bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fabrication and Testing of Breast Tissue-Mimicking Phantom for Needle Biopsy Cutting: A Pilot Study
Authors: Jheng Yu-Chen , Lin Chi-Lun
Published: October 2017

Breast lesion tissue can be extremely stiff, e.g. calcification or soft, e.g. adipose. When performing needle biopsy, too small or scanty samples can be retrieved due to the tissue is mainly compressed instead of being cut. In order to studying the tissue cutting performance in various cutting conditions, tissue-mimicking phantoms are frequently used as a surrogate of human tissue. The advantage of using tissue phantoms is that their mechanical properties can be controlled. The stiffness of a tissue phantom can be measured by an indentation test. Previous studies have demonstrated mathematic models to estimate Young’s moduli of tissue phantoms from force-displacement data with an adjustable coefficient according to the geometry of the indenter.

Tissue force reactions occurred needle insertion has been largely researched [1], but few studies investigated the tissue cutting with a rotational needle, which is a cutting method largely used in the breast needle biopsy. Research has demonstrated that the influence of rotation can significantly reduce the insertion force [2], but the experiment was conducted on a specific formula of silicone-based tissue phantoms.

This paper served as a pilot study of a large-scale experiment to study the effect of rotational cutting on various cutting conditions and target materials, including artificial and biological soft tissues. Two most common types of soft tissue phantoms, biopolymers (gelatin gels and agar) and chemically synthesized polymers (polydimethylsiloxane, PDMS) were investigated. Indentation tests were performed to estimate the mechanical properties of tissue phantoms which were then verified by finite element simulations. Tissue cutting tests with and without rotation were conducted to evaluate the effect of needle rotation on the tissue force reactions.
Design of a Novel Radio Frequency Ablation Probe for Tumor Ablation Treatment
Authors: Den Adel Colleen , Husler Zena-Maria , Han Yen-Lin
Published: October 2017

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), commonly known as the liver cancer, is a severe health concern worldwide. For patients with liver tumors that are difficult to remove through traditional treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy and partial hepatectomy, there is the option of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) treatment. RFA is a minimally invasive procedure that is currently treating liver tumors that are relatively small in size. Radiofrequency ablation uses currents to heat up the tissue of the tumor. Once the temperature of the tissue reaches approximately 60° C tissue necrosis begins to occur [1]. With current RFA probes, ablation lesions are typically 3–5.5 cm in diameter [2]. It is important that all of the tumor tissue is ablated, so it is necessary to also kill a small amount of the surrounding healthy tissue. At least 1 cm of healthy tissue should be ablated to ensure the tumor will not recur [2]. Hence, many studies [3, 4] have attempted to increase the RFA ablation zone through various methods including adding saline to the tissue, predicting the optimal power level, etc.

To focus on safely increasing the size of the ablation zone and to improve upon the spherical geometry of the tumors, the “Christmas tree” and “umbrella” style probes [5], which utilize multi-pronged electrodes (tines), are currently available in the market. The electrodes, or wires of the probe, are responsible for producing heat and making contact with the liver tissue at all time in order to execute the tissue ablation. For the umbrella and Christmas tree style probes, the drawbacks include: 1. the gauge of the tines limit the ablation scope of the probes; 2. their ability to achieve higher volumes of cell death are limited due to their static geometry, which has fixed diameters; 3. towards the outer edge of the tumor, due to their static geometry and the loss of contact with live tissues, the rate of killing cancerous cells decreases drastically due to the decrease in heat transfer rate, which is a result of the lack of heat sink from perfusion in the live tissues [6].

It was noticed that an improvement could be made to the efficiency of these multi-pronged electrodes if they were free to expand as the area of tissue was ablated. Therefore, a novel dynamic RFA probe was proposed by Lau and Han and numerical simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics Joule heating module have concluded that this dynamic RFA probe can achieve a higher ablation volume with a shorter procedure time [7]. The main goal of this study is to realize the design of this dynamic RFA probe with expandable electrodes to create the largest and most replicable ablation zone. In this study, the deployment mechanism and the proposed design of the dynamic probe are discussed and the analytical solutions of the electrode expansion profiles are presented. The ablation zones are estimated analytically based on the dynamic expansion of the electrodes.
In Vitro Evaluation of Coating Performance of Guidewire Surrogates
Authors: Shi Huiyu , Vorvolakos Katherine , Dreher Maureen , Walsh Donna , Duraiswamy Nandini
Published: October 2017

Vascular guidewires are commonly used during interventional surgery to help introduce and position intravascular catheters at the treatment site. Nitinol (NiTi) and stainless steel are the most commonly used alloys in guidewires and a thin layer of polymer coating is usually applied on the guidewire surface to reduce friction within the lumen of blood vessels. Hydrophobic (e.g. PTFE) or hydrophilic (e.g., hyaluronic acid (HA), polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), etc.) coatings may be used for this purpose, but coating separation/flaking has been reported from intravascular medical devices [1]. Coating fragments may cause serious adverse events in patients, including pulmonary embolism and infarction, myocardial embolism, necrosis, and death. Hydrophilic polymer emboli in patients has also been reported [2][3][4]. By 2015, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required device manufacturers to phase out the use of the surfactant, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a potential carcinogen during polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating manufacturing [5]. Such changes in manufacturing processes need to be evaluated for their effects on coating performance. Of special concern is flaking of coatings, a multifactorial phenomenon that may be related to changes in device design, manufacturing, pre-conditioning, storage, and/or clinical use. There is no comprehensive standard for assessment of coating performance on guidewires. The objective of this study was to evaluate hydrophilic coating integrity and durability during in vitro soaking and bending stress tests.
Kinetic Measurement Platform for Open Surgical Skill Assessment
Authors: Wijayarathne Lasitha , Hammond Frank L.
Published: October 2017

Current surgical skill assessment methods are often based on the kinematics of manual surgical instruments during tool-tissue interactions. Though kinematic data are generally regarded as a sufficient basis for skill assessment, the inclusion of kinetic information would allow the assessment of measures such as “respect for tissue” and force control, which are also important aspects of surgical proficiency. Kinetic data would also provide a richer data set upon which automated surgical motion segmentation and classification algorithms can be developed. However, the kinetics of tool-tissue interactions are seldom included in assessments, due largely to the difficulty of mounting small sensors — typically silicon strain gauges — onto surgical instruments to capture force data. Electromagnetic (EM) or optical trackers used for kinematic measurement are often tethered, and thus having tethered force sensors also mounted on the same surgical instruments would complicate the experimental process and could affect/distort the acquired data by impeding the natural manual motions of surgeons.

We present a surgical skill assessment platform which places the kinetic sensors in the environment, not on the instruments, to reduce the physical encumbrance of the system to the surgeon. This system can capture kinetic data using a standalone force/torque sensor embedded in a custom designed workspace platform, and kinematic data using EM trackers placed on the instruments. This portable platform enables the empirical characterization of open surgery motion trajectories and corresponding kinetic data without need for a centralized acquisition site, and will eventually be integrated into a completely untethered skill assessment system.
Robot for MRI-Guided ALS Spinal Therapy
Authors: Tse Zion Tsz Ho , Squires Alexander , Oshinski John
Published: October 2017

Limited treatment options are available for treating Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) (1). Small animal models have shown promise in halting neurodegeneration associated with ALS where cellular therapeutics are delivered to the ventral horn of the spinal cord (2), although this procedure is invasive and requires multi-level laminectomy and dissection of the dura mater (Fig. 1). We hypothesized that SpinoBof, a robotic needle guidance platform (Fig. 2) could deliver cellular therapeutics to the ventral horn percutaneously under MRI guidance, enhancing upon existing invasive and time-consuming techniques for targeting injection sites.
Development and Testing of an External Fixation Coupling for a Damage Control Orthopedic System
Authors: Ruhala Laura , Beck Dennis , Ruhala Richard , Megal Aaron , Perry Megan
Published: October 2017

Seligson [1] describes how Hoffmann and Jaquet, a medical doctor and an engineer, respectively, developed the original Hoffmann fixator as a tool to stabilize human fractures with minimal invasiveness.

Whether being utilized in mass trauma injury situations such as the 2010 Haitian earthquake, within our emerging geriatric population, or in veterinary applications, external fixation is widely used [1–4]. In this investigation, a rod-to-wire coupling, shown in Figure 1, and hereafter referred to as the R2W clamp, has been designed and validation tested for Stryker Orthopaedic’s Hoffmann II (HII) External Fixation System. As the name implies, this clamp has the purpose of connecting 8mm rods to 1.5mm or 2mm Kirschner (k-) wires or olive wires to stabilize bony fragments in the lower extremity, thus expediting healing in a trauma case. This paper summarizes the results of the validation tests conducted on prototype clamps.

This clamp effectively allows placement of a wire to further stabilize a frame [3] by allowing wire placement without the addition of an intermediate ring, as shown in Figure 2. The wire could be added to any configuration with two parallel rods extending in plane with the bone.

As shown in Figure 3, the R2W clamp can be positioned “outboard” with the rod between it and the bone, or “inboard” between the rod and the bone, allowing the surgeon geometric flexibility. The use of two k-wires is recommended to stabilize each bone fragment [5].

One of the goals of the validation testing was to determine the effectiveness and functional safety of the clamp as related to surgically applied k-wire tensions of either 50 kg or 100 kg.

Since it is feasible that surgeons may tighten, loosen, then retighten the clamp while positioning it during surgery, the effects of clamp retightenings on the performance of the R2W clamp were also evaluated [4].
Application of Multi-Material 3D Printing for Improved Functionality and Modularity of Open Source Low-Cost Prosthetics: A Case Study
Authors: Bijadi Sachin , de Bruijn Erik , Tempelman Erik Y. , Oberdorf Jos
Published: October 2017

Low-cost 3D desktop printing, although still in its infancy, is rapidly maturing, with a wide range of applications. With its ease of production and affordability, it has led to development of a global maker culture, with the design and manufacture of artefacts by individuals as a collaborative & creative hobbyist practice. This has enabled mass customization of goods with the potential to disrupt conventional manufacturing, giving more people access to traditionally expensive products like prosthetics and medical devices [1], as is the case with e-NABLE, a global community providing open source prosthetics for people with upper limb deficiencies.

However one of the major barriers to proliferation of 3D printing as a major manufacturing method is the limitation of compatible materials for use with the technology [2]. This places constraints on the design approach, as well as the complexity & functionality of artefacts that can be produced with 3D printing as compared to traditional manufacturing methods. As a result, devices like the e-NABLE Raptor Reloaded prosthetic hand, which is designed specifically to be produced via a single extruder FDM desktop 3D printer, have limited functionality as compared to conventional prosthetics, leading to low active use and prosthesis abandonment [3]. However, with the advent of multi-material desktop 3D printing, and increasing availability of a broader range of compatible materials (of varying characteristics) [2], there is scope for improving capabilities of low-cost prosthetics through the creation of more sophisticated multi-material functional integrated devices.

This work documents the exploration of potential applications of multi-material 3D printing to improve production, capabilities and usability of low-cost open source prosthetics. Various material combinations were initially studied and functional enhancements for current 3D printed prosthetics were prototyped using key material combinations identified. Further, a user-centered design approach was utilized to develop a novel multi-material anthropomorphic prosthetic hand ‘ex_machina’ based on a modular platform architecture, to demonstrate the scope for reduced build complexity and improved dexterity & functional customization enabled by dual extrusion FDM desktop 3D printing. A full prototype was built & tested with a lead user, and results analyzed to determine scope for optimization.
Physiological Assessment of Cardiac Muscle Post-Irreversible Electroporation Therapy
Authors: Mattison Lars M. , Iaizzo Paul A.
Published: October 2017

Ablations have become the gold clinical standard of drug resistant atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is projected to affect 50 million people by the year 20501. Today, two primary methods of ablation are used clinically: radio frequency and cryoablation. These ablation technologies are equally effective1 but still cause complications. A majority of these complications arise from the fact that both technologies require a thermal change in the tissue to cause cell death.

Thermal change of the tissue while effective, can be subject to many different variables that may result in collateral damage. These include levels of focal blood flow, location of vessels near the ablation site, and/or adjacent tissue damage causing clinical issues such as esophageal fistulas or phrenic nerve injury. Irreversible Electroporation serves as a possible non-thermal alternative. This therapy is a train of high voltage (>500V/cm) short DC pulses that cause pores to form in the cell membrane. If a large enough electric field is applied, then the pores in the cell membrane can cause permanent damage resulting in cell death.

To date, the majority of irreversible electroporation research that has been done has examined the use of this approach for treating cancerous tumors in the skin, prostate, and liver. Very little study of this potential treatment relating to the heart has been done other than synchronizing delivery of the therapy with the heartbeat to not induce ventricular fibrillation. The appeal of a potentially more predictable lesion would be highly desired in this clinical realm. Here we present initial investigations as to the functional response of cardiac tissue to electroporative energy via the NanoKnife.
Papers of note in
Science Immunology
2
(16)
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: October 2017

This month’s articles show how type III interferons mediate antifungal immunity; examine the mechanism of lipid autoreactivity of T cell receptors; and implicate lysosomal signaling in controlling dendritic cell migration.
Comparative analysis of the scope of European Union paediatric investigation plans with corresponding orphan designations
Authors: Ecker Andrea , Mariz Segundo , Naumann-Winter Frauke , Norga Koenraad , Barisic Ingeborg , Girard Thomas , Tomasi Paolo , Mentzer Dirk , Sepodes Bruno
Published: October 2017

Background

Market forces may not be sufficient to stimulate research and development of medicines for small patient populations, such as children and patients with rare diseases. Both the European Union Orphan and Paediatric Regulations were introduced to address the unmet public health needs of these smaller patient populations through the use of incentives, rewards and obligations. Developers for new medicines for rare diseases must agree a paediatric investigation plan (PIP) or waiver with the European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) Paediatric Committee (PDCO), and can also apply for an orphan designation (OD) from the EMA’s Committee of Orphan Medicinal Products (COMP). The scope of both the OD and the PIP (or waiver) is defined by the agreed condition.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to analyse the approach of PDCO and COMP in defining the appropriate condition for a PIP or OD, respectively, in order to investigate potential challenges in the paediatric development of orphan medicines which have to meet the requirements of both legislations.

Methods

A comparative analysis of PIP conditions and OD conditions was performed for medicines that have been reviewed by both Committees.

Results

We found that in the substantial majority of cases there is no divergence between the conclusions of COMP and PDCO with regard to the condition for which a medicine is to be developed.

Conclusion

These findings demonstrate that a collaborative approach allows both Regulations to work synergistically to foster pharmaceutical development for rare diseases in childhood.
Diagnostic accuracy of three clinical dehydration scales: a systematic review
Authors: Falszewska Anna , Szajewska Hania , Dziechciarz Piotr
Published: October 2017

Objective

To systematically assess the diagnostic accuracy of the Clinical Dehydration Scale (CDS), the WHO Scale and the Gorelick Scale in identifying dehydration in children with acute gastroenteritis (AGE).

Design

Three databases, two registers of clinical trials and the reference lists from identified articles were searched for diagnostic accuracy studies in children with AGE. The index tests were the CDS, WHO Scale and Gorelick Scale, and reference standard was the percentage loss of body weight. The main analysed outcomes were the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (LR) and negative LR.

Results

Ten studies were included. In high-income countries, the CDS provided a moderate-to-large increase in the post-test probability of predicting moderate to severe (≥6%) dehydration (positive LR 3.9–11.79), but it was of limited value for ruling it out (negative LR 0.55–0.71). In low-income countries, the CDS showed limited value both for ruling in and ruling out moderate-to-severe dehydration. In both settings, the CDS showed poor diagnostic accuracy for ruling in or out no dehydration (<3%) or some dehydration (3%–6%). The WHO Scale showed no or limited value in assessing dehydration in children with diarrhoea. With one exception, the included studies did not confirm the diagnostic accuracy of the Gorelick Scale.

Conclusion

Limited evidence suggests that the CDS can help in ruling in moderate-to-severe dehydration (≥6%) in high-income settings only. The WHO and Gorelick Scales are not helpful for assessing dehydration in children with AGE.
Assessment of retinoblastoma RNA reflux after intravitreal injection of melphalan
Authors: Winter Ursula , Nicolas Michael , Sgroi Mariana , Sampor Claudia , Torbidoni Ana , Fandiño Adriana , Chantada Guillermo L , Munier Francis L , Schaiquevich Paula
Published: October 2017

Background

Intravitreal injection of chemotherapy in retinoblastoma eyes with vitreous seeds may lead to a risk of extraocular tumour dissemination that has not been assessed so far.

Aims

To develop a sensitive and clinically feasible technique to assess for potential retinoblastoma cell reflux after intravitreal injection of melphalan.

Methods

Filter papers were cut in 6 mm diameter circles and sterilised before use. Eyes with retinoblastoma vitreous seeds (group D, International Classification) received weekly intravitreal melphalan injections (20 µg or 30 µg/dose) followed by cryotherapy as part of local treatment. Immediately after finishing the injection and cryotherapy, filter papers were placed on the injection site and on the cryoprobe tip to assess for the expression of the cone-rod homeobox gene (CRX) by real-time qPCR as a surrogate of retinoblastoma RNA. The assay was developed and validated to determine sensitivity, linearity, recovery, repeatability and reproducibility.

Results

The assay for quantitation of CRX expression was linear in the range of 1 to 1000 cells. The lowest limit of detection was one retinoblastoma cell and allowed to recover 100% of the cell load in external supplementation. A total of 14 eyes received 22 cycles of intravitreal melphalan and were evaluated for potential extraocular tumour cell dissemination using the developed technique. None of the cycles were positive for CRX in samples from the scar or from the cryoprobe tip.

Conclusions

A sensitive and simple method of tumour cell assessment has been developed that can be used in the clinics to assess for potential extraocular dissemination after intravitreal injections to assure its performance.
The biosimilar approval process: how different is it?
Authors: Isaacs John , Gonçalves João , Strohal Robert , Castañeda-Hernández Gilberto , Azevedo Valderilio , Dörner Thomas , McInnes Iain
Published: October 2017

Biosimilars are biotherapeutic products with similar efficacy, safety, and quality to a licensed bio-originator. Biosimilars include monoclonal antibodies, soluble receptors, growth factors, and hormones. The manufacture of biosimilars is a sophisticated multi-step process; factors at each stage, such as production cell line, culture conditions, and formulation, may each alter the final product through post-translational modifications. A vial of a therapeutic antibody contains multiple species with distinct glycosylation profiles (microheterogeneity), which are responsible, for example, for complement activation, pharmacokinetics, and structural stability. Whereas the focus for the manufacturer of the bio-originator is to show safety and efficacy in clinical trials, biosimilar development focuses predominantly on in-depth analyses to confirm that the product is identical to the originator in terms of structure, composition, and in vitro activity. Therefore, the critical quality attributes of a biological drug that influences clinical safety and efficacy should be carefully assessed. At least one clinical study is required to compare pharmacokinetics of bio-originator and biosimilar, and at least one sufficiently large randomised controlled trial to demonstrate clinical equivalence. Once biosimilarity is confirmed, regulators may allow extrapolation to other licensed bio-originator indications, provided efficacy relies on a similar mechanism of action in each one. Consequently, a biosimilar may be approved in all indications for which the bio-originator has been approved, without multiple clinical trials.
Establishing diagnostic criteria for Perry syndrome
Authors: Mishima Takayasu , Fujioka Shinsuke , Tomiyama Hiroyuki , Yabe Ichiro , Kurisaki Ryoichi , Fujii Naoki , Neshige Ryuji , Ross Owen A , Farrer Matthew J , Dickson Dennis W , Wszolek Zbigniew K , Hattori Nobutaka , Tsuboi Yoshio
Published: October 2017

Objective

To establish international diagnostic criteria for Perry syndrome, a disorder characterised by clinical signs of parkinsonism, depression/apathy, weight loss, respiratory symptoms, mutations in the DCTN1 gene and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) pathology.

Methods

Data from the published literature and newly identified patients were gathered and analysed during and after the International Symposium on Perry syndrome in Tokyo to identify diagnostic criteria for Perry syndrome.

Results

Eighty-seven patients with Perry syndrome carrying DCTN1 mutations from 20 families were included in this study, and common signs of the disorder were identified, including parkinsonism (95.2% of patients), depression/apathy (71.4%), respiratory symptoms (66.7%) and weight loss (49.2%).

Conclusions

Based on our findings, we propose the following definitive diagnostic criteria for Perry syndrome: the presence of four cardinal signs of Perry syndrome, accompanied by a mutation in DCTN1; or a family history of the disease, parkinsonism and a mutation in DCTN1; or the presence of four cardinal signs and pathological findings that include nigral neuronal loss and TDP-43 pathology. As patients with Perry syndrome present with uniform clinical, genetic and pathological features, we further propose the disorder be termed ‘Perry disease.’
Ethics of fertility preservation for prepubertal children: should clinicians offer procedures where efficacy is largely unproven?
Authors: McDougall Rosalind J , Gillam Lynn , Delany Clare , Jayasinghe Yasmin
Published: October 2017

Young children with cancer are treated with interventions that can have a high risk of compromising their reproductive potential. ‘Fertility preservation’ for children who have not yet reached puberty involves surgically removing and cryopreserving reproductive tissue prior to treatment in the expectation that strategies for the use of this tissue will be developed in the future. Fertility preservation for prepubertal children is ethically complex because the techniques largely lack proven efficacy for this age group. There is professional difference of opinion about whether it is ethical to offer such ‘experimental’ procedures. The question addressed in this paper is: when, if ever, is it ethically justifiable to offer fertility preservation surgery to prepubertal children? We present the ethical concerns about prepubertal fertility preservation, drawing both on existing literature and our experience discussing this issue with clinicians in clinical ethics case consultations. We argue that offering the procedure is ethically justifiable in certain circumstances. For many children, the balance of benefits and burdens is such that the procedure is ethically permissible but not ethically required; when the procedure is medically safe, it is the parents’ decision to make, with appropriate information and guidance from the treating clinicians. We suggest that clinical ethics support processes are necessary to assist clinicians to engage with the ethical complexity of prepubertal fertility preservation and describe the framework that has been integrated into the pathway of care for patients and families attending the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
Nutrient concentrations of roots vary with diameter, depth, and site in New Hampshire northern hardwoods
Authors: Yanai Ruth D. , Walsh Griffin E. , Yang Yang , Blodgett Corrie A. , Bae Kikang , Park Byung Bae
Published: October 2017

Roots are important to ecosystem nutrient pools and fluxes, but they are difficult to sample for tissue analysis, especially at depth. We analyzed patterns of nutrient concentrations in live roots up to 20 mm in diameter collected from quantitative soil pits in six northern hardwood sites at the Bartlett Experimental Forest, New Hampshire, USA. Root concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) were higher in the forest floor than in the mineral soil, by 23%–61% in fine roots (0–1 mm and 1–2 mm in diameter). Using only samples collected from the O horizon to characterize roots throughout the profile resulted in an average error across all elements of 16% in estimates of root nutrient contents. Within the mineral soil, there was little difference in root nutrient concentrations with depth. There were significant patterns with root diameter: N and Mg concentrations were highest in the finest roots, while Ca concentrations peaked in the 2–5 mm diameter class. One site (C8) differed from the others in having lower N but higher P, Ca, Mg, and potassium (K) concentrations in roots. In summary, analyzing roots by site and diameter class is more important to accurate nutrient accounting than is analyzing roots from depth in the mineral soil, but roots in the forest floor and the mineral soil differ dramatically for some elements.
Rapid detection and serovar identification of common Salmonella enterica serovars in Canada using a new pyrosequencing assay
Authors: Furukawa Maika , Goji Noriko , Janzen Timothy W. , Thomas Matthew C. , Ogunremi Dele , Blais Burton , Misawa Naoaki , Amoako Kingsley K.
Published: October 2017

Serotyping of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica is a critical step for foodborne salmonellosis investigation. To identify Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovars, we have developed a new assay based on a triplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with pyrosequencing for amplicon confirmation and phylogenetic discrimination of strains. The top 54 most prevalent serovars of S. enterica in Canada were examined with a total of 23 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and (or) single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) located on 3 genes (fliD, sopE2, and spaO). Seven of the most common serovars, Newport, Typhi, Javiana, Infantis, Thompson, Heidelberg, and Enteritidis, were successfully distinguished from the other serovars based on their unique SNP–SNV combinations. The remaining serovars, including Typhimurium, ssp I:4,[5],12:i:–, and Saintpaul, were further divided into 47 subgroups that demonstrate the relatedness to phylogenetic classifications of each serovar. This pyrosequencing assay is not only cost-effective, rapid, and user-friendly, but also provides phylogenetic information by analyzing 23 selected SNPs. With the added layer of confidence in the PCR results and the accuracy and speed of pyrosequencing, this novel method would benefit the food industry and provides a tool for rapid outbreak investigation through quick detection and identification of common S. enterica serovars in Canada.
THE FINANCIAL EXCLUSION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL FINANCE — A STUDY BASED ON SURVEY DATA IN THE JINGJINJI RURAL AREA
Authors: REN BIYUN , LI LIUYING , ZHAO HONGMEI , ZHOU YUNBO
Published: October 2017

Based on survey data, we analyze the level of financial exclusion during the development of digital finance in the rural area of three Chinese provinces of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei (Jingjinji). We use a censored probit model to examine whether there is financial exclusion and the degree of financial exclusion for the rural residents. The empirical results show that the significant factors influencing the financial exclusion in digital finance include the personal characteristics of the rural residents, the understanding of digital finance, digital financial infrastructure, the development of digital finance, and the social environment. Therefore, we think the precise orientation and distinction for the excluded group in the rural area, according to age, education, income, and other influencing factors could be helpful for making policies to eliminate financial exclusion and increase the inclusiveness of the financial industry.
Final fate of charged anisotropic fluid collapse
Authors: Khan Suhail , Shah Hassan , Ahmad Zahid , Ramzan Muhammad
Published: October 2017

This paper studies the effects of charge on spherically symmetric collapse of anisotropic fluid with a positive cosmological constant. It is observed that electromagnetic field places restriction on the bounds of cosmological constant, which acts as repulsive force against the contraction of matter content and hence the rate of destruction is faster in the presence of electromagnetic field. We have also noted that the presence of charge affects the time interval between the formation of cosmological horizon (CH) and black hole horizon (BHH). When the electric field strength E(t, r) vanishes, our investigations are in full agreement with the results obtained by Ahmad and Malik [Int. J. Theor. Phys. 55, 600 (2016)].
Haar-Like Multi-Granularity Texture Features for Pedestrian Detection
Authors: Cheng Ruzhong , Zhang Yongjun , Wang Guoping , Zhao Yong , Khusravsho Rahmatulloev
Published: October 2017

Pedestrian detection has been a significant problem for decades and remains a hot topic in computer vision. Pedestrian detection is one of the key algorithms for self-driving cars and some other functions in robotics, including driver support systems, road surveillance systems. In this paper, based on the characteristics of the human body and the Haar feature, the Haar-like multi-granularity local texture feature, i.e., multi-granularity Haar-like LBP (mgh-LBP), is proposed for pedestrian detection. The mgh-LBP feature combines four characteristics of the human body and their backgrounds to construct the Haar-like features, which can better describe human body texture and edge information. Compared with other texture features, including the rotation-invariant LBP feature, uniform LBP feature and basic-LBP feature, the proposed method greatly reduces the feature dimension and computational complexity, and obtains a higher pedestrian detection rate and robust detection performance.
Permian radiolarian biostratigraphy
Authors: Zhang Lei , Feng Qinglai , He Weihong
Published: October 2017

The Permian Period is one of the most varied times, not only in oceanic environments, but also for the evolution of the radiolarian assemblages. Permian radiolarians have been extensively studied, and great progress has been achieved recently in their biostratigraphy. Seventeen Permian radiolarian zones are summarized here. Among these, seven zones are assigned to the latest Carboniferous–early Permian, namely (in ascending order): the
Pseudoalbaillella bulbosa
Assemblage Zone, the
Pseudoalbaillella u-forma
–
Pseudoalbaillella elegans
Assemblage Zone, the
Pseudoalbaillella lomentaria
–
Pseudoalbaillella sakmarensis
Assemblage Zone, the
Pseudoalbaillella rhombothoracata
Interval Zone, the
Albaillella xiaodongensis
Assemblage Zone, the
Albaillella sinuata
Abundance Zone and the
Pseudoalbaillella ishigai
Abundance Zone. Five zones are attributed to the middle Permian, including the
Pseudoalbaillella globosa
Interval Zone, the
Follicucullus monacanthus
Interval Zone, the
Follicucullus porrectus
Interval Zone, the
Follicucullus scholasticus
Interval Zone and the
Follicucullus charveti
Interval Zone. Five zones belong to the middle Permian–late Permian, including the
Albaillella cavitata
Interval Zone, the
Albaillella levis
Interval Zone, the
Albaillella excelsa
Interval Zone, the
Albaillella triangularis
Interval Zone and the
Albaillella yaoi
Abundance Zone. These Permian radiolarian biozones and their correlations with conondont zones or other chronostratigraphic schemes are discussed. The phylogenetic model of radiolarians through the Permian Period is also revised.
News from the SIGs
Authors: Walker Ellen , Settle Amber
Published: October 2017

In this issue of News from the SIGs, we present an overview from our SIGCSE reporter and SIGCSE Chair, Amber Settle, of all of the conferences that SIGCSE will offer in 2018.
Pioneers in Computing
Authors: Barr John , Whitaker Amy
Published: October 2017

Use the clues to find the last names of famous Computer Science pioneers
Comparative Study on Different Drying Methods of Fish Oil Microcapsules
Authors: Pang Yuqi , Duan Xu , Ren Guangyue , Liu Wenchao
Published: October 2017

Microencapsulation is widely used to minimize the oxidation of fish oil products. This study compared the effects of different drying methods, for example, spray drying (SD), freeze drying (FD), and spray freeze drying (SFD) on the microencapsulation of fish oil. Spray drying (SD) is the most common method for producing fish oil microcapsules, and it has low operation cost and short processing time, while the product yield and quality are poor. Freeze drying (FD) can be used to produce oil microcapsules with high quality, but it takes long time and high overall cost for drying. Spray freeze drying (SFD) is a new method for the preparation of microcapsules, which combines the SD and FD processes to obtain high quality powder. The yield of powder reached 95.07% along with porous structure by SFD. The stability and slow-release property of SFD products were better than those of SD and FD, which showed that SFD improved product storage stability and potential digestibility.
A Rare Case of Inguinal Hernia with Complete Bladder Herniation
Authors: Habib Ayaaz
Published: October 2017

Involvement of the bladder in inguinal hernias is rare and occurs in less than 5% of the cases. The diagnosis and management of this condition may present a challenge to the surgeon. We present a case of an elderly gentleman who presented with a large left-sided inguinoscrotal hernia causing an obstructive uropathy which was surgically repaired. The patient made a quick postoperative recovery with complete resolution of renal function.
Determination of Selected Metals in Fruit Wines by Spectroscopic Techniques
Authors: Płotka-Wasylka Justyna , Rutkowska Małgorzata , Cieślik Bartłomiej , Tyburcy Alan , Namieśnik Jacek
Published: October 2017

Background.The determination of metals in different types of food and beverages samples has drawn significant attention due to several reasons with the most important one being the nutritional and toxic effects of these elements or their compounds. The knowledge of certain elements content in wines/fruit wines is of special interest due to their toxicity in case of excessive intake and also the effect they seem to have on the organoleptic properties of wine.Results.The study was focused on measuring the concentration levels of trace metals in fruit wines. Analysis of K, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cd, Mg, Pb, Sn, and Hg in so-calledhomemade fruit winewas carried out by AES, AAS, CV-AAS, and GF-AAS techniques. The calculated calibration curves showed good linearity range for all tested analytes (with coefficient of determination in the range from 0.989 to 0.999). The low values of the limit of detection (from 0.0031 μg/L to 0.47 mg/L) and the limit of quantification (from 0.009 μg/L to 1.41 mg/L) were obtained.Conclusions.The allowed levels of metal in fruit wines are prescribed by the International Office for Grapes and Wines (OIV). The data obtained from the study area for all metals did not exceed the international limits.
The Deterioration Mechanism of Diester Aero Lubricating Oil at High Temperature
Authors: Yao Ting , Yang Hongwei , Guo Li , Fei Yiwei , Jiang Huize , Bian Sen , Wu Tonghai
Published: October 2017

The deterioration of aero lubricating oil at high temperatures was accelerated by using a specific device simulating the operating conditions of engines, where the deterioration mechanism was obtained. Structures of the deteriorated lubricating oils were analyzed by gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer. From the results, it can be concluded that deterioration of aero lubricating oil at high temperatures was composed of thermal pyrolysis, oxidation, and polymerization, with the generation of a variety of products, such as alcohols, aldehydes, acids, and esters, which caused the deterioration of physicochemical properties of the aero lubricating oil.
Comparative Phytochemical Profiling and In Vitro Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Raw Materials, Tissue‐Cultured Plants, and Callus of Oroxylum indicum (L.) Vent.
Authors: Rojsanga Piyanuch , Bunsupa Somnuk , Brantner Adelheid H. , Sithisarn Pongtip
Published: October 2017

Extracts from raw materials from different plant parts, tissue‐cultured plants, and callus cultures of Oroxylum indicum were analyzed for in vitro antioxidant activities determined by DPPH radical scavenging assay and evaluated for phytochemical profiles by TLC and LC‐MS methods. The results were analyzed by principal component analysis (PCA) to evaluate the similarity. Stalk, pedicel, flower, seed, and whole fruit and callus extracts promoted strong antioxidant activity with high total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. The main phytochemicals found in extracts were baicalin, baicalein, and chrysin. Baicalein and baicalin promoted strong antioxidant effects and existed in most extracts while chrysin, which promoted very low antioxidant activity, was a major flavonoid in the leaves and tissue‐cultured plants. From PCA analysis by total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, four main clusters including callus and tissue‐cultured plant groups from different growth stages, flower group, and whole fruit and leaf group could be organized. When the results were analyzed by PCA using antioxidant activity with total phenolic or total flavonoid contents, all O. indicum samples could be grouped together except the extracts from the root of tissue‐cultured plants which separated from the rest due to their low phytochemical contents and weak antioxidant activities.
Synthesis, SAR, and Docking Studies Disclose 2-Arylfuran-1,4-naphthoquinones as In Vitro Antiplasmodial Hits
Authors: Borgati Tatiane Freitas , Nascimento Maria Fernanda Alves do , Bernardino Juma Fortunato , Martins Lunamaura Claudia Oliveira , Taranto Alex Gutterres , Oliveira Alaíde Braga de
Published: October 2017

A total of 28 lapachol-related naphthoquinones with four different scaffolds were synthesized and spectroscopically characterized. In vitro antiplasmodial activity was assayed against the chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum W2 strain by the parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) method. Cytotoxicity against Hep G2A16 cell was determined by the MTT assay. All compounds disclosed higher in vitro antiplasmodial activity than lapachol. Ortho- and para-naphthoquinones with a furan ring fused to the quinonoid moiety were more potent than 2-hydroxy-3-(1′-alkenyl)-1,4-naphthoquinones, while ortho-furanonaphthoquinones were more cytotoxic. Molecular docking to Plasmodium targets Pfcyt bc1 complex and PfDHOD enzyme showed that five out of the 28 naphthoquinones disclosed favorable binding energies. Furanonaphthoquinones endowed with an aryl moiety linked to the furan ring are highlighted as new in vitro antiplasmodial lead compounds and warrant further investigation.
A Mixture of Inverse Weibull and Inverse Burr Distributions: Properties, Estimation, and Fitting
Authors: Al-Moisheer A. S. , Sultan K. S. , Al-Shehri M. A.
Published: October 2017

The new mixture model of the two components of the inverse Weibull and inverse Burr distributions (MIWIBD) is proposed. First, the properties of the investigated mixture model are introduced and the behaviors of the probability density functions and hazard rate functions are displayed. Then, the estimates of the five‐dimensional vector of parameters by using the classical method such as the maximum likelihood estimation (MLEs) and the approximation method by using Lindley’s approximation are obtained. Finally, a real data set for the proposed mixture model is applied to illustrate the proposed mixture model.
Chinese Herbal Medicines as Potential Agents for Alleviation of Heat Stress in Poultry
Authors: Shokryazdan Parisa , Jahromi Mohammad Faseleh , MD Saadand Salwani , Ebrahimi Mahdi , Idrus Zulkifli , Zhou Hailong , Diao Xiao Ping , Liang Juan Boo
Published: October 2017

Heat stress negatively affects the productivity of chickens in commercial poultry farms in humid tropics. In this study, the concentrations and types of the antioxidant compounds of eight Chinese herbal medicines, which have previously demonstrated promising effects on suppressing heat stress as a mixture, were investigated using reversed-phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography, spectrophotometry, Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, and Gas-Liquid Chromatography. Our results provided the levels of phenolic compounds, total amounts of sugars, and total unsaturated fatty acids in the herbal extracts. Apart from the detection and quantification of the active ingredients of herbs that have the potential to mitigate heat stress in poultry, results of this study also provide useful data for developing an efficient and accurate formulation of the herbs’ mixtures in order to induce positive effects against heat stress inin vivostudies.
Is Container a Natural and Embodied Image Schema? A Developmental, Pragmatic, and Cultural Proposal
Authors: Alessandroni Nicolás , Rodríguez Cintia
Published: October 2017

Conceptual metaphor theory showed, from embodiment, the importance of metaphor as a cognitive process. This influential theory assumes the existence of primitive but powerful mental structures called image schemas. In this paper, we conduct a critical inquiry about these structures from the developmental perspective of the pragmatics of the object and show they have serious problems. Taking the CONTAINER image schema as a case, we discuss the plausibility of image schemas in early childhood. We suggest that children do not interact with objects as if a basic and generic CONTAINER cognitive structure preexisted. Instead, in everyday life, they use “container” objects to fulfill very different functions. As object function is construed by children's participation in triadic child-adult-object experiences through semiotic mediation, we propose image schemas are not natural or direct, do not exist in early childhood, and are a developmental, pragmatic, and cultural product. As empirical illustration, we analyze a child-mother-objects interaction at home.
Snail Driving Alternative Splicing of CD44 by ESRP1 Enhances Invasion and Migration in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chen Le , Yao Ying , Sun Lijuan , Zhou Jiajia , Miao Minmin , Luo Shujuan , Deng Guanming , Li Junjun , Wang Jing , Tang Jie
Published: October 2017

Background/Aims: Our study aims to investigate the role, effect and mechanisms of ESRP1 (epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1) in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Methods: Microarray and immunohistochemical analysis of ESRP1 expression were performed in EOC cases. The correlations between ESRP1 expression and clinical factors on EOC were assessed. Lentivirus-mediated RNA interference and EGFP vector which contains ESRP1 gene were used to down-regulate and up-regulate ESRP1 expression in human EOC cell lines. Roles of ESRP1 in cell growth, migration and invasion of EOC cells were also measured by Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell systems in vitro and by a nude mice intraperitoneal transplantation model in vivo. Results: By the analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) (p<0.05) and our own microarray data (p<0.001), ESRP1 expression in EOC was significantly different from normal ovarian tissue. It was abundant in the nuclei of cancer cells and in malignant lesions. However, it was weakly expressed or negative in both normal and benign lesions. High ESRP1 expression in EOC was associated with poor clinical outcomes. Decreased ESRP1 expression significantly increased cell migration and invasion both in vivo and in vitro. Snail strongly repressed ESRP1 transcription through binding to the ESRP1 promoter in EOC cells. Furthermore, ESRP1 regulated the expression of CD44s. Down-regulated ESRP1 resulted in an isoform switching from CD44v to CD44s, which modulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program in EOC. Up-regulatin of ESRP1 was detected in mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) in vivo. Conclusions: ESRP1 regulates CD44 alternative splicing during the EMT process which plays an important role in EOC carcinogenesis. In addition, ESRP1 is associated with disease prognosis in EOC.