bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heterosis and gene action in okra
Authors: Mehta Nandan , Asati BS , Mamidwar SR
Published: January 2015

Forty two hybrids generated by crossing three testers with fourteen lines were studied along with parents for studying heterosis and gene action for days to first flowering, days to 50 percent flowering, fruit weight, fruit length, plant height, number of seeds per fruit, 100-seed weight and fruit yield per plant during rainy season and summer season of 2002-03 at Department of Horticulture, Indira Gandhi Agricultural University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India. The most heterotic combinations were VRO-6 x Parbhani Kranti, VRO-4 x Parbhani Kranti, Daftari-1 x Arka Abhaya and Kaveri Selection x Ankur Abhaya for fruit yield per ptant. The sca variances for days to fruit flower, days to 50 percent flowering, fruit weight, fruit length, plant height, number of seeds per fruit and 100-seed weight were higher than so gca variance so there is a preponderance of non-additive gene action. The gca variances was greater than sca variances for fruit yield per plant indicating preponderance of additive gene action for this trait. Overall, the results discussed above are quite indicative of the fact that hybrid okra has great potentialities of maximizing fruit yield in Chhattisgarh plains.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v32i3.544Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 32(3) : 421-432, September 2007
Fruit characteristics of some uncommon mango varieties grown under Joydebpur condition
Authors: Bhuyan MAJ , Kobra K
Published: January 2015

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v32i3.551 Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 32(3) : 493-500, September 2007
Clinical Profile of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in a Tertiary Level Hospital
Authors: Malek MA , Iqbal SA , Khan Z , Haque AFMS , Sultana SA
Published: January 2015

Background- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a genetically transmitted disease with diverse natural history for which the potential to produce adverse consequences has been emphasized. However, the possibility of this disease remaining clinically dormant for many years has not been as widely appreciated. Certainly, the clinical recognition of previously undiagnosed patients with HCM may be advantageous by permitting risk stratification for sudden cardiac death or for timely pharmacologic therapy when symptoms intervene. The purpose of this study was to assess the disease pattern and the extent to which hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) exists undetected in a suspected group of population never diagnosed to have any cardiovascular disease, referred from the primary care facilities to one of the largest tertiary level hospital of Bangladesh. Methods-We prospectively conducted an echocardiographic survey in 3648 cases between 19-03-2009 to 03-08-2010 (18 months) in the cardiac centre of Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Results- A total of 3648 cases referred by primary care physicians underwent echocardiogram either to confirm a new diagnosis or to exclude obvious cardiovascular abnormalities. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy was identified in 148 patients (4.06%) who was not known have any cardiac disease before. At diagnosis, age ranged from 20 to 83 years (mean 52.19) with male gender preponderance (85.81%). Ninety eight patients (67%) had no functional limitation and the remaining fifty patients reported with symptoms mostly giving multiple responses like chest pain (39.2%), palpitation (18.9%), dyspnoea (22.3%), unusual fatigability (16.9%) and syncope (6.8%). Twelve patients had strong suspicion of familial predisposition depending on the symptomatology of the familial tree but were confirmed only in 03 cases by echocardiography. Basal left ventricular outflow obstruction (gradients 20 to 76 mm Hg) was evident in 14 patients (9.45%). Relatively variable phenotypic expression of the disease was substantiated by diffuse thickening of left ventricular wall occurring more commonly than localized distributed hypertrophy (56.08% vs. 43.94%, respectively). Electrocardiogram was abnormal in almost 95% of cases and typical pattern of left ventricular hypertrophy was observed in 25.68% cases. Conclusion -This prospectively assembled data show that HCM cases may remain asymptomatic, clinically dormant and undetectable for many years (often to advance ages) in our community. The actual prevalence of the disease in our community needs to be ascertained which might exceed the prevalence mentioned in the text books. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v7i1.20798 Cardiovasc. j. 2014; 7(1): 31-37
Outcome of Early Surgical Intervention in Acute Lower Limb Ischemia due to Thromboembolism
Authors: Azad QA , Ahsan NAK , Rahim AM Asif , Alam SAN , Rahman M
Published: January 2015

Background: Acute lower extremity ischemia is a common vascular disease and considered limb- and life- threatening. The present study evaluated and compared the outcome of early and late surgical intervention in acute lower limb ischemia due to thromboembolism. Methodology: This non randomized comparative parallel study was conducted at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, NICVD, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2007 to December 2008 for duration of two year. Total 80 patients were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into equal two groups, Group A, for early surgical intervention (with in 24 hours) and Group B, late surgical intervention (more than 24 hours). Results: Mean (±SD) age of both Group A and Group B was 51.93 (±11.73) and 47.00 (± 11.01) years. Male and female ratio of the total study population was 1.76:1 Pain and absence of pulse distal to occlusion was common for all. Cold extremity, sensory deficit, motor deficit, diminish vascular flow was the commonest findings of both group. In Group A, 57.5% had superficial femoral artery occlusion, 22.5% had iliac artery and 20.0% popliteal artery occlusion. In Group B, 42.5% had superficial femoral artery occlusion, 32.5% had popliteal artery occlusion and 25.0% had iliac artery occlusion. Fasciotomy was performed in 15.0% patients of Group A and in 22.0% patients of Group B. After Fogarty embolectomy in group A and group B had warm extremity (80.0% vs. 65.0%), pulsation distal to occlusion (90.0% vs. 75.0%), intact sensory function (82.5% vs. 67.5%), intact motor function (80.0% vs. 65.0%), and normal vascular flow by Doppler US (80.0% vs. 65.0%). During postoperative period history of bleeding, infection, reperfusion injury, muscle necrosis and limb amputation were 12.5% vs. 10.0%, 5.0% and 7.5%, 17.5% vs. 35.0%, 15.0% vs. 12.5% and 37.5% vs. 32.5% respectively. Conclusion: Duration of embolism may be the significant factor determining the outcomes of the management of acute arterial embolism in the lower extremities. The 24- hour duration of arterial embolism is a crucial factor influencing the surgical the management and early diagnosis and shifting of patients to specified centre as early as possible to save limb as well as life. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v7i1.20799 Cardiovasc. j. 2014; 7(1): 38-43
Link between Periodontal Disease and Coronary Artery Disease: Bangladesh Perspective
Authors: Islam AKMM , Rahman MM , Ullah M , Yeasmin L
Published: January 2015

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is an increasingly important medical and public healthproblem, and is the leading cause of mortality in Bangladesh. Besides conventional risk factors and ethnicity, a number of emerging risk factors may explain the undue prevalence of CAD in this population. Periodontal disease (PD) is one of them, with prevalence of approximately 50%. As with many other diseases, PD is associated with CAD, and the association is independent of conventional risk factors. Low socioeconomic condition, illiteracy and ignorance, metabolic syndrome, nutritional deficiencies including hypovitaminosis D presumably contribute to the prevalence of PD in Bangladesh. In fact, PD and CAD share some cardiometabolic risk factors including diabetes mellitus, obesity and metabolic syndrome. Future research will hopefully explore different aspects of both public health problems, namely, PD and CAD in the country. The information gathered thereby, will help formulate policy to promote good oral health and tackle the deadly epidemic of CAD more efficiently. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/cardio.v7i1.20800 Cardiovasc. j. 2014; 7(1): 44-54
Information Technology (IT): Means of Improving Patient Care in OT & ICU
Authors: Khatun UH Shahera
Published: January 2015

Journal of BSA, Vol. 17, No. 1 & 2, 2004 p.2DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v17i1.4042
Assessment of Tracheal Intubation Grading
Authors: Hossain Mir Mahmud , Hossain Moniul , Akhtaruzzaman AKM , Iqbal Kazi Mesbahuddin
Published: January 2015

In this prospective study, one hundred adult patients, fifty in each group were assessed before operation, using the modified mallampati test in Group-A and mallampati & measurement of Thyromental Distance (TMD) in Group-B. The groups were matched for age (P=0.539), Sex (P=0.688), weight (P=0.077), and ASA physical status (P=0.436). Total number of patients facing difficulties during intubation are significantly higher in the Group-A (18 in Group-A and 10 in Group-B) (p =0.001). The measured sensitivity and specificity in Group-A are 65% and 25% respectively. On the other hand, the sensitivity, specificity in Group-B are 75% & 60%. So, the combination of Thyromental Distance and Mallampati test may be done as screening test during preoperative visit which may present fatal consequences of difficult and or failed intubation. Journal of BSA, Vol. 17, No. 1 & 2, 2004 p.3-6DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v17i1.4043
Pre-emptive analgesia : effect of low dose Ketamine as pre-emptive analgesia in postoperative pain management after lower abdominal surgery
Authors: Ahmed Sajjad , Hossain Md Mozaffer , Khatun UH Shahera
Published: January 2015

A Prospective randomized placebo-controlled study was done at Dhaka Medical College Hospital to evaluate the effects of low dose Ketamine as preemptive analgesia in post operative pain management after lower abdominal surgery. Sixty patients scheduled for elective total abdominal hysterectomy under General Anaesthesia were randomly divided into three equal groups. In Group-A, patients received 0.5 mg/kg ketamine I/V 90 seconds before incision, in Group-B, patients received the same dose after incision and in Group-C, patients were regarded as controlled, received 0.5 ml distilled water before incision. The patients were premedicated orally by giving Tab. diazepam 5mg with sips of water one hour before induction of anaesthesia. General anaesthesia was induced with thiopental sodium 3-5 mg/kg. Suxamethonium 1.5 mg/kg was given to facilitate endotracheal intubation. The neuromuscular block was continued with vecuronium. Anaesthesia was maintained with N20 (60-70%) and halothane in 02. Halothane was adjusted to maintain the MAP and heart rate within 20% of the pre-induction value. Opioids were not administered during the induction or during the operation. At the end of the anaesthesia, residual neuromuscular block was antagonized with intravenous neostigonine 0.05 mg/kg in atropine 0.02 mg/kg. In the post operative ward following parameters were recorded for 24 hours: recovery status, time of first analgesic demand, pain intensity by VAS & VRS, total opioid consumption, sedation score, haemodynamic status and, complications like nausea, vomiting, delirium and hallucination. Upon the first complaint of moderate pain (>5 on VAS), pethidine 1.5 mg/kg was administered intramuscularly & then repeated 4 hourly. If pain intensity remained >5 on VAS scale, rescue analgesic Pethidine 10 mg was administered intravenously. Time of first demand for analgesic among three groups: Gr- A( preincision): 68.4 ± 6 min; Gr-B (post-incision): 37.4 ± 3.3 min; and Gr-C (Control): 18.9 ± 2.1 min. It is statistically significant (P<0.00) i, e, delayed in Gr. A. Total opioid consumption in 24 hours was: Gr. A: 8.6 ± 0.11 mg/kg, Gr. B: 9.0 ± 0.11 mg/kg and in Gr. C: 9.9 ± 0.14 mg/kg. (P<0.00) i.e. less in Gr. A. The incidence of hallucination and delirium were present in Gr. A & Gr. B but more in Gr. B than Gr. A. Nausea and vomiting were present in three groups. So, it can be concluded that preemptive use of ketamine significantly reduces postoperative pain and spare opioid consumption in the postoperative pain management. Journal of BSA, Vol. 17, No. 1 & 2, 2004 p.17-22DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v17i1.4046
Radio-frequency thermal ablation of lung cancer under epidural anaesthesia: comparison of the effectiveness of blocks between higher and mid-thoracic level
Authors: Khandoker MR , Razwanul H , Rashadul H , Sarwar AM , Khatun UH Shahera
Published: January 2015

Purpose of the investigation is to evaluate the effectiveness of high thoracic epidural block in comparison to mid-thoracic epidural during Radiofrequency ablation for lung cancer. 60 patients (38 male) were selected for epidural segmental block who were proposed for radiofrequency thermal ablation for lung cancer. Patients were randomly divided in 2 groups: Group-A, higher thoracic epidural group & Group-B, mid-thoracic epidural group. Under all aseptic preparation 18 G Epidural catheter was inserted through 18 G epidural needle and 4-6 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine was used during anaesthesia. Extend of block was demarcated by pain prick. RFT probe was allowed to insert 30 minutes after anaesthesia. The heat rate, blood pressure, respiration, Sp02 and temperature were monitored continuously during the procedure. Excellent block was found in 21 cases of Group-A and 15 cases of Group-B. Anaesthesia was inadequate in two cases of Group-A, and in 5 cases of Group-B, So, Higher thoracic epidural technique is better than mid thoracic epidural.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v17i1.4050 Journal of BSA, Vol. 17, No. 1 & 2, 2004 p.36-38
High Thoracic Epidural anaesthesia for Off-pump CABG in a spontaneously breathing (conscious) patient (ACAB)
Authors: Haque Naimul , Hossain Shahadat , Ferdous Shahnaz , Ahsan NA Kamrul , Hossain Nazmul
Published: January 2015

A 68 yr old man with ischemic heart disease (IHD) affecting triple vessels was admitted in National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases & Hospital (NICVD), Dhaka for Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). He had been suffering from angina with minimal exercise with mild left ventricular systolic dysfunction. He was also suffering from hypertension and mild obstructive airway disease for the last ten years. He underwent off-pump CABG on beating heart using high thoracic epidural anaesthesia (TEA) without intubation. The patient was awake and breathing spontaneously, tolerated each phase of the operation without having any harmful effect. The effect of movement of the chest wall and the heart during spontaneous respiration did not influence the conduction of the operation. Epidurall catheter was placed at TI-2 interspace, in lateral decubitous position. After a test dose of 2% lignocaine 5ml, 0.5% Bupivacaine 14 ml + Fentanyl 2 ?gm/ml was injected epidurally. Central venous catheter was placed under local anaesthesia and inj Morphine 7.5 mg was given intramuscularly. After mid sternotomy left internal mammary artery (LIMA) and venous grafts were anastomozed to coronary arteries on beating heart. Haemodynamically patient was stable throughout the procedure and oxygenation was maintained by assisted facemask ventilation. At the end of operation laryngeal mask airway (LMA) was used for better oxygenation, which was withdrawn one hour later in the postoperative period. After transferring to the ICU, the patient was fully conscious, oriented, responds to commands, capable of coughing and clearing of secretions and pain free. He didn't require any ionotropic support or any systemic analgesic. Postoperative analgesia was maintained by continuous epidural infusionn of local anaesthetic mixture (0.5% Bupivacaine 20 ml + 2% Lignocaine 20 ml + Fentanyl (50?gm) I ml + NS 9 ml= 50 ml) via syringe pump at 1ml /hour. Liquid diet was allowed to the patient from the first POD and epidural analgesia was provided upto the third POD. Patient was shifted to HDU from ICU on the third POD. The patient was highly satisfied about the anaesthetic and operative procedure. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbsa.v17i1.4052 Journal of BSA, Vol. 17, No. 1 & 2, 2004 p.48-51
Book Review: Cost management in shipbuilding
Authors: Anonymous Anonymous
Published: January 2015

Shipbuilding is characterized by the specific features of the unit production, high complexity and long project duration as well as global competition. Therefore, the shipbuilding process requires special cost management procedures. Against this background the authors demonstrate how effective cost management methods and processes strengthen and ensure a manufacturers competitiveness in the maritime industry. A main focus of the book is on the available system support for efficiently planning, analysing and controlling a ships costs in all building phases. In addition to design and manufacturing, also the in-service phase of the ship is included in order to optimise the whole life cycle cost.The book is based on knowledge, which the authors gained by more than 10 years experience in industrial cost management and shipbuilding and addresses specialists confronted with the practical challenges of cost management in everyday business.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jname.v8i1.7068
NETs and CF Lung Disease: Current Status and Future Prospects
Authors: Gray Robert , McCullagh Brian , McCray Paul
Published: January 2015

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is the most common fatal monogenic disease among Caucasians. While CF affects multiple organ systems, the principle morbidity arises from progressive destruction of lung architecture due to chronic bacterial infection and inflammation. It is characterized by an innate immune defect that results in colonization of the airways with bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from an early age. Within the airway microenvironment the innate immune cells including epithelial cells, neutrophils, and macrophages have all been implicated in the host defense defect. The neutrophil, however, is the principal effector cell facilitating bacterial killing, but also participates in lung damage. This is evidenced by a disproportionately elevated neutrophil burden in the airways and increased neutrophil products capable of tissue degradation, such as neutrophil elastase. The CF airways also contain an abundance of nuclear material that may be originating from neutrophils. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are the product of a novel neutrophil death process that involves the expulsion of nuclear material embedded with histones, proteases, and antimicrobial proteins and peptides. NETs have been postulated to contribute to the bacterial killing capacity of neutrophils, however they also function as a source of proteases and other neutrophil products that may contribute to lung injury. Targeting nuclear material with inhaled DNase therapy improves lung function and reduces exacerbations in CF and some of these effects may be due to the degradation of NETs. We critically discuss the evidence for an antimicrobial function of NETs and their potential to cause lung damage and inflammation. We propose that CF animal models that recapitulate the human CF phenotype such as the CFTR−/− pig may be useful in further elucidating a role for NETs.
c-Met and Other Cell Surface Molecules: Interaction, Activation and Functional Consequences
Authors: Viticchiè Giuditta , Muller Patricia
Published: January 2015

The c-Met receptor, also known as the HGF receptor, is one of the most studied tyrosine kinase receptors, yet its biological functions and activation mechanisms are still not fully understood. c-Met has been implicated in embryonic development and organogenesis, in tissue remodelling homeostasis and repair and in cancer metastasis. These functions are indicative of the many cellular processes in which the receptor plays a role, including cell motility, scattering, survival and proliferation. In the context of malignancy, sustained activation of c-Met leads to a signalling cascade involving a multitude of kinases that initiate an invasive and metastatic program. Many proteins can affect the activation of c-Met, including a variety of other cell surface and membrane-spanning molecules or receptors. Some cell surface molecules share structural homology with the c-Met extracellular domain and can activate c-Met via clustering through this domain (e.g., plexins), whereas other receptor tyrosine kinases can enhance c-Met activation and signalling through intracellular signalling cascades (e.g., EGFR). In this review, we provide an overview of c-Met interactions and crosstalk with partner molecules and the functional consequences of these interactions on c-Met activation and downstream signalling, c-Met intracellular localization/recycling and c-Met degradation.
Paracrine Interactions between Adipocytes and Tumor Cells Recruit and Modify Macrophages to the Mammary Tumor Microenvironment: The Role of Obesity and Inflammation in Breast Adipose Tissue
Authors: Santander Ana , Lopez-Ocejo Omar , Casas Olivia , Agostini Thais , Sanchez Lidia , Lamas-Basulto Eduardo , Carrio Roberto , Cleary Margot , Gonzalez-Perez Ruben , Torroella-Kouri Marta
Published: January 2015

The relationship between obesity and breast cancer (BC) has focused on serum factors. However, the mammary gland contains adipose tissue (AT) which may enable the crosstalk between adipocytes and tumor cells contributing to tumor macrophage recruitment. We hypothesize that the breast AT (bAT) is inflamed in obese females and plays a major role in breast cancer development. The effects of this interplay on macrophage chemotaxis were examined in vitro, using co-cultures of mouse macrophages, mammary tumor cells and adipocytes. Macrophages were exposed to the adipocyte and tumor paracrine factors leptin, CCL2 and lauric acid (alone or in combinations). In cell supernatants Luminex identified additional molecules with chemotactic and other pro-tumor functions. Focus on the adipokine leptin, which has been shown to have a central role in breast cancer pathogenesis, indicated it modulates macrophage phenotypes and functions. In vivo experiments demonstrate that mammary tumors from obese mice are larger and that bAT from obese tumor-bearers contains higher numbers of macrophages/CLS and hypertrophic adipocytes than bAT from lean tumor-bearers, thus confirming it is more inflamed. Also, bAT distal from the tumor is more inflamed in obese than in lean mice. Our results reveal that bAT plays a role in breast cancer development in obesity.
Life Cycle Assessment of Biochar versus Metal Catalysts Used in Syngas Cleaning
Authors: Frazier Robert , Jin Enze , Kumar Ajay
Published: January 2015

Biomass gasification has the potential to produce renewable fuels, chemicals and power at large utility scale facilities. In these plants catalysts would likely be used to reform and clean the generated biomass syngas. Traditional catalysts are made from transition metals, while catalysts made from biochar are being studied. A life cycle assessment (LCA) study was performed to analyze the sustainability, via impact assessments, of producing a metal catalyst versus a dedicated biochar catalyst. The LCA results indicate that biochar has a 93% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and requires 95.7% less energy than the metal catalyst to produce. The study also estimated that biochar production would also have fewer impacts on human health (e.g., carcinogens and respiratory impacts) than the production of a metal catalyst. The possible disadvantage of biochar production in the ecosystem quality is due mostly to its impacts on agricultural land occupation. Sensitivity analysis was carried out to assess environmental impacts of variability in the two production systems. In the metal catalyst manufacture, the extraction and production of nickel (Ni) had significant negative effects on the environmental impacts. For biochar production, low moisture content (MC, 9%) and high yield type (8 tons/acre) switchgrass appeared more sustainable.
Special Issue: The Potential Role for Community Monitoring in MRV and in Benefit Sharing in REDD+
Authors: Torres Arturo , Skutsch Margaret
Published: January 2015

Since the early design of activities to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD+) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the need to engage local communities and indigenous groups in monitoring and reporting has been recognized. REDD+ has advanced under the UNFCCC negotiations, but most countries still need to define formally what the role of communities in their national monitoring systems will be. Previous research and experiences have shown that local communities can effectively contribute in the monitoring of natural resources. This editorial introduces a Special Issue of Forests which discusses the implications of and potential for including community based monitoring (CBM) in monitoring and benefit-sharing systems in REDD+. It outlines the main points of the nine contributions to the Special Issue which cover a wide geographical area and report on projects and research which engages more than 150 communities from eight different countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The editorial summarizes how the articles and reports build further understanding of the potential of CBM to contribute to the implementation, monitoring and distribution of benefits in REDD+. It also discusses the results of an on-going opinion survey on issues related to CBM and its relation to benefit sharing, which indicates that there is still disagreement on a number of key elements.
Improving Fatigue Performance of GFRP Composite Using Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Genedy Moneeb , Daghash Sherif , Soliman Eslam , Taha Mahmoud
Published: January 2015

Glass fiber reinforced polymers (GFRP) have become a preferable material for reinforcing or strengthening reinforced concrete structures due to their corrosion resistance, high strength to weight ratio, and relatively low cost compared with carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). However, the limited fatigue life of GFRP hinders their use in infrastructure applications. For instance, the low fatigue life of GFRP caused design codes to impose stringent stress limits on GFRP that rendered their use non-economic under significant cyclic loads in bridges. In this paper, we demonstrate that the fatigue life of GFRP can be significantly improved by an order of magnitude by incorporating Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) during GFRP fabrication. GFRP coupons were fabricated and tested under static tension and cyclic tension with mean fatigue stress equal to 40% of the GFRP tensile strength. Microstructural investigations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were used for further investigation of the effect of MWCNTs on the GFRP composite. The experimental results show the 0.5 wt% and the 1.0 wt% MWCNTs were able to improve the fatigue life of GFRP by 1143% and 986%, respectively, compared with neat GFRP.
Cluster of Human Infections with Avian Influenza A (H7N9) Cases: A Temporal and Spatial Analysis
Authors: Zhang Yi , Shen Zhixiong , Ma Chunna , Jiang Chengsheng , Feng Cindy , Shankar Nivedita , Yang Peng , Sun Wenjie , Wang Quanyi
Published: January 2015

Objectives: This study aims to describe the spatial and temporal characteristics of human infections with H7N9 virus in China using data from February 2013 to March 2014 from the websites of every province’s Population and Family Planning Commission. Methods: A human infection with H7N9 virus dataset was summarized by county to analyze its spatial clustering, and by date of illness onset to analyze its space-time clustering using the ESRI® Geographic Information System (GIS) software ArcMap™ 10.1 and SatScan. Results: Based on active surveillance data, the distribution map of H7N9 cases shows that compared to the rest of China, the areas from near the Yangtze River delta (YRD) to farther south around the Pearl River delta (PRD) had the highest densities of H7N9 cases. The case data shows a strong space-time clustering in the areas on and near the YRD from 26 March to 18 April 2013 and a weak space-time clustering only in the areas on and near the PRD between 3 and 4 February 2014. However, for the rest of the study period, H7N9 cases were spatial-temporally randomly distributed. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the spatial-temporal clustering of H7N9 in China between 2013 and 2014 is fundamentally different.
Gender Differences in Recreational Sports Participation among Taiwanese Adults
Authors: Tsai Liang-Ting , Lo Feng-En , Yang Chih-Chien , Keller Joseph , Lyu Shu-Yu
Published: January 2015

This study examines the gender differences in the enjoyment of recreational sports participation among Taiwanese adults. Data were obtained using the 2007 Taiwan Social Change Survey. The questionnaire included a topical module of the International Social Survey Program regarding leisure time and sports. Results showed that male subjects were more likely to participate in recreational sports to improve their appearance and on account of their personal interest. In addition to these factors, female subjects also experienced greater motivation to participate when Taiwanese athletes performed well in international sporting competitions. This study confirmed that the factors influencing enjoyment of recreational sports participation differ among men and women. These results can be used to better inform public health professionals and other regulatory organizations formulating physical activity intervention strategies.
Surveillance and Cleavage of Eukaryotic tRNAs
Authors: Megel Cyrille , Morelle Geoffrey , Lalande Stéphanie , Duchêne Anne-Marie , Small Ian , Maréchal-Drouard Laurence
Published: January 2015

Beyond their central role in protein synthesis, transfer RNAs (tRNAs) have many other crucial functions. This includes various roles in the regulation of gene expression, stress responses, metabolic processes and priming reverse transcription. In the RNA world, tRNAs are, with ribosomal RNAs, among the most stable molecules. Nevertheless, they are not eternal. As key elements of cell function, tRNAs need to be continuously quality-controlled. Two tRNA surveillance pathways have been identified. They act on hypo-modified or mis-processed pre-tRNAs and on mature tRNAs lacking modifications. A short overview of these two pathways will be presented here. Furthermore, while the exoribonucleases acting in these pathways ultimately lead to complete tRNA degradation, numerous tRNA-derived fragments (tRFs) are present within a cell. These cleavage products of tRNAs now potentially emerge as a new class of small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) and are suspected to have important regulatory functions. The tRFs are evolutionarily widespread and created by cleavage at different positions by various endonucleases. Here, we review our present knowledge on the biogenesis and function of tRFs in various organisms.
Characterization of the Microstructure Evolution in IF-Steel and AA6016 during Plane-Strain Tension and Simple Shear
Authors: Gerstein Gregory , Klusemann Benjamin , Bargmann Swantje , Schaper Mirko
Published: January 2015

In the current work, the evolutions of grain and dislocation microstructures are investigated on the basis of plane strain tension and simple shear tests for an interstitial free steel (DC06) and a 6000 series aluminum alloy (AA6016-T4). Both materials are commonly-used materials in the automobile industry. The focus of this contribution is on the characterization and comparison of the microstructure formation in DC06 and AA6016-T4. Our observations shed light on the active mechanisms at the micro scale governing the macroscopic response. This knowledge is of great importance to understand the physical deformation mechanisms, allowing the control and design of new, tailor-made materials with the desired material behavior.
Molecular Progress in Research on Fruit Astringency
Authors: He Min , Tian Henglu , Luo Xiaowen , Qi Xiaohua , Chen Xuehao
Published: January 2015

Astringency is one of the most important components of fruit oral sensory quality. Astringency mainly comes from tannins and other polyphenolic compounds and causes the drying, roughening and puckering of the mouth epithelia attributed to the interaction between tannins and salivary proteins. There is growing interest in the study of fruit astringency because of the healthy properties of astringent substances found in fruit, including antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, antiallergenic, hepatoprotective, vasodilating and antithrombotic activities. This review will focus mainly on the relationship between tannin structure and the astringency sensation as well as the biosynthetic pathways of astringent substances in fruit and their regulatory mechanisms.
The Effect on Selenium Concentrations of a Randomized Intervention with Fish and Mussels in a Population with Relatively Low Habitual Dietary Selenium Intake
Authors: Outzen Malene , Tjønneland Anne , Larsen Erik , Andersen Klaus , Christensen Jane , Overvad Kim , Olsen Anja
Published: January 2015

Selenium status of the Danish population is below that assumed optimal for the suggested protective effects against chronic diseases, including certain cancers. Fish and shellfish are important dietary sources of selenium in Denmark. We investigated the effect of increased fish and mussel intake on selenium blood concentrations in a population with relatively low habitual dietary selenium intake. We randomly assigned 102 healthy men and women (all non-smokers) aged 48–76 years to an intervention group (n = 51) or a control group (n = 51). Intervention participants received 1000 g fish and mussels/week for 26 weeks (~50 μg selenium/day). Controls received no intervention. Non-fasting blood samples were taken and whole blood selenium was determined using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and plasma selenoprotein P (SelP) was determined by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to ICP-MS. All available observations were included in linear multiple regression analysis to evaluate the effect of the intervention. The difference in mean change for intervention compared with control persons was 14.9 ng/mL (95% CI: 10.2, 19.7) for whole blood selenium, and 7.0 ng/mL (95% CI: 3.1, 10.9) for plasma SelP (Weeks 0–26). Selenium concentrations were significantly increased after 26 weeks of intervention, albeit to a lower degree than expected.
Estimation of Land Surface Temperature under Cloudy Skies Using Combined Diurnal Solar Radiation and Surface Temperature Evolution
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Pang Jing , Li Lingling
Published: January 2015

Land surface temperature (LST) is a key parameter in the interaction of the land-atmosphere system. However, clouds affect the retrieval of LST data from thermal-infrared remote sensing data. Thus, it is important to determine a method for estimating LSTs at times when the sky is overcast. Based on a one-dimensional heat transfer equation and on the evolution of daily temperatures and net shortwave solar radiation (NSSR), a new method for estimating LSTs under cloudy skies (Tcloud) from diurnal NSSR and surface temperatures is proposed. Validation is performed against in situ measurements that were obtained at the ChangWu ecosystem experimental station in China. The results show that the root-mean-square error (RMSE) between the actual and estimated LSTs is as large as 1.23 K for cloudy data. A sensitivity analysis to the errors in the estimated LST under clear skies (Tclear) and in the estimated NSSR reveals that the RMSE of the obtained Tcloud is less than 1.5 K after adding a 0.5 K bias to the actual Tclear and 10 percent NSSR errors to the actual NSSR. Tcloud is estimated by the proposed method using Tclear and NSSR products of MSG-SEVIRI for southern Europe. The results indicate that the new algorithm is practical for retrieving the LST under cloudy sky conditions, although some uncertainty exists. Notably, the approach can only be used during the daytime due to the assumption of the variation in LST caused by variations in insolation. Further, if there are less than six Tclear observations on any given day, the method cannot be used.
Object-Based Crop Species Classification Based on the Combination of Airborne Hyperspectral Images and LiDAR Data
Authors: Liu Xiaolong , Bo Yanchen
Published: January 2015

Identification of crop species is an important issue in agricultural management. In recent years, many studies have explored this topic using multi-spectral and hyperspectral remote sensing data. In this study, we perform dedicated research to propose a framework for mapping crop species by combining hyperspectral and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data in an object-based image analysis (OBIA) paradigm. The aims of this work were the following: (i) to understand the performances of different spectral dimension-reduced features from hyperspectral data and their combination with LiDAR derived height information in image segmentation; (ii) to understand what classification accuracies of crop species can be achieved by combining hyperspectral and LiDAR data in an OBIA paradigm, especially in regions that have fragmented agricultural landscape and complicated crop planting structure; and (iii) to understand the contributions of the crop height that is derived from LiDAR data, as well as the geometric and textural features of image objects, to the crop species’ separabilities. The study region was an irrigated agricultural area in the central Heihe river basin, which is characterized by many crop species, complicated crop planting structures, and fragmented landscape. The airborne hyperspectral data acquired by the Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI) with a 1 m spatial resolution and the Canopy Height Model (CHM) data derived from the LiDAR data acquired by the airborne Leica ALS70 LiDAR system were used for this study. The image segmentation accuracies of different feature combination schemes (very high-resolution imagery (VHR), VHR/CHM, and minimum noise fractional transformed data (MNF)/CHM) were evaluated and analyzed. The results showed that VHR/CHM outperformed the other two combination schemes with a segmentation accuracy of 84.8%. The object-based crop species classification results of different feature integrations indicated that incorporating the crop height information into the hyperspectral extracted features provided a substantial increase in the classification accuracy. The combination of MNF and CHM produced higher classification accuracy than the combination of VHR and CHM, and the solely MNF-based classification results. The textural and geometric features in the object-based classification could significantly improve the accuracy of the crop species classification. By using the proposed object-based classification framework, a crop species classification result with an overall accuracy of 90.33% and a kappa of 0.89 was achieved in our study area.
Embroidered Electrode with Silver/Titanium Coating for Long-Term ECG Monitoring
Authors: Weder Markus , Hegemann Dirk , Amberg Martin , Hess Markus , Boesel Luciano , Abächerli Roger , Meyer Veronika , Rossi René
Published: January 2015

For the long-time monitoring of electrocardiograms, electrodes must be skin-friendly and non-irritating, but in addition they must deliver leads without artifacts even if the skin is dry and the body is moving. Today’s adhesive conducting gel electrodes are not suitable for such applications. We have developed an embroidered textile electrode from polyethylene terephthalate yarn which is plasma-coated with silver for electrical conductivity and with an ultra-thin titanium layer on top for passivation. Two of these electrodes are embedded into a breast belt. They are moisturized with a very low amount of water vapor from an integrated reservoir. The combination of silver, titanium and water vapor results in an excellent electrode chemistry. With this belt the long-time monitoring of electrocardiography (ECG) is possible at rest as well as when the patient is moving.
Pose Estimation with a Kinect for Ergonomic Studies: Evaluation of the Accuracy Using a Virtual Mannequin
Authors: Plantard Pierre , Auvinet Edouard , Pierres Anne-Sophie , Multon Franck
Published: January 2015

Analyzing human poses with a Kinect is a promising method to evaluate potentials risks of musculoskeletal disorders at workstations. In ecological situations, complex 3D poses and constraints imposed by the environment make it difficult to obtain reliable kinematic information. Thus, being able to predict the potential accuracy of the measurement for such complex 3D poses and sensor placements is challenging in classical experimental setups. To tackle this problem, we propose a new evaluation method based on a virtual mannequin. In this study, we apply this method to the evaluation of joint positions (shoulder, elbow, and wrist), joint angles (shoulder and elbow), and the corresponding RULA (a popular ergonomics assessment grid) upper-limb score for a large set of poses and sensor placements. Thanks to this evaluation method, more than 500,000 configurations have been automatically tested, which would be almost impossible to evaluate with classical protocols. The results show that the kinematic information obtained by the Kinect software is generally accurate enough to fill in ergonomic assessment grids. However inaccuracy strongly increases for some specific poses and sensor positions. Using this evaluation method enabled us to report configurations that could lead to these high inaccuracies. As a supplementary material, we provide a software tool to help designers to evaluate the expected accuracy of this sensor for a set of upper-limb configurations. Results obtained with the virtual mannequin are in accordance with those obtained from a real subject for a limited set of poses and sensor placements.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of graphitic carbon nanomaterials doped with heteroatoms
Authors: Susi Toma , Pichler Thomas , Ayala Paola
Published: January 2015

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is one of the best tools for studying the chemical modification of surfaces, and in particular the distribution and bonding of heteroatom dopants in carbon nanomaterials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes. Although these materials have superb intrinsic properties, these often need to be modified in a controlled way for specific applications. Towards this aim, the most studied dopants are neighbors to carbon in the periodic table, nitrogen and boron, with phosphorus starting to emerge as an interesting new alternative. Hundreds of studies have used XPS for analyzing the concentration and bonding of dopants in various materials. Although the majority of works has concentrated on nitrogen, important work is still ongoing to identify its precise atomic bonding configurations. In general, care should be taken in the preparation of a suitable sample, consideration of the intrinsic photoemission response of the material in question, and the appropriate spectral analysis. If this is not the case, incorrect conclusions can easily be drawn, especially in the assignment of measured binding energies into specific atomic configurations. Starting from the characteristics of pristine materials, this review provides a practical guide for interpreting X-ray photoelectron spectra of doped graphitic carbon nanomaterials, and a reference for their binding energies that are vital for compositional analysis via XPS.
Multicomponent versus domino reactions: One-pot free-radical synthesis of β-amino-ethers and β-amino-alcohols
Authors: Rossi Bianca , Pastori Nadia , Prosperini Simona , Punta Carlo
Published: January 2015

Following an optimized multicomponent procedure, an aryl amine, a ketone, and a cyclic ether or an alcohol molecule are assembled in a one-pot synthesis by nucleophilic radical addition of ketyl radicals to ketimines generated in situ. The reaction occurs under mild conditions by mediation of the TiCl4/Zn/t-BuOOH system, leading to the formation of quaternary β-amino-ethers and -alcohols. The new reaction conditions guarantee good selectivity by preventing the formation of secondary products. The secondary products are possibly derived from a competitive domino reaction, which involves further oxidation of the ketyl radicals.
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF CORRUGATED STEEL PLATE BRIDGE WITH REINFORCED CONCRETE RELIEVING SLAB
Authors: BEBEN Damian , STRYCZEK Adam
Published: January 2015

The paper presents a numerical analysis of corrugated steel plate (CSP) bridge with reinforced concrete (RC) relieving slab under static loads. Calculations were made based on the finite element method using Abaqus software. Two computation models were used; in the first one, RC slab was used, and the other was without it. The effect of RC slab to deformations of CSP shell was determined. Comparing the computational results from two numerical models, it can be concluded that when the relieving slab is applied, substantial reductions in displacements, stresses, bending mo­ments and axial thrusts are achieved. Relative reductions of displacements were in the range of 53–66%, and stresses of 73–82%. Maximum displacements and bending moments were obtained at the shell crown, and maximum stresses and axial thrusts at the quarter points. The calculation results were also compared to the values from experimental tests. The course of computed displacements and stresses is similar to those obtained from experimental tests, although the absolute values were generally higher than the measured ones. Results of numerical analyses can be useful for bridge engineering, with particular regard to bridges and culverts made from corrugated steel plates for the range of necessity of using additional relieving elements.
The role of Vitamin D in malaria
Authors: Luong Khanh Vinh Quốc , Nguyen Lan Thi Hoàng
Published: January 2015

An abnormal calcium-parathyroid hormone (PTH)-vitamin D axis has been reported in patients with malaria infection. A role for vitamin D in malaria has been suggested by many studies. Genetic studies have identified numerous factors that link vitamin D to malaria, including human leukocyte antigen genes, toll-like receptors, heme oxygenase-1, angiopoietin-2, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors, and Bcl-2. Vitamin D has also been implicated in malaria via its effects on the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, matrix metalloproteinases, mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, prostaglandins, reactive oxidative species, and nitric oxide synthase. Vitamin D may be important in malaria; therefore, additional research on its role in malaria is needed.