bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
OPTICAL SOLITONS IN A TRINAL-CHANNEL INVERTED NONLINEAR PHOTONIC CRYSTAL
Authors: CHEN GUIHUA , ZHANG SHAOQIANG , WU MUYING
Published: May 2013

Inverted nonlinear photonic crystals are the crystals featuring competition between linear and nonlinear lattices, with minima of the linear potential coinciding with maxima of the nonlinear pseudopotential, and vice versa. Traditional inverted nonlinear photonic crystals only have two channels, and can be attained experimentally by means of Rhodamine B (RhB, a dye featuring saturable absorption) doped into the SU-8 polymer. In this paper, a new type of inverted nonlinear photonic crystal is constructed by juxtaposing three kinds of channels into a period. These three channels are a purely linear channel, a saturable self-focusing nonlinear channel, and a saturable self-defocusing nonlinear channel. This optical device is assumed to be fabricated by means of SU-8 polymer material periodically doped with two types of active dyes. The nonlinear propagation of a light field inside this device (passing along the channel) can be described by a nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Stable multi-peak fundamental and dipole solitons are found in the first gap of the system. These solitons sufficiently exhibit some interesting digital properties, which may have potential in optical communications.
Selective photodynamic therapy induced by preirradiation of galactopyranosyl Zn(II) phthalocyanines with UV and red lights
Authors: Mantareva Vanya , Kril Anton , Dimitrov Rumen , Wöhrle Dieter , Angelov Ivan
Published: May 2013

The challenging task in the photodynamic therapy is the optimization of the procedure in a way to reach maximal selectivity of the phototoxic effect to tumor vs. non-neoplastic cells. The present study explores the impact of the light exposure with harmless UV 365 nm and low intensity visible red 637 nm light during incubation period on the uptake, primary localization, re-localization and photocytotoxic effect of tetra-galactopyranosyl substituted Zn ( II ) phthalocyanines. The studies were carried out on cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and on non-tumorigenic cells (Balb/c 3T3, clone 31). The experimentals suggested that in addition to the favorable chemical structure of the applied amphiphilic protected galactose Zn ( II ) phthalocyanines, the pretreatment with UV 365 nm and visible red 637 nm light applied prior therapeutic light, lead to selective phototoxic effects on tumor cells.
Detection of Tetryl by Electrogenerated Chemiluminescence (ECL) Quenching of Ru(bpy)3
2+
Authors: Lindhome Peter , Calhoun Robert Lee
Published: May 2013

A detection scheme for the explosive Tetryl using electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) of Ru(bpy)3
2+ in acetonitrile was explored. The analyte greatly reduces light made during the annihilation ECL mechanism yielding ppb level detection. It is also a fluorescence quencher, exhibiting behavior that would suggest both static and dynamic quenching.
Diffusion Impedance Analyzed by Equivalent Circuit Involving CPE Using Microelectrode
Authors: Hoshi Yoshinao , Kawakita Shoi , Shitanda Isao , Itagaki Masayuki
Published: May 2013

Electrochemical impedance spectra of micro-disk electrode fabricated by screen-printing were measured in 0.5 M Na2SO4 containing K4Fe(CN)6 and K3Fe(CN)6. The Nyquist plots of electrochemical impedance of micro-disk electrode in the electrolyte solution showed two loci. The locus in the high frequency range was related to the time constant of charge transfer resistance and electric double layer capacitance. On the other hand, the locus in the low frequency range was depressed semicircle and corresponds to the finite diffusion. We revealed that the locus in the low frequency range was explained by the parallel circuit involving the constant phase element (CPE) and diffusion resistance R
diff. The theoretical equation of R
diff was proposed in the present paper.
The Production of Bioethanol from Cashew Apple Juice by Batch Fermentation Using Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y2084 and Vin13
Authors: Deenanath Evanie Devi , Rumbold Karl , Iyuke Sunny
Published: May 2013

Bioethanol as a fossil fuel additive to decrease environmental pollution and reduce the stress of the decline in crude oil availability is becoming increasingly popular. This study aimed to evaluate the concentration of bioethanol obtainable from fermenting cashew apple juice by the microorganism Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y2084 and Vin13. The fermentation conditions were as follows: initial sugar = 100 g/L, pH = 4.50, agitation = 150 rpm, temperatures = 30°C (Y2084) and 20°C (Vin13), oxygen saturation = 0% or 50%, and yeast inoculum concentration = ~8.00 Log CFU/mL. The maximum ethanol concentration achieved by Y2084 was 65.00 g/L. At 50% oxygen the fermentation time was 5 days, whilst at 0% oxygen the fermentation time was 11 days for Y2084. The maximum ethanol concentration achieved by Vin13 was 68.00 g/L. This concentration was obtained at 50% oxygen, and the fermentation time was 2 days. At 0% oxygen, Vin13 produced 31.00 g/L of ethanol within 2 days. Both yeast strains produced a higher glycerol concentration at 0% oxygen. Yeast viability counts showed a decrease at 0% oxygen and an increase at 50% oxygen of both yeast stains. Other analyses included measurement of carbon dioxide and oxygen gases, process monitoring of the fermentation conditions, and total organic carbon. Gas analysis showed that carbon dioxide increased in conjunction with ethanol production and oxygen decreased. Process monitoring depicted changes and stability of fermentation parameters during the process. Total organic carbon analysis revealed that aerobic fermentation (50% oxygen) was a more efficient process as a higher carbon recovery (95%) was achieved.
Three New Stochastic Local Search Metaheuristics for the Annual Crop Planning Problem Based on a New Irrigation Scheme
Authors: Chetty Sivashan , Adewumi Aderemi Oluyinka
Published: May 2013

Annual Crop Planning (ACP) is an NP-hard-type optimization problem in agricultural planning. It involves finding optimal solutions concerning the seasonal allocations of a limited amount of agricultural land amongst the various competing crops that are required to be grown on it. This study investigates the effectiveness of employing three new local search (LS) metaheuristic techniques in determining solutions to an ACP problem at a new Irrigation Scheme. These three new LS metaheuristic techniques are the Best Performance Algorithm (BPA), Iterative Best Performance Algorithm (IBPA), and the Largest Absolute Difference Algorithm (LADA). The solutions determined by these LS metaheuristic techniques are compared against the solutions of two other well-known LS metaheuristic techniques in the literature. These techniques are Tabu Search (TS) and Simulated Annealing (SA). The comparison with TS and SA was to determine the relative merits of the solutions found by BPA, IBPA, and LADA. The results show that TS performed as the overall best. However, LADA determined the best solution that was the most economically feasible.
Periodic Solutions for Circular Restricted -Body Problems
Authors: Zhao Xiaoxiao , Li Wei , Wang Peng
Published: May 2013

For circular restricted -body problems, we study the motion of a sufficiently small mass point (called the zero mass point) in the plane of equal masses located at the vertices of a regular polygon. By using variational minimizing methods, for some , we prove the existence of the noncollision periodic solution for the zero mass point with some fixed wingding number.
Effects of Moxa Smoke on Monoamine Neurotransmitters in SAMP8 Mice
Authors: Xu Huanfang , Zhao Baixiao , Cui Yingxue , Lim Min Yee , Liu Ping , Han Li , Guo Hongzhu , Lao Lixing
Published: May 2013

Objectives. To investigate the anti-aging effects of moxa smoke on SAMP8 mice.Methods. Using2×3factorial design, exposure length (15 or 30 minutes daily), and concentration (low, 5–15 mg/m3; middle, 25–35 mg/m3; high, 85–95 mg/m3), 70 SAMP8 mice were randomly assigned,n=10/group, to a model group or one of six moxa smoke groups: L1, L2, M1, M2, H1, or H2. Ten SAMR1 mice were used as normal control. Mice in moxa smoke groups were exposed to moxa smoke at respective concentrations and exposure lengths; the model and normal control mice were not exposed. Cerebral 5-HT, DA, and NE levels were determined using ELISA.Results. Compared to normal control, the model group showed a significant decrease in 5-HT, DA, and NE. Compared to model group, 5-HT and NE were significantly higher in groups L2, M1, and M2and DA was significantly so in L2and M1. 5-HT, DA, and NE levels were the highest in group M1among moxa smoke groups. A marked exposure length × concentration interaction was observed for 5-HT, DA, and NE.Conclusion. Moxa smoke increases monoamine neurotransmitter levels, which varies according to concentration and exposure length. Our finding suggests that the middle concentration of moxa smoke for 15 minutes seems the most beneficial.
Design of a Printed Dipole Antenna Array for a Passive Radar System
Authors: Knott Peter
Published: May 2013

Passive radar (or Passive Coherent Localisation) is an advancing technology for covert operation. The signal transmitted from sources of opportunity such as radio or TV stations is used as illumination for a certain area of interest. Part of the transmitted signal is reflected by radar targets, for example, moving objects such as vehicles or aircraft. Typical radar parameters are derived from the comparison between the direct line-of-sight from the transmitter and the signal scattered from the target object. Such systems are an attractive addition to existing active radar stations because they have the potential to discover low-flying and low-observable targets and no active radar transmitter is required. Printed dipole antennas are very attractive antenna elements for such systems because of their easy fabrication, low-cost, polarisation purity, and low-profile properties. The present paper describes the design of an antenna array using printed dipole elements with flared arms for a passive radar system operating in the GSM900 frequency range. Isolated antenna elements and a small uniform linear antenna array were designed and optimised using computational electromagnetic methods. Several prototypes have been fabricated on conventional microwave PCB substrate material. Preliminary measurement results for antenna matching and far-field radiation patterns are shown.
Use of Methylene Blue for Treatment of Severe Sepsis in an Immunosuppressed Patient after Liver Transplantation
Authors: Ramamoorthy Saravanan , Patel Shachi , Bradburn Eric , Kadry Zakiyah , Uemura Tadahiro , K. Janicki Piotr , Shah Riaz Ali , Bezinover Dmitri
Published: May 2013

Sepsis in the immunosuppressed patient is associated with very high mortality and morbidity. Treatment of sepsis in immunocompromised patients is especially challenging due to an unbalanced systemic inflammatory reaction with subsequent development of profound vasoplegia. Methylene blue (MB) has been successfully used for the treatment of refractory hypotension, but its use has not previously been reported for treatment of sepsis in immunosuppressed patients. The mechanism of MB's action is thought to be due to its inhibitory effect on cGMP-mediated vasodilatation. This case report describes the successful use of MB for treatment of severe septic shock in an immunosuppressed patient after liver transplantation. Hypotension in this patient was refractory to volume repletion and a combination of vasopressors. After MB administration, hemodynamic stability was rapidly reestablished. In the setting of severe sepsis in an immunosuppressed patient, MB should be considered early as a therapeutic option for treatment of refractory vasoplegia.
Cardiac Fibroelastoma: A Rare Cause of Stroke in Young Adults
Authors: Mirdamadi Ahmad , MirmohammadSadeghi Mohsen , Arasteh Mahfar , Gharipour Mojgan
Published: May 2013

A 26-year-old man presenting with a transient episode of dysarthria and dizziness, 3 weeks prior to admission, was referred to our center to be evaluated for transient ischemic attack (TIA). The patient had been previously admitted to a different hospital and echocardiography was reported normal at that center, but upon presenting to our institution strand-like masses in the left ventricle (LV) were detected. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed two distinct mobile LV masses suggesting a diagnosis of papillary fibroelastoma. CT angiography and histopathological studies confirmed this diagnosis.
Transgastric-Assisted Endoscopic Fundoplication
Authors: Spaniolas Konstantinos , Rothstein Richard I. , Trus Thadeus L.
Published: May 2013

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common entity in the United States. Surgical fundoplication can be performed safely with well-established long-term results. In selected patients with GERD, endoluminal therapy has a potential role. We report on a patient with recurrent GERD after two prior fundoplications who wished to pursue endoscopic treatment. The presence of a gastrostomy tube allowed for the performance of a transgastric-assisted endoluminal fundoplication using the EndoCinch (TM) device and standard pediatric laparoscopic instruments. Symptomatic relief of GERD with EndoCinch (TM) is common but the long-term outcomes are limited. Nevertheless, the EndoCinch (TM) device remains a method for endoscopic suturing in certain settings. In patients with gastrostomy access, the use of laparoscopic instruments may further enable the performance of advanced endoscopic therapies.
Sleep Quality among Female Hospital Staff Nurses
Authors: Chien Pei-Li , Su Hui-Fang , Hsieh Pi-Ching , Siao Ruo-Yan , Ling Pei-Ying , Jou Hei-Jen
Published: May 2013

Purpose. To investigate sleep quality of hospital staff nurses, both by subjective questionnaire and objective measures.Methods. Female staff nurses at a regional teaching hospital in Northern Taiwan were recruited. The Chinese version of the pittsburgh sleep quality index (C-PSQI) was used to assess subjective sleep quality, and an electrocardiogram-based cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) technique was used to analyze objective sleep stability. Work stress was assessed using questionnaire on medical worker’s stress.Results. A total of 156 staff nurses completed the study. Among the staff nurses, 75.8% (117) had a PSQI score of ≥5 and 39.8% had an inadequate stable sleep ratio on subjective measures. Nurses with a high school or lower educational degree had a much higher risk of sleep disturbance when compared to nurses with a college or higher level degree.Conclusions. Both subjective and objective measures demonstrated that poor sleep quality is a common health problem among hospital staff nurses. More studies are warranted on this important issue to discover possible factors and therefore to develop a systemic strategy to cope with the problem.
Slack, Slick, and Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels
Authors: Kaczmarek Leonard K.
Published: May 2013

The Slack and Slick genes encode potassium channels that are very widely expressed in the central nervous system. These channels are activated by elevations in intracellular sodium, such as those that occur during trains of one or more action potentials, or following activation of nonselective cationic neurotransmitter receptors such as AMPA receptors. This review covers the cellular and molecular properties of Slack and Slick channels and compares them with findings on the properties of sodium-activated potassium currents (termed KNa currents) in native neurons. Human mutations in Slack channels produce extremely severe defects in learning and development, suggesting that KNa channels play a central role in neuronal plasticity and intellectual function.
Involved-Field Radiotherapy versus Elective Nodal Irradiation in Combination with Concurrent Chemotherapy for Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A Prospective Randomized Study
Authors: Chen Ming , Bao Yong , Ma Hong-Lian , Hu Xiao , Wang Jin , Wang Yan , Peng Fang , Zhou Qi-Chao , Xie Cong-Hua
Published: May 2013

This prospective randomized study is to evaluate the locoregional failure and its impact on survival by comparing involved field radiotherapy (IFRT) with elective nodal irradiation (ENI) in combination with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer. It appears that higher dose could be delivered in IFRT arm than that in ENI arm, and IFRT did not increase the risk of initially uninvolved or isolated nodal failures. Both a tendency of improved locoregional progression-free survival and a significant increased overall survival rate are in favor of IFRT arm in this study.
On Approximate Solutions for Fractional Logistic Differential Equation
Authors: Khader M. M. , Babatin Mohammed M.
Published: May 2013

A new approximate formula of the fractional derivatives is derived. The proposed formula is based on the generalized Laguerre polynomials. Global approximations to functions defined on a semi-infinite interval are constructed. The fractional derivatives are presented in terms of Caputo sense. Special attention is given to study the convergence analysis and estimate an error upper bound of the presented formula. The new spectral Laguerre collocation method is presented for solving fractional Logistic differential equation (FLDE). The properties of Laguerre polynomials approximation are used to reduce FLDE to solve a system of algebraic equations which is solved using a suitable numerical method. Numerical results are provided to confirm the theoretical results and the efficiency of the proposed method.
Policy Challenges in the Fight against Childhood Obesity: Low Adherence in San Diego Area Schools to the California Education Code Regulating Physical Education
Authors: Consiglieri G. , Leon-Chi L. , Newfield R. S.
Published: May 2013

Objective. Assess the adherence to the Physical Education (PE) requirements per California Education Code in San Diego area schools.Methods. Surveys were administered anonymously to children and adolescents capable of physical activity, visiting a specialty clinic at Rady Children's Hospital San Diego. The main questions asked were their gender, grade, PE classes per week, and time spent doing PE.Results. 324 surveys were filled, with 36 charter-school students not having to abide by state code excluded. We report on 288 students (59% females), mostly Hispanic (43%) or Caucasian (34%). In grades 1–6, 66.7% reported under the 200 min per 10 school days required by the PE code. Only 20.7% had daily PE. Average PE days/week was 2.6. In grades 7–12, 42.2% had reported under the 400 min per 10 school days required. Daily PE was noted in 47.8%. Average PE days/week was 3.4. Almost 17% had no PE, more so in the final two grades of high school (45.7%).Conclusions. There is low adherence to the California Physical Education mandate in the San Diego area, contributing to poor fitness and obesity. Lack of adequate PE is most evident in grades 1–6 and grades 11-12. Better resources, awareness, and enforcement are crucial.
Qualitative Behavior of Rational Difference Equation of Big Order
Authors: El-Dessoky M. M.
Published: May 2013

We investigate the global convergence, boundedness, and periodicity of solutions of the recursive sequencexn+1=axn-l+bxn-x/c+dxn-lxn-k,n=0,1,…,where the parametersa,  b,  c,anddare positive real numbers, and the initial conditionsx-t,x-t+1,…,x-1andx0are positive real numbers wheret=maxk,l.
Peritoneal Lipomatosis: A Case Report of a 12-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Fotis L. , Koglmeier J. , Shah N.
Published: May 2013

Peritoneal lipomatosis is a rare disease in childhood with only two cases previously described in children. We report a further case of a 12-year-old boy diagnosed with peritoneal lipomatosis. His main symptoms were abdominal pain, alternating bowel habit, abdominal distension, and melaena. His diagnostic work up included an abdominal MRI, wireless capsule endoscopy and single-balloon enteroscopy. Peritoneal lipomatosis although rare can be diagnosed in childhood. It is a benign clinical entity with variable manifestations.
Performance Evaluation of a Simple Cluster-Based Aggregation and Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Hong Sung-Hwa , Park Jeong-Min , Gil Joon-Min
Published: May 2013

In future ubiquitous networks, sensor nodes should collect various environmental data and parameters. Because sensor nodes tend to have small and often irreplaceable batteries with limited power capacity, energy-efficient aggregation and routing are essential to achieve to a prolonged network lifetime. We propose a simple cluster-based data aggregation and routing algorithm (SCAR) that decreases the incurred overhead during the selection of cluster heads in wireless sensor networks. The performance results show that SCAR can prolong network lifetime via energy conservation and achieve energy-balancing when nodes are fixed or have limited mobility.
Measurement of Primary and Secondary Stability of Dental Implants by Resonance Frequency Analysis Method in Mandible
Authors: Shokri Mehran , Daraeighadikolaei Arash
Published: May 2013

Background.There is no doubt that the success of the dental implants depends on the stability. The aim of this work was to measure the stability of dental implants prior to loading the implants, using a resonance frequency analysis (RFA) by Osstell mentor device.Methods.Ten healthy and nonsmoker patients over 40 years of age with at least six months of complete or partial edentulous mouth received screw-type dental implants by a 1-stage procedure. RFA measurements were obtained at surgery and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, and 11 weeks after the implant surgery.Results.Among fifteen implants, the lowest mean stability measurement was for the 4th week after surgery in all bone types. At placement, the mean ISQ obtained with the magnetic device was 77.2 with 95% confidence interval(CI)  =2.49, and then it decreased until the 4th week to 72.13 (95%CI=2.88), and at the last measurement, the mean implant stability significantly (Pvalue<0.05) increased and recorded higher values to 75.6 (95%CI=1.88), at the 11th week.Conclusions.The results may be indicative of a period of time when loading might be disadvantageous prior to the 4th week following implant placement. These suggestions need to be further assessed through future studies.
Sociocultural and Socioeconomic Influences on Type 2 Diabetes Risk in Overweight/Obese African-American and Latino-American Children and Adolescents
Authors: Hasson Rebecca E. , Adam Tanja C. , Pearson Jay , Davis Jaimie N. , Spruijt-Metz Donna , Goran Michael I.
Published: May 2013

Purpose. It is unclear whether sociocultural and socioeconomic factors are directly linked to type 2 diabetes risk in overweight/obese ethnic minority children and adolescents. This study examines the relationships between sociocultural orientation, household social position, and type 2 diabetes risk in overweight/obese African-American (n=43) and Latino-American (n=113) children and adolescents.Methods. Sociocultural orientation was assessed using the Acculturation, Habits, and Interests Multicultural Scale for Adolescents (AHIMSA) questionnaire. Household social position was calculated using the Hollingshead Two-Factor Index of Social Position. Insulin sensitivity (SI), acute insulin response (AIRG) and disposition index (DI) were derived from a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT). The relationships between AHIMSA subscales (i.e., integration, assimilation, separation, and marginalization), household social position and FSIGT parameters were assessed using multiple linear regression.Results.For African-Americans, integration (integrating their family’s culture with those of mainstream white-American culture) was positively associated with AIRG(β=0.27±0.09,r=0.48,P<0.01) and DI (β=0.28±0.09,r=0.55,P<0.01). For Latino-Americans, household social position was inversely associated with AIRG(β=-0.010±0.004,r=-0.19,P=0.02) and DI (β=-20.44±7.50,r=-0.27,P<0.01).Conclusions.Sociocultural orientation and household social position play distinct and opposing roles in shaping type 2 diabetes risk in African-American and Latino-American children and adolescents.
Timing of Maternal Exposure to a High Fat Diet and Development of Obesity and Hyperinsulinemia in Male Rat Offspring: Same Metabolic Phenotype, Different Developmental Pathways?
Authors: Howie Graham J. , Sloboda Deborah M. , Reynolds Clare M. , Vickers Mark H.
Published: May 2013

Objective.Offspring born to mothers either fed an obesogenic diet throughout their life or restricted to pregnancy and lactation demonstrate obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperleptinemia, irrespective of their postweaning diet. We examined whether timing of a maternal obesogenic diet results in differential regulation of pancreatic adipoinsular and inflammatory signaling pathways in offspring.Methods.Female Wistar rats were randomized into 3 groups: (1) control (CONT): fed a control diet preconceptionally and during pregnancy and lactation; (2) maternal high fat (MHF): fed an HF diet throughout their life and during pregnancy and lactation; (3) pregnancy and lactation HF (PLHF): fed a control diet throughout life until mating, then HF diet during pregnancy and lactation. Male offspring were fed the control diet postweaning. Plasma and pancreatic tissue were collected, and mRNA concentrations of key factors regulating adipoinsular axis signaling were determined.Results.MHF and PLHF offspring exhibited increased adiposity and were hyperinsulinemic and hyperleptinemic compared to CONT. Despite a similar anthropometric phenotype, MHF and PLHF offspring exhibited distinctly different expression for key pancreatic genes, dependent upon maternal preconceptional nutritional background.Conclusions.These data suggest that despite using differential signaling pathways, obesity in offspring may be an adaptive outcome of early life exposure to HF during critical developmental windows.
Optimizing the Two-Stage Supply Chain Inventory Model with Full Information Sharing and Two Backorders Costs Using Hybrid Geometric-Algebraic Method
Authors: Seliaman Mohamed E.
Published: May 2013

We consider the case of a two-stage serial supply chain system. This supply chain system involves a single vendor who supplies a single buyer with a single product. The vendor’s production rate is assumed finite. In addition, the demand at the buyer is assumed deterministic. In order to coordinate their replenishment policies and jointly optimize their operational costs, the two supply chain partners fully share their relevant information. For this purpose, we develop an integrated inventory replenishment model assuming linear and fixed backorders costs. Then, we use a hybrid geometric-algebraic method to drive the optimal replenishment policy and the minimum supply chain total cost in a closed form.
Photoelectrocatalytic Performance of Benzoic Acid onTiO2Nanotube Array Electrodes
Authors: Chen Hongchong , Li Jinhua , Chen Quanpeng , Li Di , Zhou Baoxue
Published: May 2013

The photoelectrocatalytic performance of benzoic acid on TiO2nanotube array electrodes was investigated. A thin-cell was used to discuss the effect of the bias voltage, illumination intensity, and electrolyte concentration on the photoelectrocatalytic degradation efficiency of benzoic acid. The photogenerated current-time (I-t) profiles were found to be related to the adsorption and the degradation process. The relationship between the initial concentration and the photocurrent peaks (I0ph) fits the Langmuir-type adsorption model, thus confirming that the adsorption of benzoic acid on TiO2nanotube arrays (TNAs) was single monolayer adsorption. At low concentrations, theI-tprofiles simply decay after the initial transient peak due to the sufficient holes on the TNAs which would oxidize the benzoic acid quickly. However, theI-tprofiles varied with increasing benzoic acid concentrations because the rate of diffusion in the bulk solution and the degradation of the intermediate products affect the photoelectrocatalysis on the electrode surface.
Gross Hematuria and Bladder Tumor in a Patient with Advanced Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma
Authors: Ando Takao , Matsuo Yuki , Ikeoka Toshiyuki , Oba Kojiro , Miyata Yasuyoshi , Sakai Hideki , Abe Kuniko , Kawakami Atsushi
Published: May 2013

We present a 73-year-old female with advanced thyroid papillary carcinoma who complained of gross hematuria. We found a bladder tumor and considered it the cause of her symptom. Cystoscopic findings of the tumor were unusual, with peri-tumor vessel formation. Pathological examination of the bladder tumor was consistent with metastasis of thyroid papillary carcinoma. Therefore, we identified thyroid carcinoma metastasis to the urinary bladder as the cause of hematuria in our patient. Thyroid carcinoma metastasis to the bladder is extremely rare, but it should be included among differential diagnoses for gross hematuria in patients with a clinical history of thyroid carcinoma.
Fourth- and Fifth-Order Methods for Solving Nonlinear Systems of Equations: An Application to the Global Positioning System
Authors: Abad Manuel F. , Cordero Alicia , Torregrosa Juan R.
Published: May 2013

Two iterative methods of order four and five, respectively, are presented for solving nonlinear systems of equations. Numerical comparisons are made with other existing second- and fourth-order schemes to solve the nonlinear system of equations of theGlobal Positioning Systemand some academic nonlinear systems.
Radial Basis Function-Sparse Partial Least Squares for Application to Brain Imaging Data
Authors: Yoshida Hisako , Kawaguchi Atsushi , Tsuruya Kazuhiko
Published: May 2013

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data is an invaluable tool in brain morphology research. Here, we propose a novel statistical method for investigating the relationship between clinical characteristics and brain morphology based on three-dimensional MRI data via radial basis function-sparse partial least squares (RBF-sPLS). Our data consisted of MRI image intensities for multimillion voxels in a 3D array along with 73 clinical variables. This dataset represents a suitable application of RBF-sPLS because of a potential correlation among voxels as well as among clinical characteristics. Additionally, this method can simultaneously select both effective brain regions and clinical characteristics based on sparse modeling. This is in contrast to existing methods, which consider prespecified brain regions because of the computational difficulties involved in processing high-dimensional data. RBF-sPLS employs dimensionality reduction in order to overcome this obstacle. We have applied RBF-sPLS to a real dataset composed of 102 chronic kidney disease patients, while a comparison study used a simulated dataset. RBF-sPLS identified two brain regions of interest from our patient data: the temporal lobe and the occipital lobe, which are associated with aging and anemia, respectively. Our simulation study suggested that such brain regions are extracted with excellent accuracy using our method.
Boundary Layer Flow Past a Wedge Moving in a Nanofluid
Authors: Khan Waqar A. , Pop I.
Published: May 2013

The problem of steady boundary layer flow past a stretching wedge with the velocityuw(x)in a nanofluid and with a parallel free stream velocityue(x)is numerically studied. It is assumed that at the stretching surface the temperatureTand the nanoparticle fractionCtake the constant valuesTwandCw, respectively. The ambient values (inviscid fluid) ofTandCare denoted byT∞andC∞, respectively. The boundary layer governing partial differential equations of mass, momentum, thermal energy, and nanoparticles recently proposed by Kuznetsov and Nield (2006, 2009), are reduced to ordinary differential equations along with the corresponding boundary conditions. These equations are solved numerically using an implicit finite-difference method for some values of the governing parameters, such asβ,λ,Pr,Le,Nb, andNt, which are the measure of the pressure gradient, moving parameter, Prandtl number, Lewis number, the Brownian motion parameter, and the thermophoresis parameter, respectively.
On the Nonsymmetric Longer Queue Model: Joint Distribution, Asymptotic Properties, and Heavy Traffic Limits
Authors: Knessl Charles , Yao Haishen
Published: May 2013

We consider two parallel queues, each with independent Poisson arrival rates, that are tended by a single server. The exponential server devotes all of its capacity to the longer of the queues. If both queues are of equal length, the server devotesνof its capacity to the first queue and the remaining1−νto the second. We obtain exact integral representations for the joint probability distribution of the number of customers in this two-node network. Then we evaluate this distribution in various asymptotic limits, such as large numbers of customers in either/both of the queues, light traffic where arrivals are infrequent, and heavy traffic where the system is nearly unstable.
Fuzzy Quality Function Deployment: An Analytical Literature Review
Authors: Abdolshah Mohammad , Moradi Mohsen
Published: May 2013

This paper presents an analytical literature review on fuzzy quality function deployment (FQFD) of papers published between 2000 and 2011. In this review, publications were divided into two main groups. First group included publications which proposed some models to develop FQFD. The second one was related to new applications of FQFD models. Next, publications were analyzed and research gaps and future directions were presented. We reached some conclusions including the following. (i) Most of studies were focused on quantitative methods to accomplish phase 1 of QFD or House of Quality (HoQ). The most employed techniques were multicriteria decision making (MCDM) methods. (ii) Although main purpose of using QFD was product development, other factors such as risk and competiveness analysis should be considered in product development process. (iii) A promising approach is using of metaheuristic methods for solving complicated problems of FQFD. (iv) There are a few studies on completing all phases of FQFD.
Relationship between Subjective Oral Health Status and Lifestyle in Elderly People: A Cross-Sectional Study in Japan
Authors: Yoshioka Masami , Hinode Daisuke , Yokoyama Masaaki , Fujiwara Aiichiro , Sakaida Yasuhiko , Toyoshima Kenji
Published: May 2013

Objective. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between subjective oral health status and lifestyle in elderly people living in Japan. Methods. Subjects were 5383 inhabitants of the Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, at the age of 75–100. Records of the number of remaining teeth and the data from self-reported questionnaire were analyzed statistically. Results. Remaining teeth were significantly correlated to “no current smoking,” while not related to other lifestyle. On the other hand, “subjective masticatory ability” defined as a condition allowing chewing all foods well was related to favorable lifestyles. “Subjective masticatory ability” was also related to “not feeling stress,” “no deviated food habit” as well as to other good oral health conditions. A logistic regression analysis for “remaining teeth more than 20” revealed a significant relationship between “no current smoking” (OR = 1.582) and “no alcohol drinking” (OR = 0.851). Regarding “subjective masticatory ability,” all favorable lifestyles analyzed in this study were found to be significant positive factors. Conclusions. “Subjective masticatory ability” seems to be strongly associated with favorable lifestyles. Therefore, it can be suggested that “subjective masticatory ability” might be a good landmark for quality of life of elderly people in addition to the number of remaining teeth.
Production, Purification, and Characterization of a MajorPenicillium glabrumXylanase Using Brewer's Spent Grain as Substrate
Authors: Knob Adriana , Beitel Susan Michelz , Fortkamp Diana , Terrasan César Rafael Fanchini , Almeida Alex Fernando de
Published: May 2013

In recent decades, xylanases have been used in many processing industries. This study describes the xylanase production byPenicillium glabrumusing brewer's spent grain as substrate. Additionally, this is the first work that reports the purification and characterization of a xylanase using this agroindustrial waste. Optimal production was obtained whenP. glabrumwas grown in liquid medium in pH 5.5, at 25 °C, under stationary condition for six days. The xylanase fromP. glabrumwas purified to homogeneity by a rapid and inexpensive procedure, using ammonium sulfate fractionation and molecular exclusion chromatography. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed one band with estimated molecular mass of 18.36 kDa. The optimum activity was observed at 60 °C, in pH 3.0. The enzyme was very stable at 50 °C, and high pH stability was verified from pH 2.5 to 5.0. The ion Mn2+and the reducing agentsβ-mercaptoethanol and DTT enhanced xylanase activity, while the ions Hg2+, Zn2+, and Cu2+as well as the detergent SDS were strong inhibitors of the enzyme. The use of brewer's spent grain as substrate for xylanase production cannot only add value and decrease the amount of this waste but also reduce the xylanase production cost.
Impact of the Gate Width of Al0.27Ga0.73N/AlN/Al0.04Ga0.96N/GaN HEMT on Its Characteristics
Authors: Jin Liwei , Cheng Zhiqun , Wang Qingna
Published: May 2013

This paper presents impact of layout sizes of Al0.27Ga0.73N/AlN/Al0.04Ga0.96N/GaN HEMT heterostructure high-mobility transistors (HEMTs) on SiC substrate on its characteristics that include the threshold voltage, the maximum transconductance, characteristic frequency, and the maximum oscillation frequency. The changing parameters include the gate finger number, the gate width per finger. The measurement results based on common-source devices demonstrate that the above parameters have different effects on the threshold voltage, maximum transconductance, and frequency characteristics.
Developing a Series Solution Method of -Difference Equations
Authors: Liu Hsuan-Ku
Published: May 2013

The series solution is widely applied to differential equations on but is not found in -differential equations. Applying the Taylor and multiplication rule of two generalized polynomials, we develop a series solution of linear homogeneous -difference equations. As an example, the series solution method is used to find a series solution of the second-order -difference equation of Hermite’s type.
PSO Based PI Controller Design for a Solar Charger System
Authors: Yau Her-Terng , Lin Chih-Jer , Liang Qin-Cheng
Published: May 2013

Due to global energy crisis and severe environmental pollution, the photovoltaic (PV) system has become one of the most important renewable energy sources. Many previous studies on solar charger integrated system only focus on load charge control or switching Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) and charge control modes. This study used two‐stage system, which allows the overall portable solar energy charging system to implement MPPT and optimal charge control of Li‐ion battery simultaneously. First, this study designs a DC/DC boost converter of solar power generation, which uses variable step size incremental conductance method (VSINC) to enable the solar cell to track the maximum power point at any time. The voltage was exported from the DC/DC boost converter to the DC/DC buck converter, so that the voltage dropped to proper voltage for charging the battery. The charging system uses constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) method to charge the lithium battery. In order to obtain the optimum PI charge controller parameters, this study used intelligent algorithm to determine the optimum parameters. According to the simulation and experimental results, the control parameters resulted from PSO have better performance than genetic algorithms (GAs).
Near-Complete Supraglottic Transection of the Larynx after a Motorbike Accident
Authors: Hwang Sang , McGinness Samuel , Choroomi Sim , Jacobson Ian
Published: May 2013

Severe laryngeal trauma is rare in the civilian environment and requires appropriate and timely surgical intervention. We report a case from Sydney, Australia, which was managed with open reduction and internal fixation of the larynx with resorbable plates. The use of resorbable plates for operative fixation of the larynx has rarely been reported in literature but may be a viable alternative.
TheIn VitroAntimicrobial Activity ofLavandula angustifoliaEssential Oil in Combination with Other Aroma-Therapeutic Oils
Authors: de Rapper Stephanie , Kamatou Guy , Viljoen Alvaro , van Vuuren Sandy
Published: May 2013

The antimicrobial activity ofLavandula angustifoliaessential oil was assessed in combination with 45 other oils to establish possible interactive properties. The composition of the selected essential oils was confirmed using GC-MS with a flame ionization detector. The microdilution minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay was undertaken, whereby the fractional inhibitory concentration (ΣFIC) was calculated for the oil combinations. When lavender oil was assayed in 1 : 1 ratios with other oils, synergistic (26.7%), additive (48.9%), non-interactive (23.7%), and antagonistic (0.7%) interactions were observed. When investigating different ratios of the two oils in combination, the most favourable interactions were whenL. angustifoliawas combined withCinnamomum zeylanicumor withCitrus sinensis,againstC. albicansandS. aureus,respectively. In 1 : 1 ratios, 75.6% of the essential oils investigated showed either synergistic or additive results, lendingin vitrocredibility to the use of essential oil blends in aroma-therapeutic practices. Within the field of aromatherapy, essential oils are commonly employed in mixtures for the treatment of infectious diseases; however, very little evidence exists to support the use in combination. This study lends some credence to the concomitant use of essential oils blended with lavender.
Semigroup Method on aMX/G/1 Queueing Model
Authors: Mijit Alim
Published: May 2013

By using the Hille-Yosida theorem, Phillips theorem, and Fattorini theorem in functional analysis we prove that theMX/G/1 queueing model with vacation times has a unique nonnegative time-dependent solution.
Adaptive Selection Combining Receiver over Time Varying Frequency Selective Fading Channel in Class-A Noise
Authors: El-Mahdy Ahmed El-Sayed
Published: May 2013

An adaptive selection combining (SC) scheme is proposed for time varying mobile communication channel in Class-A impulsive noise. The receiver adaptively selects a diversity branch out of the available branches and discards the others. This is performed by computing the maximum likelihood (ML) metric of each diversity branch and selects the branch with the maximum metric. The proposed adaptive SC scheme dynamically adjusts the threshold value according to the time variations of the channel. Equalization and data detection are performed after combining using maximum likelihood sequence estimation implemented by Viterbi algorithm (MLSE-VA). The minimum survivor technique is employed to reduce the complexity of the receiver.
Pharmacological Management of Esophageal Food Bolus Impaction
Authors: Khayyat Yasir Mohammed
Published: May 2013

Background. Soft esophageal bolus impaction is an emergency that requires skilled endoscopic removal if persistent obstructive symptoms do not resolve spontaneously after careful observation. Expedited care of these patients is crucial to avoid respiratory and mechanical complications. Other possible options for management include medical agents used to manage it prior to performing endoscopy if access to endoscopy was not available or declined by the patient.Aim. To review the available pharmacological and other nonmedicinal options and their mechanism of relief for soft esophageal impaction.Method. Pubmed, Medline and Ovid were used for search of MESH terms pertinent including “foreign body, esophageal, esophageal bolus and medical” for pharmacological and non medicinial agents used for management of esophageal soft bolus impaction as well as manual review of the cross-references.Results. Several agents were identified including Buscopan, Glucagon, nitrates, calcium channel blockers, and papaveretum. Non medicinal agents are water, effervescent agents, and papain. No evidence was found to suggest preference or effectiveness of use of a certain pharmacological agent compared to others. Buscopan, Glucagon, benzodiazepines, and nitrates were studied extensively and may be used in selected patients with caution. Use of papain is obsolete in management of soft bolus impaction.
Fractal Spherical Harmonics
Authors: Navascués M. A.
Published: May 2013

This paper tackles the construction of fractal maps on the unit sphere. The functions defined are a generalization of the classical spherical harmonics. The methodology used involves an iterated function system and a linear and bounded operator of functions on the sphere. For a suitable choice of the coefficients of the system, one obtains classical maps on the sphere. The different values of the system parameters provide Bessel sequences, frames, and Riesz fractal bases for the Lebesgue space of the square integrable functions on the sphere. The Laplace series expansion is generalized to a sum in terms of the new fractal mappings.
Early Serum Procalcitonin Level after Primary Total Hip Replacement
Authors: Bouaicha Samy , Blatter Samuel , Moor Beat K. , Spanaus Katharina , Dora Claudio , Werner Clément M. L.
Published: May 2013

Background. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a useful surrogate marker for the differentiation of postoperative infection and unspecific inflammatory reaction after surgery. It is known that postoperative course of the PCT serum level varies with type of surgery. No data exists about the postoperative course of serum PCT levels after primary total hip replacement (THR).Purpose. To characterize early postoperative serum PCT levels in uneventful primary THR compared to postoperative levels of different frequently used inflammatory blood parameters.Method. We prospectively investigated 31 patients. Blood samples were taken preoperatively and for 5 days postoperatively. PCT levels were compared with C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and blood leucocyte counts (WBC).Results. In uneventful THR PCT levels showed a uniform low-level course with a peak at the second postoperative day. At the fifth day values returned to almost preoperative levels. On contrary, CRP levels remained high during the entire observational period. Only IL-6 levels showed a peak at postoperative day one with a quick and uniform return to preoperative levels.Conclusion. Similar to observations in cardiothoracic, intestinal, and neural surgeries, postoperative course of PCT after primary THR showed a uniform low-level course with a peak at the second postoperative day but below expected levels in systemic infections.