bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The combined effects of job demand and control, effort-reward imbalance and work-family conflicts on the risk of major depressive episode: a 4-year longitudinal study
Authors: Nigatu Yeshambel T , Wang JianLi
Published: July 2017

Purpose

Work-related psychosocial factors may precipitate the onset of depression. In occupational mental health research, there are three widely used theoretical models, namely, job demand and control (JD-C), effort-reward imbalance (ERI) and work-family conflicts (WFC). However, the interaction between these models and their combined effect on the risk of major depression in the workplace is largely unknown. The aim of this study is to examine the longitudinal combined effects of JD-C, ERI and WFC on the risk of major depression in the working population.

Methods

Longitudinal data (2008-2013) were collected on randomly selected participants (n=4200) from the working population of the province of Alberta, Canada, at baseline and 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-year follow-up. Data about JD-C, ERI, WFC and major depression were collected by trained interviewers using a computer-assisted telephone interviewing method. Generalised estimating equations for longitudinal modelling were used.

Results

There was an independent association between high ERI and high WFC at tx and major depression at tx+1 (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.25 to 1.96; OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.52), respectively. The combined effects of JD-C and ERI, ERI and WFC, and WFC and JD-C on the risk of major depression were as follows: OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.42, OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.99 to 3.49 and OR 2.21, 95% CI 1.48 to 3.30, respectively. The relative excess risks attributable to the interactions were statistically non-significant.

Conclusions

Work-related psychosocial factors are associated with increased risk of major depression over time, but their combined effect is not synergistic. The effects of the factors depicted in the three occupational health models on the risk of major depression appear to be additive.
Migration and work in postwar Australia: mortality profile comparisons between Australian and Italian workers exposed to blue asbestos at Wittenoom
Authors: Reid Alison , Merler Enzo , Peters Susan , Jayasinghe Nimashi , Bressan Vittoria , Franklin Peter , Brims Fraser , de Klerk Nicholas H , Musk Arthur W
Published: July 2017

Objectives

Three hundred and thirty thousand Italians arrived in Australia between 1945 and 1966, many on assisted passage schemes where the worker agreed to a 2-year unskilled employment contract. Italians were the largest of 52 migrant groups employed at the Wittenoom blue asbestos mining and milling operation. We compare mortality from asbestos-related diseases among Italian and Australian workers employed at Wittenoom.

Methods

A cohort of 6500 male workers was established from employment records and followed up at state and national mortality and cancer registries. SMRs were calculated to compare mortality with the Western Australian male population. Time-varying Cox proportional hazards models compared the risk of mesothelioma between Australian and Italian workers.

Results

1031 Italians and 3465 Australians worked at Wittenoom between 1943 and 1966. Duration of employment was longer for the Italian workers, although the concentration of exposure was similar. The mesothelioma mortality rate per 100 000 was higher in Italians (184, 95% CI 148 to 229) than Australians (128, 95% CI 111 to 149). The risk of mesothelioma was greater than twofold (HR 2.27, 95% CI 1.43 to 3.60) in Italians at the lowest asbestos exposure category (<10 fibre years/per mL).

Conclusions

A hierarchy in migration, isolation and a shortage of workers led to Italians at Wittenoom incurring higher cumulative exposure to blue asbestos and subsequently a greater rate of malignant mesothelioma than Australian workers.

Impact

Poor working conditions and disparities between native and foreign-born workers has had a detrimental and differential impact on the long-term health of the workforce.
Gated metabolic myocardial imaging, a surrogate for dual perfusion-metabolism imaging by positron emission tomography
Authors: AlMohammad Abdallah , Norton Murdoch Y , Welch Andrew E , Sharp Peter F , Walton Stephen
Published: July 2017

Objective

Perfusion-metabolism mismatch pattern on positron emission tomography (PET) predicts hibernating myocardium. We assess the ECG-gated metabolic PET as a surrogate for the perfusion-metabolism mismatch pattern on PET imaging.

Methods

13N-Ammonia (NH3) and18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) are respectively perfusion and metabolism PET tracers. We used ECG gating to acquire FDG-PET to collect wall thickening (mechanical) data. These allow detection of metabolic activity in regions with reduced contraction (metabolism-mechanical mismatch pattern). We had two data sets on each patient: perfusion-metabolism and metabolism-mechanical data sets. We tested the hypothesis that metabolism-mechanical pattern on PET could predict perfusion-metabolism mismatch pattern.

Results

We studied 55 patients (48 males), mean age 62 years. All were in sinus rhythm, and had impaired left ventricular contraction. Perfusion-metabolism mismatch pattern was found in 26 patients. Metabolism-mechanical mismatch pattern was found in 25 patients. The results were concordant in 52 patients (95%). As a surrogate for perfusion-metabolism mismatch pattern, demonstration of metabolism-mechanical mismatch pattern is highly sensitive (92%) and specific (97%). In this cohort, the positive and negative predictive accuracy of the new method are 96% and 93%, respectively.

Conclusion

Metabolism-mechanical mismatch pattern could predict perfusion-metabolism mismatch pattern in patients with myocardial viability criteria on PET. Prospective validation against the gold standard of improved myocardial contraction after revascularisation is needed.
The recognition and management of sepsis and septic shock: a guide for non-intensivists
Authors: Keeley Alexander , Hine Paul , Nsutebu Emmanuel
Published: July 2017

Sepsis is common, often fatal and requires rapid interventions to improve outcomes. While the optimal management of sepsis in the intensive care setting is the focus of extensive research interest, the mainstay of the recognition and initial management of sepsis will occur outside the intensive care setting. Therefore, it is key that institutions and clinicians remain well informed of the current updates in sepsis management and continue to use them to deliver appropriate and timely interventions to enhance patient survival. This review discusses the latest updates in sepsis care including the new consensus definition of sepsis, the outcome of the proCESS, ProMISe and ARISE trials of early goal directed therapy (EGDT), and the most recent guidelines from the Surviving Sepsis Campaign.
Surgical shunts compared with endoscopic sclerotherapy for the treatment of variceal bleeding in adults with portal hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tian Lu , He Yunjun , Li Donglin , Zhang Hongkun
Published: July 2017

Aim

Portal hypertension is a common complication of chronic liver disease and can cause variceal bleeding which is associated with high mortality. Choices for the treatment of variceal bleeding include surgical shunts and endoscopic sclerotherapy. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of surgical shunts and endoscopic sclerotherapy in treating variceal bleeding due to portal hypertension.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Setting

Medline, PubMed, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases were searched until 12 February 2015, for relevant randomised control trials. Twenty studies with a total of 1540 participants were included.

Patients

Patients with variceal bleeding due to portal hypertension.

Interventions

Surgical shunts compared to endoscopic sclerotherapy.

Main outcome measures

Rates of rebleeding, survival and hepatoencephalopathy, and length of hospital stay.

Results

Pooled data for 17 studies showed that the rate of rebleeding was significantly more frequent with sclerotherapy compared with surgical shunt therapy (OR 3.99, 95% CI 2.98 to 5.33, p<0.001). The sclerotherapy patient group compared with the shunt group was less likely to develop hepatoencephalopathy (15 studies: pooled OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.91, p=0.021) and had shorter hospital stays (pooled mean difference−4.32, 95% CI− 7.97 to −0.66, p=0.021). No significant difference in the survival rate was observed between the two groups (seven studies: OR 1.01, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.62, p=0.964).

Conclusion

This analysis indicated that the two types of treatment have similar mortality rates but differed with respect to rebleeding rate, incidence of hepatoencephalopathy and length of hospital stay.
Systematic review and meta-analysis: tools for the information age
Authors: Weatherall Mark
Published: July 2017

The amount of available biomedical information is vast and growing. Natural limitations of the way clinicians and researchers approach this treasure trove of information comprise difficulties locating the information, and once located, cognitive biases may lead to inappropriate use of the information. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses represent important tools in the information age to improve knowledge and action. Systematic reviews represent a census approach to identifying literature to avoid non-response bias. They are a necessary prelude to producing combined quantitative summaries of associations or treatment effects. Meta-analysis comprises the arithmetical techniques for producing combined summaries from individual study reports. Careful, thoughtful and rigorous use of these tools is likely to enhance knowledge and action. Use of standard guidelines, such as the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, or embedding these activities within collaborative groups such as the Cochrane Collaboration, are likely to lead to more useful systematic review and meta-analysis reporting.
Female and younger subjects have lower adherence in PrEP trials: a meta-analysis with implications for the uptake of PrEP service to prevent HIV
Authors: Yun Ke , Xu Jun-jie , Zhang Jing , Li Jia-ming , Hu Qing-hai , Chu Zhen-xing , Jiang Yong-jun , Geng Wen-qing , Shang Hong , Wang Ning
Published: July 2017

Objective

To estimate the medicine-taking compliance (MTC) level, explore its facilitators and barriers, and quantify the association between MTC level and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) protective efficacy in individuals at risk of acquiring HIV being administered oral PrEP.

Design

Meta-analysis.

Data sources

We searched PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases for published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) pertaining to MTC of oral PrEP for HIV prevention up to 16 January 2017.

Review methods

The pooled proportion of MTC and risk ratio (RR) of HIV incidences between intervention group and control group were estimated.

Results

We identified 10 eligible studies with 24 193 participants. The overall pooled MTC for oral HIV PrEP was 59.9% (95% CI 43.1% to 74.6%). Subgroup analyses revealed that the MTC level of participants aged <30 years was lower than those equal or older than 30 years (34.9% vs 69.6%, p<0.001); those studies that enrolled only women as participants had lower MTC than those only recruiting either only men or both men and women (31.3% vs 71.7% and 31.3% vs 71.0%, all p<0.01). Additionally, the HIV infection risk increased as the MTC level declines, with the incidence RRs being 0.28 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.41), 0.42 (95% CI 0.29 to 0.62) and 0.75 (95% CI 0.45 to 1.25) in the good (≥80%), moderate (60%~80%) and poor (<60%) MTC subgroups, respectively (linear trend test p<0.01).

Conclusion

According to the pooled proportion, the MTC of oral HIV PrEP is almost moderate, and its proportion in women and younger participants was relatively low. The protective efficacy of oral PrEP for HIV prevention increased with MTC level. These findings indicated that it is necessary to identify measures to enhance MTC of oral PrEP in future clinical usage, especially in women and younger participants with high HIV infection risk.
Comparison of a structured home-based rehabilitation programme with conventional supervised pulmonary rehabilitation: a randomised non-inferiority trial
Authors: Horton Elizabeth J , Mitchell Katy E , Johnson-Warrington Vicki , Apps Lindsay D , Sewell Louise , Morgan Mike , Taylor Rod S , Singh Sally J
Published: July 2017

Background

Standardised home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes offer an alternative model to centre-based supervised PR for which uptake is currently poor. We determined if a structured home-based unsupervised PR programme was non-inferior to supervised centre-based PR for participants with COPD.

Methods

A total of 287 participants with COPD who were referred to PR (187 male, mean (SD) age 68 (8.86) years, FEV1% predicted 48.34 (17.92)) were recruited. They were randomised to either centre-based PR or a structured unsupervised home-based PR programme including a hospital visit with a healthcare professional trained in motivational interviewing, a self-management manual and two telephone calls. Fifty-eight (20%) withdrew from the centre-based group and 51 (18%) from the home group. The primary outcome was dyspnoea domain in the chronic respiratory disease questionnaire (Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire Self-Report; CRQ-SR) at 7 weeks. Measures were taken blinded. We undertook a modified intention-to-treat (mITT) complete case analysis, comparing groups according to original random allocation and with complete data at follow-up. The non-inferiority margin was 0.5 units.

Results

There was evidence of significant gains in CRQ-dyspnoea at 7 weeks in both home and centre-based groups. There was inconclusive evidence that home-based PR was non-inferior to PR in dyspnoea (mean group difference, mITT: −0.24, 95% CI −0.61 to 0.12, p=0.18), favouring the centre group at 7 weeks.

Conclusions

The standardised home-based programme provides benefits in dyspnoea. Further evidence is needed to definitively determine if the health benefits of the standardised home-based programme are non-inferior or equivalent to supervised centre-based rehabilitation.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN81189044.
Perspectives of survivors, families and researchers on key outcomes for research in acute respiratory failure
Authors: Dinglas Victor D , Chessare Caroline M , Davis Wesley E , Parker Ann , Friedman Lisa Aronson , Colantuoni Elizabeth , Bingham Clifton O , Turnbull Alison E , Needham Dale M
Published: July 2017

Background

There is heterogeneity among the outcomes evaluated in studies of survivors of acute respiratory failure (ARF).

Aim

To evaluate the importance of specific outcome domains to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) survivors, their family members and clinical researchers.

Methods

Nineteen outcome domains were identified from the National Institutes of Health’s Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System; WHO’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health; Society of Critical Care Medicine’s Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS); as well as patient, clinician and researcher input. We surveyed ARDS survivors, family members and critical care researchers, 279 respondents in total, using a 5-point scale (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree and strongly agree) to rate the importance of measuring each domain in studies of ARF survivors’ postdischarge outcomes.

Measurements and main results

At least 80% of patients and family members supported (ie, rated ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’) that 15 of the 19 domains should be measured in all future studies. Among researchers, 6 of 19 domains were supported, with researchers less supportive for all domains, except survival (95% vs 72% support). Overall, four domains were supported by all groups: physical function, cognitive function, return to work or prior activities and mental health.

Conclusion

Patient, family and researcher groups supported inclusion of outcome domains that fit within the PICS framework. Patients and family members also supported many additional domains, emphasising the importance of including patients/family, along with researchers, in consensus processes to select core outcome domains for future research studies.
Assessment of short reports using a human rights-based approach to tobacco control to the Commitee on Economics, Cultural and Social Rights
Authors: Dresler Carolyn , Henry Kirsten , Loftus John , Lando Harry
Published: July 2017

Background

The health impact of tobacco use remains a major global public health concern and a human rights issue. The Human Rights and Tobacco Control Network (HRTCN) was established to increase the visibility of tobacco as a human rights issue. HRTCN submitted short reports to the UN Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights evaluating individual nations' tobacco control policies and offering recommendations.

Methods

HRTCN reviewed Concluding Observations documents for nations for which the HRTCN submitted reports. If tobacco was mentioned in the Concluding Observations through acknowledging the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control ratification, policy changes or discussing tobacco in the recommendations, this was scored as a positive finding. HRTCN also reviewed Concluding Observations for nations for which HRTCN did not submit reports as a comparison.

Results

Thirty-eight HRTCN reports were submitted and tobacco was mentioned in Concluding Observations for 11 nations for a rate of 28.9%. In a comparison set of Concluding Observations (n=59), 7% had comments or recommendations relative to tobacco.

Conclusions

This was not a controlled study and the 28.9% ’success rate' for impacting the Concluding Observations, although encouraging, is less than optimal—and leaves room for improvement. The higher rate of tobacco mentions for the cases where the HRTCN short reports were submitted provides preliminary indications that the short reports may have potential to increase the state focus on tobacco control. Future work will seek to improve the design and scope of the reports, and the specificity of the background information and recommendations offered.
Determining optimal combination of roller compacted concrete pavement mixture containing recycled asphalt pavement and crumb rubber using hybrid artificial neural network–genetic algorithm method considering energy absorbency approach
Authors: Fakhri Mansour , Amoosoltani Ershad , Farhani Mona , Ahmadi Amin
Published: July 2017

The present study investigates the effectiveness of evolutionary algorithms such as genetic algorithm (GA) evolved neural network in estimating roller compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) characteristics including flexural and compressive strength of RCC and also energy absorbency of mixes with different compositions. A real coded GA was implemented as training algorithm of feed forward neural network to simulate the models. The genetic operators were carefully selected to optimize the neural network, avoiding premature convergence and permutation problems. To evaluate the performance of the genetic algorithm neural network model, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency criterion was employed and also utilized as fitness function for genetic algorithm which is a different approach for fitting in this area. The results showed that the GA-based neural network model gives a superior modeling. The well-trained neural network can be used as a useful tool for modeling RCC specifications.
Development of artificial neural network and multiple linear regression models in the prediction process of the hot mix asphalt properties
Authors: Androjić Ivica , Marović Ivan
Published: July 2017

The oscillation of asphalt mix composition on a daily basis significantly affects the achieved properties of the asphalt during production, thus resulting in conducting expensive laboratory tests to determine existing properties and predicting the future results. To decrease the amount of such tests, a development of artificial neural network and multiple linear regression models in the prediction process of predetermined dependent variables air void and soluble binder content is presented. The input data were obtained from a single laboratory and consists of testing 386 mixes of hot mix asphalt (HMA). It was found that it is possible and desirable to apply such models in the prediction process of the HMA properties. The final aim of the research was to compare results of the prediction models on an independent dataset and analyze them through the boundary conditions of technical regulations and the standard EN 13108-21.
Calpain inhibitor I attenuates atherosclerosis and inflammation in atherosclerotic rats through eNOS/NO/NF-κB pathway
Authors: Yu Lan , Yin Meihui , Yang Xueyan , Lu Meili , Tang Futian , Wang Hongxin
Published: July 2017

We previously reported that calpain, the Ca2+-sensitive cysteine protease, gets involved in atherogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of calpain inhibitor I (CAI, 5 mg/kg per day) with or without NG-nitro-l-arginine-methyl ester (l-NAME) (100 mg/kg per day), the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), on atherosclerosis and inflammation in a rat model induced by high-cholesterol diet (HCD). The results demonstrated HCD increased protein expression of calpain-1 but not calpain-2 in aortic tissue. In addition, CAI reduced the thickness of atherosclerotic intima compared with HCD group, which was weakened by the l-NAME combination. CAI with or without l-NAME decreased the activity of calpain in the aorta. Also, CAI decreased the expressions of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), intracellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in the aorta at the levels of both mRNA and protein. Furthermore, CAI increased the activity and the protein expression of endothelial NOS (eNOS) accompanied by increased content of NO and downregulated the protein expression of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) of the nucleus in the aorta. However, the abovementioned effects were at least partly cancelled by l-NAME except for the protein expression of eNOS. The results suggested that CAI attenuated atherosclerosis and inflammation through eNOS/NO/NF-κB pathway.
Onset of decreased heart work is correlated with increased heart rate and shortened QT interval in high-carbohydrate fed overweight rats
Authors: Durak Aysegul , Olgar Yusuf , Tuncay Erkan , Karaomerlioglu Irem , Kayki Mutlu Gizem , Arioglu Inan Ebru , Altan Vecdi Melih , Turan Belma
Published: July 2017

Mechanical activity of the heart is adversely affected in metabolic syndrome (MetS) characterized by increased body mass and marked insulin resistance. Herein, we examined the effects of high carbohydrate intake on cardiac function abnormalities by evaluating in situ heart work, heart rate, and electrocardiograms (ECGs) in rats. MetS was induced in male Wistar rats by adding 32% sucrose to drinking water for 22–24 weeks and was confirmed by insulin resistance, increased body weight, increased blood glucose and serum insulin, and increased systolic and diastolic blood pressures in addition to significant loss of left ventricular integrity and increased connective tissue around myofibrils. Analysis of in situ ECG recordings showed a markedly shortened QT interval and decreased QRS amplitude with increased heart rate. We also observed increased oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant defense characterized by decreases in serum total thiol level and attenuated paraoxonase and arylesterase activities. Our data indicate that increased heart rate and a shortened QT interval concomitant with higher left ventricular developed pressure in response to β-adrenoreceptor stimulation as a result of less cyclic AMP release could be regarded as a natural compensation mechanism in overweight rats with MetS. In addition to the persistent insulin resistance and obesity associated with MetS, one should consider the decreased heart work, increased heart rate, and shortened QT interval associated with high carbohydrate intake, which may have more deleterious effects on the mammalian heart.
Modulation ofN-methyl-d-aspartate receptors in isolated rat heart
Authors: Srejovic Ivan , Zivkovic Vladimir , Nikolic Tamara , Jeremic Nevena , Stojic Isidora , Jeremic Jovana , Djuric Dragan , Jakovljevic Vladimir
Published: July 2017

Considering the limited data on the role of NMDA-Rs in the cardiovascular system, the aim of the present study was to examine the effects of NMDA and DL-Hcy TLHC, alone and in combination with glycine, memantine, and ifenprodil, in the isolated rat heart. The hearts of Wistar albino rats were retrogradely perfused according to the Langendorff technique at a constant perfusion pressure. The experimental protocol for all experimental groups included the stabilization period, application of estimated substance for 5 min, followed by a washout period of 10 min. Using a sensor placed in the left ventricle, we registered the following parameters of myocardial function: dp/dtmax, dp/dtmin, SLVP, DVLP, HR; CF was measured using flowmetry). We estimated the following oxidative stress biomarkers in the coronary venous effluent using spectrophotometry: TBARS, NO2−, O2−, and H2O2. NMDA alone did not induce any change in any of the observed parameters, while DL-Hcy TLHC alone, as well as a combined application of NMDA and DL-Hcy TLHC with glycine, induced a reduction of most cardiodynamic parameters. Memantine and ifenprodil induced a reduction of cardiodynamic parameters and CF, as well as some oxidative stress biomarkers.
Nuclear structure investigation of some neutron-rich halo nuclei
Authors: Abdullah Ahmed N.
Published: July 2017

The ground state proton, neutron and matter densities, the corresponding rms radii and charge form factors of a dripline nuclei 6He, [Formula: see text]Li, [Formula: see text]Be and [Formula: see text]Be have been studied via a three–body model of [Formula: see text]. The core–neutron interaction takes the form of Woods-Saxon (WS) potential. The two valence neutrons of 6He, [Formula: see text]Li and [Formula: see text]Be interact by the realistic interaction of ZBMII while those of [Formula: see text]Be interact via the realistic interaction of VPNP. The core and valence (halo) density distributions are described by the single-particle wave functions of the WS potential. The calculated results are discussed and compared with the experimental data. The long tail performance is clearly noticed in the calculated neutron and matter density distributions of these nuclei. The structure of the two valence neutrons in 6He, [Formula: see text]Li and [Formula: see text]Be is found to be mixed configurations with dominant [Formula: see text] while that for [Formula: see text]Be is mixed configurations with dominant ([Formula: see text]. The analysis of the present study supports the halo structure of these nuclei.
Responses of Streamflow to Climate Change and Human Activities in a River Basin, Northeast China
Authors: Zhang Hanwen , Xu Wei , Xu Xintong , Lu Baohong
Published: July 2017

It is now common knowledge that many water resources stresses relate to access to water within a basin. Yi River Basin, a typical river basin characterized by intensive agricultural processes, significant population growth, and water management, has been undergoing grave water problems. In this paper, the long-term trend of precipitation and streamflow in Yi River Basin, from 1964 to 2010, was investigated via Mann-Kendall test. The change point occurred in the year 1965 dividing the long-term series into two periods. Climate elasticity method and linear regression method were implemented to quantify the impact of precipitation and human activities on runoff and presented basically consistent results of the percentage change in an annual runoff for the postchange period. The results reveal that the decline of annual runoff in postchange period is mainly attributed to precipitation variability of 53.66–58.25% and human activities of 46.34–41.74%, as estimated by climate elasticity method and linear regression method, respectively. This study detected the changes in the precipitation-streamflow relationship and investigated the possible causes in the Yi River, which will be helpful for providing a reference for the management of regional water resources.
Probabilistic Entropy EMD Thresholding for Periodic Fault Signal Enhancement in Rotating Machine
Authors: Dang Jian , Jia Rong , Wu Hua , Luo Xingqi , Chen Diyi
Published: July 2017

Since the slight fault feature of incipient fault is usually polluted by heavy background noise, it is difficult to extract the weak feature signal in rotating machine. As an adaptive decomposing technique, empirical mode decomposition (EMD) based denoising methods have a good effect on the feature separation and noise elimination. However, for rotating machine with poor working environment, the components attributed to noise might have higher amplitudes, which restrict the efficiency of noise reduction in current EMD-based denoising methods. Therefore, a probabilistic entropy EMD thresholding algorithm for periodic fault signal enhancement in rotating machine is proposed in this paper. In this method, the entropy threshold of each IMF is constructed instead of the threshold applied to N sampling points of each IMF directly, which overcomes the shortcoming of the denoising effect limited by larger amplitude noise reservation and smaller amplitude feature signal reduction in the current denoising methods. Meanwhile, in order to make the amplitudes of all the IMF reduce in a smooth way, a multiscale thresholding algorithm based on quantile statistics to provide probability indexes is presented. Engineering application demonstrates that the proposed method is effective in the noise reduction and fault feature enhancement in the rotating machine.
Oral Administration of Red Ginseng Extract Promotes Neurorestoration after Compressive Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
Authors: Zhu Pengxiang , Samukawa Keiichi , Fujita Hiroko , Kato Hidemasa , Sakanaka Masahiro
Published: July 2017

Red ginseng and its active ingredients have been shown to decrease neuron death after brain ischemia in experimental animals. However, little is known about the effects of orally administered ginseng extract on spinal cord injury. We orally gave red ginseng extract (RGE) to rats with compressed spinal cord injury (SCI). Open‐field locomotor scores were measured as indices of motor function. Histopathological changes and cytokine expressions in situ after SCI were evaluated. Compared to vehicle treatment, RGE treatment (350 mg/kg/day) significantly improved locomotor score up to levels close to those pre‐SCI, prevented neuron loss, and facilitated the restoration of white matter in the spinal cord at 14 days after SCI. Treatment with RGE caused less aggregation of Iba‐1‐positive microglia in grey and white matter at 7 days after SCI, upregulated the expression levels of VEGF and Bcl‐xL, and reduced IL‐1β and TNFα expressions in the spinal cord at 7 and 14 days after SCI. We concluded that oral administration of RGE facilitates almost complete functional recovery from motor and behavioral abnormalities in rats with SCI and prevents neuron death in situ, possibly through inhibition of inflammation and upregulation of neuroprotective factors in the injured spinal cord.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells Attenuate Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity in iNOS-Dependent Manner
Authors: Simovic Markovic Bojana , Gazdic Marina , Arsenijevic Aleksandar , Jovicic Nemanja , Jeremic Jovana , Djonov Valentin , Arsenijevic Nebojsa , Lukic Miodrag L. , Volarevic Vladislav
Published: July 2017

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are, due to their immunomodulatory characteristics, utilized in therapy of immune-mediated diseases. We used murine model of cisplatin nephrotoxicity to explore the effects of MSCs on immune cells involved in the pathogenesis of this disease. Intraperitoneal application of MSCs significantly attenuated cisplatin nephrotoxicity, decreased inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-17, and increased anti-inflammatory IL-10, IL-6, nitric oxide (NO), and kynurenine in sera of cisplatin-treated mice. MSC treatment significantly attenuated influx of leukocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells (DCs), neutrophils, CD4+ T helper (Th), and CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in damaged kidneys and attenuated the capacity of renal-infiltrated DCs, CD4+ Th, and CD8+ CTLs to produce TNF-α and IL-17. Similar effects were observed after intraperitoneal injection of MSC-conditioned medium (MSC-CM) indicating that MSCs exert their beneficial effects in paracrine manner. Inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in MSC-CM resulted with increased number of TNF-α-producing DCs and IL-17-producing CTLs, decreased number of IL-10-producing tolerogenic DCs and regulatory CD4+FoxP3+ T cells, and completely diminished renoprotective effects of MSC-CM. In conclusion, MSCs, in iNOS-dependent manner, attenuated inflammation in cisplatin nephrotoxicity by reducing the influx and capacity of immune cells, particularly DCs and T lymphocytes, to produce inflammatory cytokines.
Bulk Viscous Cosmological Model in Brans-Dicke Theory with New Form of Time Varying Deceleration Parameter
Authors: Singh G. P. , Bishi Binaya K.
Published: July 2017

We have presented FRW cosmological model in the framework of Brans-Dicke theory. This paper deals with a new proposed form of deceleration parameter and cosmological constant Λ. The effect of bulk viscosity is also studied in the presence of modified Chaplygin gas equation of state (p=Aρ-B/ρn). Furthermore, we have discussed the physical behaviours of the models.
A Thermodynamic Approach to Holographic Dark Energy
Authors: Luongo Orlando
Published: July 2017

We propose a method to relate the holographic minimal information density to de Broglie’s wavelength at a given universe temperature T. To figure this out, we assume that the thermal length of massive and massless constituents represents the cut-off scale of the holographic principle. To perform our analysis, we suppose two plausible universe volumes, that is, the adiabatic and the horizon volumes, that is, V∝a3 and V∝H-3, respectively, assuming zero spatial curvature. With these choices in mind, we evaluate the thermal lengths for massive and massless particles and we thus find two cosmological models associated with late and early cosmological epochs. We demonstrate that both models depend upon a free term β which enters the temperature parametrization in terms of the redshift z. For the two treatments, we show evolving dark energy terms which can be compared with the ωCDM quintessence paradigm when the barotropic factor takes the formal values ω0=-1/3(2+β) and ω0=-1/3(1+2β), respectively, for late and early eras. From our analyses, we nominate the two models as viable alternatives to dark energy determined from thermodynamics in the field of the holographic principle.
Paracetamol in Patent Ductus Arteriosus Treatment: Efficacious and Safe?
Authors: Bardanzellu Flaminia , Neroni Paola , Dessì Angelica , Fanos Vassilios
Published: July 2017

In preterm infants, failure or delay in spontaneous closure of Ductus Arteriosus (DA), resulting in the condition of Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA), represents a significant issue. A prolonged situation of PDA can be associated with several short- and long-term complications. Despite years of researches and clinical experience on PDA management, unresolved questions about the treatment and heterogeneity of clinical practices in different centers still remain, in particular regarding timing and modality of intervention. Nowadays, the most reasonable strategy seems to be reserving the treatment only to hemodynamically significant PDA. The first-line therapy is medical, and ibuprofen, related to several side effects especially in terms of nephrotoxicity, is the drug of choice. Administration of oral or intravenous paracetamol (acetaminophen) recently gained attention, appearing effective as traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in PDA closure, with lower toxicity. The results of the studies analyzed in this review mostly support paracetamol efficacy in ductal closure, with inconstant low and transient elevation of liver enzymes as reported side effect. However, more studies are needed to confirm if this therapy shows a real safety profile and to evaluate its long-term outcomes, before considering paracetamol as first-choice drug in PDA treatment.
Emerging Translational Variance: Vacuum Polarization Energy of the ϕ6 Kink
Authors: Weigel H.
Published: July 2017

We propose an efficient method to compute the vacuum polarization energy of static field configurations that do not allow decomposition into symmetric and antisymmetric channels in one space dimension. In particular, we compute the vacuum polarization energy of the kink soliton in the ϕ6 model. We link the dependence of this energy on the position of the center of the soliton to the different masses of the quantum fluctuations at negative and positive spatial infinity.
Verification of Three-Phase Dependency Analysis Bayesian Network Learning Method for Maize Carotenoid Gene Mining
Authors: Liu Jianxiao , Tian Zonglin
Published: July 2017

Background and Objective. Mining the genes related to maize carotenoid components is important to improve the carotenoid content and the quality of maize. Methods. On the basis of using the entropy estimation method with Gaussian kernel probability density estimator, we use the three-phase dependency analysis (TPDA) Bayesian network structure learning method to construct the network of maize gene and carotenoid components traits. Results. In the case of using two discretization methods and setting different discretization values, we compare the learning effect and efficiency of 10 kinds of Bayesian network structure learning methods. The method is verified and analyzed on the maize dataset of global germplasm collection with 527 elite inbred lines. Conclusions. The result confirmed the effectiveness of the TPDA method, which outperforms significantly another 9 kinds of Bayesian network learning methods. It is an efficient method of mining genes for maize carotenoid components traits. The parameters obtained by experiments will help carry out practical gene mining effectively in the future.
Quantitative Analysis of Intracellular Motility Based on Optical Flow Model
Authors: Huang Yali , Hao Lei , Li Heng , Liu Zhiwen , Wang Peiguang
Published: July 2017

Analysis of cell mobility is a key issue for abnormality identification and classification in cell biology research. However, since cell deformation induced by various biological processes is random and cell protrusion is irregular, it is difficult to measure cell morphology and motility in microscopic images. To address this dilemma, we propose an improved variation optical flow model for quantitative analysis of intracellular motility, which not only extracts intracellular motion fields effectively but also deals with optical flow computation problem at the border by taking advantages of the formulation based onL1andL2norm, respectively. In the energy functional of our proposed optical flow model, the data term is in the form ofL2norm; the smoothness of the data changes with regional features through an adaptive parameter, usingL1norm near the edge of the cell andL2norm away from the edge. We further extract histograms of oriented optical flow (HOOF) after optical flow field of intracellular motion is computed. Then distances of different HOOFs are calculated as the intracellular motion features to grade the intracellular motion. Experimental results show that the features extracted from HOOFs provide new insights into the relationship between the cell motility and the special pathological conditions.
Energy Harvesting for Internet of Things with Heterogeneous Users
Authors: Wang Desheng , Liu Haizhen , Ma Xiaoqiang , Wang Jun , Peng Yanrong , Wu Yanyan
Published: July 2017

We study the energy harvesting problem in the Internet of Things with heterogeneous users, where there are three types of single-antenna users: ID users that only receive information, EH users that can only receive energy, and ID/EH users that receive information and energy simultaneously from a multiantenna base station via power splitting. We aim to maximize the minimum signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) of the ID users and ID/EH users by jointly designing the power allocation at the transmitter and the power splitting strategy at the ID/EH receivers under the maximum transmit power and the minimum energy harvesting constraints. Specifically, we first apply the semidefinite relaxation (SDR), zero-forcing (ZF), and maximum ratio transmission (MRT) techniques to solve the nonconvex problems. We then apply the zero-forcing dirty paper coding (ZF-DPC) technique to eliminate the multiuser interference and derive the closed-form optimal solution. Numerical results show that ZF-DPC provides higher achievable minimum SINR than SDR and ZF in most cases.
JAK2/STAT3 Pathway Was Associated with the Protective Effects of IL-22 On Aortic Dissection with Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Ren Wei , Wang Zhiwei , Wu Zhiyong , Hu Zhipeng , Dai Feifeng , Chang Jinxing , Li Bowen , Liu Huagang , Ruan Yongle
Published: July 2017

Patients with aortic dissection (AD) may present acute lung injury (ALI) that may affect the prognosis. In this study, we aim to investigate the roles and mechanism of IL-22 in the pathogenesis of AD complicated with ALI. Six hundred and twenty-one AD patients were included, and the incidence of ALI and pulmonary CT findings were analyzed. Mouse ALI model was established through AngII, and then IL-22 injection and AG490 were given. The pathological changes, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and expression of STAT3 were determined. For the in vitro experiment, cultivated pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (PMVECs) were treated by angiotensin II (AngII), followed by treating with IL-22 and/or AG490. The expression and migration of STAT3 was determined. Flow cytometry was carried out to evaluate the apoptosis. IL-22 contributed to the expression of STAT3 in lung tissues and attenuation of ALI. IL-22 obviously inhibited the apoptosis of PMVECs mediated by AngII and downregulated the expression and intranuclear transmission of STAT3. Such phenomenon was completely inhibited upon administration of AG490, an inhibitor of JAK2. Our data showed IL-22 contributed to the inhibition of PMVEC apoptosis mediated by AngII through activating the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, which may attenuate the ALI induced by AngII.
GPU-Based Parallel Particle Swarm Optimization Methods for Graph Drawing
Authors: Qu Jianhua , Liu Xiyu , Sun Minghe , Qi Feng
Published: July 2017

Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) is a population-based stochastic search technique for solving optimization problems, which has been proven to be effective in a wide range of applications. However, the computational efficiency on large-scale problems is still unsatisfactory. A graph drawing is a pictorial representation of the vertices and edges of a graph. Two PSO heuristic procedures, one serial and the other parallel, are developed for undirected graph drawing. Each particle corresponds to a different layout of the graph. The particle fitness is defined based on the concept of the energy in the force-directed method. The serial PSO procedure is executed on a CPU and the parallel PSO procedure is executed on a GPU. Two PSO procedures have different data structures and strategies. The performance of the proposed methods is evaluated through several different graphs. The experimental results show that the two PSO procedures are both as effective as the force-directed method, and the parallel procedure is more advantageous than the serial procedure for larger graphs.
Apigenin Alleviates Endotoxin‐Induced Myocardial Toxicity by Modulating Inflammation, Oxidative Stress, and Autophagy
Authors: Li Fang , Lang Fangfang , Zhang Huilin , Xu Liangdong , Wang Yidan , Zhai Chunxiao , Hao Enkui
Published: July 2017

Apigenin, a component in daily diets, demonstrates antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. Here, we intended to explore the mechanism of apigenin‐mediated endotoxin‐induced myocardial injury and its role in the interplay among inflammation, oxidative stress, and autophagy. In our lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) induced myocardial injury model, apigenin ameliorated cardiac injury (lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK)), cell death (TUNEL staining, DNA fragmentation, and PARP activity), and tissue damage (cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and cardiac myosin light chain‐1 (cMLC1)) and improved cardiac function (ejection fraction (EF) and end diastolic left ventricular inner dimension (LVID)). Apigenin also alleviated endotoxin‐induced myocardial injury by modulating oxidative stress (nitrotyrosine and protein carbonyl) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐1β, MIP‐1α, and MIP‐2) along with their master regulator NFκB. Apigenin modulated redox homeostasis, and its anti‐inflammatory role might be associated with its ability to control autophagy. Autophagy (determined by LAMP1, ATG5, and p62), its transcriptional regulator transcription factor EB (TFEB), and downstream target genes including vacuolar protein sorting‐associated protein 11 (Vps11) and microtubule‐associated proteins 1A/1B light chain 3B (Map1lc3) were modulated by apigenin. Thus, our study demonstrated that apigenin may lead to potential development of new target in sepsis treatment or other myocardial oxidative and/or inflammation‐induced injuries.
Analysis of MCLP, Q-MALP, and MQ-MALP with Travel Time Uncertainty Using Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Abdul Ghani Noraida , Ahmad Norazura
Published: July 2017

This paper compares the application of the Monte Carlo simulation in incorporating travel time uncertainties in ambulance location problem using three models: Maximum Covering Location Problem (MCLP), Queuing Maximum Availability Location Problem (Q-MALP), and Multiserver Queuing Maximum Availability Location Problem (MQ-MALP). A heuristic method is developed to site the ambulances. The models are applied to the 33-node problem representing Austin, Texas, and the 55-node problem. For the 33-node problem, the results show that the servers are less spatially distributed in Q-MALP and MQ-MALP when the uncertainty of server availability is considered using either the independent or dependent travel time. On the other hand, for the 55-node problem, the spatial distribution of the servers obtained by locating a server to the highest hit node location is more dispersed in MCLP and Q-MALP. The implications of the new model for the ambulance services system design are discussed as well as the limitations of the modeling approach.
CFT and Logarithmic Corrections to the Black Hole Entropy Product Formula
Authors: Pradhan Parthapratim
Published: July 2017

We examine the logarithmic corrections to the black hole (BH) entropy product formula of outer horizon and inner horizon by taking into account the effects of statistical quantum fluctuations around the thermal equilibrium and via conformal field theory (CFT). We argue that, in logarithmic corrections to the BH entropy product formula when calculated using CFT and taking into account the effects of quantum fluctuations around the thermal equilibrium, the formula should not be universal and it also should not be quantized. These results have been explicitly checked by giving several examples.