bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Total Ossiculoplasty: Advantages of Two-Point Stabilization Technique
Authors: Berenholz Leonard , Burkey John , Lippy William
Published: April 2012

Objective. Evaluate a porous polyethylene prosthesis with two-point stabilization in total ossiculoplasty. This approach utilizes a lateral as well as a medial graft to stabilize a total ossicular prosthesis (TOP).Study Design. Retrospective cohort review of total ossiculoplasty.Methods. All patients who underwent total ossiculoplasty during the years 2004–2007 were included in the study group. Only five patients (10%) had primary surgery whereas 45 (90%) underwent revision surgery. Cartilage grafts covering the prosthesis (Sheehy, Xomed) laterally were used in all patients with areolar tissue being used for medial stabilization at the stapes footplate. Follow-up examination and audiometrics were performed a mean of 8.1 months following surgery.Results. The percentage of patients closing their ABG to within 10 dB was 44% with 66% closing their ABG to within 20 dB. The mean four-frequency hearing gain was 15.7 dB. The mean postoperative ABG was 15.7 dB.Conclusion. Audiometric results following total ossiculoplasty surgery using two-point stabilization exceeded results from the otologic literature. Proper two-point fixation with areolar tissue and stabilization utilizing cartilage were the keys to achieving a relatively high percentage of success in chronic ear disease in this sample.
In Vivo Hemozoin Kinetics after Clearance of Plasmodium berghei Infection in Mice
Authors: Frita Rosangela , Carapau Daniel , Mota Maria M. , Hänscheid Thomas
Published: April 2012

Hemozoin (Hz) is released into the blood stream after rupture of infected red blood cells (iRBCs) at the end of each parasite replication cycle. This free Hz is ingested by circulating and resident phagocytes. The presence of Hz in tissues after clearance of infection has been previously reported. Still, little is known about the kinetics of Hz in vivo, during and after Plasmodium infection. It is particularly important to understand Hz kinetics after malaria infections as it has been reported that Hz is associated with impairment of immune functions, including possible consequences for coinfections. Indeed, if Hz remains biologically active for prolonged periods of time inside immunocompetent cells, the potential consequences of such accumulation and presence to the immune system should be clarified. Here, using several independent methods to assess the presence of Hz, we report the long-term in vivo kinetics of Hz in diverse organs in a murine model of malaria infection.
Foraging Behavior of the Blue Morpho and Other Tropical Butterflies: The Chemical and Electrophysiological Basis of Olfactory Preferences and the Role of Color
Authors: Sourakov Alexandra , Duehl Adrian , Sourakov Andrei
Published: April 2012

Inside a live butterfly exhibit, we conducted bioassays to determine whether the presence of color would facilitate the location of attractants by the butterflies. It was found that color facilitated odor attraction in some species that feed on flowers (Parthenos silvia, Heraclides thoas, Dryas julia, andIdea leuconoe), but not in the exclusively fruit-feeding species, such asMorpho helenor, hence demonstrating that species with different natural diets use different foraging cues. Green, ripe, and fermented bananas were evaluated for their attractiveness to butterflies together with honey and mangoes. The fermented bananas were determined to be the most attractive bait, and the electrophysiological responses to their volatiles were studied inMorpho helenorandCaligo telamonius. During GC-EAD evaluation, fifteen different aliphatic esters, such as isobutyl isobutyrate, butyl acetate, ethyl butanoate, and butyl butanoate (both fermentation products and fruit semiochemicals) were shown to be detected by the butterflies’ sensory apparatus located in the forelegs, midlegs, proboscis, labial palpi, and antennae. Legs, proboscis, and antennae ofMorpho helenorandCaligo telamoniusshowed similar sensitivity, reacting to 11 chemicals, while labial palpi had a lower signal-to-noise ratio and responded to seven chemicals, only three of which produced responses in other organs.
Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in Pregnancy
Authors: Straface Gianluca , Selmin Alessia , Zanardo Vincenzo , De Santis Marco , Ercoli Alfredo , Scambia Giovanni
Published: April 2012

Infection with herpes simplex is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Because the infection is common in women of reproductive age it can be contracted and transmitted to the fetus during pregnancy and the newborn. Herpes simplex virus is an important cause of neonatal infection, which can lead to death or long-term disabilities. Rarely in the uterus, it occurs frequently during the transmission delivery. The greatest risk of transmission to the fetus and the newborn occurs in case of an initial maternal infection contracted in the second half of pregnancy. The risk of transmission of maternal-fetal-neonatal herpes simplex can be decreased by performing a treatment with antiviral drugs or resorting to a caesarean section in some specific cases. The purpose of this paper is to provide recommendations on management of herpes simplex infections in pregnancy and strategies to prevent transmission from mother to fetus.
Dynamical Analysis of Delayed Plant Disease Models with Continuous or Impulsive Cultural Control Strategies
Authors: Zhang Tongqian , Meng Xinzhu , Song Yi , Li Zhenqing
Published: April 2012

Delayed plant disease mathematical models including continuous cultural control strategy and impulsive cultural control strategy are presented and investigated. Firstly, we consider continuous cultural control strategy in which continuous replanting of healthy plants is taken. The existence and local stability of disease‐free equilibrium and positive equilibrium are studied by analyzing the associated characteristic transcendental equation. And then, plant disease model with impulsive replanting of healthy plants is also considered; the sufficient condition under which the infected plant‐free periodic solution is globally attritive is obtained. Moreover, permanence of the system is studied. Some numerical simulations are also given to illustrate our results.
New Artificial Urinary Sphincter Devices in the Treatment of Male Iatrogenic Incontinence
Authors: Vakalopoulos Ioannis , Kampantais Spyridon , Laskaridis Leonidas , Chachopoulos Vasileios , Koptsis Michail , Toutziaris Chrysovalantis
Published: April 2012

Severe persistent stress incontinence following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer treatment, although not very common, remains the most annoying complication affecting patient’s quality of life, despite good surgical oncological results. When severe incontinence persists after the first postoperative year and conservative treatment has been failed, surgical treatment has to be considered. In these cases it is generally accepted that artificial urinary sphincter is the gold standard treatment. AUS 800 by American Medical Systems has been successfully used for more than 35 years. Recently three more sphincter devices, the Flow-Secure, the Periurethral Constrictor, and the ZSI 375, have been developed and presented in the market. A novel type of artificial urinary sphincter, the Tape Mechanical Occlusive Device, has been inserted in live canines as well as in human cadavers. These new sphincter devices are discussed in this paper focusing on safety and clinical results.
Effects of Adjunct Low-Dose Vitamin D on Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis Progression: Preliminary Findings of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Shaygannejad Vahid , Janghorbani Mohsen , Ashtari Fereshteh , Dehghan Hamed
Published: April 2012

The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effect of low-dose oral vitamin D in combination with current disease-modifying therapy on the prevention of progression of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). A phase II double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial conducted between October 2007 and October 2008 included 50 patients with confirmed RRMS aged 25 to 57 years and normal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. They were randomly allocated to receive 12 months of treatment with either escalating calcitriol doses up to 0.5 μg/day or placebo combined with disease-modifying therapy. Response to treatment was assessed at eight-week intervals. In both groups, the mean relapse rate decreased significantly (P<0.001). In the 25 patients treated with placebo, the mean (SD) Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) increased from 1.70 (1.21) at baseline to 1.94 (1.41) at the end of study period (P<0.01). Average EDSS and relapse rate at the end of trial did not differ between groups. Adding low-dose vitamin D to routine disease-modifying therapy had no significant effect on the EDSS score or relapse rate. A larger phase III multicenter study of vitamin D in RRMS is warranted to more assess the efficacy of this intervention.
Biological Functions of the Novel Collectins CL-L1, CL-K1, and CL-P1
Authors: Ohtani Katsuki , Suzuki Yasuhiko , Wakamiya Nobutaka
Published: April 2012

Collectins are characterized by a collagen-like sequence and a carbohydrate recognition domain and are members of the vertebrate C-type lectin superfamily. Recently, “novel collectins”, different from “classical collectins” consisting of mannan-binding lectin (MBL) and surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D), have been found by reverse genetics. These “novel collectins” consist of collectin liver 1 (CL-L1), collectin kidney 1 (CL-K1), and collectin placenta 1 (CL-P1) and are encoded by three separate genes. Experimental findings on human and animal collectins have shown that both novel collectins and classical collectins play an important role in innate immunity. Based on our recent results and those of others, in this paper, we summarize the new biological functions of these novel collectins in embryonic morphogenesis and development.
Synthesis of 1,5-Benzodiazepine and Its Derivatives by Condensation Reaction Using H-MCM-22 as Catalyst
Authors: Majid Sheikh Abdul , Khanday Waheed Ahmad , Tomar Radha
Published: April 2012

A simple and versatile method for the synthesis of 1,5-benzodiazepines is via condensation of o-phenylenediamines (OPDA) and ketones in the presence of catalytic amount of H-MCM-22 using acetonitrile as solvent at room temperature. In all the cases, the reactions are highly selective and are completed within 1–3 h. The method is applicable to both cyclic and acyclic ketones without significant differences. The reaction proceeds efficiently under ambient conditions with good-to-excellent yields.
Unsteady RANS and LES Simulation of an Ideal Rankine Vortex Decay
Authors: Ali Md. Shahjahan , Hosoda Takashi , Kimura Ichiro
Published: April 2012

The 3D numerical simulation was carried out for an idealized Rankine vortex using nonlineark-εmodel (one kind of RANS model) and large eddy simulation (LES) techniques. In this 3D simulation, the vortex flow field was given to rotate with the vertical axis in a free surface rectangular domain. In order to investigate the predictability of standard (linear) and non-lineark-εmodels, the decay of a trailing vortex was simulated and compared with previous DNS data. The governing equations for mean velocities and turbulent flows were discretized with the finite volume method based on a staggered grid system. It was observed that in the growth phase as well as in stabilized phase of turbulence, the decay rate of tangential velocity by RANS model was well comparable with LES simulation as well as previous DNS data. However, in the decay phase of turbulence, RANS model showed slightly faster decay of tangential velocity due to its slower decay of turbulence compared to LES or DNS. The patterns as well as magnitudes of secondary currents predicted by RANS and LES models were well comparable to each other.
Extended Distal Pancreatectomy with En Bloc Resection of the Celiac Axis for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Alizai Patrick H. , Mahnken Andreas H. , Klink Christian D. , Neumann Ulf P. , Junge Karsten
Published: April 2012

Due to a lack of early symptoms, pancreatic cancers of the body and tail are discovered mostly at advanced stages. These locally advanced cancers often involve the celiac axis or the common hepatic artery and are therefore declared unresectable. The extended distal pancreatectomy with en bloc resection of the celiac artery may offer a chance of complete resection. We present the case of a 48-year-old female with pancreatic body cancer invading the celiac axis. The patient underwent laparoscopy to exclude hepatic and peritoneal metastasis. Subsequently, a selective embolization of the common hepatic artery was performed to enlarge arterial flow to the hepatobiliary system and the stomach via the pancreatoduodenal arcades from the superior mesenteric artery. Fifteen days after embolization, the extended distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and en bloc resection of the celiac axis was carried out. The postoperative course was uneventful, and complete tumor resection was achieved. This case report and a review of the literature show the feasibility and safety of the extended distal pancreatectomy with en bloc resection of the celiac axis. A preoperative embolization of the celiac axis may avoid ischemia-related complications of the stomach or the liver.
Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Microscopy of a H–Si(111)1 × 1 Surface in Ultra-High Vacuum Conditions
Authors: Miyauchi Yoshihiro
Published: April 2012

This paper reviews the use of optical sum frequency generation (SFG) and second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions to observe the dynamics of a hydrogen terminated Si(111)1 × 1 surface. First, we took SFG and SHG microscopic images of the surface after IR light pulse irradiation and found that the SHG and nonresonant SFG signals were enhanced, probably due to the formation of dangling bonds after hydrogen desorption. Second, we observed time-resolved SFG intensity images of a H–Si(111)1 × 1 surface. After visible pump light irradiation, the nonresonant SFG signal increased at probe delay time 0 ps and then decreased over a life time of 565 ps. The resonant SFG signal reduced dramatically at 0 ps and then recovered with an anisotropic line shape over a life time of 305 ps. The areas of modulated SFG signals at delay time 277 ps were expanded with an anisotropic aspect. Finally, we observed SFG intensity images of hydrogen deficiency on a Si(111)1 × 1 surface as a function of temperature. These images of the H–Si(111) surface, taken with a spatial resolution of 5 μm at several temperatures from 572 to 744 K, showed that the hydrogen desorbs homogeneously.
Selectively Fortifying Reconfigurable Computing Device to Achieve Higher Error Resilience
Authors: Lin Mingjie , Bai Yu , Wawrzynek John
Published: April 2012

With the advent of 10 nm CMOS devices and “exotic” nanodevices, the location and occurrence time of hardware defects and design faults become increasingly unpredictable, therefore posing severe challenges to existing techniques for error‐resilient computing because most of them statically assign hardware redundancy and do not account for the error tolerance inherently existing in many mission‐critical applications. This work proposes a novel approach to selectively fortifying a target reconfigurable computing device in order to achieve hardware‐efficient error resilience for a specific target application. We intend to demonstrate that such error resilience can be significantly improved with effective hardware support. The major contributions of this work include (1) the development of a complete methodology to perform sensitivity and criticality analysis of hardware redundancy, (2) a novel problem formulation and an efficient heuristic methodology to selectively allocate hardware redundancy among a target design’s key components in order to maximize its overall error resilience, and (3) an academic prototype of SFC computing device that illustrates a 4 times improvement of error resilience for a H.264 encoder implemented with an FPGA device.
Transmission Electron Microscopy Studies of Cellular Responses to Entry of Virions: One Kind of Natural Nanobiomaterial
Authors: Liu Zheng , Liu Shuyu , Cui Jinming , Tan Yurong , He Jian , Zhang Jingqiang
Published: April 2012

Virions are one kind of nanoscale pathogen and are able to infect living cells of animals, plants, and bacteria. The infection is an intrinsic property of the virions, and the biological process provides a good model for studying how these nanoparticles enter into cells. During the infection, the viruses employ different strategies to which the cells have developed respective responses. For this paper, we choseBombyx moricypovirus 1 (BmCPV-1) interactions with midgut cells from silkworm, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) associated coronavirus interactions with Vero E6 cells, as examples to demonstrate the response of eukaryotic cells to two different types of virus from our previous studies. The bacteriophage-bacteria interactions are also introduced to elucidate how the bacteriophage conquers the barrier of cell walls in the prokaryotic cells to transport genome into the host.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Modelling and Experimental Study on a Single Silica Gel Type B
Authors: White John
Published: April 2012

The application of computational fluid dynamics (CFDs) in the area of porous media and adsorption cooling system is becoming more practical due to the significant improvement in computer power. The results from previous studies have shown that CFD can be useful tool for predicting the water vapour flow pattern, temperature, heat transfer and flow velocity and adsorption rate. This paper investigates the effect of silica gel granular size on the water adsorption rate using computational fluid dynamics and gravimetric experimental (TGA) method.
A Distributed Reclustering Hierarchy Routing Protocol Using Social Welfare in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Yang Pu-Tai , Lee Seokcheon
Published: April 2012

In recent years, there has been a rapid proliferation of research concerning Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), due to the wide range of potential applications that they can be used for. Lifetime is one of the most important considerations for WSNs due to their inherent energy constraints, and various protocols have been proposed to overcome these difficulties. This study proposes a novel distributed reclustering routing protocol: Predictive and Adaptive Routing Protocol using Energy Welfare (PARPEW). PARPEW incorporates the concept of energy welfare (EW) to achieve both energy efficiency and energy balance simultaneously. PARPEW is equipped with a cluster head (CH) shift mechanism that utilizes predictive energy after transmission for the computation of EW. The average case time complexity of the shift mechanism belongs to [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the average number of sensors in a cluster in the WSN. Experimental results demonstrate that the new protocol is capable of significantly prolonging the lifetime of WSNs under various scenarios.
A Novel Myosin Essential Light Chain Mutation Causes Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy with Late Onset and Low Expressivity
Authors: Andersen Paal Skytt , Hedley Paula Louise , Page Stephen P. , Syrris Petros , Moolman-Smook Johanna Catharina , McKenna William John , Elliott Perry Mark , Christiansen Michael
Published: April 2012

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is caused by mutations in genes encoding sarcomere proteins. Mutations inMYL3, encoding the essential light chain of myosin, are rare and have been associated with sudden death. Both recessive and dominant patterns of inheritance have been suggested. We studied a large family with a 38-year-old asymptomatic HCM-affected male referred because of a murmur. The patient had HCM with left ventricular hypertrophy (max WT 21 mm), a resting left ventricular outflow gradient of 36 mm Hg, and left atrial dilation (54 mm). Genotyping revealed heterozygosity for a novel missense mutation, p.V79I, inMYL3. The mutation was not found in 300 controls, and the patient had no mutations in 10 sarcomere genes. Cascade screening revealed a further nine heterozygote mutation carriers, three of whom had ECG and/or echocardiographic abnormalities but did not fulfil diagnostic criteria for HCM. The penetrance, if we consider this borderline HCM the phenotype of the p.V79I mutation, was 40%, but the mean age of the nonpenetrant mutation carriers is 15, while the mean age of the penetrant mutation carriers is 47. The mutation affects a conserved valine replacing it with a larger isoleucine residue in the region of contact between the light chain and the myosin lever arm. In conclusion,MYL3mutations can present with low expressivity and late onset.
Diverse Roles of Macrophages in Atherosclerosis: From Inflammatory Biology to Biomarker Discovery
Authors: Gui Ting , Shimokado Aiko , Sun Yujing , Akasaka Takashi , Muragaki Yasuteru
Published: April 2012

Cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of mortality in developed countries, is mainly caused by atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease. Macrophages, which differentiate from monocytes that are recruited from the blood, account for the majority of leukocytes in atherosclerotic plaques. Apoptosis and the suppressed clearance of apoptotic macrophages (efferocytosis) are associated with vulnerable plaques that are prone to rupture, leading to thrombosis. Based on the central functions of macrophages in atherogenesis, cytokines, chemokines, enzymes, or microRNAs related to or produced by macrophages have become important clinical prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers. This paper discusses the impact of monocyte-derived macrophages in early atherogenesis and advanced disease. The role and possible future development of macrophage inflammatory biomarkers are also described.
Avian Paramyxovirus Serotype-1: A Review of Disease Distribution, Clinical Symptoms, and Laboratory Diagnostics
Authors: Hines Nichole L. , Miller Cathy L.
Published: April 2012

Avian paramyxovirus serotype-1 (APMV-1) is capable of infecting a wide range of avian species leading to a broad range of clinical symptoms. Ease of transmission has allowed the virus to spread worldwide with varying degrees of virulence depending on the virus strain and host species. Classification systems have been designed to group isolates based on their genetic composition. The genetic composition of the fusion gene cleavage site plays an important role in virulence. Presence of multiple basic amino acids at the cleavage site allows enzymatic cleavage of the fusion protein enabling virulent viruses to spread systemically. Diagnostic tests, including virus isolation, real-time reverse-transcription PCR, and sequencing, are used to characterize the virus and identify virulent strains. Genetic diversity within APMV-1 demonstrates the need for continual monitoring for changes that may arise requiring modifications to the molecular assays to maintain their usefulness for diagnostic testing.
Amnion Epithelial Cells as a Candidate Therapy for Acute and Chronic Lung Injury
Authors: Hodges Ryan J. , Lim Rebecca , Jenkin Graham , Wallace Euan M.
Published: April 2012

Acute and chronic lung injury represents a major and growing global burden of disease. For many of these lung diseases, the damage is irreparable, exhausting the host’s ability to regenerate new lung, and current therapies are simply supportive rather than restorative. Cell-based therapies offer the promise of tissue regeneration for many organs. In this paper, we examine the potential application of amnion epithelial cells, derived from the term placenta, to lung regeneration. We discuss their unique properties of plasticity and immunomodulation, reviewing the experimental evidence that amnion epithelial cells can prevent and repair lung injury, offering the potential to be applied to both neonatal, childhood, and adult lung disease. It is amazing to suggest that the placenta may offer renewed life after birth as well as securing new life before.
In SituandEx SituStudies of Molybdenum Thin Films Deposited by rf and dc Magnetron Sputtering as a Back Contact for CIGS Solar Cells
Authors: Aryal K. , Khatri H. , Collins R. W. , Marsillac S.
Published: April 2012

Molybdenum thin films were deposited by rf and dc magnetron sputtering and their properties analyzed with regards to their potential application as a back contact for CIGS solar cells. It is shown that both types of films tend to transition from tensile to compressive strain when the deposition pressure increases, while the conductivity and the grain size decreas. The nucleation of the films characterized byin situand real time spectroscopic ellipsometry shows that both films follow a Volmer-Weber growth, with a higher surface roughness and lower deposition rate for the rf deposited films. The electronic relaxation time was then extracted as a function of bulk layer thickness for rf and dc films by fitting each dielectric function to a Drude free-electron model combined with a broad Lorentz oscillator. The values were fitted to a conical growth mode and demonstrated that the rf-deposited films have already smaller grains than the dc films when the bulk layer thickness is 30 nm.
The Role of Angiogenesis in the Development of Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: Impact of Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Treatment
Authors: Tremolada Gemma , Del Turco Claudia , Lattanzio Rosangela , Maestroni Silvia , Maestroni Anna , Bandello Francesco , Zerbini Gianpaolo
Published: April 2012

Although cellular and molecular bases of proliferative diabetic retinopathy are only partially understood, it is evident that this complication of diabetes is characterized by the formation of new vessels inside the retina showing abnormal architecture and permeability. This process, if not controlled by selective laser photocoagulation, leads to irreversible retinal damages and loss of vision. Angiogenesis, that is, the condition characterized by the growth of new blood vessels originated from preexisting ones, was shown to have a major role in the pathogenesis of proliferative retinopathy and, as a consequence, intravitreal antiangiogenic injection was suggested as a feasible treatment for this disease. Here, we describe the different antiangiogenic approaches used to treat this disease along with the respective advantages and limitations when compared to laser treatment. Altogether, even though further and longer studies are still needed to clarify the best possible therapeutic protocol, the antiangiogenic treatment will reasonably have a future role in the therapy and prevention of proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
Dietary Cholesterol Concentration and Duration Degrade Long-Term Memory of Classical Conditioning of the Rabbit’s Nictitating Membrane Response
Authors: Schreurs Bernard G. , Wang Desheng , Smith-Bell Carrie A. , Burhans Lauren B. , Bell Roger , Gonzalez-Joekes Jimena
Published: April 2012

A rabbit model of Alzheimer’s disease based on feeding a cholesterol diet for eight weeks shows sixteen hallmarks of the disease, including learning and memory changes. Although we have shown 2% cholesterol and copper in water can retard learning, other studies show feeding dietary cholesterol before learning can improve acquisition whereas feeding cholesterol after learning can degrade long-term memory. We explored this issue by manipulating cholesterol concentration and duration following classical trace conditioning of the rabbit’s nictitating membrane response and assessed conditioned responding after eight weeks on cholesterol. First, rabbits given trace classical conditioning followed by 0.5%, 1%, or 2% cholesterol for eight weeks showed body weight and serum cholesterol levels that were a function of dietary cholesterol. Although all concentrations of cholesterol showed some sign of retarding long-term memory, the level of memory retardation was correlated with serum cholesterol levels. Second, rabbits given trace conditioning followed by different durations of a 2% cholesterol diet combined with different durations of a 0% control diet for 8 weeks showed duration and timing of a 2% cholesterol diet were important in affecting recall. The data support the idea that dietary cholesterol may retard long-term memory.
IMU Fault Detection Based on χ2‐CUSUM
Authors: de Oliveira Élcio Jeronimo , Kuga Hélio Koiti , da Fonseca Ijar Milagre
Published: April 2012

The problem of fault detection and isolation (FDI) on inertial measurement units (IMUs) has received great attention in the last years, mainly with growing use of
IMU strapdown platforms using fiber optic gyros (FOG) or micro electro mechanical systems (MEMSs). A way to solve this problem makes use of sensor redundancy and parity vector (PV) analysis. However, the actual sensor outputs can include some anomalies, as impulsive noise which can be associated with the sensors itself or data acquisition process, committing the elementary threshold criteria as commonly used. Therefore, to overcome this problem, in this work, it is proposed an algorithm based on median filter (MF) for prefiltering and chi‐square cumulative sum (χ2‐CUSUM) only for fault detection (FD) applied to an IMU composed by four FOGs.
Application of Chemically Modified and Unmodified Waste Biological Sorbents in Treatment of Wastewater
Authors: Nduka John Kanayochukwu
Published: April 2012

Protein wastes (feathers, goat hair) and cellulosic wastes (corn cob, coconut husks) were collected and washed with detergent solution, thoroughly rinsed and sun dried for 2 days before drying in an oven, and then ground. One-half of ground material was carbonized at a maximum temperature of 500°C after mixing with H2SO4. The carbonized parts were pulverized; both carbonized and uncarbonized sorbents were sieved into two particle sizes of 325 and 625 μm using mechanical sieve. Sorbents of a given particle size were packed into glass column.Then, textile wastewater that had its physicochemical parameters previously determined was eluted into each glass column and a contact time of 60 and 120 mins was allowed before analysis. Results showed 48.15–99.98 percentage reduction of , EC, Cl−, BOD, COD, DO, TSS, and TDS, 34.67–99.93 percentage reduction of , EC, Cl−, BOD, COD, DO, TSS, and TDS, 52.83–97.95 percentage reduction of Pb2+, Ni2+, Cr3+and Mn2+and 34.59–94.87 percentage reduction of Pb2+, Ni2+, Cr3+and Mn2+. Carbonization, small particle, size and longer contact time enhanced the sorption capabilities of the sorbents. These show that protein and cellulosic wastes can be used to detoxify wastewater.
InContexto: Multisensor Architecture to Obtain People Context from Smartphones
Authors: Blázquez Gil Gonzalo , Berlanga Antonio , Molina José M.
Published: April 2012

The way users intectact with smartphones is changing after the improvements made in their embedded sensors. Increasingly, these devices are being employed as tools to observe individuals habits. Smartphones provide a great set of embedded sensors, such as accelerometer, digital compass, gyroscope, GPS, microphone, and camera. This paper aims to describe a distributed architecture, called inContexto, to recognize user context information using mobile phones. Moreover, it aims to infer physical actions performed by users such as walking, running, and still. Sensory data is collected by HTC magic application made in Android OS, and it was tested achieving about 97% of accuracy classifying five different actions (still, walking and running).
Effects of Telbivudine Treatment on the Circulating CD4+T-Cell Subpopulations in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients
Authors: Zheng Yanhua , Huang Zemin , Chen Xianhua , Tian Yi , Tang Jun , Zhang Yi , Zhang Xiaomin , Zhou Jijun , Mao Qing , Ni Bing , Wang Qinghong , Wu Yuzhang
Published: April 2012

CD4+T cells serve as master regulators of the adaptive immune response to HBV. However, CD4+T-cell subsets are heterogeneous, and it remains unknown how the antiviral agents affect the different CD4+T cell subtypes. To this end, the expressions of signature transcription factors and cytokines of CD4+T-cell subtypes were examined in hepatitis B patients before and after treatment with telbivudine. Results showed that, upon the rapid HBV copy decrease induced by telbivudine treatment, the frequencies and related cytokines of Th17 and Treg cells were dramatically decreased, while those for Th2 cells were dramatically increased. No obvious changes were observed in Th1 cell frequencies; although, IFN-γexpression was upregulated in response to telbivudine treatment, suggesting another cell source of IFN-γin CHB patients. Statistical analyses indicated that Th17 and Tr1 (a Treg subtype) cells were the most sensitive subpopulations of the peripheral blood CD4+T cells to telbivudine treatment over 52 weeks. Thus, Th17 and Tr1 cells may represent a suitable and effective predictor of responsiveness during telbivudine therapy. These findings not only improve our understanding of hepatitis pathogenesis but also can aid in future development of appropriate therapeutic strategies to control viral hepatitis.
Bilateral De Quervain Syndrome after Aromatase Inhibitor Administration: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Papadimitriou Konstantinos , Kountourakis Panteleimon , Morakis Emmanouil , Vassiliou Vassilios , Barbounis Vasileios , Ardavanis Alexandros
Published: April 2012

Aromatase inhibitors are widely used as one of the main treatment options of both early and advanced hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Unfortunately, musculoskeletal symptoms are often presented in patients treated with aromatase inhibitors (AIs), and, although the pathogenesis is unknown, postulated mechanisms have been described. Herein, to our knowledge, we present the first report of bilateral De Quervain syndrome related with AIs therapy with a review of the relevant literature.
Sumoylation of Human Translationally Controlled Tumor Protein Is Important for Its Nuclear Transport
Authors: Munirathinam Gnanasekar , Ramaswamy Kalyanasundaram
Published: April 2012

Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) lacks nuclear bipartite localization signal sequence; yet TCTP is present abundantly in the nucleus. At present it is not known how TCTP gets transported to the nucleus. Sequence analyses showed that all TCTPs described to date have putative small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) motifs. Since SUMO modification plays an important role in the nuclear transport of proteins, we evaluated whether SUMO motifs are important for transport of TCTP into the nucleus. We show that TCTP exists in sumoylated form in cytoplasm and nucleus of mammalian cells. Point mutation of lysine residue in the SUMO motif compromised the ability of TCTP to get sumoylatedin vitro. When cells were transfected with FLAG-tagged mutated TCTP, nuclear transport of TCTP was inhibited confirming that sumoylation is critical for the nuclear transport of TCTP. Our previous studies demonstrated that TCTP can function as an antioxidant protein in the nucleus. When we mutated TCTP at the SUMO motif the antioxidant function of TCTP was compromised. Results presented in this study thus show that sumoylation plays an important role in the transport of TCTP into the nucleus where they function as antioxidant protein.
Relationship between Length and Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy Signal Strength in Metal Nanoparticle Chains: Ideal Models versus Nanofabrication
Authors: Alexander Kristen D. , Zhang Shunping , Hight Walker Angela R. , Xu Hongxing , Lopez Rene
Published: April 2012

We have employed capillary force deposition on ion beam patterned substrates to fabricate chains of 60 nm gold nanospheres ranging in length from 1 to 9 nanoparticles. Measurements of the surface-averaged SERS enhancement factor strength for these chains were then compared to the numerical predictions. The SERS enhancement conformed to theoretical predictions in the case of only a few chains, with the vast majority of chains tested not matching such behavior. Although all of the nanoparticle chains appear identical under electron microscope observation, the extreme sensitivity of the SERS enhancement to nanoscale morphology renders current nanofabrication methods insufficient for consistent production of coupled nanoparticle chains. Notwithstanding this fact, the aggregate data also confirmed that nanoparticle dimers offer a large improvement over the monomer enhancement while conclusively showing that, within the limitations imposed by current state-of-the-art nanofabrication techniques, chains comprising more than two nanoparticles provide only a marginal signal boost over the already considerable dimer enhancement.
Optimal Control for a Class of Chaotic Systems
Authors: Zhang Jianxiong , Tang Wansheng
Published: April 2012

This paper proposes the optimal control methods for a class of chaotic systems via state feedback. By converting the chaotic systems to the form of uncertain piecewise linear systems, we can obtain the optimal controller minimizing the upper bound on cost function by virtue of the robust optimal control method of piecewise linear systems, which is cast as an optimization problem under constraints of bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs). In addition, the lower bound on cost function can be achieved by solving a semidefinite programming (SDP). Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate the results.
Insulin Facilitates the Recovery of Myocardial Contractility and Conduction during Cardiac Compression in Rabbits with Bupivacaine-Induced Cardiovascular Collapse
Authors: Yang Solmon , Uugangerel Tserendorj , Jang In-ki , Lee Hyung-chul , Kim Jong Min , Kang Byeong-Cheol , Kim Chong Soo , Lee Kook-Hyun
Published: April 2012

Bupivacaine inhibits cardiac conduction and contractility. Insulin enhances cardiac repolarization and myocardial contractility. We hypothesizes that insulin therapy would be effective in resuscitating bupivacaine-induced cardiac toxicity in rabbits. Twelve rabbits were tracheally intubated and midline sternotomy was performed under general anesthesia. Cardiovascular collapse (CVC) was induced by an IV bolus injection of bupivacaine 10 mg/kg. The rabbits were treated with either saline (control) or insulin injection, administered as a 2 U/kg bolus. Internal cardiac massage was performed until the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and the time to the return of sinus rhythm (ROSR) was also noted in both groups. Arterial blood pressure, and electrocardiography were continuously monitored for 30 min and plasma bupivacaine concentrations at every 5 min. The ROSC, ROSR and normalization of QRS duration were attained faster in the insulin-treated group than in the control group. At the ROSC, there was a significant difference in bupivacaine concentration between two groups. Insulin facilitates the return of myocardial contractility and conduction from bupivacaine-induced CVC in rabbits. However, recovery of cardiac conduction is dependent mainly on the change of plasma bupivacaine concentrations.
Growth Responses and Nitrogen Uptake by Saltgrass (Distichlis spicataL.), a Halophytic Plant Species, under Salt Stress, Using the15N Technique
Authors: Pessarakli Mohammad , Harivandi M. A. , Kopec David M. , Ray Dennis T.
Published: April 2012

Various saltgrass clones were studied hydroponically, using Hoagland solution, in a greenhouse to evaluate their DM weights and nitrogen uptake under control and salt stress conditions. Treatments included control (no added salt) and plants grown under NaCl salinity. Twelve clones were grown with 4 replications of each treatment in a RCB design trial. Ammonium sulfate, 5.3%15N was used to enrich the plants by adding 5 mg15N as 22.931 mg (15NH4)2SO4, per liter of the culture solution per day. Plant shoots were harvested weekly, oven-dried at 65°C, and DM weights were recorded. At the last harvest, plant roots were also harvested, oven-dried at 65°C, and DM weights were determined. Harvested plant materials were analyzed for total-N and15N contents. The results showed non-significant differences in shoot DM weights and total-N and15N concentrations and contents in salinized plants compared with the controls. Total-N and15N concentrations of the roots were higher than that of the shoots under either control or saline condition. Overall, due to the high degree of salt tolerance of saltgrass, the results showed generally no difference in nitrogen uptake by most of the clones under salt stress compared with the control plants.
Synthesis, Characterization of La(III), Nd(III), and Er(III) Complexes with Schiff Bases Derived from Benzopyran-4-one and Thier Fluorescence Study
Authors: El-Ansary Aida L. , Abdel-Kader Nora S.
Published: April 2012

The Schiff bases, L1, L2, and L3, are synthesized from the condensation of 5,7-dihydroxy-6-formyl-2-methylbenzopyran-4-one (L) with 2-aminopyridine (1), p-phenylenediamine (2), and o-phenylenediamine (3). The prepared Schiff bases react with lanthanum (III), neodymium (III), and erbium (III) nitrate to give complexes with stoichiometric ratio (1 : 1) (ligand : metal). The binuclear complexes of Er(III) with L3 and the three metal ions with L2 are separated. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, electronic absorption, and infrared, 1H-NMR spectral studies. The presence of hydrated and coordinated water molecules is inferred from thermogravimetric analysis. Thermal degradation studies show that the final product is the metal oxide. The luminescence properties of the Nd(III) and Er(III) complexes in dimethylformamide (DMF) solutions were investigated.
Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Aconitum Alkaloids in Raw and Processed Chuanwu and Caowu by HPLC in Combination with Automated Analytical System and ESI/MS/MS
Authors: Sun Aimin , Gao Bo , Ding Xueqing , Huang Chi-Ming , But Paul Pui-Hay
Published: April 2012

HPLC in combination with automated analytical system and ESI/MS/MS was used to analyze aconitine (A), mesaconitine (MA), hypaconitine (HA), and their benzoyl analogs in the Chinese herbs Caowu and Chuanwu. First, an HPLC method was developed and validated to determine A, MA, and HA in raw and processed Caowu and Chuanwu. Then an automated analytical system and ESI/MS/MS were applied to analyze these alkaloids and their semihydrolyzed products. The results obtained from automated analytical system are identical to those from ESI/MS/MS, which indicated that the method is a convenient and rapid tool for the qualitative analysis of herbal preparations. Furthermore, HA was little hydrolyzed by heating processes and thus it might account more for the toxicity of processed aconites. Hence, HA could be used as an indicator when one alkaloid is required as a reference to monitor the quality of raw and processed Chuanwu and Caowu. In addition, the raw and processed Chuanwu and Caowu can be distinguished by monitoring the ratio of A and MA to HA.
FGF Receptor-Mediated Gene Delivery Using Ligands Coupled to PEI-β-CyD
Authors: Hu Yiping , Tang Guping , Liu Jun , Cheng Wenxiang , Yue Ye , Li Jinchao , Zhang Peng
Published: April 2012

A novel vector with high gene delivery efficiency and special cell-targeting ability was developed using a good strategy that utilized low-molecular-weight polyethylenimine (PEI; molecular weight: 600 KDa [PEI600]) crosslinked toβ-cyclodextrin (β-CyD) via a facile synthetic route. Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are highly expressed in a variety of human cancer cells and are potential targets for cancer therapy. In this paper, CY11 peptides, which have been proven to combine especially with FGFRs on cell membranes were coupled to PEI-β-CyD usingN-succinimidyl-3-(2-pyridyldithio) propionate as a linker. The ratios of PEI600,β-CyD, and peptide were calculated based on proton integral values obtained from the1H-NMR spectra of the resulting products. Electron microscope observations showed that CY11-PEI-β-CyD can efficiently condense plasmid DNA (pDNA) into nanoparticles of about 200 nm, and MTT assays suggested the decreased toxicity of the polymer. Experiments on gene delivery efficiency in vitro showed that CY11-PEI-β-CyD/pDNA polyplexes had significantly greater transgene activities than PEI-β-CyD/pDNA in the COS-7 and HepG2 cells, which positively expressed FGFR, whereas no such effect was observed in the PC-3 cells, which negatively expressed FGFR. Our current research indicated that the synthesized nonviral vector shows improved gene delivery efficiency and targeting specificity in FGFR-positive cells.
Detection of Redundant Fusion Transcripts as Biomarkers or Disease-Specific Therapeutic Targets in Breast Cancer
Authors: Asmann Yan W. , Necela Brian M. , Kalari Krishna R. , Hossain Asif , Baker Tiffany R. , Carr Jennifer M. , Davis Caroline , Getz Julie E. , Hostetter Galen , Li Xing , McLaughlin Sarah A. , Radisky Derek C. , Schroth Gary P. , Cunliffe Heather E. , Perez Edith A. , Thompson E. Aubrey
Published: April 2012

Fusion genes and fusion gene products are widely employed as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in hematopoietic cancers, but their applications have yet to be appreciated in solid tumors. Here, we report the use of SnowShoes-FTD, a powerful new analytic pipeline that can identify fusion transcripts and assess their redundancy and tumor subtype-specific distribution in primary tumors. In a study of primary breast tumors, SnowShoes-FTD was used to analyze paired-end mRNA-Seq data from a panel of estrogen receptor (ER)+, HER2+, and triple-negative primary breast tumors, identifying tumor-specific fusion transcripts by comparison with mRNA-Seq data from nontransformed human mammary epithelial cell cultures plus the Illumina Body Map data from normal tissues. We found that every primary breast tumor that was analyzed expressed one or more fusion transcripts. Of the 131 tumor-specific fusion transcripts identified, 86 were “private” (restricted to a single tumor) and 45 were “redundant” (distributed among multiple tumors). Among the redundant fusion transcripts, 7 were unique to ER+ tumors and 8 were unique to triple-negative tumors. In contrast, none of the redundant fusion transcripts were unique to HER2+ tumors. Both private and redundant fusion transcripts were widely expressed in primary breast tumors, with many mapping to genomic loci implicated in breast carcinogenesis and/or risk. Our finding that some fusion transcripts are tumor subtype-specific suggests that these entities may be critical determinants in the etiology of breast cancer subtypes, useful as biomarkers for tumor stratification, or exploitable as cancer-specific therapeutic targets. Cancer Res; 72(8); 1921–8. ©2012 AACR.