bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Immune Response in Children and Adults withH. pyloriInfection
Authors: Razavi Alireza , Bagheri Nader , Azadegan-Dehkordi Fatemeh , Shirzad Mahsa , Rahimian Ghorbanali , Rafieian-Kopaei Mahmoud , Shirzad Hedaytollah
Published: October 2015

Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection is generally acquired during early childhood; therefore, the immune response which usually takes place at this age may influence or even determine susceptibility to the infection contributing to the clinical outcomes in adulthood. Several cytokines including IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β1 as well as Foxp3+cell numbers have been shown to be higher; however, some other cytokines consisting of IL-1β, IL-17A, and IL-23 are lower in infected children than in infected adults. Immune response toH. pyloriinfection in children is predominant Treg instead of Th17 cell response. These results indicate that immune system responses probably play a role in persistentH. pyloriinfection. ChildhoodH. pyloriinfection is also associated with significantly lower levels of inflammation and ulceration compared with adults. This review, therefore, aimed to provide critical findings of the available literature about comparative immune system in children and adults withH. pyloriinfection.
Adaptive Second-Order Sliding Mode Control Design for a Class of Nonlinear Systems with Unknown Input
Authors: Zheng You , Liu Jianxing , Liu Xinyi , Fang Dandan , Wu L.
Published: October 2015

An adaptive second-order sliding mode controller is proposed for a class of nonlinear systems with unknown input. The proposed controller continuously drives the sliding variable and its time derivative to zero in the presence of disturbances withunknownboundaries. A Lyapunov approach is used to show finite time stability for the system in the presence of a class of uncertainty. An illustrative simulation example is presented to demonstrate the performance and robustness of the proposed controller.
The Kirchhoff Index of Some Combinatorial Networks
Authors: Liu Jia-Bao , Pan Xiang-Feng , Cao Jinde , Hu Fu-Tao
Published: October 2015

The Kirchhoff index Kf(G) is the sum of the effective resistance distances between all pairs of vertices inG. The hypercubeQnand the folded hypercubeFQnare well known networks due to their perfect properties. The graphG∗, constructed fromG, is the line graph of the subdivision graphS(G). In this paper, explicit formulae expressing the Kirchhoff index of(Qn)∗and(FQn)∗are found by deducing the characteristic polynomial of the Laplacian matrix ofG∗in terms of that ofG.
Subspace Compressive GLRT Detector for MIMO Radar in the Presence of Clutter
Authors: Bolisetti Siva Karteek , Patwary Mohammad , Ahmed Khawza , Soliman Abdel-Hamid , Abdel-Maguid Mohamed
Published: October 2015

The problem of optimising the target detection performance of MIMO radar in the presence of clutter is considered. The increased false alarm rate which is a consequence of the presence of clutter returns is known to seriously degrade the target detection performance of the radar target detector, especially under low SNR conditions. In this paper, a mathematical model is proposed to optimise the target detection performance of a MIMO radar detector in the presence of clutter. The number of samples that are required to be processed by a radar target detector regulates the amount of processing burden while achieving a given detection reliability. While Subspace Compressive GLRT (SSC‐GLRT) detector is known to give optimised radar target detection performance with reduced computational complexity, it however suffers a significant deterioration in target detection performance in the presence of clutter. In this paper we provide evidence that the proposed mathematical model for SSC‐GLRT detector outperforms the existing detectors in the presence of clutter. The performance analysis of the existing detectors and the proposed SSC‐GLRT detector for MIMO radar in the presence of clutter are provided in this paper.
CXCR6 Expression Is Important for Retention and Circulation of ILC Precursors
Authors: Chea Sylvestre , Possot Cécilie , Perchet Thibaut , Petit Maxime , Cumano Ana , Golub Rachel
Published: October 2015

Innate lymphoid cells are present at mucosal sites and represent the first immune barrier against infections, but what contributes to their circulation and homing is still unclear. Using Rag2−/−Cxcr6Gfp/+ reporter mice, we assessed the expression and role of CXCR6 in the circulation of ILC precursors and their progeny. We identify CXCR6 expressing ILC precursors in the bone marrow and characterize their significant increase in CXCR6‐deficient mice at steady state, indicating their partial retention in the bone marrow after CXCR6 ablation. Circulation was also impaired during embryonic life as fetal liver from CXCR6‐deficient embryos displayed decreased numbers of ILC3 precursors. When injected, fetal CXCR6‐deficient ILC3 precursors also fail to home and reconstitute ILC compartments in vivo. We show that adult intestinal ILC subsets have heterogeneous expression pattern of CXCR6, integrin α4β7, CD62L, CD69, and CD44, with ILC1 and ILC3 being more likely tissue resident lymphocytes. Intestinal ILC subsets were unchanged in percentages and numbers in both mice. We demonstrate that the ILC frequency is maintained due to a significant increase of ILC peripheral proliferation, as well as an increased proliferation of the in situ ILC precursors to compensate their retention in the bone marrow.
Applying Pulse Width Modulation in Body Coupled Communication
Authors: Moralis-Pegios Miltiadis , Alexandridou Pelagia , Koukourlis Christos
Published: October 2015

We study the application of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) technique in Body Coupled Communication. The term Body Coupled Communication is used in order to specify that the human body or a part of it, such as an arm, is used as a path that transfers digital information. The digital information is either generated due to coupling of the body, for example, in medical equipment as a result of a measurement, or generated by external circuitry attached somewhere onto the body and is transferred to a terminal by touching it. In this paper, the latter case will be described, where, for illustration purposes, the touch of the human hand on a doorknob triggers the unlocking mechanism.
The Parkinsonian Gait Spatiotemporal Parameters Quantified by a Single Inertial Sensor before and after Automated Mechanical Peripheral Stimulation Treatment
Authors: Kleiner Ana , Galli Manuela , Gaglione Maria , Hildebrand Daniela , Sale Patrizio , Albertini Giorgio , Stocchi Fabrizio , De Pandis Maria Francesca
Published: October 2015

This study aims to evaluate the change in gait spatiotemporal parameters in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD) before and after Automated Mechanical Peripheral Stimulation (AMPS) treatment. Thirty-five subjects with PD and 35 healthy age-matched subjects took part in this study. A dedicated medical device (Gondola) was used to administer the AMPS. All patients with PD were treated in off levodopa phase and their gait performances were evaluated by an inertial measurement system before and after the intervention. The one-way ANOVA for repeated measures was performed to assess the differences between pre- and post-AMPS and the one-way ANOVA to assess the differences between PD patients and the control group. Spearman’s correlations assessed the associations between patients with PD clinical status (H&Y) and the percentage of improvement of the gait variables after AMPS (α<0.05for all tests). The PD group had an improvement of 14.85% in the stride length; 14.77% in the gait velocity; and 29.91% in the gait propulsion. The correlation results showed that the higher the H&Y classification, the higher the stride length percentage of improvement. The treatment based on AMPS intervention seems to induce a better performance in the gait pattern of PD patients, mainly in intermediate and advanced stages of the condition.
Compressed Sensing in On‐Grid MIMO Radar
Authors: Minner Michael F.
Published: October 2015

The accurate detection of targets is a significant problem in multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) radar. Recent advances of Compressive Sensing offer a means of efficiently accomplishing this task. The sparsity constraints needed to apply the techniques of Compressive Sensing to problems in radar systems have led to discretizations of the target scene in various domains, such as azimuth, time delay, and Doppler. Building upon recent work, we investigate the feasibility of on‐grid Compressive Sensing‐based MIMO radar via a threefold azimuth‐delay‐Doppler discretization for target detection and parameter estimation. We utilize a colocated random sensor array and transmit distinct linear chirps to a small scene with few, slowly moving targets. Relying upon standard far‐field and narrowband assumptions, we analyze the efficacy of various recovery algorithms in determining the parameters of the scene through numerical simulations, with particular focus on the ‐squared Nonnegative Regularization method.
Phenomenological Hints from a Class of String Motivated Model Constructions
Authors: Nilles Hans Peter
Published: October 2015

We use string theory constructions towards the generalisation of the supersymmetric standard model of strong and electroweak interactions. Properties of the models depend crucially on the location of fields in extradimensional compact space. This allows us to extract some generic lessons for the phenomenological properties of the low energy effective action. Within this scheme we present a compelling model based on local grand unification and mirage mediation of supersymmetry breakdown. We analyse the properties of the specific model towards its possible tests at the LHC and the complementarity to direct dark matter searches.
Tomato Seed Coat Permeability to Selected Carbon Nanomaterials and Enhancement of Germination and Seedling Growth
Authors: Ratnikova Tatsiana A. , Podila Ramakrishna , Rao Apparao M. , Taylor Alan G.
Published: October 2015

Seed coat permeability was examined using a model that tested the effects of soaking tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) seeds in combination with carbon‐based nanomaterials (CBNMs) and ultrasonic irradiation (US). Penetration of seed coats to the embryo by CBNMs, as well as CBNMs effects on seed germination and seedling growth, was examined. Two CBNMs, C60(OH)20 (fullerol) and multiwalled nanotubes (MWNTs), were applied at 50 mg/L, and treatment exposure ranged from 0 to 60 minutes. Bright field, fluorescence, and electron microscopy and micro‐Raman spectroscopy provided corroborating evidence that neither CBNM was able to penetrate the seed coat. The restriction of nanomaterial (NM) uptake was attributed to the semipermeable layer located at the innermost layer of the seed coat adjacent to the endosperm. Seed treatments using US at 30 or 60 minutes in the presence of MWNTs physically disrupted the seed coat; however, the integrity of the semipermeable layer was not impaired. The germination percentage and seedling length and weight were enhanced in the presence of MWNTs but were not altered by C60(OH)20. The combined exposure of seeds to NMs and US provided insight into the nanoparticle‐seed interaction and may serve as a delivery system for enhancing seed germination and early seedling growth.
Role of Auriculotherapy in the Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders with Anxiety in University Students
Authors: Iunes Denise Hollanda , Chaves Érika de Cássia Lopes , Moura Caroline de Castro , Côrrea Bruna , Carvalho Leonardo César , Silva Andreia Maria , de Carvalho Emília Campos
Published: October 2015

Introduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of auriculotherapy with mustard seeds in the treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs), anxiety, and electromyographic (EMG) activity in university students.Methodology. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC) for TMDs (RDC/TMDs), and electromyography were used in this study of 44 college students with high levels of anxiety and TMDs. The subjects were divided into two groups: an auriculotherapy (AA) group(n=31)and an AA sham group(n=13). The mustard seeds were applied to the shenmen, rim, sympathetic, brain stem, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) points in the AA group and to sham points in the external ear and wrist in the AA sham group. The treatment protocol was 10 sessions (two treatments per week).Results. Anxiety(p<0.01)was significantly reduced in the AA group. This group also showed a decrease in tender points in the mandibular posterior region(p=0.04)and in the right side of the submandibular region(p=0.02). Complaints of bilateral pain were reduced in the temporal tendon(p≤0.01)and in the left side of the ATM(p<0.01). In addition, electromyographic (EMG) activity was reduced during temporal muscle contraction(p=0.03).  Conclusion. Auriculotherapy was effective in the treatment of students with anxiety and TMDs.
Distilling Big Data: Refining Quality Information in the Era of Yottabytes
Authors: Ramachandramurthy Sivaraman , Subramaniam Srinivasan , Ramasamy Chandrasekeran
Published: October 2015

Big Data is the buzzword of the modern century. With the invasion of pervasive computing, we live in a data centric environment, where we always leave a track of data related to our day to day activities. Be it a visit to a shopping mall or hospital or surfing Internet, we create voluminous data related to credit card transactions, user details, location information, and so on. These trails of data simply define an individual and form the backbone for user‐profiling. With the mobile phones and their easy access to online social networks on the go, sensor data such as geo‐taggings and events and sentiments around them contribute to the already overwhelming data containers. With reductions in the cost of storage and computational devices and with increasing proliferation of Cloud, we never felt any constraints in storing or processing such data. Eventually we end up having several exabytes of data and analysing them for their usefulness has introduced new frontiers of research. Effective distillation of these data is the need of the hour to improve the veracity of the Big Data. This research targets the utilization of the Fuzzy Bayesian process model to improve the quality of information in Big Data.
Treatment of Urethral Strictures from Irradiation and Other Nonsurgical Forms of Pelvic Cancer Treatment
Authors: Khourdaji Iyad , Parke Jacob , Chennamsetty Avinash , Burks Frank
Published: October 2015

Radiation therapy (RT), external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), brachytherapy (BT), photon beam therapy (PBT), high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), and cryotherapy are noninvasive treatment options for pelvic malignancies and prostate cancer. Though effective in treating cancer, urethral stricture disease is an underrecognized and poorly reported sequela of these treatment modalities. Studies estimate the incidence of stricture from BT to be 1.8%, EBRT 1.7%, combined EBRT and BT 5.2%, and cryotherapy 2.5%. Radiation effects on the genitourinary system can manifest early or months to years after treatment with the onus being on the clinician to investigate and rule-out stricture disease as an underlying etiology for lower urinary tract symptoms. Obliterative endarteritis resulting in ischemia and fibrosis of the irradiated tissue complicates treatment strategies, which include urethral dilation, direct-vision internal urethrotomy (DVIU), urethral stents, and urethroplasty. Failure rates for dilation and DVIU are exceedingly high with several studies indicating that urethroplasty is the most definitive and durable treatment modality for patients with radiation-induced stricture disease. However, a detailed discussion should be offered regarding development or worsening of incontinence after treatment with urethroplasty. Further studies are required to assess the nature and treatment of cryotherapy and HIFU-induced strictures.
Pain following Craniotomy: Reassessment of the Available Options
Authors: Haldar Rudrashish , Kaushal Ashutosh , Gupta Devendra , Srivastava Shashi , Singh Prabhat K.
Published: October 2015

Pain following craniotomy has frequently been neglected because of the notion that postcraniotomy patients do not experience severe pain. However a gradual change in this outlook is observed because of increased sensitivity of neuroanaesthesiologists and neurosurgeons toward acute postcraniotomy pain. Multiple modalities exist for treating this variety of pain each with its own share of advantages and disadvantages. However, individually none of these modalities has been proclaimed as the best and applicable universally. A considerable amount of dispute remains to ascertain the appropriate therapeutic regimen for treating postcraniotomy pain in spite of numerous trials using different drugs and their combinations. This review aims to highlight the genesis, characteristics, and different strategies that are undertaken for management of acute postcraniotomy pain. Chronic postcraniotomy pain which can be debilitating sequelae is also discussed concisely.
Two Higgs Bosons near 125 GeV in the Complex NMSSM and the LHC Run I Data
Authors: Moretti Stefano , Munir Shoaib
Published: October 2015

We analyse the impact of explicit CP-violation in the Higgs sector of the Next-to-Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (NMSSM) on its consistency with the Higgs boson data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Through detailed scans of the parameter space of the complex NMSSM for certain fixed values of one of its CP-violating (CPV) phases, we obtain a large number of points corresponding to five phenomenologically relevant scenarios containing ∼125 GeV Higgs boson(s). We focus, in particular, on the scenarios where the visible peaks in the experimental samples can actually be explained by two nearly mass-degenerate neutral Higgs boson states. We find that some points corresponding to these scenarios give an overall slightly improved fit to the data, more so for nonzero values of the CPV phase, compared to the scenarios containing a single Higgs boson near 125 GeV.
Catalytic CO Oxidation over Au Nanoparticles Loaded Nanoporous Nickel Phosphate Composite
Authors: Leng Xiaonan , Zhou Dantong , Gao Tong , Chen Zhi , Gao Qiuming
Published: October 2015

Au/nickel phosphate‐5 (Au/VSB‐5) composite with the noble metal loading amount of 1.43 wt.% is prepared by using microporous VSB‐5 nanocrystals as the support. Carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation reaction is carried out over the sample with several catalytic cycles. Complete conversion of CO is achieved at 238°C over the catalyst at the first catalytic cycle. The catalytic activity improved greatly at the second cycle with the complete conversion fulfilled at 198°C and preserved for the other cycles. A series of experiments such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), ultraviolet‐visible (UV‐vis) spectroscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are carried out to characterize the catalysts before and after the reaction to study the factors influencing this promotion at the second cycle.
Chemical Composition, Antioxidant Potential, and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oil Cones of TunisianCupressus sempervirens
Authors: Ben Nouri Aicha , Dhifi Wissal , Bellili Sana , Ghazghazi Hanene , Aouadhi Chedia , Chérif Ameur , Hammami Mohamed , Mnif Wissem
Published: October 2015

The extraction yield of the essential oil (EO) extracted by hydrodistillation from the cones of TunisianCupressus sempervirensL. was of 0.518%. The chemical composition was analyzed by GC-MS. Results showed that this essential oil was mainly composed of monoterpene hydrocarbons (65%) withα-pinene as the major constituent (47.51%). Its antioxidant activity was ascertained by evaluating the total antioxidant capacity and also by evaluating its inhibitory effect against DPPH and ABTS radicals. In addition, it showed a strong antioxidant power against the DPPH (IC50= 151 µg/mL) and ABTS (IC50= 176.454 µg/mL) radicals scavenging. Moreover, its antibacterial activity was tested against different species of pathogenic bacteria (three Gram-positive and eight Gram-negative bacteria). The bacterial strains susceptible to the evaluated oil wereBacillus subtilis,Escherichia coli,Klebsiella oxytoca,Morganella morganii,Shigella, andVibrio cholerae.
Hybrid Kinematic-Dynamic Approach to Seismic Wave-Equation Modeling, Imaging, and Tomography
Authors: Serdyukov Alexandr S. , Duchkov Anton A.
Published: October 2015

Estimation of the structure response to seismic motion is an important part of structural analysis related to mitigation of seismic risk caused by earthquakes. Many methods of computing structure response require knowledge of mechanical properties of the ground which could be derived from near-surface seismic studies. In this paper we address computationally efficient implementation of the wave-equation tomography. This method allows inverting first-arrival seismic waveforms for updating seismic velocity model which can be further used for estimating mechanical properties. We present computationally efficient hybrid kinematic-dynamic method for finite-difference (FD) modeling of the first-arrival seismic waveforms. At every time step the FD computations are performed only in a moving narrowband following the first-arrival wavefront. In terms of computations we get two advantages from this approach: computation speedup and memory savings when storing computed first-arrival waveforms (it is not necessary to make calculations or store the complete numerical grid). Proposed approach appears to be specifically useful for constructing the so-called sensitivity kernels widely used for tomographic velocity update from seismic data. We then apply the proposed approach for efficient implementation of the wave-equation tomography of the first-arrival seismic waveforms.
Imbalanced Data Sets Classification Based on SVM for Sand-Dust Storm Warning
Authors: Xie Yonghua , Liu Yurong , Fu Qingqiu
Published: October 2015

In view of the SVM classification for the imbalanced sand-dust storm data sets, this paper proposes a hybrid self-adaptive sampling method named SRU-AIBSMOTE algorithm. This method can adaptively adjust neighboring selection strategy based on the internal distribution of sample sets. It produces virtual minority class instances through randomized interpolation in the spherical space which consists of minority class instances and their neighbors. The random undersampling is also applied to undersample the majority class instances for removal of redundant data in the sample sets. The comparative experimental results on the real data sets from Yanchi and Tongxin districts in Ningxia of China show that the SRU-AIBSMOTE method can obtain better classification performance than some traditional classification methods.
Automated Classification of Circulating Tumor Cells and the Impact of Interobsever Variability on Classifier Training and Performance
Authors: Svensson Carl-Magnus , Hübler Ron , Figge Marc Thilo
Published: October 2015

Application of personalized medicine requires integration of different data to determine each patient’s unique clinical constitution. The automated analysis of medical data is a growing field where different machine learning techniques are used to minimize the time-consuming task of manual analysis. The evaluation, and often training, of automated classifiers requires manually labelled data as ground truth. In many cases such labelling is not perfect, either because of the data being ambiguous even for a trained expert or because of mistakes. Here we investigated the interobserver variability of image data comprising fluorescently stained circulating tumor cells and its effect on the performance of two automated classifiers, a random forest and a support vector machine. We found that uncertainty in annotation between observers limited the performance of the automated classifiers, especially when it was included in the test set on which classifier performance was measured. The random forest classifier turned out to be resilient to uncertainty in the training data while the support vector machine’s performance is highly dependent on the amount of uncertainty in the training data. We finally introduced the consensus data set as a possible solution for evaluation of automated classifiers that minimizes the penalty of interobserver variability.
Status of LHC Searches for SUSY without R-Parity
Authors: Franceschini Roberto
Published: October 2015

In this contribution we briefly review the status of current searches for supersymmetry at the Large Hadron Collider, focusing especially on viable sub-TeV colored superpartners which can appear in nonstandard scenarios. The presented material covers mostly signals that do not crucially rely on the presence of large missing transverse momentum, with special emphasis on R-parity violating supersymmetry. For some scenarios the prospects for the next run of the Large Hadron Collider and future machines are also presented.
Spatial Spread of Tuberculosis through Neighborhoods Segregated by Socioeconomic Position: A Stochastic Automata Model
Authors: Rehkopf David , Furumoto-Dawson Alice , Kiszewski Anthony , Awerbuch-Friedlander Tamara
Published: October 2015

Transmission of the agent of tuberculosis,Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is dependent on social context. A discrete spatial model representing neighborhoods segregated by levels of crowding and immunocompetence is constructed and used to evaluate prevention strategies, based on a number of assumptions about the spatial dynamics of tuberculosis. A cellular automata model is used to (a) construct neighborhoods of different densities, (b) model stochastically local interactions among individuals, and (c) model the spread of tuberculosis within and across neighborhoods over time. Since infected people may become progressively sick but also heal through treatment, the transition among stages was modeled with transition probabilities. A moderate level of successful treatment (40%) dramatically reduced the number of infections across all neighborhoods. Increasing the treatment in neighborhoods of a lower socioeconomic level from 40% to 90% results in an additional decrease of approximately 25% in the number of infected individuals overall. In conclusion, we find that a combination of a moderate level of successful treatment across all areas with more focused treatment efforts in lower socioeconomic areas resulted in the least number of infections over time.
True Unipolar ECG Machine for Wilson Central Terminal Measurements
Authors: Gargiulo Gaetano D.
Published: October 2015

Since its invention (more than 80 years ago), modern electrocardiography has employed a supposedly stable voltage reference (with little variation during the cardiac cycle) for half of the signals. This reference, known by the name of “Wilson Central Terminal” in honor of its inventor, is obtained by averaging the three active limb electrode voltages measured with respect to the return ground electrode. However, concerns have been raised by researchers about problems (biasing and misdiagnosis) associated with the ambiguous value and behavior of this reference voltage, which requires perfect and balanced contact of at least four electrodes to work properly. The Wilson Central Terminal has received scant research attention in the last few decades even though consideration of recent widespread medical practice (limb electrodes are repositioned closer to the torso for resting electrocardiography) has also sparkled concerns about the validity and diagnostic fitness of leads not referred to the Wilson Central Terminal. Using a true unipolar electrocardiography device capable of precisely measuring the Wilson Central Terminal, we show its unpredictable variability during the cardiac cycle and confirm that the integrity of cardinal leads is compromised as well as the Wilson Central Terminal when limb electrodes are placed close to the torso.
Effect of Auricular Acupressure on Uremic Pruritus in Patients Receiving Hemodialysis Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yan Cui-na , Yao Wei-guo , Bao Yi-jie , Shi Xiao-jing , Yu Hui , Yin Pei-hao , Liu Gui-zhen
Published: October 2015

Background. Uremic pruritus (UP) is a common symptom in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD).Objective. To determine the clinical efficacy of auricular acupressure therapy on pruritus in hemodialysis patients and to explore possible underlying mechanisms.Methods. Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis at a referral medical center were recruited and assigned to intervention (n=32) and control (n=30) groups. The intervention group underwent auricular acupressure treatment three times a week for six weeks. Auricular acupressure was not applied to patients in the control group. However, tape withoutVaccariaseeds was applied to the same six auricular acupoints as the intervention group. Pruritus scores were assessed using VAS scores, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure levels of other possible contributory biochemical factors.Results. There was a significant difference in mean VAS scores between the postintervention and control groups during follow-up (3.844 ± 1.687 versus 5.567 ± 2.285,F=22.32,P<0.0001). Compared to the control group, serum histamine levels in the postintervention group at the six-week follow-up had decreased significantly (F=5.01,P=0.0290).Conclusion. Our findings suggest that auricular acupressure may be a useful treatment in the multidisciplinary management of UP in ESRD patients.
Florivory Modulates the Seed Number‐Seed Weight Relationship in Halenia elliptica (Gentianaceae)
Authors: Wang Linlin , Meng Lihua , Luo Jian
Published: October 2015

Generally, plant reproductive success might be affected negatively by florivory, and the effects may vary depending on the timing and intensity of florivory. To clarify the impacts of florivory by the sawfly larvae (Tenthredinidae) on seed production of Halenia elliptica D. Don, we simulated florivory by removing different proportion of flowers at three reproductive stages in this alpine herb and then examined the seed number per fruit, the seed weight, and the seed mass per fruit of the remaining flowers. Seed number per fruit reduced significantly when flowers were removed at flowering and fruiting stages or when 15% and 60% of flowers were removed. However, seed weight increased significantly after flowers were removed, independent of treatments of reproductive stage and proportion. There was a similar seed mass per fruit between the plants subjected to simulation of florivory and control. The results indicated that florivory modulated the seed number‐seed weight relationship in this alpine species. Our study suggested that selective seed abortion and resource reallocation within fruits may ensure fewer but larger seeds, which were expected to be adaptive in the harsh environments.
A Homotopy-Analysis Approach for Nonlinear Wave-Like Equations with Variable Coefficients
Authors: Aslanov Afgan
Published: October 2015

We are interested in the approximate analytical solutions of the wave-like nonlinear equations with variable coefficients. We use a wave operator, which provides a convenient way of controlling all initial and boundary conditions. The proposed choice of the auxiliary operator helps to find the approximate series solution without any discretization, linearization, or restrictive assumptions. Several examples are given to verify the reliability and efficiency of the method.
A Review on Fault Mechanism and Diagnosis Approach for Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wu Chao , Zhu Chunbo , Ge Yunwang , Zhao Yongping
Published: October 2015

Li‐ion battery has attracted more and more attention as it is a promising storage device which has long service life, higher energy, and power density. However, battery ageing always occurs during operation and leads to performance degradation and system fault which not only causes inconvenience, but also risks serious consequences such as thermal runaway or even explosion. This paper reviews recent research and development of ageing mechanisms of Li‐ion batteries to understand the origins and symptoms of Li‐ion battery faults. Common ageing factors are covered with their effects and consequences. Through ageing tests, relationship between performance and ageing factors, as well as cross‐dependence among factors can be quantified. Summary of recent research about fault diagnosis technology for Li‐ion batteries is concluded with their cons and pros. The suggestions on novel fault diagnosis approach and remaining challenges are provided at the end of this paper.
Can Acute Pain Treatment Reduce Postsurgical Comorbidity after Breast Cancer Surgery? A Literature Review
Authors: Amaya Fumimasa , Hosokawa Toyoshi , Okamoto Akiko , Matsuda Megumi , Yamaguchi Yosuke , Yamakita Shunsuke , Taguchi Tetsuya , Sawa Teiji
Published: October 2015

Regional analgesia, opioids, and several oral analgesics are commonly used for the treatment of acute pain after breast cancer surgery. While all of these treatments can suppress the acute postsurgical pain, there is growing evidence that suggests that the postsurgical comorbidity will differ in accordance with the type of analgesic used during the surgery. Our current study reviewed the effect of analgesics used for acute pain treatments on the major comorbidities that occur after breast cancer surgery. A considerable number of clinical studies have been performed to investigate the relationship between the acute analgesic regimen and common comorbidities, including inadequate quality of recovery after the surgery, persistent postsurgical pain, and cancer recurrence. Previous studies have shown that the choice of the analgesic modality does affect the postsurgical comorbidity. In general, the use of regional analgesics has a beneficial effect on the occurrence of comorbidity. In order to determine the best analgesic choice after breast cancer surgery, prospective studies that are based on a clear definition of the comorbidity state will need to be undertaken in the future.
The Magnetic Properties of Closely Spaced Three‐Dimensional Nanomagnet Array
Authors: Li Ying , Wang Tianxing , Liu Heyan , Dai Xuefang , Yu Xiao , Liu Guodong
Published: October 2015

With Monte Carlo method, we investigate the magnetic ground state, magnetic specific heat, and magnetic hysteresis loop for three types of closely spaced nanomagnet arrays in three‐dimensional (3D) space. It is found that the magnetic ground state of three nanomagnet arrays exhibits the vortex order, caused by the long‐range dipolar interactions. Three types of nanomagnet arrays have almost the same magnetic transition temperature even if their array formation in 3D triangular lattice is different. Some slight jump occurs in the hysteresis loop of the face‐centered cubic nanomagnet array, while for the simple hexagonal nanomagnet and close‐packed hexagonal nanomagnet arrays no jump is found.
Acute Hemoperitoneum after Administration of Prostaglandin E2for Induction of Labour
Authors: Zhang Zhenyu , Lou Jiangyan
Published: October 2015

Prostaglandin E2is widely used in obstetrics and is thought to be relatively safe for cervical ripening and induction of labour. Here we present a case in which acute hemoperitoneum was observed after administration of prostaglandin E2in a pregnant woman. The patient had a history of endometriosis, and a severe pelvic adhesion (ASRM stage IV) was found during her last laparoscopic surgery 3 years previously. In cases with endometriosis, use of prostaglandin E2for induction of labour in pregnant women must be done cautiously.
Understanding the High Ionic Conductivity in Nanostructured Ytterbium Stabilized Zirconia Thin Films
Authors: Benítez-Rico A. , García-Sánchez M. F. , Picquart M. , Monroy-Peláez B. M. , Santana-Rodríguez G.
Published: October 2015

Recently, high ionic conduction has been reported in nanostructured materials. This increase in conductivity can be important in technological applications, including micro‐Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, so the understanding of this phenomenon is essential. In this work, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, EDS maps, and UV‐Visible spectroscopy measurements are used to have an insight into the relationship between structural and electrical properties in nanostructured ytterbium stabilized zirconia (YbSZ) thin films prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. Raman measurements allowed the identification of a mixture of tetragonal and cubic phases at 4% of Yb doping, which cannot be detected by XRD, while the compositional maps suggest that Yb can be located preferentially in the grain boundaries. Changes in the activation energy values in bulk and grain boundaries are related to the small grain sizes (≤10 nm). UV measurements support the ionic nature of the charge transport. These results indicate that the high conductivity is a consequence of different physical parameters in the films such as stress in the materials, different crystalline phases, impurities diffusion to the grain boundaries, and the presence or absence of electronic conduction. A model that explains the increase of conductivity in nanostructured materials must include all these aspects.
Synthesis and Characterization of Molybdenum Disulfide Nanoflowers and Nanosheets: Nanotribology
Authors: Vattikuti S. V. Prabhakar , Byon Chan
Published: October 2015

This paper reports the solvothermal synthesis of MoS2 nanoflowers and nanosheets. The nanoflowers have a mean diameter of about 100 nm and were obtained using thioacetamide (C2H5NS) as a sulfur source. The few layered nanosheets were obtained using thiourea (CH4N2S) as a sulfur source. The obtained powders were characterized using powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The lubricating effect of MoS2 nanoflowers and nanosheets were analyzed using four‐ball test, the topography of the wear scar was analyzed using SEM, EDS, and 3D surface profilometry. The relationship between the tribological properties and morphology of the materials was determined. It is observed that the engine oil containing the MoS2 nanomaterials penetrated more easily into the interface space, and it formed a continuous film on the interface surface. The tribological performance showed that the synthesized nanosheets had superior antiwear and friction‐reducing properties as a lubrication additive compared with nanoflowers. Also, the wear scar of balls lubricated with nanoflowers revealed a larger diameter compared to nanosheets. In conclusion, nanosheets dispensed in oil have better tribological performance compared to nanoflowers oil in terms of capability to reduce friction.
Building Infinitely Many Solutions for Some Model of Sublinear Multipoint Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Degla Guy Aymard
Published: October 2015

We show that the sublinearity hypothesis of some well-known existence results on multipoint Boundary Value Problems (in short BVPs) may allow the existence of infinitely many solutions by using Tietze extension theorem. This is a qualitative result which is of concern in Applied Analysis and can motivate more research on the conditions that ascertain the existence of multiple solutions to sublinear BVPs. The idea of the proof is of independent interest since it shows a constructive way to have ordinary differential equations with multiple solutions.
Multiple Solutions of Boundary Value Problems fornth-Order Singular Nonlinear Integrodifferential Equations in Abstract Spaces
Authors: Chen Yanlai , Cao Tingqiu , Qin Baoxia
Published: October 2015

The authors discuss multiple solutions for thenth-order singular boundary value problems of nonlinear integrodifferential equations in Banach spaces by means of the fixed point theorem of cone expansion and compression. An example for infinite system of scalar third-order singular nonlinear integrodifferential equations is offered.
Supersymmetry: Early Roots That Did Not Grow
Authors: Jarlskog Cecilia
Published: October 2015

This paper is about early roots of supersymmetry, as found in the literature from 1940s and early 1950s. There were models where the power of “partners” in alleviating divergences in quantum field theory was recognized. However, other currently known remarkable features of supersymmetry, such as its role in the extension of the Poincaré group, were not known. There were, of course, no supersymmetric nonabelian quantum field theories in those days.
Effect of Nitrite and Nitrate Concentrations on the Performance of AFB-MFC Enriched with High-Strength Synthetic Wastewater
Authors: Huang Jian-sheng , Yang Ping , Li Chong-ming , Guo Yong , Lai Bo , Wang Ye , Feng Li , Zhang Yun
Published: October 2015

In order to study the effect of nitrite and nitrate on the performance of microbial fuel cell, a system combining an anaerobic fluidized bed (AFB) and a microbial fuel cell (MFC) was employed for high-strength nitrogen-containing synthetic wastewater treatment. Before this study, the AFB-MFC had been used to treat high-strength organic wastewater for about one year in a continuous flow mode. The results showed that when the concentrations of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were increased from 1700 mg/L to 4045 mg/L and 545 mg/L to 1427 mg/L, respectively, the nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen removal efficiencies were both above 99%; the COD removal efficiency went up from 60.00% to 88.95%; the voltage was about 375 ± 15 mV while the power density was at 70 ± 5 mW/m2. However, when the concentrations of nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were above 4045 mg/L and 1427 mg/L, respectively, the removal of nitrite nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen, COD, voltage, and power density were decreased to be 86%, 88%, 77%, 180 mV, and 17 mW/m2 when nitrite nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen were increased to 4265 mg/L and 1661 mg/L. In addition, the composition of biogas generated in the anode chamber was analyzed by a gas chromatograph. Nitrogen gas, methane, and carbon dioxide were obtained. The results indicated that denitrification happened in anode chamber.
Unusual Paraneoplastic Presentation of Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Opneja Aman , Mahajan Sonia , Kapoor Sargam , Marur Shanthi , Yang Steve Hoseong , Manno Rebecca
Published: October 2015

Introduction.Cutaneous paraneoplastic syndromes are a heterogeneous group of skin manifestations that occur in relation to many known malignancies. Paraneoplastic occurrence of SCLE has been noted but is not commonly reported. SCLE association with cholangiocarcinoma is rare.Case Presentation.A 72-year-old man with a history of extrahepatic stage IV cholangiocarcinoma presented with a pruritic rash. Cholangiocarcinoma had been diagnosed three years earlier and was treated. Five months after interruption of his chemotherapy due to a semiurgent surgery, he presented with explosive onset of a new pruritic rash, arthralgias, and lower extremity edema. Physical exam revealed a scaly erythematous rash on his arms, hands, face, neck, legs, and trunk. It was thick and scaly on sun exposed areas. Skin biopsy revealed vacuolar interface dermatitis. Immunofluorescence revealed IgM positive cytoid bodies scattered along the epidermal basement membrane zone. PET-CT scanning revealed metabolically active recurrent disease in peripancreatic and periportal region with hypermetabolic lymph nodes. Oral steroids and new regimen of chemotherapy were started. Rash improved and steroids were tapered off.Discussion.Paraneoplastic syndromes demonstrate the complex interaction between the immune system and cancer. Treatment resistant SCLE should raise a suspicion for paraneoplastic etiology.
Standardization of Syndrome Differentiation Defined by Traditional Chinese Medicine in Operative Breast Cancer: A Modified Delphi Study
Authors: Guo Qianqian , Chen Qianjun
Published: October 2015

Objective. The aim of this study was to establish the standardization of syndrome differentiation of operative breast cancer treated with Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) by the modified Delphi method. Method. A literature search for standardization of syndrome differentiation of operative breast cancer was conducted and eligible articles were identified in indexed databases from 1982 to 2013. We carried out two rounds of investigation between March and October 2013 and organized 20 experts who focused on TCM or integrative medicine in breast cancer research. Experts’ judgments were collected via posted questionnaires or e‐mail. A final evaluation was carried out after the end of both rounds. Result. The response ratio of the 1st round investigation reached 100%, and two experts were excluded due to the uncompleted questionnaire. The 2nd round investigation was completed by 18 experts in the 1st round panel board. In both rounds, the experts agreed that the stage of breast cancer defined by TCM could be divided into the perioperation period, the perichemotherapy period, the periradiotherapy period, and the consolidation period. Conclusion. We identified the feasibility and reasonability to establish the standardization of syndrome differentiation of operative breast cancer. According to the suggestions from experts in our Delphi study, we preliminarily established the TCM standard of syndrome differentiation based on different treatment stages of operative breast cancer.
Liver Cirrhosis: Evaluation, Nutritional Status, and Prognosis
Authors: Nishikawa Hiroki , Osaki Yukio
Published: October 2015

The liver is the major organ for the metabolism of three major nutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection is the major cause of chronic liver disease. Liver cirrhosis (LC) results from different mechanisms of liver injury that lead to necroinflammation and fibrosis. LC has been seen to be not a single disease entity but one that can be graded into distinct clinical stages related to clinical outcome. Several noninvasive methods have been developed for assessing liver fibrosis and these methods have been used for predicting prognosis in patients with LC. On the other hand, subjects with LC often have protein‐energy malnutrition (PEM) and poor physical activity. These conditions often result in sarcopenia, which is the loss of skeletal muscle volume and increased muscle weakness. Recent studies have demonstrated that PEM and sarcopenia are predictive factors for poorer survival in patients with LC. Based on these backgrounds, several methods for evaluating nutritional status in patients with chronic liver disease have been developed and they have been preferably used in the clinical field practice. In this review, we will summarize the current knowledge in the field of LC from the viewpoints of diagnostic method, nutritional status, and clinical outcomes.