bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stability of traveling waves of the Keller–Segel system with logarithmic sensitivity
Authors: Li Jingyu , Li Tong , Wang Zhi-An
Published: June 2014

Proceeding with a series of works (Refs. 12, 23–25) by the authors, this paper establishes the nonlinear asymptotic stability of traveling wave solutions of the Keller–Segel system with nonzero chemical diffusion and linear consumption rate, where the right asymptotic state of cell density is vacuum (zero) and the initial value is a perturbation with zero integral from the spatially shifted traveling wave. The main challenge of the problem is various singularities caused by the logarithmic sensitivity and the vacuum asymptotic state, which are overcome by a Hopf–Cole type transformation and the weighted energy estimates with an unbounded weight function introduced in the paper.
Hierarchy of consistent n-component Cahn–Hilliard systems
Authors: Boyer Franck , Minjeaud Sebastian
Published: June 2014

In this paper, we propose a new generalization of the well-known Cahn–Hilliard two-phase model for the modeling of n-phase mixtures. The model is derived using the consistency principle: we require that our n-phase model exactly coincides with the classical two-phase model when only two phases are present in the system. We give conditions for the model to be well-posed. We also present numerical results (including simulations obtained when coupling the Cahn–Hilliard system with the Navier–Stokes so as to obtain a phase-field model for multiphase flows) to illustrate the capability of such modeling.
Identification of System Properties in a Square Frame Undergoing Large Deformations: Numerical and Experimental Investigations
Authors: Zenz Georg , Gerstmayr Johannes , Nachbagauer Karin , Shih Ming-Hsiang , Yang Yeong-Bin
Published: June 2014

The aim of this paper is to highlight and identify the influencing parameters of the nonlinear behavior of highly deformable structures. Therefore, as an example, a large deformable square frame consisting of four slender members of equal length has been investigated experimentally. Based on highly resolving measurements using the digital image correlation method (DIC), the inverse problem of nonlinear system identification has been solved by an automatic parameter identification algorithm. For this purpose, a numerical model is set up with a beam finite element model using the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF), which enables the modeling of geometrical and possible material nonlinearities. The influencing parameters as well as the system properties have been determined by using a genetic optimization algorithm. The impact of the main influencing parameter is carved out by an included sensitivity study. The final model with automatically identified parameters shows high agreement with the experimental setup. With this approach the influences and nonlinearities, e.g. material parameters, rigid behavior, real boundary conditions, etc., come up to surface leading to a deeper understanding of the structural behavior of the system itself. Therefore, the present approach can be utilized for further investigations of nonstandard structures undergoing large deformations.
NUMERICAL STUDY ON THE EFFECTS OF THE NUMBER AND GEOMETRIES OF DRUG-ELUTING STENT LINKS ON THE DRUG CONCENTRATION
Authors: CHEN YU , XIONG YAN , JIANG WENTAO , CHEN JIAN , GUO MENG , WANG QINGYUAN , FAN YUBO
Published: June 2014

The paper investigated the effects of the link numbers and geometries of drug-eluting stents (DESs) on the hemodynamics and the distribution of drug concentration, and the final results could be used as a guide for the optimization of DES design. Four 3D virtual stents with different numbers and geometries of links were modeled and numerically studied with respect to the distribution of wall shear stress (WSS) and drug concentration. Results have showed (1) The geometries of links have big impact on the distribution of WSS regions and the uniform drug concentration distribution on the vascular wall, but little effect on the mean drug concentration on the vascular wall; the S-shaped link stents had less low-WSS regions and the reason is that the flow direction was considered in the design of this type of stents. (2) The drug concentration distribution on the vascular wall had remarkable difference from that in blood. (3) The 6S link stent had the least low-WSS regions and with high and uniformly distributed drug concentration, so this type of stent was concluded to be the best design in four stents. Overall, it is not reliable to use the drug concentration in blood to deduce the drug concentration on the vascular wall. In DES design, the configuration of links should be, as much as possible, in line with the blood flow direction, so it can decrease the low-WSS regions. Meanwhile, in order to get more uniformly distributed drug on the vascular wall, the distribution of drug on the stent surface should be taken into account. Additionally, because of the increment of contact area between the stents and vascular wall, the drug concentration on the vascular wall increased with the number of links.
Einstein's hyperbolic geometric flow
Authors: Kong De-Xing , Wang Jinhua
Published: June 2014

We investigate the Einstein's hyperbolic geometric flow, which provides a natural tool to deform the shape of a manifold and to understand the wave character of metrics, the wave phenomenon of the curvature for evolutionary manifolds. For an initial manifold equipped with an Einstein metric and assumed to be a totally umbilical submanifold in the induced space-time, we prove that, along the Einstein's hyperbolic geometric flow, the metric is Einstein if and only if the corresponding manifold is a totally umbilical hypersurface in the induced space-time. For an initial manifold which is equipped with an Einstein metric, assumed to be a totally umbilical submanifold with constant mean curvature in the induced space-time, we prove that, along the Einstein's hyperbolic geometric flow, the metric remains an Einstein metric, and the corresponding manifold is a totally umbilical hypersurface in the induced space-time. Moreover, the global existence and blowup phenomenon of the constructed metric is also investigated here.
A Neutrosophic Multi-Criteria Decision Making Method
Authors: Kharal Athar
Published: June 2014

This work presents a method of multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) using neutrosophic sets. Besides studying some interesting mathematical properties of the method, algorithm viz neut-MCDM is presented. The work also furnishes the fundamentals of neutrosophic set theory succinctly, to provide a first introduction of neutrosophic sets for the MCDM community. To illustrate the computational details, neut-MCDM has been applied to the problem of university faculty selection against a given set of criteria.
A graph associated with the set of all nonzero annihilating ideals of a commutative ring
Authors: Visweswaran S. , Patel Hiren D.
Published: June 2014

Let R be a commutative ring with identity which is not an integral domain. An ideal I of a ring R is called an annihilating ideal if there exists r ∈ R\{0} such that Ir = (0). In this paper, we consider a simple undirected graph associated with R denoted by Ω(R) whose vertex set equals the set of all nonzero annihilating ideals of R and two distinct vertices I, J in this graph are joined by an edge if and only if I + J is also an annihilating ideal of R. In this paper, for any ring R which is not an integral domain, the problem of when Ω(R) is connected is discussed and if Ω(R) is connected, then it is shown that diam (Ω(R)) ≤ 2. Moreover, it is verified that gr (Ω(R)) ∈ {3, ∞}. Furthermore, rings R such that ω(Ω(R)) < ∞ are characterized.
A Systematic Study of the Catalytic Behavior at Enzyme–Metal-Oxide Nanointerfaces
Authors: Campbell Alan S. , Dong Chenbo , Maloney Andrew , Hardinger Jeremy , Hu Xiao , Meng Fanke , Guiseppe-Elie Anthony , Wu Nianqiang , Dinu Cerasela Zoica
Published: June 2014

Metal-oxide nanoparticles with high surface area, controllable functionality and thermal and mechanical stability provide high affinity for enzymes when the next generation of biosensor applications are being considered. We report on the synthesis of metal-oxide-based nanoparticles (with different physical and chemical properties) using hydrothermal processing, photo-deposition and silane functionalization. Physical and chemical properties of the user-synthesized nanoparticles were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Raman scattering, respectively. Thus, characterized metal-oxide-based nanoparticles served as nanosupports for the immobilization of soybean peroxidase enzyme (a model enzyme) through physical binding. The enzyme–nanosupport interface was evaluated to assess the optimum nanosupport characteristics that preserve enzyme functionality and its catalytic behavior. Our results showed that both the nanosupport geometry and its charge influence the functionality and catalytic behavior of the bio-metal-oxide hybrid system.
FABRICATION OF LATERAL ORGANIC SPIN VALVES BASED ON La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 ELECTRODES
Authors: JIANG S. W. , WANG P. , JIANG S. C. , CHEN B. B. , WANG M. , JIANG Z. S. , WU D.
Published: June 2014

We report the successful fabrication of lateral organic spin valves (OSVs) using polycrystalline pentacene as spacer and half-metallic La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 (LSMO) as two electrodes. The distance between two electrodes ranges from 30 nm to 100 nm. The current–voltage characteristics follow the power law relation, which are attributed to the space charge limited current behavior. The devices with a spacing of 30 nm exhibits clear spin-valve characteristics with a magnetoresistance (MR) ratio of ~ 2% at 9 K. The MR effects disappear for electrode spacing about 100 nm, suggesting that the spin diffusion length is less than 100 nm.
Drug-eluting microneedles for self-administered treatment of keloids
Authors: Xue Peng , Yeo David Chen Loong , Chuah Yon Jin , Tey Hong Liang , Kang Yuejun , Xu Chenjie
Published: June 2014

Keloid is a long-term dermatological scarring disease characterized by disfiguring lesions resulting from overgrowth of dense fibrous tissue. Current therapeutics are ineffective, require clinical supervision and can be costly. This study investigated the use of microneedle technology in the self-management of keloid lesions. Specifically, a microneedle patch comprising of polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) and encapsulating 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) has been developed for transdermal delivery. The microneedle patches showed requisite mechanical strength (hardness 45 ± 11 MPa, elastic modulus 0.66 ± 0.16 GPa) and were able to puncture porcine epidermis. The choice of PEGDA substrate enabled conformability to non-planar anatomical regions (e.g. elbow), with about 50% of the loaded 5-FU released during the first 12 hours. Thereafter, the microneedle efficacy was evaluated on in vitro keloid fibroblast culture models, where 5-FU loaded microneedles effectively abolished keloid fibroblast proliferation activity. In summary, we have developed a microneedle device with a good potential as an effective, economical and self-applied therapy for keloid scars.
Gondwana margin evolution from zircon REE, O and Hf signatures of Western Province gneisses, Zealandia
Authors: Hiess Joe , Yi Keewook , Woodhead Jon , Ireland Trevor , Rattenbury Mark
Published: June 2014

U–Th–Pb dated zircons from Western Province paragneisses and orthogneisses were analysed for rare earth element (REE) concentrations, as well as oxygen and hafnium isotopic compositions. Experiments performed
in situ
using a sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) and laser ablation multicollection inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-MC-ICPMS) allow better understanding of crustal growth on the Zealandia margin of Gondwana from the micron scale. Paragneiss zircons were probably derived from similar sources to those that supplied the regional Ordovician Greenland Group and correlative southern Australian and Antarctic meta-sedimentary rocks. Detrital zircon grains record variable REE patterns relating to magmatic and metamorphic crystallization processes operating prior to and following Ordovician deposition. δ
18
O and ε
Hf(T)
values trace major phases of juvenile crust formation and subsequent reworking in provenance sources, signifying an increase in the recycling of compositionally diverse, evolved crustal materials through time. Orthogneiss zircons relate to two episodes of magmatism that record similar REE concentration patterns. Devonian zircons have elevated δ
18
O and un-radiogenic ε
Hf(T)
; Cretaceous zircons record more primitive δ
18
O and radiogenic ε
Hf(T)
. Both orthogneiss suites require thorough mixing of mantle-derived magmas with a component of Greenland Group rocks. The relative proportion of this crustal contamination is
c.
20–50% for the Devonian orthogneisses and
c.
10–40% for the Cretaceous orthogneisses. Orthogneiss protolith materials were largely hybridized prior to and during zircon crystallization, suggesting that plutonic assembly occurred over restricted structural levels. These results demonstrate the ability of zircon to retain detailed petrogenetic information through amphibolite-facies metamorphism with excellent fidelity.

Supplementary material:

Analytical methods and data are available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18755
Robust Manifold Nonnegative Matrix Factorization
Authors: Huang Jin , Nie Feiping , Huang Heng , Ding Chris
Published: June 2014

Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (NMF) has been one of the most widely used clustering techniques for exploratory data analysis. However, since each data point enters the objective function with squared residue error, a few outliers with large errors easily dominate the objective function. In this article, we propose a Robust Manifold Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (RMNMF) method using ℓ
2,1
-norm and integrating NMF and spectral clustering under the same clustering framework. We also point out the solution uniqueness issue for the existing NMF methods and propose an additional orthonormal constraint to address this problem. With the new constraint, the conventional auxiliary function approach no longer works. We tackle this difficult optimization problem via a novel Augmented Lagrangian Method (ALM)--based algorithm and convert the original constrained optimization problem on one variable into a multivariate constrained problem. The new objective function then can be decomposed into several subproblems that each has a closed-form solution. More importantly, we reveal the connection of our method with robust
K
-means and spectral clustering, and we demonstrate its theoretical significance. Extensive experiments have been conducted on nine benchmark datasets, and all empirical results show the effectiveness of our method.
Cheating in Online Games
Authors: Blackburn Jeremy , Kourtellis Nicolas , Skvoretz John , Ripeanu Matei , Iamnitchi Adriana
Published: June 2014

Online gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry that entertains a large, global population. One unfortunate phenomenon, however, poisons the competition and spoils the fun: cheating. The costs of cheating span from industry-supported expenditures to detect and limit it, to victims’ monetary losses due to cyber crime.

This article studies cheaters in the Steam Community, an online social network built on top of the world’s dominant digital game delivery platform. We collected information about more than 12 million gamers connected in a global social network, of which more than 700 thousand have their profiles flagged as cheaters. We also observed timing information of the cheater flags, as well as the dynamics of the cheaters’ social neighborhoods.

We discovered that cheaters are well embedded in the social and interaction networks: their network position is largely indistinguishable from that of fair players. Moreover, we noticed that the number of cheaters is not correlated with the geographical, real-world population density, or with the local popularity of the Steam Community. Also, we observed a social penalty involved with being labeled as a cheater: cheaters lose friends immediately after the cheating label is publicly applied.

Most importantly, we observed that cheating behavior spreads through a social mechanism: the number of cheater friends of a fair player is correlated with the likelihood of her becoming a cheater in the future. This allows us to propose ideas for limiting cheating contagion.
Cost-Aware Cloud Bursting for Enterprise Applications
Authors: Guo Tian , Sharma Upendra , Shenoy Prashant , Wood Timothy , Sahu Sambit
Published: June 2014

The high cost of provisioning resources to meet peak application demands has led to the widespread adoption of pay-as-you-go cloud computing services to handle workload fluctuations. Some enterprises with existing IT infrastructure employ a hybrid cloud model where the enterprise uses its own private resources for the majority of its computing, but then “bursts” into the cloud when local resources are insufficient. However, current commercial tools rely heavily on the system administrator’s knowledge to answer key questions such as when a cloud burst is needed and which applications must be moved to the cloud. In this article, we describe Seagull, a system designed to facilitate cloud bursting by determining which applications should be transitioned into the cloud and automating the movement process at the proper time. Seagull optimizes the bursting of applications using an optimization algorithm as well as a more efficient but approximate greedy heuristic. Seagull also optimizes the overhead of deploying applications into the cloud using an intelligent precopying mechanism that proactively replicates virtualized applications, lowering the bursting time from hours to minutes. Our evaluation shows over 100% improvement compared to naïve solutions but produces more expensive solutions compared to ILP. However, the scalability of our greedy algorithm is dramatically better as the number of VMs increase. Our evaluation illustrates scenarios where our prototype can reduce cloud costs by more than 45% when bursting to the cloud, and that the incremental cost added by precopying applications is offset by a burst time reduction of nearly 95%.
Mitigative Effect of Erythromycin on PMMA Challenged Preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells
Authors: Shen Yi , Wang Weili , Li Xiaomiao , Markel David C. , Ren Weiping
Published: June 2014

Background. Aseptic loosening (AL) is a major complication of total joint replacement. Recent approaches to limiting AL have focused on inhibiting periprosthetic inflammation and osteoclastogenesis.Questions/Purposes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of erythromycin (EM) on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) particle-challenged MC3T3 osteoblast precursor cells.Methods. MC3T3 cells were pretreated with EM (0–10 μg/mL) and then stimulated with PMMA (1 mg/mL). Cell viability was evaluated by both a lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay and cell counts. Cell differentiation was determined by activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Gene expression was measured via real-time quantitative RT-PCR.Results. We found that exposure to PMMA particles reduced cellular viability and osteogenetic potential in MC3T3 cell line. EM treatment mitigated the effects of PMMA particles on the proliferation, viability and differentiation of MC3T3 cells. PMMA decreased the gene expression of Runx2, osterix and osteocalcin, which can be partially restored by EM treatment. Furthermore, EM suppressed PMMA- induced increase of NF-κB gene expression.Conclusions. These data demonstrate that EM mitigates the effects of PMMA on MC3T3 cell viability and differentiation, in part through downregulation of NF-κB pathway. EM appeared to represent an anabolic agent on MC3T3 cells challenged with PMMA particles.
Fast Hybrid MPPT Technique for Photovoltaic Applications: Numerical and Experimental Validation
Authors: Aurilio Gianluca , Balato Marco , Graditi Giorgio , Landi Carmine , Luiso Mario , Vitelli Massimo
Published: June 2014

In PV applications, under mismatching conditions, it is necessary to adopt a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique which is able to regulate not only the voltages of the PV modules of the array but also the DC input voltage of the inverter. Such a technique can be considered a hybrid MPPT (HMPPT) technique since it is neither only distributed on the PV modules of the PV array or only centralized at the input of the inverter. In this paper a new HMPPT technique is presented and discussed. Its main advantages are the high MPPT efficiency and the high speed of tracking which are obtained by means of a fast estimate of the optimal values of PV modules voltages and of the input inverter voltage. The new HMPPT technique is compared with simple HMPPT techniques based on the scan of the power versus voltage inverter input characteristic. The theoretical analysis and the results of numerical simulations are widely discussed. Moreover, a laboratory test system, equipped with PV emulators, has been realized and used in order to experimentally validate the proposed technique.
Anti-Inflammatory Mechanism of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids inHelicobacter pylori-Infected Gastric Epithelial Cells
Authors: Lee Sun Eun , Lim Joo Weon , Kim Jung Mogg , Kim Hyeyoung
Published: June 2014

Helicobacter pyloriis an important risk factor for gastric inflammation, which is mediated by multiple signaling pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as linoleic acid (LA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on the expression of the proinflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) inH. pylori-infected gastric epithelial AGS cells. To investigate whether PUFAs modulateH. pylori-induced inflammatory signaling, we determined the activation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), protein kinase C-δ(PKCδ), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and activator protein-1 (AP-1) as well as IL-8 expression inH. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells that had been treated with or without PUFAs. We found that PUFAs inhibited IL-8 mRNA and protein expression inH. pylori-infected cells.ω-3 fatty acids (ALA, and DHA) suppressed the activation of EGFR, PKCδ, MAPK, NF-κB, and AP-1 in these infected cells. LA did not prevent EGFR transactivation and exhibited a less potent inhibitory effect on IL-8 expression than did ALA and DHA. In conclusion, PUFAs may be beneficial for prevention ofH. pylori-associated gastric inflammation by inhibiting proinflammatory IL-8 expression.
Silicon‐Encapsulated Hollow Carbon Nanofiber Networks as Binder‐Free Anodes for Lithium Ion Battery
Authors: Nan Ding , Huang Zheng-Hong , Lv Ruitao , Lin Yuxiao , Yang Lu , Yu Xiaoliang , Ye Ling , Shen Wanci , Sun Hongyu , Kang Feiyu
Published: June 2014

Silicon‐encapsulated hollow carbon nanofiber networks with ample space around the Si nanoparticles (hollow Si/C composites) were successfully synthesized by dip‐coating phenolic resin onto the surface of electrospun Si/PVA nanofibers along with the subsequent solidification and carbonization. More importantly, the structure and Si content of hollow Si/C composite nanofibers can be effectively tuned by merely varying the concentration of dip solution. As‐synthesized hollow Si/C composites show excellent electrochemical performance when they are used as binder‐free anodes for Li‐ion batteries (LIBs). In particular, when the concentration of resol/ethanol solution is 3.0%, the product exhibits a large capacity of 841 mAh g−1 in the first cycle, prominent cycling stability, and good rate capability. The discharge capacity retention of it was ~90%, with 745 mAh g−1 after 50 cycles. The results demonstrate that the hollow Si/C composites are very promising as alternative anode candidates for high‐performance LIBs.
Analysis of Loss of Flow Events on Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor Using the Relap5 Code
Authors: Soares Humberto V. , Aronne Ivan D. , Costa Antonella L. , Pereira Claubia , Veloso Maria Auxiliadora F.
Published: June 2014

This work presents the thermal hydraulic simulation of the Brazilian multipurpose reactor (RMB) using a RELAP5/MOD3.3 model. Beyond steady state calculations, three transient cases of loss of flow accident (LOFA) in the primary cooling system have been simulated. The RELAP5 simulations demonstrate that after all initiating events, the reactor reaches a safe new steady state keeping the integrity and safety of the core. Moreover, a sensitivity study was performed to verify the nodalization behavior due to the variation of the thermal hydraulic channels in the reactor core. Transient calculations demonstrate that both nodalizations follow approximately the same behavior.
Sarcoidosis: Sex-Dependent Variations in Presentation and Management
Authors: Birnbaum Andrea D. , Rifkin Lana M.
Published: June 2014

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease with a wide range of clinical presentations. The manifestations and prognosis in sarcoidosis are dependent upon not only organ involvement but also age and sex. The purpose of this review is to describe the systemic and ocular manifestations of sarcoidosis with a specific focus on sex-dependent difference in presentation and management. Sarcoidosis is more common in women, particularly in patients who present after age of 50 years. Women with sarcoidosis are more likely to develop cystoid macular edema and the mortality rate is higher than that of men.
Fraction of Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) Norms in Healthy Tunisian Adults
Authors: Rouatbi Sonia , Chouchene Mohamed Ali , Sfaxi Ines , Ben Rejeb Mohamed , Tabka Zouhair , Ben Saad Helmi
Published: June 2014

Aims. To establish FeNOnorms for healthy Tunisian adults aged 18–60 years and to prospectively assess their reliability.Methods. This was a cross-sectional analytical study. A convenience sample of healthy Tunisian adults was recruited. Subjects responded to a medical questionnaire, and then FeNOlevels were measured by an online method (Medisoft, Sorinnes (Dinant), Belgium). Clinical, anthropometric, and plethysmographic data were collected. All analyses were performed on natural logarithm values of FeNO.Results. 257 adults (145 males) were retained. The proposed reference equation to predict FeNOvalue is lnFeNO(ppb) = 3.47−0.56× height (m). After the predicted FeNOvalue for a given adult was computed, the upper limit of normal could be obtained by adding 0.60 ppb. The mean ± SD (minimum-maximum) of FeNO(ppb) for the total sample was13.54±4.87(5.00–26.00). For Tunisian and Arab adults of any age and height, any FeNOvalue greater than 26.00 ppb may be considered abnormal. Finally, in an additional group of adults prospectively assessed, we found no adult with a FeNOhigher than 26.00 ppb.Conclusion. The present FeNOnorms enrich the global repository of FeNOnorms that the clinician can use to choose the most appropriate norms.
A Graph-Based Ant Colony Optimization Approach for Process Planning
Authors: Wang JinFeng , Fan XiaoLiang , Wan Shuting
Published: June 2014

The complex process planning problem is modeled as a combinatorial optimization problem with constraints in this paper. An ant colony optimization (ACO) approach has been developed to deal with process planning problem by simultaneously considering activities such as sequencing operations, selecting manufacturing resources, and determining setup plans to achieve the optimal process plan. A weighted directed graph is conducted to describe the operations, precedence constraints between operations, and the possible visited path between operation nodes. A representation of process plan is described based on the weighted directed graph. Ant colony goes through the necessary nodes on the graph to achieve the optimal solution with the objective of minimizing total production costs (TPC). Two cases have been carried out to study the influence of various parameters of ACO on the system performance. Extensive comparative experiments have been conducted to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed approach.
A Review of Botanical Characteristics, Traditional Usage, Chemical Components, Pharmacological Activities, and Safety of Pereskia bleo (Kunth) DC
Authors: Zareisedehizadeh Sogand , Tan Chay-Hoon , Koh Hwee-Ling
Published: June 2014

Pereskia bleo, a leafy cactus, is a medicinal plant native to West and South America and distributed in tropical and subtropical areas. It is traditionally used as a dietary vegetable, barrier hedge, water purifier, and insect repellant and for maintaining health, detoxification, prevention of cancer, and/or treatment of cancer, hypertension, diabetes, stomach ache, muscle pain, and inflammatory diseases such as dermatitis and rheumatism. The aim of this paper was to provide an up‐to‐date and comprehensive review of the botanical characteristics, traditional usage, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and safety of P. bleo. A literature search using MEDLINE (via PubMed), Science direct, Scopus and Google scholar and China Academic Journals Full‐Text Database (CNKI) and available eBooks and books in the National University of Singapore libraries in English and Chinese was conducted. The following keywords were used: Pereskia bleo, Pereskia panamensis, Pereskia corrugata, Rhodocacus corrugatus, Rhodocacus bleo, Cactus panamensis, Cactus bleo, Spinach cactus, wax rose, Perescia, and Chinese rose. This review revealed the association between the traditional usage of P. bleo and reported pharmacological properties in the literature. Further investigation on the pharmacological properties and phytoconstituents of P. bleo is warranted to further exploit its potentials as a source of novel therapeutic agents or lead compounds.
Seismic Response of 3D Steel Buildings considering the Effect of PR Connections and Gravity Frames
Authors: Reyes-Salazar Alfredo , Bojórquez Edén , Haldar Achintya , López-Barraza Arturo , Rivera-Salas J. Luz
Published: June 2014

The nonlinear seismic responses of 3D steel buildings with perimeter moment resisting frames (PMRF) and interior gravity frames (IGF) are studied explicitly considering the contribution of the IGF. The effect on the structural response of the stiffness of the beam-to-column connections of the IGF, which is usually neglected, is also studied. It is commonly believed that the flexibility of shear connections is negligible and that 2D models can be used to properly represent 3D real structures. The results of the study indicate, however, that the moments developed on columns of IGF can be considerable and that modeling buildings as plane frames may result in very conservative designs. The contribution of IGF to the lateral structural resistance may be significant. The contribution increases when their connections are assumed to be partially restrained (PR). The incremented participation of IGF when the stiffness of their connections is considered helps to counteract the no conservative effect that results in practice when lateral seismic loads are not considered in IGF while designing steel buildings with PMRF. Thus, if the structural system under consideration is used, the three-dimensional model should be used in seismic analysis and the IGF and the stiffness of their connections should be considered as part of the lateral resistance system.
Disaggregation of Statistical Livestock Data Using the Entropy Approach
Authors: Xavier António , Costa Freitas Maria de Belém , Fragoso Rui
Published: June 2014

A process of agricultural data disaggregation is developed to address the lack of updated disaggregated data concerning main livestock categories at subregional and county level in the Alentejo Region, southern Portugal. The model developed considers that the number of livestock units is a function of the agricultural and forest occupation, and data concerning the existing agricultural and forest occupation, as well as the conversion of livestock numbers into normal heads, are needed in order to find this relation. The weight of each livestock class is estimated using a dynamic process based on a generalized maximum entropy model and on a crossentropy minimization model, which comprises two stages. The model was applied to the county of Castelo de Vide and their results were validated in cross reference to real data from different sources.
Recent Developments on Computer Aided Fixture Design: Case Based Reasoning Approaches
Authors: Hashemi Heidar , Mohamed Shaharoun Awaluddin , Izman S. , Kurniawan Denni
Published: June 2014

Fixture design is an important issue in the process of manufacturing. As a critical design activity process, automation in fixture design plays an integral role in linking computer aided designs and computer aided manufacturing. This paper carries out a literature review of computer aided fixture design (CAFD) developments using intelligent methods that have been commonly utilized in automation in the last two decades. The first part of this review considers the steps of fixture design along with the significant researches and requirements of fixtures over time. After that, the paper presents important and relevant research carried out in the field of CAFD using intelligent approaches and the working principles surrounding this issue. The following section concentrates on the details of case based reasoning (CBR) approach, the most successful approach in CAFD. The examination of this approach is carried out based on applications, stages of CBR based systems fixture design, working principles, and pertinent proposed approaches. Lastly, the present drawbacks of the current methods and shortfalls in research are identified for future studies.
Sintering Behavior of CNT Reinforced Al6061 and Al2124 Nanocomposites
Authors: Saheb Nouari
Published: June 2014

Ball milling and spark plasma sintering were successfully used to produce carbon nanotube reinforced Al6061 and Al2124 nanocomposites which have potential applications in the fields of aerospace, automotive, electronics, and high precision instrumentation. Al2124 and Al6061 nanocomposite powders containing 0.5 to 2 wt.% CNTs prepared through sonication and wet ball milling were spark plasma sintered at 400, 450, and 500°C for 20 minutes under a pressure of 35 MPa. CNTs were better dispersed, and less agglomerated and had good adhesion to the matrix in composites containing 1 wt.% CNTs. The increase of CNT content to 2 wt.% led to the formation of CNT clusters which resulted in less uniform and homogenous composite powders. Almost full densification of Al6061 reinforced with CNTs was achieved at 500°C. Also, CNTs reinforced Al2124 nanocomposites reached very high densities at 500°C. Composites reinforced with 1 wt.% CNTs displayed better densification compared to composites containing 2 wt.% CNTs. The increase of CNTs content from 0.5 to 1 wt.% increased the hardness of the Al6061 and Al2124 alloys to maximum values. Further increase of CNTs content to 2 wt.% decreased the hardness to values lower than that of the monolithic alloys.
Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals Contamination in Paddy Soil, Plants, and Grains (Oryza sativaL.) at the East Coast of India
Authors: Satpathy Deepmala , Reddy M. Vikram , Dhal Soumya Prakash
Published: June 2014

Heavy metals known to be accumulated in plants adversely affect human health. This study aims to assess the effects of agrochemicals especially chemical fertilizers applied in paddy fields, which release potential toxic heavy metals into soil. Those heavy metals get accumulated in different parts of paddy plant (Oryza sativaL.) including the grains. Concentrations of nonessential toxic heavy metals (Cd, Cr, and Pb) and the micronutrients (Cu, Mn, and Zn) were measured in the paddy field soil and plant parts. Mn and Cd are found to be accumulated more in shoot than in root. The metal transfer factors from soil to rice plant were significant for Pb, Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn, and Zn. The ranking order of bioaccumulation factor (BAF) for heavy metals was Zn > Mn > Cd > Cu > Cr > Pb indicating that the accumulation of micronutrients was more than that of nonessential toxic heavy metals. The concentrations of heavy metals were found to be higher in paddy field soils than that of the nearby control soil but below permissible limits. The higher Health Index (HI) values of rice consuming adults (1.561) and children (1.360) suggest their adverse health effects in the near future.
Investigation of Control of Residual Stress Induced by CO2Laser-Based Damage Mitigation of Fused Silica Optics
Authors: Zhang Chuanchao , Liao Wei , Zhang Lijuan , Ye Yayun , Chen Jing , Wang Haijun , Luan Xiaoyu , Yuan Xiaodong
Published: June 2014

A CO2laser-based annealing technique for the mitigation of damaged sites of fused silica is studied to suppress the residual stress left on the surface. The laser annealing by a linear decrease of the CO2laser power effectively reduces the residual stress. The residual stress of mitigated sites is characterized by polarimetry, the reduction of the maximum retardance around the mitigated sites with the exposure time of laser annealing fits a stretched exponential equation, and the maximum retardance with optimal laser annealing is reduced (36 ± 3)% compared to that without laser annealing. The residual stress regions are destructively characterized by introducing damage. The critical size of damage leading to fracture propagation for the mitigated sites without laser annealing is in the range of 120~230 μm, and the corresponding critical size of damage for the mitigated sites with laser annealing is larger than 600 μm. According to the relationship between maximum damage size and critical stress, the residual stress without laser annealing is in the range of 28–39 MPa and the residual stress with laser annealing is less than 17 MPa. These results indicate that the CO2laser-based annealing technique has a positive effect on the control of residual stress induced by CO2laser-based damage mitigation.
On the Mechanism(s) of Membrane Permeability Transition in Liver Mitochondria of Lamprey,Lampetra fluviatilis L.: Insights from Cadmium
Authors: Belyaeva Elena A. , Emelyanova Larisa V. , Korotkov Sergey M. , Brailovskaya Irina V. , Savina Margarita V.
Published: June 2014

Previously we have shown that opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in its low conductance state is the case in hepatocytes of the Baltic lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis L.) during reversible metabolic depression taking place in the period of its prespawning migration when the exogenous feeding is switched off. The depression is observed in the last year of the lamprey life cycle and is conditioned by reversible mitochondrial dysfunction (mitochondrial uncoupling in winter and coupling in spring). To further elucidate the mechanism(s) of induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore in the lamprey liver, we used Cd2+and Ca2+plus Pias the pore inducers. We found that Ca2+plus Piinduced the high-amplitude swelling of the isolated “winter” mitochondria both in isotonic sucrose and ammonium nitrate medium while both low and high Cd2+did not produce the mitochondrial swelling in these media. Low Cd2+enhanced the inhibition of basal respiration rate of the “winter” mitochondria energized by NAD-dependent substrates whereas the same concentrations of the heavy metal evoked its partial stimulation on FAD-dependent substrates. The above changes produced by Cd2+or Ca2+plus Piin the “winter” mitochondria were only weakly (if so) sensitive to cyclosporine A (a potent pharmacological desensitizer of the nonselective pore) added alone and they were not sensitive to dithiothreitol (a dithiol reducing agent). Under monitoring of the transmembrane potential of the “spring” lamprey liver mitochondria, we revealed that Cd2+produced its decrease on both types of the respiratory substrates used that was strongly hampered by cyclosporine A, and the membrane potential was partially restored by dithiothreitol. The effects of different membrane permeability modulators on the lamprey liver mitochondria function and the seasonal changes in their action are discussed.
Approximate Analytical Solutions of the Regularized Long Wave Equation Using the Optimal Homotopy Perturbation Method
Authors: Bota Constantin , Căruntu Bogdan
Published: June 2014

The paper presents the optimal homotopy perturbation method, which is a new method to find approximate analytical solutions for nonlinear partial differential equations. Based on the well-known homotopy perturbation method, the optimal homotopy perturbation method presents an accelerated convergence compared to the regular homotopy perturbation method. The applications presented emphasize the high accuracy of the method by means of a comparison with previous results.
Total Intravenous Anaesthesia with High-Dose Remifentanil Does Not Aggravate Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting and Pain, Compared with Low-Dose Remifentanil: A Double-Blind and Randomized Trial
Authors: Kim Seong-Hyop , Oh Chung-Sik , Yoon Tae-Gyoon , Cho Min Jeng , Yang Jung-Hyun , Yi Hye Ran
Published: June 2014

The study was designed to investigate postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in low- and high-dose remifentanil regimens for total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) in adult female patients with American Society of Anaesthesiologists physical status classification I undergoing local breast excision. Propofol and remifentanil 5 ng·mL−1(L group) or 10 ng·mL−1(H group) were administered for anaesthesia induction and maintenance. Propofol was titrated within range of 0.1 μg·mL−1to maintain bispectral index (BIS) values between 40 and 60. Haemodynamic parameters during the intra- and postoperative periods and 24 h postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) and PONV were evaluated. Each group with 63 patients was analyzed. The H group showed higher use of remifentanil and lower use of propofol, with similar recovery time. Mean systemic arterial blood pressure (MBP), heart rate, and BIS did not differ significantly before and after endotracheal intubation in the H group. However, significant increases in MBP and BIS were apparent in the L group. Postoperative VAS, PONV incidence and scale, and Rhodes index did not differ significantly between the two groups. In conclusion, TIVA with high-dose remifentanil did not aggravate PONV with similar postoperative pain, compared with low-dose remifentanil. Furthermore, high-dose remifentanil showed more haemodynamic stability after endotracheal intubation. This trial is registered withKCT0000185.
Multivariate Methods Based Soft Measurement for Wine Quality Evaluation
Authors: Yin Shen , Liu Lei , Gao Xin , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: June 2014

Soft measurement is a new, developing, and promising industry technology and has been widely used in the industry nowadays. This technology plays a significant role especially in the case where some key variables are difficult to be measured by traditional measurement methods. In this paper, the quality of the wine is evaluated given the wine physicochemical indexes according to multivariate methods based soft measurement. The multivariate methods used in this paper include ordinary least squares regression (OLSR), principal component regression (PCR), partial least squares regression (PLSR), and modified partial least squares regression (MPLSR). By comparing the performance of the four methods, the MPLSR prediction model shows superior results than the others. In general, to determine the quality of the wine, experienced wine tasters are hired to taste the wine and make a decision. However, since the physicochemical indexes of wine can to some extent reflect the quality of wine, the multivariate statistical methods based soft measure can help the oenologist in wine evaluation.
Two Simple Numerical Methods for the Free Boundary in One-Phase Stefan Problem
Authors: Kim Seung Hyun
Published: June 2014

We present two simple numerical methods to find the free boundary in one-phase Stefan problem. The work is motivated by the necessity for better understanding of the solution surface (temperatures) near the free boundary. We formulate a log-transform function with the unfixed and fixed free boundary that has Lipschitz character near free boundary. We solve the quadratic equation in order to locate the free boundary in a time-recursive way. We also present several numerical results which illustrate a comparison to other methods.
Complex Links between Natural Tuberculosis and Porcine Circovirus Type 2 Infection in Wild Boar
Authors: Díez-Delgado Iratxe , Boadella Mariana , Martín-Hernando MariPaz , Barasona José Angel , Beltrán-Beck Beatriz , González-Barrio David , Sibila Marina , Vicente Joaquín , Garrido Joseba M. , Segalés Joaquim , Gortazar Christian
Published: June 2014

Individuals in natural populations are exposed to a diversity of pathogens which results in coinfections. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between natural infection with tuberculosis (TB) due to infection by bacteria of theMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) in free-ranging Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa). Apparent prevalence for TB lesions and PCV2 infection was extremely high in all age classes, including piglets (51% for TB; 85.7% for PCV2). Modeling results revealed that the relative risk of young (less than 2 years old) wild boar to test positive to PCV2 PCR was negatively associated with TB lesion presence. Also, an interaction between TB, PCV2, and body condition was evidenced: in wild boar with TB lesions probability of being PCV2 PCR positive increased with body condition, whereas this relation was negative for wild boar without TB lesions. This study provides insight into the coinfections occurring in free-ranging host populations that are naturally exposed to several pathogens at an early age. Using TB and PCV2 as a case study, we showed that coinfection is a frequent event among natural populations that takes place early in life with complex effects on the infections and the hosts.
A Possible Change Process of Inflammatory Cytokines in the Prolonged Chronic Stress and Its Ultimate Implications for Health
Authors: Tian Rui , Hou Gonglin , Li Dan , Yuan Ti-Fei
Published: June 2014

Sustained stress triggers series of changes in the brain and the body. At the early stage of stress, the activated hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) axis can upregulate the levels of glucocorticoid (GCs) and catecholamines (CAs), respectively, and then they in turn inhibit the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines directly or indirectly while promoting the secretion of anti-inflammatory cytokines. At the prolonged stage, the sustained activated HPA demonstrates cortisol-resistance. At the same time, the inflammation related transcription pathway, such as nuclear-factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling, may be inhibited. Additionally, the inflammatory cytokines mediate a negative feedback regulation on themselves. Collectively, these regulations may increase the proinflammatory cytokines while decreasing the anti-inflammatory cytokines. This may further activate NF-κB and increase the proinflammation cytokines, which in turn reduce the inflammatory responses, contributing to various diseases.
Coupling Two-Phase Fluid Flow with Two-Phase Darcy Flow in Anisotropic Porous Media
Authors: Chen Jie , Sun Shuyu , Chen Zhangxin
Published: June 2014

This paper reports a numerical study of coupling two-phase fluid flow in a free fluid region with two-phase Darcy flow in a homogeneous and anisotropic porous medium region. The model consists of coupled Cahn-Hilliard and Navier-Stokes equations in the free fluid region and the two-phase Darcy law in the anisotropic porous medium region. A Robin-Robin domain decomposition method is used for the coupled Navier-Stokes and Darcy system with the generalized Beavers-Joseph-Saffman condition on the interface between the free flow and the porous media regions. Obtained results have shown the anisotropic properties effect on the velocity and pressure of the two-phase flow.