bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rural Credit and Farms Efficiency: Modelling Farmers Credit Allocation Decisions, Evidences from Benin
Authors: Sossou Comlan Hervé , Noma Freddy , Yabi Jacob A.
Published: August 2014

This paper analyses farmers’ credit allocation behaviors and their effects on technical efficiency. Data were collected from 476 farmers using the multistage sampling procedure. The stochastic frontier truncated-normal with conditional mean model is used to assess allocation schemes effects on technical efficiency. Tobit model reveals the impact of farmers’ sociodemographic characteristics on efficiency scores. Results reveal that farm revenue (about 2,262,566 Fcfa on average) is positively correlated with land acreage, quantity of labour, and costs of fertilizers and insecticides. Farmers’ behaviors respond to six schemes which are categorized in two allocations contexts: out-farm and in-farm allocations. The model shows that only scheme (e) positively impacts technical efficiency. This scheme refers to the decision to invest credit to purchase better quality of pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and so forth. The positive effect of the scheme (c) may be significant under conditions of farmers’ education level improvement. Then, scheme (e) is a better investment for all farmers, but effect of credit allocation to buy agricultural materials is positive only for educated farmers. Efficiency scores are reduced by household size and gender of the household head. Therefore a household with more than 10 members and a woman as head is likely to not be technically efficient.
Symbiotic Plant Peptides EliminateCandida albicansBothIn Vitroand in an Epithelial Infection Model and Inhibit the Proliferation of Immortalized Human Cells
Authors: Ördögh Lilla , Vörös Andrea , Nagy István , Kondorosi Éva , Kereszt Attila
Published: August 2014

The increasing number of multidrug-resistant microbes now emerging necessitates the identification of novel antimicrobial agents. Plants produce a great variety of antimicrobial peptides including hundreds of small, nodule-specific cysteine-rich NCR peptides that, in the legumeMedicago truncatula, govern the differentiation of endosymbiotic nitrogen fixing bacteria and,in vitro, can display potent antibacterial activities. In this study, the potential candidacidal activity of 19 NCR peptides was investigated. Cationic NCR peptides having an isoelectric point above 9 were efficient in killingCandida albicans, one of the most common fungal pathogens of humans. None of the tested NCR peptides were toxic for immortalized human epithelial cells at concentrations that effectively killed the fungus; however, at higher concentrations, some of them inhibited the division of the cells. Furthermore, the cationic peptides successfully inhibitedC. albicansinduced human epithelial cell death in anin vitrococulture model. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of cationic NCR peptides in the treatment of candidiasis.
Tissue Engineered Scaffolds for an Effective Healing and Regeneration: Reviewing Orthotopic Studies
Authors: Baiguera Silvia , Urbani Luca , Del Gaudio Costantino
Published: August 2014

It is commonly stated that tissue engineering is the most promising approach to treat or replace failing tissues/organs. For this aim, a specific strategy should be planned including proper selection of biomaterials, fabrication techniques, cell lines, and signaling cues. A great effort has been pursued to develop suitable scaffolds for the restoration of a variety of tissues and a huge number of protocols ranging fromin vitrotoin vivostudies, the latter further differentiating into several procedures depending on the type of implantation (i.e., subcutaneous or orthotopic) and the model adopted (i.e., animal or human), have been developed. All together, the published reports demonstrate that the proposed tissue engineering approaches spread toward multiple directions. The critical review of this scenario might suggest, at the same time, that a limited number of studies gave a real improvement to the field, especially referring toin vivoinvestigations. In this regard, the present paper aims to review the results ofin vivotissue engineering experimentations, focusing on the role of the scaffold and its specificity with respect to the tissue to be regenerated, in order to verify whether an extracellular matrix-like device, as usually stated, could promote an expected positive outcome.
Fiber Visualization with LIC Maps Using Multidirectional Anisotropic Glyph Samples
Authors: Höller Mark , Otto Kay-M. , Klose Uwe , Groeschel Samuel , Ehricke Hans-H.
Published: August 2014

Line integral convolution (LIC) is used as a texture-based technique in computer graphics for flow field visualization. In diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), LIC bridges the gap between local approaches, for example directionally encoded fractional anisotropy mapping and techniques analyzing global relationships between brain regions, such as streamline tracking. In this paper an advancement of a previously published multikernel LIC approach for high angular resolution diffusion imaging visualization is proposed: a novel sampling scheme is developed to generate anisotropic glyph samples that can be used as an input pattern to the LIC algorithm. Multicylindrical glyph samples, derived from fiber orientation distribution (FOD) functions, are used, which provide a method for anisotropic packing along integrated fiber lines controlled by a uniform random algorithm. This allows two- and three-dimensional LIC maps to be generated, depicting fiber structures with excellent contrast, even in regions of crossing and branching fibers. Furthermore, a color-coding model for the fused visualization of slices from T1 datasets together with directionally encoded LIC maps is proposed. The methodology is evaluated by a simulation study with a synthetic dataset, representing crossing and bending fibers. In addition, results fromin vivostudies with a healthy volunteer and a brain tumor patient are presented to demonstrate the method's practicality.
Molecular Characterization and Screening for Sheath Blight Resistance Using Malaysian Isolates ofRhizoctonia solani
Authors: Nadarajah Kalaivani , Omar Nurfarahana Syuhada , Rosli Marhamah Md. , Shin Tze Ong
Published: August 2014

Two field isolates ofRhizoctonia solaniwere isolated from infected paddy plants in Malaysia. These isolates were verified via ITS-rDNA analysis that yielded ~720 bp products of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS4 region, respectively. The sequenced products showed insertion and substitution incidences which may result in strain diversity and possible variation in disease severity. These strains showed some regional and host-specific relatedness via Maximum Likelihood and further phylogenetic analysis via Maximum Parsimony showed that these strains were closely related toR. solaniAG1-1A (with 99-100% identity). Subsequent to strain verification and analysis, these isolates were used in the screening of twenty rice varieties for tolerance or resistance to sheath blight via mycelial plug method where both isolates (1801 and 1802) showed resistance or moderate resistance to Teqing, TETEP, and Jasmine 85. Isolate 1802 was more virulent based on the disease severity index values. This study also showed that the mycelial plug techniques were efficient in providing uniform inoculum and humidity for screening. In addition this study shows that the disease severity index is a better mode of scoring for resistance compared to lesion length. These findings will provide a solid basis for our future breeding and screening activities at the institution.
PUAR: Performance and Usage Aware Routing Algorithm for Long and Linear Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: He Bin , Li Gang
Published: August 2014

Aiming at requirements of performance and usage in the monitoring of tunnels with the long and linear structure, this work demonstrates a low-energy and quality of service- (QoS-) supported uneven clustering routing algorithm based on the labor cost called PUAR. PUAR realizes uneven clusters by a designed cluster radius related to the distance and the labor cost, with consideration of the residual energy and spatial layout of sensor nodes in the cluster head selection. With QoS support, PUAR uses the quality of link to reduce the packet loss and shortens the total transmitting distance to reduce the average delivery delay in multihop transmission. For the usage requirements of tunnel monitoring, PUAR utilizes the labor cost of replacing batteries to realize local or global energy balance. According to the analysis and simulation results, PUAR is found to achieve low-power consumption and reliable QoS support, and it can also reduce the operating cost of tunnel monitoring.
Adaptive Low-Power Listening MAC Protocol Based on Transmission Rates
Authors: Hwang Kwang-il , Yi Gangman
Published: August 2014

Even though existing low-power listening (LPL) protocols have enabled ultra-low-power operation in wireless sensor networks (WSN), they do not address trade-off between energy and delay, since they focused only on energy aspect. However, in recent years, a growing interest in various WSN applications is requiring new design factors, such as minimum delay and higher reliability, as well as energy efficiency. Therefore, in this paper we propose a novel sensor multiple access control (MAC) protocol, transmission rate based adaptive low-power listening MAC protocol (TRA-MAC), which is a kind of preamble-based LPL but is capable of controlling preamble sensing cycle adaptively to transmission rates. Through experiments, it is demonstrated that TRA-MAC enables LPL cycle (LC) and preamble transmission length to adapt dynamically to varying transmission rates, compensating trade-off between energy and response time.
A Comparison Study of Portable Foot-to-Foot Bioelectrical Impedance Scale to Measure Body Fat Percentage in Asian Adults and Children
Authors: Sim Pei Ying , Su Tin Tin , Abd Majid Hazreen , Nahar Azmi Mohamed , Jalaludin Muhammad Yazid
Published: August 2014

Objective.To compare the measurements of body fat percentage (BF%) using the foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analysis (FTF-BIA) with the direct segmental multifrequency BIA (DSM-BIA).Methods.There were 36 men and 52 women (37.1±14.3years) with 57% Malays, 30% Chinese, and 13% Indian. For children, there were 45 boys and 26 girls (11.5±2.5years) with 52% Malay, 15% Chinese, and 33% Indian.Results.Mean height for men was 168.4 cm, 11 cm taller than women. Men were 10 kg heavier than women at 70 kg. BF% in women was 32% and 33% whereas BF% in men was 23% and 25% when measured using FTF-BIA and DSM-BIA, respectively. In children, BF% measured with FTF-BIA and DSM-BIA was 49% and 46%, respectively. The correlations were significant for men (r=0.92, SEE = 2.80), women (r=0.91, SEE = 3.31), boys (r=0.95, SEE = 5.44), and girls (r=0.96, SEE = 5.27). The BF% in underweight/normal (r=0.92, SEE = 2.47) and that in overweight/obese adults (r=0.89, SEE = 3.61) were strongly correlated. The correlations were significant in normal/underweight (r=0.94, SEE = 3.78) and obese/overweight children (r=0.83, SEE = 6.49). All ethnic groups showed significant correlation with BF%. Malay adults (r=0.92, SEE = 3.27) and children (r=0.94, SEE = 0.88) showed significant mean differences in BF%.Conclusion.The FTF-BIA showed higher accuracy for all normal/underweight and Chinese group with acceptable overestimation in children and underestimation in adults. Caution should be taken when interpreting BF% depending on gender, BMI, and ethnicity.
Dynamics of Acute Local Inflammatory Response after Autologous Transplantation of Muscle-Derived Cells into the Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Burdzinska Anna , Gala Kamila , Kowalewski Cezary , Zagozdzon Radosław , Gajewski Zdzisław , Pączek Leszek
Published: August 2014

The vast majority of myoblasts transplanted into the skeletal muscle die within the first week after injection. Inflammatory response to the intramuscular cell transfer was studied in allogeneic but not in autologous model. The aim of this study was to evaluate immune reaction to autotransplantation of myogenic cells and to assess its dynamics within the first week after injection. Muscle-derived cells or medium alone was injected into the intact skeletal muscles in autologous model. Tissue samples were collected 1, 3, and 7 days after the procedure. Our analysis revealed the peak increase of the gene expression of all evaluated cytokines (Il-1α, Il-1β, Il-6, Tgf-β,andTnf-α) at day 1. The mRNA level of analyzed cytokines normalized in subsequent time points. The increase ofIl-βgene expression was further confirmed at the protein level. Analysis of the tissue sections revealed rapid infiltration of injected cell clusters with neutrophils and macrophages. The inflammatory infiltration was almost completely resolved at day 7. The survived cells were able to participate in the muscle regeneration process. Presented results demonstrate that autotransplanted muscle-derived cells induce classical early immune reaction in the site of injection which may contribute to cellular graft elimination.
Application of a New Membership Function in Nonlinear Fuzzy PID Controllers with Variable Gains
Authors: Zhang Xuda , Bao Hong , Du Jingli , Wang Congsi
Published: August 2014

This paper proposes a nonlinear fuzzy PID control algorithm, whose membership function (MF) is adjustable, is universal, and has a wide adjustable range. Appling this function to fuzzy control theory will increase system’s tunability. The continuity of this function is proved. This method was employed in the simulation and HIL experiments. Effectiveness and feasibility of this function are demonstrated in the results.
Positivity of Fundamental Matrix and Exponential Stability of Delay Differential System
Authors: Domoshnitsky Alexander , Shklyar Roman , Gitman Mikhail , Stolbov Valery
Published: August 2014

The classical Wazewski theorem established that nonpositivity of all nondiagonal elementspij  (i≠j,  i,j=1,…,n)is necessary and sufficient for nonnegativity of the fundamental (Cauchy) matrix and consequently for applicability of the Chaplygin approach of approximate integration for system of linear ordinary differential equationsxi′t+∑j=1n‍pijtxjt=fit,   i=1,…,n.Results on nonnegativity of the Cauchy matrix for system of delay differential equationsxi′t+∑j=1n‍pijtxjhijt=fit,   i=1,…,n,which were based on nonpositivity of all diagonal elements, were presented in the previous works. Then examples, which demonstrated that nonpositivity of nondiagonal coefficientspijis not necessary for systems of delay equations, were found. In this paper first sufficient results about nonnegativity of the Cauchy matrix of the delay system without this assumption are proven. A necessary condition of nonnegativity of the Cauchy matrix is proposed. On the basis of these results on nonnegativity of the Cauchy matrix, necessary and sufficient conditions of the exponential stability of the delay system are obtained.
An Algorithm to Select the Optimal Program Based on Rough Sets and Fuzzy Soft Sets
Authors: Wenjun Liu , Qingguo Li
Published: August 2014

Combining rough sets and fuzzy soft sets, we propose an algorithm to obtain the optimal decision program. In this algorithm, firstly, according to fuzzy soft sets, we build up information systems; secondly, we compute the significance of each parameter according to rough set theory; thirdly, combining subjective bias, we give an algorithm to obtain the comprehensive weight of each parameter; at last, we put forward a method to choose the optimal program. Example shows that the optimal algorithm is effective and rational.
Soil Fungal Resources in Annual Cropping Systems and Their Potential for Management
Authors: Ellouze Walid , Esmaeili Taheri Ahmad , Bainard Luke D. , Yang Chao , Bazghaleh Navid , Navarro-Borrell Adriana , Hanson Keith , Hamel Chantal
Published: August 2014

Soil fungi are a critical component of agroecosystems and provide ecological services that impact the production of food and bioproducts. Effective management of fungal resources is essential to optimize the productivity and sustainability of agricultural ecosystems. In this review, we (i) highlight the functional groups of fungi that play key roles in agricultural ecosystems, (ii) examine the influence of agronomic practices on these fungi, and (iii) propose ways to improve the management and contribution of soil fungi to annual cropping systems. Many of these key soil fungal organisms (i.e., arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and fungal root endophytes) interact directly with plants and are determinants of the efficiency of agroecosystems. In turn, plants largely control rhizosphere fungi through the production of carbon and energy rich compounds and of bioactive phytochemicals, making them a powerful tool for the management of soil fungal diversity in agriculture. The use of crop rotations and selection of optimal plant genotypes can be used to improve soil biodiversity and promote beneficial soil fungi. In addition, other agronomic practices (e.g., no-till, microbial inoculants, and biochemical amendments) can be used to enhance the effect of beneficial fungi and increase the health and productivity of cultivated soils.
A Poisson Cluster Stochastic Rainfall Generator That Accounts for the Interannual Variability of Rainfall Statistics: Validation at Various Geographic Locations across the United States
Authors: Kim Dongkyun , Kim Jongho , Cho Yong-Sik
Published: August 2014

A novel approach for a Poisson cluster stochastic rainfall generator was validated in its ability to reproduce important rainfall and watershed response characteristics at 104 locations in the United States. The suggested novel approach, The Hybrid Model (THM), as compared to the traditional Poisson cluster rainfall modeling approaches, has an additional capability to account for the interannual variability of rainfall statistics. THM and a traditional approach of Poisson cluster rainfall model (modified Bartlett-Lewis rectangular pulse model) were compared in their ability to reproduce the characteristics of extreme rainfall and watershed response variables such as runoff and peak flow. The results of the comparison indicate that THM generally outperforms the traditional approach in reproducing the distributions of peak rainfall, peak flow, and runoff volume. In addition, THM significantly outperformed the traditional approach in reproducing extreme rainfall by 2.3% to 66% and extreme flow values by 32% to 71%.
Chinese Herbs Containing Aristolochic Acid Associated with Renal Failure and Urothelial Carcinoma: A Review from Epidemiologic Observations to Causal Inference
Authors: Yang Hsiao-Yu , Chen Pau-Chung , Wang Jung-Der
Published: August 2014

Herbal remedies containing aristolochic acid (AA) have been designated to be a strong carcinogen. This review summarizes major epidemiologic evidence to argue for the causal association between AA exposure and urothelial carcinoma as well as nephropathy. The exposure scenarios include the following: Belgian women taking slimming pills containing single material Guang Fang Ji, consumptions of mixtures of Chinese herbal products in the general population and patients with chronic renal failure in Taiwan, occupational exposure in Chinese herbalists, and food contamination in farming villages in valleys of the Danube River. Such an association is corroborated by detecting specific DNA adducts in the tumor tissue removed from affected patients. Preventive actions of banning such use and education to the healthcare professionals and public are necessary for the safety of herbal remedies.
Angiotensin II Removes Kidney Resistance Conferred by Ischemic Preconditioning
Authors: Jang Hee-Seong , Kim Jee In , Kim Jinu , Park Jeen-Woo , Park Kwon Moo
Published: August 2014

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) renders resistance to the kidney. Strong IPC triggers kidney fibrosis, which is involved in angiotensin II (AngII) and its type 1 receptor (AT1R) signaling. Here, we investigated the role of AngII/AT1R signal pathway in the resistance of IPC kidneys to subsequent I/R injury. IPC of kidneys was generated by 30 minutes of bilateral renal ischemia and 8 days of reperfusion. Sham-operation was performed to generate control (non-IPC) mice. To examine the roles of AngII and AT1R in IPC kidneys to subsequent I/R, IPC kidneys were subjected to either 30 minutes of bilateral kidney ischemia or sham-operation following treatment with AngII, losartan (AT1R blocker), or AngII plus losartan. IPC kidneys showed fibrotic changes, decreased AngII, and increased AT1R expression. I/R dramatically increased plasma creatinine concentrations in non-IPC mice, but not in IPC mice. AngII treatment in IPC mice resulted in enhanced morphological damage, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses, with functional impairment, whereas losartan treatment reversed these effects. However, AngII treatment in non-IPC mice did not change I/R-induced injury. AngII abolished the resistance of IPC kidneys to subsequent I/R via the enhancement of oxidative stress and inflammatory responses, suggesting that the AngII/AT1R signaling pathway is associated with outcome in injury-experienced kidney.
Safety of Nicergoline as an Agent for Management of Cognitive Function Disorders
Authors: Saletu Bernd , Garg Amit , Shoeb Ahsan
Published: August 2014

Nicergoline is a semisynthetic ergot derivative and has a selective alpha-1A adrenergic receptor blocking property and also other additional mechanisms of actions, both in the brain and in the periphery. It is in clinical use for over three decades in over fifty countries for conditions such as cerebral infarction, acute and chronic peripheral circulation disorders, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease and has been found to be beneficial in a variety of other conditions. However, concerns about its safety have been raised, especially after the European medicines agency’s (EMEA’s) restriction in the use of all ergot derivatives including nicergoline. But, most of the available literature and data suggest that the adverse events with nicergoline are mild and transient. Further, none of the available treatment options for cognitive disorders afford definitive resolution of symptoms. In this backdrop, we discuss the pharmacology of nicergoline with special emphasis on the safety of this compound, especially when used in patients suffering from cognitive function disorders.
The Relationship betweenHelicobacter pyloriand Beta-2 Microglobulin in Humans
Authors: Yeniova Abdullah Özgür , Kucukazman Metin , Ata Naim , Dal Kursat , Kefeli Ayşe , Başyiğit Sebahat , Aktaş Bora , Akın Kadir Okhan , Nazlıgül Yaşar
Published: August 2014

H. pyloriis related to various gastrointestinal diseases.β2Microglobulin (β2M) is an intrinsic element of major histocompatibility complex (MHC I). Serumβ2M level may increase in inflammatory states. The aim of current study is to evaluate the relationship betweenβ2M andH. pyloribearing CagA strains.Methods.H. pyloristatus was determined by histopathology of samples taken from stomach. CagA status andβ2M level were measured from blood samples of patients. Eradication therapy was administered to the patients withH. pyloriinfection.β2Microglobulin levels were measured before and after treatment.Results. 35 (29.2%)H. pylori(−) patients and 85 (70.8%)H. pylori(+) patients were included in the study. There were 52 (43.3%) patients with CagA negative and 33 (27.5%) patients with CagA positiveH. pyloriinfection. The mean serumβ2M level was 1.83 mg/L inH. pylori(−) group, 1.76 mg/L inH. pylori(+) CagA (−) group, and 1.93 mg/L inH. pyloriand CagA (+) group (P>0.05). Serumβ2M levels (1.82 versus 1.64 mg/LP<0.05) were decreased after eradication.Conclusion.H. pyloriand CagA status did not affectβ2M level. Relationship between low grade systematic inflammation andH. pylorishould be investigated to find out new predictors for diseases associated with inflammation.
Visual Learning Alters the Spontaneous Activity of the Resting Human Brain: An fNIRS Study
Authors: Niu Haijing , Li Hao , Sun Li , Su Yongming , Huang Jing , Song Yan
Published: August 2014

Resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) has been widely used to investigate spontaneous brain activity that exhibits correlated fluctuations. RSFC has been found to be changed along the developmental course and after learning. Here, we investigated whether and how visual learning modified the resting oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) functional brain connectivity by using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). We demonstrate that after five days of training on an orientation discrimination task constrained to the right visual field, resting HbO functional connectivity and directed mutual interaction between high-level visual cortex and frontal/central areas involved in the top-down control were significantly modified. Moreover, these changes, which correlated with the degree of perceptual learning, were not limited to the trained left visual cortex. We conclude that the resting oxygenated hemoglobin functional connectivity could be used as a predictor of visual learning, supporting the involvement of high-level visual cortex and the involvement of frontal/central cortex during visual perceptual learning.
Genetics of Keratoconus: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Abu-Amero Khaled K. , Al-Muammar Abdulrahman M. , Kondkar Altaf A.
Published: August 2014

Keratoconus is a progressive thinning and anterior protrusion of the cornea that results in steepening and distortion of the cornea, altered refractive powers, and reduced vision. Keratoconus has a complex multifactorial etiology, with environmental, behavioral, and multiple genetic components contributing to the disease pathophysiology. Using genome-wide and candidate gene approaches several genomic loci and genes have been identified that highlight the complex molecular etiology of this disease. The review focuses on current knowledge of these genetic risk factors associated with keratoconus.
The Step Further to Understand the Role of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2Alpha and Group X Secretory Phospholipase A2in Allergic Inflammation: Pilot Study
Authors: Pniewska Ewa , Sokolowska Milena , Kupryś-Lipińska Izabela , Przybek Monika , Kuna Piotr , Pawliczak Rafal
Published: August 2014

Allergens, viral, and bacterial infections are responsible for asthma exacerbations that occur with progression of airway inflammation. cPLA2α and sPLA2X are responsible for delivery of arachidonic acid for production of eicosanoids—one of the key mediators of airway inflammation. However, cPLA2α and sPLA2X role in allergic inflammation has not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of rDer p1 and rFel d1 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on cPLA2α expression and sPLA2X secretion in PBMC of asthmatics and in A549 cell line. PBMC isolated from 14 subjects, as well as A549 cells, were stimulated with rDer p1, rFel d1, and LPS. Immunoblotting technique was used to study the changes in cPLA2α protein expression and ELISA was used to analyze the release of sPLA2X. PBMC of asthmatics released more sPLA2X than those from healthy controls in the steady state. rDer p1 induced more sPLA2X secretion than cPLA2α protein expression. rFel d1 caused decrease in cPLA2α relative expression in PBMC of asthmatics and in A549 cells. Summarizing, Der p1 and Fel d1 involve phospholipase A2enzymes in their action. sPLA2X seems to be one of important PLA2isoform in allergic inflammation, especially caused by house dust mite allergens.
Precoding Method Interference Management for Quasi-EVD Channel
Authors: Duan Wei , Song Wei , Song Sang Seob , Lee Moon Ho
Published: August 2014

The Cholesky decomposition-block diagonalization (CD-BD) interference alignment (IA) for a multiuser multiple input multiple output (MU-MIMO) relay system is proposed, which designs precoders for the multiple access channel (MAC) by employing the singular value decomposition (SVD) as well as the mean square error (MSE) detector for the broadcast Hermitian channel (BHC) taken advantage of in our design. Also, in our proposed CD-BD IA algorithm, the relaying function is made use to restructure the quasieigenvalue decomposition (quasi-EVD) equivalent channel. This approach used for the design of BD precoding matrix can significantly reduce the computational complexity and proposed algorithm can address several optimization criteria, which is achieved by designing the precoding matrices in two steps. In the first step, we use Cholesky decomposition to maximize the sum-of-rate (SR) with the minimum mean square error (MMSE) detection. In the next step, we optimize the system BER performance with the overlap of the row spaces spanned by the effective channel matrices of different users. By iterating the closed form of the solution, we are able not only to maximize the achievable sum-of-rate (ASR), but also to minimize the BER performance at a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) region.
Perforator Based Propeller Flaps in Limb Reconstructive Surgery: Clinical Application and Literature Review
Authors: Artiaco Stefano , Battiston Bruno , Colzani Giulia , Bianchi Pasquale , Scaravilli Gabriele , Boux Elena , Tos Pierluigi
Published: August 2014

The reconstruction of loss of substance due to trauma or oncological excision may have relevant functional and aesthetic implications. We report our experience in twenty-one cases of propeller flaps for the treatment of loss of substance of the upper and lower limbs. The etiology of defect was tumor excision in nine cases, trauma in seven cases, surgical wound complications in four cases, and chronic osteomyelitis in one case. Clinical results were favorable in most cases and eighteen flaps survived. We observed an overall complication rate of 33% with four cases of superficial epidermolysis that spontaneously healed and three cases of partial flap loss ranging from 10 to 50% that required surgical revision by means of skin graft (two cases) or ALT free flap (one case). Propeller flap harvesting requires great care and experience, and potential complications may occur even in expert hands. When indicated by the characteristic of the defect, these flaps can be a useful surgical option for the treatment of loss of substance of upper and lower limbs.
Ephedrine QoS: An Antidote to Slow, Congested, Bufferless NoCs
Authors: Fang Juan , Yao Zhicheng , Sui Xiufeng , Bao Yungang
Published: August 2014

Datacenters consolidate diverse applications to improve utilization. However when multiple applications are colocated on such platforms, contention for shared resources like networks-on-chip (NoCs) can degrade the performance of latency-critical online services (high-priority applications). Recently proposed bufferless NoCs (Nychis et al.) have the advantages of requiring less area and power, but they pose challenges in quality-of-service (QoS) support, which usually relies on buffer-based virtual channels (VCs). We propose QBLESS, a QoS-aware bufferless NoC scheme for datacenters. QBLESS consists of two components: a routing mechanism (QBLESS-R) that can substantially reduce flit deflection for high-priority applications and a congestion-control mechanism (QBLESS-CC) that guarantees performance for high-priority applications and improves overall system throughput. We use trace-driven simulation to model a 64-core system, finding that, when compared to BLESS, a previous state-of-the-art bufferless NoC design, QBLESS, improves performance of high-priority applications by an average of 33.2% and reduces network-hops by an average of 42.8%.
Characterization of Putativecis-Regulatory Elements in Genes Preferentially Expressed inArabidopsisMale Meiocytes
Authors: Li Junhua , Yuan Jinhong , Li Mingjun
Published: August 2014

Meiosis is essential for plant reproduction because it is the process during which homologous chromosome pairing, synapsis, and meiotic recombination occur. The meiotic transcriptome is difficult to investigate because of the size of meiocytes and the confines of anther lobes. The recent development of isolation techniques has enabled the characterization of transcriptional profiles in male meiocytes ofArabidopsis. Gene expression in male meiocytes shows unique features. The direct interaction of transcription factors (TFs) with DNA regulatory sequences forms the basis for the specificity of transcriptional regulation. Here, we identified putativecis-regulatory elements (CREs) associated with male meiocyte-expressed genes usingin silicotools. The upstream regions (1 kb) of the top 50 genes preferentially expressed inArabidopsismeiocytes possessed conserved motifs. These motifs are putative binding sites of TFs, some of which share common functions, such as roles in cell division. In combination with cell-type-specific analysis, our findings could be a substantial aid for the identification and experimental verification of the protein-DNA interactions for the specific TFs that drive gene expression in meiocytes.
Viscoelastic Characterization of Long-Eared Owl Flight Feather Shaft and the Damping Ability Analysis
Authors: Gao Jia-li , Chu Jin-kui , Guan Le , Shang Hai-xin , Lei Zhen-kun
Published: August 2014

Flight feather shaft of long-eared owl is characterized by a three-parameter model for linear viscoelastic solids to reveal its damping ability. Uniaxial tensile tests of the long-eared owl, pigeon, and golden eagle flight feather shaft specimens were carried out based on Instron 3345 single column material testing system, respectively, and viscoelastic response of their stress and strain was described by the standard linear solid model. Parameter fitting result obtained from the tensile tests shows that there is no significant difference in instantaneous elastic modulus for the three birds’ feather shafts, but the owl shaft has the highest viscosity, implying more obvious viscoelastic performance. Dynamic mechanical property was characterized based on the tensile testing results. Loss factor (tanδ) of the owl flight feather shaft was calculated to be 1.609 ± 0.238, far greater than those of the pigeon (0.896 ± 0.082) and golden eagle (1.087 ± 0.074). It is concluded that the long-eared owl flight feather has more outstanding damping ability compared to the pigeon and golden eagle flight feather shaft. Consequently, the long-eared owl flight feathers can dissipate the vibration energy more effectively during the flying process based on the principle of damping mechanism, for the purpose of vibration attenuation and structure radiated noise reduction.
Cardiovascular Risk Factor Analysis in Patients with a Recent Clinical Fracture at the Fracture Liaison Service
Authors: Wyers Caroline E. , Vranken Lisanne , van der Velde Robert Y. , Geusens Piet P. M. M. , Janzing Heinrich M. J. , Morrenhof J. Wim , van den Bergh Joop P. W.
Published: August 2014

Patients with a low bone mineral density have an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and venous thromboembolic events (VTE). The aim of our retrospective chart review was to investigate the prevalence of CVD, VTE, hypertension (HT), and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) in patients with a recent clinical fracture visiting the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS). Out of 3057 patients aged 50–90 years, 1359 consecutive patients, who agreed and were able to visit the FLS for fracture risk evaluation, were included (71.7% women; mean age 65.2 yrs). Based on medical history, 29.9% had a history of CVD (13.7%), VTE (1.7%), HT (14.9%), and DM2 (7.1%) or a combination. Their prevalence increased with age (21% in patients aged 50–59 years to 48% in patients aged >80 years) and was higher in men than in women (36% versus 27%), but independent of bone mineral density and fracture type. Careful evaluation of medical history with respect to these risk factors should be performed in patients with a recent clinical fracture before starting treatment with medications that increase the risk of VTE or cardiovascular events, such as raloxifene, strontium ranelate, or NSAIDs.
Association of a miRNA-137 Polymorphism with Schizophrenia in a Southern Chinese Han Population
Authors: Ma Guoda , Yin Jingwen , Fu Jiawu , Luo Xudong , Zhou Haihong , Tao Hua , Cui Lili , Li You , Lin Zhixiong , Zhao Bin , Li Zheng , Lin Juda , Li Keshen
Published: August 2014

Both genome wide association study (GWAS) and biochemical studies of Caucasian populations indicate a robust association between the miR-137 genetic variant rs1625579 and schizophrenia, but inconsistent results have been reported. To assay the association between this variant and schizophrenia, we genotyped 611 schizophrenic patients from Southern Chinese Han population for the risk single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1625579 using the SNaPshot technique and compared the clinical profiles of different genotypes. Additionally, a meta-analysis was performed using the combined sample groups from five case-control publications and the present study. Both the genotype and allele distributions of the rs1625579 SNP were significantly different between patients and controls (P=0.036and 0.026, SNP). TT genotype carriers showed slightly lower Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia- (BACS-) derived working memory performance than G carriers (15.58 ± 9.56 versus 19.71 ± 8.18,P=0.045). In the meta-analysis, we observed a significant association between rs1625579 and schizophrenia under different genetic models (allP<0.05). The results of our study and meta-analysis provide convincing evidence that rs1625579 is significantly associated with schizophrenia. Furthermore, the miR-137 polymorphism influences the working memory performance of schizophrenic patients in a Chinese Han population.
Clinical and Radiographic Findings and Usefulness of Computed Tomographic Assessment in Two Children with Regional Odontodysplasia
Authors: Matsuyama Junko , Tanaka Ray , Iizawa Futabako , Sano Tomiko , Kinoshita-Kawano Shoko , Hayashi-Sakai Sachiko , Mitomi Tomoe
Published: August 2014

Regional odontodysplasia is a rare, severe, and nonhereditary developmental disorder in tooth formation and involves epithelial and mesenchymal-derived dental tissue. On radiographs, affected teeth have an abnormal morphology, a hypoplastic crown, and only a faint outline of hard tissue, a condition termed “ghost teeth.” We report clinical and radiographic findings from two children with regional odontodysplasia. Using computed tomography (CT), we calculated attenuation coefficients (i.e., Hounsfield units) for affected teeth and assessed the condition of dental follicles. To measure density, regions of interest were delimited and CT values were calculated. In our two patients, the CT values for enamel were lower in affected teeth than in sound teeth, while CT values for dentin were similar for affected and sound teeth. The average CT value for dental follicles in affected teeth was about 65 to 120, which suggests that dense fibrous connective tissues or hard tissue-like structures might be present in dental follicles. Analysis of CT values may be quite useful in the diagnosis and treatment of regional odontodysplasia.
A Scale-Free Topology Construction Model for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Jiang Lurong , Jin Xinyu , Xia Yongxiang , Ouyang Bo , Wu Duanpo , Chen Xi
Published: August 2014

A local-area and energy-efficient (LAEE) evolution model for wireless sensor networks is proposed. The process of topology evolution is divided into two phases. In the first phase, nodes are distributed randomly in a fixed region. In the second phase, according to the spatial structure of wireless sensor networks, topology evolution starts from a network of very small size which contains the sink, grows with an energy-efficient preferential attachment rule in the new node's local-area, and stops until all nodes are connected into network. Both analysis and simulation results show that the degree distribution of LAEE follows the power law. The comparison shows that this topology construction model has better tolerance against energy depletion or random failure than other nonscale-free WSN topologies.
Nonlinear Time-Delay Suspension Adaptive Neural Network Active Control
Authors: Zhu Yue , Zhu Sihong
Published: August 2014

Considering the time-delay in control input channel and the nonlinear spring stiffness characteristics of suspension, a quarter-vehicle magneto rheological active suspension nonlinear model with time-delay is established in this paper. Based on the time-delay nonlinear model, an adaptive neural network structure for magneto rheological active suspension is presented. By recognizing and training the adaptive neural network, the adaptive neural network active suspension controller is obtained. Simulation results show that the presented method can guarantee that the quarter-vehicle magneto rheological active suspension system has satisfying performance on the E_level very poor ground.
Multifunctional Role of ATM/Tel1 Kinase in Genome Stability: From the DNA Damage Response to Telomere Maintenance
Authors: Di Domenico Enea Gino , Romano Elena , Del Porto Paola , Ascenzioni Fiorentina
Published: August 2014

The mammalian protein kinase ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is a key regulator of the DNA double-strand-break response and belongs to the evolutionary conserved phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-related protein kinases. ATM deficiency causes ataxia telangiectasia (AT), a genetic disorder that is characterized by premature aging, cerebellar neuropathy, immunodeficiency, and predisposition to cancer. AT cells show defects in the DNA damage-response pathway, cell-cycle control, and telomere maintenance and length regulation. Likewise, inSaccharomyces cerevisiae, haploid strains defective in theTEL1gene, the ATM ortholog, show chromosomal aberrations and short telomeres. In this review, we outline the complex role of ATM/Tel1 in maintaining genomic stability through its control of numerous aspects of cellular survival. In particular, we describe how ATM/Tel1 participates in the signal transduction pathways elicited by DNA damage and in telomere homeostasis and its importance as a barrier to cancer development.
On Weakly Singular Versions of Discrete Nonlinear Inequalities and Applications
Authors: Cheng Kelong , Guo Chunxiang , Zeng Qingke
Published: August 2014

Some new weakly singular versions of discrete nonlinear inequalities are established, which generalize some existing weakly singular inequalities and can be used in the analysis of nonlinear Volterra type difference equations with weakly singular kernels. A few applications to the upper bound and the uniqueness of solutions of nonlinear difference equations are also involved.
An Improved Algorithm in Porosity Characteristics Analysis for Rock and Soil Aggregate
Authors: Wu Yanfang , Li Xiao , Wang Yu , Zhang Bo
Published: August 2014

The rock and soil aggregate (RSA) is a special inhomogeneous multiphase geomaterial. It is crucial for stability of engineering by study of RSA mesodamage characteristic. This paper aims at investigating the porosity evolution characteristics of RSA by X-ray computed tomography (CT) under uniaxial compressive loading. X-ray tomography images were used to extract defects of RSA specimen under different compressive loading. In this paper, we proposed an improved Ostu method to calibrate the beam hardening phenomenon which is caused by X-ray. Also, based on this Ostu method, the outline of rock blocks in RSA is extracted, and the double gray level threshold of soil and rock block is obtained to ensure the reliability of the porosity calculation. We can conclude that the main reason of RSA cracking is the elasticity mismatch between rock blocks and soil, and the porosity evolution of RSA can be divided into four typical stages. These results may be useful to reveal the mesoscopic cracking mechanism and establish mesodamage evolution equation and constitutive relation for RSA.
Best Proximity Point Results in Complex Valued Metric Spaces
Authors: Choudhury Binayak S. , Metiya Nikhilesh , Maity Pranati
Published: August 2014

We introduce the concept of proximity points for nonself-mappings between two subsets of a complex valued metric space which is a recently introduced extension of metric spaces obtained by allowing the metric function to assume values from the field of complex numbers. We apply this concept to obtain the minimum distance between two subsets of the
complex valued metric spaces. We treat the problem as that of finding the global optimal solution of a fixed point equation although the exact solution does not in general exist. We also define and use the concept of P-property in such spaces. Our results are illustrated with examples.
Numerical Analysis and Design of Thermal Management System for Lithium Ion Battery Pack Using Thermoelectric Coolers
Authors: Liu Yong , Yang Shichun , Guo Bin , Deng Cheng
Published: August 2014

A new design of thermal management system for lithium ion battery pack using thermoelectric coolers (TECs) is proposed. Firstly, the 3D thermal model of a high power lithium ion battery and the TEC is elaborated. Then the model is calibrated with experiment results. Finally, the calibrated model is applied to investigate the performance of a thermal management system for a lithium ion battery pack. The results show that battery thermal management system (BTMS) with TEC can cool the battery in very high ambient temperature. It can also keep a more uniform temperature distribution in the battery pack than common BTMS, which will extend the life of the battery pack and may save the expensive battery equalization system.
Antimicrobial Peptides: Their Role as Infection-Selective Tracers for Molecular Imaging
Authors: Ebenhan Thomas , Gheysens Olivier , Kruger Hendrick Gert , Zeevaart Jan Rijn , Sathekge Mike Machaba
Published: August 2014

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a heterogeneous class of compounds found in a variety of organisms including humans and, so far, hundreds of these structures have been isolated and characterised. They can be described as natural microbicide, selectively cytotoxic to bacteria, whilst showing minimal cytotoxicity towards the mammalian cells of the host organism. They act by their relatively strong electrostatic attraction to the negatively charged bacterial cells and a relatively weak interaction to the eukaryote host cells. The ability of these peptides to accumulate at sites of infection combined with the minimal host’s cytotoxicity motivated for this review to highlight the role and the usefulness of AMPs for PET with emphasis on their mechanism of action and the different interactions with the bacterial cell. These details are key information for their selective properties. We also describe the strategy, design, and utilization of these peptides as potential radiopharmaceuticals as their combination with nuclear medicine modalities such as SPECT or PET would allow noninvasive whole-body examination for detection of occult infection causing, for example, fever of unknown origin.