bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Maternal and Postweaning Linseed Dietary Supplementation on Growth Rate, Lipid Profile, and Meat Quality Traits of Light Sarda Lambs
Authors: Trabalza-Marinucci Massimo , Mughetti Laura , Ranucci David , Acuti Gabriele , Olivieri Oliviero , Miraglia Dino , Branciari Raffaella
Published: March 2016

The effects of dietary extruded linseed (EL) on growth performance, meat quality, and lipid profile ofSemimembranosusandLongissimus lumborummuscles of 81 Sarda lambs were studied in a 3 × 3 design: EL content (0%, 10%, and 20%) of maternal dietary concentrate fed from 20 d to parturition to 60 d of lactation and EL content (0%, 10%, 20%) of lamb concentrate fed after weaning for 30 d. The basal diet was composed of alfalfa and meadow hay during pregnancy and alfalfa hay during lactation. At slaughter, carcass and meat quality were evaluated. Sensory quality ofSemimembranosusfrom 0% and 20% EL lambs was assessed. Both maternal and postweaning diets affected growth performance, with higher body weights recorded with the 10% EL concentrate. Carcass and meat quality were not affected by diet. Saturated and monounsaturated FA decreased and n-3 polyunsaturated FA increased with increasing EL content in lamb diet. An increase in vaccenic and rumenic acid was associated with the EL content of the maternal diet. Both diets increased the n-6/n-3 FA ratio. No differences in acceptability were detected by consumers among groups. It is concluded that EL supplementation and early life nutrition can influence performance and FA metabolism in growing lambs.
An Innovative Approach to Evaluate the Morphological Patterns of Soft Palate in Oral Submucous Fibrosis Patients: A Digital Cephalometric Study
Authors: Raja Lakshmi Chintamaneni , Ayesha Thabusum Dharmavaram , Bhavana Sujana Mulk
Published: March 2016

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic insidious disease affecting mucosa and submucosa of oral cavity and soft palate. The present study aimed to evaluate the morphology of soft palate in normal individuals and OSMF patients using lateral cephalometry and to compare and correlate these variants of soft palate with different stages of OSMF. 100 subjects were included in the study, who were divided into two groups. Group I included 50 subjects with clinical diagnosis of OSMF and Group II included 50 normal subjects (control group). Using digital lateral cephalometry, velar length and width were measured and soft palatal patterns were categorized based on You et al.’s classification. Leaf and rat-tail patterns of soft palate were predominant in control group, whereas butt and crook shaped variants were more in study group. Anteroposterior (A-P) length of soft palate was significantly greater in stage I OSMF, while superoinferior (S-I) width was greater in stage III OSMF. Interestingly, a negative correlation was observed in staging of OSMF and A-P dimensions. As the staging of OSMF advances, the A-P length of soft palate decreases, but S-I width increases.
Multiple-Fault Detection Methodology Based on Vibration and Current Analysis Applied to Bearings in Induction Motors and Gearboxes on the Kinematic Chain
Authors: Saucedo-Dorantes Juan Jose , Delgado-Prieto Miguel , Ortega-Redondo Juan Antonio , Osornio-Rios Roque Alfredo , Romero-Troncoso Rene de Jesus
Published: March 2016

Gearboxes and induction motors are important components in industrial applications and their monitoring condition is critical in the industrial sector so as to reduce costs and maintenance downtimes. There are several techniques associated with the fault diagnosis in rotating machinery; however, vibration and stator currents analysis are commonly used due to their proven reliability. Indeed, vibration and current analysis provide fault condition information by means of the fault-related spectral component identification. This work presents a methodology based on vibration and current analysis for the diagnosis of wear in a gearbox and the detection of bearing defect in an induction motor both linked to the same kinematic chain; besides, the location of the fault-related components for analysis is supported by the corresponding theoretical models. The theoretical models are based on calculation of characteristic gearbox and bearings fault frequencies, in order to locate the spectral components of the faults. In this work, the influence of vibrations over the system is observed by performing motor current signal analysis to detect the presence of faults. The obtained results show the feasibility of detecting multiple faults in a kinematic chain, making the proposed methodology suitable to be used in the application of industrial machinery diagnosis.
Gelam Honey Attenuates the Oxidative Stress‐Induced Inflammatory Pathways in Pancreatic Hamster Cells
Authors: Safi Sher Zaman , Batumalaie Kalaivani , Qvist Rajes , Mohd Yusof Kamaruddin , Ismail Ikram Shah
Published: March 2016

Purpose. Type 2 diabetes consists of progressive hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, which could result from glucose toxicity, inflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress. In the present study we investigated the effect of Gelam honey and quercetin on the oxidative stress‐induced inflammatory pathways and the proinflammatory cytokines. Methods. HIT‐T15 cells were cultured and preincubated with the extract of Gelam honey (20, 40, 60, and 80 μg/mL), as well as quercetin (20, 40, 60, and 80 μM), prior to stimulation by 20 and 50 mM glucose. Results. HIT‐T15 cells cultured under hyperglycemic condition showed a significant increase in the inflammatory pathways by phosphorylating JNK, IKK‐β, and IRS‐1 at Ser307 (p < 0.05). There was a significant decrease in the phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 (p < 0.05). Pretreatment with Gelam honey and quercetin reduced the expression of phosphorylated JNK, IKK‐β, and IRS‐1, thereby significantly reducing the expression of proinflammatory cytokines like TNF‐α, IL‐6, and IL‐1β (p < 0.05). At the same time there was a significant increase in the phosphorylated Akt showing the protective effects against inflammation and insulin resistance (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our data suggest the potential use of the extract from Gelam honey and quercetin in modulating the inflammation induced insulin signaling pathways.
An Overview of the 2009 A(H1N1) Pandemic in Europe: Efficiency of the Vaccination and Healthcare Strategies
Authors: Samanlioglu Funda , Bilge Ayse Humeyra
Published: March 2016

2009 A(H1N1) data for 13 European countries obtained from the weekly influenza surveillance overview (WISO) reports of European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in the form of weekly cumulative fatalities are analyzed. The variability of relative fatalities is explained by the health index of analyzed countries. Vaccination and healthcare practices as reported in the literature are used to explain the departures from this model. The timing of the vaccination with respect to the peak of the epidemic and its role in the efficiency of the vaccination is discussed. Simulations are used to show that on-time vaccination reduces considerably the final value ofR(t),Rf, but it has little effect on the shape of normalized curveR(t)/Rf.
Leaf Proteome Analysis Reveals Prospective Drought and Heat Stress Response Mechanisms in Soybean
Authors: Das Aayudh , Eldakak Moustafa , Paudel Bimal , Kim Dea-Wook , Hemmati Homa , Basu Chhandak , Rohila Jai S.
Published: March 2016

Drought and heat are among the major abiotic stresses that affect soybean crops worldwide. During the current investigation, the effect of drought, heat, and drought plus heat stresses was compared in the leaves of two soybean varieties, Surge and Davison, combining 2D-DIGE proteomic data with physiology and biochemical analyses. We demonstrated how 25 differentially expressed photosynthesis-related proteins affect RuBisCO regulation, electron transport, Calvin cycle, and carbon fixation during drought and heat stress. We also observed higher abundance of heat stress-induced EF-Tu protein in Surge. It is possible that EF-Tu might have activated heat tolerance mechanisms in the soybean. Higher level expressions of heat shock-related protein seem to be regulating the heat tolerance mechanisms. This study identifies the differential expression of various abiotic stress-responsive proteins that regulate various molecular processes and signaling cascades. One inevitable outcome from the biochemical and proteomics assays of this study is that increase of ROS levels during drought stress does not show significant changes at the phenotypic level in Davison and this seems to be due to a higher amount of carbonic anhydrase accumulation in the cell which aids the cell to become more resistant to cytotoxic concentrations of H2O2.
Use of Posttranscription Gene Silencing in Squash to Induce Resistance against the Egyptian Isolate of theSquash Leaf Curl Virus
Authors: Taha Omnia , Farouk Inas , Abdallah Abdelhadi , Abdallah Naglaa A.
Published: March 2016

Squash leaf curl virus(SqLCV) is a bipartite begomovirus affecting squash plants. It is transmitted by whiteflyBemisia tabacibiotype B causing severe leaf curling, vein banding, and molting ending by stunting. In this study full-length genomic clone of SqLCV Egyptian isolated and posttranscriptional gene silencing (PTGS) has been induced to develop virus resistance. The Noubaria SqLCV has more than 95% homology with Jordon, Israel, Lebanon, Palestine, and Cairo isolates. Two genes fragment from SqLCV introduced in sense and antisense orientations using pFGC5049 vector to be expressed as hairpin RNA. The first fragment was 348 bp from replication associated protein gene (Rep). The second fragment was 879 bp representing the full sequence of the movement protein gene (BC1). Using real-time PCR, a silencing record of 97% has been recorded toRep/TrAPconstruct; as a result it has prevented the appearance of viral symptoms in most tested plants up to two months after infection, while construct containing theBC1gene scored a reduction in the accumulation of viral genome expression as appearing in real-time PCR results 4.6-fold giving a silencing of 79%, which had a positive effect on symptoms development in most tested plants.
The Intelligence of Octagonal Fuzzy Number to Determine the Fuzzy Critical Path: A New Ranking Method
Authors: Narayanamoorthy S. , Maheswari S.
Published: March 2016

This research paper proposes a modified ranking approach to determine the critical path in fuzzy project network, where the duration of each activity time is represented by an octagonal fuzzy number. In this method, a modified subtraction formula is carried out on fuzzy numbers. This modified method works well on fuzzy backward pass calculations as there will be no negative time. The analysis is expected to show that the fuzzy number which is used in this paper is more effective in determining the critical path in a fuzzy project network and possibility of meeting the project time. A numerical example is given and compared with trapezoidal, triangular fuzzy numbers through proposed ranking method.
Significance of Interleukin-6 in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Kobawala Toral P. , Trivedi Trupti I. , Gajjar Kinjal K. , Patel Darshita H. , Patel Girish H. , Ghosh Nandita R.
Published: March 2016

This study sought to reveal the significance of IL-6 in papillary thyroid carcinoma by determining its circulating levels, tumoral protein, and mRNA expressions. As compared to the healthy individuals, serum IL-6 was significantly higher in patients with benign thyroid diseases and PTC. Further, its level was significantly higher in PTC patients as compared to patients with benign thyroid diseases. ROC curves also confirmed a good discriminatory efficacy of serum IL-6 between healthy individuals and patients with benign thyroid diseases and PTC. The circulating IL-6 was significantly associated with poor overall survival in PTC patients. IL-6 immunoreactivity was significantly high in PTC patients as compared to the benign thyroid disease patients. Significantly higher IL-6 mRNA expression was also observed in the primary tumour tissues of PTC patients than the adjacent normal tissues. The protein expression of IL-6 at both the circulating and tissue level correlated with disease aggressiveness in PTC patients. Moreover, a significant positive correlation was observed between the IL-6 protein and mRNA expression in the primary tumours of PTC patients. Finally in conclusion, IL-6 has an important role in thyroid cancer progression. Thus targeting IL-6 signalling can help in clinical management of thyroid carcinoma patients.
An ANN-GA Framework for Optimal Engine Modeling
Authors: Tahboub Khaldoun K. , Barghash Mahmoud , Arafeh Mazen , Ghazal Osama
Published: March 2016

Internal combustion engines are a main power source for vehicles. Improving the engine power is important which involved optimizing combustion timing and quantity of fuel. Variable valve timing (VVT) can be used in this respect to increase peak torque and power. In this work Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used to model the effect of the VVT on the power and genetic algorithm (GA) as an optimization technique to find the optimal power setting. The same proposed technique can be used to improve fuel economy or a balanced combination of both fuel and power. Based on the findings of this work, it was noticed that the VVT setting is more important at high speed. It was also noticed that optimal power can be obtained by changing the VVT settings as a function of speed. Also to reduce computational time in obtaining the optimal VVT setting, an ANN was successfully used to model the optimal setting as a function of speed.
Establishing the Psychometric Properties of the ICOAP Questionnaire through Intra-Articular Treatment of Osteoarthritic Pain: Implementation for the Greek Version
Authors: Manolarakis George E. , Kontodimopoulos Nick , Sifaki-Pistolla Dimitra , Niakas Dimitris
Published: March 2016

Objectives. In this prospective study, we intend to establish the psychometric properties of ICOAP for its use in studies involving the Hellenic population. Methods. SF-36 Health Survey was used as a standard against ICOAP scores from a sample of 89 patients (mean age: 71.07, 69 females) with hip and knee OA pain who underwent 2 treatment cycles of 4 intra-articular injections of sodium hyaluronate, separated by a 12-week medication-free time interval. Both questionnaires were filled twice with no missing data during follow-up. Results. ROC analysis accomplished ICOAP’s criterion-related validation. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test and paired samples t-test endorsed ICOAP’s responsiveness along with Effect Size values, standard response mean, and Relative Efficiency. Comparisons between the areas under curves (AUC) on ROC plots established external responsiveness. Cronbach’s-alpha value favored ICOAP’s internal consistency. This, along with intraclass correlation, results in both advocated reliability and content validity. Interitem discrimination was demonstrated by the ease of completion of ICOAP as well as the degree of familiarity with it. These findings inaugurated construct validity in collaboration with Spearman’s and One-Way ANOVA results. Conclusions. ICOAP is a valid, reliable, and responsive QoL instrument and suitable for studies of osteoarthritic joint pain in the Greek setting.
Effects of Topical Emu Oil on Burn Wounds in the Skin of Balb/c Mice
Authors: Afshar Mohammad , Ghaderi Reza , Zardast Mahmoud , Delshad Parvin
Published: March 2016

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of topical Emu oil on the healing of burn wounds and hair follicle restoration in superficial II-degree burns in the skin of Balb/c mice. Thirty-two male Balb/c mice with burns on the back of the neck were divided into two groups: The Emu oil group received topical Emu oil twice daily, whereas the control was left untreated. Skin biopsies were obtained on days 4, 7, 10, and 14 of the experiment. Then the specimens were viewed with Olympus SZX research microscope. The Emu oil treated burns were found to heal more slowly and inflammation lasted longer in this group. The number of hair follicles in the margins of the wounds increased through time in the Emu oil group compared to the control group. Also, the hair follicles in the Emu oil group were in several layers and seemed to be more active and mature. Moreover, Emu oil had a positive effect on fibrogenesis and synthesis of collagen. The findings indicate that although Emu oil delays the healing process, it has a positive effect on wound healing and it increases the number of hair follicles in the margins of the wound.
Lower Order Krawtchouk Moment-Based Feature-Set for Hand Gesture Recognition
Authors: Kaur Bineet , Joshi Garima
Published: March 2016

The capability of lower order Krawtchouk moment-based shape features has been analyzed. The behaviour of 1D and 2D Krawtchouk polynomials at lower orders is observed by varying Region of Interest (ROI). The paper measures the effectiveness of shape recognition capability of 2D Krawtchouk features at lower orders on the basis of Jochen-Triesch’s database and hand gesture database of 10 Indian Sign Language (ISL) alphabets. Comparison of original and reduced feature-set is also done. Experimental results demonstrate that the reduced feature dimensionality gives competent accuracy as compared to the original feature-set for all the proposed classifiers. Thus, the Krawtchouk moment-based features prove to be effective in terms of shape recognition capability at lower orders.
The Ritz Method for Boundary Problems with Essential Conditions as Constraints
Authors: Jovanovic Vojin , Koshkin Sergiy
Published: March 2016

We give an elementary derivation of an extension of the Ritz method to trial functions that do not satisfy essential boundary conditions. As in the Babuška-Brezzi approach boundary conditions are treated as variational constraints and Lagrange multipliers are used to remove them. However, we avoid the saddle point reformulation of the problem and therefore do not have to deal with the Babuška-Brezzi inf-sup condition. In higher dimensions boundary weights are used to approximate the boundary conditions, and the assumptions in our convergence proof are stated in terms of completeness of the trial functions and of the boundary weights. These assumptions are much more straightforward to verify than the Babuška-Brezzi condition. We also discuss limitations of the method and implementation issues that follow from our analysis and examine a number of examples, both analytic and numerical.
Habitat Preferences of the Grey Parrot in Heterogeneous Vegetation Landscapes and Their Conservation Implications
Authors: Tamungang Simon A. , Onabid Mathias A. , Awa Taku , Balinga Victor S.
Published: March 2016

The wild Grey ParrotPsittacus erithacusLinnaeus suffers from many habitat use challenges in the wake of extensive deforestation in its endemic range of West and Central African rainforests. To determine effects of these challenges on the bird species, seasonal densities of the Grey Parrot were determined using line transects in major heterogeneous vegetation types in the Korup Rainforest, south-western Cameroon. Results of the study highlight habitat preferences of this species on a seasonal base and under different situations of human activity intensity in the landscape. This information can be used to understand the causes of changes in the distribution and abundance of endangered species and also to determine sustainable conservation strategies. It is concluded that the parrot needs diverse vegetation types for survival in the wild state, as it depends on specific tree species for specific habitat resources such as food, roosts, security, and nests at specific periods of the year. Hence, the continuous survival of the Grey Parrot in the range states is not certain, if sustainable measures are not taken to conserve the parrot and its habitat resources both in and outside protected areas.
Application of Bonded Joints for Quantitative Analysis of Adhesion
Authors: Trpčevská Jarmila , Kollárová Mária , Zdravecká Eva , Tkáčová Jana
Published: March 2016

The performance of hot-dip coated steel sheets is associated with properties of the zinc coatings on steel substrate. For the characterization of the adhesion behaviour of zinc coating on steel various tests were employed. The study was focused on quantification assessment of galvanized coating adhesion to substrates. Methods for evaluation of the bonding strength of zinc coating by the shear strength and the T-peel tests applying four special types of adhesives were used. The experimental tests of bonded joints show that the adhesion of the zinc coating to the substrate was higher than that of the applied adhesive with the highest strength.
Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity Effect of Cocoa Beans Subjected to Different Processing Conditions in Human Lung Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Bauer Deborah , de Abreu Joel Pimentel , Oliveira Hilana Salete Silva , Goes-Neto Aristoteles , Koblitz Maria Gabriela Bello , Teodoro Anderson Junger
Published: March 2016

Lung cancer is a common malignancy in men and the second leading cause of cancer‐related mortality in men in the western world. Phenolic cocoa ingredients have a strong antioxidative activity and the potential to have a protective effect against cancer. In the present study, we have evaluated the influence of cocoa beans subjected to different processing conditions on cell viability and apoptosis of human lung cancer cells (A549). We measured the viability of lung cells treated with cocoa beans, unroasted slates (US), roasted slates (RS), unroasted well fermented (UWF) cocoa, and roasted well fermented (RWF) cocoa for 24 h. Using an MTT assay, we observed a decrease in the viability of A549 cells after treatment with cocoa bean extracts. Flow cytometer analysis revealed that cocoa beans increased the percentage of cells in sub‐G1 phase and promoted up to twofold increase of apoptotic cells when compared to the control group. Taken together, the present study suggests that cocoa beans may have a protective effect against lung cancer.
Least Expected Time Paths in Stochastic Schedule-Based Transit Networks
Authors: Vo Dang Khoa , Pham Tran Vu , Huynh Tuong Nguyen , Tran Van Hoai
Published: March 2016

We consider the problem of determining a least expected time (LET) path that minimizes the number of transfers and the expected total travel time in a stochastic schedule-based transit network. A time-dependent model is proposed to represent the stochastic transit network where vehicle arrival times are fully stochastically correlated. An exact label-correcting algorithm is developed, based on a proposed dominance condition by which Bellman’s principle of optimality is valid. Experimental results, which are conducted on the Ho Chi Minh City bus network, show that the running time of the proposed algorithm is suitable for real-time operation, and the resulting LET paths are robust against uncertainty, such as unknown traffic scenarios.
Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (Wegener’s Granulomatosis) Accompanied by Dysuria
Authors: Takeuchi Hisashi , Kuroda Isao , Takizawa Issei , Aoyagi Teiichiro , Tachibana Masaaki
Published: March 2016

A 65-year-old male visited us with complaints of retarded urination, dysuria, gross hematuria, and fever. Urinalysis showed pyuria. Prostatic tumor with lung metastasis was suspected from computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Transurethral prostatic biopsy and bronchoscopic biopsy only revealed fibrinoid necrosis and inflammatory infiltration. Right lateral maxillary sinusitis was also found by MRI. ANCA testing was positive with specificity for anti-PR3 (PR3-ANCA). On the basis of these results, Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) was diagnosed. GPA involving the prostate gland is unusual, and only a few cases have previously been reported.
Relationship between Chronic Periodontitis and Erectile Dysfunction: A Narrative Review
Authors: Shariff Jaffer A. , Ingleshwar Aparna , Lee Kevin C. , Zavras Athanasios I.
Published: March 2016

Objective. To conduct a descriptive literature review on research studies investigating the association between chronic periodontitis (CP) and erectile dysfunction (ED). Methods. Cohort studies, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, randomized control trials, and animal studies up to July 2015 that studied the relationship between CP and ED were reviewed and reported. Data sources included PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Clinicaltrials.gov. The themes “periodontal disease” and “erectile dysfunction” and the role of periodontal therapy were identified and discussed throughout the narrative review. Results. After reviewing the literature, it was found that an association between CP and vasculogenic ED likely exists. Inflammation resulting from CP promotes endothelial dysfunction by increasing the systemic levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Periodontal therapy attempts to decrease the release of TNF-α and could act to restore endothelial function, particularly in the penile vasculature. Conclusion. Although the literature reported a positive association between CP and ED, the studies were few and possess several methodological limitations. Large-scale cohort studies and confounder analysis are recommended. Dentists and physicians should collaborate to manage patients with either CP or ED because of their potential association not only with each other but also with other serious systemic comorbidities.
Torsion of a Subserosal Myoma Managed by Gasless Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Myomectomy with In-Bag Manual Extraction
Authors: Takeda Akihiro , Nakamura Hiromi
Published: March 2016

Acute torsion of a subserosal myoma is a rare surgical emergency that is infrequently diagnosed preoperatively. Furthermore, laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) myomectomy with in-bag tissue extraction for the management of this disorder has not yet been described. A 43-year-old, gravida 1, para 1 woman was referred to our department due to a solid pelvic mass associated with persistent abdominal pain. A pedunculated subserosal myoma with torsion was strongly suspected based on ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Emergency LESS surgery showed that the subserosal myoma arising from the posterior uterine wall torted at its pedicle in the cul-de-sac. The twisted myoma node was excised by coagulation and cut using a LigaSure Atlas, followed by in-bag manual morcellation and extraction through an umbilical wound. The present case report emphasizes that LESS myomectomy with in-bag tissue extraction is a feasible minimally invasive surgical option for the management of subserosal myoma with torsion after a precise imaging-based diagnostic evaluation.
Increased Circulating Th17 Cells, Serum IL-17A, and IL-23 in Takayasu Arteritis
Authors: Misra Durga Prasanna , Chaurasia Smriti , Misra Ramnath
Published: March 2016

Introduction.Th17,γδT, NK, and NKT cells in peripheral blood and serum IL-17 and IL-23 in Takayasu arteritis (TA) were measured and correlated with disease activity.Methods.Th17 (anti-CD3APC, CD4PECy7, and IL-17PE), NKT, NK (anti-CD3APC, CD56FITC), andγδT (anti-CD3FITC andγδTCRAPC) cells were enumerated by flow cytometry in peripheral blood of 30 patients with TA (ACR1990 criteria) and 20 healthy controls, serum IL-17 and IL-23 measured by ELISA. Relation with disease activity (NIH criteria, ITAS2010) was analyzed (using nonparametric tests, median with interquartile range).Results.Mean age of patients was33.47±11.78years (25 females); mean symptom duration was7.1±5.3years. 13 were not on immunosuppressants; 12 were active (ITAS2010 ≥ 4). The percentage of Th17 cells was significantly expanded in TA (patients 2.1 (1.5–3.2) versus controls 0.75 (0.32–1.2);p<0.0001) with no differences in other cell populations. Serum IL-17 and IL-23 (pg/mL) in patients (6.2 (4.6–8.5) and 15 (14.9–26.5), resp.) were significantly higher (p<0.001) than controls (3.9 (3.9–7.3) and undetectable median value, resp.). Subgroup analysis revealed no correlation of Th17 cells, serum IL-17, and IL-23 with disease activity or medications, nor any significant difference before and after medication.Conclusions.There is significant expansion of Th17 cells and elevated serum IL-17 and IL-23 levels in TA patients compared to healthy controls.
Drying Characteristics and Physical and Nutritional Properties of Shrimp Meat as Affected by Different Traditional Drying Techniques
Authors: Akonor P. T. , Ofori H. , Dziedzoave N. T. , Kortei N. K.
Published: March 2016

The influence of different drying methods on physical and nutritional properties of shrimp meat was investigated in this study. Peeled shrimps were dried separately using an air-oven dryer and a tunnel solar dryer. The drying profile of shrimp meat was determined in the two drying systems by monitoring moisture loss over the drying period. Changes in color, proximate composition, and rehydration capacity were assessed. The rate of moisture removal during solar drying was faster than the air-oven drying. The development of red color during drying was comparable among the two methods, but solar-dried shrimps appeared darker (L⁎=47.4) than the air-oven-dried (L⁎=49.0). Chemical analysis indicated that protein and fat made up nearly 20% and 2% (wb) of the shrimp meat, respectively. Protein and ash content of shrimp meat dried under the two dryer types were comparable but fat was significantly (p<0.05) higher in oven-dried meat (2.1%), compared to solar-dried meat (1.5%). Although rehydration behavior of shrimp from the two drying systems followed a similar pattern, solar-dried shrimp absorbed moisture more rapidly. The results have demonstrated that different approaches to drying may affect the physical and nutritional quality of shrimp meat differently.
Effect of Inhalation of Aromatherapy Oil on Patients with Perennial Allergic Rhinitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Choi Seo Yeon , Park Kyungsook
Published: March 2016

This study aimed to investigate the effects of aromatherapy oil inhalation on symptoms, quality of life, sleep quality, and fatigue level among adults with perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR). Fifty‐four men and women aged between 20 and 60 were randomized to inhale aromatherapy oil containing essential oil from sandalwood, geranium, and Ravensara or almond oil (the placebo) for 5 minutes twice daily for 7 days. PAR symptoms determined by Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS), the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ), sleep quality by Verran Synder‐Halpern (VSH) scale, and fatigue level by Chalder Fatigue Scale (CFS) were assessed before and after intervention period. Compared with the placebo, the experimental group showed significant improvement in TNSS, especially in nasal obstruction. The aromatherapy group also showed significantly higher improvements in total score of RQLQ and CFS. These findings indicate that inhalation of certain aromatherapy oil helps relieve PAR symptoms, improve rhinitis‐specific quality of life, and reduce fatigue in patients with PAR. In conclusion, inhalation of aromatherapy essential oil may have potential as an effective intervention to alleviate PAR.
ASEP of MIMO System with MMSE-OSIC Detection over Weibull-Gamma Fading Channel Subject to AWGGN
Authors: Tiwari Keerti , Saini Davinder S. , Bhooshan Sunil V.
Published: March 2016

Ordered successive interference cancellation (OSIC) is adopted with minimum mean square error (MMSE) detection to enhance the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system performance. The optimum detection technique improves the error rate performance but increases system complexity. Therefore, MMSE-OSIC detection is used which reduces error rate compared to traditional MMSE with low complexity. The system performance is analyzed in composite fading environment that includes multipath and shadowing effects known as Weibull-Gamma (WG) fading. Along with the composite fading, a generalized noise that is additive white generalized Gaussian noise (AWGGN) is considered to show the impact of wireless scenario. This noise model includes various forms of noise as special cases such as impulsive, Gamma, Laplacian, Gaussian, and uniform. Consequently, generalizedQ-function is used to model noise. The average symbol error probability (ASEP) of MIMO system is computed for 16-quadrature amplitude modulation (16-QAM) using MMSE-OSIC detection in WG fading perturbed by AWGGN. Analytical expressions are given in terms of Fox-H function (FHF). These expressions demonstrate the best fit to simulation results.
Reiteration Theorems for Two-Parameter Limiting Real Interpolation Methods
Authors: Ahmed Irshaad , Ejaz Tuba
Published: March 2016

We introduce a limiting real interpolation method involving two scalar parameters. We derive Holmstedt-type estimates for this method that are applied to establish the reiteration theorems.
Double Roles of Macrophages in Human Neuroimmune Diseases and Their Animal Models
Authors: Fan Xueli , Zhang Hongliang , Cheng Yun , Jiang Xinmei , Zhu Jie , Jin Tao
Published: March 2016

Macrophages are important immune cells of the innate immune system that are involved in organ-specific homeostasis and contribute to both pathology and resolution of diseases including infections, cancer, obesity, atherosclerosis, and autoimmune disorders. Multiple lines of evidence point to macrophages as a remarkably heterogeneous cell type. Different phenotypes of macrophages exert either proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory roles depending on the cytokines and other mediators that they are exposed to in the local microenvironment. Proinflammatory macrophages secrete detrimental molecules to induce disease development, while anti-inflammatory macrophages produce beneficial mediators to promote disease recovery. The conversion of the phenotypes of macrophages can regulate the initiation, development, and recovery of autoimmune diseases. Human neuroimmune diseases majorly include multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), myasthenia gravis (MG), and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and macrophages contribute to the pathogenesis of these neuroimmune diseases. In this review, we summarize the double roles of macrophage in neuroimmune diseases and their animal models to further explore the mechanisms of macrophages involved in the pathogenesis of these disorders, which may provide a potential therapeutic approach for these disorders in the future.
Realization of High Dynamic Range Imaging in the GLORIA Network and Its Effect on Astronomical Measurement
Authors: Vítek Stanislav , Páta Petr
Published: March 2016

Citizen science project GLORIA (GLObal Robotic-telescopes Intelligent Array) is a first free- and open-access network of robotic telescopes in the world. It provides a web-based environment where users can do research in astronomy by observing with robotic telescopes and/or by analyzing data that other users have acquired with GLORIA or from other free-access databases. Network of 17 telescopes allows users to control selected telescopes in real time or schedule any more demanding observation. This paper deals with new opportunity that GLORIA project provides to teachers and students of various levels of education. At the moment, there are prepared educational materials related to events like Sun eclipse (measuring local atmosphere changes), Aurora Borealis (calculation of Northern Lights height), or transit of Venus (measurement of the Earth-Sun distance). Student should be able to learn principles of CCD imaging, spectral analysis, basic calibration like dark frames subtraction, or advanced methods of noise suppression. Every user of the network can design his own experiment. We propose advanced experiment aimed at obtaining astronomical image data with high dynamic range. We also introduce methods of objective image quality evaluation in order to discover how HDR methods are affecting astronomical measurements.
Sediment and Cavitation Erosion Studies through Dam Tunnels
Authors: Abid Muhammad , Saeed Jamal , Wajid Hafiz Abdul
Published: March 2016

This paper presents results of sediment and cavitation erosion through Tunnel 2 and Tunnel 3 of Tarbela Dam in Pakistan. Main bend and main branch of Tunnel 2 and outlet 1 and outlet 3 of Tunnel 3 are concluded to be critical for cavitation and sediment erosion. Studies are also performed for increased sediments flow rate, concluding 5 kg/sec as the critical value for sudden increase in erosion rate density. Erosion rate is concluded to be the function of sediment flow rate and head condition. Particulate mass presently observed is reasonably low, hence presently not affecting the velocity and the flow field.
Low Cost Eye Tracking: The Current Panorama
Authors: Ferhat Onur , Vilariño Fernando
Published: March 2016

Despite the availability of accurate, commercial gaze tracker devices working with infrared (IR) technology, visible light gaze tracking constitutes an interesting alternative by allowing scalability and removing hardware requirements. Over the last years, this field has seen examples of research showing performance comparable to the IR alternatives. In this work, we survey the previous work on remote, visible light gaze trackers and analyze the explored techniques from various perspectives such as calibration strategies, head pose invariance, and gaze estimation techniques. We also provide information on related aspects of research such as public datasets to test against, open source projects to build upon, and gaze tracking services to directly use in applications. With all this information, we aim to provide the contemporary and future researchers with a map detailing previously explored ideas and the required tools.
A Banach Space Regularization Approach for Multifrequency Microwave Imaging
Authors: Estatico Claudio , Fedeli Alessandro , Pastorino Matteo , Randazzo Andrea
Published: March 2016

A method for microwave imaging of dielectric targets is proposed. It is based on a tomographic approach in which the field scattered by an unknown target (and collected in a proper observation domain) is inverted by using an inexact-Newton method developed inLpBanach spaces. In particular, the extension of the approach to multifrequency data processing is reported. The mathematical formulation of the new method is described and the results of numerical simulations are reported and discussed, analyzing the behavior of the multifrequency processing technique combined with the Banach spaces reconstruction method.
Vs30Estimate for Southwest China
Authors: Yu Yan , Silva Walter J. , Darragh Bob , Li Xiaojun
Published: March 2016

Several methods were used to estimateVs30from site profiles with borehole depths of about 20 m for the strong-motion stations located in Southwest China. The methods implemented include extrapolation (constant and gradient), Geomatrix Site Classification correlation with shear-wave velocity, and remote sensing (terrain and topography). The gradient extrapolation is the preferred choice of this study for sites with shear-wave velocity profile data. However, it is noted that the coefficients derived from the California data set are not applicable to sites in Southwest China. Due to the scarcity of borehole profiles data with depth of more than 30 m in Southwest China, 73 Kiknet profiles were used to generate new coefficients for gradient extrapolation. Fortunately, these coefficients provide a reasonable estimate ofVs30for sites in Southwest China. This study showedVs30could be estimated by the time-average shear-wave velocity (average slowness) of only 10 meters of depth. Furthermore, a medianVs30estimate based upon Geomatrix Classification is derived from the results of the gradient extrapolation using a regional calibration of the Geomatrix Classification withVs30. The results of this study can be applied to assignVs30to the sites without borehole data in Southwest China.
A Case of Laparoscopic Resection for Carcinoma of the Gastric Remnant following Proximal Gastrectomy Reconstructed with Jejunal Interposition
Authors: Yajima Kazuhito , Iwasaki Yoshiaki , Yuu Ken , Oohinata Ryouki , Amaki Misato , Kohira Yoshinori , Natsume Souichiro , Ishiyama Satoshi , Takahashi Keiichi
Published: March 2016

A 72-year-old Japanese man had a history of proximal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer located in the upper third of the stomach in 2007. Our usual treatment strategy for early gastric cancer in the upper third of the stomach in 2007 was open proximal gastrectomy reconstructing by jejunal interposition with a 10 cm single loop. Upper gastrointestinal fiberscopy for annual follow-up revealed a type 0-IIc-shaped tumor with ulcer scar, 4.0 cm in size, located in the gastric remnant near the jejunogastrostomy. A clinical diagnosis of cancer of the gastric remnant, clinical T1b(SM)N0M0, Stage IA, following the proximal gastrectomy was made and a laparoscopic approach was selected because of the cancer’s early stage. Remnant total gastrectomy with D1 plus lymphadenectomy was carried out with five ports by a pneumoperitoneal method. Complete resection of the reconstructed jejunum was undergone along with the jejunal mesentery. Reconstruction by the Roux-en-Y method via the antecolic route was selected. Total operative time was 395 min and blood loss was 40 mL. Our patient was the first successful case of resection for carcinoma of the gastric remnant following proximal gastrectomy reconstructed with jejunal interposition in a laparoscopic approach.
Kaposi Sarcoma among HIV Infected Patients in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria: A 14-Year Retrospective Clinicopathological Study
Authors: Akinde Olakanmi , Obadofin Omobolade , Adeyemo Titilope , Omoseebi Oladipo , Ikeri Nzechukwu , Okonkwo Ikechukwu , Afolayan Olatunji
Published: March 2016

Background.Despite the increased incidence of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) resulting from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic, there is still significant underreporting of KS in this environment.Objectives.This study was aimed at determining the incidence and clinicopathologic patterns of KS among HIV infected patients in Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Nigeria, over a 14-year period: January 2000 to December 2013.Methodology.The materials for this study included patients’ hospital clinical files, duplicate copies of histopathologic reports, and tissue blocks and corresponding archival slides in the Anatomic and Molecular Pathology Department and the HIV/AIDS unit of the Department of Haematology.Results.Within the study period, 182 cases of KS were diagnosed, accounting for 1.2% of all patients managed for HIV/AIDS and 2.99% of solid malignant tumours. The male-to-female ratio and modal age group were 1 : 1.3 and 5th decade, respectively. Most cases (90%) had purely mucocutaneous involvement with the lower limb being the commonest site (65.8%). The majority of lesions were plaques (65.8%). Vascular formation was the predominant histologic type seen (43.5%).Conclusion.KS in Lagos followed the same epidemiologic trend as other centers in Nigeria, with an increasing incidence in this era of HIV/AIDS.
Theoretical Investigation on Structural and Electronic Properties of InN Growth on Ce-Stabilized Zirconia (111) Substrates
Authors: Guo Yao , Jia Taixuan , Li Chengbo , Niu Yongsheng , Hou Shaogang , Liu Shuanjiang
Published: March 2016

The structural and electronic properties of InN on Ce-stabilized zirconia (CeSZ) (111) substrates are investigated using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory with GGA +Umethod. Surface energy calculations indicate that the structure of Ce-segregated surface is more energetically stable than that of Ce-segregation-free surface. Adsorption energies of indium and nitrogen atoms on both Ce-segregated and Ce-segregation-free CeSZ (111) surfaces at the initial growth stage have been studied. The results suggest that the first layer of InN films consists of a nitrogen layer, which leads to epitaxial relationships between InN (0001) // CeSZ (111) and InN[112¯0]// CeSZ[11¯0]. In addition, density of states (DOS) analysis revealed that the hybridization effect plays a crucial role in determining the interface structure for the growth of InN on CeSZ (111) surfaces. Furthermore, adsorption energies of indium atoms on the nitrogen layer have also been evaluated in order to investigate the lattice polarity determination for InN films. It was found that an indium atom preferentially adsorbs at the center of three nitrogen atoms stacked on the CeSZ substrate, which results in the formation of In-polarity InN.
Virtual Instrument for Emissions Measurement of Internal Combustion Engines
Authors: Pérez Armando , Ramos Rogelio , Montero Gisela , Coronado Marcos , García Conrado , Pérez Rubén
Published: March 2016

The gases emissions measurement systems in internal combustion engines are strict and expensive nowadays. For this reason, a virtual instrument was developed to measure the combustion emissions from an internal combustion diesel engine, running with diesel-biodiesel mixtures. This software is called virtual instrument for emissions measurement (VIEM), and it was developed in the platform of LabVIEW 2010® virtual programming. VIEM works with sensors connected to a signal conditioning system, and a data acquisition system is used as interface for a computer in order to measure and monitor in real time the emissions of O2, NO, CO, SO2, and CO2gases. This paper shows the results of the VIEM programming, the integrated circuits diagrams used for the signal conditioning of sensors, and the sensors characterization of O2, NO, CO, SO2, and CO2. VIEM is a low-cost instrument and is simple and easy to use. Besides, it is scalable, making it flexible and defined by the user.
The Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(methyl methacrylate-tourmaline acrylate)
Authors: Hu Yingmo , Chen Xubo , Li Yunhua
Published: March 2016

In order to synthesize the tourmaline-containing functional copolymer, the polymerizable organic tourmaline acrylate was prepared by the surface modification on tourmaline powder and then copolymerization with methyl methacrylate to get poly(methyl methacrylate-tourmaline acrylate). The synthetic processes were optimized, and the structures of the as-prepared samples were characterized by IR, SEM, and X-ray fluorescence analysis. The characterization results indicated that the tourmaline has been introduced into the copolymer by means of surface modification with acryloyl chloride and following copolymerization with methyl methacrylate. The results from the negative ions measurement revealed that the amounts of released negative ions from both the modified tourmaline and its copolymer are much larger than that of tourmaline.
Gene Prioritization by Integrated Analysis of Protein Structural and Network Topological Properties for the Protein-Protein Interaction Network of Neurological Disorders
Authors: Paul Yashna , Hasija Yasha
Published: March 2016

Neurological disorders are known to show similar phenotypic manifestations like anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment. There is a need to identify shared genetic markers and molecular pathways in these diseases, which lead to such comorbid conditions. Our study aims to prioritize novel genetic markers that might increase the susceptibility of patients affected with one neurological disorder to other diseases with similar manifestations. Identification of pathways involving common candidate markers will help in the development of improved diagnosis and treatments strategies for patients affected with neurological disorders. This systems biology study for the first time integratively uses 3D-structural protein interface descriptors and network topological properties that characterize proteins in a neurological protein interaction network, to aid the identification of genes that are previously not known to be shared between these diseases. Results of protein prioritization by machine learning have identified known as well as new genetic markers which might have direct or indirect involvement in several neurological disorders. Important gene hubs have also been identified that provide an evidence for shared molecular pathways in the neurological disease network.