bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GLOBAL BEHAVIOR AND HOPF BIFURCATION OF A STAGE-STRUCTURED PREY–PREDATOR MODEL WITH MATURATION DELAY FOR PREY AND GESTATION DELAY FOR PREDATOR
Authors: JATAV KUNWER SINGH , DHAR JOYDIP
Published: March 2015

Age structured models are important for the dynamics and evolution of many insect populations. For such models the rates of survival, growth and reproduction depend on the age or developmental stage of individuals in the population. For example, the life cycles of many species are composed of at least two stages, immature individuals (immatures) and mature individuals (matures) which may exhibit fundamentally different developmental, morphological and behavioral characteristics. In this paper, we incorporate these biological properties into a predator–prey population model. Our model is stage-structured for the prey and contains maturation and gestation delays. Using comparison theorems, we derive sufficient conditions for dynamical system permanence. We found equilibrium points exhibit switching with boundary equilibrium points through a mechanism of decreasing maturation of the prey population. Furthermore, an analysis of the corresponding characteristic equations was performed to determine local stability of equilibria. Choosing the gestation delay as a bifurcation parameter, we were able to compute a critical value for the existence of small amplitude oscillation of population densities (i.e., a Hopf bifurcation). Sufficient conditions for the global stability of all non-negative equilibria were obtained using Kamke comparison theorems and a newly developed iteration technique. Numerical simulations were performed to illustrate the theoretical results.
SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY, FAST MIGRATION AND COEXISTENCE OF INTRAGUILD PREDATION DYNAMICS
Authors: NGUYEN TRONG HIEU , NGUYEN-NGOC DOANH
Published: March 2015

In this paper, we investigate effects of spatial heterogeneous environment and fast migration of individuals on the coexistence of the intraguild predation (IGP) dynamics. We present a two-patch model. We assume that on one patch two species compete for a common resource, and on the other patch one species can capture the other one for the maintenance. We also assume IGP individuals are able to migrate between the two patches and the migration process acts on a fast time scale in comparison with demography, predation and competition processes. We show that under certain conditions the heterogeneous environment and fast migration can lead to coexistence of the two species.
A NOVEL APPLICATION OF HIGHER ORDER STATISTICS OF R-R INTERVAL SIGNAL IN EMD DOMAIN FOR PREDICTING TERMINATION OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION
Authors: MOHEBBI MARYAM
Published: March 2015

Predicting termination of atrial fibrillation (AF), based on noninvasive techniques, can be invaluable in order to avoid useless therapeutic interventions and to minimize the risks for the patients. Currently, no reliable method exists to predict the termination of AF. We propose an algorithm for predicting termination of AF using higher order statistical moments of R-R interval signal calculated in both time and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) domains. In the proposed method, R-R interval signal is decomposed into a set of intrinsic mode functions (IMF) and higher order moments including skewness, and kurtosis, as well as mean and variance, are calculated from the first four IMFs. The appropriateness of these features in predicting the termination of AF is studied using atrial fibrillation termination database (AFTDB) which consists of three types of AF episodes: N-type (non-terminated AF episode), S-type (terminated 1'min after the end of the record), and T-type (terminated immediately after the end of the record). By using a support vector machine (SVM) classifier for classification of AF episodes, we obtained sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictivity 92.47%, 95.29%, and 92.80%, respectively. The important advantage of the proposed method compared to the other existing approaches is that our algorithm can simultaneously discriminate the three types of AF episodes with high accuracy. The results demonstrate that the EMD domain is a particularly well-suited domain for analyzing nonstationary and nonlinear R-R interval signal in AF termination prediction application.
On the Acoustic Radiation of Axisymmetric Fluid-Filled Pipes Using the Wave Finite Element (WFE) Method
Authors: Bhuddi Ajit , Gobert Marie-Laure , Mencik Jean-Mathieu
Published: March 2015

This paper investigates the efficiency of the wave finite element (WFE) method to assess the vibroacoustic behavior of finite baffled axisymmetric elastic pipes interacting with internal and external acoustic fluids. The pipes, of either homogeneous or multi-layered cross-sections, are surrounded by an external fluid of infinite extent, which can be light or heavy. The Sommerfeld radiation condition is taken into account by considering a perfectly matched layer (PML) around the external fluid. The method involves the computation of waves traveling along an axisymmetric multi-physics waveguide that incorporates a pipe, internal and external fluids, as well as a PML. Numerical experiments are carried out which highlight the relevance of the WFE method in terms of accuracy and CPU time savings, in comparison with the conventional finite element analysis.
Image Denoising via Bayesian Estimation of Statistical Parameter Using Generalized Gamma Density Prior in Gaussian Noise Model
Authors: Kittisuwan Pichid
Published: March 2015

The application of image processing in industry has shown remarkable success over the last decade, for example, in security and telecommunication systems. The denoising of natural image corrupted by Gaussian noise is a classical problem in image processing. So, image denoising is an indispensable step during image processing. This paper is concerned with dual-tree complex wavelet-based image denoising using Bayesian techniques. One of the cruxes of the Bayesian image denoising algorithms is to estimate the statistical parameter of the image. Here, we employ maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimation to calculate local observed variance with generalized Gamma density prior for local observed variance and Laplacian or Gaussian distribution for noisy wavelet coefficients. Evidently, our selection of prior distribution is motivated by efficient and flexible properties of generalized Gamma density. The experimental results show that the proposed method yields good denoising results.
Efficient oxidation of ethers with pyridine N-oxide catalyzed by ruthenium porphyrins
Authors: Kato Nobuki , Hamaguchi Yu , Umezawa Naoki , Higuchi Tsunehiko
Published: March 2015

We found that oxidation of cyclic ethers with the Ru porphyrin-heteroaromatic N-oxide system gave lactones or/and ring-opened oxidized products with regioselectivity. A relatively high kinetic isotope effect was observed in the ether oxidation, suggesting that the rate-determining step is the first hydrogen abstraction.
A new 2D graphical representation of protein sequence and its application
Authors: Wang Lei , Peng Hui , Zheng Jinhua , Qiu Yanzi
Published: March 2015

Graphical representation is a very efficient tool for visual analysis of protein sequences. In this paper, a novel 2D graphical representation scheme is proposed on the basis of a newly introduced concept, named characteristic model of the protein sequences. After obtaining the 2D graphics of protein sequences, two numerical characterizations of them is designed as descriptors to analyze the nine DN5 protein sequences, simulation and analysis results show that, comparing with existing methods, our method is not only visible, intuitional, and simple, but also has no circuit or degeneracy, and even more important, since the storage space required by our method is constant and has nothing to do with the length of protein sequences, then it can keep excellent visual inspection for long protein sequences.
ISA Wars
Authors: Blem Emily , Menon Jaikrishnan , Vijayaraghavan Thiruvengadam , Sankaralingam Karthikeyan
Published: March 2015

RISC versus CISC wars raged in the 1980s when chip area and processor design complexity were the primary constraints and desktops and servers exclusively dominated the computing landscape. Today, energy and power are the primary design constraints and the computing landscape is significantly different: Growth in tablets and smartphones running ARM (a RISC ISA) is surpassing that of desktops and laptops running x86 (a CISC ISA). Furthermore, the traditionally low-power ARM ISA is entering the high-performance server market, while the traditionally high-performance x86 ISA is entering the mobile low-power device market. Thus, the question of whether ISA plays an intrinsic role in performance or energy efficiency is becoming important again, and we seek to answer this question through a detailed measurement-based study on real hardware running real applications. We analyze measurements on seven platforms spanning three ISAs (MIPS, ARM, and x86) over workloads spanning mobile, desktop, and server computing. Our methodical investigation demonstrates the role of ISA in modern microprocessors’ performance and energy efficiency. We find that ARM, MIPS, and x86 processors are simply engineering design points optimized for different levels of performance, and there is nothing fundamentally more energy efficient in one ISA class or the other. The ISA being RISC or CISC seems irrelevant.
Benchmarking and improving point cloud data management in MonetDB
Authors: Martinez-Rubi Oscar , van Oosterom Peter , Gonçalves Romulo , Tijssen Theo , Ivanova Milena , Kersten Martin L. , Alvanaki Foteini
Published: March 2015

The popularity, availability and sizes of point cloud data sets are increasing, thus raising interesting data management and processing challenges. Various software solutions are available for the management of point cloud data. A benchmark for point cloud data management systems was defined and it was executed for several solutions. In this paper we focus on the solutions based on the column-store MonetDB, the generic out-of-the-box approach is compared with two alternative approaches that exploit the spatial coherence of the data to improve the data access and to minimize the storage requirements.
Analysis and design of new application platforms for mhealth
Authors: Sannino Giovanna
Published: March 2015

There is no doubt that healthcare is a social-scale problem. Especially with the increase in elderly populations, the burden of healthcare is steadily increasing. Also, healthcare providers are faced with a shrinking professional caregiving force, which means there is a need to involve the patients' family members, friends and communities in the care activities. Thus, there is an urgent need to build collaborative care environments to maximize caregivers' efficacy, to improve the safety and quality of care by providing timely health information to professional healthcare providers, patients and patients' family members or friends.
Cholesterol affects flow-stimulated cyclooxygenase-2 expression and prostanoid secretion in the cortical collecting duct
Authors: Liu Yu , Flores Daniel , Carrisoza-Gaytán Rolando , Rohatgi Rajeev
Published: March 2015

Essential hypertension (eHTN) is associated with hypercholesterolemia, but how cholesterol contributes to eHTN is unknown. Recent evidence demonstrates that short-term dietary cholesterol ingestion induces epithelial Na channel (ENaC)-dependent Na absorption with a subsequent rise in blood pressure (BP), implicating cholesterol in salt-sensitive HTN. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), an autocrine/paracrine molecule, is induced by flow in endothelia to vasodilate the vasculature and inhibit ENaC-dependent Na absorption in the renal collecting duct (CD), which reduce BP. We hypothesize that cholesterol suppresses flow-mediated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and PGE2 release in the CD, which, in turn, affects Na absorption. Cortical CDs (CCDs) were microperfused at 0, 1, and 5 nl·min−1·mm−1, and PGE2 release was measured. Secreted PGE2 was similar between no- and low-flow (151 ± 28 vs. 121 ± 48 pg·ml−1·mm−1) CCDs, but PGE2 was greatest from high-flow (578 ± 146 pg·ml−1·mm−1; P < 0.05) CCDs. Next, mice were fed either a 0 or 1% cholesterol diet, injected with saline to generate high urine flow rates, and CCDs were microdissected for PGE2 secretion. CCDs isolated from cholesterol-fed mice secreted less PGE2 and had a lower PGE2-generating capacity than CCDs isolated from control mice, implying cholesterol repressed flow-induced PGE2 synthesis. Next, cholesterol extraction in a CD cell line induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 release while cholesterol incorporation, conversely, suppressed their expression. Moreover, fluid shear stress (FSS) and cholesterol extraction induced COX-2 protein abundance via p38-dependent activation. Thus cellular cholesterol composition affects biomechanical signaling, which, in turn, affects FSS-mediated COX-2 expression and PGE2 release via a p38-dependent mechanism.
Possible mechanisms underlying slow component of V̇o2 on-kinetics in skeletal muscle
Authors: Korzeniewski Bernard , Zoladz Jerzy A.
Published: March 2015

A computer model of a skeletal muscle bioenergetic system is used to study the background of the slow component of oxygen consumption V̇o2 on-kinetics in skeletal muscle. Two possible mechanisms are analyzed: inhibition of ATP production by anaerobic glycolysis by progressive cytosol acidification (together with a slow decrease in ATP supply by creatine kinase) and gradual increase of ATP usage during exercise of constant power output. It is demonstrated that the former novel mechanism is potent to generate the slow component. The latter mechanism further increases the size of the slow component; it also moderately decreases metabolite stability and has a small impact on muscle pH. An increase in anaerobic glycolysis intensity increases the slow component, elevates cytosol acidification during exercise, and decreases phosphocreatine and Pi stability, although slightly increases ADP stability. A decrease in the P/O ratio (ATP molecules/O2 molecules) during exercise cannot also be excluded as a relevant mechanism, although this issue requires further study. It is postulated that both the progressive inhibition of anaerobic glycolysis by accumulating protons (together with a slow decrease of the net creatine kinase reaction rate) and gradual increase of ATP usage during exercise, and perhaps a decrease in P/O, contribute to the generation of the slow component of the V̇o2 on-kinetics in skeletal muscle.
Mechanical ventilation triggers abnormal mitochondrial dynamics and morphology in the diaphragm
Authors: Picard Martin , Azuelos Ilan , Jung Boris , Giordano Christian , Matecki Stefan , Hussain Sabah , White Kathryn , Li Tong , Liang Feng , Benedetti Andrea , Gentil Benoit J. , Burelle Yan , Petrof Basil J.
Published: March 2015

The diaphragm is a unique skeletal muscle designed to be rhythmically active throughout life, such that its sustained inactivation by the medical intervention of mechanical ventilation (MV) represents an unanticipated physiological state in evolutionary terms. Within a short period after initiating MV, the diaphragm develops muscle atrophy, damage, and diminished strength, and many of these features appear to arise from mitochondrial dysfunction. Notably, in response to metabolic perturbations, mitochondria fuse, divide, and interact with neighboring organelles to remodel their shape and functional properties—a process collectively known as mitochondrial dynamics. Using a quantitative electron microscopy approach, here we show that diaphragm contractile inactivity induced by 6 h of MV in mice leads to fragmentation of intermyofibrillar (IMF) but not subsarcolemmal (SS) mitochondria. Furthermore, physical interactions between adjacent organellar membranes were less abundant in IMF mitochondria during MV. The profusion proteins Mfn2 and OPA1 were unchanged, whereas abundance and activation status of the profission protein Drp1 were increased in the diaphragm following MV. Overall, our results suggest that mitochondrial morphological abnormalities characterized by excessive fission-fragmentation represent early events during MV, which could potentially contribute to the rapid onset of mitochondrial dysfunction, maladaptive signaling, and associated contractile dysfunction of the diaphragm.
Early planning activity in frontal and parietal cortex in a simplified task
Authors: Stetson Chess , Andersen Richard A.
Published: March 2015

Cortical planning activity has traditionally been probed with visual targets. However, external sensory signals might obscure early correlates of internally generated plans. We devised a nonspatial decision-making task in which the monkey is encouraged to decide randomly whether to reach or saccade in the absence of sensory stimuli. Neurons in frontal and parietal planning areas (in and around the arcuate and intraparietal sulci) showed responses predictive of the monkey's upcoming movement at early stages during the planning process. Neurons predicted the animal's future movements several seconds beforehand, sometimes before the trial even began. These data cast new light on the role of the cerebral cortex in the action planning process, when the animal is free to decide on his own actions in the absence of extraneous sensory cues.
Optogenetically induced spatiotemporal gamma oscillations and neuronal spiking activity in primate motor cortex
Authors: Lu Yao , Truccolo Wilson , Wagner Fabien B. , Vargas-Irwin Carlos E. , Ozden Ilker , Zimmermann Jonas B. , May Travis , Agha Naubahar S. , Wang Jing , Nurmikko Arto V.
Published: March 2015

Transient gamma-band (40–80 Hz) spatiotemporal patterns are hypothesized to play important roles in cortical function. Here we report the direct observation of gamma oscillations as spatiotemporal waves induced by targeted optogenetic stimulation, recorded by intracortical multichannel extracellular techniques in macaque monkeys during their awake resting states. Microelectrode arrays integrating an optical fiber at their center were chronically implanted in primary motor (M1) and ventral premotor (PMv) cortices of two subjects. Targeted brain tissue was transduced with the red-shifted opsin C1V1(T/T). Constant (1-s square pulses) and ramp stimulation induced narrowband gamma oscillations during awake resting states. Recordings across 95 microelectrodes (4 × 4-mm array) enabled us to track the transient gamma spatiotemporal patterns manifested, e.g., as concentric expanding and spiral waves. Gamma oscillations were induced well beyond the light stimulation volume, via network interactions at distal electrode sites, depending on optical power. Despite stimulation-related modulation in spiking rates, neuronal spiking remained highly asynchronous during induced gamma oscillations. In one subject we examined stimulation effects during preparation and execution of a motor task and observed that movement execution largely attenuated optically induced gamma oscillations. Our findings demonstrate that, beyond previously reported induced gamma activity under periodic drive, a prolonged constant stimulus above a certain threshold may carry primate motor cortex network dynamics into gamma oscillations, likely via a Hopf bifurcation. More broadly, the experimental capability in combining microelectrode array recordings and optogenetic stimulation provides an important approach for probing spatiotemporal dynamics in primate cortical networks during various physiological and behavioral conditions.
Analysis of the Association of A Heat Shock Protein70‐1 Gene Promoter Polymorphism With Myocardial Infarction and Coronary Risk Traits
Authors: Bolla M.K. , Miller G.J. , Yellon D.M. , Evans A. , Luc G. , Cambou J.P. , Arveiler D. , Cambien F. , Latchman D.S. , Humphries S.E. , Day I.N.M.
Published: March 2015

Heat shock proteins (HSP) are induced during coronary ischaemia, and abnormal expression of one HSP gene may cause hypertension in rats, We examined association of a promoter polymorphism in the major stress‐inducible hsp70 gene (hsp70‐1 or HSP70A1) on chromosome 6 (p21.3) with coronary disease traits, This C→A base substitution (AAACCCC) is at nucleotide position ‐110 in the heat shock transcription factor binding site (heat shock element, HSE). The first study sample (ECTIM), recruited from Belfast and three centres in France, consisted of 578 myocardial infarction cases and 698 agematched controls. The frequency of the A-110 allele was 0.381 (95% CI=0.35‐0.41) and 0.384 (95% CI=0.36‐0.41) in cases and controls respectively, Homozygotes for the rarer A-110 allele had a higher BMI (27.3 kg/m2±3.9) compared with homozygotes for the common C-110 allele (26.3 kg/m2±3.3), The rarer homozygotes were shorter and heavier than the common homozygotes. A follow‐up study involved 1431 healthy, middle aged men from the UK (NPHSII group). The frequency of the A-110allele was 0.385 (95% CI=0.37 ‐0.40), and there was no association of genotype with BMI. Thus there appears to be no strong association of the Hsp70‐1 promoter polymorphism with risk of myocardial infarction, BMI or any coronary disease traits analysed here.
Production and Decay of Up-Type and Down-Type New Heavy Quarks through Anomalous Interactions at the LHC
Authors: Çakır İ. T. , Kuday S. , Çakır O.
Published: March 2015

We study the processpp→QV+X(whereQ=t,bandV=g,γ,andZ) through the anomalous interactions of the new heavy quarks at the LHC. Considering the present limits on the masses and mixings, the signatures of the heavy quark anomalous interactions are discussed and analysed at the LHC for the center of mass energy of 13 TeV. An important sensitivity to anomalous couplingsκgt′/Λ=0.10 TeV−1,κγt′/Λ=0.14 TeV−1,κZt′/Λ=0.19 TeV−1andκgb′/Λ=0.15 TeV−1,κZb′/Λ=0.19 TeV−1,κγb′/Λ=0.30 TeV−1for the mass of 750 GeV of the new heavy quarkst′andb′can be reached for an integrated luminosity ofLint=100 fb−1.
Ginger and Its Constituents: Role in Prevention and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancer
Authors: Prasad Sahdeo , Tyagi Amit K.
Published: March 2015

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, a cancer of different organs of the digestive system, is one of the most common cancers around the world. The incidence and death rate of some of these cancers are very high. Although a large variety of chemotherapeutic agents have been introduced since the last few decades to combat GI cancer, most of them are very expensive and have side effects. Therefore, the compounds derived from natural sources, which are considered to be safe and cost effective, are needed. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is one of the most widely used natural products consumed as a spice and medicine for treating nausea, dysentery, heartburn, flatulence, diarrhea, loss of appetite, infections, cough, and bronchitis. Experimental studies showed that ginger and its active components including 6-gingerol and 6-shogaol exert anticancer activities against GI cancer. The anticancer activity of ginger is attributed to its ability to modulate several signaling molecules like NF-κB, STAT3, MAPK, PI3K, ERK1/2, Akt, TNF-α, COX-2, cyclin D1, cdk, MMP-9, survivin, cIAP-1, XIAP, Bcl-2, caspases, and other cell growth regulatory proteins. In this review, the evidences for the chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic potential of ginger extract and its active components usingin vitro, animal models, and patients have been described.
Generalizing and Integrating TOPSIS and Cook-Seiford Method for Multicriteria Group Decision-Making with Both Cardinal and Ordinal Data
Authors: Li Wu , Guo Guanqi , Zhou Xiaoqiang
Published: March 2015

The TOPSIS and Cook-Seiford social choice function are generalized and integrated for multicriteria group decision-making (MCGDM) with both cardinal evaluations and ordinal preferences of the alternatives. Unlike traditional TOPSIS, at first, the group’s positive ideal solution and negative ideal solution under cardinal and ordinal preferences are defined, respectively. Thus the group rankings of the alternatives with respect to each criterion are derived from the individual preferences by the modified group TOPSIS considering the weights of decision makers under each criterion. Then the weighted distance function representing the total inconsistency between the comprehensive rankings of all alternatives and the ones under all criteria is presented after the criteria weights are taken into account. Form the perspective of minimizing the criteria-weighted distance of the rankings, a nonlinear integer programming is developed and transformed into an assignment problem to obtain the final rankings of all alternatives. An illustrative case is presented and some comparisons on the results show that the developed approach is practical and effective. This study extends TOPSIS to group decision-making with ordinal preferences and generalizes Cook-Seiford social choice function to multicriteria decision-making considering the criteria weights and can be a novel benchmark for MCGDM with both cardinal and ordinal data.
Influence of Different Types of Recombination Active Defects on the Integral Electrical Properties of Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells
Authors: Lausch Dominik , Hagendorf Christian
Published: March 2015

In this contribution the influence of different types of recombination-active defects on the integral electrical properties of multicrystalline Si solar cells is investigated. Based on a previous classification scheme related to the luminescence behavior of crystal defects, Type-A and Type-B defects are locally distinguished. It is shown that Type-A defects, correlated to iron contaminations, are dominating the efficiency by more than 20% relative through their impact on the short circuit currentISCand open circuit voltageVOCin standard Si material (only limited by recombination active crystal defects). Contrarily, Type-B defects show low influence on the efficiency of 3% relative. The impact of the detrimental Type-A defects on the electrical parameters is studied as a function of the block height. A clear correlation between the area fraction of Type-A defects and both the global Isc and the prebreakdown behavior (reverse current) in voltage regime-2 (−11 V) is observed. An outlier having an increased full-area recombination activity is traced back to dense inter- and intragrain nucleation of Fe precipitates. Based on these results it is concluded that Type-A defects are the most detrimental defects in Si solar cells (having efficiencies > 15%) and have to be prevented by optimized Si material quality and solar cell process conditions.
Modulation of miRNAs in Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: Gupta Sudhiranjan , Li Li
Published: March 2015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as a new class of posttranscriptional regulators of many cardiac and vascular diseases. They are a class of small, noncoding RNAs that contributes crucial roles typically through binding of the 3′-untranslated region of mRNA. A single miRNA may influence several signaling pathways associated with cardiac remodeling by targeting multiple genes. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare disorder characterized by progressive obliteration of pulmonary (micro) vasculature that results in elevated vascular resistance, leading to right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) and RV failure. The pathology of PH involves vascular cell remodeling including pulmonary arterial endothelial cell (PAEC) dysfunction and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation. There is no cure for this disease. Thus, novel intervention pathways that govern PH induced RVH may result in new treatment modalities. Current therapies are limited to reverse the vascular remodeling. Recent studies have demonstrated the roles of various miRNAs in the pathogenesis of PH and pulmonary disorders. This review provides an overview of recent discoveries on the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of PH and discusses the potential for miRNAs as therapeutic targets and biomarkers of PH at clinical setting.
Can We Observe the Gravitational Quantum States of Positronium?
Authors: Crivelli P. , Nesvizhevsky V. V. , Voronin A. Yu.
Published: March 2015

We consider the feasibility of observing the gravitational quantum states of positronium. The proposed scheme employs the flow-throw technique used for the first observation of this effect with neutrons. Collimation and Stark deceleration of Rydberg positronium atoms allow selecting the required velocity class. If this experiment could be realized with positronium, it would lead to a determination ofgfor this matter-antimatter system at the few % level. As discussed in this contribution, most of the required techniques are currently available but important milestones have to be demonstrated experimentally before such an experiment could become reality. Those are the efficient focusing of a bunched positron beam, Stark deceleration of Rydberg positronium, and its subsequent excitation into states with large angular momentum. We provide an estimate of the efficiencies we expect for these steps and assuming those could be confirmed we calculate the signal rate.
An Unusual Long-Term Survey of a Patient with Widespread Malignant Urachal Tumor, Not Given Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy
Authors: Ormeci Tugrul , Kiremit Murat Can , Erkurt Bulent , Örmeci Aslı
Published: March 2015

The urachus establishes a connection between the dome of the bladder and the umbilicus throughout fetal life. If the urachus does not close completely, malignancy is a potential complication. The primary treatment for malignant urachal tumor is surgical excision. A 61-year-old male patient diagnosed with urachal carcinoma had undergone partial cystectomy 25 years previously. Twenty years later, local recurrence was treated with another partial cystectomy without umbilical remnant excision. Recurrence at the umbilical site was excised 2 years later, but intraperitoneal invasion had occurred, and the patient underwent a total colectomy at that time. Local disease and disseminated metastases in the thorax and intra- and extraperitoneal areas were noted upon admission to our hospital. Urachal carcinomas are usually aggressive tumors, and surgical treatment should include partial or radical cystectomy and excision of the urachus and umbilicus, to prevent local recurrence and distant metastasis.
Anti-Oppressive Practice and Reflexive Lifeworld-Led Approaches to Care: A Framework for Teaching Nurses about Social Justice
Authors: Hutchison Jacqueline Sarah
Published: March 2015

This paper was initially written for a European Academy of Caring Science workshop and aimed to provide clarity and direction about Caring Science by offering some ideas emerging from the philosophy, themes, and projects of EACS. An underpinning concept for the work of the Academy is the lifeworld. The focus of the workshop was to explore the lifeworld of the patient, student, and carer. The intention was to promote discussion around the need to provide alternative ways to conceptualise caring relevant knowledge, naming phenomena and practices central to caring sciences, and the educational curriculum and its adequacy for caring science. This paper seeks to identify concepts and approaches to understanding oppression, power, and justice which enable nurses to challenge the structures in health care environments which discriminate or disempower clients. Anti-oppressive practice theory and reflexive lifeworld-led approaches to care enable nurses to be critical of their practice. A framework for teaching social justice in health care is offered to augment teaching students to challenge oppressive practice and to assist nurses to reflect and develop conceptual models to guide practices which are central to promoting caring interactions.
Incidental Adrenal Enlargement: An Overview from a Retrospective Study in a Chinese Population
Authors: Li Le-le , Gu Wei-jun , Dou Jing-tao , Yang Guo-qing , Lv Zhao-hui , Mu Yi-ming , Lu Ju-ming
Published: March 2015

Aim. To investigate incidental adrenal enlargement clinical characteristics and functional status and analyze functional lesion risk factors.Materials and Methods. This retrospective study included 578 patients with adrenal imaging features showing enlargement. Incidental adrenal enlargement cases (78) were considered eligible. Demographics, functional diagnosis, adrenal imaging features, and concomitant diseases were analyzed.Results. The number of adrenal enlargements and proportion of incidental adrenal enlargement increased each year. Mean patient age was 50.32 years. Thirty-nine cases had unilateral enlargement on the left side and 3 on the right side; 36 had bilateral enlargement. Routine medical checkup was found to have the greatest chance (43.59%) of revealing clinical onsets leading to discovery. Biochemical and functional evaluation revealed 54 (69.23%) cases of nonfunctional lesions, 12 (15.38%) of subclinical Cushing syndrome, 6 (7.69%) of primary hyperaldosteronism, 1 (1.28%) of metastasis, and 5 (6.41%) of unknown functional status. Nodular adrenal enlargement (OR, 7.306; 95% CI, 1.727–28.667;P= 0.006) was a risk factor for functional lesions. Age and lesion location were not significant factors.Conclusion. Incidental adrenal enlargement is a frequent radiographic finding and is accompanied by diverse clinical factors that require proper evaluation and management. Nodular adrenal enlargement was a risk factor.
Methylphenidate Efficacy: Immediate versus Extended Release at Short Term in Mexican Children with ADHD Assessed by Conners Scale and EEG
Authors: Durand-Rivera Alfredo , Alatorre-Miguel Efren , Zambrano-Sánchez Elizabeth , Reyes-Legorreta Celia
Published: March 2015

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 5-6% of school aged children worldwide. Pharmacological therapy is considered the first-line treatment and methylphenidate (MPH) is considered the first-choice medication. There are two formulations: immediate release (IR) MPH and long-acting (or extended release) formulation (MPH-ER). In this work, we measure the efficacy of treatment for both presentations in one month with Conners’ scales and electroencephalography (EEG).Results. for IR group, in parents and teachers Conners test, all items showed significant differences, towards improvement, except for teachers in perfectionism and emotional instability. For ER group in parent’s Conners test, the items in which there were no significant differences are psychosomatic and emotional instability. For teachers, there were no significant differences in: hyperactivity and perfectionism. Comparing the Conners questionnaires (parents versus teachers) we find significant differences before and after treatment in hyperactivity, perfectionism, psychosomatics, DSM-IV hyperactive-impulsive, and DSM-IV total. In the EEG the Wilcoxon test showed a significant difference(P<0.0001). As we can see, both presentations are suitable for managing the ADHD and have the same effect on the symptomatology and in the EEG.
Herbal Weight Loss Pill Overdose: Sibutramine Hidden in Pepper Pill
Authors: Pamukcu Gunaydin Gul , Dogan Nurettin Ozgur , Levent Sevcan , Kurtoglu Celik Gulhan
Published: March 2015

Supposedly herbal weight loss pills are sold online and are widely used in the world. Some of these products are found to contain sibutramine by FDA and their sale is prohibited. We report a case of a female patient who presented to the emergency department after taking slimming pills. 17-year-old female patient presented to the emergency room with palpitations, dizziness, anxiety, and insomnia. She stated that she had taken 3 pills named La Jiao Shou Shen for slimming purposes during the day. Her vital signs revealed tachycardia. On her physical examination, she was restless, her oropharynx was dry, her pupils were mydriatic, and no other pathological findings were found. Sibutramine intoxication was suspected. She was given 5 mg IV diazepam for restlessness. After supportive therapy and observation in emergency department for 12 hours there were no complications and the patient was discharged home. Some herbal pills that are sold online for weight loss have sibutramine hidden as an active ingredient, and their sale is prohibited for this reason. For people who use herbal weight loss drugs, sibutramine excessive intake should be kept in mind at all times.
Preconception Counseling and Care in the Setting of HIV: Clinical Characteristics and Comorbidities
Authors: Boelig Rupsa C. , Coleman Jenell S. , Keller Jean , Sewell Catherine , Anderson Jean
Published: March 2015

Objective. To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of HIV-infected individuals and HIV-affected couples who were referred for preconception counseling (PCC) at a large urban US-based HIV clinic.Methods. Electronic medical records were reviewed for HIV-infected individuals and HIV-affected couples. Medical, reproductive, surgical, psychosocial, and family history data were abstracted. Univariate analyses were done.Results. There were 8 single HIV-infected women and 100 HIV-affected couples who underwent PCC. HIV-infected women were older (mean age 35 years versus 32 years,P=0.06), were more likely to smoke (23% versus 0%,P<0.01), and had more medical comorbidities (57% versus 33%,P=0.04) than HIV-uninfected women. The majority of couples were serodiscordant (77%), and of these couples, 32% had a detectable plasma viral load and 33% report inconsistent condom use.Conclusions. HIV-infected women have a number of medical and psychosocial issues, including those related to HIV that may increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and HIV perinatal and sexual transmission. PCC is an important intervention to optimize maternal management to improve perinatal outcomes and minimize transmission risks.
Improving the Thermostability and Optimal Temperature of a Lipase from the Hyperthermophilic ArchaeonPyrococcus furiosusby Covalent Immobilization
Authors: Branco Roberta V. , Gutarra Melissa L. E. , Guisan Jose M. , Freire Denise M. G. , Almeida Rodrigo V. , Palomo Jose M.
Published: March 2015

A recombinant thermostable lipase (Pf2001Δ60) from the hyperthermophilic ArchaeonPyrococcus furiosus(PFUL) was immobilized by hydrophobic interaction on octyl-agarose (octyl PFUL) and by covalent bond on aldehyde activated-agarose in the presence of DTT at pH = 7.0 (one-point covalent attachment) (glyoxyl-DTT PFUL) and on glyoxyl-agarose at pH 10.2 (multipoint covalent attachment) (glyoxyl PFUL). The enzyme’s properties, such as optimal temperature and pH, thermostability, and selectivity, were improved by covalent immobilization. The highest enzyme stability at 70°C for 48 h incubation was achieved for glyoxyl PFUL (around 82% of residual activity), whereas glyoxyl-DTT PFUL maintained around 69% activity, followed by octyl PFUL (27% remaining activity). Immobilization on glyoxyl-agarose improved the optimal temperature to 90°C, while the optimal temperature of octyl PFUL was 70°C. Also, very significant changes in activity with different substrates were found. In general, the covalent bond derivatives were more active than octyl PFUL. TheEvalue also depended substantially on the derivative and the conditions used. It was observed that the reaction of glyoxyl-DTT PFUL using methyl mandelate as a substrate at pH 7 presented the best results for enantioselectivityE=22and enantiomeric excess (ee (%) = 91).
Protective Effects of Scutellarin on Type II Diabetes Mellitus-Induced Testicular Damages Related to Reactive Oxygen Species/Bcl-2/Bax and Reactive Oxygen Species/Microcirculation/Staving Pathway in Diabetic Rat
Authors: Long Lingli , Wang Jingnan , Lu Xiaofang , Xu Yuxia , Zheng Shuhui , Luo Canqiao , Li Yubin
Published: March 2015

The goal of our study is to evaluate the effect of Scutellarin on type II diabetes-induced testicular disorder and show the mechanism of Scutellarin’s action. We used streptozotocin and high-fat diet to establish type II diabetic rat model. TUNEL and haematoxylin and eosin staining were used to evaluate the testicular apoptotic cells and morphologic changes. Immunohistochemical staining was used to measure the expression level of vascular endothelial growth factor and blood vessel density in testes. Oxidative stress in testes and epididymis was tested by fluorescence spectrophotometer and ELISA. The expression of Bcl-2/Bax and blood flow rate in testicular vessels were measured by western blot and Doppler. Our results for the first time showed that hyperglycemia induced apoptotic cells and morphologic impairments in testes of rats, while administration of Scutellarin can significantly inhibit these damages. This effect of Scutellarin is controlled by two apoptotic triggers: ROS/Bcl-2/Bax and ROS/microcirculation/starving pathway.
Resistin, Visfatin, Adiponectin, and Leptin: Risk of Breast Cancer in Pre- and Postmenopausal Saudi Females and Their Possible Diagnostic and Predictive Implications as Novel Biomarkers
Authors: Assiri Adel M. A. , Kamel Hala F. M. , Hassanien Mohamed F. R.
Published: March 2015

The mechanisms of obesity-induced breast carcinogenesis are not clear. One hypothesis is that high levels of adipokines could promote breast cancer (BC) development. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation of resistin, visfatin, adiponectin, and leptin with BC risk in pre- and postmenopausal females. A total of 82 BC newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed patients and 68 age and BMI matched healthy controls were enrolled. Both groups were subdivided into post- and premenopausal subgroups. Resistin, visfatin, adiponectin, and leptin were measured by ELISA. There were significantly higher levels of leptin, resistin, and visfatin in postmenopausal BC patients than their respective controls. Only in postmenopausal subgroups, leptin, resistin, and visfatin levels were positively correlated with TNM staging, tumor size, lymph node (LN) metastasis, and histological grading. In postmenopausal females, multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that adiponectin, leptin, visfatin, and resistin were risk factors for BC. Our results suggested that serum resistin, leptin, adiponectin, and visfatin levels as risk factors for postmenopausal BC may provide a potential link with clinicopathological features and are promising to be novel biomarkers for postmenopausal BC.
Synovial Chondromatosis of the Subacromial Bursa Causing a Bursal-Sided Rotator Cuff Tear
Authors: Neumann Julie A. , Garrigues Grant E.
Published: March 2015

Synovial chondromatosis is an uncommon condition, and involvement of the shoulder is even more rare. We report on a 39-year-old female who presented with symptoms, radiographic features, and intraoperative findings consistent with multiple subacromial loose bodies resulting in a partial-thickness, bursal-sided rotator cuff tear of the supraspinatus muscle. She was treated with an arthroscopic removal of loose bodies, complete excision of the subacromial/subdeltoid bursa, acromioplasty, and rotator cuff repair. To our knowledge, this is the first report of arthroscopic treatment for a bursal-sided, partial-thickness rotator cuff tear treated with greater than two-year clinical and radiographic follow-up. We utilized shoulder scores, preoperative and postoperative range of motion, and imaging to assess the results of treatment and surveillance for recurrence in our patient after two-year follow-up.
Artificial Intelligence in Video Games: Towards a Unified Framework
Authors: Safadi Firas , Fonteneau Raphael , Ernst Damien
Published: March 2015

With modern video games frequently featuring sophisticated and realistic environments, the need for smart and comprehensive agents that understand the various aspects of complex environments is pressing. Since video game AI is often specifically designed for each game, video game AI tools currently focus on allowing video game developers to quickly and efficiently create specific AI. One issue with this approach is that it does not efficiently exploit the numerous similarities that exist between video games not only of the same genre, but of different genres too, resulting in a difficulty to handle the many aspects of a complex environment independently for each video game. Inspired by the human ability to detect analogies between games and apply similar behavior on a conceptual level, this paper suggests an approach based on the use of a unified conceptual framework to enable the development of conceptual AI which relies on conceptual views and actions to define basic yet reasonable and robust behavior. The approach is illustrated using two video games,RavenandStarCraft: Brood War.
Impact of Dynamic Path Loss Models in an Urban Obstacle Aware Ad Hoc Network Environment
Authors: Amjad Kashif , Ali Muhammad , Jabbar Sohail , Hussain Majid , Rho Seungmin , Kim Mucheol
Published: March 2015

This study highlights the importance of the physical layer and its impact on network performance in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs). This was demonstrated by simulating various MANET scenarios using Network Simulator-2 (NS-2) with enhanced capability by adding propagation loss models (e.g., modified Two-Ray Ground model, ITU Line of Sight and Nonline of Sight (ITU-LoS and NLoS) model into street canyons and combined path loss and shadowing model (C-Shadowing)). The simulation results were then compared with the original Two-Ray Ground (TRG) model already available intoNS-2. The scenario primarily simulated was that of a mobile environment using Random Way Point (RWP) mobility model with a variable number of obstacles in the simulation field (such as buildings, etc., causing variable attenuation) in order to analyze the extent of communication losses in various propagation loss models. Performance of the Ad Hoc On-demand Distance Vector (AODV) routing protocol was also analyzed in an ad hoc environment with 20 nodes.
A Study of Transmission Control Method for Distributed Parameters Measurement in Large Factories and Storehouses
Authors: Su Shujing , Yi Min , Ji Wei , He Qing , Xie Xiufeng
Published: March 2015

For the characteristics of parameters dispersion in large factories, storehouses, and other applications, a distributed parameter measurement system is designed that is based on the ring network. The structure of the system and the circuit design of the master-slave node are described briefly. The basic protocol architecture about transmission communication is introduced, and then this paper comes up with two kinds of distributed transmission control methods. Finally, the reliability, extendibility, and control characteristic of these two methods are tested through a series of experiments. Moreover, the measurement results are compared and discussed.
Research on Coupled Dynamic Model of Tracked Vehicles and Its Solving Method
Authors: Li Yuliang , Tang Chong
Published: March 2015

In order to conveniently analyze the dynamic performance of tracked vehicles, mathematic models are established based on the actual structure of vehicles and terrain mechanics when they are moving on the soft random terrain. A discrete method is adopted to solve the coupled equations to calculate the acceleration of the vehicle’s mass center and tractive force of driving sprocket. Computation results output by the model presented in this paper are compared with results given by the model, which has the same parameters, built in the multi-body dynamic software. It shows that the steady state calculation results are basically consistent, while the model presented in this paper is more convenient to be used in the optimization of structure parameters of tracked vehicles.