bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proinflammatory Cytokines and C-Reactive Protein in Uveitis Associated with Behçet’s Disease
Authors: Mesquida Marina , Molins Blanca , Llorenç Victor , Sainz de la Maza Maite , Hernandez María Victoria , Espinosa Gerard , Adán Alfredo
Published: June 2014

The aim of the present study was to determine the serum cytokine profile and levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in patients with uveitis associated with Behçet’s disease (BD) and to compare them with those obtained from healthy control subjects. We determined the serum concentration of interferon-γ(IFN-γ), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), IL-12p70, IL-17A, tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and hsCRP in 13 patients with active uveitis associated to BD, 24 inactive BD patients, and 20 controls. In a subgroup of 10 active patients, a second serum sample was obtained when the disease was inactive. Cytokine profiles and hsCRP levels were correlated with disease activity, severity, complications, and visual outcome. Levels of IFN-γand TNF-αwere significantly increased in patients with active uveitis associated to BD compared to controls (P<0.05). IFN-γ, TNF-α, and hsCRP were significantly higher during active uveitis associated to BD compared to inactive disease (P<0.05). Furthermore, IL-17A was significantly increased in patients with active BD without pharmacological treatment compared to controls (P<0.05). No significant correlations were found with specific cytokine profiles and disease severity, visual outcome, or complications. In summary, increased serum levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-17A, and hsCRP were associated with active uveitis associated with BD and might serve as markers of disease activity.
Clinical, Radiological, Microbiological, and Histopathological Aspects of Acquired Dacryocystoceles
Authors: Sendul Selam Yekta , Cinar Sonmez , Çağatay Halil Hüseyin , Demir Mehmet , Dirim Burcu , Guven Dilek
Published: June 2014

Purpose. The aim of this study is to investigate the etiology and the clinical, microbiological, histopathological, and radiological findings of acquired dacryocystoceles.Methods. In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical records of 10 eyes of 8 patients with dacryocystoceles who underwent external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) surgery. Etiology, presenting symptoms and radiological findings as well as microbiological and histopathological assessment results and outcome were analyzed.Results. The records of 8 patients with dacryocystoceles were included in this study. In the histopathological evaluations of the samples collected from the lacrimal sac wall, chronic inflammation was found in all biopsied samples and fibrosis was observed in two histopathological evaluations. Computerized tomography (CT) imaging showed fluid collection separated from adjacent tissues by a thin rim, corresponding to dacryocystoceles in the sac. In the microbiological culture examination of samples collected from the fluid within the cyst, no bacterial growth in 5 eyes, gram-negative bacillus growth in 3 eyes, and gram-positive cocci growth in 2 eyes were found.Conclusions. Acquired dacryocystoceles were observed extremely rarely and a definite pathogenic agent could not be identified in any of the cases, either microbiologically or histologically, whereas chronic inflammation was detected in all cases in our study.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue under UV Light Irradiation on Prepared CarbonaceousTiO2
Authors: Che Ramli Zatil Amali , Asim Nilofar , Isahak Wan N. R. W. , Emdadi Zeynab , Ahmad-Ludin Norasikin , Yarmo M. Ambar , Sopian K.
Published: June 2014

This study involves the investigation of altering the photocatalytic activity of TiO2using composite materials. Three different forms of modified TiO2, namely, TiO2/activated carbon (AC), TiO2/carbon (C), and TiO2/PANi, were compared. The TiO2/carbon composite was obtained by pyrolysis of TiO2/PANi prepared by in situ polymerization method, while the TiO2/activated carbon (TiO2/AC) was obtained after treating TiO2/carbon with 1.0 M KOH solution, followed by calcination at a temperature of 450°C. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TG-DTA), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET), and UV-Vis spectroscopy were used to characterize and evaluate the prepared samples. The specific surface area was determined to be in the following order: TiO2/AC > TiO2/C > TiO2/PANi > TiO2(179 > 134 > 54 > 9 m2 g−1). The evaluation of photocatalytic performance for the degradation of methylene blue under UV light irradiation was also of the same order, with 98 > 84.7 > 69% conversion rate, which is likely to be attributed to the porosity and synergistic effect in the prepared samples.
Changes of Costimulatory Molecule CD28 on Circulating CD8+T Cells Correlate with Disease Pathogenesis of Chronic Hepatitis B
Authors: Li Xuefen , Kong Haishen , Tian Li , Zhu Qiaoyun , Wang Yiyin , Dong Yuejiao , Ni Qin , Chen Yu
Published: June 2014

Costimulatory signals are critical for antiviral immunity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the change of costimulatory molecule CD28 on circulating CD8+T cells in chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB). Seventy CHB patients and fifty-six healthy controls were included, and forty-eight CHB patients were recruited for 52 weeks of longitudinal investigation. The proportions of circulating CD8+CD28+and CD8+CD28−subpopulations were determined by flow cytometry, and the CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28−T cells ratio was calculated. Compared with the subpopulation in healthy controls, high proportions of CD8+CD28−subpopulation were observed in CHB patients. Similarly, the CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28−T cells ratio was significantly decreased in CHB patients compared with healthy controls and correlated significantly with hepatitis B virus (HBV) loads. High proportions of CD8+CD28−subpopulation and low CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28−T cells ratio were observed in hepatitis B e antigen- (HBeAg-) positive individuals as compared with that in HBeAg-negative subjects. A significant decrease in CD8+CD28−subpopulation, increase in CD8+CD28+subpopulation, and CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28−T cells ratio were seen in those patients who received efficient antiviral therapy. Thus, aberrant CD28 expression on circulating CD8+T cells and the CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28−T cells ratio reflect the dysregulation of T cell activation and are related to the pathogenesis of chronic HBV infection.
Testing Heteroscedasticity in Nonparametric Regression Based on Trend Analysis
Authors: Shen Si-Lian , Cui Jian-Ling , Wang Chun-Wei
Published: June 2014

We first propose in this paper a new test method for detecting heteroscedasticity of the error term in nonparametric regression. Some simulation experiments are then conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed methodology. A real-world data set is finally analyzed to demonstrate the application of the method.
Experimental Study on Antivibration Control of Electrical Power Steering Systems
Authors: Wang Zhaojian , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: June 2014

We focus on the antivibration controller design problem for electrical power steering (EPS) systems. The EPS system has significant advantages over the traditional hydraulic steering system. However, the improper motor controller design would lead to the steering wheel vibration. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the antivibration control strategy. For the implementation study, we also present the motor driver design and the software design which is used to monitor the sensors and the control signal. Based on the investigation on the regular assistant algorithm, we summarize the difficulties and problems encountered by the regular algorithm. After that, in order to improve the performance of antivibration and the human-like steering feeling, we propose a new assistant strategy for the EPS. The experiment results of the bench test illustrate the effectiveness and flexibility of the proposed control strategy. Compared with the regular controller, the proposed antivibration control reduces the vibration of the steering wheel a lot.
Performance Evaluation of a Communication Protocol for Vital Signs Sensors Used for the Monitoring of Athletes
Authors: Kiokes George , Vossou Clio , Chatzistamatis Panagiotis , Potirakis Stelios M. , Vassiliadis Savvas , Prekas Kleanthis , Tuna Gurkan , Gulez Kayhan
Published: June 2014

Monitoring vital signs in athletes, mainly during training, is of crucial importance for both the athlete and the coach, in order to avoid overtraining. Overtraining is an extreme state of fatigue that forces athletes to rest for several weeks having a negative impact on athlete's performance, health, and daily life. A wireless sensor network (WSN) combines embedded computing technology with communication technology in order to collect information of the network coverage area and send it to the observer. In this paper, we present results of system's performance evaluation for the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, including the physical (PHY) layer and media access control (MAC) sublayer, in order to collect and store large sets of athletes’ data as well as providing results about network values such as end-to-end delay, load, and throughput captured from global and objects statistics.
Highly Nonlinear and Birefringent Spiral Photonic Crystal Fiber
Authors: Revathi S. , Inbathini Srinivasa Rao , Saifudeen Rizwan Ali
Published: June 2014

We propose and design a spiral photonic crystal fiber with elliptical air holes for achieving high birefringence, large nonlinearity, and negative dispersion. The structure is designed using chalcogenide glass (As2S3) for different ellipticity ratios of air holes in the cladding and the effect on various properties is observed. The proposed structure has birefringence of the order 10−2, nonlinearity of 26739.42 W−1 m−1, and dispersion of −1136.69 at 0.85 μm. An accurate numerical approach based on finite element method is used for the design and simulation of the structure. Due to high birefringence and negative dispersion, the proposed structure can be used for polarization control and dispersion compensation, respectively.
Breast Metastasis from Esophagogastric Junction Cancer: A Case Report
Authors: Jena Sanghamitra , Bhattacharya Samir , Gupta Arnab , Roy Shravasti , Sinha Neetesh Kumar
Published: June 2014

Metastasis to breast from nonmammary malignancy is only about 1.3–2.7%. A few cases of squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus and adenocarcinoma of stomach metastasizing to breast have been reported, but this is probably the first report of breast metastasis from esophagogastric junction (EGJ) cancer in the English literature. Herein we report a case of a 32-year-old patient diagnosed as adenocarcinoma of gastroesophageal junction, presenting with left breast metastasis two years after treatment. Given unusual site of metastasis in a follow-up case of EGJ cancer, not only it is challenging to differentiate it from primary carcinoma of breast but also it is important from treatment point of view. In our case, clinical data, radiology, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) led us to reach the diagnosis.
Improved Ferroelectric and Leakage Properties of Ce Doped in BiFeO3 Thin Films
Authors: Bai Alima , Zhao Shifeng , Chen Jieyu
Published: June 2014

Ce doped BiFeO3 thin films with a perovskite structure were prepared using solution‐gelation method. It shows that the ferroelectric properties have been enhanced after doping Ce. The enhanced ferroelectric properties are attributed to the structural transformation and the reduced leakage current after doping rare metal of Ce. It has been found that the phase structures of the films transfer from rhombohedral symmetry structure to the coexistence of the tetragonal and orthorhombic symmetry structure. And Fe2+ ions have been reduced, which leads to the decreased leakage for Ce doped BiFeO3 thin films. The present work can provide an available way to improve the ferroelectric and leakage properties for multiferroic BiFeO3 based thin films.
Simulation and Experimental Investigation on the AE Tomography to Improve AE Source Location in the Concrete Structure
Authors: Jiang Yu , Xu Feiyun , Xu Bingsheng , Jia Minping , Hu Jianzhong , Gallego Antolino
Published: June 2014

Acoustic emission (AE) tomography, which is based on the time‐travel tomography with AE events as its signal sources, is a new visualization tool for inspecting and locating the internal damages in the structures. In this paper, AE tomography is applied to examine a man‐made damage in a typical heterogeneous concrete structure to validate its effectiveness. Firstly, the finite element (ABAQUS/Explicit) simulation model of the concrete structure with one damaged circle in its center is built, and the simulated AE signals are obtained to establish the AE tomography. The results show that the damaged circle in the created model can be visualized clearly with the AE tomography in its original location. Secondly, the concrete specimen based on the FE model is fabricated, and the pencil lead break (PLB) signal is taken as the exciting source for AE tomography. It is shown that the experimental results have good consistency with the FE simulation results, which also verifies the feasibility of the finite element model for AE tomography. Finally, the damage source location based on AE tomography is compared with the traditional time of arrival (TOA) location method, and the better location accuracy is obtained with the AE tomography. The research results indicate that AE tomography has great potential in the application of structure damage detection.
Effect of Methyltrimethoxy Silane Modification on Yellowing of Epoxy Coating on UV (B) Exposure
Authors: Rajagopalan Narayani , Khanna A. S.
Published: June 2014

The exterior durability of epoxies is severely affected due to its poor weathering resistance. Epoxies exhibit chalking and discoloration under UV exposure caused as a result of photodegradation. The present work aims at studying the extent to which the color change and yellowing caused due to weathering under accelerated weathering conditions, of DGEBA epoxy, could be lowered by in situ modification of the epoxy polymer backbone with a silane, namely, MTMS. The epoxy resin and silane-modified epoxy resin were formulated into a TiO2-based white coating, applied on mild steel panels, and exposed in a UV (B) weatherometer. The color change (dE) and yellowness index (YI) values of weathered panels were evaluated using a spectrophotometer. The weathered samples were also characterized using FTIR-imaging technique to study the effect of weathering on the structural backbone of the formulated coatings. The silane-modified epoxy coatings showed lowered yellowing by 45% on UV exposure and the enhanced resistance to yellowing of the modified coatings was indicated by lowered dE and YI values. The enhanced resistance to yellowing by the silane-modified epoxy was attributed to the strengthening of the epoxy backbone by introduction of Si–O–C linkage onto the epoxy polymeric chain.
T-Stability of the Heun Method and Balanced Method for Solving Stochastic Differential Delay Equations
Authors: Zhu Xiaolin , Peng Hu
Published: June 2014

This paper studies the T-stability of the Heun method and balanced method for solving stochastic differential delay equations (SDDEs). Two T-stable conditions of the Heun method are obtained for two kinds of linear SDDEs. Moreover, two conditions under which the balanced method is T-stable are obtained for two kinds of linear SDDEs. Some numerical examples verify the theoretical results proposed.
The Effects of Annealing Parameters on the Crystallization and Morphology of Cu(In,Ga)Se2Absorber Layers Prepared by Annealing Stacked Metallic Precursors
Authors: Huang Chia-Ho , Wen Dong-Cherng
Published: June 2014

CIGS films are prepared by single-stage annealing of the solid Se-coated In/Cu-Ga bilayer precursor. The annealing processes were performed using various Ar pressures, heating rates, and soaking times. A higher Ar pressure is needed to fabricate highly crystalline CIGS films, as no extra Se-vapor source is supplied. As the heating rate increases, the surface morphologies of the CIGS films become looser and some cracks are observed. However, the influence of soaking time is insignificant and the selenization process only requires a short time when the precursors are selenized at a higher temperature with a lower heating rate and a higher Ar pressure. In this study, a dense chalcopyrite CIGS film with a thickness of about 1.5-1.6 μm, with large grains (~1.2 μm) and no cracking or peeling is obtained after selenizing at a temperature of 550°C, an Ar pressure of 300 Torr, a heating rate of 60°C/min, and a soaking time of 20 min. By adequate design of the stacked precursor and controlling the annealing parameters, single-stage annealing of the solid Se-coated In/Cu-Ga bilayer precursor is simplified for the fabrication of a fully crystallized chalcopyrite CIGS absorber layers with good crystallization and large grains.
Water Management Practices Affect Arsenic and Cadmium Accumulation in Rice Grains
Authors: Sun Liming , Zheng Manman , Liu Hongyan , Peng Shaobing , Huang Jianliang , Cui Kehui , Nie Lixiao
Published: June 2014

Cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) accumulation in rice grains is a great threat to its productivity, grain quality, and thus human health. Pot and field studies were carried out to unravel the effect of different water management practices (aerobic, aerobic-flooded, and flooded) on Cd and As accumulation in rice grains of two different varieties. In pot experiment, Cd or As was also added into the soil as treatment. Pots without Cd or As addition were maintained as control. Results indicated that water management practices significantly influenced the Cd and As concentration in rice grains and aerobic cultivation of rice furnished less As concentration in its grains. Nonetheless, Cd concentration in this treatment was higher than the grains of flooded rice. Likewise, in field study, aerobic and flooded rice cultivation recorded higher Cd and As concentration, respectively. However, growing of rice in aerobic-flooded conditions decreased the Cd concentration by 9.38 times on average basis as compared to aerobic rice. Furthermore, this treatment showed 28% less As concentration than that recorded in flooded rice cultivation. The results suggested that aerobic-flooded cultivation may be a promising strategy to reduce the Cd and As accumulations in rice grains simultaneously.
Emerging Biomarkers and Metabolomics for Assessing Toxic Nephropathy and Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in Neonatology
Authors: Mussap M. , Noto A. , Fanos V. , Van Den Anker J. N.
Published: June 2014

Identification of novel drug-induced toxic nephropathy and acute kidney injury (AKI) biomarkers has been designated as a top priority by the American Society of Nephrology. Increasing knowledge in the science of biology and medicine is leading to the discovery of still more new biomarkers and of their roles in molecular pathways triggered by physiological and pathological conditions. Concomitantly, the development of the so-called “omics” allows the progressive clinical utilization of a multitude of information, from those related to the human genome (genomics) and proteome (proteomics), including the emerging epigenomics, to those related to metabolites (metabolomics). In preterm newborns, one of the most important factors causing the pathogenesis and the progression of AKI is the interaction between the individual genetic code, the environment, the gestational age, and the disease. By analyzing a small urine sample, metabolomics allows to identify instantly any change in phenotype, including changes due to genetic modifications. The role of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), and other emerging technologies is strategic, contributing basically to the sudden development of new biochemical and molecular tests. Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) are closely correlated with the severity of kidney injury, representing noninvasive sensitive surrogate biomarkers for diagnosing, monitoring, and quantifying kidney damage. To become routine tests, uNGAL and KIM-1 should be carefully tested in multicenter clinical trials and should be measured in biological fluids by robust, standardized analytical methods.
The Collaborative Search by Tag-Based User Profile in Social Media
Authors: Xie Haoran , Li Xiaodong , Wang Jiantao , Li Qing , Cai Yi
Published: June 2014

Recently, we have witnessed the popularity and proliferation of social media applications (e.g., Delicious, Flickr, and YouTube) in the web 2.0 era. The rapid growth of user-generated data results in the problem of information overload to users. Facing such a tremendous volume of data, it is a big challenge to assist the users to find their desired data. To attack this critical problem, we propose the collaborative search approach in this paper. The core idea is that similar users may have common interests so as to help users to find their demanded data. Similar research has been conducted on the user log analysis in web search. However, the rapid growth and change of user-generated data in social media require us to discover a brand-new approach to address the unsolved issues (e.g., how to profile users, how to measure the similar users, and how to depict user-generated resources) rather than adopting existing method from web search. Therefore, we investigate various metrics to identify the similar users (user community). Moreover, we conduct the experiment on two real-life data sets by comparing theCollaborativemethod with the latest baselines. The empirical results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach and validate our observations.
A Switched Approach to Robust Stabilization of Multiple Coupled Networked Control Systems
Authors: Yu Mei , Ding Nan , Tan Wen , Yu Junyan
Published: June 2014

This paper proposes a switched approach to robust stabilization of a collection of coupled networked controlled systems (NCSs) with node devices acting over a limited communication channel. We suppose that the state information of every subsystem is split into different packets and only one packet of the subsystem can be transmitted at a time. Multiple NCSs with norm-bounded parameter uncertainties and multiple transmissions are modeled as a periodic switched system in this paper. State feedback controllers can be constructed in terms of linear matrix inequalities. A numerical example is given to show that a collection of uncertain NCSs with the problem of limited communication can be effectively stabilized via the designed controller.
OpenMebius: An Open Source Software for Isotopically Nonstationary13C-Based Metabolic Flux Analysis
Authors: Kajihata Shuichi , Furusawa Chikara , Matsuda Fumio , Shimizu Hiroshi
Published: June 2014

Thein vivomeasurement of metabolic flux by13C-based metabolic flux analysis (13C-MFA) provides valuable information regarding cell physiology. Bioinformatics tools have been developed to estimate metabolic flux distributions from the results of tracer isotopic labeling experiments using a13C-labeled carbon source. Metabolic flux is determined by nonlinear fitting of a metabolic model to the isotopic labeling enrichment of intracellular metabolites measured by mass spectrometry. Whereas13C-MFA is conventionally performed under isotopically constant conditions, isotopically nonstationary13C metabolic flux analysis (INST-13C-MFA) has recently been developed for flux analysis of cells with photosynthetic activity and cells at a quasi-steady metabolic state (e.g., primary cells or microorganisms under stationary phase). Here, the development of a novel open source software for INST-13C-MFA on the Windows platform is reported. OpenMebius (Open source software for Metabolic flux analysis) provides the function of autogenerating metabolic models for simulating isotopic labeling enrichment from a user-defined configuration worksheet. Analysis using simulated data demonstrated the applicability of OpenMebius for INST-13C-MFA. Confidence intervals determined by INST-13C-MFA were less than those determined by conventional methods, indicating the potential of INST-13C-MFA for precise metabolic flux analysis. OpenMebius is the open source software for the general application of INST-13C-MFA.
Diffusion Tensor Histogram Analysis of Pediatric Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma
Authors: Steffen-Smith Emilie A. , Sarlls Joelle E. , Pierpaoli Carlo , Shih Joanna H. , Bent Robyn S. , Walker Lindsay , Warren Katherine E.
Published: June 2014

Purpose. To evaluate tumor structure in children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) using histogram analyses of mean diffusivity (MD), determine potential treatment and corticosteroid-related effects on MD, and monitor changes in MD distributions over time.Materials and Methods. DTI was performed on a 1.5T GE scanner. Regions of interest included the entire FLAIR-defined tumor. MD data were used to calculate histograms. Patterns in MD distributions were evaluated and fitted using a two-normal mixture model. Treatment-related effects were evaluated using theR2statistic for linear mixed models and Cox proportional hazards models.Results. 12 patients with DIPG underwent one or more DTI exams. MD histogram distributions varied among patients. Over time, histogram peaks became shorter and broader (P=0.0443). Two-normal mixture fitting revealed large lower curve proportions that were not associated with treatment response or outcome. Corticosteroid use affected MD histograms and was strongly associated with larger, sharper peaks (R2=0.51,P=0.0028).Conclusions. MD histograms of pediatric DIPG show significant interpatient and intratumoral differences and quantifiable changes in tumor structure over time. Corticosteroids greatly affected MD and must be considered a confounding factor when interpreting MD results in the context of treatment response.
Feasibility of Collecting Vulvar Pain Variability and Its Correlates Using Prospective Collection with Smartphones
Authors: Nguyen Ruby H. N. , Turner Rachael M. , Sieling Jared , Williams David A. , Hodges James S. , Harlow Bernard L.
Published: June 2014

Context. Vulvar pain level may fluctuate in women with vulvodynia even in the absence of therapy; however, there is little evidence suggesting which factors may be associated with variability. Objective. Determine the feasibility of using smartphones to collect prospective data on vulvar pain and factors that may influence vulvar pain level. Methods. 24 clinically confirmed women were enrolled from a population-based study and asked to answer five questions using their smartphones each week for one month. Questions assessed vulvar pain level (0–10), presence of pain upon wakening, pain elsewhere in their body, treatment use, and intercourse. Results. Women completed 100% of their scheduled surveys, with acceptability measures highly endorsed. Vulvar pain ratings had a standard deviation within women of 1.6, with greater variation on average among those with higher average pain levels (P<0.001). On the weeks when a woman reported waking with pain, her vulvar pain level was higher by 1.82 on average (P<0.001). Overall, average vulvar pain level was not significantly associated with the frequency of reporting other body pains (P=0.64). Conclusion. Our smartphone tracking system promoted excellent compliance with weekly tracking of factors that are otherwise difficult to recall, some of which were highly associated with vulvar pain level.
Structural Optimization of a Knuckle with Consideration of Stiffness and Durability Requirements
Authors: Kim Geun-Yeon , Han Seung-Ho , Lee Kwon-Hee
Published: June 2014

The automobile’s knuckle is connected to the parts of the steering system and the suspension system and it is used for adjusting the direction of a rotation through its attachment to the wheel. This study changes the existing material made of GCD45 to Al6082M and recommends the lightweight design of the knuckle as the optimal design technique to be installed in small cars. Six shape design variables were selected for the optimization of the knuckle and the criteria relevant to stiffness and durability were considered as the design requirements during the optimization process. The metamodel-based optimization method that uses the kriging interpolation method as the optimization technique was applied. The result shows that all constraints for stiffness and durability are satisfied using A16082M, while reducing the weight of the knuckle by 60% compared to that of the existing GCD450.
Resilient Finite-Time Controller Design of a Class of Stochastic Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Yan Zhiguo
Published: June 2014

This paper deals with the problem of resilient finite-time control for a class of stochastic nonlinear systems. The notion of finite-time annular domain stability of stochastic nonlinear systems is first introduced. Then, some sufficient conditions are given for the existence of resilient state feedback finite-time annular domain stabilizing controller, which are expressed in terms of matrix inequalities. A double-parameter searching algorithm is proposed to solve these obtained matrix inequalities. Finally, an example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the developed method.
Minimization of Temperature Ranges between the Top and Bottom of an Air Flow Controlling Device through Hybrid Control in a Plant Factory
Authors: Moon Seung-Mi , Kwon Sook-Youn , Lim Jae-Hyun
Published: June 2014

To maintain the production timing, productivity, and product quality of plant factories, it is necessary to keep the growth environment uniform. A vertical multistage type of plant factory involves different levels of growing trays, which results in the problem of difference in temperature among vertically different locations. To address it, it is necessary to install air flow devices such as air flow fan and cooling/heating device at the proper locations in order to facilitate air circulation in the facility as well as develop a controlling technology for efficient operation. Accordingly, this study compares the temperature and air distribution within the space of a vertical multistage closed-type plant factory by controlling cooling/heating devices and air flow fans harmoniously by means of the specially designed testbed. The experiment results indicate that in the hybrid control of cooling and heating devices and air flow fans, the difference in temperature decreased by as much as 78.9% compared to that when only cooling and heating devices were operated; the air distribution was improved by as much as 63.4%.
A Brain Centred View of Psychiatric Comorbidity in Tinnitus: From Otology to Hodology
Authors: Salviati Massimo , Bersani Francesco Saverio , Valeriani Giuseppe , Minichino Amedeo , Panico Roberta , Romano Graziella Francesca , Mazzei Filippo , Testugini Valeria , Altissimi Giancarlo , Cianfrone Giancarlo
Published: June 2014

Introduction. Comorbid psychiatric disorders are frequent among patients affected by tinnitus. There are mutual clinical influences between tinnitus and psychiatric disorders, as well as neurobiological relations based on partially overlapping hodological and neuroplastic phenomena. The aim of the present paper is to review the evidence of alterations in brain networks underlying tinnitus physiopathology and to discuss them in light of the current knowledge of the neurobiology of psychiatric disorders.Methods. Relevant literature was identified through a search on Medline and PubMed; search terms included tinnitus, brain, plasticity, cortex, network, and pathways.Results. Tinnitus phenomenon results from systemic-neurootological triggers followed by neuronal remapping within several auditory and nonauditory pathways. Plastic reorganization and white matter alterations within limbic system, arcuate fasciculus, insula, salience network, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, auditory pathways, ffrontocortical, and thalamocortical networks are discussed.Discussion. Several overlapping brain network alterations do exist between tinnitus and psychiatric disorders. Tinnitus, initially related to a clinicoanatomical approach based on a cortical localizationism, could be better explained by an holistic or associationist approach considering psychic functions and tinnitus as emergent properties of partially overlapping large-scale neural networks.
Research on Coordinated Robotic Motion Control Based on Fuzzy Decoupling Method in Fluidic Environments
Authors: Zhang Wei , Chen Haitian , Chen Tao , Yan Zheping , Ren Hongliang
Published: June 2014

The underwater recovery of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) is a process of 6‐DOF motion control, which is related to characteristics with strong nonlinearity and coupling. In the recovery mission, the vehicle requires high level control accuracy. Considering an AUV called BSAV, this paper established a kinetic model to describe the motion of AUV in the horizontal plane, which consisted of nonlinear equations. On the basis of this model, the main coupling variables were analyzed during recovery. Aiming at the strong coupling problem between the heading control and sway motion, we designed a decoupling compensator based on the fuzzy theory and the decoupling theory. We analyzed to the rules of fuzzy compensation, the input and output membership functions of fuzzy compensator, through compose operation and clear operation of fuzzy reasoning, and obtained decoupling compensation quantity. Simulation results show that the fuzzy decoupling controller effectively reduces the overshoot of the system, and improves the control precision. Through the water tank experiments and analysis of experimental data, the effectiveness and feasibility of AUV recovery movement coordinated control based on fuzzy decoupling method are validated successful, and show that the fuzzy decoupling control method has a high practical value in the recovery mission.
Isolated Liver Metastasis of Sacrococcygeal Chordoma: Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Akyol Murat , Varol Umut , Yildiz Ibrahim , Bayoglu Ibrahim Vedat , Yildiz Yasar , Demir Lutfiye , Dirican Ahmet , Can Alper , Cokmert Suna , Oztop Mine Tunakan , Alacacioglu Ahmet , Kucukzeybek Yuksel , Tarhan Mustafa Oktay
Published: June 2014

Chordomas are rare neoplasms arising from notochordal remnants and may develop anywhere in the body while the most common anatomic site is the sacrococcygeal area. The most effective treatment of chordoma is surgery. Chordomas rarely metastasize to lung, bone, soft tissue, liver, lymph nodes, and skin. However, there is currently no standard systemic treatment for advanced stage chordoma. Here, we reported a rare presentation of chordoma patient with liver only metastases and poor prognosis.
Observation of Climacteric-Like Behavior of Citrus Leaves Using Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Authors: Wetterich Caio B. , Lins Emery C. , Belasque José , Marcassa Luis G.
Published: June 2014

Observation of climacteric-like behavior in citrus leaves depends on the detection of ethylene. However, such detection requires a gas chromatographer and complex sample preparation procedures. In this work, fluorescence spectroscopy was investigated as a diagnostic technique for climacteric-like behavior in citrus leaves. Our results indicate that the chlorophyll fluorescence presents a time evolution consistent with the ethylene evolution. Therefore, fluorescence spectroscopy may be used to observe the climacteric-like behavior in citrus leaves.
Selective Antibiofilm Effects of Lucilia sericata Larvae Secretions/Excretions against Wound Pathogens
Authors: Bohova Jana , Majtan Juraj , Majtan Viktor , Takac Peter
Published: June 2014

Background. Maggot debridement therapy (MDT), using Lucilia sericata larvae, represents efficient, simple, and low‐cost therapy for the treatment of chronic wounds. Aim. The aim was to investigate the antibiofilm activity of maggot excretions/secretions (ES) against biofilm of wound isolates Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Enterobacter cloacae (E. cloacae), and Proteus mirabilis (P. mirabilis). Methods. Quantification of biofilm formation, was carried out using a microtiter plate assay. Proteolytic activity of maggot ES was performed using skim milk agar plates. A solid phase extraction and reverse phase HPLC C18 chromatography were employed to the isolate of maggot ES antibiofilm compounds. Results. Maggot ES at 100 mg/mL concentration significantly reduced biofilm formation thus disrupting established biofilm of E. cloacae. Heat‐treated ES did not show any antibiofilm activity towards E. cloacae. Similar results were obtained in the case of S. aureus; however, the heat‐treatment of maggot ES did not affect its antibiofilm activity. Moreover, a compound with molecular weight of 25 kDa exhibiting antibiofilm activity was identified in maggot ES. On the other hand, maggot ES protected and even stimulated P. mirabilis biofilm formation. Conclusions. Our results suggest that maggot ES may act selectively against different bacterial strain.
Analysis of Enterprise Profile and Composition of Solid Waste Generated in the Informal Sector of Gweru, Zimbabwe
Authors: Jerie Steven
Published: June 2014

This paper examines the characteristics of solid waste generated in the informal sector enterprises of Gweru, the third largest city in Zimbabwe. Samples from the informal sector enterprises were collected in plastic bags and labelled with unique identity marks. The segregated components were measured to determine percentages of total weight of a sample. The data collected during the two seasons were analysed statistically using ANOVA to identify key similarities and differences. The major components of the waste stream include food and vegetable wastes in the market areas (from 18 to 51% of total weight), metals in the industrial areas (from 19 to 36%), and paper in the residential suburbs and markets (9–11% of total weight). The biodegradable waste stream dominates in the market areas of Kudzanai and Kombayi where it constitutes an average of 57.1% of waste generated in these areas. Establishing biodegradability of solid waste is essential because the majority of environmental and health problems associated with waste generated in the enterprises are caused by the biodegradable components. In order to come up with a sustainable and comprehensive waste management plan for the informal sector of Gweru, an up-to-date database on the composition and characteristics of the waste is a primary requirement.
The Epidemiology of Pulmonary Nontuberculous Mycobacteria: Data from a General Hospital in Athens, Greece, 2007–2013
Authors: Panagiotou Marios , Papaioannou Andriana I. , Kostikas Konstantinos , Paraskeua Maria , Velentza Ekaterini , Kanellopoulou Maria , Filaditaki Vasiliki , Karagiannidis Napoleon
Published: June 2014

Background. The epidemiology of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in Greece is largely unknown.Objectives. To determine the incidence and the demographic, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients with pulmonary NTM infection and pulmonary NTM disease.Methods. A retrospective review of the demographic, microbiological, and clinical characteristics of patients with NTM culture-positive respiratory specimens from January 2007 to May 2013.Results. A total of 120 patients were identified with at least one respiratory NTM isolate and 56 patients (46%) fulfilled the microbiological ATS/IDSA criteria for NTM disease. Of patients with adequate data, 16% fulfilled the complete ATS/IDSA criteria for NTM disease. The incidence of pulmonary NTM infection and disease was 18.9 and 8.8 per 100.000 inpatients and outpatients, respectively. The spectrum of NTM species was high (13 species) and predominated byM. avium-intracellularecomplex (M. avium(13%),M. intracellulare(10%)),M. gordonae(14%), andM. fortuitum(12%). The ratio of isolation of NTM toM. tuberculosisin all hospitalized patients was 0.59.Conclusions. The first data on the epidemiology of pulmonary NTM in Athens, Greece, are presented. NTM infection is common in patients with chronic respiratory disease. However, only a significantly smaller proportion of patients fulfill the criteria for NTM disease.
Measures for Human Reproduction Should Be Linked to Both Men and Women
Authors: Keilman Nico , Tymicki Krzysztof , Skirbekk Vegard
Published: June 2014

We introduce the two-sex net reproduction rate (2SNRR) and the two-sex total fertility rate (2STFR)—two demographic indicators that reflect the number of children born, given age specific fertility and mortality of the adults. The main quality of these indicators is that they measure the childbearing behaviour of both women and men. The indicators have intuitive value, since they tell us to what extent adults are replaced by children. While the traditional net reproduction rate (NRR) describes general replacement trends among women only, the 2SNRR is an indicator of a population’s growth potential, irrespective of sex. We demonstrate the use of the indicators with data from Bejsce parish in Poland for the period 1800–1967 and with data from UN projections for China for future years. We discuss the consequences for our understanding of fertility trends when sex ratios deviate from normal levels.
Simvastatin Combined with Antioxidant Attenuates the Cerebral Vascular Endothelial Inflammatory Response in a Rat Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Wang Kuo-Wei , Wang Hao-Kuang , Chen Han-Jung , Liliang Po-Chou , Liang Cheng-Loong , Tsai Yu-Duan , Cho Chung-Lung , Lu Kang
Published: June 2014

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) leads to important and deleterious neuroinflammation, as evidenced by indicators such as edema, cytokine production, induction of nitric oxide synthase, and leukocyte infiltration. After TBI, cerebral vascular endothelial cells play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of inflammation. In our previous study, we proved that simvastatin could attenuate cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response in a rat traumatic brain injury. This purpose of this study was to determine whether simvastatin combined with an antioxidant could produce the same effect or greater and to examine affected surrogate biomarkers for the neuroinflammation after traumatic brain injury in rat. In our study, cortical contusions were induced, and the effect of acute and continuous treatment of simvastatin and vitamin C on behavior and inflammation in adult rats following experimental TBI was evaluated. The results demonstrated that simvastatin combined with an antioxidant could provide neuroprotection and it may be attributed to a dampening of cerebral vascular endothelial inflammatory response.
Electroacupuncture Treatment Improves Neurological Function Associated with Regulation of Tight Junction Proteins in Rats with Cerebral Ischemia Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Zhang Ya-min , Xu Hong , Sun Hua , Chen Su-hui , Wang Fu-ming
Published: June 2014

Strategies to develop effective neuroprotective therapy to reduce brain damage and related behavioral deficits in stroke patients are of great significance. Electroacupuncture (EA), which derives from traditional Chinese medicine, may be effective as a complementary and alternative method for promoting recovery of neurological function and quality of life. Adult Sprague‐Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) sham, (2) middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model groups of 2 h MCAO followed by 1, 3, 5, or 7 d of reperfusion, and (3) EA groups of 2 h MCAO followed by 1, 3, 5, or 7 d of reperfusion. EA groups received EA therapy by needling at GV20 and left ST36. The results show that EA therapy improved the neurological function and reduced infarct volume, confirmed by modified neurological severity scores and TTC staining. Real‐time PCR, immunohistochemistry, and western blot assay verified that EA upregulated the expression of tight junction (TJ) claudin‐5, occludin, and zonula occluding‐1 from 1 to 7 d after reperfusion. Our findings suggest that EA reduces brain damage and related behavioral deficits via upregulation of the TJ proteins.
Prognostic B-cell Signatures Using mRNA-Seq in Patients with Subtype-Specific Breast and Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Iglesia Michael D. , Vincent Benjamin G. , Parker Joel S. , Hoadley Katherine A. , Carey Lisa A. , Perou Charles M. , Serody Jonathan S.
Published: June 2014

Purpose: Lymphocytic infiltration of tumors predicts improved survival in patients with breast cancer. Previous studies have suggested that this survival benefit is confined predominantly to the basal-like subtype. Immune infiltration in ovarian tumors is also associated with improved prognosis. Currently, it is unclear what aspects of the immune response mediate this improved outcome.

Experimental Design: Using The Cancer Genome Atlas mRNA-seq data and a large microarray dataset, we evaluated adaptive immune gene expression by genomic subtype in breast and ovarian cancer. To investigate B-cells observed to be prognostic within specific subtypes, we developed methods to analyze B-cell population diversity and degree of somatic hypermutation (SHM) from B-cell receptor (BCR) sequences in mRNA-seq data.

Results: Improved metastasis-free/progression-free survival was correlated with B-cell gene expression signatures, which were restricted mainly to the basal-like and HER2-enriched breast cancer subtypes and the immunoreactive ovarian cancer subtype. Consistent with a restricted epitope-driven response, a subset of basal-like and HER2-enriched breast tumors and immunoreactive ovarian tumors showed high expression of a low-diversity population of BCR gene segments. More BCR segments showed improved prognosis with increased expression in basal-like breast tumors and immunoreactive ovarian tumors compared with other subtypes. Basal-like and HER2-enriched tumors exhibited more BCR sequence variants in regions consistent with SHM.

Conclusion: Taken together, these data suggest the presence of a productive and potentially restricted antitumor B-cell response in basal-like breast and immunoreactive ovarian cancers. Immunomodulatory therapies that support B-cell responses may be a promising therapeutic approach to targeting these B-cell infiltrated tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 20(14); 3818–29. ©2014 AACR.
Twisting and Ironing: Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity by Mitochondrial DNA Damage
Authors: Nitiss Karin C. , Nitiss John L.
Published: June 2014

Anthracyclines are active clinical agents that have multiple mechanisms of cytotoxicity. Cardiotoxicity by anthracyclines limits the therapeutic potential of these agents, but mechanisms leading to cardiotoxicity remain controversial. Transgenic mice that lack mitochondrial topoisomerase I are hypersensitive to doxorubicin cardiotoxicity, providing support for cardiotoxicity arising from damage of mitochondrial DNA. Clin Cancer Res; 20(18); 4737–9. ©2014 AACR.
Transcriptional Roles of PARP1 in Cancer
Authors: Schiewer Matthew J. , Knudsen Karen E.
Published: June 2014

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP1) is an abundant, ubiquitously expressed NAD+-dependent nuclear enzyme that has prognostic value for a multitude of human cancers. PARP1 activity serves to poly (ADP-ribose)-ylate the vast majority of known client proteins and affects a number of cellular and biologic outcomes, by mediating the DNA damage response (DDR), base-excision repair (BER), and DNA strand break (DSB) pathways. PARP1 is also critically important for the maintenance of genomic integrity, as well as chromatin dynamics and transcriptional regulation. Evidence also indicates that PARP-directed therapeutics are “synthetic lethal” in BRCA1/2-deficient model systems. Strikingly, recent studies have unearthed exciting new transcriptional-regulatory roles for PARP1, which has profound implications for human malignancies and will be reviewed herein. Mol Cancer Res; 12(8); 1069–80. ©2014 AACR.