bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Point-of-care biliary ultrasound in the emergency department (BUSED): implications for surgical referral and emergency department wait times
Authors: Hilsden Richard , Leeper Rob , Koichopolos Jennifer , Vandelinde Jeremy Derek , Parry Neil , Thompson Drew , Myslik Frank
Published: July 2018

Background

Patients with uncomplicated biliary disease frequently present to the emergency department for assessment. To improve bedside clinical decision making, biliary point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the emergency department has emerged as a diagnostic tool. The purpose of this study is to analyze the usefulness of POCUS in predicting the need for surgical intervention in biliary disease.

Methods

A retrospective study of patients visiting the emergency department who received a biliary POCUS from December 1, 2016 to July 15, 2017 was performed. The physician interpretations of the biliary POCUS scans were collected, as well as data from the electronic health records including lab values, the subsequent use of diagnostic imaging, surgical consultation or intervention, and 28 days follow-up for representation or complication.

Results

Two hundred and eighty-three patients were identified as having received biliary POCUS. Of the patients referred to general surgery who received biliary POCUS 43% received a cholecystectomy. For the outcome of cholecystectomy, the finding of gallstones on POCUS was 55% sensitive (95% CI 40% to 70%) and 92% specific (95% CI 87% to 95%). A sonographic Murphy’s sign was 16% sensitive (95% CI 7% to 30%) but 95% specific (95% CI 92% to 97%) and, gallbladder wall thickness was 18% sensitive (95% CI 9% to 33%) and 98% specific (95% CI 95% to 99%). Patients who received POCUS but did not proceed to confirmatory radiology department imaging had a shorter length of stay (433 min ± 50 min vs. 309 min ± 30 min, P<0.001).

Discussion

Point-of-care biliary ultrasound performed by emergency physicians provides timely access to diagnostic information. Positive findings of gallstones and increased gallbladder wall thickness are highly predictive of the need for surgical intervention, and use of POCUS is associated with shorter ER visits.

Level of evidence

Retrospective cohort study, level III.
Energy balance dynamics during short-term high-intensity functional training
Authors: Schubert Matthew M. , Palumbo Elyse A.
Published: July 2018

CrossFit (CF; CrossFit Inc., Washington, DC, USA) is a form of high-intensity functional training that focuses on training across the entire spectrum of physical fitness. CF has been shown to improve a number of indicators of health but little information assessing energy balance exists. The purpose of the present study was to investigate energy balance during 1 week of CF training. Men and women (n = 21; mean ± SD; age, 43.5 ± 8.4 years; body mass index, 27.8 ± 4.9 kg·m−2), with ≥3 months CF experience, had body composition assessed via air displacement plethysmography before and after 1 week of CF training. Participants wore ActiHeart monitors to assess total energy expenditure (TEE), activity energy expenditure, and CF energy expenditure (CF EE). Energy intake was assessed from TEE and Δ body composition. CF EE averaged 605 ± 219 kcal per 72 ± 10 min session. Weekly CF EE was 2723 ± 986 kcal. Participants were in an energy deficit (TEE: 3674 ± 855 kcal·day−1; energy intake: 3167 ± 1401 kcal·day−1). Results of the present study indicate that CF training can account for a significant portion of daily activity energy expenditure. The weekly expenditure is within levels shown to induce clinically meaningful weight loss in overweight/obese populations.
Does blood lactate predict the chronic adaptive response to training: A comparison of traditional and talk test prescription methods
Authors: Preobrazenski Nicholas , Bonafiglia Jacob T. , Nelms Matthew W. , Lu Simo , Robins Lauren , LeBlanc Camille , Gurd Brendon J.
Published: July 2018

The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses (i) that interindividual variability in acute blood lactate responses during exercise at 65% of peak work rate (WRpeak; relative WRpeak protocol (REL)) will predict variability in the chronic responses to exercise training and (ii) that exercising at an intensity that causes uncomfortable speech production (negative talk test (TT) stage (NEG)) elicits high acute blood lactate responses and large adaptations to training. Twenty-eight participants completed 4 weeks of exercise training consisting of REL (n = 14) or NEG (TT, n = 14). Fifteen additional participants were assigned to a no-exercise control group (n = 15). In REL, acute blood lactate responses during the first training session significantly predicted changes in peak oxygen consumption (r = 0.69) after training. TT resulted in consistently high acute blood lactate responses. REL and TT improved (p < 0.05) peak oxygen consumption, WRpeak, and work rate at the onset of blood lactate accumulation (WROBLA). Despite nonsignificance, small to medium between-group effect sizes for changes in peak oxygen consumption, WRpeak, and WROBLA and a higher work rate, heart rate, rating of perceived exertion, and blood lactate during training at NEG support the potential superiority of TT over REL. When exercise is prescribed using a traditional method (a fixed percentage of WRpeak; REL), acute metabolic stress may partly explain the variance in the adaptations to training. In addition, TT elicited significant increases in peak oxygen consumption, WRpeak, and WROBLA, and although our small sample size limits our ability to confidently compare training adaptations between groups, our preliminary results suggest that future investigations with larger sample sizes should assess the potential superiority of TT over REL.
Can caffeine supplementation reverse the effect of time of day on repeated-sprint exercise performance?
Authors: Lopes-Silva João Paulo , Santos Jonatas Ferreira da Silva , Franchini Emerson
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate if caffeine can reduce the negative influence of diurnal variations on repeated-sprint performance, in addition to investigating if caffeine in the afternoon would potentiate performance compared with the morning. Thirteen physically active men took part in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover study. All participants underwent a repeated-sprint ability test (10 × 6 s cycle sprints, with 30 s of rest) at 60 min after ingestion of either 5 mg·kg−1 or placebo under 4 different conditions: morning with caffeine ingestion, morning with placebo ingestion, afternoon with caffeine ingestion, and afternoon with placebo ingestion. Total work, peak power (PP) and anaerobic power reserve (APR) were assessed. Oxygen uptake, heart rate, lactate concentration, and rating of perceived exertion were also measured during the repeated-sprint test. Total work (+8%, d = 0.2, small), PP (+6%, d = 0.2), and APR (+9%, d = 0.2) were significantly higher in the afternoon when compared with morning. However, physiological responses were not different between caffeine and placebo conditions. Repeated-sprint (10 × 6 s cycle sprint) performance was influenced by time of day, with lower performance in the morning compared with the afternoon. However, caffeine supplementation did not prevent the reduction in performance in the morning or improve performance in the afternoon.
Bearing capacity of strip footings on sand over clay
Authors: Salimi Eshkevari Seyednima , Abbo Andrew J. , Kouretzis George
Published: July 2018

Estimation of the bearing capacity of shallow foundations on layered soil profiles, such as a sand layer of finite thickness over clay, is mainly based on empirical models resulting from the interpretation of experimental test results. While it is generally accepted that such models may be applicable to soil properties and footing geometries outside the range tested experimentally, they offer limited insights on how the assumed failure mechanism affects their range of application. In particular, the contribution of the sand layer to the overall capacity is accounted for via simple considerations, which are valid only for a specific range of problem parameters. This paper addresses the estimation of the undrained bearing capacity of a rigid strip footing resting on the surface of a sand layer of finite thickness overlying clay, using finite element limit analysis (FELA). The rigorous upper and lower bound theorems of plasticity are employed to bracket the true bearing capacity of the footing, and identify the geometry of possible failure mechanisms. Insights gained from FELA simulations are used to develop a new simple bearing capacity model, which captures the variation in shear resistance from the sand layer with the dimensionless undrained strength of the clay layer. The proposed model provides results that are in close agreement with published experimental studies, and allows treating simple problems, such as the design of working platforms, without having to resort to numerical simulations.
Assessment of shear strength from measuring while drilling shafts in Florida limestone
Authors: Rodgers Michael , McVay Michael , Horhota David , Sinnreich Jon , Hernando Jose
Published: July 2018

The focus of this research is the real-time assessment of drilled shaft capacity based on the unconfined compressive strength (qu) obtained from measuring while drilling (MWD). Measures of qu, a function of rock strength commonly used in drilled shaft design, are provided through five monitored drilling parameters: torque, crowd, rotational speed, penetration rate, and bit diameter. Monitored shaft installations took place at three separate locations on drilled shafts, which were subsequently load tested. Using the qu values obtained from MWD, side shear was estimated in portions of each shaft where instrumented segments indicated the side shear was fully mobilized for direct comparison. To consider all of the current side shear equations used in Florida drilled shaft design, the estimation of tensile strength (qt) in real time was also needed. This led to a theoretical approach to establish the qt/qu relationship that was later verified empirically and provided new correlations between material and mechanical properties of Florida geomaterials. A comparative analysis indicated that the results from multiple established side shear equations, used with qu from MWD, align well with the results obtained from load testing. This suggests that estimating drilled shaft capacity from MWD is viable to reduce spatial uncertainty.
Effect of perforations on the bearing capacity of shallow foundation on clay
Authors: Liu Run , Liu Meng-meng , Tian Ying-hui , Wu Xinli
Published: July 2018

As a type of shallow foundation, a mudmat serves as the seabed support structure for subsea wells, pipeline manifolds, and pipeline terminations. The shallow foundations are usually designed with perforations to facilitate installation and removal, but the influence of these perforations has not been fully understood. This paper presents a method to analyze the bearing capacities of both two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) perforated shallow foundations using finite element analysis. The soil was idealized as a Tresca material, with the undrained strength increasing linearly with depth. The outcome indicates that perforations have nonnegligible effects on the bearing capacity of shallow foundations. The bearing capacity decreases with increasing perforation ratio, R, and the degree of reduction increases with the increase of the dimensionless ratio kB/Suo, where k is the shear strength gradient, B is the width of the foundation, and Suo is the shear strength at the mudline. For 2D shallow foundations, there exists a critical perforation ratio, Rc; when the perforation ratio is lower than the critical perforation ratio, the perforated foundation does not lose its bearing capacity. For 3D shallow foundations, the bearing capacity decreases directly with the increase of perforation ratio, R.
Analysis of cylindrical cavity expansion in anisotropic critical state soils under drained conditions
Authors: Liu K. , Chen S.L.
Published: July 2018

This paper presents a semi-analytical solution for the drained cylindrical cavity expansion problem using the well-known anisotropic modified Cam clay model proposed by Dafalias in 1987. The prominent feature of this elastoplastic model, i.e., its capability to describe both the initial fabric anisotropy and stress-induced anisotropy of soils, makes the anisotropic elastoplastic solution derived herein for the cavity problem a more realistic one. Following the development by Chen and Abousleiman in 2013 of a novel solution scheme that establishes a link between the Eulerian and Lagrangian formulations of the condition of radial equilibrium, the plastic zone solution can eventually be obtained by solving a system of eight partial differential equations with the three stress components, three anisotropic hardening parameters, specific volume, and preconsolidation pressure being the basic unknowns. Parametric studies have been conducted to explore the influences of K0 consolidation anisotropy and overconsolidation ratio (OCR), and their pronounced impacts on the stress patterns outside the cavity as well as on the development of stress-induced anisotropy are clearly observed.
Resource leveling in construction projects with activity splitting and resource constraints: a simulated annealing optimization
Authors: Piryonesi S. Madeh , Nasseri Mehran , Ramezani Abdollah
Published: July 2018

Overtime and over-budget construction projects are not pleasant to any stakeholder. Stakeholders want construction projects to be completed without delay and excessive cost. It is possible to meet these objectives by using resource management techniques such as resource leveling. Due to the limitation of resources and different types of them in a construction project, optimizing the resource utilization is crucial. In this paper, a meta-heuristic simulated annealing resource leveling model is presented. The novelty of this model lies not only in the type of modeling and optimization but also in its assumptions. Our model simultaneously allows activities to split and considers a limitation in resource availabilities. The developed model was implemented in a computer program. Then, it was applied to an example from the literature of resource leveling. The model successfully solved the problem. The results of our model are compared with those already available in the literature.
Early mortality and freshwater forage fish recruitment: nonnative alewife and native rainbow smelt interactions in Lake Champlain
Authors: Simonin Paul W. , Rudstam Lars G. , Sullivan Patrick J. , Parrish Donna L. , Pientka Bernard
Published: July 2018

We studied the consequences of a nonnative species introduction and changes in temperature on early mortality and recruitment of native rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) and nonnative alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) in Lake Champlain using a simulation model. Distribution patterns of adults and young-of-the-year (YOY) fish were predicted using a model based on observed distribution of different age groups as a function of temperature and light profiles simulated on a daily basis. Mortality rates averaged over the growing season were calculated as a function of fish densities and overlap between adults and YOY. Survival of YOY rainbow smelt and alewife depended on which predator was most abundant. Rainbow smelt YOY mortality rates are highest when rainbow smelt adults are abundant, and alewife YOY mortality rates are highest when alewife adults are abundant, potentially allowing coexistence. August and September mortality rates were higher in the climate change scenario because of increased overlap of adults and YOY of both species. These results indicate that accounting for spatiotemporal fish distribution patterns can be important when forecasting the interacting effects of climate change and aquatic invasive species on fish recruitment.
Reply to the comment by Wellstead et al. on “Barriers to enhanced and integrated climate change adaptation and mitigation in Canadian forest management”
Authors: Williamson Tim B. , Nelson Harry W.
Published: July 2018

In commenting on our review about barriers to climate change adaptation and mitigation (Williamson and Nelson 2017, Can. J. For Res. 47(12): 1567–1576, doi: 10.1139/cjfr-2017-0252 ), Wellstead et al. (2018, Can. J. For. Res. 48(10), doi: 10.1139/cjfr-2017-0465 ) argue that the “functionalist assumptions” underlying barriers analysis in general and our paper in particular are problematic. They also argue that barriers analysis — a method widely employed both in scholarly climate change adaptation research and in national and international climate change assessments — should be replaced by approaches that remain untested in the context of climate change adaptation research, particularly in forestry adaptation and mitigation research. We believe that neither the scholarly research on adaptation and mitigation barriers nor our review have characteristics of functionalism or imply functionalist assumptions. Moreover, we disagree that barriers analysis can be replaced by the methodologies that they propose because these latter approaches address different aspects and features of processes supporting movement toward comprehensive and integrated adaptation and mitigation in forest management. We do agree that there are knowledge gaps relative to examinations and explanations of causal mechanisms to explain decision-making and policy process outcomes that have already occurred, and we encourage research to address these gaps. Ultimately, this aspect of social science research is complementary to, not a substitute for, barriers research.
On both MHD and slip effect in micropolar hybrid nanofluid past a circular cylinder under stagnation point region
Authors: Nadeem S. , Abbas Nadeem
Published: July 2018

The physical model of the micropolar hybrid nanofluid flow with magnetohydrodynamic and thermal slip effects is considered. The flow of three-dimensional stagnation point of micropolar hybrid nanofluid past a circular cylinder is also taken into account. The flow model is controlled through partial differential equations. These equations are highly nonlinear in character and reduce to ordinary differential equations through applying the suitable similarity transformation. The reduced system is solved numerically using the shooting technique. The mutual effects are presented using graphs while comparative numerical results are presented in the tables. The diverse physical parts of the issue have been talked about. This study aims to investigate the solid nano-sized particle on the surface of a circular cylinder having sinusoidal variation. These nanosized particles are used to analyze the heat transfer improvement of micropolar hybrid nanofluid as compared to micropolar nanofluid.
Sensitivity and specification property of fuzzified dynamical systems
Authors: Li Nan , Wang Lidong , Lei Fengchun
Published: July 2018

The main purpose of this paper is to further explore the complexity of fuzzified dynamical systems. Especially, we study several kinds of specification properties of Zadeh’s extension. Among other things, we discuss the “stronger” sensitivity on product dynamical systems of g-fuzzification. There are two major ingredients. Firstly, it is proved that the specification (respectively almost specification) property of the original system and its Zadeh’s extension is equivalent, when the original system has the shadowing property. Moreover, we study the [Formula: see text]-sensitivity (respectively multi-sensitivity) of g-fuzzification and its induced product dynamical system.
ACTIVE-ILMENITE SURFACE STRUCTURE INFLUENCE ON ACID-ASSISTED BALL MILLING
Authors: PHOOHINKONG WEERACHON , PAVASUPREE SORAPONG , BOONYARATTANAKALIN KANOKTHIP , MEKPRASART WANICHAYA , PECHARAPA WISANU
Published: July 2018

Active-ilmenite powder derived from natural ilmenite sand was prepared by the ball milling process with acid-solution and Deionized (DI) water. Morphology and particle size of active-ilmenite product in acid/DI-assisted ball milling process were monitored by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Surface atomic component and chemical bonding were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Meanwhile, bulk chemical oxidation and fine structure of active-ilmenite were studied by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption ne-structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) to confirm the oxidation state and local active species structure at surface. Active-ilmenite by acid-assisted ball milling process is a distinctive method for the preparation of active-ilmenite product with high active surface. Moreover, the distortion of TiO6and FeO6octahedral cluster on the sample surface was detected in all milled samples with acid-assisted ball milling process. The presence of Fe[Formula: see text], Fe[Formula: see text] ions and miniature sulfate was also detected on the sample surface by milled product with acid-assisted method.
Feature Based Comparison and Selection of SDN Controller
Authors: AlShehri Mohammed Abdul Rahman , Mishra Shailendra
Published: July 2018

Software defined network (SDN) controller selection in SDN is a key challenge to the network administrator. In SDN, control plane is an isolated process and operate on control layer. The controller provides a universal view of the entire network and support applications and services. The three focused parameters for controller selection are productivity, campus network and open source. In SDN, it is vital to have a good device for the efficient processing of all requests made by the switch and for good behavior of the network. For selecting best controller for the specified parameters, decision logic has to be developed that allow us to do comparison of the available controllers. Therefore, in this research we have suggested a methodology that uses analytic-hierarchy-process (AHP) to find a best controller. The approach has been studied and verified for a big organization network setup of Al-Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. The approach is found to be more effective and increase the network performance significantly.
An Imprecise Eco-Epidemic Model with Pesticide in Relevance to Agricultural Pest Control
Authors: Das Anjana , Pal M.
Published: July 2018

In this paper, we have proposed and analyzed an agricultural pest control system. For this purpose, an eco-epidemiological type predator–prey model has been proposed with the consideration of a sound predator population and two classes of pest populations namely susceptible pest and infected pest. Further to consider uncertainty, we modify our model and transform it into a fuzzy system with incorporation of imprecise parameters. The dynamical behavior of the proposed model has been investigated by examining the existence and stability criteria of all feasible equilibria. An optimal control problem is formed by considering the pesticide control as the control parameter and then the problem is solved both theoretically and numerically with the help of some computer simulation works.
The distribution of Pb, Cu and Zn in topsoil of the Campanian Region, Italy
Authors: Minolfi Giulia , Petrik Attila , Albanese Stefano , Lima Annamaria , Cannatelli Claudia , Rezza Carmela , De Vivo Benedetto
Published: July 2018

In this paper we present a comparison of statistical and spatial distributions between Pb, Cu and Zn concentration data and clr-transformed data of 3669 topsoil samples from the Campanian Region. Results show that both approaches, the classical univariate analysis and the compositional data analysis, are necessary to understand the real structure of the data and shed light on different aspects. In particular, the spatial distributions of concentration (‘raw’) data and clr-transformed data of the three elements differ completely. Raw data essentially represent a high anthropogenic impact, requiring an additional human health risk assessment for the three investigated elements. The information obtained by the clr-coefficient maps reveals the geogenic contribution to the element distribution. To better constrain the degree of contamination due to these potentially toxic elements and their impact on human health, we present an RGB composite map of Pb, Cu and Zn. This map unravels potential sources of contamination and locates the areas where concentrations exceed thresholds established by the Italian legislation.
Copper phytoextraction and phytostabilization potential of wild plant species growing in the mine polluted areas of Armenia
Authors: Ghazaryan Karen A. , Movsesyan Hasmik S. , Khachatryan Hrant E. , Ghazaryan Naira P. , Minkina Tatiana M. , Sushkova Svetlana N. , Mandzhieva Saglara S. , Rajput Vishnu D.
Published: July 2018

The assessment of phytoremediation potential of wild plant species in areas polluted by metals is very important, as it will enable the use of eco-friendly remediation methods in these territories. Sixteen native wild plant species growing in Cu-contaminated soils of a mining region in Armenia were investigated to reveal their phytoremediation potential. In roots (dry weight) of dominant plant species in this area the content of copper varied between 55 mg/kg (
Hypericum perforatum
) and 775 mg/kg (
Thymus kotschyanus
), and in shoots of plants in the range from 33 mg/kg (
Teucrium orientale
) to 243 mg/kg (
Phleum pratense
). Since the Cu accumulation capability of plants depends both on physiological peculiarities of the plants and on the content of Cu
bioavailable
in the soil, the studies were carried out in this direction and it was found out that the high contents of soil organic matter (SOM) and clay in the soil facilitated the decrease of the ratio Cu
bioavailable
/Cu
total
and as a result, the decrease of Cu accumulation capability of plants.
Thymus kotschyanus
,
Phleum pratense
and
Achillea millefolium
had the highest phytostabilization potential from all studied species due to high bioconcentration factors of their roots (BCF
root
) and low translocation factors (TF) registered in these plants.
Recognizing anthropogenic modification of the subsurface in the geological record
Authors: Waters Colin N. , Graham Caroline , Tapete Deodato , Price Simon J. , Field Lorraine , Hughes Andrew G. , Zalasiewicz Jan
Published: July 2018

Humankind, in its technological development, is increasingly utilizing both mineral resources from Earth's interior and developing the rock mass as a resource in itself. In this paper we review the types of anthropogenic intrusion, at different depth ranges, that can modify the physical structure and chemistry of the subsurface. Using examples from across the world, but with emphasis on the UK, and physical models of the induced modifications, we predict what kind of subsurface signatures a geologist of the future might recognize as anthropogenic, including boreholes, tunnels and caverns, waste and resource storage facilities, mineral workings and military test traces. The potential of these anthropogenic signatures to be discriminated from natural analogues is discussed against known or modelled processes of deterioration and transformation over geological timescales of millennia or longer.
Hybrid Peace: Ethnographies of War
Authors: Ssorin-Chaikov Nikolai
Published: July 2018

This article reviews recent ethnographies of war that shed light on interconnected states of security at home, international military interventions, and hybrid or rhizomic warfare doctrines. I suggest the notion of hybrid peace to explore global implications of these ethnographic perspectives and to ask what it means to inhabit spaces that are constituted by such hybrid warfare. I argue for the usefulness of Schmitt's “nomos of the earth” and his theory of the partisan to conceptualize this condition and bring together different approaches to warfare.
Maize Lethal Necrosis: An Emerging, Synergistic Viral Disease
Authors: Redinbaugh Margaret G. , Stewart Lucy R.
Published: July 2018

Maize lethal necrosis (MLN) is a disease of maize caused by coinfection of maize with maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) and one of several viruses from the Potyviridae, such as sugarcane mosaic virus, maize dwarf mosaic virus, Johnsongrass mosaic virus or wheat streak mosaic virus. The coinfecting viruses act synergistically to result in frequent plant death or severely reduce or negligible yield. Over the past eight years, MLN has emerged in sub-Saharan East Africa, Southeast Asia, and South America, with large impacts on smallholder farmers. Factors associated with MLN emergence include multiple maize crops per year, the presence of maize thrips ( Frankliniella williamsi), and highly susceptible maize crops. Soil and seed transmission of MCMV may also play significant roles in development and perpetuation of MLN epidemics. Containment and control of MLN will likely require a multipronged approach, and more research is needed to identify and develop the best measures.
Protective Effect of Pitao (Pitavia punctata (R. & P.) Molina) Polyphenols against the Red Blood Cells Lipoperoxidation and the In Vitro LDL Oxidation
Authors: Castro Ricardo I. , Forero-Doria Oscar , Soto-Cerda Luis , Peña-Neira A. , Guzmán Luis
Published: July 2018

The oxidative stress is characterized by an imbalance between the oxidizing agents and antioxidants; meanwhile, the consumption of antioxidants has been considered as an important tool in the prevention of oxidative stress and its consequences. Pitavia punctata (R. & P.) Molina is an endemic arboreal species from the Chilean Coast Range, in which a large amount of flavonoids has been described. This work focused on characterizing and evaluating, in human erythrocytes, the antioxidant capacity and membrane protection of P. punctata extracts and the in vitro protection of the oxidation of the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL). The phytochemical screening revealed the presence of Quercetin derivatives and flavonoids, such as (‐)‐Epicatechin, Kaempferol, and derivatives. The methanolic extract presented an important antioxidant activity, protecting the membrane integrity of the red blood cells against the oxidative damage caused by Hypochlorous acid and inhibiting the oxidation of the LDL lipoprotein.
Synthesis of Folic Acid-Modified DOX@ZIF-8 Nanoparticles for Targeted Therapy of Liver Cancer
Authors: Bi Jian , Lu Yishan , Dong Yan , Gao Ping
Published: July 2018

The effective chemotherapy treatment for liver cancer patients remains an urgent issue due to the difficulty in precisely delivering drugs to the tumor site. The targeted delivery of drugs by nanoparticles is a promising strategy to address this problem. However, the fabrication of drug targeted delivery nanosystem still remains a major challenge. In this study, a novel folic acid-functionalized (doxorubicin, DOX) DOX@ZIF-8 nanoparticles (DOX@ZIF-8-FA) were prepared as a liver cancer-targeted drug delivery system. The delivery nanosystem exhibited a high drug loading capacity (15.7 wt%) and presented excellent drug-sustained release performances and good pH-responsive properties. Compared with free DOX and DOX@ZIF-8 nanoparticles, the DOX@ZIF-8-FA nanoparticles displayed much higher anticancer efficiency in HepG2 cells, suggesting that the folic acid-functionalized DOX@ZIF-8 nanoparticles have promising applications in targeted treatment of cancer cells.
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Subjects with Subclinical Cerebral White Matter Lesions
Authors: Yee Chi-Hang , Leung Ching , Wong Yuki Yu-Ting , Lee Sylvia , Li Jenny , Kwan Pauline , Chu Winnie Chiu-Wing , Mok Vincent Chung-Tong , Ng Chi-Fai
Published: July 2018

Aim. We assessed the impact of cerebral white matter lesions (WMLs) on lower urinary tract symptoms in subjects with normal neurological and cognitive function.Methods. A cohort of community-dwelling subjects aged ≥65 years were recruited to undergo MRI brain assessment. WMLs were graded using the Fazekas scale from 0 to 3. A separate telephone interview was carried out to assess the urinary symptoms in these subjects using the questionnaire Overactive Bladder-Validated 8-Question Awareness Tool (OAB-V8).Results. 800 community-dwelling elderly subjects were recruited to undergo MRI brain. In this cohort, 431 subjects responded to the telephone interview concerning their urinary symptoms. Among the respondents, 21.1% did not exhibit any WML on their MRI brain. Most of the subjects (52.6%) exhibited grade 1 WML. On logistic regression, age was found to be positively correlated with the Fazekas score (correlation coefficient 0.203,p≤0.01). Using a cutoff of 8 on OAB-V8, 22% of the respondents experienced OAB. Presence of WML, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus was not found to be correlated with storage urinary symptoms or OAB-V8 total score. Multiple logistic regression analysis did not show the presence of WML to be associated with the diagnosis of OAB (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI 0.65–1.96,p=0.659).Conclusions. WML is associated with age and is common in the elderly population. Mild WML is subclinical, with no obvious neurological and urinary symptoms. Our cohort did not demonstrate a relationship between WML and lower urinary tract symptoms.
Quantitative Radiomics: Impact of Pulse Sequence Parameter Selection on MRI-Based Textural Features of the Brain
Authors: Ford John , Dogan Nesrin , Young Lori , Yang Fei
Published: July 2018

Objectives. Radiomic features extracted from diverse MRI modalities have been investigated regarding their predictive and/or prognostic value in a variety of cancers. With the aid of a 3D realistic digital MRI phantom of the brain, the aim of this study was to examine the impact of pulse sequence parameter selection on MRI-based textural parameters of the brain. Methods. MR images of the employed digital phantom were realized with SimuBloch, a simulation package made for fast generation of image sequences based on the Bloch equations. Pulse sequences being investigated consisted of spin echo (SE), gradient echo (GRE), spoiled gradient echo (SP-GRE), inversion recovery spin echo (IR-SE), and inversion recovery gradient echo (IR-GRE). Twenty-nine radiomic textural features related, respectively, to gray-level intensity histograms (GLIH), cooccurrence matrices (GLCOM), zone size matrices (GLZSM), and neighborhood difference matrices (GLNDM) were evaluated for the obtained MR realizations, and differences were identified. Results. It was found that radiomic features vary considerably among images generated by the five different T1-weighted pulse sequences, and the deviations from those measured on the T1 map vary among features, from a few percent to over 100%. Radiomic features extracted from T1-weighted spin-echo images with TR varying from 360 ms to 620 ms and TE = 3.4 ms showed coefficients of variation (CV) up to 45%, while up to 70%, for T2-weighted spin-echo images with TE varying over the range 60–120 ms and TR = 6400 ms. Conclusion. Variability of radiologic textural appearance on MR realizations with respect to the choice of pulse sequence and imaging parameters is feature-dependent and can be substantial. It calls for caution in employing MRI-derived radiomic features especially when pooling imaging data from multiple institutions with intention of correlating with clinical endpoints.
Plasma Chemokine CCL2 and Its Receptor CCR2 Concentrations as Diagnostic Biomarkers for Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Lubowicka Emilia , Przylipiak Andrzej , Zajkowska Monika , Piskór Barbara Maria , Malinowski Paweł , Fiedorowicz Wojciech , Ławicki Sławomir
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to investigate plasma levels and applicability of CCL2, CCR2, and tumor marker CA 15-3 in breast cancer (BC) patients and in relation to the control groups: patients with benign breast tumor and healthy subjects. Plasma levels of tested parameters were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and CA 15-3 by Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA). The median levels of CCL2 in entire group of BC were significantly higher compared to the control groups, similarly as median levels of CA 15-3. CCR2 is a negative marker whose levels were significantly lower in BC group compared to healthy women. The concentration of CCL2 in BC increases with advancing tumor stage, while a median level of CCR2 decreases with advancing stage. CCL2 showed the highest value of sensitivity (SE) (64.95%) in entire BC group and also in early stages of disease. The highest specificity (SP) was obtained by CA 15-3 (85.71%). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of CCR2 (0.7304) was the largest of all the tested parameters (slightly lower than CA 15-3) in the entire BC group, but a maximum range was obtained for the combination of all tested parameters with CA 15-3 (0.8271). In early stages of BC the highest AUC of all tested parameters was observed in CCL2 or CCR2 (stage I: 0.6604 and 0.6564; respectively; stage II: 0.7768, respectively, for CCR2). The findings of this study suggest that there may be applicability of CCL2, CCR2 in diagnosis of BC patients, particularly in conjunction with CA 15-3.
Integrating Evaluation Grid Method and Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment to New Product Development
Authors: Kang Xinhui , Yang Minggang , Wu Yixiang , Ni Bingqing
Published: July 2018

The success of a new product is usually determined not by whether it includes high-end technology, but by whether it meets consumer expectations, especially key Kansei demands. This article aims to evaluate attractive factors (Kansei words) and convert them to design elements to make products stand out in the global competition. The evaluation grid method (EGM) is an important research method of Miryoku engineering. The method can build qualitative relations among consumers’ attractive factors and design elements. The quality function deployment (QFD) is a quantitative method which converts customer requirements into engineering characteristics using the House of Quality Matrix. The QFD together with the concept of fuzziness can objectively measure questionnaires made by experts. Accordingly, this paper proposes a systematic approach that integrates the EGM together with the fuzzy QFD for the development of new products. The fuzzy Kano model combined with the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is developed to determine the priority of the development of attractive factors. This empirical study uses minicars as an example to verify the feasibility and validity of the approach. The results are expected to help designers to increase design efficiency and improve consumer satisfaction of new products.
Advances in Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering: Innovation and Transformation of Medicine
Authors: Dzobo Kevin , Thomford Nicholas Ekow , Senthebane Dimakatso Alice , Shipanga Hendrina , Rowe Arielle , Dandara Collet , Pillay Michael , Motaung Keolebogile Shirley Caroline M.
Published: July 2018

Humans and animals lose tissues and organs due to congenital defects, trauma, and diseases. The human body has a low regenerative potential as opposed to the urodele amphibians commonly referred to as salamanders. Globally, millions of people would benefit immensely if tissues and organs can be replaced on demand. Traditionally, transplantation of intact tissues and organs has been the bedrock to replace damaged and diseased parts of the body. The sole reliance on transplantation has created a waiting list of people requiring donated tissues and organs, and generally, supply cannot meet the demand. The total cost to society in terms of caring for patients with failing organs and debilitating diseases is enormous. Scientists and clinicians, motivated by the need to develop safe and reliable sources of tissues and organs, have been improving therapies and technologies that can regenerate tissues and in some cases create new tissues altogether. Tissue engineering and/or regenerative medicine are fields of life science employing both engineering and biological principles to create new tissues and organs and to promote the regeneration of damaged or diseased tissues and organs. Major advances and innovations are being made in the fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine and have a huge impact on three-dimensional bioprinting (3D bioprinting) of tissues and organs. 3D bioprinting holds great promise for artificial tissue and organ bioprinting, thereby revolutionizing the field of regenerative medicine. This review discusses how recent advances in the field of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering can improve 3D bioprinting and vice versa. Several challenges must be overcome in the application of 3D bioprinting before this disruptive technology is widely used to create organotypic constructs for regenerative medicine.
Chemical Constituents, Antioxidant, Cyclooxygenase Inhibitor, and Cytotoxic Activities of Teucrium pruinosum Boiss. Essential Oil
Authors: Jaradat Nidal , Al-lahham Saad , Abualhasan Murad N. , Bakri Abrar , Zaide Haneen , Hammad Jihan , Hussein Fatima , Issa Linda , Mousa Ahmed , Speih Reem
Published: July 2018

Introduction. In traditional medicine, many pharmacological activities have already been ascribed to the genus of Teucrium plant. These include antirheumatic antispasmodic, anthelmintic, diuretic, hypoglycemic, and anticancer effects. The recent investigation aimed to characterize and estimate the chemical composition, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer potentials of the essential oil isolated by the microwave-ultrasonic apparatus from Teucrium pruinosum leaves collected from Palestine. Methods. The essential oil (EO) was analyzed by Gas Chromatography equipped with mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while its anticancer activity was evaluated against HeLa cervical adenocarcinoma cells. The ability of T. pruinosum EO to inhibit the conversion of Arachidonic Acid (AA) to PGH2 by ovine COX-1 and human recombinant COX-2 was determined using a COX inhibitor screening assay. In addition, the antioxidant activity of the EO was evaluated on the basis of the scavenging activity with a stable 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method, while Trolox was used as a positive control. Results. Forty-four molecules were identified in T. pruinosum EO, representing 100% of the total EO. Agarospirol was found to be the most abundant component (45.53%) followed by caryophyllene (19.35%). However, the cyclooxygenase inhibitor assay revealed that T. pruinosum has potential COX-1 and Cox-2 inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 0.25 µg/ml and 0.5 µg/ml, respectively. Moreover, the T. pruinosum EO showed moderate antioxidant capacity with an IC50 value of 16.98±0.84 µg/ml in comparison with the positive control Trolox, which has an antioxidant potential with an IC50 value of 2.09±0.17 µg/ml. In addition, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.625, 7.67, and 3.84 mg/ml of T. pruinosum EO treatments inhibited mitochondrial activity (cell viability) significantly and extremely by 90-95%. Conclusion. The current study provided data that revealed that the T. pruinosum EO could be a suitable candidate for use as a novel anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant medication. Further clinical trials would be required to ensure these effects and to allow the design of suitable pharmaceutical dosage forms from this natural oil.
A Common Value Experimentation with Multiarmed Bandits
Authors: Gao Xiujuan , Liang Hao , Wang Tong
Published: July 2018

We study a value common experimentation with multiarmed bandits and give an application about the experimentation. The second derivative of value functions at cutoffs is investigated when an agent switches action with multiarmed bandits. If consumers have identical preference which is unknown and purchase products from only two sellers among multiple sellers, we obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions about the common experimentation. The Markov perfect equilibrium and the socially effective allocation in K-armed markets are discussed.
Cervical Cancer: Associations between Metabolic Parameters and Whole Lesion Histogram Analysis Derived from Simultaneous 18F-FDG-PET/MRI
Authors: Meyer Hans-Jonas , Purz Sandra , Sabri Osama , Surov Alexey
Published: July 2018

Multimodal imaging has been increasingly used in oncology, especially in cervical cancer. By using a simultaneous positron emission (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI, PET/MRI) approach, PET and MRI can be obtained at the same time which minimizes motion artefacts and allows an exact imaging fusion, which is especially important in anatomically complex regions like the pelvis. The associations between functional parameters from MRI and 18F-FDG-PET reflecting different tumor aspects are complex with inconclusive results in cervical cancer. The present study correlates histogram analysis and 18F-FDG-PET parameters derived from simultaneous FDG-PET/MRI in cervical cancer. Overall, 18 female patients (age range: 32–79 years) with histopathologically confirmed squamous cell cervical carcinoma were retrospectively enrolled. All 18 patients underwent a whole-body simultaneous 18F-FDG-PET/MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using b-values 0 and 1000 s/mm2. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram parameters included several percentiles, mean, min, max, mode, median, skewness, kurtosis, and entropy. Furthermore, mean and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmean and SUVmax), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were estimated. No statistically significant correlations were observed between SUVmax or SUVmean and ADC histogram parameters. TLG correlated inversely with p25 (r=−0.486,P=0.041), p75 (r=−0.490,P=0.039), p90 (r=−0.513,P=0.029), ADC median (r=−0.497,P=0.036), and ADC mode (r=−0.546,P=0.019). MTV also showed significant correlations with several ADC parameters: mean (r=−0.546,P=0.019), p10 (r=−0.473,P=0.047), p25 (r=−0.569,P=0.014), p75 (r=−0.576,P=0.012), p90 (r=−0.585,P=0.011), ADC median (r=−0.577,P=0.012), and ADC mode (r=−0.597,P=0.009). ADC histogram analysis and volume-based metabolic 18F-FDG-PET parameters are related to each other in cervical cancer.
Numerical Analysis of Damaged River Embankment during the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake Using a Multiphase-Coupled FEM Analysis Method
Authors: Chen Li , Kimoto Sayuri
Published: July 2018

According to the investigation and restoration report by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT, 2011), 1195 river embankments were damaged in Tohoku region during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake. The failures of the river embankments were typically due to the soil liquefaction of embankment fill. In the present study, a severely damaged river embankment along Naruse River was simulated by using a three-phase coupled finite element program, namely, COMVI2D-DY, which is developed to analyze large deformation behavior of partially saturated soils. In addition, the reconsolidation process after the earthquake was simulated. To reproduce the reconsolidation behavior, a cyclic elastoplastic constitutive model based on nonlinear kinematical hardening rule was modified by considering stiffness recovery during reconsolidation. From the analysis results, it could be concluded that the numerical method is able to reproduce the key characteristics of the actual damaged pattern; the embankment is heavily damaged and deformed largely towards the land side, and the settlement at the top of the embankment is 2.5 m. In addition, realistic simulation results can be obtained from the reconsolidation analysis.