bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Community’s Perception and Attitude towards People with Epilepsy in Ethiopia
Authors: Fekadu Wubalem , Mekonen Tesfa , Bitew Shemelash , Mekonnen Tefera Chanie , Menberu Melak , Shewangizaw Seble
Published: November 2019

Introduction. Most people with epilepsy suffer from a dual burden. In one hand, they struggle with the symptoms and disabilities on the other hand from misconceptions and stigma associated with it. But there are no recent studies which assess the community’s perception and attitude. Objective. To assess the perception and attitude of the community towards people with epilepsy and identify associated factors. Methods. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in South Ethiopia from a total of 701 participants. Data were collected with face to face interview using a structured questionnaire developed based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). Data were presented with frequencies, tables, and figures. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was done to identify significantly important variables. The presence of association was presented by odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. Ethical clearance was obtained from Wolaita Sodo University. Results. The most frequently mentioned perceived causes for epilepsy were stress (91%), substance use (61.8%), and bad spirit (49.8%) while loss of consciousness and falling (80.7%) and sleep problems (78%) were considered symptoms of epilepsy. Only 13.1% of the participants think that they may be susceptible for epilepsy. Six hundred sixty (94.2%) participants will not employ a person with epilepsy while only 47 (6.7%) of the participants will allow a family member to marry a person with epilepsy. In multivariable analysis, understanding the illness as a medical problem was associated with perceived susceptibility and perceived benefit of modern treatment was significantly associated with having a current medical problem. Conclusions. The knowledge about the cause, possible susceptibility, better treatment options, and attitude of the participants were similar to other low-income settings. The negative attitude was high and multidimensional. All stakeholders must work to increase awareness about the cause, symptoms, and treatment options for epilepsy and to decrease the negative attitude of the community.
Combination Synchronization of Three Different Fractional‐Order Delayed Chaotic Systems
Authors: Li Bo , Zhou Xiaobing , Wang Yun
Published: November 2019

Time delay is a frequently encountered phenomenon in some practical engineering systems and introducing time delay into a system can enrich its dynamic characteristics. There has been a plenty of interesting results on fractional‐order chaotic systems or integer‐order delayed chaotic systems, but the problem of synchronization of fractional‐order chaotic systems with time delays is in the primary stage. Combination synchronization of three different fractional‐order delayed chaotic systems is investigated in this paper. It is an extension of combination synchronization of delayed chaotic systems or combination synchronization of fractional‐order chaotic systems. With the help of stability theory of linear fractional‐order systems with multiple time delays, we design controllers to achieve combination synchronization of three different fractional‐order delayed chaotic systems. In addition, numerical simulations have been performed to demonstrate and verify the theoretical analysis.
Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of the Medicinal Plant Veronica biloba
Authors: Hassan Amir , Ullah Himayat
Published: November 2019

Plants are naturally God gifted for the synthesis of medicinal compound and provide a great help in a new discovery in the area of chemical diversity because of the unknown availability either as a standardized extract or as a pure compound. The medicinal plant Veronica biloba extracts obtained through Soxhlet and maceration methods were subjected to preliminary antimicrobial screening against pathogenic microorganisms. Fractionation was performed using liquid-liquid extracts such as ethyl acetate, water, dichloromethane, and hexane extract of plant, and the fractions were tested for antifungal activity and antibacterial activity using well-diffusion method at sample concentration of 10–30 μL. The result indicated that all extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against all test pathogens. The ethyl acetate extract showed greater activity than other corresponding extracts. Among various extracts, only the ethyl acetate extract show potential against bacterial (gram negative and gram positive) and fungus test strain greater than standard Nystatin test control. Thus, the extract of Veronica biloba could be used to treat microbial (fungus and bacterial strain) infection.
Association of Common Variants in HNF1A Gene with Serum AFP Level in Healthy Chinese Individuals and HCC Patients
Authors: Li Xue-jun , Shao Dong-hua , He Mei-lin , Liang Guo-wei
Published: November 2019

Although alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a widely used tumor marker in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 40% of newly diagnosed patients do not have an elevated AFP level. Research has revealed that mutations in the HNF1A binding site of the AFP gene promoter cause significantly elevated serum AFP levels in patients with hereditary persistence of AFP. This study investigated the relationship between HNF1A genetic variants and serum AFP levels. We examined the association between the HNF1A-rs1169288 (A/C), rs2464196 (G/A), and rs1169310 (C/T) polymorphisms and AFP levels in a healthy Chinese population (n=1010) and HCC patients (n=185). Single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped by the amplification refractory mutation system combined with TaqMan probe in real-time PCR. The serum AFP concentrations were measured using the Architect i2000 immunochemistry analyzer. In healthy individuals, serum AFP levels were significantly lower with the rs2464196-AA and rs1169310-TT genotypes. Similar significant differences were observed in HCC patients. Moreover, in HCC patients, the distribution frequencies of rs2464196-AA+AG and rs1169310-TT+TC among those withAFP≤20 ng/mlor ≤400 ng/ml were significantly lower than those in patients withAFP>20 ng/mlor >400 ng/ml. Among all subjects, those carrying the HNF1A-rs2464196-A or rs1169310-T allele tended to have low levels of AFP. However, the HNF1A-rs1169288 polymorphism showed no significant association with the serum AFP level. These findings provide new insight into the genetic determinants of serum AFP level and can aid the differential diagnosis of HCC patients with low serum AFP.
Torsional and Bending Properties of V Taper 2H, ProTaper NEXT, NRT, and One Shape
Authors: Oh Soram , Kum Kee-Yeon , Cho Kwon , Lee Soo-Hyuk , You Seung-Hyun , Go Jonggun , Jeon Bong-Ki , Kim Sang-Woo , Kim Tae-Hwan , Jang Ji-Hyun , Perinpanayagam Hiran , Kim Jin-Woo , Chang Seok Woo
Published: November 2019

Nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary files have enabled efficient root canal preparations that maintain the canal center with fewer aberrations compared to hand files. However, NiTi rotary files are susceptible to fracture, which can thereby compromise root canal treatment. Therefore, NiTi files have been developed to enhance fracture resistance by modifying design and thermal treatment. The objective of this study was to compare the torsional fatigue resistance and bending resistance of NiTi files manufactured from different alloys and treatments. ProTaper NEXT X2 (PTN; M-wire), V taper 2H (V2H; controlled memory wire), NRT (heat-treated), and One Shape (OS; conventional alloy) instruments of tip size #25 were compared. Torsional fatigue was evaluated by embedding the 3 mm tip of each instrument (N = 10/brand) in resin and the repetitive application of torsional stress (300 rpm, 1.0 N·cm) by an endodontic motor with autostop when the file fractured. The number of loading cycles to fracture was recorded and analyzed by Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney U tests with Bonferroni’s correction. Bending resistance of the instruments was tested using a cantilever bending test to the 3 mm point from the tip (N = 10/brand). The stress was measured when deflection of 3 mm was subjected and statistically analyzed with a one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s honest significance difference test (α = 0.05). V2H withstood the highest number of load applications during torsional fatigue testing (p<0.05), followed by NRT, PTN, and OS, where the differences between NRT and PTN (p=0.035) and between PTN and OS (p=0.143) were not statistically significant. V2H showed the lowest bending stiffness, followed by NRT, PTN, and OS (p<0.001). Thermal treatment of NiTi wire resulted in improved mechanical properties, and controlled memory wire provided improved flexibility and torsional fatigue resistance.
A CME Automatic Detection Method Based on Adaptive Background Learning Technology
Authors: Qiang Zhenping , Bai Xianyong , Zhang Qinghui , Lin Hong
Published: November 2019

In this paper, we describe a technique, which uses an adaptive background learning method to detect the CME (coronal mass ejections) automatically from SOHO/LASCO C2 image sequences. The method consists of several modules: adaptive background module, candidate CME area detection module, and CME detection module. The core of the method is based on adaptive background learning, where CMEs are assumed to be a foreground moving object outward as observed in running-difference time series. Using the static and dynamic features to model the corona observation scene can more accurately describe the complex background. Moreover, the method can detect the subtle changes in the corona sequences while filtering their noise effectively. We applied this method to a month of continuous corona images, compared the result with CDAW, CACTus, SEEDS, and CORIMP catalogs and found a good detection rate in the automatic methods. It detected about 73% of the CMEs listed in the CDAW CME catalog, which is identified by human visual inspection. Currently, the derived parameters are position angle, angular width, linear velocity, minimum velocity, and maximum velocity of CMES. Other parameters could also easily be added if needed.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Alleviate Moderate-to-Severe Psoriasis by Reducing the Production of Type I Interferon (IFN-I) by Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells (pDCs)
Authors: Chen Maosheng , Peng Jing , Xie Qi , Xiao Na , Su Xian , Mei Hua , Lu Yeping , Zhou Jia , Dai Yanni , Wang Siqi , Li Chuang , Lin Ge , Cheng Lamei
Published: November 2019

The anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed to be involved in some autoimmune diseases and have been successfully tested in patients and mice. But their contribution to psoriasis and the underlying mechanisms involved remains elusive. Here, we explored the feasibility of using human umbilical cord-derived MSC (hUC-MSC) infusion as a therapeutic approach in an imiquimod- (IMQ-) induced psoriasis mouse model. MSC infusion were found to significantly reduce the severity and development of psoriasis, inhibit the infiltration of immune cells to the skin, and downregulate the expression of several proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Our results provide an explanation for the therapeutic effects of MSC infusion by first suppressing neutrophil function and then downregulating the production of type I interferon (IFN-I) by plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs). Therefore, we discovered a novel mechanism of stem cell therapy for psoriasis. In summary, our results showed that MSC infusion could be an effective and safe treatment for psoriasis.
Beamwidth-Enhanced Low-Profile Dual-Band Circular Polarized Patch Antenna for CNSS Applications
Authors: Liu Hongmei , Xun Chenhui , Fang Shaojun , Wang Zhongbao
Published: November 2019

A low-profile dual-band circular polarized (CP) patch antenna with wide half-power beamwidths (HPBWs) is presented for CNSS applications. Simple stacked circular patches are used to achieve dual-band radiation. To enhance the HPBW for the two operation bands, a dual annular parasitic metal strip (D-APMS) combined with reduced ground plane (R-GP) is presented. A single-input feed network based on the coupled line transdirectional (CL-TRD) coupler is also proposed to provide two orthogonal modes at the two frequency bands simultaneously. Experimental results show that the 10 dB impedance bandwidth is 32.7%. The 3 dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidths for the lower and upper bands are 4.1% and 6.5%, respectively. At 1.207 GHz, the antenna has the HPBW of 123° and 103° in the xoz and yoz planes, separately. And the values are 127° and 113° at 1.561 GHz.
Dietary Supplementation of the Antioxidant Curcumin Halts Systemic LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation-Associated Neurodegeneration and Memory/Synaptic Impairment via the JNK/NF-κB/Akt Signaling Pathway in Adult Rats
Authors: Khan Muhammad Sohail , Muhammad Tahir , Ikram Muhammad , Kim Myeong Ok
Published: November 2019

Curcumin is a natural polyphenolic compound widely known to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties. In the present study, we explored the neuroprotective effect of curcumin against lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) mediated neuroinflammation, neurodegeneration, and memory deficits in the adult rat hippocampus via regulation of the JNK/NF-κB/Akt signaling pathway. Adult rats were treated intraperitoneally with LPS at a dose of 250 μg/kg for 7 days and curcumin at a dose of 300 mg/kg for 14 days. After 14 days, the rats were sacrificed, and western blotting and ROS and lipid peroxidation assays were performed. For immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy, the rats were perfused transcardially with 4% paraformaldehyde. In order to verify the JNK-dependent neuroprotective effect of curcumin and to confirm the in vivo results, HT-22 neuronal and BV2 microglial cells were exposed to LPS at a dose of 1 μg/ml, curcumin 100 μg/ml, and SP600125 (a specific JNK inhibitor) 20 μM. Our immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence, and biochemical results revealed that curcumin inhibited LPS-induced oxidative stress by reducing malondialdehyde and 2,7-dichlorofluorescein levels and ameliorating neuroinflammation and neuronal cell death via regulation of the JNK/NF-κB/Akt signaling pathway both in vivo (adult rat hippocampus) and in vitro (HT-22/BV2 cell lines). Moreover, curcumin markedly improved LPS-induced memory impairment in the Morris water maze and Y-maze tasks. Taken together, our results suggest that curcumin may be a potential preventive and therapeutic candidate for LPS-induced ROS-mediated neurotoxicity and memory deficits in an adult rat model.
Carvedilol Inhibits Angiotensin II-Induced Proliferation and Contraction in Hepatic Stellate Cells through the RhoA/Rho-Kinase Pathway
Authors: Wu Ying , Li Zhen , Wang Sining , Xiu Aiyuan , Zhang Chunqing
Published: November 2019

Aim. Carvedilol is a nonselective beta-blocker used to reduce portal hypertension. This study investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of carvedilol in angiotensin II- (Ang II-) induced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) proliferation and contraction. Methods. The effect of carvedilol on HSC proliferation was measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). Cell cycle progression and apoptosis in HSCs were determined by flow cytometry. A collagen gel assay was used to confirm HSC contraction. The extent of liver fibrosis in mice was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) and Sirius Red staining. Western blot analyses were performed to detect the expression of collagen I, collagen III, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Ang II type I receptor (AT1R), RhoA, Rho-kinase 2 (ROCK2), and others. Results. The results showed that carvedilol inhibited HSC proliferation and arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase in a dose-dependent manner. Carvedilol also modulated Bcl-2 family proteins and increased apoptosis in Ang II-treated HSCs. Furthermore, carvedilol inhibited HSC contraction induced by Ang II, an effect that was associated with AT1R-mediated RhoA/ROCK2 pathway interference. In addition, carvedilol reduced α-SMA expression and collagen deposition and attenuated liver fibrosis in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-treated mice. The in vivo data further confirmed that carvedilol inhibited the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), AT1R, RhoA, and ROCK2. Conclusions. The results indicated that carvedilol dose-dependently inhibited Ang II-induced HSC proliferation by impeding cell cycle progression, thus alleviating hepatic fibrosis. Furthermore, carvedilol could inhibit Ang II-induced HSC contraction by interfering with the AT1R-mediated RhoA/ROCK2 pathway.
Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Decrease the Expression of RANKL in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Rats via Reducing the Levels of IL-22
Authors: Li Fang , Li Xin , Liu Guiyan , Gao Chong , Li Xiaofeng
Published: November 2019

Objective. To investigate the transplantation effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on the expression of interlukin-22 (IL-22) and RANKL in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. Methods. 32 CIA models were established. 16 CIA rats were transplanted with MSCs, and others were used as nontreatment CIA controls. The concentrations of IL-22 and RANKL in serum were detected by ELISA and those in synovial tissue of rats’ joints by immunohistochemical staining. In addition, the expression of RANKL mRNA was measured by RT-PCR in the fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), cultured with IL-22 in vitro, which were delivered from the joints of CIA rats treated with or without MSCs. Results. The transplantation of MSCs into CIA rats relieved the destruction of joints, measured by AI score, X-ray, and histopathology. MSCs also reduced the expression of IL-22 and RANKL in serum by ELISA (P<0.001) and similarly in FLSs by immunohistochemical staining. In vitro, IL-22 induced significantly the expression of RANKL mRNA in cultured FLSs in a dose-dependent manner, whereas this induction was significantly reduced in FLSs derived from CIA rats transplanted with MSCs (normal controls: F=79.33, P<0.001; CIA controls: F=712.72, P<0.001; and CIA-MSC rats: F=139.04, P<0.001). Conclusion. Our results suggest that the transplantation of MSCs can reduce the expression of RANKL in vivo by downregulating the levels of IL-22, thereby ameliorating the degree of RA bone destruction. This study provides a theoretical basis for a potential therapy of RA with MSCs, and IL-22 and RANKL may become two new targets to treat RA.
Prediction of Circulating Adipokine Levels Based on Body Fat Compartments and Adipose Tissue Gene Expression
Authors: Konigorski Stefan , Janke Jürgen , Drogan Dagmar , Bergmann Manuela M. , Hierholzer Johannes , Kaaks Rudolf , Boeing Heiner , Pischon Tobias
Published: November 2019

Background: Adipokines are hormones secreted from adipose tissue (AT), and a number of them have been established as risk factors for chronic diseases. However, it is not clear whether and to what extent adiposity, gene expression, and other factors determine their circulating levels. Objectives: To assess to what extent adiposity, as measured by the amount of subcutaneous AT (SAT) and visceral AT (VAT) using magnetic resonance imaging, and gene expression levels in SAT determine plasma concentrations of the adipokines adiponectin, leptin, soluble leptin receptor, resistin, interleukin 6, and fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4). Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of 156 participants from the EPIC Potsdam cohort study and analyzed multiple regression models and partial correlation coefficients. Results: For leptin and FABP4 concentrations, 81 and 45% variance were explained by SAT mass, VAT mass, and gene expression in SAT in multivariable regression models. For the remaining adipokines, AT mass and gene expression explained <16% variance of plasma concentrations. Gene expression in SAT was a less important predictor compared to AT mass. SAT mass was a better predictor than VAT mass for leptin (partial correlation r = 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.75–0.86, vs. r = 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.46–0.67), while differences between AT compartments were small for the other adipokines. Conclusions: While plasma levels of leptin and FABP4 can be explained in a large and medium part by the amount of AT and SAT gene expression, surprisingly, these predictors explained only little variance for all other investigated adipokines.
miRNA-Mediated Suppression of a Cardioprotective Cardiokine as a Novel Mechanism Exacerbating Post-MI Remodeling by Sleep Breathing Disorders
Authors: Du Yunhui , Wang Xiao , Li Linyi , Hao Wenjing , Zhang Huina , Li Yu , Qin Yanwen , Nie Shaoping , Christopher Theodore A. , Lopez Bernard L. , Lau Wayne Bond , Wang Yajing , Ma Xin-Liang , Wei Yongxiang
Published: November 2019

Rationale:

Obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, a sleep breathing disorder in which chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is the primary pathology, is associated with multiple cardiovascular diseases. However, whether and how CIH may affect cardiac remodeling following myocardial infarction (MI) remains unknown.

Objective:

To determine whether CIH exposure at different periods of MI may exacerbate post-MI heart failure and to identify the mechanisms underlying CIH-exacerbated post-MI remodeling.

Methods and Results:

Adult male mice were subjected to MI (4 weeks) with and without CIH (4 or 8 weeks). CIH before MI (CIH+MI) had no significant effect on post-MI remodeling. However, double CIH exposure (CIH+MI+CIH) or CIH only during the MI period (MI+CIH) significantly exacerbated pathological remodeling and reduced survival rate. Mechanistically, CIH activated TGF-β (tumor growth factor-β)/Smad (homologs of both the Drosophila protein MAD and the C. elegans protein SMA) signaling and enhanced cardiac epithelial to mesenchymal transition, markedly increasing post-MI cardiac fibrosis. Transcriptome analysis revealed that, among 15 genes significantly downregulated (MI+CIH versus MI),
Ctrp9
(a novel cardioprotective cardiokine) was one of the most significantly inhibited genes. Real-time polymerase chain reaction/Western analysis confirmed that cardiomyocyte CTRP9 expression was significantly reduced in MI+CIH mice. RNA-sequencing, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and dual-luciferase reporter assays identified that microRNA-214-3p is a novel
Ctrp9
targeting miRNA. Its upregulation is responsible for
Ctrp9
gene suppression in MI+CIH. Finally, AAV9 (adeno-associated virus 9)-mediated cardiac-specific CTRP9 overexpression or rCTRP9 (recombinated CTRP9) administration inhibited TGF-β/Smad and Wnt/β-catenin pathways, attenuated interstitial fibrosis, improved cardiac function, and enhanced survival rate in MI+CIH animals.

Conclusions:

This study provides the first evidence that MI+CIH upregulates miR-214-3p, suppresses cardiac CTRP9 (C1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein-9) expression, and exacerbates cardiac remodeling, suggesting that CTRP9 may be a novel therapeutic target against pathological remodeling in MI patients with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome.
Prevalence and Clinical Correlates of Poststroke Behavioral Dysexecutive Syndrome
Authors: Tang Wai Kwong , Lau Chieh Grace , Liang Yan , Wang Lisha , Mok Vincent , Soo Oi Yan Yannie , Leung Wai Hong Thomas , Ungvari Gabor S. , Uchiyama Shinichiro , Kim Jong S.
Published: November 2019

Background

Behavioral dysexecutive syndrome (
BDES
) is a common phenomenon following stroke. To date, research has focused mainly on individual behavioral symptoms rather than a more comprehensive characterization of goal‐directed behavior in stroke survivors. This cross‐sectional study evaluated the prevalence and clinical correlates of
BDES
in Hong Kong stroke survivors.

Methods and Results

A total of 369 stroke survivors were recruited from a regional hospital at 3 months after their index stroke. Patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from a comprehensive stroke database.
BDES
was measured with the Chinese version of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire. Four neurocognitive batteries assessed domains of cognitive executive functions. The prevalence of
BDES
3 months poststroke was 18.7%. At that time point, the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and Mini‐Mental State Examination scores and the presence of depression were significant predictors of
BDES
in a multivariate logistic regression analysis. These parameters remained significant predictors of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire score in a linear stepwise regression analysis and together accounted for 28.5% of the variance. Current depression was predictive of the Dysexecutive Questionnaire score in patients with
BDES
, with a variance of 9.7%. Furthermore, compared with the non‐
BDES
group, patients with
BDES
exhibited poor performance‐based executive function in the Chinese version of the Frontal Assessment Battery and color trails, arrow, and category fluency tests.

Conclusions

Symptoms of anxiety, current depression, and global cognitive function may be independent predictors of the presence and severity of
BDES
3 months poststroke. Stroke survivors with
BDES
exhibit poor executive functioning, including goal maintenance and semantic memory.
Subpial Hemorrhage of the Neonate
Authors: Cain Donald W. , Dingman Andra L. , Armstrong Jennifer , Stence Nicholas V. , Jensen Alexandria M. , Mirsky David M.
Published: November 2019

Background and Purpose—

Subpial hemorrhage of the neonate is a rare stroke subtype reported in few case series. Birth trauma and coagulopathy are commonly proposed etiologies. We evaluated our subpial hemorrhage of the neonate patient cohort to expand current understanding

Methods—

Cases of subpial hemorrhage of the neonate were identified by keyword searches of the institutional database. The medical records and magnetic resonance imagings were reviewed.

Results—

Seventeen cases were identified. Assisted delivery occurred in 12% of cases, and acute coagulation abnormalities occurred in 77%. Subpial hemorrhage of the neonate was located in the temporal lobe in 82%, with cytotoxic edema and medullary vein congestion and thrombosis subjacent to the hemorrhages in 100% and 76% of cases, respectively. Neurological disability was present in 44% of survivors. Three patients had chronic coagulation abnormalities.

Conclusions—

In our cohort, clinical findings supporting a potential relationship with birth trauma were infrequent. The imaging findings suggest a nonarterial, deep venous pattern of hemorrhagic ischemia.
Stagnating National Declines in Stroke Mortality Mask Widespread County-Level Increases, 2010–2016
Authors: Hall Eric W. , Vaughan Adam S. , Ritchey Matthew D. , Schieb Linda , Casper Michele
Published: November 2019

Background and Purpose—

Recent national and state-level trends show a stalling or reversal of previously declining stroke death rates. These national trends may mask local geographic variation and changes in stroke mortality. We assessed county-level trends in stroke mortality among adults aged 35 to 64 and ≥65 years.

Methods—

We used data from National Vital Statistics Systems and a Bayesian multivariate space-time conditional autoregressive model to estimate age-standardized annual stroke death rates for 2010 through 2016 among middle-aged adults (35–64 years) and older adults (≥65 years) in US counties. We used log-linear regression models to estimate average annual and total percent change in stroke mortality during the period.

Results—

Nationally, the annual percent change in stroke mortality from 2010 to 2016 was −0.7% (95% CI, −4.2% to 3.0%) among middle-aged adults and −3.5% (95% CI, −10.7% to 4.3%) among older adults, resulting in 2016 rates of 15.0 per 100 000 and 259.8 per 100 000, respectively. Increasing county-level stroke mortality was more prevalent among middle-aged adults (56.6% of counties) compared with among older adults (26.1% of counties). About half (48.3%) of middle-aged adults, representing 60.2 million individuals, lived in counties in which stroke mortality increased.

Conclusions—

County-level increases in stroke mortality clarify previously reported national and state-level trends, particularly among middle-aged adults. Roughly 3×as many counties experienced increases in stroke death rates for middle-aged adults compared with older adults. This highlights a need to address stroke prevention and treatment for middle-aged adults while continuing efforts to reduce stroke mortality among the more highly burdened older adults. Efforts to reverse these troubling local trends will likely require joint public health and clinical efforts to develop innovative and integrated approaches for stroke prevention and care, with a focus on community-level characteristics that support stroke-free living for all.
Hounsfield Unit Value of Interpeduncular Cistern Hematomas Can Predict Symptomatic Vasospasm
Authors: Ishihara Hideyuki , Oka Fumiaki , Kawano Reo , Shinoyama Mizuya , Nishimoto Takuma , Kudomi Shohei , Suzuki Michiyasu
Published: November 2019

Background and Purpose—

Symptomatic vasospasm is an important factor that affects the outcomes of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Subarachnoid blood volume can predict symptomatic vasospasm, and we postulated that the blood clot density would also be an important factor involved in such events. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between the incidence of symptomatic vasospasm and the Hounsfield unit (HU) value of the interpeduncular cistern that reflects the density of hematomas.

Methods—

Data from 323 patients admitted and treated at a single center between 2008 and 2017 within 24 hours of subarachnoid hemorrhage onset were retrospectively analyzed. Initial HU values of the interpeduncular cistern were measured using CT, then correlations with the incidence of symptomatic vasospasm and HU values as well as other variables were assessed.

Results—

Symptomatic vasospasm developed in 54 (16.7%) of the 323 patients. The incidence of symptomatic vasospasm was low (1.8%, 2/166) for HU <50, but this incidence increased greatly when the HU value exceeded 50 (23.7%, 22/93 for HU >50 to ≤60, and 45.3%, 29/64 for HU >60). The odds ratio for symptomatic vasospasm was 2.0 (95% CI, 1.6–2.4) per 5 HU increase. Symptomatic vasospasm correlated significantly with intraventricular hemorrhage (
P
=0.05) and with intracerebral hematoma (
P
=0.046) but even more significantly with the HU value of the interpeduncular cistern (
P
<0.0001).

Conclusions—

The HU value of the interpeduncular cistern on initial CT is an accurate and reliable predictor of symptomatic vasospasm.
Measuring Time with Minimal Clocks
Authors: Robu Andrei D. , Salge Christoph , Nehaniv Chrystopher L. , Polani Daniel
Published: November 2019

Being able to measure time, whether directly or indirectly, is a significant advantage for an organism. It allows for timely reaction to regular or predicted events, reducing the pressure for fast processing of sensory input. Thus, clocks are ubiquitous in biology. In the present article, we consider minimal abstract pure clocks in different configurations and investigate their characteristic dynamics. We are especially interested in optimally time-resolving clocks. Among these, we find fundamentally diametral clock characteristics, such as oscillatory behavior for purely local time measurement or decay-based clocks measuring time periods on a scale global to the problem. We include also sets of independent clocks ( clock bags), sequential cascades of clocks, and composite clocks with controlled dependence. Clock cascades show a condensation effect, and the composite clock shows various regimes of markedly different dynamics.
Exemplarity and Its Discontents: Hellenistic Jewish Wisdom Texts and Greco-Roman Didactic Poetry
Authors: Najman Hindy , Reinhardt Tobias
Published: November 2019

This article sets up a dialogue between two bodies of ancient texts, i.e. Jewish wisdom literature and Greco-Roman didactic of the Hellenistic period, with an awareness of the scholarly and interpretive communities that have studied, taught and transformed these bodies of texts from antiquity until the present. The article does not claim direct influence or cross-pollination across intellectual, religious or social communities in the Hellenistic period. Instead, the article suggests four discrete frameworks for thinking about comparative antiquity: creation, the law, the sage and literary form. The comparative model proposed here intends to create the conditions for noticing parallels and kindred concepts. However, the article resists the temptation to repeat earlier scholarly arguments for dependency or priority of influence. Instead, the essay demonstrates remarkable alignments, suggestively similar developments, and synergies. Perhaps, the ideal first reader for this article is none other than Philo of Alexandria.
Critical Analysis of Major Search Engines
Authors: Kumar Kailash , Al-Besher Abdulaziz
Published: November 2019

This paper examines the overlapping of the results retrieved between three major search engines namely Google, Yahoo and Bing. A rigorous analysis of overlap among these search engines was conducted on 100 random queries. The overlap of first ten web page results, i.e., hundred results
from each search engine and only non-sponsored results from these above major search engines were taken into consideration. Search engines have their own frequency of updates and ranking of results based on their relevance. Moreover, sponsored search advertisers are different for different
search engines. Single search engine cannot index all Web pages. In this research paper, the overlapping analysis of the results were carried out between October 1, 2018 to October 31, 2018 among these major search engines namely, Google, Yahoo and Bing. A framework is built in Java to analyze
the overlap among these search engines. This framework eliminates the common results and merges them in a unified list. It also uses the ranking algorithm to re-rank the search engine results and displays it back to the user.
Improving Security and Load Balancing in Cloud Environment
Authors: Parashar Jyoti , Garg Atul
Published: November 2019

The demand of cloud computing is increasing day by day. The whole scenario is changing due to rise in issues with regard to the speed of access, privacy and security of data. The data repositories are showing a real time shift from general data base management systems to cloud storage.
This step in technology has made our data prone to attacks from intruders and moreover, this has also created an increased load on the technology used. The sole aim of this research work is to improve the performance of computing systems and their security in cloud environment. A new technology
is proposed to balance the load on cloud computing and to improve the quality of cloud service with PSO is presented in this research work.
A Comparative Analysis of Existing Satellite Image Enhancement Techniques for Effective Visual Display
Authors: Manocha Neetu , Gupta Rajeev
Published: November 2019

Due to environment untidiness and inappropriate setting or dealing of camera, a satellite image contains blur or other types of noises. These images are captured by satellites consist lots of information about the surface of earth or other planets. But, due to blur or noise, the quality
of these images is degraded. Now days, there are many fields in which satellite images are used, which effects the environment. The accuracy and effective visual display of satellite images with high image resolution using CBIR technique is major concern. This paper presents a comparative
analysis of existing satellite image enhancement techniques to reduce the blur of an image on the basis of accuracy and response time. The aim of research work is to eliminate the noise without losing high frequency details and to enhance the image for effective visual display.
Metasurface-Based Perfect Absorber with Unique Properties Working in Ultraviolet Regime
Authors: Huang Fujuan , Fu Yongqi , Zhu Shaoli
Published: November 2019

We report a perfect metasurface structure-based optical absorber consisting of a tri-layer metaldielectric-metal system in ultraviolet band. Optical power absorption of over 91% has been observed in entire ultraviolet band, and can even reach to the level of as high as 99% in a certain
local near waveband. Unique properties of the perfect absorption are independent on polarization state of the incoming light, and insensitive to variation of structural dimension. We discuss the effect of geometrical parameters of the structure such as height and radius on the basis of theoretical
calculation results. In addition, the influence of materials upon performance of the absorber is presented. The efficient light absorption can be attributed to plasmonic resonance.
The Impacts of Horizontal Resolution on the Seasonally Dependent Biases of the Northeastern Pacific ITCZ in Coupled Climate Models
Authors: Song Fengfei , Zhang Guang J.
Published: November 2019

The double-ITCZ bias has puzzled the climate modeling community for more than two decades. Here we show that, over the northeastern Pacific Ocean, precipitation and sea surface temperature (SST) biases are seasonally dependent in the NCAR CESM1 and 37 CMIP5 models, with positive biases during boreal summer–autumn and negative biases during boreal winter–spring, although the easterly wind bias persists year round. This seasonally dependent bias is found to be caused by the model’s failure to reproduce the climatological seasonal wind reversal of the North American monsoon. During winter–spring, the observed easterly wind dominates, so the simulated stronger wind speed enhances surface evaporation and lowers SST. It is opposite when the observed wind turns to westerly during summer–autumn. An easterly wind bias, mainly evident in the lower troposphere, also occurs in the atmospheric model when the observed SST is prescribed, suggesting that it is of atmospheric origin. When the atmospheric model resolution is doubled in the CESM1, both SST and precipitation are improved in association with the reduced easterly wind bias. During boreal spring, when the double-ITCZ bias is most significant, the northern and southern ITCZ can be improved by 29.0% and 18.8%, respectively, by increasing the horizontal resolution in the CESM1. When dividing the 37 CMIP5 models into two groups on the basis of their horizontal resolutions, it is found that both the seasonally dependent biases over the northeastern Pacific and year-round biases over the southeastern Pacific are reduced substantially in the higher-resolution models, with improvement of ~30% in both regions during boreal spring. Close relationships between wind and precipitation biases over the northeastern and southeastern Pacific are also found among CMIP5 models.
U.S. Nursing Home Violations of International and Domestic Human Rights Standards
Authors: Harrington Charlene , Mollot Richard , Edelman Toby S. , Wells Janet , Valanejad Dara
Published: November 2019

We present a review of the international covenants and conventions and U.S. domestic laws and regulations that are designed to protect nursing home residents in the United States. Based on a review of research studies, government reports, and news reports, we found extensive evidence of widespread and systematic abuse and neglect of nursing home residents in the United States that needs urgent government action to protect the basic human rights of residents.
Book review: Arnab Chatterjee, Is the Personal beyond Private and Public? New Perspectives in Social Theory and Practice
Authors: Pathak Dev Nath
Published: November 2019

Arnab Chatterjee, Is the Personal beyond Private and Public? New Perspectives in Social Theory and Practice. Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2017, 258 pp., ₹795 (hardback). ISBN: 978935285204.
Influence of collagen hydrolysate components on fabrication of collagen/PVA composite fiber
Authors: Yang Luming , Zhang Jinwei , Wu Jiacheng , Chen Wu-yong
Published: November 2019

In order to prepare a collagen/PVA composite fiber with collagen hydrolysate, the influence of the molecular weight and ash content of the collagen hydrolysate on the spinning properties and fabrication of the composite fiber should be studied. In this work, collagen with various molecular weights and different ash contents was first blended with PVA for fabrication of different collagen/PVA composite fibers. Next, protein retention rates, titer, tensile strength, elongation at break, and initial modulus of the composite fibers were characterized. Meanwhile, the degree of crystallinity of the composite fiber was measured by X-ray diffraction and the cross-section morphology was observed by a scanning electron microscope. The results show that the cross section of the collagen/PVA composite fiber has a skin-core structure and the collagen hydrolysate mainly distributes on the surface of the composite fiber. A molecular weight of collagen hydrolysate range from 10,000 Da to 100,000 Da is suitable for fabrication; however, if the collagen hydrolysate molecular weight is lower than 10,000 Da, there is obvious protein loss during spinning. In addition, the inorganic salt and ash content in the spinning collagen hydrolysate should be controlled below 1.5%, otherwise there are some holes on the cross section of the collagen/PVA composite fiber and the mechanical properties and crystallinity of the composite fiber are poor. The results of this research would provide a potential choice for applying collagen hydrolysate in textiles and could be a reference for selecting the proper collagen hydrolysate to obtain collagen/PVA composite fiber materials with better performances.
Factors associated with maternal mortality from sepsis in a low-resource setting: a five-year review at Mpilo Central Hospital, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Authors: Ngwenya Solwayo
Published: November 2019

Sepsis remains a major cause of maternal deaths globally. It is one of the major causes of maternal morbidity and mortality in women of reproductive age. It is important that such a major contributor is studied in low-resource settings. The aims of this study were to document the percentage of maternal deaths from sepsis among the total number of maternal deaths in a low-resource setting and to determine factors associated with maternal mortality from sepsis at Mpilo Central Hospital. This was a retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study carried out at Mpilo Central Hospital. Nearly one-third (29.3%) of maternal deaths were due to sepsis. The major factor associated with maternal mortality was post-abortal sepsis (41.7%).
Zen and the Art of Democracy: Contemplative Practice as Ordinary Political Theory
Authors: Mariotti Shannon
Published: November 2019

In recent years, contemplative practices of meditation have become increasingly mainstream in American culture, part of a phenomenon that scholars call “Buddhist modernism.” Connecting the embodied practice of meditation with the embodied practice of democracy in everyday life, this essay puts the radical democratic theory of Jacques Rancière into conversation with the Zen writings of Shunryu Suzuki and Thomas Merton. I show how meditation can be understood as an aesthetic practice that cultivates modes of experience, perception, thinking, and feeling that further radical democratic projects at the most fundamental level. Reading the landscape of Buddhist modernism to draw out democratic possibilities, we can understand contemplative practices like meditation as a form of political theorizing in a vernacular register. Buddhist modernism works as a practice of everyday life that ordinary users can employ to get through their days with more awareness and attentiveness, to reclaim and reauthorize their experience, and to generate more care and compassion in ways that enable, enact, and extend the project of democracy itself.
A Wholistic View of Black Women on Scripted TV: A Content Analysis
Authors: Cox Vaness , Ward L. Monique
Published: November 2019

Existing analyses of Black women on TV have tended to focus on their general prevalence or employment/family status. As such, less is known about the extent to which they reflect broader attributes associated with women and with Black women. Accordingly, we examined portrayals of Black women on 12 scripted programs, focusing on 33 behaviors associated with mothering, friendship, work, and stress, in addition to role status and appearance. Our results indicated that Black women on scripted television programs were often single, mothers, dark-skinned, thin, and in high-status occupations. The most prevalent behaviors depicted were giving orders or commands, engaging in occupation-related actions or statements, and showing emotion (e.g., crying, storming off). Implications of these characterizations are discussed, both in terms of the breadth and accuracy of their representation and in the potential ways they may be perceived by viewers.
Uncertainty evaluation on the absolute phase error of digitizers
Authors: Femine Antonio Delle , Gallo Daniele , Landi Carmine , Luiso Mario
Published: November 2019

In many engineering applications the phase angle of a signal is a key parameter. Especially when measuring small angles, the measurement accuracy is of a vital importance. Often, the absolute phase error of a digitizer, which is defined as the phase displacement between the digitized output and the input analog waveform and which represents a systematic measurement error, is neglected. Therefore, in this paper, a new measurement technique for the evaluation of this absolute phase error is discussed, along with a deep theoretical analysis on the uncertainty sources and how to handle them. The measurement technique is validated through a high accuracy experimental setup. Experimental tests demonstrate that even high accuracy digitizers can show non-linear behavior in the absolute phase errors.
Use of adaptable solutions to achieve near-zero energy buildings through a combined thermal and comfort performance approach
Authors: Ochoa Carlos , Massey Beth
Published: November 2019

The existing residential building stock in many industrialized countries is large but extremely energy inefficient, despite the existence of energy directives that apply mostly to new construction. Prefabricated building refurbishment for energy upgrading is a viable option for the existing building stock, but solutions need to adapt to each case and usage in order to respond to specific requirements. The “RECO2ST” project (Horizon 2020) is used as example of a forecast methodology that can help achieve nearly zero energy refurbishments, through selection of innovative modular elements for the opaque and transparent areas of the building envelope, covering diverse energy reduction strategies while improving thermal comfort and indoor air quality. This integrated approach is not usual in the field. The Technical Note studies a series of facade and active window technologies that supply climate strategies such as insulation, heat recovery and ventilation. The methodology is demonstrated for three sample cases using a typical refurbishment scenario. It is evaluated through energy simulation and analysis of improvements in thermal comfort and indoor air quality indicators.

Practical application: The methodology helps to reduce guesswork for actions to be taken in order to refurbish and upgrade the existing housing stock to comply with current energy directives. It takes into account at the same time energy performance and user comfort, as expressed through indoor air quality.
Beyond Institutional Collective Action: Why and When Do Metropolitan Governments Collaborate?
Authors: Castillo Manlio F.
Published: November 2019

The essay explores why and when metropolitan governments collaborate beyond the assumptions of the Institutional Collective Action (ICA) framework. It claims that metropolitan governments not only create collaborative arrangements after comparing their costs and benefits, or when spontaneously their agendas get aligned. This article argues that the success of metropolitan interlocal collaboration also rests on the proclivity to collaboration of independent local governments’ institutional structures, which, in turn, depends on how local governments and their management capabilities have been shaped and evolved, both individually and comparatively with neighboring governments. Additionally, the article classifies and explains four basic models of metropolitan collaborative arrangements.