bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of platelet aggregation ex vivo is repressed in apolipoprotein E deficient mice
Authors: Carrier É. , Houde M. , Grandbois M. , Bkaily G. , Warner T.D. , D’Orléans-Juste P.
Published: July 2017

In the present study, we assessed whether the endogenous platelet inhibitory mechanisms are altered in the early to moderate stages of the atherosclerotic process. Apolipoprotein E deficient mice (ApoE−/−), a mouse model of atherosclerosis, and their wild-type (WT) counterparts were used to assess agonist-stimulated synthesis of prostacyclin (PGI2), inhibition of platelet aggregation ex vivo, and intra-platelet cAMP levels. Basal U46619 and ADP -induced platelet aggregation in vitro were increased in ApoE−/− mice at 18–20 weeks in comparison with 8–10 weeks of age. Systemically administered endothelin-1 (ET-1) or bradykinin (BK) inhibited platelet aggregation in a similar fashion in 8- to 10-week-old ApoE−/− and WT mice, but not in the ApoE−/− mice at 18–20 weeks of age, although both peptides maintained their capacity to increase plasma levels of the PGI2. Intravenous infusion of PGI2 also failed to inhibit platelet aggregation ex vivo in 18- to 20-week-old ApoE−/− mice. Interestingly, both BK and PGI2 retained their ability to increase intraplatelet cAMP in WT and ApoE−/− mice. Our results suggest that a loss of activity of endogenous inhibitorymechanisms could contribute to the increased platelet reactivity in ApoE−/− mice, and that this phenomenon occurs early in the intermediate stage of the atherosclerotic process.
Nonlinear optical switching properties of dye-doped inorganic/organic nanocomposite films
Authors: Stevens Nathan , Samaroo Diana , Akins Daniel L.
Published: July 2017

The sol–gel method has been employed in the fabrication of composite films consisting of nanometer size self-assembled organic mesostructures surrounded by a silica framework. The hydrophobic domains within the mesostructures make these films an excellent host matrix for the donor/acceptor energy transfer complexes. Time-resolved fluorescence and transient absorption studies revealed that these complexes exhibit ultrafast nonlinear optical responses as a result of the energy transfer process. The optical properties of these composite films may make them suitable for use as the photonic film in future all-optical switching devices.
Influence of doping materials on third harmonic generation in zinc oxide films
Authors: Kasumova Rena J. , Mamedova V. J. , Kerimova N. V.
Published: July 2017

Theoretical investigation of nonlinear frequency conversion in pure ZnO, ZnO:Ag (1.6 at.%) and ZnO:Cu (4.7 at.%) films account for phase effects has been carried out. For this, the constant-intensity approximation of fundamental radiation is applied. The analytical method also lets estimation of the influence of impurities on the nonlinear optical properties of films by third harmonic generation (THG) method and approximation of the maximum value of the third harmonic intensity in pure and doped ZnO by silver and copper films. In this study, the factors which limit the efficiency of the process of conversion of frequency are outlined. Namely, at chosen pump intensity of laser-radiator, it is possible to calculate the coherent length of a crystal-converter. Method of analysis of THG in pure and doped ZnO films, used in the present work, will be extended to other doped nanostructures in future.
Collective variable analysis of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation for soliton molecules in fibers
Authors: Nse Biyoghe S. , Ekogo Th. B. , Moubissi A.-B.
Published: July 2017

We present a description of soliton molecules in terms of its collective variables namely temporal separation between two consecutive pulses, peak-power of each pulse, center-of-mass, chirp, frequency and phase of the whole molecule. Assuming the Hermite–Gaussian ansatz to represent the temporal profile of the molecule, we derive a set of six differential equations for the evolution of the collective variables in the limit of the bare or variational approximation. Then we perform numerical experiments to confirm the ability of the proposed approach for two-soliton molecule propagating along a Dispersion-managed fiber for anomalous, zero or normal averaged dispersion.
Theoretical and experimental research on the third-order nonlinear optical properties of the N-6-hydroxy-hexyl-4-azophenyl-carbazol
Authors: Zhong Quanjie , Liu Shenye , Zhu Jiayi , Wu Xingzhi , Zhang Lin , Zhang Ben , Zhang Jian , Luo Xuan
Published: July 2017

The third-order nonlinear optical properties of the N-6-hydroxy-hexyl-4-azophenyl-carbazol have been investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Using Z-scan method with a femtosecond laser (440[Formula: see text]nm, 190[Formula: see text]fs), the third-order nonlinear optical properties of the N-6-hydroxy-hexyl-4-azophenyl-carbazol were determined. The second-order hyperpolarizability [Formula: see text] of the experiment result was found to be [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]esu. We have also calculated the second-order hyperpolarizability based on the sum-over-states (SOS) method. The theoretical value was in accord with the experiment result. The result showed that the N-6-hydroxy-hexyl-4-azophenyl-carbazol was one of the promising third-order nonlinear optical materials.
Using Argumentation to Improve Classification in Natural Language Problems
Authors: Carstens Lucas , Toni Francesca
Published: July 2017

Argumentation has proven successful in a number of domains, including Multi-Agent Systems and decision support in medicine and engineering. We propose its application to a domain yet largely unexplored by argumentation research: computational linguistics. We have developed a novel classification methodology that incorporates reasoning through argumentation with supervised learning. We train classifiers and then
argue
about the validity of their output. To do so, we identify arguments that formalise prototypical knowledge of a problem and use them to correct misclassifications. We illustrate our methodology on two tasks. On the one hand, we address
cross-domain sentiment polarity classification
, where we train classifiers on one corpus, for example, Tweets, to identify positive/negative polarity and classify instances from another corpus, for example, sentences from movie reviews. On the other hand, we address a form of argumentation mining that we call
Relation-based Argumentation Mining
, where we classify pairs of sentences based on whether the first sentence attacks or supports the second or whether it does neither. Whenever we find that one sentence attacks/supports the other, we consider both to be argumentative, irrespective of their stand-alone argumentativeness. For both tasks, we improve classification performance when using our methodology, compared to using standard classifiers only.
A Sentiment Treebank and Morphologically Enriched Recursive Deep Models for Effective Sentiment Analysis in Arabic
Authors: Baly Ramy , Hajj Hazem , Habash Nizar , Shaban Khaled Bashir , El-Hajj Wassim
Published: July 2017

Accurate sentiment analysis models encode the sentiment of words and their combinations to predict the overall sentiment of a sentence. This task becomes challenging when applied to morphologically rich languages (MRL). In this article, we evaluate the use of deep learning advances, namely the Recursive Neural Tensor Networks (RNTN), for sentiment analysis in Arabic as a case study of MRLs. While Arabic may not be considered the only representative of all MRLs, the challenges faced and proposed solutions in Arabic are common to many other MRLs. We identify, illustrate, and address MRL-related challenges and show how RNTN is affected by the morphological richness and orthographic ambiguity of the Arabic language. To address the challenges with sentiment extraction from text in MRL, we propose to explore different orthographic features as well as different morphological features at multiple levels of abstraction ranging from raw words to roots. A key requirement for RNTN is the availability of a sentiment treebank; a collection of syntactic parse trees annotated for sentiment at all levels of constituency and that currently only exists in English. Therefore, our contribution also includes the creation of the first Arabic Sentiment Treebank (A
r
S
en
TB) that is morphologically and orthographically enriched. Experimental results show that, compared to the basic RNTN proposed for English, our solution achieves significant improvements up to 8% absolute at the phrase level and 10.8% absolute at the sentence level, measured by average F1 score. It also outperforms well-known classifiers including Support Vector Machines, Recursive Auto Encoders, and Long Short-Term Memory by 7.6%, 3.2%, and 1.6% absolute respectively, all models being trained with similar morphological considerations.
AI profiles
Authors: McGovern Amy , Eaton Eric
Published: July 2017

This column is the third in our series profiling senior AI researchers. This month we interview Peter Stone.
AI education
Authors: Neller Todd W.
Published: July 2017

In this column, we focus on resources for learning and teaching three broad categories of machine learning (ML): supervised, unsupervised, and reinforcement learning. In our next column, we will focus specifically on deep neural network learning resources, so if you have any resource recommendations, please email them to the address above.
Pithos
Authors: Engelbrecht Herman A. , Gilmore John S.
Published: July 2017

There has been significant research effort into peer-to-peer (P2P) massively multi-user virtual environments (MMVEs). A number of architectures have been proposed to implement the P2P approach; however, the development of fully distributed MMVEs has met with a number of challenges. In this work, we address one of the key remaining challenges of state consistency and persistency in P2P MMVEs. Having reviewed state management and persistency architectures currently receiving research attention, we have identified deficiencies such as lack of load balancing, responsiveness, and scalability. To address these deficiencies, we present Pithos—a reliable, responsive, secure, load-balanced, and scalable distributed storage system, suited to P2P MMVEs. Pithos is designed specifically for P2P MMVEs, and we show that it improves the reliability and responsiveness of storage architectures as compared to existing P2P state persistency architectures.

Pithos is implemented as an OverSim simulation running on the OMNeT++ network simulation framework. It is evaluated using up to 10,400 peers, with realistic latency profiles, with up to 15.8 million storage and retrieval requests that are generated to store a total of 2.4 million objects. Each peer in Pithos uses a maximum of 1,950Bps bandwidth to achieve 99.98% storage reliability, while the most reliable overlay storage configuration tested only achieved 93.65% reliability, using 2,182Bps bandwidth. Pithos is also more responsive than overlay storage, with an average responsiveness of 0.192s, compared with the average overlay responsiveness of 1.4s when retrieving objects from storage.
Introduction to this special issue
Authors: Chow Chi-Yin
Published: July 2017

People spend large part of their time indoors, such as school buildings, office buildings, shopping malls, and public transportation centers. As indoor space is different from outdoor space, it is difficult to just employ location-based technologies and services designed for outdoor space to indoor space. Thus, it is necessary for scientists and researchers to develop new spatial and spatio-temporal data management and geographic information systems (GIS) theories, technologies and applications for indoor space. The mission of this special issue "Indoor Spatial Awareness (Part 1)" is to bring together scientists and researchers who work on different topics of indoor spatial awareness and to provide a venue for inspiring new research directions in all relevant aspects.
(Meta-)data modelling
Authors: Sèdes Florence , Panta Franck Jeveme
Published: July 2017

GPS has become the reference for outdoor positioning, implementing a direct connection between the GPS satellite and a receiver device. Indoor positioning raises new challenges, locating a target device requires the wireless sensors networks and other technologies. Sensor networks deployed in buildings are commonly used for many applications based on location: surveillance, detection, navigation, etc. These indoor locating sensors generate lot of data related to tracking information. Exploiting this information for investigation issues for example remains a relevant purpose. The context of this paper is related to indoor locations systems based on wireless cell, ICCARD sensors and video surveillance cameras. In this context, as no global reference system similar to GPS is available, the location information issued from various systems, platforms, devices, etc. have neither standards nor common formats, and remain heterogeneous. This heterogeneity is mainly due to the different types of positions (geometric, symbolic, etc.) expressed w.r.t. various reference systems. In order to manage them in a given framework, it is necessary to homogenize the relevant (Meta) data to process the global knowledge they can give. This paper presents a contribution to extend our framework [1] to information generated by location sensor networks deployed in an indoor environment. The use case is illustrated in a forensic application [2].
MELT 2016 workshop report
Authors: Nutanong Sarana , Krumm John , Tanin Egemen
Published: July 2017

Dynamic location data is pouring into servers that provide location based services and tracking. This data is valuable for making inferences about the motions, intentions, preferences, and futures of the tracked entities. The data is also useful for understanding the aggregate environment, such as road maps, dynamic patterns, popular events, and expected behavior.
Reciprocal regulation of miR-214 and PTEN by high glucose regulates renal glomerular mesangial and proximal tubular epithelial cell hypertrophy and matrix expansion
Authors: Bera Amit , Das Falguni , Ghosh-Choudhury Nandini , Mariappan Meenalakshmi M. , Kasinath Balakuntalam S. , Ghosh Choudhury Goutam
Published: July 2017

Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRs) contributes to diabetic renal complications, including renal hypertrophy and matrix protein accumulation. Reduced expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) by hyperglycemia contributes to these processes. We considered involvement of miR in the downregulation of PTEN. In the renal cortex of type 1 diabetic mice, we detected increased expression of miR-214 in association with decreased levels of PTEN and enhanced Akt phosphorylation and fibronectin expression. Mesangial and proximal tubular epithelial cells exposed to high glucose showed augmented expression of miR-214. Mutagenesis studies using 3′-UTR of PTEN in a reporter construct revealed PTEN as a direct target of miR-214, which controls its expression in both of these cells. Overexpression of miR-214 decreased the levels of PTEN and increased Akt activity similar to high glucose and lead to phosphorylation of its substrates glycogen synthase kinase-3β, PRAS40, and tuberin. In contrast, quenching of miR-214 inhibited high-glucose-induced Akt activation and its substrate phosphorylation; these changes were reversed by small interfering RNAs against PTEN. Importantly, respective expression of miR-214 or anti-miR-214 increased or decreased the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activity induced by high glucose. Furthermore, mTORC1 activity was controlled by miR-214-targeted PTEN via Akt activation. In addition, neutralization of high-glucose-stimulated miR-214 expression significantly inhibited cell hypertrophy and expression of the matrix protein fibronectin. Finally, the anti-miR-214-induced inhibition of these processes was reversed by the expression of constitutively active Akt kinase and hyperactive mTORC1. These results uncover a significant role of miR-214 in the activation of mTORC1 that contributes to high-glucose-induced mesangial and proximal tubular cell hypertrophy and fibronectin expression.
oxLDL induces endothelial cell proliferation via Rho/ROCK/Akt/p27kip1 signaling: opposite effects of oxLDL and cholesterol loading
Authors: Zhang Chongxu , Adamos Crystal , Oh Myung-Jin , Baruah Jugajyoti , Ayee Manuela A. A. , Mehta Dolly , Wary Kishore K. , Levitan Irena
Published: July 2017

Oxidized modifications of LDL (oxLDL) play a key role in the development of endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. However, the underlying mechanisms of oxLDL-mediated cellular behavior are not completely understood. Here, we compared the effects of two major types of oxLDL, copper-oxidized LDL (Cu2+-oxLDL) and lipoxygenase-oxidized LDL (LPO-oxLDL), on proliferation of human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs). Cu2+-oxLDL enhanced HAECs’ proliferation in a dose- and degree of oxidation-dependent manner. Similarly, LPO-oxLDL also enhanced HAEC proliferation. Mechanistically, both Cu2+-oxLDL and LPO-oxLDL enhance HAEC proliferation via activation of Rho, Akt phosphorylation, and a decrease in the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (p27kip1). Both Cu2+-oxLDL or LPO-oxLDL significantly increased Akt phosphorylation, whereas an Akt inhibitor, MK2206, blocked oxLDL-induced increase in HAEC proliferation. Blocking Rho with C3 or its downstream target ROCK with Y27632 significantly inhibited oxLDL-induced Akt phosphorylation and proliferation mediated by both Cu2+- and LPO-oxLDL. Activation of RhoA was blocked by Rho-GDI-1, which also abrogated oxLDL-induced Akt phosphorylation and HAEC proliferation. In contrast, blocking Rac1 in these cells had no effect on oxLDL-induced Akt phosphorylation or cell proliferation. Moreover, oxLDL-induced Rho/Akt signaling downregulated cell cycle inhibitor p27kip1. Preloading these cells with cholesterol, however, prevented oxLDL-induced Akt phosphorylation and HAEC proliferation. These findings provide a new understanding of the effects of oxLDL on endothelial proliferation, which is essential for developing new treatments against neovascularization and progression of atherosclerosis.
Importance of kynurenine in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Nagy Bence M. , Nagaraj Chandran , Meinitzer Andreas , Sharma Neha , Papp Rita , Foris Vasile , Ghanim Bahil , Kwapiszewska Grazyna , Kovacs Gabor , Klepetko Walter , Pieber Thomas R. , Mangge Harald , Olschewski Horst , Olschewski Andrea
Published: July 2017

The tryptophan metabolite kynurenine is significantly increased in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients, and it is a potent vasodilator of systemic arteries. Our aim was to investigate the role of kynurenine in the pulmonary circulation. Serum tryptophan, kynurenine, and kynurenic acid levels were measured in 20 idiopathic PAH (IPAH) patients, 20 healthy controls, and 20 patients with chronic lung disease or metabolic syndrome without PH. Laser-dissected pulmonary arteries from IPAH and control lungs were tested for the expression of indoleamine-2, 3-dioxygenase (IDO), the rate-limiting enzyme for the conversion from tryptophan to kynurenine. Acute effects of kynurenine were tested in pulmonary vascular preparations, two different models of chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH), and in human pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (hPASMCs). In IPAH vs. control serum, kynurenine was significantly elevated (3.6 ± 0.2 vs. 2.6 ± 0.1 µM, P < 0.0001), and strongly associated with PH (area under the curve = 0.86), but kynurenine levels were not elevated in lung disease and metabolic syndrome. Among all investigated tryptophan metabolites, kynurenine displayed the strongest correlation with mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) (ρ: 0.770, P < 0.0001). Tryptophan was significantly decreased in IPAH lungs; however, IDO expression was not changed. In hPASMCs, kynurenine increased both cAMP and cGMP; in intrapulmonary arteries, it relaxed the preconstriction via NO/cGMP and cAMP pathways, and in two models of established PH, it acutely decreased the mPAP. Our data suggest that kynurenine elevation might be specifically associated with mPAP; kynurenine acts on hPASMCs in synergy with NO and exerts acute pulmonary vasodilatation in chronic PH models. Kynurenine might provide both a new biomarker and a new therapeutic option for PH.
Deletion of β1-integrin in collecting duct principal cells leads to tubular injury and renal medullary fibrosis
Authors: Mamuya Fahmy A. , Xie Dongping , Lei Lei , Huang Ming , Tsuji Kenji , Capen Diane E. , Yang BaoXue , Weissleder Ralph , Păunescu Teodor G. , Lu Hua A. Jenny
Published: July 2017

The renal collecting duct (CD) contains two major cell types, intercalated (ICs) and principal cells (PCs). A previous report showed that deletion of β1-integrin in the entire renal CD causes defective CD morphogenesis resulting in kidney dysfunction. However, subsequent deletion of β1-integrin specifically in ICs and PCs, respectively, did not cause any morphological defects in the CDs. The discrepancy between these studies prompts us to reinvestigate the role of β1-integrin in CD cells, specifically in the PCs. We conditionally deleted β1-integrin in mouse CD PCs using a specific aquaporin-2 (AQP2) promoter Cre-LoxP system. The resulting mutant mice, β-1f/fAQP2-Cre+, had lower body weight, failed to thrive, and died around 8–12 wk. Their CD tubules were dilated, and some of them contained cellular debris. Increased apoptosis and proliferation of PCs were observed in the dilated CDs. Trichrome staining and electron microscopy revealed the presence of peritubular and interstitial fibrosis that is associated with increased production of extracellular matrix proteins including collagen type IV and fibronectin, as detected by immunoblotting. Further analysis revealed a significantly increased expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced protein, fibronectin, and TGF-β receptor-1 mRNAs and concomitantly increased phosphorylation of SMAD-2 that indicates the activation of the TGF-β signaling pathway. Therefore, our data reveal that normal expression of β1-integrin in PCs is a critical determinant of CD structural and functional integrity and further support the previously reported critical role of β1-integrin in the development and/or maintenance of the CD structure and function.
Different gene response to mechanical loading during early and late phases of rat Achilles tendon healing
Authors: Hammerman M. , Blomgran P. , Dansac A. , Eliasson P. , Aspenberg P.
Published: July 2017

Mechanical loading stimulates tendon healing both when applied in the inflammatory phase and in the early remodeling phase of the process, although not necessarily via the same mechanisms. We investigated the gene response to mechanical loading in these two phases of tendon healing. The right Achilles tendon in rats was transected, and the hindlimbs were unloaded by tail suspension. The rats were exposed to 5 min of treadmill running 3 or 14 days after tendon transection. Thereafter, they were resuspended for 15 min or 3 h until euthanasia. The controls were suspended continuously. Gene analysis was first performed by microarray analysis followed by quantitative RT-PCR on selected genes, focusing on inflammation. Fifteen minutes after loading, the most important genes seemed to be the transcription factors EGR1 and C-FOS, regardless of healing phase. These transcription factors might promote tendon cell proliferation and differentiation, stimulate collagen production, and regulate inflammation. Three hours after loading on day 3, inflammation was strongly affected. Seven inflammation-related genes were upregulated according to PCR: CCL20, CCL7, IL-6, NFIL3, PTX3, SOCS1, and TLR2. These genes can be connected to macrophages, T cells, and recruitment of leukocytes. According to Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, the recruitment of leukocytes was increased by loading on day 3, which also was confirmed by histology. This inflammation-related gene response was not seen on day 14. Our results suggest that the immediate gene response after mechanical loading is similar in the early and late phases of healing but the late gene response is different.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study investigates the direct effect of mechanical loading on gene expression during different healing phases in tendon healing. One isolated episode of mechanical loading was studied in otherwise unloaded healing tendons. This enabled us to study a time sequence, i.e., which genes were the first ones to be regulated after the loading episode.
Evidence from high-altitude acclimatization for an integrated cerebrovascular and ventilatory hypercapnic response but different responses to hypoxia
Authors: Smith Zachary M. , Krizay Erin , Sá Rui Carlos , Li Ethan T. , Scadeng Miriam , Powell Frank L. , Dubowitz David J.
Published: July 2017

Ventilation and cerebral blood flow (CBF) are both sensitive to hypoxia and hypercapnia. To compare chemosensitivity in these two systems, we made simultaneous measurements of ventilatory and cerebrovascular responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia in 35 normal human subjects before and after acclimatization to hypoxia. Ventilation and CBF were measured during stepwise changes in isocapnic hypoxia and iso-oxic hypercapnia. We used MRI to quantify actual cerebral perfusion. Measurements were repeated after 2 days of acclimatization to hypoxia at 3,800 m altitude (partial pressure of inspired O2 = 90 Torr) to compare plasticity in the chemosensitivity of these two systems. Potential effects of hypoxic and hypercapnic responses on acute mountain sickness (AMS) were assessed also. The pattern of CBF and ventilatory responses to hypercapnia were almost identical. CO2 responses were augmented to a similar degree in both systems by concomitant acute hypoxia or acclimatization to sustained hypoxia. Conversely, the pattern of CBF and ventilatory responses to hypoxia were markedly different. Ventilation showed the well-known increase with acute hypoxia and a progressive decline in absolute value over 25 min of sustained hypoxia. With acclimatization to hypoxia for 2 days, the absolute values of ventilation and O2 sensitivity increased. By contrast, O2 sensitivity of CBF or its absolute value did not change during sustained hypoxia for up to 2 days. The results suggest a common or integrated control mechanism for CBF and ventilation by CO2 but different mechanisms of O2 sensitivity and plasticity between the systems. Ventilatory and cerebrovascular responses were the same for all subjects irrespective of AMS symptoms.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Ventilatory and cerebrovascular hypercapnic response patterns show similar plasticity in CO2 sensitivity following hypoxic acclimatization, suggesting an integrated control mechanism. Conversely, ventilatory and cerebrovascular hypoxic responses differ. Ventilation initially increases but adapts with prolonged hypoxia (hypoxic ventilatory decline), and ventilatory sensitivity increases following acclimatization. In contrast, cerebral blood flow hypoxic sensitivity remains constant over a range of hypoxic stimuli, with no cerebrovascular acclimatization to sustained hypoxia, suggesting different mechanisms for O2 sensitivity in the two systems.
An Accurate and Efficient User Authentication Mechanism on Smart Glasses Based on Iris Recognition
Authors: Li Yung-Hui , Huang Po-Jen
Published: July 2017

In modern society, mobile devices (such as smart phones and wearable devices) have become indispensable to almost everyone, and people store personal data in devices. Therefore, how to implement user authentication mechanism for private data protection on mobile devices is a very important issue. In this paper, an intelligent iris recognition mechanism is designed to solve the problem of user authentication in wearable smart glasses. Our contributions include hardware and software. On the hardware side, we design a set of internal infrared camera modules, including well-designed infrared light source and lens module, which is able to take clear iris images within 2~5 cm. On the software side, we propose an innovative iris segmentation algorithm which is both efficient and accurate to be used on smart glasses device. Another improvement to the traditional iris recognition is that we propose an intelligent Hamming distance (HD) threshold adaptation method which dynamically fine-tunes the HD threshold used for verification according to empirical data collected. Our final system can perform iris recognition with 66 frames per second on a smart glasses platform with 100% accuracy. As far as we know, this system is the world’s first application of iris recognition on smart glasses.
Exact Partition Function for the Random Walk of an Electrostatic Field
Authors: González Gabriel
Published: July 2017

The partition function for the random walk of an electrostatic field produced by several static parallel infinite charged planes in which the charge distribution could be either ±σ is obtained. We find the electrostatic energy of the system and show that it can be analyzed through generalized Dyck paths. The relation between the electrostatic field and generalized Dyck paths allows us to sum overall possible electrostatic field configurations and is used for obtaining the partition function of the system. We illustrate our results with one example.
Thermal Model Parameter Identification of a Lithium Battery
Authors: Nissing Dirk , Mahanta Arindam , van Sterkenburg Stefan
Published: July 2017

The temperature of a Lithium battery cell is important for its performance, efficiency, safety, and capacity and is influenced by the environmental temperature and by the charging and discharging process itself. Battery Management Systems (BMS) take into account this effect. As the temperature at the battery cell is difficult to measure, often the temperature is measured on or nearby the poles of the cell, although the accuracy of predicting the cell temperature with those quantities is limited. Therefore a thermal model of the battery is used in order to calculate and estimate the cell temperature. This paper uses a simple RC-network representation for the thermal model and shows how the thermal parameters are identified using input/output measurements only, where the load current of the battery represents the input while the temperatures at the poles represent the outputs of the measurement. With a single measurement the eight model parameters (thermal resistances, electric contact resistances, and heat capacities) can be determined using the method of least-square. Experimental results show that the simple model with the identified parameters fits very accurately to the measurements.
Long Noncoding RNA and Cancer: A New Paradigm
Authors: Bhan Arunoday , Soleimani Milad , Mandal Subhrangsu S.
Published: July 2017

In addition to mutations or aberrant expression in the protein-coding genes, mutations and misregulation of noncoding RNAs, in particular long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA), appear to play major roles in cancer. Genome-wide association studies of tumor samples have identified a large number of lncRNAs associated with various types of cancer. Alterations in lncRNA expression and their mutations promote tumorigenesis and metastasis. LncRNAs may exhibit tumor-suppressive and -promoting (oncogenic) functions. Because of their genome-wide expression patterns in a variety of tissues and their tissue-specific expression characteristics, lncRNAs hold strong promise as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for cancer. In this article, we have reviewed the emerging functions and association of lncRNAs in different types of cancer and discussed their potential implications in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Cancer Res; 77(15); 3965–81. ©2017 AACR.
Electrical Cardiometry to Monitor Cardiac Output in Preterm Infants with Patent Ductus Arteriosus: A Comparison with Echocardiography
Authors: Hsu Kai-Hsiang , Wu Tai-Wei , Wu I-Hsyuan , Lai Mei-Yin , Hsu Shih-Yun , Huang Hsiao-Wen , Mok Tze-Yee , Lien Reyin
Published: July 2017

Background: Electrical cardiometry (EC) is an impedance-based monitoring that provides noninvasive cardiac output (CO) assessment. Through comparison to transthoracic echocardiography (Echo), the accuracy of EC has been verified. However, left-to-right patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) shunting is a concern because PDA shunts aortic flow to the pulmonary artery and may interfere with EC in measuring CO. Objective: To determine the agreement between EC and Echo in preterm infants with a hemodynamically significant PDA (hsPDA). Methods: We reviewed our hemodynamic database in which simultaneous CO measurements by Echo and EC (Aesculon®) were recorded. Preterm infants with left-to-right shunting hsPDA were enrolled. Results: A total of 105 paired measurements in 36 preterm infants were compared. Infants' median (range) age and weight at measurement were 27+2 weeks (24+0-33+1) and 1,015 g (518-1,880), with mean (95% CI) ductal diameter 2.11 mm (1.99-2.22) or 2.15 mm/kg (2.00-2.30). Mean COEC and COEcho were 252 ± 32 and 258 ± 45 mL/kg/min, respectively, which demonstrated a moderate correlation and without a significant between-measurement difference. Bland-Altman analysis showed a bias, limits of agreement, and error percentage of -5.3 mL/kg/min, -78.3 to 67.7 mL/kg/min, and 28.6%, respectively. There was a trend of increased bias and error percentage of infants with high CO ≥280 mL/kg/min and supported with high-frequency ventilator. Conclusions: EC and Echo have a wide but clinically acceptable agreement in measuring CO in preterm infants with hsPDA. However, for infants with high CO or ventilated by high-frequency ventilation, interpretation of COEC should be approached with caution.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography: Employing a Novel Technique for Investigation in Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Disease
Authors: Giannakouras Panagiotis , Andreanos Konstantinos , Giavi Barbara , Diagourtas Andreas
Published: July 2017

Purpose: To report a case of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease and describe the imaging findings by means of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods: Medical and ophthalmological history, ophthalmological examination, laboratory evaluation, B-scan ultrasonography, fluorescein and indocyanine angiography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed at baseline, as well as OCTA. Results: A 50-year-old healthy female presented with decreased vision in both eyes. A Topcon DRI OCT Triton Plus swept source OCT system was used to visualize and evaluate the retinal and choroidal vascular plexus. Patchy and confluent dark areas in the superficial and deep retinal capillary plexus and choriocapillaris corresponded to areas of hypoperfusion, analyzed as areas of ischemia. Conclusions and Importance: VKH disease is characterized by ocular, neurological, and integumentary findings in its complete form. We present a case of incomplete disease in a 50-year-old female evaluated by means of OCTA which is a novel technique that provides depth-resolved images of the retina and choroidal microvasculature without dye injection that allows better visualization and detailed evaluation of the retinal and choroidal vascular plexus.
Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Secondary Traumatization in Interpreters for Refugees: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Kindermann David , Schmid Carolin , Derreza-Greeven Cassandra , Huhn Daniel , Kohl Rupert Maria , Junne Florian , Schleyer Maritta , Daniels Judith K. , Ditzen Beate , Herzog Wolfgang , Nikendei Christoph
Published: July 2017

Background: A substantial proportion of refugees, fleeing persecution, torture, and war, are estimated to suffer from psychological traumatization. After being sheltered in reception centers, the refugees come in close contact with different occupational groups, e.g., physicians, social workers, and interpreters. Previous studies ascertained that such interpreters themselves often suffer from primary psychological traumatization. Moreover, through translating refugees' potentially traumatic depictions, the interpreters are in danger of developing a so-called secondary traumatization. Objective: The present study aimed (1) to analyze the prevalence rates of primary traumatization in interpreters, (2) to assess the prevalence of secondary traumatization, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, (3) to examine the association between secondary traumatization symptoms and resilience factors in terms of sense of coherence, social support, and attachment style, and (4) to test whether these resilience factors mediate the relationship between primary and secondary traumatization. Methods: Participating interpreters (n = 64) were assessed for past exposure to potentially traumatic events as well as symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), secondary traumatization, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and subjective stress levels. Furthermore, we conducted psychometric surveys to measure interpreters' sense of coherence, degree of social support, and attachment style as potential predictors. Results: (1) 9% of the interpreters fulfilled all criteria for PTSD and a further 33% had subclinical PTSD; (2) a secondary traumatization was present in 21% of the examined interpreters - of these, 6% showed very high total scores indicating a severe secondary traumatization; furthermore, we found higher scores for depression, anxiety, and stress as compared to representative population samples, especially for females; (3) a present sense of coherence, an existing social support network, and a secure or preoccupied attachment style correlated significantly with low scores for secondary traumatization; and (4) a significant correlation emerged between primary and secondary traumatization (r = 0.595, p < 0.001); a mediation analysis revealed that this effect is partially mediated by secure attachment. Conclusion: A substantial proportion of interpreters working with refugees suffer from primary as well as secondary traumatization. However, high scores for sense of coherence and social support, male gender, and especially a secure attachment style were identified as resilience factors for secondary traumatization. The results may have implications for the selection, training, and supervision of interpreters.
High-Sensitivity Troponin T and NT-proBNP Kinetics in Breast Cancer Chemotherapy
Authors: Advani Pooja , Hoyne Jonathan , Moreno-Aspita Alvaro , Dubin Marcia , Brock Shelly , Harlow Caroline , Chumsri Saranya , Suter Thomas , Blackshear Joseph L.
Published: July 2017

Background/Aims: Doxorubicin (DOX) and trastuzumab (TRA) are associated with cardiac dysfunction. Method: High-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) and brain natriuretic peptide attached to the amino acid N-terminal fragment in the prohormone (NT-proBNP) were measured before and on days +1, +2, +3, and +7 during cycles 1 and 2 of therapy with DOX or TRA in breast cancer patients. Results: Five of eleven DOX-treated women, compared with 2/11 TRA-treated women, had undetectable baseline hs-TnT. By day +1 of cycle 2, all the DOX-treated women (p = 0.03) but only 7/11 TRA-treated women (p = ns) had detectible hs-TnT. Time to peak was 1-2 days for both groups. In the DOX-treated women, hs-TnT showed significant peaks from precycle baseline, increases in precycle 1 to precycle 2 levels, and a cycle 1 to cycle 2 peak and area under the curve (AUC). hs-TnT increased from precycle (1, 4.6 ± 6.3 pg/mL) to a cycle 2 peak of 16.1 ± 15.0 pg/mL (p < 0.002). No increases were seen with the TRA treatment. Transient posttreatment increases in NT-proBNP were seen after both therapies. Conclusion: DOX was associated with increased pretreatment baseline, peak, and AUC hs-TnT levels. Both DOX and TRA acutely perturb NT-proBNP. Assessment of pre- and posttreatment hs-TnT could be a means of quantifying cumulative myocardial injury in the course of chemotherapy.
Extrafacial Granuloma Faciale: A Case Report and Brief Review
Authors: Deen Jacqueline , Moloney Thomas P. , Muir Jim
Published: July 2017

Granuloma faciale (GF) is a rare, inflammatory, cutaneous disorder of unknown aetiology. It presents clinically as one or several well-circumscribed violaceous papules, plaques, and nodules almost exclusively confined to the facial region. Rarely, extrafacial lesions can occur, most often on sun-exposed sites. We report a case of extrafacial GF in a 63-year-old male with indolent lymphoma, who presented with plaques involving the right preauricular region and left posterior axilla. The clinical and histopathological findings were consistent with GF. Our case highlights the importance of performing skin biopsies in patients with persistent erythematous plaques and nodules, particularly to exclude important malignant and granulomatous differential diagnoses.
Correction of High Astigmatism after Penetrating Keratoplasty with Toric Multifocal Intraocular Lens Implantation
Authors: Nuzzi Raffaele , Monteu Francesca
Published: July 2017

After penetrating keratoplasty (PK), high astigmatism is often induced, being frequently about 4–6 dpt. According to the entity and typology of astigmatism, different methods of correction can be used. Selective suture removal, relaxing incisions, wedge resections, compression sutures, photorefractive keratectomy, and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis can reduce corneal astigmatism and ametropia, but meanwhile they can cause a reduction in the corneal integrity and cause an over- or undercorrection. In case of moderate-to-high regular astigmatisms, the authors propose a toric multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) implantation to preserve the corneal integrity (especially in PK after herpetic corneal leukoma keratitis). We evaluated a 45-year-old patient who at the age of 30 was subjected to PK in his left eye due to corneal leukoma herpetic keratitis, which led to high astigmatism (7.50 dpt cyl. 5°). The patient was subjected to phacoemulsification and customized toric multifocal IOL implantation in his left eye. The correction of PK-induced residual astigmatism with a toric IOL implantation is an excellent choice but has to be evaluated in relation to patient age, corneal integrity, longevity graft, and surgical risk. It seems to be a well-tolerated therapeutic choice and with good results.
GPER Mediates Functional Endothelial Aging in Renal Arteries
Authors: Meyer Matthias R. , Rosemann Thomas , Barton Matthias , Prossnitz Eric R.
Published: July 2017

Aging is associated with impaired renal artery function, which is partly characterized by arterial stiffening and a reduced vasodilatory capacity due to excessive generation of reactive oxygen species by NADPH oxidases (Nox). The abundance and activity of Nox depends on basal activity of the heptahelical transmembrane receptor GPER; however, whether GPER contributes to age-dependent functional changes in renal arteries is unknown. This study investigated the effect of aging and Nox activity on renal artery tone in wild-type and GPER-deficient (Gper-/-) mice (4 and 24 months old). In wild-type mice, aging markedly impaired endothelium-dependent, nitric oxide (NO)-mediated relaxations to acetylcholine, which were largely preserved in renal arteries of aged Gper-/- mice. The Nox inhibitor gp91ds-tat abolished this difference by greatly enhancing relaxations in wild-type mice, while having no effect in Gper-/- mice. Contractions to angiotensin II and phenylephrine in wild-type mice were partly sensitive to gp91ds-tat but unaffected by aging. Again, deletion of GPER abolished effects of Nox inhibition on contractile responses. In conclusion, basal activity of GPER is required for the age-dependent impairment of endothelium-dependent, NO-mediated relaxation in the renal artery. Restoration of relaxation by a Nox inhibitor in aged wild-type but not Gper-/- mice strongly supports a role for Nox-derived reactive oxygen species as the underlying cause. Pharmacological blockers of GPER signaling may thus be suitable to inhibit functional endothelial aging of renal arteries by reducing Nox-derived oxidative stress and, possibly, the associated age-dependent deterioration of kidney function.
β-Carotene Concentration and Its Association with Inflammatory Biomarkers in Spanish Schoolchildren
Authors: Rodríguez-Rodríguez Elena , López-Sobaler Ana M. , Navia Beatriz , Andrés Pedro , Jiménez-Ortega Ana I. , Ortega Rosa M.
Published: July 2017

Aim: To examine the correlation between inflammatory biomarkers and plasma β-carotene levels in children. Methods: A total of 564 Spanish schoolchildren aged 9-12 were observed and studied. Plasma β-carotene levels were assessed by HPLC. A β-carotene level <4.83 µg/dL (0.09 µmol/L) was considered deficient. Plasma tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were measured by immunoenzyme assays. Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was tested by immunonephelometry. Results: Subjects who were β-carotene-deficient (23.1% of the studied children) had higher IL-6 levels than subjects with normal β-carotene concentrations. The log-IL-6 and log-hs-CRP concentrations, but not the log-TNF-α level, were strongly and inversely related to the plasma log-β-carotene level (taking into account log-age, energy intake, log-triglycerides, gender, log-body mass index, log-β-carotene intake, energy from lipids and cholesterol as covariables). When the 3 inflammatory biomarkers were introduced into the regression model along with the corresponding covariables, only the log-IL-6 level was related to the plasma log-β-carotene level (β = -0.505 ± 0.078; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Inflammatory status, in particular IL-6 levels, appears to be negatively associated with plasma β-carotene levels in schoolchildren.
Istaroxime Inhibits Motility and Down-Regulates Orai1 Expression, SOCE and FAK Phosphorylation in Prostate Cancer Cells
Authors: Stagno Matias Julian , Zacharopoulou Nefeli , Bochem Jonas , Tsapara Anna , Pelzl Lisann , al-Maghout Tamer , Kallergi Galatea , Alkahtani Saad , Alevizopoulos Konstantinos , Dimas Konstantinos , Calogeropoulou Theodora , Warmann Steven W. , Lang Florian , Schmid Evi , Stournaras Christos
Published: July 2017

Background/Aims: Istaroxime is a validated inotropic Na+/K+ ATPase inhibitor currently in development for the treatment of various cardiac conditions. Recent findings established that this steroidal drug exhibits potent apoptotic responses in prostate tumors in vitro and in vivo, by affecting key signaling orchestrating proliferation and apoptosis, such as c-Myc and caspase 3, Rho GTPases and actin cytoskeleton dynamics. In the present study we examined whether istaroxime is affecting cell motility and analyzed the underlying mechanism in prostate tumor cells. Methods: Migration was assessed by transwell and wound healing assays, Orai1 and Stim1 abundance by RT-PCR and confocal immunofluorescence microscopy, Fura-2 fluorescence was utilized to determine intracellular Ca2+ and Western blotting for FAK/pFAK measurements. Results: We observed strong inhibition of cell migration in istaroxime treated DU-145 prostate cancer cells. Istaroxime further decreased Orai1 and Stim1 transcript levels and downregulated Orai1 protein expression. Moreover, SOCE was significantly decreased upon istaroxime treatment. Furthermore, istaroxime strikingly diminished phosphorylated FAK levels. Interestingly, the efficacy of istaroxime on the inhibition of DU-145 cell migration was further enhanced by blocking Orai1 with 2-APB and FAK with the specific inhibitor PF-00562271. These results provide strong evidence that istaroxime prevents cell migration and motility of DU-145 prostate tumor cells, an effect at least partially attributed to Orai1 downregulation and FAK de-activation. Conclusion: Collectively our results indicate that this enzyme inhibitor, besides its pro-apoptotic action, affects motility of cancer cells, supporting its potential role as a strong candidate for further clinical cancer drug development.