bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structural and Morphological Properties of Nanostructured ZnO Particles Grown by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Method with Horizontal Furnace
Authors: Flores-Carrasco G. , Carrillo-López J. , Luna-López J. A. , Martínez-Martínez R. , Espinosa-Torres N. D. , Rabanal M. E.
Published: August 2014

ZnO nanoparticles were synthesized in a horizontal furnace at 500°C using different zinc nitrate hexahydrate concentrations (0.01 and 0.1 M) as reactive solution by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method. The physical-chemical properties of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles have been characterized by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). With the TGA is has optimized the temperature at which the initial reactive (Zn(NO3)2·6H2O), is decomposed completely to give way to its corresponding oxide, ZnO. SEM revealed secondary particles with a quasispherical shape that do not change significantly with the increasing of precursor solution concentration as well as some content of the broken spheres. Increasing the precursor solution concentration leads to the increase in the average size of ZnO secondary particles from248±73to470±160 nm; XRD reveals the similar tendency for the crystallite size which changes from23±4to45±4 nm. HRTEM implies that the secondary particles are with hierarchical structure composed of primary nanosized subunits. These results showed that the precursor concentration plays an important role in the evolution on the size, stoichiometry, and morphology of ZnO nanoparticles.
Participation of Integrinα5β1 in the Fibronectin-Mediated Adherence of EnteroaggregativeEscherichia colito Intestinal Cells
Authors: Izquierdo Mariana , Alvestegui Alejandra , Nataro James P. , Ruiz-Perez Fernando , Farfan Mauricio J.
Published: August 2014

Adherence to the intestinal epithelia is a key feature in enteroaggregativeEscherichia coli(EAEC) infection. The aggregative adherence fimbriae (AAFs) are involved in EAEC interaction with receptors at the surface of intestinal cells. We and others have demonstrated that fibronectin is a receptor for AAF/II fimbriae. Considering that the major cellular receptor of fibronectin is integrinα5β1, in this study we evaluated the participation of this receptor in the fibronectin-mediated adherence of EAEC strain 042 to intestinal cells. We found that EAEC strain 042 has the ability to bind directly and indirectly to integrinα5β1; direct binding was not mediated by AAF/II fimbriae and indirect binding was mediated by AAF/II and fibronectin. Coimmunoprecipitation assays confirmed the formation of the complex AafA/fibronectin/integrinα5β1. To evaluate EAEC adherence to intestinal cells, T84 cells were incubated with fibronectin and an antibody that blocks the interaction region of integrinα5β1to fibronectin, the RGD site. Under these conditions, we found the number of adherent bacteria to epithelial cells significantly reduced. Additionally, fibronectin-mediated adherence of EAEC strain 042 was abolished in HEp-2 cells transfected with integrinα5shRNA. Altogether, our data support the involvement of integrinα5β1in the fibronectin-mediated EAEC binding to intestinal cells.
Photophysical Properties of Pheophorbide-a Derivatives and Their Photodynamic Therapeutic Effects on a Tumor Cell LineIn Vitro
Authors: Wang Kang-Kyun , Li Jing , Kim Bong-Jin , Lee Jeong-Hyun , Shin Hee-Won , Ko Si-Hwan , Lee Won-Young , Lee Chang-Hee , Jung Seok Hoon , Kim Yong-Rok
Published: August 2014

Pheophorbide-a derivatives have been reported to be potential photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). In this study, photophysics of pheophorbide-a derivatives (PaDs) were investigated along with their photodynamic tumoricidal effectin vitro. PaDs were modified by changing the coil length and/or making the hydroxyl group (–OH) substitutions. Their photophysical properties were studied by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic methods. The photodynamic tumoricidal effect was evaluated in the mouse breast cancer cell line (EMT6). Lifetime and quantum yield of fluorescence and quantum yields of triplet state and singlet oxygen were studied to determine the dynamic energy flow. The coil length of the substituted alkyl group did not significantly affect the spectroscopic properties. However, the substitution with the hydroxyl group increased the quantum yields of the triplet state and the singlet oxygen due to the enhanced intersystem crossing. In order to check the application possibility as a photodynamic therapy agent, the PaDs with hydroxyl group were studied for the cellular affinity and the photodynamic tumoricidal effect of EMT6. The results showed that the cellular affinity and the photodynamic tumoricidal effect of PaDs with the hydroxyl group depended on the coil-length of the substituted alkyl group.
Cell Models to Study Regulation of Cell Transformation in Pathologies of Retinal Pigment Epithelium
Authors: Kuznetsova Alla V. , Kurinov Alexander M. , Aleksandrova Maria A.
Published: August 2014

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) plays a key role in the development of many eye diseases leading to visual impairment and even blindness. Cell culture models of pathological changes in the RPE make it possible to study factors responsible for these changes and signaling pathways coordinating cellular and molecular mechanisms of cell interactions under pathological conditions. Moreover, they give an opportunity to reveal target cells and develop effective specific treatment for degenerative and dystrophic diseases of the retina. In this review, data are presented on RPE cell sources for culture models, approaches to RPE cell culturing, phenotypic changes of RPE cellsin vitro, the role of signal pathways, and possibilities for their regulation in pathological processes.
A Genome-Wide Identification of Genes Undergoing Recombination and Positive Selection inNeisseria
Authors: Yu Dong , Jin Yuan , Yin Zhiqiu , Ren Hongguang , Zhou Wei , Liang Long , Yue Junjie
Published: August 2014

Currently, there is particular interest in the molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution in bacteria.Neisseriais a genus of gram negative bacteria, and there has recently been considerable focus on its two human pathogenic speciesN. meningitidisandN. gonorrhoeae. Until now, no genome-wide studies have attempted to scan for the genes related to adaptive evolution. For this reason, we selected 18Neisseriagenomes (14N. meningitidis, 3N. gonorrhoeaeand 1 commensalN. lactamics) to conduct a comparative genome analysis to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the roles of natural selection and homologous recombination throughout the history of adaptive evolution. Among the 1012 core orthologous genes, we identified 635 genes with recombination signals and 10 genes that showed significant evidence of positive selection. Further functional analyses revealed that no functional bias was found in the recombined genes. Positively selected genes are prone to DNA processing and iron uptake, which are essential for the fundamental life cycle. Overall, the results indicate that both recombination and positive selection play crucial roles in the adaptive evolution ofNeisseriagenomes. The positively selected genes and the corresponding amino acid sites provide us with valuable targets for further research into the detailed mechanisms of adaptive evolution inNeisseria.
Prevalence of Ischemic Heart Disease and Management of Coronary Risk in Daily Clinical Practice: Results from a Mediterranean Cohort of HIV-Infected Patients
Authors: Echeverría Patricia , Domingo Pere , Llibre Josep-María , Gutierrez Mar , Mateo Gracia , Puig Jordi , Bonjoch Anna , Pérez-Alvarez Nuria , Sirera Guillem , Clotet Bonaventura , Negredo Eugenia
Published: August 2014

Background. There are conflicting data on the prevalence of coronary events and the quality of the management of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) in HIV-infected patients.Methods. We performed a retrospective descriptive study to determine the prevalence of coronary events and to evaluate the management of CVRF in a Mediterranean cohort of 3760 HIV-1-infected patients from April 1983 through June 2011.Results. We identified 81 patients with a history of a coronary event (prevalence 2.15%); 83% of them suffered an acute myocardial infarction. At the time of the coronary event, CVRF were highly prevalent (60.5% hypertension, 48% dyslipidemia, and 16% diabetes mellitus). Other CVRF, such as smoking, hypertension, lack of exercise, and body mass index, were not routinely assessed. After the coronary event, a significant decrease in total cholesterolP=0.025and LDL-cholesterolP=0.004was observed. However, the percentage of patients who maintained LDL-cholesterol > 100 mg/dL remained stable (from 46% to 41%,P=0.103). Patients using protease inhibitors associated with a favorable lipid profile increased over timeP=0.028.Conclusions. The prevalence of coronary events in our cohort is low. CVRF prevalence is high and their management is far from optimal. More aggressive interventions should be implemented to diminish cardiovascular risk in HIV-infected patients.
Sequential Steps of Chromosomal Differentiation in Atlantic Surgeonfishes: Evolutionary Inferences
Authors: Affonso Paulo Roberto Antunes de Mello , Fernandes Maria Aparecida , Almeida Josivanda Santos , Molina Wagner Franco
Published: August 2014

Surgeonfishes are a species-rich group and a major biomass on coral reefs. Three species are commonly found throughout South Atlantic,Acanthurus bahianus,A. chirurgus, andA. coeruleus. In this paper, we present the first cytogenetic data of these species, revealing a sequential chromosomal diversification.A. coeruleuswas characterized by a relatively conserved karyotype evolved by pericentric inversions of some pairs (2n=48, 2sm + 4st + 42a). In contrast, the karyotypes ofA. bahianus(2n=36) andA. chirurgus(2n=34) were highly differentiated by the presence of six large metacentric pairs inA. bahianus(12m + 2sm + 4st + 18a) andA. chirurgus(12m + 2sm + 4st +1 6a) probably derived by chromosomal fusions that corroborate their closer relationship. A discerniblein tandemfusion represents an autapomorphic character toA. chirurgus. In spite of macrostructure variation, single nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) on short arms of a subtelocentric pair and similar distribution of C-bands were observed in the three species. Overlapping of chromosomal data with molecular phylogeny indicated pericentric inversions which took place nearly at 19 Ma while centric fusions are as recent as 5 Ma. A physical mapping of coding and noncoding sequences inAcanthuruscould clarify the role of additional rearrangements during their chromosomal evolution.
Invariant Solutions and Conservation Laws of the (2 + 1)-Dimensional Boussinesq Equation
Authors: Rui Wenjuan , Zhao Peiyi , Zhang Yufeng
Published: August 2014

Invariant solutions and conservation laws of the (2 + 1)-dimensional Boussinesq equation are studied. The Lie symmetry approach is used to obtain the invariant solutions. Conservation laws for the underlying equation are derived by utilizing the new conservation theorem and the partial Lagrange approach.
Convergence Analysis for a Modified SP Iterative Method
Authors: Öztürk Çeliker Fatma
Published: August 2014

We consider a new iterative method due to Kadioglu and Yildirim (2014) for further investigation. We study convergence analysis of this iterative method when applied to class of contraction mappings. Furthermore, we give a data dependence result for fixed point of contraction mappings with the help of the new iteration method.
Peripheral Neuropathy and Tear Film Dysfunction in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Misra Stuti L. , Patel Dipika V. , McGhee Charles N. J. , Pradhan Monika , Kilfoyle Dean , Braatvedt Geoffrey D. , Craig Jennifer P.
Published: August 2014

Purpose.To compare tear film metrics in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) and healthy controls and investigate the association between peripheral neuropathy and ocular surface quality.Methods.Dry eye symptoms were quantified in 53 patients with type 1 DM and 40 age-matched controls. Ocular examination included tear film lipid layer thickness grading, tear film stability and quantity measurement, and retinal photography. DM individuals additionally underwent a detailed neuropathy assessment.Results.Neither mean age nor dry eye symptom scores differed significantly between the DM and control groups (P=0.12andP=0.33, resp.). Tear lipid thickness (P=0.02), stability (P<0.0001), and quantity (P=0.01) were significantly lower in the DM group. Corneal sensitivity was also reduced in the DM group (P<0.001) and tear film stability was inversely associated with total neuropathy score (r=-0.29,P=0.03).Conclusion.The DM group exhibited significantly reduced tear film stability, secretion, and lipid layer quality relative to the age-matched control group. The negative correlation between tear film parameters and total neuropathy score suggests that ocular surface abnormalities occur in parallel with diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Estimation and Comparison of Immunization Coverage under Different Sampling Methods for Health Surveys
Authors: Nath D. C. , Patowari B.
Published: August 2014

Immunization currently averts an estimated 2-3 million deaths every year in all age groups. Hepatitis B is a major public health problem worldwide. In this study, the estimates of hepatitis B vaccine coverage are compared among three sampling plans namely, 30×30 sampling and 30×7 sampling method under cluster sampling and systematic random sampling schemes. The data has been taken from the survey “Comparison of Two Survey Methodologies to Estimate Total Vaccination Coverage” sponsored by Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi. It is observed that the estimations of proportions of this vaccination coverage are significantly not different at 5% level of probability. Both 30×30 sampling and 30×7 sampling will be preferred to systematic sampling in estimation of hepatitis B vaccine coverage for this study population because of quick estimation and lesser cost. The 30×7 cluster sampling is the most recommended method for such immunization coverage especially in a developing country.
Evaluation of Marginal Leakage and Shear Bond Strength of Bonded Restorations in Primary Teeth after Caries Removal by Conventional and Chemomechanical Techniques
Authors: Pravin Maru Viral , Shakuntala Bethur Siddaiah , Dharma Nagarathna
Published: August 2014

Background/Purpose. To evaluate and compare the marginal leakage and shear bond strength between conventional and Papacarie techniques of caries removal in primary molars. Materials and Methods. Sixty freshly extracted human carious primary molars were randomly divided into two groups: group I—caries removal by conventional method and group II—caries removal using Papacarie. After bonded restorations, both groups were further randomly subdivided into four subgroups for marginal leakage and shear bond strength evaluation. Results. Papacarie treated teeth (46.70%) showed less marginal leakage when compared to conventionally treated teeth (86.70%) for caries removal. The mean shear bond strength was found more in Papacarie treated teeth (12.91 MPa) than in those treated conventionally (9.64 MPa) for caries removal. Conclusion. Papacarie showed less marginal leakage and more shear bond strength when compared to those treated conventionally for caries removal.
Preoperative Predictors of Ambulation Ability at Different Time Points after Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients with Osteoarthritis
Authors: Kamimura Akiko , Sakakima Harutoshi , Tsutsumi Fumio , Sunahara Nobuhiko
Published: August 2014

The aims of this study were to identify the preoperative factors influencing ambulation ability at different postoperative time points after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and to examine the cutoff values of predictive preoperative factors by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Forty-eight women with unilateral THA were measured for hip extensor, hip abductor, and knee extensor muscle strength in both legs; hip pain (visual analog scale, VAS); and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test pre- and postoperatively. Multiple regression analysis indicated that preoperative knee extensor strength(β=-0.379,R2=0.409)at 3 weeks, hip abductor strength(β=-0.572,R2=0.570)at 4 months, and age(β=0.758,R2= 0.561)at 7 months were strongly associated with postoperative ambulation, measured using the TUG test. Optimal preoperative cutoff values for ambulation ability were 0.56 Nm/kg for knee extensor strength, 0.24 Nm/kg for hip abductor strength, and 73 years of age. Our results suggest that preoperative factors predicting ambulation ability vary by postoperative time point. Preoperative knee extensor strength, hip abductor strength, and age were useful predictors of ambulation ability at the early, middle, and late time points, respectively, after THA.
A Comparison of Mortality following Distal Femoral Fractures and Hip Fractures in an Elderly Population
Authors: Jordan R. W. , Chahal G. S. , Davies M. , Srinivas K.
Published: August 2014

Introduction. Patients suffering a distal femoral fracture are at a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Currently this cohort is not afforded the same resources as those with hip fractures. This study aims to compare their mortality rates and assess whether surgical intervention improves either outcome or mortality following distal femoral fractures.Methods. Patients over sixty-five admitted with a distal femoral fracture between June 2007 and 2012 were retrospectively identified. Patients mobility was categorised as unaided, walking aid, zimmer frame, or immobile. The 30-day, six-month, and one-year mortality rates were recorded for this group as well as for hip fractures during the same period.Results. 68 patients were included in the study. The mortality rate for all patients with distal femoral fractures was 7% at 30 days, 26% at six months, and 38% at one year, higher than hip fractures during the same period by 8%, 13%, and 18%, respectively. Patients managed surgically had lower mortality rates and higher mobility levels.Conclusion. Patients suffering a distal femoral fracture have a high mortality rate and surgical intervention seems to improve both mobility and mortality.
Different Perception of Musical Stimuli in Patients with Monolateral and Bilateral Cochlear Implants
Authors: Maglione Anton Giulio , Vecchiato Giovanni , Leone Carlo Antonio , Grassia Rosa , Mosca Franco , Colosimo Alfredo , Malerba Paolo , Babiloni Fabio
Published: August 2014

The aim of the present study is to measure the perceived pleasantness during the observation of a musical video clip in a group of cochlear implanted adult patients when compared to a group of normal hearing subjects. This comparison was performed by using the imbalance of the EEG power spectra in alpha band over frontal areas as a metric for the perceived pleasantness. Subjects were asked to watch a musical video clip in three different experimental conditions: with the original audio included (Norm), with a distorted version of the audio (Dist), and without the audio (Mute). The frontal EEG imbalance between the estimated power spectra for the left and right prefrontal areas has been calculated to investigate the differences among the two populations. Results suggested that the perceived pleasantness of the musical video clip in the normal hearing population and in the bilateral cochlear implanted populations has similar range of variation across the different stimulations (Norm, Dist, and Mute), when compared to the range of variation of video clip’s pleasantness for the monolateral cochlear implanted population. A similarity exists in the trends of the perceived pleasantness across the different experimental conditions in the mono- and bilaterally cochlear implanted patients.
Adaptive Evolution of Virulence-Related Traits in a Susceptible-Infected Model with Treatment
Authors: Meng Xinzhu , Yang Yang , Zhao Shengnan
Published: August 2014

Evolution problem is now a hot topic in the mathematical biology field. This paper investigates the adaptive evolution of pathogen virulence in a susceptible-infected (SI) model under drug treatment. We explore the evolution of a continuous trait, virulence of a pathogen, and consider virulence-dependent cure rate (recovery rate) that dramatically affects the outcome of evolution. With the methods of critical function analysis and adaptive dynamics, we identify the evolutionary conditions for continuously stable strategies, evolutionary repellers, and evolutionary branching points. First, the results show that a high-intensity strength drug treatment can result in evolutionary branching and the evolution of pathogen strains will tend towards a higher virulence with the increase of the strength of the treatment. Second, we use the critical function analysis to investigate the evolution of virulence-related traits and show that evolutionary outcomes strongly depend on the shape of the trade-off between virulence and transmission. Third, after evolutionary branching, the two infective species will evolve to an evolutionarily stable dimorphism at which they can continue to coexist, and no further branching is possible, which is independent of the cure rate function.
Phytomediated Biostimulation of the Autochthonous Bacterial Community for the Acceleration of the Depletion of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Contaminated Sediments
Authors: Di Gregorio Simona , Gentini Alessandro , Siracusa Giovanna , Becarelli Simone , Azaizeh Hassan , Lorenzi Roberto
Published: August 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of organic contaminants causing hazards to organisms including humans. The objective of the study was to validate the vegetation of dredged sediments withPhragmites australisas an exploitable biostimulation approach to accelerate the depletion of PAHs in nitrogen spiked sediments. Vegetation withPhragmites australisresulted in being an efficient biostimulation approach for the depletion of an aged PAHs contamination (229.67±15.56 μg PAHs/g dry weight of sediment) in dredged sediments.Phragmites australisaccelerated the oxidation of the PAHs by rhizodegradation. The phytobased approach resulted in 58.47% of PAHs depletion. The effects of the treatment have been analyzed in terms of both contaminant depletion and changes in relative abundance of the metabolically active Gram positive and Gram negative PAHs degraders. The metabolically active degraders were quantified both in the sediments and in the root endospheric microbial community. Quantitative real-time PCR reactions have been performed on the retrotranscribed transcripts encoding the Gram positive and Gram negative largeαsubunit (RHDα) of the aromatic ring hydroxylating dioxygenases. The Gram positive degraders resulted in being selectively favored by vegetation withPhragmites australisand mandatory for the depletion of the six ring condensed indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene and benzo[g,h,i]perylene.
Spray Dried Extract ofPhormidium valderianumas a Promising Source of Natural Antioxidant
Authors: Chatterjee Dipan , Bhattacharjee Paramita , Satpati Gour Gopal , Pal Ruma
Published: August 2014

Microencapsulation of antioxidant-rich fraction obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction (at 50°C, 500 bar with extraction time of 90 min, and flow rate of CO2at 2 L/min) of lyophilized biomass ofPhormidium valderianumwas carried out in a spray dryer using maltodextrin and gum arabic. Microencapsulation conditions that provided the best combination of phytochemical properties such as antioxidant activity, phenolic content, and reducing power with reasonable powder yield were an inlet temperature of 130°C and wall material composition as maltodextrin: gum arabic = 70 : 30. Toxicological study reported that the Anatoxin-a content of this encapsulated powder was below the limit of detection of HPLC. Storage study established that encapsulation of this antioxidant-rich algal extract resulted in eight times enhancement of half-life (T1/2) values. The release profile of microencapsulated antioxidant-rich fraction from the encapsulated powder was found to follow first order anomalous transport kinetics. Therefore, this microencapsulated algal extract with minimum toxicity is a source of natural antioxidant and could have promising use as novel dietary supplement.
Impact of Seasons and Dioecy on Therapeutic Phytoconstituents ofTinospora cordifolia, a Rasayana Drug
Authors: Choudhry Namrta , Singh Shweta , Siddiqui Mohammad Badruzzaman , Khatoon Sayyada
Published: August 2014

Tinospora cordifolia(Thunb.) Miers, Menispermaceae, is a dioecious creeper, commonly known as “Giloe” or “Guduchi” with significant medicinal importance in the traditional systems of medicine. It is designated as Rasayana drug in Ayurveda and recommended for a number of diseases and also as adaptogen and immunomodulator. The safety and efficacy of herbal medicines are closely correlated with the quality of the source materials. The aim of this study is to see the effect of seasons on phytoconstituents and how these vary in male and female stem samples ofT. cordifolia. The study revealed that total phenolics and total sugar concentration obtained highest values in summer season while starch and tannin content were found maximum in winter season in both the genders. However, biomarkers, tinosporaside and berberine, reached to their highest concentration in monsoon season. Further, antioxidant potential revealed the highest inhibition percentage in winter season as well as in late summer season. The results of this study suggest that the female plant is best for its therapeutic phytoconstituents and the best harvesting seasons may be either winter or late summer for antioxidant potential and immunomodulator activities and monsoon for antidiabetic activity ofT. cordifolia.
Low Temperature (180°C) Growth of Smooth Surface Germanium Epilayers on Silicon Substrates Using Electron Cyclotron Resonance Chemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Chang Teng-Hsiang , Chang Chiao , Chu Yen-Ho , Lee Chien-Chieh , Chang Jenq-Yang , Chen I-Chen , Li Tomi T.
Published: August 2014

This paper describes a new method to grow thin germanium (Ge) epilayers (40 nm) on c-Si substrates at a low growth temperature of 180°C using electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECR-CVD) process. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the Ge (004) in X-ray diffraction pattern and the compressive stain in a Ge epilayer of 683 arcsec and 0.12% can be achieved. Moreover, the Ge/Si interface is observed by transmission electron microscopy to demonstrate the epitaxial growth of Ge on Si and the surface roughness is 0.342 nm. The thin-thickness and smooth surface of Ge epilayer grown on Si in this study is suitable to be a virtual substrate for developing the low cost and high efficiency III-V/Si tandem solar cells in our opinion. Furthermore, the low temperature process can not only decrease costs but can also reduce the restriction of high temperature processes on device manufacturing.
Transport Coefficients for Holographic Hydrodynamics at Finite Energy Scale
Authors: Ge Xian-Hui , Leng Hong-Qiang , Fang Li Qing , Yang Guo-Hong
Published: August 2014

We investigate the relations between black hole thermodynamics and holographic transport coefficients in this paper. The formulae for DC conductivity and diffusion coefficient are verified for electrically single-charged black holes. We examine the correctness of the proposed expressions by taking charged dilatonic and single-charged STU black holes as two concrete examples, and compute the flows of conductivity and diffusion coefficient by solving the linear order perturbation equations. We then check the consistence by evaluating the Brown-York tensor at a finite radial position. Finally, we find that the retarded Green functions for the shear modes can be expressed easily in terms of black hole thermodynamic quantities and transport coefficients.
Venous Ligation: A Novel Strategy for Glans Enhancement in Penile Prosthesis Implantation
Authors: Hsu Geng-Long , Hill James W. , Hsieh Cheng-Hsing , Liu Shih-Ping , Hsu Chih-Yuan
Published: August 2014

Although penile implantation remains a final solution for patients with refractory impotence, undesirable postoperative effects, including penile size reduction and cold sensation of the glans penis, remain problematic. We report results of a surgical method designed to avoid these problems. From 2003 to 2013, 35 consecutive patients received a malleable penile implant. Of these, 15 men (the enhancing group) were also treated with venous ligation of the retrocoronal venous plexus, deep dorsal vein, and cavernosal veins. The remaining 20 men formed the control group, treated with only a penile implant. Follow-up ranged from 1.1 to 10.0 years, with an average of 6.7 ± 1.5 years. Although preoperative glanular dimension did not differ significantly between the two groups, significant respective difference at one day and one year postoperatively was found in the glanular circumference (128.8 ± 6.8 mm versus 115.3 ± 7.2 mm and 130.6 ± 7.2 mm versus 100.5 ± 7.3 mm; bothP<0.05), radius (38.8 ± 2.7 mm versus 37.1 ± 2.8 mm and 41.5 ± 2.6 mm versus 33.8 ± 2.9 mm; latterP<0.01), and satisfaction rate (91.7% versus 53.3%,P<0.01) as well. Based on our results, selective venous ligation appears to enhance the glans penis dimension in implant patients.
Hypertransfusion Therapy in Sickle Cell Disease in Nigeria
Authors: Adewoyin Ademola Samson , Obieche Jude Chike
Published: August 2014

Introduction. Hypertransfusion refers to chronic blood transfusion therapy aimed at ameliorating disease complications in various haemopathies particularly the haemoglobinopathies. In sickle cell disease, hypertransfusion is aimed at maintaining patient’s haemoglobin level at 10 to 11 g/dL using haemoglobin AA blood and its resultant dilutional effect on sickle haemoglobin is sustained by intermittent long-term transfusions.Aim and Objective. This paper highlights hypertransfusion and its privileged position as a secondary measure in prevention and treatment of sickle cell disease, especially in the Nigerian context.Materials and Methods. Relevant literatures were searched on PubMed, Google Scholar and standard texts in haematology and transfusion medicine. Keywords used in the search are hypertransfusion, sickle cell disease, chronic transfusion, and Nigeria. Literatures gathered were reviewed, summarized, and presented in this paper.Result. Immense clinical benefit is associated with hypertransfusion therapy including prevention of stroke and amelioration of severe sickle cell disease especially in transplant ineligible patients. Careful patient selections, appropriate blood component, and prevention of transfusion hazards as well as oversight function of an experienced haematologist are pertinent to a successful hypertransfusion therapy.Conclusion. Improved knowledge of the benefits and practice of hypertransfusion will effectively translate into improved health status even among Nigerian sickle cell disease patients.
Anesthetic Management of a Patient with Sustained Severe Metabolic Alkalosis and Electrolyte Abnormalities Caused by Ingestion of Baking Soda
Authors: Soliz Jose , Lim Jeffrey , Zheng Gang
Published: August 2014

The use of alternative medicine is prevalent worldwide. However, its effect on intraoperative anesthetic care is underreported. We report the anesthetic management of a patient who underwent an extensive head and neck cancer surgery and presented with a severe intraoperative metabolic alkalosis from the long term ingestion of baking soda and other herbal remedies.
Greater Trochanteric Fixation Using a Cable System for Partial Hip Arthroplasty: A Clinical and Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Ozan Fırat , Koyuncu Şemmi , Pekedis Mahmut , Altay Taşkın , Yıldız Hasan , Toker Gökhan
Published: August 2014

The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of greater trochanteric fixation using a multifilament cable to ensure abductor lever arm continuity in patients with a proximal femoral fracture undergoing partial hip arthroplasty. Mean age of the patients (12 men, 20 women) was 84.12 years. Mean follow-up was 13.06 months. Fixation of the dislocated greater trochanter with or without a cable following load application was assessed by finite element analysis (FEA). Radiological evaluation was based on the distance between the fracture and the union site. Harris hip score was used to evaluate final results: outcomes were excellent in 7 patients (21.8%), good in 17 patients (53.1%), average in 5 patients (15.6%), and poor in 1 patient (9.3%). Mean abduction angle was 20.21°. Union was achieved in 14 patients (43.7%), fibrous union in 12 (37.5%), and no union in 6 (18.7%). FEA showed that the maximum total displacement of the greater trochanter decreased when the fractured bone was fixed with a cable. As the force applied to the cable increased, the displacement of the fractured trochanter decreased. This technique ensures continuity of the abductor lever arm in patients with a proximal femoral fracture who are undergoing partial hip arthroplasty surgery.
Biological Effect of Audible Sound Control on Mung Bean (Vigna radiate) Sprout
Authors: Cai W. , He H. , Zhu S. , Wang N.
Published: August 2014

Audible sound (20–20000 Hz) widely exists in natural world. However, the interaction between audible sound and the growth of plants is usually neglected in biophysics research. Not much effort has been put forth in studying the relation of plant and audible sound. In this work, the effect of audible sound on germination and growth of mung bean (Vigna radiate) was studied under laboratory condition. Audible sound ranging 1000–1500 Hz, 1500–2000 Hz, and 2000–2500 Hz and intensities [80 dB (A), 90 dB (A), 100 dB (A)] were used to stimulate mung bean for 72 hours. The growth of mung bean was evaluated in terms of mean germination time, total length, and total fresh weight. Experimental results indicated that the sound wave can reduce the germination period of mung bean and the mung bean under treatments of sound with intensity around 90 dB and frequency around 2000 Hz and significant increase in growth. Audible sound treatment can promote the growth of mung bean differently for distinct frequency and intensity. The study provides us with a way to understand the effects and rules of sound field on plant growth and a new way to improve the production of mung bean.
Reduction of Hexavalent Chromium by Viable Cells of Chromium Resistant Bacteria Isolated from Chromite Mining Environment
Authors: Dey Satarupa , Pandit Baishali , Paul A. K.
Published: August 2014

Environmental contamination of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is of serious concern for its toxicity as well as mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Bacterial chromate reduction is a cost-effective technology for detoxification as well as removal of Cr(VI) from polluted environment. Chromium resistant and reducing bacteria, belonging to Arthrobacter, Pseudomonas, and Corynebacterium isolated from chromite mine overburden and seepage samples of Orissa, India, were found to tolerate 12–18 mM Cr(VI) during growth. Viable cells of these isolates were also capable of growing and reducing 100 μM Cr(VI) quite efficiently in Vogel Bonner (V.B.) broth under batch cultivation. Freshly grown cells of the most potent isolate, Arthrobacter SUK 1201, reduced 100 μM Cr(VI) in 48 h. Reduction potential of SUK 1201 cells decreased with increase in Cr(VI) concentration but increased with increase in cell density and attained its maximum at 1010 cells/mL. Chromate reducing efficiency of SUK 1201 was promoted in the presence of glucose and glycerol while the highest reduction was at pH 7.0 and 25°C. The reduction process was inhibited by divalent cations Ni, Co, and Cd, but not by Cu. Similarly, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, N,N,-Di cyclohexyl carbodiimide, sodium azide, and sodium fluoride were inhibitory to chromate reduction, while 2,4 dinitrophenol promoted the process. Cells permeabilized by toluene increased the efficiency of Cr(VI) reduction and, thereby, indicate that Arthrobacter sp. SUK 1201, indigenous to chromite mining environment, could be used as an ideal tool for chromium bioremediation.
Electromagnetic Computation and Visualization of Transmission Particle Model and Its Simulation Based on GPU
Authors: Wu Yingnian , Zhang Lin , Mu Lan
Published: August 2014

Electromagnetic calculation plays an important role in both military and civic fields. Some methods and models proposed for calculation of electromagnetic wave propagation in a large range bring heavy burden in CPU computation and also require huge amount of memory. Using the GPU to accelerate computation and visualization can reduce the computational burden on the CPU. Based on forward ray‐tracing method, a transmission particle model (TPM) for calculating electromagnetic field is presented to combine the particle method. The movement of a particle obeys the principle of the propagation of electromagnetic wave, and then the particle distribution density in space reflects the electromagnetic distribution status. The algorithm with particle transmission, movement, reflection, and diffraction is described in detail. Since the particles in TPM are completely independent, it is very suitable for the parallel computing based on GPU. Deduction verification of TPM with the electric dipole antenna as the transmission source is conducted to prove that the particle movement itself represents the variation of electromagnetic field intensity caused by diffusion. Finally, the simulation comparisons are made against the forward and backward ray‐tracing methods. The simulation results verified the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Discrete Weighted Pseudo Asymptotic Periodicity of Second Order Difference Equations
Authors: Xia Zhinan
Published: August 2014

We define the concept of discrete weighted pseudo-S-asymptotically periodic function and prove some basic results including composition theorem. We investigate the existence, and uniqueness of discrete weighted pseudo-S-asymptotically periodic solution to nonautonomous semilinear difference equations. Furthermore, an application to scalar second order difference equations is given. The working tools are based on the exponential dichotomy theory and fixed point theorem.
Automated Cough Assessment on a Mobile Platform
Authors: Sterling Mark , Rhee Hyekyun , Bocko Mark
Published: August 2014

The development of an Automated System for Asthma Monitoring (ADAM) is described. This consists of a consumer electronics mobile platform running a custom application. The application acquires an audio signal from an external user-worn microphone connected to the device analog-to-digital converter (microphone input). This signal is processed to determine the presence or absence of cough sounds. Symptom tallies and raw audio waveforms are recorded and made easily accessible for later review by a healthcare provider. The symptom detection algorithm is based upon standard speech recognition and machine learning paradigms and consists of an audio feature extraction step followed by a Hidden Markov Model based Viterbi decoder that has been trained on a large database of audio examples from a variety of subjects. Multiple Hidden Markov Model topologies and orders are studied. Performance of the recognizer is presented in terms of the sensitivity and the rate of false alarm as determined in a cross-validation test.
Investigation of Thermal Instability of Additive-Based High-Efficiency Organic Photovoltaics
Authors: Yao En-Ping , Tsai Yi-Jhe , Hsu Wei-Chou
Published: August 2014

Most photovoltaics operate at high temperature under sunlight. In this work, the thermal instability of diiodooctane-based high-efficiency bulk heterojunction (BHJ) organic photovoltaics (OPVs) is studied. The BHJ layers were heated to various temperatures to investigate the changes in their physical properties using atomic force microscopy phase images. The mobilities of the carriers were characterized at various temperatures using the space-charge-limited current method, and the carrier lifetime was calculated by applying impedance spectroscopy to the simulated equivalent circuit of the OPV devices.
The Effect of Bedding Structure on Mechanical Property of Coal
Authors: Zhang Zetian , Zhang Ru , Li Guo , Li Hegui , Liu Jianfeng
Published: August 2014

The mechanical property of coal, influencing mining activity considerably, is significantly determined by the natural fracture distributed within coal mass. In order to study the effecting mechanism of bedding structure on mechanical property of coal, a series of uniaxial compression tests and mesoscopic tests have been conducted. The experimental results show that the distribution characteristic of calcite particles, which significantly influences the growth of cracks and the macroscopic mechanical properties of coal, is obviously affected by the bedding structure. Specifically, the uniaxial compression strength of coal sample is mainly controlled by bedding structure, and the average peak stress of specimens with axes perpendicular to the bedding planes is 20.00 MPa, which is 2.88 times the average amount of parallel ones. The test results also show a close relationship between the bedding structure and the whole deformation process under uniaxial loading.
Image Recovery Algorithm Based on Learned Dictionary
Authors: Zhu Xinghui , Kui Fang
Published: August 2014

We proposed a recovery scheme for image deblurring. The scheme is under the framework of sparse representation and it has three main contributions. Firstly, considering the sparse property of natural image, the nonlocal overcompleted dictionaries are learned for image patches in our scheme. And, then, we coded the patches in each nonlocal clustering with the corresponding learned dictionary to recover the whole latent image. In addition, for some practical applications, we also proposed a method to evaluate the blur kernel to make the algorithm usable in blind image recovery. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed scheme is competitive with some current state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Eucalyptus Essential Oil as a Natural Food Preservative:In VivoandIn VitroAntiyeast Potential
Authors: Kumar Tyagi Amit , Bukvicki Danka , Gottardi Davide , Tabanelli Giulia , Montanari Chiara , Malik Anushree , Guerzoni Maria Elisabetta
Published: August 2014

In this study, the application of eucalyptus essential oil/vapour as beverages preservative is reported. The chemical composition of eucalyptus oil was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and solid phase microextraction GC-MS (SPME/GC-MS) analyses. GC-MS revealed that the major constituents were 1,8-cineole (80.5%), limonene (6.5%),α-pinene (5%), andγ-terpinene (2.9%) while SPME/GC-MS showed a relative reduction of 1,8-cineole (63.9%) and an increase of limonene (13.8%),α-pinene (8.87%), andγ-terpinene (3.98%). Antimicrobial potential of essential oil was initially determined in vitro against 8 different food spoilage yeasts by disc diffusion, disc volatilization, and microdilution method. The activity of eucalyptus vapours was significantly higher than the eucalyptus oil. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) varied from 0.56 to 4.50 mg/mL and from 1.13 to 9 mg/mL, respectively. Subsequently, the combined efficacy of essential oil and thermal treatment were used to evaluate the preservation of a mixed fruit juice in a time-dependent manner. These results suggest eucalyptus oil as a potent inhibitor of food spoilage yeasts not only in vitro but also in a real food system. Currently, this is the first report that uses eucalyptus essential oil for fruit juice preservation against food spoiling yeast.
Mechanisms of miRNA-Mediated Gene Regulation from Common Downregulation to mRNA-Specific Upregulation
Authors: Valinezhad Orang Ayla , Safaralizadeh Reza , Kazemzadeh-Bavili Mina
Published: August 2014

Discovered in 1993, micoRNAs (miRNAs) are now recognized as one of the major regulatory gene families in eukaryotes. To date, 24521 microRNAs have been discovered and there are certainly more to come. It was primarily acknowledged that miRNAs result in gene expression repression at both the level of mRNA stability by conducting mRNA degradation and the level of translation (at initiation and after initiation) by inhibiting protein translation or degrading the polypeptides through binding complementarily to 3′UTR of the target mRNAs. Nevertheless, some studies revealed that miRNAs have the capability of activating gene expression directly or indirectly in respond to different cell types and conditions and in the presence of distinct cofactors. This reversibility in their posttranslational gene regulatory natures enables the bearing cells to rapidly response to different cell conditions and consequently block unnecessary energy wastage or maintain the cell state. This paper provides an overview of the current understandings of the miRNA characteristics including their genes and biogenesis, as well as their mediated downregulation. We also review up-to-date knowledge of miRNA-mediated gene upregulation through highlighting some notable examples and discuss the emerging concepts of their associations with other posttranscriptional gene regulation processes.
Characterization of Binary Organogels Based on Some Azobenzene Compounds and Alkyloxybenzoic Acids with Different Chain Lengths
Authors: Hu Yongmei , Li Qingshan , Hong Wei , Jiao Tifeng , Xing Guangzhong , Jiang Qilong
Published: August 2014

In this work the gelation behaviors of binary organogels composed of azobenzene amino derivatives and alkyloxybenzoic acids with different lengths of alkyl chains in various organic solvents were investigated and characterized. The corresponding gelation behaviors in 20 solvents were characterized and shown as new binary organic systems. It showed that the lengths of substituent alkyl chains in compounds have played an important role in the gelation formation of gelator mixtures in present tested organic solvents. Longer methylene chains in molecular skeletons in these gelators seem more suitable for the gelation of present solvents. Morphological characterization showed that these gelator molecules have the tendency to self-assemble into various aggregates from lamella, wrinkle, and belt to dot with change of solvents and gelator mixtures. Spectral characterization demonstrated different H-bond formation and hydrophobic force existing in gels, depending on different substituent chains in molecular skeletons. Meanwhile, these organogels can self-assemble to form monomolecular or multilayer nanostructures owing to the different lengths of due to alkyl substituent chains. Possible assembly modes for present xerogels were proposed. The present investigation is perspective to provide new clues for the design of new nanomaterials and functional textile materials with special microstructures.