bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the performance of commonly used DFT functionals in studying the chemistry of frustrated Lewis pairs
Authors: Huang Fang , Jiang Jinliang , Wen Mingwei , Wang Zhi-Xiang
Published: September 2013

The benchmark study has assessed the performance of 18 density functional theory (DFT) functionals, including GGAs, hybrid-GGAs, meta-GGAs, and hybrid meta-GGAs, in predicting bonding strength, barrier height and structure for systems involving Lewis acids and bases. Three databases were built for the study, including 15 bonding enthalpies of dative bonds (DBH15), 10 reaction barriers (BH10) and 10 X-ray structures (XCS10). Wavefunction-based ab initio calculations were also carried out for comparisons. The benchmark data were computed at the CCSD(T)/BSI//MP2/BSI(BSI=aug-cc-pVTZ) level. The 6-311++G(d,p)(BSII) and 6-31G(d,p)(BSIII) basis sets were employed in DFT calculations. Generally, M06-2X/BSII and M05-2X/BSII outperform the other tested DFT methods. M05-2X/BSIII and M06-2X/BSIII are less accurate than M05-2X/BSII and M06-2X/BSII (or M05-2X/BSII//M05-2X/BSIII and M06-2X/BSII//M06-2X/BSIII), suggesting that large basis sets (e.g. BSII) are necessary to improve energetics. SCS-MP2 is less accurate than MP2, consistently overestimating bonding enthalpies and reaction barriers. Moreover, six DFT functionals (M05-2X, M06-2X, B3LYP, ωB97X-D, BMK and B97-D) were examined by comparing with the experimental bonding enthalpies of eighteen donor–acceptor complexes, which indicate that M05-2X and M06-2X are still better than others. Nevertheless, M05-2X and M06-2X significantly overestimate or underestimate the bonding enthalpies of F-substituted complexes, implying the necessity of improving the two functionals for describing fluorides. Using the six basis sets (BSI, cc-pVTZ, aug-cc-pVDZ, cc-pVDZ, TZVP and BSII) and DBH15 and BH10 databases, the influence of the basis sets on the performance of M06-2X functional was examined, which reveals that BSII is the most suitable basis set for the functional.
Syntheses and photodynamic properties of glucopyranoside-conjugated indium(III) porphyrins as a bifunctional agent
Authors: Nakai Misaki , Maeda Tomohiro , Mashima Tsuyoshi , Yano Shigenobu , Sakuma Shiho , Otake Eriko , Morita Akimichi , Nakabayashi Yasuo
Published: September 2013

The glucopyranoside-conjugated porphyrins, H 2 TPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - OAcGlc } (1), [ InTPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - OAcGlc }] NO 3 (2), H 2 TPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - Glc } (3), [ InTPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - Glc ]- NO 3 (4) and ZnTPP {p- O -( CH 2)2- O - OAcGlc } (5) were synthesized, and characterized by 1 H NMR, 13 C NMR, ESI-MS, UV-vis spectroscopies and elemental analyses. In the 1 H NMR spectrum of 2, two sets of signals were observed for H -atoms of the phenyl group of porphyrin, indicating that 2 has the axial chirality due to a NO 3 ion coordinating to the indium atom. Abilities of the singlet oxygen production of these porphyrins, investigated by using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) as a quencher, were higher than those of the free-based and zinc porphyrins, reflecting the heavy atom effect. The photodynamic properties of these porphyrin derivatives were investigated against COLO 679. All of the glucopyranoside-conjugated porphyrins exhibited the high photocytotoxicity compared with Laserphyrin®. Above all, 4 exhibited the highest photocytotoxicity, coinciding with the high abilities of this complex for the singlet oxygen production and the cell permeability.
AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT OF EPIDERMAL THICKNESS AND VASCULAR DENSITY OF PORT WINE STAINS OCT IMAGE
Authors: WANG CHENGMING , HUO TIANCHENG , ZHENG JING-GAO , ZHANG NING , CHEN TIANYUAN , LIAO WENCHAO , WANG YING , GU YING , XUE PING
Published: September 2013

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) enables in vivo imaging of port wine stains (PWS) lesions. The knowledge of vascular structure and epidermal thickness (ET) of PWS may aid the objective diagnosis and optimal treatment. To obtain the structural parameters more rapidly and avoid user intervention, an automated algorithm of energy map is introduced based on intensity and edge information to extract the skin surface using dynamic programming method. Subsequently, an averaged A-scan analysis is performed to obtain the mean ET and the relative intensity of dermis indicating the corresponding vascular density. This approach is currently successfully applied in clinical diagnosis and shows promising guidance and assessment of PDT treatment.
Extending the Serum Half-Life of G-CSF via Fusion with the Domain III of Human Serum Albumin
Authors: Zhao Shuqiang , Zhang Yu , Tian Hong , Chen Xiaofei , Cai Di , Yao Wenbing , Gao Xiangdong
Published: September 2013

Protein fusion technology is one of the most commonly used methods to extend the half-life of therapeutic proteins. In this study, in order to prolong the half-life of Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), the domain III of human serum albumin (3DHSA) was genetically fused to the N-terminal of G-CSF. The 3DHSA-G-CSF fusion gene was cloned intopPICZαA along with the open reading frame of theα-factor signal under the control of the AOX1 promoter. The recombinant expression vector was transformed intoPichia pastoris GS115, and the recombinant strains were screened by SDS-PAGE. As expected, the 3DHSA-G-CSF showed high binding affinity with HSA antibody and G-CSF antibody, and the natural N-terminal of 3DHSA was detected by N-terminal sequencing. The bioactivity and pharmacokinetic studies of 3DHSA-G-CSF were respectively determined using neutropenia model mice and human G-CSF ELISA kit. The results demonstrated that 3DHSA-G-CSF has the ability to increase the peripheral white blood cell (WBC) counts of neutropenia model mice, and the half-life of 3DHSA-G-CSF is longer than that of native G-CSF. In conclusion, 3DHSA can be used to extend the half-life of G-CSF.
On Supra-Additive and Supra-Multiplicative Maps
Authors: Chen Jin Xi , Chen Zi Li
Published: September 2013

LetAandBbe ordered algebras overℝ, whereAhas a generating positive cone andBsatisfies the property thatb2>0if0≠b∈B. We give some conditions for a mapT:A→Bwhich is supra-additive and supra-multiplicative for all positive and negative elements to be linear and multiplicative; that is,Tis a homomorphism of algebras. Our results generalize some known results on supra-additive and supra-multiplicative maps between spaces of real functions.
An MR Brain Images Classifier System via Particle Swarm Optimization and Kernel Support Vector Machine
Authors: Zhang Yudong , Wang Shuihua , Ji Genlin , Dong Zhengchao
Published: September 2013

Automated abnormal brain detection is extremely of importance for clinical diagnosis. Over last decades numerous methods had been presented. In this paper, we proposed a novel hybrid system to classify a given MR brain image as either normal or abnormal. The proposed method first employed digital wavelet transform to extract features then used principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce the feature space. Afterwards, we constructed a kernel support vector machine (KSVM) with RBF kernel, using particle swarm optimization (PSO) to optimize the parameters C and σ. Fivefold cross‐validation was utilized to avoid overfitting. In the experimental procedure, we created a 90 images dataset brain downloaded from Harvard Medical School website. The abnormal brain MR images consist of the following diseases: glioma, metastatic adenocarcinoma, metastatic bronchogenic carcinoma, meningioma, sarcoma, Alzheimer, Huntington, motor neuron disease, cerebral calcinosis, Pick’s disease, Alzheimer plus visual agnosia, multiple sclerosis, AIDS dementia, Lyme encephalopathy, herpes encephalitis, Creutzfeld‐Jakob disease, and cerebral toxoplasmosis. The 5‐folded cross‐validation classification results showed that our method achieved 97.78% classification accuracy, higher than 86.22% by BP‐NN and 91.33% by RBF‐NN. For the parameter selection, we compared PSO with those of random selection method. The results showed that the PSO is more effective to build optimal KSVM.
International Heart Valve Bank Survey: A Review of Processing Practices and Activity Outcomes
Authors: Heng Wee Ling , Albrecht Helmi , Chiappini Paul , Lim Yeong Phang , Manning Linda
Published: September 2013

A survey of 24 international heart valve banks was conducted to acquire information on heart valve processing techniques used and outcomes achieved. The objective was to provide an overview of heart valve banking activities for tissue bankers, tissue banking associations, and regulatory bodies worldwide. Despite similarities found for basic manufacturing processes, distinct differences in procedural details were also identified. The similarities included (1) use of sterile culture media for procedures, (2) antibiotic decontamination, (3) use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a cryoprotectant, (4) controlled rate freezing for cryopreservation, and (5) storage at ultralow temperatures of below −135°C. Differences in procedures included (1) type of sterile media used, (2) antibiotics combination, (3) temperature and duration used for bioburden reduction, (4) concentration of DMSO used for cryopreservation, and (5) storage duration for released allografts. For most banks, the primary reasons why allografts failed to meet release criteria were positive microbiological culture and abnormal morphology. On average, 85% of allografts meeting release criteria were implanted, with valve size and type being the main reasons why released allografts were not used clinically. The wide variation in percentage of allografts meeting release requirements, despite undergoing validated manufacturing procedures, justifies the need for regular review of important outcomes as cited in this paper, in order to encourage comparison and improvements in the HVBs’ processes.
Inflammatory Responses to Salmonella Infections Are Serotype-Specific
Authors: Ktsoyan Zhanna , Ghazaryan Karine , Manukyan Gayane , Martirosyan Anush , Mnatsakanyan Armine , Arakelova Karine , Gevorgyan Zaruhi , Sedrakyan Anahit , Asoyan Ara , Boyajyan Anna , Aminov Rustam
Published: September 2013

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the profile of inflammatory response in patients with acute salmonellosis caused by two serotypes of Salmonella enterica, S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium, as well as in convalescent patients with previous acute disease caused by S. Enteritidis. Patients with acute disease showed significantly elevated levels of IL-1β, IL-17, IL-10, and calprotectin compared to healthy control subjects. In convalescent patients, these markers were also significantly elevated, with the exception of IL-1β. Multivariate statistical analyses with the use of these variables produced models with a good predictive accuracy resulting in excellent separation of the diseased and healthy cohorts studied. Overall, the results suggest that the profile of inflammatory response in this disease is determined, to a significant degree, by the serotype of Salmonella, and the profile of certain cytokines and calprotectin remains abnormal for a number of months following the acute disease stage.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Testing of the Brazilian Version of the Self-Care of Heart Failure Index Version 6.2
Authors: Ávila Christiane Wahast , Riegel Barbara , Pokorski Simoni Chiarelli , Camey Suzi , Silveira Luana Claudia Jacoby , Rabelo-Silva Eneida Rejane
Published: September 2013

Objective. To adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the SCHFI v 6.2.Methods. With the approval of the original author, we conducted a complete cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument (translation, synthesis, back translation, synthesis of back translation, expert committee review, and pretesting). The adapted version was namedBrazilian version of the self-care of heart failure index v 6.2. The psychometric properties assessed were face validity and content validity (by expert committee review), construct validity (convergent validity and confirmatory factor analysis), and reliability.Results. Face validity and content validity were indicative of semantic, idiomatic, experimental, and conceptual equivalence. Convergent validity was demonstrated by a significant though moderate correlation (r=−0.51) on comparison with equivalent question scores of the previously validated Brazilian European heart failure self-care behavior scale. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the original three-factor model as having the best fit, although similar results were obtained for inadequate fit indices. The reliability of the instrument, as expressed by Cronbach’s alpha, was 0.40, 0.82, and 0.93 for the self-care maintenance, self-care management, and self-care confidence scales, respectively.Conclusion. The SCHFI v 6.2 was successfully adapted for use in Brazil. Nevertheless, further studies should be carried out to improve its psychometric properties.
Cdc48: A Swiss Army Knife of Cell Biology
Authors: Baek Guem Hee , Cheng Haili , Choe Vitnary , Bao Xin , Shao Jia , Luo Shiwen , Rao Hai
Published: September 2013

Cdc48 (also called VCP and p97) is an abundant protein that plays essential regulatory functions in a broad array of cellular processes. Working with various cofactors, Cdc48 utilizes its ATPase activity to promote the assembly and disassembly of protein complexes. Here, we review key biological functions and regulation of Cdc48 in ubiquitin-related events. Given the broad employment of Cdc48 in cell biology and its intimate ties to human diseases (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), studies of Cdc48 will bring significant insights into the mechanism and function of ubiquitin in health and diseases.
Total Economic Value of Wetlands Products and Services in Uganda
Authors: Kakuru Willy , Turyahabwe Nelson , Mugisha Johnny
Published: September 2013

Wetlands provide food and non‐food products that contribute to income and food security in Uganda. This study determined the economic value of wetland resources and their contribution to food security in the three agroecological zones of Uganda. The values of wetland resources were estimated using primary and secondary data. Market price, Productivity, and Contingent valuation methods were used to estimate the value of wetland resources. The per capita value of fish was approximately US$ 0.49 person−1. Fish spawning was valued at approximately US$ 363,815 year−1, livestock pastures at US$ 4.24 million, domestic water use at US$ 34 million year−1, and the gross annual value added by wetlands to milk production at US$ 1.22 million. Flood control was valued at approximately US$ 1,702,934,880 hectare−1 year−1 and water regulation and recharge at US$ 7,056,360 hectare−1 year−1. Through provision of grass for mulching, wetlands were estimated to contribute to US$ 8.65 million annually. The annual contribution of non‐use values was estimated in the range of US$ 7.1 million for water recharge and regulation and to US$ 1.7 billion for flood control. Thus, resource investment for wetlands conservation is economically justified to create incentives for continued benefits.
Influence of Plant Population and Nitrogen‐Fertilizer at Various Levels on Growth and Growth Efficiency of Maize
Authors: Tajul M. I. , Alam M. M. , Hossain S. M. M. , Naher K. , Rafii M. Y. , Latif M. A.
Published: September 2013

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate plant population and N‐fertilizer effects on yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.). Three levels of plant populations (53000, 66000, and 800000 plants ha−1 corresponding to spacings of 75 × 25, 60 × 25, and 50 × 25 cm) and 4 doses of N (100, 140, 180, and 220 kg ha−1) were the treatment variables. Results revealed that plant growth, light interception (LI), yield attributes, and grain yield varied significantly due to the variations in population density and N‐rates. Crop growth rate (CGR) was the highest with the population of 80,000 ha−1 receiving 220 kg N ha−1, while relative growth rate (RGR) showed an opposite trend of CGR. Light absorption was maximum when most of densely populated plant received the highest amount of N (220 kg N ha−1). Response of soil‐plant‐analysis development (SPAD) value as well as N‐content to N‐rates was found significant. Plant height was the maximum at the lowest plant density with the highest amount of N. Plants that received 180 kg N ha−1 with 80,000 plants ha−1 had larger foliage, greater SPAD value, and higher amount of grains cob−1 that contributed to the maximum yield (5.03 t ha−1) and the maximum harvest index (HI) compared to the plants in other treatments.
Moxibustion for the Correction of Nonvertex Presentation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Zhang Qin-hong , Yue Jin-huan , Liu Ming , Sun Zhong-ren , Sun Qi , Han Chao , Wang Di
Published: September 2013

Objectives. This study aims to assess the effectiveness and safety of moxibustion for the correction of nonvertex presentation.Methods. Records without language restrictions were searched up to February 2013 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing moxibustion with other therapies in women with a singleton nonvertex presentation. Cochrane risk of bias criteria were used to assess the methodological quality of the trials.Results. Seven of 392 potentially relevant studies met the inclusion criteria. When moxibustion was compared with other interventions, a meta-analysis revealed a significant difference in favor of moxibustion on the correction of nonvertex presentation at delivery (risk ratio (RR) 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12 to 1.49, andI2=0). The same findings applied to the cephalic presentation after cessation of treatment (RR 1.36, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.71, andI2=80%). A subgroup analysis that excluded two trials with a high risk of bias also indicated favorable effects (RR 1.63, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.86, andI2=0%). With respect to safety, moxibustion resulted in decreased use of oxytocin.Conclusion. Our systematic review and meta-analysis suggested that moxibustion may be an effective treatment for the correction of nonvertex presentation. Moreover, moxibustion might reduce the need for oxytocin.
Dependence of Plasmonic Properties of Silver Island Films on Nanoparticle Size and Substrate Coverage
Authors: Sreenivasan M. G. , Malik Shweta , Thigulla Srikanth , Mehta Bodh Raj
Published: September 2013

Localized surface plasmon resonance displayed by metal nanoparticles has been studied in silver island films prepared by the simple technique of vacuum evaporation, which is one of the options that is easily adaptable for large area and low cost applications. Silver island films with varying island sizes and areal coverages are prepared by depositing silver films with varying thicknesses followed by annealing. The optical properties of the samples have been explained in terms of dependence of scattering and absorption on the metal island size, interparticle interaction and matrix effects, and the wavelength range over which the plasmonic effects are present.
Systemic siRNA Delivery via Peptide-Tagged Polymeric Nanoparticles, Targeting PLK1 Gene in a Mouse Xenograft Model of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Malhotra Meenakshi , Tomaro-Duchesneau Catherine , Saha Shyamali , Prakash Satya
Published: September 2013

Polymeric nanoparticles were developed from a series of chemical reactions using chitosan, polyethylene glycol, and a cell-targeting peptide (CP15). The nanoparticles were complexed with PLK1-siRNA. The optimal siRNA loading was achieved at an N : P ratio of 129.2 yielding a nanoparticle size of >200 nm. These nanoparticles were delivered intraperitoneally and tested for efficient delivery, cytotoxicity, and biodistribution in a mouse xenograft model of colorectal cancer. Both unmodified and modified chitosan nanoparticles showed enhanced accumulation at the tumor site. However, the modified chitosan nanoparticles showed considerably, less distribution in other organs. The relative gene expression as evaluated showed efficient delivery of PLK1-siRNA (0.5 mg/kg) with50.7±19.5% knockdown (P=0.031) of PLK1 gene. Thein vivodata reveals no systemic toxicity in the animals, when tested for systemic inflammation and liver toxicity. These results indicate a potential of using peptide-tagged nanoparticles for systemic delivery of siRNA at the targeted tumor site.
Nonlinear Control of a Satellite Electrical Power System Based on the Sliding Mode Control
Authors: Mojallizadeh Mohammad Rasool , Karimi Bahram
Published: September 2013

The power electronic interface between a satellite electrical power system (EPS) with a photovoltaic main source and battery storage as the secondary power source is modelled based on the state space averaging method. Subsequently, sliding mode controller is designed for maximum power point tracking of the PV array and load voltage regulation. Asymptotic stability is ensured as well. Simulation of the EPS is accomplished using MATLAB. The results show that the outputs of the EPS have good tracking response, low overshoot, short settling time, and zero steady-state error. The proposed controller is robust to environment changes and load variations. Afterwards, passivity based controller is provided to compare the results with those of sliding mode controller responses. This comparison demonstrates that the proposed system has better transient response, and unlike passivity based controller, the proposed controller does not require reference PV current for control law synthesis.
Improved SpikeProp for Using Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Ahmed Falah Y. H. , Shamsuddin Siti Mariyam , Hashim Siti Zaiton Mohd
Published: September 2013

A spiking neurons network encodes information in the timing of individual spike times. A novel supervised learning rule for SpikeProp is derived to overcome the discontinuities introduced by the spiking thresholding. This algorithm is based on an error-backpropagation learning rule suited for supervised learning of spiking neurons that use exact spike time coding. The SpikeProp is able to demonstrate the spiking neurons that can perform complex nonlinear classification in fast temporal coding. This study proposes enhancements of SpikeProp learning algorithm for supervised training of spiking networks which can deal with complex patterns. The proposed methods include the SpikeProp particle swarm optimization (PSO) and angle driven dependency learning rate. These methods are presented to SpikeProp network for multilayer learning enhancement and weights optimization. Input and output patterns are encoded as spike trains of precisely timed spikes, and the network learns to transform the input trains into target output trains. With these enhancements, our proposed methods outperformed other conventional neural network architectures.
Hydrogen‐Rich Gas Production by Cogasification of Coal and Biomass in an Intermittent Fluidized Bed
Authors: Wang Li-Qun , Chen Zhao-Sheng
Published: September 2013

This paper presents the experimental results of cogasification of coal and biomass in an intermittent fluidized bed reactor, aiming to investigate the influences of operation parameters such as gasification temperature (T), steam to biomass mass ratio (SBMR), and biomass to coal mass ratio (BCMR) on hydrogen‐rich (H2‐rich) gas production. The results show that H2‐rich gas free of N2 dilution is produced and the H2 yield is in the range of 18.25~68.13 g/kg. The increases of T, SBMR, and BCMR are all favorable for promoting the H2 production. Higher temperature contributes to higher CO and H2 contents, as well as H2 yield. The BCMR has a weak influence on gas composition, but the yield and content of H2 increase with BCMR, reaching a peak at the BCMR of 4. The H2 content and yield in the product gas increase with SBMR, whilst the content of CO increases first and then decreases correspondingly. At a typical case, the relative linear sensitivity coefficients of H2 production efficiency to T, SBMR, and BCMR were calculated. The results reveal that the order of the influence of the operation parameters on H2 production efficiency is T > SBMR > BCMR.
Analysis of Temporal Relationships between Eye Gaze and Peripheral Vehicle Behavior for Detecting Driver Distraction
Authors: Hirayama Takatsugu , Mase Kenji , Takeda Kazuya
Published: September 2013

A car driver’s cognitive distraction is a main factor behind car accidents. One’s state of mind is subconsciously exposed as
a reaction reflecting it by external stimuli. A visual event that occurs in front of the driver when a peripheral vehicle overtakes
the driver’s vehicle is regarded as the external stimulus. We focus on temporal relationships between the driver’s eye gaze
and the peripheral vehicle behavior. The analysis result showed that the temporal relationships depend on the driver’s state.
In particular we confirmed that the timing of the gaze toward the stimulus under the distracted state induced by a music retrieval
task using an automatic speech recognition system is later than that under a neutral state while only driving without the secondary
cognitive task. This temporal feature can contribute to detecting the cognitive distraction automatically. A detector based on a
Bayesian framework using this feature achieves better accuracy than one based on the percentage road center method.
Controller Design of Multiinput Multioutput Time-Delay Large-Scale System
Authors: Lin Chia-Wei , Li Tzuu-Hseng S. , Chen Chung-Cheng
Published: September 2013

The paper presents a novel feedback linearization controller of nonlinear multiinput multioutput time-delay large-scale systems to obtain both the tracking and almost disturbance decoupling (ADD) performances. The significant contribution of this paper is to build up a control law such that the overall closed-loop system is stable for given initial condition and bounded tracking trajectory with the input-to-state-stability characteristic and almost disturbance decoupling performance. We have simulated the two-inverted-pendulum system coupled by a spring for networked control systems which has been used as a test bed for the study of decentralized control of large-scale systems.
Comparative Serological Assays for the Study of H5 and H7 Avian Influenza Viruses
Authors: Molesti Eleonora , Milani Adelaide , Terregino Calogero , Cattoli Giovanni , Temperton Nigel J.
Published: September 2013

The nature of influenza virus to randomly mutate and evolve into new types is an important challenge in the control of influenza infection. It is necessary to monitor virus evolution for a better understanding of the pandemic risk posed by certain variants as evidenced by the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses. This has been clearly recognized in Egypt following the notification of the first HPAI H5N1 outbreak. The continuous circulation of the virus and the mass vaccination programme undertaken in poultry have resulted in a progressive genetic evolution and a significant antigenic drift near the major antigenic sites. In order to establish if vaccination is sufficient to provide significant intra- and interclade cross-protection, lentiviral pseudotypes derived from H5N1 HPAI viruses (A/Vietnam/1194/04, A/chicken/Egypt-1709-01/2007) and an antigenic drift variant (A/chicken/Egypt-1709-06-2008) were constructed and used in pseudotype-based neutralization assays (pp-NT). pp-NT data obtained was confirmed and correlated with HI and MN assays. A panel of pseudotypes belonging to influenza Groups 1 and 2, with a combination of reporter systems, was also employed for testing avian sera in order to support further application of pp-NT as an alternative valid assay that can improve avian vaccination efficacy testing, vaccine virus selection, and the reliability of reference sera.
Simulation and Optimization of One Live Pig Low-Carbon Industry Chain Using SD-RCCM
Authors: Xu Jiuping , Yan Jie , Yao Liming
Published: September 2013

The destruction of the natural environment has been drawing more and more attention. Developing low-carbon industry chains is an effective solution to the conflict between rapid economic growth and high CO2emissions. Summarizing various traditional and new industry chain sustainable development, live pig industry was chosen as a typical industry chain to study low-carbon development using a system dynamics and random chance-constrained model (SD-RCCM). Leshan, a world natural and cultural heritage area in China, was selected as a typical city to analyze the low-carbon pig industry. Three different programs based on distribution ratios were selected to study this industry. The results showed that program 1, which considers both environmental and economic benefits, realizes sustainable development. In order to extend the pig industry chain and fully utilize pig ordure and other waste, introducing a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and household biogas exploitation program is recommended.
Mycobacterial Dormancy Regulon Protein Rv2623 as a Novel Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Latent and Active Tuberculous Meningitis
Authors: Jain Ruchika K. , Nayak Amit R. , Husain Aliabbas A. , Panchbhai Milind S. , Chandak Nitin , Purohit Hemant J. , Taori Girdhar M. , Daginawala Hatim F. , Kashyap Rajpal S.
Published: September 2013

The present study was designed to investigate Rv2623 antigen, a major dormancy regulon protein ofMycobacterium tuberculosis(MTB) in CSF of suspected latent and active tuberculous meningitis (TBM) patients. A total of 100 CSF samples from TBM (n=31), suspected latent TBM (n=22), and suitable noninfectious control subjects (n=47) were collected and evaluated for Rv2623 antigen level using ELISA protocol. A significantly high (P<0.05) mean absorbance was observed in samples of suspected latent TBM and active TBM patients as compared to non-TBM control patients. However, no significant difference in Rv2623 level was observed between suspected latent TBM and TBM patients. Our preliminary findings suggest that Rv2623 may be useful as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of the latent as well as active TBM infection. Futher evaluation of this biomarker in large number of samples is therefore needed to confirm the result.
Hospital-Acquired Infection Underlies Poor Functional Outcome in Patients with Prolonged Length of Stay
Authors: George Alexander J. , Boehme Amelia K. , Siegler James E. , Monlezun Dominique , Fowler Bethena D. , Shaban Amir , Albright Karen C. , Beasley T. Mark , Martin-Schild Sheryl
Published: September 2013

Introduction. Prolonged length of stay (pLOS) following ischemic stroke inflates cost, increases risk for hospital-acquired complications, and has been associated with worse prognosis.Methods. Acute ischemic stroke patients admitted between July 2008 and December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed for pLOS, defined as a patient stable for discharge hospitalized for an additional ≥24 hours.Results. Of 274 patients included, 106 (38.7%) had pLOS (median age 65 years, 60.6% female, 69.0% black). Patients with pLOS had higher admission NIHSS than patients without pLOS (9 versus 5,P=0.0010). A larger proportion of patients with pLOS developed an infection (P<0.0001), and after adjusting for covariates, these patients had greater odds of poor short-term functional outcome (OR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.17–4.32,P=0.0148). Adjusting for infection, the odds of patients with pLOS having poor short-term functional outcome were no longer significant (OR = 1.68, 95% CI 0.83–3.35,P=0.1443). Conclusions. The contraction of a hospital-acquired infection was a significant predictor of pLOS and a contributor of poor short-term outcome following an ischemic stroke. Whether the cause or the consequence of pLOS, hospital-acquired infections are largely preventable and a target for reducing length of stay.
Quantification of Benazepril Hydrochloride and Hydrochlorothiazide in Tablet Dosage Form by Simultaneous Equation Spectrophotometric Method
Authors: Parmar Varsha , Chhalotiya Usmangani , Shah Dimal , Bhatt Kashyap , Baldania Sunil
Published: September 2013

Simple, accurate, precise, reproducible, requiring no prior separation, and economical procedures for simultaneous estimation of benazepril hydrochloride (BEN) and Hydrochlorothiazide (HCT) in tablet dosage form have been developed. Simultaneous equation method employs for estimation of both drugs in methanol at 240 nm and 270 nm as two analytical wavelengths. BEN and HCT at their respective λmax (240 nm and 270 nm) show linearity in a concentration range of 2–12 μg/mL and 4–14 μg/mL. Recovery studies for BEN are 100.0–100.6% and 99.8–100.0% for HCT in the case of simultaneous equation method confirming the accuracy of the proposed method. The proposed method is recommended for routine analysis since it is rapid, simple, accurate and also sensitive and specific.
Availability of Tongue Diagnosis System for Assessing Tongue Coating Thickness in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia
Authors: Kim Juyeon , Son Jiyoung , Jang Seungwon , Nam Dong-Hyun , Han Gajin , Yeo Inkwon , Ko Seok-Jae , Park Jae-Woo , Ryu Bongha , Kim Jinsung
Published: September 2013

Tongue diagnosis is an important procedure in traditional Korean medicine (TKM). In particular, tongue coating thickness (TCT) is deemed to show the progression of the disease. However, conventional tongue diagnosis has limitations because of various external factors. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the availability of tongue diagnosis system (TDS) in the assessment of TCT. This study has been designed as a prospective clinical trial involving 60 patients with functional dyspepsia. Tongue images will be obtained by TDS twice with a 30 min interval. The system will measure the percentage of TCT and classify it as either no coating, thin coating, or thick coating according to the existing diagnostic criteria. After finishing the collection of 60 patients' tongue images, TCT on the images will be simultaneously evaluated by the conventional method to establish the gold standard for assessing TCT by 5 well-trained clinicians. The evaluation will be repeated by the same clinicians after 2 weeks, but the order of the images will be changed. This trial is expected to provide clinical evidence for the availability of TDS as a diagnostic tool and to contribute to the standardization of the diagnosis system used in TKM. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.govNCT01864837.
Lymphoid Progenitor Cells from Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Are Functionally Deficient and Express High Levels of the Transcriptional Repressor Gfi-1
Authors: Purizaca Jessica , Contreras-Quiroz Adriana , Dorantes-Acosta Elisa , Vadillo Eduardo , Arriaga-Pizano Lourdes , Fuentes-Figueroa Silvestre , Villagomez-Barragán Horacio , Flores-Guzmán Patricia , Alvarado-Moreno Antonio , Mayani Hector , Meza Isaura , Hernandez Rosaura , Huerta-Yepez Sara , Pelayo Rosana
Published: September 2013

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most frequent malignancy of childhood. Substantial progress on understanding the cell hierarchy within ALL bone marrow (BM) has been recorded in the last few years, suggesting that both primitive cell fractions and committed lymphoid blasts with immature stem cell-like properties contain leukemia-initiating cells. Nevertheless, the biology of the early progenitors that initiate the lymphoid program remains elusive. The aim of the present study was to investigate the ability of lymphoid progenitors from B-cell precursor ALL BM to proliferate and undergo multilineage differentiation. By phenotype analyses,in vitroproliferation assays, and controlled culture systems, the lymphoid differentiation potentials were evaluated in BM primitive populations from B-cell precursor ALL pediatric patients. When compared to their normal counterparts, functional stem and progenitor cell contents were substantially reduced in ALL BM. Moreover, neither B nor NK or dendritic lymphoid-cell populations developed recurrently from highly purified ALL-lymphoid progenitors, and their proliferation and cell cycle status revealed limited proliferative capacity. Interestingly, a number of quiescence-associated transcription factors were elevated, including the transcriptional repressor Gfi-1, which was highly expressed in primitive CD34+cells. Together, our findings reveal major functional defects in the primitive hematopoietic component of ALL BM. A possible contribution of high levels of Gfi-1 expression in the regulation of the stem/progenitor cell biology is suggested.
Stability Analysis of a Multigroup Epidemic Model with General Exposed Distribution and Nonlinear Incidence Rates
Authors: Zhang Ling , Pang Jingmei , Wang Jinliang
Published: September 2013

We investigate a class of multigroup epidemic models with general exposed distribution and nonlinear incidence rates. For a simpler case that assumes an identical natural death rate for all groups, and with a gamma distribution for exposed distribution is considered. Some sufficient conditions are obtained to ensure that the global dynamics are completely determined by the basic production numberR0. The proofs of the main results exploit the method of constructing Lyapunov functionals and a graph-theoretical technique in estimating the derivatives of Lyapunov functionals.
Investigation on the Aggregation Behaviors and Filament Morphology of Tau Protein by a Simple 90° Angle Light‐Scattering Assay
Authors: Liao Hai-Lin , Jiang Ling-Feng , Yao Tian-Ming
Published: September 2013

The in vitro aggregation of tau constructs was monitored by a simple 90° angle light‐scattering (LS) approach which was conducted directly on fluorescence instrument. At the optimum incident wavelength (550 nm, unpolarized), the sensitivity of LS was high enough to detect tau aggregation at micromolar range. The nucleation and elongation, different events in the aggregation process of 4RMBD construct (corresponding with the four repeated units of tau Microtubule Binding Domain) could be observed by this approach, as compared with ThS fluorescence assay. The validity of this technique was demonstrated over a range of tau concentrations with different tau filaments. Linear regression of scattering light against concentration yielded the x‐intercept, the critical concentrations of tau constructs. The critical concentrations of 4RMBD and its S305N mutant are 5.26 μM and 4.04 μM respectively, indicating point mutation S305N, which is associated with FTDP‐17, appear to enhance the heparin‐induced tau aggregation in vitro. Furthermore, the slopes of concentration dependence curves, as well as the angle dependence, were discussed based on the filaments morphology examined by electron microscopy and ultrasonication experiment.
Noneczematous Contact Dermatitis
Authors: Bonamonte Domenico , Foti Caterina , Vestita Michelangelo , Angelini Gianni
Published: September 2013

Irritant or allergic contact dermatitis usually presents as an eczematous process, clinically characterized by erythematoedematovesicous lesions with intense itching in the acute phase. Such manifestations become erythematous-scaly as the condition progresses to the subacute phase and papular-hyperkeratotic in the chronic phase. Not infrequently, however, contact dermatitis presents with noneczematous features. The reasons underlying this clinical polymorphism lie in the different noxae and contact modalities, as well as in the individual susceptibility and the various targeted cutaneous structures. The most represented forms of non-eczematous contact dermatitis include the erythema multiforme-like, the purpuric, the lichenoid, and the pigmented kinds. These clinical entities must obviously be discerned from the corresponding “pure” dermatitis, which are not associated with contact with exogenous agents.
Abdominal Pain: A Comparison between Neurogenic Bowel Dysfunction and Chronic Idiopathic Constipation
Authors: Faaborg Pia Møller , Finnerup Nanna Brix , Christensen Peter , Krogh Klaus
Published: September 2013

Introduction. Most spinal-cord-injured patients have constipation. One-third develop chronic abdominal pain 10 years or more after injury. Nevertheless, very little is known about the nature of abdominal pain after spinal cord injury (SCI). It may be neuropathic or caused by constipation.Aim. To compare characteristics of abdominal pain in SCI with able-bodied with chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC).Subjects and Methods. 21 SCI and 15 CIC patients were referred for treatment of bowel symptoms. Constipation-related symptoms were assessed with the Cleveland Constipation Scoring System and the International Spinal Cord Injury Basic Bowel Function Data Set. Characteristics of abdominal pain were described using the Brief Danish Pain Questionnaire. Total gastrointestinal transit times (GITT) were measured by radiopaque markers.Results. Seventeen (81%) SCI and 14 (93%) CIC patients reported abdominal pain or discomfort within the last month (). Pain was considered more intense by CIC than by SCI patients (). Only minor differences were found in patient’s qualitative description of abdominal pain or in the location of pain. In neither SCI nor CIC was pain associated with GITT.Conclusion. Most characteristics of abdominal pain among SCI patients resemble those of CIC. This indicates that constipation is a major cause of pain after SCI.
En Masse Resection of Pancreas, Spleen, Celiac Axis, Stomach, Kidney, Adrenal, and Colon for Invasive Pancreatic Corpus and Tail Tumor
Authors: Kutluturk Koray , Alam Abdul Hamid , Kayaalp Cuneyt , Otan Emrah , Aydin Cemalettin
Published: September 2013

Providing a more comfortable life and a longer survival for pancreatic corpus/tail tumors without metastasis depends on the complete resection. Recently, distal pancreatectomy with celiac axis resection was reported as a feasible and favorable method in selected pancreatic corpus/tail tumors which had invaded the celiac axis. Additional organ resections to the celiac axis were rarely required, and when necessary it was included only a single extra organ resection such as adrenal or intestine. Here, we described a distal pancreatic tumor invading most of the neighboring organs—stomach, celiac axis, left renal vein, left adrenal gland, and splenic flexure were treated by en bloc resection of all these organs. The patient was a 60-year-old man without any severe medical comorbidities. Postoperative course of the patient was uneventful, and he was discharged on postoperative day eight without any complication. Histopathology and stage of the tumor were adenocarcinoma and T4 N1 M0, respectively. Preoperative back pain of the patient was completely relieved in the postoperative period. As a result, celiac axis resection for pancreatic cancer is an extensive surgery, and a combined en masse resection of the invaded neighboring organs is a more extensive surgery than the celiac axis resection alone. This more extensive surgery is safe and feasible for selected patients with pancreatic cancer.
Growth and Volatility Reconsidered: Reconciling Opposite Views
Authors: Bisio L. , Ventura L.
Published: September 2013

Many contributions in the recent literature have investigated over the relationship between GDP growth and its volatility without getting a clear and unambiguous answer. Besides reassessing the well-known effect of output volatility on growth as benchmark analysis, this study aims at looking into the “black box” of the business cycle volatility by disentangling the impacts of volatility of GDP major components—that is, private consumption, private investment and government expenditure—on growth, simultaneously considered. Our empirical analysis unveils a remarkably robust and strong negative correlation of consumption volatility with mean growth and a positive one with volatility of investment and of public expenditure. If these findings shed some additional light on the (still controversial) relationship between economic fluctuations and growth, they will also make it possible to compare the relative impact of each component, with possibly relevant policy implications. Importantly, this might reconcile opposite views about the issue that different empirical results might originate from the relative importance across empirical studies of the various components of volatility.
Association of Intracranial Aneurysms with Meningiomas, Pituitary Adenomas, and Gliomas: Review of Possible Interrelationships
Authors: Spitler Kevin , Drazin Doniel , Hanna George , Patel Ashish , Chu Ray
Published: September 2013

Asymptomatic intracranial abnormalities are increasingly becoming a focus of attention with the utilization of high-resolution imaging. The concurrence of tumor and aneurysm has been described, largely, by case reports and single-surgeon experiences. Recent papers have outlined the ethics of incidental findings and possible treatment algorithms. Incidental finding of an aneurysm occurs most commonly in patients with meningiomas, pituitary adenomas, and gliomas. Such an association may explain the mechanisms of aneurysm formation, growth, and rupture in acromegalic patients; however, insufficient data are available to link aneurysm with either glioma or meningioma.
Natural Antioxidant-Isoliquiritigenin Ameliorates Contractile Dysfunction of Hypoxic Cardiomyocytes via AMPK Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyu , Zhu Ping , Zhang Xiuying , Ma Yina , Li Wenguang , Chen Ji-Mei , Guo Hui-Ming , Bucala Richard , Zhuang Jian , Li Ji
Published: September 2013

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a simple chalcone-type flavonoid, is derived from licorice compounds and is mainly present in foods, beverages, and tobacco. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is a critical factor involved in modulating cardiac stress response signaling during ischemia and reperfusion. We hypothesize that ISL as a natural antioxidant may protect heart against ischemic injury via modulating cellular redox status and regulating cardioprotective signaling pathways. The fluorescent probe H2DCFDA was used to measure the level of intracellular ROS. The glucose uptake was determined by 2-deoxy-D-glucose-3H accumulation. The IonOptix System measured the contractile function of isolated cardiomyocytes. The results demonstrated that ISL treatment markedly ameliorated cardiomyocytes contractile dysfunction caused by hypoxia. ISL significantly stimulated cardioprotective signaling, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways. The ROS fluorescent probe H2DCFDA determination indicated that ISL significantly reduced cardiac ROS level during hypoxia/reoxygenation. Moreover, ISL reduced the mitochondrial potential (Δψ) of isolated mouse cardiomyocytes. Taken together, ISL as a natural antioxidant demonstrated the cardioprotection against ischemic injury that may attribute to the activation of AMPK and ERK signaling pathways and balance of cellular redox status.