bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Constitutive Optimized Production of Streptokinase inSaccharomyces cerevisiaeUtilizing Glyceraldehyde 3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Promoter ofPichia pastoris
Authors: Vellanki Ravi N. , Potumarthi Ravichandra , Doddapaneni Kiran K. , Anubrolu Naveen , Mangamoori Lakshmi N.
Published: September 2013

A novel expression vector constructed from genes ofPichia pastoriswas applied for heterologous gene expression inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Recombinant streptokinase (SK) was synthesized by cloning the region encoding mature SK under the control of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAP) promoter ofPichia pastorisinSaccharomyces cerevisiae. SK was intracellularly expressed constitutively, as evidenced by lyticase-nitroanilide and caseinolytic assays. The functional activity was confirmed by plasminogen activation assay andin vitroclot lysis assay. Stability and absence of toxicity to the host with the recombinant expression vector as evidenced by southern analysis and growth profile indicate the application of this expression system for large-scale production of SK. Two-stage statistical approach, Plackett-Burman (PB) design and response surface methodology (RSM) was used for SK production medium optimization. In the first stage, carbon and organic nitrogen sources were qualitatively screened by PB design and in the second stage there was quantitative optimization of four process variables, yeast extract, dextrose, pH, and temperature, by RSM. PB design resulted in dextrose and peptone as best carbon and nitrogen sources for SK production. RSM method, proved as an efficient technique for optimizing process conditions which resulted in 110% increase in SK production, 2352 IU/mL, than for unoptimized conditions.
Gas-Assisted Heating Technology for High Aspect Ratio Microstructure Injection Molding
Authors: Chen Shia-Chung , Lin Chen-Yang , Chang Jen-An , Minh Pham Son
Published: September 2013

A hot gas is used for heating the cavity surface of a mold. Different mold gap sizes were designed. The mold surface temperature was heated to above the glass transition temperature of the plastic material, and the mold then closed for melt filling. The cavity surface can be heated to 130°C to assist the melt filling of the microfeatures. Results show that hot gas heating can improve the filling process and achieve 91% of the high aspect ratio microgrooves (about 640.38 μm of the maximum of 700 μm). The mold gap size strongly affects the heating speed and heating uniformity. Without surface preheating, the center rib is the highest. When the heating target temperature is 90°C or 100°C, the three microribs have a good uniformity of height. However, when the target temperature exceeds 100°C, the left side rib is higher than the other ribs.
Feasibility, Reproducibility, and Agreement between Different Speckle Tracking Echocardiographic Techniques for the Assessment of Longitudinal Deformation
Authors: Buccheri Sergio , Monte Ines , Mangiafico Sarah , Bottari Vera , Leggio Stefano , Tamburino Corrado
Published: September 2013

Background.Left ventricular (LV) longitudinal deformation can be assessed with new echocardiographic techniques like triplane echocardiography (3PE) and four-dimensional echocardiography (4DE). We aimed to assess the feasibility, reproducibility, and agreement between these different speckle-tracking techniques for the assessment of longitudinal deformation.Methods. 101 consecutive subjects underwent echocardiographic examination. 2D cine loops from the apical views, a triplane view, and an LV 4D full volume were acquired in all subjects. LV longitudinal strain was obtained for each imaging modality.Results. 2DE analysis of LV strain was feasible in 90/101 subjects, 3PE strain in 89/101, and 4DE strain in 90/101. The mean value of 2DE and 3PE longitudinal strains was significantly higher with respect to 4DE. The relationship between 2DE and 3PE derived strains (r=0.782) was significantly higher (z=3.72,P<0.001) than that between 2DE and 4DE (r=0.429) and that between 3PE and 4DE (r=0.510;z=3.09,P=0.001). The mean bias between 2DE and 4DE strains was-6.61±7.31%while-6.42±6.81%between 3PE and 4DE strains; the bias between 2DE and 3PE strain was of0.21±4.16%. Intraobserver and interobserver variabilities were acceptable among the techniques.Conclusions. Echocardiographic techniques for the assessment of longitudinal deformation are not interchangeable, and further studies are needed to assess specific reference values.
The Existence of Positive Solutions for Boundary Value Problem of the Fractional Sturm-Liouville Functional Differential Equation
Authors: Li Yanan , Sun Shurong , Han Zhenlai , Lu Hongling
Published: September 2013

We study boundary value problems for the following nonlinear fractional Sturm-Liouville functional differential equations involving the Caputo fractional derivative:  CDβ(p(t)CDαu(t))+f(t,u(t-τ),u(t+θ))=0,t∈(0,1), CDαu(0)= CDαu(1)=( CDαu(0))=0,au(t)-bu′(t)=η(t),t∈[-τ,0],cu(t)+du′(t)=ξ(t),t∈[1,1+θ], where  CDα, CDβdenote the Caputo fractional derivatives,fis a nonnegative continuous functional defined onC([-τ,1+θ],ℝ),1<α≤2,2<β≤3,0<τ,θ<1/4are suitably small,a,b,c,d>0, andη∈C([-τ,0],[0,∞)),ξ∈C([1,1+θ],[0,∞)). By means of the Guo-Krasnoselskii fixed point theorem and the fixed point index theorem, some positive solutions are obtained, respectively. As an application, an example is presented to illustrate our main results.
Effects of Flavonoids from French Marigold (Florets ofTagetes patulaL.) on Acute Inflammation Model
Authors: Yasukawa Ken , Kasahara Yoshimasa
Published: September 2013

The major components patuletin and patulitrin were isolated from French marigold (florets ofTagetes patula). Patuletin and patulitrin were found to inhibit acute inflammation in mice. Oral administration of patuletin and patulitrin significantly suppressed hind-paw edema induced by carrageenin and histamine, while topical application of patuletin and patulitrin significantly inhibited ear edema induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and arachidonic acid. Thus, oral and topical administration of patuletin and patulitrin inhibited acute inflammation in mice. These results suggest the anti-inflammatory efficacy of French marigold.
Mediators of Inflammation and Their Effect on Resident Renal Cells: Implications in Lupus Nephritis
Authors: Yung Susan , Cheung Kwok Fan , Zhang Qing , Chan Tak Mao
Published: September 2013

Lupus nephritis affects up to 70% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by a breakdown of immune tolerance, production of autoantibodies, and deposition of immune complexes within the kidney parenchyma, resulting in local inflammation and subsequent organ damage. To date, numerous mediators of inflammation have been implicated in the development and progression of lupus nephritis, and these include cytokines, chemokines, and glycosaminoglycans. Of these, type I interferons (IFNs) can increase both gene and protein expression of cytokines and chemokines associated with lupus susceptibility, and interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and hyaluronan have been shown to elicit both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects on infiltrating and resident renal cells depending on the status of their microenvironment. Expression of IL-6, TNF-α, type I IFNs, and hyaluronan are increased in the kidneys of patients and mice with active lupus nephritis and have been shown to contribute to disease pathogenesis. There is also evidence that despite clinical remission, ongoing inflammatory processes may occur within the glomerular and tubulointerstitial compartments of the kidney, which further promote kidney injury. In this review, we provide an overview of the synthesis and putative roles of IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-α, and hyaluronan in the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis focusing on their effects on human mesangial cells and proximal renal tubular epithelial cells.
Effects of the Addition ofOrtho- andPara-NH2Substituted Tetraphenylporphyrins on the Structure of Nylon 66
Authors: Díaz-Alejo Luis A. , Menchaca-Campos E. Carmina , Uruchurtu Chavarín J. , Sosa-Fonseca R. , García-Sánchez Miguel A.
Published: September 2013

The synthetic tetrapyrrole macrocycles, such as porphyrins (H2P) and phthalocyanines (H2Pc), exhibit interesting physicochemical properties suitable to be used in modern technology. For many applications, those species should be trapped or fixed inside graphite, hydrotalcites, silica, TiO2, or polymers. Methodologies for the optimization of the properties of porphyrins, trapped or fixed inside polymers, have been barely developed. Our research works in the development of methodologies for the optimization of incorporation and display of properties of tetrapyrrole macrocycles inside inorganic, polymeric, or hybrid networks. This paper shows some results about the effect of the spatial disposition of the amine (–NH2) groups attached on the periphery of substituted tetraphenylporphyrins, on the Nylon 66 structure and on the display of the physicochemical properties of the trapped macrocycles. Nylon 66 was synthesized from adipoyl chloride and hexamethylenediamine in presence of tetraphenylporphyrins substituted with –NH2groups localized at theortho- orpara-positions of the phenyls. Cobalt complexes formation was used to quantify the amount of porphyrins in the polymer fibers. Characterization results show that the spatial position of amine groups of the porphyrins has important structural and textural effect on the Nylon 66 fibers and on the fluorescence of the porphyrins integrated into the fibers.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction Induces Formation of Lipid Droplets as a Generalized Response to Stress
Authors: Lee Seon-Jin , Zhang Jinglan , Choi Augustine M. K. , Kim Hong Pyo
Published: September 2013

Lipid droplet (LD) formation is a hallmark of cellular stress. Cells attempt to combat noxious stimuli by switching their metabolism from oxidative phosphorylation to glycolysis, sparing resources in LDs for generating cellular reducing power and for anabolic biosynthesis. Membrane phospholipids are also a source of LDs. To elucidate the formation of LDs, we exposed mice to hyperoxia, hypoxia, myocardial ischemia, and sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). All the above-mentioned stressors enhanced the formation of LDs, as assessed by transmission electron microscopy, with severe mitochondrial swelling. Disruption of mitochondria by depleting mitochondrial DNA (ρ0 cells) significantly augmented the formation of LDs, causing transcriptional activation of fatty acid biosynthesis and metabolic reprogramming to glycolysis. Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 counteracts CLP-mediated septic shock in mouse models. In HO-1-deficient mice, LD formation was not observed upon CLP, but a concomitant decrease in “LD-decorating proteins” was observed, implying a link between LDs and cytoprotective activity. Collectively, LD biogenesis during stress can trigger adaptive LD formation, which is dependent on mitochondrial integrity and HO-1 activity; this may be a cellular survival strategy, apportioning energy-generating substrates to cellular defense.
Brain Hypothermic Therapy Dramatically Decreases Elevated Blood Concentrations of High Mobility Group Box 1 in Neonates with Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy
Authors: Nakamura Toshihiko , Yamada Shingo , Yoshioka Toshirou
Published: September 2013

Background. According to the Consensus 2010 of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR), children with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) should receive brain hypothermic therapy (BHT) after successful resuscitation. Elevated high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in the blood at the early stage of brain ischemia-reperfusion injury has been suggested to be involved in the release of various inflammatory cytokines.Methods. In total, 21 neonates plasma HMGB1 concentration was measured. These neonates included 8 with HIE in whom BHT was indicated, 5 controls diagnosed as having HIE but who were not suitable candidates for BHT, and 8 normal controls.Results. The umbilical artery HMGB1 (UA-HMGB1) level before undergoing BHT significantly exceeded reference values. The UA-HMGB1 level in the BHT (−) group did not differ significantly from reference values, but was significantly increased 24 hours after birth. Repeated measure ANOVA showed a significant difference in time course changes between the BHT (+) and BHT (−) groups (P=0.0002).Conclusions. This study demonstrated hypothermic therapy to significantly decrease HMGB1. Furthermore, HMGB1 is a useful index of the inhibition of early stage inflammation.
Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Fresh and Processed White Cauliflower
Authors: Ahmed Fouad A. , Ali Rehab F. M.
Published: September 2013

Brassicaspecies are very rich in health-promoting phytochemicals, including phenolic compounds, vitamin C, and minerals. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different blanching (i.e., water and steam) and cooking (i.e., water boiling, steam boiling, microwaving, and stir-frying) methods on the nutrient components, phytochemical contents (i.e., polyphenols, carotenoids, flavonoid, and ascorbic acid), antioxidant activity measured by DPPH assay, and phenolic profiles of white cauliflower. Results showed that water boiling and water blanching processes had a great effect on the nutrient components and caused significant losses of dry matter, protein, and mineral and phytochemical contents. However, steam treatments (blanching and cooking), stir-frying, and microwaving presented the lowest reductions. Methanolic extract of fresh cauliflower had significantly the highest antioxidant activity (68.91%) followed by the extracts of steam-blanched, steam-boiled, stir-fried, and microwaved cauliflower 61.83%, 59.15%, 58.93%, and 58.24%, respectively. HPLC analysis revealed that the predominant phenolics of raw cauliflower were protocatechuic acid (192.45), quercetin (202.4), pyrogallol (18.9), vanillic acid (11.90), coumaric acid (6.94), and kaempferol (25.91) mg/100 g DW, respectively.
Prevalence of Occupational Asthma and Respiratory Symptoms in Foundry Workers
Authors: Kayhan Servet , Tutar Umit , Cinarka Halit , Gumus Aziz , Koksal Nurhan
Published: September 2013

This cross-sectional study was conducted in a foundry factory to assess the prevalence of respiratory symptoms and occupational asthma in foundry workers. Physical examination, spirometric evaluation, chest radiograph, and a questionnaire related to respiratory symptoms were performed. Monitoring of peak expiratory flow rates, spirometric reversibility test, and high-resolution computed tomographies were performed for the participants having respiratory symptoms and/or impaired respiratory function test. A total of 347 participants including 286 workers from production department and 61 subjects who worked in nonproduction departments were enrolled in this study. It is found that phlegm (n: 71, 20.46%) and cough (n: 52, 14.98%) were the most frequent symptoms. The other symptoms were breathlessness (n: 28, 8.06%), chest tightness (n: 14, 4.03%), and wheezing (n: 7, 2.01%) . The prevalence of occupational asthma was found to be more frequent among the subjects who worked in the production department (n: 48, 16.78% ) than the other persons who worked in the nonproduction department (n: 3, 4.91%) by chi-square test (P: 0.001). To prevent hazardous respiratory effects of the foundry production, an early diagnosis of occupational asthma is very important. Cessation of cigarette smoking and using of protective masks during the working time should be encouraged.
Surface Investigation of Photo-Degraded Wood by Colour Monitoring, Infrared Spectroscopy, and Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Agresti Giorgia , Bonifazi Giuseppe , Calienno Luca , Capobianco Giuseppe , Lo Monaco Angela , Pelosi Claudia , Picchio Rodolfo , Serranti Silvia
Published: September 2013

The aim of this investigation is to study the changes occurring on the surface of poplar wood exposed to artificial irradiation in a Solar Box. Colour changes were monitored with a reflectance spectrophotometer. Surface chemical modifications were evaluated by measuring the infrared spectra. Hyperspectral imaging was also applied to study the surface wood changes in the visible-near infrared and the short wave infrared wavelength ranges. The data obtained from the different techniques were compared to find the possible correlations in order to evaluate the applicability of the Hyperspectral imaging to investigate wood modifications in a non-invasive modality. The study of colour changes showed an important variation due to photo-irradiation which is the greatest change occurring within the first 24 hours. Infrared spectroscopy revealed that lignin degrades mainly in the first 48 hours. Concerning Hyperspectral imaging, the spectral features in the visible-near infrared range are mainly linked to the spectral shape, whereas in the short wave infrared cellulose and lignin affect shape and reflectance levels. The proposed approach showed that a correlation can be established between colour variation and wood degradation in the visible-near infrared range; furthermore in the short wave infrared region surface chemical changes can be assessed.
Onℳ𝒜(i,j)-Continuous Functions in Biminimal Structure Spaces
Authors: Boonpok Chawalit , Viriyapong Chokchai , Thongmoon Montri , Viriyapong Nongluk
Published: September 2013

We introduce the notion ofℳ𝒜(i,j)-continuous functions and some other forms of continuity in biminimal structure spaces. Some new characterizations and several fundamental properties ofℳ𝒜(i,j)-continuous functions are obtained.
A Model of Double-Directional Indoor Channels for Multiterminal Communications
Authors: Handayani Puji , Hendrantoro Gamantyo
Published: September 2013

We propose a model of double-directional indoor nonline of sight (NLOS) channels for multiterminal communications. We derive a simple channel matrix that describes input-output relationship for such channels. The multiterminal systems may consist of several terminals that act as amplify-and-forward (AF) relays, where source, relays, and destination have arbitrary numbers of antennas. We complete our model by characterizing the parameters of double-directional channel impulse response of such channels through measurements in indoor environment using 3D synthetic array antenna at 2.5 GHz band. To find out the relation between spatial characteristic of channels in each hop, we observe the direction of arrival (DOA) and direction of departure (DOD) of multipath component signals at the terminal that acts as relay. We find that there are several closely matched azimuths of DOAs and azimuths of DODs which follow uniform distribution in the range of −180° to 180° for elevation around the broadside direction of vertical omnidirectional elements of arrays.
A Modified Structure for All-Glass Photonic Bandgap Fibers: Dispersion Characteristics and Confinement Loss Analysis
Authors: Gowre Sanjaykumar , Mahapatra Sudipta , Sahu P. K.
Published: September 2013

This paper investigates a modified structure for all-glass photonic bandgap fiber (AGPBF) having up-doped silica rods in the cladding region instead of air holes using plane wave expansion (PWE) and finite difference time domain (FDTD) methods. The proposed AGPBF structure exhibits tunable dispersion properties and improved confinement loss. It is observed that the confinement loss can be reduced simply by using a higher doping concentration in silica rods in the cladding. Also, it is possible to achieve flattened dispersion of the order of 1 ps/nm/km over a wide wavelength range.
A Wavelet Relational FuzzyC-Means Algorithm for 2D Gel Image Segmentation
Authors: Rashwan Shaheera , Faheem Mohamed Talaat , Sarhan Amany , Youssef Bayumy A. B.
Published: September 2013

One of the most famous algorithms that appeared in the area of image segmentation is the FuzzyC-Means (FCM) algorithm. This algorithm has been used in many applications such as data analysis, pattern recognition, and image segmentation. It has the advantages of producing high quality segmentation compared to the other available algorithms. Many modifications have been made to the algorithm to improve its segmentation quality. The proposed segmentation algorithm in this paper is based on the FuzzyC-Means algorithm adding the relational fuzzy notion and the wavelet transform to it so as to enhance its performance especially in the area of 2D gel images. Both proposed modifications aim to minimize the oversegmentation error incurred by previous algorithms. The experimental results of comparing both the FuzzyC-Means (FCM) and the Wavelet FuzzyC-Means (WFCM) to the proposed algorithm on real 2D gel images acquired from human leukemias, HL-60 cell lines, and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) demonstrate the improvement achieved by the proposed algorithm in overcoming the segmentation error. In addition, we investigate the effect of denoising on the three algorithms. This investigation proves that denoising the 2D gel image before segmentation can improve (in most of the cases) the quality of the segmentation.
Stability Analysis of a Stochastic SIR Epidemic Model with Specific Nonlinear Incidence Rate
Authors: Adnani Jihad , Hattaf Khalid , Yousfi Noura
Published: September 2013

We investigate a stochastic SIR epidemic model with specific nonlinear incidence rate. The stochastic model is derived from the deterministic epidemic model by introducing random perturbations around the endemic equilibrium state. The effect of random perturbations on the stability behavior of endemic equilibrium is discussed. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to illustrate our theoretical results.
Modulation of the Effects of Lung Immune Response on Bone Marrow by Oral Antigen Exposure
Authors: Xavier-Elsas P. , Silva C. L. C. A. , Pinto L. , Queto T. , Vieira B. M. , Aranha M. G. , De Luca B. , Masid-de-Brito D. , Luz R. A. , Lopes R. S. , Ferreira R. , Gaspar-Elsas M. I.
Published: September 2013

Allergic airway inflammation is attenuated by oral tolerization (oral exposure to allergen, followed by conventional sensitization and challenge with homologous antigen), which decreases airway allergen challenge-induced eosinophilic infiltration of the lungs and bone marrow eosinophilia. We examined its effects on bone marrow eosinophil and neutrophil production. Mice of wild type (BP-2, BALB/c, and C57BL/6) and mutant strains (lacking iNOS or CD95L) were given ovalbumin (OVA) or water (vehicle) orally and subsequently sensitized and challenged with OVA (OVA/OVA/OVA and H2O/OVA/OVA groups, resp.). Anti-OVA IgG and IgE, bone marrow eosinophil and neutrophil numbers, and eosinophil and neutrophil production ex vivo were evaluated. T lymphocytes from OVA/OVA/OVA or control H2O/OVA/OVA donors were transferred into naïve syngeneic recipients, which were subsequently sensitized/challenged with OVA. Alternatively, T lymphocytes were cocultured with bone marrow eosinophil precursors from histocompatible sensitized/challenged mice. OVA/OVA/OVA mice of the BP-2 and BALB/c strains showed, relative to H2O/OVA/OVA controls, significantly decreased bone marrow eosinophil counts and ex vivo eosinopoiesis/neutropoiesis. Full effectiveness in vivo required sequential oral/subcutaneous/intranasal exposures to the same allergen. Transfer of splenic T lymphocytes from OVA/OVA/OVA donors to naive recipients prevented bone marrow eosinophilia and eosinopoiesis in response to recipient sensitization/challenge and supressed eosinopoiesis upon coculture with syngeneic bone marrow precursors from sensitized/challenged donors.
Radio Context Awareness and Applications
Authors: Reggiani Luca , Fiorina Jocelyn , Gezici Sinan , Morosi Simone , Najar Montse
Published: September 2013

The context refers to “any information that can be used to characterize the situation of an entity, where an entity can be a person, place, or physical object.” Radio context awareness is defined as the ability of detecting and estimating a system state or parameter, either globally or concerning one of its components, in a radio system for enhancing performance at the physical, network, or application layers. In this paper, we review the fundamentals of context awareness and the recent advances in the main radio techniques that increase the context awareness and smartness, posing challenges and renewed opportunities to added-value applications in the context of the next generation of wireless networks.
A Supportive-Educational Intervention for Heart Failure Patients in Iran: The Effect on Self-Care Behaviours
Authors: Zamanzadeh Vahid , Valizadeh Leila , Howard A. Fuchsia , Jamshidi Fatemeh
Published: September 2013

Background. Chronic heart failure is a major health and social problem. The promotion of self-care behaviours can potentially assist patients to effectively manage this chronic condition and prevent worsening of the disease. Formal personalized educational interventions that provide support and take into consideration the cultural context are needed.Objective. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of a supportive-educational intervention on self-care behaviours of heart failure patients in Iran.Methods. This research was a prospective, randomized trial of a supportive-educational intervention. Eighty heart failure patients were randomly assigned to receive the supportive-educational intervention or usual care. The intervention consisted of a one-hour, nurse-led, in-person education session and postdischarge followup by telephone over three months. Data were collected at baseline, one, two, and three months.Results. The control and intervention groups did not differ in self-care scores at baseline (P>0.05). Each of the self-care scores was significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group at 1, 2, and 3 months (P<0.001). There were significant differences in self-care behaviours over the three months, among participants in the intervention group.Conclusion. This study provides support for the effectiveness of a supportive-educational intervention to increase self-care behaviours among Iranian patients suffering from chronic heart failure.
Unexpected Small Urinary Bladder Pheochromocytoma: A Nonspecific Presentation
Authors: Mallat Faouzi , Hmida Wissem , Slama Adel , Mosbah Faouzi
Published: September 2013

Objectives. Pheochromocytoma of the urinary bladder is an extremely rare tumor that typically presents with a hypertensive crisis during micturition. Preoperatively, it may be misdiagnosed due to nonspecific symptomatology, physical, and radiologic findings.Method. We report a case of unsuspected small pheochromocytoma which was incidentally found by CT scan and confirmed by the histological aspects after transurethral resection in a 63-year-old woman. Here, we have described the clinical presentation, physical findings, laboratory investigations, and treatment provided in our case. We have also included radiological images and histopathology slides with input from both radiologists and pathologists. Surgical management and postoperative follow-up are discussed, as are details of previous published data.Results. After undergoing surgical treatment (transurethral resection), our patient is asymptomatic, with complete resolution of her pathology.Conclusion. Diagnosis is difficult before histopathological examination and should be considered in patients with no risk factors for usual bladder tumor. Our purpose is to raise clinician's awareness for this condition so that they will be more likely to diagnose it. This will facilitate prompt diagnosis and treatment and especially prevent complications due to pheochromocytoma which may be severe.
Quantification of Amiridine in Human Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Electrospray Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Miroshnichenko Igor I. , Platova Angelina I.
Published: September 2013

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a high-performance liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method for analysis of the amiridine in human plasma. The analyte and internal standard (IS), zolpidem, were extracted from human plasma by solid phase extraction (SPE with SOLA cartridges) and separated on a Zorbax SB-C18 column using methanol and 0.2% formic acid in water as mobile phase. Detection was performed using an electrospray ionization source and mass spectrometric positive multireaction monitoring mode (+MRM) at a voltage capillary of +2000 V. The assay was linear over the concentration range 0.5–200 ng/mL with the lowest limit of quantification (LLOQ) of 0.5 ng/mL. The method also afforded satisfactory results in terms of the sensitivity, specificity, precision (intra- and interday %), accuracy, recovery, and the stability of the analyte under various conditions. The method can be successfully applied to pharmacokinetic studies.
Molecular and Immunogenic Properties of Apyrase SP01B and D7-Related SP04 Recombinant Salivary Proteins ofPhlebotomus perniciosusfrom Madrid, Spain
Authors: Martín-Martín Inés , Molina Ricardo , Jiménez Maribel
Published: September 2013

Sand fly salivary proteins are on the spotlight to become vaccine candidates against leishmaniasis and to markers of exposure to sand fly bites due to the host immune responses they elicit. Working with the whole salivary homogenate entails serious drawbacks such as the need for maintaining sand fly colonies and the laborious task of glands dissection. In order to overcome these difficulties, producing recombinant proteins of different vectors has become a major task. In this study, a cDNA library was constructed with the salivary glands ofPhlebotomus perniciosusfrom Madrid, Spain, the most widespread vector ofLeishmania infantumin the Mediterranean basin. Analysis of the cDNA sequences showed several polymorphisms among the previously described salivary transcripts. The apyrase SP01B and the D7-related protein SP04 were successfully cloned, expressed inEscherichia coli, and purified. Besides, recombinant proteins were recognized by sera of hamsters and mice previously immunized with saliva through the exposure to uninfected sand fly bites. These results suggest that these two recombinant proteins conserved their immunogenic properties after expression in a prokaryote system. Therefore, this work contributes to expand the knowledge ofP. perniciosussaliva that would be eventually used for the development of tools for vector control programs.
Nonexistence of Homoclinic Orbits for a Class of Hamiltonian Systems
Authors: Lin Xiaoyan , Zhang Qi-Ming , Tang X. H.
Published: September 2013

We give several sufficient conditions under which the first-order nonlinear Hamiltonian systemx'(t)=α(t)x(t)+f(t,y(t)),  y'(t)=-g(t,x(t))-α(t)y(t)has no solution(x(t),y(t))satisfying condition0<∫-∞+∞[|x(t)|ν+(1+β(t))|y(t)|μ]dt<+∞‍,whereμ,ν>1and(1/μ)+(1/ν)=1,0≤xf(t,x)≤β(t)|x|μ,xg(t,x)≤γ0(t)|x|ν,β(t),γ0(t)≥0, andα(t)are locally Lebesgue integrable real-valued functions defined onℝ.
CVaR Robust Mean-CVaR Portfolio Optimization
Authors: Salahi Maziar , Mehrdoust Farshid , Piri Farzaneh
Published: September 2013

One of the most important problems faced by every investor is asset allocation. An investor during making investment decisions has to search for equilibrium between risk and returns. Risk and return are uncertain parameters in the suggested portfolio optimization models and should be estimated to solve the problem. However, the estimation might lead to large error in the final decision. One of the widely used and effective approaches for optimization with data uncertainty is robust optimization. In this paper, we present a new robust portfolio optimization technique for mean-CVaR portfolio selection problem under the estimation risk in mean return. We additionally use CVaR as risk measure, to measure the estimation risk in mean return. To solve the model efficiently, we use the smoothing technique of Alexander et al. (2006). We compare the performance of the CVaR robust mean-CVaR model with robust mean-CVaR models using interval and ellipsoidal uncertainty sets. It is observed that the CVaR robust mean-CVaR portfolios are more diversified. Moreover, we study the impact of the value of confidence level on the conservatism level of a portfolio and also on the value of the maximum expected return of the portfolio.
Kalman Filter-Based Hybrid Indoor Position Estimation Technique in Bluetooth Networks
Authors: Subhan Fazli , Hasbullah Halabi , Ashraf Khalid
Published: September 2013

This paper presents an extended Kalman filter-based hybrid indoor position estimation technique which is based on integration of fingerprinting and trilateration approach. In this paper, Euclidian distance formula is used for the first time instead of radio propagation model to convert the received signal to distance estimates. This technique combines the features of fingerprinting and trilateration approach in a more simple and robust way. The proposed hybrid technique works in two stages. In the first stage, it uses an online phase of fingerprinting and calculates nearest neighbors (NN) of the target node, while in the second stage it uses trilateration approach to estimate the coordinate without the use of radio propagation model. The distance between calculated NN and detective access points (AP) is estimated using Euclidian distance formula. Thus, distance between NN and APs provides radii for trilateration approach. Therefore, the position estimation accuracy compared to the lateration approach is better. Kalman filter is used to further enhance the accuracy of the estimated position. Simulation and experimental results validate the performance of proposed hybrid technique and improve the accuracy up to 53.64% and 25.58% compared to lateration and fingerprinting approaches, respectively.
Evaluation of Fatty Acid and Amino Acid Compositions in Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) Grown in Different Geographical Locations
Authors: Sami Rokayya , Lianzhou Jiang , Yang Li , Ma Ying , Jing Jing
Published: September 2013

Okra has different uses as a food and a remedy in traditional medicine. Since it produces many seeds, distribution of the plant is also quite easy. Although seed oil yield is low (4.7%), since the linoleic acid composition of the seed oil is quiet high (67.5%), it can still be used as a source of (UNSAT) unsaturated fatty acids. In this study, samples of okra grown in four different locations were analyzed to measure fatty acid and amino acid compositions. The content of the lipid extraction ranged from 4.34% to 4.52% on a dry weight basis. Quantitatively, the main okra fatty acids were palmitic acid (29.18–43.26%), linoleic acid (32.22–43.07%), linolenic acid (6.79–12.34%), stearic acid (6.36–7.73%), oleic acid (4.31–6.98%), arachidic acid (ND–3.48%), margaric acid (1.44–2.16%), pentadecylic acid (0.63–0.92%), and myristic acid (0.21–0.49%). Aspartic acid, proline, and glutamic acids were the main amino acids in okra pods, while cysteine and tyrosine were the minor amino acids. Statistical methods revealed how the fatty acid and amino acid contents in okra may be affected by the sampling location.
Radar Array Diagnosis from Undersampled Data Using a Compressed Sensing/Sparse Recovery Technique
Authors: Costanzo S. , Borgia A. , Di Massa G. , Pinchera D. , Migliore M. D.
Published: September 2013

A Compressed Sensing/Sparse Recovery approach is adopted in this paper for the accurate diagnosis of fault array elements from undersampled data. Experimental validations on a slotted waveguide test array are discussed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure in the failures retrieval from a small set of measurements with respect to the number of radiating elements. Due to the sparsity feature of the proposed formulation, the method is particularly appealing for the diagnostics of large arrays, typically adopted for radar applications.
Depth-Based Classification for Distributions with Nonconvex Support
Authors: Hlubinka Daniel , Vencalek Ondrej
Published: September 2013

Halfspace depth became a popular nonparametric tool for statistical analysis of multivariate data during the last two decades. One of applications of data depth considered recently in literature is the classification problem. The data depth approach is used instead of the linear discriminant analysis mostly to avoid the parametric assumptions and to get better classifier for data whose distribution is not elliptically symmetric, for example, skewed data. In our paper, we suggest to use weighted version of halfspace depth rather than the halfspace depth itself in order to obtain lower misclassification rate in the case of “nonconvex” distributions. Simulations show that the results of depth-based classifiers are comparable with linear discriminant analysis for two normal populations, while for nonelliptic distributions the classifier based on weighted halfspace depth outperforms both linear discriminant analysis and classifier based on the usual (nonweighted) halfspace depth.
Analysis of Serum and Urinal Copper and Zinc in Chinese Northeast Population with the Prediabetes or Diabetes with and without Complications
Authors: Xu Jiancheng , Zhou Qi , Liu Gilbert , Tan Yi , Cai Lu
Published: September 2013

This study investigated the association of copper and zinc levels in the serum or urine of patients living in northeast China, with either prediabetes or diabetes. From January 2010 to October 2011, patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D,n=25), type 2 diabetes (T2D,n=137), impaired fasting glucose (IFG,n=12) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT,n=15), and age/gender matched controls (n=50) were enrolled. In the T2D group, there were 24 patients with nephropathy, 34 with retinopathy, and 50 with peripheral neuropathy. Serum copper levels were significantly higher in IFG, IGT, and T2D groups. Serum zinc level was dramatically lower, and urinary zinc level was significantly higher in both T1D and T2D subjects compared with controls. The serum zinc/copper ratio was significantly lower in all the patients with IFG, ITG, T1D, and T2D. The serum copper level was positively associated with HbA1c in T2D subjects. Simvastatin treatment in T2D patients had no significant effect on serum and urinary copper and zinc. These results suggest the need for further studies of the potential impact of the imbalanced serum copper and zinc levels on metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and diabetic complications.
Diversity, Distribution, and Abundance of Plants in Lewoh-Lebang in the Lebialem Highlands of Southwestern Cameroon
Authors: Fonge B. A. , Tchetcha D. J. , Nkembi L.
Published: September 2013

A survey was conducted between October 2010 and June 2011 to determine the diversity, distribution, and abundance of plants in 4 sites of the Lebialem highlands and to relate species diversity and abundance to altitude and soil types. Twelve (12) plots, each of 1 ha (250 × 40 m), were surveyed at the submontane and montane altitudes of the sites. One hundred (100) species belonging to 82 genera were identified with the genera Cola and Psychotria being the most represented. Vulnerable species included Guarea thompsonii, Schefflera hierniana, Allanblackia gabonensis, Cyclomorpha solmsii, Vepris trifoliolata, and Xylopia africana. Species such as Xymalos monospora, Tricalysia atherura, and Piptostigma oyemense present in the study area were endemic to Cameroon. Diversity and distribution of plants were affected by parameters such as the altitude and the soil type. Soil analysis revealed that diversity in the study area was affected by the organic carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and the cation exchange capacity of the soil.
Modeling and Analyzing Operational Decision-Making Synchronization of C2 Organization in Complex Environment
Authors: Zhigang Zou , Fuxian Liu , Bo Zhang , Xiang Li
Published: September 2013

In order to improve capability of operational decision-making synchronization (ODMS) in command and control (C2) organization, the paper puts forward that ODMS is the negotiation process of situation cognition with three phases about “situation cognition, situation interaction and decision-making synchronization” in complex environment, and then the model and strategies of ODMS are given in quantity. Firstly, measure indexes of three steps above are given in the paper based on the time consumed in negotiation, and three patterns are proposed for negotiating timely in high quality during situation interaction. Secondly, the ODMS model with two stages in continuous changing situation is put forward in the paper, and ODMS strategies are analyzed within environment influence and time restriction. Thirdly, simulation cases are given to validate the process of ODMS under different continuous changing situations the results of this model are better than the other previous models to fulfill the actual restrictions, and the process of ODMS can be adjusted more reasonable for improving the capability of ODMS. Then we discuss the case and summarize the influence factors of ODMS in the C2 organization as organization structure, shared information resources, negotiation patterns, and allocation of decision rights.
Biomedical and Clinical Promises of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Neurological Disorders
Authors: Jongkamonwiwat Nopporn , Noisa Parinya
Published: September 2013

Neurological disorders are characterized by the chronic and progressive loss of neuronal structures and functions. There is a variability of the onsets and causes of clinical manifestations. Cell therapy has brought a new concept to overcome brain diseases, but the advancement of this therapy is limited by the demands of specialized neurons. Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) have been promised as a renewable resource for generating human neurons for both laboratory and clinical purposes. By the modulations of appropriate signalling pathways, desired neuron subtypes can be obtained, and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provide genetically matched neurons for treating patients. These hPSC-derived neurons can also be used for disease modeling and drug screening. Since the most urgent problem today in transplantation is the lack of suitable donor organs and tissues, the derivation of neural progenitor cells from hPSCs has opened a new avenue for regenerative medicine. In this review, we summarize the recent reports that show how to generate neural derivatives from hPSCs, and discuss the current evidence of using these cells in animal studies. We also highlight the possibilities and concerns of translating these hPSC-derived neurons for biomedical and clinical uses in order to fight against neurological disorders.
The General Traveling Wave Solutions of the Fisher Equation with Degree Three
Authors: Yuan Wenjun , Chen Qiuhui , Qi Jianming , Li Yezhou
Published: September 2013

We employ the complex method to research the integrality of the Fisher equations with degree three. We obtain the sufficient and necessary condition of the integrable of the Fisher equations with degree three and the general meromorphic solutions of the integrable Fisher equations with degree three, which improves the corresponding results obtained by Feng and Li (2006), Guo and Chen (1991), and Ağırseven and Öziş (2010). Moreover, allwg,1(z)are new general meromorphic solutions of the Fisher equations with degree three forc=±3/2. Our results show that the complex method provides a powerful mathematical tool for solving a large number of nonlinear partial differential equations in mathematical physics.
Enhanced Expression of NR2B Subunits of NMDA Receptors in the Inherited Glaucomatous DBA/2J Mouse Retina
Authors: Dong Ling-Dan , Chen Jie , Li Fang , Gao Feng , Wu Jihong , Miao Yanying , Wang Zhongfeng
Published: September 2013

DBA/2J mouse has been used as a model for spontaneous secondary glaucoma. Here, we investigated changes in expression of NMDA receptor (NMDAR) subunits and Cdk5/p35/NMDAR signaling in retinas of DBA/2J mice using Western blot technique. The protein levels of NR1 and NR2A subunits in retinas of DBA/2J mice at all ages (6–12 months) were not different from those in age-matched C57BL/6 mice. In contrast, the protein levels of NR2B subunits, in addition to age-dependent change, significantly increased with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in DBA/2J mice at 6 and 9 months as compared with age-matched controls. Moreover, expression of Cdk5, p35 and ratio of p-NR2AS1232/NR2A progressively increased with time in both strains, suggestive of activated Cdk5/p35 signaling pathway. However, the changes in these proteins were in the same levels in both strain mice, except a significant increase of p35 proteins at 6 months in DBA/2J mice. Meanwhile, the protein levels of Brn-3a, a retinal ganglion cell (RGC) maker, remarkably decreased at 9–12 months in DBA/2J mice, which was in parallel with the changes of NR2B expression. Our results suggest that elevated IOP-induced increase in expression of NR2B subunits of NMDARs may be involved in RGC degeneration of DBA/2J mice.
Location Algorithm for Nodes of Ship-Borne Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Yang Xuefeng , Zhang Yingjun
Published: September 2013

Node location is of great significance as a supporting technology of wireless sensor network (WSN). The information without position would be greatly devalued. So this paper is about location algorithm for nodes of ship-borne WSN based on research on structure of ship and work environment of ship-borne WSN. The whole location process consists of two steps: one is location algorithm among cabins (LAAC), and the other one is location algorithm in the cabin (LAIC). LAAC refers to location with the topology of ship-borne WSN. We can learn which cabin the node lies in. LAIC refers to location based on received signal strength indication (RSSI), we can get distance relationship between nodes by RSSI, and then obtain the specific location by solving this distance relationship. In the last part, this paper verifies the designed location algorithm by experimenting on “A” ship. Experiments show that the location algorithm designed by this paper is feasible.
Scale-Free Property for Degrees and Weights in a Preferential Attachment Random Graph Model
Authors: Fazekas István , Porvázsnyik Bettina
Published: September 2013

A random graph evolution mechanism is defined. The evolution studied is a combination of the preferential attachment model and the interaction of four vertices. The asymptotic behaviour of the graph is described. It is proved that the graph exhibits a power law degree distribution; in other words, it is scale-free. It turns out that any exponent in(2,∞)can be achieved. The proofs are based on martingale methods.
Solution to Security Constrained Environmental Pumped-Storage Hydraulic Unit Scheduling Problem by Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Fadil Salih , Demir Cüneyt , Urazel Burak
Published: September 2013

A lossy electric power system area that contains thermal units and a pumped-storage (p-s) hydraulic unit is considered in this paper. The cost function, which is weighted combination of the total fuel cost and the total emission cost of the thermal units, in an operation cycle, is minimized under some possible electric and hydraulic constraints. The dispatch technique that is based on genetic algorithm considers minimum and maximum reservoir storage limits of the p-s unit, upper and lower active and reactive generation limits of the thermal units, upper and lower active pumping/generation power limits of the p-s unit, maximum transmission capacities of the transmission lines, and upper and lower limits of the bus voltage magnitudes in a considered power system. The proposed dispatch technique was tested on an example power system that has 12 buses with five thermal units and a p-s hydraulic unit. The same dispatch problem is solved via an iterative solution method based on modified subgradient algorithm operating on feasible values (F-MSG) and pseudowater price just for comparison purpose. It is seen that the solution technique based on the F-MSG algorithm and pseudowater price gives similar results with the proposed algorithm based on genetic algorithm.