bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Heat Acclimation on Changes in Oxidative Stress and Inflammation Caused by Endurance Capacity Test in the Heat
Authors: Kaldur Triin , Kals Jaak , Ööpik Vahur , Zilmer Mihkel , Zilmer Kersti , Eha Jaan , Unt Eve
Published: May 2014

Background. The aim was to determine the effect of heat acclimation (HA) on oxidative stress (OxS) and inflammation in resting conditions and on the response pattern of these parameters to exhausting endurance exercise.Methods. Parameters of OxS and inflammation were measured in non-heat-acclimated status (NHAS) and after a 10-day HA program (i.e., in heat-acclimated status; HAS) both at baseline and after an endurance capacity (EC) test in the heat.Results. As a result of HA, EC increased from88.62±27.51to161.95±47.80minutes(P<0.001). HA increased OxS level: total peroxide concentration rose from219.38±105.18to272.57±133.39 μmol/L(P<0.05)and oxidative stress index (OSI) from14.97±8.24to20.46±11.13%(P<0.05). In NHAS, the EC test increased OxS level: total peroxide concentration rose from219.38±105.18to278.51±125.76 μmol/L(P<0.001)and OSI from14.97±8.24to19.31±9.37%(P<0.01). However, in HAS, the EC test reduced OSI from20.46±11.13to16.83±8.89%(P<0.05). The value of log high-sensitive C-reactive protein increased from-0.32±0.32to-0.12±0.34 mg/L(P<0.05)in NHAS and from-0.31±0.47to0.28±0.46 mg/L(P<0.001)in HAS.Conclusion. HA increases OxS level. However, beneficial adaptive effects of HA on acute exhaustive exercise-induced changes in OxS and inflammation parameters occur in a hot environment.
Antitumor Effects of Saffron-Derived Carotenoids in Prostate Cancer Cell Models
Authors: Festuccia Claudio , Mancini Andrea , Gravina Giovanni Luca , Scarsella Luca , Llorens Silvia , Alonso Gonzalo L. , Tatone Carla , Di Cesare Ernesto , Jannini Emmanuele A. , Lenzi Andrea , D’Alessandro Anna M. , Carmona Manuel
Published: May 2014

Crocus sativusL. extracts (saffron) are rich in carotenoids. Preclinical studies have shown that dietary intake of carotenoids has antitumor effects suggesting their potential preventive and/or therapeutic roles. We have recently reported that saffron (SE) and crocin (CR) exhibit anticancer activity by promoting cell cycle arrest in prostate cancer (PCa) cells. It has also been demonstrated that crocetin esters are produced after SE gastrointestinal digestion by CR hydrolysis. The aim of the present report was to investigate if SE, crocetin (CCT), and CR affectedin vivotumor growth of two aggressive PCa cell lines (PC3 and 22rv1) which were xenografted in male nude mice treated by oral gavage with SE, CR, and CCT. We demonstrated that the antitumor effects of CCT were higher when compared to CR and SE and treatments reverted the epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) as attested by the significant reduction of N-cadherin and beta-catenin expression and the increased expression of E-cadherin. Additionally, SE, CR, and CCT inhibited PCa cell invasion and migration through the downmodulation of metalloproteinase and urokinase expression/activity suggesting that these agents may affect metastatic processes. Our findings suggest that CR and CCT may be dietary phytochemicals with potential antitumor effects in biologically aggressive PCa cells.
Visualization and Treatment of Subclinical Actinic Keratoses with Topical Imiquimod 5% Cream: An Observational Study
Authors: Kopera Daisy , Kerl Helmut
Published: May 2014

Background. Imiquimod 5% is licensed for the treatment of external genital warts, superficial basal cell carcinoma, and actinic keratosis (AK) and is being used experimentally in various other dermato-oncological conditions.Objective. This observational study shall show that nonmelanoma skin cancer can be detected at its earliest subclinical stage by its reaction with imiquimod and can be cleared by finishing the course of treatment.Material and Methods. In this single arm trial 15 patients with chronically sun-exposed skin who had no clinical evidence of AK were treated with 5% imiquimod cream on the face or scalp for 4 weeks three times per week.Results. During treatment, all patients developed multiple areas with mild to moderate inflammatory skin reactions, such as erythema, induration, and scaling. Biopsies obtained from 12 patients prior to treatment revealed no malignancies. However, in cases with more pronounced inflammation during treatment, targeted biopsies indicated very early malignant alterations.Conclusion. Topical imiquimod treatment of chronically sun-exposed skin without overt clinical signs of AK is able to detect subclinical actinic keratoses (SAK) and to completely clear the lesions, even before they can be clinically diagnosed as AK. In such patients, imiquimod might be able to prevent the evolution of SCC.
Joint Use of Skull Base Surgery in a Case of Pediatric Parotid Gland Carcinoma
Authors: Ueda Yuri , Tsukahara Kiyoaki , Nakamura Kazuhiro , Motohashi Ray , Endo Minoru , Sato Hiroki , Katsube Yasuaki , Suzuki Mamoru
Published: May 2014

Parotid gland carcinoma is extremely rare in children. We report a case of pediatric parotid gland carcinoma with extensive infiltration into surrounding tissues including the skin and temporomandibular joint capsule at initial examination. Total resection of the parotid gland was conducted together with skull base surgery and mandibular dissection. The patient was a 14-year-old girl. In addition to the skin and temporomandibular joint, infiltration into the anterior wall of the external auditory meatus and masseter muscle was also seen, and T4N0M0 stage IV parotid carcinoma was diagnosed. Skin was resected together with the pinna, and temporal craniotomy and skull base surgery were performed to resect the temporomandibular joint capsule and external auditory meatus en bloc, and mandible dissection was conducted. Facial nerves were resected at the same time. Level I to level IV neck dissection was also conducted. A latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was used for reconstruction. The postoperative permanent pathology diagnosis was high-grade mucoepidermoid carcinoma with a low-grade component. Postoperatively, radiotherapy at 50 Gy alone has been conducted, with no recurrence or metastasis observed for over 4 years.
Computer-Aided Designing and Manufacturing of Lingual Fixed Orthodontic Appliance Using 2D/3D Registration Software and Rapid Prototyping
Authors: Kwon Soon-Yong , Kim Yong , Ahn Hyo-Won , Kim Ki-Beom , Chung Kyu-Rhim , Kim (Sunny) Seong-Hun
Published: May 2014

The availability of 3D dental model scanning technology, combined with the ability to register CBCT data with digital models, has enabled the fabrication of orthognathic surgical CAD/CAM designed splints, customized brackets, and indirect bonding systems. In this study, custom lingual orthodontic appliances were virtually designed by merging 3D model images with lateral and posterior-anterior cephalograms. By exporting design information to 3D CAD software, we have produced a stereolithographic prototype and converted it into a cobalt-chrome alloy appliance as a way of combining traditional prosthetic investment and cast techniques. While the bonding procedure of the appliance could be reinforced, CAD technology simplified the fabrication process by eliminating the soldering phase. This report describes CAD/CAM fabrication of the complex anteroposterior lingual bonded retraction appliance for intrusive retraction of the maxillary anterior dentition. Furthermore, the CAD/CAM method eliminates the extra step of determining the lever arm on the lateral cephalograms and subsequent design modifications on the study model.
Delta-Nabla Type Maximum Principles for Second-Order Dynamic Equations on Time Scales and Applications
Authors: Zhu Jiang , Liu Dongmei
Published: May 2014

Some delta-nabla type maximum principles for second-order dynamic equations on time scales are proved. By using these maximum principles, the uniqueness theorems of the solutions, the approximation theorems of the solutions, the existence theorem, and construction techniques of the lower and upper solutions for second-order linear and nonlinear initial value problems and boundary value problems on time scales are proved, the oscillation of second-order mixed delat-nabla differential equations is discussed and, some maximum principles for second order mixed forward and backward difference dynamic system are proved.
Substituted Hydroxyapatites with Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Kolmas Joanna , Groszyk Ewa , Kwiatkowska-Różycka Dagmara
Published: May 2014

Reconstructive surgery is presently struggling with the problem of infections located within implantation biomaterials. Of course, the best antibacterial protection is antibiotic therapy. However, oral antibiotic therapy is sometimes ineffective, while administering an antibiotic at the location of infection is often associated with an unfavourable ratio of dosage efficiency and toxic effect. Thus, the present study aims to find a new factor which may improve antibacterial activity while also presenting low toxicity to the human cells. Such factors are usually implemented along with the implant itself and may be an integral part of it. Many recent studies have focused on inorganic factors, such as metal nanoparticles, salts, and metal oxides. The advantages of inorganic factors include the ease with which they can be combined with ceramic and polymeric biomaterials. The following review focuses on hydroxyapatites substituted with ions with antibacterial properties. It considers materials that have already been applied in regenerative medicine (e.g., hydroxyapatites with silver ions) and those that are only at the preliminary stage of research and which could potentially be used in implantology or dentistry. We present methods for the synthesis of modified apatites and the antibacterial mechanisms of various ions as well as their antibacterial efficiency.
Using Trapezoidal Intuitionistic Fuzzy Number to Find Optimized Path in a Network
Authors: Jayagowri P. , Geetha Ramani G.
Published: May 2014

In real life, information available on situations/issues/problems is vague, inexact, or insufficient and so the parameters involved therein are grasped in an uncertain way by the decision maker. But in real life such uncertainty is unavoidable. One possible way out is to consider the knowledge of experts about the parameters involved as fuzzy data. In a network, the arc length may represent time or cost. In Relevant literature reports there are several methods to solve such problems in network-flow. This paper proposes an optimized path for use in networks, using trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers, assigned to each arc length in a fuzzy environment. It proposes a new algorithm to find the optimized path and implied distance from source node to destination node.
A Cross-Sectional Study of Risk Factors for Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Children 8–13 Years of Age in Suzhou, China
Authors: Zhu Xueping , Chen Weichang , Zhu Xiaoli , Shen Yueping
Published: May 2014

To determine the prevalence and risk factors of IBS in children 8–13 years of age in Suzhou city, a cross-sectional study was conducted on children in grades 1 through 6 in public elementary schools in three districts of Suzhou. A multistage stratified random-sampling survey was conducted in a primary investigation using standardized questionnaires. Rome II criteria were used to confirm IBS and their risk factors were analyzed. Of 8,000 questionnaires 7,472 responded satisfactorily for a response rate of 93.4%. IBS was diagnosed in 10.81%. A decrease in the prevalence of IBS was significantly associated with advancing age and grade in school (trend test,P<0.05). The prevalence of IBS in females was higher but not significantly different than males. The significant risk factors for IBS included young age (OR = 0.94), food allergy (OR = 1.53), gastroenteritis during childhood (OR = 1.29), eating fried food (OR = 1.62), anxiety (OR = 1.49), psychological insults in early childhood (OR = 1.47), and parental history of constipation (OR = 1.81; allP<0.05). IBS prevalence of 10.81% in study population warrants preventive measures such as encouraging dietary changes, preventing gastroenteritis and childhood psychological insults.
Validation of Reference Genes for Normalization Gene Expression in Reverse Transcription Quantitative PCR in Human Normal Thyroid and Goiter Tissue
Authors: Weber Raquel , Bertoni Ana Paula Santin , Bessestil Laura Walter , Brasil Beatriz Maria de Azevedo Assis , Brum llma Simoni , Furlanetto Tania Weber
Published: May 2014

Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) has been recognized as the most accurate method for quantifying mRNA transcripts, but normalization of samples is a prerequisite for correct data interpretation. So, this study aimed to evaluate the most stable reference gene for RT-qPCR in human normal thyroid and goiter tissues. Beta-actin (ACTB); glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH); succinate dehydrogenase, subunit A, flavoprotein (Fp) (SDHA); hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase I (HPRTI); tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein, zeta polypeptide (YWHAZ); and beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) were evaluated in 14 thyroid tissue samples (7 normal and 7 goiter tissues) by RT-qPCR. The mean Cq and the maximum fold change (MFC) and NormFinder software were used to assess the stability of the genes. As a result, ACTB gene was more stable than GAPDH, SDHA, HPRTI, YWHAZ, and B2M. In conclusion, ACTB could be used to normalize RT-qPCR data in normal thyroid and goiter tissues.
Robust Linear Programming with Norm Uncertainty
Authors: Wang Lei , Luo Hong
Published: May 2014

We consider the linear programming problem with uncertainty set described byp,w-norm. We suggest that the robust counterpart of this problem is equivalent to a computationally convex optimization problem. We provide probabilistic guarantees on the feasibility of an optimal robust solution when the uncertain coefficients obey independent and identically distributed normal distributions.
Kinetic and Mechanistic Investigation of Pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine Formation in the Presence of Catalyst under Novel One-Pot Three-Component Reaction
Authors: Habibi-Khorassani Sayyed Mostafa , Maghsoodlou Malek Taher , Shahraki Mehdi , Talaiefar Sadegh , Aboonajmi Jasem
Published: May 2014

Sodium acetate was applied as an efficient catalyst for the one-pot, three-component condensation reactions consisting of 4-nitrobenzaldehyde 2, malononitrile 3, and thiobarbituric acid 1. Use of nontoxic reaction components, short reaction times, environmental, easy work-up, and high yields are some remarkable advantages of this method. Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction were spectrally studied and the second order rate constant (kovr = k1) was automatically calculated by the standard equations contained within the program. The second order rate constant [Ln(kovr = k1), Ln(kovr = k1)/T] that depended on reciprocal temperature was in good agreement with the Arrhenius and Eyring equations, respectively. This data provided the suitable plots for calculating the activation energy and parameters (Ea, ΔG‡, ΔS‡, and ΔH‡) of the reaction. Furthermore, from studying the effects of solvent, concentration, and catalyst on the reaction rate, useful information was obtained regarding the mechanism. The results showed that the first step of the reaction mechanism is a rate determining step (RDS). The proposed mechanism was confirmed in accordance with the experimental data and also the steady state approximation.
Primary Hepatic Lymphoma: A Challenging Diagnosis
Authors: Myoteri D. , Dellaportas D. , Arkoumani E. , Marinis A. , Zizi-Sermpetzoglou A.
Published: May 2014

Introduction.Primary hepatic lymphoma is an unusual malignancy and is very difficult to diagnose promptly. An intrigue case presenting with cholestatic jaundice is reviewed and main disease characteristics are further discussed.Case Report.A 70-year-old male presented with dull right upper quadrant abdominal pain and mild cholestatic jaundice. Initial evaluation revealed mildly elevated liver function tests and normal tumor markers, while imaging with an abdominal CT-scan showed multiple hypodense nodules in both liver lobes. First impression of metastatic deposits from gastrointestinal origin was not confirmed by endoscopic means. After CT-guided biopsy, primary diffuse large B-cells non-Hodgkin lymphoma was revealed. Appropriate chemotherapy improved patient’s condition markedly.Discussion.Primary hepatic lymphoma is a rare form of extranodal lymphomas, accounting for less than 1% of all extranodal lymphomas in general. In order to define the condition as PHL, liver has to be the only site of lymphoma occurrence or to be involved in a major degree with minimal nonliver disease. Most PHLs are of B-cell origin with large cells as the main cell type.
Gender-Related Barriers and Delays in Accessing Tuberculosis Diagnostic and Treatment Services: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies
Authors: Krishnan Lakshmi , Akande Tokunbo , Shankar Anita V. , McIntire Katherine N. , Gounder Celine R. , Gupta Amita , Yang Wei-Teng
Published: May 2014

Background. Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global public health problem with known gender-related (male versus female) disparities. We reviewed the qualitative evidence (written/spoken narrative) for gender-related differences limiting TB service access from symptom onset to treatment initiation.Methods. Following a systematic process, we searched 12 electronic databases, included qualitative studies that assessed gender differences in accessing TB diagnostic and treatment services, abstracted data, and assessed study validity. Using a modified “inductive coding” system, we synthesized emergent themes within defined barriers and delays limiting access at the individual and provider/system levels and examined gender-related differences.Results. Among 13,448 studies, 28 studies were included. All were conducted in developing countries and assessed individual-level barriers; 11 (39%) assessed provider/system-level barriers, 18 (64%) surveyed persons with suspected or diagnosed TB, and 7 (25%) exclusively surveyed randomly sampled community members or health care workers. Each barrier affected both genders but had gender-variable nature and impact reflecting sociodemographic themes. Women experienced financial and physical dependence, lower general literacy, and household stigma, whereas men faced work-related financial and physical barriers and community-based stigma.Conclusions. In developing countries, barriers limiting access to TB care have context-specific gender-related differences that can inform integrated interventions to optimize TB services.
Differential Expression of Placental Glucocorticoid Receptors and Growth Arrest-Specific Transcript 5 in Term and Preterm Pregnancies: Evidence for Involvement of Maternal Stress
Authors: Mparmpakas D. , Zachariades E. , Sotiriadis G. , Goumenou A. , Harvey A. J. , Gidron Y. , Karteris E.
Published: May 2014

Pregnancy-specific stress predicts birth outcomes. We hypothesized that there is a maternal stress-GR interaction that can influence fetal birth weight. This study examined the relationship between mothers’ stress and attitude towards their pregnancies, placental glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) and growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5) expression, and the status of GR polymorphism, with their infants’ birth weights. GAS5 and GRαwere the predominant transcripts in both term and preterm placentas, with GAS5 being primarily localized in the syncytiotrophoblasts. In an attempt to mimic moderate and high stress environmentin vitro, BeWo and JEG-3 cytotrophoblast cell lines were treated with 10 nM–1000 nM cortisol. Only expression of GAS5 was significantly upregulated by cortisol in all treatments compared with basal levels, but none of the GRs changed expression significantly. In an attempt to assess a stress versus gene interaction, we studied four GR polymorphisms. In the homozygous group forTth111I polymorphism, mothers with negative attitudes towards the pregnancy gave birth to infants with significantly lower birth weights compared to women with positive/neutral attitudes. None of the GR splice variants were associated with maternal stress. However, placental GAS5 levels were inversely correlated with maternal stress. This study points towards a potential gene-environment interaction that could be of predictive value for fetal weight.
The Hypoxia-Inducible Factor Pathway, Prolyl Hydroxylase Domain Protein Inhibitors, and Their Roles in Bone Repair and Regeneration
Authors: Fan Lihong , Li Jia , Yu Zefeng , Dang Xiaoqian , Wang Kunzheng
Published: May 2014

Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) are oxygen-dependent transcriptional activators that play crucial roles in angiogenesis, erythropoiesis, energy metabolism, and cell fate decisions. The group of enzymes that can catalyse the hydroxylation reaction of HIF-1 is prolyl hydroxylase domain proteins (PHDs). PHD inhibitors (PHIs) activate the HIF pathway by preventing degradation of HIF-αvia inhibiting PHDs. Osteogenesis and angiogenesis are tightly coupled during bone repair and regeneration. Numerous studies suggest that HIFs and their target gene, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), are critical regulators of angiogenic-osteogenic coupling. In this brief perspective, we review current studies about the HIF pathway and its role in bone repair and regeneration, as well as the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved. Additionally, we briefly discuss the therapeutic manipulation of HIFs and VEGF in bone repair and bone tumours. This review will expand our knowledge of biology of HIFs, PHDs, PHD inhibitors, and bone regeneration, and it may also aid the design of novel therapies for accelerating bone repair and regeneration or inhibiting bone tumours.
Performance Comparison of Wavelet and Multiwavelet Denoising Methods for an Electrocardiogram Signal
Authors: Subramanian Balambigai , Ramasamy Asokan , Rangasamy Kamalakannan
Published: May 2014

The increase in the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases in the world has made electrocardiogram an important tool to diagnose the various arrhythmias of the heart. But the recorded electrocardiogram often contains artefacts like power line noise, baseline noise, and muscle artefacts. Hence denoising of electrocardiogram signals is very important for accurate diagnosis of heart diseases. The properties of wavelets and multiwavelets have better denoising capability compared to conventional filtering techniques. The electrocardiogram signals have been taken from the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database. The simulation results prove that there is a 29.7% increase in the performance of multiwavelets over the performance of wavelets in terms of signal to noise ratio (SNR).
Adhesion of Pancreatic Cancer Cells in a Liver-Microvasculature Mimicking Coculture Correlates with Their Propensity to Form Liver-Specific MetastasisIn Vivo
Authors: Chowdhury Mohammad Mahfuz , Danoy Mathieu , Rahman Farhana , Shinohara Marie , Kaneda Shohei , Shiba Kiyotaka , Fujita Naoya , Fujii Teruo , Sakai Yasuyuki
Published: May 2014

Organ-specific characteristic of endothelial cells (ECs) is crucial for specific adhesion of cancer cells to ECs, which is a key factor in the formation of organ-specific metastasis. In this study, we developed a coculture of TMNK-1 (immortalized liver sinusoidal ECs) with 10T1/2 (resembling hepatic stellate cells) to augment organ-specific characteristic of TMNK-1 and investigated adhesion of two pancreatic cancer cells (MIA-PaCa-2 and BxPC-3) in the culture. MIA-PaCa-2 and BxPC-3 adhesion in TMNK-1+10T1/2coating culture (TMNK-1 monolayer over 10T1/2 layer on collagen coated surface) were similar. However, in TMNK-1+10T1/2gel (coculture on collagen gel surface), MIA-PaCa-2 adhesion was significantly higher than BxPC-3, which was congruent with the reported higher propensity of MIA-PaCa-2 than BxPC-3 to form liver metastasisin vivo. Notably, as compared to BxPC-3, MIA-PaCa-2 adhesion was lower and similar in TMNK-1 only culture on the collagen coated and gel surfaces, respectively. Investigation of the adhesion in the representative human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) cultures and upon blocking of surface molecules of ECs revealed that MIA-PaCa-2 adhesion was strongly dependent on the organ-specific upregulated characteristics of TMNK-1 in TMNK-1+10T1/2gel culture. Therefore, the developed coculture would be a potential assay for screening novel drugs to inhibit the liver-microvasculature specific adhesion of cancer cells.
Synthetic Optimization Model and Algorithm for Railway Freight Center Station Location and Wagon Flow Organization Problem
Authors: Liu Xing-cai , He Shi-wei , Song Rui , Li Hao-dong , Wang Long , Sun Yang
Published: May 2014

The railway freight center stations location and wagon flow organization in railway transport are interconnected, and each of them is complicated in a large‐scale rail network. In this paper, a two‐stage method is proposed to optimize railway freight center stations location and wagon flow organization together. The location model is present with the objective to minimize the operation cost and fixed construction cost. Then, the second model of wagon flow organization is proposed to decide the optimal train service between different freight center stations. The location of the stations is the output of the first model. A heuristic algorithm that combined tabu search (TS) with adaptive clonal selection algorithm (ACSA) is proposed to solve those two models. The numerical results show the proposed solution method is effective.
Certain Chebyshev Type Integral Inequalities Involving Hadamard’s Fractional Operators
Authors: Ntouyas Sotiris K. , Purohit Sunil D. , Tariboon Jessada
Published: May 2014

We establish certain new fractional integral inequalities for the differentiable functions whose derivatives belong to the spaceLp([1,∞)), related to the weighted version of the Chebyshev functional, involving Hadamard’s fractional integral operators. As an application, particular results have been also established.
The Role of Arterioles and the Microcirculation in the Development of Vasospasm after Aneurysmal SAH
Authors: Naraoka Masato , Matsuda Naoya , Shimamura Norihito , Asano Kenichiro , Ohkuma Hiroki
Published: May 2014

Cerebral vasospasm of the major cerebral arteries, which is characterized by angiographic narrowing of those vessels, had been recognized as a main contributor to delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) in subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) patients. However, the CONSCIOUS-1 trial revealed that clazosentan could not improve mortality or clinical outcome in spite of successful reduction of relative risk in angiographic vasospasm. This result indicates that the pathophysiology underlying DCI is multifactorial and that other pathophysiological factors, which are independent of angiographic vasospasm, can contribute to the outcome. Recent studies have focused on microcirculatory disturbance, such as microthrombosis and arteriolar constriction, as a factor affecting cerebral ischemia after SAH. Reports detecting microthrombosis and arteriolar constriction will be reviewed, and the role of the microcirculation on cerebral ischemia during vasospasm after SAH will be discussed.
Clinical Value of99Tcm-MDP SPECT Bone Scintigraphy in the Diagnosis of Unilateral Condylar Hyperplasia
Authors: Wen Bing , Shen Ying , Wang Chang-Yin
Published: May 2014

Purpose. To investigate the clinical value of99Tcm-MDP SPECT for the diagnosis of unilateral condylar hyperplasia (UCH).Methods. One hundred forty-nine patients who underwent mandibular99Tcm-MDP SPECT between January 2009 and December 2012 were studied, including 105 cases that were clinically suspected of UCH and 44 comparable cases without UCH as a control group.Results. Increased bone activity was observed in the affected condyles for all UCH patients. In the UCH group, the relative percentage uptake on the affected side was 59% (SD±4.3%), significantly higher than the 41% (SD±4.1%) uptake on the contralateral side (P<0.001). Similarly, the condyle/skull ratio was significantly higher for the affected side (1.66±0.63) than for the contralateral side (1.34±0.34,P<0.01. No significant difference was found in the control group between the left and right condyles. Values for the sensitivity (95%), specificity (61%), positive (84.4%) and negative (84.6%) predictive values, and accuracy (84.5%) for99Tcm-MDP SPECT in the diagnosis of UCH were calculated. However, for the hyperplastic condyle, no correlation was observed between the thickness of each cartilage layer and the relative uptake in the SPECT image.Conclusion.99Tcm-MDP SPECT is accurate for diagnosing UCH and can provide a reference for treatment options.
Ranking Biomedical Annotations with Annotator’s Semantic Relevancy
Authors: Wu Aihua
Published: May 2014

Biomedical annotation is a common and affective artifact for researchers to discuss, show opinion, and share discoveries. It becomes increasing popular in many online research communities, and implies much useful information. Ranking biomedical annotations is a critical problem for data user to efficiently get information. As the annotator’s knowledge about the annotated entity normally determines quality of the annotations, we evaluate the knowledge, that is, semantic relationship between them, in two ways. The first is extracting relational information from credible websites by mining association rules between an annotator and a biomedical entity. The second way is frequent pattern mining from historical annotations, which reveals common features of biomedical entities that an annotator can annotate with high quality. We propose a weighted and concept-extended RDF model to represent an annotator, a biomedical entity, and their background attributes and merge information from the two ways as the context of an annotator. Based on that, we present a method to rank the annotations by evaluating their correctness according to user’s vote and the semantic relevancy between the annotator and the annotated entity. The experimental results show that the approach is applicable and efficient even when data set is large.
Existence of Nontrivial Solutions for Unilaterally Asymptotically Linear Three-Point Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Li Hongyu
Published: May 2014

Using fixed point theorems in ordered Banach spaces with the lattice structure, we consider the existence of nontrivial solutions under the condition that the nonlinear term can change sign and study the existence of sign-changing solutions for some second order three-point boundary value problems. Our results improve and generalize on those in the literatures.
Extended Nonsingular Terminal Sliding Surface for Second-Order Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Jeong Ji Wung , Yeon Ho Suk , Park Kang-Bak
Published: May 2014

An extended nonsingular terminal sliding surface is proposed for second-order nonlinear systems. It is shown that the proposed surface is a superset of a conventional nonsingular terminal sliding surface which guarantees that the system state gets to zero in finite time. The conventional nonsingular sliding surfaces have been designed using a power function whose exponent is a rational number with positive odd numerator and denominator. The proposed nonsingular terminal sliding surface overcomes the restriction on the exponent of a power function; that is, the exponent can be a positive real number. Simulation results are provided to show the validity of the main result.
Comprehensive Influence Model of Preschool Children’s Personality Development Based on the Bayesian Network
Authors: Sun Yan , He Mingying , Yang Lizhu
Published: May 2014

It is crucial to ascertain the comprehensive influence factors on personality for making effective cultivating plan. However, most existing literatures focus on the effect of individual factor on the personality. In order to comprehensively investigate the causal influences of preschool children’s temperament, school factors (teacher expectation and peer acceptance), and family factors (parental coparenting style, parental education value, and parental parenting style) on the personality and the probability of the dependencies among these influence factors, we constructed the influencing factor model of personality development based on the Bayesian network. The models not only reflect the influence on personality development as a whole, but also obtain the probability relationships among the factors. Compared with other influence factors including family and school factors, temperament has more effect on the personality. In addition, teacher expectation also has an important influence on the personality. The experimental results show that it is a valuable exploration to construct the Bayesian network for comprehensively investigating the causal relationships between preschool children’s personality and related influence factors. Further, these results will be helpful to the cultivation of healthy personality.
Parallelized Dilate Algorithm for Remote Sensing Image
Authors: Zhang Suli , Hu Haoran , Pan Xin
Published: May 2014

As an important algorithm, dilate algorithm can give us more connective view of a remote sensing image which has broken lines or objects. However, with the technological progress of satellite sensor, the resolution of remote sensing image has been increasing and its data quantities become very large. This would lead to the decrease of algorithm running speed or cannot obtain a result in limited memory or time. To solve this problem, our research proposed a parallelized dilate algorithm for remote sensing Image based on MPI and MP. Experiments show that our method runs faster than traditional single-process algorithm.
Meta-Analysis of the Efficacy of Ectoine Nasal Spray in Patients with Allergic Rhinoconjunctivitis
Authors: Eichel Andrea , Bilstein Andreas , Werkhäuser Nina , Mösges Ralph
Published: May 2014

Objectives. The meta-analysis aims to investigate the efficacy of ectoine nasal spray and eye drops in the treatment of allergic rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms. Design and Methods. This meta-analysis is based on yet unpublished data of four studies. Both nasal and eye symptoms were documented in patient diary cards. All scales were transformed into a 4-point scale: 0 = no, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, and 3 = severe symptoms. Each symptom was analysed individually in a meta-analysis of the area under the curve values as well as in a meta-analysis of pre- and posttreatment comparison. Results. After seven days of treatment with ectoine nasal spray both nasal and ocular symptoms decreased significantly. A strong reduction of symptom severity was shown for the parameters rhinorrhoea (31.76% reduction) and nasal obstruction (29.94% reduction). Furthermore, the meta-analyses of individual symptoms to investigate the strength of effect after seven days of medication intake showed significant improvement for nasal obstruction, rhinorrhoea, nasal itching, sneezing, itching of eyes, and redness of eyes. The improvement of the symptom nasal obstruction was associated with a strong effect 0.53 (±0.26). Conclusions. The ectoine nasal spray and eye drops seem to be equally effective as guideline-recommended medication in the treatment of rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms.
Vomiting and Dysphagia Predict Delayed Gastric Emptying in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Subjects
Authors: Boltin Doron , Zvidi Ibrahim , Steinmetz Adam , Bernstine Hanna , Groshar David , Nardi Yuval , Boaz Mona , Niv Yaron , Dickman Ram
Published: May 2014

Background.Gastroparesis is a heterogeneous disorder most often idiopathic, diabetic, or postsurgical in nature. The demographic and clinical predictors of gastroparesis in Israeli patients are poorly defined.Methods.During the study period we identified all adult patients who were referred to gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES) for the evaluation of dyspeptic symptoms. Of those, 193 patients who were referred to GES from our institution were retrospectively identified (76 (39%) males, mean age60.2±15.6years). Subjects were grouped according to gastric half-emptying times (gastricT1/2). Demographic and clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records or by a phone interview.Key Results.Gastric emptying half-times were normal (gastricT1/20–99 min) in 101 patients, abnormal (gastricT1/2100–299 min) in 67 patients, and grossly abnormal (gastricT1/2≥300 min) in 25 patients. Vomiting and dysphagia, but neither early satiety nor bloating, correlated with delayed gastric emptying. Diabetes was associated with grossly abnormal gastricT1/2. Idiopathic gastroparesis was associated with a younger age at GES. No correlation was observed between gastricT1/2values and gender, smoking,H. pyloriinfection, HBA1C, or microvascular complication of diabetes.Conclusions Inferences.Vomiting and dysphagia are predictive of delayed gastric emptying in both diabetic and nondiabetic subjects. Diabetes is associated with more severe gastroparesis.
A Partial Robust M-Regression-Based Prediction and Fault Detection Method
Authors: Jiao Jianfang , Zhang Jingxin , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: May 2014

Due to its simplicity and easy implementation, partial least squares (PLS) serves as an efficient approach in large-scale industrial process. However, like many data-based methods, PLS is quite sensitive to outliers, which is a common abnormal characteristic of the measured process data that can significantly affect the monitoring performance of PLS. In order to develop a robust prediction and fault detection method, this paper employs the partial robust M-regression (PRM) to deal with the outliers. Moreover, to eliminate the useless variations for prediction, an orthogonal decomposition is performed on the measurable variables space so as to allow the new method to serve as a powerful tool for quality-related prediction and fault detection. The proposed method is finally applied on the Tennessee Eastman (TE) process.
A Divide-and-Conquer Approach for Solving Fuzzy Max-Archimedeant-Norm Relational Equations
Authors: Lin Jun-Lin , Chuan Hung-Chjh , Khomnotai Laksamee
Published: May 2014

A system of fuzzy relational equations with the max-Archimedeant-norm composition was considered. The relevant literature indicated that this problem can be reduced to the problem of finding all the irredundant coverings of a binary matrix. A divide-and-conquer approach is proposed to solve this problem and, subsequently, to solve the original problem. This approach was used to analyze the binary matrix and then decompose the matrix into several submatrices such that the irredundant coverings of the original matrix could be constructed using the irredundant coverings of each of these submatrices. This step was performed recursively for each of these submatrices to obtain the irredundant coverings. Finally, once all the irredundant coverings of the original matrix were found, they were easily converted into the minimal solutions of the fuzzy relational equations. Experiments on binary matrices, with the number of irredundant coverings ranging from 24 to 9680, were also performed. The results indicated that, for test matrices that could initially be partitioned into more than one submatrix, this approach reduced the execution time by more than three orders of magnitude. For the other test matrices, this approach was still useful because certain submatrices could be partitioned into more than one submatrix.
Power Conservation and Security Enhancement in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Priority Based Approach
Authors: Sivakumar P. , Amirthavalli K. , Senthil M.
Published: May 2014

In wireless sensor networks (WSN), two major challenges are how to conserve the battery power and a series of security challenges. The power conservation and security are important for reliability and longevity of a WSN. This paper proposes an approach called “priority based approach (PBA)” which empowers the node to choose the most important packet based on the priority and the current energy status of the forwarding node. Thus we can minimize the average delay and energy spent and maximize the throughput and packet delivery ratio (PDR) when compared to game theory approach.
In Vitro Evaluation of Leakage at Implant-Abutment Connection of Three Implant Systems Having the Same Prosthetic Interface Using Rhodamine B
Authors: Berberi Antoine , Tehini Georges , Rifai Khaldoun , Bou Nasser Eddine Farah , El Zein Nabil , Badran Bassam , Akl Haidar
Published: May 2014

Objectives. Hollow space between implant and abutment may act as reservoir for commensal and/or pathogenic bacteria representing a potential source of tissue inflammation. Microbial colonization of the interfacial gap may ultimately lead to infection and bone resorption. Using Rhodamine B, a sensitive fluorescent tracer dye, we aim in this study to investigate leakage at implant-abutment connection of three implant systems having the same prosthetic interface.Materials and Methods. Twenty-one implants (seven Astra Tech, seven Euroteknika, and seven Dentium) with the same prosthetic interface were connected to their original abutments, according to the manufacturers’ recommendation. After determination of the inner volume of each implant systems, the kinetic quantification of leakage was evaluated for each group using Rhodamine B (10−2 M). For each group, spectrophotometric analysis was performed to detect leakage with a fluorescence spectrophotometer at 1 h (T0) and 48 h (T1) of incubation time at room temperature.Results. Astra Tech had the highest inner volume (6.8 μL), compared to Dentium (4 μL) and Euroteknika (2.9 μL). At T0 and T1, respectively, the leakage volume and percentage of each system were as follows: Astra Tech 0.043 μL or 1.48% (SD 0.0022), 0.08 μL or 5.56% (SD 0.0074), Euroteknika 0.09 μL or 6.93% (SD 0.0913), 0.21 μL or 20.55% (SD 0.0035), and Dentium 0.07 μL or 4.6% (SD 0.0029), 0.12 μL or 10.47% (SD 0.0072).Conclusion. The tested internal conical implant-abutment connections appear to be unable to prevent leakage. In average, Astra Tech implants showed the highest inner volume and the least leakage.
A Framework for Sharing and Integrating Remote Sensing and GIS Models Based on Web Service
Authors: Chen Zeqiang , Lin Hui , Chen Min , Liu Deer , Bao Ying , Ding Yulin
Published: May 2014

Sharing and integrating Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System/Science (GIS) models are critical for developing practical application systems. Facilitating model sharing and model integration is a problem for model publishers and model users, respectively. To address this problem, a framework based on a Web service for sharing and integrating RS and GIS models is proposed in this paper. The fundamental idea of the framework is to publish heterogeneous RS and GIS models into standard Web services for sharing and interoperation and then to integrate the RS and GIS models using Web services. For the former, a “black box” and a visual method are employed to facilitate the publishing of the models as Web services. For the latter, model integration based on the geospatial workflow and semantic supported marching method is introduced. Under this framework, model sharing and integration is applied for developing the Pearl River Delta water environment monitoring system. The results show that the framework can facilitate model sharing and model integration for model publishers and model users.
A New Approach for Generating the TX Hierarchy as well as Its Integrable Couplings
Authors: Wang Guangming
Published: May 2014

Tu Guizhang and Xu Baozhi once introduced an isospectral problem by a loop algebra with degree beingλ, for which an integrable hierarchy of evolution equations (called the TX hierarchy) was derived under the frame of zero curvature equations. In the paper, we present a loop algebra whose degrees are2λand2λ+1to simply represent the above isospectral matrix and easily derive the TX hierarchy. Specially, through enlarging the loop algebra with 3 dimensions to 6 dimensions, we generate a new integrable coupling of the TX hierarchy and its corresponding Hamiltonian structure.
A New Similarity Measure of Interval‐Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets Considering Its Hesitancy Degree and Applications in Expert Systems
Authors: Wu Chong , Luo Peng , Li Yongli , Ren Xuekun
Published: May 2014

As an important content in fuzzy mathematics, similarity measure is used to measure the similarity degree between two fuzzy sets. Considering the existing similarity measures, most of them do not consider the hesitancy degree and some methods considering the hesitancy degree are based on the intuitionistic fuzzy sets, intuitionistic fuzzy values. It may cause some counterintuitive results in some cases. In order to make up for the drawback, we present a new approach to construct the similarity measure between two interval‐valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets using the entropy measure and considering the hesitancy degree. In particular, the proposed measure was demonstrated to yield a similarity measure. Besides, some examples are given to prove the practicality and effectiveness of the new measure. We also apply the similarity measure to expert system to solve the problems on pattern recognition and the multicriteria group decision making. In these examples, we also compare it with existing methods such as other similarity measures and the ideal point method.
Integrating a Hive Triangle Pattern with Subpixel Analysis for Noncontact Measurement of Structural Dynamic Response by Using a Novel Image Processing Scheme
Authors: Lu Yung-Chi , Hung Shih-Lin , Lin Tzu-Hsuan
Published: May 2014

This work presents a digital image processing approach with a unique hive triangle pattern by integrating subpixel analysis for noncontact measurement of structural dynamic response data. Feasibility of proposed approach is demonstrated based on numerical simulation of a photography experiment. According to those results, the measured time-history displacement of simulated image correlates well with the numerical solution. A small three-story frame is then mounted on a small shaker table, and a linear variation differential transformation (LVDT) is set on the second floor. Experimental results indicate that the relative error between data from LVDT and analyzed data from digital image correlation is below 0.007%, 0.0205 in terms of frequency and displacement, respectively. Additionally, the appropriate image block affects the estimation accuracy of the measurement system. Importantly, the proposed approach for evaluating pattern center and size is highly promising for use in assigning the adaptive block for a digital image correlation method.
A New Robust Controller with Applications to Bioreactors
Authors: Rincón Alejandro , Erazo Ordoñez Christian Camilo , Londoño Felipe , Olivar Tost Gerard , Angulo Fabiola
Published: May 2014

In this work an anaerobic digester is controlled using input‐output linearization and Lyapunov‐like function methods. It is assumed that model parameters are unknown, time‐varying, and bounded, and upper or lower bounds are also unknown. To tackle the effect of input saturation, a state observer is designed. The tracking and observer errors are defined in terms of the noisy measured output instead of ideal output, given by the mathematical model. The design of the observer mechanism and the update laws is based on the Lyapunov‐like function technique, whereas the design of the control law is based on the input‐output linearization method. In this paper two important properties of the controlled system are proven. First, the observer error converges asymptotically to a residual set whose size is user‐defined, and such convergence is not disrupted, neither by the input saturation nor by the parameter uncertainties. Second, when the control input is nonsaturated the tracking error converges to a residual set whose size is user‐defined. The model parameter uncertainties are included to prove the convergence of errors. Finally, a numerical example to validate the developed control is presented.