bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of potential drug targets for tuberous sclerosis complex by synthetic screens combining CRISPR-based knockouts with RNAi
Authors: Housden Benjamin E. , Valvezan Alexander J. , Kelley Colleen , Sopko Richelle , Hu Yanhui , Roesel Charles , Lin Shuailiang , Buckner Michael , Tao Rong , Yilmazel Bahar , Mohr Stephanie E. , Manning Brendan D. , Perrimon Norbert
Published: September 2015

Combining targeted CRISPR-mediated gene editing with an RNAi-mediated screen identifies candidate drug targets.
Isolated tuberculosis of tunica albuginea and tunica vaginalis presenting as acute hydrocoele: a diagnostic dilemma
Authors: Khan Salma , Haroon Naveed , Azami Rizwan , Bawa Tufail
Published: September 2015

We report the first case of genital tuberculosis (TB) occurring in tunica albuginea (TA) and tunica vaginalis (TV) presenting as acute hydrocoele. A 35-year-old man presented with acute onset left scrotal swelling. Physical examination revealed left hemiscrotal swelling with overlying skin erythema and tenderness. Surgical exploration was carried out due to increasing pain and per operatively found thickened TA and TV with a single small nodule on TA. Histopathology revealed typical granuloma formation, however, noMycobacteriumwas seen. Subsequent Ziehl-Neelsen stain on separate tissue specimen confirmed the presence of acid-fast bacilli. Based on these findings, antituberculous treatment was started involving daily isoniazid (INH), rifampicin, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for 2 months and further INH and rifampicin for further 4 months.
Fatal relapsing tracheobronchial polychondritis diagnosed at autopsy
Authors: Winstanley Sarah , Boyde Adam , Attanoos Richard
Published: September 2015

A 31-year-old woman was referred to chest clinic with an 18-month history of cough, breathlessness and weight loss. She had previously been treated unsuccessfully with bronchodilators. In clinic she was found to have vocal hoarseness and harsh, monophonic inspiratory breath sounds. A bronchoscopy was arranged, but the patient was found dead before it could be performed. A postmortem examination with histology found evidence of active and chronic inflammation as well as destruction of cartilage, in keeping with a diagnosis of relapsing tracheobronchial polychonditis.
Unusual case of a surgically treated ACL tear in a 4-year-old patient
Authors: Astur Diego Costa , Castro Saulo , Bernardes Adilio , Cohen Moises
Published: September 2015

Anterior cruciate ligament injury in children is an increasingly common disease. We report a rare case of surgical treatment of a 4-year-old patient who presented with an anterior cruciate ligament tear after a high-energy trauma followed by chronic spontaneous subluxation during knee flexion and extension. An extra-articular ligamental reconstruction technique was performed and the child is clinically well 4 years after surgery. Historically, non-surgical treatment has been the main treatment option, however, the indication for surgical reconstruction is increasing as we better understand the histological characteristics of the immature skeleton.
A hairy fall: syncope resulting from topical application of minoxidil
Authors: Dubrey S W , VanGriethuysen J , Edwards C M B
Published: September 2015

We describe the case of a young man who developed syncope after using a high strength formulation of topical minoxidil as a hair growth restorer. Other potential cardiovascular and endocrine causes were excluded, and his symptoms resolved on discontinuation of the product. While syncope is a recognised side effect of using this powerful systemic antihypertensive agent, few cases are documented in the literature, which we illustrate in our discussion.
Collagenous enterocolitis manifesting as watery diarrhoea and iron-deficiency anaemia
Authors: Yau Alan Hoi Lun , Xiong Wei , Ko Hin Hin
Published: September 2015

A 56-year-old Caucasian woman presented with epigastric pain, watery diarrhoea, bloating and flatulence following treatment with duloxetine and venlafaxine for anxiety and depression. Abdominal examination was benign. Blood work revealed haemoglobin of 96 g/L (115–160 g/L), iron 6 μmol/L (10–33 μmol/L), transferrin saturation 0.08 (0.20–0.55), ferritin 26 μg/L (15–180 μg/L), albumin 46 g/L (35–50 g/L), pre-albumin 293 mg/L (170–370 mg/L), total IgA 2.64 g/L (0.78–3.58 g/L) and anti-tTG IgA 5 units (<20 units). Faecal occult blood tests were 3/3 positive and stool cultures were negative. CT enterography was normal. Colonic biopsy revealed collagenous colitis, while duodenal biopsy showed collagenous sprue with blunted to completely flattened villi and markedly thickened subepithelial collagen table entrapping capillaries and lymphocytes. The patient started a gluten-free diet, loperamide and ferrous gluconate. Her symptoms resolved and a faecal immunochemical test performed 6 months later was negative.
Postsplenectomy thrombocytosis with pseudohyperkalaemia
Authors: Alizadeh Katrin , Hadjinicolaou Andreas V , Hadjittofi Christopher , Shankar Arjun
Published: September 2015

A 52-year old man developed hyperkalaemia on the 11th postoperative day following an extensive open retroperitoneal liposarcoma resection that included splenectomy. Despite thorough investigations, no aetiology for the hyperkalaemia was identified and standard empirical treatment was ineffective. On reconsideration, in view of the patient's concurrent thrombocytosis, a pseudofactual or artefactual hyperkalaemia was suspected. This was confirmed by contemporaneous testing of serum and plasma potassium levels, with the latter value lying within the normal range. Treatment for hyperkalaemia was discontinued, thus averting an iatrogenic and potentially dangerous hypokalaemia. This case highlights pseudohyperkalaemia as an often-neglected cause of elevated serum potassium levels and discusses its association with thrombocytosis following splenectomy.
Inter-rater reliability of the Berg Balance Scale, 30 s chair stand test and 6 m walking test, and construct validity of the Berg Balance Scale in nursing home residents with mild-to-moderate dementia
Authors: Telenius Elisabeth Wiken , Engedal Knut , Bergland Astrid
Published: September 2015

Objective

When testing physical function, patients must be alert and have the capacity to understand and respond to instructions. Patients with dementia may have difficulties fulfilling these requirements and, therefore, the reliability of the measures may be compromised. We aimed to assess the inter-rater reliability between pairs of observers independently rating the participant in the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), 30 s chair stand test (CST) and 6 m walking test. We also wanted to investigate the internal consistency of the BBS.

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting

We included 33 nursing home patients with a mild-to-moderate degree of dementia and tested them once with two evaluators present. One evaluator gave instructions and both evaluators scored the patients’ performance. Weighted κ, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) model 2.1 with 95% CIs and minimal detectable change (MDC) were used to measure inter-rater reliability. Cronbach's α was calculated to evaluate the internal consistency of the BBS sum score.

Results

The mean values of the BBS scored by the two evaluators were 38±13.7 and 38.0±13.8, respectively. Weighted κ scores for the BBS items varied from 0.83 to 1.0. ICC for the BBS's sum score was 0.99, and the MDC was 2.7% and 7%, respectively. The Cronbach’s α of the BBS's sum score was 0.9. The ICC of the CST and 6 m walking test was 1 and 0.97, respectively. The MDC on the 6 m walking test was 0.08% and 15.2%, respectively.

Conclusions

The results reveal an excellent relative inter-rater reliability of the BBS, CST and 6 m walking test as well as high internal consistency for the BBS in a population of nursing home residents with mild-to-moderate dementia. The absolute reliability was 2.7 on the BBS and 0.08 on the 6 m walking test.
Neutrino masses from modified bimaximal mixing
Authors: Damanik Asan
Published: September 2015

The bimaximal (BM) neutrino mixing matrix was formulated in order to accommodate the data of the experimental results which indicate that both solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillation in vacuum are near maximal. But, after the T2K and Daya Bay Collaborations reported that the mixing angle [Formula: see text] is nonzero and relatively large, many authors have modified the neutrino mixing matrix in order to accommodate experimental data. We modified the BM mixing matrix by introducing a simple perturbation matrix into BM mixing matrix. The modified BM mixing matrix can proceed the mixing angles which are compatible with the global fit analysis data and by imposing the [Formula: see text]–[Formula: see text] symmetry into mass matrix from modified BM, we have the neutrino mass in normal hierarchy (NH): [Formula: see text]. Using the neutrino masses that obtained from neutrino mass matrix in the scheme of modified BM and imposing the constraint exact [Formula: see text] symmetry into neutrino mass matrix, we cannot have compatible squared-mass differences for both [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] as dictated by experimental results. In order to proceed the neutrino masses that can predict correctly the squared-mass difference, we introduce a small parameter [Formula: see text] into neutrino mass matrix. The obtained neutrino masses are in agreement with the squared-mass difference as dictated by experimental results. The predicted neutrino effective mass: [Formula: see text] in this paper can be tested in the future neutrinoless double beta decay.
Using electrochemical fabrication to grow external arrays of magnetic nanostripes to manipulate superconductivity in the thin film
Authors: Bang Wonbae , Teizer W. , Rathnayaka K. K. D. , Lyuksyutov I. F. , Naugle D. G.
Published: September 2015

We present results on electrochemical fabrication of arrays of magnetic nanostripes atop a Sn film covered with an insulating Ge layer. We also report its transport properties and superconducting [Formula: see text]. The transport properties demonstrate strong hysteresis as a function of the magnetic field.
Analytical Solutions of Lateral–Torsional Buckling of Castellated Beams
Authors: Kim Boksun , Li Long-Yuan , Edmonds Ashley
Published: September 2015

The majority of the existing literature on the lateral stability of castellated beams deals with experimental and/or numerical studies. This paper presents a comprehensive analytical study of the lateral–torsional buckling of simply supported castellated beams subject to pure bending and/or a uniformly distributed load. Using the principle of total potential energy, analytical expressions for the critical buckling moments and loads are derived and applied for various beam lengths. The three different locations of the applied load are used: At the top flange, shear center and bottom flange. The results show that the influence of web openings on the critical buckling moments and loads are mainly due to the reduction of the torsional constant caused by the web openings. Web shear effects and web shear buckling become important only when the beam is short and the flange is wide. The critical moments and loads will be overestimated or underestimated if the full or reduced section properties are used. The accurate critical moment or load should be calculated based on the average torsional constant of the full and reduced sections rather than simply taking the average of the critical moments or loads calculated from the full and reduced section properties. The present analytical solutions are verified using 3D finite element analysis results.
Residual Axial Capacity of Reinforced Concrete Columns Subject to Internal Building Detonations
Authors: Wijesundara Lakshitha M. G. , Clubley Simon K.
Published: September 2015

This paper details the development of an engineering assessment procedure for reinforced concrete (RC) column failure when subjected to time-variant coupled axial and lateral loads due to internal building detonations. This is based on a comprehensive parametric study conducted using an advanced uncoupled Euler–Lagrange numerical modeling; splitting the structural and flow solvers for maximum integrity and accuracy. The column assessment charts discussed in this paper provide threshold combinations of TNT equivalence and stand-off distance for a range of column residual axial capacity levels corresponding to two key internal blast environments: Vented and contained. This will be of direct relevance to both practitioners and researchers involved with protective design of civilian and military buildings.
Relation Between Firing Statistics of Spiking Neuron with Instantaneous Feedback and Without Feedback
Authors: Vidybida Alexander
Published: September 2015

We consider a class of spiking neuron models, defined by a set of conditions which are typical for basic threshold-type models like leaky integrate-and-fire, or binding neuron model and also for some artificial neurons. A neuron is fed with a point renewal process. A relation between the three probability density functions (PDF): (i) PDF of input interspike intervals ISIs, (ii) PDF of output interspike intervals of a neuron with a feedback and (iii) PDF for that same neuron without feedback is derived. This allows to calculate any one of the three PDFs provided the remaining two are given. Similar relation between corresponding means and variances is derived. The relations are checked exactly for the binding neuron model stimulated with Poisson stream.
Neuroprotective Effects of Cistanches Herba Therapy on Patients with Moderate Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Li Nan , Wang Jianping , Ma Jun , Gu Zhiqiang , Jiang Chao , Yu Lie , Fu Xiaojie
Published: September 2015

Cistanches Herba (CH) is thought to be a “Yang-invigorating” material in traditional Chinese medicine. We evaluated neuroprotective effects of Cistanches Herba on Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Moderate AD participants were divided into 3 groups: Cistanches Herba capsule (CH,n=10), Donepezil tablet (DON,n=8), and control group without treatmentn=6. We assessed efficacy by MMSE and ADAS-cog, and investigated the volume changes of hippocampus by 1.5 T MRI scans. Protein, mRNA levels, and secretions of total-tau (T-tau), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and interleukin- (IL) 1β(IL-1β) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were detected by Western blot, RT-PCR, and ELISA. The scores showed statistical difference after 48 weeks of treatment compared to control group. Meanwhile, volume changes of hippocampus were slight in drug treatment groups but distinct in control group; the levels of T-tau, TNF-α, and IL-1βwere decreased compared to those in control group. Cistanches Herba could improve cognitive and independent living ability of moderate AD patients, slow down volume changes of hippocampus, and reduce the levels of T-tau, TNF-α, and IL-1β. It suggested that Cistanches Herba had potential neuroprotective effects for moderate AD.
Switching from Twice-Daily Basal Insulin Injections to Once-Daily Insulin Degludec Injection for Basal-Bolus Insulin Regimen in Japanese Patients with Type 1 Diabetes: A Pilot Study
Authors: Tosaka Yuka , Kanazawa Akio , Ikeda Fuki , Iida Mayu , Sato Junko , Matsumoto Kazuhisa , Uchida Toyoyoshi , Tamura Yoshifumi , Ogihara Takeshi , Mita Tomoya , Shimizu Tomoaki , Goto Hiromasa , Ohmura Chie , Fujitani Yoshio , Watada Hirotaka
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of insulin degludec used for basal-bolus insulin regimen after switching from twice-daily basal insulin in Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. The subjects were 22 type 1 diabetes patients treated with basal-bolus insulin regimen with twice-daily basal insulin. Basal insulin was switched to once-daily injection of insulin degludec with 10% dose reduction. HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) were measured before and 12 weeks after switching. The frequency of hypoglycemic episodes, standard deviation (SD) of blood glucose, and mean of daily difference (MODD) were evaluated by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) before and 4 weeks after switching. HbA1c and FPG before and 12 weeks after switching were comparable (HbA1c 8.5 ± 1.4 versus 8.7 ± 1.6%,P=0.28; FPG 203.2 ± 81.2 versus 206.5 ± 122.4 mg/dL,P=0.91). The frequency of hypoglycemia during nighttime was not significantly different at 4 weeks after switching (14.4 ± 17.0 versus 11.1 ± 15.0%,P=0.45). In addition, SD and MODD before and 4 weeks after switching were also comparable. In conclusion, glycemic control under once-daily insulin degludec injection was almost comparable to that under twice-daily basal insulin injections in Japanese type 1 diabetes patients. This study was registered with ID:UMIN000010474.
Recent Advances in Genetic Technique of Microbial Report Cells and Their Applications in Cell Arrays
Authors: Kim Do Hyun , Kim Moon Il , Park Hyun Gyu
Published: September 2015

Microbial cell arrays have attracted consistent attention for their ability to provide unique global data on target analytes at low cost, their capacity for readily detectable and robust cell growth in diverse environments, their high degree of convenience, and their capacity for multiplexing via incorporation of molecularly tailored reporter cells. To highlight recent progress in the field of microbial cell arrays, this review discusses research on genetic engineering of reporter cells, technologies for patterning live cells on solid surfaces, cellular immobilization in different polymers, and studies on their application in environmental monitoring, disease diagnostics, and other related fields. On the basis of these results, we discuss current challenges and future prospects for novel microbial cell arrays, which show promise for use as potent tools for unraveling complex biological processes.
A Novel UWB TEM Horn Antenna with a Microstrip-Type Feed
Authors: Wang Youcheng , Fang Guangyou , Su Hai , Ji Yicai , Ye Shengbo , Zhang Xiaojuan
Published: September 2015

A novel ultra-wideband (UWB) TEM horn antenna fed by a microstrip-type transition is designed. The feeding structure is directly realized by a microstrip line with the merit of compact size and UWB. To broaden the low frequency band, an arc surface is added at the end of the flare plates. Numerical simulation is applied to discuss the effect of the geometry construction which contains the microstrip-type transition and the circular arc surface at the end of radiating arm. Return loss, radiation pattern, and gain of the fabricated antennas are measured. The measured results show that the antenna yields a wide bandwidth ranging from 1 GHZ to 10.3 GHz with return loss less than −10 dB. The antenna also achieves unidirectional radiation patterns with stable antenna gain. These characteristics imply that the compact antenna may be used for detecting buried objects in the wall or UWB communication systems of band like GSM, Wi-Fi, and so forth.
Propagating Characteristics of Pulsed Laser in Rain
Authors: Guo Jing , Zhang He , Zhang Xiang-jin
Published: September 2015

To understand the performance of laser ranging system under the rain weather condition, we need to know the propagating characteristics of laser pulse in rain. In this paper, the absorption and attenuation coefficients were calculated based on the scattering theories in discrete stochastic media, and the propagating characteristics of laser pulse in rain were simulated and analyzed using Monte-Carlo method. Some simulation results were verified by experiments, and the simulation results are well matched with the experimental data, with the maximal deviation not less than 7.5%. The results indicated that the propagating laser beam would be attenuated and distorted due to the scattering and absorption of raindrops, and the energy attenuation and pulse shape distortion strongly depended on the laser pulse widths.
Compact Local Directional Texture Pattern for Local Image Description
Authors: Zeng Hui , Zhang Rui , Huang Mingming , Wang Xiuqing
Published: September 2015

This paper presents an effective local image feature region descriptor, called CLDTP descriptor (Compact Local Directional Texture Pattern), and its application in image matching and object recognition. The CLDTP descriptor encodes the directional and contrast information in a local region, so it contains the gradient orientation information and the gradient magnitude information. As the dimension of the CLDTP histogram is much lower than the dimension of the LDTP histogram, the CLDTP descriptor has higher computational efficiency and it is suitable for image matching. Extensive experiments have validated the effectiveness of the designed CLDTP descriptor.
Some Compactness and Interpolation Results for Linear Boltzmann Equation
Authors: Redjel Nadjeh , Dehici Abdelkader
Published: September 2015

We discuss some compactness results inLp  (1≤p<∞)spaces related to the spectral theory of neutron transport equations for general classes of collision operators and Radon measures having velocity spaces as supports covering most physical models. We show in particular that the asymptotic spectrum of the transport operator is independent ofp.
Safety of a Bioactive Polyphenol Dietary Supplement in Pediatric Subjects with Acute Diarrhoea
Authors: Sarker Shafiqul A. , Sultana Shamima , Pietroni Mark , Dover Arthur
Published: September 2015

The hematological and clinical chemistry profile for children aged 6 months to 5 years with acute diarrhoea was measured in a double blind clinical trial. Subjects were randomized to the study group (N=44) given a bioactive polyphenol dietary supplement in oral rehydration solution (ORS) or to the control group (N=41) given distilled water as a placebo in ORS twice daily for up to 4 days. All subjects received 10 mg zinc daily for the 4 days in the study. Venous blood was collected for complete blood count, electrolytes, liver function, and creatinine upon enrollment (baseline) and at the end of 4 days (end of study); mean values were compared by 95% confidence intervals. Overall, blood factors measured either remained the same over the 4 days or increased or decreased at the same levels between the two groups during the study period. All values were within accepted ranges for paediatric subjects except serum AST (SGOT), where the mean value of the study group approached the upper bound of the range on day 4 but was comparable to the value of the control group. Consumption of this supplement twice daily for 4 days is safe for children and infants.
A Conceptual Model to Optimize Operating Cost of Passenger Ships in Macau
Authors: Xu Xin-long , Iao Lai Leng , Yin Yanting , Chen Silu , Chen Yujie
Published: September 2015

To facilitate more convenient travel as the economy of Macau expands, the government of Macau has allowed shipping companies to add passenger ships and shipping lines. This paper demonstrates how shipping companies can reduce costs by optimizing passenger ships and crew size. It analyzes operating conditions for each shipping depot, including transit time, ships, and volume of passengers. A series of integer programming models is proposed. After a practical demonstration using Excel to solve the LP model, we show that the reduction in the number of passenger ships and crew size could reach 22.6% and 29.4%, respectively.
Motion Constraints and Trajectory Planning of a Planar Active Dynamic Balancing Mechanism
Authors: Wang Kun , Li Ke , Chen Peng , Zhang Qiuju , Cao Yi
Published: September 2015

We propose a new solution to the active balancing issue under mechanical structural constraint. A dynamic model of the 3-DOF active balancer is established considering the limitations of the mechanical construction due to the lengths of the sliding rails. A methodology for the collision-avoidance trajectory planning is presented in addition to the normal trajectory planning to design the collision-free active balancing strategy. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the effect of the parameter constrains as well as verify the effectiveness and necessity of trajectory planning.
Mediastinal Packing for Intractable Coagulopathy in Acute Aortic Dissection (Types 1 and 2 DeBakey): A Life-Saving Technique—Report of Experiences
Authors: Moeinipour Aliasghar , Fathi Mehdi , Sepehri Shamloo Alireza , Amini Shahram , Hoseinikhah Hamid , Kianinejad Akram
Published: September 2015

Nonsurgical bleeding after complex thoracic aortic procedures (such as aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm) is a great challenge for cardiac surgeons because of severe coagulopathy, exsanguinous bleeding, and inevitable death. Temporary mediastinal packing (with sponge) in such cases is the only life-saving technique with good result in most cases. Herein, we presented three cases with acute aortic dissection with intractable bleeding that was successfully managed with mediastinal packing.
Exploiting Scanning Behavior for Predators Can Reduce Rice Damage Caused by Birds
Authors: Honda Takeshi
Published: September 2015

Rice is often damaged by birds, especially sparrows, in Asia. Bird nets are sometimes used as countermeasures; however this approach is expensive and labor intensive. For this reason, farmers generally eschew bird nets, even though no alternative countermeasures are available. This study focused on exploiting the bird behavior of scanning for predators to reduce crop damage. When birds forage for seeds on the ground they often stop pecking and briefly raise their heads, apparently to scan for predators. Low visibility habitats increase scanning behavior and increased scanning behavior reduces habitat quality from the bird’s perspective; therefore, this study tested the relationship between rice damage rate and visibility at the periphery of rice fields, where tree sparrows rest after feeding. Overall, low visibility reduced damage to rice. Because visibility was mainly affected by weeds, weed management techniques contribute to crop damage management. To reduce damage, weeding can be decreased; therefore, this technique is cost- and labor-efficient.
Extracellular Vesicles as Biomarkers of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Perez-Hernandez Javier , Cortes Raquel
Published: September 2015

Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease that predominantly affects women and typically manifests in multiple organs. The damage caused by this disorder is characterized by a chronic inflammatory state. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), including microvesicles (also known as microparticles), apoptotic bodies, and exosomes, are recognized vehicles of intercellular communication, carrying autoantigens, cytokines, and surface receptors. Therefore, the evidence of EVs and their cargo as biomarkers of autoimmune disease is rapidly expanding. This review will focus on biogenesis of extracellular vesicles, their pathophysiological roles, and their potential as biomarkers and therapeutics in inflammatory disease, especially in systemic lupus erythematosus.
Breeding Sites ofAedes aegypti: Potential Dengue Vectors in Dire Dawa, East Ethiopia
Authors: Getachew Dejene , Tekie Habte , Gebre-Michael Teshome , Balkew Meshesha , Mesfin Akalu
Published: September 2015

Background and Objectives. Entomological survey was carried out from May-June to September-October 2014 to investigate the presence of dengue vectors in discarded tires and artificial water containers in houses and peridomestic areas.Methods. A cross-sectional immature stage survey was done indoors and outdoors in 301 houses. Mosquito larval sampling was conducted using pipette or dipper depending on container types. Larvae were identified morphologically and larval indices were also calculated.Results. A total of 750 containers were inspected, and of these 405 were positive for mosquito larvae. A total of 1,873 larvae were collected and morphologically identified asAedes aegypti(n=1580: 84.4%) andCulex(n=293: 15.6%). The larval indices, house index, container index, and breteau index, varied from 33.3 to 86.2, from 23.2 to 73.9, and from 56.5 to 188.9, respectively.Conclusion.Aedes aegyptiis breeding in a wide range of artificial containers. To control these mosquitoes, the integration of different methods should be taken into consideration.
The Effects of Campus Bump on Drivers’ Fixation Dispersion and Speed Reduction
Authors: Xu Qian , Shao Fei , Guo Tangyi , Gong Linfeng
Published: September 2015

To evaluate the effects of campus speed bumps on drivers’ speed and fixation distribution, a quasinaturalistic driving test was conducted on a Chinese campus. Seven randomly selected drivers, wearing the Dikablis eye tracking devices, were required to drive an OPEL SUV passing the speed bumps. The area close to the bump was divided into ten subsegments (15 m for each one). The degree of fixation dispersion within each subsegment was defined as the distance from each subcenter to the whole fixation center. All traffic data were recorded using mounted camera, and the trajectories were extracted in Matlab. The speed and trajectory data was divided into two groups: the before group for bump-free case and the after group for a 5 cm bump case. The observational before-after analysis shows statistical significance between the two cases. The individual vehicular speed analysis reveals that bump reduces nearly 60% of vehicles’ speeds to a certain extent within the distance from 30 m upstream to 15 m downstream. The drivers’ fixation points begin to disperse 30–45 m before they see the bump, and it falls back to normal level 15–30 m downstream of the bump. These findings will help engineers install speed bumps at the most appropriate locations.
Improved Genetic Algorithm with Gene Recombination for Bus Crew-Scheduling Problem
Authors: Song Cuiying , Guan Wei , Ma Jihui , Liu Tao
Published: September 2015

This paper presents an improved genetic algorithm (GA) with gene recombination for bus crew-scheduling problem in bus company. Unlike existing methods that rely on designing a fixed potential shift set by software, our new method does not need such a potential shift set information. In our method, satisfied shifts are generated through gene recombination in genetic algorithm. We conduct extensive studies based on real-life instances from Beijing Bus Group. Compared with results generated by the current manual method, ant colony algorithm, and CPLEX, computational results show that our algorithms demonstrated very good computational performances. In our tests, the number of the maximum reducing shifts can be beyond 30, especially when trip number is very large. The high relative percentage deviation demonstrated the effectiveness of the algorithm proposed.
Research on the Fundamental Principles and Characteristics of Correspondence Function
Authors: Li Xiangru , Wang Guanghui , Wu Q. M. Jonathan
Published: September 2015

The correspondence function (CF) is a concept recently introduced to reject the mismatches from given putative correspondences. The fundamental idea of the CF is that the relationship of some corresponding points between two images to be registered can be described by a pair of vector-valued functions, estimated by a nonparametric regression method with more flexibility than the normal parametric model, for example, homography matrix, similarity transformation, and projective transformations. Mismatches are rejected by checking their consistency with the CF. This paper proposes a visual scheme to investigate the fundamental principles of the CF and studies its characteristics by experimentally comparing it with the widely used parametric model epipolar geometry (EG). It is shown that the CF describes the mapping from the points in one image to their corresponding points in another image, which enables a direct estimation of the positions of the corresponding points. In contrast, the EG acts by reducing the search space for corresponding points from a two-dimensional space to a line, which is a problem in one-dimensional space. As a result, the undetected mismatches of the CF are usually near the correct corresponding points, but many of the undetected mismatches of the EG are far from the correct point.
The Effect of Covalently Immobilized FGF-2 on Biphasic Calcium Phosphate Bone Substitute on Enhanced Biological Compatibility and Activity
Authors: Moon Kyung-Suk , Choi Eun-Joo , Oh Seunghan , Kim Sungtae
Published: September 2015

The purpose of this research was to covalently graft fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2) onto biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) via a bifunctional cross-linker technique and to estimate the optimal dose of FGF-2 resulting in the best osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). SEM observation revealed that the surface of the 100 ng FGF-2 coated BCP was completely covered with the nanoparticles expected to be from the silane coupling agent. XRD, FT-IR, and XPS analysis showed that silane treatment, bifunctional cross-linker coating, and FGF-2 covalent grafts were conducted successfully without deforming the crystalline structure of BCP. An MTT assay demonstrated that FGF-2 coated BCP had good biocompatibility, regardless of the concentration of FGF-2, after 24 or 48 h of incubation. An alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity assay (14 days of incubation) and the ALP gene expression level of real-time PCR analysis (7 days of incubation) revealed that 50, 100, and 200 ng FGF-2 coated BCP induced the highest activities among all experimental groups and control group (P<0.05). Thus, low concentrations of FGF-2 facilitated excellent osteogenesis and were effective at enhancing osteogenic potential. Also, the bifunctional cross-linker technique is expected to be a more feasible way to induce osteogenic differentiation while minimizing the risk of FGF-2 overdose.
Miliary Tuberculosis Induced Acute Liver Failure
Authors: Toptas Tayfur , Ilhan Birkan , Bilgin Huseyin , Dincses Elif , Ozdogan Osman , Kaygusuz-Atagunduz Isik , Odabasi Zekaver , Korten Volkan , Firatli-Tuglular Tulin
Published: September 2015

Hepatobiliary tuberculosis is uncommon even in endemic countries. It is associated with a high mortality and is even diagnosed early in the disease course. Acute liver failure (ALF) caused by tuberculosis bacilli has been reported in only a few reports. All previous cases have been diagnosed by postmortem examination. Time to antituberculosis treatment is very critical. In case of suggestive findings on clinical and radiologic examination, antituberculosis treatment should be initiated immediately. Drug use can be a challenge in patients with ALF. However, as long as the other possible causes of ALF can be excluded and hepatotoxic drugs were avoided during the early course of treatment, such a highly fatal presentation of tuberculosis can be treated safely. Here, we report a case of acute liver failure as a presentation of miliary tuberculosis. He was treated successfully with antituberculosis treatment.
Contamination of Hospital Water Supplies in Gilan, Iran, withLegionella pneumophila, Escherichia coli,andPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Ahmadi Jalali Moghadam Masoumeh , Honarmand Hamidreza , Asfaram Meshginshahr Sajad
Published: September 2015

This study is designed to determine the contamination degree of hospital water supplies withPseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella pneumophila, andE. coliin Gilan, Iran. Samples were collected directly into sterile containers and concentrated by centrifuge. Half part of any sample transferred to yeast extract broth and the second part transferred to Trypticase Soy Broth and incubated for 3 days. DNA was extracted by using commercial kit. Four rounds of PCR were performed as follows: multiplex PCR for detectingPseudomonas aeruginosa, Integron 1, and Metallo-β-lactamases gene; PCR for detectingLegionella pneumophilaandmipgene separately; PCR for detectingE. coli; and another PCR for detecting whole bacterial presence. Contamination rates of cold, warm, and incubator water samples withP. aeruginosa, were 16.6%, 37.5%, and 6.8% consequently. Degrees of contamination withL. pneumophilawere 3.3%, 9.3%, and 10.9% and withE. coliwere zero, 6.2%, and zero. Total bacterial contamination of cold, warm, and incubator water samples was 93.3%, 84.4%, and 89.0% consequently. Metallo-β-lactamases gene was found in 20.0% of all samples. Contamination degree withP. aeruginosawas considerable and withL. pneumophilawas moderate. Metallo-β-lactamases gene was found frequently indicating widespread multiple drug resistance bacteria. We suggest using new decontamination method based on nanotechnology.
Carbon Footprint Management of Road Freight Transport under the Carbon Emission Trading Mechanism
Authors: Li Jin , Lu Qihui , Fu Peihua
Published: September 2015

Growing concern over environmental issues has considerably increased the number of regulations and legislation that aim to curb carbon emissions. Carbon emission trading mechanism, which is one of the most effective means, has been broadly adopted by several countries. This paper presents a road truck routing problem under the carbon emission trading mechanism. By introducing a calculation method of carbon emissions that considers the load and speed of the vehicle among other factors, a road truck routing optimizing model under the cap and trade mechanism based on the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) is described. Compared with the classical TSP model that only considers the economic cost, this model suggests that the truck routing decision under the cap and trade mechanism is more effective in reducing carbon emissions. A modified tabu search algorithm is also proposed to obtain solutions within a reasonable amount of computation time. We theoretically and numerically examine the impacts of carbon trading, carbon cap, and carbon price on truck routing decision, carbon emissions, and total cost. From the results of numerical experiments, we derive interesting observations about how to control the total cost and reduce carbon emissions.
External Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Venous Ulcers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Li Xin , Xiao Qing-qing , Ze Kan , Li Su , Wang Yi-fei , Zhou Min , Yang Qin-tong , Li Fu-lun , Li Bin
Published: September 2015

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of external application of traditional Chinese medicine (EA-TCM) on venous ulcers.Methods. Seven databases were searched until April 2015 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of EA-TCM for venous ulcers. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Handbook guidelines. Study outcomes were presented as risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous data or mean differences (MDs) for continuous data.Results. Sixteen of 193 potentially relevant trials met the inclusion criteria; however, their methodological qualities were low. Comparison of the same intervention strategies revealed significant differences in total effectiveness rates between EA-TCM and conventional therapy groups (RR = 1.22, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.16–1.29, andP<0.00001). Compared to conventional therapy, EA-TCM combined with conventional therapy had a superior total effectiveness rate (RR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04–1.19, andP=0.003). There were no significant differences in recurrence rates during followup and final pain measurements between the experimental and those in the control groups (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.31–2.39, andP=0.85; MD −0.75, 95% CI = −2.15–0.65, andP=0.29).Conclusion. The evidence that EA-TCM is an effective treatment for venous ulcers is encouraging, but not conclusive due to the low methodological quality of the RCTs. Therefore, more high-quality RCTs with larger sample sizes are required.
Distribution Optimization Model for Passenger Departure via Multimodal Transit
Authors: Du Yuchuan , Yu Shanchuan , Jiang Shengchuan , Ji Yuxiong
Published: September 2015

International airports in China have become a complex hub between airport and multimodal transit stations. Dissimilar passenger departure demands in different transit mode cause wide gaps among departure times from airport to these modes. In this context, hub managers need to balance the distribution of air passengers to transit modes in order to reduce departure delays and alleviate the congestion in transit stations, even though they cannot change the operating plan of airport or transit stations. However, few research efforts have addressed this distribution. Therefore, we developed a distribution optimization model for passenger departure that minimizes the average departure time and is solved by Genetic Algorithm. To describe differences in passenger choices, without taking into consideration the metropolitan transportation network outside the airport, we introduced the concept of rigid and elastic departures. To reflect the tendency of elastic passengers to choose different transit modes, we assume that the passengers change to other modes in different proportions. A case revealed that the presence of rigid passengers allows managers to partly balance the distribution of passengers and improve the average departure time. When the volume of passengers approaches the peak volume, the optimized distribution significantly improves the departure time.
Genome-Wide Comparative Analysis of Flowering-Related Genes in Arabidopsis, Wheat, and Barley
Authors: Peng Fred Y. , Hu Zhiqiu , Yang Rong-Cai
Published: September 2015

Early flowering is an important trait influencing grain yield and quality in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in short-season cropping regions. However, due to large and complex genomes of these species, direct identification of flowering genes and their molecular characterization remain challenging. Here, we used a bioinformatic approach to predict flowering-related genes in wheat and barley from 190 known Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh.) flowering genes. We identified 900 and 275 putative orthologs in wheat and barley, respectively. The annotated flowering-related genes were clustered into 144 orthologous groups with one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-one, and many-to-many orthology relationships. Our approach was further validated by domain and phylogenetic analyses of flowering-related proteins and comparative analysis of publicly available microarray data sets for in silico expression profiling of flowering-related genes in 13 different developmental stages of wheat and barley. These further analyses showed that orthologous gene pairs in three critical flowering gene families (PEBP, MADS, and BBX) exhibited similar expression patterns among 13 developmental stages in wheat and barley, suggesting similar functions among the orthologous genes with sequence and expression similarities. The predicted candidate flowering genes can be confirmed and incorporated into molecular breeding for early flowering wheat and barley in short-season cropping regions.
Dynamics of the Bogie of Maglev Train with Distributed Magnetic Forces
Authors: Liu Yaozong , Deng Wenxi , Gong Pu
Published: September 2015

A dynamic model of the bogie of maglev train with distributed magnetic forces and four identical levitating controllers is formulated. The vertical, pitching, and rolling degree of freedom of the electromagnet modules and their coupling are considered. The frequency responses of the bogie to track irregularity are investigated with numerical simulation. The results tell us that there are resonances related to the first electromagnetic suspension whose frequencies are determined by the control parameters. A comparative analysis has been carried out between the models with distributed or concentrated magnetic forces. The comparison indicates that simplifying the distributed magnetic force to concentrated one degenerates the dynamic behavior of the maglev bogie, especially resulting in overestimated resonances of the first electromagnetic suspension of maglev trains. The results also indicate that those resonances only occur on specific wavelengths of irregularity that relate to the length of the electromagnets.
Secondary Metabolites of the Cuticular Abdominal Glands of Variegated Grasshopper (Zonocerus variegatus L.)
Authors: Igwe O. U. , Udofia D. E.
Published: September 2015

Chemical compounds were extracted with petroleum ether from the cuticular abdominal glands of grasshopper (Zonocerus variegatus L.) and eleven compounds were characterised using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) technique in combination with Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The compounds analysed were 2,7-dimethyloctane (3.21%), decane (5.33%), undecane (3.81%), tridecanoic acid methyl ester (4.76%), hexadecanoic acid (9.37%), 11-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (23.18%), pentadecanoic acid, 14-methyl-methyl ester (4.43%), (Z)-13-docosenoic acid (10.71%), dodecyl pentafluoropropionate (9.52%), 2-dodecyl-1,3-propanediol (6.38%), and 1,12-tridecadiene (19.30%). FT-IR analysis of the extract showed peaks at 1270.17 (C–O and C–F), 1641.48 (C=C), 2937.68 (C–H), and 3430.51 (O–H) cm−1 indicating the presence of ether, alkene, alkane, alcohol, carboxylic acid, and fluoric compounds. These compounds consisted of 32.37% ester, 31.65% hydrocarbons, 20.08% fatty acid, 9.52% halogenated ester, and 6.38% alcohol. The highest component was 11-octadecenoic acid methyl ester followed by 1,12-tridecadiene. Since behavioural bioassays were not carried out, the consideration of these compounds to be pheromone semiochemicals remains a hypothesis.
Determinants of Overall and Progression-Free Survival of Nigerian Patients with Philadelphia-Positive Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Oyekunle Anthony A. , Bolarinwa Rahman A. , Oyelese Adesola T. , Salawu Lateef , Durosinmi Muheez A.
Published: September 2015

Objective. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors have markedly changed the disease course for patients with Ph+and/orBCR-ABL1+chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). This study was embarked upon to assess the long-term effects of imatinib therapy on survival in adult Nigerian patients with CML.Methods. All adult patients on imatinib (400–600 mg) seen from July 2003 to December 2010 were assessed. Male/female distribution was 171/101, with a median age of 38 (range, 20–75) years. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were determined using the Kaplan-Meier techniques.Results. Of all the 272 patients, 205 were in chronic phase, 54 in accelerated phase, and five in blastic phase, at commencement of imatinib. As at December 2010, 222 were alive. OS at 1 and 5 years was 94% and 63%, while PFS was 89% and 54%, respectively. Similarly, amongst the 205 patients in chronic phase, OS at 1 and 5 years was 97% and 68%, while PFS was 92% and 57%.Conclusion. Imatinib’s place as first-line therapy in the treatment of CML has further been reinforced in our patients, with improved survival and reduced morbidity, comparable with outcomes in other populations.
Anastomosing Haemangioma of the Kidney Involving a Segmental Branch of the Renal Vein
Authors: Omiyale Ayodeji Oluwarotimi , Golash Anurag , Mann Amandeep , Kyriakidis Dimitris , Kalyanasundaram Karthik
Published: September 2015

Anastomosing variant of capillary haemangioma is a rare and recently described vascular tumour with a proclivity for the genitourinary tract. Here we present the case of a 64-year-old man with incidental finding of 3.4 cm renal mass on CT who had laparoscopic nephrectomy with a good postoperative recovery. Histopathological diagnosis of anastomosing haemangioma of the kidney was made and the patient was followed up for 10 months without evidence of tumour recurrence.
On the Asymptotic Behavior of Positive Solutions of Certain Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Grace Said R.
Published: September 2015

This paper deals with the asymptotic behavior of positive solutions of certain forced fractional differential equations of the formDcαCyt=et+ft, xt,c>1,α∈0,1, whereyt=atx′t′,c0=y(c)/Γ(1) =yc, andc0is a real constant. From the obtained results, we derive a technique which can be applied to some related fractional differential equations.