bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alzheimer’s Disease: Recent Concepts on the Relation of Mitochondrial Disturbances, Excitotoxicity, Neuroinflammation, and Kynurenines
Authors: Zádori Dénes , Veres Gábor , Szalárdy Levente , Klivényi Péter , Vécsei László
Published: February 2018

The pathomechanism of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) certainly involves mitochondrial disturbances, glutamate excitotoxicity, and neuroinflammation. The three main aspects of mitochondrial dysfunction in AD, i.e., the defects in dynamics, altered bioenergetics, and the deficient transport, act synergistically. In addition, glutamatergic neurotransmission is affected in several ways. The balance between synaptic and extrasynaptic glutamatergic transmission is shifted toward the extrasynaptic site contributing to glutamate excitotoxicity, a phenomenon augmented by increased glutamate release and decreased glutamate uptake. Neuroinflammation in AD is predominantly linked to central players of the innate immune system, with central nervous system (CNS)-resident microglia, astroglia, and perivascular macrophages having been implicated at the cellular level. Several abnormalities have been described regarding the activation of certain steps of the kynurenine (KYN) pathway of tryptophan metabolism in AD. First of all, the activation of indolamine 2,3-dioxygenase, the first and rate-limiting step of the pathway, is well-demonstrated. 3-Hydroxy-L-KYN and its metabolite, 3-hydroxy-anthranilic acid have pro-oxidant, antioxidant, and potent immunomodulatory features, giving relevance to their alterations in AD. Another metabolite, quinolinic acid, has been demonstrated to be neurotoxic, promoting glutamate excitotoxicity, reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation, and microglial neuroinflammation, and its abundant presence in AD pathologies has been demonstrated. Finally, the neuroprotective metabolite, kynurenic acid, has been associated with antagonistic effects at glutamate receptors, free radical scavenging, and immunomodulation, giving rise to potential therapeutic implications. This review presents the multiple connections of KYN pathway-related alterations to three main domains of AD pathomechanism, such as mitochondrial dysfunction, excitotoxicity, and neuroinflammation, implicating possible therapeutic options.
Neuropsychiatric and Cognitive Subtypes among Community-Dwelling Older Persons and the Association with DSM-5 Mild Neurocognitive Disorder: Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Liew Tau Ming , Yu Junhong , Mahendran Rathi , Ng Tze-Pin , Kua Ee-Heok , Feng Lei
Published: February 2018

Background:

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) have been shown to increase the risk of neurocognitive disorders (NCD), leading to the recently-published criteria of mild behavioral impairment (MBI) to identify pre-dementia using NPS alone. However, MBI drew concerns about over-diagnosing subclinical psychiatric disorders.

Objective:

We hypothesized that the specificity of NPS in predicting NCD may be improved by considering NPS together with various domains of cognitive deficits. We tested this hypothesis by identifying subtypes based on the combination of NPS and cognitive deficits among community-dwelling older persons, and evaluating how the identified subtypes were associated with mild NCD.

Methods:

Our participants were from a community-based cohort study. They completed assessments such as Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Geriatric Anxiety Inventory (GAI), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Those with possible cognitive impairment underwent further evaluations for mild NCD. Latent class analysis was conducted using GDS, GAI, and MoCA domains. Logistic regression was performed to investigate the association between the latent-classes and mild NCD.

Results:

We included 825 participants, and identified four distinct subtypes: Subtype 1 (no NPS or cognitive deficits), Subtype 2 (NPS alone), Subtype 3 (cognitive deficits alone), and Subtype 4 (both NPS and cognitive deficits). Subtype 1 and 2 had low risk of prevalent mild NCD (OR 0.92– 1.00), while Subtype 3 conferred a moderate risk (OR 4.47– 4.85) and Subtype 4 had the highest risk (OR 7.95– 8.63).

Conclusion:

We demonstrated the benefits of combining NPS and cognitive deficits to predict those at highest risk of prevalent mild NCD. Our findings highlighted the relevance of subclinical psychiatric symptoms in predicting NCD, and indirectly supported the need for longer durations of NPS to improve its specificity.
Roles of Mitochondrial 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 10 in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: He Xue-Ying , Isaacs Charles , Yang Song-Yu
Published: February 2018

17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 10 is a multifunctional, homotetrameric, mitochondrial protein encoded by the HSD17B10 gene at Xp 11.2. This protein, 17β-HSD10, is overexpressed in brain cells of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. It was reported to be involved in AD pathogenesis as the endoplasmic reticulum-associated amyloid-β binding protein (ERAB) and as amyloid-β binding alcohol dehydrogenase (ABAD). However, the exaggerated catalytic efficiencies for ERAB/ABAD in these reports necessitated the re-characterization of the catalytic functions of this brain enzyme. In addition to isoleucine metabolism, 17β-HSD10 is also responsible for the mitochondrial metabolism of neurosteroids such as 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol and 17β-estradiol. These neurosteroids are inactivated by the oxidation catalyzed by 17β-HSD10. Since neurosteroid homeostasis is presumably essential for cognitive function, analysis of the impact of 17β-HSD10 and its inhibitor, amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), on the metabolism of neuroactive steroids offers a new approach to AD pathogenesis.
Biallelic Loss of Function of SORL1 in an Early Onset Alzheimer’s Disease Patient
Authors: Le Guennec Kilan , Tubeuf Hélène , Hannequin Didier , Wallon David , Quenez Olivier , Rousseau Stéphane , Richard Anne-Claire , Deleuze Jean-François , Boland Anne , Frebourg Thierry , Gaildrat Pascaline , Campion Dominique , Martins Alexandra , Nicolas Gaël
Published: February 2018

Heterozygous SORL1 protein truncating variants (PTV) are a strong risk factor for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD). In case control studies performed at the genome-wide level, PTV definition is usually straightforward. Regarding splice site variants, only those affecting canonical sites are typically included. Some other variants, not annotated as PTV, could, however, affect splicing and hence result in a loss of SORL1 function. We took advantage of the whole exome sequencing data from the 9/484 patients with a previously reported SORL1 PTV in the French EOAD series and searched for a second variant which may affect splicing and eventually result in more than 50% loss of function overall. We found that one patient, known to carry a variant predicted to disrupt the canonical 5’ splice site of exon 8, also carried a second novel intronic variant predicted to affect SORL1 splicing of exon 29. Segregation analysis showed that the second variant was located in trans from the known PTV. We performed ex vivo minigene splicing assays and showed that both variants led to the generation of transcripts containing a premature stop codon. This is therefore the first evidence of a human carrying biallelic SORL1 PTV. This patient had a family history of dementia in both maternal and paternal lineages with later ages of onset than the proband himself. However, his 55 years age at onset was in the same ranges as previously published SORL1 heterozygous PTV carriers. This suggests that biallelic loss of SORL1 function is an extremely rare event that was not associated with a dramatically earlier age at onset than heterozygous SORL1 loss-of-function variant carriers, in this single patient.
Impact of a Virtual Dementia Experience on Medical and Pharmacy Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes Toward People with Dementia: A Controlled Study
Authors: Gilmartin-Thomas Julia F.-M. , McNeil John , Powell Anne , Malone Daniel T. , Wolfe Rory , Larson Ian C. , O’Reilly Claire L. , Kirkpatrick Carl M. , Kipen Eva , Petrovich Tanya , Bell J. Simon
Published: February 2018

Background:

Clinical practice guidelines for dementia highlight the importance of providing patient-centered care. This can be achieved by improving health professionals’ attitudes and knowledge toward people with dementia.

Objective:

Quantitatively evaluate the impact of a virtual dementia experience on medical and pharmacy students’ knowledge and attitudes toward people with dementia.

Methods:

A non-randomized controlled study from September-October 2016. The intervention group received a 1.5-hour multisensory, virtual simulation of light, sound, color, and visual content to experience the cognitive and perceptual difficulties faced by people with dementia. Controls participated in the standard curriculum only. All students were invited to complete the 20-item Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS) pre- and post-intervention.

Results:

A total of 278 students ( n = 64 medical, n = 214 pharmacy) were analyzed ( n = 80 intervention, n = 198 control). The majority of students were female ( n = 184, 66.2%), with an average age of 22.5 years. The intervention improved the DAS total score and subdomains of comfort and knowledge ( p < 0.001).

Conclusion:

The intervention had a positive impact on medical and pharmacy students’ knowledge and attitudes toward people with dementia.
Alterations in the Plasma Levels of Specific Choline Phospholipids in Alzheimer’s Disease Mimic Accelerated Aging
Authors: Dorninger Fabian , Moser Ann B. , Kou Jianqiu , Wiesinger Christoph , Forss-Petter Sonja , Gleiss Andreas , Hinterberger Margareta , Jungwirth Susanne , Fischer Peter , Berger Johannes
Published: February 2018

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease and of continuously rising prevalence. The identification of easy-to-measure biomarkers capable to assist in the prediction and early diagnosis of AD is currently a main research goal. Lipid metabolites in peripheral blood of human patients have recently gained major attention in this respect. Here, we analyzed plasma of 174 participants (not demented at baseline; mean age: 75.70±0.44 years) of the Vienna Transdanube Aging (VITA) study, a longitudinal, population-based birth cohort study, at baseline and after 90 months or at diagnosis of probable AD. We determined the levels of specific choline phospholipids, some of which have been suggested as potential biomarkers for the prediction of AD. Our results show that during normal aging the levels of lysophosphatidylcholine, choline plasmalogen, and lyso-platelet activating factor increase significantly. Notably, we observed similar but more pronounced changes in the group that developed probable AD. Thus, our results imply that, in terms of choline-containing plasma phospholipids, the conversion to AD mimics an accelerated aging process. We conclude that age, even in the comparatively short time frame between 75 and 82.5 years, is a crucial factor in the quest for plasma lipid biomarkers for AD that must be carefully considered in future studies and trials.
Homocysteine and Dementia: An International Consensus Statement
Authors: Smith A. David , Refsum Helga , Bottiglieri Teodoro , Fenech Michael , Hooshmand Babak , McCaddon Andrew , Miller Joshua W. , Rosenberg Irwin H. , Obeid Rima
Published: February 2018

Identification of modifiable risk factors provides a crucial approach to the prevention of dementia. Nutritional or nutrient-dependent risk factors are especially important because dietary modifications or use of dietary supplements may lower the risk factor level. One such risk factor is a raised concentration of the biomarker plasma total homocysteine, which reflects the functional status of three B vitamins (folate, vitamins B12, B6). A group of experts reviewed literature evidence from the last 20 years. We here present a Consensus Statement, based on the Bradford Hill criteria, and conclude that elevated plasma total homocysteine is a modifiable risk factor for development of cognitive decline, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease in older persons. In a variety of clinical studies, the relative risk of dementia in elderly people for moderately raised homocysteine (within the normal range) ranges from 1.15 to 2.5, and the Population Attributable risk ranges from 4.3 to 31%. Intervention trials in elderly with cognitive impairment show that homocysteine-lowering treatment with B vitamins markedly slows the rate of whole and regional brain atrophy and also slows cognitive decline. The findings are consistent with moderately raised plasma total homocysteine (>11 μmol/L), which is common in the elderly, being one of the causes of age-related cognitive decline and dementia. Thus, the public health significance of raised tHcy in the elderly should not be underestimated, since it is easy, inexpensive, and safe to treat with B vitamins. Further trials are needed to see whether B vitamin treatment will slow, or prevent, conversion to dementia in people at risk of cognitive decline or dementia.
Physical Activity in Early Parkinson Disease
Authors: Mantri Sneha , Fullard Michelle E. , Duda John E. , Morley James F.
Published: February 2018

Background:

Physical activity and exercise improve outcomes in Parkinson disease (PD), however little is known about activity levels in early PD patients.

Objective and Methods:

We examined self-reported activity scores and examined associations with clinical characteristics in 383 PD subjects and 175 healthy controls from the Parkinson Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI).

Results:

Activity scores were 8% lower for PD subjects than HC (162.6±86.2 vs 175.0±78.5, p = 0.10). Higher scores were associated with younger age and male sex. Only 47% of PD subjects and 44% of HC reported activity consistent with standard recommendations for adults.

Conclusions:

Our findings highlight the need to encourage exercise even in early PD.
Phenotypic Characteristics in GBA-Associated Parkinson’s Disease: A Study in a Greek Population
Authors: Simitsi Athina , Koros Christos , Moraitou Marina , Papagiannakis Nikos , Antonellou Roubina , Bozi Maria , Angelopoulou Efthalia , Stamelou Maria , Michelakakis Helen , Stefanis Leonidas
Published: February 2018

We compared phenotypic characteristics in 35 Greek patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), carriers of GBA1 mutations (GBA-PD), with 35 Genetically Unidentified PD patients (GU-PD). We found a previously reported higher prevalence of cognitive impairment and a little appreciated more frequent bilateral onset of the disease in GBA-PD vs GU-PD. As far as the exposure to environmental factors, linked to PD, is concerned, our study hints to the possibility that pesticide exposure may be more common in GBA-PD patients, and possibly act synergistically with the mutation carrier status to trigger the disease.
What is Functional Mobility Applied to Parkinson’s Disease?
Authors: Bouça-Machado Raquel , Maetzler Walter , Ferreira Joaquim J.
Published: February 2018

Although yet poorly defined and often misused, the concept of functional mobility has been used in research studies as a more global and ecological outcome of patients’ health status. Functional mobility is a person’s physiological ability to move independently and safely in a variety of environments in order to accomplish functional activities or tasks and to participate in the activities of daily living, at home, work and in the community. Parkinson’s disease (PD) has a direct impact on patients’ motor control and on mobility in general. Even with optimal medical management, the progression of PD is associated with mounting impairments at different levels of body function, causing marked limitations in a wide variety of activities, as well as a severe disability and loss of autonomy. Despite this, for everyday functioning PD patients need to have a good functional mobility that allow them to get around effortlessly in a reasonable amount of time to access to the same environments as others. This paper reviewed the concept of functional mobility applied to PD. This was done through an International Classification of Functioning and Disability (ICF) perspective. Recommendations to address the known factors that contribute to a poor functional mobility were outlined while suggestions for clinical practice and research were made.
On R1 Space in l-Topological Spaces
Authors: Islam Rafiqul , Hossain MS
Published: February 2018

In this paper, R1 space in L-topological spaces are defined and studied. We give seven definitions of R1 space in L-topological spaces and discuss certain relationship among them. We show that all of these satisfy ‘good extension’ property. Moreover, some of their other properties are obtained.GANIT J. Bangladesh Math. Soc.Vol. 37 (2017) 63-71
Generalized Galerkin Finite Element Formulation for the Numerical Solutions Of Second Order Nonlinear Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Ali Hazrat , Islam Md Shafiqul
Published: February 2018

We use Galerkin finite element method (GFEM) to solve second order linear and nonlinear boundary value problems (BVPs). First we develop FEM formulation for a class of linear and nonlinear BVPs. Then we present convergence analysis of the method. Later, we give the solution of some nonlinear BVPs with Diritchlet, Neumann and Robin boundary conditions. All results are compared with the exact solution and sometimes with the results of the existing method to verify the convergence, stability and consistency of this method. The results are depicted graphically as well as in the tabular form.GANIT J. Bangladesh Math. Soc.Vol. 37 (2017) 147-159
Modelling and Control of Ionic Electroactive Polymer Actuators under Varying Humidity Conditions
Authors: Nakshatharan S. Sunjai , Vunder Veiko , Põldsalu Inga , Johanson Urmas , Punning Andres , Aabloo Alvo
Published: February 2018

In this work, we address the problem of position control of ionic electroactive polymer soft actuators under varying relative humidity conditions. The impact of humidity on the actuation performance of ionic actuators is studied through frequency response and impedance spectroscopy analysis. Considering the uncertain performance of the actuator under varying humidity conditions, an adaptable model using the neural network method is developed. The model uses relative humidity magnitude as one of the model parameters, making it robust to different environmental conditions. Utilizing the model, a closed-loop controller based on the model predictive controller is developed for position control of the actuator. The developed model and controller are experimentally verified and found to be capable of predicting and controlling the actuators with excellent tracking accuracy under relative humidity conditions varying in the range of 10–90%.
Corruption in Organizations: Ethical Climate and Individual Motives
Authors: Gorsira Madelijne , Steg Linda , Denkers Adriaan , Huisman Wim
Published: February 2018

The aim of this research was to examine how organizational and individual factors, in concert, shape corruption. We examined whether the ethical climate of organizations is related to corruption, and if so, whether it affects corruption through individual motives for corruption. A large-scale questionnaire study was conducted among public officials (n = 234) and business employees (n = 289) who were in a position to make corrupt decisions. The findings suggest that public and private sector employees who perceive their organizational climate as more egoistic and less ethical are more prone to corruption. This relationship was fully mediated by individual motives, specifically by personal and social norms on corruption. These results indicate that employees who perceive their organization’s ethical climate as more egoistic and less ethical experience weaker personal and social norms to refrain from corruption, making them more corruption-prone. Hence, strategies addressing the interplay between organizational factors and individual motives seem promising in curbing corruption. To effectively withhold employees from engaging in corruption, organizations could deploy measures that strengthen an organizations’ ethical climate and encourage ethical decision-making based on concern for the wellbeing of others, as well as measures increasing the strength of personal and social norms to refrain from corruption.
Seabed Sediment as an Annually Renewable Heat Source
Authors: Mäkiranta Anne , Martinkauppi Birgitta , Hiltunen Erkki , Lieskoski Mauri
Published: February 2018

Thermal energy collected from the sediment layer under a water body has been suggested for use as a renewable heat source for a low energy network. A prototype system for using this sediment energy was installed in Suvilahti, Vaasa, in 2008 and is still in use. It provides a carbon-free heating and cooling solution as well as savings in energy costs for 42 houses. To be a real, renewable heat source, the thermal energy of the sediment layer needs to replenish annually. The goal of this paper is to verify the possible cooling or annual heat regeneration. The sediment temperatures were measured and analyzed in the years 2013–2015. The data were compared to the same period in 2008–2009. All measurements were taken in the same place. This paper also confirms the potential of the sediment heat, especially in the seabed sediment, using the temperature differences between the lowest and the highest values for the year. The results demonstrate that the collection of the heat energy does not cause permanent cooling of the sediment. This result was obtained by calculating the temperature difference between measurements in the warmest month and the month with the coldest temperatures. This indicates the extracted energy. The difference was found to be around 9.5 °C in 2008–2009, rising to around 11 °C for the years 2013–2014 and 2014–2015. This indicates the loaded energy. The energy utilization is sustainable: the sediment temperature has not permanently decreased despite the full use of the network for the heating and cooling of houses between 2008 and 2015.
Separation of Light Liquid Paraffin C5–C9 with Cuban Volcanic Glass Previously Used in Copper Elimination from Water Solutions
Authors: Autie-Pérez Miguel , Infantes-Molina Antonia , Cecilia Juan , Labadie-Suárez Juan , Rodríguez-Castellón Enrique
Published: February 2018

Featured Application: In this work, an inexpensive and available material, as volcanic glass, is used to absorb metals from wastewater and then it is used to the separation of light liquid-olefins.Abstract: Raw porous volcanic glass from Cuba was used as an adsorbent for Cu2+ removal from dyes after activation with an acid solution. After Cu2+ adsorption, it was also evaluated its capacity to separate n-paraffins from a mixture by inverse gas chromatography (IGC), and the results were compared with those obtained with bare volcanic glass without copper. The main goal of this work is to highlight the great applicability of natural volcanic glass, which can be reused without pretreatment as an adsorbent. The results from copper adsorption were quite promising, considering the availability and low cost of this material; the sample without acid treatment turned out to be the most adequate to remove copper. Moreover, the results from IGC revealed that the separation of paraffins from the mixture was achieved with both bare volcanic glass and glass containing Cu, although greater heat adsorption values were obtained when copper was present in the sample due to the stronger interaction between paraffin and copper. The high availability and low cost of this porous material make it a potential and attractive candidate to be used in both heavy metal removal and paraffin separation for industrial purposes.
Designing the Mind of a Social Robot
Authors: Lazzeri Nicole , Mazzei Daniele , Cominelli Lorenzo , Cisternino Antonio , De Rossi Danilo Emilio
Published: February 2018

Humans have an innate tendency to anthropomorphize surrounding entities and have always been fascinated by the creation of machines endowed with human-inspired capabilities and traits. In the last few decades, this has become a reality with enormous advances in hardware performance, computer graphics, robotics technology, and artificial intelligence. New interdisciplinary research fields have brought forth cognitive robotics aimed at building a new generation of control systems and providing robots with social, empathetic and affective capabilities. This paper presents the design, implementation, and test of a human-inspired cognitive architecture for social robots. State-of-the-art design approaches and methods are thoroughly analyzed and discussed, cases where the developed system has been successfully used are reported. The tests demonstrated the system’s ability to endow a social humanoid robot with human social behaviors and with in-silico robotic emotions.
Cloud Incubator Car: A Reliable Platform for Autonomous Driving
Authors: Borraz Raúl , Navarro Pedro J. , Fernández Carlos , Alcover Pedro María
Published: February 2018

It appears clear that the future of road transport is going through enormous changes (intelligent transport systems), the main one being the Intelligent Vehicle (IV). Automated driving requires a huge research effort in multiple technological areas: sensing, control, and driving algorithms. We present a comprehensible and reliable platform for autonomous driving technology development as well as for testing purposes, developed in the Intelligent Vehicles Lab at the Technical University of Cartagena. We propose an open and modular architecture capable of easily integrating a wide variety of sensors and actuators which can be used for testing algorithms and control strategies. As a proof of concept, this paper presents a reliable and complete navigation application for a commercial vehicle (Renault Twizy). It comprises a complete perception system (2D LIDAR, 3D HD LIDAR, ToF cameras, Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) unit, Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU)), an automation of the driving elements of the vehicle (throttle, steering, brakes, and gearbox), a control system, and a decision-making system. Furthermore, two flexible and reliable algorithms are presented for carrying out global and local route planning on board autonomous vehicles.
The Conversion of Wollastonite to CaCO3 Considering Its Use for CCS Application as Cementitious Material
Authors: Svensson Kristoff , Neumann Andreas , Menezes Flora , Lempp Christof , Pöllmann Herbert
Published: February 2018

The reaction of wollastonite (CaSiO3) with CO2 in the presence of aqueous solutions (H2O) and varied temperature conditions (296 K, 323 K, and 333 K) was investigated. The educts (CaSiO3) and the products (CaCO3 and SiO2) were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), and differential scanning calorimetry with thermogravimetry coupled with a mass spectrometer and infrared spectrometer (DSC TG/MS/IR). The reaction rate increased significantly at higher temperatures and seemed less dependent on applied pressure. It could be shown that under the defined conditions wollastonite can be applied as a cementitious material for sealing wells considering CCS applications, because after 24 h the degree of conversion from CaSiO3 to CaCO3 at 333 K was very high (>90%). As anticipated, the most likely application of wollastonite as a cementitious material in CCS would be for sealing the well after injection of CO2 in the reservoir.
2004–2016 Wintertime Atmospheric Blocking Events over Western Siberia and Their Effect on Surface Temperature Anomalies
Authors: Antokhina Olga , Antokhin Pavel , Devyatova Elena , Martynova Yuliya
Published: February 2018

Western Siberia is a large area in Northern Eurasia, which lies between the Urals and the Yenisei River. The atmospheric blocking events are not a frequent phenomenon in this region. Nevertheless, they noticeably affect the weather and living conditions of people there. We have investigated 14 winter blocking events, identified over Western Siberia, over 2004–2016, and have studied their effect on the surface temperature in this region. We have compared each of the 14 blocking events to the corresponding surface temperature anomalies in the north and in the south of Western Siberia. As a result, the temperature anomalies were separated into two groups: (1) dipole, with a positive surface temperature anomaly (or close to the norm) in the north, and with a negative anomaly (or close to the norm) in the south, and (2) non-dipole. Ten events were attributed to Group 1, four events were referred to Group 2. Analyzing the potential temperature on the dynamic tropopause (advection characteristic) showed that the Group 1 events feature strong advection over the investigated territory. In the non-dipole situations from Group 2 Western Siberia are away from strong blocking events.
Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Air Pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3, and CO) in the Inland Basin City of Chengdu, Southwest China
Authors: Xiao Kuang , Wang Yuku , Wu Guang , Fu Bin , Zhu Yuanyuan
Published: February 2018

Most cities in China are experiencing severe air pollution due to rapid economic development and accelerated urbanization. Long-term air pollution data with high temporal and spatial resolutions are needed to support research into physical and chemical processes that affect air quality, and the corresponding health risks. For the first time, data on PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3 and CO concentrations in 23 ambient air quality automatic monitoring stations and routine meteorological were collected between January 2014 and December 2016 to determine the spatial and temporal variation in these pollutants and influencing factors in Chengdu. The annual mean concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 exceeded the standard of Chinese Ambient Air Quality and World Health Organization guidelines standards at all of the stations. The concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, SO2 and CO decreased from 2014 to 2016, and the NO2 level was stable, whereas the O3 level increased markedly during this period. The air pollution characteristics in Chengdu showed simultaneously high PM concentrations and O3. High PM concentrations were mainly observed in the middle region of Chengdu and may have been due to the joint effects of industrial and vehicle emissions. Ozone pollution was mainly due to vehicle emissions in the downtown area, and industry had a more important effect on O3 in the northern area with fewer vehicles. The concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and CO were highest in winter and lowest in summer; the highest SO2 concentration was also observed in winter and was lowest in autumn, whereas the O3 concentration peaked in summer. Haze pollution can easily form under the weather conditions of static wind, low temperature and relative humidity, and high surface pressure inside Chengdu. In contrast, severe ozone pollution is often associated with high temperature.
Microwave-Assisted Extraction for Microalgae: From Biofuels to Biorefinery
Authors: Kapoore Rahul , Butler Thomas , Pandhal Jagroop , Vaidyanathan Seetharaman
Published: February 2018

The commercial reality of bioactive compounds and oil production from microalgal species is constrained by the high cost of production. Downstream processing, which includes harvesting and extraction, can account for 70–80% of the total cost of production. Consequently, from an economic perspective extraction technologies need to be improved. Microalgal cells are difficult to disrupt due to polymers within their cell wall such as algaenan and sporopollenin. Consequently, solvents and disruption devices are required to obtain products of interest from within the cells. Conventional techniques used for cell disruption and extraction are expensive and are often hindered by low efficiencies. Microwave-assisted extraction offers a possibility for extraction of biochemical components including lipids, pigments, carbohydrates, vitamins and proteins, individually and as part of a biorefinery. Microwave technology has advanced since its use in the 1970s. It can cut down working times and result in higher yields and purity of products. In this review, the ability and challenges in using microwave technology are discussed for the extraction of bioactive products individually and as part of a biorefinery approach.
Human Intrinsic Factor Expression for Bioavailable Vitamin B12 Enrichment in Microalgae
Authors: Lima Serena , Webb Conner L. , Deery Evelyne , Robinson Colin , Zedler Julie A. Z.
Published: February 2018

Dietary supplements and functional foods are becoming increasingly popular complements to regular diets. A recurring ingredient is the essential cofactor vitamin B12 (B12). Microalgae are making their way into the dietary supplement and functional food market but do not produce B12, and their B12 content is very variable. In this study, the suitability of using the human B12-binding protein intrinsic factor (IF) to enrich bioavailable B12 using microalgae was tested. The IF protein was successfully expressed from the nuclear genome of the model microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the addition of an N-terminal ARS2 signal peptide resulted in efficient IF secretion to the medium. Co-abundance of B12 and the secreted IF suggests the algal produced IF protein is functional and B12-binding. Utilizing IF expression could be an efficient tool to generate B12-enriched microalgae in a controlled manner that is suitable for vegetarians and, potentially, more bioavailable for humans.
An IFC Interoperability Framework for Self-Inspection Process in Buildings
Authors: Hernández José L. , Martín Lerones Pedro , Bonsma Peter , Van Delft Andrè , Deighton Richard , Braun Jan-Derrick
Published: February 2018

Self-inspection of buildings is the process of controlling the quality of construction work in order to ensure that the specifications are implemented according to the design. Under current practices, self-inspection is totally dependent on the operator’s skills, being a process that can be time-consuming and sometimes difficult to achieve. The Intuitive Self-Inspection Techniques using Augmented Reality (INSITER; for construction, refurbishment and maintenance of energy-efficient buildings made of prefabricated components) project aims to develop a software tool to support construction workers in self-inspection processes, with the overall objective of reducing major errors and extra costs. Nevertheless, one of the challenges is the lack of interoperability between the various equipment used to carry out self-inspection. Devices and current tools deployed on-site do not speak the same language, which leads to a lack of communication. Therefore, this paper presents a framework under which the equipment would be able to send information in a common format. For this purpose, the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) de-facto standard has been established as a viable data model to represent all the information related to the building project. Along these lines, Building Information Modeling (BIM) information and IFC-compliant databases have been designed for the representation of data coming from Computer-Aided Design (CAD) modeling, laser scanning, thermography and sensor networks. Besides the IFC-data repositories, the framework is a multi-layer architecture with the goal of ensuring interoperability and promoting the stakeholders’ objectives for self-inspection during the entire construction process.
Antimicrobial Efficiency of Metallurgical Slags for Application in Building Materials and Products
Authors: Strigáč Július , Števulová Nadežda , Mikušinec Jozef , Varečka Ludovít , Hudecová Daniela
Published: February 2018

The article deals with studying the antimicrobial efficiency of finely ground metallurgical slags, such as granulated blast-furnace slag with specific surface areas of 340 (1Sa) and 520 m2/kg (1Sb), air cooled blast-furnace slag (2S), demetallized steel slag (3S), calcareous ladle slag (4S), and copper slag (5S). The efficiency was tested on microbial representatives, such as: Gram-positive bacteria—Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus; Gram-negative bacteria—Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens; yeasts—Candida utilis, Rhodotorula glutinis; and microscopic filamentous fungi—Aspergillus niger, Penicillium funiculosum, Chaetomium globosum, Alternaria alternata, Trichoderma viride, Cladosporium herbarum. The efficiency was determined by dilution methods in agar growth media so that the resulting concentration of the tested slags was 10, 20, 40, and 60%. The antibacterial efficiency of the slags decreased in the order: S4 > S3 > S2 > S1a = S1b > S5, while their anti-yeast efficiency decreased in the order S4 > S1a = S1b = S3 > S2 > S5. Microscopic filamentous fungi were selectively sensitive to the slags; therefore, there is only an approximate order of efficiency of S4 > S3 = S1a = S1b > S5 > S2. Application of metallurgical slags into building materials and products provide them with increasing resistance against biodeterioration.
Alleviating Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Pain Using Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Neurolysis
Authors: Minaga Kosuke , Takenaka Mamoru , Kamata Ken , Yoshikawa Tomoe , Nakai Atsushi , Omoto Shunsuke , Miyata Takeshi , Yamao Kentaro , Imai Hajime , Sakamoto Hiroki , Kitano Masayuki , Kudo Masatoshi
Published: February 2018

The most common symptom in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer is abdominal pain. This has traditionally been treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid analgesics. However, these treatments result in inadequate pain control or drug-related adverse effects in some patients. An alternative pain-relief modality is celiac plexus neurolysis, in which the celiac plexus is chemically ablated. This procedure was performed percutaneously or intraoperatively until 1996, when endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided celiac plexus neurolysis was first described. In this transgastric anterior approach, a neurolytic agent is injected around the celiac trunk under EUS guidance. The procedure gained popularity as a minimally invasive approach and is currently widely used to treat pancreatic cancer-associated pain. We focus on two relatively new techniques of EUS-guided neurolysis: EUS-guided celiac ganglia neurolysis and EUS-guided broad plexus neurolysis, which have been developed to improve efficacy. Although the techniques are safe and effective in general, some serious adverse events including ischemic and infectious complications have been reported as the procedure has gained widespread popularity. We summarize reported clinical outcomes of EUS-guided neurolysis in pancreatic cancer (from the PubMed and Embase databases) with a goal of providing information useful in developing strategies for pancreatic cancer-associated pain alleviation.
Advanced EUS Guided Tissue Acquisition Methods for Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Kandel Pujan , Wallace Michael B.
Published: February 2018

Pancreas cancer is a lethal cancer as the majority patients are diagnosed at an advanced incurable stage. Despite improvements in diagnostic modalities and management strategies, including surgery and chemotherapies, the outcome of pancreas cancer remains poor. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is an important imaging tool for pancreas cancer. For decades, resected pancreas cancer and other cancer specimens have been used to identify tissue biomarkers or genomics for precision therapy; however, only 20% of patients undergo surgery, and thus, this framework is not useful for unresectable pancreas cancer. With advancements in needle technologies, tumor specimens can be obtained at the time of tissue diagnosis. Tumor tissue can be used for development of personalized cancer treatment, such as performing whole exome sequencing and global genomic profiling of pancreas cancer, development of tissue biomarkers, and targeted mutational assays for precise chemotherapy treatment. In this review, we discuss the recent advances in tissue acquisition of pancreas cancer.
Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) Norms: A “Growth Chart” for ATEC Score Changes as a Function of Age
Authors: Mahapatra Shreyas , Vyshedsky David , Martinez Samantha , Kannel Benjamin , Braverman Julia , Edelson Stephen , Vyshedskiy Andrey
Published: February 2018

Most early-intervention Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) clinical trials are limited by the availability of psychometric technicians who assess each child’s abilities before and after therapeutic intervention. If parents could administer regular psychometric evaluations of their children, then the cost of clinical trials will be reduced, enabling longer clinical trials with the larger number of participants. The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was designed nearly two decades ago to provide such a tool, but the norms on the longitudinal changes in ATEC in the “treatment as usual” population were lacking. Here we report the norms of the observational cohort who voluntarily completed ATEC evaluations over the period of four years from 2013 to 2017.
Palliative Care for Children in Hospital: Essential Roles
Authors: Drake Ross
Published: February 2018

Palliative care for children in pediatric hospitals is a vital part of the network of services supporting children with severe illness. This has been recognized, with a trend over the past decade for an increased number of pediatric palliative care (PPC) services established in pediatric hospitals. The inpatient team is in the unique position of influencing the early identification of children and their families, across the age and diagnostic spectrum, which could benefit from palliative care. These services have an opportunity to influence the integration of the palliative approach throughout the hospital, and in so doing, have the capacity to improve many aspects of care, including altering an increasingly futile and burdensome treatment trajectory, and ensuring improved symptom (physical and psychological) management.
Paediatric Palliative Care in Resource-Poor Countries
Authors: Downing Julia , Boucher Sue , Daniels Alex , Nkosi Busi
Published: February 2018

There is a great need for paediatric palliative care (PPC) services globally, but access to services is lacking in many parts of the world, particularly in resource-poor settings. Globally it is estimated that 21.6 million children need access to palliative care, with 8.2 needing specialist services. PC has been identified as important within the global health agenda e.g., within universal health coverage, and a recent Lancet commission report recognised the need for PPC. However, a variety of challenges have been identified to PPC development globally such as: access to treatment, access to medications such as oral morphine, opiophobia, a lack of trained health and social care professionals, a lack of PPC policies and a lack of awareness about PPC. These challenges can be overcome utilising a variety of strategies including advocacy and public awareness, education, access to medications, implementation and research. Examples will be discussed impacting on the provision of PPC in resource-poor settings. High-quality PPC service provision can be provided with resource-poor settings, and there is an urgent need to scale up affordable, accessible, and quality PPC services globally to ensure that all children needing palliative care can access it.
A Note on the Dyeing of Wool Fabrics Using Natural Dyes Extracted from Rotten Wood-Inhabiting Fungi
Authors: Hernández Vicente A. , Galleguillos Felipe A. , Sagredo Nicole , Machuca Ángela
Published: February 2018

Fungal isolates obtained from rotten wood samples were identified and selected by their ability to produce fungal dyes in liquid media. Fungal isolates produced natural extracellular dyes with colors ranging from red to orange, yellow and purple. Dyes from two of these fungi, Talaromyces australis (red) and Penicillium murcianum (yellow), were extracted and used to dye wool samples in a Data Color Ahiba IR Pro-Trade (model Top Speed II) machine. The protein nature of wool interacted well with the fungal dyes producing colors suitable for textile applications when used to a concentration of 0.1 g·L−1. Results on color fastness when washing confirmed the affinity of the dyes with wool as the dyed samples kept their color in acceptable ranges after washing, without the implementation of mordanting pretreatments or the use of fixing agents.
Application of Multiscale Entropy in Assessing Plantar Skin Blood Flow Dynamics in Diabetics with Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: Liao Fuyuan , Cheing Gladys L. Y. , Ren Weiyan , Jain Sanjiv , Jan Yih-Kuen
Published: February 2018

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a common complication of diabetes mellitus, while tissue ischemia caused by impaired vasodilatory response to plantar pressure is thought to be a major factor of the development of DFUs, which has been assessed using various measures of skin blood flow (SBF) in the time or frequency domain. These measures, however, are incapable of characterizing nonlinear dynamics of SBF, which is an indicator of pathologic alterations of microcirculation in the diabetic foot. This study recruited 18 type 2 diabetics with peripheral neuropathy and eight healthy controls. SBF at the first metatarsal head in response to locally applied pressure and heating was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry. A multiscale entropy algorithm was utilized to quantify the regularity degree of the SBF responses. The results showed that during reactive hyperemia and thermally induced biphasic response, the regularity degree of SBF in diabetics underwent only small changes compared to baseline and significantly differed from that in controls at multiple scales (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the transition of regularity degree of SBF in diabetics distinctively differed from that in controls (p < 0.05). These findings indicated that multiscale entropy could provide a more comprehensive assessment of impaired microvascular reactivity in the diabetic foot compared to other entropy measures based on only a single scale, which strengthens the use of plantar SBF dynamics to assess the risk for DFU.
On Points Focusing Entropy
Authors: Korczak-Kubiak Ewa , Loranty Anna , Pawlak Ryszard J.
Published: February 2018

In the paper, we consider local aspects of the entropy of nonautonomous dynamical systems. For this purpose, we introduce the notion of a (asymptotical) focal entropy point. The notion of entropy appeared as a result of practical needs concerning thermodynamics and the problem of information flow, and it is connected with the complexity of a system. The definition adopted in the paper specifies the notions that express the complexity of a system around certain points (the complexity of the system is the same as its complexity around these points), and moreover, the complexity of a system around such points does not depend on the behavior of the system in other parts of its domain. Any periodic system “acting” in the closed unit interval has an asymptotical focal entropy point, which justifies wide interest in these issues. In the paper, we examine the problems of the distortions of a system and the approximation of an autonomous system by a nonautonomous one, in the context of having a (asymptotical) focal entropy point. It is shown that even a slight modification of a system may lead to the arising of the respective focal entropy points.