bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prescription Practice for Diabetes Management among a Female Population in Primary Health Care
Authors: ALHreashy Fouzia A. , Mobierek Abdulelah F.
Published: March 2014

Introduction. Prescription for diabetes care is an important practice in primary care. Methods. This is a descriptive study carried out on at primary care clinics over a five-month period at Al Imam Medical Complex, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It was cross-sectional study of 160 female diabetic patients, who visited the services between January and May, 2012. Data were collected from the medical records on the clinical characteristics and drugs prescribed for their diabetic management. Results. The majority of the sample population (82%) was older than 40 years old. Half of them had concomitant hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. There were 500 prescriptions for diabetes management. More than 57% of participants were on two or more drugs for hyperglycemia. Metformin was the most common drug prescribed. Metformin and sulphonylurea were the most common combined medications. Most of cases ( 70%) were on a combination of antihypertensive drugs. ACE or ARBs and diuretic was the most common combined prescriptions. Statins and aspirin were used by 41% and 23.8% of the research population, respectively. Conclusion. Polypharmacy is a feature in diabetes care. Most of the prescription practice for diabetic care follows the recommended guidelines for hyperglycemia and hypertension. Management of dyslipidemia among diabetic patients, however, is an area that needs to be developed.
Dielectric Properties and Characterisation of Titanium Dioxide Obtained by Different Chemistry Methods
Authors: Wypych Aleksandra , Bobowska Izabela , Tracz Milena , Opasinska Agnieszka , Kadlubowski Slawomir , Krzywania-Kaliszewska Alicja , Grobelny Jaroslaw , Wojciechowski Piotr
Published: March 2014

We made comparison of titanium dioxide powders obtained from three syntheses including sol‐gel and precipitation methods as well as using layered (tetramethyl)ammonium titanate as a source of TiO2. The obtained precursors were subjected to step annealing at elevated temperatures to transform into rutile form. The transformation was determined by Raman measurements in each case. The resulting products were characterised using Raman spectroscopy and dynamic light scattering. The main goal of the studies performed was to compare the temperature of the transformation in three titania precursors obtained by different methods of soft chemistry routes and to evaluate dielectric properties of rutile products by means of broadband dielectric spectroscopy. Different factors affecting the electrical properties of calcinated products were discussed. It was found that sol‐gel synthesis provided rutile form after annealing at 850°C with the smallest particles size about 20 nm, the highest value of dielectric permittivity equal to 63.7, and loss tangent equal to 0.051 at MHz frequencies. The other powders transformed to rutile at higher temperature, that is, 900°C, exhibit lower value of dielectric permittivity and had a higher value of particles size. The correlation between the anatase‐rutile transformation temperature and the size of annealed particles was proposed.
Fekete-Szegö Inequalities for Starlike Functions with respect to k-Symmetric Points of Complex Order
Authors: Aouf M. K. , El-Ashwah R. M. , El-Deeb S. M.
Published: March 2014

Sharp upper bounds of a3-μa22 for the function fz=z+∑m=2∞amzm belonging to certain subclass of starlike functions with respect to k-symmetric points of complex order are obtained. Also, applications of our results to certain functions defined through convolution with a normalized analytic function are given. In particular, Fekete-Szegö inequalities for certain classes of functions defined through fractional derivatives are obtained.
End Suction Centrifugal Pump Operating in Turbine Mode for Microhydro Applications
Authors: Ismail Mohd Azlan , Othman Al Khalid , Islam Shahidul , Zen Hushairi
Published: March 2014

This paper reviews the current research works on the end suction centrifugal pump coupled with induction generator running in turbine mode for microhydro application. The information can be used by practicing engineers, researchers, and plant managers to understand the potential of pump running as turbine. Review on experimental and simulation works was carried out encompassing end suction single stage low specific speed which is less than 10 kW. This is followed by review of their efficiency improvement through modifications. The results show that centrifugal pump can operate in turbine modes without any modification on mechanical components. However, to achieve the best efficiency point (BEP), it requires higher flow rate and head than pumping rating. Efficiency improvement is viable through geometric modification to improve hydraulic characteristic. The studies also show that pump as turbine (PAT) can be directly coupled with modified induction motor as generator by adding capacitor and electric control system, regulating voltage and frequency at the output terminal. It was found that PAT offers the best low cost solution for microhydro application especially for third world countries that do not have local microhydro manufacturer.
Efficient Numerical Analysis of a Periodic Structure of Multistate Unit Cells
Authors: Matekovits Ladislau , Esselle Karu P. , Bercigli Mirko , Guidi Rodolfo
Published: March 2014

Application of the synthetic function expansion (SFX) algorithm to the analysis of active 1- and 2D periodic structures is presented. The single unit cell consisting of a microstrip line loaded by patches positioned below the line is turned into an active structure by inserting a pair of 2 switches to the two ends of each patch; the states of the pair of switches are changed contemporaneously. Variation of the states of the switches modifies the current distribution on the structure. The tunable multistate unit cell is arranged in 24-, 120-, and 9 × 24 element configurations and numerically analyzed. The computational complexity required for the characterization of the large number of possible configurations is lightened by the use of the proposed numerical method.
The Association between Female Genital Cutting and Spousal HCV Infection in Egypt
Authors: Kenyon Chris R. , Colebunders Robert
Published: March 2014

Objective. To identify the risk factors for HCV infection within married couples in Egypt.Methods. In 2008 Egypt conducted its first nationally representative survey of HCV prevalence. 11126 of the 12780 individuals aged 15–59 year who were sampled agreed to participate and provided information via a questionnaire about demographic and behavioural characteristics and blood for HCV antibody and RNA analysis. We assessed the risk factors for HCV infection in a subsample of 5182 married individuals via multivariate logistic regression.Results. Overall HCV antibody prevalence in the married couples was 18.2% (95% CI, 16.8–19.6). HCV antibody prevalence was higher in the husbands (23.7%) than the wives (12.1%;P<0.001). Having a spouse who was infected with HCV was an independent risk factor for HCV infection with odds ratios of 2.1 (95% CI, 1.6–2.9) and 2.2 (95% CI, 1.6–3.1) for women and men, respectively. Husbands whose wives had experienced female genital cutting (FGC) had a higher prevalence of HCV and this relationship was driven by a strong association in urban areas. Amongst the women there was no association between FGC and HCV overall but in urban areas only women who had experienced FGC were HCV infected.Conclusions. This study provides additional evidence of the importance of intrafamilial transmission of HCV in Egypt.
Time-Dependent Shear-Induced Nonlinear Viscosity Effects in Dilute CTAC/NaSal Solutions: Mechanism Analyses
Authors: Xu Na , Wei Jinjia
Published: March 2014

The time-dependent shear-induced nonlinear viscosity effects of dilute surfactant solutions (CTAC/NaSal) at constant shear rate were tested by using the rheometer Couette cell. The apparent viscosity evolution curve can be divided into five stages: weak shear-thickening (Stage I), weak shear-thinning and plateau (Stage II), sharp shear-thickening (Stage III), oscillating adjustment (Stage IV), and rough plateau (Stage V). In Stage I, the stretching effects of shear flow lead to the weak increase in apparent viscosity at the inception of shearing. The apparent viscosity curve firstly decreases in Stage II and then levels off. The apparent viscosity plateau is caused by the forming and slipping of micellar lumps at the inner cylinder wall surface. Once the volume of lump exceeds a certain degree, the nucleation process of forming SIS is triggered, which is the beginning of Stage III and then the apparent viscosity increases sharply. The variations of apparent viscosity in adjusting period are rather complicated in Stage IV, and the variations mainly depend on the situation of SISs network. In Stage V, coupled with obvious oscillations, the apparent viscosity maintains a basically constant plateau value, indicating that the SISs network is fully developed and saturated at the corresponding shear rate.
Use of Ethnomedicinal Plants by the People Living around Indus River
Authors: Mussarat Sakina , AbdEl-Salam Nasser M. , Tariq Akash , Wazir Sultan Mehmood , Ullah Riaz , Adnan Muhammad
Published: March 2014

The objective of present study was to document and preserve ethnomedicinal knowledge use to treat different human ailments by traditional healers of Dera Ismail Khan region, Pakistan. Field work was conducted between February 2012 and January 2013 using semistructured questionnaires. Data was collected from 120 traditional healers through questionnaire survey. Traditional healers in the study area use 70 plant species mostly herbs (57%) for ethnomedicinal and other purposes. The highest FIC values (0.80) were obtained each for gastrointestinal and kidney problems followed by respiratory infections (0.72) and skin infections (0.73). There was a significant correlation (r2 = 0.950;   p < 0.01) between the age and traditional knowledge of respondent. Direct matrix ranking indicated Morus alba and Dalbergia sissoo as highly multipurpose and threatened species in the study area. The results showed high dependency of local inhabitants on medicinal plants in meeting their primary health care needs. Moreover, the traditional knowledge has been restricted to elder people. Protection measures should be taken in order to conserve precious multipurpose species that are facing overexploitation. Medicinal plants treating major ailments in the region may be subjected to phytochemical and pharmacological investigations for the identification of bioactive compounds.
A Robust Nonlinear Observer for a Class of Neural Mass Models
Authors: Liu Xian , Miao Dongkai , Gao Qing
Published: March 2014

A new method of designing a robust nonlinear observer is presented for a class of neural mass models by using the Lur’e system theory and the projection lemma. The observer is robust towards input uncertainty and measurement noise. It is applied to estimate the unmeasured membrane potential of neural populations from the electroencephalogram (EEG) produced by the neural mass models. An illustrative example shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.
An Improved Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm Based on Balance-Evolution Strategy for Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle Path Planning
Authors: Li Bai , Gong Li-gang , Yang Wen-lun
Published: March 2014

Unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) have been of great interest to military organizations throughout the world due to their outstanding capabilities to operate in dangerous or hazardous environments. UCAV path planning aims to obtain an optimal flight route with the threats and constraints in the combat field well considered. In this work, a novel artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm improved by a balance-evolution strategy (BES) is applied in this optimization scheme. In this new algorithm, convergence information during the iteration is fully utilized to manipulate the exploration/exploitation accuracy and to pursue a balance between local exploitation and global exploration capabilities. Simulation results confirm that BE-ABC algorithm is more competent for the UCAV path planning scheme than the conventional ABC algorithm and two other state-of-the-art modified ABC algorithms.
Effects of Mixture of Pharmaceuticals on Early Life Stages of Tench (Tinca tinca)
Authors: Stancova Vlasta , Plhalova Lucie , Bartoskova Marta , Zivna Dana , Prokes Miroslav , Marsalek Petr , Blahova Jana , Skoric Misa , Svobodova Zdenka
Published: March 2014

Ubiquitous occurrence of pharmaceuticals in aquatic environment results in concern about potential adverse the effects on nontarget organisms. In water, drugs are present in complex mixtures, in which complicated interactions affect toxicity of single components. The purpose of this study was to examine effect of 35-day-long exposure to mixture of ibuprofen, diclofenac, and carbamazepine on the mortality, growth, early ontogeny, and histopathological changes in tench (Tinca tinca). Early life stage toxicity test was carried out using a modified protocol according to OECD guideline 210. Exposure to mixture of pharmaceuticals at concentration of 60 μg·L−1for each substance was associated with significant increase in mortality, as well as significant increase in growth and elevated incidence of malformations. Any of the tested concentrations resulted in histopathological changes of liver, kidney, skin, or gill. After fourteen days of exposure there was short-term delay of development related to increased concentrations of pharmaceuticals in the mixture (2, 20, and 60 μg·L−1). Environmentally relevant concentrations (0.02; and 0.2 μg·L−1) used in this experiment did not result in toxic impairment of tench.
Synthesis and Optical Properties of Thiol Functionalized CdSe/ZnS (Core/Shell) Quantum Dots by Ligand Exchange
Authors: Zhu Huaping , Hu Michael Z. , Shao Lei , Yu Kui , Dabestani Reza , Zaman Md. Badruz , Liao Shijun
Published: March 2014

The colloidal photoluminescent quantum dots (QDs) of CdSe (core) and CdSe/ZnS (core/shell) were synthesized at different temperatures with different growth periods. Optical properties (i.e., UV/Vis spectra and photoluminescent emission spectra) of the resulting QDs were investigated. The shell‐protected CdSe/ZnS QDs exhibited higher photoluminescent (PL) efficiency and stability than their corresponding CdSe core QDs. Ligand exchange with various thiol molecules was performed to replace the initial surface passivation ligands, that is, trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) and trioctylphosphine (TOP), and the optical properties of the surface‐modified QDs were studied. The thiol ligand molecules in this study included 1,4‐benzenedimethanethiol, 1,16‐hexadecanedithiol, 1,11‐undecanedithiol, biphenyl‐4,4′‐dithiol, 11‐mercapto‐1‐undecanol, and 1,8‐octanedithiol. After the thiol functionalization, the CdSe/ZnS QDs exhibited significantly enhanced PL efficiency and storage stability. Besides surface passivation effect, such enhanced performance of thiol‐functionalized QDs could be due to cross‐linked assembly formation of dimer/trimer clusters, in which QDs are linked by dithiol molecules. Furthermore, effects of ligand concentration, type of ligand, and heating on the thiol stabilization of QDs were also discussed.
Endothelial Function Increases after a 16-Week Diet and Exercise Intervention in Overweight and Obese Young Women
Authors: Cotie Lisa M. , Josse Andrea R. , Phillips Stuart M. , MacDonald Maureen J.
Published: March 2014

Weight loss improves endothelial function in overweight individuals. The effects of weight loss through combined aerobic and resistance training and caloric restriction on in vivo vascular measures and blood markers associated with the regulation of endothelial function have not been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we investigated brachial artery endothelial function and potential regulatory blood markers in twenty overweight women (30.3 ± 2.0 years) who participated in 16 weeks of aerobic (5 d/wk) and resistance training (2 d/wk) (combined: ≥250 kcal/d) and caloric restriction (−500 kcal/d versus requirement). Resting brachial artery flow mediated dilation (FMD) and circulating endothelin-1 (ET-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were assessed at baseline and following the intervention. Relative and absolute FMD increased (before: 4.0 ± 0.5% versus after: 6.9 ± 0.6%,P<0.05,and before: 0.14 ± 0.02 mm versus after: 0.23 ± 0.02 mm,P<0.05, resp.), while body mass decreased (before: 86.9 ± 2.4 kg versus after: 81.1 ± 2.4 kg,P<0.05)following the intervention. There were no changes in either blood marker (IL-6: before: 1.5 ± 0.2 pg/mL versus after: 1.5 ± 0.1 pg/mL,P>0.05,and ET-1: before: 0.55 ± 0.05 pg/mL versus after: 0.59 ± 0.09 pg/mL,P>0.05). 16 weeks of combined aerobic/resistance training and diet-induced weight loss improved endothelial function in overweight and obese young women, but this increase was not associated with changes in blood markers of vasoconstriction or inflammation.
Functional Roles of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase in Macrophage-Mediated Inflammatory Responses
Authors: Yang Yanyan , Kim Seung Cheol , Yu Tao , Yi Young-Su , Rhee Man Hee , Sung Gi-Ho , Yoo Byong Chul , Cho Jae Youl
Published: March 2014

Inflammation is a natural host defensive process that is largely regulated by macrophages during the innate immune response. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are proline-directed serine and threonine protein kinases that regulate many physiological and pathophysiological cell responses. p38 MAPKs are key MAPKs involved in the production of inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). p38 MAPK signaling plays an essential role in regulating cellular processes, especially inflammation. In this paper, we summarize the characteristics of p38 signaling in macrophage-mediated inflammation. In addition, we discuss the potential of using inhibitors targeting p38 expression in macrophages to treat inflammatory diseases.
Chaotic Multiquenching Annealing Applied to the Protein Folding Problem
Authors: Frausto-Solis Juan , Liñan-García Ernesto , Sánchez-Pérez Mishael , Sánchez-Hernández Juan Paulo
Published: March 2014

The Chaotic Multiquenching Annealing algorithm (CMQA) is proposed. CMQA is a new algorithm, which is applied to protein folding problem (PFP). This algorithm is divided into three phases: (i) multiquenching phase (MQP), (ii) annealing phase (AP), and (iii) dynamical equilibrium phase (DEP). MQP enforces several stages of quick quenching processes that include chaotic functions. The chaotic functions can increase the exploration potential of solutions space of PFP. AP phase implements a simulated annealing algorithm (SA) with an exponential cooling function. MQP and AP are delimited by different ranges of temperatures; MQP is applied for a range of temperatures which goes from extremely high values to very high values; AP searches for solutions in a range of temperatures from high values to extremely low values. DEP phase finds the equilibrium in a dynamic way by applying least squares method. CMQA is tested with several instances of PFP.
Sarcoma Immunotherapy: Past Approaches and Future Directions
Authors: D'Angelo S. P. , Tap W. D. , Schwartz G. K. , Carvajal R. D.
Published: March 2014

Sarcomas are heterogeneous malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin characterized by more than 100 distinct subtypes. Unfortunately, 25–50% of patients treated with initial curative intent will develop metastatic disease. In the metastatic setting, chemotherapy rarely leads to complete and durable responses; therefore, there is a dire need for more effective therapies. Exploring immunotherapeutic strategies may be warranted. In the past, agents that stimulate the immune system such as interferon and interleukin-2 have been explored and there has been evidence of some clinical activity in selected patients. In addition, many cancer vaccines have been explored with suggestion of benefit in some patients. Building on the advancements made in other solid tumors as well as a better understanding of cancer immunology provides hope for the development of new and exciting therapies in the treatment of sarcoma. There remains promise with immunologic checkpoint blockade antibodies. Further, building on the success of autologous cell transfer in hematologic malignancies, designing chimeric antigen receptors that target antigens that are over-expressed in sarcoma provides a great deal of optimism. Exploring these avenues has the potential to make immunotherapy a real therapeutic option in this orphan disease.
Microwave Assisted Synthesis, Spectral and Antifungal Studies of 2-Phenyl-N,N′-bis(pyridin-4-ylcarbonyl)butanediamide Ligand and Its Metal Complexes
Authors: Shiekh Rayees Ahmad , Malik Maqsood Ahmad , Al-Thabaiti Shaeel Ahmed , Wani Mohmmad Younus , Nabi Arshid
Published: March 2014

2-Phenyl-N,N′-bis(pyridin-4-ylcarbonyl)butanediamide ligand with a series of transition metal complexes has been synthesizedviatwo routes: microwave irradiation and conventional heating method. Microwave irritation method happened to be the efficient and versatile route for the synthesis of these metal complexes. These complexes were found to have the general composition M(L)Cl2/M(L)(CH3COO)2(where M = Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and L = ligand). Different physical and spectroscopic techniques were used to investigate the structural features of the synthesized compounds, which supported an octahedral geometry for these complexes.In vitroantifungal activity of the ligand and its metal complexes revealed that the metal complexes are highly active compared to the standard drug. Metal complexes showed enhanced activity compared to the ligand, which is an important step towards the designing of antifungal drug candidates.
Improving the Indoor Localization Accuracy for CPS by Reorganizing the Fingerprint Signatures
Authors: Qiu Jian , Wang Xizhe , Dai Guojun
Published: March 2014

This paper firstly represents a survey of recent researches on localization of CPS and analyzes the advantages and limitations of the existing schemes. To overcome the limitations, a novel localization scheme is then proposed, which includes site survey, received signal comparison, and location correction phases. The main improvement of our proposed scheme is to filter the noises and interference added to the received RSSI signal; the detailed procedure is then provided with mathematical analysis. Finally, the experiment and simulation results are presented with analysis.
A Component Prediction Method for Flue Gas of Natural Gas Combustion Based on Nonlinear Partial Least Squares Method
Authors: Cao Hui , Yan Xingyu , Li Yaojiang , Wang Yanxia , Zhou Yan , Yang Sanchun
Published: March 2014

Quantitative analysis for the flue gas of natural gas-fired generator is significant for energy conservation and emission reduction. The traditional partial least squares method may not deal with the nonlinear problems effectively. In the paper, a nonlinear partial least squares method with extended input based on radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is used for components prediction of flue gas. For the proposed method, the original independent input matrix is the input of RBFNN and the outputs of hidden layer nodes of RBFNN are the extension term of the original independent input matrix. Then, the partial least squares regression is performed on the extended input matrix and the output matrix to establish the components prediction model of flue gas. A near-infrared spectral dataset of flue gas of natural gas combustion is used for estimating the effectiveness of the proposed method compared with PLS. The experiments results show that the root-mean-square errors of prediction values of the proposed method for methane, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide are, respectively, reduced by 4.74%, 21.76%, and 5.32% compared to those of PLS. Hence, the proposed method has higher predictive capabilities and better robustness.
Levamisole-Contaminated Cocaine: An Emergent Cause of Vasculitis and Skin Necrosis
Authors: Souied Osama , Baydoun Hassan , Ghandour Zahraa , Mobarakai Neville
Published: March 2014

The prevalence of cocaine adulterated with levamisole-induced vasculitis is increasing and physicians should be aware of this unique entity. There have been many reports of cutaneous vasculitis syndrome caused by cocaine which is contaminated with levamisole. Levamisole was used as an antihelminth drug and later was rescinded from use in humans due to adverse effects. Through this paper, we will report a 39-year-old crack cocaine user who presented with purpuric rash and skin necrosis of his ear lobes. Levamisole-induced vasculitis syndrome was suspected. A urine toxicology screen was positive for cocaine, opiates, and marijuana. Blood work revealed positive titres of ANA and p-ANCA, as well as anti-cardiolipin antibody. Biopsy taken from the left ear showed focal acute inflammation, chronic inflammation with thrombus formation, and extravasated blood cells. Treatment was primarily supportive with wound care.
Heuristics for Multiobjective Optimization of Two-Sided Assembly Line Systems
Authors: Jawahar N. , Ponnambalam S. G. , Sivakumar K. , Thangadurai V.
Published: March 2014

Products such as cars, trucks, and heavy machinery are assembled by two-sided assembly line. Assembly line balancing has significant impacts on the performance and productivity of flow line manufacturing systems and is an active research area for several decades. This paper addresses the line balancing problem of a two-sided assembly line in which the tasks are to be assigned at L side or R side or any one side (addressed as E). Two objectives, minimum number of workstations and minimum unbalance time among workstations, have been considered for balancing the assembly line. There are two approaches to solve multiobjective optimization problem: first approach combines all the objectives into a single composite function or moves all but one objective to the constraint set; second approach determines the Pareto optimal solution set. This paper proposes two heuristics to evolve optimal Pareto front for the TALBP under consideration: Enumerative Heuristic Algorithm (EHA) to handle problems of small and medium size and Simulated Annealing Algorithm (SAA) for large-sized problems. The proposed approaches are illustrated with example problems and their performances are compared with a set of test problems.
Minimum Risk Facility Location-Allocation Problem with Type-2 Fuzzy Variables
Authors: Bai Xuejie , Liu Ying
Published: March 2014

Facility location decision is basically viewed as a long-term strategy, so the inherited uncertainty of main parameters ought to be taken into account in order to make models applicable. In this paper, we examine the impact of uncertain transportation costs and customers’ demands on the choice of optimal location decisions and allocation plans. This leads to the formulation of the facility location-allocation (FLA) problem as a fuzzy minimum risk programming, in which the uncertain parameters are assumed to be characterized by type-2 fuzzy variables with known type-2 possibility distributions. Since the inherent complexity of type-2 fuzzy FLA may be troublesome, existing methods are no longer effective in handling the proposed problems directly. We first derive the critical value formula for possibility value-at-risk reduced fuzzy variable of type-2 triangular fuzzy variable. On the basis of formula obtained, we can convert original fuzzy FLA model into its equivalent parametric mixed integer programming form, which can be solved by conventional numerical algorithms or general-purpose software. Taking use of structural characteristics of the equivalent optimization, we design a parameter decomposition method. Finally, a numerical example is presented to highlight the significance of the fuzzy FLA model. The computational results show the credibility and superiority of the proposed parametric optimization method.
Analyses of Crime Patterns in NIBRS Data Based on a Novel Graph Theory Clustering Method: Virginia as a Case Study
Authors: Zhao Peixin , Darrah Marjorie , Nolan Jim , Zhang Cun-Quan
Published: March 2014

This paper suggests a novel clustering method for analyzing the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) data, which include the determination of correlation of different crime types, the development of a likelihood index for crimes to occur in a jurisdiction, and the clustering of jurisdictions based on crime type. The method was tested by using the 2005 assault data from 121 jurisdictions in Virginia as a test case. The analyses of these data show that some different crime types are correlated and some different crime parameters are correlated with different crime types. The analyses also show that certain jurisdictions within Virginia share certain crime patterns. This information assists with constructing a pattern for a specific crime type and can be used to determine whether a jurisdiction may be more likely to see this type of crime occur in their area.
On the p-Biharmonic Operator with Critical Sobolev Exponent and Nonlinear Steklov Boundary Condition
Authors: El Khalil Abdelouahed , Alaoui My Driss Morchid , Touzani Abdelfattah
Published: March 2014

We show that this operator possesses at least one nondecreasing sequence of positive eigenvalues. A direct characterization of the principal eigenvalue (the first one) is given that we apply to study the spectrum of the p-biharmonic operator with a critical Sobolev exponent and the nonlinear Steklov boundary conditions using variational arguments and trace critical Sobolev embedding.
An Effective Routing Protocol with Guaranteed Route Preference for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Chien Feng-Tsun , Wu Kuo-Guan , Chan Yu-Wei , Chang Min-Kuan , Su Yi-Sheng
Published: March 2014

Battery power and queue conservation are critical issues in mobile ad hoc network (MANET). These two factors not only affect the delivery ratio but also the lifetime of the network. In this work, we will propose a simple and effective routing protocol to extend the lifetime and to evenly distribute the traffic loads of the networks as possible. Furthermore, a concept of serving capacity is introduced to reflect the level of congestion around a node. In this way, the proposed routing protocols can avoid network congestion and achieve higher packet delivery ratios. The extensive computer simulation is conducted to compare the proposed protocol against many existing routing protocols. The results show that the proposed routing protocol can have better performance in terms of queueing length, lifetime, and packet delivery ratio and have comparable end-to-end delays.
Dynamic Resource Allocation in Hybrid Access Femtocell Network
Authors: Ahmed Afaz Uddin , Islam Mohammad Tariqul , Ismail Mahamod , Ghanbarisabagh Mohammad
Published: March 2014

Intercell interference is one of the most challenging issues in femtocell deployment under the coverage of existing macrocell. Allocation of resources between femtocell and macrocell is essential to counter the effects of interference in dense femtocell networks. Advances in resource management strategies have improved the control mechanism for interference reduction at lower node density, but most of them are ineffective at higher node density. In this paper, a dynamic resource allocation management algorithm (DRAMA) for spectrum shared hybrid access OFDMA femtocell network is proposed. To reduce the macro-femto-tier interference and to improve the quality of service, the proposed algorithm features a dynamic resource allocation scheme by controlling them both centrally and locally. The proposed scheme focuses on Femtocell Access Point (FAP) owners’ satisfaction and allows maximum utilization of available resources based on congestion in the network. A simulation environment is developed to study the quantitative performance of DRAMA in hybrid access-control femtocell network and compare it to closed and open access mechanisms. The performance analysis shows that higher number of random users gets connected to the FAP without compromising FAP owners’ satisfaction allowing the macrocell to offload a large number of users in a dense heterogeneous network.
Iteration for a Third-Order Three-Point BVP with Sign-Changing Green's Function
Authors: Zhao Ya-Hong , Li Xing-Long
Published: March 2014

We are concerned with the following third-order three-point boundary value problem:u‴(t)=f(t,u(t)),t∈[0,1],u′(0)=u(1)=0,u″(η)+αu(0)=0, whereα∈[0,2)andη∈[2/3,1). Although corresponding Green's function is sign-changing, we still obtain the existence of monotone positive solution under some suitable conditions onfby applying iterative method. An example is also included to illustrate the main results obtained.
Aetiology of Bacteraemia as a Risk Factor for Septic Shock at the Onset of Febrile Neutropaenia in Adult Cancer Patients
Authors: Rosa Regis Goulart , Goldani Luciano Zubaran
Published: March 2014

Septic shock (SS) at the onset of febrile neutropaenia (FN) is an emergency situation that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The impact of the specific aetiology of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in the development of SS at the time of FN is not well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the aetiology of BSIs and SS at the time of FN in hospitalised adult cancer patients. This prospective cohort study was performed at a single tertiary hospital from October 2009 to August 2011. All adult cancer patients admitted consecutively to the haematology ward with FN were evaluated. A stepwise logistic regression was conducted to verify the association between the microbiological characteristics of BSIs and SS at the onset of FN. In total, 307 cases of FN in adult cancer patients were evaluated. There were 115 cases with documented BSI. A multivariate analysis showed that polymicrobial bacteraemia (P=0.01) was associated with SS. The specific blood isolates independently associated with SS were viridans streptococci (P=0.02) andEscherichia coli(P=0.01). Neutropaenic cancer patients with polymicrobial bacteraemia or BSI by viridans streptococci orEscherichia coliare at increased risk for SS at the time of FN.
Trends in Moisture Index, Farmland Area, and Their Combined Effects on Grain Production in Northern China
Authors: Lu Qingshui , Gao Zhiqiang , Xu Xinliang , Ning Jicai , Bi Xiaoli
Published: March 2014

China policies and Grain-for-Green Project have led to changes in farmland area and grain production. Climate change was also occurring during this period. To analyze the effects of land use and climate change on grain production, the area of farmland in northern China during 1988–2008 was determined from remote sensing images, a moisture index (MI) was calculated from daily meteorological data obtained from weather stations, and unit grain production was obtained from statistical yearbooks. Using statistical and spatial analyses, we determined that MI decreased across most of the study area during this period. This decrease in humidity caused humid zones to decrease and semiarid areas to increase. Combined effects of decreased humid area and conversion of farmland resulted in a decrease in agricultural land in humid areas and an increase in semiarid and arid areas. Increases in unit grain production, machine power, and irrigated farmland area led grain production to increase from 122,799,081 to 188,532,597 ton in humid areas, from 28,875,900 to 115,976,814 in semiarid areas, and from 7,622,100 to 15,490,026 in arid areas, respectively. Increased unit grain production and farmland resulted in increased importance of semiarid areas for grain production.
Surveillance, Phagocytosis, and Inflammation: How Never-Resting Microglia Influence Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis
Authors: Sierra Amanda , Beccari Sol , Diaz-Aparicio Irune , Encinas Juan M. , Comeau Samuel , Tremblay Marie-Ève
Published: March 2014

Microglia cells are the major orchestrator of the brain inflammatory response. As such, they are traditionally studied in various contexts of trauma, injury, and disease, where they are well-known for regulating a wide range of physiological processes by their release of proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, and trophic factors, among other crucial mediators. In the last few years, however, this classical view of microglia was challenged by a series of discoveries showing their active and positive contribution to normal brain functions. In light of these discoveries, surveillant microglia are now emerging as an important effector of cellular plasticity in the healthy brain, alongside astrocytes and other types of inflammatory cells. Here, we will review the roles of microglia in adult hippocampal neurogenesis and their regulation by inflammation during chronic stress, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular emphasis on their underlying molecular mechanisms and their functional consequences for learning and memory.
Surface Protection of Carbon Steel by Hexanesulphonic Acid-Zinc Ion System
Authors: Anbarasi C. Mary , Rajendran Susai
Published: March 2014

Inhibition of corrosion of carbon steel in dam water by hexanesulphonic acid as its sodium salt C6H13SO3Na (SHXS) in the absence and presence of a bivalent cation zinc ion (Zn2þ) has been investigated using weight loss method. Results of weight loss method indicate that inhibition efficiency (IE) increased with increase of inhibitor concentration. Polarization study reveals that SHXS-Zn2+system controls the cathodic reaction predominantly. AC impedance spectra reveal that a protective film is formed on the metal surface. The nature of the metal surface has been analysed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).
3+1DMassless Weyl Spinors from Bosonic Scalar-Tensor Duality
Authors: Amoretti Andrea , Braggio Alessandro , Caruso Giacomo , Maggiore Nicola , Magnoli Nicodemo
Published: March 2014

We consider the fermionization of a bosonic-free theory characterized by the3+1Dscalar-tensor duality. This duality can be interpreted as the dimensional reduction, via a planar boundary, of the4+1Dtopological BF theory. In this model, adopting the Sommerfield tomographic representation of quantized bosonic fields, we explicitly build a fermionic operator and its associated Klein factor such that it satisfies the correct anticommutation relations. Interestingly, we demonstrate that this operator satisfies the massless Dirac equation and that it can be identified with a3+1DWeyl spinor. Finally, as an explicit example, we write the integrated charge density in terms of the tomographic transformed bosonic degrees of freedom.
Optimal Couples of Rearrangement Invariant Spaces for Generalized Maximal Operators
Authors: Ahmed Irshaad , Nazeer Waqas
Published: March 2014

The optimal couples of rearrangement invariant spaces for boundedness of a generalized maximal operator, associated with a quasiconcave function, have been characterized in terms of certain indices connected with rearrangement invariant spaces and quasiconcave functions.
Thermophysical and Mechanical Properties of Granite and Its Effects on Borehole Stability in High Temperature and Three-Dimensional Stress
Authors: Yu Wang , Bao-lin Liu , Hai-yan Zhu , Chuan-liang Yan , Zhi-jun Li , Zhi-qiao Wang
Published: March 2014

When exploiting the deep resources, the surrounding rock readily undergoes the hole shrinkage, borehole collapse, and loss of circulation under high temperature and high pressure. A series of experiments were conducted to discuss the compressional wave velocity, triaxial strength, and permeability of granite cored from 3500 meters borehole under high temperature and three-dimensional stress. In light of the coupling of temperature, fluid, and stress, we get the thermo-fluid-solid model and governing equation. ANSYS-APDL was also used to stimulate the temperature influence on elastic modulus, Poisson ratio, uniaxial compressive strength, and permeability. In light of the results, we establish a temperature-fluid-stress model to illustrate the granite’s stability. The compressional wave velocity and elastic modulus, decrease as the temperature rises, while poisson ratio and permeability of granite increase. The threshold pressure and temperature are 15 MPa and 200°C, respectively. The temperature affects the fracture pressure more than the collapse pressure, but both parameters rise with the increase of temperature. The coupling of thermo-fluid-solid, greatly impacting the borehole stability, proves to be a good method to analyze similar problems of other formations.
Upper Extremity Thrombosis Presenting as Medial Elbow Pain after Shoulder Arthroscopy
Authors: Manaqibwala Moiz I. , Ghobrial Irene E. , Curtis Alan S.
Published: March 2014

Deep vein thrombosis of the upper extremity is believed to be an uncommon complication of arthroscopic shoulder surgery. It most commonly presents with significant swelling and pain throughout the upper extremity. However the diagnosis can be easily missed when findings are more subtle and unrelated or the patient asymptomatic. In this study we report on 5 cases of postoperative upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT). Each case was performed in the lateral decubitus position with an interscalene block and postoperative sling immobilization. All patients presented with a primary complaint of medial elbow pain and went on to require anticoagulation. Only one patient was found to have a heritable coagulopathy. The true incidence of thromboembolic phenomena after shoulder arthroscopy may be higher than that reported in the current literature. Therefore a high index of suspicion must be maintained when evaluating patients postoperatively to avoid misdiagnosis. Symptoms of medial elbow pain after immobilization in a sling should be considered an indication for duplex ultrasound evaluation. Ultimately, further prospective study is needed to better understand the prevalence, prevention, and management of this entity.
Search for Conditions to Detect Epigenetic Marks and Nuclear Proteins in Immunostaining of the Testis and Cartilage
Authors: Ideno Hisashi , Shimada Akemi , Kamiunten Taichi , Imaizumi Kazuhiko , Nakamura Yoshiki , Kimura Hiroshi , Araki Ryoko , Abe Masumi , Nakashima Kazuhisa , Nifuji Akira
Published: March 2014

The localization of nuclear proteins and modified histone tails changes during cell differentiation at the tissue as well as at the cellular level. Immunostaining in paraffin sections is the most powerful approach available to evaluate protein localization. Since nuclear proteins are sensitive to fixation, immunohistochemical conditions should be optimized in light of the particular antibodies and tissues employed. In this study, we searched for optimal conditions to detect histone modification at histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) and H3K9 methyltransferase G9a in the testis and cartilage in paraffin sections. In the testis, antigen retrieval (AR) was indispensable for detecting H3K9me1 and me3, G9a, and nuclear protein proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). With AR, shorter fixation times yielded better results for the detection of G9a and PCNA. Without AR, H3K9me2 and H3K9ac could be detected at shorter fixation times in primary spermatocytes of the testis. In contrast to the testis, all antibodies tested could detect their epitopes irrespective of AR application in the growth plate cartilage. Thus, conditions for the detection of epigenetic marks and nuclear proteins should be optimized in consideration of fixation time and AR application in different tissues and antibodies.
A Domain Decomposition Method for Time Fractional Reaction-Diffusion Equation
Authors: Gong Chunye , Bao Weimin , Tang Guojian , Jiang Yuewen , Liu Jie
Published: March 2014

The computational complexity of one-dimensional time fractional reaction-diffusion equation isO(N2M)compared withO(NM)for classical integer reaction-diffusion equation. Parallel computing is used to overcome this challenge. Domain decomposition method (DDM) embodies large potential for parallelization of the numerical solution for fractional equations and serves as a basis for distributed, parallel computations. A domain decomposition algorithm for time fractional reaction-diffusion equation with implicit finite difference method is proposed. The domain decomposition algorithm keeps the same parallelism but needs much fewer iterations, compared with Jacobi iteration in each time step. Numerical experiments are used to verify the efficiency of the obtained algorithm.
The Effects of Needling Fenglong (ST40) and Neiguan (PC6) on IL‐17 of ApoE‐Gene‐Knockout Mice’s Liver
Authors: Lee Fu Yun , Huo Ze Jun , Zhang Li , Guo Jia , Chen Huan , Liu Tong , Peng Bo , Hong Pei Xin , Peng Yuan Yuan , Fan Yi Fan , Chen Yu Pei
Published: March 2014

The aim of the present paper was to observe the effects of needling ST40 and PC6 on IL‐17 of ApoE−/− mice with fatty liver. Forty male ApoE−/− mice were randomized into Needling‐Acupoint Group, Simvastatin Intragastric Administration Group, Needling Nonacupoint Group, and Model Group. Each was fed with high fat diet for 8 weeks since 16 weeks of age; after 8 weeks of intervention, mice were sacrificed and tested for various examinations. Result showed that the body weight, TC, and serum IL‐17 in Needling‐Acupoint Group decreased. Compared with Model Group, the immunohistochemical expressions of IL‐17 in liver tissue were significantly decreased among the other three groups. In conclusion, acupuncture was able to lower the expression of IL‐17 level both in serum and liver tissue in ApoE−/− mice, which is helpful to reduce the inflammation and defers the progress from fatty liver to cirrhosis.
The Effect of Mass Media Campaign on the Use of Insecticide-Treated Bed Nets among Pregnant Women in Nigeria
Authors: Ankomah A. , Adebayo S. B. , Arogundade E. D. , Anyanti J. , Nwokolo E. , Inyang U. , Ipadeola Oladipupo B. , Meremiku M.
Published: March 2014

Background. Malaria during pregnancy is a major public health problem in Nigeria especially in malaria-endemic areas. It increases the risk of low birth weight and child/maternal morbidity/mortality. This paper addresses the impact of radio campaigns on the use of insecticide-treated bed nets among pregnant women in Nigeria.Methods. A total of 2,348 pregnant women were interviewed during the survey across 21 of Nigeria’s 36 states. Respondents were selected through a multistage sampling technique. Analysis was based on multivariate logistic regression.Results. Respondents who knew that sleeping under ITN prevents malaria were 3.2 times more likely to sleep under net (OR: 3.15; 95% CI: 2.28 to 4.33;P<0.0001). Those who listened to radio are also about 1.6 times more likely to use ITN (OR: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.28;P=0.020), while respondents who had heard of a specific sponsored radio campaign on ITN are 1.53 times more likely to use a bed net (P=0.019).Conclusion. Pregnant women who listened to mass media campaigns were more likely to adopt strategies to protect themselves from malaria. Therefore, behavior change communication messages that are aimed at promoting net use and antenatal attendance are necessary in combating malaria.