bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anatomy and Surgical Relevance of Rouviere’s Sulcus
Authors: Dahmane Raja , Morjane Abdelwaheb , Starc Andrej
Published: November 2013

Rouviere’s sulcus (RS) (i.e., incisura hepatis dextra, Gans incisura) represents an important anatomical landmark. The aim of the study was to determine the frequency of the RS, its description, its location, its relations to the right portal pedicle and to the plane of the common bile duct, and the evaluation of the surgical relevance of the obtained data. Forty macroscopically healthy and undamaged livers were removed during autopsies from cadavers of both sexes. The RS was present in 82% of the cases and in these the open RS was identified in 70% of the livers. The fused type was observed in 12% of the cases; 18% of the livers had no sulcus. The mean length of the open type RS was 28 ± 2 mm (range 24–32 mm) and its mean depth was 6 ± 2 mm (range 4–8 mm). The right posterior sectional pedicle was found in the RS in 70% of the cases. In 5% of the livers, we also dissected a branch of the anterior sectional pedicle. Inside 25% of the RS, we found the vein of segment 6. The RS identification may avoid bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy and enables elective vascular control during the right liver resection.
Radiation Sterilization of Anthracycline Antibiotics in Solid State
Authors: Kaczmarek A. , Cielecka-Piontek J. , Garbacki P. , Lewandowska K. , Bednarski W. , Barszcz B. , Zalewski P. , Kycler W. , Oszczapowicz I. , Jelińska A.
Published: November 2013

The impact of ionizing radiation generated by a beam of electrons of 25–400 kGy on the stability of such analogs of anthracycline antibiotics as daunorubicin (DAU), doxorubicin (DOX), and epidoxorubicin (EPI) was studied. Based on EPR results, it was established that unstable free radicals decay exponentially with the half‐time of 4 days in DAU and DOX and 7 days in EPI after irradiation. Radiation‐induced structural changes were analyzed with the use of spectrophotometric methods (UV‐Vis and IR) and electron microscope imaging (SEM). A chromatographic method (HPLC‐DAD) was applied to assess changes in the contents of the analogs in the presence of their impurities. The study showed that the structures of the analogs did not demonstrate any significant alterations at the end of the period necessary for the elimination of unstable free radicals. The separation of main substances and related substances (impurities and potential degradation products) allowed determining that no statistically significant changes in the content of particular active substances occurred and that their conversion due to the presence of free radicals resulting from exposure to an irradiation of 25 kGy (prescribed to ensure sterility) was not observed.
Explicit Nonlinear Finite Element Geometric Analysis of Parabolic Leaf Springs under Various Loads
Authors: Kong Y. S. , Omar M. Z. , Chua L. B. , Abdullah S.
Published: November 2013

This study describes the effects of bounce, brake, and roll behavior of a bus toward its leaf spring suspension systems. Parabolic leaf springs are designed based on vertical deflection and stress; however, loads are practically derived from various modes especially under harsh road drives or emergency braking. Parabolic leaf springs must sustain these loads without failing to ensure bus and passenger safety. In this study, the explicit nonlinear dynamic finite element (FE) method is implemented because of the complexity of experimental testing A series of load cases; namely, vertical push, wind‐up, and suspension roll are introduced for the simulations. The vertical stiffness of the parabolic leaf springs is related to the vehicle load‐carrying capability, whereas the wind‐up stiffness is associated with vehicle braking. The roll stiffness of the parabolic leaf springs is correlated with the vehicle roll stability. To obtain a better bus performance, two new parabolic leaf spring designs are proposed and simulated. The stress level during the loadings is observed and compared with its design limit. Results indicate that the newly designed high vertical stiffness parabolic spring provides the bus a greater roll stability and a lower stress value compared with the original design. Bus safety and stability is promoted, as well as the load carrying capability.
Treatment with CB2Agonist JWH-133 Reduces Histological Features Associated with Erectile Dysfunction in Hypercholesterolemic Mice
Authors: Fraga-Silva Rodrigo Araujo , Costa-Fraga Fabiana Pereira , Montecucco Fabrizio , Faye Younouss , Savergnini Silvia Quintao , Lenglet Sébastien , Mach François , Steffens Sabine , Stergiopulos Nikolaos , Souza dos Santos Robson Augusto , da Silva Rafaela Fernandes
Published: November 2013

Hypercholesterolemia is one of the most important risk factors for erectile dysfunction, mostly due to the impairment of oxidative stress and endothelial function in the penis. The cannabinoid system might regulate peripheral mechanisms of sexual function; however, its role is still poorly understood. We investigated the effects of CB2activation on oxidative stress and fibrosis within the corpus cavernosum of hypercholesterolemic mice. Apolipoprotein-E-knockout mice were fed with a western-type diet for 11 weeks and treated with JWH-133 (selective CB2agonist) or vehicle during the last 3 weeks. CB2receptor expression, total collagen content, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production within the penis were assessed.In vitrocorpus cavernosum strips preparation was performed to evaluate the nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. CB2protein expression was shown in cavernosal endothelial and smooth muscle cells of wild type and hypercholesterolemic mice. Treatment with JWH-133 reduced ROS production and NADPH-oxidase expression in hypercholesterolemic mice penis. Furthermore, JWH-133 increased endothelial NO synthase expression in the corpus cavernosum and augmented NO bioavailability. The decrease in oxidative stress levels was accompanied with a reduction in corpus cavernosum collagen content. In summary, CB2activation decreased histological features, which were associated with erectile dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic mice.
Scale-Dependent Browsing Patterns on Canada Yew (Taxus canadensis) by White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Authors: Windels Steve K. , Flaspohler David J.
Published: November 2013

Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) is a clonal shrub that forms discrete patches and was formerly an important component of forest understories in much of northeastern North America. Following Euro-American settlement, Canada yew has been extirpated or reduced in abundance throughout much of its former range, particularly in the USA; winter browsing by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has been implicated as responsible for much of its decline. Little is known about the factors affecting deer browsing intensity on Canada yew. We examined factors related to browsing intensity on Canada yew across three spatial scales in 29 forest stands in Michigan, USA. Browsing intensity on stems was related principally to two factors acting simultaneously across multiple spatial scales. Browsing intensity was negatively related to amount of Canada yew at the scale of the forest stand and negatively related to distance from the edge of Canada yew patches, effectively creating refugia from browsing. The browsing patterns we observed suggest that yew exists in two alternate stable states: (1) as loose aggregations of small stems or (2) large, dense patches of large stems. The implications of changes in deer density or snow cover to the probability of local persistence of Canada yew are discussed.
Antioxidative and Anticholinesterase Activity of Cyphomandra betacea Fruit
Authors: Ali Hassan Siti Hawa , Abu Bakar Mohd Fadzelly
Published: November 2013

Cyphomandra betacea is one of the underutilized fruits which can be found in tropical and subtropical countries. This study was conducted to determine the antioxidant activity and phytochemical contents in different parts (i.e., flesh and peel) of the fruits. Antioxidants were analyzed using DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging assays as well as FRAP assay. Anticholinesterase activity was determined using enzymatic assay using acetyl cholinesterase enzyme. For 80% methanol extract, the peel of the fruit displayed higher antioxidant activity in both FRAP and ABTS free radical scavenging assays while the flesh displayed higher antioxidant activity in the DPPH assay. Total phenolic and total flavonoid content were higher in the peel with the values of 4.89 ± 0.04 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g and 3.36 ± 0.01 mg rutin equivalent (RU)/g, respectively. Total anthocyanin and carotenoid content were higher in the flesh of the fruit with the values of 4.15 ± 0.04 mg/100 g and 25.13 ± 0.35 mg/100 g. The anticholinesterase was also higher in the peel of C. betacea. The same trends of phytochemicals, antioxidant, and anticholinesterase were also observed in the distilled water extracts. These findings suggested that C. betacea has a potential as natural antioxidant‐rich nutraceutical products.
Protective Effects of Resveratrol against Chronic Immobilization Stress on Testis
Authors: Bitgul Gulsah , Tekmen Isil , Keles Didem , Oktay Gulgun
Published: November 2013

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate protective effects of resveratrol, a strong antioxidant, against possible negative effects of chronic immobilization stress on testes of male rats histochemically, immunohistochemically, ultrastructurally, and biochemically.Material and Methods. Male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (n=7). Group I, control group (C), was not exposed to stress. Group II, stress group (S), was exposed to chronic immobilization stress. In Group III, low dose resveratrol + stress group (LRS), rats were given 10 mg/kg/day resveratrol just before the stress application. In Group IV, high dose resveratrol + stress group (HRS), rats were given 20 mg/kg/day resveratrol just before the stress application. For chronic immobilization stress application animals were put in the plastic tubes (6 cm in diameter, 15 cm in length) during 32 days for 6 hours. All animals were sacrificed 18 hours after the last stress application.Results. Histochemical and ultrastructural investigations showed that in stress group there was germ cell deprivation in seminiferous tubules and increase of connective tissue on interstitial area. No significant changes were seen in low and high dose resveratrol groups. After immunohistochemical investigations, TUNEL (+) and Active Caspase-3 (+) cells were increased in seminiferous tubules of stress group compared with those control group, but they were decreased in low and high dose resveratrol groups. According to biochemically results, MDA, GSH, and testosterone levels in stress group showed no significant difference when compared with those of the other groups.Conclusion. The chronic immobilization stress increases oxidative stress and apoptosis and causes histological tissue damages; resveratrol can minimize the histological damage in testes significantly.
Iterative Methods for Equilibrium Problems and Monotone Inclusion Problems in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Wu Huan-chun , Cheng Cao-zong
Published: November 2013

We introduce a new iterative method for finding a common element of the set of solutions of an equilibrium problem and the set of zeros of the sum of maximal monotone operators, and we obtain strong convergence theorems in Hilbert spaces. We also apply our results to the variational inequality and convex minimization problems. Our results extend and improve the recent result of Takahashi et al. (2012).
Primary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Ocular Adnexa
Authors: Yamanouchi Daisuke , Oshitari Toshiyuki , Nakamura Yosuke , Yotsukura Jiro , Asanagi Kaoru , Baba Takayuki , Nizawa Tomohiro , Kishimoto Takashi , Yonemori Yoko , Ota Satoshi , Yamamoto Shuichi
Published: November 2013

We present our findings in a case of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) of the lacrimal gland and a case of primary Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) of the eyelid. An 86-year-old man noticed a swelling of the left upper eyelid three months earlier. We performed excision biopsy and histopathological examination indicated that he had a primary NEC of the left lacrimal gland. He underwent chemotherapy followed by excision including the clinically visible margins and 50 Gy radiotherapy of the surgical margins. He had neither recurrence nor metastasis for 6 months since the last radiotherapy. An 80-year-old man noticed a nodule in the right upper eyelid and was referred to our hospital because the size was increasing rapidly. A complete surgical excision of the margins of the tumor was performed with histopathological confirmation of negative margins. The final diagnosis was a primary MCC of the right upper eyelid. After surgery, he underwent 50 Gy radiotherapy on the neck to prevent metastasis. No recurrence or metastasis was found for two years. Although primary NEC of the ocular adnexa is extremely rare, the tumor has high malignancy and readily metastasizes. Thus, combined therapy including surgery, radiotherapy, and/or chemotherapy is needed for complete management of NEC.
Approximate Bisimulation for High-Level Datapaths in Intelligent Transportation Systems
Authors: Deng Hui , Wu Jinzhao , Tan Hongyan
Published: November 2013

A relation called approximate bisimulation is proposed to achieve behavior and structure optimization for a type of high-level datapath whose data exchange processes are expressed by nonlinear polynomial systems. The high-level datapaths are divided into small blocks with a partitioning method and then represented by polynomial transition systems. A standardized form based on Ritt-Wu's method is developed to represent the equivalence relation for the high-level datapaths. Furthermore, we establish an approximate bisimulation relation within a controllable error range and express the approximation with an error control function, which is processed by Sostools. Meanwhile, the error is controlled through tuning the equivalence restrictions. An example of high-level datapaths demonstrates the efficiency of our method.
Spatial Central Configurations with Two Twisted Regular 4-Gons
Authors: Zhang Sen , Zhao Furong
Published: November 2013

We study the configuration formed by two squares in two parallel layers separated by a distance. We picture the two layers horizontally with thez-axis passing through the centers of the two squares. The masses located on the vertices of each square are equal, but we do not assume that the masses of the top square are equal to the masses of the bottom square. We prove that the above configuration of two squares forms a central configuration if and only if the twist angle is equal tokπ/2or (π/4+kπ/2)(k=1,2,3,4).
Oncostatin M and TLR-4 Ligand Synergize to Induce MCP-1, IL-6, and VEGF in Human Aortic Adventitial Fibroblasts and Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Schnittker David , Kwofie Karen , Ashkar Ali , Trigatti Bernardo , Richards Carl D.
Published: November 2013

Accumulating evidence suggests that adventitial fibroblasts play a significant role in contributing to inflammation of the arterial wall and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. The effects of gp130 cytokines on these cells (including oncostatin M-[OSM] and IL-6), some of which have been implicated in atherosclerosis, are currently unknown. Experiments were performed to determine whether gp130 cytokines regulate human aortic adventitial fibroblasts (HAoAFs) or smooth muscle cells (HAoSMCs) alone or in context of TLR-4 ligands (also implicated in atherosclerosis). HAoAFs and HAoSMCs were stimulated with LPS and/or one of OSM, IL-6, IL-11, IL-31, or LIF. ELISAs performed on cell supernatants showed that stimulation with OSM alone caused increased MCP-1, IL-6, and VEGF levels. When combined, LPS and OSM synergized to increase MCP-1, IL-6, VEGF protein, and mRNA expression as assessed by qRT-PCR, in both HAoAFs and HAoSMCs, while LPS-induced IL-8 levels were reduced. Such effects were not observed with other gp130 cytokines. Signalling pathways including STATs, MAPKinases, and NFκB were activated, and LPS induced steady state mRNA levels of the OSM receptor chains OSMRβand gp130. The results suggest that OSM is able to synergize with TLR-4 ligands to induce proinflammatory responses by HAoAFs and HAoSMCs, supporting the notion that OSM regulation of these cells contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
Monocyte Locomotion Inhibitory Factor Produced byE. histolyticaImproves Motor Recovery and Develops Neuroprotection after Traumatic Injury to the Spinal Cord
Authors: Bermeo Gabriela , Ibarra Antonio , García Elisa , Flores-Romero Adrian , Rico-Rosillo Guadalupe , Marroquín Rubén , Mestre Humberto , Flores Carmina , Blanco-Favela Francisco , Silva-García Raúl
Published: November 2013

Monocyte locomotion inhibitory factor (MLIF) is a pentapeptide produced byEntamoeba histolyticathat has a potent anti-inflammatory effect. Either MLIF or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was administered directly onto the spinal cord (SC) immediately after injury. Motor recovery was evaluated. We also analyzed neuroprotection by quantifying the number of surviving ventral horn motor neurons and the persistence of rubrospinal tract neurons. To evaluate the mechanism through which MLIF improved the outcome of SC injury, we quantified the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) genes at the site of injury. Finally, the levels of nitric oxide and of lipid peroxidation were also determined in peripheral blood. Results showed that MLIF improved the rate of motor recovery and this correlated with an increased survival of ventral horn and rubrospinal neurons. These beneficial effects were in turn associated with a reduction in iNOS gene products and a significant upregulation of IL-10 and TGF-βexpression. In the same way, MLIF reduced the concentration of nitric oxide and the levels of lipid peroxidation in systemic circulation. The present results demonstrate for the first time the neuroprotective effects endowed by MLIF after SC injury.
An Unusual Case of Dual Left Anterior Descending Artery with Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiographic Correlation
Authors: Moulton Kyle M. , Kraushaar Greg , Fladeland Derek A.
Published: November 2013

Dual left anterior descending artery (LAD) is a rare coronary anomaly that is important to recognize at coronary imaging as it may influence reperfusion strategies. Four types of dual LAD are described by the traditional literature. We present a novel case of dual LAD with coronary computed tomographic angiographic correlation that does not fit into this classification system. Rather, our case supports the recently proposed notion of adding a fifth variant to the traditional dual LAD classification system.
Sexually Transmitted Infections in Women Participating in a Biomedical Intervention Trial in Durban: Prevalence, Coinfections, and Risk Factors
Authors: Abbai Nathlee Samantha , Wand Handan , Ramjee Gita
Published: November 2013

Background. Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be a significant public health problem especially among women of reproductive age in Africa. Methods. A total of 2236 women that had enrolled in the MDP301 vaginal microbicide trial were tested for the presence of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhea (NG), Treponema pallidum, and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Results. CT was identified as the most prevalent STI (11%) followed by TV (10%), NG, and Syphilis (3%). The highest prevalence of coinfection was reported between T. pallidum and TV (19.67%, P=0.004), followed by CT and TV (13.52%, P≤0.001). Risk factors that were significantly associated with STI acquisition were women of 23 years of age or younger (HR: 1.50, 95% CI 1.17, 1.93), baseline STI with CT (HR: 1.77, 95% CI 1.32, 2.35), TV (HR: 1.58, 95% CI, 1.20, 2.10), and T. pallidum (HR: 5.13, 95% CI 3.65, 7.22), and a low education level (HR: 1.30, 95% CI 1.02, 1.66). Conclusion. Young women with lower education and a history of STIs are at high risk of multiple STIs. Prevention programs should consider target approach to STI prevention among young women. This trial is registered with ISRCTN64716212.
Effects of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass on Fasting and Postprandial Levels of the Inflammatory Markers YKL-40 and MCP-1 in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Glucose Tolerant Subjects
Authors: Thomsen Stine Brinkløv , Rathcke Camilla Noelle , Jørgensen Nils Bruun , Madsbad Sten , Vestergaard Henrik
Published: November 2013

Background. The inflammatory markers YKL-40 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) are elevated in morbidly obese patients and decline after weight loss. The objective of our study was to investigate the possible changes of YKL-40 and MCP-1, in both the fasting and the postprandial states, following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and normal glucose tolerance (NGT).Methods. Ten obese patients with T2D and 10 subjects with NGT were examined in the fasting state and after a standard meal prior to and after (1 week, 3 months, and 1 year) RYGB.Results. Fasting state MCP-1 levels decreased after RYGB in both groups (Pvalues < 0.0001) whereas fasting YKL-40 levels were unchanged (Pvalues ≥ 0.120). Postprandial MCP-1 levels showed a tendency towards a decrease on most study days; however, the changes were only significant at 1 week (P=0.001) and 1 yr (P<0.0001) in the T2D group and at 3 mo after RYGB in the NGT group (P=0.009). YKL-40 levels showed a slight, postprandial suppression on all study days in the T2D group (allPvalues ≤ 0.021).Conclusions. Fasting MCP-1 levels, but not YKL-40 levels, decrease after RYGB in subjects with T2D and NGT. Postprandial changes of inflammatory markers are discrete and inconsistent.
A Combination of Radiosurgery and Soluble Tissue Factor Enhances Vascular Targeting for Experimental Glioblastoma
Authors: Tu Jian , Hu Zhiqiang , Chen Zhongbin
Published: November 2013

Radiosurgery for glioblastoma is limited to the development of resistance, allowing tumor cells to survive and initiate tumor recurrence. Based on our previous work that coadministration of tissue factor and lipopolysaccharide following radiosurgery selectively induced thrombosis in cerebral arteriovenous malformations, achieving thrombosis of 69% of the capillaries and 39% of medium sized vessels, we hypothesized that a rapid and selective shutdown of the capillaries in glioblastoma vasculature would decrease the delivery of oxygen and nutrients, reducing tumor growth, preventing intracranial hypertension, and improving life expectancy. Glioblastoma was formed by implantation of GL261 cells into C57Bl/6 mouse brain. Mice were intravenously injected tissue factor, lipopolysaccharide, a combination of both, or placebo 24 hours after radiosurgery. Control mice received both agents after sham irradiation. Coadministration of tissue factor and lipopolysaccharide led to the formation of thrombi in up to 87 ± 8% of the capillaries and 46 ± 4% of medium sized vessels within glioblastoma. The survival rate of mice in this group was 80% versus no survivor in placebo controls 30 days after irradiation. Animal body weight increased with time in this group (r=0.88,P=0.0001). Thus, radiosurgery enhanced treatment with tissue factor, and lipopolysaccharide selectively induces thrombosis in glioblastoma vasculature, improving life expectancy.
A New Tool for Intelligent Parallel Processing of Radar/SAR Remotely Sensed Imagery
Authors: Castillo Atoche A. , Alvarez R. Carrasco , Ortegón Aguilar J. , Vázquez Castillo J.
Published: November 2013

A novel parallel tool for large-scale image enhancement/reconstruction and postprocessing of radar/SAR sensor systems is addressed. The proposed parallel tool performs the following intelligent processing steps: image formation, for the application of different system-level effects of image degradation with a particular remote sensing (RS) system and simulation of random noising effects, enhancement/reconstruction by employing nonparametric robust high-resolution techniques, and image postprocessing using the fuzzy anisotropic diffusion technique which incorporates a better edge-preserving noise removal effect and faster diffusion process. This innovative tool allows the processing of high-resolution images provided with different radar/SAR sensor systems as required by RS endusers for environmental monitoring, risk prevention, and resource management. To verify the performance implementation of the proposed parallel framework, the processing steps are developed and specifically tested on graphic processing units (GPU), achieving considerable speedups compared to the serial version of the same techniques implemented in C language.
Germination Response of MR 219 Rice Variety to Different Exposure Times and Periods of 2450 MHz Microwave Frequency
Authors: Talei Daryush , Valdiani Alireza , Maziah Mahmood , Mohsenkhah Mohammad
Published: November 2013

Germination is a key process in plants′ phenological cycles. Accelerating this process could lead to improvment of the seedling growth as well as the cultivation efficiency. To achieve this, the effect of microwave frequency on the germination of rice seeds was examined. The physiological feedbacks of the MR 219 rice variety in terms of seed germination rate (GR), germination percentage (GP), and mean germination time (MGT) were analyzed by exposing its seeds to 2450 MHz of microwave frequency for one, four, seven, and ten hours. It was revealed that exposing the seeds to the microwave frequency for 10 hours resulted in the highest GP. This treatment led to 100% of germination after three days with a mean germination time of 2.1 days. Although the other exposure times of microwave frequency caused the moderate effects on germination with a GPa3 ranged from 93% to 98%, they failed to reduce the MGTa3. The results showed that ten‐hour exposure times of microwave frequency for six days significantly facilitated and improved the germination indices (primary shoot and root length). Therefore, the technique is expected to benefit the improvement of rice seed germination considering its simplicity and efficacy in increasing the germination percentage and rate as well as the primary shoot and root length without causing any environmental toxicity.
A Survey of Keystroke Dynamics Biometrics
Authors: Teh Pin Shen , Teoh Andrew Beng Jin , Yue Shigang
Published: November 2013

Research on keystroke dynamics biometrics has been increasing, especially in the last decade. The main motivation behind this effort is due to the fact that keystroke dynamics biometrics is economical and can be easily integrated into the existing computer security systems with minimal alteration and user intervention. Numerous studies have been conducted in terms of data acquisition devices, feature representations, classification methods, experimental protocols, and evaluations. However, an up‐to‐date extensive survey and evaluation is not yet available. The objective of this paper is to provide an insightful survey and comparison on keystroke dynamics biometrics research performed throughout the last three decades, as well as offering suggestions and possible future research directions.
Approximate Controllability of a Semilinear Heat Equation
Authors: Leiva Hugo , Merentes N. , Sanchez J.
Published: November 2013

We apply Rothe’s type fixed point theorem to prove the interior approximate controllability of the following semilinear heat equation: zt(t,x)=Δz(t,x)+1ωu(t,x)+f(t,z(t,x),u(t,x)) in (0,τ]×Ω,z=0, on (0,τ)×∂Ω,z(0,x)=z0(x), x∈Ω, where Ω is a bounded domain in ℝN  (N≥1), z0∈L2(Ω), ω is an open nonempty subset of Ω, 1ω denotes the characteristic function of the set ω, the distributed control u belongs to L2(0,τ;L2(Ω)), and the nonlinear function f:[0,τ]×ℝ×ℝ→ℝ is smooth enough, and there are a,b,c∈ℝ, R>0 and 1/2≤β<1 such that |f(t,z,u)-az|≤c|u|β+b, for all u,z∈ ℝ,|u|,|z|≥R. Under this condition, we prove the following statement: for all open nonempty subset ω of Ω, the system is approximately controllable on [0,τ]. Moreover, we could exhibit a sequence of controls steering the nonlinear system from an initial state z0 to an ϵ neighborhood of the final state z1 at time τ>0.
Use of Radiofrequency Ablation in Benign Thyroid Nodules: A Literature Review and Updates
Authors: Wong Kai-Pun , Lang Brian Hung-Hin
Published: November 2013

Successful thermal ablation using radiofrequency has been reported in various tumors including liver or kidney tumors. Nonsurgical minimally invasive ablative therapy such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) has been reported to be a safe and efficient treatment option in managing symptomatic cold thyroid nodules or hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules. Pressure and cosmetic symptoms have been shown to be significantly improved both in the short and long terms after RFA. For hyperfunctioning thyroid nodules, RFA is indicated for whom surgery or radioiodine are not indicated or ineffective or for those who refuse surgery or radio-iodine. Improvement of thyroid function with decreased need for antithyroid medications has been reported. Complication rate is relatively low. By reviewing the current literature, we reported its efficacy and complications and compared the efficacy of RFA relative to other ablative options such as ethanol ablation and laser ablation.
A Proposal to the Solution of Multiobjective Linear Fractional Programming Problem
Authors: Güzel Nuran
Published: November 2013

We have proposed a new solution to the Multiobjective Linear Fractional Programming Problem (MOLFPP). The proposed solution is based on a theorem that deals with nonlinear fractional programming with single objective function and studied in the work by Dinkelbach, 1967. As a new contribution, we have proposed that is an efficient solution of MOLFPP if is an optimal solution of problem , where is for all . Hence, MOLFPP is simply reduced to linear programming problem (LPP). Some numerical examples are provided in order to illustrate the applications of the proposed method. The optimization software package, namely, WinQSB (Chang, 2001), has been employed in the computations.
Video Denoising Based on a Spatiotemporal Kalman‐Bilateral Mixture Model
Authors: Zuo Chenglin , Liu Yu , Tan Xin , Wang Wei , Zhang Maojun
Published: November 2013

We propose a video denoising method based on a spatiotemporal Kalman‐bilateral mixture model to reduce the noise in video sequences that are captured with low light. To take full advantage of the strong spatiotemporal correlations of neighboring frames, motion estimation is first performed on video frames consisting of previously denoised frames and the current noisy frame by using block‐matching method. Then, current noisy frame is processed in temporal domain and spatial domain by using Kalman filter and bilateral filter, respectively. Finally, by weighting the denoised frames from Kalman filtering and bilateral filtering, we can obtain a satisfactory result. Experimental results show that the performance of our proposed method is competitive when compared with state‐of‐the‐art video denoising algorithms based on both peak signal‐to‐noise‐ratio and structural similarity evaluations.
Invasive Fungal Rhinosinusitis versus Bacterial Rhinosinusitis with Orbital Complications: A Case‐Control Study
Authors: Piromchai Patorn , Thanaviratananich Sanguansak
Published: November 2013

Background. Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis with orbital complications (IFSwOC) is a life‐threatening condition. The incidence of mortality has been reported to be up to 80 percent. This study was conducted to determine the risk factors, presentations, clinical, and imaging findings that could help to manage this condition promptly. Methods. We conducted a case‐control study of 100 patients suffering from rhinosinusitis with orbital complications. The risk factors, clinical presentations, radiological findings, medical and surgical managements, durations of hospital stay, and mortality rate data were collected. Results. Sixty‐five patients were diagnosed with IFSwOC, while the other thirty‐five patients composed the control group. The most important risk factor for IFSwOC was diabetes mellitus. Visual loss and diplopia were the significant symptom predictors. The significant clinical predictors were nasal crust, oculomotor nerve, and optic nerve involvement. The CT findings of IFSwOC were sinus wall erosion and hyperdensity lesions. The mortality rate was 25.71 percent in the IFSwOC group and 3.17 percent in the control group. Conclusions. Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis with orbital complications is symptomatic of a high mortality rate. The awareness of a patient’s risk factors, the presenting symptoms, signs of fungal invasion, and aggressive management will determine the success of any treatment procedures.
60Co-Gamma Ray Induced Total Dose Effects on P-Channel MOSFETs
Authors: Nagaraj Shashank , Singh Vikram , Jayanna Halepoojar Siddalingappa , Balakrishna Kagalagodu Manjunathiah , Damle Ramakrishna
Published: November 2013

Total Dose Effect (TDE) on solid state devices is of serious concern as it changes the electrical properties leading to degradation of the devices and failure of the systems associated with them. Ionization caused due to TDE in commercial P-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) has been studied, where the failure mechanism is found to be mainly a result of the changes in the oxide properties and the surface effects at the channel beneath the gate oxide. The threshold voltage of the MOSFETs was found to shift from −0.69 V to −2.41 V for a total gamma dose of 1 Mrad. The net negative threshold shifts in the irradiated devices reveal the major contribution of oxide trapped charges to device degradation. The radiation induced oxide and interface charge densities were estimated through subthreshold measurements, and the trap densities were found to increase by one order in magnitude after a total gamma dose of 1 Mrad. Other parameters like transconductance, subthreshold swing, and drain saturation current are also investigated as a function of gamma dose.
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors (ACEIs) and Angiotensin-Receptor Blockers (ARBs) in Patients at High Risk of Cardiovascular Events: A Meta-Analysis of 10 Randomised Placebo-Controlled Trials
Authors: Ong Hean Teik , Ong Loke Meng , Ho Jacqueline Judith
Published: November 2013

Context. Whether angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors (ACEI) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARB) are useful in high risk patients without heart failure is unclear. We perform a meta-analysis of prospective randomized placebo-controlled ACEI or ARB trials studying patients with a combination of risk factors to assess treatment impact on all cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke. Method. A PubMed search was made for placebo-controlled trials recruiting at least 1,200 high risk patients randomized to either ACEI or ARB, with follow-up of at least 2 years. Meta-analysis was performed using the RevMan 5 program and Mantel-Haenszel analysis was done with a fixed effects model. Results. Ten trials recruiting 77,633 patients were reviewed. All cause mortality was significantly reduced by ACEI (RR 0.89; P=0.0008), but not by ARB treatment (RR 1.00; P=0.89). Cardiovascular mortality and nonfatal MI were also reduced in the ACEI trials but not with ARB therapy. Stroke was significantly reduced in the ACEI trials (RR 0.75; P<0.00001) and more modestly reduced in the ARB trials (RR 0.90; P=0.01). Conclusion. ACEI treatment reduced stroke, nonfatal MI, cardiovascular and total mortality in high risk patients, while ARB modestly reduced stroke with no effect on nonfatal MI, cardiovascular and total mortality.
Epidemic Modelling by Ripple-Spreading Network and Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Liao Jian-Qin , Hu Xiao-Bing , Wang Ming , Leeson Mark S.
Published: November 2013

Mathematical analysis and modelling is central to infectious disease epidemiology. This paper, inspired by the natural ripple-spreading phenomenon, proposes a novel ripple-spreading network model for the study of infectious disease transmission. The new epidemic model naturally has good potential for capturing many spatial and temporal features observed in the outbreak of plagues. In particular, using a stochastic ripple-spreading process simulates the effect of random contacts and movements of individuals on the probability of infection well, which is usually a challenging issue in epidemic modeling. Some ripple-spreading related parameters such as threshold and amplifying factor of nodes are ideal to describe the importance of individuals’ physical fitness and immunity. The new model is rich in parameters to incorporate many real factors such as public health service and policies, and it is highly flexible to modifications. A genetic algorithm is used to tune the parameters of the model by referring to historic data of an epidemic. The well-tuned model can then be used for analyzing and forecasting purposes. The effectiveness of the proposed method is illustrated by simulation results.
Genotypic Characterization of Azotobacteria Isolated from Argentinean Soils and Plant‐Growth‐Promoting Traits of Selected Strains with Prospects for Biofertilizer Production
Authors: Rubio Esteban Julián , Montecchia Marcela Susana , Tosi Micaela , Cassán Fabricio Darío , Perticari Alejandro , Correa Olga Susana
Published: November 2013

The genetic diversity among 31 putative Azotobacter isolates obtained from agricultural and non‐agricultural soils was assessed using rep‐PCR genomic fingerprinting and identified to species level by ARDRA and partial 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. High diversity was found among the isolates, identified as A. chroococcum, A. salinestris, and A. armeniacus. Selected isolates were characterized on the basis of phytohormone biosynthesis, nitrogenase activity, siderophore production, and phosphate solubilization. Indole‐3 acetic‐acid (IAA), gibberellin (GA3) and zeatin (Z) biosynthesis, nitrogenase activity, and siderophore production were found in all evaluated strains, with variation among them, but no phosphate solubilization was detected. Phytohormones excreted to the culture medium ranged in the following concentrations: 2.2–18.2 μg IAA mL−1, 0.3–0.7 μg GA3 mL−1, and 0.5–1.2 μg Z mL−1. Seed inoculations with further selected Azotobacter strains and treatments with their cell‐free cultures increased the number of seminal roots and root hairs in wheat seedlings. This latter effect was mimicked by treatments with IAA‐pure solutions, but it was not related to bacterial root colonization. Our survey constitutes a first approach to the knowledge of Azotobacter species inhabiting Argentinean soils in three contrasting geographical regions. Moreover, this phenotypic characterization constitutes an important contribution to the selection of Azotobacter strains for biofertilizer formulations.
Effect of Surgical Treatment on Lipid Peroxidation Parameters and Antioxidant Status in the Serum of Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease
Authors: Strzyżewski Krzysztof Wojciech , Pioruńska-Stolzmann Maria , Majewski Wacław , Kasprzak Magdalena , Strzyżewski Wojciech
Published: November 2013

The various risk factors for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are almost identical to those for atherosclerosis and include abnormal levels of lipids or lipoproteins. Lipid peroxidation parameters and total antioxidant capacity in the serum of male patients with PAD before surgery as well as 3–5 days and 7–10 days after surgery were measured. We also compared these parameters with those in a group of patients receiving simvastatin therapy. Concentrations of lipid hydroperoxides (LOOHs) and malondialdehyde, the total antioxidant capacity (assessed by ferric reducing antioxidant power assay), concentration of thiol (-SH) groups, and ceruloplasmin activity were determined spectrophotometrically in PAD patients treated surgically (Group I) or pharmacologically (Group II). The patients before surgical treatment had significantly higher concentrations of malondialdehyde but lower ceruloplasmin activity than those observed in Group II, treated with simvastatin. No significant differences before surgery in ferric reducing antioxidant power or thiol concentrations were found between the two groups. However, in Group I, both ferric reducing antioxidant power and thiol group concentrations decreased 3–5 days postoperatively, and ceruloplasmin activity increased 7–10 days after surgical treatment. The presented results demonstrate diverse oxidative stress responses to surgical treatment and confirm the beneficial effects of statin therapy in PAD.
Common Spatio-Time-Frequency Patterns for Motor Imagery-Based Brain Machine Interfaces
Authors: Higashi Hiroshi , Tanaka Toshihisa
Published: November 2013

For efficient decoding of brain activities in analyzing brain function with an application to brain machine interfacing (BMI), we address a problem of how to determine spatial weights (spatial patterns), bandpass filters (frequency patterns), and time windows (time patterns) by utilizing electroencephalogram (EEG) recordings. To find these parameters, we develop a data-driven criterion that is a natural extension of the so-called common spatial patterns (CSP) that are known to be effective features in BMI. We show that the proposed criterion can be optimized by an alternating procedure to achieve fast convergence. Experiments demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively extract discriminative features for a motor imagery-based BMI.
Numerical Solutions of Singularly Perturbed Reaction Diffusion Equation with Sobolev Gradients
Authors: Raza Nauman , Butt Asma Rashid
Published: November 2013

Critical points related to the singular perturbed reaction diffusion models are calculated using weighted Sobolev gradient method in finite element setting. Performance of different Sobolev gradients has been discussed for varying diffusion coefficient values. A comparison is shown between the weighted and unweighted Sobolev gradients in two and three dimensions. The superiority of the method is also demonstrated by showing comparison with Newton's method.
Aspirin Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Cote Jonida K. , Bili Androniki
Published: November 2013

Objectives. To examine the patterns of low-dose aspirin use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with high risk for coronary artery disease (CAD).
Methods. Cross-sectional study of 36 consecutive RA patients with a Framingham score ≥10% for CAD. Eligible RA patients were provided with a questionnaire on CAD risk factors and use of low-dose aspirin. For aspirin nonusers, the reason for nonuse was requested by both the patient and rheumatologist. Questions for patients included physician's advice, self-preference, history of gastrointestinal bleeding, allergy to aspirin, or concomitant use of other anti-inflammatory medications. Questions for rheumatologists included awareness of the increased CAD risk, attribution, patient preference, history of gastrointestinal bleeding, allergy to aspirin, and medication interactions.
Results. Patients participated in the study; 8 patients reported using daily aspirin, while 23 patients did not. The main reason cited by patients for not taking aspirin was that they were not instructed by their primary care physician (PCP) to do so (n=16), which was also the main reason cited by rheumatologists (n=9).
Conclusion. This study confirmed underutilization of aspirin in RA patients at high risk for CAD, largely due to the perception that this is an issue which should be handled by the PCP.
Conservation Laws of Two(2+1)-Dimensional Nonlinear Evolution Equations with Higher-Order Mixed Derivatives
Authors: Zhang Li-hua
Published: November 2013

In this paper, conservation laws for the(2+1)-dimensional ANNV equation and KP-BBM equation with higher-order mixed derivatives are studied. Due to the existence of higher-order mixed derivatives, Ibragimov’s “new conservation theorem” cannot be applied to the two equations directly. We propose two modification rules which ensure that the theorem can be applied to nonlinear evolution equations with any mixed derivatives. Formulas of conservation laws for the ANNV equation and KP-BBM equation are given. Using these formulas, many nontrivial and time-dependent conservation laws for these equations are derived.
Robust Coordinated Control Algorithm for Multiple Marine Vessels with External Disturbances
Authors: Liu Weixue , Jiao Jianfang , Karimi Hamid Reza , Jiao Jian
Published: November 2013

The problem of coordinated control for multiple marine vessels in the presence of external disturbances is considered in this paper. A robust coordinated control algorithm is proposed for multiple marine vessels. The proposed robust coordinated control algorithm is divided into two parts. The first part develops an extended state observer to estimate the disturbances of marine vessels. The second part presents a robust coordinated control algorithm based on the output of the extended state observer. Furthermore, the robust coordinated control algorithm is designed using the dynamic surface control method. In light of the leader-follower strategy, the trajectory for each vessel is defined according to the desired trajectory of the assigned leader and the relative distance with respect to the leader. The effectiveness of the proposed coordination algorithm is demonstrated by the simulation results.
Location of the Mandibular Canal and Thickness of the Occlusal Cortical Bone at Dental Implant Sites in the Lower Second Premolar and First Molar
Authors: Hsu Jui-Ting , Huang Heng-Li , Fuh Lih-Jyh , Li Rou-Wei , Wu Jay , Tsai Ming-Tzu , Shen Yen-Wen , Tu Ming-Gene
Published: November 2013

The objective of this study was to evaluate the location of the mandibular canal and the thickness of the occlusal cortical bone at dental implant sites in the lower second premolar and lower first molar by using dental cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Seventy-nine sites (47 second premolar and 32 first molar sites) were identified in the dental CBCT examinations of 47 patients. In this study, 4 parameters were measured: (1) MC—the distance from the mandibular canal to the upper border of the mandible; (2) CD—the distance from the mandibular canal to the buccal border of the mandible; (3) MD—the distance from the mandibular canal to the lingual border of the mandible; (4) TC—the thickness of the cortical bone at the occlusal side. A statistical analysis was employed to compare the size and differences between these 4 parameters at the lower second premolar and lower first molar. Regarding the MC and MD, the experimental results showed no statistical difference between the first molar and second premolar. However, the TC for the second premolar was greater than that of the first molar. Thus, careful consideration is necessary in choosing the size of and operation type for dental implants.
Microglia: An Active Player in the Regulation of Synaptic Activity
Authors: Ji Kyungmin , Miyauchi Jeremy , Tsirka Stella E.
Published: November 2013

Synaptic plasticity is critical for elaboration and adaptation in the developing and developed brain. It is well established that astrocytes play an important role in the maintenance of what has been dubbed “the tripartite synapse”. Increasing evidence shows that a fourth cell type, microglia, is critical to this maintenance as well. Microglia are the resident macrophages of the central nervous system (CNS). Because of their well-characterized inflammatory functions, research has primarily focused on their innate immune properties. The role of microglia in the maintenance of synapses in development and in homeostasis is not as well defined. A number of significant findings have shed light on the critical role of microglia at the synapse. It is becoming increasingly clear that microglia play a seminal role in proper synaptic development and elimination.