bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Epidemiological and genetic characterization of larval stages of Fasciola gigantica in snail intermediate hosts in Karnataka State, India
Authors: Rajanna Rangappa , Thimmareddy Pamalapati Mahadevareddy , Sengupta Pinaki Prasad , Siju Susan Jacob , Mamatha Gotakanapura Sanjeevamurthy 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Fasciolosis in ruminants in India is caused by the liver fluke Fasciola gigantica. Radix (Lymnaea) spp. are known to carry the infective stages of this parasite. Understanding the seasonal prevalence of F. gigantica infection in the intermediate host is of extreme importance in order to elucidate the transmission dynamics of the parasite. So the present study was designed to determine the bioclimatic distribution of larval stages of F. gigantica in Radix spp. snails as well as to explore the genetic diversity of F. gigantica in three geographical regions (Deccan plateau, Western Ghats and coastal region) of Karnataka. The lymnaeid snails were sampled (n = 2077) for a period of one year (June 2015 to May 2016) at 24 sites. The snails were morphologically identified and the infection status was established through cercarial shedding and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based technique targeting second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The sensitivity of PCR (8.2%) for detection of F. gigantica infection within snail is significantly higher than cercarial shedding (4.3%) with an overall prevalence of 5.1%. The prevalence of infection was higher in winter than in the rainy and summer seasons (6.2% instead of 4.6% and 4.3% respectively). Deccan plateau (5.8%) showed a higher prevalence of infection compared to Western Ghats (5.2%) and Coastal region (3.6%). The sequencing ITS-2 region permitted the identification of the parasite as F. gigantica which is having high implication in studying the population genetic structure of the parasite in the country. In conclusion, overall results indicated that Radix spp. snails harboured F. gigantica developmental stages throughout the year and nested PCR was found to be sensitive and specific for detection of F. gigantica infection in snails compared to routine parasitological techniques.
Does apicortin, a characteristic protein of apicomplexan parasites and placozoa, occur in Eumetazoa?
Authors: Orosz Ferenc 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Apicortin is a characteristic protein of apicomplexan parasites which has recently been identified in their free-living cousins, chromerids as well. The placozoan Trichoplax adhaerens is the only animal possessing this protein and apicortin is one of its most abundant proteins. The recently published transcriptome of the cnidarian Porites astreoides contains an apicortin-like sequence. Other cnidarians do not have it, thus it is its first occurrence not only in this phylum but also in Eumetazoa. However, its translated amino acid sequence is more similar to apicomplexan apicortins than to that of T. adhaerens, the GC ratio is much higher than either the genome-wide GC ratio of P. astreoides or that of the placozoan apicortin gene, and phylogenetic analyses suggest that this apicortin has an apicomplexan origin. Although these data might be indicative for a horizontal gene transfer event, we should be cautious to state it; it is more probable that it is a contamination from a gregarine, a marine Apicomplexa. Thus T. adhaerens remains the only animal where the presence of apicortin is proved.
Dirofilaria repens infection as a cause of intensive peripheral microfilariemia in a Polish patient: process description and cases review
Authors: Kłudkowska Matylda , Pielok Łukasz , Frąckowiak Krystyna , Masny Aleksander , Gołąb Elżbieta , Paul Małgorzata 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Dirofilariasis is a parasitic disease of dogs and other carnivores transmitted mainly by the mosquitoes of the genera Culex, Aedes, Anopheles. Full life cycle of the Dirofilaria nematodes in humans is extremely rarely observed, usually lacking species determination at the molecular level. We report fully documented unusual clinical manifestation of subcutaneous dirofilariasis with intensive microfilariemia in peripheral blood revealed by the Knott’s concentration technique. The identification of the Dirofilaria repens nematode was based on typical morphological findings for adult gravid female nematode found in the histopathological preparations. The morphology of microfilariae obtained from patient’s peripheral blood was also typical for D. repens. The final identification was confirmed by the molecular analysis of microfilariae collected from the blood.
Setup and initial testing of an endoscope manipulator system for assistance in transoral endoscopic surgery
Authors: Boese Axel , Hündorf Philipp , Arens Christoph , Friedrich Daniel T. , Friebe Michael 
Published: July 2018

Abstract

Purpose
For the treatment of malignant diseases of the oral cavity and the larynx, a total or partial resection is the standard therapy, while in special cases chemo- and/or external radiation therapy is considered. Transoral access reduces trauma and hospitalization time. Transoral surgery is usually executed using external microscopic imaging. Therefore, the microscope is placed in the visual line of the opening of the mouth and throat. However, specific anatomical structures like the posterior commissure (dorsal end of the vocal cords) are not visible in these procedures. An endoscopic approach can improve this problem. We introduce a new prototype system for endoscopic assisted transoral surgery.

Methods
Based on clinical observation and discussions with professional users and surgeons, the clinical need was identified and specified. A general concept or an endoscopic manipulator to assist microlaryngeal surgery was designed. For that a steerable rigid endoscope was combined with an actuator that allows translational and rotational movement. A quick release fastener was designed allowing for fast change of the endoscope and independence from its shape and type. The actuator was fixed on a commercially available, semi-active medical holding arm for easy positioning. The holder can be fixed to the standard rails of the surgical table. The piezoelectric drives integrated in the actuator are activated with a foot pedal. This allows easy and fast fine positioning, while the hands are free to perform the surgery with standard instruments for microlaryngeal surgery.

Results
A prototype of the system for endoscopic assisted transoral surgery was developed. The entire technical setup was tested in terms of usability and performance in a simulated surgical scenario. A basic phantom, representing the throat and vocal cords was created and placed on a surgical table. The system was installed on the table and the clinical workflow of a simulated endoscopic assisted surgery on the vocal cords was performed. The performance of the setup and the procedure success was evaluated by clinical users.

Conclusion
Fixture of the system on the surgical table is fast and easy due to its low weight and compact design. The medical holder allows a fast initial positioning of the system in front of the phantom patient. An easy insertion and removal of the endoscope was realized using the quick release fastener. The developed endoscope fixation is universally adaptable and not limited to a single type of endoscope. The piezoelectric drives, combined with the foot pedal, allow a precise placement and readjustment of the endoscope during surgery. The use of a multi view endoscope enables a variable view on the surgical situs. The size and shape of the whole setup offer excellent access to the targeted structures. The development was classified beneficial by the clinical users.
Rayleigh Quotient Methods for Estimating Common Roots of Noisy Univariate Polynomials
Authors: Stegeman Alwin , De Lathauwer Lieven 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
The problem is considered of approximately solving a system of univariate polynomials with one or more common roots and its coefficients corrupted by noise. The goal is to estimate the underlying common roots from the noisy system. Symbolic algebra methods are not suitable for this. New Rayleigh quotient methods are proposed and evaluated for estimating the common roots. Using tensor algebra, reasonable starting values for the Rayleigh quotient methods can be computed. The new methods are compared to Gauss–Newton, solving an eigenvalue problem obtained from the generalized Sylvester matrix, and finding a cluster among the roots of all polynomials. In a simulation study it is shown that Gauss–Newton and a new Rayleigh quotient method perform best, where the latter is more accurate when other roots than the true common roots are close together.
Analysis of the Effects of Neuro-Fuzzy Control Configuration Parameters on PH Neutralization Process
Authors: Mazzali D. G. Z. , Franco I. C. , Silva F. V. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
The pH neutralization process is typical in chemical, biological and petrochemical industries. One of the major challenges to control it is to understand its nonlinearities and that requires several fine adjustments from conventional controls. Artificial Intelligence has been used to study these nonlinearities; one of them is Neuro-Fuzzy Logic, which was investigated in this work to develop controls dedicated to this process. These controls are formed by logical structures and may be adjusted to different configurations. In practical applications, it is highly important to adapt control parameters based on artificial intelligence to obtain better performance. The present work studied the effect of different configurations of a neuro-fuzzy control on the performance of a regulatory control to pH neutralization process by means of a virtual plant developed in both Indusoft© and Matlab© environments. For both variables, pH and reactor level control, membership function (MF) = [Gaussian], method “OR” = [probabilistic], method “E” = [product], type of MF output = [linear] and the optimization method = [hybrid], have improved control performance, which confirms the importance of configuration choices in neuro-fuzzy control adjustments. Moreover, the most determining factor in NFC performance is the types of membership functions.
Diagnostic stewardship and the 2017 update of the IDSA-SHEA Clinical Practice Guidelines for Clostridium difficile Infection
Authors: Madden Gregory R. , Poulter Melinda D. , Sifri Costi D. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Diagnostic stewardship is an increasingly recognized means to reduce unnecessary tests and diagnostic errors. As a leading cause of healthcare-associated infection for which accurate laboratory diagnosis remains a challenge, Clostridium difficile offers an ideal opportunity to apply the principles of diagnostic stewardship. The recently updated 2017 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)-Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) Clinical Practice Guidelines for C. difficile infection now recommend separate diagnostic strategies depending on whether an institution has adopted diagnostic stewardship in test decision making. IDSA-SHEA endorsement of diagnostic stewardship for C. difficile highlights the increasing role of diagnostic stewardship in hospitals. In this opinion piece, we introduce the concept of diagnostic stewardship by discussing the new IDSA-SHEA diagnostic recommendations for laboratory diagnosis of C. difficile. We outline recent examples of diagnostic stewardship, challenges to implementation, potential downsides and propose future areas of study.
Is FGF23 effective on insulin resistance in individuals with metabolic syndrome?
Authors: Sit Dede , Tanrıverdi Ender , Kayabasi Hasan , Erdem Muslum , Sari Hakan 
Published: July 2018

Abstract

Purpose
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a polymetabolic syndrome has high morbidity and mortality rates. Insulin resistance (IR) plays a key role in the increasing frequency of this situation and has been cited as being an important etiologic factor in MetS. In this study, the relationship between IR and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), was investigated in a population with MetS.

Materials and methods
Forty patients with diagnosis of MetS and 40 healthy volunteers with an equal number of males and females were included in the study and classified as patient group and control group. Blood samples were obtained after 12-h fasting period to study FGF23 and other parameters. MetS, defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) guidelines, FGF23 was studied by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) method and IR was calculated using the homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) formula.

Results
There was a statistically significant difference in HOMA-IR between the patient and control group as expected, while levels of FGF23 were similar. According to gender, levels of FGF23 was statistically significantly higher in male patients compared with controls (p = 0.037). A relationship was not detected between HOMA-IR and FGF23 in the correlation analysis.

Conclusion
Although there are many studies suggesting the correlation between FGF23 and IR in different populations, we did not find any statistically significant relationship between IR and FGF23 levels in MetS in this study.
Scrutinization of Chemical Reaction Effect on Flow and Mass Transfer of Prandtl Liquid over a Riga Plate in the Presence of Solutal Slip Effect
Authors: Gireesha B.J. , Ganesh Kumar K. , Prasannakumar B.C. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
In the present paper focused on flow and mass transfer of Prandtl fluid over a Riga plate. The effects of chemical reaction and solutal slip are taken into the account. The governing partial differential equations are reduced into a set of coupled non linear ordinary differential equations using suitable similarity transformations. These equations are then solved using Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg-45 method. Behaviour of emerging parameters are presented graphically and discussed for velocity and concentration distribution. Numerical values of reduced skin friction coefficient and Sherwood number are shown in table and are discussed. From the plotted results it can be observed that the solutal boundary layer thickness decreases for larger values of chemical reaction parameter and Schmidt number. Also, momentum boundary layer thickness rise with stronger modified Hartman number.
Improving Community Resilience through Disaster Simulation: How Simulation-based Education Augments Emergency Management Exercises
Authors: Zavaleta Kathryn Walker , Asirvatham Usha , Callies Byron , Franz Walter B. , Scanlan-Hanson Lori , Molella Robin G. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Increased interest among leaders and practitioners in the field of emergency preparedness in the concept of whole community resilience can create new ways reaching the community. This paper explores one approach to community-engaged preparedness education. By drawing on the fields of emergency management and simulation–based instructional design, we describe an approach to preparedness events with broad community participation. We describe the education methodology used to plan the event and the core concepts related to simulation-based education. We offer key principles for event planners to engage a diverse group of participants ranging from youth, pre-professional healthcare students, practicing healthcare professionals, and staff from local community organizations. Our experience through seven years of events offers a proof of concept available to local communities; community organizational leaders concerned with the resilience for their own organizations; and academic organizations preparing our citizens to deal with the challenges of living and serving in a world of increasing risk of disaster.
Molecular Dynamics Visualization (MDV): Stereoscopic 3D Display of Biomolecular Structure and Interactions Using the Unity Game Engine
Authors: Wiebrands Michael , Malajczuk Chris J. , Woods Andrew J. , Rohl Andrew L. , Mancera Ricardo L. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Molecular graphics systems are visualization tools which, upon integration into a 3D immersive environment, provide a unique virtual reality experience for research and teaching of biomolecular structure, function and interactions. We have developed a molecular structure and dynamics application, the Molecular Dynamics Visualization tool, that uses the Unity game engine combined with large scale, multi-user, stereoscopic visualization systems to deliver an immersive display experience, particularly with a large cylindrical projection display. The application is structured to separate the biomolecular modeling and visualization systems. The biomolecular model loading and analysis system was developed as a stand-alone C# library and provides the foundation for the custom visualization system built in Unity. All visual models displayed within the tool are generated using Unity-based procedural mesh building routines. A 3D user interface was built to allow seamless dynamic interaction with the model while being viewed in 3D space. Biomolecular structure analysis and display capabilities are exemplified with a range of complex systems involving cell membranes, protein folding and lipid droplets.
Ensembles of Text and Time-Series Models for Automatic Generation of Financial Trading Signals from Social Media Content
Authors: Bari Omar A. , Agah Arvin 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
Event studies in finance have focused on traditional news headlines to assess the impact an event has on a traded company. The increased proliferation of news and information produced by social media content has disrupted this trend. Although researchers have begun to identify trading opportunities from social media platforms, such as Twitter, almost all techniques use a general sentiment from large collections of tweets. Though useful, general sentiment does not provide an opportunity to indicate specific events worthy of affecting stock prices. This work presents an event clustering algorithm, utilizing natural language processing techniques to generate newsworthy events from Twitter, which have the potential to influence stock prices in the same manner as traditional news headlines. The event clustering method addresses the effects of pre-news and lagged news, two peculiarities that appear when connecting trading and news, regardless of the medium. Pre-news signifies a finding where stock prices move in advance of a news release. Lagged news refers to follow-up or late-arriving news, adding redundancy in making trading decisions. For events generated by the proposed clustering algorithm, we incorporate event studies and machine learning to produce an actionable system that can guide trading decisions. The recommended prediction algorithms provide investing strategies with profitable risk-adjusted returns. The suggested language models present annualized Sharpe ratios (risk-adjusted returns) in the 5–11 range, while time-series models produce in the 2–3 range (without transaction costs). The distribution of returns confirms the encouraging Sharpe ratios by identifying most outliers as positive gains. Additionally, machine learning metrics of precision, recall, and accuracy are discussed alongside financial metrics in hopes of bridging the gap between academia and industry in the field of computational finance.
Generalized Trapezoidal Companding Technique for PAPR Reduction in OFDM Systems
Authors: Gupta Saruti , Goel Ashish 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe main drawback in the performance of the Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system is the higher Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) of the OFDM signals at the transmitter side. Companding is a well-known technique useful for reducing PAPR in the OFDM signal. This paper proposes a new nonlinear companding scheme that transforms the magnitude of Rayleigh distributed OFDM signal of specific degree into trapezoidal distribution. Additional design parameter is used in the proposed companding scheme to make the companding function more flexible. In the designed OFDM system the companding function has more degree of freedom which improves the PAPR and bit error rate (BER) parameters of the designed system. It has been demonstrated that the designed companding scheme provides more flexibility to accomplish an optimum trade-off between the performance parameters PAPR and BER of the designed OFDM system.
Evaluation of recent combined global geopotential models in Brazil
Authors: Nicacio E. , Dalazoana R. , Freitas S. R. C. de 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to present a quantitative analysis of the adequacy of the main currently existing combined Global Geopotential Models (GGMs) for modeling normal-geoid heights throughout Brazil. As major advances have been reached since mid-2016 in the combined GGMs elaboration and development, the main objective of this analysis is to verify if, in fact, the most recent models present superior or equivalent performance to the most performant previous models. The analysis was based on comparisons between normal-geoid height values obtained fromGNSS/leveling solutions and values calculated from GGMs XGM2016, GOCO05C, EIGEN-6C4 and EGM2008, according to different geopotential functionals - geoid height and height anomaly - and in different degrees of development, always through the relative method. This procedure was applied to 997 stations which carry information of both ellipsoidal and normal-orthometric heights, located all over Brazil. As a main result, it was observed the superior performance of the recent combined GGMs, GOCO05C and XGM2016, when compared to the older models, EIGEN-6C4 and EGM2008, when all of them are developed up to degree 720, the maximum degree of the recent models; and a approximate equality of results when all of the models are used in their individual maximum degrees.
Symptomatic Rathke cleft cyst in paediatric patients – clinical presentations, surgical treatment and postoperative outcomes – an analysis of 38 cases
Authors: Prokop-Piotrkowska Monika , Moszczyńska Elżbieta , Daszkiewicz Paweł , Roszkowski Marcin , Szalecki Mieczysław 
Published: July 2018

Abstract

Background:
Rathke cleft cysts (RCC) are benign, epithelium-lined intrasellar and/or suprasellar cysts believed to originate from the remnants of the Rathke pouch. The aim of this study was to analyse the symptoms and surgical outcome of patients with the diagnosis of RCC verified in a histopathological examination of the postoperative material.

Methods:
The study is a retrospective analysis of 38 cases of children who underwent a neurosurgical treatment due to RCC at the Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw, Poland, between 1994 and 2015.

Results:
At diagnosis, the mean age was 13 years and 8 months (6 years and 11 months–17 years and 10 months, sex ratio was 1:0.9 with a female prevalence). The most common symptoms were the following: headache (50%), hypothyroidism (50%), short stature and/or decreased growth velocity (47%), delayed puberty and menstrual abnormalities (37%), diabetes insipidus or polydipsia and polyuria (26%), adrenal dysfunction (26%), sleepiness and general weakness (13%) and visual disturbances (11%). Due to the gravity of symptoms and size of the lesion, all the patients underwent a surgical treatment. All but one were successful (one patient died due to postoperative neurosurgical complications). The most common postoperative complications were the following: adenohypopituitarism (67%) and diabetes insipidus (45%).

Conclusions:
RCC can present with serious symptoms that significantly deteriorate patients’ quality of life. Despite a successful neurosurgical treatment in most of the analysed cases, patients required long-term pharmacological treatment.