bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deterministic tripartite sharing of eight restricted sets of single-qubit operations with two Bell states or a GHZ state
Authors: Xing Hang , Liu Daochu , Xing Pengfei , Xie Chuanmei , Liu Xiansong , Zhang Zhanjun
Published: May 2014

Two tripartite schemes with a pair of Bell states and a Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) state respectively have been proposed recently by Zhang and Cheung for remotely sharing two restricted sets of operations in a deterministic manner [J. Phys. B 44 (2011) 165508]. In this paper, we generalize the schemes with the same quantum channels so that another six restricted sets of operations can be shared deterministically, too. Features about scheme security, sharer symmetry, fulfillment determinacy and experimental feasibility are discussed and revealed. Moreover, some comparisons are also made from the aspects of quantum and classical resource consumption, necessary operation complexity and efficiency.
About the use of fidelity in continuous variable systems
Authors: Mandarino Antonio , Bina Matteo , Olivares Stefano , Paris Matteo G. A.
Published: May 2014

We present examples of continuous variable (CV) states having high fidelity to a given target, say F > 0.9 or F > 0.99, and still showing striking differences in their physical properties, including classical and quantum states within the set, separable and entangled ones, or nearly Gaussian and strongly non-Gaussian ones. We also show that the phenomenon persists also when one imposes additional constraints on the energy or the squeezing fraction of the states, thus generally questioning the use of fidelity to assess properties of CV systems without a tomographic set of additional constraints.
SUPPORTING DISTRESS SIGNALS OVER LOW EARTH ORBIT MOBILE SATELLITE SYSTEMS FOR EMERGENCY INFORMATION ACQUISITION
Authors: HUSSEIN GAMAL A. , NOFAL MOSTAFA A. , DESSOUKY MOAWAD I. , ORABY OSAMA ALY , AL-HANAFY WALEED , MOHAMED ABD EL-NASER A. , ELDOKANY IBRAHIM M. , EL-RABAIE EL-SAYED M. , ALSHEBEILI SALEH A. , ABD EL-SAMIE FATHI E.
Published: May 2014

Low earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems allow a broad range of services to be provided using small, lightweight, cellular-like portable telephones. Exploiting LEO satellites to support distress signals for aircrafts, ships and international travelers is explored in the current paper. A multi-service priority-oriented algorithm is proposed for handling voice, data and emergency signals over LEO satellites. The emergency signal is privileged with service priority so that rescue operation can be carried out as soon as possible. The priority mechanism includes channel reservation as well as joining a queue if no free channel is available as long as the request is roaming in the handover area. In addition, a simplified but efficient approach is suggested for locating the object of an imminent danger situation. As LEO satellites are non-geostationary, the visible period of each spot-beam is small. Consequently, a teletraffic model, that accommodates the mobility of spot-beams as well as the resulting handover rate, is developed in order to gauge the performance of the proposed algorithm. Numerical results for access denying and service-dropping rates are presented for nominal system parameters.
Opposition-based differential evolution for IIR system identification problem
Authors: Upadhyay P. , Kar R. , Mandal D. , Ghoshal S. P.
Published: May 2014

Nature inspired optimization algorithms have made substantial step towards solving of various engineering and scientific real-life problems. Success achieved for those evolutionary optimization techniques are due to simplicity and flexibility of algorithm structures. In this paper, optimal set of filter coefficients are searched by the evolutionary optimization technique called Opposition-based Differential Evolution (ODE) for solving infinite impulse response (IIR) system identification problem. Opposition-based numbering concept is embedded into the primary foundation of Differential Evolution (DE) technique metaphorically to enhance the convergence speed and the performance for finding the optimal solution. The population is generated with the evaluation of a solution and its opposite solution by fitness function for choosing potent solutions for each iteration cycle. With this competent population, faster convergence speed and better solution quality are achieved. Detailed and balanced search in multidimensional problem space is accomplished with judiciously chosen control parameters for mutation, crossover and selection adopted in the basic DE technique. When tested against standard benchmark examples, for same order and reduced order models, the simulation results establish the ODE as a competent candidate to others in terms of accuracy and convergence speed.
Compositional colored Petri net approach to multiscale modeling for systems biology
Authors: Liu Fei , Yang Ming
Published: May 2014

Colored Petri nets have been demonstrated as a powerful tool for modeling multiscale systems biology. However, the construction of colored Petri nets for biological systems requires prior knowledge about colored Petri nets and is often error-prone and cumbersome for biologists, especially when the communication between components and hierarchical organization of components in a multiscale model are an issue. To address this problem, an established way is to develop small components and then compose them into bigger models. In this paper, we present a compositional colored Petri net approach to aid automatic modeling of systems biology, and demonstrate it with two case studies. We focus on the modeling of communication between components and hierarchical organization of components as they are key to build multiscale models.
ERK1/2‐Egr‐1 Signaling Pathway‐Mediated Protective Effects of Electroacupuncture in a Mouse Model of Myocardial Ischemia‐Reperfusion
Authors: Zhang Juan , Song Jiangang , Xu Jin , Chen Xuemei , Yin Peihao , Lv Xin , Wang Xiangrui
Published: May 2014

Early growth response‐ (Egr‐) 1 is an upstream master switch in controlling inflammatory responses following myocardial ischemia‐reperfusion (I/R). Activation of extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinase‐1 and kinase‐2 (ERK1/2) signaling is known to upregulate Egr‐1. ERK1/2 pathway has been previously shown to mediate the therapeutic action of electroacupucture (EA). Thus, we hypothesized that EA would reduce myocardial I/R injury and inflammatory responses through inhibiting Egr‐1 expression via the ERK1/2 pathway. Mice were pretreated with EA, U0126, or combination of EA and U0126 and then underwent 1 h myocardial ischemia and 3 h reperfusion. We investigated that EA significantly attenuated the I/R‐induced upregulation of both Egr‐1 and phosporylated‐ERK1/2 (p‐ERK1/2), decreased myocardial inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and reduced the infarct size and the release of cardiac troponin I (cTnI). U0126 treatment also exhibited the same effect as EA on Egr‐1 level and subsequent cardioprotective effects. There was no additive effect of cotreatment with EA and U0126 on the expression of Egr‐1 and its downstream target genes (TNF‐α, IL‐1β) or serum cTnI level. Collectively, these observations suggested that EA attenuates myocardial I/R injury, possibly through inhibiting the ERK1/2‐Egr‐1 signaling pathway and reducing the release of proinflammatory cytokines.
Distributed Abnormal Activity Detection in Smart Environments
Authors: Wang Chengliang , Zheng Qian , Peng Yayun , De Debraj , Song Wen-Zhan
Published: May 2014

The abnormal activity detection in smart environments has experienced increasing attention over years, due to its usefulness in pervasive applications. In order to meet the real-time needs and overcome the high costs and privacy issues, this paper proposes distributed abnormal activity detection approach ( DetectingAct), which employs the computing and storage resources of simple and ubiquitous sensor nodes, to detect abnormal activity in smart environments equipped with wireless sensor networks (WSN). In DetectingAct, activity is defined as the combination of trajectory and duration, and abnormal activity is defined as the activity which deviates greater enough from those normal activities. DetectingAct works as follows. Firstly, DetectingAct finds the normal activity patterns through duration-dependent frequent pattern mining algorithm (DFPMA), which adopts unsupervised learning instead of supervised learning. Secondly, the distributed knowledge storage mechanism (DKSM) is introduced to store the mined patterns in each node. Then, the current triggered sensor adopts distributed abnormal activity detection algorithm (DAADA), in which the clustering analysis plays a critical role, to compare the present activity with normal activity patterns, by calculating the similarity between them. The feasibility, real-time property, and accuracy of the DetectingAct algorithm are evaluated using both simulation and real experiments case studies.
Fabrication of a Zinc Aluminum Oxide Nanowire Array Photoelectrode for a Solar Cell Using a High Vacuum Die Casting Technique
Authors: Kuo Chin-Guo , Chen Jung-Hsuan , Liu Yueh-Han
Published: May 2014

Zinc aluminum alloy nanowire was fabricated by the vacuum die casting. Zinc aluminum alloy was melted, injected into nanomold under a hydraulic pressure, and solidified as nanowire shape. Nanomold was prepared by etching aluminum sheet with a purity of 99.7 wt.% in oxalic acid solution. A nanochannel within nanomold had a pore diameter of 80 nm and a thickness of 40 μm. Microstructure and characteristic analysis of the alumina nanomold and zinc-aluminum nanowire were performed by scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction analysis, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Zinc aluminum oxide nanowire array was produced using the thermal oxidation method and designed for the photoelectrode application.
Grain Sterility in relation to Dry Mass Production and Distribution in Rice (Oryza sativaL.)
Authors: Puteh Adam B. , Mondal M. Monjurul Alam , Ismail Mohd. Razi , Latif Mohammad Abdul
Published: May 2014

The experiment was conducted to investigate potential causes of grain sterility in widely cultivated rice variety in Malaysia, MR219 and its two mutant lines (RM311 and RM109) by examining the source-sink relations. RM311 produced increased dry matter yield both at heading and maturity and also showed higher grain yield with greater proportion of grain sterility than the other two genotypes (RM109 and MR219) resulting in the lowest harvest index (49.68%). In contrast, harvest index was greater in RM109 (53.34%) and MR219 (52.76%) with less grain sterility percentage than MR311 indicating that dry matter partitioning to economic yield was better in RM109 and MR219 than in MR311. Results indicated that dry matter allocation per spikelet from heading to maturity was important for reducing grain sterility in rice. The greater above-ground crop dry matter per spikelet was observed in RM109 and MR219 as compared to high dry matter producing genotype; RM311 implies that poor grain filling may not have resulted from dry matter production or source limitation. These findings suggest that grain sterility or poor grain filling in rice is the result of poor translocation and partitioning of assimilates into grains (sink) rather than of limited biomass production or source limitation.
On the Covariance of Moore-Penrose Inverses in Rings with Involution
Authors: Mahzoon Hesam
Published: May 2014

We consider the so-called covariance set of Moore-Penrose inverses in rings with an involution. We deduce some new results concerning covariance set. We will show that ifais a regular element in aC∗-algebra, then the covariance set ofais closed in the set of invertible elements (with relative topology) ofC∗-algebra and is a cone in theC∗-algebra.
Highly Effective Renaturation of a Streptokinase fromStreptococcus pyogenesDT7 as Inclusion Bodies Overexpressed inEscherichia coli
Authors: Nguyen Sy Le Thanh , Quyen Dinh Thi , Vu Hong Diep
Published: May 2014

The streptokinase (SK) is emerging as an important thrombolytic therapy agent in the treatment of patients suffering from cardiovascular diseases. We reported highly effective renaturation of a SK fromS. pyogenessDT7 overexpressed inE. coli, purification, and biochemical characterization. A gene coding for the SK was cloned fromS. pyogenessDT7. Because accumulation of active SK is toxic to the host cells, we have expressed it in the form of inclusion bodies. The mature protein was overexpressed inE. coliBL21 DE3/pESK under the control of the strong promotertacinduced by IPTG with a level of 60% of the total cell proteins. The activity of the rSK, renatured in phosphate buffer supplemented with Triton X-100 and glycerol, was covered with up to 41 folds of its initial activity. The purified of protein was identified with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry through four peptide fragments, which showed 100% identification to the corresponding peptides of the putative SK from GenBank. Due to overexpression and highly effective renaturation of large amounts of inclusion bodies, the recombinantE. coliBL21 DE3/pESK system could be potentially applied for large-scale production of SK used in the therapy of acute myocardial infarction.
Erythropoietic Potential of CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem Cells from Human Cord Blood and G-CSF-Mobilized Peripheral Blood
Authors: Jin Honglian , Kim Han-Soo , Kim Sinyoung , Kim Hyun Ok
Published: May 2014

Red blood cell (RBC) supply for transfusion has been severely constrained by the limited availability of donor blood and the emergence of infection and contamination issues. Alternatively, hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from human organs have been increasingly considered as safe and effective blood source. Several methods have been studied to obtain mature RBCs from CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells viain vitroculture. Among them, human cord blood (CB) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-mobilized adult peripheral blood (mPB) are common adult stem cells used for allogeneic transplantation. Our present study focuses on comparing CB- and mPB-derived stem cells in differentiation from CD34+ cells into mature RBCs. By using CD34+ cells from cord blood and G-CSF mobilized peripheral blood, we showedin vitroRBC generation of artificial red blood cells. Our results demonstrate that CB- and mPB-derived CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells have similar characteristics when cultured under the same conditions, but differ considerably with respect to expression levels of various genes and hemoglobin development. This study is the first to compare the characteristics of CB- and mPB-derived erythrocytes. The results support the idea that CB and mPB, despite some similarities, possess different erythropoietic potentials inin vitroculture systems.
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid IFN-γ+Th17 Cells and Regulatory T Cells in Pulmonary Sarcoidosis
Authors: Tøndell Anders , Moen Torolf , Børset Magne , Salvesen Øyvind , Rø Anne Dorthea , Sue-Chu Malcolm
Published: May 2014

In sarcoidosis, increased Th17 cell fractions have been reported in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and elevated numbers of Th17 cells producing IFN-γhave been observed in peripheral blood. The balance between Th1, Th17, and FoxP3+CD4+T cell subsets in sarcoidosis remains unclear. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cells, from 30 patients with sarcoidosis, 18 patients with other diffuse parenchymal lung diseases, and 15 healthy controls, were investigated with flow cytometry for intracellular expression of FoxP3. In a subset of the patients, expression of the cytokines IL17A and IFN-γwas investigated. The fractions of FoxP3+CD4+T cells and Th17 cells were both lower in sarcoidosis compared to controls (P=0.017andP=0.011, resp.). The proportion of Th17 cells positive for IFN-γwas greater in sarcoidosis than controls (median 72.4% versus 31%,P=0.0005) and increased with radiologic stage (N=23,rho=0.45, andP=0.03). IFN-γ+Th17 cells were highly correlated with Th1 cells (N=23,rho=0.64, andP=0.001), and the ratio of IFN-γ+Th17/FoxP3+CD4+T cells was prominently increased in sarcoidosis. IFN-γ+Th17 cells may represent a pathogenic subset of Th17 cells, yet their expression of IFN-γcould be a consequence of a Th1-polarized cytokine milieu. Our results indicate a possible immune cell imbalance in sarcoidosis.
Age Modulates Fe3O4Nanoparticles Liver Toxicity: Dose-Dependent Decrease in Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Complexes Activities and Coupling in Middle-Aged as Compared to Young Rats
Authors: Baratli Yosra , Charles Anne-Laure , Wolff Valérie , Ben Tahar Lotfi , Smiri Leila , Bouitbir Jamal , Zoll Joffrey , Sakly Mohsen , Auger Cyril , Vogel Thomas , Abdelmelek Hafedh , Tebourbi Olfa , Geny Bernard
Published: May 2014

We examined the effects of iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) on mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes activities and mitochondrial coupling in young (3 months) and middle-aged (18 months) rat liver, organ largely involved in body iron detoxification. Isolated liver mitochondria were extracted using differential centrifugations. Maximal oxidative capacities (Vmax, complexes I, III, and IV activities),Vsucc(complexes II, III, and IV activities), andVtmpd, (complex IV activity), together with mitochondrial coupling (Vmax/V0) were determined in controls conditions and after exposure to 250, 300, and 350 μg/ml Fe3O4in young and middle-aged rats. In young liver mitochondria, exposure to IONPs did not alter mitochondrial function. In contrast, IONPs dose-dependently impaired all complexes of the mitochondrial respiratory chain in middle-aged rat liver:Vmax(from 30 ± 1.6 to 17.9 ± 1.5;P<0.001),Vsucc(from 33.9 ± 1.7 to 24.3 ± 1.0;P<0.01),Vtmpd(from 43.0 ± 1.6 to 26.3 ± 2.2 µmol O2/min/g protein;P<0.001) using Fe3O4350µg/ml. Mitochondrial coupling also decreased. Interestingly, 350 μg/ml Fe3O4in the form of Fe3+solution did not impair liver mitochondrial function in middle-aged rats. Thus, IONPs showed a specific toxicity in middle-aged rats suggesting caution when using it in old age.
Analysis of the Symmetries and Conservation Laws of the Nonlinear Jaulent-Miodek Equation
Authors: Nadjafikhah Mehdi , Hesamiarshad Mostafa
Published: May 2014

Lie symmetry method is performed for the nonlinear Jaulent-Miodek equation. We will find the symmetry group and optimal systems of Lie subalgebras. The Lie invariants associated with the symmetry generators as well as the corresponding similarity reduced equations are also pointed out. And conservation laws of the J-M equation are presented with two steps: firstly, finding multipliers for computation of conservation laws and, secondly, symbolic computation of conservation laws will be applied.
High Performance Motion Trajectory Tracking Control of Pneumatic Cylinders: A Comparison of Some Nonlinear Control Algorithms
Authors: Meng Deyuan , Li Aimin , Tao Guoliang , Li Wei
Published: May 2014

The dynamics of pneumatic systems are highly nonlinear, and there normally exists a large extent of model uncertainties; the precision motion trajectory tracking control of pneumatic cylinders is still a challenge. In this paper, two typical nonlinear controllers—adaptive controller and deterministic robust controller—are constructed firstly. Considering that they have both benefits and limitations, an adaptive robust controller (ARC) is further proposed. The ARC is a combination of the first two controllers; it employs online recursive least squares estimation (RLSE) to reduce the extent of parametric uncertainties, and utilizes the robust control method to attenuate the effects of parameter estimation errors, unmodeled dynamics, and disturbances. In order to solve the conflicts between the robust control design and the parameter adaption law design, the projection mapping is used to condition the RLSE algorithm so that the parameter estimates are kept within a known bounded convex set. Theoretically, ARC possesses the advantages of the adaptive control and the deterministic robust control, and thus an even better tracking performance can be expected. Extensive comparative experimental results are presented to illustrate the achievable performance of the three proposed controllers and their performance robustness to the parameter variations and sudden disturbance.
Clinical Characteristics, Patient-Reported Outcomes, and Previous Therapeutic Management of Patients with Uncontrolled Neuropathic Pain Referred to Pain Clinics
Authors: de Andrés José , de la Calle José-Luis , Pérez María , López Vanessa
Published: May 2014

Background. The aim of this report was to evaluate the clinical profile and previous management of patients with uncontrolled neuropathic pain who were referred to pain clinics. Methods. We included adult patients with uncontrolled pain who had a score of ≥4 in the DN4 questionnaire. In addition to sociodemographic and clinical data, we evaluated pain levels using a visual analog scale as well as anxiety, depression, sleep, disability, and treatment satisfaction employing validated tools. Results. A total of 755 patients were included in the study. The patients were predominantly referred to pain clinics by traumatologists (34.3%) and primary care physicians (16.7%). The most common diagnoses were radiculopathy (43%) and pain of oncological origin (14.3%). The major cause for uncontrolled pain was suboptimal treatment (88%). Fifty-three percent of the patients were depressed, 43% had clinical anxiety, 50% rated their overall health as bad or very bad, and 45% noted that their disease was severely or extremely interfering with their daily activities. Conclusions. Our results showed that uncontrolled neuropathic pain is a common phenomenon among the specialties that address these clinical entities and, regardless of its etiology, uncontrolled pain is associated with a dramatic impact on patient well-being.
Change in Soil and Forest Floor Carbon after Shelterwood Harvests in a New England Oak-Hardwood Forest, USA
Authors: Warren Kayanna L. , Ashton Mark S.
Published: May 2014

There has been effort worldwide to quantify how much carbon forests contain in order to designate appropriate offset credits to forest carbon climate mitigation. Carbon pools on or immediately below the soil surface are understood to be very active in response to environmental change but are not well understood. Our study focused on the effects of shelterwood regeneration harvests in New England on the carbon stored in litter, woody debris, and surface soil carbon. Results demonstrate significant difference in surface (0–10 cm) soil carbon between control (nonharvested) and harvested sites, with higher carbon percentage on control sites. Results showed a significant difference in coarse woody debris with higher amounts of carbon per area on harvested sites. No significant difference in litter mass was recorded between harvested and control sites. When coarse woody debris and litter are included with soil carbon, total carbon did not have a significant decline over 20 years following shelterwood treatment to the forest to secure regeneration, but there was considerable variability among sites. When taking all surface soil carbon measurements together, our results suggest that for accounting purposes the measurement of below-ground carbon after shelterwood harvests is not necessary for the southern New England region.
Free Convective Fluctuating MHD Flow through Porous Media Past a Vertical Porous Plate with Variable Temperature and Heat Source
Authors: Acharya A. K. , Dash G. C. , Mishra S. R.
Published: May 2014

Free convective magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow of a viscous incompressible and electrically conducting fluid past a hot vertical porous plate embedded in a porous medium in the presence of heat source has been studied in this paper. The temperature of the plate varies both in space and time. The main objective of this paper is to study the effect of porosity of the medium coupled with the variation of plate temperature with regard to space and in time. The effect of pertinent parameters characterizing the flow has been presented through the graphs. It is important to record that the presence of porous media has no significant contribution to the flow characteristics and viscous dissipation compensates for the heating and cooling of the plate due to convective current.
An Application of Filtered Renewal Processes in Hydrology
Authors: Lefebvre Mario , Bensalma Fatima
Published: May 2014

Filtered renewal processes are used to forecast daily river flows. For these processes, contrary to filtered Poisson processes, the time between consecutive events is not necessarily exponentially distributed, which is more realistic. The model is applied to obtain one- and two-day-ahead forecasts of the flows of the Delaware and Hudson Rivers, both located in the United States. Better results are obtained than with filtered Poisson processes, which are often used to model river flows.
On the Exponential Radon Transform and Its Extension to Certain Functions Spaces
Authors: Al-Omari S. K. Q. , Kılıçman A.
Published: May 2014

We investigate the exponential Radon transform on a certain function space of generalized functions. We establish certain space of generalized functions for the cited transform. The transform that is obtained is well defined. More properties of consistency, convolution, analyticity, continuity, and sufficient theorems have been established.
Automatic Sound Scene Control Using Image Sensor Network
Authors: Cho Changhee , Park Jaehyung , Kim Kwangki
Published: May 2014

We proposed the automatic sound scene control system using the image sensor network for preserving the constant sound scene without respect to the users' movement. In the proposed system, the image sensor network detects the human location in the multichannel playback environment and the SSC (sound scene control) module automatically controls the sound scene of the multichannel audio signals according to the estimated human location which is the angle information. To estimate the direction of the human face, we used the normalized RGB (red, green, and blue) and the HSV (hue, saturation, and value) calculated from the images obtained by the image sensor network. The direction of the human face can be easily decided as the image sensor to capture the image with the highest number of pixels to satisfy the thresholds of the normalized RGB and the HSV. The estimated direction of the human face is directly fed to the SSC module, and the controlled sound scene can be simply generated. Experimental results show that the image sensor network successfully detected the human location with the accuracy of about 98% and the controlled sound scene by the SSC according to the detected human location was perceived as the original sound scene with the accuracy of 95%.
High-Dialysate-Glucose-Induced Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial-Mediated Apoptosis in Human Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells
Authors: Hung Kuan-Yu , Liu Shin-Yun , Yang Te-Cheng , Liao Tien-Ling , Kao Shu-Huei
Published: May 2014

Human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMCs) are a critical component of the peritoneal membrane and play a pivotal role in dialysis adequacy. Loss of HPMCs can contribute to complications in peritoneal dialysis. Compelling evidence has shown that high-dialysate glucose is a key factor causing functional changes and cell death in HPMCs. We investigated the mechanism of HPMC apoptosis induced by high-dialysate glucose, particularly the role of mitochondria in the maintenance of HPMCs. HPMCs were incubated at glucose concentrations of 5 mM, 84 mM, 138 mM, and 236 mM. Additionally, N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was used as an antioxidant to clarify the mechanism of high-dialysate-glucose-induced apoptosis. Exposing HPMCs to high-dialysate glucose resulted in substantial apoptosis with cytochrome c release, followed by caspase activation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. High-dialysate glucose induced excessive reactive oxygen species production and lipid peroxidation as well as oxidative damage to DNA. Mitochondrial fragmentation, multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions, and dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential were also observed. The mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death were suppressed using NAC. These results indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the main causes of high-dialysate-glucose-induced HPMC apoptosis.
Identification and Validation of Expressed Sequence Tags from Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajanL.) Root
Authors: Kumar Ravi Ranjan , Yadav Shailesh , Joshi Shourabh , Bhandare Prithviraj P. , Patil Vinod Kumar , Kulkarni Pramod B. , Sonkawade Swati , Naik G. R.
Published: May 2014

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan(L) Millsp.) is an important food legume crop of rain fed agriculture in the arid and semiarid tropics of the world. It has deep and extensive root system which serves a number of important physiological and metabolic functions in plant development and growth. In order to identify genes associated with pigeonpea root, ESTs were generated from the root tissues of pigeonpea (GRG-295 genotype) by normalized cDNA library. A total of 105 high quality ESTs were generated by sequencing of 250 random clones which resulted in 72 unigenes comprising 25 contigs and 47 singlets. The ESTs were assigned to 9 functional categories on the basis of their putative function. In order to validate the possible expression of transcripts, four genes, namely,S-adenosylmethionine synthetase,phosphoglycerate kinase,serine carboxypeptidase, andmethionine aminopeptidase, were further analyzed by reverse transcriptase PCR. The possible role of the identified transcripts and their functions associated with root will also be a valuable resource for the functional genomics study in legume crop.
A Simple and Efficient Method to Isolate LTR Sequences of Plant Retrotransposon
Authors: Guo Da-Long , Hou Xiao-Gai , Zhang Xi
Published: May 2014

Retrotransposons (RTNs) have important roles in the formation of plant genome size, structure, and evolution. Ubiquitous distributions, abundant copy numbers, high heterogeneities, and insertional polymorphisms of RTNs have made them as excellent sources for molecular markers development. However, the wide application of RTNs-based molecular markers is restricted by the scarcity of the LTR (long terminal repeat) sequences information. A new, simple, and efficient method to isolate LTR sequences of RTNs was presented based on the degenerate RNase H nested primers and PPT (polypurine tract) primer of RTNs in tree peony. This method combined the characteristics and advantages of high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR), annealing control primer (ACP) system, and suppression PCR method. Nineteen LTR sequences were isolated using this new method in tree peony and the applicability of the LTR sequences based markers was validated by further SSAP analysis. The results showed that the new method is simple, of low-cost, and highly efficient, which is just conducted by three rounds of PCR and does not need any restriction enzymes and adapters, much less the hybridizations. This new method is rapid, economical, and cost- and time-saving, which could be easily used to isolate LTR sequences of RTNs.
Does the Addition of Tramadol and Ketamine to Ropivacaine Prolong the Axillary Brachial Plexus Block?
Authors: Senel Ahmet Can , Ukinc Ozlem , Timurkaynak Alper
Published: May 2014

Background and Objectives. A prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial to assess the effect of tramadol and ketamine, 50 mg, added to ropivacaine in brachial plexus anesthesia.Methods. Thirty-six ASA physical statuses I and II patients, between 18 and 60 years of age, scheduled for forearm and hand surgery under axillary brachial plexus block, were allocated to 3 groups. Group R received 0.375% ropivacaine in 40 mL, group RT received 0.375% ropivacaine in 40 mL with 50 mg tramadol, and group RK received 0.375% ropivacaine in 40 mL with 50 mg ketamine for axillary brachial plexus block. The onset times and the duration of sensory and motor blocks, duration of analgesia, hemodynamic parameters, and adverse events (nausea, vomiting, and feeling uncomfortable) were recorded.Results. The onset time of sensorial block was the fastest in ropivacaine + tramadol group. Duration of sensorial and motor block was the shortest in the ropivacaine + tramadol group. Duration of analgesia was significantly longer in ropivacaine + tramadol group.Conclusion. We conclude that when added to brachial plexus analgesia at a dose of 50 mg, tramadol extends the onset and duration time of the block and improves the quality of postoperative analgesia without any side effects.
Habitual Coffee Consumption Enhances Attention and Vigilance in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Nikić Petar M. , Andrić Branislav R. , Stojimirović Biljana B. , Trbojevic-Stanković Jasna , Bukumirić Zoran
Published: May 2014

Objective.Coffee drinking is the main source of caffeine intake among adult population in the western world. It has been reported that low to moderate caffeine intake has beneficial effect on alertness and cognitive functions in healthy subjects. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of habitual coffee consumption on cognitive function in hemodialysis patients.Methods.In a cross-sectional study, 86 patients from a single-dialysis centre underwent assessment by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment tool and evaluation for symptoms of fatigue, mood, and sleep disorders by well-validated questionnaires. The habitual coffee use and the average daily caffeine intake were estimated by participants’ response to a dietary questionnaire.Results.Sixty-seven subjects (78%) consumed black coffee daily, mostly in low to moderate dose. Cognitive impairment was found in three-quarters of tested patients. Normal mental performance was more often in habitual coffee users (25% versus 16%). Regular coffee drinkers achieved higher mean scores on all tested cognitive domains, but a significant positive correlation was found only for items that measure attention and concentration (P=0.024).Conclusions.Moderate caffeine intake by habitual coffee consumption could have beneficial impact on cognitive function in hemodialysis patients due to selective enhancement of attention and vigilance.
Root Canal Morphology of Permanent Maxillary and Mandibular Canines in Indian Population Using Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Somalinga Amardeep Nikhita , Raghu Sandhya , Natanasabapathy Velmurugan
Published: May 2014

Aim. To investigate the root canal anatomy of single-rooted permanent maxillary and mandibular canines in an Indian population using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). Methodology. A total of 250 permanent maxillary canines and 250 permanent mandibular canines were selected and scanned using CBCT. The root anatomy of each tooth was evaluated for the following parameters: the pattern of the root canals, anatomic length of the crown and the root, the presence of accessory canals, the shape of the access cavity, the position of the apical foramina, root diameter, and dentin thickness of the root. Results. Majority of the teeth had a Type I canal configuration in both maxillary canines (81.6%) and mandibular canines (79.6%). In maxillary canine the other canal patterns found were Type III (11.6%), Type II (2.8%), Type V (2%), Type XIX (1.2%), and Type IV (0.8%). In mandibular canines the various other canal patterns found were Type III (13.6%), Type II (3.2%), Type V (2%), and Type XIX (1.6%). Apical foramina were laterally positioned in the majority of the teeth, 70.4% and 65.6% in maxillary and mandibular canines, respectively. 12% of the maxillary canines and 12.8% of the mandibular canines had accessory canals. Conclusion. The root canal anatomy of permanent maxillary and mandibular canines varied widely in an Indian population.
On a Fractional SPDE Driven by Fractional Noise and a Pure Jump Lévy Noise inℝd
Authors: Sun Xichao , Wang Zhi , Cui Jing
Published: May 2014

We study a stochastic partial differential equation in the whole spacex∈ℝd, with arbitrary dimensiond≥1, driven by fractional noise and a pure jump Lévy space-time white noise. Our equation involves a fractional derivative operator. Under some suitable assumptions, we establish the existence and uniqueness of the global mild solution via fixed point principle.
The Effect of Autologous Activated Platelet Rich Plasma (AA-PRP) Injection on Pattern Hair Loss: Clinical and Histomorphometric Evaluation
Authors: Cervelli V. , Garcovich S. , Bielli A. , Cervelli G. , Curcio B. C. , Scioli M. G. , Orlandi A. , Gentile P.
Published: May 2014

To investigate the safety and clinical efficacy of AA-PRP injections for pattern hair loss. AA-PRP, prepared from a small volume of blood, was injected on half of the selected patients’ scalps with pattern hair loss. The other half was treated with placebo. Three treatments were given for each patient, with intervals of 1 month. The endpoints were hair re-growth, hair dystrophy as measured by dermoscopy, burning or itching sensation, and cell proliferation as measured by Ki-67 evaluation. At the end of the 3 cycles of treatment, the patients presented clinical improvement in the mean number of hairs, with a mean increase of 18.0 hairs in the target area, and a mean increase in total hair density of 27.7 ( number of hairs/cm2) compared with baseline values. Microscopic evaluation showed the increase of epidermis thickness and of the number of hair follicles two weeks after the last AA-PRP treatment compared to baseline value (P<0.05). We also observed an increase of Ki67+keratinocytes of epidermis and of hair follicular bulge cells and a slight increase of small blood vessels around hair follicles in the treated skin compared to baseline (P<0.05).
Metachronous Bilateral Granulocytic Sarcoma of the Testis in a Young Adult: A Report of an Unusual Entity
Authors: Hızlı Fatih , Aksüt Hakan , Mengeloğlu Aslı , Sarı İbrahim , Güven Eşref Oğuz , Başar Halil
Published: May 2014

Granulocytic sarcomas are rare tumors composed of neoplastic blood cells, typically occurring during the course of acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia or before its onset. We present a case of a 23-year-old young adult man with metachronous granulocytic sarcoma of the testis without hematologic manifestations who was diagnosed with granulocytic sarcoma (GS). The patient was treated with right orchiectomy but relapsed with a left testicular mass 16 months later when a left orchiectomy was performed. The patient has been free of disease for 13 months following the left orchiectomy. This case highlights a rare hematologic cancer that urologists and pathologists should be aware of since it can present as a testicular mass. Only 3 cases of testicular GS without an associated hematologic disorder have been described. To the best of our knowledge, our patient is the first reported case in the English literature of metachronous GS of the testis with no evidence of hematologic disorder.
Interpolation of Gentle Spaces
Authors: Ben Slimane Mourad , Ben Braiek Hnia
Published: May 2014

The notion of gentle spaces, introduced by Jaffard, describes what would be an “ideal” function space to work with wavelet coefficients. It is based mainly on the separability, the existence of bases, the homogeneity, and theγ-stability. We prove that real and complex interpolation spaces between two gentle spaces are also gentle. This shows the relevance and the stability of this notion. We deduce that Lorentz spacesLp,qandHp,qspaces are gentle. Further, an application to nonlinear approximation is presented.
MDCT of Small Bowel Obstruction: How Reliable Are Oblique Reformatted Images in Localizing Point of Transition?
Authors: Memon Wasim , Khattak Yasir Jamil , Alam Tariq , Sconfienza Luca Maria , Awais Muhammad , Anwar Shayan Sirat Maheen
Published: May 2014

The goal of this study is to prospectively assess the additional value of oblique reformatted images for localizing POT, having surgery as a reference standard.Materials and Methods. 102 consecutive patients with suspected small bowel obstruction (SBO) underwent 64-slice multidetector row CT (MDCT) using surgical findings as reference standard. Two independent GI radiologists reviewed the CT scans to localize the exact POT by evaluating axial images (data set A) followed by axial, coronal, and oblique MPR images. CT findings were compared to surgical findings in terms of diagnostic performance. McNemar’s test was used to detect any statistical difference in POT evaluation between datasets A and B. Kappa statistics were applied for measuring agreement between two readers.Results. There was a diagnostic improvement of 9.9% in the case of the less experienced radiologist in localizing POT by using oblique reformatted images. The more experienced radiologist showed diagnostic improvement by 12.9%.
Hip Reconstruction Osteotomy by Ilizarov Method as a Salvage Option for Abnormal Hip Joints
Authors: Umer Masood , Rashid Haroon , Umer Hafiz Muhammad , Raza Hasnain
Published: May 2014

Hip joint instability can be secondary to congenital hip pathologies like developmental dysplasia (DDH) or acquired such as sequel of infective or neoplastic process. An unstable hip is usually associated with loss of bone from the proximal femur, proximal migration of the femur, lower-extremity length discrepancy, abnormal gait, and pain. In this case series of 37 patients coming to our institution between May 2005 and December 2011, we report our results in treatment of unstable hip joint by hip reconstruction osteotomy using the Ilizarov method and apparatus. This includes an acute valgus and extension osteotomy of the proximal femur combined with gradual varus and distraction (if required) for realignment and lengthening at a second, more distal, femoral osteotomy. 18 males and 19 females participated in the study. There were 17 patients with DDH, 12 with sequelae of septic arthritis, 2 with tuberculous arthritis, 4 with posttraumatic arthritis, and 2 with focal proximal femoral deficiency. Outcomes were evaluated by using Harris Hip Scoring system. At the mean follow-up of 37 months, Harris Hip Score had significantly improved in all patients. To conclude, illizarov hip reconstruction can successfully improve Trendelenburg’s gait. It supports the pelvis and simultaneously restores knee alignment and corrects lower-extremity length discrepancy (LLD).
Atypical EnteropathogenicEscherichia coliStrains form Biofilm on Abiotic Surfaces Regardless of Their Adherence Pattern on Cultured Epithelial Cells
Authors: Culler Hebert F. , Mota Cristiane M. , Abe Cecilia M. , Elias Waldir P. , Sircili Marcelo P. , Franzolin Marcia R.
Published: May 2014

The aim of this study was to determine the capacity of biofilm formation of atypical enteropathogenicEscherichia coli(aEPEC) strains on abiotic and biotic surfaces. Ninety-one aEPEC strains, isolated from feces of children with diarrhea, were analyzed by the crystal violet (CV) assay on an abiotic surface after 24 h of incubation. aEPEC strains representing each HEp-2 cell type of adherence were analyzed after 24 h and 6, 12, and 18 days of incubation at 37°C on abiotic and cell surfaces by CFU/cm2counting and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces occurred in 55 (60.4%) of the aEPEC strains. There was no significant difference in biofilm biomass formation on an abiotic versus prefixed cell surface. The biofilms could be visualized by CLSM at various developmental stages. aEPEC strains are able to form biofilm on an abiotic surface with no association with their adherence pattern on HEp-2 cells with the exception of the strains expressing UND (undetermined adherence). This study revealed the capacity of adhesion and biofilm formation by aEPEC strains on abiotic and biotic surfaces, possibly playing a role in pathogenesis, mainly in cases of persistent diarrhea.
Construction and Characterization of a Bacterial Artificial Chromosome Library for the Hexaploid Wheat Line 92R137
Authors: Zeng Qingdong , Yuan Fengping , Xu Xin , Shi Xue , Nie Xiaojun , Zhuang Hua , Chen Xianming , Wang Zhonghua , Wang Xiaojie , Huang Lili , Han Dejun , Kang Zhensheng
Published: May 2014

For map-based cloning of genes conferring important traits in the hexaploid wheat line 92R137, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library, including two sublibraries, was constructed using the genomic DNA of 92R137 digested with restriction enzymesHindIII andBamHI. The BAC library was composed of total 765,696 clones, of which 390,144 were from theHindIII digestion and 375,552 from theBamHI digestion. Through pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of 453 clones randomly selected from theHindIII sublibrary and 573 clones from theBamHI sublibrary, the average insert sizes were estimated as 129 and 113 kb, respectively. Thus, theHindIII sublibrary was estimated to have a 3.01-fold coverage and theBamHI sublibrary a 2.53-fold coverage based on the estimated hexaploid wheat genome size of 16,700 Mb. The 765,696 clones were arrayed in 1,994 384-well plates. All clones were also arranged into plate pools and further arranged into 5-dimensional (5D) pools. The probability of identifying a clone corresponding to any wheat DNA sequence (such as geneYr26for stripe rust resistance) from the library was estimated to be more than 99.6%. Through polymerase chain reaction screening the 5D pools withXwe173, a marker tightly linked toYr26, six BAC clones were successfully obtained. These results demonstrate that the BAC library is a valuable genomic resource for positional cloning ofYr26and other genes of interest.
The Uniqueness of Solution for a Class of Fractional Order Nonlinear Systems withp-Laplacian Operator
Authors: He Jun-qi , Song Xue-li
Published: May 2014

We are concerned with the uniqueness of solutions for a class ofp-Laplacian fractional order nonlinear systems with nonlocal boundary conditions. Based on some properties of thep-Laplacian operator, the criterion of uniqueness for solutions is established.
Asymptotically Almost Periodic Solutions for a Class of Stochastic Functional Differential Equations
Authors: Liu Aimin , Liu Yongjian , Liu Qun
Published: May 2014

This work is concerned with the quadratic-mean asymptotically almost periodic mild solutions for a class of stochastic functional differential equationsdxt=Atxt+Ft,xt,xtdt+H(t,xt,xt)∘dW(t). A new criterion ensuring the existence and uniqueness of the quadratic-mean asymptotically almost periodic mild solutions for the system is presented. The condition of being uniformly exponentially stable of the strongly continuous semigroup{Tt}t≥0is essentially removed, which is generated by the linear densely defined operatorA∶D(A)⊂L2(ℙ,ℍ)→L2(ℙ,ℍ), only using the exponential trichotomy of the system, which reflects a deeper analysis of the behavior of solutions of the system. In this case the asymptotic behavior is described through the splitting of the main space into stable, unstable, and central subspaces at each point from the flow’s domain. An example is also given to illustrate our results.
Advances in Study of Poincaré Inequalities and Related Operators
Authors: Xing Yuming , Ding Shusen
Published: May 2014

We will present an up-to-date account of the recent advances made in the study of Poincaré inequalities for differential forms and related operators.