bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Compressive Strength and Stiffness of Grouted Soils by Using Elastic Waves
Authors: Lee In-Mo , Kim Jong-Sun , Yoon Hyung-Koo , Lee Jong-Sub
Published: June 2014

Cement grouted soils, which consist of particulate soil media and cementation agents, have been widely used for the improvement of the strength and stiffness of weak ground and for the prevention of the leakage of ground water. The strength, elastic modulus, and Poisson’s ratio of grouted soils have been determined by classical destructive methods. However, the performance of grouted soils depends on several parameters such as the distribution of particle size of the particulate soil media, grouting pressure, curing time, curing method, and ground water flow. In this study, elastic wave velocities are used to estimate the strength and elastic modulus, which are generally obtained by classical strength tests. Nondestructive tests by using elastic waves at small strain are conducted before and during classical strength tests at large strain. The test results are compared to identify correlations between the elastic wave velocity measured at small strain and strength and stiffness measured at large strain. The test results show that the strength and stiffness have exponential relationship with elastic wave velocities. This study demonstrates that nondestructive methods by using elastic waves may significantly improve the strength and stiffness evaluation processes of grouted soils.
Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses Involved in Severe Acute Respiratory Disease in Northern Italy during the Pandemic and Postpandemic Period (2009–2011)
Authors: Pariani Elena , Martinelli Marianna , Canuti Marta , Jazaeri Farsani Seyed Mohammad , Oude Munnink Bas B. , Deijs Martin , Tanzi Elisabetta , Zanetti Alessandro , van der Hoek Lia , Amendola Antonella
Published: June 2014

Since 2009 pandemic, international health authorities recommended monitoring severe and complicated cases of respiratory disease, that is, severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We evaluated the proportion of SARI/ARDS cases and deaths due to influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection and the impact of other respiratory viruses during pandemic and postpandemic period (2009–2011) in northern Italy; additionally we searched for unknown viruses in those cases for which diagnosis remained negative. 206 respiratory samples were collected from SARI/ARDS cases and analyzed by real-time RT-PCR/PCR to investigate influenza viruses and other common respiratory pathogens; also, a virus discovery technique (VIDISCA-454) was applied on those samples tested negative to all pathogens. Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus was detected in 58.3% of specimens, with a case fatality rate of 11.3%. The impact of other respiratory viruses was 19.4%, and the most commonly detected viruses were human rhinovirus/enterovirus and influenza A(H3N2). VIDISCA-454 enabled the identification of one previously undiagnosed measles infection. Nearly 22% of SARI/ARDS cases did not obtain a definite diagnosis. In clinical practice, great efforts should be dedicated to improving the diagnosis of severe respiratory disease; the introduction of innovative molecular technologies, as VIDISCA-454, will certainly help in reducing such “diagnostic gap.”
Generalized Mixed Equilibria, Variational Inclusions, and Fixed Point Problems
Authors: Al-Mazrooei A. E. , Alofi A. S. M. , Latif A. , Yao J.-C.
Published: June 2014

We propose two iterative algorithms for finding a common element of the set of solutions of finite generalized mixed equilibrium problems, the set of solutions of finite variational inclusions for maximal monotone and inverse strong monotone mappings, and the set of common fixed points of infinite nonexpansive mappings and an asymptoticallyκ-strict pseudocontractive mapping in the intermediate sense in a real Hilbert space. We prove some strong and weak convergence theorems for the proposed iterative algorithms under suitable conditions.
Ulam-Hyers Stability and Well-Posedness of Fixed Point Problems forα-λ-Contraction Mapping in Metric Spaces
Authors: Kutbi Marwan Amin , Sintunavarat Wutiphol
Published: June 2014

We study Ulam-Hyers stability and the well-posedness of the fixed point problem for new type of generalized contraction mapping, so calledα-λ-contraction mapping. The results in this paper generalize and unify several results in the literature such as the Banach contraction principle.
Strongyloidiasis and Diffuse Alveolar Hemorrhage in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Gonzalez-Ibarra Fernando , Chevli Parag , Schachter Lindsey , Kaur Maninder , Eivaz-Mohammadi Sahar , Tashtoush Basheer , Matta Jioty , Syed Amer K. , Marian Valentin
Published: June 2014

The presence ofStrongyloides stercoralisinfection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been described previously.Strongyloides stercoralishyperinfection syndrome (SHS) that usually develops in patients under immunosuppressive therapy may affect a variety of organs, but the presentation with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is rare with only a few cases described in the literature. We present the case of a 36-year-old Hispanic female with a past medical history relevant for SLE and a recent diagnosis of lupus nephritis and hypertension. The patient who developed sudden and progressive abdominal pain and respiratory distress, with the presence of bilateral crackles and severe hypoxemia, is currently under treatment with steroids and cyclophosphamide for worsening of lupus nephritis. The patient underwent endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation, and computed tomography showed the presence of bilateral pulmonary infiltrates suggestive of DAH. Bronchoalveolar lavage was done and showed the presence of filariform larvae, morphologically consistent withStrongyloides stercoralis. Treatment with ivermectin was started and patient responded to treatment with improvement of clinical status. In conclusion, the development of SHS in patients with lupus, especially when receiving immunosuppressive therapy, is a severe and potentially fatal complication. Early detection and treatment may decrease mortality.
Modelling Fractal Waves on Shallow Water Surfaces via Local Fractional Korteweg-de Vries Equation
Authors: Yang Xiao-Jun , Hristov Jordan , Srivastava H. M. , Ahmad Bashir
Published: June 2014

A mathematical model of fractal waves on shallow water surfaces is developed by using the concepts of local fractional calculus. The derivations of linear and nonlinear local fractional versions of the Korteweg-de Vries equation describing fractal waves on shallow water surfaces are obtained.
A Mathematical Images Group Model to Estimate the Sound Level in a Close-Fitting Enclosure
Authors: Panza Michael J.
Published: June 2014

This paper describes a special mathematical images model to determine the sound level inside a close-fitting sound enclosure. Such an enclosure is defined as the internal air volume defined by a machine vibration noise source at one wall and a parallel reflecting wall located very close to it and acts as the outside radiating wall of the enclosure. Four smaller surfaces define a parallelepiped for the volume. The main reverberation group is between the two large parallel planes. Viewed as a discrete line-type source, the main group is extended as additional discrete line-type source image groups due to reflections from the four smaller surfaces. The images group approach provides a convergent solution for the case where hard reflective surfaces are modeled with absorption coefficients equal to zero. Numerical examples are used to calculate the sound pressure level incident on the outside wall and the effect of adding high absorption to the front wall. This is compared to the result from the general large room diffuse reverberant field enclosure formula for several hard wall absorption coefficients and distances between machine and front wall. The images group method is shown to have low sensitivity to hard wall absorption coefficient value and presents a method where zero sound absorption for hard surfaces can be used rather than an initial hard surface sound absorption estimate or measurement to predict the internal sound levels the effect of adding absorption.
Adaptive Beamforming Based on Complex Quaternion Processes
Authors: Tao Jian-wu , Chang Wen-xiu
Published: June 2014

Motivated by the benefits of array signal processing in quaternion domain, we investigate the problem of adaptive beamforming based on complex quaternion processes in this paper. First, a complex quaternion least‐mean squares (CQLMS) algorithm is proposed and its performance is analyzed. The CQLMS algorithm is suitable for adaptive beamforming of vector‐sensor array. The weight vector update of CQLMS algorithm is derived based on the complex gradient, leading to lower computational complexity. Because the complex quaternion can exhibit the orthogonal structure of an electromagnetic vector‐sensor in a natural way, a complex quaternion model in time domain is provided for a 3‐component vector‐sensor array. And the normalized adaptive beamformer using CQLMS is presented. Finally, simulation results are given to validate the performance of the proposed adaptive beamformer.
Probabilistic Error Modeling and Topology-Based Smoothing of Indoor Localization and Tracking Data, Based on the IEEE 802.15.4a Chirp Spread Spectrum Specification
Authors: Segou Olga E. , Thomopoulos Stelios C. A.
Published: June 2014

Location awareness is a core capability in many context-aware computing platforms. Multiple existing systems either provide inadequate accuracy or require extensive calibration or preexisting measurements in order to be functional. This work presents an extensive study of indoor tracking based on the chirp spread spectrum (CSS) specification and an associated analytical framework that allows comparisons to be made between different deployments. CSS provides resilience to fading, while being rapidly deployable. Wireless CSS modules are used to provide time of arrival measurements, necessary to infer the coordinates of a mobile user through trilateration. CSS resilience is tested in four deployments: an indoor space where line of sight (LoS) conditions are always satisfied, an indoor site that includes concrete, nonreflective obstructions, an industrial space with metallic, reflective obstacles, and a Tunnel. Empirical data are discussed in conjunction with the geometric dilution of precision (GDoP) metric, which depends on the system's deployment topology. The probabilistic modeling of the normalized localization error provides insight into the underlying distribution and is utilized in the context of a novel topology-based smoothing technique. Results indicate that CSS can provide accurate tracking. The application of the smoothing algorithm, however, further reduces the normalized error by a considerable amount.
N-Acetyl-Serotonin Protects HepG2 Cells from Oxidative Stress Injury Induced by Hydrogen Peroxide
Authors: Jiang Jiying , Yu Shuna , Jiang Zhengchen , Liang Cuihong , Yu Wenbo , Li Jin , Du Xiaodong , Wang Hailiang , Gao Xianghong , Wang Xin
Published: June 2014

Oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. N-Acetyl-serotonin (NAS) has been reported to protect against oxidative damage, though the mechanisms by which NAS protects hepatocytes from oxidative stress remain unknown. To determine whether pretreatment with NAS could reduce hydrogen peroxide- (H2O2-) induced oxidative stress in HepG2 cells by inhibiting the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, we investigated the H2O2-induced oxidative damage to HepG2 cells with or without NAS using MTT, Hoechst 33342, rhodamine 123, Terminal dUTP Nick End Labeling Assay (TUNEL), dihydrodichlorofluorescein (H2DCF), Annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) double staining, immunocytochemistry, and western blot. H2O2produced dramatic injuries in HepG2 cells, represented by classical morphological changes of apoptosis, increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), decreased activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and increased activities of caspase-9 and caspase-3, release of cytochrome c (Cyt-C) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) from mitochondria, and loss of membrane potential (ΔΨm). NAS significantly inhibited H2O2-induced changes, indicating that it protected against H2O2-induced oxidative damage by reducing MDA levels and increasing SOD activity and that it protected the HepG2 cells from apoptosis through regulating the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, involving inhibition of mitochondrial hyperpolarization, release of mitochondrial apoptogenic factors, and caspase activity.
An Implementation of Document Image Reconstruction System on a Smart Device Using a 1D Histogram Calibration Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Lifeng , Fan Qian , Li Yujie , Uchimura Yousuke , Serikawa Seiichi
Published: June 2014

In recent years, the smart devices equipped with imaging functions are widely spreading for consumer application. It is very convenient for people to record information using these devices. For example, people can photo one page of a book in a library or they can capture an interesting piece of news on the bulletin board when walking on the street. But sometimes, one shot full area image cannot give a sufficient resolution for OCR soft or for human visual recognition. Therefore, people would prefer to take several partial character images of a readable size and then stitch them together in an efficient way. In this study, we propose a print document acquisition method using a device with a video camera. A one‐dimensional histogram based self‐calibration algorithm is developed for calibration. Because the calculation cost is low, it can be installed on a smartphone. The simulation result shows that the calibration and stitching are well performed.
Global Regularity for the∂-b-Equation onCRManifolds of Arbitrary Codimension
Authors: Khidr Shaban , Abdelkader Osama
Published: June 2014

LetMbe aC∞compactCRmanifold ofCR-codimensionl≥1andCR-dimensionn-lin a complex manifoldXof complex dimensionn≥3. In this paper, assuming thatMsatisfies conditionY(s)for someswith1≤s≤n-l-1, we prove anL2-existence theorem and global regularity for the solutions of the tangential Cauchy-Riemann equation for(0,s)-forms onM.
Lobe-Specific Heterogeneity in Asymmetric Dimethylarginine and Matrix Metalloproteinase Levels in a Rat Model of Obstructive Cholestasis
Authors: Ferrigno Andrea , Palladini Giuseppina , Bianchi Alberto , Rizzo Vittoria , Di Pasqua Laura G. , Perlini Stefano , Richelmi Plinio , Vairetti Mariapia
Published: June 2014

We investigated the effects of obstructive cholestasis in different hepatic lobes by evaluating asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) (a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), protein methyltransferase (PRMT) and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH) (enzymes involved, resp., in its synthesis and degradation), the cationic transporter (CAT), and metalloproteinase (MMP) activity. Sixteen male Wistar rats underwent a 3-day cholestasis by common bile duct ligation (BDL) or sham operation. Blood samples and hepatic biopsies from left lobe (LL), median lobe (ML), and right lobe (RL) were collected. Serum hepatic enzymes, tissue ADMA, DDAH activity, CAT-2 protein, mRNA expression of DDAH and PRMT, and MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity were monitored. Cholestasis was confirmed by altered serum hepatic enzymes. Higher levels of tissue ADMA were detected in RL and ML as compared with LL. PRMT mRNA expression and DDAH activity did not differ among the lobes after BDL. CAT-2 levels are higher in the RL and ML in the sham-operated group. Higher activity in MMP-2 and MMP-9 was found in RL. In conclusion, after cholestasis an increase in hepatic ADMA in RL and ML was detected as well as tissue MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation in RL, supporting the evidence of functional heterogeneity among the liver lobes also occurring in an obstructive cholestasis model.
Unified Mathematical Framework for Slicing and Symmetry Reduction over Event Structures
Authors: Gao Xinyan , Ding Yingcai , Liu Wenbo , Zheng Kaidi , Huang Siyu , Zhou Ning , Li Dakui
Published: June 2014

Nonclassical slicing and symmetry reduction can act as efficient structural abstract methods for pruning state space when dealing with verification problems. In this paper, we mainly address theoretical and algorithmic aspects for nonclassical slicing and symmetry reduction over prime event structures. We propose sliced and symmetric quotient reduction models of event structures and present their corresponding algorithms. To construct the underlying foundation of the proposed methodologies, we introduce strong and weak conflict concepts and a pair of mutually inverse operators and extend permutation group based symmetry notion of event structures. We have established a unified mathematical framework for slicing and symmetry reduction, and further investigated the translation, isomorphism, and equivalence relationship and other related basic facts from a theoretical point of view. The framework may provide useful guidance and theoretical exploration for overcoming verification challenges. This paper also demonstrates their practical applications by two cases.
Some Generalized Gronwall-Bellman Type Impulsive Integral Inequalities and Their Applications
Authors: Mi Yuzhen
Published: June 2014

This paper investigates some generalized Gronwall-Bellman type impulsive integral inequalities containing integration on infinite intervals. Some new results are obtained, which generalize some existing conclusions. Our result is also applied to study a boundary value problem of differential equations with impulsive terms.
Evaluation of Metabolic Enzymes in Response to Excel Mera 71, a Glyphosate-Based Herbicide, and Recovery Pattern in Freshwater Teleostean Fishes
Authors: Samanta Palas , Pal Sandipan , Mukherjee Aloke Kumar , Ghosh Apurba Ratan
Published: June 2014

Metabolic enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were evaluated in Indian teleostean fishes, namely,Anabas testudineus(Bloch) andHeteropneustes fossilis(Bloch), for an exposure to 30 days of Excel Mera 71 (17.2 mg/L), a glyphosate formulation, and subsequent depuration under Liv.52, a plant extract at a dose of 187.5 mg/d/250 L for the same period in the same tissues under laboratory condition. ALT activity was significantly increased (P<0.05) in all the tissues and raised up to 229.19% in liver ofA. testudineus(229.19%) and 128.61% in liver ofH. fossilis. AST also increased significantly (P<0.05) and was maximum in liver ofH. fossilis(526.19%) and minimum in gill ofA. testudineus(124.38%). ALP activity was also raised highly in intestine ofH. fossilis(490.61%) but was less in kidney ofH. fossilis(149.48%). The results indicated that Excel Mera 71 caused alterations in the metabolic enzymatic activities in fish tissues and AST showed the highest alteration in both the fishes, while lowest in ALP and ALT inA. testudineusandH. fossilis, respectively. During depuration under Liv.52, all the enzyme activities came down towards the control condition which indicated the compensatory response by the fish against this herbicidal stress and it was in the following order: AST > ALT > ALP, inA. testudineus, whileH. fossilisshowed the following trend: ALT > AST > ALP. Therefore, these parameters could be used as indicators of herbicidal pollution in aquatic organisms and were recommended for environmental monitoring for investigating the mechanism involved in the recovery pattern.
Stability Analysis of Hepatitis B Virus Model with Incomplete Immunization of HepB Vaccine
Authors: Cheng Yan , Pan Qiuhui , He Mingfeng
Published: June 2014

In this paper a HBV infection model with impulsive vaccination is considered. By using fixed point theorem and stroboscopic map we prove the existence of disease-free T-periodic solution. Also by comparative theorem of impulsive differential equation we get the global asymptotic stability of the disease-free periodic solution and permanence of the disease. Numerical simulations show the influence of parameters on the dynamics of HBV, which provided references for seeking optimal measures to control the transmission of HBV.
Day-Ahead Wind Speed Forecasting Using Relevance Vector Machine
Authors: Sun Guoqiang , Chen Yue , Wei Zhinong , Li Xiaolu , Cheung Kwok W.
Published: June 2014

With the development of wind power technology, the security of the power system, power quality, and stable operation will meet new challenges. So, in this paper, we propose a recently developed machine learning technique, relevance vector machine (RVM), for day-ahead wind speed forecasting. We combine Gaussian kernel function and polynomial kernel function to get mixed kernel for RVM. Then, RVM is compared with back propagation neural network (BP) and support vector machine (SVM) for wind speed forecasting in four seasons in precision and velocity; the forecast results demonstrate that the proposed method is reasonable and effective.
The Impact ofStaphylococcus aureus-Associated Molecular Patterns on Staphylococcal Superantigen-Induced Toxic Shock Syndrome and Pneumonia
Authors: Tilahun Ashenafi Y. , Karau Melissa , Ballard Alessandro , Gunaratna Miluka P. , Thapa Anusa , David Chella S. , Patel Robin , Rajagopalan Govindarajan
Published: June 2014

Staphylococcus aureusis capable of causing a spectrum of human illnesses. During seriousS. aureusinfections, the staphylococcal pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as peptidoglycan, lipoteichoic acid, and lipoproteins and even intactS. aureus, are believed to act in conjunction with the staphylococcal superantigens (SSAg) to activate the innate and adaptive immune system, respectively, and cause immunopathology. However, recent studies have shown that staphylococcal PAMPs could suppress inflammation by several mechanisms and protect from staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome, a life-threatening systemic disease caused by toxigenicS. aureus. Given the contradictory pro- and anti-inflammatory roles of staphylococcal PAMPs, we examined the effects ofS. aureus-derived molecular patterns on immune responses driven by SSAgin vivousing HLA-DR3 and HLA-DQ8 transgenic mice. Our study showed that neitherS. aureus-derived peptidoglycans (PGN), lipoteichoic acid (LTA), nor heat-killedStaphylococcus aureus(HKSA) inhibited SSAg-induced T cell proliferationin vitro. They failed to antagonize the immunostimulatory effects of SSAgin vivoas determined by their inability to attenuate systemic cytokine/chemokine response and reduce SSAg-induced T cell expansion. These staphylococcal PAMPs also failed to protect HLA-DR3 as well as HLA-DQ8 transgenic mice from either SSAg-induced toxic shock or pneumonia induced by a SSAg-producing strain ofS. aureus.
A Highly Rare Cause of Lumbar Spondylodiscitis with Epidural Abscess:Actinomyces israelii
Authors: Kapmaz Mahir , Gülşen İsmail , Kış Naciye , Başaran Seniha , Öksüz Lütfiye , Gürler Nezahat
Published: June 2014

Actinomycesspecies may lead to slowly progressive infection of almost any site once mucosal breakdown exists; hence, it has the name “great pretender.” Its diagnosis may be unthinkable unless proper cultures/histologies are taken. We describe a patient with lumbar spondylodiscitis and epidural abscess. This is an exceptional another disease by actinomycosis.
The Effects of Beta-Glucan Rich Oat Bread on Serum Nitric Oxide and Vascular Endothelial Function in Patients with Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Tabesh Faezeh , Sanei Hamid , Jahangiri Mansour , Momenizadeh Amir , Tabesh Elham , Pourmohammadi Kiana , Sadeghi Masoumeh
Published: June 2014

Introduction. Oats are high in soluble fibers and effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We assessed the effects of beta-glucan from oat bran on serum nitric oxide (NO) endothelial function in patients with hypercholesterolemia.Method. Sixty hypercholesterolemic patients were randomly divided to receive an experimental bread rich in beta-glucan from oat bran (intervention) or bread rich in wheat fiber (control) for four weeks. All subjects had the same diet for two-week baseline period and hypocaloric diet for four weeks of intervention. Serum NO concentration and flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were determined before and after the experiment.Results. Mean age of the participants was 51.1 ± 9.3 years and 65% (n=39) were female. After intervention, serum NO concentration increased by 50.2 ± 19.8 μmol/lit in the intervention group (P=0.017), but no change was observed in the control group (17.5 ± 27.5 μmol/lit;P=0.530). No change of FMD was observed in the intervention (0.48 ± 0.78%;P=0.546) or in the control group (0.59 ± 0.92%;P=0.533).Conclusion. Consumption of oat bread for four weeks increases serum NO concentration but has no effect on FMD. Further studies are warranted in this regard.
On the Products ofk-Fibonacci Numbers andk-Lucas Numbers
Authors: Singh Bijendra , Sisodiya Kiran , Ahmad Farooq
Published: June 2014

In this paper we investigate some products ofk-Fibonacci andk-Lucas numbers. We also present some generalized identities on the products ofk-Fibonacci andk-Lucas numbers to establish connection formulas between them with the help of Binet's formula.
Multiscale Combined Model Based on Run‐Length‐Judgment Method and Its Application in Oil Price Forecasting
Authors: Shu-ping Wang , Ai-mei Hu , Zhen-xin Wu , Ya-qing Liu , Xiao-wei Bai
Published: June 2014

Forecasting of oil price is an important area of energy market research. Based on the idea of decomposition‐reconstruction‐integration, this paper built a new multiscale combined forecasting model with the methods of empirical mode decomposition (EMD), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector machine (SVM), and time series methods. While building the model, we proposed a new idea to use run length judgment method to reconstruct the component sequences. Then this model was applied to analyze the fluctuation and trend of international oil price. Oil price series was decomposed and reconstructed into high frequency, medium frequency, low frequency, and trend sequences. Different features of fluctuation can be explained by irregular factors, season factors, major events, and long‐term trend. Empirical analysis showed that the multiscale combined model obtained the best forecasting result compared with single models including ARIMA, Elman, SVM, and GARCH and combined models including ARIMA‐SVM model and EMD‐SVM‐SVM method.
Chemical Polymerization Kinetics of Poly-O-Phenylenediamine and Characterization of the Obtained Polymer in Aqueous Hydrochloric Acid Solution Using K2Cr2O7as Oxidizing Agent
Authors: Sayyah S. M. , Khaliel A. B. , Aboud Ahmed A. , Mohamed S. M.
Published: June 2014

The oxidative chemical polymerization of o-phenylenediamine (OPDA) was studied in hydrochloric acid solution using potassium dichromate as oxidant at 5°C. The effects of potassium dichromate, hydrochloric acid, and monomer concentrations on the polymerization reaction were investigated. The order of reaction with respect to potassium dichromate, hydrochloric acid, and monomer concentration was found to be 1.011, 0.954, and 1.045, respectively. Also, the effect of temperature on the polymerization rate was studied and the apparent activation energy of the polymerization reaction was found to be 63.658 kJ/mol. The obtained polymer was characterized using XPS, IR, UV-visible, and elemental analysis. The surface morphology of the obtained polymers was characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TGA analysis was used to confirm the proposed structure and number of water molecules in each polymeric chain unit. The ac conductivity(σac)of (POPDA) was investigated as a function of frequency and temperature. The ac conductivity was interpreted as a power law of frequency. The frequency exponent (s) was found to be less than unity and decreased with the increase of temperature, which confirms that the correlated barrier hopping model was the dominant charge transport mechanism.
Control Allocation Design of Reaction Control System for Reusable Launch Vehicle
Authors: Mu Rongjun , Zhang Xin
Published: June 2014

During the early stage of reusable launch vehicle (RLV) reentry flight, reaction control system (RCS) is the major attitude control device. RCS, which is much different from the atmospheric steer’s control, requires a well designed control allocation system to fit the attitude control in high altitude. In this paper, an indexed control method was proposed for RCS preallocation, a 0-1 integer programming algorithm was designed for RCS allocation controller, and then this RCS scheme’s effect was analyzed. Based on the specified flight mission simulation, the results show that the control system is satisfied. Moreover, several comparisons between the attitude control effect and RCS relevant parameters were studied.
Credit Risk Evaluation with a Least Squares Fuzzy Support Vector Machines Classifier
Authors: Yu Lean
Published: June 2014

A least squares fuzzy support vector machine (LS-FSVM) model that integrates advantages of fuzzy support vector machine (FSVM) and least squares method is proposed for credit risk evaluation. In the proposed LS-FSVM model, the purpose of incorporating the concepts of fuzzy sets is to add generalization capability and outlier insensitivity, while the least squares method is adopted to reduce the computational complexity. For illustrative purposes, a real-world credit risk dataset is used to test the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed LS-FSVM methodology.
Wireless M-Bus Sensor Networks for Smart Water Grids: Analysis and Results
Authors: Spinsante S. , Squartini S. , Gabrielli L. , Pizzichini M. , Gambi E. , Piazza F.
Published: June 2014

Wireless sensor network technologies are experiencing an impressive development, as they represent one of the building blocks upon which new paradigms, such as Internet of Things and Smart Cities, may be implemented. Among the different applications enabled by such technologies, automatic monitoring of the water grid, and smart metering of water consumptions, may have a great impact on the preservation of one of the most valued, and increasingly scarce, natural resources. Sensor nodes located along water pipes cannot rely on the availability of power grid facilities to get the necessary energy imposed by their working conditions. In this sense, an energy-efficient design of the network architecture, and the evaluation of Energy Harvesting techniques to sustain its nodes, becomes of paramount importance. This paper investigates the suitability of a Wireless Metering Bus-based solution for the implementation of smart water grids, by evaluating network and node related performance, through simulations, prototype design, and experimental tests, which confirm the feasibility and efficiency of the proposal.
One New Royleanumoate fromTeucrium royleanumWall. ex Benth
Authors: Ahmad Shabir , Ullah Riaz , AbdElsalam Naser M. , Fouad Hassan , Bibi Ahtaram , Jan Muhammad Tariq , Shad Anwar Ali , Arfan Muhammad
Published: June 2014

One new royleanumoate, a benzene ester (1), has been isolated fromT. royleanumWall. ex Benth along with two known compounds, namely, 3,4-dihydroxymethyl benzoate (2) and oleanolic acid (3). The structure elucidation of the isolated compounds was established on two-dimensional (2D) NMR techniques including heteronuclear multiple bond correlation (HMBC), heteronuclear multiple quantum Coherence (HMQC), and correlation spectroscopy (COSY) experiment.
Exact Multisoliton Solutions of General Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation with Derivative
Authors: Li Qi , Duan Qiu-yuan , Zhang Jian-bing
Published: June 2014

Multisoliton solutions are derived for a general nonlinear Schrödinger equation with derivative by using Hirota’s approach. The dynamics of one-soliton solution and two-soliton interactions are also illustrated. The considered equation can reduce to nonlinear Schrödinger equation with derivative as well as the solutions.
Land Use and Land Cover Change, and Woody Vegetation Diversity in Human Driven Landscape of Gilgel Tekeze Catchment, Northern Ethiopia
Authors: Tesfaye Samuale , Guyassa Etefa , Joseph Raj Antony , Birhane Emiru , Wondim Gebeyehu Taye
Published: June 2014

Land use and land cover (LULC) change through inappropriate agricultural practices and high human and livestock population pressure have led to severe land degradation in the Ethiopian highlands. This has led to further degradation such as biodiversity loss, deforestation, and soil erosion. The study examined woody vegetation diversity status and the impact of drivers of change across different LULC types and agroecological zones in Gilgel Tekeze catchment, northern Ethiopian highlands. LULC dynamics were assessed using GIS techniques on 1976, 1986, and 2008 satellite images. Vegetation data were collected from 135 sample plots (20 m × 20 m) from five LULC types, namely, forest, shrub-bush, grazing, settlement, and cultivated land, in the three agroecological zones; Kolla, Weyna-Dega, and Dega. Differences in vegetation structure and composition and their relationship to agroecological zones were tested using two-way ANOVA and PCA technique. The results show that vegetation structure and composition significantly differed across all LULC types in different agroecological zones particularly in sapling density, tree height, and shrub height and in each agroecological zone between forest land, shrub-bush land, and settlement area. Overall, Weyna-Dega agroecological zone and the shrub-bush land had more structural and compositional diversity than the other agroecological zones and LULC types.
Correlation of Choroidal Thickness and Volume Measurements with Axial Length and Age Using Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography and Optical Low-Coherence Reflectometry
Authors: Michalewski Janusz , Michalewska Zofia , Nawrocka Zofia , Bednarski Maciej , Nawrocki Jerzy
Published: June 2014

Purpose. To report choroidal thickness and volume in healthy eyes using swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).Methods. A prospective observational study of 122 patients examined with swept source OCT (DRI-OCT, Topcon, Japan). In each eye, we performed 256 horizontal scans, 12 mm in length and centered on the fovea. We calculated choroidal thickness manually with a built-in caliper and automatically using DRI-OCT mapping software. Choroidal volume was also automatically calculated. We measured axial length with optical low-coherence reflectometry (Lenstar LS 900, Haag-Streit, Switzerland).Results. The choroid has focally increased thickness under the fovea. Choroid was thinnest in the outer nasal quadrant. In stepwise regression analysis, age was estimated as the most significant factor correlating with decreased choroidal thicknessF=23.146, P<0.001followed by axial lengthF=4.902, P=0.03. Refractive error was not statistically significantF=1.16, P=0.28.Conclusions. SS-OCT is the first commercially available system that can automatically create choroidal thickness and volume maps. Choroidal thickness is increased at the fovea and is thinnest nasally. Age and axial length are critical for the estimation of choroidal thickness and volume. Choroidal measurements derived from SS-OCT images have potential value for objectively documenting disease-related choroidal thickness abnormalities and monitoring progressive changes over time.
Orthodontic Treatment of a Mandibular Incisor Extraction Case with Invisalign
Authors: Zawawi Khalid H.
Published: June 2014

Mandibular incisor extraction for orthodontic treatment is considered an unusual treatment option because of the limited number of patients that meet the criteria for such treatment. Accurate diagnosis and treatment planning is essential to achieve the desired results. Adult orthodontic patients are increasingly motivated by esthetic considerations and reject the idea of conventional fixed appliances. In recent years, Invisalign appliances have gained tremendous attention for orthodontic treatment of adult patients to meet their esthetic demands. In this case report, a case of Class I malocclusion was treated with mandibular incisor extraction using the Invisalign appliance system. Successful tooth alignment of both arches was achieved. The use of Invisalign appliance is an effective treatment option in adult patients with Class I malocclusion that requires incisor extraction due to moderate to severe mandibular anterior crowding.
A Constitutive Model for the Annulus of Human Intervertebral Disc: Implications for Developing a Degeneration Model and Its Influence on Lumbar Spine Functioning
Authors: Cegoñino J. , Moramarco V. , Calvo-Echenique A. , Pappalettere C. , Pérez del Palomar A.
Published: June 2014

The study of the mechanical properties of the annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral discs is significant to the study on the diseases of lumbar intervertebral discs in terms of both theoretical modelling and clinical application value. The annulus fibrosus tissue of the human intervertebral disc (IVD) has a very distinctive structure and behaviour. It consists of a solid porous matrix, saturated with water, which mainly contains proteoglycan and collagen fibres network. In this work a mathematical model for a fibred reinforced material including the osmotic pressure contribution was developed. This behaviour was implemented in a finite element (FE) model and numerical characterization and validation, based on experimental results, were carried out for the normal annulus tissue. The characterization of the model for a degenerated annulus was performed, and this was capable of reproducing the increase of stiffness and the reduction of its nonlinear material response and of its hydrophilic nature. Finally, this model was used to reproduce the degeneration of the L4L5 disc in a complete finite element lumbar spine model proving that a single level degeneration modifies the motion patterns and the loading of the segments above and below the degenerated disc.
Euler Type Integrals and Integrals in Terms of Extended Beta Function
Authors: Khan Subuhi , Al-Saad Mustafa Walid
Published: June 2014

We derive the evaluations of certain integrals of Euler type involving generalized hypergeometric series. Further, we establish a theorem on extended beta function, which provides evaluation of certain integrals in terms of extended beta function and certain special polynomials. The possibility of extending some of the derived results to multivariable case is also investigated.
Missed Opportunities: Evolution of Patients Leaving without Being Seen or against Medical Advice during a Six-Year Period in a Swiss Tertiary Hospital Emergency Department
Authors: Carron Pierre-Nicolas , Yersin Bertrand , Trueb Lionel , Gonin Philippe , Hugli Olivier
Published: June 2014

Aim.The study aimed at describing the evolution over a 6-year period of patients leaving the emergency department (ED) before being seen (“left without being seen” or LWBS) or against medical advice (“left against medical advice” or LAMA) and at describing their characteristics.Methods.A retrospective database analysis of all adult patients who are admitted to the ED, between 2005 and 2010, and who left before being evaluated or against medical advice, in a tertiary university hospital.Results.During the study period, among the 307,716 patients who were registered in the ED, 1,157 LWBS (0.4%) and 1,853 LAMA (0.9%) patients were identified. These proportions remained stable over the period. The patients had an average age of38.5±15.9years for LWBS and41.9±17.4years for LAMA. The median time spent in the ED before leaving was 102.4 minutes for the LWBS patients and 226 minutes for LAMA patients. The most frequent reason for LAMA was related to the excessive length of stay.Conclusion.The rates of LWBS and LAMA patients were low and remained stable. The patients shared similar characteristics and reasons for leaving were largely related to the length of stay or waiting time.
Differential Expression and Immunolocalization of Antioxidant Enzymes inEntamoeba histolyticaIsolates during Metronidazole Stress
Authors: Iyer Lakshmi Rani , Singh Nishant , Verma Anil Kumar , Paul Jaishree
Published: June 2014

Entamoeba histolyticainfections are endemic in the Indian subcontinent. Five to eight percent of urban population residing under poor sanitary conditions suffers fromEntamoebainfections. Metronidazole is the most widely prescribed drug used for amoebiasis. In order to understand the impact of metronidazole stress on the parasite, we evaluated the expression of two antioxidant enzymes, peroxiredoxin and FeSOD, inEntamoeba histolyticaisolates during metronidazole stress. The results reveal that, under metronidazole stress, the mRNA expression levels of these enzymes did not undergo any significant change. Interestingly, immunolocalization studies with antibodies targeting peroxiredoxin indicate differential localization of the protein in the cell during metronidazole stress. In normal conditions, all theEntamoebaisolates exhibit presence of peroxiredoxin in the nucleus as well as in the membrane; however with metronidazole stress the protein localized mostly to the membrane. The change in the localization pattern was more pronounced when the cells were subjected to short term metronidazole stress compared to cells adapted to metronidazole. The protein localization to the cell membrane could be the stress response mechanism in these isolates. Colocalization pattern of peroxiredoxin with CaBp1, a cytosolic protein, revealed that the membrane and nuclear localization was specific to peroxiredoxin during metronidazole stress.
A New Upper Bound on the Infinity Norm of the Inverse of Nekrasov Matrices
Authors: Gao Lei , Li Chaoqian , Li Yaotang
Published: June 2014

A new upper bound which involves a parameter for the infinity norm of the inverse of Nekrasov matrices is given. And we determine the optimal value of the parameter such that the bound improves the results of Kolotilina, 2013. Numerical examples are given to illustrate the corresponding results.
An Accurate Spectral Galerkin Method for Solving Multiterm Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Bhrawy A. H. , Alofi A. S.
Published: June 2014

This paper reports a new formula expressing the Caputo fractional derivatives for any order of shifted generalized Jacobi polynomials of any degree in terms of shifted generalized Jacobi polynomials themselves. A direct solution technique is presented for solving multiterm fractional differential equations (FDEs) subject to nonhomogeneous initial conditions using spectral shifted generalized Jacobi Galerkin method. The homogeneous initial conditions are satisfied exactly by using a class of shifted generalized Jacobi polynomials as a polynomial basis of the truncated expansion for the approximate solution. The approximation of the spatial Caputo fractional order derivatives is expanded in terms of a class of shifted generalized Jacobi polynomials with x ∈ (0, 1), and n is the polynomial degree. Several numerical examples with comparisons with the exact solutions are given to confirm the reliability of the proposed method for multiterm FDEs.
Biodegradation of Palm Kernel Cake by Cellulolytic and Hemicellulolytic Bacterial Cultures through Solid State Fermentation
Authors: Alshelmani Mohamed Idris , Loh Teck Chwen , Foo Hooi Ling , Lau Wei Hong , Sazili Awis Qurni
Published: June 2014

Four cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic bacterial cultures were purchased from the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Culture (DSMZ) and the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Two experiments were conducted; the objective of the first experiment was to determine the optimum time period required for solid state fermentation (SSF) of palm kernel cake (PKC), whereas the objective of the second experiment was to investigate the effect of combinations of these cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic bacteria on the nutritive quality of the PKC. In the first experiment, the SSF was lasted for 12 days with inoculum size of 10% (v/w) on different PKC to moisture ratios. In the second experiment, fifteen combinations were created among the four microbes with one untreated PKC as a control. The SSF lasted for 9 days, and the samples were autoclaved, dried, and analyzed for proximate analysis. Results showed that bacterial cultures produced high enzymes activities at the 4th day of SSF, whereas their abilities to produce enzymes tended to be decreased to reach zero at the 8th day of SSF. Findings in the second experiment showed that hemicellulose and cellulose was significantlyP<0.05decreased, whereas the amount of reducing sugars were significantlyP<0.05increased in the fermented PKC (FPKC) compared with untreated PKC.
Canine Babesiosis in Northwestern India: Molecular Detection and Assessment of Risk Factors
Authors: Singh Amritpal , Singh Harkirat , Singh N. K. , Singh N. D. , Rath S. S.
Published: June 2014

In the current study, a total of 214 blood samples from dogs in and around Ludhiana, Punjab (India), suspected for canine babesiosis were examined with conventional and molecular assays. Examination of Giemsa-stained peripheral thin blood smears revealed an overall prevalence of 7.47% (16/214) for canine babesiosis encompassing 0.93% (2/214) of largeBabesiaand 6.54% (14/214) ofBabesia gibsoni. However, molecular diagnosis revealed 15.42% (33/214) samples positive forB. gibsoniinfection as evident by the presence of 671 bp amplicon. The results of multivariate analysis showed that the prevalence ofB. gibsoniwas associated with various risk factors, namely, age (P<0.001; OR: 0.398; CI 95%: 0.080–1.799), sex (P=0.022; OR: 0.849; CI 95%: 0.403–1.791), breed of host (P=0.371; OR: 3.345; CI 95%: 1.045–10.710), and season (P=0.230; OR: 2.143; CI 95%: 0.788–5.830). The prevalence ofB. gibsoniwas higher in summer as compared to winter season and in younger dogs, while breed and sex of the host were not significantly associated with the occurrence of the disease.
Solving Partial Differential Equations Using a New Differential Evolution Algorithm
Authors: Panagant Natee , Bureerat Sujin
Published: June 2014

This paper proposes an alternative meshless approach to solve partial differential equations (PDEs). With a global approximate function being defined, a partial differential equation problem is converted into an optimisation problem with equality constraints from PDE boundary conditions. An evolutionary algorithm (EA) is employed to search for the optimum solution. For this approach, the most difficult task is the low convergence rate of EA which consequently results in poor PDE solution approximation. However, its attractiveness remains due to the nature of a soft computing technique in EA. The algorithm can be used to tackle almost any kind of optimisation problem with simple evolutionary operation, which means it is mathematically simpler to use. A new efficient differential evolution (DE) is presented and used to solve a number of the partial differential equations. The results obtained are illustrated and compared with exact solutions. It is shown that the proposed method has a potential to be a future meshless tool provided that the search performance of EA is greatly enhanced.