bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Paeonol on Tissue Destruction in Experimental Periodontitis of Rats
Authors: Chang Chih-Yuan , Fu Earl , Chiang Cheng-Yang , Chang Wei-Jeng , Cheng Wan-Chien , Tu Hsiao-Pei
Published: March 2014

We evaluated the effects of paeonol, a phenolic compound of Moutan Cortex, on the tissue inflammation and destruction in experimental periodontitis of rats. The maxillary palatal bony surfaces of 18 rats received injections of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 5 mg/mL), PBS or LPS-plus-paeonol (40 mg/kg, intra-peritoneal injection) for three days. Five days later, the osteoclasts were examined and compared after tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. In another 36 rats, the experimental periodontitis was induced by placing the ligatures around the maxillary second and mandibular first molars. Seven days later, the periodontal destruction and inflammation in rats with paeonol (40 mg/kg or 80 mg/kg) and those who had no ligature or without paeonol were compared by dental radiography, micro-computerized tomography (micro-CT), and histology. Gingival mRNA expressions of pre-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β' IL-6 and TNF-α were also examined. Compared to the effect of the LPS positive control, the paeonol injection significantly reduced the induced osteoclast formation. In ligature-induced periodontitis, the periodontal bone supporting ratio was significantly higher in the ligature-plus-paeonol groups compared to that of the ligature group, although they were still less than those in the non-ligature group. By micro-CT and by histology/histometry, a consistent anti-destructive effect was observed when paeonol was added. Moreover, less amount of inflammatory cell-infiltrated connective tissue area, connective tissue attachment, and mRNA expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines were presented in the ligature-plus-paeonol groups than those in the ligature group. These results suggested that paeonol might have a protective potential on gingival tissue inflammation and alveolar bone loss during the process of periodontitis by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Er-Xian Decoction Exerts Estrogen-Like Osteoprotective EffectsIn VivoandIn Vitro
Authors: Wong Ka-Chun , Lee Kin-Shing , Luk Hon-Kit , Wan Hoi-Ying , Ho Chui-Kwan , Zhang Yan , Wong Man-Sau
Published: March 2014

Er-xian Decoction (EXD), containing Herba epimedii Maxim (HEP) and Curculigo orchioides Gaertn (XM) as principal drugs, is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula prescribed for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. In the present study, the in vivo anti-osteoporosis effects of EXD, HEP and XM on four-month-old ovariectomized (OVX) Sprague–Dawley rats were investigated. Micro-computed tomography analysis showed that EXD could significantly improve the micro-architectural parameters (BMD, BV/TV, Tb.N, Tb.Th, and Tb.Sp) of trabecular bone in the distal femur and proximal tibia in OVX rats (p < 0.05). The biomechanical parameters of the distal femur in rats treated with EXD were also improved significantly (p < 0.05 vs. OVX group). The in vivo efficacy of EXD was found to be superior to HEP or XM alone in improving the bone properties of OVX rats. Treatment of rat osteoblastic-like UMR-106 cells with EXD, HEP, and XM significantly promoted the cell proliferation rate (p < 0.05) with the most promising effects observed in cells treated with EXD (p < 0.001). The proliferative effect in UMR-106 cells induced by EXD, HEP, and XM were abolished in the presence of the estrogen antagonist, ICI182780, suggesting that their effects were mediated by estrogen receptor (ER). Additionally, EXD could activate ER-α and ER-β mediated estrogen-response element (ERE)-dependent luciferase activity as well as phosphorylate ER-α at serine 118 in UMR-106 cells. Taken together, EXD offered better osteoprotective effects than its single principal herb, and the beneficial effects of EXD in preventing bone deteriorations are, at least partially, through the ER signaling pathway.
Cordyceps sinensisPrevents Apoptosis in Mouse Liver with D-Galactosamine/Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Fulminant Hepatic Failure
Authors: Cheng Yu-Jung , Cheng Shiu-Min , Teng Yi-Hsien , Shyu Woei-Cherng , Chen Hsiu-Ling , Lee Shin-Da
Published: March 2014

Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis) has long been considered to be an herbal medicine and has been used in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. The present study examined the cytoprotective properties of C. sinensis on D(+)-galactosamine (GalN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fulminant hepatic failure. Mice were randomly assigned into control, GalN/LPS, CS 20 mg and CS 40 mg groups (C. sinensis, oral gavage, five days/week, four weeks). After receiving saline or C. sinensis, mice were intraperitoneally given GalN (800 mg/kg)/LPS (10 μg/kg). The effects of C. sinensis on TNF-α, IL-10, AST, NO, SOD, and apoptoticrelated proteins after the onset of endotoxin intoxication were determined. Data demonstrated that GalN/LPS increased hepatocyte degeneration, circulating AST, TNF-α, IL-10, and hepatic apoptosis and caspase activity. C. sinensis pre-treatment reduced AST, TNF-α, and NO and increased IL-10 and SOD in GalN/LPS induced fulminant hepatic failure. C. sinensis attenuated the apoptosis of hepatocytes, as evidenced by the TUNEL and capase-3, 6 activity analyses. In summary, C. sinensis alleviates GalN/LPS-induced liver injury by modulating the cytokine response and inhibiting apoptosis. C. sinensis could be used as a potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic agent to reduce liver injury after the onset of sepsis.
Flavonoids Identified from Korean Scutellaria baicalensis Induce Apoptosis by ROS Generation and Caspase Activation on Human Fibrosarcoma Cells
Authors: Zhang Jue , Park Hyeon-Soo , Kim Jin-A , Hong Gyeong-Eun , Nagappan ArulKumar , Park Kwang-Il , Kim Gon-Sup
Published: March 2014

The effects of flavonoids from Korean Scutellaria baicalensis on fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells and their underlying molecular mechanism were investigated in this study. Flavonoids affected HT1080 cell proliferation by interrupting cell cycle progress, obviously augmenting the proportion of sub-G1 and diminishing that of G1 phase, and undergoing apoptosis at the tested dosage (100–400 μg/mL). In addition, the mediated apoptosis was mainly caused by total reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and by up-regulating the ratio of Bax/Bcl-xL, triggering caspase cascades (caspase-3, -9 and -8), and inactivating PARP, dose-dependently. The proteomics results showed that AP-4, ARID 5B, HNRNP K, PLOG, Prdx6, and myosin-1, associated with cell growth, differentiation and development, and overexpressed in gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc., were statistically down-regulated after the flavonoids treatment. Taken together, our data demonstrated that flavonoids from Korean S. baicalensis induced apoptosis in HT1080 cells, which involved a hierarchy of cellular pathways and multiple signal proteins, and might be a potential anticancer therapeutic agent.
Dark matter density profile and galactic metric in Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld gravity
Authors: Harko Tiberiu , Lobo Francisco S. N. , Mak M. K. , Sushkov Sergey V.
Published: March 2014

We consider the density profile of pressureless dark matter in Eddington-inspired Born–Infeld (EiBI) gravity. The gravitational field equations are investigated for a spherically symmetric dark matter galactic halo, by adopting a phenomenological tangential velocity profile for test particles moving in stable circular orbits around the galactic center. The density profile and the mass distribution, as well as the general form of the metric tensor is obtained by numerically integrating the gravitational field equations, and in an approximate analytical form by using the Newtonian limit of the theory. In the weak field limit, the dark matter density distribution is described by the Lane–Emden equation with polytropic index n = 1, and is nonsingular at the galactic center. The parameter κ of the theory is determined so that the theory could provide a realistic description of the dark matter halos. The gravitational properties of the dark matter halos are also briefly discussed in the Newtonian approximation.
Links arising from braid monodromy factorizations
Authors: Amram Meirav , Cohen Moshe , Teicher Mina
Published: March 2014

We investigate the local contribution of the braid monodromy factorization in the context of the links obtained by the closure of these braids. We consider plane curves which are arrangements of lines and conics as well as some algebraic surfaces, where some of the former occur as local configurations in degenerated and regenerated surfaces in the latter. In particular, we focus on degenerations which involve intersection points of multiplicity two and three. We demonstrate when the same links arise even when the local arrangements are different.
Hom quandles
Authors: Crans Alissa S. , Nelson Sam
Published: March 2014

If A is an abelian quandle and Q is a quandle, the hom set Hom (Q, A) of quandle homomorphisms from Q to A has a natural quandle structure. We exploit this fact to enhance the quandle counting invariant, providing an example of links with the same counting invariant values but distinguished by the hom quandle structure. We generalize the result to the case of biquandles, collect observations and results about abelian quandles and the hom quandle, and show that the category of abelian quandles is symmetric monoidal closed.
Properties of strangelets at zero temperature in a new quark mass confinement model
Authors: Chen Shiwu , Li Qin , Xu Jianfeng , Gao Li , Xia Chengjun
Published: March 2014

We investigate the properties of strangelets at zero temperature with a new quark model in which the linear confinement and one-gluon-exchange (OGE) interactions are integrated as a whole. The charge, parameters dependence and the stability of strangelets are discussed. Our results showed that the OGE interaction lowers the energy of a strangelet, and consequently makes its stable radius smaller than that in the case of not including this interaction, and less than that of a nucleus with the same baryon number. Therefore, the strangelet in the present model has more chance to be absolutely stable.
Sterile neutrinos and Big Bang Nucleosynthesis in the 3 + 1 scheme
Authors: Mosquera Mercedes Elisa , Civitarese Osvaldo
Published: March 2014

We study the effects of adding a sterile neutrino to three active neutrinos (3 + 1 scheme) in the calculation of primordial abundances. Taking the normalization constant (a) of the occupation factor of the sterile neutrino and the active-sterile mixing angle (ϕ) as free parameters, we calculate the neutrino distribution function and primordial abundances of light nuclei. We set constrains on these parameters by using the available data on the abundances of D, 4 He and 7 Li . Results are consistent with small values of a and ϕ. The extracted value of the baryon-to-photon ratio (ηB), which is constrained by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) value [Formula: see text], and Planck observations, depends strongly on the inclusion of the lithium data in the fit.
PREDICTION OF ESSENTIAL PROTEINS BASED ON EDGE CLUSTERING COEFFICIENT AND GENE ONTOLOGY INFORMATION
Authors: LUO JIAWEI , ZHANG NAN
Published: March 2014

Essential proteins are important for the survival and development of organisms. Lots of centrality algorithms based on network topology have been proposed to detect essential proteins and achieve good results. However, most of them only focus on the network topology, but ignore the false positive (FP) interactions in protein–protein interaction (PPI) network. In this paper, gene ontology (GO) information is proposed to measure the reliability of the edges in PPI network and we propose a novel algorithm for identifying essential proteins, named EGC algorithm. EGC algorithm integrates topology character of PPI network and GO information. To validate the performance of EGC algorithm, we use EGC and other nine methods (DC, BC, CC, SC, EC, LAC, NC, PEC and CoEWC) to identify the essential proteins in the two different yeast PPI networks: DIP and MIPS. The results show that EGC is better than the other nine methods, which means adding GO information can help in predicting essential proteins.
HYDROGEN ADSORPTION ON β-TiAl (001) AND Ni/TiAl (001) SURFACES
Authors: MUBARAK A. A. KARIM , ALELAIMI MAHMOUD
Published: March 2014

In this paper, we present first principles calculations of the energetic, electronic and magnetic properties of the variant termination of TiAl (001) and Ni / TiAl (001) surfaces with and without hydrogen atoms. The calculations have been performed within the density functional theory using full-potential linearized augmented plane wave method. The generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is utilized as the exchange-correlation energy. The octahedral site is the stable absorption site of H atom in the β- TiAl system. This absorption reduces the cohesive energy of β- TiAl system due to increase in the lattice constant. The surface energy for both TiAl (001) terminations is calculated. The stable adsorption site of H atoms on the variant termination of TiAl (001) surface is performed. The adsorption energy of hydrogen on Ti is more energetic than that on Al . The adsorption of H atom on both terminations of H / Ni / TiAl (001) is more preferable at the bridge site. The adsorption energies are enhanced on Ni atom due to the contraction between d- Ni bands and TiAl substrate band.
HYDROGEN-BONDED STRUCTURES OF TRIMESIC AND MELAMINE ON HIGHLY ORIENTED PYROLYTIC GRAPHITE
Authors: ZHU LING , XU XUMING , WANG YAN , LIU SHUYI , LING JIE , LIU LACHENG , WEI SHENG , CAI FENG , WANG ZHONGPING , LIU XIAOQING , WANG LI
Published: March 2014

The assembled structures of triangular symmetrically shape molecules with three functional groups, trimesic acid (TMA) and melamine, have been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy on Highly Oriented Pyrolytic Graphite (HOPG) in ambient. Hexagonal porous structures are formed by these molecules and the cavity of the assembled structure becomes bigger when larger molecules are used as building blocks. The cavity within the assembled structure formed by TMA is bigger enough to host guest molecule.
EARLY RESULTS OF COMBINED PALMAR-DORSAL SCAPHOLUNATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION
Authors: Foo Tun-Lin , Lim Beng-Hai
Published: March 2014

Isolated dorsal scapholunate reconstruction may be inadequate to stabilize and restore physiological scapholunate kinematics in the setting of combined dorsal and palmar ligamental incompetence. To address this entity, a combined reconstruction that encompass both dorsal and palmar scapholunate reconstruction was performed in 20 patients followed up to 19.8 (6–84) months. Compared to the contralateral wrist, the results were extension (67 ± 1.6 to 85.7%, p < 0.01), flexion (84.5 ± 3.2 to 81 ± 2.3%, p = 0.38), grip strength (62 ± 1.6 to 88.3 ± 1.9%, p < 0.01), and pain score (rest: 1.55 ± 0.26 to 0.2 ± 0.09, p < 0.01; activity: 3.2 ± 0.09 to 0.4 ± 0.17, p < 0.01). Based on Mayo wrist score, five excellent, 13 good, and two fair results were reported.
THE MODIFIED BRUNELLI PROCEDURE FOR SCAPHOLUNATE INSTABILITY: A SINGLE CENTRE STUDY
Authors: Ellanti Prasad , Sisodia Gurudattsingh , AL-Ajami Abdulla , Ellanti Priyanka , Harrington Paul
Published: March 2014

Management of scapholunate (SL) instability remains controversial. The modified Brunelli procedure is a soft tissue procedure that recreates the stabilising forces of the SL ligament using a split flexor carpi radialis tendon graft passed from volar to dorsal via a tunnel in the distal pole of the scaphoid. Thirteen consecutive patients with an average age of 35 years underwent the modified Brunelli procedure. Pain improved from a mean visual analog score of eight preoperatively to 1.5. The DASH score improved from a preoperative score of 55.4 to 34.9 as did the grip strength from 40% to 75% respectively. All wrist ranges of motion were decreased post-operatively in particular wrist flexion. SL ligament reconstruction using the modified Brunelli procedure resulted in satisfactory outcomes. Post-operatively patients were relatively pain free, with improved grip strength. The range of motion was reduced postoperatively, however did not restrict return to work or premorbid activities.
A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF CONTROLLED PASSIVE MOBILIZATION VS. PLACE AND ACTIVE HOLD EXERCISES AFTER ZONE 2 FLEXOR TENDON REPAIR
Authors: Farzad Maryam , Layeghi Fereydoun , Asgari Ali , Ring David C. , Karimlou Masoud , Hosseini S. Ali
Published: March 2014

Purpose: The rehabilitation program after flexor tendon repair of zone II laceration varies. We designed a Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of controlled passive mobilization (modified Kleinert) vs. Place and active hold exercises after zone 2-flexor tendon repair by two-strand suture (Modified kessler).

Methods: Sixty-four fingers in 54 patients with zone 2 flexor tendon modified Kessler repairs were enrolled in a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing place and active hold exercises to controlled passive mobilization (modified Kleinert). The primary outcome measure was total active motion eight weeks after repair as measured by an independent and blinded therapist.

Results: Patients treated with place and active hold exercises had significantly greater total active motion (146) eight weeks after surgery than patients treated with controlled passive mobilization (114) (modified Klinert). There were no ruptures in either group.

Conclusions: Place and hold achieves greater motion than controlled passive mobilization after a two-strand repair for zone 2 flexor tendon repairs.
ACUTE BILATERAL SPONTANEOUS FOREARM COMPARTMENT SYNDROME
Authors: Dalton David M. , Munigangaiah Sudarshan , Subramaniam Tava , McCabe John P.
Published: March 2014

Acute spontaneous compartment syndrome of the forearm is rarely reported in the literature. It is typically associated with trauma or thromboembolism in the acute setting and repetitive exertional stress in the chronic setting. However it is rare for it to present bilaterally with no apparent underlying cause.

We report the case of a young 31-year-old lady who presented to our Emergency Department with bilateral compartment syndrome of the forearm. Her presenting complaints included acute severe pain and swelling of the forearms bilaterally, with a decreased range of movement of the wrist and fingers. She also complained of numbness in all fingers.

She had no history of recent trauma and ultrasound scans showed no evidence of vascular compromise. Past medical history was notable only for idiopathic hypertension and coeliac disease.

The patient was taken to theatre urgently where flexor and extensor compartments and carpal tunnel were decompressed. Pronator Teres was found to be dusky initially but turned pink after decompression. All other muscles were normal.

An interesting fact of this case was that combination of the high compartment pressures and anaesthetic related hypotension caused the forearm pulses to become impalpable at induction, these returned intra-operatively.

The patient has been seen in the outpatient department following discharge. She is well apart from some mildly reduced grip strength in her right hand likely due to carpal tunnel decompression. No cause was found for the scenario after extensive medical investigation.
EXTENSOR TENDON DISLOCATION AFTER END-TO-SIDE TRANSFER IN A RHEUMATOID PATIENT
Authors: Matsubara Shinji , Motomiya Makoto , Iwasaki Norimasa
Published: March 2014

We report a case of extensor tendon dislocation at the metacarpophalangeal joint of the middle finger in which it appeared that an ulnar translation force created by an end-to-side transfer contributed to the dislocation. We recommend alterations in technique or alternative method of extensor tendon reconstruction to avoid this complication if unfavorable factors for end-to-side transfer exist.
THE PATH OF SCREW INSERTION FOR STABILIZATION OF THE SCAPHOLUNATE JOINT: A CADAVERIC STUDY
Authors: Flannery O. M. , Murphy L. C. , Dockery P. , O'Sullivan M. E.
Published: March 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the path of screw placement to avoid breaching the articular surface of both lunate and scaphoid bones at the radiocarpal and midcarpal joints. An Acutrak screw was inserted into the right scapholunate joint of ten cadavers starting immediately distal to the tip of the radial styloid and aiming for the tip of the ulnar styloid. The articular surfaces of the scaphoid and lunate bones in all ten cadavers were exposed and examined. A computed tomography (CT) scan of four wrists was performed. Eight of the ten cadavers had no perforation or destruction of the articular surfaces. Screw stabilization of the scapholunate joint can be performed without perforation or destruction of the lunate or scaphoid surfaces. We recommend that if this form of fixation is being used then the screw should be inserted commencing at the radial styloid tip and aiming for ulnar styloid tip, under radiological guidance.
PROLONGED TRUNK FLEXION CAN INCREASE SPINE LOADS DURING A SUBSEQUENT LIFTING TASK: AN INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF TRUNK FLEXION DURATION AND ANGLE USING A SAGITTALLY SYMMETRIC, VISCOELASTIC SPINE MODEL
Authors: Toosizadeh N. , Nussbaum M. A.
Published: March 2014

Load-relaxation of the human trunk following prolonged flexion has been observed earlier, yet the adverse effects of such viscoelastic behaviors on performing demanding tasks (e.g. lifting) remain poorly understood. Theoretically, trunk stiffness reduces following flexion exposures and requires a compensatory increase in paraspinal muscle activation and spine loads. Here, a multi-segment model with nonlinear viscoelastic properties was developed. After evaluating the model, it was used to predict changes, due to a range of trunk flexion exposures, in several outcome measures (i.e. peak spine load, peak axial stiffness and absorbed energy) at L5/S1 during simulated lifting. All three measures increased during lifting following flexion exposures, including a ~ 9% (~ 284 N) increase in spine loads, and these changes were magnified by increasing flexion duration and angle. These results support prior epidemiological evidence that occupational low back injury risk is elevated when prolonged trunk flexion along with lifting are required. Further, the dependency of spine loads on loading conditions was determined in response to several flexion angles and loading durations. The current modeling approach is considered as an initial step toward implementing Kelvin-solid models in future viscoelastic spine models.
Stability and Dynamics of Axially Moving Unidirectional Plates Partially Immersed in a Liquid
Authors: Wang Yan Qing , Guo Xing Hui , Sun Zhen , Li Jian
Published: March 2014

The stability and dynamics of an axially moving unidirectional plate partially immersed in a liquid and subjected to a nonlinear aerodynamic excitation are investigated. The method of singular functions is adopted to study the dynamic characteristics of the unidirectional plates with discontinuous characteristics. Nonlinearities due to large-amplitude plate motions are considered by using the classical nonlinear thin plate theory, with allowance for the effect of viscous structural damping. The velocity potential and Bernoulli's equation are used to describe the fluid pressure acting on the unidirectional plate. The effect of fluid on the vibrations of the plate may be equivalent to added mass of the plate. The formulation of added mass is obtained from kinematic boundary conditions of the plate–fluid interfaces. The system is discretized by Galerkin's method while a model involving two degrees of freedom, is adopted. Attention is focused on the behavior of the system in the region of dynamic instability, and several motions are found by numerical simulations. The effects of the moving speed and some other parameters on the dynamics of the system are also investigated. It is shown that chaotic motions can occur in this system in several certain regions of parameter space.
TIME-VARYING LONG MEMORIES OF THE CHINESE CURRENCY AND STOCK MARKETS BASED ON THE HURST EXPONENT
Authors: GUANGXI CAO , YAN HAN , WEIJUN CUI
Published: March 2014

Based on the daily return and volatility series of the Chinese yuan (RMB)/US dollar (USD) exchange rate and the Shanghai Stock Composite Index, the time-varying long memories of the Chinese currency and stock markets are investigated by comprehensively using the rescaled range (R/S), the modified R/S, and the detrended fluctuation analysis methods. According to the results drawn: (1) the efficiency of the Chinese currency market has not improved significantly, whereas the efficiency of the Chinese stock market has improved steadily, (2) volatility series presents longer memory than return series either in the Chinese currency or stock market and (3) the time-varying Hurst exponent of the Chinese currency market is sensitive to the reform that enhances the flexibility of the RMB exchange rate. Moreover, we find that short-term bidirectional Granger causal relationship exists, but no long-run equilibrium relationship between the time-varying Hurst exponents of the Chinese currency and stock markets was found based on the Granger causality and cointegration tests, respectively.
NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF A PROJECTILE PENETRATION INTO THE HUMAN HEAD VIA MESHLESS METHOD
Authors: PEKEDIS MAHMUT , YILDIZ HASAN
Published: March 2014

In recent years, physicists, engineers and medical scientists have tried to demonstrate the biomechanics of gunshot wounds with numerical methods and experimental observations. Currently, the finite element method (FEM) is the most widely used numerical method among the studies related to ballistic wound injuries. However, when the FEM is used for the penetration analysis, the path of the projectile in the skull is subjected to extremely large deformations which will introduce errors due to distortion of elements. To overcome this error, the meshfree technique was established to simulate the gunshot wound as a preliminary study in which the skull was modeled by smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) and the projectile was modeled by nondeformable rigid elements. In order to simulate a realistic penetration phenomenon, orthotropic material properties were defined for different regions (forehead, zygomatic and mandible) with material principal axis along the surface of the bones.

Human response to the ballistics impacts were determined in terms of force occurring along the pathway of the bullet in the skull, residual velocity of the projectile and penetration depth. The obtained results were compared with the data reported in literature. As a result, mechanical behavior of the head under ballistic impacts simulated by the SPH, compared well with the results determined by the data given in literature, which indicates the applicability of the SPH method as a powerful technique in simulating different gunshot wound mechanisms.
Prediction of gene-based drug indications using compendia of public gene expression data and PubMed abstracts
Authors: Qabaja Ala , Jarada Tamer , Elsheikh Abdallah , Alhajj Reda
Published: March 2014

The tremendous research effort on diseases and drug discovery has produced a huge amount of important biomedical information which is mostly hidden in the web. In addition, many databases have been created for the purpose of storing enormous amounts of information and high-throughput experiments related to drugs and diseases' effects on genes. Thus, developing an algorithm to integrate biological data from different sources forms one of the greatest challenges in the field of computational biology. Based on our belief that data integration would result in better understanding for the drug mode of action or the disease pathophysiology, we have developed a novel paradigm to integrate data from three major sources in order to predict novel therapeutic drug indications. Microarray data, biomedical text mining data, and gene interaction data have been all integrated to predict ranked lists of genes based on their relevance to a particular drug or disease molecular action. These ranked lists of genes have finally been used as a raw material for building a disease–drug connectivity map based on the enrichment between the up/down tags of a particular disease signature and the ranked lists of drugs. Using this paradigm, we have reported 13% sensitivity improvement in comparison with using microarray or text mining data independently. In addition, our paradigm is able to predict many clinically validated disease–drug associations that could not be captured using microarray or text mining data independently.
Technology Management: The Perspective of Social Network
Authors: Weng Calvin S.
Published: March 2014

Over the past decades, technology management (TM) has gradually become an academic discipline. Many aspects of TM are worthy of study. This paper will introduce how the social network analysis (SNS) applies on the TM studies. We also briefly introduce some of the network analysis on technological studies.
Two weeks of metformin treatment induces AMPK-dependent enhancement of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in mouse soleus muscle
Authors: Kristensen Jonas Møller , Treebak Jonas T. , Schjerling Peter , Goodyear Laurie , Wojtaszewski Jørgen F. P.
Published: March 2014

Metformin-induced activation of the 5′-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has been associated with enhanced glucose uptake in skeletal muscle, but so far no direct causality has been examined. We hypothesized that an effect of in vivo metformin treatment on glucose uptake in mouse skeletal muscles is dependent on AMPK signaling. Oral doses of metformin or saline treatment were given to muscle-specific kinase dead (KD) AMPKα2 mice and wild-type (WT) littermates either once or chronically for 2 wk. Soleus and extensor digitorum longus muscles were used for measurements of glucose transport and Western blot analyses. Chronic treatment with metformin enhanced insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in soleus muscles of WT (∼45%, P < 0.01) but not of AMPK KD mice. Insulin signaling at the level of Akt protein expression or Thr308 and Ser473 phosphorylation was not changed by metformin treatment. Insulin signaling at the level of Akt and TBC1D4 protein expression as well as Akt Thr308/Ser473 and TBC1D4 Thr642/Ser711 phosphorylation were not changed by metformin treatment. Also, protein expressions of Rab4, GLUT4, and hexokinase II were unaltered after treatment. The acute metformin treatment did not affect glucose uptake in muscle of either of the genotypes. In conclusion, we provide novel evidence for a role of AMPK in potentiating the effect of insulin on glucose uptake in soleus muscle in response to chronic metformin treatment.
GTP cyclohydrolase I prevents diabetic-impaired endothelial progenitor cells and wound healing by suppressing oxidative stress/thrombospondin-1
Authors: Tie Lu , Chen Lu-Yuan , Chen Dan-Dan , Xie He-Hui , Channon Keith M. , Chen Alex F.
Published: March 2014

Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) dysfunction is a key contributor to diabetic refractory wounds. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which critically regulates the mobilization and function of EPCs, is uncoupled in diabetes due to decreased cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4). We tested whether GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH I), the rate-limiting enzyme of BH4 synthesis, preserves EPC function in type 1 diabetic mice. Type 1 diabetes was induced in wild-type (WT) and GTPCH I transgenic (Tg-GCH) mice by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). EPCs were isolated from the peripheral blood and bone marrow of WT, Tg-GCH, and GTPCH I-deficient hph-1 mice. The number of EPCs was significantly lower in STZ-WT mice and hph-1 mice and was rescued in STZ Tg-GCH mice. Furthermore, GTPCH I overexpression improved impaired diabetic EPC migration and tube formation. EPCs from WT, Tg-GCH, and STZ-Tg-GCH mice were administered to diabetic excisional wounds and accelerated wound healing significantly, with a concomitant augmentation of angiogenesis. Flow cytometry measurements showed that intracellular nitric oxide (NO) levels were reduced significantly in STZ-WT and hph-1 mice, paralleled by increased superoxide anion levels; both were rescued in STZ-Tg-GCH mice. Western blot analysis revealed that thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) was significantly upregulated in the EPCs of STZ-WT mice and hph-1 mice and suppressed in STZ-treated Tg-GCH mice. Our results demonstrate that the GTPCH I/BH4 pathway is critical to preserve EPC quantity, function, and regenerative capacity during wound healing in type 1 diabetic mice at least partly through the attenuation of superoxide and TSP-1 levels and augmentation of NO level.
Unique transcriptomic signature of omental adipose tissue in Ossabaw swine: a model of childhood obesity
Authors: Toedebusch Ryan G. , Roberts Michael D. , Wells Kevin D. , Company Joseph M. , Kanosky Kayla M. , Padilla Jaume , Jenkins Nathan T. , Perfield James W. , Ibdah Jamal A. , Booth Frank W. , Rector R. Scott
Published: March 2014

To better understand the impact of childhood obesity on intra-abdominal adipose tissue phenotype, a complete transcriptomic analysis using deep RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on omental adipose tissue (OMAT) obtained from lean and Western diet-induced obese juvenile Ossabaw swine. Obese animals had 88% greater body mass, 49% greater body fat content, and a 60% increase in OMAT adipocyte area (all P < 0.05) compared with lean pigs. RNA-seq revealed a 37% increase in the total transcript number in the OMAT of obese pigs. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis showed transcripts in obese OMAT were primarily enriched in the following categories: 1) development, 2) cellular function and maintenance, and 3) connective tissue development and function, while transcripts associated with RNA posttranslational modification, lipid metabolism, and small molecule biochemistry were reduced. DAVID and Gene Ontology analyses showed that many of the classically recognized gene pathways associated with adipose tissue dysfunction in obese adults including hypoxia, inflammation, angiogenesis were not altered in OMAT in our model. The current study indicates that obesity in juvenile Ossabaw swine is characterized by increases in overall OMAT transcript number and provides novel data describing early transcriptomic alterations that occur in response to excess caloric intake in visceral adipose tissue in a pig model of childhood obesity.
An Innovative Architecture of UTC GPS/INS System with Improved Performance under Severe Jamming
Authors: Wang Xueyun , Zhang Jingjuan , Wang Wei , Gao Pengyu
Published: March 2014

Ultratightly coupled (UTC) architecture is believed to be the best architecture for Global Positioning System (GPS) and Inertial Navigation System (INS) integration system due to the advanced data fusion strategy and effective mutual assistance between the subsystems. However the performance of UTC GPS/INS system will be degraded by severe jamming interference, especially when low-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU) is used. To solve this problem an innovative architecture of UTC GPS/INS system is proposed. Since GPS receiver’s antijamming ability is closely related to tracking loop bandwidth, adaptive tracking loop bandwidth based on the fuzzy logics is proposed to enhance antijamming ability for GPS receiver. The bandwidth will be adapted through a fuzzy logic controller according to the calculated carrier to noise intensity ratio(C/N0). Moreover, fuzzy adaptive integration Kalman filter (IKF) is developed to improve estimation accuracy of IKF when measurement noises change. A simulation platform is established to evaluate the innovative architecture and results demonstrate that the proposed scheme improves navigation performance significantly under severe jamming conditions.
On a New Criterion for Meromorphic Starlike Functions
Authors: Shi Lei , Wang Zhi-Gang
Published: March 2014

The main purpose of this paper is to derive a new criterion for meromorphic starlike functions of orderα.
Unsupervised Chunking Based on Graph Propagation from Bilingual Corpus
Authors: Zhu Ling , Wong Derek F. , Chao Lidia S.
Published: March 2014

This paper presents a novel approach for unsupervised shallow parsing model trained on the unannotated Chinese text of parallel Chinese-English corpus. In this approach, no information of the Chinese side is applied. The exploitation of graph-based label propagation for bilingual knowledge transfer, along with an application of using the projected labels as features in unsupervised model, contributes to a better performance. The experimental comparisons with the state-of-the-art algorithms show that the proposed approach is able to achieve impressive higher accuracy in terms ofF-score.
Evaluation of Groundwater Recharge Estimates in a Partially Metamorphosed Sedimentary Basin in a Tropical Environment: Application of Natural Tracers
Authors: Oteng Mensah Felix , Alo Clement , Yidana Sandow Mark
Published: March 2014

This study tests the representativeness of groundwater recharge estimates through the chloride mass balance (CMB) method in a tropical environment. The representativeness of recharge estimates using this methodology is tested using evaporation estimates from isotope data, the general spatial distribution of the potential field, and the topographical variations in the area. This study suggests that annual groundwater recharge rates in the area ranges between 0.9% and 21% of annual precipitation. These estimates are consistent with evaporation rates computed from stable isotope data of groundwater and surface water in the Voltaian Basin. Moreover, estimates of groundwater recharge through numerical model calibration in other parts of the terrain appear to be consistent with the current data in this study. A spatial distribution of groundwater recharge in the area based on the estimated data takes a pattern akin to the spatial pattern of distribution of the hydraulic head, the local topography, and geology of the terrain. This suggests that the estimates at least qualitatively predicts the local recharge and discharge locations in the terrain.
Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity of People with Stroke in Rehabilitation Hospitals
Authors: Sjöholm Anna , Skarin Monica , Churilov Leonid , Nilsson Michael , Bernhardt Julie , Lindén Thomas
Published: March 2014

Background. Sedentary behaviour is associated with health risks, independent of physical activity. This study aimed to investigate patterns of sedentary behaviour and physical activity among stroke survivors in rehabilitation hospitals.Methods. Stroke survivors admitted to four Swedish hospital-based rehabilitation units were recruited ≥7 days since stroke onset and their activity was measured using behavioural mapping. Sedentary behaviour was defined as lying down or sitting supported.Results. 104 patients were observed (53% men). Participants spent an average of 74% (standard deviation, SD 21%) of the observed day in sedentary activities. Continuous sedentary bouts of ≥1 hour represented 44% (SD 32%) of the observed day. A higher proportion (30%, SD 7%) of participants were physically active between 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM, compared to the rest of the observed day (23%, SD 6%,P<0.0005). Patients had higher odds of being physically active in the hall (odds ratio, OR 1.7,P=0.001) than in the therapy area.Conclusions. The time stroke survivors spend in stroke rehabilitation units may not be used in the most efficient way to promote maximal recovery. Interventions to promote reduced sedentary time could help improve outcome and these should be tested in clinical trials.
Sufficient and Necessary Conditions of Complete Convergence for Weighted Sums ofρ~-Mixing Random Variables
Authors: Lan Chongfeng
Published: March 2014

The equivalent conditions of complete convergence are established for weighted sums ofρ~-mixing random variables with different distributions. Our results extend and improve the Baum and Katz complete convergence theorem. As an application, the Marcinkiewicz-Zygmund type strong law of large numbers for sequence ofρ~-mixing random variables is obtained.
Dynamic Surface and Active Disturbance Rejection Control for Path Following of an Underactuated UUV
Authors: Li Juan , Gao Haitao , Zhou Jiajia , Yan Zheping
Published: March 2014

This paper addresses the problem of accurate path following control for an underactuated unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) in the horizontal plane. For an underactuated UUV, the line-of-sight (LOS) guidance method is adopted to map 2D reference trajectory into a desired orientation, and through the tracking of heading to achieve path following, where the sideslip is introduced to modify the desired orientation. In this paper, we propose a method called dynamic surface and active disturbance rejection control (DS-ADRC) to solve the path following control problem. This controller can effectively avoid the phenomenon of explosion of terms in the conventional backstepping method, reduce the dependence on the UUV controller mathematical model, and enhance the antijamming ability. Simulation is carried out to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control method for an underactuated UUV. The results show that, even for this controller with disturbance, the cross-track error of UUV is gradually converged to zero and has some certain robustness.
Influence of Surface Modification of Alumina on Improvement of Wetability in Aluminium Matrix Composite
Authors: Samiee Alireza , Bina Mohammad Hosein , Meratian Mahmood
Published: March 2014

In this research, aluminium powder (50 wt%) and alumina (50 wt%) were first milled at a specific ball-to-powder ratio in a high-energy planetary mill at different times to manufacture Al-Al2O3composite. Then, the capsules of powdery composites (Al-Al2O3)CPproduced at the milling stage were added to aluminium melt and cast through ex situ. Scanning electron microscope SEM was used to study the morphology of the capsules and the microstructure of the produced composite. The percentage of powdery composite capsules and reinforcing particles present in the microstructure of Al-Al2O3composite was measured by Image Tool software. The results of the tests showed that, by optimizing the milling time to 5 hours, the alumina particles are sufficiently placed in the matrix of the capsules; on the other hand, alumina particles are also properly coated with aluminium powder. When these capsules are added to aluminium melt, the rate of the wetting of alumina particles greatly increases and accordingly the percentage of the reinforcing particles in the cast composite matrix increases dramatically. By surface modification and accordingly increasing percentage of Al2O3, the tensile strength increases and the tensile strength of the composites is higher than that of the matrix alloy.
BMP-4 Genetic Variants and Protein Expression Are Associated with Platinum-Based Chemotherapy Response and Prognosis in NSCLC
Authors: Xian Sun , Jilu Lang , Zhennan Tian , Yang Zhou , Yang Hu , Jingshu Geng , Songbin Fu
Published: March 2014

To explore the role of genetic polymorphisms of bone morphogenic proteins 4 (BMP-4) in the response to platinum-based chemotherapy and the clinical outcome in patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 938 patients with stage III (A+B) or IV NSCLC were enrolled in this study. We found that the variant genotypes of 6007C > T polymorphisms significantly associated with the chemotherapy response. The 6007CC genotype carriers had a higher chance to be responder to chemotherapy (adjusted odd ratio = 2.77; 95% CI: 1.83–4.18; adjusted < 0.001). The 6007C > T polymorphisms and BMP-4 expression also affect the prognosis of NSCLC. Patients with high BMP-4 expression had a significantly higher chance to be resistant to chemotherapy than those with low BMP-4 expression (OR = 2.81; 95% CI: 1.23–6.44;P=0.01). The hazard ratio (HR) for 6007TT was 2.37 times higher than 6007CC (P=0.003). In summary, the 6007C > T polymorphism of BMP-4 gene and BMP-4 tissue expression may be used as potential predictor for the chemotherapy response and prognosis of advanced NSCLC.
The Expanded Invasive Weed Optimization Metaheuristic for Solving Continuous and Discrete Optimization Problems
Authors: Josiński Henryk , Kostrzewa Daniel , Michalczuk Agnieszka , Świtoński Adam
Published: March 2014

This paper introduces an expanded version of the Invasive Weed Optimization algorithm (exIWO) distinguished by the hybrid strategy of the search space exploration proposed by the authors. The algorithm is evaluated by solving three well-known optimization problems: minimization of numerical functions, feature selection, and the Mona Lisa TSP Challenge as one of the instances of the traveling salesman problem. The achieved results are compared with analogous outcomes produced by other optimization methods reported in the literature.
Adaptive Random Testing with Combinatorial Input Domain
Authors: Huang Rubing , Chen Jinfu , Lu Yansheng
Published: March 2014

Random testing (RT) is a fundamental testing technique to assess software reliability, by simply selecting test cases in a random manner from the whole input domain. As an enhancement of RT, adaptive random testing (ART) has better failure‐detection capability and has been widely applied in different scenarios, such as numerical programs, some object‐oriented programs, and mobile applications. However, not much work has been done on the effectiveness of ART for the programs with combinatorial input domain (i.e., the set of categorical data). To extend the ideas to the testing for combinatorial input domain, we have adopted different similarity measures that are widely used for categorical data in data mining and have proposed two similarity measures based on interaction coverage. Then, we propose a new version named ART‐CID as an extension of ART in combinatorial input domain, which selects an element from categorical data as the next test case such that it has the lowest similarity against already generated test cases. Experimental results show that ART‐CID generally performs better than RT, with respect to different evaluation metrics.
Single-Event-Upset Sensitivity Analysis on Low-Swing Drivers
Authors: Mahyuddin Nor Muzlifah , Russell Gordon
Published: March 2014

Technology scaling relies on reduced nodal capacitances and lower voltages in order to improve performance and power consumption, resulting in significant increase in layout density, thus making these submicron technologies more susceptible to soft errors. Previous analysis indicates a significant improvement in SEU tolerance of the driver when the bias current is injected into the circuit but results in increase of power dissipation. Subsequently, other alternatives are considered. The impact of transistor sizes and temperature on SEU tolerance is tested. Results indicate no significant changes inQcritwhen the effective transistor length is increased by 10%, but there is an improvement when high temperature and high bias currents are applied. However, this is due to other process parameters that are temperature dependent, which contribute to the sharp increase inQcrit. It is found that, with temperature, there is no clear factor that can justify the direct impact of temperature on the SEU tolerance. Thus, in order to improve the SEU tolerance, high bias currents are still considered to be the most effective method in improving the SEU sensitivity. However, good trade-off is required for the low-swing driver in order to meet the reliability target with minimal power overhead.