bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management of Change for the Marine and Offshore Industries
Authors: Verzbolovskis Maria , Ballesio Jorge
Published: November 2013

Change is inevitable in any type of business. Successful organizations are dynamic and are constantly undergoing change, striving for innovative and cost-effective solutions to achieve sustainability in a robust and competitive business environment. Modifications may be required to equipment, operational policies, and organizational structure or personnel. History has illustrated the potential negative consequences associated with changes that are not managed appropriately. Common problems with respect to the implementation of a change include:

• changes that are not technically sound,

• lack of careful consideration of the ramifications,

• poor execution, and

• failure to effectively communicate change information to key personnel.

A Management of Change (MoC) system is a combination of policies and procedures used to evaluate the potential impacts of a proposed change so that it does not result in unacceptable risks. A thorough MoC system manages both temporary and permanent modifications in a ship or offshore unit including equipment, materials, operating procedures and conditions, and personnel. An effective MoC system will not only minimize significant impacts on safety and the environment, but will incorporate strategies in managing the associated business risks on quality, continued commerce and security.

A system requiring MoC for every modification is likely to become onerous and unproductive. This paper provides guidance for selection of the activities and systems to be subject to management of change, the life-cycle applicability, types of changes to be evaluated, and boundaries and overlaps with other administrative programs or elements. It describes key functions and interrelationships for personnel at various levels of a representative organization. In summary, this paper describes the core principles to be considered when developing and implementing an MoC program that will optimize existing safety and risk management efforts.
Validation of a Regional Atmospheric Model for Assessing the Offshore Wind Resources Along the Portuguese Coast
Authors: Salvação N. , Bernardino M. , Guedes Soares C.
Published: November 2013

This study aims to determine the offshore wind energy potential for Portugal using the mesoscale atmospheric model WRF that provides a reliable and accurate wind data set for this area, and allows identifying the wind resources in potential areas for developing offshore wind parks. Before a model can be used to provide a wind climatology a validation study has to be carried out, for which accurate wind measurements are required. Therefore, two years of high resolution (9 km) weather modeling data are used to validate the model against measurements from meteorological stations along two Portuguese pilot zone areas for renewable energy devices: Aguçadoura and S. Pedro de Moel. The validation is carried out for winds at 10m and at 80m height. The correlation coefficients, root mean squared errors and bias are used to evaluate the model accuracy. The model is used to calculate 80 m wind speeds (turbine hub height) for each area and wind statistics are determined for the entire domain in the Portuguese coast. It is demonstrated that the downscaled winds provide better accuracy than the initial forcing fields.
New onset S wave in pulmonary embolism: revisited (something old and something new)
Authors: Gupta Prabha Nini , Pillai Siju B , Ahmad Sajan Z , Babu Shifas M
Published: November 2013

We report a case of a young man who had a new onset S wave in lead 1 in his ECG with typical symptoms of acute onset of dyspoena 2 months after an episode of deep vein thrombosis, S wave disappeared 6 days after thrombolysis. We report this case as the clinical course was very typical plus we have reviewed the literature regarding diagnosis and risk stratification of pulmonary embolism for the student, or the casualty medical officer.
WESS–ZUMINO–WITTEN MODEL FOR GALILEAN CONFORMAL ALGEBRA
Authors: CHAKRABORTY SOMDEB , DEY PARIJAT
Published: November 2013

In this note, we construct a Wess–Zumino–Witten model based on the Galilean conformal algebra in two-spacetime dimensions, which is a nonrelativistic analogue of the relativistic conformal algebra. We obtain exact background corresponding to σ-models in six dimensions (the dimension of the group manifold) and a central charge c = 6. We carry out a Sugawara type construction to verify the conformal invariance of the model. Further, we discuss the feasibility of the background obtained as a physical spacetime metric.
THE BAND-GAP AND TRUE BAND-GAP IN NOMINALLY METALLIC CARBON NANOTUBES: THE TIGHT-BINDING STUDY ON CORRUGATION EFFECT
Authors: LU HONGXIA , WU JIANBAO , WANG JIZHEN , SHI SHAOCONG , ZHANG WEIYI
Published: November 2013

In this paper, the band-gap and true band-gap are analyzed for the corrugated structures of various types of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) within the tight binding approximation. We show that corrugation, combined with curvature effect, yields naturally the true small band-gap in all SWCNTs with small radius. The more stable corrugated structures of SWCNTs are backed by the abinitio total energy calculations for nominally metallic armchair SWCNTs.
Formation Control and Obstacle Avoidance for Multi-Agent Systems Based on Virtual Leader-Follower Strategy
Authors: Yan Jing , Guan Xinping , Luo Xiaoyuan , Chen Cailian
Published: November 2013

This paper investigates the formation control and obstacle avoidance problem for multi-agent systems (MASs), which aims to coordinate the pursuer agents to capture a mobile target. The target appears at a location randomly and its movement obeys Reactive Rabbit Model. The pursuers and the mobile target can be modeled as a Pursuit-Evasion Game (PEG). During the movement, not all of the pursuer agents can obtain the real-time information of the target. Moreover, the obstacle avoidance makes the formation of pursuer agents a big challenge to encircle the mobile target. In order to tackle these two problems, the formation control and obstacle avoidance algorithm is presented in this paper based on a novel virtual leader-follower strategy and potential functions. The obstacle avoidance problem can then be solved by constructing a velocity potential. The numerical analysis and simulation demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
The Impact of Information System-Enabled Supply Chain Process Integration on Business Performance: A Resource-Based Analysis
Authors: Ghobakhloo Morteza , Tang Sai Hong , Sabouri Mohammad Sadegh , Zulkifli Norzima
Published: November 2013

This paper seeks to develop and test a model to examine the relationships between, technical aspects of IS resources (IS alignment, IS resources technical quality, IS advancement), supply chain process integration, and firm performance. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to collect data from 227 supply chain, logistics, or procurement/purchasing managers of leading manufacturing and retail organizations. Drawing on resources-based view of the firm, and through extending the concept of process integration in supply network, as well as broadening the scope of role of IS resources in relation to process integration and performance gain from the focal firm to the entire supply chain, we found that supply chain process integration is an important multidimensional intermediate organizational capability through which the value of IS resources for supply chain management can be materialized. This capability serves as a catalyst in transforming the value of technical aspects of IS resources into higher performance gain for a firm. Thus, the importance of formation of all dimensions of this capability across supply network should be realized. Moreover, the result suggests that the technical aspects of IS resources need to be jointly developed by supply partners to effectively form supply chain capabilities.
New Direction in Degree Centrality Measure: Towards a Time-Variant Approach
Authors: Uddin Shahadat , Hossain Liaquat , Wigand Rolf T.
Published: November 2013

Degree centrality is considered to be one of the most basic measures of social network analysis, which has been used extensively in diverse research domains for measuring network positions of actors in respect of the connections with their immediate neighbors. In network analysis, it emphasizes the number of connections that an actor has with others. However, it does not accommodate the value of the duration of relations with other actors in a network; and, therefore, this traditional degree centrality approach regards only the presence or absence of links. Here, we introduce a time-variant approach to the degree centrality measure — time scale degree centrality (TSDC), which considers both presence and duration of links among actors within a network. We illustrate the difference between traditional and TSDC measure by applying these two approaches to explore the impact of degree attributes of a patient-physician network evolving during patient hospitalization periods on the hospital length of stay (LOS) both at a macro- and a micro-level. At a macro-level, both the traditional and time-scale approaches to degree centrality can explain the relationship between the degree attribute of the patient-physician network and LOS. However, at a micro-level or small cluster level, TSDC provides better explanation while the traditional degree centrality approach is found to be inadequate in explaining its relationship with LOS. Our proposed TSDC measure can explore time-variant relations that evolve among actors in a given social network.
1-, 2-, AND 6-QUBITS, AND THE RAMANUJAN–NAGELL THEOREM
Authors: PAVLYUKH YAROSLAV , RAU A. R. P.
Published: November 2013

A conjecture of Ramanujan that was later proved by Nagell is used to show on the basis of matching dimensions that only three n-qubit systems, for n = 1, 2, 6, can possibly share an isomorphism of their symmetry algebras with those of rotations in corresponding dimensions 3, 6, 91. Such isomorphisms are valuable for use in quantum information. Simple algebraic analysis, however, already rules out the last case so that one and two qubits are the only instances of such isomorphism of the algebras and of a local homomorphism of the corresponding symmetry groups. A more mathematical topological analysis of the group spaces is also provided demonstrating their topological inequivalence.
BIPARTITE AND MULTIPARTITE CORRELATIONS OF COUPLED QUBITS IN A NON-MARKOVIAN ENVIRONMENT: HIERARCHY EQUATION METHOD
Authors: ZHANG JIAN-SONG , HUANG ZHI-YUAN , CHEN AI-XI
Published: November 2013

We study bipartite and multipartite correlations of several coupled qubits within a common non-Markovian bath using the hierarchy equation method. This method does not use the rotating-wave and Born–Markovian approximations. The interaction between the qubits and their coupling strength with the bath have remarkable influence on the dynamics of quantum correlations. The entanglement sudden death (ESD) phenomenon, the amount of stationary state concurrence and spin squeezing can be controled by the non-Markovianity of the environment and interactions between qubits. These properties may be useful for purposes of quantum information processing with multiqubit system in non-Markovian environments.
Explicit relation between all lower bound techniques for quantum query complexity
Authors: Magnin Loïck , Roland Jérémie
Published: November 2013

The polynomial method and the adversary method are the two main techniques to prove lower bounds on quantum query complexity, and they have so far been considered as unrelated approaches. Here, we show an explicit reduction from the polynomial method to the multiplicative adversary method. The proof goes by extending the polynomial method from Boolean functions to quantum state generation problems. In the process, the bound is even strengthened. We then show that this extended polynomial method is a special case of the multiplicative adversary method with an adversary matrix that is independent of the function. This new result therefore provides insight on the reason why in some cases the adversary method is stronger than the polynomial method. It also reveals a clear picture of the relation between the different lower bound techniques, as it implies that all known techniques reduce to the multiplicative adversary method.
MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATIONS OF PEPTIDE–SWCNT INTERACTIONS RELATED TO ENZYME CONJUGATES FOR BIOSENSORS AND BIOFUEL CELLS
Authors: KARUNWI OLUKAYODE , BALDWIN CASSIDY , GRIESHEIMER GISELA , SARUPRIA SAPNA , GUISEPPI-ELIE ANTHONY
Published: November 2013

With the demonstration of direct electron transfer between the redox active prosthetic group, flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), of glucose oxidase (GOx) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT), there has been growing interest in the fabrication of CNT-enzyme supramolecular constructs that control the placement of SWCNTs within the tunneling distance of co-factors for enhanced electron transfer efficiency in generation-3 biosensors and advanced biofuel cells. These conjugate systems raise a series of questions such as: which peptide sequences within the enzymes have high affinity for the SWCNTs? And, are these high affinity sequences likely to be in the vicinity of the redox-active co-factor to allow for direct electron transfer? Phage display has recently been used to identify specific peptide sequences that have high affinity for SWCNTs. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to study the interactions of five discrete peptides with (16,0) SWCNT in explicit water as well as with graphene. From the progression of the radius of gyration, Rg, the peptides studied were concertedly adsorbed to both the SWCNT and graphene. Peptide properties calculated using individual amino acid values, such as hydrophobicity indices, did not correlate with the observed adsorption behavior as quantified by Rg, indicating that the adsorption behavior of the peptide was not based on the individual amino acid residues. However, the Rg values, reflective of the physicochemical embrace of the surface (SWCNT or graphene) had a strong positive correlation with the solubility parameter, indicating concerted, cooperative interaction of peptide segments with the materials. The end residues appear to dominate the progression of adsorption regardless of character. Sequences identified by phage display share some homology with key enzymes (GOx, lactate oxidase and laccase) used in biosensors and enzyme-based biofuel cells. These analogous sequences appear to be buried deep within the shell of fully folded proteins and as such are expected to be close to the redox-active prosthetic group.
EFFECT OF SIZE MATCHING FOR ULTRASENSITIVE DETECTION OF PROTEIN BIOMARKERS
Authors: KUMAR RAJESHWARI TARUVAI KALYANA , SHANMUGAM NANDHINEE RADHA , PRASAD SHALINI
Published: November 2013

"Label-free" biomolecule sensors are designed and fabricated utilizing polystyrene microparticles and gold nanoparticles as sensing elements for quantification of the ultrasensitive cardiac biomarker troponin-T. A powerful diagnostic tool electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, used to characterize significant changes at biomolecular level, has been employed to detect troponin-T at 10 fg/mL sensitivity in phosphate buffered saline. This paper presents the theory, modeling and experimental study on the behavior of micro and nanoparticles under the influence of applied sinusoidal potential. This paper also demonstrates the advantages of utilizing gold nanoparticles to amplify electrical impedance signals obtained due to particle–biomolecule conjugation for designing electrical immunoassays for detecting troponin-T. The results indicate that electrode design and particle scaling are critical factors that determine the performance for rapid biomolecular analysis. Size-based scaling enhances sensitivity by amplifying the measured signal by an order of 10 when the sizes of the particles were reduced from 5 μm to 5 nm.
A New Biomarkers Feature Pattern Consisting of TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-8 for Blood Stasis Syndrome with Myocardial Ischemia
Authors: Guo Shuzhen , Chen Jianxin , Chuo Wenjing , Liu Lei , Feng Xuanchao , Lian Hongjian , Zheng Lei , Wang Yong , Xie Hua , Luo Liangtao , Zheng Chenglong , Fu Bangze , Wang Wei
Published: November 2013

Objective. To explore new diagnostic patterns for syndromes to overcome the insufficiency of obtainable macrocharacteristics and specific biomarkers.Methods. Chinese miniswines were subjected to Ameroid constrictor, placed around the proximal left anterior descending branch. On the 4th week, macrocharacteristics, coronary angiography, echocardiography, and hemorheology indices were detected for diagnosis. IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, and hsCRP in serum were detected, and Decision Tree was built.Results. According to current official-issued standard, model animals matched the diagnosis of blood stasis syndrome with myocardial ischemia based on findings, including >90% occlusion, attenuated left ventricular segmental motion, dark red or purple tongues, and higher blood viscosity. Significant decrease of IL-10 and increase of TNF-αwere found in model animals. However, in the Decision Tree, besides IL-10 and TNF-α, IL-8 helped to increase the accuracy of classification to 86%.Conclusions. The Decision Tree building with TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-8 is helpful for the diagnosis of blood stasis syndrome in myocardial ischemia animals. What is more is that our data set up a new path to the differentiation of syndrome by feature patterns consisting of multiple biomarkers not only for animals but also for patients. We believe that it will contribute to the standardization and international application of syndromes.
Risks for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension Are Increased in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Wang Yunhui , Zhao Xiaomiao , Zhao Huidan , Ding Hong , Tan Jianping , Chen Jingte , Zhang Rui , Azziz Ricardo , Yang Dongzi
Published: November 2013

Objectives. To evaluate pregnancy outcomes and its determinants in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Methods. Two-hundred and twenty pregnant PCOS and 594 healthy women were followed from early pregnancy. Incidences of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), preterm birth, twinning, and fetal growth restriction (FGR) were determined.Results. The incidence of GDM was notably higher among all PCOS combined (54.9%; OR: 2.9, 95% CI: 2.0–4.1) and PCOS subgroups, whether they conceived spontaneously (51.5%; OR: 3.3, 95% CI: 2.0–5.4), or via IVF-ET or ovarian stimulation, compared with controls (14.3%;P<0.001). The incidence of PIH was also higher among all PCOS (10.4%; OR: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1–4.4) and the subgroup conceiving spontaneously (11.8%; OR: 2.6, 95% CI: 1.1–6.2;P<0.001) but not for those conceiving with IVF-ET (9.1%) or ovarian stimulation (9.4%). Lean women with PCOS (BMI<24kg/m2) had higher incidences of GDM (51.1% versus 14.5%; OR: 5.6, 95% CI: 3.4–9.0) and PIH (8.9% versus 3.2%; OR: 3.0, 95% CI: 1.3–7.1) than lean controls. PCOS woemn with normal glucose tolerance had higher risk for PIH than their comparable control group (OR: 4.0, 95% CI: 1.3–11.7).Conclusion. This study suggested that PCOS is an independent risk factor for the development of GDM and PIH. This trial is registered withChiCTR-RCC-11001824.
Applying Artificial Neural Network to Predict Semiconductor Machine Outliers
Authors: Yang Keng-Chieh , Yang Conna , Chao Pei-Yao , Shih Po-Hong
Published: November 2013

Advanced semiconductor processes are produced by very sophisticated and complex machines. The demand of higher precision for the monitoring system is becoming more vital when the devices are shrunk into smaller sizes. The high quality and high solution checking mechanism must rely on the advanced information systems, such as fault detection and classification (FDC). FDC can timely detect the deviations of the machine parameters when the parameters deviate from the original value and exceed the range of the specification. This study adopts backpropagation neural network model and gray relational analysis as tools to analyze the data. This study uses FDC data to detect the semiconductor machine outliers. Data collected for network training are in three different intervals: 6-month period, 3-month period, and one-month period. The results demonstrate that 3-month period has the best result. However, 6-month period has the worst result. The findings indicate that machine deteriorates quickly after continuous use for 6 months. The equipment engineers and managers can take care of this phenomenon and make the production yield better.
The Spleen Revisited: An Overview on Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Palas João , Matos António P. , Ramalho Miguel
Published: November 2013

Despite being well visualized by different cross-sectional imaging techniques, the spleen is many times overlooked during the abdominal examination. The major reason is the low frequency of splenic abnormalities, the majority consisting of incidental findings. There has been a steady increase in the number of performed abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies; therefore, it is important to be familiar to the major MRI characteristics of disease processes involving the spleen, in order to interpret the findings correctly, reaching whenever possible the appropriate diagnosis. The spleen may be involved in several pathologic conditions like congenital diseases, trauma, inflammation, vascular disorders and hematologic disorders, benign and malignant tumors, and other disease processes that focally or diffusely affect the spleen. This paper presents a description and representative MRI images for many of these disorders.
Acylated and Desacylated Ghrelin, Preptin, Leptin, and Nesfatin-1 Peptide Changes Related to the Body Mass Index
Authors: Ozkan Yusuf , Timurkan Esra Suay , Aydin Suleyman , Sahin İbrahim , Timurkan Mustafa , Citil Cihan , Kalayci Mehmet , Yilmaz Musa , Aksoy Aziz , Catak Zekiye
Published: November 2013

This study examines the levels of acylated and desacylated ghrelin, preptin, leptin, and nesfatin-1 peptide changes related to the body mass index (BMI). The subjects were allocated to 5 groups depending on their BMIs as follows: Group I (BMI <18.5 kg/m2); Group II (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2); Group III (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m2); Group IV (BMI 30–39.9 kg/m2); Group V (BMI >40 kg/m2). Serum acylated and desacylated ghrelin, preptin, and leptin levels were measured by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and nesfatin-1 was measured by the enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Desacylated ghrelin levels showed a gradual and statistically significant drop from Group I to Group V, while preptin and leptin levels exhibited a gradual and significant increase from Group I to Group IV. Serum nesfatin-1 levels gradually, but not significantly, increased from Group I to Group III and showed a significant decrease in Groups IV and V. In conclusion, leptin, preptin, and acylated ghrelin (AG) levels increased with higher BMI, whereas desacylated ghrelin (DAG) decreased and nesfatin-1 showed no clear relationship to BMI.
An Object-Oriented Simulator for 3D Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Imaging System
Authors: Seyyedi Saeed , Cengiz Kubra , Kamasak Mustafa , Yildirim Isa
Published: November 2013

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is an innovative imaging modality that provides 3D reconstructed images of breast to detect the breast cancer. Projections obtained with an X-ray source moving in a limited angle interval are used to reconstruct 3D image of breast. Several reconstruction algorithms are available for DBT imaging. Filtered back projection algorithm has traditionally been used to reconstruct images from projections. Iterative reconstruction algorithms such as algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) were later developed. Recently, compressed sensing based methods have been proposed in tomosynthesis imaging problem. We have developed an object-oriented simulator for 3D digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) imaging system using C++ programming language. The simulator is capable of implementing different iterative and compressed sensing based reconstruction methods on 3D digital tomosynthesis data sets and phantom models. A user friendly graphical user interface (GUI) helps users to select and run the desired methods on the designed phantom models or real data sets. The simulator has been tested on a phantom study that simulates breast tomosynthesis imaging problem. Results obtained with various methods including algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) and total variation regularized reconstruction techniques (ART+TV) are presented. Reconstruction results of the methods are compared both visually and quantitatively by evaluating performances of the methods using mean structural similarity (MSSIM) values.
Multiscale Structural Health Monitoring of Cable-Anchorage System Using Piezoelectric PZT Sensors
Authors: Nguyen Khac-Duy , Kim Jeong-Tae , Park Young-Hwan
Published: November 2013

Structural health monitoring of the cable-anchorage system is very important to secure the integrity of the cable-stayed bridge. The cable-anchorage system carries most of the self-weight, so that any damage in the system may significantly reduce the load carrying capacity of the bridge. This study presents a multiscale structural health monitoring of the cable-anchorage system using piezoelectric PZT sensors. Firstly, the electromechanical impedance response is utilized for alerting the change in anchorage zone caused by the loss of cable force or local anchorage damage. Secondly, the dynamic strain of cable is utilized for classifying the damage type. Thirdly, the loss of cable force and the anchorage damage are quantified by a frequency-based cable force model and an impedance-based damage estimation model, respectively. The feasibility of the approach is evaluated from the experiment on a lab-scale cable-anchorage model for which several damage scenarios are simulated about cable damage and anchorage damage.
Research on Flexible Joint Stiffness Test and Trajectory Planning of Space Manipulator
Authors: Yang Yongtai , Rong Jili , Li Jian , Tang Ling
Published: November 2013

Both Natural Coordinate Formulation describing rigid bodies and Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation describing flexible bodies are used to model a flexible manipulator with flexible joint and flexible link. The torsional stiffness of flexible joint is tested using a specialized stiffness test equipment, and then the nonlinear torsional stiffness is determined by fitting the experimental data. A new trajectory planning function called the cosine-based function is proposed to design the joint trajectory, which is smoother than the fifth-polynomial and cycloidal motion functions. Finally, a one-link manipulator with flexible joint and flexible link is used to compare the performance of the three trajectory planning functions. Results show that residual vibration can be remarkably reduced by the proposed cosine-based function, which exhibits a significantly better performance than the fifth-polynomial and cycloidal motion functions.
Molecular Markers for Prostate Cancer in Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissues
Authors: Sequeiros Tamara , García Marta , Montes Melania , Oliván Mireia , Rigau Marina , Colás Eva , de Torres Inés , Morote Juan , Reventós Jaume , Doll Andreas
Published: November 2013

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer in developed countries. The decisive method of diagnosis is based on the results of biopsies, morphologically evaluated to determine the presence or absence of cancer. Although this approach leads to a confident diagnosis in most cases, it can be improved by using the molecular markers present in the tissue. Both miRNAs and proteins are considered excellent candidates for biomarkers in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, due to their stability over long periods of time. In the last few years, a concerted effort has been made to develop the necessary tools for their reliable measurement in these types of samples. Furthermore, the use of these kinds of markers may also help in establishing tumor grade and aggressiveness, as well as predicting the possible outcomes in each particular case for the different treatments available. This would aid clinicians in the decision-making process. In this review, we attempt to summarize and discuss the potential use of microRNA and protein profiles in FFPE tissue samples as markers to better predict PCa diagnosis, progression, and response to therapy.
A Scaled Conjugate Gradient Method for Solving Monotone Nonlinear Equations with Convex Constraints
Authors: Wang Sheng , Guan Hongbo
Published: November 2013

Based on the Scaled conjugate gradient (SCALCG) method presented by Andrei (2007) and the projection method presented by Solodov and Svaiter, we propose a SCALCG method for solving monotone nonlinear equations with convex constraints. SCALCG method can be regarded as a combination of conjugate gradient method and Newton-type method for solving unconstrained optimization problems. So, it has the advantages of the both methods. It is suitable for solving large-scale problems. So, it can be applied to solving large-scale monotone nonlinear equations with convex constraints. Under reasonable conditions, we prove its global convergence. We also do some numerical experiments show that the proposed method is efficient and promising.
Long‐Term Evaluation of Patients Undergoing Genitoplasty due to Disorders of Sex Development: Results from a 14‐Year Follow‐Up
Authors: Zhang Heng , Pan Jinhong , Ji Huixiang , Wang Yongquan , Shen Wenhao , Liu Limei , Lu Gensheng , Zhou Zhansong
Published: November 2013

Purpose. To summarize the experience in treating patients with genitoplasty due to disorders of sex development in China. Methods. The operative procedures, gender of rearing, surgical outcome, and psychosocial and family adjustments of 262 patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results. At initial diagnosis, the mean age was 14.3 ± 2.8 years (range: 2–38 years). There were 96 children, 133 adolescents, and 33 adults. Follow‐up was done every 6 months. Patients with female sex assignment had no urinary incontinence or voiding difficulty. Five patients underwent the second surgery (3%); vaginal dilation was performed in 35 patients with postoperative vaginal stenosis; 12 patients (7.4%) were unsatisfactory with the outcome. For patients with male sex assignment, the median length of penis was 2.2 cm in prepubertal patients, 4.2 cm in pubertal patients, and 5.0 cm in adults; 39 patients developed postvoid dribbling (39%); 21 patients underwent a second surgery (21%); urethral dilation was done in 28 patients (28%) due to urethral stricture; 38 patients were unsatisfactory with the outcome (38%). In addition, 136 patients (83%) with female sex assignment and 54 (54%) with male sex assignment had favorable psychosocial adjustment. Conclusions. Patients with male sex assignment have more surgical complications and difficulties in psychosocial adjustment as compared to those with female sex assignment.
Amauroderma rugosum(Blume & T. Nees) Torrend: Nutritional Composition and Antioxidant and Potential Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Authors: Chan Pui-Mun , Kanagasabapathy Gowri , Tan Yee-Shin , Sabaratnam Vikineswary , Kuppusamy Umah Rani
Published: November 2013

Amauroderma rugosumis a wild mushroom that is worn as a necklace by the indigenous communities in Malaysia to prevent fits and incessant crying by babies. The aim of this study was to investigate the nutritive composition and antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory effects ofA. rugosumextracts on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Nutritional analysis of freeze-dried mycelia ofA. rugosum(KUM 61131) from submerged culture indicated a predominant presence of carbohydrates, proteins, dietary fibre, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. The ethanol crude extract (EE), its hexane (HF), ethyl acetate (EAF), and aqueous (AF) fractions of mycelia ofA. rugosumgrown in submerged culture were evaluated for antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory effects. EAF exhibited the highest total phenolic content and the strongest antioxidant activity based on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) (ABTS) assays. HF showed dose-dependent inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells and NO radical scavenging activity. Gas chromatographic analysis of HF revealed the presence of ethyl linoleate and ergosterol, compounds with known anti-inflammatory properties. In conclusion, the nutritive compositions and significant antioxidant potential and anti-inflammatory effects of mycelia extracts ofA. rugosumhave the potential to serve as a therapeutic agent or adjuvant in the management of inflammatory disorders.
Distributed Testbed for Coded Cooperation with Software-Defined Radios
Authors: Han Changcai , Li Si
Published: November 2013

Evaluating the performance of the cooperative communications using the hardware testbed in the real environment is critical for system design and promoting the potential practical applications in the future, considering the disadvantages of the theoretical analysis and simulation methods. In this paper, a distributed hardware testbed using software-defined radios is designed and implemented for cooperative communications, and the performance of two coded cooperation schemes with Turbo codes is evaluated in the physical layer. For the testbed, the fundamental point-to-point link uses the differential binary phase shift keying (DBPSK) constellations, and the physical (PHY)/media access (MAC) layer frames for the performance evaluation are devised. Furthermore, a distributed node synchronization scheme is implemented and the source node and relay node work in the time division protocol without any centralized controlling. Finally, two popular coded cooperation schemes with Turbo codes for the three-node model and the four-node model are tested in the real indoor environment. The experiment results verify the effectiveness of the testbed for system performance evaluation in the PHY layer.
Is the Blood Pressure Paradox Observed in All Heart Failure Patients?
Authors: Cunha F. M. , Lourenço P. , Couto M. , Tavares P. , Silva S. , Guimarães J. T. , Bettencourt P.
Published: November 2013

Background.Heart failure (HF) patients with higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) survive longer. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a frequent comorbidity in HF. We evaluated the prognostic significance of low SBP according to DM in acute HF.Methods.We prospectively recruited 589 patients admitted with acute HF. DM was defined according to the 2011 American Diabetes Association recommendations. Patients were followed for 6 months and HF-death was the endpoint. A multivariate Cox-regression model was used to assess the prognostic impact of SBP. A stratified analysis according to DM was performed.Results.Median patients’ age was 79 years and DM was present in 50.8%. Ischemic aetiology HF and hypertension history were more common in diabetics. Diabetic patients had worse renal function and lower total cholesterol and were more often discharged with antiplatelet therapy and statin. During followup, 89 patients died due to HF. The multivariate-adjusted HR for the 6-month HF death in non-diabetic patients with an admission SBP < 115 mmHg (1st quartile) was 2.94 (95% CI: 1.49–5.79), while lower admission SBP was not associated with HF mortality in diabetics.Conclusions.The blood pressure paradox in HF is only observed in non-diabetic HF patients. Diabetic patients seem to be a particular subgroup of HF patients.
Metabolic Alterations in Different Stages of Hypertension in an Apparently Healthy Nigerian Population
Authors: Charles-Davies M. A. , Fasanmade A. A. , Olaniyi J. A. , Oyewole O. E. , Owolabi M. O. , Adebusuyi J. R. , Hassan O. , Ajobo M. T. , Ebesunun M. O. , Adigun K. , Akinlade K. S. , Fabian U. A. , Popoola O. O. , Rahamon S. K. , Okunbolade W. , Ogunlakin M. A. , Arinola O. G. , Agbedana E. O
Published: November 2013

Metabolic syndrome (MS) amplifies hypertension (HTN) associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). MS components and other CVD risk measures were investigated in different stages of hypertension. 534 apparently healthy Nigerian traders aged 18–105 years were participants of a cohort study. The International Diabetes Federation (2005) and the National High Blood Pressure Education Program Coordinating Committee criteria were used for MS and HTN classifications, respectively. Anthropometric indices were obtained by standard methods. Levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) were determined by enzymatic methods, while low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC) was calculated. Data analysed statistically were significant atP<0.05. 143 (26.8%), 197 (36.9%), and 194 (36.3%) of the traders had normotension, pre-HTN and HTN (stages 1 and 2), respectively. All indices tested except HDLC were significantly different among BP groups (P<0.05). Waist to hip (WHR) and waist to height (WHT) ratios were significantly different between HTN groups (P<0.05). HTN was associated with MS and female gender (P<0.05). Metabolic alterations and significant HTN were observed. Treatment of the individual components of the syndrome and improvement of modifiable metabolic factors may be necessary to reduce MS and high BP.
Effects of Nitride on the Tribological Properties of the Low Carbon Alloy Steel
Authors: Chang Yuh-Ping , Wang Jin-Chi , Horng Jeng-Haur , Chu Li-Ming , Hwang Yih-Chyun
Published: November 2013

The technology of composite heat treatment is used popularly for low friction and wear resistance of drive elements. A large number of papers about the heat treatment technology had been proposed. Especially, the nitride treatment has been used widely for the purpose of wear resistance and low friction in the industry. Therefore, the self-developed vertical ball/disk friction tester with the measurement system was used to study the effects of nitride on the tribological properties of the low carbon alloy steel—SCM415— in this study. The experiments were conducted under dry and severe wear conditions. The variations of friction coefficient and surface magnetization were simultaneously recorded during dynamic friction process. After each test, the microstructures of the wear particles were observed and analyzed under a SEM, and the depth of wear track is measured by means of a surface tester. According to the experimental results, the wear resistance of the specimens with carburizing-nitride is significantly larger than the case of nitride-carburizing. Moreover, the surface magnetization was especially larger for the case of nitride-carburizing. As a result, the wear particles always stay in the interfaces and the wear mechanism becomes complex. Therefore, it is necessary to put nitride after carburizing for the composite heat treatments.
Al and Si Influences on Hydrogen Embrittlement of Carbide-Free Bainitic Steel
Authors: Li Yanguo , Chen Cheng , Zhang Fucheng
Published: November 2013

A first-principle method based on the density functional theory was applied to investigate the Al and Si influences on the hydrogen embrittlement of carbide-free bainitic steel. The hydrogen preference site, binding energy, diffusion behaviour, and electronic structure were calculated. The results showed that hydrogen preferred to be at the tetrahedral site. The binding energy of the cell with Si was the highest and it was decreased to be the worst by adding hydrogen. The diffusion barrier of hydrogen in the cell containing Al was the highest, so it was difficult for hydrogen to diffuse. Thus, hydrogen embrittlement can be reduced by Al rather than Si.
Properties and Analysis of Transparency Conducting AZO Films by Using DC Power and RF Power Simultaneous Magnetron Sputtering
Authors: Shih Neng-Fu , Chen Jin-Zhou , Jiang Yeu-Long
Published: November 2013

DC power and RF power were introduced into the magnetic controlled sputtering system simultaneously to deposit AZO films in order to get an acceptable deposition rate with high quality transparency conducting thin film. The resistivity decreases with the RF power for the as-deposited samples. The resistivity of 6 × 10−4 Ω-cm and 3.5–4.5 × 10−4 Ω-cm is obtained for the as-deposited sample, and for all annealed samples, respectively. The transmittance of the AZO films with higher substrate temperature is generally above 80% for the incident light wavelength within 400–800 nm. The transmittance of the as-deposited samples reveals a clear blue shift phenomenon. The AZO films present (002) oriented preference as can be seen from the X-ray diffraction curves. All AZO films reveal compressive stress. The annealing process improves the electrical property of AZO films. A significant blue shift phenomenon has been found, which may have a great application for electrode in solar cell.
Teager Energy Based Filter-Bank Cepstra in EEG Classification for Seizure Detection Using Radial Basis Function Neural Network
Authors: Kamath Chandrakar
Published: November 2013

About 1–3% of the world population suffers from epilepsy. Epileptic seizures are abnormal sudden discharges in the brain with signatures manifesting in the electroencephalograph (EEG) recordings by frequency changes and increased amplitudes. These changes, in this work, are captured through static and dynamic features derived from three Teager energy based filter-bank cepstra (TE-FB-CEPs). We compared the performance of linear, logarithmic, and Mel frequency scale TE-FB-CEPs using radial basis function neural network in general epileptic seizure detection. The comparison is tried on eight different classification problems which encompass all the possible discriminations in the medical field related to epilepsy. In a previous study, using traditional cepstrum on the same database, we had found that the composite vectors showed a degraded performance in seizure detection. In this study, however, irrespective of frequency scaling used, it is found that the composite vectors of TE-FB-CEPs maintain excellent overall accuracy in all the eight classification problems.
QSBR Study of Bitter Taste of Peptides: Application of GA-PLS in Combination with MLR, SVM, and ANN Approaches
Authors: Soltani Somaieh , Haghaei Hossein , Shayanfar Ali , Vallipour Javad , Asadpour Zeynali Karim , Jouyban Abolghasem
Published: November 2013

Detailed information about the relationships between structures and properties/activities of peptides as drugs and nutrients is useful in the development of drugs and functional foods containing peptides as active compounds. The bitterness of the peptides is an undesirable property which should be reduced during drug/nutrient production, and quantitative structure bitter taste relationship (QSBR) studies can help researchers to design less bitter peptides with higher target efficiency. Calculated structural parameters were used to develop three different QSBR models (i.e., multiple linear regression, support vector machine, and artificial neural network) to predict the bitterness of 229 peptides (containing 2–12 amino acids, obtained from the literature). The developed models were validated using internal and external validation methods, and the prediction errors were checked using mean percentage deviation and absolute average error values. All developed models predicted the activities successfully (with prediction errors less than experimental error values), whereas the prediction errors for nonlinear methods were less than those for linear methods. The selected structural descriptors successfully differentiated between bitter and nonbitter peptides.
Intense Red Upconversion Emission and Shape Controlled Synthesis of Gd2O3:Yb/Er Nanocrystals
Authors: Yi Zhigao , Wen Boyun , Qian Chao , Wang Haibo , Rao Ling , Liu Hongrong , Zeng Songjun
Published: November 2013

Yb/Er codoped Gd(OH)3was synthesized firstly via a simple hydrothermal treatment of the corresponding nitrate in the presence of alkali by tuning the pH values. The Gd2O3:Yb/Er nanocrystals were obtained via sintering the corresponding hydroxides precursors. The as-prepared samples were characterized by the typical X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM, and spectrophotometer. The results revealed that two shapes of the as-prepared Gd2O3:Yb/Er nanocrystals can be readily tuned from lemon-like particle to rod-like structure via tuning pH values from 7 to 14. Moreover, compared with the samples prepared at pH 7, the Gd2O3:Yb/Er nanocrystals prepared at pH 14 exhibit enhanced red upconversion emission and higher upconversion luminescence intensity under the excitation of 980 nm laser.
Closed-Loop Identification Applied to a DC Servomechanism: Controller Gains Analysis
Authors: Miranda Colorado Roger , Contreras Castro Gamaliel
Published: November 2013

Usually, when parameter identification is applied, there are some gains related to the identification algorithm whose value must be carefully adjusted in order to obtain a good performance of the algorithm. However, when performing closed loop identification, there are some other constants that in general are not taken into account for the identification algorithm: the controller gains, which may appear inside the identification algorithm, specifically in the regressor vector, which is very important for the parameter convergence according to the persistence of excitation condition. Therefore, the effect of these gains on the estimated parameters should be analyzed so that better estimates can be obtained. This paper addresses the behavior of the parameter estimates for a closed-loop identification methodology applied to a DC servomechanism with a bounded perturbation signal and a PD controller. It is shown that, with this perturbation, the parameter estimates converge to a region whose size can be modified not only by varying the identification algorithm gains but also by modifying the P and D controller gains in a suitable way.
On a Fractional Nonlinear Hyperbolic Equation Arising from Relative Theory
Authors: Zhang Zujin , Wang Xiaofeng , Yao Zheng-an
Published: November 2013

We obtain the existence of a weak solution to a fractional nonlinear hyperbolic equation arising from relative theory by the Galerkin method. Its uniqueness is also discussed. Furthermore, we show the regularity of the obtained solution. In our proof, we use harmonic analysis techniques and compactness arguments.
The Protective Effect of Lidocaine on Septic Rats via the Inhibition of High Mobility Group Box 1 Expression and NF-κB Activation
Authors: Wang Huan-Liang , Xing Yan-Qiu , Xu Ying-Xue , Rong Fei , Lei Wei-Fu , Zhang Wen-Hua
Published: November 2013

Lidocaine, a common local anesthetic drug, has anti-inflammatory effects. It has demonstrated a protective effect in mice from septic peritonitis. However, it is unknown whether lidocaine has effects on high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), a key mediator of inflammation. In this study, we investigated the effect of lidocaine treatment on serum HMGB1 level and HMGB1 expression in liver, lungs, kidneys, and ileum in septic rats induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). We found that acute organ injury induced by CLP was mitigated by lidocaine treatment and organ function was significantly improved. The data also demonstrated that lidocaine treatment raised the survival of septic rats. Furthermore, lidocaine suppressed the level of serum HMGB1, the expression of HMGB1, and the activation of NF-κB p65 in liver, kidneys, lungs, and ileum. Taken together, these results suggest that lidocaine treatment exerts its protective effection on CLP-induced septic rats. The mechanism was relative to the inhibitory effect of lidocaine on the mRNA expression level of HMGB1 in multiple organs, release of HMGB1 to plasma, and activation of NF-κB.