bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Static Standing Trunk Sway Assessment in Amputees – Effects of Sub-Threshold Stimulation
Authors: Ming-Yih L. , Kok-Soon S. , Chih-Feng L.
Published: March 2015

Sub-threshold electrical stimulation can enhance the sensitivity of the human somatosensory system to improve the balance control capability of elderly was shown in recent rehabilitation articles. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the postural sway of trans-tibial amputees when performing single leg quiet standing on firm surface. Four unilateral trans-tibial amputees who consecutively wore prosthetics over 2 years were recruited in this study. Subjects performed single leg quiet standing trails with sub-threshold electrical stimulation applied at the quadriceps muscle during the trails. Spatial co-ordinates for the determination kinematic data (sway distance) of the center of mass (COM) on second sacral (S2) were collected using an ultrasound-based Zebris CMS-HS system. The single leg quiet standing test is measure considered to assess postural steadiness in a static position by a spatial measurement. The common notion is that a better postural steadiness, i.e. less postural sway, allows for longer time single leg quiet standing. However, there is lack of evidence how postural steadiness during single leg quiet standing changes over time. In this article, we hypothesized that the static balance of single leg quiet standing could be improved for providing proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation using sub-sensory stimulation in amputees. To test this hypothesis, a computerized sub-threshold low-level electrical stimulation device was developed and proposed for clinical study. Experimental results show that reduction in all of the postural sway indices (constant time sway length, max sway distance and average sway distance) and increase in single leg support time index during single leg quiet standing by applying sub-sensory stimulation. The single leg quiet standing test findings suggest that sub-threshold electrical stimulation rehabilitation strategies may be effective in improving static balance performance for amputees.
Extending NGOMSL Model for Human-Humanoid Robot Interaction in the Soccer Robotics Domain
Authors: Mohan Rajesh Elara , Acosta Calderon Carlos Antonio , Zhou Changjiu , Yue Pik Kong
Published: March 2015

In the field of human-computer interaction, the Natural Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection rules Language (NGOMSL) model is one of the most popular methods for modelling knowledge and cognitive processes for rapid usability evaluation. The NGOMSL model is a description of the knowledge that a user must possess to operate the system represented as elementary actions for effective usability evaluations. In the last few years, mobile robots have been exhibiting a stronger presence in commercial markets and very little work has been done with NGOMSL modelling for usability evaluations in the human-robot interaction discipline. This paper focuses on extending the NGOMSL model for usability evaluation of human-humanoid robot interaction in the soccer robotics domain. The NGOMSL modelled human-humanoid interaction design of Robo-Erectus Junior was evaluated and the results of the experiments showed that the interaction design was able to find faults in an average time of 23.84 s. Also, the interaction design was able to detect the fault within the 60 s in 100% of the cases. The Evaluated Interaction design was adopted by our Robo-Erectus Junior version of humanoid robots in the RoboCup 2007 humanoid soccer league.
In vivo Evaluation of Patellar Tendon Stiffness in Individuals with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome
Authors: Liu Hsin-Yi , Boling Michelle , Padua Darin , Creighton R. Alexander , Weinhold Paul
Published: March 2015

The objective of this study was to utilise an ultrasonic technique to assess the effect of patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) on the mechanical properties of the patellar tendon. Seven subjects with PFPS and seven matched control subjects volunteered to participate in this study. Subjects were asked to perform isometric maximal voluntary contractions of the knee extensors while their knee extension torque was monitored and the displacement of the patellar tendon was recorded with an ultrasonic system. Our results showed significantly lower tendon stiffness (by ∼30%) in the PFPS subjects. Although tendon secant modulus was lower by 34% in the PFPS subjects, the difference was not statistically significant. Therefore, we conclude that the ultrasonic technique was able to detect a decrease in the structural stiffness of the patellar tendon associated with PFPS. The decrease in tendon stiffness was moderately correlated with the length of symptoms in these individuals.
Reproducing Human Arm Motion Using a Kinematically Coupled Humanoid Shoulder–Elbow Complex
Authors: Stanišić M. M. , Goehler C. M.
Published: March 2015

A challenge that is gaining interest in robotics is the development of humanoids, which are robots that assume an anthropomorphic form. A difficulty with humanoid design is the kinematic interpretation of human joints and the development of mechanisms that can mimic human motion. The focus of this work is the development of a kinematic description of the shoulder–elbow complex. A mechanism capable of reproducing voluntary human reaching motions is introduced along with the procedural method of implementing the coupled motions that exist within the human shoulder complex and shoulder–elbow complex. Experimental results are presented highlighting the accuracy of this mechanism along with the similarities to human configurations.
Bio-Inspired Control of an Arm Exoskeleton Joint with Active-Compliant Actuation System
Authors: Folgheraiter Michele , de Gea Jose , Bongardt Bertold , Albiez Jan , Kirchner Frank
Published: March 2015

This paper presents the methodology followed on the design of a multi-contact point haptic interface that uses a bio-inspired control approach and a novel actuation system. The combination of these components aims at creating a system that increases the operability of the target, and, at the same time, enables an intuitive and safe tele-operation of any complex robotic system of any given morphology. The novelty lies on the combination of a thoughtful kinematic structure driven by an active-compliant actuation system and a bio-inspired paradigm for its regulation. Due to the proposed actuation approach, the final system will achieve the condition of wearable system. On that final solution, each joint will be able to change its stiffness depending on the task to be executed, and on the anatomical features of each individual. Moreover, the system provides a variety of safety mechanisms at different levels to prevent causing any harm to the operator. In future, the system should allow the complete virtual immersion of the user within the working scenario.
Self-Stabilising Quadrupedal Running by Mechanical Design
Authors: Chatzakos Panagiotis , Papadopoulos Evangelos
Published: March 2015

Dynamic stability allows running animals to maintain preferred speed during locomotion over rough terrain. It appears that rapid disturbance rejection is an emergent property of the mechanical system. In running robots, simple motor control seems to be effective in the negotiation of rough terrain when used in concert with a mechanical system that stabilises passively. Spring-like legs are a means for providing self-stabilising characteristics against external perturbations. In this paper, we show that a quadruped robot could be able to perform self-stable running behaviour in significantly broader ranges of forward speed and pitch rate with a suitable mechanical design, which is not limited to choosing legs spring stiffness only. The results presented here are derived by studying the stability of the passive dynamics of a quadruped robot running in the sagittal plane in a dimensionless context and might explain the success of simple, open loop running controllers on existing experimental quadruped robots. These can be summarised in (a) the self-stabilised behaviour of a quadruped robot for a particular gait is greatly related to the magnitude of its dimensionless body inertia, (b) the values of hip separation, normalised to rest leg length, and leg relative stiffness of a quadruped robot affect the stability of its motion and should be in inverse proportion to its dimensionless body inertia, and (c) the self-stable regime of quadruped running robots is enlarged at relatively high forward speeds. We anticipate the proposed guidelines to assist in the design of new, and modifications of existing, quadruped robots. As an example, specific design changes for the Scout II quadruped robot that might improve its performance are proposed.
Influence of Attachment Pressure and Kinematic Configuration on pHRI with Wearable Robots
Authors: Schiele André , van der Helm Frans C. T.
Published: March 2015

The goal of this paper is to show the influence of exoskeleton attachment, such as the pressure on the fixation cuffs and alignment of the robot joint to the human joint, on subjective and objective performance metrics (i.e. comfort, mental load, interface forces, tracking error and available workspace) during a typical physical human-robot interaction (pHRI) experiment. A mathematical model of a single degree of freedom interaction between humans and a wearable robot is presented and used to explain the causes and characteristics of interface forces between the two. The pHRI model parameters (real joint offsets, attachment stiffness) are estimated from experimental interface force measurements acquired during tests with 14 subjects. Insights gained by the model allow optimisation of the exoskeleton kinematics. This paper shows that offsets of more than ±10 cm exist between human and robot axes of rotation, even if a well-designed exoskeleton is aligned properly before motion. Such offsets can create interface loads of up to 200 N and 1.5 Nm in the absence of actuation. The optimal attachment pressure is determined to be 20 mmHg and the attachment stiffness is about 300 N/m. Inclusion of passive compensation joints in the exoskeleton is shown to lower the interaction forces significantly, which enables a more ergonomic pHRI.
Identifying an Odour Source in Fluid-Advected Environments, Algorithms Abstracted from Moth-Inspired Plume Tracing Strategies
Authors: Li Wei
Published: March 2015

This paper presents algorithms for identifying the odour source of a chemical plume with significant filament intermittency and meander developed in fluid-advected environments. The algorithms are abstracted from moth-inspired chemical plume tracing strategies in two steps. First, we introduce the concept of the last chemical detection points that leads to construction of a source identification zone and development of two variations in the source identification algorithms. Second, we use Monte Carlo methods to optimise the proposed algorithms in a simulated environment. The evaluation results demonstrate that the optimised algorithm achieves a success rate of over 90% in identifying the source location, the average identification time is 3–4 min and the average error is 1–2 m surrounding the source location.
The Application of Parallel Robotics to Investigate the Effect of Lumbar Bracing on Trunk Muscle Activity
Authors: Kawchuk Gregory N. , Prasad Narasimha G. , Glass Jonathan , Knight Carolyn , Third Serena , Timmermans Daniel
Published: March 2015

Lumbar bracing is prescribed frequently for disability caused by low back pain; however, investigations into this practice demonstrate a range of patient outcomes. This inconsistency may arise from the practice of employing voluntary, single-axis trunk movements when investigating braces. Alternatively, this study employed a parallel robot to create a standardised, multi-axis testing environment. Surface electromyographic (sEMG) data were collected from the trunk of 24 asymptomatic participants, who were seated on the robot, tilted to 15°, then circumducted while attempting to maintain an upright posture. Multiple trials were performed for three randomised conditions: non-braced, soft-material brace and stiff-material brace. As expected, the sEMG activity was significantly reduced in the majority of muscle responses (201/240). Unexpectedly, a paradoxical increase in the sEMG activity was observed in 39/240 responses. While lumbar bracing reduces the sEMG activity on average, these data suggest the existence of an infrequent paradoxical response that may provide a possible explanation for the discordant results observed in previous bracing investigations.
Quantifying Age-Related Differences in Human Reaching while Interacting with a Rehabilitation Robotic Device
Authors: Yadav Vivek , Schmiedeler James P. , McDowell Sharon , Worthen-Chaudhari Lise
Published: March 2015

New movement assessment and data analysis methods are developed to quantify human arm motion patterns during physical interaction with robotic devices for rehabilitation. These methods provide metrics for future use in diagnosis, assessment and rehabilitation of subjects with affected arm movements. Specifically, the current study uses existing pattern recognition methods to evaluate the effect of age on performance of a specific motion, reaching to a target by moving the end-effector of a robot (an X-Y table). Differences in the arm motion patterns of younger and older subjects are evaluated using two measures: the principal component analysis similarity factor (SPCA) to compare path shape and the number of Fourier modes representing 98% of the path ‘energy’ to compare the smoothness of movement, a particularly important variable for assessment of pathologic movement. Both measures are less sensitive to noise than others previously reported in the literature and preserve information that is often lost through other analysis techniques. Data from the SPCAanalysis indicate that age is a significant factor affecting the shapes of target reaching paths, followed by reaching movement type (crossing body midline/not crossing) and reaching side (left/right); hand dominance and trial repetition are not significant factors. Data from the Fourier-based analysis likewise indicate that age is a significant factor affecting smoothness of movement, and movements become smoother with increasing trial number in both younger and older subjects, although more rapidly so in younger subjects. These results using the proposed data analysis methods confirm current practice that age-matched subjects should be used for comparison to quantify recovery of arm movement during rehabilitation. The results also highlight the advantages that these methods offer relative to other reported measures.
Photoelastic Measurements of Polymer Insert Stress in the Knee Prostheses Designed for High/Deep Flexion
Authors: Lawi A. , Takiguchi J. , Hasegawa M. , Hirokawa S. , Todo M. , Hotokebuchi T.
Published: March 2015

This paper presents the experimental results of photoelasticity for determining the magnitude and distribution of stresses on the polyethylene insert of the knee prostheses designed for high/deep knee flexion. The prostheses used in our experiment were a conventional posterior stabiliser knee, Scorpio NRG (Non-Restricted Geometry, Stryker Co., USA) and CFK (Complete Flexion Knee, Japan Medical Material Co., Japan), which we have developed to enable the patient to make a complete knee flexion (i.e. seiza in Japanese). Prior to the photoelastic experiment, we had introduced the forces exerted on the knee joint during ascending from deep knee flexion. Here we took squatting as an example of deep knee flexion instead of seiza because ascending from seiza contains complex modalities. The introduced data in terms of knee angles and joint forces were applied to the photoelastic models. The results demonstrated that after the knee angle became larger than 90°, the shear stresses on the post and cam of NRG were higher than those on the ball and socket of CFK. We conclude that the design and the configuration of CFK is acceptable at deep knee flexion from a load-bearing viewpoint.
SA-I Mechanoreceptor Position in Fingertip Skin May Impact Sensitivity to Edge Stimuli
Authors: Gerling Gregory J.
Published: March 2015

Background:The skin plays a role in conditioning mechanical indentation into distributions of stress/strain that mechanoreceptors convert into neural signals. Solid mechanics methods have modelled the skin to predict the in vivo neural response from mechanoreceptors. Despite their promise, current models cannot explain the role that anatomical positioning and receptor organ morphology play in producing differences in neural response. This work hypothesises that the skin's intermediate ridges may help explain, in part, the sensitivity of slowly adapting type I (SA-I) mechanoreceptors to edge stimuli.Method:Two finite-element models of the fingertip were built, validated and used to analyse the functionality of the intermediate ridges. One of the two-dimensional, cross-sectional models included intermediate ridges, while the other did not. The analysis sought to determine if intermediate ridges (1) increase the magnitude of strain energy density (SED) near the SA-I location and (2) help differentiate one 2.0-mm indenter from two 0.5-mm wide indenters with a 1.0-mm gap.Results:Higher concentrations of SED were found near the tips of the intermediate ridges, the anatomical location that coincides with the SA-I receptors. This first result suggested that the location of the SA-Is in the stiffer epidermal tissue helps magnify their response to edge stimuli. The second result was that both models were equally capable of predicting the spatial structure within the in vivo neural responses, and therefore the addition of intermediate ridges did not help in differentiating the indenters.Conclusion:The finding, a 15%–35% increase in response when the sampling point lies within the stiffer tissue at the same depth, seeks to inform the positioning of force sensors in robotic skin substrates.
A Mathematical Model for Swallowing of Concentrated Fluids in Oesophagus
Authors: Pandey S. K. , Tripathi Dharmendra
Published: March 2015

This model investigates particularly the impact of an integral and a non-integral number of waves on the swallowing of food stuff such as jelly, tomato puree, soup, concentrated fruits juices and honey transported peristaltically through the oesophagus. The fluid is considered as a Casson fluid. Emphasis is on the study of the dependence of local pressure distribution on space and time. Mechanical efficiency, reflux limit and trapping are also discussed. The effect of Casson fluid vis-à-vis Newtonian fluid is investigated analytically and numerically too. The result is physically interpreted as that the oesophagus makes more efforts to swallow fluids with higher concentration. It is observed that the pressure is uniformly distributed when an integral number of waves is there in the oesophagus; but it is non-uniform when a non-integral number of waves is present therein. It is further observed that as the plug flow region widens, the pressure difference increases, which indicates that the averaged flow rate will reduce for a Casson fluid. It is also concluded that Casson fluids are more prone to reflux.
An Instrumented Minimally Invasive Surgical Tool: Design and Calibration
Authors: Roan Philip R. , Wright Andrew S. , Lendvay Thomas S. , Sinanan Mika N. , Hannaford Blake
Published: March 2015

Minimally invasive surgical procedures have improved the standard of patient care by reducing recovery time, chance of infection, and scarring. A recent review estimates that leaks occur in 3% to 6% of bowel anastomoses, resulting in “increased morbidity and mortality and adversely [affecting] length of stay, cost, and cancer recurrence” [23]. Many of these leaks are caused by poor handling and ischemic tissue.

Detecting a change in temperature can indicate ischemic tissue. The optical absorption spectrum of a tissue can be used to detect tissue oxygen concentration and tissue ischemia. The electrical impedance of tissue changes as ischemia progresses.

This article describes the development of a minimally invasive surgical tool with integrated sensors for replicating ischemia detection measurements during routine manipulation of the tissue. To be useful, this tool should be feasible for use in a real operating room, providing real-time feedback and diagnosis to the surgeon. The design of the tool and choice of the sensors leverages existing work in physiological measurements and surgical tool design.

The tool includes a thermistor for measuring the temperature, four LEDs and a photodiode for measuring local optical absorption, and four electrodes for measuring the electrical impedance. The sensors are located on a 7 mm square sensor head, which is mounted to a minimally invasive grasper. A strain gauge and optical encoder monitor the applied force and position of the tool, and a motor controls both. This allows the tool to control the tool-tissue interface. Sensor accuracy has been validated through calibration.
Adaptive Control of a Wearable Exoskeleton for Upper-Extremity Neurorehabilitation
Authors: Balasubramanian Sivakumar , He Jiping
Published: March 2015

The paper describes the implementation and testing of two adaptive controllers developed for a wearable, underactuated upper extremity therapy robot – RUPERT (Robotic Upper Extremity Repetitive Trainer). The controllers developed in this study were used to implement two adaptive robotic therapy modes – the adaptive co-operative mode and the adaptive active-assist mode – that are based on two different approaches for providing robotic assistance for task practice. The adaptive active-assist mode completes therapy tasks when a subject is unable to do so voluntarily. This robotic therapy mode is a novel implementation of the idea of an active-assist therapy mode; it utilizes the measure of a subject’s motor ability, along with their real-time movement kinematics to initiate robotic assistance at the appropriate time during a movement trial. The adaptive co-operative mode, on the other hand, is based on the idea of enabling task completion instead of completing the task for the subject. Both these therapy modes were designed to adapt to a stroke subject's motor ability, and thus encourage voluntary participation from the stroke subject. The two controllers were tested on three stroke subjects practicing robot-assisted reaching movements. The results from this testing demonstrate that an underactuated wearable exoskeleton, such as RUPERT, can be used for administering robot-assisted therapy, in a manner that encourages voluntary participation from the subject undergoing therapy.
Task Learning Based on the Imitation of Object’s Goal
Authors: Acosta Calderon Carlos A. , Mohan Rajesh E.
Published: March 2015

Learning by imitation represents a useful and promising alternative to program robots. The approach presented here is based on two functional elements used by humans to understand and perform actions. These elements are: the body schema and the body percept. The first one is a representation of the body that contains information of the body’s capabilities. The body percept is a snapshot of the body and its relation with the environment at a given instant. These elements are believed to interact within humans to generate several abilities, among them the ability to imitate. This paper presents an approach to robot imitation based on these two functional elements, which approaches imitation by identifying the goals from the perceived actions.
Haptic Feedback Control of a Smart Wheelchair
Authors: Hadj-Abdelkader Mohammed-Amine , Bourhis Guy , Cherki Brahim
Published: March 2015

The haptic feedback, which is natural in assistive devices intended for visually impaired persons, has been only recently explored for people with motor disability. The aim of this work is to study its potential, particularly for assistance in the driving of powered wheelchairs. After a review of the literature for the previous related work, we present the methodology and the implementation procedure of a haptic feedback control system on a prototype of a smart wheelchair. We will also describe the approaches utilized to determine the appropriate force feedback that will ensure a cooperative behaviour of the system, and we will detail the two haptic driving modes that were developed, namely the active and passive modes. Experiments on a real prototype were carried out to study the contribution of the method in powered wheelchair driving and to evaluate the interest of the force feedback on the control joystick of the wheelchair. They are discussed on the basis of performance measures.
Comparison between a Computational Seated Human Model and Experimental Verification Data
Authors: Olesen Christian G. , de Zee Mark , Rasmussen John
Published: March 2015

Sitting-acquired deep tissue injuries (SADTI) are the most serious type of pressure ulcers. In order to investigate the aetiology of SADTI a new approach is under development: a musculo-skeletal model which can predict forces between the chair and the human body at different seated postures. This study focuses on comparing results from a model developed in the AnyBody Modeling System, with data collected from an experimental setup. A chair with force-measuring equipment was developed, an experiment was conducted with three subjects, and the experimental results were compared with the predictions of the computational model. The results show that the model predicted the reaction forces for different chair postures well. The correlation coefficients of how well the experiment and model correlate for the seat angle, backrest angle and footrest height was 0.93, 0.96, and 0.95. The study show a good agreement between experimental data and model prediction of forces between a human body and a chair. The model can in the future be used in designing wheelchairs or automotive seats.
Profiling of Somatic Mutations in Phaeochromocytoma and Paraganglioma by Targeted Next Generation Sequencing Analysis
Authors: Luchetti Andrea , Walsh Diana , Rodger Fay , Clark Graeme , Martin Tom , Irving Richard , Sanna Mario , Yao Masahiro , Robledo Mercedes , Neumann Hartmut P. H. , Woodward Emma R. , Latif Farida , Abbs Stephen , Martin Howard , Maher Eamonn R.
Published: March 2015

At least 12 genes (FH, HIF2A, MAX, NF1, RET, SDHA, SDHB, SDHC, SDHD, SDHAF2, TMEM127,andVHL) have been implicated in inherited predisposition to phaeochromocytoma (PCC), paraganglioma (PGL), or head and neck paraganglioma (HNPGL) and a germline mutation may be detected in more than 30% of cases. Knowledge of somatic mutations contributing to PCC/PGL/HNPGL pathogenesis has received less attention though mutations inHRAS, HIF2A, NF1, RET,andVHLhave been reported. To further elucidate the role of somatic mutation in PCC/PGL/HNPGL tumourigenesis, we employed a next generation sequencing strategy to analyse “mutation hotspots” in 50 human cancer genes. Mutations were identified forHRAS(c.37G>C; p.G13R and c.182A>G; p.Q61R) in 7.1% (6/85); forBRAF(c.1799T>A; p.V600E) in 1.2% (1/85) of tumours; and forTP53(c.1010G>A; p.R337H) in 2.35% (2/85) of cases. Twenty-one tumours harboured mutations in inherited PCC/PGL/HNPGL genes and noHRAS, BRAF, orTP53mutations occurred in this group. Combining our data with previous reports ofHRASmutations in PCC/PGL we find that the mean frequency ofHRAS/BRAFmutations in sporadic PCC/PGL is 8.9% (24/269) and in PCC/PGL with an inherited gene mutation 0% (0/148) suggesting thatHRAS/BRAFmutations and inherited PCC/PGL genes mutations might be mutually exclusive. We report the first evidence forBRAFmutations in the pathogenesis of PCC/PGL/HNPGL.
Transverse Momentum Distributions of Hadrons Produced in Pb-Pb Collisions at LHC EnergysNN=2.76TeV
Authors: Uddin Saeed , Bashir Inam-ul , Bhat Riyaz Ahmed
Published: March 2015

The transverse momentum spectra of several types of hadrons,p,p̅,K+,K-,Ks0,Λ,Ω,Ω̅,Ξ-, andΞ̅produced in most central Pb-Pb collisions at LHC energysNN=2.76 TeV have been studied at midrapidity (|y|<0.5) using an earlier proposed unified statistical thermal freeze-out model. The calculated results are found to be in good agreement with the experimental data measured by the ALICE experiment at LHC. The model calculation fits provide the thermal freeze-out conditions in terms of the temperature and collective flow effect parameters for different particle species. Interestingly the model parameter fits to the experimental data reveal stronger collective flow in the system and lesser freeze-out temperatures of the different particle species as compared to Au-Au collisions at RHIC. The strong increase of the collective flow appears to be a consequence of the increasing particle density at LHC. The model used incorporates a longitudinal as well as transverse hydrodynamic flow. The chemical potential has been assumed to be nearly equal to zero for the bulk of the matter owing to high degree of nuclear transparency effect at such collision energies. The contributions from heavier decay resonances are also taken into account.
Floral Nectary Anatomy and Ultrastructure in Mycoheterotrophic Plant, Epipogium aphyllum Sw. (Orchidaceae)
Authors: Święczkowska Emilia , Kowalkowska Agnieszka K.
Published: March 2015

Epipogium aphyllum is a European‐Asian obligatory mycoheterotrophic orchid containing no chlorophyll. Flowers are not resupinate with a sack‐shape spur and cordate lip, which is divided into two parts: the basal (hypochile) and distal one (epichile). The floral analysis provides strong evidence to conclude that nectar is secreted on the upper surface of pink‐coloured papillate ridges and epidermal (adaxial) cells at different place in spur, especially at the apex. The exudation on papillae has been observed through the entire anthesis and it has been stained on polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids. The dense cytoplasm of papillae contains profuse endoplasmic reticulum, plentiful vesicles (bigger ones with tannin‐like materials), numerous mitochondria, sometimes dictyosomes, starch grains, and plastids with tubular structures. The large electron‐dense bodies in cell walls are structurally the same as tannin‐like materials from vesicles that are in contact with plasmalemma. The rupture of thin layer of swelled cuticle is caused by pressure of gathered substances exuded due to granulocrine secretion. The idioblasts with raphides occur mainly in tepals tissue. The dynamic changes of the nectar exudation, released through endocrine secretion, have been noticeable during the anthesis: both on the lip and inside the spur. The nectar secretion is not dependent on the colour form of E. aphyllum blooming shoots. The floral biology and ultrastructure differ from mycoheterotrophic plants known up to date.
Change of Scaling‐Induced Proinflammatory Cytokine on the Clinical Efficacy of Periodontitis Treatment
Authors: Shyu Kou-Gi , Choy Cheuk-Sing , Wang Daniel Chung-Lang , Huang Wei-Chen , Chen Shyuan-Yow , Chen Chien-Hsun , Lin Che-Tong , Chang Chao-Chien , Huang Yung-Kai
Published: March 2015

Proinflammatory cytokines are key inflammatory mediators in periodontitis. This study
aimed to investigate the relationship between proinflammatory cytokines in saliva and periodontal
status. To investigate the usefulness of cytokines in the therapeutic approach for periodontal
disease, the relationship between stimulated cytokine changes and the periodontitis treatment
outcome was investigated in this study. Saliva was obtained from 22 patients diagnosed by
dentists as having chronic periodontitis. The proinflammatory cytokine (interleukin‐1α (IL‐1α),
interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), and tumor necrosis factor β (TNF‐β)) levels were determined using a commercially available kit. The IL‐1β and IL‐6 levels increased, whereas the TNF‐β levels decreased with the severity of periodontitis (4 mm pocket percentage). Poststimulation IL‐1α, IL‐6, and IL‐8 levels were higher in patients who had an improved treatment outcome. The differences of IL‐6 levels (cut
point: 0.05 μg/g) yielded a sensitivity and specificity of 90.0% and 81.82%, respectively, for
predicting the periodontitis treatment outcome. Among the proinflammatory cytokines, stimulated
IL‐6 was an excellent marker for predicting the periodontitis treatment outcome.
Variational Inequalities with Multivalued Lower Order Terms and Convex Functionals in Orlicz-Sobolev Spaces
Authors: Dong Ge , Fang Xiaochun
Published: March 2015

We consider the existence of solutions of variational inequality form. Findu∈D(J):〈A(u),v-u〉+〈F(u),v-u〉+J(v)-J(u)≥0,∀v∈W1LM(Ω),whose principal part is having a growth not necessarily of polynomial type, whereAis a second-order elliptic operator of Leray-Lions type,Fis a multivalued lower order term, andJis a convex functional. We use subsupersolution methods to study the existence and enclosure of solutions in Orlicz-Sobolev spaces.
Semilocal Convergence Theorem for the Inverse‐Free Jarratt Method under New Hölder Conditions
Authors: Zhao Yueqing , Lin Rongfei , Šmarda Zdenek , Khan Yasir , Chen Jinbiao , Wu Qingbiao
Published: March 2015

Under the new Hölder conditions, we consider the convergence analysis of the inverse‐free Jarratt method in Banach space which is used to solve the nonlinear operator equation. We establish a new semilocal convergence theorem for the inverse‐free Jarratt method and present an error estimate. Finally, three examples are provided to show the application of the theorem.
Course of Encephalopathy in a Cirrhotic Dialysis Patient Treated Sequentially with Peritoneal and Hemodialysis
Authors: Koz Suleyman , Sahin Idris , Terzi Zafer , Koz Sema Tulay
Published: March 2015

End-stage kidney disease and advanced cirrhosis are sometimes seen concomitantly. There is no consensus on dialysis modality in terms of determining the optimal way of treating these patients. It has been suggested that peritoneal dialysis is a better choice for these patients, but efficacy of hemodialysis in stable cirrhotic patients has not been evaluated sufficiently. We report a case with advanced cirrhosis and end-stage kidney disease who was faced with hepatic encephalopathy episodes up on starting renal replacement therapy. The case is also interesting in that it reveals effects of hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis on hepatic encephalopathy episodes and quality of life of the patient.
Topology Optimization for Minimizing the Resonant Response of Plates with Constrained Layer Damping Treatment
Authors: Fang Zhanpeng , Zheng Ling
Published: March 2015

A topology optimization method is proposed to minimize the resonant response of plates with constrained layer damping (CLD) treatment under specified broadband harmonic excitations. The topology optimization problem is formulated and the square of displacement resonant response in frequency domain at the specified point is considered as the objective function. Two sensitivity analysis methods are investigated and discussed. The derivative of modal damp ratio is not considered in the conventional sensitivity analysis method. An improved sensitivity analysis method considering the derivative of modal damp ratio is developed to improve the computational accuracy of the sensitivity. The evolutionary structural optimization (ESO) method is used to search the optimal layout of CLD material on plates. Numerical examples and experimental results show that the optimal layout of CLD treatment on the plate from the proposed topology optimization using the conventional sensitivity analysis or the improved sensitivity analysis can reduce the displacement resonant response. However, the optimization method using the improved sensitivity analysis can produce a higher modal damping ratio than that using the conventional sensitivity analysis and develop a smaller displacement resonant response.
Biorheological Model on Flow of Herschel-Bulkley Fluid through a Tapered Arterial Stenosis with Dilatation
Authors: Priyadharshini S. , Ponalagusamy R.
Published: March 2015

An analysis of blood flow through a tapered artery with stenosis and dilatation has been carried out where the blood is treated as incompressible Herschel-Bulkley fluid. A comparison between numerical values and analytical values of pressure gradient at the midpoint of stenotic region shows that the analytical expression for pressure gradient works well for the values of yield stress till 2.4. The wall shear stress and flow resistance increase significantly with axial distance and the increase is more in the case of converging tapered artery. A comparison study of velocity profiles, wall shear stress, and flow resistance for Newtonian, power law, Bingham-plastic, and Herschel-Bulkley fluids shows that the variation is greater for Herschel-Bulkley fluid than the other fluids. The obtained velocity profiles have been compared with the experimental data and it is observed that blood behaves like a Herschel-Bulkley fluid rather than power law, Bingham, and Newtonian fluids. It is observed that, in the case of a tapered stenosed tube, the streamline pattern follows a convex pattern when we move fromr/R=0tor/R=1and it follows a concave pattern when we move fromr/R=0tor/R=-1. Further, it is of opposite behaviour in the case of a tapered dilatation tube which forms new information that is, for the first time, added to the literature.
Image Reconstruction of Two-Dimensional Highly Scattering Inhomogeneous Medium Using MAP-Based Estimation
Authors: Qi Hong , Qiao Yaobin , Sun Shuangcheng , Yao Yuchen , Ruan Liming
Published: March 2015

A maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation based on Bayesian framework is applied to image reconstruction of two-dimensional highly scattering inhomogeneous medium. The finite difference method (FDM) and conjugate gradient (CG) algorithm serve as the forward and inverse solving models, respectively. The generalized Gaussian Markov random field model (GGMRF) is treated as the regularization, and finally the influence of the measurement errors and initial distributions is investigated. Through the test cases, the MAP estimate algorithm is demonstrated to greatly improve the reconstruction results of the optical coefficients.
Research and Application of Knowledge Resources Network for Product Innovation
Authors: Li Chuan , Li Wen-qiang , Li Yan , Na Hui-zhen , Shi Qian
Published: March 2015

In order to enhance the capabilities of knowledge service in product innovation design service platform, a method of acquiring knowledge resources supporting for product innovation from the Internet and providing knowledge active push is proposed. Through knowledge modeling for product innovation based on ontology, the integrated architecture of knowledge resources network is put forward. The technology for the acquisition of network knowledge resources based on focused crawler and web services is studied. Knowledge active push is provided for users by user behavior analysis and knowledge evaluation in order to improve users’ enthusiasm for participation in platform. Finally, an application example is illustrated to prove the effectiveness of the method.
Attenuating Tumour Angiogenesis: A Preventive Role of Metformin against Breast Cancer
Authors: Gao Shan , Jiang Jingcheng , Li Pan , Song Huijuan , Wang Weiwei , Li Chen , Kong Deling
Published: March 2015

Metformin is one of the most widely prescribed antidiabetics for type 2 diabetes. A critical role of metformin against tumorigenesis has recently been implicated, although several studies also reported the lack of anticancer property of the antidiabetics. Given the controversies regarding the potential role of metformin against tumour progression, the effect of metformin against breast, cervical, and ovarian tumour cell lines was examined followed byin vivoassessment of metformin on tumour growth using xenograft breast cancer models. Significant inhibitory impact of metformin was observed in MCF-7, HeLa, and SKOV-3 cells, suggesting an antiproliferative property of metformin against breast, cervical, and ovarian tumour cells, respectively, with the breast tumour cells, MCF-7, being the most responsive.In vivoassessment was subsequently carried out, where mice with breast tumours were treated with metformin (20 mg/kg body weight) or sterile PBS solution for 15 consecutive days. No inhibition of breast tumour progression was detected. However, tumour necrosis was significantly increased in the metformin-treated group, accompanied by decreased capillary formation within the tumours. Thus, despite the lack of short-term benefit of metformin against tumour progression, a preventive role of metformin against breast cancer was implicated, which is at partially attributable to the attenuation of tumour angiogenesis.
Charged Particle, Photon Multiplicity, and Transverse Energy Production in High-Energy Heavy-Ion Collisions
Authors: Sahoo Raghunath , Mishra Aditya Nath , Behera Nirbhay K. , Nandi Basanta K.
Published: March 2015

We review the charged particle and photon multiplicities and transverse energy production in heavy-ion collisions starting from few GeV to TeV energies. The experimental results of pseudorapidity distribution of charged particles and photons at different collision energies and centralities are discussed. We also discuss the hypothesis of limiting fragmentation and expansion dynamics using the Landau hydrodynamics and the underlying physics. Meanwhile, we present the estimation of initial energy density multiplied with formation time as a function of different collision energies and centralities. In the end, the transverse energy per charged particle in connection with the chemical freeze-out criteria is discussed. We invoke various models and phenomenological arguments to interpret and characterize the fireball created in heavy-ion collisions. This review overall provides a scope to understand the heavy-ion collision data and a possible formation of a deconfined phase of partons via the global observables like charged particles, photons, and the transverse energy measurement.
Search for Long-Range Correlations in Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collisions at SPS Energies
Authors: Ahmad Shakeel , Khatun Anisa , Khan Shaista , Ahmad A. , Irfan M.
Published: March 2015

Long-range correlations are searched for by analysing the experimental data on16O-AgBr and32S-AgBr collisions at 200 A GeV/c and the results are compared with the predictions of a multi phase transport (AMPT) model. The findings reveal that the observed forward-backward (F-B) multiplicity correlations are mainly of short range in nature. The range of F-B correlations are observed to extend with increasing projectile mass. The observed extended range of F-B correlations might be due to overall multiplicity fluctuations arising because of nuclear geometry. The findings are not sufficient for making any definite conclusions regarding the presence of long-range correlations.
Assessing Age-Related Etiologic Heterogeneity in the Onset of Islet Autoimmunity
Authors: Frederiksen Brittni N. , Kroehl Miranda , Barón Anna , Lamb Molly M. , Crume Tessa L. , Sontag Marci K. , Rewers Marian , Norris Jill M.
Published: March 2015

Type 1 diabetes (T1D), a chronic autoimmune disease, is often preceded by a preclinical phase of islet autoimmunity (IA) where the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed and circulating autoantibodies can be detected. The goal of this study was to demonstrate methods for identifying exposures that differentially influence the disease process at certain ages by assessing age-related heterogeneity. The Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young (DAISY) has followed 2,547 children at increased genetic risk for T1D from birth since 1993 in Denver, Colorado, 188 of whom developed IA. Using the DAISY population, we evaluated putative determinants of IA, including non-Hispanic white (NHW) ethnicity, maternal age at birth, and erythrocyte membrane n-3 fatty acid (FA) levels, for age-related heterogeneity. A supremum test, weighted Schoenfeld residuals, and restricted cubic splines were used to assess nonproportional hazards, that is, an age-related association of the exposure with IA risk. NHW ethnicity, maternal age, and erythrocyte membrane n-3 FA levels demonstrated a significant age-related association with IA risk. Assessing heterogeneity in disease etiology enables researchers to identify associations that may lead to better understanding of complex chronic diseases.
Photocatalytic Removal of Microcystin‐LR by Advanced WO3‐Based Nanoparticles under Simulated Solar Light
Authors: Zhao Chao , Li Dawei , Liu Yonggang , Feng Chuanping , Zhang Zhenya , Sugiura Norio , Yang Yingnan
Published: March 2015

A series of advanced WO3‐based photocatalysts including CuO/WO3, Pd/WO3, and Pt/WO3 were synthesized for the photocatalytic removal of microcystin‐LR (MC‐LR) under simulated solar light. In the present study, Pt/WO3 exhibited the best performance for the photocatalytic degradation of MC‐LR. The MC‐LR degradation can be described by pseudo‐first‐order kinetic model. Chloride ion (Cl−) with proper concentration could enhance the MC‐LR degradation. The presence of metal cations (Cu2+ and Fe3+) improved the photocatalytic degradation of MC‐LR. This study suggests that Pt/WO3 photocatalytic oxidation under solar light is a promising option for the purification of water containing MC‐LR.
Convergent Analysis of Energy Conservative Algorithm for the Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation
Authors: Zhong-Quan Lv , Yue-Zheng Gong , Yu-Shun Wang
Published: March 2015

Using average vector field method in time and Fourier pseudospectral method in space, we obtain an energy-preserving scheme for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. We prove that the proposed method conserves the discrete global energy exactly. A deduction argument is used to prove that the numerical solution is convergent to the exact solution in discreteL2norm. Some numerical results are reported to illustrate the efficiency of the numerical scheme in preserving the energy conservation law.
Optimal Day-Time Charging Strategies for Electric Vehicles considering Photovoltaic Power System and Distribution Grid Constraints
Authors: Zhang Weige , Ge Wenjie , Huang Mei , Jiang Jiuchun
Published: March 2015

Electric vehicles (EVs) charging stations with a photovoltaic (PV) system for day-time charging have been studied. This paper investigates the issues such as how to coordinate the EVs customers for coordinated charging, maximize photovoltaic utilization, and reduce customers cost of EVs charging and operator electricity. Firstly, an ideal charging load curve was built through using the linear programming algorithm. This optimal curve, which realized maximum photovoltaic power and minimum electricity cost, was used as the objective curve. Secondly, a customer response model was utilized, to propose an optimization method and strategy for charging service tariffs. Particle swarm optimization algorithm was used for time-of-use tariffs and peak-flat-valley time division so that the charging load after price regulation was adjusted to best fit the objective curve, and both the EVs customers and the operator benefit from this. Finally, the proposed model and method have been verified by two cases.