bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Screening for Fingolimod Associated Macular Oedema: Experience Versus
Guidelines
Authors: Moosavi R , Bremner F , Acheson J
Published: October 2014

We report adherence to United Kingdom national guidelines on surveillance for Fingolimod associated macular oedema (FAME) and the impact on clinical services at our unit. We conducted a 9-month study, measuring referral interval, visual function and performing OCT scans for all patients referred for FAME surveillance. 38 patients in total were seen, representing 9% of all new ophthalmic referrals during the study period. 26% were seen between 2 and 4 months after starting Fingolimod treatment, 74% between 3 and 4 months after starting Fingolimod treatment. The impact on clinical services is discussed.
Trabeculectomy Improves Vessel Response Measured by Dynamic Vessel Analysis (DVA) in Glaucoma Patients
Authors: J Michael Selbach , Schallenberg Maurice , Kramer Sebastian , Anastassiou Gerasimos , Steuhl Klaus-Peter , Vilser Walthard , Kremmer Stephan
Published: October 2014

Purpose :

To determine the effects of surgical IOP reduction (trabeculectomy) on retinal blood flow parameters in glaucoma patients using Dynamic Vessel Analysis (DVA).

Methods :

26 eyes of 26 patients with progressive primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) despite maximal topical therapy were examined before and after trabeculectomy. The responses of the retinal vessels to flickering light provocation were measured with DVA the day before surgery and 4 to 6 weeks after trabeculectomy. Between 3 and 4 weeks before surgery all local therapies were stopped and a systemic therapy with acetazolamide and conservative free topic steroidal eye drops was started.

Results :

In 19 patients (73%), an inadequate response to the flicker stimulation was measured preoperatively. In these patients, the maximum dilation of arteries and veins was reduced significantly as compared to healthy eyes. In this group, the maximum dilation of the arteries following the flicker provocation improved from 1.4% before to 3.8% following trabeculectomy (p<0.01). In retinal veins, this parameter increased from 3.1% to 4.6% (p<0.05). In the 7 patients whose arterial and venous reactions to flickering light provocation preoperatively did not differ from healthy eyes, there was no significant change after surgery. The initial baseline values of arteries and veins (MU) did not deviate significantly in both groups.

Conclusion :

POAG patients with progressive disease and impaired vascular regulation profit from IOP lowering trabeculectomy concerning vascular reactivity and dilative reserve, indicating a possible improvement of retinal perfusion following effective IOP control. Future studies with long-term follow-up must determine the clinical importance of these findings for the treatment of glaucoma patients.
Association of Changes in Body Composition with Changes in Systemic Oxidative Stress Following Weight Loss Program in Obese Adults
Attending Obesity Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia
Authors: Md Lazin @ Md Lazim Md Rizman , Zakaria Rahimah , Abdul Jalil Rohana , Suriati Wan Nik Wan , Badariah Abdul Aziz Che , Hayati Ahmad Asma , Noordin Liza , Bahiyah Abu Bakar Ainul
Published: October 2014

The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the association of changes in body composition with
changes in systemic oxidative stress markers among obese adults participating in a weight loss program. Thirty four obese
adults were recruited from the Obesity Clinic, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to voluntarily participate in a
weight loss program comprising of physical exercise and dietary modification. Levels/activities of oxidative stress
markers were measured before and after the program. Mean body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference
(WC), hip circumference (HC) and percentage of body fat mass decreased significantly while mean body lean mass and
body water increased significantly after the weight loss program. Plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and 4-
hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) concentration increased significantly while other enzymatic antioxidant activities such as
catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were not significantly increased. The ratio of reduced glutathione
(GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was significantly decreased. There was no significant association between
changes in body composition and changes in systemic oxidative stress markers among obese adults. In conclusion,
changes in body composition were not associated with changes in systemic oxidative stress markers among obese adults.
Use of pectic polysaccharides for cryopreservation of biological objects
Authors: Polezhaeva Т.V. , Zaitseva О.О. , Khudyakov А.N. , Laptev D.S. , Golovchenko V.V. , Gordiyenko Е.А. , Kuleshova L.G.
Published: October 2014

The protectant activity of pectic polysaccharides derived from various plants
was studied on Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast-like fungi, human blood
platelets and leukocytes, and the antihemolytic action of the same compounds
was studied on red blood cells. The feasibility of cryopreservation of
biological objects in the environment of pectic polysaccharide- containing
cryoprotectant solutions was demonstrated.
Identification of proteins in fluid collected from nerve regeneration chambers
Authors: Ye Yilin , Li Li , Li Qingfeng
Published: October 2014

We examined whether there are novel neurotrophic factors (NTFs) in nerve
regeneration conditioned fluid (NRCF). Nerve regeneration chamber models were
established in the sciatic nerves of 25 New Zealand rabbits, and NRCF was
extracted from the chambers l week postoperatively. Proteins in NRCF were
separated by native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), and Western
blot and ELISA were used to identify the proteins. A novel NTF was identified
in a protein fraction corresponding to 220 kDa.
Analysis of bone mineral density and relevant factors in patients with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Duan Peng , Tu Ping , Wu Heping , Ding Xun , Liu Jiang , Bo Deng
Published: October 2014

We investigated changes in bone mineral density (BMD) and relevant factors of
BMD in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D). A total of 47 patients with T1D
and 40 healthy controls participated in this study. The waist-to-hip ratio
(WHR) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated after physical examination.
The lumbar spine (L2-L4) BMD and left femoral neck BMD were examined. Blood
samples were collected. The BMI, WHR, fasting C peptide (FCP), postprandial C
peptide (2hCP), lumbar spine and left femoral neck BMD of the patients with
T1D were significantly lower than those of healthy controls, while the
fasting plasma glucose (FPG), postprandial plasma glucose (2hPG) and
hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were higher (P <0.05). Duration of T1D and HbA1c were
negatively correlated with lumbar spine and left femoral neck BMD. The FCP
and 2hCP were positively correlated with lumbar spine and left femoral neck
BMD.
Potential improvement of Lymantria dispar L. management by quercetin
Authors: Peric-Mataruga Vesna , Hackenberger Branimir , Vlahovic Milena , Ilijin Larisa , Mrdakovic Marija
Published: October 2014

Lymantria dispar, a polyphagous insect pest, copes with a wide variety of
host-specific allelochemicals. Glutathione S-transferases (GST) are important
for catalyzing detoxification in L. dispar. Larval mortality, GST activity in
midgut tissue and mass of L. dispar with different trophic adaptations
(originating from two forests with a suitable host, Quercus robur, and an
unsuitable host, Robinia pseudoacacia), differed after feeding on quercetin
supplemented diets (2% or 5% w/w). Quercetin inhibited GST most potently in
oak forest larvae that were less adapted to flavonoids in their diet. The
larvicidal effect of quercetin on L. dispar larvae depended on the host-use
history. We believe this is important in strategies for sustainable control
of insect pests.
The importance of cross-reactivity in grass pollen allergy
Authors: Aleksic Ivana , Vuckovic Olga , Smiljanic Katarina , Gavrovic-Jankulovic Marija , Krsmanovic Vera , Burazer Lidija
Published: October 2014

According to the data obtained from in vivo and in vitro testing in Serbia, a
significant number of patients have allergic symptoms caused by grass pollen.
We examined the protein composition of grass pollens (Dactylis glomerata,
Lolium perenne and Phleum pratense) and cross-reactivity in patients allergic
to grass pollen from our region. The grass pollen allergen extract was
characterized by SDS-PAGE, while cross-reactivity of single grass pollens was
revealed by immunoblot analysis. A high degree of cross-reactivity was
demonstrated for all three single pollens in the sera of allergic patients
compared to the grass pollen extract mixture. Confirmation of the existence
of cross-reactivity between different antigenic sources facilitates the use
of monovalent vaccines, which are easier to standardize and at the same time
prevent further sensitization of patients and reduces adverse reactions.
Effects of three weeks of oxygen supplementation on oxygen saturation and recovery parameters of elite wrestlers
Authors: Demirhan Bilal
Published: October 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of three weeks of
oxygen supplementation on oxygen saturation, lactate level, and heart rate
(HR) responses of elite wrestlers. The subjects included fourteen elite male
wrestlers, mean age of the experimental group was 19.87?0.35; the mean age of
the control group was 19.62?0.51. Both groups had similar height, weight and
fitness parameters. Before and after training, the heart rates, lactate
levels and oxygen saturation values were recorded. Consistent with our
hypothesis, the oxygen saturation (SpO2) values of the experimental group
increased significantly (p<0.05) while lactate and heart rate values
decreased significantly. When the pre-exercise levels of oxygen saturation
were compared, the oxygen supplementation group displayed significant
differences in the 2nd and 3rd weeks (P<0.05). Pre-training HR and lactate
levels in the three weeks did not differ significantly. The experiment group
had higher measured SpO2 values immediately after exercise in the 3rd week
(P<0.05); HR and lactate levels declined after oxygen supplementation
(P<0.05). Only in the 2nd and 3rd week, the HR values were lower in favor of
the experimental group (P<0.05). Our findings indicate that oxygen
supplementation does not have a chronic effect in increasing oxygen
saturation and reducing HR and lactate values; however, oxygen saturation was
found to be effective during the short-term recovery periods.
A model of interdisciplinary teaching of ecology in the high school
Authors: Niklanovic Mirjana , Miljanovic Tomka , Pribicevic Tijana
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we present the results of pedagogical studies of biology
lectures in a high school. The subject Ecology is realized in the second year
of high school during 14 classes employing an interdisciplinary approach
(correlation of terms from Biology, Geography, Chemistry, Physics and
Mathematics) in an experimental (E) group and compared to traditional classes
in a control (C) group. Students from the E group achieved significantly
better success in the final test (70.60 points average) and retest (57.60
points average) than students from the C group (51.80 points at final test
and 40.60 points at retest). These results point to the greater efficiency of
the model of interdisciplinary teaching of ecology in relation to the
traditional approach and we recommend the former to be more utilized in
biology classes.
Areal sizes of high, intermediate, low and total suitable habitats are correlated to the global extinction risk for mammals
Authors: Chen You-Hua
Published: October 2014

The relationships between areal sizes of high, intermediate, low, and total
sum of habitats with low, intermediate and high suitability habitat ranges,
and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threatened
status of global terrestrial mammals were studied. Polyserial correlation
analysis showed that all types of areal size closely and positively
correlated with IUCN categories of threatened species. The results indicate
that area-based extinction risk assessment is feasible and reliable in
species? conservation prioritization. Furthermore, the partial polyserial
correlation test indicates that significant correlations between the IUCN
threatened status of species and range sizes of high, intermediate and low
suitability habitats are not influenced by the polyserial correlation between
IUCN threatened status and total suitability habitat range size. Thus, the
prediction of species? extinction risks can be accurately fulfilled by
evaluating the areal size of any one of total, high, intermediate or low
suitability ranges. The present study implies that if the area size
information of a totally suitable range is not available for species?
extinction risk assessment, the usage of areal sizes from any parts of
suitable habitats (high, intermediate or low) are effective surrogates.
Neural networks in analysing 137Cs behaviour in the air in the Belgrade area
Authors: Samolov Aleksandra , Dragovic Snezana , Dakovic Marko , Bacic Goran
Published: October 2014

The application of the principal component analysis and artificial neural
network method in forecasting 137Cs behaviour in the air as the function of
meteorological parameters is presented. The model was optimized and tested
using 137Cs specific activities obtained by standard gamma-ray spectrometric
analysis of air samples collected in Belgrade (Serbia) during 2009-2011 and
meteorological data for the same period. Low correlation (r = 0.20) between
experimental values of 137Cs specific activities and those predicted by
artificial neural network was obtained. This suggests that artificial neural
network in the case of prediction of 137Cs specific activity, using
temperature, insolation, and global Sun warming does not perform well, which
can be explained by the relative independence of 137Cs specific activity of
particular meteorological parameters and not by the ineffectiveness of
artificial neural network in relating these parameters in general.
Radiosensitization of non-small cell lung carcinoma by EGFR inhibition
Authors: Keta Otilija , Bulat Tanja , Koricanac Lela , Zakula Jelena , Cuttone Giacomo , Privitera Giuseppe , Petrovic Ivan , Ristic-Fira Aleksandra
Published: October 2014

Molecular targeted cancer therapy is a promising treatment strategy.
Considering the central role of the epidermal growth factor receptor in cell
proliferation and survival, there are indications that targeted agents like
tyrosine kinase inhibitors, i. e., erlotinib, may enhance the antitumor
treatment by radiation. The aim of this study is to analyze the inactivation
effects of g-rays and to test the radiosensitizing potential of erlotinib on
human lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro. Irradiations were performed with
doses ranging from 1 Gy to 8 Gy. In order to increase the radiosensitivity of
CRL-5876 lung adenocarcinoma cells, the cells were treated with a clinically
relevant concentration of 2 ?M erlotinib. The effects of single and combined
treatments were monitored using clonogenic survival, cell viability and
proliferation assays at different time points. For the detection and
visualization of the phosphorylated histone H2AX (?-H2AX), an important
biological marker of DNA double-strand break formation, fluorescence
immunocytochemistry, was performed. The response to the treatment was
monitored at four time points: 30 min, 2, 6, and 24 h. Irradiations with
g-rays resulted in significant cell inactivation regarding all analyzed
biological endpoints. Combined treatments revealed consistent cell
inactivation. Moreover, compared to g-rays alone, elevated levels of g-H2AX
foci were observed after pretreatment with erlotinib, indicating
radiosensitization through impaired DNA repair.
Metaheuristic approaches to solving large-scale Bilevel Uncapacitated Facility Location Problem with clients' preferences
Authors: Maric Miroslav , Stanimirovic Zorica , Milenkovic Nikola , Djenic Aleksandar
Published: October 2014

In this study, we consider a variant of the Bilevel Uncapacitated Facility
Location Problem (BLUFLP), in which the clients choose suppliers based on
their own preferences. We propose and compare three metaheuristic approaches
for solving this problem: Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Simulated
Annealing (SA), and a combination of Reduced and Basic Variable Neighborhood
Search Method (VNS). We used the representation of solutions and objective
function calculation that are adequate for all three proposed methods.
Additional strategy is implemented in order to provide significant time
savings when evaluating small changes of solution's code in improvement
parts. Constructive elements of each of the proposed algorithms are adapted
to the problem under consideration. The results of broad computational tests
on modified problem instances from the literature show good performance of
all three proposed methods, even on large problem dimensions. However, the
obtained results indicate that the proposed VNS-based has significantly
better performance compared to SA and PSO approaches, especially when solving
large-scale problem instances. Computational experiments on large scale
benchmarks demonstrate that the VNS-based method is fast, competitive, and
able to find high-quality solutions, even for large-scale problem instances
with up to 2000 clients and 2000 potential facilities within reasonable CPU
times.
A pilot clinical study of Class III surgical patients facilitated by improved accelerated osteogenic orthodontic treatments
Authors: Wu JiaQi , Jiang Jiu-Hui , Xu Li , Liang Cheng , Bai YunYang , Zou Wei
Published: October 2014

Objective: 

To evaluate if the improved accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (IAOO) procedure could speed Class III surgical patients' preoperative orthodontic treatment duration and, if yes, to what extent. This study was also designed to determine whether or not an IAOO procedure affects the tooth-moving pattern during extraction space closure.

Materials and Methods: 

The samples in this study consisted of 24 Class III surgical patients. Twelve skeletal Class III surgery patients served as an experimental group (group 1) and the others as a control group (group 2). Before treatment, the maxillary first premolars were removed. For group 1, after the maxillary dental arch was aligned and leveled (T2), IAOO procedures were performed in the maxillary alveolar bone. Except for this IAOO procedure in group 1, all 24 patients experienced similar combined orthodontic and orthognathic treatment. Study casts of the maxillary dentitions were made before orthodontic treatment (T1) and after extraction space closure (T3). All of the casts were laser scanned, and the amount of movement of the maxillary central incisor, canine, and first molar, as well as arch widths, were digitally measured and analyzed by using the three-dimensional model superimposition method.

Results: 

The time durations T3–T2 were significantly reduced in group 1 by 8.65 ± 2.67 months and for T3–T1 were reduced by 6.39 ± 2.00 months (P < .001). Meanwhile, the tooth movement rates were all higher in group 1 (P < .05). There were no significant differences in the amount of teeth movement in the sagittal, vertical, and transverse dimensions between the two groups (P > .05).

Conclusion: 

The IAOO can reduce the surgical orthodontic treatment time for the skeletal Class III surgical patient by more than half a year on average. The IAOO procedures do not save anchorage.
Correlation between objective and subjective evaluation of profile in bimaxillary protrusion patients after orthodontic treatment
Authors: Huang Yi-Ping , Li Wei-ran
Published: October 2014

Objective: 

To correlate the objective cephalometric measurements with subjective facial esthetics in patients with bimaxillary protrusion.

Materials and Methods: 

The sample consisted of 60 Asian-Chinese patients with bimaxillary protrusion who met the inclusion criteria. The facial esthetics of posttreatment profile and the change of profile on standardized lateral photographs were rated by a panel of 10 orthodontists and a panel of 10 lay persons with bimaxillary protrusion. All of the pretreatment and posttreatment cephalograms were digitized and traced. Twenty-five cephalometric measurements were constructed and analyzed. Correlations between the subjective facial esthetic scores and each cephalometric measurement were evaluated.

Results: 

The cephalometric measurements correlated with the facial esthetic scores of posttreatment profile given by the orthodontist and the lay persons were basically the same. For the evaluation of posttreatment profile in bimaxillary protrusion patients, the upper and lower lip to E-line, upper and lower incisor tip to AP plane, Pg-NB distance, mentolabial angle, and sulcus depth correlated significantly with the esthetic score. For the evaluation of profile change during orthodontic treatment, retraction of upper incisor relative to AP plane or the perpendicular line through sella (line Y), change of upper incisor inclination, change of mentolabial sulcus depth, and retraction of lips relative to E-line were correlated positively with the esthetic value.

Conclusions: 

Cephalometric measurements of lip position, incisor position, and chin morphology were key parameters correlated to facial esthetics.
Expressives and Expressivity
Authors: McCready Eric
Published: October 2014

This paper considers the questions of translatability and expressive power. It is argued that truthconditional content is always translatable, and does not produce differences in expressive power. Most nontruth- conditional content—presupposition, ‘side effects’ such as anaphora, and conventional implicature—is shown to not always translate successfully, but still not to produce genuine differences in expressivity. This last property appears to clearly hold only of terms which introduce expressive content: only for such content is genuine incommensurability found in natural language. Some implications of these findings are discussed.
Considerations in the Efficacy and Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Interventions for Stroke Rehabilitation: Moving the Field Forward
Authors: Proffitt Rachel , Lange Belinda
Published: October 2014

In the past 2 decades, researchers have demonstrated the potential for virtual reality (VR) technologies to provide engaging and motivating environments for stroke rehabilitation interventions. Much of the research has been focused on the exploratory phase, and jumps to intervention efficacy trials and scale-up evaluation have been made with limited understanding of the active ingredients in a VR intervention for stroke. The rapid pace of technology development is an additional challenge for this emerging field, providing a moving target for researchers developing and evaluating potential VR technologies. Recent advances in customized games and cutting-edge technology used for VR are beginning to allow for researchers to understand and control aspects of the intervention related to motivation, engagement, and motor control and learning. This article argues for researchers to take a progressive, step-wise approach through the stages of intervention development using evidence-based principles, take advantage of the data that can be obtained, and utilize measurement tools to design effective VR interventions for stroke rehabilitation that can be assessed through carefully designed efficacy and effectiveness trials. This article is motivated by the recent calls in the field of rehabilitation clinical trials research for carefully structured clinical trials that have progressed through the phases of research.
Prospects of Storage and Pumped-Storage Hydropower for Enhancing Integrated Nepal Power Systems
Authors: Sah Neeraj Kumar , Uprety Madhab , Bhandari Sangharsha , Kharel Prativa , Suman Saurav , Maskey Ramesh Kumar
Published: October 2014

An Integrated Power System (IPS) should have electrical energy generating plants for base load (e.g., nuclear and thermal plants) and peak load (e.g., hydropower plants) so that they can work in coordination in such a way that the demand is met in time. In Nepal, the Integrated Nepal Power System (INPS) is a hydro-dominated system where the base and intermediate power demands are covered primarily by run-of-river hydropower plants and the peak demand by seasonal storage and several diesel power plants of lower capacity. The INPS should have sufficient natural storage and forced storage power plants to improve the system’s reliability. On top of that, daily peak electrical demand could also be adequately covered by demand-side management, using a pumped-storage hydropower plant that can employ a system’s surplus energy during low demand period for pumping. To rectify this extreme imbalance of installed capacity in Nepal, this paper explores the prospect of storage and pumped-storage power plants for enhancing INPS. A case study of Rupa-Begnas pumped-storage hydropower is highlighted for these purposes.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hn.v15i0.11290HYDRO Nepal JournalJournal of Water, Energy and EnvironmentVolume: 15, 2014, JulyPage: 37-41
Comparative Evaluation of Frictional forces between different Archwire-bracket Combinations
Authors: Singh Vinit , Acharya Swati , Patnaik Satyabrata , Nanda Smruti Bhusan
Published: October 2014

Introduction: During sliding mechanics, frictional resistance is an important counterforce to orthodontic tooth movement; whichmust be controlled to allow application of light continuous forces.Objective: To investigate static and kinetic frictional resistance between three orthodontic brackets: ceramic, self-ligating, andstainless steel, and three 0.019×0.025” archwires: stainless steel, nickel-titanium, titanium-molybdenum.Materials & Method: The in vitro study compared the effects of stainless steel, nickel-titanium, and beta-titanium archwires onfrictional forces of three orthodontic bracket systems: ceramic, self-ligating, and stainless steel brackets. All brackets had 0.022”slots, and the wires were 0.019×0.025”. Friction was evaluated in a simulated half-arch fixed appliance on a testing machine. Thestatic and kinetic friction data were analyzed with 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Duncan multiple rangetest.Result: Self-ligating (Damon) brackets generated significantly lower static and kinetic frictional forces than stainless steel (Gemini)and ceramic brackets (Clarity). Among the archwire materials, Beta-titanium showed the maximum amount of frictional forceand stainless steel archwires had the lowest frictional force.Conclusion: The static and kinetic frictional force for stainless steel bracket was lowest in every combination of wire.
Establishment of Aesthetic Soft Tissue Norms for Southern India Population: A Photogrammetric Study
Authors: Pattanaik Snigdha , Pathuri Sudhakar
Published: October 2014

Objective: To establish soft tissue facial profile norms for Coastal Andhra population by means of angular measurements and toevaluate the difference between male & female groups.Materials & Method: 90 individuals (45 males, 45 females) of age group 18-25 years of native coastal Andhra Pradesh, withacceptable pleasing profile, normal Class I occlusion having ideal anterior bite were selected for the study. Standard profilephotographs were taken and angular photogrammetric analysis was carried out through AutoCAD software.Result: There were significant difference in Naso-frontal angle (G–N–Nd; males: 130.64 ± 6.27o; females: 140.33o ± 6.85o; P = 0.000)and Mento-labial angle (Li–Sm–Pg: females: 127.38o ± 5.35o; males: 124.82o ± 6.57o; P = 0.043).Conclusion: The males of Coastal Andhra Pradesh have mild convex profile and prominent nose whereas females have mildconvex profile due to recessive chin. A higher upper lip prominence was seen in males.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ojn.v4i1.11308 Orthodontic Journal of Nepal Vol.4(1) 2014; 29-35
Evaluation of the Reliability of Hamular Notch-Incisive Papilla Plane (HIP) in Establishing Occlusal Plane
Authors: Thapa Dipak
Published: October 2014

Introduction: There are various recommendations, using both soft tissue and hard tissue landmarks, for the determination ofocclusal plane in dentistry. However, their reliability and accuracy has always been questioned. Hamular notch-Incisive papillaPlane (HIP) is one of such landmarks which is stated to be parallel to occlusal plane; however its reliability needs to be evaluated.Objective: To find the relationship between hamular notch-incisive papilla plane and occlusal plane in dentulous subjects.Materials & Method: 48 dentate subjects with normal Class I occlusion participated in the study. Their maxillary impressionswere made and casts were poured. Each cast was then mounted in the surveyor and HIP plane made parallel to the floorby tripoding method. With the cast in this relation, the vertical distance between HIP and various reference points of occlusalplanes were measured using digital Vernier Caliper. Wilcoxon test was used to find the statistical difference (p<0.05).Result: During evaluation of data, none of the cast showed absolute parallelism between occlusal plane and HIP plane. Themean vertical distance between HIP and incisal edge (INC) was 6.44 mm, whereas between HIP-6RMP and HIP-6LMP were6.41 mm and 6.12 mm respectively. About 81% cases showed parallelism within the range of 2 mm. 2-related sample statistic testshowed no statistically difference (p<0.05) between HIP-INC and HIP-6RMP; and HIP-INC and HIP-6LMP.Conclusion: HIP plane tends to be parallel to occlusal plane and can be used as a clinical guideline in the determination ofinclination of the occlusal plane.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ojn.v4i1.11311   Orthodontic Journal of Nepal Vol.4(1) 2014; 45-47
Bruxism: An Ignored Malady
Authors: Singh Ayush , Tandon Ragini , Singh Anil , Gupta Bhavna
Published: October 2014

No abstract available.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ojn.v4i1.11312    Orthodontic Journal of Nepal Vol.4(1) 2014; 48-51
Re-establishing Physiologic Vertical Dimension for an Overclosed Patient
Authors: Mahony Derek
Published: October 2014

No abstract available.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ojn.v4i1.11313     Orthodontic Journal of Nepal Vol.4(1) 2014; 52-56
Highlights of the Latest Advances in Research on CDK Inhibitors
Authors: Cicenas Jonas , Kalyan Karthik , Sorokinas Aleksandras , Jatulyte Asta , Valiunas Deividas , Kaupinis Algirdas , Valius Mindaugas
Published: October 2014

Uncontrolled proliferation is the hallmark of cancer and other proliferative disorders and abnormal cell cycle regulation is, therefore, common in these diseases. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) play a crucial role in the control of the cell cycle and proliferation. These kinases are frequently deregulated in various cancers, viral infections, neurodegenerative diseases, ischemia and some proliferative disorders. This led to a rigorous pursuit for small-molecule CDK inhibitors for therapeutic uses. Early efforts to block CDKs with nonselective CDK inhibitors led to little specificity and efficacy but apparent toxicity, but the recent advance of selective CDK inhibitors allowed the first successful efforts to target these kinases for the therapies of several diseases. Major ongoing efforts are to develop CDK inhibitors as monotherapies and rational combinations with chemotherapy and other targeted drugs.
Helicobacter-pylori Negative Gastritis in Children—A New Clinical Enigma
Authors: Elitsur Yoram , Preston Deborah
Published: October 2014

The decrease in the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection in children in the world gave rise to a new pathological finding termed as Hp-negative gastritis. Unfortunately, the term “Hp-negative gastritis” has not been identified as a pathological process and has the status of a “second cousin”; in most publications it was never mentioned as a subject to be dealt with, but was “left over” data that was never the topic of the manuscripts’ discussions. Only recently has the topic captured the attention of the pathologists who described this phenomenon in adults, yet the pathological and/or clinical spectrum or significance of this phenomenon has not been adequately investigated. In the current manuscript we describe Hp-negative gastritis in children, summarize its clinical prevalence and touch upon the possible etiology, pathology, and/or therapeutic implication. Overall, this review has concluded that Hp-negative gastritis is a pathological phenomenon in children that needs further investigation, and to date, as the title suggests, is a new clinical enigma that needs to be considered.
The Property of Chaotic Orbits with Lower Positions of Numerical Solutions in the Logistic Map
Authors: Liu Jiahui , Zhang Hongli , Song Dahua
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we introduce an iterative method with lower positions of true numerical solutions located in the real orbit in order to investigate the property of the logistic map. The basic structure of the logistic map is presented, which consists of the root gene position, the common gene position and the individual gene position. The ergodicity and randomness of the logistic map are dependent on the individual gene position. We find that the lower positions of the true numerical solutions in the real orbits have the property of a half-life.
Energy Analysis and Multi-Objective Optimization of an Internal Combustion Engine-Based CHP System for Heat Recovery
Authors: Ganjehkaviri Abdolsaeid , Jaafar Mohammad
Published: October 2014

A comprehensive thermodynamic study is conducted of a diesel based Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system, based on a diesel engine and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC). Present research covers both energy and exergy analyses along with a multi-objective optimization. In order to determine the irreversibilities in each component of the CHP system and assess the system performance, a complete parametric study is performed to investigate the effects of major design parameters and operating conditions on the system’s performance. The main contribution of the current research study is to conduct both exergy and multi-objective optimization of a system using different working fluid for low-grade heat recovery. In order to conduct the evolutionary based optimization, two objective functions are considered in the optimization; namely the system exergy efficiency, and the total cost rate of the system, which is a combination of the cost associated with environmental impact and the purchase cost of each component. Therefore, in the optimization approach, the overall cycle exergy efficiency is maximized satisfying several constraints while the total cost rate of the system is minimized. To provide a better understanding of the system under study, the Pareto frontier is shown for multi-objective optimization and also an equation is derived to fit the optimized point. In addition, a closed form relationship between exergy efficiency and total cost rate is derived.
Characterizing Motif Dynamics of Electric Brain Activity Using Symbolic Analysis
Authors: Zanin Massimiliano , Papo David
Published: October 2014

Motifs are small recurring circuits of interactions which constitute the backbone of networked systems. Characterizing motif dynamics is therefore key to understanding the functioning of such systems. Here we propose a method to define and quantify the temporal variability and time scales of electroencephalogram (EEG) motifs of resting brain activity. Given a triplet of EEG sensors, links between them are calculated by means of linear correlation; each pattern of links (i.e., each motif) is then associated to a symbol, and its appearance frequency is analyzed by means of Shannon entropy. Our results show that each motif becomes observable with different coupling thresholds and evolves at its own time scale, with fronto-temporal sensors emerging at high thresholds and changing at fast time scales, and parietal ones at low thresholds and changing at slower rates. Finally, while motif dynamics differed across individuals, for each subject, it showed robustness across experimental conditions, indicating that it could represent an individual dynamical signature.
Impact of Different Types of Activated Carbon on the Bioaccessibility of 14C-phenanthrene in Sterile and Non-Sterile Soils
Authors: Oyelami Ayodeji , Elegbede Babajide , Semple Kirk
Published: October 2014

In this study, the impact of three different types of activated carbon (AC) on the bioaccessibility of 14C-phenanthrene in non-sterile and sterile soils was investigated. A single dose (1%) of each of the different AC (CB4, CP1 and AQ5000) was blended with soil spiked with 50 mg·kg−1 of 12C/14C-phenanthrene. The mineralisation of the 14C-phenanthrene was monitored over a 14 day incubation period by indigenous soil microflora and an enriched inoculum of Pseudomonas sp., while uptake in earthworms, Eisenia fetida, was measured after incubation for 10 days at 1, 25, 50 and 100 d. Bioaccessibility was assessed using hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPCD) solution. Results showed that the presence of AC had a significant effect upon the extents of mineralisation, earthworm uptake and HPCD extraction, when compared to the control. Aquasorb CB4 was the least effective amongst the different AC used. The characteristics of the different AC used was also seen to have a major influence on how each AC would have an effect on its use in soil remediation in reducing bioaccessibility, mobility and risk.
Radon Concentrations in Drinking Water in Beijing City, China and Contribution to Radiation Dose
Authors: Wu Yun-Yun , Ma Yong-Zhong , Cui Hong-Xing , Liu Jian-Xiang , Sun Ya-Ru , Shang Bing , Su Xu
Published: October 2014

222Rn concentrations in drinking water samples from Beijing City, China, were determined based on a simple method for the continuous monitoring of radon using a radon-in-air monitor coupled to an air-water exchanger. A total of 89 water samples were sampled and analyzed for their 222Rn content. The observed radon levels ranged from detection limit up to 49 Bq/L. The calculated arithmetic and geometric means of radon concentrations in all measured samples were equal to 5.87 and 4.63 Bq/L, respectively. The average annual effective dose from ingestion of radon in drinking water was 2.78 μSv, and that of inhalation of water-borne radon was 28.5 μSv. It is concluded that it is not the ingestion of waterborne radon, but inhalation of the radon escaping from water that is a substantial part of the radiological hazard. Radon in water is a big concern for public health, especially for consumers who directly use well water with very high radon concentration.
X-ray-Induced Changes in the Expression of Inflammation-Related Genes in Human Peripheral Blood
Authors: Wang Ping , Guo Fei , Han Lin , Wang Xi'ai , Li Jie , Guo Yan , LÜ Yumin
Published: October 2014

Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array, we explored and compared the expression changes of inflammation-related genes in human peripheral blood irradiated with 0.5, 3, and 10 Gy doses of X-rays 24 h after exposure. Results indicated that the expression of 62 out of 84 genes was significantly altered after X-ray radiation. Among these 62 genes, 35 (such as TNFSF4) are known to be associated with radiation response, but others are novel. At a low radiation dose (0.5 Gy), 9 genes were up-regulated and 19 were down-regulated. With further increased dose to 3 Gy, 8 unique genes were up-regulated and 19 genes were down-regulated. We also identified 48 different genes that were differentially expressed significantly after 10 Gy of irradiation, and among these transcripts, up-regulated genes accounted for only one-third (16 genes) of the total. Of the 62 genes, 31 were significantly altered only at a specific dose, and a total of 10 genes were significantly expressed at all 3 doses. The dose- and time-dependent expression of CCL2 was confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse-transcription PCR. A number of candidate genes reported herein may be useful molecular biomarkers of radiation exposure in human peripheral blood.
Performance Evaluation of an Indoor Positioning Scheme Using Infrared Motion Sensors
Authors: Jing Changqiang , Zhou Biao , Kim Nammoon , Kim Youngok
Published: October 2014

Internet of Things (IoT) for Smart Environments (SE) is a new scenario that collects useful information and provides convenient services to humans via sensing and wireless communications. Infra-Red (IR) motion sensors have recently been widely used for indoor lighting because they allow the system to detect whether a human is inside or outside the sensors’ range. In this paper, the performance of a position estimation scheme based on IR motion sensor is evaluated in an indoor SE. The experimental results show that we can track the dynamic position of a pedestrian in straight moving model as well as two dimensional models. Experimental results also show that higher performance in accuracy and dynamic tracking in real indoor environment can be achieved without other devices.
Risk Management of Interest Rate Derivative Portfolios: A Stochastic Control Approach
Authors: Kiriakopoulos Konstantinos , Koulis Alexandros
Published: October 2014

In this paper we formulate the Risk Management Control problem in the interest rate area as a constrained stochastic portfolio optimization problem. The utility that we use can be any continuous function and based on the viscosity theory, the unique solution of the problem is guaranteed. The numerical approximation scheme is presented and applied using a single factor interest rate model. It is shown how the whole methodology works in practice, with the implementation of the algorithm for a specific interest rate portfolio. The recent financial crisis showed that risk management of derivatives portfolios especially in the interest rate market is crucial for the stability of the financial system. Modern Value at Risk (VAR) and Conditional Value at Risk (CVAR) techniques, although very useful and easy to understand, fail to grasp the need for on-line controlling and monitoring of derivatives portfolio. The portfolios should be designed in a way that risk and return be quantified and controlled in every possible state of the world. We hope that this methodology contributes towards this direction.
Asymmetric Wave Propagation Through Saturable Nonlinear Oligomers
Authors: Law Daniel , D'Ambroise Jennie , Kevrekidis Panayotis , Kip Detlef
Published: October 2014

In the present paper we consider nonlinear dimers and trimers (more generally, oligomers) embedded within a linear Schrödinger lattice where the nonlinear sites are of saturable type. We examine the stationary states of such chains in the form of plane waves, and analytically compute their reflection and transmission coefficients through the nonlinear oligomer, as well as the corresponding rectification factors which clearly illustrate the asymmetry between left and right propagation in such systems. We examine not only the existence but also the dynamical stability of the plane wave states. Lastly, we generalize our numerical considerations to the more physically relevant case of Gaussian initial wavepackets and confirm that the asymmetry in the transmission properties also persists in the case of such wavepackets.
A Study of the Effect of the Fringe Fields on the Electrostatic Force in Vertical Comb Drives
Authors: Gallagher Else , Moussa Walied
Published: October 2014

The equation that describes the relationship between the applied voltage and the resulting electrostatic force within comb drives is often used to assist in choosing the dimensions for their design. This paper re-examines how some of these dimensions—particularly the cross-sectional dimensions of the comb teeth—affect this relationship in vertical comb drives. The electrostatic forces in several vertical comb drives fabricated for this study were measured and compared to predictions made with four different mathematical models in order to explore the amount of complexity required within a model to accurately predict the electrostatic forces in the comb drives.
Antenna Allocation in MIMO Radar with Widely Separated Antennas for Multi-Target Detection
Authors: Gao Hao , Wang Jian , Jiang Chunxiao , Zhang Xudong
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we explore a new resource called multi-target diversity to optimize the performance of multiple input multiple output (MIMO) radar with widely separated antennas for detecting multiple targets. In particular, we allocate antennas of the MIMO radar to probe different targets simultaneously in a flexible manner based on the performance metric of relative entropy. Two antenna allocation schemes are proposed. In the first scheme, each antenna is allocated to illuminate a proper target over the entire illumination time, so that the detection performance of each target is guaranteed. The problem is formulated as a minimum makespan scheduling problem in the combinatorial optimization framework. Antenna allocation is implemented through a branch-and-bound algorithm and an enhanced factor 2 algorithm. In the second scheme, called antenna-time allocation, each antenna is allocated to illuminate different targets with different illumination time. Both antenna allocation and time allocation are optimized based on illumination probabilities. Over a large range of transmitted power, target fluctuations and target numbers, both of the proposed antenna allocation schemes outperform the scheme without antenna allocation. Moreover, the antenna-time allocation scheme achieves a more robust detection performance than branch-and-bound algorithm and the enhanced factor 2 algorithm when the target number changes.
Using Hybrid Angle/Distance Information for Distributed Topology Control in Vehicular Sensor Networks
Authors: Huang Chao-Chi , Chiu Yang-Hung , Wen Chih-Yu
Published: October 2014

In a vehicular sensor network (VSN), the key design issue is how to organize vehicles effectively, such that the local network topology can be stabilized quickly. In this work, each vehicle with on-board sensors can be considered as a local controller associated with a group of communication members. In order to balance the load among the nodes and govern the local topology change, a group formation scheme using localized criteria is implemented. The proposed distributed topology control method focuses on reducing the rate of group member change and avoiding the unnecessary information exchange. Two major phases are sequentially applied to choose the group members of each vehicle using hybrid angle/distance information. The operation of Phase I is based on the concept of the cone-based method, which can select the desired vehicles quickly. Afterwards, the proposed time-slot method is further applied to stabilize the network topology. Given the network structure in Phase I, a routing scheme is presented in Phase II. The network behaviors are explored through simulation and analysis in a variety of scenarios. The results show that the proposed mechanism is a scalable and effective control framework for VSNs.
Dynamical Response of Particles in Asymmetric Ratchet Potential
Authors: Marte Usman , Vincent Uchechukwu , Njah Abdulahi , Badmus Biodun
Published: October 2014

The dynamics and response of particles in an asymmetric potential of the ratchet type is considered. An approximate asymmetric ratchet potential, which allows us to apply an analytical approach to investigate the systems’ response, is proposed based on the power series interpolation scheme. The method of multiple scales (MMS) is then employed to obtain an approximate solution at the principal resonance. Comparison between results obtained from the approximated and exact potentials show excellent agreement. The frequency response curves (FRCs) for different forcing are presented. The numerically computed FRCs were compared with the theoretical result to show the extent of agreement. Furthermore, by using perturbation methods, the stable and unstable domains of the solution were obtained.