bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Industrial Internet of Things Based Efficient and Reliable Data Dissemination Solution for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Latif Shahid , Mahfooz Saeed , Ahmad Naveed , Jan Bilal , Farman Haleem , Khan Murad , Han Kijun
Published: April 2018

Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is the other name of industrial Internet. It integrates a variety of existing industrial automation technologies with computing, machine learning, and communication technologies. Vehicular ad hoc network, an application of IIoT, is a self‐organized network of vehicles which tends to provide improved road safety, diminished traffic congestion, and ultimate comfort to the travellers. In VANETs, vehicles exchange data with each other directly or through roadside units (RSUs). Data dissemination in VANETs experiences numerous challenging issues including broadcast storm, network partitions, intermittent connectivity between vehicles, and limited bandwidth. In literature, various data dissemination schemes are proposed. However, most of these schemes are designed for either urban or highway VANET scenarios and evaluated under sparse or dense traffic conditions. Moreover, these schemes do not effectively overcome the aforementioned issues simultaneously. In this paper, we present a new data dissemination protocol for VANETs, which disseminates the emergency messages in different scenarios under varying traffic conditions. During dense traffic conditions, DDP4V employs the segmentation of transmission region of a vehicle in order to select the most appropriate next forwarding vehicle (NFV). Accordingly, it divides the transmission region of a vehicle in three distinct segments and selects vehicle(s) inside the highest priority segment to forward the message to all neighbour vehicles, whereas it also uses implicit acknowledgements for guaranteed message delivery during sparse traffic Conditions. Simulation results show that DDP4V protocol outperforms the other existing related protocols in terms of coverage, network overhead, collision, and end‐to‐end delay.
Genetic Variability and Its Implications on Early Generation Sorghum Lines Selection for Yield, Yield Contributing Traits, and Resistance to Sorghum Midge
Authors: Hamidou Massaoudou , Souley Abdoul Kader M. , Kapran Issoufou , Souleymane Oumarou , Danquah Eric Yirenkyi , Ofori Kwadwo , Gracen Vernon , Ba Malick N.
Published: April 2018

Sorghum is the second most important cereal crop in Niger. The crop is grown in a wide range of ecological environments in the country. However, sorghum grain yield in Niger is limited by both abiotic and biotic constraints. Recombinant inbred lines derived from the cross of a local variety with a midge resistant variety and two local checks were evaluated during the 2015 rainy season across two planting dates in two environments in Niger. The objective was to investigate genetic variability for yield, yield related traits, and resistance to sorghum midge. High phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) versus genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) was observed in both sites and planting dates. Across planting dates at both Konni and Maradi, grain yield, plant height, panicle weight, and midge damage had high heritability coupled with high estimates of genetic advance. At Konni, high genetic advance coupled with high heritability was detected for grain yield, plant height, panicle weight, and resistance to midge. There were similar results at Maradi for grain yield, plant height, and panicle weight. Therefore, selection might be successful for the above characters in their respective environments.
Sliding Mode Control Based on Disturbance Observer for Greenhouse Climate Systems
Authors: Chen Lijun , Du Shangfeng , Xu Dan , He Yaofeng , Liang Meihui
Published: April 2018

Greenhouses are closed environments that require careful climatic control, which can benefit from a system control method to cope with the high nonlinearity, complex coupling, and robustness of unknown disturbances. This paper presents a general framework for an integral sliding mode controller based on a disturbance observer combined with feedback linearization for a greenhouse temperature and humidity system. The first-principle greenhouse climate model is described as a standard affine nonlinear system. The feedback linearization control law is used to achieve a system consisting of two separate integrator channels for temperature and humidity. System compound disturbances are estimated by applying a sliding mode disturbance observer. Based on the observer, an integral sliding mode control is incorporated to enhance the robustness against uncertainties and guarantee satisfactory tracking performance even when there are unknown estimation errors. The validity and efficacy of the proposed control technique for greenhouse climate tracking were verified by comparison with simulation results obtained using the common sliding mode control method using feedback linearization without the disturbance observer. Based on this comparison, the developed controller shows a faster system response speed, higher control precision, and stronger anti-interference ability. This method can be applied to improve greenhouse climate control systems.
Some Results about the Isolated Calmness of a Mixed Variational Inequality Problem
Authors: Zhao Yali , Li Hongying , Qian Weiyi , Fan Xiaodong
Published: April 2018

It is well known that optimization problem model has many applications arising from matrix completion, image processing, statistical learning, economics, engineering sciences, and so on. And convex programming problem is closely related to variational inequality problem. The so-called alternative direction of multiplier method (ADMM) is an importance class of numerical methods for solving convex programming problem. When analyzing the rate of convergence of various ADMMs, an error bound condition is usually required. The error bound can be obtained when the isolated calmness of the inverse of the KKT mapping of the related problem holds at the given KKT point. This paper is to study the isolated calmness of the inverse KKT mapping onto the mixed variational inequality problem with nonlinear term defined by norm function and indicator function of a convex polyhedral set, respectively. We also consider the isolated calmness of the inverse KKT mapping onto classical variational inequality problem with equality and inequality constrains under strict Mangasarian-Fromovitz constraint qualification condition. The results obtained here are new and very interesting.
Online Accurate Estimation of the Wheel-Rail Adhesion Coefficient and Optimal Adhesion Antiskid Control of Heavy-Haul Electric Locomotives Based on Asymmetric Barrier Lyapunov Function
Authors: Zhao Kaihui , Li Peng , Zhang Changfan , He Jing , Li Yanfei , Yin Tonghuan
Published: April 2018

This paper proposes a new scheme of online accurate estimation of wheel-rail adhesion coefficient and optimal adhesion antiskid control of heavy-haul electric locomotives (HHEL) based on sliding mode and asymmetric barrier Lyapunov function (ABLF) theory. To achieve optimal adhesion control of the HHEL, it is necessary to precisely estimate the wheel-rail adhesion coefficient. However, the adhesion coefficient is difficult to be measured with a conventional physical sensor. The first novelty of this paper is to design a smart adhesion coefficient sensor based on sliding mode observer (SMO). The perception of the adhesion coefficient is transformed into the observation of load torque of the traction motors, and the wheel-rail adhesion coefficient is further calculated by using the load torque observed value. The HHEL achieves maximum traction from operating in the optimal adhesion point. However, wheel skidding is most likely to occur at this point. According to the changing trend of the adhesive coefficient characteristic curve, the operating state of a locomotive can be divided into two regions: the stable and skid regions. The second novelty of this paper is the adaptation of ABLF to guarantee that the HHEL operated at a stable region and the optimal adhesion antiskid control of HHEL is achieved. Finally, the simulation and experimental results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Valuation on an Outside‐Reset Option with Multiple Resettable Levels and Dates
Authors: Xue Guangming , Qin Bin , Deng Guohe
Published: April 2018

This paper studies an outside‐reset option with multiple strike resets and reset dates, in which the strike price is adjusted by an external process associated with the underlying risky asset. We obtain analytical pricing formula for this option and the hedging parameters Delta and Gamma. Furthermore, some numerical examples are provided to analyze some characteristics of the outside‐reset option and to examine the impacts of the external parameters on option prices and Greeks. These results show that the external process can significantly affect option prices and Greeks.
Reanalysis of Modified Structures by Adding or Removing Substructures
Authors: Kim Yong-Su , Eun Hee-Chang
Published: April 2018

This study considers structural reanalysis owing to the modification of structural elements including (1) addition of substructures, (2) removal of substructures, and (3) changes in design variables. Coupling and decoupling reanalysis methods proposed in the study are performed by using the concept of compatibility conditions at interface nodes between the substructures or between the original structure and the substructures. Subsequently, a generalized inverse method to describe constrained responses is modified to obtain the reanalysis responses. In this study, constrained equilibrium equations are modified to consider a reanalysis of a structure with the addition and removal of statically stable or unstable substructures. The proposed reanalysis method is examined by using five examples of handling coupling and decoupling reanalysis of a truss structure.
Outcomes of Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty for Vitrectomized Eyes with Sutured Posterior Chamber Intraocular Lens
Authors: Yamada Norihiro , Hayashi Takahiko , Yuda Kentaro , Shimizu Toshiki , Oyakawa Itaru , Takahashi Hidenori , Kato Naoko
Published: April 2018

Purpose. To evaluate the clinical outcomes of Descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) for vitrectomized eyes that underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and transscleral-sutured intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. Methods. In this retrospective study, DMEK cases were reviewed from medical records and divided into two groups: the eyes after PPV and transscleral-sutured IOL implantation (vitrectomized group) and the eyes with in-the-bag IOL implantation (control group) prior to DMEK. The main outcome measures included time of graft unfolding during surgery and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), central corneal thickness (CCT), and endothelial cell density (ECD) at 1, 3, and 6 months after the DMEK. Results. Twenty-three eyes (vitrectomized group, n=8; control group, n=15) in 23 patients were included in this study. The unfolding time was significantly longer in the vitrectomized group than in the control group (P<0.001). Postoperative BSCVA was worse in the vitrectomized group (0.16 ± 0.15) than in the control group (−0.06 ± 0.06; P=0.017). The improvement in BSCVA was negatively correlated with the patients’ age and frequency of previous surgeries. Conclusions. Despite the longer graft unfolding time and limited visual recovery, DMEK should be applicable to vitrectomized eyes with transscleral-sutured IOL implantation.
Phosphate and Cardiovascular Disease beyond Chronic Kidney Disease and Vascular Calcification
Authors: Disthabanchong Sinee
Published: April 2018

Phosphate is essential for life but its accumulation can be detrimental. In end-stage renal disease, widespread vascular calcification occurs as a result of chronic phosphate load. The accumulation of phosphate is likely to occur long before the rise in serum phosphate above the normal range since several observational studies in both general population and early-stage CKD patients have identified the relationship between high-normal serum phosphate and adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Consumption of food high in phosphate increases both fasting and postprandial serum phosphate and habitual intake of high phosphate diet is associated with aging, cardiac hypertrophy, endothelial dysfunction, and subclinical atherosclerosis. The decline in renal function and dietary phosphate load can increase circulating fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) which may have a direct impact on cardiomyocytes. Increased FGF-23 levels in both CKD and general populations are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and mortality. Increased extracellular phosphate directly affects endothelial cells causing cell apoptosis and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) causing transformation to osteogenic phenotype. Excess of calcium and phosphate in the circulation can promote the formation of protein-mineral complex called calciprotein particles (CPPs). In CKD, these CPPs contain less calcification inhibitors, induce inflammation, and promote VSMC calcification.
Naringenin Protects against Acute Pancreatitis in Two Experimental Models in Mice by NLRP3 and Nrf2/HO-1 Pathways
Authors: Li Yong , Pan Yiyuan , Gao Lin , Zhang Jingzhu , Xie Xiaochun , Tong Zhihui , Li Baiqiang , Li Gang , Lu Guotao , Li Weiqin
Published: April 2018

Background. Naringenin (Nar) is a type of flavonoid and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. However, the effects of Nar on acute pancreatitis (AP) have not been well studied. In this study, we aimed to investigate the function of Nar in a mouse model of AP.Methods. Mild acute pancreatitis (MAP) was induced by caerulein (Cae), and severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) was induced by L-arginine in mice. Nar was administered intraperitoneally at doses of 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg following MAP induction and at a dose of 100 mg/kg following SAP induction. The serum levels of cytokines, lipase, and amylase were determined, and pancreatic and pulmonary tissues were harvested.Results. The serum levels of amylase, lipase, and cytokines were significantly decreased in both MAP and SAP models after Nar treatment. The malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of the pancreatic tissue was significantly reduced in both MAP and SAP after Nar treatment. In contrast, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), total sulfhydryl (T-SH), and non-proteinsulthydryl (NP-SH) were markedly increased in both MAP and SAP after Nar treatment. The injury in pancreatic and pulmonary tissues was markedly improved as evidenced by the inhibited expression of myeloperoxidase, nod-like receptor protein 3, and interleukin 1 beta as well as the enhanced expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 in pancreatic tissues.Conclusions. Nar exerted protective effects on Cae-induced MAP and L-arginine-induced SAP in mice, suggesting that Nar may be a potential therapeutic intervention for AP.
Experimental Study on Wind Erosion Resistance and Strength of Sands Treated with Microbial‐Induced Calcium Carbonate Precipitation
Authors: Wang Zhaoyu , Zhang Nan , Ding Jinhua , Lu Chen , Jin Yong
Published: April 2018

Wind erosion phenomenon is commonly encountered in desert areas, which is harmful to engineering constructions and environment. This study proposed an innovative microbial‐induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) technique to reinforce sands for mitigating natural hazards caused by the wind erosion. A series of small‐scale laboratory experiments were performed to evaluate wind erosion resistance of MICP‐treated sands with different treatment cycles. The spraying method was used to treat sand specimens, and unconfined compression (UCC) strength tests were also conducted to assess the performance of the MICP technique. Experimental results revealed that the bulk density of treated sand was slightly increased with the number of MICP treatment cycles. Additionally, the wind erosion rate of treated sands was significantly decreased, and the UCC strength was increased (maximum to 4 MPa) with the number of treatment cycles, which was mainly attributed to the bonding effect from the microbial‐induced CaCO3 crystals among sand particles based on the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. Such effect also facilitated to form a hard protection layer on top of the sand specimen in order to improve the wind erosion resistance of MICP‐treated sands. This technique provides an alternative method to mitigate and prevent the aggravation of desertification.
Models and Algorithms of Conflict Detection and Scheduling Optimization for High-Speed Train Operations Based on MPC
Authors: Wang Zhihui , Zhou Yonghua , Liu Deng
Published: April 2018

The high-speed train with high transport speed and punctuality rate has become a leading tool of daily traveling. Compared with the general-speed railway transportation, the high-speed railway transportation requires a timely and automatic adjustment capability in the centralized traffic control (CTC) system. In order to improve the capability, this paper mainly explores the models and algorithms of conflict detection and scheduling optimization of high-speed train operations. They are implemented under the mechanism of model predictive control (MPC) over the rolling prediction horizon. A train movement prediction model with conflict resolution is established. The mechanism of conflict detection and scheduling optimization is implemented through a case study. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism.
Injury Source and Correlation Analysis of Riders in Car-Electric Bicycle Accidents
Authors: Zou Tiefang , Yi Liang , Cai Ming , Hu Lin , Li Yuelin
Published: April 2018

The knowledge about the injury source and correlation of riders in car-electric bicycle accident will be helpful in the cross validation of traces and vehicle safety design. In order to know more information about such kind of knowledge, 57 true car-electric bicycle accidents were reconstructed by PC-Crash and then data on injury information of riders were collected directly from the reconstructed cases. These collected data were validated by some existing research results firstly, and then 4 abnormal cases were deleted according to the statistical method. Finally, conclusions can be obtained according to the data obtained from the remaining 53 cases. Direct injuries of the head and right leg are from the road pavement upon low speed; the source laws of indirect head injuries are not obvious. Upon intermediate and high speed, the injuries of the above parts are from automobiles. Injuries of the left leg, femur, and right knee are from automobiles; left knee injuries are from automobiles, the road pavement and automobiles, respectively, upon low, intermediate, and high speed. The source laws of indirect torso injuries are not obvious upon intermediate and low speed, which are from automobiles upon high speed, while direct torso injuries are from the road pavement. And there is no high correlation between all parts of the injury of riders. The largest correlation coefficient was the head-left femur and left femur-right femur, which was 0.647, followed by the head-right femur (0.638) and head-torso which was 0.617.
Mediolateral Differences of Proteoglycans Distribution at the ACL Tibial Footprint: Experimental Study of 16 Cadaveric Knees
Authors: Wang Joon Ho , Lee Byung Hoon
Published: April 2018

This study aimed to identify the staining pattern of ACL attachment blended with cartilage of the medial tibial plateau at the tibial insertion and histologically characterize the tibial footprint. Sixteen fresh frozen cadaveric knees (mean age: 52.0±6.2 years) were used for this study. The specimens were bisected in the coronal plane, in accordance with the fiber orientation of the ACL tibial attachment. Adjacent sections were then stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to observe the morphology of the ACL insertion and with fast green and Safranin-O protocols to evaluate for collagen and proteoglycans (PG). The insertion area on the tibial footprint was divided into five zones in the medial to lateral direction, which was determined by division of the section from most prominent medial tibial spine to most lateral margin of ACL attachment. Then rectangular area with a vertical length that is twice the width of respective five zones was set. Stained areas of all images were quantified positively by using ImageJ software, and the value for staining area measured was defined in percentage by multiplying whole image area by 100. The mean proportion of Safranin-O staining is significantly greater nearer to the medial tibial spine (59% in zone 1, 32% in zone 2, 13% in zone 3, 13% in zone 4, and 4% in zone 5, P<0.001). The medial section of the tibial insertion area grew in size and increased in PG staining with more densely organized collagen arrangement with more fibrocartilage cells. The ACL tibial insertion showed a medially eccentric staining pattern by histological evaluation of the ACL attachment to cartilage. Our histological results of the eccentric biomaterial property in the medial tibial spine of ACL insertion area can be considered in making a more functional anatomic tibial tunnel placement.
Ticagrelor as an Alternative for Clopidogrel-Associated Acute Arthritis
Authors: Bedy Starr-Mar’ee C. , Kesterson Jacob P. , Flaker Greg
Published: April 2018

A 65-year-old Caucasian man was hospitalized for a non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction. On discharge, the patient was started on multiple new medications, including clopidogrel and atorvastatin. Twenty-six days after discharge, he presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with polyarthralgias. He was instructed to stop atorvastatin and to follow up with rheumatology and cardiology clinic. At cardiology clinic follow-up 43 days after ED discharge, clopidogrel was discontinued and patient was switched to ticagrelor. On follow-up one month later, his symptoms had completely resolved. During the next 4 months, patient had routine follow-up due to participation in Cardiopulmonary Rehab and he had no cardiac events or recurrence of joint symptoms. Our patient had no history of arthritis. Because he initially presented with 2 medication classes associated with arthritis, each was withdrawn separately. The temporal association of patient’s symptomatic improvement strongly suggests that the arthritis was caused by clopidogrel. Our patient was able to tolerate ticagrelor with complete resolution of his arthritis and no cardiac events. Clopidogrel-induced arthritis is a rare adverse drug event. For patients with a recent drug-eluting stent, alternative antiplatelet therapy with ticagrelor may provide positive cardiac outcomes without similar adverse effects.
A Retrieval Optimized Surveillance Video Storage System for Campus Application Scenarios
Authors: Ma Shengcheng , Chen Xin , Li Zhuo , Yang Yingjie
Published: April 2018

This paper investigates and analyzes the characteristics of video data and puts forward a campus surveillance video storage system with the university campus as the specific application environment. Aiming at the challenge that the content-based video retrieval response time is too long, the key-frame index subsystem is designed. The key frame of the video can reflect the main content of the video. Extracted from the video, key frames are associated with the metadata information to establish the storage index. The key-frame index is used in lookup operations while querying. This method can greatly reduce the amount of video data reading and effectively improves the query’s efficiency. From the above, we model the storage system by a stochastic Petri net (SPN) and verify the promotion of query performance by quantitative analysis.
Effects of Fermentation by Yeast and Amylolytic Lactic Acid Bacteria on Grain Sorghum Protein Content and Digestibility
Authors: Day Christina N. , Morawicki Ruben O.
Published: April 2018

Despite many advantages to its cultivation, grain sorghum is an underutilized crop because of low nutrient availability, particularly protein digestibility, due to antinutritional compounds in the grain and by moist-heat cooking. Some of these concerns can be mitigated by how the grain is processed. Fermentation is one processing method that can improve digestibility and at the same time concentrate protein in a substrate. In this experiment, grain sorghum was subjected to different treatments and fermented with baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and an amylolytic species, Lipomyces kononenkoae, to improve and increase protein content. The effects of pasteurization or sterilization of the substrate, nitrogen supplementation, amyloglucosidase addition, and coculture with Lactobacillus amylovorus were examined. After fermentation, baker’s yeast samples treated with enzyme increased in crude protein, from 9% in unfermented grain to approximately 27% after treatment. Nitrogen supplementation accelerated protein enrichment and was a significant factor at 24 hours of fermentation. Both types of yeast increased pepsin digestibility of sorghum protein compared to thermally processed control samples. The ratio of phytate to protein was reduced by both yeast species. L. kononenkoae reduced phytates in the substrate but did not enrich protein content. The lactic coculture had no significant effect on measured responses.
Preparation of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Substrates Based on Immobilized Silver-Capped Nanoparticles
Authors: Caro C. , Gámez F. , Zaderenko A. P.
Published: April 2018

Novel results concerning surface-enhanced Raman scattering mediated by thiol-immobilized capped silver nanoparticles attached to a silicon Si(100) substrate are presented. The attachment of the nanoparticles is achieved by chemically modifying the surface of Si(100) in order to provide sulfhydryl groups covalently linked to the substrate and then covering these surfaces with bare and polymer-capped silver nanoparticles. The modified silicon substrate, the nanoparticles, and the sensors are characterized by means of infrared and UV-vis spectroscopies and electronic microscopies. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering intensity of the new films based on polymer-capped nanoparticles is compared with that obtained with silver bare nanoparticles using rhodamine 6G as a common chromophore. These results open a new route to the design of reversible and spot-to-spot reproducible surface-enhanced Raman scattering-based sensors supported by silver nanoparticles.
A Visible and Passive Millimeter Wave Image Fusion Algorithm Based on Pulse-Coupled Neural Network in Tetrolet Domain for Early Risk Warning
Authors: Li Yuanjiang , Ye WeiYang , Chen Jian Fei , Gong Miao , Zhang Yousai , Li Feng
Published: April 2018

An algorithm based on pulse-coupled neural network (PCNN) constructed in the Tetrolet transform domain is proposed for the fusion of the visible and passive millimeter wave images in order to effectively identify concealed targets. The Tetrolet transform is applied to build the framework of the multiscale decomposition due to its high sparse degree. Meanwhile, a Laplacian pyramid is used to decompose the low-pass band of the Tetrolet transform for improving the approximation performance. In addition, the maximum criterion based on regional average gradient is applied to fuse the top layers along with selecting the maximum absolute values of the other layers. Furthermore, an improved PCNN model is employed to enhance the contour feature of the hidden targets and obtain the fusion results of the high-pass band based on the firing time. Finally, the inverse transform of Tetrolet is exploited to obtain the fused results. Some objective evaluation indexes, such as information entropy, mutual information, and QAB/F, are adopted for evaluating the quality of the fused images. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is superior to other image fusion algorithms.
Data Processing and Text Mining Technologies on Electronic Medical Records: A Review
Authors: Sun Wencheng , Cai Zhiping , Li Yangyang , Liu Fang , Fang Shengqun , Wang Guoyan
Published: April 2018

Currently, medical institutes generally use EMR to record patient’s condition, including diagnostic information, procedures performed, and treatment results. EMR has been recognized as a valuable resource for large-scale analysis. However, EMR has the characteristics of diversity, incompleteness, redundancy, and privacy, which make it difficult to carry out data mining and analysis directly. Therefore, it is necessary to preprocess the source data in order to improve data quality and improve the data mining results. Different types of data require different processing technologies. Most structured data commonly needs classic preprocessing technologies, including data cleansing, data integration, data transformation, and data reduction. For semistructured or unstructured data, such as medical text, containing more health information, it requires more complex and challenging processing methods. The task of information extraction for medical texts mainly includes NER (named-entity recognition) and RE (relation extraction). This paper focuses on the process of EMR processing and emphatically analyzes the key techniques. In addition, we make an in-depth study on the applications developed based on text mining together with the open challenges and research issues for future work.
Candidate Genes as Biomarkers in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Based on mRNA Expression Profile by Next-Generation RNA-Seq Analysis
Authors: Wan Qi-Quan , Wu Di , Ye Qi-Fa
Published: April 2018

Up until now, the regulation mechanism at the level of gene during lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains unclear. The discovery of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between LPS-induced ARDS rats and normal rats by next-generation RNA sequencing analysis is of particular interest for the current study. These DEGs may help clinical diagnosis of ARDS and facilitate the selection of the optimal treatment strategy. Randomly, 20 rats were equally divided into 2 groups, the control group and the LPS group. Three rats from each group were selected at random for RNA sequencing analysis. Sequence reads were obtained from Illumina HiSeq4000 and mapped onto the rat reference genome RN6 using Hisat2. We identified 5244 DEGs (Fold_Change > 1.5, andP<0.05) in the lung tissues from LPS-treated rats compared with normal rats, including 1413 upregulated and 3831 downregulated expressed genes. Lots of chemokine family members were among the most upregulated genes in LPS group. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that almost all of the most enriched and meaningful biological process terms were mainly involved in the functions like immune-inflammation response and the pathways like cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. We also found that, as for GO molecular function terms, the enriched terms were mainly related to chemokines and cytokines. DEGs with fold change over 100 were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and reanalyzed by gene-gene coexpression network, and the results elucidated central roles of chemokines in LPS-induced ARDS. Our results revealed some new biomarkers for uncovering mechanisms and processes of ARDS.
IL-1RN and IL-1βPolymorphism and ARV-Associated Hepatotoxicity
Authors: Singh HariOm , Samani Dharmesh , Nema Vijay , Ghate Manisha V. , Gangakhedkar R. R.
Published: April 2018

The severity of hepatic injury depends upon cytokines. Previous studies associatedIL-1RNallele 2 withIL-1βproduction. Hence, we examined the association ofIL-1 RNandIL-1βpolymorphisms with ARV-associated hepatotoxicity. Genotyping ofIL-1RN(VNTR),IL-1β(-511C/T) polymorphisms was done in 162 HIV-infected patients, 34 with ARV hepatotoxicity, 128 without hepatotoxicity, and 152 healthy controls using PCR and PCR-RFLP method. The haplotypes 1T and 2C enhanced the risk for severe hepatotoxicity (OR=1.41,P=0.25;OR=1.67,P=0.31).IL-1β-511TT genotype significantly represented among tobacco using HIV-infected individuals compared to nonusers (OR=3.74,P=0.05).IL-1β-511TT genotype among alcohol users increased the risk for hepatotoxicity (OR=1.80,P=0.90).IL-1β-511CT and-511TT genotypes overrepresented in alcohol using HIV-infected individuals (OR=2.29,P=0.27;OR=2.64,P=0.19).IL-RN2/2 and 1/3 genotypes represented higher in nevirapine using hepatotoxicity patients (OR=1.42,P=0.64,OR=8.79,P=0.09).IL-1β-511CT and-511 TT genotypes among nevirapine users enhanced the risk for severe hepatotoxicity (OR=4.29,P=0.20;OR=1.95,P=0.56).IL-1β-511CT and-511TT genotypes were overrepresented in combined nevirapine and alcohol using HIV-infected individuals as compared to nevirapine users and alcohol nonusers (OR=2.56,P=0.26;OR=2.84,P=0.24).IL-1β-511TT genotype with tobacco, alcohol, and nevirapine usage revealed a trend of risk for the development of ARV-associated hepatotoxicity and its severity.
Significant Changes in Plasma Alpha-Synuclein and Beta-Synuclein Levels in Male Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Sriwimol Wilaiwan , Limprasert Pornprot
Published: April 2018

Alpha-synuclein (α-synuclein) and beta-synuclein (β-synuclein) are presynaptic proteins playing important roles in neuronal plasticity and synaptic vesicle regulation. To evaluate the association of these two proteins and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), we investigated the plasma α-synuclein and β-synuclein levels in 39 male children with ASD (2 subgroups: 25 autism and 14 pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)) comparing with 29 sex- and age-matched controls by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). We first determined the levels of these two proteins in the ASD subgroups and found that there were no significant differences in both plasma α-synuclein and β-synuclein levels in the autism and PDD-NOS groups. Thus, we could combine the 2 subgroups into one ASD group. Interestingly, the mean plasma α-synuclein level was significantly lower (P<0.001) in the ASD children (10.82±6.46 ng/mL) than in the controls (29.47±18.62 ng/mL), while the mean plasma β-synuclein level in the ASD children (1344.19±160.26 ng/mL) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than in the controls (1219.16±177.10 ng/mL). This is the first study examining the associations between α-synuclein and β-synuclein and male ASD patients. We found that alterations in the plasma α-synuclein and β-synuclein levels might be implicated in the association between synaptic abnormalities and ASD pathogenesis.
Facile Fabrication of Stretchable Electrodes by Sedimentation of Ag Nanoparticles in PDMS Matrix
Authors: Kim Jae-Yeop , Jang Kwang-Suk
Published: April 2018

This study reports a facile fabrication method for highly conductive stretchable electrodes composed of a conductive 0D nanomaterial filler and an elastomer matrix. The local volume fraction of the Ag nanoparticles at the composite surface could be significantly increased by the sedimentation of Ag nanoparticles in uncured polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fluid. The stretchable electrodes had a surface resistance of 0.910±0.509 Ω/sq and were stretchable up to 100% of strain without the reduction of the electrical conductivity, demonstrating their potential as high-performance electrodes for applications in stretchable electronics.
Subcutaneous Eikenella corrodens, Actinomyces sp., and α-Hemolytic Streptococcus Abscess of the Thigh following a Vitamin B12 Injection
Authors: Adondakis Micheal G. , Skedros John G. , Lopansri Bert K. , Merrell Stephen C.
Published: April 2018

This case report describes a 38-year-old female presenting with a thigh abscess caused by Eikenella corrodens, Actinomyces sp., and α-hemolytic Streptococcus following an intramuscular vitamin B12 injection administered at an outpatient clinic. After failure to improve clinically with intravenous daptomycin and after visualization of the abscess with gas bubbles on CT scan, she was taken to the operating room for three separate surgical irrigation and debridement procedures. Treatment also included intravenous ampicillin/sulbactam followed by oral amoxicillin/clavulanic acid therapy. She remained symptom free and without infection at nine months following hospitalization. It was suspected that poor hygiene played a role in the infection, but a definitive cause was not identified.
Human Recombinant Peptide Sponge Enables Novel, Less Invasive Cell Therapy for Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Miyamoto Michiyuki , Nakamura Kentaro , Shichinohe Hideo , Yamauchi Tomohiro , Ito Masaki , Saito Hisayasu , Kawabori Masahito , Osanai Toshiya , Sasaki Tasuku , Houkin Kiyohiro , Kuroda Satoshi
Published: April 2018

Bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC) transplantation has the therapeutic potential for ischemic stroke. However, it is unclear which delivery routes would yield both safety and maximal therapeutic benefits. We assessed whether a novel recombinant peptide (RCP) sponge, that resembles human collagen, could act as a less invasive and beneficial scaffold in cell therapy for ischemic stroke. BMSCs from green fluorescent protein-transgenic rats were cultured and Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). A BMSC-RCP sponge construct was transplanted onto the ipsilateral intact neocortex 7 days after MCAo. A BMSC suspension or vehicle was transplanted into the ipsilateral striatum. Rat motor function was serially evaluated and histological analysis was performed 5 weeks after transplantation. The results showed that BMSCs could proliferate well in the RCP sponge and the BMSC-RCP sponge significantly promoted functional recovery, compared with the vehicle group. Histological analysis revealed that the RCP sponge provoked few inflammatory reactions in the host brain. Moreover, some BMSCs migrated to the peri-infarct area and differentiated into neurons in the BMSC-RCP sponge group. These findings suggest that the RCP sponge may be a promising candidate for animal protein-free scaffolds in cell therapy for ischemic stroke in humans.
Research on Microvibrations Generated by a Control Moment Gyroscope on a Flexible Interface Based on a Dynamic Substructure Method
Authors: Li Xiongfei , Cheng Wei
Published: April 2018

Microvibrations generated by a control moment gyroscope (CMG) will couple with a flexible spacecraft structure, and this seriously degrades certain point performances of a spacecraft. This study focuses on investigating the coupled microvibrations caused by a CMG on a flexible interface by using a dynamic substructure method (DSM). First, a DSM based on a frequency response function (FRF) is established, and this method is used to simultaneously synthesize multiple substructures with different coordinates irrespective of whether their connection interfaces are rigid or flexible. Second, the bearings and the gimbal servo system are simplified into linear springs, and therefore the CMG model is equivalent to a mass-spring-damping system with eighteen degrees of freedom (DOFs). Third, the established DSM is employed to deduce the FRF matrix of the CMG-flexible interface coupling system that consists of CMG mounted on an aluminum honeycomb sandwich palate (AHSP). Dynamic responses of the coupling system are calculated by the derived FRF matrix. Finally, MATLAB and multibody dynamics simulations are conducted to analyze and validate the dynamic responses of the coupling system obtained by the DSM. The results indicate that the DSM is appropriate to predict the coupled microvibrations of CMG on a flexible interface and exhibits high prediction accuracy and computational efficiency.
Molecular Distributions of Soluble Oxidation Products from Coals Characterized by Mass Spectrometers
Authors: Fan Xing , Wang Fei
Published: April 2018

Oxidation of three coals with rank from lignite to anthracite in NaOCl aqueous solution was investigated in this study. The oxidation products were characterized by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry and direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry. The results showed that most of organic compounds in coals were converted into water-soluble species under mild conditions, even the anthracite. Benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCAs) and chloro-substituted alkanoic acids (CSAAs) were major products from the reactions. The products from lower rank coals consist of considerable CSAAs and most products from high rank coals are BPCAs. As coal rank increases, the yield of BPCAs with more carboxylic groups increases.
Time Optimal Control Laws for Bilinear Systems
Authors: Bichiou Salim , Bouafoura Mohamed Karim , Benhadj Braiek Naceur
Published: April 2018

The aim of this paper is to determine the feedforward and state feedback suboptimal time control for a subset of bilinear systems, namely, the control sequence and reaching time. This paper proposes a method that uses Block pulse functions as an orthogonal base. The bilinear system is projected along that base. The mathematical integration is transformed into a product of matrices. An algebraic system of equations is obtained. This system together with specified constraints is treated as an optimization problem. The parameters to determine are the final time, the control sequence, and the states trajectories. The obtained results via the newly proposed method are compared to known analytical solutions.
Influence of Disc Size on the Diagnostic Accuracy of Cirrus Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography in Glaucoma
Authors: Sato Shino , Ukegawa Kaori , Nitta Eri , Hirooka Kazuyuki
Published: April 2018

Purpose. To examine the influence of optic disc size on the diagnostic accuracy of optic nerve head (ONH) parameters determined by Cirrus spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Cirrus HD-OCT). Methods. A total of 51 eyes of 51 normal participants and 71 eyes of 71 glaucoma patients were examined. ONH imaging was obtained by Cirrus HD-OCT. Sensitivity at a fixed 90% specificity along with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for continuous parameters were analyzed. We also examined the coefficients of variation (CoV) for sensitivity estimates, as these have been used to test and quantify the influence of optic disc size on diagnostic accuracy. The influence of optic disc size on the glaucoma diagnosis was assessed by the likelihood ratio chi-square test. Results. Among the continuous parameters, the best diagnostic accuracy was seen for the average rim area, which had an AUC of 0.96. The most reliable factor across the disc size groups was the rim area (CoV, 2.8%). The diagnostic accuracy of the rim area did not appear to be influenced by optic disc size (P=0.17). Conclusions. The high diagnostic accuracy of the rim area demonstrated by Cirrus HD-OCT for the quantitative assessment of the ONH was not significantly affected by disc size in this study.
NLRP3: A Novel Mediator in Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Zhou Wenyi , Chen Chunyuan , Chen Zhiheng , Liu Lin , Jiang Jie , Wu Zhixiang , Zhao Mingyi , Chen Yanfang
Published: April 2018

Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death worldwide. Inflammasome infiltration has been identified to play a central role in the pathological progression of certain cardiovascular diseases, such as vascular damage spanning atherosclerosis, aneurysm, or arteritis; ischemic heart disease; and other nonischemic heart diseases including diabetic cardiomyopathy, chronic heart failure, and hypertension- or virus-induced cardiac dysfunction. The NLRP3 inflammasome, a key participant in the innate immune response, requires both priming and activation signals for the initiation of inflammation. Piling evidence has revealed that the NLRP3 inflammasome could exert an inflammatory effect by inducing the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL-1β, IL-18) or could cause pyroptosis, a novel programmed cell death process, in a caspase-1-dependent manner. The importance of the NLRP3 inflammasome in cardiac disease has been broadly investigated. In this review, we present the current knowledge regarding the function of NLRP in vascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and nonischemic heart disease and discuss the potential therapeutic options targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome.
Semaphorin 3A Inhibits Inflammation in Chondrocytes under Excessive Mechanical Stress
Authors: Sumi Chikako , Hirose Naoto , Yanoshita Makoto , Takano Mami , Nishiyama Sayuri , Okamoto Yuki , Asakawa Yuki , Tanimoto Kotaro
Published: April 2018

Background.Excessive mechanical stress causes inflammation and destruction of cartilage and is considered one of the cause of osteoarthritis (OA). Expression of semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), which is an axon guidance molecule, has been confirmed in chondrocytes. However, there are few reports about Sema3A in chondrocytes, and the effects of Sema3A on inflammation in the cartilage are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the role of Sema3A in inflammation caused by high magnitude cyclic tensile strain (CTS).Methods. Expression of Sema3A and its receptors neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) and plexin-A1 (PLXA1) in ATDC5 cells was examined by Western blot analysis. ATDC5 cells were subjected to CTS of 0.5 Hz, 10% elongation with added Sema3A for 3 h. Gene expression of IL-1β, TNF-ɑ, COX-2, MMP-3, and MMP-13 was examined by qPCR analysis. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, and NF-κB was detected by Western blot analysis.Results.Added Sema3A inhibited the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines upregulated by CTS in a dose-dependent manner. Addition of Sema3A suppressed the activation of AKT, ERK, and NF-κB in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusions.Sema3A reduces the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines by downregulating the activation of AKT, ERK, and NF-κB pathways in ATDC5 cells under CTS.
Design of Independent Type‐B LNG Fuel Tank: Comparative Study between Finite Element Analysis and International Guidance
Authors: Kim Tae-Wook , Kim Seul-Kee , Park Seong-Bo , Lee Jae-Myung
Published: April 2018

In 2012, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulated the emissions of SOx and NOx by setting the emission control area and strengthened the regulations on ship building and operation. Because the environmental regulations have been reinforced, there has been a drastic increase in LNG‐fueled ships. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out systematic research on the design of the LNG fuel tank, which is one of the important components of LNG fuel supply systems. In this study, aiming to design a type‐B LNG fuel tank used in the real structure, a procedure for structural integrity assessment considering the International Gas Carrier (IGC) Code was proposed. A 10,000 TEU containership was chosen as an operating vessel, and independent type‐B tank was selected as an LNG fuel tank. Structural integrity was evaluated by applying a systematic procedure based on the IGC Code. A series of finite element analysis was conducted under the various design loads and operating conditions. Fatigue life and fatigue damage were calculated using the numerical results obtained from transient thermal‐structural analysis and fatigue analysis to provide the safety level of the design scheme.
Aeromagnetic Compensation Algorithm Based on Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Wu Peilin , Zhang Qunying , Chen Luzhao , Zhu Wanhua , Fang Guangyou
Published: April 2018

Aeromagnetic exploration is an important exploration method in geophysics. The data is typically measured by optically pumped magnetometer mounted on an aircraft. But any aircraft produces significant levels of magnetic interference. Therefore, aeromagnetic compensation is important in aeromagnetic exploration. However, multicollinearity of the aeromagnetic compensation model degrades the performance of the compensation. To address this issue, a novel aeromagnetic compensation method based on principal component analysis is proposed. Using the algorithm, the correlation in the feature matrix is eliminated and the principal components are using to construct the hyperplane to compensate the platform-generated magnetic fields. The algorithm was tested using a helicopter, and the obtained improvement ratio is 9.86. The compensated quality is almost the same or slightly better than the ridge regression. The validity of the proposed method was experimentally demonstrated.