bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“It’s Not About Taking the Easy Road”: The Experiences of Ultramarathon Runners
Authors: Simpson Duncan , Post Phillip G. , Young Greg , Jensen Peter R.
Published: July 2014

Ultramarathon (UM) running is a rapidly growing sport throughout the world, yet to date it has received little attention in sport psychology literature. To obtain further insight into this sport, the current study examined the training and competition experiences of UM runners. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with 26 participants ranging in age from 32 to 67 years (M = 44.1 yrs, SD = 8.1). Qualitative analysis of the interview data identified meaning units, which were grouped into major themes. A final thematic structure revealed five major themes that characterized the participant’s experience of UM running: preparation and strategy, management, discovery, personal achievement, and community. Taken together, the present results extend previous research on UM running and provide a number of suggestions for sport psychology consultants working with UM runners.
Testing the significance of different tree spatial distribution patterns based on the uniform angle index
Authors: Zhao Zhonghua , Hui Gangying , Hu Yanbo , Wang Hongxiang , Zhang Gongqiao , von Gadow Klaus
Published: July 2014

The uniform angle index (UAI) is used to characterize the spatial distribution of a forest community or of individual tree species within that community. This study presents an empirical assessment of the performance of a new statistical test used in conjunction with the UAI. In this study, the UAI is applied to observed and simulated communities. The effect of plot size and density are examined and the results are compared with the criteria of the aggregation index R of Clark and Evan (CE-R) and Ripley’s L function (RL). The results suggest that the UAI performs well in determining a particular class of spatial pattern and that, in contrast to the CE-R index, it is unaffected by population density because the standard deviation can be estimated when the density is known using a new empirical relationship presented in this paper. The results of this study represent an improvement in the development of the UAI, verifying its performance and confirming its overall utility. Our comparative analysis positions the UAI among its historical competitors, the CE-R and RL criteria. The UAI index, which does not require expensive mapping of tree positions, can produce results that are equivalent to those obtained by RL and more robust and reliable than those obtained by CE-R.
Ligation Strategies for Targeting Liposomal Nanocarriers
Authors: Marqués-Gallego Patricia , de Kroon Anton I. P. M.
Published: July 2014

Liposomes have been exploited for pharmaceutical purposes, including diagnostic imaging and drug and gene delivery. The versatility of liposomes as drug carriers has been demonstrated by a variety of clinically approved formulations. Since liposomes were first reported, research of liposomal formulations has progressed to produce improved delivery systems. One example of this progress is stealth liposomes, so called because they are equipped with a PEGylated coating of the liposome bilayer, leading to prolonged blood circulation and improved biodistribution of the liposomal carrier. A growing research area focuses on the preparation of liposomes with the ability of targeting specific tissues. Several strategies to prepare liposomes with active targeting ligands have been developed over the last decades. Herein, several strategies for the functionalization of liposomes are concisely summarized, with emphasis on recently developed technologies for the covalent conjugation of targeting ligands to liposomes.
Efficient Discrimination of Some Moss Species by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics
Authors: Cao Zhen , Liu Yongying , Zhao Jiancheng
Published: July 2014

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) technique was used to classify 16 species from three moss families (Mielichhoferiaceae, Bryaceae, and Mniaceae). The FTIR spectra ranging from 4000 cm−1to 400 cm−1of the 16 species were obtained. To group the spectra according to their spectral similarity in a dendrogram, cluster analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were performed. Cluster analysis combined with PCA was used to give a rough result of classification among the moss samples. However, some species belonging to the same genus exhibited very similar chemical components and similar FTIR spectra. Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD) was used to enhance the differences of the spectra. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) was used to decompose the FTIR spectra ofMnium laevinerveandM. spinosum. Three scales were selected as the feature extracting space in the DWT domain. Results showed that FTIR spectroscopy combined with DWT was suitable for distinguishing different species of the same genus.
Cell Death and Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: Apoptosis, Necrosis, and Autophagy in the Intestinal Epithelium
Authors: Nunes Tiago , Bernardazzi Claudio , de Souza Heitor S.
Published: July 2014

Cell death mechanisms have been associated with the development of inflammatory bowel diseases in humans and mice. Recent studies suggested that a complex crosstalk between autophagy/apoptosis, microbe sensing, and enhanced endoplasmic reticulum stress in the epithelium could play a critical role in these diseases. In addition, necroptosis, a relatively novel programmed necrosis-like pathway associated with TNF receptor activation, seems to be also present in the pathogenesis of Crohn’s disease and in specific animal models for intestinal inflammation. This review attempts to cover new data related to cell death mechanisms and inflammatory bowel diseases.
A Hybrid Forecasting Model Based on Bivariate Division and a Backpropagation Artificial Neural Network Optimized by Chaos Particle Swarm Optimization for Day-Ahead Electricity Price
Authors: Wang Zhilong , Liu Feng , Wu Jie , Wang Jianzhou
Published: July 2014

In the electricity market, the electricity price plays an inevitable role. Nevertheless, accurate price forecasting, a vital factor affecting both government regulatory agencies and public power companies, remains a huge challenge and a critical problem. Determining how to address the accurate forecasting problem becomes an even more significant task in an era in which electricity is increasingly important. Based on the chaos particle swarm optimization (CPSO), the backpropagation artificial neural network (BPANN), and the idea of bivariate division, this paper proposes a bivariate division BPANN (BD-BPANN) method and the CPSO-BD-BPANN method for forecasting electricity price. The former method creatively transforms the electricity demand and price to be a new variable, named DV, which is calculated using the division principle, to forecast the day-ahead electricity by multiplying the forecasted values of the DVs and forecasted values of the demand. Next, to improve the accuracy of BD-BPANN, chaos particle swarm optimization and BD-BPANN are synthesized to form a novel model, CPSO-BD-BPANN. In this study, CPSO is utilized to optimize the initial parameters of BD-BPANN to make its output more stable than the original model. Finally, two forecasting strategies are proposed regarding different situations.
Association between Severity of Anemia and 30-Day Readmission Rate: Archival Data of 847 Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Authors: Busse Jorge C. , Cohn Tanya M. , Butao Rosalina , Lamoureux Julie
Published: July 2014

Hospitals today are facing adjustments to reimbursements from excessive readmission rates. One of the most common and expensive causes of readmissions is exacerbation of a heart failure condition. The objective of this paper was to determine if there was an association between the presence of anemia in patients with acute decompensated heart failure and their readmission rate. Using archival data of 4 hospitals in the Miami area, a sample of 847 inpatients with a diagnostic related group (DRG) of HF at discharge was considered. There was a significant association between low hemoglobin values and a high rate of readmissions at 14 days and at 30 days in subjects with normal sodium and creatinine values. For subjects with low sodium and high creatinine values, a higher readmission rate was seen in men with low hemoglobin but not in women. These results support a prospective effort to measure the impact of anemia and its treatment on readmission rates.
Effects of Converting Tacrolimus Formulation from Twice-Daily to Once-Daily in Liver Transplantation Recipients
Authors: Thorat Ashok , Chou Hong-Shiue , Lee Chen-Fang , Soong Ruey-Shyang , Wu Tsung-Han , Cheng Chih-Hsien , Wu Ting-Jung , Chan Kun-Ming , Lee Wei-Chen
Published: July 2014

Typically, tacrolimus is administrated twice daily. Prolonged-release tacrolimus is the once-daily formulation and may be more convenient for patients. Experience with the administration of the once-daily formulation is still limited. This study enrolled 210 liver transplant recipients who had stable liver function and converted tacrolimus from a twice-daily to once-daily formulation on a 1 mg to 1 mg basis. Among 210 patients, seven patients (3.3%) were withdrawn from the once-daily formulation due to allergy and fatigue. For the other patients, the trough concentration after converting to the once-daily formulation was lower than that of the twice-daily formulation. Liver enzymes were mildly elevated in 3 months after formulation conversion and serum creatinine and uric acid were mildly decreased. Seven patients (3.4%) had clinical suspicion of acute rejection after the formulation conversion and three of them were caused by nonadherence. 155 patients (76.4%) experienced a more convenient life with an increase of social activity. Forty-seven patients (23.2%) experienced the convenience of once-daily formulation during overseas trips. In conclusion, tacrolimus can be safely converted from the twice-daily to the once-daily formulation for most stable liver recipients. Acute rejection may occur in a minority of patients during formulation conversion and should be carefully monitored.
Effects of Soil Temperature, Flooding, and Organic Matter Addition on N2O Emissions from a Soil of Hongze Lake Wetland, China
Authors: Lu Yan , Xu Hongwen
Published: July 2014

The objectives of this study were to test the effects of soil temperature, flooding, and raw organic matter input on N2O emissions in a soil sampled at Hongze Lake wetland, Jiangsu Province, China. The treatments studied were—peat soil (I), peat soil under flooding (II), peat soil plus raw organic matter (III), and peat soil under flooding plus organic matter. These four treatments were incubated at 20°C and 35°C. The result showed that temperature increase could enhance N2O emissions rate and cumulative emissions significantly; moreover, the flooded soil with external organic matter inputs showed the lowest cumulative rise in N2O emissions due to temperature increment. Flooding might inhibit soil N2O emissions, and the inhibition was more pronounced after organic matter addition to the original soil. Conversely, organic matter input explained lower cumulative N2O emissions under flooding. Our results suggest that complex interactions between flooding and other environmental factors might appear in soil N2O emissions. Further studies are needed to understand potential synergies or antagonisms between environmental factors that control N2O emissions in wetland soils.
Photodegradation of Trace Trichloronitromethane in Water under UV Irradiation
Authors: Deng Lin , Wu Zhiren , Yang Caiqian , Wang Yung-Li
Published: July 2014

This study’s objective was to study the photodegradation of TCNM (trichloronitromethane) in water under UV light. The effects of light intensity, nitrate ions, chloride ions, humic acid, and pH on the photochemical degradation of TCNM were investigated under the irradiation of low pressure mercury lamp (λ= 254 nm, 12 W). The photodegradation rate of TCNM was found to increase with increasing the concentration of nitrate ions, chloride ions, humic acid, pH, and light intensity. The photodegradation of TCNM was examined at pH 6.0 with initial concentrations (C0) of TCNM at 10.0–200.0 µg/L. The overall rate of degradation of TCNM was modeled using a pseudofirst-order rate law. Finally, the proposed mechanism involved in the photodegradation of TCNM was also discussed by analysis. Results of this study can contribute to the development of new source control strategies for minimization of TCNM risk at drinking water and wastewater utilities.
Reduction of Experimental Cerebral Malaria and Its Related Proinflammatory Responses by the Novel Liposome-Basedβ-Methasone Nanodrug
Authors: Guo Jintao , Waknine-Grinberg Judith H. , Mitchell Andrew J. , Barenholz Yechezkel , Golenser Jacob
Published: July 2014

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe complication of and a leading cause of death due toPlasmodium falciparuminfection. CM is likely the result of interrelated events, including mechanical obstruction due to parasite sequestration in the microvasculature, and upregulation of Th1 immune responses. In parallel, blood-brain-barrier (BBB) breakdown and damage or death of microglia, astrocytes, and neurons occurs. We found that a novel formulation of a liposome-encapsulated glucocorticosteroid,β-methasone hemisuccinate (nSSL-BMS), prevents experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) in a murine model and creates a survival time-window, enabling administration of an antiplasmodial drug before severe anemia develops. nSSL-BMS treatment leads to lower levels of cerebral inflammation, expressed by altered levels of corresponding cytokines and chemokines. The results indicate the role of integrated immune responses in ECM induction and show that the new steroidal nanodrug nSSL-BMS reverses the balance between the Th1 and Th2 responses in malaria-infected mice so that the proinflammatory processes leading to ECM are prevented. Overall, because of the immunopathological nature of CM, combined immunomodulator/antiplasmodial treatment should be considered for prevention/treatment of human CM and long-term cognitive damage.
Improvement of Ride Quality of Railway Vehicle by Semiactive Secondary Suspension System on Roller Rig Using Magnetorheological Damper
Authors: Shin Yu-Jeong , You Won-Hee , Hur Hyun-Moo , Park Joon-Hyuk , Lee Gyu-Seop
Published: July 2014

Ride quality became a very important factor in the performance of railway vehicles according to the expansion of high-speed railways and speedup of velocity of railway vehicles. In this study, the results of applying the MR (magnetorheological) lateral damper on the secondary suspension to reduce the vibration of the car body, directly relating to the ride quality of railway vehicles, were mentioned. In order to verify the control performance of MR dampers, a 1/5 scaled railway vehicle model was constructed, and numerical simulation and experimental tests were conducted. The MR damper for the experimental tests was produced and was attached between the car body and bogie of a full scaled vehicle, and a vibration controlling test was performed to improve ride quality on a roller rig. The skyhook control algorithm was used as the controlling technique, and regarding the test results, the RMS (root mean square) value was found by compensating the frequency of the lateral vibration based on the UIC 513 R Standard about the ride quality of railway vehicles. As a result of the test, it could be confirmed that vibration was reduced by approximately 24% when attaching the MR damper between the bogie and the car body compared to when applying a passive damper.
A Weak Convergence to Hermite Process by Martingale Differences
Authors: Sun Xichao , Cheng Ronglong
Published: July 2014

We consider the weak convergence to general Hermite processZH,kof orderkwith indexH. By applying martingale differences we construct a sequence{ZH,kn ,  n=1,2,…}of multiple Wiener-Itô stochastic integrals such that it converges in distribution to the Hermite processZH,k.
Video Game Addiction in Gambling Disorder: Clinical, Psychopathological, and Personality Correlates
Authors: Jiménez-Murcia Susana , Fernández-Aranda Fernando , Granero Roser , Chóliz Mariano , La Verde Melania , Aguglia Eugenio , Signorelli Maria S. , Sá Gustavo M. , Aymamí Neus , Gómez-Peña Mónica , del Pino-Gutiérrez Amparo , Moragas Laura , Fagundo Ana B. , Sauchelli Sarah , Fernández-Formoso José A. , Menchón José M.
Published: July 2014

Objective. We studied the prevalences of video game use (VGU) and addiction (VGA) in gambling disorder (GD) patients and compared them with subjects with non-video game use (non-VGU) in relation to their gambling behavior, psychopathology, and personality characteristics.Method. A sample of 193 GD patients (121 non-VGU, 43 VGU, and 29 VGA) consecutively admitted to our pathological gambling unit participated in the study.Assessment. Measures included the video game dependency test (VDT), symptom checklist-90-revised, and the temperament and character inventory-revised, as well as a number of other GD indices.Results. In GD, the observed prevalence of VG (use or addiction) was 37.3% (95% CI:30.7%÷44.3),VGU 22.3% (95% CI:17.0%÷28.7), and VGA 15% (95% CI:10.7%÷20.7). Orthogonal polynomial contrast into logistic regression showed positive linear trends for VG level and GD severity and other measures of general psychopathology. After structural equation modeling, higher VG total scores were associated with younger age, general psychopathology, and specific personality traits, but not with GD severity. Patients’ sex and age were involved in the mediational pathways between personality traits and VG impairment.Conclusions. GD patients with VG are younger and present more dysfunctional personality traits, and more general psychopathology. The presence of VG did not affect the severity of GD.
Role of Nutrient-Sensing Signals in the Pathogenesis of Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Kume Shinji , Koya Daisuke , Uzu Takashi , Maegawa Hiroshi
Published: July 2014

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease worldwide. The multipronged drug approach still fails to fully prevent the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, a new therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of diabetic nephropathy is urgently required. Nutrient-sensing signals and their related intracellular machinery have evolved to combat prolonged periods of starvation in mammals; and these systems are conserved in the kidney. Recent studies have suggested that the activity of three nutrient-sensing signals, mTORC1, AMPK, and Sirt1, is altered in the diabetic kidney. Furthermore, autophagy activity, which is regulated by the above-mentioned nutrient-sensing signals, is also altered in both podocytes and proximal tubular cells under diabetic conditions. Under diabetic conditions, an altered nutritional state owing to nutrient excess may disturb cellular homeostasis regulated by nutrient-responsible systems, leading to exacerbation of organelle dysfunction and diabetic nephropathy. In this review, we discuss new findings showing relationships between nutrient-sensing signals, autophagy, and diabetic nephropathy and suggest the therapeutic potential of nutrient-sensing signals in diabetic nephropathy.
Cosmetic Contact Sensitivity in Patients with Melasma: Results of a Pilot Study
Authors: Prabha Neel , Mahajan Vikram K. , Mehta Karaninder S. , Chauhan Pushpinder S. , Gupta Mrinal
Published: July 2014

Background. Some of the patients with melasma perhaps have pigmented cosmetic dermatitis. However, cosmetic contact sensitivity in melasma remains poorly studied particularly in the Indian context.Objectives. To study cosmetic contact sensitivity in patients with melasma.Materials and Methods. 67 (F : M = 55 : 12) consecutive patients with melasma between 19 and 49 years of age were patch tested sequentially during January–December, 2012, with Indian Cosmetic and Fragrance Series, Indian Sunscreen Series,p-phenylenediamine, and patient’s own cosmetic products.Results. 52 (78%) patients were in the age group of 20–40 years. The duration of melasma varied from 1 month to 20 years. Centrofacial, malar, and mandibular patterns were observed in 48 (72%), 18 (27%), and 1 (1%) patients, respectively. Indian Cosmetics and Fragrance Series elicited positive reactions in 29 (43.3%) patients. Cetrimide was the most common contact sensitizers eliciting positivity in 15 (52%) patients, followed by gallate mix in 9 (31%) patients and thiomersal in 7 (24%) patients. Only 2 of the 42 patients showed positive reaction from their own cosmetics while the other 5 patients had irritant reaction. Indian Sunscreen Series did not elicit any positive reaction.Conclusion. Cosmetics contact sensitivity appears as an important cause of melasma not associated with pregnancy, lactation, or hormone therapy.
Polymorphisms at Amino Acid Residues 141 and 154 Influence Conformational Variation in Ovine PrP
Authors: Yang Sujeong , Thackray Alana M. , Hopkins Lee , Monie Tom P. , Burke David F. , Bujdoso Raymond
Published: July 2014

Polymorphisms in ovine PrP at amino acid residues 141 and 154 are associated with susceptibility to ovine prion disease: Leu141Arg154 with classical scrapie and Phe141Arg154 and Leu141His154 with atypical scrapie. Classical scrapie is naturally transmissible between sheep, whereas this may not be the case with atypical scrapie. Critical amino acid residues will determine the range or stability of structural changes within the ovine prion protein or its functional interaction with potential cofactors, during conversion of PrPC to PrPSc in these different forms of scrapie disease. Here we computationally identified that regions of ovine PrP, including those near amino acid residues 141 and 154, displayed more conservation than expected based on local structural environment. Molecular dynamics simulations showed these conserved regions of ovine PrP displayed genotypic differences in conformational repertoire and amino acid side-chain interactions. Significantly, Leu141Arg154 PrP adopted an extended beta sheet arrangement in the N-terminal palindromic region more frequently than the Phe141Arg154 and Leu141His154 variants. We supported these computational observations experimentally using circular dichroism spectroscopy and immunobiochemical studies on ovine recombinant PrP. Collectively, our observations show amino acid residues 141 and 154 influence secondary structure and conformational change in ovine PrP that may correlate with different forms of scrapie.
Online Handwritten Signature Verification Using Neural Network Classifier Based on Principal Component Analysis
Authors: Iranmanesh Vahab , Ahmad Sharifah Mumtazah Syed , Adnan Wan Azizun Wan , Yussof Salman , Arigbabu Olasimbo Ayodeji , Malallah Fahad Layth
Published: July 2014

One of the main difficulties in designing online signature verification (OSV) system is to find the most distinctive features with high discriminating capabilities for the verification, particularly, with regard to the high variability which is inherent in genuine handwritten signatures, coupled with the possibility of skilled forgeries having close resemblance to the original counterparts. In this paper, we proposed a systematic approach to online signature verification through the use of multilayer perceptron (MLP) on a subset of principal component analysis (PCA) features. The proposed approach illustrates a feature selection technique on the usually discarded information from PCA computation, which can be significant in attaining reduced error rates. The experiment is performed using 4000 signature samples from SIGMA database, which yielded a false acceptance rate (FAR) of 7.4% and a false rejection rate (FRR) of 6.4%.
On the Vibration of Single-Walled Carbon Nanocones: Molecular Mechanics Approach versus Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Ansari R. , Momen A. , Rouhi S. , Ajori S.
Published: July 2014

The vibrational behavior of single-walled carbon nanocones is studied using molecular structural method and molecular dynamics simulations. In molecular structural approach, point mass and beam elements are employed to model the carbon atoms and the connecting covalent bonds, respectively. Single-walled carbon nanocones with different apex angles are considered. Besides, the vibrational behavior of nanocones under various types of boundary conditions is studied. Predicted natural frequencies are compared with the existing results in the literature and also with the ones obtained by molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that decreasing apex angle and the length of carbon nanocone results in an increase in the natural frequency. Comparing the vibrational behavior of single-walled carbon nanocones under different boundary conditions shows that the effect of end condition on the natural frequency is more prominent for nanocones with smaller apex angles.
Protein Binding Site Prediction by Combining Hidden Markov Support Vector Machine and Profile-Based Propensities
Authors: Liu Bin , Liu Bingquan , Liu Fule , Wang Xiaolong
Published: July 2014

Identification of protein binding sites is critical for studying the function of the proteins. In this paper, we proposed a method for protein binding site prediction, which combined the order profile propensities and hidden Markov support vector machine (HM-SVM). This method employed the sequential labeling technique to the field of protein binding site prediction. The input features of HM-SVM include the profile-based propensities, the Position-Specific Score Matrix (PSSM), and Accessible Surface Area (ASA). When tested on different data sets, the proposed method showed promising results, and outperformed some closely relative methods by more than 10% in terms of AUC.
New Results for Multipoint Singular Boundary Value Problems on a Measure Chain
Authors: Sun Yan , Sun Yongping , Wong Patricia J. Y.
Published: July 2014

We study the existence and uniqueness of positive solutions for a class of singularm-point boundary value problems of second order differential equations on a measure chain. A sharper sufficient condition for the existence and uniqueness ofCrd⁡1[0,T]positive solutions as well asCrd⁡1[0,T]positive solutions is obtained by the technique of lower and upper solutions and the maximal principle theorem.
The Long-Run Behavior of Consumption and Wealth Dynamics in Complete Financial Market with Heterogeneous Investors
Authors: Dai Darong
Published: July 2014

A type of complete financial market with finite and countable heterogeneous investors, that is, investors equipped with heterogeneous elasticities of intertemporal substitution, heterogeneous time discount rates, and also heterogeneous beliefs, is constructed and two main results are established. First, long-run behaviors, specifically golden rules or modified golden rules, about consumption path and wealth accumulation are investigated under uncertainty and in the sense of uniform topology. Second, inefficacy of temporary taxation policies, which are chosen to be consumption tax and wealth tax, is confirmed in the current financial market.
Location-Price Competition in Airline Networks
Authors: Gao H. , Hu J. , Mazalov V. , Shchiptsova A. , Song L. , Tokareva J.
Published: July 2014

This paper addresses location-then-price competition in airline market as a two-stage game ofnplayers on the graph. Passenger’s demand distribution is described by multinomial logit model. Equilibrium in price game is computed through best response dynamics. We solve location game using backward induction, knowing that airlines will choose prices from equilibrium for the second-stage game. Some numerical results for airline market under consideration are presented.
The Mitochondria-Targeted Antioxidant SkQ1 Downregulates Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor-Dependent Genes in the Retina of OXYS Rats with AMD-Like Retinopathy
Authors: Perepechaeva M. L. , Grishanova A. Yu. , Rudnitskaya E. A. , Kolosova N. G.
Published: July 2014

The mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 is a novel drug thought to retard development of age-related diseases. It has been shown that SkQ1 reduces clinical signs of retinopathy in senescence-accelerated OXYS rats, which are a known animal model of human age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The aim of this work was to test whether SkQ1 affects transcriptional activity ofAhR(aryl hydrocarbon receptor) andNrf2(nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2), which are considered as AMD-associated genes in the retina of OXYS and Wistar rats. Our results showed that onlyAhRandAhR-dependent genes were sensitive to SkQ1. Dietary supplementation with SkQ1 decreased theAhRmRNA level in both OXYS and Wistar rats. At baseline, the retinalCyp1a1mRNA level was lower in OXYS rats. SkQ1 supplementation decreased theCyp1a1mRNA level in Wistar rats, but this level remained unchanged in OXYS rats. BaselineCyp1a2andCyp1b1mRNA expression was stronger in OXYS than in Wistar rats. In the OXYS strain,Cyp1a2andCyp1b1mRNA levels decreased as a result of SkQ1 supplementation. These data suggest that the Cyp1a2 and Cyp1b1 enzymes are involved in the pathogenesis of AMD-like retinopathy of OXYS rats and are possible therapeutic targets of SkQ1.
Phytochemical Profiling of Leaf, Stem, and Tuber Parts ofSolena amplexicaulis(Lam.) Gandhi Using GC-MS
Authors: Krishnamoorthy Karthika , Subramaniam Paulsamy
Published: July 2014

Objective. To explore the possible bioactive compounds in the methanolic extracts of leaf, stem, and tuber parts of the medicinal climber,Solena amplexicaulis, using GC-MS.Methods. GC-MS analysis of the plant extracts were performed by using GC-MS-5975C [Agilent] and mass spectra of the compounds found in the extract was matched with the data in the library of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).Results. Thirty-five compounds were determined to be present in the parts studied. The active principles with their retention time, molecular formula, molecular weight, peak area, structure, category of the compounds, and activities were predicted. The most prevailing compounds were phytol (38.24%) in leaf, 4-(4-ethoxyphenyl) but-3-en-2-one (56.90%) in stem, and 9,17-octadecadienal, (Z)- (21.77%) in tuber.Conclusion. This study revealed that the speciesS. amplexicaulisis a good source of many bioactive compounds like terpenes, triazines, esters, alkanes, alcohols, hydrocarbons, aldehydes, amides, and so forth. That justifies the traditional usage of this species.
Free Vibration Analysis of Moderately Thick Rectangular Plates with Variable Thickness and Arbitrary Boundary Conditions
Authors: Shi Dongyan , Wang Qingshan , Shi Xianjie , Pang Fuzhen
Published: July 2014

A generalized Fourier series solution based on the first-order shear deformation theory is presented for the free vibrations of moderately thick rectangular plates with variable thickness and arbitrary boundary conditions, a class of problem which is of practical interest and fundamental importance but rarely attempted in the literatures. Unlike in most existing studies where solutions are often developed for a particular type of boundary conditions, the current method can be generally applied to a wide range of boundary conditions with no need of modifying solution algorithms and procedures. Under the current framework, the one displacement and two rotation functions are generally sought, regardless of boundary conditions, as an improved trigonometric series in which several supplementary functions are introduced to remove the potential discontinuities with the displacement components and its derivatives at the edges and to accelerate the convergence of series representations. All the series expansion coefficients are treated as the generalized coordinates and solved using the Rayleigh-Ritz technique. The effectiveness and reliability of the presented solution are demonstrated by comparing the present results with those results published in the literatures and finite element method (FEM) data, and numerous new results for moderately thick rectangular plates with nonuniform thickness and elastic restraints are presented, which may serve as benchmark solution for future researches.
Psychological Impacts among Older and Younger People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nanning, China
Authors: Liu Hongjie , He Xin , Levy Judith A. , Xu Yongfang , Zang Chunpeng , Lin Xinqin
Published: July 2014

Objectives. The HIV epidemic has drastically increased among older adults in China, yet little research has examined the psychological impacts among older and younger people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs). This study examined and compared self-efficacy, depression, well-being, and quality of life among older and younger PLWHAs in China.Method. A two-stage sampling procedure was used to recruit a final sample of 148 participants. Older adults were defined as age 50 and older.Result. Compared to younger PLWHAs aged 18–49 years old, older PLWHAs reported lower levels of well-being (7.6 versus 11.4), higher levels of depression (18.6 versus 15.8), and poorer quality of life. Self-efficacy was similar among older (23.9) and younger (24.6) PLWHAs. A higher level of depression among older PLWHAs was associated with much lower levels of subjective well-being and quality of life (physical health and psychological health).Conclusion. The findings suggest that older PLWHAs face psychological problems and mental health challenges beyond those experienced by younger PLWHAs. Intervention programs dedicated to improving mental health and quality of life are greatly needed for HIV infected older adults.
Property Analysis of MIMO-Based Missile-Borne Forward-Looking SAR
Authors: Li Yachao , Meng Ziqiang , Zhu Shengqi , Quan Yinghui , Xing Mengdao , Bao Zheng
Published: July 2014

As a special multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar networking mode, missile-borne forward-looking synthetic aperture radar (MFL-SAR) has many potential applications. This paper describes and analyzes properties of this new configuration. Range history and Doppler history are analyzed and derived using the designed geometric configuration. Then the expressions of range and Doppler resolution are determined based on the validity of two-dimensional (2D) resolution imaging capability. To help to design the proper system and motion parameters of this configuration, key parameters affecting the imaging ability are found out. Due to high velocities and accelerations of both transmitter and receiver, high-order terms in the slant range equation should be kept to reduce the approximation error. The range resolution and Doppler resolution of MFL-SAR are both space-variant and time-variant owing to the complexity of this configuration. The tiny changes of 2D resolution during the synthetic aperture time should be considered when designing the imaging algorithm of MFL-SAR.
Genome Wide Analysis of Sex Difference in Gene Expression Profiles of Bone Formations UsingsfxMice and BXD RI Strains
Authors: Huang Yue , Zhu Xiaodong , Wang Lishi , Liu Xiaoyun , Lu Lu , Gu Weikuan , Jiao Yan
Published: July 2014

The objective of this study is to identify sex differentially expressed genes in bone using a mouse model of spontaneous fracture,sfx, which lacks the gene for L-gulonolactone oxidase (Gulo), a key enzyme in the ascorbic acid (AA) synthesis pathway. We first identified the genes that are differentially expressed in the femur between female and male insfxmice. We then analyzed the potential gene network among those differentially expressed genes with whole genome expression profiles generated using spleens of female and male mice of a total of 67 BXD (C57BL/6J X DBA/2J) recombinant inbred (RI) and other strains. Our result indicated that there was a sex difference in the whole genome profiles insfxmice as measured by the proportion of up- and downregulated genes. Several genes in the pathway of bone development are differentially expressed between the male and female ofsfxmice. Comparison of gene network of up- and downregulated bone relevant genes also suggests a sex difference.
Collagen VI and Hyaluronan: The Common Role in Breast Cancer
Authors: Karousou Evgenia , D'Angelo Maria Luisa , Kouvidi Katerina , Vigetti Davide , Viola Manuela , Nikitovic Dragana , De Luca Giancarlo , Passi Alberto
Published: July 2014

Collagen VI and hyaluronan are widely distributed extracellular matrix macromolecules that play a crucial role in tissue development and are highly expressed in cancers. Both hyaluronan and collagen VI are upregulated in breast cancer, generating a microenvironment that promotes tumour progression and metastasis. A growing number of studies show that these two molecules are involved in inflammation and angiogenesis by recruiting macrophages and endothelial cells, respectively. Additionally, collagen VI induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition that is correlated to increased synthesis of hyaluronan in mammary cells. Hyaluronan has also a specific role in cellular functions that depends mainly on the size of the polymer, whereas the effect of collagen VI in tumour progression may be the result of the intact molecule or the C5 peptide ofα3(VI) chain, known as endotrophin. Collectively, these findings strongly support the parallel role of these molecules in tumour progression and suggest that they may be used as prognostic factors for the breast cancer treatment.
Genetic Diseases That Predispose to Early Liver Cirrhosis
Authors: Scorza Manuela , Elce Ausilia , Zarrilli Federica , Liguori Renato , Amato Felice , Castaldo Giuseppe
Published: July 2014

Inherited liver diseases are a group of metabolic and genetic defects that typically cause early chronic liver involvement. Most are due to a defect of an enzyme/transport protein that alters a metabolic pathway and exerts a pathogenic role mainly in the liver. The prevalence is variable, but most are rare pathologies. We review the pathophysiology of such diseases and the diagnostic contribution of laboratory tests, focusing on the role of molecular genetics. In fact, thanks to recent advances in genetics, molecular analysis permits early and specific diagnosis for most disorders and helps to reduce the invasive approach of liver biopsy.
Blood Monocyte Subsets and Selected Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Rheumatoid Arthritis of Short Duration in relation to Disease Activity
Authors: Klimek Ewa , Mikołajczyk Tomasz , Sulicka Joanna , Kwaśny-Krochin Beata , Korkosz Mariusz , Osmenda Grzegorz , Wizner Barbara , Surdacki Andrzej , Guzik Tomasz , Grodzicki Tomasz K. , Skalska Anna
Published: July 2014

Objectives. To evaluate blood monocyte subsets and functional monocyte properties in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of short duration in the context of cardiovascular (CV) risk and disease activity.Methods. We studied conventional markers of CV risk, intima media thickness (IMT), and blood monocyte subsets in 27 patients aged 41 ± 10 years with RA of short duration (median 12 months) and 22 healthy controls. The RA subjects were divided into low (DAS28: 2.6–5.1) and high (DAS28 > 5.1) disease activity.Results. RA patients exhibited increased levels of intermediate (CD14++CD16+) monocytes with decreased CD45RA expression compared to controls, increased counts of classical (CD14++CD16−) monocytes, and decreased percentages of nonclassical (CD14+CD16++) monocytes. Patients with high disease activity had lower HLA DR expression on classical monocytes compared to low disease activity patients. There were no differences in monocyte subsets between subjects with DAS > 5.1 and DAS ≤ 5.1. There were no significant intergroup differences in IMT and the majority of classical CV risk factors.Conclusions. Patients with RA of short duration show alteration in peripheral blood monocyte subsets despite the fact that there is no evidence of subclinical atherosclerosis. Disease activity assessed with DAS28 was associated with impaired functional properties but not with a shift in monocyte subpopulations.
Integrated Multiobjective Optimal Design for Active Control System Based on Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Yong-Quan Ma , Hong-Xing Qiu
Published: July 2014

The integrated multiobjective optimal design method for structural active control system is put forward based on improved Pareto multiobjective genetic algorithm, through which the position of actuator is synchronously optimized with active controller. External excitation is simulated by stationary filtered white noise. The root‐mean‐square (RMS) of structural response and active control force can be achieved by solving Lyapunov equation in the state space. The design of active controller adopts linear quadratic regulator (LQR) control algorithm. Minimum ratio of the maximum RMS of controlled structural displacement divided by the maximum RMS of uncontrolled structural displacement and minimum ratio of the maximum RMS of controlled structural shear divided by the maximum RMS of uncontrolled structural shear, together with minimization of the sum of RMS of active control force, are used as the three objective functions of multiobjective optimization. The optimization process takes the impact of structure and excitation parameter on the optimized results. An eight‐storey six‐span plane steel frame was used as an emulational example to demonstrate the validity of this optimization method. Results show that the proposed integrated multiobjective optimal design method is simple, efficient, and practical with good universality.
The Number of Spanning Trees of the Cartesian Product of Regular Graphs
Authors: Wu Mei-Hui , Chung Long-Yeu
Published: July 2014

The number of spanning trees in graphs or in networks is an important issue. The evaluation of this number not only is interesting from a mathematical (computational) perspective but also is an important measure of reliability of a network or designing electrical circuits. In this paper, a simple formula for the number of spanning trees of the Cartesian product of two regular graphs is investigated. Using this formula, the number of spanning trees of the four well‐known regular networks can be simply taken into evaluation.
Schwannoma of the Tongue in a Paediatric Patient: A Case Report and 20-Year Review
Authors: Bhola Nitin , Jadhav Anendd , Borle Rajiv , Khemka Gaurav , Bhutekar Umesh , Kumar Sanatan
Published: July 2014

Schwannomas (Neurilemmomas) are benign, encapsulated, slow-growing, and usually solitary tumours originating from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheath with uncertain etiology. Approximately 25–48% of cases are seen in the head and neck region, of which 1% appears in the oral cavity. Lingual schwannoma can affect all age groups with peak incidence between the third and sixth decade. We report a rare case of lingual schwannoma in a 14-year-old girl complaining of asymptomatic swelling over lateral border of tongue since two years. Clinical examination revealed a nodule1.5×1 cm in size, rubbery, nontender, smooth at right lateral border of tongue covered by normal mucosa, with no cervical lymphadenopathy. Excisional biopsy of the lesion was done under local anaesthesia. The histological sections spindle cells with thin wavy nuclei arranged as typical Antoni A (with Verocay bodies) and Antoni B areas. Nuclear palisading distribution (typical of a schwannoma) was readily identifiable. The patient was recurrence-free after one year.
Movement Type Prediction before Its Onset Using Signals from Prefrontal Area: An Electrocorticography Study
Authors: Ryun Seokyun , Kim June Sic , Lee Sang Hun , Jeong Sehyoon , Kim Sung-Phil , Chung Chun Kee
Published: July 2014

Power changes in specific frequency bands are typical brain responses during motor planning or preparation. Many studies have demonstrated that, in addition to the premotor, supplementary motor, and primary sensorimotor areas, the prefrontal area contributes to generating such responses. However, most brain-computer interface (BCI) studies have focused on the primary sensorimotor area and have estimated movements using postonset period brain signals. Our aim was to determine whether the prefrontal area could contribute to the prediction of voluntary movement types before movement onset. In our study, electrocorticography (ECoG) was recorded from six epilepsy patients while performing two self-paced tasks: hand grasping and elbow flexion. The prefrontal area was sufficient to allow classification of different movements through the area’s premovement signals (−2.0 s to 0 s) in four subjects. The most pronounced power difference frequency band was the beta band (13–30 Hz). The movement prediction rate during single trial estimation averaged 74% across the six subjects. Our results suggest that premovement signals in the prefrontal area are useful in distinguishing different movement tasks and that the beta band is the most informative for prediction of movement type before movement onset.
A New Kind of Fuzzyn-ary Hypergroups in the Framework of Soft Set Theory
Authors: Li Hongjie , Yin Yunqiang
Published: July 2014

Maji et al. introduced the concept of fuzzy soft sets as a generalization of the standard soft sets and presented an application of fuzzy soft sets in a decision making problem. The aim of this paper is to apply the concept of fuzzy soft sets ton-ary hypergroup theory. The concepts of(∈γ,∈γ∨qδ)-fuzzy soft (invertible)n-ary subhypergroups over a commutativen-ary hypergroup are introduced and some related properties and characterizations are obtained. The homomorphism properties of(∈γ,∈γ∨qδ)-fuzzy soft (invertible)n-ary subhypergroups are also derived.
Solid-Nanoemulsion Preconcentrate for Oral Delivery of Paclitaxel: Formulation Design, Biodistribution, andγScintigraphy Imaging
Authors: Ahmad Javed , Mir Showkat R. , Kohli Kanchan , Chuttani Krishna , Mishra Anil K. , Panda A. K. , Amin Saima
Published: July 2014

Aim of present study was to develop a solid nanoemulsion preconcentrate of paclitaxel (PAC) using oil [propylene glycol monocaprylate/glycerol monooleate, 4 : 1 w/w], surfactant [polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monooleate/polyoxyl 15 hydroxystearate, 1 : 1 w/w], and cosurfactant [diethylene glycol monoethyl ether/polyethylene glycol 300, 1 : 1 w/w] to form stable nanocarrier. The prepared formulation was characterized for droplet size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to assess surface morphology and drug encapsulation and its integrity. Cumulative drug release of prepared formulation through dialysis bag and permeability coefficient through everted gut sac were found to be remarkably higher than the pure drug suspension and commercial intravenous product (Intaxel), respectively. Solid nanoemulsion preconcentrate of PAC exhibited strong inhibitory effect on proliferation of MCF-7 cells in MTT assay.In vivosystemic exposure of prepared formulation through oral administration was comparable to that of Intaxel inγscintigraphy imaging. Our findings suggest that the prepared solid nanoemulsion preconcentrate can be used as an effective oral solid dosage form to improve dissolution and bioavailability of PAC.