bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Answer to the Comments on the paper “A study of phantom scalar field cosmology using Lie and Noether symmetries” by A. Paliathanasis et al., arXiv:1605.05147
Authors: Dutta Sourav , Chakraborty Subenoy
Published: August 2016

This is a short communication in reference to the comments in ( arXiv:1605.05147 ) of our paper in Int. J. Mod. Phys. D 25 (2016) 1650051. We have tried to answer to the comments or criticism in the paper.
Study of Yb isotopes with the coherent state formalism
Authors: Inci I.
Published: August 2016

Coherent state approach (CSA) is applied to the interacting boson model (IBM) in the rotational region. States of the [Formula: see text] particle system are built up in a most general form as a function of the shape parameters [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The parameter [Formula: see text] occurring in the quadrupole operator which determines the degree of the [Formula: see text]-softness is taken to be varying with the boson number. The excitation energy equations are formed by using the moment of inertia of a rotating system which is obtained from the solution of the cranking problem. For each isotope, the deformation parameter is found by minimizing the ground state energy equation. The results are used to fit the experimental excitation energy spectrum and the electric quadrupole transition ratios of Yb isotopes. It is found that CSA works well to predict the energy of the states up to [Formula: see text]. But the predictions about the electric quadrupole transitions are nearly [Formula: see text] times greater than the experimental data.
Family of measures on a space of curves that are quasi-invariant with respect to some action of diffeomorphisms group
Authors: Romanov Evgenii Dmitrievich
Published: August 2016

A family of quasi-invariant measures on the special functional space of curves in a finite-dimensional Euclidean space with respect to the action of diffeomorphisms is constructed. The main result is an explicit expression for the Radon–Nikodym derivative of the transformed measure relative to the original one. The stochastic Ito integral allows to express the result in an invariant form for a wider class of diffeomorphisms. These measures can be used to obtain irreducible unitary representations of the diffeomorphisms group which will be studied in future research. A geometric interpretation of the action considered together with a generalization to the multidimensional case makes such representations applicable to problems of quantum mechanics.
Systematic investigation of metabolic reprogramming in different cancers based on tissue-specific metabolic models
Authors: Shen Fangzhou , Li Jian , Zhu Ying , Wang Zhuo
Published: August 2016

Cancer cells have different metabolism in contrast to normal cells. The advancement in omics measurement technology enables the genome-wide characterization of altered cellular processes in cancers, but the metabolic flux landscape of cancer is still far from understood. In this study, we compared the well-reconstructed tissue-specific models of five cancers, including breast, liver, lung, renal, and urothelial cancer, and their corresponding normal cells. There are similar patterns in majority of significantly regulated pathways and enriched pathways in correlated reaction sets. But the differences among cancers are also explicit. The renal cancer demonstrates more dramatic difference with other cancer models, including the smallest number of reactions, flux distribution patterns, and specifically correlated pathways. We also validated the predicted essential genes and revealed the Warburg effect by in silico simulation in renal cancer, which are consistent with the measurements for renal cancer. In conclusion, the tissue-specific metabolic model is more suitable to investigate the cancer metabolism. The similarity and heterogenicity of metabolic reprogramming in different cancers are crucial for understanding the aberrant mechanisms of cancer proliferation, which is fundamental for identifying drug targets and biomarkers.
KDSNP: A kernel-based approach to detecting high-order SNP interactions
Authors: Kodama Kento , Saigo Hiroto
Published: August 2016

Despite the accumulation of quantitative trait loci (QTL) data in many complex human diseases, most of current approaches that have attempted to relate genotype to phenotype have achieved limited success, and genetic factors of many common diseases are yet remained to be elucidated. One of the reasons that makes this problem complex is the existence of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) interaction, or epistasis. Due to excessive amount of computation for searching the combinatorial space, existing approaches cannot fully incorporate high-order SNP interactions into their models, but limit themselves to detecting only lower-order SNP interactions. We present an empirical approach based on ridge regression with polynomial kernels and model selection technique for determining the true degree of epistasis among SNPs. Computer experiments in simulated data show the ability of the proposed method to correctly predict the number of interacting SNPs provided that the number of samples is large enough relative to the number of SNPs. For cases in which the number of the available samples is limited, we propose to perform sliding window approach to ensure sufficiently large sample/SNP ratio in each window. In computational experiments using heterogeneous stock mice data, our approach has successfully detected subregions that harbor known causal SNPs. Our analysis further suggests the existence of additional candidate causal SNPs interacting to each other in the neighborhood of the known causal gene. Software is available from https://github.com/HirotoSaigo/KDSNP .
Spectra-first feature analysis in clinical proteomics — A case study in renal cancer
Authors: Goh Wilson Wen Bin , Wong Limsoon
Published: August 2016

In proteomics, useful signal may be unobserved or lost due to the lack of confident peptide-spectral matches. Selection of differential spectra, followed by associative peptide/protein mapping may be a complementary strategy for improving sensitivity and comprehensiveness of analysis (spectra-first paradigm). This approach is complementary to the standard approach where functional analysis is performed only on the finalized protein list assembled from identified peptides from the spectra (protein-first paradigm). Based on a case study of renal cancer, we introduce a simple spectra-binning approach, MZ-bin. We demonstrate that differential spectra feature selection using MZ-bin is class-discriminative and can trace relevant proteins via spectra associative mapping. Moreover, proteins identified in this manner are more biologically coherent than those selected directly from the finalized protein list. Analysis of constituent peptides per protein reveals high expression inconsistency, suggesting that the measured protein expressions are in fact, poor approximations of true protein levels. Moreover, analysis at the level of constituent peptides may provide higher resolution insight into the underlying biology: Via MZ-bin, we identified for the first time differential splice forms for the known renal cancer marker MAPT. We conclude that the spectra-first analysis paradigm is a complementary strategy to the traditional protein-first paradigm and can provide deeper level insight.
Three-dimensionally Hierarchical Bi2WO6 Architectures with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Chen Tianhua , Lu Hongbing , Zhang Jinniu , Gao Jianzhi , Yin Feng , Yang Zhibo , Liu Qianru , Zhang Xuewei
Published: August 2016

Three-dimensionally hierarchical Bi2WO6 architectures have been produced via a facile and economical hydrothermal method without any template or surfactant. This architecture with flower-like morphology is assembled by numbers of intercrossed nanosheets. Moreover, different Bi2WO6 nanostructures including multilayered disks and irregular nanoplates can also be produced by simply adjusting the pH value of the precursor solution. Importantly, this kind of hierarchically structured Bi2WO6 architecture exhibits a much better photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of rhodamine B than that of conventional Bi2WO6 multilayered disks and nanoplates. This enhanced photocatalytic performance is mainly attributed to the large specific surface areas, special structural features and high capability of absorbed oxygen species. The present work offers an effective approach for the further improvement of photocatalytic activity by designing a desirable micro/nanoarchitecture.
Characteristic electron transport on pyridine-linked molecular devices with graphene nanoribbons electrodes and gold electrodes
Authors: Li Jie , Zhou Yi , Zhang Leining , Li Hui
Published: August 2016

The electrodes in the molecular devices play a crucial role in creating functional organic electronic devices. We employed the first-principles calculations to investigate the conjugated pyridine-terminated molecule-4, 4[Formula: see text]-vinylenedipyridine attached to monolayer zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) and Au electrodes. Results show that the ZGNRs-based device exhibits excellent electrical properties. It has larger equilibrium conductance or stronger transmission capacity due to higher strength of individual channel and stronger delocalization of electronic states at the Fermi level. The transmission of two devices near the Fermi level is influenced by resonant electron transport through the discrete energy and the edge states. Comparatively, different from the rising trend of gold-based device with the increasing voltage, the current of the device with ZGNRs electrodes changes in a completely different way with the augment of the applied voltage, exhibiting a negative differential resistance effect unexpectedly. The changing trends of the current through two devices are elucidated by the evolution of the transmission peak nearest to the Fermi level.
Decomposing hypercubes into regular connected subgraphs
Authors: Sonawane A. V. , Borse Y. M.
Published: August 2016

It is known that the [Formula: see text]-dimensional hypercube [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] can be decomposed into two spanning bipancyclic subgraphs [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-regular and [Formula: see text]-connected for [Formula: see text] In this paper, we prove that if [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] and at most one [Formula: see text] odd, then [Formula: see text] can be decomposed into [Formula: see text] spanning subgraphs [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text]-regular and [Formula: see text]-connected for [Formula: see text]
Optimization of virtual machine placement based on constrained immune memory and immunodominance clone in IaaS cloud mode equipment training
Authors: Chen Zhijia , Zhu Yuanchang , Di Yanqiang , Feng Shaochong
Published: August 2016

In infrastructure as a service (IaaS) cloud mode equipment simulated training, to keep the resource utilization ratio in a rational high level, improve the training effect and reduce the system running cost, the problem of training virtual machine (TVM) placement needs to be resolved first. We make analysis to the problem and give the mathematical formulation to the problem. Then, we figure out the principle and target of the TVM placement. Based on above analysis, we propose a constrained immune memory and immunodominance clone (CIMIC) TVM placement optimization algorithm. By reverse optimization of the initial antibody population, the searching range is reduced. The common antibody population and the immunodominance antibody population evolve simultaneously, which realizes the simultaneous progressing of global searching and local searching of solutions. Further, local optimal is avoided by this means. Memory antibody makes ful use of the unfeasible solutions and the diversity of antibody population is maintained. The constraint information of the problem is utilized to improve the optimization effect. Experiment results show that the CIMIC algorithm improves the overall optimization effect of TVM placement, reduces the server number and improves the resource utilization and system stability.
Quantitative SERS Detection of Trace Glutathione with Internal Reference Embedded Au-core/Ag-shell Nanoparticles
Authors: Zhou Yan , Ding Rui
Published: August 2016

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely studied and applied for over three decades. However, reliable SERS detection of molecules with low polarizability is still suffering from poor sensitivity and reproducibility. In this paper, we have reported a new strategy for performing quantitative SERS detection of Raman insensitive Glutathione (GSH), based on GSH-induced replacement of a highly Raman sensitive four-mercaptopyridine (MP) adsorbed on the surface of four-aminothiophenol (ATP) embedded Au-core/Ag-shell particles. This replacement led to a strong decrease of the MP SERS signal, which was used to determine the concentration of GSH. The adoption of GSH-induced Raman probe replacement leads to high sensitivity, while the use of internal reference method provides an improved accuracy of the GSH quantification.
Recent Advances in Graphene-Based Pressure Sensors
Authors: Zhang Lu , Hou Guangfeng , Wu Zhizhen , Shanov Vesselin
Published: August 2016

With the promising applications in artificial intelligence systems and wearable health care devices, great efforts have been devoted to develop advanced pressure sensors. Graphene-based materials are promising pressure sensor materials due to the excellent electrical conductivity, outstanding mechanical properties and large surface area. This review summarizes the recent advances and progress in graphene and graphene-based pressure sensors. Perspectives and challenges in this exciting field are also highlighted and discussed.
CARBON CREDITS COMPETE POORLY WITH AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES IN AN OPTIMIZED MODEL OF LAND USE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Authors: NELSON ERIK , MATZEK VIRGINIA
Published: August 2016

Nascent US carbon markets reward farmers for reforesting agricultural land, with consequent ecological co-benefits. We use a dynamic optimization model to determine the likelihood of an orchard farmer in northern California converting to forest under 90 plausible future scenarios. We find reforestation to be a highly unlikely outcome, occurring only 4.0% of the time under current economic, biophysical, and policy conditions, and only 18.5% of the time under a set of assumptions that make carbon offset production more economically viable. Conversion to “carbon farming” was more sensitive to changes in orchard production costs and yields than to carbon offset policy changes. In the absence of other changes, the price of a carbon offset would have to increase nearly a hundredfold to make reforestation compete economically with orchard agriculture. Our results partly explain low participation in the reforestation sector of US carbon markets. We conclude that farmers will not be interested in forest conversion unless their land has limited agricultural potential or they are motivated by social, rather than economic, rewards.
Matricial circular systems and random matrices
Authors: Lenczewski Romuald
Published: August 2016

We introduce and study matricial circular systems of operators which play the role of matricial counterparts of circular operators. They describe the asymptotic joint *-distributions of blocks of independent block-identically distributed Gaussian random matrices with respect to partial traces. Using these operators, we introduce circular free Meixner distributions as the non-Hermitian counterparts of free Meixner distributions and construct for them a random matrix model. Our approach is based on the concept of matricial freeness applied to operators on Hilbert spaces. It is closely related to freeness with amalgamation over the algebra [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] diagonal matrices applied to operators on Hilbert [Formula: see text]-bimodules.
Modeling of Geographic Dependencies for Real Estate Ranking
Authors: Fu Yanjie , Xiong Hui , Ge Yong , Zheng Yu , Yao Zijun , Zhou Zhi-Hua
Published: August 2016

It is traditionally a challenge for home buyers to understand, compare, and contrast the investment value of real estate. Although a number of appraisal methods have been developed to value real properties, the performances of these methods have been limited by traditional data sources for real estate appraisal. With the development of new ways of collecting estate-related mobile data, there is a potential to leverage geographic dependencies of real estate for enhancing real estate appraisal. Indeed, the geographic dependencies of the investment value of an estate can be from the characteristics of its own neighborhood (individual), the values of its nearby estates (peer), and the prosperity of the affiliated latent business area (zone). To this end, in this paper, we propose a geographic method, named ClusRanking, for real estate appraisal by leveraging the mutual enforcement of ranking and clustering power. ClusRanking is able to exploit geographic individual, peer, and zone dependencies in a probabilistic ranking model. Specifically, we first extract the geographic utility of estates from geography data, estimate the neighborhood popularity of estates by mining taxicab trajectory data, and model the influence of latent business areas. Also, we fuse these three influential factors and predict real estate investment value. Moreover, we simultaneously consider individual, peer and zone dependencies, and derive an estate-specific ranking likelihood as the objective function. Furthermore, we propose an improved method named CR-ClusRanking by incorporating checkin information as a regularization term which reduces the performance volatility of real estate ranking system. Finally, we conduct a comprehensive evaluation with the real estate-related data of Beijing, and the experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods.
Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lu Wenxia , Li Sainan , Li Jingjing , Wang Jianrong , Zhang Rong , Zhou Yuqing , Yin Qin , Zheng Yuanyuan , Wang Fan , Xia Yujing , Chen Kan , Liu Tong , Lu Jie , Zhou Yingqun , Guo Chuanyong
Published: August 2016

A meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation (n-3 PUFAs) in lowering liver fat, liver enzyme (alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels), and blood lipids (triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and low density lipoprotein (LDL)) in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).Methods.MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, Science Citation Index (ISI Web of Science), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials on the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in patients with NAFLD from inception to May 2015. Ten studies were included in this meta-analysis.Results.577 cases of NAFLD/NASH in ten randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that benefit changes in liver fat favored PUFA treatment, and it was also beneficial for GGT, but it was not significant on ALT, AST, TC, and LDL.Conclusions.In this meta-analysis, omega-3 PUFAs improved liver fat, GGT, TG, and HDL in patients with NAFLD/NASH. Therefore, n-3 PUFAs may be a new treatment option for NAFLD.
Distribution and Health Risk Assessment on Dietary Exposure of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Vegetables in Nanjing, China
Authors: Wu Minmin , Xia Zhonghuan , Zhang Qianqian , Yin Jing , Zhou Yanchi , Yang Hao
Published: August 2016

In a market basket study made in Nanjing, China, in which the most common consumed nine kinds of vegetables foodstuffs were sampled, the contents of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometer detector (GC-MS). The results showed that the total amount of 16 PAHs was within the range of 60.5~312 ng g−1 (wet weight). The ranking of total concentrations for different types of vegetables in decreasing order was leafy vegetable, fruit vegetable, and rhizome vegetable. Source analysis suggested that coal, oil, or other incomplete combustion of biomass mainly contributed to the concentration of PAHs. The margin of exposure (MOE) approach with age/gender group-specific daily dietary exposure level was used to estimate the carcinogenic risk. The calculated total mean MOE in the case of BaP and PAH4 (sum of BaA, CHR, BbF, and BaP) was 14960 and 7723, respectively, for local residents. In addition, the MOEs in PAH4 for some groups of both male and female were below the critical limit of 10 000 proposed by EFSA. Therefore, health effect owing to the consumption of vegetables on local residents needs high concern.
Congenital Malaria due to Plasmodium Vivax Infection in a Neonate
Authors: Bhatia Ravi , Rajwaniya Dinesh , Agrawal Priti
Published: August 2016

Although malaria is endemic in India, congenital malaria is not very common. Congenital malaria is a very rare condition in both endemic and nonendemic areas. We report a case of congenital malaria in a six-day-old neonate with fever and splenomegaly. The diagnosis was picked up accidentally on a peripheral smear examination. Congenital malaria should be kept as differential diagnosis of neonatal sepsis. Timely detection of this condition could lead to early diagnosis and treatment, thereby preventing neonatal mortality.
Severe Primary Raynaud’s Disease Treated with Rituximab
Authors: Shabrawishi Mohammed , Albeity Abdurahman , Almoallim Hani
Published: August 2016

Raynaud’s phenomenon refers to reversible spasms of the peripheral arterioles that can be primary Raynaud’s phenomenon (PRP) or secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon (SRP) to underlying connective tissue disease, both of which are characterized by a triphasic color response triggered by cold exposure or stress. PRP is typically a benign disease, whereas SRP may progress into digital ulcers and/or gangrene. Here, we report a case of a 55-year-old female diagnosed with PRP 7 years ago. Treatment with first-line agents, including calcium channel blocker, aspirin, and phosphodiesterase inhibitor, did not control her symptoms, which progressed to digital ulceration and gangrene. There were no symptoms of underlying autoimmune disease or malignancy, and autoimmune, serology, and immunology test results were normal; a biopsy of her left little finger was negative for vasculitis. Development to critical digital ischemia necessitated treatment with intravenous iloprost and heparin infusion followed by angioplasty, which led to a partial improvement. Due to persistent symptoms, rituximab therapy was initiated and two cycles induced a complete resolution of symptoms.
Cooperative Strategies for Maximum-Flow Problem in Uncertain Decentralized Systems Using Reliability Analysis
Authors: Heidari Gharehbolagh Hadi , Hafezalkotob Ashkan , Makui Ahmad , Raissi Sadigh
Published: August 2016

This study investigates a multiowner maximum-flow network problem, which suffers from risky events. Uncertain conditions effect on proper estimation and ignoring them may mislead decision makers by overestimation. A key question is how self-governing owners in the network can cooperate with each other to maintain a reliable flow. Hence, the question is answered by providing a mathematical programming model based on applying the triangular reliability function in the decentralized networks. The proposed method concentrates on multiowner networks which suffer from risky time, cost, and capacity parameters for each network’s arcs. Some cooperative game methods such asτ-value, Shapley, and core center are presented to fairly distribute extra profit of cooperation. A numerical example including sensitivity analysis and the results of comparisons are presented. Indeed, the proposed method provides more reality in decision-making for risky systems, hence leading to significant profits in terms of real cost estimation when compared with unforeseen effects.
Phenotypic, Functional, and Safety Control at Preimplantation Phase of MSC‐Based Therapy
Authors: Lech Wioletta , Figiel-Dabrowska Anna , Sarnowska Anna , Drela Katarzyna , Obtulowicz Patrycja , Noszczyk Bartlomiej Henryk , Buzanska Leonora , Domanska-Janik Krystyna
Published: August 2016

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) exhibit enormous heterogeneity which can modify their regenerative properties and therefore influence therapeutic effectiveness as well as safety of these cells transplantation. In addition the high phenotypic plasticity of MSC population makes it enormously sensitive to any changes in environmental properties including fluctuation in oxygen concentration. We have shown here that lowering oxygen level far below air atmosphere has a beneficial impact on various parameters characteristic for umbilical cord Wharton Jelly‐ (WJ‐) MSC and adipose tissue‐ (AD‐) derived MSC cultures. This includes their cellular composition, rate of proliferation, and maintenance of stemness properties together with commitment to cell differentiation toward mesodermal and neural lineages. In addition, the culture genomic stability increased significantly during long‐term cell passaging and eventually protected cells against spontaneous transformation. Also by comparing of two routinely used methods of MSCs isolation (mechanical versus enzymatic) we have found substantial divergence arising between cell culture properties increasing along the time of cultivation in vitro. Thus, in this paper we highlight the urgent necessity to develop the more sensitive and selective methods for prediction and control cells fate and functioning during the time of growth in vitro.
Resistance to Second-Line Antituberculosis Drugs and Delay in Drug Susceptibility Testing among Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Patients in Shanghai
Authors: Chen Yong , Yuan Zhengan , Shen Xin , Wu Jie , Wu Zheyuan , Xu Biao
Published: August 2016

Introduction. Second-line antituberculosis drugs (SLDs) are used for treating multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Prolonged delays before confirming MDR-TB with drug susceptibility testing (DST) could result in transmission of drug-resistant strains and inappropriate use of SLDs, thereby increasing the risk of resistance to SLDs. This study investigated the diagnostic delay in DST and prevalence of baseline SLD resistance in Shanghai and described the distribution of SLD resistance with varied delays to DST.Methods. All registered patients from 2011 to 2013 in Shanghai were enrolled. Susceptibility to ofloxacin, amikacin, kanamycin, and capreomycin was tested. Total delay in DST completion was measured from the onset of symptoms to reporting DST results.Results. Resistance to SLDs was tested in 217 of the 276 MDR-TB strains, with 118 (54.4%) being resistant to at least one of the four SLDs. The median total delay in DST was 136 days. Patients with delay longer than median days were roughly twice more likely to have resistance to at least one SLD (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.19–4.11).Conclusions. During prolonged delay in DST, primary and acquired resistance to SLDs might occur more frequently. Rapid diagnosis of MDR-TB, improved nosocomial infection controls, and regulated treatment are imperative to prevent SLD resistance.
Rapid Biosynthesis of Gold Nanoparticles by the Extracellular Secretion ofBacillus niabensis45: Characterization and Antibiofilm Activity
Authors: Li Yumei , Li Yamei , Li Qiang , Fan Xiangyu , Gao Juan , Luo Yan
Published: August 2016

The present study demonstrated that the extracellular biosynthesis of gold nanoparticles (GNPs) usingB. niabensis45 may be mediated by a cyclic peptide (P2). The molecular weight of P2 was determined to be about 1122 Da by MALDI-TOF-MS and ESI-MS. A novel protocol for rapid biosynthesis of GNPs using P2 was developed. The results showed that GNP synthesis could be completed in a wide range of temperatures (40–100°C) and pH (6.0–10.0) within few minutes when 9 mL of P2 (2 mg/mL) and 1 mL of HAuCl4solution (2 mM) were mixed together. The synthesized GNPs were further characterized. Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the presence of elemental gold and crystalline structure of the GNPs, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the formation of spherical metallic GNPs. The size distribution of GNPs calculated using ImageJ software was found to be 10–20 nm. And these GNPs showed excellent antibiofilm activity againstPseudomonas aeruginosaPAO1 andStaphylococcus aureusATCC25923. The results revealed microbial cyclic peptides could be used as synthesis of GNPs which had potent antibiofilm potential.
System-Aware Smart Network Management for Nano-Enriched Water Quality Monitoring
Authors: Mokhtar B. , Azab M. , Shehata N. , Rizk M.
Published: August 2016

This paper presents a comprehensive water quality monitoring system that employs a smart network management, nano-enriched sensing framework, and intelligent and efficient data analysis and forwarding protocols for smart and system-aware decision making. The presented system comprises two main subsystems, a data sensing and forwarding subsystem (DSFS), and Operation Management Subsystem (OMS). The OMS operates based on real-time learned patterns and rules of system operations projected from the DSFS to manage the entire network of sensors. The main tasks of OMS are to enable real-time data visualization, managed system control, and secure system operation. The DSFS employs a Hybrid Intelligence (HI) scheme which is proposed through integrating an association rule learning algorithm withfuzzylogic and weighted decision trees. The DSFS operation is based on profiling and registering raw data readings, generated from a set of optical nanosensors, as profiles of attribute-value pairs. As a case study, we evaluate our implemented test bed via simulation scenarios in a water quality monitoring framework. The monitoring processes are simulated based on measuring the percentage of dissolved oxygen and potential hydrogen (PH) in fresh water. Simulation results show the efficiency of the proposed HI-based methodology at learning different water quality classes.
Establishment and Characterization of a Human Small Cell Osteosarcoma Cancer Stem Cell Line: A New Possible In Vitro Model for Discovering Small Cell Osteosarcoma Biology
Authors: Palmini Gaia , Zonefrati Roberto , Romagnoli Cecilia , Aldinucci Alessandra , Mavilia Carmelo , Leoncini Gigliola , Franchi Alessandro , Capanna Rodolfo , Brandi Maria Luisa
Published: August 2016

Osteosarcoma (OSA) is the most common primary malignant bone tumor, usually arising in the long bones of children and young adults. There are different subtypes of OSA, among which we find the conventional OS (also called medullary or central osteosarcoma) which has a high grade of malignancy and an incidence of 80%. There are different subtypes of high grade OS like chondroblastic, fibroblastic, osteoblastic, telangiectatic, and the small cell osteosarcoma (SCO). In this study, for the first time, we have isolated, established, and characterized a cell line of cancer stem cells (CSCs) from a human SCO. First of all, we have established a primary finite cell line of SCO, from which we have isolated the CSCs by the sphere formation assay. We have proved their in vitro mesenchymal and embryonic stem phenotype. Additionally, we have showed their neoplastic phenotype, since the original tumor bulk is a high grade osteosarcoma. This research demonstrates the existence of CSCs also in human primary SCO and highlights the establishment of this particular stabilized cancer stem cell line. This will represent a first step into the study of the biology of these cells to discover new molecular targets molecules for new incisive therapeutic strategies against this highly aggressive OSA.
Initial Characterization of Internal Medicine Resident Resilience and Association with Stress and Burnout
Authors: Bird Amber-Nicole , Pincavage Amber T.
Published: August 2016

Introduction. Burnout is prevalent in medical trainees. Little data exists on resident resilience. Methods. Anonymous surveys were provided to a convenience sample of internal medicine residents. Resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson resilience scale. Responses were categorized into low (<70), intermediate (70–79), and high (80–100) resilience. Results. 77 residents from six institutions completed surveys. 26% of residents had high resilience, 43% intermediate, and 31% low. The mean resilience score was 73.6±9.6 and lower than the general population (mean 80.4±12.5, p<0.001). Trainees with high resilience were more likely to never have stress interfere with their relationships outside of work (high: 40%; low: 0%; p<0.001). High resilience residents were more likely to have the skills to manage stress and burnout (high: 80%; low: 46%; p=0.02) and less likely to feel inferior to peers (high: 20.0%; low: 70.8%; p<0.001). There was a trend towards those with high resilience reporting less burnout (high: 40.0%; intermediate: 27%; low: 16.7%; p=0.08). Only 60% report a program outlet to discuss burnout. Conclusions. There is a wide range of resilience among IM residents and scores were lower than the general population. Low resilience is associated with more stress interfering with relationships, feeling inferior to peers, and fewer skills to manage stress and burnout.
CYP4F2 (rs2108622) Gene Polymorphism Association with Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Authors: Sakiene Ruta , Vilkeviciute Alvita , Kriauciuniene Loresa , Balciuniene Vilma Jurate , Buteikiene Dovile , Miniauskiene Goda , Liutkeviciene Rasa
Published: August 2016

Background. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in elderly individuals where aetiology and pathophysiology of age-related macular degeneration are not absolutely clear.Purpose. To determine the frequency of the genotype of rs2108622 in patients with early and exudative age-related macular degeneration.Methods. The study enrolled 190 patients with early age-related macular degeneration, 181 patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (eAMD), and a random sample of 210 subjects from the general population (control group). The genotyping of rs2108622 was carried out using the real-time polymerase chain reaction method.Results. The analysis of rs2108622 gene polymorphism did not reveal any differences in the distribution of C/C, C/T, and T/T genotypes between the early AMD group, the eAMD group, and the control group. TheCYP4F2(1347C>T)T/Tgenotype was more frequent in males with eAMD compared to females (10.2% versus 0.8%;p=0.0052); alsoT/Tgenotype was less frequently present in eAMD females compared to healthy control females (0.8% versus 6.2%;p=0.027).Conclusion. Rs2108622 gene polymorphism had no predominant effect on the development of early AMD and eAMD. TheT/Tgenotype was more frequent in males with eAMD compared to females and less frequently present in eAMD females compared to healthy females.
Influence of Rectal Decompression on Abdominal Symptoms and Anorectal Physiology following Colonoscopy in Healthy Adults
Authors: Yi Chih-Hsun , Liu Tso-Tsai , Lei Wei-Yi , Hung Jui-Sheng , Chen Chien-Lin
Published: August 2016

Background. Postcolonoscopy abdominal discomfort and bloating are common. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether rectal decompression improved distension-induced abdominal symptoms and influenced anorectal physiology.Methods. In 15 healthy subjects, rectal distension was achieved by direct air inflation into the rectum by colonoscopy. Placement of rectal and sham tube was then performed in each subject on a separate occasion. The anorectal parameters and distension-induced abdominal symptoms were recorded.Results. Anorectal parameters were similar between placements of rectal tube and sham tube except for greater rectal compliance with rectal tube than with sham tube (P<0.05). Abdominal pain and bloating were significantly reduced by rectal tube and sham tube at 1 minute (bothP<0.05) and 3 minutes (bothP<0.05). After placement of rectal tube, abdominal pain at 3 minutes correlated positively with first sensation (r=0.53,P=0.04), and bloating at 3 minutes also correlated positively with urge sensation (r=0.55,P=0.03).Conclusions. Rectal decompression with either rectal or sham tube improved distension-induced abdominal symptoms. Our study indicates that the mechanisms that improved abdominal symptoms by rectal decompression might be mediated by a central pathway instead of a peripheral mechanism.
D-Dimer and Carcinoembryonic Antigen Levels: Useful Indicators for Predicting the Tumor Stage and Postoperative Survival
Authors: Tekeşin Kemal , Bayrak Savaş , Esatoğlu Varol , Özdemir Ebru , Özel Leyla , Melih Kara Veli
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this prospective study is to determine the preoperative plasma D-dimer and serum Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) levels of patients scheduled for curative surgical resection for colorectal cancer and to evaluate the significance of these levels on the prognosis and postoperative survival rate. One hundred sixty-five patients with colorectal cancer, who were scheduled to have elective resection between January 2008 and January 2011, were included in the study. A significant increase was observed in the D-dimer levels, particularly in poorly differentiated tumors. The distance covered by the tumor inside the walls of the colon and rectum (T-stage) was significant for both D-dimer and CEA levels. As the T-stage increased, there was also a significant increase in the D-dimer and CEA levels. A high significance and correlation level was detected between the TNM staging and both D-dimer and CEA. A significant relationship was found between the advanced tumor stage and short postoperative survival rate of patients with colorectal cancer. Therefore, the analysis of preoperative D-dimer and CEA levels can be useful in predicting the stage and differentiation of the tumor and the postoperative survival rate.
Recent Advances in Our Understanding of HLA-G Biology: Lessons from a Wide Spectrum of Human Diseases
Authors: Morandi Fabio , Rizzo Roberta , Fainardi Enrico , Rouas-Freiss Nathalie , Pistoia Vito
Published: August 2016

HLA-G is a HLA-class Ib molecule with potent immunomodulatory activities, which is expressed in physiological conditions, where modulation of the immune response is required to avoid allograft recognition (i.e., maternal-fetal interface or transplanted patients). However, HLA-G can be expressedde novoat high levels in several pathological conditions, including solid and hematological tumors and during microbial or viral infections, leading to the impairment of the immune response against tumor cells or pathogens, respectively. On the other hand, the loss of HLA-G mediated control of the immune responses may lead to the onset of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, caused by an uncontrolled activation of the immune effector cells. Here, we have reviewed novel findings on HLA-G functions in different physiological and pathological settings, which have been published in the last two years. These studies further confirmed the important role of this molecule in the modulation of the immune system.
Efficacy of Hi-Lo Evac Endotracheal Tube in Prevention of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Mechanically Ventilated Poisoned Patients
Authors: Ghoochani Khorasani Ahmad , Shadnia Shahin , Mashayekhian Mohammad , Rahimi Mitra , Aghabiklooei Abbas
Published: August 2016

Background. Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common health care-associated infection. To prevent this complication, aspiration of subglottic secretions using Hi-Lo Evac endotracheal tube (Evac ETT) is a recommended intervention. However, there are some reports on Evac ETT dysfunction. We aimed to compare the incidence of VAP (per ventilated patients) in severely ill poisoned patients who were intubated using Evac ETT versus conventional endotracheal tubes (C-ETT) in our toxicology ICU.Materials and Methods. In this clinical randomized trial, 91 eligible patients with an expected duration of mechanical ventilation of more than 48 hours were recruited and randomly assigned into two groups: (1) subglottic secretion drainage (SSD) group who were intubated by Evac ETT (n=43) and (2) control group who were intubated by C-ETT (n=48).Results. Of the 91 eligible patients, 56 (61.5%) were male. VAP was detected in 24 of 43 (55.8%) patients in the case group and 23 of 48 (47.9%) patients in the control group (P=0.45). The most frequently isolated microorganisms wereS. aureus(54.10%) andAcinetobacterspp. (19.68%). The incidence of VAP and ICU length of stay were not significantly different between the two groups, but duration of intubation was statistically different and was longer in the SSD group. Mortality rate was less in SSD group but without a significant difference (P=0.68).Conclusion. The SSD procedure was performed intermittently with one-hour intervals using 10 mL syringe. Subglottic secretion drainage does not significantly reduce the incidence of VAP in patients receiving MV. This strategy appears to be ineffective in preventing VAP among ICU patients.
How to Achieve High-Quality Oocytes? The Key Role of Myo-Inositol and Melatonin
Authors: Vitale Salvatore Giovanni , Rossetti Paola , Corrado Francesco , Rapisarda Agnese Maria Chiara , La Vignera Sandro , Condorelli Rosita Angela , Valenti Gaetano , Sapia Fabrizio , Laganà Antonio Simone , Buscema Massimo
Published: August 2016

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) have experienced growing interest from infertile patients seeking to become pregnant. The quality of oocytes plays a pivotal role in determining ART outcomes. Although many authors have studied how supplementation therapy may affect this important parameter for both in vivo and in vitro models, data are not yet robust enough to support firm conclusions. Regarding this last point, in this review our objective has been to evaluate the state of the art regarding supplementation with melatonin and myo-inositol in order to improve oocyte quality during ART. On the one hand, the antioxidant effect of melatonin is well known as being useful during ovulation and oocyte incubation, two occasions with a high level of oxidative stress. On the other hand, myo-inositol is important in cellular structure and in cellular signaling pathways. Our analysis suggests that the use of these two molecules may significantly improve the quality of oocytes and the quality of embryos: melatonin seems to raise the fertilization rate, and myo-inositol improves the pregnancy rate, although all published studies do not fully agree with these conclusions. However, previous studies have demonstrated that cotreatment improves these results compared with melatonin alone or myo-inositol alone. We recommend that further studies be performed in order to confirm these positive outcomes in routine ART treatment.
Improvement of Waste Tire Pyrolysis Oil and Performance Test with Diesel in CI Engine
Authors: Islam M. N. , Nahian M. R.
Published: August 2016

The standard of living, quality of life, and development of a nation depend on its per capita energy consumption. Global energy supply that mainly depends on fossil fuel is decreasing day by day. It is estimated that the energy demand will be increased five times by the year 2021 from present scenario. Due to the fossil fuel crisis, the development of alternative fuel technologies has drawn more attraction to deliver the replacement of fossil fuel. Pyrolysis is one of the promising alternative fuel technologies which produces valuable oil, char, and gas product from organic waste. Early investigations report that tire pyrolysis oil extracted from vacuum pyrolysis method seemed to have properties similar to diesel fuel. The main concern of this paper is to produce and improve the properties of crude tire pyrolysis oil by desulfurizing, distilling, and utilizing it with diesel in CI engine to analyze the efficiency for various compositions.
Characteristics of Highly Birefringent Photonic Crystal Fiber with Defected Core and Equilateral Pentagon Architecture
Authors: Yu Fei , Wang Zhenpeng , Yang Wenhao , Lv Chongyang
Published: August 2016

A novel high birefringence and nearly zero dispersion-flattened photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with elliptical defected core (E-DC) and equilateral pentagonal architecture is designed. By applying the full-vector finite element method (FEM), the characteristics of electric field distribution, birefringence, and chromatic dispersion of the proposed E-DC PCF are numerically investigated in detail. The simulation results reveal that the proposed PCF can realize high birefringence, ranging from 10-3 to 10-2 orders of magnitude, owing to the embedded elliptical air hole in the core center. However, the existence of the elliptical air hole gives rise to an extraordinary electric field distribution, where a V-shaped notch appears and the size of the V-shaped notch varies at different operating wavelengths. Also, the mode field diameter is estimated to be about 2 μm, which implies the small effective mode area and highly nonlinear coefficient. Furthermore, the investigation of the chromatic dispersion characteristic shows that the introduction of the elliptical air hole is helpful to control the chromatic dispersion to be negative or nearly zero flattened over a wide wavelength bandwidth.
Optimal Buyer’s Replenishment Policy in the Integrated Inventory Model for Imperfect Items
Authors: Yueli Lu , Jiangtao Mo , Yucheng Wei
Published: August 2016

In the classical economic order quantity (EOQ) models, a common unrealistic assumption is that all the items received are of good quality. However, in realistic environment, a received shipment usually contains a fraction of imperfect quality items. These imperfect items may be scrapped, reworked at a cost, or salvaged at a discounted price. While the percentage of imperfect items is random, the optimal ordering cycle is rarely considered in current literatures. This paper revisits the model (Maddah and Jaber, 2008) and extends it by assuming that the ordering cycle is determined by the demand rate, delivery quantity per shipment, and the mathematical expectation of the defective rate. The possibility of stockout or residue in the end of a cycle will be considered, and the loss of stockout and the salvage of the residue are counted into the cost. Besides, we consider consolidating the shipments of imperfect items over multiple deliveries. Thus, an integrated vendor-buyer inventory model for imperfect quality items with equal-size shipment policy is established to derive the optimal ordering cycle, ordering quantity, and number of deliveries. The computational method of the optimal delivery quantity per shipment and number of deliveries is given through theoretical results. Finally, sensitivity of main parameters is analyzed through simulation experiments and shown by some figures.