bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Long-Term Use of Silver Nanoparticles Have Persistent Inhibitory Effect onH. pyloriBased on Mongolian Gerbil’s Model?
Authors: Kuo Chao-Hung , Lu Chien-Yu , Yang Yuan-Chieh , Chin Chieh , Weng Bi-Chuang , Liu Chung-Jung , Chen Yen-Hsu , Chang Lin-Li , Kuo Fu-Chen , Wu Deng-Chyang , Su Hong-Lin
Published: April 2014

Background. It is urgent to find alternative agents due to increasing failure rate ofHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication. The study surveyed the long-term effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) onH. pyloribased on Mongolian gerbil’s model.Materials and Methods. Fifty gerbils were randomly allocated to six groups (A–F). Group (Gr) A: the gerbils were fed with broth; Gr B and D: the gerbils were fed with AgNP/clay complex (0.1% of weight); Gr C and E: the gerbils were fed with AgNP/clay complex(1% of weight); and Gr D, E, and F: the gerbils were inoculated withH. pylori. At the 20th experimental week, the gerbils were sacrificed. Histology was evaluated according to the classification of the Sydney system.P<0.05was considered to be statistically significant.Results. The AgNP/clay has more obvious inhibitory effect onH. pyloriin vitro. There was a trend of higher concentrations of AgNP with stronger inhibitory effect onH. pylorigrowth(P=0.071). There were no significant differences of inflammation among groups D, E, and F(P=0.688).Conclusion. AgNP/clay would be a potential and safe agent for inhibitingH. pylori. It should be helpful for eradication ofH. pyloriinfection.
A New Super Extension of Dirac Hierarchy
Authors: Zhang Jiao , You Fucai , Zhao Yan
Published: April 2014

We derive a new super extension of the Dirac hierarchy associated with a3×3matrix super spectral problem with the help of the zero-curvature equation. Super trace identity is used to furnish the super Hamiltonian structures for the resulting nonlinear super integrable hierarchy.
Preserving Global Exponential Stability of Hybrid BAM Neural Networks with Reaction Diffusion Terms in the Presence of Stochastic Noise and Connection Weight Matrices Uncertainty
Authors: Li Yan , Shen Yi
Published: April 2014

We study the impact of stochastic noise and connection weight matrices uncertainty on global exponential stability of hybrid BAM neural networks with
reaction diffusion terms. Given globally exponentially stable hybrid BAM neural
networks with reaction diffusion terms, the question to be addressed here is how much
stochastic noise and connection weights matrices uncertainty the neural networks can
tolerate while maintaining global exponential stability. The upper threshold of stochastic noise and connection weights matrices uncertainty is defined by using the
transcendental equations. We find that the perturbed hybrid BAM neural networks
with reaction diffusion terms preserve global exponential stability if the intensity of
both stochastic noise and connection weights matrices uncertainty is smaller than the
defined upper threshold. A numerical example is also provided to illustrate the theoretical conclusion.
Modeling Develops to Estimate Leaf Area and Leaf Biomass ofLagerstroemia speciosain West Vanugach Reserve Forest of Bangladesh
Authors: Das Niamjit
Published: April 2014

Leaf area and leaf biomass have an important influence on the exchange of energy, light interception, carbon cycling, plant growth, and forest productivity. This study showed development and comparison of models for predicting leaf area and leaf biomass ofLagerstroemia speciosaon the basis of diameter at breast height and tree height as predictors. Data on tree parameters were collected randomly from 312 healthy, well-formed tree species that were considered specifically for full tree crowns. Twenty-four different forms of linear and power models were compared in this study to select the best model. Two models (M10and M22) for the estimation of leaf area and leaf biomass were selected based onR2, adjustedR2, root mean squared error, corrected akaike information criterion, Bayesian information criterion and Furnival’s index, and the three assumptions of linear regression. The models were validated with a test data set having the same range of DBH and tree height of the sampled data set on the basis of linear regression Morisita’s similarity index. So, the robustness of the models suggests their further application for leaf area and biomass estimation ofL. speciosain West Vanugach reserve forest of Bangladesh.
Enhanced Multistage Homotopy Perturbation Method: Approximate Solutions of Nonlinear Dynamic Systems
Authors: Olvera Daniel , Elías-Zúñiga Alex
Published: April 2014

We introduce a new approach called the enhanced multistage homotopy perturbation method (EMHPM) that is based on the homotopy perturbation method (HPM) and the usage of time subintervals to find the approximate solution of differential equations with strong nonlinearities. We also study the convergence of our proposed EMHPM approach based on the value of the control parameterhby following the homotopy analysis method (HAM). At the end of the paper, we compare the derived EMHPM approximate solutions of some nonlinear physical systems with their corresponding numerical integration solutions obtained by using the classical fourth order Runge-Kutta method via the amplitude-time response curves.
Spine Curve Measures Taken in Individuals with Osteoporosis and Osteopenia Using the IONmed Mobile Phone Application Are Highly Consistent with Digital Inclinometer Measures
Authors: MacIntyre Norma J. , Recknor Chris P. , Recknor Julie C.
Published: April 2014

Introduction. This study determined the agreement between measures of standing posture in individuals at risk of osteoporotic fracture obtained using the IONmed mobile phone application and a digital inclinometer. Methods. One experienced rater assessed 20 adults, aged 55–88 years, attending an outpatient osteoporosis clinic. A standardized protocol was duplicated to acquire a single measure of spine curvature (lumbosacral angle, lordosis, kyphosis) using the IONmed mobile phone application and a digital inclinometer. Interdevice agreement was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and standard error of the measurement (SEM) with 95% CI and Bland-Altman plots. Results. ICC (95% CI) for lumbosacral angle, lordosis, and kyphosis is 0.97 (0.92, 0.99), 0.97 (0.92, 0.99), and 0.99 (0.98, 1.0), respectively. SEM (95% CI) for lumbosacral angle, lordosis, and kyphosis is 0.99° (0.75, 1.44), 1.33° (1.01, 1.94), and 1.23° (0.94, 1.80), respectively. Measurement bias is small. Conclusions. In our sample, the IONmed mobile phone application provides measures highly consistent with the digital inclinometer measures of standing posture. This method offers clinicians a quick, convenient way of identifying alterations in spine alignment which require followup and remediation.
Optimal Capacity Allocation of Large-Scale Wind-PV-Battery Units
Authors: Wu Kehe , Zhou Huan , Liu Jizhen
Published: April 2014

An optimal capacity allocation of large-scale wind-photovoltaic- (PV-) battery units was proposed. First, an output power model was established according to meteorological conditions. Then, a wind-PV-battery unit was connected to the power grid as a power-generation unit with a rated capacity under a fixed coordinated operation strategy. Second, the utilization rate of renewable energy sources and maximum wind-PV complementation was considered and the objective function of full life cycle-net present cost (NPC) was calculated through hybrid iteration/adaptive hybrid genetic algorithm (HIAGA). The optimal capacity ratio among wind generator, PV array, and battery device also was calculated simultaneously. A simulation was conducted based on the wind-PV-battery unit in Zhangbei, China. Results showed that a wind-PV-battery unit could effectively minimize the NPC of power-generation units under a stable grid-connected operation. Finally, the sensitivity analysis of the wind-PV-battery unit demonstrated that the optimization result was closely related to potential wind-solar resources and government support. Regions with rich wind resources and a reasonable government energy policy could improve the economic efficiency of their power-generation units.
An Empirical Study of the Effect of Investor Sentiment on Returns of Different Industries
Authors: Huang Chuangxia , Yang Xin , Yang Xiaoguang , Sheng Hu
Published: April 2014

Studies on investor sentiment are mostly focused on the stock market, but little attention has been paid to the effect of investor sentiment on the return of a specific industry. This paper constructs a proxy variable to examine the relationship between investor sentiment and the return of a specific industry, using the Principle Component Analysis, and finds that investor sentiment is positively correlated with the industry return of the current period and negatively correlated with that of one lag period; we classify investor sentiment as optimistic state and pessimistic state and find that optimistic investor sentiment has a positive effect on stock returns of most industries, while pessimistic investor sentiment has no effect on them; this paper further builds a two‐state Markov regime switching model and finds that sentiment has different effect on different industries returns on different states of market.
Valuing Catastrophe Bonds Involving Credit Risks
Authors: Liu Jian , Xiao Jihong , Yan Lizhao , Wen Fenghua
Published: April 2014

Catastrophe bonds are the most important products in catastrophe risk securitization market. For the operating mechanism, CAT bonds may have a credit risk, so in this paper we consider the influence of the credit risk on CAT bonds pricing that is different from the other literature. We employ the Jarrow and Turnbull method to model the credit risks and get access to the general pricing formula using the Extreme Value Theory. Furthermore, we present an empirical pricing study of the Property Claim Services data, where the parameters in the loss function distribution are estimated by the MLE method and the default probabilities are deduced by the US financial market data. Then we get the catastrophe bonds value by the Monte Carlo method.
An Agent‐Based Computational Model for China’s Stock Market and Stock Index Futures Market
Authors: Xu Hai-Chuan , Zhang Wei , Xiong Xiong , Zhou Wei-Xing
Published: April 2014

This study presents an agent‐based computational cross market model for Chinese equity market structure, which includes both stocks and CSI 300 index futures. In this model, we design several stocks and one index future to simulate this structure. This model allows heterogeneous investors to make investment decisions with restrictions including wealth, market trading mechanism, and risk management. Investors’ demands and order submissions are endogenously determined. Our model successfully reproduces several key features of the Chinese financial markets including spot‐futures basis distribution, bid‐ask spread distribution, volatility clustering, and long memory in absolute returns. Our model can be applied in cross market risk control, market mechanism design, and arbitrage strategies analysis.
Update on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Research: From Clinical to Genetic Studies
Authors: Kuivaniemi Helena , Ryer Evan J. , Elmore James R. , Hinterseher Irene , Smelser Diane T. , Tromp Gerard
Published: April 2014

An abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a dilatation of the abdominal aorta with a diameter of at least 3.0 cm. AAAs are often asymptomatic and are discovered as incidental findings in imaging studies or when the AAA ruptures leading to a medical emergency. AAAs are more common in males than females, in individuals of European ancestry, and in those over 65 years of age. Smoking is the most important environmental risk factor. In addition, a positive family history of AAA increases the person’s risk for AAA. Interestingly, diabetes has been shown to be a protective factor for AAA in many large studies. Hallmarks of AAA pathogenesis include inflammation, vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis, extracellular matrix degradation, and oxidative stress. Autoimmunity may also play a role in AAA development and progression. In this Outlook paper, we summarize our recent studies on AAA including clinical studies related to surgical repair of AAA and genetic risk factor and large-scale gene expression studies. We conclude with a discussion on our research projects using large data sets available through electronic medical records and biobanks.
Grey Target Decision Method for a Variable Target Centre Based on the Decision Maker’s Preferences
Authors: Ma Jinshan
Published: April 2014

In multiattribute grey target decision making, the decision maker (DM) may have certain preferences for some attributes. The impacts of two types of DM’s preferences for some attribute values on alternatives were studied. To deal with the attribute preferences of a DM, a generalised grey target decision method was presented. The proposed method required that the index values of all alternatives were not normalised. The target centre index values can be obtained by substituting DM’s preference values for some of the original target centre index values as determined by the alternatives themselves. Following this, the proposed generalised method was used to calculate the target centre distances. A case study showed that this method of handling DM’s preferences for some attributes was effective.
Cerebral Endothelial Function Determined by Cerebrovascular Reactivity to L-Arginine
Authors: Pretnar-Oblak Janja
Published: April 2014

Endothelium forms the inner cellular lining of blood vessels and plays an important role in many physiological functions including the control of vasomotor tone. Cerebral endothelium is probably one of the most specific types but until recently it was impossible to determine its function. In this review, the role of cerebrovascular reactivity to L-arginine (CVR-L-Arg) for assessment of cerebral endothelial function is discussed. L-Arginine induces vasodilatation through enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO) in the cerebral endothelium. Transcranial Doppler sonography is used for evaluation of cerebral blood flow changes. The method is noninvasive, inexpensive, and enables reproducible measurements. CVR-L-Arg has been compared to flow-mediated dilatation as a gold standard for systemic endothelial function and intima-media thickness as a marker for morphological changes. However, it seems to show specific cerebral endothelial function. So far CVR-L-Arg has been used to study cerebral endothelial function in many pathological conditions such as stroke, migraine, etc. In addition CVR-L-Arg has also proven its usefulness in order to show potential improvement after pharmacological interventions. In conclusion CVR-L-Arg is a promising noninvasive research method that could provide means for evaluation of cerebral endothelial function in physiological and pathological conditions.
Mantle Cell Lymphoma Mimicking Rectal Carcinoma
Authors: Kelkitli Engin , Atay Hilmi , Yıldız Levent , Bektaş Ahmet , Turgut Mehmet
Published: April 2014

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a mature B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. After the (11;14) translocation was identified as its constant finding in 1992, MCL was recognized as a separate subgroup of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). In MCL, extranodal involvement may be observed in the bone marrow, the spleen, the liver, and the gastrointestinal system (GIS). Cases of MCL that present with a massive and solitary rectal mass are rare in the literature. In this case report, our aim was to present an MCL patient with a rarely observed solitary rectal involvement mimicking rectal carcinoma and to discuss treatment options for this patient.
The Application of Polysaccharide Biocomposites to Repair Cartilage Defects
Authors: Zhao Feng , He Wei , Yan Yueling , Zhang Hongjuan , Zhang Guoping , Tian Dehu , Gao Hongyang
Published: April 2014

Owing to own nature of articular cartilage, it almost has no self-healing ability once damaged. Despite lots of restore technologies having been raised in the past decades, no repair technology has smoothly substituted for damaged cartilage using regenerated cartilage tissue. The approach of tissue engineering opens a door to successfully repairing articular cartilage defects. For instance, grafting of isolated chondrocytes has huge clinical potential for restoration of cartilage tissue and cure of chondral injury. In this paper, SD rats are used as subjects in the experiments, and they are classified into three groups: natural repair (group A), hyaluronic acid repair (group B), and polysaccharide biocomposites repair (hyaluronic acid hydrogel containing chondrocytes, group C). Through the observation of effects of repairing articular cartilage defects, we concluded that cartilage repair effect of polysaccharide biocomposites was the best at every time point, and then the second best was hyaluronic acid repair; both of them were better than natural repair. Polysaccharide biocomposites have good biodegradability and high histocompatibility and promote chondrocytes survival, reproduction, and spliting. Moreover, polysaccharide biocomposites could not only provide the porous network structure but also carry chondrocytes. Consequently hyaluronic acid-based polysaccharide biocomposites are considered to be an ideal biological material for repairing articular cartilage.
Target Based Designing of Anthracenone Derivatives as Tubulin Polymerization Inhibiting Agents: 3D QSAR and Docking Approach
Authors: Samad Abdul , Naffaa Moawiah M. , Bakht Mohammed Afroz , Malhotra Manav , Ganaie Majid A.
Published: April 2014

Novel anthracenone derivatives were designed through in silico studies including 3D QSAR, pharmacophore mapping, and molecular docking approaches. Tubulin protein was explored for the residues imperative for activity by analyzing the binding pattern of colchicine and selected compounds of anthracenone derivatives in the active domain. The docking methodology applied in the study was first validated by comparative evaluation of the predicted and experimental inhibitory activity. Furthermore, the essential features responsible for the activity were established by carrying out pharmacophore mapping studies. 3D QSAR studies were carried out for a series of 1,5- and 1,8-disubstituted10-benzylidene-10H-anthracen-9-ones and 10-(2-oxo-2-phenylethylidene)-10H-anthracen-9-one derivatives for their antiproliferation activity. Based on the pattern recognition studies obtained from QSAR results, ten novel compounds were designed and docked in the active domain of tubulin protein. One of the novel designed compounds “N1” exhibited binding energy −9.69 kcal/mol and predicted Ki 78.32 nM which was found to be better than colchicine.
Antilymphocyte Antibodies in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Association with Disease Activity and Lymphopenia
Authors: Li Chun , Mu Rong , Lu Xiao-yan , He Jing , Jia Ru-lin , Li Zhan-guo
Published: April 2014

Purpose. We analyzed the prevalence, clinical correlation, and the functional significance of ALA in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods. ALA IgG was detected by indirect immunofluorescence in the serum of 130 SLE patients, 75 patients with various rheumatic diseases, and 45 healthy controls (HC).Results. The sensitivity and specificity of ALA IgG in SLE were 42.3% and 96.7%, respectively. ALA was observed in 55.6% (50/90) of patients with lymphopenia, which was significantly higher than in patients with normal lymphocytes (5/40, 12.5%;P<0.001). Patients with active SLE showed higher ALA positivity (60.9%) than those with inactive disease (24.2%;χ2= 17.925;P<0.001). ALA correlated significantly with hypocomplementemia, anti-dsDNA antibodies, and higher SLEDAI scores. The incidences of ALA in SLE patients who were seronegative for anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm, or both antibodies were 32.9% (26/79), 41.0% (43/105), and 32.4% (22/68), respectively. The ALA-positive group also had higher incidences of neuropsychiatric SLE (NPSLE) and lupus nephritis (LN). In multivariate analyses, ALA was independently associated with lymphopenia, higher SLEDAI scores, and increased risk for LN. ALA titers significantly decreased as clinical disease was ameliorated following treatment.Conclusions. ALA occurred more frequently in patients with active SLE and was independently associated with lymphopenia, disease activity, and LN.
Rough Set Approach for Group Evacuation Behavior Analysis in Passenger Transport Hub Area
Authors: Chen Peng , Ma Xiaofeng , Zhu Shunying
Published: April 2014

Evacuation behavior analysis is deemed to be one aspect of evacuation planning. However, existing studies have not discussed group evacuation decision-making in the face of disagreement among decision makers. In this paper, rough set theory is applied to analyze group evacuation decision-making in passenger transport hub area with various groups including kin, lover, friend, colleague, and classmate. In the approach, improved tabu search-based attribute reduction is proposed to find the minimal subset of attributes required to fully describe the information of group evacuation decision-making, and value reduction algorithm based on knowledge granulation is used to generate rules of group evacuation decision-making. Cross-validation procedure is adopted to estimate the performance of rough set theory. Experimental results indicate that rough set theory has favorable performance. Thus, the proposed approach provides a new way for evacuation behavior analysis.
Wet Chemical Preparation of Nanoparticles ZnO:Eu3+ and ZnO:Tb3+ with Enhanced Photoluminescence
Authors: Anh Tran Kim , Loc Dinh Xuan , Tu Nguyen , Huy Pham Thanh , Anh Tu Le Minh , Minh Le Quoc
Published: April 2014

ZnO doped with Eu3+ and Tb3+ had been successfully prepared by wet chemical method with the assistance of microwave. The influence of reaction conditions such as temperature, time, content of Eu3+, Tb3+ ion, and annealing treatment on the structure and luminescent characteristics was studied. The analysis of energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and photoluminescence spectra measurements indicated that Eu3+ and Tb3+ exist in host lattice and create the new emission region compared to ZnO crystalline host lattice. The field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) studies show the Eu3+, Tb3+ doped ZnO nanoparticles have a pseudohexagonal shape. The particle size was 30–50 nm for ZnO:Eu3+ and 40–60 nm for ZnO:Tb3+. Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) and photoluminescence (PL) spectra at room temperature have been studied to recognize active centers for characteristic luminescence of ZnO:Eu3+ and ZnO:Tb3+. The characteristic luminescent lines of Eu3+ (5D0-7Fj) and Tb3+ (5D4-7Fj) were determined. It has been demonstrated that the wet chemical synthesis method with microwave assistance can strongly enhance the luminescent intensity of nanoparticles ZnO:Eu3+ in red and ZnO:Tb3+ in green.
Investigation into Transient Flow in a Centrifugal Pump with Wear Ring Clearance Variation
Authors: Liu Houlin , Ding Jian , Dai Hanwei , Tan Minggao
Published: April 2014

The leakage flow paths in the sidewall gaps of centrifugal pumps are of significant importance for numbers of effects. The paper is concerned with the transient flow in the leakage flow paths with wear ring clearance variation. For this purpose, numerical simulations of the whole pump were carried out. The grid dependence and yplus check were performed first. Additionally, experimental data of performance characteristic and pressure fluctuation inside the sidewall gap was used to validate the numerical results. The transient velocity fields inside the sidewall gaps during one blade passage period were simulated. And the leakage through the wear ring gap was obtained for all operating points investigated. To have a better idea of attenuation and propagation of pressure inside the sidewall gap, the unsteady pressure distributions in the gap were calculated. Additionally, the surfaces of the impeller were divided into four parts. The fluid force on each part was expressed as a percentage of the total radial force. Through comparing the flow fields, the pressure distributions, and the radial force between the pumps with different wear ring clearances, the effects of the wear ring clearance were discussed in detail. The results can be used to guide the optimum design of the pump sidewall gaps.
A Brief History of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction
Authors: Davarinos Nikolaos , O'Neill Barry James , Curtin William
Published: April 2014

Reconstructions of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) are among the most frequently performed procedures in knee surgery nowadays. The history of ACL surgery can be traced as far back as the Egyptian times. The early years reflect the efforts to establish a viable, consistently successful reconstruction technique while, during the early 20th century, we witness an increasing awareness of, and interest in, the ligament and its lesions. Finally, we highlight the most important steps in the evolution of the ACL reconstruction surgery by discussing the various techniques spanning the years using not only autologous grafts (fascia lata, meniscal, hamstring, patella tendon, bone-patella tendon-bone, and double bundle grafts) but also synthetic ones and allografts.
Yiqi Huoxue Recipe Improves Heart Function through Inhibiting Apoptosis Related to Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in Myocardial Infarction Model of Rats
Authors: Lou Li-Xia , Wu Ai-Ming , Zhang Dong-Mei , Wu Sheng-Xian , Gao Yong-Hong , Nie Bo , Zhao Ming-Jing , Lv Xi-Ying , Jin Qiu-Shuo , Zhao Yi-Zhou , Wang Shuo-Ren , Chai Li-Min
Published: April 2014

Objective. To explore the mechanism of cardioprotective effects of Chinese medicine, Yiqi Huoxue recipe, in rats with myocardial infarction‐ (MI‐) induced heart failure. Methods. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats underwent left anterior descending artery (LAD) ligation or sham operation. The surviving MI rats were divided randomly into three groups: MI (5 mL/kg/d NS by gavage), MI + Metoprolol Tartrate (MT) (12 mg/kg/d MT by gavage), and MI + Yiqi Huoxue (5 mL/kg recipe by gavage). And the sham operation rats were given 5 mL/kg/d normal saline. Treatments were given on the day following surgery for 4 weeks. Then rats were detected for heart structure and function by transthoracic echocardiography. Apoptosis in heart tissues was detected by TUNEL staining. To determine whether the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response pathway is included in the cardioprotective function of the recipe, ER stress related proteins such as GRP78 and caspase‐12 were examined. Results. Yiqi Huoxue recipe attenuated heart function injury, reversed histopathological damage, alleviated myocardial apoptosis and inhibited ER stress in MI rats. Conclusion. All the results suggest that Yiqi Huoxue recipe improves the injured heart function maybe through inhibition of ER stress response pathway, which is a promising target in therapy for heart failure.
Structural Characterization of Amadori Rearrangement Product of Glucosylated Nα-Acetyl-Lysine by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Authors: Li Chuanjiang , Wang Hui , Juárez Manuel , Ruan Eric Dongliang
Published: April 2014

Maillard reaction is a nonenzymatic reaction between reducing sugars and free amino acid moieties, which is known as one of the most important modifications in food science. It is essential to characterize the structure of Amadori rearrangement products (ARPs) formed in the early stage of Maillard reaction. In the present study, the Nα-acetyl-lysine-glucose model had been successfully set up to produce ARP, Nα-acetyl-lysine-glucose. After HPLC purification, ARP had been identified by ESI-MS with intense [M+H]+ion at 351 m/zand the purity of ARP was confirmed to be over 90% by the relative intensity of [M+H]+ion. Further structural characterization of the ARP was accomplished by using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, including 1D1H NMR and13C NMR, the distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer (DEPT-135) and 2D1H-1H and13C-1H correlation spectroscopy (COSY) and 2D nuclear overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY). The complexity of 1D1H NMR and13C NMR was observed due to the presence of isomers in glucose moiety of ARP. However, DEPT-135 and 2D NMR techniques provided more structural information to assign the1H and13C resonances of ARP. 2D NOESY had successfully confirmed the glycosylated site between 10-N in Nα-acetyl-lysine and 7′-C in glucose.
Improved Stabilization Method for Lurie Networked Control Systems
Authors: Zeng Hong-Bing , Ding Lei , Xiao Shen-Ping , Yu Fei
Published: April 2014

The problem of stabilization of Lurie networked control systems (NCSs) is investigated in this paper. The network-induced delays in NCSs are assumed to be time-varying and bounded. By utilizing a reciprocally convex technique to consider the relationship between the network-induced delay and its varying interval, a new absolute stability condition is derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). Based on the obtained condition, an improved cone complementary linearisation (CCL) iteration algorithm is presented to design a state feedback controller. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by a numerical example.
Sensor Grid Middleware Metamodeling and Analysis
Authors: Chandrasekaran Srimathi , Choi Eunmi , Abawajy Jemal H. , Natarajan Rajesh
Published: April 2014

Sensor grid is a platform that combines wireless sensor networks and grid computing with the aim of exploiting the complementary advantages of the two systems. Proper integration of these distinct systems into effective, logically single platform is challenging. This paper presents an approach for practical sensor grid implementation and management. The proposed approach uses a metamodeling technique and performance analysis and tuning as well as a middleware infrastructure that enable practical sensor grid implementation and management. The paper presents our implementation and analysis of the sensor grid.
Weighted Differentiation Composition Operator from Logarithmic Bloch Spaces to Zygmund-Type Spaces
Authors: Qu Huiying , Liu Yongmin , Cheng Shulei
Published: April 2014

LetH(𝔻)denote the space of all holomorphic functions on the unit disk𝔻ofℂ,u∈H(𝔻)and let  nbe a positive integer,φa holomorphic self-map of𝔻, andμa weight. In this paper, we investigate the boundedness and compactness of a weighted differentiation composition operator𝒟φ,unf(z)=u(z)f(n)(φ(z)),f∈H(𝔻), from the logarithmic Bloch spaces to the Zygmund-type spaces.
Wen‐Dan Decoction Improves Negative Emotions in Sleep‐Deprived Rats by Regulating Orexin‐A and Leptin Expression
Authors: Wu Fengzhi , Song Yuehan , Li Feng , He Xin , Ma Jie , Feng Ting , Guan Binghe , Wang Liye , Li Sinai , Liu Xiaolan , Liu Yan , Mao Meng , Liu Jing , Bai Shijing , Song Cai
Published: April 2014

Wen‐Dan Decoction (WDD), a formula of traditional Chinese medicine, has been clinically used for treating insomnia for approximately 800 years. However, the therapeutic mechanisms of WDD remain unclear. Orexin‐A plays a key role in the sleep‐wake cycle, while leptin function is opposite to orexin‐A. Thus, orexin‐A and leptin may be important factors in sleep disorders. In this study, 48 rats were divided into control, model, WDD‐treated, and diazepam‐treated groups. The model of insomnia was produced by sleep deprivation (SD) for 14 days. The expressions of orexin‐A, leptin, and their receptors in blood serum, prefrontal cortex, and hypothalamus were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, immunohistochemistry, and real time PCR. Open field tests showed that SD increased both crossing movement (Cm) and rearing‐movement (Rm) times. Orexin‐A and leptin levels in blood serum increased after SD but decreased in brain compared to the control group. mRNA expressions of orexin receptor 1 and leptin receptor after SD were decreased in the prefrontal cortex but were increased in hypothalamus. WDD treatment normalized the behavior and upregulated orexin‐A, leptin, orexin receptor 1 and leptin receptor in brain. The findings suggest that WDD treatment may regulate SD‐induced negative emotions by regulating orexin‐A and leptin expression.
A Flow-Partitioned Unequal Clustering Routing Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Peng Jian , Chen Xiaohai , Liu Tang
Published: April 2014

Energy efficiency and energy balance are two important issues for wireless sensor networks. In previous clustering routing algorithms, multihop transmission, sleep scheduling, and unequal clustering are always used to improve energy efficiency and energy balance. In these algorithms, only the cluster heads share the burden of data forwarding in each round. In this paper, we propose a flow-partitioned unequal clustering routing (FPUC) algorithm to achieve better energy efficiency and energy balance. FPUC consists of two phases: clustering and routing. In the clustering phase, the competition radius is computed according to the node density and the distance from sensor nodes to the sink. The sensor nodes that have more residual energy and larger overlapping degree have higher probability to be selected as cluster heads. In the routing phase, each cluster head first finds the gateway nodes and then distributes the data flow to each of its gateway nodes depending on residual energy. After that, each gateway node forwards the data to the next hop with minimum cost. Two metrics called network lifetime and coverage lifetime are used to compare the performance of FPUC with that of the existing ones. Simulation results show that FPUC can achieve longer network lifetime and coverage lifetime than previous algorithms.
Neurofibroma of the Palate
Authors: Bharath Tirumalasetty Sreenivasa , Krishna Yelamolu Rama , Nalabolu Govind Rajkumar , Pasupuleti Swetha , Surapaneni Suneela , Ganta Suresh Babu
Published: April 2014

Neurofibroma is a benign peripheral nerve sheath tumor comprising variable mixture of Schwann cells, perineurial-like cells, and fibroblasts. Neurofibroma may occur as solitary lesion or as part of a generalised syndrome of neurofibromatosis or very rarely as multiple neurofibromas without any associated syndrome. There are two distinct variants of neurofibromatosis type I and type II. We present a case of neurofibroma of the hard palate associated with neurofibromatosis type I. The diagnosis of the lesion was made based on the clinical findings, family history, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. Literature was reviewed and different types of neurofibroma, their incidence and frequency in the oral cavity, its association with neurofibromatosis, clinical manifestations, histopathologic characteristics, immunohistochemical analysis, behaviour, treatment, and recurrence are discussed.
Wireless HDLC Protocol for Energy-Efficient Large-Scale Linear Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Toma Daniel Mihai , del Rio Joaquin , Mànuel Antoni
Published: April 2014

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) have been widely recognized as a promising technology that can enhance various aspects of infrastructure monitoring. Typical applications, such as sensors embedded in the outer surface of a pipeline or mounted along the supporting structure of a bridge, feature a large-scale linear sensor arrangement. In this paper, we propose a new bidirectional wireless communication scheme, based on the high-level data link control (HDLC) standard, for devices with short-range transmission capabilities for linear sensor topology. By applying for the first time a standard data layer along with a time division multiple access (TDMA)-based medium access control (MAC) and time synchronization technique specifically designed for the linear topology, we address the interoperability problem with guaranteed energy efficiency and data link performance in linear sensor topology. The proposed Wireless HDLC supports half-duplex communication, point to point (peer to peer), and multipoint networking.
Determination of Specific Surface of Rock Grains by 2D Imaging
Authors: Rabbani Arash , Jamshidi Saeid , Salehi Saeed
Published: April 2014

Specific surface is an important parameter for predicting permeability of porous rocks. Many digital methods have been invented to extract the rock properties via imaging such as Micro-CT. With utilizing 3D volume data, this helps in precise investigation; however, it is neither economically efficient nor can be applied for different situations. In this study, a new approach is developed to estimate rock specific surface using 2D thin section images with micron resolution. One specific conclusion of this study is that there is specific ratio between the specific perimeter of 2D images and the specific surface in the 3D real rock structure. To further investigate this ratio several 3D blocks of rock volume data have been virtually cut in every possible angle and the value of specific perimeter calculated for each obtained 2D thin section. Finally, the predicted value of specific surface for 6 rock types is compared with the real values calculated from the original 3D data. Result indicates acceptable precision of this approach for sandstone rocks whereas not applicable for carbonate rocks.
The Optimization Problems of Transmit and Receive Design for Radar Operating in Littoral Zones
Authors: Zhao Yi-nan , Li Feng-cong , Zhou Zhi-quan
Published: April 2014

The complex environments of the littoral zones prevent the radar from operating efficiently. We propose a waveform and filter design approach to help the radar improve the performance in littoral zones. The approach includes a phase‐only nonlinear programming method for suppressing correlation sidelobes in specified Doppler and range intervals, and an alternating projection based algorithm for designing receive filters. Several numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the usage and effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Exact Solutions for (4 + 1)‐Dimensional Nonlinear Fokas Equation Using Extended F‐Expansion Method and Its Variant
Authors: He Yinghui
Published: April 2014

The construction of exact solution for higher‐dimensional nonlinear equation plays an important role in knowing some facts that are not simply understood through common observations. In our work, (4 + 1)‐dimensional nonlinear Fokas equation, which is an important physical model, is discussed by using the extended F‐expansion method and its variant. And some new exact solutions expressed by Jacobi elliptic function, Weierstrass elliptic function, hyperbolic function, and trigonometric function are obtained. The related results are enriched.
Transcriptomes and shRNA Suppressors in a TP53 Allele–Specific Model of Early-Onset Colon Cancer in African Americans
Authors: Weige Charles C. , Birtwistle Marc R. , Mallick Himel , Yi Nengjun , Berrong Zuzana , Cloessner Emily , Duff Keely , Tidwell Josephine , Clendenning Megan , Wilkerson Brent , Farrell Christopher , Bunz Fred , Ji Hao , Shtutman Michael , Creek Kim E. , Banister Carolyn E. , Buckhaults Phillip J.
Published: April 2014

African Americans are disproportionately affected by early-onset, high-grade malignancies. A fraction of this cancer health disparity can be explained by genetic differences between individuals of African or European descent. Here the wild-type Pro/Pro genotype at the TP53Pro72Arg (P72R) polymorphism (SNP: rs1042522) is more frequent in African Americans with cancer than in African Americans without cancer (51% vs. 37%), and is associated with a significant increase in the rates of cancer diagnosis in African Americans. To test the hypothesis that Tp53 allele–specific gene expression may contribute to African American cancer disparities, TP53 hemizygous knockout variants were generated and characterized in the RKO colon carcinoma cell line, which is wild type for TP53 and heterozygous at the TP53Pro72Arg locus. Transcriptome profiling, using RNAseq, in response to the DNA-damaging agent etoposide revealed a large number of Tp53-regulated transcripts, but also a subset of transcripts that were TP53Pro72Arg allele specific. In addition, a shRNA-library suppressor screen for Tp53 allele–specific escape from Tp53-induced arrest was performed. Several novel RNAi suppressors of Tp53 were identified, one of which, PRDM1β (BLIMP-1), was confirmed to be an Arg-specific transcript. Prdm1β silences target genes by recruiting H3K9 trimethyl (H3K9me3) repressive chromatin marks, and is necessary for stem cell differentiation. These results reveal a novel model for African American cancer disparity, in which the TP53 codon 72 allele influences lifetime cancer risk by driving damaged cells to differentiation through an epigenetic mechanism involving gene silencing.

Implications: TP53 P72R polymorphism significantly contributes to increased African American cancer disparity. Mol Cancer Res; 12(7); 1029–41. ©2014 AACR.
Specific Role of Impaired Glucose Metabolism and Diabetes Mellitus in Endothelial Progenitor Cell Characteristics and Function
Authors: Yiu Kai-Hang , Tse Hung-Fat
Published: April 2014

The disease burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its associated cardiovascular complications represent a growing and major global health problem. Recent studies suggest that circulating exogenous endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) play an important role in endothelial repair and neovascularization at sites of injury or ischemia. Both experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated that hyperglycemia related to DM can induce alterations to EPCs. The reduction and dysfunction of EPCs related to DM correlate with the occurrence and severity of microvascular and macrovascular complications, suggesting a close mechanistic link between EPC dysfunction and impaired vascular function/repair in DM. These alterations to EPCs, likely mediated by multiple pathophysiological mechanisms, including inflammation, oxidative stress, and alterations in Akt and the nitric oxide pathway, affect EPCs at multiple stages: differentiation and mobilization in the bone marrow, trafficking and survival in the circulation, and homing and neovascularization. Several different therapeutic approaches have consequently been proposed to reverse the reduction and dysfunction of EPCs in DM and may represent a novel therapeutic approach to prevent and treat DM-related cardiovascular complications.
Totaled Health Risks in Vascular Events Score Predicts Clinical Outcomes in Patients With Cardioembolic and Other Subtypes of Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Lei Chunyan , Wu Bo , Liu Ming , Chen Yanchao , Yang Hongliu , Wang Deren , Lin Sen , Hao Zilong
Published: April 2014

Background and Purpose—

Whether totaled health risks in vascular events (THRIVE) score can be used to predict clinical outcomes and risk of hemorrhagic transformation in patients with special subtypes of ischemic stroke remains an open question.

Methods—

We analyzed the possible relationships between THRIVE score and clinical outcomes in patients with cardioembolic stroke or noncardioembolic stroke who did not receive thrombolytic therapy. Clinical outcomes and hemorrhagic transformation within 3 months of admission were compared among 3 patient subgroups with initial THRIVE scores of 0 to 2, 3 to 5, or 6 to 9.

Results—

A total of 505 patients with cardioembolic stroke and 3374 patients with noncardioembolic stroke were included in our analysis. As THRIVE score increased, the rate of patients showing good clinical outcome decreased, whereas the rate of mortality and hemorrhagic transformation increased after ischemic stroke. Increasing THRIVE score was independently associated with decreasing likelihood of good outcome, defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of 0 to 2 (cardioembolic stroke: odds ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.51–0.67; noncardioembolic stroke: odds ratio, 0.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–0.57), and with increasing likelihood of death (cardioembolic: odds ratio, 1.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.28–1.70; noncardioembolic: odds ratio, 1.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.76–2.16). THRIVE score showed good receiver operating characteristics for predicting good outcome and mortality in patients with cardioembolic stroke and noncardioembolic stroke.

Conclusions—

The THRIVE score is a simple tool that helps clinicians estimate good outcome and death after ischemic stroke.
Intracranial Hemorrhage Among Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulated With Warfarin or Rivaroxaban
Authors: Hankey Graeme J. , Stevens Susanna R. , Piccini Jonathan P. , Lokhnygina Yuliya , Mahaffey Kenneth W. , Halperin Jonathan L. , Patel Manesh R. , Breithardt Günter , Singer Daniel E. , Becker Richard C. , Berkowitz Scott D. , Paolini John F. , Nessel Christopher C. , Hacke Werner , Fox Keith A.A. , Califf Robert M.
Published: April 2014

Background and Purpose—

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is a life-threatening complication of anticoagulation.

Methods—

We investigated the rate, outcomes, and predictors of ICH in 14 264 patients with atrial fibrillation from Rivaroxaban Once Daily, Oral, Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared With Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF). Cox proportional hazards modeling was used.

Results—

During 1.94 years (median) of follow-up, 172 patients (1.2%) experienced 175 ICH events at a rate of 0.67% per year. The significant, independent predictors of ICH were race (Asian: hazard ratio, 2.02; 95% CI, 1.39–2.94; black: hazard ratio, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.43–7.41), age (1.35; 1.13–1.63 per 10-year increase), reduced serum albumin (1.39; 1.12–1.73 per 0.5 g/dL decrease), reduced platelet count below 210×10
9
/L (1.08; 1.02–1.13 per 10×10
9
/L decrease), previous stroke or transient ischemic attack (1.42; 1.02–1.96), and increased diastolic blood pressure (1.17; 1.01–1.36 per 10 mm Hg increase). Predictors of a reduced risk of ICH were randomization to rivaroxaban (0.60; 0.44–0.82) and history of congestive heart failure (0.65; 0.47–0.89). The ability of the model to discriminate individuals with and without ICH was good (
C
-index, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.64–0.73).

Conclusions—

Among patients with atrial fibrillation treated with anticoagulation, the risk of ICH was higher among Asians, blacks, the elderly, and in those with previous stroke or transient ischemic attack, increased diastolic blood pressure, and reduced platelet count or serum albumin at baseline. The risk of ICH was significantly lower in patients with heart failure and in those who were randomized to rivaroxaban instead of warfarin. The external validity of these findings requires testing in other atrial fibrillation populations.