bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual Execution for On the Fly Fine Grained Execution Comparison
Authors: Kim Dohyeong , Kwon Yonghwi , Sumner William N. , Zhang Xiangyu , Xu Dongyan
Published: June 2015

Execution comparison has many applications in debugging, malware analysis, software feature identification, and intrusion detection. Existing comparison techniques have various limitations. Some can only compare at the system event level and require executions to take the same input. Some require storing instruction traces that are very space-consuming and have difficulty dealing with non-determinism. In this paper, we propose a novel dual execution technique that allows on-the-fly comparison at the instruction level. Only differences between the executions are recorded. It allows executions to proceed in a coupled mode such that they share the same input sequence with the same timing, reducing nondeterminism. It also allows them to proceed in a decoupled mode such that the user can interact with each one differently. Decoupled executions can be recoupled to share the same future inputs and facilitate further comparison. We have implemented a prototype and applied it to identifying functional components for reuse, comparative debugging with new GDB primitives, and understanding real world regression failures. Our results show that dual execution is a critical enabling technique for execution comparison.
A Molecular Description of Cellulose Biosynthesis
Authors: McNamara Joshua T. , Morgan Jacob L.W. , Zimmer Jochen
Published: June 2015

Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on Earth, and certain organisms from bacteria to plants and animals synthesize cellulose as an extracellular polymer for various biological functions. Humans have used cellulose for millennia as a material and an energy source, and the advent of a lignocellulosic fuel industry will elevate it to the primary carbon source for the burgeoning renewable energy sector. Despite the biological and societal importance of cellulose, the molecular mechanism by which it is synthesized is now only beginning to emerge. On the basis of recent advances in structural and molecular biology on bacterial cellulose synthases, we review emerging concepts of how the enzymes polymerize glucose molecules, how the nascent polymer is transported across the plasma membrane, and how bacterial cellulose biosynthesis is regulated during biofilm formation. Additionally, we review evolutionary commonalities and differences between cellulose synthases that modulate the nature of the cellulose product formed.
Gating Mechanisms of Voltage-Gated Proton Channels
Authors: Okamura Yasushi , Fujiwara Yuichiro , Sakata Souhei
Published: June 2015

Hv1 is a voltage-gated proton-selective channel that plays critical parts in host defense, sperm motility, and cancer progression. Hv1 contains a conserved voltage-sensor domain (VSD) that is shared by a large family of voltage-gated ion channels, but it lacks a pore domain. Voltage sensitivity and proton conductivity are conferred by a unitary VSD that consists of four transmembrane helices. The architecture of Hv1 differs from that of cation channels that form a pore in the center among multiple subunits (as in most cation channels) or homologous repeats (as in voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels). Hv1 forms a dimer in which a cytoplasmic coiled coil underpins the two protomers and forms a single, long helix that is contiguous with S4, the transmembrane voltage-sensing segment. The closed-state structure of Hv1 was recently solved using X-ray crystallography. In this article, we discuss the gating mechanism of Hv1 and focus on cooperativity within dimers and their sensitivity to metal ions.
Structural Biology of Bacterial Type IV Secretion Systems
Authors: Chandran Darbari Vidya , Waksman Gabriel
Published: June 2015

Type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) are large multisubunit translocons, found in both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and in some archaea. These systems transport a diverse array of substrates from DNA and protein–DNA complexes to proteins, and play fundamental roles in both bacterial pathogenesis and bacterial adaptation to the cellular milieu in which bacteria live. This review describes the various biochemical and structural advances made toward understanding the biogenesis, architecture, and function of T4SSs.
Background music in the dissection laboratory: impact on stress associated with the dissection experience
Authors: Anyanwu Emeka G.
Published: June 2015

Notable challenges, such as mental distress, boredom, negative moods, and attitudes, have been associated with learning in the cadaver dissection laboratory (CDL). The ability of background music (BM) to enhance the cognitive abilities of students is well documented. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of BM in the CDL and on stress associated with the dissection experience. After 8 wk of normal dissection without BM, various genres of BM were introduced into the cadaver dissection sessions of 260 medical and dental students for 3 wk. Feedback on the impact of BM on students in the CDL and students' attitude were accessed using a questionnaire. Psychological stress assessment was done using Psychological Stress Measure 9. Two batches of 30 students each were made to dissect same areas of the body for 2 h, one batch with BM playing and the other batch without. The same examination was given to both groups at the end. Over 90% of the participants expressed a desire to incorporate BM into the CDL; 87% of the sampled population that expressed love for music also reported BM to be a very useful tool that could be used to enhance learning conditions in the CDL. A strong positive relationship was established between love for music and its perception as a tool for learning in the CDL ( P < 0.001). Students that studied under the influence of BM had significantly higher scores ( P < 0.001) in the overall examination result. BM reduced the level of stress associated with the dissection experience by ∼33%.
Online quizzes promote inconsistent improvements on in-class test performance in introductory anatomy and physiology
Authors: Brown Gregory A. , Bice Matthew R. , Shaw Brandon S. , Shaw Ina
Published: June 2015

Review quizzes can provide students with feedback and assist in the preparation for in-class tests, but students often do not voluntarily use self-testing resources. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate if taking a mandatory online review quiz alters performance on subsequent in-class tests. During two semesters of a single-semester introductory anatomy and physiology course, students were required to complete brief online quizzes after each textbook chapter had been covered during lecture as well as the day before an in-class test. During the next two semesters, students were not required to take the online review quizzes. Overall scores on chapter specific in-class tests were higher ( P < 0.05) during the semesters in which students took online review quizzes (82.9 ± 14.3%) compared with when they did not (78.7 ± 15.5%), but all in-class tests were not improved. Scores on comprehensive midterm examinations were higher (83.0 ± 12.9% vs. 78.9 ± 13.7%, P < 0.05) but not on final examinations (72.4 ± 13.8% vs. 71.8 ± 14.0%) between those with online review quizzes and those without, respectively. Overall scores on in-class tests and comprehensive examinations were higher ( P < 0.05) during the semesters in which students took online review quizzes (83.4 ± 16.8%) compared with when they did not (80.3 ± 17.6%). These data suggest that an online review quiz taken the day before an in-class test increases performance on some in-class tests. However, online review quizzes taken after completion of each chapter do not consistently enhance performance on comprehensive examinations.
Investigation of blood flow and the effect of vasoactive substances in cutaneous blood vessels of Xenopus laevis
Authors: Škorjanc Aleš , Belušič Gregor
Published: June 2015

In the present study, a preparation of frog skin was presented, which can be used to demonstrate the basic concepts of blood flow regulation in a very clear and attractive way to high school and university students. In a freshly euthanized Xenopus, a patch of abdominal skin was exposed from the internal side and viewed with a USB microscope while it remained connected to a functioning circulatory system. In this way, it was possible to obtain sharp images of arteries and veins and to visualize blood flow. This allows students to learn about the functional differences between arteries and veins and about the complexity of hemodynamics as well as the particularities of the amphibian pulmocutaneous circulation. Students can then quantitatively estimate the effect of norepinephrine and epinephrine on the diameter of blood vessels by simply superfusing the skin patch with a series of solutions of the two substances. They can also test the effect of α-adrenergic receptor blockers, used to treat high blood pressure, on the norepinephrine-induced muscle tonus of blood vessels.
Accurate Nodes Localization in Anisotropic Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: El Assaf Ahmad , Zaidi Slim , Affes Sofiène , Kandil Nahi
Published: June 2015

An accurate localization algorithm tailored for anisotropic wireless sensors networks (WSNs) is proposed in this paper. Using the proposed algorithm, each regular or position-unaware node estimates its distances only to reliable anchors or position-aware nodes. The latter are properly chosen following a new reliable anchor selection strategy that ensures an accurate distance estimation making thereby our localization algorithm more precise. It is shown that the proposed algorithm is implementable in both 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) scenarios. A power saving mechanism aiming to enhance the WSN lifetime is also envisaged in this paper. It is proven that the proposed algorithm could easily incorporate such a mechanism. Simulations show that our algorithm, whether combined or not with the power saving mechanism, consistently outperforms the best representative localization algorithms currently available in the literature in terms of accuracy, even with the presence of nonuniform node distribution or radiation irregularities.
Multiobjective Particle Swarm Optimization Based on PAM and Uniform Design
Authors: Zhu Xiaoshu , Zhang Jie , Feng Junhong
Published: June 2015

In MOPSO (multiobjective particle swarm optimization), to maintain or increase the diversity of the swarm and help an algorithm to jump out of the local optimal solution, PAM (Partitioning Around Medoid) clustering algorithm and uniform design are respectively introduced to maintain the diversity of Pareto optimal solutions and the uniformity of the selected Pareto optimal solutions. In this paper, a novel algorithm, the multiobjective particle swarm optimization based on PAM and uniform design, is proposed. The differences between the proposed algorithm and the others lie in that PAM and uniform design are firstly introduced to MOPSO. The experimental results performing on several test problems illustrate that the proposed algorithm is efficient.
Mindfulness Trait Predicts Neurophysiological Reactivity Associated with Negativity Bias: An ERP Study
Authors: Ho Nerissa S. P. , Sun Delin , Ting Kin-Hung , Chan Chetwyn C. H. , Lee Tatia M. C.
Published: June 2015

This study explored the relationship of mindfulness trait with the early and late stages of affective processing, by examining the two corresponding ERP components, P2 and LPP, collected from twenty-two male Chinese participants with a wide range of meditation experiences. Multiple regression analyses was performed on the mindfulness scores, as measured by CAMS-R, with the subjective affective ratings and ERP data collected during an emotion processing task. The results showed that increased mindfulness scores predicted increased valence ratings of negative stimuli (less negative), as well as increased P2 amplitudes at the frontocentral location for positive compared to negative stimuli. Based on these findings, a plausible mechanism of mindfulness in reducing negativity bias was discussed. Moreover, our results replicated previous findings on the age-related increase of P2 amplitudes at the frontal sites for positive compared to neutral stimuli. Since the locations at which P2 amplitudes were found as associated with age and mindfulness differed, as did the emotional contents of the stimuli being compared, indicating that the effect of age did not confound our findings on mindfulness and the two factors might operate on early affective processing from distinct sources and mechanisms.
Nanosuspension Technologies for Delivery of Poorly Soluble Drugs
Authors: Yadollahi Roya , Vasilev Krasimir , Simovic Spomenka
Published: June 2015

Poor aqueous solubility of some drug molecules is a major problem in drug formulation. Drug nanosuspensions emerged as one solution to delivering such hydrophobic drugs. Scaling down to nanoparticles enhances drug aqueous solubility and bioavailability by increasing drug surface area that comes into contact with biological media. Nanosuspensions that have attracted particular attention are those sterically stabilised by steric polymers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) with a typical size range of 10–100 nm. These nanoparticles are capable of accumulating in targeted areas such as cancer tissues and infarct zones with minimal damage to healthy tissues. Nanosuspensions are often prepared by commercially available methods such as high pressure homogenization, media milling, emulsification, and melt emulsification. Solidification and surface modification methods are post‐processing techniques used to add particular properties for advanced therapies. In this review, we firstly describe preparation methods for nanosuspensions. Secondly, we highlight typical characterization techniques. Finally, we describe several practical application of applications for drug delivery design and different administration routes such as parenteral, pulmonary, oral, and ocular.
Three-Day Continuous Exposure Monitoring of CNT Manufacturing Workplaces
Authors: Lee Ji Hyun , Ahn Kang Ho , Kim Sun Man , Kim Ellen , Lee Gun Ho , Han Jeong Hee , Yu Il Je
Published: June 2015

Continuous monitoring for possible exposure to carbon nanotubes was conducted over a period of 2 to 3 days at workplaces that manufacture multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). To estimate the potential emission of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and potential exposure of workers, personal sampling, area monitoring, and real-time monitoring using an scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and dust monitor were conducted at workplaces where the workers manufactured CNTs. The personal and area sampling of the total suspended particulate (TSP) at the MWCNT manufacturing facilities ranged from 0.031 to 0.254 and from N.D (not detected) to 0.253 mg/m3, respectively. This 2- to 3-day monitoring study found that nanoparticles were released when opening the chemical vapor deposit (CVD) reactor door after the synthesis of MWCNTs, when transferring the MWCNTs to containers and during blending and grinding. However, distinguishing the background concentration from the work process particle emission was complicated due to sustained and even increased particle concentrations after the work processes were terminated. The MWCNTs sampled for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation exhibited a tangled shape with no individual dispersed CNT structures.
A Novel Energy-Efficient Reception Method Based on Random Network Coding in Cooperative Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Cheng Yulun , Yang Longxiang
Published: June 2015

This paper presents an opportunistic reception (OR) algorithm for energy-efficient transmission in cooperative wireless sensor networks (WSNs), where the characteristics of random linear network coding and the energy consumption property of WSNs are jointly considered. In OR, the sensor nodes in intermediate cluster generate the independent coding vector through simple forwarding or decoding-recoding manners opportunistically, so that the number of received packets can be reduced. To evaluate the algorithm, we derive the average number of received packets, the transmitting nodes, and decoding failure probability under specific assumption. The obtained theoretical and simulation results verify the effectiveness offered by the proposed approach.
Integrated Use of Statistical-Based Approaches and Computational Intelligence Techniques for Tumors Classification Using Microarray
Authors: Hou Chia-Ding , Shao Yuehjen E.
Published: June 2015

With the recent development of biotechnologies, cDNA microarray chips are increasingly applied in cancer research. Microarray experiments can lead to a more thorough grasp of the molecular variations among tumors because they can allow the monitoring of expression levels in cells for thousands of genes simultaneously. Accordingly, how to successfully discriminate the classes of tumors using gene expression data is an urgent research issue and plays an important role in carcinogenesis. To refine the large dimension of the genes data and effectively classify tumor classes, this study proposes several hybrid discrimination procedures that combine the statistical-based techniques and computational intelligence approaches to discriminate the tumor classes. A real microarray data set was used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approaches. In addition, the results of cross-validation experiments reveal that the proposed two-stage hybrid models are more efficient in discriminating the acute leukemia classes than the established single stage models.
Histological Characterization of the Dicer1 Mutant Zebrafish Retina
Authors: Akhtar Saeed , Patnaik Sarita Rani , Kotapati Raghupathy Rakesh , Al-Mubrad Turki M. , Craft John A. , Shu Xinhua
Published: June 2015

DICER1, a multidomain RNase III endoribonuclease, plays a critical role in microRNA (miRNA) and RNA-interference (RNAi) functional pathways. Loss ofDicer1affects different developmental processes. Dicer1 is essential for retinal development and maintenance. DICER1 was recently shown to have another function of silencing the toxicity ofAluRNAs in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, which are involved in the pathogenesis of age related macular degeneration. In this study, we characterized aDicer1mutant fish line, which carries a nonsense mutation (W1457Ter) induced by N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis. Zebrafish DICER1 protein is highly conserved in the evolution. Zebrafish Dicer1 is expressed at the earliest stages of zebrafish development and persists into late developmental stages; it is widely expressed in adult tissues. HomozygousDicer1mutant fish (DICER1W1457Ter/W1457Ter) have an arrest in early growth with significantly smaller eyes and are dead at 14–18 dpf. HeterozygousDicer1mutant fish have similar retinal structure to that of control fish; the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells are normal with no sign of degeneration at the age of 20 months.
System-Structure Coupling Dynamic Analysis of Planetary Gears
Authors: Wang Haiwei , Zhang Tao , Liu Geng , Wu Liyan
Published: June 2015

This paper presents a novel general system-structure coupling dynamic analysis procedure to comprehensively analyze the dynamic performance of planetary gears. The novel coupling dynamic analysis takes dynamic loads of gears as excitations for structure dynamic analysis. Considering the time-varying mesh stiffness of gears, torsional stiffness of carrier and support stiffness of bearings, the system dynamic model of planetary gears is built by using lumped parameter method. Vibration modes and natural frequencies of planetary gears are investigated through modal analysis. Furthermore, system dynamic response is analyzed under various working conditions. Equations of structure dynamic analysis based on finite element method (FEM) are developed, and their solving method is put forward. Dynamic loads obtained from system dynamic analysis are forced on the ring gear to analyze its structure dynamic response. In every analysis step, if dynamic performance criteria are not satisfied, the planetary gears model should be redesigned according to dynamic analysis results.
Short-Term Wind Speed Hybrid Forecasting Model Based on Bias Correcting Study and Its Application
Authors: Niu Mingfei , Sun Shaolong , Wu Jie , Zhang Yuanlei
Published: June 2015

The accuracy of wind speed forecasting is becoming increasingly important to improve and optimize renewable wind power generation. In particular, reliable short-term wind speed forecasting can enable model predictive control of wind turbines and real-time optimization of wind farm operation. However, due to the strong stochastic nature and dynamic uncertainty of wind speed, the forecasting of wind speed data using different patterns is difficult. This paper proposes a novel combination bias correcting forecasting method, which includes the combination forecasting method and forecasting bias correcting model. The forecasting result shows that the combination bias correcting forecasting method can more accurately forecast the trend of wind speed and has a good robustness.
Overweight and Obesity Based on Four Reference Systems in 18,382 Paediatric Patients with Type 1 Diabetes from Germany and Austria
Authors: Flechtner-Mors M. , Schwab K. O. , Fröhlich-Reiterer E. E. , Kapellen T. M. , Meissner T. , Rosenbauer J. , Stachow R. , Holl R. W.
Published: June 2015

Aim. To evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in paediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) subjects, based on four commonly used reference populations.Methods. Using WHO, IOTF, AGA (German pediatric obesity), and KiGGS (German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents) reference populations, prevalence of overweight (≥90th percentile) and obesity (≥97th percentile) and time trend between 2000 (n= 9,461) and 2013 (n= 18,382) were determined in 2–18-year-old T1D patients documented in the German/Austrian DPV database.Results. In 2000, the overweight prevalence was the highest according to IOTF (22.3%), followed by WHO (20.8%), AGA (15.5%), and KiGGS (9.4%). The respective rates in 2013 were IOTF (24.8%), WHO (22.9%), AGA (18.2%), and KiGGS (11.7%). Obesity prevalence in 2000 was the highest according to WHO (7.9%), followed by AGA (4.5%), IOTF (3.1%), and KiGGS (1.8%). In 2013, the respective rates were WHO (9.6%), AGA (6.2%), IOTF (4.5%), and KiGGS (2.6%). Overall, the prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 2000 to 2006 (p< 0.001) but showed stabilization thereafter in girls and overweight in boys.Conclusion. Overweight and obesity prevalence in T1D subjects differs significantly if it is assessed by four separate reference populations. More detailed assessment of each child is required to determine obesity-related risks.
Pore Pressure Response to Groundwater Fluctuations in Saturated Double-Layered Soil
Authors: Ying Hongwei , Zhang Lisha , Xie Kanghe , Huang Dazhong
Published: June 2015

Analytical solutions are developed for one-dimensional consolidation of double-layered saturated soil subjected to groundwater fluctuations. The solutions are derived by an explicit mathematical procedure using Duhamel’s theorem in conjunction with a Fourier series, when groundwater fluctuation is described by a general time-dependent function and assumed to be the pore water pressure variations at the upper boundary. Taking as an example the harmonic groundwater fluctuation, the relevant response of the excess pore water pressure is discussed in detail, and the main influencing factors of the excess pore pressure distribution are analyzed. A dimensionless parameterθhas been introduced because it significantly affects the phase and the amplitude of excess pore pressures. The influences of the coefficients of permeability and compressibility of soil on the excess pore pressure distribution are different and cannot be incorporated into the coefficient of consolidation in double-layered soil. The relative permeability ratio of two clayey soils also plays an important role on the curves of the distributions of the excess pore pressures. The effects of the thickness of the soil layer on the excess pore pressure distribution should be considered together with the dimensionless parameterθand the permeability and compressibility of the double-layered soil system.
Internal Carotid Artery Aneurysm Mimicking Peritonsillar Abscess
Authors: Brzost Jacek , Cyran Anna M. , Waniewska Martyna , Szczepanski Miroslaw J.
Published: June 2015

The extracranial internal carotid artery aneurysm (EICAA) is an uncommon arterial lesion. Patients typically present with neurologic symptoms resulting from impaired cerebral perfusion and compression symptoms of cranial nerves. Often EICAA presents as a pulsatile neck mass, which is otherwise asymptomatic. We present a case of an 84-year-old female, who was initially referred to the Emergency Department for Otolaryngology with suspected peritonsillar abscess. The patient had a history of recent upper airway infection and cardiovascular comorbidities, including hypertension and ischaemic stroke complicated by extensive neurologic deficits. Physical examination revealed a compact, nonpulsatile mass in the lateral parapharyngeal space and local erythema of the mucosa. Duplex Doppler Ultrasonography and Computed Tomography revealed an atherosclerotic aneurysm of the right internal carotid artery, measuring63×55×88 mm, stretching from the skull base to the angle of the mandible.
Clinical Advantages and Limitations of Monolithic Zirconia Restorations Full Arch Implant Supported Reconstruction: Case Series
Authors: Carames Joao , Tovar Suinaga Loana , Yu Yung Cheng Paul , Pérez Alejandro , Kang Mary
Published: June 2015

Purpose. The purpose of this retrospective case series is to evaluate the clinical advantages and limitations of monolithic zirconia restorations for full arch implant supported restorations and report the rate of complications up to 2 years after insertion.Materials and Methods. Fourteen patients received implant placement for monolithic zirconia full arch reconstructions. Four implants were placed in seven arches, eleven arches received six implants, two arches received seven implants, two arches received eight implants, and one arch received nine implants.Results. No implant failures or complications were reported for an implant survival rate of 100% with follow-up ranging from 3 to 24 months.Conclusions. Monolithic zirconia CAD-/CAM-milled framework restorations are a treatment option for full arch restorations over implants, showing a 96% success rate in the present study. Some of the benefits are accuracy, reduced veneering porcelain, and minimal occlusal adjustments. The outcome of the present study showed high success in function, aesthetics, phonetics, and high patient satisfaction.
Enhanced Critical Size Defect Repair in Rabbit Mandible by Electrospun Gelatin/β‐TCP Composite Nanofibrous Membranes
Authors: Xu Mingming , Zhang Xuehui , Meng Song , Dai Xiaohan , Han Bing , Deng Xuliang
Published: June 2015

The design and fabrication of biodegradable barrier membranes with satisfactory structure and composition remain a considerable challenge for periodontal tissue regeneration. We have developed a biomimetic nanofibrous membrane made from a composite of gelatin and β‐tricalcium phosphate (β‐TCP). We previously confirmed the in vitro biological performance of the membrane material, but the efficacy of the membranes in promoting bone repair in situ has not yet been examined. Gelatin/β‐TCP composite nanofibers were fabricated by incorporation of 20 wt.% β‐TCP nanoparticles into electrospun gelatin nanofibers. Electron microscopy showed that the composite membranes presented a nonwoven structure with an interconnected porous network and had a rough surface due to the β‐TCP nanoparticles, which were distributed widely and uniformly throughout the gelatin‐fiber matrix. The repair efficacy of rabbit mandible defects implanted with bone substitute (Bio‐Oss) and covered with the gelatin/β‐TCP composite nanofibrous membrane was evaluated in comparison with pure gelatin nanofibrous membrane. Gross observation, histological examination, and immunohistochemical analysis showed that new bone formation and defect closure were significantly enhanced by the composite membranes compared to the pure gelatin ones. From these results, we conclude that nanofibrous gelatin/β‐TCP composite membranes could serve as effective barrier membranes for guided tissue regeneration.
The Role of RPGR and Its Interacting Proteins in Ciliopathies
Authors: Patnaik Sarita Rani , Raghupathy Rakesh Kotapati , Zhang Xun , Mansfield David , Shu Xinhua
Published: June 2015

Ciliopathies encompass a group of genetic disorders characterized by defects in the formation, maintenance, or function of cilia. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is frequently one of the clinical features presented in diverse ciliopathies. RP is a heterogeneous group of inherited retinal disorders, characterized by the death of photoreceptors and affecting more than one million individuals worldwide. Theretinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator(RPGR) gene is mutated in up to 20% of all RP patients. RPGR protein has different interacting partners to function in ciliary protein trafficking. In this review, we specifically focus on RPGR and its two interacting proteins: RPGRIP1 and RPGRIP1L. We summarize the function of the three proteins and highlight recent studies that provide insight into the cellular function of those proteins.
MapReduce Functions to Analyze Sentiment Information from Social Big Data
Authors: Ha Ilkyu , Back Bonghyun , Ahn Byoungchul
Published: June 2015

Opinion mining, which extracts meaningful opinion information from large amounts of social multimedia data, has recently arisen as a research area. In particular, opinion mining has been used to understand the true meaning and intent of social networking site users. It requires efficient techniques to collect a large amount of social multimedia data and extract meaningful information from them. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a method to extract sentiment information from various types of unstructured social media text data from social networks by using a parallel Hadoop Distributed File System (HDFS) to save social multimedia data and using MapReduce functions for sentiment analysis. The proposed method has stably performed data gathering and data loading and maintained stable load balancing of memory and CPU resources during data processing by the HDFS system. The proposed MapReduce functions have effectively performed sentiment analysis in the experiments. Finally, the sentiment analysis results of the proposed system are very close to those of manual processes.
Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis: A Rare Cause of Cirrhosis in Young Adult Patients
Authors: Sun Gavin R. , Burns Michele
Published: June 2015

Hepatic cirrhosis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. An unusual case of cirrhosis and portal hypertension in an 18-year-old patient secondary to Progressive Intrahepatic Cholestasis is discussed. The clinical and biochemical findings are discussed and a clinical approach to determining the underlying etiology of cirrhosis is outlined. Significant complications of portal hypertension include ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, varices, and hepatic encephalopathy. A clinical approach to these complications of cirrhosis is presented. Progressive Familial Intrahepatic Cholestasis (PFIC) is a rare congenital metabolic abnormality. There are 3 subtypes and Type 3 PFIC commonly presents in late adolescence and early adulthood. Clinical and laboratory findings as well as management for the condition are described.
An Improved Ant Colony Routing Algorithm for WSNs
Authors: Zhi Tan , Hui Zhang
Published: June 2015

Ant colony algorithm is a classical routing algorithm. And it are used in a variety of application because it is economic and self-organized. However, the routing algorithm will expend huge amounts of energy at the beginning. In the paper, based on the idea of Dijkstra algorithm, the improved ant colony algorithm was proposed to balance the energy consumption of networks. Through simulation and comparison with basic ant colony algorithms, it is obvious that improved algorithm can effectively balance energy consumption and extend the lifetime of WSNs.
Some Topological and Geometric Properties of Some New Spaces ofλ-Convergent and Bounded Series
Authors: Kaya Meltem , Furkan Hasan
Published: June 2015

The main purpose of this study is to introduce the spacescsλ,cs0λ, andbsλwhich areBK-spaces of nonabsolute type. We prove that these spaces are linearly isomorphic to the spacescs,cs0, andbs, respectively, and derive some inclusion relations. Additionally, Schauder bases of the spacescsλandcs0λhave been constructed and theα-,β-, andγ-duals of these spaces have been computed. Besides, we characterize some matrix classes from the spacescsλ,cs0λ, andbsλto the spaceslp,c, andc0, where1≤p≤∞. Finally, we examine some geometric properties of these spaces as Gurarǐ’s modulus of convexity, propertym∞, property(M), property WORTH, nonstrict Opial property, and weak fixed point property.
All-Trans Retinoic Acid Improves the Effects of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis: AnIn VitroStudy
Authors: Li Deng , Wang Peng , Li Yuxi , Xie Zhongyu , Wang Le , Su Hongjun , Deng Wen , Wu Yanfeng , Shen Huiyong
Published: June 2015

Previous studies have demonstrated the immunosuppressive effects of both all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The present study aimed to assess the immunoregulatory effects of ATRA on MSCs in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Bone marrow-derived MSCs from healthy donors were pretreated with ATRA and cocultured with CD3/28-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from AS patients. Frequencies of Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cells were analyzed using flow cytometry. The secretion and the mRNA level of key cytokines were measured with cytometric bead array and quantitative real-time PCR, respectively. ATRA pretreatment increased interleukin-6 (IL-6) secretion of MSCs. Th17 and Treg subset populations were increased and reduced by ATRA-pretreated MSCs, respectively. ATRA-pretreated MSCs significantly decreased not only the vital pathogenic cytokine in AS, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), but also AS-boosting factors interleukin-17 (IL-17A) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ). These results indicated that IL-6 may be a potential protective factor in AS and highlighted the promising role of ATRA in improving the efficacy of MSC-based treatment of AS.
Micro- and Nanosized Particles in Nasal Mucosa: A Pilot Study
Authors: Čábalová Lenka , Čabanová Kristina , Bielniková Hana , Kukutschová Jana , Dvořáčková Jana , Dědková Kateřina , Zeleník Karol , Komínek Pavel
Published: June 2015

Objective. The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate presence and quantity of micro- and nanosized particles (NPs) and interindividual differences in their distribution and composition in nasal mucosa.Methods. Six samples of nasal mucosa obtained by mucotomy from patients with chronic hypertrophic rhinosinusitis were examined. Samples divided into 4 parts according to the distance from the nostrils were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and Raman microspectroscopy to detect solid particles and characterize their morphology and composition. A novel method of quantification of the particles was designed and used to evaluate interindividual differences in distribution of the particles. The findings were compared with patients’ employment history.Results. In all the samples, NPs of different elemental composition were found (iron, barium, copper, titanium, etc.), predominantly in the parts most distant from nostrils, in various depths from the surface of the mucosa and interindividual differences in their quantity and composition were found, possibly in relation to professional exposition.Conclusions. This study has proven the possibility of quantification of distribution of micro- and nanosized particles in tissue samples and that the NPs may deposit in deeper layers of mucosa and their elemental composition may be related to professional exposition to the sources of NPs.
Feasibility Study on Tension Estimation Technique for Hanger Cables Using the FE Model-Based System Identification Method
Authors: Park Kyu-Sik , Seong Taek-Ryong , Noh Myung-Hyun
Published: June 2015

Hanger cables in suspension bridges are partly constrained by horizontal clamps. So, existing tension estimation methods based on a single cable model are prone to higher errors as the cable gets shorter, making it more sensitive to flexural rigidity. Therefore, inverse analysis and system identification methods based on finite element models are suggested recently. In this paper, the applicability of system identification methods is investigated using the hanger cables of Gwang-An bridge. The test results show that the inverse analysis and systemic identification methods based on finite element models are more reliable than the existing string theory and linear regression method for calculating the tension in terms of natural frequency errors. However, the estimation error of tension can be varied according to the accuracy of finite element model in model based methods. In particular, the boundary conditions affect the results more profoundly when the cable gets shorter. Therefore, it is important to identify the boundary conditions through experiment if it is possible. The FE model-based tension estimation method using system identification method can take various boundary conditions into account. Also, since it is not sensitive to the number of natural frequency inputs, the availability of this system is high.
Probabilistic Risk Assessment: Piping Fragility due to Earthquake Fault Mechanisms
Authors: Ju Bu Seog , Jung WooYoung , Noh Myung-Hyun
Published: June 2015

A lifeline system, serving as an energy-supply system, is an essential component of urban infrastructure. In a hospital, for example, the piping system supplies elements essential for hospital operations, such as water and fire-suppression foam. Such nonstructural components, especially piping systems and their subcomponents, must remain operational and functional during earthquake-induced fires. But the behavior of piping systems as subjected to seismic ground motions is very complex, owing particularly to the nonlinearity affected by the existence of many connections such as T-joints and elbows. The present study carried out a probabilistic risk assessment on a hospital fire-protection piping system’s acceleration-sensitive 2-inch T-joint sprinkler components under seismic ground motions. Specifically, the system’s seismic capacity, using an experimental-test-based nonlinear finite element (FE) model, was evaluated for the probability of failure under different earthquake-fault mechanisms including normal fault, reverse fault, strike-slip fault, and near-source ground motions. It was observed that the probabilistic failure of the T-joint of the fire-protection piping system varied significantly according to the fault mechanisms. The normal-fault mechanism led to a higher probability of system failure at locations 1 and 2. The strike-slip fault mechanism, contrastingly, affected the lowest fragility of the piping system at a higher PGA.
The Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy MULTIMOORA Method for Group Decision Making in Engineering
Authors: Zavadskas Edmundas Kazimieras , Antucheviciene Jurgita , Razavi Hajiagha Seyed Hossein , Hashemi Shide Sadat
Published: June 2015

Multiple criteria decision making methods have received different extensions under the uncertain environment in recent years. The aim of the current research is to extend the application of the MULTIMOORA method (Multiobjective Optimization by Ratio Analysis plus Full Multiplicative Form) for group decision making in the uncertain environment. Taking into account the advantages of IVIFS (interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets) in handling the problem of uncertainty, the development of the interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy MULTIMOORA (IVIF-MULTIMOORA) method for group decision making is considered in the paper. Two numerical examples of real-world civil engineering problems are presented, and ranking of the alternatives based on the suggested method is described. The results are then compared to the rankings yielded by some other methods of decision making with IVIF information. The comparison has shown the conformity of the proposed IVIF-MULTIMOORA method with other approaches. The proposed algorithm is favorable because of the abilities of IVIFS to be used for imagination of uncertainty and the MULTIMOORA method to consider three different viewpoints in analyzing engineering decision alternatives.
Energy-Aware Hierarchical Topology Control for Wireless Sensor Networks with Energy-Harvesting Nodes
Authors: Yoon Ikjune , Noh Dong Kun , Shin Heonshik
Published: June 2015

The nodes in a wireless sensor network (WSN) are often clustered to improve the efficiency of data transmission, but this can cause an imbalance in the energy available at each node. This impairs the transmission capability of some nodes and hence reduces network connectivity. This imbalance worsens as nodes become defunct. We propose a multilayer topology for long-term hybrid WSNs which contain both battery-powered and energy-harvesting nodes. Each node periodically selects its own layer, depending on the energy it has available, in order to balance energy levels and maintain network connectivity. Simulations show that this scheme improves the delivery of data across a WSN.
An Adaptive Routing Protocol Based on QoS and Vehicular Density in Urban VANETs
Authors: Sun Yongmei , Luo Shuyun , Dai Qijin , Ji Yuefeng
Published: June 2015

Multihop data delivery between vehicles is an important technique to support the implementation of vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). However, many inherent characteristics of VANETs (e.g., dynamic network topology) bring great challenges to the data delivery. In particular, dynamic topology and intermittent connectivity make it difficult to design an efficient and stable geographic routing protocol for different applications of VANETs. To solve this problem, the paper proposes an adaptive routing protocol based on QoS and vehicular density (ARP-QD) in urban VANETs environments. The basic idea is to find the best path for end-to-end data delivery, which can satisfy diverse QoS requirements by considering hop count and link duration simultaneously. To reduce the network overhead furthermore, ARP-QD adopts an adaptive neighbor discovery algorithm to obtain neighbors’ information based on local vehicular density. In addition, a recovery strategy with carry-and-forward is utilized when the routing path is disrupted. Numerical simulations show that the proposed ARP-QD has higher delivery ratio than two prominent routing protocols in VANETs, without giving large compromise on delivery delay. The adaptivity of ARP-QD is also analyzed.
Secure Data Fusion in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks via Compressed Sensing
Authors: Gao Rui , Wen Yingyou , Zhao Hong
Published: June 2015

The paper proposes a novel secure data fusion strategy based on compressed image sensing and watermarking; namely, the algorithm exploits the sparsity in the image encryption. The approach relies onl1-norm regularization, common in compressive sensing, to enhance the detection of sparsity over wireless multimedia sensor networks. The resulting algorithms endow sensor nodes with learning abilities and allow them to learn the sparse structure from the still image data, and also utilize the watermarking approach to achieve authentication mechanism. We provide the total transmission volume and the energy consumption performance analysis of each node, and summarize the peak signal to noise ratio values of the proposed method. We also show how to adaptively select the sampling parameter. Simulation results illustrate the advantage of the proposed strategy for secure data fusion.
A New Hybrid Algorithm to Solve Winner Determination Problem in Multiunit Double Internet Auction
Authors: Ykhlef Mourad , Alqifari Reem
Published: June 2015

Solving winner determination problem in multiunit double auction has become an important E-business task. The main issue in double auction is to improve the reward in order to match the ideal prices and quantity and make the best profit for sellers and buyers according to their bids and predefined quantities. There are many algorithms introduced for solving winner in multiunit double auction. Conventional algorithms can find the optimal solution but they take a long time, particularly when they are applied to large dataset. Nowadays, some evolutionary algorithms, such as particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithm, were proposed and have been applied. In order to improve the speed of evolutionary algorithms convergence, we will propose a new kind of hybrid evolutionary algorithm that combines genetic algorithm (GA) with particle swarm optimization (PSO) to solve winner determination problem in multiunit double auction; we will refer to this algorithm as AUC-GAPSO.
Modeling MAC Protocol Based on Frame Slotted Aloha for Low Energy Critical Infrastructure Sensor Networks
Authors: Ullah Niamat , Ullah Kifayat , Islam S. M. Riazul , Khan Pervaiz , Ullah Sana , Kwak Kyung Sup
Published: June 2015

We propose and analyse a medium access control (MAC) protocol for low energy critical infrastructure monitoring (LECIM) networks. As the packet drop probability plays crucial role in LECIM applications, we propose framed slotted aloha based MAC for LECIM using linearly increased contention window size to reduce the packet drop probability. We present a mathematical model of our proposed MAC under both saturated and nonsaturated traffic scenarios. We use probabilistic approach to find the performance metrics such as collision probability, packet drop probability, throughput, and energy consumption. Also, we obtain the probability-generating function of the head-of-line (HoL) delay of packet. The analytical results match with simulations. Our results can be used in the design of a system by providing the optimum system parameters for endpoints satisfying the given quality of service requirements on packet drop probability, energy consumption, and delay.
Soft Tissue Surgical Procedures for Optimizing Anterior Implant Esthetics
Authors: Ioannou Andreas L. , Kotsakis Georgios A. , McHale Michelle G. , Lareau Donald E. , Hinrichs James E. , Romanos Georgios E.
Published: June 2015

Implant dentistry has been established as a predictable treatment with excellent clinical success to replace missing or nonrestorable teeth. A successful esthetic implant reconstruction is predicated on two fundamental components: the reproduction of the natural tooth characteristics on the implant crown and the establishment of soft tissue housing that will simulate a healthy periodontium. In order for an implant to optimally rehabilitate esthetics, the peri-implant soft tissues must be preserved and/or augmented by means of periodontal surgical procedures. Clinicians who practice implant dentistry should strive to achieve an esthetically successful outcome beyond just osseointegration. Knowledge of a variety of available techniques and proper treatment planning enables the clinician to meet the ever-increasing esthetic demands as requested by patients. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the implant surgeon’s rationale and techniques beyond that of simply placing a functional restoration in an edentulous site to a level whereby an implant-supported restoration is placed in reconstructed soft tissue, so the site is indiscernible from a natural tooth.