bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrocatalytic Oxidation and Determination of Cysteine at Oxovanadium(IV) Salen Coated Electrodes
Authors: Sonkar Piyush Kumar , Ganesan Vellaichamy , Rao Vijay
Published: December 2014

A transition metal complex, oxovanadium(IV) salen (where salen representsN,N′-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine) is immobilized on glassy carbon (GC) electrodes and utilized for electrocatalytic oxidation of cysteine. In presence of oxovanadium(IV) salen, increased oxidation current is observed due to the effective oxidation of cysteine by the electrogenerated oxovanadium(V) salen species. The oxidation current linearly varies with the concentration of cysteine from 0.1 to 1.0 mM. The modified electrode has good sensitivity and low limit of detection. These properties make the oxovanadium(IV) salen as an effective electrocatalyst for the determination of cysteine.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Tongxinluo Improves Cardiac Function of Rats with Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Shen Fang-Fang , Jiang Ting-Hui , Jiang Jin-Qi , Lou Ying , Hou Xu-Min
Published: December 2014

The study aimed at testing the hypothesis that tongxinluo capsule might exert its cardioprotective effect by preventing ventricular remodeling and improving coronary microvascular function in a rat model of doxorubicin‐induced dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Rats that survived DCM induction were randomly divided into three groups to be given 1.5 g·kg−1·day−1 (TXL‐H, n = 9) or 0.15 g·kg−1·day−1 (TXL‐L, n = 10) of tongxinluo, or normal saline at the same volume (DCM‐C, n = 10) intragastrically. Age matched normal rats treated with normal saline were used as normal controls (NOR‐C, n = 9). After four weeks of treatment, the DCM‐C, TXL‐H, and TXL‐L groups exhibited significant cardiac dysfunction, left ventricular remodeling, and coronary microvascular dysfunction, compared with the NOR‐C rats. However, myocardial functional parameters were significantly improved and microvascular density (MVD) increased in the TXL‐H group compared with the DCM‐C group (all P < 0.01). Left ventricular remodeling was prevented. There were close linear relationships between CVF and LVEF (r = −0.683, P < 0.05), MVD and LVEF (r = 0.895, P < 0.05), and MVD and CVF (r = −0.798, P < 0.05). It was indicated that high‐dose tongxinluo effectively improved cardiac function in rat model of DCM.
Cross-Layer QoS Optimization of Wireless Sensor Network for Smart Grid
Authors: Sun Wei , Wang Jianping
Published: December 2014

Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) has been considered as a promising solution for Smart Grid due to the significant advantages over traditional communication technologies. However, as a necessary function for monitoring, diagnosing, and controlling of remote electrical equipment, Quality of Service (QoS) is still a challenging problem in applying WSN in Smart Grid. This paper presents a comprehensive experimental study on optimization of multiobject QoS in cross-layers of WSN protocol. In PHY layer, a Link Quality Estimator is studied for the purpose of evaluating link quality under harsh Smart Grid environments. In MAC layer, a QoS Enhanced MAC algorithm is used to prevent disorderly contentions among nodes and to allocate more channel resources for critical traffic; in NWK layer, a routing algorithm is introduced for multiobject QoS optimization. All the algorithms are cooperated with each other in cross-layer manner to improve end-to-end reliability and latency. In comparison with other counterparts, the proposed algorithms achieve preferable performances. Finally, field experiments were conducted, the result of which showed that the proposed algorithms outperform the ZigBee protocol and the original Distribution Grid wireless communication technology in terms of the QoS performance of critical traffic.
Experimental Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Induces Blunted Vasoconstriction and Functional Changes in the Rat Aorta
Authors: Tufiño Cecilia , Villanueva-López Cleva , Ibarra-Barajas Maximiliano , Bracho-Valdés Ismael , Bobadilla-Lugo Rosa Amalia
Published: December 2014

Diabetic conditions increase vascular reactivity to angiotensin II in several studies but there are scarce reports on cardiovascular effects of hypercaloric diet (HD) induced gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), so the objective of this work was to determine the effects of HD induced GDM on vascular responses. Angiotensin II as well as phenylephrine induced vascular contraction was tested in isolated aorta rings with and without endothelium from rats fed for 7 weeks (4 before and 3 weeks during pregnancy) with standard (SD) or hypercaloric (HD) diet. Also, protein expression of AT1R, AT2R, COX-1, COX-2, NOS-1, and NOS-3 and plasma glucose, insulin, and angiotensin II levels were measured. GDM impaired vasoconstrictor response(P<0.05versus SD) in intact (e+) but not in endothelium-free (e−) vessels. Losartan reduced GDM but not SD e− vasoconstriction(P<0.01versus SD). AT1R, AT2R, and COX-1 and COX-2 protein expression were significantly increased in GDM vessels(P<0.05versus SD). Results suggest an increased participation of endothelium vasodilator mediators, probably prostaglandins, as well as of AT2vasodilator receptors as a compensatory mechanism for vasoconstrictor changes generated by experimental GDM. Considering the short term of rat pregnancy findings can reflect early stage GDM adaptations.
Metastatic Cerebellar Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor with Obstructive Hydrocephalus Arising from the Small Intestine: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Sato Kunitomo , Tanaka Toshihide , Kato Naoki , Ishii Takuya , Terao Toru , Murayama Yuichi
Published: December 2014

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is defined as a c-kit-positive gastrointestinal, mesenteric, or omental mesenchymal tumor that very rarely metastasizes to the brain. Metastasis to the cerebellum is particularly rare. An 80-year-old man presented with nausea and vomiting with disturbance of consciousness. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed tumor in the cerebellar vermis causing obstructive hydrocephalus. The patient subsequently underwent midline suboccipital craniotomy, and the tumor was totally removed. Immunohistochemical analysis showed tumor cells positive for c-kit and CD34, and cerebellar metastasis of GIST was diagnosed. Postoperative radiotherapy was administered. Following surgery and radiotherapy, the patient developed ileus caused by tumor in the small intestine and underwent laparotomy for tumor removal. Following abdominal surgery, left hemiparesis and consciousness disturbance were noted. Computed tomography showed recurrent large tumor with perifocal edema in the right frontal lobe of the brain. The patient died 3 months after initial craniotomy. Intracranial metastasis of GIST is extremely rare. In cases such as the present, where the condition of the patient rapidly deteriorates and features such as rising intracranial pressure and ileus prevent the use of oral agents, molecular-targeted agents administered by intravenous infusion should be utilized.
Cooking Chicken Breast Reduces Dialyzable Iron Resulting from Digestion of Muscle Proteins
Authors: Gokhale Aditya S. , Mahoney Raymond R.
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this research was to study the effect of cooking chicken breast on the production of dialyzable iron (anin vitroindicator of bioavailable iron) from added ferric iron. Chicken breast muscle was cooked by boiling, baking, sautéing, or deep-frying. Cooked samples were mixed with ferric iron and either extracted with acid or digested with pepsin and pancreatin. Total and ferrous dialyzable iron was measured after extraction or digestion and compared to raw chicken samples. For uncooked samples, dialyzable iron was significantly enhanced after both extraction and digestion. All cooking methods led to markedly reduced levels of dialyzable iron both by extraction and digestion. In most cooked, digested samples dialyzable iron was no greater than the iron-only (no sample) control. Cooked samples showed lower levels of histidine and sulfhydryls but protein digestibility was not reduced, except for the sautéed sample. The results showed that, after cooking, little if any dialyzable iron results from digestion of muscle proteins. Our research indicates that, in cooked chicken, residual acid-extractable components are the most important source of dialyzable iron.
On Certain Aspects of the Multidimensional S‐Spectral Theory
Authors: Serbanescu Cristina , Bacalu Ioan
Published: December 2014

This paper has two parts. The first one provides the preliminary notions introducing certain general concepts, in order to study, in the second part, the properties of some operator systems which admit spectral residual decompositions, S‐decomposable, S‐spectral, and AS‐scalar systems, and so forth. The results obtained by Frunză, 1975, are generalized, taking the results of Foias, 1963, as a model and adopting them.
Avoiding Weight Gain in Cardiometabolic Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Maruthur Nisa M. , Gudzune Kimberly , Hutfless Susan , Fawole Oluwakemi A. , Wilson Renee F. , Lau Brandyn D. , Anderson Cheryl A. M. , Bleich Sara N. , Segal Jodi
Published: December 2014

Patients with cardiometabolic disease are at higher risk for obesity-related adverse effects. Even without weight loss, weight maintenance may be beneficial. We performed a systematic review to identify the effect of nonweight loss-focused lifestyle interventions in adults with cardiometabolic disease. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify comparative studies of lifestyle interventions (self-management, diet, exercise, or their combination) without a weight loss focus in adults with or at risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Weight, BMI, and waist circumference at ≥12 months were the primary outcomes. Of 24,870 citations, we included 12 trials (self-management,n=2; diet,n=2; exercise,n=2; combination,n=6) studying 4,206 participants. Self-management plus physical activity ± diet versus minimal/no intervention avoided meaningful weight (−0.65 to −1.3 kg) and BMI (−0.4 to −0.7 kg/m2) increases. Self-management and/or physical activity prevented meaningful waist circumference increases versus control (−2 to −4 cm). In patients with cardiometabolic disease, self-management plus exercise may prevent weight and BMI increases and self-management and/or exercise may prevent waist circumference increases versus minimal/no intervention. Future studies should confirm these findings and evaluate additional risk factors and clinical outcomes.
Interrelation between Patient Satisfaction and Patient-Provider Communication in Diabetes Management
Authors: Cinar Ayse Basak , Schou Lone
Published: December 2014

The present study aims to assess how patient satisfaction with medical provider-patient communication can affect oral health, diabetes, and psychobehavioural measures among type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. It is part of a prospective intervention study among randomly selected T2DM patients, in Turkey. The data analyzed were Community Periodontal Need Index (CPI), HbA1c, patient satisfaction with communication, and psychobehavioural variables. Data was collected initially and at the end of the intervention. The participants were allocated to either health coaching (HC) or health education (HE). At baseline, there were no statistical differences between the HC and the HE groups on any of the measures (P>0.05). Patients in both the HC and the HE groups had low satisfaction with communication. At postintervention, the increase in patient satisfaction with communication in the HC group was significantly higher than that in the HE group (P=0.001). Principal component analysis revealed that patient satisfaction with communication shared the same cluster with clinical measures (CPI and HbA1c) and quality of life in the HC group. In conclusion, the present study showed, to our knowledge for the first time, that overall patient satisfaction with medical care provider-patient communication, empowered by HC approach, was interrelated with well-being of T2DM patients, in terms of psychobehavioural and clinical measures.
Interaction between Chromosomal Protein HMGB1 and DNA Studied by DNA-Melting Analysis
Authors: Chikhirzhina Elena V. , Tatiana Starkova J. , Polyanichko Alexander M.
Published: December 2014

Interaction of HMGB1 nonhistone chromosomal protein with DNA was studied using circular dichroism spectroscopy and thermal denaturation of DNA. Melting DNA in the complex was shown to be a biphasic process. The characteristic melting temperatures of unbound DNA and the DNA bound to HMGB1 in 0.25 mM EDTA solutions were found to beTmI=44.0±0.5°C andTmII=62.0±1°C, respectively. It was shown that the binding of the HMGB1 molecule affects the melting of the DNA region approximately 30 b.p. long.
Atypical Presentation of Cat-Scratch Disease in an Immunocompetent Child with Serological and Pathological Evidence
Authors: Atıcı Serkan , Kadayıfcı Eda Kepenekli , Karaaslan Ayşe , Toper Muhammed Hasan , Celikel Cigdem Ataizi , Soysal Ahmet , Bakır Mustafa
Published: December 2014

Typical cat-scratch disease (CSD) is characterized by local lymphadenopathy following the scratch or bite from a cat or kitten. An atypical presentation which includes liver and/or spleen lesions is rarely reported in an immunocompetent child. Systemic CSD may mimic more serious disorders like malignancy or tuberculosis. Although a diagnosis is difficult to establish in systemic CSD, an early diagnosis and an appropriate treatment are important to prevent complications.Bartonella henselaeis difficult to culture, and culture is not routinely recommended. Clinical, serological, radiological, and pathological findings are used for the diagnosis of CSD. Herein we present a case of systemic CSD presenting with hepatic mass in an immunocompetent child. The differential diagnosis is made by serological and pathological evidence. He was successfully treated with gentamicin (7.5 mg/kg) and rifampin (15 mg/kg) for six weeks.
Blood Glucose Measurement Using Bioimpedance Technique
Authors: Kamat D. K. , Bagul Dhanashri , Patil P. M.
Published: December 2014

Bioimpedance measurement is gaining importance in wide field of bioresearch and biomedical systems due to its noninvasive nature. Noninvasive measurement method is very important to decrease infection and physical injuries which result due to invasive measurement. This paper presents basic principle of bioimpedance along with its application for blood glucose analysis and effect of frequency on impedance measurement. Input from bioimpedance sensor is given to amplifier and signal conditioner AD5933. AD5933 is then interfaced with microcontroller LPC1768 using I2C bus for displaying reading on LCD. Results can also be stored in database using UART interface of LPC1768.
Synthesis and Characterization of YAG Nanoparticles by Ultrasound‐Assisted and Ultrasound‐Microwave‐Assisted Alkoxide Hydrolysis Precipitation Methods
Authors: Si Wei , Ding Chao , Ding Siqi
Published: December 2014

Yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG, Y3Al5O12) nanoparticles were synthesized by ultrasound‐assisted and ultrasound‐microwave‐assisted alkoxide hydrolysis precipitation methods. The effect of reaction parameters including pH value, ultrasonic radiation time, and calcination temperature on the composition of the products was investigated. The YAG nanoparticles and their precursor were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA), Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The results show that the single ultrasound‐assisted method to synthesize YAG phase often contains intermediate phases of YAM (Y4Al2O9) and YAP (YAlO3); pure YAG phase can form only at special conditions and as single crystal. The pure phase YAG powders can be obtained at each experimental condition when using ultrasound‐microwave‐assisted synthesis and the grain is polycrystalline. This is due to the microwave radiation which promotes atomic diffusion and forms a lot of crystal nuclei of YAG in the precursor. The YAG nanoparticles with a grain size of 18 nm can be obtained at a calcination temperature of 900°C when using ultrasound‐microwave‐assisted method.
Contribution of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Chimeras through Injection and Coculture of Embryos
Authors: Guo Jitong , Wu Baojiang , Li Shuyu , Bao Siqin , Zhao Lixia , Hu Shuxiang , Sun Wei , Su Jie , Dai Yanfeng , Li Xihe
Published: December 2014

Blastocyst injection and morula aggregation are commonly used to evaluate stem cell pluripotency based on chimeric contribution of the stem cells. To assess the protocols for generating chimeras from stem cells, 8-cell mouse embryos were either injected or cocultured with mouse embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, respectively. Although a significantly higher chimera rate resulted from blastocyst injection, the highest germline contribution resulted from injection of 8-cell embryos with embryonic stem cells. The fully agouti colored chimeras were generated from both injection and coculture of 8-cell embryos with embryonic stem cells. Additionally, microsatellite DNA screening showed that the fully agouti colored chimeras were fully embryonic stem cell derived mice. Unlike embryonic stem cells, the mouse chimeras were only generated from injection of 8-cell embryos with induced pluripotent stem cells and none of these showed germline transmission. The results indicated that injection of 8-cell embryos is the most efficient method for assessing stem cell pluripotency and generating induced pluripotent stem cell chimeras, embryonic stem cell chimeras with germline transmission, and fully mouse embryonic stem cell derived mice.
Adaptive Sparse Norm and Nonlocal Total Variation Methods for Image Smoothing
Authors: Liu Qiegen , Xiong Biao , Zhang Minghui
Published: December 2014

In computer vision and graphics, it is challenging to decompose various texture/structure patterns from input images. It is well recognized that how edges are defined and how this prior information guides smoothing are two keys in determining the quality of image smoothing. While many different approaches have been reported in the literature, sparse norm and nonlocal schemes are two promising tools. In this study, by integrating a texture measure as the spatially varying data‐fidelity/smooth‐penalty weight into the sparse norm and nonlocal total variation models, two new methods are presented for feature/structure‐preserving filtering. The first one is a generalized relative total variation (i.e., GRTV) method, which improves the contrast‐preserving and edge stiffness‐enhancing capabilities of the RTV by extending the range of the penalty function’s norm from 1 to [0, 1]. The other one is a nonlocal version of generalized RTV (i.e., NLGRTV) for which the key idea is to use a modified texture‐measure as spatially varying penalty weight and to replace the local candidate pixels with the nonlocal set in the smooth‐penalty term. It is shown that NLGRTV substantially improves the performance of decomposition for regions with faint pixel‐boundary.
Agent Based Simulation of Group Emotions Evolution and Strategy Intervention in Extreme Events
Authors: Li Bo , Sun Duoyong , Guo Shuquan , Lin Zihan
Published: December 2014

Agent based simulation method has become a prominent approach in computational modeling and analysis of public emergency management in social science research. The group emotions evolution, information diffusion, and collective behavior selection make extreme incidents studies a complex system problem, which requires new methods for incidents management and strategy evaluation. This paper studies the group emotion evolution and intervention strategy effectiveness using agent based simulation method. By employing a computational experimentation methodology, we construct the group emotion evolution as a complex system and test the effects of three strategies. In addition, the events-chain model is proposed to model the accumulation influence of the temporal successive events. Each strategy is examined through three simulation experiments, including two make-up scenarios and a real case study. We show how various strategies could impact the group emotion evolution in terms of the complex emergence and emotion accumulation influence in extreme events. This paper also provides an effective method of how to use agent-based simulation for the study of complex collective behavior evolution problem in extreme incidents, emergency, and security study domains.
Tubal Pregnancy Associated with Endometrial Carcinoma after In Vitro Fertilization Attempts
Authors: Bayoglu Tekin Yesim , Guvendag Guven Emine Seda , Sehitoglu Ibrahim , Guven Suleyman
Published: December 2014

Endometrial carcinoma is rarely seen during reproductive ages and commonly related to infertility, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and obesity. Pregnancy associated endometrial carcinoma is even rarer and this is the second case reported in the literature concerning tubal pregnancy associated endometrial carcinoma. We present a case of a 36-year-old woman with a history of PCOS, infertility, and several attempts of ovulation induction and in vitro fertilization, who was diagnosed with tubal pregnancy and a well differentiated endometrial carcinoma. We also review the literature about pregnancy associated endometrial carcinoma in the first trimester.
Determinants of Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence among Women in Southern Malawi: Healthcare Providers’ Perspectives
Authors: McKinney Ogbochi , Modeste Naomi N. , Lee Jerry W. , Gleason Peter C. , Maynard-Tucker Gisele
Published: December 2014

Background. The purpose of this study was to explore healthcare providers’ perspectives on antiretroviral (ART) adherence in two ART clinics in southern Malawi. Nonadherence to ART is a significant hindrance to the success of HIV/AIDS treatment.Methods. A one-on-one semistructured interview was conducted with eight healthcare providers in two ART clinics in rural and urban southern Malawi. The interviews were focused on factors facilitating or hindering ART adherence and strategies to improve adherence. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and content-analyzed with the use of the constant comparison approach.Results. Of the eight participants, 63% were between the ages of 20 and 30 years and 37% were HIV counselors. Factors facilitating adherence include patients’ belief and knowledge, HIV/AIDS education, and a supportive network. Barriers to adherence include discrimination, nondisclosure of HIV status, food insecurity, medication side effects, religion, misinformation, and staff and drug shortages. Strategies to improve adherence were identified by participants to include nutritional/food supplementation for malnourished or undernourished patients and patient counseling.Conclusions. There is a need for collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, patients, and faith-based organizations to identify and address hindrances and facilitators to patients’ adherence. Further research is needed to develop strategies addressing religion, staff, and drug shortages.
Stereotactic Hypofractionated Irradiation for Metastatic, Inoperable, and Recurrent Malignancies: A Modern Necessity, rather than a Luxury
Authors: Susheela Sridhar P. , Revannasiddaiah Swaroop , Basavalingaiah Ajaikumar
Published: December 2014

Stereotactic-irradiation combines highly conformal delivery of radiation to selected volumes at large doses per fraction, with the treatment completed typically within one to five fractions. The radiobiological equivalence of doses delivered by stereotactic-irradiation (often beyond 80–100 Gy) is much higher in comparison to the doses achievable by conventional fractionation. At the high fraction sizes used in stereotactic-irradiation, evidence suggests the role of various radiobiological mechanisms of actions, which are not traditionally relatable with conventional radiotherapy. In spite of the accumulating evidence in favour of the efficacy of stereotactic irradiation in terms of improving local control and at times attaining increments in survival, the clinical adoption of the technique remains dismal. This review provides a brief description of the available evidence describing the benefits of stereotactic-irradiation for the management of patients with oligometastases, unresectable malignancies and for disease recurrence after prior radiotherapy. Given the growing body of evidence illustrating the efficacy of stereotactic irradiation among patients with conditions which were previously often regarded as untreatable, it is likely that the widespread adoption of stereotactic irradiation may achieve cure in a few patients, while in the remainder providing prospects of long term local control. This could be a step in the direction of converting incurable malignancies into chronic controllable diseases.
The Influence of Ouabain on Human Dendritic Cells Maturation
Authors: Nascimento C. R. , Valente R. C. , Echevarria-Lima J. , Fontes C. F. L. , de Araujo-Martins L. , Araujo E. G. , Rumjanek V. M.
Published: December 2014

Although known as a Na,K-ATPase inhibitor, several other cellular and systemic actions have been ascribed to the steroid Ouabain (Oua). Particularly in the immune system, our group showed that Ouabain acts on decreasing lymphocyte proliferation, synergizing with glucocorticoids in spontaneous thymocyte apoptosis, and also lessening CD14 expression and blocking CD16 upregulation on human monocytes. However, Ouabain effects on dendritic cells (DCs) were not explored so far. Considering the peculiar plasticity and the importance of DCs in immune responses, the aim of our study was to investigate DC maturation under Ouabain influence. To generate immature DCs, human monocytes were cultured with IL-4 and GM-CSF (5 days). To investigate Ouabain role on DC activation, DCs were stimulated with TNF-αfor 48 h in the presence or absence of Ouabain. TNF-induced CD83 expression and IL-12 production were abolished in DCs incubated with 100 nM Ouabain, though DC functional capacity concerning lymphocyte activation remained unaltered. Nevertheless, TNF-α-induced antigen capture downregulation, another maturation marker, occurred even in the presence of Ouabain. Besides, Ouabain increased HLA-DR and CD86 expression, whereas CD80 expression was maintained. Collectively, our results suggest that DCs respond to Ouabain maturating into a distinct category, possibly contributing to the balance between immunity and tolerance.
Performance Evaluation of Modularity Based Community Detection Algorithms in Large Scale Networks
Authors: Vieira Vinícius da Fonseca , Xavier Carolina Ribeiro , Ebecken Nelson Francisco Favilla , Evsukoff Alexandre Gonçalves
Published: December 2014

Community structure detection is one of the major research areas of network science and it is particularly useful for large real networks applications. This work presents a deep study of the most discussed algorithms for community detection based on modularity measure: Newman’s spectral method using a fine‐tuning stage and the method of Clauset, Newman, and Moore (CNM) with its variants. The computational complexity of the algorithms is analysed for the development of a high performance code to accelerate the execution of these algorithms without compromising the quality of the results, according to the modularity measure. The implemented code allows the generation of partitions with modularity values consistent with the literature and it overcomes 1 million nodes with Newman’s spectral method. The code was applied to a wide range of real networks and the performances of the algorithms are evaluated.
Radical Reactions in the Gas Phase: Recent Development and Application in Biomolecules
Authors: Gao Yang , Bu Jiexun , Peng Zhou , Yang Biwei
Published: December 2014

This review summarizes recent literature describing the use of gas phase radical reactions for structural characterization of complex biomolecules other than peptides. Specifically, chemical derivatization, in-source chemical reaction, and gas phase ion/ion reactions have been demonstrated as effective ways to generate radical precursor ions that yield structural informative fragments complementary to those from conventional collision-induced dissociation (CID). Radical driven dissociation has been applied to a variety of biomolecules including peptides, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and phospholipids. The majority of the molecules discussed in this review see limited fragmentation from conventional CID, and the gas phase radical reactions open up completely new dissociation channels for these molecules and therefore yield high fidelity confirmation of the structures of the target molecules. Due to the extensively studied peptide fragmentation, this review focuses only on nonpeptide biomolecules such as nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and phospholipids.
A Metabonomic Study of the Effect of Methanol Extract of Ginger on Raji Cells Using 1HNMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Parvizzadeh N. , Sadeghi S. , Irani S. , Iravani A. , Kalayee Z. , Rahimi N. A. , Azadi M. , Zamani Z.
Published: December 2014

Cancer is currently a major international health problem. The development of resistance to chemotherapy has resulted in the search for herbal drugs. Ginger is a medicinal plant with several clinical applications. Metabolomics is a simultaneous detection of all the metabolites by use of 1HNMR or mass spectroscopy and interpretation by modeling software. The purpose of this study was to detect the altered metabolites of Raji cells in the presence of ginger extract in vitro. Cells were cultured in the presence and absence of methanolic ginger extract in RPMI medium. IC50 determined by MTT and lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts were prepared from control and treated groups which were analyzed by 1HNMR. The IC50 was 1000 μg/mL. Modeling of spectra was carried out on the two groups using OSC-PLS with MATLAB software and the main metabolites detected. Further analysis was carried out using MetaboAnalyst database. The main metabolic pathways affected by the ginger extract were detected. Ginger extract was seen to effect the protein biosynthesis, amino acid, and carbohydrate metabolism and had a strong cytotoxic effect on Raji cells in vitro.
Polymicrobial Bacteremia InvolvingComamonas testosteroni
Authors: Orsini Jose , Tam Eric , Hauser Naomi , Rajayer Salil
Published: December 2014

Comamonasspp. are uncommon isolates in microbiology laboratories and have been rarely observed as an infectious agent in clinical practice. They have widespread environmental distribution and have been isolated from water, soil, and plants as well as from some hospital devices such as intravenous catheters and water contained in humidifier reservoirs used in respiratory treatment. The genusComamonasoriginally contained the following species:acidovorans, testosteroni, kerstersii, terrigena, denitrificans, andnitrativorans. It now contains 17 species, whileacidovoransspp. have been reclassified asDelftia acidovorans. In spite of its uncommon human pathogenesis, there are few reports on the aggressive manner of it as an opportunistic pathogen, mostly related totestosteronispp. We present a case of polymicrobial bacteremia involvingComamonas testosteroni. The aim of this case report is to alert clinicians to the potential diagnosis of bloodstream infections caused by uncommon pathogens.
Colorectal Cancer and Basement Membranes: Clinicopathological Correlations
Authors: Mylonas Charalampos C. , Lazaris Andreas C.
Published: December 2014

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in males and the second in females. In 2008, an estimated 1.2 million people were diagnosed with and 608,700 people died of CRC. Besides diagnosis and treatment, prognosis is an important matter for cancer patients. Today, clinicopathological correlations have many applications in cancer prognostication. Examples include the prediction of the medium patient survival and the screening for patients suitable for specific therapeutic approaches. Apart from traditional prognostic factors, such as tumor stage and grade, new markers may be useful in clinical practice. Possible markers may result from the study of basement membranes (BMs). BM seems to play a role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer, so BM alterations may have prognostic significance as well. The purpose of this review is to briefly describe BMs and their relationship with CRC, in the aspect of clinicopathological correlations.
Antihypertensive Effect of Syzygium cumini in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Authors: Ribeiro Rachel Melo , Pinheiro Neto Vicente Férrer , Ribeiro Kllysmann Santos , Vieira Denilson Amorim , Abreu Iracelle Carvalho , Silva Selma do Nascimento , Cartágenes Maria do Socorro de Sousa , Freire Sônia Maria de Farias , Borges Antonio Carlos Romão , Borges Marilene Oliveira da Rocha
Published: December 2014

This study evaluated the in vivo potential antihypertensive effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Syzygium cumini leaves (HESC) in normotensive Wistar rats and in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), as well as its in vitro effect on the vascular reactivity of resistance arteries. The hypotensive effect caused by intravenous infusion of HESC (0.01–4.0 mg/kg) in anesthetized Wistar rats was dose‐dependent and was partially inhibited by pretreatment with atropine sulfate. SHR received HESC (0.5 g/kg/day), orally, for 8 weeks and mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and vascular reactivity were evaluated. Daily oral administration of HESC resulted in a time‐dependent blood pressure reduction in SHR, with a maximum reduction of 62%. In the endothelium‐deprived superior mesenteric arteries rings the treatment with HESC reduced by 40% the maximum effect (Emax⁡) of contraction induced by NE. The contractile response to calcium and NE of endothelium‐deprived mesenteric rings isolated from untreated SHR was reduced in a concentration‐dependent manner by HESC (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/mL). This study demonstrated that Syzygium cumini reduces the blood pressure and heart rate of SHR and that this antihypertensive effect is probably due to the inhibition of arterial tone and extracellular calcium influx.
Thiamine Deficiency in Self-Induced Refeeding Syndrome, an Undetected and Potentially Lethal Condition
Authors: Hershkowitz Einat , Reshef Alon , Munich Olga , Yosefi Bracha , Markel Arie
Published: December 2014

Rapid restoration of nutrients and electrolytes after prolonged starvation could result in a life threatening condition characterized by sensory and neurological dysfunction and severe metabolic imbalance that has been designated as refeeding syndrome. Its diagnosis is frequently missed resulting in severe complications and even death. We describe a 25-years-old female patient with mental disorders and severe malnutrition who developed severe clinical manifestations and biochemical abnormalities characteristic of the refeeding syndrome, after restarting oral feeding on her own. Schizophrenia was later diagnosed. Increased awareness of this condition and its complications is necessary to prevent its detrimental complications.
Modified Hamiltonian Formalism for Regge-Teitelboim Cosmology
Authors: Patra Pinaki , Raju Md. , Manna Gargi , Saha Jyoti Prasad
Published: December 2014

The Ostrogradski approach for the Hamiltonian formalism of higher derivative theory is not satisfactory because the Lagrangian cannot be viewed as a function on the tangent bundle to coordinate manifold. In this paper, we have used an alternative approach which leads directly to the Lagrangian which, being a function on the tangent manifold, gives correct equation of motion; no new coordinate variables need to be added. This approach can be used directly to the singular (in Ostrogradski sense) Lagrangian. We have used this method for the Regge-Teitelboim (RT) minisuperspace cosmological model. We have obtained the Hamiltonian of the dynamical equation of the scale factor of RT model.
Effects of Different Levels of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) Seed Powder and Extract on Serum Biochemical Parameters, Microbiota, and Immunity in Broiler Chicks
Authors: Hosseinzadeh Hesam , Alaw Qotbi Ali Ahmad , Seidavi Alireza , Norris David , Brown David
Published: December 2014

The use of herbs and spices has gained increasing interest as feed additives and possible alternative to antibiotics in poultry production. The effects of using different levels of coriander seed powder or extract on selected blood parameters, intestinal microflora, and immune response of broiler chickens were investigated in this study. A total of 420-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 7 treatments with 4 replicates and fed for 42 days. Results showed that inclusion of 2.0% coriander powder in broiler diets lowered total cholesterol while blood urea was significantly higher in birds on T4compared to T1and T2. Furthermore, there were no treatment effects onLactobacillusbacteria; however, the population ofE. coliwas significantly higher in the ileum of chickens fed T0. Noticeable significant improvements of antibody titer against Newcastle, infectious bronchitis, and infectious bursal disease were observed in birds receiving coriander extract in water. Immunoglobulin G antibody against sheep red blood cells showed significant improvement in birds fed T3; likewise, immunoglobulin M was significantly higher in birds on T2and T3at 28 d of age. These results revealed that coriander extract or powder can be used as antibiotic alternative in broiler feeds.
A Magnetic Coupling Based Strategy for Synchronization of a System Consisting of Chaotic Modified Van der Pol Duffing Oscillators
Authors: Kana L. K. , Fomethe A. , Fotsin H. B. , Fotso P. H. Louodop
Published: December 2014

We propose a new paradigm for the synchronization of two unconnected magnetic core coils based modified Van der Pol Duffing (MVDPD) oscillators circuits. The method is such that only magnetic field based coupling is sufficient to drive two identical chaotic circuits to a synchronized state as well as achieving the global stabilization of the system to its regular dynamics. The dynamics of the coupled system is investigated and Lyapunov stability theory is applied to prove that under some
conditions the drive-response system can achieve practical synchronization. Numerical and PSpice simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the controller.
The Combined Effects of Tai Chi, Resistance Training, and Diet on Physical Function and Body Composition in Obese Older Women
Authors: Maris S. A. , Quintanilla D. , Taetzsch A. , Picard A. , Letendre J. , Mahler L. , Lofgren I. , Xu F. , Delmonico M. J.
Published: December 2014

Obesity is a major health problem in the USA, especially in minority populations over the age of 60 years, and the aging process can cause adverse effects on physical function. Previous research has shown that Tai Chi, resistance training (RT), and diet result in overall health improvements. However, the combination of these specific interventions has yet to be translated to obese older women in an urban setting. The purpose of this study was to examine a combined intervention on the primary outcomes of physical function and body composition. Using a nonrandomized design, 26 obese women (65.2±8.1years) completed a 12-week intervention; participants were assigned to an intervention (EXD) group or a control (CON) group. The EXD group (n=17) participated in Tai Chi, RT, and a dietary session. The CON group (n=9) was asked to continue their normal lifestyle. Timed up and go (TUG) time was reduced by0.64±2.1seconds (P=0.04) in the EXD group while the CON group saw a borderline significant increase of 0.71 sec (P=0.051). The combined intervention helped improve performance on TUG time, but there were no significant increases in other body composition or function measures.
On the Impulsive Synchronization Control for a Class of Chaotic Systems
Authors: Wang Bo , Shi Peng , Dong Xiucheng
Published: December 2014

The problem on chaos synchronization for a class of chaotic system is addressed. Based on impulsive control theory and by constructing a novel Lyapunov functional, new impulsive synchronization strategies are presented and possess more practical application value. Finally some typical numerical simulation examples are included to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.
Effects of Sb2O3on the Mechanical Properties of the Borosilicate Foam Glasses Sintered at Low Temperature
Authors: Zhai Chenxi , Li Zhe , Zhu Yumei , Zhang Jing , Wang Xiuduo , Zhao Lejun , Pan Liuming , Wang Pengfei
Published: December 2014

The physical properties and microstructure of a new kind of borosilicate foam glasses with different Sb2O3doping content are comprehensively investigated. The experimental results show that appropriate addition of Sb2O3has positive impact on the bulk porosity and compressive strength of the foam glass. It is more suitable in this work to introduce 0.9 wt.% Sb2O3into the Na2O-K2O-B2O3-Al2O3-SiO2basic foam glass component and sinter at 775°C. And the obtained foam glasses present much more uniform microstructure, large pore size, and smooth cell walls, which bring them with better performance including a lower bulk density, low water absorption, and an appreciable compressive strength. The microstructure analysis indicates that, with the increase of the content of Sb2O3additives, the cell size tends to increase at first and then decreases. Larger amounts of Sb2O3do not change the crystalline phase of foam glass but increase its vitrification. It is meaningful to prepare the foam glass at a relatively low temperature for reducing the heat energy consumption.
An Improved Discrete PSO for Tugboat Assignment Problem under a Hybrid Scheduling Rule in Container Terminal
Authors: Wang Su , Zhu Min , Kaku Ikou , Chen Guoyue , Wang Mingya
Published: December 2014

In container terminal, tugboat plays vital role in safety of ship docking. Tugboat assignment problem under a hybrid scheduling rule (TAP‐HSR) is to determine the assignment between multiple tugboats and ships and the scheduling sequence of ships to minimize the turnaround time of ships. A mixed‐integer programming model and the scheduling method are described for TAP‐HSR problem. Then an improved discrete PSO (IDPSO) algorithm for TAP‐HSR problem is proposed to minimize the turnaround time of ships. In particular, some new redefined PSO operators and the discrete updating rules of position and velocity are developed. The experimental results show that the proposed IDPSO can get better solutions than GA and basic discrete PSO.
Antioxidant Enzyme Inhibitor Role of Phosphine Metal Complexes in Lung and Leukemia Cell Lines
Authors: Saygıdeğer Demir Burcu , Keleş Tuğba , Serindağ Osman
Published: December 2014

Phosphine metal complexes have been recently evaluated in the field of cancer therapy. In this research, the cytotoxic effects of some metal phosphines{[PdCl2((CH2OH)2PCH2)2NCH3] (C1), [RuCl2(((CH2OH)2PCH2)2NCH3)2] (C2), [PtCl2((Ph2PCH2)2NCH3)(timin)2] (C3)}on K562 (human myelogenous leukemia cell line) and A549 (adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells) cells were investigated using the MTT test. C1 and C2 are water-soluble metal complexes, which may have some advantages inin vitroandin vivostudies. The effects of the above-mentioned metal complexes on thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) (EC: 1.8.1.9), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (EC: 1.11.1.9), and catalase (Cat) (EC: 1.11.1.6) enzymes were also tested. The results of this research showed that all three metal complexes indicated dose-dependent cytotoxicity on A549 and K562 cell lines and that the complexes inhibited different percentages of the TrxR, GPx, and Cat enzymes of these tumor cells.
Practical Benefits of Aspect-Oriented Programming Paradigm in Discrete Event Simulation
Authors: Chibani Meriem , Belattar Brahim , Bourouis Abdelhabib
Published: December 2014

Aspect-oriented modeling and simulation is a new approach which uses the separation of concerns principle to enhance the quality of models and simulation tools. It adopts the separation of concerns (SOC) principle. Thus, crosscutting concerns such as processes synchronization, steady state detection, and graphical animation could be separated from simulation functional modules. The capture of crosscutting concerns in a modular way is carried out to cope with complexity and to achieve the required engineering quality factors such as robustness, modularity, adaptability, and reusability. This paper provides a summary of aspect-oriented paradigm with its usage in simulation by illustrating the main crosscutting concerns that may infect simulation systems. A practical example is given with the use of the Japrosim discrete event simulation library.
Congenital Microstomia in a Neonate with Impending Respiratory Compromise
Authors: Nguyen Khoa N. , Semenov Igor , Blasiole Brian , Robison Jacob G. , Chi David H.
Published: December 2014

Microstomia is the term used to describe a reduction in the size of the oral aperture that is severe enough to compromise quality of life, nutrition, and cosmesis. Few cases of congenital microstomia have been reported as most microstomia cases are due to burn injuries. We are presenting a case of a neonate who was found to be in respiratory distress with severe congenital microstomia from no known cause. This case illustrates the rarity of this type of pathologic anatomy as well as the teamwork and tools necessary to treat these patients.
A Fixed Point Theorem for Three Pairs of Mappings Satisfying Contractive Condition of Integral Type in Dislocated Metric Space
Authors: Ur Rahman Mujeeb , Sarwar Muhammad
Published: December 2014

The aim of this paper is to study a common fixed point theorem for three pairs of self-mappings satisfying a contractive condition of integral type in the setting of dislocated metric space. We notice that our established theorem generalizes the main result of Branciari (2002) in the context of dislocated metric space.
An Artificial Neural Networks Approach to Estimate Occupational Accident: A National Perspective for Turkey
Authors: Ceylan Hüseyin
Published: December 2014

Occupational accident estimation models were developed by using artificial neural networks (ANNs) for Turkey. Using these models the number of occupational accidents and death and permanent incapacity numbers resulting from occupational accidents were estimated for Turkey until the year of 2025 by the three different scenarios. In the development of the models, insured workers, workplace, occupational accident, death, and permanent incapacity values were used as model parameters with data between 1970 and 2012. 2‐5‐1 neural network architecture was selected as the best network architecture. Sigmoid was used in hidden layers and linear function was used at output layer. The feed forward back propagation algorithm was used to train the network. In order to obtain a useful model, the network was trained between 1970 and 1999 to estimate the values of 2000 to 2012. The result was compared with the real values and it was seen that it is applicable for this aim. The performances of all developed models were evaluated using mean absolute percent errors (MAPE), mean absolute errors (MAE), and root mean square errors (RMSE).
What Makes Oral Candidiasis Recurrent Infection? A Clinical View
Authors: Darwazeh Azmi M. G. , Darwazeh Tamer A.
Published: December 2014

Clinical oral Candida infection (candidiasis) is one of the common oral mucosal infections, and its management is usually frustrating due to either treatment failure or recurrence. Historically, oral candidiasis has been branded as disease of diseased. The unsuccessful management of oral candidiasis can due to either incorrect diagnosis, failure to identify (or correct) the underlying predisposing factor(s), or inaccurate prescription of antifungal agents. Failure to properly treat oral candidiasis will lead to persistence of the fungal cell in the oral cavity and hence recurrence of infection. The oral health care provider should be aware of these fall pits in order to successfully manage oral candidiasis.