bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular detection and analysis of a novel metalloprotease gene of entomopathogenic Serratia marcescens strains in infected Galleria mellonella
Authors: Tambong J.T. , Xu R. , Sadiku A. , Chen Q. , Badiss A. , Yu Q.
Published: February 2014

Serratia marcescens strains isolated from entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditis sp.) were examined for their pathogenicity and establishment in wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae. All the Serratia strains were potently pathogenic to G. mellonella larvae, leading to death within 48 h. The strains were shown to possess a metalloprotease gene encoding for a novel serralysin-like protein. Rapid establishment of the bacteria in infected larvae was confirmed by specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of a DNA fragment encoding for this protein. Detection of the viable Serratia strains in infected larvae was validated using the SYBR Green reverse transcriptase real-time PCR assay targeting the metalloprotease gene. Nucleotide sequences of the metalloprotease gene obtained in our study showed 72 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and 3 insertions compared with the metalloprotease gene of S. marcescens E-15. The metalloprotease gene had 60 synonymous and 8 nonsynonymous substitutions relative to the closest GenBank entry, S. marcescens E-15. A comparison of the amino acid composition of the new serralysin-like protein with that of the serralysin protein of S. marcescens E-15 revealed differences at 11 positions and a new aspartic acid residue. Analysis of the effect of protein variation suggests that a new aspartic acid residue resulting from nonsynonymous nucleotide mutations in the protein structure could have the most significant effect on its biological function. The new metalloprotease gene and (or) its product could have applications in plant agricultural biotechnology.
Suppression of superconductivity by inhomogeneous chiral condensation in the NJL2 model
Authors: Ebert D. , Khunjua T. G. , Klimenko K. G. , Ch. Zhukovsky V.
Published: February 2014

We investigate the possibility of spatially inhomogeneous chiral and Cooper, or superconducting, pairing in the (1+1)-dimensional model by Chodos et al. [Phys. Rev. D 61, 045011 (2000)] generalized to continuous chiral invariance. The consideration is performed at nonzero values of temperature T and quark number chemical potential μ. In the framework of the Fulde–Ferrel inhomogeneity ansatz for chiral and Cooper condensates, we show that if G1>G2, where G1 and G2 are the coupling constants in the quark–antiquark and diquark channels, then in the (μ, T)-phase diagram the superconducting phase is suppressed by spatially inhomogeneous chiral spiral phase with broken chiral symmetry. In contrast, in the above mentioned original Chodos et al. model, where only the opportunity for homogeneous condensates is taken into account, the superconducting phase is realized at sufficiently high values of μ at arbitrary values of G2>0, including the interval 0<G2<G1.
FLUCTUATION THEOREMS WITHOUT TIME-REVERSAL SYMMETRY
Authors: WANG CHENJIE , FELDMAN D. E.
Published: February 2014

Fluctuation theorems establish deep relations between observables away from thermal equilibrium. Until recently, the research on fluctuation theorems was focused on time-reversal-invariant systems. In this review we address some newly discovered fluctuation relations that hold without the time-reversal symmetry, in particular, in the presence of an external magnetic field. One family of relations connects nonlinear transport coefficients in the opposite magnetic fields. Another family relates currents and noises at a fixed direction of the magnetic field in chiral systems, such as the edges of some quantum Hall liquids. We review the recent experimental and theoretical research, including the controversy about the microreversibility without the time-reversal symmetry, consider the applications of fluctuation theorems to the physics of topological states of matter, and discuss open problems.
A 1 V INTEGRATION AND ACCURACY AND POWER IMPROVED HEARING AID SYSTEM WITH THE TRIPLE OSCILLATION-BASED LOOPS TECHNIQUE
Authors: LI FANYANG , YIN TAO , WANG XIAOYU
Published: February 2014

We present the integration and accuracy and power improved hearing aid system that proposes the triple oscillation-based loops (TOL) technique. Compared with the conventional techniques, the technique replaces the interface capacitors, A/D and D/A convertors with the oscillation-based closed loop and the calibration/operation feedback paths, which are able to enhance the integration of the system and improve the system's accuracy and power performance. Specifically, the technique achieves the only once of the second-order delta-sigma modulation with an integrator and an oscillator. To realize the architecture, the current mode blocks with calibration and successive subtraction are presented on the circuit design. Simulated with a 0.13 μm standard CMOS process in Cadence, with the 16 ohm loudspeaker impedance under the 1 V supply voltage, the input referred DC offset voltage with interface capacitor free is achieved below 2.5 mV; and the signal-to-noise and distortion rate (SNDR) achieves 50 dB@400 mVp-p output voltage. Moreover, the power consumption with no load is maintained within 350 μW.
A SURVEY OF PRIVACY-PRESERVING COLLABORATIVE FILTERING SCHEMES
Authors: BILGE ALPER , KALELI CIHAN , YAKUT IBRAHIM , GUNES IHSAN , POLAT HUSEYIN
Published: February 2014

With increasing need for preserving confidential data while providing recommendations, privacy-preserving collaborative filtering has been receiving increasing attention. To make data owners feel more comfortable while providing predictions, various schemes have been proposed to estimate recommendations without deeply jeopardizing privacy. Such methods eliminate or reduce data owners' privacy, financial, and legal concerns by employing different privacy-preserving techniques. Although there are considerable numbers of studies focusing on privacy-preserving collaborative filtering schemes, there is no comprehensive survey investigating them with respect to different directions. In this survey, we mainly focus on studying various privacy-preserving recommendation methods according to the data partitioning cases and the utilized techniques for preserving confidentiality. We also review privacy in general and examine in collaborative filtering scenarios. We discuss the proposed schemes in terms of their limitations and practical implementation challenges. Moreover, we give an overview of evaluation of such schemes. We finally provide a comprehensive guideline for studying in this area and propose future research directions.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING APPLIED TO SOFTWARE ENGINEERING: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW
Authors: MENOLLI ANDRE , REINEHR SHEILA , MALUCELLI ANDREIA
Published: February 2014

Organizational learning assists the companies to improve significantly their processes by means of experiences reuse, making knowledge accessible to the whole organization. In software engineering it is important that the acquired knowledge is stored and systematically reused. This paper aims to present a systematic review, by identifying in which software engineering areas are the organizational learning studies concentrated, and how the organizational learning concepts are being applied in software engineering. This systematic review identified 2496 papers. After eliminating the duplicate titles and those not related to the review, 1184 papers remained. Applying the exclusion criteria, the number of papers was reduced to 68. These papers were analyzed and classified according to the software engineering areas defined in the SWEBOK, and the main organizational learning theories and techniques. It was observed that many software engineering researches apply organizational learning concepts without being aware of it.
ONE-DIMENSIONAL MODELING AND SIMULATIONS OF MIGRATION OF CULTURED FIBROBLASTS
Authors: WU PEI-JUNG , LIN CHOU-CHING K. , JU MING-SHAUNG
Published: February 2014

Cell migration is crucial for many physiological functions such as wound healing, immuno-response and carcinogenesis. In this study an one-dimensional model of migration of fibroblasts was developed by modeling and integrating five subcellular processes, namely, actin protrusion, focal adhesion formation, stress fiber formation, polarization and retraction. The direction of migration was determined by polarization, which was related to direction of the stiffness gradient of the substrate. By controlling intensity of ultraviolet exposure on type-I collagen, a substrate with a stiffness gradient could be fabricated. Kinematic analyses of positions of the cell front, the nucleus and the cell rear, were utilized as inputs to the model. Simulation results of five live NIH 3T3 fibroblasts showed that the model was capable of simulating fast moving, slow moving and back-and-forth moving of the cells on the substrate.
High Performance Analysis of CDS Delta-Sigma ADC in 45-Nanometer Regime
Authors: Bhargava Bhanupriya , Sharma Pradeep Kumar , Akashe Shyam
Published: February 2014

In this paper, a correlated double sampling (CDS) technique is proposed in the design of a delta sigma analog-to-digital converter (ADC). These CDS techniques are very effective for the compensation of the nonidealities in switched-capacitor (SC) circuits, such as charge injection, clock feed-through, operational amplifier (op-amp) input-referred offset and finite op-amp gain. An improved compensation scheme is proposed to attain continuous compensation of clock feed-through and offset in SC integrators. Both high-speed and low-power operation is achieved without compromising the accuracy requirement. Also this CDS delta sigma ADC is the most promising circuit for analog to digital converter because this circuit reduces noise due to drift and low frequency noise such as flicker noise and offset voltage and also boosts the gain performance of the amplifier. Further, the simulation results of this circuit are verified on using a "cadence virtuoso tool" using spectre at 45 nm technology with supply voltage 0.7 V.
Structure of a multiprocessor using microprogrammable building blocks
Authors: Davis R. L. , Zucker S.
Published: February 2014

This paper describes a general purpose, microprogrammable, hardware building block called an Interpreter, an LSI-multiprocessing system in which the Interpreter is used, and a machine structure, implemented via firmware on the Interpreter.

The Interpreter consists of five types of functional modules, each partitioned for eventual implementation with LSI arrays of 450-750 gates and less than 126 signal pins. One of these functional units is the writable microprogram memory, whose contents define the function of the Interpreter. The flexibility of the Interpreter is typified by its present use as a device controller, a stand-alone emulator of other machines, and as a multiprocessor.

The Interpreter's main design concept allows functions formerly performed by software alone to be now performed by the emulating hardware. In this presentation an instruction set, which includes those software functions frequently and consistently used in operating systems, is emulated. The order code will allow for easy table and list manipulation or handling since much of scheduling and resource handling is confined to such operations.

The ability to write code independent of the data to be processed is provided by accessing information through descriptions. These descriptions can locate the requested information, describe its structure, impose controls on the use of the information and provide signals to the operating system for special functions.
Human-machine conversations to support multi-agency missions
Authors: Preece Alun , Braines Dave , Pizzocaro Diego , Parizas Christos
Published: February 2014

In domains such as emergency response, environmental monitoring, policing and security, sensor and information networks are deployed to assist human users across multiple agencies to conduct missions at or near the 'front line'. These domains present challenging problems in terms of human-machine collaboration: human users need to task the network to help them achieve mission objectives, while humans (sometimes the same individuals) are also sources of mission-critical information. We propose a natural language-based conversational approach to supporting humanmachine working in mission-oriented sensor networks. We present a model for human-machine and machine-machine interactions in a realistic mission context, and evaluate the model using an existing surveillance mission scenario. The model supports the flow of conversations from full natural language to a form of Controlled Natural Language (CNL) amenable to machine processing and automated reasoning, including high-level information fusion tasks. We introduce a mechanism for presenting the gist of verbose CNL expressions in a more convenient form for human users. We show how the conversational interactions supported by the model include requests for expansions and explanations of machine-processed information.
Embryo transfer cannot delineate between the maternal pregnancy environment and germ line effects in the transgenerational transmission of disease in rats
Authors: Tran Melanie , Gallo Linda A. , Hanvey Alanna N. , Jefferies Andrew J. , Westcott Kerryn T. , Cullen-McEwen Luise A. , Gardner David K. , Moritz Karen M. , Wlodek Mary E.
Published: February 2014

Adverse conditions in utero can have transgenerational effects, in the absence of a subsequent insult. We aimed to investigate the contribution of the maternal pregnancy environment vs. germ line effects in mediating alterations to cardiorenal and metabolic physiology in offspring from mothers born small. Uteroplacental insufficiency was induced by bilateral uterine artery and vein ligation (Restricted group) or sham surgery (Control group) in Wistar-Kyoto rats. Restricted and control female offspring (F1) were mated with either breeder males (embryo donor) or vasectomized males (embryo recipient). Embryo transfer was performed at embryonic day (E) 1, whereby second-generation (F2) embryos gestated (donor-in-recipient) in either a control (Cont-in-Cont, Rest-in-Cont) or restricted (Cont-in-Rest, Rest-in-Rest) mother. In male and female offspring, glomerular number and size were measured at postnatal day (PN) 35, and systolic blood pressure, glucose control, insulin sensitivity, and pancreatic β-cell mass were measured in separate sibling cohorts at 6 mo. Rest-in-Rest offspring were hypothesized to have similar characteristics (reduced growth, altered metabolic control, and hypertension) to non-embryo-transferred Rest, such that embryo transfer would not be a confounding experimental influence. However, embryo-transferred Rest-in-Rest offspring underwent accelerated growth during the peripubertal phase, followed by slowed growth between 2 and 3 mo of age compared with non-embryo-transferred Rest groups. Furthermore, renal function and insulin response to a glucose load were different to respective non-embryo-transferred groups. Our data demonstrate the long-term effects of in vitro embryo manipulation, which confounded the utility of this approach in delineating between the maternal pregnancy environment and germ line effects that drive transgenerational outcomes.
Selective inhibition of angiotensin receptor signaling through Erk1/2 pathway by a novel peptide
Authors: Liu Jun , Yosten Gina L. C. , Ji Hong , Zhang Dan , Zheng Wei , Speth Robert C. , Samson Willis K. , Sandberg Kathryn
Published: February 2014

A seven-amino acid peptide (PEP7) is encoded within a short open reading frame within exon 2 (E2) in the 5′-leader sequence (5′LS) upstream of the rat ANG 1a-receptor (rAT1aR) mRNA. A chemically synthesized PEP7 markedly inhibited ANG II-induced Erk1/2 activation in cell culture by 62% compared with a scrambled PEP7 (sPEP7) [pErk1/2/Erk1/2 (AU): ANG II, 1.000 ± 0.0, ANG II+PEP7, 0.3812 ± 0.086, ANG II+sPEP7, 1.069 ± 0.18; n = 3]. Under these same conditions, PEP7 had no effect on ANG II-stimulated inositol-trisphosphate production. PEP7 also had no effect on epidermal growth factor- and phorbol methyl ester-induced Erk1/2 activation, suggesting PEP7 selectively inhibits AT1aR-mediated Erk1/2 signaling. PEP7 intracerebroventricularly inhibited ANG II-induced saline intake but had no effect on water intake in male and female rats, indicating PEP7 also selectively inhibits the ANG II-Erk1/2 pathway in vivo since saline drinking is Erk1/2-mediated, while water drinking is not. PEP7 inhibition of ANG II-induced saline ingestion was rapidly reversed by a subsequent intracerebroventricular injection of an oxytocin antagonist, suggesting when PEP7 blocks ANG II-stimulated Erk1/2 activation, animals no longer ingest saline to balance the continued water intake, due to the release of oxytocin and its subsequent inhibitory effects on saline drinking. PEP7 also attenuated ANG II-induced increases in arterial pressure by 35% compared with sPEP7 at the same dose. Thus, we have identified a novel peptide encoded within the rAT1aR E2 that selectively inhibits Erk1/2 activation, resulting in physiological consequences for sodium ingestion and arterial pressure that may have implications for treating sodium-sensitive diseases like hypertension and chronic kidney disease.
Kidney injury molecule-1 expression in IgA nephropathy and its correlation with hypoxia and tubulointerstitial inflammation
Authors: Lin Qiongzhen , Chen Ying , Lv Jicheng , Zhang Hong , Tang Jiawei , Gunaratnam Lakshman , Li Xiaomei , Yang Li
Published: February 2014

Tubulointerstitial injury plays an important role in the development and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Kidney injury molecule (KIM)-1 is induced in damaged proximal tubules in both acute renal injury and CKD. However, the dynamics of KIM-1 in CKD and effects of KIM-1 expression on disease progression are unknown. Here, we aimed to determine the associations between tubular KIM-1 expression levels, renal function, and inflammation in CKD. The relationships between levels of KIM-1 and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed in patients with progressive and nonprogressive IgA nephropathy. KIM-1 expression was increased in patients with IgA nephropathy, and its expression was significantly correlated with the decrease of renal function. KIM-1 was particularly evident at the site with reduced capillary density, and KIM-1-positive tubules were surrounded by infiltrates of inflammatory cells. Using in vitro cell models, we showed that cellular stressors, including hypoxia, induced KIM-1 expression. KIM-1-expressing cells produced more chemokines/cytokines when cultured under hypoxic conditions. Furthermore, we showed that tubular cells with KIM-1 expression can regulate the immune response of inflammatory cells through the secretion of chemotactic factors. These data suggest that KIM-1-expressing epithelial cells may play a role in the pathogenesis of tubulointerstitial inflammation during chronic renal injury through the secretion of chemokines/cytokines.
Optical Emission Spectroscopic Analysis of Plasma Plume during Pulsed Laser Deposition of PZT
Authors: Sasanka Kumar S. , Reshmi R. , Joshy N. V. , Saritha A. C. , Jayaraj M. K.
Published: February 2014

Spatial variation in intensity of spectral emission, electron temperature, number density, and the time of flight (TOF) of ions and neutrals at various oxygen ambiances has been investigated on ferroelectric lead zirconium titanate (PZT) plasma using optical emission spectroscopy. Plasma produced by ablating PZT ceramic target using Nd-YAG laser operating at the third harmonics (λ=355 nm, τ=10 ns, repetition frequency 10 Hz) was investigated at various oxygen partial pressures and at various distances from the target surface. Here energy density for laser fluence was fixed as 3.13 Jcm−2 and distance from the target and ambient gas pressure were varied. The electron number density Ne and electron temperature of the PZT plasma at the early stage of plume expansion were measured as 1.7×1017 Jcm−2 and 13200 K, respectively, and thus verified the existence of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). Time of flight spectra (TOF) of neutral and singly ionized species in plasma were recorded. The result shows that plasma parameters and velocity of species are of same order for various oxygen partial pressures but have a decreasing tendency with distance. The energy of almost all species in the plume become more or less same at 0.1 mbar. These conditions favour the growth of perovskite PZT thin films.
Possible Usefulness of Gadolinium-Enhanced Brain MRI for Evaluating Risk of Perioperative Hemorrhage: A Case of Infective Endocarditis
Authors: Koeda Chikahiko , Tashiro Atsushi , Takahashi Tomohiro , Niiyama Masanobu , Sakamoto Ryohei , Kimura Takumi , Morino Yoshihiro , Terui Katsutoshi , Tanaka Ryoichi , Yoshioka Kunihiro , Kin Hajime , Okabayashi Hitoshi , Nakamura Motoyuki
Published: February 2014

A 59-year-old woman visited a local hospital for fever and was diagnosed as having infective endocarditis (IE) on the basis of blood cultures and transthoracic echocardiography. Based on clinical episodes of subarachnoid hemorrhage after admission, it was judged that she was not a good candidate for urgent open heart surgery, and it was decided to treat her with conservative medical therapy for the acute phase. We explored the optimum timing for surgery by employing gadolinium (Gd) contrast medium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* weighted image (black dots) due to her high risk of perioperative cerebral hemorrhage. After the disappearance of the contrast media enhancement effect around the black dots, open heart surgery was performed successfully on the 103rd hospitalization day. The patient was discharged 22 days after the surgery with no clinical complications. This case suggests that disappearance of the contrast media enhancement effect around the black dots may be a useful marker for optimal timing of surgery to minimize the risk of perioperative cerebral hemorrhage in patients with IE.Learning Objective. The MRI T2* weighted images including those with Gd contrast medium enhancement effect may be useful for evaluating the risk of perioperative intracranial hemorrhage in IE.
SEM-PLS Analysis of Inhibiting Factors of Cost Performance for Large Construction Projects in Malaysia: Perspective of Clients and Consultants
Authors: Memon Aftab Hameed , Rahman Ismail Abdul
Published: February 2014

This study uncovered inhibiting factors to cost performance in large construction projects of Malaysia. Questionnaire survey was conducted among clients and consultants involved in large construction projects. In the questionnaire, a total of 35 inhibiting factors grouped in 7 categories were presented to the respondents for rating significant level of each factor. A total of 300 questionnaire forms were distributed. Only 144 completed sets were received and analysed using advanced multivariate statistical software of Structural Equation Modelling (SmartPLS v2). The analysis involved three iteration processes where several of the factors were deleted in order to make the model acceptable. The result of the analysis found thatR2value of the model is 0.422 which indicates that the developed model has a substantial impact on cost performance. Based on the final form of the model, contractor’s site management category is the most prominent in exhibiting effect on cost performance of large construction projects. This finding is validated using advanced techniques of power analysis. This vigorous multivariate analysis has explicitly found the significant category which consists of several causative factors to poor cost performance in large construction projects. This will benefit all parties involved in construction projects for controlling cost overrun.
PET and PET/CT with68Gallium-Labeled Somatostatin Analogues in Non GEP-NETs Tumors
Authors: Sollini Martina , Erba Paola Anna , Fraternali Alessandro , Casali Massimiliano , Di Paolo Maria Liberata , Froio Armando , Frasoldati Andrea , Versari Annibale
Published: February 2014

Somatostatin (SST) is a 28-amino-acid cyclic neuropeptide mainly secreted by neurons and endocrine cells. A major interest for SST receptors (SSTR) as target for in vivo diagnostic and therapeutic purposes was born since a series of stable synthetic SST-analouges PET became available, being the native somatostatin non feasible for clinical use due to the very low metabolic stability. The rationale for the employment of SST-analogues to image cancer is both based on the expression of SSTR by tumor and on the high affinity of these compounds for SSTR. The primary indication of SST-analogues imaging is for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), which usually express a high density of SSTR, so they can be effectively targeted and visualized with radiolabeled SST-analogues in vivo. Particularly, SST-analogues imaging has been widely employed in gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) NETs. Nevertheless, a variety of tumors other than NETs expresses SSTR thus SST-analogues imaging can also be used in these tumors, particularly if treatment with radiolabeled therapeutic SST-analouges PET is being considered. The aim of this paper is to provide a concise overview of the role of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with68Ga-radiolabeled SST-analouges PET in tumors other than GEP-NETs.
Transferrin-Conjugated SNALPs Encapsulating 2′-O-Methylated miR-34a for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Scognamiglio Immacolata , Di Martino Maria Teresa , Campani Virginia , Virgilio Antonella , Galeone Aldo , Gullà Annamaria , Gallo Cantafio Maria Eugenia , Misso Gabriella , Tagliaferri Pierosandro , Tassone Pierfrancesco , Caraglia Michele , De Rosa Giuseppe
Published: February 2014

Stable nucleic acid lipid vesicles (SNALPs) encapsulating miR-34a to treat multiple myeloma (MM) were developed. Wild type or completely 2′-O-methylated (OMet) MiR-34a was used in this study. Moreover, SNALPs were conjugated with transferrin (Tf) in order to target MM cells overexpressing transferrin receptors (TfRs). The type of miR-34a chemical backbone did not significantly affect the characteristics of SNALPs in terms of mean size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential, while the encapsulation of an OMet miR-34a resulted in a significant increase of miRNA encapsulation into the SNALPs. On the other hand, the chemical conjugation of SNALPs with Tf resulted in a significant decrease of the zeta potential, while size characteristics and miR-34a encapsulation into SNALPs were not significantly affected. In an experimental model of MM, all the animals treated with SNALPs encapsulating miR-34a showed a significant inhibition of the tumor growth. However, the use of SNALPs conjugated with Tf and encapsulating OMet miR-34a resulted in the highest increase of mice survival. These results may represent the proof of concept for the use of SNALPs encapsulating miR-34a for the treatment of MM.
Evaluation of Creatine Kinase, Lactate Dehydrogenase, and Amylase Concentrations in Umbilical Blood of Preterm Infants after Long-Term Tocolysis
Authors: Nakajima Yoshiyuki , Masaoka Naoki
Published: February 2014

Creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and amylase levels of preterm infants following long-term tocolysis in pregnant women are limited. The objective of this study was to determine if the tocolytic therapy affects CK, LDH, and amylase levels in the umbilical blood. This study included 215 preterm infants born to women treated with and without ritodrine hydrochloride. CK, LDH, and amylase levels in the umbilical blood at delivery were determined. Infants were divided according to the ritodrine tocolysis, as follows: Group A (n=91), not exposed to ritodrine; Group B (n=44), IV ritodrine for <1 week; Group C (n=80), IV ritodrine for ≥1 week. The CK concentration in cord blood of Group C (198.8±14.2 IU/L) was significantly higher in comparison with Group A (155.0±7.3 IU/L,P<0.05). There was no significant difference in LDH and amylase levels in the three groups. The CK significantly correlated with gestational age (r=0.42,P<0.01) and birth weight (r=0.38,P<0.01). LDH and amylase levels did not change with gestational age nor birth weight. In conclusion, long-term ritodrine tocolysis leads to increased umbilical blood CK level.
Centering Pregnancy in Missouri: A System Level Analysis
Authors: Xaverius Pamela K. , Grady Mary Alice
Published: February 2014

Background. Centering Pregnancy (CP) is an effective method of delivering prenatal care, yet providers have been slow to adopt the CP model. Our main hypothesis is that a site’s adoption of CP is contingent upon knowledge of the CP, characteristics health care personnel, anticipated patient impact, and system readiness.Methods. Using a matched, pretest-posttest, observational design, 223 people completed pretest and posttest surveys. Our analysis included the effect of the seminar on the groups’ knowledge of CP essential elements, barriers to prenatal care, and perceived value of CP to the patients and to the system of care.Results. Before the CP Seminar only 34% of respondents were aware of the model, while knowledge significantly after the Seminar. The three greatest improvements were in understanding that the group is conducted in a circle, the health assessment occurs in the group space, and a facilitative leadership style is used. Child care, transportation, and language issues were the top three barriers. The greatest improvements reported for patients included improvements in timeliness, patient-centeredness and efficiency, although readiness for adoption was influenced by costs, resources, and expertise.Discussion. Readiness to adopt CP will require support for the start-up and sustainability of this model.
Microduplication of 3p26.3 Implicated in Cognitive Development
Authors: Te Weehi Leah , Maikoo Raj , Mc Cormack Adrian , Mazzaschi Roberto , Ashton Fern , Zhang Liangtao , George Alice M. , Love Donald R.
Published: February 2014

We report here a 34-month-old boy with global developmental delay referred for molecular karyotyping and fragile X studies. Molecular karyotype analysis revealed a microduplication in the 3p26.3 region involving part of theCHL1andCNTN6genes. Several deletions, one translocation, and one duplication have previously been described in this region of chromosome 3. TheCHL1gene has been proposed as a dosage-sensitive gene with a central role in cognitive development, and so the microduplication reported here appears to be implicated in our patient’s phenotype.
Identification of a Chicken Anemia Virus Variant-RelatedGyrovirusin Stray Cats in China, 2012
Authors: Zhang Xinheng , Liu Yuanjia , Ji Jun , Chen Feng , Sun Baoli , Xue Chunyi , Ma Jingyun , Bi Yingzuo , Xie Qingmei
Published: February 2014

The chicken anemia virus (CAV), is a known member of the genusGyrovirusand was first isolated from chickens in Japan in 1979. Some reports have also demonstrated that CAV can be identified in human stool specimens. In this study, a variant of CAV was detected using PCR with CAV-based primers in fecal samples of stray cats. The genome of CAV variant was sequenced and the results suggest that it could be a recombinant viral strain from parental CAV strains JQ690762 and AF311900. Recombination is an important evolutionary mechanism that contributes to genetic diversification. These findings indicate that CAV variant might have originated from CAV-infected chickens. The epidemiology and pathogenesis of this novel virus remains to be elucidated. This study underscores the importance of CAV surveillance and it presents the first evidence suggesting the possibility of CAV homologous recombination in cat.
An Energy-Efficient Routing Algorithm for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks Inspired by Ultrasonic Frogs
Authors: Xu Ming , Liu Guangzhong , Wu Huafeng
Published: February 2014

The area of three-dimensional (3D) underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) has attracted significant attention recently due to its applications in detecting and observing phenomena that cannot be adequately observed by means of two-dimensional UWSNs. However, designing routing protocols for 3D UWSNs is a challenging task due to stringent constraints imposed by acoustic communications and high energy consumption in acoustic modems. In this paper, we present an ultrasonic frog calling algorithm (UFCA) that aims to achieve energy-efficient routing under harsh underwater conditions of UWSNs. In UFCA, the process of selecting relay nodes to forward the data packet is similar to that of calling behavior of ultrasonic frog for mating. We define the gravity function to represent the attractiveness from one sensor node to another. In order to save energy, different sensor nodes adopt different transmission radius and the values can be tuned dynamically according to their residual energy. Moreover, the sensor nodes that own less energy or locate in worse places choose to enter sleep mode for the purpose of saving energy. Simulation results show the performance improvement in metrics of packet delivery ratio, energy consumption, throughput, and end-to-end delay as compared to existing state-of-the-art routing protocols.
Block Volume Estimation from the Discontinuity Spacing Measurements of Mesozoic Limestone Quarries, Karaburun Peninsula, Turkey
Authors: Elci Hakan , Turk Necdet
Published: February 2014

Block volumes are generally estimated by analyzing the discontinuity spacing measurements obtained either from the scan lines placed over the rock exposures or the borehole cores. Discontinuity spacing measurements made at the Mesozoic limestone quarries in Karaburun Peninsula were used to estimate the average block volumes that could be produced from them using the suggested methods in the literature. The Block Quality Designation (BQD) ratio method proposed by the authors has been found to have given in the same order of the rock block volume to the volumetric joint count (Jv) method. Moreover, dimensions of the 2378 blocks produced between the years of 2009 and 2011 in the working quarries have been recorded. Assuming, that each block surfaces is a discontinuity, the mean block volume (Vb), the mean volumetric joint count (Jvb) and the mean block shape factor of the blocks are determined and compared with the estimated mean in situ block volumes (Vin) and volumetric joint count (Jvi) values estimated from the in situ discontinuity measurements. The established relations are presented as a chart to be used in practice for estimating the mean volume of blocks that can be obtained from a quarry site by analyzing the rock mass discontinuity spacing measurements.
Cloud Service Selection Using Multicriteria Decision Analysis
Authors: Whaiduzzaman Md , Gani Abdullah , Anuar Nor Badrul , Shiraz Muhammad , Haque Mohammad Nazmul , Haque Israat Tanzeena
Published: February 2014

Cloud computing (CC) has recently been receiving tremendous attention from the IT industry and academic researchers. CC leverages its unique services to cloud customers in a pay-as-you-go, anytime, anywhere manner. Cloud services provide dynamically scalable services through the Internet on demand. Therefore, service provisioning plays a key role in CC. The cloud customer must be able to select appropriate services according to his or her needs. Several approaches have been proposed to solve the service selection problem, including multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). MCDA enables the user to choose from among a number of available choices. In this paper, we analyze the application of MCDA to service selection in CC. We identify and synthesize several MCDA techniques and provide a comprehensive analysis of this technology for general readers. In addition, we present a taxonomy derived from a survey of the current literature. Finally, we highlight several state-of-the-art practical aspects of MCDA implementation in cloud computing service selection. The contributions of this study are four-fold: (a) focusing on the state-of-the-art MCDA techniques, (b) highlighting the comparative analysis and suitability of several MCDA methods, (c) presenting a taxonomy through extensive literature review, and (d) analyzing and summarizing the cloud computing service selections in different scenarios.
Emulsion Electrospinning as an Approach to Fabricate PLGA/Chitosan Nanofibers for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Ajalloueian Fatemeh , Tavanai Hossein , Hilborn Jöns , Donzel-Gargand Olivier , Leifer Klaus , Wickham Abeni , Arpanaei Ayyoob
Published: February 2014

Novel nanofibers from blends of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and chitosan have been produced through an emulsion electrospinning process. The spinning solution employed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the emulsifier. PVA was extracted from the electrospun nanofibers, resulting in a final scaffold consisting of a blend of PLGA and chitosan. The fraction of chitosan in the final electrospun mat was adjusted from 0 to 33%. Analyses by scanning and transmission electron microscopy show uniform nanofibers with homogenous distribution of PLGA and chitosan in their cross section. Infrared spectroscopy verifies that electrospun mats contain both PLGA and chitosan. Moreover, contact angle measurements show that the electrospun PLGA/chitosan mats are more hydrophilic than electrospun mats of pure PLGA. Tensile strengths of 4.94 MPa and 4.21 MPa for PLGA/chitosan in dry and wet conditions, respectively, illustrate that the polyblend mats of PLGA/chitosan are strong enough for many biomedical applications. Cell culture studies suggest that PLGA/chitosan nanofibers promote fibroblast attachment and proliferation compared to PLGA membranes. It can be assumed that the nanofibrous composite scaffold of PLGA/chitosan could be potentially used for skin tissue reconstruction.
The Observation Report of Red Blood Cell Morphology in Thailand Teenager by Using Data Mining Technique
Authors: Saichanma Sarawut , Chulsomlee Sucha , Thangrua Nonthaya , Pongsuchart Pornsuri , Sanmun Duangmanee
Published: February 2014

It is undeniable that laboratory information is important in healthcare in many ways such as management, planning, and quality improvement. Laboratory diagnosis and laboratory results from each patient are organized from every treatment. These data are useful for retrospective study exploring a relationship between laboratory results and diseases. By doing so, it increases efficiency in diagnosis and quality in laboratory report. Our study will utilize J48 algorithm, a data mining technique to predict abnormality in peripheral blood smear from 1,362 students by using 13 data set of hematological parameters gathered from automated blood cell counter. We found that the decision tree which is created from the algorithm can be used as a practical guideline for RBC morphology prediction by using 4 hematological parameters (MCV, MCH, Hct, and RBC). The average prediction of RBC morphology has true positive, false positive, precision, recall, and accuracy of 0.940, 0.050, 0.945, 0.940, and 0.943, respectively. A newly found paradigm in managing medical laboratory information will be helpful in organizing, researching, and assisting correlation in multiple disciplinary other than medical science which will eventually lead to an improvement in quality of test results and more accurate diagnosis.
Entamoeba dispar: A Rare Case of Enteritis in a Patient Living in a Nonendemic Area
Authors: Graffeo Rosalia , Archibusacci Carola Maria , Soldini Silvia , Romano Lucio , Masucci Luca
Published: February 2014

Entamoeba dispar, a common noninvasive parasite, is indistinguishable in its cysts and trophozoite forms fromEntamoeba histolytica, the cause of invasive amebiasis, by microscopy. To differentiate the two species seems to be a problem for laboratory diagnosis. Recent experimental studies showed that  E. disparcan be considered pathogenic too. We present a rare case of enteritis due toE. dispar.
Effect of Hyaluronan on Developmental Competence and Quality of Oocytes and Obtained Blastocysts fromIn VitroMaturation of Bovine Oocytes
Authors: Opiela Jolanta , Romanek Joanna , Lipiński Daniel , Smorąg Zdzisław
Published: February 2014

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of hyaluronan (HA) during IVM on meiotic maturation, embryonic development, and the quality of oocytes, granulosa cells (GC), and obtained blastocysts. COCs were maturedin vitroin control medium and medium with additional 0.035% or 0.07% of exogenous HA. The meiotic maturity did not differ between the analysed groups. The best rate and the highest quality of obtained blastocysts were observed when 0.07% HA was used. A highly significant difference (P<0.001) was noted in the mean number of apoptotic nuclei per blastocyst and in the DCI between the 0.07% HA and the control blastocysts (P<0.01). Our results suggest that addition of 0.035% HA and 0.07% HA to oocyte maturation media does not affect oocyte nuclear maturation and DNA fragmentation. However, the addition of 0.07% HA during IVM decreases the level of blastocysts DNA fragmentation. Finally, our results suggest that it may be risky to increase the HA concentration during IVM above 0.07% as we found significantly higherBaxmRNA expression levels in GC cultured with 0.07% HA. The final concentration of HA being supplemented to oocyte maturation media is critical for the success of the IVP procedure.
An Efficient Confidentiality and Integrity Preserving Aggregation Protocol in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Zhu Liehuang , Yang Zhen , Xue Jingfeng , Guo Cong
Published: February 2014

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are composed of sensor nodes with limited energy which is difficult to replenish. In-network data aggregation is the main solution to minimize energy consumption and maximize network lifetime by reducing communication overhead. However, performing data aggregation while preserving data confidentiality and integrity is challenging, because adversaries can eavesdrop and modify the aggregation results easily by compromised aggregation nodes. In this paper, we propose an efficient confidentiality and integrity preserving aggregation protocol (ECIPAP) based on homomorphic encryption and result-checking mechanism. We also implement ECIPAP on SimpleWSN nodes running TinyOS. Security and performance analysis show that our protocol is quite efficient while persevering both aggregation confidentiality and integrity.
Oxidative Stress in Aging: Advances in Proteomic Approaches
Authors: Ortuño-Sahagún Daniel , Pallàs Mercè , Rojas-Mayorquín Argelia E.
Published: February 2014

Aging is a gradual, complex process in which cells, tissues, organs, and the whole organism itself deteriorate in a progressive and irreversible manner that, in the majority of cases, implies pathological conditions that affect the individual’s Quality of Life (QOL). Although extensive research efforts in recent years have been made, the anticipation of aging and prophylactic or treatment strategies continue to experience major limitations. In this review, the focus is essentially on the compilation of the advances generated by cellular expression profile analysis through proteomics studies (two-dimensional [2D] electrophoresis and mass spectrometry [MS]), which are currently used as an integral approach to study the aging process. Additionally, the relevance of the oxidative stress factors is discussed. Emphasis is placed on postmitotic tissues, such as neuronal, muscular, and red blood cells, which appear to be those most frequently studied with respect to aging. Additionally, models for the study of aging are discussed in a number of organisms, such asCaenorhabditis elegans, senescence-accelerated probe-8 mice (SAMP8), naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), and the beagle canine. Proteomic studies in specific tissues and organisms have revealed the extensive involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidative stress in aging.
Research on the Compression Algorithm of the Infrared Thermal Image Sequence Based on Differential Evolution and Double Exponential Decay Model
Authors: Zhang Jin-Yu , Meng Xiang-Bing , Xu Wei , Zhang Wei , Zhang Yong
Published: February 2014

This paper has proposed a new thermal wave image sequence compression algorithm by combining double exponential decay fitting model and differential evolution algorithm. This study benchmarked fitting compression results and precision of the proposed method was benchmarked to that of the traditional methods via experiment; it investigated the fitting compression performance under the long time series and improved model and validated the algorithm by practical thermal image sequence compression and reconstruction. The results show that the proposed algorithm is a fast and highly precise infrared image data processing method.
High-Order Compact Difference Scheme for the Numerical Solution of Time Fractional Heat Equations
Authors: Karatay Ibrahim , Bayramoglu Serife R.
Published: February 2014

A high-order finite difference scheme is proposed for solving time fractional heat equations. The time fractional derivative is described in the Riemann-Liouville sense. In the proposed scheme a new second-order discretization, which is based on Crank-Nicholson method, is applied for the time fractional part and fourth-order accuracy compact approximation is applied for the second-order space derivative. The spectral stability and the Fourier stability analysis of the difference scheme are shown. Finally a detailed numerical analysis, including tables, figures, and error comparison, is given to demonstrate the theoretical results and high accuracy of the proposed scheme.
Transmission Dynamics of Hepatitis C with Control Strategies
Authors: Khan Adnan , Sial Sultan , Imran Mudassar
Published: February 2014

We present a rigorous mathematical analysis of a deterministic model, for the transmission dynamics of hepatitis C, using a standard incidence function. The infected population is divided into three distinct compartments featuring two distinct infection stages (acute and chronic) along with an isolation compartment. It is shown that for basic reproduction number R0≤1, the disease-free equilibrium is locally and globally asymptotically stable. The model also has an endemic equilibrium for R0>1. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses are carried out to identify and study the impact of critical parameters on R0. In addition, we have presented the numerical simulations to investigate the influence of different important parameters on R0. Since we have a locally stable endemic equilibrium, optimal control is applied to the deterministic model to reduce the total infected population. Two different optimal control strategies (vaccination and isolation) are designed to control the disease and reduce the infected population. Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle is used to characterize the optimal controls in terms of an optimality system which is solved numerically. Numerical results for the optimal controls are compared against the constant controls and their effectiveness is discussed.