bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Similarity Evaluation of Different Origins and Species of Dendrobiums by GC-MS and FTIR Analysis of Polysaccharides
Authors: Chen Nai-Dong , Chen Nai-Fu , Li Jun , Cao Cai-Yun , Wang Jin-Mei , Huang He-Ping
Published: October 2015

GC-MS method combined with FTIR techniques by the analysis of polysaccharide was applied to evaluate the similarity between wild (W) and tissue-cultured (TC)Dendrobium huoshanense(DHS),Dendrobium officinale(DO), andDendrobium moniliforme(DM) as well as 3 wildDendrobiumspp.:Dendrobium henanense(DHN),Dendrobium loddigesii(DL), andDendrobium crepidatum(DC). Eight monosaccharides involving xylose, arabinose, rhamnose, glucose, mannose, fructose, galactose, and galacturonic acid were identified in the polysaccharide from eachDendrobiumsample while the contents of the monosugars varied remarkably across origins and species. Further similarity evaluation based on GC-MS data showed that thercorvalues of different origins of DHS, DO, and DM were 0.831, 0.865, and 0.884, respectively, while thercorvalues ranged from 0.475 to 0.837 across species. FTIR files of the polysaccharides revealed that the similarity coefficients between W and TC-DHS, DO, and DM were 88.7%, 86.8%, and 88.5%, respectively, in contrast to the similarity coefficients varying from 57.4% to 82.6% across species. These results suggested that the structures of polysaccharides between different origins of the investigatedDendrobiumsmight be higher than what we had supposed.
Relationship between Postmenopausal Estrogen Deficiency and Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Tabuchi Sadaharu
Published: October 2015

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is one of the most severe forms of stroke, which results from the rupture of a cerebral aneurysm. SAH is the only type of stroke with a female predominance, suggesting that reproductive factors may play a significant role in the etiology. Estrogen has important effects on vascular physiology and pathophysiology of cerebral aneurysm and SAH and, thus, potential therapeutic implications. There have been growing bodies of epidemiological and experimental studies which support the hypothesis of a significant relationship between estrogen deficiency and cerebral aneurysm formation with subsequent SAH. This hypothesis is the focus of this review as well as possible pathology-based therapeutics with regard to aspects of molecular pathophysiology, especially related to women’s health.
Gold Nanoparticles Increase PLK1‐Specific Small Interfering RNA Transfection and Induce Apoptosis of Drug Resistance Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Tian Ying , Zhang Yunlei , Pan Jing , Lu Nan , Wang Shouju , Lu Guangming
Published: October 2015

Drug resistance is a major barrier that limits the effectiveness of chemotherapies against breast cancer. Here, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) characterized by good dispersivity, high stability, low cytotoxicity, and simple synthesis were developed to deliver small interfering RNA (siRNA) against PLK1 (PLK1‐siRNA) and overcome the drug resistance of breast cancer cells. Compared with the commonly used Lipofectamine 2000, GNPs showed higher PLK1‐siRNA delivery efficiency and resulted in the remarkable gene silencing of PLK1 in drug resistance breast cancer cells MCF‐7/MDR1 with low cytotoxicity in vitro. Moreover, delivery of PLK1‐siRNA by GNPs could cause 14.23% apoptosis of MCF‐7/MDR1 cells, which was apparently higher than 11.01% apoptosis conducted by Lipofectamine 2000. In addition, GNPs showed strong X‐ray attenuation coefficient, indicating the potential theranostic application of this system. Therefore, this study disclosed an important step in the use of GNPs as transfection vector of siRNA that will be of great benefit to gene therapy against drug resistant cancer.
Local Random Sparse Coding for Human Action Recognition in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Zhang Zhong , Liu Shuang
Published: October 2015

Recognizing human action in wireless sensor networks (WSN) has raised a great interest owing to the requirements of real-world applications. Recently, the bag-of-features model (BOF) has proved effective in human action recognition. In this paper, we propose a novel method named local random sparse coding (LRSC) for human action recognition in WSN based on the BOF model. The contribution is twofold. First, we utilize random projection (RP) technique for each feature vector to alleviate the curse of dimensionality. Second, we consider the locality of codebook and correspondingly propose to reconstruct the features using similar codewords. Our method is verified on the KTH and UCF Sports databases, and the experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves better results than that of previous methods on human action recognition in WSN.
Serum Levels of Stress Hormones and Oxidative Stress Biomarkers Differ according to Sasang Constitutional Type
Authors: Kim Hyeong Geug , Kim Yoon Jung , Ahn Yo Chan , Son Chang Gue
Published: October 2015

Objectives.This study investigated whether Sasang constitutional type is associated with differences in the serum levels of stress hormones and oxidative stress.Methods.A total of 236 participants (77 males and 159 females) were enrolled. The serum levels of cortisol, adrenaline, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) were analyzed.Results.The distribution of Sasang constitutional types was as follows: Taeumin, 35.6%; Soumin, 33.0%; and Soyangin, 31.4%. The serum cortisol levels of Taeumin were significantly lower than Soumin (p<0.1in both sexes) and Soyangin (p<0.05in males andp<0.1in females). The adrenaline levels were also significantly lower in Taeumin than in Soumin (p<0.05in males andp<0.1in females) and Soyangin (p<0.1in males). Serum ROS levels were significantly higher in Soyangin than in Taeumin and Soumin (p<0.05in males), whereas MDA levels were significantly lower in Taeumin compared with Soumin and Soyangin (p<0.05in males andp<0.1in females).Conclusion.Taeumin type may tolerate psychological or oxidative stress better than other types, which suggests a biological mechanism to explain the different pathophysiological features of Sasang constitutional types.
An IoT Knowledge Reengineering Framework for Semantic Knowledge Analytics for BI-Services
Authors: Mishra Nilamadhab , Chang Hsien-Tsung , Lin Chung-Chih
Published: October 2015

In a progressive business intelligence (BI) environment, IoT knowledge analytics are becoming an increasingly challenging problem because of rapid changes of knowledge context scenarios along with increasing data production scales with business requirements that ultimately transform a working knowledge base into a superseded state. Such a superseded knowledge base lacks adequate knowledge context scenarios, and the semantics, rules, frames, and ontology contents may not meet the latest requirements of contemporary BI-services. Thus, reengineering a superseded knowledge base into a renovated knowledge base system can yield greater business value and is more cost effective and feasible than standardising a new system for the same purpose. Thus, in this work, we propose an IoT knowledge reengineering framework (IKR framework) for implementation in a neurofuzzy system to build, organise, and reuse knowledge to provide BI-services to the things (man, machines, places, and processes) involved in business through the network of IoT objects. The analysis and discussion show that the IKR framework can be well suited to creating improved anticipation in IoT-driven BI-applications.
Maximizing the Lifetime of Wireless Sensor Networks Using Multiple Sets of Rendezvous
Authors: Li Bo , Park Sungkwon
Published: October 2015

In wireless sensor networks (WSNs), there is a “crowded center effect” where the energy of nodes located near a data sink drains much faster than other nodes resulting in a short network lifetime. To mitigate the “crowded center effect,” rendezvous points (RPs) are used to gather data from other nodes. In order to prolong the lifetime of WSN further, we propose using multiple sets of RPs in turn to average the energy consumption of the RPs. The problem is how to select the multiple sets of RPs and how long to use each set of RPs. An optimal algorithm and a heuristic algorithm are proposed to address this problem. The optimal algorithm is highly complex and only suitable for small scale WSN. The performance of the proposed algorithms is evaluated through simulations. The simulation results indicate that the heuristic algorithm approaches the optimal one and that using multiple RP sets can significantly prolong network lifetime.
Lateral Buckling Analysis of the Steel-Concrete Composite Beams in Negative Moment Region
Authors: Guo Fengqi , Zhou Shun , Jiang Lizhong
Published: October 2015

Distortional buckling is one of the important buckling models of steel-concrete composite beam in negative moment region. Rotation restraining rigidity and lateral restraining rigidity which steel beam web to bottom plate of steel-concrete composite are the key factors to influence the distortional buckling behavior. A comprehensive and intensive study on rotation restraining rigidity and lateral restraining rigidity which steel beam web to bottom plate of I-shaped steel-concrete composite beam in negative moment region is conducted in this paper. Energy variation principle is adopted to deduce the analytical expressions to calculate the rotation restraining rigidity and lateral restraining rigidity. Combined with the buckling theory of axial compression thin-walled bars in elastic medium, the buckling moment is obtained. Theoretical analysis shows that the rotation restraining rigidity and lateral restraining rigidity of steel beam web appear to have a linear relationship with the external loads and could also be negative. Compared with other methods, the results calculated by the proposed expressions agree well with the numerical results by ANSYS. The proposed expressions are more concise and suitable than the existing formulas for the engineering application.
A Novel Heat Sink Design and Prototyping for LED Desk Lamps
Authors: Chu Li-Ming , Chang Wei-Chin , Huang Ting Hsuan
Published: October 2015

Light-emitting diode (LED) is a modern lighting device. If the heat dissipating mechanism of LED desk lamp is not well designed, the induced high temperature will cause the reduction of illumination and life time of lamp. Therefore, the heat sink design becomes a key technology for LED lighting device. This study developed a methodology to design and analyze a heat sink for LED cooling. Four different types of heat sinks with fins in longitudinal or transverse directions and with or without vents on the base plate were compared. By using the CFD software FLUENT, heat flux and temperature around the heat sink were analyzed, and the surface temperature distribution was also investigated. The simulation outcomes were compared with experiments results to verify analysis accuracy. The comparisons show only slight differences, and the deviations were less than 4.0%. For cooling LED desk lamp, the design of using 12 vents on both sides of heat sink through natural convection to create the chimney effect was adopted; consequently, the temperature dropped 5°C in average. This design can also reduce the material of heat sink, LED lamp weight, and production cost.
Therapeutic Effect of Chenodeoxycholic Acid in an Experimental Rabbit Model of Osteoarthritis
Authors: Yan Zhao-wei , Dong Ji , Qin Chen-hao , Zhao Chun-yang , Miao Li-yan , He Chun-yan
Published: October 2015

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a slowly progressive joint disease typically seen in middle‐age to elderly people. At present, there is no ideal agent to treat OA. Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) was a principal active constituent from animal bile. However, the therapeutic effect of CDCA on OA severity was largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of intra‐articular injection of CDCA in a rabbit OA model. OA was induced in experimental rabbits by anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) and then rabbits were intra‐articularly injected with CDCA (10 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg) once per week for 5 weeks. The results showed that CDCA significantly decreased cartilage degradation on the surface of femoral condyles, reducing the pathological changes of articular cartilage and synovial membrane by macroscopic and histological analysis. CDCA also significantly decreased bone destruction and erosion of joint evaluated by micro‐CT. Furthermore, CDCA could markedly reduce the release of matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1), matrix metalloproteinase‐3 (MMP‐3), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in synovial fluid. These observations highlight CDCA might be a potential therapeutic agent for OA.
Structural Behavior of Thin-Walled Concrete-Filled Steel Tube Used in Cable Tunnel: An Experimental and Numerical Investigation
Authors: Hou Hetao , Ma Su , Qu Bing , Liang Yanhong , Jin Yanjun , Zhu Wencan , Chen Lei
Published: October 2015

One steel grid and five thin-walled concrete-filled steel tubes (CTST) used as the supports of tunnel were tested in site for investigating the mechanical behavior. The mechanical influences of thickness, node form, and concrete on CTST were gained and compared with the impacts on steel grid. It is indicated that high antideformation capacity of CTST improved the stability of surrounding rock in short time. The cementitious grouted sleeve connection exhibited superior flexibility when CTST was erected and built. Although the deformation of rock and soil in the tunnel was increasing, good compression resistance was observed by CTST with the new connection type. It was also seen that vault, tube foot, and connections were with larger absolute strain values. The finite element analysis (FEA) was carried out using ABAQUS program. The results were validated by comparison with experimental results. The FE model could be referred by similar projects.
Prognostic Significance of NT-proBNP Levels in Patients over 65 Presenting Acute Myocardial Infarction Treated Invasively or Conservatively
Authors: Drewniak Wojciech , Szybka Wojciech , Bielecki Dariusz , Malinowski Michal , Kotlarska Joanna , Krol-Jaskulska Agnieszka , Popielarz-Grygalewicz Agata , Konwicka Aleksandra , Dąbrowski Marek
Published: October 2015

Objectives. Assessment of prognostic significance of NT-proBNP level and the effects of invasive (I) and conservative (C) treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in patients over 65.Materials and Methods. One-year survival was assessed in 286 consecutive patients with AMI aged 65–100 (79 ± 8) subjected to I or C treatment (136 and 150 individuals), respectively.Results. 245 (85%) patients survived in-hospital stay: 124 (91.1%) received I treatment and 121 (80.6%) received C treatment. Heart failure (HF) was diagnosed in 30 patients receiving I treatment (22.6%) and in 71 subjected to C treatment (47.3%),p< 0,0001. NT-proBNP levels in the latter group were significantly higher than in the 185 patients without HF (12311 ± 13560 pg/mL versus 4773 ± 8807 pg/mL,p< 0.0001). NT-proBNP levels after coronary angioplasty were lower than in patients receiving C treatment (5922 ± 10250 pg/mL versus 8718 ± 12024 pg/mL,p= 0.0002). Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly higher in I patients than in C patients (47 ± 13% versus 42 ± 11.6%,p= 0.004). During the one-year follow-up, 82.3% of I patients and 61.2% of the C patients survived (p< 0.0003). There was a significantly lower probability of death at NT-proBNP below 8548.5 pg/mL.Conclusions. The NT-proBNP level in the first day of AMI is a good prognosticator. One-year follow-up prognosis for patients who received I treatment in the AMI is better than that for C patients. I patients exhibit superior left ventricular function after angioplasty and in the follow-up.
Hydrothermal Growth and Hydrogen Selective Sensing of Nickel Oxide Nanowires
Authors: Dang Thi Thanh Le , Tonezzer Matteo , Nguyen Van Hieu
Published: October 2015

Low cost synthesis of nanostructured metal oxides for gas sensing application at low temperature is nowadays of crucial importance in many fields. Herein, NiO p‐type semiconducting nanowires with polycrystalline structure were prepared by a facile and scalable hydrothermal method. Morphology and crystal structure of the NiO nanowires were investigated by scan electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The nanostructured material was then tested as hydrogen sensor showing very good performance in terms of sensor response, stability, absence of drifts, and speed of response and recovery. The selectivity of the NiO sensor to hydrogen towards other gases (ethanol, ammonia, and liquefied petroleum gas) was found to be good.
The Peptide Vaccine Combined with Prior Immunization of a Conventional Diphtheria-Tetanus Toxoid Vaccine Induced AmyloidβBinding Antibodies on Cynomolgus Monkeys and Guinea Pigs
Authors: Yano Akira , Ito Kaori , Miwa Yoshikatsu , Kanazawa Yoshito , Chiba Akiko , Iigo Yutaka , Kashimoto Yoshinori , Kanda Akira , Murata Shinji , Makino Mitsuhiro
Published: October 2015

The reduction of brain amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides by anti-Aβantibodies is one of the possible therapies for Alzheimer’s disease. We previously reported that the Aβpeptide vaccine including the T-cell epitope of diphtheria-tetanus combined toxoid (DT) induced anti-Aβantibodies, and the prior immunization with conventional DT vaccine enhanced the immunogenicity of the peptide. Cynomolgus monkeys were given the peptide vaccine subcutaneously in combination with the prior DT vaccination. Vaccination with a similar regimen was also performed on guinea pigs. The peptide vaccine induced anti-Aβantibodies in cynomolgus monkeys and guinea pigs without chemical adjuvants, and excessive immune responses were not observed. Those antibodies could preferentially recognize Aβ40, and Aβ42compared to Aβfibrils. The levels of serum anti-Aβantibodies and plasma Aβpeptides increased in both animals and decreased the brain Aβ40level of guinea pigs. The peptide vaccine could induce a similar binding profile of anti-Aβantibodies in cynomolgus monkeys and guinea pigs. The peptide vaccination could be expected to reduce the brain Aβpeptides and their toxic effects via clearance of Aβpeptides by generated antibodies.
An Experimental Study on Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop of CuO‐Water Nanofluid
Authors: Sahin Bayram , Manay Eyuphan , Akyurek Eda Feyza
Published: October 2015

Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of water based CuO nanofluid inside a horizontal tube were investigated experimentally. The upper limitation of the particle volume fraction with respect to heat transfer performance was also found. CuO‐water nanofluids with volume fractions of 0.5%, 1%, 2%, and 4% were prepared by dispersing the CuO nanoparticles with an average diameter of 33 nm into deionised water. Experiments were carried out under the steady‐state, constant heat flux, and turbulent flow regime conditions. The variations of the average Nusselt number and the friction factor with the Reynolds number were presented. For all given particle volume concentrations, heat transfer enhancements were calculated. It was concluded that the particle volume concentrations higher than 1% vol. were not appropriate with respect to the heat transfer performance of the CuO‐water nanofluid. No heat transfer enhancement was observed at Re = 4.000. The highest heat transfer enhancement was achieved at Re = 16.000 and ф = 0.005.
Proteus II: Design and Evaluation of an Integrated Power-Efficient Underwater Sensor Node
Authors: van Kleunen Wouter A. P. , Moseley Niels A. , Havinga Paul J. M. , Meratnia Nirvana
Published: October 2015

We describe the design and evaluation of an integrated low-cost underwater sensor node designed for reconfigurability, allowing continuous operation on a relatively small rechargeable battery for one month. The node uses a host CPU for the network protocols and processing sensor data and a separate CPU performs signal processing for the ultrasonic acoustic software-defined Modulator/Demodulator (MODEM). A Frequency Shift Keying- (FSK-) based modulation scheme with configurable symbol rates, Hamming error correction, and Time-of-Arrival (ToA) estimation for underwater positioning is implemented. The onboard sensors, an accelerometer and a temperature sensor, can be used to measure basic environmental parameters; additional internal and external sensors are supported through industry-standard interfaces (I2C, SPI, and RS232) and an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) for analog peripherals. A 433 MHz radio can be used when the node is deployed at the surface. Tests were performed to validate the low-power operation. Moreover the acoustic communication range and performance and ToA capabilities were evaluated. Results show that the node achieves the one-month lifetime, is able to perform communication in highly reflective environments, and performs ToA estimation with an accuracy of about 1-2 meters.
System Design and Implementation of Smart Dashboard for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Hu Jia-Sheng , Yeh Chien-Chu
Published: October 2015

Recently, the development of automobile focuses on the chassis structure and motion control. However, due to the concept of smart and safe vehicle, the integrated dashboard becomes a necessary issue. The proposed system can not only represent the conventional dashboard in a digital form but also endow the system with an intelligent guidance. The statuses such as speed, battery SOC, braking, mileage, and the activation of TCS and ABS can be seen and monitored in all driving scenarios. For example, the current modern electric vehicles face the danger of self-ignition problem when the over load problem is consisted. Basically, these severe conditions can be eliminated by a guard of smart interface. Consequently, under a proper design, the presented system can assist the driver to maintain the energy efficiency, steering stability, and so on. Then the operation procedure can be simplified and hence driver can concentrate more on steering.
Antihypertensive Effect of the GaMiSamHwangSaSimTang in Spontaneous Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Lee Kyungjin , Kim Bumjung , Hur Heseung , Chinannai Khanita Suman , Ham Inhye , Choi Ho-Young
Published: October 2015

The present study was designed to evaluate the antihypertensive effect of GaMiSamHwangSaSimTang (HVC1), a 30% ethanol extract of a mixture comprising Pruni Cortex, Scutellariae Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, and Rhei Rhizoma, on spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs). The systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured every 4 or 7 days using the noninvasive tail cuff system. The vasorelaxant effects on isolated aortic rings were evaluated. Aortic rings were contracted using phenylephrine (PE) or KCl, and the changes in tension were recorded via isometric transducers connected to a data acquisition system. In this study, oral administration of HVC1 decreased the SBP of SHRs over the experimental period. HVC1 induced concentration-dependent relaxation in the aortic rings that had been precontracted using PE or KCl. The vasorelaxant effects of HVC1 on endothelium-intact aortic rings were inhibited by pretreatment withNω-Nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) or methylene blue. HVC1 inhibited the contraction induced by extracellular Ca2+in endothelium-denuded rat aortic rings that had been precontracted using PE or KCl. In conclusion, HVC1 reduced the SBP of SHR and relaxed isolated SHR aortic rings by upregulating NO formation and the NO-cGMP pathway and blocking the entry of extracellular Ca2+via receptor-operative Ca2+channel and voltage-dependent Ca2+channel.
Associations among Physical Activity, Diet, and Obesity Measures Change during Adolescence
Authors: Maier Janne H. , Barry Ronald
Published: October 2015

Background. Obesity in youth is highly prevalent. Physical activity and diet are influential in obesity development. However, there is a knowledge gap regarding links between activity and diet quality and their combined influence on obesity during adolescence.Objectives. We used five years of data from 2379 adolescent girls in the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute Growth and Health Study to evaluate the association between physical activity and diet quality during adolescence and to assess both as correlates of obesity.Design. Diet, activity, and body composition measures were evaluated pairwise for correlation. A canonical correlation analysis was used to evaluate relationships within and between variable groups. All statistics were examined for trends over time.Results. We found positive correlations between physical activity and diet quality that became stronger with age. Additionally we discovered an age-related decrease in association between obesity correlates and body composition.Conclusion. These results suggest that while health behaviors, like diet and activity, become more closely linked during growth, obesity becomes less influenced by health behaviors and other factors. This should motivate focus on juvenile obesity prevention capitalizing on the pliable framework for establishing healthy diet and physical activity patterns while impact on body composition is greatest.
Biodegradable Films Based on Gelatin and Montmorillonite Produced by Spreading
Authors: Coronado Jorge Manuel Fernando , Alexandre Elisabete M. C. , Caicedo Flaker Christian Humberto , Bittante Ana Mônica Quinta Barbosa , Sobral Paulo José do Amaral
Published: October 2015

The main objective of this research was to study the properties of gelatin-based nanocomposites reinforced with the montmorillonite (MMT). The gelatin-based nanocomposites were prepared with solutions of 5 g of gelatin/100 g of film-forming solution, 0–10 g of montmorillonite/100 g of gelatin, and 30 g of glycerol/100 g of gelatin and were stored for 7 days at 58% relative humidity or in silica gel, depending on the type of assay. The reinforcement of gelatin-based nanocomposites with montmorillonite increased their thickness and decreased the moisture content. Tensile strength and Young’s modulus increased revealing more resistant and rigid nanocomposites. The increase in MMT concentration slightly changed the X-ray diffraction spectra indicating some loss of crystallinity and reinforced films presented less homogeneous structures. The montmorillonite concentration had not a clear effect on the thermal properties and FTIR spectra of nanocomposites were very similar to separated compounds.
Systemic Venous Inflow to the Liver Allograft to Overcome Diffuse Splanchnic Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Lupascu Cristian , Darius Tom , Goffette Pierre , Lerut Jan
Published: October 2015

Diffuse splanchnic venous thrombosis (DSVT), formerly defined as contraindication for liver transplantation (LT), is a serious challenge to the liver transplant surgeon. Portal vein arterialisation, cavoportal hemitransposition and renoportal anastomosis, and finally combined liver and small bowel transplantation are all possible alternatives to deal with this condition. Five patients with preoperatively confirmed extensive splanchnic venous thrombosis were transplanted using cavoportal hemitransposition (4x) and renoportal anastomosis (1x). Median follow-up was 58 months (range: 0,5 to 130 months). Two patients with previous radiation-induced peritoneal injury died, respectively, 18 days and 2 months after transplantation. The three other patients had excellent long-term survival, despite the fact that two of them needed a surgical reintervention for severe gastrointestinal bleeding. Extensive splanchnic venous thrombosis is no longer an absolute contraindication to liver transplantation. Although cavoportal hemitransposition and renoportal anastomosis undoubtedly are life-saving procedures allowing for ensuring adequate allograft portal flow, careful follow-up of these patients remains necessary as both methods are unable to completely eliminate the complications of (segmental) portal hypertension.
Efficient Approach to Stability Analysis of Discrete-Time Systems with Time-Varying Delay
Authors: Yun Sung Wook , Kim Sung Hyun
Published: October 2015

This paper aims at deriving an efficient criterion for the robust stability analysis of discrete-time systems with time-varying delay. In the derivation, to obtain a larger stability region under the requirement of less computational complexity, this paper proposes a valuable method capable of establishing a less conservative stability criterion without using the free-weighting approach and an extremely augmented state. In parallel, the stabilization problem of systems with time-delayed control input is addressed in connection with the derived stability criterion.
TrigonellaeSemen Enhances Sperm Motility and the Expression of the Cation Sperm Channel Proteins in Mouse Testes
Authors: Kim Do Rim , Kim Hyu Young , Kim Ha Young , Chang Mun Seog , Park Seong Kyu
Published: October 2015

Genetic defects during spermatogenesis can lead to a reduction in sperm motility and cause male infertility. The cation channels of sperm (CatSper) play a role in the regulation of hyperactivated sperm motility in mouse testes. The effect ofTrigonellaeSemen (TS) on the male reproductive system and CatSper protein in mouse testes during spermatogenesis was examined. C57BL/c mice were divided into the following five groups: normal, cyclophosphamide- (CP-) only treated (control group), and three groups treated with varying concentrations of TS with CP (100, 500, and 1000 mg/kg TS and 100 mg/kg CP). Real-time PCR, western blot analysis, and a testosterone immunoassay were performed to assess CatSper protein levels in the five groups. Additionally, sperm cell counts and motility were examined. Results indicate that sperm motility and sperm counts increased in the TS treated groups in a dose-dependent manner(p<0.01). CatSper levels were also significantly higher in the TS treated groups compared to that of the control group(p<0.001). Therefore, TS treatment could enhance sperm function by promoting spermatogenesis and the expression of CatSper proteins in mouse testes.
Numerical Algorithms for the Analysis of Initial Configuration in a Railway Catenary Structure and Its Code Implementation: A Software Tool CALPE
Authors: Benet Jesús , Cuartero Fernando , Rojo Tomás , Tendero Pedro , Arias Enrique
Published: October 2015

To obtain the best operating conditions in a railway infrastructure, as the pantograph/catenary system, is a priority issue in modern railways, for a correct management and the best performance of this infrastructure. Although most of the published works on this subject are oriented to solving dynamic problems, in order to successfully address these problems a previous static study is necessary. In this paper, we present a methodology for the study of the forces in a railway catenary, according to the equations of statics equilibrium. The results of this work have allowed us to develop two iterative algorithms that calculate a simple and computationally effective lengths of the droppers, which is crucial to determine the initial structural configuration of the catenary parameter. The obtained results have led us to the implementation of a tool to obtain very precise assemblies with significant savings in maintenance, therefore still being used by ADIF, the Spanish railway administration of railways infrastructures.
Significant Microsynteny with New Evolutionary Highlights Is Detected through Comparative Genomic Sequence Analysis of Maize CCCH IX Gene Subfamily
Authors: Chen Wei-Jun , Zhao Yang , Peng Xiao-Jian , Dong Qing , Jin Jing , Zhou Wei , Cheng Bei-Jiu , Ma Qing
Published: October 2015

CCCH zinc finger proteins, which are characterized by the presence of three cysteine residues and one histidine residue, play important roles in RNA processing in plants. Subfamily IX CCCH proteins were recently shown to function in stress tolerances. In this study, we analyzed CCCH IX genes inZea mays, Oryza sativa, andSorghum bicolor. These genes, which are almost intronless, were divided into four groups based on phylogenetic analysis. Microsynteny analysis revealed microsynteny in regions of some gene pairs, indicating that segmental duplication has played an important role in the expansion of this gene family. In addition, we calculated the dates of duplication by Ks analysis, finding that all microsynteny blocks were formed after the monocot-eudicot divergence. We found that deletions, multiplications, and inversions were shown to have occurred over the course of evolution. Moreover, the Ka/Ks ratios indicated that the genes in these three grass species are under strong purifying selection. Finally, we investigated the evolutionary patterns of some gene pairs conferring tolerance to abiotic stress, laying the foundation for future functional studies of these transcription factors.
An IoT-Based Home Energy Management System over Dynamic Home Area Networks
Authors: Kim Jongbae , Byun Jinsung , Jeong Daebeom , Choi Myeong-in , Kang Byeongkwan , Park Sehyun
Published: October 2015

A smart grid (SG) has attracted great attention due to recent environmental problems. SG technologies enable users, such as energy system operators and consumers, to reduce energy consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases, by changing energy infrastructure more efficiently. As a part of the SG, home energy management system (HEMS) has become increasingly important, because energy consumption of a residential sector accounts for a significant amount of total energy consumption. However, a conventional HEMS has some architectural limitations on scalability, reusability, and interoperability. Furthermore, the cost of implementation of a HEMS is very expensive, which leads to the disturbance of the spread of a HEMS. Therefore, this paper proposes an Internet of Things- (IoT-) based HEMS with lightweight photovoltaic (PV) system over dynamic home area networks (DHANs), which enables the construction of a HEMS to be more scalable, reusable, and interoperable. We suggest the techniques for reducing the cost of the HEMS with various perspectives on system, network, and middleware architecture. We designed and implemented the proposed HEMS and conducted a experiment to verify the performance of the proposed system.
Link Quality Prediction via a Neighborhood-Based Nonnegative Matrix Factorization Model for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Zhao Yuxin , Li Shenghong , Hou Jia
Published: October 2015

A core factor to consider when designing wireless sensor networks is the reliable and efficient transmission of massive data from source to destination. In practical situations, data transmission is often disrupted by link interference and interruption resulting in the data losses. Link quality prediction is an important approach to solve this problem. By estimating the link quality based on the past knowledge and information, link quality prediction is essential for routing decisions of future data transmission. Traditional link quality prediction algorithms are simply based on the statistical information of the links in the wireless sensor network. By introducing complex network theory and machine learning techniques, we propose a neighborhood-based nonnegative matrix factorization model to predict link quality in wireless sensor networks. Our model learns latent features of the nodes from the information of past data transmissions combing with local neighborhood structures of the underlying network topology and then estimates the link quality depending on the common latent features of the two nodes between the link. Extensive experiments on both real-world networks and simulation networks demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our proposed model.
Clinical Significance of Cannabinoid Receptors CB1 and CB2 Expression in Human Malignant and Benign Thyroid Lesions
Authors: Lakiotaki Eleftheria , Giaginis Constantinos , Tolia Maria , Alexandrou Paraskevi , Delladetsima Ioanna , Giannopoulou Ioanna , Kyrgias George , Patsouris Efstratios , Theocharis Stamatios
Published: October 2015

The endocannabinoid system is comprised of cannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), their endogenous ligands (endocannabinoids), and proteins responsible for their metabolism participate in many different functions indispensable to homeostatic regulation in several tissues, exerting also antitumorigenic effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the clinical significance of CB1 and CB2 expression in human benign and malignant thyroid lesions. CB1 and CB2 proteins’ expression was assessed immunohistochemically on paraffin-embedded thyroid tissues obtained from 87 patients with benign(n=43)and malignant(n=44)lesions and was statistically analyzed with clinicopathological parameters, follicular cells’ proliferative capacity, and risk of recurrence rate estimated according to the American Thyroid Association (ATA) staging system. Enhanced CB1 and CB2 expression was significantly more frequently observed in malignant compared to benign thyroid lesions (p=0.0010andp=0.0005, resp.). Enhanced CB1 and CB2 expression was also significantly more frequently observed in papillary carcinomas compared to hyperplastic nodules (p=0.0097andp=0.0110, resp.). In malignant thyroid lesions, elevated CB2 expression was significantly associated with the presence of lymph node metastases(p=0.0301). Enhanced CB2 expression was also more frequently observed in malignant thyroid cases with presence of capsular(p=0.1165), lymphatic(p=0.1989), and vascular invasion(p=0.0555), as well as in those with increased risk of recurrence rate(p=0.1165), at a nonsignificant level though, whereas CB1 expression was not associated with any of the clinicopathological parameters examined. Our data suggest that CB receptors may be involved in malignant thyroid transformation and especially CB2 receptor could serve as useful biomarker and potential therapeutic target in thyroid neoplasia.
A Five-Gene Signature Predicts Prognosis in Patients with Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Zhan Yueping , Guo Wenna , Zhang Ying , Wang Qiang , Xu Xin-jian , Zhu Liucun
Published: October 2015

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most common cancers with high mortality all over the world. Many studies have proposed that genes could be used to predict prognosis in KIRC. In this study, RNA expression data from next-generation sequencing and clinical information of 523 patients downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset were analyzed in order to identify the relationship between gene expression level and the prognosis of KIRC patients. A set of five genes that significantly associated with overall survival time was identified and a model containing these five genes was constructed by Cox regression analysis. By Kaplan-Meier and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis, we confirmed that the model had good sensitivity and specificity. In summary, expression of the five-gene model is associated with the prognosis outcomes of KIRC patients, and it may have an important clinical significance.
Wet-Treated MSWI Fly Ash Used as Supplementary Cementitious Material
Authors: Keppert Martin , Siddique Jamal Akhter , Pavlík Zbyšek , Černý Robert
Published: October 2015

Municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) is a common technique in treatment of domestic waste. This technique annually produces approximately 25 Mt solid residues (i.e., bottom and fly ash) worldwide which is also a major issue in current research. In this research we are concerned with reusing the fly ash (FA) as supplementary cementitious material (SCM) in concrete. Such application solves the problem with heavy metal immobilization as well. To remove the high content of undesired soluble salts, number of washing treatments has been applied. Chemical composition of FA has been examined before and after treatments. The impact of cement substitution by FA in concrete was evaluated by measurement of its compressive strength and durability.
Recent Progress in Ohmic/Schottky‐Contacted ZnO Nanowire Sensors
Authors: Zhao Xiaoli , Zhou Ranran , Hua Qilin , Dong Lin , Yu Ruomeng , Pan Caofeng
Published: October 2015

We review the recent progress of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire sensors with ohmic‐contacted and Schottky‐contacted configurations and the enhancement of the performances of Schottky‐contacted ZnO NW sensors (SCZNSs) by the piezotronic effect. Comparing with the traditional ohmic‐contacted ZnO NW sensors (OCZNSs), the SCZNSs have higher sensitivities and faster responses controlled by the barrier height at the metal‐semiconductor (M‐S) interface. The piezotronic effect was applied to tune the Schottky barrier height (SBH) with the strain‐induced piezoelectric polarization charges at the interface of the M‐S contact. The piezotronic effect can thus improve the detection limitation, sensitivity, and response time of the SCZNSs in different applications, such as UV detection, gas and bio/chemical sensing. These piezotronic‐enhanced SCZNSs may find potential applications in human‐machine interfacing and flexible electronics skin technologies.
New Plaster Composite with Mineral Wool Fibres from CDW Recycling
Authors: Romaniega Piñeiro Sonia , del Río Merino Mercedes , Pérez García Cristina
Published: October 2015

Over the last decade the intense activity of the building sector has generated large quantities of construction and demolition waste (CDW). In particular, in Europe around 890 million tons of CDW is generated every year; however, only 50% of them are recycled. In Spain, over the last years 40 millions of tons of construction and demolition waste have been generated. On the other hand, since the implementation of the Technical Building Code regulation the use of mineral wools as building insulation materials has become a widespread solution in both rehabilitation and new construction works, and because of that, this kind of insulation waste is increasing. This research analyzes the potential of a new composite (gypsum and fiber waste) including several mineral wools waste into a plaster matrix. For this purpose, an experimental plan, characterizing the physical and mechanical behaviour as well as the Shore C hardness of the new composite, was elaborated fulfilling UNE Standards.
Numerical Analysis on Color Preference and Visual Comfort from Eye Tracking Technique
Authors: Ho Ming-Chung , Chen Jhih-Ming , Huang Ray-Ying , Shen Ming-Hsun , Lu Ming-Chi , Liu Chia-Ju
Published: October 2015

Color preferences in engineering are very important, and there exists relationship between color preference and visual comfort. In this study, there are thirty university students who participated in the experiment, supplemented by pre- and posttest questionnaires, which lasted about an hour. The main purpose of this study is to explore the visual effects of different color assignment with subjective color preferences via eye tracking technology. Eye-movement data through a nonlinear analysis detect slight differences in color preferences and visual comfort, suggesting effective physiological indicators as extensive future research discussed. Results found that the average pupil size of eye-movement indicators can effectively reflect the differences of color preferences and visual comfort. This study more confirmed that the subjective feeling will make people have misjudgment.
Experimental Research on the Mechanical Behavior of Lime-Treated Soil under Different Loading Rates
Authors: Qiang Yue , Chen Yulong
Published: October 2015

In order to study the mechanical behavior of lime-treated soil under different loading rates, a series of monotonous three-axial compression tests are carried out under different lime contents, different loading rates, and different curing periods. The test results indicate that the lime content can significantly improve the mechanical behaviors of soil, such as shear strength and elastic modulus. On the other hand, three-axial compression test of soil is carried out under the loading rate ranging from 0.1%/min to 8%/min. Experimental results indicate that the mechanical behavior of lime-treated soil is sensitive to loading rate. Besides, the corresponding relationship between internal friction angle, cohesion, lime content, and loading rate is discussed. The results indicate that the loading rate almost has no influence on internal friction angle but significant influence on lime content. Cohesion is affected by lime content and loading rate. Shear strength, elastic modulus, and cohesion all increase with the increase of loading rate. Longer curing period is associated with greater parameter value. Shear strength, elastic modulus, and internal friction angle all firstly increase and then decrease when lime content increases, which all reach the maximum at 6%.
Development and Preliminary Validation of the Questionnaire (the First Edition) Based on TCM for Detecting Health Status in China
Authors: Zhou Xuan , Xu Fang , Gao Jian , Cao Shan , Zhao Ziwei , Heng Mingli , Bu Huaien , Yin Liqun , Wang Hongwu
Published: October 2015

Background. More and more people come to realize the importance of healthcare and early detecting of health status before becoming much more serious. Self-perceived health is an easy, economic, and effective indicator of health, which has been widely applied in measuring health. In this paper, the development and preliminary validation of the questionnaire (the First Edition) based on TCM theory were described and combined with Manual Mental Health Pattern for detecting health status in community of Tianjin, China.Methods. Questionnaire validity and reliability were evaluated in a small sample as a pilot study. Analyses included tests for reliability and internal consistency, exploratory factor analysis, and tests for discriminative ability and convergent validity.Results. Overall, 294 of 303 participants completed the questionnaire (97.3%). The questionnaire included 49 items. Cronbach’sαwas 0.83. Factor analysis established 10 distinct domains. The Pearson’s rho correlation between the total scores and MHP (SCL) was statistically significant (r=0.43,P<0.001).t-test revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in total scores between the healthy and unhealthy results distinguished by physical examination.Conclusions. Questionnaire reliability and validity were acceptable. Further work and larger sample would be warranted to refine items that measure the health status, to improve the reliability and discriminated validity of the questionnaire.
Attenuation of Upper Body Accelerations during Gait: Piloting an Innovative Assessment Tool for Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Buckley Christopher , Galna Brook , Rochester Lynn , Mazzà Claudia
Published: October 2015

The objective of the current investigation was to explore whether upper body accelerations obtained during gait provide sensitive measures of postural control in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Thirteen people with PD (70±11years) and nineteen age-matched controls (70±7years) walked continuously for two minutes while wearing three inertial sensors located on their lower back (L5), shoulder level (C7), and head. Magnitude (root mean square (RMS)), attenuation (attenuation coefficient), and smoothness (Harmonic ratios, HR) of the accelerations were calculated. People with PD demonstrated greater RMS, particularly in the mediolateral direction, but similar harmonic ratio of head accelerations compared to controls. In addition, they did not attenuate accelerations through the trunk and neck as well as control participants. Our findings indicate that measuring upper body movement provides unique information regarding postural control in PD and that poor attenuation of acceleration from the pelvis to the head contributes to impaired head control. This information is simple to measure and appears to be sensitive to PD and, consequently, is proposed to benefit researchers and clinicians.