bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Helicobacter pylori Eradication on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Patients with Duodenal Ulcer
Authors: Li Lin , Zhou Xiaoying , Xiao Shuping , Ye Feng , Zhang Guoxin
Published: May 2016

Background: Recent reports have indicated that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) might have an effect on gastrointestinal flora; moreover, gastric commensual bacteria have been observed in the development of duodenal ulcer (DU). Aims: In our study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of H. pylori eradication on gastrointestinal flora in DU patients.

Methods: A case-control study was performed at Jiangsu Shengze Hospital between December, 2013 and April, 2014. The patients received antibiotic eradication therapy if H. pylori testing was positive. At least four weeks after cessation of the eradication therapy, a repeat gastroscopy was performed to collect biopsies again in the same position. Gastric mucosa samples and feces specimens were collected to extract bacteria DNA and then to quantify by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results: After the eradication of H. pylori, an increase of Lactobacillus group, Clostridium leptum subgroup, Enterobacteria and a decrease of Clostridium coccoides subgroup were found in the antrum. In the corpus, the number of bacteria in the Lactobacillus group was increased and the expression of Clostridium coccoides subgroup was significantly down-regulated. In the feces samples, only the number in the Lactobacillus group was increased. Moreover, the distribution was significantly different between female and the male patients.

Conclusions: The presence of H. pylori in the stomach suppressed the colonization with Lactobacillus group, Clostridium leptum subgroup and Enterobacteria. Gender might affect the distribution and/or recolonization of the bacteria in DU patients.

Abbreviations: DU: duodenal ulcer; GI: gastrointestinal; GIN: gastrointestinal neoplasia; GU: gastric ulcer; PPI: proton pump inhibitors; UBT: urea breath test.
Pancreatic Cancer: Multicenter Prospective Data Collection and Analysis by the Hungarian Pancreatic Study Group
Authors: Lakatos Gábor , Balázs Anita , Kui Balázs , Gódi Szilárd , Szücs Ákos , Szentesi Andrea , Szentkereszty Zsolt , Szmola Richárd , Kelemen Dezső , Papp Róbert , Vincze Áron , Czimmer József , Pár Gabriella , Bajor Judit , Szabó Imre , Izbéki Ferenc , Halász Adrienn , Leindler László , Farkas Jr. Gyula , Takács Tamás , Czakó László , Szepes Zoltán , Hegyi Péter , Kahán Zsuzsanna
Published: May 2016

Background & Aims: Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with poor prognosis. There is very limited information available regarding the epidemiology and treatment strategies of pancreatic cancer in Central Europe. The purpose of the study was to prospectively collect and analyze data of pancreatic cancer in the Hungarian population.

Methods: The Hungarian Pancreatic Study Group (HPSG) organized prospective, uniform data collection. Altogether 354 patients were enrolled from 14 Hungarian centers.

Results: Chronic pancreatitis was present in 3.7% of the cases, while 33.7% of the patients had diabetes. Family history for pancreatic cancer was positive in 4.8%. The most frequent presenting symptoms included pain (63.8%), weight loss (63%) and jaundice (52.5%). The reported frequency of smoking and alcohol consumption was lower than expected (28.5% and 27.4%, respectively). The majority of patients (75.6%) were diagnosed with advanced disease. Most patients (83.6%) had a primary tumor located in the pancreatic head. The histological diagnosis was ductal adenocarcinoma in 90.7% of the cases, while neuroendocrine tumor was present in 5.3%. Biliary stent implantation was performed in 166 patients, 59.2% of them received metal stents. Primary tumor resection was performed in 60 (16.9%) patients. Enteral or biliary bypass was done in 35 and 49 patients, respectively. In a multivariate Cox-regression model, smoking status and presence of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy were identified as independent predictors for overall survival.

Conclusion: We report the first data from a large cohort of Hungarian pancreatic cancer patients. We identified smoking status and chemotherapy as independent predictors in this cohort.

Abbreviations: EBM: evidence-based medicine; EPI: exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; FNAB: fine needle aspiration biopsy; HPSG: Hungarian Pancreatic Study Group; MDCT: multi-detector computed tomography; OS: overall survival; PC: pancreatic cancer; RPP: Registry for Pancreatic Patients
A 3-D Approach to Discovering and Creating the Features of Written Texts
Authors: Pennington Martha C.
Published: May 2016

This article outlines a student-centered, ‘hands-on’ approach to the teaching of writing at university level through first discovering and then creating the features of written texts in three dimensions: microtextual (lexico-grammar), macrotextual (rhetoric), and extratextual (context). The ‘3-D’ approach has been designed for novice writers, offering a practical, step-by-step procedure to prepare them to write in specific disciplines and for specific purposes. Though usable with other audiences, the sample material included here is especially appropriate for second-language writers and will be of particular interest to students of science. While the approach is consistent with Systemic-Functional and ESP orientations to text, as contrasted with most ESP pedagogy – especially that geared to students in sciences – the 3-D approach gives particular attention to affect, writer–reader interaction, and shared context. The approach, which starts from analysis of texts and then moves to writing of texts, is first described and then illustrated using several short popular science texts about insects and birds. These texts exemplify lexico-grammatical and rhetorical features of scientific texts while also illustrating other purposes which a writer may seek to fulfill as well as the underlying assumptions and author biases that might exist even in texts which appear to be purely descriptive or ‘objective’. The texts and analyses provided are intended for classroom use to train students in the approach, supplemented by a step by step guide for students to follow. Through the activities provided for the sample texts, students develop awareness of the properties of texts and how these can be discovered through analysis and then written into their own texts.
English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) Writing
Authors: Flowerdew John
Published: May 2016

This introductory review article for this special issue sets out a range of issues in play as far as English for Academic Purposes (EAP) writing is concerned, but with a special emphasis on English for Specific Academic Purposes (ESAP) (as opposed to English for General Academic Purposes (EGAP)). Following the introduction, the article begins by outlining the different types of EAP and presenting the pros and cons of ESAP and EGAP for writing. It then goes on to review work in a range of areas of relevance to ESAP writing. These areas are register and discourse analysis; genre analysis; corpus analysis; ethnography; contrastive rhetoric; classroom methodology; critical approaches; and assessment. The article concludes by arguing that whichever model of writing is chosen (EGAP or ESAP), or if a hybrid model is the choice, if at all possible, students need to be exposed to the understandings, language and communicative activities of their target disciplines, with students themselves also contributing to this enterprise.
The mathematical description of the electrosynthesis of composites of oxy-hydroxycompounds cobalt with polypyrrole overooxidazed
Authors: Tkach V. V. , De Oliveira C. S. , Maia J. , Soares B. G. , Ojani R. , Yagodynets P. I.
Published: May 2016

The electrosynthesis of pereoxidized polypyrrole composite with oxy-hydroxy compounds cobalt in a strongly acidic environment has been described mathematically, using linear stability theory and bifurcation analysis. The conditions of stability of stationary states and self-oscillatory and monotonic instability have been described also. The system behavior was compared with behavior of other systems with pereoxidation, electropolymerization of heterocyclic compounds and electrosynthesis of the oxy-hydroxy compounds cobalt.
Representaciones de pobres y pobreza en los agentes de la Política Social argentina
Authors: Aenlle María Belén
Published: May 2016

A pesar de su relevancia, las representaciones conceptuales de quienes intervienen en el diseño y la implementación de políticas sociales son un campopoco trabajado. Sostenemos en este artículo que las representaciones constituyen un factor importante para comprender cómo se reproducen, se modifican y coexisten paradigmas dominantes y alternativos respecto de las problemáticas, los grupos y los individuos involucrados, y revelan cómo se producen o perpetúan significaciones y acciones en relación a las personas pobres y a la pobreza. El objetivo general de este trabajo es describir y analizar las representaciones de pobres y pobreza en el imaginario de planificadores e implementadores de políticas sociales; para ello se propone una construcción tipológica con base en tres categorías de representaciones: institucional transformadora, institucional tradicional y esencialista.
A mulher camponesa e suas lutas pelo direito à saúde.
Authors: KREFTA Noemi Margarida
Published: May 2016

Pensar e construir uma política de saúde para os povos do campo, da floresta e das águas tem sido um desafio de vários anos. Em 2004, com a instituição do Grupo da Terra, foi iniciado o debate e a construção de cada passo da Política Nacional de Saúde Integral da População do Campo, Floresta e Águas (PNSIPCFA). Naquela ocasião, os Movimentos Sociais Populares foram convocados para dar sua contribuição, o que foi importante, pois nada mais justo do que ter como protagonista da política aqueles que vivem a realidade em questão.
Como gostaria de ser cuidado na velhice? Opiniões dos Conselheiros Municipais de Saúde da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo.
Authors: LOPES Ruth Gelehrter da Costa , OLIVEIRA Bernadete , CONCONE Maria Helena Villas Boas , CÔRTE Beltrina , ALVES Vicente Paulo , NOBREGA Otavio
Published: May 2016

Sabendo-se que a participação da comunidade contribui em nível local para a formulação de estratégias e controle da execução das políticas de saúde, o objetivo deste estudo consistiu em apresentar as opiniões de Conselheiros atuantes na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo (RMSP) sobre como gostariam de ser cuidados em 2030, marco temporal em alusão à própria velhice. Adotamos o método descritivo para interpretação de entrevistas semiestruturadas conduzidas com 39 sujeitos voluntários. Além de revelar o perfil sociodemográfico do Conselheiro de Saúde da RMSP, identificou-se que os entrevistados adotaram, de forma não diretiva, três outras categorias significativas em suas falas além do ‘como ser cuidado’, a saber: ‘por quem’, ‘onde’ e ‘quando’. As opiniões colhidas refletem uma carga de idealização e contraste com o cuidado que se entende ser direcionado pelo SUS ao idoso na atualidade.
Quando a pesquisa se encontra com as redes sociais.
Authors: Lucena Regina Célia Borges de
Published: May 2016

Trata-se de artigo opinativo sobre a errata do Instituto de Pesquisa Econômica Aplicada, na pesquisa Tolerância social à violência contra as mulheres.
The Debates of the Createdness of the Qur’an and its Impact to the Methodology of Qur’anic Interpretation
Authors: Ediwibowo Safrudin
Published: May 2016

The status of the Qur'an as the verbatim words of God has become undisputed belief among Muslims. However, beyond the agreement on this fundamental doctrine, they differed from interpreting the nature of "the Qur’an" whether it is eternal and co-existent with God or created by God like other beings in this world? Throughout Islamic history, there are at least two major trends in interpreting the nature of the Qur’an as God words, i.e. scholars who believe in the eternity of the Qur’an and those who believe in the createdness of the Qur’an. A number of Muslim thinkers since three decades ago have adopted the concept of the createdness of the Qur’an to support their methodological principles developed in interpreting the Qur’an. This paper will explore further the origin of the doctrine of eternity and the createdness of the Qur’an, the debate on this issue in classical and contemporary Islamic thoughts and its methodological implications on the interpretation of the Holy Scripture.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v19i2.357
The Theology of Tolerance in Hindu and Islam: Maintaining Social Integration in Lombok - Indonesia
Authors: Suprapto Suprapto
Published: May 2016

This article seeks to examine the theology of tolerance as the basis for interreligious and harmonious co-existence between Muslims and Hindus in Lombok. Lombok is known as the island of thousand mosques where majestic mosques scatter throughout the island. But Lombok is also a home for Hindus. The interactions between them have been very dynamics, creating integration, acculturation, adaptation, accommodation while sometimes also triggering tension. This article argues that theology occupies important aspects in both Hindu and Muslim daily live and thus can be employed as the solid basis of interreligious relations between them. From the Islamic perspective, there are a number of Qur’anic verse injuctions for tolerance. Hindus are also required to maintain tolerant attitude towards other religions as this is commanded in the Veda. These theological grounds will strengthen from the faith point of view Hindu-Muslim social cohesion, which has so far been realized though various means, such as music, arts and religious festivals.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.20414/ujis.v19i2.358
Comparison of the efficiency of clomiphene citrate and letrozole in combination with metformin in moderately obese clomiphene citrate - resistant polycystic ovarian syndrome patients
Authors: Bjelica Artur , Trninic-Pjevic Aleksandra , Mladenovic-Segedi Ljiljana , Cetkovic Nenad , Petrovic Djordje
Published: May 2016

Introduction. Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common endocrinopathy in
women of reproductiveage. Therapy for those who want to get pregnant involves
ovulation induction using clomiphene citrate, metformin, letrozole and
gonadotropins. Objective. The aim of the study was to compare the efficacy of
combinations of clomiphene citrate-metformin and letrozole-metformin in obese
patients who are resistant to clomiphene citrate alone. Methods. The
investigation was conducted as a retrospective study involving 60 moderately
obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome. Thirty-one of them received
the clomiphene citrate-metformin, and 29 letrozole-metformin therapy.
Stimulation was carried out for the procedures of intrauterine insemination
(IUI). Results. The age of patients, duration of infertility, and body mass
index in both groups were similar. There was statistically significant
difference in the thickness of the endometrium in favor of the group having
the letrozole-metformin therapy (8.9 ? 1.7 mm) compared with the group
receiving the clomiphene citrate-metformin treatment (6.3 ? 1.3 mm). The
number of follicles was not statistically significantly different. Pregnancy
rate in the first cycle of IUI in the clomiphene citrate group was 6.4%, and
17.2% in the letrozole group, which also was not statistically different.
After the third IUI cycle, the pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the
letrozole group (20.6%), while in the clomiphene citrate group it was (9.6%).
Conclusion. This retrospective study demonstrated the advantages of the use
of letrozole over clomiphene citrate in combination with metformin in
moderately obese patients with polycystic ovary syndrome who are resistant to
stimulation with clomiphene citrate alone.
Granulomatous interstitial nephritis associated with influenza A: H1N1 infection: A case report
Authors: Milosevski-Lomic Gordana , Markovic-Lipkovski Jasmina , Kostic Mirjana , Paripovic Dusan , Spasojevic-Dimitrijeva Brankica , Peco-Antic Amira
Published: May 2016

Introduction. The causes of acute tubulointerstitial nephritis can be grouped
into four broad categories: medications, infections, immunologic diseases, or
idiopathic processes. Here we report a 17-year-old female who developed acute
kidney injury (AKI) due to granulomatous interstitial nephritis (GIN)
associated with influenza A: H1N1 infection. Case Outline. The illness
presented after two weeks of respiratory tract infection, skin rash and
hypermenorrhea. On admission the patient was febrile, with bilateral pedal
edema, macular skin rash, and auscultatory finding that suggested pneumonia.
Laboratory investigations showed normocytic anemia, azotemia, hematuria and
proteinuria. Renal ultrasound was normal. Antinuclear antibodies,
antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, lupus anticoagulant, antiphospholipid
antibodies were negative with normal complement. Urine cultures including
analysis for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were negative. The diagnosis of
influenza A: H1N1 infection was made by positive serology. A kidney biopsy
showed interstitial nephritis with peritubular granulomas. Glomeruli were
normal. Staining for immunoglobulins A, M, G, and E was negative. The girl
was treated with oseltamivir phosphate (Tamiflu; Genentech, Inc., South San
Francisco, CA, USA) for five days, as well as with tapered prednisone after a
starting dose of 2 mg/kg. The treatment resulted in a complete remission
during two years of follow-up. Conclusion. We present a severe but reversible
case of GIN and AKI associated with influenza A: H1N1 infection. Although a
causal effect cannot be confirmed, this case suggests that influenza A: H1N1
should be considered in the differential diagnosis of GIN manifested with AKI
in children.
DNA CpG Methylation (5-Methylcytosine) and Its Derivative (5-Hydroxymethylcytosine) Alter Histone Posttranslational Modifications at the Pomc Promoter, Affecting the Impact of Perinatal Diet on Leanness and Obesity of the Offspring
Authors: Marco Asaf , Kisliouk Tatiana , Tabachnik Tzlil , Weller Aron , Meiri Noam
Published: May 2016

A maternal high-fat diet (HFD) alters the offspring's feeding regulation, leading to obesity. This phenomenon is partially mediated by aberrant expression of the hypothalamic anorexigenic neuropeptide proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Nevertheless, although some individual offspring suffer from morbid obesity, others escape the malprogramming. It is suggested that this difference is due to epigenetic programming. In this study, we report that in lean offspring of non-HFD–fed dams, essential promoter regions for Pomc expression were enriched with 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) together with a reduction in the level of 5-methylcytosine (5mC). Moreover, 5hmC was negatively correlated whereas 5mC was positively correlated with body weight in offspring from both HFD- and control-fed dams. We further found that Pomc expression in obese offspring is determined by a two-step epigenetic inhibitory mechanism in which CpG methylation is linked with histone posttranslational modifications. An increase in CpG methylation at the Poxmc promoter enables binding of methyl-binding domain 1 (MBD1) to 5mC, but not to its derivative 5hmC. MBD1 then interacts with SET domain bifurcated 1 methyltransferase to promote bimethylation on the histone 3 lysine 9 residue, reducing Pomc mRNA expression. These results suggest an epigenetic regulatory mechanism that affects obesity-prone or resilient traits.
Functional Brain Networks Are Altered in Type 2 Diabetes and Prediabetes: Signs for Compensation of Cognitive Decrements? The Maastricht Study
Authors: van Bussel Frank C.G. , Backes Walter H. , van Veenendaal Tamar M. , Hofman Paul A.M. , van Boxtel Martin P.J. , Schram Miranda T. , Sep Simone J.S. , Dagnelie Pieter C. , Schaper Nicolaas , Stehouwer Coen D.A. , Wildberger Joachim E. , Jansen Jacobus F.A.
Published: May 2016

Type 2 diabetes is associated with cognitive decrements, accelerated cognitive decline, and increased risk for dementia. Patients with the metabolic syndrome, a major risk factor for diabetes, may display comparable cognitive decrements as seen in type 2 diabetes. Currently, the impact of diabetes and prediabetes on cognition and the underlying organization of functional brain networks still remain to be elucidated. This study investigated whether functional brain networks are affected in type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. Forty-seven participants with diabetes, 47 participants with prediabetes, and 45 control participants underwent detailed cognitive testing and 3-Tesla resting state functional MRI. Graph theoretical network analysis was performed to investigate alterations in functional cerebral networks. Participants with diabetes displayed altered network measures, characterized by a higher normalized cluster coefficient and higher local efficiency, compared with control participants. The network measures of the participants with prediabetes fell between those with diabetes and control participants. Lower processing speed was associated with shorter path length and higher global efficiency. Participants with type 2 diabetes have altered functional brain networks. This alteration is already apparent in the prediabetic stage to a somewhat lower level, hinting at functional reorganization of the cerebral networks as a compensatory mechanism for cognitive decrements.
An Efficient Synthesis of Functionalised Hexahydropyrimidines via the Reaction of N-Formyl Ureas/Thioureas with an Acetylenic Ester in the Presence of an Aryl Phosphine
Authors: Shams Nasim , Mosslemin Mohammad Hossein , Yazdani Afshin , Anaraki-Ardakani Hossein , Ghane Javad
Published: May 2016

The synthesis of eight functionalised hexahydropyrimidines in good to excellent yields has been achieved via a three-component 1:1:1 reaction of a triarylphosphine, a dialkyl acetylenedicarboxylate and a N-formylurea or N-formylthiourea at room temperature.
Challenges, solutions and future directions in the evaluation of service innovations in health care and public health
Authors: Raine Rosalind , Fitzpatrick Ray , Barratt Helen , Bevan Gywn , Black Nick , Boaden Ruth , Bower Peter , Campbell Marion , Denis Jean-Louis , Devers Kelly , Dixon-Woods Mary , Fallowfield Lesley , Forder Julien , Foy Robbie , Freemantle Nick , Fulop Naomi J , Gibbons Elizabeth , Gillies Clare , Goulding Lucy , Grieve Richard , Grimshaw Jeremy , Howarth Emma , Lilford Richard J , McDonald Ruth , Moore Graham , Moore Laurence , Newhouse Robin , O’Cathain Alicia , Or Zeynep , Papoutsi Chrysanthi , Prady Stephanie , Rycroft-Malone Jo , Sekhon Jasjeet , Turner Simon , Watson Samuel I , Zwarenstein Merrick
Published: May 2016

Headline

Evaluating service innovations in health care and public health requires flexibility, collaboration and pragmatism; this collection identifies robust, innovative and mixed methods to inform such evaluations.
The MYC 3′ Wnt-Responsive Element Drives Oncogenic MYC Expression in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells
Authors: Rennoll Sherri , Eshelman Melanie , Raup-Konsavage Wesley , Kawasawa Yuka , Yochum Gregory
Published: May 2016

Mutations in components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway drive colorectal cancer (CRC) by deregulating expression of downstream target genes including the c-MYC proto-oncogene (MYC). The critical regulatory DNA enhancer elements that control oncogenic MYC expression in CRC have yet to be fully elucidated. In previous reports, we correlated T-cell factor (TCF) and β-catenin binding to the MYC 3′ Wnt responsive DNA element (MYC 3′ WRE) with MYC expression in HCT116 cells. Here we used CRISPR/Cas9 to determine whether this element is a critical driver of MYC. We isolated a clonal population of cells that contained a deletion of a single TCF binding element (TBE) within the MYC 3′ WRE. This deletion reduced TCF/β-catenin binding to this regulatory element and decreased MYC expression. Using RNA-Seq analysis, we found altered expression of genes that regulate metabolic processes, many of which are known MYC target genes. We found that 3′ WRE-Mut cells displayed a reduced proliferative capacity, diminished clonogenic growth, and a decreased potential to form tumors in vivo. These findings indicate that the MYC 3′ WRE is a critical driver of oncogenic MYC expression and suggest that this element may serve as a therapeutic target for CRC.
The Acoustical Durability of Thin Noise Reducing Asphalt Layers
Authors: Vuye Cedric , Bergiers Anneleen , Vanhooreweder Barbara
Published: May 2016

Within the context of the European Noise Directive, traffic noise action plans have been established. One of those actions is to deepen the knowledge about low noise roads, as they are considered the most cost-efficient measure for traffic noise abatement. Therefore, ten test sections were installed in May 2012 in Belgium, with the objective of integrating Thin noise-reducing Asphalt Layers (TAL) in the Flemish road surface policy in a later stage. Eight test sections are paved with TAL with a thickness of a maximum of 30 mm and a maximum content of accessible voids of 18%. The other two sections consist of a Double-layer Porous Asphalt Concrete (DPAC) and a Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA-10 as a reference section). The acoustical quality of the asphalt surfaces has been monitored in time using Statistical Pass-By (SPB) and Close-ProXimity (CPX) measurements up to 34 months after construction. Texture measurements performed with a laser profilometer are linked to the noise measurement results. Very promising initial noise reductions were found, up to 6 dB(A), but higher than expected acoustic deterioration rates and the presence of raveling led to noise reductions of a max. of 1 dB(A) after almost three years. It is shown that the construction process itself has a large influence on the acoustical quality over time.
The Effects of Disturbance History on Ground-Layer Plant Community Composition in British Columbia
Authors: Ton Michael , Krawchuk Meg
Published: May 2016

Plant communities are sensitive to perturbations and may display alternative recovery pathways depending on disturbance history. In sub-boreal lodgepole pine forests of central interior British Columbia, Canada, fire and logging are two widespread landscape disturbances that overlap in many regions. We asked whether cumulative, short-interval disturbance from logging and fire resulted in different ground-layer plant communities than resulted from fire alone. Using field-collected data, we compared the taxonomic composition and functional traits of 3-year old plant communities that were either harvested 6-to-13 years prior, or not harvested prior to being burned in a large stand-replacing fire. The taxonomic composition diverged between the two treatments, driven primarily by differences in a few key indicator species such as Petasites frigidus and Vaccinium membranaceum. Analysis of individual species’ morphological traits indicated that only a few species vary in size in relation to disturbance history. Our data suggest that a history of forest harvest leaves a subtle footprint on post-fire ground-layer plant communities at early stages of succession.
Antifungal Effect of Henna against Candida albicans Adhered to Acrylic Resin as a Possible Method for Prevention of Denture Stomatitis
Authors: Nawasrah Amal , AlNimr Amani , Ali Aiman
Published: May 2016

Denture stomatitis is a very common disease affecting the oral mucosa of denture wearers. The aim of this study was to measure the antifungal effect of henna against Candida albicans adhered to acrylic resin as a possible method for prevention of denture stomatitis. One-hundred-eighty acrylic plates were prepared of heat-cured acrylic denture resin. The specimens were divided into six groups of 30 samples each. The first group was only polymer and monomer following the conventional manufacturer instruction for processing complete dentures. The other five groups were processed by adding different concentration of Yamani henna powder (Harazi) to the polymer in a concentration of henna: polymer 1%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%, respectively. Samples were incubated in artificial saliva rich with Candida albicans at 37 °C, and the effect of henna on Candida albicans was evaluated in two different methods: semi-quantitative slide count and a culture-based quantitative assay (quantitative). Variation in the number of live Candida was observed with the increase in the concentration of Yamani henna powder. It was observed that the variation in live Candida, between control group and group B (concentration of Yamani henna powder was 1%), was statistically significant with a p-value of 0.0001. Similarly, variations in live Candida were significant, when the concentration of powder was 7.5% or 10% in contrast with control group and p-values were 0.0001 and 0.001 respectively. Adding henna to acrylic resin denture could be effective in controlling Candida albicans proliferation on the denture surface; however, its effects on the physical properties of acrylic resin denture need further studies.
Analysis of 2-(2-Phenylethyl)chromones by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS and Multivariate Statistical Methods in Wild and Cultivated Agarwood
Authors: Li Yuanbin , Sheng Nan , Wang Lingli , Li Shijie , Chen Jiannan , Lai Xiaoping
Published: May 2016

Agarwood is the fragrant resinous material mainly formed from species of Aquilaria. 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, especially the highly oxidized 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, are the main representative compounds from agarwood. It is important to determine whether agarwood in trade is from cultivated trees or natural trees in the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). We characterized the 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones in agarwood by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (UPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS) and differentiated wild from cultivated agarwood by metabolomic analysis. A total of 141 chromones including 50 potentially new compounds were evaluated as belonging to four structural classes (unoxidized 2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-2-(2-phenylethyl)-chromones, bi-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones, and tri-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromones). The metabolic difference between wild and cultivated agarwood was analyzed by component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). Fourteen markers of metabolisms in wild and cultivated agarwood were constructed (e.g., 6,7-dimethoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, 6,8-dihydroxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl)chromone, etc.). These results indicated that UPLC–ESI-QTOF-MS-based metabonomics analysis in agarwood may be useful for distinguishing wild agarwood from cultivated agarwood.
Extraction Optimization, Preliminary Characterization and Bioactivities in Vitro of Ligularia hodgsonii Polysaccharides
Authors: Song Xueping , Tang Jun
Published: May 2016

The optimization extraction, preliminary characterization and bioactivities of Ligularia hodgsonii polysaccharides were investigated. Based on single-factor experiments and orthogonal array test, the optimum extraction conditions were obtained as follows: extraction time 3 h, temperature 85 °C, water/raw material ratio 36. Further Sevag deproteinization and dialysis yielded the dialyzed Ligularia hodgsonii polysaccharides (DLHP, 19.2 ± 1.4 mg/g crude herb). Compositional analysis, size-exclusion chromatography connected with multi-angle laser light-scattering and refractive index (SEC-MALLS-RI), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy were employed for characterization of the polysaccharides. DLHP was found to have a major component with a weight-average molecular weight of 1.17 × 105 Da, mainly comprising of glucose, galactose, arabinose, mannose, rhamnose, glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid. By in vitro antioxidant activity assays, DLHP presented remarkable scavenging capacities towards 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and hydroxyl radicals, and ferrous ions chelating ability. Moreover, it exhibited appreciable anti-hyperglycemic activity as demonstrated by differential inhibition of α-glucosidase and α-amylase. The results indicated that DLHP could potentially be a resource for antioxidant and hypoglycemic agents.
Monitoring Cultural Heritage Sites with Advanced Multi-Temporal InSAR Technique: The Case Study of the Summer Palace
Authors: Tang Panpan , Chen Fulong , Zhu Xiaokun , Zhou Wei
Published: May 2016

Cultural heritage sites are rare and irreplaceable wealth of human civilization. The majority of them are becoming unstable due to a combination of human and natural disturbances. High-precision, efficient deformation monitoring facilitates the early recognition of potential risks and enables preventive diagnosis of heritage sites. In this study, an advanced Multi-Temporal Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (MTInSAR) approach was developed by jointly analyzing Persistent Scatterers (PSs) and Distributed Scatterers (DSs) using high-resolution SAR images. Taking the World Heritage Site of Summer Palace in Beijing as the experimental site, deformation resulting from PSs/DSs showed that overall the site was generally stable except for specific areas and/or monuments. Urbanization (construction and demolition) triggered new subsidence in the vicinity of East and South Gate of the site. Slight to moderate (mm/cm-level) instabilities of ruins and monuments on Longevity Hill were detected, perhaps due to a combination of destructive anthropogenic activities and long-term natural decay. Subsidence was also detected along the Kunming Lakeside and was probably attributable to variation of the groundwater level, excessive visitor numbers as well as lack of maintenance. This study presents the potential of the MTInSAR approach for the monitoring and conservation of cultural heritage sites.
Hierarchical Coding Vectors for Scene Level Land-Use Classification
Authors: Wu Hang , Liu Baozhen , Su Weihua , Zhang Wenchang , Sun Jinggong
Published: May 2016

Land-use classification from remote sensing images has become an important but challenging task. This paper proposes Hierarchical Coding Vectors (HCV), a novel representation based on hierarchically coding structures, for scene level land-use classification. We stack multiple Bag of Visual Words (BOVW) coding layers and one Fisher coding layer to develop the hierarchical feature learning structure. In BOVW coding layers, we extract local descriptors from a geographical image with densely sampled interest points, and encode them using soft assignment (SA). The Fisher coding layer encodes those semi-local features with Fisher vectors (FV) and aggregates them to develop a final global representation. The graphical semantic information is refined by feeding the output of one layer into the next computation layer. HCV describes the geographical images through a high-level representation of richer semantic information by using a hierarchical coding structure. The experimental results on the 21-Class Land Use (LU) and RSSCN7 image databases indicate the effectiveness of the proposed HCV. Combined with the standard FV, our method (FV + HCV) achieves superior performance compared to the state-of-the-art methods on the two databases, obtaining the average classification accuracy of 91.5% on the LU database and 86.4% on the RSSCN7 database.
Evaluation of the Chinese Fine Spatial Resolution Hyperspectral Satellite TianGong-1 in Urban Land-Cover Classification
Authors: Li Xueke , Wu Taixia , Liu Kai , Li Yao , Zhang Lifu
Published: May 2016

The successful launch of the Chinese high spatial resolution hyperspectral satellite TianGong-1 (TG-1) opens up new possibilities for applications of remotely-sensed satellite imagery. One of the main goals of the TG-1 mission is to provide observations of surface attributes at local and landscape spatial scales to map urban land cover accurately using the hyperspectral technique. This study attempted to evaluate the TG-1 datasets for urban feature analysis, using existing data over Beijing, China, by comparing the TG-1 (with a spatial resolution of 10 m) to EO-1 Hyperion (with a spatial resolution of 30 m). The spectral feature of TG-1 was first analyzed and, thus, finding out optimal hyperspectral wavebands useful for the discrimination of urban areas. Based on this, the pixel-based maximum likelihood classifier (PMLC), pixel-based support vector machine (PSVM), hybrid maximum likelihood classifier (HMLC), and hybrid support vector machine (HSVM) were implemented, as well as compared in the application of mapping urban land cover types. The hybrid classifier approach, which integrates the pixel-based classifier and the object-based segmentation approach, was demonstrated as an effective alternative to the conventional pixel-based classifiers for processing the satellite hyperspectral data, especially the fine spatial resolution data. For TG-1 imagery, the pixel-based urban classification was obtained with an average overall accuracy of 89.1%, whereas the hybrid urban classification was obtained with an average overall accuracy of 91.8%. For Hyperion imagery, the pixel-based urban classification was obtained with an average overall accuracy of 85.9%, whereas the hybrid urban classification was obtained with an average overall accuracy of 86.7%. Overall, it can be concluded that the fine spatial resolution satellite hyperspectral data TG-1 is promising in delineating complex urban scenes, especially when using an appropriate classifier, such as the hybrid classifier.
Mass Flux Solution in the Tibetan Plateau Using Mascon Modeling
Authors: Chen Tianyi , Shen Yunzhong , Chen Qiujie
Published: May 2016

Mascon modeling is used in this paper to produce the mass flux solutions in the Tibetan Plateau. In the mascon modeling, the pseudo observations and their covariance matrices are derived from the GRACE monthly gravity field models. The sampling density of the pseudo observations is determined based on the eigenvalues of the covariance matrices. In the Tibetan Plateau, the sampling density of per 1.5° is the most appropriate among all choices. The mass flux variations from 2003 to 2014 are presented in this paper, which show large mass loss (about −15.5 Gt/year) in Tianshan, North India, and Eastern Himalaya, as well as strong positive signals (about 9 Gt/year) in the Inner Tibetan Plateau. After the glacier isostatic adjustment effects from Pau-5-AUT model are removed, the mass change rates in the Tibetan Plateau derived from CSR RL05, JPL RL05, GFZ RL05a, and Tongji-GRACE02 monthly models are −6.41 ± 4.74 Gt/year, −5.87 ± 4.88 Gt/year, −6.08 ± 4.65 Gt/year, and −11.50 ± 4.79 Gt/year, respectively, which indicate slight mass loss in this area. Our results confirm that mascon modeling is efficient in the recovery of time-variable gravity signals in the Tibetan Plateau.
Error-Component Analysis of TRMM-Based Multi-Satellite Precipitation Estimates over Mainland China
Authors: Yong Bin , Chen Bo , Tian Yudong , Yu Zhongbo , Hong Yang
Published: May 2016

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) products have been widely used, but their error and uncertainty characteristics over diverse climate regimes still need to be quantified. In this study, we focused on a systematic evaluation of TMPA’s error characteristics over mainland China, with an improved error-component analysis procedure. We performed the analysis for both the TMPA real-time and research product suite at a daily scale and 0.25° × 0.25° resolution. Our results show that, in general, the error components in TMPA exhibit rather strong regional and seasonal differences. For humid regions, hit bias and missed precipitation are the two leading error sources in summer, whereas missed precipitation dominates the total errors in winter. For semi-humid and semi-arid regions, the error components of two real-time TMPA products show an evident topographic dependency. Furthermore, the missed and false precipitation components have the similar seasonal variation but they counter each other, which result in a smaller total error than the individual components. For arid regions, false precipitation is the main problem in retrievals, especially during winter. On the other hand, we examined the two gauge-correction schemes, i.e., climatological calibration algorithm (CCA) for real-time TMPA and gauge-based adjustment (GA) for post-real-time TMPA. Overall, our results indicate that the upward adjustments of CCA alleviate the TMPA’s systematic underestimation over humid region but, meanwhile, unfavorably increased the original positive biases over the Tibetan plateau and Tianshan Mountains. In contrast, the GA technique could substantially improve the error components for local areas. Additionally, our improved error-component analysis found that both CCA and GA actually also affect the hit bias at lower rain rates (particularly for non-humid regions), as well as at higher ones. Finally, this study recommends that future efforts should focus on improving hit bias of humid regions, false error of arid regions, and missed snow events in winter.
An Improved Measurement Method for the Strength of Radiation of Reflective Beam in an Industrial Optical Sensor Based on Laser Displacement Meter
Authors: Bae Youngchul
Published: May 2016

An optical sensor such as a laser range finder (LRF) or laser displacement meter (LDM) uses reflected and returned laser beam from a target. The optical sensor has been mainly used to measure the distance between a launch position and the target. However, optical sensor based LRF and LDM have numerous and various errors such as statistical errors, drift errors, cyclic errors, alignment errors and slope errors. Among these errors, an alignment error that contains measurement error for the strength of radiation of returned laser beam from the target is the most serious error in industrial optical sensors. It is caused by the dependence of the measurement offset upon the strength of radiation of returned beam incident upon the focusing lens from the target. In this paper, in order to solve these problems, we propose a novel method for the measurement of the output of direct current (DC) voltage that is proportional to the strength of radiation of returned laser beam in the received avalanche photo diode (APD) circuit. We implemented a measuring circuit that is able to provide an exact measurement of reflected laser beam. By using the proposed method, we can measure the intensity or strength of radiation of laser beam in real time and with a high degree of precision.
myBlackBox: Blackbox Mobile Cloud Systems for Personalized Unusual Event Detection
Authors: Ahn Junho , Han Richard
Published: May 2016

We demonstrate the feasibility of constructing a novel and practical real-world mobile cloud system, called myBlackBox, that efficiently fuses multimodal smartphone sensor data to identify and log unusual personal events in mobile users’ daily lives. The system incorporates a hybrid architectural design that combines unsupervised classification of audio, accelerometer and location data with supervised joint fusion classification to achieve high accuracy, customization, convenience and scalability. We show the feasibility of myBlackBox by implementing and evaluating this end-to-end system that combines Android smartphones with cloud servers, deployed for 15 users over a one-month period.
Are Consumers Willing to Pay More for Sustainable Products? A Study of Eco-Labeled Tuna Steak
Authors: Zhou Guzhen , Hu Wuyang , Huang Wenchao
Published: May 2016

A high demand for seafood leads to overfishing, harms the long-term health of seafood stocks, and threatens environmental sustainability in oceans. Sustainability certification is one of the major sustainability movements and is known as eco-labeling. For instance, in the tuna industry, leading tuna brands have committed to protecting sea turtles by allowing the tracing of the source of their tuna “from catch to can.” This paper relies on an Internet survey on consumers from Kentucky conducted in July 2010. The survey investigates household-level tuna steak (sashimi grade) consumption and examines consumer preferences for eco-labeling (“Certified Turtle Safe” (CTS) in this study) while mimicking individuals’ seafood procurement processes. A random parameter logit model is utilized, and willingness-to-pay measures are calculated based on model estimation results. It was found that respondents on average preferred turtle-safe-labeled tuna steak and were likely to pay more for it; however, they were less likely to purchase wild-caught species, and insignificant results were found for pre-frozen. Moreover, significant heterogeneities were found across individuals regarding tuna steak purchases. The findings indicate evidence of public support for environmental friendliness, particularly with regard to eco-labeling.
Improved Tissue-Based Analytical Test Methods for Orellanine, a Biomarker of Cortinarius Mushroom Intoxication
Authors: Anantharam Poojya , Shao Dahai , Imerman Paula , Burrough Eric , Schrunk Dwayne , Sedkhuu Tsevelmaa , Tang Shusheng , Rumbeiha Wilson
Published: May 2016

Orellanine (OR) toxin is produced by mushrooms of the genus Cortinarius which grow in North America and in Europe. OR poisoning is characterized by severe oliguric acute renal failure, with a mortality rate of 10%–30%. Diagnosis of OR poisoning currently hinges on a history of ingestion of Cortinarius mushrooms and histopathology of renal biopsies. A key step in the diagnostic approach is analysis of tissues for OR. Currently, tissue-based analytical methods for OR are nonspecific and lack sensitivity. The objectives of this study were: (1) to develop definitive HPLC and LC-MS/MS tissue-based analytical methods for OR; and (2) to investigate toxicological effects of OR in mice. The HPLC limit of quantitation was 10 µg/g. For fortification levels of 15 µg/g to 50 µg/g OR in kidney, the relative standard deviation was between 1.3% and 9.8%, and accuracy was within 1.5% to 7.1%. A matrix-matched calibration curve was reproduced in this range with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.97–0.99. The limit of detection was 20 ng/g for LC-MS/MS. In OR-injected mice, kidney OR concentrations were 97 ± 51 µg/g on Day 0 and 17 ± 1 µg/g on termination Day 3. Splenic and liver injuries were novel findings in this mouse model. The new tissue-based analytical tests will improve diagnosis of OR poisoning, while the mouse model has yielded new data advancing knowledge on OR-induced pathology. The new tissue-based analytical tests will improve diagnosis of OR poisoning, while the mouse model has yielded new data advancing knowledge on OR-induced pathology.
The Rabies Virus L Protein Catalyzes mRNA Capping with GDP Polyribonucleotidyltransferase Activity
Authors: Ogino Minako , Ito Naoto , Sugiyama Makoto , Ogino Tomoaki
Published: May 2016

The large (L) protein of rabies virus (RABV) plays multiple enzymatic roles in viral RNA synthesis and processing. However, none of its putative enzymatic activities have been directly demonstrated in vitro. In this study, we expressed and purified a recombinant form of the RABV L protein and verified its guanosine 5′-triphosphatase and GDP polyribonucleotidyltransferase (PRNTase) activities, which are essential for viral mRNA cap formation by the unconventional mechanism. The RABV L protein capped 5′-triphosphorylated but not 5′-diphosphorylated RABV mRNA-start sequences, 5′-AACA(C/U), with GDP to generate the 5′-terminal cap structure G(5′)ppp(5′)A. The 5′-AAC sequence in the substrate RNAs was found to be strictly essential for RNA capping with the RABV L protein. Furthermore, site-directed mutagenesis showed that some conserved amino acid residues (G1112, T1170, W1201, H1241, R1242, F1285, and Q1286) in the PRNTase motifs A to E of the RABV L protein are required for cap formation. These findings suggest that the putative PRNTase domain in the RABV L protein catalyzes the rhabdovirus-specific capping reaction involving covalent catalysis of the pRNA transfer to GDP, thus offering this domain as a target for developing anti-viral agents.