bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of Alcohol to Hypertension Mortality in Russia
Authors: Razvodovsky Y. E.
Published: February 2014

Background. Hypertension (HTN) is reported to be the leading contributor to premature death globally. Considerable research evidence suggests that excessive alcohol intake (binge drinking) is an independent risk factor for HTN. It was repeatedly emphasized that binge drinking is a major contributor to a high cardiovascular mortality rate in Russia.Objective. The aim of this study was to examine the aggregate-level relation between alcohol consumption and HTN mortality rates in Russia.Method. Age-standardized sex-specific male and female HTN mortality data for the period 1980–2005 and data on overall alcohol consumption were analyzed by means of ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) time-series analysis. The level of alcohol consumption per capita has been estimated using the indirect method based on alcohol psychoses incidence rate and employing ARIMA time-series analysis.Results. Alcohol consumption was significantly associated with both male and female HTN mortality rates: a 1-liter increase in overall alcohol consumption would result in a 6.3% increase in the male HTN mortality rate and in a 4.9% increase in female HTN mortality rate. The results of the analysis suggest that 57.5% of all male HTN deaths and 48.6% of all female HTN deaths in Russia could be attributed to alcohol.Conclusions. The outcomes of this study provide support for the hypothesis that alcohol is an important contributor to the high HTN mortality rate in the Russian Federation. The findings from the present study have important implications with to regards HTN mortality prevention, indicating that a restrictive alcohol policy can be considered as an effective measure of prevention in countries with a higher rate of alcohol consumption.
On the Dynamic Analysis of a Beam Carrying Multiple Mass-Spring-Mass-Damper System
Authors: Barry O. , Oguamanam D. C. D. , Zu J. W.
Published: February 2014

The exact natural frequencies, mode shapes, and the corresponding orthogonality relations are important in forced vibration analysis via modal expansion. In the present paper, a free vibration analysis is conducted to determine the exact natural frequencies and mode shapes of an axially loaded beam carrying several absorbers. An explicit expression is presented for the generalized orthogonality relations. These generalized orthogonality conditions are employed along with the assumed modes method to perform forced vibration analysis. The present approach is compared to other approximate methods in the literature with the classical orthogonality relations and different choice of mode shapes. The results indicate that the use of the generalized orthogonality relation with the exact mode shapes is required for a precise investigation of the dynamic response of a beam with mass-spring-mass-damper system.
Through-Wall Image Enhancement Using Fuzzy and QR Decomposition
Authors: Riaz Muhammad Mohsin , Ghafoor Abdul
Published: February 2014

QR decomposition and fuzzy logic based scheme is proposed for through-wall image enhancement. QR decomposition is less complex compared to singular value decomposition. Fuzzy inference engine assigns weights to different overlapping subspaces. Quantitative measures and visual inspection are used to analyze existing and proposed techniques.
Fracture Surface Analysis in Thixojoined Tool Steels
Authors: Kalaki A. , Ketabchi M. , Zangeneh Sh.
Published: February 2014

Thixojoining has been developed for D2 and M2 tool steels. The suitable globular microstructure and excellent bonding quality are obtained through this work. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation along the joint interfaces showed a smooth transition zone with no cracks. In addition, fracture surface of the shear test samples showed that the fracture mode was transgranular. Finally, based on obtained results, this method presented high quality joint with nonequilibrium diffusion interface.
Chaotic Image Encryption Based on Running-Key Related to Plaintext
Authors: Guanghui Cao , Kai Hu , Yizhi Zhang , Jun Zhou , Xing Zhang
Published: February 2014

In the field of chaotic image encryption, the algorithm based on correlating key with plaintext has become a new developing direction. However, for this kind of algorithm, some shortcomings in resistance to reconstruction attack, efficient utilization of chaotic resource, and reducing dynamical degradation of digital chaos are found. In order to solve these problems and further enhance the security of encryption algorithm, based on disturbance and feedback mechanism, we present a new image encryption scheme. In the running-key generation stage, by successively disturbing chaotic stream with cipher-text, the relation of running-key to plaintext is established, reconstruction attack is avoided, effective use of chaotic resource is guaranteed, and dynamical degradation of digital chaos is minimized. In the image encryption stage, by introducing random-feedback mechanism, the difficulty of breaking this scheme is increased. Comparing with the-state-of-the-art algorithms, our scheme exhibits good properties such as large key space, long key period, and extreme sensitivity to the initial key and plaintext. Therefore, it can resist brute-force, reconstruction attack, and differential attack.
Finite-Horizon Robust Kalman Filter for Uncertain Attitude Estimation System with Star Sensor Measurement Delays
Authors: Qian Hua-Ming , Huang Wei , Liu Biao
Published: February 2014

This paper addresses the robust Kalman filtering problem for uncertain attitude estimation system with star sensor measurement delays. Combined with the misalignment errors and scale factor errors of gyros in the process model and the misalignment errors of star sensors in the measurement model, the uncertain attitude estimation model can be established, which indicates that uncertainties not only appear in the state and output matrices but also affect the statistic of the process noise. Meanwhile, the phenomenon of star sensor measurement delays is described by introducing Bernoulli random variables with different delay characteristics. The aim of the addressed attitude estimation problem is to design a filter such that, in the presence of model uncertainties and star sensors delays for the attitude estimation system, the optimized filter parameters can be obtained to minimize the upper bound on the estimation error covariance. Therefore, a finite-horizon robust Kalman filter is proposed to cope with this question. Compared with traditional attitude estimation algorithms, the designed robust filter takes into account the effects of star sensor measurement delays and model uncertainties. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the developed robust filter.
Investigating the In‐Vehicle Crowding Cost Functions for Public Transit Modes
Authors: Qin Feifei
Published: February 2014

In the densely populated metropolitan area, empirical studies have found that overcrowding inside transit vehicles has become substantially worse and worse over recent years. Chronic in‐vehicle crowding is not only caused by a lack of physical infrastructure, but also triggered by inadequate service provisions. Given the prevalence of overcrowded transit vehicles, this paper conducts both quantitative and qualitative studies, especially focusing on remodeling the in‐vehicle crowding cost functions for different transit modes. Three numerical case studies show that applying distinct in‐vehicle crowding cost functions to different transit modes has implications not only for the cost structure of transit systems and the magnitude of optimal service provisions but also for the presence of economies of scale in consumption.
Long-Run Savings and Investment Strategy Optimization
Authors: Gerrard Russell , Guillén Montserrat , Nielsen Jens Perch , Pérez-Marín Ana M.
Published: February 2014

We focus on automatic strategies to optimize life cycle savings and investment. Classical optimal savings theory establishes that, given the level of risk aversion, a saver would keep the same relative amount invested in risky assets at any given time. We show that, when optimizing lifecycle investment, performance and risk assessment have to take into account the investor’s risk aversion and the maximum amount the investor could lose, simultaneously. When risk aversion and maximum possible loss are considered jointly, an optimal savings strategy is obtained, which follows from constant rather than relative absolute risk aversion. This result is fundamental to prove that if risk aversion and the maximum possible loss are both high, then holding a constant amount invested in the risky asset is optimal for a standard lifetime saving/pension process and outperforms some other simple strategies. Performance comparisons are based on downside risk-adjusted equivalence that is used in our illustration.
A Synthetic Interaction betweenCDC20andRAD4inSaccharomyces cerevisiaeupon UV Irradiation
Authors: Connors Bernadette , Rochelle Lauren , Roberts Asela , Howard Graham
Published: February 2014

Regulation of DNA repair can be achieved through ubiquitin-mediated degradation of transiently induced proteins. InSaccharomyces cerevisiae, Rad4 is involved in damage recognition during nucleotide excision repair (NER) and, in conjunction with Rad23, recruits other proteins to the site of damage. We identified a synthetic interaction upon UV exposure between Rad4 and Cdc20, a protein that modulates the activity of the anaphase promoting complex (APC/C), a multisubunit E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. The moderately UV sensitive Δrad4strain became highly sensitive whencdc20-1was present, and was rescued by overexpression ofCDC20. The double mutant is also deficient in elictingRNR3-lacZtranscription upon exposure to UV irradiation or 4-NQO compared with the Δrad4single mutant. We demonstrate that the Δrad4/cdc20-1double mutant is defective in double strand break repair by way of a plasmid end-joining assay, indicating that Rad4 acts to ensure that damaged DNA is repaired via a Cdc20-mediated mechanism. This study is the first to present evidence that Cdc20 may play a role in the degradation of proteins involved in nucleotide excision repair.
Constrictive Pericarditis and Rheumatoid Nodules with Severe Aortic Incompetence
Authors: Beattie Rory , Booth Karen , Herron Brian , Sheppard Mary N. , Parissis Haralambos
Published: February 2014

The case of a female patient presenting with constrictive rheumatoid pericarditis and aortic incompetence secondary to valvular rheumatoid nodules is described along with a review of the literature with the aim to highlight this rare cause of aortic insufficiency.
Approximate Controllability of a 3D Nonlinear Stochastic Wave Equation
Authors: Gao Peng
Published: February 2014

We study the well-posedness of a 3D nonlinear stochastic wave equation which derives from the Maxwell system by the Galerkin method. Then we study the approximate controllability of this system by the Hilbert uniqueness method.
Investigation of NF-κB1 and NF-κBIA Gene Polymorphism in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Oltulu Y. M. , Coskunpinar E. , Ozkan G. , Aynaci E. , Yildiz P. , Isbir T. , Yaylim I.
Published: February 2014

Lung cancer is a complex, multifactorial disease which is the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women. NF-κB is a transcription factor which is known to affect the expression of more than 150 genes related to inflammation, lymphocyte activation, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, as well as contributing to cell apoptosis and survival. However, NF-κBIA (IκBα) is the inhibitor of the transcription factor. The -94ins/delATTG polymorphism of the NF-κB1 gene promoter region which causes a functional effect and NF-κBIA 3′UTR A → G polymorphism has been shown to be related to various inflammatory diseases and cancer. Ninety-five NSCLC patients and 99 healthy controls were included in study. The NF-κB1 -94ins/delATTG and NF-κBIA 3′UTR A → G polymorphism have been studied by using PCR-RFLP method. It was found that the NF-κB1 -94ins/delATTG DD genotype and D allele frequencies were higher in patients than healthy controls and the presence of the DD genotype has a 3.5-fold increased risk of the disease (P: 0.014). This study is the first to investigate the NF-κB1 -94ins/delATTG and NF-κBIA 3′UTR A → G polymorphism together in the Turkish population. According to the results, the NF-κB1 -94ins/del ATTG promoter polymorphism may have a role in lung carcinogenesis and prognosis.
Echocardiographic Assessment of Embryonic and Fetal Mouse Heart Development: A Focus on Haemodynamics and Morphology
Authors: Hahurij Nathan D. , Calkoen Emmeline E. , Jongbloed Monique R. M. , Roest Arno A. W. , Gittenberger-de Groot Adriana C. , Poelmann Robert E. , De Ruiter Marco C. , van Munsteren Conny J. , Steendijk Paul , Blom Nico A.
Published: February 2014

Background. Heart development is a complex process, and abnormal development may result in congenital heart disease (CHD). Currently, studies on animal models mainly focus on cardiac morphology and the availability of hemodynamic data, especially of the right heart half, is limited. Here we aimed to assess the morphological and hemodynamic parameters of normal developing mouse embryos/fetuses by using a high-frequency ultrasound system.Methods. A timed breeding program was initiated with a WT mouse line (Swiss/129Sv background). All recordings were performed transabdominally, in isoflurane sedated pregnant mice, in hearts of sequential developmental stages: 12.5, 14.5, and 17.5 days after conception (n=105).Results. Along development the heart rate increased significantly from 125 ± 9.5 to 219 ± 8.3 beats per minute. Reliable flow measurements could be performed across the developing mitral and tricuspid valves and outflow tract. M-mode measurements could be obtained of all cardiac compartments. An overall increase of cardiac systolic and diastolic function with embryonic/fetal development was observed.Conclusion. High-frequency echocardiography is a promising and useful imaging modality for structural and hemodynamic analysis of embryonic/fetal mouse hearts.
Dynamic Analysis and Chaos of the 4D Fractional-Order Power System
Authors: Sun Fengyun , Li Qin
Published: February 2014

Now dealing with power system became the most important arts. In this paper we report the dynamic analysis of a fractional-order power system with parameterQ1. To the best know of our knowledge, that was the first report about bifurcation analysis of the fractional order power system. So first we discuss the dynamic analysis with different fractional order and different parameters. Furthermore we will establish its numerical simulations which are provided to demonstrate the feasibility and efficacy of our analysis.
Novel Spectrophotometric Methods for the Determination of Selegiline Hydrochloride in Bulk and Its Pharmaceutical Preparation
Authors: Divya Kumble , Narayana Badiadka
Published: February 2014

A simple and highly selective spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of selegiline hydrochloride in bulk and formulations. Method A is based on the oxidation of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone in the presence of ceric ammonium sulphate, followed by its coupling reaction with drug to form a colored product having λmax of 629 nm. Method B is based on the coupling reaction of drug with 4-aminoantipyrine to give a new ligand that reacts with copper(II) to give intense bluish red colored chelate which is measured at 539 nm. Beer’s law is obeyed in the range of 10.00–85.00 μg mL−1 with molar absorptivity of 0.98×104 for method A and 20.00–120.00 μg mL−1 with molar absorptivity of 0.94×104 for method B. The optimum reaction condition and the analytical parameters are evaluated. The results obtained indicate that the methods are free from interference of the ingredients; thus they are successfully applied to pharmaceutical formulations.
Some Numerical Approaches to Solve Fluid Structure Interaction Problems in Blood Flow
Authors: Tang Aik Ying , Amin Norsarahaida
Published: February 2014

Some numerical approaches to solve fluid structure interaction problems in blood flow are reviewed. Fluid structure interaction is the interaction between a deformable structure with either an internal or external flow. A discussion on why the compliant artery associated with fluid structure interaction should be taken into consideration in favor of the rigid wall model being included. However, only the Newtonian model of blood is assumed, while various structure models which include, amongst others, generalized string models and linearly viscoelastic Koiter shell model that give a more realistic representation of the vessel walls compared to the rigid structure are presented. Since there exists a strong added mass effect due to the comparable densities of blood and the vessel wall, the numerical approaches to overcome the added mass effect are discussed according to the partitioned and monolithic classifications, where the deficiencies of each approach are highlighted. Improved numerical methods which are more stable and offer less computational cost such as the semi-implicit, kinematic splitting, and the geometrical multiscale approach are summarized, and, finally, an appropriate structure and numerical scheme to tackle fluid structure interaction problems are proposed.
Progressive Multifocal Leukoencephalopathy in a 62-Year-Old Immunocompetent Woman
Authors: Gourineni Venkata C. , Juvet Tristan , Kumar Yogesh , Bordea Doru , Sena Kanaga N.
Published: February 2014

Progressive multifocal encephalopathy (PML) is a rare demyelinating disease that typically presents in immunodeficient patients. We report a case of a previously healthy 62-Year-Old woman who suffered from an unsteady gait, throbbing headaches, and progressive left-sided weakness and numbness. Stroke was initially suspected based on imaging and symptoms. A series of follow-up magnetic resonance images of the brain showed a right parietal lesion growing in size as the patient became unable to walk and experienced increasing lethargy and confusion. A biopsy of the lesion was positive for the John Cunningham virus (JCV). A diagnosis of PML was made and she was started on mefloquine. No improvement was seen on this treatment and her condition worsened. Although PML remains uncommon in immunocompetent individuals, it cannot be ruled out based on their immune status. Although the exact cause remains uncertain, underlying or transient states of immunosuppression may be responsible for reactivation of the JCV in these patients.
Extracellular Vesicles in Prostate Cancer: New Future Clinical Strategies?
Authors: Giusti Ilaria , Dolo Vincenza
Published: February 2014

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common cancer—excluding skin tumors—in men older than 50 years of age. Over time, the ability to diagnose PCa has improved considerably, mainly due to the introduction of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in the clinical routine. However, it is important to take into account that although PSA is a highly organ-specific marker, it is not cancer-specific. This shortcoming suggests the need to find new and more specific molecular markers. Several emerging PCa biomarkers have been evaluated or are being assessed for their potential use. There is increasing interest in the prospective use of extracellular vesicles as specific markers; it is well known that the content of vesicles is dependent on their cellular origin and is strongly related to the stimulus that triggers the release of the vesicles. Consequently, the identification of a disease-specific molecule (protein, lipid or RNA) associated with vesicles could facilitate their use as novel biological markers. The present review describes severalin vitrostudies that demonstrate the role of vesicles in PCa progression and severalin vivostudies that highlight the potential use of vesicles as PCa biomarkers.
Some Regularity Criteria for the 3D Boussinesq Equations in the ClassL20,T;B˙∞,∞-1
Authors: Zhang Zujin
Published: February 2014

We consider the three-dimensional Boussinesq equations and obtain some regularity criteria via the velocity gradient (or the vorticity, or the deformation tensor) and the temperature gradient.
Exact Penalization in Stochastic Programming—Calmness and Constraint Qualification
Authors: Branda Martin
Published: February 2014

We deal with the conditions which ensure exact penalization in stochastic programming problems under finite discrete distributions. We give several sufficient conditions for problem calmness including graph calmness, existence of an error bound, and generalized Mangasarian-Fromowitz constraint qualification. We propose a new version of the theorem on asymptotic equivalence of local minimizers of chance constrained problems and problems with exact penalty objective. We apply the theory to a problem with a stochastic vanishing constraint.
Serum Prolactin Levels in Psoriasis Vulgaris
Authors: Handjani Farhad , Saki Nasrin , Ahrari Iman , Ebrahimi Mehdi , Khorrami Mohammad Mehdi , Nematollahi Parastoo
Published: February 2014

Background. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease affecting approximately 1–3% of Caucasians. Prolactin has proliferative effects on human keratinocytes, a dominant feature of psoriasis, and it is thought that this hormone may play a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. This study was conducted to confirm or refute these findings in order to better understand the disease pathogenesis.Methods. The subjects were 90 individuals aged between 15 and 47 years. They were divided into three groups of 30 individuals each: psoriatic patients, atopic dermatitis patients, and control group. A questionnaire was filled regarding their demographic and medical history. All of the study subjects underwent venous blood sampling (5 mL), and serum TSH and prolactin levels were checked. Subjects with abnormal TSH were omitted.Results. None of the patients in the study had raised prolactin, and there was no significant difference in the serum prolactin level between patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis and the control group. There was no relationship between the severity of psoriasis and serum levels of prolactin.Conclusion. Prolactin does not seem to play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis as its serum levels are comparable with atopic dermatitis patients and that of the normal population.
Rattus norvegicus(Rodentia: Muridae) Infected byLeishmania(Leishmania)infantum(syn.Le. chagasi) in Brazil
Authors: Lara-Silva Fabiana de Oliveira , Barata Ricardo Andrade , Michalsky Érika Monteiro , Ferreira Eduardo de Castro , Lopes Maria Olímpia Garcia , Pinheiro Aimara da Costa , Fortes-Dias Consuelo Latorre , Dias Edelberto Santos
Published: February 2014

In the present study we surveyed the fauna of phlebotomine sand flies and small mammals in peridomestic areas from a Brazilian municipality where the American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is endemic. A total of 608 female phlebotomine sand flies were captured during nine months in 2009 and 2010. Seven different species were represented with 60% of them beingLutzomyia intermediaandLu. whitmani, both incriminated vectors of ACL.Lu. longipalpis, a proven vector of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) was also captured at high proportion (12.8%). Genomic DNA analysis of 136 species-specific pools of female sand flies followed by molecular genotyping showed the presence ofLeishmania infantumDNA in two pools ofLu. longipalpis. The sameLeishmaniaspecies was found in one blood sample fromRattus norvegicusamong 119 blood and tissue samples analysed. This is the first report ofLe. infantuminR. norvegicusin the Americas and suggests a possible role for this rodent species in the zoonotic cycle of VL. Our study coincided with the reemergence of VL in Governador Valadares.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Electrical Properties of Poly(azophenyleneazo-2,4-diamino-1,5-phenylenes)
Authors: Durgaryan A. H. , Arakelyan R. H. , Durgaran N. A. , Matinyan E. E.
Published: February 2014

Poly(azophenyleneazo-2,4-diamino-1,5-phenylenes) were synthesized via diazotization of m- and p-phenylenediamine and azocoupling with m-phenylenediamine. It is found that, simultaneously, dihydrobenztriazolic units were formed as a result of cyclization reaction between amino and azo groups located in ortho position to each other. Oxidation of poly(azo-p-phenyleneazo-2,4-diamino-1,5-phenylene) was carried out and new polymer with benzotriazolic units in the main polymer chain was obtained. The conductivities of obtained polymers doped with iodine were increased with doping levels increase from 10−9–5 × 10−8 S/m to 0,1–0,6 S/m.
TiO2Photocatalyst Nanoparticle Separation: Flocculation in Different Matrices and Use of Powdered Activated Carbon as a Precoat in Low-Cost Fabric Filtration
Authors: Liriano-Jorge Carlos F. , Sohmen Ugur , Özkan Altan , Gulyas Holger , Otterpohl Ralf
Published: February 2014

Separation of photocatalyst nanoparticles is a problem impeding widespread application of photocatalytic oxidation. As sedimentation of photocatalyst particles is facilitated by their flocculation, the influence of common constituents of biologically pretreated wastewaters (NaCl, NaHCO3, and their combination with humic acid sodium salt) on flocculation was tested by the pipet method. Results showed that the impact of these substances on TiO2nanoparticle flocculation is rather complex and strongly affected by pH. When humic acid was present, TiO2particles did not show efficient flocculation in the neutral and slightly basic pH range. As an alternative to photocatalyst separation by sedimentation, precoat vacuum filtration with powdered activated carbon (PAC) over low-cost spunbond polypropylene fabrics was tested in the presence of two PAC types in aqueous NaCl and NaHCO3solutions as well as in biologically treated greywater and in secondary municipal effluent. PAC concentrations of≥2 g/L were required in order to achieve a retention of nearly 95% of the TiO2nanoparticles on the fabric filter when TiO2concentration was 1 g/L. Composition of the aqueous matrix and PAC type had a slight impact on precoat filtration. PAC precoat filtration represents a potential pretreatment for photocatalyst removal by micro- or ultrafiltration.
The Preparation of Glucan-Fe3O4Magnetic Nanoparticles and Its In Vivo Distribution in Mice
Authors: Jin Fengdan
Published: February 2014

The glucan-Fe3O4magnetic nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal method. The mixture of FeCl2and glucan was stirred vigorously for half an hour under low temperature (15°C). KOH of 1 mol/L was dropwise added, slowly, into the solution until the pH to 12. Immediately, KNO3was added and the temperature was raised to 75°C for an hour. All the processes of Fe3O4crystal particles generation were under nitrogen. An atomic absorption spectrometry quantitative analysis method was built to determine the in vivo distribution of the glucan-Fe3O4magnetic nanoparticles in mice. The diameter of glucan-Fe3O4magnetic nanoparticles was about 25 nm and they were up taken by the liver primarily after intravenous administration via the tail.
High Isolation Single-Pole Four-Throw RF MEMS Switch Based on Series-Shunt Configuration
Authors: Singh Tejinder , Khaira Navjot
Published: February 2014

This paper presents a novel design of single-pole four-throw (SP4T) RF-MEMS switch employing both capacitive and ohmic switches. It is designed on high-resistivity silicon substrate and has a compact area of 1.06 mm2. The series or ohmic switches have been designed to provide low insertion loss with good ohmic contact. The pull-in voltage for ohmic switches is calculated to be 7.19 V. Shunt or capacitive switches have been used in each port to improve the isolation for higher frequencies. The proposed SP4T switch provides excellent RF performances with isolation better than 70.64 dB and insertion loss less than 0.72 dB for X-band between the input port and each output port.
Study of the Effects of Alcohol on Drivers and Driving Performance on Straight Road
Authors: Zhao Xiaohua , Zhang Xingjian , Rong Jian
Published: February 2014

Drinking driving is responsible for a high proportion of traffic accidents. To study the effects of alcohol on drivers and driving performance, 25 drivers’ subjective feelings and driving performance data in different blood‐alcohol concentration (BAC) levels were collected with simulated driving experiment. The investigation results revealed that alcohol affected drivers in many aspects, including attitude, judgment, vigilance, perception, reaction, and controlling. The analysis of accident rate showed that higher BAC level would lead to higher accident rate. The statistical analysis results of driving performance indicated that average speed, speed standard deviation, and lane position standard deviation were significantly higher under the influence of alcohol. They also had a statistically significant linear trend as the function of BAC level. The discrimination of drinking driving based on driving performance was performed with Fisher discrimination method. The results showed that drinking driving with higher BAC level was easier to discriminate from normal driving. Also, the results indicated that the three significant indicators on straight roadway could be used in the discrimination of drinking driving state. The conclusions can provide references for the study of drinking driving and the identification of driving state and then contribute to traffic safety.
Finite-Time Stability of Neutral Fractional Time-Delay Systems via Generalized Gronwalls Inequality
Authors: Denghao Pang , Wei Jiang
Published: February 2014

This paper studies the finite-time stability of neutral fractional time-delay systems. With the generalized Gronwall inequality, sufficient conditions of the finite-time stability are obtained for the particular class of neutral fractional time-delay systems.
Removal of Hardness of Earth Alkaline Metals from Aqueous Solutions by Ion Exchange Method
Authors: Cetin Gulten
Published: February 2014

An ion exchange process was introduced as an approach for softening of artificial hard water solutions. A strong acid cation exchange resin, Amberlite IR 120 [Na+], was used to reduce the hardness of water with the matrix of styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer having functional group as sulfonate. The ion exchange behavior of the ions of calcium and magnesium in synthetic solutions of hard water was investigated with the variables depending on pH, stirrer speed of the solutions and amount of the resin as a function of contact time between resin phase and hard water solution. The maximum ion exchange capacity was found to be 68 mg/g for Ca(II) and 12 mg/g for Mg(II) at pH 3.0. The method is a simple and efficient one to remove calcium and magnesium hardness from hard water solutions with the resin having more selectivity for calcium.
Hybrid Bernstein Block-Pulse Functions Method for Second Kind Integral Equations with Convergence Analysis
Authors: Alipour Mohsen , Baleanu Dumitru , Babaei Fereshteh
Published: February 2014

We introduce a new combination of Bernstein polynomials (BPs) and Block-Pulse functions (BPFs) on the interval [0, 1]. These functions are suitable for finding an approximate solution of the second kind integral equation. We call this method Hybrid Bernstein Block-Pulse Functions Method (HBBPFM). This method is very simple such that an integral equation is reduced to a system of linear equations. On the other hand, convergence analysis for this method is discussed. The method is computationally very simple and attractive so that numerical examples illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of this method.
The Genomic and Pathogenic Characteristics of the Highly Pathogenic Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Isolate WUH2
Authors: Li Bin , Fang Liurong , Liu Suyan , Jiang Yunbo , Chen Huanchun , Xiao Shaobo
Published: February 2014

To fully understand the extent of genetic diversity and pathogenesis of the highly pathogenic PRRSV found in China, we determined the genomic sequence of PRRSV WUH2; the pathogenicity of WUH2 was compared to the classical PRRSV isolate CH-1a. Our results showed that the WUH2 genome had a discontinuous deletion of 30 aa in Nsp2, a 1 nucleotide deletion located in both the 5′ and 3′ UTRs, and point mutations within GP5. Experimental infection demonstrated that PRRSV WUH2 reproduced the phenotype and symptoms of porcine high fever syndrome. Importantly, we found that there were differences in viral burden in the serum and tissues when comparing infections of the pathogenic isolate WUH2 to those of the classical isolate CH-1a. These data provide insight into the genomic diversity and altered pathogenicity of Chinese PRRSV isolates and help elucidate the evolution and potential pathogenic mechanisms of PRRSV.
Design and Implementation of Low Profile Antenna for Dual-Band Applications Using Rotated E-Shaped Conductor-Backed Plane
Authors: Jalali Mahdi , Sedghi Tohid , Shafei Shahin
Published: February 2014

A novel configuration of a printed monopole antenna with a very compact size for satisfying WLAN operations at the 5.2/5.8 GHz and also for X-band operations at the 10 GHz has been proposed. The antenna includes a simple square-shaped patch as the radiator, the rotated U-shaped conductor back plane element with embedded strip on it, and the partial rectangular ground surface. By using the rotated U-shaped conductor-backed plane with proper values, good impedance matching and improvement in bandwidth can be achieved, at the lower and upper bands. The impedance bandwidth forS11<-10 dB is about 1.15 GHz for 5 GHz band and 5.3 GHz for X-band. The measured peak gains are about 1.9 dBi at WLAN-band and 4.2 dBi at X-band. The experimental results represent that the realized antenna with good omnidirectional radiation characteristics, enough impedance bandwidth, and reasonable gains can be appropriate for various applications of the future developed technologies and handheld devices.
Fowler-Nordheim Tunneling Characterization on Poly1-Poly2 Capacitors for the Implementation of Analog Memories in CMOS 0.5 μmTechnology
Authors: Tinajero-Perez Enrique J. , Molinar-Solis Jesus Ezequiel , Garcia-Lozano Rodolfo Z. , Rosales-Quintero Pedro , Rocha-Perez Jose M. , Diaz-Sanchez Alejandro , Morales-Acevedo Arturo
Published: February 2014

The experimental results of the Fowler-Nordheim characterization using poly1-poly2 capacitors on CMOS ON Semi 0.5 μm technology are presented. This characterization allows the development, design, and characterization of a new current-mode analog nonvolatile memory. Experimental results of the memory cell architecture are presented and demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed architecture.
PPAR-γRegulates Trophoblast Differentiation in the BeWo Cell Model
Authors: Levytska Khrystyna , Drewlo Sascha , Baczyk Dora , Kingdom John
Published: February 2014

Common pregnancy complications, such as severe preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction, disrupt pregnancy progression and impair maternal and fetal wellbeing. Placentas from such pregnancies exhibit lesions principally within the syncytiotrophoblast (SCT), a layer in direct contact with maternal blood. In humans and mice, glial cell missing-1 (GCM-1) promotes differentiation of underlying cytotrophoblast cells into the outer SCT layer. GCM-1 may be regulated by the transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-γ); in mice, PPAR-γpromotes labyrinthine trophoblast differentiation via Gcm-1, and, as we previously demonstrated, PPAR-γactivation ameliorates disease features in rat model of preeclampsia. Here, we aimed to characterize the baseline activity of PPAR-γin the human choriocarcinoma BeWo cell line that mimics SCT formationin vitroand modulate PPAR-γactivity to study its effects on cell proliferation versus differentiation. We report a novel negative autoregulatory mechanism between PPAR-γactivity and expression and show that blocking PPAR-γactivity induces cell proliferation at the expense of differentiation, while these remain unaltered following treatment with the agonist rosiglitazone. Gaining a deeper understanding of the role and activity of PPAR-γin placental physiology will offer new avenues for the development of secondary prevention and/or treatment options for placentally-mediated pregnancy complications.
“The Clock Is Ticking”: The Timely Management of a Painful Skin Rash in a Seventy-Year-Old Woman
Authors: Thomas Susan , Omole Folashade , Patel Vijaykumar G. , Nichols Michelle L.
Published: February 2014

Necrotizing fasciitis is an uncommon but a potentially fatal condition and can affect any part of the body. Most patients have pre-existing conditions that render them susceptible to infection, although etiology is unclear. Diagnosis is primarily clinical and is often delayed because of the unfamiliarity of the condition among clinicians. Management consists of immediate resuscitation, early surgical debridement, and administration of broad spectrum intravenous antibiotics. We report a case of a 70 year old woman who presented with a painful erythematous rash, was admitted as a case of cellulitis, later developed worsening of symptoms and septic shock, and was diagnosed as necrotizing fasciitis.
MACT: A Manageable Minimization Allocation System
Authors: Cui Yan , Bu Huaien , Wang Hongwu , Liao Shizhong
Published: February 2014

Background. Minimization is a case allocation method for randomized controlled trials (RCT). Evidence suggests that the minimization method achieves balanced groups with respect to numbers and participant characteristics, and can incorporate more prognostic factors compared to other randomization methods. Although several automatic allocation systems exist (e.g., randoWeb, and MagMin), the minimization method is still difficult to implement, and RCTs seldom employ minimization. Therefore, we developed the minimization allocation controlled trials (MACT) system, a generic manageable minimization allocation system.System Outline. The MACT system implements minimization allocation by Web and email. It has a unified interface that manages trials, participants, and allocation. It simultaneously supports multitrials, multicenters, multigrouping, multiple prognostic factors, and multilevels.Methods. Unlike previous systems, MACT utilizes an optimized database that greatly improves manageability.Simulations and Results. MACT was assessed in a series of experiments and evaluations. Relative to simple randomization, minimization produces better balance among groups and similar unpredictability.Applications. MACT has been employed in two RCTs that lasted three years. During this period, MACT steadily and simultaneously satisfied the requirements of the trial.Conclusions. MACT is a manageable, easy-to-use case allocation system. Its outstanding features are attracting more RCTs to use the minimization allocation method.
Lauryl-poly-L-lysine: A New Antimicrobial Agent?
Authors: Vidal Laetitia , Thuault Véronique , Mangas Arturo , Coveñas Rafael , Thienpont Anne , Geffard Michel
Published: February 2014

The development of multiple antibiotic resistance is a global problem. It is necessary to find new tools whose mechanisms of action differ from those of currently used antibiotics. It is known that fatty acids and cationic polypeptides are able to fight bacteria. Here, we describe the synthesis of fatty acids linked to a polypeptide with antibacterial activity. The linkage of fatty acids to a polypeptide is reported to increase the antibacterial effect of the linked fatty acid in comparison with free fatty acids (FA) or free poly-L-lysine (PLL) or a mixture of both (FA free + PLL free). A number of C6–C18 fatty acids were linked to PLL to obtain new synthetic products. These compounds were assessed in vitro to evaluate their antibacterial activity. Some fatty acid-PLLs showed a good ability to fight bacteria. Their bactericidal activity was evaluated, and, lauryl linked to PLL was found to be the most active product against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. This new active component showed a good degree of specificity and reproducibility and its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was comparatively good. The antibacterial activity of the lauryl-PLL compound suggests that it is a new and promising antimicrobial agent.
Antiatopic Dermatitis Effect of Artemisia iwayomogi in Dust Mice Extract‐Sensitized Nc/Nga Mice
Authors: Ha Hyekyung , Lee Hoyoung , Seo Chang-Seob , Lim Hye-Sun , Lee Mee-Young , Lee Jun Kyoung , Shin Hyeunkyoo
Published: February 2014

Aims. Artemisia iwayomogi (AI) has been used for fever reduction, diuresis, and hepatoprotection in Korea. The present study was performed to evaluate the anti‐inflammatory and antiatopic dermatitis effects of AI using both in vitro and in vivo systems. Methods. The compositions in AI were analyzed by HPLC. To determine the anti‐inflammatory effects of AI, the production of nitric oxide (NO) was measured in lipopolysaccharide treated RAW264.7 cells. Histamine levels were assayed to evaluate the antiallergic effects on MC/9 cells stimulated with phorbol‐12 myristate 13‐acetate and A23187. Finally, AI (10 mg/mouse/day) was topically applied onto the backs and ears of Dermatophagoides farinae‐sensitized Nc/Nga mice for four weeks. Results. Isochlorogenic acid A (20.63 ± 0.26 mg/g), chlorogenic acid (9.04 ± 0.08 mg/g), and scopoletin (8.23 ± 0.01 mg/g) were among the major components of AI. AI inhibited the NO and histamine productions in RAW264.7 and MC/9 cells, respectively. In the mice, the topical application of AI reduced the dermatitis scores in the dorsal skin and ears and reduced the plasma levels of IgE. Conclusions. These results suggest that AI might be explored as a potential therapeutic agent to treat AD, and that the analytic method using HPLC will facilitate the development of quality control for AI.
Effects of Nitrate Supplementation on Cardiovascular and Autonomic Reactivity in African-American Females
Authors: Bond Vernon , Curry Bryan H. , Adams R. George , Asadi M. Sadegh , Stancil Kimani A. , Millis Richard M. , Haddad Georges E.
Published: February 2014

Previous studies have shown that beetroot juice (BJ) decreases systolic blood pressure (SBP) and oxygen demand. This study tests the hypothesis that a beetroot juice (BJ) treatment increases heart rate variability (HRV) measured by the average standard deviation of normal-normal electrocardiogram RR intervals (SDNN) and the low frequency (LF), mainly sympathetic, fast Fourier transform spectral index of HRV. The subjects were 13 healthy young adult African-American females. Placebo control orange juice (OJ) and BJ treatments were given on separate days. Blood nitric oxide [NO], SBP and RR intervals were measured at rest and at constant workloads set to 40% and 80% of the predetermined VO2peak. Two hours after ingestion the BJ treatment increased [NO] and decreased SBP. BJ also increased SDNN at rest and at the 40% VO2peak workload, without significant effects on LF. SDNN was significantly greater after the BJ than after the OJ treatment, across the two physical activity conditions and SDNN was (negatively) correlated with SBP. These results suggest that BJ decreases SBP and increases HRV at rest and during aerobic exercise. Similar results in subjects with prehypertension or hypertension could translate to a dietary nitrate treatment for hypertension.
Is Ultrasonography Useful in the Diagnosis of Nasolabial Cyst?
Authors: Acar Ahmet H. , Yolcu Ümit , Asutay Fatih
Published: February 2014

Nasolabial cysts are nonodontogenic cysts that occur beneath the ala nasi. Its pathogenesis is uncertain. Because the nasolabial cyst is a soft tissue lesion, plain radiographs are useless. CT and MRI should be evaluated. In this report, a nasolabial cyst is described including its features on ultrasonography (USG) and CT exams.
Phytoestrogensβ-Sitosterol and Genistein Have Limited Effects on Reproductive Endpoints in a Female Fish,Betta splendens
Authors: Brown A. C. , Stevenson L. M. , Leonard H. M. , Nieves-Puigdoller K. , Clotfelter E. D.
Published: February 2014

Phytoestrogens are produced by plants and may cause endocrine disruption in vertebrates. The present study hypothesizes that phytoestrogen exposure of female Siamese fighting fish (Betta splendens) may disrupt endogenous steroid levels, change agonistic behavior expression, and potentially also disrupt oocyte development. However, only the pharmacologic dose ofβ-sitosterol had a significant effect on opercular flaring behavior, while we did not find significant effects ofβ-sitosterol or genistein on steroids or gonads. These findings are in direct contrast with previous studies on the effects of phytoestrogens in female fish. Results of the current study support previous work showing that the effects of phytoestrogen exposure may be less acute in mature femaleB. splendensthan in other fish.
The Progress of Emergency Medicine in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong: Perspective from Publications in Emergency Medicine Journals, 1992–2011
Authors: Lee Ching-Hsing , Chaou Chung-Hsien , Lin Chih-Chuan
Published: February 2014

Study Objective. The progress of emergency medicine (EM) in Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong was evaluated from the perspective of publications in EM journals.Methods. This was a retrospective study. All articles published from 1992 to 2011 in all journals in the EM category in the 2010 Journal Citation Reports (JCR) were included. A computerized literature search was conducted using the SciVerse Scopus database. The slope (β) of the linear regression was used to evaluate the trends in the numbers of articles as well as the ratios to the total number of EM journal articles.Results. The trends in the numbers of articles from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong were 6.170, 1.908, and 2.835 and the trends in the ratios of their publication numbers to the total number of EM journal articles were 15.0 × 10−4, 4.60 × 10−4, and 6.80 × 10−4, respectively. AllP-values were <0.01. The mean, median, and 75th percentiles of the number of citations in all EM journals were greater than those of these three areas.Conclusions. The publications from Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong have increased at a higher rate than those of the overall EM field in the past 20 years and indicated the rapid progress in these three areas.
Estimating Tree Height-Diameter Models with the Bayesian Method
Authors: Zhang Xiongqing , Duan Aiguo , Zhang Jianguo , Xiang Congwei
Published: February 2014

Six candidate height-diameter models were used to analyze the height-diameter relationships. The common methods for estimating the height-diameter models have taken the classical (frequentist) approach based on the frequency interpretation of probability, for example, the nonlinear least squares method (NLS) and the maximum likelihood method (ML). The Bayesian method has an exclusive advantage compared with classical method that the parameters to be estimated are regarded as random variables. In this study, the classical and Bayesian methods were used to estimate six height-diameter models, respectively. Both the classical method and Bayesian method showed that the Weibull model was the “best” model using data1. In addition, based on the Weibull model, data2 was used for comparing Bayesian method with informative priors with uninformative priors and classical method. The results showed that the improvement in prediction accuracy with Bayesian method led to narrower confidence bands of predicted value in comparison to that for the classical method, and the credible bands of parameters with informative priors were also narrower than uninformative priors and classical method. The estimated posterior distributions for parameters can be set as new priors in estimating the parameters using data2.