bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of garlic consumption on physiological variables and performance during exercise in hypoxia
Authors: Morris David M. , Beloni Reid K. , Wheeler Hannah E.
Published: March 2013

Exposure to hypoxia results in vasoconstriction of the pulmonary vasculature (HPV) leading to pulmonary hypertension (HPH) and reductions in blood oxygen saturation and exercise performance. Alleviation of HPV and HPH via vasodilators has been shown to improve blood oxygen saturation and exercise performance in hypoxia. Garlic has been shown to reduce HPV and HPH in rats and has been suggested to have ergogenic effects in hypoxic exercise. We compared the effects of 7 days of supplementation with garlic and placebo on peripheral blood pressures, blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, oxygen consumption, and time to exhaustion during a progressive exercise test to exhaustion in humans under hypoxia (PIO2 ∼ 88 Torr). No significant differences were observed between treatments regarding oxygen consumption, exercise or resting peripheral blood pressures, blood oxygen saturation, heart rates, or exercise time to exhaustion. These results do not support garlic consumption as a method for improving peripheral blood pressure, maximal oxygen consumption, blood oxygen saturation, exercising heart rate, heart rate response, or exercise performance in hypoxia.
Divergent evolutionary mechanisms of co-locatedTak/LrkandGlu-D3loci revealed by comparative analysis of grass genomes
Authors: Wang Zi-Ning , Banik Mitali , Cloutier Sylvie
Published: March 2013

Seed storage and disease resistance proteins are major traits of wheat. The study of their gene organization and evolution has some implications in breeding. In this study, we characterized the hexaploid wheat D-genome BAC clone TaBAC703A9 that contains a low molecular weight glutenin locus (Glu-D3) and a resistance gene analogue cluster. With a gene density of one gene per 4.8 kb, the cluster contains four resistance gene analogues, namely Tak703-1, Lrr703, Tak703, and Lrk703. This structural cluster unit was conserved across nine grass genomes, but divergent evolutionary mechanisms have been involved in shaping the Tak/Lrk loci in the different species. Gene duplication was the major force for the Tak/Lrk evolution in oats, maize, barley, wheat, sorghum, and Brachypodium, while tandem duplication drove the expansion of this locus in japonica rice. Despite the close proximity of the Glu-D3 and the Tak/Lrk loci in wheat, the evolutionary mechanisms that drove their amplification differ. The Glu-D3 region had a lower gene density, and its amplification was driven by retroelements.
CHEN'S CONJECTURE AND ε-SUPERBIHARMONIC SUBMANIFOLDS OF RIEMANNIAN MANIFOLDS
Authors: WHEELER GLEN
Published: March 2013

Chen famously conjectured that every submanifold of Euclidean space with harmonic mean curvature vector is minimal. In this note, we establish a much more general statement for a large class of submanifolds satisfying a growth condition at infinity. We discuss in particular two popular competing natural interpretations of the conjecture when the Euclidean background space is replaced by an arbitrary Riemannian manifold. Introducing the notion of ε-superbiharmonic submanifolds, which contains each of the previous notions as special cases, we prove that ε-superbiharmonic submanifolds of a complete Riemannian manifold which satisfy a growth condition at infinity are minimal.
SYNCHRONY-BREAKING HOPF BIFURCATION IN A MODEL OF ANTIGENIC VARIATION
Authors: CHAN BERNARD S. , YU PEI
Published: March 2013

In this paper, we will analyze the bifurcation dynamics of an in vivo model of Plasmodium falciparum. The main attention of this model is focused on the dynamics of cross-reactivity from antigenic variation. We apply the techniques of coupled cell systems to study this model. It is shown that synchrony-breaking Hopf bifurcation occurs from a nontrivial synchronous equilibrium. In proving the existence of a Hopf bifurcation, we also discover the condition under which possible 2-color synchrony patterns arise from the bifurcation. The dynamics resulting from the bifurcation are qualitatively similar to known behavior of antigenic variation. These results are discussed and illustrated with specific examples and numerical simulations.
INVARIANT MEASURES FOR RANDOM MAPS VIA INTERPOLATION
Authors: ISLAM MD SHAFIQUL
Published: March 2013

Let T = {τ1, τ2, …, τK; p1, p2, …, pK} be a position dependent random map on [0, 1], where {τ1, τ2, …, τK} is a collection of nonsingular maps on [0, 1] into [0, 1] and {p1, p2, …, pK} is a collection of position dependent probabilities on [0, 1]. We assume that the random map T has a unique absolutely continuous invariant measure μ with density f*. Based on interpolation, a piecewise linear approximation method for f* is developed and a proof of convergence of the piecewise linear method is presented. A numerical example for a position dependent random map is presented.
AN IMPERFECT MICROBEAM UNDER AN AXIAL LOAD AND ELECTRIC EXCITATION: NONLINEAR PHENOMENA AND DYNAMICAL INTEGRITY
Authors: RUZZICONI LAURA , LENCI STEFANO , YOUNIS MOHAMMAD I.
Published: March 2013

This work deals with the nonlinear dynamics of a microelectromechanical system constituted by an imperfect microbeam under an axial load and an electric excitation. The device is characterized by a bistable static configuration. We analyze the single-mode dynamics and describe the overall scenario of the response, up to the inevitable escape, when both the frequency and the electrodynamic voltage are considered as driving parameters. We observe the presence of several competing attractors leading to a considerable versatility of behavior, which may have many feasible applications. Extensive numerical simulations are performed. The frequency-dynamic voltage behavior chart is obtained, which detects the theoretical boundaries of appearance and disappearance of the main attractors. Taking into account the erosion of the double well, we investigate the final response when each attractor vanishes. All these results represent the limit when disturbances are absent, which never occurs in practice. To extend them to the practical case where disturbances exist, we develop a dynamical integrity analysis. This is performed via curves of constant percentage of local integrity measure, which give quantitative information about the changes in the structural safety. For each attractor, we examine both the practical disappearance, by analyzing the robustness of its basin along the range of existence, and the practical final response, by detecting where safe jump to another attractor may be ensured and where instead dynamic pull-in may arise. These curves may be used to establish safety factors in order to operate the device according to the desired outcome, depending on the expected disturbances.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE FRACTIONAL-ORDER CHEN–LEE SYSTEM BY ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT
Authors: WANG SHIU-PING , LAO SENG-KIN , CHEN HSIEN-KENG , CHEN JUHN-HORNG , CHEN SHIH-YAO
Published: March 2013

In recent years, there has been expanding research on the applications of fractional calculus to the areas of signal processing, modeling and controls. Analog circuit implementation of chaotic systems is used in studying nonlinear dynamical phenomena, which is also applied in realizing the controller development. In this paper, chain fractance and tree fractance circuits are constructed to realize the fractional-order Chen–Lee system. The results are in good agreement with those obtained from numerical simulation. This study shows that not only is this system related to gyro motion but can also be applied to electronic circuits for secure communication.
TWO-DIMENSIONAL COUPLED PARAMETRICALLY FORCED MAP
Authors: KUMENO HIRONORI , FOURNIER-PRUNARET DANIÈLE , TAHA ABDEL-KADDOUS , NISHIO YOSHIFUMI
Published: March 2013

A two-dimensional parametrically forced system constructed from two identical one-dimensional subsystems, whose parameters are forced into periodic varying, with mutually influencing coupling is proposed. We investigate bifurcations and basins in the parametrically forced system when logistic map is used for the one-dimensional subsystem. On a parameter plane, crossroad areas centered at fold cusp points for several orders are detected. From the investigation, a foliated bifurcation structure is drawn, and existence domains of stable order cycles with synchronization or without synchronization are detected. Moreover, evolution of bifurcation curves with respect to a coupling intensity is analyzed. Basin bifurcations and preimages with respect to critical curves are described. Basins where boundary depends on the invariant manifold of saddle points are numerically analyzed by considering second order iteration and using superposition with Newton method, although the system has discontinuity regarding parameters.
LOCALIZING TRANSPORT BARRIERS IN DEGENERATE 3/2 D.O.F. HAMILTONIAN SYSTEMS WITH APPLICATIONS TO MAGNETIC CONFINEMENT FUSION
Authors: CONSTANTINESCU DANA , FIRPO MARIE-CHRISTINE
Published: March 2013

The existence of transport barriers in 3/2 degrees of freedom degenerate Hamiltonian systems is studied using the associated stroboscopic maps. For small enough amplitudes of the perturbations, a transport barrier (formed by infinitely many invariant rotational circles) is proven to exist and to form in the degenerate annulus. These results are applied to Hamiltonian models which describe some magnetic configurations in tokamak plasmas.
NONEXISTENCE OF PLANAR CLOSED ORBITS IN QUADRATIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS
Authors: YANG QIAN , WU BOWEI
Published: March 2013

This paper discusses the planar closed orbits of the three-dimensional autonomous system [Formula: see text] where P, Q and R are polynomials with max { deg P, deg Q, deg R} = 2. We demonstrate that this system would not have any planar closed orbit for some coefficients.
SURFACE PHONONS IN THE ORDERED c(2 × 2) PHASE OF Pd ON Au(100)
Authors: CHADLI R. , KHATER A. , TIGRINE R.
Published: March 2013

The vibrational properties of the Au(100)-c(2 × 2)-Pd ordered phase, which is a stable system in the temperature range of 500 K to 600 K, are presented. This surface alloy is formed by depositing Pd atoms onto the Au(100) surface, and annealing at higher temperatures. The equilibrium structural characteristics, phonon dispersions as well as the local density of phonon states are calculated using the matching theory associated with Green's function formalism evaluated in the harmonic approximation. New surface modes have been found on the ordered metallic surface alloy along the three directions of high symmetry [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text], in comparison with the clean surface Au(100) . Three of them are observed above the bulk bands spectrum.
HOMOGENIZATION OF AN ELLIPTIC SECOND-ORDER PROBLEM WITH LlogL DATA IN A DOMAIN WITH OSCILLATING BOUNDARY
Authors: GAUDIELLO ANTONIO , GUIBÉ OLIVIER
Published: March 2013

We consider a domain whose boundary presents numerous asperities. The asperities have fixed height, a size depending on a small parameter ε and a ε-periodic structure. We study the asymptotic behavior, as ε vanishes, of a second-order elliptic Neumann problem in this domain with a data having L log La priori estimates. We identify the limit problem.
NEW EXAMPLES OF CALABI–YAU 3-FOLDS AND GENUS ZERO SURFACES
Authors: BINI GILBERTO , FAVALE FILIPPO F. , NEVES JORGE , PIGNATELLI ROBERTO
Published: March 2013

We classify the subgroups of the automorphism group of the product of four projective lines admitting an invariant anticanonical smooth divisor on which the action is free. As a first application, we describe new examples of Calabi–Yau 3-folds with small Hodge numbers. In particular, the Picard number is 1 and the number of moduli is 5. Furthermore, the fundamental group is nontrivial. We also construct a new family of minimal surfaces of general type with geometric genus zero, K2 = 3 and fundamental group of order 16. We show that this family dominates an irreducible component of dimension 4 of the moduli space of the surfaces of general type.
A STUDY ON DYNAMIC CHARACTERS FOR RC PORTAL FRAME UNDER SHAKING TABLE TEST BY USING HHT APPROACH
Authors: WANG WENG-HONE , CHERN CHING-CHURN
Published: March 2013

The adaptive data analysis method adopted in this paper consists of essential empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) associated with down-sampling process and the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT). Precise results can be obtained from data containing white noise in nonlinear system than the data from the common method of Fourier transform, which is based on the theory related to the linear systems. The reinforced concrete (RC) portal frame models had been tested by applying the 921 Chi-Chi earthquake acceleration data (TCU082NS) for shaking table tests. The investigation in this paper is aimed to analyze the dynamic characteristics according to these measured data during shaking table tests. The major goal in analyzing the earthquake data is to investigate the changes of frequencies decomposed to finite several intrinsic mode function (IMF), and the distributions of frequencies with respect to duration time, as well as the margin spectrum. The comparison studies of the HHT results for the frame, under nonlinear ultimate loading and linear elastic loading, might be able to ascertian the possible assessment approach for the frame. The finite element method is also adopted to analyze the stress distributions for the frame under ultimate loading and linear elastic loading respectively, and to figure out the differences between them. The possible assessment approach might be applied to health monitoring for RC structures such as buildings and bridges.
Fast High Voltage Switching with SiC Majority Carrier Devices
Authors: Funaki Tsuyoshi
Published: March 2013

Raising operation voltage of power conversion circuit is effective in reducing conduction loss. It requires power switching device to have high breakdown voltage. High voltage Si power device requires bipolar operation to reduce conduction loss sufficiently. However, bipolar operation worsens the switching characteristics of the device especially in turn off operation; such as reverse recovery for PiN diode and tail current for IGBT. The high critical electric field of SiC semiconductor realizes high break down voltage majority carrier device with substantially low on resistance. It can achieve fast switching capability for it only requires conducting and blocking majority carrier in the device for switching operation. This paper demonstrates the fast high voltage switching operation of SiC Schottky barrier diode (SBD) and MOSFET with comparing to the conventional Si device.
AlGaN/GaN Heterojunction FETs for High-Breakdown and Low-Leakage Operation
Authors: Kuzuhara Masaaki , Tokuda H.
Published: March 2013

This paper describes experimental results to achieve improved gate breakdown voltages by using multi-field-plate technique for AlGaN/GaN HEMTs fabricated on a SiC substrate. Also described are the results to reduce gate leakage current by fabricating arrays of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs on a Na-flux free-standing GaN substrate with a low dislocation density of less than 106 cm-2.
Achieving Low Doped (<1016) GaN with Large Breakdown Voltages (~1000 V)
Authors: Tompkins Randy P. , Smith J. R. , Derenge Michael A. , Kirchner Kevin W. , Zhou Shuai , Jones Kenneth A. , Metzger R. , Leach Jacob , Suvana Puneet , Tungare Mihir , Shahedipou-Sandvik Fatemeh
Published: March 2013

Point defects in the GaN cause premature breakdown in GaN Schottky diodes at least to the same extent as dislocations do. The most likely cause is impact ionization of deep acceptors. A primary deep acceptor in MOCVD-grown GaN is C. Another is a Ga vacancy, which is likely to be the primary deep acceptor in HVPE-grown material. Lower net carrier concentrations, and therefore larger breakdown voltages, can be achieved in the HVPE material.
S-Band 300 W Output SiC MESFET
Authors: Cai Shujun , Li Liang , Wang Li , Li Jia , Mo Jianghui , Liu Bo , Feng Zhihong
Published: March 2013

High power internally-matched 4H-SiC MESFET with a total gate width of 4×27mm was demonstrated. The double p-type buffer layers were used for preventing electrons from entering the buffer and reaching the substrate traps. The peak of the electric field in the edge of the gate is restrained by the double recess gate structure, which is advantageous to the high break down voltage. A thermal oxide layer was grown and subsequently etched to remove etch-induced damage. The ohmic contact resistivity of 2 ×10-6Ω•cm2 was achieved. The pulsed output power, gain and drain efficiency of the internally-matched 4x27mm SiC MESFET measured at 2GHz were 300W, 9.2dB, and 24.8%, respectively.
(Invited) MOS Interface Control of High Mobility Channel Materials for Realizing Ultrathin EOT Gate Stacks
Authors: Takagi Shinichi , Zhang Rui , Suzuki Rena , Taoka Noriyuki , Yokoyama Masafumi , Takenaka Mitsuru
Published: March 2013

One of the most critical issues for Ge/III-V MOSFETs is gate insulator formation. In this paper, we focus on viable Ge/III-V MOS gate stack technologies realizing the requirements of MOS interface quality and thin equivalent oxide thickness (EOT). these requirements. As for Ge gate stacks, we present a ultrathin EOT Al2O3/GeOx/Ge gate stack fabricated by a plasma post oxidation method and pMOSFETs using this gate stack. (100) Ge pMOSFETs using GeOx/Ge MOS interfaces is demonstrated with EOT down to 0.98 nm and high hole peak mobility of 401 cm2/Vs. As for InGaAs gate stacks, we show the impact of Al2O3 inter-layers on interface properties of HfO2/InGaAs MOS interfaces. The 1-nm-thick capacitance equivalent thickness (CET) in the HfO2/Al2O3/InGaAs MOS capacitors is realized with good interface properties and low gate leakage of 2.4e-2 A/cm2.
Development of Thin Gold Film Tensile Testing by Floating Specimen on Water Surface
Authors: Kim Jae-Han , Nizami Adeel , Lee Hak-Joo , Woo Chang-Su , Hyun Seungmin , Kim Taek-Soo
Published: March 2013

We report a novel methodology for thin film tensile testing by floating the specimen on water surface. The tensile testing system consists of a load cell, a linear DC motor and a digital image correlating (DIC) device. E beam evaporated thin gold films have been tested as a model material. The attraction between polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coated grips and the specimen was used as a gripping force. By applying a tensile load through the DC motor, the load was measured through the load cell and real time strain monitoring was achieved by DIC device. The obtained mechanical properties for 500nm gold film specimens were young's modulus ~ 65 GPa, yield strength ~ 338 MPa, tensile strength ~ 378 MPa and fracture at strain ~ 0.89%. To verify the validation of introduced method, these results were compared with literature reviewed and it was similar to previously reported values.
Chemical Vapor Deposited MoS2 Thin Layers and Their Applications
Authors: Liu Keng-Ku , Lee Yi-Hsien , Lin Yu-Chuan , Huang Jing-Kai , Zhang Xin-Quan , Lin Tsung-Wu , Li Lain-Jong
Published: March 2013

Significant efforts have been devoted to prepare MoS2 thin layers, including scotch tape micromechanical exfoliation, intercalation assisted exfoliation, solution exfoliation, physical vapor deposition, hydrothermal synthesis, electrochemical synthesis, sulfurization of molybdenum oxides and thermolysis of the precursor containing Mo and S atoms. However, MoS2 tends to form zero-dimensional closed structures or one-dimensional nano-rod structures. The synthetic approach to obtain high quality and large-area MoS2 atomic thin layers is still rare. Here, we shall discuss several different approaches for synthesizing MoS2 thin sheets based on chemical vapor deposition. Spectroscopic and electrical properties of these films shall also be discussed.
Band Offsets in Dielectric/InGaZnO4 Heterojunctions
Authors: Cho Hyun , Kim Kyeong-Won , Douglas Erica A. , Gila Brent P. , Craciun Valentin , Lambers Eric S. , Norton David P , Ren Fan , Pearton S. J.
Published: March 2013

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to measure the energy discontinuity in the valence band (ΔEV) and conduction band (ΔEC) of various dielectric/IGZO heterostructures. ΔEV values of 0.48{plus minus}0.025 eV for HfO2/IGZO, 0.44{plus minus}0.21 eV for Y2O3/IGZO, 0.81{plus minus}0.17 eV for MgO/IGZO, 0.95{plus minus}0.17 eV for the Al2O3/IGZO, and 1.43{plus minus}0.15 eV for the SiO2/IGZO heterojunctions were obtained, respectively. The bandgap differences between these dielectrics and IGZO would lead to corresponding conduction band offset (ΔEC) values of 2.39-4.74 eV. These results are important for designing structures with good carrier confinement in transparent thin film transistors based on IGZO.
Dietary copper supplementation restores β-cell function of Cohen diabetic rats: a link between mitochondrial function and glucose-stimulated insulin secretion
Authors: Weksler-Zangen Sarah , Jörns Anne , Tarsi-Chen Limor , Vernea Fiona , Aharon-Hananel Genya , Saada Ann , Lenzen Sigurd , Raz Itamar
Published: March 2013

β-Cell mitochondrial dysfunction as well as proinflammatory cytokines have been suggested to contribute to reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in type 2 diabetes. We recently demonstrated that Cohen diabetic sensitive (CDs) rats fed a high-sucrose, low-copper diet (HSD) developed hyperglycemia and reduced GSIS in association with peri-islet infiltration of fat and interleukin (IL)-1β-expressing macrophages, whereas CD resistant (CDr) rats remained normoglycemic on HSD. We examined: 1) the correlation between copper concentration in the HSD and progression, prevention, and reversion of hyperglycemia in CDs rats, 2) the relationship between activity of the copper-dependent, respiratory-chain enzyme cytochrome c oxidase (COX), infiltration of fat, IL-1β-expressing macrophages, and defective GSIS in hyperglycemic CDs rats. CDs and CDr rats were fed HSD or copper-supplemented HSD before and during hyperglycemia development. Blood glucose and insulin concentrations were measured during glucose tolerance tests. Macrophage infiltration and IL-1β expression were evaluated in pancreatic sections by electron-microscopy and immunostaining. COX activity was measured in pancreatic sections and isolated islets. In CDs rats fed HSD, GSIS and islet COX activity decreased, while blood glucose and infiltration of fat and IL-1β-expressing macrophages increased with time on HSD ( P < 0.01 vs. CDr-HSD rats, all parameters, respectively). CDs rats maintained on copper-supplemented HSD did not develop hyperglycemia, and in hyperglycemic CDs rats, copper supplementation restored GSIS and COX activity, reversed hyperglycemia and infiltration of fat and IL-1β-expressing macrophages ( P < 0.01 vs. hyperglycemic CDs-HSD rats, all parameters, respectively). We provide novel evidence for a critical role of low dietary copper in diminished GSIS of susceptible CDs rats involving the combined consequence of reduced islet COX activity and pancreatic low-grade inflammation.
Hearing Preservation after Cochlear Implantation: UNICAMP Outcomes
Authors: Carvalho Guilherme Machado de , Guimaraes Alexandre C. , Duarte Alexandre S. M. , Muranaka Eder B. , Soki Marcelo N. , Martins Renata S. Zanotello , Bianchini Walter A. , Paschoal Jorge R. , Castilho Arthur M.
Published: March 2013

Background. Electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS) is an excellent choice for people with residual hearing in low frequencies but not high frequencies and who derive insufficient benefit from hearing aids. For EAS to be effective, subjects' residual hearing must be preserved during cochlear implant (CI) surgery.Methods. We implanted 6 subjects with a CI. We used a special surgical technique and an electrode designed to be atraumatic. Subjects' rates of residual hearing preservation were measured 3 times postoperatively, lastly after at least a year of implant experience. Subjects' aided speech perception was tested pre- and postoperatively with a sentence test in quiet. Subjects' subjective responses assessed after a year of EAS or CI experience.Results. 4 subjects had total or partial residual hearing preservation; 2 subjects had total residual hearing loss. All subjects' hearing and speech perception benefited from cochlear implantation. CI diminished or eliminated tinnitus in all 4 subjects who had it preoperatively. 5 subjects reported great satisfaction with their new device.Conclusions. When we have more experience with our surgical technique we are confident we will be able to report increased rates of residual hearing preservation. Hopefully, our study will raise the profile of EAS in Brazil and Latin/South America.
Prediction of Associations between OMIM Diseases and MicroRNAs by Random Walk on OMIM Disease Similarity Network
Authors: Chen Hailin , Zhang Zuping
Published: March 2013

Increasing evidence has revealed that microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the development and progression of human diseases. However, efforts made to uncover OMIM disease‐miRNA associations are lacking and the majority of diseases in the OMIM database are not associated with any miRNA. Therefore, there is a strong incentive to develop computational methods to detect potential OMIM disease‐miRNA associations. In this paper, random walk on OMIM disease similarity network is applied to predict potential OMIM disease‐miRNA associations under the assumption that functionally related miRNAs are often associated with phenotypically similar diseases. Our method makes full use of global disease similarity values. We tested our method on 1226 known OMIM disease‐miRNA associations in the framework of leave‐one‐out cross‐validation and achieved an area under the ROC curve of 71.42%. Excellent performance enables us to predict a number of new potential OMIM disease‐miRNA associations and the newly predicted associations are publicly released to facilitate future studies. Some predicted associations with high ranks were manually checked and were confirmed from the publicly available databases, which was a strong evidence for the practical relevance of our method.
An Effective Degumming Enzyme fromBacillussp. Y1 and Synergistic Action of Hydrogen Peroxide and Protease on Enzymatic Degumming of Ramie Fibers
Authors: Guo Fenfen , Zou Mouyong , Li Xuezhi , Zhao Jian , Qu Yinbo
Published: March 2013

Enzymatic degumming, as an alternative to chemical processing, has attracted wide attention. However, to date, little information about other enzyme components with effective degumming except pectinase has been reported, and there is no report about the effect of bleaching agent (H2O2) on enzymatic degumming and combining enzymatic degumming and H2O2bleaching process. In this study, we found that the crude enzyme of wild-typeBacillussp. Y1 had a powerful and fast degumming ability. Its PGL activity was the highest at pH 9.6–10.0 and60°Cand stable at pH 7–10.5 and 30–50°C, having a wide scope of pH and temperature. Its PGL also had a high H2O2tolerance, and the gum loss and brightness of fibers could be significantly improved when H2O2was added into it for degumming. The synergistic action was also found between it and H2O2on the degumming and bleaching of ramie fibers. All showed that it was very suitable for a joint process of enzymatic degumming and H2O2bleaching. It also contained more proteins compared with a control pectinase, and its high protease content was further substantiated as a factor for effective degumming. Protease and pectinase also had a synergistic action on degumming.
Glass Superstrate Nanoantennas for Infrared Energy Harvesting Applications
Authors: Kocakarin Isa , Yegin Korkut
Published: March 2013

Several nanoantennas for infrared energy harvesting applications at 30 THz are studied. Contrary to usual antenna designs, we implemented glass superstrate as opposed to glass substrate for better antenna performance. We defined a figure of merit (FOM) which includes antenna fractional bandwidth, peak gain, and half-power beamwidth of the antenna under consideration. Three different antenna structures with glass superstrate and one of them with glass substrate are studied in detail. According to our FOM definition, the Archimedean balanced spiral antenna exhibited superior performance among other structures with less sensitivity to the incoming polarization of the electromagnetic wave.
Convergence Theorems for Common Fixed Points of a Finite Family of Relatively Nonexpansive Mappings in Banach Spaces
Authors: Wang Yuanheng , Xuan Weifeng
Published: March 2013

We establish some strong convergence theorems for a common fixed point of a finite family of relatively nonexpansive mappings by using a new hybrid iterative method in mathematical programming and the generalized projection method in a Banach space. Our results improve and extend the corresponding results by many others.
Effect of Berberine on PPARα/NO Activation in High Glucose- and Insulin-Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy
Authors: Wang Mingfeng , Wang Jia , Tan Rui , Wu Qin , Qiu Hongmei , Yang Junqing , Jiang Qingsong
Published: March 2013

Rhizoma coptidis, the root ofCoptis chinensis Franch, has been used in China as a folk medicine in the treatment of diabetes for thousands of years. Berberine, one of the active ingredients ofRhizoma coptidis, has been reported to improve symptoms of diabetes and to treat experimental cardiac hypertrophy, respectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential effect of berberine on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy in diabetes and its possible influence on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α(PPARα)/nitric oxide (NO) signaling pathway. The cardiomyocyte hypertrophy induced by high glucose (25.5 mmol/L) and insulin (0.1 μmol/L) (HGI) was characterized in rat primary cardiomyocyte by measuring the cell surface area, protein content, and atrial natriuretic factor mRNA expression level. Protein and mRNA expression were measured by western blot and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. The enzymatic activity of NO synthase (NOS) was measured using a spectrophotometric assay, and NO concentration was measured using the Griess assay. HGI significantly induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and decreased the expression of PPARαand endothelial NOS at the mRNA and protein levels, which occurred in parallel with declining NOS activity and NO concentration. The effect of HGI was inhibited by berberine (0.1 to 100 μmol/L), fenofibrate (0.3 μmol/L), orL-arginine (100 μmol/L). MK886 (0.3 μmol/L), a selective PPARαantagonist, could abolish the effects of berberine and fenofibrate.NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (100 μmol/L), a NOS inhibitor, could block the effects ofL-arginine, but only partially blocked the effects of berberine. These results suggest that berberine can blunt HGI-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophyin vitro, through the activation of the PPARα/NO signaling pathway.
Trends in Video Game Play through Childhood, Adolescence, and Emerging Adulthood
Authors: Ream Geoffrey L. , Elliott Luther C. , Dunlap Eloise
Published: March 2013

This study explored the relationship between video gaming and age during childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood. It also examined whether “role incompatibility,” the theory that normative levels of substance use decrease through young adulthood as newly acquired adult roles create competing demands, generalizes to video gaming. Emerging adult video gamers (n=702) recruited from video gaming contexts in New York City completed a computer-assisted personal interview and life-history calendar. All four video gaming indicators—days/week played, school/work day play, nonschool/work day play, and problem play—had significant curvilinear relationships with age. The “shape” of video gaming’s relationship with age is, therefore, similar to that of substance use, but video gaming appears to peak earlier in life than substance use, that is, in late adolescence rather than emerging adulthood. Of the four video gaming indicators, role incompatibility only significantly affected school/work day play, the dimension with the clearest potential to interfere with life obligations.
A Novel Bat Algorithm Based on Differential Operator and Lévy Flights Trajectory
Authors: Xie Jian , Zhou Yongquan , Chen Huan
Published: March 2013

Aiming at the phenomenon of slow convergence rate and low accuracy of bat algorithm, a novel bat algorithm based on differential operator and Lévy flights trajectory is proposed. In this paper, a differential operator is introduced to accelerate the convergence speed of proposed algorithm, which is similar to mutation strategy “DE/best/2” in differential algorithm. Lévy flights trajectory can ensure the diversity of the population against premature convergence and make the algorithm effectively jump out of local minima. 14 typical benchmark functions and an instance of nonlinear equations are tested; the simulation results not only show that the proposed algorithm is feasible and effective, but also demonstrate that this proposed algorithm has superior approximation capabilities in high-dimensional space.
Adaptive Indexed Divisible Load Theory for Wireless Sensor Network Workload Allocation
Authors: Shi Haiyan , Wang Wanliang , Kwok Ngai Ming , Chen Shengyong
Published: March 2013

Energy depletion in wireless sensors is a major obstacle for a wireless sensor network (WSN) to operate over an extended period of time. This problem can be extenuated by minimizing the need for high-power transmission from sensors to the master processor. Sensors could be arranged in clusters, and their sensing workloads are properly determined for minimal energy consumption during the sensing and result reporting stages. The divisible load theory (DLT) is applied here to obtain optimal allocation of sensor workloads taking into account the balance of energy used such that the failure of the first sensor can be delayed. Since standard DLT assumes an ordered indexing of the sensors, its direct application in WSNs may result in unbalanced energy usage. Adaptive indexing schemes with the application of DLT, adaptive indexed divisible load theory (AIDLT), are thus proposed to redefine the indices of sensors in each sensing round while calculating the assigned workload portions. Furthermore, adaptations based on transmission distances, sensor residual energies, double ranking of distances with residual energies, and randomized sensor identifications are formulated and evaluated. Simulation results on a cluster of sensors have shown that adaptation based on residual energies outperforms the other indexing schemes while the randomization scheme is the simplest.
Quantum-Dynamical Theory of Electron Exchange Correlation
Authors: Ritchie Burke , Weatherford Charles A.
Published: March 2013

The relationship between the spin of an individual electron and Fermi-Dirac statistics (FDS), which is obeyed by electrons in the
aggregate, is elucidated. The relationship depends on the use of spin-dependent quantum trajectories (SDQT) to evaluate Coulomb’s law between any two electrons as an instantaneous interaction in space and time rather than as a quantum-mean interaction in the form of screening and exchange potentials. Hence FDS depends in an ab initio sense on the inference of SDQT from Dirac’s equation, which provides for relativistic Lorentz invariance and a permanent magnetic moment (or spin) in the electron’s equation of motion. Schroedinger’s time-dependent equation can be used to evaluate the SDQT in the nonrelativistic regime of electron velocity. Remarkably FDS is a relativistic property of an ensemble of electron, even though it is of order c0 in the nonrelativistic limit, in agreement with experimental observation. Finally it is shown that covalent versus separated-atoms limits can be characterized by the SDQT. As an example of the use of SDQT in a canonical structure problem, the energies of the 1Σg and 3Σu states of H2 are calculated and compared with the accurate variational energies of Kolos and Wolniewitz.
Synovial Cysts of the Temporomandibular Joint: An Immunohistochemical Characterization and Literature Review
Authors: Vera-Sirera B. , Tomás-Amerigo J. A. , Baquero C. , Vera-Sempere F. J.
Published: March 2013

Synovial cysts of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) are very rare, and to date, only 12 cases of a synovial cyst in the TMJ region have been reported in the literature. In this paper, we present the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of one such lesion affecting a 48-year-old woman, presented with a mass in the left preauricular region. We describe the usefulness of immunohistochemical analysis for recognizing the synovial lining, which allowed for clear differentiation between ganglion and synovial cysts. Immunohistochemical analyses can be used to diagnose synovial cysts with certainty; however, using at least two markers is advisable to distinguish the two existing synovial cell subtypes. Our findings indicate that synovial cysts of TMJ possess an internal lining dominated by type B (fibroblast-like) synoviocytes.
Treatment of AO Type C Fractures of the Distal Part of the Humerus through the Bryan-Morrey Triceps-Sparing Approach
Authors: Fernández-Valencia J. A. , Muñoz-Mahamud E. , Ballesteros J. R. , Prat S.
Published: March 2013

Several alternative approaches have been described to avoid the complications related to the olecranon osteotomy used to treat distal articular humerus fractures. The published experience with the triceps-sparing approach is scant. In this prospective study, a total of 12 patients with an articular humeral fracture were treated using this approach. At a mean followup of 1,7 years, the average range of motion was 112.8° (range from 85° to 135°); the elbow flexion averaged 125.5° (range from 112° to 135°) and the deficit of elbow extension 14.6° (range from 0° to 30°). All the elbows were stable. The Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) averaged 93.3 (range from 80 to 100). In the present series no failure of the triceps reattachment to the olecranon was found, and all the patients recalled returning to their previous daily life activities without impairment with a satisfactory MEPS. As a conclusion, the triceps-sparing approach can be considered for treating distal articular humerus fractures. We consider that three clinical settings can be more favorable to use this approach: those cases in which a total elbow prosthesis might be needed, cases of ipsilateral diaphyseal fracture, or presence of previous hardware in the olecranon.
On -Tupled Coincidence Point Results in Metric Spaces
Authors: Imdad Mohammad , Soliman Ahmed H. , Choudhury Binayak S. , Das Pradyut
Published: March 2013

We prove some n-tupled coincidence point results whenever n is even. We give here several new definitions like n-tupled fixed point, n-tupled coincidence point, and so forth. The main result is supported with the aid of an illustrative example.
Expression Systems and Species Used for Transgenic Animal Bioreactors
Authors: Wang Yanli , Zhao Sihai , Bai Liang , Fan Jianglin , Liu Enqi
Published: March 2013

Transgenic animal bioreactors can produce therapeutic proteins with high value for pharmaceutical use. In this paper, we compared different systems capable of producing therapeutic proteins (bacteria, mammalian cells, transgenic plants, and transgenic animals) and found that transgenic animals were potentially ideal bioreactors for the synthesis of pharmaceutical protein complexes. Compared with other transgenic animal expression systems (egg white, blood, urine, seminal plasma, and silkworm cocoon), the mammary glands of transgenic animals have enormous potential. Compared with other mammalian species (pig, goat, sheep, and cow) that are currently being studied as bioreactors, rabbits offer many advantages: high fertility, easy generation of transgenic founders and offspring, insensitivity to prion diseases, relatively high milk production, and no transmission of severe diseases to humans. Noticeably, for a small- or medium-sized facility, the rabbit system is ideal to produce up to 50 kg of protein per year, considering both economical and hygienic aspects; rabbits are attractive candidates for the mammary-gland-specific expression of recombinant proteins. We also reviewed recombinant proteins that have been produced by targeted expression in the mammary glands of rabbits and discussed the limitations of transgenic animal bioreactors.
The Generalization of Prime Modules
Authors: Gurabi M.
Published: March 2013

Piecewise prime (PWP) module
is defined in terms of a set of triangulating idempotents in . The class of PWP modules properly contains the class of prime modules. Some properties of these modules are investigated here.
Adverse Events of Acupuncture: A Systematic Review of Case Reports
Authors: Xu Shifen , Wang Lizhen , Cooper Emily , Zhang Ming , Manheimer Eric , Berman Brian , Shen Xueyong , Lao Lixing
Published: March 2013

Acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping, important in traditional Eastern medicine, are increasingly used in the West. Their widening acceptance demands continual safety assessment. This review, a sequel to one our team published 10 years ago, is an evaluation of the frequency and severity of adverse events (AEs) reported for acupuncture, moxibustion, and cupping between 2000 and 2011. Relevant English-language reports in six databases were identified and assessed by two reviewers. During this 12-year period, 117 reports of 308 AEs from 25 countries and regions were associated with acupuncture (294 cases), moxibustion (4 cases), or cupping (10 cases). Country of occurrence, patient’s sex and age, and outcome were extracted. Infections, mycobacterial, staphylococcal, and others, were the main complication of acupuncture. In the previous review, we found the main source of infection to be hepatitis, caused by reusable needles. In this review, we found the majority of infections to be bacterial, caused by skin contact at acupoint sites; we found no cases of hepatitis. Although the route of infection had changed, infections were still the major complication of acupuncture. Clearly, guidelines such as Clean Needle Technique must be followed in order to minimize acupuncture AEs.
The Bäcklund Transformations, Exact Solutions, and Conservation Laws for the Compound Modified Korteweg-de Vries-Sine-Gordon Equations which Describe Pseudospherical Surfaces
Authors: Sayed S. M.
Published: March 2013

I show that the compound modified Korteweg-de Vries-Sine-Gordon equations describe pseudospherical surfaces, that is, these equations are the integrability conditions for the structural equations of such surfaces. I obtain the self-Bäcklund transformations for these equations by a geometrical method and apply the Bäcklund transformations to these solutions and generate new traveling wave solutions. Conservation laws for the latter ones are obtained using a geometrical property of these pseudospherical surfaces.
Late Presentation of Giant Intrathoracic Neurofibroma with Significant Mediastinal Shift: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Kesieme Emeka B. , Dongo Andrew E. , Affusim Christopher , Prisadov Georgi , Okonta Kelechi , Imoloamen Clement
Published: March 2013

Intrathoracic tumours in patients with Von Recklinghausen’s disease have been widely reported, but there are very few cases of reported intrathoracic giant benign neurofibroma with marked mediastinal shift and superior vena cava syndrome. Patients that present with this pathology should be adequately investigated. Surgical resection has been considered curative.
An Internalin A Probe-Based Genosensor forListeria monocytogenesDetection and Differentiation
Authors: Bifulco Laura , Ingianni Angela , Pompei Raffaello
Published: March 2013

Internalin A (InlA), a protein required forListeria monocytogenesvirulence, is encoded by theinlA gene, which is only found in pathogenic strains of this genus. One of the best ways to detect and confirm the pathogenicity of the strain is the detection of one of the virulence factors produced by the microorganism. This paper focuses on the design of an electrochemical genosensor used to detect theinlA gene inListeriastrains without labelling the target DNA. The electrochemical sensor was obtained by immobilising aninlA gene probe (single-stranded oligonucleotide) on the surfaces of screen-printed gold electrodes (Au-SPEs) by means of a mercaptan-activated self-assembled monolayer (SAM). The hybridisation reaction occurring on the electrode surface was electrochemically transduced by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) using methylene blue (MB) as an indicator. The covalently immobilised single-stranded DNA was able to selectively hybridise to its complementary DNA sequences in solution to form double-stranded DNA on the gold surface. A significant decrease of the peak current of the voltammogram (DPV) upon hybridisation of immobilised ssDNA was recorded. Whole DNA samples ofL. monocytogenesstrains could be discriminated from other nonpathogenicListeriaspecies DNA with theinlA gene DNA probe genosensor.
GERD—Barrett—Adenocarcinoma: Do We Have Suitable Prognostic and Predictive Molecular Markers?
Authors: Illig Romana , Klieser Eckhard , Kiesslich Tobias , Neureiter Daniel
Published: March 2013

Due to unfavorable lifestyle habits (unhealthy diet and tobacco abuse) the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in western countries is increasing. The GERD-Barrett-Adenocarcinoma sequence currently lacks well-defined diagnostic, progressive, predictive, and prognostic biomarkers (i) providing an appropriate screening method identifying the presence of the disease, (ii) estimating the risk of evolving cancer, that is, the progression from Barrett’s esophagus (BE) to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), (iii) predicting the response to therapy, and (iv) indicating an overall survival—prognosis for EAC patients. Based on histomorphological findings, detailed screening and therapeutic guidelines have been elaborated, although epidemiological studies could not support the postulated increasing progression rates of GERD to BE and EAC. Additionally, proposed predictive and prognostic markers are rather heterogeneous by nature, lack substantial proofs, and currently do not allow stratification of GERD patients for progression, outcome, and therapeutic effectiveness in clinical practice. The aim of this paper is to discuss the current knowledge regarding the GERD-BE-EAC sequence mainly focusing on the disputable and ambiguous status of proposed biomarkers to identify promising and reliable markers in order to provide more detailed insights into pathophysiological mechanisms and thus to improve prognostic and predictive therapeutic approaches.
Exponential Stability and Periodicity of Fuzzy Delayed Reaction-Diffusion Cellular Neural Networks with Impulsive Effect
Authors: Yang Guowei , Kao Yonggui , Wang Changhong
Published: March 2013

This paper considers dynamical behaviors of a class of fuzzy impulsive reaction-diffusion delayed cellular neural networks (FIRDDCNNs) with time-varying periodic self-inhibitions, interconnection weights, and inputs. By using delay differential inequality,M-matrix theory, and analytic methods, some new sufficient conditions ensuring global exponential stability of the periodic FIRDDCNN model with Neumann boundary conditions are established, and the exponential convergence rate index is estimated. The differentiability of the time-varying delays is not needed. An example is presented to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the obtained results.
Translational Biomedical Informatics in the Cloud: Present and Future
Authors: Chen Jiajia , Qian Fuliang , Yan Wenying , Shen Bairong
Published: March 2013

Next generation sequencing and other high-throughput experimental techniques of recent decades have driven the exponential growth in publicly available molecular and clinical data. This information explosion has prepared the ground for the development of translational bioinformatics. The scale and dimensionality of data, however, pose obvious challenges in data mining, storage, and integration. In this paper we demonstrated the utility and promise of cloud computing for tackling the big data problems. We also outline our vision that cloud computing could be an enabling tool to facilitate translational bioinformatics research.