bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Production at linear colliders of charginos and neutrilinos associated with Higgs and gauge bosons
Authors: Chi-Yi Chen , Hong-Sheng Hou
Published: August 2014

We studied the production of charginos and neutrilinos associated with Higgs and gauge bosons in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) at linear colliders. Understanding the processes will help determine the couplings of charginos and neutralinos to Higgs and gauge bosons in the MSSM. We investigated the parameter space for values of μ between –2000 and 2000 GeV and values of M2 between 0 and 2000 GeV. We found that the cross sections of the processes reach only a few femtobarns at a e+e– colliders with [Formula: see text] GeV.
On minimal Legendrian submanifolds of Sasaki–Einstein manifolds
Authors: Calamai Simone , Petrecca David
Published: August 2014

For a given minimal Legendrian submanifold L of a Sasaki–Einstein manifold we construct two families of eigenfunctions of the Laplacian of L and we give a lower bound for the dimension of the corresponding eigenspace. Moreover, in the case the lower bound is attained, we prove that L is totally geodesic and a rigidity result about the ambient manifold. This is a generalization of a result for the standard Sasakian sphere done by Lê and Wang.
The ATHENA experiment for the study of antihydrogen
Authors: Amsler C. , Bonomi G. , Fontana A. , Kellerbauer A. , Lagomarsino V. , Rizzini E. Lodi , Rotondi A. , Testera G. , Venturelli L. , Zurlo N.
Published: August 2014

In 2002, the ATHENA experiment was the first to produce large amounts of antihydrogen atoms at the CERN Antiproton Decelerator (AD). In this review article, we collect and discuss all the relevant results of the experiment: antiproton and positron cooling and their recombination dynamics in the nested Penning trap, the methods used to unambiguously identify the antiatoms as well as the protonium background, the dependence of the antihydrogen formation on mixing time and temperature. An attempt to interpret the results in terms of the two-body and three-body formation reactions, taking into account the complicated nested-trap dynamics, is also made. The relevance of the ATHENA results on future experiments is discussed, together with a short overview of the current antimatter physics at the AD.
Volume dependence of the Grüneisen ratio for shock-wave equation-of-state studies
Authors: Gospodinov Valentin
Published: August 2014

This work presents an analysis of the existing self-contained expressions for the volume dependence of the Grüneisen ratio γ in view of their further application to equation of state (EOS) studies. These expressions are assessed and applied to materials with the major types of chemical bonds. Predictions from regression analysis are compared to existing experimental data sets. All expressions predict with very good accuracy the values of γ at ambient conditions, its volume variation in the low pressure region, but fail to give correct values for its infinite compression limit. A possible reason for this is that all experiments are performed at comparatively low pressures. The interpolation formula by Al'tshuler et al. [J. Appl. Mech. Tech. Phys. 28, 129 (1987)] and the equation, proposed by Jeanloz [J. Geophys. Res. B 94, 5873 (1989)] are the best fit to experimental data. A modification to Jeanloz's equation, more convenient for use in shock physics, is proposed in the present work. It could be used jointly with the shock Hugoniot to derive a complete EOS for solids from their response to shock-wave loading.
Effect of the alloying element titanium on the stability and trapping of hydrogen in pure vanadium: A first-principles study
Authors: Hua Juan , Liu Yue-Lin , Li Heng-Shuai , Zhao Ming-Wen , Liu Xiang-Dong
Published: August 2014

With a first-principles method based on density functional theory, the effect of the alloying element titanium ( Ti ) on the thermodynamic stability and electronic structure of hydrogen ( H ) in pure vanadium ( V ) is investigated. The interactions between H and the vacancy and the defect solution energies in a dilute V – Ti binary alloy are calculated. The results show that: (i) a single H atom prefers to reside in a tetrahedral interstitial site in dilute V – Ti binary alloy systems; (ii) H atoms tend to bond at the vacancy sites; a mono-vacancy is shown to be capable of trapping three H atoms; and (iii) the presence of Ti in pure V can increase the H trapping energy and reduce the H trapping capability of the vacancy defects. This indicates that doping with Ti to form dilute V – Ti binary alloys can inhibit the solution for H , and thus suppress the retention of H . These results provide useful insight into V -based alloys as a candidate structural material in fusion reactors.
PERSPECTIVE-INVARIANT IMAGE MATCHING FRAMEWORK WITH BINARY FEATURE DESCRIPTOR AND APSO
Authors: GENG LICHUAN , SU SONGZHI , CAO DONGLIN , LI SHAOZI
Published: August 2014

A novel perspective invariant image matching framework is proposed in this paper, noted as Perspective-Invariant Binary Robust Independent Elementary Features (PBRIEF). First, we use the homographic transformation to simulate the distortion between two corresponding patches around the feature points. Then, binary descriptors are constructed by comparing the intensity of sample points surrounding the feature location. We transform the location of the sample points with simulated homographic matrices. This operation is to ensure that the intensities which we compared are the realistic corresponding pixels between two image patches. Since the exact perspective transform matrix is unknown, an Adaptive Particle Swarm Optimization (APSO) algorithm-based iterative procedure is proposed to estimate the real transformation angles. Experimental results obtained on five different datasets show that PBRIEF outperforms significantly the existing methods on images with large viewpoint difference. Moreover, the efficiency of our framework is also improved comparing with Affine-Scale Invariant Feature Transform (ASIFT).
Modified gravity from an entropy functional
Authors: Hammad Fayçal
Published: August 2014

We extend Padmanabhan's entropy functional formalism to show that, in addition to the Gauss–Bonnet (GB) or the entire series of Lanczos–Lovelock Lagrangians already obtained, more general higher-order corrections to General Relativity, i.e. the so-called modified gravity theories, also emerge naturally from this formalism. This extension shows that the formalism constitutes a valuable tool to investigate, at each order in the curvature, the possible structure the higher-order modified gravity theories might have. As an application, the extended formalism is used to evaluate the horizon entropy in a modified gravity theory of the second-order in the curvature. Our findings are in agreement with previous results from the literature.
Harvesting uniform and high brightSmcomplex via microwave ultrasound method
Authors: Tao Jing , Ni Yaru , Lu Chunhua , Xu Zhongzi
Published: August 2014

The uniform ball-like luminescence down-shifting (LDS) Sm ( TTA )3Phen materials have been synthesized by microwave ultrasonic method. Microwave ultrasonic plays a synergistic effect of microwave with ultrasonic, including thermal effect, dipole vortex and air bombard make the particles aggregation reach to the lowest energy. Through this method, we successfully synthesised 1–4 μm ball-like uniform Sm ( TTA )3Phen clusters. The Sm ( TTA )3Phen can transfer violet light to red-orange flourescence with a feature large Stokes shift and completely avoid self-absorption losses.
A combinatorial approach to quantum error correcting codes
Authors: Luna German , Reid Samuel , De Sanctis Bianca , Gheorghiu Vlad
Published: August 2014

Motivated from the theory of quantum error correcting codes, we investigate a combinatorial problem that involves a symmetric n-vertices colorable graph and a group of operations (coloring rules) on the graph: find the minimum sequence of operations that maps between two given graph colorings. We provide an explicit algorithm for computing the solution of our problem, which in turn is directly related to computing the distance (performance) of an underlying quantum error correcting code. Computing the distance of a quantum code is a highly non-trivial problem and our method may be of use in the construction of better codes.
Global City and Migration: A Critical Review for Sydney, Australia
Authors: HU Richard , McCLURE William
Published: August 2014

Addressing the critique that the global city discourse should tackle the important issue of migration, this article utilizes Sydney as a case study to substantiate and advance the debates. It is a comprehensive literature review on the global Sydney discourse and migration in global Sydney. Concerning global Sydney, it addresses Sydney's rise as a global city and the economic, social, and spatial transformations. Concerning migration, it addresses its increased scale and complexity, spatial settlement and movement, and social polarization and spatial inequality. The article identifies two gaps in the literature: Missing migration in the global Sydney discourse, and failure to address the interplay between global Sydney and migration. Based upon the thematic patterns of the literature, and the identified gaps, some critical reflections are made to suggest a future research agenda — utilizing global Sydney as a meaningful spatial scale for contemporary migration analysis, and developing the analytical frameworks and methodologies that integrate both global Sydney and migration research.
Why making software is so difficult
Authors: Dawson Ryan
Published: August 2014

This paper develops a metaphor that expresses what is so difficult about software production. The purpose of the metaphor is to be applicable to real-world software production situations, especially on larger or more complex projects, where decisions are made in ways that neglect some of the aspects of software production that make it so difficult, especially that seeing how to solve a problem can be immensely difficult to do from the beginning and as a result one sometimes has to abandon a whole approach and start again. The use of the metaphor is justified with reference to related literature and by application to certain characteristic situations.
Role and relevance of reuse repository facilitating software development
Authors: Rathi Himani , Chatterjee Ram
Published: August 2014

This paper discusses the role and relevance of reuse repositories and how software reuse influences software development. Reuse repositories are designed to increase the possibility of locating reusable components at a centralized location to ease component reuse to solve the problem in hand. As a result programmers need not always begin development from scratch. This paper focuses on various search techniques that are used for identifying, selecting and retrieving relevant reusable components from reuse repositories. The paper highlights the Signature Matching technique used in CodeBroker (active reuse repository system), which is based on type constraints. The signature matching technique requires the user to specify the components needed in the form of a query. This technique then fetches the components matching the query from the underlying repository.
Bioinformatic approaches to augment study of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition in lung cancer
Authors: Beck Tim N. , Chikwem Adaeze J. , Solanki Nehal R. , Golemis Erica A.
Published: August 2014

Bioinformatic approaches are intended to provide systems level insight into the complex biological processes that underlie serious diseases such as cancer. In this review we describe current bioinformatic resources, and illustrate how they have been used to study a clinically important example: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths and is often diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to limited therapeutic success. While EMT is essential during development and wound healing, pathological reactivation of this program by cancer cells contributes to metastasis and drug resistance, both major causes of death from lung cancer. Challenges of studying EMT include its transient nature, its molecular and phenotypic heterogeneity, and the complicated networks of rewired signaling cascades. Given the biology of lung cancer and the role of EMT, it is critical to better align the two in order to advance the impact of precision oncology. This task relies heavily on the application of bioinformatic resources. Besides summarizing recent work in this area, we use four EMT-associated genes, TGF-β (TGFB1), NEDD9/HEF1, β-catenin (CTNNB1) and E-cadherin (CDH1), as exemplars to demonstrate the current capacities and limitations of probing bioinformatic resources to inform hypothesis-driven studies with therapeutic goals.
Minimally Invasive Subcortical Parafascicular Transsulcal Access for Clot Evacuation (Mi SPACE) for Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Authors: Ritsma Benjamin , Kassam Amin , Dowlatshahi Dariush , Nguyen Thanh , Stotts Grant
Published: August 2014

Background. Spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is common and causes significant mortality and morbidity. To date, optimal medical and surgical intervention remains uncertain. A lack of definitive benefit for operative management may be attributable to adverse surgical effect, collateral tissue injury. This is particularly relevant for ICH in dominant, eloquent cortex. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) offers the potential advantage of reduced collateral damage. MIS utilizing a parafascicular approach has demonstrated such benefit for intracranial tumor resection.Methods. We present a case of dominant hemisphere spontaneous ICH evacuated via the minimally invasive subcortical parafascicular transsulcal access clot evacuation (Mi SPACE) model. We use this report to introduce Mi SPACE and to examine the application of this novel MIS paradigm.Case Presentation. The featured patient presented with a left temporal ICH and severe global aphasia. The hematoma was evacuated via the Mi SPACE approach. Postoperative reassessments showed significant improvement. At two months, bedside language testing was normal. MRI tractography confirmed limited collateral injury.Conclusions. This case illustrates successful application of the Mi SPACE model to ICH in dominant, eloquent cortex and subcortical regions. MRI tractography illustrates collateral tissue preservation. Safety and feasibility studies are required to further assess this promising new therapeutic paradigm.
Adhesion and Proliferation of Human Periodontal Ligament Cells on Poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate)
Authors: Kitakami Erika , Aoki Makiko , Sato Chikako , Ishihata Hiroshi , Tanaka Masaru
Published: August 2014

Human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells obtained from extracted teeth are a potential cell source for tissue engineering. We previously reported that poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA) is highly biocompatible with human blood cells. In this study, we investigated the adhesion, morphology, and proliferation of PDL cells on PMEA and other types of polymers to design an appropriate scaffold for tissue engineering. PDL cells adhered and proliferated on all investigated polymer surfaces except for poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) and poly[(2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine)-co-(n-butyl methacrylate)]. The initial adhesion of the PDL cells on PMEA was comparable with that on polyethylene terephthalate (PET). In addition, the PDL cells on PMEA spread well and exhibited proliferation behavior similar to that observed on PET. In contrast, platelets hardly adhered to PMEA. PMEA is therefore expected to be an excellent scaffold for tissue engineering and for culturing tissue-derived cells in a blood-rich environment.
Core Business Selection Based on Ant Colony Clustering Algorithm
Authors: Lan Yu , Bo Yan , Baozhen Yao
Published: August 2014

Core business is the most important business to the enterprise in diversified business. In this paper, we first introduce the definition and characteristics of the core business and then descript the ant colony clustering algorithm. In order to test the effectiveness of the proposed method, Tianjin Port Logistics Development Co., Ltd. is selected as the research object. Based on the current situation of the development of the company, the core business of the company can be acquired by ant colony clustering algorithm. Thus, the results indicate that the proposed method is an effective way to determine the core business for company.
Implementation of a Phase Only Spatial Light Modulator as an Atmospheric Turbulence Simulator at 1550 nm
Authors: Font Carlos , Santiago Freddie , Gilbreath G. Charmaine , Bonanno David , Bajramaj Blerta , Wilcox Christopher , Restaino Sergio , Mathews Scott
Published: August 2014

Modeling and simulating atmospheric turbulence in a controlled environment have been a focus of interest for scientists for decades. The development of new technologies allows scientists to perform this task in a more realistic and controlled environment and provides powerful tools for the study and better understanding of the propagation of light through a nonstatic medium such as the atmosphere. Free space laser communications (FSLC) and studies in light propagation through the atmosphere are areas which constantly benefit from breakthroughs in technology and in the development of realistic atmospheric turbulence simulators, in particular (Santiago et al. 2011). In this paper, we present the results from the implementation of a phase only spatial light modulator (SLM) as an atmospheric turbulence simulator for light propagation in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) regime. Specifically, we demonstrate its efficacy for its use in an FSLC system, at a wavelength of 1550 nm.
A Variable Precision Covering-Based Rough Set Model Based on Functions
Authors: Zhu Yanqing , Zhu William
Published: August 2014

Classical rough set theory is a technique of granular computing for handling the uncertainty, vagueness, and granularity in information systems. Covering-based rough sets are proposed to generalize this theory for dealing with covering data. By introducing a concept of misclassification rate functions, an extended variable precision covering-based rough set model is proposed in this paper. In addition, we define thef-lower andf-upper approximations in terms of neighborhoods in the extended model and study their properties. Particularly, two coverings with the same reductions are proved to generate the samef-lower andf-upper approximations. Finally, we discuss the relationships between the new model and some other variable precision rough set models.
Intraosseous Hemangioma of the Middle Turbinate Misdiagnosed As a Nasal Polyp
Authors: Kim Tae Hoon , Lim Eun Jung , Lee Jun-Ki , Lee Jin Gul , Han Man-Hoon
Published: August 2014

Intraosseous hemangiomas account for 1% of all bone tumors and primarily originate from the vertebral column and skull bones. However, intraosseous hemangiomas of the nasal cavity are extremely rare. Here, we report a case of intraosseous hemangioma with a cavernous pattern arising from the middle turbinate that was preoperatively misdiagnosed as chronic rhinosinusitis with polyps. Except for nasal obstruction, there were no specific rhinologic symptoms. The tumor was excised en bloc by the endoscopic endonasal approach without preoperative embolization.
Joint Design of Control and Power Efficiency in Wireless Networked Control System
Authors: Wang Yan , Ji Zhicheng
Published: August 2014

This paper presents a joint design method for wireless networked control system (WNCS) to balance both the demands of network service and the control performance. Since the problems of power consumption, communication reliability, and system stability exist simultaneously and interdependently in WNCS, most of the achieved results in the wireless network and wired networked control system cannot be used directly. To coordinate the three problems, sampling period is found to be the linking bridge. An adaptive sampling power efficiency algorithm is proposed to manage the power consumption such that it can meet the demands of network life span. The sampling period is designed to update periodically on the constraints of network schedulability and system stability. The convergence of the power efficiency algorithm is further proved. The sampling period is no longer a fixed value, however; thus, increasing the difficulty in modeling and controlling such a complicated time‐varying system remains. In this work, a switched control system scheme is applied to model such a WNCS, and the effect of network‐induced delay is considered. Switched feedback controllers are introduced to stabilize the WNCS, and some considerations on stability condition and the bounds of the update circle for renewing sampling period are discussed. A numerical example shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.
A Proposal to the Study of Contractions in Quasi-Metric Spaces
Authors: Alsulami Hamed H. , Karapınar Erdal , Khojasteh Farshid , Roldán-López-de-Hierro Antonio-Francisco
Published: August 2014

We investigate the existence and uniqueness of a fixed point of an operator via simultaneous functions in the setting of complete quasi-metric spaces. Our results generalize and improve several recent results in literature.
Thermal Insulating Concrete Wall Panel Design for Sustainable Built Environment
Authors: Zhou Ao , Wong Kwun-Wah , Lau Denvid
Published: August 2014

Air-conditioning system plays a significant role in providing users a thermally comfortable indoor environment, which is a necessity in modern buildings. In order to save the vast energy consumed by air-conditioning system, the building envelopes in envelope-load dominated buildings should be well designed such that the unwanted heat gain and loss with environment can be minimized. In this paper, a new design of concrete wall panel that enhances thermal insulation of buildings by adding a gypsum layer inside concrete is presented. Experiments have been conducted for monitoring the temperature variation in both proposed sandwich wall panel and conventional concrete wall panel under a heat radiation source. For further understanding the thermal effect of such sandwich wall panel design from building scale, two three-story building models adopting different wall panel designs are constructed for evaluating the temperature distribution of entire buildings using finite element method. Both the experimental and simulation results have shown that the gypsum layer improves the thermal insulation performance by retarding the heat transfer across the building envelopes.
A Novel Gas Turbine Engine Health Status Estimation Method Using Quantum‐Behaved Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Yang Xinyi , Shen Wei , Pang Shan , Li Benwei , Jiang Keyi , Wang Yonghua
Published: August 2014

Accurate gas turbine engine health status estimation is very important for engine applications and aircraft flight safety. Due to the fact that there are many to‐be‐estimated parameters, engine health status estimation is a very difficult optimization problem. Traditional gas path analysis (GPA) methods are based on the linearized thermodynamic engine performance model, and the estimation accuracy is not satisfactory on conditions that the nonlinearity of the engine model is significant. To solve this problem, a novel gas turbine engine health status estimation method has been developed. The method estimates degraded engine component parameters using quantum‐behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) algorithm. And the engine health indices are calculated using these estimated component parameters. The new method was applied to turbine fan engine health status estimation and is compared with the other three representative methods. Results show that although the developed method is slower in computation speed than GPA methods it succeeds in estimating engine health status with the highest accuracy in all test cases and is proven to be a very suitable tool for off‐line engine health status estimation.
Rapid Diagnosis of Childhood Pulmonary Tuberculosis by Xpert MTB/RIF Assay Using Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
Authors: Yin Qing-Qin , Jiao Wei-Wei , Han Rui , Jiao An-Xia , Sun Lin , Tian Jian-Ling , Ma Yu-Yan , Rao Xiao-Chun , Shen Chen , Li Qin-Jing , Shen A-Dong
Published: August 2014

In order to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert MTB/RIF assay on childhood pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), we evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of Xpert MTB/RIF assay using BALF in comparison with acid-fast bacilli (AFB) microscopy andMycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB) culture for diagnosing childhood PTB using Chinese “composite clinical reference standard” (CCRS) as reference standard. Two hundred fifty-five children with suspected PTB were enrolled at Beijing Children’s Hospital from September 2010 to July 2013. Compared with Chinese CCRS, the sensitivity of AFB microscopy, MTB culture, and Xpert MTB/RIF assay was 8.4%, 28.9%, and 53.0%, respectively. The specificity of three assays was all 100%. Xpert MTB/RIF assay could detect 33.9% of cases with negative MTB culture, and 48.7% of cases with negative AFB microscopy. Younger age (<3 years), absence of BCG scar, and contact with TB patient were found significantly associated with a positive result of Xpert MTB/RIF assay. In conclusion, Xpert MTB/RIF assay using BALF can assist in diagnosing childhood PTB much faster when fiberoptic bronchoscopy is necessary according to the chest radiograph.
Fejér and Hermite-Hadamard Type Inequalities for Harmonically Convex Functions
Authors: Chen Feixiang , Wu Shanhe
Published: August 2014

We establish a Fejér type inequality for harmonically convex functions. Our results are the generalizations of some known results. Moreover, some properties of the mappings in connection with Hermite-Hadamard and Fejér type inequalities for harmonically convex functions are also considered.
A Fully Reconfigurable Polarimetric Phased Array Antenna Testbed
Authors: Perera Sudantha , Pan Yu , Zhang Yan , Yu Xining , Zrnic Dusan , Doviak Richard
Published: August 2014

The configurable phased array demonstrator (CPAD) is a low-cost, reconfigurable, small-scale testbed for the dual-polarized array antenna and radar prototype. It is based on the concept that individual transmit and receive (TR) modules and radiating elements can be configured in different ways to study the impact of various array manifolds on radiation pattern performance. For example, CPAD is configured as (a) a 4 × 4 planar array, (b) a planar array with mirror configuration, and (c) a circular array to support the multifunctional phased array radar (MPAR) system risk reduction studies. System descriptions are given in detail, and measurements are made and results are analyzed.
Field Equations in the Complex Quaternion Spaces
Authors: Weng Zi-Hua
Published: August 2014

The paper aims to adopt the complex quaternion and octonion to formulate the field equations for electromagnetic and gravitational fields. Applying the octonionic representation enables one single definition to combine some physics contents of two fields, which were considered to be independent of each other in the past. J. C. Maxwell applied simultaneously the vector terminology and the quaternion analysis to depict the electromagnetic theory. This method edified the paper to introduce the quaternion and octonion spaces into the field theory, in order to describe the physical feature of electromagnetic and gravitational fields, while their coordinates are able to be the complex number. The octonion space can be separated into two subspaces, the quaternion space and theS-quaternion space. In the quaternion space, it is able to infer the field potential, field strength, field source, field equations, and so forth, in the gravitational field. In theS-quaternion space, it is able to deduce the field potential, field strength, field source, and so forth, in the electromagnetic field. The results reveal that the quaternion space is appropriate to describe the gravitational features; meanwhile, theS-quaternion space is proper to depict the electromagnetic features.
Gene Ontology and KEGG Enrichment Analyses of Genes Related to Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Zhang Jian , Xing ZhiHao , Ma Mingming , Wang Ning , Cai Yu-Dong , Chen Lei , Xu Xun
Published: August 2014

Identifying disease genes is one of the most important topics in biomedicine and may facilitate studies on the mechanisms underlying disease. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a serious eye disease; it typically affects older adults and results in a loss of vision due to retina damage. In this study, we attempt to develop an effective method for distinguishing AMD-related genes. Gene ontology and KEGG enrichment analyses of known AMD-related genes were performed, and a classification system was established. In detail, each gene was encoded into a vector by extracting enrichment scores of the gene set, including it and its direct neighbors in STRING, and gene ontology terms or KEGG pathways. Then certain feature-selection methods, including minimum redundancy maximum relevance and incremental feature selection, were adopted to extract key features for the classification system. As a result, 720 GO terms and 11 KEGG pathways were deemed the most important factors for predicting AMD-related genes.
Corneal Epithelial Wound Healing Promoted by Verbascoside-Based Liposomal Eyedrops
Authors: Ambrosone Luigi , Guerra Germano , Cinelli Mariapia , Filippelli Mariaelena , Mosca Monica , Vizzarri Francesco , Giorgio Dario , Costagliola Ciro
Published: August 2014

Different liposomal formulations were prepared to identify those capable of forming eyedrops for corneal diseases. Liposomes with neutral or slightly positive surface charge interact very well with the cornea. Then these formulations were loaded with verbascoside to heal a burn of corneal epithelium induced by alkali. The cornea surface affected involved in wound was monitored as a function of time. Experimental results were modeled by balance equation between the rate of healing, due to the flow of phenylpropanoid, and growth of the wound. The results indicate a latency time of only three hours and furthermore the corneal epithelium heals in 48 hours. Thus, the topical administration of verbascoside appears to reduce the action time of cells, as verified by histochemical and immunofluorescence assays.
Effect of Short Fiber Reinforcement on Mechanical Properties of Hybrid Phenolic Composites
Authors: Manoharan Sembian , Suresha Bhimappa , Ramadoss Govindarajulu , Bharath Basavaraj
Published: August 2014

Fiber plays an important role in determining the hardness, strength, and dynamic mechanical properties of composite material. In the present work, enhancement of viscoelastic behaviour of hybrid phenolic composites has been synergistically investigated. Five different phenolic composites, namely, C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5, were fabricated by varying the weight percentage of basalt and aramid fiber, namely, 25, 20, 15, 10, and 5% by compensating with barium sulphate (BaSO4) to keep the combined reinforcement concentration at 25 wt%. Hardness was measured to examine the resistance of composites to indentation. The hardness of phenolic composites increased from 72.2 to 85.2 with increase in basalt fiber loading. Composite C1 (25 wt% fiber) is 1.2 times harder than composite C5. Compression test was conducted to find out compressive strength of phenolic composites and compressive strength increased with increase in fiber content. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) was carried out to assess the temperature dependence mechanical properties in terms of storage modulus (E′), loss modulus (E′′), and damping factor (tan δ). The results indicate great improvement of E′ values and decrease in damping behaviour of composite upon fiber addition. Further X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis were employed to characterize the friction composites.
A QoS‐Oriented Congestion Control Mechanism for Satellite Networks
Authors: Liu Heyu , Sun Fuchun
Published: August 2014

The sharply increasing amount of data, which are transferred by the satellite network, requires the satellite network to provide quality‐of‐service (QoS). However, the upsurge in the data flow leads to the network congestion, impeding its ability to offer QoS. Congestion control mechanisms, deployed in the ground networks, have been thoroughly studied. But those deployed in the satellite networks have not been studied yet. As satellite networks are now important supplements to the ground backbone networks, this paper carefully analyzes the current challenges of developing the QoS‐oriented congestion control mechanism for satellite networks. On this basis, a consequent mechanism QMCC (QoS‐oriented mechanism of congestion control for satellite networks) is described in detail. Under that QMCC, the source nodes utilize an equation to compute the sending rate for each data flow; meanwhile, the intermediate nodes keep detecting real‐time package‐loss rates for timely adjustments. Simulation results indicate QMCC can provide superior congestion control performance, and raise network throughputs without reducing the QoS effects.
An Adaptive Regulator for Space Teleoperation System in Task Space
Authors: Ge Chao , Zhang Weiwei , Wang Hong , Li Xiaoyi
Published: August 2014

The problem of the gravity information which can not be obtained in advance for bilateral teleoperation is studied. In outer space exploration, the gravity term changes with the position changing of the slave manipulator. So it is necessary to design an adaptive regulator controller to compensate for the unknown gravity signal. Moreover, to get a more accurate position tracking performance, the controller is designed in the task space instead of the joint space. Additionally, the time delay considered in this paper is not only time varying but also unsymmetrical. Finally, simulations are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
A Mathematical Modeling to Predict the Cutting Forces in Microdrilling
Authors: Zhang Haoqiang , Wang Xibin , Pang Siqin
Published: August 2014

In microdrilling, because of lower feed, the microdrill cutting edge radius is comparable to the chip thickness. The cutting edges therefore should be regarded as rounded edges, which results in a more complex cutting mechanism. Because of this, the macrodrilling thrust modeling is not suitable for microdrilling. In this paper, a mathematical modeling to predict microdrilling thrust is developed, and the geometric characteristics of microdrill were considered in force models. The thrust is modeled in three parts: major cutting edges, secondary cutting edge, and indentation zone. Based on slip‐line field theory, the major cutting edges and secondary cutting edge are divided into elements, and the elemental forces are determined by an oblique cutting model and an orthogonal model, respectively. The thrust modeling of the major cutting edges and second cutting edge includes two different kinds of processes: shearing and ploughing. The indentation zone is modeled as a rigid wedge. The force model is verified by comparing the predicted forces and the measured cutting forces.
Resolving Power of Algorithm for Solving the Coefficient Inverse Problem for the Geoelectric Equation
Authors: Iskakov K. T. , Oralbekova Zh. O.
Published: August 2014

We considered the inverse coefficient problem for the geoelectric equation. For the purpose of research of the conditional stability of the inverse problem solution, we used integral formulation of the inverse geoelectric problem. By implementing the relevant norms and using the close system of Volterra integral equations, we managed to estimate the conditional stability of the solution of inverse problem or rather lower changes in input data imply lower changes in the solution (of the numerical method). When determining the additional information the device errors are possible. That is why this research is important for experimental studies with usage of ground penetrating radars.
Community Structure and Distribution Pattern of Intertidal Invertebrate Macrofauna at Some Anthropogenically Influenced Coasts of Kathiawar Peninsula (India)
Authors: Bhadja Poonam , Poriya Paresh , Kundu Rahul
Published: August 2014

Present communication reports the community structure and distribution pattern of intertidal invertebrate macrofauna at four shores of the Kathiawar peninsular coastline off the Arabian Sea (India). The selected shores have different levels of human activities. Present report tests three hypotheses; that is, (i) distribution of invertebrate macrofauna in these shores is influenced by space and time, (ii) abiotic factors have a profound influence on the distribution pattern of intertidal macrofaunal assemblages, and (iii) human activities influence the community structure of the intertidal invertebrate macrofauna at these shores. To test these hypotheses, spatiotemporal variations in different ecological indices were studied. A total of 60 species from six phyla were considered for the study. High species diversity was recorded during winter and monsoon seasons in almost all the shores studied. It was also evident that a few environmental factors had a cumulative influence on the distribution pattern of intertidal macrofauna. Significant spatial variations in the species diversity and evenness were also observed. Though the shores studied have similar coast characteristics and climatic conditions, they face different levels of human activities. Therefore, the observed variations in the intertidal faunal assemblage were possibly caused by anthropogenic stress.
Hypertension and Its Associated Risk Factors in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2013: A National Survey
Authors: El Bcheraoui Charbel , Memish Ziad A. , Tuffaha Marwa , Daoud Farah , Robinson Margaret , Jaber Sara , Mikhitarian Sarah , Al Saeedi Mohammad , AlMazroa Mohammad A. , Mokdad Ali H. , Al Rabeeah Abdullah A.
Published: August 2014

Current data on hypertension in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are lacking. We conducted a national survey to inform decision-makers on the current magnitude of the epidemic. We measured systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 10,735 Saudis aged 15 years or older and interviewed them through a national multistage survey. We used multivariate logistic regressions to describe sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors of hypertensive, borderline hypertensive, and undiagnosed hypertensive Saudis. We found that 15.2% and 40.6% of Saudis were hypertensive or borderline hypertensive, respectively. Risk of hypertension increased among men, with age, obesity, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia. 57.8% of hypertensive Saudis were undiagnosed. These were more likely to be male, older, and diagnosed with diabetes. Among participants diagnosed with hypertension, 78.9% reported taking medication for their condition. About 45% of participants on medication for hypertension had their blood pressure controlled. The prevalence of hypertension and borderline hypertension is very high in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, control of hypertension is poor. With the majority of hypertensive Saudis being unaware of their condition, a national plan is needed to increase utilization of freely available screening, preventive, and medical services.
In Vivo Hypoglycaemic Effect and Inhibitory Mechanism of the Branch Bark Extract of the Mulberry on STZ-Induced Diabetic Mice
Authors: Liu Hua-Yu , Fang Meng , Zhang Yu-Qing
Published: August 2014

Branch bark extract (BBE) derived from the mulberry cultivar Husang 32 (Morus multicaulisL.) with aqueous alcohol solution has been investigated as an inhibitor ofα-glycosidasein vitro. Mulberry BBE was orally administered to STZ-induced diabetic mice for three weeks, and it improved the weight gain and ameliorated the swelling of liver and kidney in diabetic mice. Obviously, mulberry BBE not only can reduce the abnormally elevated levels of serum insulin and ameliorate insulin resistance induced by STZ, but also it regulates dyslipidemia in diabetic mice. To understand this therapeutic effect and the regulatory mechanisms of BBE in diabetic mice, a qRT-PCR experiment was performed, indicating that the mulberry BBE can regulate the mRNA expression of glycometabolism genes in diabetic mice, including glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase), glucokinase (GCK), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), thereby regulating sugar metabolism and reducing the blood glucose level in diabetic mice. The mulberry BBE can increase the mRNA expression of the genes Ins1, Ins2 and pancreatic duodenal homeobox-1 (PDX-1) and may decrease the insulin resistance in diabetic mice. Those results provide an important basis for making the best use of mulberry branch resources and producing biomedical drugs with added value.
Three-Step Epipolar-Based Visual Servoing for Nonholonomic Robot with FOV Constraint
Authors: Xu Yang , Peng Jun , Yu Wentao , Fang Yuan , Liu Weirong
Published: August 2014

Image-based visual servoing for nonholonomic mobile robots using epipolar geometry is an efficient technology for visual servoing problem. An improved visual servoing strategy, namely, three-step epipolar-based visual servoing, is developed for the nonholonomic robot in this paper. The proposed strategy can keep the robot meeting FOV constraint without any 3D reconstruction. Moreover, the trajectory planned by this strategy is shorter than the existing strategies. The mobile robot can reach the desired configuration with exponential converge. The control scheme in this paper is divided into three steps. Firstly, by using the difference of epipoles as feedback, the robot rotates to make the current configuration and desired configuration in the same orientation. Then, by using a linear input-output feedback, the epipoles are zeroed so as to align the robot with the goal. Finally, by using the difference of feature points, the robot reaches the desired configuration. Simulation results and experimental results are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Manufacturing of Porous Polycaprolactone Prepared with Different Particle Sizes and Infrared Laser Sintering Conditions: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Salmoria G. V. , Hotza D. , Klauss P. , Kanis L. A. , Roesler C. R. M.
Published: August 2014

The techniques of Rapid Prototyping, also known as Additive Manufacturing, have prompted research into methods of manufacturing polymeric materials with controlled porosity. This paper presents the characterization of the structure and mechanical properties of porous polycaprolactone (PCL) fabricated by Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) using two different particle sizes and laser processing conditions. The results of this study indicated that it is possible to control the microstructure, that is, pore size and degree of porosity, of the polycaprolactone matrix using the SLS technique, by varying the particle size and laser energy density, obtaining materials suitable for different applications, scaffolds and drug delivery and fluid mechanical devices. The specimens manufactured with smaller particles and higher laser energy density showed a higher degree of sintering, flexural modulus, and fatigue resistance when compared with the other specimens.
Anthracene Fluorescence Quenching by a Tetrakis (Ketocarboxamide) Cavitand
Authors: Janosi Tibor Zoltan , Korppi-Tommola Jouko , Csok Zsolt , Kollar Laszlo , Myllyperkio Pasi , Erostyak Janos
Published: August 2014

Quenching of both fluorescence lifetime and fluorescence intensity of anthracene was investigated in the presence of a newly derived tetrakis (ketocarboxamide) cavitand at various concentrations. Time-correlated single photon counting method was applied for the lifetime measurements. A clear correlation between the fluorescence lifetime of anthracene as a function of cavitand concentration in dimethylformamide solution was observed. The bimolecular collisional quenching constant was derived from the decrease of lifetime. Fluorescence intensity was measured in the emission wavelength region around 400 nm as a result of excitation at 280 nm. Effective quenching was observed in the presence of the cavitand. The obtained Stern-Volmer plot displayed upward curvature. The results did not follow even extended Stern-Volmer behavior, often used to describe deviations from static bimolecular quenching. To explain our results we adopted the Smoluchowski model and obtained a reasonable estimate for the molecular radius of the cavitand in solution.
Association of Tagging SNPs in theMTHFRGene with Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Serum Homocysteine Levels in a Chinese Population
Authors: Wang Han , Hu Cong , Xiao Shu-Hui , Wan Bin
Published: August 2014

Diabetes is a global public health crisis, and the prevalence is increasing rapidly. Folate supplementation is proved to be effective in reducing the risk of diabetes or improving its symptoms. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase is an important enzyme involved in folate metabolism. The aim of this study is to examine whether polymorphisms in theMTHFRgene are associated with risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and fasting total serum homocysteine (tHcy) levels. We genotyped nine tagging SNPs in theMTHFRgene in a case-control study, including 595 T2DM cases and 681 healthy controls in China. We found that C allele of rs9651118 had significant decreased risk of T2DM (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55–0.87,P=0.002) compared with T allele. Haplotype analysis also showed thatMTHFRCTCCGA haplotype (rs12121543-rs13306553-rs9651118-rs1801133-rs2274976-rs1801131) had significant reduced risk of T2DM (adjusted OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.58–0.87,P=0.001) compared with CTTTGA haplotype. Besides, theMTHFRrs1801133 was significantly associated with serum levels of tHcy in healthy controls (P=0.0002). These associations were still significant after Bonferroni corrections (P<0.0056). These findings suggest that variants in theMTHFRgene may influence the risk of T2DM and tHcy levels.
Linear Control of Fractional-Order Financial Chaotic Systems with Input Saturation
Authors: Luo Junhai , Li Guanjun , Liu Heng
Published: August 2014

In this paper, control of fractional-order financial chaotic systems with saturated control input is investigated by means of state-feedback control method. The saturation problem is tackled by using Gronwall-Bellman lemma and a memoryless nonlinearity function. Based on Gronwall inequality and Laplace transform technique, two sufficient conditions are achieved for the asymptotical stability of the fractional-order financial chaotic systems with fractional orders 0 <α≤ 1 and 1 <α< 2, respectively. Finally, simulation studies are carried out to show the effectiveness of the proposed linear control method.
Research on Cavitation Regions of Upstream Pumping Mechanical Seal Based on Dynamic Mesh Technique
Authors: Chen Huilong , Wu Qiangbo , Xu Cheng , Zuo Muzi
Published: August 2014

In order to study the cavitation area of the Upstream Pumping Mechanical Seal, three-dimensional microgap inner flow field of the Upstream Pumping Mechanical Seal was simulated with multiphase flow cavitation model and dynamic mesh technique based on hydrodynamic lubrication theory. Furthermore, the simulated result was compared with the experimental data. The results show that the simulated result with the Zwart-Gerber-Belamri cavitation model was much closer to the experimental data. The area of cavitation inception mainly occurred at the concave side of the spiral groove and surrounding region without spiral grooves, which was nearly covered by the inner diameter to roots of grooves; in addition, the region near the surface of the stationary ring was primary cavitation location. The area of cavitation has little relationship with the medium pressure; however, it became larger following increasing rotating speed in the range of researched operating conditions. Moreover the boundary of cavitated area was transformed from smooth to rough, which occurred in similar film thickness. When cavitation number was decreasing, which was conducive to improving the lubrication performance of sealed auxiliary, it made the sealing stability decline.