SpringerPlus

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List of Papers (Total 4,631)

Thermal–hydraulic analysis of the coil test facility for CFETR

Background Performance test of the China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) central solenoid (CS) and toroidal field (TF) insert coils is of great importance to evaluate the CFETR magnet performance in relevant operation conditions. The superconducting magnet of the coil test facility for CFETR is being designed with the aim of providing a background magnetic field to test...

Extremely high expression of serum alpha-fetoprotein level of gastric adenocarcinoma: a rare case with an unexpected well-prognosis

Introduction Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer is a relatively rare form of stomach malignancy. Patients with higher serum AFP level (>300 ng/mL) will have a poorer prognosis. Case description In this study, we present a case of 77-year-old woman with an extremely high expression of serum AFP level (>10,000 ng/mL) of gastric cancer. Histological examination...

Successful pregnancy and delivery in a patient with chronic myeloid leukemia: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction Complications associated with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) during pregnancy are rare, and management is challenging because very limited data are available on this patient group. Case description We herein report a successful pregnancy and delivery in a patient diagnosed with CML. The patient was treated with imatinib (400 mg/day) as a first-line therapy. However...

Improvement of the detection efficiency calibration and homogeneity measurement of Si-SPAD detectors

Background Silicon single-photon avalanche diodes (Si-SPADs) are the most used devices for measuring ultra-weak optical radiant fluxes in many quantum technology fields, such as quantum optics, quantum communication, quantum computing, etc. In all these fields, the detection efficiency is the main parameter, which has to be accurately known for achieving reliable measurements. In...

Radiation dose reduction based on CNR index with low-tube voltage scan for pediatric CT scan: experimental study using anthropomorphic phantoms

Background To figure out the relationship between image noise and contrast noise ratio (CNR) at different tube voltages, using anthropomorphic new-born and 1-year-old phantoms, and to discuss the feasibility of radiation dose reduction, based on the obtained CNR index from image noise. We performed helical scans of the anthropomorphic new-born and 1-year-old phantoms. The CT...

A study of implementation of national language policies in a local higher institution: a case study from China

Background College English syllabi have been a guide for English teaching in China for decades. In order to explore how the 2007 version of the College English Curriculum Requirement can succeed in local implementation, this case study chose Binzhou Medical University as a participant institution to find out the influential factors of the implementation of national language...

A C-band broadband ortho-mode transducer for radioastronomy polarimetry

Background We describe the design, the construction and performance of a narrow band ortho-mode transducer, currently used in the 5 GHz polarimetric receiver of the Galactic Emission Mapping project. Results The ortho-mode transducer was designed to achieve a high degree of transmission within the 400 MHz of the GEM band around the 5 GHz (4.8–5.2 GHz). It is composed of a...

Proposal for optimal placement platform of bikes using queueing networks

In recent social experiments, rental motorbikes and rental bicycles have been arranged at nodes, and environments where users can ride these bikes have been improved. When people borrow bikes, they return them to nearby nodes. Some experiments have been conducted using the models of Hamachari of Yokohama, the Niigata Rental Cycle, and Bicing. However, from these experiments, the...

Pressure drop of two-phase helium along long cryogenic flexible transfer lines to support a superconducting RF operation at its cryogenic test stand

Background Establishing a stand-alone cryogenic test stand is of vital importance to ensure the highly reliable and available operation of superconducting radio-frequency module in a synchrotron light source. Operating a cryogenic test stand relies strongly on a capability to deliver two-phase helium along long cryogenic transfer lines. A newly constructed cryogenic test stand...

Chinese insurance agents in “bad barrels”: a multilevel analysis of the relationship between ethical leadership, ethical climate and business ethical sensitivity

Background The moral hazards and poor public image of the insurance industry, arising from insurance agents’ unethical behavior, affect both the normal operation of an insurance company and decrease applicants’ confidence in the company. Contrarily, these scandals may demonstrate that the organizations were “bad barrels” in which insurance agents’ unethical decisions were...

1,3-Dipolar [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of N,C,C-trisubstituted nitrones with ring-acceptor methylenecyclopropanes: a computational study

Background 1,3-Dipolar [3 + 2]-cycloaddition of nitrones to the carbon–carbon double bonds of methylenecyclopropanes yields a mixture of regioisomeric 4- and 5-isoxazolidines. The mechanisms of the reactions of N,C,C-trisubstituted nitrones with ring acceptor substituted dimethyl methylenecyclopropanes-1,2-dicarboxylate and aryl methylidene cyclopropanes-1,1-dicarboxylate have...

Exploring key factors in online shopping with a hybrid model

IntroductionNowadays, the web increasingly influences retail sales. An in-depth analysis of consumer decision-making in the context of e-business has become an important issue for internet vendors. However, factors affecting e-business are complicated and intertwined.Case description To stimulate online sales, understanding key influential factors and causal relationships among...

Molecular characterization of new described kobuvirus in dogs with diarrhea in China

Canine kobuvirus (CaKVs) was a newly described virus detected in dogs in the US and Italy. To learn more about CaKVs, 5 of 106 fecal samples from diarrhea dogs were positive with CaKVs in China, and the full genome of CaKVs strain CH-1 isolated from dog with diarrhea was sequenced. The genome consists of 8186 nucleotides, excluding the 3′ poly (A) tail, and an open reading frame...

Complete plastid genome of Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl and comparative analysis in Rosaceae

Eriobotrya japonica (Thunb.) Lindl (loquat) is an evergreen Rosaceae fruit tree widely distributed in subtropical regions. Its leaves are considered as traditional Chinese medicine and are of high medical value especially for cough and emesis. Thus, we sequenced the complete plastid genome of E. japonica to better utilize this important species. The complete plastid genome of E...

Desflurane inhalation before ischemia increases ischemia–reperfusion-induced vascular leakage in isolated rabbit lungs

BackgroundIsoflurane and sevoflurane protect lungs with ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury. We examined the influence of desflurane on IR lung injury using isolated rabbit lungs perfused with a physiological salt solution.MethodsThe isolated lungs were divided into three groups: IR, desflurane-treated ischemia–reperfusion (DES-IR), and ventilation/perfusion-continued control (Cont...

Influence of physician years on urological journal publication productivity among Japanese urologists

PurposeTo evaluate the urological journal publication productivity of Japanese urologists based on their physician years.MethodsAll original articles written by Japanese urologists and published from Japanese institutions in 6 primary urological journals between 2010 and 2014 were reviewed (N = 529 articles).ResultsThe median post-graduate years of the first and corresponding...

Direct new oral anticoagulants: follow-up, guidelines and bleeding complications in general practice—a survey of Swiss general internal medicine practitioners

Background The present study investigated how much Swiss general internal medicine practitioners (GPs) know about new direct oral anticoagulants (NOACs), particularly the relevant guidelines, follow-up tests, dosing adjustments, indications and complications. We conducted a paper-based survey of GPs, performed in Bern, Switzerland. Our questionnaire assessed the physicians...

Genetic divergence among toxic and non-toxic cyanobacteria of the dry zone of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has rich cyanobacterial diversity, however, only few studies have been conducted to identify the potential toxin producers in water bodies used for human consumption. As the detection of cyanotoxin is vital in water quality management, a study was done by employing 16S rRNA gene to explore the genetic divergence, phylogenetic relationships and potential toxin producing...

Identification of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) of neuronatin in mice

Neuronatin (NNAT) is a paternal-inherited imprinted gene, first discovered in the rat neonatal brain, where it plays vital roles for neuronal growth, brain development, and metabolic regulation. The maternal imprint of NNAT has been identified in mice; however, the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) involved in the monoallelic expression of NNAT have not yet been...

Molecular linkage tracing of HIV-1 transmission events in seroconcordant couples in Guangxi Province, Southeastern China

BackgroundGuangxi Province in Southeastern China has one of the highest HIV-1 infection and transmission rates in stable couples. However, the mode of transmission at the molecular level has seldom been reported amongst this group. It is important to investigate this issue to support the treatment-as-prevention approach and for efficient interventions.MethodsHIV-1 subgenomic...

Autologous platelet lysates local injections for treatment of tibia non-union with breakage of the nickelclad: a case report

BackgroundNonunions of the tibia represent challenging orthopedic problems, which require the surgeon to analyze numerous factors and choose an appropriate treatment. This article presents a case report of tibia and fibula fracture patient who failed the internal fixation surgery and successfully recovered after one course of percutaneous autologous platelet lysates injection...

Deformity correction and extremity lengthening in the lower leg: comparison of clinical outcomes with two external surgical procedures

Objective Distraction osteogenesis is a method of stimulating the growth of new bone tissue in order to lengthen the extremities or bridge resected bone defects. In addition to the now-established intramedullary procedures, two different fixator systems are in use. The present study investigated the classical Ilizarov ring fixator (IRF) and a hexapod to assess the precision of...

Software project management tools in global software development: a systematic mapping study

Global software development (GSD) which is a growing trend in the software industry is characterized by a highly distributed environment. Performing software project management (SPM) in such conditions implies the need to overcome new limitations resulting from cultural, temporal and geographic separation. The aim of this research is to discover and classify the various tools...

Primary intracerebral osteosarcoma: a rare case report and review

Background Primary intracranial osteosarcoma is a extremely rare disease entity. We describe a case of primary intracerebral osteosarcoma in an adult brain. Case description A patient who presented with a 1-week history of headaches, and MRI examination was performed. The immunohistochemical diagnosis confirmed primary intracerebral osteosarcoma. The patient was treated with a...

Characterization of a novel hatching enzyme purified from starfish Asterina pectinifera

Hatching enzyme is a protease which can degrade the membrane of egg. In this study, a hatching enzyme was purified from starfish (Asterina pectinifera) with 6.34 fold of purification rate, 5.04 % of yield, and 73.87 U/mg of specific activity. The molecular weight of starfish hatching enzyme was 86 kDa, which was reduced to 62 kDa after removal of N-linked oligosaccharides. The...