bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative of pesticide residue on the surface of navel orange by confocal microscopy Raman spectrometer
Authors: Liu Yande , He Bingbing
Published: February 2014

The potential of Confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy in the quantitative analysis of pesticide (Chlorpyrifos, Omethoate) residues on orange surface is investigated in this work. Quantitative analysis models were established by partial least squares (PLS) using different preprocessing methods (Smoothing, First derivative, MSC, Baseline) for pesticide residues. For pesticide residues, the higher correlation coefficients (r) is 0.972 and 0.943, the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) is 2.05% and 2.36%, respectively. It is therefore clear that Confocal micro-Raman spectroscopy techniques enable rapid, nondestructive and reliable measurements, so Raman spectrometry appears to be a promising tool for pesticide residues.
Sulfur/Co3O4 nanotube composite with high performances as cathode materials for lithium sulfur batteries
Authors: Cheng Hong , Wang Shengping , Tao Du , Wang Man
Published: February 2014

To improve the overall electrochemical performance of the sulfur cathode in Li / S batteries, a hollow Co 3 O 4 nanotube with a channel measuring approximately 12.5 nm in diameter is synthesized and then impregnated with sulfur via a melt-diffusion strategy. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analysis and thermogravimetric analysis indicate that sulfur impregnated the channels of the hollow Co 3 O 4 nanotube. Because the sulfur is mostly restricted to the Co 3 O 4 nanotubes, a sulfur/ Co 3 O 4 cathode with 10 wt.% sulfur loading delivers an initial discharge capacity of 963.4 mAh g-1, with much of the capacity contributed by Co 3 O 4, and exhibits excellent reversibility with a capacity reservation of 80.8% after 100 cycles.
A CHARACTERIZATION OF PM-COMPACT CLAW-FREE CUBIC GRAPHS
Authors: WANG XIUMEI , SHANG WEIPING , LIN YIXUN , CARVALHO MARCELO H.
Published: February 2014

The perfect matching polytope of a graph G is the convex hull of the incidence vectors of all perfect matchings in G. This paper characterizes claw-free cubic graphs whose 1-skeleton graphs of perfect matching polytopes have diameter 1.
ALGEBRAIC CONNECTIVITY OF LOLLIPOP GRAPHS: A NEW APPROACH
Authors: KALITA D.
Published: February 2014

The unicyclic graph Cn,gobtained by appending a cycle Cgof length g to a pendent vertex of a path on n - g vertices is the lollipop graph on n vertices. In [Algebraic connectivity of lollipop graphs, Linear Algebra Appl.434 (2011) 2204–2210], Guo et al. proved that a( Cn,g-1) < a( Cn,g) for g ≥ 4, where a( Cn,g) is the algebraic connectivity of Cn,g. In this paper, we present a new approach which is quite different from that of Guo et al. in proving a( Cn,g-1) < a( Cn,g) for g ≥ 4.
SPECTRAL RADIUS AND AVERAGE 2-DEGREE SEQUENCE OF A GRAPH
Authors: HUANG YU-PEI , WENG CHIH-WEN
Published: February 2014

In a simple connected graph, the average 2-degree of a vertex is the average degree of its neighbors. With the average 2-degree sequence and the maximum degree ratio of adjacent vertices, we present a sharp upper bound of the spectral radius of the adjacency matrix of a graph, which improves a result in [Y. H. Chen, R. Y. Pan and X. D. Zhang, Two sharp upper bounds for the signless Laplacian spectral radius of graphs, Discrete Math. Algorithms Appl.3(2) (2011) 185–191].
High performance computing for flood simulation using Telemac based on hybrid MPI/OpenMP parallel programming
Authors: Shang Zhi
Published: February 2014

Usually simulations on environment flood issues will face the scalability problem of large scale parallel computing. The plain parallel technique based on pure MPI is difficult to have a good scalability due to the large number of domain partitioning. Therefore, the hybrid programming using MPI and OpenMP is introduced to deal with the issue of scalability. This kind of parallel technique can give a full play to the strengths of MPI and OpenMP. During the parallel computing, OpenMP is employed by its efficient fine grain parallel computing and MPI is used to perform the coarse grain parallel domain partitioning for data communications. Through the tests, the hybrid MPI/OpenMP parallel programming was used to renovate the finite element solvers in the BIEF library of Telemac. It was found that the hybrid programming is able to provide helps for Telemac to deal with the scalability issue.
The tailored network
Authors: Gwynn John W. , Roberts Michael M. , Settle Lyle
Published: February 2014

COBOL is the principal language for programming OASIS Tailored Networks and in this capacity assumes a key role in OASIS Stanford's On-line Administrative Information System. In this article we discuss the operation, design, and Programming of tailored networks and attempt to show how the OASIS network mechanism supports COBOL as a programming language for on-line applications. The network mechanism, in conjunction with the OASIS service routines, enables the accomplishment of both general and tailored data management processes and the containment of several simultaneously running terminal support programs within limited memory.
The controls automation system
Authors: Buckingham B. R. S. , Carter W. C. , Crawford W. R. , Nowell G. A.
Published: February 2014

This paper discusses the specifications, programming implementation, and use of a design automation system that can be used in the development of any computer having read-only storage (ROS) controls.

This system, called the Controls Automation System (CAS), designed concurrently with the IBM System/360 was used to aid in the design and construction of Models 40, 50, 65 and 67. The current version of CAS is used by IBM to aid in the design of all systems with ROS controls.

The system has been found particularly attractive for the simulation of microprogram-controlled machines although its use is not restricted to them. The newly developed elements of this system are: 1) a programming language for describing the data flow of a machine; 2) a program for translating a variety of microprogramming languages into a common one; and 3) a set of computer programs enabling the machines operation to be simulated on an IBM 7090/1401 computer.

In addition, CAS has facilities for preparing microprogram design records in a form that is easy to use and understand, and it provides for rapid updating of design records.

This paper was presented at the Sixth Annual Symposium on Switching Theory and Logical Design at the U. of M., Oct. 1965.

The paper discussions on an elementary level the systems objectives and organization of CAS. The CAS machine description language is explained followed by the microprogram description. Inserted directly behind the microprogram description is the following rather interesting quote "By Defining the Microprogram and the Machine Description in the two simple specialized languages described here, the Controls Automation System has been able to accomplish what has previously been done by a single, rel
a
tively complex language". This reference to APL - and Gormon and Anderson's "A Logic Design Translator." presented at the 1962 FJCC.

The paper than concludes with CAS output examples and details of the other CAS design aids. Here is the first explanation of the use of the funny little boxes encountered. Not as complete in detail as one might like, but an interesting paper if one should need an overview of CAS.
The Relationship between Selenium and T3 in Selenium Supplemented and Nonsupplemented Ewes and Their Lambs
Authors: Hefnawy Abd Elghany , Youssef Seham , Aguilera P. Villalobos , Rodríguez C. Valverde , Pérez J. L. Tórtora
Published: February 2014

Twenty pregnant ewes were selected and classified into two groups. The first group received subcutaneous selenium supplementation (0.1 mg of sodium selenite/kg BW) at the 8th and 5th weeks before birth and 1st week after birth while the other was control group without selenium injection. Maternal plasma and serum samples were collected weekly from the 8th week before birth until the 8th week after birth and milk samples were taken from ewes weekly, while plasma and serum samples were collected at 48 hours, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 8th weeks after birth from the newborn lambs. Results demonstrated significant positive relationship between maternal plasma selenium and serum T3 in supplemented and control ewes (r=0.69to 0.72,P<0.05). There was significant (P<0.001) increase in T3 in supplemented ewes and their lambs until the 8th week after birth. There was positive relationship between milk, selenium concentration, and serum T3 in the newborn lambs of the supplemented group (r=0.84,P<0.01), while the relationship was negative in the control one (r=-0.89,P<0.01). Muscular and thyroid pathological changes were independent of selenium supplementation. Selenium supplementation was important for maintaining T3 in ewes and newborn lambs until the 8th week after birth.
A Colorimetric Method for Monitoring Tryptic Digestion Prior to Shotgun Proteomics
Authors: Somiari Richard I. , Renganathan Kutralanathan , Russell Stephen , Wolfe Steven , Mayko Florentina , Somiari Stella B.
Published: February 2014

Tryptic digestion is an important preanalytical step in shotgun proteomics because inadequate or excessive digestion can result in a failed or incomplete experiment. Unfortunately, this step is not routinely monitored before mass spectrometry because methods available for protein digestion monitoring either are time/sample consuming or require expensive equipment. To determine if a colorimetric method (ProDM Kit) can be used to identify the extent of tryptic digestion that yields the best proteomics outcome, plasma and serum digested for 8 h and 24 h were screened with ProDM, Bioanalyzer, and LC/MS/MS, and the effect of digestion on the number of proteins identified and sequence coverage was compared. About 6% and 16% less proteins were identified when >50% of proteins were digested in plasma and serum, respectively, compared to when ~46% of proteins were digested. Average sequence coverage for albumin, haptoglobin, and serotransferrin after 2 h, 8 h, and 24 h digestion was 52%, 45%, and 45% for serum and 54%, 47%, and 42% for plasma, respectively. This paper reiterates the importance of optimizing the tryptic digestion step and demonstrates the extent to which ProDM can be used to monitor and standardize protein digestion to achieve better proteomics outcomes.
A Framework for the Objective Assessment of Registration Accuracy
Authors: Pizzorni Ferrarese Francesca , Simonetti Flavio , Foroni Roberto Israel , Menegaz Gloria
Published: February 2014

Validation and accuracy assessment are the main bottlenecks preventing the adoption of image processing algorithms in the clinical practice. In the classical approach, a posteriori analysis is performed through objective metrics. In this work, a different approach based on Petri nets is proposed. The basic idea consists in predicting the accuracy of a given pipeline based on the identification and characterization of the sources of inaccuracy. The concept is demonstrated on a case study: intrasubject rigid and affine registration of magnetic resonance images. Both synthetic and real data are considered. While synthetic data allow the benchmarking of the performance with respect to the ground truth, real data enable to assess the robustness of the methodology in real contexts as well as to determine the suitability of the use of synthetic data in the training phase. Results revealed a higher correlation and a lower dispersion among the metrics for simulated data, while the opposite trend was observed for pathologic ones. Results show that the proposed model not only provides a good prediction performance but also leads to the optimization of the end-to-end chain in terms of accuracy and robustness, setting the ground for its generalization to different and more complex scenarios.
The Use of System Codes in Scaling Studies: Relevant Techniques for Qualifying NPP Nodalizations for Particular Scenarios
Authors: Martinez-Quiroga V. , Reventos F.
Published: February 2014

System codes along with necessary nodalizations are valuable tools for thermal hydraulic safety analysis. Qualifying both codes and nodalizations is an essential step prior to their use in any significant study involving code calculations. Since most existing experimental data come from tests performed on the small scale, any qualification process must therefore address scale considerations. This paper describes the methodology developed at the Technical University of Catalonia in order to contribute to the qualification of Nuclear Power Plant nodalizations by means of scale disquisitions. The techniques that are presented include the so-calledKv-scaled calculation approach as well as the use of “hybrid nodalizations” and “scaled-up nodalizations.” These methods have revealed themselves to be very helpful in producing the required qualification and in promoting further improvements in nodalization. The paper explains both the concepts and the general guidelines of the method, while an accompanying paper will complete the presentation of the methodology as well as showing the results of the analysis of scaling discrepancies that appeared during the posttest simulations of PKL-LSTF counterpart tests performed on the PKL-III and ROSA-2 OECD/NEA Projects. Both articles together produce the complete description of the methodology that has been developed in the framework of the use of NPP nodalizations in the support to plant operation and control.
A Simple SQP Algorithm for Constrained Finite Minimax Problems
Authors: Wang Lirong , Luo Zhijun
Published: February 2014

A simple sequential quadratic programming method is proposed to solve the constrained minimax problem. At each iteration, through introducing an auxiliary variable, the descent direction is given by solving only one quadratic programming. By solving a corresponding quadratic programming, a high-order revised direction is obtained, which can avoid the Maratos effect. Furthermore, under some mild conditions, the global and superlinear convergence of the algorithm is achieved. Finally, some numerical results reported show that the algorithm in this paper is successful.
Etiology and Outcomes of ARDS in a Rural-Urban Fringe Hospital of South India
Authors: George Tarun , Viswanathan Stalin , Karnam Ali Hasan Faiz , Abraham Georgi
Published: February 2014

Objectives.Etiology and outcomes of acute lung injury in tropical countries may be different from those of western nations. We describe the etiology and outcomes of illnesses causing acute lung injury in a rural populace.Study Design.A prospective observational study.Setting.Medical ICU of a teaching hospital in a rural-urban fringe location.Patients.Patients ≥13 years, admitted between December 2011 and May 2013, satisfying AECC criteria for ALI/ARDS.Results.Study had 61 patients; 46 had acute lung injury at admission. Scrub typhus was the commonest cause (7/61) and tropical infections contributed to 26% of total cases. Increasing ARDS severity was associated with older age, higher FiO2and APACHE/SOFA scores, and longer duration of ventilation. Nonsurvivors were generally older, had shorter duration of illness, a nontropical infection, and higher total WBC counts, required longer duration of ventilation, and had other organ dysfunction and higher mean APACHE scores. The mortality rate of ARDS was 36.6% (22/61) in our study.Conclusion.Tropical infections form a major etiological component of acute lung injury in a developing country like India. Etiology and outcomes of ARDS may vary depending upon the geographic location and seasonal illnesses.
Measure of Noncompactness for Compact Matrix Operators on Some BK Spaces
Authors: Malkowsky E. , Alotaibi A.
Published: February 2014

We study the spacesw0p,wp, andw∞pof sequences that are strongly summable to 0, summable, and bounded with indexp≥1by the Cesàro method of order 1 and establish the representations of the general bounded linear operators from the spaceswpinto the spacesw∞1,w1, andw01. We also give estimates for the operator norm and the Hausdorff measure of noncompactness of such operators. Finally we apply our results to characterize the classes of compact bounded linear operators fromw0pandwpintow01andw1.
1,4-Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers: Homology Modeling of the Receptor and Assessment of Structure Activity Relationship
Authors: Shaldam Moataz A. , Elhamamsy Mervat H. , Esmat Eman A. , El-Moselhy Tarek F.
Published: February 2014

1,4-Dihydropyridine (DHP), an important class of calcium antagonist, inhibits the influx of extracellular Ca+2through L-type voltage-dependent calcium channels. Three-dimensional (3D) structure of calcium channel as a receptor for 1,4-dihydropyridine is a step in understanding its mode of action. Protein structure prediction and modeling tools are becoming integral parts of the standard toolkit in biological and biomedical research. So, homology modeling (HM) of calcium channel alpha-1C subunit as DHP receptor model was achieved. The 3D structure of potassium channel was used as template for HM process. The resulted dihydropyridine receptor model was checked by different means to assure stereochemical quality and structural integrity of the model. This model was achieved in an attempt to understand the mode of action of DHP calcium channel antagonist and in further computer-aided drug design (CADD) analysis. Also the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of DHPs as antihypertensive and antianginal agents was reviewed, summarized, and discussed.
Effect of Fracture Aperture on P-Wave Attenuation: A Seismic Physical Modelling Study
Authors: Ekanem Aniekan Martin , Li Xiang Yang , Chapman Mark , Ian Main , Wei Jianxin
Published: February 2014

We used the seismic physical modelling approach to study the effect of fracture thickness or aperture on P-wave attenuation, using a laboratory scale model of two horizontal layers. The first layer is isotropic while the second layer has six fractured blocks, each consisting of thin penny-shaped chips of 3 mm fixed diameter and same thickness to simulate a set of aligned vertical fractures. The thickness of the chips varies according to the blocks while the fracture density remains the same in each block. 2D reflection data were acquired with the physical model submerged in a water tank in a direction perpendicular to the fracture strikes using the pulse and transmission method. The induced attenuation was estimated from the preprocessed CMP gathers using the QVO method, which is an extension of the classical spectral ratio method of attenuation measurement from seismic data. The results of our analysis show a direct relationship between attenuation and the fracture thickness or aperture. The induced attenuation increases systematically with fracture thickness, implying more scattering of the wave energy in the direction of increasing aperture. This information may be useful to differentiate the effect caused by thin microcracks from that of large open fractures.
Modeling and Recognizing Driver Behavior Based on Driving Data: A Survey
Authors: Wang Wenshuo , Xi Junqiang , Chen Huiyan
Published: February 2014

In recent years, modeling and recognizing driver behavior have become crucial to understanding intelligence transport systems, human‐vehicle systems, and intelligent vehicle systems. A wide range of both mathematical identification methods and modeling methods of driver behavior are presented from the control point of view in this paper based on the driving data, such as the brake/throttle pedal position and the steering wheel angle, among others. Subsequently, the driver’s characteristics derived from the driver model are embedded into the advanced driver assistance systems, and the evaluation and verification of vehicle systems based on the driver model are described.
Interleukin-6 and C-Reactive Protein Are Overexpressed in the Liver of Perinatal Deaths Diagnosed with Fetal Inflammatory Response Syndrome
Authors: Pereira Lívia Helena M. , Machado Juliana R. , Olegário Janaínna G. P. , Rocha Laura P. , Silva Marcos V. , Guimarães Camila S. O. , Reis Marlene A. , Castellano Lúcio Roberto , Ramalho Fernando S. , Corrêa Rosana R. M.
Published: February 2014

Anatomopathologic studies have failed to define the fetal inflammatory response syndrome (FIRS) as a cause of fetal death. Here, liver fragments of perinatal autopsies were collected at a university hospital from 1990 to 2009 and classified according to the cause of death, perinatal stress, and gestational age (GA) of the fetus. IL-6, TNF-α, and C-reactive protein (CRP) expression were immunostained, respectively, with primary antibody. Cases with congenital malformation, ascending infection, and perinatal anoxia showed increased IL-6, CRP, and TNF-α, respectively. Prematures presented higher expression of IL-6 whereas term births showed higher expression of CRP. Cases classified as acute stress presented higher expression of IL-6 and TNF-αand cases with chronic stress presented higher expression of CRP. GA correlated negatively with IL-6 and positively with CRP and TNF-α. Body weight correlated negatively with IL-6 and positively with CRP and TNF-α. Despite the diagnosis of FIRS being clinical and based on serum parameters, the findings in the current study allow the inference of FIRS diagnosis in the autopsied infants, based on anin situliver analysis of these markers.
Evolution of the Water Vapor Plume over Eastern Europe during Summer 2010 Atmospheric Blocking
Authors: Sitnov Sergei A. , Mokhov Igor I. , Lupo Anthony R.
Published: February 2014

We present an analysis of water vapor (WV) plume evolution over Eastern Europe (EE) during atmospheric blocking in the summer of 2010, carried out on the basis of satellite (MODIS and MLS instruments), aerological, and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data. The obtained results show that the development of blocking was accompanied by the development of a positive anomaly of total column water vapor (TCWV) content over the northern part of EE. Local TCWV content from 28 July to 6 August 2010 reached 3.35 cm, a value that exceeded by 3.3 times its content before the block. The surplus of WV was mainly conditioned by the advection of WV due to transfer of moist air from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea into northern EE and also due to increased evaporation from the surface enriched with water due to increased temperature and wind. We hypothesize that the influx of latent heat in the block area can contribute to the energy supply of the blocking anticyclone and prolong the existence of block. Strong humidification of the troposphere and some dehumidification of the lower stratosphere during the block were accompanied by warming of the troposphere and cooling of the lower stratosphere.
The Influence of Doping with Transition Metal Ions on the Structure and Magnetic Properties of Zinc Oxide Thin Films
Authors: Neamtu Jenica , Volmer Marius
Published: February 2014

Zn1−xNixO(x=0.03÷0.10) andZn1−xFexO(x=0.03÷0.15) thin films were synthesized by sol-gel method. The structure and the surface morphology of zinc oxide thin films doped with transition metal (TM) ions have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The magnetic studies were done using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) at room temperature. Experimental results revealed that the substitution of Ni ions in ZnO wurtzite lattice for the contentsx=0.03÷0.10(Ni2+) leads to weak ferromagnetism of thin films. ForZn1-xFexOwithx=0.03÷0.05, theFe3+ions are magnetic coupling by superexchange interaction via oxygen ions in wurtzite structure. Forx=0.10÷0.15(Fe3+) one can observe the increasing of secondary phase of ZnFe2O4spinel. The Zn0.9Fe0.1O film shows a superparamagnetic behavior due to small crystallite sizes and the net spin magnetic moments arisen from the interaction between the iron ions through an oxygen ion in the spinel structure.
Lipopolysaccharide Stimulates p62-Dependent Autophagy-Like Aggregate Clearance in Hepatocytes
Authors: Chen Christine , Deng Meihong , Sun Qian , Loughran Patricia , Billiar Timothy R. , Scott Melanie J.
Published: February 2014

Impairment of autophagy has been associated with liver injury. TLR4-stimulation by LPS upregulates autophagy in hepatocytes, although the signaling pathways involved remain elusive. The objective of this study was to determine the signaling pathway leading to LPS-stimulated autophagy in hepatocytes. Cell lysates from livers of wild type (WT; C57BL/6) mice given LPS (5 mg/kg-IP) and hepatocytes from WT, TLR4ko, and MyD88ko mice treated with LPS (100 ng/mL) up to 24 h were collected. LC3II, p62/SQSTM1, Nrf2, and beclin1 levels were determined by immunoblot, immunofluorescence, and qPCR. Autophagy-like activation was measured by GFP-LC3-puncta formation and LC3II-expression. Beclin1, Nrf2, p62, MyD88, and TIRAP were knocked-down using siRNA. LC3II-expression increased in both liver and hepatocytes after LPS and was dependent on TLR4. Beclin1 expression did not increase after LPS in hepatocytes and beclin1-knockdown did not affect LC3II levels. In hepatocytes given LPS, expression of p62 increased and p62 colocalized with LC3. p62-knockdown prevented LC3II puncta formation. LPS-induced LC3II/p62-puncta also required MyD88/TIRAP signaling and localization of both Nrf2 and NFκB transcription factors to the nucleus to upregulate p62-expression. Therefore, TLR4-activation by LPS in hepatocytes induces a p62-mediated, not beclin1-mediated, autophagy-like clearance pathway that is hepatoprotective by clearing aggregate-prone or misfolded proteins from the cytosol and preserving energy homeostasis under stress.
On the Number of Spanning Trees of Graphs
Authors: Bozkurt Ş. Burcu , Bozkurt Durmuş
Published: February 2014

We establish some bounds for the number of spanning trees of connected graphs in terms of the number of vertices(n), the number of edges(m), maximum vertex degree(Δ1), minimum vertex degree(δ),first Zagreb index(M1),and Randić index(R-1).
Phytochemical Prospection and Modulation of Antibiotic Activity In Vitro byLippia origanoidesH.B.K. in Methicillin ResistantStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Medeiros Barreto Humberto , Cerqueira Fontinele Filipe , Pereira de Oliveira Aldeídia , Arcanjo Daniel Dias Rufino , Cavalcanti dos Santos Bernadete Helena , de Abreu Aislan Pereira Lira , Douglas Melo Coutinho Henrique , Alves Carvalho da Silva Romezio , Oliveira de Sousa Taciana , Freire de Medeiros Maria das Graças , Lopes Citó Antonia Maria das Graças , Dantas Lopes José Arimateia
Published: February 2014

TheLippia origanoidesH.B.K. ethanol extract (LOEE) and hexane (LOHEX), dichloromethane (LODCM), and ethyl acetate (LOEA) fractions were tested for their antimicrobial activity alone or in combination with antibiotics against a methicillin resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) strain. The natural products did not show antimicrobial activity against multidrug resistant strain at the clinically significant concentrations tested. However, a modulatory effect in the antibacterial activity of the neomycin and amikacin was verified when LOEE, LOHEX and LODCM were added to the growth medium at subinhibitory concentrations. A similar modulation was found when the natural products were changed for chlorpromazine, an inhibitor of bacterial efflux pumps, suggesting the involvement of resistance mediated by efflux system in the MRSA tested. The fractions LOHEX and LODCM showed a modulatory activity bigger than their majority compounds (carvacrol, thymol, and naringenin), indicating that this activity is not due to their majority compounds only, but it is probably due to a synergism between their chemical components. These results indicate thatL. origanoidesH.B.K. can be a source of phytochemicals able to modify the phenotype of resistance to aminoglycosides in MRSA.
Association between Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Experimental Periodontitis
Authors: Luo Kai , Ma Souzhi , Guo Jianbin , Huang Yongling , Yan Fuhua , Xiao Yin
Published: February 2014

To investigate the correlation between postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) and the pathogenesis of periodontitis, ovariectomized rats were generated and the experimental periodontitis was induced using a silk ligature. The inflammatory factors and bone metabolic markers were measured in the serum and periodontal tissues of ovariectomized rats using an automatic chemistry analyzer, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and immunohistochemistry. The bone mineral density of whole body, pelvis, and spine was analyzed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and image analysis. All data were analyzed using SPSS 13.0 statistical software. It was found that ovariectomy could upregulate the expression of interleukin- (IL-)6, the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) and downregulate IL-10 expression in periodontal tissues, which resulted in progressive alveolar bone loss in experimental periodontitis. This study indicates that changes of cytokines and bone turnover markers in the periodontal tissues of ovariectomized rats contribute to the damage of periodontal tissues.
Arteriovenous Malformation of the Oral Cavity
Authors: Manjunath S. M. , Shetty Sujan , Moon Ninad J. , Sharma Bhushan , Metta Kiran Kumar , Gupta Nitin , Goyal Sandeep , Singh Simranjit
Published: February 2014

Vascular anomalies are a heterogeneous group of congenital blood vessel disorders more typically referred to as birthmarks. Subcategorized into vascular tumors and malformations, each anomaly is characterized by specific morphology, pathophysiology, clinical behavior, and management approach. Hemangiomas are the most common vascular tumors. Lymphatic, capillary, venous, and arteriovenous malformations make up the majority of vascular malformations. Arteriovenous malformation of the head and neck is a rare vascular anomaly but when present is persistent and progressive in nature and can represent a lethal benign disease. Here we present a case report of a 25-year-old male patient with arteriovenous malformation involving the base of tongue.
Leiomyoma in Vulva: A Diagnostic Dilemma
Authors: Pandey Deeksha , Shetty Jyothi , Saxena Aashish , Srilatha P. S.
Published: February 2014

With the help of this case we summarize some crucial features to be picked up from history and examination before labeling a case as Bartholin’s abscess or cyst. A 20-year old unmarried girl, deaf and mute since birth, was initially diagnosed to have Bartholin’s abscess. On careful reexamination after inflammation subsided, a decision of excision of this tumor was taken. Intraoperatively it was found to be well encapsulated. Histopathology ascertained the diagnosis of vulval leiomyoma.
Strain Sensor of Carbon Nanotubes in Microscale: From Model to Metrology
Authors: Qiu Wei , Li Shi-Lei , Deng Wei-lin , Gao Di , Kang Yi-Lan
Published: February 2014

A strain sensor composed of carbon nanotubes with Raman spectroscopy can achieve measurement of the three in-plane strain components in microscale. Based on previous work on the mathematic model of carbon nanotube strain sensors, this paper presents a detailed study on the optimization, diversification, and standardization of a CNT strain sensor from the viewpoint of metrology. A new miniaccessory for polarization control is designed, and two different preparing methods for CNT films as sensing media are introduced to provide diversified choices for applications. Then, the standard procedure of creating CNT strain sensors is proposed. Application experiments confirmed the effectiveness of the above improvement, which is helpful in developing this method for convenient metrology.
Concomitant Imperforate Hymen and Transverse Vaginal Septum Complicated with Pyocolpos and Abdominovaginal Fistula
Authors: Dilbaz Berna , Kiykac Altinbas Sadiman , Altinbas Namik Kemal , Sengul Ozlem , Dilbaz Serdar
Published: February 2014

A 13-year-old patient with a complaint of worsening lower abdominal pain during the past 4 months was admitted to the emergency department. An abdominopelvic ultrasound scan revealed a distended uterocervical cavity suggestive of hematometrocolpos. Imperforate hymen was observed on examination of the external genitalia. MRI scan revealed an air-fluid level representing pyometrocolpos within a distended vagina. Posterior vaginal extraperitoneal leakage as the sign of a fistula between the vagina and the rectovaginal space was detected. Although laparoscopic approach was planned, malodorous pus expelled after the insertion of the Veress needle, it was decided to proceed to laparotomy. Pus with peritoneal microabscess formations was observed at laparotomy. The imperforate hymen and TVS were excised vaginally. A more complex anomaly should be suspected in cases with hematometra and concomitant imperforated hymen without any bulging and thorough evaluation using radiological imaging techniques should be performed before surgical approach.
Performance of Tuberculin Skin Test Measured against Interferon Gamma Release Assay as Reference Standard in Children
Authors: Eisenhut Michael , Fidler Katy
Published: February 2014

Objectives. International guidelines differ in the threshold of tuberculin skin test (TST) induration regarded as indicatingMycobacterium (M.) tuberculosisinfection. Interferon gamma release assay (IGRA) results were used as reference to assess performance of TST induration thresholds for detection ofM. tuberculosisinfection in children.Design. Systematic review which included studies containing data on TST, IGRA, and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) status in children. Data bases searched were PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane library. Specificities and sensitivities were calculated for TST thresholds 5, 10, and 15 mm and correlated with age and geographical latitude.Results. Eleven studies with 2796 children were included. For BCG immunised children diameters of 5, 10, and 15 mm had median sensitivities of 87, 70, and 75% and specificities of 67, 93, and 90%, respectively. In non-BCG immunised children median sensitivities were 94, 95, and 83% and specificities 91, 95, and 97%. At the 10 mm threshold age correlated negatively with sensitivity of TST (r=-0.65,P=0.04) and latitude correlated positively (r=0.71,P=0.02).Conclusions. For the 10 mm threshold the sensitivity of the TST is lower in BCG immunised children. Younger age and higher geographical latitude were associated with higher sensitivity of the TST.
Identification of Clinical Phenotypes Using Cluster Analyses in COPD Patients with Multiple Comorbidities
Authors: Burgel Pierre-Régis , Paillasseur Jean-Louis , Roche Nicolas
Published: February 2014

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by persistent airflow limitation, the severity of which is assessed using forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1, % predicted). Cohort studies have confirmed that COPD patients with similar levels of airflow limitation showed marked heterogeneity in clinical manifestations and outcomes. Chronic coexisting diseases, also called comorbidities, are highly prevalent in COPD patients and likely contribute to this heterogeneity. In recent years, investigators have used innovative statistical methods (e.g., cluster analyses) to examine the hypothesis that subgroups of COPD patients sharing clinically relevant characteristics (phenotypes) can be identified. The objectives of the present paper are to review recent studies that have used cluster analyses for defining phenotypes in observational cohorts of COPD patients. Strengths and weaknesses of these statistical approaches are briefly described. Description of the phenotypes that were reasonably reproducible across studies and received prospective validation in at least one study is provided, with a special focus on differences in age and comorbidities (including cardiovascular diseases). Finally, gaps in current knowledge are described, leading to proposals for future studies.
Polypeptide Multilayer Self-Assembly Studied by Ellipsometry
Authors: Craig Marina , Holmberg Krister , Le Ru Eric , Etchegoin Pablo
Published: February 2014

A polypeptide nanofilm made by layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly was built on a surface that mimics nonwoven, a material commonly used in wound dressings. Poly-L-lysine (PLL) and poly-L-glutamic acid (PLGA) are the building blocks of the nanofilm, which is intended as an enzymatically degradable lid for release of bactericides to chronic wounds. Chronic wounds often carry infection originating from bacteria such asStaphylococcus aureusand a release system triggered by the degree of infection is of interest. The dry nanofilm was studied with ellipsometry. The thickness of the nanofilm was 60% less in its dry state than in its wet state. The measurements showed that a primer was not necessary to build a stable nanofilm, which is practically important in our case because a nondegradable primer is highly unwanted in a wound care dressing. Added V8 (glutamyl endopeptidase) enzymes only showed adsorption on the nanofilm at room temperature, indicating that the PLL/PLGA “lid” may remain intact until the dressing has been filled with wound exudate at the elevated temperature typical of that of the wound.
Ginsenosides in Commercial Ginseng Products Analyzed by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Uhr Linda , Chen Yuchun , Sit Daniel , Li Paul C. H.
Published: February 2014

Although the LC/MS-MS method has been developed to analyze ginsenosides in ginseng roots, this method has not yet been utilized to quantify ginsenosides in ginseng products. In this paper, an internal standard method by LC/MS-MS was developed to analyze the ginsenosides content in the commercial ginseng products such as the ginseng capsules. We compare the standard addition method and the internal standard methods for the quantification of several ginsenosides (e.g., Rb1, Rb2, Rb3, Rc, Rd, Re, Rg1, and Rg3) in five commercial ginseng capsules. The results showed that the internal standard method is as good as the standard addition method and is a less tedious approach.
Nutritional Knowledge and Attitudes of Adolescent Swimmers in Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: Webb Marquitta C. , Beckford Safiya E.
Published: February 2014

Purpose. To investigate the level of nutrition knowledge and attitude of adolescent male and female swimmers training competitively in Trinidad and Tobago.Methodology. A self-administered questionnaire, which consisted of 21 nutrition knowledge and 11 attitude statements, was utilized to assess the level of nutrition knowledge and attitude of adolescent swimmers. For the assessment of nutrition knowledge, correct answers were given a score of “1” and incorrect answers were given a score of “0.” For the evaluation of attitude towards nutrition, a score ranging from 1 to 5 was assigned to each response; “5” was given to the most positive response, and “1” was given to the most negative. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0.Results. Two hundred and twenty swimmers with a mean age of14.56±2.544completed the questionnaire. The mean nutrition knowledge score was10.97±2.897and mean attitude score was41.69±6.215. Nutrition knowledge was positively and significantly related to the number of reported nutrition sources (r=0.172,P=0.005). Nutrition knowledge was positively and significantly related to the attitude (r=0.130,P=0.027).Conclusions and Implication. Athletes lack nutrition knowledge but have a positive attitude towards nutrition, which may indicate receptiveness to future nutrition education.
The Effect of Phosphorus Reduction and Competition on Invasive Lemnids: Life Traits and Nutrient Uptake
Authors: Gérard Joëlle , Triest Ludwig
Published: February 2014

Introduction of invasive macrophytes often leads to competition with native species or with already established invasive species. Competition between invasive species in multiple-invaded systems is expected to be particularly high, especially when they share growth form and position in the water column. We performed indoor experiments between invasive free-floating Lemna minuta and Landoltia punctata in monocultures and mixtures under a phosphorus gradient concurring with hypereutrophic, eutrophic, mesotrophic, and oligotrophic conditions. Our results showed that a phosphorus reduction from hypereutrophic to eutrophic had important negative impacts on the relative growth rate (RGR) of both species. A further reduction to mesotrophic condition did not alter either species RGR. However, species strategies and nutrient uptake differed. Both intra- and interspecific interference occurred; however, the intensity differed between phosphorus concentrations. Difference in RGR (RGRD) showed L. minuta to gain at high phosphorus levels, while a reduction favoured L. punctata. In oligotrophic condition, either species hardly produced new daughter fronds. Our results are useful to (1) understand the effects of phosphorus and setting target values in the process of eutrophication reduction and (2) diminish the impacts of invasive lemnids since a water column phosphorus reduction would prevent large impacts.
Platform to Build the Knowledge Base by Combining Sensor Data and Context Data
Authors: Shin Sungho , Um Jungho , Seo Dongmin , Choi Sung-Pil , Lee Seungwoo , Jung Hanmin , Yi Mun Yong
Published: February 2014

Sensor data is structured and generally lacks of meaning by itself, but life-logging data (time, location, etc.) out of sensor data can be utilized to create lots of meaningful information combined with social data from social networks like Facebook and Twitter. There have been many platforms to produce meaningful information and support human behavior and context-awareness through integrating diverse mobile, social, and sensing input streams. The problem is that these platforms do not guarantee the performance in terms of the processing time and even let the accuracy of output data be addressed by new studies in each area where the platform is applied. Thus, this study proposes an improved platform which builds a knowledge base for context awareness by applying distributed and parallel computing approach considering the characteristics of sensor data that is collected and processed in real-time, and compares the proposed platform with existing platforms in terms of performance. The experiment shows the proposed platform is an advanced platform in terms of processing time. We reduce the processing time by 40% compared with existing platform. The proposed platform also guarantees the accuracy compared with existing platform.
A Case of Endometrioid Adenocarcinoma Arising from Adenomyosis
Authors: Taga Shigeki , Sawada Mari , Nagai Aya , Yamamoto Dan , Hayase Ryoji
Published: February 2014

Malignant changes in endometriosis are often reported, but those in adenomyosis are rare. We report a case of endometrioid adenocarcinoma arising from adenomyosis.Case Presentation. A 57-year-old woman presenting with vaginal bleeding was referred to our hospital. Cytological tests of endometrium revealed atypical glandular cells. Fractional endometrial curettage revealed normal endometrium without atypia. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple myomas. The endometrium was slightly enhanced on T1-weighted imaging and endometrial cancer was suspected. Myometrial invasion was not evident. The patient was admitted and semiradical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy was performed. Histopathological study revealed grade 1 endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Although the lesion was located in the muscle layer of the corpus and invaded more than half of it, the endometrium was intact. Pelvic lymph node metastasis was noticed. No cervical invasion or metastasis to the adnexa was seen. We diagnosed the case with a stage 1B endometrioid adenocarcinoma originating from adenomyosis. Adjuvant chemotherapy was then performed in the form of 5 cycles of paclitaxel (180 mg/m2) and carboplatin (AUC = 5). Five years later, right lung metastasis and right para-aortic and pelvic lymph nodes metastasis were noticed. Paclitaxel and carboplatin are now being administered.
EEMD-MUSIC-Based Analysis for Natural Frequencies Identification of Structures Using Artificial and Natural Excitations
Authors: Camarena-Martinez David , Amezquita-Sanchez Juan P. , Valtierra-Rodriguez Martin , Romero-Troncoso Rene J. , Osornio-Rios Roque A. , Garcia-Perez Arturo
Published: February 2014

This paper presents a new EEMD-MUSIC- (ensemble empirical mode decomposition-multiple signal classification-) based methodology to identify modal frequencies in structures ranging from free and ambient vibration signals produced by artificial and natural excitations and also considering several factors as nonstationary effects, close modal frequencies, and noisy environments, which are common situations where several techniques reported in literature fail. The EEMD and MUSIC methods are used to decompose the vibration signal into a set of IMFs (intrinsic mode functions) and to identify the natural frequencies of a structure, respectively. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology has been validated and tested with synthetic signals and under real operating conditions. The experiments are focused on extracting the natural frequencies of a truss-type scaled structure and of a bridge used for both highway traffic and pedestrians. Results show the proposed methodology as a suitable solution for natural frequencies identification of structures from free and ambient vibration signals.
The Effect of Acupuncture to SP6 on Skin Temperature Changes of SP6 and SP10: An Observation of “Deqi”
Authors: Yang Jia-Min , Shen Xiao-Yu , Zhang Ling , Shen Song-Xi , Qi Dan-Dan , Zhu Shi-Peng , Luo Li , Ren Xiao-Xuan , Ji Bo , Zhang Lu-Fen , Li Xiao-Hong , Zhu Jiang
Published: February 2014

Background. Deqi sensation is a complex but an important component for acupuncture effect. In this study, we tried to observe the relationship between Deqi and skin temperature changes and whether there was some relativity between Deqi and needle stimulations on cold congealing and dysmenorrhea rat model. Thirty‐two female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups (Saline Control Group, Model Group, Group A with strong stimulation, and Group B with small stimulation). Group A and Group B were performed with different stimulations. We found that, compared with saline control group, model group, and Group B, Group A showed that the skin temperature changes on right acupoint SP6 and SP10 increased significantly at 5 min–10 min interval. The skin temperature changes on left SP6 decreased at instant–5 min interval. The skin temperature changes on right SP10 decreased significantly at instant–5 min interval and 10 min–20 min interval. Thermogenic action along Spleen Meridian of Foot Greater Yin was manifested as simultaneous skin temperature increase on right SP6 and SP10 at 5 min–10 min interval after needling SP6, which was helpful to illustrate the relationship between the characteristic of Deqi and needle stimulations.
The Syndrome of Absence Status Epilepsy: Review of the Literature
Authors: Bilo Leonilda , Pappatà Sabina , De Simone Roberto , Meo Roberta
Published: February 2014

The authors review the literature for cases fulfilling the criteria for the proposed idiopathic generalized epilepsy syndrome (IGE) of absence status epilepsy described by Genton et al. (2008). Difficulties arising in diagnosing such cases are remarked, and possible overlapping with other proposed IGE syndromes is discussed.
Wheeled Mobile Robot RBFNN Dynamic Surface Control Based on Disturbance Observer
Authors: Luo Shaohua , Wu Songli , Liu Zhaoqin , Guan Hao
Published: February 2014

This paper focuses on the problem of an adaptive neural network dynamic surface control (DSC) based on disturbance observer for the wheeled mobile robot with uncertain parameters and unknown disturbances. The nonlinear observer is used to compensate for the external disturbance, and the neural network is employed to approximate the uncertain and nonlinear items of system. Then, the Lyapunov theory is introduced to demonstrate the stabilization of the proposed control algorithm. Finally, the simulation results illustrate that the proposed algorithm not only is superior to conventional DSC in trajectory tracking and external friction disturbance compensation but also has better response, adaptive ability, and robustness.