bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic diversity and symbiotic efficiency difference of endophytic rhizobia of Medicago sativa
Authors: Kang Wenjuan , Xu Lin , Jiang Zhehao , Shi Shangli
Published: October 2018

Research on rhizobium diversity has paved the way for diversification of rhizobial germplasm resources. Seventy-three endophytic bacterial isolates were collected from seven tissues of five alfalfa cultivars in three geographic locations in Gansu, China. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) fingerprinting of 16S rRNA and analysis of concatenated sequence of three housekeeping genes (atpD, glnII, and recA) and two symbiotic genes (nodC and nifH) were used for strain identification. Results showed that the endophytic strains were genetically diverse at different taxonomic levels, and Ensifer meliloti (31) and Agrobacterium radiobacter (12) are common Medicago sativa endophytic bacteria in Gansu, China. The nifH genes (97%–98% sequence identity) of E. meliloti strains were more diverse than the nodC genes (99%–100% sequence identity), even though the strains evolved from a common ancestor. The degree of dispersion of symbiotic phenotypes of E. meliloti strains on M. sativa ‘Gannong No. 3’, ‘Gannong No. 9’, and ‘Qingshui’ was much less than that on M. sativa ‘Longzhong’ and ‘WL168HQ’. This suggested that the symbiotic efficiency of E. meliloti strains on the former three alfalfa cultivars was similar but on the latter two was discrepant. Their symbiotic efficiency differed primarily according to alfalfa cultivars and, to a lesser extent, to the tested strains, indicating the difference in the sensitivity of different alfalfa cultivars to rhizobial strains.
Lattice Boltzmann study of two-phase hydrocarbon fluids based on Peng–Robinson free energy model
Authors: Yang Xuguang , Wang Lei
Published: October 2018

In this paper, a lattice Boltzmann (LB) model is presented to study the two-phase hydrocarbon fluid systems. Based on the Peng–Robinson (P–R) free energy model, a Cahn–Hilliard type equation is derived to describe the interfacial properties. In the corresponding LB method, the gradient contribution of chemical potential is treated as source term, while the homogeneous part is put in the equilibrium distribution function, which guarantees its scale order in the Chapman–Enskog analysis. In the numerical experiments, the realistic hydrocarbon components of propane are numerically studied by the presented LB model in three dimensions. The numerical results show that the predicted surface tension and capillary pressure are in good agreement with laboratory data.
Numerical investigation of nanofluids heat transfer in a channel consisting of rectangular cavities by lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: Ranjbar Pouria , Mohebbi Rasul , Heidari Hanif
Published: October 2018

In this study, lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) simulation is performed to investigate laminar forced convection of nanofluids in a horizontal parallel-plate channel with three rectangular cavities. Two cavities are considered as located on the top wall of the channel and one on the bottom wall. The effects of the Reynolds number (100–400), the cavity aspect ratio (AR = 0.25, 0.5), the various distances of the cavities from each other ([Formula: see text]) at different solid volume fractions of nanofluids ([Formula: see text]) on the velocity and the temperature profiles of the nanofluids are studied. In addition, the flow patterns, i.e. the deflection and re-circulation zone inside the cavities, and the local and averaged Nusselt numbers on the channel walls are calculated. The results obtained are used to ascertain the validity of the written numerical code, which points to the excellent agreement across the results. The results show that, as the solid volume fraction of nanofluids is enhanced, the transfer of heat to working fluids increases significantly. Further, the results show that the maximum value of the averaged Nusselt number in the channel is obtained at [Formula: see text] for AR = 0.5 and [Formula: see text] for AR = 0.25. The interval [0.1224, 0.1304] is the best position for the second cavity. It is concluded that the results of this paper are very useful for designing optimized heat exchangers.
Exact solvability of two new 3D and 1D non-relativistic potentials within the TRA framework
Authors: Assi I. A. , Bahlouli H. , Hamdan A.
Published: October 2018

This work aims at introducing two new solvable 1D and 3D confined potentials and present their solutions using the Tridiagonal Representation Approach (TRA). The wave function is written as a series in terms of square integrable basis functions which are expressed in terms of Jacobi polynomials. The expansion coefficients are then written in terms of new orthogonal polynomials that were introduced recently by Alhaidari, the analytical properties of which are yet to be derived. Moreover, we have computed the numerical eigenenergies for both potentials by considering specific choices of the potential parameters.
Dependence of B(E2) and B(M1) transition strengths on energy and spin of excited states of 18F
Authors: Kharab Rajesh
Published: October 2018

The dependence of reduced transition probabilities corresponding to electric quadrupole [B(E2)] and magnetic dipole [B(M1)] transition occurring in [Formula: see text]F nucleus on excitation energy and spin parity of the states involved in the transition has been investigated within the framework of simple potential model based on M3Y interaction. It is found that B(E2) increases with increasing excitation energy irrespective of the spin of excited states while B(M1) is very sensitive to the spin of the excited states and is independent of excitation energy.
Nonlinear logarithmic interactions and a varying polytropic gas
Authors: Khurshudyan M. , Hakobyan M. , Khurshudyan As.
Published: October 2018

In this paper, we constructed and demonstrated possible existence of some exotic forms of non-gravitational interaction. In particular, the construction has been done assuming that dark energy in considered models is a varying polytropic fluid suggested recently by one of us. Ongoing research in both directions, i.e. dark energy and non-gravitational interaction, opens very interesting perspectives for solving the problems which are related to the accelerated expansion of the Universe. The fact that available observational data allows to parametrize the dark side of the Universe in the form of interacting dark fluids is not less surprising than the accelerated expansion itself. Therefore, the consideration of new forms of non-gravitational interactions in modern cosmology is still one of the actual topics and requires deep and systematic research. On the other hand, the BOSS experiment announcement about the Hubble value parameter at z = 2.34 allows some authors to conclude that it is going to be an evidence on the existence of non-gravitational interaction between dark energy and dark matter. Concerning this, in this paper we will demonstrate that a specific form of a varying polytropic fluid can do it without requiring any non-gravitational interaction if the Hubble parameter value will be quite less than its present value reported by other missions. Actually, this fact motivates us also to consider various new forms of non-gravitational logarithmic interactions and study their cosmological and BOSS experiment result consequences. A classification of the models in the light of actively discussed Om analysis is also presented in this work allowing also to obtain some constraints on the model parameters.
Gravitational Friedel oscillations in higher-derivative and infinite-derivative gravity?
Authors: Boos Jens
Published: October 2018

When a positively charged impurity is placed inside a cold metal, the resulting charge density around that object exhibits characteristic ripples to negative values, known as Friedel oscillations. In this essay, we describe a somewhat analogous effect in (i) linearized higher-derivative gravity and (ii) linearized infinite-derivative “ghost-free” gravity: when a gravitational impurity (point particle) is placed in Minkowski vacuum, the local energy density [Formula: see text] (with [Formula: see text]) exhibits oscillations to negative values. The wavelength of these oscillations is roughly given by (i) the Pauli–Villars regularization scale and (ii) the scale of nonlocality. We hence dub this phenomena gravitational Friedel oscillations.
Black hole factory: A review of double-null formalism
Authors: Nakonieczna Anna , Nakonieczny Łukasz , Yeom Dong-Han
Published: October 2018

In this review paper, we comprehensively summarize numerical applications of double-null formalism for studying dynamics within the theory of gravity. By using the double-null coordinates, we can investigate dynamical black holes and gravitational phenomena within spherical symmetry, including gravitational collapse, formation of horizons and singularities, as well as evaporations. This formalism can be extended to generic situations, where we can change dimensions, topologies, the gravity sector, as well as the matter sector. We also discuss its possible implications for black hole physics and particle astrophysics. This strong numerical tool will have lots of future applications for various research areas including general relativity, string theory and various approaches to quantum gravity.
Gravitational collapse for a radiating anisotropic fluid
Authors: Veneroni L. S. M. , da Silva M. F. A.
Published: October 2018

Interested in the collapse of a radiating star, we study the temporal evolution of a fluid with heat flux and bulk viscosity, including anisotropic pressure. As a starting point, we adopt an initial configuration that satisfies the regularities conditions as well as the energy conditions to a certain range of the mass–radius ratio for the star, defining acceptable models. For this set of models, we verify that the energy conditions remain satisfied until the black hole formation. Astrophysically relevant quantities, such as the luminosity perceived by an observer at infinity, the time of event horizon formation and the loss of mass during the collapse, are presented.
Some Conflicting Results in the Analytic Hierarchy Process
Authors: Bafahm Ardalan , Sun Minghe
Published: October 2018

The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) has been believed to be one of the most pragmatic and widely accepted methods for multi-criteria decision making. However, there have been various criticisms of this method within the last four decades. In this study, the results of AHP contradicting common expectations are examined for both the distributive and ideal modes. Specifically, conflicting priorities, conflicting decisions, and conflicting preference relations are investigated. A decision-making scenario is used throughout the paper and an illustrative example constructed from the decision-making scenario is provided to demonstrate each of the conflicting results recommended by AHP. With a parametric formulation of each unexpected result, the possibility of unexpected results of AHP is generalized irrespective of applying the distributive or ideal mode. The logic and causes of these contradictions are also analyzed. This study shows that AHP is not always reliable, and could lead the decision makers towards incorrect decisions.
Fine-Grained Control over Tracking to Support the Ad-Based Web Economy
Authors: Achara Jagdish Prasad , Parra-Arnau Javier , Castelluccia Claude
Published: October 2018

The intrusiveness of Web tracking and the increasing invasiveness of digital advertising have raised serious concerns regarding user privacy and Web usability, leading a substantial chunk of the populace to adopt ad-blocking technologies in recent years. The problem with these technologies, however, is that they are extremely limited and radical in their approach, and they completely disregard the underlying economic model of the Web, in which users get content free in return for allowing advertisers to show them ads. Nowadays, with around 200 million people regularly using such tools, said economic model is in danger.

In this article, we investigate an Internet technology that targets users who are not, in general, against advertising, accept the trade-off that comes with the “free” content, but—for privacy concerns—they wish to exert fine-grained control over tracking. Our working assumption is that some categories of web pages (e.g., related to health or religion) are more privacy-sensitive to users than others (e.g., about education or science). Capitalizing on this, we propose a technology that allows users to specify the categories of web pages that are privacy-sensitive to them and block the trackers present on such web pages only. As tracking is prevented by blocking network connections of third-party domains, we avoid not only tracking but also third-party ads. Since users continue receiving ads on those web pages that belong to non-sensitive categories, our approach may provide a better point of operation within the trade-off between user privacy and the Web economy. To test the appropriateness and feasibility of our solution, we implemented it as a Web-browser plug-in, which is currently available for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. Experimental results from the collected data of 746 users during one year show that only 16.25% of ads are blocked by our tool, which seems to indicate that the economic impact of the ad-blocking exerted by privacy-sensitive users could be significantly reduced.
A Provenance-Aware Multi-dimensional Reputation System for Online Rating Systems
Authors: Rezvani Mohsen , Ignjatovic Aleksandar , Bertino Elisa
Published: October 2018

Online rating systems are widely accepted as means for quality assessment on the web and users increasingly rely on these systems when deciding to purchase an item online. This makes such rating systems frequent targets of attempted manipulation by posting unfair rating scores. Therefore, providing useful, realistic rating scores as well as detecting unfair behavior are both of very high importance. Existing solutions are mostly majority based, also employing temporal analysis and clustering techniques. However, they are still vulnerable to unfair ratings. They also ignore distances between options, the provenance of information, and different dimensions of cast rating scores while computing aggregate rating scores and trustworthiness of users. In this article, we propose a robust iterative algorithm which leverages information in the profile of users and provenance of information, and which takes into account the distance between options to provide both more robust and informative rating scores for items and trustworthiness of users. We also prove convergence of iterative ranking algorithms under very general assumptions, which are satisfied by the algorithm proposed in this article. We have implemented and tested our rating method using both simulated data as well as four real-world datasets from various applications of reputation systems. The experimental results demonstrate that our model provides realistic rating scores even in the presence of a massive amount of unfair ratings and outperforms the well-known ranking algorithms.
Reproduce and Improve
Authors: Roitero Kevin , Soprano Michael , Brunello Andrea , Mizzaro Stefano
Published: October 2018

Effectiveness evaluation of information retrieval systems by means of a test collection is a widely used methodology. However, it is rather expensive in terms of resources, time, and money; therefore, many researchers have proposed methods for a cheaper evaluation. One particular approach, on which we focus in this article, is to use fewer topics: in TREC-like initiatives, usually system effectiveness is evaluated as the average effectiveness on a set of
n
topics (usually,
n
=50, but more than 1,000 have been also adopted); instead of using the full set, it has been proposed to find the best subsets of a few good topics that evaluate the systems in the most similar way to the full set. The computational complexity of the task has so far limited the analysis that has been performed. We develop a novel and efficient approach based on a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. The higher efficiency of our new implementation allows us to reproduce some notable results on topic set reduction, as well as perform new experiments to generalize and improve such results. We show that our approach is able to both reproduce the main state-of-the-art results and to allow us to analyze the effect of the collection, metric, and pool depth used for the evaluation. Finally, differently from previous studies, which have been mainly theoretical, we are also able to discuss some practical topic selection strategies, integrating results of automatic evaluation approaches.
Interval Forecasting in Supply Chain with Small Sample
Authors: Wu Lifeng , Chen Yan
Published: October 2018

To deal with the forecasting with small samples in the supply chain, three grey models with fractional order accumulation are presented. Human judgment of future trends is incorporated into the order number of accumulation. The output of the proposed model will provide decision-makers in the supply chain with more forecasting information for short time periods. The results of practical real examples demonstrate that the model provides remarkable prediction performances compared with the traditional forecasting model.
Multirotor UAV-Based Photogrammetric Mapping for Road Design
Authors: Zulkipli Muhammad Akmal , Tahar Khairul Nizam
Published: October 2018

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) can be used for close range mapping. In engineering survey works, the conventional survey involves huge cost, labour, and time. Low-cost UAVs are very practical in providing reliable information for many applications such as road design. UAVs can provide the output that meets the accuracy of engineering surveys and policies, especially for small-scale mapping. UAVs are also a competitive technology which is stable and rapidly developing, same as other surveying technologies. This study investigates the performance of multirotor UAV for road design. This study involves four phases which consist of preliminary study, data collection, data processing, and analysis. This study focuses on the UAV as a tool to capture data of the ground from a certain altitude. The analysis includes UAV flight planning, image acquisition, and accuracy assessment of road design. It can be concluded that UAVs can be used to provide data for road design with reliable accuracy.
Familial Mediterranean Gene (MEFV) Mutation in Parents of Children with Familial Mediterranean Fever: What Are the Exceptions?
Authors: Shahbaznejad Leila , Raeeskarami Sayed-Reza , Assari Raheleh , Shakoori Abbas , Azhideh Hamidreza , Aghighi Yahya , Tahghighi Fatemeh , Ziaee Vahid
Published: October 2018

Objectives. Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is one of the most prevalent periodic fever syndromes; MEFV, the responsible gene for the disease, is in the short arm of chromosome16. In the considerable count of the FMF patients, only one mutation is found in the MEFV and parents, who were the obligatory carriers for that mutation, were asymptomatic. The aim of this study was to evaluate these asymptomatic parents in regard to mutation in MEFV gene and similarity between parents and offspring patients. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, asymptomatic parents of FMF patients enrolled the study were referred to periodic fever clinic or pediatric rheumatology clinic of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The patients should have at least one mutation in MEFV gene and none of them had any family history of autoinflammatory disease. Twelve mutations in MEFV gene were assessed in the parents by Vienna Lab FMF Strip Assay kit by MAS PCR/Reverse hybridization. Results. Forty-three patients and their parents participated in the study. Sixty-three percent (27) of patients were male. Onset of disease symptoms in 31 patients (72%) was before 4 years of old. Nine (21%) of the patients had homozygote, 16 (37%) compound heterozygote, and 17(40%) heterozygote for MEFV mutation; there was a case of complex alleles mutations (2%). M694V/M694V in 4 patients (9%) was the most homozygote genotype, and M694V/R761H in 4 (9%) and E148Q in 7 (16%) were the most compound heterozygote and heterozygote genotype, respectively. M694V, M680I, and E148Q were the most mutation in the parents. Overall, 41 patients had mutations similar to their parents’ mutation, except 2 whose parents had no mutation, but a patient did. Conclusion. It seems that occurrence of new mutations in offspring is not prevalent among FMF patients and there are other reasons for different clinical presentation in similar mutation carriers. On the other hand, in ethnicities with high prevalence of FMF, new mutation in descendant may occur, infrequently.
Perspective of Traditional Birth Attendants on Their Experiences and Roles in Maternal Health Care in Rural Areas of Northern Ghana
Authors: Adatara Peter , Afaya Agani , Baku Elizabeth A. , Salia Solomon Mohammed , Asempah Anthony
Published: October 2018

Background. Traditional birth attendants play significant roles in maternal health care in the rural communities in developing countries such as Ghana. Despite their important role in maternal health care, there is paucity of information from the perspective of traditional birth attendants regarding their role on maternal health care in rural areas in Ghana. Objective. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health care in the rural areas in Ghana. Methods. A qualitative explorative approach was adopted to explore the role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health care in the rural areas of Ghana. Ten (10) out of a total of twenty-seven (27) practising traditional birth attendants in the study area were purposefully selected from five (5) rural communities in the Bongo District of Ghana for the study. Data were collected through in-depth, unstructured, individual interviews using a guide. Data collected from the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed to identify themes. Results. Six main roles of traditional birth attendants on maternal health care in rural areas were identified in this study: traditional birth attendants conduct deliveries at home, they provide health education to women on nutrition during pregnancy and lactation, they arrange means of transport and accompany women in labour to health facilities, they provide psychological support and counselling to women during pregnancy and childbirth, and traditional birth attendants are not paid in cash for the services they render to women in the rural areas. Conclusion. Our study brought to light the critical role traditional birth attendants play in maternity in rural and remote areas in Ghana. There is a need for skilled birth attendants to collaborate with traditional birth attendants in rural and deprived communities to provide quality and culturally accepted care in the rural communities.
Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction Coupled to Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry for the Determination of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Water Samples
Authors: Zhan Nan , Guo Feng , Zhu Shuai , Rao Zhu
Published: October 2018

Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) are a new type of persistent organic pollutants. In this work, a simple and effective method involving headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF-MS) was developed and optimized for the determination of trace SCCPs in water samples. The key parameters related to extraction and separation efficiency were systematically optimized. The SCCP congener groups were best resolved using an Rxi-5Sil MS (30 m × 0.25 mm × 0.25 µm) column followed by an Rxi-17Sil MS (1.0 m × 0.15 mm × 0.15 µm) column; the optimum extraction conditions were achieved with a 100 µm polydimethylsiloxane SPME fiber, when a 10 mL water sample added with 3.6 g sodium chloride was incubated for 15 min at 90°C and then extracted during 60 min at 90°C and desorption at 260°C for 2 min. The proposed method showed good linearity in the concentration range of 0.2–20.0 µg/L with the determination coefficient greater than 0.995. The detection and quantification limits ranged from 0.06 to 0.13 µg/L and 0.18 to 0.40 µg/L, respectively, which are sufficient to meet the regulatory detection limits as set by most environmental regulations. The accuracy and precision of the method was also good, where the recoveries ranged from 82.5 to 95.4%, and intra- and interday precision was within 7.2% and 14.5%, respectively. The optimized method has been applied to the determination of SCCPs in ten freshwater samples of three different types.
In Vitro α-Amylase and Protein Glycation Inhibitory Activity of the Aqueous Extract of Flueggea leucopyrus Willd
Authors: Thrikawala Vishmi Sachindra , Deraniyagala Srianthie A. , Dilanka Fernando Chamira , Udukala Dinusha Nishani
Published: October 2018

There is much interest in plant-based medicine with antidiabetic and antiglycation properties. Chronic hyperglycemia plays a vital role in the development of long-term diabetic complications by inducing protein glycation and the gradual formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in various body tissues. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the aqueous extract of the whole plant of Flueggea leucopyrus Willd (FLAE), a medicinal plant used in traditional medicine in Sri Lanka for its in vitro α-amylase inhibitory activity and its inhibitory potential on the formation of AGEs. α-Amylase inhibitory activity determined by 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid method revealed that FLAE possesses 29%–91% inhibitory activity at a concentration range of 2.5–400 μg/mL, respectively. Nonenzymatic protein glycation inhibitory capacity assessed by bovine serum albumin-fructose fluorescence spectrometric assay showed that FLAE at 15.6–250.0 μg/mL inhibited AGE formation by 0.9%–98%, respectively. Radical scavenging ability of FLAE using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of FLAE were also determined. This study shows that Flueggea leucopyrus Willd not only inhibits α-amylase enzyme, which is known to break starch to glucose, but also inhibits the formation of AGEs, which occur due to chronic hyperglycemia that leads to the onset of diabetic complications.
Effects of Physical-Agent Pain Relief Modalities for Fibromyalgia Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Honda Yuichiro , Sakamoto Junya , Hamaue Yohei , Kataoka Hideki , Kondo Yasutaka , Sasabe Ryo , Goto Kyo , Fukushima Takuya , Oga Satoshi , Sasaki Ryo , Tanaka Natsumi , Nakano Jiro , Okita Minoru
Published: October 2018

Purpose. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the effects of the following physical-agent modalities for pain relief in fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Methods. We identified randomized controlled studies of adults with FM in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PEDro databases. The primary outcome measure was pain relief measured by a visual analogue scale (VAS), and the secondary outcome measures of interest were subjective improvements in the number of tender points, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), and quality of life (QOL) scores. Results. Eleven studies were included in our review. The studies’ physical-agent modalities were low-level laser therapy (LLLT), thermal therapy, electromagnetic field therapy, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). LLLT did not reduce VAS scores, but it significantly reduced both the number of tender points and FIQ score. Thermal therapy was associated with significantly reduced VAS scores, tender points, and FIQ scores. Electromagnetic field therapy was associated with significantly reduced VAS score and FIQ score. TENS significantly reduced VAS scores. Conclusion. Our analyses revealed that thermal therapy and LLLT had a partial effect on pain relief in FM patients, and this beneficial effect may have a positive influence on FM patients’ health status.
The Association between Antihypertensive Medication Use and Blood Pressure Is Influenced by Obesity
Authors: Parikh Jash S. , Randhawa Arshdeep K. , Wharton Sean , Edgell Heather , Kuk Jennifer L.
Published: October 2018

Introduction. One in three US adults is living with obesity or hypertension, and more than 75% of hypertensive individuals are using antihypertensive medications. Therefore, it is important to examine blood pressure (BP) differences in populations that are using these medications with differing obesity status. Aim. We examined whether BP attained when using various antihypertensive medications varies amongst different body mass index (BMI) categories and whether antihypertensive medication use is associated with differences in other metabolic risk factors, independent of BMI. Methods. Adults with hypertension from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2014 were used (n=15,285). Linear regression analyses were used to examine the main effects and interaction between antihypertensive use and BMI. Results. In general, users of antihypertensive medications had lower BP than those not taking BP medications (NoBPMed) (P<0.05), whereby in women, the differences in systolic BP between angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) users and NoBPMed were greater in those with obesity (ACE inhibitors: −14 ± 1 mmHg; ARB: −16 ± 1 mmHg) compared to normal weight individuals (ACE inhibitors: −9 ± 1 mmHg; ARB: −11 ± 1 mmHg) (P<0.05). Diastolic BP differences between women ARB users and NoBPMed were also greatest in obesity (−5 ± 1 mmHg) (P<0.05) whilst there were no differences in normal weight individuals (−1 ± 1 mmHg) (P>0.05). Furthermore, glucose levels and waist circumference in women were higher in those using ACE inhibitors compared to diuretics (P<0.05). Conclusion. ACE inhibitors and ARBs may be associated with more beneficial BP profiles in women with obesity, with no obesity-related BP differences for antihypertensive medication in men. However, there could be potential cardiometabolic effects for some antihypertensive medications that should be explored further.
Predictive Role of Urinary Metabolic Profile for Abnormal MRI Score in Preterm Neonates
Authors: Tataranno Maria Luisa , Perrone Serafina , Longini Mariangela , Coviello Caterina , Tassini Maria , Vivi Antonio , Calderisi Marco , deVries Linda S. , Groenendaal Floris , Buonocore Giuseppe , Benders Manon J. N. L.
Published: October 2018

Background and Objective. Early identification of neonates at risk for brain injury is important to start appropriate intervention. Urinary metabolomics is a source of potential, noninvasive biomarkers of brain disease. We studied the urinary metabolic profile at 2 and 10 days in preterm neonates with normal/mild and moderate/severe MRI abnormalities at term equivalent age.Methods. Urine samples were collected at two and 10 days after birth in 30 extremely preterm infants and analyzed using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A 3 T MRI was performed at term equivalent age, and images were scored for white matter (WM), cortical grey matter (cGM), deep GM, and cerebellar abnormalities. Infants were divided in two groups: normal/mild and moderately/severely abnormal MRI scores.Results. No significant clustering was seen between normal/mild and moderate/severe MRI scores for all regions at both time points. The ROC curves distinguished neonates at 2 and 10 days who later developed a markedly less mature cGM score from the others (2 d: area under the curve (AUC) = 0.72, specificity (SP) = 65%, sensitivity (SE) = 75% and 10 d: AUC = 0.80, SP = 78%, SE = 80%) and a moderately to severely abnormal WM score (2 d: AUC = 0.71, specificity (SP) = 80%, sensitivity (SE) = 72% and 10 d: AUC = 0.69, SP = 64%, SE = 89%).Conclusions. Early urinary spectra of preterm infants were able to discriminate metabolic profiles in patients with moderately/severely abnormal cGM and WM scores at term equivalent age. Urine spectra are promising for early identification of neonates at risk of brain damage and allow understanding of the pathogenesis of altered brain development.
Food-Origin Lactic Acid Bacteria May Exhibit Probiotic Properties: Review
Authors: Zielińska Dorota , Kolożyn-Krajewska Danuta
Published: October 2018

One of the most promising areas of development in the human nutritional field over the last two decades has been the use of probiotics and recognition of their role in human health and disease. Lactic acid-producing bacteria are the most commonly used probiotics in foods. It is well known that probiotics have a number of beneficial health effects in humans and animals. They play an important role in the protection of the host against harmful microorganisms and also strengthen the immune system. Some probiotics have also been found to improve feed digestibility and reduce metabolic disorders. They must be safe, acid and bile tolerant, and able to adhere and colonize the intestinal tract. The means by which probiotic bacteria elicit their health effects are not understood fully, but may include competitive exclusion of enteric pathogens, neutralization of dietary carcinogens, production of antimicrobial metabolites, and modulation of mucosal and systemic immune function. So far, lactic acid bacteria isolated only from the human gastrointestinal tract are recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) for use as probiotics by humans. However, more and more studies suggest that strains considered to be probiotics could be isolated from fermented products of animal origin, as well as from non-dairy fermented products. Traditional fermented products are a rich source of microorganisms, some of which may exhibit probiotic properties. They conform to the FAO/WHO recommendation, with one exception; they have not been isolated from human gastrointestinal tract. In light of extensive new scientific evidence, should the possibility of changing the current FAO/WHO requirements for the definition of probiotic bacteria be considered?
Exponential Inequalities for Positive Linear Mappings
Authors: Sababheh Mohammad , Moradi Hamid Reza , Furuichi Shigeru
Published: October 2018

In this article, we present exponential-type inequalities for positive linear mappings and Hilbert space operators, by means of convexity and the Mond-Pečarić method. The obtained results refine and generalize some known results. As an application, we present extensions for operator-like geometric and harmonic means inequalities.
Simvastatin Effects on Inflammation and Platelet Activation Markers in Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Barale Cristina , Frascaroli Chiara , Senkeev Rouslan , Cavalot Franco , Russo Isabella
Published: October 2018

Background. Beside the lipid-lowering effect, statins slow the progression of atherosclerosis by exerting anti-inflammatory and platelet inhibiting effects. We investigated whether platelet inhibition by simvastatin correlates with the statin effects on lipid lowering, inflammation, oxidative stress, and endothelial and platelet activation. Methods. In hypercholesterolemic patients allocated to diet (n=20) or a 2-month treatment with diet plus 40 mg simvastatin (n=25), we evaluated platelet aggregating responses to ADP, collagen, and arachidonic acid (AA), the effect of aspirin on AA-induced aggregation, pro- and anti-inflammatory and atherogenic mediators (IL-1β, -5, -6, -7, -8, -9, -10, -12, and -13, IFN-γ, IP-10, Eotaxin, and sRAGE), markers of endothelium (sE-selectin, VEGF, and MCP-1) and platelet activation (sP-selectin, sCD-40L, RANTES, and PDGF-bb), and oxidative stress (8-OH-2’-deoxyguanosine). Results. After treatment, beside the improvement of lipid profile, we observed the following: a reduction of platelet aggregation to ADP (p=0.0001), collagen (p=0.0001), AA (p=0.003); an increased antiaggregating effect of aspirin in the presence of AA (p=0.0001); a reduction of circulating levels of IL-6 (p=0.0034), IL-13 (p<0.0001), IFN-γ (p<0.0001), VEGF (p<0.0001), sE-selectin (p<0.0001), sCD-40L (p<0.0001), sP-selectin (p=0.003), and 8-OH-2’-deoxyguanosine (p<0.0001); an increase of IL-10 and sRAGEs (p=0.0001 for both). LDL-cholesterol levels (i) positively correlated with IL-6, IFN-γ, E-selectin, sCD-40L, 8-OH-2’-deoxyguanosine, platelet aggregation to ADP, collagen, AA, and aspirin IC-50 and (ii) negatively correlated with IL-10 and sRAGE. In multiple regression analyses, LDL-cholesterol was the strongest predictor for most parameters of platelet reactivity. Conclusion. In primary hypercholesterolemia, simvastatin treatment reduced platelet activation and subclinical inflammation and improved endothelial dysfunction. LDL-cholesterol levels were the major correlate of platelet reactivity; however, other effects of statins may contribute to reducing the progression of atherosclerosis.
Demographic Correlates of Infant Feeding Practices and Growth Performance in the First Year of Life
Authors: Shinn Leila M. , Tangney Christy C. , Busche Caitlyn , Sharp Christine M. , Mullen Mary C.
Published: October 2018

The aims of this study are (1) to assess changes in infant WHO growth indicators (weight-for-age, weight-for-length, and head circumference z-scores) from birth to 12 months of age as a function of feeding practices (FP) and (2) to describe the proportion of infants experiencing rapid weight gain (RWG; defined as change in weight-for-age z-score of ≥0.67 between birth and six months) among different FP. The modified Infant Feeding Practices Study II questionnaire was administered to 149 diverse caretakers/mothers of infants who were less than six months of age in a pediatric outpatient clinic. Growth as a function of FP was assessed using repeated measures ANOVA, while logistic regression was used to describe the correlates of RWG. The largest proportion of caretakers was African American (37%), 46% completed college, and 48% were enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. Regarding FP, 32% of infants were formula fed, and 18% were breastfed, with the remaining being either mixed fed or complementary fed, with nearly 40% of infants demonstrating RWG. While changes in weight-for-age z-scores differed among FP across time (p<0.05), observed patterns for head-circumference-for-age and weight-for-length z-scores did not. Various demographic correlates (caretaker race-ethnicity, education, and WIC enrollment) were associated with FP. Only the patterns of change in weight-for-age z-scores at 9 and 12 months differed among FP (with breastfeeding being the lowest at both time points). Further study is needed to adequately characterize the correlates of infant growth performance and growth patterns among different FP in such diverse samples. Continued research will allow for the development of an easy-to-use, succinct questionnaire that will allow healthcare providers to individualize feeding recommendations for caretakers of infants.
Gastrocolic Fistula: A Rare Presentation of Colon Cancer
Authors: Chime Chukwunonso , Ravi Madhavi , Daniel Myrta , Patel Harish , Balar Bhavna
Published: October 2018

Gastrocolic fistulae have been described for benign conditions including penetrating peptic ulcer and complicated pancreatitis. Malignant etiology can arise from gastric or colon cancer and is a rare and late complication with an incidence of 0.3-0.4%. Usual presentation is the classic triad of weight loss, diarrhea, and feculent vomiting. Barium enema has been shown to have the highest diagnostic accuracy but endoscopy offers additional advantage of biopsy to aid in diagnosis of malignant etiology; the role of computed tomography (CT) scan is controversial. Treatment by one-stage en bloc surgical approach is the current acceptable standard of care with variable recurrence and survival rates. Adjuvant chemotherapy would be based on lymph node involvement and patient discussion.
A Novel Detrended Fluctuation Analysis Method for Gear Fault Diagnosis Based on Variational Mode Decomposition
Authors: Hu Sinian , Xiao Han , Yi Cancan
Published: October 2018

The vibration signal of heavy gearbox has the nonlinear and nonstationary characteristic, which makes the gear fault diagnosis difficult. Moreover, the useful fault information is mainly focused on the high‐frequency components of the raw signal, which also affects the fault feature extraction from vibration signal. For this reason, a novel signal processing method based on variational mode decomposition (VMD) and detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) is proposed to diagnose the gear faults of heavy gearbox. Since high‐frequency component contains more fault information, the raw vibration signal is decomposed several mode components by VMD, which can remove the low‐frequency component to retain the high‐frequency component. Moreover, the most sensitive mode component is selected in these high‐frequency components by a maximal indicator, which is composed of kurtosis and correlation coefficient. The most sensitive mode component is calculated by DFA to obtain bi‐logarithmic map, and the sliding windowing algorithm is employed to capture turning point of the bi‐logarithmic map, thus extracting the fault feature of small time scale to identify gear faults. The effectiveness of the proposed method for fault diagnosis is validated by experimental data analysis, and the comparison results demonstrate that the recognition rate of gear faults condition have marked improvement by proposed method than the DFA of small time scale (STS‐DFA) and EMD‐DFA.
Analysis of Mechanical and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Rock Materials with Double‐Hole Defects Based on Particle Flow Code
Authors: Zhang Qi , Wang Xiao , Tian Long-gang , Huang Dong-mei
Published: October 2018

There are a lot of fissures, holes, and other defects in the formation of natural rocks. Under the influence of the external loads, these defects may cause engineering problems. Therefore, it is of great significance to analyze the characteristics of damage evolution of the defective rocks. In the study, the double‐hole defective rocks with different angles of the center connection line are considered and the numerical models are established firstly. Then the mechanical behavior and acoustic emission (AE) characteristics are analyzed systematically. Finally the laws of damage evolution of the defective rock materials are investigated based on the AE characteristics. The research results show that the stress‐strain behavior of the defective rocks can be divided into elastic stage, plastic stage and failure stages. The characteristics of acoustic emission evolution and laws of damage evolution are closely related to the stress‐strain relationship. The elastic modulus of the double‐hole defective rocks is similar with different angles of the center connection line, but the peak strength is different. The shape of the peak strength of these defective rocks is a W type owing to the different failure modes. The influences of different angles of the center connection line on the characteristics of AE evolution include the maximum events number, the strain value of the initial AE events and the maximum AE events, and the strain range of the serious AE events. Different angles of the center connection line have different influences on the laws of damage evolution of the double‐hole defective rocks.
Integrated Environment of Metaheuristics for Optimal Data Collection in Wireless Sensor Network with Mobile Sink
Authors: Zahra Maamar , Wang Yulin , Kechar Bouabdellah , Derdour Yasmine , Ding Wenjia
Published: October 2018

Maximizing the network lifetime and data collection are two major functions in WSN. For this aim, mobility is proposed as a solution to improve the data collection process and promote energy efficiency. In this paper, we focus on Sink mobility which has the role of data collection. The problem is how to find an optimal data collection trajectory for the Mobile Sink using approximate optimization techniques. To address this challenge, we propose an optimization model for the Mobile Sink to improve the data collection process and thus to extend the network lifetime of WSN. Our proposition is based on a multiobjective function using a Weighted Sum Method (WSM) by adapting two metaheuristics methods, Tabu Search (TS) and Simulated Annealing (SA), to this problem. To test our proposal by experiment, we designed and developed an Integrated Environment of Optimization and Simulation based on metaheuristics tool (IEOSM). The environment IEOSM helps us to determine the best optimization method in terms of optimal trajectory, execution time, and quality of data collection. The IEOSM also integrates a powerful simulation tool to evaluate the methods in terms of energy consumption, data collection, and latency.
Early Detection and Management of Massive Intraoperative Pulmonary Embolism in a Patient Undergoing Repair of a Traumatic Acetabular Fracture
Authors: Okoronkwo Tobechi E. , Zhang XueWei , Dworet Jessica , Wecksell Matthew
Published: October 2018

A 73-year-old male with history of hyperlipidemia and osteoarthritis was transferred from an outside hospital after a fall from a ladder at home. He sustained a severe right sided acetabular fracture involving the femoral head, requiring operative repair. Preoperative evaluation was unremarkable except for oxygen saturation < 95 %. After induction of anesthesia and surgical positioning, the patient went into cardiac arrest. After intraoperative cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and placement on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), the patient stabilized. Cardiac catheterization revealed a large left pulmonary embolism. Here, we discuss the etiology and management of intraoperative pulmonary embolism.
Resilience and Adaptation: Yukon River Watershed Contaminant Risk Indicators
Authors: Duffy Lawrence , De Wilde La’Ona , Spellman Katie , Dunlap Kriya , Dainowski Bonita , McCullough Susan , Luick Bret , van Muelken Mary
Published: October 2018

River watersheds are among the most complex terrestrial features in Alaska, performing valuable ecosystem functions and providing services for human society. Rivers are vital to both estuarine and aquatic biota and play important roles in biogeochemical cycles and physical processes. The functions of watersheds have been used as vulnerability indicators for ecosystem and socioeconomic resilience. Despite a long history of human activity, the Yukon River has not received the holistic and interdisciplinary attention given to the other great American river systems. By using hypothesis-based monitoring of key watershed functions, we can gain insight to regime-shifting stresses such as fire, toxins, and invasive species development. Coupling adaptive risk management practices involving stakeholders with place-based education, especially contaminants and nutrition related, can maintain resilience within communities. The Yukon watershed provides a broadscale opportunity for communities to monitor the environment, manage resources, and contribute to stewardship policy formation. Monitoring keystone species and community activities, such as citizen science, are critical first steps to following changes to resiliency throughout the Yukon watershed. Creating a policy environment that encourages local experimentation and innovation contributes to resilience maintenance during development-imposed stress.