bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Delivery of bFGF for Tissue Engineering by Tethering to the ECM
Authors: Suttinont Chawapun , Mashimo Yasumasa , Mie Masayasu , Kobatake Eiry
Published: October 2015

Delivery of growth factors to target cells is an important subject in tissue engineering. Towards that end, we have developed a growth factor-tethered extracellular matrix (ECM). Here, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was tethered to extracellular matrix noncovalently. The designed ECM was comprised of 12 repeats of the APGVGV peptide motif derived from elastin as a stable structural unit and included the well-known cell adhesive RGD peptide as an active functional unit. To bind bFGF to the ECM, an acidic amino acid-rich sequence was introduced at the C-terminus of the ECM protein. It consisted of 5 repeats of 4 aspartic acids and a serine, DDDDS. bFGF has a highly basic amino acid domain. Therefore, bFGF was tethered to the ECM protein by electrostatic interaction. Cells cultured on bFGF-tethered ECM were well attached to the ECM and induced proliferation without addition of soluble bFGF.
EGCG Attenuates Uric Acid-Induced Inflammatory and Oxidative Stress Responses by Medicating the NOTCH Pathway
Authors: Xie Hua , Sun Jianqin , Chen Yanqiu , Zong Min , Li Shijie , Wang Yan
Published: October 2015

Background. The aim of this study is to investigate whether (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) can prevent the UA-induced inflammatory effect of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the involved mechanisms in vitro.Methods. HUVEC were subjected to uric acid (UA) with or without EGCG treatment. RT-PCR and western blots were performed to determine the level of inflammation marker. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by measuring scavenged reactive oxygen species (ROS). Functional studies of the role of Notch-1 in HUVEC lines were performed using RNA interference analyses.Results. UA significantly increased the expressions of IL-6, ICAM-1, TNF-α, and MCP-1 and the production of ROS in HUVEC. Meanwhile, the expression of Notch-1 and its downstream effects significantly increased. Using siRNA, inhibition of Notch-1 signaling significantly impeded the expressions of inflammatory cytokines under UA treatment. Interestingly, EGCG suppressed the expressions of inflammatory cytokines and the generation of ROS. Western blot analysis of Notch-1 showed that EGCG significantly decreased the expressions of inflammatory cytokines through Notch-1 signaling pathways.Conclusions. In summary, our findings indicated that Notch-1 plays an important role in the UA-induced inflammatory response, and the downregulation of Notch-1 by EGCG could be an effective approach to decrease inflammation and oxidative stress induced by UA.
Dental Pulp Defence and Repair Mechanisms in Dental Caries
Authors: Farges Jean-Christophe , Alliot-Licht Brigitte , Renard Emmanuelle , Ducret Maxime , Gaudin Alexis , Smith Anthony J. , Cooper Paul R.
Published: October 2015

Dental caries is a chronic infectious disease resulting from the penetration of oral bacteria into the enamel and dentin. Microorganisms subsequently trigger inflammatory responses in the dental pulp. These events can lead to pulp healing if the infection is not too severe following the removal of diseased enamel and dentin tissues and clinical restoration of the tooth. However, chronic inflammation often persists in the pulp despite treatment, inducing permanent loss of normal tissue and reducing innate repair capacities. For complete tooth healing the formation of a reactionary/reparative dentin barrier to distance and protect the pulp from infectious agents and restorative materials is required. Clinical and in vitro experimental data clearly indicate that dentin barrier formation only occurs when pulp inflammation and infection are minimised, thus enabling reestablishment of tissue homeostasis and health. Therefore, promoting the resolution of pulp inflammation may provide a valuable therapeutic opportunity to ensure the sustainability of dental treatments. This paper focusses on key cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in pulp responses to bacteria and in the pulpal transition between caries‐induced inflammation and dentinogenic‐based repair. We report, using selected examples, different strategies potentially used by odontoblasts and specialized immune cells to combat dentin‐invading bacteria in vivo.
A Pyrene@Micelle Sensor for Fluorescent Oxygen Sensing
Authors: Yuan Yan-xia , Peng Hong-shang , Ping Jian-tao , Wang Xiao-hui , You Fang-tian
Published: October 2015

For most fluorescent oxygen sensors developed today, their fabrication process is either time-consuming or needs specialized knowledge. In this work, a robust fluorescent oxygen sensor is facilely constructed by dissolving pyrene molecules into CTAB aqueous solution. The as-prepared pyrene@micelle sensors have submicron-sized diameter, and the concentration of utilized pyrene can be reduced as low as 0.8 mM but still can exhibit dominant excimer emission. The excimer fluorescence is sensitive to dissolved oxygen in both intensity and lifetime, and the respective Stern-Volmer plot follows a nonlinear behavior justified by a two-site model. Because of the merits of large Stokes shift (~140 nm), easy fabrication, and robustness, the pyrene@micelle sensors are very attractive for practical determination of oxygen.
FC-NIRS: A Functional Connectivity Analysis Tool for Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Data
Authors: Xu Jingping , Liu Xiangyu , Zhang Jinrui , Li Zhen , Wang Xindi , Fang Fang , Niu Haijing
Published: October 2015

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a promising noninvasive imaging technique, has recently become an increasingly popular tool in resting-state brain functional connectivity (FC) studies. However, the corresponding software packages for FC analysis are still lacking. To facilitate fNIRS-based human functional connectome studies, we developed a MATLAB software package called “functional connectivity analysis tool for near-infrared spectroscopy data” (FC-NIRS). This package includes the main functions of fNIRS data preprocessing, quality control, FC calculation, and network analysis. Because this software has a friendly graphical user interface (GUI), FC-NIRS allows researchers to perform data analysis in an easy, flexible, and quick way. Furthermore, FC-NIRS can accomplish batch processing during data processing and analysis, thereby greatly reducing the time cost of addressing a large number of datasets. Extensive experimental results using real human brain imaging confirm the viability of the toolbox. This novel toolbox is expected to substantially facilitate fNIRS-data-based human functional connectome studies.
Improved Sugar Production by Optimizing Planetary Mill Pretreatment and Enzyme Hydrolysis Process
Authors: Kwon Jeong Heo , Lee Siseon , Lee Jae-Won , Hong Youn-Woo , Chang Jeong Ho , Sung Daekyung , Kim Sung Hyun , Sang Byoung-In , Mitchell Robert J. , Lee Jin Hyung
Published: October 2015

This paper describes an optimization of planetary mill pretreatment and saccharification processes for improving biosugar production. Pitch pine (Pinus rigida) wood sawdust waste was used as biomass feedstock and the process parameters optimized in this study were the buffering media, the milling time, the enzyme quantity, and the incubation time. Glucose yields were improved when acetate buffer was used rather than citrate buffer. Initially, with each process variable tests, the optimal values were 100 minutes of milling, an enzyme concentration of 16 FPU/g-biomass, and a 12-hour enzymatic hydrolysis. Typically, interactions between these experimental conditions and their effects on glucose production were next investigated using RSM. Glucose yields from thePinus rigidawaste exceeded 80% with several of the conditions tested, demonstrating that milling can be used to obtain high levels of glucose bioconversion from woody biomass for biorefinery purposes.
Comparison of the Spasmolytic Effects of Jakyak-Gamcho Decoctions Derived via Different Extractants
Authors: Kwak Dongwook , Lee Changwoo , Kong Inseong , Lee JaeChul , Choi Donghee , Na Changsu
Published: October 2015

Aim. To investigate whether differences in the amounts of effective index components in Jakyak-Gamcho decoctions derived via extraction with either water or ethanol were associated with differential spasmolytic effectiveness.Methods. The amounts of effective index components (paeoniflorin, benzoic acid, glycyrrhizin, and isoliquiritin) contained in water-extracted Jakyak-Gamcho decoction and 70% ethanol-extracted Jakyak-Gamcho decoction were compared by high-performance liquid chromatography. Muscle cramp reduction rates were compared between the two decoctions by comparing the degrees of muscle contraction, measured as the tension developed during electrical stimulation, before and 1 and 2 h after injection in rats.Results. The relative amounts of effective index components were, on average, about 43% higher in the 70% ethanol-extracted decoction than in the water-extracted decoction. Two hours after injection, 0.25 g/kg of 70% ethanol-extracted decoction produced a significantly greater spasmolytic effect than 0.25 g/kg of water-extracted Jakyak-Gamcho decoction or distilled water (bothp<0.05).Conclusion. Differences in the amounts of effective index components resulting from the use of different extractants were associated with differences in spasmolytic effectiveness. Hence, it may be worthwhile to investigate alternative extraction methods in terms of extraction efficiency andin vivoeffectiveness for various herbal medicines in the future.
The Clinical Relevance of Serum NDKA, NMDA, PARK7, and UFDP Levels with Phlegm-Heat Syndrome and Treatment Efficacy Evaluation of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Han Xiuxiu , Gao Yonghong , Ma Bin , Gao Ying , Sun Yikun , Jiang Ru , Wang Yayun
Published: October 2015

According to the methods of Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) based on the patient reports internationally and referring to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guide, some scholars developed this PRO of stroke which is consistent with China’s national conditions, and using it the feel of stroke patients was introduced into the clinical efficacy evaluation system of stoke. “Ischemic Stroke TCM Syndrome Factor Diagnostic Scale (ISTSFDS)” and “Ischemic Stroke TCM Syndrome Factor Evaluation Scale (ISTSFES)” were by “Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) (number 2003CB517102).” ISTSFDS can help to classify and diagnose the CM syndrome reasonably and objectively with application of syndrome factors. Six syndrome factors, internal-wind syndrome, internal-fire syndrome, phlegm-dampness syndrome, blood-stasis syndrome, qi-deficiency syndrome, and yin-deficiency syndrome, were included in ISTSFDS and ISTSFES. TCM syndrome factor was considered to be present if the score was greater than or equal to 10 according to ISTSFDS. In our study, patients with phlegm-heat syndrome were recruited, who met the diagnosis of both “phlegm-dampness” and “internal-fire” according to ISTSFDS. ISTSFES was used to assess the syndrome severity; in our study it was used to assess the severity of phlegm-heat syndrome (phlegm-heat syndrome scores = phlegm-dampness syndrome scores + internal-fire syndrome scores).
Sleepwalk: Scalable and Energy-Efficient Processing of Continuous Range Queries for Location-Aware Mobile Computing
Authors: Song MoonBae
Published: October 2015

Recently, monitoring queries are getting attention for various real-life applications such as safety, security, and personalization services. This work proposes a distributed sensing and monitoring technique (calledSleepwalk) for continuous range queries with energy- and computation-efficient optimizations. In our scheme, each mobile client (MC) is aware of its nearby monitoring queries by leveraging its processing power. The proposed Sleepwalk has three major contributions. First, withpiecewiselinear movement assumption and motion vectorv̅, it can locally preevaluate every possible query result in advancein bulkand sends them to the server at once. We also provide a timestamp-based invalidation technique for efficiently removing failed preevaluated results by computing the smallest valid timestamp. Second, an energy-conserving technique that repeatedly sleeps off MCs whenever possible is proposed by calculating thesafely sleepabletime. Third, we provide a set of localized query optimization techniques for MCs’ local query subset using plane-sweeping, which effectively minimize search space. Extensive experiments indicate that Sleepwalk technique remarkably outperforms existing state-of-the-art techniques in terms of server scalability, communication cost, and energy consumption of MCs.
Empirical Validation of Objective Functions in Feature Selection Based on Acceleration Motion Segmentation Data
Authors: Lim Jong Gwan , Kim Mi-hye , Lee Sahngwoon
Published: October 2015

Recent change in evaluation criteria from accuracy alone to trade-off with time delay has inspired multivariate energy-based approaches in motion segmentation using acceleration. The essence of multivariate approaches lies in the construction of highly dimensional energy and requires feature subset selection in machine learning. Due to fast process, filter methods are preferred; however, their poorer estimate is of the main concerns. This paper aims at empirical validation of three objective functions for filter approaches, Fisher discriminant ratio, multiple correlation (MC), and mutual information (MI), through two subsequent experiments. With respect to 63 possible subsets out of 6 variables for acceleration motion segmentation, three functions in addition to a theoretical measure are compared with two wrappers,k-nearest neighbor and Bayes classifiers in general statistics and strongly relevant variable identification by social network analysis. Then four kinds of new proposed multivariate energy are compared with a conventional univariate approach in terms of accuracy and time delay. Finally it appears that MC and MI are acceptable enough to match the estimate of two wrappers, and multivariate approaches are justified with our analytic procedures.
BMP-2 Grafted nHA/PLGA Hybrid Nanofiber Scaffold Stimulates Osteoblastic Cells Growth
Authors: Haider Adnan , Kim Sukyoung , Huh Man-Woo , Kang Inn-Kyu
Published: October 2015

Biomaterials play a pivotal role in regenerative medicine, which aims to regenerate and replace lost/degenerated tissues or organs. Natural bone is a hierarchical structure, comprised of various cells having specific functions that are regulated by sophisticated mechanisms. However, the regulation of the normal functions in damaged or injured cells is disrupted. In order to address this problem, we attempted to artificially generate a scaffold for mimicking the characteristics of the extracellular matrix at the nanoscale level to trigger osteoblastic cell growth. For this purpose, we have chemically grafted bone morphogenetic protein (BMP-2) onto the surface of L-glutamic acid modified hydroxyapatite incorporated into the PLGA nanofiber matrix. After extensive characterization using various spectroscopic techniques, the BMP-g-nHA/PLGA hybrid nanofiber scaffolds were subjected to variousin vitrocytocompatibility tests. The results indicated that BMP-2 on BMP-g-nHA/PLGA hybrid nanofiber scaffolds greatly stimulated osteoblastic cells growth, contrary to the nHA/PLGA and pristine PLGA nanofiber scaffold, which are used as control. These results suggest that BMP-g-nHA/PLGA hybrid nanofiber scaffold can be used as a nanodrug carrier for the controlled and targeted delivery of BMP-2, which will open new possibilities for enhancing bone tissue regeneration and will help in the treatment of various bone-related diseases in the future.
Impact of Inflammation on Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Development
Authors: Geyer Holly L. , Dueck Amylou C. , Scherber Robyn M. , Mesa Ruben A.
Published: October 2015

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (essential thrombocythemia, ET; polycythemia vera, PV; myelofibrosis, MF) are monoclonal malignancies associated with genomic instability, dysregulated signaling pathways, and subsequent overproduction of inflammatory markers. Acknowledged for their debilitating symptom profiles, recent investigations have aimed to determine the identity of these markers, the upstream sources stimulating their development, their prevalence within the MPN population, and the role they play in symptom development. Creation of dedicated Patient Reported Outcome (PRO) tools, in combination with expanded access to cytokine analysis technology, has resulted in a surge of investigations evaluating the potential associations between symptoms and inflammation. Emerging data demonstrates clear relationships between individual MPN symptoms (fatigue, abdominal complaints, microvascular symptoms, and constitutional symptoms) and cytokines, particularly IL‐1, IL‐6, IL‐8, and TNF‐α. Information is also compiling on the role symptoms paradoxically play in the development of cytokines, as in the case of fatigue‐driven sedentary lifestyles. In this paper, we explore the symptoms inherent to the MPN disorders and the potential role inflammation plays in their development.
Pharmacological Preconditioning by Adenosine A2a Receptor Stimulation: Features of the Protected Liver Cell Phenotype
Authors: Alchera Elisa , Imarisio Chiara , Mandili Giorgia , Merlin Simone , Chandrashekar Bangalore R. , Novelli Francesco , Follenzi Antonia , Carini Rita
Published: October 2015

Ischemic preconditioning (IP) of the liver by a brief interruption of the blood flow protects the damage induced by a subsequent ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) preventing parenchymal and nonparenchymal liver cell damage. The discovery of IP has shown the existence of intrinsic systems of cytoprotection whose activation can stave off the progression of irreversible tissue damage. Deciphering the molecular mediators that underlie the cytoprotective effects of preconditioning can pave the way to important therapeutic possibilities. Pharmacological activation of critical mediators of IP would be expected to emulate or even to intensify its salubrious effects.In vitroandin vivostudies have demonstrated the role of the adenosine A2a receptor (A2aR) as a trigger of liver IP. This review will provide insight into the phenotypic changes that underline the resistance to death of liver cells preconditioned by pharmacological activation of A2aR and their implications to develop innovative strategies against liver IR damage.
Application of a Neural Network Model for Prediction of Wear Properties of Ultrahigh Molecular Weight Polyethylene Composites
Authors: Kurt Halil Ibrahim , Oduncuoglu Murat
Published: October 2015

In the current study, the effect of applied load, sliding speed, and type and weight percentages of reinforcements on the wear properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) was theoretically studied. The extensive experimental results were taken from literature and modeled with artificial neural network (ANN). The feed forward (FF) back-propagation (BP) neural network (NN) was used to predict the dry sliding wear behavior of UHMWPE composites. Eleven input vectors were used in the construction of the proposed NN. The carbon nanotube (CNT), carbon fiber (CF), graphene oxide (GO), and wollastonite additives are the main input parameters and the volume loss is the output parameter for the developed NN. It was observed that the sliding speed and applied load have a stronger effect on the volume loss of UHMWPE composites in comparison to other input parameters. The proper condition for achieving the desired wear behaviors of UHMWPE by tailoring the weight percentage and reinforcement particle size and composition was presented. The proposed NN model and the derived explicit form of mathematical formulation show good agreement with test results and can be used to predict the volume loss of UHMWPE composites.
A Novel Approach of Targeted Immunotherapy against Adenocarcinoma Cells with Nanoparticles Modified by CD16 and MUC1 Aptamers
Authors: Yu Lianyuan , Hu Yan , Duan Jinhong , Yang Xian-Da
Published: October 2015

Mucin 1 (MUC1) is a potentially important target of cancer therapy, being a glycoprotein that is overexpressed on cell surface of many types of adenocarcinomas, including breast, ovarian, colon, lung, and prostatic cancers. Several MUC1‐targeted drug delivery systems have been developed and reported, but mobilizing natural killer cells (NK) to fight against MUC1‐positive tumor has not been attempted. In this study, we introduced a novel amphipathic nanoparticle (NP) for enhancing the NK cytotoxicity to MUC1‐positive cancer cells. The amphipathic NP had CD16 and MUC1 aptamers on its surface and was designed to bind with both the CD16‐positive NK cells and the MUC1‐positive tumor cells and pull the two types of cells close to each other. The fabricated amphipathic NP had an average size of 574 nm. The aptamers’ conjugation with the NP was confirmed by DNA hybridization experiments. Dark‐field microscopy revealed that the amphipathic NP could recruit more NK cells to the vicinity of MUC1‐positive cancer cells. Additionally, the amphipathic NP significantly enhanced the NK cytotoxicity to MUC1‐positive cancer cells (p < 0.01), but not that to the MUC1‐negative control cells. The results suggest that NK cells may potentially be mobilized to selectively fight against MUC1‐positive cancer cells.
Learning Discriminative Salient LBP for Cloud Classification in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Liu Shuang , Zhang Zhong
Published: October 2015

We focus on the issue of ground-based cloud classification in wireless sensor networks (WSN) and propose a novel feature learning algorithm named discriminative salient local binary pattern (DSLBP) to tackle this issue. The proposed method is a two-layer model for learning discriminative patterns. The first layer is designed to learn the most salient and robust patterns from each class, and the second layer is used to obtain features with discriminative power and representation capability. Based on this strategy, discriminative patterns are obtained according to the characteristics of training cloud data from different sensor nodes, which can adapt variant cloud images. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm achieves better results than other state-of-the-art cloud classification algorithms in WSN.
Relationship among Short and Long Term of Hypoinsulinemia‐Hyperglycemia, Dermatophytosis, and Immunobiology of Mononuclear Phagocytes
Authors: Fraga-Silva Thais F. C. , Marchetti Camila M. , Mimura Luiza A. N. , Locachevic Gisele A. , Golim Márjorie A. , Venturini James , Arruda Maria S. P.
Published: October 2015

Dermatophytes are fungi responsible for causing superficial infections. In patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), dermatophytosis is usually more severe and recurrent. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the influence of short and long term hypoinsulinemia‐hyperglycemia (HH) during experimental infection by Trichophyton mentagrophytes as well as alterations in the mononuclear phagocytes. Our results showed two distinct profiles of fungal outcome and immune response. Short term HH induced a discrete impaired proinflammatory response by peritoneal adherent cells (PAC) and a delayed fungal clearance. Moreover, long term HH mice showed low and persistent fungal load and a marked reduction in the production of TNF‐α by PAC. Furthermore, while the inoculation of TM in non‐HH mice triggered high influx of Gr1+ monocytes into the peripheral blood, long term HH mice showed low percentage of these cells. Thus, our results demonstrate that the time of exposure of HH interferes with the TM infection outcome as well as the immunobiology of mononuclear phagocytes, including fresh monocyte recruitment from bone marrow and PAC activity.
Acute Effect on Arterial Stiffness after Performing Resistance Exercise by Using the Valsalva Manoeuvre during Exertion
Authors: Mak Wai Yip Vincent , Lai Wai Keung Christopher
Published: October 2015

Background. Performing resistance exercise could lead to an increase in arterial stiffness.Objective. We investigate the acute effect on arterial stiffness by performing Valsalva manoeuvre during resistance exercise.Materials and Methods. Eighteen healthy young men were assigned to perform bicep curls by using two breathing techniques (exhalation and Valsalva manoeuvre during muscle contraction) on two separate study days. Carotid pulsed wave velocity (cPWV) was measured as an indicator to reflect the body central arterial stiffness using a high-resolution ultrasound system, and its value was monitored repeatedly at three predefined time intervals: before resistance exercise, immediately after exercise, and 15 minutes after exercise.Results. At the 0th minute after resistance exercise was performed using the Valsalva manoeuvre during exertion, a significant increase in cPWV (4.91 m/s ± 0.52) compared with the baseline value (4.67 m/s ± 0.32,P=0.008) was observed, and then it nearly returned to its baseline value at the 15th minute after exercise (4.66 m/s ± 0.44,P=0.010). These findings persisted after adjusting for age, body mass index, and systolic blood pressure.Conclusion. Our result suggests short duration of resistance exercise may provoke a transient increase in central arterial stiffness in healthy young men.
An Overview of Meta-Analyses of Danhong Injection for Unstable Angina
Authors: Zhang Xiaoxia , Wang Hui , Chang Yanxu , Wang Yuefei , Lei Xiang , Fu Shufei , Zhang Junhua
Published: October 2015

Objective. To systematically collect evidence and evaluate the effects of Danhong injection (DHI) for unstable angina (UA).Methods. A comprehensive search was conducted in seven electronic databases up to January 2015. The methodological and reporting quality of included studies was assessed by using AMSTAR and PRISMA.Result. Five articles were included. The conclusions suggest that DHI plus conventional medicine treatment was effective for UA pectoris treatment, could alleviate symptoms of angina and ameliorate electrocardiograms. Flaws of the original studies and systematic reviews weaken the strength of evidence. Limitations of the methodology quality include performing an incomprehensive literature search, lacking detailed characteristics, ignoring clinical heterogeneity, and not assessing publication bias and other forms of bias. The flaws of reporting systematic reviews included the following: not providing a structured summary, no standardized search strategy. For the pooled findings, researchers took statistical heterogeneity into consideration, but clinical and methodology heterogeneity were ignored.Conclusion. DHI plus conventional medicine treatment generally appears to be effective for UA treatment. However, the evidence is not hard enough due to methodological flaws in original clinical trials and systematic reviews. Furthermore, rigorous designed randomized controlled trials are also needed. The methodology and reporting quality of systematic reviews should be improved.
Frequency Diverse Array MIMO Radar Adaptive Beamforming with Range-Dependent Interference Suppression in Target Localization
Authors: Gao Kuandong , Shao Huaizong , Cai Jingye , Chen Hui , Wang Wen-Qin
Published: October 2015

Conventional multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) radar is a flexible technique which enjoys the advantages of phased-array radar without sacrificing its main advantages. However, due to its range-independent directivity, MIMO radar cannot mitigate nondesirable range-dependent interferences. In this paper, we propose a range-dependent interference suppression approach via frequency diverse array (FDA) MIMO radar, which offers a beamforming-based solution to suppress range-dependent interferences and thus yields much better DOA estimation performance than conventional MIMO radar. More importantly, the interferences located at the same angle but different ranges can be effectively suppressed by the range-dependent beamforming, which cannot be achieved by conventional MIMO radar. The beamforming performance as compared to conventional MIMO radar is examined by analyzing the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). The Cramér-Rao lower bound (CRLB) is also derived. Numerical results show that the proposed method can efficiently suppress range-dependent interferences and identify range-dependent targets. It is particularly useful in suppressing the undesired strong interferences with equal angle of the desired targets.
Curcumin Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells to Radiation via Suppression of Radiation-Induced NF-κB Activity
Authors: Hsu Fei-Ting , Liu Yu-Chang , Liu Tsu-Te , Hwang Jeng-Jong
Published: October 2015

The effects and possible underlying mechanism of curcumin combined with radiation in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cellsin vitrowere evaluated. The effects of curcumin, radiation, and combination of both on cell viability, apoptosis, NF-κB activation, and expressions of NF-κB downstream effector proteins were investigated with 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), NF-κB reporter gene, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), electrophoretic mobility shift (EMSA), and Western blot assays in Huh7-NF-κB-luc2, Hep3B, and HepG2 cells. Effect of I kappa B alpha mutant (IκBαM) vector, a specific inhibitor of NF-κB activation, on radiation-induced loss of MMP was also evaluated. Results show that curcumin not only significantly enhances radiation-induced cytotoxicity and depletion of MMP but inhibits radiation-induced NF-κB activity and expressions of NF-κB downstream proteins in HCC cells. IκBαM vector also shows similar effects. In conclusion, we suggest that curcumin augments anticancer effects of radiation via the suppression of NF-κB activation.
Three-Stage Tracking Control for the LED Wafer Transporting Robot
Authors: Wang Zuoxun , Yan Zhiguo
Published: October 2015

In order to ensure the steady ability of the LED wafer transporting robot, a high order polynomial interpolation method is proposed to plan the motion process of the LED wafer transporting robot. According to the LED wafer transporting robot which is fast and has no vibration, fifth-order polynomial is applied to complete the robot’s motion planning. A new subsection search method is proposed to optimize the transporting robot’s acceleration. Optimal planning curve is achieved by the subsection searching. Extended Kalman filter algorithm and PID algorithm are employed to follow the tracks of planned path. MATLAB simulation and experiment confirm the validity and efficiency of the proposed method.
Downregulation of mPGES‐1 Expression via EGR1 Plays an Important Role in Inhibition of Caffeine on PGE2 Synthesis of HBx(+) Hepatocytes
Authors: Ma Yan , Wang Xiaoqian , Tang Nanhong
Published: October 2015

We investigated the mechanism of caffeine in influencing HBx(+) hepatocytes to synthesize PGE2. The inhibitory effect of caffeine on hepatocyte proliferation increased with increasing caffeine concentrations (200–800 μM) and treatment times (1–7 days), which was first observed at the second test time point (caffeine treatment for 4 days). The inhibition of caffeine on the growth of HL7702‐HBx and HepG2‐HBx cells was most obvious at 800 μM caffeine and at caffeine treatment for 7 days. The PGE2 secretion and the expression of mPGES‐1 and EGR1 were downregulated, whereas PPARγ expression was upregulated. The mPGES‐1 promoter activity of HBx(+) hepatocytes decreased more significantly than that of HBx(−) hepatocytes. Moreover, the expression of EGR1 and PPARγ changed more significantly in HBx(+) hepatocytes cultured for 12 to 24 hours in the presence of 5 mM caffeine. This limited success may be attributed to caffeine releasing the binding of HBx and PPARγ and furthermore affecting the mPGES‐1 expression by EGR1 in HBx(+) hepatocytes. The results indicate that caffeine could effectively reduce PGE2 synthesis in HBx(+) hepatocytes by specifically blocking the PPARγ‐EGR1‐mPGES‐1 pathway, thereby providing a new evidence of molecular biology for the hypothesis that drinking coffee is beneficial to HBV‐infected patients.
Existence and Uniqueness of Solutions for a Discrete Fractional Mixed Type Sum-Difference Equation Boundary Value Problem
Authors: Lv Weidong
Published: October 2015

By means of Schauder’s fixed point theorem and contraction mapping principle, we establish the existence and uniqueness of solutions to a boundary value problem for a discrete fractional mixed type sum-difference equation with the nonlinear term dependent on a fractional difference of lower order. Moreover, a suitable choice of a Banach space allows the solutions to be unbounded and two representative examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the main results.
Remineralizing Efficacy of Fluorohydroxyapatite Gel on Artificial Dentinal Caries Lesion
Authors: Wang Qianqian , Liu Shize , Gao Xuejun , Wei Yan , Deng Xuliang , Chen Haifeng , Zhang Xuehui
Published: October 2015

The aim was to evaluate the remineralizing efficacy of fluorohydroxyapatite (FHA) gel on artificial dentinal caries lesion in vitro. Artificial carious lesions were made on occlusal cavities of teeth by exposing the dentin surface to a demineralizing solution. Each cavity was capped with a 3 mm thick FHA gel for 4 weeks. After the FHA gel was removed, the surface morphology and structure of the dentin were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). The dentin mineral density (DMD) was measured by micro‐computed tomography (Micro‐CT). A layer of dense and orderly hexagonal crystal structure, with average diameter of 1 μm and thickness of 4~5 μm, could be observed on dentin surface. These crystals exhibited elemental peaks for calcium, phosphorus, carbon, and oxygen and characteristic peaks of hydroxyapatite (HA) and fluorapatite (FA) via XRD and FT‐IR. The DMD of dentin surface layer significantly increased after it was capped with FHA gel (P < 0.05). In the present study, the FHA gel could rapidly construct apatite on the artificial dentin caries surface and significantly increase the mineral density, which suggests that FHA gel might be a proper IPT material with remineralizing function.
An Analytical Model for Adsorption and Diffusion of Atoms/Ions on Graphene Surface
Authors: Yu Yan-Zi , Guo Jian-Gang , Kang Yi-Lan
Published: October 2015

Theoretical investigations are made on adsorption and diffusion of atoms/ions on graphene surface based on an analytical continuous model. An atom/ion interacts with every carbon atom of graphene through a pairwise potential which can be approximated by the Lennard‐Jones (L‐J) potential. Using the Fourier expansion of the interaction potential, the total interaction energy between the adsorption atom/ion and a monolayer graphene is derived. The energy‐distance relationships in the normal and lateral directions for varied atoms/ions, including gold atom (Au), platinum atom (Pt), manganese ion (Mn2+), sodium ion (Na1+), and lithium‐ion (Li1+), on monolayer graphene surface are analyzed. The equilibrium position and binding energy of the atoms/ions at three particular adsorption sites (hollow, bridge, and top) are calculated, and the adsorption stability is discussed. The results show that H‐site is the most stable adsorption site, which is in agreement with the results of other literatures. What is more, the periodic interaction energy and interaction forces of lithium‐ion diffusing along specific paths on graphene surface are also obtained and analyzed. The minimum energy barrier for diffusion is calculated. The possible applications of present study include drug delivery system (DDS), atomic scale friction, rechargeable lithium‐ion graphene battery, and energy storage in carbon materials.
Development of the Audio Enhancement Method by Using the Reflected Signals in the Reverberant Environment
Authors: Chang Shyang-Jye , Hsieh Hung-Wei
Published: October 2015

This paper presents a new audio signal enhancement method based on reflection signal detection in the reverberant environment. This technique enhances the audio signal from the target sound source in time domain. The advantages of this technique are enhancing the target sound source by a simple algorithm and reducing the background noise effectively. The effects of distances between the speaker and microphone and the coefficient of correlation are discussed in this paper. The coefficient of correlation is rising from 0.17 to 0.63 as the distance between the speaker and microphone is varying from 30 to 90 cm. Also, some antinoise experiments are carried out in this study and the results show that the audio enhancement algorithm provides a good antinoise performance in different background noise levels.
Shear Bond Strength of MDP-Containing Self-Adhesive Resin Cement and Y-TZP Ceramics: Effect of Phosphate Monomer-Containing Primers
Authors: Ahn Jin-Soo , Yi Young-Ah , Lee Yoon , Seo Deog-Gyu
Published: October 2015

Purpose. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different phosphate monomer-containing primers on the shear bond strength between yttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP) ceramics and MDP-containing self-adhesive resin cement.Materials and Methods. Y-TZP ceramic surfaces were ground flat with #600-grit SiC paper and divided into six groups (n=10). They were treated as follows: untreated (control), Metal/Zirconia Primer, Z-PRIME Plus, air abrasion, Metal/Zirconia Primer with air abrasion, and Z-PRIME Plus with air abrasion. MDP-containing self-adhesive resin cement was applied to the surface-treated Y-TZP specimens. After thermocycling, a shear bond strength test was performed. The surfaces of the Y-TZP specimens were analyzed under a scanning electron microscope. The bond strength values were statistically analyzed using one-way analysis of variance and the Student–Newman–Keuls multiple comparison test (P<0.05).Results. The Z-PRIME Plus treatment combined with air abrasion produced the highest bond strength, followed by Z-PRIME Plus application, Metal/Zirconia Primer combined with air abrasion, air abrasion alone, and, lastly, Metal/Zirconia Primer application. The control group yielded the lowest results (P<0.05).Conclusion. The application of MDP-containing primer resulted in increased bond strength between Y-TZP ceramics and MDP-containing self-adhesive resin cements.
Drift of Scroll Wave Filaments in an Anisotropic Model of the Left Ventricle of the Human Heart
Authors: Pravdin Sergei , Dierckx Hans , Markhasin Vladimir S. , Panfilov Alexander V.
Published: October 2015

Scroll waves are three-dimensional vortices which occur in excitable media. Their formation in the heart results in the onset of cardiac arrhythmias, and the dynamics of their filaments determine the arrhythmia type. Most studies of filament dynamics were performed in domains with simple geometries and generic description of the anisotropy of cardiac tissue. Recently, we developed an analytical model of fibre structure and anatomy of the left ventricle (LV) of the human heart. Here, we perform a systematic study of the dynamics of scroll wave filaments for the cases of positive and negative tension in this anatomical model. We study the various possible shapes of LV and different degree of anisotropy of cardiac tissue. We show that, for positive filament tension, the final position of scroll wave filament is mainly determined by the thickness of the myocardial wall but, however, anisotropy attracts the filament to the LV apex. For negative filament tension, the filament buckles, and for most cases, tends to the apex of the heart with no or slight dependency on the thickness of the LV. We discuss the mechanisms of the observed phenomena and their implications for cardiac arrhythmias.
Antioxidant, Hepatoprotective Potential and Chemical Profiling of Propolis Ethanolic Extract from Kashmir Himalaya Region Using UHPLC-DAD-QToF-MS
Authors: Wali Adil F. , Avula Bharathi , Ali Zulfiqar , Khan Ikhlas A. , Mushtaq Ahlam , Rehman Muneeb U. , Akbar Seema , Masoodi Mubashir Hussain
Published: October 2015

The aim of this study was to examine hepatoprotective effect of ethanolic extract of propolis (KPEt) from Kashmir Himalaya against isoniazid and rifampicin (INH-RIF) induced liver damage in rats. Hepatic cellular injury was initiated by administration of INH-RIF combination (100 mg/kg) intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection for 14 days. We report the protective effects ofKPEtagainst INH-RIF induced liver oxidative stress, inflammation, and enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants. Oral administration ofKPEtat both doses (200 and 400 mg/kg body weight) distinctly restricted all modulating oxidative liver injury markers and resulted in the attenuation of INH-RIF arbitrated damage. The free radical scavenging activity ofKPEtwas evaluated by DPPH, nitric oxide, and superoxide radical scavenging assay. The components present inKPEtidentified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography diode array detector time of flight-mass spectroscopy (UHPLC-DAD-QToF-MS) were found to be flavonoids and phenolic acids. The protective efficacy ofKPEtis possibly because of free radical scavenging and antioxidant property resulting from the presence of flavonoids and phenolic acids.
Antidepressant-Like Effect of the Leaves ofPseudospondias microcarpain Mice: Evidence for the Involvement of the Serotoninergic System, NMDA Receptor Complex, and Nitric Oxide Pathway
Authors: Adongo Donatus Wewura , Kukuia Kennedy Kwami Edem , Mante Priscilla Kolibea , Ameyaw Elvis Ofori , Woode Eric
Published: October 2015

Depression continues to be a major global health problem. Although antidepressants are used for its treatment, efficacy is often inconsistent. Thus, the search for alternative therapeutic medicines for its treatment is still important. In this study, the antidepressant-like effect ofPseudospondias microcarpaextract (30–300 mg kg−1,p.o.) was investigated in two predictive models of depression—forced swimming test and tail suspension test in mice. Additionally, the mechanism(s) of action involved were assessed. Acute treatment with the extract dose dependently reduced immobility of mice in both models. The antidepressant-like effect of the extract (100 mg kg−1,p.o.) was blocked byp-chlorophenylalanine and cyproheptadine but not prazosin, propranolol, or yohimbine. Concomitant administration ofd-cycloserine and the extract potentiated the anti-immobility effect. In contrast,d-serine, a full agonist of glycine/NMDA receptors, abolished the effects. Anti-immobility effects of PME were prevented by pretreatment of mice with L-arginine (750 mg kg−1, i.p.) and sildenafil (5 mg kg−1, i.p.). On the contrary, pretreatment of mice with L-NAME (30 mg kg−1, i.p.) or methylene blue (10 mg kg−1, i.p.) potentiated its effects. The extract produces an antidepressant-like effect in the FST and TST that is dependent on the serotoninergic system, NMDA receptor complex, and the nitric oxide pathway.
Modeling Energy-Delay Tradeoffs in Single Base Station with Cache
Authors: Fang Chao , Yao Haipeng , Zhao Chenglin , Liu Yunjie
Published: October 2015

With the explosive increase of mobile data traffic, the energy efficiency issue in cellular networks is a growing concern. Recently, the advantages of in-network caching in Internet have been widely investigated, for example, speeding up content distribution and improving network resource utilization. In this paper, we analyze the energy-delay tradeoff problem in the context of single base station (BS), which has a cache capacity to buffer the contents through it. Although additional power is consumed by the cache, work load of BS and network delay will be improved, which makes a tradeoff between network power consumption and delay. Simulation results reveal that, by introducing the cache in a BS, the network power and delay can be obviously reduced in different network conditions compared to the scenario without a cache. In addition, we find that a large cache size does not always mean a less network cost because of the more cache power consumption.
Use of a Combination of AHP and ISM for Making an Innovative Rescue Caring Design in Landslide Area
Authors: Wang Ming-Tang
Published: October 2015

A design concept is proposed for using a combination of two types of decision-making models to determine the design direction. Based on research processes, it is conducted to solve rescue related issues in harsh terrain or landslides, which can often be attributed to the global climate becoming unstable, increasing the frequency of mudflows and landslides, therefore creating more emergencies of this type. ATV vehicles are advantageous for such disasters. In order to discover the needs for ATV’s carrying abilities, five rescue experts were interviewed and three additional experts participated in the AHP process. A stretcher was determined to be the first priority to be mounted on an ATV. Nine higher score items were selected to create a stretcher mechanism from a questionnaire survey in VOA. ISM recognized the main target, with the intention to solve the safety problems (level 2) and the usability issues (level 3) of the proposed stretcher. Finally, a new stretcher structure was designed with a spinal board to be safe and detachable for conveying patients. The stretcher body can also be folded and hung up for easy transporting and even combined with the trunk pack which contains various breathing assistance equipment.
Low-Molecular-Weight Polyethyleneimine Grafted Polythiophene for Efficient siRNA Delivery
Authors: He Pan , Hagiwara Kyoji , Chong Hui , Yu Hsiao-hua , Ito Yoshihiro
Published: October 2015

Owing to its hydrophilicity, negative charge, small size, and labile degradation by endogenous nucleases, small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery must be achieved by a carrier system. In this study, cationic copolymers composed of low-molecular-weight polyethylenimine and polythiophenes were synthesized and evaluated as novel self-tracking siRNA delivery vectors. The concept underlying the design of these copolymers is that hydrophobicity and rigidity of polythiophenes should enhance the transport of siRNA across the cell membrane and endosomal membrane. A gel retardation assay showed that the nanosized complexes formed between the copolymers and siRNA were stable even at a molar ratio of 1 : 2. The high cellular uptake (>80%) and localization of the copolymer vectors inside the cells were easily analyzed by tracking the fluorescence of polythiophene using fluorescent microscopy and cytometry. Anin vitroluciferase knockdown (KD) assay in A549-luc cells demonstrated that the siRNA complexes with more hydrophobic copolymers achieved a higher KD efficiency of 52.8% without notable cytotoxicity, indicating protein-specific KD activity rather than solely the cytotoxicity of the materials. Our polythiophene copolymers should serve as novel, efficient, low cell toxicity, and label-free siRNA delivery systems.
An Image Filter Based on Shearlet Transformation and Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Hu Kai , Song Aiguo , Xia Min , Fan Zhiyong , Chen Xiaoying , Zhang Ruidong , Zheng Zhichen
Published: October 2015

Digital image is always polluted by noise and made data postprocessing difficult. To remove noise and preserve detail of image as much as possible, this paper proposed image filter algorithm which combined the merits of Shearlet transformation and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Firstly, we use classical Shearlet transform to decompose noised image into many subwavelets under multiscale and multiorientation. Secondly, we gave weighted factor to those subwavelets obtained. Then, using classical Shearlet inverse transform, we obtained a composite image which is composed of those weighted subwavelets. After that, we designed fast and rough evaluation method to evaluate noise level of the new image; by using this method as fitness, we adopted PSO to find the optimal weighted factor we added; after lots of iterations, by the optimal factors and Shearlet inverse transform, we got the best denoised image. Experimental results have shown that proposed algorithm eliminates noise effectively and yields good peak signal noise ratio (PSNR).