. , Moroni Pier G. Prada , Prieto-Arranz Jorge , Kiilerich Amanda , Nespral David , Hatzes Artie P. , Albrecht Simon , Deeg Hans , Winn Joshua N. , Yu Liang , Kuzuhara Masayuki , Grziwa Sascha , Smith Alexis M. S. , Guenther Eike W. , Eylen Vincent Van , Csizmadia Szilard , Fridlund Malcolm , Cabrera Juan , Eigmüller Philipp , Erikson Anders , Korth Judith , Narita Norio , Pätzold Martin , Rauer Heike , Ribas Ignasi
Published: February 2017

We report the discovery of EPIC 219388192b, a transiting brown dwarf in a 5.3 day orbit around a member star of Ruprecht 147, the oldest nearby open cluster association, which was photometrically monitored by K2 during its Campaign 7. We combine the K2 time-series data with ground-based adaptive optics imaging and high-resolution spectroscopy to rule out false positive scenarios and determine the main parameters of the system. EPIC 219388192b has a radius of

R
Jup and mass of

M
Jup, yielding a mean density of

. The host star is nearly a solar twin with mass

M
⊙, radius

R
⊙, effective temperature T
eff = 5850 ±  85 K, and iron abundance [Fe/H] = 0.03 ± 0.08 dex. Its age, spectroscopic distance, and reddening are consistent with those of Ruprecht 147, corroborating its cluster membership. EPIC 219388192b is the first mature brown dwarf with precise determinations of mass, radius, and age, and serves as benchmark for evolutionary models in the substellar regime.
K2-60b and K2-107b. A Sub-Jovian and a Jovian Planet from the K2 Mission
Authors: Eigmüller Philipp , Gandolfi Davide , Persson Carina M. , Donati Paolo , Fridlund Malcolm , Csizmadia Szilard , Barragán Oscar , Smith Alexis M. S. , Cabrera Juan , Korth Judith , Grziwa Sascha , Prieto-Arranz Jorge , Nespral David , Saario Joonas , Cochran William D. , Cusano Felice , Deeg Hans J. , Endl Michael , Erikson Anders , Guenther Eike W. , Hatzes Artie P. , Pätzold Martin , Rauer Heike
Published: February 2017

We report the characterization and independent detection of K2-60b, as well as the detection and characterization of K2-107b, two transiting hot gaseous planets from the K2 space mission. We confirm the planetary nature of the two systems and determine their fundamental parameters combining the K2 time-series data with FIES@NOT and HARPS-N@TNG spectroscopic observations. K2-60b has a radius of 0.683 ± 0.037 R
Jup and a mass of 0.426 ± 0.037 M
Jup and orbits a G4 V star with an orbital period of 3.00267 ± 0.00006 days. K2-107b has a radius of 1.44 ± 0.15 R
Jup and a mass of 0.84 ± 0.08 M
Jup and orbits an F9 IV star every 3.31392 ± 0.00002 days. K2-60b is among the few planets at the edge of the so-called “desert” of short-period sub-Jovian planets. K2-107b is a highly inflated Jovian planet orbiting an evolved star about to leave the main sequence.
Seven-year Collection of Well-monitored Fermi-LAT Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglows
Authors: Panaitescu A.
Published: February 2017

We present the light curves and spectra of 24 afterglows that have been monitored by Fermi-LAT at 0.1–100 GeV over more than a decade. All light curves (except 130427) are consistent with a single power law starting from their peaks, which occur in most cases before the burst end. The light curves display a brightness–decay rate correlation, with all but one (130427) of the bright afterglows decaying faster than the dimmer afterglows. We attribute this dichotomy to the quick deposition of relativistic ejecta energy in the external shock for the brighter/faster-decaying afterglows and to an extended energy injection in the afterglow shock for the dimmer/slower-decaying light curves. The spectra of six afterglows (090328, 100414, 110721, 110731, 130427, 140619B) indicate the existence of a harder component above a spectral dip or ankle at energies of 0.3–3 GeV, offering evidence for inverse-Compton emission at higher energies and suggesting that the harder power-law spectra of five other LAT afterglows (130327B, 131231, 150523, 150627, 160509) could also be inverse-Compton, while the remaining, softer LAT afterglows should be synchrotron emission. Marginal evidence for a spectral break and softening at higher energies is found for two afterglows (090902B and 090926).
Dust Radiative Transfer Modeling of the Infrared Ring around the Magnetar SGR 1900+14
Authors: Natale G. , Rea N. , Lazzati D. , Perna R. , Torres D. F. , Girart J. M.
Published: February 2017

A peculiar infrared ring-like structure was discovered by Spitzer around the strongly magnetized neutron star SGR 1900+14. This infrared (IR) structure was suggested to be due to a dust-free cavity, produced by the Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs) Giant Flare occurring in 1998, and kept illuminated by surrounding stars. Using a 3D dust radiative transfer code, we aimed to reproduce the emission morphology and the integrated emission flux of this structure assuming different spatial distributions and densities for the dust, and different positions for the illuminating stars. We found that a dust-free ellipsoidal cavity can reproduce the shape, flux, and spectrum of the ring-like IR emission, provided that the illuminating stars are inside the cavity and that the interstellar medium has high gas density (n
H ∼ 1000 cm−3). We further constrain the emitting region to have a sharp inner boundary and to be significantly extended in the radial direction, possibly even just a cavity in a smooth molecular cloud. We discuss possible scenarios for the formation of the dustless cavity and the particular geometry that allows it to be IR-bright.
Propagation Characteristics of Two Coronal Mass Ejections from the Sun Far into Interplanetary Space
Authors: Zhao Xiaowei , Liu Ying D. , Hu Huidong , Wang Rui
Published: February 2017

Propagation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun far into interplanetary space is not well understood, due to limited observations. In this study we examine the propagation characteristics of two geo-effective CMEs, which occurred on 2005 May 6 and 13, respectively. Significant heliospheric consequences associated with the two CMEs are observed, including interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs) at the Earth and Ulysses, interplanetary shocks, a long-duration type II radio burst, and intense geomagnetic storms. We use coronagraph observations from SOHO/LASCO, frequency drift of the long-duration type II burst, in situ measurements at the Earth and Ulysses, and magnetohydrodynamic propagation of the observed solar wind disturbances at 1 au to track the CMEs from the Sun far into interplanetary space. We find that both of the CMEs underwent a major deceleration within 1 au and thereafter a gradual deceleration when they propagated from the Earth to deep interplanetary space, due to interactions with the ambient solar wind. The results also reveal that the two CMEs interacted with each other in the distant interplanetary space even though their launch times on the Sun were well separated. The intense geomagnetic storm for each case was caused by the southward magnetic fields ahead of the CME, stressing the critical role of the sheath region in geomagnetic storm generation, although for the first case there is a corotating interaction region involved.
Connection between Stellar Mass Distributions within Galaxies and Quenching Since z = 2
Authors: Mosleh Moein , Tacchella Sandro , Renzini Alvio , Carollo C. Marcella , Molaeinezhad Alireza , Onodera Masato , Khosroshahi Habib G. , Lilly Simon
Published: February 2017

We study the history from

to

of the stellar mass assembly of quiescent and star-forming galaxies in a spatially resolved fashion. For this purpose, we use multi-wavelength imaging data from the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) over the GOODS fields and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) for the local population. We present the radial stellar mass surface density profiles of galaxies with

, corrected for mass-to-light ratio (

/L) variations, and derive the half-mass-radius (R

m
), central stellar mass surface density within 1 kpc (

) and surface density at R

m
(

) for star-forming and quiescent galaxies and study their evolution with redshift. At fixed stellar mass, the half-mass sizes of quiescent galaxies increase from

to

by a factor of

, whereas the half-mass sizes of star-forming galaxies increase only slightly, by a factor of ∼2. The central densities

of quiescent galaxies decline slightly (by a factor of

) from

to

, while for star-forming galaxies

increases with time, at fixed mass. We show that the central density

has a tighter correlation with specific star-formation rate (sSFR) than

and for all masses and redshifts galaxies with higher central density are more prone to be quenched. Reaching a high central density (

) seems to be a prerequisite for the cessation of star formation, though a causal link between high

and quenching is difficult to prove and their correlation can have a different origin.
Broad-lined Supernova 2016coi with a Helium Envelope
Authors: Yamanaka Masayuki , Nakaoka Tatsuya , Tanaka Masaomi , Maeda Keiichi , Honda Satoshi , Hanayama Hidekazu , Morokuma Tomoki , Imai Masataka , Kinugasa Kenzo , Murata Katsuhiro L. , Nishimori Takefumi , Hashimoto Osamu , Gima Hirotaka , Hosoya Kensuke , Ito Ayano , Karita Mayu , Kawabata Miho , Morihana Kumiko , Morikawa Yuto , Murakami Kotone , Nagayama Takahiro , Ono Tatsuharu , Onozato Hiroki , Sarugaku Yuki , Sato Mitsuteru , Suzuki Daisuke , Takahashi Jun , Takayama Masaki , Yaguchi Hijiri , Akitaya Hiroshi , Asakura Yuichiro , Kawabata Koji S. , Kuroda Daisuke , Nogami Daisaku , Oasa Yumiko , Omodaka Toshihiro , Saito Yoshihiko , Sekiguchi Kazuhiro , Tominaga Nozomu , Uemura Makoto , Watanabe Makoto
Published: February 2017

We present the early-phase spectra and the light curves of the broad-lined (BL) supernova (SN) 2016coi from t = 7 to 67 days after the estimated explosion date. This SN was initially reported as a BL Type SN Ic (SN Ic-BL). However, we found that spectra up to t = 12 days exhibited the He i
λ5876, λ6678, and λ7065 absorption lines. We show that the smoothed and blueshifted spectra of normal SNe Ib are remarkably similar to the observed spectrum of SN 2016coi. The line velocities of SN 2016coi were similar to those of SNe Ic-BL and significantly faster than those of SNe Ib. Analyses of the line velocity and light curve suggest that the kinetic energy and the total ejecta mass of SN 2016coi are similar to those of SNe Ic-BL. Together with BL SNe 2009bb and 2012ap, for which the detection of He i was also reported, these SNe could be transitional objects between SNe Ic-BL and SNe Ib, and be classified as BL Type “Ib” SNe (SNe “Ib”-BL). Our work demonstrates the diversity of the outermost layer in BL SNe, which should be related to the variety of the evolutionary paths.
Telaprevir-Containing Triple Therapy in Acute HCV Coinfection: The CHAT Study
Authors:   the CHAT study group, Boesecke Christoph , Singh Gurmit K Jagjit , Scholten Stefan H-A , Lutz Thomas , Baumgarten Axel , Schneeweiss Stephan M , Trein Andreas , Rausch Michael , Ingiliz Patrick , Rockstroh Jürgen K , Nelson Mark
Published: February 2017

Background

No published randomized controlled data on the use of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) in acute hepatitis C (AHC) coinfection exist. However, with the AHC epidemic ongoing among men who have sex with men (MSM) these are urgently needed.

Methods

The CHAT study is a randomized controlled trial of pegylated interferon + ribavirin (PR) plus telaprevir (TVR) for 12–24 weeks versus PR alone for 24–48 weeks in the response-guided treatment of patients with AHC genotype (GT) 1 infection and HIV-1 coinfection in Germany and Great Britain.

Results

34 patients were included: 15 were randomized to the PR arm (arm 1), 19 to the TVR + PR arm (arm 2). All patients were MSM, median age was 40 years. 55% had IL28B C/C GT. Median baseline HCV RNA was 291,227 IU/ml, median alanine aminotransferase was 105 U/l. 85% received cART, all had baseline HIV RNA <40 copies/ml. Overall sustained virological response (SVR12) rate was 79.4% (27/34). SVR12 was seen in 12/15 (80%) in arm 1 and in 15/19 (79.8%) in arm 2. Of the four patients without SVR in arm 2, one experienced viraI breakthrough, two were non-responders; in one case HCV protease inhibitor (PI)-associated mutations were selected under TVR (V36M, R155K).

Conclusions

Due to moderate response rates and additional toxicities 1st generation HCV PIs should not be used in treating acute HCV. While not being licensed, recent study data and guidelines support the use of dual DAA therapy but optimal treatment duration in acute HCV needs further investigation.
Correlation between Soil Transmitted Helminth Infection and Eosinophil Levels among Primary School Children in Medan
Authors: Darlan Dewi Masyithah , Tala Zaimah Z. , Amanta Cellya , Warli Syah Mirsya , Arrasyid Nurfida Khairina
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND: Soil Transmitted Helminth infection is one of most prevalent health problems worldwide, especially in environments with poor sanitation. Based on World Health Organisation (WHO) data, more than 2 billion people, or 24% of the world's population, are infected with intestinal parasite. The highest prevalence is located in areas of poor sanitation and unsafe water supplies. In Indonesia, the prevalence of parasite infections is 15% of the entire population.AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between Soil Transmitted Helminth infection on levels of eosinophils among primary school children. In addition, this study also aimed to determine the prevalence of different types of worm infections and the levels of eosinophils in children infected with worms.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was analytic observational using a cross-sectional method. The sampling technique was consecutive and in total 132 samples was obtained. The study involved primary school children in Amplas Medan and Hamparan Perak, Deli Serdang through May to October 2016. Univariate analysis was performed to determine STH infection prevalence and bivariate analysis was used to find the correlation between STH infection and eosinophil levels through a Chi square (X2) test. Â RESULTS: The results showed that the prevalence of Soil Transmitted Helminth was 7.6%. The most common types of STH infection were 3.8% with Trichuris trichiura and 3% with Ascaris lumbricoides. A significant correlation was found between Parasite infection and eosinophil levels (Contingency Coefficient (C) = 0.2, X2 = 5.3, p = 0.021) and the risk of STH infection that caused eosinophilia or increased eosinophil levels in the children with a Prevalence Ratio (PR) of 1.56 (Confidence Interval (CI) 95%: 1.10-2.22).CONCLUSION: It is recommended that schools at similar risk improve and maintain hygiene and healthy behaviour in the school environment and that parents and teachers pay greater attention to the cleanliness of their children.
Surveillance of the Most Prevalent Medical Diseases among Pediatric Age Groups and Evaluation of the Control Measures Used At Tabuk Hospitals, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Al Tabbal Ameinah Omar , Al Humedi Seham Sulaiman
Published: February 2017

BACKGROUND: During the last decades, medical recordings has increased dramatically leading to more awareness of the diseases commonly affecting paediatric age groups opening a wide entrance to the prevention of possible complications and decrease its incidence.AIM: This article aims to assess the prevalence of the commonly encountered paediatric medical diseases by affected system among admitted paediatric patients of different age groups in Tabuk and to identify their burden.METHODS: This is a retrospective research studying disease pattern according to age, gender, nationality, admission status and length of stay.RESULTS: Admissions due to respiratory system disorders were the most common among children under the age of six years (39.7%). Acute gastroenteritis was the most common disease leading to hospitalisation of children below the age of three years and cast a financial burden heavily on family and society.CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory diseases and acute gastroenteritis constitute a significant burden of childhood illnesses in Tabuk City. Efforts are required to reduce the impact to achieve the Saudi ministry of health (SMOH) Goal. Even though Rota vaccine is added to the national Saudi program of vaccination schedule, other causes should be looked for, and preventive measures are important as a part of public education.
Clinical Outcome of Total Knee Arthroplasty After Prior Microfracture: A Matched Cohort Study
Authors: Ansari Mohammad Humza , Pareek Ayoosh , Johnson Nick R. , Abdel Matthew P. , Stuart Michael J. , Krych Aaron J.
Published: February 2017

Microfracture (MFX) is a common operation for articular cartilage lesions. Data for patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty (TKA) after previous MFX are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine the outcomes, complications, and factors that influence outcomes in patients with previous MFX compared with those without previous MFX. Between 2005 and 2014, twenty-one TKAs were performed at a single tertiary care academic institution in patients with prior history of MFX surgery. These patients were retrospectively reviewed and matched 2:1 to patients who did not undergo previous MFX (n=42). Knee Society Score (KSS) (Subjective [KSS-S] and Function [KSS-F]) and complications were documented. Mean KSS-S in the MFX group increased significantly less (52.9 to 77.6) (
P
<.01) compared with the control group (51.3 to 83.8) (
P
<.01). The MFX group also demonstrated significantly less improvement in KSS-F from 63.0 to 88.9 (
P
=.02), whereas the control group demonstrated improvement from 52.4 to 87.1 (
P
=.02). At 5 years, the failure rate was 4.8% in the MFX group and 2.4% in the control group. Multivariate analysis found that older age at TKA resulted in smaller improvement in KSS-S. Paired relationships between increased age and decreased preoperative range of motion and women with an increased body mass index negatively affected KSS-S. Survivorship was similar between groups, but patients with MFX had slightly less clinical improvement compared with a matched control group. This study suggests that underlying patient factors may limit clinical improvement compared with primary TKA. [
Orthopedics.
2017; 40(3):e473–e478.]
Downtime Reduction on Medical Equipment Maintenance at The Directorate of Biomedical Engineering in the Jordanian MOH
Authors: Al-Bashir Adnan , Al-Tawarah Akram , Abdul Jawwad Abdul Kareem
Published: February 2017

Medical equipment needs to be managed effectively and carefully from the first step of buying the equipment till being scraped. This includes purchasing procedure, operational procedures and he maintenance policies used in this regards. Managing the maintenance of medical equipment is vital for the patient and for the hospital itself. One of the main problems in healthcare sector today is the availability of medical equipment, which is largely affected by downtime variation needed to repair the medical equipment. This study presents a process improvement study applied on the Downtime of the medical equipments during the maintenance work in the Jordanian of Health Hospitals, based on customized Six Sigma methodology- DMAIC- (Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control). Data was collected from different locations and different equipments to study the problem and make the necessary actions to resolve or reduce downtime. Obtained results indicate that the downtime reduced by 35% by introducing a new procedure to the clinical engineer to used when dealing with any medical equipment for maintenance work.
Android APP Development of Remote Wireless Automatic Meter Reading System based on 3G
Authors: Feng Lei , Yang Chuang , Zheng Wenbin , Fu Ping
Published: February 2017

Urban water supply pipe network is critical infrastructure for the survival of people. Efficient operation of equipment, water supply and water safety are always received great attention from the government and operators. The existing way of manual meter reading and manual inspection has the drawbacks of waste time and labor. To solve this problem, we developed databases, software platforms and mobile terminal APP (Application) based on Android operating system to integrate a remote wireless automatic meter reading system based on the existing remote wireless automatic reading meter devices which are our previous research work. The system realizes the remote monitoring of the pipe network, and it also realizes the remote control of the monitoring nodes, such as the camera shooting, selection of monitoring node's working mode and so on, which data feedback is accurate and timely, monitoring methods is simple, fast and efficient. In addition, compared to traditional methods, the system greatly reduced the manpower and resources, reduce monitoring costs. And the tests and experiments show this remote wireless automatic meter reading and control system is useful and effective.
A Reconfigurable IoT Architecture with Energy Efficient Event-Based Data Traffic Reduction Scheme
Authors: Tiwari Varun , Keskar Avinash , Shivaprakash NC
Published: February 2017

Designing an Internet of Things (IoT) enabled environment requires integration of various things/devices. Integrating these devices require a generalized approach as these devices can have different communication protocols. In this paper, we have proposed generalized nodes for connecting various devices. These nodes are capable of creating a scalable local wireless network that connects to the cloud through a network gateway. The nodes also support over the air programming to re-configure the network from the cloud. As number of devices connected to the cloud increases, the network traffic also increases. In order to reduce the network traffic we have used different data transfer schemes for the network. We have also proposed an event-based data transfer scheme for situations where there is low probability of change in sensor value. The experimental results shows that the event-based scheme reduces the data traffic by up to 48% under practical conditions without any loss of information compared to priority based data transfer. We have also shown that the proposed scheme is more reliable for data transfer in a large network with a success rate of 99.5% measured over 200 minutes for 1201 data packets.
A New Energy-efficient Multi-target Coverage Control Protocol Using Event-driven-mechanism in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Sun Zeyu , Tao Rong , Li Longxing , Xing Xiaofei
Published: February 2017

The covering problem and node deployment is a fundamental problem in the research into wireless sensor networks. The number of nodes and the coverage of a network can directly affect performance and operating costs. For this reason, we propose Event-driven-mechanism Coverage Control Protocol (ECCP). The algorithm uses the correlation between the nodes and dynamic grouping to adjust the coverage area. Within the coverage area, we use the greedy algorithm to optimize the coverage area. So the target node is uniformly covered by other sensor nodes and the network resource is optimized. To ensure the energy balance in the wireless sensor network and extend its lifetime, we only wake partial nodes to work in a cycle, so that they can work in turn. Experiments show that the algorithm can effectively reduce energy consumption, with better adaptability and effectiveness.
An Innovative Remote-Lab Framework for Educational Experimentation
Authors: Farag Wael
Published: February 2017

This  paper describes  a flexible and scalable architecture  of  remote  laboratories  developed  for students  for  experimentation  in  educational  institutions,  research  labs  and technology  companies.  The framework and procedures for multi-remote labs environment are explained. The development of the lab client software as a Rich Internet Application (RIA) is described. The utilization of low-cost hardware and software packages to provide the interface to the labs equipment is shown, and the deployment of Web Services as the communication medium between the Lab Server and the Lab Client is presented.A case study for a remote lab, the Microcontroller Kit Remote IDE, was carried out. Any student can connect to the remote lab and performs each experiment while watching the equipment during execution via a webcam feed. The whole lab is accessible from any PC connected to the internet.
Designing for the Power to Act Together in organisations : the case of a business process
Authors: Poret Céline , Folcher Viviane , Motté Florence , Haradji Yvon
Published: February 2017

With regard to transformations of the economic environment and structural changes in companies which now conceptualize their performance on the basis of their cross-functional processes, it is essential to understand the efficiency levers that organisations employ to cope with customer requests. One of these levers is cross-functional cooperation between actors who are members of the same process, based on a new kind of collective activity : cross-functional and transactional collective activity (Motté & Haradji, 2010 ; Poret, 2015). This collective activity involves actors who are members of a same process cooperating by crossing over the organisation’s various boundaries. Taking an understanding of the modes of coordination which form the basis for cooperation between members of the same cross-functional process, this research highlights the existence of instruments (Cooperative Transitional Instruments (Poret, ibid)) that allow these actors to cross the organisation’s typical boundaries in order to cooperate, and proposes a criteria for the IT and organisational system in order to durably anchor cross-functionality and enable the Power to Act Together at the heart of organisations.
An Empirical Investigation of M-Government Acceptance in Developing Countries
Authors: Mwirigi Gilbert Bundi , Zo Hangjung , Rho Jae Jeung , Park Min Jae
Published: February 2017

Technological development in the past decade has motivated governments in developing countries to focus on leveraging new technologies for efficient and effective public service delivery. M-government has been singled out as one of the fundamental aspect for socio-economic growth in developing countries. Therefore, this study aims at investigating the factors that influence individuals in adoption of new technology, specifically m-government in the context of developing countries. Precisely, this study was to present and empirically validate a research model based on user behavior that examine m-government acceptance in developing countries and inspect the moderating role of facilitating conditions on m-government adoption. The research model was tested using data from 248 respondents from Kenya, surveyed between August and September 2011. The results indicated that the proposed model explained a variance of 60.5 percent of behavior intention to use m-government. In addition, facilitating conditions were found to be a crucial spur to m-government acceptance in developing countries.
Open Source Technology for Medical Practice in Developing Countries
Authors: Chavez Afton , Kovarik Carrie
Published: February 2017

The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of the role of open source technologies within medical practice in developing countries. First, the background and meaning of “open source” principles is explored. Second, several fields of open source implementation are described. These include open source software, hardware, and digital content. Within each field, specific case studies are given to illustrate how the technologies have been adapted to the developing world for usage in information and communication sharing, electronic data management, mobile data collection, disease mapping, scholarly publication, and education. The issues and controversies, as well as future research directions and solutions are addressed.
“It Has Been Quite a Journey”
Authors: Khumalo Njabulo Bruce
Published: February 2017

Zimbabwe's health information system has developed over the years from a paper-based system using T-tally systems which had their fair share of successes and challenges. These challenges prompted the then Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, now, the Ministry of Health and Child Care and its partners to implement electronic health information management systems. This chapter therefore describes the challenges faced in Zimbabwe's health information management and how the Ministry of Health and Child Care and its partners responded to these challenges. The study also highlights success stories in health information management in the country. The purpose of the study is achieved through a literature review covering health information management in Zimbabwe.
Digital Democracy in Authoritarian Russia
Authors: Baarda Rachel
Published: February 2017

Digital media is expected to promote political participation in government. Around the world, from the United States to Europe, governments have been implementing e-government (use of of the Internet to make bureaucracy more efficient) and promising e-democracy (increased political participation by citizens). Does digital media enable citizens to participate more easily in government, or can authoritarian governments interfere with citizens' ability to speak freely and obtain information? This study of digital media in Russia will show that while digital media can be used by Russian citizens to gain information and express opinions, Kremlin ownership of print media, along with censorship laws and Internet surveillance, can stifle the growth of digital democracy. Though digital media appears to hold promise for increasing citizen participation, this study will show that greater consideration needs to be given to the power of authoritarian governments to suppress civic discourse on the Internet.