bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Molecular-Level Landscape of Diet-Gut Microbiome Interactions: Toward Dietary Interventions Targeting Bacterial Genes
Authors: Ni Yueqiong , Li Jun , Panagiotou Gianni
Published: October 2015

As diet is considered the major regulator of the gut ecosystem, the overall objective of this work was to demonstrate that a detailed knowledge of the phytochemical composition of food could add to our understanding of observed changes in functionality and activity of the gut microbiota. We used metatranscriptomic data from a human dietary intervention study to develop a network that consists of >400 compounds present in the administered plant-based diet linked to 609 microbial targets in the gut. Approximately 20% of the targeted bacterial proteins showed significant changes in their gene expression levels, while functional and topology analyses revealed that proteins in metabolic networks with high centrality are the most “vulnerable” targets. This global view and the mechanistic understanding of the associations between microbial gene expression and dietary molecules could be regarded as a promising methodological approach for targeting specific bacterial proteins that impact human health.

IMPORTANCEIt is a general belief that microbiome-derived drugs and therapies will come to the market in coming years, either in the form of molecules that mimic a beneficial interaction between bacteria and host or molecules that disturb a harmful interaction or proteins that can modify the microbiome or bacterial species to change the balance of “good” and “bad” bacteria in the gut microbiome. However, among the numerous factors, what has proven the most influential for modulating the microbial composition of the gut is diet. In line with this, we demonstrate here that a systematic analysis of the interactions between the small molecules present in our diet and the gut bacterial proteome holds great potential for designing dietary interventions to improve human health.
Bilateral hip pain in a young man? It may be worth considering juvenile-onset ankylosing spondylitis (JAS)
Authors: Agarwal Neetu Nandkishore , Patil Dnyanesh , Nagendra Shashank , Jadhav Shailesh Maruti
Published: October 2015

A 15-year-old boy with severe bilateral hip joint pain and restriction of mobility presented to the casualty ward. He had earlier been treated for tuberculosis of the hip, with no relief. Our work up revealed a case of severe juvenile-onset ankylosing spondylitis with predominant hip involvement and accompanying sacroiliitis.
Concurrent perforated Meckel's diverticulum and intestinal malrotation in an 8-year-old boy
Authors: Taylor Henry , Venza Marco , Badvie Sara
Published: October 2015

An 8-year-old boy with a history of recurrent abdominal pain presented with a 12 h history of severe periumbilical pain, nausea and vomiting. On examination, he was found to have a tender, erythematous, paraumbilical mass. At operative exploration, an abscess cavity was identified and followed to reveal a gangrenous Meckel's diverticulum, perforated at its tip to create the abscess. Around this Meckel's diverticulum, the small bowel had torted to produce a significant small bowel volvulus on a shortened mesentery. The caecum and ascending colon were found to be in the left upper quadrant and an intraoperative diagnosis of malrotation was made. Following resection of the Meckel's diverticulum and surgical correction of the malrotation, the child made an excellent recovery. His abdominal pain has not recurred in 6 months of follow-up since the operation.
Histological examination of vascular damage caused by stent retriever thrombectomy devices
Authors: Arai Daisuke , Ishii Akira , Chihara Hideo , Ikeda Hiroyuki , Miyamoto Susumu
Published: October 2015

Background and objectives

Although the recently marketed stent retriever thrombectomy devices have demonstrated a high recanalization rate and favorable clinical outcomes, there is a concern about the risks of intimal injuries when pulling out the stent in the unfolded position. In this study, the Solitaire Flow Restoration System and the Trevo retriever were used in a histopathological comparison of vascular injuries caused by stent retriever thrombectomy devices.

Methods

Rabbit carotid arteries were used in the experiments with stent retriever thrombectomy devices. Carotid artery samples were harvested either 1 or 2 weeks postoperatively for histological examination.

Results

Histological changes caused by the use of stent retriever thrombectomy devices were observed from the intimal to medial layers. With the Solitaire FR 4 mm, intimal and medial thickening was observed 1 week postoperatively, and progression of intimal thickening was observed 2 weeks postoperatively. The extent of intimal thickening tended to be greater with the Solitaire FR 6 mm than with the Solitaire FR 4 mm, but this difference was not significant. Compared with the Solitaire FR 4 mm, the Trevo had a significantly smaller area of intimal thickening.

Conclusions

Although there are some differences among devices, results from this study indicate that stent retriever thrombectomy devices induce vascular damage that extends to the medial layer.
Impact of subgrade soils on pavement roughness
Authors: Vaillancourt Michel , Perraton Daniel
Published: October 2015

To highlight the impact of subgrade soil variability on the pseudo-profile and roughness at the end of road construction, a research program has been carried out at the Laboratoire sur les chaussées et matériaux bitumineux at École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS). The analysis is intended to highlight the variability of materials’ characteristics according to the longitudinal and vertical axes of the road. The proposed approach aims to calculate potential settlement variations through a global numerical simulation of a road section, in a bid to identify the expected pseudo-profile and to quantify the roughness quality by calculating the international roughness index (IRI). The proposed methodology was tested at a new road construction project in Québec. Here, the results of the simulations are compared to the details of the actual pseudo-profile obtained at the end of road construction for the project under study. It is shown, through the finite difference modeling of the mechanical behavior of the subgrade soil (FLAC calculation code), that the long wavelength pseudo-profile of the road at the end of construction can be determined, and that it is strongly influenced by subgrade soil variability. This article presents a second analysis carried out by Vaillancourt and Perraton in 2015 as part of a study of the impact of subgrade soils on pavement roughness.
PRESURGERY DESIGN AND BIOMECHANICAL EVALUATION OF PATIENT-SPECIFIC KNEE IMPLANT
Authors: RONG QIGUO , BAI JIANFENG , HUANG YONGLING , LIN JIANHAO
Published: October 2015

For patients with severe joint deformity or defect, the conventional knee implant cannot meet the installation requirements. A patient-specific prosthesis is a rational choice for these patients. The purpose of this study was to develop a patient-specific knee implant and evaluate its mechanical properties. A mobile-bearing type of knee implant was designed for a young patient with severe rheumatoid arthritis. The stress characteristics were studied by the finite element (FE) method. Results show that the stress distribution of the mobile-bearing knee implant is much better than that of a hinged knee implant designed before. But the stability of the mobile-bearing knee implant should be investigated in more detail before its application.
Synthesis and photodynamic activities of a new metronidazole-appended porphyrin and its Zn(II) complex
Authors: Yu Qiong , Xu Wei-Xia , Yao Ya-Hong , Zhang Zeng-Qi , Sun Shu , Li Jun
Published: October 2015

One novel porphyrin 5,10,15-tris(phenyl)-20-[4-(2-(2-methyl-5-nitro-imidazolyl)ethoxyl)phenyl] porphyrin and its zinc(II) metalloporphyrin were synthesized and characterized by IR, UV-vis, 1H NMR, MS and elemental analysis. The single crystal structure of zinc(II) porphyrin shows that the Zn(II) ion is coordinated with four nitrogen atoms of porphyrin ring and one oxygen atom of ethanol from axial, forming a five-coordinated square pyramidal geometry. Their cytotoxicity and photodynamic activity against breast cancer cells were studied. The results indicate that both of the porphyrins display high phototoxicity to the breast cancer cells with the negligible dark toxicity. In addition, the photodynamic activity of zinc(II) porphyrin was obviously higher than that of the free porphyrin.
Analysis of Road Traffic Network Cascade Failures with Coupled Map Lattice Method
Authors: Zhang Yanan , Lu Yingrong , Lu Guangquan , Chen Peng , Ding Chuan
Published: October 2015

In recent years, there is growing literature concerning the cascading failure of network characteristics. The object of this paper is to investigate the cascade failures on road traffic network, considering the aeolotropism of road traffic network topology and road congestion dissipation in traffic flow. An improved coupled map lattice (CML) model is proposed. Furthermore, in order to match the congestion dissipation, a recovery mechanism is put forward in this paper. With a real urban road traffic network in Beijing, the cascading failures are tested using different attack strategies, coupling strengths, external perturbations, and attacked road segment numbers. The impacts of different aspects on road traffic network are evaluated based on the simulation results. The findings confirmed the important roles that these characteristics played in the cascading failure propagation and dissipation on road traffic network. We hope these findings are helpful to find out the optimal road network topology and avoid cascading failure on road network.
A Graph Based Framework for Route Optimization in Sea-Trade Logistics
Authors: Chu Dianhui , Li Chunshan , Xu Xiaofei , Zhang Xiaofeng
Published: October 2015

How to find the optimal transportation route in sea-trade is very important for the logistics industry. The traditional routing problem is solved by performing the combinatorial optimization over a specified transportation network. Facing the huge network extracted from the foreign trading industry as well as the complex constraints, it is impossible for the traditional optimization methods to find the solution in a short time, which motivates our work. In this paper, we first carefully study the property of foreign trade network, and then convert the transportation network into a hierarchical one and propose a novel framework based on graphical model to solve this large scale network optimization problem. The experimental results demonstrate that our approach is superior to the famous ant colony optimization algorithm (ACO) in terms of accuracy and the time spent.
The Importance of Fuzzy Preference in Course Assignment Problem
Authors: Gorka Artur , Thipwiwatpotjana Phantipa
Published: October 2015

This paper points out the importance of fuzzy preference by using a teaching course assignment problem as a case study. The model with fuzzy teaching preference provides a more satisfactory solution to a course assignment problem than assigning arbitrary weights. A method for improving a fuzzy membership function by using sensitivity analysis is devised. The method with fuzzy preferences is compared with a model using weighted probabilities.
Diamond Based Field‐Effect Transistors of Zr Gate with SiNx Dielectric Layers
Authors: Wang W. , Hu C. , Li S. Y. , Li F. N. , Liu Z. C. , Wang F. , Fu J. , Wang H. X.
Published: October 2015

Investigation of Zr‐gate diamond field‐effect transistor with SiNx dielectric layers (SD‐FET) has been carried out. SD‐FET works in normally on depletion mode with p‐type channel, whose sheet carrier density and hole mobility are evaluated to be 2.17 × 1013 cm−2 and 24.4 cm2·V−1·s−1, respectively. The output and transfer properties indicate the preservation of conduction channel because of the SiNx dielectric layer, which may be explained by the interface bond of C‐N. High voltage up to −200 V is applied to the device, and no breakdown is observed. For comparison, another traditional surface channel FET (SC‐FET) is also fabricated.
Role of Exosomal Noncoding RNAs in Lung Carcinogenesis
Authors: Sun Tao , Kalionis Bill , Lv Guoying , Xia Shijin , Gao Wen
Published: October 2015

Lung cancer is the major cause of cancer death worldwide. Novel, recently discovered classes of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have diverse functional and regulatory activities and increasing evidence suggests crucial roles for deregulated ncRNAs in the onset and progression of cancer, including lung cancer. Exosomes are small extracellular membrane vesicles of endocytic origin that are released by many cells and are found in most body fluids. Tumor-derived exosomes mediate tumorigenesis by facilitating tumor growth and metastasis. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a subclass of ncRNAs that are present in exosomes. miRNAs are taken up by neighboring or distant cells and modulate various functions of recipient cells. Here, we review exosome-derived ncRNAs with a focus on miRNAs and their role in lung cancer biology.
Adaptive Mesh Refinement and Adaptive Time Integration for Electrical Wave Propagation on the Purkinje System
Authors: Ying Wenjun , Henriquez Craig S.
Published: October 2015

A both space and time adaptive algorithm is presented for simulating electrical wave propagation in the Purkinje system of the heart. The equations governing the distribution of electric potential over the system are solved in time with the method of lines. At each timestep, by an operator splitting technique, the space-dependent but linear diffusion part and the nonlinear but space-independent reactions part in the partial differential equations are integrated separately with implicit schemes, which have better stability and allow larger timesteps than explicit ones. The linear diffusion equation on each edge of the system is spatially discretized with the continuous piecewise linear finite element method. The adaptive algorithm can automatically recognize when and where the electrical wave starts to leave or enter the computational domain due to external current/voltage stimulation, self-excitation, or local change of membrane properties. Numerical examples demonstrating efficiency and accuracy of the adaptive algorithm are presented.
Feed-Forward Neural Network Soft-Sensor Modeling of Flotation Process Based on Particle Swarm Optimization and Gravitational Search Algorithm
Authors: Wang Jie-Sheng , Han Shuang
Published: October 2015

For predicting the key technology indicators (concentrate grade and tailings recovery rate) of flotation process, a feed-forward neural network (FNN) based soft-sensor model optimized by the hybrid algorithm combining particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) is proposed. Although GSA has better optimization capability, it has slow convergence velocity and is easy to fall into local optimum. So in this paper, the velocity vector and position vector of GSA are adjusted by PSO algorithm in order to improve its convergence speed and prediction accuracy. Finally, the proposed hybrid algorithm is adopted to optimize the parameters of FNN soft-sensor model. Simulation results show that the model has better generalization and prediction accuracy for the concentrate grade and tailings recovery rate to meet the online soft-sensor requirements of the real-time control in the flotation process.
Characterizing Spatial Dynamics of Bifurcation to Alternans in Isolated Whole Rabbit Hearts Based on Alternate Pacing
Authors: Kulkarni Kanchan , Visweswaran Ramjay , Zhao Xiaopeng , Tolkacheva Elena G.
Published: October 2015

Sudden cardiac death instigated by ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the largest cause of natural death in the USA. Alternans, a beat-to-beat alternation in the action potential duration, has been implicated as being proarrhythmic. The onset of alternans is mediated via a bifurcation, which may occur through either a smooth or a border-collision mechanism. The objective of this study was to characterize the mechanism of bifurcation to alternans based on experiments in isolated whole rabbit hearts. High resolution optical mapping was performed and the electrical activity was recorded from the left ventricle (LV) epicardial surface of the heart. Each heart was paced using an “alternate pacing protocol,” where the basic cycle length (BCL) was alternatively perturbed by ±δ. Local onset of alternans in the heart,BCLstart, was measured in the absence of perturbations (δ=0) and was defined as the BCL at which 10% of LV exhibited alternans. The influences of perturbation size were investigated at two BCLs: one prior toBCLstart(BCLprior=BCLstart+20 ms) and one precedingBCLprior(BCLfar=BCLstart+40 ms). Our results demonstrate significant spatial correlation of the region exhibiting alternans with smooth bifurcation characteristics, indicating that transition to alternans in isolated rabbit hearts occurs predominantly through smooth bifurcation.
An Increase of Plasma Advanced Oxidation Protein Products Levels Is Associated with Cardiovascular Risk in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Pilot Study
Authors: Gonzalez Elena , Bajo Maria-Auxiliadora , Carrero Juan J. , Lindholm Bengt , Grande Cristina , Sánchez-Villanueva Rafael , Del Peso Gloria , Díaz-Almirón Mariana , Iglesias Pedro , Díez Juan J. , Selgas Rafael
Published: October 2015

Advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs) are considered as markers and even mediators of the proinflammatory effect of oxidative stress in uremia. We hypothesized that an increase of oxidative stress associated with peritoneal dialysis (PD), estimated by the variation of plasma AOPPs over time, might be associated with cardiovascular (CV) risk and overall prognosis. In 48 PD patients, blood samples were collected on two occasions: the first one in the first six months after starting PD therapy and the second one, one year after. The plasma AOPPs level variation over the first year on PD was significantly associated with CV antecedents and also with CV prognosis. In those patients in whom the AOPPs levels increased more than 50% above the baseline value, a significant association with past and future CV disease was confirmed. These patients had 4.7 times greater risk of suffering later CV disease than those with a smaller increase, even after adjusting for previous CV history. Our data suggest that the increase of AOPPs plasma level over the first year on PD is conditioned by CV antecedents but also independently predicts CV prognosis. AOPPs plasma levels seem to represent the CV status of PD patients with sufficient sensitivity to identify those with a clearly sustained higher CV risk.
Does Metal Transfer Differ on Retrieved Ceramic and CoCr Femoral Heads?
Authors: Fredette Eliza K. , MacDonald Daniel W. , Underwood Richard J. , Chen Antonia F. , Mont Michael A. , Lee Gwo-Chin , Klein Gregg R. , Rimnac Clare M. , Kurtz Steven M.
Published: October 2015

Metal transfer has been observed on retrieved THA femoral heads for both CoCr and ceramic bearing materials.In vitrowear testing has shown increased wear to polyethylene acetabular liners with the presence of metal transfer. This study sought to investigate the extent of metal transfer on the bearing surface of CoCr and ceramic femoral heads and identify prevalent morphologies. Three bearing couple cohorts: M-PE (n=50), C-PE (n=35), and C-C (n=15), were derived from two previously matched collections (n=50/group) of CoCr and ceramic femoral heads. From the three cohorts, 75% of the femoral heads showed visual evidence of metal transfer. These femoral heads were analyzed using direct measurement, digital photogrammetry, and white light interferometry. Surface area coverage and curved median surface area were similar among the three cohorts. The most prevalent metal transfer patterns observed were random stripes (n=21/75), longitudinal stripes (n=17/75), and random patches (n=13/75). Metal transfer arc length was shorter in the M-PE cohort. Understanding the morphology of metal transfer may be useful for more realistic recreation of metal transfer inin vitropin-on-disk and joint simulators studies.
Effects of Fourteen-Day Bed Rest on Trunk Stabilizing Functions in Aging Adults
Authors: Sarabon Nejc , Rosker Jernej
Published: October 2015

Bed rest has been shown to have detrimental effects on structural and functional characteristics of the trunk muscles, possibly affecting trunk and spinal stability. This is especially important in populations such as aging adults with often altered trunk stabilizing functions. This study examined the effects of a fourteen-day bed rest on anticipatory postural adjustments and postural reflex responses of the abdominal wall and back muscles in sixteen adult men. Postural activation of trunk muscles was measured using voluntary quick arm movement and sudden arm loading paradigm. Measurements were conducted prior to the bed rest, immediately after, and fourteen days after the bed rest. Immediately after the bed rest, latencies of anticipatory postural adjustments showed significant shortening, especially for the obliquus internus and externus muscles. After a fourteen-day recuperation period, anticipatory postural adjustments reached a near to complete recovery. On the contrary, reactive response latencies increased from pre-bed-rest to both post-bed-rest measurement sessions. Results indicate an important effect of bed rest on stabilizing functions of the trunk muscles in elderly adults. Moreover, there proved to be a significant deterioration of postural reactive responses that outlasted the 14-day post-bed-rest rehabilitation.
Distortion Performance of Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks
Authors: Stefanov Andrej
Published: October 2015

The paper studies the distortion performance of multihop underwater acoustic sensor networks. The network is composed of bottom mounted sensor nodes and the sensor to sensor links experience Rician fading. The distortion is evaluated for the case when there is interference from other sensors in the network. The focus is on the sustainable number of hops in the network for a maximum allowed (target) route distortion requirement. Numerical examples are provided that illustrate the results of the analysis and the regions where the network operation is limited, namely, the coverage-limited region and the interference-limited region. The paper also considers the impact of retransmissions on the distortion performance. It is found that the network connectivity and robustness improve with automatic repeat request (ARQ). The improvements are manifested as a reduction of the regions of limited performance, that is, an increase of the region where the network exhibits full connectivity. The analysis results are illustrated through numerical examples.
Oxygen Barrier Properties and Melt Crystallization Behavior of Poly(ethylene terephthalate)/Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites
Authors: Szymczyk Anna , Paszkiewicz Sandra , Pawelec Iwona , Lisiecki Sławomir , Jotko Marek , Špitalský Zdenko , Mosnáček Jaroslav , Rosłaniec Zbigniew
Published: October 2015

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) nanocomposites with low loading (0.1–0.5 wt%) of graphene oxide (GO) have been prepared by using in situ polymerization method. TEM study of nanocomposites morphology has shown uniform distribution of highly exfoliated graphene oxide nanoplatelets in PET matrix. Investigations of oxygen permeability of amorphous films of nanocomposites showed that the nanocomposites had better oxygen barrier properties than the neat PET. The improvement of oxygen permeability for PET nanocomposite films over the neat PET is approximately factors of 2–3.3. DSC study on the nonisothermal crystallization behaviors proves that GO acts as a nucleating agent to accelerate the crystallization of PET matrix. The evolution of the lamellar nanostructure of nanocomposite and neat PET was monitored by SAXS during nonisothermal crystallization from the melt. It was found that unfilled PET and nanocomposite with the highest concentration of GO (0.5 wt%) showed almost similar values of the long period (L = 11.4 nm for neat PET and L = 11.5 nm for PET/0.5GO).
On Stability Analysis for Generalized Neural Networks with Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Park M. J. , Kwon O. M. , Cha E. J.
Published: October 2015

This paper deals with the problem of stability analysis for generalized neural networks with time-varying delays. With a suitable Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF) and Wirtinger-based integral inequality, sufficient conditions for guaranteeing the asymptotic stability of the concerned networks are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). By applying the proposed methods to two numerical examples which have been utilized in many works for checking the conservatism of stability criteria, it is shown that the obtained results are significantly improved comparing with the previous ones published in other literature.
LAP TGF-Beta Subset of CD4+CD25+CD127−Treg Cells is Increased and Overexpresses LAP TGF-Beta in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients
Authors: Islas-Vazquez Lorenzo , Prado-Garcia Heriberto , Aguilar-Cazares Dolores , Meneses-Flores Manuel , Galicia-Velasco Miriam , Romero-Garcia Susana , Camacho-Mendoza Catalina , Lopez-Gonzalez Jose Sullivan
Published: October 2015

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Adenocarcinoma, the most commonly diagnosed histologic type of lung cancer, is associated with smoking. Cigarette smoke promotes inflammation on the airways, which might be mediated by Th17 cells. This inflammatory environment may contribute to tumor development. In contrast, some reports indicate that tumors may induce immunosuppressive Treg cells to dampen immune reactivity, supporting tumor growth and progression. Thus, we aimed to analyze whether chronic inflammation or immunosuppression predominates at the systemic level in lung adenocarcinoma patients, and several cytokines and Th17 and Treg cells were studied. Higher proportions of IL-17-producing CD4+T-cells were found in smoking control subjects and in lung adenocarcinoma patients compared to nonsmoking control subjects. In addition, lung adenocarcinoma patients increased both plasma concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10, and proportions of Latency Associated Peptide (LAP) TGF-βsubset of CD4+CD25+CD127−Treg cells, which overexpressed LAP TGF-β. This knowledge may lead to the development of immunotherapies that could inhibit the suppressor activity mediated by the LAP TGF-βsubset of CD4+CD25+CD127−Treg cells to promote reactivity of immune cells against lung adenocarcinoma cells.
Recovery of Posture Stability at Different Foot Placements in Patients Who Underwent Minimally Invasive Total Hip Arthroplasty: A One-Year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Chang Chun-Ju , Lin Na-Ling , Lee Mel S. , Chern Jen-Suh
Published: October 2015

To understand the progression of recovery in postural stability and physical functioning after patients received the minimally invasive total hip arthroplasty (MTHA), we monitor the pain level, functional capacity, and postural stability before and after operation within one year. In total of 23 subjects in our study, we found out that MTHA was effective in relieving pain in first 2 weeks and restoring the hip joint integrity, but the postural stability was influenced especially in tandem stand in both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. The recovery of postural stability and functional capacity in one year duration fluctuated and no consistent improvement tendency was found. We suggested clinicians designing postsurgery rehabilitation program for consistent and progressive long-term recovery of postural stability and fall prevention to optimize surgical results and prevent undesired postoperative consequences.
Phase Transitions of the BTZ Black Hole in New Massive Gravity
Authors: Myung Yun Soo
Published: October 2015

We investigate thermodynamics of the BTZ black hole in new massive gravity explicitly. Form2l2>1/2withm2being the mass parameter of fourth-order terms andl2AdS3curvature radius, the Hawking-Page phase transition occurs between the BTZ black hole and AdS (thermal) soliton. Form2l2<1/2, however, this transition unlikely occurs but a phase transition between the BTZ black hole and the massless BTZ black hole is possible to occur. We may call the latter the inverse Hawking-Page phase transition and this transition is favored in the new massive gravity.
Gallium Nitride Electrical Characteristics Extraction and Uniformity Sorting
Authors: Jeng Shyr-Long , Wu Chih-Chiang , Chieng Wei-Hua
Published: October 2015

This study examined the output electrical characteristics—current‐voltage (I‐V) output, threshold voltage, and parasitic capacitance—of novel gallium nitride (GaN) power transistors. Experimental measurements revealed that both enhanced‐ and depletion‐mode GaN field‐effect transistors (FETs) containing different components of identical specifications yielded varied turn‐off impedance; hence, the FET quality was inconsistent. Establishing standardized electrical measurements can provide necessary information for designers, and measuring transistor electrical characteristics establishes its equivalent‐circuit model for circuit simulations. Moreover, high power output requires multiple parallel power transistors, and sorting the difference between similar electrical characteristics is critical in a power system. An isolated gate driver detection method is proposed for sorting the uniformity from the option of the turn‐off characteristic. In addition, an equivalent‐circuit model for GaN FETs is established on the basis of the measured electrical characteristics and verified experimentally.
Mitochondrial Retrograde Signaling: Triggers, Pathways, and Outcomes
Authors: da Cunha Fernanda Marques , Torelli Nicole Quesada , Kowaltowski Alicia J.
Published: October 2015

Mitochondria are essential organelles for eukaryotic homeostasis. Although these organelles possess their own DNA, the vast majority (>99%) of mitochondrial proteins are encoded in the nucleus. This situation makes systems that allow the communication between mitochondria and the nucleus a requirement not only to coordinate mitochondrial protein synthesis during biogenesis but also to communicate eventual mitochondrial malfunctions, triggering compensatory responses in the nucleus. Mitochondria-to-nucleus retrograde signaling has been described in various organisms, albeit with differences in effector pathways, molecules, and outcomes, as discussed in this review.
A Spiral in the Heart: Mitral Valve Endocarditis with Unusual Vegetation Shape Potentially Affecting Effectiveness of Antibiotic Therapy
Authors: Fibbi Veronica , Ballo Piercarlo , Abbondanti Alessandro , Nannini Marco , Fazi Antonio
Published: October 2015

We report an unusual case of infective endocarditis (IE) in an 88-year-old woman, occurring on a prolapsing mitral valve and characterized by an atypical vegetation shape resembling a spiral-like appearance. After the patient refused surgical correction, persistent IE despite prolonged antibiotic therapy was observed, resulting in an ischemic stroke probably secondary to septic embolus. The importance of vegetation shape in the management of patients with IE was classically related to the increased risk of embolization associated with pedunculated, irregular, and multilobed masses. We hypothesize that the unusual spiral-like vegetation shape in our patient may have favored IE persistence by two mechanisms, namely, a decrease of the exposed vegetation surface with creation of an internal core where the penetration of antimicrobial agents was obstacled and the creation of blood turbulence within the vegetation preventing a prolonged contact with circulating antibiotics. These considerations suggest that vegetation shape might be considered of importance in patients with IE not only because of its classical association with embolization risk, but also because of its potential effect on the efficacy of antibiotic therapy.
Facile Preparation of Efficient WO3 Photocatalysts Based on Surface Modification
Authors: Liu Min , Li Hongmei , Zeng Yangsu
Published: October 2015

Tungsten trioxide (WO3) was surface modified with Cu(II) nanoclusters and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopowders by using a simple impregnation method followed by a physical combining method. The obtained nanocomposites were studied by scanning electron microscope, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra, UV‐visible light spectra, and photoluminescence, respectively. Although the photocatalytic activity of WO3 was negligible under visible light irradiation, the visible light photocatalytic activity of WO3 was drastically enhanced by surface modification of Cu(II) nanoclusters and TiO2 nanopowders. The enhanced photocatalytic activity is due to the efficient charge separation by TiO2 and Cu(II) nanoclusters functioning as cocatalysts on the surface. Thus, this simple strategy provides a facile route to prepare efficient visible‐light‐active photocatalysts for practical application.
Sodium Butyrate Plus EGF and PDGF-BB Aids Cutaneous Wound Healing in Diabetic Mice
Authors: Keshava Rohini , Gope Rajalakshmi
Published: October 2015

Topical application of growth factors is known to aid defective and/or delayed wound healing in diabetic patients. In this study, the effect of topical application of sodium butyrate (Na-Bu), EGF, and PDGF-BB was analysed on the acute cutaneous wound healing in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mouse model. Two cutaneous wounds were created, one on each of the dorsolateral sides of the diabetic mice. Na-Bu, EGF, and PDGF-BB were applied to the wound either individually or in various combinations. The wound healing was monitored visually and scored as percentage wound closure. The tissue samples were collected from the wound site at 1, 7, and 14 days after wounding from the treated and untreated diabetic wounds and analysed for the levels of EGF-R, β-PDGF-R, HDAC1, p21, and phosphorylated and hypophosphorylated pRb proteins. Our results indicate that application of EGF plus PDGF-BB at the initial stages followed by subsequent addition of Na-Bu along with these growth factors helps wound healing in diabetic mice. It appears that, in addition to cell proliferative agents, a cell differentiation agent, Na-Bu, is necessary for diabetic wound healing. Topical application of EGF plus PDGF-BB along with Na-Bu could be developed as therapeutic agents to treat and manage human diabetic wounds.
On the Role of the Blood Vessel Endothelial Microvilli in the Blood Flow in Small Capillaries
Authors: Makarov Vladimir , Zueva Lidia , Sanabria Priscila , Wessinger William Dave , Golubeva Tatiana , Khmelinskii Igor , Inyushin Mikhail
Published: October 2015

Endothelial microvilli that protrude into the capillary lumen, although invisible in the optical microscopy, may play an important role in the blood flow control in the capillaries. Because of the plug effects, the width of the gap between the capillary wall and the blood cell is especially critical for the blood flow dynamics in capillaries, while microvilli located on the capillary wall can easily control the velocity of the blood flow. We report that microvilli in the capillaries of different vertebrate species have similar characteristics and density, suggesting similarities between the respective regulation mechanisms. A simplified physical model of the capillary effective diameter control by the microvilli is presented.
Quantitative Risk Analysis of Offshore Fire and Explosion Based on the Analysis of Human and Organizational Factors
Authors: Wang Yan Fu , Li Yu Lian , Zhang Biao , Yan Pei Na , Zhang Li
Published: October 2015

A dynamic risk analysis model of offshore fire and explosion is proposed in this paper. It considers the effect of human and organizational factors in a more explicit way than current traditional risk analysis methods. This paper begins with exploring the recent advances on offshore fire and explosion risk analysis theories, followed by briefly introducing the research techniques employed in the proposed hybrid causal logic model which consists of event tree, fault tree, Bayesian network, and system dynamics. Thereafter, it proposes a quantitative risk analysis framework. At last, the applicability of this model to the offshore platform is also discussed. It aims to provide guideline for risk analysis of offshore fire and explosion.
The Luminescence Properties and Energy Transfer from Ce3+ to Pr3+ for YAG:Ce3+Pr3+ Phosphors
Authors: Guan Rongfeng , Cao Liu , You Yajun , Cao Yuebin
Published: October 2015

Y2.94−xAl5O12(YAG):Ce0.06Prx phosphors with various Pr3+ concentrations (x = 0, 0.006, 0.01, 0.03, 0.06, and 0.09) were synthesized by using a coprecipitation method. The phases, luminescent properties, and energy transfer phenomenon from Ce3+ to Pr3+ were investigated. The results indicated that the doping of Pr3+  (x ≤ 0.09) did not produce any new phases but caused a slight lattice parameters increase. After Pr3+ doping, the YAG:CePr phosphor emits red light at 610 nm, which was regarded helpful for improving the colour rendering index of the phosphor. With Pr3+ concentration increase from 0.006 to 0.01 mol, the intensity of red light emission increased slightly; further increasing Pr3+ concentration from 0.01 to 0.09, the red light emission intensity decreased gradually. Excitation at 340, and 460 nm could not lead to the direct electronic excitation of Pr3+ ions; however, when YAG:CePr was excited at 340 nm a red light emission at 610 nm appeared, which implied the energy transfer phenomenon from Ce3+ to Pr3+.
Reduced-Complexity Algorithms for Indoor Map-Aware Localization Systems
Authors: Montorsi Francesco , Pancaldi Fabrizio , Vitetta Giorgio M.
Published: October 2015

The knowledge of environmental maps (i.e., map-awareness)
can appreciably improve the accuracy of optimal
methods for position estimation in indoor scenarios. This improvement,
however, is achieved at the price of a significant complexity
increase with respect to the case of map-unawareness,
specially for large maps. This is mainly due to the fact that
optimal map-aware estimation algorithms require integrating
highly nonlinear functions or solving nonlinear and nonconvex
constrained optimization problems. In this paper, various
techniques for reducing the complexity of such estimators are
developed. In particular, two novel strategies for restricting the
search domain of map-aware position estimators are developed
and the exploitation of state-of-the-art numerical integration and
optimization methods is investigated; this leads to the development
of a new family of suboptimal map-aware localization
algorithms. Our numerical and experimental results evidence that
the accuracy of these algorithms is very close to that offered
by their optimal counterparts, despite their significantly lower
computational complexity.
Time for Reflection: The Balance between Repetition and Feedback in Resuscitation Training—A Randomised Controlled Trial
Authors: Krogh Kristian , Pilegaard Morten , Eika Berit
Published: October 2015

Background. The simulation literature widely agrees that the reflective learning phase after the simulation is equal to or perhaps of even greater importance than the actual simulated scenario in ensuring learning. Nevertheless, advanced life support (ALS) tends to have many simulated scenarios followed by short feedback sessions. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of two groups of novice learners to stay adherent to the ALS guidelines in their provision of ALS after they had received either 8 or 12 simulated resuscitation scenarios, both in 4 hours. Methods. This study was a randomised controlled trial. Participants were either randomised to the control group with 12 scenarios (15 minutes per scenario) with 5 minutes of feedback or the intervention group with 8 simulations (15 minutes per scenario) with 15 minutes of feedback. Results. There was no statistically significant difference in test scores between the intervention group and control group in the 1-week retention test (p=0.59) and the 12-week retention test (p=0.43).  Conclusion. This study suggests that the lower number of repetitive ALS simulation scenarios does not diminish learning when the feedback is equally prolonged to ensure sufficient time for reflection.
Image-Based Structural Modeling of the Cardiac Purkinje Network
Authors: Liu Benjamin R. , Cherry Elizabeth M.
Published: October 2015

The Purkinje network is a specialized conduction system within the heart that ensures the proper activation of the ventricles to produce effective contraction. Its role during ventricular arrhythmias is less clear, but some experimental studies have suggested that the Purkinje network may significantly affect the genesis and maintenance of ventricular arrhythmias. Despite its importance, few structural models of the Purkinje network have been developed, primarily because current physical limitations prevent examination of the intact Purkinje network. In previous modeling efforts Purkinje-like structures have been developed through either automated or hand-drawn procedures, but these networks have been created according to general principles rather than based on real networks. To allow for greater realism in Purkinje structural models, we present a method for creating three-dimensional Purkinje networks based directly on imaging data. Our approach uses Purkinje network structures extracted from photographs of dissected ventricles and projects these flat networks onto realistic endocardial surfaces. Using this method, we create models for the combined ventricle-Purkinje system that can fully activate the ventricles through a stimulus delivered to the Purkinje network and can produce simulated activation sequences that match experimental observations. The combined models have the potential to help elucidate Purkinje network contributions during ventricular arrhythmias.
Breast Cancer-Derived Extracellular Vesicles: Characterization and Contribution to the Metastatic Phenotype
Authors: Green Toni M. , Alpaugh Mary L. , Barsky Sanford H. , Rappa Germana , Lorico Aurelio
Published: October 2015

The study of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in cancer progression is a complex and rapidly evolving field. Whole categories of cellular interactions in cancer which were originally presumed to be due solely to soluble secreted molecules have now evolved to include membrane-enclosed extracellular vesicles (EVs), which include both exosomes and shed microvesicles (MVs), and can contain many of the same molecules as those secreted in soluble form but many different molecules as well. EVs released by cancer cells can transfer mRNA, miRNA, and proteins to different recipient cells within the tumor microenvironment, in both an autocrine and paracrine manner, causing a significant impact on signaling pathways, mRNA transcription, and protein expression. The transfer of EVs to target cells, in turn, supports cancer growth, immunosuppression, and metastasis formation. This review focuses exclusively on breast cancer EVs with an emphasis on breast cancer-derived exosomes, keeping in mind that breast cancer-derived EVs share some common physical properties with EVs of other cancers.
An Enhanced Artificial Bee Colony-Based Support Vector Machine for Image-Based Fault Detection
Authors: Chen Guijun , Zhang Xueying , Wang Zizhong John , Li Fenglian
Published: October 2015

Fault detection has become extremely important in industrial production so that numerous potential losses caused from equipment failures could be saved. As a noncontact method, machine vision can satisfy the needs of real-time fault monitoring. However, image-based fault features often have the characteristics of high-dimensionality and redundant correlation. To optimize feature subsets and SVM parameters, this paper presents an enhanced artificial bee colony-based support vector machine (EABC-SVM) approach. The method is applied to the image-based fault detection for the conveyor belt. To improve the optimized capability of original ABC, the EABC algorithm introduces two enhanced strategies including the Cat chaotic mapping initialization and current optimum based search equations. Several UCI datasets have been used to evaluate the performance of EABC-SVM and the experimental results show that this approach has better classification accuracy and convergence performance than the ABC-SVM and other ABC variants-based SVM. Furthermore, the EABC-SVM can achieve a significant detection accuracy of 95% and reduce the amount of features about 65% in the conveyor belt fault detection.
The Effect of Risk Factors on the Levels of Chemical Elements in the Tibial Plateau of Patients with Osteoarthritis following Knee Surgery
Authors: Lanocha-Arendarczyk Natalia , Kosik-Bogacka Danuta Izabela , Prokopowicz Adam , Kalisinska Elzbieta , Sokolowski Sebastian , Karaczun Maciej , Zietek Pawel , Podlasińska Joanna , Pilarczyk Bogumila , Tomza-Marciniak Agnieszka , Baranowska-Bosiacka Irena , Gutowska Izabela , Safranow Krzysztof , Chlubek Dariusz
Published: October 2015

The aim of this study was to evaluate the aforementioned chemical elements in tibial plateau samples obtained during knee arthroplasty. The gender-specific analysis of chemical element levels in the bone samples revealed that there were statistically significant differences in the concentration of Pb and Se/Pb ratio. The contents of elements in the tibial plateau in the patients with osteoarthritis (OA) can be arranged in the following descending order: F−> K > Zn > Fe > Sr > Pb > Mn > Se > Cd > THg. We observed statistical significant effects of environmental factors including smoking, seafood diet, and geographical distribution on the levels of the elements in tibial bone. Significant positive correlation coefficients were found for the relationships K-Cd, Zn-Sr, Zn-F−, THg-Pb, Pb-Cd, Se-Se/Pb, Se-Se/Cd, Se/Pb-Se/Cd, Pb-Cd/Ca, Cd-Cd/Ca, and F−-F−/Ca·1000. Significant negative correlations were found for the relationships THg-Se/Pb, Pb-Se/Pb, Cd-Se/Pb, K-Se/Cd, Pb-Se/Cd, Cd-Se/Cd, THg-Se/THg, Pb-Se/THg, Se-Pb/Cd, Zn-Cd/Ca, and Se/Cd-Cd/Ca. The results reported here may provide a basis for establishing reference values for the tibial plateau in patients with OA who had undergone knee replacement surgery. The concentrations of elements in the bone with OA were determined by age, presence of implants, smoking, fish and seafood diet, and sport activity.
Composite-Level Conflict Detection in UML Model Versioning
Authors: Zhang Zu , Zhang Renwei , Qin Zheng
Published: October 2015

At present, model-driven engineering plays an essential role in software development. Model versioning systems perform the task of conflict detection when merging parallel-developed model versions. However, conflict detection is typically conducted at the primitive operation level in operation-based systems. This situation implies that the overall intention of model developers may be disregarded, which results in unsatisfactory performance. In this study, we present an approach to conflict detection at the composite level in model versioning systems for Unified Modeling Language. This approach has two main stages. During the preprocessing stage, redundant operations are removed from the originally recorded operation lists to increase efficiency. During the conflict detection stage, a fragmentation procedure is conducted with only potentially conflicted operations allocated into the same fragment. Then, a pattern-matching strategy is applied to help indicate conflicts.