Adiponectin could be a comprehensive marker of metabolic syndrome in obese children

Objectives: The objectives were to investigate the relationship between the serum adiponectin level and the metabolic syndrome (MS) phenotype in children, and to examine the independent association between the serum adiponectin level and the individual components of MS.Design: A cross-sectional design was used.Subjects: Fifty-six obese children with a body mass index ≥ 95th percentile for age and sex, and 50 normal-weight children matched for age and sex with the obese children, were used as controls.Outcome measures: The main outcome measure was the serum adiponectin level.Results: The serum adiponectin level was significantly lower in obese children, than in the normal-weight controls (7.35 ± 3.1 μg/dl vs. 10.64 ± 3.04 μg/dl). Obese children with MS have a significantly lower serum adiponectin level compared to obese children without MS (5.92 ± 1.9μg/dl vs. 8.57 ± 2.1 μg/dl). There was a significant negative correlation between the serum adiponectin level and waist circumference, triglyceride levels, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose. The serum adiponectin level correlated positively with the level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. After controlling for the confounding effect of age, sex and visceral fat, the adiponectin level remained a significant predictor of the MS [odds ratio (OR): 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63-0.91].Conclusion: Adiponectin demonstrated a consistent relationship to each MS component. Adiponectin may be a comprehensive marker of the MS condition

Motor imagery task classification using a signal-dependent orthogonal transform based feature extraction

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. In this paper, we present the results of classifying electroencephalographic (EEG) signals into four motor imagery tasks using a new method for feature extraction. This method is based on a signal-dependent orthogonal transform, referred to as LP-SVD, defined as the left singular vectors of the LPC filter impulse response matrix. Using a logistic tree based model classifier, the extracted features are mapped into one of four motor imagery movements, namely left hand, right hand, foot, and tongue. The proposed technique-based classification performance was benchmarked against those based on two widely used linear transform for feature extraction methods, namely discrete cosine transform (DCT) and adaptive autoregressive (AAR). By achieving an accuracy of 67.35 %, the LP-SVD based method outperformed the other two by large margins (+25 % compared to DCT and +6 % compared to AAR-based methods)

Influence des paramètres de composition sur le comportement du béton autoplaçant à l’état frais

La présente étude s’inscrit dans le cadre des travaux de recherche menés au département de génie civil de l'université de Mostaganem, en Algérie. Elle concerne l’étude de l’influence des paramètres de composition sur le comportement du béton autoplaçant à l'état frais. Elle a pour objectif de comprendre les rôles joués par les différents constituants susceptibles d’entrer dans la formulation d'un BAP à base de matériaux locaux notamment le sable de mer et le sable de carrière (considéré comme déchet naturel) et de mettre en évidence les éventuelles interactions entre constituants. Les résultats obtenus offrent de belles perspectives pour optimiser les BAP. Nos essais ont permis de développer une variété de formulations de béton autoplaçant répondant aux critères rhéologiques (bonne déformabilité, moins de ressuage, absence de ségrégation).Mots-clés : Béton autoplaçant, superplastifiant, fines calcaires, matériaux locaux, béton frais

AC ELECTRIC TRANSPORT PROPERTIES OF Zn SUBSTITUTED Li FERRITES

The electrical transport properties of ZnxLi0.45-x/2Fe2.55-x/2O4 (where, x=0.0, 0.3, 0.5) synthesized by conventional ceramic method have been investigated as a function of Zn content. The X-ray analysis confirms the formation of single phase cubic spinel structure. The ac resistivity and dielectric constant show opposite trend with increase in Zn content. The ac resistivity and dielectric constant of the samples are found to decreases with increase in frequency, exhibiting normal ferromagnetic behaviour. Dielectric constant of the samples decreases rapidly at lower frequencies and slower at higher frequencies which may be due to the Maxwell-Wagner interfacial polarization. The electrical properties can be explained on the basis of Fe2+/Fe3+ ionic concentration

Sequence analysis of ORF94 in different white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) isolates of Iran

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a pathogen that causes high mortality in shrimp culture in the whole world. Sequence analysis of WSSV has shown similarity of WSSV isolates in different countries with exception of a few variable genomic loci. This study investigated the sequence variation of some Iranian WSSV isolates and previously identified isolates. Samples were collected during target surveillance and were feed, broodstock, post-larvae, artemia, crabs, and wild and cultured shrimp of northern Persian Gulf (Boushehr and Khuzestan provinces). The open reading frame (ORF) 94 sequence of different Iranian WSSV isolates were amplified using specific primers from positive samples. The ORFs 94 sequence of positive samples were sequenced and registered in the Gene Bank and then compared to other WSSV isolates. The number of repeat units in ORF94 showed that WSSV isolates were varied in number. There are SNPs (G and T) in position 48 of RUs that varies in different Boushehr and Khuzestan isolates. Also these sequences were compared to Gene Bank WSSV isolates and showed a high similarity (>90%) to Southeast Asian countries. To our knowledge this is the first report of sequence analysis in Iranian WSSV isolates applications

Bilevel optimization approach to design of network of bike lanes

A bike lane is an effective way to improve cycling safety and to decrease greenhouse gas emissions with the promotion of cycling. Improvements include high-quality off-road facilities and on-road bike lanes. Whereas construction of off-road lanes is not always possible because of urban land constraints and construction costs, on-road lanes can be a cost-effective alternative. An optimization framework for the design of a network of bike lanes in an urban road network was proposed. This framework identified links on which a bike lane could be introduced. Allocation of a lane to cyclists would increase the use of cycling, although it could disadvantage auto traffic. The presented approach balances the effects of a bike lane for all stakeholders. A bilevel optimization was proposed to encompass the benefits of cyclists and car users at the upper level and a model for traffic and bike demand assignment at the lower level. The objective function was defined by a weighted sum of a measure for private car users (total travel time) versus a measure for bike users (total travel distance on bike lanes). A genetic algorithm was developed to solve the bilevel formulation, which included introduction of a special crossover technique and a mutation technique. The proposed optimization will help transport authorities at the planning stage to quantify the outcomes of various strategies for active transport

An in situ exploration of subsurface defect migration to a liquid water‐exposed rutile TiO2(110) surface by XPS

The ability of titanium dioixide to split water into OH− and H+ species is heavily dependent on the behaviour of defects in the crystal structure at or near the surface. We present an in situ study of defect migration in rutile TiO2(110) conducted using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). First, surface and subsurface defects were created in the crystal by argon ion sputtering. Subsequent in situ exposure of the defective crystal to liquid water healed the surface defects, whereas the subsurface remained defective. The sample was then annealed while XPS was used to monitor the concentration of titanium defects. At low annealing temperatures, Ti3+ was observed to migrate from the subsurface to the surface. Further annealing gradually restored the surface and subsurface to the defect‐free Ti4+ form, during which the changes in abundance of Ti1+, Ti2+ and Ti3+ defects are discussed

En reconstruction mammaire : intérêt du dépistage du portage de Staphylococcus aureus dans la prévention de l’infection du site opératoire

National audienceThe incidence of prosthesis infections after breast reconstruction is of the order of 4% to 13% according to the literature. In surgical patients, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is the bacterial species most often responsible for surgical site infections. In cardiac surgery, screening for carriage of S. aureus and preoperative decontamination are carried out routinely before prosthetic surgery. We retrospectively reviewed data from patients at our institution between January 2011 and December 2013. Our series showed that the prosthesis infection rates were in the range of 5.92% in 2008 with an ISO rate of S. aureus 3.61%. Routine screening for prosthetic reconstructions was performed to assess the impact of preoperative decontamination patients in carriers of S. aureus. This screening was done in 381 patients: 17.8% of patients were carriers of S. aureus ; 11 patients have an ISO (or an incidence rate of 2.88%) ; 5 patients have an ISO S. aureus (an incidence of S. aureus ISO 1.3%). The introduction of the screening process, allowed a drop of 5.92% ISO rate at 1.46% with a passage of S. aureus SSI rates of 3, 60% to 0.72%. In the near future, studies are needed to confirm these encouraging results, to demonstrate the efficacy of preoperative decontamination in carriers of S. aureus patients before laying prosthesis