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Privacy-preserving biometrics identification has drawn greater attention that efficiently provides secure storage of sensitive information in cloud servers. In this paper, we design a Privacy-Preserving Multi-Biometric Identification (PPMBI) scheme that ensures secure biometric data outsourcing and protects user privacy against higher-level attacks in the cloud. This approach uses a multi-biometric model that integrates the fingerprint and finger vein features to improve data security. Also, we present a weighted sample encryption process and the user profile encryption that controls access of user data and finds a close match for the input query. During the user identification stage, pattern matching and decryption with the minimum distance computation are performed to obtain the index of the user registered in the database. Based on the computed index value, similarity is estimated and outputs the result as identified or denied to the user. Experimental analysis indicates the proposed approach achieves better privacy and resists all possible attacks in the cloud system.

Background and Aim The Global Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Narrative Survey aimed to evaluate the impact of UC, perceptions of UC burden, and management approaches. Here, we present data from patients and physicians in Australia. Methods Surveys, fielded by The Harris Poll, were completed by 215 patients with UC and 90 physicians, between August 2017 and February 2018. Surveys included questions on disease characteristics, impact on life, communication with physicians, and patient knowledge of UC. Results are presented descriptively from all respondents (with no imputation for missing data). Results Based on medication history, 84% of patients had moderate to severe UC. Diagnostic delay was on average 1.9 (SD 5.0) years and 48% of patients had waited ≥1 year for diagnosis. Nearly two‐thirds (65%) of patients considered themselves to be in remission, with 97% also reporting a flare in the past year. The majority (92%) of patients were satisfied with their UC medication and, if their treatment made them feel “good enough,” many (75%) would not consider an alternative. Most (90%) patients were satisfied with communication with their physician; however, only 48% felt comfortable raising emotional concerns. Both patients and physicians desired more time during routine appointments. Patients had gaps in their knowledge of UC, which physicians mostly recognized. Conclusions The Australian survey results highlighted the diagnostic delay and burden of UC patients' experience, gaps in patients' knowledge of UC, and challenges in patient–physician communication. Compared with the overall Global UC Narrative Survey, patients in Australia reported a high burden of disease., The Australia‐specific patient and physician results from the Global Ulcerative Colitis Narrative Survey are reported; they highlight a high disease burden, problems of diagnostic delay, and challenges in patient–physician communication. Pfizer Inc funded editorial support and the study.

The information kept in cloud is greatly sensitive. Security and privacy are two leading issues that often ascend in cloud computing. The objective of the research is to provide security and authentication of cloud data. So, we put forward with a novel decentralized access control scheme aimed at securely storing the data onto the cloud with multiple Key Distribution Center (KDC) based and multi-tier based authentication of user. In conjunction with cryptography to enrich the data security that is to be kept in the cloud we use steganography. In the proposed organization, irrespective of user’s identity the cloud confirms the genuineness of the sequence prior to data storage. Our work likewise has the additional element of access control where just legitimate clients can decrypt the kept data and view the equivalent. The scheme supports multiple writing of data into cloud and multiple reading of information kept in the cloud. As a novelty we have introduced hidden attributes, accordingly the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) along with the KDC is unaware of user details and also a multi-tier based authentication to expand the authentication of user.

Cellulose fibers, such as cotton and linen, are abundant in farmer’s fields. The traditional bottom-up technology to process these short staple fibers is spinning. State-of-the-art spinning technology requires not only high throughput processing of the cellulose fibers, but also the addition of functionalities and value into the supply chain. Recently, a modified ring spinning system has been developed which introduces a false twist into a traditional ring spinning frame. The modified system produces cellulose yarns that have a high strength but low twist, and a soft hand similar to cashmere. Unlike traditional textile finishing treatments which consume plenty of chemicals, water, and energy, this method is purely physical and sustainable. The superior properties of the modified cellulose yarns are attributed to the modified yarn morphology and structure. Theoretical investigation is, therefore, important in understanding of the spinning mechanisms of the modified ring spinning process that changes the morphology and structure of the cellulose yarns. In this paper, yarn behavior constrained to lie on a moving solid cylinder was theoretically and experimentally investigated. Equations of motion were derived based on the Cosserat theory and numerical solutions in steady-state were obtained in terms of yarn spatial path, yarn tension, twist distribution, yarn bending, and torsional moments. Effects of various spinning parameters including wrap angle, speed of the moving cylinder, yarn diameter, yarn tension, yarn twist, and frictional coefficient, on yarn behavior were discussed. The results suggested that in most cases the bending and torsional moments are of the same order of magnitude, and thus the effect of bending cannot be neglected. Experiments in the modified ring spinning system were conducted to verify the theoretical work, and good agreement has been made. Some simulation results of this study were compared with the results of earlier models as well as with experimental data, and it was found that the current model can obtain a more accurate prediction than previous models in terms of yarn twist and tension. The results gained from this study will enrich our understanding of the spinning mechanism of the modified ring spinning process and better handle of cellulose fibers for functional and value-added applications.

Efficient energy consumption is a major problem in Wireless Sensor Network. The sink can be static or dynamic. In case of static sink, the node that is placed near the sink is utilized more than other nodes in the network due to frequent packet forwarding. This causes the node near the sink to die very soon, also further communication between the sink and other nodes in the network is disconnected. When dynamic or mobile sinks are used, the energy consumption is distributed among other nodes in the network, which increases the lifetime of the network. In this paper to know the latest position of the sink, we introduce Dynamic Hexagonal Grid Routing Protocol (DHGRP). In the first phase, the protocol divides the network by several hexagonal virtual grids to share the current position of the sink among the nodes. In the second phase, the dynamic path is selected, in case congestion occurs during data transmission or if the mobile sink is moved to a new location. The performance is evaluated by comparing with the existing ring routing protocol, Query-Driven Virtual Grid-based Data Dissemination, and Grid-Cycle Routing Protocol. The results show that the proposed DHGRP protocol has better performance in terms of energy consumption, delay, network lifetime, throughput and Packet Delivery Ratio.

Background The Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Narrative is a global patient and physician survey aimed at identifying the impact of UC and comparing and contrasting perceptions of UC burden and management approaches. Methods Surveys of patients with UC (self-reported diagnosis; n = 2100) and physicians (n = 1254) were completed across 10 countries by The Harris Poll between August 2017 and February 2018. Questionnaires covered multiple aspects of UC, including diagnosis, treatment, and impact on patient quality of life, in addition to standard demographic information. Descriptive statistics are reported. Results The majority of patients (82%) had moderate to severe UC (based on medication history; those who had only ever taken 5-aminosalicylates were excluded); 67% described their UC as controlled with few to no symptoms. On average, patients experienced 4.3 flares (standard deviation, 7.4) in the past year. Diagnostic delay was on average 2.0 years (standard deviation, 5.4); 42% of patients waited ≥1 year. Most patients (65%) felt that UC controlled their life rather than them controlling their disease. Because of the fear of repercussions, many patients had not disclosed their UC to their employer. Discussion of the emotional impact of UC during routine appointments was less of a priority for physicians, compared with patients. Conclusions The data from this global survey highlight that patients with UC experience diagnostic delay, poor disease control, and adverse impact on their quality of life. Patients report UC to be a mentally exhausting condition; however, emotional and mental health issues are infrequently discussed at routine appointments., Graphical Abstract

Background: Concerns have been raised that the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, or more severe or critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may be higher in immunocompromised individuals receiving immunomodulatory therapies compared with immunocompetent individuals. Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, and polyarticular course juvenile idiopathic arthritis. To date, data on tofacitinib treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic are limited. Objectives: To summarize current understanding of the use of tofacitinib in adults during the COVID-19 pandemic, and discuss research questions that are yet to be addressed, to further inform the safe and effective use of tofacitinib in clinical practice. Methods: We conducted a review of the literature (as of February 2021), to summarize the expert recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis in the context of COVID-19, and to assess the current data regarding the use of tofacitinib in adult patients during the pandemic. Results: Current recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ulcerative colitis state that tofacitinib treatment should be continued during the pandemic, except in cases of positive or presumed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. However, limited data are available; analyses of data from international rheumatology and gastroenterology registries have suggested that tofacitinib may not be associated with an increased risk of hospitalization or treatment switching in adults with COVID-19. Conclusions: Further assessment of tofacitinib use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or ulcerative colitis will be required to elucidate and establish the benefit:risk profile of tofacitinib during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Background Oncopanel genomic testing, which identifies important somatic variants, is increasingly common in medical practice and especially in clinical trials. Currently, there is a paucity of reliable genomic reference samples having a suitably large number of pre-identified variants for properly assessing oncopanel assay analytical quality and performance. The FDA-led Sequencing and Quality Control Phase 2 (SEQC2) consortium analyze ten diverse cancer cell lines individually and their pool, termed Sample A, to develop a reference sample with suitably large numbers of coding positions with known (variant) positives and negatives for properly evaluating oncopanel analytical performance. Results In reference Sample A, we identify more than 40,000 variants down to 1% allele frequency with more than 25,000 variants having less than 20% allele frequency with 1653 variants in COSMIC-related genes. This is 5–100× more than existing commercially available samples. We also identify an unprecedented number of negative positions in coding regions, allowing statistical rigor in assessing limit-of-detection, sensitivity, and precision. Over 300 loci are randomly selected and independently verified via droplet digital PCR with 100% concordance. Agilent normal reference Sample B can be admixed with Sample A to create new samples with a similar number of known variants at much lower allele frequency than what exists in Sample A natively, including known variants having allele frequency of 0.02%, a range suitable for assessing liquid biopsy panels. Conclusion These new reference samples and their admixtures provide superior capability for performing oncopanel quality control, analytical accuracy, and validation for small to large oncopanels and liquid biopsy assays.

Background The Ulcerative Colitis (UC) Narrative global surveys examined patient and physician perspectives on living with UC and tried to identify gaps in optimal care. Questions explored patient-physician interactions, UC management goals, and resources for improving communication. Methods Questionnaires were conducted across 10 countries, covering aspects of UC including diagnosis, treatment, and impact on patient quality of life, in addition to standard demographic information. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results Globally, 2100 patients and 1254 physicians were surveyed (from August 2017 to February 2018). Results showed 85% of patients were satisfied with the communication they had with their physician, including discussions relating to symptoms (86%) and medication options (81%). However, 72% of patients wished for more information and support at initial diagnosis, and 48% did not feel comfortable talking to their physician about emotional concerns. Most patients (71%) set UC management goals with their physician. Both patients (63%) and physicians (79%) wished for longer appointments. Although 84% of physicians believed patient advocacy organizations to be important in UC management, more than half (54%) never discussed them with patients. Conclusions These survey results highlight overall patient satisfaction with patient-physician communication but emphasize areas for improvement, such as patient desire to have more information earlier in their disease course. There is an unmet need for better information, materials, and support. Physicians need to consider which of the available tools and resources can help patients talk more openly, and accurately, because informed patients are more likely to engage with physicians in a shared decision-making process., Graphical Abstract Graphical Abstract

Background The Pregnane X Receptor (PXR) is a principal signal transducer in mucosal responses to xenobiotic stress. It is well-recognized that inflammatory bowel disease is accompanied by xenobiotic stress, but the importance of the PXR in limiting inflammatory responses in inflammatory bowel disease remains obscure at best. Methods We stimulate a total of 106 colonic biopsies from 19 Crohn’s disease patients with active disease, 36 colonic biopsies from 8 control patients, colonic organoids and various cell culture models (either proficient or genetically deficient with respect to PXR) in vitro with the PXR ligand rifampicin or vehicle. Effects on NF-κB activity are assessed by measuring interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interleukin-1s (IL-1s) mRNA levels by qPCR and in cell culture models by NF-κB reporter-driven luciferase activity and Western blot for signal transduction elements. Results We observe a strict inverse correlation between colonic epithelial PXR levels and NF-κB target gene expression in colonic biopsies from Crohn’s disease patients. PXR, activated by rifampicin, is rate-limiting for mucosal NF-κB activation in IBD. The correlation between colonic epithelial PXR levels and NF-κB target gene expression was also observed in intestinal organoids system. Furthermore, in preclinical in vitro models of intestinal inflammation, including intestinal organoids, genetic inactivation of PXR unleashes NF-κB-dependent signal transduction whereas conversely NF-κB signaling reduces levels of PXR expression. Conclusions Our data indicate that the PXR is a major and clinically relevant antagonist of NF-κB activity in the intestinal epithelial compartment during inflammatory bowel disease.

Background Isolated trapezium fractures are rare and account for only 1 to 5% of all carpal fractures but are still the third most common carpal fracture. Trapezium fractures are hard to detect and easily missed on standard radiographs. Trapezium fractures can be treated conservatively, as well as operatively, the best treatment is still debatable. Damage of the joint surface between the trapezium and the base of the first metacarpal or scaphoid could cause pain and restriction of movements. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and treat the fracture at early stage, so that articular congruence is guaranteed. Case description We present four cases of the uncommon trapezium fracture. All four cases are conservatively treated with good results, there was no need for operative treatment in all the cases. Literature review The literature describes the possibility to use fixation techniques, only when it is not possible to reduce the displaced fracture or the residual articular step-off is too high a fixation technique should be used. Clinical relevance Primarily, we would recommend navicular cast immobilization for 4 to 6 weeks as initial treatment.

Due to the unattended nature and deployment of wireless sensors in the hostile environment, the networks are vulnerable to carousal and stretch attack that causes Denial of Service (DoS). In addition to that, the adversary may also inject bogus data into the network through compromised nodes. This cause the Base Station (BS) to take erroneous decisions and also affects the network's lifetime. To address these issues, the Base Station Controlled Secure Routing Protocol (BSCSRP) is introduced. The proposed work aims to detect the anti-nodes from safe nodes by a trust-based mechanism that secures the network from false data injection as well as provides an efficient route that is free from carousal and stretch attack. The effectiveness of BSCSRP is evaluated by comparing its performance with the existing AF-TNS, BTEM, RSA, and ERF methods.

Introduction: Tofacitinib is an oral, small molecule Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). Outcome prediction based on early treatment response, along with clinical and laboratory variables, would be very useful for clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine early variables predictive of responder status in patients with UC treated with tofacitinib. Methods: Data were collected from patients treated with tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily in the OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2 studies (NCT01465763 and NCT01458951). Logistic regression and random forest analyses were performed to determine the power of clinical and/or laboratory variables to predict 2- and 3-point partial Mayo score responder status of patients at Weeks 4 or 8 after baseline. Results: From a complete list of variables measured in OCTAVE Induction 1 and 2, analyses identified partial Mayo score, partial Mayo subscore (stool frequency, rectal bleeding, and Physician Global Assessment), cholesterol level, and C-reactive protein level as sufficient variables to predict responder status. Using these variables at baseline and Week 2 predicted responder status at Week 4 with 84–87% accuracy and Week 8 with 74–79% accuracy. Variables at baseline, Weeks 2 and 4 could predict responder status at Week 8 with 85–87% accuracy. Conclusion: Using a limited set of time-dependent variables, statistical and machine learning models enabled early and clinically meaningful predictions of tofacitinib treatment outcomes in patients with moderately to severely active UC.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) presents a major challenge in the clinic due to its lack of reliable prognostic markers and targeted therapies. Accumulating evidence strongly supports the notion that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in tumorigenesis and could serve as biomarkers for diagnostic purposes. To identify miRNAs that functionally suppress metastasis of TNBC, we employed a concerted approach with selecting miRNAs that display differential expression profiles from bioinformatic analyses of breast cancer patient databases and validating top candidates with functional assays using breast cancer cell lines and mouse models. We have found that miR-148a exhibits properties as a tumor suppressor as its expression is inversely correlated with the ability of both human and mouse breast cancer cells to colonize the lung in mouse xenograft tumor models. Mechanistically, miR-148a appears to suppress the extravasation process of cancer cells, likely by targeting two genes WNT1 and NRP1 in a cell non-autonomous manner. Importantly, lower expression of miR-148a is detected in higher-grade tumor samples and correlated with increased likelihood to develop metastases and poor prognosis in subsets of breast cancer patients, particularly those with TNBC. Thus, miR-148a is functionally defined as a suppressor of breast cancer metastasis and may serve as a prognostic biomarker for this disease.

Recently, Electronic Health Records (EHR) plays a significant role in E-health care system that allows data exchange of patient's health records via a portal designated by healthcare professionals. In this, the lack of confidentiality and integrity factors leads to different security issues on sensitive health information and causes a serious impact on a patient's life. To accomplish the security of medical data, we propose a new scheme named Elliptical Curve Certificateless Aggregate Cryptography Signature scheme (EC-ACS) for the public verification and auditing in the Medical Cloud Server (MCS) to secure EHR using authorized blockchain technology. In this, we use Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) to encrypt medical data and the Certificateless Aggregate Signature scheme (CAS) to generate the digital signature for sharing and storing data in the cloud storage. This proposed scheme ensures security, privacy and safeguards the confidential information from unauthorized access in the cloud health system. Furthermore, the blockchain technique guarantees the integrity, traceability and secure storage of medical records in the cloud environment.

The design and analysis of a lightweight wearable convective cooling system was proposed for human thermal comfort in minimally air-conditioned work environments. The aim of this system was to reduce the overall energy consumption and realize energy savings by minimizing air-conditioning during the summer months without compromising human comfort. The proposed system consists of a series of microfans, placed in a ribbon and attached to a garment to provide cooling through convective and evaporative heat transfer. Three different configurations were analyzed: one had four 1 cm microfans; the second one had four 2 cm fans and the third had eight 1 cm fans. With these configurations, a series of 2-dimensional models of the convective and evaporative heat transfer at the skin surface were numerically simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics at 0.25 m/s, 0.5 m/s, 0.75 m/s and 1 m/s inlet airflow velocities. The convective and evaporative heat transfer coefficients at the skin surface were calculated which indicated peaks at the skin surface facing the inlet airflows from the fans. The combination of two opposing sub-flows produced small eddies and increased the coefficient of convective and evaporative heat transfer at high inlet airflow velocities and thicker air gaps. Our convective cooling system significantly improved the convective and evaporative heat transfer coefficients when the inlet airflows were at 0.75 m/s and 1 m/s. This modeling method provides an analytical approach to study the design of a microfan system to optimize heat exchange and minimize energy usage.

Background: Few studies have investigated the effects of exercise on modulation of host factors in cancer patients. We investigated the efficacy of chronic aerobic training on multiple host-related effector pathways in patients with solid tumours. Patients and Methods: Paired peripheral blood samples were obtained from 44 patients with solid tumours receiving cytotoxic therapy and synthetic erythropoietin (usual care; n=21) or usual care plus supervised aerobic training (n=23) for 12 weeks. Samples were characterised for changes in immune, cytokine and angiogenic factors, and metabolic intermediates. Aerobic training consisted of three supervised cycle ergometry sessions per week at 60% to 100% of peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), 30–45 min per session, for 12 weeks following a nonlinear prescription. Results: The between-group delta change in cardiopulmonary function was +4.1 ml kg −1 min−1, favouring aerobic training (P

Dental implants are an important treatment option for patients interested in replacing lost or missing teeth. Although a robust body of literature has reviewed risk factors for tooth loss, the evidence for risk factors associated with dental implants is less well defined. This article focuses on key systemic risk factors relating to dental implant failure, as well as on perimucositis and peri-implantitis.

Plasma textiles are a new class of compact filters which provide enhanced submicron particle filtration for particle diameters ranging from 30 to 300 nm without exhibiting a most penetrating particle size (MPPS). Unlike traditional passive respiratory filters, plasma textiles are active tunable filters which can be manufactured from woven, nonwoven, or knitted fabrics. They are embedded with high-voltage electrodes to produce in-situ room temperature/cold plasma. Simultaneous charging and capture of incoming submicron particles are achieved by a corona discharge that is initiated by applying high voltages beyond 6 kV. Both the woven and the nonwoven plasma textiles provide filtration efficiencies close to 100% for ultra-fine particles, indicating that electrostatic forces dominate at higher voltages. The maximum filtration efficiency obtained with the woven plasma textile exceeds HEPA specification and the nonwoven plasma textile exceeds the filtration efficiency of ULPA filters.

This paper presents a new approach to solve economic load dispatch (ELD) problem in thermal units with non-convex cost functions using differential evolution technique (DE). In practical ELD problem, the fuel cost function is highly non linear due to inclusion of real time constraints such as valve point loading, prohibited operating zones and network transmission losses. This makes the traditional methods fail in finding the optimum solution. The DE algorithm is an evolutionary algorithm with less stochastic approach to problem solving than classical evolutionary algorithms.DE have the potential of simple in structure, fast convergence property and quality of solution. This paper presents a combination of DE and variable neighborhood search (VNS) to improve the quality of solution and convergence speed. Differential evolution (DE) is first introduced to find the locality of the solution, and then VNS is applied to tune the solution. To validate the DE-VNS method, it is applied to four test systems with non-smooth cost functions. The effectiveness of the DE-VNS over other techniques is shown in general.

Cholesterol and Cancer Obesity and high cholesterol levels are associated with an increased risk of breast cancer in post-menopausal women. Nelson et al. (p. 1094 ) found that a specific metabolite of cholesterol, 27-hydroxycholesterol (27HC), promoted tumor growth and metastasis in mouse models of mammary cancer by serving as a partial agonist for the estrogen receptor and the liver X receptor. The most aggressive human breast cancers were found to express the highest level of the enzyme that converts cholesterol to 27HC, suggesting that 27HC produced within tumors (in addition to circulating 27HC) may contribute to tumorigenesis.

Bone metastases occur in up to 70% of advanced breast cancer. For most patients with breast cancer, bone metastases are predominantly osteolytic. Interactions between tumor cells and stromal cells in the bone microenvironment drive osteolytic bone metastasis, a process that requires the activation of osteoclasts, cells that break down bone. We report that ABL kinases promoted metastasis of breast cancer cells to bone by regulating the crosstalk between tumor cells and the bone microenvironment. ABL kinases protected tumor cells from apoptosis induced by TRAIL (TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand), activated the transcription factor STAT5, and promoted osteolysis through the STAT5-dependent expression of genes encoding the osteoclast-activating factors interleukin-6 (IL-6) and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1). Furthermore, in breast cancer cells, ABL kinases increased the abundance of the Hippo pathway mediator TAZ and the expression of TAZ-dependent target genes that promote bone metastasis. Knockdown of ABL kinases or treatment with ABL-specific allosteric inhibitor impaired osteolytic metastasis of breast cancer cells in mice. These findings revealed a role for ABL kinases in regulating tumor-bone interactions and provide a rationale for using ABL-specific inhibitors to limit breast cancer metastasis to bone.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is associated with a high risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The mechanisms by which chronic inflammatory responses in the colon may promote CRC remain only partially understood, but may involve reduced negative regulation of interleukin (IL)-6 signaling towards signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation through the loss of SOCS3 expression, unleashing the full carcinogenic potential of this transcription factor. Thus, we analyzed SOCS3 expression in the colon of healthy controls, as well as in a cohort of UC patients with varying degrees of dysplasia. We observe that the loss of epithelial SOCS3 expression delimits the areas subject to dysplasia in UC, suggesting an important tumour-suppressive role of SOCS3 downregulation, early in the transformation process. Importantly, methylation of the SOCS3 promotor appears to constitute an important regulatory mechanism for colonic SOCS3 expression as SOCS3 methylation status in CRC cells correlates with a disability to upregulate SOCS3 upon IL-6 stimulation, whereas forced demethylation using 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine restores SOCS3 expression and inhibits IL-6-induced p-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation and proliferation. Expression of the DNA methyltransferase gene DMNT1 is prominent in dysplastic cells and correlates with low or absent SOCS3 expression. Thus, induction of DNMT1 expression in the chronically inflamed colon may release IL-6 signaling towards signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 from inhibition through SOCS3 increasing the propensity to malignant transformation. Hence, DNMT1 emerges as a rational target in preventive strategies aimed at counteracting UC-CRC.

In this paper it is proposed to separate the ECG signal taken from skin electrodes located on a pregnant woman's body into Maternal Electro Cardiogram signal and Fetal Electro Cardiogram signal. Blind Source Separation is the technique used for separating these source signals. ICA is applied on the mixed signals and the separated signals are reconstructed using wavelet reconstruction. Comparison results show that Lifting Wavelet Transformation and FASTICA algorithm produces the best SNR value of 11.39 for maternal and 10.10 for fetal Electro Cardio Gram signals.

The application of Electrostatic Force Microscopy (EFM) on characterizing a corona charged polypropylene fiber by phase measurements was studied. Electrostatic force gradient images were obtained from the phase shifts with varied EFM tip bias voltages at a constant tip-to-sample distance, and with varied tip-to-sample distances at a constant tip bias voltage. Mathematical expressions were introduced to interpret the phase measurements in terms of the tip bias voltage and the tip-to-specimen distance. The phase measurements from EFM appeared feasible to provide the qualitative information of electrical properties of charged polymeric materials. The fit of mathematical expressions to the experimental measurements was discussed with regards to the effect of tip geometry on the interaction between the tip and the specimen.

The application of Electrostatic Force Microscopy (EFM) was studied in analyzing the corona-charged polypropylene fiber. Electrostatic force gradient images were obtained from the phase shifts with the varied bias voltages applied to the EFM cantilever by the noncontact scans. A mathematical expression to model the EFM phase shifts as a function of the applied tip bias voltages was introduced. EFM analysis was used to test the hypothesis that the solvent-induced efficiency deterioration of electret filter media originates from charge deterioration. EFM investigation produced evidence that exposure to isopropanol in the liquid phase affected the electrostatic charges on fibers. Exposure to organic solvents in liquid phase is thought to increase chain and charge mobility in polypropylene fibers, thereby reducing the electrostatic charge and the particle capture ability.

BackgroundMouse models have shown that interleukin (IL)6 stimulates survival, proliferation and progression to cancer of intestinal epithelial cells via activation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3).ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of IL6/phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3)/suppressor of cytokine signalling 3 (SOCS3) in biopsy specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and UC-related colorectal cancer (CRC) progression.MethodsBiopsy specimens from patients with inactive UC (n=18), active UC (n=28), UC with low-grade dysplasia (LGD) (n=9), UC with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) (n=7), UC-CRC (n=11) and sporadic CRC (n=14) were included. Biopsy specimens (n=9) from patients without colonic abnormalities served as control. The protein expression of IL6, p-STAT3 and SOCS3 was determined immunohistochemically.ResultsPatients with active UC had significantly more IL6 and p-STAT3-positive epithelial cells than both patients with inactive UC and controls (strong positive IL6: 53.6%, 11.1% and 0%, respectively; p-STAT3: 64.3%, 22.2% and 11.1%, respectively; all p≤0.012). SOCS3-positive cells were significantly increased in colonic epithelium of both inactive and active UC compared with controls (strong positive: 94.4%, 96.4% and 11.1%, respectively; both pConclusionThe importance of IL6/p-STAT3 in patients with inflammation-induced CRC was demonstrated. Moreover, SOCS3 may be involved in UC pathogenesis and the absence of SOCS3 seems critical for CRC progression.

Abstract This paper discusses a novel principle of advanced process control strategy: the extremely fast and local pulsing of temperature. This strategy leads to some interesting potential applications, but there are no devices implementing it available yet. One such device currently under construction by the authors is introduced in this paper. It operates by converting electrical energy into heat by forcing a very high current through a very thin resistive element, which also acts as the catalyst for heterogeneous reactions. A design procedure for the key parameters is developed and a simulation of heat distribution in the design under construction is presented. The simulation shows that it should be possible to get local temperature peaks of 500 K which exist for only about 20 μs.

Background: Many patients undergoing bariatric surgery have severe comorbidities, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We suspected that sleep apnea was underdiagnosed in our study population. Methods: A retrospective chart review of our bariatric database was conducted comparing OSA evaluation based on clinical parameters (Era 1) with mandatory OSA evaluation for all patients (Era 2). Results: In both Era groups approximately 19% of patients presented to our program with an established diagnosis of OSA. In Era 1 this increased to 56% based on clinical parameters and in Era 2 this increased to 91% with mandatory polysomnography testing of all patients. Conclusions: OSA is grossly underdiagnosed in patients with morbid obesity presenting for bariatric surgery. Clinical evaluation continues to miss a substantial percentage of patients with OSA. Mandatory testing of all patients for OSA with polysomnography before bariatric surgery is recommended. © 2007 Excerpta Medica Inc. All rights reserved.

Yarn diameter profiles were captured from an online measurement system and then translated into a two-dimensional (2-D) fabric matrix by assigning each point of the yarn to a specific location within a virtual fabric. A method to quantify the anisotropy in fabric nonuniformity was developed by combining the gray-scale image of the 2-D fabric matrix with the newly defined between-area variance curves. The 2-D anisotropy measures thus obtained were found to be highly useful for characterizing certain appearance features of woven fabrics such as vertical or horizontal streaks and random cloudiness. Methods for selecting different shapes of the unit area facilitated comparison of the resulting between-area variance curves, and thus a measure of isotropy in the nonuniformity features of the woven fabrics.

Although knowledge flows are a popular concept, the underlying dynamics are not well understood. This article develops a perspective that conceptualises the social and cognitive activities that make knowledge flows possible. Dynamics involve interactions between local and global levels, and dedicated aggregation activities by intermediary actors. An idealtypical four-phased pattern is developed to understand the creation of global knowledge. The socio-cognitive perspective is illustrated with a historical case study, the emergence of reinforced concrete (1850–1940). The concluding section formulates policy implications for nurturing the emergence of radically new technologies. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

This paper presents a method to design a wavelet-filter that minimizes entropy in the wavelet transform of images of woven fabrics. Filters that minimize entropy in images tend to filter out fabric texture while highlighting fabric defects. The design of the wavelet filter is couched as a non-convex optimization problem which is solved using a hybridized Genetic Algorithm. Three distinct filters are tuned to detect horizontal, vertical and blob defects in woven fabrics. In addition to texture filtering, defect segmentation, noise removal, and object extraction are presented. The effects of shifting on the optimized set of coefficients is also explored.

Previous studies have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have significant benefits in the control of postoperative pain after periodontal or oral surgical procedures. The combination of a peripherally acting NSAID with a centrally acting opioid drug is found to be more effective. The purpose of this study was to compare an alternative combination of ibuprofen 400 mg with 5 mg of hydroxycodone to ibuprofen 400 mg used alone in the management of pain following periodontal surgery.This study used a double-masked cross-over design with the patients acting as their own controls. Twelve patients underwent two periodontal surgeries in different quadrants of the same dental arch at least 2 weeks apart. A standardized amount of local anesthetic and similar extent and duration of surgery for each side was required. The patients received four doses of medication at predetermined intervals and filled out a visual analog pain scale every 2 hours for the first 12 hours after surgery.The overall pain reported by the patients on visual analog scale was 1.55 (SE +/- 0.16), out of a possible 10. More pain was reported with ibuprofen alone, 1.81 (SE +/- 0.12), compared to the ibuprofen with hydrocodone combination, 1.30 (SE +/- 0.16). The difference was statistically significant (P0.05).The findings suggest that a combination analgesic preparation of ibuprofen (400 mg) with hydrocodone (5 mg) results in better pain control compared to ibuprofen used alone.

This paper addresses a novel and efficient algorithm for solving optimization problem in image processing applications. Image enhancement (IE) is one of the complex optimization problems in image processing. The main goal of this paper is to enhance color images such that the eminence of the image is more suitable than the original image from the perceptual viewpoint of human. Traditional methods require prior knowledge of the image to be enhanced, whereas the aim of the proposed biogeography based optimization (BBO) enhanced with blended migration operator (BMO) algorithm is to maximize the objective function in order to enhance the image contrast by maximizing the parameters like edge intensity, edge information, and entropy. Experimental results are compared with the current state-of-the-art approaches and indicate the superiority of the proposed technique in terms of subjective and objective evaluation.

This paper presents a differential evolution with neighborhood based mutation (DE-NM) technique to solve Dynamic Economic Dispatch (DED) problem with valve point effects and multiple fuel options. A new mutation scheme based on neighborhood topology is presented with an aim to achieve the cost reduction together satisfying the dynamic behavior of the generating units over the considered time period. The neighborhood based mutation (NM) balances the exploration and exploitation of the search effort of differential evolution (DE) technique. The NM method enhances the convergence speed and the performance of the DE technique. The performance of the DE-NM is tested on a 10-unit and a real public Indian utility system with 19 generating units. Both the test systems are illustrated under different load patterns. The dispatch results obtained using the proposed method for the Indian system have considerably reduced the operating cost and optimized its operation.

The traditional dyeing process is described as a black box, in which the amount of dye on the fabric is not known until the dyeing is completed. Advances in spectrophotometry and computation have enabled an indirect determination of the amount of dye on fabric during the dyeing process based on Beer’s law. The principles of a dyebath monitoring technology that allow the analysis and control of the dyeing process are introduced. This measurement technology can aid in troubleshooting root causes in shade reproducibility that can occur from variability in dye strength, the fabric or the dyeing process.

Importance Because of the similarity in clinical outcomes after elective open and endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), cost may be an important factor in choosing a procedure. Objective To compare total and AAA-related use of health care services, costs, and cost-effectiveness between groups randomized to open or endovascular repair. Design, Setting, and Participants This unblinded randomized clinical trial enrolled 881 patients undergoing planned elective repair of AAA who were candidates for open and endovascular repair procedures. Patients were randomized from October 15, 2002, to April 15, 2008, at 42 Veterans Affairs medical centers. Follow-up was completed on October 15, 2011, and data were analyzed from April 15, 2013, to April 15, 2016, based on intention to treat. Main Outcomes and Measures Mean total and AAA-related health care cost per life-year and per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Results A total of 881 patients (876 men [99.4%]; 5 women [0.6%]; mean [SD] age, 70 [7.8] years) were included in the analysis. After a mean of 5.2 years of follow-up, mean life-years were 4.89 in the endovascular group and 4.84 in the open repair group ( P = .68), and mean QALYs were 3.72 in the endovascular group and 3.70 in the open repair group ( P = .82). Total mean health care costs did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (endovascular group, $142 745; open repair group, $153 533; difference, −$10 788; 95% CI, −$29 796 to $5825; P = .25). Costs related to AAA, including the initial repair, constituted nearly 40% of total costs and did not differ significantly between the 2 groups (endovascular group, $57 501; open repair group, $57 893; difference, −$393; 95% CI, −$12 071 to $7928; P = .94). Lower costs due to shorter hospitalization for initial endovascular repair were offset by increased costs from AAA-related secondary procedures and imaging studies. The probability of endovascular repair being less costly and more effective was 56.8% when effectiveness was measured in life-years and 55.4% when effectiveness was measured in QALYs for total costs and 31.3% and 34.3%, respectively, for AAA-related costs. Conclusions and Relevance In this multicenter randomized clinical trial with follow-up to 9 years, survival, quality of life, costs, and cost-effectiveness did not differ between elective open and endovascular repair of AAA. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT00094575

The effect of measuring field length on yarn evenness is investigated by comparing the coefficient of variation or CV of the measure obtained from three different sensors with different measurement principles: a capacitance sensor with an 8 mm sensing zone, an optical sensor with a 2 mm sensing zone, and a laser scanner with a 1 mm effective sensing zone. A probabilistic model is developed to predict the different CV values obtained from the different instruments, and the results are compared with experimental values.

In product creation processes, perhaps even more than in organization processes in general, uncertainties are addressed and complexity is reduced. In retrospect, linearized success stories are told. The history of a product innovation in a biotechnology firm is used to show how actually, over time, attributions and typifications in stories, and the implied stories contained in interactions, link up and an overall plot emerges. Such a social-semiotic analysis identifies the narrative infrastructure which enables, as well as constrains, further actions, just like narrative enables and constrains the characters involved. In the specific `genre' of product creation processes, the role of `hero' shifts from the project team to the emerging product itself. Managers and other actors involved can profit from the reflexive understanding offered by social-semiotic analysis, and avoid becoming captive of the path they follow, even though reflexivity may hinder the build-up of thrust in the process.

Objective: Several cytokines have been implicated as important mediators in the cyclic processes occurring in the reproductive organs. In the present study the peripheral blood concentrations of the cytokines interleukin(IL)-2, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α, as well as the secretion of TNFα from the human corpus luteum were investigated. Study design: The study was undertaken at infertility clinics at large teaching hospitals. Eight women with unexplained infertility undergoing investigations with measurements of endocrine profiles throughout a cycle prior to IVF treatment were included in the study of blood concentrations of cytokines. Blood plasma were taken daily or every second day from a time 3–4 days before expected LH peak until menstruation. The levels of immunoreactive IL-2, IL-6 and TNFα were measured by ELISA technique and evaluated (repeated measures ANOVA and Scheffes test) in relation to levels on the day of the LH surge. To investigate a possible ovarian source of TNFα, corpus luteum (CL) tissue and cells obtained during the luteal phase from another group of women during abdominal surgery for benign uterine diseases, were cultured for 24 h to assess (ANOVA and Bonferroni test) the release of TNFα. Results: There were no significant fluctuations in the levels of IL-2 and IL-6 throughout the menstrual cycle. The concentration of TNFα showed significant fluctuations over the menstrual cycle. Compared to the values on the day of the LH surge, the concentrations were significantly increased during the late follicular phase and during the mid luteal phase. In the early luteal phase the levels were significantly decreased. Measurable levels of TNFα were found in the conditioned media from one out of three CL obtained from the early luteal phase, and in all media from CL obtained from mid- and late-luteal phases. Luteal cells in culture secreted TNFα, and the levels in the media were not influenced by the presence of hCG (100 IU/L). The conditioned media of luteal cells from late luteal phase contained higher levels than media of cells from early luteal phase, with the levels being higher in media of a mixture of all luteal cells, and large luteal cells as compared to small luteal cells. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that there are marked fluctuations of blood levels of TNFα during the menstrual cycle and that the human CL secretes TNFα, with indications of higher secretion during late luteal phase as compared to early luteal phase.

The disciplines of reproduction and immunology, once quite discrete, are now closely associated, with compelling evidence to suggest that immune mechanisms play important roles in the cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovary. Cells and mediators classically described as part of the immune system are found throughout the reproductive tract. Disorders of reproduction, including pre-eclampsia, unexplained infertility, endometriosis, recurrent miscarriage and disturbed fetal growth almost certainly have some of their origins in the dysfunction of immune regulation. There appears to be some evidence that immune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma, can manifest as infertility, before clinical disease becomes apparent.

The Hydro N-Sensor is a tractor based remote sensing tool that has been developed by Hydro Agri to determine the N status of the crop and deduce its N fertilizer demand. Spectral measurements of canopy reflectance allow to detect differences in crop N status within a field. Connected to a variable rate spreader or sprayer, this enables an on-line site-specific N application according to the actual N demand of the crop. This will increase yield, reduce lodging and lead to more homogeneous crop stands. The economic and ecological benefits of the Hydro N-Sensor with regard to efficient nitrogen fertilization are well known and ensure a profitable use of this innovation on farm level. What has not been publicized before, and has been proven by a series of field tests in 2002, are the effects of variable N-application with the N-Sensor on combine harvesting. Considering the last 30 years of homogenization research, the results of the investigations can be seen as a sensation. The effects of more homogeneous crop stands due to variable rate nitrogen application increase the economical and ecological level of combine harvesting to an extent that was never reached before.

Images of a woven fabric with missing picks are digitized, and three different image analysis techniques are compared: the Sobel edge operator, the fast Fourier transform, and the discrete wavelet transform. The wavelet transform, used as a multi-resolution spectral filter, is able to give both spectral and frequency information about a fabric. For the samples tested, the wavelet transform can characterize defects due to missing picks and ends faster and more accurately than the other methods.

Complex industrial processes such as batch chemical reactors, steelmaking, dyeing processes and metal forming offer challenges in control due to the uncertainty and complexity of the processes. Model-based control methods generally require some knowledge of system structure and possibly some bounds on the uncertainty of the system parameters. Such methods as robust control and adaptive control belong to this category. In a case where system identification is not feasible, knowledge-based methods offer an alternative solution to control. One such method, fuzzy logic control (FLC), may be used to simulate the decision making process of an experienced expert. Usually, the control decisions of an expert can be expressed linguistically as a set of heuristic decision rules. The rules are used to build rulebases for FLC; further, algorithms are used to convert the results of the rules to quantitative outputs.This article presents an adaptive multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) fuzzy logic control method whi...

Inexpensive, flexible, washable, and durable materials that serve as antimicrobial filters and self-decontaminating fabrics are needed to provide active protection to people in areas regularly exposed to various biohazards, such as hospitals and bio research labs working with pathogens. Airlines and cruise lines need such material to combat the spread of infections. In households these materials can be used in HVAC filters to fight indoor pollution, which is especially dangerous to people suffering from asthma. Efficient filtering materials are also required in areas contaminated by other types of hazardous dust particulates, such as nuclear dust. The primary idea that guided the undertaken study is that a microplasma-generating structure can be embedded in a textile fabric to generate a plasma sheath (“plasma shield”) that kills bacterial agents coming in contact with the fabric. The research resulted in the development of a plasma textile that can be used for producing new types of self-decontaminating ...

This article addresses a novel and effective algorithm for solving the economic load dispatch (ELD) problem of generating units. Generator constraints, such as valve point loading, ramp rate limits and prohibited operating zones are taken into account in the problem formulation of ELD. The cost function of the generating units exhibits nonconvex characteristics, as valve-point effects are modeled and included as rectified sinusoid components in its conventional formulation. The paper investigates the application of variable neighborhood search (VNS) to tune Differential Evolution (DE) algorithm for solving ELD problem considering non-smooth characteristics (NSELD). The basic idea of VNS is to perform a systematic change of neighborhood within a local search. The hybrid method incorporates the DE as the main optimizer and VNS as the local optimizer to fine-tune the solution region discovered by DE during its progress of run. Thus, the VNS guides PSO for better performance in the complex solution space. To demonstrate its efficiency and feasibility, the VNS guided DE is applied to solve NSELD problem of power systems with 6 and 13 units. The simulation results obtained from the VNS guided DE was compared to those from previous literature in terms of solution quality and computational efficiency. It is shown that, the proposed technique for non-smooth ELD problem generates quality solutions reliably.