bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel bacteria associated with Arctic seashore lichens have potential roles in nutrient scavenging
Authors: Sigurbjörnsdóttir Margrét Auður , Heiðmarsson Starri , Jónsdóttir Anna Rut , Vilhelmsson Oddur
Published: April 2014

While generally described as a bipartite mutualistic association between fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, lichens also host diverse and heretofore little explored communities of nonphototrophic endolichenic bacteria. The composition and possible roles of these bacterial communities in the lichen symbiotic association constitute an emerging field of research. Saxicolous (rock-dwelling) seashore lichens present an unusual environment, characterized by rapid fluctuations in temperature, salinity, exposure to solar radiation, etc. The present study focuses on the bacterial biota associated with 4 species of crustose, halophilic, saxicolous seashore lichens found in northern Iceland. A denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis based characterization of the composition of the lichen-associated microbiotas indicated that they are markedly lichen-species-specific and clearly distinguishable from the environmental microbiota represented by control sampling. A collection of bacterial strains was investigated and partially identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. The strains were found to belong to 7 classes: Alphaproteobacteria, Bacilli, Actinobacteria, Flavobacteria, Cytophagia, Sphingobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. Several isolates display only a modest level of similarity to their nearest relatives found in GenBank, suggesting that they comprise previously undescribed taxa. Selected strains were tested for inorganic phosphate solubilization and biodegradation of several biopolymers, such as barley β-glucan, xylan, chitosan, and lignin. The results support a nutrient-scavenging role of the associate microbiota in the seashore lichen symbiotic association.
Fusion barrier parameters for a spherically deformed pair of nuclei
Authors: Ismail M. , Ellithi A.Y. , Botros M.M. , Reheem A.F. Abdel
Published: April 2014

The interactions of 48Ca spherical nucleus are considered with the deformed targets 224Ra and 244Pu to form the super heavy elements 272Hs and 292114 (292Fl), respectively. The double folding model with effective density dependent M3Y-NN force, and the energy density functional method based on Skyrme force are used to derive the nucleus–nucleus interaction. The effect of deformation and orientation on the Coulomb barrier parameters is studied, and the results are compared with the corresponding quantities derived from a simple model based on the proximity approach for the nuclear part and simple analytical formula for the Coulomb interaction. Consistent behavior of the results is obtained at certain ranges for deformation parameters and orientations.
GENERALIZED CONNECTIVITY OF (n, k)-STAR GRAPHS
Authors: WEI YUNCHAO , CHEN FUGUANG
Published: April 2014

This paper considers Rh-connectivity of the (n, k)-star graph Sn,k, denoted by κh(Sn,k). In this note, We determine κh(Sn,k) = n+h(k−2)−1 for 2 ≤ k ≤ n−1 and 0 ≤ h ≤ n−k. The results generalize the main result in proved by W. H. Yang et al. [Information Processing Letters, 110(2010), 1007–1011] for the R1-connectivity (κ1(Sn,k)) and R2-connectivity (κ2(Sn,k)).
BIT-PARALLEL ALGORITHMS FOR THE MERGED LONGEST COMMON SUBSEQUENCE PROBLEM
Authors: DEOROWICZ SEBASTIAN , DANEK AGNIESZKA
Published: April 2014

It is often a necessity to compare some sequences to find out how similar they are. There are many similarity measures that can be used, e.g., longest common subsequence, edit distance, sequence alignment. Recently a merged longest common subsequence (MergedLCS) problem was formulated with applications in bioinformatics. We propose the bit-parallel algorithms for the MergedLCS problem and evaluate them in practice showing that they are usually tens times faster than the already published methods.
TWO FOR ONE: TIGHT APPROXIMATION OF 2D BIN PACKING
Authors: HARREN ROLF , JANSEN KLAUS , PRÄDEL LARS , SCHWARZ ULRICH M. , VAN STEE ROB
Published: April 2014

In this paper, we study the two-dimensional geometrical bin packing problem (2DBP): given a list of rectangles, provide a packing of all these into the smallest possible number of unit bins without rotating the rectangles. Beyond its theoretical appeal, this problem has many practical applications, for example in print layout and VLSI chip design.

We present a 2-approximate algorithm, which improves over the previous best known ratio of 3, matches the best results for the problem where rotations are allowed and also matches the known lower bound of approximability. Our approach makes strong use of a PTAS for a related 2D knapsack problem and a new algorithm that can pack instances into two bins if OPT = 1.
BREAKING THE RECTANGLE BOUND BARRIER AGAINST FORMULA SIZE LOWER BOUNDS
Authors: UENO KENYA
Published: April 2014

Karchmer, Kushilevitz and Nisan formulated the formula size problem as an integer programming problem called the rectangle bound and introduced a technique called the LP bound, which gives a formula size lower bound by showing a feasible solution of the dual problem of its LP-relaxation. As extensions of the LP bound, we introduce novel general techniques proving formula size lower bounds, named a quasi-additive bound and the Sherali-Adams bound. While the Sherali-Adams bound is potentially strong enough to give a lower bound matching to the rectangle bound, we prove that the quasi-additive bound can surpass the rectangle bound. We also reveal that the quasi-additive bound is potentially strong enough to prove the matching formula size lower bound.
AN OPTIMIZATION SPIKING NEURAL P SYSTEM FOR APPROXIMATELY SOLVING COMBINATORIAL OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS
Authors: ZHANG GEXIANG , RONG HAINA , NERI FERRANTE , PÉREZ-JIMÉNEZ MARIO J.
Published: April 2014

Membrane systems (also called P systems) refer to the computing models abstracted from the structure and the functioning of the living cell as well as from the cooperation of cells in tissues, organs, and other populations of cells. Spiking neural P systems (SNPS) are a class of distributed and parallel computing models that incorporate the idea of spiking neurons into P systems. To attain the solution of optimization problems, P systems are used to properly organize evolutionary operators of heuristic approaches, which are named as membrane-inspired evolutionary algorithms (MIEAs). This paper proposes a novel way to design a P system for directly obtaining the approximate solutions of combinatorial optimization problems without the aid of evolutionary operators like in the case of MIEAs. To this aim, an extended spiking neural P system (ESNPS) has been proposed by introducing the probabilistic selection of evolution rules and multi-neurons output and a family of ESNPS, called optimization spiking neural P system (OSNPS), are further designed through introducing a guider to adaptively adjust rule probabilities to approximately solve combinatorial optimization problems. Extensive experiments on knapsack problems have been reported to experimentally prove the viability and effectiveness of the proposed neural system.
Impact of the time pattern of human behaviors on information spreading
Authors: Zhang Lin , Pan Tingting , Wu Ye , Xiao Jinghua
Published: April 2014

There is sufficient evidence to support that the inter-event time distribution of human behaviors is heavy tailed. This fact plays an important role in human dynamics at collective levels. Recently, researchers found that the heavy-tailed inter-activity patterns of human behaviors slow down the spreading significantly. In this paper, we investigate the influence of people's interest time length on information spreading. Considering that information has its own time period of being interested in, we find that for small interest time period, heavy-tailed human behaviors can enhance the information spreading. While for large interest time period, the heavy-tailed human behaviors will suppress the spreading. These results can help us understanding the rule of information spreading, controlling and limiting the outbreak of rumors.
Chiral molecule in the Standard Model
Authors: Fukuyama Takeshi
Published: April 2014

This paper is based on the talk at the conference of "Spectroscopic Studies on Molecular Chirality" held on December 20–21, 2013. The objects of the present paper are to (1) derive the energy difference between Laevorotatory, or left-handed, (L-) and Dextrorotatory, or right-handed, (D-) molecules and to (2) discuss how this tiny energy difference leads us to the observed enantiomer excess. Relations with other parity violating phenomena in molecules, electric dipole moment (EDM) and natural optical activity, are also discussed.
China's Economy: Maintaining Stable Growth to Pursue Reform
Authors: WONG John
Published: April 2014

China's economy grew at 7.7% in 2013, slightly lower than the 7.8% of 2012 but higher than the 7.6% projected by most foreign observers. A 7.7% growth is still a highly creditable growth performance given that China's total GDP was US$9 trillion in 2013. A mere 7% growth will add to China in one year, half of Indonesia's total GDP or one-third of India's. China's economy is thus entering a new phase of stable growth.
Band Excitation in Scanning Probe Microscopy: Recognition and Functional Imaging
Authors: Jesse S. , Vasudevan R.K. , Collins L. , Strelcov E. , Okatan M.B. , Belianinov A. , Baddorf A.P. , Proksch R. , Kalinin S.V.
Published: April 2014

Field confinement at the junction between a biased scanning probe microscope's tip and solid surface enables local probing of various bias-induced transformations, such as polarization switching, ionic motion, and electrochemical reactions. The nanoscale size of the biased region, smaller or comparable to that of features such as grain boundaries and dislocations, potentially allows for the study of kinetics and thermodynamics at the level of a single defect. In contrast to classical statistically averaged approaches, this approach allows one to link structure to functionality and deterministically decipher associated mesoscopic and atomistic mechanisms. Furthermore, responses measured as a function of frequency and bias can serve as a fingerprint of local material functionality, allowing for local recognition imaging of inorganic and biological systems. This article reviews current progress in multidimensional scanning probe microscopy techniques based on band excitation time and voltage spectroscopies, including discussions on data acquisition, dimensionality reduction, and visualization, along with future challenges and opportunities for the field.
Quantum Heat Engines and Refrigerators: Continuous Devices
Authors: Kosloff Ronnie , Levy Amikam
Published: April 2014

Quantum thermodynamics supplies a consistent description of quantum heat engines and refrigerators up to a single few-level system coupled to the environment. Once the environment is split into three (a hot, cold, and work reservoir), a heat engine can operate. The device converts the positive gain into power, with the gain obtained from population inversion between the components of the device. Reversing the operation transforms the device into a quantum refrigerator. The quantum tricycle, a device connected by three external leads to three heat reservoirs, is used as a template for engines and refrigerators. The equation of motion for the heat currents and power can be derived from first principles. Only a global description of the coupling of the device to the reservoirs is consistent with the first and second laws of thermodynamics. Optimization of the devices leads to a balanced set of parameters in which the couplings to the three reservoirs are of the same order and the external driving field is in resonance. When analyzing refrigerators, one needs to devote special attention to a dynamical version of the third law of thermodynamics. Bounds on the rate of cooling when Tc→0 are obtained by optimizing the cooling current. All refrigerators as Tc→0 show universal behavior. The dynamical version of the third law imposes restrictions on the scaling as Tc→0 of the relaxation rate γcand heat capacity cVof the cold bath.
Power Efficient Clustering for Wireless Multimedia Sensor Network
Authors: Jo Seng-Kyoun , Ikram Muhammad , Jung Ilgu , Ryu Won , Kim Jinsul
Published: April 2014

The availability of inexpensive hardware such as CMOS cameras and microphones has fostered the development of wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs). In WMSNs, wirelessly interconnected devices enable ubiquitously retrieving multimedia contents such as video and audio streams, and still images along with scalar data from surroundings for wide range of applications are constrained by processing, memory, and power resources. Image compression via low-complexity and resource efficient transforms has been addressed by several researchers to prolong network lifetime where energy conservation is achieved through sharing computational load among sensor nodes and by adjusting the transmission ranges of camera nodes. However, those schemes are not adaptive to the presence and changes of energy level of computational sensor nodes and to the amount of computational load. We propose a resource and energy efficient distributed image compression algorithm that dynamically configures according to the energy levels and the forwarding strategy that is based on the entropy of the image. The simulation results show that our adaptive distributed image compression scheme significantly prolongs the network lifetime and improves the network utilization efficiency, while maintaining adequate image quality.
Interleukin-6 and Vitamin D Status during High-Intensity Resistance Training in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Molsted Stig , Eiken Pia , Andersen Jesper L. , Eidemak Inge , Harrison Adrian P.
Published: April 2014

Background. The aim of this study was to investigate IL-6 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH D) associations with muscle size and muscle function in dialysis patients.Methods. Patients were included in a 16-week control period followed by 16 weeks of high-intensity resistance training thrice weekly. IL-6 and 25-OH D were analysed after an over-night fast. Muscle fibre size was analysed in biopsies fromm. vastus lateralis. Muscle power was tested using a Leg Extensor Power Rig.Results. Patients (n=36) with IL-6 ≥ 6.49 pg/ml (median) were older and had decreased muscle power and a reduced protein intake (P<0.05) compared with patients with IL-6 < 6.49 pg/ml. IL-6 was not associated with muscle fibre size. Vitamin D deficiency (25-OH D < 50 nmol/l) was present in 51% of the patients and not associated with muscle power. IL-6 remained unchanged during the training period, whilst muscle power increased by 20–23% (P<0.001).Conclusion. Elevated IL-6 values were associated with decreased muscle power but not with decreased muscle fibre size. Half of the patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency, which was not associated with muscle power. IL-6 was unchanged by high-intensity resistance training in dialysis patients in this study.
A Numerical Simulation of Elastoplastic Contact Analysis of Compressor by Overspeeding
Authors: Liao Aihua , Chai Xiaodong , Yang Jian
Published: April 2014

This study analyzes the stress distribution of 3D elastoplastic contact problems by using the FE parametric quadratic programming (PQP) method derived from a 3D FE model based on parametric variational principle (PVP). We numerically analyze a 24-blade compressor by combining centrifugal loading with interference-fit one. To accelerate computation, calculation is simplified by structural modeling via multisubstructuring, aiming to deal with FE-simulated computer aided design (CAD) conveniently. We then analyze the relationships between the maximum residual stresses of the compressor posterior to prestressing and overspeed rpms, and we also study the distribution and magnitude of the contact stresses of the compressor in working conditions after overspeed prestressing. Moreover, we thoroughly discuss the distribution and magnitude of the contact stresses of shaft-shaft sleeve-impeller in working conditions. Relative displacement can be prevented and contact stress can be kept uniform due to the nonuniform initial amount of interference in overspeed prestressing. This paper summarizes the FEM simulation results and provides reference data for improving the design and processing of compressor impellers, indicating that overspeed is indispensable in manufacture.
Convergence of Numerical Solution of Generalized Theodorsen’s Nonlinear Integral Equation
Authors: Nasser Mohamed M. S.
Published: April 2014

We consider a nonlinear integral equation which can be interpreted as a generalization of Theodorsen’s nonlinear integral equation. This equation arises in computing the conformal mapping between simply connected regions. We present a numerical method for solving the integral equation and prove the uniform convergence of the numerical solution to the exact solution. Numerical results are given for illustration.
On Normal q-Ary Codes in Rosenbloom-Tsfasman Metric
Authors: Selvaraj R. S. , Marka Venkatrajam
Published: April 2014

The notion of normality of codes in Hamming metric is extended to the codes in Rosenbloom-Tsfasman metric (RT-metric, in short). Using concepts of partition number and l-cell of codes in RT-metric, we establish results on covering radius and normality of q-ary codes in this metric. We also examine the acceptability of various coordinate positions of q-ary codes in this metric. And thus, by exploring the feasibility of applying amalgamated direct sum method for construction of codes, we analyze the significance of normality in RT-metric.
Patterns of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use, Perceived Benefits, and Adverse Effects among Adult Users in Enugu Urban, Southeast Nigeria
Authors: Okoronkwo Ijeoma , Onyia-pat Jane-lovena , Okpala Pat , Agbo Mary-Ann , Ndu Afam
Published: April 2014

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is now on the increase. Evidence from studies carried out globally has established that CAM use is very common and varies among populations. This study investigated patterns of CAM use, perceived benefits, and associated harm with CAM use among adults. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in three local government areas of Enugu urban, Southeast Nigeria. An interviewer‐administered questionnaire was used to collect data from all consenting adult participants aged between 18 and 65 years. Of the 732 participants interviewed, 62.8% were females while 37.2% were males. Majority (84.7%) of the participants had used CAM at one time or another. The most commonly used CAM product was the biological products, followed by spiritual therapy. The major route of administration for CAM products was oral and about 40% of the participants combined CAM with conventional medicine. Majority (78.6%) of CAM users benefited from CAM products after using them while a few complained of adverse reactions. As CAM is gaining widespread acceptance and use, there is need for clinical trial on the benefits and adverse effects associated with the use of CAM to facilitate proof of efficacy and safety of the products.
Bilateral TMJ Involvement in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Ruparelia Pritesh B. , Shah Deep S. , Ruparelia Kosha , Sutaria Shreyansh P. , Pathak Deep
Published: April 2014

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory, slowly progressive disease that results in cartilage and bone destruction. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) involvement is not uncommon in RA, and it is present in about more than 50% of patients; however, TMJ is usually among the last joints to be involved and is associated with many varied clinical signs and symptoms. Hence, RA of TMJ presents to the dentist with great diagnostic challenges. This report presents a case of RA with bilateral TMJ involvement with its classical radiographic findings and review literature.
An Improved Genetic Algorithm for the Large‐Scale Rural Highway Network Layout
Authors: Ma Changxi , Ma Cunrui , Ye Qing , He Ruichun , Song Jieyan
Published: April 2014

For the layout problem of rural highway network, which is often characterized by a cluster of geographically dispersed nodes, neither the Prim algorithm nor the Kruskal algorithm can be readily applied, because the calculating speed and accuracy are by no means satisfactory. Rather than these two polynomial algorithms and the traditional genetic algorithm, this paper proposes an improved genetic algorithm. It encodes the minimum spanning trees of large‐scale rural highway network layout with Prufer array, a method which can reduce the length of chromosome; it decodes Prufer array by using an efficient algorithm with time complexity o(n) and adopting the single transposition method and orthoposition exchange method, substitutes for traditional crossover and mutation operations, which can effectively overcome the prematurity of genetic algorithm. Computer simulation tests and case study confirm that the improved genetic algorithm is better than the traditional one.
Macrophage Capping Protein CapG Is a Putative Oncogene Involved in Migration and Invasiveness in Ovarian Carcinoma
Authors: Glaser J. , Neumann M. H. D. , Mei Qi , Betz B. , Seier N. , Beyer I. , Fehm T. , Neubauer H. , Niederacher D. , Fleisch M. C.
Published: April 2014

The actin binding protein CapG modulates cell motility by interacting with the cytoskeleton. CapG is associated with tumor progression in different nongynecologic tumor entities and overexpression in breast cancer cell lines correlates with a more invasive phenotypein vitro.Here, we report a significant CapG overexpression in 18/47 (38%) of ovarian carcinomas (OC) analyzed by qRealTime-PCR analyses. Functional analyses in OC cell lines through siRNA mediated CapG knockdown and CapG overexpression showed CapG-dependent cell migration and invasiveness. A single nucleotide polymorphism rs6886 inside the CapG gene was identified, affecting a CapG phosphorylation site and thus potentially modifying CapG function. The minor allele frequency (MAF) of SNP rs6886 (c.1004A/G) was higher and the homozygous (A/A, His335) genotype was significantly more prevalent in patients with fallopian tube carcinomas (50%) as in controls (10%). With OC being one of the most lethal cancer diseases, the detection of novel biomarkers such as CapG could reveal new diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Moreover, in-depth analyses of SNP rs6886 related to FTC and OC will contribute to a better understanding of carcinogenesis and progression of OC.
Robust Estimation Fusion in Wireless Senor Networks with Outliers and Correlated Noises
Authors: Zhou Yan , Wang Dongli , Pei Tingrui , Tian Shujuan
Published: April 2014

This paper addresses the problem of estimation fusion in a distributed wireless sensor network (WSN) under the following conditions: (i) sensor noises are contaminated by outliers or gross errors; (ii) process noise and sensor noises are correlated; (iii) cross-correlation among local estimates is unknown. First, to attack the correlation and outliers, a correlated robust Kalman filtering (coR2KF) scheme with weighted matrices on innovation sequences is introduced as local estimator. It is shown that the proposed coR2KF takes both conventional Kalman filter and robust Kalman filter as a special case. Then, a novel version of our internal ellipsoid approximation fusion (IEAF) is used in the fusion center to handle the unknown cross-correlation of local estimates. The explicit solution to both fusion estimate and corresponding covariance is given. Finally, to demonstrate robustness of the proposed coR2KF and the effectiveness of IEAF strategy, a simulation example of tracking a target moving on noisy circular trajectories is included.
Discovering the Influences of Complex Network Effects on Recovering Large Scale Multiagent Systems
Authors: Xu Yang , Liu Pengfei , Li Xiang , Ren Wei
Published: April 2014

Building efficient distributed coordination algorithms is critical for the large scale multiagent system design, and the communication network has been shown as a key factor to influence system performance even under the same coordination protocol. Although many distributed algorithm designs have been proved to be feasible to build their functions in the large scale multiagent systems as claimed, the performances may not be stable if the multiagent networks were organized with different complex network topologies. For example, if the network was recovered from the broken links or disfunction nodes, the network topology might have been shifted. Therefore, their influences on the overall multiagent system performance are unknown. In this paper, we have made an initial effort to find how a standard network recovery policy, MPLS algorithm, may change the network topology of the multiagent system in terms of network congestion. We have established that when the multiagent system is organized as different network topologies according to different complex network attributes, the network shifts in different ways. Those interesting discoveries are helpful to predict how complex network attributes influence on system performance and in turn are useful for new algorithm designs that make a good use of those attributes.
Variable Neighbourhood Search and Mathematical Programming for Just‐in‐Time Job‐Shop Scheduling Problem
Authors: Wang Sunxin , Li Yan
Published: April 2014

This paper presents a combination of variable neighbourhood search and mathematical programming to minimize the sum of earliness and tardiness penalty costs of all operations for just‐in‐time job‐shop scheduling problem (JITJSSP). Unlike classical E/T scheduling problem with each job having its earliness or tardiness penalty cost, each operation in this paper has its earliness and tardiness penalties, which are paid if the operation is completed before or after its due date. Our hybrid algorithm combines (i) a variable neighbourhood search procedure to explore the huge feasible solution spaces efficiently by alternating the swap and insertion neighbourhood structures and (ii) a mathematical programming model to optimize the completion times of the operations for a given solution in each iteration procedure. Additionally, a threshold accepting mechanism is proposed to diversify the local search of variable neighbourhood search. Computational results on the 72 benchmark instances show that our algorithm can obtain the best known solution for 40 problems, and the best known solutions for 33 problems are updated.
Effectiveness Study of Moxibustion on Pain Relief in Primary Dysmenorrhea: Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yang Jie , Chen Jiao , Lao Lixing , Yang Mingxiao , Chen JianPing , Bo Linna , Tang Hongzhi , Yi Ling , Zheng Hui , Wu Xi , Liang Fanrong
Published: April 2014

Dysmenorrhea is a prevalent problem in menstruating women. As a nonpharmacologic and free of relevant side effects intervention, moxibustion is considered as a safe treatment and has long been recommended for dysmenorrhea in China. However, the exact effects of moxibustion in PD have not been fully understood. Therefore we designed this random clinical trial aiming to (1) investigate whether moxibustion is safe and effective for pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea when compared to conventional pain‐killers and (2) assess the acceptability and side effects associated with moxibustion. The results of this trial will contribute to a better understanding of the different effects of moxibustion in pain relief in primary dysmenorrhea when compared to conventional pharmacologic pain treatment.
Virulence Factors Contributing to Pathogenicity ofCandida tropicalisand Its Antifungal Susceptibility Profile
Authors: Deorukhkar Sachin C. , Saini Santosh , Mathew Stephen
Published: April 2014

The incidence of invasive candidiasis has increased over the past few decades. AlthoughCandida albicansremains by far the most common species encountered, in recent years shift towards non-albicans Candidaspecies likeCandida tropicalisis noted. Here in this study we determined the virulence factors and antifungal susceptibility profile of 125C. tropicalisisolated from various clinical specimens. Biofilm formation was seen in 53 (42.4%) isolates. Coagulase production was noted in 18 (14.4%) isolates. Phospholipase enzyme was the major virulent factor produced byC. tropicalisisolates. A total of 39 biofilm forming isolates showed phospholipase activity. Proteinase activity was demonstrated by 65 (52%) isolates. A total of 38 (30.4%) isolates showed haemolytic activity. Maximum isolates demonstrated resistance to fluconazole. Fluconazole resistance was more common inC. tropicalisisolated from blood cultures. Antifungal resistance was more in isolates possessing the ability to produce phospholipase and biofilm.C. tropicalisexhibit a great degree of variation not only in their pathogenicity but also in their antifungal susceptibility profile. The identification of virulence attributes specific for each species and their correlation with each other will aid in the understanding of the pathogenesis of infection.
Optical Scattering Properties of Intralipid Phantom in Presence of Encapsulated Microbubbles
Authors: Assadi Homa , Karshafian Raffi , Douplik Alexandre
Published: April 2014

In imaging, contrast agents are utilized to enhance sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic modalities. In ultrasound imaging, microbubbles (MBs)—a gas-core shell-encapsulated agent—are used clinically as contrast agents. The working hypothesis of this study is that microbubbles can be employed as an intravascular contrast agent in optical imaging systems. In this work, the interaction of light and microbubbles in a turbid medium (intralipid) was investigated, particularly, the effect of MBs on the reduced scattering and absorption coefficients. Diffuse reflectance (DR) and total transmittance (TT) measurements of highly scattering intralipid suspension (0.5–5%) were measured using spectroscopic integrating sphere system in the absence and presence of Definity microbubbles. The optical properties were computed using the inverse adding doubling (IAD) software. The presence of microbubbles increased DR and decreased TT of intralipid phantoms. In the presence of MBs (0.5% volume concentration), the reflectance of the intralipid phantom increased from 35% to 100%. The reduced scattering coefficient increased significantly (30%) indicating potential use of MBs as optical contrast agents in light based modalities.
Vaccination Decision-Making and HPV Knowledge: How Informed and Engaged Are Young Adult HPV Vaccine Recipients in Australia?
Authors: Laidsaar-Powell Rebekah C. , McCaffery Kirsten J. , Mather Tanya , Juraskova Ilona
Published: April 2014

Objectives. To date, there has been limited research on the decision-making process of HPV vaccine recipients. This study aimed to explore HPV-related knowledge, vaccination decision-making, and post vaccination attitudes about sexual behaviour in women who participated in the Australian school- and population-based HPV vaccine program. Materials and Methods. 102 female university students who had received the HPV vaccine (<27 years) completed scales on knowledge, vaccination decision-making, and post vaccination sexual attitudes. Results. HPV-related knowledge was low (M=57%), and women felt moderately involved in the vaccination decision (M=62%). Most women had not changed their sexual attitudes as a consequence of vaccination; however, some reported that since vaccination they feel less concerned about sexual health (19%). There were no significant differences between school- and population-based recipients on HPV knowledge (P=.559) or post vaccination sexual attitudes (P=.709). School-based recipients were significantly less autonomous in their decision-making (P=.001). Conclusion. Poor knowledge indicates a need for provision of information about HPV and post vaccination sexual health. Additionally, policy makers and health professionals may benefit from reiterating the importance of continued sexual health practices to HPV vaccine recipients. Future research should assess whether young women need to be more involved in the informed decision-making process for HPV vaccination.
Multiple Wide Tables with Vertical Scalability in Multitenant Sensor Cloud Systems
Authors: Ma Kun , Yang Bo
Published: April 2014

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) has emerged as a new computing paradigm to provide reliable software on demand. With such an inspiring motivation, sensor cloud system can benefit from this infrastructure. Generally, sharing database and schema is the most commonly used data storage model in the cloud. However, the data storage of tenants in the cloud is approaching schema null and evolution issues. To address these limitations, this paper proposes multitenant multiple wide tables with vertical scalability by analyzing the features of multitenant data. To solve schema null issue, extended vertical part is used to trim down the amount of schema null values. To reduce probability of schema evolution, wide table is divided into multiple clusters that we called multiple wide tables. This design reaches the balance between tenant customizing and its performance. Besides, the partition and correctness of multiple wide tables with vertical scalability are discussed in detail. The experimental results indicate that the solution of our multiple wide tables with vertical scalability is superior to single wide table, and single wide table with vertical scalability in the aspects of spatial intensity and read performance.
Stochastic Current of Bifractional Brownian Motion
Authors: Guo Jingjun
Published: April 2014

We study the regularity of stochastic current defined as Skorohod integral with respect to bifractional Brownian motion through Malliavin calculus. Moreover, we similarly derive some results in the case of multidimensional multiparameter. Finally, we consider stochastic current of bifractional Brownian motion as a distribution in Watanabe spaces.
Effects of Wall Shear Stress on MHD Conjugate Flow over an Inclined Plate in a Porous Medium with Ramped Wall Temperature
Authors: Khan Arshad , Khan Ilyas , Ali Farhad , Shafie Sharidan
Published: April 2014

This study investigates the effects of an arbitrary wall shear stress on unsteady magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow of a Newtonian
fluid with conjugate effects of heat and mass transfer. The fluid is considered in a porous medium over an inclined plate with ramped temperature. The influence of thermal radiation in the energy equations is also considered. The coupled partial differential equations governing the flow are solved by using the Laplace transform technique. Exact solutions for velocity and temperature in case of both ramped and constant wall temperature as well as for concentration fields are obtained. It is found that velocity solutions are more general and can produce a huge number of exact solutions correlative to various fluid motions. Graphical results are provided for various embedded flow parameters and discussed in detail.
Research on Spillover Effects for Vibration Control of Piezoelectric Smart Structures by ANSYS
Authors: Dong Xingjian , Peng Zhike , Zhang Wenming , Hua HongXing , Meng Guang
Published: April 2014

To control vibration of a piezoelectric smart structure, a controller is usually designed based on a reduced order model (ROM) of the system. When such a ROM based controller operates in closed loop with the actual structure, spillover phenomenon occurs because the unmodeled dynamics, which are not included in ROM, will be excited. In this paper, a new approach aiming at investigating spillover effects in ANSYS software is presented. By using the ANSYS parametric design language (APDL), the ROM based controller is integrated into finite element model to provide an accurate representation of what will happen when the controller is connected to the real plant. Therefore, the issues of spillover effects can be addressed in the closed loop simulation. Numerical examples are presented for investigating spillover effects of a cantilever piezoelectric plate subjected to various types of loading. The importance of considering spillover effects in closed loop simulation of piezoelectric smart structures is demonstrated. Moreover, the present study may provide an efficient method especially beneficial for preliminary design of piezoelectric smart structure to evaluate the performance of candidate control laws in finite element environment considering spillover effects.
Central Corneal Thickness Measurements in Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Patients: A Controlled Study
Authors: Jabaly-Habib Haneen , Naftali Modi , Habib George
Published: April 2014

Purpose. To measure central corneal thickness (CCT) in patients with history of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).Patients and Methods. Patients older than 40 years with a history of NAION (group 1) were prospectively evaluated including full eye examination and central corneal thickness (CCT) pachymetry. Patients with a history of intraocular surgery, corneal disease, glaucoma, and contact lens wear were excluded. Measurements were also performed in a gender and age matched control group (group 2).Results. Thirty-one eyes of 31 NAION patients in group 1 were included and 30 eyes of 30 participants in group 2. There were 15 men in group 1 and 9 in group 2P=0.141, and mean age of the patients was59±10years in group 1 versus61±11years in group 2P=0.708. Mean CCT was539±30microns in group 1 and550±33microns in group 2P=0.155.Conclusion. Patients with NAION have no special characteristic of CCT in contrast to the crowded optic disc known to be a significant anatomic risk factor for NAION. More studies should be carried out to investigate CCT and other structure related elements in NAION patients.
Antimicrobial Activity of TiO2Nanoparticle-Coated Film for Potential Food Packaging Applications
Authors: Othman Siti Hajar , Abd Salam Nurul Raudhah , Zainal Norhazlizam , Kadir Basha Roseliza , Talib Rosnita A.
Published: April 2014

Recent uses of titanium dioxide (TiO2) have involved various applications which include the food industry. This study aims to develop TiO2nanoparticle-coated film for potential food packaging applications due to the photocatalytic antimicrobial property of TiO2. The TiO2nanoparticles with varying concentrations (0–0.11 g/ 100 mL organic solvent) were coated on food packaging film, particularly low density polyethylene (LDPE) film. The antimicrobial activity of the films was investigated by their capability to inactivateEscherichia coli(E. coli) in an actual food packaging application test under various conditions, including types of light (fluorescent and ultraviolet (UV)) and the length of time the film was exposed to light (one–three days). The antimicrobial activity of the TiO2nanoparticle-coated films exposed under both types of lighting was found to increase with an increase in the TiO2nanoparticle concentration and the light exposure time. It was also found that the antimicrobial activity of the films exposed under UV light was higher than that under fluorescent light. The developed film has the potential to be used as a food packaging film that can extend the shelf life, maintain the quality, and assure the safety of food.
Exploring the Recent Trend in Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Incidence and Mortality Using Comparative Simulation Modeling
Authors: Kong Chung Yin , Kroep Sonja , Curtius Kit , Hazelton William D. , Jeon Jihyoun , Meza Rafael , Heberle Curtis R. , Miller Melecia C. , Choi Sung Eun , Lansdorp-Vogelaar Iris , van Ballegooijen Marjolein , Feuer Eric J. , Inadomi John M. , Hur Chin , Luebeck E. Georg
Published: April 2014

Background: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) has increased five-fold in the United States since 1975. The aim of our study was to estimate future U.S. EAC incidence and mortality and to shed light on the potential drivers in the disease process that are conduits for the dramatic increase in EAC incidence.

Methods: A consortium of three research groups calibrated independent mathematical models to clinical and epidemiologic data including EAC incidence from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER 9) registry from 1975 to 2010. We then used a comparative modeling approach to project EAC incidence and mortality to year 2030.

Results: Importantly, all three models identified birth cohort trends affecting cancer progression as a major driver of the observed increases in EAC incidence and mortality. All models predict that incidence and mortality rates will continue to increase until 2030 but with a plateauing trend for recent male cohorts. The predicted ranges of incidence and mortality rates (cases per 100,000 person years) in 2030 are 8.4 to 10.1 and 5.4 to 7.4, respectively, for males, and 1.3 to 1.8 and 0.9 to 1.2 for females. Estimates of cumulative cause-specific EAC deaths between both sexes for years 2011 to 2030 range between 142,300 and 186,298, almost double the number of deaths in the past 20 years.

Conclusions: Through comparative modeling, the projected increases in EAC cases and deaths represent a critical public health concern that warrants attention from cancer control planners to prepare potential interventions.

Impact: Quantifying this burden of disease will aid health policy makers to plan appropriate cancer control measures. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(6); 997–1006. ©2014 AACR.
Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D Levels and Prognosis among Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review
Authors: Toriola Adetunji T. , Nguyen Nhi , Scheitler-Ring Kristen , Colditz Graham A.
Published: April 2014

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) is associated with a reduction in risk of some cancers, but its association with prognosis among patients with cancer is poorly understood. In view of the increasing number of cancer survivors in the United States and the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among patients with cancer, an evaluation of the role of circulating 25-OHD in prognosis among patients with cancer is essential. We conducted a systematic review of studies published in the following databases—PubMed, OvidSP, BioMed Central, EMBASE, and Scopus till September 2013 using the following search terms: “vitamin D,” “25-hydroxyvitamin D,” “calcidiol,” “cancer,” “survival,” “mortality,” and “prognosis.” Our search yielded 1,397 articles. From the 1,397 articles, we identified 26 studies that evaluated the associations of circulating 25-OHD with prognosis among patients with cancer. Evidence suggests that circulating 25-OHD levels may be associated with better prognosis in patients with breast and colorectal cancer, but there is a paucity of information on its association with prognosis in other cancers. This review highlights the need for further studies evaluating the role of vitamin D in prognosis among patients with cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(6); 917–33. ©2014 AACR.
Comparison of Statistical Analysis Plans in Randomize-All Phase III Trials with a Predictive Biomarker
Authors: Matsui Shigeyuki , Choai Yuki , Nonaka Takahiro
Published: April 2014

When there are no compelling biologic or early trial data for a candidate predictive biomarker with regard to its ability to predict the effect of an anticancer treatment at the initiation of definitive phase III trials, it is generally reasonable to include all patients as eligible for randomization but to plan for a prospective subgroup analysis based on the biomarker. We assessed such statistical analysis plans, fixed-sequence, fallback, and treatment-by-biomarker interaction approaches, in terms of the probability of asserting treatment efficacy for either the overall patient population or a biomarker-positive subpopulation of patients. If there was some evidence that the treatment would work better in the biomarker-positive subgroup than the biomarker-negative subgroup, then the fixed-sequence approaches would be favored, whereas if evidence was weak that there would be much difference in responsiveness between the two subgroups, then the fallback approach would be favored. If there was substantial uncertainty in the difference in treatment effects between the two subgroups, the treatment-by-biomarker interaction approach could be a reasonable choice as this approach generally provided a high probability of asserting treatment efficacy for the right patient population under homogeneous treatment effects and a qualitative interaction over biomarker-based subgroups. Clin Cancer Res; 20(11); 2820–30. ©2014 AACR.
Phase II Results of Dovitinib (TKI258) in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer
Authors: Escudier Bernard , Grünwald Viktor , Ravaud Alain , Ou Yen-Chuan , Castellano Daniel , Lin Chia-Chi , Gschwend Jürgen E. , Harzstark Andrea , Beall Sarah , Pirotta Nicoletta , Squires Matthew , Shi Michael , Angevin Eric
Published: April 2014

Purpose: Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling regulates tumor growth and vascularization and partly mediates antiangiogenic escape from VEGF receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors. Dovitinib (TKI258) is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that inhibits FGF receptor (FGFR), VEGFR, and platelet-derived growth factor receptor, which are known drivers of antiangiogenic escape, angiogenesis, and tumor growth in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Experimental Design: Patients with advanced or metastatic RCC were treated with oral dovitinib 500 mg/day (5-days-on/2-days-off schedule). The study population was enriched for patients previously treated with a VEGFR TKI and an mTOR inhibitor.

Results: Of 67 patients enrolled, 55 patients (82.1%) were previously treated with ≥1 VEGFR TKI and ≥1 mTOR inhibitor (per-protocol efficacy set). The 8-week overall response rate and disease control rate in this population were 1.8% and 52.7%, respectively. Disease control rate during the entire study period was 56.4% (50.9% ≥4 months). Median progression-free survival and overall survival in the entire population were 3.7 and 11.8 months, respectively. Pharmacodynamic analyses demonstrated dovitinib-induced inhibition of VEGFR (as determined by increased levels of placental growth factor and decreased levels of soluble VEGFR2) and FGFR (as determined by increased FGF23 serum measures). The most frequently reported treatment-related adverse events of all grades included nausea (65.7%), diarrhea (62.7%), vomiting (61.2%), decreased appetite (47.8%), and fatigue (32.8%).

Conclusion: Dovitinib was shown to be an effective and tolerable therapy for patients with metastatic RCC who had progressed following treatment with VEGFR TKIs and mTOR inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 20(11); 3012–22. ©2014 AACR.
Cutaneous Carotenoids: The Mirror of Lifestyle?
Authors: Lademann J. , Köcher W. , Yu R. , Meinke M.C. , Na Lee B. , Jung S. , Sterry W. , Darvin M.E.
Published: April 2014

Carotenoids could serve as marker substances of the antioxidant status of the human skin. In the present study, an optical skin scanner was used to analyse the carotenoid concentration obtained from 4 volunteers over a period of 13 days. The measurements were taken daily at different time points. In addition, the volunteers were asked to keep track of their daily nutritional behaviour and stress situations in a diary. It was found that the carotenoid values reflect clearly the nutritional behaviour and stress situations of the volunteers. While a steady, increased intake of fruit and vegetables resulted in a gradual increase in the dermal carotenoid values for several days, stressful situations entailed an immediate decline in these values. Although the impact of healthy nutrition on the antioxidant protection system is generally known and notwithstanding the small number of cases, the present study clearly demonstrates that the avoidance and/or reduction of stress is similarly important in order not to counteract or nullify the results achieved by healthy nutrition.