bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cell-to-Cell Signaling in
Escherichia coli
and
Salmonella
Authors: Kendall Melissa M. , Sperandio Vanessa
Published: October 2014

Bacteria must be able to respond rapidly to changes in the environment to survive. One means of coordinating gene expression relies on tightly regulated and complex signaling systems. One of the first signaling systems that was described in detail is quorum sensing (QS). During QS, a bacterial cell produces and secretes a signaling molecule called an autoinducer (AI). As the density of the bacterial population increases, so does the concentration of secreted AI molecules, thereby allowing a bacterial species to coordinate gene expression based on population density. Subsequent studies have demonstrated that bacteria are also able to detect signal molecules produced by other species of bacteria as well as hormones produced by their mammalian hosts. This type of signaling interaction has been termed cell-to-cell signaling because it does not rely on a threshold concentration of bacterial cells. This review discusses the three main types of cell-to-cell signaling mechanisms used by
Escherichia coli
and
Salmonella
: the LuxR process, in which
E. coli
and
Salmonella
detect signals produced by other species of bacteria; the LuxS/AI-2 system, in which
E. coli
and
Salmonella
participate in intra- and interspecies signaling; and the AI-3/epinephrine/norepinephrine system, in which
E. coli
and
Salmonella
recognize self-produced AI, signal produced by other microbes, and/or the human stress hormones epinephrine and/or norepinephrine.
Efficacy and safety of a herbal medicinal product containing myrrh, chamomile and coffee charcoal for the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders: a non-interventional study
Authors: Albrecht Uwe , Müller Valentina , Schneider Berthold , Stange Rainer
Published: October 2014

Objective

This prospective observational postmarketing multicentre study was performed to collect data on the clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of a licensed herbal combination of myrrh, coffee charcoal and chamomile extracts in patients with symptoms of acute diarrhoea.

Material and methods

Patients aged 12 years and above with symptoms of acute diarrhoea due to acute inflammatory disorders (AID) of the gastrointestinal tract, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were treated with the herbal preparation either as monotherapy, add-on therapy or with other therapies. The primary outcome parameter was the pre-post change of total mean symptom score. Secondary outcome parameters were changes of score of single symptoms, physician's assessment of the clinical course and efficacy, and patient's satisfaction.

Results

1062 patients (mean age 43.2±17.8 years, range 12–89, 42.3% men) were included. A decrease of the overall mean total symptom score was observed in all treatment groups (monotreatment: 1.33±0.51 to 0.15±0.34, add-on treatment: 1.39±0.41 to 0.30±0.37, other therapy: 1.31±0.43 to 0.24±0.33). No significant differences between three treatment options were observed within AID and IBD groups. However, in the IBS group, monotreatment with the herbal preparation resulted in a significantly better outcome when compared to either add-on treatment (mean difference 0.140; 95% CI 0.036 to 0.245; p=0.009) or other therapy (mean difference 0.217; 95% CI 0.085 to 0.349; p=0.001). Secondary efficacy criteria showed comparable results between different treatment options in the respective disorder groups. Patient satisfaction was generally higher with monotreatment in the AID and IBS groups, while add-on treatment was preferred in the IBD group.

Conclusions

The combination of myrrh, coffee charcoal and chamomile flower extract is effective, well tolerated and safe for use in patients with symptoms of acute diarrhoea. The effects are comparable to conventional therapies used in routine care.
Physical and numerical modeling of infiltration including consideration of the pore-air phase
Authors: Siemens G.A. , Take W.A. , Peters S.B.
Published: October 2014

Infiltration is a vadose zone process of interest to a wide range of research communities including agriculture, soil physics, and geotechnical engineering. In geotechnical engineering, transient infiltration is important to moisture balance problems such as cover systems, capillary breaks, and landslide triggering. Design of cover systems, capillary breaks, and landslide analysis applications depend on accurate models for the transient pore pressure and moisture migration response under a wide range of environmental conditions. Infiltration is typically modeled using Richards’ equation, which assumes no impedance from the pore-air phase. However, if this assumption is invalid, the ground response during infiltration is significantly affected. An optically matched pore fluid – transparent soil, which allows for high temporal and resolution measurements of degree of saturation, was used to examine the effect of air entrapment on infiltration. Homogeneous and layered profiles were subjected to closed and open infiltration conditions. Following the completion of the experimental program, the results were simulated using a finite element program that allows for consideration of the air phase during infiltration. The results show the impact of ignoring the effect of air entrapment is to significantly underpredict the time to saturation and overpredict the pore pressure response.
Exact solutions of the Einstein equations with polytropic equations of state
Authors: Feroze Tooba , Tariq Hadia
Published: October 2014

Considering a general spherically symmetric, static, anisotropic space–time with perfect fluid, solutions of the Einstein field equations with polytropic equation of state are obtained. A physical analysis of these solutions is also given, which shows that the solutions are physically acceptable. One of the solutions, with a quadratic equation of state, is a subcase of a previously known class of solution.
Simulations on the gelling process of particle suspension systems forin-situpreparing porous materials in a capillary
Authors: Wang J. , Xu J. J. , Yang Y. , Wang X. J. , Luo X. , Zhang L. , Jiang G.
Published: October 2014

The gelling process of particle suspension in a capillary which is crucial for in-situ preparing small size foam products has been simulated with an off-lattice diffusion limited cluster aggregation (DLCA) model by the three-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations. The effects of the model parameters, such as the interaction between capillary wall and particles, particle volume fraction, capillary size etc. on the density distribution of the system have been fully explored. And the aggregation kinetics process over a broad range of volume fractions and interactions have also been discussed. The results show that the geometric constraint of capillary can be analogous to a weak repulsive interaction between capillary wall and particles. And we found that as the capillary size or particle volume fraction increase, particle concentration distribution will be more uniform with other parameters constant. Porous network with relatively uniform density distribution can be also obtained through controlling the interaction between capillary wall and particles. In addition, by analyzing the aggregation kinetics process, we found that the attraction of capillary wall dramatically reduces the probability of gelation in the small-scale capillary. The obtained results will be of great importance in controlling the density distribution of porous materials prepared by in-situ methods.
The Initial Return and Its Conditional Return Volatility: Evidence from the Chinese IPO Market
Authors: Monica Hussein M. , Zhou Zhong-Guo
Published: October 2014

This paper investigates the monthly initial return and its conditional return volatility for Chinese IPOs. We find that the mean initial return (IR) and cross-sectional return volatility are highly auto- and cross-correlated, and time-varying. We propose a system of two simultaneous equations: a GARCH-in-mean (GARCH-M) process with an ARMA(1,1) adjustment in the residuals for the IR and an EGARCH process for the conditional return volatility, assuming that the IR and its conditional return volatility are linear functions of the same market, firm- and offer-specific characteristics. We find that the model captures both time-series and cross-sectional correlations at the mean and variance levels. Our findings suggest that the conditional return volatility affects the IR positively and significantly, in addition to the traditional market, firm- and offer-specific characteristics. IPOs with higher conditional return volatility, as a proxy for information asymmetry, tend to be underpriced more. The paper demonstrates the merit of using a conditional variance model, along with time series and cross-sectional analysis to price Chinese IPOs.
Simple, Fast and Cost-Effective Electrochemical Synthesis of Few Layer Graphene Nanosheets
Authors: Sahoo Sumanta Kumar , Mallik Archana
Published: October 2014

We report an efficient and green approach for mass production of few layered graphene nanosheets (FLGNSs) by intercalation and exfoliation of pyrolytic graphite sheet in a simple protic, H2SO4electrolyte. The as-prepared FLGNSs at the optimum intercalate concentration of 0.5 M H2SO4is able to produce large domain of lateral dimension of 11–26 μm consisting of 4–6 stacked graphene layers, as confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Surface oxygenation and a characteristic absorbance peak at 228 nm are well observed for electrochemical exfoliated FLGNSs from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV–Vis spectra respectively. (002) planes of the obtained graphene sheets have been confirmed from X-ray diffraction pattern. The characteristic Raman bands have been observed at 1354 cm-1and 1590 cm-1in the exfoliated FLGNSs.
Designing user incentives for cybersecurity
Authors: August Terrence , August Robert , Shin Hyoduk
Published: October 2014

How to encourage better user security practices and behavior
Updates on the intellectual property front
Authors: Samuelson Pamela
Published: October 2014

Recapping influential U.S. Supreme Court decisions rendered earlier this year.
JavaScript and the Netflix user interface
Authors: Liu Alex
Published: October 2014

Conditional dependency resolution.
A decade of progress in parallel programming productivity
Authors: Richards John T. , Brezin Jonathan , Swart Calvin B. , Halverson Christine A.
Published: October 2014

Looking at the design and benefits of X10.
Highlights from ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2013: the 21st ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems
Authors: Kröger Peer , Krumm John , Widmayer Peter
Published: October 2014

ACM SIGSPATIAL GIS 2013 was held at Orlando, Florida and it was the 21st gathering of the conference. It is now the sixth time the conference was organized under the auspices of ACM SIGSPATIAL. The conference is the premier event for a variety of researchers, developers, and users who work in areas related to spatial information and GIS. It is an interdisciplinary gathering and provides a forum for original research contributions that cover conceptual, design, and implementation aspects of spatial information systems and GIS.
GEOCROWD 2013 workshop report: the Second Int'l Workshop on Crowdsourced and Volunteered Geographic Information 2013
Authors: Pfoser Dieter , Voisard Agnès
Published: October 2014

With the proliferation of the Internet as the primary medium for data publishing and information exchange, we have seen an explosion in the amount of online content available on the Web. Thus, in addition to professionally- produced material being offered free on the Internet, the public has also been encouraged to make content available online to everyone. The volumes of such User-Generated Content (UGC) are already staggering and constantly growing. Here, our goal has to be to take advantage of this explosion in Volunteered Geographic Information (VGI), which applied to the geospatial domain translates to massively collecting and sharing knowledge to ultimately digitize the world. Researchers have been quick to realize the importance of these developments and have started working on the relevant research problems, giving rise to new topical research areas such as geographic information retrieval, crowdsourcing, geospatial (semantic)Web, linked geospatial data, GeoWeb 2.0 etc. The GEOCROWD workshop was designed to bring together researchers and practitioners from the above areas to discuss open research problems and to develop a research agenda for the future. The workshop should also serve as a common platform for the exchange of ideas and results coming from existing global research initiatives and projects that currently investigate this topic.
GIR'13 workshop report: 7th ACM SIGSPATIAL Workshop on Geographic Information Retrieval Orlando, Florida, USA, 5th November 2013
Authors: Jones Christopher B. , Purves Ross S.
Published: October 2014

The subject of Geographical Information Retrieval (GIR) is concerned with providing methods to access the vast amount of relatively unstructured geographical information that is embedded in documents on the web and in other digital resources. GIR uses and builds upon methods both from geographical information systems (GIS) technology, which is designed to access structured geo-spatial data based on digital maps, and from the field of Information Retrieval (IR) in which the emphasis is on access to text documents. There are many research challenges in developing effective GIR systems, relating for example to detection and disambiguation of references to geographic information in text, spatial indexing of documents and their content, development of spatially aware search engines, and visualization of geo-information. The Workshop on Geographical Information Retrieval provides a forum to discuss these issues and to present new research results. The GIR workshop held on 5th November 2013 at the ACM SIGSPATIAL conference in Orlando, Florida, was the seventh in a series that started in 2004 and has been held previously in combination with the SIGIR and CIKM conferences. The workshop has continued to attract a stimulating mix of researchers and practitioners from a variety of academic disciplines and industrial backgrounds.
MobiGIS 2013 workshop report: the Second ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Mobile Geographic Information Systems
Authors: Chow Chi-Yin , Shekhar Shashi
Published: October 2014

Combining the functionality of mobile devices (smartphones and tablets), wireless communication (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 3/4G), and positioning technologies (GPS, Assisted GPS and GLONASS) results in a new era of mobile geographic information systems (GIS) that aim at providing various invaluable services, including location-based services, intelligent transportation systems, logistics management, security and safety, etc. Many mobile GIS applications have been developed to solve challenging real-world problems and improve our quality of life.
BigSpatial-2013 workshop report: 2nd ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Analytics for Big Geospatial Data (BigSpatial-2013)
Authors: Chandola Varun , Vatsavai Ranga Raju
Published: October 2014

Big data is emerging as an important area of research for data science researchers and scientists. This area has also seen significant interest from the industry and federal agencies alike, as evidenced by the recent White House initiative on "Big data research and development." Within the realm of big data, spatial and spatiotemporal data is one of fastest growing types of data. With advances in remote sensors, sensor networks, and the proliferation of location sensing devices in daily life activities and common business practices, the generation of disparate, dynamic, and geographically distributed spatiotemporal data has exploded in recent years. In addition, significant progress in ground, air- and space-borne sensor technologies has led to an unprecedented access to earth science data for scientists from different disciplines, interested in studying the complementary nature of different parameters. Today, analyzing this massive data poses a several challenge to the researchers.
COMP 2013: ACM SIGSPATIAL International Workshop on Computational Models of Place 2013
Authors: Scheider Simon , Adams Benjamin , Janowicz Krzsystof , Vasardani Maria , Winter Stephan
Published: October 2014

The workshop on computational models of place was held the first time in the context of the ACM SIGSPATIAL conference series in 2013. A workshop with a similar focus (PLACE'08) was held before at GIScience 2008 in Park City. Recently it has become apparent that a workshop specifically dedicated to computational approaches to place is required in order to make progress on dealing with places in information technology.
Highlights from MAPINTERACT 2013: the 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL Workshop on Interacting with Maps
Authors: Schmid Falko , Kray Christian
Published: October 2014

MapInteract 2013, the 1st ACM SIGSPATIAL Worskshop on Interacting with Maps was dedicated to discussing systems, methods, algorithms, and studies related to map interaction and interactive maps, and to getting first-hand experiences with prototypes and demonstrations. The overall goal was thus to bring together researchers and practitioners interested in this area, and then to engage in a lively discussion about key challenges and the future of truly interactive maps.
Achyranthes asperaRoot Extracts Induce Human Colon Cancer Cell (COLO-205) Death by Triggering the Mitochondrial Apoptosis Pathway and S Phase Cell Cycle Arrest
Authors: Arora Shagun , Tandon Simran
Published: October 2014

Achyranthes aspera(AA) has been used traditionally for the cure of various disorders. However, the action of root extracts of AA as anticancer agent and its cellular mechanism remain unclear. The aim was to screen the antitumor effect of ethanolic (EAA) and aqueous (AAA) root extracts on the growth of colon cancer COLO-205 cells by testing their cytotoxicity, followed by their effect on clonogenicity, migration, and induction of apoptosis. Mechanisms leading to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest were also investigated by expression studies of caspase-9, caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2, p16, p21, and p27 genes, followed by flow cytometric analysis for cell cycle distribution. Cytotoxicity screening of AA extracts indicated greater cytotoxic activity of AAA extract against COLO-205 cells. A series of events marked by apoptosis revealed loss of cell viability, chromatin condensation, and DNA fragmentation in AAA treated cells to a greater extent. The mRNA expression levels of caspase-9, caspase-3, Bax, p16, p21, and p27 were markedly increased in the AAA treated cells, along with decreased Bcl-2 expression. The cell cycle arrest at S phase was detected by flow cytometric analysis after treatment with AAA. Overall the study signifies the aqueous extracts as a promising therapeutic candidate against cancer.
Polynomial Least Squares Method for the Solution of Nonlinear Volterra‐Fredholm Integral Equations
Authors: Căruntu Bogdan , Bota Constantin
Published: October 2014

The present paper presents the application of the polynomial least squares method to nonlinear integral equations of the mixed Volterra‐Fredholm type. For this type of equations, accurate approximate polynomial solutions are obtained in a straightforward manner and numerical examples are given to illustrate the validity and the applicability of the method. A comparison with previous results is also presented and it emphasizes the accuracy of the method.
Alterations in the Gill Filaments and Secondary Lamellae ofCirrhinus mrigalaExposed to “Nuvan,” an Organophosphorus Insecticide
Authors: Srivastava Nidhi , Kumari Usha , Rai Amita Kumari , Mittal Swati , Mittal Ajay Kumar
Published: October 2014

The alterations in the epithelium of the gill filaments and the secondary lamellae of the gills ofCirrhinus mrigala, on exposure to “Nuvan,” have been explored in the present investigation using light and scanning electron microscopy. The fishes were exposed to two sublethal concentrations, 5 mg/L and 15 mg/L, of “Nuvan.” The changes are more rapid and intensive at higher concentration than at lower concentration, suggesting that the changes are dose dependent. Increase in thickness of epithelium covering secondary lamellae, merger of epithelium of gill filaments and adjacent secondary lamellae, and aneurysm is considered to reduce efficiency of gills for gaseous exchange. A significant decline in the density and area of the mucous goblet cells in the epithelium of the gill filaments and the secondary lamellae ofC. mrigalaexposed to “Nuvan” could be correlated with excessive loss of the secretory contents of these cells, uncompensated by their production in sufficient quantities. The histopathological changes, in general, take longer time to recover in the fishes exposed to 15 mg/L than those exposed to 5 mg/L indicating that the changes in fishes exposed to higher concentration are more severe than those at lower concentration of the insecticide.
MHD Equations with Regularity in One Direction
Authors: Zhang Zujin
Published: October 2014

We consider the 3D MHD equations and prove that if one directional derivative of the fluid velocity, say, ∂3u∈Lp0, T;LqR3, with 2/p + 3/q = γ ∈ [1,3/2), 3/γ ≤ q ≤ 1/(γ - 1), then the solution is in fact smooth.  This improves previous results greatly.
The Wind Energy Potential of Kurdistan, Iran
Authors: Arefi Farzad , Moshtagh Jamal , Moradi Mohammad
Published: October 2014

In the current work by using statistical methods and available software, the wind energy assessment of prone regions for installation of wind turbines in, Qorveh, has been investigated. Information was obtained from weather stations of Baneh, Bijar, Zarina, Saqez, Sanandaj, Qorveh, and Marivan. The monthly average and maximum of wind speed were investigated between the years 2000–2010 and the related curves were drawn. The Golobad curve (direction and percentage of dominant wind and calm wind as monthly rate) between the years 1997–2000 was analyzed and drawn with plot software. The ten-minute speed (at 10, 30, and 60 m height) and direction (at 37.5 and 10 m height) wind data were collected from weather stations of Iranian new energy organization. The wind speed distribution during one year was evaluated by using Weibull probability density function (two-parametrical), and the Weibull curve histograms were drawn by MATLAB software. According to the average wind speed of stations and technical specifications of the types of turbines, the suitable wind turbine for the station was selected. Finally, the Divandareh and Qorveh sites with favorable potential were considered for installation of wind turbines and construction of wind farms.
Scleritis Caused byIn VitroLinezolid-ResistantNocardia asteroides
Authors: Gonzalez Andres , Fakhar Kaihan , Gubernick David , Tuli Sonal
Published: October 2014

Purpose. To describe a case of postoperative scleritis caused by a novel strain ofNocardiaresistant to linezolid and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX).Methods. Case report of a patient with microbiologically proven scleritis due toNocardia asteroides.Results. The patient presented with pain, redness, and nodules on the sclera three months following pterygium excision with mitomycin C and amniotic membrane placement. As no response was noted with empiric treatment for bacterial scleritis, debridement was performed. The cytopathology report showed gram positive filamentous bacteria. A presumptive diagnosis of Nocardia scleritis was made and therapy was initiated based on a literature review on treatments forNocardiainfections. Cultures returned growingNocardia asteroides. Antibiotic sensitivity testing revealed resistance to linezolid and TMP-SMX which are the traditional drugs of choice forNocardia. The patient was treated with amikacin and imipenem as well as extensive debridement with pedicle grafts. The patient’s scleritis resolved with a good visual outcome.Conclusions. Cultures should be obtained in all cases of necrotizing scleritis in patients with a recent history of conjunctival surgery to rule out unusual organisms such asNocardia. Although literature states that resistance to linezolid and TMP-SMX is rare inNocardia, sensitivity testing can be useful in unresponsive cases.
Wharton’s Duct Sialolith of Unusual Size: A Case Report with a Review of the Literature
Authors: Mathew Cherian Nithin , Vichattu Sankar Vinod , Thomas Ninan , Varghese Aabu
Published: October 2014

There is an increased incidence of submandibular gland duct developing sialoliths. Among them the sialoliths attaining a size of more than 1.5 cms are rare. Here we present a case with an abnormally sized sialolith in Wharton’s duct and a review of the literature about the abnormally sized sialoliths and various anatomical and physiological considerations of the duct which contribute to the higher incidence of sialolith in the duct.
Feasibility and Acceptability of an Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention: Results from the Healthy Homes, Healthy Families Pilot Study
Authors: Dulin Keita Akilah , Risica Patricia M. , Drenner Kelli L. , Adams Ingrid , Gorham Gemma , Gans Kim M.
Published: October 2014

Background.This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based early childhood obesity prevention intervention designed to empower low-income racially/ethnically diverse parents to modify their children’s health behaviors.Methods.We used a prospective design with pre-/posttest evaluation of 50 parent-child pairs (children aged 2 to 5 years) to examine potential changes in dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors among children at baseline and four-month follow-up.Results.39 (78%) parent-child pairs completed evaluation data at 4-month follow-up. Vegetable intake among children significantly increased at follow-up (0.54 cups at 4 months compared to 0.28 cups at baseline,P=0.001) and ounces of fruit juice decreased at follow-up (11.9 ounces at 4 months compared to 16.0 ounces at baseline,P=0.036). Sedentary behaviors also improved. Children significantly decreased time spent watching TV on weekdays (P<0.01) and also reduced weekend TV time. In addition, the number of homes with TV sets in the child’s bedroom also decreased (P<0.0013).Conclusions.The findings indicate that a home-based early childhood obesity prevention intervention is feasible, acceptable and demonstrates short-term effects on dietary and sedentary behaviors of low-income racially/ethnically diverse children.
Enhancement of Field Emission Properties of Carbon Nanotubes by ECR-Plasma Treatment
Authors: Ali Javid , Kumar Avshish , Husain Samina , Parveen Shama , Choithrani Renu , Zulfequar Mohammad , Harsh  , Husain Mushahid
Published: October 2014

We report a significant improvement in electron field emission property of carbon nanotubes film by using an electron cyclotron resonance plasma treatment. Our research results reveal that plasma treatment can modify the surface morphology and enhance the field emission characteristics of carbon nanotubes. Raman spectra indicate that plasma treated CNTs sample has lesser defects. Before plasma treatment, low current density of 6.5 mA/cm2 at 3.0 V/μm and at a high turn-on field Eto of 2.4 V/μm was observed. ECR plasma treated CNTs showed a high current density of 20.0 mA/cm2 at 3.0 V/μm and at a low Eto of 1.6 V/μm. The calculated enhancement factors are 694 and 8721 for ECR-plasma untreated and treated carbon nanotubes, respectively. We found an increase in the enhancement factor and emission current after the ECR-plasma treatment. This may be attributed to creation of geometrical features through the removal of amorphous carbon and catalyst particles.
Identification of Chemokines and Growth Factors in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Vitreous
Authors: Dai Ying , Wu Zhifeng , Wang Feng , Zhang Zhengwei , Yu Mengxi
Published: October 2014

Associations were investigated between levels of chemokines and growth factors in the vitreous and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Enrolled were 58 patients (58 eyes) requiring pars plana vitrectomy (PPV), with PDR (n=32, none with traction retinal detachment) or not (non-PDR). In the latter, 16 had macular hole (MH) and 10 had epiretinal membrane (ERM). With a multiplex bead immunoassay, levels of 11 chemokines and growth factors were measured from the undiluted vitreous sample from each patient. In the non-PDR eyes, the levels of the 11 chemokines and growth factors tested were similar between patients with MH and those with ERM. However, the levels of all 11 were significantly higher in the PDR eyes relative to the non-PDR; CCL17, CCL19, and TGFβ3 were markedly upregulated and have not been investigated in PDR previously. The significantly higher levels of CCL4 and CCL11 in PDR contradict the results of previous reports. Based on Spearman’s nonparametric test, moderate-to-strong correlations were found between VEGF and other mediators. Our results indicate that these chemokines and growth factors could be candidates for research into targeted therapies applied either singly or in combination with anti-VEGF drugs for the treatment of PDR.
An Evolved Wavelet Library Based on Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Vaithiyanathan D. , Seshasayanan R. , Kunaraj K. , Keerthiga J.
Published: October 2014

As the size of the images being captured increases, there is a need for a robust algorithm for image compression which satiates the bandwidth limitation of the transmitted channels and preserves the image resolution without considerable loss in the image quality. Many conventional image compression algorithms use wavelet transform which can significantly reduce the number of bits needed to represent a pixel and the process of quantization and thresholding further increases the compression. In this paper the authors evolve two sets of wavelet filter coefficients using genetic algorithm (GA), one for the whole image portion except the edge areas and the other for the portions near the edges in the image (i.e., global and local filters). Images are initially separated into several groups based on their frequency content, edges, and textures and the wavelet filter coefficients are evolved separately for each group. As there is a possibility of the GA settling in local maximum, we introduce a new shuffling operator to prevent the GA from this effect. The GA used to evolve filter coefficients primarily focuses on maximizing thepeak signal to noise ratio(PSNR). The evolved filter coefficients by the proposed method outperform the existing methods by a 0.31 dB improvement in the average PSNR and a 0.39 dB improvement in the maximum PSNR.
Computational Modelling of the Structural Integrity following Mass-Loss in Polymeric Charred Cellular Solids
Authors: Whitty J. P. M. , Francis J. , Howe J. , Henderson B.
Published: October 2014

A novel computational technique is presented for embedding mass-loss due to burning into the ANSYS finite element modelling code. The approaches employ a range of computational modelling methods in order to provide more complete theoretical treatment of thermoelasticity absent from the literature for over six decades. Techniques are employed to evaluate structural integrity (namely, elastic moduli, Poisson’s ratios, and compressive brittle strength) of honeycomb systems known to approximate three-dimensional cellular chars. That is, reducing the mass of diagonal ribs and both diagonal-plus-vertical ribs simultaneously show rapid decreases in the structural integrity of both conventional and reentrant (auxetic, i.e., possessing a negative Poisson’s ratio) honeycombs. On the other hand, reducing only the vertical ribs shows initially modest reductions in such properties, followed by catastrophic failure of the material system. Calculations of thermal stress distributions indicate that in all cases the total stress is reduced in reentrant (auxetic) cellular solids. This indicates that conventional cellular solids are expected to fail before their auxetic counterparts. Furthermore, both analytical and FE modelling predictions of the brittle crush strength of both auxteic and conventional cellular solids show a relationship with structural stiffness.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Determination of Meloxicam and Piroxicam with Ultraviolet Detection
Authors: Cox Sherry , Hayes Joan , Yarbrough Jason , Veiga-Parga Tamara , Greenacre Cheryl
Published: October 2014

A simple accurate and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of meloxicam and piroxicam concentrations in small volume plasma samples has been developed. Following a liquid extraction using chloroform, samples were separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on an XBridge C18 column (4.6 × 250 mm) and quantified using ultraviolet detection at 360 nm. The mobile phase was a mixture of water with glacial acetic acid (pH 3.0) and acetonitrile (50 : 50), with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The standard curve ranged from 5 to 10,000 ng/mL for meloxicam in bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) plasma and piroxicam in crane (Grus rubicunda) plasma. Intra- and interassay variability for meloxicam and piroxicam were less than 10% and the average recovery was greater than 90% for both drugs. This method was developed in bearded dragon and crane plasma and should be applicable to any species, making it useful for those investigators dealing with small sample volumes, particularly when conducting pharmacokinetics studies which require multiple sampling from the same animal.
Use of Vein Conduit and Isolated Nerve Graft in Peripheral Nerve Repair: A Comparative Study
Authors: Ahmad Imran , Akhtar Md. Sohaib
Published: October 2014

Aims and Objectives.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of vein conduit in nerve repair compared with isolated nerve graft.Materials and Methods.This retrospective study was conducted at author’s centre and included a total of 40 patients. All the patients had nerve defect of more than 3 cm and underwent nerve repair using nerve graft from sural nerve. In 20 cases, vein conduit (study group) was used whereas no conduit was used in other 20 cases. Patients were followed up for 2 years at the intervals of 3 months.Results.Patients had varying degree of recovery. Sensations reached to all the digits at 1 year in study groups compared to 18 months in control group. At the end of second year, 84% patients of the study group achieved 2-point discrimination of <10 mm compared to 60% only in control group. In terms of motor recovery, 82% patients achieved satisfactory hand function in study group compared to 56% in control group(P<.05).Conclusions.It was concluded that the use of vein conduit in peripheral nerve repair is more effective method than isolated nerve graft providing good sensory and motor recovery.
Weighted LabPQR Interim Connection Space Based on Human Color Vision for Spectral Color Reproduction
Authors: Wu Guangyuan , Liu Zhen , Yang Shengwei , Zhu Ming , Liu Pan
Published: October 2014

A weighted LabPQR interim connection space, based on human color vision, is proposed for retaining more visual color information. A new weight function proposed in our paper is connected with color-matching function and then further weighted the PQR dimensions of LabPQR compared with the other two weight functions and nonweight function. The results indicated that weighting obviously improved the colorimetric representing accuracy and robustness compared with nonweighting, and the new weight function outperformed the other two weight functions. The weighted LabPQR of the new weight function is most suitable for spectral color reproduction.
A Computational Realization of a Semi-Lagrangian Method for Solving the Advection Equation
Authors: Efremov Alexander , Karepova Eugeniya , Shaydurov Vladimir , Vyatkin Alexander
Published: October 2014

A parallel implementation of a method of the semi-Lagrangian type for the advection equation on a hybrid architecture computation system is discussed. The difference scheme with variable stencil is constructed on the base of an integral equality between the neighboring time levels. The proposed approach allows one to avoid the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy restriction on the relation between time step and mesh size. The theoretical results are confirmed by numerical experiments. Performance of a sequential algorithm and several parallel implementations with the OpenMP and CUDA technologies in the C language has been studied.
Academic or Functional Life Skills? Using Behaviors Associated with Happiness to Guide Instruction for Students with Profound/Multiple Disabilities
Authors: Bobzien Jonna L.
Published: October 2014

The field of special education has begun to concentrate its efforts on developing objectives and procedural strategies that promote a positive quality of life for students with profound multiple disabilities, while determining which educational strategies are the most appropriate. A multielement design was used to compare the effects of two educational conditions, academic skills instruction and functional life skills instruction, on the quality of life indicators of four students with profound multiple disabilities. Results indicated that all four students demonstrated a greater number of behaviors associated with happiness while receiving academic skills instruction. Implications for current educational practices are addressed and directions for future research are discussed.
Absolute Lymphocyte Count Is Not a Suitable Alternative to CD4 Count for Determining Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy in Fiji
Authors: Balak Dashika A. , Bissell Karen , Roseveare Christine , Ram Sharan , Devi Rachel R. , Graham Stephen M.
Published: October 2014

Introduction. An absolute lymphocyte count is commonly used as an alternative to a CD4 count to determine initiation of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected individuals in Fiji when a CD4 count is unavailable.Methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of laboratory results of HIV-infected individuals registered at all HIV clinics in Fiji.Results. Paired absolute lymphocyte and CD4 counts were available for 101 HIV-infected individuals, and 96% had a CD4 count of ≤500 cells/mm3. Correlation between the counts in individuals was poor (Spearman rank correlationr=0.5). No absolute lymphocyte count could be determined in this population as a suitable surrogate for a CD4 count of either 350 cells/mm3 or 500 cells/mm3. The currently used absolute lymphocyte count of ≤2300 cells/μL had a positive predictive value of 87% but a negative predictive value of only 17% for a CD4 of ≤350 cells/mm3and if used as a surrogate for a CD4 of ≤500 cells/mm3it would result in all HIV-infected individuals receiving ART including those not yet eligible. Weight, CD4 count, and absolute lymphocyte count increased significantly at 3 months following ART initiation.Conclusions. Our findings do not support the use of absolute lymphocyte count to determine antiretroviral therapy initiation in Fiji.
Biochar Preparation, Characterization, and Adsorptive Capacity and Its Effect on Bioavailability of Contaminants: An Overview
Authors: Nartey Obemah D. , Zhao Baowei
Published: October 2014

This paper provides an updated review on the subjects, the available alternative to produce biochar from biomass, quantification and characterization of biochar, the adsorptive capacity for the adsorption of contaminants, and the effect of biochar addition to agricultural soils on contaminant bioavailability. The property of biochar produced is much dependent upon the composition and type of biomass and the conditions at which biomass is carbonized. The physical and chemical characterizations are necessary to identify the basic structure and property of biochar and to predict its potential in various environmental application. Biochar is a promising alternative to remedy the soils contaminated with heavy metals and organic compounds through adsorption and immobilization due to its large surface area, charged surface, and functional groups. Overall, the bioavailability of heavy metals and organic compounds decreases when biochar is amended into soils.
Evaluation of the Quality of Artemisinin-Based Antimalarial Medicines Distributed in Ghana and Togo
Authors: Osei-Safo Dorcas , Agbonon Amegnona , Konadu Daniel Yeboah , Harrison Jerry Joe Ebow Kingsley , Edoh Mamadou , Gordon Andrew , Gbeassor Messanvi , Addae-Mensah Ivan
Published: October 2014

This study, conducted as part of our overall goal of regular pharmacovigilance of antimalarial medicines, reports on the quality of 132 artemisinin-based antimalarial medicines distributed in Ghana and Togo. Three methods were employed in the quality evaluation—basic (colorimetric) tests for establishing the identity of the requisite active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), semi-quantitative TLC assay for the identification and estimation of API content, and HPLC assay for a more accurate quantification of API content. From the basic tests, only one sample totally lacked API. The HPLC assay, however, showed that 83.7% of the ACTs and 57.9% of the artemisinin-based monotherapies failed to comply with international pharmacopoeia requirements due to insufficient API content. In most of the ACTs, the artemisinin component was usually the insufficient API. Generally, there was a good correlation between the HPLC and SQ-TLC assays. The overall failure rates for both locally manufactured (77.3%) and imported medicines (77.5%) were comparable. Similarly the unregistered medicines recorded a slightly higher overall failure rate (84.7%) than registered medicines (70.8%). Only two instances of possible cross-border exchange of medicines were observed and there was little difference between the medicine quality of collections from border towns and those from inland parts of both countries.
Neutrophil Gelatinase-Associated Lipocalin: Ready for Routine Clinical Use? An International Perspective
Authors: Ronco Claudio , Legrand Matthieu , Goldstein Stuart L. , Hur Mina , Tran Nam , Howell Eric C. , Cantaluppi Vincenzo , Cruz Dinna N. , Damman Kevin , Bagshaw Sean M. , Di Somma Salvatore , Lewington Andrew
Published: October 2014

Acute kidney injury (AKI) remains a challenge in terms of diagnosis and classification, its morbidity and mortality remaining high in the face of improving clinical protocols. Current clinical criteria use serum creatinine (sCr) and urine output to classify patients. Ongoing research has identified novel biomarkers that may improve the speed and accuracy of patient evaluation and prognostication, yet the route from basic science to clinical practice remains poorly paved. International evidence supporting the use of plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) as a valuable biomarker of AKI and chronic kidney disease (CKD) for a number of clinical scenarios was presented at the 31st International Vicenza Course on Critical Care Nephrology, and these data are detailed in this review. NGAL was shown to be highly useful alongside sCr, urinary output, and other biomarkers in assessing kidney injury; in patient stratification and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) selection in paediatric AKI; in assessing kidney injury in conjunction with sCr in sepsis; in guiding resuscitation protocols in conjunction with brain natriuretic peptide in burn patients; as an early biomarker of delayed graft function and calcineurin inhibitor nephrotoxicity in kidney transplantation from extended criteria donors; as a biomarker of cardiovascular disease and heart failure, and in guiding CRRT selection in the intensive care unit and emergency department. While some applications require further clarification by way of larger randomised controlled trials, NGAL nevertheless demonstrates promise as an independent biological marker with the potential to improve earlier diagnosis and better assessment of risk groups in AKI and CKD. This is a critical element in formulating quick and accurate decisions for individual patients, both in acute scenarios and in long-term care, in order to improve patient prognostics and outcomes.
To What Extent Is Quality of Life Impaired in Vitiligo? A Multicenter Study on Italian Patients Using the Dermatology Life Quality Index
Authors: Ingordo Vito , Cazzaniga Simone , Medri Matelda , Raone Beatrice , Digiuseppe Maria Donata , Musumeci Maria Letizia , Romano Ivana , Fai Dario , Pellegrino Michele , Pezzarossa Enrico , Di Lernia Vito , Peccerillo Francesca , Battarra Vincenzo Claudio , Sirna Riccardo , Patrizi Annalisa , Naldi Luigi
Published: October 2014

Background: It is believed that vitiligo has an impact on the overall patient quality of life (QoL). Objective: To estimate QoL in a fairly large sample of Italian vitiligo patients by using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaire. Methods: One hundred and sixty-one vitiligo patients referred to 9 dermatological centers were offered to participate by filling in the Italian version of the DLQI questionnaire. Results: The mean total DLQI score was 4.3 (SD ±4.9; range: 0-22). In multivariate analysis, DLQI >5 was associated with female gender, stability of the disease over time and involvement of the face at disease onset. Conclusions: The impairment of QoL is overall limited in Italian vitiligo patients, especially if it is compared with results from other available studies. This could be due to cultural and ethnic characteristics of the sample.
The Rise and Fall of NGAL in Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Mårtensson Johan , Bellomo Rinaldo
Published: October 2014

For many years, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has been considered the most promising biomarker of acute kidney injury (AKI). Commercial assays and point-of-care instruments, now available in many hospitals, allow rapid NGAL measurements intended to guide the clinician in the management of patients with or at risk of AKI. However, these assays likely measure a mixture of different NGAL forms originating from different tissues. Systemic inflammation, commonly seen in critically ill patients, and several comorbidities contribute to the release of NGAL from haematopoietic and non-haematopoietic cells. The unpredictable release and complex nature of the molecule and the inability to specifically measure NGAL released by tubular cells have hampered its use a specific marker of AKI in heterogeneous critically ill populations. In this review, we describe the nature and cellular sources of NGAL, its biological role and diagnostic ability in AKI and the increasing concerns surrounding its diagnostic and clinical value.
SJS/TEN Overlap Associated with Lomefloxacin: Case Report and Molecular Typing Studies
Authors: Lonati Davide , Zancan Arturo , Pasi Annamaria , Schreiber Annia , Giampreti Andrea , Pignatti Patrizia , Stella Maurizio , Locatelli Carlo Alessandro , Manzo Luigi , Martinetti Miryam
Published: October 2014

Background: Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) or toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) may develop in susceptible patients after administration of different drugs. Only mild cutaneous reactions have been related to lomefloxacin. A correlation between human leucocyte antigen (HLA) and cutaneous adverse reaction has been identified. Case Report: Twenty-four hours after intake of lomefloxacin, a 30-year-old Caucasian woman developed a severe skin reaction with symptoms suggesting SJS/TEN. The fast onset reaction worsened with skin blisters and 20% body surface area skin detachment within 48 h. Burn unit admittance was required; corticosteroids and human immunoglobulins were administered. Complete recovery occurred within 3 months, except for epidermal discoloration. Molecular studies showed a peculiar profile characterized by HLA class I genotype rich of ligands for natural killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) and HLA class II haplotype, HLA-DRB1*03:01,DQB1*02:01, prone to autoimmunity. Conclusion: While the HLA profile approaches our case to other well-documented drug-induced SJS/TEN, KIR involvement still remains puzzling.