bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
UPLC/Q-TOFMS-Based Metabolomics Studies on the Protective Effect of Panax notoginseng Saponins on Alcoholic Liver Injury
Authors: Liu Fang , Bai Xu , Ding Ren-Bo , Hu Yuan-Jia , Su Huanxing , Wan Jian-Bo
Published: July 2015

Consistent, excessive alcohol consumption leads to liver injury. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the possible efficacy of Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury using LC-MS-based urinary metabolomics. Mice were fed a Lieber–DeCarli liquid diet containing alcohol or isocaloric maltose dextrin as a control diet with or without PNS (200 mg/kg/BW) for 4 weeks. Treatment with PNS significantly reduced the increases in plasma ALT and AST levels, hepatic levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA), which induced by chronic alcohol exposure. Conversely, PNS was also found to restore the glutathione (GSH) depletion and increase the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The end-point urine sample of each mouse was collected overnight (24 h) in metabolic cages and their metabolic profiling changes were analyzed using UPLC/Q-TOFMS followed by multivariate statistical analysis. After 4 week of Lieber–DeCarli alcohol diet feeding, the metabolic profile experienced great perturbation in PCA score plot, and the treatment of PNS could assist to regulate the disturbed metabolic profile induced by alcohol exposure. Additionally, sixteen potential biomarkers responsible for derivations of the metabolic profile induced by alcohol exposure were identified, and the alcohol-induced changes in these biomarkers, except hexanoylglycine, could be partially or nearly reversed by PNS treatment. Taken together, PNS protects against chronic alcohol-induced liver injury. Our findings demonstrated that the LC-MS-based metabolomics approach is a useful tool to investigate the efficacy of Chinese medicines.
Canonical brackets of a toy model for the Hodge theory without its canonical conjugate momenta
Authors: Shukla D. , Bhanja T. , Malik R. P.
Published: July 2015

We consider the toy model of a rigid rotor as an example of the Hodge theory within the framework of Becchi–Rouet–Stora–Tyutin (BRST) formalism and show that the internal symmetries of this theory lead to the derivation of canonical brackets amongst the creation and annihilation operators of the dynamical variables where the definition of the canonical conjugate momenta is not required. We invoke only the spin-statistics theorem, normal ordering and basic concepts of continuous symmetries (and their generators) to derive the canonical brackets for the model of a one [Formula: see text]-dimensional (1D) rigid rotor without using the definition of the canonical conjugate momenta anywhere. Our present method of derivation of the basic brackets is conjectured to be true for a class of theories that provide a set of tractable physical examples for the Hodge theory.
Integrated Bandgap Voltage Reference for High Voltage Vehicle Applications
Authors: Saponara Sergio
Published: July 2015

This work presents a bandgap voltage reference (BGR) integrated in 0.25-μm bipolar-CMOS-DMOS (BCD) technology. The BGR circuit generates a reference voltage of 1.22 V. It is able to withstand large supply voltage variations of vehicle applications from 4.5 V, e.g., in case of cranking, up to 60-V, maximum value in case of emerging 48-V battery systems for hybrid and electrical vehicles. The circuit has an embedded high-voltage (HV) pseudo-regulator block that provides a more stable internal supply rail for a cascaded low-voltage bandgap core. HV MOS are used only in the pre-regulator block thus allowing the design of a BGR with compact size. The proposed architecture permits to withstand large input voltage variations with a temperature drift of a hundred of ppm/°C, a line regulation (LR) of few mV/V versus the external supply voltage and a power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) higher than 90 dB.
A Stable Mode-Selectable Oscillator with Variable Duty Cycle and High-Efficiency
Authors: Cheng Li-Ye , Lai Xin-Quan
Published: July 2015

A mode-selectable oscillator (OSC) with variable duty cycle for improved charge pump efficiency is proposed in this paper. The novel OSC adjusts its duty cycle according to the operation mode of the charge pump, thus improves the charge-pump efficiency and dynamic performance. The control of variable duty cycle is implemented in digital logic hence it provides robust noise immunity and instantaneous response. The OSC and the charge-pump have been implemented in a 0.6-μm 40-V CMOS process. Experimental results show that the peak efficiency is 92.7% at 200-mA load, the recovery time is less than 25 μs and load transient is 15 mV under 500-mA load variation. The system is able to work under a wide range of input voltage (V IN ) in all modes with low EMI.
Time evolution of accreting magnetofluid around a compact object-Newtonian analysis
Authors: Habibi Fahimeh , Shaghaghian Mahboobeh , Pazhouhesh Reza
Published: July 2015

Time evolution of a thick disc with finite conductivity around a nonrotating compact object is presented. Along with the Maxwell equations and the Ohm's law, the Newtonian limit of the relativistic fluid equations governing the motion of a finitely conducting plasma is derived. The magnetofluid is considered to possess only the poloidal components of the electromagnetic field. Moreover, the shear viscous stress is neglected, as well as the self-gravity of the disc. In order to solve the equations, we have used a self-similar solution. The main features of this solution are as follows. The azimuthal velocity is somewhat increased from the Keplerian value in the equator plane to the super-Keplerian values at the surface of disc. Moreover, the radial velocity is obtained proportional to the meridional velocity. Magnetofluid does not have any nonzero component of the current density. Subsequently, the electromagnetic force is vanished and does not play any role in the force balance. While the pressure gradient maintains the disc structure in latitudinal direction, magnetofluid has no accretion on the central compact object. Analogously to the parameter α in the standard model, our calculations contain one parameter η0 which specifies the size of the electrical resistivity.
New analysis of the low-energy π±p differential cross-sections of the CHAOS Collaboration
Authors: Matsinos E. , Rasche G.
Published: July 2015

In a previous paper, we reported the results of a partial-wave analysis (PWA) of the pion–nucleon (πN) differential cross-sections (DCSs) of the CHAOS Collaboration and came to the conclusion that the angular distribution of their π+p data sets is incompatible with the rest of the modern (meson factory) database. The present work, re-addressing this issue, has been instigated by a number of recent improvements in our analysis, namely regarding the inclusion of the theoretical uncertainties when investigating the reproduction of experimental data sets on the basis of a given "theoretical" solution, modifications in the parametrization of the form factors of the proton and of the pion entering the electromagnetic part of the πN amplitude, and the inclusion of the effects of the variation of the σ-meson mass when fitting the ETH model of the πN interaction to the experimental data. The new analysis of the CHAOS DCSs confirms our earlier conclusions and casts doubt on the value for the πN Σ term, which Stahov, Clement and Wagner have extracted from these data.
Thermal conductivity of hot pionic medium due to pion self-energy for πσ and πρ loops
Authors: Ghosh Sabyasachi
Published: July 2015

The thermal conductivity of pionic medium has been evaluated with the help of its standard expression from the relaxation time approximation, where inverse of pion relaxation time or pion thermal width has been obtained from the imaginary part of pion self-energy. In the real-time formalism of thermal field theory, the finite temperature calculations of pion self-energy for πσ and πρ loops have been done. The numerical value of our thermal conductivity increases with temperature very softly, though at particular temperature, our estimation has to consider a large band of phenomenological uncertainty.
Spontaneous parametric down-conversion in chirped, aperiodically-poled crystals
Authors: Sánchez-Lozano X. , Lucio M. J. L.
Published: July 2015

We present a theoretical analysis of the process of spontaneous parametric down conversion (SPDC) in a nonlinear crystal characterized by a linearly-chirped χ(2) grating along the direction of propagation. Our analysis leads to an expression for the joint spectral amplitude, based on which we can derive various spectral–temporal properties of the photon pairs and of the heralded single photons obtained from the photon pairs, including: The single-photon spectrum (SPS), the chronocyclic Wigner function (CWF) and the Schmidt number. The simulations that we present are for the specific case of a collinear SPDC source based on a PPLN crystal with the signal and idler photons emitted close to the telecom window. We discuss the mechanism for spectral broadening due to the presence of a linearly chirped χ(2) grating, showing that not only the width but also to some extent the shape of the SPDC spectrum may be controlled. Also, we discuss how the fact that the different spectral components are emitted on different planes in the crystal leads to single-photon chirp.
Study of controlled dense coding with some discrete tripartite and quadripartite states
Authors: Roy Sovik , Ghosh Biplab
Published: July 2015

The paper presents a detailed study of controlled dense coding scheme for different types of three and four-particle states. It consists of GHZ state, GHZ type states, maximal slice (MS), state, 4-particle GHZ state and W class of states. It is shown that GHZ-type states can be used for controlled dense coding in a probabilistic sense. We have shown relations among parameter of GHZ type state, concurrence of the shared bipartite state by two parties with respect to GHZ type and Charlie's measurement angle θ. The GHZ states as a special case of MS states, depending on parameters, have also been considered here. We have seen that tripartite W state and quadripartite W state cannot be used in controlled dense coding whereas |Wn〉ABC states can be used probabilistically. Finally, we have investigated controlled dense coding scheme for tripartite qutrit states.
Golden Ratio Simulated Annealing for Protein Folding Problem
Authors: Frausto-Solis Juan , Sánchez-Hernández Juan Paulo , Sánchez-Pérez Mishael , García Ernesto Liñán
Published: July 2015

In this paper, Golden Ratio Simulated Annealing (GRSA) for Protein Folding Problem (PFP) is presented. GRSA is similar to Multiquenching Annealing (MQA) and Threshold Temperature Simulated Annealing (TTSA) algorithms. In contrast to MQA and TTSA, GRSA uses several strategies in order to reduce the execution time for finding the best solution of PFP. Firstly, temperature parameters are tuned with an analytical-experimental approach; secondly, a heuristic technique for dividing the search space is implemented. GRSA has a special phase which detects the thermal equilibrium by a least squares method. In addition, a reheat strategy to escape from local optima is applied.
NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SUCCESS FACTORS IN PROSPECTOR ORGANISATIONS; MIXED METHOD APPROACH
Authors: KACHOUIE REZA , SEDIGHADELI SIMA
Published: July 2015

New product development (NPD) is a path not a destination; a path that organisations, more than ever, should follow to survive in the present unpredictable and dynamic market. Prospector organisations, especially those whom are leaders in their own industrial sector, implement some factors to improve new product success rate. In this regard, by applying a sequential mixed method approach, 13 key factors are identified and categorised into managerial, structural and organisational, process and environmental factors. Through identifying, analysing and verifying importance of these factors, this research aims to bridge the gap between theoretical studies and practical subjects of NPD.
DESIGNING ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY? AN ANALYSIS OF KNOWLEDGE ABSORPTION PRACTICES IN GERMAN HIGH-TECH FIRMS
Authors: DUCHEK STEPHANIE
Published: July 2015

The concept of absorptive capacity was introduced by Cohen and Levinthal in 1989 as an important condition for high innovativeness. Since then it has been enhanced through reconceptualisations and extended by various empirical studies. Despite the growing interest in the concept, the processes and practices of absorptive capacity have largely remained a "black box". To fill this gap, the paper develops a practice-based approach of absorptive capacity and provides an in-depth empirical investigation to shed more light on the practice of knowledge absorption. Drawing on the case studies of two German high-tech firms, the paper focusses on practices designed by the management to facilitate knowledge absorption and shows how these practices were actually enacted. The paper contributes to a better understanding of the complex construction of absorptive capacity and gives useful insights for a successful management of knowledge absorption.
Near-infrared chemical imaging for quantitative analysis of chlorpheniramine maleate and distribution homogeneity assessment in pharmaceutical formulations
Authors: Xu Manfei , Zhou Luwei , Zhang Qiao , Wu Zhisheng , Shi Xinyuan , Qiao Yanjiang
Published: July 2015

Near infrared chemical imaging (NIR-CI) combines conventional near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with chemical imaging, thus provides spectral and spatial information simultaneously. It could be utilized to visualize the spatial distribution of the ingredients in a sample. The data acquired using NIR-CI instrument are hyperspectral data cube (hypercube) containing thousands of spectra. Chemometric methodologies are necessary to transform spectral information into chemical information. Partial least squares (PLS) method was performed to extract chemical information of chlorpheniramine maleate in pharmaceutical formulations. A series of samples which consisted of different CPM concentrations (w/w) were compressed and hypercube data were measured. The spectra extracted from the hypercube were used to establish the PLS model of CPM. The results of the model were [Formula: see text] 0.981, RMSEC 0.384%, RMSECV 0.483%, RMSEP 0.631%, indicating that this model was reliable.
华语语系研究及其对母语观念的重塑
Authors: 石 静远
Published: July 2015

近年来，华语语系研究 (Sinophone studies) 成绩斐然。与相关学科日益广泛的合作，使其享有无比丰硕的学术资源并身兼重任。在正式成为一门学科的七、八年间，华语语系研究便着力与不同领域形成了一系列一拍即合的联盟。其与诸多学科关系甚密，如后殖民主义、女权主义、亚裔研究、法语语系研究、少数主义、酷儿研究、加勒比研究、后人文主义、后社会主义、马华文学、 1960年代研究，及现代中国文学。籍此，华语语系研究得以对汉族中国中心主义、美帝国主义、全球资本主义，以及普遍存在的二元对立思维惯性形成多角度的反思与批判。毋庸置疑，通过重新审视美国1980年代文化论争所遗留的问题，华语语系研究涉猎广泛，更形成了复杂难辨的影响。其不仅使诸多冷僻话题重新获得关注，跳脱传统思维模式的理论反思更使华语语系研究本身成为一种焕然一新的视角，为不同语境中相关问题的探讨注入前所未有的张力。本文以华语语系研究对 "母语" (mother tongue) 观念的重塑为题，重估华语语系研究的主张与实践。本文将深入剖析其称为 "文学的综理会商" (literary governance) 的机制如何厘清并割裂语言 (language) 与地域 (place) 之间纠缠不清的关联，并阐述这一重要理论转向对华语语系研究所产生的深刻影响。
1965年之前东南亚华校中学国文国语教材考察
Authors: 于 锦恩
Published: July 2015

1965年之前的东南亚华校中学国文国语教材选文兼顾中外文化，政治倾向不明显，南洋情调很浓郁，民族文化占主流。文言和白话的编排上，根据华校学生的学习需要和实际水平，坚持厚今薄古的原则。教材系统不太完善，知识、选文、导学、练习、图表各系统水平参差不齐。单元组合的体例初步成型。本文采取文献爬梳的方法，所得结论为当今中学华文教材的编纂提供借鉴。
庙宇、坟山的社群化与新加坡华人移民帮群组织之建构
Authors: 曾 玲
Published: July 2015

在东南亚华人研究领域，移民时代华人社会结构与形态的讨论，是涉及华人社会建构与演化历史进程研究的一个重要课题。本文以新加坡一个具有近两个世纪发展历史的帮群组织—海唇福德祠绿野亭为研究个案，运用华人社团账本、会议记录等珍贵新资料，一方面从华人移民社会内部，具体地了解与考察近现代以来，南来拓荒的华南移民如何在殖民地时代新加坡的时空脉络下，运用传承自祖籍地的文化资源再建其社会结构与文化形态的历史图像；另一方面，透过对这批珍贵文献的整理与解读，力图从方法论上重新审视与反思既有的东南亚华人社会结构与形态研究成果，并在前人研究基础上提出一些新思考。笔者认为，在东南亚殖民地时代，华人移民社会 "帮" 结构的形成与 "帮群组织" 的建立，是华人社会发展与演化进程中的重要阶段。笔者阐述了 "帮" 与 "帮群组织" 所历经的建构历史过程及具体的内容；讨论了 "帮" 与 "帮群组织"所涉及的内涵，这包括 "帮" 与 "帮群组织" 所具有社群分类与整合功能、其内部结构与认同形态；考察了 "帮" 及 "帮群组织" 与会馆等华人社团的关系，并指出对该问题的考察，有助于学界从一个新视角讨论东南亚殖民地时代华人移民的社群关系。
New explicit closed form formulae for the prices of catastrophe options
Authors: Jin Yunguo , Zhong Shouming
Published: July 2015

The paper presents an approach of probability measure changes to the pricing of catastrophe options with counterparty risk and new catastrophe option pricing formulae. According to our knowledge, there still does not exist a literature to present the approach of probability measure changes to option pricing when underlying stock returns are discontinuous (in particular, catastrophe options). We shall see that sometimes it is convenient to change the risk-neutral measures. Furthermore, our models and results have potential improvements. Finally, we use Monte Carlo method to the analog calculation of the formulae, and demonstrate how financial risks and catastrophic risks affect the price of the catastrophe options.
An asymptotic expansion of forward-backward SDEs with a perturbed driver
Authors: Takahashi Akihiko , Yamada Toshihiro
Published: July 2015

Motivated by nonlinear pricing in finance, this paper presents a mathematical validity of an asymptotic expansion scheme for a system of forward-backward stochastic differential equations (FBSDEs) in terms of a perturbed driver in the BSDE and a small diffusion in the FSDE. In particular, we represent the coefficients of the expansion of the FBSDE up to an arbitrary order, and obtain the error estimate of the expansion with respect to the driver and the small noise perturbation.
Hunting Viral Receptors Using Haploid Cells
Authors: Pillay Sirika , Carette Jan E.
Published: July 2015

Viruses have evolved intricate mechanisms to gain entry into the host cell. Identification of host proteins that serve as viral receptors has enabled insights into virus particle internalization, host and tissue tropism, and viral pathogenesis. In this review we discuss the most commonly employed methods for virus receptor discovery, specifically highlighting the use of forward genetic screens in human haploid cells. The ability to generate true knockout alleles at high saturation provides a sensitive means to study virus-host interactions. To illustrate the power of such haploid genetic screens, we highlight the discovery of the lysosomal proteins NPC1 and LAMP1 as intracellular receptors for Ebola virus and Lassa virus, respectively. From these studies emerges the notion that receptor usage by these viruses is highly dynamic, involving a programmed switch from cell surface receptor to intracellular receptor. Broad application of genetic knockout approaches will chart functional landscapes of receptors and endocytic pathways hijacked by viruses.
Rho GAP myosin IXa is a regulator of kidney tubule function
Authors: Thelen Sabine , Abouhamed Marouan , Ciarimboli Giuliano , Edemir Bayram , Bähler Martin
Published: July 2015

Mammalian class IX myosin Myo9a is a single-headed, actin-dependent motor protein with Rho GTPase-activating protein activity that negatively regulates Rho GTPase signaling. Myo9a is abundantly expressed in ciliated epithelial cells of several organs. In mice, genetic deletion of Myo9a leads to the formation of hydrocephalus. Whether Myo9a also has essential functions in the epithelia of other organs of the body has not been explored. In the present study, we report that Myo9a-deficient mice develop bilateral renal disease, characterized by dilation of proximal tubules, calyceal dilation, and thinning of the parenchyma and fibrosis. These structural changes are accompanied by polyuria (with normal vasopressin levels) and low-molecular-weight proteinuria. Immunohistochemistry revealed that Myo9a is localized to the circumferential F-actin belt of proximal tubule cells. In kidneys lacking Myo9a, the multiligand binding receptor megalin and its ligand albumin accumulated at the luminal surface of Myo9a-deficient proximal tubular cells, suggesting that endocytosis is dysregulated. In addition, we found, surprisingly, that levels of murine diaphanous-related formin-1, a Rho effector, were decreased in Myo9a-deficient kidneys as well as in Myo9a knockdown LLC-PK1 cells. In summary, deletion of the Rho GTPase-activating protein Myo9a in mice causes proximal tubular dilation and fibrosis, and we speculate that downregulation of murine diaphanous-related formin-1 and impaired protein reabsorption contribute to the pathophysiology.
H2O2 generated by NADPH oxidase 4 contributes to transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channel-mediated mechanosensation in the rat kidney
Authors: Lin Chian-Shiung , Lee Shang-Hsing , Huang Ho-Shiang , Chen Yih-Sharng , Ma Ming-Chieh
Published: July 2015

The presence of NADPH oxidase (Nox) in the kidney, especially Nox4, results in H2O2 production, which regulates Na+ excretion and urine formation. Redox-sensitive transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channels (TRPV1s) are distributed in mechanosensory fibers of the renal pelvis and monitor changes in intrapelvic pressure (IPP) during urine formation. The present study tested whether H2O2 derived from Nox4 affects TRPV1 function in renal sensory responses. Perfusion of H2O2 into the renal pelvis dose dependently increased afferent renal nerve activity and substance P (SP) release. These responses were attenuated by cotreatment with catalase or TRPV1 blockers. In single unit recordings, H2O2 activated afferent renal nerve activity in response to rising IPP but not high salt. Western blots revealed that Nox2 (gp91 phox) and Nox4 are both present in the rat kidney, but Nox4 is abundant in the renal pelvis and originates from dorsal root ganglia. This distribution was associated with expression of the Nox4 regulators p22 phox and polymerase δ-interacting protein 2. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that IPP increases polymerase δ-interacting protein 2 association with Nox4 or p22 phox in the renal pelvis. Interestingly, immunofluorescence labeling demonstrated that Nox4 colocalizes with TRPV1 in sensory fibers of the renal pelvis, indicating that H2O2 generated from Nox4 may affect TRPV1 activity. Stepwise increases in IPP and saline loading resulted in H2O2 and SP release, sensory activation, diuresis, and natriuresis. These effects, however, were remarkably attenuated by Nox inhibition. Overall, these results suggest that Nox4-positive fibers liberate H2O2 after mechanostimulation, thereby contributing to a renal sensory nerve-mediated diuretic/natriuretic response.
Evidence for the initiation of decompression sickness by exposure to intense underwater sound
Authors: Tal Dror , Shachar-Bener Hofit , Hershkovitz Dov , Arieli Yehuda , Shupak Avi
Published: July 2015

Mass stranding of cetaceans (whales and dolphins), in close association with the activity of naval sonar systems, has been reported on numerous occasions. Necropsy showed bubble-associated lesions similar to those described in human decompression sickness (DCS). We examined the hypothesis that exposure to underwater sound may potentiate DCS. Rats were subjected to immersion and simulated dives with and without simultaneous acoustic transmissions at pressure levels and frequencies of 204 dB/8 kHz and 183.3 dB/15 kHz. DCS severity was assessed using the rotating wheel method. Recording of somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEPs) was employed under general anesthesia as an electrophysiological measure of neurologic insult. A significantly higher rate of decompression sickness was found among animals exposed to the 204-dB/8-kHz sound field. Significantly higher pathological SSEPs scores were noted for both underwater sound protocols. Pathological SSEPs scores in animals immersed during the acoustic transmissions, but without changes in ambient pressure, were comparable to those observed in animals exposed to the dive profile. The results demonstrate induction of neurological damage by intense underwater sound during immersion, with a further deleterious effect when this was combined with decompression stress. The study outcome has potential implications for human diving safety and may provide an explanation for the mass stranding of cetaceans purportedly associated with sonar activity.
Extracellular and Intracellular Signaling for Neuronal Polarity
Authors: Namba Takashi , Funahashi Yasuhiro , Nakamuta Shinichi , Xu Chundi , Takano Tetsuya , Kaibuchi Kozo
Published: July 2015

Neurons are one of the highly polarized cells in the body. One of the fundamental issues in neuroscience is how neurons establish their polarity; therefore, this issue fascinates many scientists. Cultured neurons are useful tools for analyzing the mechanisms of neuronal polarization, and indeed, most of the molecules important in their polarization were identified using culture systems. However, we now know that the process of neuronal polarization in vivo differs in some respects from that in cultured neurons. One of the major differences is their surrounding microenvironment; neurons in vivo can be influenced by extrinsic factors from the microenvironment. Therefore, a major question remains: How are neurons polarized in vivo? Here, we begin by reviewing the process of neuronal polarization in culture conditions and in vivo. We also survey the molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal polarization. Finally, we introduce the theoretical basis of neuronal polarization and the possible involvement of neuronal polarity in disease and traumatic brain injury.
Spreading Depression, Spreading Depolarizations, and the Cerebral Vasculature
Authors: Ayata Cenk , Lauritzen Martin
Published: July 2015

Spreading depression (SD) is a transient wave of near-complete neuronal and glial depolarization associated with massive transmembrane ionic and water shifts. It is evolutionarily conserved in the central nervous systems of a wide variety of species from locust to human. The depolarization spreads slowly at a rate of only millimeters per minute by way of grey matter contiguity, irrespective of functional or vascular divisions, and lasts up to a minute in otherwise normal tissue. As such, SD is a radically different breed of electrophysiological activity compared with everyday neural activity, such as action potentials and synaptic transmission. Seventy years after its discovery by Leão, the mechanisms of SD and its profound metabolic and hemodynamic effects are still debated. What we did learn of consequence, however, is that SD plays a central role in the pathophysiology of a number of diseases including migraine, ischemic stroke, intracranial hemorrhage, and traumatic brain injury. An intriguing overlap among them is that they are all neurovascular disorders. Therefore, the interplay between neurons and vascular elements is critical for our understanding of the impact of this homeostatic breakdown in patients. The challenges of translating experimental data into human pathophysiology notwithstanding, this review provides a detailed account of bidirectional interactions between brain parenchyma and the cerebral vasculature during SD and puts this in the context of neurovascular diseases.
The Sick and the Weak: Neuropathies/Myopathies in the Critically Ill
Authors: Friedrich O. , Reid M. B. , Van den Berghe G. , Vanhorebeek I. , Hermans G. , Rich M. M. , Larsson L.
Published: July 2015

Critical illness polyneuropathies (CIP) and myopathies (CIM) are common complications of critical illness. Several weakness syndromes are summarized under the term intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICUAW). We propose a classification of different ICUAW forms (CIM, CIP, sepsis-induced, steroid-denervation myopathy) and pathophysiological mechanisms from clinical and animal model data. Triggers include sepsis, mechanical ventilation, muscle unloading, steroid treatment, or denervation. Some ICUAW forms require stringent diagnostic features; CIM is marked by membrane hypoexcitability, severe atrophy, preferential myosin loss, ultrastructural alterations, and inadequate autophagy activation while myopathies in pure sepsis do not reproduce marked myosin loss. Reduced membrane excitability results from depolarization and ion channel dysfunction. Mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to energy-dependent processes. Ubiquitin proteasome and calpain activation trigger muscle proteolysis and atrophy while protein synthesis is impaired. Myosin loss is more pronounced than actin loss in CIM. Protein quality control is altered by inadequate autophagy. Ca2+dysregulation is present through altered Ca2+homeostasis. We highlight clinical hallmarks, trigger factors, and potential mechanisms from human studies and animal models that allow separation of risk factors that may trigger distinct mechanisms contributing to weakness. During critical illness, altered inflammatory (cytokines) and metabolic pathways deteriorate muscle function. ICUAW prevention/treatment is limited, e.g., tight glycemic control, delaying nutrition, and early mobilization. Future challenges include identification of primary/secondary events during the time course of critical illness, the interplay between membrane excitability, bioenergetic failure and differential proteolysis, and finding new therapeutic targets by help of tailored animal models.
Extreme Learning Machines on High Dimensional and Large Data Applications: A Survey
Authors: Cao Jiuwen , Lin Zhiping
Published: July 2015

Extreme learning machine (ELM) has been developed for single hidden layer feedforward neural networks (SLFNs). In ELM algorithm, the connections between the input layer and the hidden neurons are randomly assigned and remain unchanged during the learning process. The output connections are then tuned via minimizing the cost function through a linear system. The computational burden of ELM has been significantly reduced as the only cost is solving a linear system. The low computational complexity attracted a great deal of attention from the research community, especially for high dimensional and large data applications. This paper provides an up-to-date survey on the recent developments of ELM and its applications in high dimensional and large data. Comprehensive reviews on image processing, video processing, medical signal processing, and other popular large data applications with ELM are presented in the paper.
Determination of Elemental Composition ofMalabar spinach, Lettuce, Spinach, Hyacinth Bean, and Cauliflower Vegetables Using Proton Induced X-Ray Emission Technique at Savar Subdistrict in Bangladesh
Authors: Fahad S. M. , Islam A. F. M. Mahmudul , Ahmed Mahiuddin , Uddin Nizam , Alam Md. Rezaul , Alam Md. Ferdous , Khalik Md. Farhan , Hossain Md. Sazzad , Hossain Md. Lokman , Abedin Md. Joynal
Published: July 2015

The concentrations of 18 different elements (K, Ca, Fe, Cl, P, Zn, S, Mn, Ti, Cr, Rb, Co, Br, Sr, Ru, Si, Ni, and Cu) were analyzed in five selected vegetables through Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique. The objective of this study was to provide updated information on concentrations of elements in vegetables available in the local markets at Savar subdistrict in Bangladesh. These elements were found in varying concentrations in the studied vegetables. The results also indicated that P, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe, and Zn were found in all vegetables. Overall, K and Ca exhibited the highest concentrations. Cu and Ni exhibited the lowest concentrations in vegetables. The necessity of these elements was also evaluated, based on the established limits of regulatory standards. The findings of this study suggest that the consumption of these vegetables is not completely free of health risks.
RLN2 Is a Positive Regulator of AKT-2-Induced Gene Expression Required for Osteosarcoma Cells Invasion and Chemoresistance
Authors: Ma Jinfeng , Huang Hai , Han Zenggang , Zhu Changzheng , Yue Bin
Published: July 2015

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of H2 relaxin (RLN2) on invasion, migration, and chemosensitivity to cisplatin in human osteosarcoma U2-OS and MG-63 cells and then to investigate the effect of RLN2 on the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway. The expression of RLN2, p-AKT (Ser473), and p-ERK1/2 (Phospho-Thr202/Tyr204) proteins was detected by western blot in OS tissues from 21 patients with pulmonary metastatic disease, and the correlation between RLN2 and p-AKT or RLN2 and p-ERK1/2 expression was investigated. RLN2 expression was inhibited by RLN2 siRNA transfection in the MG-63 cells. RLN2 was overexpressed in the U2-OS cells by treatment with recombinant relaxin. The results showed that positive relation was found between RLN2 and p-AKT expression in tissues of OS. Silencing RLN2 inhibited cell migratory and invasive ability and angiogenesis formation and increased the chemosensitivity to cisplatin in MG-63 cells. RLN2 overexpression promoted migratory and invasive ability and angiogenesis and increased the chemoresistance to cisplatin in U2-OS cells. Silencing RLN2 inhibited the activity of AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in MG-63 cells, and vice versa. Blockage of both pathways by specific inhibitors abrogated RLN2-induced survival and invasion of OS cells, and vice versa. Our results indicated RLN2 confers to migratory and invasive ability, angiogenesis, and chemoresistance to cisplatin via modulating the AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in vitro.
Mycobiota and Natural Incidence of Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A, and Citrinin in Indian Spices Confirmed by LC-MS/MS
Authors: Jeswal Punam , Kumar Dhiraj
Published: July 2015

Nine different Indian spices (red chilli, black pepper, turmeric, coriander, cumin, fennel, caraway, fenugreek, and dry ginger) commonly cultivated and highly used in India were analysed for natural occurrence of toxigenic mycoflora and aflatoxins (AFs), ochratoxin A (OTA), and citrinin (CTN) contamination.Aspergillus flavusandAspergillus nigerwere the most dominant species isolated from all types of spices. Red chilli samples were highly contaminated with aflatoxins (85.4%) followed by dry ginger (77.7%). 56%Aspergillus flavusfrom red chilli and 45%Aspergillus ochraceusfrom black pepper were toxigenic and produced aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, respectively. Qualitative detection and quantitative detection of mycotoxins in spices were analyzed by ELISA and further confirmed by LC-MS/MS.Penicillium citrinumproduced citrinin in red chilli, black pepper, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and dry ginger samples. The highest amount of AFs was found in red chilli (219.6 ng/g), OTA was in black pepper (154.1 ng/g), and CTN was in dry ginger samples (85.1 ng/g). The results of this study suggest that the spices are susceptible substrate for growth of mycotoxigenic fungi and further mycotoxin production. This is the first report of natural occurrence of citrinin in black pepper and dry ginger from India.
Big Data Analytics in Healthcare
Authors: Belle Ashwin , Thiagarajan Raghuram , Soroushmehr S. M. Reza , Navidi Fatemeh , Beard Daniel A. , Najarian Kayvan
Published: July 2015

The rapidly expanding field of big data analytics has started to play a pivotal role in the evolution of healthcare practices and research. It has provided tools to accumulate, manage, analyze, and assimilate large volumes of disparate, structured, and unstructured data produced by current healthcare systems. Big data analytics has been recently applied towards aiding the process of care delivery and disease exploration. However, the adoption rate and research development in this space is still hindered by some fundamental problems inherent within the big data paradigm. In this paper, we discuss some of these major challenges with a focus on three upcoming and promising areas of medical research: image, signal, and genomics based analytics. Recent research which targets utilization of large volumes of medical data while combining multimodal data from disparate sources is discussed. Potential areas of research within this field which have the ability to provide meaningful impact on healthcare delivery are also examined.
Role of Vitamin D in Osteoarthritis: Molecular, Cellular, and Clinical Perspectives
Authors: Mabey Thomas , Honsawek Sittisak
Published: July 2015

Osteoarthritis is a debilitating and degenerative disease which affects millions of people worldwide. The causes and mechanisms of osteoarthritis remain to be fully understood. Vitamin D has been hypothesised to play essential roles in a number of diseases including osteoarthritis. Many cell types within osteoarthritic joints appear to experience negative effects often at increased sensitivity to vitamin D. These findings contrast clinical research which has identified vitamin D deficiency to have a worryingly high prevalence among osteoarthritis patients. Randomised-controlled trial is considered to be the most rigorous way of determining the effects of vitamin D supplementation on the development of osteoarthritis. Studies into the effects of low vitamin D levels on pain and joint function have to date yielded controversial results. Due to the apparent conflicting effects of vitamin D in knee osteoarthritis, further research is required to fully elucidate its role in the development and progression of the disease as well as assess the efficacy and safety of vitamin D supplementation as a therapeutic strategy.
Novel Anticoagulants in Atrial Fibrillation: Monitoring, Reversal and Perioperative Management
Authors: Shamoun Fadi , Obeid Hiba , Ramakrishna Harish
Published: July 2015

Atrial fibrillation continues to be a significant source of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Effective anticoagulation remains the cornerstone of outpatient and inpatient treatment. The use of the new generation of anticoagulants (NOACs) continues to grow. Recently published data indicate their cost-effectiveness and overall safety in stroke prevention; compared to vitamin K antagonists, they can be prescribed in fixed doses for long-term therapy without the need for coagulation monitoring. Both United States and European Guidelines recommend NOACs for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. This review discusses each of the NOACs, along with their efficacy and safety data. It explores the most recent guidelines regarding their perioperative use in atrial fibrillation patients. It also discusses bleeding complications, perioperative management, and reversal agents.
Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin Films Codoped with Sodium and Bismuth Ions for the Use in the Solar Cells
Authors: Chen Fu-Shan , Sung Jen-Cheng , Yang Che-Yuan , Lu Chung-Hsin
Published: July 2015

The codoping effects of sodium and bismuth ions on the characteristics of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 films prepared via the solution process were investigated in this study. When sodium and bismuth ions were incorporated into Cu(In,Ga)Se2, the ratio of the intensity of (112) diffraction peak to that of (220/204) diffraction peak was greatly increased. The codoping process not only enlarged the sizes of the grains in the films but also resulted in densification of the films. The carrier concentration of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 was found to be effectively increased to cause a reduction in the resistivity of the films. The above phenomena were attributed to the densified microstructures of the films and a decrease in the amount of the donor‐type defects. The leakage current of the solar cells was found to be also decreased via the codoping process. Owing to the improved electrical properties of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 films, the conversion efficiency of the fabricated solar cells was significantly enhanced.
On Key Evolution over Wireless Channels
Authors: Liu Zhihong , Zeng Yong , Zhang Pingjuan , Huang Qiping
Published: July 2015

Noise is a powerful resource for the implementation of cryptographic primitives, especially in wireless networks. In general, a key agreement protocol is tailored to the channels and relies on the assumption that knowledge on the eavesdropper's channel is available. This is not practical. In this paper, we focus on the problem of developing key agreement schemes for secure communication across wireless channels and propose a key evolution scheme to alleviate the assumption. Keys evolve continuously based on the transmitted messages over the noisy wireless channel. Even if the eavesdropper's channel is superior to the legitimate receiver, the legitimate parties can establish secret keys. To further confuse the eavesdropper, we present a strategy for legitimate parties to send artificial noise if the eavesdropper cannot distinguish the sources of messages. Finally, we propose a k-resistant encryption scheme that can use different keys to encrypt and decrypt messages if there are no more than k bits which differ between the encryption and decryption keys.
Evaluation of Forest Fire Danger Indexes for Eucalypt Plantations in Bahia, Brazil
Authors: White Larissa Alves Secundo , White Benjamin Leonardo Alves , Ribeiro Genésio Tâmara
Published: July 2015

A Forest Fire Danger Index is a valuable tool in forest fire prevention and firefight because it grades fire occurrence possibility on a daily basis. Six Fire Danger Indexes were tested for accuracy based on forest fire occurrence in eucalyptus plantations of the north coast of Bahia, Brazil. They are Angstron, Nesterov, Telicyn Logarithmic Index, Monte Alegre, Rodríguez and Moretti, and Modified Monte Alegre. The results were analyzed using two parameters of the Heidke Skill Score test: Skill Score index and Percentage of Success. The Telicyn Logarithmic Index proved to be the most accurate for the study area.
Change of Neural Connectivity of the Red Nucleus in Patients with Striatocapsular Hemorrhage: A Diffusion Tensor Tractography Study
Authors: Jang Sung Ho , Kwon Hyeok Gyu
Published: July 2015

The red nucleus (RN) is involved in motor control and it is known to have potential to compensate for injury of the corticospinal tract (CST). We investigated the change of connectivity of the RN (RNc) and its relation to motor function in patients with striatocapsular hemorrhage. Thirty-five chronic patients with striatocapsular hemorrhage were recruited. Motricity Index (MI), Modified Brunnstrom Classification (MBC), and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) were measured for motor function. The probabilistic tractography method was used for evaluation of the RNc. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and tract volume (TV) of the RNc were measured. FA and TV ratios of the RNc in patients with discontinuation of the affected CST were significantly higher than those of patients with preserved integrity of the CST in the affected hemisphere (p<0.05). TV ratio of the RNc showed significant negative correlation with upper MI (weak correlation,r=-0.35), total MI (weak correlation,r=-0.34), and MBC (moderate correlation,r=-0.43), respectively (p<0.05). We found that the neural structure of the RNc was relatively increased in the unaffected hemisphere compared with the affected hemisphere in patients with more severe injury of the CST.
Reducing the Size of Combinatorial Optimization Problems Using the Operator Vaccine by Fuzzy Selector with Adaptive Heuristics
Authors: Montiel Oscar , Díaz Delgadillo Francisco Javier
Published: July 2015

Nowadays, solving optimally combinatorial problems is an open problem. Determining the best arrangement of elements proves being a very complex task that becomes critical when the problem size increases. Researchers have proposed various algorithms for solving Combinatorial Optimization Problems (COPs) that take into account the scalability; however, issues are still presented with larger COPs concerning hardware limitations such as memory and CPU speed. It has been shown that the Reduce-Optimize-Expand (ROE) method can solve COPs faster with the same resources; in this methodology, the reduction step is the most important procedure since inappropriate reductions, applied to the problem, will produce suboptimal results on the subsequent stages. In this work, an algorithm to improve the reduction step is proposed. It is based on a fuzzy inference system to classify portions of the problem and remove them, allowing COPs solving algorithms to utilize better the hardware resources by dealing with smaller problem sizes, and the use of metadata and adaptive heuristics. The Travelling Salesman Problem has been used as a case of study; instances that range from 343 to 3056 cities were used to prove that the fuzzy logic approach produces a higher percentage of successful reductions.
Outcome-Based Quality Control by a Dental Reference Profile of a Population-Based Study (SHIP-0)
Authors: Samietz Stefanie , Söhnel Andreas , Schwahn Christian , Holtfreter Birte , Mundt Torsten , Meisel Peter , Hoffmann Wolfgang , Kocher Thomas , Biffar Reiner
Published: July 2015

Objectives. The aim was to develop an instrument for quality control in dental practices. We compared the number of teeth of subjects of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-0) with those from patients of dental practices. Methods. Patients from seven dental practices (n=1,497) were randomly sampled by age strata and gender for a period of two years. Dental status derived from patient files was transformed into practice profiles using age-specific number of teeth as a parameter. Practice profiles were compared with a nomogram, which was based on the age-specific number of teeth of 3,990 SHIP-0 participants regularly visiting the dentist. Further, negative binomial regression models were evaluated to model associations between the number of teeth with age and dental practices, including interactions. Results. The practice profiles ranged between the 45th and 95th quantile curves of the reference population SHIP-0. The rate ratios (RR) for the number of missing teeth ranged from 0.37 to 0.67 (p<0.001) between the different dental practices, indicating lower risk for higher numbers of missing teeth in comparison to SHIP-0. Conclusions. This study showed considerable differences between dental practices and the reference population of SHIP-0 regarding the pattern of tooth loss and confirms the value of nomograms to compare age-specific numbers of teeth between patients of dental practices and a population-based-study as a tool for quality control. For further analyses, the socioeconomic status of patients and relevant risk factors will be used to adjust for structural differences in order to improve the validity of the comparisons.
Neuroprotective Activity of Coptisine fromCoptis chinensis(Franch)
Authors: Friedemann Thomas , Schumacher Udo , Tao Yi , Leung Alexander Kai-Man , Schröder Sven
Published: July 2015

Coptis chinensisrhizomes (CR) are one important ingredient of traditional Chinese herbal formulas such as San-Huang-Xie-Xin-Tang which is used for treatment of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies suggest that the extract of CR might be a potential therapeutic agent for amelioration of neurological disorders associated with oxidative stress. In the present study we aimed at revealing the main active compound(s) of the CR extract and at investigating the mechanism of action. Four main alkaloids of the CR extract (berberine, coptisine, jatrorrhizine, and palmatine) were selected for this study. Results showed that out of those alkaloids only pretreatment with coptisine significantly attenuated tert-butylhydroperoxide induced reduction of cell viability, increased rate of apoptosis, and declined mitochondrial membrane potential. Elisa assay and quantitative real-time PCR analyses revealed that thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) gene expression was downregulated by coptisine, which could explain the neuroprotective effect, hypothetically, by strengthening the thioredoxin defense system against oxidative stress and attenuation of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase (Ask1) mediated apoptotic signaling. A comparison between coptisine and CR extract identified coptisine as the main single component responsible for the neuroprotective effect. Based on the results the CR extract and coptisine are promising candidate agents for prevention or improvement of diabetic neuropathy and neurodegenerative disorders.