bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Performance of DSSCs Based on the Insertion Energy Level of CdS Quantum Dots
Authors: Zou Xiaoping , Sun Zhe
Published: May 2014

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots (QDs) are assembled onto the TiO2films by chemical bath deposition method (CBD). And the QDs size is controlled by the times of CBD cycles. They are characterized by UV-visible absorption. To avoid the photo corrosion and electrolyte corrosion, CdS and N719 are sequentially assembled onto the nanocrystalline TiO2films to prepare a CdS/N719 cosensitized photo electrode for the dye-sensitized solar cells. In the structure of TiO2/CdS/N719 electrode, the reorganization of energy levels between CdS and N719 forms a stepwise structure of band-edge levels which is advantageous to the electron injection and hole recovery of CdS and N719 QDs. The open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current density (Jsc), and efficiency are increased.
Chemometric Study of Trace Elements in Hard Coals of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin, Poland
Authors: Smoliński Adam , Rompalski Przemysław , Cybulski Krzysztof , Chećko Jarosław , Howaniec Natalia
Published: May 2014

The objective of the study was the analysis of trace elements contents in coals of the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (USCB), which may pose a potential threat to the environment when emitted from coal processing systems. Productive carbon overburden in central and southern zones of the USCB is composed mostly of insulating tertiary formations of a thickness from a few m to 1,100 m, and is represented by Miocene and Pliocene formations. In the data study the geological conditions of the coal seams of particular zones of the USCB were taken into account and the hierarchical clustering analysis was applied, which enabled the exploration of the dissimilarities between coal samples of various zones of the USCB in terms of basic physical and chemical parameters and trace elements contents. Coals of the northern and eastern zones of the USCB are characterized by high average Hg and low average Ba, Cr, and Ni contents, whereas coals of southern and western zones are unique due to high average concentrations of Ba, Co, Cu, Ni, and V. Coals of the central part of the USCB are characterized by the highest average concentration of Mn and the lowest average concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, V, and Zn.
Oil Well Characterization and Artificial Gas Lift Optimization Using Neural Networks Combined with Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Monyei Chukwuka G. , Adewumi Aderemi O. , Obolo Michael O.
Published: May 2014

This paper examines the characterization of six oil wells and the allocation of gas considering limited and unlimited case scenario. Artificial gas lift involves injecting high-pressured gas from the surface into the producing fluid column through one or more subsurface valves set at predetermined depths. This improves recovery by reducing the bottom-hole pressure at which wells become uneconomical and are thus abandoned. This paper presents a successive application of modified artificial neural network (MANN) combined with a mild intrusive genetic algorithm (MIGA) to the oil well characteristics with promising results. This method helps to prevent the overallocation of gas to wells for recovery purposes while also maximizing oil production by ensuring that computed allocation configuration ensures maximum economic accrual. Results obtained show marked improvements in the allocation especially in terms of economic returns.
Body Pigmentation as a Risk Factor for the Formation of Intracranial Aneurysms
Authors: Schulter Günter , Leber Klaus , Kronawetter Elke , Rübenbauer Viktoria R. , Konstantiniuk Peter , Papousek Ilona
Published: May 2014

Recent studies demonstrated pigmented cells both in the murine heart, in pulmonary veins, and in brain arteries. Moreover, a role for melanocytes in the downregulation of inflammatory processes was suggested. As there is increasing evidence that inflammation is contributing significantly to the pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms, melanocyte-like cells may be relevant in preventing age-related impairment of vessels. As pigmentation of the heart reflects that of coat color, aspects of body pigmentation might be associated with the incidence of intracranial aneurysms. We performed a case-control study to evaluate associations between the pigmentation of hair and eyes and the formation of aneurysms. In addition to hair and eye color, constitutive and facultative skin pigmentation were assessed in a replication study as well as individual handedness which can be seen as a neurophysiological correlate of developmental pigmentation processes. Hair pigmentation was highly associated with intracranial aneurysms in both samples, whereas eye pigmentation was not. In the replication cohort, facultative but not constitutive skin pigmentation proved significant. The strongest association was observed for individual handedness. Results indicate a significant association of intracranial aneurysms with particular aspects of body pigmentation as well as handedness, and imply clinical usefulness for screening of aneurysms and possible interventions.
Time-and-ID-Based Proxy Reencryption Scheme
Authors: Mtonga Kambombo , Paul Anand , Rho Seungmin
Published: May 2014

Time- and ID-based proxy reencryption scheme is proposed in this paper in which a type-based proxy reencryption enables the delegator to implement fine-grained policies with one key pair without any additional trust on the proxy. However, in some applications, the time within which the data was sampled or collected is very critical. In such applications, for example, healthcare and criminal investigations, the delegatee may be interested in only some of the messages with some types sampled within some time bound instead of the entire subset. Hence, in order to carter for such situations, in this paper, we propose a time-and-identity-based proxy reencryption scheme that takes into account the time within which the data was collected as a factor to consider when categorizing data in addition to its type. Our scheme is based on Boneh and Boyen identity-based scheme (BB-IBE) and Matsuo’s proxy reencryption scheme for identity-based encryption (IBE to IBE). We prove that our scheme is semantically secure in the standard model.
Novel Approach for Dealing with Partial Differential Equations with Mixed Derivatives
Authors: Atangana Abdon , Oukouomi Noutchie Suares Clovis
Published: May 2014

We propose a powerful iteration scheme for solving analytically a class of partial equations with mixed derivatives. Our approach is based upon the Lagrange multiplier in two-dimensional spaces. The local convergence and uniqueness of the proposed method are analyzed. In order to demonstrate the applicability of our method, we present an algorithm to compute the solution for two examples.
Improved Performance for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells Using a Compact TiO2Layer Grown by Sputtering
Authors: Chang Hung-Chih , Twu Ming-Jenq , Hsu Chun-Yao , Hsu Ray-Quen , Kuo Chin-Guo
Published: May 2014

This work determines the effect of compact TiO2layers that are deposited onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), to improve the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC). A series of compact TiO2layers are prepared using radio frequency (rf) reactive magnetron sputtering. The films are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results show that when the Ar/O2/N2flow rates are 36 : 18 : 9, the photo-induced decomposition of methylene blue and photo-induced hydrophilicity are enhanced. After annealing at 450°C in an atmosphere ambient for 30 min, the compact TiO2layers exhibit higher optical transmittance. The XRD patterns for the TiO2films for FTO/glass show a good crystalline structure and anatase (101) diffraction peaks, which demonstrate a higher crystallinity than the ITO/glass films. As a result of this increase in the short circuit photocurrent density, the open-circuit photovoltage, and the fill factor, the DSSC with the FTO/glass and Pt counter electrode demonstrates a solar conversion efficiency of 7.65%.
Flow and Noise Characteristics of Centrifugal Fan under Different Stall Conditions
Authors: Zhang Lei , Liang Shoufang , Hu Chenxing
Published: May 2014

An implicit, time‐accurate 3D Reynolds‐averaged Navier‐Stokes (RANS) solver is used to simulate the rotating stall phenomenon in a centrifugal fan. The goal of the present work is to shed light on the flow field and particularly the aerodynamic noise at different stall conditions. Aerodynamic characteristics, frequency domain characteristics, and the contours of sound power level under two different stall conditions are discussed in this paper. The results show that, with the decrease of valve opening, the amplitude of full pressure and flow fluctuations tends to be larger and the stall frequency remains the same. The flow field analysis indicates that the area occupied by stall cells expands with the decrease of flow rate. The noise calculation based on the simulation underlines the role of vortex noise after the occurrence of rotating stall, showing that the high noise area rotates along with the stall cell in the circumferential direction.
Backward Stochastic H2/H∞ Control: Infinite Horizon Case
Authors: Wu Zhen , Zhang Qixia
Published: May 2014

The mixed H2/H∞ control problem is studied for systems governed by infinite horizon backward stochastic differential equations (BSDEs) with exogenous disturbance signal. A necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a unique solution to the H2/H∞ control problem is derived. The equivalent feedback solution is also discussed. Contrary to deterministic or stochastic forward case, the feedback solution is no longer feedback of the current state; rather, it is feedback of the entire history of the state.
Genetic Abnormalities in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Where We Are and Where We Go
Authors: Puiggros Anna , Blanco Gonzalo , Espinet Blanca
Published: May 2014

Chromosomal abnormalities in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are detected in up to 80% of patients. Among them, deletions of 11q, 13q, 17p, and trisomy 12 have a known prognostic value and play an important role in CLL pathogenesis and evolution, determining patients outcome and therapeutic strategies. Standard methods used to identify these genomic aberrations include both conventional G-banding cytogenetics (CGC) and fluorescencein situhybridization (FISH). Although FISH analyses have been implemented as the gold standard, CGC allows the identification of chromosomal translocations and complex karyotypes, the latest associated with poor outcome. Genomic arrays have a higher resolution that allows the detection of cryptic abnormalities, although these have not been fully implemented in routine laboratories. In the last years, next generation sequencing (NGS) methods have identified a wide range of gene mutations (e.g.,TP53, NOTCH1, SF3B1,andBIRC3) which have improved our knowledge about CLL development, allowing us to refine both the prognostic subgroups and better therapeutic strategies. Clonal evolution has also recently arisen as a key point in CLL, integrating cytogenetic alterations and mutations in a dynamic model that improve our understanding about its clinical course and relapse.
Progress in ZnO Acceptor Doping: What Is the Best Strategy?
Authors: Reynolds Judith G. , Reynolds C. Lewis
Published: May 2014

This paper reviews the recent progress in acceptor doping of ZnO that has been achieved with a focus toward the optimum strategy. There are three main approaches for generating p-type ZnO: substitutional group IA elements on a zinc site, codoping of donors and acceptors, and substitution of group VA elements on an oxygen site. The relevant issues are whether there is sufficient incorporation of the appropriate dopant impurity species, does it reside on the appropriate lattice site, and lastly whether the acceptor ionization energy is sufficiently small to enable significant p-type conduction at room temperature. The potential of nitrogen doping and formation of the appropriate acceptor complexes is highlighted although theoretical calculations predict that nitrogen on an oxygen site is a deep acceptor. We show that an understanding of the growth and annealing steps to achieve the relevant acceptor defect complexes is crucial to meet requirements.
Phenol Removal by a Novel Non‐Photo‐Dependent Semiconductor Catalyst in a Pilot‐Scaled Study: Effects of Initial Phenol Concentration, Light, and Catalyst Loading
Authors: Chen Xiao , Liang Yan , Zhou Xuefei , Zhang Yanling
Published: May 2014

A novel non‐photo‐dependent semiconductor catalyst (CT) was employed to degrade phenol in the present pilot‐scaled study. Effect of operational parameters such as phenol initial concentration, light area, and catalyst loading on phenol degradation, was compared between CT catalyst and the conventional photocatalyst titanium dioxide. CT catalyst excelled titanium dioxide in treating and mineralizing low‐level phenol, under both mild UV radiation and thunder conditions of nonphoton. The result suggested that CT catalyst could be applied in circumstances when light is not easily accessible in pollutant‐carrying media (e.g., particles, cloudy water, and colored water).
Action Observation Therapy in the Subacute Phase Promotes Dexterity Recovery in Right-Hemisphere Stroke Patients
Authors: Sale Patrizio , Ceravolo Maria Gabriella , Franceschini Marco
Published: May 2014

The clinical impact of action observation (AO) on upper limb functional recovery in subacute stroke patients is recent evidence. We sought to test the hypothesis that training everyday life activities through AO coupled with task execution might activate the left hemisphere different from the right one. Sixty-seven first-ever ischemic stroke subjects were randomly assigned to receive upper limb training coupled with AO tasks or standard rehabilitation. The groups were matched by age and gender, Bamford category, and interval from stroke and lesion side. Fugl-Meyer (FM) and Box and Block Test (BBT) were used to measure hand function recovery at the end (T1) and 4-5 months after the treatment (T2). At T1, FM was increased by 31% (±26%), of maximum achievable recovery, whereas BBT was increased by 17% (±18%); at T2, FM had reached 43% (±45%) of maximum recovery, while BBT had reached 25% (±22%). Combining the effects of treatment to those of lesion side revealed significantly higher gains, in both FM and BBT scores, in left hemiparetic subjects when exposed to AO as compared to standard rehabilitation alone (P<.01). The findings lead to recommend the use of AO in addition to motor training in left hemiparetic patients.
Plasma Albumin Induces Cytosolic Calcium Oscilations and DNA Synthesis in Human Cultured Astrocytes
Authors: Vega-Zelaya Lorena , Ortega Guillermo J. , Sola Rafael G. , Pastor Jesús
Published: May 2014

So far, a little is known about transition from normal to focal epileptic brain, although disruption in blood-brain barrier and albumin had recently involved. The main objective of this work is to characterize the response of cultured human astrocytes to plasma albumin, including induction of DNA synthesis. Cortical tissue was obtained from 9 patients operated from temporal lobe epilepsy. Astrocytes were cultured for 3-4 weeks and cytosolic calcium concentration (Ca2+c) was measured. Bovine and human plasma albumin were used. We observed that low albumin concentration decreasesCa2+c, while higher concentration, induces increase inCa2+c. It was shown that increase inCa2+cwas mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and released from internal stores. Increase inCa2+cwas reduced to 19% by blocking the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-βR) receptor. Albumin induces DNA synthesis in a dose-response manner. Finally, induction of DNA synthesis can be partially blocked by heparin and block of TGF-β; however, the combination of both incompletely inhibits DNA synthesis. Therefore, results suggest that mechanisms other than Ca2+signals and TGF-βreceptor activation might induce DNA synthesis in a lesser degree. These results may be important to further understand the mechanisms involved in the transition from normal to focal epileptic brain.
MicroencapsulatedBifidobacterium longumsubsp.infantisATCC 15697 Favorably Modulates Gut Microbiota and Reduces Circulating Endotoxins in F344 Rats
Authors: Rodes Laetitia , Saha Shyamali , Tomaro-Duchesneau Catherine , Prakash Satya
Published: May 2014

The gut microbiota is a bacterial bioreactor whose composition is an asset for human health. However, circulating gut microbiota derived endotoxins cause metabolic endotoxemia, promoting metabolic and liver diseases. This study investigates the potential of orally delivered microencapsulatedBifidobacterium infantisATCC 15697 to modulate the gut microbiota and reduce endotoxemia in F344 rats. The rats were gavaged daily with saline or microencapsulatedB. infantisATCC 15697. Following 38 days of supplementation, the treated rats showed a significant (P< 0.05) increase in fecalBifidobacteria(4.34 ± 0.46 versus 2.45 ± 0.25% of total) andB. infantis(0.28 ± 0.21 versus 0.52 ± 0.12 % of total) and a significant (P< 0.05) decrease in fecal Enterobacteriaceae (0.80 ± 0.45 versus 2.83 ± 0.63% of total) compared to the saline control. In addition, supplementation with the probiotic formulation reduced fecal (10.52 ± 0.18 versus 11.29 ± 0.16 EU/mg;P= 0.01) and serum (0.33 ± 0.015 versus 0.30 ± 0.015 EU/mL;P= 0.25) endotoxins. Thus, microencapsulatedB. infantisATCC 15697 modulates the gut microbiota and reduces colonic and serum endotoxins. Future preclinical studies should investigate the potential of the novel probiotic formulation in metabolic and liver diseases.
Monte Carlo Finite Volume Element Methods for the Convection‐Diffusion Equation with a Random Diffusion Coefficient
Authors: Zhang Qian , Zhang Zhiyue
Published: May 2014

The paper presents a framework for the construction of Monte Carlo finite volume element method (MCFVEM) for the convection‐diffusion equation with a random diffusion coefficient, which is described as a random field. We first approximate the continuous stochastic field by a finite number of random variables via the Karhunen‐Loève expansion and transform the initial stochastic problem into a deterministic one with a parameter in high dimensions. Then we generate independent identically distributed approximations of the solution by sampling the coefficient of the equation and employing finite volume element variational formulation. Finally the Monte Carlo (MC) method is used to compute corresponding sample averages. Statistic error is estimated analytically and experimentally. A quasi‐Monte Carlo (QMC) technique with Sobol sequences is also used to accelerate convergence, and experiments indicate that it can improve the efficiency of the Monte Carlo method.
Piperlongumine Inhibits Migration of Glioblastoma Cells via Activation of ROS-Dependent p38 and JNK Signaling Pathways
Authors: Liu Qian Rong , Liu Ju Mei , Chen Yong , Xie Xiao Qiang , Xiong Xin Xin , Qiu Xin Yao , Pan Feng , Liu Di , Yu Shang Bin , Chen Xiao Qian
Published: May 2014

Piperlongumine (PL) is recently found to kill cancer cells selectively and effectively via targeting reactive oxygen species (ROS) responses. To further explore the therapeutic effects of PL in cancers, we investigated the role and mechanisms of PL in cancer cell migration. PL effectively inhibited the migration of human glioma (LN229 or U87 MG) cells but not normal astrocytes in the scratch-wound culture model. PL did not alter EdU+-cells and cdc2, cdc25c, or cyclin D1 expression in our model. PL increased ROS (measured by DCFH-DA), reduced glutathione, activated p38 and JNK, increased IκBα, and suppressed NFκB in LN229 cells after scratching. All the biological effects of PL in scratched LN229 cells were completely abolished by the antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Pharmacological administration of specific p38 (SB203580) or JNK (SP600125) inhibitors significantly reduced the inhibitory effects of PL on LN229 cell migration and NFκB activity in scratch-wound and/or transwell models. PL prevented the deformation of migrated LN229 cells while NAC, SB203580, or SP600125 reversed PL-induced morphological changes of migrated cells. These results suggest potential therapeutic effects of PL in the treatment and prevention of highly malignant tumors such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) in the brain by suppressing tumor invasion and metastasis.
WGC Based Robust and Gain Scheduling PI Controller Design for Condensing Boilers
Authors: Onat Cem
Published: May 2014

This paper addresses the water temperature PI control in condensing domestic boilers. The main challenge of this process under the controller design perspective is the fact that the dynamics of condensing boilers are strongly affected by the demanded water flow rate. First, a robust PI controller based on weighted geometrical center method is designed that stabilizes and achieves good performance for closed-loop system for a wide range of the water flow rate. Then, it is shown that if the water flow rate information is used to update the controller gains, through a technique known as gain scheduled control, the performance can be significantly improved. Important characteristics of these PI design approaches are that the resulting parameters are calculated numerically without using any graphical method or iterative optimization process and that it guarantees the stability of the closed-loop. Significantly, simulation results have demonstrated that the proposed tuning techniques can perform better for set point changes and load disturbance than other available methods in the literature.
The Mechanical and Electrical Effects of MEMS Capacitive Pressure Sensor Based 3C-SiC for Extreme Temperature
Authors: Marsi N. , Majlis B. Y. , Hamzah A. A. , Mohd-Yasin F.
Published: May 2014

This paper discusses the mechanical and electrical effects on 3C-SiC and Si thin film as a diaphragm for MEMS capacitive pressure sensor operating for extreme temperature which is 1000 K. This work compares the design of a diaphragm based MEMS capacitive pressure sensor employing 3C-SiC and Si thin films. A 3C-SiC diaphragm was bonded with a thickness of 380 μm Si substrate, and a cavity gap of 2.2 μm is formed between the wafers. The MEMS capacitive pressure sensor designs were simulated using COMSOL ver 4.3 software to compare the diaphragm deflection, capacitive performance analysis, von Mises stress, and total electrical energy performance. Both materials are designed with the same layout dimensional with different thicknesses of the diaphragm which are 1.0 μm, 1.6 μm, and 2.2 μm. It is observed that the 3C-SiC thin film is far superior materials to Si thin film mechanically in withstanding higher applied pressures and temperatures. For 3C-SiC and Si, the maximum von Mises stress achieved is 148.32 MPa and 125.48 MPa corresponding to capacitance value which is 1.93 pF and 1.22 pF, respectively. In terms of electrical performance, the maximum output capacitance of 1.93 pF is obtained with less total energy of 5.87 × 10−13 J, thus having a 50% saving as compared to Si.
A Novel Technique for Prealignment in Multimodality Medical Image Registration
Authors: Zhou Wu , Zhang Lijuan , Xie Yaoqin , Liang Changhong
Published: May 2014

Image pair is often aligned initially based on a rigid or affine transformation before a deformable registration method is applied in medical image registration. Inappropriate initial registration may compromise the registration speed or impede the convergence of the optimization algorithm. In this work, a novel technique was proposed for prealignment in both monomodality and multimodality image registration based on statistical correlation of gradient information. A simple and robust algorithm was proposed to determine the rotational differences between two images based on orientation histogram matching accumulated from local orientation of each pixel without any feature extraction. Experimental results showed that it was effective to acquire the orientation angle between two unregistered images with advantages over the existed method based on edge-map in multimodalities. Applying the orientation detection into the registration of CT/MR, T1/T2 MRI, and monomadality images with respect to rigid and nonrigid deformation improved the chances of finding the global optimization of the registration and reduced the search space of optimization.
Correlation between the Effects of Acupuncture at Taichong (LR3) and Functional Brain Areas: A Resting‐State FunctionalMagnetic Resonance Imaging Study Using True versus Sham Acupuncture
Authors: Wu Chunxiao , Qu Shanshan , Zhang Jiping , Chen Junqi , Zhang Shaoqun , Li Zhipeng , Chen Jiarong , Ouyang Huailiang , Huang Yong , Tang Chunzhi
Published: May 2014

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been shown to detect the specificity of acupuncture points, as proved by numerous studies. In this study, resting‐state fMRI was used to observe brain areas activated by acupuncture at the Taichong (LR3) acupoint. A total of 15 healthy subjects received brain resting‐state fMRI before acupuncture and after sham and true acupuncture, respectively, at LR3. Image data processing was performed using Data Processing Assistant for Resting‐State fMRI and REST software. The combination of amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) was used to analyze the changes in brain function during sham and true acupuncture. Acupuncture at LR3 can specifically activate or deactivate brain areas related to vision, movement, sensation, emotion, and analgesia. The specific alterations in the anterior cingulate gyrus, thalamus, and cerebellar posterior lobe have a crucial effect and provide a valuable reference. Sham acupuncture has a certain effect on psychological processes and does not affect brain areas related to function.
Increasing Physical Activity Efficiently: An Experimental Pilot Study of a Website and Mobile Phone Intervention
Authors: Thorsteinsen Kjærsti , Vittersø Joar , Svendsen Gunnvald Bendix
Published: May 2014

The main objective of this pilot study was to test the effectiveness of an online, interactive physical activity intervention that also incorporated gaming components. The intervention design included an activity planner, progress monitoring, and gamification components and used SMS text as a secondary delivery channel and feedback to improve engagement in the intervention content. Healthy adults (n=21) recruited through ads in local newspapers (age 35–73) were randomized to the intervention or the control condition. Both groups reported physical activity using daily report forms in four registration weeks during the three-month study: only the experiment condition received access to the intervention. Analyses showed that the intervention group had significantly more minutes of physical activity in weeks five and nine. We also found a difference in the intensity of exercise in week five. Although the intervention group reported more minutes of physical activity at higher intensity levels, we were not able to find a significant effect at the end of the study period. In conclusion, this study adds to the research on the effectiveness of using the Internet and SMS text messages for delivering physical activity interventions and supports gamification as a viable intervention tool.
State Observer Design for Delayed Genetic Regulatory Networks
Authors: Tian Li-Ping , Wang Zhi-Jun , Mohammadbagheri Amin , Wu Fang-Xiang
Published: May 2014

Genetic regulatory networks are dynamic systems which describe the interactions among gene products (mRNAs and proteins). The internal states of a genetic regulatory network consist of the concentrations of mRNA and proteins involved in it, which are very helpful in understanding its dynamic behaviors. However, because of some limitations such as experiment techniques, not all internal states of genetic regulatory network can be effectively measured. Therefore it becomes an important issue to estimate the unmeasured states via the available measurements. In this study, we design a state observer to estimate the states of genetic regulatory networks with time delays from available measurements. Furthermore, based on linear matrix inequality (LMI) approach, a criterion is established to guarantee that the dynamic of estimation error is globally asymptotically stable. A gene repressillatory network is employed to illustrate the effectiveness of our design approach.
The Intensity of Radiotherapy-Elicited Immune Response Is Associated with Esophageal Cancer Clearance
Authors: Ma Jin-lu , Jin Long , Li Yao-Dong , He Chen-chen , Guo Xi-jing , Liu Rui , Yang Yun-Yi , Han Su-xia
Published: May 2014

Radiation therapy is one of the standard therapeutic modalities for esophageal cancer, achieving its main antitumor efficacy through DNA damage. However, accumulating evidence shows that radiotherapy can substantially alter the tumor microenvironment, particularly with respect to its effects on immune cells. We hypothesized that the immune response elicited by radiotherapy may be as important as the radiation itself for successful treatment. More specifically, immunomodulatory cytokines may enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy. To investigate this hypothesis, we measured changes in the serum interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) concentrations during radiotherapy and compared these modifications with outcomes. We found that serum concentrations of IL-2 and IFN-γwere positively associated with local response to radiotherapy in esophageal cancer. More generally, the intensity of the radiotherapy-elicited immune response was positively associated with local response to radiotherapy in esophageal cancer. Changes in serum IL-2 and IFN-γconcentrations were further associated with increased risks of acute hematologic toxicity and acute organ toxicity of the esophagus, lung, and skin. These results suggest that deciphering the mechanisms of radiotherapy-elicited immune response may help in the development of therapeutic interventions that would enhance the efficacy of radiotherapy and convert some ineffective responses to effective responses.
Removal of Toxic Metal Ions from Water Using Chelating Terpolymer Resin as a Function of Different Concentration Time and pH
Authors: Dhore Mangesh S. , Butoliya Suraj S. , Zade Anil B.
Published: May 2014

Terpolymer resin 4-ASAUF was synthesized by the condensation of 4-aminosalicylic acid (4-ASA) and urea (U) with formaldehyde (F) in the presence of 2 N hydrochloric acid. The structure of the resin was characterized by various spectral techniques like infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H and 13C-NMR) spectroscopy. The empirical formula and empirical weight of the resin were determined by elemental analysis. The physiochemical properties of terpolymer resin were determined. The morphological feature of the 4-ASAUF terpolymer resin was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chelating ion-exchange property of this copolymer was studied for eight metal ions, namely, Fe3+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Hg2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, and Pb2+ ions by using batch equilibrium method. The chelating ion-exchange study was carried out over a wide pH range at different time intervals using different electrolyte of various ionic strengths.
Sunitinib Combined with Angiotensin-2 Type-1 Receptor Antagonists Induces More Necrosis: A Murine Xenograft Model of Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Verhoest Grégory , Dolley-Hitze Thibault , Jouan Florence , Belaud-Rotureau Marc-Antoine , Oger Emmanuel , Lavenu Audrey , Bensalah Karim , Arlot-Bonnemains Yannick , Collet Nicolas , Rioux-Leclercq Nathalie , Vigneau Cécile
Published: May 2014

Background. Angiotensin-2 type-1 receptor antagonists not are only antihypertensive drugs but also can inhibit VEGF production. We hypothesised that adding telmisartan to sunitinib could potentiate the antiangiogenic effects.Material and Methods. 786-O cell lines were injected in nude mice. After tumor development, mice were divided into 4 groups: the first was the control group (DMSO), the second group was treated with sunitinib alone, the third group was treated with telmisartan alone, and the fourth group was treated with the combination. Drugs were orally administered every day for four weeks. Animals were sacrificed after treatment. Blood and tumor tissues were collected for analysis by immunohistochemistry, Western Blot, and ELISA methods.Results. All animals developed a ccRCC and ten in each group were treated. Using a kinetic model, tumors tended to grow slower in the combination group compared to others (P=0.06). Compared to sunitinib alone, the addition of telmisartan significantly increased tissue necrosis (P=0.038). Central microvascular density decreased (P=0.0038) as well as circulating VEGF (P=0.003). There was no significant variation in proliferation or apoptosis markers.Conclusion. The combination of sunitinib and telmisartan revealed an enhancement of the blockage of the VEGF pathway on renal tumor resulting in a decrease in neoangiogenesis and an increase in necrosis.
Sufficiency and Duality in Nonsmooth Multiobjective Programming Problem under Generalized Univex Functions
Authors: Kharbanda Pallavi , Agarwal Divya , Sinha Deepa
Published: May 2014

We consider a nonsmooth multiobjective programming problem where the functions involved are nondifferentiable. The class of univex functions is generalized to a far wider class of (φ,α,ρ,σ)-dI-V-type I univex functions. Then, through various nontrivial examples, we illustrate that the class introduced is new and extends several known classes existing in the literature. Based upon these generalized functions, Karush-Kuhn-Tucker type sufficient optimality conditions are established. Further, we derive weak, strong, converse, and strict converse duality theorems for Mond-Weir type multiobjective dual program.
A Mathematical Study of a TB Model with Treatment Interruptions and Two Latent Periods
Authors: Liu Luju , Wang Yan
Published: May 2014

A TB transmission model which incorporates treatment interruptions and two latent periods is presented. The threshold parameter known as the control reproduction number and the equilibria for the model are determined, and the global asymptotical stabilities of the equilibria are studied by constructing the proper Lyapunov functions. The reproduction numbers and numerical simulations show that treatment of active TB cases always helps to control the TB epidemic, while treatment interruptions may have a negative, positive, or no effect on combating TB epidemic.
The Remittances-Output Nexus: Empirical Evidence from Egypt
Authors: Sharaf Mesbah Fathy
Published: May 2014

This paper examines the long-run causal link between remittances and output in Egypt for the period 1977–2012. The long-run causal link is examined using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds test for cointegration, along with a vector error-correction model to estimate the short- and long-run parameters of equilibrium dynamics. Results show that remittances and GDP are cointegrated, with a statistically significant, positive causality running from remittances to output, while output is found not to be a long-run forcing factor of remittances in Egypt. The findings of this paper shed light on the importance of remittances for promoting economic growth in Egypt. Governmental policies that attract more remittance inflows, along with their efficient use, could promote economic growth in Egypt.
Detection of Gunshot Residues Using Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Taudte Regina Verena , Beavis Alison , Blanes Lucas , Cole Nerida , Doble Philip , Roux Claude
Published: May 2014

In recent years, forensic scientists have become increasingly interested in the detection and interpretation of organic gunshot residues (OGSR) due to the increasing use of lead- and heavy metal-free ammunition. This has also been prompted by the identification of gunshot residue- (GSR-) like particles in environmental and occupational samples. Various techniques have been investigated for their ability to detect OGSR. Mass spectrometry (MS) coupled to a chromatographic system is a powerful tool due to its high selectivity and sensitivity. Further, modern MS instruments can detect and identify a number of explosives and additives which may require different ionization techniques. Finally, MS has been applied to the analysis of both OGSR and inorganic gunshot residue (IGSR), although the “gold standard” for analysis is scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray microscopy (SEM-EDX). This review presents an overview of the technical attributes of currently available MS and ionization techniques and their reported applications to GSR analysis.
CB2 Receptor Activation Ameliorates the Proinflammatory Activity in Acute Lung Injury Induced by Paraquat
Authors: Liu Zhenning , Wang Yu , Zhao Hongyu , Zheng Qiang , Xiao Li , Zhao Min
Published: May 2014

Paraquat, a widely used herbicide, is well known to exhibit oxidative stress and lung injury. In the present study, we investigated the possible underlying mechanisms of cannabinoid receptor-2 (CB2) activation to ameliorate the proinflammatory activity induced by PQ in rats. JWH133, a CB2 agonist, was administered by intraperitoneal injection 1 h prior to PQ exposure. After PQ exposure for 4, 8, 24, and 72 h, the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was collected to determine levels of TNF-αand IL-1β, and the arterial blood samples were collected for detection of PaO2level. At 72 h after PQ exposure, lung tissues were collected to determine the lung wet-to-dry weight ratios, myeloperoxidase activity, lung histopathology, the protein expression level of CB2, MAPKs (ERK1/2, p38MAPK, and JNK1/2), and NF-κBp65. After rats were pretreated with JWH133, PQ-induced lung edema and lung histopathological changes were significantly attenuated. PQ-induced TNF-αand IL-1βsecretion in BALF, increases of PaO2in arterial blood, and MPO levels in the lung tissue were significantly reduced. JWH133 could efficiently activate CB2, while inhibiting MAPKs and NF-κB activation. The results suggested that activating CB2 receptor exerted protective activity against PQ-induced ALI, and it potentially contributed to the suppression of the activation of MAPKs and NF-κB pathways.
Stem Cell-Like Circulating Tumor Cells Indicate Poor Prognosis in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Li Man , Zhang Baogang , Zhang Zhiguang , Liu Xia , Qi Xiangjuan , Zhao Jianqiu , Jiang Yong , Zhai Haoyu , Ji Yinglan , Luo Dan
Published: May 2014

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs), which have stem cell-like characteristics, might play a crucial role in cancer metastasis. CD44 has been identified as gastric cancer (GC) stem cell (CSC) marker. Here, the prognostic significance of CD44-positive CTCs in GC patients was investigated. CTCs were detected in 27 of 45 GC patients. The presence of CTCs was significantly associated with lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and recurrence (P=0.007,P=0.035, andP=0.035, resp.). Nineteen of the 27 CTC-positive patients had CD44-positive CTCs. These patients were more likely to develop metastasis and recurrence than patients with CD44-negative CTCs. CD44-positive CTC counts were higher in recurrent patients than in the nonrecurrent ones (means 4.8 and 1.9, resp.;P=0.010). Furthermore, 13 of 19 patients with CD44-positive CTCs developed recurrent disease, and the mean time to recurrence was shorter than that in patients with CD44-negative CTCs (10.54±5.55and19.13±9.72months, resp.;P=0.04). COX proportional hazards model indicated that the presence of CD44-positive CTCs and TNM stage were independent predictors of recurrence for GC (P=0.030and 0.008). So identifying the stem cell-like CTC subset may provide more clinically useful prognostic information than only detecting CTCs.
Prostate MRI: Evaluating Tumor Volume and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient as Surrogate Biomarkers for Predicting Tumor Gleason Score
Authors: Donati Olivio F. , Afaq Asim , Vargas Hebert Alberto , Mazaheri Yousef , Zheng Junting , Moskowitz Chaya S. , Hricak Hedvig , Akin Oguz
Published: May 2014

Purpose: To investigate whether tumor volume derived from apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps (VolumeADC) and tumor mean ADC value (ADCmean) are independent predictors of prostate tumor Gleason score (GS).

Experimental Design: Tumor volume and GS were recorded from whole-mount histopathology for 131 men (median age, 60 years) who underwent endorectal diffusion-weighted MRI for local staging of prostate cancer before prostatectomy. VolumeADC and ADCmean were derived from ADC maps and correlated with histopathologic tumor volume and GS. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate prediction of tumor aggressiveness. Areas under receiver-operating characteristics curves (AUC) were calculated to evaluate the performance of VolumeADC and ADCmean in discriminating tumors of GS 6 and GS ≥7.

Results: Histopathology identified 116 tumor foci >0.5 mL. VolumeADC correlated significantly with histopathologic tumor volume (ρ = 0.683). The correlation increased with increasing GS (ρ = 0.453 for GS 6 tumors; ρ = 0.643 for GS 7 tumors; ρ = 0.980 for GS ≥8 tumors). Both VolumeADC (ρ = 0.286) and ADCmean (ρ = −0.309) correlated with GS. At univariate analysis, both VolumeADC (P = 0.0325) and ADCmean (P = 0.0033) could differentiate GS = 6 from GS ≥7 tumor foci. However, at multivariate analysis, only ADCmean (P = 0.0156) was a significant predictor of tumor aggressiveness (i.e., GS 6 vs. GS ≥7). For differentiating GS 6 from GS ≥7 tumors, AUCs were 0.644 and 0.704 for VolumeADC and ADCmean, respectively, and 0.749 for both parameters combined.

Conclusion: In patients with prostate cancer, ADCmean is an independent predictor of tumor aggressiveness, but VolumeADC is not. The latter parameter adds little to the ADCmean in predicting tumor GS. Clin Cancer Res; 20(14); 3705–11. ©2014 AACR.
Tumor Cell–Derived MMP3 Orchestrates Rac1b and Tissue Alterations That Promote Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Mehner Christine , Miller Erin , Khauv Davitte , Nassar Aziza , Oberg Ann L. , Bamlet William R. , Zhang Lizhi , Waldmann Jens , Radisky Evette S. , Crawford Howard C. , Radisky Derek C.
Published: May 2014

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) arises at the convergence of genetic alterations in KRAS with a fostering microenvironment shaped by immune cell influx and fibrotic changes; identification of the earliest tumorigenic molecular mediators evokes the proverbial chicken and egg problem. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) are key drivers of tumor progression that originate primarily from stromal cells activated by the developing tumor. Here, MMP3, known to be expressed in PDA, was found to be associated with expression of Rac1b, a tumorigenic splice isoform of Rac1, in all stages of pancreatic cancer. Using a large cohort of human PDA tissue biopsies specimens, both MMP3 and Rac1b are expressed in PDA cells, that the expression levels of the two markers are highly correlated, and that the subcellular distribution of Rac1b in PDA is significantly associated with patient outcome. Using transgenic mouse models, coexpression of MMP3 with activated KRAS in pancreatic acinar cells stimulates metaplasia and immune cell infiltration, priming the stromal microenvironment for early tumor development. Finally, exposure of cultured pancreatic cancer cells to recombinant MMP3 stimulates expression of Rac1b, increases cellular invasiveness, and activation of tumorigenic transcriptional profiles.

Implications: MMP3 acts as a coconspirator of oncogenic KRAS in pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis and progression, both through Rac1b-mediated phenotypic control of pancreatic cancer cells themselves, and by giving rise to the tumorigenic microenvironment; these findings also point to inhibition of this pathway as a potential therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer. Mol Cancer Res; 12(10); 1430–9. ©2014 AACR.
Comparison of Small-Bowel Mucosal Injury between Low-Dose Aspirin and Non-Aspirin Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs: A Capsule Endoscopy Study
Authors: Watari Ikue , Oka Shiro , Tanaka Shinji , Igawa Atsushi , Nakano Makoto , Aoyama Taiki , Yoshida Shigeto , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: May 2014

Background/Aims: The differences in the severity of small-bowel toxicity induced by aspirin and non-aspirin non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) remain unclear. This study aimed at clarifying these differences in small-bowel mucosal injury by using capsule endoscopy (CE). Methods: We retrospectively compared the records of 78 and 40 obscure gastrointestinal bleeding patients receiving low-dose aspirin (LDA) and non-aspirin NSAIDs, respectively. All patients were found to have small-bowel mucosal injuries on CE. The two groups were compared for the number of small-bowel mucosal injuries and CE scores on the basis of the findings of CE. Results: The mean numbers of reddened lesions in the LDA group and non-aspirin NSAID group were 2.49 ± 3.15 and 1.65 ± 3.04; the mean numbers of erosions/ulcers 1.56 ± 3.75 and 6.08 ± 10.4, and the mean CE scores 154 ± 294 and 520 ± 758, respectively. The mean number of reddened lesions was significantly higher and the mean number of erosions/ulcers and CE scores significantly lower in the LDA group than in the other non-aspirin NSAID group. Conclusion: Small-bowel mucosal injuries were significantly milder in the LDA group than in the non-aspirin NSAID group, though reddened lesions were more frequent in the LDA group.
Induction or Exacerbation of Psoriasis in Patients with Crohn's Disease under Treatment with Anti-TNF Antibodies
Authors: Barthel Christiane , Biedermann Luc , Frei Pascal , Vavricka Stephan R. , Kündig Thomas , Fried Michael , Rogler Gerhard , Scharl Michael
Published: May 2014

Background and Aims: Paradoxically, psoriasis or psoriasiform skin lesions induced or exacerbated by anti-TNF antibodies have been described. Here, we report a series of 13 novel cases featuring exacerbation or occurrence of psoriatic skin lesions induced by anti-TNF antibodies in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). Methods: We performed a systematic analysis of exacerbation or occurrence of psoriasis or psoriasiform skin lesions induced by anti-TNF antibodies in an inflammatory bowel disease patient cohort at the University Hospital Zurich. Results: We identified 13 CD patients who developed psoriasis or psoriasiform lesions while receiving anti-TNF therapy. 10 of the 13 patients were female with an average age of 26.9 years at diagnosis. 11 of the 13 patients had a complicated disease. The mean time of clinical latency between diagnosis and onset of psoriasis was about 9.4 years, and the time between the beginning of all biological infusions and the onset of psoriasis was about 7 months. 7 of the 13 patients received infliximab, 3 adalimumab, and 3 certolizumab pegol at onset of psoriasis. In most of the cases, anti-TNF therapy was changed or discontinued and skin lesions improved. Conclusion: Most of our described patients featured a complicated disease course of CD and had an improvement of the rash after changing the anti-TNF therapy.
Caries: Review of Human Genetics Research
Authors: Vieira Alexandre R. , Modesto Adriana , Marazita Mary L.
Published: May 2014

The NIH Consensus Development Program released a statement in 2001 (http://consensus.nih.gov/2001/2001DentalCaries115html.htm) and listed six major clinical caries research directions. One of these directions was the need for genetic studies to identify genes and genetic markers of diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic value. This last decade has seen a steep increase in studies investigating the presence of genetic factors influencing individual susceptibility to caries. This review revisits recent caries human genetic studies and provides a perspective for future studies in order to fulfil their promise of revolutionizing our understanding of and the standard of care for the most prevalent bacteria-mediated non-contagious disease in the world.