bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen Atom Desorption Induced by Electron Bombardment on Si Surface
Authors: Li Wu , Sato Shigeo , Akima Hisanao , Sakuraba Masao
Published: December 2015

In this research, we aim at developing STM lithography with atomic resolution toward its application to quantum devices. First, we have confirmed successfully an atomically flat and hydrogen-terminated surface of Si (111) required for the lithography after unisotropic chemical etching in aqueous NH4F solution with decreased dissolved oxygen. Next, we have studied hydrogen desorption from the surface by electron bombardment from an STM tip. It has been confirmed that desorption area increases approximately in proportion to the tunneling current.
The Suppression Effect of 830nm Laser Irradiation on Porous Silicon Formation
Authors: Chiang C. -C. , Huang Y.-C , Juan P.- C. , Lo F. -S. , Lee T. -H.
Published: December 2015

The suppression effect of 830 nm laser irradiation on the formation porous layer p-type silicon in hydrofluoric (HF) acid-based electrolyte has been investigated. With laser irradiation at 5.0 mW, the porous silicon layer is only few nanometers. We believe the electrochemical reaction on the laser-irradiated surface is suppressed by the laser power because of the induction of the depletion region. In the study, it is shown that the thickness of the porous silicon layer depends on the intensity of the laser power at a fixed irradiation time.
Photoelectrochemical Cells Studies with Brush Electrodeposited AgGaSe2 Films
Authors: Murali Kollegal Ramakrishna , Ashok Kumar J , Perumal S
Published: December 2015

AgGaSe2 films were brush electrodeposited on tin oxide coated glass substrates at different substrate temperatures. The films were single phase with chalcopyrite structure. Optical absorption measurements indicated a band gap in the range of 1.74 eV to 1.94 eV with decrease of substrate temperature. AgGaSe2 films were deposited on tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates at different substrate temperature in the range of 30–80°C at a deposition current density of 5.0 mA cm-2. Thickness of the films varied in the range of 700 – 1200 nm with increase of substrate temperature. Photoelectrochemical solar cells were fabricated using the films. The photoelectrodes post heat treated at 550°C exhibited a Voc of 0.475V, Jsc of 4.30 mA cm-2 and a conversion efficiency of 1.43 %. After photoetching, the conversion efficiency increased to 3.0 %.
Enzyme Functionalized Metal Nanostructures for Enhanced Electrochemical Detection of Lactate
Authors: RoyChoudhury Sohini , Manickam Pandiaraj , Umasankar Yogeswaran , Bhansali Shekhar
Published: December 2015

Lactate is a key molecule in the anaerobic energy system of humans, primarily considered as the biomarker for tissue oxidative stress. Heavy workout, sepsis, trauma and cancer cause excess lactate production in bio-fluids including sweat. Therefore, lactate measurement is integral for clinical emergencies, sports and general medicine. An enzymatic electrochemical biosensor comprising lactate oxidase immobilized on metal nanostructures is developed here for continuous monitoring of lactate. The sensing mechanism entails detection of H2O2 produced during enzymatic oxidation of lactate. Three kinds of metal nanostructures, viz. gold, copper, and platinum were tested as catalysts for electrochemical oxidation of H2O2to increase the electro-activity and detection sensitivity. Scanning electron microcopy and cyclic voltametry were used to characterize the nano-structured biosensors. Results show that the platinum nanoflakes decorated electrode provides a better sensitivity and detection limit towards lactate detection by providing favorable microenvironment to retain the bioactivity of the enzyme.
Phage-Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Detection of Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Zhou Yan , Ramasamy Ramaraja P.
Published: December 2015

A new type of impedimetric biosensor has been developed for rapid and selective detection of bacteria using T2 bacteriophage (virus) as the bio-recognition element on carbon nanotube (CNT) modified screen-printed electrode (SPE). Successful functionalization of the CNT surface was confirmed by ATR-FTIR. The immobilization of bacteriophage on SPE was achieved via simultaneous covalent bonding and electrostatic interaction. The phage-modified electrodes were used for the detection of the bacterial strain E. coli B (ATCC 11303). The attachment of bacteria to the phage-modified electrodes was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to detect the variation of impedance of the electrodes resulting from the binding of E. coli B to T2 phage. The detection was highly selective towards the B strain of E. coli as no signal was observed for the K strain of E. coli. The present achievable detection limit of the biosensor is 50 CFU/mL.
Effect of Epitaxial Growth of Gold Nanoparticles on Si Substrates on Adhesion of Electrolessly Deposited Metal Films
Authors: Yamada Naoki , Atsushiba Hiroyuki , Sakamoto Susumu , Fukumuro Naoki , Yae Shinji
Published: December 2015

Electrolessly deposited metal films on silicon substrates using gold nanoparticles as catalysts yield much higher adhesion than that by using palladium or silver nanoparticles. In this study, the structure of the gold nanoparticles is analyzed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Single crystalline gold nanoparticles are epitaxially deposited on silicon substrates and silicon-gold alloy is formed at the interface. Those epitaxially grown gold nanoparticles cause the high adhesion of electrolessly deposited nickel films on silicon substrates.
Proteome-wide muscle protein fractional synthesis rates predict muscle mass gain in response to a selective androgen receptor modulator in rats
Authors: Shankaran Mahalakshmi , Shearer Todd W. , Stimpson Stephen A. , Turner Scott M. , King Chelsea , Wong Po-yin Anne , Shen Ying , Turnbull Philip S. , Kramer Fritz , Clifton Lisa , Russell Alan , Hellerstein Marc K. , Evans William J.
Published: December 2015

Biomarkers of muscle protein synthesis rate could provide early data demonstrating anabolic efficacy for treating muscle-wasting conditions. Androgenic therapies have been shown to increase muscle mass primarily by increasing the rate of muscle protein synthesis. We hypothesized that the synthesis rate of large numbers of individual muscle proteins could serve as early response biomarkers and potentially treatment-specific signaling for predicting the effect of anabolic treatments on muscle mass. Utilizing selective androgen receptor modulator (SARM) treatment in the ovariectomized (OVX) rat, we applied an unbiased, dynamic proteomics approach to measure the fractional synthesis rates (FSR) of 167–201 individual skeletal muscle proteins in triceps, EDL, and soleus. OVX rats treated with a SARM molecule (GSK212A at 0.1, 0.3, or 1 mg/kg) for 10 or 28 days showed significant, dose-related increases in body weight, lean body mass, and individual triceps but not EDL or soleus weights. Thirty-four out of the 94 proteins measured from the triceps of all rats exhibited a significant, dose-related increase in FSR after 10 days of SARM treatment. For several cytoplasmic proteins, including carbonic anhydrase 3, creatine kinase M-type (CK-M), pyruvate kinase, and aldolase-A, a change in 10-day FSR was strongly correlated ( r2 = 0.90–0.99) to the 28-day change in lean body mass and triceps weight gains, suggesting a noninvasive measurement of SARM effects. In summary, FSR of multiple muscle proteins measured by dynamics of moderate- to high-abundance proteins provides early biomarkers of the anabolic response of skeletal muscle to SARM.
Athlome Project Consortium: a concerted effort to discover genomic and other “omic” markers of athletic performance
Authors: Pitsiladis Yannis P. , Tanaka Masashi , Eynon Nir , Bouchard Claude , North Kathryn N. , Williams Alun G. , Collins Malcolm , Moran Colin N. , Britton Steven L. , Fuku Noriyuki , Ashley Euan A. , Klissouras Vassilis , Lucia Alejandro , Ahmetov Ildus I. , de Geus Eco , Alsayrafi Mohammed ,   Athlome Project Consortium
Published: December 2015

Despite numerous attempts to discover genetic variants associated with elite athletic performance, injury predisposition, and elite/world-class athletic status, there has been limited progress to date. Past reliance on candidate gene studies predominantly focusing on genotyping a limited number of single nucleotide polymorphisms or the insertion/deletion variants in small, often heterogeneous cohorts (i.e., made up of athletes of quite different sport specialties) have not generated the kind of results that could offer solid opportunities to bridge the gap between basic research in exercise sciences and deliverables in biomedicine. A retrospective view of genetic association studies with complex disease traits indicates that transition to hypothesis-free genome-wide approaches will be more fruitful. In studies of complex disease, it is well recognized that the magnitude of genetic association is often smaller than initially anticipated, and, as such, large sample sizes are required to identify the gene effects robustly. A symposium was held in Athens and on the Greek island of Santorini from 14–17 May 2015 to review the main findings in exercise genetics and genomics and to explore promising trends and possibilities. The symposium also offered a forum for the development of a position stand (the Santorini Declaration). Among the participants, many were involved in ongoing collaborative studies (e.g., ELITE, GAMES, Gene SMART, GENESIS, and POWERGENE). A consensus emerged among participants that it would be advantageous to bring together all current studies and those recently launched into one new large collaborative initiative, which was subsequently named the Athlome Project Consortium.
Effect of Pregabalin on Cardiovascular Responses to Exercise and Postexercise Pain and Fatigue in Fibromyalgia: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Crossover Pilot Study
Authors: White Andrea T. , Light Kathleen C. , Bateman Lucinda , Hughen Ronald W. , Vanhaitsma Timothy A. , Light Alan R.
Published: December 2015

Pregabalin, an approved treatment for fibromyalgia (FM), has been shown to decrease sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity and inhibit sympathetically maintained pain, but its effects on exercise responses have not been reported. Methods. Using a randomized double-blind crossover design, we assessed the effect of 5 weeks of pregabalin (versus placebo) on acute cardiovascular and subjective responses to moderate exercise in 19 FM patients. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise and ratings of pain, physical fatigue, and mental fatigue before, during, and for 48 hours after exercise were compared in patients on pregabalin versus placebo and also versus 18 healthy controls. Results. On placebo, exercise RPE and BP were significantly higher in FM patients than controls (p<0.04). Pregabalin responders (n=12, defined by patient satisfaction and symptom changes) had significantly lower exercise BP, HR, and RPE on pregabalin versus placebo (p<0.03) and no longer differed from controls (p>0.26). Cardiovascular responses of nonresponders (n=7) were not altered by pregabalin. In responders, pregabalin improved ratings of fatigue and pain (p<0.04), but negative effects on pain and fatigue were seen in nonresponders. Conclusions. These preliminary findings suggest that pregabalin may normalize cardiovascular and subjective responses to exercise in many FM patients.
PosttraumaticSphingomonas paucimobilisEndophthalmitis
Authors: Droutsas Konstantinos , Kalantzis Georgios , Symeonidis Chrysanthos , Georgalas Ilias
Published: December 2015

A rare case ofSphingomonas paucimobilisendophthalmitis secondary to a penetrating globe injury with a retained intraocular foreign body is presented. A 30-year-old man presented with severe pain following a penetrating left eye injury. Visual acuity (VA) was 6/120. Slit-lamp examination revealed perforation of the temporal cornea and iris, hypopyon, and a fibrinous membrane covering the pupil. Ultrasonography showed dense vitreous infiltration and an orbital CT-scan confirmed the presence of a metallic foreign body in the vitreous cavity. Topical and systemic therapy were initiated. Pars-plana vitrectomy combined with phacoemulsification was performed in order to remove the foreign body; vitreous samples were acquired andSphingomonas paucimobilis, sensitive to ceftazidime, was identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report ofSphingomonas paucimobilisendophthalmitis following penetrating ocular injury. In this case,Sphingomonas paucimobiliswas not resistant to antibiotics. This allowed for a good healing response following vitrectomy despite the fact that long-term retinal complications resulted in low VA.
Downregulation of Heparanase Expression Results in Suppression of Invasion, Migration, and Adhesion Abilities of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Chen Xiao-Peng , Luo Jun-Sheng , Tian Ye , Nie Chen-Lin , Cui Wei , Zhang Wei-Dong
Published: December 2015

Objective.Heparanase (HPSE) is high-expressed in most malignant tumors including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and promotes cancer cell invasion and migration. The aim of the study is to explore whether HPSE enhances adhesion in metastasis of HCC cells.Methods. HPSE expressions in human HCC cells were measured with real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Four recombinant miRNA vectors pcDNATM6.2-GW/EmGFP-miR-HPSE (pmiR-HPSE) were transfected into HCCLM3 cell. HPSE expression in transfected cell was measured. The cell invasion, migration, and adhesion abilities were detected, respectively.Results. Both HPSE mRNA and protein relative expression levels were higher in HepG2, BEL-7402, and HCCLM3 cells than those in normal hepatocyte (P<0.05). HPSE showed highest expression level in HCCLM3 cell (P<0.05). Transfection efficiencies of four miRNA vectors were 75%–85%. The recombinant vectors significantly decreased HPSE expression in transfected HCCLM3 cells (P<0.01), and pmiR-HPSE-1 showed best interference effect (P<0.05). pmiR-HPSE-1 significantly decreased the penetrated and migrating cells numbers and adherence rate of HCCLM3 cells (P<0.05).Conclusion. HPSE is a potentiator of cell adhesion in metastasis of HCC.
Determination of Optimal Shipping Quantity for Perishable Goods under Probabilistic Supply
Authors: Lim Si-Yeong , Hur Sun
Published: December 2015

The problems of shipping and transporting perishable goods are commonly considered in the literature as significant topics, but rarely did researchers adopt a probabilistic point of view in their models. It is common in SCM environments that the participating entities’ behaviors are random and unpredictable and so can only be modeled in a probabilistic way. In this paper, we consider the shipping problem of determining the optimal quantity of perishable products with a limited time to be stored in the warehouse. The optimal quantity minimizes the overall operational costs including those of inventory and shipping. We develop a mathematical model, from which the probability distribution function, mean, and variance of the length of the build-up period are derived and we establish a cost function for determining the optimal shipping value.
A Novel WLAN Roaming Decision and Selection Scheme for Mobile Data Offloading
Authors: Nguyen Nam , Arifuzzaman Mohammad , Sato Takuro
Published: December 2015

The existing IEEE and 3GPP standards have laid the foundation for integrating cellular and WiFi network to deliver a seamless experience for the end-users when roaming across multiple access networks. However, in recent studies, the issue of making roaming decision and intelligently selecting the most preferable Point of Service to optimize network resource and improve end user’s experience has not been considered properly. In this paper, we propose a novel cellular and WiFi roaming decision and AP selection scheme based on state of the art, 3GPP TS24.312 and IEEE 802.11u, k standards. Our proposed scheme assists the mobile nodes to decide the right timing to make roaming decision and select preferable point of service based on the operator’s policies and real-time network condition. We also introduce our simulation model of a heterogeneous network with cellular and WiFi interworking as well as 3GPP ANDSF, TS24.312. It is a complete end-to-end system model from application to physical layer with considering user’s mobility and realistic traffic model. The proposed scheme outperformed the conventional WiFi selection scheme in terms of dynamically steering mobile node’s data traffic from macrocell to available Access Points. The proposed scheme increased the utilization and balanced the traffic load of access points and improved user’s experienced throughput.
Optimal Decomposition of Service Level Objectives into Policy Assertions
Authors: Rastegari Yousef , Shams Fereidoon
Published: December 2015

WS‐agreement specifies quality objectives that each partner is obligated to provide. To meet quality objectives, the corresponding partner should apply appropriate policy assertions to its web services and adjust their parameters accordingly. Transformation of WS‐CDL to WSBPEL is addressed in some related works, but neither of them considers quality aspects of transformation nor run‐time adaptation. Here, in conformance with web services standards, we propose an optimal decomposition method to make a set of WS‐policy assertions. Assertions can be applied to WSBPEL elements and affect their run‐time behaviors. The decomposition method achieves the best outcome for a performance indicator. It also guarantees the lowest adaptation overhead by reducing the number of service reselections. We considered securities settlement case study to prototype and evaluate the decomposition method. The results show an acceptable threshold between customer satisfaction—the targeted performance indicator in our case study—and adaptation overhead.
Effects of Asymmetries on the Dynamics of Motorized Momentum Exchange Tether and Payloads Injection Precision
Authors: Qi Naiming , Yang Yong , Zhao Jun , Sun Qilong , Zhang Wenhui
Published: December 2015

This paper presents the error dynamic model of motorized momentum exchange tether (MMET) based on the momentum exchange principle of space tether. The error dynamics are caused by the structural bias of the differences in tethers’ length and the difference in payloads’ mass. After that, the coupling analysis between orbit and attitude is presented. It is shown that, with increasing the differences in tethers’ length and payloads’ mass, the COM deviation of the MMET increases linearly. The numerical simulations of the MMET by considering the structural asymmetries are presented; the results show that the asymmetries have tiny influences on the orbit of the chief satellite by decreasing the apogee, which will change the instantaneous velocity at the apogee and affect the payload injection precision. What is more, the structural asymmetries have effects on the attitude elements (including the pitch angle and yaw angle); however, the effects could be weakened by the external torque. The structural asymmetries and gravity gradient torque have composite effects on the angular velocity of the propulsion tether.
Maneuvering Target Detection Based on JRC System in Gaussian and Non-Gaussian Clutter
Authors: Yao Yu , Wu Lenan , Zhang Chenmei
Published: December 2015

Aimed at the problem of detecting maneuvering targets in the Gaussian and sea clutter environments and based on the established motion state model, this paper proposed a new scheme that uses a joint radar-communication (JRC) system with Kalman filter to accurately detect the target with the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) theory and a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) based threshold. Also, the theoretical threshold and probability function of GLRT target detection based on CFAR were given. Moreover, target detection probability of the new JRC system in Weibull andKdistribution clutter is deduced. In addition to theoretical considerations, simulations and measurement results of the new JRC systems demonstrate excellent detection performance for maneuvering targets in the Weibull andKdistribution channel.
Bilateral Macular Roth Spots as a Manifestation of Subacute Endocarditis
Authors: Ceglowska Karolina , Nowomiejska Katarzyna , Kiszka Agnieszka , Koss Michael J. , Maciejewski Ryszard , Rejdak Robert
Published: December 2015

A 42-year-old man presented with a 2-day history of impaired vision in the right eye (OD). The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (LogMAR) was 1.1 for the right eye and 0.0 for the left eye (OS). Fundus examination revealed white-centered hemorrhages resembling Roth spots in both macular regions. The spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed intraretinal pseudocysts and hyperreflective deposits in the areas corresponding to the Roth spots. Conducted blood tests revealed elevated D-dimer concentration, increased total number of neutrophils, high C-reactive protein concentration, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Procalcitonin concentration, platelet count, and body temperature were within normal ranges. A blood culture was ordered and yieldedStreptococcus mitisand intravenous antibiotics were started immediately. The patient started complaining of chest and left calf pain. The systemic examination revealed infective endocarditis accompanied by bicuspid aortic valve and paravalvular abscess formation. The patient underwent cardiac surgery with mechanical aortic valve implantation. After recovery, the patient’s visual acuities improved fully. Control ophthalmic examination, including SD-OCT, showed no abnormalities.
Efficient DoA Tracking of Variable Number of Moving Stochastic EM Sources in Far-Field Using PNN-MLP Model
Authors: Stanković Zoran , Dončov Nebojša , Milovanović Bratislav , Milovanović Ivan
Published: December 2015

An efficient neural network-based approach for tracking of variable number of moving electromagnetic (EM) sources in far-field is proposed in the paper. Electromagnetic sources considered here are of stochastic radiation nature, mutually uncorrelated, and at arbitrary angular distance. The neural network model is based on combination of probabilistic neural network (PNN) and the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) networks and it performs real-time calculations in two stages, determining at first the number of moving sources present in an observed space sector in specific moments in time and then calculating their angular positions in azimuth plane. Once successfully trained, the neural network model is capable of performing an accurate and efficient direction of arrival (DoA) estimation within the training boundaries which is illustrated on the appropriate example.
Regional Variation in Human Exposure to Persistent Organic Pollutants in the United States, NHANES
Authors: Wattigney Wendy A. , Irvin-Barnwell Elizabeth , Pavuk Marian , Ragin-Wilson Angela
Published: December 2015

We examined serum levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) among geographical regions of the United States as defined by the US Census Bureau. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data for adults aged 20 years and older are presented for selected survey periods between 1999 and 2010. From NHANES 1999 through 2004, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) concentration levels were consistently higher among people living in the West than in the Midwest, Northeast, or South. In 2003–2010, perfluorinated compound concentrations tended to be highest in the South. The sum of 35 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) congeners was significantly higher in the Northeast [GM: 189; 95% CI: 173–204 ng/g lipid] than the remaining regions. The regional differences in higher body burdens of exposure to particular POPs could be attributed to a variety of activities, including region-specific patterns of land use and industrial and agricultural chemical applications, as well as different levels of regulatory activity.
Iterative Equalization and Interference Alignment for Multiuser MIMO HetNets with Imperfect CSI
Authors: Castanheira Daniel , Aido Jorge , Magueta Roberto , Silva Adão , Gameiro Atilio , Dinis Rui
Published: December 2015

In this paper we consider a scenario, where several small-cells work under the same coverage area and spectrum of a macrocell. The signals stemming from the small-cell (macrocell) users if not carefully dealt with will generate harmful interference into the macrocell (small-cell). To tackle this problem interference alignment and iterative equalization techniques are considered. By using IA all interference generated by the small-cell (macrocell) users is aligned along a low dimensional subspace, at the macrocell (small-cells). This reduces considerably the amount of resources allocated, to enable the coexistence of the two systems. However, perfect IA requires the availability of error-free channel state information (CSI) at the transmitters. Due to CSI errors one can have substantial performance degradation due to imperfect alignments. Since in this work the IA precoders are based on imperfect CSI, an efficient iterative space-frequency equalization is designed at the receiver side to cope with the residual aligned interference. The results demonstrate that iterative equalization is robust to imperfect CSI and removes efficiently the interference generated by the poorly aligned interference. Close to matched filter bound performance is achieved, with a very few number of iterations.
ABTS-Modified Silica Nanoparticles as Laccase Mediators for Decolorization of Indigo Carmine Dye
Authors: Liu Youxun , Yan Mingyang , Geng Yuanyuan , Huang Juan
Published: December 2015

Efficient reuse and regeneration of spent mediators are highly desired for many of the laccases’ biotechnology applications. This investigation demonstrates that a redox mediator 2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) covalently attached to silica nanoparticles (SNPs) effectively mediated dye decolorization catalyzed by laccase. Characteristics of ABTS-modified silica nanoparticles (ABTS-SNPs) were researched by scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy. When ABTS and ABTS-SNPs were used as laccase mediators, the decolorization yields of 96 and 95% were, respectively, obtained for indigo carmine dye. The results suggest that ABTS immobilized on SNPs can be used as laccase mediators as they retain almost the same efficiency as the free ABTS. The oxidized ABTS-SNPs were regenerated by their reduction reaction with ascorbic acid. Decolorization efficiency of regenerated ABTS-SNPs and their initial forms were found to be almost equivalent. Six reuse cycles for spent ABTS-SNPs were run for the treatment of indigo carmine, providing decolorization yields of 96–77%. Compared with free mediator, the immobilized mediators have the advantage of being easily recovered, regenerated, and reused making the whole process environmentally friendly.
Predicting Long Noncoding RNA and Protein Interactions Using Heterogeneous Network Model
Authors: Li Ao , Ge Mengqu , Zhang Yao , Peng Chen , Wang Minghui
Published: December 2015

Recent study shows that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are participating in diverse biological processes and complex diseases. However, at present the functions of lncRNAs are still rarely known. In this study, we propose a network-based computational method, which is called lncRNA-protein interaction prediction based on Heterogeneous Network Model (LPIHN), to predict the potential lncRNA-protein interactions. First, we construct a heterogeneous network by integrating the lncRNA-lncRNA similarity network, lncRNA-protein interaction network, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Then, a random walk with restart is implemented on the heterogeneous network to infer novel lncRNA-protein interactions. The leave-one-out cross validation test shows that our approach can achieve an AUC value of 96.0%. Some lncRNA-protein interactions predicted by our method have been confirmed in recent research or database, indicating the efficiency of LPIHN to predict novel lncRNA-protein interactions.
Characterization of Calcium Compounds inOpuntia ficus indicaas a Source of Calcium for Human Diet
Authors: Rojas-Molina Isela , Gutiérrez-Cortez Elsa , Bah Moustapha , Rojas-Molina Alejandra , Ibarra-Alvarado César , Rivera-Muñoz Eric , del Real Alicia , Aguilera-Barreiro Ma. de los Angeles
Published: December 2015

Analyses of calcium compounds in cladodes, soluble dietary fiber (SDF), and insoluble dietary fiber (IDF) ofOpuntia ficus indicaare reported. The characterization of calcium compounds was performed by using Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectrometry, X-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy and titrimetric methods were used for quantification of total calcium and calcium compounds. Whewellite (CaC2O4·H2O), weddellite (CaC2O4·(H2O)2.375), and calcite (CaCO3) were identified in all samples. Significant differences (P≤0.05) in the total calcium contents were detected between samples. CaC2O4·H2O content in cladodes and IDF was significantly higher (P≤0.05) in comparison to that observed in SDF, whereas minimum concentration of CaCO3was detected in IDF with regard to CaCO3contents observed in cladodes and SDF. Additionally, molar ratio oxalate : Ca2+in all samples changed in a range from 0.03 to 0.23. These results support that calcium bioavailability inO. ficus indicamodifies according to calcium compounds distribution.
Telemedicine and E-Learning in a Primary Care Setting in Sudan: The Experience of the Gezira Family Medicine Project
Authors: Mohamed K. G. , Hunskaar S. , Abdelrahman S. H. , Malik E. M.
Published: December 2015

Information and communication technology (ICT) is progressively used in the health sector (e-health), to provide health care in a distance (telemedicine), facilitate medical education (e-learning), and manage patients’ information (electronic medical records, EMRs). Gezira Family Medicine Project (GFMP) in Sudan provides a 2-year master’s degree in family medicine, with ICT fully integrated in the project. This cross-sectional study describes ICT implementation and utilization at the GFMP for the years 2011-2012. Administrative data was used to describe ICT implementation, while questionnaire-based data was used to assess candidates’ perceptions and satisfaction. In the period from April 2011 to December 2012, 3808 telemedicine online consultations were recorded and over 165000 new patients’ EMRs were established by the study subjects (125 candidates enrolled in the program). Almost all respondents confirmed the importance of telemedicine. The majority appreciated also the importance of using EMRs. Online lectures were highly rated by candidates in spite of the few challenges encountered by combining service provision with learning activity. Physicians highlighted some patients’ concerns about the use of telemedicine and EMRs during clinical consultations. Results from this study confirmed the suitability of ICT use in postgraduate training in family medicine and in service provision.
Compliance with Iron-Folate Supplement and Associated Factors among Antenatal Care Attendant Mothers in Misha District, South Ethiopia: Community Based Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Arega Sadore Abinet , Abebe Gebretsadik Lakew , Aman Hussen Mamusha
Published: December 2015

Background.In Ethiopia, higher proportions of pregnant women are anemic. Despite the efforts to reduce iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy, only few women took an iron supplement as recommended. Thus, this study aimed to assess compliance with iron-folate supplement and associated factors among antenatal care attendant mothers in Misha district, South Ethiopia.Method. Community based cross-sectional study supported with in-depth interview was conducted from March 1 to March 30, 2015. The sample size was determined using single population proportion to 303. Simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify factors associated with compliance to iron-folate supplement.Results. The compliance rate was found to be 39.2%. Mothers knowledge of anemia (AOR = 4.451, 95% CI = (2.027,9.777)), knowledge of iron-folate supplement (AOR = 3.509, 95% CI = (1.442,8.537)), and counseling on iron-folate supplement (AOR = 4.093, 95% CI = (2.002,8.368)) were significantly associated with compliance to iron-folate supplement.Conclusions.Compliance rate of iron-folate supplementation during pregnancy remains very low. This study showed that providing women with clear instructions about iron-folate tablet intake and educating them on the health benefits of the iron-folate tablets can increase compliance with iron-folate supplementation.
Persistent Hypoglycemia in Patient with Hodgkin’s Disease
Authors: Lim Harold Cinco , Munshi Lubna Bashir , Sharon David
Published: December 2015

Hypoglycemia is a rare complication of Hodgkin’s disease. Several explanations have been postulated but the exact pathophysiology is not well understood. We are presenting a case of newly diagnosed Stage IV Hodgkin’s disease that developed persistent and recurrent hypoglycemia despite giving glucagon, repeated 50% dextrose, and D5 and D10 continuous infusion. Hypoglycemia workup showed the C-peptide level to be low. Patient was suspected of having hypoglycemia related to lymphoma and was given a trial of prednisone which resolved the hypoglycemic episodes and made the patient euglycemic for the rest of his hospital stay. The presence of a substance that mimicked the effects of insulin was highly suspected. Several case reports strengthen the hypothesis of an insulin-like growth factor or antibodies secreted by the cancer cells causing hypoglycemia in Hodgkin’s disease but none of them have been confirmed. Further investigation is warranted to more clearly define the pathophysiology of persistent hypoglycemia in patients with Hodgkin’s disease.
New Derivatives of Pyridoxine Exhibit High Antibacterial Activity against Biofilm-EmbeddedStaphylococcusCells
Authors: Kayumov Airat R. , Nureeva Aliya A. , Trizna Elena Yu. , Gazizova Guzel R. , Bogachev Mikhail I. , Shtyrlin Nikita V. , Pugachev Mikhail V. , Sapozhnikov Sergey V. , Shtyrlin Yurii G.
Published: December 2015

Opportunistic bacteriaStaphylococcus aureusandStaphylococcus epidermidisoften form rigid biofilms on tissues and inorganic surfaces. In the biofilm bacterial cells are embedded in a self-produced polysaccharide matrix and thereby are inaccessible to biocides, antibiotics, or host immune system. Here we show the antibacterial activity of newly synthesized cationic biocides, the quaternary ammonium, and bisphosphonium salts of pyridoxine (vitamin B6) against biofilm-embeddedStaphylococci. The derivatives of 6-hydroxymethylpyridoxine were ineffective against biofilm-embeddedS. aureusandS. epidermidisat concentrations up to 64 μg/mL, although all compounds tested exhibited low MICs (2 μg/mL) against planktonic cells. In contrast, the quaternary ammonium salt of pyridoxine (N,N-dimethyl-N-((2,2,8-trimethyl-4H-[1,3]dioxino[4,5-c]pyridin-5-yl)methyl)octadecan-1-aminium chloride (3)) demonstrated high biocidal activity against both planktonic and biofilm-embedded bacteria. Thus, the complete death of biofilm-embeddedS. aureusandS. epidermidiscells was obtained at concentrations of 64 and 16 μg/mL, respectively. We suggest that the quaternary ammonium salts of pyridoxine are perspective to design new synthetic antibiotics and disinfectants for external application against biofilm-embedded cells.
Performance Evaluation of Multithreaded Geant4 Simulations Using an Intel Xeon Phi Cluster
Authors: Schweitzer P. , Cipière S. , Dufaure A. , Payno H. , Perrot Y. , Hill D. R. C. , Maigne L.
Published: December 2015

The objective of this study is to evaluate the performances of Intel Xeon Phi hardware accelerators for Geant4 simulations, especially for multithreaded applications. We present the complete methodology to guide users for the compilation of their Geant4 applications on Phi processors. Then, we propose series of benchmarks to compare the performance of Xeon CPUs and Phi processors for a Geant4 example dedicated to the simulation of electron dose point kernels, the TestEm12 example. First, we compare a distributed execution of a sequential version of the Geant4 example on both architectures before evaluating the multithreaded version of the Geant4 example. If Phi processors demonstrated their ability to accelerate computing time (till a factor 3.83) when distributing sequential Geant4 simulations, we do not reach the same level of speedup when considering the multithreaded version of the Geant4 example.
Pairing Cholinergic Enhancement with Perceptual Training Promotes Recovery of Age-Related Changes in Rat Primary Auditory Cortex
Authors: Voss Patrice , Thomas Maryse , Chou You Chien , Cisneros-Franco José Miguel , Ouellet Lydia , de Villers-Sidani Etienne
Published: December 2015

We used the rat primary auditory cortex (A1) as a model to probe the effects of cholinergic enhancement on perceptual learning and auditory processing mechanisms in both young and old animals. Rats learned to perform a two-tone frequency discrimination task over the course of two weeks, combined with either the administration of a cholinesterase inhibitor or saline. We found that while both age groups learned the task more quickly through cholinergic enhancement, the young did so by improving target detection, whereas the old did so by inhibiting erroneous responses to nontarget stimuli. We also found that cholinergic enhancement led to marked functional and structural changes within A1 in both young and old rats. Importantly, we found that several functional changes observed in the old rats, particularly those relating to the processing and inhibition of nontargets, produced cortical processing features that resembled those of young untrained rats more so than those of older adult rats. Overall, these findings demonstrate that combining auditory training with neuromodulation of the cholinergic system can restore many of the auditory cortical functional deficits observed as a result of normal aging and add to the growing body of evidence demonstrating that many age-related perceptual and neuroplastic changes are reversible.
Sparse Signal Representations of Bearing Fault Signals for Exhibiting Bearing Fault Features
Authors: Peng Wei , Wang Dong , Shen Changqing , Liu Dongni
Published: December 2015

Sparse signal representations attract much attention in the community of signal processing because only a few coefficients are required to represent a signal and these coefficients make the signal understandable. For bearing faults’ diagnosis, bearing faults signals collected from transducers are often overwhelmed by strong low-frequency periodic signals and heavy noises. In this paper, a joint signal processing method is proposed to extract sparse envelope coefficients, which are the sparse signal representations of bearing fault signals. Firstly, to enhance bearing fault signals, particle swarm optimization is introduced to tune the parameters of wavelet transform and the optimal wavelet transform is used for retaining one of the resonant frequency bands. Thus, sparse wavelet coefficients are obtained. Secondly, to reduce the in-band noises existing in the sparse wavelet coefficients, an adaptive morphological analysis with an iterative local maximum detection method is developed to extract sparse envelope coefficients. Simulated and real bearing fault signals are investigated to illustrate how the sparse envelope coefficients are extracted. The results show that the sparse envelope coefficients can be used to represent bearing fault features and identify different localized bearing faults.
Lipidomic Analysis of Endocannabinoid Signaling: Targeted Metabolite Identification and Quantification
Authors: Keereetaweep Jantana , Chapman Kent D.
Published: December 2015

The endocannabinoidsN-arachidonoylethanolamide (or anandamide, AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) belong to the larger groups ofN-acylethanolamines (NAEs) and monoacylglycerol (MAG) lipid classes, respectively. They are biologically active lipid molecules that activate G-protein-coupled cannabinoid receptors found in various organisms. After AEA and 2-AG were discovered in the 1990s, they have been extensively documented to have a broad range of physiological functions. Along with AEA, several NAEs, for example,N-palmitoylethanolamine (PEA),N-stearoylethanolamine (SEA), andN-oleoylethanolamine (OEA) are also present in tissues, usually at much larger concentrations than AEA. Any perturbation that involves the endocannabinoid pathway may subsequently alter basal level or metabolism of these lipid mediators. Further, the altered levels of these molecules often reflect pathological conditions associated with tissue damage. Robust and sensitive methodologies to analyze these lipid mediators are essential to understanding how they act as endocannabinoids. The recent advances in mass spectrometry allow researchers to develop lipidomics approaches and several methodologies have been proposed to quantify endocannabinoids in various biological systems.
The Application of Diabatic Heating inQ-Vectors for the Study of a North American Cyclone Event
Authors: Crandall Katie L. , Market Patrick S. , Lupo Anthony R. , McCoy Laurel P. , Tillott Rachel J. , Abraham Justin J.
Published: December 2015

An extended version of theQ-vector form for theω-equation that includes diabatic (in particular latent) heating in theQ-vector itself is derived and tested for use in analyzing the life-cycle of a midlatitude cyclone that developed over the central United States during 24–26 December 2009. While the inclusion of diabatic heating in theQ-vectorω-equation is not unique to this work, the inclusion of diabatic heating in theQ-vector itself is a unique formulation. Here it is shown that the diabaticQ-vector gives a better representation of the forcing contributing to the life-cycle of the Christmas Storm of 2009 using analyses derived from the 80-km NAM.
Polarity Determinants in Dendritic Spine Development and Plasticity
Authors: Zhang Huaye
Published: December 2015

The asymmetric distribution of various proteins and RNAs is essential for all stages of animal development, and establishment and maintenance of this cellular polarity are regulated by a group of conserved polarity determinants. Studies over the last 10 years highlight important functions for polarity proteins, including apical-basal polarity and planar cell polarity regulators, in dendritic spine development and plasticity. Remarkably, many of the conserved polarity machineries function in similar manners in the context of spine development as they do in epithelial morphogenesis. Interestingly, some polarity proteins also utilize neuronal-specific mechanisms. Although many questions remain unanswered in our understanding of how polarity proteins regulate spine development and plasticity, current and future research will undoubtedly shed more light on how this conserved group of proteins orchestrates different pathways to shape the neuronal circuitry.
Dysfunction in Ribosomal Gene Expression in the Hypothalamus and Hippocampus following Chronic Social Defeat Stress in Male Mice as Revealed by RNA-Seq
Authors: Smagin Dmitry A. , Kovalenko Irina L. , Galyamina Anna G. , Bragin Anatoly O. , Orlov Yuriy L. , Kudryavtseva Natalia N.
Published: December 2015

Chronic social defeat stress leads to the development of anxiety- and depression-like states in male mice and is accompanied by numerous molecular changes in brain. The influence of 21-day period of social stress on ribosomal gene expression in five brain regions was studied using the RNA-Seq database. MostRps, Rpl, Mprs, andMprlgenes were upregulated in the hypothalamus and downregulated in the hippocampus, which may indicate ribosomal dysfunction following chronic social defeat stress. There were no differentially expressed ribosomal genes in the ventral tegmental area, midbrain raphe nuclei, or striatum. This approach may be used to identify a pharmacological treatment of ribosome biogenesis abnormalities in the brain of patients with “ribosomopathies.”
Effects of Machine Tool Spindle Decay on the Stability Lobe Diagram: An Analytical-Experimental Study
Authors: Gaber Omar , Hashemi Seyed M.
Published: December 2015

An analytical-experimental investigation of machine tool spindle decay and its effects of the system’s stability lobe diagram (SLD) is presented. A dynamic stiffness matrix (DSM) model for the vibration analysis of the OKADA VM500 machine spindle is developed and is validated against Finite Element Analysis (FEA). The model is then refined to incorporate flexibility of the system’s bearings, originally modeled as simply supported boundary conditions, where the bearings are modeled as linear spring elements. The system fundamental frequency obtained from the modal analysis carried on an experimental setup is then used to calibrate the DSM model by tuning the springs’ constants. The resulting natural frequency is also used to determine the 2D stability lobes diagram (SLD) for said spindle. Exploiting the presented approach and calibrated DSM model it is shown that a hypothetical 10% change in the natural frequency would result in a significant shift in the SLD of the spindle system, which should be taken into consideration to ensure chatter-free machining over the spindle’s life cycle.
Interannual Variation of the Surface Temperature of Tropical Forests from Satellite Observations
Authors: Gao Huilin , Zhang Shuai , Fu Rong , Li Wenhong , Dickinson Robert E.
Published: December 2015

Land surface temperatures (LSTs) within tropical forests contribute to climate variations. However, observational data are very limited in such regions. This study used passive microwave remote sensing data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I) and the Special Sensor Microwave Imager Sounder (SSMIS), providing observations under all weather conditions, to investigate the LST over the Amazon and Congo rainforests. The SSM/I and SSMIS data were collected from 1996 to 2012. The morning and afternoon observations from passive microwave remote sensing facilitate the investigation of the interannual changes of LST anomalies on a diurnal basis. As a result of the variability of cloud cover and the corresponding reduction of solar radiation, the afternoon LST anomalies tend to vary more than the morning LST anomalies. The dominant spatial and temporal patterns for interseasonal variations of the LST anomalies over the tropical rainforest were analyzed. The impacts of droughts and El Niños on this LST were also investigated. Differences between early morning and late afternoon LST anomalies were identified by the remote sensing product, with the morning LST anomalies controlled by humidity (according to comparisons with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data).