bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical Simulation and Experimental Study of Deep Bed Corn Drying Based on Water Potential
Authors: Liu Zhe , Wu Zidan , Wang Xiaomeng , Song Jia , Wu Wenfu
Published: October 2015

The concept and the model of water potential, which were widely used in agricultural field, have been proved to be beneficial in the application of vacuum drying model and have provided a new way to explore the grain drying model since being introduced to grain drying and storage fields. Aiming to overcome the shortcomings of traditional deep bed drying model, for instance, the application range of this method is narrow and such method does not apply to systems of which pressure would be an influential factor such as vacuum drying system in a way combining with water potential drying model. This study established a numerical simulation system of deep bed corn drying process which has been proved to be effective according to the results of numerical simulation and corresponding experimental investigation and has revealed that desorption and adsorption coexist in deep bed drying.
Fuzzy-Logic-Based Control, Filtering, and Fault Detection for Networked Systems: A Survey
Authors: Luo Yuqiang , Wang Zidong , Wei Guoliang , Shen Bo , He Xiao , Dong Hongli , Hu Jun
Published: October 2015

This paper is concerned with the overview of the recent progress in fuzzy-logic-based filtering, control, and fault detection problems. First, the network technologies are introduced, the networked control systems are categorized from the aspects of fieldbuses and industrial Ethernets, the necessity of utilizing the fuzzy logic is justified, and the network-induced phenomena are discussed. Then, the fuzzy logic control strategies are reviewed in great detail. Special attention is given to the thorough examination on the latest results for fuzzy PID control, fuzzy adaptive control, and fuzzy tracking control problems. Furthermore, recent advances on the fuzzy-logic-based filtering and fault detection problems are reviewed. Finally, conclusions are given and some possible future research directions are pointed out, for example, topics on two-dimensional networked systems, wireless networked control systems, Quality-of-Service (QoS) of networked systems, and fuzzy access control in open networked systems.
Perioperative Evaluation of Patient Outcomes after Severe Acid Corrosive Injury
Authors: Wu Ming-Ho , Wu Han-Yun
Published: October 2015

We reviewed 64 patients with perforation or full-thickness injury of the alimentary tract after acid ingestion. Based on our classification of laparotomy findings, there were class I (n=15); class II (n=13); class III (n=16); and class IV (n=20). Study parameters were preoperative laboratory data, gastric perforation, associated visceral injury, and extension of the injury. End points of the study were the patients’ mortality and length of hospital stay. All these patients underwent esophagogastrectomy with (n=16) or without (n=24) concomitant resection, esophagogastroduodenojejunectomy with (n=4) or without (n=13) concomitant resection, and laparotomy only (n=7). Concomitant resections were performed on the spleen (n=10), colon (n=2), pancreas (n=1), gall bladder (n=1), skipped areas of jejunum (n=4), and the first portion of the duodenum (n=4). The study demonstrates five preoperative risk factors, female gender, shock status, shock index, pH value, and base deficit, and four intraoperative risk factors, gastric perforation, associated visceral injury, injury beyond the pylorus, and continuous involvement of the jejunum over a length of 50 cm. The overall mortality rate was 45.3%, which increased significantly with advancing class of corrosive injury.
The Effects of Climate Change on Variability of the Growing Seasons in the Elbe River Lowland, Czech Republic
Authors: Potopová Vera , Zahradníček Pavel , Türkott Luboš , Štěpánek Petr , Soukup Josef
Published: October 2015

This research aimed to identify an approach for adaptation of agriculture to increased climate variability and projected changes, taking into account regional specificity of climate change. Changes in the timing of growing season (GS) parameters for both observation and models data were computed using daily mean temperatures for three thresholds that correspond to the physiological requirements of the vegetable types. This research included a new assessment of the potential impacts of climate change on the GS of vegetables grown in the Elbe River lowland, one of the largest farmed vegetable regions in Central Europe. To accomplish this, a comprehensive analysis was conducted of the spatiotemporal variability of the date of the beginning of the growing season (BGS), the date of the end of the growing season (EGS), and the length of the growing season (GSL) for the period 1961–2011. In addition, an assessment was made of the potential changes in the dates of the BGS, EGS, and GSL for the Elbe River lowland, simulated using the regional climate models. Prospective areas for growing thermophilic vegetables in the study region were also determined.
Structural and Optical Properties of CuInS2 Thin Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering and Sulfurization Heat Treatment
Authors: Guan Rongfeng , Wang Xiaoxue , Sun Qian
Published: October 2015

CuInS2 thin films were prepared by sulfurization of Cu‐In precursor films through magnetron sputtering and the resulting films characterized using X‐ray diffraction, Raman spectrometry, and UV‐Vis spectrophotometry. The results demonstrate that a sputtering power of 80–120 W is more suitable for sputtered Cu‐In precursor films and can be used to obtain CuInS2 films with good crystallinity through vulcanization heat treatment. The sputtering gas pressure and sulfurization temperature were shown to impact on the film quality due to improper processes during the CuInS2 phase. Some of the CuIn11S17 and CuS2 impurities were observed in the composition of the prepared CuInS2 thin films. Optimization of process parameters obtained from the experimental data was determined as a sputtering power of 80~120 W, a sputtering gas pressure of 0.6–0.8 Pa, a heat treatment temperature of 450~470°C, and a holding time of 2~3 hours. The optical band gap obtained for CuInS2 thin films is between 1.48 and 1.5 eV.
Neural Processing of Emotional Prosody across the Adult Lifespan
Authors: Demenescu Liliana Ramona , Kato Yutaka , Mathiak Klaus
Published: October 2015

Emotion recognition deficits emerge with the increasing age, in particular, a decline in the identification of sadness. However, little is known about the age-related changes of emotion processing in sensory, affective, and executive brain areas. This functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study investigated neural correlates of auditory processing of prosody across adult lifespan. Unattended detection of emotional prosody changes was assessed in 21 young (age range: 18–35 years), 19 middle-aged (age range: 36–55 years), and 15 older (age range: 56–75 years) adults. Pseudowords uttered with neutral prosody were standards in an oddball paradigm with angry, sad, happy, and gender deviants (total 20% deviants). Changes in emotional prosody and voice gender elicited bilateral superior temporal gyri (STG) responses reflecting automatic encoding of prosody. At the right STG, responses to sad deviants decreased linearly with age, whereas happy events exhibited a nonlinear relationship. In contrast to behavioral data, no age by sex interaction emerged on the neural networks. The aging decline of emotion processing of prosodic cues emerges already at an early automatic stage of information processing at the level of the auditory cortex. However, top-down modulation may lead to an additional perceptional bias, for example, towards positive stimuli, and may depend on context factors such as the listener’s sex.
A Deductive Approach towards Reasoning about Algebraic Transition Systems
Authors: Fu Jun , Wu Jinzhao , Tan Hongyan
Published: October 2015

Algebraic transition systems are extended from labeled transition systems by allowing transitions labeled by algebraic equations for modeling more complex systems in detail. We present a deductive approach for specifying and verifying algebraic transition systems. We modify the standard dynamic logic by introducing algebraic equations into modalities. Algebraic transition systems are embedded in modalities of logic formulas which specify properties of algebraic transition systems. The semantics of modalities and formulas is defined with solutions of algebraic equations. A proof system for this logic is constructed to verify properties of algebraic transition systems. The proof system combines with inference rules decision procedures on the theory of polynomial ideals to reduce a proof-search problem to an algebraic computation problem. The proof system proves to be sound but inherently incomplete. Finally, a typical example illustrates that reasoning about algebraic transition systems with our approach is feasible.
Screening and Identification of ssDNA Aptamer for Human GP73
Authors: Du Jingchun , Hong Jianming , Xu Chun , Cai Yuanyuan , Xiang Bo , Zhou Chengbo , Xu Xia
Published: October 2015

As one tumor marker of HCC, Golgi Protein 73 (GP73) is given more promise in the early diagnosis of HCC, and aptamers have been developed to compete with antibodies as biorecognition probes in different detection system. In this study, we utilized GP73 to screen specific ssDNA aptamers by SELEX technique. First, GP73 proteins were expressed and purified by prokaryotic expression system and Nickle ion affinity chromatography, respectively. At the same time, the immunogenicity of purified GP73 was confirmed by Western blotting. The enriched ssDNA library with high binding capacity for GP73 was obtained after ten rounds of SELEX. Then, thirty ssDNA aptamers were sequenced, in which two ssDNA aptamers with identical DNA sequence were confirmed, based on the alignment results, and designated as A10-2. Furthermore, the specific antibody could block the binding of A10-2 to GP73, and the specific binding of A10-2 to GP73 was also supported by the observation that several tumor cell lines exhibited variable expression level of GP73. Significantly, the identified aptamer A10-2 could distinguish normal and cancerous liver tissues. So, our results indicate that the aptamer A10-2 might be developed into one molecular probe to detect HCC from normal liver specimens.
Distributed Mobility Management in 6LoWPAN-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Gohar Moneeb , Choi Jin-Ghoo , Koh Seok-Joo , Naseer Kashif , Jabbar Sohail
Published: October 2015

In 6LoWPAN networks, several mobility management schemes have been proposed based on Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) and Proxy Mobile IPv6 (PMIPv6). However, the existing schemes are centralized, and thus they have many serious drawbacks such as nonoptimal data route, injection of unwanted data traffics into core networks, increased cost of network engineering, and large registration and handover delays. To overcome these limitations, we propose new distributed mobility management schemes for 6LoWPAN networks. In the proposed schemes, Home Agent (HA), Local Mobility Anchor (LMA), and Mobile Access Gateway (MAG) functions are implemented in 6LoWPAN gateways, and the handover operations are performed directly between two neighboring 6LoWPAN gateways. By numerical analysis, we show that the proposed distributed schemes can significantly reduce the registration and handover delays, compared to the existing centralized mobility schemes.
Loss offlflTriggers JNK-Dependent Cell Death inDrosophila
Authors: Huang Jiuhong , Xue Lei
Published: October 2015

falafel(flfl) encodes aDrosophilahomolog of human SMEK whosein vivofunctions remain elusive. In this study, we performed gain-of-function and loss-of-function analysis inDrosophilaand identified flfl as a negative regulator of JNK pathway-mediated cell death. While ectopic expression offlflsuppresses TNF-triggered JNK-dependent cell death, loss offlflpromotes JNK activation and cell death in the developing eye and wing. These data report for the first time an essential physiological function offlflin maintaining tissue homeostasis and organ development. As the JNK signaling pathway has been evolutionary conserved from fly to human, a similar role of PP4R3 in JNK-mediated physiological process is speculated.
Does Computer-Assisted Femur First THR Improve Musculoskeletal Loading Conditions?
Authors: Weber Tim A. , Dendorfer Sebastian , Grifka Joachim , Verkerke Gijsbertus J. , Renkawitz Tobias
Published: October 2015

We have developed a novel, computer-assisted operation method for minimal-invasive total hip replacement (THR) following the concept of “femur first/combined anteversion,” which incorporates various aspects of performing a functional optimization of the prosthetic stem and cup position (CAS FF). The purpose of this study is to assess whether the hip joint reaction forces and patient’s gait parameters are being improved by CAS FF in relation to conventional THR (CON). We enrolled 60 patients (28 CAS FF/32 CON) and invited them for gait analysis at three time points (preoperatively, postop six months, and postop 12 months). Data retrieved from gait analysis was processed using patient-specific musculoskeletal models. The target parameters were hip reaction force magnitude (hrf), symmetries, and orientation with respect to the cup. Hrf in the CAS FF group were closer to a young healthy normal. Phase-shift symmetry showed an increase in the CAS FF group. Hrf orientation in the CAS FF group was closer to optimum, though no edge or rim-loading occurred in the CON group as well. The CAS FF group showed an improved hrf orientation in an early stage and a trend to an improved long-term outcome.
Obtaining a Flexible Film Elaborated from Cassava Thermoplastic Starch and Polylactic Acid
Authors: Arboleda Germán A. , Montilla Camilo E. , Villada Héctor S. , Varona Giovanni A.
Published: October 2015

A flexible film was obtained from a blend of cassava thermoplastic starch and polylactic acid, using maleic anhydride as coupling agent. For this, an experimental design with three factors was used: polylactic acid content, coupling agent content, and temperature profile of the blown extrusion. It was found that the three factors generated significant differences on the response variables of tensile mechanical properties individually as in their triple interaction. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used by understanding the behavior of thermal properties of TPS/PLA blends with and without coupling agent, finding similar results between both. From this, the combination with 28% polylactic acid, 0.87% coupling agent, and 155.75°C temperature profile permitted the obtaining of a material with outstanding mechanical properties and offered advantages from the economic point of view.
Intestinal Permeability in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Pathogenesis, Clinical Evaluation, and Therapy of Leaky Gut
Authors: Michielan Andrea , D’Incà Renata
Published: October 2015

The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is multifactorial with data suggesting the role of a disturbed interaction between the gut and the intestinal microbiota. A defective mucosal barrier may result in increased intestinal permeability which promotes the exposition to luminal content and triggers an immunological response that promotes intestinal inflammation. IBD patients display several defects in the many specialized components of mucosal barrier, from the mucus layer composition to the adhesion molecules that regulate paracellular permeability. These alterations may represent a primary dysfunction in Crohn’s disease, but they may also perpetuate chronic mucosal inflammation in ulcerative colitis. In clinical practice, several studies have documented that changes in intestinal permeability can predict IBD course. Functional tests, such as the sugar absorption tests or the novel imaging technique using confocal laser endomicroscopy, allow an in vivo assessment of gut barrier integrity. Antitumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) therapy reduces mucosal inflammation and restores intestinal permeability in IBD patients. Butyrate, zinc, and some probiotics also ameliorate mucosal barrier dysfunction but their use is still limited and further studies are needed before considering permeability manipulation as a therapeutic target in IBD.
A Branch and Bound Algorithm for Project Scheduling Problem with Spatial Resource Constraints
Authors: Hu Shicheng , Wang Song , Kao Yonggui , Ito Takao , Sun Xuedong
Published: October 2015

With respect to the block assembly schedule in a shipbuilding enterprise, a spatial resource constrained project scheduling problem (SRCPSP) is proposed, which aims to minimize the makespan of a project under the constraints of the availability of a two-dimensional spatial resource and the precedence relationship between tasks. In order to solve SRCPSP to the optimum, a branch and bound algorithm (BB) is developed. For the BB-SRCPSP, first, an implicitly enumerative branch scheme is presented. Secondly, a precedence based lower bound, as well as an effective dominance rule, is employed for pruning. Next, a heuristic based algorithm is used to decide the order of a node to be selected for expansion such that the efficiency of the algorithm is further improved. In addition, a maximal space based arrangement is applied to the configuration of the areas required each day in an available area. Finally, the simulation experiment is conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the BB-SRCPSP.
An LMI Approach to Guaranteed Cost Control Design for Teleoperation Systems
Authors: Li Yuling , Yin Yixin
Published: October 2015

A procedure for the guaranteed cost control design of delayed bilateral teleoperation systems with nonlinear external forces is proposed. The assumption that the external forces are nonlinear functions of velocities and/or positions of local devices and that one part of these forces satisfies sector condition has been made. A stability criterion is formulated firstly and then the optimal guaranteed cost controller is obtained by solving the equivalent convex optimization problem in the form of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). The controller preserves closed-loop stability regardless of the delay length. The behavior of the resulting teleoperation system is illustrated in simulations.
A Variable Depth Search Algorithm for Binary Constraint Satisfaction Problems
Authors: Bouhmala N.
Published: October 2015

The constraint satisfaction problem (CSP) is a popular used paradigm to model a wide spectrum of optimization problems in artificial intelligence. This paper presents a fast metaheuristic for solving binary constraint satisfaction problems. The method can be classified as a variable depth search metaheuristic combining a greedy local search using a self-adaptive weighting strategy on the constraint weights. Several metaheuristics have been developed in the past using various penalty weight mechanisms on the constraints. What distinguishes the proposed metaheuristic from those developed in the past is the update ofkvariables during each iteration when moving from one assignment of values to another. The benchmark is based on hard random constraint satisfaction problems enjoying several features that make them of a great theoretical and practical interest. The results show that the proposed metaheuristic is capable of solving hard unsolved problems that still remain a challenge for both complete and incomplete methods. In addition, the proposed metaheuristic is remarkably faster than all existing solvers when tested on previously solved instances. Finally, its distinctive feature contrary to other metaheuristics is the absence of parameter tuning making it highly suitable in practical scenarios.
The Research of Car-Following Model Based on Real-Time Maximum Deceleration
Authors: Yang Longhai , Zhang Xiqiao , Gong Jiekun , Liu Juntao
Published: October 2015

This paper is concerned with the effect of real-time maximum deceleration in car-following. The real-time maximum acceleration is estimated with vehicle dynamics. It is known that an intelligent driver model (IDM) can control adaptive cruise control (ACC) well. The disadvantages of IDM at high and constant speed are analyzed. A new car-following model which is applied to ACC is established accordingly to modify the desired minimum gap and structure of the IDM. We simulated the new car-following model and IDM under two different kinds of road conditions. In the first, the vehicles drive on a single road, taking dry asphalt road as the example in this paper. In the second, vehicles drive onto a different road, and this paper analyzed the situation in which vehicles drive from a dry asphalt road onto an icy road. From the simulation, we found that the new car-following model can not only ensure driving security and comfort but also control the steady driving of the vehicle with a smaller time headway than IDM.
TPA: A Two-Phase Approach Using Simulated Annealing for the Optimization of Census Taker Routes in Mexico
Authors: Gaona Silvia , Romero David
Published: October 2015

Censuses in Mexico are taken by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). In this paper a Two-Phase Approach (TPA) to optimize the routes of INEGI’s census takers is presented. For each pollster, in the first phase, a route is produced by means of the Simulated Annealing (SA) heuristic, which attempts to minimize the travel distance subject to particular constraints. Whenever the route is unrealizable, it is made realizable in the second phase by constructing a visibility graph for each obstacle and applying Dijkstra’s algorithm to determine the shortest path in this graph. A tuning methodology based on theiracepackage was used to determine the parameter values for TPA on a subset of 150 instances provided by INEGI. The practical effectiveness of TPA was assessed on another subset of 1962 instances, comparing its performance with that of the in-use heuristic (INEGIH). The results show that TPA clearly outperformsINEGIH. The average improvement is of 47.11%.
Estimating Frequency by Interpolation Using Least Squares Support Vector Regression
Authors: Ma Changwei
Published: October 2015

Discrete Fourier transform- (DFT-) based maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm is an important part of single sinusoid frequency estimation. As signal to noise ratio (SNR) increases and is above the threshold value, it will lie very close to Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB), which is dependent on the number of DFT points. However, its mean square error (MSE) performance is directly proportional to its calculation cost. As a modified version of support vector regression (SVR), least squares SVR (LS-SVR) can not only still keep excellent capabilities for generalizing and fitting but also exhibit lower computational complexity. In this paper, therefore, LS-SVR is employed to interpolate on Fourier coefficients of received signals and attain high frequency estimation accuracy. Our results show that the proposed algorithm can make a good compromise between calculation cost and MSE performance under the assumption that the sample size, number of DFT points, and resampling points are already known.
The Role of Extracellular Vesicles: An Epigenetic View of the Cancer Microenvironment
Authors: Qian Zhongrun , Shen Qi , Yang Xi , Qiu Yongming , Zhang Wenbin
Published: October 2015

Exosomes, microvesicles, and other extracellular vesicles are released by many cell types, including cancer cells and cancer-related immune cells. Extracellular vesicles can directly or indirectly facilitate the transfer of bioinformation to recipient cells or to the extracellular environment. In cancer, exosomes have been implicated in tumor initiation, proliferation, and metastasis. Extracellular vesicles can transmit proteins and nucleic acids that participate in DNA methylation, histone modification, and posttranscriptional regulation of RNA. Factors transmitted by extracellular vesicles reflect the donor cell status, and extracellular vesicles derived from tumor cells may be also responsible for altering expression of tumor promoting and tumor suppressing genes in recipient cells. Thus, circulating extracellular vesicles may act as biomarkers of cancer, and detection of these biomarkers may be applied to diagnosis or assessment of prognosis in patients with cancer.
Revisiting the Posttherapeutic Cure Criterion in Chagas Disease: Time for New Methods, More Questions, Doubts, and Polemics or Time to Change Old Concepts?
Authors: de Lana Marta , Martins-Filho Olindo Assis
Published: October 2015

One of the most relevant issues beyond the effectiveness of etiological treatment of Chagas disease is the lack of consensual/feasible tools to identify and certify the definitive parasitological cure. Several methods of distinct natures (parasitological, serological, and molecular) have been continuously proposed and novel perspectives are currently under investigation. Although the simultaneous use of distinct tests may offer better contributions and advances, it also leads to controversies of interpretation, with lack of mutual consent of cure criterion amongst researchers and physicians. In fact, when distinct host compartments (blood/tissues) are evaluated and explored, novel questions may arise due to the nature and sensitivity limit of each test. This short analytical review intends to present a chronological and critical overview and discuss the state-of-the-art distinct devices available for posttherapeutic cure assessment in Chagas disease, their contributions, meanings, and interpretation, aiming to point out the major gaps and propose novel insight for future perspectives of posttherapeutic management of Chagas disease patients.
hCLOCK Causes Rho-Kinase-Mediated Endothelial Dysfunction and NF-κB-Mediated Inflammatory Responses
Authors: Tang Xiao , Guo Daqiao , Lin Changpo , Shi Zhenyu , Qian Ruizhe , Fu Weiguo , Liu Jianjun , Li Xu , Fan Longhua
Published: October 2015

Background. The human Circadian Locomotor Output Cycle protein Kaput (CLOCK) gene was originally discovered as a regulator of essential human daily rhythms. This seemingly innocuous gene was then found to be associated with a multitude of human malignancies, via several biochemical pathways. We aimed to further investigate the role of hCLOCK in the hypoxia-oxidative stress response system at the biochemical level.Methods. Expression levels of Rho GTPases were measured in normoxic and hypoxic states. The effect of hCLOCK on the hypoxic response was evaluated with the use of a retroviral shRNA vector system, a Rho inhibitor, and a ROS scavenger by analyzing expression levels of hCLOCK, Rho GTPases, and NF-κB pathway effectors. Finally, in vitro ROS production and tube formation in HUVECs were assessed.Results. Hypoxia induces ROS production via hCLOCK. hCLOCK activates the RhoA and NF-κB signaling pathways. Conversely, inhibition of hCLOCK deactivates these pathways. Furthermore, inhibition of RhoA or decreased levels of ROS attenuate these pathways, but inhibition of RhoA does not lead to decreased levels of ROS. Overall findings show that hypoxia increases the expression of hCLOCK, which leads to ROS production, which then activates the RhoA and NF-κB pathways.Conclusion. Our findings suggest that hypoxic states induce vascular oxidative damage and inflammation via hCLOCK-mediated production of ROS, with subsequent activation of the RhoA and NF-κB pathways.
Effects of Preparation Conditions on the CuInS2 Films Prepared by One‐Step Electrodeposition Method
Authors: Guan Rongfeng , Cao Liu , Sun Qian , Cao Yuebin
Published: October 2015

CuInS2 thin films were prepared onto indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates by sulfurization of electrodeposited CuxInySz precursor films under S atmosphere. The influences of deposition potential, Cu2+/In3+ ratio, sulfurization temperature, and sulfur content on the CuInS2 thin films were investigated. Phases and structures were characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy; surface morphology was characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy; optical and electrical properties were characterized by UV‐Vis absorption and Mott‐Schottky curves, respectively. As a result, the optimal well‐crystallized CuInS2 films preparation parameters were determined to be deposition potential of −0.8 V, Cu2+/In3+ ratio of 1.4, sulfur content of 1 g, and the sulfurization temperature of 550°C for 1 h; CuInS2 thin films prepared by one‐step electrodeposition present the p‐type semiconductor, with thickness about 4‐5 μm and their optical band gaps in the range of 1.53~1.55 eV.
A Stochastic Programming Approach on Aircraft Recovery Problem
Authors: Zhu Bo , Zhu Jin-fu , Gao Qiang
Published: October 2015

The unexpected aircraft failure is one of the main disruption factors that cause flight irregularity. The aircraft schedule recovery is a challenging problem in both industrial and academic fields, especially when aircraft restoration time is uncertain, which is often ignored in previous research. This paper established a two-stage stochastic recovery model to deal with the problem. The first stage model was a resource assignment model on aircraft schedule recovery, with the objective function of minimizing delay and cancellation cost. The second stage model used simple retiming strategy to adjust the aircraft routings obtained in the first stage, with the objective function of minimizing the expected cost on recourse decision. Based on different scenarios of restoration time, the second stage model can be degenerated as several linear models. A stochastic Greedy Simulated Annealing algorithm was designed to solve the model. The computational results indicate that the proposed stochastic model and algorithm can effectively improve the feasibility of the recovery solutions, and the analysis of value of stochastic solution shows that the stochastic model is worthy of implementation in real life.
GNSS/Low-Cost MEMS-INS Integration Using Variational Bayesian Adaptive Cubature Kalman Smoother and Ensemble Regularized ELM
Authors: Georges Hassana Maigary , Wang Dong , Xiao Zhu
Published: October 2015

Among the inertial navigation system (INS) devices used in land vehicle navigation (LVN), low-cost microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) inertial sensors have received more interest for bridging global navigation satellites systems (GNSS) signal failures because of their price and portability. Kalman filter (KF) based GNSS/INS integration has been widely used to provide a robust solution to the navigation. However, its prediction model cannot give satisfactory results in the presence of colored and variational noise. In order to achieve reliable and accurate positional solution for LVN in urban areas surrounded by skyscrapers or under dense foliage and tunnels, a novel model combining variational Bayesian adaptive Kalman smoother (VB-ACKS) as an alternative of KF and ensemble regularized extreme learning machine (ERELM) for bridging global positioning systems outages is proposed. The ERELM is applied to reduce the fluctuating performance of GNSS during an outage. We show that a well-organized collection of predictors using ensemble learning yields a more accurate positional result when compared with conventional artificial neural network (ANN) predictors. Experimental results show that the performance of VB-ACKS is more robust compared with KF solution, and the prediction of ERELM contains the smallest error compared with other ANN solutions.
Anomaly Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks Using Immune-Based Bioinspired Mechanism
Authors: Rizwan Ramsha , Khan Farrukh Aslam , Abbas Haider , Chauhdary Sajjad Hussain
Published: October 2015

During the past few years, we have seen a tremendous increase in various kinds of anomalies in Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) communication. Recently, researchers have shown a lot of interest in applying biologically inspired systems for solving network intrusion detection problems. Several solutions have been proposed using Artificial Immune System (AIS), Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm, Genetic Algorithm (GA), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and so forth. In this paper, we propose a bioinspired solution using Negative Selection Algorithm (NSA) of the AIS for anomalies detection in WSNs. For this purpose, we implement the enhanced NSA and make a detector set that holds anomalous packets only. Then the random packets are tested and matched with the detector set and anomalies are identified. Anomalous data packets are used for further processing to identify specific anomalies. In this way, the number of wormholes, packets delayed, and packets dropped are calculated and identified. Simulations are performed on a large dataset and the results show high accuracy of the proposed algorithm in detecting anomalies. The proposed NSA is also compared with Clonal Selection Algorithm (CSA) for the same dataset. The results show significant improvement of the proposed NSA over CSA in most of the cases.
Correlation between Trunk Posture and Neck Reposition Sense among Subjects with Forward Head Neck Postures
Authors: Lee Han Suk , Chung Hyung Kuk , Park Sun Wook
Published: October 2015

Objective. To assess the correlation of abnormal trunk postures and reposition sense of subjects with forward head neck posture (FHP).Methods. In all, postures of 41 subjects were evaluated and the FHP and trunk posture including shoulder, scapular level, pelvic side, and anterior tilting degrees were analyzed. We used the head repositioning accuracy (HRA) test to evaluate neck position senses of neck flexion, neck extension, neck right and left side flexion, and neck right and left rotation and calculated the root mean square error in trials for each subject. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients and regression analysis were used to assess the degree of correlation between the trunk posture and HRA value, and a significance level ofα= 0.05 was considered.Results. There were significant correlations between the HRA value of right side neck flexion and pelvic side tilt angle(p<0.05). If pelvic side tilting angle increases by 1 degree, right side neck flexion increased by 0.76 degrees(p=0.026). However, there were no significant correlations between other neck motions and trunk postures.Conclusion. Verifying pelvic postures should be prioritized when movement is limited due to the vitiation of the proprioceptive sense of neck caused by FHP.
Total Hip Arthroplasty Using the S-ROM-A Prosthesis for Anatomically Difficult Asian Patients
Authors: Hozumi Akira , Kobayashi Kyousuke , Tsuru Nobuhisa , Miyamoto Chikara , Maeda Jyunichiro , Chiba Ko , Goto Hisataka , Osaki Makoto
Published: October 2015

Background. The S-ROM-A prosthesis has been designed for the Asian proximal femur with a small deformed shape and narrow canal. In this study, the clinical and radiological results using the S-ROM-A prosthesis for Japanese patients with severe deformity due to dysplasia and excessive posterior pelvic tilt were examined.Methods. 94 hips were followed up for a mean of 55 months, with a mean age at surgery of 61 years. The primary diagnoses were 94 coxarthritis cases, including 51 dysplasia and 37 primary OA, 1 avascular necrosis, 2 traumatic arthritis, and 3 Perthes disease. Thirty-one hips had been treated with osteotomy of the hip joints. Preoperative intramedullary canal shapes were stovepipe in 23 hips, normal in 51 hips, and champagne-flute in 5 hips. The maximum pelvic inclination angle was 56°.Results. The mean JOA score improved from 46 points preoperatively to 80 points at final follow-up. On radiological evaluation of the fixation of the implants according to the Engh classification, 92 (97%) hips were classified as “bone ingrown fixation.”Conclusion. In primary THA, using the S-ROM-A prosthesis for Asian patients with proximal femoral deformity, even after osteotomy and with posterior pelvic tilt, provided good short- to midterm results.
High LIN28A Expressing Ovarian Cancer Cells Secrete Exosomes That Induce Invasion and Migration in HEK293 Cells
Authors: Enriquez Vanessa A. , Cleys Ellane R. , Da Silveira Juliano C. , Spillman Monique A. , Winger Quinton A. , Bouma Gerrit J.
Published: October 2015

Epithelial ovarian cancer is the most aggressive and deadly form of ovarian cancer and is the most lethal gynecological malignancy worldwide; therefore, efforts to elucidate the molecular factors that lead to epithelial ovarian cancer are essential to better understand this disease. Recent studies reveal that tumor cells release cell-secreted vesicles called exosomes and these exosomes can transfer RNAs and miRNAs to distant sites, leading to cell transformation and tumor development. The RNA-binding protein LIN28 is a known marker of stem cells and when expressed in cancer, it is associated with poor tumor outcome. We hypothesized that high LIN28 expressing ovarian cancer cells secrete exosomes that can be taken up by nontumor cells and cause changes in gene expression and cell behavior associated with tumor development. IGROV1 cells were found to contain high LIN28A and secrete exosomes that were taken up by HEK293 cells. Moreover, exposure to these IGROV1 secreted exosomes led to significant increases in genes involved in Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT), induced HEK293 cell invasion and migration. These changes were not observed with exosomes secreted by OV420 cells, which contain no detectable amounts of LIN28A or LIN28B. No evidence was found of LIN28A transfer from IGROV1 exosomes to HEK293 cells.
Simulation of Ectopic Pacemakers in the Heart: Multiple Ectopic Beats Generated by Reentry inside Fibrotic Regions
Authors: Gouvêa de Barros Bruno , Weber dos Santos Rodrigo , Lobosco Marcelo , Alonso Sergio
Published: October 2015

The inclusion of nonconducting media, mimicking cardiac fibrosis, in two models of cardiac tissue produces the formation of ectopic beats. The fraction of nonconducting media in comparison with the fraction of healthy myocytes and the topological distribution of cells determines the probability of ectopic beat generation. First, a detailed subcellular microscopic model that accounts for the microstructure of the cardiac tissue is constructed and employed for the numerical simulation of action potential propagation. Next, an equivalent discrete model is implemented, which permits a faster integration of the equations. This discrete model is a simplified version of the microscopic model that maintains the distribution of connections between cells. Both models produce similar results when describing action potential propagation in homogeneous tissue; however, they slightly differ in the generation of ectopic beats in heterogeneous tissue. Nevertheless, both models present the generation of reentry inside fibrotic tissues. This kind of reentry restricted to microfibrosis regions can result in the formation of ectopic pacemakers, that is, regions that will generate a series of ectopic stimulus at a fast pacing rate. In turn, such activity has been related to trigger fibrillation in the atria and in the ventricles in clinical and animal studies.
Long-Term Outcomes of Cervical Laminoplasty in the Elderly
Authors: Oshima Yasushi , Miyoshi Kota , Mikami Yoji , Nakamoto Hideki , Tanaka Sakae
Published: October 2015

Incidences of cervical laminoplasty in the elderly are increasing; the influence of other age-related complications and neurological status must be considered for justifying surgery. This study identified the aforementioned influence on long-term outcomes of cervical laminoplasty in patients aged ≥75 years. Thirty-seven of 38 consecutive patients aged ≥75 years who underwent cervical laminoplasty were retrospectively evaluated. Minimum 5-year follow-up was acceptable if patients were complication-free. Follow-up was terminated when neurological evaluation was not possible, owing to death or other serious complications affecting activities of daily living (ADL). Postoperative neurological changes and newly developed severe complications were investigated. Postoperatively, one patient died of acute pneumonia, one remained nonambulatory owing to cerebral infarction, and 35 were ambulatory and were discharged. At a mean follow-up of 78 months, three patients died and nine developed serious complications severely affecting ADL. Of the 25 remaining patients, 23 remained ambulatory at mean follow-up of 105 months. Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that postoperative motor upper and lower extremities JOA scores of ≤2 and ≤1, respectively, were risk factors for mortality or other severe complications. Postoperative neurological status can be maintained in the elderly if they remain complication-free. Poorer neurological status significantly affected their ADL and mortality.
Relationships of Balance, Gait Performance, and Functional Outcome in Chronic Stroke Patients: A Comparison of Left and Right Lesions
Authors: Lopes Priscila Garcia , Lopes José Augusto Fernandes , Brito Christina Moran , Alfieri Fábio Marcon , Rizzo Battistella Linamara
Published: October 2015

Introduction. This study compared the balance by center of pressure (COP) and its relationship with gait parameters and functional independence in left (LH) and right (RH) chronic stroke patients.Methods. In this cross-sectional study, twenty-one hemiparetic stroke patients were assessed for Functional Independence Measure (FIM), balance with a force platform, and gait in the Motion Analysis Laboratory.Results. The amplitudes of the COP in the anteroposterior and mediolateral directions were similar in both groups. The anteroposterior direction was greater than the mediolateral direction. Only the temporal parameters showed any statistically significant differences. The LH showed a significant correlation between stride length, step length, and gait velocity with COP velocity sway for the healthy and paretic lower limbs. In both groups, the area of COP was significantly correlated with stride length. Motor FIM was significantly correlated with the COP in the LH group.Conclusion. There was no difference in the performance of balance, gait, and functional independence between groups. The correlation of the COP sway area with stride length in both groups can serve as a guideline in the rehabilitation of these patients where training the static balance may reflect the improvement of the stride length.
Adaptive NN State-Feedback Control for Stochastic High-Order Nonlinear Systems with Time-Varying Control Direction and Delays
Authors: Min Huifang , Duan Na
Published: October 2015

Nussbaum-type gain function and neural network (NN) approximation approaches are extended to investigate the adaptive state-feedback stabilization problem for a class of stochastic high-order nonlinear time-delay systems. The distinct features of this paper are listed as follows. Firstly, the power order condition is completely removed; the restrictions on system nonlinearities and time-varying control direction are greatly weakened. Then, based on Lyapunov-Krasovskii function and dynamic surface control technique, an adaptive NN controller is constructed to render the closed-loop system semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded (SGUUB). Finally, a simulation example is shown to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Nrf2 Signaling and the Slowed Aging Phenotype: Evidence from Long-Lived Models
Authors: Bruns Danielle R. , Drake Joshua C. , Biela Laurie M. , Peelor Frederick F. , Miller Benjamin F. , Hamilton Karyn L.
Published: October 2015

Studying long-lived animals provides novel insight into shared characteristics of aging and represents a unique model to elucidate approaches to prevent chronic disease. Oxidant stress underlies many chronic diseases and resistance to stress is a potential mechanism governing slowed aging. The transcription factor nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 is the “master regulator” of cellular antioxidant defenses. Nrf2 is upregulated by some longevity promoting interventions and may play a role in regulating species longevity. However, Nrf2 expression and activity in long-lived models have not been well described. Here, we review evidence for altered Nrf2 signaling in a variety of slowed aging models that accomplish lifespan extension via pharmacological, nutritional, evolutionary, genetic, and presumably epigenetic means.
Automated Evaluation ofCrithidia luciliaeBased Indirect Immunofluorescence Tests: A Novel Application of the EUROPattern-Suite Technology
Authors: Gerlach Stefan , Affeldt Kai , Pototzki Lena , Krause Christopher , Voigt Jörn , Fraune Johanna , Fechner Kai
Published: October 2015

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a severe rheumatic autoimmune disease with various clinical manifestations. Anti-dsDNA antibodies are an important immunological hallmark of SLE and their occurrence represents a major criterion for the diagnosis. Among the commonly applied test systems for determination of anti-dsDNA antibodies, the indirect immunofluorescence test (IIFT) using the flagellatedkinetoplastida Crithidia luciliaeis considered to be highly disease specific at moderate sensitivity. Since IIFT, however, is claimed to be affected by subjective interpretation and a lack of standardization, there has been an increasing demand for automated pattern interpretation of immunofluorescence reactions in recent years. Corresponding platforms are already available for evaluation of anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) IIFT on HEp-2 cells, the recommended “gold standard” for ANA screening in the diagnosis of various systemic rheumatic autoimmune diseases. For one of these systems, the “EUROPattern-Suite” computer-aided immunofluorescence microscopy (CAIFM), automated interpretation of microscopic fluorescence patterns was extended to theCrithidia luciliaebased anti-dsDNA IIFT.
Importation and Transmission of Parasitic and Other Infectious Diseases Associated with International Adoptees and Refugees Immigrating into the United States of America
Authors: Smith Darr Jordan , Conn David Bruce
Published: October 2015

Each year, hundreds of millions of people travel across international borders or even oceans, and up to 230 million may remain for long periods. Among these, 3–5 million settle permanently in their new homes, with about 1 million migrating permanently to the United States of America. This may result in transport of parasites and other pathogens, which might become established, infecting individuals in the new location. Beyond concern of disease spread, the health of migrants is of concern since the rigors, circumstances, and living conditions surrounding migrations may increase the vulnerability of migrants to infections. International adoptees and refugees are a small subset of these migrants but are of special significance inasmuch as adoptees may be more vulnerable to infection due to their immature immune status, and refugees may be more vulnerable due to substandard living conditions. Both originate from diverse regions, but often from environments of low hygiene and health care standards. This review examines recent examples of infections reported from adoptees and refugees entering the USA through 2010, highlighting the most common origin countries and the diseases most frequently involved, including Chagas disease,Balamuthiaamebic meningoencephalitis, giardiasis, microsporidiosis, hepatitis, measles, pertussis, tuberculosis, malaria, intestinal helminths, and syphilis.