bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
INHERITANCE OF ELECTROPHORETIC VARIANTS OF SERUM ESTERASES IN DOMESTIC FOWL
Authors: Grunder A. A.
Published: March 2014

Three regions of serum esterase activity of chickens were differentiated by means of starch gel electrophoresis and appropriate stains. Regions I and II seemed to represent aliesterase while region III apparently represented a cholinesterase. The patterns of zones of region I were classified into three phenotypes named A, B, and AB and the hypothesis was proposed that these are controlled by two codominant alleles named EsA and AsB. The staining intensity of these esterase zones among adults was sex-associated in that the mean staining intensity of zones was greater in male than in female sera. Frequency of the EsB allele was 0.70, 0.76, and 0.85 in three meat lines.
A NOTE ON CHROMOSOME LENGTH AND TEMPERATURE ILLUSTRATED IN TWO SPECIES OF RODENTS
Authors: Slizynski B. M.
Published: March 2014

Comparison of the karyotypes of Praomys natalensis and of Aethomys namaquensis, both described by Matthey, and statistical analysis of Dr. B. Woolf of their body temperature from data supplied by Dr. Davis, suggests that chromosome length may depend on the temperature at which cell divisions occur. The possible mechanism of this dependence is tentatively discussed.
The lidgap defect in mice: update and hypotheses
Authors: Juriloff D. M. , Harris M. J. , Miller J. R.
Published: March 2014

The open eye defect in the mouse can result from the action of mutant genes or of teratogens. Among the genetic forms, the lidgap series poses a particular challenge. The lidgap defect appears to be a complex genetic trait and may serve as a model for the genetic analysis of other genetically complex morphological defects in mammals. Extensive breeding data, together with data on the response of the trait to in utero treatment with cortisone, have been analyzed. The results lead us to propose a model involving a single major locus with a series of alleles of graded strength, hypomorphs. The ranking is lg > lgstn = lgSt > lgMI. The lg/lg genotype alone can be sufficient to produce the lidgap trait, but the "weaker" alleles require a second or even third locus acting in the same pathway. In addition, there is evidence that a recessive suppressor locus is present in the system. These hypotheses are testable and some experiments to develop them further are discussed.
The inheritance of resistance to stem rust races 15B-1 and 56 in 'French Peace' wheat
Authors: Knott D. R.
Published: March 2014

'French Peace,' an old wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar, apparently brought to Saskatchewan by settlers, probably carries genes Sr7a, Sr9a, and Sr13 for resistance to stem rust (Puccinia graminis tritici Eriks. and Henn.). Since two of the three genes have been found in tetraploid wheats, 'French Peace' could be derived from a hexaploid × tetraploid cross.
Effects of Mentha suaveolens Essential Oil Alone or in Combination with Other Drugs in Candida albicans
Authors: Stringaro Annarita , Vavala Elisabetta , Colone Marisa , Pepi Federico , Mignogna Giuseppina , Garzoli Stefania , Cecchetti Serena , Ragno Rino , Angiolella Letizia
Published: March 2014

Candidosis is the most important cause of fungal infections in humans. The yeast Candida albicans can form biofilms, and it is known that microbial biofilms play an important role in human diseases and are very difficult to treat. The prolonged treatment with drugs has often resulted in failure and resistance. Due to the emergence of multidrug resistance, alternatives to conventional antimicrobial therapy are needed. This study aims to analyse the effects induced by essential oil of Mentha suaveolens Ehrh (EOMS) on Candida albicans and its potential synergism when used in combination with conventional drugs. Morphological differences between control and EOMS treated yeast cells or biofilms were observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM resp.,). In order to reveal the presence of cell cycle alterations, flow cytometry analysis was carried out as well. The synergic action of EOMS was studied with the checkerboard method, and the cellular damage induced by different treatments was analysed by TEM. The results obtained have demonstrated both the effects of EOMS on C. albicans yeast cells and biofilms and the synergism of EOMS when used in combination with conventional antifungal drugs as fluconazole (FLC) and micafungin (MCFG), and therefore we can hypothesize on its potential use in therapy. Further studies are necessary to know its mechanism of action.
Synthesis and Characterization of Highly Efficient Nickel Nanocatalysts and Their Use in Degradation of Organic Dyes
Authors: Kalwar Nazar Hussain , Sirajuddin  , Soomro Razium Ali , Sherazi Syed Tufail Hussain , Hallam Keith Richard , Khaskheli Abdul Rauf
Published: March 2014

The present study describes the synthesis of highly active and ordered structures of nickel nanocatalysts by a facile, green, and economically viable approach. The study reveals efficient catalytic activity for the degradation of a number of toxic organic dyes, such as eosin-B (EB), rose bengal (RB), eriochrome black-T (ECBT), and methylene blue (MB). The stable ordered nickel nanostructure (Ni NSs) arrays were prepared via a modified hydrazine reduction route with unique and controlled morphologies in a lyotropic liquid crystalline medium using a nonionic surfactant (Triton X-100). Characterization and optimization studies for the fabricated Ni NSs involving their surface binding interactions, size, and morphologies were carried out using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
Synthesis, Spectral Characterization, and Antiproliferative Studies of Mixed Ligand Titanium Complexes of Adamantylamine
Authors: Kaushal Raj , Kumar Nitesh , Chaudhary Ashun , Arora Saroj , Awasthi Pamita
Published: March 2014

Titanium complexes have been synthesized by the reaction between titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), respective bidentate ligand [4,4′ -dimethoxy-2,2′ -bipyridine (bpome), 6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine (dpme), 1,2-diaminocyclohexane (dach), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), and benzoylacetone (bzac)], and adamantylamine (ada) in 1 : 2 : 2 molar ratios, respectively. The structure of synthesized complexes was confirmed using elemental analysis, FTIR, UV-visible,1H NMR, and mass spectrometry techniques. The nanocrystalline nature of complexes was confirmed by powder XRD study. The complexes were evaluated for cytotoxic potential in HeLa (cervical), C6 (glioma), and CHO (Chinese hamster ovarian) cell lines. The complex E was found to be more effective cytotoxic agent against HeLa cell line with an IC50value of 4.06 µM. Furthermore, the effect of synthesized complexes was studied on different stages of the cell cycle in CHO cells. All complexes exhibited the dose dependent increase in cytotoxicity. The results have shown an increase in sub-G0population with increase in concentration which is an indicative measure of apoptosis.
Multiscale Permutation Entropy Based Rolling Bearing Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Zheng Jinde , Cheng Junsheng , Yang Yu
Published: March 2014

A new rolling bearing fault diagnosis approach based on multiscale permutation entropy (MPE), Laplacian score (LS), and support vector machines (SVMs) is proposed in this paper. Permutation entropy (PE) was recently proposed and defined to measure the randomicity and detect dynamical changes of time series. However, for the complexity of mechanical systems, the randomicity and dynamic changes of the vibration signal will exist in different scales. Thus, the definition of MPE is introduced and employed to extract the nonlinear fault characteristics from the bearing vibration signal in different scales. Besides, the SVM is utilized to accomplish the fault feature classification to fulfill diagnostic procedure automatically. Meanwhile, in order to avoid a high dimension of features, the Laplacian score (LS) is used to refine the feature vector by ranking the features according to their importance and correlations with the main fault information. Finally, the rolling bearing fault diagnosis method based on MPE, LS, and SVM is proposed and applied to the experimental data. The experimental data analysis results indicate that the proposed method could identify the fault categories effectively.
Severe Acute Radiation Dermatitis in a Patient with Argyria
Authors: Gorayski P. , Pinkham M. B. , Muir J. B. , Pullar A. P.
Published: March 2014

Argyria is a rare cutaneous condition due to dermal silver deposition leading to irreversible blue-grey discoloration. Acute radiation dermatitis (RD) is an expected toxicity in patients undergoing radiotherapy but it is unknown to what extent argyria affects the onset and severity of RD. We report a patient with argyria treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma who experienced an unexpectedly brisk and severe RD during treatment. Possible mechanisms for this interaction are considered.
Obesity and Cytokines in Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Sinicato Nailú Angélica , Postal Mariana , Peres Fernando Augusto , Peliçari Karina de Oliveira , Marini Roberto , dos Santos Allan de Oliveira , Ramos Celso Dario , Appenzeller Simone
Published: March 2014

Background. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), atherosclerosis is attributed to traditional and lupus related risk factors, including metabolic syndrome (MetS), obesity, and inflammation.Objective. To evaluate the association between obesity, measures of body fat content, serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin (IL)-6 and -10 levels in childhood-onset SLE (cSLE).Methods. We screened consecutive cSLE patients followed up in the Pediatric Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic of the State University of Campinas. cSLE patients were assessed for disease and damage. Obesity was definite as body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2. Serum TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 levels were measured by ELISA. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine total fat mass, lean mass, and percent of body fat.Results. We included 52 cSLE patients and 52 controls. cSLE patients had higher serum TNF-α  (P=0.004), IL-6(P=0.002), and IL-10(P<0.001)levels compared to controls. We observed higher serum TNF-α  (P=0.036)levels in cSLE patients with obesity. An association between serum TNF-αlevels and body fat percent(P=0.046)and total fat mass on trunk region(P=0.035)was observed.Conclusion. Serum TNF-αlevels were associated with obesity and body fat content in cSLE. Our finding suggests that obesity may contribute to the increase of serum TNF-αlevels in cSLE.
Multiscale Splitting Method for the Boltzmann-Poisson Equation: Application to the Dynamics of Electrons
Authors: Geiser Jürgen
Published: March 2014

We present a model based on dynamics of electrons in a plasma using a simplified Boltzmann equation coupled with Poisson’s equation. The motivation arose from simulating active plasma resonance spectroscopy, which is used for plasma diagnostic techniques; see Braithwaite and Franklin (2009), Lapke et al. (2010), and Oberrath et al. (2011). Mathematically, we are interested in designing splitting methods for the model problem. While the full Boltzmann equation is delicate to solve, we decouple it into a transport and collision part, which are then solved in different ways. First we reduce it to a simplified transport-collision equation and start to analyse the abstract Cauchy problem using semigroup methods. Second, we pass to the coupled transport and collision model and apply the splitting ideas, resecting the different discretization schemes. The results are discussed first with numerical experiments and then we verify the underlying theoretical novelties.
A Critical Appraisal of Solubility Enhancement Techniques of Polyphenols
Authors: Kaur Harkiran , Kaur Gurpreet
Published: March 2014

Polyphenols constitute a family of natural substances distributed widely in plant kingdom. These are produced as secondary metabolites by plants and so far 8000 representatives of this family have been identified. Recently, there is an increased interest in the polyphenols because of the evidence of their role in prevention of degenerative diseases such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Although a large number of drugs are available in the market for treatment of these diseases, however, the emphasis these days is on the exploitation of natural principles derived from plants. Most polyphenols show lowin vivobioavailability thus limiting their application for oral drug delivery. This low bioavailability could be associated with low aqueous solubility, first pass effect, metabolism in GIT, or irreversible binding to cellular DNA and proteins. Therefore, there is a need to devise strategies to improve oral bioavailability of polyphenols. Various approaches like nanosizing, self-microemulsifying drug delivery systems (SMEDDS), microencapsulation, complexation, and solid dispersion can be used to increase the bioavailability. This paper will highlight the various methods that have been employed till date for the solubility enhancement of various polyphenols so that a suitable drug delivery system can be formulated.
Stochastic Finite-TimeH∞Performance Analysis of Continuous-Time Systems with Random Abrupt Changes
Authors: Wang Bing
Published: March 2014

The problem ofH∞control performance analysis of continuous-time systems with random abrupt changes is concerned in this paper. By employing an augmented multiple mode-dependent Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and using some integral inequalities, new sufficient conditions are obtained relating to finite-time bounded and anH∞performance index. The finite-timeH∞control performance problem is solved and desired controller is given to ensure the system trajectory stays within a prescribed bound during a given time interval. At last, two numerical examples are provided to show that our results are less conservative than the existing ones.
Effect of the Entorhinal Cortex on Ictal Discharges in Low-Mg2+-Induced Epileptic Hippocampal Slice Models
Authors: Shi Ye-Jun , Gong Xin-Wei , Gong Hai-Qing , Liang Pei-Ji , Zhang Pu-Ming , Lu Qin-Chi
Published: March 2014

The hippocampus plays an important role in the genesis of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy, and the entorhinal cortex (EC) may affect the hippocampal network activity because of the heavy interconnection between them. However, the mechanism by which the EC affects the discharge patterns and the transmission mode of epileptiform discharges within the hippocampus needs further study. Here, multielectrode recording techniques were used to study the spatiotemporal characteristics of epileptiform discharges in adult mouse hippocampal slices and combined EC-hippocampal slices and determine whether and how the EC affects the hippocampal neuron discharge patterns. The results showed that low-Mg2+artificial cerebrospinal fluid induced interictal discharges in hippocampal slices, whereas, in combined EC-hippocampal slices the discharge pattern was alternated between interictal and ictal discharges, and ictal discharges initiated in the EC and propagated to the hippocampus. The pharmacological effect of the antiepileptic drug valproate (VPA) was tested. VPA reversibly suppressed the frequency of interictal discharges but did not change the initiation site and propagation speed, and it completely blocked ictal discharges. Our results suggested that EC was necessary for the hippocampal ictal discharges, and ictal discharges were more sensitive than interictal discharges in response to VPA.
An Integrated Numerical and Experimental Analysis for Enhancing the Performance of the Hidden Ceiling Fan
Authors: Lin Sheam-Chyun , Hsieh Ming-Yuan
Published: March 2014

Since the inlet and outlet of hidden ceiling fan are almost located at the same Plane; thus, an improper housing may cause inhale-return phenomenon which significantly affects its power consumption and performance. In this study, a comprehensive investigation by numerical and experimental techniques was used to predict and identify the flow pattern, airflow rate, efficiency, and noise for ceiling fans with different design parameters. The results showed that the unique inhale-return phenomenon happens for an inappropriate housing. Several key parameters, such as fan guard, housing ring, inlet-to-outlet area ratio, and blockage height, are evaluated for finding out the criterion to avoid the inhale-return flow. Consequently the study finds that fan guard changes the airflow to a wider distribution with a lower velocity. A minimum blockage distance and a maximum height of ring-plate are set at 80 mm and 30 mm, respectively. Also, it is suggested that the inlet area must be bigger than the outlet area. Moreover, all the parameters show the same trend under various rotational speeds. In conclusion, this systematic investigation not only provides the fan engineer's design ability to avoid the inhale-return phenomenon, but also the predicting capability on its aerodynamic and acoustic performances.
Music Emotion Detection Using Hierarchical Sparse Kernel Machines
Authors: Chin Yu-Hao , Lin Chang-Hong , Siahaan Ernestasia , Wang Jia-Ching
Published: March 2014

For music emotion detection, this paper presents a music emotion verification system based on hierarchical sparse kernel machines. With the proposed system, we intend to verify if a music clip possesses happiness emotion or not. There are two levels in the hierarchical sparse kernel machines. In the first level, a set of acoustical features are extracted, and principle component analysis (PCA) is implemented to reduce the dimension. The acoustical features are utilized to generate the first-level decision vector, which is a vector with each element being a significant value of an emotion. The significant values of eight main emotional classes are utilized in this paper. To calculate the significant value of an emotion, we construct its 2-class SVM with calm emotion as the global (non-target) side of the SVM. The probability distributions of the adopted acoustical features are calculated and the probability product kernel is applied in the first-level SVMs to obtain first-level decision vector feature. In the second level of the hierarchical system, we merely construct a 2-class relevance vector machine (RVM) with happiness as the target side and other emotions as the background side of the RVM. The first-level decision vector is used as the feature with conventional radial basis function kernel. The happiness verification threshold is built on the probability value. In the experimental results, the detection error tradeoff (DET) curve shows that the proposed system has a good performance on verifying if a music clip reveals happiness emotion.
Influence of the Clinical Status on Stress Reticulocytes, CD 36 and CD 49d of SSFA2Homozygous Sickle Cell Patients Followed in Abidjan
Authors: Sawadogo Duni , Tolo-Dilkébié Aïssata , Sangaré Mahawa , Aguéhoundé Nelly , Kassi Hermance , Latte Toussaint
Published: March 2014

Background and Objectives.Interactions between sickle cells involving CD 49d, CD36, and the vascular endothelium may initiate vasoocclusion leading to acute painful episodes and multiple organ failure.Materials and Methods.We selected 60 SS patients who had never been treated by hydroxyurea. We performed a total blood count. We identified with immunophenotyping by flow cytometry total reticulocytes their distribution according to the degree of maturity (mature, intermediate, very immature) and CD 36+and CD 49d+antigens. Stress reticulocytes corresponded to the sum of intermediate and immature cells.Results.Subjects in crisis had more total reticulocytes and very immature reticulocytes than subjects in stationary phase (P<0.05). During the crisis, total CD 36+reticulocytes (214 870 ± 107 584/μL versus 148 878 ± 115 024/μL;P<0.05) and the very immature CD 36+reticulocytes (28.9 ± 7.9% versus 23.0 ± 6.4%;P<0.05) increased. The clinical status had no impact on CD 49d+reticulocytes.Conclusion.The rates of stress reticulocytes in general and those expressing CD 49d and CD 36 were very high. The clinical status had an influence on CD 36+reticulocytes. The expression of adhesion molecules is only one of the parameters involved in sickle cell disease crisis.
Kernel Local Linear Discriminate Method for Dimensionality Reduction and Its Application in Machinery Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Shi Kunju , Liu Shulin , Zhang Hongli , Wang Bo
Published: March 2014

Dimensionality reduction is a crucial task in machinery fault diagnosis. Recently, as a popular dimensional reduction technology, manifold learning has been successfully used in many fields. However, most of these technologies are not suitable for the task, because they are unsupervised in nature and fail to discover the discriminate structure in the data. To overcome these weaknesses, kernel local linear discriminate (KLLD) algorithm is proposed. KLLD algorithm is a novel algorithm which combines the advantage of neighborhood preserving projections (NPP), Floyd, maximum margin criterion (MMC), and kernel trick. KLLD has four advantages. First of all, KLLD is a supervised dimension reduction method that can overcome the out-of-sample problems. Secondly, short-circuit problem can be avoided. Thirdly, KLLD algorithm can use between-class scatter matrix and inner-class scatter matrix more efficiently. Lastly, kernel trick is included in KLLD algorithm to find more precise solution. The main feature of the proposed method is that it attempts to both preserve the intrinsic neighborhood geometry of the increased data and exact the discriminate information. Experiments have been performed to evaluate the new method. The results show that KLLD has more benefits than traditional methods.
Evaluation of Senior Dental Students’ General Attitude towards the Use of Rubber Dam: A Survey among Two Dental Schools
Authors: Tanalp Jale , Kayataş Müzeyyen , Başer Can Elif Delve , Kayahan Mehmet Baybora , Timur Tuğçe
Published: March 2014

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the general attitude of senior dental students towards rubber dam use, specifically focusing on endodontic practices prior to starting to serve community. Questionnaires were distributed to senior year students of a private school and a state school in Istanbul. Questions were asked about areas where the students used rubber dam, its advantages and difficulties, and whether they agreed or disagreed with some aspects of the rubber dam. The private school students rated isolation whereas those of the state school selected prevention of aspiration which the top advantage rubber dam provides. Students of the state school agreed with the opinion that isolation cannot be achieved without rubber dam and it extended the procedure with a significantly higher ratio compared to the private school. Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that the perceptions of dental students on rubber dam needs to be improved and strategies should be developed so that this valuable adjunct will comprise one of the indispensable elements of dental care.
Weighted Fractional Differentiation Composition Operators from Mixed-Norm Spaces to Weighted-Type Spaces
Authors: Borgohain D. , Naik S.
Published: March 2014

Let 𝔻 be an open unit disc in the complex plane ℂ and let φ:𝔻→𝔻 as well as u:𝔻→ℂ be analytic maps. For an analytic function f(z)=∑n=0∞anzn on 𝔻 the weighted fractional differentiation composition operator is defined as (Dφ,uβf)(z)=u(z)f[β](φ(z)), where β≥0, f[β](z)=∑n=0∞(Γ(n+1+β)/Γ(n+1))anzn, and f0z=fz. In this paper, we obtain a characterization of boundedness and compactness of weighted fractional differentiation
composition operator from mixed-norm space Hp,q,ϕ to weighted-type space Hμ∞.
Frequency Response of an Impacting Lap Joint
Authors: Rahmani Amir M. , Ervin Elizabeth K.
Published: March 2014

Damage or failure of a relatively small component can precipitate the failure of a larger part of a structure. The behavior of damaged or worn joints is of particular concern. To address contact/impact in structural systems, this work models a structural lap joint from first principles. A beam with four stops and gaps is used to simulate a loose or damaged lap joint, which also represents designed manufacturing clearances in mechanical systems. The goal is to generate frequency responses to identify the local shock effect due to impact. Spatial and temporal solutions are presented for an example case. Converged time histories were used to generate the impulse as a metric of frequency response. Facilitating mode contribution calculations, the metric of impulse proves to be an excellent indicator of complexities in the beam's motion due to excitation frequency. Noncontact regions, sticking motions, local extrema, grazing impacts, and aperiodicities are identifiable for specific operating parameters. These conditions indicate when harmful impact may occur that can ultimately cause local damage within a structure. Knowledge of dangerous operating conditions can better focus on inspection before propagation occurs.
Attenuation of Collagen-Induced Arthritis in Rat by Nicotinic Alpha7 Receptor Partial Agonist GTS-21
Authors: Hu Yiping , Liu Ruoxi , Li Jinchao , Yue Ye , Cheng Wenxiang , Zhang Peng
Published: March 2014

This research was performed to observe the effect of GTS-21 on Collagen Induced Arthritis (CIA). CIA model was used and after the onset of arthritis, the rats were divided into three groups based on their clinical symptoms score. Two groups were intraperitoneally (IP) injected daily with GTS-21 (1 mg/kg, 2.5 mg/kg) for a week, whereas phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was used for the control group. Cytokine titers, radiological, and histological examinations were performed at different time points after treatment with GTS-21. Compared with those of the control, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6 in the serum were significantly reduced after GTS-21 management. In addition, radiological results show that bone degradation was inhibited as well. Moreover, the hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining indicated that the histological score was significantly alleviated in the therapeutic group. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) stain-positive cells were also detected in the destruction of the articular cartilage, which was significantly reduced compared with the control group. This study provides the first evidence on the effect of GTS-21 as a potential treatment for RA.
Pedometers and Aerobic Capacity: Evaluating an Elementary After-School Running Program
Authors: Wanless Elizabeth , Judge Lawrence W. , Dieringer Shannon T. , Bellar David , Johnson James , Plummer Sheli
Published: March 2014

Childhood obesity affects 1 of every 6 youth in the United States. One contributing factor to this statistic is a lack of physical activity (PA). Demands related to accountability which are placed on educators to demonstrate academic achievement often result in resistance to allocating time during the school day for PA. One possible solution is to consider utilizing time after school to integrate PA programs. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of a 12-week after-school pedometer-focused PA program on aerobic capacity and to examine the relationship between step count and aerobic capacity in elementary school aged children. A group of elementary students (n=24;9.5±0.9years) participated in a 12-week pedometer-focused PA program that included pretraining and posttraining fitness testing via the 20-meter version of the PACER test. Paired samplet-tests revealed significant differences between the pretest(M=21.0laps,SD=9.9)and posttest(M=25.2laps,SD=12.2)scores(t=4.04, P≤0.001). A Pearson correlation revealed no significant relationship between individual step count and the difference between PACER pre- and posttest(r=0.318, P=0.130). The program improved aerobic capacity, but an increase in pedometer-calculated step count was not a predictor.
Protocol Independent Adaptive Route Update for VANET
Authors: Rasheed Asim , Ajmal Sana , Qayyum Amir
Published: March 2014

High relative node velocity and high active node density have presented challenges to existing routing approaches within highly scaled ad hoc wireless networks, such as Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANET). Efficient routing requires finding optimum route with minimum delay, updating it on availability of a better one, and repairing it on link breakages. Current routing protocols are generally focused on finding and maintaining an efficient route, with very less emphasis on route update. Adaptive route update usually becomes impractical for dense networks due to large routing overheads. This paper presents an adaptive route update approach which can provide solution for any baseline routing protocol. The proposed adaptation eliminates the classification ofreactiveandproactiveby categorizing them aslogical conditionsto find and update the route.
Caring for Students: What Teachers Have to Say
Authors: Garza Rubén , Alejandro Elba Armandina , Blythe Tucker , Fite Kathy
Published: March 2014

In this exploratory qualitative study we examined teachers’ perceptions of teacher behaviors that convey caring in upper elementary and middle school classrooms. Data collection included teacher interview, classroom observations, and teacher self-reflection. Major findings include specific caring behaviors perceived by teachers that are identified and described in four themes: (a) fostering a sense of belonging, (b) getting to know students personally, (c) supporting academic success, and (d) attending to physiological needs. Our findings contribute to a body of research on caring by including teachers’ voices and illuminating an authentic approach in caring for students. Our description of caring behaviors and patterns of interactions demonstrate caring in ways that may not be congruent with the norm. Thus, our findings may provide new insight for educators to examine their personal ideology.
Theoretical Analysis and Adaptive Synchronization of a 4D Hyperchaotic Oscillator
Authors: Fonzin Fozin T. , Kengne J. , Pelap F. B.
Published: March 2014

We propose a new mathematical model of the TNC oscillator and study its impact on the dynamical properties of the oscillator subjected to an exponential nonlinearity. We establish the existence of hyperchaotic behavior in the system through theoretical analysis and by exploiting electronic circuit experiments. The obtained numerical results are found to be in good agreement with experimental observations. Moreover, the new technique on adaptive control theory is used on our model and it is rigorously proven that the adaptive synchronization can be achieved for hyperchaotic systems with uncertain parameters.
A Modified Implementation of Tristate Inverter Based Static Master-Slave Flip-Flop with Improved Power-Delay-Area Product
Authors: Singh Kunwar , Tiwari Satish Chandra , Gupta Maneesha
Published: March 2014

The paper introduces novel architectures for implementation of fully static master-slave flip-flops for low power, high performance, and high density. Based on the proposed structure, traditional C2MOS latch (tristate inverter/clocked inverter) based flip-flop is implemented with fewer transistors. The modified C2MOS based flip-flop designs mC2MOSff1 and mC2MOSff2 are realized using only sixteen transistors each while the number of clocked transistors is also reduced in case of mC2MOSff1. Postlayout simulations indicate that mC2MOSff1 flip-flop shows 12.4% improvement in PDAP (power-delay-area product) when compared with transmission gate flip-flop (TGFF) at 16X capacitive load which is considered to be the best design alternative among the conventional master-slave flip-flops. To validate the correct behaviour of the proposed design, an eight bit asynchronous counter is designed to layout level. LVS and parasitic extraction were carried out on Calibre, whereas layouts were implemented using IC station (Mentor Graphics). HSPICE simulations were used to characterize the transient response of the flip-flop designs in a 180 nm/1.8 V CMOS technology. Simulations were also performed at 130 nm, 90 nm, and 65 nm to reveal the scalability of both the designs at modern process nodes.
Wiener Polarity Index of Cycle-Block Graphs
Authors: Jia Zhen , Wei Fuyi , Wu Yang
Published: March 2014

The Wiener polarity index WP of a graph G is the number of unordered pairs of vertices u,v of G such that the distance dG(u, v) between u and v is 3. Cycle-block graph is a connected graph in which every block is a cycle. In this paper, we determine the maximum and minimum Wiener polarity index of cycle-block graphs and describe their extremal graphs; the extremal graphs of 4-uniform cactus with respect to Wiener polarity index are also discussed.
Human Paraoxonase-1 Activity Is Related to the Number of CD4+ T-Cells and Is Restored by Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-1-Infected Individuals
Authors: Maselli Luciana Morganti Ferreira , Cunha Joel da , Gutierrez Eliana Battaggia , Maranhão Raul Cavalcante , Spada Celso , Bydlowski Sérgio Paulo
Published: March 2014

Background. Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity is suggested to be altered in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1). We investigated PON1 activity in individuals receiving different regimens of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).Methods. PON1 activity was evaluated in 91 HIV-1 seronegative and 624 HIV-1 infected individuals (115 were not undergoing therapy (ART-naïve), and 509 were receiving HAART). HIV-1 infected individuals were treated with the following: efavirenz (EFV;n=195) or nevirapine (NVP;n=95) or lopinavir/ritonavir (LOP/r;n=219). Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), HDL, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) fractions and the atherogenic indices (AI, TC : HDL, and LDL : HDL ratios) were determined.Results. PON1 activity (U/L) was lower in the ART-naïve group compared with the other groups. PON1 activity correlated with CD4+ T-cell number of ART-naïve group (r=0,121;P=0,014). The LOP/r group showed a reduction in HDL and an increase in AI (TC : HDL ratio) in comparison with other groups.Conclusion. PON1 activity was reduced in untreated individuals, but not in individuals receiving HAART. PON1 activity correlated with the number of CD4+ T-cells. The findings suggest that the activity of PON1 is associated with the immune status of HIV-1 infected individuals.
A Master-Slave Surveillance System to Acquire Panoramic and Multiscale Videos
Authors: Liu Yu , Lai Shiming , Zuo Chenglin , Shi Hao , Zhang Maojun
Published: March 2014

This paper describes a master-slave visual surveillance system that uses stationary-dynamic camera assemblies to achieve wide field of view and selective focus of interest. In this system, the fish-eye panoramic camera is capable of monitoring a large area, and the PTZ dome camera has high mobility and zoom ability. In order to achieve the precise interaction, preprocessing spatial calibration between these two cameras is required. This paper introduces a novel calibration approach to automatically calculate a transformation matrix model between two coordinate systems by matching feature points. In addition, a distortion correction method based on Midpoint Circle Algorithm is proposed to handle obvious horizontal distortion in the captured panoramic image. Experimental results using realistic scenes have demonstrated the efficiency and applicability of the system with real-time surveillance.
Impact of Chagas Disease in Bolivian Immigrants Living in Europe and the Risk of Stigmatization
Authors: Ortí-Lucas Rafael M. , Parada-Barba María C. , de la Rubia-Ortí José E. , Carrillo-Ruiz Alejandra , Beso-Delgado María , Boone An L. D.
Published: March 2014

Background.The prevalence of Chagas disease in endemic countries varies with the kind of vector involved and the socioeconomic conditions of the population of origin. Due to recent immigration it is an emerging public health problem in Europe, especially in those countries which receive immigrant populations with a high prevalence of carriers. The study reviews the impact of the disease on Bolivian immigrants living in Europe, the preventive measures and regulations applied in European countries, and their repercussion on possible stigmatization of certain population groups.Methods.The Bolivian immigrant population resident in 2012 was estimated and the affected population in different European countries was calculated with data on carrier prevalence that were recently published. The preventive measures and regulations available in Europe were also reviewed. MEDLINE-PubMed, GoPubMed, and Embase were consulted for the literature review.Results.The Bolivian immigrant population has the highest prevalence of Chagas carriers (6.7%–25%) compared to the overall Latin American population (1.3%–2.4%). Only in Spain, France, Belgium, UK, Portugal, Italy, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Germany, preventive measures are applied to this population. The established regulations are insufficient and completely different criteria are applied in the different countries and this could reflect a certain degree of stigmatization.
The Interplay between Magnesium and Testosterone in Modulating Physical Function in Men
Authors: Maggio Marcello , De Vita Francesca , Lauretani Fulvio , Nouvenne Antonio , Meschi Tiziana , Ticinesi Andrea , Dominguez Ligia J. , Barbagallo Mario , Dall’Aglio Elisabetta , Ceda Gian Paolo
Published: March 2014

The role of nutritional status as key factor of successful aging is very well recognized. Among the different mechanisms by which nutrients may exert their beneficial effects is the modulation of the hormonal anabolic milieu, which is significantly reduced with aging. Undernutrition and anabolic hormonal deficiency frequently coexist in older individuals determining an increased risk of mobility impairment and other adverse outcomes. Mineral assessment has received attention as an important determinant of physical performance. In particular, there is evidence that magnesium exerts a positive influence on anabolic hormonal status, including Testosterone, in men. In this review we summarize data from observational and intervention studies about the role of magnesium in Testosterone bioactivity and the potential underlying mechanisms of this relationship in male subjects. If larger studies will confirm these pivotal data, the combination of hormonal and mineral replacements might be adopted to prevent or delay the onset of disability in the elderly.
Efficient Parallel Implementation of Active Appearance Model Fitting Algorithm on GPU
Authors: Wang Jinwei , Ma Xirong , Zhu Yuanping , Sun Jizhou
Published: March 2014

The active appearance model (AAM) is one of the most powerful model-based object detecting and tracking methods which has been widely used in various situations. However, the high-dimensional texture representation causes very time-consuming computations, which makes the AAM difficult to apply to real-time systems. The emergence of modern graphics processing units (GPUs) that feature a many-core, fine-grained parallel architecture provides new and promising solutions to overcome the computational challenge. In this paper, we propose an efficient parallel implementation of the AAM fitting algorithm on GPUs. Our design idea is fine grain parallelism in which we distribute the texture data of the AAM, in pixels, to thousands of parallel GPU threads for processing, which makes the algorithm fit better into the GPU architecture. We implement our algorithm using the compute unified device architecture (CUDA) on the Nvidia’s GTX 650 GPU, which has the latest Kepler architecture. To compare the performance of our algorithm with different data sizes, we built sixteen face AAM models of different dimensional textures. The experiment results show that our parallel AAM fitting algorithm can achieve real-time performance for videos even on very high-dimensional textures.
Effect of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage on Word Generation
Authors: Ladowski Daniella , Qian Winnie , Kapadia Anish N. , Macdonald R. Loch , Schweizer Tom A.
Published: March 2014

Background. Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) survivors commonly exhibit impairment on phonemic and semantic fluency tests; however, it is unclear which of the contributing cognitive processes are compromised in aSAH patients. One method of disentangling these processes is to compare initial word production, which is a rapid, semiautomatic, frontal-executive process, and late phase word production, which is dependent on more effortful retrieval and lexical size and requires a more distributed neural network.Methods. Seventy-two individuals with aSAH and twenty-five control subjects were tested on a cognitive battery including the phonemic and semantic fluency task. Demographic and clinical information was also collected.Results. Compared to control subjects, patients with aSAH were treated by clipping and those with multiple aneurysms were impaired across the duration of the phonemic test. Among patients treated by coiling, those with anterior communicating artery aneurysms or a neurological complication (intraventricular hemorrhage, vasospasm, and edema) showed worse output only in the last 45 seconds of the phonemic test. Patients performed comparably to control subjects on the semantic test.Conclusions. These results support a “diffuse damage” hypothesis of aSAH, indicated by late phase phonemic fluency impairment. Overall, the phonemic and semantic tests represent a viable, rapid clinical screening tool in the postoperative assessment of patients with aSAH.
High-Intensity Interval Training in Patients with Substance Use Disorder
Authors: Flemmen Grete , Unhjem Runar , Wang Eivind
Published: March 2014

Patients with substance use disorder (SUD) suffer a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and other lifestyle diseases compared to the general population. High intensity training has been shown to effectively reduce this risk, and therefore we aimed to examine the feasibility and effect of such training in SUD patients in clinical treatment in the present study. 17 males and 7 females (32 ± 8 yr) in treatment were randomized to either a training group (TG), treadmill interval training in 4 × 4 minutes at 90–95% of maximal heart rate, 3 days a week for 8 weeks, or a conventional rehabilitation control group (CG). Baseline values for both groups combined at inclusion were 44 ± 8 (males) and 34 ± 9 (females) mL · min−1· kg−1, respectively. 9/12 and 7/12 patients completed the TG and CG, respectively. Only the TG significantly improved (15 ± 7%) their maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), from 42.3 ± 7.2 mL · min−1· kg−1at pretest to 48.7 ± 9.2 mL · min−1· kg−1at posttest. No between-group differences were observed in work economy, and level of insomnia (ISI) or anxiety and depression (HAD), but a significant within-group improvement in depression was apparent for the TG. High intensity training was feasible for SUD patients in treatment. This training form should be implemented as a part of the rehabilitation since it, in contrast to the conventional treatment, represents a risk reduction for cardiovascular disease and premature death.
Current Opportunities and Challenges of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Positron Emission Tomography, and Mass Spectrometry Imaging for Mapping Cancer MetabolismIn Vivo
Authors: Lin Gigin , Chung Yuen-Li
Published: March 2014

Cancer is known to have unique metabolic features such as Warburg effect. Current cancer therapy has moved forward from cytotoxic treatment to personalized, targeted therapies, with some that could lead to specific metabolic changes, potentially monitored by imaging methods. In this paper we addressed the important aspects to study cancer metabolism by using image techniques, focusing on opportunities and challenges of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP)-MRS, positron emission tomography (PET), and mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) for mapping cancer metabolism. Finally, we highlighted the future possibilities of an integratedin vivoPET/MR imaging systems, together with anin situMSI tissue analytical platform, may become the ultimate technologies for unraveling and understanding the molecular complexities in some aspects of cancer metabolism. Such comprehensive imaging investigations might provide information on pharmacometabolomics, biomarker discovery, and disease diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment response monitoring for clinical medicine.
Anatomical Considerations of the Suprascapular Nerve in Rotator Cuff Repairs
Authors: Tom James A. , Mesfin Addisu , Shah Mitesh P. , Javandel Mitra , Lee Dan J. , Cerynik Douglas L. , Amin Nirav H.
Published: March 2014

Introduction. When using the double interval slide technique for arthroscopic repair of chronic large or massive rotator cuff tears, the posterior interval release is directed toward the scapular spine until the fat pad that protects the suprascapular nerve is reached. Injury to the suprascapular nerve can occur due to the nerve’s proximity to the operative field. This study aimed to identify safe margins for avoiding injury to the suprascapular nerve. Materials and Methods. For 20 shoulders in ten cadavers, the distance was measured from the suprascapular notch to the glenoid rim, the articular margin of the rotator cuff footprint, and the lateral border of the acromion. Results. From the suprascapular notch, the suprascapular nerve coursed an average of 3.42 cm to the glenoid rim, 5.34 cm to the articular margin of the rotator cuff footprint, and 6.09 cm to the lateral border of the acromion. Conclusions. The results of this study define a safe zone, using anatomic landmarks, to help surgeons avoid iatrogenic injury to the suprascapular nerve when employing the double interval slide technique in arthroscopic repair of the rotator cuff.
Differential Associations of Inflammatory and Endothelial Biomarkers with Disease Activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis of Short Duration
Authors: Klimek Ewa , Skalska Anna , Kwaśny-Krochin Beata , Surdacki Andrzej , Sulicka Joanna , Korkosz Mariusz , Fedak Danuta , Kierzkowska Izabella , Wizner Barbara , Grodzicki Tomasz K.
Published: March 2014

Objectives. To estimate endothelial dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of short duration in relation to disease activity based on the assessment of 28 joints (DAS28).Methods. We studied 29 patients (22 women, mean age 41 (SD, 9) years) with RA of short duration and 29 healthy controls. The RA subjects were divided into those with low (DAS28: 2.6–5.1,n=18) or high (DAS28>5.1,n=11) disease activity. Exclusion criteria included clinically overt atherosclerosis and other coexistent diseases. Biochemical markers of inflammatory activation and endothelial dysfunction were measured.Results. There were no significant intergroup differences in the majority of classical cardiovascular risk factors. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6 were increased in RA subjects. Compared to the controls, levels of soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, von Willebrand factor, and pentraxin-3 were significantly elevated in RA subjects with low disease activity, exhibiting no further significant rises in those with high disease activity. Asymmetric dimethyl-L-arginine, soluble E-selectin, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and osteoprotegerin were increased only in RA patients with high disease activity.Conclusions. Our findings might suggest a dissociation of pathways governing generalized and joint-specific inflammatory reactions from those involved in endothelial activation and inflammation within the vascular wall.