bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gastroduodenal Outlet Obstruction and Palliative Self-Expandable Metal Stenting: A Dual-Centre Experience
Authors: Ding Nik S. , Alexander Sina , Swan Michael P. , Hair Christopher , Wilson Patrick , Clarebrough Emma , Devonshire David
Published: November 2013

Background. Self-expandable metal stents (SEMs) are increasingly being utilised instead of invasive surgery for the palliation of patients with malignant gastroduodenal outlet obstruction.Aim. To review two tertiary centres’ experience with placement of SEMs and clinical outcomes.Methods. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data over 12 years.Results. Ninety-four patients (mean age, 68; range 28–93 years) underwent enteral stenting during this period. The primary tumour was gastric adenocarcinoma in 27 (29%) patients, pancreatic adenocarcinoma in 45 (48%), primary duodenal adenocarcinoma in 8 (9%), and cholangiocarcinoma and other metastatic cancers in 14 (16%). A stent was successfully deployed in 95% of cases. There was an improvement in gastric outlet obstruction score (GOOS) in 84 (90%) of patients with the ability to tolerate an enteral diet. Median survival was 4.25 months (range 0–49) without any significant differences between types of primary malignancy. Mean hospital stay was 3 days (range 1–20). Reintervention rate for stent related complications was 5%.Conclusion. The successful deployment of enteral stents achieves excellent palliation often resulting in the prompt reintroduction of enteral diet and early hospital discharge with minimal complications and reintervention.
Flow in a Low Specific Speed Centrifugal Pump Using PIV
Authors: Dai Cui , Dong Liang
Published: November 2013

The interflow plays important roles in centrifugal pump design. In order to study the effect of rotation and z-axis on internal flow, two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements have been performed to measure the steady velocity field on three planes in all impeller passages of a low specific-speed centrifugal pump. The results show that the relative velocity flows in blade passages are obviously different in terms of the positions of the blade relative to the tongue. The interaction between the impeller and tongue changes the occurrence and development of low velocity region with time. From shroud to hub, the relative velocity gradually increases, and the minimum value moves toward the suction surface. On the midplane, the magnitude increases with increased flow rate from pressure surface to suction surface, while at the shroud and hub, the measured velocity first increases with decreased flow rate from the blade pressure surface to nearly ζ = 0.5 to 0.6.
Essential Role of Thioredoxin 2 in Mitigating Oxidative Stress in Retinal Epithelial Cells
Authors: Sugano Eriko , Murayama Namie , Takahashi Maki , Tabata Kitako , Tamai Makoto , Tomita Hiroshi
Published: November 2013

The retina is constantly subjected to oxidative stress, which is countered by potent antioxidative systems present in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Disruption of these systems leads to the development of age-related macular degeneration. Thioredoxin 2 (Trx2) is a potent antioxidant, which acts directly on mitochondria. In the present study, oxidative stress was induced in the human RPE cell line (ARPE-19) using 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) or C2-ceramide. The protective effect of Trx2 against oxidative stress was investigated by assessing cell viability, the kinetics of cell death, mitochondrial metabolic activity, and expression of heat shock proteins (Hsps) in Trx2-overexpressing cell lines generated by transfecting ARPE cells with an adeno-associated virus vector encoding Trx2. We show that overexpression of Trx2 reduced cell death induced by both agents when they were present in low concentrations. Moreover, early after the induction of oxidative stress Trx2 played a key role in the maintenance of the cell viability through upregulation of mitochondrial metabolic activity and inhibition of Hsp70 expression.
Ecological and Economic Importance of Bats (Order Chiroptera)
Authors: Kasso Mohammed , Balakrishnan Mundanthra
Published: November 2013

Order Chiroptera is the second most diverse and abundant order of mammals with great physiological and ecological diversity. They play important ecological roles as prey and predator, arthropod suppression, seed dispersal, pollination, material and nutrient distribution, and recycle. They have great advantage and disadvantage in economic terms. The economic benefits obtained from bats include biological pest control, plant pollination, seed dispersal, guano mining, bush meat and medicine, aesthetic and bat watching tourism, and education and research. Even though bats are among gentle animals providing many positive ecological and economic benefits, few species have negative effects. They cause damage on human, livestock, agricultural crops, building, and infrastructure. They also cause airplane strike, disease transmission, and contamination, and bite humans during self-defense. Bat populations appear to be declining presumably in response to human induced environmental stresses like habitat destruction and fragmentation, disturbance to caves, depletion of food resources, overhunting for bush meat and persecution, increased use of pesticides, infectious disease, and wind energy turbine. As bats are among the most overlooked in spite of their economical and ecological importance, their conservation is mandatory.
Analysis of Pregnancy-Associated Plasma Protein A Production in Human Adult Cardiac Progenitor Cells
Authors: D’Elia Piera , Ionta Vittoria , Chimenti Isotta , Angelini Francesco , Miraldi Fabio , Pala Alessandro , Messina Elisa , Giacomello Alessandro
Published: November 2013

IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs) and their proteases regulate IGFs bioavailability in multiple tissues. Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A (PAPP-A) is a protease acting by cleaving IGFBP2, 4, and 5, regulating local bioavailability of IGFs. We have previously shown that IGFs and IGFBPs are produced by human adult cardiac progenitor cells (haCPCs) and that IGF-1 exerts paracrine therapeutic effects in cardiac cell therapy with CPCs. Using immunofluorescence and enzyme immunoassays, we firstly report that PAPP-A is produced and secreted in surprisingly high amounts by haCPCs. In particular, the homodimeric, enzymatically active, PAPP-A is secreted in relevant concentrations in haCPC-conditioned media, while the enzymatically inactive PAPPA/proMBP complex is not detectable in the same media. Furthermore, we show that both homodimeric PAPP-A and proMBP can be detected as cell associated, suggesting that the previously described complex formation at the cell surface does not occur easily, thus positively affecting IGF signalling. Therefore, our results strongly support the importance of PAPP-A for the IGFs/IGFBPs/PAPP-A axis in CPCs biology.
Graves’ Disease Causing Pancytopenia and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia at Different Time Intervals: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature
Authors: Naji Peyman , Kumar Geetika , Dewani Shabana , Diedrich William A. , Gupta Ankur
Published: November 2013

Graves’ disease (GD) is associated with various hematologic abnormalities but pancytopenia and autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) are reported very rarely. Herein, we report a patient with GD who had both of these rare complications at different time intervals, along with a review of the related literature. The patient was a 70-year-old man who, during a hospitalization, was also noted to have pancytopenia and elevated thyroid hormone levels. Complete hematologic workup was unremarkable and his pancytopenia was attributed to hyperthyroidism. He was started on methimazole but unfortunately did not return for followup and stopped methimazole after a few weeks. A year later, he presented with fatigue and weight loss. Labs showed hyperthyroidism and isolated anemia (hemoglobin 7 g/dL). He had positive direct Coombs test and elevated reticulocyte index. He was diagnosed with AIHA and started on glucocorticoids. GD was confirmed with elevated levels of thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins and thyroid uptake and scan. He was treated with methimazole and radioactive iodine ablation. His hemoglobin improved to 10.7 g/dL at discharge without blood transfusion. Graves’ disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hematologic abnormalities. These abnormalities in the setting of GD generally respond well to antithyroid treatment.
Analysis of Queue-Length Dependent Vacations and P-Limited Service in BMAP/G/1/N Systems: Stationary Distributions and Optimal Control
Authors: Banik A. D.
Published: November 2013

We consider a finite-buffer single server queueing system with queue-length dependent vacations where arrivals occur according to a batch Markovian arrival process (BMAP). The service discipline is P-limited service, also called E-limited with limit variation (ELV) where the server serves until either the system is emptied or a randomly chosen limit of L customers has been served. Depending on the number of customers present in the system, the server will monitor his vacation times. Queue-length distributions at various epochs such as before, arrival, arbitrary and after, departure have been obtained. Several other service disciplines like Bernoulli scheduling, nonexhaustive service, and E-limited service can be treated as special cases of the P-limited service. Finally, the total expected cost function per unit time is considered to determine locally optimal values N* of N or a maximum limit L^* of L^ as the number of customers served during a service period at a minimum cost.
Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System for Fault Segments Mapping a Study from Taiz Area, Yemen
Authors: Abdullah Anwar , Nassr Shawki , Ghaleeb Abdoh
Published: November 2013

GIS and remote sensing data for allowing detection of structural features, such as faults, offer opportunities for improving mapping and identifying the areas that are likely to be locations of faulting areas. Landsat ETM-7 satellite data images were used and band-5 was found as the most suitable band for lineament delineation, based on the ability to identify geological features. Four contributing factors, namely, drainage patterns, faults (previously mapped), lineaments, and lithological contacts layers, were parameters used in this study to produce a fault potential prediction map using the overlay model techniques. The potential map (fault susceptibility map) classifies the study area into five potential zones, namely, very low, low, moderate, high, and very high potential. The areas covered by moderate to the highest potential zones were considered as fault segments (fault lines) in the area. The comparison of the potential map and the published fault map by using GIS matching techniques shows that 75 fault segments (fault lines) in the potential map were not properly identified in the study area. The correlation between fault segments and faults data collected from field work stations shows that there were 39 fault segments which may represent new faults in the area being identified. The presence of these faults is not known from the literature; this leads to updating and revising of existing geological map of the study area.
Cholinergic Depletion in Alzheimer’s Disease Shown by [18F]FEOBV Autoradiography
Authors: Parent Maxime J. , Bedard Marc-Andre , Aliaga Arturo , Minuzzi Luciano , Mechawar Naguib , Soucy Jean-Paul , Schirrmacher Esther , Kostikov Alexey , Gauthier Serge G. , Rosa-Neto Pedro
Published: November 2013

Rationale. Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized in part by deficits in cholinergic basalocortical and septohippocampal pathways. [18F]Fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol ([18F]FEOBV), a Positron Emission Tomography ligand for the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), is a potential molecular agent to investigate brain diseases associated with presynaptic cholinergic losses. Purpose. To demonstrate this potential, we carried out an [18F]FEOBV autoradiography study to compare postmortem brain tissues from AD patients to those of age-matched controls. Methods. [18F]FEOBV autoradiography binding, defined as the ratio between regional grey and white matter, was estimated in the hippocampus (13 controls, 8 AD) and prefrontal cortex (13 controls, 11 AD). Results. [18F]FEOBV binding was decreased by 33% in prefrontal cortex, 25% in CA3, and 20% in CA1. No changes were detected in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus, possibly because of sprouting or upregulation toward the resilient glutamatergic neurons of the dentate gyrus. Conclusion. This is the first demonstration of [18F]FEOBV focal binding changes in cholinergic projections to the cortex and hippocampus in AD. Such cholinergic synaptic (and more specifically VAChT) alterations, in line with the selective basalocortical and septohippocampal cholinergic losses documented in AD, indicate that [18F]FEOBV is indeed a promising ligand to explore cholinergic abnormalities in vivo.
A Study on Control Strategy of Regenerative Braking in the Hydraulic Hybrid Vehicle Based on ECE Regulations
Authors: Liu Tao , Zheng Jincheng , Su Yongmao , Zhao Jinghui
Published: November 2013

This paper establishes a mathematic model of composite braking in the hydraulic hybrid vehicle and analyzes the constraint condition of parallel regenerative braking control algorithm. Based on regenerative braking system character and ECE (Economic Commission of Europe) regulations, it introduces the control strategy of regenerative braking in parallel hydraulic hybrid vehicle (PHHV). Finally, the paper establishes the backward simulation model of the hydraulic hybrid vehicle in Matlab/simulink and makes a simulation analysis of the control strategy of regenerative braking. The results show that this strategy can equip the hydraulic hybrid vehicle with strong brake energy recovery power in typical urban drive state.
Hydrogenation of Tetralin over Supported Ni and Ir Catalysts
Authors: Upare Dipali P. , Song Byung Jin , Lee Chul Wee
Published: November 2013

Selective hydrogenation and ring opening (SRO) of tetrahydronaphthalene (tetralin) was studied over nickel and iridium supported catalysts in the context of the removal of polynuclear aromatics from diesel fuel. The tetralin hydrogenation was carried out in a fixed‐bed reactor at 270°C, using H2 pressure of 30 bars, WHSV of 2.3 h−1, and H2/feed molar ratio of 40; the resultant products were analyzed by GC and GC‐MS. The Ir/SiO2 catalyst gave 85% of tetralin conversion and 75.1% of decalin products selectivity whereas Ni/SiO2 catalyst showed an unprecedented high catalytic performance with 88.3% of tetralin conversion and 93% of decalin products selectivity. The catalysts were characterized by using different characterization techniques such as XRD, TPR, and HR‐TEM to know the physicochemical properties as well as active sites in the catalysts.
Spherical Symmetric Solutions for the Motion of Relativistic Membranes in the Schwarzschild-Anti de Sitter Space-Time
Authors: Li Xiaoyan
Published: November 2013

This paper concerns motion of relativistic membranes in the Schwarzschild-anti de Sitter space-time. We derive a nonlinear equation for relativistic membranes moving in the Schwarzschild-anti de Sitter space-time, discuss spherical symmetric solutions for the motion equations, and obtain some interesting physical results.
A Microscopic View of the Store-Operated Calcium Entry-Pathway
Authors: Pacheco Jonathan , Vaca Luis
Published: November 2013

Orai and STIM are the basic components of a highly complex and regulated mechanism for Ca2+entry into the cell, known as store-operated calcium entry (SOCE). The activation of plasma membrane G-protein-coupled receptors associated with the phospholipase C cascade results in the rapid and massive production of inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP3). This second messenger triggers the massive efflux of Ca2+from the endoplasmic reticulum and into the cytosol, resulting in the oligomerization of the stromal interacting molecule (STIM1), a sensor of ER Ca2+. STIM1 oligomers (the so-called puncta) activate Orai channels at the plasma membrane, triggering the influx of Ca2+into the cytosol. Several microscopy techniques have been implemented to study SOCE, resulting in stunning images of protein complexes assembling in real time. However, little attention has been paid to the findings about this complex mechanism from the imaging point of view, some of which appear to produce contradictory results. In the present review we gathered all the information about SOCE obtained with imaging techniques and contrast these findings with those obtained with alternative methods.
Evaluation of Regional Climatic Model Simulated Aerosol Optical Properties over South Africa Using Ground-Based and Satellite Observations
Authors: Tesfaye M. , Botai J. , Sivakumar V. , Mengistu Tsidu G.
Published: November 2013

The present study evaluates the aerosol optical property computing performance of the Regional Climate Model (RegCM4) which is interactively coupled with anthropogenic-desert dust schemes, in South Africa. The validation was carried out by comparing RegCM4 estimated: aerosol extinction coefficient profile, Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD), and Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) with AERONET, LIDAR, and MISR observations. The results showed that the magnitudes of simulated AOD at the Skukuza station (24°S, 31°E) are within the standard deviation of AERONET and ±25% of MISR observations. Within the latitudinal range of 26.5°S to 24.5°S, simulated AOD and SSA values are within the standard deviation of MISR retrievals. However, within the latitude range of 33.5°S to 27°S, the model exhibited enhanced AOD and SSA values when compared with MISR observations. This is primarily associated with the dry bias in simulated precipitation that leads to the overestimation of dust emission and underestimation of aerosol wet deposition. With respect to LIDAR, the model performed well in capturing the major aerosol extinction profiles. Overall, the results showed that RegCM4 has a good ability in reproducing the major observational features of aerosol optical fields over the area of interest.
Indomethacin-Enhanced Anticancer Effect of Arsenic Trioxide in A549 Cell Line: Involvement of Apoptosis and Phospho-ERK and p38 MAPK Pathways
Authors: Mandegary Ali , Torshabi Maryam , Seyedabadi Mohammad , Amirheidari Bagher , Sharif Elham , Ghahremani Mohammad Hossein
Published: November 2013

Background. Focusing on novel drug combinations that target different pathways especially apoptosis and MAPK could be a rationale for combination therapy in successful treatment of lung cancer. Concurrent use of cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors with arsenic trioxide (ATO) might be a possible treatment option.Methods. Cytotoxicity of ATO, dexamethasone (Dex), celecoxib (Cel), and Indomethacin (Indo) individually or in combination was determined at 24, 48, and 72 hrs in A549 lung cancer cells. The COX-2 gene and protein expression, MAPK pathway proteins, and caspase-3 activity were studied for the most cytotoxic combinations.Results. The IC50s of ATO and Indo were 68.7 μmol/L and 396.5 μmol/L, respectively. Treatment of cells with combinations of clinically relevant concentrations of ATO and Indo resulted in greater growth inhibition and apoptosis induction than did either agent alone. Caspase-3 activity was considerably high in the presence of ATO and Indo but showed no difference in single or combination use. Phosphorylation of p38 and ERK1/2 was remarkable in the concurrent presence of both drugs.Conclusions. Combination therapy with ATO and Indo exerted a very potent in vitro cytotoxic effect against A549 lung cancer cells. Activation of ERK and p38 pathways might be the mechanism of higher cytotoxic effect of ATO-Indo combination.
Current Status and Future Perspectives of the LUCIFER Experiment
Authors: Beeman J. W. , Bellini F. , Benetti P. , Cardani L. , Casali N. , Chiesa D. , Clemenza M. , Dafinei I. , Di Domizio S. , Ferroni F. , Giachero A. , Gironi L. , Giuliani A. , Gotti C. , Maino M. , Nagorny S. , Nisi S. , Nones C. , Orio F. , Pattavina L. , Pessina G. , Piperno G. , Pirro S. , Previtali E. , Rusconi C. , Tenconi M. , Tomei C. , Vignati M.
Published: November 2013

In the field of fundamental particle physics, the neutrino has become more and more important in the last few years, since the discovery of its mass. In particular, the ultimate nature of the neutrino (if it is a Dirac or a Majorana particle) plays a crucial role not only in neutrino physics, but also in the overall framework of fundamental particle interactions and in cosmology. The only way to disentangle its ultimate nature is to search for the neutrinoless double beta decay. The idea of LUCIFER is to combine the bolometric technique proposed for the CUORE experiment with the bolometric light detection technique used in cryogenic dark matter experiments. The bolometric technique allows an extremely good energy resolution while its combination with the scintillation detection offers an ultimate tool for background rejection. The goal of LUCIFER is not only to build a background-free small-scale experiment but also to directly prove the potentiality of this technique. Preliminary tests on several detectors containing different interesting DBD emitters have clearly demonstrated the excellent background rejection capabilities that arise from the simultaneous, independent, double readout of heat and scintillation light.
Locally and Globally Exponential Synchronization of Moving Agent Networks by Adaptive Control
Authors: Wang Lifu , Xue Peng , Kong Zhi , Wang Xingang
Published: November 2013

The exponential synchronization problem is investigated for a class of moving agent networks in a two-dimensional space and exhibits time-varying topology structure. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, adaptive feedback controllers are developed to guarantee the exponential synchronization between each agent node. New criteria are proposed for verifying the locally and globally exponential synchronization of moving agent networks under the constraint of fast switching. In addition, a numerical example, including typical moving agent network with the Rössler system at each agent node, is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed design approach.
Intermolecular Interactions between Eosin Y and Caffeine Using1H-NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Okuom Macduff O. , Wilson Mark V. , Jackson Abby , Holmes Andrea E.
Published: November 2013

DETECHIP has been used in testing analytes including caffeine, cocaine, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) from marijuana, as well as date rape and club drugs such as flunitrazepam, gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), and methamphetamine. This study investigates the intermolecular interaction between DETECHIP sensor eosin Y (DC1) and the analyte (caffeine) that is responsible for the fluorescence and color changes observed in the actual array. Using1H-NMR,1H-COSY, and1H-DOSY NMR methods, a proton exchange from C-8 of caffeine to eosin Y is proposed.
The Role of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Treatment of Acute Liver Failure
Authors: Yuan Shufang , Jiang Tao , Sun Lihua , Zheng Rongjiong , Ahat Nizam , Zhang Yuexin
Published: November 2013

Objective.This study is to investigate the effects of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) transplantation on acute liver failure (ALF).Methods.BMSCs were separated from rat bone marrow, cultured, and identified by flow cytometry. Rat model with ALF was established by injecting D-galactosamine and lipopolysaccharide. Rats were randomly divided into the control group and BMSC transplantation group. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured at 24 h, 120 h, and 168 h after BMSC transplantation. Apoptosis was detected by TUNEL assay. The expression of VEGF and AFP proteins was detected by immunofluorescence. Caspase-1 and IL-18 proteins and mRNA were detected by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR.Results.Compared with the control group, levels of ALT, AST, caspase-1 and IL-18 proteins, and mRNA in the transplantation group were significantly lower at 120 h and 168 h after BMSCs transplantation. Apoptosis was inhibited by BMSCs transplantation. The VEGF protein levels were increased with the improvement of liver function, and the AFP protein levels were increased with the deterioration of the liver function after BMSCs transplantation.Conclusions.BMSCs transplantation can improve liver function and inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis as well as promote hepatocyte proliferation in rat model with ALF.
Modeling, Simulation, and Experiment of Switched Reluctance Ocean Current Generator System
Authors: Chen Hao , Zhang Xiaoxiao , Xu Yang
Published: November 2013

This paper presents nonlinear simulation model of switched reluctance (SR) ocean current generator system on MATLAB/SIMULINK with describing the structure of generator system. The developed model is made up of main model, rotor position calculation module, controller module, gate module, power converter module, phase windings module, flux-linkage module, torque module, and power calculation module. The magnetization curves obtained by two-dimensional finite-element electromagnetic field calculation and the conjugated magnetic energy graphics obtained from the three-dimensional graphics of flux linkage are stored in the “Lookup Table” modules on MATLAB/SIMULINK. The hardware of the developed three-phase 12/8 structure SR ocean current generator system prototype with the experimental platform is presented. The simulation of the prototype is performed by the developed models, and the experiments have been carried out under the same condition with different output power, turn-off angle, and rotor speed. The simulated phase current waveforms agree well with the tested phase current waveforms experimentally. The simulated output voltage curves agree well with the tested output voltage curves experimentally. It is shown that the developed nonlinear simulation model of the three-phase 12/8 structure SR ocean current generator system is valid.
RFID Application of Smart Grid for Asset Management
Authors: Wang Xiwei , Dang Qi , Guo Jinglin , Ge Hongbin
Published: November 2013

RFID technology research has resolved practical application issues of the power industry such as assets management, working environment control, and vehicle networking. Also it provides technical reserves for the convergence of ERP and CPS. With the development of RFID and location-based services technology, RFID is converging with a variety of sensing, communication, and information technologies. Indoor positioning applications are under rapid development. Micromanagement environment of the assets is a useful practice for the RFID and positioning. In this paper, the model for RFID applications has been analyzed in the microenvironment management of the data center and electric vehicle batteries, and the optimization scheme of enterprise asset management is also proposed.
Glucose Fluctuations during Gestation: An Additional Tool for Monitoring Pregnancy Complicated by Diabetes
Authors: Dalfrà M. G. , Chilelli N. C. , Di Cianni G. , Mello G. , Lencioni C. , Biagioni S. , Scalese M. , Sartore G. , Lapolla A.
Published: November 2013

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) gives a unique insight into magnitude and duration of daily glucose fluctuations. Limited data are available on glucose variability (GV) in pregnancy. We aimed to assess GV in healthy pregnant women and cases of type 1 diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes (GDM) and its possible association with HbA1c. CGM was performed in 50 pregnant women (20 type 1, 20 GDM, and 10 healthy controls) in all three trimesters of pregnancy. We calculated mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE), standard deviation (SD), interquartile range (IQR), and continuous overlapping net glycemic action (CONGA), as parameters of GV. The high blood glycemic index (HBGI) and low blood glycemic index (LBGI) were also measured as indicators of hyperhypoglycemic risk. Women with type 1 diabetes showed higher GV, with a 2-fold higher risk of hyperglycemic spikes during the day, than healthy pregnant women or GDM ones. GDM women had only slightly higher GV parameters than healthy controls. HbA1c did not correlate with GV indicators in type 1 diabetes or GDM pregnancies. We provided new evidence of the importance of certain GV indicators in pregnant women with GDM or type 1 diabetes and recommended the use of CGM specifically in these populations.
Mathematical Analysis of Blood Flow in Porous Tubes: A Comparative Study
Authors: Sankar D. S. , Nagar Atulya K.
Published: November 2013

The steady flow of Herschel-Bulkley and Casson fluids for blood flow in tubes filled with homogeneous porous medium with (i) constant and (ii) variable permeability is analyzed. The expression for the shear stress is obtained first by general iteration method and then using numerical integration; the solutions for velocity and flow rate are obtained. It is noticed that the shear stress and plug core radius are considerably higher in the case of variable permeability than those of the constant permeability case. The velocity and flow rate of both the fluids increase considerably with the increase in the permeability factor and they decrease with the increase in the yield stress of the fluids. The velocity and flow rate of Herschel-Bulkley fluid are considerably higher than those of Casson fluid. Aforesaid flow quantities are significantly higher for flow in tubes with variable permeability than for flow in tubes with constant permeability.
Multiple Solutions for Boundary Value Problems of th-Order Nonlinear Integrodifferential Equations in Banach Spaces
Authors: Chen Yanlai
Published: November 2013

The boundary value problems of a class of th-order nonlinear integrodifferential equations of mixed type in Banach space are considered, and the existence of three solutions is obtained by using the fixed-point index theory.
Clinical Evaluation of CyberKnife in the Treatment of Vestibular Schwannomas
Authors: Tsai Jo-Ting , Lin Jia-Wei , Lin Chien-Min , Chen Yuan-Hao , Ma Hsin-I , Jen Yee-Min , Chen Yi-Hsun , Ju Da-Tong
Published: November 2013

Objective. This study assessed the posttreatment tumor control and auditory function of vestibular schwannoma (VS) patients after CyberKnife (CK) and analyzed the possible prognostic factors of hearing loss.Methods. We retrospectively studied 117 VS patients, with Gardner-Robertson (GR) classification grades I to IV, who underwent CK between 2006 and 2012. Data including radiosurgery treatment parameters, pre- and postoperative tumor size, and auditory function were collected and examined.Results. With CK, 117 patients had excellent tumor control rates (99.1%), with a mean imaging followup of 61.1 months. Excluding 52 patients (GR III-IV pretreatment), 53 (81.5%) of the remaining 65 patients (initial GR I-II) maintained GR I or II hearing after CK, with a mean audiometric followup of 64.5 months. Twelve patients experienced hearing degradation (91.6% were GR II pretreatment); they appeared to have significantly larger tumor sizes, significantly smaller cochlear sizes, and higher prescribed cochlear doses, compared to the patients with preserved hearing.Conclusion. Our data showed that CK treatment provided an excellent tumor control rate and a comparable hearing preservation rate in VS patients. Patients with pretreatment GR II hearing levels, larger tumor volumes, smaller cochlear sizes, and higher prescribed cochlear doses may have poor hearing prognoses.
Making Memories: The Development of Long-Term Visual Knowledge in Children with Visual Agnosia
Authors: Metitieri Tiziana , Barba Carmen , Pellacani Simona , Viggiano Maria Pia , Guerrini Renzo
Published: November 2013

There are few reports about the effects of perinatal acquired brain lesions on the development of visual perception. These studies demonstrate nonseverely impaired visual-spatial abilities and preserved visual memory. Longitudinal data analyzing the effects of compromised perceptions on long-term visual knowledge in agnosics are limited to lesions having occurred in adulthood. The study of children with focal lesions of the visual pathways provides a unique opportunity to assess the development of visual memory when perceptual input is degraded. We assessed visual recognition and visual memory in three children with lesions to the visual cortex having occurred in early infancy. We then explored the time course of visual memory impairment in two of them at 2 years and 3.7 years from the initial assessment. All children exhibited apperceptive visual agnosia and visual memory impairment. We observed a longitudinal improvement of visual memory modulated by the structural properties of objects. Our findings indicate that processing of degraded perceptions from birth results in impoverished memories. The dynamic interaction between perception and memory during development might modulate the long-term construction of visual representations, resulting in less severe impairment.
(1,1)-Coherent Pairs on the Unit Circle
Authors: Garza Luis , Marcellán Francisco , Pinzón-Cortés Natalia C.
Published: November 2013

A pair(𝒰,𝒱)of Hermitian regular linear functionals on the unit circle is said to be a(1,1)-coherent pair if their corresponding sequences of monic orthogonal polynomials{ϕn(x)}n≥0and{ψn(x)}n≥0satisfyϕn[1](z)+anϕn-1[1](z)=ψn(z)+bnψn-1(z),an≠0,n≥1, whereϕn[1](z)=ϕn+1′(z)/(n+1). In this contribution, we consider the cases when𝒰is the linear functional associated with the Lebesgue and Bernstein-Szegő measures, respectively, and we obtain a classification of the situations where𝒱is associated with either a positive nontrivial measure or its rational spectral transformation.
On Fixed Points ofα-ψ-Contractive Multivalued Mappings in Cone Metric Spaces
Authors: Kutbi Marwan Amin , Ahmad Jamshaid , Azam Akbar
Published: November 2013

We define the notion ofα*-ψ-contractive mappings for cone metric space and obtain fixed points of multivalued mappings in connection with Hausdorff distance function for closed bounded subsets of cone metric spaces. We obtain some recent results of the literature as corollaries of our main theorem. Moreover, a nontrivial example ofα*-ψ-contractive mapping satisfying all conditions of our main result has been constructed.
The Relationship between Mothers’ Attachment Orientations and Their Infants’ Sleep Patterns
Authors: Cohenca-Shiby Diana , Schonbach-Medina Shiri
Published: November 2013

Objective. In this paper we examine the association between mothers’ attachment style and their infants’ sleep patterns. We hypothesized that low levels of anxiety and avoidance attachment orientations would enable the mother to use more efficient strategies to put her infant to sleep, and in time the infant will assimilate these strategies and consequently develop suitable and more independent sleep routines.Participants and Measures. The 125 mothers who participated in this study completed (a) a measure of attachment orientations (b) and a measure of mother’s perception of their infant’s sleep patterns.Results. The results indicated that the greater the mothers’ avoidance attachment orientation is, the longer it takes to put the child to bed at night, the more wakeful the child is at night, and the more the night wakings are. However, for mothers with high anxiety attachment orientation, there is a positive correlation between child’s age and the time it takes to put him/her to bed, such that the older the child, the longer it takes.Conclusions. The implications of the parent strategies for putting infants to bed on infants’ sleep patterns are discussed. Suggestions for future studies examining broader implications of the results are offered.
Design and Implementation of a High-Voltage Generator with Output Voltage Control for Vehicle ER Shock-Absorber Applications
Authors: Shen Chih-Lung , Liang Tsair-Chun
Published: November 2013

A self-oscillating high-voltage generator is proposed to supply voltage for a suspension system in order to control the damping force of an electrorheological (ER) fluid shock absorber. By controlling the output voltage level of the generator, the damping force in the ER fluid shock absorber can be adjusted immediately. The shock absorber is part of the suspension system. The high-voltage generator drives a power transistor based on self-excited oscillation, which converts dc to ac. A high-frequency transformer with high turns ratio is used to increase the voltage. In addition, the system uses the car battery as dc power supply. By regulating the duty cycle of the main switch in the buck converter, the output voltage of the buck converter can be linearly adjusted so as to obtain a specific high voltage for ER. The driving system is self-excited; that is, no additional external driving circuit is required. Thus, it reduces cost and simplifies system structure. A prototype version of the actual product is studied to measure and evaluate the key waveforms. The feasibility of the proposed system is verified based on experimental results.
Application of Variational Iteration Method with Energy Method for Nonlinear Equation Arisen from Packaging System
Authors: Chen An-Jun
Published: November 2013

The variational iteration method (VIM) is widely applied for solving various kinds of nonlinear equations. Despite its simplicity and effectiveness, the accuracy of the method may depend on the iteration steps. However, the more iteration steps one makes, the more complex the results may become. To overcome this shortcoming, a new method combining the VIM with energy method (EM) is proposed and applied to study the nonlinear response of cubic packaging system. The analytical expressions of the important parameters such as the maximum displacement response, the maximum acceleration response of the system, the extended period of the shock, and the conditions for inner resonance of system were obtained. The results show that the maximum of the acceleration and the displacement and the extended period of the shock got by this method are very similar to the ones got by Runge-Kutta method. The result provides the new method for the dropping shock problem of nonlinear packaging system.
Effect of Soil Burial on Tensile Properties of Polypropylene/Plasticized Cassava Starch Blends
Authors: Obasi Henry C. , Igwe Isaac O. , Madufor Innocent C.
Published: November 2013

Polypropylene (PP)/plasticized cassava starch (PCS) blended with and without compatibilizer (polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA)) via melt blending were prepared for soil burial which lasted for 90 days. Plasticized starch loadings of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt.% were used, while pp-g-ma was used at 10 wt.% based on starch weight. The PP/PCS and PP/PCS/PP-G-MA blends were evaluated for their tensile properties. It was observed that the tensile strength, elongation at break, and young’s modulus decreased with increases in soil burial time as well as starch content for PP/PCS blends. Similar treads for the tensile properties were observed for PP/PCS/PP-g-MA, but with higher properties as compared to uncompatibilized blends. However, the tensile properties for both PP/PCS and PP/PCS/PP-g-Ma decrease with increases in starch loading and also as the burial period progressed.
Synthesis of New Pyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine, Triazolo[4,3‐a]pyrimidine Derivatives, and Thieno[2,3‐b]pyridine Derivatives from Sodium 3‐(5‐Methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)‐3‐oxoprop‐1‐en‐1‐olate
Authors: Abdelhamid Abdou O. , Gomha Sobhi M.
Published: November 2013

Condensation of sodium 3‐oxo‐3‐(1‐phenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐4‐yl)prop‐1‐en‐1‐olate (2) with several heterocyclic amines, cyanoacetamide, cyanothioacetamide, and 2‐cyanoacetohydrazide gives pyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidines (5a–d), pyrido[2′,3′:3,4]pyrazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine (9), benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2‐a]pyrimidine (10), [1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine (11), and pyridine derivatives (12–14). Also, thieno[2,3‐b]pyridines (15–18) were synthesized via pyridinethione (13) with α‐halo ketones and α‐halo ester. Structures of the newly synthesized compounds were elucidated by elemental analysis, spectral data, alternative synthetic routes, and chemical transformation whenever possible.
Efficient Synthesis of Dispiropyrrolidines Linked to Sugars
Authors: Nallamala Sirisha , Raghunathan Raghavachary
Published: November 2013

An expedient method for the synthesis of glyco-dispiropyrrolidines is reported through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction (1,3 DC reaction). The novel glycosyl dipolarophiles derived from D-glucose underwent neat [3+2] cycloaddition reaction with the azomethine ylides generated from 1,2-diketones and sarcosine to give the corresponding glycosidic heterocycles in good yields.
Well-Posedness of the Two-Dimensional Fractional Quasigeostrophic Equation
Authors: Xu Yongqiang
Published: November 2013

This paper is concerned with the fractional quasigeostrophic equation with modified dissipativity. We prove the local existence of solutions in Sobolev spaces for the general initial data and the global existence for the small initial data when1/2≤α<1.
Bending Response of Cross‐Ply Laminated Composite Plates with Diagonally Perturbed Localized Interfacial Degeneration
Authors: Kam Chee Zhou , Kueh Ahmad Beng Hong
Published: November 2013

A laminated composite plate element with an interface description is developed using the finite element approach to investigate the bending performance of two‐layer cross‐ply laminated composite plates in presence of a diagonally perturbed localized interfacial degeneration between laminae. The stiffness of the laminate is expressed through the assembly of the stiffnesses of lamina sub‐elements and interface element, the latter of which is formulated adopting the well‐defined virtually zero‐thickness concept. To account for the extent of both shear and axial weak bonding, a degeneration ratio is introduced in the interface formulation. The model has the advantage of simulating a localized weak bonding at arbitrary locations, with various degeneration areas and intensities, under the influence of numerous boundary conditions since the interfacial description is expressed discretely. Numerical results show that the bending behavior of laminate is significantly affected by the aforementioned parameters, the greatest effect of which is experienced by those with a localized total interface degeneration, representing the case of local delamination.
An AMC Backed Folded Dipole Slot Antenna Based on CMOS Process
Authors: Luo Guo Qing , Wu Lin Qi , Zhang Xiao Hong
Published: November 2013

A fold dipole slot antenna backed by artificial magnetic conductor (AMC) structure based on a standard 0.18 um CMOS process on chip application is firstly proposed in this paper. Conventional silicon antenna on chip (AoC) suffers from low radiation performance because the most electromagnetic energy is restricted in silicon substrate as surface wave for its high dielectric permittivity. The energy is dissipated as thermal for low resistivity of silicon substrate. AMC constructed by a periodic 6*6 square patch array is adopted as background to improve radiation performance of the proposed folded dipole slot AoC. Gain of the proposed AMC backed AoC is improved about 3.5 dB compared with that of the same AoC without AMC background.
Mesoporous Silicon Microparticles Enhance MHC Class I Cross-Antigen Presentation by Human Dendritic Cells
Authors: Jiménez-Periáñez A. , Abos Gracia B. , López Relaño J. , Diez-Rivero C. M. , Reche P. A. , Martínez-Naves E. , Matveyeva E. , Gómez del Moral M.
Published: November 2013

The mesoporous silicon microparticles (MSMPs) are excellent vehicles for releasing molecules inside the cell. The aim of this work was to use MSMPs to deliver viral specific MHC class I restricted epitopes into human antigen presenting cells (monocyte derived dendritic cells, MDDCs) to facilitate their capture, processing, and presentation to CD8+ (cytotoxic) T lymphocytes. We show for the first time that MSMPs vehiculation of antigenic peptides enhances their MHC class I presentation by human MDDCs to CD8 T lymphocytes.
An Immunosensor for Pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus Based on Antibody Modified Aminophenyl-Au Electrode
Authors: Chrouda Amani , Braiek Mohamed , Rokbani Karima Bekir , Bakhrouf Amina , Maaref Abderrazak , Jaffrezic-Renault Nicole
Published: November 2013

The objective of this work is to elaborate an immunosensing system which will detect and quantify Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. A gold electrode was modified by electrografting of 4-nitrophenyl diazonium, in situ synthesized in acidic aqueous solution. The immunosensor was fabricated by immobilizing affinity-purified polyclonal anti S. aureus antibodies on the modified gold electrode. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Faradaic Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) were employed to characterize the stepwise assembly of the immunosensor. The performance of the developed immunosensor was evaluated by monitoring the electron-transfer resistance detected using Faradaic EIS. The experimental results indicated a linear relationship between the relative variation of the electron transfer resistance and the logarithmic value of S. aureus concentration, with a slope of 0.40 ± 0.08 per decade of concentration. A low quantification limit of 10±2 CFU per ml and a linear range up to 107±2×106 CFU per mL were obtained. The developed immunosensors showed high selectivity to Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus saprophyticus.
A Comparative Analysis of Biomarker Selection Techniques
Authors: Dessì Nicoletta , Pascariello Emanuele , Pes Barbara
Published: November 2013

Feature selection has become the essential step in biomarker discovery from high-dimensional genomics data. It is recognized that different feature selection techniques may result in different set of biomarkers, that is, different groups of genes highly correlated to a given pathological condition, but few direct comparisons exist which quantify these differences in a systematic way. In this paper, we propose a general methodology for comparing the outcomes of different selection techniques in the context of biomarker discovery. The comparison is carried out along two dimensions: (i) measuring the similarity/dissimilarity of selected gene sets; (ii) evaluating the implications of these differences in terms of both predictive performance and stability of selected gene sets. As a case study, we considered three benchmarks deriving from DNA microarray experiments and conducted a comparative analysis among eight selection methods, representatives of different classes of feature selection techniques. Our results show that the proposed approach can provide useful insight about the pattern of agreement of biomarker discovery techniques.
The Methanol Extract ofAngelica sinensisInduces Cell Apoptosis and Suppresses Tumor Growth in Human Malignant Brain Tumors
Authors: Lin Yu-Ling , Lai Wen-Lin , Harn Horng-jyh , Hung Pei-Hsiu , Hsieh Ming-Chang , Chang Kai-Fu , Huang Xiao-Fan , Liao Kuang-Wen , Lee Ming-Shih , Tsai Nu-Man
Published: November 2013

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a highly vascularized and invasive neoplasm. The methanol extract ofAngelica sinensis(AS-M) is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat several diseases, such as gastric mucosal damage, hepatic injury, menopausal symptoms, and chronic glomerulonephritis. AS-M also displays potency in suppressing the growth of malignant brain tumor cells. The growth suppression of malignant brain tumor cells by AS-M results from cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. AS-M upregulates expression of cyclin kinase inhibitors, including p16, to decrease the phosphorylation of Rb proteins, resulting in arrest at the G0-G1phase. The expression of the p53 protein is increased by AS-M and correlates with activation of apoptosis-associated proteins. Therefore, the apoptosis of cancer cells induced by AS-M may be triggered through the p53 pathway. Inin vivostudies, AS-M not only suppresses the growth of human malignant brain tumors but also significantly prolongs patient survival. In addition, AS-M has potent anticancer effects involving cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and antiangiogenesis. Thein vitroandin vivoanticancer effects of AS-M indicate that this extract warrants further investigation and potential development as a new antibrain tumor agent, providing new hope for the chemotherapy of malignant brain cancer.