bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solid‐phase extraction treatment is required for measurement of active glucagon‐like peptide‐1 by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit affected by heterophilic antibodies
Authors: Hasegawa Tomonori , Komagata Miho , Hamasaki Akihiro , Harada Norio , Seino Yutaka , Inagaki Nobuya
Published: July 2018

Aims/Introduction

It is reported that interfering substances in the blood might influence the value for measurement of active glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) in human plasma. Solid phase extraction (SPE) pretreatment is recommended to reduce their influence, but it requires a lot of cost and time. However, there is little investigation about causative inhibitory substances and about methods that can replace solid phase extraction. In the present study, we aimed to seek the candidate of the substances that might interfere with an active GLP‐1 enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Materials and Methods

Two kinds of active GLP‐1 ELISA kits using different antibodies, plural extraction carriers and elution solutions were used to evaluate the SPE method. Active GLP‐1 concentration was compared with or without SPE, and with or without a heterophilic blocking tube.

Results

Active GLP‐1 values were often higher without SPE compared with those with SPE pretreatment. This difference was eliminated by pretreatment with a heterophilic blocking tube or ELISA kits that did not use a mouse monoclonal antibody, and was independent of SPE.

Conclusions

Substances absorbed to a heterophilic blocking tube carrier might interfere with an active GLP‐1 immunoassay. Solid‐phase extraction treatment is required for measurement of active GLP‐1 by an ELISA kit affected by heterophilic antibodies.
Direct medical cost of diabetes in rural China using electronic insurance claims data and diabetes management data
Authors: Wu Haibin , Eggleston Karen N , Zhong Jieming , Hu Ruying , Wang Chunmei , Xie Kaixu , Chen Yiwei , Chen Xiangyu , Yu Min
Published: July 2018

Aims/Introduction

To evaluate the annual direct medical cost attributable to type 2 diabetes mellitus according to socioeconomic factors, medical conditions and complications categories.

Materials and Methods

We created uniquely detailed data from merging datasets of the local diabetes management system and the social security system in Tongxiang, China. We calculated the type 2 diabetes mellitus‐related total cost and out‐of‐pocket cost for inpatient admissions and outpatient visits, and compared the cost for patients with or without complications by different healthcare items.

Results

A total of 16,675 patients were eligible for analysis. The type 2 diabetes mellitus‐related cost accounted for 40.6% of the overall cost. The cost per patient was estimated to be a median of 1,067 Chinese Yuan, 7,114 Chinese Yuan and 969 Chinese Yuan for inpatient and outpatient cost, respectively. The median total cost for hospital‐based care was 3.69‐fold higher than that for primary care. The median cost of patients with complications was 3.46‐fold higher than that of those without complications. The median cost for a patient with only macrovascular, only microvascular or both macrovascular and microvascular complications were 3.13‐, 3.79‐ and 10.95‐fold higher than that of patients without complications. Pharmaceutical expenditure accounted for 51.8 and 79.7% of the total cost for patients with or without complications, respectively.

Conclusions

Although the type 2 diabetes mellitus‐related cost per patient was relatively low, it accounted for a great proportion of the overall cost. Complications obviously aggravated the economic burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Proper management and the prevention of diabetes and its complications are urgently required to curtail the economic burden.
Factors influencing sessions' and speakers' evaluation: an analysis of seven consecutive European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology congress editions
Authors: Cazzaniga S. , Scerri L. , Gabbud J.P. , Arenberger P. , Borradori L. , Naldi L.
Published: July 2018

Background

The variables affecting participants' satisfaction with a scientific conference in dermatology have not been systematically assessed. The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) has collected a huge number of questionnaires related to sessions' and speakers' evaluation over the years. The critical analysis of satisfaction's score is important and helpful for continuous improvement of the scientific programming.

Objective

To identify factors that positively or negatively affect sessions' and speakers' scoring in the largest European congress of dermatology.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of all sessions' evaluation forms collected between 2009 and 2015 during seven consecutiveEADVcongresses. A predictive model for sessions' and another for speakers' score evaluation were built based on multivariate linear regression.

Results

Overall, 4964 speakers and 1022 sessions were evaluated. Topics more positively associated with total sessions' scoring were as follows: dermoscopy, neutrophilic diseases and hidradenitis suppurativa. Conversely, types of sessions which considerably negatively associated with total sessions' scoring included short thematic presentations and free communications. Furthermore, types of sessions which were more positively associated with high total speakers' scoring consisted of focus sessions and plenary lectures, whereas the most appreciated topics encompassed dermoscopy, screening programs, melanocytic naevi, panniculitis, organ transplanted and immunosuppressed patients, neutrophilic diseases, dermatopathology and history of dermatology. Finally, short thematic presentations, free communications and guidelines session showed overall poor scores.

Conclusion

Focused and specialized topics are more prone to capture attention of participants when compared to sessions of heterogeneous content. Quite surprisingly, a practice‐oriented topics such as guidelines, did not achieve a high score. Our findings provide new knowledge about components, which increase the level of satisfaction of participants and should facilitate the programming of attractive scientific congresses associated with increased training satisfaction.
Bacterascites: A study of clinical features, microbiological findings, and clinical significance
Authors: Oey Rosalie C. , van Buuren Henk R. , de Jong David M. , Erler Nicole S. , de Man Robert A.
Published: July 2018

Background

Knowledge about bacterascites is limited and management guidelines are based on small patient series. The purpose of this study was to add further insight into the clinical characteristics, microbiological findings, and prognosis of patients diagnosed with bacterascites.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of patients with advanced chronic liver disease diagnosed with bacterascites and SBP between January 2003 and August 2016.

Results

In this study, 123 patients were included with 142 episodes of bacterascites. The median MELD score was 20 and clinical symptoms of infection were present in 78%. Empiric antibiotic treatment was initiated in 68%. In 26 untreated patients undergoing repeated paracentesis, 42% were diagnosed with either ongoing bacterascites or SBP. The presence of signs or symptoms of infection was not an independent predictor for mortality or spontaneous resolution of infection. The 1‐month and 1‐year mortality rates of the 123 patients studied, were 32% and 60%, respectively; these results were in line with data pertaining to the prognosis of SBP.

Conclusions

Patients with bacterascites and SBP are highly comparable with respect to severity of liver disease and overall prognosis. If left untreated, bacterascites is likely to persist or to evolve to SBP in a significant proportion of patients. The results of this study support current guidelines regarding the treatment of ascitic fluid infection, but could not confirm the prognostic relevance of symptomatic disease at the time of diagnosis. We suggest that the threshold to initiate antibiotic treatment, in particular in cases with severely advanced liver disease, should be low.
Threshold of motion and settling velocities of mollusc shell debris: Influence of faunal composition
Authors: Rieux Alissia , Weill Pierre , Mouaze Dominique , Poirier Clement , Nechenache Farid , Perez Laurent , Tessier Bernadette
Published: July 2018

Bioclastic particles derived from mollusc shell debris can represent a significant fraction of sandy to gravelly sediments in temperate and cool‐water regions with high carbonate productivity. Their reworking and subsequent transport and deposition by waves and currents is highly dependent on the shape and density of the particles. In this study, the hydrodynamic behaviour of shell debris produced by eight mollusc species is investigated for several grain sizes in terms of settling velocity (measurements in a settling tube) and threshold of motion under unidirectional current (flume experiments using an acoustic profiler). Consistent interspecific differences in settling velocity and critical bed shear stress are found, related to differences in shell density, shell structure imaged by scanning electron microscopy and grain shape. Drag coefficients are proposed for each mollusc species, based on an interpolation of settling velocity data. Depending on the shell species, the critical bed shear stress values obtained for bioclastic particles fall within or slightly below empirical envelopes established for siliciclastic particles, despite very low settling velocity values. The results suggest that settling velocity, often used to describe the entrainment of sediment particles through the equivalent diameter, is not a suitable parameter to predict the initiation of motion of shell debris. The influence of the flat shape of bioclastic particles on the initiation of motion under oscillatory flows and during bedload and saltation transport is yet to be elucidated.
Growth of well-oriented InN nanodots by magnetron sputtering with varying sputtering temperature
Authors: Wang Hui , Zhao Yang , Li Xinzhong , Li Jingjie , Zhang Ziming , Wan Shuai , Gu Weizhao , Yang Fan
Published: July 2018

Herein, indium nitride nanodots were deposited on sapphire substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering under different sputtering temperatures. The structure and morphology results revealed that the as-grown InN films exhibited a c-axis preferred oriented growth and a well-oriented InN nanodot morphology. The x-ray photoelectron spectra results indicated that the In atoms existed only as combined InN and not in the form of In2O3 in consequence of the fact that the atomic ratio of In/N was approximately 1:1.06. The energy bandgap of the InN nanodots varied from 1.68 to 2.01 eV as the sputtering temperature increased. Moreover, the electrical properties of the InN nanodots were also discussed in detail using Hall effect results.
Kinetically controlled dewetting of thin GaAs cap from an ErAs/GaAs nanoparticle composite layer
Authors: Zhang Yuanchang , Eyink Kurt G. , Urwin Brittany , Mahalingam Krishnamurthy , Hill Madelyn R. , Grazulis Larry
Published: July 2018

ErAs metal nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in GaAs have multiple applications in plasmonic, terahertz, and tunneling devices. Growing a high quality thin GaAs layer over the ErAs NP layer is vital to these applications. In this work, the authors study the surface stability of a thin GaAs cap (1–5 nm) annealed in a temperature range of 450–620 °C. The thin GaAs cap covered a single layer of ErAs NPs [0.5–1.33 monolayer (ML)] grown using molecular beam epitaxy on GaAs(001) substrates at 450–500 °C. For 1.33 ML ErAs coverage, although a 1 nm GaAs cap exhibited a root-mean-square surface roughness close to 0.3 nm, the authors expected that 1 nm GaAs was not thick enough to overgrow the NPs in a height of 3–4 nm; thus, a large number of pinholes should be left on the surface. By increasing the GaAs cap thickness to 3 nm, the authors were able to achieve atomically smooth surfaces with few remaining pinholes. At a lower coverage of ErAs, 0.5 ML, the authors were able to achieve atomically flat pinhole-free GaAs caps with a thickness of 3–5 nm. However, the key finding from this study is that distinct changes in the surface morphology occurred upon annealing depending on the film thickness and NP density. In the case of 1 nm GaAs caps, clumps were formed when annealed, whereas in the case of GaAs caps of 3–5 nm in thickness, the GaAs film uncharacteristically dewetted at the ErAs NP/GaAs composite interface. Thermodynamically, this dewetting is driven by the high interfacial energy resulting from the difference in the crystal structure between GaAs and ErAs (zinc-blende and rock salt); however, surface mobility plays an important kinetic role in this process. It has been demonstrated that the dewetting can be prevented by combining a higher As overpressure, a low growth/annealing temperature, lower surface coverage of ErAs NP, and thicker GaAs caps.
Accelerating rates of Arctic carbon cycling revealed by long-term atmospheric CO
2
measurements
Authors: Jeong Su-Jong , Bloom A. Anthony , Schimel David , Sweeney Colm , Parazoo Nicholas C. , Medvigy David , Schaepman-Strub Gabriela , Zheng Chunmiao , Schwalm Christopher R. , Huntzinger Deborah N. , Michalak Anna M. , Miller Charles E.
Published: July 2018

Atmospheric CO
2
observations reveal a decrease in Arctic ecosystem carbon residence time over the past four decades.
Phosphorylation of human TRM9L integrates multiple stress-signaling pathways for tumor growth suppression
Authors: Gu Chen , Ramos Jillian , Begley Ulrike , Dedon Peter C. , Fu Dragony , Begley Thomas J.
Published: July 2018

Phosphorylation of the tumor growth suppressor TRM9L is linked to oxidative stress and MEK-ERK-RSK signaling.
TORC1 inhibition enhances immune function and reduces infections in the elderly
Authors: Mannick Joan B. , Morris Melody , Hockey Hans-Ulrich P. , Roma Guglielmo , Beibel Martin , Kulmatycki Kenneth , Watkins Mollie , Shavlakadze Tea , Zhou Weihua , Quinn Dean , Glass David J. , Klickstein Lloyd B.
Published: July 2018

Treating elderly subjects with two low-dose mTOR inhibitors that selectively block TORC1 led to a decrease in infection rates.
Impact of comorbid conditions on outcomes of hip and knee replacement surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Podmore Bélène , Hutchings Andrew , van der Meulen Jan , Aggarwal Ajay , Konan Sujith
Published: July 2018

Objective

To systematically perform a meta-analysis of the association between different comorbid conditions on safety (short-term outcomes) and effectiveness (long-term outcomes) in patients undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

Medline, Embase and CINAHL Plus were searched up to May 2017. We included all studies that reported data to allow the calculation of a pooled OR for the impact of 11 comorbid conditions on 10 outcomes (including surgical complications, readmissions, mortality, function, health-related quality of life, pain and revision surgery). The quality of included studies was assessed using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Continuous outcomes were converted to ORs using the Hasselblad and Hedges approach. Results were combined using a random-effects meta-analysis.

Outcomes

The primary outcome was the adjusted OR for the impact of each 11 comorbid condition on each of the 10 outcomes compared with patients without the comorbid condition. Where the adjusted OR was not available the secondary outcome was the crude OR.

Results

70 studies were included with 16 (23%) reporting on at least 100 000 patients and 9 (13%) were of high quality. We found that comorbidities increased the short-term risk of hospital readmissions (8 of 11 conditions) and mortality (8 of 11 conditions). The impact on surgical complications was inconsistent across comorbid conditions. In the long term, comorbid conditions increased the risk of revision surgery (6 of 11 conditions) and long-term mortality (7 of 11 conditions). The long-term impact on function, quality of life and pain varied across comorbid conditions.

Conclusions

This systematic review shows that comorbidities predominantly have an impact on the safety of hip and knee replacement surgery but little impact on its effectiveness. There is a need for high-quality studies also considering the severity of comorbid conditions.
Effect of routine postdilatation on final coronary blood flow in primary percutaneous coronary intervention patients without angiographic stent expansion problems
Authors: Soylu Korhan , Ataş Ali Ekber , Yenerçağ Mustafa , Akçay Murat , Şeker Onur , Aksan Gökhan , Gülel Okan , Şahin Mahmut
Published: July 2018

Inadequate expansion of coronary stents is associated with stent thrombosis in early stage and with stent restenosis in later stages. Postdilatation (postD) performed using non-compliant balloons improves stent expansion. However, use of this ballooning strategy in primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) has not been evaluated adequately. Patients who presented with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and underwent PPCI were included in the present study. Patients were randomized into two groups as those for whom postD was performed (n=62) and those for whom postD was not performed (n=62). Coronary blood flow was evaluated using the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow and TIMI frame count (TFC). Total of 124 patients with STEMI were included in the study. There was no difference with respect to baseline TIMI flow, culprit coronary artery and MI localization. However, slow-reflow rate (14.5% vs 35.5%, p=0.007) and final corrected TFC (28.9±16.9 vs 37.0±23.1, p=0.028) were significantly higher in the postD group. Multivariate regression analysis showed postD as an independent variable for slow reflow (OR 11.566, 95% CI 1.633 to 81.908, p=0.014). In our study, routine postD during PPCI was found to be associated with an increased risk of slow reflow in patients without angiographic stent expansion problems.
Revascularisation of left main stem disease: a prospective analysis of modern practice and outcomes in a non-surgical centre
Authors: Coughlan J J , Blake Nial , Chongprasertpon Napohn , Ibrahim Munir , Arnous Samer , Kiernan Thomas John
Published: July 2018

Purpose

In this study, we sought to prospectively analyse the management and long term outcomes associated with revascularisation of left main stem disease via percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in our centre.

Methods

This prospective study enrolled all patients with unprotected left main stem disease undergoing revascularisation from January 2013 to June 2014. Baseline characteristics, hospital presentation and hospital stay length were collected. Patients were followed up at 1, 2 and 3 years. Primary outcomes of Major Adverse Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events (MACCE) were defined as death, Q wave myocardial infarction, stroke, repeat revascularisation and readmission within 30 days.

Results

56 patients with significant left main stem coronary artery disease were identified from the clinical registry. 27 patients underwent PCI (median age 67.7) and 29 CABG (median age 68.6). PCI patients had a higher surgical risk as measured by mean euroSCORE (4.95±5.8 vs 3.11±3.85). At 3 years, total MACCE occurred in 29.6% of the PCI cohort and 27.5% of the CABG cohort. Death occurred in three patients in the PCI group within the first 6 months. Death occurred in one patient in the CABG group over 2 years postprocedure. Two patients in the CABG cohort presented with Transient Ischemic Attacks (TIAs) at 2-year follow-up. At 3 years, revascularisation occurred in three patients in the PCI cohort. There were no revascularisation events in the CABG cohort.

Conclusions

PCI with modern drug eluting stents is a reasonable treatment option for unprotected left main stem disease in a non surgical centre.
Effect of blood ionised calcium concentration at calving on fertility outcomes in dairy cattle
Authors: Mahen Philippa Jane , Williams Helen J , Smith Robert Frank , Grove‐White David
Published: July 2018

Clinical and subclinical hypocalcaemia are common in dairy cows, yet evidence in the literature assessing their impact on fertility is inconsistent. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to examine associations between blood ionised calcium concentration at calving and fertility outcomes in dairy cattle. Blood samples were taken from 137 Holstein cows from four commercial dairy herds within 24 hours of calving and analysed for blood ionised calcium using an Epocal Point of Care Analyser (Epocal, Ottawa, Canada). Data collected from routine veterinary fertility examinations and herd records were used to investigate the association of ionised calcium with the outcomes: time to first service, time to conception and endometritis. There were significant negative associations between blood ionised calcium concentration and time to first service (HR 1.33, P=0.001) and blood ionised calcium concentration and time to conception (HR 1.16, P=0.04). There was no significant association between blood ionised calcium concentration and endometritis. The results of this study imply that management policies that minimise the reduction in blood ionised calcium concentration in the periparturient dairy cow are likely to improve reproductive outcomes and should be considered as part of the multifactorial approach to optimising dairy cow fertility.
Parametrizations for tests of gravity
Authors: Lombriser Lucas
Published: July 2018

With the increasing wealth of high-quality astronomical and cosmological data and the manifold departures from General Relativity in principle conceivable, the development of generalized parametrization frameworks that unify gravitational models and cover a wide range of length scales and a variety of observational probes to enable systematic high-precision tests of gravity has been a stimulus for intensive research. A review is presented here for some of the formalisms devised for this purpose, covering the cosmological large- and small-scale structures, the astronomical static weak-field regime as well as emission and propagation effects for gravitational waves. This includes linear and nonlinear parametrized post-Friedmannian frameworks, effective field theory approaches, the parametrized post-Newtonian expansion, the parametrized post-Einsteinian formalism as well as an inspiral-merger-ringdown waveform model among others. Connections between the different formalisms are highlighted where they have been established and a brief outlook is provided for general steps towards a unified global framework for tests of gravity and dark sector models.
Real-Time Continuous Image Processing
Authors: Sacht Leonardo , Nehab Diego , Schulz de Lima Rodolfo
Published: July 2018

In this work, we propose a framework that performs a number of popular image-processing operations in the continuous domain. This is in contrast to the standard practice of defining them as operations over discrete sequences of sampled values. The guiding principle is that, in order to prevent aliasing, nonlinear image-processing operations should ideally be performed prior to prefiltering and sampling. This is of course impractical, as we may not have access to the continuous input. Even so, we show that it is best to apply image-processing operations over the continuous reconstruction of the input. This transformed continuous representation is then prefiltered and sampled to produce the output. The use of high-quality reconstruction strategies brings this alternative much closer to the ideal than directly operating over discrete values. We illustrate the advantages of our framework with several popular effects. In each case, we demonstrate the quality difference between continuous image-processing, their discrete counterparts and previous anti-aliasing alternatives. Finally, our GPU implementation shows that current graphics hardware has enough computational power to perform continuous image processing in real-time.
FLNL: Fuzzy entropy and lion neural learner for EDoS attack mitigation in cloud computing
Authors: Bhingarkar Sukhada , Shah Deven
Published: July 2018

Cloud computing is a technology that allows the end-users to access the network through a shared area of resources. As the demand for the cloud computing increases, vulnerabilities in the service provision also increase. EDoS is one of the attacks that take over the provider, financially affecting the various organizations which use the cloud data. This paper utilizes fuzzy entropy and lion neural learner (FLNL) for the classification of cloud users to mitigate EDoS attacks in the cloud. This technique includes a training phase, which creates a log file using various parameters and then transforms the features into database considering certain key features. There are two important stages in this classification approach: feature selection and classification. Here, the fuzzy entropy function is utilized for feature selection which effectively selects useful features without information loss. The classification is performed using lion neural learner (LNL) which incorporates Lion algorithm (LA) into the neural network and uses Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm. The experimental results finalize that the proposed FLNL is effective with 89% precision, 78% recall, and 83.13% of f-measure compared with the existing Naïve Bayes (NB), Neural [Formula: see text] Propagation [Formula: see text], and Neural [Formula: see text]–Marquardt [Formula: see text].
Experimental study of materials radiation resistance in reactor mixed fields for the construction of the SPES facility at LNL
Authors: Zenoni A. , Bignotti F. , Donzella A. , Donzella G. , Ferrari M. , Paderno D. , Pandini S. , Andrighetto A. , Ballan M. , Corradetti S. , D’agostini F. , Manzolaro M. , Monetti A. , Rossignoli M. , Scarpa D. , Alloni D. , Salvini A. , Zelaschi F.
Published: July 2018

The Selective Production of Exotic Species (SPES) facility, now under construction at Legnaro National Laboratories of INFN, is a second-generation accelerator for the production of neutron-rich ion beams. The radioactive nuclear species are produced by fission of a [Formula: see text]U target, on which a 200[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]A primary proton beam of 40[Formula: see text]MeV energy impinges. Materials and components constituting the Target and Ion Source assembly and the Front-End supporting structure are subjected to serious radioactive damage due to intense neutron and photon fields present under operating conditions. In the framework of the SPES project, experimental campaigns aimed at testing the radiation hardness of critical materials and components of potential use in the construction were started. Irradiations were conducted in a reactor mixed field of neutrons and photons in order to reproduce, as close as possible, the actual environmental service conditions. Results obtained for different types of elastomeric materials used for construction of vacuum O-rings, as well as preliminary results obtained for lubricating oils and greases, are presented. Materials under consideration are both conventional ones as well as materials specifically developed for applications in the presence of ionizing radiation. The latter materials were previously tested mainly in gamma radiation fields.
Response assessment of a new albedo neutron dosimeter
Authors: Barros Silvia , Kim Geehyun
Published: July 2018

The use of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) by personnel who work in radiation-rich environments is required by law. However, many professionals prefer to use Electronic Personal Dosimeters (EPDs), which provide dose estimation in real time. This preference may lead to a generalized use of the EPD instead of using the required TLD, as the use of both types at once can be uncomfortable and impractical. In an effort to avoid this scenario, a gamma/neutron dosimeter composed of a TLD and an EPD is being developed. In this paper, the results obtained from the studies performed in order to develop the neutron albedo dosimeter to be incorporated in the TLD[Formula: see text]EPD dosimeter are presented. Monte Carlo simulations using the state-of-the-art Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport (MCNPX) code were used to calculate the response of the albedo dosimeter. The thermal neutron detectors under consideration for use in the proposed dosimeter are the EJ-426 and the EJ-420. Both detectors employ a lithium compoundenriched to 95% [Formula: see text]Li dispersed in a ZnS:(Ag) matrix. The tomographic phantom Korean Typical Man-2 was used in the simulations to calculate the fraction of radiation backscattered by a human body in different radiation field conditions. From these results, it was concluded that both dosimeters are fit to be used as albedo dosimeters.
A distributed data acquisition system for nuclear detectors
Authors: Fontana Cristiano L. , Carnera Alberto , Lunardon Marcello , Pino Felix E. , Sada Cinzia , Soramel Francesca , Stevanato Luca , Moretto Sandra
Published: July 2018

Nowadays, many examples of data acquisition (DAQ) software for experimental nuclear physics are monolithic processes that run on a computer attached to the DAQ hardware. In this article we present a distributed DAQ system developed for the C-BORD project. With our system, we propose a novel approach, in which each task related to the different DAQ parts (acquisition, pre-process, analysis, etc.) runs in a separate process. In particular, the system is composed of a set of servers that exchange information through dedicated communication sockets. Therefore, with this architecture, an important advantage is the possibility to run the processes on different computers to distribute the computational load. The initial tests of the system have been giving excellent results, both in terms of performance (i.e., maximum acquisition rates) and stability. The project entitled “Effective container inspection at BORDer control points” (C-BORD) is funded by the European H2020 programme. Its aim is to develop a comprehensive set of technologies for the generalized non-intrusive inspection (NII) of containers and large-volume freight at the European Union border.
A Dynamic Coefficient Matrix Method for the Free Vibration of Thin Rectangular Isotropic Plates
Authors: Jayasinghe Supun , Hashemi Seyed M.
Published: July 2018

The free flexural vibration of thin rectangular plates is revisited. A new, quasi‐exact solution to the governing differential equation is formed by following a unique method of decomposing the governing equation into two beam‐like expressions. Using the proposed quasi‐exact solution, a Dynamic Coefficient Matrix (DCM) method is formed and used to investigate the free lateral vibration of a rectangular thin plate, subjected to various boundary conditions. Exploiting a special code written on MATLAB®, the flexural natural frequencies of the plate are found by sweeping the frequency domain in search of specific frequencies that yield a zero determinant. Results are validated extensively both by the limited exact results available in the open literature and by numerical studies using ANSYS® and in‐house conventional FEM programs using both 12‐ and 16‐DOF plate elements. The accuracy of all methods for lateral free vibration analysis is assessed and critically examined through benchmark solutions. It is envisioned that the proposed quasi‐exact solution and the DCM method will allow engineers to more conveniently investigate the vibration behaviour of two‐dimensional structural components during the preliminary design stages, before a detailed design begins.
Host–Guest Extraction of Heavy Metal Ions with p-t-Butylcalix[8]arene from Ammonia or Amine Solutions
Authors: Zahir Md. Hasan , Chowdhury Shakhawat , Abdul Aziz Md. , Rahman Mohammad Mizanur
Published: July 2018

The capacities of the p-t-butylcalix[8]arene (abbreviated as H8L) host to extract toxic divalent heavy metal ions and silver from aqueous solution phases containing ammonia or ethylene diamine to an organic phase (nitrobenzene, dichloromethane, or chloroform) were carried out. When the metal ions were extracted from an aqueous ammonia solution, the metal ion selectivity for extraction was found to decrease in the order Cd2+> Ni2+> Cu2+> Ag+> Co2+> Zn2+. When the aqueous phase contained ethylene diamine, excellent extraction efficiencies of 97% and 90% were observed for the heavy metal ions Cu2+ and Cd2+, respectively. Under the same conditions the extraction of octahedral type metal ions, namely, Co2+ and Ni2+, was suppressed. The extraction of transition metal cations by H8L in ammonia and/or amine was found to be pH dependent. Detailed analysis of extraction behavior was investigated by slope analysis, the continuous variation method, and by loading tests.
The Effect of Tobacco Smoking on Musculoskeletal Health: A Systematic Review
Authors: AL-Bashaireh Ahmad M. , Haddad Linda G. , Weaver Michael , Kelly Debra Lynch , Chengguo Xing , Yoon Saunjoo
Published: July 2018

This systematic review explored associations between smoking and health outcomes involving the musculoskeletal system. AMSTAR criteria were followed. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Science Direct returned 243 articles meeting inclusion criteria. A majority of studies found smoking has negative effects on the musculoskeletal system. In research on bones, smoking was associated with lower BMD, increased fracture risk, periodontitis, alveolar bone loss, and dental implant failure. In research on joints, smoking was associated with increased joint disease activity, poor functional outcomes, and poor therapeutic response. There was also evidence of adverse effects on muscles, tendons, cartilage, and ligaments. There were few studies on the musculoskeletal health outcomes of secondhand smoke, smoking cessation, or other modes of smoking, such as waterpipes or electronic cigarettes. This review found evidence that suggests tobacco smoking has negative effects on the health outcomes of the musculoskeletal system. There is a need for further research to understand mechanisms of action for the effects of smoking on the musculoskeletal system and to increase awareness of healthcare providers and community members of the adverse effects of smoking on the musculoskeletal system.
Pt-Co and Pt-Ni Catalysts of Low Metal Content for H2 Production by Reforming of Oxygenated Hydrocarbons and Comparison with Reported Pt-Based Catalysts
Authors: Dosso Liza A. , Vera Carlos R. , Grau Javier M.
Published: July 2018

New catalysts of Pt, PtNi, PtCo, and NiCo supported on Al2O3 were developed for producing hydrogen by aqueous phase reforming (APR) of oxygenated hydrocarbons. The urea matrix combustion technique was used for loading the metal on the support in order to improve several aspects: increase both the metal-support interaction and the metal dispersion and decrease the metal load. The catalysts were characterized by MS/ICP, N2 adsorption, XRD, TPR, CO chemisorption, and the test of cyclohexane dehydrogenation (CHD). The APR of a solution of 10% mass ethylene glycol (EG), performed in a tubular fixed bed reactor at 498 K, 22 bar, WHSV = 2.3 h−1, was used as the main reaction test. After 10 h on-stream, the catalysts prepared by UMC had better hydrogen yield and catalytic stability than common catalysts prepared by IWI. The UMC/IWI H2 yield ratio was 23.5/15.2 for Pt, 24.0/17.0 for PtCo, 26.6/21.0 for PtNi, and 8.0/3.9 for NiCo. Ni or Co addition to Pt increased the carbon conversion while keeping the H2 turnover high. Cobalt also improves stability. Reports of several authors were revised for a comparison. The analysis indicated that the developed catalysts are a viable and cheaper alternative for H2 production from a renewable resource.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Possible Catches and Correct Management in Young Women
Authors: Di Tucci Chiara , Di Mascio Daniele , Schiavi Michele Carlo , Perniola Giorgia , Muzii Ludovico , Benedetti Panici Pierluigi
Published: July 2018

The incidence of adnexal masses increases exponentially with age and the most frequent causes in young women are physiologic cysts and pelvic abscesses with pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). Clinical examination can direct physicians to an appropriate management of adnexal mass, but the role of transvaginal ultrasound is crucial for diagnosis and treatment decision, even if it sometimes can be misleading, especially in young women. Ca 125, blood count, and CRP are useful to clarify suspected etiology of a pelvic mass, but specificity and positive predictive value are low because elevation of laboratory tests may occur in several benign conditions. In our work we present four cases of suspected pelvic masses. Despite guidelines for management of PID, the right timing to switch to surgical therapy is not clear. Therefore, the treatment decision should be based on a careful evaluation of various parameters such as signs symptoms and above all age. Moreover, we believe that, for a correct diagnosis and for the best fertility sparing treatment, it is also extremely important to refer to a gynecological oncology unit with an expert surgeon.
Muscle Extremely Low Frequency Magnetic Stimulation Eliminates the Effect of Fatigue on EEG-EMG Coherence during the Lateral Raise Task: A Pilot Quantitative Investigation
Authors: Qiu Qian , Cao Liu , Hao Dongmei , Yang Lin , Hillstrom Rajshree , Zheng Dingchang
Published: July 2018

The aim of this study was to quantitatively investigate the effects of force load, muscle fatigue, and extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic stimulation on electroencephalography- (EEG-) electromyography (EMG) coherence during right arm lateral raise task. Eighteen healthy male subjects were recruited. EEG and EMG signals were simultaneously recorded from each subject while three different loads (0, 1, and 3kg) were added on the forearm. ELF magnetic stimulation was applied to the subject’s deltoid muscle between tasks during the resting period. Univariate ANOVA showed that all EEG-EMG coherence areas of C3, C4, CP5, and CP6 were not significantly affected by the force load (all p>0.05) and that muscle fatigue led to statistically significant reductions on the coherence area of gamma band in C3 (p=0.014) and CP5 (p=0.019). More interestingly, these statistically significant reductions disappeared with the application of muscle ELF magnetic stimulation, indicating its potential application to eliminate the effect of fatigue.
Ropivacaine Plasma Concentrations after 192-Hour High Dose Epidural Ropivacaine Infusion in a Pediatric Patient without Side Effects
Authors: van de Vossenberg Glenn , van der Wal Selina , Müller Andrea , Tan Edward , Vissers Kris
Published: July 2018

This case report discusses continuous epidural administration of ropivacaine 0.56 mg kg−1 h −1 for 8 days in a 7-year-old trauma patient to prevent pain, after performing a lower right and upper left leg guillotine amputation. Venous sampling after 8 days revealed bound and unbound ropivacaine concentrations of 1.1 mg/l and 0.06 mg/l in plasma, respectively. Arterial sampling for bound and unbound ropivacaine was 1.2 mg/l and 0.05 mg/l in plasma, respectively. In this case report, long-term high dose epidural infiltration of ropivacaine did not result in severe side effects or complications. Further studies are needed to explore safety of these concentrations in larger populations of children.
Neurointerventional “Near Morbidity”: A Candid Appraisal of an Early Case Series
Authors: Gross Bradley A. , Jadhav Ashutosh P. , Jovin Tudor G. , Jankowitz Brian T.
Published: July 2018

Background: Modern case series often focus on emphasizing low complication rates, “safety,” and “efficacy.” Although patients may not suffer significant or obviously apparent neurological complications, many lessons are buried in the “no complications” cohort. Methods: The junior author’s prospectively maintained caselog was reviewed over a 1-year period for both symptomatic and “minor”/technical complications of neurointerventional cases, the latter referring to an intraprocedural inability to treat a lesion, suboptimal result, or potentially morbid angiographic occurrence/finding that did not result in permanent neurological morbidity – neurointerventional “near morbidity” (NNM). Results: Of 602 treatments performed over the reviewed period, 163 were interventional neuroendovascular procedures. The most common neuroendovascular procedure performed was stroke thrombectomy (67 cases). Major neurological complications, defined as symptomatic stroke or hemorrhage, occurred in 7 cases (4%). NNM, consisting of instructive, technical issues arose in an additional 9 cases that did not result in neurological morbidity (6%). Overall, in 20/163 cases (12%), there were either major neurological complications, NNM, groin complications, or major medical complications. Conclusions: “Minor”/technical complications – NNM – can be as instructive and illustrative as major complications despite not resulting in permanent morbidity. In reviewing case series, particularly early in one’s career, these cases should be highlighted.
Multicenter Experience with Stenting for Symptomatic Carotid Web
Authors: Haussen Diogo C. , Grossberg Jonathan A. , Koch Sebastian , Malik Amer , Yavagal Dileep , Gory Benjamin , Leesch Wolfgang , Hassan Ameer E. , Derelle Anne-Laure , Richard Sébastien , Barreira Clara , Pradilla Gustavo , Nogueira Raul G.
Published: July 2018

Background: A carotid web (CaW) is a shelf-like lesion in the posterior aspect of the internal carotid bulb and represents an intimal variant of fibromuscular dysplasia. CaW has been associated with recurrent strokes and conventionally treated with surgical excision. We report a multicenter experience of stenting in patients with symptomatic CaWs. Methods: Retrospective review of consecutive patients admitted to 5 comprehensive stroke centers who were identified to have a symptomatic CaW and treated with carotid stenting. A symptomatic CaW was defined by the presence of a shelf-like/linear, smooth filling defect in the posterior aspect of the carotid bulb diagnosed by neck CT angiography (CTA) and confirmed with conventional angiography in patients with negative stroke workup. Results: Twenty-four patients with stented symptomatic CaW were identified (stroke in 83% and transient ischemic attack in 17%). Their median age was 47 years (IQR 41–61), 14 (58%) were female, and were 17 (71%) black. The degree of stenosis by NASCET was 0% (range 0–11). All patients were placed on dual antiplatelets and stented at a median of 9 days (IQR 4–35) after the last event. Closed-cell stents were used in 18 (75%) of the cases. No periprocedural events occurred with the exception of 2 cases of asymptomatic hypotension/bradycardia. Clinical follow-up after stent placement occurred for a median of 12 months (IQR 3–19) with no new cerebrovascular events noted. Functional independence at 90 days was achieved in 22 (91%) patients. Follow-up vascular imaging (ultrasound n = 18/CTA n = 5) was performed at a median of 10 months (IQR 3–18) and revealed no stenosis. Conclusions: Stenting for symptomatic CaW appears to be a safe and effective alternative to surgical resection. Further studies are warranted.
Compound K Inhibits Autophagy-Mediated Apoptosis Through Activation of the PI3K-Akt Signaling Pathway Thus Protecting Against Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Li Xiangyan , Huang Qingxia , Wang Manying , Yan Xiuci , Song Xinying , Ma Rui , Jiang Rui , Zhao Daqing , Sun Liwei
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims: A series of reports revealed that autophagy and apoptosis exerted detrimental effects on the pathology of cardiac ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Ginsenoside compound K (CK), a major intestinal metabolite underlying the pharmacological actions of orally administered ginseng, has a protective effect against myocardial I/R injury. However, the molecular mechanisms by which CK protects against I/R injury remain unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that the cardioprotective effects of CK against I/R injury are mediated by inhibiting autophagy/apoptosis-related signaling pathways in H9c2 cardiomyocyte cells. Methods: H9c2 cells were incubated with CK and exposed to I/R. Cell viability and damage was analyzed by MTT and lactate dehydrogenase assays. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial damage, and cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining. The expression of autophagy, apoptosis, and related signaling proteins was analyzed by Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Results: CK pretreatment promoted cell viability and attenuated ROS accumulation and intracellular mitochondrial damage induced by I/R injury Moreover, CK reduced autophagy by regulating the formation of phagocytic precursors to autophagosomes and also inhibited apoptosis through a mitochondrial-mediated pathway. Additionally the cardioprotective effect of CK against I/R injury was mainly through the activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Conclusions: CK pretreatment inhibits autophagy-mediated apoptosis induced by I/R injury through the activation of the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, which reveals that CK may be one of the key bioactive ingredients of ginseng for the treatment of myocardial I/R injury.
Activation of the Nrf2-ARE Pathway Ameliorates Hyperglycemia-Mediated Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Podocytes Partly Through Sirt1
Authors: Zhang Qunzi , Deng Qiongxia , Zhang Jun , Ke JianTing , Zhu Ye , Wen Ruo wei , Ye Zengchun , Peng Hui , Su Zhong zhen , Wang Cheng , Lou Tanqi
Published: July 2018

Background/Aims: Previously we have shown that activation of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2)-antioxidant response element (ARE) attenuated hyperglycemia-induced damage in podocytes, but the molecular mechanism remains unknown. Methods: Tert-butylhydroquinone (t-BHQ) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were used to regulate Nrf2 expression, while nicotinamide and siRNAs were used to regulate sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) activity and expression, respectively. Mitochondrial superoxide, membrane potential and ATP levels were measured to assess changes in mitochondrial function. Nephrin and synaptopodin expression were measured by western blot analysis. Human podocytes and db/db diabetic mice were used in this study. Results: t-BHQ pretreatment of human podocytes exposed to high glucose (HG) alleviated mitochondrial dysfunction, enhanced the expression of Sirt1, nephrin and synaptopodin and lowered BSA permeability compared with podocytes exposed to HG without t-BHQ pretreatment (p< 0.05). Human podocytes exposed to HG had more severe mitochondrial dysfunction, lower expression of Sirt1, synaptopodin and nephrin and higher BSA permeability than podocytes exposed to HG when Nrf2 expression was downregulated by siRNAs (p< 0.05). The protection provided by activation of the Nrf-ARE pathway in podocytes exposed to HG was partially diminished when Sirt1 expression or activity was decreased by siRNAs or inhibitor compared with podocytes exposed to HG and pretreated with t-BHQ (p< 0.05). When nicotinamide and t-BHQ were both administered to db/db mice, we observed higher levels of urinary albumin/creatinine, lower nephrin and synaptopodin expression, more severe mesangial matrix deposition, collagen deposition on pathological slides and mitochondrial structural damage in podocytes compared to db/db mice treated only with t-BHQ. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that crosstalk between Sirt1 and the Nrf2-ARE anti-oxidative pathway forms a positive feedback loop and that protection provided by t-BHQ activation of the Nrf2-ARE pathway in db/db mice is partly dependent on Sirt1.