bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presence of Periodontopathic Bacteria DNA in Atheromatous Plaques from Coronary and Carotid Arteries
Authors: Szulc Malgorzata , Kustrzycki Wojciech , Janczak Dariusz , Michalowska Dagmara , Baczynska Dagmara , Radwan-Oczko Malgorzata
Published: October 2015

Objectives. Interest in periodontitis as a potential risk factor for atherosclerosis and its complications resulted from the fact that the global prevalence of periodontal diseases is significant and periodontitis may induce a chronic inflammatory response. Many studies have analyzed the potential impact of thePorphyromonas gingivalis, major pathogen of periodontitis, on general health. The purpose of this study was to find the presence of thePorphyromonas gingivalisDNA in the atherosclerotic plaques of coronary and carotid arteries and in the periodontal pockets in patients with chronic periodontitis, who underwent surgery because of vascular diseases.Methods and Results. The study population consisted of 91 patients with coronary artery disease or scheduled for carotid endarterectomy. The presence ofPorphyromonas gingivalisDNA in atheromatous plaques and in subgingival samples was determined by PCR. Bacterial DNA was found in 21 of 91 (23%) samples taken from vessels and in 47 of 63 (74.6%) samples from periodontal pockets.Conclusions.Porphyromonas gingivalisDNA is frequently found in atheromatous plaques of patients with periodontitis. That is why more research should be conducted to prove if this periopathogen may have an impact on endothelium of patients at risk of atherosclerosis.
Combination Trimodality Therapy Using Vismodegib for Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Face
Authors: Block Alec M. , Alite Fiori , Diaz Aidnag Z. , Borrowdale Richard W. , Clark Joseph I. , Choi Mehee
Published: October 2015

Background. For large basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) of the head and neck, definitive surgery often requires extensive resection and reconstruction that may result in prolonged recovery and limited cosmesis. Vismodegib, a small-molecule inhibitor of the hedgehog pathway, is approved for advanced and metastatic BCCs. We present a case of advanced BCC treated with combination of vismodegib, radiotherapy, and local excision resulting in excellent response and cosmesis.Case Presentation. A 64-year-old gentleman presented with a 5-year history of a 7 cm enlarging right cheek mass, with extensive vascularization, central ulceration, and skin, soft tissue, and buccal mucosa involvement. Biopsy revealed BCC, nodular type. Up-front surgical option involved a large resection and reconstruction. After multidisciplinary discussion, we recommended and he opted for combined modality of vismodegib, radiotherapy, and local excision. The patient tolerated vismodegib well and his right cheek lesion decreased significantly in size. He was then treated with radiotherapy followed by local excision that revealed only focal residual BCC. Currently, he is without evidence of disease and has excellent cosmesis.Conclusions. We report a case of locally advanced BCC treated with trimodality therapy with vismodegib, radiotherapy, and local excision, resulting in excellent outcome and facial cosmesis, without requiring extensive resection or reconstructive surgery.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobility Type, Is Linked to Chromosome 8p22-8p21.1 in an Extended Belgian Family
Authors: Syx Delfien , Symoens Sofie , Steyaert Wouter , De Paepe Anne , Coucke Paul J. , Malfait Fransiska
Published: October 2015

Joint hypermobility is a common, mostly benign, finding in the general population. In a subset of individuals, however, it causes a range of clinical problems, mainly affecting the musculoskeletal system. Joint hypermobility often appears as a familial trait and is shared by several heritable connective tissue disorders, including the hypermobility subtype of the Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS-HT) or benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS). These hereditary conditions provide unique models for the study of the genetic basis of joint hypermobility. Nevertheless, these studies are largely hampered by the great variability in clinical presentation and the often vague mode of inheritance in many families. Here, we performed a genome-wide linkage scan in a unique three-generation family with an autosomal dominant EDS-HT phenotype and identified a linkage interval on chromosome 8p22-8p21.1, with a maximum two-point LOD score of 4.73. Subsequent whole exome sequencing revealed the presence of a unique missense variant in theLZTS1gene, located within the candidate region. Subsequent analysis of 230 EDS-HT/BJHS patients resulted in the identification of three additional rare variants. This is the first reported genome-wide linkage analysis in an EDS-HT family, thereby providing an opportunity to identify a new disease gene for this condition.
A Model of Regularization Parameter Determination in Low-Dose X-Ray CT Reconstruction Based on Dictionary Learning
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Zhang Tao , Zheng Jian , Li Ming , Lu Yanfei , You Jiali , Guan Yihui
Published: October 2015

In recent years, X-ray computed tomography (CT) is becoming widely used to reveal patient’s anatomical information. However, the side effect of radiation, relating to genetic or cancerous diseases, has caused great public concern. The problem is how to minimize radiation dose significantly while maintaining image quality. As a practical application of compressed sensing theory, one category of methods takes total variation (TV) minimization as the sparse constraint, which makes it possible and effective to get a reconstruction image of high quality in the undersampling situation. On the other hand, a preliminary attempt of low-dose CT reconstruction based on dictionary learning seems to be another effective choice. But some critical parameters, such as the regularization parameter, cannot be determined by detecting datasets. In this paper, we propose a reweighted objective function that contributes to a numerical calculation model of the regularization parameter. A number of experiments demonstrate that this strategy performs well with better reconstruction images and saving of a large amount of time.
On Some Boundedness and Convergence Properties of a Class of Switching Maps in Probabilistic Metric Spaces with Applications to Switched Dynamic Systems
Authors: De la Sen M. , Ibeas A.
Published: October 2015

This paper investigates some boundedness and convergence properties of sequences which are generated iteratively through switched mappings defined on probabilistic metric spaces as well as conditions of existence and uniqueness of fixed points. Such switching mappings are built from a set of primary self-mappings selected through switching laws. The switching laws govern the switching process in between primary self-mappings when constructing the switching map. The primary self-mappings are not necessarily contractive but if at least one of them is contractive then there always exist switching maps which exhibit convergence properties and have a unique fixed point. If at least one of the self-mappings is nonexpansive or an appropriate combination given by the switching law is nonexpansive, then sequences are bounded although not convergent, in general. Some illustrative examples are also given.
Efficacy of Compound Kushen Injection in Relieving Cancer-Related Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Guo Yu-ming , Huang Yi-xue , Shen Hong-hui , Sang Xiu-xiu , Ma Xiao , Zhao Yan-ling , Xiao Xiao-he
Published: October 2015

Despite widespread popular use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, a rigorous evidence based on the efficacy of compound kushen injection (CKI) for cancer-related pain is lacking. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of compound kushen injection and provided information for current or future research and clinical application. Sixteen trials were identified with a total of 1564 patients. The total pain relief rate of CKI plus chemotherapy is better than chemotherapy except for colorectal cancer. The treatment groups achieved a reduction in the incidences of leukopenia and gastrointestinal, hepatic, and renal functional lesion. However, there is paucity of multi-institutional RCTs evaluating compound kushen injection for cancer pain with adequate power, duration, and sham control. The quantity and quality of RCTs are lower so that we still have to boost the research level through scientific design and normative report.
Space-Time Analysis to Identify Areas at Risk of Mortality from Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Rodrigues Poliany C. O. , Santos Emerson S. , Ignotti Eliane , Hacon Sandra S.
Published: October 2015

This study aimed at identifying areas that were at risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease in residents aged 45 years or older of the cities of Cuiabá and Várzea Grande between 2009 and 2011. We conducted an ecological study of mortality rates related to cardiovascular disease. Mortality rates were calculated for each census tract by the Local Empirical Bayes estimator. High- and low-risk clusters were identified by retrospective space-time scans for each year using the Poisson probability model. We defined the year and month as the temporal analysis unit and the census tracts as the spatial analysis units adjusted by age and sex. The Mann-WhitneyUtest was used to compare the socioeconomic and environmental variables by risk classification. High-risk clusters showed higher income ratios than low-risk clusters, as did temperature range and atmospheric particulate matter. Low-risk clusters showed higher humidity than high-risk clusters. The Eastern region of Várzea Grande and the central region of Cuiabá were identified as areas at risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease in individuals aged 45 years or older. High mortality risk was associated with socioeconomic and environmental factors. More high-risk clusters were observed at the end of the dry season.
Modifying Regeneration Mutation and Hybridising Clonal Selection for Evolutionary Algorithms Based Timetabling Tool
Authors: Thepphakorn Thatchai , Pongcharoen Pupong , Hicks Chris
Published: October 2015

This paper outlines the development of a new evolutionary algorithms based timetabling (EAT) tool for solving course scheduling problems that include a genetic algorithm (GA) and a memetic algorithm (MA). Reproduction processes may generate infeasible solutions. Previous research has used repair processes that have been applied after a population of chromosomes has been generated. This research developed a new approach which (i) modified the genetic operators to prevent the creation of infeasible solutions before chromosomes were added to the population; (ii) included the clonal selection algorithm (CSA); and the elitist strategy (ES) to improve the quality of the solutions produced. This approach was adopted by both the GA and MA within the EAT. The MA was further modified to include hill climbing local search. The EAT program was tested using 14 benchmark timetabling problems from the literature using a sequential experimental design, which included a fractional factorial screening experiment. Experiments were conducted to (i) test the performance of the proposed modified algorithms; (ii) identify which factors and interactions were statistically significant; (iii) identify appropriate parameters for the GA and MA; and (iv) compare the performance of the various hybrid algorithms. The genetic algorithm with modified genetic operators produced an average improvement of over 50%.
A Survey of Attitudes towards the Clinical Application of Systemic Inflammation Based Prognostic Scores in Cancer
Authors: Watt David G. , Roxburgh Campbell S. , White Mark , Chan Juen Zhik , Horgan Paul G. , McMillan Donald C.
Published: October 2015

Introduction. The systemic inflammatory response (SIR) plays a key role in determining nutritional status and survival of patients with cancer. A number of objective scoring systems have been shown to have prognostic value; however, their application in routine clinical practice is not clear. The aim of the present survey was to examine the range of opinions internationally on the routine use of these scoring systems. Methods. An online survey was distributed to a target group consisting of individuals worldwide who have reported an interest in systemic inflammation in patients with cancer. Results. Of those invited by the survey (n = 238), 65% routinely measured the SIR, mainly for research and prognostication purposes and clinically for allocation of adjuvant therapy or palliative chemotherapy. 40% reported that they currently used the Glasgow Prognostic Score/modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS/mGPS) and 81% reported that a measure of systemic inflammation should be incorporated into clinical guidelines, such as the definition of cachexia. Conclusions. The majority of respondents routinely measured the SIR in patients with cancer, mainly using the GPS/mGPS for research and prognostication purposes. The majority reported that a measure of the SIR should be adopted into clinical guidelines.
Resting Heart Rate and Auditory Evoked Potential
Authors: Fiuza Regaçone Simone , Baptista de Lima Daiane Damaris , Engrácia Valenti Vitor , Figueiredo Frizzo Ana Cláudia
Published: October 2015

The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between rest heart rate (HR) and the components of the auditory evoked-related potentials (ERPs) at rest in women. We investigated 21 healthy female university students between 18 and 24 years old. We performed complete audiological evaluation and measurement of heart rate for 10 minutes at rest (heart rate monitor Polar RS800CX) and performed ERPs analysis (discrepancy in frequency and duration). There was a moderate negative correlation of the N1 and P3a with rest HR and a strong positive correlation of the P2 and N2 components with rest HR. Larger components of the ERP are associated with higher rest HR.
Decentralized Autonomous Hybrid Renewable Power Generation
Authors: Kumar Prakash , Palwalia Dheeraj Kumar
Published: October 2015

Power extension of grid to isolated regions is associated with technical and economical issues. It has encouraged exploration and exploitation of decentralized power generation using renewable energy sources (RES). RES based power generation involves uncertain availability of power source round the clock. This problem has been overcome to certain extent by installing appropriate integrated energy storage unit (ESU). This paper presents technical review of hybrid wind and photovoltaic (PV) generation in standalone mode. Associated components like converters, storage unit, controllers, and optimization techniques affect overall generation. Wind and PV energy are readily available, omnipresent, and expected to contribute major future energy market. It can serve to overcome global warming problem arising due to emissions in fossil fuel based thermal generation units. This paper includes the study of progressive development of standalone renewable generation units based on wind and PV microgrids.
Routing Protocols in Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks: A Quantitative Comparison
Authors: Han Guangjie , Bao Na , Liu Li , Zhang Daqiang , Shu Lei
Published: October 2015

Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks (UASNs) have drawn great attention for their potential value in ocean monitoring and offshore exploration. In order to make the underwater application possible, the unique characteristics of underwater acoustic channels and continuous node movement inspired the emergence of routing protocols for underwater environment. In this paper, we introduce and compare four prominent routing protocols proposed for UASNs, namely, H2-DAB, GEDAR, E-PULRP, and PER. Performances of the routing protocols are evaluated in terms of the average number of control packets, end-to-end delay, data delivery ratio, and total energy consumption. The impact of water currents on the routing algorithms is also analyzed in our simulation. Experimental results demonstrate that E-PULRP provides high data delivery ratio at the cost of end-to-end delay. H2-DAB has better real-time performance for minimal delay transmission. GEDAR efficiently addresses the problem of void region without introducing extra energy. PER requires the most control packets in the process of routing establishment. Our work aims to provide useful insights to select appropriate routing protocols to fulfil different application requirements in UASNs.
Microstereolithography-Based Fabrication of Anatomically Shaped Beta-Tricalcium Phosphate Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Du Dajiang , Asaoka Teruo , Shinohara Makoto , Kageyama Tomonori , Ushida Takashi , Furukawa Katsuko Sakai
Published: October 2015

Porous ceramic scaffolds with shapes matching the bone defects may result in more efficient grafting and healing than the ones with simple geometries. Using computer-assisted microstereolithography (MSTL), we have developed a novel gelcasting indirect MSTL technology and successfully fabricated two scaffolds according to CT images of rabbit femur. Negative resin molds with outer 3D dimensions conforming to the femur and an internal structure consisting of stacked meshes with uniform interconnecting struts, 0.5 mm in diameter, were fabricated by MSTL. The second mold type was designed for cortical bone formation. A ceramic slurry of beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) with room temperature vulcanization (RTV) silicone as binder was cast into the molds. After the RTV silicone was completely cured, the composite was sintered at 1500°C for 5 h. Both gross anatomical shape and the interpenetrating internal network were preserved after sintering. Even cortical structure could be introduced into the customized scaffolds, which resulted in enhanced strength. Biocompatibility was confirmed by vital staining of rabbit bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells cultured on the customized scaffolds for 5 days. This fabrication method could be useful for constructing bone substitutes specifically designed according to local anatomical defects.
Hypoglycaemia, Abnormal Lipids, and Cardiovascular Disease among Chinese with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Li Yijun , Mu Yiming , Ji Qiuhe , Huang Qin , Kuang Hongyu , Ji Linong , Yang Xilin
Published: October 2015

We recruited a group of 6713 consecutive Chinese patients with T2D but normal renal and liver function who were admitted to one of 81 top tertiary care hospitals in China. Mild hypoglycaemia was defined as having symptomatic hypoglycaemia in one month before hospitalization. Severe hypoglycaemia was defined as having hypoglycaemia that needed assistance from other people in three months before hospitalization. Prior cardiovascular disease (CVD) was defined as having coronary heart disease, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease. Of 6713 patients, 80 and 304 had severe and mild hypoglycaemia episodes, respectively, and 561 had CVD. Patients with severe and mild hypoglycaemia episodes were more likely to have prior CVD (32.5% versus 16.5% versus 7.7%,P<0.0001). Both mild and severe hypoglycaemia were associated with increased risk of CVD (adjusted odds ratios (ORs): 2.64, 95% CI: 1.85–3.76 for mild hypoglycaemia; 6.59, 95% CI: 3.79–11.45 for sever hypoglycaemia) than those patients free of hypoglycaemia. Further adjustment for lipid profile did not change these two ORs. In the same way, the ORs of lipid profile for CVD were similar before and after adjustment for hypoglycaemia. We concluded that hypoglycaemia and lipid profile were independently associated with increased risk of CVD.
Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification for Detection ofTrypanosoma brucei gambiensein Urine and Saliva Samples in Nonhuman Primate Model
Authors: Ngotho Maina , Kagira John Maina , Gachie Beatrice Muthoni , Karanja Simon Muturi , Waema Maxwell Wambua , Maranga Dawn Nyawira , Maina Naomi Wangari
Published: October 2015

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a vector-borne parasitic zoonotic disease. The disease caused byTrypanosoma brucei gambienseis the most prevalent in Africa. Early diagnosis is hampered by lack of sensitive diagnostic techniques. This study explored the potential of loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the detection ofT. b. gambienseinfection in a vervet monkey HAT model. Six vervet monkeys were experimentally infected withT. b. gambienseIL3253 and monitored for 180 days after infection. Parasitaemia was scored daily. Blood, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), saliva, and urine samples were collected weekly. PCR and LAMP were performed on serum, CSF, saliva, and urine samples. The detection by LAMP was significantly higher than that of parasitological methods and PCR in all the samples. The performance of LAMP varied between the samples and was better in serum followed by saliva and then urine samples. In the saliva samples, LAMP had 100% detection between 21 and 77 dpi, whereas in urine the detection it was slightly lower, but there was over 80% detection between 28 and 91 dpi. However, LAMP could not detect trypanosomes in either saliva or urine after 140 and 126 dpi, respectively. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of LAMP in diagnosis of HAT using saliva and urine samples.
On Uniform Convergence of Sequences and Series of Fuzzy-Valued Functions
Authors: Kadak Uğur , Efe Hakan
Published: October 2015

The class of membership functions is restricted to trapezoidal one, as it is general enough and widely used. In the present paper since the utilization of Zadeh’s extension principle is quite difficult in practice, we prefer the idea of level sets in order to construct for a fuzzy-valued function via related trapezoidal membership function. We derive uniform convergence of fuzzy-valued function sequences and series with some illustrated examples. Also we study Hukuhara differentiation and Henstock integration of a fuzzy-valued function with some necessary inclusions. Furthermore, we introduce the power series with fuzzy coefficients and define the radius of convergence of power series. Finally, by using the notions of H-differentiation and radius of convergence we examine the relationship between term by term H-differentiation and uniform convergence of fuzzy-valued function series.
Awareness of Lifestyle and Colorectal Cancer Risk: Findings from the BeWEL Study
Authors: Anderson Annie S. , Caswell Stephen , Macleod Maureen , Craigie Angela M. , Stead Martine , Steele Robert J. C. , Team The BeWEL
Published: October 2015

It is estimated that 47% of colorectal cancers (CRC) could be prevented by appropriate lifestyles. This study aimed to identify awareness of the causes of CRC in patients who had been diagnosed with a colorectal adenoma through the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme and subsequently enrolled in an intervention trial (using diet and physical activity education and behavioural change techniques) (BeWEL). At baseline and 12-month follow-up, participants answered an open-ended question on factors influencing CRC development. Of the 329 participants at baseline, 40 (12%) reported that they did not know any risk factors and 36 (11%) failed to identify specific factors related to diet and activity. From a potential knowledge score of 1 to 6, the mean score was 1.5 (SD 1.1, range 0 to 5) with no difference between intervention and control groups. At follow-up, the intervention group had a significantly greater knowledge score and better weight loss, diet, and physical activity measures than the control group. Awareness of relevant lifestyle factors for CRC remains low in people at increased risk of the disease. Opportunities within routine NHS screening to aid the capability (including knowledge of risk factors) of individuals to make behavioural changes to reduce CRC risk deserve exploration.
Manifold Learning with Self-Organizing Mapping for Feature Extraction of Nonlinear Faults in Rotating Machinery
Authors: Liang Lin , Liu Fei , Li Maolin , Xu Guanghua
Published: October 2015

A new method for extracting the low-dimensional feature automatically with self-organization mapping manifold is proposed for the detection of rotating mechanical nonlinear faults (such as rubbing, pedestal looseness). Under the phase space reconstructed by single vibration signal, the self-organization mapping (SOM) with expectation maximization iteration algorithm is used to divide the local neighborhoods adaptively without manual intervention. After that, the local tangent space alignment algorithm is adopted to compress the high-dimensional phase space into low-dimensional feature space. The proposed method takes advantages of the manifold learning in low-dimensional feature extraction and adaptive neighborhood construction of SOM and can extract intrinsic fault features of interest in two dimensional projection space. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, the Lorenz system was simulated and rotation machinery with nonlinear faults was obtained for test purposes. Compared with the holospectrum approaches, the results reveal that the proposed method is superior in identifying faults and effective for rotating machinery condition monitoring.
TheSsDREBTranscription Factor from the Succulent HalophyteSuaeda salsaEnhances Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Transgenic Tobacco
Authors: Zhang Xu , Liu Xiaoxue , Wu Lei , Yu Guihong , Wang Xiue , Ma Hongxiang
Published: October 2015

Dehydration-responsive element-binding (DREB) transcription factor (TF) plays a key role for abiotic stress tolerance in plants. In this study, a novel cDNA encoding DREB transcription factor, designatedSsDREB, was isolated from succulent halophyteSuaeda salsa. This protein was classified in the A-6 group of DREB subfamily based on multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic characterization. Yeast one-hybrid assays showed that SsDREB protein specifically binds to the DRE sequence and could activate the expression of reporter genes in yeast, suggesting that the SsDREB protein was a CBF/DREB transcription factor. Real-time RT-PCR showed thatSsDREBwas significantly induced under salinity and drought stress. Overexpression ofSsDREBcDNA in transgenic tobacco plants exhibited an improved salt and drought stress tolerance in comparison to the nontransformed controls. The transgenic plants revealed better growth, higher chlorophyll content, and net photosynthesis rate, as well as higher level of proline and soluble sugars. The semiquantitative PCR of transgenics showed higher expression of stress-responsive genes. These data suggest that theSsDREBtranscription factor is involved in the regulation of salt stress tolerance in tobacco by the activation of different downstream gene expression.
Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Lepromatous Leprosy Coinfection
Authors: Sendrasoa F. A. , Ranaivo I. M. , Raharolahy O. , Andrianarison M. , Ramarozatovo L. S. , Rapelanoro Rabenja F.
Published: October 2015

Simultaneous occurrence of leprosy and pulmonary tuberculosis is reported infrequently in the modern era. We report a case of pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed in patient being treated with glucocorticoids for complications of leprosy (type II reaction). Physicians should recognize that the leprosy patients treated with glucocorticoid may develop tuberculosis.
MicroRNAs-mRNAs Expression Profile and Their Potential Role in Malignant Transformation of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Induced by Cadmium
Authors: Liu Qun , Zheng Chanjiao , Shen Huanyu , Zhou Zhiheng , Lei Yixiong
Published: October 2015

Background. Our study was designed to elucidate whether there were miRNA and mRNA aberrantly expression profiles and potential role in malignant transformation of 16HBE induced by Cd.Methods. mRNA and miRNA expression profiles were determined in 35th Cd-induced 16HBE and untreated 16HBE by microarray. A series of bioinformatics analyses such as predicting targets, GO, KEGG were performed to find DEGs, coexpressing networks between miRNAs and mRNAs and its functions.Results. 498 DEGs were found. 8 Cd-responsive novel miRNAs predicted previously were identified, and 5 of them were downregulated. 214 target genes were predicted for the Cd-responsive miRNAs, many of which appeared to regulate gene networks. Target gene CCM2 was showed reciprocal effect by miRNAs. According to the combination analysis, hsa-miR-27b-3p regulated most of the mRNAs, especially upregulated expression genes. The differentially expressed miRNAs are involved in the biological processes and channels, and these GO and KEGG enrichment analyses result were significantly enriched in the Cd-responsive.Discussion. These results provided a tight link for the miRNA-mRNA integrated network and implied the role of novel miRNAs in malignant transformation of 16HBE induced by Cadmium. It is better to understand the novel molecular mechanism of cadmium-induced tumorigenesis.
Neural Network-Based Fault-Tolerant Control of Underactuated Surface Vessels
Authors: Park Bong Seok
Published: October 2015

This paper addresses the problem of trajectory tracking of underactuated surface vessels (USVs) in the presence of thruster failure. Multilayer neural networks (MNNs) are employed to estimate the unknown model parameters and external disturbances. To design a fault-tolerant controller without a fault detection scheme, we use the Nussbaum gain technique. We introduce an additional control to resolve the difficulty arising from having fewer inputs than degrees-of-freedom. Further, an approach angle is proposed to track both a straight and curved path. Stability analysis and simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
25‐OH Vitamin D and Interleukin‐8: Emerging Biomarkers in Cutaneous Melanoma Development and Progression
Authors: Ene Corina-Daniela , Anghel Amalia-Elena , Neagu Monica , Nicolae Ilinca
Published: October 2015

Background. There are several circulatory biomarkers that are involved in forecasting the clinical outcome of cutaneous melanoma. Serum/plasma vitamin D status is one of the markers intensively studied in this type of cutaneous cancer. The combination of validated serum biomarkers (like LDH) with new biomarkers such as IL‐8, angiogenic factor, and vitamin D is still at the dawn of research. Hence, we are aiming to establish the predictive power of inflammatory biomarkers, such as IL‐8, and metabolic ones, such as vitamin D. These candidate biomarkers are intended to aid classical biomarkers, such as LDH, in the prognosis of cutaneous melanoma. Methods. Serum vitamin D and IL‐8 were quantified in melanoma patients and in matching healthy controls. Results. Median serum vitamin D concentrations were significantly lower (p = 0.003) in melanoma patients as compared to healthy control subjects, while around 65% of the investigated patients have proven a severe circulatory deficiency of this vitamin. IL‐8 was found increased (p = 0.001) in melanoma patients as compared to controls. Conclusion. Upregulation of proangiogenic factors associated with vitamin D deficiency can prove to be potent future biomarkers candidates, enhancing the predictive power of classical LDH.
Innovative Thoughts on Treating Diabetes from the Perspective of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Authors: Pang Bing , Zhou Qiang , Zhao Tian-Yu , He Li-Sha , Guo Jing , Chen Hong-Dong , Zhao Lin-Hua , Tong Xiao-Lin
Published: October 2015

The rapidly increasing incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is becoming a major public health issue. As one of the important parts in complementary and alternative therapies, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is promising in treating DM. In this review, we summarize new thoughts on treating DM that aim to improve the clinical efficacy of TCM from the perspectives of principle, methods, formula, herbs, and doses. Our approach is as follows: principle: we use a combination of symptoms, syndromes, and diseases as a new mode for treating diabetes; methods: emphasizing heat-clearing in the early and middle stage of T2DM and invigorating blood circulation throughout the whole process of T2DM are two innovative methods to treat T2DM; formulas and herbs: choosing formulas and herbs based on the combination of TCM theory and current medicine. We will emphasize four strategies to help doctors choose formulas and herbs, including treatment based on syndrome differentiation, choosing herbs of bitter and sour flavors to counteract sweet flavor, choosing formulas and herbs aimed at main symptoms, and using modern pharmacological achievements in clinical practice; dose: reasonable drug dose plays an important role in the treatment of DM and a close relationship exists between dose and clinical efficacy.
Interference Alignment and Fairness Algorithms for MIMO Cognitive Radio Systems
Authors: Zhao Feng , Wang Wen , Chen Hongbin
Published: October 2015

Interference alignment (IA) is an effective technique to eliminate the interference among wireless nodes. In a multiinput multi-output (MIMO) cognitive radio system, multiple secondary users can coexist with the primary user without generating any interference by using the IA technology. However, few works have considered the fairness of secondary users. In this paper, not only is the interference eliminated by IA, but also the fairness of secondary users is considered by two kinds of algorithms. Without losing generality, one primary user andKsecondary users are considered in the network. Assuming perfect channel knowledge at the primary user, the interference from secondary users to the primary user is aligned into the unused spatial dimension which is obtained by water-filling among primary user. Also, the interference between secondary users can be eliminated by a modified maximum signal-to-interference-plus-noise algorithm using channel reciprocity. In addition, two kinds of fairness algorithms, max-min fairness and proportional fairness, among secondary users are proposed. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms in terms of suppressed interference and fairness of secondary nodes. What is more, the performances of the two fairness algorithms are compared.
The Impact of Thrombocytopenia on Outcome in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Single Center Retrospective Study
Authors: Sinkovič Andreja , Majal Maja
Published: October 2015

Background. In acute coronary syndromes (ACS), treated by combined antithrombotic therapy and percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), thrombocytopenia may occur. Our aim was to evaluate predictors and the impact of thrombocytopenia on mortality in high-risk ACS patients.Methods. We retrospectively evaluated high-risk ACS patients. Thrombocytopenia was defined as platelet count <140.000/mL or a drop in platelet count of >50% during in-hospital stay. We compared demographic, laboratory, clinical, and mortality data between nonthrombocytopenic and thrombocytopenic ACS patients and evaluated independent predictors of thrombocytopenia.Results. In 371 ACS patients, thrombocytopenia was observed in 21.3%. Thrombocytopenic patients were significantly older and, less likely treated by PCIs (72.1% versus 89.7%,p<0.001) and combined antithrombotic therapy, with increased incidence of in-hospital complications and the use of additional treatments, but with increased mortality at 30 days (27.8% versus 10.2%,p<0.001) and 6 months (35.4% versus 13.6%,p<0.001) when compared to nonthrombocytopenic patients. The use of antibiotics, transfusions, insertion of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), and prior stroke independently predicted thrombocytopenia.Conclusions. Thrombocytopenia, observed in about 20% of high-risk ACS patients, was associated significantly with in-hospital complications and mortality. Predictors of thrombocytopenia were the use of antibiotics, transfusions, insertion of IABP, and prior stroke.
Altered Impedance of Ear Acupuncture Point MT2 in Breast Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Observation
Authors: Hu Yine , Yang Huayuan , Wang Pin , Liu Tangyi , Tang Wenchao
Published: October 2015

Skin impedance at acupuncture points (APs) has been used as a diagnostic aid for more than 50 years. In this study, we have a diagnostic tool (JXT-2008) to measure the skin impedance of ear APs of 30 breast cancer patients and the corresponding skin impedance of ear APs of 30 healthy humans, and then we compared these changes in ear AP impedance in breast cancer patients and healthy individuals.
Petroleum Diesel and Biodiesel Fuels Used in a Direct Hydrocarbon Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell
Authors: Zhu Yuanchen , Tremblay André Y. , Facey Glenn A. , Ternan Marten
Published: October 2015

The performance of a direct hydrocarbon phosphoric acid fuel cell, PAFC, was investigated using petroleum diesel, biodiesel, and n-hexadecane as the fuels. We believe this is the first study of a fuel cell being operated with petroleum diesel as the fuel at the anode. Degradation in fuel cell performance was observed prior to reaching steady state. The degradation was attributed to a carbonaceous material forming on the surface of the anode. Regardless of the initial degradation, a steady-state operation was achieved with each of the diesel fuels. After treating the anode with water the fuel cell performance recovered. However, the fuel cell performance degraded again prior to obtaining another steady-state operation. There were several observations that were consistent with the suggestion that the carbonaceous material formed from the diesel fuels might be a reaction intermediate necessary for steady-state operation. Finally, the experiments indicated that water in the phosphoric acid electrolyte could be used as the water required for the anodic reaction. The water formed at the cathode could provide the replacement water for the electrolyte, thereby eliminating the need to provide a water feed system for the fuel cell.
Effect of 660 nm Light-Emitting Diode on the Wound Healing in Fibroblast-Like Cell Lines
Authors: Kim Myung-Sun , Cho Yong-Ick , Kook Min-Suk , Jung Sang-Chul , Hwang Young-Hyun , Kim Byung-Hoon
Published: October 2015

Light in the red to near-infrared (NIR) range (630–1000 nm), which is generated using low energy laser or light-emitting diode (LED) arrays, was reported to have a range of beneficial biological effects in many injury models. NIR via a LED is a well-accepted therapeutic tool for the treatment of infected, ischemic, and hypoxic wounds as well as other soft tissue injuries in humans and animals. This study examined the effects of exposure to 660 nm red LED light at intensities of 2.5, 5.5, and 8.5 mW/cm2for 5, 10, and 20 min on wound healing and proliferation in fibroblast-like cells, such as L929 mouse fibroblasts and human gingival fibroblasts (HGF-1). A photo illumination-cell culture system was designed to evaluate the cell proliferation and wound healing of fibroblast-like cells exposed to 600 nm LED light. The cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT assay, and a scratched wound assay was performed to assess the rate of migrating cells and the healing effect. Exposure to the 660 nm red LED resulted in an increase in cell proliferation and migration compared to the control, indicating its potential use as a phototherapeutic agent.
Phytochemical Compounds and Protection from Cardiovascular Diseases: A State of the Art
Authors: Pagliaro Beniamino , Santolamazza Caterina , Simonelli Francesca , Rubattu Speranza
Published: October 2015

Cardiovascular diseases represent a worldwide relevant socioeconomical problem. Cardiovascular disease prevention relies also on lifestyle changes, including dietary habits. The cardioprotective effects of several foods and dietary supplements in both animal models and in humans have been explored. It was found that beneficial effects are mainly dependent on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, also involving modulation of mitochondrial function. Resveratrol is one of the most studied phytochemical compounds and it is provided with several benefits in cardiovascular diseases as well as in other pathological conditions (such as cancer). Other relevant compounds areBrassica oleracea, curcumin, and berberine, and they all exert beneficial effects in several diseases. In the attempt to provide a comprehensive reference tool for both researchers and clinicians, we summarized in the present paper the existing literature on both preclinical and clinical cardioprotective effects of each mentioned phytochemical. We structured the discussion of each compound by analyzing, first, its cellular molecular targets of action, subsequently focusing on results from applications in both ex vivo and in vivo models, finally discussing the relevance of the compound in the context of human diseases.
Bioinspired Tracking Control of High Speed Nonholonomic Ground Vehicles
Authors: Shoemaker Adam , Leonessa Alexander
Published: October 2015

The behavior of nature’s predators is considered for designing a high speed tracking controller for nonholonomic vehicles, whose dynamics are represented using a unicycle model. To ensure that the vehicle behaves intuitively and mimics the biologically inspired predator-prey interaction, saturation constraints based on Ackermann steering kinematics are added. A new strategy for mapping commands back into a viable envelope is introduced, and the restrictions are accounted for using Lyapunov stability criteria. Following verification of the saturation constraints, the proposed algorithm was implemented on a testing platform. Stable trajectories of up to 9 m/s were achieved. The results presented show that the algorithm demonstrates significant promise in high speed trajectory tracking with obstacle avoidance.
Two-Step Pseudomaximum Amplitude-Based Confidence Interval Estimation for Oscillometric Blood Pressure Measurements
Authors: Lee Soojeong , Jeon Gwanggil , Kang Seokhoon
Published: October 2015

Blood pressure (BP) is an important vital sign to determine the health of an individual. Although the estimation of average arterial blood pressure using oscillometric methods is possible, there are no established methods for obtaining confidence intervals (CIs) for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP). In this paper, we propose a two-step pseudomaximum amplitude (TSPMA) as a novel approach to obtain improved CIs of SBP and DBP using a double bootstrap approach. The weighted median (WM) filter is employed to reduce impulsive and Gaussian noises in the step of preprocessing. Application of the proposed method provides tighter CIs and smaller standard deviation of CIs than the pseudomaximum amplitude-envelope and maximum amplitude algorithms with Student’st-method.
Predictive Biomarkers to Chemoradiation in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
Authors: Conde-Muíño Raquel , Cuadros Marta , Zambudio Natalia , Segura-Jiménez Inmaculada , Cano Carlos , Palma Pablo
Published: October 2015

There has been a high local recurrence rate in rectal cancer. Besides improvements in surgical techniques, both neoadjuvant short-course radiotherapy and long-course chemoradiation improve oncological results. Approximately 40–60% of rectal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation achieve some degree of pathologic response. However, there is no effective method of predicting which patients will respond to neoadjuvant treatment. Recent studies have evaluated the potential of genetic biomarkers to predict outcome in locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation. The articles produced by the PubMed search were reviewed for those specifically addressing a genetic profile’s ability to predict response to neoadjuvant treatment in rectal cancer. Although tissue gene microarray profiling has led to promising data in cancer, to date, none of the identified signatures or molecular markers in locally advanced rectal cancer has been successfully validated as a diagnostic or prognostic tool applicable to routine clinical practice.
A Subspace Preconditioned LSQR Gauss-Newton Method with a Constrained Line Search Path Applied to 3D Biomedical Microwave Imaging
Authors: De Zaeytijd Jürgen , Franchois Ann
Published: October 2015

Three contributions that can improve the performance of a Newton-type iterative quantitative microwave imaging algorithm in a biomedical context are proposed. (i) To speed up the iterative forward problem solution, we extrapolate the initial guess of the field from a few field solutions corresponding to previous source positions for the same complex permittivity (i.e., “marching on in source position”) as well as from a Born-type approximation that is computed from a field solution corresponding to one previous complex permittivity profile for the same source position. (ii) The regularized Gauss-Newton update system can be ill-conditioned; hence we propose to employ a two-level preconditioned iterative solution method. We apply the subspace preconditioned LSQR algorithm from Jacobsen et al. (2003) and we employ a 3D cosine basis. (iii) We propose a new constrained line search path in the Gauss-Newton optimization, which incorporates in a smooth manner lower and upper bounds on the object permittivity, such that these bounds never can be violated along the search path. Single-frequency reconstructions from bipolarized synthetic data are shown for various three-dimensional numerical biological phantoms, including a realistic breast phantom from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (UWCEM) online repository.
Hydrophobic ZnO-TiO2Nanocomposite with Photocatalytic Promoting Self-Cleaning Surface
Authors: Wei Qiang , Wang Shaodan , Li Wei , Yuan Xiaoxue , Bai Yu
Published: October 2015

The hydrophobicity and self-cleaning are the important influence factors on the precision and environment resistance of quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) in detecting organic gas molecules. In this paper, ZnO nanorod array is prepared via the in situ method on the QCM coated with Au film via hydrothermal process. ZnO nanorod array film on QCM is modified byβ-CD in hydrothermal process and then decorated by TiO2after being impregnated in P25 suspension. The results show that as-prepared ZnO-TiO2nanocomposite exhibits excellent hydrophobicity for water molecules and superior self-cleaning property for organic molecules under UV irradiation.
Antimicrobial Activity Evaluation on Silver Doped Hydroxyapatite/Polydimethylsiloxane Composite Layer
Authors: Ciobanu C. S. , Groza A. , Iconaru S. L. , Popa C. L. , Chapon P. , Chifiriuc M. C. , Hristu R. , Stanciu G. A. , Negrila C. C. , Ghita R. V. , Ganciu M. , Predoi D.
Published: October 2015

The goal of this study was the preparation, physicochemical characterization, and microbiological evaluation of novel hydroxyapatite doped with silver/polydimethylsiloxane (Ag:HAp-PDMS) composite layers. In the first stage, the deposition of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer layer on commercially pure Si disks has been produced in atmospheric pressure corona discharges. Finally, the new silver doped hydroxyapatite/polydimethylsiloxane composite layer has been obtained by the thermal evaporation technique. The Ag:HAp-PDMS composite layers were characterized by various techniques, such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The antimicrobial activity of the Ag:HAp-PDMS composite layer was assessed againstCandida albicansATCC 10231 (ATCC—American Type Culture Collection) by culture based and confirmed by SEM and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) methods. This is the first study reporting the antimicrobial effect of the Ag:HAp-PDMS composite layer, which proved to be active againstCandida albicansbiofilm embedded cells.
Impulsive Control of Memristive Chaotic Systems with Impulsive Time Window
Authors: Chen FuLi , Wang Hui , Li Chuandong
Published: October 2015

The problem of impulsive control for memristor-based chaotic circuit systems with impulsive time windows is investigated. Based on comparison principle, several novel criteria which guarantee the asymptotic stabilization of the memristor-based chaotic circuit systems are obtained. In comparison with previous results, the present results are easily verified. Numerical simulations are given to further illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.