bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neural correlates of auditory recognition memory in the primate dorsal temporal pole
Authors: Ng Chi-Wing , Plakke Bethany , Poremba Amy
Published: November 2013

Temporal pole (TP) cortex is associated with higher-order sensory perception and/or recognition memory, as human patients with damage in this region show impaired performance during some tasks requiring recognition memory ( Olson et al. 2007 ). The underlying mechanisms of TP processing are largely based on examination of the visual nervous system in humans and monkeys, while little is known about neuronal activity patterns in the auditory portion of this region, dorsal TP (dTP; Poremba et al. 2003 ). The present study examines single-unit activity of dTP in rhesus monkeys performing a delayed matching-to-sample task utilizing auditory stimuli, wherein two sounds are determined to be the same or different. Neurons of dTP encode several task-relevant events during the delayed matching-to-sample task, and encoding of auditory cues in this region is associated with accurate recognition performance. Population activity in dTP shows a match suppression mechanism to identical, repeated sound stimuli similar to that observed in the visual object identification pathway located ventral to dTP ( Desimone 1996 ; Nakamura and Kubota 1996 ). However, in contrast to sustained visual delay-related activity in nearby analogous regions, auditory delay-related activity in dTP is transient and limited. Neurons in dTP respond selectively to different sound stimuli and often change their sound response preferences between experimental contexts. Current findings suggest a significant role for dTP in auditory recognition memory similar in many respects to the visual nervous system, while delay memory firing patterns are not prominent, which may relate to monkeys' shorter forgetting thresholds for auditory vs. visual objects.
Slowly emerging glycinergic transmission enhances inhibition in the sound localization pathway of the avian auditory system
Authors: Fischl Matthew J. , Weimann Sonia R. , Kearse Michael G. , Burger R. Michael
Published: November 2013

Localization of low-frequency acoustic stimuli is processed in dedicated neural pathways where coincidence-detecting neurons compare the arrival time of sound stimuli at the two ears, or interaural time disparity (ITD). ITDs occur in the submillisecond range, and vertebrates have evolved specialized excitatory and inhibitory circuitry to compute these differences. Glycinergic inhibition is a computationally significant and prominent component of the mammalian ITD pathway. However, evidence for glycinergic transmission is limited in birds, where GABAergic inhibition has been thought to be the dominant or exclusive inhibitory transmitter. Indeed, previous work showed that GABA antagonists completely eliminate inhibition in avian nuclei specialized for processing temporal features of sound, nucleus magnocellularis (NM) and nucleus laminaris (NL). However, more recent work shows that glycine is coexpressed with GABA in synaptic terminals apposed to neurons in both nuclei (Coleman WL, Fischl MJ, Weimann SR, Burger RM. J Neurophysiol 105: 2405–2420, 2011; Kuo SP, Bradley LA, Trussell LO. J Neurosci 29: 9625–9634, 2009). Here we show complementary evidence of functional glycine receptor (GlyR) expression in NM and NL. Additionally, we show that glycinergic input can be evoked under particular stimulus conditions. Stimulation at high but physiologically relevant rates evokes a slowly emerging glycinergic response in NM and NL that builds over the course of the stimulus. Glycinergic response magnitude was stimulus rate dependent, representing 18% and 7% of the total inhibitory current in NM and NL, respectively, at the end of the 50-pulse, 200-Hz stimulus. Finally, we show that the glycinergic component is functionally relevant, as its elimination reduced inhibition of discharges evoked by current injection into NM neurons.
The Pairing Computation on Edwards Curves
Authors: Wu Hongfeng , Li Liangze , Zhang Fan
Published: November 2013

We propose an elaborate geometry approach to explain the group law on twisted Edwards curves which are seen as the intersection of quadric surfaces in place. Using the geometric interpretation of the group law, we obtain the Miller function for Tate pairing computation on twisted Edwards curves. Then we present the explicit formulae for pairing computation on twisted Edwards curves. Our formulae for the doubling step are a little faster than that proposed by Arène et al. Finally, to improve the efficiency of pairing computation, we present twists of degrees 4 and 6 on twisted Edwards curves.
Emotional Burnout, Perceived Sources of Job Stress, Professional Fulfillment, and Engagement among Medical Residents in Malaysia
Authors: Al-Dubai Sami Abdo Radman , Ganasegeran Kurubaran , Perianayagam Wilson , Rampal Krishna Gopal
Published: November 2013

This study was the first to explore factors associated with emotional burnout (EB) among medical residents in Malaysia. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in a universal sample of 205 medical residents in a Malaysian general hospital. The self‐administered questionnaire used consisted of questions on sociodemographics and work characteristics, sources of job stress, professional fulfillment, engagement, and EB. EB was measured using the emotional exhaustion subscale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Mean (±SD) age of the respondents was 26.5 (±1.6). The most common source of job stress was “fear of making mistakes.” Most of the participants were dissatisfied with the increase of residentship period from one year to two years. A high level of EB was reported by 36.6% of the respondents. In multivariate analysis, the most important correlates of EB were sources of job stress, professional fulfillment, and engagement. A high prevalence of EB was found among medical residents. Sociodemographic characteristics, performance pressure, and satisfaction with policies were significantly associated with EB. Although this study was limited by its cross‐sectional design, its findings posit a sufficient foundation to relevant authorities to construct, amend, and amalgamate existing and future policies.
Synthesis of Highly Emissive CdSe Quantum Dots by Aqueous Precipitation Method
Authors: Gao Bing , Shen Chao , Yuan Shuanglong , Yang Yunxia , Chen Guorong
Published: November 2013

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) with high quantum yield (QY) up to 76.57% are synthesized using the aqueous precipitation method. With the control of concentration in Se precursor, the nucleation speed and concentration of CdSe QDs are increased. The mass of obtained Cd2+ and Se2+ in nanocrystal is measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP‐AES). XRD and HRTEM are used to identify the crystal phase and morphology of the products which are pure CdSe crystals in the cubic zinc blende phase and uniformly dispersed in the solution with the size between 2 nm and 2.3 nm. Results demonstrate that the emission wavelength of CdSe QDs is 500 nm~560 nm along with the increased temperature 50°C~90°C and prolonged time 5 min~25 min.
Pattern Formation in Predator-Prey Model with Delay and Cross Diffusion
Authors: Lian Xinze , Yan Shuling , Wang Hailing
Published: November 2013

We consider the effect of time delay and cross diffusion on the dynamics of a modified Leslie-Gower predator-prey model incorporating a prey refuge. Based on the stability analysis, we demonstrate that delayed feedback may generate Hopf and Turing instability under some conditions, resulting in spatial patterns. One of the most interesting findings is that the model exhibits complex pattern replication: the model dynamics exhibits a delay and diffusion controlled formation growth not only to spots, stripes, and holes, but also to spiral pattern self-replication. The results indicate that time delay and cross diffusion play important roles in pattern formation.
The Hidden Burden of Trichinellosis in Vietnam: A Postoutbreak Epidemiological Study
Authors: Vu Thi Nga , Trung Dung Do , Litzroth Amber , Praet Nicolas , Nguyen Thu Huong , Nguyen Thu Hien , Nguyen Manh Hung , Dorny Pierre
Published: November 2013

A cross-sectional study was conducted in Muong Lat town (Thanh Hoa province, North Vietnam), following the confirmed diagnosis of trichinellosis in six patients from that town who had eaten hunted wild boar meat during the Vietnamese lunar year celebration. All inhabitants who declared to have eaten undercooked or raw wild boar meat at the celebration and showed at least one clinical symptom compatible with trichinellosis were included in the study and blood sampled. Anti-TrichinellaIgG were determined by ELISA and Western Blot. Seropositive persons were given appropriate albendazole treatment and were followed up. A total of 100 inhabitants met the inclusion criteria. Among these, 30 (30%) had antibodies toTrichinella. Serologically confirmed cases had fever (90.0%), myalgia (86.7%), facial oedema (63.3%), diarrhoea (53.3%), and pain of the masseter muscles (43.3%). Eosinophilia was detected in 83.3% of these individuals. Clinical symptoms resolved in all patients during albendazole treatment. The results suggest that only a proportion of the trichinellosis cases had sought health care during the outbreak. There is a need to implement surveillance and better diagnosis for trichinellosis and to set up educational programs to prevent infection in North Vietnam.
Mechanical Parameters and Post-Cracking Behaviour of HPFRC according to Three-Point and Four-Point Bending Test
Authors: Bencardino Francesco
Published: November 2013

High performance fibre reinforced concrete (HPFRC) is a modern structural material with a high potential and with an increasing number of structural applications. Structural design of HPFRC elements is based on the post-cracking residual strength provided by fibre reinforcement, and for structural use, a minimum mechanical performance of HPFRC must be guaranteed. To optimize the performance of HPFRC in structural members, it is necessary to establish the mechanical properties and the post-cracking and fracture behaviour in a univocal and reliable way. The best test methodology to evaluate the post-cracking and toughness properties of HPFRC is the beam bending test. Two different types of configurations are proposed: the three-point and the four-point bending tests. The overall focus of this paper is to evaluate the mechanical properties and the post-cracking and fracture behaviour of HPFRC, using the two different standard test procedures. To achieve these aims, plain and fibre concrete specimens were tested. All the test specimens were extensively instrumented to establish the strength properties, crack tip and crack mouth opening displacement, and post-cracking behaviour. The results of the two types of bending tests were critically analysed and compared to identify and highlight the differing effects of the bending load configurations on the mechanical parameters of HPFRC material.
Practical Medical Management of Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Baran Bulent , Karaca Cetin
Published: November 2013

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. After proper diagnosis, treatment decisions must be made on precise clinical judgment. During the course of the disease there are variable clinical features, so each case must be managed individually. Physicians who care for patients with Crohn’s disease should be prepared for treatment options in different states of the disease and possible complications of both the disease and medications. This paper will focus on the management of Crohn’s disease. We aim to discuss current treatment options in different presentations of the disease and to provide algorithmic management strategy.
Recent Achievement in Gene Cloning and Functional Genomics in Soybean
Authors: Xia Zhengjun , Zhai Hong , Lü Shixiang , Wu Hongyan , Zhang Yupeng
Published: November 2013

Soybean is a model plant for photoperiodism as well as for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. However, a rather low efficiency in soybean transformation hampers functional analysis of genes isolated from soybean. In comparison, rapid development and progress in flowering time and photoperiodic response have been achieved in Arabidopsis and rice. As the soybean genomic information has been released since 2008, gene cloning and functional genomic studies have been revived as indicated by successfully characterizing genes involved in maturity and nematode resistance. Here, we review some major achievements in the cloning of some important genes and some specific features at genetic or genomic levels revealed by the analysis of functional genomics of soybean.
An Exploratory Study of Male Adolescent Sexuality in Zimbabwe: The Case of Adolescents in Kuwadzana Extension, Harare
Authors: Bhatasara Sandra , Chevo Tafadzwa , Changadeya Talent
Published: November 2013

Although young people in Zimbabwe are becoming sexually active at a very early age, there is no unified body of knowledge on how they regard sex and construct sexuality and relationships. In many circumstances adolescence sexual agency is denied and silenced. This study explored adolescents’ discourses on sexuality, factors affecting adolescent sexuality, and sexual health. Fusing a social constructionist standpoint and an active view of agency, we argue that the way male adolescents perceive and experience sexuality and construct sexual identities is mediated by the sociocultural context in which they live in and their own agency. Although adolescents are mistakenly regarded as sexual innocents by society, we argue that male adolescents are active social agents in constructing their own sexual realities and identities. At the same time, dominant structural and interactional factors have a bearing on how male adolescents experience and generate sexuality.
Cognitive, Affective, and Motivational Changes during Ostracism: An ERP, EMG, and EEG Study Using a Computerized Cyberball Task
Authors: Kawamoto Taishi , Nittono Hiroshi , Ura Mitsuhiro
Published: November 2013

Individuals are known to be highly sensitive to signs of ostracism, such as being ignored or excluded; however, the cognitive, affective, and motivational processes underlying ostracism have remained unclear. We investigated temporal changes in these psychological states resulting from being ostracized by a computer. Using event-related brain potentials (ERPs), the facial electromyogram (EMG), and electroencephalogram (EEG), we focused on the P3b amplitude, corrugator supercilii activity, and frontal EEG asymmetry, which reflect attention directed at stimuli, negative affect, and approach/withdrawal motivation, respectively. Results of the P3b and corrugator supercilii activity replicated findings of previous studies on being ostracized by humans. The mean amplitude of the P3b wave decreased, and facial EMG activity increased over time. In addition, frontal EEG asymmetry changed from relative left frontal activation, suggestive of approach motivation, to relative right frontal activation, indicative of withdrawal motivation. These findings suggest that ostracism by a computer-generated opponent is an aversive experience that in time changes the psychological status of ostracized people, similar to ostracism by human. Our findings also imply that frontal EEG asymmetry is a useful index for investigating ostracism. Results of this study suggest that ostracism has well developed neurobiological foundations.
An Efficient Data Dissemination Protocol with Roadside Parked Vehicles' Assistance in Vehicular Networks
Authors: Gong Haigang , Liu Nianbo , Yu Lingfei , Song Chao
Published: November 2013

Data dissemination is a challenging problem in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) due to the characteristics of VANETs such as highly dynamic topology, intermittent connectivity, and the road-constrained mobility. Observed from the fact that on-street parking is a common phenomenon in the city, the parked vehicles at roadside can also contribute their resources to the communications in network. In this paper, an efficient data dissemination protocol (EDP) for VANETS is proposed. Different from the existing works which consider mainly mobile vehicles or some expensive roadside infrastructure, EDP leverages the resources of parked vehicles at roadside to help in forwarding data. EDP groups the parked vehicles at roadside into a cluster, which buffers and relays data from mobile vehicles and manages the duplicates of data. Simulation results based on a real city map show that EDP achieves a higher delivery ratio and lower delivery delay.
LQ Optimal Sliding Mode Control of Periodic Review Perishable Inventories with Transportation Losses
Authors: Leśniewski Piotr , Bartoszewicz Andrzej
Published: November 2013

In this work we apply the control-theoretic approach to design a new replenishment strategy for inventory systems with perishable stock. Such systems are supposed to effectively satisfy an unknown and permanently time-varying consumers’ demand. The main obstacle of achieving this goal is the need of obtaining supplies from a distant source. During the supply process goods are inevitably lost due to various causes. Furthermore, those goods which successfully arrive at the distribution center still deteriorate while stored in its warehouse. We explicitly take into account both of these factors in designing our control strategy. We propose a sliding mode strategy and choose its parameters to minimize a quadratic quality criterion. This approach allows us to ameliorate the bullwhip effect (the amplification of the demand variations when going up in the supply chain). The control strategy proposed in this work ensures bounded orders, guarantees full consumers’ demand satisfaction, and eliminates the risk of exceeding the warehouse capacity. These properties are stated in three theorems and proved in the paper.
Applying Outdoor Environment to Develop Health, Comfort, and Energy Saving in the Office in Hot‐Humid Climate
Authors: Chen Rong , Sung Wen-Pei , Chang Hung-Chang , Chi Yi-Rou
Published: November 2013

A human life demand set to emerge in the future is the achievement of sustainability by maintaining a comfortable indoor environment without excessive reliance on energy‐consuming air conditioners. The major research processes in this study are: (1) measuring indoor air quality and thermal comfort to evaluate the comfort of an indoor environment; (2) implementing questionnaire survey analysis to explore people’s environmental self‐perceptions and conducting a meta‐analysis of the measurement results for air quality and physical aspects; and (3) constructing an indoor monitoring and management system. The experimental and analysis results of this research reveal that most of the office occupants preferred a cooler environment with a lower temperature. Additionally, because the summers in Taiwan are humid and hot, the occupants of an indoor space tend to feel uncomfortable because of the high humidity and poor indoor air quality. Therefore, Variable Air Volume (VAV), two air intakes, and exhaust plant are installed to improve indoor environment. After improvement, a lower temperature (approximately 21.2–23.9°C) indirectly reduces humidity, thereby making the occupants comfortable. Increasing air velocity to 0.1 ~ 0.15 m/s, the carbon dioxide concentrations decrease below the requirement of the WHO. Ninety‐five percent of the workers corresponded to the standard comfort zone after this improvement.
Quantification of the Spatial Organization of the Nuclear Lamina as a Tool for Cell Classification
Authors: Righolt Christiaan H. , Zatreanu Diana A. , Raz Vered
Published: November 2013

The nuclear lamina is the structural scaffold of the nuclear envelope that plays multiple regulatory roles in chromatin organization and gene expression as well as a structural role in nuclear stability. The lamina proteins, also referred to as lamins, determine nuclear lamina organization and define the nuclear shape and the structural integrity of the cell nucleus. In addition, lamins are connected with both nuclear and cytoplasmic structures forming a dynamic cellular structure whose shape changes upon external and internal signals. When bound to the nuclear lamina, the lamins are mobile, have an impact on the nuclear envelop structure, and may induce changes in their regulatory functions. Changes in the nuclear lamina shape cause changes in cellular functions. A quantitative description of these structural changes could provide an unbiased description of changes in cellular function. In this review, we describe how changes in the nuclear lamina can be measured from three-dimensional images of lamins at the nuclear envelope, and we discuss how structural changes of the nuclear lamina can be used for cell classification.
Enzymes Inhibition and Antidiabetic Effect of Isolated Constituents fromDillenia indica
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Kumar Vipin , Prakash Om
Published: November 2013

Aims. This study was designed to investigate the enzyme inhibitory and antidiabetic activity for the constituents isolated fromDillenia indica.Methods. The leaves ofD. indicawere extracted with methanol and subjected to fractionation and chromatographic separation, which led to the isolation of seven compounds: betulinic acid (1), n-heptacosan-7-one (2), n-nonatriacontan-18-one (3), quercetin (4),βsitosterol (5), stigmasterol (6), and stigmasteryl palmitate (7). Among these isolates, compounds1,4,5, and6were evaluated forin vitroenzyme inhibition and compounds4,5and6were evaluated for antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic mice.Results. Compounds1,4,5, and6showed 47.4, 55.2, 48.8, and 44.3%α-amylase inhibition, respectively, and 52.2, 78.2, 52.5, and 34.2%α-glucosidase inhibition, respectively, at the dose of 50 µg/kg. Compounds4,5and6also showed significant (*P<0.05) antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin-nicotinamide induced diabetic mice at the dose of 10 mg/kg.Conclusion.These results provide evidence thatDillenia indicamight be a potential source of antidiabetic agents.
A Microbial Fuel Cell Modified with Carbon Nanomaterials for Organic Removal and Denitrification
Authors: Alharbi Njud S.
Published: November 2013

This paper investigated microbial denitrification using electrochemical sources to replace organic matter as reductant. The work also involved developing a system that could be optimised for nitrate removal in applied situations such as water processing in fish farming or drinking water, where high nitrate levels represent a potential health problem. Consequently, the study examined a range of developments for the removal of nitrate from water based on the development of electrochemical biotransformation systems for nitrate removal. This also offers considerable scope for the potential application of these systems in broader bionanotechnology based processes. Furthermore, the work discussed the context of improved microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance, potential analytic applications, and further innovations using a bionanotechnology approach to analyse cell-electrode interactions. High nitrate removal rate of more than 95% was successfully achieved by using a MFC system modified with carbon nanomaterials.
Design Optimization of a Speed Reducer Using Deterministic Techniques
Authors: Lin Ming-Hua , Tsai Jung-Fa , Hu Nian-Ze , Chang Shu-Chuan
Published: November 2013

The optimal design problem of minimizing the total weight of a speed reducer under constraints is a generalized geometric programming problem. Since the metaheuristic approaches cannot guarantee to find the global optimum of a generalized geometric programming problem, this paper applies an efficient deterministic approach to globally solve speed reducer design problems. The original problem is converted by variable transformations and piecewise linearization techniques. The reformulated problem is a convex mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem solvable to reach an approximate global solution within an acceptable error. Experiment results from solving a practical speed reducer design problem indicate that this study obtains a better solution comparing with the other existing methods.
Variable Selection in ROC Regression
Authors: Wang Binhuan
Published: November 2013

Regression models are introduced into thereceiver operating characteristic(ROC) analysis to accommodate effects of covariates, such as genes. If many covariates are available, the variable selection issue arises. The traditional induced methodology separately models outcomes of diseased and nondiseased groups; thus, separate application of variable selections to two models will bring barriers in interpretation, due to differences in selected models. Furthermore, in the ROC regression, the accuracy of area under the curve (AUC) should be the focus instead of aiming at the consistency of model selection or the good prediction performance. In this paper, we obtain one single objective function with the group SCAD to select grouped variables, which adapts to popular criteria of model selection, and propose a two-stage framework to apply the focused information criterion (FIC). Some asymptotic properties of the proposed methods are derived. Simulation studies show that the grouped variable selection is superior to separate model selections. Furthermore, the FIC improves the accuracy of the estimated AUC compared with other criteria.
Simulation and Analysis of GaN Wafer Bowing on Sapphire Substrate
Authors: Bin Wang , Yu-xuan Qu , Shi-gang Hu , Zhi-jun Tang , Jin Li , Ying-lu Hu
Published: November 2013

During the process of heteroepitaxial growth, if the lattice constant of the growing film differs from that of the substrate, the wafer surface bows, regardless of whether the lattice mismatch occurs or not. As the growth in large-scale wafers speeds up, bowing effects are becoming more and more important. Wafer bowing has a direct impact on the yield in modern mass-production compound semiconductor industries. By using finite element analysis software, the bowing deformation of the GaN wafer on sapphire substrate can be studied. This paper summarizes the causes of bowing deformation, builds the mathematical model, and deduces the relation equation of the wafer bowing. The results show that epitaxial wafer bowing has a linear relationship with the square of the diameter of the substrate but has little relationship with the thickness of the substrate. Moreover, the relation equation of the wafer bowing is also simplified finally.
ASPic-GeneID: A Lightweight Pipeline for Gene Prediction and Alternative Isoforms Detection
Authors: Alioto Tyler , Picardi Ernesto , Guigó Roderic , Pesole Graziano
Published: November 2013

New genomes are being sequenced at an increasingly rapid rate, far outpacing the rate at which manual gene annotation can be performed. Automated genome annotation is thus necessitated by this growth in genome projects; however, full-fledged annotation systems are usually home-grown and customized to a particular genome. There is thus a renewed need for accurateab initiogene prediction methods. However, it is apparent that fullyab initiomethods fall short of the required level of sensitivity and specificity for a quality annotation. Evidence in the form of expressed sequences gives the single biggest improvement in accuracy when used to inform gene predictions. Here, we present a lightweight pipeline for first-pass gene prediction on newly sequenced genomes. The two main components are ASPic, a program that derives highly accurate, albeit not necessarily complete, EST-based transcript annotations from EST alignments, and GeneID, a standard gene prediction program, which we have modified to take as evidence intron annotations. The introns output by ASPic CDS predictions is given to GeneID to constrain the exon-chaining process and produce predictions consistent with the underlying EST alignments. The pipeline was successfully tested on the entireC. elegansgenome and the 44 ENCODE human pilot regions.
Minor Volatile Compounds in White Wines from Canary Islands, Madeira, and Pico (Azores) by Headspace Solid-Phase Microextraction-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Pérez-Olivero S. J. , Pérez Trujillo J. P. , Conde J. E.
Published: November 2013

Application of headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with high-resolution gas chromatographic (HRGC) analytical system was studied for detection and identification of volatile compounds in wines. Four different SPME fibers were tested, and 138 different compounds were detected and identified. The best fiber for the determination of different groups of compounds was selected. Using these results, a comparative study of Madeira, Tenerife (Canary Islands), and Pico (Azores) was carried out.
Numerical Simulation of Airfoil Aerodynamic Penalties and Mechanisms in Heavy Rain
Authors: Wu Zhenlong , Cao Yihua , Ismail M.
Published: November 2013

Numerical simulations that are conducted on a transport-type airfoil, NACA 64-210, at a Reynolds number of2.6×106and LWC of 25 g/m3explore the aerodynamic penalties and mechanisms that affect airfoil performance in heavy rain conditions. Our simulation results agree well with the experimental data and show significant aerodynamic penalties for the airfoil in heavy rain. The maximum percentage decrease inCLis reached by 13.2% and the maximum percentage increase inCDby 47.6%. Performance degradation in heavy rain at low angles of attack is emulated by an originally creative boundary-layer-tripped technique near the leading edge. Numerical flow visualization technique is used to show premature boundary-layer separation at high angles of attack and the particulate trajectories at various angles of attack. A mathematic model is established to qualitatively study the water film effect on the airfoil geometric changes. All above efforts indicate that two primary mechanisms are accountable for the airfoil aerodynamic penalties. One is to cause premature boundary-layer transition at low AOA and separation at high AOA. The other occurs at times scales consistent with the water film layer, which is thought to alter the airfoil geometry and increase the mass effectively.
Detecting Silent Vocalizations in a Locked-In Subject
Authors: Sarmah Elina , Kennedy Philip
Published: November 2013

Problem Addressed. Decoding of silent vocalization would be enhanced by detecting vocalization onset. This is necessary in order to improve decoding of neural firings and thus synthesize near conversational speech in locked-in subjects implanted with brain computer interfacing devices. Methodology. Cortical recordings were obtained during attempts at inner speech in a mute and paralyzed subject (ER) implanted with a recording electrode to detect and analyze lower beta band peaks meeting the criterion of a minimum 0.2% increase in the power spectrum density (PSD). To provide supporting data, three speaking subjects were used in a similar testing paradigm using EEG signals recorded over the speech area. Results. Conspicuous lower beta band peaks were identified around the time of assumed speech onset. The correlations between single unit firings, recorded at the same time as the continuous neural signals, were found to increase after the lower beta band peaks as compared to before the peaks. Studies in the nonparalyzed control individuals suggested that the lower beta band peaks were related to the movement of the articulators of speech (tongue, jaw, and lips), not to higher order speech processes. Significance and Potential Impact. The results indicate that the onset of silent and overt speech is associated with a sharp peak in lower beta band activity—an important step in the development of a speech prosthesis. This raises the possibility of using these peaks in online applications to assist decoding paradigms being developed to decode speech from neural signal recordings in mute humans.
Automatic Detection of Repetitive Components in 3D Mechanical Engineering Models
Authors: Wen Laixiang , Jia Jinyuan , Liang Shuang , Zhang Jianhua
Published: November 2013

We present an intelligent method to automatically detect repetitive components in 3D mechanical engineering models. In our work, a new Voxel-based Shape Descriptor (VSD) is proposed for effective matching, based on which a similarity function is defined. It uses the voxels intersecting with 3D outline of mechanical components as the feature descriptor. Because each mechanical component may have different poses, the alignment before the matching is needed. For the alignment, we adopt the genetic algorithm to search for optimal solution where the maximum global similarity is the objective. Two components are the same if the maximum global similarity is over a certain threshold. Note that the voxelization of component during feature extraction and the genetic algorithm for searching maximum global similarity are entirely implemented on GPU; the efficiency is improved significantly than with CPU. Experimental results show that our method is more effective and efficient than that existing methods for repetitive components detection.
Micelle‐Assisted Synthesis of Al2O3·CaO Nanocatalyst: Optical Properties and Their Applications in Photodegradation of 2,4,6‐Trinitrophenol
Authors: Imtiaz Ayesha , Farrukh Muhammad Akhyar , Khaleeq-ur-rahman Muhammad , Adnan Rohana
Published: November 2013

Calcium oxide (CaO) nanoparticles are known to exhibit unique property due to their high adsorption capacity and good catalytic activity. In this work the CaO nanocatalysts were prepared by hydrothermal method using anionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), as a templating agent. The as‐synthesized nanocatalysts were further used as substrate for the synthesis of alumina doped calcium oxide (Al2O3·CaO) nanocatalysts via deposition‐precipitation method at the isoelectric point of CaO. The Al2O3·CaO nanocatalysts were characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, TEM, and FESEM techniques. The catalytic efficiencies of these nanocatalysts were studied for the photodegradation of 2,4,6‐trinitrophenol (2,4,6‐TNP), which is an industrial pollutant, spectrophotometrically. The effect of surfactant and temperature on size of nanocatalysts was also studied. The smallest particle size and highest percentage of degradation were observed at critical micelle concentration of the surfactant. The direct optical band gap of the Al2O3·CaO nanocatalyst was found as 3.3 eV.
The Role of EGFR/PI3K/Akt/cyclinD1 Signaling Pathway in Acquired Middle Ear Cholesteatoma
Authors: Liu Wei , Ren Hongmiao , Ren Jihao , Yin Tuanfang , Hu Bing , Xie Shumin , Dai Yinghuan , Wu Weijing , Xiao Zian , Yang Xinming , Xie Dinghua
Published: November 2013

Cholesteatoma is a benign keratinizing and hyper proliferative squamous epithelial lesion of the temporal bone. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is one of the most important cytokines which has been shown to play a critical role in cholesteatoma. In this investigation, we studied the effects of EGF on the proliferation of keratinocytes and EGF-mediated signaling pathways underlying the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma. We examined the expressions of phosphorylated EGF receptor (p-EGFR), phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), cyclinD1, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in 40 cholesteatoma samples and 20 samples of normal external auditory canal (EAC) epithelium by immunohistochemical method. Furthermore,in vitrostudies were performed to investigate EGF-induced downstream signaling pathways in primary external auditory canal keratinocytes (EACKs). The expressions of p-EGFR, p-Akt, cyclinD1, and PCNA in cholesteatoma epithelium were significantly increased when compared with those of control subjects. We also demonstrated that EGF led to the activation of the EGFR/PI3K/Akt/cyclinD1 signaling pathway, which played a critical role in EGF-induced cell proliferation and cell cycle progression of EACKs. Both EGFR inhibitor AG1478 and PI3K inhibitor wortmannin inhibited the EGF-induced EGFR/PI3K/Akt/cyclinD1 signaling pathway concomitantly with inhibition of cell proliferation and cell cycle progression of EACKs. Taken together, our data suggest that the EGFR/PI3K/Akt/cyclinD1 signaling pathway is active in cholesteatoma and may play a crucial role in cholesteatoma epithelial hyper-proliferation. This study will facilitate the development of potential therapeutic targets for intratympanic drug therapy for cholesteatoma.
Impact and Implementation of Simulation‐Based Training for Safety
Authors: Bilotta Federico F. , Werner Samantha M. , Bergese Sergio D. , Rosa Giovanni
Published: November 2013

Patient safety is an issue of imminent concern in the high‐risk field of medicine, and systematic changes that alter the way medical professionals approach patient care are needed. Simulation‐based training (SBT) is an exemplary solution for addressing the dynamic medical environment of today. Grounded in methodologies developed by the aviation industry, SBT exceeds traditional didactic and apprenticeship models in terms of speed of learning, amount of information retained, and capability for deliberate practice. SBT remains an option in many medical schools and continuing medical education curriculums (CMEs), though its use in training has been shown to improve clinical practice. Future simulation‐based anesthesiology training research needs to develop methods for measuring both the degree to which training translates into increased practitioner competency and the effect of training on safety improvements for patients.
PP2A-Mediated Anticancer Therapy
Authors: Chen Weibo , Wang Zhongxia , Jiang Chunping , Ding Yitao
Published: November 2013

PP2A is a family of mammalian serine/threonine phosphatases that is involved in the control of many cellular functions including protein synthesis, cellular signaling, cell cycle determination, apoptosis, metabolism, and stress responses through the negative regulation of signaling pathways initiated by protein kinases. Rapid progress is being made in the understanding of PP2A complex and its functions. Emerging studies have correlated changes in PP2A with human diseases, especially cancer. PP2A is comprised of 3 subunits: a catalytic subunit, a scaffolding subunit, and a regulatory subunit. The alternations of the subunits have been shown to be in association with many human malignancies. Therapeutic agents targeting PP2A inhibitors or activating PP2A directly have shed light on the therapy of cancers. This review focuses on PP2A structure, cancer-associated mutations, and the targeting of PP2A-related molecules to restore or reactivate PP2A in anticancer therapy, especially in digestive system cancer therapy.
A Small Morris-Lecar Neuron Network Gets Close to Critical Only in the Small-World Regimen
Authors: Cabrera Juan Luis , Hoenicka Johans , Macedo Daniel
Published: November 2013

Spontaneous emergence of neuronal activity avalanches characterized by power-law distributions is known to occur in different types of nervous tissues suggesting that nervous systems may operate at a critical regime. Here, we explore the possible relation of this dynamical state with the underlying topology in a small-size network of interconnected Morris-Lecar neurons. Studying numerically different topological configurations, we find that, very close to the efficient small-world situation, the system self-organizes near to a critical branching process with observable distributions in the proximity of a power law with exponents similar to those reported in the experimental literature. Therefore, we conclude that the observed scaling is intimately related only with the small-world topology.
On Existence of Stabilizing Switching Laws within a Class of Unstable Linear Systems
Authors: Xu Sendren Sheng-Dong , Chen Chih-Chiang
Published: November 2013

The equivalence of two conditions, condition (3) and condition (4) stated in Problem Statement section, regarding the existence of stabilizing switching laws between two unstable linear systems first appeared in (Feron 1996). Although Feron never published this result, it has been referenced in almost every survey on switched systems; see, for example, (Liberzon and Morse 1999). This paper proposes another way to prove the equivalence of two conditions regarding the existence of stabilizing switching laws between two unstable linear systems. One is effective for theoretical derivation, while the other is implementable, and a class of stabilizing switching laws have been explicitly constructed by Wicks et al. (1994). With the help of the equivalent relation, a condition for the existence of controllers and stabilizing switching laws between two unstabilizable linear control systems is then proposed. Then, the study is further extended to the issue concerning the construction of quadratically stabilizing switching laws among unstable linear systems and unstabilizable linear control systems. The obtained results are employed to study the existence of control laws and quadratically stabilizing switching laws within a class of unstabilizable linear control systems. The numerical examples are illustrated and simulated to show the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Improving Performance of Evolutionary Algorithms with Application to Fuzzy Control of Truck Backer-Upper System
Authors: Alipouri Yousef , Ahmadizadeh Saeed , Karimi Hamid Reza , Naghavi S. Vahid , Soltani Sarvestani Ahad
Published: November 2013

We propose a method to improve the performance of evolutionary algorithms (EA). The proposed approach defines operators which can modify the performance of EA, including Levy distribution function as a strategy parameters adaptation, calculating mean point for finding proper region of breeding offspring, and shifting strategy parameters to change the sequence of these parameters. Thereafter, a set of benchmark cost functions is utilized to compare the results of the proposed method with some other well-known algorithms. It is shown that the speed and accuracy of EA are increased accordingly. Finally, this method is exploited to optimize fuzzy control of truck backer-upper system.
Sliding Mode Control for Diesel Engine Air Path Subject to Matched and Unmatched Disturbances Using Extended State Observer
Authors: Ali Sofiane Ahmed , Langlois Nicolas
Published: November 2013

The paper develops a sliding mode controller via nonlinear disturbance observer for diesel engine air path system subject to matched and unmatched disturbances. The proposed controller is based upon a novel nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) structure which uses the concept of total disturbance estimation in order to estimate simultaneously the matched and the unmatched disturbances in the system. This estimation is then incorporated in a composite controller which alleviates the chattering problem and maintains the nominal performance of the system in the absence of disturbances. Simulations results of the proposed controller on a recently validated experimental air path diesel engine model show that the proposed methods exhibit a better performances comparing to the baseline SMC in terms of reducing chattering and nominal performances recovery.
Characterization of Human Colorectal Cancer MDR1/P‐gp Fab Antibody
Authors: Zhang Xuemei , Xiao Gary Guishan , Gao Ying
Published: November 2013

In this study, the peptide sized 21 kDa covering P‐gp transmembrane region was first prepared for generating a novel mouse monoclonal antibody Fab fragment with biological activity against multiple drug resistance protein P‐gp21 by phage display technology. Phage‐displayed antibody library prepared from mice spleen tissues was selected against the recombinant protein P‐gp21 with five rounds of panning. A number of clones expressing Fab bound to P‐gp21, showing neutralized activity in vitro, were isolated and screened by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay based on its recognition properties to P‐gp21 and human colorectal cancer tissue homogenate, resulting in identification of an optimal recombinant Fab clone (Number 29). Further characterization by recloning number 29 into an expression vector showed significant induction of the Fab antibody in the clone number 29 by Isopropyl β‐D‐1‐thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG). After purified by HiTrap Protein L, the specificity of the Fab antibody to P‐gp21 was also confirmed. Not only was the targeted region of this monoclonal Fab antibody identified as a 16‐peptide epitope (ALKDKKELEGSGKIAT) comprising residues 883–898 within the transmembrane (TM) domain of human P‐gp, but also the binding ability with it was verified. The clinical implication of our results for development of personalized therapy of colorectal cancer will be further studied.
Hypotensive and Vasorelaxant Effects of Sericin-Derived Oligopeptides in Rats
Authors: Onsa-ard Amnart , Shimbhu Dawan , Tocharus Jiraporn , Sutheerawattananonda Manote , Pantan Rungusa , Tocharus Chainarong
Published: November 2013

Sericin-derived oligopeptides obtained from silk cocoons were investigated for the in vivo hypotensive effect and investigated for the underlying mechanism involved in vasodilation in isolated rat thoracic aorta. In normotensive anesthetized rats, oligopeptides induced an immediate and transient hypotensive activity. In rat aortic rings, oligopeptides induced a concentration-dependent vasorelaxation in vessels precontracted with both KCl and phenylephrine (PE) with endothelium-intact or endothelium-denuded rings. In endothelium-intact rings, pretreatment with Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME, 100 µM), an inhibitor of the NO synthase (NOS) or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, 1 µM), a selective inhibitor of the guanylyl cyclase enzyme, significantly reduced the relaxant effect of oligopeptides. However, indomethacin, an inhibitor of the cyclooxygenase, had no effect on oligopeptides-induced relaxation. In addition, pretreatment with tetraethylammonium (TEA, 5 mM) reduced the maximal relaxant effect induced by oligopeptides. By contrast, relaxation was not affected by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 1 mM), glibenclamide (10 µM), or barium chloride (BaCl2, 1 mM). In depolarization Ca2+-free solution, oligopeptides inhibited calcium chloride- (CaCl2-) induced contraction in endothelium-denuded rings in a concentration-dependent manner. Nevertheless, oligopeptides attenuated transient contractions in Ca2+-free medium containing EGTA (1 mM) induced by 1 µM PE, but they were not affected by 20 mM caffeine. It is obvious that potent vasodilation effect of oligopeptides is mediated through both the endothelium and the vascular smooth muscle.
Mean-Square Stability of Milstein Methods for Stochastic Pantograph Equations
Authors: Xiao Feiyan , Qin Tingting , Zhang Chengjian
Published: November 2013

This paper deals with nonlinear stochastic pantograph equations. For solving the equations, a class of extended Milstein methods are suggested. A mean-square stability criterion for this type of equations is presented. It is proved that under the suitable conditions the Milstein methods preserve the mean-square stability. Numerical examples further illustrate the obtained theoretical results.
Wave-Induced Flow in Meridians Demonstrated Using Photoluminescent Bioceramic Material on Acupuncture Points
Authors: Chen C. Will , Tai Chen-Jei , Choy Cheuk-Sing , Hsu Chau-Yun , Lin Shoei-Loong , Chan Wing P. , Chiang Han-Sun , Chen Chang-An , Leung Ting-Kai
Published: November 2013

The mechanisms of acupuncture remain poorly understood, but it is generally assumed that measuring the electrical conductivity at various meridians provides data representing various meridian energies. In the past, noninvasive methods have been used to stimulate the acupuncture points at meridians, such as heat, electricity, magnets, and lasers. Photoluminescent bioceramic (PLB) material has been proven to weaken hydrogen bonds and alter the characteristics of liquid water. In this study, we applied the noninvasive PLB technique to acupuncture point irradiation, attempting to detect its effects by using electrical conductivity measurements. We reviewed relevant literature, searching for information on meridians including their wave-induced flow characteristics.