bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potent Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Pyrenocine A Isolated from the Marine-Derived FungusPenicillium paxilliMa(G)K
Authors: Toledo Thaís Regina , Dejani Naiara N. , Monnazzi Luis Gustavo Silva , Kossuga Miriam H. , Berlinck Roberto G. S. , Sette Lara D. , Medeiros Alexandra I.
Published: January 2014

Very little is known about the immunomodulatory potential of secondary metabolites isolated from marine microorganisms. In the present study, we characterized pyrenocine A, which is produced by the marine-derived fungusPenicillium paxilliMa(G)K and possesses anti-inflammatory activity. Pyrenocine A was able to suppress, both pretreatment and posttreatment, the LPS-induced activation of macrophages via the inhibition of nitrite production and the synthesis of inflammatory cytokines and PGE2. Pyrenocine A also exhibited anti-inflammatory effects on the expression of receptors directly related to cell migration (Mac-1) as well as costimulatory molecules involved in lymphocyte activation (B7.1). Nitrite production was inhibited by pyrenocine A in macrophages stimulated with CpG but not Poly I:C, suggesting that pyrenocine A acts through the MyD88-dependent intracellular signaling pathway. Moreover, pyrenocine A is also able to inhibit the expression of genes related to NFκB-mediated signal transduction on macrophages stimulated by LPS. Our results indicate that pyrenocine A has promissory anti-inflammatory properties and additional experiments are necessary to confirm this findingin vivomodel.
Occurrence of Surface Active Agents in the Environment
Authors: Olkowska Ewa , Ruman Marek , Polkowska Żaneta
Published: January 2014

Due to the specific structure of surfactants molecules they are applied in different areas of human activity (industry, household). After using and discharging from wastewater treatment plants as effluent stream, surface active agents (SAAs) are emitted to various elements of the environment (atmosphere, waters, and solid phases), where they can undergo numerous physic-chemical processes (e.g., sorption, degradation) and freely migrate. Additionally, SAAs present in the environment can be accumulated in living organisms (bioaccumulation), what can have a negative effect on biotic elements of ecosystems (e.g., toxicity, disturbance of endocrine equilibrium). They also cause increaseing solubility of organic pollutants in aqueous phase, their migration, and accumulation in different environmental compartments. Moreover, surfactants found in aerosols can affect formation and development of clouds, which is associated with cooling effect in the atmosphere and climate changes. The environmental fate of SAAs is still unknown and recognition of this problem will contribute to protection of living organisms as well as preservation of quality and balance of various ecosystems. This work contains basic information about surfactants and overview of pollution of different ecosystems caused by them (their classification and properties, areas of use, their presence, and behavior in the environment).
Efficacy and Safety of the All-Oral Schedule of Metronomic Vinorelbine and Capecitabine in Locally Advanced or Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients: The Phase I-II VICTOR-1 Study
Authors: Cazzaniga M. E. , Torri V. , Villa F. , Giuntini N. , Riva F. , Zeppellini A. , Cortinovis D. , Bidoli P.
Published: January 2014

Background. Vinorelbine (VRB) and capecitabine (CAPE) are demonstrated to be active in pretreated metastatic breast cancer patients. Different studies have demonstrated that the metronomic treatment is active with an acceptable toxicity profile. We designed a Phases I-II study to define the MTD of oral metronomic, VRB, and CAPE.Patients and Methods. Phase I: fixed dose of CAPE was 500 mg thrice a day, continuously. Level I of VRB was 20 mg/tot thrice a week for 3 weeks (1 cycle). Subsequent levels were 30 mg/tot and 40 mg/tot (Level III), respectively, if no Grades 3-4 toxicity were observed in the previous level. Phase II: further 32 patients received the MTD of VRB plus CAPE for a total of 187 cycles to confirm toxicity profile.Results. 12 patients were enrolled in Phase I and 22 in Phase II. Phase I: the MTD of VRB was 40 mg. Phase II: 187 cycles were delivered, observing 5.9% of Grades 3-4 toxicity. 31 patients are evaluable for efficacy, obtaining a clinical benefit rate of 58.1%.Conclusion. MTD of VRB with fixed dose of CAPE was 40 mg thrice a week and was the recommended dose for the ongoing Phase II multicenter study.
Strong Inequalities for Hermite-Fejér Interpolations and Characterization ofK-Functionals
Authors: You Gongqiang
Published: January 2014

The works of Smale and Zhou (2003, 2007), Cucker and Smale (2002), and Cucker and Zhou (2007) indicate that approximation operators serve as cores of many machine learning algorithms. In this paper we study the Hermite-Fejér interpolation operator which has this potential of applications. The interpolation is defined by zeros of the Jacobi polynomials with parameters−1<α,β<0. Approximation rate is obtained for continuous functions. Asymptotic expression of theK-functional associated with the interpolation operators is given.
Biological Activity of Blackcurrant Extracts (Ribes nigrumL.) in Relation to Erythrocyte Membranes
Authors: Bonarska-Kujawa Dorota , Cyboran Sylwia , Żyłka Romuald , Oszmiański Jan , Kleszczyńska Halina
Published: January 2014

Compounds contained in fruits and leaves of blackcurrant (Ribes nigrumL.) are known as agents acting preventively and therapeutically on the organism. The HPLC analysis showed they are rich in polyphenol anthocyanins in fruits and flavonoids in leaves, that have antioxidant activity and are beneficial for health. The aim of the research was to determine the effect of blackcurrant fruit and leaf extracts on the physical properties of the erythrocyte membranes and assess their antioxidant properties. The effect of the extracts on osmotic resistance, shape of erythrocytes and hemolytic and antioxidant activity of the extracts were examined with spectrophotometric methods. The FTIR investigation showed that extracts modify the erythrocyte membrane and protect it against free radicals induced by UV radiation. The results show that the extracts do not induce hemolysis and even protect erythrocytes against the harmful action of UVC radiation, while slightly strengthening the membrane and inducing echinocytes. The compounds contained in the extracts do not penetrate into the hydrophobic region, but bind to the membrane surface inducing small changes in the packing arrangement of the polar head groups of membrane lipids. The extracts have a high antioxidant activity. Their presence on the surface of the erythrocyte membrane entails protection against free radicals.
Disjointed Multipath Routing for Real-Time Data in Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks
Authors: Park Junho , Jo Mirim , Seong Dongook , Yoo Jaesoo
Published: January 2014

Wireless multimedia sensor networks with sensing and processing abilities of multimedia data have recently emerged as one of the most important technologies for high quality monitoring. The routing scheme for multimedia data is an important research issue addressed in wireless multimedia sensor networks. In this paper, we propose a disjointed multipath routing scheme for real-time data transmission in wireless multimedia sensor networks. The proposed scheme uses a hybrid routing protocol based on Bluetooth and Zigbee in order to overcome the limitation of low bandwidth in conventional sensor networks. The proposed scheme also performs disjointed multipath routing based on competition to alleviate the delay of routing path setup. To show the superiority of our proposed scheme, we compare it with the existing scheme through performance evaluation. Our experimental results show that our proposed scheme reduces the end-to-end delay by about 30% and the routing path setup costs by about 22% over the existing scheme. Our scheme also increases data reception rates by about 690% over the existing scheme on average.
Preparation and Tribological Properties of Dual‐Coated TiO2 Nanoparticles as Water‐Based Lubricant Additives
Authors: Gu Yue , Zhao Xiuchen , Liu Ying , Lv Yunxia
Published: January 2014

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2) were synthesized and then dual‐coated with silane coupling agent (KH‐570) and OP‐10 in sequence in order to be dispersed stably in water as lubricant additives. The tribological properties and the application performance in Q235 steel machining of the nanoparticles as water‐based lubricant additives were investigated on an MSR‐10D four‐ball tribotester and on a bench drilling machine, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) were used to analyze the worn surface. The results show that the surface‐modified TiO2 nanoparticles can remarkably improve the load‐carrying capacity, the friction reducing, and anti wear abilities of pure water. The wear scar diameter and the coefficient of friction of the water‐based lubricating fluids with TiO2 nanoparticles decreased, and the thick deep furrows on the surface of wear scar also decreased obviously with the increase of TiO2 concentration. The power consumption in drilling process was lower and the cutting surface was smoother using the water‐based lubricating fluids added TiO2 nanoparticles compared to the fluid without addition. The reason for nanoparticles improving tribological properties of water based lubricating fluid might be the formation of a dynamic deposition film during rubbing process according to analysis of the worn surface.
Short-Term Effectiveness of a Lifestyle Intervention Program for Reducing Selected Chronic Disease Risk Factors in Individuals Living in Rural Appalachia: A Pilot Cohort Study
Authors: Drozek David , Diehl Hans , Nakazawa Masato , Kostohryz Tom , Morton Darren , Shubrook Jay H.
Published: January 2014

Most Western chronic diseases are closely tied to lifestyle behaviors, and many are preventable. Despite the well-distributed knowledge of these detrimental behaviors, effective efforts in disease prevention have been lacking. Many of these chronic diseases are related to obesity and type 2 diabetes, which have doubled in incidence during the last 35 years. The Complete Health Improvement Program (CHIP) is a community-based, comprehensive lifestyle modification approach to health that has shown success in addressing this problem. This pilot study demonstrates the effectiveness of CHIP in an underserved, rural, and vulnerable Appalachian population. Two hundred fourteen participants in CHIP collectively demonstrated significant reductions in body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and fasting blood levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and glucose. If these results can be repeated in other at-risk populations, CHIP has the potential to help reduce the burden of preventable and treatable chronic diseases efficiently and cost-effectively.
Noninvasive Electromagnetic Detection of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Cormio Luigi , Vedruccio Clarbruno , Leucci Giorgio , Massenio Paolo , Di Fino Giuseppe , Cavaliere Vincenzo , Carrieri Giuseppe
Published: January 2014

Objectives. Normal and neoplastic human tissues have different electromagnetic properties. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of noninvasive electromagnetic detection of bladder cancer (BC) by the tissue-resonance interaction method (TRIM-prob). Patients and Methods. Consecutive patients were referred for cystoscopy because of (i) microscopic or gross hematuria and/or irritative voiding symptoms and (ii) bladder ultrasounds and urinary cytology findings negative or just suspicious of malignancy. Patients were first submitted to TRIM-prob bladder scanning by a single investigator and then to cystoscopy by another investigator blind to TRIM-prob data. Results. In 125 evaluated patients cystoscopy was positive for BC in 47 and negative in the remaining 78; conversely, TRIM-prob bladder scanning was positive for BC in 53 and negative in 72. In particular, TRIM-prob scanning yielded 7 false positives and only one false negative; therefore, its overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy were 97.9%, 89.9%, 86.8%, 98.6%, and 93.6%, respectively. Conclusions. TRIM-prob bladder scanning was a simple and quite accurate method for non-invasive electromagnetic detection of BC. If the elevated positive and negative predictive values will be replicated in further well-designed studies, it could be used to screen asymptomatic patients at high risk of BC.
Continuous Catalyst-Free Esterification of Oleic Acid in Compressed Ethanol
Authors: Abdala Ana Carolina de Araujo , dos Santos Garcia Vitor Augusto , Trentini Caroline Portilho , Cardozo Filho Lúcio , da Silva Edson Antonio , da Silva Camila
Published: January 2014

The esterification of oleic acid in a continuous catalyst-free process using compressed ethanol was investigated in the present study. Experiments were performed in a tubular reactor and variables investigated were temperature, pressure, and oleic acid to ethanol molar ratio for different residence time. Results demonstrated that temperature, in the range of 473 K to 573 K, and pressure had a positive effect on fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE) production. In the experimental range investigated, high conversions can be obtained at low ethanol concentrations in the reaction medium and it was observed that oleic acid to ethanol molar ratios greater than 1 : 6 show no significant increase in conversion. Nonnegligible reaction conversions (>90%) were achieved at 573 K, 20 MPa, oleic acid to ethanol molar ratio of 1 : 6, and 20 minutes of residence time.
Interpatient Variability in Dexmedetomidine Response: A Survey of the Literature
Authors: Holliday Samantha F. , Kane-Gill Sandra L. , Empey Philip E. , Buckley Mitchell S. , Smithburger Pamela L.
Published: January 2014

Fifty-five thousand patients are cared for in the intensive care unit (ICU) daily with sedation utilized to reduce anxiety and agitation while optimizing comfort. The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) released updated guidelines for management of pain, agitation, and delirium in the ICU and recommended nonbenzodiazepines, such as dexmedetomidine and propofol, as first line sedation agents. Dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 agonist, offers many benefits yet its use is mired by the inability to consistently achieve sedation goals. Three hypotheses including patient traits/characteristics, pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients, and clinically relevant genetic polymorphisms that could affect dexmedetomidine response are presented. Studies in patient traits have yielded conflicting results regarding the role of race yet suggest that dexmedetomidine may produce more consistent results in less critically ill patients and with home antidepressant use. Pharmacokinetics of critically ill patients are reported as similar to healthy individuals yet wide, unexplained interpatient variability in dexmedetomidine serum levels exist. Genetic polymorphisms in both metabolism and receptor response have been evaluated in few studies, and the results remain inconclusive. To fully understand the role of dexmedetomidine, it is vital to further evaluate what prompts such marked interpatient variability in critically ill patients.
Improving Learning Performance with Happiness by Interactive Scenarios
Authors: Chuang Chi-Hung , Chen Ying-Nong , Tsai Luo-Wei , Lee Chun-Chieh , Tsai Hsin-Chun
Published: January 2014

Recently, digital learning has attracted a lot of researchers to improve the problems of learning carelessness, low learning ability, lack of concentration, and difficulties in comprehending the logic of math. In this study, a digital learning system based on Kinect somatosensory system is proposed to make children and teenagers happily learn in the course of the games and improve the learning performance. We propose two interactive geometry and puzzle games. The proposed somatosensory games can make learners feel curious and raise their motivation to find solutions for boring problems via abundant physical expressions and interactive operations. The players are asked to select particular operation by gestures and physical expressions within a certain time. By doing so, the learners can feel the fun of game playing and train their logic ability before they are aware. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed somatosensory system can effectively improve the students’ learning performance.
Three Weak Solutions for Nonlocal Fractional Laplacian Equations
Authors: Yang Dandan , Bai Chuanzhi
Published: January 2014

The existence of three weak solutions for the following nonlocal fractional equation(-Δ)su-λu=μf(x,u)inΩ,u=0inℝn∖Ω,is investigated, wheres∈(0,1)is fixed,(-Δ)sis the fractional Laplace operator,λandμare real parameters,Ωis an open bounded subset ofℝn,n>2s, and the functionfsatisfies some regularity and natural growth conditions. The approach is based on a three-critical-point theorem for differential functionals.
The Complex Action Recognition via the Correlated Topic Model
Authors: Tu Hong-bin , Xia Li-min , Wang Zheng-wu
Published: January 2014

Human complex action recognition is an important research area of the action recognition. Among various obstacles to human complex action recognition, one of the most challenging is to deal with self-occlusion, where one body part occludes another one. This paper presents a new method of human complex action recognition, which is based on optical flow and correlated topic model (CTM). Firstly, the Markov random field was used to represent the occlusion relationship between human body parts in terms of an occlusion state variable. Secondly, the structure from motion (SFM) is used for reconstructing the missing data of point trajectories. Then, we can extract the key frame based on motion feature from optical flow and the ratios of the width and height are extracted by the human silhouette. Finally, we use the topic model of correlated topic model (CTM) to classify action. Experiments were performed on the KTH, Weizmann, and UIUC action dataset to test and evaluate the proposed method. The compared experiment results showed that the proposed method was more effective than compared methods.
Investors’ Risk Preference Characteristics and Conditional Skewness
Authors: Wen Fenghua , He Zhifang , Chen Xiaohong
Published: January 2014

Perspective on behavioral finance, we take a new look at the characteristics of investors’ risk preference, building the D‐GARCH‐M model, DR‐GARCH‐M model, and GARCHC‐M model to investigate their changes with states of gain and loss and values of return together with other time‐varying characteristics of investors’ risk preference. Based on a full description of risk preference characteristic, we develop a GARCHCS‐M model to study its effect on the return skewness. The top ten market value stock composite indexes from Global Stock Exchange in 2012 are adopted to make the empirical analysis. The results show that investors are risk aversion when they gain and risk seeking when they lose, which effectively explains the inconsistent risk‐return relationship. Moreover, the degree of risk aversion rises with the increasing gain and that of risk seeking improves with the increasing losses. Meanwhile, we find that investors’ inherent risk preference in most countries displays risk seeking, and their current risk preference is influenced by last period’s risk preference and disturbances. At last, investors’ risk preferences affect the conditional skewness; specifically, their risk aversion makes return skewness reduce, while risk seeking makes the skewness increase.
Hardware Architecture for Real-Time Computation of Image Component Feature Descriptors on a FPGA
Authors: Malik Abdul Waheed , Thörnberg Benny , Imran Muhammad , Lawal Najeem
Published: January 2014

This paper describes a hardware architecture for real-time image component labeling and the computation of image component feature descriptors. These descriptors are object related properties used to describe each image component. Embedded machine vision systems demand a robust performance and power efficiency as well as minimum area utilization, depending on the deployed application. In the proposed architecture, the hardware modules for component labeling and feature calculation run in parallel. A CMOS image sensor (MT9V032), operating at a maximum clock frequency of 27 MHz, was used to capture the images. The architecture was synthesized and implemented on a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA. The developed architecture is capable of processing 390 video frames per second of size 640 × 480 pixels. Dynamic power consumption is 13 mW at 86 frames per second.
Birkhoff Normal Forms and KAM Theory for Gumowski-Mira Equation
Authors: Kulenović M. R. S. , Nurkanović Z. , Pilav E.
Published: January 2014

By using the KAM theory we investigate the stability of equilibrium solutions of the Gumowski-Mira equation:xn+1=(2axn)/(1+xn2)-xn-1,  n=0,1,…, wherex-1,x0∈(-∞,∞), and we obtain the Birkhoff normal forms for this equation for different equilibrium solutions.
The Effect of Intravenous Anesthetics on Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Eroglu Ahmet
Published: January 2014

The effects of intravenous anesthetics on ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) have been investigated in both animals and clinical studies. The protective effects and the dosages of the intravenous anesthetics on IRI were discussed in this paper. The prevention of the tissue injury after the IRI was demonstrated with intravenous anesthetics in some studies. In the future, the studies should be focused on the dosage of the anesthetics related to diminishing the tissue injuries. Further studies might be required in order to investigate the effects of the anesthetics on molecular levels.
Effect of Density and Pointed Corner Degree of Pore on Local Stress in Welded Structures: Defect in Marine Structures
Authors: Bouafia Farida , Serier Boualem , Serier Nassim , Hayat Sardar Sikandar
Published: January 2014

The process of assembly by welding, in marine structures, led to the creation of microstructural heterogeneities zones. Welded structures generally contain defects such as lack of penetration, slag inclusion, porosity, and misalignment. Generally these zones can be discontinuities geometrical. At the origins of stress concentration, these regions are favourable sites where fatigue cracks can initiate and propagate. In this study, the 3D finite element method is used to analyze the distribution of stress (strain) generated by the presence in the weld nugget of a pore formed during the welding process. This analysis was made in the matrix-pore interface. The effects of density and pointed corner degree of pore on the stress levels were also analyzed.
Continuous Exercise but Not High Intensity Interval Training Improves Fat Distribution in Overweight Adults
Authors: Keating Shelley E. , Machan Elizabeth A. , O'Connor Helen T. , Gerofi James A. , Sainsbury Amanda , Caterson Ian D. , Johnson Nathan A.
Published: January 2014

Objective. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of high intensity interval training (HIIT) versus continuous aerobic exercise training (CONT) or placebo (PLA) on body composition by randomized controlled design.Methods. Work capacity and body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) were measured before and after 12 weeks of intervention in 38 previously inactive overweight adults.Results. There was a significant group × time interaction for change in work capacity (P<0.001), which increased significantly in CONT (23.8±3.0%) and HIIT (22.3±3.5%) but not PLA (3.1±5.0%). There was a near-significant main effect for percentage trunk fat, with trunk fat reducing in CONT by3.1±1.6% and in PLA by1.1±0.4%, but not in HIIT (increase of0.7±1.0%) (P=0.07). There was a significant reduction in android fat percentage in CONT (2.7±1.3%) and PLA (1.4±0.8%) but not HIIT (increase of0.8±0.7%) (P=0.04).Conclusion. These data suggest that HIIT may be advocated as a time-efficient strategy for eliciting comparable fitness benefits to traditional continuous exercise in inactive, overweight adults. However, in this population HIIT does not confer the same benefit to body fat levels as continuous exercise training.
Management of Atrial Fibrillation in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Arrigo Mattia , Bettex Dominique , Rudiger Alain
Published: January 2014

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in ICU patients and is associated with a two- to fivefold increase in mortality. This paper provides a reappraisal of the management of AF with a special focus on critically ill patients with haemodynamic instability. AF can cause hypotension and heart failure with subsequent organ dysfunction. The underlying mechanisms are the loss of atrial contraction and the high ventricular rate. In unstable patients, sinus rhythm must be rapidly restored by synchronised electrical cardioversion (ECV). If pharmacological treatment is indicated, clinicians can choose between the rate control and the rhythm control strategy. The optimal substance should be selected depending on its potential adverse effects. A beta-1 antagonist with a very short half-life (e.g., esmolol) is an advantage for ICU patients because the effect of beta-blockade on cardiovascular stability is unpredictable in those patients. Amiodarone is commonly used in the ICU setting but has potentially severe cardiac and noncardiac side effects. Digoxin controls the ventricular response at rest, but its benefit decreases in the presence of adrenergic stress. Vernakalant converts new-onset AF to sinus rhythm in approximately 50% of patients, but data on its efficacy and safety in critically ill patients are lacking.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Uterine Cervical Cancer Patients: Ready for Clinical Use? A Review of the Literature
Authors: Palla Viktoria-Varvara , Karaolanis Georgios , Moris Demetrios , Antsaklis Aristides
Published: January 2014

Sentinel lymph node biopsy has been widely studied in a number of cancer types. As far as cervical cancer is concerned, this technique has already been used, revealing both positive results and several issues to be solved. The debate on the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in cervical cancer is still open although most of the studies have already revealed its superiority over complete lymphadenectomy and the best handling possible of the emerging practical problems. Further research should be made in order to standardize this method and include it in the clinical routine.
Evaluation of Clipping Based Iterative PAPR Reduction Techniques for FBMC Systems
Authors: Kollár Zsolt , Varga Lajos , Horváth Bálint , Bakki Péter , Bitó János
Published: January 2014

This paper investigates filter bankmulticarrier (FBMC), a multicarrier modulation technique exhibiting an extremely low adjacent channel leakage ratio (ACLR) compared to conventional orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) technique. The low ACLR of the transmitted FBMC signal makes it especially favorable in cognitive radio applications, where strict requirements are posed on out-of-band radiation. Large dynamic range resulting in high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) is characteristic of all sorts of multicarrier signals. The advantageous spectral properties of the high-PAPR FBMC signal are significantly degraded if nonlinearities are present in the transceiver chain. Spectral regrowth may appear, causing harmful interference in the neighboring frequency bands. This paper presents novel clipping based PAPR reduction techniques, evaluated and compared by simulations and measurements, with an emphasis on spectral aspects. The paper gives an overall comparison of PAPR reduction techniques, focusing on the reduction of the dynamic range of FBMC signals without increasing out-of-band radiation. An overview is presented on transmitter oriented techniques employing baseband clipping, which can maintain the system performance with a desired bit error rate (BER).
Community Structure and Succession Regulation of Fungal Consortia in the Lignocellulose-Degrading Process on Natural Biomass
Authors: Tian Baoyu , Wang Chunxiang , Lv Ruirui , Zhou Junxiong , Li Xin , Zheng Yi , Jin Xiangyu , Wang Mengli , Ye Yongxia , Huang Xinyi , Liu Ping
Published: January 2014

The study aims to investigate fungal community structures and dynamic changes in forest soil lignocellulose-degrading process. rRNA gene clone libraries for the samples collected in different stages of lignocellulose degradation process were constructed and analyzed. A total of 26 representative RFLP types were obtained from original soil clone library, including Mucoromycotina (29.5%), unclassified Zygomycetes (33.5%), Ascomycota (32.4%), and Basidiomycota (4.6%). When soil accumulated with natural lignocellulose, 16 RFLP types were identified from 8-day clone library, including Basidiomycota (62.5%), Ascomycota (36.1%), and Fungi incertae sedis (1.4%). After enrichment for 15 days, identified 11 RFLP types were placed in 3 fungal groups: Basidiomycota (86.9%), Ascomycota (11.5%), and Fungi incertae sedis (1.6%). The results showed richer, more diversity and abundance fungal groups in original forest soil. With the degradation of lignocellulose, fungal groups Mucoromycotina and Ascomycota decreased gradually, and wood-rotting fungi Basidiomycota increased and replaced the opportunist fungi to become predominant group. Most of the fungal clones identified in sample were related to the reported lignocellulose-decomposing strains. Understanding of the microbial community structure and dynamic change during natural lignocellulose-degrading process will provide us with an idea and a basis to construct available commercial lignocellulosic enzymes or microbial complex.
Microstructural and Mechanical Studies of PVA Doped with ZnO and WO3 Composites Films
Authors: Rithin Kumar N. B. , Crasta Vincent , Bhajantri Rajashekar F. , Praveen B. M.
Published: January 2014

Polymer composites of ZnO and WO3 nanoparticles doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix have been prepared using solvent casting method. The microstructural properties of prepared films were studied using FTIR, XRD, SEM, and EDAX techniques. In the doped PVA, many irregular shifts in the FTIR spectra have been observed and these shifts in bands can be understood on the basis of intra/intermolecular hydrogen bonding with the adjacent OH group of PVA. The chemical composition, phase homogeneity, and morphology of the polymer composites of the polymer film were studied using EDAX and SEM. These data indicate that the distribution of nanosized ZnO and WO3 dopants is uniform and confirm the presence of ZnO and WO3 in the film. The crystal structure and crystallinity of polymer composites were studied by XRD. It was found that the change in structural repositioning and crystallinity of the composites takes place due to the interaction of dopants and also due to complex formation. The mechanical studies of doped polymer films were carried out using universal testing machine (UTM) at room temperature, indicating that the addition of the ZnO and WO3 with weight percentage concentration equal to 14% increases the tensile strength and Young’s modulus.
A Single Sweep AGE Algorithm on a Variable Mesh Based on Off-Step Discretization for the Solution of Nonlinear Burgers’ Equation
Authors: Mohanty R. K. , Talwar Jyoti
Published: January 2014

We discuss a new single sweep alternating group explicit iteration method, along with a third-order numerical method based on off-step discretization on a variable mesh to solve the nonlinear ordinary differential equation y′′=f(x,y,y′) subject to given natural boundary conditions. Using the proposed method, we have solved Burgers’ equation both in singular and nonsingular cases, which is the main attraction of our work. The convergence of the proposed method is discussed in detail. We compared the results of the proposed iteration method with the results of the corresponding double sweep alternating group explicit iteration methods to demonstrate computationally the efficiency of the proposed method.
A BDDC Preconditioner for the RotatedQ1FEM for Elliptic Problems with Discontinuous Coefficients
Authors: Jiang Yaqin
Published: January 2014

We propose a BDDC preconditioner for the rotatedQ1finite element method for second order elliptic equations with piecewise but discontinuous coefficients. In the framework of the standard additive Schwarz methods, we describe this method by a complete variational form. We show that our method has a quasioptimal convergence behavior; that is, the condition number of the preconditioned problem is independent of the jumps of the coefficients and depends only logarithmically on the ratio between the subdomain size and the mesh size. Numerical experiments are presented to confirm our theoretical analysis.
Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles UsingKedrostis foetidissima (Jacq.) Cogn.
Authors: Amutha M. , Lalitha P. , Firdhouse M. Jannathul
Published: January 2014

Nanosilver was synthesized using the aqueous solution of solvent extracts of leaf and stem ofKedrostis foetidissima. Three different methods of formation of silver nanoparticles such as reaction at (i) room temperature, (ii) higher temperature, and (iii) sonication were employed in the present study. The synthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometer, Scherrer’s formula, scanning electron microscopy, and FTIR analysis.
Oncolytic Immunotherapy: Where Are We Clinically?
Authors: Hemminki Akseli
Published: January 2014

Following a century of preclinical and clinical work, oncolytic viruses are now proving themselves in randomized phase 3 trials. Interestingly, human data indicates that these agents have potent immunostimulatory activity, raising the possibility that the key consequence of oncolysis might be induction of antitumor immunity, especially in the context of viruses harboring immunostimulatory transgenes. While safety and efficacy of many types of oncolytic viruses, including adenovirus, herpes, reo, and vaccinia seem promising, few mechanisms of action studies have been performed with human substrates. Thus, the relative contribution of “pure” oncolysis, the immune response resulting from oncolysis, and the added benefit of adding a transgene remain poorly understood. Here, the available clinical data on oncolytic viruses is reviewed, with emphasis on immunological aspects.
Interaction between DNA and Trimethyl-Ammonium Bromides with Different Alkyl Chain Lengths
Authors: Cheng Chao , Ran Shi-Yong
Published: January 2014

The interaction betweenλ—DNA and cationic surfactants with varying alkyl chain lengths was investigated. By dynamic light scattering method, the trimethyl-ammonium bromides-DNA complex formation was shown to be dependent on the length of the surfactant’s alkyl chain. For surfactants with sufficient long alkyl chain (CTAB, TTAB, DTAB), the compacted particles exist with a size of ~60–110 nm at low surfactant concentrations. In contrast, high concentration of surfactants leads to aggregates with increased sizes. Atomic force microscope scanning also supports the above observation. Zeta potential measurements show that the potential of the particles decreases with the increase of surfactant concentration (CTAB, TTAB, DTAB), which contributes much to the coagulation of the particles. For OTAB, the surfactant with the shortest chain in this study, it cannot fully neutralize the charges of DNA molecules; consequently, the complex is looser than other surfactant-DNA structures.
Effect of Fluticasone and Salmeterol on Tracheal Responsiveness to Ovalbumin and Lung Inflammation, Administrated during and after Sensitization
Authors: Gholamnezhad Zahra , Boskabady Mohammad Hossain , Khazdair Mohammad Reza , Hosseini Mahmoud , Abbasnejad Mahdi
Published: January 2014

The effect of duration of administration of fluticasone propionate and salmeterol on tracheal responsiveness to ovalbumin and total and differential white blood cell in sensitized guinea pig was examined. Six groups of guinea pigs (n=7) were sensitized to ovalbumin. Three groups of them were subjected to inhaled fluticasone propionate and salmeterol, one group during sensitization (A), one group after that (for 18 days, B), and the other one during sensitization but with 18 days delay before measurements (C). Three other groups were treated with placebo in the same manner. The tracheal responsiveness to ovalbumin and total and differential white blood cells of three placebo groups were significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.001for all cases). Tracheal responsiveness to ovalbumin and total and differential white blood cell in treated groups with fluticasone propionate and salmeterol were significantly decreased compared to those of placebo groups (nonsignificant toP<0.001). The improvement in all variables in treatment groups A and C were more pronounced than group B. The results showed that fluticasone propionate and salmeterol had a prevention effect on tracheal hyperresponsiveness to ovalbumin and lung inflammation which was more pronounced when administered during than after sensitization.
Low-Complexity User Selection for Rate Maximization in MIMO Broadcast Channels with Downlink Beamforming
Authors: Castañeda Eduardo , Silva Adão , Samano-Robles Ramiro , Gameiro Atílio
Published: January 2014

We present in this work a low-complexity algorithm to solve the sum rate maximization problem in multiuser MIMO broadcast channels with downlink beamforming. Our approach decouples the user selection problem from the resource allocation problem and its main goal is to create a set of quasiorthogonal users. The proposed algorithm exploits physical metrics of the wireless channels that can be easily computed in such a way that a null space projection power can be approximated efficiently. Based on the derived metrics we present a mathematical model that describes the dynamics of the user selection process which renders the user selection problem into an integer linear program. Numerical results show that our approach is highly efficient to form groups of quasiorthogonal users when compared to previously proposed algorithms in the literature. Our user selection algorithm achieves a large portion of the optimum user selection sum rate (90%) for a moderate number of active users.
Finite Time Stability of Stochastic Hybrid Systems
Authors: Yang Ying , Chen Guopei
Published: January 2014

This paper considers the finite time stability of stochastic hybrid systems, which has both Markovian switching and impulsive effect. First, the concept of finite time stability is extended to stochastic hybrid systems. Then, by using common Lyapunov function and multiple Lyapunov functions theory, two sufficient conditions for finite time stability of stochastic hybrid systems are presented. Furthermore, a new notion called stochastic minimum dwell time is proposed and then, combining it with the method of multiple Lyapunov functions, a sufficient condition for finite time stability of stochastic hybrid systems is given. Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrate the theoretical results.
Spirometra(Pseudophyllidea, Diphyllobothriidae) Severely Infecting Wild-Caught Snakes from Food Markets in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Guangdong, China: Implications for Public Health
Authors: Wang Fumin , Li Weiye , Hua Liushuai , Gong Shiping , Xiao Jiajie , Hou Fanghui , Ge Yan , Yang Guangda
Published: January 2014

Sparganosis is a zoonotic disease caused by the spargana ofSpirometra, and snake is one of the important intermediate hosts of spargana. In some areas of China, snake is regarded as popular delicious food, and such a food habit potentially increases the prevalence of human sparganosis. To understand the prevalence ofSpirometrain snakes in food markets, we conducted a study in two representative cities (Guangzhou and Shenzhen), during January–August 2013. A total of 456 snakes of 13 species were examined and 251 individuals of 10 species were infected bySpirometra, accounting for 55.0% of the total samples. The worm burden per infected snake ranged from 1 to 213, and the prevalence in the 13 species was 0∼96.2%. More than half (58.1%) of the spargana were located in muscular tissue, 25.6% in subcutaneous tissue, and 16.3% in coelomic cavity. The results indicated thatSpirometraseverely infected snakes in food markets in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, implying that eating snakes has great health risk and improper cooking methods may increase the risk ofSpirometrainfection in humans in China. Additional steps should be considered by the governments and public health agencies to prevent the risk of snake-associatedSpirometrainfections in humans.
Reentry Trajectory Optimization Based on a Multistage Pseudospectral Method
Authors: Zhao Jiang , Zhou Rui , Jin Xuelian
Published: January 2014

Of the many direct numerical methods, the pseudospectral method serves as an effective tool to solve the reentry trajectory optimization for hypersonic vehicles. However, the traditional pseudospectral method is time-consuming due to large number of discretization points. For the purpose of autonomous and adaptive reentry guidance, the research herein presents a multistage trajectory control strategy based on the pseudospectral method, capable of dealing with the unexpected situations in reentry flight. The strategy typically includes two subproblems: the trajectory estimation and trajectory refining. In each processing stage, the proposed method generates a specified range of trajectory with the transition of the flight state. The full glide trajectory consists of several optimal trajectory sequences. The newly focused geographic constraints in actual flight are discussed thereafter. Numerical examples of free-space flight, target transition flight, and threat avoidance flight are used to show the feasible application of multistage pseudospectral method in reentry trajectory optimization.
Facebook Enhances Antidepressant Pharmacotherapy Effects
Authors: Mota Pereira Jorge
Published: January 2014

Treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TR-MDD) is a complex condition, with very low remission rates. In recent years some studies have been conducted on the implementation of cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic psychotherapy interventions via the Internet to MDD patients, and results have been promising. However, there have been no studies in patients with TR-MDD nor with the use of Facebook with the psychiatrist as “friend.” 60 TR-MDD patients were randomized to one of three groups: Facebook group with psychiatrist as “friend,” Facebook group without psychiatrist as “friend,” and control group (no Facebook use). Both Facebook groups spent at least 1 hour/day on Facebook, 7 days/week, during the 3 months. All patients maintained their usual pharmacotherapy. All participants were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 2, and 3 months for depressive symptoms using HAD17 and BDI-II. Results show that both Facebook groups had a decrease on HADM17 and BDI-II scores as well as higher remission and response rates than the control group, with better results if the psychiatrist was a “friend” on Facebook. Therefore, in TR-MDD, Facebook can be used as an effective enhancement therapy, adjuvant to pharmacological therapy with regular consultations, especially if the psychiatrist is the patient’s online “friend.”
Lost in Translation? Comparing British, Japanese, and Italian Children’s Theory-of-Mind Performance
Authors: Hughes Claire , Devine Rory T. , Ensor Rosie , Koyasu Masuo , Mizokawa Ai , Lecce Serena
Published: January 2014

Findings from cross-cultural theory-of-mind studies highlight potential measurement effects and both general (e.g., East-West) and specific (e.g., pedagogical experiences) cultural contrasts. We compared theory-of-mind scores for children from UK and Italy (two Western countries that differ in age of school entry) and Japan (a Far-Eastern country in which children, like their Italian counterparts, start school later than British children). Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to data from 268 age-gender- and verbal ability-matched 5- to 6-year olds. Key findings were that (i) all 8 indicators loaded onto a single latent factor; and (ii) this latent factor explained significant variance in each group, with just one indicator showing differential item functioning. Supporting the importance of pedagogical experiences, British children outperformed both their Italian and Japanese counterparts.
Liver Resections of Isolated Liver Metastasis in Breast Cancer: Results and Possible Prognostic Factors
Authors: Weinrich Malte , Weiß Christel , Schuld Jochen , Rau Bettina M.
Published: January 2014

Background. Breast cancer liver metastasis is a hematogenous spread of the primary tumour. It can, however, be the expression of an isolated recurrence. Surgical resection is often possible but controversial. Methods. We report on 29 female patients treated operatively due to isolated breast cancer liver metastasis over a period of six years. Prior to surgery all metastases appeared resectable. Liver metastasis had been diagnosed 55 (median, range 1–177) months after primary surgery. Results. Complete resection of the metastases was performed in 21 cases. The intraoperative staging did not confirm the preoperative radiological findings in 14 cases, which did not generally lead to inoperability. One-year survival rate was 86% in resected patients and 37.5% in nonresected patients. Significant prognostic factors were R0 resection, low T- and N-stages as well as a low-grade histopathology of the primary tumour, lower number of liver metastases, and a longer time interval between primary surgery and the occurrence of liver metastasis. Conclusions. Complete resection of metastases was possible in three-quarters of the patients. Some of the studied factors showed a prognostic value and therefore might influence indication for resection in the future.
An Algorithm for Mining of Association Rules for the Information Communication Network Alarms Based on Swarm Intelligence
Authors: Wang Yang , Li Guocai , Xu Yakun , Hu Jie
Published: January 2014

Due to the centralized management of information communication network, the network operator have to face these pressures, which come from the increasing network alarms and maintenance efficiency. The effective analysis on mining of the network alarm association rules is achieved by incorporating classic data association mining algorithm and swarm intelligence optimization algorithm. From the related concept of the information communication network, the paper analyzes the data characteristics and association logic of the network alarms. Besides, the alarm data are preprocessed and the main standardization information fields are screened. The APPSO algorithm is proposed on the basis of combining the evaluation method for support and confidence coefficient in the Apriori (AP) algorithm as well as the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. By establishing a sparse linked list, the algorithm is able to calculate the particle support thus further improving the performance of the APPSO algorithm. Based on the test for the network alarm data, it is discovered that rational setting of the particle swarm scale and number of iterations of the APPSO algorithm can be used to mine the vast majority and even all of the association rules and the mining efficiency is significantly improved, compared with Apriori algorithm.