bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The diagnostic accuracy of chest ultrasound for CT-detected radiographic consolidation in hospitalised adults with acute respiratory failure: a systematic review
Authors: Hew Mark , Corcoran John P , Harriss Elinor K , Rahman Najib M , Mallett Susan
Published: May 2015

Objectives

(1) Summarise chest ultrasound accuracy to diagnose radiological consolidation, referenced to chest CT in patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF). (2) Directly compared ultrasound with chest X-ray.

Setting

Hospitalised patients.

Participants

Studies were eligible if adult participants in respiratory failure underwent chest ultrasound to diagnose consolidation referenced to CT. Exclusion: (1) not primary study, (2) not respiratory failure, (3) not chest ultrasound, (4) not consolidation, (5) translation unobtainable, (6) unable to extract data, (7) unable to obtain paper. 4 studies comprising 224 participants met inclusion.

Outcome measures

As planned, paired forest plots display 95% CIs of sensitivity and specificity for ultrasound and chest X-ray. Sensitivity and specificity from each study are plotted in receiver operator characteristics space. Meta-analysis was planned if studies were sufficiently homogeneous and numerous (≥4). Although this numerical requirement was met, meta-analysis was prevented by heterogeneous units of analysis between studies.

Results

All studies were in intensive care, with either a high risk of selection bias or high applicability concerns. Studies had unclear or high risk of bias related to use of ultrasound. Only 1 study clearly performed ultrasound within 24 h of respiratory failure diagnosis. Ultrasound sensitivity ranged from 0.91 (95% CI 0.81 to 0.97) to 1.00 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.00). Specificity ranged from 0.78 (95% CI 0.52 to 0.94) to 1.00 (0.99 to 1.00). In two studies, chest X-ray had lower sensitivity than ultrasound, but there were insufficient patients to compare specificity.

Conclusions

Four small studies suggest ultrasound is highly sensitive and specific for consolidation in ARF, but high risk of bias and concerns about applicability in all studies may have inflated diagnostic accuracy. Further robustly designed studies are needed to define the role of ultrasound in this setting.

Trial registration number

http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/(CRD42013006472).
Republished: Reversible transverse sinus collapse in a patient with idiopathic intracranial hypertension
Authors: Onder Halil , Gocmen Rahsan , Gursoy-Ozdemir Yasemin
Published: May 2015

The association of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) with stenosis or narrowing of the transverse sinuses (TSs) is well known. However, there is debate as to whether the stenosis is a cause or consequence. Here we describe a case of IIH and narrowing of the TSs, with four relapses and recoveries after repeated CSF diversions with lumbar puncture (LP) over 2 months. Subsequently, implantation of a lumboperitoneal shunt (LPrS) ensured recovery. MR venography 20 months after LPrS showed normally calibrated TSs. We show repeated MR venography findings before and after the LPs, and discuss the pathogenesis of IIH in terms of the cause and effect relationship between IIH and sinus collapse.
Republished: Importance of repeat angiography in the diagnosis of iatrogenic anterior cerebral artery territory pseudoaneurysm following endoscopic sinus surgery
Authors: Munich Stephan A , Cress Marshall C , Rangel-Castilla Leonardo , Krishna Chandan , Siddiqui Adnan H , Snyder Kenneth V
Published: May 2015

Iatrogenic intracranial pseudoaneurysm formation and rupture are rare complications following endoscopic sinus surgery. Given the propensity for devastating neurologic injury after a relatively routine procedure, swift diagnosis and treatment is essential. The authors present a patient who experienced bifrontal intracranial hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured iatrogenic frontopolar artery pseudoaneurysm caused during routine endoscopic sinus surgery. The pseudoaneurysm was not present on initial angiograms but became apparent radiographically 19 days after the endoscopic procedure. Endovascular treatment consisted of coil and Onyx embolization for sacrifice of the parent vessel proximal to the lesion. Early recognition of iatrogenic intracranial vascular injury is important to allow for rapid treatment. Initial radiographic studies may be unreliable in excluding the presence of a pseudoaneurysm so delayed repeat angiographic assessment is necessary, particularly in the presence of a high index of clinical suspicion. Endovascular techniques may provide an effective and safe option for the treatment of iatrogenic anterior cerebral artery distribution pseudoaneurysms.
Routine issuance of clinical magnets to patients receiving implantable defibrillators: retention of information and appropriateness of use
Authors: Thomas Dewi E , Barry James P , Churchouse Wendy , Anderson Mark H
Published: May 2015

Background

The application of a clinical magnet over an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) can be used to suspend tachycardia therapies in patients receiving recurrent or inappropriate shocks. In our institution, they have been routinely issued to patients undergoing ICD implantation during the past 5 years. The purpose of this survey was to investigate how well information concerning their use had been retained, and in what circumstances the magnets had been used.

Methods

We sent a questionnaire to 476 patients, and received a response from 343 (72%). Data was collated using ‘Microsoft Excel’, cross-referenced against our own pacing database, and analysed using basic statistical methods.

Results

256 (74.6%) patients recalled being issued with a magnet. 48% of these were still in possession of their written information leaflet at the time of survey; 62% felt that they were able to remember when and how to use the magnet—with patients who had received written instructions and verbal reinforcement demonstrating the best recall. 8% of patients had used their magnets and the most common reason for use was multiple or inappropriate shocks. In addition, almost half of the patients who had suffered inappropriate shocks had been able to successfully use their magnets. No cases of harm related to magnet use were identified.

Conclusions

The results of our survey suggest that routinely issuing clinical magnets to ICD patients is a safe and effective practice, and a small but significant number of patients were able to utilise their magnets in clinically important situations.
Individual variability in cardiac biomarker release after 30 min of high-intensity rowing in elite and amateur athletes
Authors: Legaz-Arrese Alejandro , López-Laval Isaac , George Keith , Puente-Lanzarote Juan José , Moliner-Urdiales Diego , Ayala-Tajuelo Vicente Javier , Mayolas-Pi Carmen , Reverter-Masià Joaquín
Published: May 2015

This study had two objectives: (i) to examine individual variation in the pattern of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) release in response to high-intensity rowing exercise, and (ii) to establish whether individual heterogeneity in biomarker appearance was influenced by athletic status (elite vs. amateur). We examined cTnI and NT-proBNP in 18 elite and 14 amateur rowers before and 5 min, 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 h after a 30-min maximal rowing test. Compared with pre-exercise levels, peak postexercise cTnI (pre: 0.014 ± 0.030 μg·L–1; peak post: 0.058 ± 0.091 μg·L–1; p = 0.000) and NT-proBNP (pre: 15 ± 11 ng·L–1; peak post: 31 ± 19 ng·L–1; p = 0.000) were elevated. Substantial individual heterogeneity in peak and time-course data was noted for cTnI. Peak cTnI exceeded the upper reference limit (URL) in 9 elite and 3 amateur rowers. No rower exceeded the URL for NT-proBNP. Elite rowers had higher baseline (0.019 ± 0.038 vs. 0.008 ± 0.015 μg·L–1; p = 0.003) and peak postexercise cTnI (0.080 ± 0.115 vs. 0.030 ± 0.029 μg·L–1; p = 0.022) than amateur rowers, but the change with exercise was similar between groups. There were no significant differences in baseline and peak postexercise NT-proBNP between groups. In summary, marked individuality in the cTnI response to a short but high-intensity rowing bout was observed. Athletic status did not seem to affect the change in cardiac biomarkers in response to high-intensity exercise.
Catchment-wide survival of wild- and hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon smolts in a changing system
Authors: Stich Daniel S. , Bailey Michael M. , Holbrook Christopher M. , Kinnison Michael T. , Zydlewski Joseph D.
Published: May 2015

We developed a hierarchical multistate model to estimate survival of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) smolts in the Penobscot River, USA, over a decade during which two mainstem dams were removed from the catchment. We investigated effects of (i) environmental factors, (ii) rearing history, and (iii) management actions, including dam removal, turbine shutdown, and installation of new powerhouses. Mean ± SD smolt survival per kilometre was higher through free-flowing reaches of the catchment (0.995 ± 0.004·km−1) than through reaches containing dams that remain in the system (0.970 ± 0.019·km−1). We observed maximum survival between 12 and 17 °C and at intermediate discharges (1200 m3·s−1). Smolt survival increased concurrent with dam removal and decreased following increases in hydropower generation. The greatest increase in smolt survival followed seasonal turbine shutdowns at a dam located on the largest tributary to the Penobscot River, while other shutdowns had little influence. Our model provides a useful tool for assessing changes to survival of migratory species and will be useful for informing stocking plans to maximize numbers of smolts leaving coastal systems.
Coaggregation between Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter strains isolated from the food industry
Authors: Møretrø Trond , Sharifzadeh Shahab , Langsrud Solveig , Heir Even , Rickard Alexander H.
Published: May 2015

In this study, coaggregation interactions between Rhodococcus and Acinetobacter strains isolated from food-processing surfaces were characterized. Rhodococcus sp. strain MF3727 formed intrageneric coaggregates with Rhodococcus sp. strain MF3803 and intergeneric coaggregates with 2 strains of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (MF3293, MF3627). Stronger coaggregation between A. calcoaceticus MF3727 and Rhodococcus sp. MF3293 was observed after growth in batch culture at 30 °C than at 20 °C, after growth in tryptic soy broth than in liquid R2A medium, and between cells in exponential and early stationary phases than cells in late stationary phase. The coaggregation ability of Rhodococcus sp. MF3727 was maintained even after heat and Proteinase K treatment, suggesting its ability to coaggregate was protein independent whereas the coaggregation determinants of the other strains involved proteinaceous cell-surface-associated polymers. Coaggregation was stable at pH 5–9. The mechanisms of coaggregation among Acinetobacter and Rhodococcus strains bare similarity to those displayed by coaggregating bacteria of oral and freshwater origin, with respect to binding between proteinaceous and nonproteinaceous determinants and the effect of environmental factors on coaggregation. Coaggregation may contribute to biofilm formation on industrial food surfaces, protecting bacteria against cleaning and disinfection.
Physiologic significance of coronary collaterals in chronic total occlusions
Authors: Vo Minh N. , Brilakis Emmanouil S. , Kass Malek , Ravandi Amir
Published: May 2015

Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) are commonly found in patients with coronary artery disease, and a system of collateral connections are found in almost all of these patients. These collateral vessels serve to prevent myocardial necrosis but are not sufficient to prevent myocardial ischemia during exercise. Unfortunately, the presence of well-developed collaterals has been used as argument against CTO revascularization. Many continue to falsely believe that these patients are “protected” by collaterals and, therefore, CTO recanalization is not indicated. Our knowledge of the physiologic significance of coronary collaterals has increased significantly over the past several years. Studies utilizing coronary pressure and flow velocity have answered a number of basic physiologic questions. We therefore sought to review the evidence for coronary collateral flow and their clinical significance in patients with CTOs.
High-spin structures of 77,79,81,83As isotopes
Authors: Kumar Vikas , Srivastava P. C. , Morales Irving O.
Published: May 2015

In this paper, we report comprehensive set of shell model calculations for arsenic isotopes. We performed shell model calculations with two recent effective interactions JUN45 and jj44b. The overall results for the energy levels and magnetic moments are in rather good agreement with the available experimental data. We have also reported competition of proton- and neutron-pair breakings analysis to identify which nucleon pairs are broken to obtain the total angular momentum of the calculated states. Further theoretical development is needed by enlarging model space by including [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] orbitals.
Seismic Response of Triple Friction Pendulum Bearing under Near-Fault Ground Motions
Authors: Amiri Gholamreza Ghodrati , Namiranian Pejman , Amiri Mohamad Shamekhi
Published: May 2015

The seismic response of a stiff single-story and a flexible multi-story building isolated with triple friction pendulum bearing (TFPB) are investigated under the pulse-like (near-fault, NF-Pulse) and (NF-No Pulse) NF nonpulse ground motions. By varying the geometric parameters, such as the effective spherical surface radius, or by specifying different friction coefficients for each surface, one can adjust the behavior of the bearing. Consequently, the stiffness and damping ratio of the system can be optimized for multiple performance objectives under multiple levels of hazard. The seismic responses are evaluated under different isolation parameters for the displacement of isolation and the superstructure demand functions of the system, including the base shear, maximum inter-story drift and top floor absolute acceleration of the isolated structure. First, the seismic response of twenty TFPBs with different stiffnesses and damping ratios are investigated under NF motions. A comparison of results suggested that the displacement of the TFPB under the NF-Pulse motion is about twice that of the NF-No Pulse motions. The best performance of the system is found when the TFPB works in its third stage of motion. Next, from the sensitivity analysis, the effect of each parameter of the TFPB on the seismic response of system is investigated and the trends for optimal parameters of TFPB are presented. The criterion selected for optimality is to minimize the performance function that considers all seismic responses simultaneously. The optimum ranges for the related parameters are: (a) 0.02–0.04 for the coefficient of friction of the inner surface; (b) 0.06–0.14 and 0.04–0.12 for the bottom concave plate under the NF-Pulse and NF-No Pulse, respectively; (c) 0.06–0.18 and 0.06–0.16 for the top concave plate under the NF-Pulse and NF-No Pulse, respectively; (d) 200–500 mm for the radius of curvature of the inner surface; and (e) 2500–4500 mm for the outer surface.
Structurally Motivated Models of the Arterial Wall Tissue
Authors: Taghizadeh Hadi , Shadpour Mohammad Tafazzoli
Published: May 2015

Mechanical characteristics of soft biological tissues mostly depend on their hierarchy at different scales from nano- to macro-structure. It is shown that arterial wall tissue is highly sensitive to its mechanical environment and any alteration in mechanical factors such as blood pressure, triggers physio- pathological processes within arterial wall. Quantification of these mechanical properties will provide us with deeper insights of ongoing biological events. In this context, mechanical contributions of wall constituents in health and diseases are of growing interest. Hence, this review is concerned with mechanical models of arterial wall tissue with a focus on microstructurally motivated representations.
On k-totally magic cordial labeling of graphs
Authors: Jeyanthi P. , Benseera N. Angel , Lau Gee-Choon
Published: May 2015

Let G = (V(G), E(G)) be a simple, finite and undirected graph of order n. Given a bijection f: V(G) ∪ E(G) → Zk such that for each edge uv ∈ E(G), f(u) + f(v) + f(uv) is constant C( mod k). Let nf(i) be the number of vertices and edges labeled by i under f. If |nf(i) - nf(j)| ≤ 1 for all 0 ≤ i < j ≤ k - 1, we say f is a k-totally magic cordial (k-TMC) labeling of G. A graph is said to be k-totally cordial magic if it admits a k-TMC labeling. In this paper, we give some ways to construct new families of k-TMC graphs from a known k-totally cordial magic graphs. We also give a sufficient condition for an odd graph to admit no k-TMC labeling. As a by-product, we determine the k-totally magic cordiality of many families of graphs.
Differences in temporal aspects of food acquisition between rats and two strains of mice in a closed operant economy
Authors: Rowland Neil E. , Minaya Dulce M. , Cervantez Melissa R. , Minervini Vanessa , Robertson Kimberly L.
Published: May 2015

Rats and mice were studied for changes in meal-taking structure in a closed operant food economy, in which the consummatory or unit prices for food were increased. In experiment 1, as food price increased, male rats modestly decreased the number of meals per day and increased mean meal size. Female rats were similar to males but had smaller meal size and, at low costs, took more meals per day. In experiment 2, male and female B6 mice reduced food intake as price increased, accompanied by decreased meal number without change in meal size. They showed grazing-like behavior in the first part of the night. In contrast, we report in experiment 3, a large increase in intake and meal size during the final trimester of pregnancy. In experiment 4, we report that CD1 male mice subjected to a unit price series performed comparably to rats, and not like B6 mice. Other CD1 mice were tested using an interval schedule, and we found that mice were able to adapt eating patterns to greatly increased time demands without compromising total intake. Data are discussed in terms of the intercalation of food acquisition with global patterns of activity. Such interactions of organism and food environment are in particular need of mechanistic investigation.
Endothelium-derived ET-1 and the development of renal injury
Authors: De Miguel Carmen , Pollock David M. , Pollock Jennifer S.
Published: May 2015

The role of the vasoactive peptide endothelin-1 (ET-1) in renal injury is not fully understood. In this review, we examine the genetic models available to understand the autocrine/paracrine mechanisms by which ET-1 leads to renal injury and propose the working hypothesis that endothelium-derived ET-1 induces renal injury by initiating renal tubular apoptosis in a paracrine manner.
Cell type- and activity-dependent extracellular correlates of intracellular spiking
Authors: Anastassiou Costas A. , Perin Rodrigo , Buzsáki György , Markram Henry , Koch Christof
Published: May 2015

Despite decades of extracellular action potential (EAP) recordings monitoring brain activity, the biophysical origin and inherent variability of these signals remain enigmatic. We performed whole cell patch recordings of excitatory and inhibitory neurons in rat somatosensory cortex slice while positioning a silicon probe in their vicinity to concurrently record intra- and extracellular voltages for spike frequencies under 20 Hz. We characterize biophysical events and properties (intracellular spiking, extracellular resistivity, temporal jitter, etc.) related to EAP recordings at the single-neuron level in a layer-specific manner. Notably, EAP amplitude was found to decay as the inverse of distance between the soma and the recording electrode with similar (but not identical) resistivity across layers. Furthermore, we assessed a number of EAP features and their variability with spike activity: amplitude (but not temporal) features varied substantially (∼30–50% compared with mean) and nonmonotonically as a function of spike frequency and spike order. Such EAP variation only partly reflects intracellular somatic spike variability and points to the plethora of processes contributing to the EAP. Also, we show that the shape of the EAP waveform is qualitatively similar to the negative of the temporal derivative to the intracellular somatic voltage, as expected from theory. Finally, we tested to what extent EAPs can impact the lowpass-filtered part of extracellular recordings, the local field potential (LFP), typically associated with synaptic activity. We found that spiking of excitatory neurons can significantly impact the LFP at frequencies as low as 20 Hz. Our results question the common assertion that the LFP acts as proxy for synaptic activity.
Protective Effects of Hydrogen-Rich Saline on Rats with Smoke Inhalation Injury
Authors: Chen Xing , Liu Qi , Wang Dawei , Feng Shihai , Zhao Yongjian , Shi Yun , Liu Qun
Published: May 2015

Objective. To explore the protective effects of hydrogen-rich saline on rats with smoke inhalation injury.Methods. 36 healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=12per group): sham group (S), inhalation injury plus normal saline treatment group (I+NS), and inhalation injury plus hydrogen-rich saline treatment group (I+HS). 30 min after injury, normal saline and hydrogen-rich saline were injected intraperitoneally (5 mL/kg) in I+NS group and I+HS group, respectively. All rats were euthanized and blood and organ specimens were collected for determination 24 h after inhalation injury.Results. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 expression, and apoptosis index (AI) in I+HS group were significantly decreased (P<0.05), while superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were increased compared with those in I+NS group; and a marked improvement in alveolar structure was also found after hydrogen-rich saline treatment.Conclusions. Hydrogen-rich saline treatment exerts protective effects in acute lung injury induced by inhalation injury, at least in part through the activation of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant pathways and inhibition of apoptosis.
Glioblastoma Circulating Cells: Reality, Trap or Illusion?
Authors: Lombard A. , Goffart N. , Rogister B.
Published: May 2015

Metastases are the hallmark of cancer. This event is in direct relationship with the ability of cancer cells to leave the tumor mass and travel long distances within the bloodstream and/or lymphatic vessels. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most frequent primary brain neoplasm, is mainly characterized by a dismal prognosis. The usual fatal issue for GBM patients is a consequence of local recurrence that is observed most of the time without any distant metastases. However, it has recently been documented that GBM cells could be isolated from the bloodstream in several studies. This observation raises the question of the possible involvement of glioblastoma-circulating cells in GBM deadly recurrence by a “homing metastasis” process. Therefore, we think it is important to review the already known molecular mechanisms underlying circulating tumor cells (CTC) specific properties, emphasizing their epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) abilities and their possible involvement in tumor initiation. The idea is here to review these mechanisms and speculate on how relevant they could be applied in the forthcoming battles against GBM.
The Flavonoid Apigenin Ameliorates Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity through Reduction of p53 Activation and Promotion of PI3K/Akt Pathway in Human Renal Proximal Tubular Epithelial Cells
Authors: Ju Sung Min , Kang Jun Gue , Bae Jun Sang , Pae Hyun Ock , Lyu Yeoung Su , Jeon Byung Hun
Published: May 2015

Apigenin is a member of the flavone subclass of flavonoids present in fruits and vegetables. Apigenin has long been considered to have various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumorigenic properties, in various cell types. Cisplatin was known to exhibit cytotoxic effect to renal cells by inducing apoptosis through activation of p53. The present study investigated the antiapoptotic effects of apigenin on the cisplatin-treated human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells. HK-2 cells were pretreated with apigenin (5, 10, 20 μM) for 1 h and then treated with 40 μM cisplatin for various times. Apigenin inhibited the cisplatin-induced apoptosis of HK-2 cells. Interestingly, apigenin itself exerted cytostatic activity because of its ability to induce cell cycle arrest. Apigenin inhibited caspase-3 activity and PARP cleavage in cisplatin-treated cells. Apigenin reduced cisplatin-induced phosphorylation and expression of p53, with no significant influence on production of ROS that is known to induce p53 activation. Furthermore, apigenin promoted cisplatin-induced Akt phosphorylation, suggesting that enhanced Akt activation may be involved in cytoprotection. Taken together, these results suggest that apigenin ameliorates cisplatin-induced apoptosis through reduction of p53 activation and promotion of PI3K/Akt pathway in HK-2 cells.
A Conforming Triangular Plane Element with Rotational Degrees of Freedom
Authors: Fu Xiang-Rong , Yuan Ming-Wu , Pu Chen
Published: May 2015

This paper presents a novel way to formulate the triangular plane element with rotational degrees of freedom (RDOF). The linear distribution of rotational displacement is assumed. The conforming displacement along the sides based on the rotational displacement assumption is derived, and the triangular plane element TR3 for isotropic material is formulated. By using the explicit integral formulae of the triangular element, the matrices used in the proposed plane element TR3 are calculated efficiently. The benchmark examples showed thier high accuracy and high efficiency.
A Mixed Variable Speed Reaching Law of Sliding Mode Control for Spacecraft Tracking System
Authors: Zhang Yao , Zhao Yu-Xin
Published: May 2015

For spacecraft tracking control system, the reaching law election and controller design are two crucial and important problems. In this paper, spacecraft tracking system is considered as a discrete-time system, a mixed variable speed reaching law of SMC, and a controller for spacecraft tracking system has been investigated. Theory proves that this method can ensure the stability of spacecraft system and eliminate the chattering phenomenon. Furthermore, when spacecraft is inflicted by a certain external interference, the regulating function of neural network can ensure strong robustness of the system. Simulation results show that, compared with exponential reaching law and classical variable speed reaching law, the proposed reaching law has better suppress chattering effect and dynamic performance.
Optimizing the Care and Health of Women with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Nee Judy , Feuerstein Joseph D.
Published: May 2015

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) including both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease is increasing worldwide. Although diagnosis is equally found in men and women, the chronicity of IBD poses a unique impact on the milestones of a woman’s life. As the gastroenterologist becomes increasingly important in the health maintenance of patients with IBD, this review stresses the unique gender issues in women with IBD related to menstruation, cervical cancer, sexual health, contraception, and menopause that may affect the course of disease, treatment decisions, and quality of life.
Clinical and Imaging Features of a Congenital Midline Cervical Cleft in a Neonate: A Rare Anomaly
Authors: Goldfisher Rachelle , Bawa Pritish , Ibrahim Zachary , Amodio John
Published: May 2015

Congenital midline cervical cleft (CMCC) is a rare congenital anomaly. CMCC and its complications and treatment have been well described in ENT, dermatology, and pediatric surgery literature. However, to our knowledge, the imaging work-up has not been reported in the literature thus far. We present a case of CMCC in a neonate with description of clinical presentation and imaging features.
Stress Field Gradient Analysis Technique Using Lower-OrderC0Elements
Authors: Xing Jianwei , Zheng Gangtie
Published: May 2015

For evaluating the stress gradient, a mathematical technique based on the stress field of lower-orderC0elements is developed in this paper. With nodal stress results and location information, an overdetermined and inconsistent equation of stress gradient is established and the minimum norm least squares solution is obtained by the Moore-Penrose pseudoinverse. This technique can be applied to any element type in comparison with the superconvergent patch (SCP) recovery for the stress gradient, which requires the quadratic elements at least and has to invert the Jacobi and Hessian matrices. The accuracy and validity of the presented method are demonstrated by two examples, especially its merit of achieving high accuracy with lower-order linearC0elements. This method can be conveniently introduced into the general finite element analysis programs as a postprocessing module.
The Cost of Managing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Greece: A Retrospective Analysis of 10-Year Patient Level Data “The HERCULES Study”
Authors: Migdalis Ilias , Rombopoulos Grigorios , Hatzikou Magdalini , Manes Christos , Kypraios Nikolaos , Tentolouris Nikolaos
Published: May 2015

Objective.This study aimed to estimate the mean annual cost of treating type 2 diabetes mellitus patients (T2DM) including complications and comorbidities in Greece.Design.A noninterventional retrospective study was based on patient level data analysis (bottom-up approach) from medical records, with at least 10-year-follow-up data.Results.The total annual cost per patient for managing diabetes in Greece was estimated at € 7,111 and was, statistically significantly, higher for patients with inadequate glycemic control (Hba1c>7%) versus patients with adequate control (Hba1c=7%) (€ 7,783 versus € 6,366, resp.;   P=0.017). This was mainly attributed to difference in CV hospitalizations between groups 14/111 versus 4/100, respectively,OR=3.46(95% CI: 1.10–10.9) for inadequately controlled patients. The largest component of cost was management of comorbidities, accounting for 48% of costs, and pharmaceutical treatment at 35.9% while only 14.9% was attributed to diabetes treatment per se. Obese men and patients with poor education are the groups with higher treatment costs.Conclusions.This is the first study to capture all cost components and the real burden of diabetes in Greece. Comorbidities were found to account for almost half of total cost, significantly higher in nonoptimally controlled diabetes patients.
Establishment of Approximate Analytical Model of Oil Film Force for Finite Length Tilting Pad Journal Bearings
Authors: Wang Yongliang , Gao Yu , Cui Ying , Liu Zhansheng
Published: May 2015

Tilting pad bearings offer unique dynamic stability enabling successful deployment of high-speed rotating machinery. The model of dynamic stiffness, damping, and added mass coefficients is often used for rotordynamic analyses, and this method does not suffice to describe the dynamic behaviour due to the nonlinear effects of oil film force under larger shaft vibration or vertical rotor conditions. The objective of this paper is to present a nonlinear oil force model for finite length tilting pad journal bearings. An approximate analytic oil film force model was established by analysing the dynamic characteristic of oil film of a single pad journal bearing using variable separation method under the dynamicπoil film boundary condition. And an oil film force model of a four-tilting-pad journal bearing was established by using the pad assembly technique and considering pad tilting angle. The validity of the model established was proved by analyzing the distribution of oil film pressure and the locus of journal centre for tilting pad journal bearings and by comparing the model established in this paper with the model established using finite difference method.
Subsection Forward Modeling Method of Blasting Stress Wave Underground
Authors: Yan Bo , Zeng Xinwu , Li Yuan
Published: May 2015

The generation of stress waves induced by explosions underground is governed by material nonlinear responses of materials surrounding explosions and affected by source region mediums and local structures. A nonlinear finite element (NFE) method can simulate the generation efficiently. However, the calculation using the NFE to observational distances, where motions are elastic, is computationally challenging. In order to tackle this problem, we present a subsection numerical simulating method for forward modelling the generation and propagation of stress waves with a hybrid method coupling the NFE and a linear finite element (LFE). The subsection idea is developed based on previous works; calculating steps of the subsection method as well as techniques of passing motions from a source region to an elastic region are discussed. 3D numerical simulations of stress wave propagation in rock generated by decoupled explosion underground with two methods for comparison are carried out. The accuracy of the subsection method is demonstrated with simulated results. The demand of PC memory and the calculating time are investigated. The subsection method provides another approach for modeling and understanding the generation and propagation of explosion-induced stress waves, though, currently, studies are preliminary.
A Parallel Spectral Element Method for Fractional Lorenz System
Authors: Su Yanhui
Published: May 2015

We provide a parallel spectral element method for the fractional Lorenz system numerically. The detailed construction and implementation of the method are presented. Thanks to the spectral accuracy of the presented method, the storage requirement due to the “global time dependence” can be considerably relaxed. Also, the parareal method combining spectral element method reduces the computing time greatly. Finally, we have tested the chaotic behaviors of fractional Lorenz system. Our numerical results are in excellent agreement with the results from other numerical methods.
Precursor Amino Acids Inhibit Polymyxin E Biosynthesis inPaenibacillus polymyxa, Probably by Affecting the Expression of Polymyxin E Biosynthesis-Associated Genes
Authors: Yu Zhiliang , Guo Chenglin , Qiu Juanping
Published: May 2015

Polymyxin E belongs to cationic polypeptide antibiotic bearing four types of direct precursor amino acids including L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (L-Dab), L-Leu, D-Leu, and L-Thr. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of addition of precursor amino acids during fermentation on polymyxin E biosynthesis inPaenibacillus polymyxa. The results showed that, after 35 h fermentation, addition of direct precursor amino acids to certain concentration significantly inhibited polymyxin E production and affected the expression of genes involved in its biosynthesis. L-Dab repressed the expression of polymyxin synthetase genespmxAandpmxE, as well as 2,4-diaminobutyrate aminotransferase geneectB; both L-Leu and D-Leu repressed thepmxAexpression. In addition, L-Thr affected the expression of not onlypmxA, but also regulatory genesspo0AandabrB. As L-Dab precursor, L-Asp repressed the expression ofectB,pmxA, andpmxE. Moreover, it affected the expression ofspo0AandabrB. In contrast, L-Phe, a nonprecursor amino acid, had no obvious effect on polymyxin E biosynthesis and those biosynthesis-related genes expression. Taken together, our data demonstrated that addition of precursor amino acids during fermentation will inhibit polymyxin E production probably by affecting the expression of its biosynthesis-related genes.
Monitoring of Serial Presurgical and Postsurgical Changes in the Serum Proteome in a Series of Patients with Calcific Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Satoh Kazumi , Yamada Kazuo , Maniwa Tomoko , Oda Teiji , Matsumoto Ken-ichi
Published: May 2015

Background. Comprehensive analysis of proteome differentially expressed in response to surgery or drug treatment is useful to understand biological responses to dispensed interventions. Here we investigated expression changes in sera of patients who suffered from calcific aortic stenosis (CAS), before and after surgery for aortic valve replacement.Materials and Methods. Sera obtained before and after surgery with depletion of highly abundant proteins were analyzed with iTRAQ labeling followed by nanoLC-MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS/MS.Results. Fifty-one proteins shared in five patients were identified with differential levels in postsurgical and presurgical sera. Finally, 16 proteins that show statistically significant levels in patients’ sera compared with those in control sera (P<0.05) were identified. Most of the identified proteins were positive acute-phase proteins. Among three proteins other than acute-phase proteins, we confirmed increased levels of antithrombin-III and zinc-α-2-glycoprotein in postsurgical sera by Western blot analysis using other CAS patients’ sera. Furthermore, antithrombin-III and zinc-α-2-glycoprotein were not found among proteins with differential levels in postsurgical and presurgical sera of patients with aortic aneurysms that we identified in a previous study.Conclusions. The results indicated that antithrombin-III and zinc-α-2-glycoprotein would become unique monitoring proteins for evaluating pathophysiological and biochemical processes occurring before and after surgery for CAS.
Multiple Geminated Supernumerary Premolars: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Soin Atul , Sharma Gaurav , Soin Gayatri , Raina Anudeep , Mutneja Puneet , Nagpal Archna
Published: May 2015

Supernumerary teeth may be defined as any teeth or tooth substance in excess of the usual configuration of 20 deciduous and 32 permanent teeth. Gemination is defined as an attempt by a single tooth bud to divide, with a resultant formation of either a large tooth with a bifid crown or two completely divided teeth throughout the crown and root. Geminated supernumerary premolar is a rarity and the possibility of multiple occurrences is even rarer. An exhaustive review of English literature and a PubMed search conducted using the terms “gemination’’ and “multiple geminated supernumerary” revealed no case of multiple geminated supernumerary premolars. We report a case of multiple geminated supernumerary premolars in a 23-year-old male.
Primary Breast Burkitt’s Lymphoma in an HIV-Infected Woman
Authors: Traoré Bangaly , Fondrevelle Marie-Eve , Condé Mamoudou , Chassagne-Clément Catherine , Kourouma Tidiane , Keita Ahmed Monzomba , Koulibaly Moussa , Sylla Bakary Sidiki
Published: May 2015

A 30-year-old HIV positive woman presented with a multifocal mass tumour associated with axillary and lateral-cervical lymphadenopathy in the right breast. Laboratory examination of the biopsy confirmed a case of mammary Burkitt’s lymphoma with a nodular infiltration of the breast. Antiretroviral treatment and chemotherapy were effective to control the tumour. Although Burkitt’s lymphoma rarely involves the breasts, it should be considered during routine breast examination of African woman.
Hadoop-Based Healthcare Information System Design and Wireless Security Communication Implementation
Authors: Chen Hongsong , Fu Zhongchuan
Published: May 2015

Human health information from healthcare system can provide important diagnosis data and reference to doctors. However, continuous monitoring and security storage of human health data are challenging personal privacy and big data storage. To build secure and efficient healthcare application, Hadoop-based healthcare security communication system is proposed. In wireless biosensor network, authentication and key transfer should be lightweight. An ECC (Elliptic Curve Cryptography) based lightweight digital signature and key transmission method are proposed to provide wireless secure communication in healthcare information system. Sunspot wireless sensor nodes are used to build healthcare secure communication network; wireless nodes and base station are assigned different tasks to achieve secure communication goal in healthcare information system. Mysql database is used to store Sunspot security entity table and measure entity table. Hadoop is used to backup and audit the Sunspot security entity table. Sqoop tool is used to import/export data between Mysql database and HDFS (Hadoop distributed file system). Ganglia is used to monitor and measure the performance of Hadoop cluster. Simulation results show that the Hadoop-based healthcare architecture and wireless security communication method are highly effective to build a wireless healthcare information system.
Polypeptide Fraction fromArca subcrenataInduces Apoptosis and G2/M Phase Arrest in HeLa Cells via ROS-Mediated MAPKs Pathways
Authors: Hu Xianjing , Zhang Zhang , Liu Ting , Song Liyan , Zhu Jianhua , Guo Zhongyi , Cai Jinghua , Yu Rongmin
Published: May 2015

Arca subcrenatais documented in the literature of marine Traditional Chinese Medicine. Polypeptide fraction fromA. subcrenata, coded as P2, was demonstrated to possess significant antitumor activity in our previous study. However, the underlying mechanism remains undefined. The present study was carried out to investigate the underlying antitumor mechanism of P2 in human cervical cancer HeLa cells by MTT, FCM, LSCM, and western blot assays. The results revealed that P2 significantly induced apoptosis of HeLa cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. High level of ROS was provoked by P2, which was in turn responsible for induction of apoptosis through activation of intrinsic mitochondrial pathway and JNK1/2, p38 MAPK pathways, as well as inhibition of ERK1/2 pathway, as evidenced by the abrogation of P2’s effect on HeLa cells preincubated with the ROS scavenger NAC. P2 also was observed to display significant effect on G2/M phase arrest by downregulating the expression of cyclin B1/cdc2 complex and upregulating the expression of p21. These findings demonstrate that P2 induces apoptosis and G2/M phase arrest in HeLa cells through ROS-mediated MAPKs pathways, suggesting that P2 would be worth investigating as a promising agent within the scope of marine drugs for treatment of cervical cancer.
Simulation of the Load Evolution of an Anchoring System under a Blasting Impulse Load Using FLAC3D
Authors: Zheng Xigui , Hua Jinbo , Zhang Nong , Feng Xiaowei , Zhang Lei
Published: May 2015

A limitation in research on bolt anchoring is the unknown relationship between dynamic perturbation and mechanical characteristics. This paper divides dynamic impulse loads into engineering loads and blasting loads and then employs numerical calculation software FLAC3Dto analyze the stability of an anchoring system perturbed by an impulse load. The evolution of the dynamic response of the axial force/shear stress in the anchoring system is thus obtained. It is revealed that the corners and middle of the anchoring system are strongly affected by the dynamic load, and the dynamic response of shear stress is distinctly stronger than that of the axial force in the anchoring system. Additionally, the perturbation of the impulse load reduces stress in the anchored rock mass and induces repeated tension and loosening of the rods in the anchoring system, thus reducing the stability of the anchoring system. The oscillation amplitude of the axial force in the anchored segment is mitigated far more than that in the free segment, demonstrating that extended/full-length anchoring is extremely stable and surpasses simple anchors with free ends.
Selenofuranoside Ameliorates Memory Loss in Alzheimer-Like Sporadic Dementia: AChE Activity, Oxidative Stress, and Inflammation Involvement
Authors: Chiapinotto Spiazzi Cristiano , Bucco Soares Melina , Pinto Izaguirry Aryele , Musacchio Vargas Laura , Zanchi Mariane Magalhães , Frasson Pavin Natasha , Ferreira Affeldt Ricardo , Seibert Lüdtke Diogo , Prigol Marina , Santos Francielli Weber
Published: May 2015

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is becoming more common due to the increase in life expectancy. This study evaluated the effect of selenofuranoside (Se) in an Alzheimer-like sporadic dementia animal model. Male mice were divided into 4 groups: control, Aβ, Se, and Aβ+ Se. Single administration of Aβpeptide (fragments 25–35; 3 nmol/3 μL) or distilled water was administered via intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection. Selenofuranoside (5 mg/kg) or vehicle (canola oil) was administered orally 30 min before Aβand for 7 subsequent days. Memory was tested through the Morris water maze (MWM) and step-down passive-avoidance (SDPA) tests. Antioxidant defenses along with reactive species (RS) were assessed. Inflammatory cytokines levels and AChE activity were measured. SOD activity was inhibited in the Aβgroup whereas RS were increased. AChE activity, GSH, and IL-6 levels were increased in the Aβgroup. These changes were reflected in impaired cognition and memory loss, observed in both behavioral tests. Se compound was able to protect against memory loss in mice in both behavioral tests. SOD and AChE activities as well as RS and IL-6 levels were also protected by Se administration. Therefore, Se is promising for further studies.
A Numerical Study of the Beijing Extreme Rainfall of 21 July 2012 and the Impact of Topography
Authors: Xu Hongxiong , Yao Wenqing
Published: May 2015

The extreme rainfall on 21 July 2012 is the heaviest rainfall that has occurred in Beijing since 1961. Observations and WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) model are used to study the effect of MCS (mesoscale convective system) and topography on the rainfall. In this high-impact event, a quasi-stationary MCS developed in a favorable moist environment. The numerical simulation successfully reproduced the amount, location, and time evolution of the rainfall despite 4–6 h delay. In particular, the model reproduced the repeat passage of convective cells at the leading convergence line region along Taihang Mountains and the trailing stratiform region, producing the rainfall at nearly the right position. Results indicate the important roles of mesolow and low-level jet in maintaining the conditional instability that lifted the moist air to trigger deep convection and the repeated initiation and movement of the line shaped convective cells that produced the rainfall. The sensitive experiment was then further carried out to examine the effect of topography on this heavy rainfall. The reduction in model elevation field significantly influenced the above mesoscale systems, which lead to convective cells becoming less organized, and the peak rainfall amount in Beijing decreased by roughly 50%.
Emerging Treatment Paradigms in Radiation Oncology
Authors: Le Quynh-Thu , Shirato Hiroki , Giaccia Amato J. , Koong Albert C.
Published: May 2015

Rapid advancements in radiotherapy and molecularly targeted therapies have resulted in the development of potential paradigm-shifting use of radiotherapy in the treatment of cancer. In this review, we discuss some of the most promising therapeutic approaches in the field of radiation oncology. These strategies include the use of highly targeted stereotactic radiotherapy and particle therapy as well as combining radiotherapy with agents that modulate the DNA damage response, augment the immune response, or protect normal tissues. Clin Cancer Res; 21(15); 3393–401. ©2015 AACR.