bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal Emission of Alkali Metal Ions from Al30-Pillared Montmorillonite Studied by Mass Spectrometric Method
Authors: Motalov V. B. , Karasev N. S. , Ovchinnikov N. L. , Butman M. F.
Published: October 2017

The thermal emission of alkali metal ions from Al30-pillared montmorillonite in comparison with its natural form was studied by mass spectrometry in the temperature range 770–930 K. The measurements were carried out on a magnetic mass spectrometer MI-1201. For natural montmorillonite, the densities of the emission currents (j) decrease in the mass spectrum in the following sequence (T = 805 K, A/cm2): K+ (4.55 · 10−14), Cs+ (9.72 · 10−15), Rb+ (1.13 · 10−15), Na+ (1.75 · 10−16), Li+ (3.37 · 10−17). For Al30-pillared montmorillonite, thermionic emission undergoes temperature-time changes. In the low-temperature section of the investigated range (770–805 K), the value of j increases substantially for all ions in comparison with natural montmorillonite (T = 805 K, A/cm2): Cs+ (6.47 · 10−13), K+ (9.44 · 10−14), Na+ (3.34 · 10−15), Rb+ (1.77 · 10−15), and Li+ (4.59 · 10−16). A reversible anomaly is observed in the temperature range 805–832 K: with increasing temperature, the value of j of alkaline ions falls abruptly. This effect increases with increasing ionic radius of M+. After a long heating-up period, this anomaly disappears and the lnj-1/T dependence acquires a classical linear form. The results are interpreted from the point of view of the dependence of the efficiency of thermionic emission on the phase transformations of pillars.
Thiamine Deficiency Leading to Refractory Lactic Acidosis in a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Teagarden Alicia M. , Leland Brian D. , Rowan Courtney M. , Lutfi Riad
Published: October 2017

Thiamine plays a critical role in energy metabolism. Critically ill children and adults may develop thiamine deficiency with ultimately increased mortality due to potentially irreversible consequences of severe type B lactic acidosis. We report a case of an unvaccinated term neonate with malignant pertussis requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and continuous renal replacement therapy, who developed profound lactic acidosis of unknown etiology. After countless evaluations for likely causes, the patient was ultimately determined to have thiamine deficiency and her acidosis resolved rapidly with vitamin supplementation.
Dosing of Ertapenem in an Extreme Obesity: A Case Report of 250 kg Patient
Authors: Lass Jana , Tamme Kadri , Kipper Karin , Starkopf Joel
Published: October 2017

Limited available data for dosing in obesity of the medicines used in this case are discussed, with the emphasis on ertapenem. The case illustrates the difficulties in dosing medicines to morbidly overweight patients. The number of such patients is increasing but data on adequate doses of medicines are scarce. We demonstrate that ertapenem 1,5 g i.v. once daily provided adequate drug exposure for susceptible bacteria in a 250 kg patient with normal renal function. The case suggests the usefulness of therapeutic drug monitoring of antibiotics, especially in critically ill patients.
In Vitro Evaluation of Essential Oils Derived from Piper nigrum (Piperaceae) and Citrus limonum (Rutaceae) against the Tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)
Authors: Vinturelle Rafaelle , Mattos Camila , Meloni Jéssica , Nogueira Jeane , Nunes Maria Júlia , Vaz Itabajara S. , Rocha Leandro , Lione Viviane , Castro Helena C. , Chagas Evelize Folly das
Published: October 2017

The present research aimed to study the chemical composition and acaricidal activity of Citrus limonum and Piper nigrum essential oils against the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus. GC-MS analysis of C. limonum essential oil showed limonene (50.3%), β-pinene (14.4%), and γ-terpinene (11.7%) as the major components; P. nigrum oil was mainly composed of β-caryophyllene (26.2%), σ-ocymene (5.8%), and α-pinene (5.5%). Acaricide activity was evaluated at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0% (v/v) of each plant oil, as well as 1 : 1 combination of both oils (5% : 5%, 2.5% : 2.5%, and 1.25% : 1.25% each), by immersing engorged R. microplus females for one minute. The LC90 of oils from C. limonum, P. nigrum, and the combination were 4.9%, 14.8%, and 5.1%, respectively. C. limonum essential oil caused 100% mortality of engorged females at the highest concentration (10%). P. nigrum essential oil inhibited egg-laying by up to 96% in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting it reduces tick fecundity. When combined, the oils presented toxicity as to C. limonum oil alone, but with stronger inhibition of oviposition (5% : 5%), indicating a possible additive effect against R. microplus. The present data provide support for further investigation of novel natural products to control bovine tick infestations.
The Effect of the Application of Edible Coatings on or before Ultraviolet Treatment on Postharvested Longan Fruits
Authors: Lin Mee Gie , Lasekan Ola , Saari Nazamid , Khairunniza-Bejo Siti
Published: October 2017

This study compared the effect of application of edible coating on or before ultraviolet treatment on postharvest longan fruits. The treated longan fruits were examined for weight loss, respiration rate, surface color changes, enzymatic activities (PPO, POD, and PAL), and total phenolic contents throughout the 7 storage days at ambient temperature. In addition, coat homogeneity was examined and cell structure of longan flesh at the end of storage was observed. The results showed that when UV was applied before coating (i.e., chitosan or carrageenan), it had relatively lower PPO and PAL activities and retained higher TPC in longan pericarp. However, the changes in enzymatic activities did not affect the surface lightness and browning index as they were more influenced by the type of coating, in which combination treatments with carrageenan showed higher surface lightness and lower browning index compared to treatment combinations containing chitosan. However, when UV treatment preceded coating, the combinations of UV plus chitosan coating produced lower PPO and PAL activities and retained better cell structure with less damage than the combinations of UV plus carrageenan coating. UV plus carrageenan coating showed relatively higher weight loss and respiration rate, with cell structure exhibiting bigger intercellular spaces at the end of storage. Therefore, application of UV treatment followed by chitosan coating was found to be the best treatment combination for controlling enzymatic activities and reducing senescence rate of longan fruits.
A Fault Diagnosis Method for Oil Well Pump Using Radial Basis Function Neural Network Combined with Modified Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Yu Deliang , Li Yanmei , Sun Hao , Ren Yulong , Zhang Yongming , Qi Weigui
Published: October 2017

This paper presents a new method to diagnose oil well pump faults using a modified radial basis function neural network. With the development of submersible linear motor technology, rodless pumping units have been widely used in oil exploration. However, the ground indicator diagram method cannot be used to diagnose the working conditions of rodless pumping units because it is based on the load change of the polished rod suspension point and its displacement. To solve this problem, this paper presents a new method that is applicable to rodless oil pumps. The advantage of this new method is its use of a simple feature extraction method and advanced genetic algorithm to optimize the threshold and weight of the RBF neural network. In this paper, we extract the characteristic value from the operation parameters of the submersible linear motor and oil wellhead as the input vector of the fault diagnosis model. Through experimental analysis, the proposed method is proven to have good convergence performance, high accuracy, and high reliability.
All-Atom Four-Body Knowledge-Based Statistical Potentials to Distinguish Native Protein Structures from Nonnative Folds
Authors: Masso Majid
Published: October 2017

Recent advances in understanding protein folding have benefitted from coarse-grained representations of protein structures. Empirical energy functions derived from these techniques occasionally succeed in distinguishing native structures from their corresponding ensembles of nonnative folds or decoys which display varying degrees of structural dissimilarity to the native proteins. Here we utilized atomic coordinates of single protein chains, comprising a large diverse training set, to develop and evaluate twelve all-atom four-body statistical potentials obtained by exploring alternative values for a pair of inherent parameters. Delaunay tessellation was performed on the atomic coordinates of each protein to objectively identify all quadruplets of interacting atoms, and atomic potentials were generated via statistical analysis of the data and implementation of the inverted Boltzmann principle. Our potentials were evaluated using benchmarking datasets from Decoys-‘R’-Us, and comparisons were made with twelve other physics- and knowledge-based potentials. Ranking 3rd, our best potential tied CHARMM19 and surpassed AMBER force field potentials. We illustrate how a generalized version of our potential can be used to empirically calculate binding energies for target-ligand complexes, using HIV-1 protease-inhibitor complexes for a practical application. The combined results suggest an accurate and efficient atomic four-body statistical potential for protein structure prediction and assessment.
Crashworthiness Design for Bionic Bumper Structures Inspired by Cattail and Bamboo
Authors: Xu Tao , Liu Nian , Yu Zhenglei , Xu Tianshuang , Zou Meng
Published: October 2017

Many materials in nature exhibit excellent mechanical properties. In this study, we evaluated the bionic bumper structure models by using nonlinear finite element (FE) simulations for their crashworthiness under full-size impact loading. The structure contained the structural characteristics of cattail and bamboo. The results indicated that the bionic design enhances the specific energy absorption (SEA) of the bumper. The numerical results showed that the bionic cross-beam and bionic box of the bionic bumper have a significant effect on the crashworthiness of the structure. The crush deformation of bionic cross-beam and box bumper model was reduced by 33.33%, and the total weight was reduced by 44.44%. As the energy absorption capacity under lateral impact, the bionic design can be used in the future bumper body.
Relationship between Obesity and Cognitive Function in Young Women: The Food, Mood and Mind Study
Authors: Cook Rebecca L. , O’Dwyer Nicholas J. , Donges Cheyne E. , Parker Helen M. , Cheng Hoi Lun , Steinbeck Katharine S. , Cox Eka P. , Franklin Janet L. , Garg Manohar L. , Rooney Kieron B. , O’Connor Helen T.
Published: October 2017

Limited research addresses links between obesity and cognitive function in young adults.Objective. To investigate the relationship between obesity and cognitive function in young women.Methods. This cross-sectional study recruited healthy, young (18–35 y) women of normal (NW: BMI = 18.5–24.9 kg·m−2) or obese (OB: BMI ≥ 30.0 kg·m−2) weight. Participants completed a validated, computer-based cognitive testing battery evaluating impulsivity, attention, information processing, memory, and executive function. Questionnaires on depression and physical activity and a fasting blood sample for C-reactive protein and the Omega-3 Index were also collected. Cognition data are presented asz-scores (mean ± SD), and group comparisons were assessed via ANOVA. Potential confounding from questionnaire and blood variables were evaluated using ANCOVA.Results. 299 women (NW:n = 157; OB:n = 142) aged 25.8 ± 5.1 y were enrolled. Cognition scores were within normal range (±1z-score), but OB had lower attention (NW: 0.31 ± 1.38; OB: −0.25 ± 1.39; ES: 0.41, CI: 0.17–0.64;p<0.001) and higher impulsivity (NW: 0.36 ± 1.14; OB: −0.07 ± 1.07; ES: 0.39, CI: 0.15–0.62;p=0.033). Confounder adjustment had minimal impact on results.Conclusion. The OB group had normal but significantly lower performance on attention and were more impulsive compared to NW participants. This may indicate early cognitive decline, but longitudinal research confirming these findings is warranted.
A Printed LPDA Antenna Fed by a Microstrip Line to Double Sided Parallel Strip Line from Backside
Authors: Yang Zhou , Jingjian Huang , Weiwei Wu , Naichang Yuan
Published: October 2017

A novel planar printed log-periodic dipole array (LPDA) antenna fed by tapered microstrip line (MSL) to double sided parallel strip line (DSPSL) is proposed in this paper. The proposed antenna adopts MSL feeding approach from backside. Using this feeding technique makes the printed LPDA antenna easier to be integrated into radio frequency (RF) circuits. In this paper, four layers are used to construct the antenna. The four layers of the printed LPDA antenna are printed on three thin dielectric substrates which are integrated together. To validate this approach, a printed LPDA antenna is simulated and fabricated for operating in the S and C bands (2.5–6 GHz). The antenna showed a good result over the whole frequency range with 2 : 1 VSWR, an average gain of 6.5 dB, and stable radiation patterns. The measured results are in very good agreement with simulations.
Understanding the Spatially Variable Effects of Climate Change on Rice Yield for Three Ecotypes in Bangladesh, 1981–2010
Authors: Ara Iffat , Lewis Megan , Ostendorf Bertram
Published: October 2017

Climate change will impact on rice food security in many parts of the world, including Bangladesh. Little attention has been given to understanding the impact of climate on rice yield for three main ecotypes (Aus, Aman, and Boro) in different areas of the country. The aim of this paper was to analyse the spatiotemporal dynamics of rice yield and climatic variables and the spatially variable climate effects on rice yield for these ecotypes in Bangladesh during 1981–2010 by employing linear mixed models and generalized linear models. The results demonstrated the substantial spatiotemporal variations of rice yield for all ecotypes across the country. Rice yield for ecotypes was more susceptible to temperature changes than rainfall effects. Modelling of a 1°C temperature increase in the country showed strong regional differences in rice yield for these ecotypes. The study concludes that future temperature changes are likely to change regional rice yield for all ecotypes and hence impact food security. The results have important consequences for food security by indicating the need for appropriate region-specific adaptation measures to reduce rice yield variability in the future. The results show the need to consider spatial differences for policy development to improve food security in Bangladesh.
Improvement in Quality Metrics Outcomes and Patient and Family Satisfaction in a Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit after Creation of a Dedicated Neurocritical Care Team
Authors: Sarpong Yaw , Nattanmai Premkumar , Schelp Ginger , Bell Robert , Premkumar Keerthivaas , Stapleton Erin , McCormick Ashley , Newey Christopher R.
Published: October 2017

Introduction. Dedicated neurointensivists have been shown to improve outcome measurements in the neurosciences intensive care unit (NSICU). Quality outcome data in relation to patient and family satisfaction is lacking. This study evaluated the impact of newly appointed neurointensivists and creation of a neurocritical care team on quality outcome measures including patient satisfaction in a NSICU. Methods. This is a retrospective study of data over 36 months from a 14-bed NSICU evaluating quality outcome measures and anonymous patient satisfaction questionnaires before and after neurointensivists appointment. Results. After appointment of neurointensivists, patient acuity of the NSICU increased by 33.4% while LOS decreased by 3.5%. There was a decrease in neurosciences mortality (35.8%), catheter-associated urinary tract infection (50%), central line associated bloodstream infection (100%), and ventilator-associated pneumonia (50%). During the same time, patient satisfaction increased by 28.3% on physicians/nurses consistency (p=0.025), by 69.5% in confidence/trust in physicians (p<0.0001), by 78.3% on physicians treated me with courtesy/respect (p<0.0001), and by 46.4% on physicians’ attentiveness (p<0.0001). Ultimately, patients recommending the hospital to others increased by 67.5% (p<0.0001). Conclusion. Dedicated neurointensivists and the subsequent development of a neurocritical care team positively impacted quality outcome metrics, particularly significantly improving patient satisfaction.
Effects of Bedtime Periocular Warming on Sleep Status in Adult Female Subjects: A Pilot Study
Authors: Sakamoto Ichiro , Igaki Michihito , Ichiba Tomohisa , Suzuki Masahiro , Kuriyama Kenichi , Uchiyama Makoto
Published: October 2017

Several studies have reported that suitable manipulation of human skin or body temperature can lead to improved sleep. To clarify the effect of skin warming on human sleep, 38 female subjects, who occasionally had difficulty with falling asleep, were studied. The participants underwent two experimental sessions, which were carried out in two consecutive follicular phases and randomly crossed over. The participants wore hot or sham eye masks in one 14‐day session. The first half of each 14‐day session was designated the baseline period (BL) without any interventions and the later half was designated the intervention period (INT), in which they wore either the hot or sham eye mask for 10 minutes at bedtime. All the participants were instructed to keep a sleep diary every morning for the BL and INT. The results showed that the hot eye mask was significantly preferred over the sham one with respect to comfort and that feelings of restfulness and being refreshed upon wakening in the morning were significantly better with the hot eye mask than with the sham. These results suggest that bedtime periocular warming has favorable effects on subjective well‐being on awakening, possibly due to the sense of comfort experienced at bedtime.
Associations of Functional MicroRNA Binding Site Polymorphisms in IL23/Th17 Inflammatory Pathway Genes with Gastric Cancer Risk
Authors: Dong Kaiyan , Xu Yajuan , Yang Qian , Shi Jiachen , Jiang Jicheng , Chen Yi , Song Chunhua , Wang Kaijuan
Published: October 2017

IL23/Th17 axis acts as an inflammatory pathway in gastric carcinogenesis. MicroRNA- (miRNA-) binding site single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of inflammatory genes may alter gastric cancer (GC) susceptibility. In this study, four miRNA binding site SNPs (rs3748067 of IL17A, rs887796, rs1468488 of IL17RA, and rs10889677 of IL23R) were genotyped from 500 patients and 500 controls. Unconditional logistic regression analyses and multifactor dimensionality reduction software were used to evaluate the relationships of SNPs with GC and gene-environment interactions, respectively. Quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot analysis, and luciferase report gene assay were applied for function verification. We found that CT (ORadj = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.44–0.79), CT + TT (ORadj = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.43–0.77) genotypes, and T allele (ORadj = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.47–0.80) of rs3748067 reduced GC risk; the rs10889677 CC genotype (ORadj = 2.22; 95% CI: 1.27–3.87) and C allele (ORadj = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.02–1.52) increased GC risk. A meaningful interaction among ever smoked, family history of GC, and rs3748068 could intensify GC risk by 2.25-fold. Functional tests demonstrated the inhibitory effect of miR-10a-3p on IL17A expression in SGC-7901 cells. These results suggested that miRNA binding site SNPs within IL23/Th17 inflammatory pathway genes and their interactions with environmental factors could be associated with GC risk.
Bounded Subsets of Classes MpX of Holomorphic Functions
Authors: Iida Yasuo
Published: October 2017

Some characterizations of boundedness in Mp(X) will be described, where Mp(X)  (0<p<∞) are F-algebras which consist of holomorphic functions defined by maximal functions.
Network Pharmacology‐Based Approach to Investigate the Analgesic Efficacy and Molecular Targets of Xuangui Dropping Pill for Treating Primary Dysmenorrhea
Authors: Huang Jihan , Li Lei , Cheung Fan , Wang Ning , Li Yunfei , Fan Zhenyu , Yin Fang , Yang Juan , Gao Rui , He Yingchun , Feng Yibin
Published: October 2017

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical analgesic efficacy and identify the molecular targets of XGDP for treating primary dysmenorrhea (PD) by a network pharmacology approach. Analysis of pain disappearance rate of XGDP in PD treatment was conducted based on data from phase II and III randomized, double‐blind, double‐simulation, and positive parallel controlled clinical trials. The bioactive compounds were obtained by the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion processes with oral bioavailability (OB) and drug‐likeness (DL) evaluation. Subsequently, target prediction, pathway identification, and network construction were employed to clarify the mechanisms of the analgesic effect of XGDP on PD. The pain disappearance rates in phase II and III clinical trials of XGDP in PD treatment were 62.5% and 55.8%, respectively, yielding a significant difference (P < 0.05) when compared with the control group using Tongjingbao granules (TJBG). Among 331 compounds, 53 compounds in XGDP were identified as the active compounds related to PD through OB, DL, and target prediction. The active compounds and molecular targets of XGDP were identified, and our study showed that XGDP may exert its therapeutic effects on PD through the regulation of the targets related to anti‐inflammation analgesia and central analgesia and relieving smooth muscle contraction.
The Visualization of the Space Probability Distribution for a Moving Particle: In a Single Ring-Shaped Coulomb Potential
Authors: You Yuan , Lu Fa-Lin , Sun Dong-Sheng , Chen Chang-Yuan , Dong Shi-Hai
Published: October 2017

We first present the exact solutions of the single ring-shaped Coulomb potential and then realize the visualizations of the space probability distribution for a moving particle within the framework of this potential. We illustrate the two-dimensional (contour) and three-dimensional (isosurface) visualizations for those specifically given quantum numbers (n, l, m) essentially related to those so-called quasi-quantum numbers (n′, l′, m′) through changing the single ring-shaped Coulomb potential parameter b. We find that the space probability distributions (isosurface) of a moving particle for the special case l=m and the usual case l≠m are spherical and circularly ring-shaped, respectively, by considering all variables r→=(r,θ,φ) in spherical coordinates. We also study the features of the relative probability values P of the space probability distributions. As an illustration, by studying the special case of the quantum numbers (n, l, m) = (6, 5, 1), we notice that the space probability distribution for a moving particle will move towards the two poles of the z-axis as the relative probability value P increases. Moreover, we discuss the series expansion of the deformed spherical harmonics through the orthogonal and complete spherical harmonics and find that the principal component decreases gradually and other components will increase as the potential parameter b increases.
The Light and Shadow of Senescence and Inflammation in Cardiovascular Pathology and Regenerative Medicine
Authors: Iop Laura , Dal Sasso Eleonora , Schirone Leonardo , Forte Maurizio , Peruzzi Mariangela , Cavarretta Elena , Palmerio Silvia , Gerosa Gino , Sciarretta Sebastiano , Frati Giacomo
Published: October 2017

Recent epidemiologic studies evidence a dramatic increase of cardiovascular diseases, especially associated with the aging of the world population. During aging, the progressive impairment of the cardiovascular functions results from the compromised tissue abilities to protect the heart against stress. At the molecular level, in fact, a gradual weakening of the cellular processes regulating cardiovascular homeostasis occurs in aging cells. Atherosclerosis and heart failure are particularly correlated with aging-related cardiovascular senescence, that is, the inability of cells to progress in the mitotic program until completion of cytokinesis. In this review, we explore the intrinsic and extrinsic causes of cellular senescence and their role in the onset of these cardiovascular pathologies. Additionally, we dissect the effects of aging on the cardiac endogenous and exogenous reservoirs of stem cells. Finally, we offer an overview on the strategies of regenerative medicine that have been advanced in the quest for heart rejuvenation.
The Utility of MRI in the Diagnosis of Takayasu Arteritis
Authors: Gaballah Marian , Goldfisher Rachelle , Amodio John B.
Published: October 2017

Takayasu Arteritis (TA) is an inflammatory disorder involving the thoracoabdominal aorta and its branches and the pulmonary arteries, with eventual vascular stenosis, occlusion, or aneurysm formation. Conventional angiography has been the reference imaging standard for diagnosis of TA. The purpose of this case report is to demonstrate the utility of MR imaging and MR angiography in the diagnosis of Takayasu Arteritis in a pediatric patient. The patient is a 15-year-old female patient presenting with anemia, hypertension, and acute kidney injury. Initial chest CT demonstrated ectasia of the ascending and focal stenosis of the descending thoracic aorta, prompting further evaluation with MRI and MRA. MRI/MRA demonstrated mural thickening with luminal stenosis of the aorta and aortic branch vessels. These imaging findings were suggestive of a large vessel arteritis and along with the clinical presentation and laboratory abnormalities the diagnosis of Takayasu Arteritis was suggested. Several case series in adults have described the cross-sectional findings of TA. However, this case report demonstrates the utility of MRI/MRA in the evaluation of TA in children and in the course of follow-up, as it provides a noninvasive method for evaluating a child without ionizing radiation or iodinated contrast.
Comparison between the Correlations of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measured by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography and Visual Field Defects in Standard Automated White-on-White Perimetry versus Pulsar Perimetry
Authors: Alnawaiseh Maged , Hömberg Lisann , Eter Nicole , Prokosch Verena
Published: October 2017

Purpose.To compare the structure-function relationships between retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and visual field defects measured either by standard automated perimetry (SAP) or by Pulsar perimetry (PP).Materials and Methods.263 eyes of 143 patients were prospectively included. Depending on the RNFLT, patients were assigned to the glaucoma group (group A: RNFL score 3–6) or the control group (group B: RNFL score 0–2). Structure-function relationships between RNFLT and mean sensitivity (MS) measured by SAP and PP were analyzed.Results.Throughout the entire group, the MS assessed by PP and SAP correlated significantly with RNFLT in all sectors. In the glaucoma group, there was no significant difference between the correlations RNFL-SAP and RNFL-PP, whereas a significant difference was found in the control group.Conclusions.In the control group, the correlation between structure and function based on the PP data was significantly stronger than that based on SAP.
City Sustainable Development Evaluation Based on Hesitant Multiplicative Fuzzy Information
Authors: He Xiaorong , Wu Yingyu
Published: October 2017

Sustainable development evaluation is the basis of city sustainable development research, and effective evaluation is the foundation for guiding the formulation and implementation of sustainable development strategy. In this paper, we provided a new city sustainable development evaluation method called hesitant multiplicative fuzzy TODIM (HMF‐TODIM). The main advantage of this method is that it can deal with the subjective preference information of the decision‐makers. The comparison study of existing methods and HMF‐TODIM is also carried out. Additionally, real case analysis is presented to show the validity and superiority of the proposed method. Research results in this paper can provide useful information for the construction of sustainable cities.
The Intricate Link among Gut “Immunological Niche,” Microbiota, and Xenobiotics in Intestinal Pathology
Authors: Pagliari Danilo , Gambassi Giovanni , Piccirillo Ciriaco A. , Cianci Rossella
Published: October 2017

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are diseases characterized by various degrees of inflammation involving the gastrointestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are characterized by a dysregulated immune response leading to structural gut alterations in genetically predisposed individuals. Diverticular disease is characterized by abnormal immune response to normal gut microbiota. IBDs are linked to a lack of physiological tolerance of the mucosal immune system to resident gut microbiota and pathogens. The disruption of immune tolerance involves inflammatory pathways characterized by an unbalance between the anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells and the proinflammatory Th1/Th17 cells. The interaction among T cell subpopulations and their related cytokines, mediators of inflammation, gut microbiota, and the intestinal mucosa constitute the gut “immunological niche.” Several evidences have shown that xenobiotics, such as rifaximin, can positively modulate the inflammatory pathways at the site of gut immunological niche, acting as anti-inflammatory agents. Xenobiotics may interfere with components of the immunological niche, leading to activation of anti-inflammatory pathways and inhibition of several mediators of inflammation. In summary, xenobiotics may reduce disease-related gut mucosal alterations and clinical symptoms. Studying the complex interplay between gut immunological niche and xenobiotics will certainly open new horizons in the knowledge and therapy of intestinal pathologies.
Redox Regulation of Inflammatory Processes Is Enzymatically Controlled
Authors: Lorenzen Inken , Mullen Lisa , Bekeschus Sander , Hanschmann Eva-Maria
Published: October 2017

Redox regulation depends on the enzymatically controlled production and decay of redox active molecules. NADPH oxidases, superoxide dismutases, nitric oxide synthases, and others produce the redox active molecules superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide, and hydrogen sulfide. These react with target proteins inducing spatiotemporal modifications of cysteine residues within different signaling cascades. Thioredoxin family proteins are key regulators of the redox state of proteins. They regulate the formation and removal of oxidative modifications by specific thiol reduction and oxidation. All of these redox enzymes affect inflammatory processes and the innate and adaptive immune response. Interestingly, this regulation involves different mechanisms in different biological compartments and specialized cell types. The localization and activity of distinct proteins including, for instance, the transcription factor NFκB and the immune mediator HMGB1 are redox‐regulated. The transmembrane protein ADAM17 releases proinflammatory mediators, such as TNFα, and is itself regulated by a thiol switch. Moreover, extracellular redox enzymes were shown to modulate the activity and migration behavior of various types of immune cells by acting as cytokines and/or chemokines. Within this review article, we will address the concept of redox signaling and the functions of both redox enzymes and redox active molecules in innate and adaptive immune responses.
A Unique Case of Testicular Compromise in a Patient with Ovotesticular Disorder of Sexual Development and a Solitary Testicle
Authors: Vargo Ethan , Stanitsas Lillianne , Memo Mark
Published: October 2017

Ovotesticular disorder of sexual development (OT-DSD), previously true hermaphroditism, is a condition in which one or both gonads contain testicular and ovarian tissue. A 23-year-old OT-DSD male patient presented with continuous pain in his right testicle which had been previously intermittent over the past five days. The patient had a prior history of left ovotestis removal with prosthesis placement, a right undescended testicle with aberrant anatomy, and hypospadias repair, all of which were corrected shortly after birth. A lack of blood flow to the testicle on Doppler ultrasound warranted immediate surgical intervention. Intraoperatively, an aberrant tunica vaginalis space with a compressive hematoma secondary to epididymal abscess rupture was identified as the causation for testicular compromise. Return of vascular flow to the testicle was confirmed with intraoperative Doppler after hematoma and epididymis excision, and the testicle was left in situ. It is imperative to consider epididymal etiologies with acute testicular pain, especially in a patient with a medical history that carries an increased risk for gonadal anomalies.
Study on Selfish Node Incentive Mechanism with a Forward Game Node in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Al-Jaoufi Mohammed Ahmed Ahmed , Liu Yun , Zhang Zhen-jiang , Uden Lorna
Published: October 2017

In a wireless sensor network, some nodes may act selfishly and noncooperatively, such as not forwarding packets, in response to their own limited resources. If most of the nodes in a network exhibit this selfish behavior, the entire network will be paralyzed, and it will not be able to provide normal service. This paper considers implementing the idea of evolutionary game theory into the nodes of wireless sensor networks to effectively improve the reliability and stability of the networks. We present a new model for the selfish node incentive mechanism with a forward game node for wireless sensor networks, and we discuss applications of the replicator dynamics mechanism to analyze evolutionary trends of trust relationships among nodes. We analyzed our approach theoretically and conducted simulations based on the idea of evolutionary game theory. The results of the simulation indicated that a wireless sensor network that uses the incentive mechanism can forward packets well while resisting any slight variations. Thus, the stability and reliability of wireless sensor networks are improved. We conducted numerical experiments, and the results verified our conclusions based on the theoretical analysis.
A Privacy‐Preserving Intelligent Medical Diagnosis System Based on Oblivious Keyword Search
Authors: Lin Zhaowen , Xiao Xinglin , Sun Yi , Zhang Yudong , Ma Yan
Published: October 2017

One of the concerns people have is how to get the diagnosis online without privacy being jeopardized. In this paper, we propose a privacy‐preserving intelligent medical diagnosis system (IMDS), which can efficiently solve the problem. In IMDS, users submit their health examination parameters to the server in a protected form; this submitting process is based on Paillier cryptosystem and will not reveal any information about their data. And then the server retrieves the most likely disease (or multiple diseases) from the database and returns it to the users. In the above search process, we use the oblivious keyword search (OKS) as a basic framework, which makes the server maintain the computational ability but cannot learn any personal information over the data of users. Besides, this paper also provides a preprocessing method for data stored in the server, to make our protocol more efficient.
Diagnostic Accuracy of Monofilament Tests for Detecting Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Fengyi , Zhang Jiaqi , Yu Jiadan , Liu Shaxin , Zhang Rengang , Ma Xichao , Yang Yonghong , Wang Pu
Published: October 2017

Objective. To systematically evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of monofilament tests for detecting diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Methods. We searched EMBASE (OvidSP), MEDLINE (OvidSP), the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify diagnostic accuracy trials of monofilament tests for detecting diabetic peripheral neuropathy. We used a hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristics (HSROC) model to conduct the meta-analysis of diagnostic accuracy of monofilament tests for detecting diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Results. A total of 19 comparative trials met the inclusion criteria and were part of the qualitative synthesis. Eight trials using nerve conduction studies as the reference standard were selected for the meta-analysis. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of monofilament tests for detecting diabetic peripheral neuropathy were 0.53 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.32 to 0.74) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.94), respectively. The pooled positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were 4.56 (95% CI 2.93 to 7.10) and 0.53 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.81), respectively. Conclusions. Our review indicated that monofilament tests had limited sensitivity for screening diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The clinical use of the monofilament test in the evaluation of diabetic peripheral neuropathy cannot be encouraged based on currently available evidence.
Effects of Propofol Treatment in Neural Progenitors Derived from Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Long Bo , Li Shenglan , Xue Haipeng , Sun Li , Kim Dong H. , Liu Ying
Published: October 2017

Propofol is an intravenous anesthetic that has been widely used in clinics. Besides its anesthetic effects, propofol has also been reported to influence the regulation of the autonomic system. Controversies exist with regard to whether propofol exposure is safe for pregnant women and young children. In this work, human-induced pluripotent stem cell- (hiPSC-) derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs) were treated with propofol at 20, 50, 100, or 300 μM for 6 h or 24 h, and acute and subacute cell injury, cell proliferation, and apoptosis were evaluated. Comparison of genome-wide gene expression profiles was performed for treated and control iPSC-NPCs. Propofol treatment for 6 h at the clinically relevant concentration (20 or 50 μM) did not affect cell viability, apoptosis, or proliferation, while propofol at higher concentration (100 or 300 μM) decreased NPC viability and induced apoptosis. In addition, 20 μM propofol treatment for 6 h did not alter global gene expression. In summary, propofol treatment at commonly practiced clinical doses for 6 h did not have adverse effects on hiPSC-derived NPCs. In contrast, longer exposure and/or higher concentration could decrease NPC viability and induce apoptosis.
Technology-Assisted Rehabilitation of Writing Skills in Parkinson’s Disease: Visual Cueing versus Intelligent Feedback
Authors: Nackaerts Evelien , Nieuwboer Alice , Farella Elisabetta
Published: October 2017

Recent research showed that visual cueing can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on handwriting of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and healthy controls depending on the circumstances. Hence, using other sensory modalities to deliver cueing or feedback may be a valuable alternative. Therefore, the current study compared the effects of short-term training with either continuous visual cues or intermittent intelligent verbal feedback. Ten PD patients and nine healthy controls were randomly assigned to one of these training modes. To assess transfer of learning, writing performance was assessed in the absence of cueing and feedback on both trained and untrained writing sequences. The feedback pen and a touch-sensitive writing tablet were used for testing. Both training types resulted in improved writing amplitudes for the trained and untrained sequences. In conclusion, these results suggest that the feedback pen is a valuable tool to implement writing training in a tailor-made fashion for people with PD. Future studies should include larger sample sizes and different subgroups of PD for long-term training with the feedback pen.
Digital Path Approach Despeckle Filter for Ultrasound Imaging and Video
Authors: Szczepański Marek , Radlak Krystian
Published: October 2017

We propose a novel filtering technique capable of reducing the multiplicative noise in ultrasound images that is an extension of the denoising algorithms based on the concept of digital paths. In this approach, the filter weights are calculated taking into account the similarity between pixel intensities that belongs to the local neighborhood of the processed pixel, which is called a path. The output of the filter is estimated as the weighted average of pixels connected by the paths. The way of creating paths is pivotal and determines the effectiveness and computational complexity of the proposed filtering design. Such procedure can be effective for different types of noise but fail in the presence of multiplicative noise. To increase the filtering efficiency for this type of disturbances, we introduce some improvements of the basic concept and new classes of similarity functions and finally extend our techniques to a spatiotemporal domain. The experimental results prove that the proposed algorithm provides the comparable results with the state-of-the-art techniques for multiplicative noise removal in ultrasound images and it can be applied for real-time image enhancement of video streams.
A Study of Photocatalysis of Methylene Blue of TiO2 Fabricated by Electric Spark Discharge Method
Authors: Tseng Kuo-Hsiung , Chung Meng-Yun , Chang Chaur-Yang , Cheng Ting-Shou
Published: October 2017

This study used the Electric Spark Discharge Method (ESDM) to prepare nano-Ti colloid. The results showed that the process efficiency increased according to the current and selecting different discharge periods (TON-TOFF). The preparation process is pollution-free and very contributive to using TiO2 for photocatalytic reaction to degrade organic compounds. This study used 99.9% pure Ti metal to examine the effects of different discharge parameter settings on the photocatalysis of methylene blue. The experimental results showed that the discharge period (TON-TOFF) has an effect on the characteristics of the prepared nano-Ti colloid but affects its concentration. The nano-Ti colloid, as prepared under different parameters, has poor photocatalytic reaction with methylene blue at the concentration of 50 mg/L. The nano-Ti colloid does not have favorable effect on degrading methylene blue above 50 mg/L. For degrading methylene blue at a low concentration of 10 mg/L, the 100-100 nano-Ti parameter is preferable. For degrading methylene blue at a high concentration of 30 mg/L, nano-Ti colloid with TON exceeding 100 and TOFF fixed at 100 is better. As the nano-Ti colloid prepared by ESDM was free of chemical agents, when TiO2 was used in photocatalytic reaction to degrade organic compounds, there was no secondary pollution to the environment.
Latanoprost Induced Iris Pigment Epithelial and Ciliary Body Cyst Formation in Hypermetropic Eyes
Authors: Mohite Abhijit Anand , Prabhu Rangarajan V. , Ressiniotis Thomas
Published: October 2017

Purpose. Latanoprost has become one of the most widely prescribed topical antihypertensive medications in recent years. Yet there have been few reports of secondary iris pigment epithelial (IPE) and ciliary body (CB) cyst formation to date and none, to our knowledge, reported in eyes predisposed to primary angle closure. Methods. We report the first documented case of bilateral IPE and CB cysts in a hypermetropic patient with prior laser peripheral iridotomies (LPIs) as a rare, delayed side effect of topical Latanoprost treatment. The cysts subsided with discontinuation of Latanoprost, thereby demonstrating a causal relationship. We discuss the pathogenesis of such cysts and advocate using of serial ultrasound biomicroscopic (UBM) images to monitor them. Results and Conclusions. Latanoprost may cause iris pigment epithelial and ciliary body cysts that remain clinically undetected. In eyes predisposed to angle closure, such cysts may become clinically detectable and masquerade as iris tumours. Prior laser peripheral iridotomies in these eyes may delay or prevent the detection of these cysts. Ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) imaging is therefore a valuable tool in diagnosing and monitoring these cysts.
Efficiency Enhancement of Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells by Inserting Two-Step Growth Thermal Oxide to the Surface Passivation Layer
Authors: Liao Shun Sing , Lin Yueh Chin , Chuang Chuan Lung , Chang Edward Yi
Published: October 2017

In this study, the efficiency of the multicrystalline was improved by inserting a two-step growth thermal oxide layer as the surface passivation layer. Two-step thermal oxidation process can reduce carrier recombination at the surface and improve cell efficiency. The first oxidation step had a growth temperature of 780°C, a growth time of 5 min, and with N2/O2 gas flow ratio 12 : 1. The second oxidation had a growth temperature of 750°C, growth time of 20 min, and under pure N2 gas environment. Carrier lifetime was increased to 15.45 μs, and reflectance was reduced 0.52% using the two-step growth method as compared to the conventional one-step growth oxide passivation method. Consequently, internal quantum efficiency of the solar cell increased 4.1%, and conversion efficiency increased 0.37%. These results demonstrate that the two-step thermal oxidation process is an efficient way to increase the efficiency of the multicrystalline silicon solar cells.
Gaussian Elimination-Based Novel Canonical Correlation Analysis Method for EEG Motion Artifact Removal
Authors: Roy Vandana , Shukla Shailja , Shukla Piyush Kumar , Rawat Paresh
Published: October 2017

The motion generated at the capturing time of electro-encephalography (EEG) signal leads to the artifacts, which may reduce the quality of obtained information. Existing artifact removal methods use canonical correlation analysis (CCA) for removing artifacts along with ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and wavelet transform (WT). A new approach is proposed to further analyse and improve the filtering performance and reduce the filter computation time under highly noisy environment. This new approach of CCA is based on Gaussian elimination method which is used for calculating the correlation coefficients using backslash operation and is designed for EEG signal motion artifact removal. Gaussian elimination is used for solving linear equation to calculate Eigen values which reduces the computation cost of the CCA method. This novel proposed method is tested against currently available artifact removal techniques using EEMD-CCA and wavelet transform. The performance is tested on synthetic and real EEG signal data. The proposed artifact removal technique is evaluated using efficiency matrices such as del signal to noise ratio (DSNR), lambda (λ), root mean square error (RMSE), elapsed time, and ROC parameters. The results indicate suitablity of the proposed algorithm for use as a supplement to algorithms currently in use.