bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Curative Effects of ZHENG-Based Fuzheng-Huayu Tablet on Hepatitis B Caused Cirrhosis Related to CYP1A2 Genetic Polymorphism
Authors: Li Qing-Ya , Guo Zhi-Zhong , Deng Xin , Xu Lie-Ming , Gao Yue-Qiu , Zhang Wei , Wang Xiao-Su , Xue Dong-Ying , Lu Yi-Yu , Liu Ping , Su Shi-Bing
Published: October 2013

Aim. To investigate the correlation of Fuzheng-Huayu tablet (FZHY) efficacy on chronic hepatitis B caused cirrhosis (HBC) and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of CYP1A2.Methods. After 111 cases of HBC with 69 excess, 21 deficiency-excess, and 21 deficiency ZHENGs (ZHENG, also called traditional Chinese medicine syndrome) were treated by FZHY for 6 months, clinical symptoms, Child-Pugh score, and ZHENG score were observed. Three of the SNPs in CYP1A2 gene were detected and analyzed using SNaPshot assay.Results. In ZHENG efficacy between effective and invalid groups, there was significant difference (P<0.001). The ZHENG deficiency was significantly correlated with FZHY efficacy (P<0.05). AA genotype of CYP1A2-G2964A was significantly different with GG genotype (P<0.05) between CYP1A2 Genotypes and FZHY efficacy on ZHENG. More importantly, GA plus AA genotype of CYP1A2-G2964A was significantly different with deficiency ZHENG (P<0.05) between CYP1A2 genotypes and FZHY efficacy on ZHENG.Conclusion. FZHY improved ZHENG score of HBC, and these efficacies may relate to CYP1A2-G2964A sites. It was suggested that CYP1A2-G2964A locus is probably a risk factor for ZHENG-based FZHY efficacy in HBC.
XFEM for Thermal Crack of Massive Concrete
Authors: Liu Guowei , Hu Yu , Li Qingbin , Zuo Zheng
Published: October 2013

Thermal cracking of massive concrete structures occurs as a result of stresses caused by hydration in real environment conditions. The extended finite element method that combines thermal fields and creep is used in this study to analyze the thermal cracking of massive concrete structures. The temperature field is accurately simulated through an equivalent equation of heat conduction that considers the effect of a cooling pipe system. The time-dependent creep behavior of massive concrete is determined by the viscoelastic constitutive model with Prony series. Based on the degree of hydration, we consider the main properties related to cracking evolving with time. Numerical simulations of a real massive concrete structure are conducted. Results show that the developed method is efficient for numerical calculations of thermal cracks on massive concrete. Further analyses indicate that a cooling system and appropriate heat preservation measures can efficiently prevent the occurrence of thermal cracks.
Forecasting of Corrosion Properties of Steel Wires for Production of Guide Wires for Cardiological Treatment
Authors: Przondziono J. , Walke W. , Hadasik E. , Młynarski R.
Published: October 2013

The study presents evaluation of the influence of strain in drawing process and of surface modification on resistance to electrochemical corrosion of wires made of stainless steel for production of guide wires used in invasive cardiology. The results of static tensile test enabled us to determine the course of flow curve of wires made of X10CrNi 18-8 steel as well as mathematical form of flow stress function. Resistance to electrochemical corrosion was evaluated on the ground of registered anodic polarisation curves by means of potentiodynamic method. The tests were performed in solution simulating human blood on samples that were electrolytically polished and samples that were polished and then chemically passivated. Exemplary anodic polarisation curves were given. It was proved that with the applied strain, corrosion properties decrease. It was found that chemical passivation improves wire corrosion characteristics. Statistical analysis showed that there is a significant dependence between corrosion properties (polarisation resistanceRp) and strainεapplied in drawing process. Functions that present the changeRp=f(ε)were selected. The issue is of importance to guide wire manufacturers because application of the suggested methodology will enable us to forecast corrosion characteristics of wire with the required strength drawn with the applied strain.
Permanence in a Discrete Mutualism Model with Infinite Deviating Arguments and Feedback Controls
Authors: Xu Changjin , Wu Yusen
Published: October 2013

We propose and deal with a discrete mutualism model with infinite deviating arguments and feedback controls. Sufficient conditions which guarantee the permanence of the system are obtained by using the difference inequality theory. The paper ends with brief conclusions.
Ameloblastomatous CCOT: A Case Report of a Rare Variant of CCOT with a Review of the Literature on Its Diverse Histopathologic Presentation
Authors: Menat Shailesh , MD Shylaja , Attur Kailash , Goyal Kaushal
Published: October 2013

Calcifying odontogenic cyst is considered as a rare lesion and accounts for 1% of jaw cysts. It represents a heterogeneous group of lesions which exhibit a variety of clinicopathologic and behavioral features. It has been categorized as cyst and neoplasm. Even after several classification and subclassification, COC remains an enigma. WHO classification 2005 has reclassified the lesion as calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (CCOT). Ameloblastomatous COC is a rare variant which is not much described in the literature. This report describes one such case which was large multicystic, involved the coronoid and condylar process of the mandible, and treated by subhemimandibulectomy. The case was recurrence free even after 1 year of followup.
Web Services Conversation Adaptation Using Conditional Substitution Semantics of Application Domain Concepts
Authors: Elgedawy Islam
Published: October 2013

Internet of Services (IoS) vision allows users to allocate and consume different web services on the fly without any prior knowledge regarding the chosen services. Such chosen services should automatically interact with one another in a transparent manner to accomplish the required users' goals. As services are chosen on the fly, service conversations are not necessarily compatible due to incompatibilities between services signatures and/or conversation protocols, creating obstacles for realizing the IoS vision. One approach for overcoming this problem is to use conversation adapters. However, such conversion adapters must be automatically created on the fly as chosen services are only known at run time. Existing approaches for automatic adapter generation are syntactic and very limited; hence they cannot be adopted in such dynamic environments. To overcome such limitation, this paper proposes a novel approach for automatic adapter generation that uses conditional substitution semantics between application domain concepts and operations to automatically generate the adapter conversion functions. Such conditional substitution semantics are captured using a concepts substitutability enhanced graph required to be part of application domain ontologies. Experiments results show that the proposed approach provides more accurate conversation adaptation results when compared against existing syntactic adapter generation approaches.
A Review on the Effect of Crumb Rubber Addition to the Rheology of Crumb Rubber Modified Bitumen
Authors: Ibrahim Mohd Rasdan , Katman Herda Yati , Karim Mohamed Rehan , Koting Suhana , Mashaan Nuha S.
Published: October 2013

Crumb rubber modification has been proven to enhance the properties of pure bitumen. This paper looks at some of the international standards for producing crumb rubber modified bitumen (CRMB) and reviews the effect of crumb rubber to the rheology of crumb rubber modified bitumen. The review shows that the rheology of CRMB depends on internal factors such as crumb rubber quantity, particle size, and pure bitumen composition, and external factors such as the mixing time, temperature, and also the modification technique. These factors govern the swelling process of crumb rubber particles that lead to the increase of viscosity of the modified bitumen. However, the mixing temperature and duration can cause rubber particles to depolymerize and subsequently cause loss of viscosity. Crumb rubber modification also improves the properties of bitumen by increasing the storage and loss modulus and enhancing the high and low temperature susceptibility. The effect of crumb rubber to aging properties of CRMB is also discussed. Finally several techniques of chemical modification to terminal blends of CRMB and the subsequent improvement to the settling property of CRMB are explained.
[Retracted] Epidemiological Pattern of Newly Diagnosed Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, Taif, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Kamal Alanani Naglaa Mohamed , Alsulaimani Adnan Amin
Published: October 2013

Introduction and Aim. Type‐1‐diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is the most commonly diagnosed type of DM in children and adolescents. We aim to identify the epidemiological profile, risk factors, clinical features, and factors related to delayed diagnosis or mismanagement in children with newly diagnosed T1DM in Taif, Saudi Arabia. Patients and Methods. Ninety‐nine newly diagnosed patients were included in the study along with 110 healthy controls. Patients were classified into 3 groups (I: >2 years, II: 2–>6 years, and III: 6–12 years). Both patients and controls were tested for C‐peptide, TSH, and autoantibodies associated with DM and those attacking the thyroid gland. Results. Diabetic ketoacidosis was present in 79.8%. Delayed and missed diagnoses were recorded in 45.5%, with significant correlation to age and district of origin. Severity at presentation showed significant correlation with age and cow’s milk feeding. Group I, those with misdiagnosis or positive DM related autoantibodies, had more severe presentations. The correlation of C‐peptide and TSH levels in patients and controls was significant for C‐peptide and nonsignificant for TSH. Conclusion. Misdiagnosis and mismanagement are common and account for more severe presentation, especially in young children >2 years. Early introduction of cow’s milk appears to be a risk factor for the development of T1DM.
Totally Ecofriendly Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from Aqueous Dissolutions of Polysaccharides
Authors: Garza-Navarro M. A. , Aguirre-Rosales J. A. , Llanas-Vázquez E. E. , Moreno-Cortez I. E. , Torres-Castro A. , González-González V.
Published: October 2013

In this contribution, a totally ecofriendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles from aqueous dissolution of polysaccharides is reported. The synthesis of nanoparticles was performed using aqueous dissolutions of silver nitrate (AgNO3) and carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) as both reducing and stabilization agent and using different AgNO3 : CMC weight ratios. Resultant yellowish to reddish dispersions were characterized by means of transmission electron microscopy and their related techniques, such as bright field and Z-contrast imaging and electron diffraction, as well as ultraviolet-visible and infrared spectroscopic techniques. The experimental evidence suggests that the morphology and particle size distribution of the silver nanoparticles depend on the AgNO3 : CMC weight ratio. This feature seems to be related to the stabilization given by the CMC matrix, which, according to our experimental findings, is steric in nature. Regarding such experimental evidence, a synthesis mechanism in which CMC acts as stabilizer and reducing agent is proposed.
Collagen Content in Skin and Internal Organs of the Tight Skin Mouse: An Animal Model of Scleroderma
Authors: Manne Jayanthi , Markova Marina , Siracusa Linda D. , Jimenez Sergio A.
Published: October 2013

The Tight Skin mouse is a genetically induced animal model of tissue fibrosis caused by a large in-frame mutation in the gene encoding fibrillin-1 (Fbn-1). We examined the influence of gender on the collagen content of tissues in C57BL/6J wild type (+/+) and mutant Tight Skin (Tsk/+) mice employing hydroxyproline assays. Tissue sections were stained with Masson’s trichrome to identify collagenin situ. AdultTsk/+ mice skin contains ~15% more collagen, on average, than skin from +/+ mice of the same gender. The heart ofTsk/+ males had significantly more collagen than that of +/+ males. No significant gender differences were found in lungs and kidney collagen content. Overall, the collagen content ofTsk/+ males and +/+ males was higher than that of theirTsk/+ and +/+ female counterparts, respectively. Our data confirm increased deposition of collagen in skin and hearts ofTsk/+ mice; however, the effects of theTskmutation on collagen content are both tissue specific and gender specific. These results indicate that comparative studies of collagen content between normal andTsk/+ mice skin and internal organs must take into account gender differences caused by expression of the androgen receptor.
Chronic Eosinophilic Leukemia—Not Otherwise Specified (NOS) in the Background of a Large Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Gonsalves Wilson I. , He Rong , Pardanani Animesh , Gupta Vinay , Smeltzer Jacob P. , Hanson Curtis A. , Witzig Thomas E.
Published: October 2013

Clonal eosinophilic disorders are rare among hematological malignancies. Most eosinophilia tends to be due to secondary causes such as infections, hypersensitivity conditions, drug reactions, and connective tissue disorders. The presence of a primary clonal eosinophilic disorder such as chronic eosinophilic leukemia—not otherwise specified (NOS) in the presence of a synchronous large cell lymphoma—is rare making the diagnosis challenging. We present a case of a 51-year-old female with the aforementioned presentation and demonstrate the extensive workup performed to identify the diagnosis.
Quantum Behaved Particle Swarm Optimization with Neighborhood Search for Numerical Optimization
Authors: Fu Xiao , Liu Wangsheng , Zhang Bin , Deng Hua
Published: October 2013

Quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) algorithm is a new PSO variant, which outperforms the original PSO in search ability but has fewer control parameters. However, QPSO as well as PSO still suffers from premature convergence in solving complex optimization problems. The main reason is that new particles in QPSO are generated around the weighted attractors of previous best particles and the global best particle. This may result in attracting too fast. To tackle this problem, this paper proposes a new QPSO algorithm called NQPSO, in which one local and one global neighborhood search strategies are utilized to balance exploitation and exploration. Moreover, a concept of opposition-based learning (OBL) is employed for population initialization. Experimental studies are conducted on a set of well-known benchmark functions including multimodal and rotated problems. Computational results show that our approach outperforms some similar QPSO algorithms and five other state-of-the-art PSO variants.
Differences in Upgrading of Prostate Cancer in Prostatectomies between Community and Academic Practices
Authors: Lee Franklin , Gottsch Henry , Ellis William J. , True Lawrence D. , Lin Daniel W. , Wright Jonathan L.
Published: October 2013

Objective. To determine whether initial biopsy performed by community or academic urologists affected rates of Gleason upgrading at a tertiary referral center. Gleason upgrading from biopsy to radical prostatectomy (RP) is an important event as treatment decisions are made based on the biopsy score.Materials and Methods. We identified men undergoing RP for Gleason3+3or3+4disease at a tertiary care academic center. Biopsy performed in the community was centrally reviewed at the academic center. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with Gleason upgrading.Results. We reviewed 1,348 men. There was no difference in upgrading whether the biopsy was performed at academic or community sites (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.7–1.2). Increased risk of upgrading was seen in those with >1 positive core, older men, and those with higher PSAs. Secondary pattern 4 and larger prostate size were associated with a reduction in risk of upgrading. Compared to the smallest quartile of prostate size (<35 g), those in the highest quartile (>56 g) had a 49% reduction in risk of upgrading (OR 0.51, 95% CI 0.3–0.7).Conclusion. There was no difference in upgrading between where the biopsy was performed and community and academic urologists.
Health Literacy and Global Cognitive Function Predict E-Mail but Not Internet Use in Heart Failure Patients
Authors: Schprechman Jared P. , Gathright Emily C. , Goldstein Carly M. , Guerini Kate A. , Dolansky Mary A. , Redle Joseph , Hughes Joel W.
Published: October 2013

Background. The internet offers a potential for improving patient knowledge, and e-mail may be used in patient communication with providers. However, barriers to internet and e-mail use, such as low health literacy and cognitive impairment, may prevent patients from using technological resources.Purpose. We investigated whether health literacy, heart failure knowledge, and cognitive function were related to internet and e-mail use in older adults with heart failure (HF).Methods. Older adults (N=119) with heart failure (69.84±9.09years) completed measures of health literacy, heart failure knowledge, cognitive functioning, and internet use in a cross-sectional study.Results. Internet and e-mail use were reported in 78.2% and 71.4% of this sample of patients with HF, respectively. Controlling for age and education, logistic regression analyses indicated that higher health literacy predicted e-mail (P<.05) but not internet use. Global cognitive function predicted e-mail (P<.05) but not internet use. Only 45% used the Internet to obtain information on HF and internet use was not associated with greater HF knowledge.Conclusions. The majority of HF patients use the internet and e-mail, but poor health literacy and cognitive impairment may prevent some patients from accessing these resources. Future studies that examine specific internet and email interventions to increase HF knowledge are needed.
Monogenic Autoinflammatory Syndromes: State of the Art on Genetic, Clinical, and Therapeutic Issues
Authors: Caso Francesco , Rigante Donato , Vitale Antonio , Lucherini Orso Maria , Costa Luisa , Atteno Mariangela , Compagnone Adele , Caso Paolo , Frediani Bruno , Galeazzi Mauro , Punzi Leonardo , Cantarini Luca
Published: October 2013

Monogenic autoinflammatory syndromes (MAISs) are caused by innate immune system dysregulation leading to aberrant inflammasome activation and episodes of fever and involvement of skin, serous membranes, eyes, joints, gastrointestinal tract, and nervous system, predominantly with a childhood onset. To date, there are twelve known MAISs: familial Mediterranean fever, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated periodic syndrome, familial cold urticaria syndrome, Muckle-Wells syndrome, CINCA syndrome, mevalonate kinase deficiency, NLRP12-associated autoinflammatory disorder, Blau syndrome, early-onset sarcoidosis, PAPA syndrome, Majeed syndrome, and deficiency of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist. Each of these conditions may manifest itself with more or less severe inflammatory symptoms of variable duration and frequency, associated with findings of increased inflammatory parameters in laboratory investigation. The purpose of this paper is to describe the main genetic, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of MAISs and their most recent classification with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness of autoinflammation among various internal medicine specialists.
Lead‐Silver Anode Degradation during Zinc Electrorecovery Process: Chloride Effect and Localized Damage
Authors: Lashgari Mohsen , Hosseini Farzaneh
Published: October 2013

Using mass‐loss, potentiodynamic polarization, and electrochemical impedance measurements under anodic regime, the corrosion behaviour of lead‐silver (0.55%) electrode in zinc electrowinning solution containing different concentration of chloride anions was studied. The results revealed that the rate of corrosion does not monotonically increase with concentration. Moreover, the maximum degradation occurs at the concentration where the anodic process (oxygen evolution) proceeds hardly. According to polarization curves, the electrode exhibited obvious electrocatalytic activity (for anode reaction) by forming oxide layer. To scrutinize the localized damage, occurring at the bottom of anode, we also took some scanning electron micrographs with energy dispersive X‐ray analyses. The investigations suggested a new mechanism, that is, a complicated migration phenomenon, resulting from an electrodissolution/sedimentation/deposition process.
The Efficacy of Molecular Markers Analysis with Integration of Sensory Methods in Detection of Aroma in Rice
Authors: Yeap H. Y. , Faruq G. , Zakaria H. P. , Harikrishna J. A.
Published: October 2013

Allele Specific Amplification with four primers (External Antisense Primer, External Sense Primer, Internal Nonfragrant Sense Primer, and Internal Fragrant Antisense Primer) and sensory evaluation with leaves and grains were executed to identify aromatic rice genotypes and their F1 individuals derived from different crosses of 2 Malaysian varieties with 4 popular land races and 3 advance lines. Homozygous aromatic (fgr/fgr) F1 individuals demonstrated better aroma scores compared to both heterozygous nonaromatic (FGR/fgr) and homozygous nonaromatic (FGR/FGR) individuals, while, some F1 individuals expressed aroma in both leaf and grain aromatic tests without possessing the fgr allele. Genotypic analysis of F1 individuals for the fgr gene represented homozygous aromatic, heterozygous nonaromatic and homozygous nonaromatic genotypes in the ratio 20 : 19 : 3. Genotypic and phenotypic analysis revealed that aroma in F1 individuals was successfully inherited from the parents, but either molecular analysis or sensory evaluation alone could not determine aromatic condition completely. The integration of molecular analysis with sensory methods was observed as rapid and reliable for the screening of aromatic genotypes because molecular analysis could distinguish aromatic homozygous, nonaromatic homozygous and nonaromatic heterozygous individuals, whilst the sensory method facilitated the evaluation of aroma emitted from leaf and grain during flowering to maturity stages.
Study of Flowering Pattern in Setaria viridis, a Proposed Model Species for C4 Photosynthesis Research
Authors: Rizal Govinda , Acebron Kelvin , Mogul Reychelle , Karki Shanta , Larazo Nikki , Quick William Paul
Published: October 2013

Green foxtail millet (Setaria viridis) has NADP-ME type of C4 photosynthesis. Because of its short life cycle, small genome size of ~515 Mb, small plant stature, high number of seed set, simple growth requirements, and wide adaptability, this diploid (2n=18) weed is proposed to be a model species for the study of C4 photosynthesis. It is also a representative of bioenergy grasses and a model for genetic study of invasive weeds. Despite having all traits of a model species, it is difficult to cross-pollinate because its flowering behavior is not well studied. We used time lapse digital recording to study the flowering time and pattern along a single panicle. We found that flowering in Setaria was triggered by the darkness of the night and when the temperature was lower than 35°C. The anthesis of all the spikelets in a panicle took up-to three nights flowering from 9:30 pm to 10:00 am in the morning. Each spikelet has three phases of anthesis during which pollination occurs. A spikelet remains open for less than three hours. The pollination time for each spikelet is less than 60 minutes. Information from this study will facilitate the geneticists and plant breeders to plan for efficient crossing of Setaria.
Aerial Survey as a Tool to Estimate Abundance and Describe Distribution of a Carcharhinid Species, the Lemon Shark,Negaprion brevirostris
Authors: Kessel S. T. , Gruber S. H. , Gledhill K. S. , Bond M. E. , Perkins R. G.
Published: October 2013

Aerial survey provides an important tool to assess the abundance of both terrestrial and marine vertebrates. To date, limited work has tested the effectiveness of this technique to estimate the abundance of smaller shark species. In Bimini, Bahamas, the lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) shows high site fidelity to a shallow sandy lagoon, providing an ideal test species to determine the effectiveness of localised aerial survey techniques for a Carcharhinid species in shallow subtropical waters. Between September 2007 and September 2008, visual surveys were conducted from light aircraft following defined transects ranging in length between 8.8 and 4.4 km. Count results were corrected for “availability”, “perception”, and “survey intensity” to provide unbiased abundance estimates. The abundance of lemon sharks was greatest in the central area of the lagoon during high tide, with a change in abundance distribution to the east and western regions of the lagoon with low tide. Mean abundance of sharks was estimated at 49 (±8.6) individuals, and monthly abundance was significantly positively correlated with mean water temperature. The successful implementation of the aerial survey technique highlighted the potential of further employment for shark abundance assessments in shallow coastal marine environments.
Simultaneous Periprosthetic Acetabular Fracture and Contralateral B-Type Compression Injury of the Pelvic Ring: A Case Report of a Rare Injury Combination
Authors: Märdian Sven , Schaser Klaus-Dieter , Wichlas Florian , Schwabe Philipp
Published: October 2013

The periprosthetic fracture of the acetabulum is a rare injury, and its management is only sporadically reported in the literature. A few case reports are available which mainly focus on periprosthetic acetabular fractures in the elderly population. In our case, a 32-year-old patient suffered from a periprosthetic acetabular fracture in combination with a pelvic ring injury following a high velocity accident. The fracture morphology allowed a salvage of the prosthesis with an open reduction and internal fixation with a good radiographic and functional outcome one year after trauma.
Mechanical Properties and Morphological Characterization of PLA/Chitosan/Epoxidized Natural Rubber Composites
Authors: Zakaria Zainoha , Islam Md. Saiful , Hassan Azman , Mohamad Haafiz M. K. , Arjmandi Reza , Inuwa I. M. , Hasan M.
Published: October 2013

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA)/chitosan (CS) natural polymer/epoxidised natural rubber (ENR) composites were successfully prepared through a solution casting method. The morphological characteristics of fabricated composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical microscopy. The microstructure of PLA/ENR was significantly altered with the addition of CS. SEM analysis of composites fractured surfaces revealed smooth and homogeneous texture and good dispersion of CS. However for 15 wt% CS composites, the phase segregation and poor adhesion between the polymers were observed. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed some levels of attractive interaction between CS, PLA, and ENR in the composites. The mechanical properties of composites in terms of tensile strength and tensile modulus were significantly improved with the addition of CS into the matrix while the percent elongation at break decreased. The tensile strength increased up to 5 wt% CS loading for both PLA/CS and PLA/ENR/CS and thereafter decreased while Young’s modulus increased up to 10 wt%. However, when the CS content was increased to 15 wt%, the tensile strength and tensile modulus were slightly decreased. These improvements were attributed to good dispersion of CS at the optimum filler levels and attractive interaction between the composites components.
Exponential Synchronization for Neutral Complex Dynamical Networks with Interval Mode-Dependent Delays and Sampled Data
Authors: Liu Xinghua , Xi Hongsheng
Published: October 2013

The exponential synchronization and sampled-data controller problem for a class of neutral complex dynamical networks (NCDNs) with Markovian jump parameters, partially unknown transition rates and delays, is investigated in this paper. Both the discrete and neutral delays are considered to be interval mode dependent and time varying, while the sampling period is assumed to be time varying and bounded. Based on a new augmented stochastic Lyapunov functional, the delay-range-dependent and rate-dependent exponential stability conditions for the closed-loop error system are obtained by the Lyapunov-Krasovskii stability theory and reciprocally convex lemma. Then according to the proposed exponential stability conditions, the sampled-data synchronization controllers are designed in terms of the solution to linear matrix inequalities that can be solved effectively by using Matlab. Finally, numerical examples are given to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods.
An Extensive Replication Study on Three New Susceptibility Loci of Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma in Han Chinese: Jiangsu Eye Study
Authors: Shi Haihong , Zhu Rongrong , Hu Nan , Shi Jian , Zhang Junfang , Jiang Linjuan , Jiang Hong , Guan Huaijin
Published: October 2013

Genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis identified three new susceptibility loci for PACG. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether these three loci in PLEKHA7, COL11A1, and PCMTD1-ST18 are associated with PAC and ocular biometric characteristics, such as axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and diopter of spherical power (DS). The study was a part of the Jiangsu Eye Study. The samples were collected from 232 PAC subjects and 306 controls from a population-based prevalence survey conducted in Funing County of Jiangsu, China. The single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of rs11024102 in PLEKHA7, rs3753841 in COL11A1, and rs1015213 in PCMTD1-ST18 were genotyped by TaqMan-MGB probe using the RT-PCR system. None of the three polymorphisms showed differences in the distribution of genotypes and allele frequencies between the PAC group and the control group. No significant association was determined between the 3 SNPs and AL, ACD, or DS of PAC subjects. We concluded that even though PLEKHA7 rs11024102, COL11A1 rs3753841, and PCMTD1-ST18 rs1015213 are associated with PACG, those sequence variations are not associated with PAC in a Han Chinese population. Our results also did not support a significant role for these three SNPs in ocular biometry such as AL, ACD, and DS.
Spectral Method with the Tensor-Product Nodal Basis for the Steklov Eigenvalue Problem
Authors: Zhang Xuqing , Yang Yidu , Bi Hai
Published: October 2013

This paper discusses spectral method with the tensor-product nodal basis at the Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto points for solving the Steklov eigenvalue problem. A priori error estimates of spectral method are discussed, and based on the work of Melenk and Wohlmuth (2001), a posterior error estimator of the residual type is given and analyzed. In addition, this paper combines the shifted-inverse iterative method and spectral method to establish an efficient scheme. Finally, numerical experiments with MATLAB program are reported.
Mirtazapine Treatment of a Severe Depressive Episode and Resolution of Elevated Inflammatory Markers
Authors: Alikhan Shahzad M. , Lee Jessica A. , Dratcu Luiz
Published: October 2013

Depression has been shown to be associated with systemic inflammatory activity and the mode of action of several antidepressants appears to involve immunomodulation. Effects on immune system activity have also recently been observed in correlation with therapeutic response to mirtazapine in cardiac patients with depression, but no study has yet examined these effects in otherwise physically healthy depressed patients treated with mirtazapine. This report describes an association between a clinical antidepressant response and a decrease in markers of systemic inflammation observed during pharmacotherapy with mirtazapine in a severely depressed but physically well patient. This observation adds to the evidence that changes in inflammatory responses may be implicated in the mode of action of antidepressants. Further studies of antidepressant responses to mirtazapine and levels of inflammatory markers in depressed patients without medical comorbidity can help elucidate the role of the immune system in the pathophysiology of depression, and hence contribute to the development of novel antidepressant therapies.
Time Consistent Strategies for Mean-Variance Asset-Liability Management Problems
Authors: Ma Hui-qiang , Wu Meng , Huang Nan-jing
Published: October 2013

This paper studies the optimal time consistent investment strategies in multiperiod asset-liability management problems under mean-variance criterion. By applying time consistent model of Chen et al. (2013) and employing dynamic programming technique, we derive two-time consistent policies for asset-liability management problems in a market with and without a riskless asset, respectively. We show that the presence of liability does affect the optimal strategy. More specifically, liability leads a parallel shift of optimal time-consistent investment policy. Moreover, for an arbitrarily risk averse investor (under the variance criterion) with liability, the time-diversification effects could be ignored in a market with a riskless asset; however, it should be considered in a market without any riskless asset.
SystematicallyIn SilicoComparison of Unihormonal and Bihormonal Artificial Pancreas Systems
Authors: Gao Xiaoteng , Ning Huangjiang , Wang Youqing
Published: October 2013

Automated closed-loop control of blood glucose concentration is a daily challenge for type 1 diabetes mellitus, where insulin and glucagon are two critical hormones for glucose regulation. According to whether glucagon is included, all artificial pancreas (AP) systems can be divided into two types: unihormonal AP (infuse only insulin) and bihormonal AP (infuse both insulin and glucagon). Even though the bihormonal AP is widely considered a promising direction, related studies are very scarce due to this system’s short research history. More importantly, there are few studies to compare these two kinds of AP systems fairly and systematically. In this paper, two switching rules, P-type and PD-type, were proposed to design the logic of orchestrates switching between insulin and glucagon subsystems, where the delivery rates of both insulin and glucagon were designed by using IMC-PID method. These proposed algorithms have been compared with an optimal unihormonal system on virtual type 1 diabetic subjects. Thein silicoresults demonstrate that the proposed bihormonal AP systems have outstanding superiorities in reducing the risk of hypoglycemia, smoothing the glucose level, and robustness with respect to insulin/glucagon sensitivity variations, compared with the optimal unihormonal AP system.
Age-Associated Reduction of Asymmetry in Human Central Auditory Function: A 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study
Authors: Chen Xianming , Liang Yonghui , Deng Yihong , Li Jianzhong , Chen Shiyan , Wang Cuixia , Luo Ping
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of age on hemispheric asymmetry in the auditory cortex after pure tone stimulation. Ten young and 8 older healthy volunteers took part in this study. Two-dimensional multivoxel 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans were performed before and after stimulation. The ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), glutamate/glutamine (Glx), andγ-amino butyric acid (GABA) to creatine (Cr) were determined and compared between the two groups. The distribution of metabolites between the left and right auditory cortex was also determined. Before stimulation, left and right side NAA/Cr and right side GABA/Cr were significantly lower, whereas right side Glx/Cr was significantly higher in the older group compared with the young group. After stimulation, left and right side NAA/Cr and GABA/Cr were significantly lower, whereas left side Glx/Cr was significantly higher in the older group compared with the young group. There was obvious asymmetry in right side Glx/Cr and left side GABA/Cr after stimulation in young group, but not in older group. In summary, there is marked hemispheric asymmetry in auditory cortical metabolites following pure tone stimulation in young, but not older adults. This reduced asymmetry in older adults may at least in part underlie the speech perception difficulties/presbycusis experienced by aging adults.
Antiosteoporosis Effect ofRadix ScutellariaeExtract on Density and Microstructure of Long Bones in Tail-Suspended Sprague-Dawley Rats
Authors: Li Chen-Rui , Zhang Guang-Wei , Niu Yin-Bo , Pan Ya-Lei , Zhai Yuan-Kun , Mei Qi-Bing
Published: October 2013

Radix Scutellariae (RS), a medicinal herb, is extensively employed in traditional Chinese medicines and modern herbal prescriptions. Two major flavonoids in RS were known to induce osteoblastic differentiation and inhibit osteoclast differentiation, respectively. This study aimed to investigate the effect ofRadix Scutellariaeextract (RSE) against bone loss induced by mechanical inactivity or weightlessness. A hindlimb unloading tail-suspended rat model (TS) was established to determine the effect of RSE on bone mineral density and bone microarchitecture. Treatment of RSE at 50 mg/kg/day and alendronate (ALE) at 2 mg/kg/day as positive control for 42 days significantly increased the bone mineral density and mechanical strength compared with TS group. Enhanced bone turnover markers by TS treatment were attenuated by RSE and ALE administration. Deterioration of bone trabecula induced by TS was prevented. Moreover, both treatments counteracted the reduction of bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness and number, and connectivity density. In conclusion, RSE was demonstrated for the first time to prevent osteoporosis induced by TS treatment, which suggests the potential application of RSE in the treatment of disuse-induced osteoporosis.
Oxygen Consumption at 30 W of Exercise Is Surrogate for Peak Oxygen Consumption in Evaluation of Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Young-Adult African-American Females
Authors: Millis Richard M. , Bond Vernon , Asadi M. Sadegh , Haddad Georges E. , Adams Richard G.
Published: October 2013

Body mass index (BMI) is negatively correlated with cardiorespiratory fitness, measured by maximal or peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). VO2peak
measurements require heavy aerobic exercise to near exhaustion which increases the potential for adverse cardiovascular events. This study tests the hypothesis that VO2
measured at a fixed submaximal workload of 30 W is a surrogate for VO2peak. We studied 42 normotensive African-American female university students, 18–25 years of age. We measured VO2peak, blood pressure, and VO2 at a 30 W exercise workload and computed BMI. We found significant negative correlations between BMI and VO2peak
(r=−0.41, P<0.01) and between BMI and VO2 at 30 W (r=−0.53, P<0.001). Compared to VO2peak, VO2 at 30 W increased the significance of the negative correlation with BMI. The heart rate-systolic pressure product at 30 W was positively correlated with BMI (r=0.36, P<0.01) and negatively correlated with VO2peak
(r=−0.38, P<0.001). The positive correlation between BMI and the heart rate-systolic pressure product and the greater negative correlation between VO2 and BMI at 30 W of exercise than that at exercise to fatigue suggest that normalized measurements of VO2 at the fixed exercise workload of 30 W could be useful surrogates for measurements of VO2peak.
A Nonmonotonous Damage Model to Characterize Mullins and Residual Strain Effects of Rubber Strings Subjected to Transverse Vibrations
Authors: Elías-Zúñiga Alex , Baylón Karen , Martínez-Romero Oscar , Rodríguez Ciro A. , Siller Héctor R.
Published: October 2013

This work focuses on the formulation of a constitutive equation to predict Mullins and residual strain effects of buna-N, silicone, and neoprene rubber strings subjected to small transverse vibrations. The nonmonotone behavior exhibited by experimental data is captured by the proposed material model through the inclusion of a phenomenological non-monotonous softening function that depends on the strain intensity between loading and unloading cycles. It is shown that theoretical predictions compare well with uniaxial experimental data collected from transverse vibration tests.
Comparing Imputation Procedures for Affymetrix Gene Expression Datasets Using MAQC Datasets
Authors: Rao Sreevidya Sadananda Sadasiva , Shepherd Lori A. , Bruno Andrew E. , Liu Song , Miecznikowski Jeffrey C.
Published: October 2013

Introduction. The microarray datasets from the MicroArray Quality Control (MAQC) project have enabled the assessment of the precision, comparability of microarrays, and other various microarray analysis methods. However, to date no studies that we are aware of have reported the performance of missing value imputation schemes on the MAQC datasets. In this study, we use the MAQC Affymetrix datasets to evaluate several imputation procedures in Affymetrix microarrays. Results. We evaluated several cutting edge imputation procedures and compared them using different error measures. We randomly deleted 5% and 10% of the data and imputed the missing values using imputation tests. We performed 1000 simulations and averaged the results. The results for both 5% and 10% deletion are similar. Among the imputation methods, we observe the local least squares method with is most accurate under the error measures considered. The k-nearest neighbor method with has the highest error rate among imputation methods and error measures. Conclusions. We conclude for imputing missing values in Affymetrix microarray datasets, using the MAS 5.0 preprocessing scheme, the local least squares method with has the best overall performance and k-nearest neighbor method with has the worst overall performance. These results hold true for both 5% and 10% missing values.
The Duals of Fusion Frames for Experimental Data Transmission Coding of High Energy Physics
Authors: Leng Jinsong , Guo Qixun , Huang Tingzhu
Published: October 2013

The experimental data transmission is an important part of high energy physics experiment. In this paper, we connect fusion frames with the experimental data transmission implement of high energy physics. And we research the utilization of fusion frames for data transmission coding which can enhance the transmission efficiency, robust against erasures, and so forth. For this application, we first characterize a class of alternate fusion frames which are duals of a given fusion frame in a Hilbert space. Then, we obtain the matrix representation of the fusion frame operator of a given fusion frame system in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space. By using the matrix representation, we provide an algorithm for constructing the dual fusion frame system with its local dual frames which can be used as data transmission coder in the high energy physics experiments. Finally, we present a simulation example of data coding to show the practicability and validity of our results.
Lateral Condyle Fracture of the Humerus in Children Treated with Bioabsorbable Materials
Authors: Andrey Véronique , Tercier Stéphane , Vauclair Frédéric , Bregou-Bourgeois Aline , Lutz Nicolas , Zambelli Pierre-Yves
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to compare clinical and radiological outcome of lateral condyle fracture of the elbow in children treated with bioabsorbable or metallic material. From January 2008 to December 2009, 16 children with similar fractures and ages were grouped according to the fixation material used. Children were seen at 3, 6, and 12 months and more than 4 years (mean 51.8 months) postoperatively. The clinical results were compared using the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS). Radiographic studies of the fractured and opposite elbow were assessed at last follow‐up control. Twelve children had a sufficient followup and could be included in the study. Seven could be included in the traditional group and 5 in the bioabsorbable group. At 12 months, the MEPS was 100 for every child in both groups. Asymptomatic bony radiolucent visible tracks and heterotopic ossifications were noted in both groups. There were no significant differences in terms of clinical and radiological outcome between the two groups. The use of bioabsorbable pins or screws is a reasonable alternative to the traditional use of metallic materials for the treatment of lateral condyle fracture of the elbow in children.
Neurobiology of Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Villanueva Rosa
Published: October 2013

We survey studies which relate abnormal neurogenesis to major depressive disorder. Clinically, descriptive gene and protein expression analysis and genetic and functional studies revised here show that individual alterations of a complex signaling network, which includes the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; the production of neurotrophins and growth factors; the expression of miRNAs; the production of proinflammatory cytokines; and, even, the abnormal delivery of gastrointestinal signaling peptides, are able to induce major mood alterations. Furthermore, all of these factors modulate neurogenesis in brain regions involved in MDD, and are functionally interconnected in such a fashion that initial alteration in one of them results in abnormalities in the others. We highlight data of potential diagnostic significance and the relevance of this information to develop new therapeutic approaches. Controversial issues, such as whether neurogenesis is the basis of the disease or whether it is a response induced by antidepressant treatments, are also discussed.
Is %ΔSUVmax a Useful Indicator of Survival in Patients with Advanced Nonsmall‐Cell Lung Cancer?
Authors: Cistaro Angelina , Quartuccio Natale , Mojtahedi Alireza , Fania Piercarlo , Filosso Pier Luigi , Cucinotta Mariapaola , Campennì Alfredo , Ficola Umberto , Baldari Sergio
Published: October 2013

Purpose. To investigate the impact of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), size of primary lung lesion, and %ΔSUVmax on outcome (overall survival (OS) and 2‐year disease‐free survival (2‐year DFS)) of patients with advanced nonsmall‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods. 86 stage III‐IV NSCLC patients underwent 18 F‐FDGPET/CT, before and after chemotherapy, and were classified into subgroups according to the response criteria of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer. SUVmax values and tumor size with the best prognostic significance were searched. Correlation between the SUVmax value and the initial response to therapy (best response) and the relationship between %ΔSUVmax and OS were assessed. Results. In patients in PD (20/86), the average pretreatment SUVmax was 11.8 ± 5.23, and the mean size of the primary lesion was 43.35 mm ± 16.63. In SD, PR, and CR patients (66/86), the average pretreatment SUVmax was 12.7 ± 8.05, and the mean size of the primary lesion was 41.6 mm ± 21.15. Correlation was identified only for %ΔSUVmax; patients with PD (ΔSUVmax > +25%) showed a worse OS than patients with ΔSUVmax < +25% (CR, PR, and SD) (P = 0.0235). Conclusions. In stage III‐IV NSCLC, among the assessed factors, only %ΔSUVmax may be considered as a useful prognostic factor.