bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exophthalmos: A Forgotten Clinical Sign of Cushing's Syndrome
Authors: Giugni Aldo Schenone , Mani Shylaja , Kannan Subramanian , Hatipoglu Betul
Published: March 2013

Exophthalmos is typically associated with Graves' ophthalmopathy. Although originally described by Harvey Cushing, exophthalmos is an underappreciated sign of Cushing's syndrome. We present a case of a 38-year-old female who presented with severe bilateral proptosis and was subsequently diagnosed with Cushings disease. We discuss the possible mechanisms causing exophthalmos in patients with either endogenous or exogenous hypercortisolemia.
Finite Element Multibody Simulation of a Breathing Crack in a Rotor with a Cohesive Zone Model
Authors: Liong Rugerri Toni , Proppe Carsten
Published: March 2013

The breathing mechanism of a transversely cracked shaft and its influence on a rotor system that appears due to shaft weight and inertia forces is studied. The presence of a crack reduces the stiffness of the rotor system and introduces a stiffness variation during the revolution of the shaft. Here, 3D finite element (FE) model and multibody simulation (MBS) are introduced to predict and to analyse the breathing mechanism on a transverse cracked shaft. It is based on a cohesive zone model (CZM) instead of linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM). First, the elastic cracked shaft is modelled by 3D FE. As a second step, the 3D FE model of the shaft is transferred into an MBS model in order to analyze the dynamic loads, due to the crack, and the inertia force acting during rotation at different rotating speeds. Finally, the vibration responses in the centroid of the shaft obtained from MBS have been exported into FE model in order to observe the breathing mechanism. A bilinear crack closure model is proposed. The accuracy of the bilinear crack closure model and the solution techniques have been demonstrated by a comparison with the corresponding results of previous publications.
The Role of Nanostructured Al2O3 Layer in Reduction of Hot Corrosion Products in Normal YSZ Layer
Authors: Daroonparvar Mohammadreza , Azizi Mat Yajid Muhamad , Noordin M. Y. , Sakhawat Hussain Mohammad
Published: March 2013

YVO4 crystals and monoclinic ZrO2 are known as hot corrosion products that can considerably reduce the lifetime of thermal barrier coatings during service. The hot corrosion resistance of two types of air plasma sprayed thermal barrier coating systems was investigated: an Inconel 738/NiCrAlY/YSZ (yttria‐stabilized zirconia) and an Inconel 738/NiCrAlY/YSZ/nano‐Al2O3 as an outer layer. Hot corrosion test was accomplished on the outer surface of coatings in molten salts (45% Na2SO4 + 55% V2O5) at 1000°C for 52 hour. It was found that nanostructured alumina as outer layer of YSZ/nano‐Al2O3 coating had significantly reduced the infiltration of molten salts into the YSZ layer and resulted in lower reaction of fused corrosive salts with YSZ, as the hot corrosion products had been substantially decreased in YSZ/nano‐Al2O3 coating in comparison with normal YSZ coating after hot corrosion process.
Propagation and Attenuation of Elastic Waves in a Double Porosity Medium
Authors: Nandal J. S. , Saini T. N.
Published: March 2013

This study solves the mathematical model for the propagation of harmonic plane waves in a
dissipative double porosity solid saturated by a viscous fluid. The existence of three dilatational
waves is explained through three scalar potentials satisfying wave equations. Velocities of these
waves are obtained from the roots of a cubic equation. Lone shear wave is identified through a
vector potential satisfying a wave equation. The displacements of solid particles are expressed
through these four potentials. The displacements of fluid particles in pores and fractures can
also be expressed in terms of these potentials. A numerical example is solved to calculate the
complex velocities of four waves in a dissipative double porosity solid. Each of the complex
velocities is resolved to define the phase velocity and quality factor of attenuation for the corresponding
wave. Effects of medium properties and wave frequency are analyzed numerically
on the propagation characteristics of four attenuated waves. It seems that P1 and S waves
are not very sensitive to the pore/fluids characteristics, except the fracture porosity. Hence,
the recovery and analysis of slower (P2, P3) waves become more desired to understand the
fluid-rock dynamism in crustal rocks.
A Study of Mobile Sensing Using Smartphones
Authors: Liu Ming
Published: March 2013

Traditional mobile sensing-based applications use extra equipments which are unrealistic for most users. Smartphones develop in a rapid speed in recent years, and they are becoming indispensable carry-on of daily life. The sensors embedded in them provide various possibilities for mobile applications, and these applications are helping and changing the way of our living. In this paper, we analyze and discuss existing mobile applications; after that, future directions are pointed out.
Analysis and Scheduling of Maintenance Operations for a Chain of Gas Stations
Authors: Savsar Mehmet
Published: March 2013

Maintenance is one of the central issues in operational activities, which involve any type of equipment. In this paper we have considered analysis, modeling, and scheduling of preventive maintenance operations for fuel dispensers in a chain of gas stations. A gas station company with more than 570 dispensers in more than 40 stations is considered and the maintenance problem is studied in detail. Operations research tools, including maintenance models and linear programming, were used to establish optimum schedules for preventive maintenance operations. Detailed cost analyses were carried out to determine feasibility of the proposed preventive maintenance schedules. Models and procedures presented in this paper could guide operation engineers and maintenance managers in solving similar problems for operational improvements.
Top-Down Characterization of the Post-Translationally Modified Intact Periplasmic Proteome from the Bacterium Novosphingobium aromaticivorans
Authors: Wu Si , Brown Roslyn N. , Payne Samuel H. , Meng Da , Zhao Rui , Tolić Nikola , Cao Li , Shukla Anil , Monroe Matthew E. , Moore Ronald J. , Lipton Mary S. , Paša-Tolić Ljiljana
Published: March 2013

The periplasm of Gram-negative bacteria is a dynamic and physiologically important subcellular compartment where the constant exposure to potential environmental insults amplifies the need for proper protein folding and modifications. Top-down proteomics analysis of the periplasmic fraction at the intact protein level provides unrestricted characterization and annotation of the periplasmic proteome, including the post-translational modifications (PTMs) on these proteins. Here, we used single-dimension ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled with the Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS) to investigate the intact periplasmic proteome of Novosphingobium aromaticivorans. Our top-down analysis provided the confident identification of 55 proteins in the periplasm and characterized their PTMs including signal peptide removal, N-terminal methionine excision, acetylation, glutathionylation, pyroglutamate, and disulfide bond formation. This study provides the first experimental evidence for the expression and periplasmic localization of many hypothetical and uncharacterized proteins and the first unrestrictive, large-scale data on PTMs in the bacterial periplasm.
Vehicle Routing Problem for Fashion Supply Chains with Cross-Docking
Authors: Hu Zhi-Hua , Zhao Yingxue , Choi Tsan-Ming
Published: March 2013

Cross-docking, as a strategy to reduce lead time and enhance the efficiency of the fashion supply chain, has attracted substantial attention from both the academy and the industry. Cross-docking is a critical part of many fashion and textiles supply chains in practice because it can help to achieve many supply chain strategies such as postponement. We consider a model where there are multiple suppliers and customers in a single cross-docking center. With such a model setting, the issue concerning the coordinated routing between the inbound and outbound routes is much more complex than many traditional vehicle routing problems (VRPs). We formulate the optimal route selection problems from the suppliers to the cross-docking center and from the cross-docking center to the customers as the respective VRPs. Based on the relationships between the suppliers and the customers, we integrate the two VRP models to optimize the overall traveling time, distance, and waiting time at the cross-docking center. In addition, we propose a novel mixed 0/1 integer linear programming model by which the complexity of the problem can be reduced significantly. As demonstrated by the simulation analysis, our proposed model can be solved very efficiently by a commonly used optimization software package.
Antimicrobial Lactoferrin Peptides: The Hidden Players in the Protective Function of a Multifunctional Protein
Authors: Sinha Mau , Kaushik Sanket , Kaur Punit , Sharma Sujata , Singh Tej P.
Published: March 2013

Lactoferrin is a multifunctional, iron-binding glycoprotein which displays a wide array of modes of action to execute its primary antimicrobial function. It contains various antimicrobial peptides which are released upon its hydrolysis by proteases. These peptides display a similarity with the antimicrobial cationic peptides found in nature. In the current scenario of increasing resistance to antibiotics, there is a need for the discovery of novel antimicrobial drugs. In this context, the structural and functional perspectives on some of the antimicrobial peptides found in N-lobe of lactoferrin have been reviewed. This paper provides the comparison of lactoferrin peptides with other antimicrobial peptides found in nature as well as interspecies comparison of the structural properties of these peptides within the native lactoferrin.
Impact Behavior of Recycled Aggregate Concrete Based on Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Tests
Authors: Lu Yubin , Chen Xing , Teng Xiao , Zhang Shu
Published: March 2013

This paper presents the experimental results of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) specimens prepared with five different amounts of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) (i.e., 0, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) subjected to impact loading based on split Hopkinson pressure bar tests. Strain-rate effects on dynamic compressive strength and critical strain of RAC were studied. Results show that the impact properties of RAC exhibit strong strain-rate dependency and increase approximately linearly with strain-rate. The transition point from low strain-rate sensitivity to high sensitivity decreases with the increase of matrix strength.
Platelets and Inflammatory Markers in Patients with Gastric Cancer
Authors: Matowicka-Karna Joanna , Kamocki Zbigniew , Polińska Beata , Osada Joanna , Kemona Halina
Published: March 2013

The aim of the study was to assess the contribution of platelets and inflammatory markers in gastric cancer. We studied 50 patients. Taking into consideration the advancement of gastric cancer, patients were divided into 3 groups. Group (E)—13 patients with early gastric cancer, group (A)—18 patients with regionally advanced cancer, and group (M)—19 patients with metastatic cancer. The determinations were performed twice prior to surgery and after surgery. In patients with gastric cancer, there is an increase in IL-6 and IL-23 compared with the healthy group. The highest values of IL-6 were obtained in early cancer (more than 8-fold increase), which seems to confirm the presence of acute inflammation. The lowest value of both of these cytokines was obtained in patients with metastatic cancer. In all patients, regardless of tumor stage, there was an increase in the concentration of CRP. An increase of PLT, higher proportion of the percentage of large platelets (LPLT), and increased mean platelet volume (MPV) were observed in the process of disease development. A positive correlation between MPV and LPLT and the accompanying decrease in the concentration of proinflammatory cytokines indicates the presence of an existing relationship between the platelet morphological parameters and the inflammation process in the development of gastric cancer.
Neurite Outgrowth in PC12 Cells Stimulated by Components fromDendranthema×grandiflorumcv. “Mottenohoka” Is Enhanced by Suppressing Phosphorylation of p38MAPK
Authors: Nishina Atsuyoshi , Kimura Hirokazu , Tsukagoshi Hiroyuki , Kozawa Kunihisa , Koketsu Mamoru , Ninomiya Masayuki , Furukawa Shoei
Published: March 2013

Components fromDendranthema×grandiflorumcv. “Mottenohoka” that promote neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells were identified and the mechanism of neurite outgrowth stimulated by isolated components was studied. Components that promoted the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK 1/2) of PC12 cells were isolated. From various structural analyses, the active components were identified as acacetin and luteolin. The effects of acacetin or luteolin on PC12 cells were evaluated by electro-blotting and immunostaining. Slight neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells was observed within 2 days of culture after stimulation by luteolin or acacetin. However, NGF-stimulation induced remarkable neurite outgrowth in comparison. Neurite outgrowth by luteolin or acacetin was significantly enhanced by pretreatment with SB203580 (a p38MAPK inhibitor). The results of this study into the phosphorylation of ERK 1/2 and p38MAPK by flavonoids suggest that the inhibition of p38MAPK phosphorylation may effectively enhance neurite outgrowth.
Searching for Orbits with Minimum Fuel Consumption for Station-Keeping Maneuvers: An Application to Lunisolar Perturbations
Authors: de Almeida Prado Antonio Fernando Bertachini
Published: March 2013

The present paper has the goal of developing a new criterion to search for orbits that minimize the fuel consumption for station-keeping maneuvers. This approach is based on the integral over the time of the perturbing forces. This integral measures the total variation of velocity caused by the perturbations in the spacecraft, which corresponds to the equivalent variation of velocity that an engine should deliver to the spacecraft to compensate the perturbations and to keep its orbit Keplerian all the time. This integral is a characteristic of the orbit and the set of perturbations considered and does not depend on the type of engine used. In this sense, this integral can be seen as a criterion to select the orbit of the spacecraft. When this value becomes larger, more consumption of fuel is required for the station keeping, and, in this sense, less interesting is the orbit. This concept can be applied to any perturbation. In the present research, as an example, the perturbation caused by a third body is considered. Then, numerical simulations considering the effects of the Sun and the Moon in a satellite around the Earth are shown to exemplify the method.
Early Magnetic Resonance Detection of Natalizumab-Related Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy in a Patient with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Manenti Guglielmo , Altobelli Simone , Nezzo Marco , Antonicoli Marco , Vasili Erald , Neroni Luca , Floris Roberto , Simonetti Giovanni
Published: March 2013

Diagnosis of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is usually based on the clinical presentation, on the demonstration of the brain lesions at the magnetic resonance imaging examination, and on the detection of the JC virus DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid with high sensitive polymerase chain reaction. The role of magnetic resonance imaging specifically in natalizumab-associated progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is strengthening, and it is gaining importance not only as an irreplaceable diagnostic tool but also as a surveillance and risk stratifying tool in treated patients. While other imaging techniques such as computed tomography lack sensitivity and specificity, magnetic resonance performed with morphological and functional sequences offers clinicians the possibility to early identify the stage of the disease and the emergence of an immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome after natalizumab blood removal plasmapheresis.
Wiretap Channel in the Presence of Action-Dependent States and Noiseless Feedback
Authors: Dai Bin , Han Vinck A. J. , Luo Yuan
Published: March 2013

We investigate the wiretap channel in the presence of action-dependent states and noiseless feedback. Given the message to be communicated, the transmitter chooses an action sequence that affects the formation of the channel states and then generates the channel input sequence based on the state sequence, the message, and the noiseless feedback, where the noiseless feedback is from the output of the main channel to the channel encoder. The main channel and the wiretap channel are two discrete memoryless channels (DMCs), and they are connected with the legitimate receiver and the wiretapper, respectively. The transition probability distribution of the main channel depends on the channel state. Measuring wiretapper’s uncertainty about the message by equivocation, the capacity equivocation regions are provided both for the case where the channel inputs are allowed to depend noncausally on the state sequence and the case where they are restricted to causal dependence. Furthermore, the secrecy capacities for both cases are formulated, which provide the best transmission rate with perfect secrecy. The result is further explained via a binary example.
PID Controller Based on Memristive CMAC Network
Authors: Wang Lidan , Fang Xiaoyan , Duan Shukai , Liao Xiaofeng
Published: March 2013

Compound controller which consists of CMAC network and PID network is mainly used in control system, especially in robot control. It can realize nonlinear tracking control of the real-time dynamic trajectory and possesses good approximation effect. According to the structure and principle of the compound controller, memristor is introduced to CMAC network to be a compound controller in this paper. The new PID controller based on memristive CMAC network is built up by replacing the synapse in the original controller by memristors. The effect of curve approximation is obtained by MATLAB simulation experiments. This network improves the response and learning speed of the system and processes better robustness and antidisturbance performance.
An Energy-Efficient Multisite Offloading Algorithm for Mobile Devices
Authors: Niu Ruifang , Song Wenfang , Liu Yong
Published: March 2013

Computation offloading is a popular approach for reducing energy consumption of mobile devices by offloading computation to remote servers. Most of the prior work focuses on a limited form of offloading part of computation from a mobile device to a single server. However, with the advent and development of cloud computing, it is more promising for the mobile device to reduce energy consumption by offloading part of computation to multiple remote servers/sites. This paper proposes an Energy-Efficient Multisite Offloading (EMSO) algorithm, which formulates the multiway partitioning problem as the 0-1 Integer Linear Programming (ILP) problem. Moreover, our proposed EMSO algorithm adopts the multi-way graph partitioning based algorithm to solve it. Experimental results demonstrate that our algorithm can significantly reduce more energy consumption as well as execution time and better adapt to the unreliability of wireless networks (such as the network bandwidth changes), compared with the existing algorithms.
New Strategies and Simulation Tools to Optically Design a Field of Heliostats
Authors: Sansoni Paola , Francini Franco , Fontani Daniela , Sani Elisa , Mercatelli Luca , Jafrancesco David
Published: March 2013

A heliostats field is an array of mirrors concentrating the solar power on a receiver, typically placed on a tower. Our research experience in the optical design of heliostats fields for Concentrating Solar Power plants suggested using apposite simulation procedures, which were especially developed to simplify the reproduction of heliostats fields and to support in the analysis of the tower plant performances. Our most practically useful simulation tools are presented in this paper with exemplificative application results. The proposed strategies are addressed to solve specific problems and to evidence particularly crucial features. The main program facilitates the heliostats field analysis, exploiting the integration between our software code andZemax. A side program permits to assess effects of seasonal and daily variations of solar irradiation. Another dedicated side code simplifies the selection of aCompound Parabolic Concentratoras secondary optics.
Correlation of Photocatalysis and Photoluminescence Effect in Relation to the Surface Properties of TiO2:Tb Thin Films
Authors: Wojcieszak Damian , Kaczmarek Danuta , Domaradzki Jaroslaw , Mazur Michal
Published: March 2013

In this paper structural, optical, photoluminescence, and photocatalytic properties of TiO2and TiO2:(2.6 at. % Tb) thin films have been compared. Thin films were prepared by high-energy reactive magnetron sputtering process, which enables obtaining highly nanocrystalline rutile structure of deposited films. Crystallites sizes were 8.7 nm and 6.6 nm for TiO2and TiO2:Tb, respectively. Surface of prepared thin films was homogenous with small roughness of ca. 7.2 and 2.1 nm in case of TiO2and TiO2:Tb samples, respectively. Optical properties measurements have shown that the incorporation of Tb into TiO2matrix has not changed significantly the thin films transparency. It also enables obtaining photoluminescence effect in wide range from 350 to 800 nm, what is unique phenomenon in case of TiO2with rutile structure. Moreover, it has been found that the incorporation of 2.6 at. % of Tb has increased the photocatalytic activity more than two times as compared to undoped TiO2. Additionally, for the first time in the current state of the art, the relationship between photoluminescence effect, photocatalytic activity, and surface properties of TiO2:Tb thin films has been theoretically explained.
A Branch-and-Bound Algorithm for Minimizing the Energy Consumption in the PFS Problem
Authors: Liu Guo-Sheng , Zhang Bi-Xi , Yang Hai-Dong , Chen Xin , Huang George Q.
Published: March 2013

This paper considers the energy consumption minimization in permutation flow shop (PFS) scheduling problem. The energy consumption of each machine is decomposed into two parts: useful part which completes the operation at current stage and wasted part which is consumed during idle period. The objective considered here is to minimize the total wasted energy consumption which is a weighted summation of the idle time of each machine. To solve this new problem, a branch-and-bound algorithm is developed. Two lower bounds are proposed, and an initial upper bound by using a variant of NEH heuristic algorithm is applied. Compared with the makespan minimization criterion, this model deduces more energy-saving solutions. Experimental results also validate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm for problems with job number not larger than 15.
Randomized Dividends in a Discrete Insurance Risk Model with Stochastic Premium Income
Authors: Yu Wenguang
Published: March 2013

The compound binomial insurance risk model is extended to the case where the premium income process, based on a binomial process, is no longer a constant premium rate of 1 per period and insurer pays a dividend of 1 with a probabilityq0when the surplus is greater than or equal to a nonnegative integerb. The recursion formulas for expected discounted penalty function are derived. As applications, we present the recursion formulas for the ruin probability, the probability function of the surplus prior to the ruin time, and the severity of ruin. Finally, numerical example is also given to illustrate the effect of the related parameters on the ruin probability.
Preparation of Nanostructured Cu2SnS3Photocatalysts by Solvothermal Method
Authors: Chen Qingyun , Ma Di
Published: March 2013

Nanostructured Cu-Sn-S powder was prepared by a relatively low-cost, simple, and green solvothermal method. Flower-like Cu2SnS3nanostructures were successfully synthesized in 50 vol% ethanol water solution at 200 °C for 7.5 h. The structure and photophysical properties of the as-obtained samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and UV-Vis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy. Results showed that the cubic and tetragonal Cu2SnS3was obtained by varying the ethanol contents. The band-gap energy of tetragonal Cu2SnS3nanocrystals is near the optimum for photovoltaic solar conversion in a single band-gap device.
A Malaria Model with Two Delays
Authors: Wan Hui , Cui Jing-an
Published: March 2013

A transmission model of malaria with two delays is formulated. We calculate the basic reproduction numberR0for the model. It is shown that the basic reproduction number is a decreasing function of two time delays. The existence of the equilibria is studied. Our results suggest that the model undergoes a backward bifurcation, which implies that bringing the basic reproduction number below 1 is not enough to eradicate malaria.
Theoretical Study of Copper Complexes: Molecular Structure, Properties, and Its Application to Solar Cells
Authors: Baldenebro-Lopez Jesus , Flores-Holguin Norma , Castorena-Gonzalez Jose , Almaral-Sanchez Jorge , Glossman-Mitnik Daniel
Published: March 2013

We present a theoretical investigation of copper complexes with potential applications as sensitizers for solar cells. The density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT were utilized, using the M06 hybrid meta-GGA functional with the LANL2DZ (D95V on first row) and DZVP basis sets. This level of calculation was used to find the optimized molecular structure, the absorption spectra, the molecular orbitals energies, and the chemical reactivity parameters that arise from conceptual DFT. Solvent effects have been taken into account by an implicit approach, namely, the polarizable continuum model (PCM), using the nonequilibrium version of the IEF-PCM model.
Ribonucleoproteins in Archaeal Pre-rRNA Processing and Modification
Authors: Yip W. S. Vincent , Vincent Nicholas G. , Baserga Susan J.
Published: March 2013

Given that ribosomes are one of the most important cellular macromolecular machines, it is not surprising that there is intensive research in ribosome biogenesis. Ribosome biogenesis is a complex process. The maturation of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) requires not only the precise cleaving and folding of the pre-rRNA but also extensive nucleotide modifications. At the heart of the processing and modifications of pre-rRNAs in Archaea and Eukarya are ribonucleoprotein (RNP) machines. They are called small RNPs (sRNPs), in Archaea, and small nucleolar RNPs (snoRNPs), in Eukarya. Studies on ribosome biogenesis originally focused on eukaryotic systems. However, recent studies on archaeal sRNPs have provided important insights into the functions of these RNPs. This paper will introduce archaeal rRNA gene organization and pre-rRNA processing, with a particular focus on the discovery of the archaeal sRNP components, their functions in nucleotide modification, and their structures.
A New Algorithm to Approximate Bivariate Matrix Function via Newton-Thiele Type Formula
Authors: Cui Rongrong , Gu Chuanqing
Published: March 2013

A new method for computing the approximation of bivariate matrix function is introduced. It uses the construction of bivariate Newton-Thiele type matrix rational interpolants on a rectangular grid. The rational interpolant is of the form motivated by Tan and Fang (2000), which is combined by Newton interpolant and branched continued fractions, with scalar denominator. The matrix quotients are based on the generalized inverse for a matrix which is introduced by C. Gu the author of this paper, and it is effective in continued fraction interpolation. The algorithm and some other important conclusions such as divisibility and characterization are given. In the end, two examples are also given to show the effectiveness of the algorithm. The numerical results of the second example show that the algorithm of this paper is better than the method of Thieletype matrix-valued rational interpolant in Gu (1997).
Skin Autofluorescence Relates to Soluble Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products and Albuminuria in Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Škrha J. , Šoupal J. , Loni Ekali G. , Prázný M. , Kalousová M. , Kvasnička J. , Landová L. , Zima T. , Škrha J.
Published: March 2013

The aim of this study was to compare skin autofluorescence caused by advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) with biochemical markers of endothelial dysfunction and soluble receptor for AGEs (sRAGE) in patients with diabetes. Skin autofluorescence (AF) assessed by AGE-Reader was evaluated with sRAGE and other biochemical parameters in 88 patients with diabetes (47 Type 1/T1DM/ and 41 Type 2/T2DM/) and 20 controls. Skin AF was significantly higher in T1DM and T2DM in comparison to controls (2.39 ± 0.54, 2.63 ± 0.73 versus 1.96 ± 0.33 AU;P<0.0001). Positive correlation of AF with sRAGE was detected in T1DM and T2DM (r=0.37,P<0.02andr=0.60,P<0.0001), but not in controls. Significantly higher AF values were found in patients with positive albuminuria as compared to those with normal albuminuria. Similarly, higher AF was detected in patients with endothelial dysfunction expressed by vWF, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1. Multiple regression analysis revealed independent association of skin AF with age, sRAGE, and albumin-creatinine ratio in patients with diabetes (R2=0.38). Our study confirms that AF is elevated in patients with diabetes, especially with positive albuminuria and endothelial dysfunction. The strong and independent relationship between AF and sRAGE supports the idea that AF may reflect AGEs/RAGE interactions. The exact mechanism remains to be established.
A Comparative Genomic Study in Schizophrenic and in Bipolar Disorder Patients, Based on Microarray Expression Profiling Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Logotheti Marianthi , Papadodima Olga , Venizelos Nikolaos , Chatziioannou Aristotelis , Kolisis Fragiskos
Published: March 2013

Schizophrenia affecting almost 1% and bipolar disorder affecting almost 3%–5% of the global population constitute two severe mental disorders. The catecholaminergic and the serotonergic pathways have been proved to play an important role in the development of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and other related psychiatric disorders. The aim of the study was to perform and interpret the results of a comparative genomic profiling study in schizophrenic patients as well as in healthy controls and in patients with bipolar disorder and try to relate and integrate our results with an aberrant amino acid transport through cell membranes. In particular we have focused on genes and mechanisms involved in amino acid transport through cell membranes from whole genome expression profiling data. We performed bioinformatic analysis on raw data derived from four different published studies. In two studies postmortem samples from prefrontal cortices, derived from patients with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and control subjects, have been used. In another study we used samples from postmortem orbitofrontal cortex of bipolar subjects while the final study was performed based on raw data from a gene expression profiling dataset in the postmortem superior temporal cortex of schizophrenics. The data were downloaded from NCBI′s GEO datasets.
Apoptosis Effect of Girinimbine Isolated fromMurraya koenigiion Lung Cancer CellsIn Vitro
Authors: Mohan Syam , Abdelwahab Siddig Ibrahim , Cheah Shiau-Chuen , Sukari Mohd Aspollah , Syam Suvitha , Shamsuddin Noorasyikin , Rais Mustafa Mohd
Published: March 2013

Murraya koenigiiSpreng has been traditionally claimed as a remedy for cancer. The current study investigated the anticancer effects of girinimbine, a carbazole alkaloid isolated fromMurraya koenigiiSpreng, on A549 lung cancer cells in relation to apoptotic mechanistic pathway. Girinimbine was isolated fromMurraya koenigiiSpreng. The antiproliferative activity was assayed using MTT and the apoptosis detection was done by annexin V and lysosomal stability assays. Multiparameter cytotoxicity assays were performed to investigate the change in mitochondrial membrane potential and cytochrome c translocation. ROS, caspase, and human apoptosis proteome profiler assays were done to investigate the apoptotic mechanism of cell death. The MTT assay revealed that the girinimbine induces cell death with an IC50of 19.01 μM. A significant induction of early phase of apoptosis was shown by annexin V and lysosomal stability assays. After 24 h treatment with 19.01 μM of girinimbine, decrease in the nuclear area and increase in mitochondrial membrane potential and plasma membrane permeability were readily visible. Moreover the translocation of cytochrome c also was observed. Girinimbine mediates its antiproliferative and apoptotic effects through up- and downregulation of apoptotic and antiapoptotic proteins. There was a significant involvement of both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Moreover, the upregulation of p53 as well as the cell proliferation repressor proteins, p27 and p21, and the significant role of insulin/IGF-1 signaling were also identified. Moreover the caspases 3 and 8 were found to be significantly activated. Our results taken together indicated that girinimbine may be a potential agent for anticancer drug development.
Investigation of Solar Hybrid Electric/Thermal System with Radiation Concentrator and Thermoelectric Generator
Authors: Chávez Urbiola Edgar Arturo , Vorobiev Yuri
Published: March 2013

An experimental study of a solar-concentrating system based on thermoelectric generators (TEGs) was performed. The system included an electrical generating unit with 6 serially connected TEGs using a traditional semiconductor material, Bi2Te3, which was illuminated by concentrated solar radiation on one side and cooled by running water on the other side. A sun-tracking concentrator with a mosaic set of mirrors was used; its orientation towards the sun was achieved with two pairs of radiation sensors, a differential amplifier, and two servomotors. The hot side of the TEGs at midday has a temperature of around 200°C, and the cold side is approximately 50°C. The thermosiphon cooling system was designed to absorb the heat passing through the TEGs and provide optimal working conditions. The system generates 20 W of electrical energy and 200 W of thermal energy stored in water with a temperature of around 50°C. The hybrid system studied can be considered as an alternative to photovoltaic/thermal systems, especially in countries with abundant solar radiation, such as Mexico, China, and India.
Effectiveness of Geoelectrical Resistivity Surveys for the Detection of a Debris Flow Causative Water Conducting Zone at KM 9, Gap-Fraser’s Hill Road (FT 148), Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, Malaysia
Authors: Ghazali Mohamad Anuri , Rafek Abd Ghani , Md Desa Kadderi , Jamaluddin Suhaimi
Published: March 2013

This study reports the findings of resistivity surveys which were conducted at the initiation area of debris flow at KM 9, Fraser’s Hill Gap road (FT148). The study involves three slope parallel survey lines and two lines perpendicular to the slope face. The parallel lines are FH01, FH02, and FH03, while the lines FH04 and FH05 are perpendicular. A granite body was detected at the central part of the east line and is nearest to the ground surface along FH02. The existence of low resistivity zones within the granite body is interpreted as highly fractured, water conducting zones. These zones are continuous as they have been detected in both the east-west as well as the north-south lines. The residual soil layer is relatively thin at zones where weathered granite dominates the slope face of the failure mass. The weak layer is relatively thick with an estimated thickness of 80 m and water flow occurs at the base of it. The high water flow recorded from the horizontal drains further supports the possible existence of these highly fractured, water conducting zones located within the granite. The shallow fractured granite is virtually “floating” above the water saturated zone and therefore is considered unstable.
Mesoporous SiO2-Supported Pt Nanoparticles for Catalytic Application
Authors: Cao Yingze , Zhai Wentao , Zhang Xiang , Li Shuxi , Feng Lin , Wei Yen
Published: March 2013

SiO2 nanoparticles have been synthesized by combining Stober’s method and nonsurfactant process. The diameters and pore sizes can be controlled by altering the template and its concentration. Mesoporous SiO2 obtained this way has extremely large surface area compared with most oxide supports, which benefits the catalytic performance. Pt nanoparticles were in situ grown on and in mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles with low amount of the metal and high load ratio. Furthermore, we firstly developed a novel route, called “one-pot” method, to prepare Pt/SiO2 catalyst where mesoporous silica preparing and Pt loading occurred in one step. This method is more efficient in saving reagent, since it can prevent Pt loss. In the meantime, it enables the template to reduce agent. The catalytic activity of Pt/SiO2 samples was measured by CO oxidation. It is indicated that the supporting silica with mesopores is more active than silica with micropores.
Circulating miR-583 and miR-663 Refer to ZHENG Differentiation in Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Zhang Hui , Guan Yan , Lu Yi-Yu , Hu Yi-Yang , Huang Shuang , Su Shi-Bing
Published: March 2013

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) ZHENG as the key pathological principle is to understand the human homeostasis and guide TCM treatment. Here, circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) were utilized to differentiate between ZHENGs including liver-gallbladder dampness-heat syndrome (LGDHS) and liver-kidney yin deficiency syndrome (LKYDS) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Sera samples of CHB patients with LGDHS (n=35), LKYDS (n=24), and healthy controls (Ctrls,n=21) were analyzed by microarray and real-time RT-PCR. Receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curves were established to evaluate the levels of serum miRNA for discriminating LGDHS and LKYDS. The target genes of miRNAs were predicted by TargetScan. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathways were analyzed using DAVID tool. The results showed that 22 miRNAs were differentially expressed between LGDHS and LKYDS (fold change>2.0 andP<0.01). Circulating miR-583 and miR-663 were significantly higher (P<0.001) in CHB patients with LGDHS than those with LKYDS and Ctrls. ROC curve analysis revealed that miR-583 and miR-663 were sensitive and specific enough to distinguish LGDHS from LKYDS. Pathway enrichment analysis indicated that 354 putative targets for miR-583 and 68 putative targets for miR-663 were mainly involved in Axon guidance, Neurotrophin, and MAPK signaling pathway. miR-583 and miR-663 may be potential markers for ZHENG differentiation in CHB.
Assessment of Different Sensor Configurations for Collaborative Driving in Urban Environments
Authors: Petovello Mark G. , O'Keefe Kyle , Wei Phil , Basnayake Chaminda
Published: March 2013

Vehicle-to-vehicle relative navigation of a network of vehicles travelling in an urban canyon is assessed using least-squares and Kalman filtering covariance simulation techniques. Between-vehicle differential GPS is compared with differential GPS augmented with between-vehicle ultrawideband range and bearing measurements. The three measurement types are combined using both least-squares and Kalman filtering to estimate the horizontal positions of a network of vehicles travelling in the same direction on a road in a simulated urban canyon. The number of vehicles participating in the network is varied between two and nine while the severity of the urban canyon was varied from 15-to 65-degree elevation mask angles. The effect of each vehicle’s azimuth being known a priori, or unknown is assessed. The resulting relative positions in the network of vehicles are then analysed in terms of horizontal accuracy and statistical reliability of the solution. The addition of both range and bearing measurements provides protection levels on the order of 2 m at almost all times where DGPS alone only rarely has observation redundancy and often exhibits estimated accuracies worse than 200 m. Reliability is further improved when the vehicle azimuth is assumed to be known a priori.
Settlement Analysis of a Confined Sand Aquifer Overlain by a Clay Layer due to Single Well Pumping
Authors: Niu Wen-jie , Wang Zhenyu , Chen Feng , Li Hongran
Published: March 2013

This paper proposes a simplified analytical solution to determine the primary consolidation settlement of a confined sand aquifer overlain by a clay layer due to single well dewatering. After single well pumping in a steady state, the Dupuit equation predicts the confined sand aquifer water head drawdown. The confining pressure on the underlain confined sand aquifer top surface is determined using the principle of vertical force equilibrium. Additional vertical stresses in each layer of the confined sand aquifer are then computed with the Boussinesq solution. The overall aquifer consolidation deformation is then determined with thee-lgpcurve from the one-dimensional consolidation test and the applied vertical stress with the integral method. The proposed analytical solution is validated using the ADINA software, where porous media are simulated with the Biot model and solved with the 3D finite element method. This proposed analytical solution is used to simulate the primary consolidation settlement due to well pumping, using the fourth confined aquifer in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai from 1980 to 1995 as a case study. The predicted settlement compares reasonably well with the actual measured settlement in Shanghai.
Sarcopenia, a Neurogenic Syndrome?
Authors: Kwan Ping
Published: March 2013

Sarcopenia is an aging-associated condition, which is currently characterized by the loss of muscle mass and muscle strength. However, there is no consensus regarding its characterization hitherto. As the world older adult population is on the rise, the impact of sarcopenia becomes greater. Due to the lack of effective treatments, sarcopenia is still a persisting problem among the global older adults and should not be overlooked. As a result, it is vital to investigate deeper into the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of sarcopenia in order to develop more effective therapeutic interventions and to inscribe a more uniform characterization. The etiology of sarcopenia is currently found to be multifactorial, and most of the pharmacological researches are focused on the muscular factors in aging. Although the complete mechanism underlying the development of sarcopenia is still waiting to be elucidated, we propose in this article that the primary trigger of sarcopenia may be neurogenic in origin based on the intimate relationship between the nervous and muscular system, namely, the motor neuron and its underlying muscle fibers. Both of them are affected by the cellular environment and their physiological activity.
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage, Spreading Depolarizations and Impaired Neurovascular Coupling
Authors: Koide Masayo , Sukhotinsky Inna , Ayata Cenk , Wellman George C.
Published: March 2013

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) has devastating consequences on brain function including profound effects on communication between neurons and the vasculature leading to cerebral ischemia. Physiologically, neurovascular coupling represents a focal increase in cerebral blood flow to meet increased metabolic demand of neurons within active regions of the brain. Neurovascular coupling is an ongoing process involving coordinated activity of the neurovascular unit—neurons, astrocytes, and parenchymal arterioles. Neuronal activity can also influence cerebral blood flow on a larger scale. Spreading depolarizations (SD) are self-propagating waves of neuronal depolarization and are observed during migraine, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. Typically, SD is associated with increased cerebral blood flow. Emerging evidence indicates that SAH causes inversion of neurovascular communication on both the local and global level. In contrast to other events causing SD, SAH-induced SD decreases rather than increases cerebral blood flow. Further, at the level of the neurovascular unit, SAH causes an inversion of neurovascular coupling from vasodilation to vasoconstriction. Global ischemia can also adversely affect the neurovascular response. Here, we summarize current knowledge regarding the impact of SAH and global ischemia on neurovascular communication. A mechanistic understanding of these events should provide novel strategies to treat these neurovascular disorders.
Surface Plasmon Resonance in Periodic Hexagonal Lattice Arrays of Silver Nanodisks
Authors: Hu Jinlian , Wang Cong , Yang Shikuan , Zhou Fei , Li Zhigang , Kan Caixia
Published: March 2013

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of periodic hexagonal lattice arrays of silver nano‐disks positioned on glass slides is studied using finite‐difference time domain (FDTD) simulations. We investigate numerically the influence of diameter of nano‐disks and the gap between nano‐disks on SPR transmission spectra and electric field enhancement. We find a strong dependence of resonance wavelength on diameter of the nanodisks. With increasing the gap, electric field enhancement factor could significantly increase and reach a maximum value, which indicates that a special long‐range interaction plays an important role. This study is useful for optical modulation applied in near or far field optics, sensing and data storage, and solar cell.
The Structure of an Automatic Decision System for a Large Number of Independent Particle Detectors
Authors: Sterian Andreea Rodica
Published: March 2013

The interest for large underground particle detector is increasing. Phenomena as proton decay and long base line neutrino oscillation are subject for many research projects over the world. Large detectors present also some problems regarding the large number of signals from independent photo multiplier tubes (PMTs). A realistic statistical model for numerical simulation of signal processing and sampling has been developed for the case of a large number of independent particle detectors (LNIPDs). Based on this analytical model of Poisson type, the structure of an automatic decision system based on the decision criterion of maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) or the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion is proposed. The purpose of the system is to analyze the exit from the measurement process and to decode the message transmitted, taking into account the presence of the noise which generates errors in the decoder. The system can be used later for detailed simulation of different types of huge underground particle detectors (like LAGUNA-LBNO experiment), where the large number of signals could become a real problem.