bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microarray Analysis of the Molecular Mechanism Involved in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Tan Cheng , Liu Xiaoyang , Chen Jiajun
Published: March 2018

Purpose. This study aimed to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) by bioinformatics.Methods. Using the microarray dataset GSE72267 from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, which included 40 blood samples from PD patients and 19 matched controls, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified after data preprocessing, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network, microRNA- (miRNA-) target regulatory network, and transcription factor- (TF-) target regulatory networks were constructed.Results. Of 819 DEGs obtained, 359 were upregulated and 460 were downregulated. Two GO terms, “rRNA processing” and “cytoplasm,” and two KEGG pathways, “metabolic pathways” and “TNF signaling pathway,” played roles in PD development. Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1) was the hub node in the PPI network; hsa-miR-7-5p, hsa-miR-433-3p, and hsa-miR-133b participated in PD pathogenesis. Six TFs, including zinc finger and BTB domain-containing 7A, ovo-like transcriptional repressor 1, GATA-binding protein 3, transcription factor dp-1, SMAD family member 1, and quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase 1, were related to PD.Conclusions. “rRNA processing,” “cytoplasm,” “metabolic pathways,” and “TNF signaling pathway” were key pathways involved in PD.ICAM1, hsa-miR-7-5p, hsa-miR-433-3p, hsa-miR-133b, and the abovementioned six TFs might play important roles in PD development.
Prevalence of Diabetes and Relationship with Socioeconomic Status in the Thai Population: National Health Examination Survey, 2004–2014
Authors: Aekplakorn Wichai , Chariyalertsak Suwat , Kessomboon Pattapong , Assanangkornchai Savitree , Taneepanichskul Surasak , Putwatana Panwadee
Published: March 2018

Objective. To determine the prevalence and trend of diabetes, related glycemic control, and influential socioeconomic (SES) factors in the Thai population aged ≥20 years during 2004–2014. Methods. Data from the Thai National Health Examination Survey 2004, 2009, and 2014 were used. Age-adjusted prevalence was calculated, and the associations of education levels with prevalence of diabetes and glycemic control were examined using logistic regression. Results. Age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes increased from 7.7% in 2004 to 7.8% in 2009 and 9.9% in 2014 (8.9% among men and 10.8% among women). Proportions of undiagnosed diabetes were slightly decreased but remained high in 2014 (51.2% for men and 41.3% for women). Diabetes prevalence was higher among those with primary education in both sexes; however, undiagnosed diabetes was higher among women with secondary and university educations. The percentages of those treated and controlled slightly improved among men (45.9%) but not among women (36.4%). Unmet glycemic control was also higher among women with secondary education levels and among men with university-level educations. Conclusions. Epidemic diabetes continues to grow in the Thai population, particularly in individuals with lower educational attainment. Measures to detect new cases and strengthen glycemic control should be scaled up.
A Psychometric Properties Evaluation of the Italian Version of the Geriatric Depression Scale
Authors: Galeoto Giovanni , Sansoni Julita , Scuccimarri Michela , Bruni Valentina , De Santis Rita , Colucci Mariele , Valente Donatella , Tofani Marco
Published: March 2018

Objective. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) is an evaluation tool to diagnose older adult’s depression. This questionnaire was defined by Yesavage and Brink in 1982; it was designed expressly for the older person and defines his/her degree of satisfaction, quality of life, and feelings. The objective of this study is to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-IT). Methods. The Italian version of the Geriatric Depression Scale was administered to 119 people (79 people with a depression diagnosis and 40 healthy ones). We examined the following psychometric characteristics: internal consistency reliability, test-retest reliability, concurrent validity, and construct validity (factor structure). Results. Cronbach’s Alpha for the GDS-IT administered to the depressed sample was 0.84. Test-retest reliability was 0.91 and the concurrent validity was 0.83. The factorial analysis showed a structure of 5 factors, and the scale cut-off is between 10 and 11. Conclusion. The GDS-IT proved to be a reliable and valid questionnaire for the evaluation of depression in an Italian population. In the present study, the GDS-IT showed good psychometric properties. Health professionals now have an assessment tool for the evaluation of depression symptoms in the Italian population.
A Stability Indicating HPLC Assay Method for Analysis of Rivastigmine Hydrogen Tartrate in Dual-Ligand Nanoparticle Formulation Matrices and Cell Transport Medium
Authors: Huda Naz Hasan , Gauri Bhawna , Benson Heather A. E. , Chen Yan
Published: March 2018

The objective of this study was to develop and validate a method for quantitative analysis of rivastigmine hydrogen tartrate (RHT) in dual-ligand polymeric nanoparticle formulation matrices, drug release medium, and cellular transport medium. An isocratic HPLC analysis method using a reverse phase C18 column and a simple mobile phase without buffer was developed, optimised, and fully validated. Analyses were carried out at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min at 50°C and monitored at 214 nm. This HPLC method exhibited good linearity, accuracy, and selectivity. The recovery (accuracy) of RHT from all matrices was greater than 99.2%. The RHT peak detected in the samples of a forced degradation study, drug loading study, release study, and cellular transport study was pure and free of matrix interference. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of the assay were 60 ng/mL and 201 ng/mL, respectively. The method was rugged with good intra- and interday precision. This stability indicating HPLC method was selective, accurate, and precise for analysing RHT loading and its stability in nanoparticle formulation, RHT release, and cell transport medium.
Design of Amperometric Biosensors for the Detection of Glucose Prepared by Immobilization of Glucose Oxidase on Conducting (Poly)Thiophene Films
Authors: Pilo Maria , Farre Roberta , Lachowicz Joanna Izabela , Masolo Elisabetta , Panzanelli Angelo , Sanna Gavino , Senes Nina , Sobral Ana , Spano Nadia
Published: March 2018

Enzyme-based sensors have emerged as important analytical tools with application in diverse fields, and biosensors for the detection of glucose using the enzyme glucose oxidase have been widely investigated. In this work, the preparation of biosensors by electrochemical polymerization of (poly)thiophenes, namely 2,2′-bithiophene (2,2′-BT) and 4,4′-bis(2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol)-2,2′-bithiophene (4,4′-bBT), followed by immobilization of glucose oxidase on the films, is described. N-cyclohexyl-N′-(2-morpholinoethyl)carbodiimide metho-p-toluenesulfonate (CMC) was used as a condensing agent, and p-benzoquinone (BQ) was used as a redox mediator in solution. The glucose oxidase electrodes with films of 2,2′-BT and 4,4′-bBT were then tested for their ability in detecting glucose from synthetic and real samples (pear, apricot, and peach fruit juices).
An Ultrasound Assessed Extraction Combined with Ion-Pair HPLC Method and Risk Assessment of Nitrite and Nitrate in Cured Meat
Authors: Abdulkair Babiker Yagoub , Elzupir Amin O. , Alamer Abdulaziz S.
Published: March 2018

An accurate IPC-UV method was developed and validated for the determination of nitrite (NI) and nitrate (NA) in meat products. The best separation was achieved on a phenyl-hexyl column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 3 µm) with a mobile phase composed of 25% acetonitrile and 75% buffer (2 mM disodium hydrogen phosphate and 3 mM tetrabutylammonium bromide, pH = 4). Eluents were monitored at 205 nm. Linearity ranges were 1.86 × 10−6–7.5 µg·ml−1 and 0.09–5.0 µg·ml−1 for NI and NA, respectively. The correlation coefficients were greater than 0.999 for NI and NA. This method was applied to a number of processed meat products in Riyadh (n = 155). NI ranged from 1.78 to 129.69 mg·kg−1, and NA ranged from 0.76 to 96.64 mg·kg−1. Results showed extensive use of NI and NA; however, concentrations were within the legal limit of Saudi Arabia except for one sample. Further, the risk assessment and dietary exposure have been estimated for both NI and NA.
A New Method for the Deposition of Metallic Silver on Porous Ceramic Water Filters
Authors: Jackson Kathryn N. , Smith James A.
Published: March 2018

A new method of silver application to a porous ceramic water filter used for point-of-use water treatment is developed. We evaluated filter performance for filters manufactured by the conventional method of painting an aqueous suspension of silver nanoparticles onto the filter and filters manufactured with a new method that applies silver nitrate to the clay-water-sawdust mixture prior to pressing and firing the filter. Filters were evaluated using miscible displacement flow-through experiments with pulse and continuous-feed injections of E. coli. Flow characteristics were quantified by tracer experiments using [3H]H2O. Experiments using pulse injections of E. coli showed similar performance in breakthrough curves between the two application methods. Long-term challenge tests performed with a continuous feed of E. coli and growth medium resulted in similar log removal rates, but the removal rate by nanosilver filters decreased over time. Silver nitrate filters provided consistent removal with lower silver levels in the effluent and effective bacterial disinfection. Results from continued use with synthetic groundwater over 4 weeks, with a pulse injection of E. coli at 2 and 4 weeks, support similar conclusions—nanosilver filters perform better initially, but after 4 weeks of use, nanosilver filters suffer larger decreases in performance. Results show that including silver nitrate in the mixing step may effectively reduce costs, improve silver retention in the filter, increase effective lifespan, and maintain effective pathogen removal while also eliminating the risk of exposure to inhalation of silver nanoparticles by workers in developing-world filter production facilities.
Natural Products with Toll-Like Receptor 4 Antagonist Activity
Authors: Molteni Monica , Bosi Annalisa , Rossetti Carlo
Published: March 2018

Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) are the innate immunity receptors that play an activating role when interacting with molecules released by bacteria and viruses (PAMPs, pathogen-associated molecular patterns) or with molecules released by injured cells and tissues (DAMPs, danger-associated molecular patterns). TLR triggering leads to the induction of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, driving the activation of both innate and adaptive immunity. In particular, Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) has been described to be involved in the inflammatory processes observed in several pathologies (such as ischemia/reperfusion injury, neuropathic pain, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer). Molecules obtained by natural sources have been discovered to exert an anti-inflammatory action by targeting TLR4 activation pathways. This review focuses on TLR4 antagonists obtained from bacteria, cyanobacteria, and plants.
Developing a Novel Hybrid Biogeography-Based Optimization Algorithm for Multilayer Perceptron Training under Big Data Challenge
Authors: Pu Xun , Chen ShanXiong , Yu XianPing , Zhang Le
Published: March 2018

A Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) is a feedforward neural network model consisting of one or more hidden layers between the input and output layers. MLPs have been successfully applied to solve a wide range of problems in the fields of neuroscience, computational linguistics, and parallel distributed processing. While MLPs are highly successful in solving problems which are not linearly separable, two of the biggest challenges in their development and application are the local-minima problem and the problem of slow convergence under big data challenge. In order to tackle these problems, this study proposes a Hybrid Chaotic Biogeography-Based Optimization (HCBBO) algorithm for training MLPs for big data analysis and processing. Four benchmark datasets are employed to investigate the effectiveness of HCBBO in training MLPs. The accuracy of the results and the convergence of HCBBO are compared to three well-known heuristic algorithms: (a) Biogeography-Based Optimization (BBO), (b) Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and (c) Genetic Algorithms (GA). The experimental results show that training MLPs by using HCBBO is better than the other three heuristic learning approaches for big data processing.
Breakdown Mechanism of Different Sulphur Hexafluoride Gas Mixtures
Authors: Onal E.
Published: March 2018

Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) gas and SF6 gas mixtures are widely used in gas‐insulated systems (GIS) because they have good dielectric and thermal properties. Among the various gas mixtures investigated so far, SF6‐air, SF6‐CO2, and SF6‐N2 are most used gas mixtures. Also, these mixtures have much technical superiority in GIS. These are nontoxic and nonflammable gases, and they have less sensitivity to nonuniformities and higher liquefaction temperature at high pressure. GIS, switchgears, circuit breakers, and substations are systems that work with alternating current and have nonuniform electric fields. For this reason, in this study the breakdown mechanisms of 0.125, 0.5, 1, and 20% SF6 gas mixtures with rod‐plane configuration under AC voltage are investigated and explained breakdown mechanism.
Dynamic Spectrum Pricing with Secondary User’s Normal Demand Preference
Authors: Wang Li , Li Feng
Published: March 2018

During secondary user’s dynamic access to authorized spectrum, a key issue is how to ascertain an appropriate spectrum price so as to maximize primary system’s benefit and satisfy secondary user’s diverse spectrum demands. In this paper, a scheme of pricing-based dynamic spectrum access is proposed. According to the diverse qualities of idle spectrum, the proposed scheme applies a Hotelling game model to form the spectrum pricing problem. Firstly, establish a model of spectrum leasing, among which the idle spectrum with different qualities constitutes a spectrum pool. Then, divide the idle spectrum into equivalent width of leased channels, which will be uniformly sold in order. Secondary users can choose proper channels to purchase in the spectrum pool according to their spectrum usage preferences which are subject to normal distribution and affected by the spectrum quality along with market estimation. This paper analyzes the effect of spectrum pricing according to the primary system’s various tendencies to spectrum usage and economic income. Numerical results evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed pricing method in improving the primary system’s profits.
Knowledge Level and Determinants of Neonatal Jaundice: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Effutu Municipality of Ghana
Authors: Adoba Prince , Ephraim Richard K. D. , Kontor Kate Adomakowaah , Bentsil Joseph-Josiah , Adu Patrick , Anderson Maxwell , Sakyi Samuel Asamoah , Nsiah Paul
Published: March 2018

Background. Neonatal jaundice (NNJ) is a major cause of hospital admission during the neonatal period and is associated with significant mortality. This case-control study with cross-sectional design sought to identify the possible factors associated with neonatal jaundice and assess maternal knowledge level of this condition.Methods. One hundred and fifty (150) neonates comprising 100 with clinically evident jaundice and 50 without jaundice were conveniently recruited from the Trauma and Specialist Hospital in the Effutu Municipality. Blood samples were collected for the determination of serum bilirubin, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), status and blood group (ABO and Rhesus). Well-structured questionnaire was used to collect maternal and neonate sociodemographic and clinical history.Results. Majority (54%) of neonates developed jaundice within 1–3 days after birth with 10% having it at birth. Duration of labour and neonatal birth weight were associated with neonatal jaundice (P<0.05). G6PD abnormality was found in 11 (12%) of the neonates with jaundice and ABO incompatibility was present in 18%. Neonates delivered by mothers with formal occupation and those who had prolonged duration of labour were significantly more likely to have neonatal jaundice (OR = 4.174,P=0.003; OR = 2.389,P=0.025, resp.). Neonates with low birth weight were also more likely to develop neonatal jaundice (OR = 2.347,P=0.044). Only 17.3% of mothers had heard of neonatal jaundice. School was the major source of information on neonatal jaundice (34.6%). Majority of participants (mothers) did not know that NNJ can cause damage to other organs in the body (90%).Conclusion. Low neonatal birth weight and prolonged duration of labour are associated with neonatal jaundice. Mothers had inadequate knowledge of neonatal jaundice and its causes.
Stability for Linear Volterra Difference Equations in Banach Spaces
Authors: Medina Rigoberto
Published: March 2018

This paper is devoted to studying the existence and stability of implicit Volterra difference equations in Banach spaces. The proofs of our results are carried out by using an appropriate extension of the freezing method to Volterra difference equations in Banach spaces. Besides, sharp explicit stability conditions are derived.
Structural Insight into Chitosan Supports Functionalized with Nanoparticles
Authors: Lamarra J. , Damonte L. , Rivero S. , Pinotti A.
Published: March 2018

The incorporation of suspensions of nanoparticles functionalized with gallic acid (GA) was used as a strategy to obtain nanocomposite active films with different both chitosan : tripolyphosphate (CH : TPP) and nanoparticles:chitosan (N : CH) ratios. The thermal analysis carried out by modulated differential scanning calorimetry (MDSC) allowed observing the shift of an endothermic event towards higher temperatures with a greater N : CH ratio. Analyzing ATR‐FTIR spectra through principal component analysis (PCA) can be inferred that the incorporation of the nanoparticles produced a discrimination of the samples into clusters when the region 1400–1700 cm−1 was considered. The decrease in crystalline size with the inclusion of nanoparticles (NA and NB) proved the existence of interactions among CH, TPP, and GA, resulting in a more amorphous structure. The positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) technique was adequate to correlate the glass transition temperatures (Tg) obtained by using the MDSC technique with parameters τ2 and I2 ascribed to the annihilation of positrons in the interface. The cross section of nanocomposites obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) clearly showed a homogeneous distribution of the nanoparticles without aggregation, suggesting their compatibility with the CH matrix. By virtue of the obtained results, the nanocomposites with the greatest nanoparticle proportion and the highest TPP concentration attained significant modifications in relation to CH matrices because of the crosslinking of the biopolymer with GA and TPP.
An Efficient V2I Authentication Scheme for VANETs
Authors: Zhou Yousheng , Liu Siling , Xiao Min , Deng Shaojiang , Wang Xiaojun
Published: March 2018

The advent of intelligent transportation system has a crucial impact on the traffic safety and efficiency. To cope with security issues such as spoofing attack and forgery attack, many authentication schemes for vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) have been developed, which are based on the hypothesis that secret keys are kept perfectly secure. However, key exposure is inevitable on account of the openness of VANET environment. To address this problem, key insulation is introduced in our proposed scheme. With a helper device, vehicles could periodically update their own secret keys. In this way, the forward and backward secrecy has been achieved. In addition, the elliptic curve operations have been integrated to improve the performance. The random oracle model is adopted to prove the security of the proposed scheme, and the experiment has been conducted to demonstrate the comparison between our scheme and the existing similar schemes.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography of Purtscher Retinopathy after Severe Traffic Accident in 16-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Hamoudi Hassan , Nielsen Marie Krogh , Sørensen Torben Lykke
Published: March 2018

Purpose. To describe optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography (OCTA) in a case of Purtscher retinopathy. Methods. A 16-year-old male underwent ophthalmological examination including color fundus photography, spectral domain OCT, OCTA, and microperimetry. Examination was performed 10 days, 1 month, and 6 months after the trauma. Diagnosis was based on the characteristic clinical presentation. Patients. A single patient case. Results. Only the right eye was affected, and all examinations of the left eye were normal. The visual acuity of the right eye was 0.03 (Snellen equivalent) at 10 days and at one month, improving to 0.16 at 6 months. The imaging confirmed the findings of Purtscher retinopathy with ischemic whitening of the retina and retinal hemorrhages and thickened inner retina on OCT. Microperimetry showed reduced sensitivity in the central macula of the right eye. OCTA revealed nonperfusion in both the superficial and the deep retinal capillary plexus of the right eye. Conclusion. The OCTA in traumatic Purtscher retinopathy following traffic accident showed nonperfusion in both the superficial and the deep capillary plexus of the retina. OCTA is a valuable noninvasive diagnostic examination in Purtscher retinopathy, and fluorescein angiography became redundant in this case.
Multiresidue Method for Quantification of Sulfonamides and Trimethoprim in Tilapia Fillet by Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry Using QuEChERS for Sample Preparation
Authors: Nunes Kátia S. D. , Assalin Márcia R. , Vallim José H. , Jonsson Claudio M. , Queiroz Sonia C. N. , Reyes Felix G. R.
Published: March 2018

A multiresidue method for detecting and quantifying sulfonamides (sulfapyridine, sulfamerazine, sulfathiazole, sulfamethazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfamethoxazole, and sulfamethoxypyridazine) and trimethoprim in tilapia fillet (Oreochromis niloticus) using liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry was developed and validated. The sample preparation was optimized using the QuEChERS approach. The chromatographic separation was performed using a C18 column and 0.1% formic acid in water and acetonitrile as the mobile phase in the isocratic elution mode. Method validation was performed based on the Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and Brazilian guideline. The validation parameters evaluated were linearity (r ≥ 0.99); limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ), 1 ng·g−1and 5 ng·g−1, respectively; intraday and interdays precision (CV lower than 19.4%). The decision limit (CCα102.6–120.0 ng·g−1and 70 ng·g−1for sulfonamides and trimethoprim, respectively) and detection capability (CCβ111.7–140.1 ng·g−1and 89.9 ng·g−1for sulfonamides and trimethoprim, respectively) were determined. Analyses of tilapia fillet samples from fish exposed to sulfamethazine through feed (incurred samples) were conducted in order to evaluate the method. This new method was demonstrated to be fast, sensitive, and suitable for monitoring sulfonamides and trimethoprim in tilapia fillet in health surveillance programs, as well as to be used in pharmacokinetics and residue depletion studies.
Recurrent Volvulus during Pregnancy: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Alrahmani Layan , Rivington Jaclyn , Rose Carl H.
Published: March 2018

Introduction. Sigmoid colon volvulus (SV) represents the most common etiology of antepartum gastrointestinal obstruction, with repetitive antepartum episodes rarely reported. Case Presentation. A 25-year-old multiparous patient with history of SV at 26 weeks in her previous pregnancy presented with recurrent episodes of SV at 32 0/7, 32 4/7, 37 0/7, and 38 1/7 weeks successfully managed with colonoscopic decompression. Labor was successfully induced at 38 4/7 weeks, and she experienced two further episodes on postpartum days #1 and #32 also treated with colonoscopic decompression, followed by laparoscopic resection. Conclusion. Successful treatment of antepartum SV with colonoscopic decompression does not preclude recurrence later in gestation and in future pregnancies.
The Association between Obesity-Risk Genes and Gestational Weight Gain Is Modified by Dietary Intake in African American Women
Authors: Meng Ying , Groth Susan W. , Li Dongmei
Published: March 2018

Obesity-risk genes have been associated with dietary intake, appetite regulation, and gestational weight gain (GWG). The purpose of this study was to examine whether dietary intake including total energy intake and macronutrients modify or mediate the association between obesity-risk genes and GWG. An observational study was conducted with 85 African American pregnant women. Sociodemographic, medical, and lifestyle factors and dietary recalls were collected during pregnancy. Seven obesity-risk genetic variants were genotyped. Regression analyses with bootstrapping methods were used to examine the moderation and mediation effects of dietary intake. The mean GWG was 14.2 kg, and 55.3% of the women gained above the Institute of Medicine GWG guidelines. A nominally significant association was found between rs17782313 (close to MC4R) and percentage of energy intake from fat P=0.043. A variant downstream of KCTD15 (rs11084753) was nominally significantly related to GWG P=0.023. There was a significant interaction between the KCTD15 polymorphism and dietary fat intake P=0.048. Women with the AG genotype gained more weight during pregnancy with more dietary fat consumption. In conclusion, our results indicate that dietary macronutrients, especially fat intake, may modify the effect of the KCTD15 gene on GWG. Improved knowledge of gene-diet interactions can facilitate the development of personalized interventions.
Lebesgue-p Norm Convergence Analysis of PDα-Type Iterative Learning Control for Fractional-Order Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Li Lei
Published: March 2018

The first-order and second-order PDα-type iterative learning control (ILC) schemes are considered for a class of Caputo-type fractional-order nonlinear systems. Due to the imperfection of the λ-norm, the Lebesgue-p (Lp) norm is adopted to overcome the disadvantage. First, a generalization of the Gronwall integral inequality with singularity is established. Next, according to the reached generalized Gronwall integral inequality and the generalized Young inequality, the monotonic convergence of the first-order PDα-type ILC is investigated, while the convergence of the second-order PDα-type ILC is analyzed. The resultant condition shows that both the learning gains and the system dynamics affect the convergence. Finally, numerical simulations are exploited to verify the results.
An Extension Theorem for a Sequence of Krein Space Contractions
Authors: Wanjala Gerald
Published: March 2018

Consider Krein spaces U and Y and let Hk and Kk be regular subspaces of U and Y, respectively, such that Hk⊂Hk+1 and Kk⊂Kk+1  (k∈N). For each k∈N, let Ak:Hk→Kk be a contraction. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a contraction B:U→Y such that BHk=Ak. Some interesting results are proved along the way.
Streptozotocin-Induced Adaptive Modification of Mitochondrial Supercomplexes in Liver of Wistar Rats and the Protective Effect ofMoringa oleiferaLam
Authors: Alejandra Sánchez-Muñoz María , Valdez-Solana Mónica Andrea , Campos-Almazán Mara Ibeth , Flores-Herrera Óscar , Esparza-Perusquía Mercedes , Olvera-Sánchez Sofia , García-Arenas Guadalupe , Avitia-Domínguez Claudia , Téllez-Valencia Alfredo , Sierra-Campos Erick
Published: March 2018

The increasing prevalence of diabetes continues to be a major health issue worldwide. Alteration of mitochondrial electron transport chain is a recognized hallmark of the diabetic-associated decline in liver bioenergetics; however, the molecular events involved are only poorly understood.Moringa oleiferais used for the treatment of diabetes. However, its role on mitochondrial functionality is not yet established. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect ofM. oleiferaextract on supercomplex formation, ATPase activity, ROS production, GSH levels, lipid peroxidation, and protein carbonylation. The levels of lipid peroxidation and protein carbonylation were increased in diabetic group. However, the levels were decreased inMoringa-treated diabetic rats. Analysis of in-gel activity showed an increase in all complex activities in the diabetic group, but spectrophotometric determinations of complex II and IV activities were unaffected in this treatment. However, we found an oxygen consumption abolition through complex I-III-IV pathway in the diabetic group treated withMoringa. While respiration with succinate feeding into complex II-III-IV was increased in the diabetic group. These findings suggest that hyperglycemia modifies oxygen consumption, supercomplexes formation, and increases ROS levels in mitochondria from the liver of STZ-diabetic rats, whereasM. oleiferamay have a protective role against some alterations.
Log-PF: Particle Filtering in Logarithm Domain
Authors: Gentner Christian , Zhang Siwei , Jost Thomas
Published: March 2018

This paper presents a particle filter, called Log-PF, based on particle weights represented on a logarithmic scale. In practical systems, particle weights may approach numbers close to zero which can cause numerical problems. Therefore, calculations using particle weights and probability densities in the logarithmic domain provide more accurate results. Additionally, calculations in logarithmic domain improve the computational efficiency for distributions containing exponentials or products of functions. To provide efficient calculations, the Log-PF exploits the Jacobian logarithm that is used to compute sums of exponentials. We introduce the weight calculation, weight normalization, resampling, and point estimations in logarithmic domain. For point estimations, we derive the calculation of the minimum mean square error (MMSE) and maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimate. In particular, in situations where sensors are very accurate the Log-PF achieves a substantial performance gain. We show the performance of the derived Log-PF by three simulations, where the Log-PF is more robust than its standard particle filter counterpart. Particularly, we show the benefits of computing all steps in logarithmic domain by an example based on Rao-Blackwellization.
An Integrated Model for Information Retrieval Based Change Impact Analysis
Authors: Wang Wei , He Yun , Li Tong , Zhu Jiajun , Liu Jinzhuo
Published: March 2018

The paper presents an approach to combine multiple existing information retrieval (IR) techniques to support change impact analysis, which seeks to identify the possible outcomes of a change or determine the necessary modifications for affecting a desired change. The approach integrates a bag-of-words based IR technique, where each class or method is abstracted as a set of words, and a neural network based IR technique to derive conceptual couplings from the source code of a software system. We report rigorous empirical assessments of the changes of three open source systems: jEdit, muCommander, and JabRef. The impact sets obtained are evaluated at the method level of granularity, and the results show that our integrated approach provides statistically significant improvements in accuracy across several cut points relative to the accuracies provided by the individual methods employed independently. Improvements in F-score values of up to 7.3%, 10.9%, and 17.3% are obtained over a baseline technique for jEdit, muCommander, and JabRef, respectively.
Medium-Long-Term Radiographic and Clinical Outcomes after Surgical Treatment of Intra-Articular Tibial Pilon Fractures by Three Different Techniques
Authors: Biz Carlo , Angelini Andrea , Zamperetti Marco , Marzotto Filippo , Sperotto Silvano Pierluigi , Carniel Diego , Iacobellis Claudio , Ruggieri Pietro
Published: March 2018

Introduction. The goal of this retrospective, observational, case series study was to evaluate the medium-long-term clinical and radiographic results of the three most common surgical osteosynthesis techniques used for the treatment of articular tibial pilon fractures: ORIF, MIPO, and EF. Materials and Methods. A consecutive series of patients with articular pilon fractures who underwent surgery at our institution were enrolled in this study. Fractures were classified according to the Müller AO classification system. Overall outcomes took the following into account: radiographic quality of reduction, evaluated using Ovadia and Beals’ criteria; clinical assessment, evaluated using the AOFAS questionnaire; and general health, evaluated with the SF36-v2 Health Survey. Results. A total of 94 articular pilon fractures (34 type 43-B and 60 43-C) were evaluated with a mean follow-up of 56.34 months (range 33–101). The techniques used were ORIF, MIPO, and EF in 63 (67%), 17 (18.9%), and 14 cases (14.1%), respectively. According to Ovadia and Beals’ criteria, good, fair, and poor results were reported in 61 (64.89%), 26 (27.66%), and 7 (7.45%) cases, respectively. The mean AOFAS score was 82.41 for MIPO, 79.83 for ORIF, and 50.57 for EF, respectively. Thirty-nine patients (41.49%) presented early and/or late complications. Conclusion. Satisfactory outcomes using the three different techniques were reported. In particular, the radiographic outcomes were inversely proportional to the fracture comminutions and statistically different between internal and external osteosynthesis, but comparable between ORIF and MIPO techniques. On the other hand, the clinical outcomes were closely related to the soft tissue conditions and the anatomical reconstruction of the joint.
Profiling of the Major Phenolic Compounds and Their Biosynthesis Genes in Sophora flavescens Aiton
Authors: Lee Jeongyeo , Jung Jaeeun , Son Seung-Hyun , Kim Hyun-Bi , Noh Young-Hee , Min Sung Ran , Park Kun-Hyang , Kim Dae-Soo , Park Sang Un , Lee Haeng-Soon , Kim Cha Young , Kim Hyun-Soon , Lee Hyeong-Kyu , Kim HyeRan
Published: March 2018

Sophorae Radix (Sophora flavescens Aiton) has long been used in traditional medicine in East Asia due to the various biological activities of its secondary metabolites. Endogenous contents of phenolic compounds (phenolic acid, flavonol, and isoflavone) and the main bioactive compounds of Sophorae Radix were analyzed based on the qualitative HPLC analysis and evaluated in different organs and at different developmental stages. In total, 11 compounds were detected, and the composition of the roots and aerial parts (leaves, stems, and flowers) was significantly different. trans-Cinnamic acid and p-coumaric acid were observed only in the aerial parts. Large amounts of rutin and maackiain were detected in the roots. Four phenolic acid compounds (benzoic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and chlorogenic acid) and four flavonol compounds (kaempferol, catechin hydrate, epicatechin, and rutin) were higher in aerial parts than in roots. To identify putative genes involved in phenolic compounds biosynthesis, a total of 41 transcripts were investigated. Expression patterns of these selected genes, as well as the multiple isoforms for the genes, varied by organ and developmental stage, implying that they are involved in the biosynthesis of various phenolic compounds both spatially and temporally.
Current Perspectives regarding Stem Cell-Based Therapy for Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Kwak Kyeong-Ah , Lee Seung-Pyo , Yang Jin-Young , Park Young-Seok
Published: March 2018

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder featuring memory loss and cognitive impairment, is caused by synaptic failure and the excessive accumulation of misfolded proteins. Many unsuccessful attempts have been made to develop new small molecules or antibodies to intervene in the disease’s pathogenesis. Stem cell-based therapies cast a new hope for AD treatment as a replacement or regeneration strategy. The results from recent preclinical studies regarding stem cell-based therapies are promising. Human clinical trials are now underway. However, a number of questions remain to be answered prior to safe and effective clinical translation. This review explores the pathophysiology of AD and summarizes the relevant stem cell research according to cell type. We also briefly summarize related clinical trials. Finally, future perspectives are discussed with regard to their clinical applications.
Reliability and Construct Validity of the SENS Motion® Activity Measurement System as a Tool to Detect Sedentary Behaviour in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Bartholdy Cecilie , Gudbergsen Henrik , Bliddal Henning , Kjærgaard Morten , Lykkegaard Kasper Lundberg , Henriksen Marius
Published: March 2018

Physical inactivity is important to address, and an objective way of measuring inactivity is by accelerometry. The objective of this study was to determine the reliability and construct validity of the SENS motion system to record physical activity and inactivity in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Participants with an age > 40 years and an average weekly pain above 0 on a numeric rating scale (0 = no pain, 10 = worst pain) were included. Participants had a total of two study visits and at each visit participants completed a standardized activity. Data from 24 participants were analysed. A mean agreement of 99% (SD 3%) for sedentary behaviour and a mean agreement of 97% (SD 9%) for active behaviour were found. The agreement for “walking” was 28% (SD 18%). Mean agreement between recordings on the two visits was 96% (SD 8%) for sedentary behaviour and 99% (SD 1%) for active behaviour. The SENS motion activity measurement system can be regarded as a reliable and valid device for measuring sedentary behaviour in patients with knee OA, whereas detection of walking is not reliable and would require further work.
Biomechanic and Energetic Effects of a Quasi-Passive Artificial Gastrocnemius on Transtibial Amputee Gait
Authors: Eilenberg Michael F. , Endo Ken , Herr Hugh
Published: March 2018

State-of-the-art transtibial prostheses provide only ankle joint actuation and thus do not provide the biarticular function of the amputated gastrocnemius muscle. We develop a prosthesis that actuates both knee and ankle joints and then evaluate the incremental effects of this prosthesis as compared to ankle actuation alone. The prosthesis employs a quasi-passive clutched-spring knee orthosis, approximating the largely isometric behavior of the biological gastrocnemius, and utilizes a commercial powered ankle-foot prosthesis for ankle joint functionality. Two participants with unilateral transtibial amputation walk with this prosthesis on an instrumented treadmill, while motion, force, and metabolic data are collected. Data are analyzed to determine differences between the biarticular condition with the activation of the knee orthosis and the monoarticular condition with the orthosis behaving as a free-joint. As hypothesized, the biarticular system is shown to reduce both affected-side knee and hip moment impulse and positive mechanical work in both participants during the late stance knee flexion phase of walking, compared to the monoarticular condition. The metabolic cost of walking is also reduced for both participants. These very preliminary results suggest that biarticular functionality may provide benefits beyond even those of the most advanced monoarticular prostheses.
A Study of the Effect of Inflation and Exchange Rate on Stock Market Returns in Ghana
Authors: Kwofie Charles , Ansah Richard Kwame
Published: March 2018

The study examined the effect of exchange rate and inflation on stock market returns in Ghana using monthly inflation and exchange rate data obtained from the Bank of Ghana and monthly market returns computed from the GSE all-share index from January 2000 to December 2013. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) cointegration technique and the error correction parametization of the ARDL model were used for examining this effect. The ARDL and its corresponding error correction model were used in establishing the long- and short-run relationship between the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) market returns, inflation, and exchange rate. The result of the study showed that there exists a significant long-run relationship between GSE market returns and inflation. However, no significant short-run relationship between them existed. The result also showed a significant long- and short-run relationship between GSE market returns and exchange rate. The variables were tested for long memory and it was observed that such property did exist in these variables, making it a desirable feature of which investors can take advantage of. This is due to the establishment of long-run effect of inflation and exchange rate on stock market returns.
Mitigating Interference between Scientific Applications in OS-Level Virtualized Environments
Authors: Adufu Theodora , Kim Yoonhee
Published: March 2018

Recent research and production environments are deploying more container technologies for the execution of HPC applications and for reproducing scientific workflows or computing environments. Research works, however, have not accounted for performance interference when executing corunning applications in containers though the absence of an efficient performance isolation layer cannot guarantee the absence of performance interference among multiple corunning applications which share resources. In this research, we propose an interference-aware scheduling method that mitigates the problem of performance interference based on applications’ I/O and CPU usage profiles. The proposed method estimates the amount of interference between various pairs of applications and coschedules them based on estimated interference. We evaluate the proposed method for both Bag-of-Tasks (BOT) scientific applications and scientific workflows and compare our method to the Weighted Mean Method. Our method improves the performance of the target scientific application by coscheduling applications with the least estimated interference ratios.
User Modeling for Point-of-Interest Recommendations in Location-Based Social Networks: The State of the Art
Authors: Liu Shudong
Published: March 2018

The rapid growth of location-based services (LBSs) has greatly enriched people’s urban lives and attracted millions of users in recent years. Location-based social networks (LBSNs) allow users to check-in at a physical location and share daily tips on points of interest (POIs) with their friends anytime and anywhere. Such a check-in behavior can make daily real-life experiences spread quickly through the Internet. Moreover, such check-in data in LBSNs can be fully exploited to understand the basic laws of humans’ daily movement and mobility. This paper focuses on reviewing the taxonomy of user modeling for POI recommendations through the data analysis of LBSNs. First, we briefly introduce the structure and data characteristics of LBSNs, and then we present a formalization of user modeling for POI recommendations in LBSNs. Depending on which type of LBSNs data was fully utilized in user modeling approaches for POI recommendations, we divide user modeling algorithms into four categories: pure check-in data-based user modeling, geographical information-based user modeling, spatiotemporal information-based user modeling, and geosocial information-based user modeling. Finally, summarizing the existing works, we point out the future challenges and new directions in five possible aspects.
Interpolation Algorithm and Mathematical Model in Automated Welding of Saddle-Shaped Weld
Authors: Xue Lianghao , Wei Min , Yang Tao , Lu Yongxin , Shi Ningqiang , Zhang Zhiyang
Published: March 2018

This paper presents welding torch pose model and interpolation algorithm of trajectory control of saddle-shaped weld formed by intersection of two pipes; the working principle, interpolation algorithm, welding experiment, and simulation result of the automatic welding system of the saddle-shaped weld are described. A variable angle interpolation method is used to control the trajectory and pose of the welding torch, which guarantees the constant linear terminal velocity. The mathematical model of the trajectory and pose of welding torch are established. Simulation and experiment have been carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and mathematical model. The results demonstrate that the interpolation algorithm is well within the interpolation requirements of the saddle-shaped weld and ideal feed rate stability.
Plasma YKL-40 Elevation on Admission and Follow-Up Is Associated with Diastolic Dysfunction and Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Pala Selcuk , Sari Munevver , Kahveci Gokhan , Alizade Elnur , Arslantas Ugur , Uslu Abdulkadir
Published: March 2018

Objective. The aim of the study was to determine an association between the plasma YKL-40 level and echocardiographic left ventricle systolic and diastolic function parameters in patients with acute myocardial infarction.Subjects and Methods. The study included 46 patients with acute myocardial infarction. Serum brain natriuretic protein (BNP) and YKL-40 levels were analyzed on admission and after one month. Left ventricle systolic and diastolic functions and Tei index were computed by transthoracic echocardiography.Results. Plasma YKL-40 was significantly higher in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (101.7 μg/L versus 34 μg/L, resp.,p<0.001) and remained higher than in healthy subjects after one month. The levels of YKL-40 on admission were correlated with log BNP on admission (r=0.41,p=0.004), Tei index (r=0.44,p=0.002), left atrium volume index (r=0.32,p=0.02), and mitral septal annular E/e′ (r=0.44,p=0.003). Death was more frequently observed in patients with plasma YKL-40 above the median value than in those with plasma YKL-40 below the median value (p=0.001; OR = 13.6 (2.5–72.3)).Conclusion. YKL-40 elevations in patients with AMI remain at least one month and are associated with serum BNP elevations, diastolic dysfunction, and long-term increased overall mortality. It has prognostic importance in patients with AMI.
Secondary Degeneration of Auditory Neurons after Topical Aminoglycoside Administration in a Gerbil Model
Authors: Lee Jae-Hun , Lee Min Young , Chung Phil-Sang , Jung Jae Yun
Published: March 2018

Hair cells in the cochlea can be damaged by various causes. Damaged hair cells can lead to additional destruction of parts of the auditory afferent pathway sequentially, which is called secondary degeneration. Recently, researches regarding cochlear implants have been actively carried out for clinical purposes; secondary degeneration in animals is a much more practical model for identifying the prognosis of cochlear implants. However, an appropriate model for this research is not established yet. Thus, we developed a secondary degeneration model using an ototoxic drug. 35 gerbils were separated into four different groups and kanamycin was applied via various approaches. ABR was measured several times after drug administration. SGCs were also counted to identify any secondary degeneration. The results showed that outer and inner HCs were damaged in all kanamycin-treated groups. Twelve weeks after kanamycin treatment, the round window membrane injection group showed severe subject differences in hair cells and SGC damage, whereas the gelfoam group showed consistent and severe damage in hair cells and SGCs. In this study, we successfully induced secondary degeneration in hair cells in a gerbil model. This model can be used for various purposes in the hearing research area either for treatment or for preservation.