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Δευτέρα 2 Μαρτίου 2020


The Association between Diabetes-Related Distress and Medication Adherence in Adult Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study
Background. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major public health problem associated with distress. T2DM can affect health outcomes and adherence to medications. Little is however known about the association between diabetes distress and medication adherence among patients with T2DM in Ghana. Objective. The objective of the present study is twofold: to estimate distress associated with T2DM and to examine its association with medication adherence. Methods. A hospital-based cross-sectional study...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 06:05
Numerical Simulation of the Tar Mist and Dust Movement Process in a Low-Temperature Dry Distillation Furnace
In the low-temperature dry distillation of low-rank coal, the important liquid product of coal tar is produced, but its quality and utilization rate are degraded by entrained dust. The movement of coal tar and dust in the furnace is a key factor in causing particles such as dust to mix with coal tar. Therefore, the Euler–Lagrangian method is used to simulate the two-phase motion process of gas, tar, and dust in a furnace. By considering the effects of tar particle size, dust particle size, gas velocity,...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 05:20
Validation and Comparison of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Grading Scales in Angiogram-Negative Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Patients
Numerous grading scales have been proposed to predict the outcome of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH); however, these have not been validated in angiogram-negative SAH patients. In this study, we aim to validate and compare the aneurysmal SAH grading scales in angiogram-negative SAH patients. There were 190 angiogram-negative SAH patients analyzed from January 2014 to December 2015. The outcomes were measured by delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and poor outcome (defined as modified Rankin...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 05:20
Host Genetic and Environmental Factors Shape the Composition and Function of Gut Microbiota in Populations Living at High Altitude
The human gut microbiota is affected by genetic and environmental factors. It remains unclear how host genetic and environmental factors affect the composition and function of gut microbiota in populations living at high altitudes. We used a metagenome-wide analysis to investigate the gut microbiota composition in 15 native Tibetans and 12 Hans living on the Tibetan Plateau. The composition of gut microbiota differed significantly between these two groups (). The Planctomycetes was the most abundant...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 05:20
Use of Novaluron-Based Autocidal Gravid Ovitraps to Control Aedes Dengue Vector Mosquitoes in the District of Gampaha, Sri Lanka
Dengue is the most important mosquito-borne viral infection in Sri Lanka causing an enormous social and economic burden in the country. In the absence of therapeutic drugs and the developed vaccines are under investigation, vector control is the best strategy to reduce the disease transmission. Therefore, the development of novel tools to control dengue vector mosquitoes has become the need of the hour. Novaluron is a recently developed Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) which inhibits chitin synthesis...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 05:20
The Impact of Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation on Pain and Life Quality in Patients with Fibromyalgia Syndrome
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of auricular vagus nerve stimulation, applied in conjunction with an exercise treatment program, on pain and life quality in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). To achieve the study objectives, 60 female patients between the ages 18 and 50, with diagnosed FMS according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 diagnostic criteria, were randomly divided into 2 groups of 30. The first group was assigned 20 sessions of a home-based...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 05:20
Salmonella spp. in Wild Free-Living Birds from Atlantic Forest Fragments in Southern Bahia, Brazil
Wild animals have an ecological function and can serve as sentinels to identify infectious agents and as indicators of environmental health. Among the zoonotic pathogens, Salmonella spp. deserve special attention due to their high worldwide prevalence and their ubiquity of hosts. With the aim of investigating the presence of Salmonella spp. in wild birds from the Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia, Brazil, we collected 114 fecal samples of wild birds (14 families) between 2016 and 2017. Fecal samples...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 05:20
An Efficient Encrypted Floating-Point Representation Using HEAAN and TFHE
As a method of privacy-preserving data analysis (PPDA), a fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) has been in the spotlight recently. Unfortunately, because many data analysis methods assume that the type of data is of real type, the FHE-based PPDA methods could not support the enough level of accuracy due to the nature of FHE that fixed-point real-number representation is supported easily. In this paper, we propose a new method to represent encrypted floating-point real numbers on top of FHE. The proposed...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Mon Mar 02, 2020 02:05
Prioritization of Economically Important Cattle Diseases Using Participatory Epidemiology Tools in Lalibela, Sekota, and Ziquala Districts of Amhara Region, Northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s livestock resource is one of the largest globally. It is estimated at around 59.5 million cattle, about 30.5 million sheep, and 30.2 million goats. The sector is irreplaceable in the means of livelihood of the population as a source of meat, milk, drought power, and income. Yet, the country is unable to exploit the sector entirely because of highly prevalent infectious diseases and lack of appropriate disease control policy. These constraints are worse in districts of Lalibela, Sekota,...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Phylogenetic Analysis and Antibiotics Resistance of Listeria Monocytogenes Contaminating Chicken Meat in Surabaya, Indonesia
The objective of this study was to identify the phylogenetic analysis and antibiotic resistance of Listeria monocytogenes contaminating chicken meat in Surabaya. 60 chicken meat samples were collected from supermarkets, mobile vendors, and traditional markets in Surabaya. A selective medium is used for isolation and identification of Listeria monocytogenes by chopping 25 grams of the chicken meat and to put it into the sterilized Erlenmeyer flasks. Some methods were used for the identification procedures,...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Ifosfamide, Carboplatin, and Etoposide (ICE) in Combination with Regional Hyperthermia as Salvage Therapy in Patients with Locally Advanced Nonmetastatic and Metastatic Soft-Tissue Sarcoma
Patients with localized relapse of soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) after anthracycline-based chemotherapy have a dismal prognosis, particularly when surgery is not possible. To facilitate resection and improve long-term tumor control, we applied an intensified perioperative treatment consisting of ICE (ifosfamide 6 g/m2, carboplatin 400 mg/m2, and etoposide 600 mg/m2) in combination with regional hyperthermia (RHT) to maximize local control. Here, we retrospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Effects of Climate Temperature and Water Stress on Plant Growth and Accumulation of Antioxidant Compounds in Sweet Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Leafy Vegetable
The effects of climate temperature and water stress on growth and several stress markers were investigated in sweet basil plants. Some growth parameters (shoot length and number of leaves) and photosynthetic chlorophyll contents were determined every two days during plant growth, and foliage leaf material was collected after 15 and 21 days of treatment. Both climate temperature and water stress inhibited sweet basil plant growth; especially, total chlorophyll levels were decreased significantly in...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
A Photovoltaic Array Fault Diagnosis Method Considering the Photovoltaic Output Deviation Characteristics
There are a large number of photovoltaic (PV) arrays in large-scale PV power plants or regional distributed PV power plants, and the output of different arrays fluctuates with the external conditions. The deviation and evolution information of the array output are easily covered by the random fluctuations of the PV output, which makes the fault diagnosis of PV arrays difficult. In this paper, a fault diagnosis method based on the deviation characteristics of the PV array output is proposed. Based...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Autochthonous Acid-Producing Bacteria from Catfish (Clarias sp.) with Antibacterial Activity against Selected Fish Pathogens: A Preliminary Study
In this study, the application of an autochthonous microorganism as probiotic on catfish (Clarias sp.) was scarcely reported. This study aimed to obtain probiotic candidates from the digestive tract (intestinal and gastric) of catfish. A total of nine isolates were successfully isolated from the catfish. Almost all bacterial colonies were morphologically round, had flat edges, were yellow, and produced clear zones as a sign of producing acid during culture. The analysis showed that the three isolates...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Performance of Sweet Potato’s Leaf-Derived Activated Carbon for Hydrogen Sulphide Removal from Biogas
In this study, sweet potato leaf activated carbon (SpLAC) was prepared by the chemical activation method using KOH and applied as an adsorbent for H2S removal from biogas. The study focused on the understanding of the effect of carbonization temperature (), varying KOH : C activation ratio, flow rate (FR) of biogas, and mass of SpLAC on sample adsorption capacity. The BET analysis was performed for both fresh and spent activated carbons as well as for carbonized samples, which were not activated;...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Trends and Adaptive Optimal Set Points of CD4+ Count Clinical Covariates at Each Phase of the HIV Disease Progression
In response to invasion by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the self-regulatory immune system attempts to restore the CD4+ count fluctuations. Consequently, many clinical covariates are bound to adapt too, but little is known about their corresponding new optimal set points. It has been reported that there exist few strongest clinical covariates of the CD4+ count. The objective of this study is to harness them for a streamlined application of multidimensional viewing lens (statistical models)...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Efficient ZrO(NO3)2.2H2O Catalyzed Synthesis of 1H-Indazolo[1,2-b] phthalazine-1,6,11(13H)-triones and Electronic Properties Analyses, Vibrational Frequencies, NMR Chemical Shift Analysis, MEP: A DFT Study
The synthesis of 1H-indazolo[1,2-b]phthalazine-1,6,11(13H)-trione derivatives, using one-pot three-component condensation reaction of 3-nitrophthalic anhydride, hydrazine monohydrate, dimedone, and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of ZrO(NO3)2.2H2O as the novel catalyst and in reflux conditions in EtOH was reported. Quantum theoretical calculations for three structures of compounds (5a, 5b, and 5c) were performed using the Hartree–Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT). From the optimized...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:50
Treatment Patterns and Healthcare Resource Utilization among Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Soft Tissue Sarcoma in US Community Practices
Introduction. This study was designed to describe demographic and clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with advanced or metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS) and to examine treatment and healthcare resource utilization patterns of this patient population in a United States (US) community-based oncology practice setting over time. Methods and Materials. A retrospective observational study was conducted within the US Oncology Network (USON). Patients were eligible if they were diagnosed with...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Optimal Reactive Power Flow for Large-Scale Power Systems Using an Effective Metaheuristic Algorithm
In this paper, stochastic fractal search method (SFS) is employed for solving the optimal reactive power flow (ORPF) problem with a target of optimizing total active power losses (TPL), voltage deviation (VD), and voltage stability index (VSI). SFS is an effective metaheuristic algorithm consisting of diffusion process and two update processes. ORPF is a complex problem giving challenges to applied algorithms by taking into account many complex constraints such as operating voltage from generators...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
A Novel Method for Extraction of Galegine by Molecularly Imprinted Polymer (MIP) Technique Reinforced with Graphene Oxide and Its Evaluation Using Polarography
Galega officinalis products have been used for the control of diabetes (type 2) across the world. Experimental and clinical evaluations of galegine substance produced by a medicinal plant (Galega officinalis) provided the pharmacological and chemical basis for metformin discovery which was confirmed for diabetes therapy. In this paper, the molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) was synthesized for galegine, using galegine as a template molecule, methacrylic acid (MAA) as a functional monomer, ethylene...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Theoretical Analysis of a Novel WDM Optical Long-Haul Network Using the Split-Step Fourier Method
In this paper, a new optical transmission model was investigated and developed in order to improve the performance of Wavelength Division Multiplexing optical transmission systems. For this purpose, an efficient theoretical method combining a Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) and Erbium Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA) was implemented. Enhancements on the transmitted signal amplitudes with important compensation of the chromatic dispersions and large reduction on the nonlinear effects were obtained. The reflectivity...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Shrines
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection in human beings and animals is concerning; it stands out as one of the leading agents causing nosocomial and community infections. Also, marginally increasing drug resistance in MRSA has limited therapeutic options. This study focuses on estimating the prevalence of MRSA in shrines, a place where human and animal interaction is frequent, sharing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, antibiotic-resistant genes, and diseases. A total of 120 environmental...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Sociocultural and Ecological Dynamics of Green Spaces in Brazzaville (Congo)
The study was conducted in Brazzaville, and data collection covers the period from May to June 2017. The methodology is based on literature review and floristic and equipment inventory. Nine green spaces spread over two out of nine townships in the capital city. Four are located in Bacongo and five in Poto-Poto. According to the classification standards, 5 squares and 4 gardens were studied. Except for one square, all the others, including the gardens, are planted with trees. The equipment inventory...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Determination of Energy Properties of Fuelwood from Five Selected Tree Species in Tropical Highlands of Southeast Ethiopia
The aim of this study was to determine the energy properties of fuelwood samples which are preferred and used by local communities. The study used both cross-sectional survey of households and field survey. Systematic household sampling was used for household and random sampling for tree species. The chosen sample sizes for households in the study were 134. The cross-sectional survey of the local community on orderly preference of fuelwood consumption listed Acacia nilotica, Acacia etbaica, Olea...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Dying in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU): A Retrospective Descriptive Analysis of Deaths in the ICU in a Communal Tertiary Hospital in Germany
Background. Modern intensive care methods led to an increased survival of critically ill patients over the last decades. But an unreflected application of modern intensive care measures might lead to prolonged treatment for incurable diseases, and an inadaequate or too aggressive therapy can prolong the dying process of patients. In this study, we analysed end-of-life decisions regarding withholding and withdrawal of intensive care measures in a German intensive care unit (ICU) of a communal tertiary...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Are Intoxicated Trauma Patients at an Increased Risk for Intraoperative Anesthetic Complications? A Retrospective Study
Background. The purpose of this study was to correlate intraoperative anesthetic complications of trauma patients with their respective urine toxicology results. Methods. This retrospective, single-center cohort study at a Level 1 trauma center included patients with the following criteria: (1) trauma admission between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2016, (2) required surgical intervention, (3) are age 18 and older, and (4) urine toxicology screening was completed. Anesthetic records were evaluated...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Deep Learning on Computational-Resource-Limited Platforms: A Survey
Nowadays, Internet of Things (IoT) gives rise to a huge amount of data. IoT nodes equipped with smart sensors can immediately extract meaningful knowledge from the data through machine learning technologies. Deep learning (DL) is constantly contributing significant progress in smart sensing due to its dramatic superiorities over traditional machine learning. The promising prospect of wide-range applications puts forwards demands on the ubiquitous deployment of DL under various contexts. As a result,...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
A Novel Method for Recognizing Vietnamese Voice Commands on Smartphones with Support Vector Machine and Convolutional Neural Networks
This paper will present a new method of identifying Vietnamese voice commands using Google speech recognition (GSR) service results. The problem is that the percentage of correct identifications of Vietnamese voice commands in the Google system is not high. We propose a supervised machine-learning approach to address cases in which Google incorrectly identifies voice commands. First, we build a voice command dataset that includes hypotheses of GSR for each corresponding voice command. Next, we propose...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
A Survey of Occupational Therapists on a New Tool for Sensory Processing
Occupational therapy is the leading profession with regard to supporting children who experience difficulties with occupations as a result of sensory processing differences. However, there are mixed reports with regard to the efficacy of various sensory interventions and approaches, leaving little clear guidance for occupational therapists supporting children with these difficulties. The Sensory Form is a planning tool developed in 2017 to guide occupational therapists in their professional reasoning...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:35
Generation of Otic Lineages from Integration-Free Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reprogrammed by mRNAs
Damage to the sensory hair cells and the spiral ganglion neurons of the cochlea leads to deafness. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are a promising tool to regenerate the cells in the inner ear that have been affected by pathology or have been lost. To facilitate the clinical application of iPSCs, the reprogramming process should minimize the risk of introducing undesired genetic alterations while conferring the cells the capacity to differentiate into the desired cell type. Currently, reprogramming...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
Self-Excited Codirectionally Magnetically Compensated Rotating Ranging Method
During the Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) technology-based dual horizontal well drilling process, it is necessary to accurately monitor the well spacing in real time to ensure safe and parallel drilling. In this paper, a self-excited codirectionally magnetically compensated rotating ranging method and device is proposed. In the numerical calculation and simulation, both parallel and nonparallel drilling models are established. Based on the models and the magnetic dipole theory, the relation...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
Magnetohydrodynamics Free Convection Flow of Incompressible Fluids over Corrugated Vibrating Bottom Surface with Hall Currents and Heat and Mass Transfers
Magnetohydrodynamics free convection flow of incompressible fluids over corrugated vibrating bottom surface with Hall currents and heat and mass transfers considering heat flux is discussed. The corrugation patterns suggested are sinusoidal in nature. The governing equations are solved by the explicit finite difference numerical method of the forward-time backward-space scheme to obtain the analytical results for velocity, concentration, and temperature profiles. The unsteady resultant velocities,...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
A New Hybrid Controller for Standalone Photovoltaic Power System with Unbalanced Loads
Due to several problems such as global concern about environmental pollution, renewable energy has become an alternative source of energy. In situations such as small local loads far from the main grid, standalone hybrid power system (HPS) with inevitable unbalanced loading condition is preferred for the global grid. The four-leg inverter with a simple as well as well-performance control method is a good solution to support this condition. In this paper, with respect to the average and discretized...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
Effects of the Amount of Fly Ash Modified by Stearic Acid Compound on Mechanical Properties, Flame Retardant Ability, and Structure of the Composites
Fly ash, a waste product from thermal power plants, is one of the good alternatives for use as a filler in polymers, especially in flame retardants. Fly ash is an environmentally friendly fire retardant additive for composites, used in place of conventional flame retardant additives such as halogenated organic compounds, thus promoting environmental safety. In this study, fly ash was modified with stearic acid to improve adhesion at the polymers interface and increase compatibility. Fly ash was studied...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
Physiological and Biochemical Vascular Reactivity Parameters of Angiotensin II and the Action of Biased Agonist TRV023
Vascular reactivity experiments using isolated aortic rings have been widely used as a model for physiological and pharmacological studies since the early sixties. Here, we suggest several parameters that the researcher should pay attention to when investigating angiotensin II in their experimental models. Angiotensin II is one of the active peptides of the renin-angiotensin system and exerts its effect through the AT1 and AT2 receptors. Some studies seek to understand the effects of angiotensin...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
A Hybrid Neuro-Fuzzy and Feature Reduction Model for Classification
The evolvement of the fuzzy system has shown influential and successful in many universal approximation capabilities and applications. This paper proposes a hybrid Neuro-Fuzzy and Feature Reduction (NF-FR) model for data analysis. This proposed NF-FR model uses a feature-based class belongingness fuzzification process for all the patterns. During the fuzzification process, all the features are expanded based on the number of classes available in the dataset. It helps to deal with the uncertainty...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
Variations in Electrocortical Activity due to Surgical Incision in Anaesthetized Cardiac Patients: Electroencephalogram-Based Quantitative Analysis
This study examines the alterations in scalp recorded cortical activity due to surgical incision in anaesthetized cardiac patients using electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns. The primary aim was to compare the changes in electrocortical activity after surgical incision. The secondary aim was to compare the changes in time, frequency, and wavelet domain parameters after loss of consciousness (LoC) and after intubation. Real-time EEG data were recorded from 19 patients undergoing cardiac surgery and...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
Discharge Hemoglobin Association with Long-Term Outcomes of ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction Patients Undergoing Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Background. Anemia following acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with poor outcomes. While previous studies in patients with AMI have focused on anemia at admission, we hypothesized that hemoglobin (Hb) decline during hospitalization and lower discharge Hb would be associated with greater long-term mortality in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods. We analyzed records of 983 STEMI patients...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20
Effects of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors on Arterial Stiffness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
To determine the effects of ACEIs on arterial stiffness, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was conducted. Relevant articles that investigated the effects of ACEIs on arterial stiffness from PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane library from inception to September 2018 were systematically retrieved. The investigated outcomes included brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) and carotid-femoral PWV (cf-PWV) by using weighted mean differences (WMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with...
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Sun Mar 01, 2020 02:20

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