bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutrition Knowledge is Correlated with a Better Dietary Intake in Adolescent Soccer Players: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Noronha Danilo C. , Santos Monique I. A. F. , Santos Adrianny A. , Corrente Lizia G. A. , Fernandes Rúbia K. N. , Barreto Anna C. A. , Santos Ronyclay G. J. , Santos Rafaela S. , Gomes Luís P. S. , Nascimento Marcus V. S.
Published: January 2020

Nutrition education is one of the factors that may help to promote behavior change and therefore may improve the dietary habits of adolescent soccer players. However, information about the relationship between nutrition knowledge (NK) and the dietary behavior of these athletes is scarce. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the eating habits of adolescent soccer players and analyse the correlations among dietary intake and NK. Seventy-three Brazilian adolescent soccer players (aged 14–19 years), from four professional clubs, underwent anthropometric evaluation and completed 3-day food records. Misreporting of energy intake was evaluated and the dietary intake data were energy-adjusted and compared with recommendations for athletes and dietary reference intakes. The athletes also answered a questionnaire about barriers for healthy eating and a nutrition knowledge test divided into three sections: Basic Nutrition Knowledge (BNK), Sports Nutrition Knowledge (SNK), and Food Pyramid Nutrition Knowledge (FPNK). The participants showed a low NK (54.6%) and an inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables, dairy, carbohydrates, and micronutrients. A positive correlation was found between the ingestion of phosphorus and FPNK as well as among calcium and both SNK and Total NK (p<0.05). Sodium intake was negatively correlated with all categories of the NK test (p<0.05). The adolescents reported that the principal barriers for adopting a healthy diet were the lack of willpower and a busy lifestyle. In this context, nutrition education is recommended and should also provide practicable healthy eating goals according to athletes´ lifestyle as well as target motivational barriers to increase adherence.
A Rare Case of Intracranial Nongerminomatous Germ Cell Tumor in a 21-Year-Old Romanian Male
Authors: Nandi Minesh , Anil Rahul , Hamaty Edward , Adams William , Stidd David , Garde Krizelle , Kandukuri Hari
Published: January 2020

Extragonadal germ cell tumors are a rare entity that is more prevalent in infants and young children, with preference to midline structures. The category of intracranial germ cell tumors is divided into pure germ cell tumors (GCTs) versus nongerminomatous germ cell tumors (NGGCTs). They are usually present in the second decade of life with a male preponderance. We present here a rare case of intracranial NGGCT in a 21-year-old Romanian male, who presented with complaints of emesis, ataxic gait, and diplopia. A computed tomography scan of the head in the emergency department revealed a pineal/suprapineal mass along with obstructive hydrocephalus and dilated lateral and third ventricles without any bleeding. MRI of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine showed no evidence of leptomeningeal metastasis. The patient had elevated serum markers of beta-hCG and AFP, which pointed towards a diagnosis of nongerm cell tumor, as in pure GCTs, these markers are normal. To relieve the obstruction from the mass effect, the patient had an endoscopic third ventriculostomy (EVT). However, after the procedure, he developed central diabetes insipidus as a complication with a triphasic response. Biopsy of the mass revealed atypical cells with granular architecture and atypical glands with positive immune histological markers for NGGCT. These findings supported the diagnosis of mixed germ cell tumor with yolk sac carcinoma and seminoma components. Patient’s transient central diabetes resolved with normalization in his urine output. He was eventually stabilized and returned to Romania for further management. In summary, intracranial germ cell tumors are rare brain tumors that should be distinguished based on histology and tumor markers as they will help in the guidance of therapy. An initial evaluation with neuroimaging, tumor markers, cytology from CSF, and biopsy is a must to distinguish further treatment and prognosis.
A Predictive Model for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Mortality Using Red Cell Distribution Width
Authors: Alkhatib Ala , Price Lori Lyn , Esteitie Rania , LaCamera Peter
Published: January 2020

Methods. This observational retrospective cohort study includes 318 ARDS patients extracted from an ICU database between the years of 2001 and 2008. Clinical factors including age, gender, comorbidity score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, and PaO2/FiO2 ratio were chosen for the base model to predict ICU mortality. The RDW value at the time of ARDS diagnosis was added to the base model to determine if it improved its predictive ability. Results. 318 subjects were included; 113 (36%) died in the ICU. AUC for the base model without RDW was 0.76, and 0.78 following the addition of RDW [p=0.048]. The NRI was 0.46 (p=0.001), indicating that, in 46% of patients, the predictive probability of the model was improved by the inclusion of RDW. Conclusions. Adding RDW at time of ARDS diagnosis improved discrimination in a model using 4 clinical factors to predict ICU mortality.
Influence of Seed Layer Surface Position on Morphology and Photocatalysis Efficiency of ZnO Nanorods and Nanoflowers
Authors: Bourfaa Fouzia , Boutelala Abderhamane , Aida Mohamed Salah , Attaf Nadir , Ocak Yusuf Selim
Published: January 2020

ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers were synthesized by a hydrothermal method via different surface substrate positions at 120°C for 3 h as a growth time. The influence of seed layer surface position on the growth of ZnO nanostructures was observed by the variation of ZnO morphologies from nanorods to nanoflowers. Both analyses XRD and EDS proved the pure wurtzite phase with high crystallinity quality and preferential growth along the c-axis. As displayed from the scanning of surface morphology through SEM, a large amount of ZnO nanorods and nanoflowers were deposited on the full substrate surface. Diverse ZnO photocatalysts were used to study the photodegradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye by UV light. The organic dye MB was decolorized by the most efficient photocatalyst among the ZnO-tested nanostructures. The results showed an improvement of the degradability of this dye from 54% to 81% for ZnO nanoflowers compared to nanorods. Thus, ZnO nanoflowers are the best photocatalyst which have the high efficiency photodegradation and the large rate constant.
Canopy Resistance and Estimation of Evapotranspiration above a Humid Cypress Forest
Authors: Lin Bau-Show , Lei Huimin , Hu Ming-Che , Visessri Supattra , Hsieh Cheng-I
Published: January 2020

This study presented a two-year data set of sensible heat and water vapor fluxes above a humid subtropical montane Cypress forest, located at 1650 m a.s.l. in northeastern Taiwan. The focuses of this study were to investigate (1) the diurnal and seasonal variations of canopy resistance and fluxes of sensible heat and water vapor above this forest; and (2) the mechanism of why a fixed canopy resistance could work when implementing the Penman–Monteith equation for diurnal hourly evapotranspiration estimation. Our results showed distinct seasonal variations in canopy resistance and water vapor flux, but on the contrary, the sensible heat flux did not change as much as the water vapor flux did with seasons. The seasonal variation patterns of the canopy resistance and water vapor flux were highly coupled with the meteorological factors. Also, the results demonstrated that a constant (fixed) canopy resistance was good enough for estimating the diurnal variation of evapotranspiration using Penman–Monteith equation. We observed a canopy resistance around 190 (s/m) for both the two warm seasons; and canopy resistances were around 670 and 320 (s/m) for the two cool seasons, respectively. In addition, our analytical analyses demonstrated that when the average canopy resistance is higher than 200 (s/m), the Penman–Monteith equation is less sensitive to the change of canopy resistance; hence, a fixed canopy resistance is suitable for the diurnal hourly evapotranspiration estimation. However, this is not the case when the average canopy resistance is less than 100 (s/m), and variable canopy resistances are needed. These two constraints (200 and 100) were obtained based on purely analytical analyses under a moderate meteorological condition (Rn = 600 W·m−2, RH = 60%, Ta = 20°C, U = 2 m·s−1) and a measurement height around two times of the canopy height.
A Unique Protein Self-Assembling Nanoparticle with Significant Advantages in Vaccine Development and Production
Authors: Carter Daniel C. , Wright Brenda , Jerome W. Gray , Rose John P. , Wilson Ellen
Published: January 2020

Nanoparticles are playing an increasingly powerful role in vaccine development. Here, we report the repurposing of nonstructural proteins 10 and 11 (hereafter NSP10) from the replicase polyprotein 1a (pp1a) of the human SARS coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome) as a novel self-assembling platform for bioengineered nanoparticles for a variety of applications including vaccines. NSP10 represents a 152 amino acid, 17 kD zinc finger transcription/regulatory protein which self-assembles to form a spherical 84 Å diameter nanoparticle with dodecahedral trigonal 32 point symmetry. As a self-assembling nanoparticle, NSP10 possesses numerous advantages in vaccine development and antigen display, including the unusual particle surface disposition of both the N- and C-termini. Each set of N- or C-termini is spatially disposed in a tetrahedral arrangement and positioned at optimal distances from the 3-fold axes (8-10 Å) to nucleate and stabilize the correct folding of complex helical or fibrous trimeric receptors, such as those responsible for viral tropism and cell infection. An application example in the exploratory development of a therapeutic vaccine for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), including preliminary analysis and immunogenic properties, is presented. The use of this system could accelerate the discovery and development of vaccines for a number of human, livestock, and veterinary applications.
No Sedation, No Traction, and No Need for Assistance: Analysis of New Prakash’s Method of Shoulder Reduction
Authors: Kuru Tolgahan , Olcar Haci Ali , Bilge Ali , Nusran Gurdal , Ozkilic Recai , Akman Canan , Prakash Lakshmanan
Published: January 2020

Background and Objective. Shoulder dislocations, which often occur anterior, account for about half of all dislocations. There are numerous reduction methods reported for the conservative treatment of acute anterior dislocations. However, there is still an ongoing search for an optimal method given the procedure time, possible complications, success rates, and need for sedation/analgesia in existing methods. This study seeks to explore the effectiveness and safety of Prakash’s method in the treatment of acute shoulder dislocations, which is a novel method in the treatment of anterior shoulder dislocations.Materials and Methods. A total of 19 patients who were admitted to the emergency department with the diagnosis of anterior shoulder dislocation participated in this study. The diagnosis of shoulder dislocation was established in the emergency department with physical examination and anteroposterior shoulder radiography. The method was applied only once to the patients in the sitting position by the same physician without using any help, traction, anesthesia, analgesia, and myorelaxant.Results. The mean age of the patients was 37.3 ± 13.1 years. Among them, 36.8%n=7were female and 63.2%n=12were male. Recurrent dislocations were observed in 21.1%n=4of the patients. The success rate of the method was 94.7%n=18. No complication was noted in the patients. The mean procedure time was 243 ± 38 seconds.Conclusion. Prakash’s method is a safe method for anterior shoulder dislocations that can be quickly performed with no need for sedation, assistance, and traction and has a high success rate.
Isolated Fungal Balls in Urinary Bladder Presenting as Acute Retention of Urine
Authors: Hameed Tariq , Jain Sudhir Kumar , Ansari Faiz Manzar , Dua Amrita
Published: January 2020

A 52-year-old male presented to surgery emergency with acute retention of urine. Patient was relieved in the emergency setting by catheterization and bladder irrigation. Urine was sterile; however, microscopy revealed field full of RBCs (>50/high-power field) and pus cells (>20/hpf). Cystoscopy revealed fungal balls in the urinary bladder which upon histopathological examination showed Aspergillus species. Patient was managed with systemic voriconazole and bladder wash with diluted povidone iodine. Predisposing factors diabetes mellitus and benign prostatic hyperplasia were medically managed, and patient recovered well. This case stresses the importance of considering isolated fungal urinary infections in predisposed individuals.
Improving Driver Assistance in Intelligent Transportation Systems: An Agent-Based Evidential Reasoning Approach
Authors: Benalla M. , Achchab B. , Hrimech H.
Published: January 2020

Providing accurate real-time traffic information is an inherent problem for intelligent transportation systems (ITS). In order to improve the knowledge base of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), ITS are strongly concerned with data fusion techniques of all kinds of sensors deployed over the traffic network. Driver assistance is devoid of a comprehensive evidential reasoning system on contextual information, more specifically when a combination involves inside and outside sensory information of the driving environment. In this paper, we propose a novel agent-based evidential reasoning system using contextual information. Based on a series of information handling techniques, specifically, the belief functions theory and heuristic inference operations to achieve a consensus about daily driving activity in automatically inferring. That is quite different from other existing proposals, as it deals jointly with the driving behavior and the driving environment conditions. A case study including various scenarios of experiments is introduced to estimate behavioral information based on synthetic data for prediction, prescription, and policy analysis. Our experiments show promising, thought-provoking results encouraging further research.
Numerical Study of Ground Vibrations Caused by Cylindrical Wave Propagation in a Rock Mass with a Structural Plane
Authors: Chai Shaobo , Tian Wei , Yu Liyuan , Wang Hao
Published: January 2020

Stress wave which is caused either by an explosion in a borehole or by an accidental explosion in a tunnel is supposed to be considered under certain circumstances when it propagates through the surrounding rock masses which contain holes in cylindrical form. Studying the ground motion induced by the cylindrical wave propagation is of practical significance for underground rock engineering and underground energy exploitation. The current study presents a numerical study on the ground motion caused by cylindrical P-wave propagation across a rock mass with a structural plane using a discrete element numerical method, UDEC. Firstly, the accuracy and validity of the cylindrical wave propagation simulation in UDEC and of the induced ground vibration are confirmed by comparison with the theoretical results for a special case that there is no structural plane in a rock mass. Secondly, cylindrical wave propagation across a rock mass with a structural plane is simulated, and then, the particle velocity on the ground surface is subsequently obtained. Finally, parametric researches are carried out on the influence of the monitoring point’s position, the structural plane stiffness, and the frequency of incident wave on the peak particle velocities (PPVs) of the ground vibrations.
Ezetimibe Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation via the AMPK/Nrf2/TXNIP Pathway after MCAO in Rats
Authors: Yu Jing , Wang Wen-na , Matei Nathanael , Li Xue , Pang Jin-wei , Mo Jun , Chen Sheng-pan , Tang Ji-ping , Yan Min , Zhang John H.
Published: January 2020

Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation play essential roles in ischemic stroke-induced brain injury. Previous studies have reported that Ezetimibe (Eze) exerts antioxidative stress and anti-inflammatory properties in hepatocytes. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Eze on oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model. One hundred and ninety-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Animals assigned to MCAO were given either Eze or its control. To explore the downstream signaling of Eze, the following interventions were given: AMPK inhibitor dorsomorphin and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) siRNA. Intranasal administration of Eze, 1 h post-MCAO, further increased the endogenous p-AMPK expression, reducing brain infarction, neurologic deficits, neutrophil infiltration, microglia/macrophage activation, number of dihydroethidium- (DHE-) positive cells, and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels. Specifically, treatment with Eze increased the expression of p-AMPK, Nrf2, and HO-1; Romo-1, thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), Cleaved Caspase-1, and IL-1β were reduced. Dorsomorphin and Nrf2 siRNA reversed the protective effects of Eze. In summary, Eze decreases oxidative stress and subsequent neuroinflammation via activation of the AMPK/Nrf2/TXNIP pathway after MCAO in rats. Therefore, Eze may be a potential therapeutic approach for ischemic stroke patients.
Association of Serum Adiponectin with Intima Media Thickness of Dorsalis Pedis Artery and Macroangiopathy in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Chen Tao , Tu Mei , Huang Lihua , Zheng Youping
Published: January 2020

Objective. To investigate the association of the serum adiponectin level with the intima media thickness of the dorsalis pedis artery (D-IMT) and macroangiopathy in type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Methods. We recruited 173 patients with T2DM, of whom 83 had macroangiopathy (MA group) and 90 did not have macroangiopathy (NM group), and 40 normal control subjects (NC group). We measured D-IMT using color B-mode Doppler ultrasonography. Serum adiponectin, blood glucose, lipids, and other clinical characteristics were analyzed. Participants were divided into three subgroups according to serum adiponectin level (high, moderate, and low). Results. Compared with the NM and NC groups, serum adiponectin levels were significantly decreased in the MA group after adjusting for sex and body mass index. Compared with the NM and NC groups, D-IMT was significantly increased in the MA group. Compared with the moderate- and high-adiponectin subgroups, D-IMT was significantly increased in the low-adiponectin subgroup. The prevalence of diabetic macroangiopathy increased gradually with decreasing adiponectin levels. After controlling for age, sex, smoking, and alcohol drinking, partial correlation analysis showed that adiponectin was negatively correlated with D-IMT. Elevated serum adiponectin was independently associated with a decreased risk for diabetic macroangiopathy by logistic regression analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that adiponectin was an independent factor of D-IMT. In receiver operating characteristic analyses, the area under the curve for traditional risk factors plus adiponectin for prediction of macroangiopathy was 0.984, while that of traditional risk factors alone was 0.972. Conclusions. Adiponectin is lower in patients with T2DM with macroangiopathy. We suggest that D-IMT could represent a noninvasive indicator of diabetic macroangiopathy. Decrease of adiponectin as an independent risk factor for both macroangiopathy and D-IMT among Chinese patients with T2DM suggests that adiponectin might have clinical utility in the prediction of diabetic macroangiopathy. This clinical trial is registered in the “Chinese Clinical Trial Registry.” The registration number is ChiCTR-ROC-17011731.
Impact of Rooftop Photovoltaics on the Distribution System
Authors: Alboaouh Kamel A. , Mohagheghi Salman
Published: January 2020

This paper presents a review of the impact of rooftop photovoltaic (PV) panels on the distribution grid. This includes how rooftop PVs affect voltage quality, power losses, and the operation of other voltage-regulating devices in the system. A historical background and a classification of the most relevant publications are presented along with the review of the important lessons learned. It has been widely believed that high penetration levels of PVs in the distribution grid can potentially cause problems for node voltages or overhead line flows. However, it is shown in the literature that proper control of the PV resource using smart inverters can alleviate many of those issues, hence paving the way for higher PV penetration levels in the grid.
ALDH3B2 Polymorphism Is Associated with Colorectal Cancer Susceptibility
Authors: Gao Zhi-Gang , Yang Yong , Han Xiao-Feng , Wang Yun-Lei , Wang Zhen-Jun
Published: January 2020

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 5th leading cancer in China. Alcohol consumption has been reported to be one of the risk factors of CRC. However, it remains unclear whether genetic variants of alcohol metabolic genes are associated with CRC risk. In this study, we tested the coding variants in the alcohol metabolic genes and the risk of CRC, by using 485 cases and 516 controls. A total of 16 germline coding variants in 10 alcohol metabolic genes were genotyped. We identified that rs3741178 in ALDH3B2 was significantly associated with CRC risk with odds ratio being 2.13 (95% CI: 1.24–3.68, P=0.0064). Further functional annotation suggested that this variant may damage the protein function of ALDH3B2. Our results suggested that ALDH3B2 in the alcohol metabolism pathway contributed to the development of CRC, which may contribute to the prevention of this disease in the future.
Social Cognition in Rehabilitation Context: Different Evolution of Affective and Cognitive Theory of Mind in Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Rossetto Federica , Baglio Francesca , Massaro Davide , Alberoni Margherita , Nemni Raffaello , Marchetti Antonella , Castelli Ilaria
Published: January 2020

Maintaining social skills such as Theory of Mind (ToM) competences is important to counteract the conversion into dementia in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Multidimensional nonpharmacological interventions demonstrated their potential in improving cognitive and behavioral abilities; however, little is known about the long-term effect of such interventions on social skills in people with MCI. The aim of this longitudinal study was to monitor ToM competences considering both cognitive and affective domains in an amnestic MCI (aMCI) sample involved in a home-based multistimulation treatment (MST@H). 30 aMCI subjects (M:F=15:15; mean age±SD=77.00±4.60) were enrolled, and three steps of evaluation with neuropsychological tests and ToM tasks have been implemented. 21 healthy controls (HC) were also included (M:F=9:12; mean age±SD=74.95±3.88) to characterize the aMCI sample regarding differences in ToM performance compared to HC at the baseline evaluation. Our results show that the aMCI group statistically significantly underperformed the HC group only in the advanced ToM tasks, confirming an initial decline of high-level ToM competences in this population. The longitudinal evaluation revealed time changes not only in some subcognitive domains of MoCA (memory and executive functions) but also in cognitive and affective ToM dimensions in aMCI subjects. Our findings suggest that cognitive and affective ToM can be considered useful outcome measures to test the long-term effect of treatment over time.
The WeightedLpandBMOEstimates for Fractional Hausdorff Operators on the Heisenberg Group
Authors: Zhang Guohua , Li Qianqian , Wu Qingyan
Published: January 2020

In the setting of Heisenberg group, we characterize those functionsΦ, for which the fractional Hausdorff operatorsTΦ,βand Hausdorff operatorsTΦ,T˜Φare bounded onLpspaces with power weights,BMOspace, and Hardy spaces, respectively. Meanwhile, the corresponding operator norms ofTΦandT˜Φare worked out.
Study on Inlet and Engine Integrated Model with Normal Shock Position Feedback
Authors: Chen Haoying , Zhang Haibo , Xi Zhihua , Zheng Qiangang
Published: January 2020

In order to consider the inlet and engine integrated model of supersonic airliner, the dynamic identification and control of inlet normal shock are studied. The research is based on the bleed air flow rate under supersonic conditions. With the two-dimensional CFD model of supersonic inlet, the dynamic and static effects of the bleeding flow rate on the normal shock position were investigated. The transfer function was identified, and simultaneously the paper carried out a comprehensive study of inlet and engine integrated model, which is established based on the inlet shock position model and engine component level model. The relationship between normal shock position and total pressure recovery coefficient has been taken into consideration in this model. Based on the inlet and engine integrated model, the closed-loop control simulation of normal shock position is carried out. The results show that the model could resist the disturbance of the inlet flow and keep the inlet and engine matching operation point stable near the optimal value.
Effects of Inbreeding on Genetic Characteristic, Growth, Survival Rates, and Immune Responses of a New Inbred Line of Exopalaemon carinicauda
Authors: Wang Jiajia , Li Jitao , Ge Qianqian , Chen Zhao , Li Jian
Published: January 2020

The Exopalaemon carinicauda could be a useful crustacean laboratory animal in many research fields. We newly established an inbred line of Exopalaemon carinicauda named EC4 inbred line by brother×sister mating and keeping to F11 generation. Trends in heterozygosity in the process of producing EC4 inbred line were examined through the characterization of polymorphisms based on gene frequencies of SNP and EST-SSR loci. The results demonstrated that the number of alleles (N), observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He), and polymorphism information content (PIC) gradually decreased with the increase of inbreeding generations. The genetic detection results indicated that 9 (29.03%, 9/31) of the SNP loci and 15 (32.61%, 15/46) of the EST-SSR loci were homozygous in F11 generation of EC4 inbred line. The variation of the growth-related traits, the immune responses, and antioxidant status were described in experimental full-sibling inbred populations of E. carinicauda at five levels of inbreeding coefficient (F=0.785, F=0.816, F=0.859, F=0.886, F=0.908) under controlled laboratory conditions. The body weight, body length, and survival rate in EC4 inbred line of all generations were less than the control population. Inbreeding affected the antibacterial activity, phenoloxidase (PO) activity, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) which decreased at the eleventh generation of EC4 inbred line. This study demonstrated that inbreeding had a negative effect on the economic traits and immune response, but our inbred line was established successfully until F11 and confirmed by genetic detection using SNP and EST-SSR loci.
Chondrotoxicity of Local Anesthetics: Liposomal Bupivacaine Is Less Chondrotoxic than Standard Bupivacaine
Authors: Farmer Travis , Morris S. Craig , Quigley Robert , Amin Nirav H. , Wongworawat Montri D. , Syed Hasan M.
Published: January 2020

Objective. The purpose of this study is to determine whether (1) liposomal bupivacaine is chondrotoxic; (2) the chondrotoxicity of liposomal bupivacaine differs from standard bupivacaine; and (3) chondrotoxic effects are time dependent. Materials and Methods. We obtained 72 10 mm articular cartilage plugs from 12 fresh bovine distal femoral knee joints and exposed them to either saline, 0.5% bupivacaine, or liposomal bupivacaine for either 30 or 90 minutes. Twenty-four hours after treatment, chondrocyte viability was measured with the use of a fluorescent live/dead assay. An ANOVA test of variance was performed followed by a Holm–Sidak test to make pairwise comparisons across conditions. Student’s t-test was used to compare means. Results. Percent viability of cells exposed to liposomal bupivacaine for 30 minutes was less versus saline control (53.9% ± 21.5% vs. 73.7 ± 18.4%, p=0.035), and this remained significant at 90 minutes (49.1% ± 20.3% vs. 67.2% ± 25.6%, p<0.001). Liposomal bupivacaine had less chondrotoxic effects when compared with bupivacaine after 90 minutes, with greater viability (49.1% ± 20.3% vs. 21.4% ± 14.0%, p=0.003). Chondrotoxicity was found to be time dependent within the bupivacaine group (percent viability at 30 min: 45.5 ± 18.2%, 90 min: 21.4 ± 14.0%, p=0.001); however, liposomal bupivacaine did not demonstrate a significant time-dependent chondrotoxic relationship (p=0.583). Conclusions. Bupivacaine and liposomal bupivacaine are both toxic to chondrocytes. Liposomal bupivacaine is less chondrotoxic than standard bupivacaine and does not demonstrate a time-dependent toxicity.
Netted Radar Tracking with Multiple Simultaneous Transmissions against Combined PDS Interception
Authors: Wu Zijian , Wang Fei , Zhou Jianjiang
Published: January 2020

One of the advantages of a netted airborne radar system (NARS) is escaping interception of the passive detection system (PDS) while tracking a target. A significant tactic to realize tracking without PDS interception is to study the low probability of interception (LPI) time of NARS. Firstly, this paper analyses the power, frequency, and platform interception probabilities of a combined PDS consisting of a radar-warning receiver (RWR) and an electronic support measurement (ESM). Secondly, this paper takes interactive multiple models (IMM) to describe the target tracking process and introduces a binary hypothesis test for chi square as well as noncentralized chi square distributions as a detection criterion of NARS during target tracking after the design of adaptive dwell time and the maximum illumination interval algorithm. Finally, based on experiential moving platform interception probabilities of a RWR and an ESM, a simplified math model is presented to estimate LPI time of NARS when the parameters are partially known. Simulations illustrate that the simultaneous management of radiation power and time is crucial for NARS against combined PDS interception.
The Accuracy and Precision of the Continuously Stored Data from Flash Glucose Monitoring System in Type 2 Diabetes Patients during Standard Meal Tolerance Test
Authors: Yan Rengna , Li Huiqin , Kong Xiaocen , Zhai Xiaofang , Chen Maoyuan , Sun Yixuan , Ye Lei , Su Xiaofei , Ma Jianhua
Published: January 2020

Background. The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of the continuously stored data from the Abbott FreeStyle Libre flash glucose monitoring (FGM) system in Chinese diabetes patients during standard meal tests when glucose concentrations were rapidly changing. Subjects and Methods. Interstitial glucose levels were monitored for 14 days in 26 insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes using the FGM system. Standard meal tests were conducted to induce large glucose swings. Venous blood glucose (VBG) was tested at 0, 30, 60, and 120 min after standard meal tests in one middle day of the first and second weeks, respectively. The corresponding sensor glucose values were obtained from interpolating continuously stored data points. Assessment of accuracy was according to recent consensus recommendations with median absolute relative difference (MARD) and Clarke and Parkes error grid analysis (CEG and PEG). Results. Among 208 paired sensor-reference values, 100% were falling within zones A and B of the Clarke and Parkes error grid analysis. The overall MARD was 10.7% (SD, 7.8%). Weighted least squares regression analysis resulted in high agreement between the FGM sensor glucose and VBG readings. The overall MTT results showed that FGM was lower than actual VBG, with MAD of 22.1 mg/dL (1.2 mmol/L). At VBG rates of change of -1 to 0, 0 to 1, 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 mg/dl/min, MARD results were 11.4% (SD, 8.7%), 9.4% (SD, 6.5%), 9.9% (SD, 7.5%), and 9.5% (SD, 7.7%). At rapidly changing VBG concentrations (>3 mg/dl/min), MARD increased to 19.0%, which was significantly higher than slow changing BG groups. Conclusions. Continuously stored interstitial glucose measurements with the FGM system were found to be acceptable to evaluate VBG in terms of clinical decision during standard meal tests. The continuously stored data from the FGM system appeared to underestimate venous glucose and performed less well during rapid glucose changes.
Using Precourse Formative Written Testing in a Pharmacology Class Greatly Increases Medical Students’ Performance in Final Written Summative Tests
Authors: Neumann Joachim , Simmrodt Stephanie , Gergs Ulrich
Published: January 2020

We wanted to test the progress of medical students at our university in a pharmacology course. The formal teaching was given as lectures to the full class of students. We gave the very same written test of multiple-choice (MC) questions (single best choice) to third-year medical students before and after a one semester course of basic pharmacology. The initial voluntary test (containing 30 MC questions) was taken by 79% of the eligible students (n = 147), a week before pharmacology lectures had started. Defining a passing grade of 60% of right answers, only 2% of the students passed the test. The range was between 5 and 21 points. The final, now obligatory, written test at the end of the course (one week after the last lecture in pharmacology) was taken by all students in the semester (n = 179) and was passed by 95%, of students, again defined by the same passing score. Here, the points obtained ranged from 12 to 29. Over the time of the semester, the attendance in the lectures dropped dramatically to less than 10% of the students. Hence, progress tests are useful, but they hardly measure the gain in knowledge through attendance in the pharmacology lecture (the intervention); they also measure other sources of knowledge, such as textbook reading or memorizing only the initial questions and looking up the answers.
A Huge Pelvic-Abdominal Malignant GIST Tumour in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Omar Islam , Alsaati Hani , Waris Ejaz
Published: January 2020

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours are rare tumours of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) accounting for 0.1%–3% of all gastrointestinal tumours. The most common location is the stomach (55%) followed by the small bowel (31.8%), colon (6%), other various locations (5.5%), and the oesophagus (0.7%). They may also occur in extraintestinal locations. The signs and symptoms of GIST depend on the tumour’s location and size. Gastrointestinal bleeding is one of the most common symptoms. Other signs and symptoms include abdominal discomfort, pain or distention; intestinal obstruction, and weight loss. The association between the development of GISTs and neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) has been established. NF1-associated GISTs tend to have a distinct phenotype, and the absence of KIT/PDGRFα mutations in turn has implications on further management when they do not respond well to imatinib treatment. Here, we present one of the largest GISTs reported in the literature with a total volume of 25.3×20×14 cm+27.9×23×8 cm and an overall weight of 7.3 kg, which developed in a 43-year-old female patient with NF1 and was resected on an emergency basis due to the rapid deterioration and development of abdominal compartment syndrome. Pathology assessment showed a malignant GIST composed of spindle cells with elongated nuclei with necrosis, marked pleomorphism and numerous giant cell. The mitotic count was >15/50 HPF, Ki 67 was 80%, and the lymphovascular invasion was clear. Immunohistochemistry investigations showed that Vimentin, CD117, and DOG1 were positive, while BCL-2 and CD99 were focal positives. Pan-CK, S-100, CD34, Desmin, SMA, and HMB-45 were negatives.
Role of Transient Receptor Potential Canonical Channel 6 (TRPC6) in Diabetic Kidney Disease by Regulating Podocyte Actin Cytoskeleton Rearrangement
Authors: Wang Qian , Tian Xuefei , Wang Yuyang , Wang Yan , Li Jialin , Zhao Tingting , Li Ping
Published: January 2020

Podocyte injury is an important pathogenesis step causing proteinuric kidney diseases such as diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Actin cytoskeleton rearrangement in podocyte induced by multiple pathogenic factors is believed to be the key process resulting in glomerular injury. Many studies have recently shown that transient receptor potential canonical channel 6 (TRPC6) in podocyte plays a critical role in the development and progression of proteinuric kidney disease by regulating its actin cytoskeleton rearrangement. This review is aimed at summarizing the role of TRPC6 on DKD by regulating the podocyte actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, thereby help further broaden our views and understanding on the mechanism of DKD and provide a theoretic basis for exploring new therapeutic targets for DKD patients.
Research on a Multinode Joint Vibration Control Strategy for Controlling the Steering Wheel of a Commercial Vehicle
Authors: Tang Tao , He Shuilong , Ye Mingsong , Xu Enyong , Zheng Weiguang
Published: January 2020

The vibration degree of a steering wheel has important reference significance for drivers to evaluate the ride comfort of the whole vehicle. To solve the jitter problem of the steering wheel of a commercial vehicle at idle speed, this work proposes a multinode joint vibration control strategy (MDVC) based on the associated vibration path of the steering wheel. Based on the analysis of the associated vibration transfer paths of the steering wheel, the whole vehicle was divided into a system comprising several nodes. For the decomposed node system, taking the vibration transmission path associated with the target as the research direction, the vibration reduction design of each node system is analyzed step by step. After exploring the possible causes of abnormal vibration of the steering wheel through experimental tests, the abnormal node structure interval was determined. By further extracting the structural model of the steering system from the vehicle, the hammering method was applied to test its modal and related frequency. Furthermore, an improved structure of steering support was also designed, and its fitting degree and modal characteristics were analyzed and compared to the original scheme. The following test results show that the structure improvement greatly reduces the vibration level of the steering wheel, meets the ideal design requirements of the steering wheel vibration reduction, and provides the possibility of weighing the correlation between these hierarchical node systems in whole vehicle.
Relay Selection Joint Consecutive Packet Routing Scheme to Improve Performance for Wake-Up Radio-Enabled WSNs
Authors: Peng Mengyu , Liu Wei , Wang Tian , Zeng Zhiwen
Published: January 2020

Reducing energy consumption, increasing network throughput, and reducing delay are the pivot issues for wake-up radio- (WuR-) enabled wireless sensor networks (WSNs). In this paper, a relay selection joint consecutive packet routing (RS-CPR) scheme is proposed to reduce channel competition conflicts and energy consumption, increase network throughput, and then reduce end-to-end delay in data transmission for WuR-enabled WSNs. The main innovations of the RS-CPR scheme are as follows: (1) Relay selection: when selecting a relay node for routing, the sender will select the node with the highest evaluation weight from its forwarding node set (FNS). The weight of the node is weighted by the distance from the node to sink, the number of packets in the queue, and the residual energy of the node. (2) The node sends consecutive packets once it accesses the channel successfully, and it gives up the channel after sending all packets. Nodes that fail the competition sleep during the consecutive packet transmission of the winner to reduce collisions and energy consumption. (3) Every node sets two thresholds: the packet queue length threshold Nt and the packet maximum waiting time threshold Tt. When the corresponding value of the node is greater than the threshold, the node begins to contend for the channel. Besides, to make full use of energy and reduce delay, the threshold of nodes which are far from sink is small while that of nodes which are close to sink is large. In such a way, nodes in RS-CPR scheme will select those with much residual energy, a large number of packets, and a short distance from sink as relay nodes. As a result, the probability that a node with no packets to transmit becomes a relay is very small, and the probability that a node with many data packets in the queue becomes a relay is large. In this strategy, only a few nodes in routing need to contend for the channel to send packets, thereby reducing channel contention conflicts. Since the relay node has a large number of data packets, it can send many packets continuously after a successful competition. It also reduces the spending of channel competition and improves the network throughput. In summary, RS-CPR scheme combines the selection of relay nodes with consecutive packet routing strategy, which greatly improves the performance of the network. As is shown in our theoretical analysis and experimental results, compared with the receiver-initiated consecutive packet transmission WuR (RI-CPT-WuR) scheme and RI-WuR protocol, the RS-CPR scheme reduces end-to-end delay by 45.92% and 65.99%, respectively, and reduces channel collisions by 51.92% and 76.41%. Besides, it reduces energy consumption by 61.24% and 70.40%. At the same time, RS-CPR scheme improves network throughput by 47.37% and 75.02%.
Influence of the Preparation Method on Some Characteristics of Alginate/Chitosan/Lovastatin Composites
Authors: Nghiem Duc-Thuan , Nguyen Thuy-Chinh , Do Minh-Thanh , Nguyen Thi-Huyen , Lam Tran Dai , Hoang Tran-Dung , Le Van-Quan , Vu Quoc-Trung , Nguyen Duy-Trinh , Thai Hoang
Published: January 2020

This study investigates the effects of direct and indirect dispersion methods for lovastatin solid dispersion (LSD) in alginate (AG)/chitosan (CS) composites on the characteristics and properties of the AG/CS/LSD composites. The preparation method significantly influences the structure, morphology, and LSD size distribution of the composites as well as the drug release of LSD from the samples. The differences in dispersion methods for LSD lead to differences in the interaction between the components, the structure, and the control drug release of LSD. Lovastatin was released from the samples containing LSD in two stages (a fast release stage and a slow release stage), and the drug release content prepared using the indirect method is lower than that prepared using the direct method in the same buffer solution. After 32 h of testing, the released LSD content from the indirect and direct LSD dispersion methods in pH 2 and pH 7.4 buffer solutions was 87–94% and 41–61%, respectively. Drug release kinetics from the above samples in solutions with different pH values was also set up.
Overweight and Obesity among Recipients of Antiretroviral Therapy at HIV Clinics in Gaborone, Botswana: Factors Associated with Change in Body Mass Index
Authors: Tshikuka Jose Gaby , Magafu Mgaywa Gilbert Mjungu Damas , Rankgoane-Pono Goabaone , Mwita Julius Chacha , Masupe Tiny , Hamda Shimeles Genna , Tapera Roy , Molefi Mooketsi , Tshibangu Joseph , Tlhakanelo John Thato
Published: January 2020

Background. Factors associated with overweight/obesity among antiretroviral therapy (ART) recipients have not been sufficiently studied in Botswana. Objectives. To: (i) estimate the prevalence and trends in overweight/obesity by duration of exposure to ART among recipients, (ii) assess changes in BMI categories among ART recipients between their first clinic visit (BMI-1) and their last clinic visit (BMI-2), (iii) identify ART regimen that predicts overweight/obesity better than the others and factors associated with BMI changes among ART recipients. Methods. A 12-year retrospective record-based review was conducted. Potential predictors of BMI change among patients after at least three years of ART exposure were examined using a multiple logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. ART regimens, duration of exposure to ART, and recipients’ demographic and biomedical characteristics including the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus-related comorbidities (DRC), defined as any morbidity associated with type 2 diabetes as described in the international statistical classification of diseases and related health problems (ICD-10-CM) codebook index, were investigated as potential predictors of overweight/obesity. Results. Twenty-nine percent of recipients were overweight, 16.6% had obesity of whom 2.4% were morbidly-obese at the last clinic visit. Overweight/obese recipients were more likely to be female, to have DRC and less likely to have CD4 count between 201 and 249 cells/mm3. Neither the first-line nor the second-, third-line ART regimens predicted overweight/obesity better than the other and neither did the duration of exposure to ART. No significant linear trends were observed in the prevalence of overweight/obesity by the duration of exposure to ART. Conclusion. These results suggest that the ART regimens studied have a comparable effect on overweight/obesity and that the duration of exposure does not affect the outcome. This study calls for further research to elucidate the relative contribution of various factors to BMI change among recipients, including ART regimens.
A New Approach to the Robust Control Design of Fuzzy Automated Highway Systems
Authors: Huang Qingmin , Yang Zeyu , Huang Jin , Yin Hui
Published: January 2020

In this paper, a new approach to the decentralized control design for vehicle platooning for uncertain automated highway systems is proposed. The uncertainty in the system, which is nonlinear and (possibly) fast time-varying, is bounded. The bound is assumed to be within a prescribed fuzzy set. A creative transformation is made to the system, which converts a local problem to a global problem. Based on the fuzzy description of the uncertainty bound and the transformation, a class of decentralized control is proposed in which each vehicle only needs the knowledge of its preceding vehicle in the platoon. No acceleration feedback or the information of the leading vehicle is required. Both the vehicle platooning system and the control are deterministic, hence not if-then fuzzy rule-based. The performance of the resulting controlled system is twofold. First, the collision avoidance performance is guaranteed under any safe initial conditions regardless of the value of the uncertainty. Second, the minimization of a fuzzy-based performance index is guaranteed based on an optimal choice of a control design parameter. Numerical simulations are conducted to validate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.