bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanical Response of Typical Cement Concrete Pavements under Impact Loading
Authors: Fei Ding , Yan Yin , Liangcai Cai , Yaohong Tang , Xuancang Wang
Published: January 2017

In order to study the mechanical response of cement concrete pavements under impact loading, four types of typical cement concrete pavement structures are investigated experimentally and numerically under an impact load. Full‐scale three‐dimensional pavement slots are tested under an impact load and are monitored for the mechanical characteristics including the deflection of the pavement surface layer, the strain distribution at the bottom of the slab, and the plastic damage and cracking under the dynamic impact load. Numerical analysis is performed by developing a three‐dimensional finite element model and by utilizing a cement concrete damage model. The results show that the calculation results based on the cement concrete damage model are in reasonable agreement with the experimental results based on the three‐dimensional test slot experiment. The peak values of stress and strain as monitored by the sensors are analyzed and compared with the numerical results, indicating that the errors of numerical results from the proposed model are mostly within 10%. The rationality of the finite element model is verified, and the model is expected to be a suitable reference for the analysis and design of cement concrete pavements.
Compliance with Standard Precautions and Associated Factors among Healthcare Workers in Gondar University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Haile Tariku Gebre , Engeda Eshetu Haileselassie , Abdo Abdella Amano
Published: January 2017

Background. In many studies, compliance with standard precautions among healthcare workers was reported to be inadequate.Objective.The aim of this study was to assess compliance with standard precautions and associated factors among healthcare workers in northwest Ethiopia.Methods.An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 01 to April 30, 2014. Simple random sampling technique was used to select participants. Data were entered into Epi info 3.5.1 and were exported to SPSS version 20.0 for statistical analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were computed and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was calculated to identify associated factors.Results.The proportion of healthcare workers who always comply with standard precautions was found to be 12%. Being a female healthcare worker (AOR [95% CI] 2.18 [1.12–4.23]), higher infection risk perception (AOR [95% CI] 3.46 [1.67–7.18]), training on standard precautions (AOR [95% CI] 2.90 [1.20–7.02]), accessibility of personal protective equipment (AOR [95% CI] 2.87 [1.41–5.86]), and management support (AOR [95% CI] 2.23 [1.11–4.53]) were found to be statistically significant.Conclusion and Recommendation.Compliance with standard precautions among the healthcare workers is very low. Interventions which include training of healthcare workers on standard precautions and consistent management support are recommended.
Refractive Changes Induced by Strabismus Corrective Surgery in Adults
Authors: Mezad-Koursh Daphna , Leshno Ari , Ziv-Baran Tomer , Stolovitch Chaim
Published: January 2017

Purpose. To investigate refractive changes after strabismus correction procedures among adults.Methods. Retrospective chart review of adult patients who had horizontal recti muscles surgery with preoperative and postoperative cycloplegic refraction measurements. The preoperative refraction was mathematically subtracted from the postoperative refraction, and the induced refractive changes were statistically analyzed. Vector analysis was used to examine the magnitude of the toric change. The proportion of clinically significant refractive change was evaluated as well.Results. Thirty-one eyes from 22 subjects met the criteria and were included in the final analysis. A significant postoperative refractive change of the spherical equivalent towards myopia and a change of the astigmatism in the with-the-rule direction were observed. In a subset of 9 cases a third cycloplegic refraction measurement demonstrated stable refraction compared to the 1-month postoperative measurement. In 10 cases of single eye surgery, significant refractive changes were observed only in the operated side when compared to the sound eye. The induced surgical refractive change was of clinical significance (≥0.5 D) in 11 eyes of 9 patients (40.9% of patients).Conclusions. Refractive changes are a significant side effect of horizontal strabismus corrective surgery among adults. Therefore, patients should be informed about it prior to surgery and should be rerefracted in the postoperative period.
Aircraft Noise Monitoring in Function of Flight Safety and Aircraft Model Determination
Authors: Vidović Andrija , Štimac Igor , Zečević-Tadić Robert
Published: January 2017

This paper presents the research of noise level monitoring at the Zagreb Airport Ltd. The purpose of this paper is to show how the aircraft noise sources can be used as a tool for aircraft detection and for increasing flight safety. The noise measurement was made at the Zagreb Airport by using its professional noise monitoring system. The research has led to new findings, such as determining the aircraft model by measuring the noise level generated by an aircraft during final approach based on its frequency spectrum, as the connectivity from the airport’s side to the radar data was unavailable (only ATC). In addition, it is possible to determine the aircraft altitude and, perhaps most significantly, the increase of flight safety through the detection of potential failures on the aircraft structure and/or engine during the overflight of a noise monitoring terminal.
Principal Component Analysis in the Nonlinear Dynamics of Beams: Purification of the Signal from Noise Induced by the Nonlinearity of Beam Vibrations
Authors: Krysko A. V. , Awrejcewicz Jan , Papkova Irina V. , Szymanowska Olga , Krysko V. A.
Published: January 2017

The paper discusses the impact of the von Kármán type geometric nonlinearity introduced to a mathematical model of beam vibrations on the amplitude-frequency characteristics of the signal for the proposed mathematical models of beam vibrations. An attempt is made to separate vibrations of continuous mechanical systems subjected to a harmonic load from noise induced by the nonlinearity of the system by employing the principal component analysis (PCA). Straight beams lying on Winkler foundations are analysed. Differential equations are obtained based on the Bernoulli-Euler, Timoshenko, and Sheremetev-Pelekh-Levinson-Reddy hypotheses. Solutions to linear and nonlinear differential equations are found using the principal component analysis (PCA).
Associated Factors and Standard Percentiles of Blood Pressure among the Adolescents of Jahrom City of Iran, 2014
Authors: Sarikhani Yaser , Heydari Seyed Taghi , Emamghorashi Fatemeh , Jafari Fatemeh , Tabrizi Reza , Karimpour Saeed , Kalateh sadati Ahmad , Akbari Maryam
Published: January 2017

Background. High blood pressure in adults is directly correlated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension in childhood and adolescence could be considered among the major causes of this problem in adults. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with hypertension among the adolescents of Jahrom city in Iran and also standard percentiles of blood pressure were estimated for this group.Methods. In this community-based cross-sectional study 983 high school students from different areas of the city were included using a multistage random cluster sampling method in 2014. Blood pressure, weight, and height of each student measured using standard methods. Data were analyzed by statistical software SPSS 16.Results. In total, 498 male and 454 female students were included in this study. Average systolic blood pressure of students was 110.27 mmHg with a variation range of 80.6–151.3. Average diastolic blood pressure was 71.76 mmHg with the variation range of 49.3–105. Results of this study indicated that there was a significant relationship between gender, body mass index, and parental education level with systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the students (P<0.05).Conclusions. Body mass index was one of the most important changeable factors associated with blood pressure in adolescents. Paying attention to this factor in adolescence could be effective in prevention of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.
Particle Collision Near 1 + 1-Dimensional Horava-Lifshitz Black Hole and Naked Singularity
Authors: Halilsoy M. , Ovgun A.
Published: January 2017

The unbounded center-of-mass (CM) energy of oppositely moving colliding particles near horizon emerges also in 1+1-dimensional Horava-Lifshitz gravity. This theory has imprints of renormalizable quantum gravity characteristics in accordance with the method of simple power counting. Surprisingly the result obtained is not valid for a 1-dimensional Compton-like process between an outgoing photon and an infalling massless/massive particle. It is possible to achieve unbounded CM energy due to collision between infalling photons and particles. The source of outgoing particles may be attributed to an explosive process just outside the horizon for a black hole and the naturally repulsive character for the case of a naked singularity. It is found that absence of angular momenta in 1+1-dimension does not yield unbounded energy for collisions in the vicinity of naked singularities.
Upper Bound of the Generalized p Value for the Population Variances of Lognormal Distributions with Known Coefficients of Variation
Authors: Somkhuean Rada , Niwitpong Sa-aat , Niwitpong Suparat
Published: January 2017

This paper presents an upper bound for each of the generalized p values for testing the one population variance, the difference between two population variances, and the ratio of population variances for lognormal distribution when coefficients of variation are known. For each of the proposed generalized p values, we derive a closed form expression of the upper bound of the generalized p value. Numerical computations illustrate the theoretical results.
A Comparative Study of Symmetrical Cockcroft-Walton Voltage Multipliers
Authors: Ruzbehani Mohsen
Published: January 2017

Decades after invention of the Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier, it is still being used in broad range of high voltage and ac to dc applications. High voltage ratio, low voltage stress on components, compactness, and high efficiency are its main features. Due to the problems of original circuit, reduction of output ripple and increase of accessible voltage level were the motivations for scientist to propose new topologies. In this article a comparative study on these voltage multipliers was presented. By simulations and experimental prototypes, characteristics of the topologies have been compared. In addition to the performances, components count, voltage stress on the components, and the difficulty and cost of construction are other factors which have been considered in this comparison. An easy to use table which summarized the characteristics of VMs was developed, which can be used as a decision mean for selecting of a topology based on the requirements. It is shown that, due to the application, sometimes a simple and not very famous topology is more effective than a famous one.
Pedicle Temporalis Fascial Flap with Axial Scalp Flap Obviates Need of Free Flap in Extensive Scalp Wound
Authors: Nangole F. W. , Khainga S. O.
Published: January 2017

Extensive scalp defect with exposed bone is best reconstructed with flaps. Majority of these wounds are now routinely reconstructed with free flaps in many centers. Free flaps however require lengthy operative time and may not be available to all patients, where possible less extensive options should thus be encouraged. A sixty-eight-year-old patient presented to us with a Marjolin’s ulcer on the vertex of the scalp. After wide local excision a defect of about 17 cm and 12 cm was left. The defect was successfully covered with a combination of an ipsilateral pedicle temporalis fascial flap and an axial supraorbital scalp flap with good outcome. In conclusion wide defects of the scalp can be fully covered with a combination of local flaps. The axial scalp flap and the pedicle temporalis fascial flap where applicable provide an easy and less demanding option in covering such wounds. These flaps are reliable with good blood supply and have got less donor side morbidity.
Integral Sliding Modes with Nonlinear H∞‐Control for Time‐Varying Minimum‐Phase Underactuated Systems with Unmatched Disturbances
Authors: Miranda-Colorado Roger , Chavez Carlos , Aguilar Luis T.
Published: January 2017

This paper presents a methodology for controlling nonlinear time‐varying minimum‐phase underactuated systems affected by matched and unmatched perturbations. The proposed control structure consists of an integral sliding mode control coupled together with a global nonlinear ‐control for rejecting vanishing and nonvanishing matched perturbations and for attenuating the unmatched ones, respectively. It is theoretically proven that, using the proposed controller, the origin of the free‐disturbance nonlinear system is asymptotically stabilized, while the matched disturbances are rejected whereas the ‐gain of the corresponding nonlinear system with unmatched perturbation is less than a given disturbance attenuation level γ with respect to a given performance output. The capability of the designed controller is verified through a flexible joint robot manipulator typically affected by both classes of external perturbations. In order to assess the performance of the proposed controller, an existing sliding modes controller based on a nonlinear integral‐type sliding surface is also implemented. Both controllers are then compared for trajectory tracking tasks. Numerical simulations show that the proposed approach exhibits better performance.
Cell-SELEX Identifies a “Sticky” RNA Aptamer Sequence
Authors: Ray Partha , White Rebekah R.
Published: January 2017

Cell-SELEX is performed to select for cell binding aptamers. We employed an additional selection pressure by using RNAse to remove surface-binding aptamers and select for cell-internalizing aptamers. A common RNA sequence was identified from independent cell-SELEX procedures against two different pancreatic cancer cell lines, indicating a strong selection pressure towards this sequence from the large pool of other available sequences present in the aptamer library. The aptamer is not specific for the pancreatic cancer cell lines, and a similar sequence motif is present in previously published internalizing aptamers. The identified sequence forms a structural motif that binds to a surface protein, which either is highly abundant or has strong affinity for the selected aptamer sequence. Deselecting (removing) this sequence during cell-SELEX may increase the probability of identifying aptamers against cell type-specific targets on the cell surface.
Variability in Clinical Presentation of Neonatal Stroke: Report of Four Cases
Authors: Joseph Sonia , Angelis Dimitrios , Bennett Robert , Kola Bhargavi , Hughes Amanda
Published: January 2017

Neonatal stroke can be a cause of long term neurodevelopmental disability, seizures, and impaired cognitive function. We present four cases of neonatal stroke, associated with different risk factors and clinical presentations. Two of these newborns were born to mothers with no prenatal care.
Hydralazine Induced Lupus Syndrome Presenting with Recurrent Pericardial Effusion and a Negative Antinuclear Antibody
Authors: Iyer Praneet , Dirweesh Ahmed , Zijoo Ritika
Published: January 2017

Drug induced lupus erythematosus (DIL or DILE) is an autoimmune disorder caused by chronic use of certain drugs. We report a unique case of hydralazine induced lupus syndrome (HILS) with a negative antinuclear antibody in a female patient who was on hydralazine for a period of 1.5–2 years and developed recurrent pericardial effusion as a result of it. Initially her condition was managed with a pericardial window. The recurrence of a massive pericardial effusion necessitated a right hemipericardiectomy. After hydralazine was stopped, she never had any further episodes of pericardial effusion or tamponade.
Pediatric Posttraumatic Endophthalmitis in China for Twenty Years
Authors: Sheng Yan , Sun Wen , Gu Yangshun , Grzybowski Andrzej
Published: January 2017

Pediatric posttraumatic endophthalmitis (PTE) is a rare but serious disease that frequently has a poor visual prognosis. To date, only a few English studies have focused on this disease. We perform a systematic review of the Chinese literature on pediatric PTE and describe the epidemiology, management, causative organisms, and visual acuity outcomes of reported cases in twenty years. We found thatStaphylococcus epidermidiswas the most common isolated organism and the use of a disposable syringe needle was the most common cause of ocular injuries in pediatric PTE in China. In the last ten years, the time from injury to first presentation for treatment has shortened, the proportion of cases resulting from a disposable syringe needle has decreased, the use of intravitreal antibiotics as the initial treatment has increased, and the use of palliative treatment has decreased. Although these favorable changes have occurred in the last ten years, the visual prognosis of pediatric PTE is still poor.
Retinitis Pigmentosa and Bilateral Idiopathic Demyelinating Optic Neuritis in a 6-Year-Old Boy with OFD1 Gene Mutation
Authors: Wang Xun , Zheng Cong , Liu Wen , Yang Hui
Published: January 2017

To identify the cause of a sudden binocular vision decrease in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and bilateral idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis is difficult, but early diagnosis and treatment significantly improve the prognosis. Here, we report a 6-year-old boy with a progressive binocular vision decrease in 38 days. The patient had a history of night blindness, a mottled retina without pigmentation, extinguished electroretinographic response, tritanopia, and an absent ellipsoid zone outside the macula fovea by optical coherence tomography in both eyes. His condition was diagnosed as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) with idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (IDON). After corticosteroid therapy, visual acuity recovered to OD: 0.5 and OS: 0.4. Genetic analysis revealed a G985S variant in the oral-facial-digital syndrome 1 gene. Ophthalmologists should pay attention to the existence of other complications in patients with RP who suffer a sudden decrease in vision. A gene survey can help clarify this diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with RP and ON, as well as genetic testing results. Nevertheless, the pathogenicity of the variant needs further confirmation.
Sulforaphane Prevents Angiotensin II‐Induced Testicular Cell Death via Activation of NRF2
Authors: Wang Yonggang , Wu Hao , Xin Ying , Bai Yang , Kong Lili , Tan Yi , Liu Feng , Cai Lu
Published: January 2017

Although angiotensin II (Ang II) was reported to facilitate sperm motility and intratesticular sperm transport, recent findings shed light on the efficacy of Ang II in stimulating inflammatory events in testicular peritubular cells, effect of which may play a role in male infertility. It is still unknown whether Ang II can induce testicular apoptotic cell death, which may be a more direct action of Ang II in male infertility. Therefore, the present study aims to determine whether Ang II can induce testicular apoptotic cell death and whether this action can be prevented by sulforaphane (SFN) via activating nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (NRF2), the governor of antioxidant‐redox signalling. Eight‐week‐old male C57BL/6J wild type (WT) and Nrf2 gene knockout mice were treated with Ang II, in the presence or absence of SFN. In WT mice, SFN activated testicular NRF2 expression and function, along with a marked attenuation in Ang II‐induced testicular oxidative stress, inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and apoptotic cell death. Deletion of the Nrf2 gene led to a complete abolishment of these efficacies of SFN. The present study indicated that Ang II may result in testicular apoptotic cell death, which can be prevented by SFN via the activation of NRF2.
An Adaptive Medium Access Parameter Prediction Scheme for IEEE 802.11 Real-Time Applications
Authors: Coronado Estefanía , Villalón José , Garrido Antonio
Published: January 2017

Multimedia communications have experienced an unprecedented growth due mainly to the increase in the content quality and the emergence of smart devices. The demand for these contents is tending towards wireless technologies. However, these transmissions are quite sensitive to network delays. Therefore, ensuring an optimum QoS level becomes of great importance. The IEEE 802.11e amendment was released to address the lack of QoS capabilities in the original IEEE 802.11 standard. Accordingly, the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) function was introduced, allowing it to differentiate traffic streams through a group of Medium Access Control (MAC) parameters. Although EDCA recommends a default configuration for these parameters, it has been proved that it is not optimum in many scenarios. In this work a dynamic prediction scheme for these parameters is presented. This approach ensures an appropriate traffic differentiation while maintaining compatibility with the stations without QoS support. As the APs are the only devices that use this algorithm, no changes are required to current network cards. The results show improvements in both voice and video transmissions, as well as in the QoS level of the network that the proposal achieves with regard to EDCA.
Does MMP-9 Gene Polymorphism Play a Role in Pituitary Adenoma Development?
Authors: Glebauskiene Brigita , Liutkeviciene Rasa , Vilkeviciute Alvita , Kriauciuniene Loresa , Jakstiene Silvija , Zlatkute Egle , Tamosiunas Abdonas , Zemaitiene Reda , Vaitkiene Paulina , Zaliuniene Dalia
Published: January 2017

Purpose. To determine if the MMP-9 genotype has an influence on development of pituitary adenoma (PA). Methodology. The study enrolled n=86 patients with PA and n=526 healthy controls (reference group). The genotyping of MMP-9 was carried out using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method. Results. Our data demonstrated that the MMP-9 (–1562) C/C genotype was more frequent in PA group than in healthy controls (81.4% versus 64.6%, p=0.002); C/C genotype was more frequently present in PA females compared to healthy control females, 81.5% versus 64.6%, p=0.018, as well. MMP-9 (–1562) C/C genotype was frequently observed for all subgroups: noninvasive and invasive, nonrecurrence, and inactive PA compared to healthy controls: 81.8% versus 64.6%, p=0.021; 81.0% versus 64.6%, p=0.041; 81.8% versus 64.6%, p=0.005; 100.0% versus 64.6%, p<0.001, respectively. MMP-9 (–1562) C/C genotype was more frequent in inactive PA compared to active PA: 100.0% versus 71.4%; p<0.001. Conclusion. MMP-9 (–1562) C/C genotype plays a role in nonrecurrence, inactive, and invasive as well as in nonivasive PA development.
Path Loss Channel Model for Inland River Radio Propagation at 1.4 GHz
Authors: Yu Junyi , Chen Wei , Yang Kun , Li Changzhen , Li Fang , Shui Yishui
Published: January 2017

In this paper, a propagation path loss model for inland river is proposed by three improvements compared with the Round Earth Loss (REL) model for open-sea environment. Specifically, parameters optimization uses Okumura-Hata model in dB scale to replace the equation transformed from the free space loss in REL model; secondly, diffraction loss caused by the obstacles (e.g., large buildings, bridges, or some other facilities near the river bank) is also taken into account; mixed-path methodology as another improvement is used for Inland River (IR) model because the actual propagation environment between transmitter (TX) antenna and receiver (RX) antenna contains both land part and water part. The paper presents a set of 1.4 GHz measurements conducted along the Yangtze River in Wuhan. According to the comparison between path loss models and experimental results, IR model shows a good matching degree. After that, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Grey Relation Grade and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (GRG-MAPE), Pearson Correlation Coefficient, and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (PCC-MAPE) are employed to implement quantitative analysis. The results prove that IR model with consideration of mixed path and deterministic information is more accurate than other classic empirical propagation models for these scenarios.
Optimal Design of a Solar Desalination Unit with Heliostats
Authors: Abidi M. , Ben Jabrallah S. , Corriou J. P.
Published: January 2017

The objective is to improve the yield of a solar desalination cell using concentration of solar rays by means of automatically controlled heliostats. The vertical cell is orientated towards the north. It is mainly composed of two plates; the one being heated by the solar rays reflected by the mirrors is used for evaporation of a falling water film; the other one is used for water vapor condensation. Each heliostat consists of an altitude-azimuth mount having two degrees of freedom and supporting a plane mirror. The heliostat permanently follows the sun trajectory and reflects the solar rays on the cell by means of automatic control implemented in a control card based on a microcontroller. Model predictive control allows us to maximize the distilled water production.
Evaluating the Measurement Properties of the Self-Assessment of Treatment Version II, Follow-Up Version, in Patients with Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Authors: van Nooten Floortje , Trundell Dylan , Staniewska Dorota , Chen Jun , Davies Evan W. , Revicki Dennis A.
Published: January 2017

Background. The Self-Assessment of Treatment version II (SAT II) measures treatment-related improvements in pain and impacts and impressions of treatment in neuropathic pain patients. The measure has baseline and follow-up versions. This study assesses the measurement properties of the SAT II. Methods. Data from 369 painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy (PDPN) patients from a phase III trial assessing capsaicin 8% patch (Qutenza®) efficacy and safety were used in these analyses. Reliability, convergent validity, known-groups validity, and responsiveness (using the Brief Pain Inventory-Diabetic Neuropathy [BPI-DN] and Patient Global Impression of Change [PGIC]) analyses were conducted, and minimally important differences (MID) were estimated. Results. Exploratory factor analysis supported a one-factor solution for the six impact items. The SAT II has good internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.96) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients: 0.62–0.88). Assessment of convergent validity showed moderate to strong correlations with change in other study endpoints. Scores varied significantly by level of pain intensity and sleep interference (p<0.05) defined by the BPI-DN. Responsiveness was shown based on the PGIC. MID estimates ranged from 1.2 to 2.4 (pain improvement) and 1.0 to 2.0 (impact scores). Conclusions. The SAT II is a reliable and valid measure for assessing treatment improvement in PDPN patients.
Autotuning of Isotropic Hardening Constitutive Models on Real Steel Buckling Data with Finite Element Based Multistart Global Optimisation on Parallel Computers
Authors: Shterenlikht Anton , Kashani Mohammad M. , Alexander Nicholas A. , Williams Gethin , Crewe Adam J.
Published: January 2017

An automatic framework for tuning plastic constitutive models is proposed. It is based on multistart global optimisation method, where the objective function is provided by the results of multiple elastoplastic finite element analyses, executed concurrently. Wrapper scripts were developed for fully automatic preprocessing, including model and mesh generation, analysis, and postprocessing. The framework is applied to an isotropic power hardening plasticity using real load/displacement data from multiple steel buckling tests. M. J. D. Powell’s BOBYQA constrained optimisation package was used for local optimisation. It is shown that using the real data presents multiple problems to the optimisation process because (1) the objective function can be discontinuous, yet (2) relatively flat around multiple local minima, with (3) similar values of the objective function for different local minima. As a consequence the estimate of the global minimum is sensitive to the amount of experimental data and experimental noise. The framework includes the verification step, where the estimate of the global minimum is verified on a different geometry and loading. A tensile test was used for verification in this work. The speed of the method critically depends on the ability to effectively parallelise the finite element solver. Three levels of parallelisation were exploited in this work. The ultimate limitation was the availability of the finite element commercial solver license tokens.
Morquio’s Syndrome: A Case Report of Two Siblings
Authors: Muthukumar Ramalingam Sathish , Srinivasan Daya , ArunKumar Sandhya , ChiriyanKandath Joe Louis , Kaliamoorthy Sriram
Published: January 2017

Morquio syndrome or MPS IVA is a rare type of lysosomal storage disease associated with highly specific dental abnormalities. We present two siblings with enamel hypoplasia and skeletal abnormalities. A diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA was reached based on the clinical, radiographic, and dental findings of the patients. The dental findings are useful diagnostic aid for the early diagnosis of this debilitating disorder.
Proposal of Design Formulae for Equivalent Elasticity of Masonry Structures Made with Bricks of Low Modulus
Authors: Ridwan Muhammad , Yoshitake Isamu , Nassif Ayman Y.
Published: January 2017

Bricks of low elastic modulus are occasionally used in some developing countries, such as Indonesia and India. Most of the previous research efforts focused on masonry structures built with bricks of considerably high elastic modulus. The objective of this study is to quantify the equivalent elastic modulus of lower-stiffness masonry structures, when the mortar has a higher modulus of elasticity than the bricks, by employing finite element (FE) simulations and adopting the homogenization technique. The reported numerical simulations adopted the two-dimensional representative volume elements (RVEs) using quadrilateral elements with four nodes. The equivalent elastic moduli of composite elements with various bricks and mortar were quantified. The numerically estimated equivalent elastic moduli from the FE simulations were verified using previously established test data. Hence, a new simplified formula for the calculation of the equivalent modulus of elasticity of such masonry structures is proposed in the present study.
Morinda citrifolia(Noni) Fruit Juice Reduces Inflammatory Cytokines Expression and Contributes to the Maintenance of Intestinal Mucosal Integrity in DSS Experimental Colitis
Authors: Coutinho de Sousa Beatriz , Reis Machado Juliana , da Silva Marcos Vinicius , da Costa Thiago Alvares , Lazo-Chica Javier Emilio , Degasperi Thatiane do Prado , Rodrigues Junior Virmondes , Sales-Campos Helioswilton , Uber Bucek Elizabeth , Freire Oliveira Carlo José
Published: January 2017

Morinda citrifoliaL. (noni) has been shown to treat different disorders. However, data concerning its role in the treatment of intestinal inflammation still require clarification. In the current study, we investigated the effects of noni fruit juice (NFJ) in the treatment of C57BL/6 mice, which were continuously exposed to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 9 consecutive days. NFJ consumption had no impact on the reduction of the clinical signs of the disease or on weight loss. Nonetheless, when a dilution of 1 : 10 was used, the intestinal architecture of the mice was preserved, accompanied by a reduction in the inflammatory infiltrate. Regardless of the concentration of NFJ, a decrease in both the activity of myeloperoxidase and the key inflammatory cytokines, TNF-αand IFN-γ, was also observed in the intestine. Furthermore, when NFJ was diluted 1 : 10 and 1 : 100, a reduction in the production of nitric oxide and IL-17 was detected in gut homogenates. Overall, the treatment with NFJ was effective in different aspects associated with disease progression and worsening. These results may point to noni fruit as an important source of anti-inflammatory molecules with a great potential to inhibit the progression of inflammatory diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease.
Enhancement of the Pitting Corrosion Resistance of AISI 316LVM Steel with Ta-Hf-C/Au Bilayers for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Guzmán Pablo , Aperador Willian , Yate Luis
Published: January 2017

Tantalum carbide (TaC), hafnium carbide (HfC), and Ta-Hf-C mixed coatings with and without a gold (Au) interlayer were deposited on 316LVM steel substrates by the magnetron cosputtering technique in order to improve the corrosion resistance of steel substrates in a simulated biological fluid. To study the effect of the gold interlayer on pitting corrosion, the different systems were placed in contact with Ringer’s solution at pH 7.4 and a temperature of 37°C. The electrochemical properties of the coatings were determined using polarization curves. Subsequently, the surface morphologies were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to analyze the corrosion processes on the different surfaces. The gold interlayer was found to significantly improve the electrochemical properties of the system, showing a decrease in the pitting corrosion and deterioration rate, while it is expected that the binary and ternary carbides provide mechanical stability to the bilayers protecting the gold.
A Case of Nonuremic Calciphylaxis in a Caucasian Woman
Authors: Fergie Bonnie , Valecha Nishant , Miller Andrew
Published: January 2017

We report a case of nonuremic calcific arteriolopathy (NUCA) in an 82-year-old Caucasian woman from rural Australia. The patient had no history of kidney disease or dialysis. NUCA is rare disease suspected on cutaneous and clinical features and diagnosed by characteristic findings on skin biopsy and vasculature imaging. Calcification induced microvascular occlusion in the absence of renal failure may not be immediately apparent. Clinical suspicion and appropriate investigations are essential for making a diagnosis. A diagnosis of NUCA may be missed given the rarity of the disease, and dermatologists and patients alike would benefit from a greater awareness of this disease.
Pathway‐Driven Approaches of Interaction between Oxidative Balance and Genetic Polymorphism on Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Lee Ho-Sun , Park Taesung
Published: January 2017

Despite evidences of association between basic redox biology and metabolic syndrome (MetS), few studies have evaluated indices that account for multiple oxidative effectors for MetS. Oxidative balance score (OBS) has indicated the role of oxidative stress in chronic disease pathophysiology. In this study, we evaluated OBS as an oxidative balance indicator for estimating risk of MetS with 6414 study participants. OBS is a multiple exogenous factor score for development of disease; therefore, we investigated interplay between oxidative balance and genetic variation for development of MetS focusing on biological pathways by using gene‐set‐enrichment analysis. As a result, participants in the highest quartile of OBS were less likely to be at risk for MetS than those in the lowest quartile. In addition, persons in the highest quartile of OBS had the lowest level of inflammatory markers including C‐reactive protein and WBC. With GWAS‐based pathway analysis, we found that VEGF signaling pathway, glutathione metabolism, and Rac‐1 pathway were significantly enriched biological pathways involved with OBS on MetS. These findings suggested that mechanism of angiogenesis, oxidative stress, and inflammation can be involved in interaction between OBS and genetic variation on risk of MetS.
On the Emergence of Islands in Complex Networks
Authors: Esquivel-Gómez J. , Balderas-Navarro R. E. , Arjona-Villicaña P. D. , Castillo-Castillo P. , Rico-Trejo O. , Acosta-Elias J.
Published: January 2017

Most growth models for complex networks consider networks comprising a single connected block or island, which contains all the nodes in the network. However, it has been demonstrated that some large complex networks have more than one island, with an island size distribution (Is) obeying a power-law function Is~s-α. This paper introduces a growth model that considers the emergence of islands as the network grows. The proposed model addresses the following two features: (i) the probability that a new island is generated decreases as the network grows and (ii) new islands are created with a constant probability at any stage of the growth. In the first case, the model produces an island size distribution that decays as a power-law Is~s-α with a fixed exponent α=1 and in-degree distribution that decays as a power-law Qi~i-γ with γ=2. When the second case is considered, the model describes island size and in-degree distributions that decay as a power-law with 2<α<∞ and 2<γ<∞, respectively.
Combined Docking with Classical Force Field and Quantum Chemical Semiempirical Method PM7
Authors: Sulimov A. V. , Kutov D. C. , Katkova E. V. , Sulimov V. B.
Published: January 2017

Results of the combined use of the classical force field and the recent quantum chemical PM7 method for docking are presented. Initially the gridless docking of a flexible low molecular weight ligand into the rigid target protein is performed with the energy function calculated in the MMFF94 force field with implicit water solvent in the PCM model. Among several hundred thousand local minima, which are found in the docking procedure, about eight thousand lowest energy minima are chosen and then energies of these minima are recalculated with the recent quantum chemical semiempirical PM7 method. This procedure is applied to 16 test complexes with different proteins and ligands. For almost all test complexes such energy recalculation results in the global energy minimum configuration corresponding to the ligand pose near the native ligand position in the crystalized protein-ligand complex. A significant improvement of the ligand positioning accuracy comparing with MMFF94 energy calculations is demonstrated.
Antibacterial, Anti‐Inflammatory, Antioxidant, and Antiproliferative Properties of Essential Oils from Hairy and Normal Roots of Leonurus sibiricus L. and Their Chemical Composition
Authors: Sitarek Przemysław , Rijo Patricia , Garcia Catarina , Skała Ewa , Kalemba Danuta , Białas Adam J. , Szemraj Janusz , Pytel Dariusz , Toma Monika , Wysokińska Halina , Śliwiński Tomasz
Published: January 2017

Essential oils obtained from the NR (normal roots) and HR (hairy roots) of the medicinal plant Leonurus sibiricus root were used in this study. The essential oil compositions were detected by GC‐MS. Eighty‐five components were identified in total. Seventy components were identified for NR essential oil. The major constituents in NR essential oil were β‐selinene (9.9%), selina‐4,7‐diene (9.7%), (E)‐β‐caryophyllene (7.3%),myli‐4(15)‐ene (6.4%), and guaia‐1(10),11‐diene (5.9%). Sixty‐seven components were identified in HR essential oil, the main constituents being (E)‐β‐caryophyllene (22.6%), and germacrene D (19.8%). The essential oils were tested for cytotoxic effect, antimicrobial, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. Both essential oils showed activity against grade IV glioma cell lines (IC50 = 400 μg/mL), antimicrobial (MIC and MFC values of 2500 to 125 μg/mL), and anti‐inflammatory (decreased level of IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ in LPS‐stimulated cells).The essential oils exhibited moderate antioxidant activity in ABTS (EC50 = 98 and 88 μg/mL) assay. This is the first study to examine composition of the essential oils and their antimicrobial, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and anti‐inflammatory activities. The results indicate that essential oils form L. sibiricus root may be used in future as an alternative to synthetic antimicrobial agents with potential application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Designing a Channel Access Mechanism for Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Mohammad El-Basioni Basma M. , Moustafa Abdellatif I. , Abd El-Kader Sherine M. , Konber Hussein A.
Published: January 2017

Although there are various Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols proposed for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN), there is no protocol accepted as a standard specific to it. This paper deals with completing the design of our previously proposed MAC for WSN by proposing a channel access mechanism (CAM). The CAM is based on developing a backoff mechanism which mainly differentiates nodes’ backoffs depending on their different identification numbers, and it employs a performance tuning parameter for reaching a required performance objective. The probability distribution of the backoff period is constructed and Markov chain modeling is used to analyze and evaluate the CAM against the IEEE802.15.4 slotted CSMA/CA based on single- and multihop communication with respect to the reliability, the average delay, the power consumption, and the throughput. The analysis reveals that the required performance of CAM against the IEEE slotted CSMA/CA can be obtained by choosing the maximum backoff stages number and the tuning parameter value and that CAM performs better than the IEEE with larger nodes number. The multihop scenario results in a good end-to-end performance of CAM with respect to the reliability and delay becomes better with lengthier paths at the expense of increasing the energy consumption.
Tracking a Subset of Skeleton Joints: An Effective Approach towards Complex Human Activity Recognition
Authors: Anjum Muhammad Latif , Rosa Stefano , Bona Basilio
Published: January 2017

We present a robust algorithm for complex human activity recognition for natural human-robot interaction. The algorithm is based on tracking the position of selected joints in human skeleton. For any given activity, only a few skeleton joints are involved in performing the activity, so a subset of joints contributing the most towards the activity is selected. Our approach of tracking a subset of skeleton joints (instead of tracking the whole skeleton) is computationally efficient and provides better recognition accuracy. We have developed both manual and automatic approaches for the selection of these joints. The position of the selected joints is tracked for the duration of the activity and is used to construct feature vectors for each activity. Once the feature vectors have been constructed, we use a Support Vector Machines (SVM) multiclass classifier for training and testing the algorithm. The algorithm has been tested on a purposely built dataset of depth videos recorded using Kinect camera. The dataset consists of 250 videos of 10 different activities being performed by different users. Experimental results show classification accuracy of 83% when tracking all skeleton joints, 95% when using manual selection of subset joints, and 89% when using automatic selection of subset joints.
Analysis of Waterman’s Method in the Case of Layered Scatterers
Authors: Farafonov Victor , Il’in Vladimir , Ustimov Vladimir , Volkov Evgeny
Published: January 2017

The method suggested by Waterman has been widely used in the last years to solve various light scattering problems. We analyze the mathematical foundations of this method when it is applied to layered nonspherical (axisymmetric) particles in the electrostatic case. We formulate the conditions under which Waterman’s method is applicable, that is, when it gives an infinite system of linear algebraic equations relative to the unknown coefficients of the field expansions which is solvable (i.e., the inverse matrix exists) and solutions of the truncated systems used in calculations converge to the solution of the infinite system. The conditions obtained are shown to agree with results of numerical computations. Keeping in mind the strong similarity of the electrostatic and light scattering cases and the agreement of our conclusions with the numerical calculations available for homogeneous and layered scatterers, we suggest that our results are valid for light scattering as well.
Impact of Yoga and Meditation on Cellular Aging in Apparently Healthy Individuals: A Prospective, Open‐Label Single‐Arm Exploratory Study
Authors: Tolahunase Madhuri , Sagar Rajesh , Dada Rima
Published: January 2017

This study was designed to explore the impact of Yoga and Meditation based lifestyle intervention (YMLI) on cellular aging in apparently healthy individuals. During this 12‐week prospective, open‐label, single arm exploratory study, 96 apparently healthy individuals were enrolled to receive YMLI. The primary endpoints were assessment of the change in levels of cardinal biomarkers of cellular aging in blood from baseline to week 12, which included DNA damage marker 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OH2dG), oxidative stress markers reactive oxygen species (ROS), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and telomere attrition markers telomere length and telomerase activity. The secondary endpoints were assessment of metabotrophic blood biomarkers associated with cellular aging, which included cortisol, β‐endorphin, IL‐6, BDNF, and sirtuin‐1. After 12 weeks of YMLI, there were significant improvements in both the cardinal biomarkers of cellular aging and the metabotrophic biomarkers influencing cellular aging compared to baseline values. The mean levels of 8‐OH2dG, ROS, cortisol, and IL‐6 were significantly lower and mean levels of TAC, telomerase activity, β‐endorphin, BDNF, and sirtuin‐1 were significantly increased (all values p < 0.05) post‐YMLI. The mean level of telomere length was increased but the finding was not significant (p = 0.069). YMLI significantly reduced the rate of cellular aging in apparently healthy population.
Fuzzy Logic Based Coverage and Cost Effective Placement of Serving Nodes for 4G and Beyond Cellular Networks
Authors: Murugadass Arthi , Pachiyappan Arulmozhivarman
Published: January 2017

The densification of serving nodes is one of the potential solutions to maximize the spectral efficiency per unit area. This is preposterous on account of conventional base stations (BS) for which site procurement is costly. Long term evolution-advanced (LTE-A) defines the idea of heterogeneous networks (HetNets), where BSs with different coverage and capacity are utilized to guarantee the quality of service (QoS) requirements of the clients. To maximize the transmission quality of the clients in the coverage holes, LTE-A also defines multihop relay (MHR) networks, where the relay stations (RSs) are also placed along with the BSs. Unfortunately, the placement approaches for HetNet and MHR serving nodes are not standardized. In this work, two different approaches like site selection with maximum service coverage (SSMSC) and site selection with minimum placement cost (SSMPC) are proposed, which identifies the required number of serving nodes, their types, and the placement locations to maximize the coverage and to maintain the placement cost (PC) within the limits of the total placement budget. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approaches are computationally less complex and offer enhanced performance in terms of aggregate PC, coverage, and power proportion compared to the other conventional approaches.