bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cognitive function in idiopathic intracranial hypertension: a prospective case–control study
Authors: Yri Hanne Maria , Fagerlund Birgitte , Forchhammer Hysse Birgitte , Jensen Rigmor Højland
Published: April 2014

Objective

To explore the extent and nature of cognitive deficits in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) at the time of diagnosis and after 3 months of treatment.

Design

Prospective case–control study.

Setting

Neurological department, ophthalmological department and a tertiary headache referral clinic at a Danish university hospital.

Participants

31 patients with definite IIH referred from June 2011 to February 2013 and included within 1 week of diagnostic intracranial pressure (ICP) measurement. 29 patients completed re-examination at the 3-month follow-up. At the time of testing, none of the patients took medication potentially affecting cognitive function. Controls were 31 healthy age-matched and sex-matched volunteers from the local community.

Outcome measures

Executive function, working memory, visuospatial memory, processing speed, attention and reaction time assessed by a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery consisting of validated computerised (Cambridge neuropsychological test automated battery) and paper-and-pencil tests.

Results

Patients with IIH performed significantly worse than controls in four of six cognitive domains (p≤0.02). Deficits were most pronounced in reaction time (1.45 SD below controls 95% CI 2.10 to 0.85) and processing speed (1.48 SD below controls 95% CI 2.08 to 0.81). Despite marked improvement in ICP and headache, re-examination showed persistent cognitive dysfunction 3 months after diagnosis and start of treatment.

Conclusions

We demonstrate for the first time in a well-defined cohort of patients that IIH may be associated with cognitive dysfunction. This could explain the functional disability of patients with IIH. A focused multidisciplinary approach including neuropsychological rehabilitation, therefore, might be relevant in the treatment of patients with IIH.
The accuracy of existing prehospital triage tools for injured children in England: an analysis using emergency department data
Authors: Ardolino Antonella , Cheung C Ronny , Lawrence Thomas , Bouamra Omar , Lecky Fiona , Berry Kathleen , Lyttle Mark , Roland Damian , Koralage Nadeeja , Issa Shabara , Chaudhary Adeel , Maconochie Ian
Published: April 2014

Objective

To investigate the performance characteristics in children with moderate and minor injuries of prehospital paediatric triage tools currently in use in England for identifying seriously injured children.

Methods

Eight prehospital paediatric triage tools were identified from literature review and a survey of the lead trauma clinicians across the 10 English strategic health authorities. Retrospective clinical data from 2934 patient records collected by four emergency departments were used to analyse each tool. A target sensitivity of >95% and specificity of 50–75% was set based on the literature.

Results

Three tools (East Midlands, North West and Northern) demonstrated acceptable sensitivity (all 100%). The other five tools fell below the target sensitivity of >95%. All eight tools had acceptable specificity (with results between 79% and 99%).

Conclusions

Three tools (East Midlands, North West and Northern) demonstrated acceptable over- and under-triage rates in this population of minor and moderately injured children. All tools reached recommended standards for over-triage, but the majority favoured under-triage.
Carotid revascularization treatment is shifting to low volume centers
Authors: Brinjikji Waleed , Kallmes David F , Lanzino Giuseppe , Cloft Harry J
Published: April 2014

Background

Expansion of the endovascular and surgical workforce in the USA might lead to carotid revascularization procedures being carried out at low volume centers.

Objective

To evaluate trends in the treatment of carotid stenosis at high volume centers in the USA and compare outcomes by hospital volume.

Methods

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we evaluated trends in the proportion of carotid revascularization procedures performed at high volume centers in the USA from 2005 to 2011. High volume was defined as combined endarterectomy/stenting volume ≥130 patients/year, carotid endarterectomy volume ≥117 cases/year and carotid stenting volume ≥38 cases/year. In-hospital mortality, discharge to a long-term facility, intracranial hemorrhage, and postoperative stroke rates were compared between high and low volume centers.

Results

A total of 181 972 patients were included in this study. Overall, 63 442 patients (34.9%) were treated at high volume centers. The proportion of patients treated at high volume carotid revascularization centers decreased from 38.3% in 2005–2006 to 30.2% in 2010–2011. The proportion of patients treated at high volume centers decreased from 35.7% to 30.0% for carotid endarterectomy (p<0.0001) and 45.2% to 35.1% for carotid stenting. Patients treated at low volume centers had significantly higher rates of discharge to a long-term facility than high volume center patients (6.3% vs 5.0%, p<0.0001). The same was true for endarterectomy patients (6.0% vs 4.7%, p<0.0001) and stenting patients (8.3% vs 6.5%, p<0.0001).

Conclusions

A trend toward a lower proportion of patients with carotid stenosis being treated in high volume centers from 2005 to 2011 is concerning as these high volume centers had lower complication rates.
Two-year outcomes after percutaneous mitral valve repair with the MitraClip system: durability of the procedure and predictors of outcome
Authors: Toggweiler Stefan , Zuber Michel , Sürder Daniel , Biaggi Patric , Gstrein Christine , Moccetti Tiziano , Pasotti Elena , Gaemperli Oliver , Faletra Francesco , Petrova-Slater Iveta , Grünenfelder Jürg , Jamshidi Peiman , Corti Roberto , Pedrazzini Giovanni , Lüscher Thomas F , Erne Paul
Published: April 2014

Objective

Analyse 2-year outcomes after MitraClip therapy and identify predictors of outcome.

Methods

Consecutive patients (n=74) undergoing MitraClip therapy were included in the MitraSWISS registry and followed prospectively.

Results

A reduction of mitral regurgitation (MR) to ≤ mild was achieved in 32 (43%) patients and to moderate in 31 (42%) patients; 16/63 (25%) patients with initially successful treatment developed recurrent moderate to severe or severe MR during the first year and only 1 patient did so during the second year. At 2 years, moderate or less MR was more frequently present in patients with a transmitral mean gradient <3 mm Hg at baseline (73% vs 23%, p < 0.01) and in patients with a left atrial volume index (LAVI) <50 mL/m2at baseline (86% vs 52%, p=0.03). More than mild MR post MitraClip, N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide ≥5000 ng/L at baseline, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were associated with reduced survival.

Conclusions

A mean transmitral gradient <3 mm Hg at baseline, an LAVI <50 mL/m2, the absence of COPD and CKD, and reduction of MR to less than moderate were associated with favourable outcome. Given a suitable anatomy, such patients may be excellent candidates for MitraClip therapy. Between 1 and 2 years follow-up, clinical and echocardiographic outcomes were stable, suggesting favourable, long-term durability of the device.
New geoscientific constraints on the hydrocarbon potential of the Nechako–Chilcotin plateau of central British Columbia
Authors: Calvert Andrew J. , Andrews Graham D.M.
Published: April 2014

Infestation by the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, decimated the forests of central British Columbia from 1999 to 2012, severely impacting the forest industry of the Nechako–Chilcotin plateau. In response, all levels of government recognized the value in developing other areas of economic activity, such as hydrocarbon and mineral exploitation, to support local economies. Exploration for resources beneath the Nechako–Chilcotin plateau has historically been constrained by Tertiary volcanic sequences and Quaternary glacial deposits that obscure the underlying geology and limit geophysical imaging. Thus, a coordinated program comprising additional geological mapping, borehole data analysis, and modern geophysical surveys of the area was initiated in 2006, with the objective of better defining the subsurface geology, solving problems of imaging through the complex near-surface, and developing improved regional geological and tectonic models. An initial set of papers arising from this fieldwork, which focused on issues relevant to mineral and hydrocarbon exploration, was published in June 2011 in a Special Issue of the Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences. This Introduction to the second “Mountain Pine Beetle” Special Issue summarizes a set of scientific papers that focus on topics more related to hydrocarbon exploration and the large-scale structure of the crust. The papers deal with the development, thickness, and present distribution of the most prospective Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, as well as characterizing the physical properties of the near-surface volcanic units.
On coherent systems with fixed determinant
Authors: Grzegorczyk I. , Newstead P. E.
Published: April 2014

Over the past 20 years, a great deal of work has been done on the moduli spaces of coherent systems on algebraic curves. Until recently, however, there has been very little work on the fixed determinant case, except for the special case of rank 2 and canonical determinant. This situation has changed due to two papers of Osserman, who has obtained lower bounds for the dimensions of the fixed determinant moduli spaces in some cases. Our object in this paper is to show that some of Osserman's bounds are sharp.
On the existence of maximal subrings in commutative noetherian rings
Authors: Azarang A.
Published: April 2014

In this note, we generalize the results of [Submaximal integral domains, Taiwanese J. Math. 17(4) (2013) 1395–1412; Which fields have no maximal subrings? Rend. Sem. Mat. Univ. Padova 126 (2011) 213–228; On the existence of maximal subrings in commutative artinian rings, J. Algebra Appl. 9(5) (2010) 771–778; On maximal subrings of commutative rings, Algebra Colloq. 19(Spec 1) (2012) 1125–1138] for the existence of maximal subrings in a commutative noetherian ring. First, we show that for determining when an infinite noetherian ring R has a maximal subring, it suffices to assume that R is an integral domain with |R/I| < |R| for each nonzero ideal I of R. We determine when the latter integral domains have maximal subrings. In particular, we show that every uncountable noetherian ring has a maximal subring.
Thin coherent configurations and groupoids
Authors: Hanaki Akihide , Yoshikawa Masayoshi
Published: April 2014

In this paper, we will investigate thin coherent configurations. We will show that thin coherent configurations are equivalent to finite connected groupoids. Also, we will investigate their representations.
Algebras simple with respect to a Sweedler's algebra action
Authors: Gordienko A. S.
Published: April 2014

Algebras simple with respect to an action of Sweedler's algebra H4 deliver the easiest example of H-module algebras that are H-simple but not necessarily semisimple. We describe finite-dimensional H4-simple algebras and prove the analog of Amitsur's conjecture for codimensions of their polynomial H4-identities. In particular, we show that the Hopf PI-exponent of an H4-simple algebra A over an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0 equals dim A. The groups of automorphisms preserving the structure of an H4-module algebra are studied as well.
Repeated root constacyclic codes of length mps over 𝔽pr + u𝔽pr + ⋯ + ue-1𝔽pr
Authors: Guenda Kenza , Gulliver T. Aaron
Published: April 2014

We give the structure of λ-constacyclic codes of length psm over R = 𝔽pr[u]/〈ue〉 with [Formula: see text]. We also give the structure of λ-constacyclic codes of length psm with λ = α1 + uα2 + ⋯ + ue-1 αe-1, and study the self-duality of these codes.
Chemical Synthesis of Nanostructured SrWO4 for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion Applications
Authors: Farsi Hossein , Barzgari Zahra
Published: April 2014

Nanostructured strontium tungstate was successfully synthesized by a co-precipitation method at 80°C. The structure and morphology of the obtained SrWO4 were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The XRD pattern conformed that the prepared sample has a scheelite-type tetragonal structure. The electrochemical properties of the SrWO4 were investigated in 0.5 M NaOH electrolyte solution by cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge–discharge cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Also, platinum have been supported onto the surface of SrWO4 /graphite electrode to use as catalyst support. The morphology of the catalysts was characterized by scanning electron microscopy analysis and EDX. The electrocatalytic activity of platinum loaded SrWO4 /graphite electrode toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) has been studied in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 solution and compared with that of platinum supported on graphite using electrochemical measurements. The PtSrWO4 /graphite catalyst showed higher ORR activity than Pt /graphite catalyst.
Unix interfaces, Kleisli, bucandin structure, etc. — The heroic beginning of bioinformatics in Singapore
Authors: Eisenhaber Frank
Published: April 2014

Remarkably, Singapore as one of today's hotspots for bioinformatics and computational biology research appeared de novo out of pioneering efforts of engaged local individuals in the early 90-s that, supported with increasing public funds from 1996 on, morphed into the present vibrant research community. This article brings to mind the pioneers, their first successes and early institutional developments.
Programming-by-Demonstration and Adaptation of Robot Skills by Fuzzy Time Modeling
Authors: Palm Rainer , Iliev Boyko
Published: April 2014

Robot skills are motion or grasping primitives from which a complicated robot task consists. Skills can be directly learned and recognized by a technique named programming-by-demonstration. A human operator demonstrates a set of reference skills where his motions are recorded by a data-capturing system and modeled via fuzzy clustering and a Takagi–Sugeno modeling technique. The skill models use time instants as input and operator actions as outputs. In the recognition phase, the robot identifies the skill shown by the operator in a novel test demonstration. Finally, using the corresponding reference skill model the robot executes the recognized skill. Skill models can be updated online where drastic differences between learned and real world conditions are eliminated using the Broyden update formula. This method was extended for fuzzy models especially for time cluster models.
Iwasawa theory and p-adic L-functions over ${\mathbb Z}_{p}^{2}$-extensions
Authors: Loeffler David , Zerbes Sarah Livia
Published: April 2014

We construct a two-variable analogue of Perrin-Riou's p-adic regulator map for the Iwasawa cohomology of a crystalline representation of the absolute Galois group of ℚp, over a Galois extension whose Galois group is an abelian p-adic Lie group of dimension 2. We use this regulator map to study p-adic representations of global Galois groups over certain abelian extensions of number fields whose localization at the primes above p is an extension of the above type. In the example of the restriction to an imaginary quadratic field of the representation attached to a modular form, we formulate a conjecture on the existence of a "zeta element", whose image under the regulator map is a p-adic L-function. We show that this conjecture implies the known properties of the 2-variable p-adic L-functions constructed by Perrin-Riou and Kim.
On the functional degradation of binary titanium–tantalum high-temperature shape memory alloys — A new concept for fatigue life extension
Authors: Niendorf T. , Krooß P. , Batyrsina E. , Paulsen A. , Frenzel J. , Eggeler G. , Maier H. J.
Published: April 2014

High-temperature shape memory alloys are promising candidates for actuator applications at elevated temperatures. Ternary nickel–titanium-based alloys either contain noble metals which are very expensive, or suffer from poor workability. Titanium–tantalum shape memory alloys represent a promising alternative if one can avoid the cyclic degradation due to the formation of the omega phase. The current study investigates the functional fatigue behavior of Ti – Ta and introduces a new concept providing for pronounced fatigue life extension.
Synthesis and characterization of hydrogen-bond acidic functionalized graphene
Authors: Yang Liu , Han Qiang , Pan Yong , Cao Shuya , Ding Mingyu
Published: April 2014

Hexafluoroisopropanol phenyl group functionalized materials have great potential in the application of gas-sensitive materials for nerve agent detection, due to the formation of strong hydrogen-bonding interactions between the group and the analytes. In this paper, take full advantage of ultra-large specific surface area and plenty of carbon–carbon double bonds and hexafluoroisopropanol phenyl functionalized graphene was synthesized through in situ diazonium reaction between - C = C - and p-hexafluoroisopropanol aniline. The identity of the as-synthesis material was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet visible spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermo gravimetric analysis. The synthesis method is simply which retained the excellent physical properties of original graphene. In addition, the novel material can be assigned as an potential candidate for gas sensitive materials towards organophosphorus nerve agent detection.
INTRODUCING THE LIMITS SPECIAL ISSUE
Authors: KRIEGLER ELMAR , TAVONI MASSIMO , RIAHI KEYWAN , VAN VUUREN DETLEF P.
Published: April 2014

This paper provides an introduction to the Special issue of Climate Change Economics containing twelve papers describing findings of the LIMITS project. These papers assess post 2020 climate policies aimed at achieving the 2°C target. The assessment is based on an ensemble of scenarios consistently implemented by a suite of leading integrated assessment models. The scenarios, conceptualized as possible outcomes of the Durban Platform negotiation process, allow for a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of policies consistent with 2°C in the major economies, under different assumptions about medium-term action and its distribution across regions.
INTERACTION OF DECAVANADATE WITH INTERFACES AND BIOLOGICAL MODEL MEMBRANE SYSTEMS: CHARACTERIZATION OF SOFT OXOMETALATE SYSTEMS
Authors: SAMART NUTTAPORN , SAEGER JESSICA , HALLER KENNETH J. , AURELIANO MANUEL , CRANS DEBBIE C.
Published: April 2014

Decavanadate is a polyoxometalate consisting of 10 octahedral vanadium centers, which has been found to exert biological effects and has been observed in vivo. Biological activity implies that a material is taken up into a cell or that the material interacts with membrane receptors. Because of the large size and the high molecular charge, it is nontrivial to anticipate how such a large anion interacts with membranes and whether it will be taken up by cells. Therefore, it becomes important to investigate how the anion interacts with membranes and membrane model systems. Since ion pairing is important for the interaction of this large complex with any membrane interface system, we investigate both the nature of Coulombic and neutral noncovalent interactions with membrane model interface systems and cellular systems. Specifically, we used microemulsions as model systems, and in the specific phase diagram regime where reverse micelles form. We find that, there is a large difference in the interaction with different interfaces, and that charge can have an important role. The negatively charged interface repels the anion, whereas a positive interface attracts the anion. However, the interface with neutral surfactant head groups also is found to repel the decavanadate. This result demonstrates that the discrete charge Coulombic interactions are not the only forces in effect, and that the interactions are at least to a first approximation dictated by the interface charge and not by the counterions in the system. Alternative forces include van der Waals attraction, pH of the water pool, and field and surface effects. Because biological membranes have differently charged ligands, it is not clear which interface systems provide the best analogy with cell surfaces. However, surface charge may affect the compounds and facilitate the interactions that could be important. For example, a positively charged surface could potentially facilitate hydrolysis and sequential abstraction of one or two vanadium atoms at a time from decavanadate. Recently, decavanadate was used as a structural model for the V2O5material. Negatively charged interfaces have also been found to accelerate compound hydrolysis or in other ways alter reactions in compounds near the interface. Lipid-like interfaces potentially contribute to processing of coordination compounds. Decavanadate has been found to interact with proteins and insulin enhancing effects have been reported. Interactions with coordination compounds and the mechanisms of interactions should continue to be investigated because such systems may reveal the mode of interaction of these compounds.
MANIPULATING THE POLARIZATION OF TERAHERTZ WAVES WITH METAMATERIAL DEVICES
Authors: CONG LONGQING , GU JIANQIANG , TIAN ZHEN , SINGH RANJAN , HAN JIAGUANG , ZHANG WEILI
Published: April 2014

As the potential applications of terahertz science and technology become extremely important, there is an increasing demand for improved terahertz optical components. One of such devices on demand is the class of polarization control devices. Recently, metasurfaces have emerged as designer structures with excellent control, design flexibility, and multifaceted functionalities. Metamaterials offer fascinating prospects for manipulating the polarization state of terahertz waves. Here, we discuss different metamaterial device designs that exhibit properties of perfect linear polarization rotation and linear to either linear or circular polarization conversion at narrowband as well as broadband terahertz frequencies.
Tracking of Ground Mobile Targets by Quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Tan Ruoyu , Kumar Manish
Published: April 2014

This paper focuses on the development of control and guidance laws for quadrotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to track maneuvering ground targets. Proportional Derivative (PD) control law is a popular choice to be used as a tracking controller for quadrotors, but it is often inefficient due to practical acceleration constraints and a number of parameters that need to be tuned. The paper proposes a Proportional Navigation (PN)-based switching strategy to address the problem of mobile target tracking. The experiments and numerical simulations performed using nonmaneuvering and maneuvering targets show that the proposed PN-based switching strategy not only carries out effective tracking but also results into smaller oscillations and errors when compared to the widely used PD tracking method. The proposed PN-based switching strategy presents an important question with regard to when the switching should happen that would minimize the positional error between the UAV and the target. An optimal switching strategy, which is based on the analytical solutions of the PN and PD methods, is proposed. The numerical simulations not only validate the theoretical results with regard to the optimality of the proposed method for both nonmaneuvering and maneuvering targets but also demonstrate that the proposed method is robust to measurement noise.
Inhibition of JNK by novel curcumin analog C66 prevents diabetic cardiomyopathy with a preservation of cardiac metallothionein expression
Authors: Wang Yonggang , Zhou Shanshan , Sun Wanqing , McClung Kristen , Pan Yong , Liang Guang , Tan Yi , Zhao Yunjie , Liu Quan , Sun Jian , Cai Lu
Published: April 2014

The development of diabetic cardiomyopathy is attributed to diabetic oxidative stress, which may be related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) activation. The present study tested a hypothesis whether the curcumin analog C66 [(2 E,6 E)-2,6-bis(2-(trifluoromethyl)benzylidene) cyclohexanone] as a potent antioxidant can protect diabetes-induced cardiac functional and pathogenic changes via inhibition of JNK function. Diabetes was induced with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin in male C57BL/6 mice. Diabetic and age-matched control mice were randomly divided into three groups, each group treated with C66, JNK inhibitor (JNKi, SP600125 ), or vehicle (1% CMC-Na solution) by gavage at 5 mg/kg every other day for 3 mo. Neither C66 nor JNKi impacted diabetic hyperglycemia and inhibition of body-weight gain, but both significantly prevented diabetes-induced JNK phosphorylation in the heart. Compared with basal line, cardiac function was significantly decreased in diabetic mice at 3 mo of diabetes but not in C66- or JNKi-treated diabetic mice. Cardiac fibrosis, oxidative damage, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and cell apoptosis, examined by Sirius red staining, Western blot, and thiobarbituric acid assay, were also significantly increased in diabetic mice, all which were prevented by C66 or JNKi treatment under diabetic conditions. Cardiac metallothionein expression was significantly decreased in diabetic mice but was almost normal in C66- or JNKi-treated diabetic mice. These results suggest that, like JNKi, C66 is able to prevent diabetic upregulation of JNK function, resulting in a prevention of diabetes-induced cardiac fibrosis, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and cell death, along with a preservation of cardiac metallothionein expression.
Optimal Selection Method of Process Patents for Technology Transfer Using Fuzzy Linguistic Computing
Authors: Wang Gangfeng , Tian Xitian , Geng Junhao
Published: April 2014

Under the open innovation paradigm, technology transfer of process patents is one of the most important mechanisms for manufacturing companies to implement process innovation and enhance the competitive edge. To achieve promising technology transfers, we need to evaluate the feasibility of process patents and optimally select the most appropriate patent according to the actual manufacturing situation. Hence, this paper proposes an optimal selection method of process patents using multiple criteria decision‐making and 2‐tuple fuzzy linguistic computing to avoid information loss during the processes of evaluation integration. An evaluation index system for technology transfer feasibility of process patents is designed initially. Then, fuzzy linguistic computing approach is applied to aggregate the evaluations of criteria weights for each criterion and corresponding subcriteria. Furthermore, performance ratings for subcriteria and fuzzy aggregated ratings of criteria are calculated. Thus, we obtain the overall technology transfer feasibility of patent alternatives. Finally, a case study of aeroengine turbine manufacturing is presented to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method.
Long‐Term Effects of Goshajinkigan in Prevention of Diabetic Complications: A Randomized Open‐Labeled Clinical Trial
Authors: Watanabe K. , Shimada A. , Miyaki K. , Hirakata A. , Matsuoka K. , Omae K. , Takei I.
Published: April 2014

Objective. This clinical trial was designed to investigate whether goshajinkigan reduces the onset of diabetic complications or not. Materials and Methods. A total of 332 type 2 diabetic mellitus patients were registered from 9 clinical centers from March 2000 to August 2007. Patients were randomly assigned to take goshajinkigan extract powder, 2.5 grams for 3 times a day or no kampo therapy, additionally to the regular treatment. The primary endpoints were the onset of macrovascular diseases or progression of nephropathy or retinopathy. Statistical analysis was performed by the intention‐to‐treat method. Results. After 5 years of observation, 116 patients were submitted to analysis. Among them, no macrovascular events were observed in both groups. Although 43 participants had upstaging of retinopathy or nephropathy in total, there was no significant difference between goshajinkigan group and control group. Deterioration of ankle reflex was suppressed in goshajinkigan group. Also glycated hemoglobin, and fasting plasma glucose were decreased in the goshajinkigan group. Conclusion. Although the power of analysis was too low to demonstrate any effects of goshajinkigan on the progression of macrovascular diseases, retinopathy or nephropathy, goshajinkigan may be beneficial for diabetic neuropathy and glycemic control.
Antiphospholipase A2Receptor Autoantibodies: A Comparison of Three Different Immunoassays for the Diagnosis of Idiopathic Membranous Nephropathy
Authors: Behnert Astrid , Schiffer Mario , Müller-Deile Janina , Beck Laurence H. , Mahler Michael , Fritzler Marvin J.
Published: April 2014

Background. The recent identification of circulating autoantibodies directed towards the M-type phospholipase A2receptor (PLA2R) has been a major advancement in the serological diagnosis of idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN), a common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults. The goal of this study was to compare the performance characteristics of two commercial assays as well as the first addressable laser bead immunoassay (ALBIA) developed for the detection of anti-PLA2R antibodies.Methods.Serum samples of 157 IMN patients and 142 controls were studied. Samples were tested by a cell based immunofluorescence assay (CBA-IFA, Euroimmun, Germany), by ELISA (Euroimmun), and by a novel ALBIA employing an in vivo expressed recombinant human PLA2R.Results. Overall, the three assays showed significant qualitative and quantitative correlation. As revealed by receiver operating characteristic analysis, the ALBIA correlated better with the CBA-IFA than the ELISA (P=0.0003). The clinical sensitivities/specificities for IMN were 60.0% (51.0–68.5%)/98.6% (95.0–99.8%) and 56.2% (47.2–64.8%)/100.0% (97.4–100.0%) for ALBIA and CBA-IFA, respectively.Conclusion. The ALBIA represents a promising assay for the detection of anti-PLA2R antibodies showing similar performance to the CBA-IFA and the advantage of ease of use and suitability for high throughput, rapid turnaround times, and multiplexing.
Validation of a Real Time PCR for Classical Swine Fever Diagnosis
Authors: Dias Natanael Lamas , Fonseca Júnior Antônio Augusto , Oliveira Anapolino Macedo , Sales Érica Bravo , Alves Bruna Rios Coelho , Dorella Fernanda Alves , Camargos Marcelo Fernandes
Published: April 2014

The viral disease classical swine fever (CSF), caused by aPestivirus, is one of the major causes of economic losses for pig farming. The aim of this work was to validate a RT-qPCR using Taqman for detection of CSF in swine tissues. The parameters for the validation followed the specifications of the Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals of the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) and the guide ABNT NBR ISO/IEC 17025:2005. The analysis of the 5′NTR region of CSF virus was performed in 145 samples from 29 infected pigs and in 240 samples from 80 pigs originated in the Brazilian CSF-free zone. The tissues tested were spleen, kidney, blood, tonsils, and lymph nodes. Sequencing of the positive samples for 5′NTR region was performed to evaluate the specificity of the RT-qPCR. Tests performed for the RT-qPCR validation demonstrated that the PCR assay was efficient in detecting RNA from CSF virus in all materials from different tissues of infected animals. Furthermore, RNA from CSF virus was not detected in samples of swine originated from the Brazilian CSF-free zone. Hence, it is concluded that RT-qPCR can be used as a complementary diagnostic for CSF.
Tools and Databases of the KOMICS Web Portal for Preprocessing, Mining, and Dissemination of Metabolomics Data
Authors: Sakurai Nozomu , Ara Takeshi , Enomoto Mitsuo , Motegi Takeshi , Morishita Yoshihiko , Kurabayashi Atsushi , Iijima Yoko , Ogata Yoshiyuki , Nakajima Daisuke , Suzuki Hideyuki , Shibata Daisuke
Published: April 2014

A metabolome—the collection of comprehensive quantitative data on metabolites in an organism—has been increasingly utilized for applications such as data-intensive systems biology, disease diagnostics, biomarker discovery, and assessment of food quality. A considerable number of tools and databases have been developed to date for the analysis of data generated by various combinations of chromatography and mass spectrometry. We report here a web portal named KOMICS (The Kazusa Metabolomics Portal), where the tools and databases that we developed are available for free to academic users. KOMICS includes the tools and databases for preprocessing, mining, visualization, and publication of metabolomics data. Improvements in the annotation of unknown metabolites and dissemination of comprehensive metabolomic data are the primary aims behind the development of this portal. For this purpose, PowerGet and FragmentAlign include a manual curation function for the results of metabolite feature alignments. A metadata-specific wiki-based database, Metabolonote, functions as a hub of web resources related to the submitters' work. This feature is expected to increase citation of the submitters' work, thereby promoting data publication. As an example of the practical use of KOMICS, a workflow for a study onJatropha curcasis presented. The tools and databases available at KOMICS should contribute to enhanced production, interpretation, and utilization of metabolomic Big Data.
Enhanced Osteogenicity of Bioactive Composites with Biomimetic Treatment
Authors: Meretoja Ville V. , Tirri Teemu , Malin Minna , Seppälä Jukka V. , Närhi Timo O.
Published: April 2014

Purpose. This study aimed to explore if initiation of biomimetic apatite nucleation can be used to enhance osteoblast response to biodegradable tissue regeneration composite membranes.Materials and Methods. Bioactive thermoplastic composites consisting of poly(ε-caprolactone/DL-lactide) and bioactive glass (BAG) were prepared at different stages of biomimetic calcium phosphate deposition by immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF). The modulation of the BAG dissolution and the osteogenic response of rat mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were analyzed.Results. SBF treatment resulted in a gradual calcium phosphate deposition on the composites and decreased BAG reactivity in the subsequent cell cultures. Untreated composites and composites covered by thick calcium phosphate layer (14 days in SBF) expedited MSC mineralization in comparison to neat polymers without BAG, whereas other osteogenic markers—alkaline phosphatase activity, bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin expression—were initially decreased. In contrast, surfaces with only small calcium phosphate aggregates (five days in SBF) had similar early response than neat polymers but still demonstrated enhanced mineralization.Conclusion. A short biomimetic treatment enhances osteoblast response to bioactive composite membranes.
A Novel Encryption Frame for Medical Image with Watermark Based on Hyperchaotic System
Authors: Zhang Shun , Gao Tiegang , Gao Lin
Published: April 2014

An encryption frame of medical image with watermark based on hyperchaotic system is proposed in this paper. Medical information, such as the patients’ private information, data needed for diagnosis, and information for authentication or protection of medical files, is embedded into the regions of interest (ROI) in medical images with a high capacity difference‐histogram‐based reversible data‐hiding scheme. After that, the watermarked medical images are encrypted with hyperchaotic systems. In the receiving end, the receiver with encryption key can decrypt the image to get similar images for diagnosis. If the receiver has the key for data hiding at the same time, he/she can extract the embedded private information and reversibly recover the original medical image. Experiments and analyses demonstrate that high embedding capacity and low distortion have been achieved in the process of data hiding, and, at the same time, high security has been acquired in the encryption phase.
Gene Expression Correlation for Cancer Diagnosis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ling Binbing , Chen Lifeng , Liu Qiang , Yang Jian
Published: April 2014

Poor prognosis for late-stage, high-grade, and recurrent cancers has been motivating cancer researchers to search for more efficient biomarkers to identify the onset of cancer. Recent advances in constructing and dynamically analyzing biomolecular networks for different types of cancer have provided a promising novel strategy to detect tumorigenesis and metastasis. The observation of different biomolecular networks associated with normal and cancerous states led us to hypothesize that correlations for gene expressions could serve as valid indicators of early cancer development. In this pilot study, we tested our hypothesis by examining whether the mRNA expressions of three randomly selected cancer-related genesPIK3C3,PIM3, andPTENwere correlated during cancer progression and the correlation coefficients could be used for cancer diagnosis. Strong correlations(0.68≤r≤1.0)were observed betweenPIK3C3andPIM3in breast cancer, betweenPIK3C3andPTENin breast and ovary cancers, and betweenPIM3andPTENin breast, kidney, liver, and thyroid cancers during disease progression, implicating that the correlations for cancer network gene expressions could serve as a supplement to current clinical biomarkers, such as cancer antigens, for early cancer diagnosis.
Cluster Anticonsensus of Multiagent Systems Based on theQ-Theory
Authors: Zhang Liping , Jiang Haibo , Guo Shuguang
Published: April 2014

We investigate the problem of cluster anticonsensus of multiagent systems. For multiagent continuous systems, a new control protocol is designed based on theQ-theory. Then by LaSalle's invariance principle we prove that if the graph is connected and bipartite, then the cluster anticonsensus is achieved by the proposed control protocol. On the other hand, a similar control protocol is designed for multiagent discrete-time systems. Then, sufficient conditions are given to guarantee the cluster anticonsensus of multiagent discrete-time systems by using theQ-theory and LaSalle's invariance principle. Numerical simulations show the effectiveness of our theoretical results.
Synthesis and Characterization of Structure‐Controlled Micro‐/Nanocomposite TiO2 Fibers with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Liu Chengcheng , Ding Chunmei , Zhao Tianyi , Jiang Lei
Published: April 2014

A series of structure‐controlled composite TiO2 fibers combining micro‐ and nanostructures (hereafter, micro‐/nanocomposite) were fabricated using a combination of electrospinning and calcination methods, and their photocatalytic activities were investigated. Smooth microscale fibers were obtained by electrospinning a precursor solution containing tetrabutyl titanate and TiF4. TiO2 nanocrystals formed on the microfibers with the help of HF which was produced from the decomposition of TiF4 in calcination. The size and quantity of TiO2 nanocrystals can be controlled by tuning the mass ratio of TiF4 in the sol‐gel precursor solutions and the calcination time. The obtained micro‐/nanocomposite TiO2 fibers were found to exhibit enhanced photocatalytic properties when compared with the bare microfibers. These micro‐/nanocomposite structures exhibit the advantages of both the nanocrystals and microfibers, which will lead to new developments in photocatalysis.
Approximation of Signals (Functions) by Trigonometric Polynomials inLp-Norm
Authors: Mittal M. L. , Singh Mradul Veer
Published: April 2014

Mittal and Rhoades (1999, 2000) and Mittal et al. (2011) have initiated a study of error estimatesEn(f)through trigonometric-Fourier approximation (tfa) for the situations in which the summability matrixTdoes not have monotone rows. In this paper, the first author continues the work in the direction forTto be aNp-matrix. We extend two theorems on summability matrixNpof Deger et al. (2012) where they have extended two theorems of Chandra (2002) usingCλ-method obtained by deleting a set of rows from Cesàro matrixC1. Our theorems also generalize two theorems of Leindler (2005) toNp-matrix which in turn generalize the result of Chandra (2002) and Quade (1937).
Key Techniques and Risk Management for the Application of the Pile-Beam-Arch (PBA) Excavation Method: A Case Study of the Zhongjie Subway Station
Authors: Guan Yong-ping , Zhao Wen , Li Shen-gang , Zhang Guo-bin
Published: April 2014

The design and construction of shallow-buried tunnels in densely populated urban areas involve many challenges. The ground movements induced by tunneling effects pose potential risks to infrastructure such as surface buildings, pipelines, and roads. In this paper, a case study of the Zhongjie subway station located in Shenyang, China, is examined to investigate the key construction techniques and the influence of the Pile-Beam-Arch (PBA) excavation method on the surrounding environment. This case study discusses the primary risk factors affecting the environmental safety and summarizes the corresponding risk mitigation measures and key techniques for subway station construction using the PBA excavation method in a densely populated urban area.
Ak-Dimensional System of Fractional Finite Difference Equations
Authors: Baleanu Dumitru , Rezapour Shahram , Salehi Saeid
Published: April 2014

We investigate the existence of solutions for ak-dimensional system of fractional finite difference equations by using the Kranoselskii’s fixed point theorem. We present an example in order to illustrate our results.
An Infrastructure to Mine Molecular Descriptors for Ligand Selection on Virtual Screening
Authors: Seus Vinicius Rosa , Perazzo Giovanni Xavier , Winck Ana T. , Werhli Adriano V. , Machado Karina S.
Published: April 2014

The receptor-ligand interaction evaluation is one important step in rational drug design. The databases that provide the structures of the ligands are growing on a daily basis. This makes it impossible to test all the ligands for a target receptor. Hence, a ligand selection before testing the ligands is needed. One possible approach is to evaluate a set of molecular descriptors. With the aim of describing the characteristics of promising compounds for a specific receptor we introduce a data warehouse-based infrastructure to mine molecular descriptors for virtual screening (VS). We performed experiments that consider as target the receptor HIV-1 protease and different compounds for this protein. A set of 9 molecular descriptors are taken as the predictive attributes and the free energy of binding is taken as a target attribute. By applying the J48 algorithm over the data we obtain decision tree models that achieved up to 84% of accuracy. The models indicate which molecular descriptors and their respective values are relevant to influence good FEB results. Using their rules we performed ligand selection on ZINC database. Our results show important reduction in ligands selection to be applied in VS experiments; for instance, the best selection model picked only 0.21% of the total amount of drug-like ligands.
Integrating Gene Expression and Protein Interaction Data for Signaling Pathway Prediction of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Kong Wei , Zhang Jingmao , Mou Xiaoyang , Yang Yang
Published: April 2014

Discovering the signaling pathway and regulatory network would provide significant advance in genome-wide understanding of pathogenesis of human diseases. Despite the rich transcriptome data, the limitation for microarray data is unable to detect changes beyond transcriptional level and insufficient in reconstructing pathways and regulatory networks. In our study, protein-protein interaction (PPI) data is introduced to add molecular biological information for predicting signaling pathway of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Combining PPI with gene expression data, significant genes are selected by modified linear regression model firstly. Then, according to the biological researches that inflammation reaction plays an important role in the generation and deterioration of AD, NF-κB (nuclear factor-kappa B), as a significant inflammatory factor, has been selected as the beginning gene of the predicting signaling pathway. Based on that, integer linear programming (ILP) model is proposed to reconstruct the signaling pathway between NF-κB and AD virulence gene APP (amyloid precursor protein). The results identify 6 AD virulence genes included in the predicted inflammatory signaling pathway, and a large amount of molecular biological analysis shows the great understanding of the underlying biological process of AD.
An Intelligent Clinical Decision Support System for Patient-Specific Predictions to Improve Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Detection
Authors: Bountris Panagiotis , Haritou Maria , Pouliakis Abraham , Margari Niki , Kyrgiou Maria , Spathis Aris , Pappas Asimakis , Panayiotides Ioannis , Paraskevaidis Evangelos A. , Karakitsos Petros , Koutsouris Dimitrios-Dionyssios
Published: April 2014

Nowadays, there are molecular biology techniques providing information related to cervical cancer and its cause: the human Papillomavirus (HPV), including DNA microarrays identifying HPV subtypes, mRNA techniques such as nucleic acid based amplification or flow cytometry identifying E6/E7 oncogenes, and immunocytochemistry techniques such as overexpression of p16. Each one of these techniques has its own performance, limitations and advantages, thus a combinatorial approach via computational intelligence methods could exploit the benefits of each method and produce more accurate results. In this article we propose a clinical decision support system (CDSS), composed by artificial neural networks, intelligently combining the results of classic and ancillary techniques for diagnostic accuracy improvement. We evaluated this method on 740 cases with complete series of cytological assessment, molecular tests, and colposcopy examination. The CDSS demonstrated high sensitivity (89.4%), high specificity (97.1%), high positive predictive value (89.4%), and high negative predictive value (97.1%), for detecting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). In comparison to the tests involved in this study and their combinations, the CDSS produced the most balanced results in terms of sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV. The proposed system may reduce the referral rate for colposcopy and guide personalised management and therapeutic interventions.
Effect of “Jian‐Pi‐Zhi‐Dong Decoction” on Gamma‐Aminobutyric Acid in a Mouse Model of Tourette Syndrome
Authors: Zhang Wen , Yu Wenjing , Wang Daohan , Wei Li , Lee Minkyoung , Wang Sumei
Published: April 2014

The purpose of this study was to explore the positive effects of Jian‐Pi‐Zhi‐Dong Decoction (JPZDD) on Tourette syndrome (TS) by investigating the expression of gamma‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its type A receptor (GABAAR) in the striatum of a TS mice model. The model was induced by 3,3′‐iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) treatment; then mice were divided into 4 groups (n=22, each); control and IDPN groups were gavaged with saline and the remaining 2 groups were gavaged with tiapride and JPZDD. We recorded the stereotypic behaviors of TS mice and measured the content of GABA in striatum by HPLC and GABAAR expression by immunohistochemistry and real‐time PCR. Our results showed that JPZDD inhibited the abnormal behaviors of TS model mice and decreased GABA levels and GABAAR protein and mRNA expression in the striatum of TS model mice. In brief, the mechanism by which JPZDD alleviates TS symptoms may be associated with GABAAR expression downregulation in striatum which may regulate GABA metabolism.