bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Medication on Fatigue Six Months after Stroke
Authors: Ponchel Amélie , Labreuche Julien , Bombois Stéphanie , Delmaire Christine , Bordet Régis , Hénon Hilde
Published: June 2016

Poststroke fatigue (PSF) is frequent and affects patients’ quality of life. Medication use was hypothesized as being responsible for PSF. Our objective was to evaluate potential relationships between 6-month PSF and medication use at discharge and 6 months after an ischemic stroke. This study is part of STROKDEM, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study, whose main aim is to determine predictors of poststroke dementia. Patients were included within 72 hours after an ischemic stroke and followed up with standardized evaluations. Medication use 7 days and 6 months after stroke was rated, and polypharmacy was defined as the number of categories of treatments received by a patient. PSF was evaluated using the Chalder Fatigue Scale. Medical history, vascular risk factors, depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances were evaluated. One hundred and fifty-three patients were included: 52.9% presented PSF. PSF at 6 months was not predicted by medication use at discharge nor associated with medication use at month 6. We found severity of PSF to be increased in patients with polypharmacy. Our results suggest that PSF is not a side effect of drugs use, which more reflects presence of disturbances frequently observed after stroke such as depression, anxiety, or sleep disturbances. Clinical study is registered on clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01330160).
Hydrogen Sulfide Mitigates Kidney Injury in High Fat Diet‐Induced Obese Mice
Authors: Wu Dongdong , Gao Biao , Li Mengling , Yao Ling , Wang Shuaiwei , Chen Mingliang , Li Hui , Ma Chunyan , Ji Ailing , Li Yanzhang
Published: June 2016

Obesity is prevalent worldwide and is a major risk factor for the development and progression of kidney disease. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) plays an important role in renal physiological and pathophysiological processes. However, whether H2S is able to mitigate kidney injury induced by obesity in mice remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that H2S significantly reduced the accumulation of lipids in the kidneys of high fat diet‐ (HFD‐) induced obese mice. The results of hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid‐Schiff, and Masson’s trichrome staining showed that H2S ameliorated the kidney structure, decreased the extent of interstitial injury, and reduced the degree of kidney fibrosis in HFD‐induced obese mice. We found that H2S decreased the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐ (IL‐) 6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 but increased the expression level of IL‐10. Furthermore, H2S treatment decreased the protein expression of p50, p65, and p‐p65 in the kidney of HFD‐induced obese mice. In conclusion, H2S is able to mitigate renal injury in HFD‐induced obese mice through the reduction of kidney inflammation by downregulating the expression of nuclear factor‐kappa B. H2S or its releasing compounds may serve as a potential therapeutic molecule for obesity‐induced kidney injury.
The Early Expression of HLA-DR and CD64 Myeloid Markers Is Specifically Compartmentalized in the Blood and Lungs of Patients with Septic Shock
Authors: Skirecki Tomasz , Mikaszewska-Sokolewicz Małgorzata , Hoser Grażyna , Zielińska-Borkowska Urszula
Published: June 2016

Identification of reliable biomarkers is key to guide targeted therapies in septic patients. Expression monitoring of monocyte HLA-DR and neutrophil CD64 could fulfill the above need. However, it is unknown whether their expression on circulating cells reflects the status of tissue resident cells. We compared expressions of HLA-DR and CD64 markers in the circulation and airways of septic shock patients and evaluated their outcome prognostic value. The expression of CD64 on neutrophils and HLA-DR on monocytes was analyzed in the peripheral blood and mini-bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells by flow cytometry. Twenty-seven patients with septic shock were enrolled into the study. The fluorescence intensity of HLA-DR on circulating monocytes was 3.5-fold lower than on the pulmonary monocytes (p=0.01). The expression of CD64 on circulating and airway neutrophils was similar (p=0.47). Only the expression of CD64 on circulating neutrophils was higher in nonsurvivors versus survivors (2.8-fold;p=0.031). Pulmonary monocytes display a higher level of HLA-DR activation compared to peripheral blood monocytes but the expression of neutrophil CD64 is similar on lung and circulating cells. Death in septic patients was effectively predicted by neutrophil CD64 but not monocytic HLA-DR. Prognostic value of cellular activation markers in septic shock appears to strongly depend on their level of compartmentalization.
Investigation of Lab Fire Prevention Management System of Combining Root Cause Analysis and Analytic Hierarchy Process with Event Tree Analysis
Authors: Shih Cheng-Chan , Horng Richard S. , Lee Shin-Ku
Published: June 2016

This paper proposed a new approach, combining root cause analysis (RCA), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), and event tree analysis (ETA) in a loop to systematically evaluate various laboratory safety prevention strategies. First, 139 fire accidents were reviewed to identify the root causes and draw out prevention strategies. Most fires were caused due to runaway reactions, operation error and equipment failure, and flammable material release. These mostly occurred in working places of no prompt fire protection. We also used AHP to evaluate the priority of these strategies and found that chemical fire prevention strategy is the most important control element, and strengthening maintenance and safety inspection intensity is the most important action. Also together with our surveys results, we proposed that equipment design is also critical for fire prevention. Therefore a technical improvement was propounded: installing fire detector, automatic sprinkler, and manual extinguisher in the lab hood as proactive fire protections. ETA was then used as a tool to evaluate laboratory fire risks. The results indicated that the total risk of a fire occurring decreases from 0.0351 to 0.0042 without/with equipment taking actions. Establishing such system can make Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) office not only analyze and prioritize fire prevention policies more practically, but also demonstrate how effective protective equipment improvement can achieve and the probabilities of the initiating event developing into a serious accident or controlled by the existing safety system.
Detection of Cracks in Concrete Structure Using Microwave Imaging Technique
Authors: Jiya E. A. , Anwar N. S. N. , Abdullah M. Z.
Published: June 2016

Cracks in concrete or cement based materials present a great threat to any civil structures; they are very dangerous and have caused a lot of destruction and damage. Even small cracks that look insignificant can grow and may eventually lead to severe structural failure. Besides manual inspection that is ineffective and time-consuming, several nondestructive evaluation techniques have been used for crack detection such as ultrasonic technique, vibration technique, and strain-based technique; however, some of the sensors used are either too large in size or limited in resolution. A high resolution microwave imaging technique with ultrawideband signal for crack detection in concrete structures is proposed. A combination of the delay-and-sum beamformer with full-view mounted antennas constitutes the image reconstruction algorithm. Various anomaly scenarios in cement bricks were simulated using FDTD, constructed, and measured in the lab. The reconstructed images showed a high similarity between the simulation and the experiment with a resolution of λ/14 which enables a detection of cracks as small as 5 mm in size.
Key Molecular Mechanisms of Chaiqinchengqi Decoction in Alleviating the Pulmonary Albumin Leakage Caused by Endotoxemia in Severe Acute Pancreatitis Rats
Authors: Wu Wei , Luo Ruijie , Lin Ziqi , Xia Qing , Xue Ping
Published: June 2016

To reveal the key molecular mechanisms of Chaiqinchengqi decoction (CQCQD) in alleviating the pulmonary albumin leakage caused by endotoxemia in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) rats. Rats models of SAP endotoxemia‐induced acute lung injury were established, the studies in vivo provided the important evidences that the therapy of CQCQD significantly ameliorated the increases in plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), sCd14, and Lbp, the elevation of serum amylase level, the enhancements of systemic and pulmonary albumin leakage, and the depravation of airways indicators, thus improving respiratory dysfunction and also pancreatic and pulmonary histopathological changes. According to the analyses of rats pulmonary tissue microarray and protein‐protein interaction network, c‐Fos, c‐Src, and p85α were predicted as the target proteins for CQCQD in alleviating pulmonary albumin leakage. To confirm these predictions, human umbilical vein endothelial cells were employed in in vitro studies, which provide the evidences that (1) LPS‐induced paracellular leakage and proinflammatory cytokines release were suppressed by pretreatment with inhibitors of c‐Src (PP1) or PI3K (LY294002) or by transfection with siRNAs of c‐Fos; (2) fortunately, CQCQD imitated the actions of these selective inhibitions agents to inhibit LPS‐induced high expressions of p‐Src, p‐p85α, and c‐Fos, therefore attenuating paracellular leakage and proinflammatory cytokines release.
Predicting Modeling Method of Ship Radiated Noise Based on Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Li Guohui , Yang Hong
Published: June 2016

Because the forming mechanism of underwater acoustic signal is complex, it is difficult to establish the accurate predicting model. In this paper, we propose a nonlinear predicting modeling method of ship radiated noise based on genetic algorithm. Three types of ship radiated noise are taken as real underwater acoustic signal. First of all, a basic model framework is chosen. Secondly, each possible model is done with genetic coding. Thirdly, model evaluation standard is established. Fourthly, the operation of genetic algorithm such as crossover, reproduction, and mutation is designed. Finally, a prediction model of real underwater acoustic signal is established by genetic algorithm. By calculating the root mean square error and signal error ratio of underwater acoustic signal predicting model, the satisfactory results are obtained. The results show that the proposed method can establish the accurate predicting model with high prediction accuracy and may play an important role in the further processing of underwater acoustic signal such as noise reduction and feature extraction and classification.
Risk and Surveillance of Cancers in Primary Biliary Tract Disease
Authors: Hrad Valery , Abebe Yoftahe , Ali Syed Haris , Velgersdyk Jared , Al Hallak Mohammed , Imam Mohamad
Published: June 2016

Primary biliary diseases have been associated in several studies with various malignancies. Understanding the risk and optimizing surveillance strategy of these malignancies in this specific subset of patients are an important facet of clinical care. For instance, primary sclerosing cholangitis is associated with an increased risk for cholangiocarcinoma (which is very challenging to diagnose) and when IBD is present for colorectal cancer. On the other hand, primary biliary cirrhosis patients with cirrhosis or not responding to 12 months of ursodeoxycholic acid therapy are at increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this review we will discuss in detail the risks and optimal surveillance strategies for patients with primary biliary diseases.
Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Stabilization of Nickel and Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles: A Green Adeptness
Authors: Imran Din Muhammad , Rani Aneela
Published: June 2016

Green protocols for the synthesis of nanoparticles have been attracting a lot of attention because they are eco-friendly, rapid, and cost-effective. Nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles have been synthesized by green routes and characterized for impact of green chemistry on the properties and biological effects of nanoparticles in the last five years. Green synthesis, properties, and applications of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles have been reported in the literature. This review summarizes the synthesis of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles using different biological systems. This review also provides comparative overview of influence of chemical synthesis and green synthesis on structural properties of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles and their biological behavior. It concludes that green methods for synthesis of nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles are better than chemical synthetic methods.
A Classification Model to Evaluate the Security Level in a City Based on GIS-MCDA
Authors: Figueiredo Ciro José Jardim de , Mota Caroline Maria de Miranda
Published: June 2016

The aim of this paper is to map the most favorable locations for the occurrence of robberies in the Brazilian city through the multicriteria method Dominance-Based Rough Set Approach. Considering the city divisions with alternatives and evaluating by several spatial criteria, a decision-maker is building a preference model with based previous knowledge. Next, decision rules induced from preference information are introduced to the spatial environment to get the results. The decision rules can be seen as conditional part (represented by criteria) and decision part (assignment to decision classes). The rules classify all the alternatives according to security level. Moreover, the rules help to understand the social dynamics of the city and to assist in the proposition of strategies against violence.
Safety and Complications of Medical Thoracoscopy
Authors: Nour Moursi Ahmed Shimaa , Saka Hideo , Mohammadien Hamdy Ali , Alkady Ola , Oki Masahide , Tanikawa Yoshimasa , Tsuboi Rie , Aoyama Masahiro , Sugiyama Keiji
Published: June 2016

Objectives.To highlight the possible complications of medical thoracoscopy (MT) and how to avoid them.Methods.A retrospective and prospective analysis of 127 patients undergoing MT in Nagoya Medical Center (NMC) and Toyota Kosei Hospital. The data about complications was obtained from the patients, notes on the computer system, and radiographs.Results.The median age was 71.0 (range, 33.0–92.0) years and 101 (79.5%) were males. The median time with chest drain after procedure was 7.0 (range, 0.0–47.0) days and cases with talc poudrage were 30 (23.6%). Malignant histology was reported in 69 (54.3%), including primary lung cancer in 35 (27.5), mesothelioma in 18 (14.2), and metastasis in 16 (12.6). 58 (45.7%) revealed benign pleural diseases and TB was diagnosed in 15 (11.8%). 21 (16.5%) patients suffered from complications including lung laceration in 3 (2.4%), fever in 5 (3.9%) (due to hospital acquired infection (HAI) in 2, talc poudrage in 2, and malignancy in 1), HAI in 2 (1.6%), prolonged air-leak in 14 (11.0%), and subcutaneous emphysema in 1 (0.8%).Conclusions.MT is generally a safe procedure. Lung laceration is the most serious complication and should be managed well. HAI is of low risk and can be controlled by medical treatment.
A General Solution to Least Squares Problems with Box Constraints and Its Applications
Authors: Teng Yueyang , Qi Shouliang , Xiao Dayu , Xu Lisheng , Li Jianhua , Kang Yan
Published: June 2016

The main contribution of this paper is presenting a flexible solution to the box-constrained least squares problems. This solution is applicable to many existing problems, such as nonnegative matrix factorization, support vector machine, signal deconvolution, and computed tomography reconstruction. The key concept of the proposed algorithm is to replace the minimization of the cost function at each iteration by the minimization of a surrogate, leading to a guaranteed decrease in the cost function. In addition to the monotonicity, the proposed algorithm also owns a few good features including the self-constraint in the feasible region and the absence of a predetermined step size. This paper theoretically proves the global convergence for a special case of below-bounded constraints. Using the proposed mechanism, some valuable algorithms can be derived. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm provides performance that is comparable to that of other commonly used methods in numerical experiment and computed tomography reconstruction.
Effects of Total Alkaloids ofSophora alopecuroideson Biofilm Formation inStaphylococcus epidermidis
Authors: Li Xue , Guan Cuiping , He Yulong , Wang Yujiong , Liu Xiaoming , Zhou Xuezhang
Published: June 2016

Staphylococcus epidermidis(S. epidermidis) is an opportunistic pathogen with low pathogenicity and a cause of the repeated outbreak of bovine mastitis in veterinary clinical settings. In this report, a biofilm model ofS. epidermidiswas generated and the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and sub-MIC (SMIC) on bacterial cultures were assessed for the following agents: total alkaloids ofSophora alopecuroides(TASA), ciprofloxacin (CIP), and erythromycin (ERY). The formation and characteristic parameters of biofilm were analyzed in terms of XTT assay, silver staining, and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Results showed that a sub-MIC of TASA could inhibit 50% biofilm of bacterial activity, while 250-fold MIC of CIP and ERY MICs only inhibited 50% and 47% of biofilm formation, respectively. All three agents could inhibit the biofilm formation at an early stage, but TASA showed a better inhibitory effect on the late stage of biofilm thickening. A morphological analysis using CLSM further confirmed the destruction of biofilm by these agents. These results thus suggest that TASA has an inhibitory effect on biofilm formation of clinicS. epidermidis, which may be a potential agent warranted for further study on the treatment prevention of infection related toS. epidermidisin veterinary clinic.
High Glucose-Induced PC12 Cell Death by Increasing Glutamate Production and Decreasing Methyl Group Metabolism
Authors: Chen Minjiang , Zheng Hong , Wei Tingting , Wang Dan , Xia Huanhuan , Zhao Liangcai , Ji Jiansong , Gao Hongchang
Published: June 2016

Objective. High glucose- (HG-) induced neuronal cell death is responsible for the development of diabetic neuropathy. However, the effect of HG on metabolism in neuronal cells is still unclear.Materials and Methods. The neural-crest derived PC12 cells were cultured for 72 h in the HG (75 mM) or control (25 mM) groups. We used NMR-based metabolomics to examine both intracellular and extracellular metabolic changes in HG-treated PC12 cells.Results. We found that the reduction in intracellular lactate may be due to excreting more lactate into the extracellular medium under HG condition. HG also induced the changes of other energy-related metabolites, such as an increased succinate and creatine phosphate. Our results also reveal that the synthesis of glutamate from the branched-chain amino acids (isoleucine and valine) may be enhanced under HG. Increased levels of intracellular alanine, phenylalanine, myoinositol, and choline were observed in HG-treated PC12 cells. In addition, HG-induced decreases in intracellular dimethylamine, dimethylglycine, and 3-methylhistidine may indicate a downregulation of methyl group metabolism.Conclusions. Our metabolomic results suggest that HG-induced neuronal cell death may be attributed to a series of metabolic changes, involving energy metabolism, amino acids metabolism, osmoregulation and membrane metabolism, and methyl group metabolism.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Photocatalytic Tests of N-Doped Zinc Oxide: A New Interesting Photocatalyst
Authors: Gionco Chiara , Fabbri Debora , Calza Paola , Paganini Maria Cristina
Published: June 2016

Fast and simple synthetic methods for the preparation of bare and N-doped zinc oxide, involving a stirring or microwave assisted process, are proposed. All samples were characterized by XRD analysis, BET, and DRS-UV-Vis spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity of these nanostructured oxides was investigated using phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol as model molecules under UV-A and visible light irradiation. N-doping in ZnO nanostructures provided a significant increase in phenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol degradation rate under Vis light, leading to a degradation rate higher than that obtained with bare ZnO. The release of chlorine as chloride ions from 2,4-dichlorophenol with N-doped ZnO was faster achieved as well and complete dechlorination was reached within 2 h of irradiation (N-doped ZnO) instead of 3 h (bare ZnO).
Adsorption Cooling System Using Metal-Impregnated Zeolite-4A
Authors: Trisupakitti Somsuk , Jamradloedluk Jindaporn , Wiriyaumpaiwong Songchai
Published: June 2016

The adsorption cooling systems have been developed to replace vapor compression due to their benefits of being environmentally friendly and energy saving. We prepared zeolite-4A and experimental cooling performance test of zeolite-water adsorption system. The adsorption cooling test-rig includes adsorber, evaporator, and condenser which perform in vacuum atmosphere. The maximum and minimum water adsorption capacity of different zeolites and COP were used to assess the performance of the adsorption cooling system. We found that loading zeolite-4A with higher levels of silver and copper increased COP. The Cu6%/zeolite-4A had the highest COP at 0.56 while COP of zeolite-4A alone was 0.38. Calculating the acceleration rate of zeolite-4A when adding 6% of copper would accelerate the COP at 46%.
Recent Development of Graphene-Based Cathode Materials for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Lu Man-Ning , Chang Chin-Yu , Wei Tzu-Chien , Lin Jeng-Yu
Published: June 2016

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted extensive attention for serving as potential low-cost alternatives to silicon-based solar cells. As a vital role of a typical DSSC, the counter electrode (CE) is generally employed to collect electrons via the external circuit and speed up the reduction reaction ofI3-toI-in the redox electrolyte. The noble Pt is usually deposited on a conductive glass substrate as CE material due to its excellent electrical conductivity, electrocatalytic activity, and electrochemical stability. To achieve cost-efficient DSSCs, reasonable efforts have been made to explore Pt-free alternatives. Recently, the graphene-based CEs have been intensively investigated to replace the high-cost noble Pt CE. In this paper, we provided an overview of studies on the electrochemical and photovoltaic characteristics of graphene-based CEs, including graphene, graphene/Pt, graphene/carbon materials, graphene/conducting polymers, and graphene/inorganic compounds. We also summarize the design and advantages of each graphene-based material and provide the possible directions for designing new graphene-based catalysts in future research for high-performance and low-cost DSSCs.
Optimal Consumption and Portfolio Decision with Convertible Bond in Affine Interest Rate and Heston’s SV Framework
Authors: Chang Hao , Li Xue-Yan
Published: June 2016

We are concerned with an optimal investment-consumption problem with stochastic affine interest rate and stochastic volatility, in which interest rate dynamics are described by the affine interest rate model including the Cox-Ingersoll-Ross model and the Vasicek model as special cases, while stock price is driven by Heston’s stochastic volatility (SV) model. Assume that the financial market consists of a risk-free asset, a zero-coupon bond (or a convertible bond), and a risky asset. By using stochastic dynamic programming principle and the technique of separation of variables, we get the HJB equation of the corresponding value function and the explicit expressions of the optimal investment-consumption strategies under power utility and logarithmic utility. Finally, we analyze the impact of market parameters on the optimal investment-consumption strategies by giving a numerical example.
Antiretroviral Resistance and Pregnancy Characteristics of Women with Perinatal and Nonperinatal HIV Infection
Authors: Lazenby Gweneth B. , Mmeje Okeoma , Fisher Barbra M. , Weinberg Adriana , Aaron Erika K. , Keating Maria , Luque Amneris E. , Willers Denise , Cohan Deborah , Money Deborah
Published: June 2016

Objective. To compare HIV drug resistance in pregnant women with perinatal HIV (PHIV) and those with nonperinatal HIV (NPHIV) infection.Methods. We conducted a multisite cohort study of PHIV and NPHIV women from 2000 to 2014. Sample size was calculated to identify a fourfold increase in antiretroviral (ARV) drug resistance in PHIV women. Continuous variables were compared using Student’st-test and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. Categorical variables were compared usingχ2and Fisher’s exact tests. Univariate analysis was used to determine factors associated with antiretroviral drug resistance.Results. Forty-one PHIV and 41 NPHIV participants were included. Women with PHIV were more likely to have drug resistance than those with NPHIV ((55% versus 17%,p=0.03), OR 6.0 (95% CI 1.0–34.8),p=0.05), including multiclass resistance (15% versus 0,p=0.03), and they were more likely to receive nonstandard ARVs during pregnancy (27% versus 5%,p=0.01). PHIV and NPHIV women had similar rates of preterm birth (11% versus 28%,p=0.08) and cesarean delivery (47% versus 46%,p=0.9). Two infants born to a single NPHIV woman acquired HIV infection.Conclusions. PHIV women have a high frequency of HIV drug resistance mutations, leading to nonstandard ARVs use during pregnancy. Despite nonstandard ARV use during pregnancy, PHIV women did not experience increased rates of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Effect of Transient Nicotine Load Shock on the Performance ofPseudomonassp. HF-1 Bioaugmented Sequencing Batch Reactors
Authors: Shen Dong-sheng , Wang Li-jia , He Hong-zhen , Wang Mei-zhen
Published: June 2016

Bioaugmentation with degrading bacteria can improve the treatment of nicotine-containing tobacco industrial wastewater effectively. However, the transient and extremely high feeding of pollutants may compromise the effectiveness of the bioaugmented reactors. The effect of transient nicotine shock loads on the performance ofPseudomonassp. HF-1 bioaugmented SBRs were studied. The results showed that, under 500–2500 mg/L of transient nicotine shocks, all the reactors still could realize 100% of nicotine degradation in 4 days of recovery, while the key nicotine degradation enzyme HSP hydroxylase increased in expression. Though the dramatic increase of activities of ROS, MDA, SOD, and CAT suggested that transient nicotine shock loads could induce oxidative stress on microorganisms in activated sludge, a decrease to control level demonstrated that most of the microorganisms could resist 500–1500 mg/L of transient nicotine shock under the protection from strain HF-1. After 8 cycles of recovery, high ROS level and low TOC removal in high transient shock reactors implied that 2000–2500 mg/L of transient nicotine shock was out of its recovery of strain HF-1 bioaugmented system. This study enriched our understanding on highly efficient nicotine-degrading strain bioaugmented system, which would be beneficial to tobacco waste or wastewater treatment in engineering.
A Multiphase Flow in the Antroduodenal Portion of the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Mathematical Model
Authors: Trusov P. V. , Zaitseva N. V. , Kamaltdinov M. R.
Published: June 2016

A group of authors has developed a multilevel mathematical model that focuses on functional disorders in a human body associated with various chemical, physical, social, and other factors. At this point, the researchers have come up with structure, basic definitions and concepts of a mathematical model at the “macrolevel” that allow describing processes in a human body as a whole. Currently we are working at the “mesolevel” of organs and systems. Due to complexity of the tasks, this paper deals with only one meso-fragment of a digestive system model. It describes some aspects related to modeling multiphase flow in the antroduodenal portion of the gastrointestinal tract. Biochemical reactions, dissolution of food particles, and motor, secretory, and absorbing functions of the tract are taken into consideration. The paper outlines some results concerning influence of secretory function disorders on food dissolution rate and tract contents acidity. The effect which food density has on inflow of food masses from a stomach to a bowel is analyzed. We assume that the future development of the model will include digestive enzymes and related reactions of lipolysis, proteolysis, and carbohydrates breakdown.
Altered Spontaneous Brain Activity in Cortical and Subcortical Regions in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Xiang Jie , Jia Xiuqin , Li Huizhuo , Qin Jiawei , Liang Peipeng , Li Kuncheng
Published: June 2016

Purpose. The present study aimed to explore the changes of amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) at rest in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).Methods. Twenty-four PD patients and 22 healthy age-matched controls participated in the study. ALFF was measured on the whole brain of all participants. A two-samplet-test was then performed to detect the group differences with age, gender, education level, head motion, and gray matter volume as covariates.Results. It was showed that PD patients had significantly decreased ALFF in the left thalamus/caudate and right insula/inferior prefrontal gyrus, whereas they had increased ALFF in the right medial prefrontal cortex (BA 8/6) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (BA 9/10).Conclusions. Our results indicated that significant alterations of ALFF in the subcortical regions and prefrontal cortex have been detected in PD patients, independent of age, gender, education, head motion, and structural atrophy. The current findings further provide insights into the biological mechanism of the disease.
Validity, Reliability, and Responsiveness of the Brief Pain Inventory in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Jelsness-Jørgensen Lars-Petter , Moum Bjørn , Grimstad Tore , Jahnsen Jørgen , Opheim Randi , Prytz Berset Ingrid , Hovde Øistein , Torp Roald , Frigstad Svein Oskar , Huppertz-Hauss Gert , Bernklev Tomm
Published: June 2016

Background and Aims. No patient-reported outcome measures targeting pain have yet been validated for use in IBD patients. Consequently, the aim of this study was to test the psychometrical properties of the brief pain inventory (BPI) in an outpatient population with IBD.Methods. Participants were recruited from nine hospitals in the southeastern and western parts of Norway. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected, and participants completed the BPI, as well as the Short-Form 36 (SF-36).Results. In total, 410 patients were included. The BPI displayed high correlations with the bodily pain dimension of the SF-36, as well as moderate correlations with disease activity indices. The BPI also displayed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.91, regardless of diagnosis) and good to excellent test-retest values (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.84–0.90 and Kappa values > .70). In UC, calculation of responsiveness revealed that only BPI interference in patients reporting improvement reached the threshold of 0.2. In CD, Cohen’sdranged from 0.26 to 0.68.Conclusions. The BPI may serve as an important supplement in patient-reported outcome measurement in IBD. There is need to confirm responsiveness in future studies. Moreover, responsiveness should ideally be investigated using changes in objective markers of inflammation.
Assessment of Tree Leaves Flakes Mixed with Crude Glycerol as a Bioenergy Source
Authors: Hilal-AlNaqbi Ali , Al-Omari Salah B. , Selim Mohamed Y. E.
Published: June 2016

The gasification and combustion of dry tree leaves and the cogasification of dry tree leaves soaking crude glycerol were studied experimentally. An updraft fixed bed gasification and combustion system was built. The operation was conducted at different air to fuel ratios. Results show more stable combustion and more effective heat transfer to furnace walls for the cases when tree leaves flakes are mixed with 20 percent (on mass basis) of crude glycerol, as compared with the case when only dry tree leaves are used as fuel. TGA analysis was also conducted for the two fuels used under both air and nitrogen environments. For the crude glycerol, four phases of pyrolysis and gasification were noticed under either of the two surrounding gaseous media (air or nitrogen). For the dry tree leaves, the pyrolysis under nitrogen shows only a simple smooth pyrolysis and gasification curve without showing the different distinct phases that were otherwise identified when the pyrolysis is conducted under air environment. Moreover, the air TGA results lead to more gasification due to the char oxidation at high temperatures. DTG results are also presented and discussed.
Herbal Medicines for Treating Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Jang Soobin , Jang Bo-Hyoung , Ko Youme , Sasaki Yui , Park Jeong-Su , Hwang Eui-Hyoung , Song Yun-Kyung , Shin Yong-Cheol , Ko Seong-Gyu
Published: June 2016

Objective. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines in the management of metabolic syndrome. Materials and Methods. On December 9, 2015, we searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, AMED, CNKI, KoreaMed, KMBASE, OASIS, and J‐STAGE with no restriction on language or published year. We selected randomized controlled trials that involved patients with metabolic syndrome being treated with herbal medicines as intervention. The main keywords were “Chinese herbal medicines”, “metabolic syndrome”, and “randomized controlled trials”. Herbal substances which were not based on East Asian medical theory, combination therapy with western medicines, and concurrent diseases other than metabolic syndrome were excluded. The risk of bias was assessed by Cochrane’s “Risk of Bias” tool. The protocol or review was registered in PROSPERO (an international prospective register of systematic reviews) (CRD42014006842). Results. From 1,098 articles, 12 RCTs were included in this review: five trials studied herbal medicines versus a placebo or no treatment, and seven trials studied herbal medicines versus western medicines. Herbal medicines were effective on decreasing waist circumference, blood glucose, blood lipids, and blood pressure. Conclusion. This study suggests the possibility that herbal medicines can be complementary and alternative medicines for metabolic syndrome.
Hemodynamic Response of the Supplementary Motor Area during Locomotor Tasks with Upright versus Horizontal Postures in Humans
Authors: Yozu Arito , Obayashi Shigeru , Nakajima Katsumi , Hara Yukihiro
Published: June 2016

To understand cortical mechanisms related to truncal posture control during human locomotion, we investigated hemodynamic responses in the supplementary motor area (SMA) with quadrupedal and bipedal gaits using functional near-infrared spectroscopy in 10 healthy adults. The subjects performed three locomotor tasks where the degree of postural instability varied biomechanically, namely, hand-knee quadrupedal crawling (HKQuad task), upright quadrupedalism using bilateral Lofstrand crutches (UpQuad task), and typical upright bipedalism (UpBi task), on a treadmill. We measured the concentration of oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) during the tasks. The oxy-Hb significantly decreased in the SMA during the HKQuad task, whereas it increased during the UpQuad task. No significant responses were observed during the UpBi task. Based on the degree of oxy-Hb responses, we ranked these locomotor tasks as UpQuad > UpBi > HKQuad. The order of the different tasks did not correspond with postural instability of the tasks. However, qualitative inspection of oxy-Hb time courses showed that oxy-Hb waveform patterns differed between upright posture tasks (peak-plateau-trough pattern for the UpQuad and UpBi tasks) and horizontal posture task (downhill pattern for the HKQuad task). Thus, the SMA may contribute to the control of truncal posture accompanying locomotor movements in humans.
On a Gradient-Based Algorithm for Sparse Signal Reconstruction in the Signal/Measurements Domain
Authors: Stanković Ljubiša , Daković Miloš
Published: June 2016

Sparse signals can be recovered from a reduced set of samples by using compressive sensing algorithms. In common compressive sensing methods the signal is recovered in the sparsity domain. A method for the reconstruction of sparse signals which reconstructs the missing/unavailable samples/measurements is recently proposed. This method can be efficiently used in signal processing applications where a complete set of signal samples exists. The missing samples are considered as the minimization variables, while the available samples are fixed. Reconstruction of the unavailable signal samples/measurements is preformed using a gradient-based algorithm in the time domain, with an adaptive step. Performance of this algorithm with respect to the step-size and convergence are analyzed and a criterion for the step-size adaptation is proposed in this paper. The step adaptation is based on the gradient direction angles. Illustrative examples and statistical study are presented. Computational efficiency of this algorithm is compared with other two commonly used gradient algorithms that reconstruct signal in the sparsity domain. Uniqueness of the recovered signal is checked using a recently introduced theorem. The algorithm application to the reconstruction of highly corrupted images is presented as well.
Balancing Inflammation: The Link between Th17 and Regulatory T Cells
Authors: Diller Maggie L. , Kudchadkar Ragini R. , Delman Keith A. , Lawson David H. , Ford Mandy L.
Published: June 2016

CD4+T cell compartments in mouse and man are composed of multiple distinct subsets each possessing unique phenotypic and functional characteristics. IL-17-producing CD4+T cells (Th17 cells) represent a distinct subset of the CD4+T cell lineage. Recent evidence suggests that Th17 cells carry out effector functions similar to cytotoxic CD8+T cells and play an important role in the clearance of extracellular pathogens and fungi. Th17 cell differentiation and function are closely related to the development and function of regulatory T cells(TREG). The balance between these two cell populations is essential for immune homeostasis and dysregulation of this balance has been implicated in a variety of inflammatory conditions including autoimmunity, allograft rejection, and tumorigenesis. Emerging evidence reports a significant amount of plasticity between the Th17 and regulatory T cell compartments, and the mechanisms by which these cells communicate and influence each other are just beginning to be understood. In this review, we highlight recent findings detailing the mechanisms driving Th17 andTREGplasticity and discuss the biologic consequences of their unique relationship.
A Method to Assess Localized Impact of Better Floodplain Topography on Flood Risk Prediction
Authors: Schumann Guy J.-P. , Andreadis Konstantinos M.
Published: June 2016

Many studies have highlighted the need for a higher accuracy global digital elevation model (DEM), mainly in river floodplains and deltas and along coastlines. In this paper, we present a method to infer the impact of a better DEM on applications and science using the Lower Zambezi basin as a use case. We propose an analysis based on a targeted observation algorithm to evaluate potential data acquisition subregions in terms of their impact on the prediction of flood risk over the entire study area. Consequently, it becomes trivial to rank these subregions in terms of their contribution to the overall accuracy of flood prediction. The improvement from better topography data may be expressed in terms of economic output and population affected, providing a multifaceted assessment of the value of acquiring better elevation data. Our results highlight the notion that having higher resolution measurements would improve our current large-scale flood inundation prediction capabilities in the Lower Zambezi by at least 30% and significantly reduce the number of people affected as well as the economic loss associated with high magnitude flooding. We believe this procedure to be simple enough to be applied to other regions where high quality topographic and hydrodynamic data are currently unavailable.
Quantification of Margins and Uncertainties Approach for Structure Analysis Based on Evidence Theory
Authors: Xie Chaoyang , Li Guijie
Published: June 2016

Quantification of Margins and Uncertainties (QMU) is a decision-support methodology for complex technical decisions centering on performance thresholds and associated margins for engineering systems. Uncertainty propagation is a key element in QMU process for structure reliability analysis at the presence of both aleatory uncertainty and epistemic uncertainty. In order to reduce the computational cost of Monte Carlo method, a mixed uncertainty propagation approach is proposed by integrated Kriging surrogate model under the framework of evidence theory for QMU analysis in this paper. The approach is demonstrated by a numerical example to show the effectiveness of the mixed uncertainty propagation method.
Causative Microorganisms of Infectious Endophthalmitis: A 5-Year Retrospective Study
Authors: Duan Fang , Wu Kaili , Liao Jingyu , Zheng Yongxin , Yuan Zhaohui , Tan Junlian , Lin Xiaofeng
Published: June 2016

This study aimed to identify the microbial etiology of infectious endophthalmitis and to determine the antibacterial susceptibilities of bacterial isolates at an eye hospital in South China. A retrospective analysis was carried out on 330 patients with clinically diagnosed infectious endophthalmitis who underwent microbiological evaluation from January 2010 to December 2014. Of the 330 patients, 193 patients (58.5%) had posttraumatic endophthalmitis, 67 patients (20.3%) had postoperative endophthalmitis, 61 patients (18.5%) had endogenous endophthalmitis, and 9 patients (2.7%) had postcorneal infective endophthalmitis. Of the 105 cases (31.8%) of culture-positive endophthalmitis, 79 cases (75.2%) had bacterial growth and 26 cases (24.8%) had fungal growth. In posttraumatic endophthalmitis, Gram-positive bacteria were the predominant species, followed by Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. In endogenous endophthalmitis, Gram-negative bacteria were the predominant species, followed by fungi and Gram-positive bacteria. In postsurgical endophthalmitis, all infections were bacterial. However, in postcorneal infective endophthalmitis, all infections were fungal. Overall, levofloxacin showed the highest activity against bacterial isolates. There was a significant difference in the susceptibility to tobramycin between the isolates from posttraumatic and postoperative endophthalmitis (p<0.05). The results of this study identify the microbial spectrum of infectious endophthalmitis in this clinical setting.
In Vivo Effects of Vanadium Pentoxide and Antioxidants (Ascorbic Acid and Alpha‐Tocopherol) on Apoptotic, Cytotoxic, and Genotoxic Damage in Peripheral Blood of Mice
Authors: García-Rodríguez María del Carmen , Hernández-Cortés Lourdes Montserrat , Altamirano-Lozano Mario Agustín
Published: June 2016

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), ascorbic acid (AA), and alpha‐tocopherol (α‐TOH) on apoptotic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic activity. Groups of five Hsd:ICR mice were treated with the following: (a) vehicle, distilled water; (b) vehicle, corn oil; (c) AA, 100 mg/kg intraperitoneally (ip); (d) α‐TOH, 20 mg/kg by gavage; (e) V2O5, 40 mg/kg by ip injection; (f) AA + V2O5; and (g) α‐TOH + V2O5. Genotoxic damage was evaluated by examining micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MN‐PCE) obtained from the caudal vein at 0, 24, 48, and 72 h after treatments. Induction of apoptosis and cell viability were assessed at 48 h after treatment in nucleated cells of peripheral blood. Treatment with AA alone reduced basal MN‐PCE, while V2O5 treatment marginally increased MN‐PCE at all times after injection. Antioxidants treatments prior to V2O5 administration decreased MN‐PCE compared to the V2O5 group, with the most significant effect in the AA + V2O5 group. The apoptotic cells increased with all treatments, suggesting that this process may contribute to the elimination of the cells with V2O5‐induced DNA damage (MN‐PCE). The necrotic cells only increased in the V2O5 group. Therefore, antioxidants such as AA and α‐TOH can be used effectively to protect or reduce the genotoxic effects induced by vanadium compounds like V2O5.
Case Report of Bilateral 3-4 Metatarsal Syndactyly in a Pet Rabbit
Authors: Gallego M. , Avedillo L.
Published: June 2016

We report the first case of spontaneous syndactyly reported in a pet rabbit. Syndactyly only caused an atypical gait in the rabbit. The radiological study revealed bilateral 3rd and 4th metatarsal bones fused in its entire length preserving normal joint surfaces resembling syndactyly type Ia. The cause of this congenital malformation was unknown.
Scoliosis Surgery in Cystic Fibrosis: Surgical Considerations and the Multidisciplinary Approach of a Rare Case
Authors: Mataliotakis George I. , Tsirikos Athanasios I. , Pearson Karen , Urquhart Don S. , Smith Carolyn , Fall Andrew
Published: June 2016

Spinal deformity in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is usually mild requiring no treatment. These patients are rarely considered as surgical candidates for scoliosis correction, as the pulmonary condition and other comorbidities increase the risk of general anaesthesia and recovery. This paper reviews all the literature up to date with regard to scoliosis in patients with CF and reports this unique case of a 14-year-old Caucasian girl with progressive scoliosis, who was treated surgically at the age of 17. She underwent a posterior spinal fusion T2-L3 with the use of unilateral segmental instrumentation. Preoperative workup included respiratory, cardiac, anaesthetic, endocrine, and dietician reviews, as well as bone density optimisation with zoledronic acid and prophylactic antibiotics. Surgical time was 150 minutes and intraoperative blood loss was 47% of total blood volume. Postoperative intensive care included noninvasive ventilation, antibiotic cover, pain management, chest physiotherapy, pancreatic enzyme supplementation, and nutritional support. She was discharged on day 9. At follow-up she had a good cosmetic outcome, no complaints of her back, and stable respiratory function. Multidisciplinary perioperative care and meticulous surgical technique may reduce the associated risks of major surgery in CF patients, while achieving adequate deformity correction and a good functional outcome.
Sleep Deprivation Influences Circadian Gene Expression in the Lateral Habenula
Authors: Zhang Beilin , Gao Yanxia , Li Yang , Yang Jing , Zhao Hua
Published: June 2016

Sleep is governed by homeostasis and the circadian clock. Clock genes play an important role in the generation and maintenance of circadian rhythms but are also involved in regulating sleep homeostasis. The lateral habenular nucleus (LHb) has been implicated in sleep-wake regulation, since LHb gene expression demonstrates circadian oscillation characteristics. This study focuses on the participation of LHb clock genes in regulating sleep homeostasis, as the nature of their involvement is unclear. In this study, we observed changes in sleep pattern following sleep deprivation in LHb-lesioned rats using EEG recording techniques. And then the changes of clock gene expression (Per1, Per2, and Bmal1) in the LHb after 6 hours of sleep deprivation were detected by using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). We found that sleep deprivation increased the length of Non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (NREMS) and decreased wakefulness. LHb-lesioning decreased the amplitude of reduced wake time and increased NREMS following sleep deprivation in rats. qPCR results demonstrated that Per2 expression was elevated after sleep deprivation, while the other two genes were unaffected. Following sleep recovery, Per2 expression was comparable to the control group. This study provides the basis for further research on the role of LHb Per2 gene in the regulation of sleep homeostasis.