bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, In Vivo Anti-Inflammatory Activity, and Molecular Docking Studies of New Isatin Derivatives
Authors: Jarapula Ravi , Gangarapu Kiran , Manda Sarangapani , Rekulapally Sriram
Published: February 2016

A novel synthesis of 2-hydroxy-N′-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene) benzohydrazide derivatives was synthesized by the condensation of 2-hydroxybenzohydrazide with substituted isatins. The synthesized compounds were characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, and mass spectral data. Further, the compounds were screened for in vivo anti-inflammatory activity by carrageenan induced paw edema method. The tested compounds have shown mild-to-moderate anti-inflammatory activity. The compounds VIIc and VIId exhibited 65% and 63% of paw edema reduction, respectively. The molecular docking studies were also carried out into the active site of COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes (PDB ID: 3N8Y, 3LN1, resp.) using VLife MDS 4.3. The compounds VIIc, VIId, and VIIf exhibited good docking scores of −57.27, −62.02, and −58.18 onto the active site of COX-2 and least dock scores of −8.03, −9.17, and −8.94 on COX-1 enzymes and were comparable with standard COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib. A significant correlation was observed between the in silico and the in vivo studies. The anti-inflammatory and docking results highlight the fact that the synthesized compounds VIIc, VIId, and VIIf could be considered as possible hit as therapeutic agents.
The Brief Introduction of Different Laser Diagnostics Methods Used in Aeroengine Combustion Research
Authors: Xing Fei , Huang Yue , Zhao Mengmeng , Zhao Jian
Published: February 2016

Combustion test diagnosis has always been one of the most important technologies for the development of aerospace engineering. The traditional methods of measurement have been unable to meet the requirements of accurate capture of the flow field in the development process of the aeroengine combustor. Therefore, the development of high-precision measurement and diagnostic techniques to meet the needs of the aeroengine combustor design is imperative. Laser diagnostics techniques developed quickly in the past several years. They are used to measure the parameters of the combustion flow field such as velocity, temperature, and components concentration with high space and time resolution and brought no disturbance. Planar laser-induced fluorescence, coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering, tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, and Raman scattering were introduced systemically in this paper. After analysis of their own advantages and disadvantages, the authors considered validated Raman scattering system and Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Tomography are more suitable for research activities on aeroengine combustion systems.
Trends in Extreme Precipitation Indices in Iran: 1951–2007
Authors: Balling Robert C. , Keikhosravi Kiany Mohammad Sadegh , Sen Roy Shouraseni , Khoshhal Javad
Published: February 2016

We investigate trends in extreme precipitation in Iran for 1951–2007 using the recently released APHRODITE daily rainfall time series. We find that seven different indices of extreme precipitation all show an upward trend through the study period. The seven different precipitation indices include annual precipitation total, number of days above a certain threshold, maximum precipitation received over a certain period of time, maximum one-day precipitation, and number of days with precipitation above the 90th percentile. A principal components analysis reveals one eigenvector explaining much of the variance in the seven indices and reveals that this component exhibits a strong upward trend for the whole of Iran. On a regional level, we find that the upward trend in extreme precipitation has a strong southwest-to-northeast gradient across the country for all the indices. We repeated all the analyses for 42 stations across the country to compare with the results from the gridded data; trends in extreme rainfall generated from the station data compare favorably with the results from the APHRODITE daily rainfall time series thereby reinforcing the robustness of our conclusions.
Menoprogen, a TCM Herbal Formula for Menopause, Increases Endogenous E2in an Aged Rat Model of Menopause by Reducing Ovarian Granulosa Cell Apoptosis
Authors: Li Yu , Ma Hong , Lu Ye , Tan B. J. , Xu L. , Lawal Temitope O. , Mahady Gail B. , Liu Daniel
Published: February 2016

The effect of Menoprogen (MPG) on ovarian granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis was investigated in vitro and in vivo in an aged rat model of menopause. Intragastric administration of Menoprogen or estradiol valerate to 14-month-old senile female rats for eight weeks increased plasmaE2levels, as well as the weight of both ovarian and uterine tissues. Flow cytometric (FCM) analysis of isolated GCs from MPG-treated aged rats showed reductions in theG0/G1ratio and apoptotic peaks. Isolated GCs also exhibited an increase in cell size and the number of cytoplastic organelles and intracellular gap junctions, the reappearance of secretory granules, and a lack of apoptotic bodies as determined by TEM. Results from a TdT-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay revealed a reduction in TUNEL-positive GCs after MPG treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a downregulation of proapoptotic Bax proteins and an upregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. The addition of MPG-medicated serum to the media of cultured GCs also reduced cadmium chloride-induced apoptosis and downregulated caspase-3 protein expression. This work demonstrates that Menoprogen inhibits GC apoptosis in aged female rats and thereby increasesE2production. This represents a novel mechanism of action for this herbal medicine in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
An Empirical Study on Evolution of the Connectivity for VANETs Based on Taxi GPS Traces
Authors: Feng Huifang , Xu Youji
Published: February 2016

Network connectivity is a fundamental requirement for intervehicle communication and services in VANETs. The fast movement of the vehicles results in rapid changes in network topology generating dynamic variation in network connectivity, which causes dynamic variation in network connectivity. In this paper, we analyze the evolution of the VANETs connectivity based on the realistic data collected by the GPS devices installed on taxis in Shanghai. The study of the evolution characteristics shows that the number of connected components, the size of the giant component, and the connectivity length time series possess strong temporal correlation and long-range dependence. As a result, the short-range dependent processes such as the exponential, normal, or Poisson distributions cannot capture the statistical distribution characteristics. Moreover, all connectivity parameters cannot be described by unimodal distributions. We also conclude that although the whole topology of the VANETs is broken into a large number of small-sized connected components under small transmission radius, the size of the giant component keeps stable when transmission radius reaches the threshold. These results will be helpful to optimize the RSUs deployment and transmission radius to keep the giant component stable and design more efficient strategies to forward the information in VANETs.
Genotyping ofCryptosporidiumSpecies and Their Clinical Manifestations in Patients with Renal Transplantation and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Dey Asmita , Ghoshal Ujjala , Agarwal Vikas , Ghoshal Uday Chand
Published: February 2016

In the present study we aimed to determine (i) frequency ofCryptosporidiumspecies among patients with renal transplantation (RT) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and (ii) relationship of the nature, severity, and duration of symptoms with different species and load ofCryptosporidium. Stool samples from 70 (42 RT and 28 HIV) and 140 immunocompromised patients with and without cryptosporidiosis by modified Kinyoun’s staining were subjected to qPCR-melting curve analysis for identification of parasite species. qPCR detected one microscopically negative sample to be positive for cryptosporidiosis.C. hominis,C. parvum, and mixed infection were detected in 50/71 (70.4%), 19/71 (26.8%), and 2/71 (2.8%) patients, respectively. Patients with cryptosporidiosis had higher stool frequency (median, IQR: 4, 3–6/d versus 3, 2–4/d;P=0.017) and watery stool (52/71 [73%] versus 64/139 [46%];P=0.003). Parasite load (median, IQR: Log106.37 (5.65–7.12), Log105.81 (4.26–6.65);P=0.046) and nausea/vomiting (29/50 [58%] versus 5/19 [26%];P=0.032) were more frequent withC. hoministhan withC. parvuminfection. Thus,Cryptosporidiumspp. (mainlyC. hominis) is a common cause of diarrhoea in RT and HIV patients.
Energy-Efficient Power Optimization with Spectrum Sensing Errors in OFDMA Cognitive Opportunistic Relay Links
Authors: Feng Li , Kuang Yujun , Fu Xinchuan , Wu Binwei
Published: February 2016

We propose a novel algorithm to optimize the energy efficiency (EE) of OFDM-based cognitive opportunistic relaying links (CORL) under secondary users (SUs) incorrectly sensing the unlicensed spectrum. We formulate an optimization problem with imperfect sensing that satisfies a specified power budget for the secondary users (SUs), while restricting the interference to primary user (PU) in a statistical manner. Unlike all related works in the literature, we consider the effect of subcarrier transmission mode on the relaying links and we additionally consider the effect of limited sensing capabilities of the SUs. The optimization problem is nonconvex and it is transformed to an equivalent problem using the concept of fractional programming. With the aid of the fractional programming method, an EE-oriented power allocation policy with low complexity is proposed which adopts the bisection method to speed up the search of the optimum. Simulation results show that the EE deteriorates as the channel sensing error increases. Comparisons with relevant works from the literature show that the EE is slightly deteriorated if the SU does not account for spectrum sensing errors.
Giant Cell Tumor within the Proximal Tibia after ACL Reconstruction
Authors: Takahashi Takashi , MacCormick Lauren , Ellermann Jutta , Clohisy Denis , Marette Shelly
Published: February 2016

26-year-old female with prior anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction developed an enlarging lytic bone lesion around the tibial screw with sequential imaging over the course of one year demonstrating progression of this finding, which was confirmed histologically to be a giant cell tumor of bone. The lesion originated around the postoperative bed, making the diagnosis challenging during the early course of the presentation. The case demonstrates giant cell tumor which originated in the metaphysis and subsequently grew to involve the epiphysis; therefore, early course of the disease not involving the epiphysis should not exclude this diagnosis.
Enhancing Safety in Water Transport System Based on Internet of Things for Developing Countries
Authors: Mohaimenuzzaman Md , Monzurur Rahman S. M. , Alhussein Musaed , Muhammad Ghulam , Abdullah Al Mamun Khondaker
Published: February 2016

Accidents in inland waterways in developing countries are a regular phenomenon throughout the year causing deaths, injuries, monetary loss, and a significant amount of missing people. In consequence, a lot of families are losing their dear ones leading to much misery. The above context demands an intelligent, safe, and reliable water transport system for the developing countries. The concept of Intelligent Transport System (ITS) can be applied to develop such system; however, there are issues with ITS and Internet of Things (IoT) unlocks a new way of developing it. This paper proposes a model to transform the water transport system into an intelligent system based on IoT. IPv6 based machine-to-machine (M2M) protocol, 3G telecommunication technology, and IEEE 802.15.4 network standard play a significant role in this proposed IoT based system.
Epigenetic Studies Point to DNA Replication/Repair Genes as a Basis for the Heritable Nature of Long Term Complications in Diabetes
Authors: Leontovich Alexey A. , Intine Robert V. , Sarras Michael P.
Published: February 2016

Metabolic memory (MM) is defined as the persistence of diabetic (DM) complications even after glycemic control is pharmacologically achieved. Using a zebrafish diabetic model that induces a MM state, we previously reported that, in this model, tissue dysfunction was of a heritable nature based on cell proliferation studies in limb tissue and this correlated with epigenetic DNA methylation changes that paralleled alterations in gene expression. In the current study, control, DM, and MM excised fin tissues were further analyzed by MeDIP sequencing and microarray techniques. Bioinformatics analysis of the data found that genes of theDNA replication/DNA metabolism processgroup (with upregulation of theapex1, mcm2, mcm4, orc3,lig1, anddnmt1 genes) were altered in the DM state and these molecular changes continued into MM. Interestingly, DNA methylation changes could be found as far as 6–13 kb upstream of the transcription start site for these genes suggesting potential higher levels of epigenetic control. In conclusion, DNA methylation changes in members of theDNA replication/repair processgroup best explain the heritable nature of cell proliferation impairment found in the zebrafish DM/MM model. These results are consistent with human diabetic epigenetic studies and provide one explanation for the persistence of long term tissue complications as seen in diabetes.
The SELFNET Approach for Autonomic Management in an NFV/SDN Networking Paradigm
Authors: Neves Pedro , Calé Rui , Costa Mário Rui , Parada Carlos , Parreira Bruno , Alcaraz-Calero Jose , Wang Qi , Nightingale James , Chirivella-Perez Enrique , Jiang Wei , Schotten Hans Dieter , Koutsopoulos Konstantinos , Gavras Anastasius , Barros Maria João
Published: February 2016

To meet the challenging key performance indicators of the fifth generation (5G) system, the network infrastructure becomes more heterogeneous and complex. This will bring a high pressure on the reduction of OPEX and the improvement of the user experience. Hence, shifting today's manual and semi-automatic network management into an autonomic and intelligent framework will play a vital role in the upcoming 5G system. Based on the cutting-edge technologies, such as Software-Defined Networking and Network Function Virtualization, a novel management framework upon the software-defined and Virtualized Network is proposed by EU H2020 SELFNET project. In the paper, the reference architecture of SELFNET, which is divided into Infrastructure Layer, Virtualized Network Layer, SON Control Layer, SON Autonomic Layer, NFV Orchestration and Management Layer, and Access Layer, will be presented.
WATI: Warning of Traffic Incidents for Fuel Saving
Authors: Corcoba Magaña V. , Muñoz-Organero M.
Published: February 2016

Traffic incidents (heavy traffic, adverse weather conditions, and traffic accidents) cause an increase in the frequency and intensity of the acceleration and deceleration. The result is a very significant increase in fuel consumption. In this paper, we propose a solution to reduce the impact of such events on energy consumption. The solution detects the traffic incidents based on measured telemetry data from vehicles and the different driver profiles. The proposal takes into account the rolling resistance coefficient, the road slope angle, and the vehicles speeds, from vehicles which are on the scene of the traffic incident, in order to estimate the optimal deceleration profile. Adapted advice and feedback are provided to the drivers in order to appropriately and timely release the accelerator pedal. The expert system is implemented on Android mobile devices and has been validated using a dataset of 150 tests using 15 different drivers. The main contribution of this paper is the proposal of a system to detect traffic incidents and provide an optimal deceleration pattern for the driver to follow without requiring sensors on the road. The results show an improvement on the fuel consumption of up to 13.47%.
Physiologic Functional Evaluation of Left Internal Mammary Artery Graft to Left Anterior Descending Coronary Artery Steal due to Unligated First Thoracic Branch in a Case of Refractory Angina
Authors: Sawaya Fadi J. , Liberman Henry , Devireddy Chandan
Published: February 2016

Unligated side branches of the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) have been described in the literature as a cause of coronary steal resulting in angina. Despite a number of studies reporting successful side branch embolization to relieve symptoms, this phenomenon remains controversial. Hemodynamic evidence of coronary steal using angiographic and intravascular Doppler techniques has been supported by some and rejected by others. In this case study using an intracoronary Doppler wire with adenosine, we demonstrate that a trial occlusion of the LIMA thoracic side branch with selective balloon inflation can confirm physiologic significant steal and whether coil embolization of the side branch is indicated.
Prismatic Adaptation Induces Plastic Changes onto Spatial and Temporal Domains in Near and Far Space
Authors: Patané Ivan , Farnè Alessandro , Frassinetti Francesca
Published: February 2016

A large literature has documented interactions between space and time suggesting that the two experiential domains may share a common format in a generalized magnitude system (ATOM theory). To further explore this hypothesis, here we measured the extent to which time and space are sensitive to the same sensorimotor plasticity processes, as induced by classical prismatic adaptation procedures (PA). We also exanimated whether spatial-attention shifts on time and space processing, produced through PA, extend to stimuli presented beyond the immediate near space. Results indicated that PA affected both temporal and spatial representations not only in the near space (i.e., the region within which the adaptation occurred), but also in the far space. In addition, both rightward and leftward PA directions caused opposite and symmetrical modulations on time processing, whereas only leftward PA biased space processing rightward. We discuss these findings within the ATOM framework and models that account for PA effects on space and time processing. We propose that the differential and asymmetrical effects following PA may suggest that temporal and spatial representations are not perfectly aligned.
Time Decay for Nonlinear Dissipative Schrödinger Equations in Optical Fields
Authors: Hayashi Nakao , Li Chunhua , Naumkin Pavel I.
Published: February 2016

We consider the initial value problem for the nonlinear dissipative Schrödinger equations with a gauge invariant nonlinearityλup-1uof orderpn
p-1/2pRe λas in the previous works.
Could In-Home Sensors Surpass Human Observation of People with Parkinson’s at High Risk of Falling? An Ethnographic Study
Authors: Stack Emma , King Rachel , Janko Balazs , Burnett Malcolm , Hammersley Nicola , Agarwal Veena , Hannuna Sion , Burrows Alison , Ashburn Ann
Published: February 2016

Self-report underpins our understanding of falls among people with Parkinson’s (PwP) as they largely happen unwitnessed at home. In this qualitative study, we used an ethnographic approach to investigatewhichin-home sensors, inwhichlocations, could gather useful data about fall risk. Over six weeks, we observed five independently mobile PwP at high risk of falling, at home. We made field notes about falls (prior events and concerns) and recorded movement with video, Kinect, and wearable sensors. The three women and two men (aged 71 to 79 years) having moderate or severe Parkinson’s were dependent on others and highly sedentary. We most commonly noted balance protection, loss, and restoration during chair transfers, walks across open spaces and through gaps, turns, steps up and down, and tasks in standing (all evident walking between chair and stairs, e.g.). Our unobtrusive sensors were acceptable to participants: they could detect instability during everyday activity at home and potentially guide intervention. Monitoring the route between chair and stairs is likely to give information without invading the privacy of people at high risk of falling, with very limited mobility, who spend most of the day in their sitting rooms.
Rotigotine Objectively Improves Sleep in Parkinson’s Disease: An Open-Label Pilot Study with Actigraphic Recording
Authors: Calandra-Buonaura Giovanna , Guaraldi Pietro , Doria Andrea , Zanigni Stefano , Nassetti Stefania , Favoni Valentina , Cevoli Sabina , Provini Federica , Cortelli Pietro
Published: February 2016

Sleep disturbances represent important predictors of poor quality of life (QoL) in Parkinson’s disease (PD). This open-label pilot study aimed to objectively assess, by means of actigraphic recording, effect of rotigotine on sleep in PD patients with self-reported sleep complaints. 15 PD patients underwent one-week actigraphic recording before (T0) and during (T1) rotigotine treatment, which was titrated to the dose subjectively improving motor symptoms (4–8 mg/24 h). Sleep disturbances, daytime sleepiness, cognitive performance, QoL, and depression were also evaluated with questionnaires. Actigraphic recordings showed a significant reduction in nocturnal motor activity and mean duration of wake episodes after sleep onset during rotigotine treatment compared to baseline. In 10 patients presenting objective evidence of poor sleep quality at T0 (sleep efficiency ≤ 85%), rotigotine also significantly improved other sleep parameters and further reduced nocturnal motor activity and mean duration of wake episodes. A significant decrease in number and duration of daytime sleep episodes was also observed at T1. Finally we confirmed that rotigotine significantly improves perceived sleep quality and QoL. Our study showed for the first time that rotigotine is associated with an objective improvement of nocturnal and diurnal sleep disturbances in PD patients with self-reported sleep complaints. This study is registered with AIFA-observational study registry number 12021.
The EpiNo® Device: Efficacy, Tolerability, and Impact on Pelvic Floor—Implications for Future Research
Authors: Kavvadias Tilemachos , Hoesli Irene
Published: February 2016

Aims.The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the available literature on preventing perineal trauma with the EpiNo.Methods. We perfomed a literature research in the MedLine and EMBASE databases for studies referring to EpiNo published between 1990 and 2014, without restrictions for language and study type.Results.Five published studies were identified, regarding the effect of EpiNo on the rate of episiotomy and perineal tears, pelvic floor muscle function, and fetal outcome. The device seems to reduce episiotomy and perineal tears’ rate, as well as the risk for levator ani microtrauma and avulsion, though not always statistically significant. It does not seem to have an effect on duration of second stage of labour and fetal outcome. The device is well tolerated and the adverse events are rare and mild. However, design and reporting bias in the reviewed articles do not allow evidence based conclusions.Conclusions. The EpiNo device seems to be promising, with potential positive effects on natural birth, while being uncomplicated to use and without major complications. Well designed, randomized trials are needed in order to understand the effects of EpiNo on pelvic floor and make evidence based recommendations on its use.
Sol-Gel Derived Mg-Based Ceramic Scaffolds Doped with Zinc or Copper Ions: Preliminary Results on Their Synthesis, Characterization, and Biocompatibility
Authors: Theodorou Georgios S. , Kontonasaki Eleana , Theocharidou Anna , Bakopoulou Athina , Bousnaki Maria , Hadjichristou Christina , Papachristou Eleni , Papadopoulou Lambrini , Kantiranis Nikolaos A. , Chrissafis Konstantinos , Paraskevopoulos Konstantinos M. , Koidis Petros T.
Published: February 2016

Glass-ceramic scaffolds containing Mg have shown recently the potential to enhance the proliferation, differentiation, and biomineralization of stem cells in vitro, property that makes them promising candidates for dental tissue regeneration. An additional property of a scaffold aimed at dental tissue regeneration is to protect the regeneration process against oral bacteria penetration. In this respect, novel bioactive scaffolds containing Mg2+and Cu2+or Zn2+, ions known for their antimicrobial properties, were synthesized by the foam replica technique and tested regarding their bioactive response in SBF, mechanical properties, degradation, and porosity. Finally their ability to support the attachment and long-term proliferation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs) was also evaluated. The results showed that conversely to their bioactive response in SBF solution, Zn-doped scaffolds proved to respond adequately regarding their mechanical strength and to be efficient regarding their biological response, in comparison to Cu-doped scaffolds, which makes them promising candidates for targeted dental stem cell odontogenic differentiation and calcified dental tissue engineering.
Challenges: From Standards to Implementation for Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ma Jian , Wang Hongchao , Yang Dong , Cheng Yujun
Published: February 2016

Despite the fact that a number of research efforts in the area of Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks (IWSNs) exist, there is a lack of really practical IWSN implementations, deployments, and in-field applications. This paper presents the design and implementation of an IWSN for welder machine systems, called WirelessCAN which is based on WirelessHART to replace wired CAN fieldbus. Although the implementation and challenges are application-specific, we believe that the problems we encountered will be faced by many IWSN designers. In this paper, selected challenges exposed in our implementation and the potential solutions are introduced, which have not been addressed previously. Specifically, communication resource constraint, real-time rescheduling, integrated knowledge for IWSN applications, centralized control architecture, reliable and immediate message delivery for human and equipment safety, and differential QoS requirements are discussed in detail and in depth. The goal of this paper is to make the design and implementation of IWSNs more efficient and applicable.
Cancer Related Fatigue and Quality of Life in Patients with Advanced Prostate Cancer Undergoing Chemotherapy
Authors: Charalambous Andreas , Kouta Christiana
Published: February 2016

Cancer related fatigue (CRF) is a common and debilitating symptom that can influence quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients. The increase in survival times stresses for a better understanding of how CRF affects patients’ QoL. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study with 148 randomly recruited prostate cancer patients aiming to explore CRF and its impact on QoL. Assessments included the Cancer Fatigue Scale, EORTC QLQ-C30, and EORTC QLQ-PR25. Additionally, 15 in-depth structured interviews were performed. Quantitative data were analyzed with simple and multiple regression analysis and independent samplest-test. Qualitative data were analyzed with the use of thematic content analysis. The 66.9% of the patients experienced CRF with higher levels being recorded for the affective subscale. Statistically significant differences were found between the patients reporting CRF and lower levels of QoL (mean = 49.1) and those that did not report fatigue and had higher levels of QoL (mean = 72.1). The interviews emphasized CRF’s profound impact on the patients’ lives that was reflected on the following themes: “dependency on others,” “loss of power over decision making,” and “daily living disruption.” Cancer related fatigue is a significant problem for patients with advanced prostate cancer and one that affects their QoL in various ways.
Loperamide Induced Torsades de Pointes: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Mukarram O. , Hindi Y. , Catalasan G. , Ward J.
Published: February 2016

Abuse of over the counter drugs often gets overlooked by health care providers. Loperamide is one such over the counter drug that is often abused by drug addicts. We present here a case of a young male attaining euphoria from taking massive doses of loperamide. He developed Torsades de Pointes and subsequent cardiac arrest. We found similarities in the progression of myocardial electrical conduction abnormalities among loperamide and other previously known arrhythmogenic drugs. We intend to raise concern over the ease of availability of such drugs over the counter and increase the index of suspicion for over the counter drug abuse from our experience.
Comparative Assessment of GaN as a Microwave Source with Si and SiC for Mixed Mode Operation at Submillimetre Wave Band of Frequency
Authors: Panda Pranati , Padhi Satya Narayan , Dash Gana Nath
Published: February 2016

The potentials of GaN, SiC, and Si for application as microwave sources in mixed tunnelling avalanche transit time mode operation at submillimetre wave (sub-mm wave) frequency around 0.35 terahertz (THz) are investigated using some computer simulation methods. Design criteria to choose width, doping concentration, and area are highlighted. From the results of our simulation we observed that the Si diode produces the least power output of 41 mW followed by the GaN diode with 760 mW and the SiC diode with 2.89 W. In addition, the GaN diode has more noise than the SiC diode (by 5 dB) as well as the Si diode (by 10 dB). The drastically different performance between the GaN and the SiC diode is attributed to the incorporation of disparate carrier velocity in GaN which were not being used by other authors. In spite of the low power and high noise of the GaN compared to the SiC diode, the presence of several peaks in the mean square noise voltage curves and the existence of several minima in the noise measure curves would open a new direction in the design of GaN low-noise ATT diodes capable of multifrequency tuning like a DAR diode.
Formation and Biopharmaceutical Characterization of Electrospun PVP Mats with Propolis and Silver Nanoparticles for Fast Releasing Wound Dressing
Authors: Adomavičiūtė Erika , Stanys Sigitas , Žilius Modestas , Juškaitė Vaida , Pavilonis Alvydas , Briedis Vitalis
Published: February 2016

Antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities of propolis and its ability to stimulate the immune system and promote wound healing make it a proper component for wound dressing materials. Silver nanoparticles are recognized to demonstrate strong antiseptic and antimicrobial activity; thus, it also could be considered in the development of products for wound healing. Combining propolis and silver nanoparticles can result in improved characteristics of products designed for wound healing and care. The aim of this study was to formulate electrospun fast dissolving mats for wound dressing containing propolis ethanolic extract and silver nanoparticles. Produced electrospun nano/microfiber mats were evaluated studying their structure, dissolution rate, release of propolis phenolic compounds and silver nanoparticles, and antimicrobial activity. Biopharmaceutical characterization of electrospun mats demonstrated fast release of propolis phenolic compounds and silver nanoparticles. Evaluation of antimicrobial activity onStaphylococcus aureus,Staphylococcus epidermidis,Enterococcus faecalis,Escherichia coli,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,Proteus vulgaris,Bacillus subtilis,Bacillus cereus, andCandida albicansstrains confirmed the ability of electrospun mats to inhibit the growth of the tested microorganisms.
Twelve-Year Trends of PM10and Visibility in the Hefei Metropolitan Area of China
Authors: Huang Lin , Chen Mindong , Hu Jianlin
Published: February 2016

China has been experiencing severe air pollution and previous studies have mostly focused on megacities and a few hot spot regions. Hefei, the provincial capital city of Anhui province, has a population of near 5 million in its metropolitan area, but its air quality has not been reported in literature. In this study, daily PM10and visibility data in 2001–2012 were analyzed to investigate the air quality status as well as the twelve-year pollution trends in Hefei. The results reveal that Hefei has been suffering high PM10pollution and low visibility during the study period. The annual average PM10concentrations are 2~3 times of the Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standard. PM10shows fluctuating variation in 2001–2007 and has a slightly decreasing trend after 2008. The annual average visibility range is generally lower than 7 km and shows a worsening trend from 2001 to 2006 followed by an improving trend from 2007 to 2012. Wind speed, precipitation, and relative humidity have negative effects on PM10concentrations in Hefei, while temperature could positively or negatively affect PM10. The results provide a general understanding of the status and long-term trends of PM10pollution and visibility in a typical second-tier city in China.
A Method to Construct Generalized Fibonacci Sequences
Authors: García-Máynez Adalberto , Acosta Adolfo Pimienta
Published: February 2016

The main purpose of this paper is to study the convergence properties of Generalized Fibonacci Sequences and the series of partial sums associated with them. When the proper values of ans×sreal matrixAare real and different, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for the convergence of the matrix sequenceA,A2,A3,…to a matrixB.
Exact Boundary Derivative Formulation for Numerical Conformal Mapping Method
Authors: Lo Wei-Lin , Wu Nan-Jing , Chen Chuin-Shan , Tsay Ting-Kuei
Published: February 2016

Conformal mapping is a useful technique for handling irregular geometries when applying the finite difference method to solve partial differential equations. When the mapping is from a hyperrectangular region onto a rectangular region, a specific length-to-width ratio of the rectangular region that fitted the Cauchy-Riemann equations must be satisfied. In this research, a numerical integral method is proposed to find the specific length-to-width ratio. It is conventional to employ the boundary integral method (BIEM) to perform the conformal mapping. However, due to the singularity produced by the BIEM in seeking the derivatives on the boundaries, the transformation Jacobian determinants on the boundaries have to be evaluated at inner points instead of directly on the boundaries. This approximation is a source of numerical error. In this study, the transformed rectangular property and the Cauchy-Riemann equations are successfully applied to derive reduced formulations of the derivatives on the boundaries for the BIEM. With these boundary derivative formulations, the Jacobian determinants can be evaluated directly on the boundaries. Furthermore, the results obtained are more accurate than those of the earlier mapping method.
Group B Streptococcal Septic Arthritis of the Shoulder and Potential Association with Pelvic Examination and PAP Smear
Authors: Daner William E. , Meeks Brett D. , Foster William C. , Boardman Norman D.
Published: February 2016

Group B streptococcal (GBS) infection of a native joint in a nonpregnant adult is uncommon. While many women are colonized with this flora, it rarely becomes pathogenic in its adult host. GBS associated joint infections have been reported, most of which have been related to hematogenous seeding from unknown sources. To our knowledge, there are no published case reports of a GBS joint infection in association with a pelvic exam and Papanicolaou (PAP) smear. In this case report, we present a case of GBS sepsis of a native shoulder, possibly resulting from a routine pelvic exam and PAP smear.
HPTLC Fingerprints of Various Secondary Metabolites in the Traditional Medicinal HerbHypochaeris radicataL.
Authors: Senguttuvan Jamuna , Subramaniam Paulsamy
Published: February 2016

The aim of this work was to elucidate the various secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, glycosides, saponins, and terpenoids in the methanolic leaf and root extracts ofHypochaeris radicata, a most important traditional medicinal plant species in Nilgiris, the Western Ghats, India, using high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). This study was carried out using CAMAG HPTLC system equipped with LINOMAT 5 applicator, TLC scanner 3, Reprostar 3, and winCATS 1.3.4 software. A comprehensive assortment of phytoconstituents in methanolic extracts through HPTLC fingerprinting profiles displayed the existence of alkaloids (3 in leaf and 1 in root extract), flavonoids (4 in leaf extract and 5 in root extract), glycosides (1 in leaf extract and 3 in root extract), saponins (1 in root extract), and terpenoids (1 in leaf and root extracts, resp.). The current study overlays boulevard forH. radicatato provide a direction for further exploration in precluding communicable and noncommunicable ailments.
Specific Anthocyanin Contents of Whole Blue Maize Second-Generation Snacks: An Evaluation Using Response Surface Methodology and Lime Cooking Extrusion
Authors: Escalante-Aburto Anayansi , Ponce-García Néstor , Ramírez-Wong Benjamín , Torres-Chávez Patricia Isabel , Figueroa-Cárdenas Juan de Dios , Gutiérrez-Dorado Roberto
Published: February 2016

Lime cooking extrusion (LCE) is a widely applied technology for producing second-generation snacks, as an alternative to traditional nixtamalization (TN). Pigmented maize has been used to produce snacks with similar organoleptic characteristics to TN products and to obtain a product with additional functional benefits due to the anthocyanic compounds contained in those grains. However, during the process, anthocyanins are degraded, and several chemical modifications occur. Response surface methodology is applied to evaluate extrusion factors and their effects on the response variables of extrudates. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in specific anthocyanins after extrusion in second-generation blue maize snacks. Three anthocyanins were identified and quantified by HPLC-UV-DAD: cyanidin 3-glucoside and pelargonidin 3-glucoside, which have been previously reported in blue maize and its products, and cyanidin 3,5-diglucoside. Higher retention values were found in the extrudates making LCE a viable option for producing second-generation blue maize snacks.
Acute Kidney Injury Associated with Linagliptin
Authors: Nandikanti Deepak K. , Gosmanova Elvira O. , Gosmanov Aidar R.
Published: February 2016

Linagliptin is a dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitor that is approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. About 5% of linagliptin is eliminated by the kidneys and no dose adjustment is recommended in kidney impairment. We report a first case of linagliptin-associated acute kidney injury (AKI) in a patient with preexisting chronic kidney disease (CKD). We hypothesize that AKI was due to renal hypoperfusion from linagliptin-induced natriuresis and intravascular volume contraction in the setting of concomitant lisinopril use, which is known to impair autoregulation and potentiate hypotension-induced AKI. It may be prudent to exert caution and closely monitor kidney function when initiating linagliptin in combination with ACE-inhibitors in CKD patients.
Growth Hormone Influence on the Morphology and Size of the Mouse Meibomian Gland
Authors: Liu Yang , Knop Erich , Knop Nadja , Sullivan David A. , List Edward O. , Kopchick John J. , Kam Wendy R. , Ding Juan
Published: February 2016

Purpose. We hypothesize that growth hormone (GH) plays a significant role in the regulation of the meibomian gland. To test our hypothesis, we examined the influence of GH on mouse meibomian gland structure.Methods. We studied four groups of mice, including (1) bovine (b) GH transgenic mice with excess GH; (2) GH receptor (R) antagonist (A) transgenic mice with decreased GH; (3) GHR knockout (−/−) mice with no GH activity; and (4) wild type (WT) control mice. After mouse sacrifice, eyelids were processed for morphological and image analyses.Results. Our results show striking structural changes in the GH-deficient animals. Many of the GHR−/− and GHA meibomian glands featured hyperkeratinized and thickened ducts, acini inserting into duct walls, and poorly differentiated acini. In contrast, the morphology of WT and bGH meibomian glands appeared similar. The sizes of meibomian glands of bGH mice were significantly larger and those of GHA and GHR−/− mice were significantly smaller than glands of WT mice.Conclusions. Our findings support our hypothesis that the GH/IGF-1 axis plays a significant role in the control of the meibomian gland. In addition, our data show that GH modulates the morphology and size of this tissue.
Equivariant Hopf Bifurcation in a Time-Delayed Ring of Antigenic Variants
Authors: Ncube Israel
Published: February 2016

We consider an intrahost malaria model allowing for antigenic variation within a single species. The host’s immune response is compartmentalised into reactions to major and minor epitopes. We investigate the dynamics of the model, paying particular attention to bifurcation and stability of the uniform nonzero endemic equilibrium. We establish conditions for the existence of an equivariant Hopf bifurcation in a ring of antigenic variants, characterised by time delay.
Optimized Biotransformation of Icariin into Icariside II byβ-Glucosidase fromTrichoderma virideUsing Central Composite Design Method
Authors: Cheng Tao , Yang Jun , Zhang Tong , Yang Yi-Shun , Ding Yue
Published: February 2016

A crudeβ-glucosidase has been produced fromTrichoderma virideand used to explore a simple method to prepare icariside II from icariin. The crude enzyme has been studied by zymography method and used for hydrolysis of ICA. To achieve a high conversion rate of ICA, various factors have been studied including pH, reaction time, temperature, initial concentration of enzyme, and initial concentration of ICA through central composite design experiments. In the condition of the optimum hydrolysis parameters with pH 4.0, 41°C, 1.0 mg/mL ICA, and 9.8 U/mL crudeβ-glucosidase, the conversion rate of ICA reached 95.03% at 1 h. Moreover, the cytotoxicity test showed that ICA II performed inhibition effects on proliferation of A549 cell, while ICA has no cytotoxicity. It indicated that the hydrolysis transformation study of ICA is valuable for exploration of active new drugs.
An Optimization Model for Design of Asphalt Pavements Based on IHAP Code Number 234
Authors: Ghanizadeh Ali Reza
Published: February 2016

Pavement construction is one of the most costly parts of transportation infrastructures. Incommensurate design and construction of pavements, in addition to the loss of the initial investment, would impose indirect costs to the road users and reduce road safety. This paper aims to propose an optimization model to determine the optimal configuration as well as the optimum thickness of different pavement layers based on the Iran Highway Asphalt Paving Code Number 234 (IHAP Code 234). After developing the optimization model, the optimum thickness of pavement layers for secondary rural roads, major rural roads, and freeways was determined based on the recommended prices in “Basic Price List for Road, Runway and Railway” of Iran in 2015 and several charts were developed to determine the optimum thickness of pavement layers including asphalt concrete, granular base, and granular subbase with respect to road classification, design traffic, and resilient modulus of subgrade. Design charts confirm that in the current situation (material prices in 2015), application of asphalt treated layer in pavement structure is not cost effective. Also it was shown that, with increasing the strength of subgrade soil, the subbase layer may be removed from the optimum structure of pavement.
Bacteria Foraging Algorithm in Antenna Design
Authors: Mangaraj Biswa Binayak , Jena Manas Ranjan , Mohanty Saumendra Kumar
Published: February 2016

A simple design procedure to realize an optimum antenna using bacteria foraging algorithm (BFA) is proposed in this paper. The first antenna considered is imaginary. This antenna is optimized using the BFA along with a suitable fitness function formulated by considering some performance parameters and their best values. To justify the optimum design approach, one 12-element Yagi-Uda antenna is considered for an experiment. The optimized result of this antenna obtained using the optimization algorithm is compared with nonoptimized (conventional) result of the same antenna to appreciate the importance of optimization.
Macular Amyloidosis and Epstein-Barr Virus
Authors: Nahidi Yalda , Tayyebi Meibodi Naser , Meshkat Zahra , Nazeri Narges
Published: February 2016

Background. Amyloidosis is extracellular precipitation of eosinophilic hyaline material of self-origin with special staining features and fibrillar ultrastructure. Macular amyloidosis is limited to the skin, and several factors have been proposed for its pathogenesis. Detection of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA in this lesion suggests that this virus can play a role in pathogenesis of this disease.Objective. EBV DNA detection was done on 30 skin samples with a diagnosis of macular amyloidosis and 31 healthy skin samples in the margin of removed melanocytic nevi by using PCR.Results. In patients positive for beta-globin gene in PCR, BLLF1 gene of EBV virus was positive in 23 patients (8 patients in case and 15 patients in the control group). There was no significant difference in presence of EBV DNA between macular amyloidosis (3.8%) and control (23.8%) groups (P=0.08).Conclusion. The findings of this study showed that EBV is not involved in pathogenesis of macular amyloidosis.
Sulfatide Preserves Insulin Crystals Not by Being Integrated in the Lattice but by Stabilizing Their Surface
Authors: Buschard Karsten , Bracey Austin W. , McElroy Daniel L. , Magis Andrew T. , Osterbye Thomas , Atkinson Mark A. , Bailey Kate M. , Posgai Amanda L. , Ostrov David A.
Published: February 2016

Background. Sulfatide is known to chaperone insulin crystallization within the pancreatic beta cell, but it is not known if this results from sulfatide being integrated inside the crystal structure or by binding the surface of the crystal. With this study, we aimed to characterize the molecular mechanisms underlying the integral role for sulfatide in stabilizing insulin crystals prior to exocytosis.Methods. We cocrystallized human insulin in the presence of sulfatide and solved the structure by molecular replacement.Results. The crystal structure of insulin crystallized in the presence of sulfatide does not reveal ordered occupancy representing sulfatide in the crystal lattice, suggesting that sulfatide does not permeate the crystal lattice but exerts its stabilizing effect by alternative interactions such as on the external surface of insulin crystals.Conclusions. Sulfatide is known to stabilize insulin crystals, and we demonstrate here that in beta cells sulfatide is likely coating insulin crystals. However, there is no evidence for sulfatide to be built into the crystal lattice.
Recent Advances and Perspective of Studies on Phlegm Syndrome in Chinese Medicine
Authors: Zhang Zhiguo , Hu Jingqing
Published: February 2016

This review paper summarized the current situation of studies on the essence of phlegm syndrome and relation between phlegm syndrome, diseases, and therapeutics based on published English articles. In studies on the essence of phlegm syndrome, omic technologies were used to explore the molecular basis of phlegm syndrome; in studies on relation between phlegm syndrome and diseases, discovery of markers of phlegm syndrome in diseases becomes a hotspot; the distribution of phlegm syndromes in some common chronic diseases was found; in the therapy of phlegm syndrome, two therapeutic models, treatment with CM formula and treatment with a combination of CM formula and Western medicine, were used most frequently. It is certainly that using one omic technology is not able to deal with the complexity of phlegm syndrome and that the use of a combination of multiple omic methods will be a trend in future studies. Meanwhile, for rapidly increasing clinical research quality of phlegm syndrome, a series of agreed criteria, such as syndrome diagnostic criteria and efficacy criteria clinical studies of phlegm syndrome, needed to be established urgently, and there was an urgent need of standardizing syndrome names in English.