bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility study on estimation of rice weevil quantity in rice stock using near-infrared spectroscopy technique
Authors: Jarruwat Puttinun , Choomjaihan Prasan
Published: November 2013

Thai rice is favored by large numbers of consumers of all continents because of its excellent taste, fragrant aroma and fine texture. Among all Thai rice varieties, Thai Hommali rice is the most preferred. Classification of rice as premium quality requires that almost all grain kernels of the rice be perfectly whole with only a small quantity of foreign particles. Of all the foreign particles found in rice, rice weevils can wreck severest havoc on the quality and quantity of rice such that premium grade rice is transformed into low grade rice. It is widely known that rice millers adopt the "overdose" fumigation practice to control the birth and propagation of rice weevils, the practice of which inevitably gives rise to pesticide residues on rice which end up in the body of consumers. However, if population concentration of rice weevils could be approximated, right amounts of chemicals for fumigation would be applied and thereby no overdose is required. The objective of this study is thus to estimate the quantity of rice weevils in both milled rice and brown rice of Thai Hommali rice variety using the near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique. Fourier transforms near infrared (FT-NIR) spectrometer was used in this research and the near-infrared wavelength range was 780–2500 nm. A total of 20 levels of rice weevil infestation with an increment of 10 from 10 to 200 mature rice weevils were applied to 1680 rice samples. The spectral data and quantity of weevils are analyzed by partial least square regression (PLSR) to establish the model for prediction. The results show that the model is able to estimate the quantity of weevils in milled Hommali rice and brown Hommali rice with high [Formula: see text] of 0.96 and 0.90, high RPD of 6.07 and 3.26 and small bias of 2.93 and 2.94, respectively.
Characterization of herbal powder blends homogeneity using near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Li Wenlong , Qu Haibin
Published: November 2013

Homogeneity of powder blend is essential to obtain uniform contents for the tablets and capsules. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with fiber-optic probe was used as an on-line technique for monitoring the homogeneity of pharmaceutical blend during the blending process instead of the traditional techniques, such as high performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) method. In this paper NIRS with a SabIR diffuse reflectance fiber-optic probe was used to monitor the blending process of coptis powder and lactose (excipient) with different contents, and further qualitative methods, like similarity, moving block of standard deviation and mean square were used for calculation purposes with the collected spectra after the pretreatment of multiplicative signal correction (MSC) and second derivative. Correlation spectrum was used for the wavelength selection. Four different coptis were blended with lactose separately to validate the proposed method, and the blending process of "liu wei di huang" pill was also simulated in bottles to verify this method on multiple herbal blends. The overall results suggest that NIRS is a simple, effective and noninvasive technique can be successfully applied to the determination of homogeneity in the herbal blend.
DIFFERENTIAL IDENTITIES ON SEMIGROUP IDEALS OF RIGHT NEAR-RINGS
Authors: BOUA A. , OUKHTITE L. , BELL H. E.
Published: November 2013

In this paper, we investigate generalized derivations satisfying certain differential identities on semigroup ideals of right near-rings and discuss related results. Moreover, we provide examples to show that the assumed restrictions cannot be relaxed.
ON (σ, τ)-n-DERIVATIONS IN NEAR-RINGS
Authors: Ashraf Mohammad , Siddeeque Mohammad Aslam
Published: November 2013

In the present paper, we introduce the notion of (σ, τ)-n-derivation in near-ring N and investigate some properties involving (σ, τ)-n-derivations of a prime near-ring N which force N to be a commutative ring. Additive commutativity of near-ring N satisfying certain identities involving (σ, τ)-n-derivations of a prime near-ring N has also been obtained. Related examples to justify the hypotheses in various theorems have also been provided.
VOGAN DIAGRAMS OF UNTWISTED AFFINE KAC–MOODY SUPERALGEBRAS
Authors: Ransingh Biswajit
Published: November 2013

This paper classifies the Vogan diagram of the untwisted affine Kac–Moody superalgebras.
Proterozoic zircon ages from lower crustal granulite xenoliths, Kola Peninsula, Russia: evidence for crustal growth and reworking
Authors: DOWNES H. , PELTONEN P. , MÄNTTÄRI I. , SHARKOV E.V.
Published: November 2013

Lower crustal garnet granulite xenoliths from beneath the Kola–Karelian domain of the Fennoscandian Shield (Russia) were brought to the surface in Devonian lamprophyre diatremes. To establish the relationships between processes in the lower crust and geological events recorded in the upper crust, zircons from two of these xenoliths were dated by ion microprobe. One xenolith contains mainly primary magmatic zircon grains that yielded an average age of 2.47 Ga. The Kola–Karelia domain formed part of a large basaltic igneous province in the earliest Proterozoic (
c.
2.45 Ga); thus, such xenoliths probably represent deep-seated equivalents of this magmatism. A second garnet granulite xenolith contained only internally featureless zircons. Most of these yielded concordant ages between 1.77–1.61 Ga. This age distribution indicates that at
c.
1.7 Ga the protolith was migmatized during an event that may be related to emplacement of granites and pegmatites in the region. However, two zircon grains in the second xenolith gave much younger ages of 1.47 and 1.45 Ga. This spread in the ages is related to an unknown younger event around 1.4 Ga (or perhaps later) when the
c.
1.7 Ga ’migmatite‘ zircons were reset to variable degrees. These zircon ages are evidence for the complex evolution of the lower crust, recording multiple events, some of which are not currently expressed on the surface.
Africa’s petroleum systems: four tectonic ‘Aces’ in the past 600 million years
Authors: Burke K. , MacGregor D. S. , Cameron N. R.
Published: November 2013

We relate the depositional and structural histories of the sedimentary rocks containing Africa’s primary petroleum systems to four tectonic intervals, which in the light of their widespread and beneficial consequences we designate as ‘Aces’. The Ace of Clubs was the assembly of Gondwana by continental collision and the collapse and erosion of the mountains constructed during that assembly, which generated accommodation space through thermal subsidence over a vast area. Africa’s oldest great reservoir rocks accumulated in that space during Cambro-Ordovician times (520-440 Ma). After a short-lived glacial interval, Silurian and Devonian source rocks formed parts of a thick section that was deposited as long-term subsidence continued. The Ace of Diamonds consists of the collision of Baltica with Laurentia at
c.
380 Ma and the collision between Gondwana and Laurussia at
c.
310 Ma. It also includes the intracontinental deformation and orogenic collapse associated with the latter event, during the course of which regionally important structures and rifts now containing hydrocarbon-bearing fill were generated. Productive petroleum systems involving older Palaeozoic source rocks are concentrated in the rifts and sedimentary rocks of this phase.

The two other aces relate to the plume-dominated break-up of Pangaea. The Aces of Hearts and Spades were the eruption of the Karroo Plume at 183 Ma and the eruption of the Afar Plume at 31 Ma. These plumes, because they both generated huge volumes of basalt during brief intervals, are considered to have come from the deep mantle where, for more than 200 million years there has been a discrete large volume of hot rock over which Africa has been slowly rotating. Perhaps as many as six other deep-seated plumes have risen from that deep hot volume. The importance of the Karroo and Afar Plumes comes from the fact that they arrested the motion of the African Plate and, on each occasion, fostered the establishment of a new shallow-mantle convective circulation pattern. Intracontinental rifts, basins and swells developed above the new convection pattern after both arrests. Organic-rich sedimentary rocks deposited in rifts and at continental margins that formed in response to the Karroo-Plume-induced plate-pinning episode (K-pippe, 183-133 Ma) are being buried today under piles of sedimentary rock eroded from swells that have been rising since the later Afar-Plume-induced plate-pinning episode (A-pippe) began at 31 Ma. The Afar Plume eruption is designated ‘Ace of Spades’ because oil and gas generated following source-rock burial by sediments eroded from Africa’s active swells during the past 31 Ma together make up three-quarters of Africa’s hydrocarbon resource. In addition, half of that petroleum lies in reservoirs deposited during this phase.
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Cure: Improving Research Quality Before Data Collection
Authors: Aguinis Herman , Vandenberg Robert J.
Published: November 2013

We rely on classic as well as recently published sources to offer a review of theory, research design, and measurement issues that should be considered prior to conducting any empirical study. First, we examine theory-related issues that should be addressed before research design and measurement considerations. Specifically, we discuss how to make meaningful theoretical progress including the use of inductive and deductive approaches, address an important issue, and conduct research with a practical end in mind. Second, we offer recommendations regarding research design, including how to address the low statistical power challenge, design studies that strengthen inferences about causal relationships, and use control variables appropriately. Finally, we address measurement issues. Specifically, we discuss how to improve the link between underlying constructs and their observable indicators. Our review offers a checklist for use by researchers to improve research quality prior to data collection and by journal editors and reviewers to evaluate the quality of submitted manuscripts.
Nanoparticles, Lung Injury, and the Role of Oxidant Stress
Authors: Madl Amy K. , Plummer Laurel E. , Carosino Christopher , Pinkerton Kent E.
Published: November 2013

The emergence of engineered nanoscale materials has provided significant advancements in electronic, biomedical, and material science applications. Both engineered nanoparticles and nanoparticles derived from combustion or incidental processes exhibit a range of physical and chemical properties that induce inflammation and oxidative stress in biological systems. Oxidative stress reflects the imbalance between the generation of reactive oxygen species and the biochemical mechanisms to detoxify and repair the damage resulting from reactive intermediates. This review examines current research on incidental and engineered nanoparticles in terms of their health effects on lungs and the mechanisms by which oxidative stress via physicochemical characteristics influences toxicity or biocompatibility. Although oxidative stress has generally been thought of as an adverse biological outcome, this review also briefly discusses some of the potential emerging technologies to use nanoparticle-induced oxidative stress to treat disease in a site-specific fashion.
Emerging Roles of Orphan Nuclear Receptors in Cancer
Authors: Baek Sung Hee , Kim Keun Il
Published: November 2013

A growing body of evidence suggests that a subset of orphan nuclear receptors are amplified and prognostic for some human cancers. However, the specific roles of these orphan nuclear receptors in tumor progression and their utility as drug targets are not fully understood. In this review, we summarize recent progress in elucidating the direct and indirect involvement of orphan nuclear receptors in cancer as well as their therapeutic potential in a variety of human cancers. Furthermore, we contrast the role of orphan nuclear receptors in cancer with the known roles of estrogen receptor and androgen receptor in hormone-dependent cancers.
Bayesian Computational Tools
Authors: Robert Christian P.
Published: November 2013

This article surveys advances in the field of Bayesian computation over the past 20 years from a purely personal viewpoint, hence containing some ommissions given the spectrum of the field. Monte Carlo, MCMC, and ABC themes are covered here, whereas the rapidly expanding area of particle methods is only briefly mentioned and different approximative techniques such as variational Bayes and linear Bayes methods do not appear at all. This article also contains some novel computational entries on the double-exponential model that may be of interest.
The Role of Statistics in the Discovery of a Higgs Boson
Authors: van Dyk David A.
Published: November 2013

The 2012–2013 discovery of a Higgs boson appears to have filled the final missing gap in the Standard Model of particle physics and was greeted with fanfare by the scientific community and by the public at large. Particle physicists have developed and rigorously tested a specialized statistical tool kit that is designed for the search for new physics. This tool kit was put to the test in a 40-year search that culminated in the discovery of a Higgs boson. This article reviews these statistical methods, the controversies that surround them, and how they led to this historic discovery.
Effect of Magnesium Sulphate on Self-Compacting Concrete Containing Supplementary Cementitious Materials
Authors: Hassan Aiad , Mahmud Hilmi Bin , Jumaat Mohd. Zamin , ALsubari Belal , Abdulla Aziz
Published: November 2013

The length change is negligible and can be attributed to the normal distension of concrete. On the other hand, concrete suffering from mass loss gives a good indicator about the durability of SCC. Permeability of concrete is an important factor in classifying its durability generally; concrete with low Permeability will afford better protection of the reinforcement within it than concrete with high Permeability. In this paper, the assessment of magnesium sulphate (MS) attack on concrete containing various ratios of the supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) was investigated for concrete containing FA, RHA, and GGBS with cement replacement levels of 15%, 10%, and 5%, respectively, based on the selected samples from the concrete to the statement of the effect of magnesium on some of the characteristics of concrete such as compressive strength, height, and weight compared with similar samples but under laboratory conditions dry and moist water treatment. Test results showed that the SCC content SCM appear to have higher strength values than those stored in water and air sample; the highest value of mass loss is recorded for the control mixture compared with concrete content SCM, and the change in length in curing concrete is much less relative to the change for concrete immersed in MS.
Combination of Natural and Thermosensitive Polymers in Flocculation of Fine Silica Dispersions
Authors: Licea-Claverie Angel , Schwarz Simona , Steinbach Christine , Montserrat Ponce-Vargas Sandra , Genest Sabine
Published: November 2013

A novel strategy for faster and better flocculation in solid-liquid separation processes is reported: the use of the natural polyelectrolyte chitosan (CH2500) in combination with the biocompatible thermosensitive polymer poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL). Silica dispersions (Aerosil OX50) were used as model and evaluated by means of analytical centrifuge, laser diffraction, and turbidimetry studies. Results show that the sedimentation velocity is doubled by addition of PNVCL and that at 45°C the density of the sediment is 33% higher, as compared to the use of CH2500 only. This results from the temperature sensitive behavior of PNVCL that phase-separate expelling water at temperatures higher than its LCST (32–34°C) leading to compaction of the flocs. By using this strategy the sediment is more compact, contains less water, and contains a very small amount of biodegradable CH2500 and biocompatible PNVCL.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Like Cells Derived from Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Ameliorate Diabetic Polyneuropathy in Mice
Authors: Himeno Tatsuhito , Kamiya Hideki , Naruse Keiko , Cheng Zhao , Ito Sachiko , Kondo Masaki , Okawa Tetsuji , Fujiya Atsushi , Kato Jiro , Suzuki Hirohiko , Kito Tetsutaro , Hamada Yoji , Oiso Yutaka , Isobe Kenichi , Nakamura Jiro
Published: November 2013

Background. Although pathological involvements of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) have been reported, no dependable treatment of DPN has been achieved. Recent studies have shown that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) ameliorate DPN. Here we demonstrate a differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) into MSC-like cells and investigate the therapeutic potential of the MSC-like cell transplantation on DPN.Research Design and Methods. For induction into MSC-like cells, GFP-expressing iPSCs were cultured with retinoic acid, followed by adherent culture for 4 months. The MSC-like cells, characterized with flow cytometry and RT-PCR analyses, were transplanted into muscles of streptozotocin-diabetic mice. Three weeks after the transplantation, neurophysiological functions were evaluated.Results. The MSC-like cells expressed MSC markers and angiogenic/neurotrophic factors. The transplanted cells resided in hindlimb muscles and peripheral nerves, and some transplanted cells expressed S100βin the nerves. Impairments of current perception thresholds, nerve conduction velocities, and plantar skin blood flow in the diabetic mice were ameliorated in limbs with the transplanted cells. The capillary number-to-muscle fiber ratios were increased in transplanted hindlimbs of diabetic mice.Conclusions. These results suggest that MSC-like cell transplantation might have therapeutic effects on DPN through secreting angiogenic/neurotrophic factors and differentiation to Schwann cell-like cells.
Monodispersed ZnO Nanoparticles and Their Use in Heterojunction Solar Cell
Authors: Patidar Dinesh , Kaswan Anusaiya , Saxena N. S. , Sharma Kananbala
Published: November 2013

Monodispersed ZnO nanoparticles have been synthesised in ethylene glycol medium using zinc acetate and sodium hydroxide at room temperature through ultrasonic treatment. The monodispersed ZnO nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, TEM, SEM, and optical spectroscopy. The results indicate that ZnO shows the hexagonal wurtzite structure having 8 nm average particle size with the band gap of 3.93 eV. ZnO nanoparticles blended with P3HT show the improvement in the interchains and intrachains ordering as compared to pure P3HT. The power conversion efficiency of P3HT/ZnO solar cell is found to be 0.88%, which is comparable with the result obtained by other researchers.
Comparison of Predictive Control Methods for High Consumption Industrial Furnace
Authors: Stojanovski Goran , Stankovski Mile
Published: November 2013

We describe several predictive control approaches for high consumption industrial furnace control. These furnaces are major consumers in production industries, and reducing their fuel consumption and optimizing the quality of the products is one of the most important engineer tasks. In order to demonstrate the benefits from implementation of the advanced predictive control algorithms, we have compared several major criteria for furnace control. On the basis of the analysis, some important conclusions have been drawn.
Studies of the Interaction between Isoimperatorin and Human Serum Albumin by Multispectroscopic Method: Identification of Possible Binding Site of the Compound Using Esterase Activity of the Protein
Authors: Ranjbar Samira , Shokoohinia Yalda , Ghobadi Sirous , Bijari Nooshin , Gholamzadeh Saeed , Moradi Nastaran , Ashrafi-Kooshk Mohammad Reza , Aghaei Abbas , Khodarahmi Reza
Published: November 2013

Isoimperatorin is one of the main components of Prangos ferulacea as a linear furanocoumarin and used as anti‐inflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, and anticancer drug. Human serum albumin (HSA) is a principal extracellular protein with a high concentration in blood plasma and carrier for many drugs to different molecular targets. Since the carrying of drug by HSA may affect on its structure and action, we decided to investigate the interaction between HSA and isoimperatorin using fluorescence and UV spectroscopy. Fluorescence data indicated that isoimperatorin quenches the intrinsic fluorescence of the HSA via a static mechanism and hydrophobic interaction play the major role in the drug binding. The binding average distance between isoimperatorin and Trp 214 of HSA was estimated on the basis of the theory of Förster energy transfer. Decrease of protein surface hydrophobicity (PSH) was also documented upon isoimperatorin binding. Furthermore, the synchronous fluorescence spectra show that the microenvironment of the tryptophan residues does not have obvious changes. Site marker compettive and fluorescence experiments revealed that the binding of isoimperatorin to HSA occurred at or near site I. Finally, the binding details between isoimperatorin and HSA were further confirmed by molecular docking and esterase activity inhibition studies which revealed that drug was bound at subdomain IIA.
Radiative Forcing of Black Carbon over Delhi
Authors: Surendran Divya E. , Beig Gufran , Ghude Sachin D. , Panicker A. S. , Manoj M. G. , Chate Dilip. M. , Ali Kaushar
Published: November 2013

The radiative effects of black carbon (BC) aerosols over New Delhi, the capital city of India, for the period August 2010–July 2011, have been investigated using Santa Barbara DISTORT Atmospheric Radiative Transfer (SBDART) model in the present paper. The monthly mean BC concentrations in Delhi, an urban location, vary in between 15.935 ± 2.06 μg m−3(December 2010)–2.44 ± 0.58 μg m−3(July 2011). The highest value for monthly mean BC forcing has been found to be in November 2010 (66.10 ± 6.86 Wm−2) and the lowest in July 2011 (23 ± 3.89 Wm−2). Being the host city for the XIX Commonwealth Games (CWG-2010), government of Delhi set up a plan to reduce emissions of air pollutants during Games, from 03 October to 14 October, 2010. But opposite to the expectations, the emission controls implemented were not sufficient to reduce the pollutants like black carbon (BC), and therefore relatively a high value of BC radiative forcing (44.36 ± 2.4) was observed during the month of October 2010.
Balancing Energy Consumption in Clustered Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ducrocq Tony , Hauspie Michaël , Mitton Nathalie
Published: November 2013

Clustering in wireless sensor networks is an efficient way to structure and organize the network. It aims at identifying a subset of nodes within the network and binding it to a leader (i.e., cluster head). The leader becomes in charge of specific additional tasks like gathering data from all nodes in its cluster and sending them using a longer range communication to a sink. As a consequence, a cluster head exhausts its battery more quickly than regular nodes. In this paper, we present four variants of BLAC, a novel battery level aware clustering family of schemes. BLAC considers the battery level combined with another metric to elect the cluster-head. The cluster-head role is taken alternately by each node to balance energy consumption. Due to the local nature of the algorithms, keeping the network stable is easier. BLAC aims at maximizing the time with all nodes alive to satisfy the application requirements. Simulation results show that BLAC improves the full network lifetime three times more than the traditional clustering schemes by balancing energy consumption over nodes and still deliveres high data ratio.
Growth Arrest on Inhibition of Nonsense-Mediated Decay Is Mediated by Noncoding RNA GAS5
Authors: Mourtada-Maarabouni Mirna , Williams Gwyn T.
Published: November 2013

Nonsense-mediated decay is a key RNA surveillance mechanism responsible for the rapid degradation of mRNAs containing premature termination codons and hence prevents the synthesis of truncated proteins. More recently, it has been shown that nonsense-mediated decay also has broader significance in controlling the expression of a significant proportion of the transcriptome. The importance of this mechanism to the mammalian cell is demonstrated by the observation that its inhibition causes growth arrest. The noncoding RNA growth arrest specific transcript 5 (GAS5) has recently been shown to play a key role in growth arrest induced by several mechanisms, including serum withdrawal and treatment with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin. Here we show that inhibition of nonsense-mediated decay in several human lymphocyte cell lines causes growth arrest, and siRNA-mediated downregulation of GAS5 in these cells significantly alleviates the inhibitory effects observed. These observations hold true for inhibition of nonsense-mediated decay both through RNA interference and through pharmacological inhibition by aminoglycoside antibiotics gentamycin and G418. These studies have important implications for ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity caused by gentamycin and for the proposed use of NMD inhibition in treating genetic disease. This report further demonstrates the critical role played by GAS5 in the growth arrest of mammalian cells.
Aerogels in Aerospace: An Overview
Authors: Bheekhun Nadiir , Abu Talib Abd. Rahim , Hassan Mohd Roshdi
Published: November 2013

Aerogels are highly porous structures prepared via a sol-gel process and supercritical drying technology. Among the classes of aerogels, silica aerogel exhibits the most remarkable physical properties, possessing lower density, thermal conductivity, refractive index, and dielectric constant than any solids. Its acoustical property is such that it can absorb the sound waves reducing speed to 100 m/s compared to 332 m/s for air. However, when it comes to commercialization, the result is not as expected. It seems that mass production, particularly in the aerospace industry, has dawdled behind. This paper highlights the evolution of aerogels in general and discusses the functions and significances of silica aerogel in previous astronautical applications. Future outer-space applications have been proposed as per the current research trend. Finally, the implementation of conventional silica aerogel in aeronautics is argued with an alternative known as Maerogel.
A Two-Pathway Mathematical Model of the LH Response to GnRH that Predicts Self-Priming
Authors: Evans J. J. , Wilkinson T. M. , Wall D. J. N.
Published: November 2013

An acute response of LH to a stimulatory pulse of GnRH is modelled as a result of a pathway (Pathway I) that consists of two compartments including a single (rate limiting) intermediate. In addition, a second pathway (Pathway II) was added, consisting of an intermediate transcription factor and subsequently a synthesised protein. Pathway II had a delayed effect on LH release due to the time taken to produce the intermediate protein. The model included synergism between these two pathways, which yielded an augmented response. The model accounts for a number of observations, including GnRH self-priming and the biphasic pattern of LH response. The same model was used to fit the data of the LH response when gonadotrophs responded to the addition of oxytocin in the response with a shoulder on the profile. Pathway I is able to be conceptualised as the basic Ca2+-mediated pathway. Pathway II contains features characteristic of the cAMP-mediated pathway. Thus, we have provided an explanation for details of the nature of the profile of LH secretion and additionally enabled incorporation of cAMP in an integrating model. The study investigated the possibility of two interacting pathways being at the basis of both the shoulder on the LH surges and self-priming, and the model illustrates that this appears to be highly likely.
Unified Fixed Point Theorems via Common Limit Range Property in Modified Intuitionistic Fuzzy Metric Spaces
Authors: Imdad Mohammad , Chauhan Sunny , Dalal Sumitra
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the role of “common limit range property” to ascertain the existence of common fixed points in modified intuitionistic fuzzy metric spaces enjoying an implicit function utilized in Tanveer et al. (2012) and Imdad et al. (2012). As an application to our main result, we derive a fixed point theorem for finite families of self-mappings. We also give some examples which demonstrate the validity of the hypotheses and degree of generality of our main results. Our results improve and extend several previously known fixed point theorems of the existing literature.
Relation of Depression, Anxiety, and Quality of Life with Outcome after Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty
Authors: Chaudhury Suprakash , Srivastava Kalpana
Published: November 2013

Background. Despite, increasing number of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) being performed, there is a paucity of Indian studies on the psychological effects of PTCA. Aim. To study the relation of anxiety, depression, and health related quality of life with outcome after PTCA. Methods. A total of 35 patients undergoing PTCA were included in the present project with their informed consent. All patients filled a specially designed proforma, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Coronary Scale, Seattle Angina Questionnaire, and a health related quality of life measure (EQ 5D) one day before undergoing PTCA. Three days after PTCA patients were reassessed with the Hospital anxiety & depression scale, Seattle angina questionnaire and the EQ 5D. Results. Analysis showed that 46% had significant anxiety and 32.1% had significant depression before PTCA. Following successful PTCA, none of the patients had significant anxiety, and only 2 (3.6%) had significant depression. On the Seattle Angina Questionnaire, physical limitation reduced from 67.9 to 48. Disease perception improved from 21.2 to 37.1. On the EQ5D, the health status improved from 42.7 before PTCA to 78.7 after PTCA. Conclusion. Successful PTCA resulted in significant reduction in anxiety, depression, and physical limitation and improvement in disease perception and health status.
Hyperspectral Image Classification Using Kernel Fukunaga-Koontz Transform
Authors: Dinç Semih , Bal Abdullah
Published: November 2013

This paper presents a novel approach for the hyperspectral imagery (HSI) classification problem, using Kernel Fukunaga-Koontz Transform (K-FKT). The Kernel based Fukunaga-Koontz Transform offers higher performance for classification problems due to its ability to solve nonlinear data distributions. K-FKT is realized in two stages: training and testing. In the training stage, unlike classical FKT, samples are relocated to the higher dimensional kernel space to obtain a transformation from non-linear distributed data to linear form. This provides a more efficient solution to hyperspectral data classification. The second stage, testing, is accomplished by employing the Fukunaga- Koontz Transformation operator to find out the classes of the real world hyperspectral images. In experiment section, the improved performance of HSI classification technique, K-FKT, has been tested comparing other methods such as the classical FKT and three types of support vector machines (SVMs).
Mast Cells as a Potential Prognostic Marker in Prostate Cancer
Authors: Taverna Gianluigi , Giusti Guido , Seveso Mauro , Hurle Rodolfo , Colombo Piergiuseppe , Stifter Sanja , Grizzi Fabio
Published: November 2013

Despite years of intensive investigation that has been made in understanding prostate cancer, it remains one of the major men’s health issues and the leading cause of death worldwide. It is now ascertained that prostate cancer emerges from multiple spontaneous and/or inherited alterations that induce changes in expression patterns of genes and proteins that function in complex networks controlling critical cellular events. It is now accepted that several innate and adaptive immune cells, including T- and B-lymphocytes, macrophages, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, and mast cells (MCs), infiltrate the prostate cancer. All of these cells are irregularly scattered within the tumor and loaded with an assorted array of cytokines, chemokines, and inflammatory and cytotoxic mediators. This complex framework reflects the diversity in tumor biology and tumor-host interactions. MCs are well-established effector cells in Immunoglobulin-E (Ig-E) associated immune responses and potent effector cells of the innate immune system; however, their clinical significance in prostate cancer is still debated. Here, these controversies are summarized, focusing on the implications of these findings in understanding the roles of MCs in primary prostate cancer.
PARP Inhibition Attenuates Histopathological Lesion in Ischemia/Reperfusion Renal Mouse Model after Cold Prolonged Ischemia
Authors: del Moral Raimundo M. G. , Gómez-Morales Mercedes , Hernández-Cortés Pedro , Aguilar David , Caballero Trinidad , Aneiros-Fernández Jose , Caba-Molina Mercedes , Rodríguez-Martínez Mª  Dolores , Peralta Andreina , Galindo-Moreno Pablo , Osuna Antonio , Oliver F. Javier , del Moral Raimundo G. , O′Valle Francisco
Published: November 2013

We test the hypothesis that PARP inhibition can decrease acute tubular necrosis (ATN) and other renal lesions related to prolonged cold ischemia/reperfusion (IR) in kidneys preserved at 4°C in University of Wisconsin (UW) solution. Material and Methods. We used 30 male Parp1+/+ wild‐type and 15 male Parp10/0 knockout C57BL/6 mice. Fifteen of these wild‐type mice were pretreated with 3,4‐dihydro‐5‐[4‐(1‐piperidinyl)butoxyl]‐1(2H)‐isoquinolinone (DPQ) at a concentration of 15 mg/kg body weight, used as PARP inhibitor. Subgroups of mice were established (A: IR 45 min/6 h; B: IR + 48 h in UW solution; and C: IR + 48 h in UW solution plus DPQ). We processed samples for morphological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and western‐blotting studies. Results. Prolonged cold ischemia time in UW solution increased PARP‐1 expression and kidney injury. Preconditioning with PARP inhibitor DPQ plus DPQ supplementation in UW solution decreased PARP‐1 nuclear expression in renal tubules and renal damage. Parp10/0 knockout mice were more resistant to IR‐induced renal lesion. In conclusion, PARP inhibition attenuates ATN and other IR‐related renal lesions in mouse kidneys under prolonged cold storage in UW solution. If confirmed, these data suggest that pharmacological manipulation of PARP activity may have salutary effects in cold‐stored organs at transplantation.
Green Light Emission of ZnxCd1−xSe Nanocrystals Synthesized by One‐Pot Method
Authors: Chung Shu-Ru , Wang Kuan-Wen , Chen Hong-Shuo
Published: November 2013

We present a facile one‐pot synthesis to prepare ternary ZnxCd1−xSe (x = 0.2, 0.5, 0.8, and 1) nanocrystals (NCs) with high emission quantum yield (QY, 45~89%). The effect of Zn content (x) of ZnxCd1−xSe NCs on their physical properties is investigated. The NCs have a particle size of 3.2 nm and face centered cubic structure. However, the actual compositions of the NCs are Zn0.03Cd0.97Se, Zn0.11Cd0.89Se, and Zn0.38Cd0.62Se when Zn content is 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8, respectively. In terms of the optical properties, the emission wavelength shifts from 512 to 545 nm with increasing Zn content from 0 to 0.8 while the QY changes from 89 to 45, respectively. Partial replacement of Cd by Zn is beneficial to improve the QY of Zn0.2 and Zn0.5 NCs. The optical properties of ternary NCs are affected by compositional effect rather than particle size effect.
Comparison of New Technology Integrated and Nonintegrated Arterial Filters Used in Cardiopulmonary Bypass Surgery: A Randomized, Prospective, and Single Blind Study
Authors: Gürsu Özgür , Isbir Selim , Ak Koray , Gerin Fethullah , Arsan Sinan
Published: November 2013

Background. Innovative cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) settings have been developed in order to integrate the concepts of “surface-coating,” “blood-filtration,” and “miniaturization.”Objectives. To compare integrated and nonintegrated arterial line filters in terms of peri- and postoperative clinical variables, inflammatory response, and transfusion needs.Material and Methods. Thirty-six patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery were randomized into integrated (Group In) and nonintegrated arterial line filter (Group NIn) groups. Arterial blood samples for the assessments of complete hemogram, biochemical screening, interleukin-6, interleukin-2R, and C-reactive protein were analyzed before and after surgery. Need for postoperative dialysis, inotropic therapy and transfusion, in addition to extubation time, total amount of drainage (mL), length of intensive care unit, and hospital stay, and mortality rates was also recorded for each patient.Results. Prime volume was significantly higher and mean intraoperative hematocrit value was lower inGroup NIn, but need for erythrocyte transfusion was significantly higher inGroup NIn. C-reactive protein values did not differ significantly except for postoperative second day's results, which were found significantly lower inGroup Inthan inGroup NIn.Conclusion. Intraoperative hematocrit levels were higher and need for postoperative erythrocyte transfusion was decreased in Group In.
The Efficacy of Red Ginseng in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes in Animals
Authors: Hong Bin Na , Ji Min Gun , Kang Tong Ho
Published: November 2013

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most modern chronic metabolic diseases in the world. Moreover, DM is one of the major causes of modern neurological diseases. In the present study, the therapeutic actions of Korean red ginseng were evaluated in type 1 and type 2 diabetic mouse models using auditory electrophysiological measurement. The comprehensive results from auditory brainstem response (ABR), auditory middle latency response (AMLR), and transient evoked otoacoustic emission (TEOAE) demonstrate auditory functional damage caused by type 1 or 2 DM. Korean red ginseng improved the hearing threshold shift, delayed latencies and signal intensity decrease in type 2 diabetic mice. Type 1 diabetic mice showed a partial improvement in decreasing amplitude and signal intensity, not significantly. We suggest that the Korean red ginseng has a more potent efficacy in hearing loss in insulin resistance type 2 diabetes than in type 1 diabetes.
A Fixed Point Approach to the Stability of an Integral Equation Related to the Wave Equation
Authors: Jung Soon-Mo
Published: November 2013

We will apply the fixed point method for proving the generalized Hyers-Ulam stability of the integral equation1/2c∫x-ctx+ctuτ,t0dτ=ux,twhich is strongly related to the wave equation.
Dynamic Pricing and Supply Coordination with Reimbursement Contract under Random Yield and Demand
Authors: Li Guo , Ran Lun , Yue Xiaohang , Wang Zhaohua
Published: November 2013

This paper investigates the dynamic pricing and supply chain coordination in a decentralized system that consists of one supplier and one manufacturer, in which both the market demand and production yield are stochastic. We show that the centralized expected profit is jointly concave in the production quantity and order quantity when the price is ex-ante selected. We also derive the equilibrium strategies in the decentralized system and prove that the entire profit of supply chain is inevitably lower than that under centralized system. Based on this, we propose a reimbursement contract to coordinate the decentralized supply chain so as to achieve the maximized profit. It is worth mentioning that, under reimbursement contract, the equilibrium production and order quantities are irrelevant to the manufacturer's risk sharing coefficient but are only determined by the supplier’s risk sharing coefficient.
Location Estimation Using Space-Time Signal Processing in RFID Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Oh Chang-Heon
Published: November 2013

We consider real-time locating systems (RTLS) consisting of radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and multiantenna readers to propose a novel location estimation algorithm based on the concept of space-time signature matching for multipath environments. In contrast to previous fingerprint-based approaches that rely on received signal strength (RSS) information only, the proposed algorithm uses angle, delay, and RSS information from the received signal to form a signature, which in turn is utilized for location estimation. We evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm in terms of the average error probability. Simulations and analytic results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for location estimation even in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments.
Characterization of Cellulolytic Bacterial Cultures Grown in Different Substrates
Authors: Alshelmani Mohamed Idris , Loh Teck Chwen , Foo Hooi Ling , Lau Wei Hong , Sazili Awis Qurni
Published: November 2013

Nine aerobic cellulolytic bacterial cultures were obtained from the Leibniz Institute DSMZ‐German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Culture (DSMZ) and the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). The objectives of this study were to characterize the cellulolytic bacteria and to determine the optimum moisture ratio required for solid state fermentation (SSF) of palm kernel cake (PKC). The bacteria cultures were grown on reconstituted nutrient broth, incubated at 30∘C and agitated at 200 rpm. Carboxymethyl cellulase, xylanase, and mannanase activities were determined using different substrates and after SSF of PKC. The SSF was conducted for 4 and 7 days with inoculum size of 10% (v/w) on different PKC concentration‐to‐moisture ratios: 1 : 0.2, 1 : 0.3, 1 : 0.4, and 1 : 0.5. Results showed that Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 1067 DSMZ, Bacillus megaterium 9885 ATCC, Paenibacillus curdlanolyticus 10248 DSMZ, and Paenibacillus polymyxa 842 ATCC produced higher enzyme activities as compared to other bacterial cultures grown on different substrates. The cultures mentioned above also produced higher enzyme activities when they were incubated under SSF using PKC as a substrate in different PKC‐to‐moisture ratios after 4 days of incubation, indicating that these cellulolytic bacteria can be used to degrade and improve the nutrient quality of PKC.
Characterisation of Organomineral Fertilisers Derived from Nutrient-Enriched Biosolids Granules
Authors: Antille Diogenes L. , Sakrabani Ruben , Tyrrel Sean F. , Le Minh S. , Godwin Richard J.
Published: November 2013

Organomineral fertilisers (OMFs) were produced by coating biosolids granules with urea and potash. Two OMF formulations with N : P2O5 : K2O compositions: 10 : 4 : 4 (OMF10) and 15 : 4 : 4 (OMF15) were developed for application in grassland and arable crops. Routine fertiliser analyses were conducted on four batches of OMF and biosolids granules and compared with a sample of urea to determine key physical and chemical properties of the materials which affect handling and spreading, soil behaviour, and fertiliser value. Bulk and particle densities were in the range of 608 to 618 kg m−3, and 1297 to 1357 kg m−3, respectively. Compression tests showed that OMF particles undergo deformation followed by multiple failures without disintegration of the granules when vertical load was applied. Static particle strength was between 1.18 and 4.33 N mm−2depending on the particle diameter. The use of a model for fertiliser particle distribution studies showed that OMF granules should be between 1.10 and 5.50 mm in diameter with about 80% of the particles in the range of 2.25 to 4.40 mm to enable application at 18 m tramline spacing. This research utilises novel technology to improve the fertiliser value of biosolids, reduce disposal costs, and deliver a range of environmental benefits associated with recycling.
Chemokines and Neurodegeneration in the Early Stage of Experimental Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Wolinski Pawel , Glabinski Andrzej
Published: November 2013

Neurodegeneration is a hallmark of most of the central nervous system (CNS) disorders including stroke. Recently inflammation has been implicated in pathogenesis of neurodegeneration and neurodegenerative diseases. The aim of this study was analysis of expression of several inflammatory markers and its correlation with development of neurodegeneration during the early stage of experimental stroke. Ischemic stroke model was induced by stereotaxic intracerebral injection of vasoconstricting agent endothelin-1 (ET-1). It was observed that neurodegeneration appears very early in that model and correlates well with migration of inflammatory lymphocytes and macrophages to the brain. Although the expression of several studied chemotactic cytokines (chemokines) was significantly increased at the early phase of ET-1 induced stroke model, no clear correlation of this expression with neurodegeneration was observed. These data may indicate that chemokines do not induce neurodegeneration directly. Upregulated in the ischemic brain chemokines may be a potential target for future therapies reducing inflammatory cell migration to the brain in early stroke. Inhibition of inflammatory cell accumulation in the brain at the early stage of stroke may lead to amelioration of ischemic neurodegeneration.
A Comparative Study on Different Parallel Solvers for Nonlinear Analysis of Complex Structures
Authors: Zhang Lei , Zhang Guoxin , Wang Lixiang , Ma Zhaosong , Li Shihai
Published: November 2013

The parallelization of 2D/3D software SAPTIS is discussed for nonlinear analysis of complex structures. A comparative study is made on different parallel solvers. The numerical models are presented, including hydration models, water cooling models, modulus models, creep model, and autogenous deformation models. A finite element simulation is made for the whole process of excavation and pouring of dams using these models. The numerical results show a good agreement with the measured ones. To achieve a better computing efficiency, four parallel solvers utilizing parallelization techniques are employed: (1) a parallel preconditioned conjugate gradient (PCG) solver based on OpenMP, (2) a parallel preconditioned Krylov subspace solver based on MPI, (3) a parallel sparse equation solver based on OpenMP, and (4) a parallel GPU equation solver. The parallel solvers run either in a shared memory environment OpenMP or in a distributed memory environment MPI. A comparative study on these parallel solvers is made, and the results show that the parallelization makes SAPTIS more efficient, powerful, and adaptable.
Arthrocentesis and Temporomandibular Joint Disorders: Clinical and Radiological Results of a Prospective Study
Authors: De Riu Giacomo , Stimolo Mirella , Meloni Silvio Mario , Soma Damiano , Pisano Milena , Sembronio Salvatore , Tullio Antonio
Published: November 2013

Purpose. We evaluated the efficacy of arthrocentesis in the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders.Material and Methods. In this prospective clinical case series, 30 consecutive patients with TMJ disorders underwent arthrocentesis using saline and sodium hyaluronate injections. Outcome measures were TMJ pain, maximum mouth opening (MMO), joint noises, and anatomical changes in the TMJ architecture. Patients were evaluated using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the beginning of treatment and 60 days after the last arthrocentesis. Pretreatment and posttreatment clinical parameters were compared using paired and unpairedt-tests, and McNemar’s test was used to evaluate CBCT and MRI changes ().Results. At 1-year follow-up examinations, visual analogue scale scores indicated that pain was reduced significantly and mean postoperative MMO was increased significantly. CBCT findings showed no significant change, and MRI showed only slight reductions in inflammatory signs.Conclusions. Within the limitations of this study, we can conclude that arthrocentesis is a simple, minimally invasive procedure with a relatively low risk of complications and significant clinical benefits in patients with TMJ disorders. This trial is registered withNCT01903512.