bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Hippocampus Susceptible to Antinociceptive Tolerance to NSAIDs Like the Periaqueductal Grey?
Authors: Tsiklauri Nana , Nozadze Ivliane , Gurtskaia Gulnazi , Tsagareli Merab G.
Published: April 2014

Emotional distress is the most undesirable feature of painful experience. Numerous studies have demonstrated the important role of the limbic system in the affective-motivational component of pain. The purpose of this paper was to examine whether microinjection of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Clodifen, Ketorolac, and Xefocam, into the dorsal hippocampus (DH) leads to the development of antinociceptive tolerance in male rats. We found that microinjection of these NSAIDs into the DH induces antinociception as revealed by a latency increase in the tail-flick (TF) and hot plate (HP) tests compared to controls treated with saline into the DH. Subsequent tests on consecutive three days, however, showed that the antinociceptive effect of NSAIDs progressively decreased, suggesting tolerance developed to this effect of NSAIDs. Both pretreatment and posttreatment with the opioid antagonist naloxone into the DH significantly reduced the antinociceptive effect of NSAIDs in both pain models. Our data indicate that microinjection of NSAIDs into the DH induces antinociception which is mediated via the opioid system and exhibits tolerance.
Some Basic Aspects of HLA-G Biology
Authors: Alegre Estibaliz , Rizzo Roberta , Bortolotti Daria , Fernandez-Landázuri Sara , Fainardi Enrico , González Alvaro
Published: April 2014

Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) is a low polymorphic nonclassical HLA-I molecule restrictively expressed and with suppressive functions. HLA-G gene products are quite complex, with seven HLA-G isoforms, four membrane bound, and other three soluble isoforms that can suffer different posttranslational modifications or even complex formations. In addition, HLA-G has been described included in exosomes. In this review we will focus on HLA-G biochemistry with special emphasis to the mechanisms that regulate its expression and how the protein modifications affect the quantification in biological fluids.
Exact Solutions of the Symmetric Regularized Long Wave Equation and the Klein-Gordon-Zakharov Equations
Authors: Mhlanga Isaiah Elvis , Khalique Chaudry Masood
Published: April 2014

We study two nonlinear partial differential equations, namely, the symmetric regularized long wave equation and the Klein-Gordon-Zakharov equations. The Lie symmetry approach along with the simplest equation and exp-function methods are used to obtain solutions of the symmetric regularized long wave equation, while the travelling wave hypothesis approach along with the simplest equation method is utilized to obtain new exact solutions of the Klein-Gordon-Zakharov equations.
Hypersensitivity and the Working Environment for Allergy Nurses in Sweden
Authors: Kalm-Stephens Pia , Sterner Therese , Kronholm Diab Kerstin , Smedje Greta
Published: April 2014

Background. Allergy nurses are exposed to allergens and respiratory irritants, and there are no national guidelines addressing personnel safety when working with these agents. Objective. To investigate the prevalence of allergies, asthma, and hypersensitivity symptoms among allergy nurses and the use of protective equipment and measures when working with allergen concentrates and respiratory irritants. Methods. A questionnaire survey was performed among the members of the Swedish Association of Allergy Nurses. Results. Diagnosed asthma was reported by 17%, while 18% had allergy to pets, 28% had allergy to pollens, and 26% reported nasal symptoms. Fifty-one percent reported a history of asthma, allergic diseases, or hypersensitivity symptoms in their family. Exhaust ventilation was used by 24% during skin prick tests, 17% during allergen specific immunotherapy, and 33% when performing methacholine challenge tests. Tightly closed containers for disposable waste were used by 58% during skin prick tests, by 60% during immunotherapy, and by 40% during Pc provocation tests. Conclusion. Allergy nurses had a tendency to increased prevalence of lower respiratory symptoms, asthma, and allergic rhinitis and more than half of the nurses had a family history of asthma, allergic diseases, or hypersensitivity symptoms. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the validity of these results.
A Phase IV Clinical Trial of Patients with Solid Tumors Receiving Lenograstim as Primary Prophylaxis for Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia, in a Docetaxel-Based Regimen
Authors: Fourie Samuel J. , McMaster Alicia , Mothilal Rashem , Maart Keith I.
Published: April 2014

Docetaxel-based chemotherapy regimens have substantially improved survival and recurrence rates for cancer patients. Safety profile of docetaxel regimens includes toxicities, particularly a high risk of neutropenia and febrile neutropenia. Granotax was a prospective, open label, multicentre, national phase IV study that evaluated the incidence and severity of neutropenia in adult patients with solid tumors being treated with a docetaxel-based regimen while receiving the GCSF lenograstim. Among the 394 enrolled patients the incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia was 16.2% and of febrile neutropenia was 1.5%, far lower than the reported 85–100% and 30–40% incidence without G-CSFs. A total of 68 patients (17.3%) were reported to have experienced at least one grade 3-4 adverse event during the study. Two (0.5%) patients and 32 (8.1%) patients had dose delayed due to febrile neutropenia and neutropenia, respectively. Four (1.0%) patients and 32 (8.1%) patients had a dose changed due to febrile neutropenia and neutropenia, respectively. The low incidence of adverse effects and chemotherapy dose changes, delays, and withdrawals supports the use of lenograstim as effective primary prophylaxis in South African patients being treated with a docetaxel-based regimen. Furthermore, lenograstim may increase the patient’s exposure to chemotherapy allowing patients to receive optimal dosing and duration of treatment, benefitting survival.
Active Elastic Support/Dry Friction Damper with Piezoelectric Ceramic Actuator
Authors: Mingfu Liao , Mingbo Song , Siji Wang
Published: April 2014

The basic operation principle of elastic support/dry friction damper in rotor system was introduced and the unbalance response of the rotor with elastic support/dry friction damper was analyzed theoretically. Based on the previous structure using an electromagnet as actuator, an active elastic support/dry friction damper using piezoelectric ceramic actuator was designed and its effectiveness of reducing rotor vibration when rotor traverses its critical speed and blade-out event happened was experimentally verified. The experimental results show that the active elastic support/dry friction damper with piezoelectric ceramic actuator can significantly reduce vibration in rotor system; the vibration amplitude of the rotor in critical speed region decreased more than 2 times, and the active damper can protect the rotor when a blade-out event happened, so the rotor can traverse the critical speed and shut down smoothly. In addition, the structure is much simpler than the previous, the weight was reduced by half and the power consumption was only 5 W.
Single Charge Current in a Normal Mesoscopic Region Attached to Superconductor Leads via a Coupled Poisson Nonequilibrium Green Function Formalism
Authors: Verrilli David , Marin F. P. , Rangel Rafael
Published: April 2014

We study theI-Vcharacteristic of mesoscopic systems or quantum dot (QD) attached to a pair of superconducting leads. Interaction effects in the QD are considered through the charging energy of the QD; that is, the treatment of current transport under a voltage bias is performed within a coupled Poisson nonequilibrium Green function (PNEGF) formalism. We derive the expression for the current in full generality but consider only the regime where transport occurs only via a single particle current. We show for this case and for various charging energies valuesU0and associated capacitances of the QD the effect on theI-Vcharacteristic. Also the influence of the coupling constants on theI-Vcharacteristic is investigated. Our approach puts forward a novel interpretation of experiments in the strong Coulomb regime.
Roles of Chemical Complexity and Evolutionary Theory in Some Hepatic and Intestinal Enzymatic Systems in Chemical Reproducibility and Clinical Efficiency of Herbal Derivatives
Authors: Di Pierro Francesco
Published: April 2014

Despite the great marketing success, most physicians attribute poor efficacy to herbals. This perception is due to two situations that are an integral part of the herbal topic. The first is the poor phytochemical reproducibility obtained during the production process of herbal extracts, as herbal extracts are not always standardized in the whole manufacturing process, but only in their titer. The second problem is linked to the evolution of important enzymatic systems: cytochromes and ABC proteins. They are both enzyme classes with detoxifying properties and seem to have evolved from the molecular mould provided by active plant substances. During the evolution, as still happens today, polyphenols, saponins, terpenes, and alkaloids were ingested together with food. They do not possess any nutritional value but seem to be provided with a potential pharmacological activity. Cytochromes and ABC proteins, which evolved over time to detoxify food from vegetable chemical “actives,” now seem to limit the action of herbal derivatives. The comprehension of these 2 events may explain the origin of the widespread scepticism of physicians about herbal medicine and suggests that, after correct herbal standardization, use of antagonists of cytochromes and ABC systems will make it possible to recover their pharmacological potential.
Induction of Reparative Dentin Formation on Exposed Dental Pulp by Dentin Phosphophoryn/Collagen Composite
Authors: Koike Toshiyuki , Polan Mohammad Ali Akbor , Izumikawa Masanobu , Saito Takashi
Published: April 2014

The ultimate goal of vital pulp therapy is to regenerate rapidly dentin possessing an excellent quality using a biocompatible, bioactive agent. Dentin phosphophoryn (DPP), the most abundant noncollagenous polyanionic protein in dentin, cross-linked to atelocollagen fibrils was applied to direct pulp capping in rats. After 1, 2, and 3 weeks, the teeth applied were examined on the induction of reparative dentin formation and the response of pulp tissue, compared to calcium hydroxide-based agent conventionally used. The reparative dentin formation induced by DPP/collagen composite was more rapid than by calcium hydroxide. In the morphometrical analysis, the formation rate of reparative dentin by DPP/collagen composite was approximately the same as that by calcium hydroxide at 3 weeks. Nevertheless, the compactness of reparative dentin formed by DPP/collagen composite was much superior to what resulted from calcium hydroxide. Also, DPP/collagen composite showed high covering ability of exposed pulp. Moreover, DPP/collagen composite led only to slight pulp inflammation at the beginning whereas calcium hydroxide formed necrotic layer adjacent to the material and induced severe inflammation in pulp tissue at 1 week. The present study demonstrates a potential for DPP/collagen composite as a rapid biocompatible inducer for the formation of reparative dentin of excellent quality in rats.
Removal of Total Coliforms, Thermotolerant Coliforms, and Helminth Eggs in Swine Production Wastewater Treated in Anaerobic and Aerobic Reactors
Authors: Zacarias Sylvestre Silvia Helena , Lux Hoppe Estevam Guilherme , de Oliveira Roberto Alves
Published: April 2014

The present work evaluated the performance of two treatment systems in reducing indicators of biological contamination in swine production wastewater. System I consisted of two upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors, with 510 and 209 L in volume, being serially arranged. System II consisted of a UASB reactor, anaerobic filter, trickling filter, and decanter, being also organized in series, with volumes of 300, 190, 250, and 150 L, respectively. Hydraulic retention times (HRT) applied in the first UASB reactors were 40, 30, 20, and 11 h in systems I and II. The average removal efficiencies of total and thermotolerant coliforms in system I were 92.92% to 99.50% and 94.29% to 99.56%, respectively, and increased in system II to 99.45% to 99.91% and 99.52% to 99.93%, respectively. Average removal rates of helminth eggs in system I were 96.44% to 99.11%, reaching 100% as in system II. In reactor sludge, the counts of total and thermotolerant coliforms ranged between 105and 109 MPN (100 mL)−1, while helminth eggs ranged from 0.86 to 9.27 eggs g−1 TS.
The Existence and Application of Unbounded Connected Components
Authors: Luo Hua , Ma Ruyun
Published: April 2014

LetXbe a Banach space andCna family of connected subsets ofR×X. We prove the existence of unbounded components in superior limit of{Cn}, denoted bylim¯ Cn, which have prescribed shapes. As applications, we investigate the global behavior of the set of positive periodic solutions to nonlinear first-order differential equations with delay, which can be used for modeling physiological processes.
Analysis and Optimization of Resource Control in High‐Speed Railway Wireless Networks
Authors: Xu Shengfeng , Zhu Gang , Shen Chao , Lei Yan , Zhong Zhangdui
Published: April 2014

This paper considers a joint optimal design of admission control and resource allocation for multimedia services delivery in high‐speed railway (HSR) wireless networks. A stochastic network optimization problem is formulated which aims at maximizing the system utility while stabilizing all transmission queues under the average power constraint. By introducing virtual queues, the original problem is equivalently transformed into a queue stability problem, which can be naturally decomposed into three separate subproblems: utility maximization, admission control, and resource allocation. A threshold‐based admission control strategy is proposed for the admission control subproblem. And a distributed resource allocation scheme is developed for the mixed‐integer resource allocation subproblem with guaranteed global optimality. Then a dynamic admission control and resource allocation algorithm is proposed, which is suitable for distributed implementation. Finally, the performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by theoretical analysis and numerical simulations under realistic conditions of HSR wireless networks.
Study of Factors Involved in Tongue Color Diagnosis by Kampo Medical Practitioners Using the Farnsworth‐Munsell 100 Hue Test and Tongue Color Images
Authors: Oji Takeshi , Namiki Takao , Nakaguchi Toshiya , Ueda Keigo , Takeda Kanako , Nakamura Michimi , Okamoto Hideki , Hirasaki Yoshiro
Published: April 2014

In traditional Japanese medicine (Kampo medicine), tongue color is important in discerning a patient’s constitution and medical conditions. However, tongue color diagnosis is susceptible to the subjective factors of the observer. To investigate factors involved in tongue color diagnosis, both color discrimination and tongue color diagnosis were researched in 68 Kampo medical practitioners. Color discrimination was studied by the Farnsworth‐Munsell 100 Hue test, and tongue color diagnosis was studied by 84 tongue images. We found that overall color discrimination worsened with aging. However, the color discrimination related to tongue color regions was maintained in subjects with 10 or more years of Kampo experience. On the other hand, tongue color diagnosis significantly differed between subjects with <10 years of experience and ≥10 years of experience. Practitioners with ≥10 years of experience could maintain a consistent diagnosis of tongue color regardless of their age.
Fabrication and Characteristics of Chitosan Sponge as a Tissue Engineering Scaffold
Authors: Ikeda Takeshi , Ikeda Kahori , Yamamoto Kouhei , Ishizaki Hidetaka , Yoshizawa Yuu , Yanagiguchi Kajiro , Yamada Shizuka , Hayashi Yoshihiko
Published: April 2014

Cells, growth factors, and scaffolds are the three main factors required to create a tissue-engineered construct. After the appearance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), considerable attention has therefore been focused on nonbovine materials. In this study, we examined the properties of a chitosan porous scaffold. A porous chitosan sponge was prepared by the controlled freezing and lyophilization of different concentrations of chitosan solutions. The materials were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and the porosity, tensile strength, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) release profiles from chitosan sponge were examined in vitro. The morphology of the chitosan scaffolds presented a typical microporous structure, with the pore size ranging from 50 to 200 μm. The porosity of chitosan scaffolds with different concentrations was approximately 75–85%. A decreasing tendency for porosity was observed as the concentration of the chitosan increased. The relationship between the tensile properties and chitosan concentration indicated that the ultimate tensile strength for the sponge increased with a higher concentration. The in vitro bFGF release study showed that the higher the concentration of chitosan solution became, the longer the releasing time of the bFGF from the chitosan sponge was.
Pascu-Type Harmonic Functions with Positive Coefficients Involving Salagean Operator
Authors: Vijaya K. , Murugusundaramoorthy G. , Kasthuri M.
Published: April 2014

Making use of a Salagean operator, we introduce a new class of complex valued harmonic functions which are orientation preserving and univalent in the open unit disc. Among the results presented in this paper including the coeffcient bounds, distortion inequality, and covering property, extreme points, certain inclusion results, convolution properties, and partial sums for this generalized class of functions are discussed.
Mitigating Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Tea Field Soil Using Bioaugmentation with aTrichoderma virideBiofertilizer
Authors: Xu Shengjun , Fu Xiaoqing , Ma Shuanglong , Bai Zhihui , Xiao Runlin , Li Yong , Zhuang Guoqiang
Published: April 2014

Land-use conversion from woodlands to tea fields in subtropical areas of central China leads to increased nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, partly due to increased nitrogen fertilizer use. A field investigation of N2O using a static closed chamber-gas chromatography revealed that the average N2O fluxes in tea fields with 225 kg N ha−1 yr−1fertilizer application were 9.4 ± 6.2 times higher than those of woodlands. Accordingly, it is urgent to develop practices for mitigating N2O emissions from tea fields. By liquid-state fermentation of sweet potato starch wastewater and solid-state fermentation of paddy straw with application ofTrichoderma viride, we provided the tea plantation with biofertilizer containing 2.4 t C ha−1and 58.7 kg N ha−1. Compared to use of synthetic N fertilizer, use of biofertilizer at 225 kg N ha−1 yr−1significantly reduced N2O emissions by 33.3%–71.8% and increased the tea yield by 16.2%–62.2%. Therefore, the process of bioconversion/bioaugmentation tested in this study was found to be a cost-effective and feasible approach to reducing N2O emissions and can be considered the best management practice for tea fields.
Demographic and Ecological Survey of Dog Population in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria
Authors: Otolorin Gbeminiyi Richard , Umoh Jarlath U. , Dzikwi Asabe Adamu
Published: April 2014

Dog ecology is essential in understanding the distribution, structure, and population density of dogs and pattern of dog ownership in any given area. A cross-sectional study was designed to study dog ecology in Aba, Abia state, Nigeria, from April to June 2013. The study revealed that the 500 households surveyed possessed 5,823 individuals and 747 dogs, giving a dog to human ratio of 1 : 7.8; hence dog population in Aba was estimated to be 68,121. About 495/747 (66.3%) of the dogs were exotic and 465/747 (62.2%) were males. A total of 319/500 (63.8%) of the households had fences that restrained dog movement and there was no incidence of dog bite in 447/500 (89.4%) of the households surveyed. There were statistical associations between vaccination against antirabies and breeds of dogs (χ2=79.8, df=2, P<0.005). Exotic breed (adjusted OR=0.39; CI=0.23–0.65) and local breed of dogs (adjusted OR=0.08; CI=0.04–0.14) had less odds of being vaccinated as compared to crossbreed of dogs. About 126 dogs (2.5 dogs per street) were estimated from street counts survey. The relative high dog to human ratio and low vaccination coverage of owned dogs population pose public health concerns requiring adequate public health education and proper antirabies vaccination coverage of dogs in the study area.
Optimal Solution for VLSI Physical Design Automation Using Hybrid Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Shanavas I. Hameem , Gnanamurthy R. K.
Published: April 2014

In Optimization of VLSI Physical Design, area minimization and interconnect length minimization is an important objective in physical design automation of very large scale integration chips. The objective of minimizing the area and interconnect length would scale down the size of integrated chips. To meet the above objective, it is necessary to find an optimal solution for physical design components like partitioning, floorplanning, placement, and routing. This work helps to perform the optimization of the benchmark circuits with the above said components of physical design using hierarchical approach of evolutionary algorithms. The goal of minimizing the delay in partitioning, minimizing the silicon area in floorplanning, minimizing the layout area in placement, minimizing the wirelength in routing has indefinite influence on other criteria like power, clock, speed, cost, and so forth. Hybrid evolutionary algorithm is applied on each of its phases to achieve the objective. Because evolutionary algorithm that includes one or many local search steps within its evolutionary cycles to obtain the minimization of area and interconnect length. This approach combines a hierarchical design like genetic algorithm and simulated annealing to attain the objective. This hybrid approach can quickly produce optimal solutions for the popular benchmarks.
Intrauterine Growth Restriction Increases TNFαand Activates the Unfolded Protein Response in Male Rat Pups
Authors: Riddle Emily S. , Campbell Michael S. , Lang Brook Y. , Bierer Ryann , Wang Yan , Bagley Heidi N. , Joss-Moore Lisa A.
Published: April 2014

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) programs adult disease, including obesity and insulin resistance. Our group previously demonstrated that IUGR dysregulates adipose deposition in male, but not female, weanling rats. Dysregulated adipose deposition is often accompanied by the release of proinflammatory signaling molecules, such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα). TNFαcontributes to adipocyte inflammation and impaired insulin signaling. TNFαhas also been implicated in the activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR), which impairs insulin signaling. We hypothesized that, in male rat pups, IUGR would increase TNFα, TNFR1, and components of the UPR (Hspa5, ATF6, p-eIF2α, and Ddit3) prior to the onset of obesity. We further hypothesized that impaired glucose tolerance would occur after the onset of adipose dysfunction in male IUGR rats. To test this hypothesis, we used a well-characterized rat model of uteroplacental insufficiency-induced IUGR. Our primary findings are that, in male rats, IUGR (1) increased circulating and adipose TNFα, (2) increased mRNA levels of UPR components as well as p-eIF2a, and (3) impaired glucose tolerance after observed TNFαincreased and after UPR activation. We speculate that programmed dysregulation of TNFαand UPR contributed to the development of glucose intolerance in male IUGR rats.
A GM (1, 1) Markov Chain‐Based Aeroengine Performance Degradation Forecast Approach Using Exhaust Gas Temperature
Authors: Zhao Ning-bo , Yang Jia-long , Li Shu-ying , Sun Yue-wu
Published: April 2014

Performance degradation forecast technology for quantitatively assessing degradation states of aeroengine using exhaust gas temperature is an important technology in the aeroengine health management. In this paper, a GM (1, 1) Markov chain‐based approach is introduced to forecast exhaust gas temperature by taking the advantages of GM (1, 1) model in time series and the advantages of Markov chain model in dealing with highly nonlinear and stochastic data caused by uncertain factors. In this approach, firstly, the GM (1, 1) model is used to forecast the trend by using limited data samples. Then, Markov chain model is integrated into GM (1, 1) model in order to enhance the forecast performance, which can solve the influence of random fluctuation data on forecasting accuracy and achieving an accurate estimate of the nonlinear forecast. As an example, the historical monitoring data of exhaust gas temperature from CFM56 aeroengine of China Southern is used to verify the forecast performance of the GM (1, 1) Markov chain model. The results show that the GM (1, 1) Markov chain model is able to forecast exhaust gas temperature accurately, which can effectively reflect the random fluctuation characteristics of exhaust gas temperature changes over time.
Sparse Representation Based SAR Vehicle Recognition along with Aspect Angle
Authors: Xing Xiangwei , Ji Kefeng , Zou Huanxin , Sun Jixiang
Published: April 2014

As a method of representing the test sample with few training samples from an overcomplete dictionary, sparse representation classification (SRC) has attracted much attention in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition (ATR) recently. In this paper, we develop a novel SAR vehicle recognition method based on sparse representation classification along with aspect information (SRCA), in which the correlation between the vehicle’s aspect angle and the sparse representation vector is exploited. The detailed procedure presented in this paper can be summarized as follows. Initially, the sparse representation vector of a test sample is solved by sparse representation algorithm with a principle component analysis (PCA) feature-based dictionary. Then, the coefficient vector is projected onto a sparser one within a certain range of the vehicle’s aspect angle. Finally, the vehicle is classified into a certain category that minimizes the reconstruction error with the novel sparse representation vector. Extensive experiments are conducted on the moving and stationary target acquisition and recognition (MSTAR) dataset and the results demonstrate that the proposed method performs robustly under the variations of depression angle and target configurations, as well as incomplete observation.
Benign Methodology and Efficient Catalysis for the One-Pot Multicomponent Synthesis of Dihydropyrimidinones and Thiones: A New Key for Old Lock
Authors: Ali Parvez , Pathan Naziyanaz , Ben Hadda Taibi
Published: April 2014

In the present communication, under the influence of microwaves, cuprous chloride has been demonstrated to be safe, mild, efficient, and inexpensive catalyst for the Biginelli discovered multicomponent reaction (MCR) between aromatic aldehydes, urea/substituted urea, and ethyl acetoacetate to produce structurally diverse dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-ones (DHPMs) and thiones in an ecofriendly solvent-free protocol. The practical and simple protocol led to excellent yields of the dihydropyrimidin-2(1H)-one derivatives under mild reaction conditions and within short span of reaction times with easy reaction workup by maintaining excellent atom economy.
An Antimethanogenic Nutritional Intervention in Early Life of Ruminants Modifies Ruminal Colonization by Archaea
Authors: Abecia Leticia , Waddams Kate E. , Martínez-Fernandez Gonzalo , Martín-García A. Ignacio , Ramos-Morales Eva , Newbold C. Jamie , Yáñez-Ruiz David R.
Published: April 2014

The aim of this work was to study whether feeding a methanogen inhibitor from birth of goat kids and their does has an impact on the archaeal population colonizing the rumen and to what extent the impact persists later in life. Sixteen goats giving birth to two kids were used. Eight does were treated (D+) with bromochloromethane after giving birth and over 2 months. The other 8 goats were not treated (D−). One kid per doe in both groups was treated with bromochloromethane (k+) for 3 months while the other was untreated (k−), resulting in four experimental groups: D+/k+, D+/k−, D−/k+, and D−/k−. Rumen samples were collected from kids at weaning and 1 and 4 months after (3 and 6 months after birth) and from does at the end of the treating period (2 months). Pyrosequencing analyses showed a modified archaeal community composition colonizing the rumen of kids, although such effect did not persist entirely 4 months after; however, some less abundant groups remained different in treated and control animals. The different response on the archaeal community composition observed between offspring and adult goats suggests that the competition occurring in the developing rumen to occupy different niches offer potential for intervention.
miR-375 and miR-30d in the Effect of Chromium-Containing Chinese Medicine Moderating Glucose Metabolism
Authors: Zhang Qian , Xiao Xinhua , Li Ming , Li Wenhui , Yu Miao , Zhang Huabing , Ping Fan , Wang Zhixin , Zheng Jia , Xiang HongDing
Published: April 2014

In China, TianMai Xiaoke tablet (TM) is used to treat type 2 diabetes. However, the exact mechanism of TM is not clear. This study is to investigate the effect of TM on glucose metabolism in diabetic rats and to identify whether TM takes a direct action through microRNAs on islet. Rats were divided into control group, diabetic group, low dose of TM group (TML), and high dose of TM group (TMH). Pancreas samples were analyzed using microRNA array and Q-PCR. Eight-week treatment with TM significantly decreased fasting blood glucose. The blood glucose was significantly reduced in TM-treated groups before and after oral glucose administration. Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR were suppressed in TM-treated groups. miR-448, let-7b, miR-540, miR-296, miR-880, miR-200a, miR-500, miR-10b, miR-336, miR-30d, miR-208, let-7e, miR-142-5p, miR-874, miR-375, miR-879, miR-501, and miR-188 were upregulated, while miR-301b, miR-134, and miR-652 were downregulated in TMH group. Through target gene analysis and real-time PCR verification, we found that these miRNAs, especially miR-375 and miR-30d, can stimulate insulin secretion in islet. Our data suggest that TM can improve blood glucose in diabetic rats which involved increasing the expression of miR-375 and miR-30d to activate insulin synthesis in islet.
Current Trends in Bone Tissue Engineering
Authors: Mravic Marco , Péault Bruno , James Aaron W.
Published: April 2014

The development of tissue engineering and regeneration constitutes a new platform for translational medical research. Effective therapies for bone engineering typically employ the coordinated manipulation of cells, biologically active signaling molecules, and biomimetic, biodegradable scaffolds. Bone tissue engineering has become increasingly dependent on the merging of innovations from each of these fields, as they continue to evolve independently. This foreword will highlight some of the most recent advances in bone tissue engineering and regeneration, emphasizing the interconnected fields of stem cell biology, cell signaling biology, and biomaterial research. These include, for example, novel methods for mesenchymal stem cell purification, new methods of Wnt signaling pathway manipulation, and cutting edge computer assisted nanoscale design of bone scaffold materials. In the following special issue, we sought to incorporate these diverse areas of emphasis in order to reflect current trends in the field.
An Efficient Series Solution for Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Al-Refai Mohammed , Ali Hajji Mohamed , Syam Muhammad I.
Published: April 2014

We introduce a simple and efficient series solution for a class of nonlinear fractional differential equations of Caputo's type. The new approach is a modified form of the well-known Taylor series expansion where we overcome the difficulty of computing iterated fractional derivatives, which do not compute in general. The terms of the series are determined sequentially with explicit formula, where only integer derivatives have to be computed. The efficiency of the new algorithm is illustrated through several examples. Comparison with other series methods such as the Adomian decomposition method and the homotopy perturbation method is made to indicate the efficiency of the new approach. The algorithm can be implemented for a wide class of fractional differential equations with different types of fractional derivatives.
Proapoptotic and Antiproliferative Effects of Thymus caramanicus on Human Breast Cancer Cell Line (MCF‐7) and Its Interaction with Anticancer Drug Vincristine
Authors: Esmaeili-Mahani Saeed , Falahi Farzaneh , Yaghoobi Mohammad Mehdi
Published: April 2014

Thymus caramanicus Jalas is one of the species of thymus that grows in the wild in different regions of Iran. Traditionally, leaves of this plant are used in the treatment of diabetes, arthritis, and cancerous situation. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the selective cytotoxic and antiproliferative properties of Thymus caramanicus extract (TCE). MCF‐7 human breast cancer cells were used in this study. Cytotoxicity of the extract was determined using MTT and neutral red assays. Biochemical markers of apoptosis (caspase 3, Bax, and Bcl‐2) and cell proliferation (cyclin D1) were evaluated by immunoblotting. Vincristine was used as anticancer control drug in extract combination therapy. The data showed that incubation of cells with TCE (200 and 250 μg/mL) significantly increased cell damage, activated caspase 3 and Bax/Bcl2 ratio. In addition, cyclin D1 was significantly decreased in TCE‐treated cells. Furthermore, concomitant treatment of cells with extract and anticancer drug produced a significant cytotoxic effect as compared to extract or drugs alone. In conclusion, thymus extract has a potential proapoptotic/antiproliferative property against human breast cancer cells and its combination with chemotherapeutic agent vincristine may induce cell death effectively and be a potent modality to treat this type of cancer.
Photobiomodulation on KATP Channels of Kir6.2-Transfected HEK-293 Cells
Authors: Zhong Fu-qing , Li Yang , Mi Xian-qiang
Published: April 2014

Background and Objective. ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel couples cell metabolism to excitability. To explore role of KATP channels in cellular photobiomodulation, we designed experiment to study effect of low intensity 808 nm laser irradiation on the activity of membrane KATP channel.Study Design/Materials and Methods. Plasmids encoding Kir6.2 was constructed and heterologously expressed in cultured mammalian HEK-293 cells. The patch-clamp and data acquisition systems were used to record KATP channel current before and after irradiation. A laser beam of Ga-As 808 nm at 5 mW/cm2was used in experiments. A one-way ANOVA test followed by apost hocStudent-Newman-Keuls test was used to assess the statistical differences between data groups.Results. Obvious openings of KATP channels of Kir6.2-transfected HEK-293 cells and excised patches were recorded during and after low intensity 808 nm laser irradiation. Compared with the channels that did not undergo irradiation, open probability, current amplitude, and dwell time of KATP channels after irradiation improved.Conclusions. Low intensity 808 nm laser irradiation may activate membrane KATP channels of Kir6.2-transfected HEK-293 cells and in excised patches.
Evaluation of Nitrite Radical Scavenging Properties of Selected Zimbabwean Plant Extracts and Their Phytoconstituents
Authors: Boora Fadzai , Chirisa Elaine , Mukanganyama Stanley
Published: April 2014

Oxidative stress resulting from accumulation of reactive oxygen species has been associated with disease. The search for natural antioxidants of plant origin is necessitated by the side effects associated with synthetic antioxidants currently available. The objective of the study was to determine the antioxidant activity of Combretum zeyheri, Combretum platypetalum, and Parinari curatellifolia extracts by determining nitrite radical scavenging ability. The nitrite radical scavenging assay was used to evaluate the antioxidant potential of the extracts. The total flavonoid content of P. curatellifolia methanol extract was determined by the aluminium calorimetric method. The aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of C. zeyheri, C. platypetalum, and P. curatellifolia extracts exhibited nitrite radical scavenging activity. The results show the scavenging activity in the order of potency: P. curatellifolia > C. platypetalum > C. zeyheri with concentration values of 103 µg/mL, 158 µg/mL, and 188 µg/mL for the ethanol extracts and 92.5 µg/mL, 97.5 µg/mL, and 198 µg/mL for the water extracts, respectively. P. curatellifolia ethanol extract was the most potent and the total flavonoid content was estimated to be 0.4 ± 0.05 mg/g quercetin and could account for the activity. Thus, our findings provide evidence that C. zeyheri, C. platypetalum, and P. curatellifolia leaf extracts could be potential sources of natural antioxidants.
Object Detection Based on Template Matching through Use of Best-So-Far ABC
Authors: Banharnsakun Anan , Tanathong Supannee
Published: April 2014

Best-so-far ABC is a modified version of the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm used for optimization tasks. This algorithm is one of the swarm intelligence (SI) algorithms proposed in recent literature, in which the results demonstrated that the best-so-far ABC can produce higher quality solutions with faster convergence than either the ordinary ABC or the current state-of-the-art ABC-based algorithm. In this work, we aim to apply the best-so-far ABC-based approach for object detection based on template matching by using the difference between the RGB level histograms corresponding to the target object and the template object as the objective function. Results confirm that the proposed method was successful in both detecting objects and optimizing the time used to reach the solution.
RGB Color Model Based the Fire Detection Algorithm in Video Sequences on Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Kim Yoon-Ho , Kim Alla , Jeong Hwa-Young
Published: April 2014

Since the fire causes serious disasters, fire detection has been an important study to protect human life. Based on the deficiencies of existing fire detection on real-time and monitoring accuracy, the wireless sensor network technique for fire detection was introduced and needed. In this paper, we proposed the fire detection algorithm in video sequences on wireless sensor network. The proposed fire detection algorithm processes visual information acquired through static camera that lets us incorporate the algorithm to CCTV surveillance system, and therefore does not require an additional expanses on conventional fire sensors. Fire detection method based on motion information, any input image, is compared to background in order to identify foreground. Background is statistically modeled by mixture of Gaussians. To detect the foreground of video sequences, the proposed color detection algorithm was performed in RGB space. The procedure of algorithm eliminates all objects that do not fulfill color requirements without fire-like objects. And the change map and blob's area are computed, change map shows temporal variation of pixel between two consecutive binary frames, and percentage area increase or decrease characterizes a fire property for swinging.
Metabolic and Genetic Screening of Electromagnetic Hypersensitive Subjects as a Feasible Tool for Diagnostics and Intervention
Authors: De Luca Chiara , Chung Sheun Thai Jeffrey , Raskovic Desanka , Cesareo Eleonora , Caccamo Daniela , Trukhanov Arseny , Korkina Liudmila
Published: April 2014

Growing numbers of “electromagnetic hypersensitive” (EHS) people worldwide self-report severely disabling, multiorgan, non-specific symptoms when exposed to low-dose electromagnetic radiations, often associated with symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) and/or other environmental “sensitivity-related illnesses” (SRI). This cluster of chronic inflammatory disorders still lacks validated pathogenetic mechanism, diagnostic biomarkers, and management guidelines. We hypothesized that SRI, not being merely psychogenic, may share organic determinants of impaired detoxification of common physic-chemical stressors. Based on our previous MCS studies, we tested a panel of 12 metabolic blood redox-related parameters and of selected drug-metabolizing-enzyme gene polymorphisms, on 153 EHS, 147 MCS, and 132 control Italians, confirming MCS altered(P<0.05–0.0001) glutathione-(GSH), GSH-peroxidase/S-transferase, and catalase erythrocyte activities. We first described comparable—though milder—metabolic pro-oxidant/proinflammatory alterations in EHS with distinctively increased plasma coenzyme-Q10oxidation ratio. Severe depletion of erythrocyte membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids with increasedω6/ω3 ratio was confirmed in MCS, but not in EHS. We also identified significantly(P=0.003)altered distribution-versus-control of the CYP2C19*1/*2 SNP variants in EHS, and a 9.7-fold increased risk (OR: 95% C.I.=1.3–74.5) of developing EHS for the haplotype (null)GSTT1 + (null)GSTM1 variants. Altogether, results on MCS and EHS strengthen our proposal to adopt this blood metabolic/genetic biomarkers’ panel as suitable diagnostic tool for SRI.
Cauchy and Poisson Integral of the Convolutor in Beurling Ultradistributions ofLp-Growth
Authors: Sohn Byung Keun
Published: April 2014

LetCbe a regular cone inℝand letTC=ℝ+iC⊂ℂbe a tubular radial domain. LetUbe the convolutor in Beurling ultradistributions ofLp-growth corresponding toTC. We define the Cauchy and Poisson integral ofUand show that the Cauchy integral of  Uis analytic inTCand satisfies a growth property. We represent  Uas the boundary value of a finite sum of suitable analytic functions in tubes by means of the Cauchy integral representation ofU. Also we show that the Poisson integral ofUcorresponding toTCattainsUas boundary value in the distributional sense.
Olive (Olea europaea) Leaf Extract Induces Apoptosis and Monocyte/Macrophage Differentiation in Human Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia K562 Cells: Insight into the Underlying Mechanism
Authors: Samet Imen , Han Junkyu , Jlaiel Lobna , Sayadi Sami , Isoda Hiroko
Published: April 2014

Differentiation therapy is an attractive approach aiming at reversing malignancy and reactivating endogenous differentiation programs in cancer cells. Olive leaf extract, known for its antioxidant activity, has been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in several cancer cells. However, its differentiation inducing properties and the mechanisms involved are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effect of Chemlali Olive Leaf Extract (COLE) for its potential differentiation inducing effect on multipotent leukemia K562 cells. Results showed that COLE inhibits K562 cells proliferation and arrests the cell cycle at G0/G1, and then at G2/M phase over treatment time. Further analysis revealed that COLE induces apoptosis and differentiation of K562 cells toward the monocyte lineage. Microarray analysis was conducted to investigate the underlying mechanism of COLE differentiation inducing effect. The differentially expressed genes such asIFI16,EGR1,NFYA,FOXP1,CXCL2,CXCL3, andCXCL8confirmed the commitment of K562 cells to the monocyte/macrophage lineage. Thus our results provide evidence that, in addition to apoptosis, induction of differentiation is one of the possible therapeutic effects of olive leaf in cancer cells.
Nanostructured Mesoporous Silica Wires with Intrawire Lamellae via Evaporation‐Induced Self‐Assembly in Space‐Confined Channels
Authors: Hu Michael Z. , Shi Donglu , Blom Douglas A.
Published: April 2014

Evaporation‐induced self‐assembly (EISA) of silica sol‐gel ethanol‐water solution mixtures with block‐copolymer were studied inside uniform micro/nano‐channels. Nanostructured mesoporous silica wires, with various intrawire self‐assembly structures including lamellae, were prepared via EISA process but in space‐confined channels with the diameter ranging from 50 nm to 200 nm. Membranes made of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) and track‐etched polycarbonate (EPC) were utilized as the arrays of space‐confined channels (i.e., 50, 100, and 200 nm EPC and 200 nm AAO) for infiltration and drying of mixture solutions; these substrate membranes were submerged in mixture solutions consisting of a silica precursor, a structure‐directing agent, ethanol, and water. After the substrate channels were filled with the solution under vacuum impregnation, the membrane was removed from the solution and dried in air. The silica precursor used was tetraethyl othosilicate (TEOS), and the structure‐directing agent employed was triblock copolymer Pluronic‐123 (P123). It was found that the formation of the mesoporous nanostructures in silica wires within uniform channels were significantly affected by the synthesis conditions including (1) preassemble TEOS aging time, (2) the evaporation rate during the vacuum impregnation, and (3) the air‐dry temperature. The obtained intrawire structures, including 2D hexagonal rods and lamellae, were studied by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). A steric hindrance effect seems to explain well the observed polymer‐silica mesophase formation tailored by TEOS aging time. The evaporation effect, air‐drying effect, and AAO versus EPC substrate effect on the mesoporous structure of the formed silica wires were also presented and discussed.
Numerical Study of the Active Tendon Control of a Cable-Stayed Bridge in a Construction Phase
Authors: El Ouni M. H. , Ben Kahla N.
Published: April 2014

This paper investigates numerically the active tendon control of a cable-stayed bridge in a construction phase. A linear Finite Element model of small scale mock-up of the bridge is first presented. Active damping is added to the structure by using pairs of collocated force actuator-displacement sensors located on each active cable and decentralized first order positive position feedback (PPF) or direct velocity feedback (DVF). A comparison between these two compensators showed that each one has good performance for some modes and performs inadequately with the other modes. A decentralized parallel PPF-DVF is proposed to get the better of the two compensators. The proposed strategy is then compared to the one using decentralized integral force feedback (IFF) and showed better performance. The Finite Element model of the bridge is coupled with a nonlinear cable taking into account sag effect, general support movements, and quadratic and cubic nonlinear couplings between in-plane and out-of-plane motions. Finally, the proposed strategy is used to control both deck and cable vibrations induced by parametric excitation. Both cable and deck vibrations are attractively damped.
Injury to the Endothelial Surface Layer Induces Glomerular Hyperfiltration Rats with Early-Stage Diabetes
Authors: Zhang Chunyang , Meng Yao , Liu Qi , Xuan Miao , Zhang Lanyu , Deng Bo , Zhang Keqin , Liu Zhimin , Lei Tao
Published: April 2014

Glomerular endothelial surface layer (ESL) may play a role in the mechanisms of albuminuria in diabetic nephropathy, which lack evidencein vivo. The effects of high glucose on the passage of albumin across the glomerular ESL were analysed in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats for 4 weeks. Albuminuria and glomerular mesangial matrix were significantly increased in diabetic rats. The passage of albumin across the ESL, as measured by albumin-colloid gold particle density in the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), was increased significantly in diabetic rats. The thickness of the glomerular ESL, examined indirectly by infusing Intralipid into vessels using an electron microscope, was significantly decreased and the GBM exhibited little change in diabetic rats. In summary, the glomerular ESL may play a role in the pathogenesis of albuminuria in rats with early-stage diabetes.