bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multitarget Tracking by Improved Particle Filter Based on Unscented Transform
Authors: Wang Yazhao
Published: November 2013

This paper considers the problem of multitarget tracking in cluttered environment. To reduce the dependency on the noise priori knowledge, an improved particle filtering (PF) data association approach is presented based on the filter (HF). This approach can achieve higher robustness in the condition that the measurement noise prior is unknown. Because of the limitations of the HF in nonlinear tracking, we first present the unscented filter (HUF) by embedding the unscented transform (UT) into the extended filter (HEF) structure. Then the HUF is incorporated into the Rao-Blackwellized particle filter (RBPF) framework to update the particles. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms in linear and nonlinear multitarget tracking.
Effects of Immersion Time and 5‐Phenyl‐1H‐tetrazole on the Corrosion and Corrosion Mitigation of Cobalt Free Maraging Steel in 0.5 M Sulfuric Acid Pickling Solutions
Authors: Sherif El-Sayed M. , Seikh Asiful H.
Published: November 2013

The effect of exposure time and 5‐phenyl‐1H‐tetrazole on the corrosion and corrosion mitigation of cobalt free maraging steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 pickling solutions has been reported using electrochemical and spectroscopic investigations. Potentiodynamic polarization data showed that the increase of immersion time from 0 min to 120 min increases the corrosion rate and decreases the polarization resistance of the maraging steel. On the other hand, the addition of PHTA and the increase of its concentration decrease all the corrosion parameters of the steel at all exposure test periods. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements agreed with the obtained polarization data. Scanning electron spectroscopy and energy dispersive X‐ray investigations confirmed that the inhibition of the steel corrosion is achieved via the adsorption of the PHTA molecules onto the steel precluding its surface from being dissolved.
Ligand-Specific Regulation of the Endogenous Mu-Opioid Receptor by Chronic Treatment with Mu-Opioid Peptide Agonists
Authors: Murányi Marianna , Cinar Resat , Kékesi Orsolya , Birkás Erika , Fábián Gabriella , Bozó Beáta , Zentai András , Tóth Géza , Kicsi Emese Gabriella , Mácsai Mónika , Dochnal Roberta , Szabó Gyula , Szücs Mária
Published: November 2013

Since the discovery of the endomorphins (EM), the postulated endogenous peptide agonists of the mu-opioid receptors, several analogues have been synthesized to improve their binding and pharmacological profiles. We have shown previously that a new analogue,cis-1S,2R-aminocyclohexanecarboxylic acid2-endomorphin-2 (ACHC-EM2), had elevated mu-receptor affinity, selectivity, and proteolytic stability over the parent compound. In the present work, we have studied its antinociceptive effects and receptor regulatory processes. ACHC-EM2 displayed a somewhat higher (60%) acute antinociceptive response than the parent peptide, EM2 (45%), which peaked at 10 min afterintracerebroventricular (icv)administration in the rat tail-flick test. Analgesic tolerance developed to the antinociceptive effect of ACHC-EM2 upon its repeatedicvinjection that was complete by a 10-day treatment. This was accompanied by attenuated coupling of mu-sites to G-proteins in subcellular fractions of rat brain. Also, the density of mu-receptors was upregulated by about 40% in the light membrane fraction, with no detectable changes in surface binding. Distinct receptor regulatory processes were noted in subcellular fractions of rat brains made tolerant by the prototypic full mu-agonist peptide, DAMGO, and its chloromethyl ketone derivative, DAMCK. These results are discussed in light of the recently discovered phenomenon, that is, the “so-called biased agonism” or “functional selectivity”.
Tightness of Semidefinite Programming Relaxation to Robust Transmit Beamforming with SINR Constraints
Authors: Wang Yanjun , Shi Ruizhi
Published: November 2013

This paper considers a multiuser transmit beamforming problem under uncertain channel state information (CSI) subject to SINR constraints in a downlink multiuser MISO system. A robust transmit beamforming formulation is proposed. This robust formulation is to minimize the transmission power subject to worst-case signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) constraints on the receivers. The challenging problem is that the worst-case SINR constraints correspond to an infinite number of nonconvex quadratic constraints. In this paper, a natural semidifinite programming (SDP) relaxation problem is proposed to solve the robust beamforming problem. The main contribution of this paper is to establish the tightness of the SDP relaxation problem under proper assumption, which means that the SDP relaxation problem definitely yields rank-one solutions under the assumption. Then the SDP relaxation problem provides globally optimum solutions of the primal robust transmit beamforming problem under proper assumption and norm-constrained CSI errors. Simulation results show the correctness of the proposed theoretical results and also provide a counterexample whose solutions are not rank one. The existence of counterexample shows that the guess that the solutions of the SDP relaxation problem must be rank one is wrong, except that some assumptions (such as the one proposed in this paper) hold.
Convergence Region of Newton Iterative Power Flow Method: Numerical Studies
Authors: Deng Jiao-Jiao , Chiang Hsiao-Dong
Published: November 2013

Power flow study plays a fundamental role in the process of power system operation and planning. Of the several methods in commercial power flow package, the Newton-Raphson (NR) method is the most popular one. In this paper, we numerically study the convergence region of each power flow solution under the NR method. This study of convergence region provides insights of the complexity of the NR method in finding power flow solutions. Our numerical studies confirm that the convergence region of NR method has a fractal boundary and find that this fractal boundary of convergence regions persists under different loading conditions. In addition, the convergence regions of NR method for power flow equations with different nonlinear load models are also fractal. This fractal property highlights the importance of choosing initial guesses since a small variation of an initial guess near the convergence boundary leads to two different power flow solutions. One vital variation of Newton method popular in power industry is the fast decoupled power flow method whose convergence region is also numerically studied on an IEEE 14-bus test system which is of 22-dimensional in state space.
Exposure to Celebrity-Endorsed Small Cigar Promotions and Susceptibility to Use among Young Adult Cigarette Smokers
Authors: Sterling Kymberle L. , Moore Roland S. , Pitts Nicole , Duong Melissa , Ford Kentya H. , Eriksen Michael P.
Published: November 2013

Small cigar smoking among young adult cigarette smokers may be attributed to their exposure to its advertisements and promotions. We examined the association between exposure to a celebrity music artist’s endorsement of a specific brand of small cigars and young adult cigarette smokers’ susceptibility to smoking that brand. Venue-based sampling procedures were used to select and survey a random sample of 121 young adult cigarette smokers, aged 18–35. Fourteen percent reported exposure to the artist’s endorsement of the small cigar and 45.4% reported an intention to smoke the product in the future. The odds of small cigar smoking susceptibility increased threefold for those who reported exposure to the endorsement compared to those not exposed (OR = 3.64, 95% CI 1.06 to 12.54). Past 30-day small cigar use (OR = 3.30, 95% CI 1.24 to 8.74) and past 30-day cigar use (OR = 5.08, 95% CI 1.23, 21.08) were also associated with susceptibility to smoke a small cigar. An association between young adult cigarette smokers’ exposure to the music artist’s small cigar endorsement and their susceptibility to smoke small cigars was found. This association underscores the importance of monitoring small cigar promotions geared toward young people and their impact on small cigar product smoking.
The Impact of US Biofuels Policy on Agricultural Production and Nitrogen Loads in Alabama
Authors: Affuso Ermanno , Duzy Leah M.
Published: November 2013

The Energy Independence Security Act aims to increase the production of renewable fuels in order to improve the energy efficiency of the United States of America. This legislation set the biofuel production goal at 136.3 million m3 by 2022, with approximately 79 million m3 derived from advanced biofuels or renewable fuels other than corn ethanol. A bioeconomic model was used to assess the potential impact of the biofuel mandate in terms of nitrogen loss associated with corn production in northern Alabama considering the El Nino Southern Oscillation phases. From simulations conducted at the watershed level, the expansion in biofuel production would increase the production of corn by 122.89% with associated increase in nitrogen loss of 20%. Furthermore, nitrogen loss would be more severe in climatic transition towards La Nina.
On the Nature of Electric Current in the Electrospinning Process
Authors: Yalcinkaya Baturalp , Yener Fatma , Jirsak Oldrich , Cengiz-Callioglu Funda
Published: November 2013

The electric currents between electrodes in the electrospinning process are based on the movement of charge carriers through the spinning space. The majority of the charge carriers are formed by ionization of the air close to the metallic needle and to the polymer jet. The salt contained in the polymer solution contributes to the concentration of charge carriers, depending on its amount. The conductivity of polymer jets does not significantly affect the current since the jets do not link the electrodes.
A Hybrid Fuzzy Time Series Approach Based on Fuzzy Clustering and Artificial Neural Network with Single Multiplicative Neuron Model
Authors: Cagcag Yolcu Ozge
Published: November 2013

Particularly in recent years, artificial intelligence optimization techniques have been used to make fuzzy time series approaches more systematic and improve forecasting performance. Besides, some fuzzy clustering methods and artificial neural networks with different structures are used in the fuzzification of observations and determination of fuzzy relationships, respectively. In approaches considering the membership values, the membership values are determined subjectively or fuzzy outputs of the system are obtained by considering that there is a relation between membership values in identification of relation. This necessitates defuzzification step and increases the model error. In this study, membership values were obtained more systematically by using Gustafson-Kessel fuzzy clustering technique. The use of artificial neural network with single multiplicative neuron model in identification of fuzzy relation eliminated the architecture selection problem as well as the necessity for defuzzification step by constituting target values from real observations of time series. The training of artificial neural network with single multiplicative neuron model which is used for identification of fuzzy relation step is carried out with particle swarm optimization. The proposed method is implemented using various time series and the results are compared with those of previous studies to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method.
A Delta Operator Approach for the Discrete-Time Active Disturbance Rejection Control on Induction Motors
Authors: Cortés-Romero John , Luviano-Juárez Alberto , Sira-Ramírez Hebertt
Published: November 2013

The problem of active disturbance rejection control of induction motors is tackled by means of a generalized PI observer based discrete-time control, using the delta operator approach as the methodology of analyzing the sampled time process. In this scheme, model uncertainties and external disturbances are included in a general additive disturbance input which is to be online estimated and subsequently rejected via the controller actions. The observer carries out the disturbance estimation, thus reducing the complexity of the controller design. The controller efficiency is tested via some experimental results, performing a trajectory tracking task under load variations.
Effect Analysis of Geometric Parameters on Stainless Steel Stamping Multistage Pump by Experimental Test and Numerical Calculation
Authors: Wang Chuan , Shi Weidong , Zhou Ling , Lu Weigang
Published: November 2013

In order to improve the efficiency of stainless steel stamping multistage pump, quadratic regression orthogonal test, hydraulic design, and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are used to analyze the effect of pump geometric parameters. Sixteen impellers are designed based on the quadratic regression orthogonal test, which have three factors including impeller outlet slope, impeller blade outlet stagger angle, and impeller blade outlet width. Through quadratic regression equation, the function relationship between efficiency values and three factors is established. The optimal combination of geometric parameters is found through the analysis of the regression equation. To further study the influence of blade thickness on the performance of multistage pump, numerical simulations of multistage pump with different blade thicknesses are carried out. The influence law of blade thickness on pump performance is built from the external characteristics and internal flow field. In conclusion, with the increase of blade thickness, the best efficiency point of the pump shifts to the small flow rate direction, and the vortex regions inside the pump at rated flow gradually increase, which is the main reason that pump efficiency decreases along with the increase of the blade thickness at rated flow.
Preparation of CePO4Modified ZrO2Ceramics with Different Particle Sizes and Their Mechanical Behaviors
Authors: Yan Wei , Jing Li , Wei Zi , Bing Han , Liang Xu-Deng
Published: November 2013

Different particle size 3 mol% Y2O3-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline (3Y-TZP) coated with CePO4was prepared by a coprecipitation method and the effect of zirconia particle-size on its mechanical properties was investigated. The phase composition and microstructure of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The machining characteristic of as-prepared samples was calculated to be 0.54 for a zirconia particle size of around 30–50 nm. In this grain size range, the hardness, fracture toughness, and bending strength of the coated sample were found to be 10.72 GPa, 5.76 MPa·m1/2, and 463 MPa. Our results show that the grain size of the zirconia before coating greatly influences the mechanical properties of the coated samples because the different particle sizes result in different fracture styles.
Sliding Mode Control with State Derivative Output Feedback in Reciprocal State Space Form
Authors: Tseng Yuan-Wei , Wang Yu-Ning
Published: November 2013

This paper investigates the novel sliding mode control design with state derivative output feedback in nontraditional reciprocal state space (RSS) form. The concepts and the need of RSS form are comprehensively reviewed and explained. Novel switching function and approaching condition based on the derivative of sliding surface are introduced. In addition, a sufficient condition for finding the upper bound of system uncertainty to guarantee the stability in sliding surface is developed for robustness analysis. A compact sliding mode controller utilizing only state derivative related output feedback is proposed for systems with system uncertainty, matched input uncertainty, and matched external disturbance. Simulation results for a circuit system successfully verify the validities of the proposed algorithms. Our derivation is basically parallel to that for systems in standard state space form. Therefore, those who understand the concepts of sliding mode control can easily apply our method to handle more control problems without being involved in complex mathematics.
Some Identities between the Extended -Bernstein Polynomials with Weight and -Bernoulli Polynomials with Weight (,)
Authors: Lee H. Y. , Ryoo C. S.
Published: November 2013

Using bosonic -adic -integral on , we give some interesting relationships between -Bernoulli numbers with weight (,) and -Bernstein polynomials with weight . Also, using -Bernstein polynomials with two variables, we derive some interesting properties associated with -Bernoulli numbers with weight (,).
Studying the Interstellar Medium of H II/BCD Galaxies Using IFU Spectroscopy
Authors: Lagos Patricio , Papaderos Polychronis
Published: November 2013

We review the results from our studies, and previous published work, on the spatially resolved physical properties of a sample of Hii/BCD galaxies, as obtained mainly from integral-field unit spectroscopy with Gemini/GMOS and VLT/VIMOS. We confirm that, within observational uncertainties, our sample galaxies show nearly spatially constant chemical abundances similar to other low-mass starburst galaxies. They also show Heii  λ4686 emission with the properties being suggestive of a mix of excitation sources and with Wolf-Rayet stars being excluded as the primary ones. Finally, in this contribution, we include a list of all Hii/BCD galaxies studied thus far with integral-field unit spectroscopy.
An Extended DCT Domain Watermarking for Robot Vision against Geometric Image Attacks
Authors: Choi Okkyung , Jeon InBae , Yoo Seung-Wha , Moon Seungbin
Published: November 2013

With the rapid development of the Internet and the mobile service robot, the digital services are becoming important factors for robots to recognize things in the real world. Advances in computer technology and the risk of copyright infringement have increased in the way that anyone replicates and copies digital media easily. Therefore, ways to prevent and suppress copyright infringement, digital watermarking technologies that insert copyrights information into the work, are being researched. Digital watermark, depending on the actual insert domain, can be categorized into the spatial domain and transform domain. In this paper, we propose an extended DCT domain watermarking for robot vision. The suggested method is by distributing and duplicating watermark images that are including copyright information on the original images. By doing this, it can be strong on geometric image attacks such as partial cutting, resizing, rotating, and so forth. For the success of watermark extraction, invertible process can be used to recover a disfigured image. Experimental results are provided to support these methods, through the process of recombination by complete image pieces.
Traffic Noise Propagating from Vibration of Railway Wagon
Authors: Hsia Shao-Yi , Chou Yu-Tuan
Published: November 2013

Traffic noise has become a serious environmental hazard as more cars are purchased and driven. To help objectively and subjectively reduce perceived noise load, methods to analyze traffic noise offer an important means of creating a design to reduce noise output from main sources and transmission routes. Acoustic analysis using BEASY and dynamic analysis using ANSYS are conducted to forecast noise at a distance of 15 m from a railway wagon travelling at 100 km/h. This noise is based on structural vibration only and it excludes other noise sources from the railway wagon. The simulation results demonstrate that the overall noise at 15 m from a railway wagon car is 85.1 dB(L) from linear energy weighting calculation and 72.9 dB(A) from the A-weighting calculation. In this study, noise level propagating from vibration of the railway wagon is measured or calculated using A-weighting filter to simulate the frequency response of the human ear. The study results can be useful to factories, companies, or organizations and can provide an important resource and help reduce traffic noise. This can be achieved by predetermining the test location and structure configuration and adapting local planning and thus preventing excessive traffic noise in residential areas.
Viscosity Approximation Methods for Two Accretive Operators in Banach Spaces
Authors: Chen Jun-Min , Fan Tie-Gang
Published: November 2013

We introduced a viscosity iterative scheme for approximating the common zero of two accretive operators in a strictly convex Banach space which has a uniformly Gâteaux differentiable norm. Some strong convergence theorems are proved, which improve and extend the results of Ceng et al. (2009) and some others.
Polysaccharides-Rich Extract ofGanoderma lucidum(M.A. Curtis:Fr.) P. Karst Accelerates Wound Healing in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Cheng Poh-Guat , Phan Chia-Wei , Sabaratnam Vikineswary , Abdullah Noorlidah , Abdulla Mahmood Ameen , Kuppusamy Umah Rani
Published: November 2013

Ganoderma lucidum(M.A. Curtis:Fr.) P. Karst is a popular medicinal mushroom. Scientific reports had shown that the wound healing effects ofG. lucidumwere partly attributed to its rich polysaccharides. However, little attention has been paid to its potential effects on wounds associated with diabetes mellitus. In this study, we evaluated the wound healing activity of the hot aqueous extract ofG. lucidumin streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. The extract ofG. lucidumwas standardised based on chemical contents (w/w) of total polysaccharides (25.1%), ganoderic acid A (0.45%), and adenosine (0.069%). Six groups of six rats were experimentally wounded in the posterior neck region. Intrasite gel was used as a positive control and aqueous cream as the placebo. Topical application with 10% (w/w) of mushroom extract-incorporated aqueous cream was more effective than that with Intrasite gel in terms of wound closure. The antioxidant activity in serum of rats treated with aqueous extract ofG. lucidumwas significantly higher; whereas the oxidative protein products and lipid damage were lower when compared to those of the controls. These findings strongly support the beneficial effects of standardised aqueous extract ofG. lucidumin accelerating wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
Stable Agrobacterium‐Mediated Transformation of Maritime Pine Based on Kanamycin Selection
Authors: Alvarez José M. , Ordás Ricardo J.
Published: November 2013

An efficient transformation protocol based on kanamycin selection was developed for Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation of maritime pine embryonal masses. The binary vector pBINUbiGUSint, which contained neomycin phosphotransferase II (nptII) as a selectable marker gene and β-glucuronidase (uidA) as a reporter gene, was used for transformation studies. Different factors, such as embryogenic line, bacterial strain, bacterial concentration, and coculture duration, were examined and optimized. For selection of transformants, 15 mgL−1 kanamycin was used. The highest transformation efficiency (11.4 events per gram of fresh mass) was achieved when a vigorously growing embryonal mass (embryogenic line L01) was cocultivated with Agrobacterium strain AGL1 at the optical density (OD600 nm) of 0.3 for 72 h. Evidence of the stable transgene integration was obtained by polymerase chain reaction for the nptII and uidA genes and expression of the uidA gene. Maturation capacity of the transgenic lines was negatively affected by the transformation process. Induction of axillary shoots by preculturing the embryos with benzyladenine allowed overcoming the low maturation rates of some transformed lines. The transgenic embryos were germinated and the axillar shoots were rooted. Transgenic plants were transferred to potting substrate showing normal growth.
Reactive Thrombocytosis Associated with Acute Myocardial Infarction following STEMI with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Dumrongmongcolgul Nat , Mankongpaisarnrung Charoen , Sutamtewagul Grerk , Hosiriluck Nattamol , Chen Timothy , Trujillo Alexander , Dcunha Nicholas , Nugent Kenneth , Jenkins Leigh Ann
Published: November 2013

The etiology of thrombocytosis can be classified into reactive and essential forms. The rate of thromboembolic events is higher in essential thrombocytosis, and these events include strokes, transient ischemic attacks, retinal artery or retinal vein occlusions, digital ischemia, and acute coronary syndrome. In a study of 732 medical and surgical patients with thrombocytosis, 88% had reactive thrombocytosis. Patients with reactive thrombocytosis do not require cytoreductive medications or antiplatelet treatment. We report a healthy 40-year-old man without any medical problems who developed a new episode of myocardial infarction associated with thrombocytosis after an episode of myocardial infarction followed by percutaneous coronary intervention. He had thrombocytosis, and his platelet function test did not reveal adequate inhibition. To treat his acute coronary syndrome, therapeutic enoxaparin was added, and clopidrogel was substituted with ticagrelor. We decided to start hydroxyurea to reduce platelets counts. Enoxaparin and hydroxyurea were discontinued when platelet count returned to baseline. JAK-2 and BCR/ABL mutations were negative. This case report highlights a clinical dilemma (reactive thrombocytosis), which is challenging in terms of management and pathophysiology.
Congestion Control Based on Multiple Model Adaptive Control
Authors: Yang Xinhao , Li Ze
Published: November 2013

The congestion controller based on the multiple model adaptive control is designed for the network congestion in TCP/AQM network. As the conventional congestion control is sensitive to the variable network condition, the adaptive control method is adopted in our congestion control. The multiple model adaptive control is introduced in this paper based on the weight calculation instead of the parameter estimation in past adaptive control. The model set is composed by the dynamic model based on the fluid flow. And three “local” congestion controllers are nonlinear output feedback controller based on variable RTT, H2output feedback controller, and proportional-integral controller, respectively. Ns-2 simulation results in section 4 indicate that the proposed algorithm restrains the congestion in variable network condition and maintains a high throughput together with a low packet drop ratio.
Passive Acoustic Source Tracking Using Underwater Distributed Sensors
Authors: Chun Seung-Yong , Kim Ki-Man
Published: November 2013

Passive acoustic source tracking using underwater distributed sensors has been a severe problem because of the complexity of the underwater channel and the limited resources of the sensors. In this paper, we propose an acoustic source tracking algorithm using underwater distributed sensors. According to the waveguide invariant theory, a slope of the interference pattern which is seen in a spectrogram is proportional to range of the acoustic source. The proposed algorithm matches the interference patterns at the distributed sensors and calculates a distance ratio between source and sensors. A locus of the source by the principal of the circle of Apollonius is estimated. The Apollonius circle, however, still keeps the ambiguity against the correct source location. In addition hyperbola equation is introduced into localization algorithm by estimating time difference of arrival between the received signals at the distributed sensors. Finally the cross point of the circle and hyperbola can be estimated as the position of the acoustic source. The proposed algorithm is tested on sea trial data for acoustic source ranges of 400–2,000 m and frequencies from 50 to 750 Hz. The results show that the proposed algorithm successfully estimates the source location within an error bound of 7.3%.
Energy Efficient Power Allocation for Bidirectional Relaying with Imperfect Channel Estimation
Authors: Li Song , Sun Yanjing , Xu Hongli , Sun Zhi , Shi Wenjuan
Published: November 2013

A wireless network scenario of bidirectional relaying with imperfect channel side information (CSI) is considered, in which two source nodes intend to exchange information with the help of one relay. The power allocation problem is investigated to minimize the total transmit power subject to constraints on two source nodes' received signal-to-noise-ratios (SNRs). The best relay that minimizes the total transmit power is selected in a multiple relay network. We also present outage analysis when the proposed power allocation is adopted, and a close-form approximation of outage probability is obtained by shrinking the integral interval. Simulation results show that the total transmit power can be substantially decreased and the outage probability is significantly decreased by the proposed power allocation scheme when two source nodes have different QoS requirement.
Primary Cutaneous Vasculitis Masquerading as Drug Induced following Aspirin Desensitization
Authors: Al-Nesf Maryam Ali , Mobayed Hassan M. S. , Raza Tasleem
Published: November 2013

Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is a well-known clinical condition. Aspirin desensitization followed by daily aspirin therapy is the treatment of choice. We report a challenging case of primary cutaneous vasculitis following aspirin desensitization in a patient with AERD. The vasculitis was likely suppressed with higher dose systemic steroid use to control asthma. Aspirin desensitization led to improved asthma control and steroid reduction, which led to manifestation of prior suppressed cutaneous vasculitis. In our case, there was no evidence of systemic involvement and the patient had a favorable outcome with appropriate therapy.
Drawing Dynamical and Parameters Planes of Iterative Families and Methods
Authors: Chicharro Francisco I. , Cordero Alicia , Torregrosa Juan R.
Published: November 2013

The complex dynamical analysis of the parametric fourth‐order Kim’s iterative family is made on quadratic polynomials, showing the MATLAB codes generated to draw the fractal images necessary to complete the study. The parameter spaces associated with the free critical points have been analyzed, showing the stable (and unstable) regions where the selection of the parameter will provide us the excellent schemes (or dreadful ones).
Human-Robot Interaction Learning Using Demonstration-Based Learning and Q-Learning in a Pervasive Sensing Environment
Authors: Sung Yunsick , Cho Seoungjae , Um Kyhyun , Jeong Young-Sik , Fong Simon , Cho Kyungeun
Published: November 2013

Given that robots provide services in any locations after they move toward humans, the pervasive sensing environment can provide diverse kinds of services through the robots not depending on the locations of humans. For various services, robots need to learn accurate motor primitives such as walking and grabbing objects. However, learning motor primitives in a pervasive sensing environment are very time consuming. Several previous studies have considered robots learning motor primitives and interacting with humans in virtual environments. Given that a robot learns motor primitives based on observations, a disadvantage is that there is no way of defining motor primitives that cannot be observed by a robot. In this paper, we develop a novel interaction learning approach based on a virtual environment. The motor primitives are defined by manipulating a robot directly using demonstration-based learning. In addition, a robot can apply Q-learning to learn interactions with humans. In an experiment, using the proposed method, the motor primitives were generated intuitively and the amount of movement required by a virtual human in one of the experiments was reduced by about 25% after applying the generated motor primitives.
A New Finite Element Method for Darcy-Stokes-Brinkman Equations
Authors: Lamichhane Bishnu P.
Published: November 2013

We present a new finite element method for Darcy-Stokes-Brinkman equations using primal and dual meshes for the velocity and the pressure, respectively. Using an orthogonal basis for the discrete space for the pressure, we use an efficiently computable stabilization to obtain a uniform convergence of the finite element approximation for both limiting cases.
In VivoAntioxidant Activity of Deacetylasperulosidic Acid in Noni
Authors: Ma De-Lu , Chen Mai , Su Chen X. , West Brett J.
Published: November 2013

Deacetylasperulosidic acid (DAA) is a major phytochemical constituent ofMorinda citrifolia(noni) fruit. Noni juice has demonstrated antioxidant activityin vivoand in human trials. To evaluate the role of DAA in this antioxidant activity, Wistar rats were fed 0 (control group), 15, 30, or 60 mg/kg body weight per day for 7 days. Afterwards, serum malondialdehyde concentration and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were measured and compared among groups. A dose-dependent reduction in malondialdehyde was evident as well as a dose-dependent increase in superoxide dismutase activity. DAA ingestion did not influence serum glutathione peroxidase activity. These results suggest that DAA contributes to the antioxidant activity of noni juice by increasing superoxide dismutase activity. The fact that malondialdehyde concentrations declined with increased DAA dose, despite the lack of glutathione peroxidase-inducing activity, suggests that DAA may also increase catalase activity. It has been previously reported that noni juice increases catalase activityin vivobut additional research is required to confirm the effect of DAA on catalase. Even so, the current findings do explain a possible mechanism of action for the antioxidant properties of noni juice that have been observed in human clinical trials.
Design Intend Solving: Dynamic Composition Method for Innovative Design Based on Virtual Cloud Manufacturing Resource Generators
Authors: Gao Yi-Cong , Feng Yi-Xiong , Cheng Jin , Tan Jianrong , Hao Zheng
Published: November 2013

Recently, there has been growing interest in composition of cloud manufacturing resources (CMRs). Composition of CMRs is a feasible innovation to fulfill the user request while single cloud manufacturing resource cannot satisfy the functionality required by the user. In this paper, we propose a new case-based approach for the composition of CMRs. The basic idea of the present approach is to provide a computational framework for the composition of CMRs by imitating the common design method of reviewing past designs to obtain solution concepts for a new composite cloud manufacturing resource (CCMR). A notion of virtual cloud manufacturing resource generators (VCMRGs) is introduced to conceptualize and represent underlying CCMRs contained in existing CCMRs. VCMRGs are derived from previous CCMRs and serve as new conceptual building blocks for the composition of CMRs. Feasible composite CMRs are generated by combining VCMRGs using some adaptation rules. The reuse of prior CCMRs is accomplished via VCMRGs within the framework of case-based reasoning. We demonstrate that the proposed approach yields lower execution time for fulfilling user request and shows good scalability.
Removal of Textile Dyes from Aqueous Solution by Heterogeneous Photo-Fenton Reaction Using Modified PAN Nanofiber Fe Complex as Catalyst
Authors: Zhao Xueting , Dong Yongchun , Cheng Bowen , Kang Weimin
Published: November 2013

The modified PAN nanofiber Fe complex was prepared by the amidoximation and Fe coordination of PAN nanofiber was obtained using electrospinning technique and then used for the heterogeneous Fenton degradation of textile dyes as a novel catalyst. Some main factors affecting dye degradation such as Fe content of catalyst, irradiation intensity, H2O2initial concentration, the solution pH as well as dye structure, and initial concentration were investigated. UV-Vis spectrum analysis and TOC measurement were also used to evaluate the dye degradation process. The results indicated that the modified PAN nanofiber Fe complex exhibited a much better catalytic activity for the heterogeneous Fenton degradation of textile dyes than the Fe complex prepared with conventional PAN yarns in the dark or under light irradiation. Increasing Fe content of catalyst or irradiation intensity would accelerate the dye degradation. And the highest degradation efficiency was obtained with 3.0 mmol L−1H2O2at pH 6. Moreover, this complex was proved to be a universal and efficient catalyst for degradation of three classes of textile dyes including azo dye, anthraquinone dye, and triphenylmethane dye. Additionally, the dye mineralization was also significantly enhanced in the presence of this complex.
A Brief Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medical Elongated Needle Therapy on Acute Spinal Cord Injury and Its Mechanism
Authors: Du Mengxuan , Chen Rongliang , Quan Renfu , Zhang Liang , Xu Jinwei , Yang Zhongbao , Yang Disheng
Published: November 2013

Acute spinal cord injury is one of the most common and complicated diseases among human spinal injury. We aimed to explore the effect of point-through-point acupuncture therapy with elongated needles on acute spinal cord injury in rabbits and its possible mechanism. Adult rabbits were randomly divided into a model group, elongated needle therapy group, and blank group. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the protein levels of Fas and caspase-3 in the model group were significantly higher than those in the blank group at each time point (P<0.05) and significantly lower than those in the elongated needle therapy group on the 3rd and 5th days after operation (P<0.05). RT-PCR showed that Fas and caspase-3 mRNA levels in the model group and elongated needle therapy group were significantly higher than those in the blank group (P<0.05, 0.01). The mRNA levels of Fas and caspase-3 in the elongated needle therapy group were significantly lower than those in model group on the 3rd day (P<0.05, 0.01). Therefore, we confirmed that elongated needle therapy has an obvious effect on acute spinal cord injury in rabbits. Its mechanism is made possible by inhibiting the expression of the Fas→caspase-3 cascade, thereby inhibiting cell apoptosis after spinal cord injury.
Estimates of Some Operators on One-Sided Weighted Morrey Spaces
Authors: Shi Shaoguang , Fu Zunwei
Published: November 2013

A version of one-sided weighted Morrey space is introduced. The boundedness of some classical one-sided operators in harmonic analysis and PDE on these spaces are discussed, including the Riemann-Liouville fractional integral.
An Indoor Video Surveillance System with Intelligent Fall Detection Capability
Authors: Chen Ming-Chih , Liu Yang-Ming
Published: November 2013

This work presents a novel indoor video surveillance system, capable of detecting the falls of humans. The proposed system can detect and evaluate human posture as well. To evaluate human movements, the background model is developed using the codebook method, and the possible position of moving objects is extracted using the background and shadow eliminations method. Extracting a foreground image produces more noise and damage in this image. Additionally, the noise is eliminated using morphological and size filters and this damaged image is repaired. When the image object of a human is extracted, whether or not the posture has changed is evaluated using the aspect ratio and height of a human body. Meanwhile, the proposed system detects a change of the posture and extracts the histogram of the object projection to represent the appearance. The histogram becomes the input vector of K-Nearest Neighbor (K-NN) algorithm and is to evaluate the posture of the object. Capable of accurately detecting different postures of a human, the proposed system increases the fall detection accuracy. Importantly, the proposed method detects the posture using the frame ratio and the displacement of height in an image. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system can further improve the system performance and the fall down identification accuracy.
Integration of Data from Omic Studies with the Literature-Based Discovery towards Identification of Novel Treatments for Neovascularization in Diabetic Retinopathy
Authors: Maver Ales , Hristovski Dimitar , Rindflesch Thomas C. , Peterlin Borut
Published: November 2013

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a secondary complication of diabetes associated with retinal neovascularization and represents the leading cause of blindness in the adult population in the developed world. Despite research efforts, the nature of pathogenetic processes leading to DR is still unknown, making development of novel effective treatments difficult. Advances in omic technologies now offer unprecedented insight into global molecular alterations in DR, but identification of novel treatments based on massive amounts of data generated in omic studies still represents a considerable challenge. For this reason, we attempted to facilitate discovery of novel treatments for DR by complementing the interpretation of omic results using the vast body of information existing in the published literature with the literature-based discovery (LBD) approaches. To achieve this, we collected data from transcriptomic studies performed on retinal tissue from animal models of DR, performed a meta-analysis of these datasets and identified altered genes and pathways. Using the SemBT LBD framework, we have determined which therapies could regulate perturbed pathways or that could stabilize the gene expression alterations in DR. We show that by using this approach, we not only could reidentify drugs currently in use or in clinical trials, but also could indicate novel treatment directions for ameliorating neovascularization processes in DR.
What the Iberian Conquest Bequeathed to Us: The Fruit Trees Introduced in Argentine Subtropic—Their History and Importance in Present Traditional Medicine
Authors: Stampella Pablo C. , Lambaré Daniela Alejandra , Hilgert Norma I. , Pochettino María Lelia
Published: November 2013

This contribution presents information about the history of introduction, establishment, and local appropriation of Eurasian fruit trees—species and varieties of the generaPrunusandCitrus—from 15th century in two rural areas of Northern Argentina. By means of an ethnobotanical and ethnohistorical approach, our study was aimed at analysing how this process influenced local medicine and the design of cultural landscape that they are still part of. As a first step, local diversity, knowledge, and management practices of these fruit tree species were surveyed. In a second moment, medicinal properties attributed to them were documented. A historical literature was consulted referring to different aspects on introduction of peaches and citric species into America and their uses in the past. The appropriation of these fruit-trees gave place to new applications and a particular status for introduced species that are seen as identitary and contribute to the definition of the communities and daily life landscapes. Besides, these plants, introduced in a relatively short period and with written record, allow the researcher to understand and to design landscape domestication, as a multidimensional result of physical, social, and symbolic environment.
A Novel Cloud Computing Algorithm of Security and Privacy
Authors: Chen Chih-Yung , Tu Jih-Fu
Published: November 2013

The emergence of cloud computing has simplified the flow of large-scale deployment distributed system of software suppliers; when issuing respective application programs in a sharing clouds service to different user, the management of material becomes more complex. Therefore, in multitype clouds service of trust environment, when enterprises face cloud computing, what most worries is the issue of security, but individual users are worried whether the privacy material will have an outflow risk. This research has mainly analyzed several different construction patterns of cloud computing, and quite relevant case in the deployment construction security of cloud computing by fit and unfit quality, and proposed finally an optimization safe deployment construction of cloud computing and security mechanism of material protection calculating method, namely, Global Authentication Register System (GARS), to reduce cloud material outflow risk. We implemented a system simulation to test the GARS algorithm of availability, security and performance. By experimental data analysis, the solutions of cloud computing security, and privacy derived from the research can be effective protection in cloud information security. Moreover, we have proposed cloud computing in the information security-related proposals that would provide related units for the development of cloud computing security practice.
Effects of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Collagen Scaffolds on the Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Baktur Rena , Yoon Sang-Hee , Kwon Soonjo
Published: November 2013

With recent advances in nanotechnology, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively studied as substrates for cell culture, drug delivery systems, and medical implant materials. However, surprisingly little is known about the effect of CNTs on collective cellular processes (e.g., adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation). This leads to the need for quantitative characterization of the proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on multiwalled CNT‐s (MWCNTs‐) collagen scaffolds. In here, a set of MWCNTs‐collagen scaffolds where three different types of MWCNTs are, respectively, entrapped in reconstituted type I collagen at four different concentrations less than 100 ppm are prepared; the MSC differentiation thereon is investigated by monitoring the transcription factor RunX2 (RunX), transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β), alkaline phosphatase (AP), osteocalcin, and mineralized nodules of extracellular matrix (ECM). In short, the MWCNT‐collagen scaffolds induced significant increases in AP activity and ECM mineralization due to the increased stiffness and strength of the scaffold by entrapping MWCNTs. This offers a potential for controlling MSC differentiation using MWCNT‐collagen scaffolds.
Traffic Accident Propagation Properties and Control Measures for Urban Links Based on Cellular Automata
Authors: Li Xian-sheng , Zheng Xue-lian , Guo Wei-wei , Ren Yuan-yuan , Wang Yu-ning , Yang Meng
Published: November 2013

With the rapid development of urban transport and the sharp increase in vehicle population, traffic accidents form one of the most important causes of urban traffic congestion other than the imbalance between traffic supply and demand. Traffic congestion causes severe problems, such as environment contamination and energy dissipation. Therefore, it would be useful to analyze the congestion propagation characteristics after traffic accidents. Numerical analysis and computer simulation were two of the typical methods used at present to study the traffic congestion propagation properties. The latter was more widespread as it is more consistent with the actual traffic flow and more visual than the former. In this paper, an improved cellular automata (CA) model was presented to analyze traffic congestion propagation properties and to evaluate control strategies. In order to apply them to urban traffic flow simulation, the CA models have been improved and expanded on. Computer simulations were built for congestion not only extending to the upstream intersection, but also the upstream intersection and the entire road network, respectively. Congestion propagation characteristics after road traffic accidents were obtained, and controls of different severities and durations were analyzed. The results provide the theoretical foundation and practical means for the control of congestion.