bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compressed Sensing/Sparse-Recovery Approach for Improved Range Resolution in Narrow-Band Radar
Authors: Costanzo Sandra
Published: January 2016

A compressed sensing/sparse-recovery procedure is adopted to obtain enhanced range resolution capability from the processing of data acquired with narrow-band SFCW radars. A mathematical formulation for the proposed approach is reported and validity limitations are fully discussed, by demonstrating the ability to identify a great number of targets, up to 20, in the range direction. Both numerical and experimental validations are presented, by assuming also noise conditions. The proposed method can be usefully applied for the accurate detection of parameters with very small variations, such as those involved in the monitoring of soil deformations or biological objects.
Spatial Stationarity of Ultrawideband and Millimeter Wave Radio Channels
Authors: Tan Yi , Nielsen Jesper Ødum , Pedersen Gert Frølund
Published: January 2016

For radio channels with broad bandwidth resource, such as those often used for ultrawideband (UWB) and millimeter wave (mmwave) systems, the Wide-Sense Stationary Uncorrelated Scattering (WSSUS) and spatial stationary assumptions are more critical than typical cellular channels with very limited bandwidth resource. This paper studies spatial stationarity and bandwidth dependency of the Multipath Component (MPC) parameters, and the concept of local region of stationarity (LRS) is used as the measure of the physical stationarity region. LRS calculation results based on channel measurements show that the size of LRS is bandwidth dependent in all measured bands, 2–4 GHz, 14–16 GHz, and 28–30 GHz. The results in this paper point out that an inappropriate choice of bandwidth in channel parameter estimation could violate spatial stationary assumptions. The paper indicates LRS sizes for different bandwidths in the three bands.
Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Peritoneal EMT and Fibrosis
Authors: Strippoli Raffaele , Moreno-Vicente Roberto , Battistelli Cecilia , Cicchini Carla , Noce Valeria , Amicone Laura , Marchetti Alessandra , del Pozo Miguel Angel , Tripodi Marco
Published: January 2016

Peritoneal dialysis is a form of renal replacement alternative to the hemodialysis. During this treatment, the peritoneal membrane acts as a permeable barrier for exchange of solutes and water. Continual exposure to dialysis solutions, as well as episodes of peritonitis and hemoperitoneum, can cause acute/chronic inflammation and injury to the peritoneal membrane, which undergoes progressive fibrosis, angiogenesis, and vasculopathy, eventually leading to discontinuation of the peritoneal dialysis. Among the different events controlling this pathological process, epithelial to mesenchymal transition of mesothelial cells plays a main role in the induction of fibrosis and in subsequent functional deterioration of the peritoneal membrane. Here, the main extracellular inducers and cellular players are described. Moreover, signaling pathways acting during this process are elucidated, with emphasis on signals delivered by TGF‐β family members and by Toll‐like/IL‐1β receptors. The understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying fibrosis of the peritoneal membrane has both a basic and a translational relevance, since it may be useful for setup of therapies aimed at counteracting the deterioration as well as restoring the homeostasis of the peritoneal membrane.
The Response to Oxidative DNA Damage in Neurons: Mechanisms and Disease
Authors: Narciso Laura , Parlanti Eleonora , Racaniello Mauro , Simonelli Valeria , Cardinale Alessio , Merlo Daniela , Dogliotti Eugenia
Published: January 2016

There is a growing body of evidence indicating that the mechanisms that control genome stability are of key importance in the development and function of the nervous system. The major threat for neurons is oxidative DNA damage, which is repaired by the base excision repair (BER) pathway. Functional mutations of enzymes that are involved in the processing of single-strand breaks (SSB) that are generated during BER have been causally associated with syndromes that present important neurological alterations and cognitive decline. In this review, the plasticity of BER during neurogenesis and the importance of an efficient BER for correct brain function will be specifically addressed paying particular attention to the brain region and neuron-selectivity in SSB repair-associated neurological syndromes and age-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Repeated Electroacupuncture Persistently Elevates Adenosine and Ameliorates Collagen‐Induced Arthritis in Rats
Authors: Ye Tian-shen , Du Zhong-heng , Li Zhi-hui , Xie Wen-xia , Huang Ka-te , Chen Yong , Chen Zhou-yang , Hu Huan , Wang Jun-lu , Fang Jian-Qiao
Published: January 2016

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of repeated electroacupuncture (EA) over 21 days on the adenosine concentration in peripheral blood of rats with collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA). Wistar rats were divided into three groups of 6 animals each: sham‐control, CIA‐control, and CIA‐EA. We determined the adenosine concentration in peripheral blood and assessed pathological changes of ankle joints. Quantitative reverse‐transcription‐polymerase chain reaction was used to determine mRNA levels of ecto‐5′‐nucleotidase (CD73), adenosine deaminase (ADA), and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α). Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect expression of ADA and CD73 in synovial tissue. Repeated EA treatment on CIA resulted in the persistence of high concentrations of adenosine in peripheral blood, significantly reduced pathological scores, TNF‐α mRNA concentrations, and synovial hyperplasia. Importantly, EA treatment led to a significant increase in CD73 mRNA levels in peripheral blood but was associated with a decrease of CD73 immunostaining in synovial tissue. In addition, EA treatment resulted in a significant decrease of both ADA mRNA levels in peripheral blood and ADA immunostaining in synovial tissue. Thus, repeated EA treatment exerts an anti‐inflammatory and immunoregulatory effect on CIA by increasing the concentration of adenosine. The mechanism of EA action may involve the modulation of CD73 and ADA expression levels.
Imaging Manifestations of a Subependymal Giant Cell Astrocytoma in Tuberous Sclerosis
Authors: Stein Joseph R. , Reidman Daniel A.
Published: January 2016

Tuberous sclerosis is a rare genetic disorder resulting in benign tumor growth in various organs including the brain, heart, skin, eyes, kidney, and lung as well as systemic manifestations including seizures, cognitive impairment, and dermatologic abnormalities. This report shows the radiological findings and differentiation between a subependymal nodule and subependymal giant cell astrocytoma in a patient with tuberous sclerosis presenting with new onset seizures.
Protective Effects of L‐Malate against Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Rats
Authors: Ding Shiao , Yang Yang , Mei Ju
Published: January 2016

Objective. To investigate the protective effects of L‐malate against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in rats. Methods. Male Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly assigned to the following groups: sham (sham), an ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) model group (model), an DMF pretreated group (DMF), and 5 L‐malate pretreated groups (15, 60, 120, 240, or 480 mg/kg, gavage) before inducing myocardial ischemia. Plasma LDH, cTn‐I, TNF‐α, hs‐CRP, SOD, and GSH‐PX were measured 3 h later I/R. Areas of myocardial infarction were measured; hemodynamic parameters during I/R were recorded. Hearts were harvested and Western blot was used to quantify Nrf2, Keap1, HO‐1, and NQO‐1 expression in the myocardium. Results. L‐malate significantly reduced LDH and cTn‐I release, reduced myocardial infarct size, inhibited expression of inflammatory cytokines, and partially preserved heart function, as well as increasing antioxidant activity after myocardial I/R injury. Western blot confirmed that L‐malate reduced Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1 in ischemic myocardial tissue, upregulated expression of Nrf2 and Nrf2 nuclear translocation, and increased expression of heme oxygenase‐1 and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1, which are major targets of Nrf2. Conclusions. L‐malate may protect against myocardial I/R injury in rats and this may be associated with activation of the Nrf2/Keap1 antioxidant pathway.
Comparison of Oil Content and Fatty Acid Profile of Ten NewCamellia oleiferaCultivars
Authors: Yang Chunying , Liu Xueming , Chen Zhiyi , Lin Yaosheng , Wang Siyuan
Published: January 2016

The oil contents and fatty acid (FA) compositions of ten new and one wildCamellia oleiferavarieties were investigated. Oil contents in camellia seeds from newC. oleiferavaried with cultivars from 41.92% to 53.30% and were affected by cultivation place. Average oil content (47.83%) of dry seeds from all ten new cultivars was almost the same as that of wild commonC. oleiferaseeds (47.06%). NewC. oleiferacultivars contained similar FA compositions which included palmitic acid (C16:0, PA), palmitoleic acid (C16:1), stearic acid (C18:0, SA), oleic acid (C18:1, OA), linoleic acid (C18:2, LA), linolenic acid (C18:3), eicosenoic acid (C20:1), and tetracosenoic acid (C24:1). Predominant FAs in mature seeds were OA (75.78%~81.39%), LA (4.85%~10.79%), PA (7.68%~10.01%), and SA (1.46%~2.97%) and OA had the least coefficient of variation among different new cultivars. Average ratio of single FA of ten artificialC. oleiferacultivars was consistent with that of wild commonC. oleifera. All cultivars contained the same ratios of saturated FA (SFA) and unsaturated FA (USFA). Oil contents and FA profiles of new cultivars were not significantly affected by breeding and selection.
Consistency between Self-Reported and Recorded Values for Clinical Measures
Authors: III Joseph Thomas , Paulet Mindy , Rajpura Jigar R.
Published: January 2016

Objectives. This study evaluated consistency between self-reported values for clinical measures and recorded clinical measures.Methods. Self-reported values were collected for the clinical measures: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, glucose level, height, weight, and cholesterol from health risk assessments completed by enrollees in a privately insured cohort. Body mass index (BMI) was computed from reported height and weight. Practitioner recorded values for the clinical measures were obtained from health screenings. We used bivariate Pearson correlation analysis and descriptive statistics to evaluate consistency between self-reported data and recorded clinic measurements.Results. There was high correlation between self-reported clinical values and recorded clinical measures for diastolic blood pressure (r=0.91,P=<0.0001), systolic blood pressure (r=0.93,P=<0.0001), cholesterol (r=0.97,P=<0.0001), body mass index (r=0.96,P=<0.0001), glucose (r=0.96,P=<0.0001), weight (r=0.98,P=<0.0001), and height (r=0.89,P=<0.0001).Conclusions. Self-reported clinical values for each of the eight clinical measures examined had good consistency with practitioner recorded data.
Behavioral Periodicity Detection from 24 h Wrist Accelerometry and Associations with Cardiometabolic Risk and Health-Related Quality of Life
Authors: Buman Matthew P. , Hu Feiyan , Newman Eamonn , Smeaton Alan F. , Epstein Dana R.
Published: January 2016

Periodicities (repeating patterns) are observed in many human behaviors. Their strength may capture untapped patterns that incorporate sleep, sedentary, and active behaviors into a single metric indicative of better health. We present a framework to detect periodicities from longitudinal wrist-worn accelerometry data. GENEActiv accelerometer data were collected from 20 participants (17 men, 3 women, aged 35–65) continuously for64.4±26.2(range: 13.9 to 102.0) consecutive days. Cardiometabolic risk biomarkers and health-related quality of life metrics were assessed at baseline. Periodograms were constructed to determine patterns emergent from the accelerometer data. Periodicity strength was calculated using circular autocorrelations for time-lagged windows. The most notable periodicity was at 24 h, indicating a circadian rest-activity cycle; however, its strength varied significantly across participants. Periodicity strength was most consistently associated with LDL-cholesterol (r’s = 0.40–0.79,P’s < 0.05) and triglycerides (r’s = 0.68–0.86,P’s < 0.05) but also associated with hs-CRP and health-related quality of life, even after adjusting for demographics and self-rated physical activity and insomnia symptoms. Our framework demonstrates a new method for characterizing behavior patterns longitudinally which captures relationships between 24 h accelerometry data and health outcomes.
An Integration Method of Inertial Navigation System and Three-Beam Lidar for the Precision Landing
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyue , Liu Pengbo , Zhang Chunxi
Published: January 2016

To ensure the high accuracy, independence, and reliability of the measurement system in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) landing process, an integration method of inertial navigation system (INS) and the three-beam Lidar is proposed. The three beams of Lidar are, respectively, regarded as an independent sensor to integrate with INS according to the conception of multisensor fusion. Simultaneously, the fault-detection and reconstruction method is adopted to enhance the reliability and fault resistance. First the integration method is described. Then the strapdown inertial navigation system (SINS) error model is introduced and the measurement model of SINS/Lidar integrated navigation is deduced under Lidar reference coordinate. The fault-detection and reconstruction method is introduced. Finally, numerical simulation and vehicle test are carried out to demonstrate the validity and utility of the proposed method. The results indicate that the integration can obtain high precision navigation information and the system can effectively distinguish the faults and accomplish the reconstruction to guarantee the normal navigation when one or two beams of the Lidar malfunction.
NADPH Oxidase: A Potential Target for Treatment of Stroke
Authors: Zhang Li , Wu Jie , Duan Xiaochun , Tian Xiaodi , Shen Haitao , Sun Qing , Chen Gang
Published: January 2016

Stroke is the third leading cause of death in industrialized nations. Oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of stroke, and excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by mitochondria is thought to be the main cause of oxidative stress. NADPH oxidase (NOX) enzymes have recently been identified and studied as important producers of ROS in brain tissues after stroke. Several reports have shown that knockout or deletion of NOX exerts a neuroprotective effect in three major experimental stroke models. Recent studies also confirmed that NOX inhibitors ameliorate brain injury and improve neurological outcome after stroke. However, the physiological and pathophysiological roles of NOX enzymes in the central nervous system (CNS) are not known well. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of our current understanding about expression and physiological function of NOX enzymes in the CNS and its pathophysiological roles in the three major types of stroke: ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Overexpression of Soluble Recombinant Human Lysyl Oxidase by Using Solubility Tags: Effects on Activity and Solubility
Authors: Smith Madison A. , Gonzalez Jesica , Hussain Anjum , Oldfield Rachel N. , Johnston Kathryn A. , Lopez Karlo M.
Published: January 2016

Lysyl oxidase is an important extracellular matrix enzyme that has not been fully characterized due to its low solubility. In order to circumvent the low solubility of this enzyme, three solubility tags (Nus-A, Thioredoxin (Trx), and Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST)) were engineered on the N-terminus of mature lysyl oxidase. Total enzyme yields were determined to be 1.5 mg for the Nus-A tagged enzyme (0.75 mg/L of media), 7.84 mg for the Trx tagged enzyme (3.92 mg/L of media), and 9.33 mg for the GST tagged enzyme (4.67 mg/L of media). Enzymatic activity was calculated to be 0.11 U/mg for the Nus-A tagged enzyme and 0.032 U/mg for the Trx tagged enzyme, and no enzymatic activity was detected for the GST tagged enzyme. All three solubility-tagged forms of the enzyme incorporated copper; however, the GST tagged enzyme appears to bind adventitious copper with greater affinity than the other two forms. The catalytic cofactor, lysyl tyrosyl quinone (LTQ), was determined to be 92% for the Nus-A and Trx tagged lysyl oxidase using the previously reported extinction coefficient of 15.4 mM−1 cm−1. No LTQ was detected for the GST tagged lysyl oxidase. Given these data, it appears that Nus-A is the most suitable tag for obtaining soluble and active recombinant lysyl oxidase fromE. coliculture.
Iterative Approximations for Zeros of Sum of Accretive Operators in Banach Spaces
Authors: Shehu Yekini
Published: January 2016

We study the approximation of zero for sum of accretive operators using a modified Mann type forward-backward splitting algorithm and obtain strong convergence of the sequence generated by our scheme to the zero of sum of accretive operators in uniformly convex real Banach spaces which are also uniformly smooth. Our result is new and complements many recent and important results in this direction in the literature.
Features of Microsystems for Cultivation and Characterization of Stem Cells with the Aim of Regenerative Therapy
Authors: Ahn Kihoon , Kim Sung-Hwan , Lee Gi-Hun , Lee SeungJin , Heo Yun Seok , Park Joong Yull
Published: January 2016

Stem cells have infinite potential for regenerative therapy thanks to their advantageous ability which is differentiable to requisite cell types for recovery and self‐renewal. The microsystem has been proved to be more helpful to stem cell studies compared to the traditional methods, relying on its advantageous feature of mimicking in vivo cellular environments as well as other profitable features such as minimum sample consumption for analysis and multiprocedures. A wide variety of microsystems were developed for stem cell studies; however, regenerative therapy‐targeted applications of microtechnology should be more emphasized and gain more attractions since the regenerative therapy is one of ultimate goals of biologists and bioengineers. In this review, we introduce stem cell researches harnessing well‐known microtechniques (microwell, micropattern, and microfluidic channel) in view point of physical principles and how these systems and principles have been implemented appropriately for characterizing stem cells and finding possible regenerative therapies. Biologists may gain information on the principles of microsystems to apply them to find solutions for their current challenges, and engineers may understand limitations of the conventional microsystems and find new chances for further developing practical microsystems. Through the well combination of engineers and biologists, the regenerative therapy‐targeted stem cell researches harnessing microtechnology will find better suitable treatments for human disorders.
Hypothesis That Urethral Bulb (Corpus Spongiosum) Plays an Active Role in Male Urinary Continence
Authors: Rehder Peter , Staudacher Nina M. , Schachtner Joerg , Berger Maria E. , Schillfahrt Florian , Hauser Verena , Mueller Raphael , Skradski Viktor , Horninger Wolfgang , Glodny Bernhard
Published: January 2016

The proximal urethral bulb in men is enlarged, surrounds the bulbous urethra, and extends dorsally towards the perineum. During intercourse engorgement takes place due to increased blood flow through the corpus spongiosum. Antegrade ejaculation is facilitated by contraction of the bulbospongiosus muscles during climax. Micturition during sexual stimulation is functionally inhibited. Supporting the bulb may indirectly facilitate continence in a certain subset of patients with postprostatectomy incontinence. During physical activity with increased abdominal pressure, reflex contraction of the pelvic floor muscles as well as the bulbospongiosus muscles occurs to support sphincter function and limit urinary incontinence. Operations to the prostate may weaken urinary sphincter function. It is hypothesized that the distal urinary sphincter may be supported indirectly by placing a hammock underneath the urethral bulb. During moments of physical stress the “cushion” of blood within the supported corpus spongiosum helps to increase the zone of coaptation within the sphincteric (membranous) urethra. This may lead to urinary continence in patients treated by a transobturator repositioning sling in patients with postprostatectomy incontinence. This paper describes the possible role of the urethral bulb in male urinary continence, including its function after retroluminal sling placement (AdVance, AdVance XP® Male Sling System, Minnetonka, USA).
Developmental Dynamics of Rett Syndrome
Authors: Feldman Danielle , Banerjee Abhishek , Sur Mriganka
Published: January 2016

Rett Syndrome was long considered to be simply a disorder of postnatal development, with phenotypes that manifest only late in development and into adulthood. A variety of recent evidence demonstrates that the phenotypes of Rett Syndrome are present at the earliest stages of brain development, including developmental stages that define neurogenesis, migration, and patterning in addition to stages of synaptic and circuit development and plasticity. These phenotypes arise from the pleotropic effects of MeCP2, which is expressed very early in neuronal progenitors and continues to be expressed into adulthood. The effects of MeCP2 are mediated by diverse signaling, transcriptional, and epigenetic mechanisms. Attempts to reverse the effects of Rett Syndrome need to take into account the developmental dynamics and temporal impact of MeCP2 loss.
Downregulation of Mitofusin 2 in Placenta Is Related to Preeclampsia
Authors: Yu Jun , Guo Xijiao , Chen Ruibao , Feng Ling
Published: January 2016

Background. Mitofusin 2 (Mfn2) is a novel mitochondrial protein that is implicated in cellular proliferation and metabolism; however, the role of Mfn2 in preeclampsia (PE) remains unknown. This study aimed to explore the relationship between Mfn2 and PE.Method. Preeclamptic and normal pregnancies were enrolled in a comparative study. The expression of Mfn2 in placenta was detected by qRT-PCR. And the mitochondrial function was detected by ATP assay. Then TEV-1 cells were cultured in hypoxic conditions. mRNA and protein expressions of Mfn2 were detected by qRT-PCR and western blot separately. Cells’ viability was detected by MTT. And the mitochondrial function was detected by ATP and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) assay. We further knocked down the Mfn2 gene in TEV-1 cells and evaluated the cells’ viability.Results. Mfn2 and ATP expressions were significantly decreased in preeclamptic placentae compared to normal placentae. Mfn2 expression level and the viability of TEV-1 cells were reduced during hypoxic conditions. TEV-1 cells’ viability, ATP, and MMP levels were also significantly decreased after knockdown of the Mfn2 gene.Conclusions. These results suggest that defects in Mfn2 could cause mitochondrial dysfunction and decrease trophoblastic cells’ viability. Therefore, Mfn2 may be functionally involved in the pathogenesis of PE.
Reinforcement of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube in Nitrile Rubber: In Comparison with Carbon Black, Conductive Carbon Black, and Precipitated Silica
Authors: Boonbumrung Atip , Sae-oui Pongdhorn , Sirisinha Chakrit
Published: January 2016

The properties of nitrile rubber (NBR) reinforced by multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT), conductive carbon black (CCB), carbon black (CB), and precipitated silica (PSi) were investigated via viscoelastic behavior, bound rubber content, electrical properties, cross-link density, and mechanical properties. The filler content was varied from 0 to 15 phr. MWCNT shows the greatest magnitude of reinforcement considered in terms of tensile strength, modulus, hardness, and abrasion resistance followed by CCB, CB, and PSi. The MWCNT filled system also exhibits extremely high levels of filler network and trapped rubber even at relatively low loading (5 phr) leading to high electrical properties and poor dynamic mechanical properties. Although CCB possesses the highest specific surface area, it gives lower level of filler network than MWCNT and also gives the highest elongation at break among all fillers. Both CB and PSi show comparable degree of reinforcement which is considerably lower than CCB and MWCNT.
Genetic Profile, Environmental Exposure, and Their Interaction in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Polito Letizia , Greco Antonio , Seripa Davide
Published: January 2016

The discovery of causative mutations for Parkinson’s disease (PD) as well as their functional characterization in cellular and animal models has provided crucial insight into the pathogenesis of this disorder. Today, we know that PD pathogenesis involves multiple related processes including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative and nitrative stress, microglial activation and inflammation, and aggregation ofα-synuclein and impaired autophagy. However, with the exception of a few families with Mendelian inheritance, the cause of PD in most individuals is yet unknown and the identified genetic susceptibility factors have only small effect size. Epidemiologic studies have found increased risk of PD associated with exposure to environmental toxicants such as pesticides, organic solvents, metals, and air pollutants, while reduced risk of PD associated with smoking cigarettes and coffee consumption. The role of environmental exposure, as well as the contribution of single genetic risk factors, is still controversial. In most of PD cases, disease onset is probably triggered by a complex interplay of many genetic and nongenetic factors, each of which conveys a minor increase in the risk of disease. This review summarizes the current knowledge on causal mutation for PD, susceptibility factors increasing disease risk, and the genetic factors that modify the impact of environmental exposure.
Comparison of Statistical Downscaling Methods for Monthly Total Precipitation: Case Study for the Paute River Basin in Southern Ecuador
Authors: Campozano L. , Tenelanda D. , Sanchez E. , Samaniego E. , Feyen J.
Published: January 2016

Downscaling improves considerably the results of General Circulation Models (GCMs). However, little information is available on the performance of downscaling methods in the Andean mountain region. The paper presents the downscaling of monthly precipitation estimates of the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis 1 applying the statistical downscaling model (SDSM), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and the least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM) approach. Downscaled monthly precipitation estimates after bias and variance correction were compared to the median and variance of the 30-year observations of 5 climate stations in the Paute River basin in southern Ecuador, one of Ecuador’s main river basins. A preliminary comparison revealed that both artificial intelligence methods, ANN and LS-SVM, performed equally. Results disclosed that ANN and LS-SVM methods depict, in general, better skills in comparison to SDSM. However, in some months, SDSM estimates matched the median and variance of the observed monthly precipitation depths better. Since synoptic variables do not always present local conditions, particularly in the period going from September to December, it is recommended for future studies to refine estimates of downscaling, for example, by combining dynamic and statistical methods, or to select sets of synoptic predictors for specific months or seasons.
Recent Advances in Antiviral Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C
Authors: Tamori Akihiro , Enomoto Masaru , Kawada Norifumi
Published: January 2016

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major worldwide health problem. Chronic infection induces continuous inflammation in the liver, progression of hepatic fibrosis, eventual cirrhosis, and possible hepatocellular carcinoma. Eradication of the virus is one of the most important treatment aims. A number of promising new direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have been developed over the past 10 years. Due to their increased efficacy, safety, and tolerability, interferon-free oral therapies with DAAs have been approved for patients with HCV, including those with cirrhosis. This review introduces the characteristics and results of recent clinical trials of several DAAs: NS3/4A protease inhibitors, NS5A inhibitors, and NS5B inhibitors. DAA treatment failure and prognosis after DAA therapy are also discussed.
Drug-Drug Interaction Extraction via Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Liu Shengyu , Tang Buzhou , Chen Qingcai , Wang Xiaolong
Published: January 2016

Drug-drug interaction (DDI) extraction as a typical relation extraction task in natural language processing (NLP) has always attracted great attention. Most state-of-the-art DDI extraction systems are based on support vector machines (SVM) with a large number of manually defined features. Recently, convolutional neural networks (CNN), a robust machine learning method which almost does not need manually defined features, has exhibited great potential for many NLP tasks. It is worth employing CNN for DDI extraction, which has never been investigated. We proposed a CNN-based method for DDI extraction. Experiments conducted on the 2013 DDIExtraction challenge corpus demonstrate that CNN is a good choice for DDI extraction. The CNN-based DDI extraction method achieves anF-score of 69.75%, which outperforms the existing best performing method by 2.75%.
The Results of MINOS and the Future with MINOS+
Authors: Timmons A.
Published: January 2016

The MINOS experiment took data from 2005 up until 2012. The MINOS experiment took data from 2005 up until 2012, continuing beyond that as the MINOS+ experiment. The experiment is a two-detector, on-axis, long-baseline experiment, sending neutrinos from Fermilab to the Soudan Underground Laboratory in northern Minnesota. By searching for the deficit of muon neutrinos at the Far Detector, MINOS/MINOS+ is sensitive to the atmospheric neutrino oscillation parametersΔm322andθ23. By using the full MINOS data set looking at bothνμdisappearance andνeappearance in both neutrino and antineutrino configurations at the NuMI beam along with atmospheric neutrino data recorded at the FD, MINOS has made the most precise measurement ofΔm322. Using a full three-flavour framework and searching forνeappearance, MINOS/MINOS+ gains sensitivity toθ13, the mass hierarchy, and the octant ofθ23. Exotic phenomenon is also explored with the MINOS detectors looking for nonstandard interactions and sterile neutrinos. The current MINOS+ era goals are to build on the previous MINOS results improving the precision on the three-flavour oscillation parameter measurements and strengthening the constraints placed on the sterile neutrino parameter space.
Effective Control and Bifurcation Analysis in a Chaotic System with Distributed Delay Feedback
Authors: Tan Wei , Gao Jianguo , Fan Wenjun
Published: January 2016

We discuss the dynamic behavior of a new Lorenz-like chaotic system with distributed delayed feedback by the qualitative analysis and numerical simulations. It is verified that the equilibria are locally asymptotically stable whenα∈(0,α0)and unstable whenα∈(α0,∞); Hopf bifurcation occurs whenαcrosses a critical valueα0by choosingαas a bifurcation parameter. Meanwhile, the explicit algorithm for determining the direction of the Hopf bifurcation and the stability of the bifurcating periodic solutions is derived by normal form theorem and center manifold argument. Furthermore, regardingαas a bifurcation parameter, we explore variation tendency of the dynamics behavior of a chaotic system with the increase of the parameter valueα.
Effect of Reinforcement of Oral Health Education Message through Short Messaging Service in Mobile Phones: A Quasi-Experimental Trial
Authors: Jadhav Harish C. , Dodamani Arun S. , Karibasappa G. N. , Naik Rahul G. , Khairnar Mahesh R. , Deshmukh Manjiri A. , Vishwakarma Prashanth
Published: January 2016

Objective. This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of reinforcement of oral health education message through short messaging service (SMS) in mobile phones.Material and Methods. 400 subjects from two colleges (200 from each college) belonging to 18–20 years age group possessing mobile phones were randomly selected and baseline examination of oral hygiene and gingival status was carried out using Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) and Gingival Index (GI). Oral health education was provided to all the subjects. Oral health education message was reinforced through short messaging service (SMS) in mobile phones for the subjects belonging to the intervention group. There was no such reinforcement for the control group. Follow-up examinations were done at the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th month. After the 3rd month, subjects of the intervention group did not receive oral health education message through short messaging service (SMS) and were followed up after next three months. Compiled data was analyzed using SPSS version 16 statistical software.Result. Mean OHI and GI scores in intervention group were significantly (p<0.01) less than those of control group after the 2nd, 3rd, and 6th month.Conclusion. Reinforcement of oral health education message through short messaging service (SMS) is effective media to improve oral health.
AQ-Continuum of Off-Shell Supermultiplets
Authors: Hübsch Tristan , Katona Gregory A.
Published: January 2016

Within each supermultiplet in the standard literature, supersymmetry relates its bosonic and fermionic component fields in a fixed way, particularly to the selected supermultiplet. Herein, we describe supermultiplets wherein acontinuously variable“tuning parameter” modifies the supersymmetry transformations, effectively parametrizing a novel “Q-continuum” of distinct finite-dimensional off-shell supermultiplets, which may be probed already with bilinear Lagrangians that couple to each other and to external magnetic fields, two or more of these continuously many supermultiplets, each “tuned” differently. The dependence on the tuning parameters cannot be removed by any field redefinition, rendering this “Q-moduli space” observable.
Subclasses of Analytic Functions Defined by Generalized Hypergeometric Functions
Authors: Alkahtani Badr S. , Mustafa Saima , Bulboacă Teodor
Published: January 2016

We introduce a new subclass of analytic functions in the unit diskU, defined by using the generalized hypergeometric functions, which extends some previous well-known classes defined by different authors. Inclusion results, radius problems, and some connections with the Bernardi-Libera-Livingston integral operator are discussed.
Nutrients, Microglia Aging, and Brain Aging
Authors: Wu Zhou , Yu Janchun , Zhu Aiqin , Nakanishi Hiroshi
Published: January 2016

As the life expectancy continues to increase, the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) becomes a big major issue in the world. After cellular activation upon systemic inflammation, microglia, the resident immune cells in the brain, start to release proinflammatory mediators to trigger neuroinflammation. We have found that chronic systemic inflammatory challenges induce differential age‐dependent microglial responses, which are in line with the impairment of learning and memory, even in middle‐aged animals. We thus raise the concept of “microglia aging.” This concept is based on the fact that microglia are the key contributor to the acceleration of cognitive decline, which is the major sign of brain aging. On the other hand, inflammation induces oxidative stress and DNA damage, which leads to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species by the numerous types of cells, including macrophages and microglia. Oxidative stress‐damaged cells successively produce larger amounts of inflammatory mediators to promote microglia aging. Nutrients are necessary for maintaining general health, including the health of brain. The intake of antioxidant nutrients reduces both systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation and thus reduces cognitive decline during aging. We herein review our microglia aging concept and discuss systemic inflammation and microglia aging. We propose that a nutritional approach to controlling microglia aging will open a new window for healthy brain aging.
Kubo Fluctuation Relations in the Generalized Elastic Model
Authors: Taloni Alessandro
Published: January 2016

The generalized elastic model encompasses several linear stochastic models describing the dynamics of polymers, membranes, rough surfaces, and fluctuating interfaces. In this paper we show that the Fractional Langevin Equation (FLE) is a suitable framework for the study of the tracer (probe) particle dynamics, when an external force actsonlyon a single pointx→⋆(tagged probe) belonging to the system. With the help of the Fox function formalism we study the scaling behaviour of the noise- and force-propagators for large and short times (distances). We show that the Kubo fluctuation relations are exactly fulfilled when a time periodic force is exerted on the tagged probe. Most importantly, by studying the large and low frequency behaviour of the complex mobility we illustrate surprising nontrivial physical scenarios. Our analysis shows that the system splits into two distinct regions whose size depends on the applied frequency, characterized by very different response to the periodic perturbation exerted, both in the phase shift and in the amplitude.
Square Wave Voltammetric Determination of Residues of Carbendazim Using a Fullerene/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Nafion®/Coated Glassy Carbon Electrode
Authors: Teadoum Djimadoum N. , Noumbo Seraphine K. , Arnaud Kamdem T. , Ranil Temgoua T. , Mvondo Zé Antoine D. , Tonle Ignas K.
Published: January 2016

A glassy carbon electrode (GCE) was modified with a fullerene/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs)/Nafion composite and applied to the determination of carbendazim, a fungicide. The voltammetric behavior of the analyte was investigated using Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), on the bare GCE and on the same electrode coated by a thin film of the composite material. The electrode response was more than fourfold important on the modified electrode, due to electrical conductivity of fullerene and MWCNT and to favorable electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged Nafion and the protonated fungicide. A sensitive electroanalytical procedure based on Square Wave Voltammetry (SWV) was then developed to detect the analyte. Under the optimum conditions, a linear relationship was obtained between the peak current and the concentration of carbendazim, in the range from 2.0 × 10−8 mol/L to 3.5 × 10−7 mol/L, leading to a detection limit of 1.7 × 10−8 mol/L and to a quantification limit of 5.57 × 10−8 mol/L. The developed procedure was successfully applied to detect carbendazim upon adsorption by some ferritic soils.
The Use of IL-1 Receptor Antagonist (Anakinra) in Idiopathic Recurrent Pericarditis: A Narrative Review
Authors: Baskar Shankar , Klein Allan L. , Zeft Andrew
Published: January 2016

Recurrent pericarditis is a complication of acute pericarditis in 20–30% of the patients and is usually idiopathic in nature. The underlying pathogenesis of this condition remains unclear, although immune-mediated mechanisms seem likely. A subgroup of these patients with refractory symptoms can be challenging to manage, and multiple immunosuppressive medications have been used without consistent benefit. Anakinra, an interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, has been used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and autoinflammatory syndromes. Preliminary evidence suggests that anakinra could be a promising therapy for idiopathic recurrent pericarditis. In this narrative review, we summarize the current understanding of the etiopathogenesis of idiopathic recurrent pericarditis, mechanism of action of anakinra, and the preliminary evidence, supporting the use of anakinra in pericarditis.
Advanced Glycation End Products Induce Obesity and Hepatosteatosis in CD-1 Wild-Type Mice
Authors: Sayej Wael N. , Knight III Paul R. , Guo Weidun Alan , Mullan Barbara , Ohtake Patricia J. , Davidson Bruce A. , Khan Abdur , Baker Robert D. , Baker Susan S.
Published: January 2016

AGEs are a heterogeneous group of molecules formed from the nonenzymatic reaction of reducing sugars with free amino groups of proteins, lipids, and/or nucleic acids. AGEs have been shown to play a role in various conditions including cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In this study, we hypothesized that AGEs play a role in the “multiple hit hypothesis” of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and contribute to the pathogenesis of hepatosteatosis. We measured the effects of various mouse chows containing high or low AGE in the presence of high or low fat content on mouse weight and epididymal fat pads. We also measured the effects of these chows on the inflammatory response by measuring cytokine levels and myeloperoxidase activity levels on liver supernatants. We observed significant differences in weight gain and epididymal fat pad weights in the high AGE-high fat (HAGE-HF) versus the other groups. Leptin, TNF-α, IL-6, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels were significantly higher in the HAGE-HF group. We conclude that a diet containing high AGEs in the presence of high fat induces weight gain and hepatosteatosis in CD-1 mice. This may represent a model to study the role of AGEs in the pathogenesis of hepatosteatosis and steatohepatitis.
Activity of Medicinal Plant Extracts on Multiplication ofMycobacterium tuberculosisunder Reduced Oxygen Conditions Using Intracellular and Axenic Assays
Authors: Bhatter Purva D. , Gupta Pooja D. , Birdi Tannaz J.
Published: January 2016

Aim.Test the activity of selected medicinal plant extracts on multiplication ofMycobacterium tuberculosisunder reduced oxygen concentration which represents nonreplicating conditions.Material and Methods.Acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts of the plantsAcorus calamusL. (rhizome),Ocimum sanctumL. (leaf),Piper nigrumL. (seed), andPueraria tuberosaDC. (tuber) were tested onMycobacterium tuberculosisH37Rv intracellularly using an epithelial cell (A549) infection model. The extracts found to be active intracellularly were further studied axenically under reducing oxygen concentrations.Results and Conclusions.Intracellular multiplication was inhibited ≥60% by five of the twelve extracts. Amongst these 5 extracts, in axenic culture,P. nigrum(acetone) was active under aerobic, microaerophilic, and anaerobic conditions indicating presence of multiple components acting at different levels andP. tuberosa(aqueous) showed bactericidal activity under microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions implying the influence of anaerobiosis on its efficacy.P. nigrum(aqueous) andA. calamus(aqueous and ethanol) extracts were not active under axenic conditions but only inhibited intracellular growth ofMycobacterium tuberculosis, suggesting activation of host defense mechanisms to mediate bacterial killing rather than direct bactericidal activity.
Efficacious Discriminant Analysis (Classifier) Measures for End Users
Authors: Eiland E. Earl , Liebrock Lorie M.
Published: January 2016

Many problem domains utilize discriminant analysis, for example, classification, prediction, and diagnoses, by applying artificial intelligence and machine learning. However, the results are rarely perfect and errors can cause significant losses. Hence, end users are best served when they have performance information relevant to their need. Starting with the most basic questions, this study considers eight summary statistics often seen in the literature and evaluates their end user efficacy. Results lead to proposed criteria necessary for end user efficacious summary statistics. Testing the same eight summary statistics shows that none satisfy all of the criteria. Hence, two criteria-compliant summary statistics are introduced. To show how end users can benefit, measure utility is demonstrated on two problems. A key finding of this study is that researchers can make their test outcomes more relevant to end users with minor changes in their analyses and presentation.
Systemic and Splanchnic Lipopolysaccharide and Endothelin-1 Plasma Levels in Liver Cirrhosis before and after Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt
Authors: Meng Jiaxiang , Wang Qing , Liu Kai , Yang Shuofei , Fan Xinxin , Liu Baochen , He Changsheng , Wu Xingjiang
Published: January 2016

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and endothelin- (ET-) 1 may aggravate portal hypertension by increasing intrahepatic resistance and splanchnic blood flow. In the portal vein, after TIPS shunting, LPS and ET-1 were significantly decreased. Our study suggests that TIPS can benefit cirrhotic patients not only in high hemodynamics related variceal bleeding but also in intestinal bacterial translocation associated complications such as endotoxemia.
Chaotic Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization with Lévy Flight for Global Numerical Optimization
Authors: He Xiangzhu , Huang Jida , Rao Yunqing , Gao Liang
Published: January 2016

Recently, teaching-learning-based optimization (TLBO), as one of the emerging nature-inspired heuristic algorithms, has attracted increasing attention. In order to enhance its convergence rate and prevent it from getting stuck in local optima, a novel metaheuristic has been developed in this paper, where particular characteristics of the chaos mechanism and Lévy flight are introduced to the basic framework of TLBO. The new algorithm is tested on several large-scale nonlinear benchmark functions with different characteristics and compared with other methods. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other algorithms and achieves a satisfactory improvement over TLBO.
AP39, a Mitochondria‐Targeted Hydrogen Sulfide Donor, Supports Cellular Bioenergetics and Protects against Alzheimer’s Disease by Preserving Mitochondrial Function in APP/PS1 Mice and Neurons
Authors: Zhao Feng-li , Fang Fang , Qiao Pei-feng , Yan Ning , Gao Dan , Yan Yong
Published: January 2016

Increasing evidence suggests that mitochondrial functions are altered in AD and play an important role in AD pathogenesis. It has been established that H2S homeostasis is balanced in AD. The emerging mitochondrial roles of H2S include antioxidation, antiapoptosis, and the modulation of cellular bioenergetics. Here, using primary neurons from the well‐characterized APP/PS1 transgenic mouse model, we studied the effects of AP39 (a newly synthesized mitochondrially targeted H2S donor) on mitochondrial function. AP39 increased intracellular H2S levels, mainly in mitochondrial regions. AP39 exerted dose‐dependent effects on mitochondrial activity in APP/PS1 neurons, including increased cellular bioenergy metabolism and cell viability at low concentrations (25–100 nM) and decreased energy production and cell viability at a high concentration (250 nM). Furthermore, AP39 (100 nM) increased ATP levels, protected mitochondrial DNA, and decreased ROS generation. AP39 regulated mitochondrial dynamics, shifting from fission toward fusion. After 6 weeks, AP39 administration to APP/PS1 mice significantly ameliorated their spatial memory deficits in the Morris water maze and NORT and reduced Aβ deposition in their brains. Additionally, AP39 inhibited brain atrophy in APP/PS1 mice. Based on these results, AP39 was proposed as a promising drug candidate for AD treatment, and its anti‐AD mechanism may involve protection against mitochondrial damage.