bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Context Aware Cooperative Communication Method in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Kim Hyunduk , Kim Chulki , Kim Jaehun , Seo Minah , Lee Seok , Lee Taikjin
Published: June 2015

In wireless sensor networks, the clustering methods proposed to improve the energy efficiency of a sensor network can lead to severe energy consumption by the cluster heads. Furthermore, in the case where an unbalanced cluster structure is generated, the overall lifetime of the sensor networks is significantly reduced. Moreover, existing cooperative communication methods, for example, CoopLEACH, waste energy because of the unilateral cooperative communication method, which does not consider the distance between the sink and cluster heads. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a novel method that transmits and collects data according to the density of the nodes and the distance between the sink and cluster heads. Through extensive performance studies, we observed that our method is 12% more energy-efficient than CoopLEACH.
Polymorphisms ofNFκB1andIκBαand Their Synergistic Effect on Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Susceptibility
Authors: Liu Yehua , Qiu Fuman , Yang Lei , Yang Rongrong , Yang Xiaorong , Huang Dongsheng , Fang Wenxiang , Zhang Lisha , Jiang Qingping , Zhang Lan , Zhou Yifeng , Lu Jiachun
Published: June 2015

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a multifactoral and polygenic disease with high prevalence in Southeast Asia and Southern China. Environmental factors and genetic susceptibility play important roles in NPC pathogenesis. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in nuclear factor-kappa B (NFκB) and its inhibitor (IκBα) conferred consistent risks for NPC. Four putatively functional SNPs (NFκB1: rs28362491del>ins ATTG;NFκB2: rs12769316G>A;IκBα: rs2233406C>T and rs696G>A) were analyzed to evaluate their associations with NPC risk in total 1590 NPC cases and 1979 cancer-free controls. We found that the rs28362491 insATTG variants (ins/del + ins/ins) inNFκB1conferred an increased risk of NPC (odds ratio[OR]=1.30, 95% confidence interval[CI]=1.09–1.55, andP=2.80×10-3) compared with the del/del homozygous genotype. The rs696AA variant inIκBαhad an increased risk of NPC (OR=1.41, 95% CI=1.20–1.66, andP=2.28×10-5) by decreasingIκBαexpression due to the modulation of microRNA hsa-miR-449a. Furthermore, both adverse genotypes ofNFκB/IκBαand their interaction also exerted an increased risk on NPC. Taken together, Our findings indicated that genetic variants inNFκB1(rs28362491del>ins ATTG) andIκBα(rs696G>A) and their synergistic effect might contribute to NPC predisposition.
A Portable Gait Asymmetry Rehabilitation System for Individuals with Stroke Using a Vibrotactile Feedback
Authors: Afzal Muhammad Raheel , Oh Min-Kyun , Lee Chang-Hee , Park Young Sook , Yoon Jungwon
Published: June 2015

Gait asymmetry caused by hemiparesis results in reduced gait efficiency and reduced activity levels. In this paper, a portable rehabilitation device is proposed that can serve as a tool in diagnosing gait abnormalities in individuals with stroke and has the capability of providing vibration feedback to help compensate for the asymmetric gait. Force-sensitive resistor (FSR) based insoles are used to detect ground contact and estimate stance time. A controller (Arduino) provides different vibration feedback based on the gait phase measurement. It also allows wireless interaction with a personal computer (PC) workstation using the XBee transceiver module, featuring data logging capabilities for subsequent analysis. Walking trials conducted with healthy young subjects allowed us to observe that the system can influence abnormality in the gait. The results of trials showed that a vibration cue based on temporal information was more effective than intensity information. With clinical experiments conducted for individuals with stroke, significant improvement in gait symmetry was observed with minimal disturbance caused to the balance and gait speed as an effect of the biofeedback. Future studies of the long-term rehabilitation effects of the proposed system and further improvements to the system will result in an inexpensive, easy-to-use, and effective rehabilitation device.
Parallelizing SLPA for Scalable Overlapping Community Detection
Authors: Kuzmin Konstantin , Chen Mingming , Szymanski Boleslaw K.
Published: June 2015

Communities in networks are groups of nodes whose connections to the nodes in a community are stronger than with the nodes in the rest of the network. Quite often nodes participate in multiple communities; that is, communities can overlap. In this paper, we first analyze what other researchers have done to utilize high performance computing to perform efficient community detection in social, biological, and other networks. We note that detection of overlapping communities is more computationally intensive than disjoint community detection, and the former presents new challenges that algorithm designers have to face. Moreover, the efficiency of many existing algorithms grows superlinearly with the network size making them unsuitable to process large datasets. We use the Speaker-Listener Label Propagation Algorithm (SLPA) as the basis for our parallel overlapping community detection implementation. SLPA provides near linear time overlapping community detection and is well suited for parallelization. We explore the benefits of a multithreaded programming paradigm and show that it yields a significant performance gain over sequential execution while preserving the high quality of community detection. The algorithm was tested on four real-world datasets with up to 5.5 million nodes and 170 million edges. In order to assess the quality of community detection, at least 4 different metrics were used for each of the datasets.
A Case of Spontaneous Tumor Lysis Syndrome in a Patient with Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Okamoto Kazuhiro , Kinoshita Toshifumi , Shimizu Miyuki , Okura Isoji , Kawada Akinori , Mizobuchi Koichi , Ando Midori
Published: June 2015

Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is a potentially life-threating complication of tumors or chemotherapy treatment. TLS commonly occurs in hematological malignancies, but it is very rare in patients with a solid tumor. In cases of solid tumors, TLS usually occurs spontaneously and after the initiation of anticancer therapy, and it has a high mortality rate. We present the novel case of a 62-year-old woman with an ovarian tumor who spontaneously developed TLS. Surgical reduction of the tumor mass vastly improved her condition. She showed no sign of tumor recurrence 8 months after treatment. As TLS is life-threatening, successful treatments must be seriously considered.
Microvessels Density in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma
Authors: Bobiński Marcin , Bednarek Wiesława , Szumiło Justyna , Cybulski Marek , Polak Grzegorz , Kotarski Jan
Published: June 2015

Uterine leiomyosarcomas (LMS) are rare tumors typically presenting rapid growth and unfavorable outcome. Nowadays the results of uterine LMS treatment do not meet expectations. Angiogenesis is one of processes investigated to be target for future treatment. The aim of the research was to assess microvessels density (MVD) in tumor samples collected from 50 patients with histological confirmed uterine leiomyosarcoma and to investigate statistical relations between MVD, patients survival, and FIGO stage of tumor. The assessment was carried out using immunohistochemistry methods with anti-CD34 antibody. No significant difference in MVD between FIGO stages was observed. Furthermore, contrary to many other malignancies, we found no significant relation between MVD and patients overall and 2-year survival. Results obtained in the study suggest that processes on vascular mimicry and mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) may play important role in development of LMS. No statistical relation between MVD and survival leads to conclusion that not only angiogenesis but other mechanisms as well should be taken into consideration in planning future research.
A New Fractional-Order Based Intelligent Maximum Power Point Tracking Control Algorithm for Photovoltaic Power Systems
Authors: Yu Kuo-Nan , Liao Chih-Kang , Yau Her-Terng
Published: June 2015

This paper proposes a new type of variable fractional-order incremental conductance algorithm (VFOINC), combined with extenics variable step size (EVSS) control into the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) design for photovoltaic power systems. At the beginning of maximum power tracking, the fractional-order numberαis selected as 1; the good transient tracking characteristic of traditional incremental conductance method is used. When the maximum power point is approached, the fractional-order numberαis selected as variable fractional order; the curve profile ofαin fractional order is used to approximate, so that the system has good tracking effect in transient and steady states. The experimental and simulation results show that, compared with traditional incremental conductance method (INC) and fractional-order incremental conductance method (FOINC), this method has better MPPT effect.
Brain Signals of Face Processing as Revealed by Event-Related Potentials
Authors: Olivares Ela I. , Iglesias Jaime , Saavedra Cristina , Trujillo-Barreto Nelson J. , Valdés-Sosa Mitchell
Published: June 2015

We analyze the functional significance of different event-related potentials (ERPs) as electrophysiological indices of face perception and face recognition, according to cognitive and neurofunctional models of face processing. Initially, the processing of faces seems to be supported by early extrastriate occipital cortices and revealed by modulations of the occipital P1. This early response is thought to reflect the detection of certain primary structural aspects indicating the presencegrosso modoof a face within the visual field. The posterior-temporal N170 is more sensitive to the detection of faces as complex-structured stimuli and, therefore, to the presence of its distinctive organizational characteristics prior to within-category identification. In turn, the relatively late and probably more rostrally generated N250r and N400-like responses might respectively indicate processes of access and retrieval of face-related information, which is stored in long-term memory (LTM). New methods of analysis of electrophysiological and neuroanatomical data, namely, dynamic causal modeling, single-trial and time-frequency analyses, are highly recommended to advance in the knowledge of those brain mechanisms concerning face processing.
Function of Nucleus Ventralis Posterior Lateralis Thalami in Acupoint Sensitization Phenomena
Authors: Rong Pei-Jing , Zhao Jing-Jun , Yu Ling-Ling , Li Liang , Ben Hui , Li Shao-Yuan , Zhu Bing
Published: June 2015

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on nucleus ventralis posterior lateralis (VPL) thalami activated by visceral noxious stimulation and to explore the impact of EA on the mechanism of acupoint sensitization under a pathological state of the viscera, EA was applied at bilateral “Zusanli-Shangjuxu” acupoints. The discharge of VPL neurons was response to EA increased after colorectal distension (CRD). The stimulation at “Zusanli-Shangjuxu” acupoints enhanced discharge activity of VPL neurons under CRD-induced visceral pain. The frequency of neuronal discharge was associated with the pressure gradient of CRD which showed that visceral noxious stimulation may intensify the body’s functional response to stimulation at acupoints.
Effects of Different Types of Cognitive Training on Cognitive Function, Brain Structure, and Driving Safety in Senior Daily Drivers: A Pilot Study
Authors: Nozawa Takayuki , Taki Yasuyuki , Kanno Akitake , Akimoto Yoritaka , Ihara Mizuki , Yokoyama Ryoichi , Kotozaki Yuka , Nouchi Rui , Sekiguchi Atsushi , Takeuchi Hikaru , Miyauchi Carlos Makoto , Ogawa Takeshi , Goto Takakuni , Sunda Takashi , Shimizu Toshiyuki , Tozuka Eiji , Hirose Satoru , Nanbu Tatsuyoshi , Kawashima Ryuta
Published: June 2015

Background. Increasing proportion of the elderly in the driving population raises the importance of assuring their safety. We explored the effects of three different types of cognitive training on the cognitive function, brain structure, and driving safety of the elderly.Methods. Thirty-seven healthy elderly daily drivers were randomly assigned to one of three training groups: Group V trained in a vehicle with a newly developed onboard cognitive training program, Group P trained with a similar program but on a personal computer, and Group C trained to solve a crossword puzzle. Before and after the 8-week training period, they underwent neuropsychological tests, structural brain magnetic resonance imaging, and driving safety tests.Results. For cognitive function, only Group V showed significant improvements in processing speed and working memory. For driving safety, Group V showed significant improvements both in the driving aptitude test and in the on-road evaluations. Group P showed no significant improvements in either test, and Group C showed significant improvements in the driving aptitude but not in the on-road evaluations.Conclusion. The results support the effectiveness of the onboard training program in enhancing the elderly’s abilities to drive safely and the potential advantages of a multimodal training approach.
Improving Energy Adaptivity of Constructive Interference-Based Flooding for WSN-AF
Authors: Cheng Dapeng , Mao Yanyan , Wang Yin , Wang Xiangrong
Published: June 2015

Constructive interference (CI) is a synchronous transmission technique for multiple senders transmitting the same packet simultaneously in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). CI enables fast and reliable network flooding in order to reduce the scheduling overhead of MAC protocols, to achieve accurate time synchronization, to improve link quality of lossy links, and to realize efficient data collection. By achieving microsecond level time synchronization, Glossy realizes millisecond level CI-based flooding and 99% reliability. However, Glossy produces substantial unnecessary data forwarding, which significantly reduces the network lifetime. This is a very critical problem, especially in energy-limited large-scale wireless sensor networks for agriculture and forestry (WSN-AF) system. In this paper, we present an energy adaptive CI-based flooding protocol (EACIF) by exploiting CI in WSN-AF. EACIF proposes a distributed active nodes selection algorithm (ANSA) to reduce redundant transmissions, thereby significantly reducing energy consumption and flooding latency. We estimate the performance of EACIF both with real data traces and with uniformly distributed topology. Simulation results show that EACIF achieves almost the same packet reception ratio (PRR) as Glossy (e.g., 99%), while reducing 63.96% energy consumption. EACIF also reduces 25% flooding latency. When the packet interval is 30 seconds, EACIF achieves 0.11% duty cycle.
Analysis of Circulating MicroRNAs In Vivo following Administration of Dexamethasone and Adrenocorticotropin
Authors: Igaz Ivan , Nyírő Gábor , Nagy Zoltán , Butz Henriett , Nagy Zsolt , Perge Pál , Sahin Peter , Tóth Miklós , Rácz Károly , Igaz Peter , Patócs Attila
Published: June 2015

Purpose. The interaction of hormones of the pituitary-adrenal axis and adrenal cortex-associated circulating microRNAs is mostly unknown. We have studied the effects of dexamethasone and adrenocorticotropin on the expression of five circulating microRNAs (hsa-miR-27a, hsa-miR-200b, hsa-miR-214, hsa-miR-483-5p, and hsa-miR-503) reported to be related to the adrenal cortex in plasma samples. Methods. Expression of microRNAs was studied in plasma samples of 10 individuals examined by 1 mg dexamethasone suppression test and another 10 individuals stimulated by 250 μg tetracosactide (adrenocorticotropin). Total RNA was isolated and microRNA expression was analyzed by real-time reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction normalized to cel-miR-39 as reference. Results. Only circulating hsa-miR-27a proved to be significantly modulated in vivo by hormonal treatments: its expression was upregulated by dexamethasone whereas it was suppressed by adrenocorticotropin. Secreted hsa-miR-27a was significantly induced by dexamethasone in vitro in NCI-H295R cells, as well. The expression of hsa-miR-483-5p proposed as diagnostic marker for adrenocortical malignancy was not affected by dexamethasone or tetracosactide administration. Conclusions. hsa-miR-27a expression is modulated by hormones of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis both in vitro and in vivo. The biological relevance of hsa-miR-27a modulation by hormones is unclear, but the responsiveness of circulating microRNAs to hormones of the pituitary-adrenal axis is noteworthy.
Postpartum Pyomyoma, a Rare Complication of Sepsis Associated with Chorioamnionitis and Massive Postpartum Haemorrhage Treated with an Intrauterine Balloon
Authors: Kaler Mandeep , Gailer Ruth , Iskaros Joseph , David Anna L.
Published: June 2015

We report the successful treatment of a postpartum pyomyoma, a rare but serious complication of uterine leiomyomata in a 28-year-old primigravida. The patient was treated for anEscherichia Coli(E. Coli) urinary tract infection (UTI) at 16 weeks of gestation. She had asymptomatic short cervical length on ultrasound scan at 20 weeks that was managed conservatively due to the presence of further UTI and received antibiotics. She was known to have a left sided intramural leiomyoma. She presented with abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding at 23+1weeks of gestation and the next day she had spontaneous vaginal delivery and collapsed withE. Coliseptic shock, massive postpartum haemorrhage, and disseminated intravascular coagulation and was successfully treated with oxytocic drugs, a Rusch intrauterine balloon, and intravenous antibiotics. Eleven days postnatally she re-presented with systemic sepsis and was treated for retained products of conception. Sepsis persisted and investigations showed a postpartum pyomyoma that was initially managed with intravenous antibiotics to avoid surgery. Ultimately she required laparotomy, drainage of pyomyoma, and myomectomy. Postoperative recovery was good and the patient had a successful pregnancy two years later.
Effect of Repeated Electroacupuncture Intervention on Hippocampal ERK and p38MAPK Signaling in Neuropathic Pain Rats
Authors: Wang Jun-ying , Chen Shu-ping , Gao Yong-hui , Qiao Li-na , Zhang Jian-liang , Liu Jun-ling
Published: June 2015

Results of our past studies showed that hippocampal muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR)-1 mRNA and differentially expressed proteins participating in MAPK signaling were involved in electroacupuncture (EA) induced cumulative analgesia in neuropathic pain rats, but the underlying intracellular mechanism remains unknown. The present study was designed to observe the effect of EA stimulation (EAS) on hippocampal extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) and p38 MAPK signaling in rats with chronic constrictive injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve, so as to reveal its related intracellular targets in pain relief. After CCI, the thermal pain thresholds of the affected hind were significantly decreased compared with the control group (P<0.05). Following one and two weeks’ EAS of ST 36-GB34, the pain thresholds were significantly upregulated (P<0.05), and the effect of EA2W was remarkably superior to that of EA2D and EA1W (P<0.05). Correspondingly, CCI-induced decreased expression levels of Ras, c-Raf, ERK1 and p-ERK1/2 proteins, and p38 MAPK mRNA and p-p38MAPK protein in the hippocampus tissues were reversed by EA2W (P<0.05). The above mentioned results indicated that EA2W induced cumulative analgesic effect may be closely associated with its function in removing neuropathic pain induced suppression of intracellular ERK and p38MAPK signaling in the hippocampus.
17-Year-Old Boy with Renal Failure and the Highest Reported Creatinine in Pediatric Literature
Authors: Master Sankar Raj Vimal , Garcia Jessica , Gordillo Roberto
Published: June 2015

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is on the rise and constitutes a major health burden across the world. Clinical presentations in early CKD are usually subtle. Awareness of the risk factors for CKD is important for early diagnosis and treatment to slow the progression of disease. We present a case report of a 17-year-old African American male who presented in a life threatening hypertensive emergency with renal failure and the highest reported serum creatinine in a pediatric patient. A brief discussion on CKD criteria, complications, and potential red flags for screening strategies is provided.
Network-Based Logistic Classification with an EnhancedL1/2Solver Reveals Biomarker and Subnetwork Signatures for Diagnosing Lung Cancer
Authors: Huang Hai-Hui , Liang Yong , Liu Xiao-Ying
Published: June 2015

Identifying biomarker and signaling pathway is a critical step in genomic studies, in which the regularization method is a widely used feature extraction approach. However, most of the regularizers are based onL1-norm and their results are not good enough for sparsity and interpretation and are asymptotically biased, especially in genomic research. Recently, we gained a large amount of molecular interaction information about the disease-related biological processes and gathered them through various databases, which focused on many aspects of biological systems. In this paper, we use an enhancedL1/2penalized solver to penalize network-constrained logistic regression model called an enhancedL1/2net, where the predictors are based on gene-expression data with biologic network knowledge. Extensive simulation studies showed that our proposed approach outperformsL1regularization, the oldL1/2penalized solver, and the Elastic net approaches in terms of classification accuracy and stability. Furthermore, we applied our method for lung cancer data analysis and found that our method achieves higher predictive accuracy thanL1regularization, the oldL1/2penalized solver, and the Elastic net approaches, while fewer but informative biomarkers and pathways are selected.
Airway Management of the Patient with Maxillofacial Trauma: Review of the Literature and Suggested Clinical Approach
Authors: Barak Michal , Bahouth Hany , Leiser Yoav , Abu El-Naaj Imad
Published: June 2015

According to the Advanced Trauma Life Support recommendations for managing patients with life-threatening injuries, securing the airway is the first task of a primary caregiver. Airway management of patients with maxillofacial trauma is complex and crucial because it can dictate a patient’s survival. Securing the airway of patients with maxillofacial trauma is often extremely difficult because the trauma involves the patient’s airway and their breathing is compromised. In these patients, mask ventilation and endotracheal intubation are anticipated to be difficult. Additionally, some of these patients may not yet have been cleared of a cervical spine injury, and all are regarded as having a full stomach and having an increased risk of regurgitation and pulmonary aspiration. The requirements of the intended maxillofacial operation may often preclude the use of an oral intubation tube, and alternative methods for securing the airway should be considered before the start of the surgery. In order to improve the clinical outcome of patients with maxillofacial trauma, cooperation between maxillofacial surgeons, anesthesiologists, and trauma specialists is needed. In this review, we discuss the complexity and difficulties of securing the airway of patients with maxillofacial trauma and present our approach for airway management of such patients.
Sensory Deprivation during Early Postnatal Period Alters the Density of Interneurons in the Mouse Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Ueno Hiroshi , Suemitsu Shunsuke , Matsumoto Yosuke , Okamoto Motoi
Published: June 2015

Early loss of one sensory system can cause improved function of other sensory systems. However, both the time course and neuronal mechanism of cross-modal plasticity remain elusive. Recent study using functional MRI in humans suggests a role of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in cross-modal plasticity. Since this phenomenon is assumed to be associated with altered GABAergic inhibition in the PFC, we have tested the hypothesis that early postnatal sensory deprivation causes the changes of inhibitory neuronal circuit in different regions of the PFC of the mice. We determined the effects of sensory deprivation from birth to postnatal day 28 (P28) or P58 on the density of parvalbumin (PV), calbindin (CB), and calretinin (CR) neurons in the prelimbic, infralimbic, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortices. The density of PV and CB neurons was significantly increased in layer 5/6 (L5/6). Moreover, the density of CR neurons was higher in L2/3 in sensory deprived mice compared to intact mice. These changes were more prominent at P56 than at P28. These results suggest that long-term sensory deprivation causes the changes of intracortical inhibitory networks in the PFC and the changes of inhibitory networks in the PFC may contribute to cross-modal plasticity.
Levonorgestrel Inhibits Human Endometrial Cell Proliferation through the Upregulation of Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication via the Nuclear Translocation of Ser255 Phosphorylated Cx43
Authors: Zhao Xiaomiao , Tang Xueliang , Ma Tingting , Ding Miao , Bian Lijuan , Chen Dongmei , Li Yangzhi , Wang Liangan , Zhuang Yanyan , Xie Meiqing , Yang Dongzi
Published: June 2015

Objects.To assess whether LNG exerts antiproliferation effects on human endometrial cells through changes of GJIC function and the phosphorylated Cx43.Methods.Cell proliferation and apoptosis of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) and glandular cells (HEGCs) treated with LNG in a dose- and time-dependent manner. GJIC change and further total Cx43 and serine 368 and 255 phosphorylated Cx43 were measured.Results.5 × 10−5 mol/L LNG revealed a time-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation and an increase of apoptosis in both HESCs and HEGCs. Furthermore, these cells demonstrated a significant GJIC enhancement upon treatment with 5 × 10−5 mol/L for 48 hours. The effects of LNG were most noticeable in HESCs rather than in HEGCs. Associated with these changes, LNG induced a relative increase in total Cx43 in a time-dependent manner but not Ser368 phosphorylated Cx43. Moreover, laser scanning confocal microscope confirmed the increased expression of total Cx43 in the cytoplasm and, interestingly, the nuclear translocation of Ser255 phosphorylated Cx43.Conclusions. LNG likely inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis in HESCs and HEGCs though an increase in gap junction permeability in vitro, which is achieved through the upregulation of Cx43 expression and the translocation of serine 255 phosphorylated Cx43 from the plasma to the nuclear compartment.
Sensors Based on Thin-Film Coated Cladding Removed Multimode Optical Fiber and Single-Mode Multimode Single-Mode Fiber: A Comparative Study
Authors: Del Villar Ignacio , Socorro Abian B. , Hernaez Miguel , Corres Jesús M. , Zamarreño Carlos R. , Sanchez Pedro , Arregui Francisco J. , Matias Ignacio R.
Published: June 2015

Two simple optical fibre structures that do not require the inscription of a grating, a cladding removed multimode optical fibre (CRMOF) and a single-mode multimode single-mode structure (SMS), are compared in terms of their adequateness for sensing once they are coated with thin-films. The thin-film deposited (TiO2/PSS) permits increasing the sensitivity to surrounding medium refractive index. The results obtained can be extrapolated to other fields such as biological or chemical sensing just by replacing the thin-film by a specific material.
Nondestructive Detection of Blackheart in Potato by Visible/Near Infrared Transmittance Spectroscopy
Authors: Zhou Zhu , Zeng Songwei , Li Xiaoyu , Zheng Jian
Published: June 2015

The possibility of using visible/near infrared (Vis/NIR) transmission spectroscopic technique in the 513–850 nm region coupled with partial least squares-linear discriminant analysis (PLS-LDA) and other chemometric methods to classify potatoes with blackheart was investigated. The discrimination performance of different morphological correction methods, including weight correction, height correction, and volume correction, was compared. The results showed that height corrected transmittance has the best performance, with both calibration and validation sets having a success rate of 97.11%. Out of 1800 wavelengths, only six wavelengths (711, 817, 741, 839, 678, and 698 nm) were selected as the optimum wavelengths for the discrimination of blackheart tubers based on principal component analysis (PCA). The data analysis showed that the overall classification rate by PLS-LDA method decreased from 97.11% to 96.82% in calibration set and from 97.11% to 96.53% in validation set, which was acceptable. The importance of these conclusions may be helpful to transfer Vis/NIR transmission technology from laboratory to industrial application in nondestructive, real-time, or portable measurement of potatoes quality.
Beyond the Immune Suppression: The Immunotherapy in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Silvestri Ida , Cattarino Susanna , Aglianò Anna Maria , Collalti Giulia , Sciarra Alessandro
Published: June 2015

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer in men. As well in many other human cancers, inflammation and immune suppression have an important role in their development. We briefly describe the host components that interact with the tumor to generate an immune suppressive environment involved in PCa promotion and progression. Different tools provide to overcome the mechanisms of immunosuppression including vaccines and immune checkpoint blockades. With regard to this, we report results of most recent clinical trials investigating immunotherapy in metastatic PCa (Sipuleucel-T, ipilimumab, tasquinimod, Prostvac-VF, and GVAX) and provide possible future perspectives combining the immunotherapy to the traditional therapies.
Structural Properties of Concrete Materials Containing RoadCem
Authors: Holmes Niall
Published: June 2015

This paper presents findings from a preliminary study to assess the structural and material properties of a nonstandard, concrete type mix containing RoadCem, a traditional soil stabilising additive. Two different mixes determined the effect of adding RoadCem in terms of compressive and flexural strengths, breaking strain, thermal expansion and contraction behaviour, permeability using a falling head, and Young’s modulus. RoadCem is a fine powder containing alkali metals and synthetic zeolites which are complemented with a complex activator. RoadCem modifies the dynamics and chemistry of cement hydration by enhancing the crystallisation process and forming longer needle crystalline structures. It reduces the heat of hydration with an early strength development. Varying the volume in the mix varies the viscosity and alters curing times while maintaining the water cement ratio. The results from this study have shown a modest increase in compressive strength and Young’s modulus with improvements in thermal performance, particularly at low temperatures. The flexural strength of the two mixes was similar with a much reduced permeability in the RoadCem mix. The results demonstrate the improved performance of concrete incorporating RoadCem but further improvements are possible by using a better graded aggregate and controlling the maximum dry density and moisture contents.
Description and Application of a Mathematical Method for the Analysis of Harmony
Authors: Zuo Qiting , Jin Runfang , Ma Junxia , Cui Guotao
Published: June 2015

Harmony issues are widespread in human society and nature. To analyze these issues, harmony theory has been proposed as the main theoretical approach for the study of interpersonal relationships and relationships between humans and nature. Therefore, it is of great importance to study harmony theory. After briefly introducing the basic concepts of harmony theory, this paper expounds the five elements that are essential for the quantitative description of harmony issues in water resources management: harmony participant, harmony objective, harmony regulation, harmony factor, and harmony action. A basic mathematical equation for the harmony degree, that is, a quantitative expression of harmony issues, is introduced in the paper: HD = ai − bj, where a is the uniform degree, b is the difference degree, i is the harmony coefficient, and j is the disharmony coefficient. This paper also discusses harmony assessment and harmony regulation and introduces some application examples.
An Associate Rules Mining Algorithm Based on Artificial Immune Network for SAR Image Segmentation
Authors: Zhao Mengling , Liu Hongwei
Published: June 2015

As a computational intelligence method, artificial immune network (AIN) algorithm has been widely applied to pattern recognition and data classification. In the existing artificial immune network algorithms, the calculating affinity for classifying is based on calculating a certain distance, which may lead to some unsatisfactory results in dealing with data with nominal attributes. To overcome the shortcoming, the association rules are introduced into AIN algorithm, and we propose a new classification algorithm an associate rules mining algorithm based on artificial immune network (ARM-AIN). The new method uses the association rules to represent immune cells and mine the best association rules rather than searching optimal clustering centers. The proposed algorithm has been extensively compared with artificial immune network classification (AINC) algorithm, artificial immune network classification algorithm based on self-adaptive PSO (SPSO-AINC), and PSO-AINC over several large-scale data sets, target recognition of remote sensing image, and segmentation of three different SAR images. The result of experiment indicates the superiority of ARM-AIN in classification accuracy and running time.
Which Metrics Are Appropriate to Describe the Value of New Cancer Therapies?
Authors: Johnson Peter , Greiner Wolfgang , Al-Dakkak Imad , Wagner Samuel
Published: June 2015

Patients with certain cancers are treated with curative intent, but for others the results are less favorable and different therapeutic approaches are needed. Early data suggest that new therapies, which modulate immune responses to cancers, may have potential for long-term survival in a proportion of cases. Therefore, it is timely to consider whether metrics generally used to describe the medical value of therapies for patients with common solid tumors remain appropriate for therapies with curative potential. Literature reviews were conducted to define how various stakeholders describe cure in oncology and to identify the endpoints used in clinical trials for selected solid tumors. The results showed that “cure” is described using various terms that can be divided broadly into lack of disease progression, eradication of cancerous cells, and survival. The review of trial endpoints showed frequent use of median overall survival (OS) and progression- and response-related endpoints. Because these endpoints were mainly described in the context of chemotherapies that are not generally curative, they may not adequately capture outcomes of new therapeutic modalities with potential for long-term survival. More appropriate endpoints may include mean OS, cure fraction, and OS rate at landmark time points.
“Adherent” versus Other Isolation Strategies for Expanding Purified, Potent, and Activated Human NK Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Selvan Senthamil R. , Dowling John P.
Published: June 2015

Natural killer (NK) cells have long been hypothesized to play a central role in the development of new immunotherapies to combat a variety of cancers due to their intrinsic ability to lyse tumor cells. For the past several decades, various isolation and expansion methods have been developed to harness the full antitumor potential of NK cells. These protocols have varied greatly between laboratories and several have been optimized for large-scale clinical use despite associated complexity and high cost. Here, we present a simple method of “adherent” enrichment and expansion of NK cells, developed using both healthy donors’ and cancer patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and compare its effectiveness with various published protocols to highlight the pros and cons of their use in adoptive cell therapy. By building upon the concepts and data presented, future research can be adapted to provide simple, cost-effective, reproducible, and translatable procedures for personalized treatment with NK cells.
Gender-Specific Effect of -102G>A Polymorphism in Insulin Induced Gene 2 on Obesity in Chinese Children
Authors: Liu Fang-Hong , Song Jie-Yun , Zhang Yi-Ning , Ma Jun , Wang Hai-Jun
Published: June 2015

Background. Insulin induced gene 2 (INSIG2) encodes a protein that has a biological effect on regulation of adipocyte metabolism and body weight. This study aimed to investigate the association of INSIG2 gene -102G>A polymorphism with obesity related phenotypes in Chinese children and test gender-specific effects. Methods. The 2,030 independent individuals aged from 7 to 18 years, including 705 obese cases and 1,325 nonobese controls, were recruited from local schools. We measured the obesity-related phenotypes and detected the serum lipids. We genotype -102G>A polymorphism by using the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Results. In all individuals, we found that the GG/GA genotype of INSIG2 -102G>A polymorphism was associated with risk of severe obesity (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 1.11–2.36, and P=0.012) under the dominant model. The association with severe obesity existed only in boys (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.15–3.17, P=0.012). The GG/GA genotype of -102G>A polymorphism was also associated with higher waist circumference (β=2.61 cm, P=0.031) in boys. No similar association was found in girls. The polymorphism was not associated with other obesity-related phenotypes, neither in all individuals nor in gender-specific population. Conclusions. This study identified a gender-specific effect of INSIG2 -102G>A polymorphism on risk of severe obesity and waist circumference in Chinese boys.
Clinical Usefulness of Immunohistochemical Staining of p57kip2for the Differential Diagnosis of Complete Mole
Authors: Sasaki Shigeru , Sasaki Yasushi , Kunimura Toshiaki , Sekizawa Akihiko , Kojima Yoshihiro , Iino Koichi
Published: June 2015

Objective. Can polymer-based immunohistochemical staining ofp57kip2replace DNA analysis as an inexpensive means of differentiating complete mole from partial mole or hydropic abortion?Methods and Materials. Original paraffin-embedded tissue blocks from 14 equivocal cases were turned over to our laboratory and examined by immunohistochemical staining ofp57kip2.Results. Four of the 14 cases showed clearly negative nuclear staining in cytotrophoblasts and villous stromal cells: these results were fully concordant with the control staining. The remaining 10 cases showed apparently positive staining in cytotrophoblasts and villous stromal cells. Without DNA analysis we are able to clearly differentiate the 4 cases of complete mole among the 14 equivocal cases. During follow-up, secondary low-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) developed in 1 of the 4 cases of complete mole: the GTN was treated by single-agent chemotherapy. No subsequent changes were observed during follow-up in the other cases.Conclusion. Polymer-based immunohistochemical staining ofp57kip2(paternally imprinted gene, expressed from maternal allele) is a very effective method that can be used to differentiate androgenetic complete mole from partial mole and hydropic abortion. We might be able to avoid the cost of DNA analysis.
Takayasu’s Arteritis with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Rare Association
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Dhrubajyoti , Ganesan Vijayan , Bhar Debarati , Bhowmick Diptak , Sasmal Sibnarayan , Choudhury Cankatika , Mukhopadhyay Sabyasachi , Hajra Adrija , Layek Manas , Karmakar Partha Sarathi
Published: June 2015

We report the case of a 24-year-old nondiabetic, nonhypertensive lady with history of fatigue, dyspnoea and limb claudication. She has been diagnosed with Takayasu’s arteritis. Subsequently she developed rash, alopecia, joint pain, and various other laboratory abnormalities which led to a diagnosis of SLE. Takayasu’s arteritis (TA) rarely coexists with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The absence of specific SLE markers in patients with TA who subsequently develop SLE suggests that the coexistence of these conditions may be coincidental. The antiphospholipid syndrome in patients with SLE may mimic the occlusive vasculitis of TA.
Electrical Properties of Nanoscale ZnS Thin Film Transistor
Authors: Oh Teresa
Published: June 2015

To understand the contact mechanism from electrical properties of the ZnS TFTs, ZnS was fabricated on SiOC as a gate insulator on a Si substrate. Ohmic contact without a potential barrier increased the leakage current, but Schottky contact decreased the leakage current because of a Schottky barrier (SB). The ZnS TFTs prepared on SiOC with a Schottky contact improved the stability with respect to the reduction of drain voltages. The structural matching between ZnS and SiOC increased the height of SB such as ZnS annealed at 200°C, which made ZnS become an amorphous structure. ZnS/SiOC films with a low SB increased the capacitance and leakage current. The crystallinity orientation of ZnS localized defect states and the drift current owing to the impurity charge carriers caused the leakage current through low SB near zero voltages. But the increment of diffusion currents in a depletion layer increased the SB and then decreased the leakage current. So the electrical properties of devices were improved by a tunneling effect of diffusion currents.
Patient Mutation Directed shRNA Screen Uncovers Novel Bladder Tumor Growth Suppressors
Authors: Hensel Jonathan , Duex Jason E. , Owens Charles , Dancik Garrett M. , Edwards Michael G. , Frierson Henry F. , Theodorescu Dan
Published: June 2015

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of human bladder cancer has revealed many gene alterations compared with normal tissue, with most being predicted to be “loss of function.” However, given the high number of alterations, evaluating the functional impact of each is impractical. Here, we develop and use a high-throughput, in vivo strategy to determine which alterations are loss of function in tumor growth suppressors. Genes reported as altered by NGS in bladder cancer patients were bioinformatically processed by MutationTaster and MutationAssessor, with 283 predicted as loss of function. An shRNA lentiviral library targeting these genes was transduced into T24 cells, a nontumorigenic human bladder cancer cell line, followed by injection into mice. Tumors that arose were sequenced and the dominant shRNA constructs were found to target IQGAP1, SAMD9L, PCIF1, MED1, and KATNAL1 genes. In vitro validation experiments revealed that shRNA molecules directed at IQGAP1 showed the most profound increase in anchorage-independent growth of T24 cells. The clinical relevance of IQGAP1 as a tumor growth suppressor is supported by the finding that its expression is lower in bladder cancer compared with benign patient urothelium in multiple independent datasets. Lower IQGAP1 protein expression associated with higher tumor grade and decreased patient survival. Finally, depletion of IQGAP1 leads to increased TGFBR2 with TGFβ signaling, explaining in part how reduced IQGAP1 promotes tumor growth. These findings suggest IQGAP1 is a bladder tumor growth suppressor that works via modulating TGFβ signaling and is a potentially clinically useful biomarker.

Implications: This study used gene mutation information from patient-derived bladder tumor specimens to inform the development of a screen used to identify novel tumor growth suppressors. This included identification of the protein IQGAP1 as a potent bladder cancer growth suppressor. Mol Cancer Res; 13(9); 1306–15. ©2015 AACR.
Molecular Patterns of Subclinical and Clinical Rejection of Kidney Allograft: Quantity Matters
Authors: Wohlfahrtova Mariana , Tycova Irena , Honsova Eva , Lodererova Alena , Viklicky Ondrej
Published: June 2015

Background/Aims: Subclinical rejection diagnosed from protocol biopsies is thought to be a risk factor of long- term allograft dysfunction. The reason why in some patients subclinical rejection does not represent risk for progression is not fully understood. Methods: The intragraft expression of 376 target genes involved in chemokine defense, apoptosis, inflammation, tolerance and TGF-β signalling pathways was measured using quantitative real-time RT-PCR (2-∆∆Ct) method in subclinical inflammation (SCI, n=10), clinical inflammation in acute T-cell mediated rejection (CI, n=10) and no rejection samples (n=9). Results: Clinical inflammation group showed a increased expression of genes for chemotaxis mediating cytokines (CCL1, CCL17, CCL24, CCL25, CCL26), cytokine receptors (CCR1, CCRL2, IL1RAPL2, CXCR5), proinflammatory cytokines (IL12A, LTA), inflammatory mediator (PTAFR), complement protein C3, executioner protein of apoptosis (CASP7), growth factor (TGFA), colony stimulating factor (CSF-2), proteins involved in dendritic cells differentiation and interaction (CD209, LAMP3), regulation of immune response (LILRB2, LILBRB4). The quantitative difference in transcripts signature between SCI and CI is consistent with stronger proinflammatory setting of CI. Prostaglandin E2 receptor gene expression was independently associated with lower risk of further graft function deterioration (OR 0.11, CI 0.01-0.78, p<0.0001). Conclusion: Subclinical acute kidney inflammation has transcriptional profile of immune injury of lower extend compared to clinical acute inflammation.
Early Peritonitis is an Independent Risk Factor for Mortality in Elderly Peritoneal Dialysis Patients
Authors: Wang Zhi , Jiang Linsen , Feng Sheng , Yang Lei , Jiang Shan , Zhan Zhoubing , Song Kai , Shen Huaying
Published: June 2015

Background/Aims: The impact of early peritonitis on the outcome of elderly peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients has not been studied. We aimed to research the influence of early peritonitis on patient outcomes in elderly PD patients. Methods: This study involved elderly PD patients (age ≥65) who underwent PD between Jan 1, 2004 and Jul 31, 2013. Patient characteristics were collected in our database. Early peritonitis was defined as peritonitis within 6 months after the initiation of PD. Patient survival and technique were compared among the non-peritonitis, early peritonitis and late peritonitis groups using Cox regression analysis. Results: There were 155 subjects involved in this study. The patients were divided among a non-peritonitis group (n=78), early peritonitis group (n=32) and late peritonitis group (n=45). The organisms causing first peritonitis in the two groups did not differ significantly. After adjustment for age, diabetes, serum albumin and residual renal function, multivariable Cox regression model revealed that compared with the early peritonitis group, both the non-peritonitis group (HR 0.57, RI 0.32-0.99, p=0.046) and the late peritonitis group (HR 0.37, RI 0.16-0.75, p=0.004) exhibited a lower patient mortality rate. Conclusions: Early peritonitis is an independent risk factor for mortality in elderly peritoneal dialysis patients.