bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corrosion of Aluminized Steel in Aggressive Natural Water
Authors: Akhoondan Mersedeh , Sagüés Alberto A.
Published: April 2013

Aluminized steel Type 2 (AST2) has a ~50 µm thick coating with outer and inner layers of mostly Al and Fe-Al intermetallic respectively. AST2 is used for culvert and drainage pipes that are required to have long service life. The use of calcium carbonate-rich backfill (limestone) found to be a key contributing factor to the observed early deterioration. Limestone contributed to form a high pH environment sufficient to cause passivity breakdown of the passive film on aluminum. AST2 specimens were exposed in limestone-water cells with water being continuously replenished at a slow rate. A high steady state pH developed that was aggressive to aluminum passive film. Electrochemical measurements and direct inspection indicated onset of severe early corrosion with consequent fast wastage of the outer film. Corrosion rate decreased later as a thick corrosion product layer covered the surface and formed a transport limitation barrier.
In Situ Electrochemical Corrosion Measurements of Carbon Steel in Supercritical CO2 Using a Membrane-Coated Electrochemical Probe
Authors: Beck Justin , Fedkina Mark , Lvov Serguei N. , Ziomek-Moroz Malgorzata Elzbieta , Holcomb Gordon , Tylczak Joseph , Alman David
Published: April 2013

Growing interest in transporting supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) for enhanced oil recovery and carbon capture and storage has led to an increased interest in the corrosion behavior of pipeline steels at varying levels of water contamination. Electrochemical measurements in scCO2 fluids have been limited by low solution conductivity even when saturated with water vapor. Recent efforts to overcome this barrier by using electrochemical probes coated with a thin membrane of ion conducting polymer are reported here. A prototype probe was tested using carbon steel and corrosion tests were performed using linear polarization resistance, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and electrochemical frequency modulation. While the construction of the probe had an impact on the electrolyte resistance and mass transfer impedance, the charge transfer impedance varied little across the tested probes. The probe design could be used to predict worst-case scenario corrosion rates from charge transfer control for a variety of low-conductivity environments.
Surface Studies of Ultra-High Strength Drilling Steel after Corrosion Fatigue in Simulated Sour Environment
Authors: Ziomek-Moroz Malgorzata Elzbieta , Hawk Jeffrey A. , Ramgopal Thodla , Gui Feng
Published: April 2013

Crack growth behavior in compact tension carbon steel samples under cyclic stresses in a deaerated 5% NaCl solution buffered with NaHCO3/Na2CO3, pH=12, in contact with 0.83 MPa H2S, was investigated at 20 and 85ºC, respectively. Microscopic investigation of the crack that propagated at 20ºC shows the features characteristic of corrosion fatigue whereas the crack that propagated at 85ºC exhibits features characteristic of stress corrosion cracking. Corrosion products were found inside the cracks at 20 and 85ºC. These microscopic results provide the experimental evidence that the corrosion products were plugging the cracks at both temperatures. Energy and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy analyses detected Fe and S-rich corrosion products formed inside crack at 20ºC, and Fe and O-rich products at 85ºC. This indicates that H2S played a lesser role in the degradation process at higher temperature. This result can be associated with lower dissolution of H2S in the solution at 85ºC than that at 25ºC.
Electropolishing Effect on Corrosion Resistance of Electrodeposited Nanocrystalline Ni-Mo Alloy Coatings in NaCl Solution
Authors: Roozbehani Behrooz , Allahyarzadeh Mohammad Hossein , Ashrafi Ali , Shadizadeh Seyyed Reza , Seddighian Ameneh
Published: April 2013

The aim of current research is to investigate the substrate electropolishing effect on corrosion resistance of Ni-Mo thin films. For this purpose, corrosion resistance of coatings deposited on mild steel substrates, that was electropolished or mechanically polished, have been compared in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution using potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The structural properties of Ni-Mo thin films were evaluated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and their morphology, microstructure and chemical composition were also investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Temperature and acidity of deposition bath have been also changed in order to investigate their effects on corrosion resistance. The result revealed that, corrosion resistance of Ni-Mo thin films have been increased by substrate electropolishing.
Correlation between Field Exposure and Laboratory Corrosion Tests for Galvanic Couples between Titanium Diboride and Aluminum Using the Zero-Resistance Ammeter Technique in Humid Environments
Authors: Srinivasan Raghu , Hihara Lloyd H.
Published: April 2013

The objective of this research was to correlate outdoor exposure corrosion-rate data from a variety of microclimates (i.e., rain forest, alpine, marine, volcanic, industrial, agricultural, and arid) with accelerated laboratory corrosion test for galvanic couples between titanium diboride (TiB2) and aluminum (Al), using the zero-resistance ammeter (ZRA) technique. A new test method (i.e., a humidity ZRA experiment) was devised to incorporate the effects of two very important environmental parameters (i.e., chlorides and time of wetness (TOW)) to study galvanic corrosion in atmospheric conditions. Electrolytes with varying amounts of chloride contents (0, 10, 100, 1000, 10000, and 20000 ppm chlorides) were used in the humidity ZRA experiment to improve correlation with field results. The best correlation with the outdoor corrosion r ates were achieved using the humidity-ZRA data from the 0 and 10 PPM chloride treatments which better simulate rain that contains between 10 - 20 ppm of chlorides.
Molybdate-Based Conversion Coatings for Aluminum Alloys Part II: Coating Chemistry
Authors: Rodriguez David , Chidambaram Dev
Published: April 2013

In order to prevent the corrosion of aluminum alloys, a chromate conversion coating (CCC) is applied to the surface. However, chromate is a carcinogen and substitutes are being studied for its replacement. In part I of this study, the authors described the development of an environmentally friendly and corrosion protective molybdate conversion coating (MoCC) for aluminum alloy AA2024-T6. In this part, MoCC is characterized and a structure is proposed. Multiple techniques were used to characterize the coating chemistry. Raman and Fourier Transform-Infrared spectroscopies showed the formation of a molybdate based conversion coating on the aluminum alloy surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed the coating to be composed of multiple molybdenum based species: MoO2, Mo2O5, MoO4
2- and MoO3. Further, MoCC was determined to consist of two layers; the surface layer was composed predominantly of oxidized Mo(VI) whereas the inner layer mostly consisted of reduced Mo(IV) and Mo(V) species.
Spermaturia after Radical Prostatectomy: Is Surgical Preservation of Fertility Possible?
Authors: Reichard Chad , Sabanegh Edmund S. , Jones J. Stephen , Fareed Khaled
Published: April 2013

Ease of sperm retrieval has not been previously described as a goal for patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer; however preservation of fertility is a known concern for some younger prostate cancer patients. We present the first known case of a patient with postejaculatory spermaturia following robotic assisted radical prostatectomy. We hypothesize that this is due to fistula formation between the vas deferens and the urinary tract.
On an Extension of Kummer's Second Theorem
Authors: Rakha Medhat A. , Awad Mohamed M. , Rathie Arjun K.
Published: April 2013

The aim of this paper is to establish an extension of Kummer's second theorem in the form  e-x/2F22[a,2+d;x2a+2,d;]=F10[-;x2/16a+3/2;]+((a/d-1/2)/(a+1))x F10[-;x2/16a+3/2;]+(cx2/2(2a+3))F10[-;x2/16a+5/2;], where c=1/a+11/2-a/d+a/d(d+1),  d≠0,-1,-2,…. Ford=2a, we recover Kummer's second theorem. The result is derived with the help of Kummer's second theorem and its contiguous results available in the literature. As an application, we obtain two general results for the terminatingF23(2)series. The results derived in this paper are simple, interesting, and easily established and may be useful in physics, engineering, and applied mathematics.
Control Group Design: Enhancing Rigor in Research of Mind-Body Therapies for Depression
Authors: Kinser Patricia Anne , Robins Jo Lynne
Published: April 2013

Although a growing body of research suggests that mind-body therapies may be appropriate to integrate into the treatment of depression, studies consistently lack methodological sophistication particularly in the area of control groups. In order to better understand the relationship between control group selection and methodological rigor, we provide a brief review of the literature on control group design in yoga and tai chi studies for depression, and we discuss challenges we have faced in the design of control groups for our recent clinical trials of these mind-body complementary therapies for women with depression. To address the multiple challenges of research about mind-body therapies, we suggest that researchers should consider 4 key questions: whether the study design matches the research question; whether the control group addresses performance, expectation, and detection bias; whether the control group is ethical, feasible, and attractive; and whether the control group is designed to adequately control for nonspecific intervention effects. Based on these questions, we provide specific recommendations about control group design with the goal of minimizing bias and maximizing validity in future research.
Convergence and Stability of the Split-Stepθ-Milstein Method for Stochastic Delay Hopfield Neural Networks
Authors: Guo Qian , Xie Wenwen , Mitsui Taketomo
Published: April 2013

A new splitting method designed for the numerical solutions of stochastic delay Hopfield neural networks is introduced and analysed. Under Lipschitz and linear growth conditions, this split-stepθ-Milstein method is proved to have a strong convergence of order 1 in mean-square sense, which is higher than that of existing split-stepθ-method. Further, mean-square stability of the proposed method is investigated. Numerical experiments and comparisons with existing methods illustrate the computational efficiency of our method.
Collective Recycling Responsibility in Closed-Loop Fashion Supply Chains with a Third Party: Financial Sharing or Physical Sharing?
Authors: Nie Jiajia , Huang Zongsheng , Zhao Yingxue , Shi Yuan
Published: April 2013

We develop three closed-loop supply chain models where manufacturers can utilize financial or physical support to push a third party to collect the used fashion product for remanufacturing. We first examine two strategies for the collective recycling responsibility (CRR), namely, the financial sharing (FS) and the physical sharing (PS), using the model with no CRR as a benchmark. After that, we conduct a detailed comparison among the three models in terms of the retail price, demand, return rate, and the profits received by the supply chain members. With this study, we find the following. (i) The FS or PS support offered by the manufacturer to the third party will result in a lower retail price and a higher demand. (ii) The optimal return rate with PS scheme is always higher than that without the CRR, and the one with FS scheme is at least as high as that without the CRR. (iii) All the members in the closed-loop supply chain can always benefit from the CRR. In addition, (iv) which scheme of the FS, PS, or no CRR is the best for the supply chain members will depend heavily on the transfer price of the used product.
Morphometric Analysis to Infer Hydrological Behaviour of Lidder Watershed, Western Himalaya, India
Authors: Altaf Farrukh , Meraj Gowhar , Romshoo Shakil A.
Published: April 2013

West Lidder River, in the Northwest Greater-Himalayan mountain range, is the major source of irrigation and drinking water supplies for the Kashmir Valley with a population of seven million people. The major source of water for the whole Lidder River is snow and icemelt emanating from its two subcatchments East Lidder and West Lidder. Snowmelt significantly contributes to the evolution of drainage patterns in this area. Quantitative morphometry plays a vital role in routing the snowmelt and other hydrological processes. Morphometric analysis of the West Lidder River catchment was carried out using geospatial technique. The outcome revealed that the entire study area has uniform lithology and is structurally permeable. The high drainage density of all subwatersheds indicate more surface runoff. The morphometric analysis also indicates that the area is more prone to weathering due to very-coarse to coarse drainage texture. All the subwatersheds showed dendritic to subdendritic drainage pattern. An immense control of structure on the drainage in some subwatersheds is indicated by their high bifurcation ratios. Circulatory and elongation ratios show that the subwatersheds have elongated to circular shapes. From the integrated analysis of the morphometric parameters, important hydrologic behaviour of 17 subwatersheds could be inferred.
Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase-3 in Comparison with Acute Phase Proteins as a Marker of Disease Activity and Radiographic Damage in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Ally Mahmood M. T. M. , Hodkinson Bridget , Meyer Pieter W. A. , Musenge Eustasius , Tikly Mohammed , Anderson Ronald
Published: April 2013

Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) is involved in the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but little is known about its relationship to genetic susceptibility and biomarkers of disease activity, especially acute phase reactants in early RA. MMP-3 was measured by ELISA in serum samples of 128 disease-modifying, drug-naïve patients and analysed in relation to shared epitope genotype, a range of circulating chemokines/cytokines, acute phase reactants, autoantibodies, cartilage oligomeric protein (COMP), and the simplified disease activity index (SDAI). MMP-3 was elevated >1.86 ng/ml in 56.25% of patients (P<0.0001), correlated with several biomarkers, notably IL-8, IL-6, IFNγ, VEGF and COMP (rvalues = 0.22–0.33,P<0.014–0.0001) and with CRP and SAA levels (r=0.40and 0.41, resp.,P<0.0000) and SDAI (r=0.29,P<0.0001), but not with erosions or nodulosis. However, the correlations of CRP and SAA with SDAI were stronger (respective values of 0.63 and 0.54,P<0.001for both). COMP correlated with smoking, RF, and MMP-3. MMP-3 is significantly associated with disease activity, inflammatory mediators and cartilage breakdown, making it a potential biomarker of disease severity, but seemingly less useful than CRP and SAA as a biomarker of disease activity in early RA.
Ganoderma tsugaeExtract Inhibits Growth of HER2-Overexpressing Cancer Cells via Modulation of HER2/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Authors: Kuo Han-Peng , Hsu Shih-Chung , Ou Chien-Chih , Li Jhy-Wei , Tseng Hsiu-Hsueh , Chuang Tzu-Chao , Liu Jah-Yao , Chen Shih-Jung , Su Muh-Hwan , Cheng Yung-Chi , Chou Wei-Yuan , Kao Ming-Ching
Published: April 2013

Ganoderma, also known as Lingzhi or Reishi, has been used for medicinal purposes in Asian countries for centuries. It is a medicinal fungus with a variety of biological properties including immunomodulatory and antitumor activities. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by whichGanoderma tsugae(GT), one of the most common species ofGanoderma, inhibits the proliferation of HER2-overexpressing cancer cells. Here, we show that a quality assured extract of GT (GTE) inhibited the growth of HER2-overexpressing cancer cellsin vitroandin vivoand enhanced the growth-inhibitory effect of antitumor drugs (e.g., taxol and cisplatin) in these cells. We also demonstrate that GTE induced cell cycle arrest by interfering with the HER2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Furthermore, GTE curtailed the expression of the HER2 protein by modulating the transcriptional activity of theHER2gene and the stability/degradation of the HER2 protein. In conclusion, this study suggests that GTE may be a useful adjuvant therapeutic agent in the treatment of cancer cells that highly express HER2.
Piecewise Bivariate Hermite Interpolations for Large Sets of Scattered Data
Authors: Feng Renzhong , Zhang Yanan
Published: April 2013

The requirements for interpolation of scattered data are high accuracy and high efficiency. In this paper, a piecewise bivariate Hermite interpolant satisfying these requirements is proposed. We firstly construct a triangulation mesh using the given scattered point set. Based on this mesh, the computational point (x,y) is divided into two types: interior point and exterior point. The value of Hermite interpolation polynomial on a triangle will be used as the approximate value if point (x,y) is an interior point, while the value of a Hermite interpolation function with the form of weighted combination will be used if it is an exterior point. Hermite interpolation needs the first-order derivatives of the interpolated function which is not directly given in scatted data, so this paper also gives the approximate derivative at every scatted point using local radial basis function interpolation. And numerical tests indicate that the proposed piecewise bivariate Hermite interpolations are economic and have good approximation capacity.
Archaeal Viruses, Not Archaeal Phages: An Archaeological Dig
Authors: Abedon Stephen T. , Murray Kelly L.
Published: April 2013

Viruses infect members of domainsBacteria,Eukarya, andArchaea. While those infecting domainEukaryaare nearly universally described as “Viruses”, those of domainBacteria, to a substantial extent, instead are called “Bacteriophages,” or “Phages.” Should the viruses of domainArchaeatherefore be dubbed “Archaeal phages,” “Archaeal viruses,” or some other construct? Here we provide documentation of published, general descriptors of the viruses of domainArchaea. Though at first the term “Phage” or equivalent was used almost exclusively in the archaeal virus literature, there has been a nearly 30-year trend away from this usage, with some persistence of “Phage” to describe “Head-and-tail” archaeal viruses, “Halophage” to describe viruses of halophilicArchaea, use of “Prophage” rather than “Provirus,” and so forth. We speculate on the root of the early 1980’s transition from “Phage” to “Virus” to describe these infectious agents, consider the timing of introduction of “Archaeal virus” (which can be viewed as analogous to “Bacterial virus”), identify numerous proposed alternatives to “Archaeal virus,” and also provide discussion of the general merits of the term, “Phage.” Altogether we identify in excess of one dozen variations on how the viruses of domainArchaeaare described, and document the timing of both their introduction and use.
The Impact of the Myeloid Response to Radiation Therapy
Authors: Gough Michael J. , Young Kristina , Crittenden Marka
Published: April 2013

Radiation therapy is showing potential as a partner for immunotherapies in preclinical cancer models and early clinical studies. As has been discussed elsewhere, radiation provides debulking, antigen and adjuvant release, and inflammatory targeting of effector cells to the treatment site, thereby assisting multiple critical checkpoints in antitumor adaptive immunity. Adaptive immunity is terminated by inflammatory resolution, an active process which ensures that inflammatory damage is repaired and tissue function is restored. We discuss how radiation therapy similarly triggers inflammation followed by repair, the consequences to adaptive immune responses in the treatment site, and how the myeloid response to radiation may impact immunotherapies designed to improve control of residual cancer cells.
Serum Proteome Changes in Healthy Subjects with Different Genotypes ofNOS1APin the Chinese Population
Authors: Jiang Feng , Wang Congrong , Li Rongxia , Sheng Quanhu , Hu Cheng , Zhang Rong , Fang Qichen , Bao Yuqian , Xiang Kunsan , Zeng Rong , Jia Weiping
Published: April 2013

Type 2 diabetes and its chronic complications have become a worldwide epidemic nowadays. However, its molecular mechanism is still unknown. We have previously identified a novel variant rs12742393 ofNOS1APfor type 2 diabetes susceptibility in the Chinese population. In this study, we analyzed the total serum profiling among three genotypes of rs12742393 to discover potential crosstalk under the variant and the disease through proteomic analyses for the first time. We used OFFGEL peptide fractionation, LC-MS/MS analysis, and label-free quantification to profile the fasting human serum samples of the genotypes in rs12742393 (n=4, for CC, AC, and AA, resp.). Four proteins were identified, including apoA4, alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10, with blood levels changed significantly between CC and AA homozygotes of rs12742393. Compared with AA group, the levels of apoA4 increased (P=0.000265), whereas the concentration of alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10 decreased in CC group (P=0.011116, 0.021175, and 0.015661, resp.). Then we selected additional fasting serum samples for ELISA and western blot validation. However, no significant differences were identified by neither ELISA nor western blot (P>0.05). The protein profiling changes between the genotypes of rs12742393 indicated that this SNP might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.
Current Aspects in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Chronic Wounds in Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Tsourdi Elena , Barthel Andreas , Rietzsch Hannes , Reichel Andreas , Bornstein Stefan R.
Published: April 2013

Impaired wound healing is a frequent and very severe problem in patients with diabetes mellitus, yet little is known about the underlying pathomechanisms. In this paper we review the biology of wound healing with particular attention to the pathophysiology of chronic wounds in diabetic patients. The standard treatment of diabetic ulcers includes measures to optimize glycemic control as well as extensive debridement, infection elimination by antibiotic therapy based on wound pathogen cultures, the use of moisture dressings, and offloading high pressure from the wound bed. In this paper we discuss novel adjuvant therapies with particular reference to the use of autologous skin transplants for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers which do not respond to standard care.
Voltage Mode Astable Multivibrator Using Single CDBA
Authors: Pandey Rajeshwari , Pandey Neeta , Paul Sajal K. , Anand Kashish , Gautam Kranti Ghosh
Published: April 2013

This paper aims at presenting three voltage mode square wave generator circuits using single current differencing buffered amplifier (CDBA), a recently proposed mixed mode building block. The first proposed circuit produces a variable frequency output having fixed duty cycle, whereas the rest of the circuits have variable duty cycle. One of the circuits uses passive element adjustment to control the duty cycle, whereas electronic control is used in the other circuit. The workability of the proposed circuits is confirmed through SPICE simulations and experimental work.
Exponential Attractor for Coupled Ginzburg-Landau Equations Describing Bose-Einstein Condensates and Nonlinear Optical Waveguides and Cavities
Authors: Mu Gui , Liu Jun
Published: April 2013

The existence of the exponential attractors for coupled Ginzburg-Landau equations describing Bose-Einstein condensates and nonlinear optical waveguides and cavities with periodic initial boundary is obtained by showing Lipschitz continuity and the squeezing property.
Positive Solutions of the One-Dimensional p-Laplacian with Nonlinearity Defined on a Finite Interval
Authors: Ma Ruyun , Xie Chunjie , Ahmed Abubaker
Published: April 2013

We use the quadrature method to show the existence and multiplicity of positive solutions of the boundary value problems involving one-dimensional p-Laplacian u′t|p−2u′t′+λfut=0, t∈0,1, u(0)=u(1)=0, where p∈(1,2], λ∈(0,∞) is a parameter, f∈C1([0,r),[0,∞)) for some constant r>0, f(s)>0 in (0,r), and lims→r-(r-s)p-1f(s)=+∞.
Approximate Solutions of Singular Two-Point BVPs Using Legendre Operational Matrix of Differentiation
Authors: Bataineh A. Sami , Alomari A. K. , Hashim I.
Published: April 2013

Exact and approximate analytical solutions of linear and nonlinear singular two-point boundary value problems (BVPs) are obtained for the first time by the Legendre operational matrix of differentiation. Different from other numerical techniques, shifted Legendre polynomials and their properties are employed for deriving a general procedure for forming this matrix. The accuracy of the technique is demonstrated through several linear and nonlinear test examples.
Comparison of Simple Models of Periodic Protocols for Combined Anticancer Therapy
Authors: Dołbniak Marzena , Świerniak Andrzej
Published: April 2013

Several simple ordinary differential equation (ODE) models of tumor growth taking into account the development of its vascular network are discussed. Different biological aspects are considered from the simplest model of Hahnfeldt et al. proposed in 1999 to a model which includes drug resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Some of these models can be used in clinical oncology to optimize antiangiogenic and cytostatic drugs delivery so as to ensure maximum efficacy. Simple models of continuous and periodic protocols of combined therapy are implemented. Discussion on the dynamics of the models and their complexity is presented.
The Effects of Laser Marking and Symbol Etching on the Fatigue Life of Medical Devices
Authors: Ogrodnik P. J. , Moorcroft C. I. , Wardle P.
Published: April 2013

This paper examines the question;“ does permanent laser marking affect the mechanical performance of a metallic medical component?” The literature review revealed the surprising fact that very little has been presented or studied even though intuition suggests that its effect could be detrimental to a component's fatigue life. A brief investigation of laser marking suggests that defects greater than 25 μm are possible. A theoretical investigation further suggests that this is unlikely to cause issues with relation to fast fracture but is highly likely to cause fatigue life issues. An experimental investigation confirmed that laser marking reduced the fatigue life of a component. This combination of lines of evidence suggests, strongly, that positioning of laser marking is highly critical and should not be left to chance. It is further suggested that medical device designers, especially those related to orthopaedic implants, should consider the position of laser marking in the design process. They should ensure that it is in an area of low stress amplitude. They should also ensure that they investigate worst-case scenarios when considering the stress environment; this, however, may not be straightforward.
The Efficacy of Strontium and Potassium Toothpastes in Treating Dentine Hypersensitivity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Karim B. F. A. , Gillam D. G.
Published: April 2013

Objectives. The aim of the present paper was to review the published literature in order to identify all relevant studies for inclusion and to determine whether there was any evidence of the efficacy of strontium and potassium toothpastes in the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity (DH).Methods. Following a review of 94 relevant papers both from searching electronic databases (PUBMED) and hand searching of relevant written journals, 13 studies were identified, and 7 papers (1 for strontium-based toothpastes and 6 for potassium-based toothpastes) were finally accepted for inclusion. The main outcome measures were the methodology and assessment used by Investigators in studies designed to evaluate DH.Results. The results of the present paper would indicate that the reported efficacy of both strontium- and potassium-based toothpastes in relieving DH is questionable.Conclusions. The results from the present paper would appear to support the conclusions of previous investigators that there is only minimal evidence for the efficacy of both strontium- and potassium-based toothpastes in relieving symptoms of DH.
An Aqueous Extract of Radix Astragali,Angelica sinensis, andPanax notoginsengIs Effective in Preventing Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Gao Dehong , Guo Yijuan , Li Xuejun , Li Xiumin , Li Zhipeng , Xue Mei , Ou Zhimin , Liu Ming , Yang Mingxing , Liu Suhuan , Yang Shuyu
Published: April 2013

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), in which inflammation has been implicated playing important roles, is one of the most common diabetes complications. Dang Gui Bu Xue Tang (DBT), an aqueous extract of Radix Astragali and RadixAngelica sinensis, is a classical prescription in Traditional Chinese Medicine for treating inflammation and ischemic diseases. Here, we investigated the effects of a modified recipe of DBT, with addition ofPanax notoginseng, in treating diabetic retinopathy. An aqueous extract of Radix Astragali, RadixAngelica sinensis, andPanax notoginseng(RRP) was given to Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats and streptozotocin-induced Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Leukostasis, vascular leakage, and acellular capillaries in retinal vasculature of animals were determined. Expression of retinal inflammatory biomarkers was assessed. We found that RRP reduced leukostasis, acellular capillaries, and vascular leakage compared to diabetic control rats. We also found that RRP decreased the expression of inflammatory factors including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, NF-κB, MCP-1, ICAM-1, or VCAM-1 in the retinas of GK rats and reversed high glucose-induced inhibition of endothelial cell migration and proliferation in vitro. We conclude that RRP has a potent effect in preventing the pathogenesis and/or progression of DR and thus may serve as a promising nontoxic therapeutic approach of DR.
The Small-Conductance Ca2+-Activated Potassium Channel, Subtype SK3, in the Human Myometrium Is Downregulated in Early Stages of Pregnancy
Authors: Rahbek M. , Rosenbaum S. T. , Dahl M. J. , Klaerke D. A. , Ødum L. , Poulsen S. S. , Larsen T. , Bouchelouche P.
Published: April 2013

The human myometrium is mainly relaxed during pregnancy, but, up to term, contractions become more coordinated and forceful in order to initiate delivery. Small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (SK channels) in human myometrium have been shown to be downregulated in late pregnancy. The aim was to investigate the presence of SK2 and SK3 in the human myometrium from nonpregnant women, pregnant women at term, and pregnancies delivered preterm and, in addition, to characterize the time of downregulation of these channels. Using qRT-PCR, we observed significantly lower levels of mRNA for SK2 than for SK3 in the nonpregnant tissue. The mRNA levels of SK3 were significantly reduced in tissue from pregnancies at term and pregnancies resulting in preterm deliveries, whereas no downregulation for SK2 was observed. Western blotting confirmed the qRT-PCR results. Using immunohistochemical staining, both SK2 and SK3 were detected in endometrial glandular epithelium. We conclude that SK3 mRNA is downregulated early in pregnancy—at least among those that result in preterm deliveries. Furthermore, we find that SK channels are expressed not only in the uterine smooth muscle but also in the endometrial epithelium.
The Effect of Ageing on Nasal Mucociliary Clearance in Women: A Pilot Study
Authors: Paul Preetha , Johnson Priscilla , Ramaswamy Padmavathi , Ramadoss Sitalakshmi , Geetha Bagavad , Subhashini A. S.
Published: April 2013

Introduction. Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in the elderly. Impaired respiratory defences are one of the causes for increased susceptibility of the elderly to such infections. Nasal mucociliary clearance, the mirror image of bronchial clearance, is crucial in respiratory defence and is affected by various factors. Little is known about the effect of ageing on nasal respiratory epithelium. Aim. To evaluate the effect of ageing on nasal mucociliary clearance (NMC) in women. Materials and Methods. NMC was measured in 91 apparently healthy women of ages ranging from 20 to 80 years. The time taken to experience sweet taste at nasopharynx following the placement of saccharin pellet in the nostril was recorded as NMC time. Results and Discussion. NMC time was 10 min 36 secs in elderly women and it was significantly prolonged when compared to younger women (8 min 39 secs). The prolonged clearance may be due to altered cilia, slowed ciliary beating, or changes in the properties of mucus. Conclusion. NMC time clearly shows an increase with age signifying decreasing respiratory epithelium function. This study highlights an important cause of impaired respiratory health in older individuals and emphasises the need for preventive measures to be put in place.
Some Common Fixed-Point Theorems for Generalized-Contractive-Type Mappings on Complex-Valued Metric Spaces
Authors: Klin-eam Chakkrid , Suanoom Cholatis
Published: April 2013

Fixed-point theory in complex valued metric spaces has greatly developed in recent times. In this paper, we prove certain common fixed-point theorems for two single-valued mappings in such spaces. The mappings we consider here are assumed to satisfy certain metric inequalities with generalized fixed-point theorems due to Rouzkard and Imdad (2012). This extends and subsumes many results of other authors which were obtained for mappings on complex-valued metric spaces.
Why Urban Citizens in Developing Countries Use Traditional Medicines: The Case of Suriname
Authors: van Andel Tinde , Carvalheiro Luísa G.
Published: April 2013

The use of traditional medicines (TMs) among urban populations in developing countries and factors underlying people’s decision to use TMs are poorly documented. We interviewed 270 adults in Paramaribo, Suriname, using a stratified random household sample, semistructured questionnaires, and multivariate analysis. Respondents mentioned 144 medicinal plant species, most frequentlyGossypium barbadense,Phyllanthus amarus, andQuassia amara. 66% had used TMs in the previous year, especially people who suffered from cold, fever, hypertension, headache, uterus, and urinary tract problems. At least 22% combined herbs with prescription medicine. The strongest explanatory variables were health status, (transfer of) plant knowledge, and health status combined with plant knowledge. Other predictive variables included religion, marital status, attitude of medical personnel, religious opinion on TMs, and number of children per household. Age, gender, nationality, rural background, education, employment, income, insurance, and opinion of government or doctors had no influence. People’s main motivation to use TMs was their familiarity with herbs. Given the frequent use of self-collected, home-prepared herbal medicine and the fact that illness and traditional knowledge predict plant use rather than poverty or a limited access to modern health care, the potential risks and benefits of TMs should be put prominently on the national public health agenda.
Reduction of Methylglyoxal-Induced Glycation by Pyridoxamine Improves Adipose Tissue Microvascular Lesions
Authors: Rodrigues Tiago , Matafome Paulo , Santos-Silva Daniela , Sena Cristina , Seiça Raquel
Published: April 2013

Background and Aims. Adipose tissue dysfunction results from many factors, including glycation-induced microvascular damages. We tested the usefulness of inhibiting methylglyoxal-induced glycation to adipose tissue microvasculature in this work, using the antioxidant and dicarbonyl scavenger drug pyridoxamine.Methods. A group of Wistar rats was treated daily with methylglyoxal (MG, 75 mg/Kg/day, 8 weeks). Half of this group was treated with pyridoxamine in the following 4 weeks (Pyr) (100 mg/Kg/day) and the other half did not have any further treatment (MG). A group of Wistar rats without MG treatment was used as control (C).Results. MG group showed decreased HDL cholesterol and increased plasma free fatty acids levels, what was reverted by pyridoxamine. MG also caused an increase of tissue CEL levels (glycation marker), as well as increased staining of PAS and Masson Trichrome-positive components. Pyridoxamine led to CEL and TGF-βlevels similar to those observed in control rats and inhibited the accumulation of PAS and Masson Trichrome-positive components. MG caused a decrease of Bcl-2/Bax ratio (marker of apoptosis) and vWF staining (microvascular marker), what was partially reverted by the treatment with pyridoxamine.Conclusions. Preventing methylglyoxal-induced accumulation of glycated and fibrotic materials using pyridoxamine improves the microvascular lesions of the adipose tissue.
Depression and Cardiac Disease: Epidemiology, Mechanisms, and Diagnosis
Authors: Huffman Jeff C. , Celano Christopher M. , Beach Scott R. , Motiwala Shweta R. , Januzzi James L.
Published: April 2013

In patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD), depression is common, persistent, and associated with worse health-related quality of life, recurrent cardiac events, and mortality. Both physiological and behavioral factors—including endothelial dysfunction, platelet abnormalities, inflammation, autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and reduced engagement in health-promoting activities—may link depression with adverse cardiac outcomes. Because of the potential impact of depression on quality of life and cardiac outcomes, the American Heart Association has recommended routine depression screening of all cardiac patients with the 2- and 9-item Patient Health Questionnaires. However, despite the availability of these easy-to-use screening tools and effective treatments, depression is underrecognized and undertreated in patients with CVD. In this paper, we review the literature on epidemiology, phenomenology, comorbid conditions, and risk factors for depression in cardiac disease. We outline the associations between depression and cardiac outcomes, as well as the mechanisms that may mediate these links. Finally, we discuss the evidence for and against routine depression screening in patients with CVD and make specific recommendations for when and how to assess for depression in this high-risk population.
A Possible Generalization of Acoustic Wave Equation Using the Concept of Perturbed Derivative Order
Authors: Atangana Abdon , Kılıçman Adem
Published: April 2013

The standard version of acoustic wave equation is modified using the concept of the generalized Riemann-Liouville fractional order derivative. Some properties of the generalized Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative approximation are presented. Some theorems are generalized. The modified equation is approximately solved by using the variational iteration method and the Green function technique. The numerical simulation of solution of the modified equation gives a better prediction than the standard one.
Refractory Anemia with Ring Sideroblasts Associated with Marked Thrombocytosis Complicated by Massive Splenomegaly Treated with Lenalidomide Resulting in Resolution of Splenomegaly but Severe and Prolonged Pancytopenia
Authors: Taylor Gordon , Culligan Dominic , Vickers Mark A.
Published: April 2013

Refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts associated with marked thrombocytosis (RARS-T) is a hematological malignancy that combines features of both a myeloproliferative and myelodysplastic disorder. There have been recent reports of the successful treatment of anemia in 2 patients with RARS-T with lenalidomide. Here we report the successful treatment of massive splenomegaly in a patient with a long history of RARS-T resulting in complete resolution of splenomegaly, but with prolonged severe cytopenias. We also report the acquisition of the t(3;12)(q26;p13) translocation previously described in cases of myelodysplasia and the potential for transformation to myelofibrosis.
Long Pentraxin 3: Experimental and Clinical Relevance in Cardiovascular Diseases
Authors: Bonacina Fabrizia , Baragetti Andrea , Catapano Alberico Luigi , Norata Giuseppe Danilo
Published: April 2013

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is an essential component of the humoral arm of innate immunity and belongs, together with the C-reactive protein (CRP) and other acute phase proteins, to the pentraxins' superfamily: soluble, multifunctional, pattern recognition proteins. Pentraxins share a common C-terminal pentraxin domain, which in the case of PTX3 is coupled to an unrelated long N-terminal domain. PTX3 in humans, like CRP, correlates with surrogate markers of atherosclerosis and is independently associated with the risk of developing vascular events. Studies addressing the potential physiopathological role of CRP in the cardiovascular system were so far inconclusive and have been limited by the fact that the sequence and regulation have not been conserved during evolution between mouse and man. On the contrary, the conservation of sequence, gene organization, and regulation of PTX3 supports the translation of animal model findings in humans. While PTX3 deficiency is associated with increased inflammation, cardiac damage, and atherosclerosis, the overexpression limits carotid restenosis after angioplasty. These observations point to a cardiovascular protective effect of PTX3 potentially associated with the ability of tuning inflammation and favor the hypothesis that the increased levels of PTX3 in subjects with cardiovascular diseases may reflect a protective physiological mechanism, which correlates with the immunoinflammatory response observed in several cardiovascular disorders.
Mean-Variance Portfolio Selection with Margin Requirements
Authors: Zhou Yuan , Wu Zhe
Published: April 2013

We study the continuous-time mean-variance portfolio selection problem in the situation when investors must pay margin for short selling. The problem is essentially a nonlinear stochastic optimal control problem because the coefficients of positive and negative parts of control variables are different. We can not apply the results of stochastic linearquadratic (LQ) problem. Also the solution of corresponding Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation is not smooth. Li et al. (2002) studied the case when short selling is prohibited; therefore they only need to consider the positive part of control variables, whereas we need to handle both the positive part and the negative part of control variables. The main difficulty is that the positive part and the negative part are not independent. The previous results are not directly applicable. By decomposing the problem into several subproblems we figure out the solutions of HJB equation in two disjoint regions and then prove it is the viscosity solution of HJB equation. Finally we formulate solution of optimal portfolio and the efficient frontier. We also present two examples showing how different margin rates affect the optimal solutions and the efficient frontier.
Body Fat and Breast Cancer Risk in Postmenopausal Women: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Rohan Thomas E. , Heo Moonseong , Choi Lydia , Datta Mridul , Freudenheim Jo L. , Kamensky Victor , Ochs-Balcom Heather M. , Qi Lihong , Thomson Cynthia A. , Vitolins Mara Z. , Wassertheil-Smoller Sylvia , Kabat Geoffrey C.
Published: April 2013

Associations between anthropometric indices of obesity and breast cancer risk may fail to capture the true relationship between excess body fat and risk. We used dual-energy-X-ray-absorptiometry- (DXA-) derived measures of body fat obtained in the Women’s Health Initiative to examine the association between body fat and breast cancer risk; we compared these risk estimates with those for conventional anthropometric measurements. The study included 10,960 postmenopausal women aged 50–79 years at recruitment, with baseline DXA measurements and no history of breast cancer. During followup (median: 12.9 years), 503 incident breast cancer cases were diagnosed. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. All baseline DXA-derived body fat measures showed strong positive associations with breast cancer risk. The multivariable-adjusted HR for the uppermost quintile level (versus lowest) ranged from 1.53 (95% CI 1.14–2.07) for fat mass of the right leg to 2.05 (1.50–2.79) for fat mass of the trunk. Anthropometric indices (categorized by quintiles) of obesity (BMI (1.97, 1.45–2.68), waist circumference (1.97, 1.46–2.65), and waist : hip ratio (1.91, 1.41–2.58)) were all strongly, positively associated with risk and did not differ from DXA-derived measures in prediction of risk.
Enhanced Efficiency of Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cell by High Surface Area Anatase‐TiO2‐Modified P25 Paste
Authors: Pan Mengmei , Huang Niu , Zhao Xingzhong , Fu Jun , Zhong Xiaoli
Published: April 2013

How to improve the conversion efficiency and the stability of
dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are two major problems.
Furthermore, reduction of the manufacturing cost of DSSCs and
large‐scale manufacture are also very important factors. As a raw
material, commercial P25 would be used for large‐scale manufacture
of TiO2 paste with simple preparation procedure. However, there
are several drawbacks for P25 such as the low surface area of P25
powder and the poor connectivity among particles in film using
tradition P25 paste without modification. In this paper, we
introduced a simple modified method by adding high surface area
anatase TiO2 into pure P25 paste. The photoelectric conversion
performances of DSSCs based on these photo‐electrodes were tested.
The results show that the open‐circuit voltage, the fill factor
and the energy conversion efficiency of the modified electrode
were increased. It is found that the modified P25 films have fast
electron transportation and a slow charge recombination. We
conclude that through adding the anatase TiO2 nanoparticles to the
P25 paste with high surface area, it can not only improve the
particles connectivity among inside the films, but also enhance
the efficiency of DSSCs.
Synthesis, Characterization, and BSA Binding Studies of Some New Benzamides Related to Schiff Base
Authors: Prashanth M. K. , Madaiah M. , Revanasiddappa H. D. , Amruthesh K. N.
Published: April 2013

Condensation of amine 1 with aldehyde 2 gives Schiff base, N-(4-((benzofuran-2-ylmethylene) amino)phenyl)acetamide 3. Schiff base on N-acylation with different substituted acid chlorides in the presence of triethylamine gives the corresponding benzamides, N-acetyl-N-(4-((benzofuran-2-ylmethylene)amino)phenyl)substitutedbenzamide (NABP) 5a–j. The structures of newly synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, 1H NMR, 13C NMR FT-IR, and mass spectral studies. Compounds 3 and 5a–j have been screened for their antimicrobial activity using the disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method against the selected bacterial and fungal strain. Compounds 5a, 5e, 5g, and 5h were found to be more active against all tested strains. The antioxidant properties were evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide radical scavenging methods. Compounds 5i and 5j showed predominant antioxidant activities among the synthesized analogues. The interaction between NABP and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated using fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopic techniques at 298 K under imitated physiological conditions. The results revealed that NABP caused the fluorescence quenching of BSA through a static quenching procedure. The binding constants and the number of binding sites were calculated. The binding distance between the donor (BSA) and acceptor (NABP) was determined based on Forster’s theory.