bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post-Operative Contracture of the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint after Surface Replacement Arthroplasty Using a Volar Approach
Authors: Shirakawa Ken , Shirota Masahiko
Published: September 2016

Background: Postoperative contracture as a major complication of surface replacement arthroplasty (SRA) remains an unresolved problem. Contracture after SRA can occur early in the postoperative period due to mechanical dysfunction, and tardy contracture where ROM declines with time postoperatively is also reported.

Methods: 13 fingers with degenerative osteoarthritis and two fingers with post-traumatic arthritis where SRA was performed using volar approach were involved. Contracture was defined as limited ROM of less than 35 degrees. Cases were then categorized into two groups according to time of onset of contracture; early contracture and tardy contracture. Characteristic findings of postoperative X-rays in each contracture group were examined. Required procedures and efficacy of any further surgery was also reviewed.

Results: Early contracture was observed in three cases, all of which suffered intra-operative fracture or fragility of the central slip insertion on the dorsal rim of the middle phalanx. This was observed in a further two cases, both of which deteriorated to tardy contracture. Tardy contracture was observed in five cases, and the average ROM was 63 degrees preoperatively, 48 degrees one year postoperatively and 21 degrees at the most recent follow-up, or at the time of the second surgery. In the three cases, development of osteophyte formation on the volar aspect of the proximal head component was observed on the follow-up X-rays. Required further surgeries were resection of the volar plate in two cases, resection of ossification in one and resection of the osteophyte in two. The results of further surgeries were mediocre in all but one case.

Conclusions: This study showed that intra-operative fracture or fragility of the central slip insertion was a risk factor for postoperative contracture after SRA, and that development of osteophyte formation can be a cause of deterioration in ROM of the PIP joint.
Generalisation of Hajek’s Stochastic Comparison Results to Stochastic Sums
Authors: Kampen Jörg
Published: September 2016

Hajek’s univariate stochastic comparison result is generalised to multivariate stochastic sum processes with univariate convex data functions and for univariate monotonic nondecreasing convex data functions for processes with and without drift, respectively. As a consequence strategies for a class of multivariate optimal control problems can be determined by maximizing variance. An example is passport options written on multivariate traded accounts. The argument describes a narrow path between impossibilities of generalisations to jump processes or impossibilities of more general data functions.
The Role of Pancreatic Stone Protein in Diagnosis of Early Onset Neonatal Sepsis
Authors: Rass Anwar A. , Talat Mohamed A. , Arafa Mohamed A. , El-Saadany Hosam F. , Amin Ezzat K. , Abdelsalam Mohamed Mohamed , Mansour Mona A. , Khalifa Naglaa A. , Kamel Lamiaa Mahmoud
Published: September 2016

Introduction. Early diagnosis and treatment of neonatal sepsis may help decrease neonatal mortality.Aim of the Study. To evaluate the role of pancreatic stone protein as a marker for early onset neonatal sepsis.Methods. A hospital-based prospective study was conducted on 104 (52 uninfected and 52 infected neonates) admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Zagazig University hospitals during the period from April 2014 to April 2015. All newborns were subjected to full history taking, careful neonatal assessment, blood, C-reactive protein (CRP), and serum pancreatic stone protein.Results. Serum PSP levels were significantly higher in the infected group than in the uninfected group. At a cutoff level of PSP 12.96 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 96.2%, the specificity was 88.5%, positive predictive value was 95.8%, negative predictive value was 89.3%, and area under the curve was 0.87. A significant positive correlation between CRP and PSP was found in infected group.Conclusion. The high negative predictive value of PSP (89.3%) indicates that the serum PSP level is a good marker for diagnosis of early onset neonatal sepsis and can be used to limit hospital stay and antibiotic use in neonates treated for suspected sepsis.
One-Step Electrochemical Polymerization of Polyaniline Flexible Counter Electrode Doped by Graphene
Authors: Qin Qi , He Fang , Zhang Wangxi
Published: September 2016

To improve the photoelectric property of polyaniline (PANI) counter electrode using for flexible dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC), graphene (GN) was doped in PANI films covered on flexible conducting substrate by one-step electrochemical method, and then GN/PANI composites are characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), four probe instrument, and so on. The results show that PANI particles can be electrodeposited on the surface of GN sheets as the potential rising to 2.0 V. This formed unique PANI-GN-PANI lamellar structure owing to the strong interaction of conjugatedπelectron between GN and PANI results in the superior conductivity and catalytic performance of GN/PANI electrode. The maximum conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell with this counter electrode reaches 4.31%, which is much higher than that of GN-free PANI counter electrode.
Rosmarinic Acid and Melissa officinalis Extracts Differently Affect Glioblastoma Cells
Authors: Ramanauskiene Kristina , Raudonis Raimondas , Majiene Daiva
Published: September 2016

Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis L.) has many biological effects but especially important is its neuroprotective activity. The aim of the study is to produce different extracts of Melissa officinalis and analyse their chemical composition and biological properties on rat glioblastoma C6 cells. Results revealed that rosmarinic acid (RA) is the predominant compound of lemon balm extracts. RA has cytotoxic effect on glioblastoma cells (LC50 290.5 μM after the incubation of 24 h and LC50 171.3 μM after 48 h). RA at concentration 80–130 μM suppresses the cell proliferation and has an antioxidant effect. 200 μM and higher concentrations of RA have a prooxidant effect and initiate cell death through necrosis. The aqueous extract of lemon balm is also enriched in phenolic compounds: protocatechuic, caftaric, caffeic, ferulic, and cichoric acids and flavonoid luteolin‐7‐glucoside. This extract at concentrations 50 μM–200 μM RA has cytotoxic activity and initiates cell death through apoptosis. Extracts prepared with 70% ethanol contain the biggest amount of active compounds. These extracts have the highest cytotoxic activity on glioblastoma cells. They initiate generation of intracellular ROS and cell death through apoptosis and necrosis. Our data suggest that differently prepared lemon balm extracts differently affect glioblastoma cells and can be used as neuroprotective agents in several therapeutic strategies.
Preparation and Characterization of Chitosan-Humic Acid-Zerovalent Iron Nanocomposite for Nitrate Reduction in Water
Authors: Akinremi Caroline Avosuahi , Omosun Nikechukwu Nike , Adewuyi Sheriff , Azeez Jamiu Oladipupo , Olanrewaju Sanyaolu Nurudeen
Published: September 2016

A new zerovalent iron chitosan-humic acid nanocomposite was prepared and tested for nitrate ion reduction in water. Humic acid was used for intramolecular cross-linking of the chitosan linear chains to increase the active sites on the chitosan biopolymer and then further used as a stabilizer to synthesize zerovalent iron nanoparticles by the reduction of iron (II) chloride with sodium borohydride. Characterization of the products was carried out using infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray, and X-ray diffractometer. Batch experiments were conducted for the reduction of nitrate in water using different concentrations of the products in different concentrations of nitrate ion and at different contact time. The adsorption equilibrium data for the nitrate solution gave a favorable adsorption according to the Langmuir equation. Varying the nanocomposite-to-nitrate ion ratio generally led to faster nitrate reduction, with the pseudofirst-order rate constant for the adsorption increasing with increase in nanocomposite-to-nitrate ion ratio. Nitrate removal efficiency of zerovalent iron chitosan-humic acid nanocomposite was further confirmed using real water samples obtained from drainage waste and river with an initial nitrate concentration of 18.00±0.01 and 12.00±0.12 ppm, respectively. The reduction of nitrate in water using the nanocomposite was concluded to be highly effective.
Asymptotic Time Averages and Frequency Distributions
Authors: El-Taha Muhammad
Published: September 2016

Consider an arbitrary nonnegative deterministic process (in a stochastic setting {X(t),  t≥0} is a fixed realization, i.e., sample-path of the underlying stochastic process) with state space S=(-∞,∞). Using a sample-path approach, we give necessary and sufficient conditions for the long-run time average of a measurable function of process to be equal to the expectation taken with respect to the same measurable function of its long-run frequency distribution. The results are further extended to allow unrestricted parameter (time) space. Examples are provided to show that our condition is not superfluous and that it is weaker than uniform integrability. The case of discrete-time processes is also considered. The relationship to previously known sufficient conditions, usually given in stochastic settings, will also be discussed. Our approach is applied to regenerative processes and an extension of a well-known result is given. For researchers interested in sample-path analysis, our results will give them the choice to work with the time average of a process or its frequency distribution function and go back and forth between the two under a mild condition.
The Feasibility of Multidimensional CFD Applied to Calandria System in the Moderator of CANDU-6 PHWR Using Commercial and Open-Source Codes
Authors: Kim Hyoung Tae , Chang Se-Myong , Shin Jong-Hyeon , Kim Yong Gwon
Published: September 2016

The moderator system of CANDU, a prototype of PHWR (pressurized heavy-water reactor), has been modeled in multidimension for the computation based on CFD (computational fluid dynamics) technique. Three CFD codes are tested in modeled hydrothermal systems of heavy-water reactors. Commercial codes, COMSOL Multiphysics and ANSYS-CFX with OpenFOAM, an open-source code, are introduced for the various simplified and practical problems. All the implemented computational codes are tested for a benchmark problem of STERN laboratory experiment with a precise modeling of tubes, compared with each other as well as the measured data and a porous model based on the experimental correlation of pressure drop. Also the effect of turbulence model is discussed for these low Reynolds number flows. As a result, they are shown to be successful for the analysis of three-dimensional numerical models related to the calandria system of CANDU reactors.
Improved Glowworm Swarm Optimization Algorithm for Multilevel Color Image Thresholding Problem
Authors: He Lifang , Huang Songwei
Published: September 2016

The thresholding process finds the proper threshold values by optimizing a criterion, which can be considered as a constrained optimization problem. The computation time of traditional thresholding techniques will increase dramatically for multilevel thresholding. To greatly overcome this problem, swarm intelligence algorithm is widely used to search optimal thresholds. In this paper, an improved glowworm swarm optimization (IGSO) algorithm has been presented to find the optimal multilevel thresholds of color image based on the between-class variance and minimum cross entropy (MCE). The proposed methods are examined on standard set of color test images by using various numbers of threshold values. The results are then compared with those of basic glowworm swarm optimization, adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO), and self-adaptive differential evolution (SaDE). The simulation results show that the proposed method can find the optimal thresholds accurately and efficiently and is an effective multilevel thresholding method for color image segmentation.
Adverse Effects of ImmobilisedPseudoalteromonason the Fish PathogenicVibrio anguillarum:AnIn VitroStudy
Authors: Wesseling Wiebke , Lohmeyer Michael , Wittka Sabine , Bartels Julia , Kroll Stephen , Soltmann Christian , Kegler Pia , Kunzmann Andreas , Neumann Sandra , Ramsch Burkhard , Sellner Beate , Meinhardt Friedhelm
Published: September 2016

As a prerequisite for use in marine aquaculture, two immobilisation systems were developed by employing the probiotic bacteriumPseudoalteromonassp. strain MLms_gA3. Their impact on the survivability of the fish pathogenVibrio anguillarumwas explored. Probiotic bacteria either grown as a biofilm on ceramic tiles or embedded in alginate beads were added to sterile artificial seawater that contained the fish pathogen. While immobilisation on ceramics followed a recently developed protocol, a medium allowing for alginate microencapsulation was newly developed. Anti-Vibrioactivities were obtained with both immobilisation systems. The viable cell counts ofV. anguillarumconstantly decreased within the first two weeks of the treatments evidencing the potential of the immobilisation systems for providing probiotic-based protection against this pathogen.
Parkinson’s Disease and Cryptogenic Epilepsy
Authors: Son Andre Y. , Biagioni Milton C. , Kaminski Dorian , Gurevich Alec , Stone Britt , Di Rocco Alessandro
Published: September 2016

Epilepsy is an uncommon comorbidity of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and has been considered not directly associated with PD. We present five patients (3 men and 2 women; ages 49–85) who had concomitant PD and cryptogenic epilepsy. Although rare, epilepsy can coexist with PD and their coexistence may influence the progression of PD. While this may be a chance association, an evolving understanding of the neurophysiological basis of either disease may suggest a mechanistic association.
An Improved Approach to Identifying Key Classes in Weighted Software Network
Authors: Ding Yi , Li Bing , He Peng
Published: September 2016

To help the newcomers understand a software system better during its development, the key classes are in general given priority to be focused on as soon as possible. There are numerous measures that have been proposed to identify key nodes in a network. As a metric successfully applied to evaluate the productivity of a scholar, little is known about whetherh-index is suitable to identify the key classes in weighted software network. In this paper, we introduced fourh-index variants to identify key classes on three open-source software projects (i.e., Tomcat, Ant, and JUNG) and validated the feasibility of proposed measures by comparing them with existing centrality measures. The results show that the measures proposed not only are able to identify the key classes but also perform better than some commonly used centrality measures (the improvement is at least 0.215). In addition, the finding suggests that mE-Weight defined by the weight of a node’s topkedges performs best as a whole.
The Self-Perception and Usage of Medical Apps amongst Medical Students in the United States: A Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Quant Cara , Altieri Lisa , Torres Juan , Craft Noah
Published: September 2016

Background. Mobile medical software applications (apps) are used for clinical decision-making at the point of care.Objectives. To determine (1) the usage, reliability, and popularity of mobile medical apps and (2) medical students’ perceptions of app usage effect on the quality of patient-provider interaction in healthcare settings.Methods. An anonymous web-based survey was distributed to medical students. Frequency of use, type of app used, and perceptions of reliability were assessed via univariate analysis.Results. Seven hundred thirty-one medical students responded, equating to a response rate of 29%. The majority (90%) of participants thought that medical apps enhance clinical knowledge, and 61% said that medical apps are as reliable as textbooks. While students thought that medical apps save time, improve the care of their patients, and improve diagnostic accuracy, 53% of participants believed that mobile device use in front of colleagues and patients makes one appear less competent.Conclusion. While medical students believe in the utility and reliability of medical apps, they were hesitant to use them out of fear of appearing less engaged. Higher levels of training correlated with a greater degree of comfort when using medical apps in front of patients.
Two-Phase Algorithm for Optimal Camera Placement
Authors: Ahn Jun-Woo , Chang Tai-Woo , Lee Sung-Hee , Seo Yong Won
Published: September 2016

As markers for visual sensor networks have become larger, interest in the optimal camera placement problem has continued to increase. The most featured solution for the optimal camera placement problem is based on binary integer programming (BIP). Due to the NP-hard characteristic of the optimal camera placement problem, however, it is difficult to find a solution for a complex, real-world problem using BIP. Many approximation algorithms have been developed to solve this problem. In this paper, a two-phase algorithm is proposed as an approximation algorithm based on BIP that can solve the optimal camera placement problem for a placement space larger than in current studies. This study solves the problem in three-dimensional space for a real-world structure.
Joint Power and Time Allocation in Full-Duplex Wireless Powered Communication Networks
Authors: Cheng Yongbo , Fu Pengcheng , Chang Yuchao , Li Baoqing , Yuan Xiaobing
Published: September 2016

We consider a full-duplex wireless powered communication network (WPCN) with one hybrid access point (H-AP) and a set of distributed users, where downlink wireless energy broadcasting is employed at H-AP and at the same time, uplink wireless information transmission takes place at users in a time-division multiple access manner. We extend proportional fair scheduler to this category of network when dealing with "doubly near-far problem," where users far away from H-AP achieve low throughput but suffer from both low harvested energy and high data transmission power consumption. We jointly optimize power and time allocation for each user to achieve proportional fairness while controlling the energy consumption offset for network to a low level. By using optimization techniques, the optimal transmit power and transmission time for users are obtained via proposed algorithm. Simulation results confirm the positive effect on improving the fairness metric and reducing energy consumption offset for network.
Validation of the English Version of the Scale for Psychosocial Factors in Food Allergy and the Relationship with Mental Health, Quality of Life, and Self-Efficacy
Authors: Knibb Rebecca C. , Cortes Aaron , Barnes Christopher , Stalker Carol
Published: September 2016

Background. The Scale for Psychosocial Factors in Food Allergy (SPS-FA) is based on the biopsychosocial model of health and was developed and validated in Chile to measure the interaction between psychological variables and allergy symptoms in the child. We sought to validate this scale in an English speaking population and explore its relationship with parental quality of life, self-efficacy, and mental health. Methods. Parents (n=434) from the general population in the UK, who had a child with a clinical diagnosis of food allergy, completed the SPS-FA and validated scales on food allergy specific parental quality of life (QoL), parental self-efficacy, and general mental health. Findings. The SPS-FA had good internal consistency (alphas = .61–.86). Higher scores on the SPS-FA significantly correlated with poorer parental QoL, self-efficacy, and mental health. All predictors explained 57% of the variance in SPS-FA scores with QoL as the biggest predictor (β=.52). Discussion. The SPS-FA is a valid scale for use in the UK and provides a holistic view of the impact of food allergy on the family. In conjunction with health-related QoL measures, it can be used by health care practitioners to target care for patients and evaluate psychological interventions for improvement of food allergy management.
An Experimental Study on the Water-Induced Strength Reduction in Zigong Argillaceous Siltstone with Different Degree of Weathering
Authors: Yang Yu-chuan , Zhou Jia-wen , Xu Fu-gang , Xing Hui-ge
Published: September 2016

The water-softening property of soft rocks is a key problem in geotechnical engineering. A typical red-bed soft rock (the Zigong argillaceous siltstones) with different weathering degree is selected as an example to study the water-softening property and the influence of degree of weathering. A series of mechanical and microstructure tests are carried out to analyze the weathering characteristics and mechanism of the Zigong argillaceous siltstones. The results of mechanical experiments reveal that the water content and the weathering degree of rock specimens both have a weakening effect on the compressive and shear strengths. According to the results of present microstructure tests, the mechanical properties of the Zigong argillaceous siltstones are closely correlated with their physical properties, including internal microstructure and material composition for highly weathered rocks or moderately weathered rocks (in both natural and saturation conditions). Finally, experimental results indicate that the changes of microstructure and internal materials are two main factors that influence rock strength parameters after contacting with water and that these properties reflect the rock weathering degree. In a word, when red-bed soft rocks are encountered in geotechnical engineering, special attention should be paid to presence of water.
Potential Effects of Corneal Cross-Linking upon the Limbus
Authors: Moore Johnny E. , Schiroli Davide , Moore C. B. Tara
Published: September 2016

Corneal cross-linking is nowadays the most used strategy for the treatment of keratoconus and recently it has been exploited for an increasing number of different corneal pathologies, from other ectatic disorders to keratitis. The safety of this technique has been widely assessed, but clinical complications still occur. The potential effects of cross-linking treatment upon the limbus are incompletely understood; it is important therefore to investigate the effect of UV exposure upon the limbal niche, particularly as UV is known to be mutagenic to cellular DNA and the limbus is where ocular surface tumors can develop. The risk of early induction of ocular surface cancer is undoubtedly rare and has to date not been published other than in one case after cross-linking. Nevertheless it is important to further assess, understand, and reduce where possible any potential risk. The aim of this review is to summarize all the reported cases of a pathological consequence for the limbal cells, possibly induced by cross-linking UV exposure, the studies donein vitroorex vivo, the theoretical bases for the risks due to UV exposure, and which aspects of the clinical treatment may produce higher risk, along with what possible mechanisms could be utilized to protect the limbus and the delicate stem cells present within it.
Analyzing the miRNA-Gene Networks to Mine the Important miRNAs under Skin of Human and Mouse
Authors: Wu Jianghong , Gong Husile , Bai Yongsheng , Zhang Wenguang
Published: September 2016

Genetic networks provide new mechanistic insights into the diversity of species morphology. In this study, we have integrated the MGI, GEO, and miRNA database to analyze the genetic regulatory networks under morphology difference of integument of humans and mice. We found that the gene expression network in the skin is highly divergent between human and mouse. The GO term of secretion was highly enriched, and this category was specific in human compared to mouse. These secretion genes might be involved in eccrine system evolution in human. In addition, total 62,637 miRNA binding target sites were predicted in human integument genes (IGs), while 26,280 miRNA binding target sites were predicted in mouse IGs. The interactions between miRNAs and IGs in human are more complex than those in mouse. Furthermore,hsa-miR-548,mmu-miR-466, andmmu-miR-467have an enormous number of targets on IGs, which both have the role of inhibition of host immunity response. The pattern of distribution on the chromosome of these three miRNAs families is very different. The interaction of miRNA/IGs has added the new dimension in traditional gene regulation networks of skin. Our results are generating new insights into the gene networks basis of skin difference between human and mouse.
The Prevalence of MRSA Nasal Carriage in Preoperative Pediatric Orthopaedic Patients
Authors: Walrath J. J. , Hennrikus W. L. , Zalonis C. , Dyer A. M. , Latorre J. E.
Published: September 2016

Nasal carriage of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) has been described as a risk factor for postsurgical infection. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of MRSA in pediatric orthopaedic patients and whether being a MRSA carrier is a predictor of postoperative infection. Six hundred and ninety-nine consecutive pediatric patients who underwent MRSA nasal screening prior to surgery were studied. Postoperative cultures, total surgical site infections (SSIs), and epidemiological and surgical prophylaxis data were reviewed. Forty-four of 699 patients (6.29%) screened positive for MRSA. Nine of the 44 patients (20.5%) that screened positive for MRSA had a subsequent SSI compared to 10 of the 655 patients (1.52%) that screened negative (p<0.05). All 9 patients with a SSI had myelomeningocele. The prevalence of MRSA was 6.30% and was predictive of postoperative infection. Children with myelomeningocele were at the highest risk for having a positive MRSA screening and developing SSI.
Development of a Composite Technique for Preconditioning of 41Cr4 Steel Used as Gear Material: Examination of Its Microstructural Characteristics and Properties
Authors: Hu Jianjun , Ma Chaoping , Xu Hongbin , Guo Ning , Hou Tianfeng
Published: September 2016

Commercial 41Cr4 (ISO standard) steel was treated by a composite technique. An intermediate layer was introduced firstly at the 41Cr4 steel surface by traditional carburizing and nitriding. Then a hard Cr coating was brush-plated on the intermediate layer. Finally, the coating layer was modified by high current pulsed electron beam (HCPEB), followed by quenching and subsequent tempering treatment. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior were characterized. The results show that a nanocrystalline Cr coating is formed at the 41Cr4 steel surface by the treatment of the new composite technique. Such nanocrystalline Cr coating has acceptable hardness and high corrosion resistance performance, which satisfies the demands of the gears working under high speed and corrosive environment. The composite process proposed in this study is considered as a new prospect method due to the multifunction layer design on the gear surface.
Topical Colchicine Gel versus Diclofenac Sodium Gel for the Treatment of Actinic Keratoses: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study
Authors: Faghihi Gita , Elahipoor Azam , Iraji Fariba , Behfar Shadi , Abtahi-Naeini Bahareh
Published: September 2016

Introduction. Actinic keratoses (AKs), a premalignant skin lesion, are a common lesion in fair skin. Although destructive treatment remains the gold standard for AKs, medical therapies may be preferable due to the comfort and reliability .This study aims to compare the effects of topical 1% colchicine gel and 3% diclofenac sodium gel in AKs.Materials and Methods. In this randomized double-blind study, 70 lesions were selected. Patients were randomized before receiving either 1% colchicine gel or 3% diclofenac sodium cream twice a day for 6 weeks. Patients were evaluated in terms of their lesion size, treatment complications, and recurrence at 7, 30, 60, and 120 days after treatment.Results. The mean of changes in the size was significant in both groups both before and after treatment (<0.001). The mean lesion size before treatment and at 30, 60, and 120 days was not different between the two groups (p> 0.05). No case of erythema was seen in the colchicine group, while erythema was seen in 22.9% (eight cases) of patients in the diclofenac sodium group (p= 0.005).Conclusions. 1% colchicine gel was a safe and effective medication with fewer side effects and lack of recurrence of the lesion.
The Effect of Advanced Motherhood on Newborn Offspring’s Hippocampal Neural Stem Cell Proliferation
Authors: Li Bo , Duan Ping , Han Xuefei , Yan Wenhai , Xing Ying
Published: September 2016

Objective. To investigate the effect of advanced motherhood on rat hippocampal neural stem cell proliferation.Methods. Female parents were subdivided into control and old mother group by age, and neural stem cells were cultured from hippocampal tissues for 24 h newborn offspring. The diameter and numbers of neurospheres were examined by microscopy, and differences in proliferation were examined by EdU immunofluorescence, CCK-8 assay, and cell cycle analysis.Results. The number of neurospheres in the old mother group after culture was lower than the control group. Additionally, neurospheres’ diameter was smaller than that of the control group (P<0.05). The EdU positive rate of the old mother group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). CCK-8 assay results showed that the absorbance values for the old mother group were lower than that of the control group at 48 h and 72 h (P<0.05). The proportions of cells in the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle for the older mother group were less than that found for the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion. The proliferation rates of hippocampal NSCs seen in the older mother group were lower than that seen in the control group.
Growth of Meromorphic Function Sharing Functions and Some Uniqueness Problems
Authors: Qi Jianming , Meng Fanning , Yuan Wenjun
Published: September 2016

Estimating the growth of meromorphic solutions has been an important topic of research in complex differential equations. In this paper, we devoted to considering uniqueness problems by estimating the growth of meromorphic functions. Further, some examples are given to show that the conclusions are meaningful.
Regional Frequency Analysis of Extreme Dry Spells during Rainy Season in the Wei River Basin, China
Authors: She Dunxian , Xia Jun , Zhang Yanjun , Shan Lijie
Published: September 2016

Our research analyzes the regional changes of extreme dry spell, represented by the annual maximum dry spell length (noted as AMDSL) during the rainy season in the Wei River Basin (WRB) of China for 1960–2014 using the L-moments method. The mean AMDSL values increase from the west to the east of the WRB, suggesting a high dry risk in the east compared to the west in the WRB. To investigate the regional frequency more reasonably, the WRB is clustered into four homogenous subregions via theK-means method and some subjective adjustments. The goodness-of-fit test shows that the GEV, PE3, and GLO distribution can be accepted as the “best-fit” model for subregions 1 and 4, subregion 2, and subregion 3, respectively. The quantiles of AMDSL under various return levels figure out a similar spatial distribution with mean AMDSL. We also find that the dry risk in subregion 2 and subregion 4 might be higher than that in subregion 1. The relationship between ENSO events and extreme dry spell events in the rainy season with cross wavelet analysis method proves that ENSO events play a critical role in triggering extreme dry events during rainy season in the WRB.
rLj-RGD3, a Novel Three-RGD-Motif-Containing Recombinant Protein fromLampetra japonica, Protects PC12 Cells from Injury Induced by Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation and Reperfusion
Authors: Lv Li , Lu Qian , Shao Fangyu , Li Weiping , Zhou Qin , Wang Jihong , Li Qingwei
Published: September 2016

rLj-RGD3 is a 14.5 kDa recombinant protein with 3 RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp) motifs from the salivary gland secretions ofLampetra japonica, which is a histidine-rich and arginine-rich protein. Previous reports indicated that rLj-RGD3 has typical functions of RGD-toxin protein, such as platelet aggregation suppression tumour metastasis and angiogenesis inhibition. Because histidine and arginine have cerebral ischemia-reperfusion and neuroprotective functions, we investigated whether rLj-RGD3 has such activities and studied the mechanism. The effects of rLj-RGD3 on neuroprotection and antiapoptosis were determined. The expression level of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), p-FAK, Caspase-3, and Bcl-2 after oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD-R) was examined. The viability of PC12 cells incubated with rLj-RGD3 at high concentrations (16 μmol/L) increased significantly due to its ability to protect the cells from apoptosis after OGD-R-induced injury. Furthermore, rLj-RGD3 attenuated the damage due to OGD-R. Most of the PC12 cells were apoptotic after OGD-R. In contrast, the number of apoptotic PC12 cells was significantly decreased in the group treated with a high-dose of rLj-RGD3. In addition, rLj-RGD3 activated FAK and p-FAK protein. rLj-RGD3 inhibited Caspase-3 and upregulated Bcl-2 protein expression in PC12 cells after OGD-R. The study provides the first evidence for neuroprotective effects of rLj-RGD3 in ischemic injury that may be partly mediated through inhibition of Caspase-3 and upregulation of Bcl-2, FAK, and p-FAK protein expression.
Characterization of Neurogenic Potential of Dental Pulp Stem Cells Cultured in Xeno/Serum‐Free Condition: In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment
Authors: Jung Jieun , Kim Jong-Wan , Moon Ho-Jin , Hong Jin Young , Hyun Jung Keun
Published: September 2016

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have a high potency for differentiation to neurons and glial cells for replacement of damaged cells and paracrine effects for the regeneration and remyelination of host axons. Dental pulp is known to have a potential to differentiate into neural‐like cells; therefore, dental pulp may be used as an autologous cell source for neural repair. In this study, we selectively expanded stem cells from human dental pulp in an initial culture using NSC media under xeno‐ and serum‐free conditions. At the initial step of primary culture, human dental pulp was divided into two groups according to the culture media: 10% fetal bovine serum medium group (FBS group) and NSC culture medium group (NSC group). In the NSC group relative to the FBS group, the expression of NSC markers and the concentrations of leukemia inhibitory factor, nerve growth factor, and stem cell factor were higher, although their expression levels were lower than those of human fetal NSCs. The transplanted cells of the NSC group survived well within the normal brain and injured spinal cord of rats and expressed nestin and Sox2. Under the xeno‐ and serum‐free conditions, autologous human dental pulp‐derived stem cells might prove useful for clinical cell‐based therapies to repair damaged neural tissues.
Dual-Layer Density Estimation for Multiple Object Instance Detection
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Qu Daokui , Xu Fang , Jia Kai , Sun Xueying
Published: September 2016

This paper introduces a dual-layer density estimation-based architecture for multiple object instance detection in robot inventory management applications. The approach consists of raw scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) feature matching and key point projection. The dominant scale ratio and a reference clustering threshold are estimated using the first layer of the density estimation. A cascade of filters is applied after feature template reconstruction and refined feature matching to eliminate false matches. Before the second layer of density estimation, the adaptive threshold is finalized by multiplying an empirical coefficient for the reference value. The coefficient is identified experimentally. Adaptive threshold-based grid voting is applied to find all candidate object instances. Error detection is eliminated using final geometric verification in accordance with Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC). The detection results of the proposed approach are evaluated on a self-built dataset collected in a supermarket. The results demonstrate that the approach provides high robustness and low latency for inventory management application.
Homogeneous-Like Generalized Cubic Systems
Authors: Nicklason G. R.
Published: September 2016

We consider properties and center conditions for plane polynomial systems of the formsx˙=-y-p1(x,y)-p2(x,y),y˙=x+q1(x,y)+q2(x,y)wherep1,q1andp2,q2are polynomials of degreesnand2n-1, respectively, for integersn≥2. We restrict our attention to those systems for whichyp2(x,y)+xq2(x,y)=0. In this case the system can be transformed to a trigonometric Abel equation which is similar in form to the one obtained for homogeneous systems(p2=q2=0). From this we show that any center condition of a homogeneous system for a givenncan be transformed to a center condition of the corresponding generalized cubic system and we use a similar idea to obtain center conditions for several other related systems. As in the case of the homogeneous system, these systems can also be transformed to Abel equations having rational coefficients and we briefly discuss an application of this to a particular Abel equation.
Immunogenicity of RSV F DNA Vaccine in BALB/c Mice
Authors: Eroglu Erdal , Singh Ankur , Bawage Swapnil , Tiwari Pooja M. , Vig Komal , Pillai Shreekumar R. , Dennis Vida A. , Singh Shree R.
Published: September 2016

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes severe acute lower respiratory tract disease leading to numerous hospitalizations and deaths among the infant and elderly populations worldwide. There is no vaccine or a less effective drug available against RSV infections. Natural RSV infection stimulates the Th1 immune response and activates the production of neutralizing antibodies, while earlier vaccine trials that used UV-inactivated RSV exacerbated the disease due to the activation of the allergic Th2 response. With a focus on Th1 immunity, we developed a DNA vaccine containing the native RSV fusion (RSV F) protein and studied its immune response in BALB/c mice. High levels of RSV specific antibodies were induced during subsequent immunizations. The serum antibodies were able to neutralize RSVin vitro. The RSV inhibition by sera was also shown by immunofluorescence analyses. Antibody response of the RSV F DNA vaccine showed a strong Th1 response. Also, sera from RSV F immunized and RSV infected mice reduced the RSV infection by 50% and 80%, respectively. Our data evidently showed that the RSV F DNA vaccine activated the Th1 biased immune response and led to the production of neutralizing antibodies, which is the desired immune response required for protection from RSV infections.
A Numerical Study on the Oscillating Flow Induced by an Acoustic Field around Coal Particles
Authors: Jiang Genshan , Xu Weilong , Liu Yuechao , Wu Yapan , Kong Qian
Published: September 2016

In order to investigate the acoustically driven oscillating flow around coal particles in the power plant boiler, the two-dimensional, unsteady mass and momentum conservation equations for laminar flow in spherical coordinates are developed numerically. The velocity field, axial pressure gradient, shear stress, and flow separation angle on the particle surface are carefully analyzed with different values of acoustic Reynolds number and Strouhal number. The minimum frequency required for flow separation is also investigated with different SPL (sound pressure level). The axial pressure gradient, shear stress, and separation angle on the surface are proportional to the magnitude of the oscillating flow velocity at low frequency (~50 Hz). However, those physical quantities have different values at high frequency (~5000 Hz), due to the combined effect of curvature and the flow acceleration.
Anaerobic Codigestion of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge with Food Waste: A Case Study
Authors: Zahan Zubayeda , Othman Maazuza Z. , Rajendram William
Published: September 2016

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the codigestion of food manufacturing and processing wastes (FW) with sewage sludge (SS), that is, municipal wastewater treatment plant primary sludge and waste activated sludge. Bench scale mesophilic anaerobic reactors were fed intermittently with varying ratio of SS and FW and operated at a hydraulic retention time of 20 days and organic loading of 2.0 kg TS/m3·d. The specific biogas production (SBP) increased by 25% to 50% with the addition of 1%–5% FW to SS which is significantly higher than the SBP from SS of 284±9.7 mLN/g VS added. Although the TS, VS, and tCOD removal slightly increased, the biogas yield and methane content improved significantly and no inhibitory effects were observed as indicated by the stable pH throughout the experiment. Metal screening of the digestate suggested the biosolids meet the guidelines for use as a soil conditioner. Batch biochemical methane potential tests at different ratios of SS : FW were used to determine the optimum ratio using surface model analysis. The results showed that up to 47-48% FW can be codigested with SS. Overall these results confirm that codigestion has great potential in improving the methane yield of SS.
Evaluation of Anterior Chamber Volume in Cataract Patients with Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: He Wenwen , Zhu Xiangjia , Wolff Don , Zhao Zhennan , Sun Xinghuai , Lu Yi
Published: September 2016

Purpose.To evaluate the anterior chamber volume in cataract patients with Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS-OCT) and its influencing factors.Methods.Anterior chamber volume of 92 cataract patients was evaluated with SS-OCT in this cross-sectional study. Univariate analyses and multiple linear regression were used to investigate gender, age, operated eye, posterior vitreous detachment, lens opacity grading, and axial length (AXL) related variables capable of influencing the ACV.Results.The average ACV was 139.80 ± 38.21 mm3(range 59.41 to 254.09 mm3). The average ACV was significantly larger in male patients than in female patients (P=0.001). ACV was negatively correlated with age and LOCS III cortical (C) grading of the lens (Pearson’s correlation analysis,r=-0.443,P<0.001, and Spearman’s correlation analysis,ρ=-0.450,P<0.001). ACV was also increased with AXL (Pearson’s correlation analysis,r=0.552,P<0.001). Multiple linear regression showed that, with all of the covariates entered into the model, gender (P=0.002), age (P=0.015), LOCS III C grade (P=0.043), and AXL (P=0.001) were still associated with ACV (F=10.252  P<0.001  R2=0.498).Conclusion.With SS-OCT, we found that, in healthy cataract patients, ACV varied significantly among different subjects. Influencing factors that contribute to reduced ACV were female gender, increased age, LOCS III C grade, and shorter AXL.
Cognitive Training in Parkinson’s Disease: A Review of Studies from 2000 to 2014
Authors: Glizer Daniel , MacDonald Penny A.
Published: September 2016

Cognitive deficits are prevalent among patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), in both early and late stages of the disease. These deficits are associated with lower quality of life, loss of independence, and institutionalization. To date, there is no effective pharmacological treatment for the range of cognitive impairments presented in PD. Cognitive training (CT) has been explored as an alternative approach to remediating cognition in PD. In this review we present a detailed summary of 13 studies of CT that have been conducted between 2000 and 2014 and a critical examination of the evidence for the effectiveness and applicability of CT in PD. Although the evidence shows that CT leads to short-term, moderate improvements in some cognitive functions, methodological inconsistencies weaken these results. We discuss several key limitations of the literature to date, propose methods of addressing these questions, and outline the future directions that studies of CT in PD should pursue. Studies need to provide more detail about the cognitive profile of participants, include larger sample sizes, be hypothesis driven, and be clearer about the training interventions and the outcome measures.
Anti-Inflammation of Natural Components from Medicinal Plants at Low Concentrations in Brain via Inhibiting Neutrophil Infiltration after Stroke
Authors: Chen Jiannan , Zhang Xiangjian , Zhang Cong , Wang Wenhui , Chen Rong , Jiao Honglei , Li Linlin , Zhang Lan , Cui Lili
Published: September 2016

Inflammation after stroke consists of activation of microglia/astrocytesin situand infiltration of blood-borne leukocytes, resulting in brain damage and neurological deficits. Mounting data demonstrated that most natural components from medicinal plants had anti-inflammatory effects after ischemic stroke through inhibiting activation of resident microglia/astrocytes within ischemic area. However, it is speculated that this classical activity cannot account for the anti-inflammatory function of these natural components in the cerebral parenchyma, where they are detected at very low concentrations due to their poor membrane permeability and slight leakage of BBB. Could these drugs exert anti-inflammatory effects peripherally without being delivered across the BBB? Factually, ameliorating blood-borne neutrophil recruitment in peripheral circulatory system has been proved to reduce ischemic damage and improve outcomes. Thus, it is concluded that if drugs could achieve effective concentrations in the cerebral parenchyma, they can function via crippling resident microglia/astrocytes activation and inhibiting neutrophil infiltration, whereas the latter will be dominating when these drugs localize in the brain at a low concentration. In this review, the availability of some natural components crossing the BBB in stroke will be discussed, and how these drugs lead to improvements in stroke through inhibition of neutrophil rolling, adhesion, and transmigration will be illustrated.
Angiogenic Effects of Collagen/Mesoporous Nanoparticle Composite Scaffold Delivering VEGF165
Authors: Kim Joong-Hyun , Kim Tae-Hyun , Kang Min Sil , Kim Hae-Won
Published: September 2016

Vascularization is a key issue for the success of tissue engineering to repair damaged tissue. In this study, we report a composite scaffold delivering angiogenic factor for this purpose. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was loaded on mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MSN), which was then incorporated within a type I collagen sponge, to produce collagen/MSN/VEGF (CMV) scaffold. The CMV composite scaffold could release VEGF sustainably over the test period of 28 days. The release of VEGF improved the cell proliferation. Moreover, thein vivoangiogenesis of the scaffold, as studied by the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model, showed that the VEGF-releasing scaffold induced significantly increased number of blood vessel complexes when compared with VEGF-free scaffold. The composite scaffold showed good biocompatibility, as examined in rat subcutaneous tissue. These results demonstrate that the CMV scaffold with VEGF-releasing capacity can be potentially used to stimulate angiogenesis and tissue repair.