bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Capacity to Alleviate Abiotic Stress of Olive (Olea europaeaL.) Plants at Different Transplant Conditions
Authors: Bompadre María Josefina , Pérgola Mariana , Fernández Bidondo Laura , Colombo Roxana Paula , Silvani Vanesa Analía , Pardo Alejandro Guillermo , Ocampo Juan Antonio , Godeas Alicia Margarita
Published: February 2014

The capacity of roots to sense soil physicochemical parameters plays an essential role in maintaining plant nutritional and developmental functions under abiotic stress. These conditions generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant tissues causing oxidation of proteins and lipids among others. Some plants have developed adaptive mechanisms to counteract such adverse conditions such as symbiotic association with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). AMF enhance plant growth and improve transplant survival by protecting host plants against environmental stresses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the alleviation of transplanting stress by two strains ofRhizophagus irregularis(GC2 and GA5) in olive. Our results show that olive plants have an additional energetic expense in growth due to an adaptative response to the growing stage and to the mycorrhizal colonization at the first transplant. However, at the second transplant the coinoculation improves olive plant growth and protects against oxidative stress followed by the GA5-inoculation. In conclusion, a combination of two AMF strains at the beginning of olive propagation produces vigorous plants successfully protected in field cultivation even with an additional cost at the beginning of growth.
A Potential Link between Environmental Triggers and Autoimmunity
Authors: Vojdani Aristo
Published: February 2014

Autoimmune diseases have registered an alarming rise worldwide in recent years. Accumulated evidence indicates that the immune system's ability to distinguish self from nonself is negatively impacted by genetic factors and environmental triggers. Genetics is certainly a factor, but since it normally takes a very long time for the human genetic pattern to change enough to register on a worldwide scale, increasingly the attention of studies has been focused on the environmental factors of a rapidly changing and evolving civilization. New technology, new industries, new inventions, new chemicals and drugs, and new foods and diets are constantly and rapidly being introduced in this fast-paced ever-changing world. Toxicants, infections, epitope spreading, dysfunctions of immune homeostasis, and dietary components can all have an impact on the body's delicate immune recognition system. Although the precise etiology and pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases are still unknown, it would appear from the collated studies that there are common mechanisms in the immunopathogenesis of multiple autoimmune reactivities. Of particular interest is the citrullination of host proteins and their conversion to autoantigens by the aforementioned environmental triggers. The identification of these specific triggers of autoimmune reactivity is essential then for the development of new therapies for autoimmune diseases.
Existence of Nontrivial Solutions of p-Laplacian Equation with Sign-Changing Weight Functions
Authors: Abdeljabbar Ghanmi
Published: February 2014

This paper shows the existence and multiplicity of nontrivial solutions of the p-Laplacian problem -Δpu=1/σ(∂F(x,u)/∂u)+λa(x)|u|q-2u for x∈Ω with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions, where Ω is a bounded open set in ℝn, 1<q<p<σ<p*(p*=np/(n-p) if p<n, p*=∞ if p≥n), λ∈ℝ∖{0}, a is a smooth function which may change sign in Ω̅,, and F∈C1(Ω̅ × ℝ,ℝ). The method is based on Nehari results on three submanifolds of the space W01,p(Ω).
Spatial Heterogeneity of Soil Chemical Properties in a Subtropical Karst Forest, Southwest China
Authors: Zhang Zhonghua , Hu Baoqing , Hu Gang
Published: February 2014

This study evaluates the spatial heterogeneity of the soil chemical properties of surface soils across a 1 ha old-growth subtropical karst forest in southwest China.
Overexpression of a Vesicle Trafficking Gene, OsRab7, Enhances Salt Tolerance in Rice
Authors: Peng Xiaojue , Ding Xia , Chang Tianfang , Wang Zhoulong , Liu Rong , Zeng Xin , Cai Yaohui , Zhu Youlin
Published: February 2014

High soils salinity is a main factor affecting agricultural production. Studying the function of salt-tolerance-related genes is essential to enhance crop tolerance to stress.Rab7is a small GTP-binding protein that is distributed widely among eukaryotes. Endocytic trafficking mediated byRab7plays an important role in animal and yeast cells, but the current understanding ofRab7in plants is still very limited. Herein, we isolated a vesicle trafficking gene,OsRab7, from rice. Transgenic rice over-expressingOsRab7exhibited enhanced seedling growth and increased proline content under salt-treated conditions. Moreover, an increased number of vesicles was observed in the root tip ofOsRab7transgenic rice. TheOsRab7over-expression plants showed enhanced tolerance to salt stress, suggesting that vacuolar trafficking is important for salt tolerance in plants.
The Interpolating Boundary Element‐Free Method for Unilateral Problems Arising in Variational Inequalities
Authors: Li Fen , Li Xiaolin
Published: February 2014

The interpolating boundary element‐free method (IBEFM) is developed in this paper for boundary‐only
analysis of unilateral problems which appear in variational inequalities. The IBEFM is a direct boundary
only meshless method that combines an improved interpolating moving least‐square scheme for constructing
interpolation functions with boundary integral equations (BIEs) for representing governing equations. A
projection operator is used to formulate the BIEs and then the formulae of the IBEFM are obtained for
unilateral problems. The convergence of the developed meshless method is derived mathematically. The
capability of the method is also illustrated and assessed through some numerical experiments.
Occurrence of Staphylococcal Ocular Infections of Food Producing Animals in Nsukka Southeast, Nigeria
Authors: Udegbunam Sunday Ositadinma , Udegbunam Rita Ijeoma , Anyanwu Madubuike Umunna
Published: February 2014

Staphylococcal ocular infections of food animals have been somewhat under diagnosed probably due to the ubiquitous nature of staphylococcal organisms. This study was undertaken to determine the occurrence of staphylococcal ocular infections of food producing animals in Nsukka Southeast, Nigeria, and to determine the antibiogram of the isolated staphylococci. A total of 5,635 food producing animals were externally examined for signs of clinical ocular conditions. Animals that showed clinical eye lesions were further examined using pen light to assess the entire globe and the pupillary reflex. Blindness was assessed using menace blink reflex, palpebral reflex and obstacle methods. Isolation and identification of staphylococcal isolates from ocular swabs were done by standard methods. Antibiogram of the isolates was determined by disc diffusion method. Sixty-three (1.1%) of the examined animals showed signs of ocular condition. Thirty-one (49.2%) of the cultured swabs yieldedStaphylococcus aureus(S. aureus). Isolation rates from different animal species were caprine (60%), ovine (33.3%), bovine (12.5%), and porcine (0%). Resistance of the isolates was 100% to ampicillin/cloxacillin, 90% to tetracycline, 80% to streptomycin, 71% to chloramphenicol, 20% to erythromycin, 16% to gentamicin, and 0% to ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin. Twenty-five (81%) of the isolates were multi-drug resistant. This study has shown that antibiotic-resistant staphylococci are associated with a sizeable percentage of ocular infections of food producing animals and should be considered during diagnosis and treatment.
Government Preference and the Optimal Choice of R&D Subsidy Policy: Innovation Subsidy or Product Subsidy?
Authors: Yang Yongcong
Published: February 2014

Taking government preference into consideration, we consider a three-stage game model to compare the differences of innovation subsidy and product subsidy. The findings reveal that stronger preference to consumers’ welfare leads to higher subsidy rates, which benefit not only consumers but also firms. To choose between the two subsidies, the optimal choice varies with the changing preference of policymakers. According to the results of numerical simulation, product subsidy is better than innovation subsidy in most cases, while the government’s expenditure of the former one is larger than the latter one. Moreover, subsidizing firms symmetrically and asymmetrically has different effects on the consequences.
A Multipopulation Coevolutionary Strategy for Multiobjective Immune Algorithm
Authors: Shi Jiao , Gong Maoguo , Ma Wenping , Jiao Licheng
Published: February 2014

How to maintain the population diversity is an important issue in designing a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm. This paper presents an enhanced nondominated neighbor-based immune algorithm in which a multipopulation coevolutionary strategy is introduced for improving the population diversity. In the proposed algorithm, subpopulations evolve independently; thus the unique characteristics of each subpopulation can be effectively maintained, and the diversity of the entire population is effectively increased. Besides, the dynamic information of multiple subpopulations is obtained with the help of the designed cooperation operator which reflects a mutually beneficial relationship among subpopulations. Subpopulations gain the opportunity to exchange information, thereby expanding the search range of the entire population. Subpopulations make use of the reference experience from each other, thereby improving the efficiency of evolutionary search. Compared with several state-of-the-art multiobjective evolutionary algorithms on well-known and frequently used multiobjective and many-objective problems, the proposed algorithm achieves comparable results in terms of convergence, diversity metrics, and running time on most test problems.
A Genetic Algorithm for Locating the Multiscale Critical Slip Surface in Jointed Rock Mass Slopes
Authors: Xu Qiang , Chen Jian-yun , Li Jing , Yue Hong-yuan
Published: February 2014

The joints have great influence on the strength of jointed rock mass and lead to the multiscale, nonhomogeneous, and anisotropic characteristics. In order to consider these effects, a new model based on a genetic algorithm is proposed for locating the critical slip surface (CSS) in jointed rock mass slope (JRMS) from its stress field. A finite element method (FEM) was employed to analyze the stress field. A method of calculating the mechanical persistence ratio (MPR) was used. The calculated multiscale and anisotropic characteristics of the MPR were used in the fitness function of genetic algorithm (GA) to calculate the factor of safety. The GA was used to solve optimization problems of JRMS stability. Some numerical examples were given. The results show that the multiscale and anisotropic characteristics of the MPR played an important role in locating the CSS in JRMS. The proposed model calculated the CSS and the factor of safety of the slope with satisfactory precision.
Nonconstant Periodic Solutions of Discretep-Laplacian System via Clark Duality and Computations of the Critical Groups
Authors: Zheng Bo
Published: February 2014

We study the existence of periodic solutions to a discretep-Laplacian system. By using the Clark duality method and computing the critical groups, we find a simple condition that is sufficient to ensure the existence of nonconstant periodic solutions to the system.
Assessment of Registration Information on Methodological Design of Acupuncture RCTs: A Review of 453 Registration Records Retrieved from WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform
Authors: Gu Jing , Wang Qi , Wang Xiaogang , Li Hailong , Gu Mei , Ming Haixia , Dong Xiaoli , Yang Kehu , Wu Hongyan
Published: February 2014

Background. This review provides the first methodological information assessment of protocol of acupuncture RCTs registered in WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). Methods. All records of acupuncture RCTs registered in the ICTRP have been collected. The methodological design assessment involved whether the randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding were adequate or not based on the information of registration records (protocols of acupuncture RCTs). Results. A total of 453 records, found in 11 registries, were examined. Methodological details were insufficient in registration records; there were 76.4%, 89.0%, and 21.4% records that did not provide information on randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding respectively. The proportions of adequate randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding were only 107 (23.6%), 48 (10.6%), and 210 (46.4%), respectively. The methodological design improved year by year, especially after 2007. Additionally, methodology of RCTs with ethics approval was clearly superior to those without ethics approval and different among registries. Conclusions. The overall methodological design based on registration records of acupuncture RCTs is not very well but improved year by year. The insufficient information on randomization methods, allocation concealment, and blinding maybe due to the relevant description is not taken seriously in acupuncture RCTs’ registration.
A Study of Practical Proxy Reencryption with a Keyword Search Scheme considering Cloud Storage Structure
Authors: Lee Sun-Ho , Lee Im-Yeong
Published: February 2014

Data outsourcing services have emerged with the increasing use of digital information. They can be used to store data from various devices via networks that are easy to access. Unlike existing removable storage systems, storage outsourcing is available to many users because it has no storage limit and does not require a local storage medium. However, the reliability of storage outsourcing has become an important topic because many users employ it to store large volumes of data. To protect against unethical administrators and attackers, a variety of cryptography systems are used, such as searchable encryption and proxy reencryption. However, existing searchable encryption technology is inconvenient for use in storage outsourcing environments where users upload their data to be shared with others as necessary. In addition, some existing schemes are vulnerable to collusion attacks and have computing cost inefficiencies. In this paper, we analyze existing proxy re-encryption with keyword search.
Differential Diagnosis ofEntamoebaspp. in Clinical Stool Samples Using SYBR Green Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
Authors: Gomes Thiago dos Santos , Garcia Mariana Coimbra , Souza Cunha Flavia de , Werneck de Macedo Heloisa , Peralta José Mauro , Peralta Regina Helena Saramago
Published: February 2014

Amoebiasis, a disease caused byEntamoeba histolytica, is usually diagnosed by microscopic examination, which does not differentiate the morphologically identical species of theE. histolytica/E. disparcomplex. Furthermore, morphologically similar species such asEntamoeba hartmannicontribute to misidentification. Therefore, there is a need for more sensitive and specific methods. This study standardized a multiplex real-time PCR system forE. histolyticaandE. disparand a single real-time PCR forE. hartmanni. The multiplex protocol detected up to 0.0143 pg ofE. histolyticaDNA and 0.5156 pg ofE. disparDNA, and the average melting temperature (Tm) was 73°C and 70°C, respectively. ForE. hartmanni, theTmwas 73°C and the amplification was successful down to 0.03 fg of plasmid DNA. Negative controls and other intestinal parasites presented no amplification. Among the 48 samples tested,E. disparDNA was detected in 37; none exhibitedE. histolyticaDNA and 11 were negative in the multiplex protocol. In 4 of these 11 samples, however,E. hartmanniDNA was amplified. SYBR Green is demonstrated to be an interesting option and these combined PCR reactions can improve laboratory diagnosis of amoebiasis in developing countries.
Millipedes as Food for Humans: Their Nutritional and Possible Antimalarial Value—A First Report
Authors: Enghoff Henrik , Manno Nicola , Tchibozo Sévérin , List Manuela , Schwarzinger Bettina , Schoefberger Wolfgang , Schwarzinger Clemens , Paoletti Maurizio G.
Published: February 2014

The first record of millipedes (Diplopoda) being regularly used for food by humans (the Bobo people of Burkina Faso) is given, including information on how the millipedes are prepared. The species in question are Tymbodesmus falcatus (Karsch, 1881) and Sphenodesmus sheribongensis (Schiøtz, 1966) (Gomphodesmidae) and an unidentified species of Spirostreptidae. New information on the nutritional value of millipedes is provided; unsaturated fatty acids, calcium, and iron contents are particularly high. The millipedes’ defensive secretions, hydrogen cyanide and benzoquinones, present a severe challenge for the spread of millipedes as an everyday food source. On the other hand, the possibility that benzoquinones may act as insect‐repellents, as known from studies on nonhuman primates, and that sublethal cyanide ingestion may enhance human innate resistance to malaria, suggests promising ethnomedical perspectives to our findings.
Real-Time Structural Damage Assessment Using Artificial Neural Networks and Antiresonant Frequencies
Authors: Meruane V. , Mahu J.
Published: February 2014

The main problem in damage assessment is the determination of how to ascertain the presence, location, and severity of structural damage given the structure's dynamic characteristics. The most successful applications of vibration-based damage assessment are model updating methods based on global optimization algorithms. However, these algorithms run quite slowly, and the damage assessment process is achieved via a costly and time-consuming inverse process, which presents an obstacle for real-time health monitoring applications. Artificial neural networks (ANN) have recently been introduced as an alternative to model updating methods. Once a neural network has been properly trained, it can potentially detect, locate, and quantify structural damage in a short period of time and can therefore be applied for real-time damage assessment. The primary contribution of this research is the development of a real-time damage assessment algorithm using ANN and antiresonant frequencies. Antiresonant frequencies can be identified more easily and more accurately than mode shapes, and they provide the same information. This research addresses the setup of the neural network parameters and provides guidelines for the selection of these parameters in similar damage assessment problems. Two experimental cases validate this approach: an 8-DOF mass-spring system and a beam with multiple damage scenarios.
A New Sixth-Order Steffensen-Type Iterative Method for Solving Nonlinear Equations
Authors: Eftekhari Tahereh
Published: February 2014

Based on iterative method proposed by Basto et al. (2006), we present a new derivative-free iterative method for solving nonlinear equations. The aim of this paper is to develop a new method to find the approximation of the root α of the nonlinear equation f(x)=0. This method has the efficiency index which equals 61/4=1.5651. The benefit of this method is that this method does not need to calculate any derivative. Several examples illustrate that the efficiency of the new method is better than that of previous methods.
Anatomical Variation of the Maxillary Sinus in Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Poleti Marcelo Lupion , Paes da Silva Ramos Fernandes Luciana Maria , Oliveira-Santos Christiano , Capelozza Ana Lúcia Alvares , Chinellato Luiz Eduardo Montenegro , Rubira-Bullen Izabel Regina Fischer
Published: February 2014

Purpose. The aim of this paper is to report a case in which the cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) was important for the confirmation of the presence of maxillary sinus septum and, therefore, the absence of a suspected pathologic process.Case Description. A 27-year-old male patient was referred for the assessment of a panoramic radiograph displaying a radiolucent area with radiopaque border located in the apical region of the left upper premolars. The provisional diagnosis was either anatomical variation of the maxillary sinuses or a bony lesion.Conclusion. The CBCT was important for an accurate assessment and further confirmation of the presence of maxillary septum, avoiding unnecessary surgical explorations.
A Novel Approach of Rough Conditional Entropy‐Based Attribute Selection for Incomplete Decision System
Authors: Yan Tao , Han Chongzhao
Published: February 2014

Pawlak′s classical rough set theory has been applied in analyzing ordinary information systems and decision systems. However, few studies have been carried out on the attribute selection problem in incomplete decision systems because of its complexity. It is therefore necessary to investigate effective algorithms to deal with this issue. In this paper, a new rough conditional entropy‐based uncertainty measure is introduced to evaluate the significance of subsets of attributes in incomplete decision systems. Furthermore, some important properties of rough conditional entropy are derived and three attribute selection approaches are constructed, including an exhaustive search strategy approach, a heuristic search strategy approach, and a probabilistic search strategy approach for incomplete decision systems. Moreover, several experiments on real‐life incomplete data sets are conducted to assess the efficiency of the proposed approaches. The final experimental results indicate that two of these approaches can give satisfying performances in the process of attribute selection in incomplete decision systems.
Management of Neglected Achilles Tendon Division: Assessment of Two Novel and Innovative Techniques
Authors: Jain Pradeep , Dutta Parthapratim , Goswami Prabal , Patel Amol , Purwar Shammi , Jain Vaibhav
Published: February 2014

Objective. Repair of injured Achilles tendon in neglected cases is one of the difficult and challenging procedures for surgeon. Here, we share our experience with the use of two innovative techniques for repair of chronic rupture of Achilles tendon.Design. Prospective Study.Setting. Tertiary care hospital.Patients. Twelve patients with chronic Tendo Achilles rupture were followed up over a period of three to five years.Intervention. Patients were divided in two groups, A and B. In Group A, the repair was done with Gastroc-soleus turndown flap and weaving with Plantaris tendon graft and in Group B, with modified Kessler’s technique strengthened with the free plantaris tendon graft.Outcome Assessment. Clinically and by Modified Rupp Scoring system.Results. At an average follow-up of 4 years (Group A, 3.7 and Group B, 4.4 years), the majority of the patients had excellent to good results as assessed with Modified Rupp Scoring with few minor complications in both the groups. There was no significant difference in the baseline variables such as age and gender and also in the Rupp’s score between the two groups.Conclusion. The two techniques are novel and simple and have been found to be useful for repair of chronically ruptured Achilles tendon.
Botulinum Toxin Suppression of CNS Network ActivityIn Vitro
Authors: Pancrazio Joseph J. , Gopal Kamakshi , Keefer Edward W. , Gross Guenter W.
Published: February 2014

The botulinum toxins are potent agents which disrupt synaptic transmission. While the standard method for BoNT detection and quantification is based on the mouse lethality assay, we have examined whether alterations in cultured neuronal network activity can be used to detect the functional effects of BoNT. Murine spinal cord and frontal cortex networks cultured on substrate integrated microelectrode arrays allowed monitoring of spontaneous spike and burst activity with exposure to BoNT serotype A (BoNT-A). Exposure to BoNT-A inhibited spike activity in cultured neuronal networks where, after a delay due to toxin internalization, the rate of activity loss depended on toxin concentration. Over a 30 hr exposure to BoNT-A, the minimum concentration detected was 2 ng/mL, a level consistent with mouse lethality studies. A small proportion of spinal cord networks, but not frontal cortex networks, showed a transient increase in spike and burst activity with exposure to BoNT-A, an effect likely due to preferential inhibition of inhibitory synapses expressed in this tissue. Lastly, prior exposure to human-derived antisera containing neutralizing antibodies prevented BoNT-A induced inhibition of network spike activity. These observations suggest that the extracellular recording from cultured neuronal networks can be used to detect and quantify functional BoNT effects.
An Exact Top-k Query Algorithm with Privacy Protection in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Haiping Huang , Juan Feng , Ruchuan Wang , XiaoLin Qin
Published: February 2014

Aimed at the Top- k query problems in the wireless sensor networks (WSN) where enquirers try to seek the k highest or shortest reported values of the source nodes, using privacy protection technology, we present an exact Top- k query algorithm based on filter and data distribution table (shorted for ETQFD). The algorithm does the query exactly and meanwhile uses conic section privacy function to prevent the disclosure of the real data and then to promise the security of nodes in network. In this proposal, each node in WSN uses data distribution table to reflect the distribution of its own data and keeps exact filter to just return data which is possibly to be the result of the query, so as to reduce the energy cost of network and prolong network lifetime. In addition, data of node is packaged with a privacy protection function based on conic section. The algorithm's performance is examined with respect to a number of parameters using synthetic datasets. Performance analysis and simulation results illustrate that, compared to existing algorithms, ETQFD is energy-efficient and the network lifetime in our algorithm is longer. At the same time, privacy of data in this algorithm is also guaranteed.
In Vivo Evaluation of a Decellularized Limbal Graft for Limbal Reconstruction
Authors: Shafiq Maryam A. , Milani Behrad Y. , Djalilian Ali R.
Published: February 2014

Corneal and limbal epithelial function is highly dependent on its underlying matrix. In this study, we report the in vitro and in vivo effects of a decellularized limbal matrix on corneal and limbal epithelial differentiation and repair. We demonstrate that a limbal matrix helps to maintain epithelial cells in a more proliferative and less differentiated state. We introduce a novel focal injury model to the limbus using an excimer laser and further show that transplanting a decellularized limbal graft after the limbal injury helps to promote epithelialization and reduce corneal haze formation. These results suggest that a decellularized limbal graft may be therapeutically beneficial in clinical cases of focal limbal deficiency.
A Patient with Advanced Gastric Cancer Presenting with Extremely Large Uterine Fibroid Tumor
Authors: Park Kwang-Kuk , Yang Song-I
Published: February 2014

Introduction. Uterine fibroid tumors (uterine leiomyomas) are the most common benign uterine tumors. The incidence of uterine fibroid tumors increases in older women and may occur in more than 30% of women aged 40 to 60. Many uterine fibroid tumors are asymptomatic and are diagnosed incidentally.Case Presentation. A 44-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with general weakness, dyspepsia, abdominal distension, and a palpable abdominal mass. An abdominal computed tomography scan showed a huge tumor mass in the abdomen which was compressing the intestine and urinary bladder. Gastroduodenal endoscopic and biopsy results showed a Borrmann type IV gastric adenocarcinoma. The patient was diagnosed with gastric cancer with disseminated peritoneal carcinomatosis. She underwent a hysterectomy with both salphingo-oophorectomy and bypass gastrojejunostomy. Simultaneous uterine fibroid tumor with other malignancies is generally observed without resection. But in this case, a surgical resection was required to resolve an intestinal obstruction and to exclude the possibility of a metastatic tumor.Conclusion. When a large pelvic or ovarian mass is detected in gastrointestinal malignancy patients, physicians try to exclude the presence of a Krukenberg tumor. If the tumors cause certain symptoms, surgical resection is recommended to resolve symptoms and to exclude a metastatic tumor.
The Smart Nonconserver: Preschoolers Detect Their Number Conservation Errors
Authors: De Neys Wim , Lubin Amélie , Houdé Olivier
Published: February 2014

Classic developmental studies have established that children’s number conservation is often biased by misleading intuitions. However, the precise nature of these conservation errors is not clear. A key question is whether children detect that their erroneous conservation judgment is unwarranted. The present study focuses on this critical error sensitivity issue. Preschool children were given a classic version of a number conservation task in which an intuitively cued response conflicted with the correct conservation response and a control version in which this conflict was not present. After solving each version children were asked to indicate their response confidence. Results showed that in contrast with children who gave a correct conservation response, preschoolers who erred showed a sharp confidence decrease after solving the classic conflict problem. This suggests that nonconserving preschoolers detect that their response is questionable and are less ignorant about conservation than their well-documented errors might have previously suggested.
3WCC Temperature Integration in a Gasoline-HEV Optimal Energy Management Strategy
Authors: Michel Pierre , Charlet Alain , Colin Guillaume , Chamaillard Yann , Nouillant Cédric , Bloch Gérard
Published: February 2014

For a gasoline-hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), the energy management strategy (EMS) is the computation of the distribution between electric and gasoline propulsion. Until recently, the EMS objective was to minimize fuel consumption. However, decreasing fuel consumption does not directly minimize the pollutant emissions, and the 3-way catalytic converter (3WCC) must be taken into account. This paper proposes to consider the pollutant emissions in the EMS, by minimizing, with the Pontryagin minimum principle, a tradeoff between pollution and fuel consumption. The integration of the 3WCC temperature in the EMS is discussed and finally a simplification is proposed.
Effect of Acupuncture on Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chung Joanne W. Y. , Yan Vincent C. M. , Zhang Hongwei
Published: February 2014

Aim. To summarize all relevant trials and critically evaluate the effect of acupuncture on heart rate variability (HRV). Method. This was a systematic review with meta‐analysis. Keyword search was conducted in 7 databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data extraction and risk of bias were done. Results. Fourteen included studies showed a decreasing effect of acupuncture on low frequency (LF) and low frequency to high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio) of HRV for nonhealthy subjects and on normalized low frequency (LF norm) for healthy subjects. The overall effect was in favour of the sham/control group for high frequency (HF) in nonhealthy subjects and for normalized high frequency (HF norm) in healthy subjects. Significant decreasing effect on HF and LF/HF ratio of HRV when acupuncture was performed on ST36 among healthy subjects and PC6 among both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, respectively. Discussion. This study partially supports the possible effect of acupuncture in modulating the LF of HRV in both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, while previous review reported that acupuncture did not have any convincing effect on HRV in healthy subjects. More published work is needed in this area to determine if HRV can be an indicator of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture.
Promise and Challenge: The Lens Model as a Biomarker for Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Tian Tian , Zhang Boai , Jia Yanjie , Li Zhaoming
Published: February 2014

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia pathologically characterized by cerebral amyloid-beta (Aβ) deposition. Early and accurate diagnosis of the disease still remains a big challenge. There is evidence that Aβaggregation starts to occur years before symptoms arise. Noninvasive monitoring of Aβplaques is critical for both the early diagnosis and prognosis of AD. Presently, there is a major effort on looking for a reasonably priced technology capable of diagnosing AD by detecting the presence of Aβ. Studies suggest that AD is systemic rather than brain-limited focus diseases and the aggregation of the disease-causing proteins also takes place in lens except the brain. There is a possible relationship between AD and a specific subtype of age-related cataract (supranuclear cataract). If similar abnormal protein deposits are present in the lens, it would facilitate non-invasive diagnosis and monitoring of disease progression. However, there are controversies on the issues related to performance and validation of Aβdeposition in lens as biomarkers for early detection of AD. Here we review the recent findings concerning Aβdeposition in the lenses of AD patients and evaluate if the ocular lens can provide a biomarker for AD.
Evaluation of the Utility of Thromboelastography in a Tertiary Trauma Care Centre
Authors: Subramanian Arulselvi , Albert Venencia , Agrawal Deepak , Saxena Renu , Pandey Ravindra Mohan
Published: February 2014

Background. Thromboelastography (TEG) unlike conventional coagulation assays evaluates the dynamic interaction of clotting factors and platelets indicating an overall clot quality. Literature assessing the efficacy of TEG in identifying trauma associated bleeding is lacking. Aim. To compare TEG with conventional plasma based coagulation tests and assess whether TEG can serve as a screening test or replace the conventional routine test. Materials. Retrospective data was collected for 150 severe trauma patients. Patients with known evidence of severe comorbidities, which may influence the outcome, were excluded. Detailed evaluation of the patient’s clinical and laboratory records was conducted. Diagnostic characteristics such as sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were calculated. Results. Fifty-one patients were defined as coagulopathic by the conventional coagulation test, 30 by the laboratory established range for TEG indices and 105 by manufactures range. Specificity and sensitivity for the laboratory established range for TEG were 29.4% and 84.8%; for manufactures range sensitivity was 74.5%, specificity was 32.3%. Conclusion. We observed that conventional coagulation assays are the most sensitive tests for diagnosis of coagulopathy due to trauma. However in emergency trauma situations, where immediate corrective measures need to be taken, coagulation parameters and conventional coagulation tests may cause delay. TEG can give highly specific results depicting the underlying coagulopathy.
Photocatalytic Antibacterial Performance of Glass Fibers Thin Film Coated with N-DopedSnO2/TiO2
Authors: Kongsong Peerawas , Sikong Lek , Niyomwas Sutham , Rachpech Vishnu
Published: February 2014

Both N-doped and undoped thin films of 3SnO2/TiO2composite were prepared, by sol-gel and dip-coating methods, and then calcined at 600°C for 2 hours. The films were characterized by FTIR, XRD, UV-Vis, SEM, and XPS, and their photocatalytic activities to degrade methylene blue in solution were determined, expecting these activities to correlate with the inactivation of bacteria, which was confirmed. The doped and undoped films were tested for activities against Gram-negativeEscherichia coli(E. coli) andSalmonella typhi(S. typhi), and Gram-positiveStaphylococcus aureus(S. aureus). The effects of doping on these composite films included reduced energy band gap, high crystallinity of anatase phase, and small crystallite size as well as increased photocatalytic activity and water disinfection efficiency.
Protective Role of Catechin and Quercetin in Sodium Benzoate-Induced Lipid Peroxidation and the Antioxidant System in Human ErythrocytesIn Vitro
Authors: Yetuk Gamze , Pandir Dilek , Bas Hatice
Published: February 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of catechin and quercetin in sodium benzoate- (SB-) induced oxidative stress in human erythrocytesin vitro. For this, the effects of SB (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μg/mL), catechin (10 μM), and quercetin (10 μM) on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and the activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, and GST were studied. Significantly higher LPO and lower activities of antioxidant enzymes were observed with the increasing concentrations of SB. Catechin or quercetin protected the erythrocytes against SB-induced toxicity only at low concentrations of SB. The presence of catechin or quercetin at 10 μM have no effect on SB-induced toxicity at high concentrations of SB (50 and 100 μg/mL). In conclusion, SB may cause oxidative stress as food additive in human erythrocytesin vitro. So, it appears that our findings provide evidence for the protection of erythrocytes from SB that could be considered for further studies.
Alignment-Free and High-Frequency Compensation in Face Hallucination
Authors: Chen Yen-Wei , Sasatani So , Han Xian-Hua
Published: February 2014

Face hallucination is one of learning-based super resolution techniques, which is focused on resolution enhancement of facial images. Though face hallucination is a powerful and useful technique, some detailed high-frequency components cannot be recovered. It also needs accurate alignment between training samples. In this paper, we propose a high-frequency compensation framework based on residual images for face hallucination method in order to improve the reconstruction performance. The basic idea of proposed framework is to reconstruct or estimate a residual image, which can be used to compensate the high-frequency components of the reconstructed high-resolution image. Three approaches based on our proposed framework are proposed. We also propose a patch-based alignment-free face hallucination. In the patch-based face hallucination, we first segment facial images into overlapping patches and construct training patch pairs. For an input low-resolution (LR) image, the overlapping patches are also used to obtain the corresponding high-resolution (HR) patches by face hallucination. The whole HR image can then be reconstructed by combining all of the HR patches. Experimental results show that the high-resolution images obtained using our proposed approaches can improve the quality of those obtained by conventional face hallucination method even if the training data set is unaligned.
Evaluation of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Effects on Treatment-Resistant Thin Endometrium in Women UndergoingIn VitroFertilization
Authors: Kunicki Michał , Łukaszuk Krzysztof , Woclawek-Potocka Izabela , Liss Joanna , Kulwikowska Patrycja , Szczyptańska Joanna
Published: February 2014

The aim of the study was to assess the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) effects on unresponsive thin (<7 mm) endometrium in women undergoingin vitrofertilization (IVF). We included thirty-seven subjects who had thin unresponsive endometrium on the day of triggering ovulation. These patients also failed to achieve an adequate endometrial thickness in at least one of their previous IVF cycles. In all the subjects at the time of infusion of G-CSF, endometrial thickness was 6,74 ± 1,75 mm, and, after infusion, it increased significantly to 8,42 ± 1,73 mm. When we divided the group into two subgroups according to whether the examined women conceived, we showed that the endometrium expanded significantly from 6,86 ± 1,65 to 8,80 ± 1,14 mm in the first group (who conceived) and from 6,71 ± 1,80 to 8,33 ± 1,85 mm in the second, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two subgroups in respect to the endometrial thickness both before and after G-CSF infusion. The clinical pregnancy rate was 18,9%. We concluded that the infusion of G-CSF leads to the improvement of endometrium thickness after 72 hours.
Transition Metal(II) Complexes with Cefotaxime-Derived Schiff Base: Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Studies
Authors: Reiss Aurora , Chifiriuc Mariana Carmen , Amzoiu Emilia , Spînu Cezar Ionuţ
Published: February 2014

New [ML2(H2O)2] complexes, where M = Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) while L corresponds to the Schiff base ligand, were synthesized by condensation of cefotaxime with salicylaldehydein situin the presence of divalent metal salts in ethanolic medium. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, conductance, and magnetic measurements, as well as by IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The low values of the molar conductance indicate nonelectrolyte type of complexes. Based on spectral data and magnetic moments, an octahedral geometry may be proposed for Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) complexes while a tetragonal geometry for Cu(II) complex. Molecular structure of the Schiff base ligand and its complexes were studied using programs dedicated to chemical modeling and quantomolecular calculation of chemical properties. All the synthesized complexes were tested forin vitroantibacterial activity against some pathogenic bacterial strains, namelyEscherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis,andStaphylococcus aureus. The MIC values shown by the complexes against these bacterial strains revealed that the metal complexes possess superior antibacterial activity than the Schiff base.
Effects of Dental Methacrylates on Oxygen Consumption and Redox Status of Human Pulp Cells
Authors: Nocca Giuseppina , Callà Cinzia , Martorana Giuseppe Ettore , Cicillini Loredana , Rengo Sandro , Lupi Alessandro , Cordaro Massimo , Luisa Gozzo Maria , Spagnuolo Gianrico
Published: February 2014

Several studies have already demonstrated that the incomplete polymerization of resin-based dental materials causes the release of monomers which might affect cell metabolism. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate, urethane dimethacrylate, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate on (1) cellular energy metabolism, evaluating oxygen consumption rate, glucose consumption, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, and lactate production, and (2) cellular redox status, through the evaluation of glutathione concentration and of the activities of enzymes regulating glutathione metabolism.Methods. Human pulp cells were used and oxygen consumption was measured by means of a Clark electrode. Moreover, reactive oxygen species production was quantified. Enzymatic activity and glucose and lactate concentrations were determined through a specific kit.Results. Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate, 1,4-butanediol dimethacrylate, and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate induced a decrease in oxygen consumption rate, an enhancement of glucose consumption, and lactate production, whilst glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase activity were not significantly modified. Moreover, the monomers induced an increase of reactive oxygen species production with a consequent increase of superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymatic activities. A depletion of both reduced and total glutathione was also observed.Conclusion. The obtained results indicate that dental monomers might alter energy metabolism and glutathione redox balance in human pulp cells.
Effect of Age, Education, and Bilingualism on Confrontation Naming in Older Illiterate and Low-Educated Populations
Authors: Ashaie Sameer , Obler Loraine
Published: February 2014

We investigated the effects of age as well as the linked factors of education and bilingualism on confrontation naming in rural Kashmir by creating a culturally appropriate naming test with pictures of 60 objects. We recruited 48 cognitively normal participants whose ages ranged from 18 to 28 and from 60 to 85. Participants in our study were illiterate monolinguals(N=18)and educated Kashmiri-Urdu bilinguals(N=30). Hierarchical multiple regression revealed that younger adults performed better than older adults(P<0.01)and the age effect was quadratic (age2). It also showed Age X Education and Age X L2 Speaking interactions predicted naming performance. The Age X Education interaction indicated that the advantages of greater education increased with advancing age. Since education is in the second language (L2) in our population, this finding is no doubt linked to the Age X L2 Speaking interaction. This suggests that L2 speaking proficiency contributed more to first language (L1) naming with advancing age.
Performance Improvement of GaN‐Based Flip‐Chip White Light‐Emitting Diodes with Diffused Nanorod Reflector and with ZnO Nanorod Antireflection Layer
Authors: Lee Hsin-Ying , Lin Yu-Chang , Su Yu-Ting , Chao Chia-Hsin , Bardinal Véronique
Published: February 2014

The GaN‐based flip‐chip white light‐emitting diodes (FCWLEDs) with diffused ZnO nanorod reflector and with ZnO nanorod antireflection layer were fabricated. The ZnO nanorod array grown using an aqueous solution method was combined with Al metal to form the diffused ZnO nanorod reflector. It could avoid the blue light emitted out from the Mg‐doped GaN layer of the FCWLEDs, which caused more blue light emitted out from the sapphire substrate to pump the phosphor. Moreover, the ZnO nanorod array was utilized as the antireflection layer of the FCWLEDs to reduce the total reflection loss. The light output power and the phosphor conversion efficiency of the FCWLEDs with diffused nanorod reflector and 250 nm long ZnO nanorod antireflection layer were improved from 21.15 mW to 23.90 mW and from 77.6% to 80.1% in comparison with the FCWLEDs with diffused nanorod reflector and without ZnO nanorod antireflection layer, respectively.
Novel Mechanistic Insights into Ectodomain Shedding of EGFR Ligands Amphiregulin and TGF-α: Impact on Gastrointestinal Cancers Driven by Secondary Bile Acids
Authors: Nagathihalli Nagaraj S. , Beesetty Yugandhar , Lee Wooin , Washington M. Kay , Chen Xi , Lockhart A. Craig , Merchant Nipun B.
Published: February 2014

Secondary bile acids (BA) such as deoxycholic acid (DCA) promote the development of several gastrointestinal malignancies, but how they mediate this effect is unclear. In this study, we offer evidence of a mechanism involving ectodomain shedding of the EGFR ligands amphiregulin (AREG) and TGF-α, which rely upon the cell surface protease TACE/ADAM-17. Specifically, we show that AREG participates in DCA-induced EGFR and STAT3 signaling, cell-cycle progression, and tumorigenicity in human colorectal cancer and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). TACE and AREG, but not TGF-α, were overexpressed in both colorectal cancer and PDAC tissues compared with normal tissues. Exposure of colorectal cancer and PDAC cells to DCA resulted in colocalization of Src and TACE to the cell membrane, resulting in AREG-dependent activation of EGFR, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and STAT3 signaling. Src or TACE inhibition was sufficient to attenuate DCA-induced AREG, but not TGF-α shedding. We also examined a role for the BA transporter TGR5 in DCA-mediated EGFR and STAT3 signaling. RNA interference-mediated silencing of TGR5 or AREG inhibited DCA-induced EGFR, MAPK, and STAT3 signaling, blunted cyclin D1 expression and cell-cycle progression, and attenuated DCA-induced colorectal cancer or PDAC tumorigenicity. Together, our findings define an AREG-dependent signaling pathway that mediates the oncogenic effects of secondary BAs in gastrointestinal cancers, the targeting of which may enhance therapeutic responses in their treatment. Cancer Res; 74(7); 2062–72. ©2014 AACR.