860 research outputs found

    Hybrid game approach‐based channel congestion control for the Internet of Vehicles

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    Communications between the Internet of Vehicles in smart cities helps increase the awareness and safety among drivers. However, the channel congestion problem is considered as a key challenge for the communication networks due to continuing collection and exchange of traffic information in dense environments. The channel congestion problem degrades the efficiency and reliability of the ad hoc network. Therefore, the adaptation of the data rate and power control is considered as one of the effective solutions to mitigate channel congestion. This paper develops a new hybrid game transmission rate and power channel congestion control approach on the Internet of Vehicle networks where the nodes play as greedy opponents demanding high information rates with the maximum power level. Furthermore, the existence of a Nash equilibrium, which is the optimal information rate and power transmission for every vehicle, is established. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach enhances the network performance by an overall percentage of 42.27%, 43.94% and 47.66% regarding of channel busy time, messages loss and data collision as compared to others. This increases the awareness and performance of the vehicular communication network

    In vitro antioksidacijska, citotoksična i antidijabetička aktivnost hidrolizata proteina iz Reevesove barske kornjače (Chinemys reevesii)

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    Research background. Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are the biggest causes of death globally. Bioactive peptides derived from many food proteins using enzymatic proteolysis and food processing have a positive impact on the prevention of these diseases. The bioactivity of Chinese pond turtle muscle proteins and their enzymatic hydrolysates has not received much attention, thus this study aims to investigate their antioxidant, antidiabetic and cytotoxic activities. Experimental approach. Chinese pond turtle muscles were hydrolysed using four proteolytic enzymes (Alcalase, Flavourzyme, trypsin and bromelain) and the degrees of hydrolysis were measured. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was conducted to explore the amino acid profiles and molecular mass distribution of the hydrolysates. The antioxidant activities were evaluated using various in vitro tests, including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2’-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, reducing capacity, chelating Fe2+ and lipid peroxide inhibition activity. Antidiabetic activity was evaluated using α-amylase inhibition and α-glucosidase inhibition assays. Besides, cytotoxic effect of hydrolysates on human colon cancer (HT-29) cells was assessed. Results and conclusions. The amino acid composition of the hydrolysates revealed higher mass fractions of glutamic, aspartic, lysine, hydroxyproline and hydrophobic amino acids. Significantly highest inhibition of lipid peroxidation was achieved when hydrolysate obtained with Alcalase was used. Protein hydrolysate produced with Flavourzyme had the highest radical scavenging activity measured by DPPH (68.32%), ABTS (74.12%) and FRAP (A700 nm=0.300) assays, α-glucosidase (61.80%) inhibition and cytotoxic effect (82.26%) on HT-29 cell line at 550 ”g/mL. Hydrolysates obtained with trypsin and bromelain had significantly highest (p<0.05) hydroxyl radical scavenging (92.70%) and Fe2+ metal chelating (63.29%) activities, respectively. The highest α-amylase (76.89%) inhibition was recorded when using hydrolysates obtained with bromelain and Flavourzyme. Novelty and scientific contribution. Enzymatic hydrolysates of Chinese pond turtle muscle protein had high antioxidant, cytotoxic and antidiabetic activities. The findings of this study indicated that the bioactive hydrolysates or peptides from Chinese pond turtle muscle protein can be potential ingredients in pharmaceuticals and functional food formulations.Pozadina istraĆŸivanja. Kardiovaskularne bolesti i dijabetes najčeơći su uzroci smrti na svijetu. Bioaktivni peptidi dobiveni proteolizom i preradom hrane imaju pozitivan učinak na prevenciju tih bolesti. BioloĆĄka aktivnost proteina iz miĆĄića Reevesove barske kornjače i njihovih hidrolizata nije dovoljno istraĆŸena, stoga je svrha ovoga rada bila ispitati njihovu antioksidacijsku, antidijabetičku i citotoksičnu aktivnost. Eksperimentalni pristup. MiĆĄići Reevesove barske kornjače hidrolizirani su pomoću proteolitičkih enzima (Alcalase, Flavourzyme, tripsin i bromelain), te su mjereni stupnjevi hidrolize proteina. Aminokiselinski sastav i distribucija molekularne mase hidrolizata ispitani su pomoću visokodjelotvorne tekućinske kromatografije. Antioksidacijska aktivnost određena je različitim testovima in vitro, uključujući sposobnost uklanjanja 1,1-difenil-2-pikrilhidrazila (DPPH), 2,2’-azino-bis(3-etilbenzotiazolin-6-sumporne kiseline) (ABTS) i hidroksil radikala, keliranja Fe2+ i inhibicije lipidne peroksidacije. Antidijabetička aktivnost ispitana je testovima inhibicije α-amilaze i α-glukozidaze. Osim toga, analiziran je citotoksični učinak hidrolizata na stanice tumora debelog crijeva (HT-29). Rezultati i zaključci. Analizom aminokiselinskog sastava hidrolizata pronađeni su veći maseni udjeli glutaminske i asparaginske kiseline, lizina, hidroksiprolina te hidrofobnih aminokiselina od onih u nehidroliziranim proteinima. Hidrolizat proteina dobiven pomoću proteolitičkog enzima Alcalase bitno je inhibirao peroksidaciju lipida. Pri koncentraciji od 550 ”g/mL, hidrolizat proteina dobiven pomoću enzima Flavourzyme imao je najveću sposobnost uklanjanja slobodnih radikala mjerenu pomoću DPPH (68,32 %), ABTS (74,12 %) i FRAP (A700 nm=0,300) metoda, inhibicije α-glukozidaze (61,80 %) te najveći citotoksični učinak na stanične linije HT-29 (82.26 %). Hidrolizat proteina dobiven pomoću tripsina imao je znatnu (p<0,05) aktivnost uklanjanja hidroksilnih radikala (92,70 %), a onaj dobiven pomoću bromelaina najveću aktivnost keliranja Fe2+ (63,29 %). Najveća inhibicija α-amilaze postignuta je pomoću hidrolizata proteina dobivenih djelovanjem bromelaina i enzima Flavourzyme. Novina i znanstveni doprinos. Hidrolizati proteina miĆĄića Reevesove barske kornjače dobiveni enzimskom hidrolizom imali su veliku antioksidacijsku, citotoksičnu i antidijabetičku aktivnost. Rezultati istraĆŸivanja pokazuju da se ti hidrolizati ili peptidi zbog svojih bioaktivnih svojstava mogu upotrijebiti kao sastojak u farmaceutskim i funkcionalnim prehrambenim proizvodima

    Comparing the effect of STan (cardiotocographic electronic fetal monitoring (CTG) plus analysis of the ST segment of the fetal electrocardiogram) with CTG alone on emergency caesarean section rates: study protocol for the STan Australian Randomised controlled Trial (START).

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    BACKGROUND: Cardiotocography is almost ubiquitous in its use in intrapartum care. Although it has been demonstrated that there is some benefit from continuous intrapartum fetal monitoring using cardiotocography, there is also an increased risk of caesarean section which is accompanied by short-term and long-term risks to the mother and child. There is considerable potential to reduce unnecessary operative delivery with up to a 60% false positive diagnosis of fetal distress using cardiotocography alone. ST analysis of the fetal electrocardiogram is a promising adjunct to cardiotocography alone, and permits detection of metabolic acidosis of the fetus, potentially reducing false positive diagnosis of fetal distress. METHODS: This study will be a single-centre, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial, conducted over 3 years. The primary hypothesis will be that the proportion of women with an emergency caesarean section on ST analysis will not equal that for women on cardiotocography monitoring alone. Participants will be recruited at the Women's and Children's Hospital, a high-risk specialty facility with approximately 5000 deliveries per annum. A total of 1818 women will be randomised to the treatment or conventional arm with an allocation ratio of 1:1, stratified by parity. The primary outcome is emergency caesarean section (yes/no). Statistical analysis will follow standard methods for randomised trials and will be performed on an intention-to-treat basis. Secondary maternal and neonatal outcomes will also be analysed. Additional study outcomes include psychosocial outcomes, patient preferences and cost-effectiveness. DISCUSSION: Approximately 20% of Australian babies are delivered by emergency caesarean section. This will be the first Australian trial to examine ST analysis of the fetal electrocardiogram as an adjunct to cardiotocography as a potential method for reducing this proportion. The trial will be among the first to comprehensively examine ST analysis, taking into account the impact on psychosocial well-being as well as cost-effectiveness. This research will provide Australian evidence for clinical practice and guideline development as well as for policy-makers and consumers to make informed, evidence-based choices about care in labour. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTR, ACTRN1261800006268 . Registered on 19 January 2018

    Suicide among Arab-Americans

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    BACKGROUND: Arab-American (AA) populations in the US are exposed to discrimination and acculturative stress-two factors that have been associated with higher suicide risk. However, prior work suggests that socially oriented norms and behaviors, which characterize recent immigrant ethnic groups, may be protective against suicide risk. Here we explored suicide rates and their determinants among AAs in Michigan, the state with the largest proportion of AAs in the US. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: ICD-9/10 underlying cause of death codes were used to identify suicide deaths from among all deaths in Michigan between 1990 and 2007. Data from the 2000 U.S. Census were collected for population denominators. Age-adjusted suicide rates among AAs and non-ethnic whites were calculated by gender using the direct method of standardization. We also stratified by residence inside or outside of Wayne County (WC), the county with the largest AA population in the state. Suicide rates were 25.10 per 100,000 per year among men and 6.40 per 100,000 per year among women in Michigan from 1990 to 2007. AA men had a 51% lower suicide rate and AA women had a 33% lower rate than non-ethnic white men and women, respectively. The suicide rate among AA men in WC was 29% lower than in all other counties, while the rate among AA women in WC was 20% lower than in all other counties. Among non-ethnic whites, the suicide rate in WC was higher compared to all other counties among both men (12%) and women (16%). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Suicide rates were higher among non-ethnic white men and women compared to AA men and women in both contexts. Arab ethnicity may protect against suicide in both sexes, but more so among men. Additionally, ethnic density may protect against suicide among Arab-Americans

    Levels of selected minerals, nitric oxide, and vitamins in aborted Sakis sheep raised under semitropical conditions

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    The serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron and of nitric oxide, retinol, and ÎČ-carotene were determined in Sakiz ewes that had experienced an abortion and in healthy controls. Ten healthy and 25 aborted Sakiz sheep were selected from Afyon zone in western Turkey. Their ages ranged between 2 and 4 years weighing between 40 and 60 kg at the time of experiment. All of the abortions occurred in October. The concentrations of retinol, ÎČ-carotene, phosphorus, and zinc were significantly lower and those of calcium and nitric oxide were increased in aborted ewes relative to healthy controls. The serum levels of iron, copper, and magnesium were not significantly different among the two groups. In conclusion, abortion is an important problem in commercially important species of ruminants in many regions in the tropics including of western Turkey. Deficiencies of retinol, ÎČ-carotene, phosphorus and zinc, and the increase of calcium and nitric oxide concentration may play an important role in the etiology of abortion in ewes. Prophylactic measures such as vitamin and mineral supplementation may be of help to prevent or reduce the incidence of abortion in sheep

    AglH, a thermophilic UDP‑<i>N</i>‑acetylglucosamine‑1‑phosphate:dolichyl phosphate GlcNAc‑1‑phosphotransferase initiating protein<i> N</i>‑glycosylation pathway in <i>Sulfolobus acidocaldarius</i>, is capable of complementing the eukaryal Alg7

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    AglH, a predicted UDP-GlcNAc-1-phosphate:dolichyl phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase, is initiating the protein N-glycosylation pathway in the thermoacidophilic crenarchaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. AglH successfully replaced the endogenous GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferase activity of Alg7 in a conditional lethal Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, in which the first step of the eukaryal protein N-glycosylation process was repressed. This study is one of the few examples of cross-domain complementation demonstrating a conserved polyprenyl phosphate transferase reaction within the eukaryal and archaeal domain like it was demonstrated for Methanococcus voltae (Shams-Eldin et al. 2008). The topology prediction and the alignment of the AglH membrane protein with GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferases from the three domains of life show significant conservation of amino acids within the different proposed cytoplasmic loops. Alanine mutations of selected conserved amino acids in the putative cytoplasmic loops II (D(100)), IV (F(220)) and V (F(264)) demonstrated the importance of these amino acids for cross-domain AlgH activity in in vitro complementation assays in S. cerevisiae. Furthermore, antibiotic treatment interfering directly with the activity of dolichyl phosphate GlcNAc-1-phosphotransferases confirmed the essentiality of N-glycosylation for cell survival
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