bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a Multiplex ELISA for Autoantibody Profiling in Patients with Autoimmune Connective Tissue Diseases
Authors: Caro Pérez Alejandro , Kumble Sarita , Kumble Krishnanand D. , Alonso Cañizal M. Consuelo , Jiménez Jiménez Luis M. , Alonso Díez Lorena , Durán Parejo Pilar
Published: January 2014

The performance of immunoassays for the detection of autoantibodies is of critical importance in the diagnosis and assessment of patients with autoimmune connective tissue diseases (ACTD). Our objective was to compare the features of two multiplexed assays—INNO-LIA ANA and Gennova-PictArray ENA ELISA—for measurement of multiple autoantibodies and their utility as a clinical tool in ACTD diagnosis. The antigens included SS-A/Ro (60 and 52), SSB/La, Sm, Sm/RNP, CENP-B, Jo-1, and Scl-70. Stored sera from 85 ACTD patients and 80 controls consisting of patients with vasculitis, rheumatoid arthritis and infectious diseases, as well as healthy subjects were analyzed jointly with clinical and laboratory data. Agreement between the two methods varied between 58 and 99% (Cohen’s kappa: 0.21–0.71) mostly for SSA and SSB. The frequency of specific autoantibodies measured using the two methods was more variable for SSA, SSB, and RNP/Sm. There were a higher number of ambiguous results when using INNO-LIA. The optimized cut-off values of the Gennova-PictArray resulted in over 99% specificities in samples obtained from the control group. Sensitivity patterns were more accurate in Gennova-PictArray than in INNO-LIA, as suggested in previously reported studies. A third method could be applied to determine which of the two methods is more accurate.
Clinical Studies Applying Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells for the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Tumors
Authors: Jäkel Clara E. , Vogt Annabelle , Gonzalez-Carmona Maria A. , Schmidt-Wolf Ingo G. H.
Published: January 2014

Tumors of the gastrointestinal system represent a significant share of solid tumors worldwide. Despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis of gastrointestinal tumors is still very poor and improved therapies are indispensable. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells are feasible for an immunotherapeutic approach as they are easily available and have an advantageous biologic profile; they are rapidly proliferating and their high cytotoxicity is non-MHC-restricted. We summarize and discuss twenty recent clinical studies applying CIK cells for the treatment of gastric, pancreatic, hepatocellular, and colorectal cancer. Autologous CIK cells were transfused intravenously, intraperitoneally, or via the common hepatic artery. In all studies side effects and toxicity of CIK cell therapy were mild and easily controllable. The combination of CIK cell therapy with conventional adjuvant or palliative therapies was superior to the standard therapy alone, indicating the benefit of CIK cell therapy for cancer patients. Thus, CIK cells represent a promising immunotherapy for the treatment of gastrointestinal tumors. The optimal treatment schedule and ideal combination with conventional therapies should be evaluated in further clinical studies.
Children’s Mental Health Visits to the Emergency Department: Factors Affecting Wait Times and Length of Stay
Authors: Newton Amanda S. , Rathee Sachin , Grewal Simran , Dow Nadia , Rosychuk Rhonda J.
Published: January 2014

Objective. This study explores the association of patient and emergency department (ED) mental health visit characteristics with wait time and length of stay (LOS).Methods. We examined data from 580 ED mental health visits made to two urban EDs by children aged ≤18 years from April 1, 2004, to March 31, 2006. Logistic regressions identified characteristics associated with wait time and LOS using hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results. Sex (male:HR=1.48, 95%CI=1.20–1.84), ED type (pediatric ED:HR=5.91, 95%CI=4.16–8.39), and triage level (Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) 2:HR=3.62, 95%CI=2.24–5.85) were statistically significant predictors of wait time. ED type (pediatric ED:HR=1.71, 95%CI=1.18–2.46), triage level (CTAS 5:HR=2.00, 95%CI=1.15–3.48), number of consultations (HR=0.46, 95%CI=0.31–0.69), and number of laboratory investigations (HR=0.75, 95%CI=0.66–0.85) predicted LOS.Conclusions. Based on our results, quality improvement initiatives to reduce ED waits and LOS for pediatric mental health visits may consider monitoring triage processes and the availability, access, and/or time to receipt of specialty consultations.
Empirical Models for Estimating Global Solar Radiation over the Ashanti Region of Ghana
Authors: Quansah Emmanuel , Amekudzi Leonard K. , Preko Kwasi , Aryee Jeffrey , Boakye Osei R. , Boli Dziewornu , Salifu Mubarick R.
Published: January 2014

The performances of both sunshine and air temperature dependent models for the estimation of global solar radiation (GSR) over Ghana and other tropical regions were evaluated and a comparison assessment of the models was carried out using measured GSR at Owabi (6°45′0′′N, 1°43′0′′W) in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Furthermore, an empirical model which also uses sunshine hours and air temperature measurements from the study site and its environs was proposed. The results showed that all the models could predict very well the pattern of the measured monthly daily mean GSR for the entire period of the study. However, most of the selected models overestimated the measured GSR, except in April and November, where the empirical model using air temperature measurements underestimated the measured GSR. Nevertheless, a very good agreement was found between the measured radiations and the proposed models with a coefficient of determination within the range 0.88–0.96. The results revealed that the proposed models using sunshine hours and air temperature had the smallest values of MBE, MPE, and RMSE of −0.0102, 0.0585, and 0.0338 and −0.2973, 1.7075, and 0.9859, respectively.
Synthesis and Mesomorphic Properties of New Fluorinated Schiff Base Liquid Crystals
Authors: Ha Sie-Tiong , Lee Teck-Leong
Published: January 2014

Two new compounds, 4-alkanoyloxybenzylidene-4′-fluoroaniline and 4-fluorobenzylidene-4′-n-alkanoyloxyaniline comprising a terminal fluorosubstituent were studied. The fluoro substituent contributes to the molecular polarizability, thus affecting intermolecular interactions and hence resulting in smectic mesomorphism. The mesomorphic properties were studied using differential scanning calorimetry and polarizing optical microscopy techniques. The mesomorphic properties of compounds studied are strongly dependent on the orientation of the imine (CH=N) linkage. The former Schiff base exhibited smectic A phase whereas the latter compound did not display any mesophase. Reversed imine linkage has caused depression of mesomorphic property in the compound studied (4-fluorobenzylidene-4′-n-alkanoyloxyaniline). The mesomorphic properties of the present compounds were compared with other structurally related series to establish the chemical structure-mesomorphic property relationship.
Nonlinear Earthquake Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Frames with Fiber and Bernoulli-Euler Beam-Column Element
Authors: Karaton Muhammet
Published: January 2014

A beam-column element based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory is researched for nonlinear dynamic analysis of reinforced concrete (RC) structural element. Stiffness matrix of this element is obtained by using rigidity method. A solution technique that included nonlinear dynamic substructure procedure is developed for dynamic analyses of RC frames. A predicted-corrected form of the Bossak-αmethod is applied for dynamic integration scheme. A comparison of experimental data of a RC column element with numerical results, obtained from proposed solution technique, is studied for verification the numerical solutions. Furthermore, nonlinear cyclic analysis results of a portal reinforced concrete frame are achieved for comparing the proposed solution technique with Fibre element, based on flexibility method. However, seismic damage analyses of an 8-story RC frame structure with soft-story are investigated for cases of lumped/distributed mass and load. Damage region, propagation, and intensities according to both approaches are researched.
Role of Hard-Acid/Hard-Base Interaction on Structural and Dielectric Behavior of Solid Polymer Electrolytes Based on Chitosan-XCF3SO3(X = Li+, Na+, Ag+)
Authors: Aziz Shujahadeen B. , Abidin Zul Hazrin Z.
Published: January 2014

Solid films of pure chitosan, chitosan-LiCF3SO3, chitosan-NaCF3SO3, and chitosan-AgCF3SO3were prepared using solution cast technique. The influence of cation size on the chitosan structure has been investigated by X-ray diffraction technique. The interaction between the alkali metal ions and the donor atoms of chitosan polymer is a strong hard-acid/hard-base interaction. It was found that the intensity of crystalline peaks of chitosan decreases with increase of cation size. The impedance analysis shows that ionic transport is high for the high amorphous system. The second semicircle inZ′′-Z′plots and the surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) peaks in chitosan-AgCF3SO3sample system reveal the formations of silver metal nanoparticles. It was found that the high amorphous sample exhibits the high dielectric constant and dielectric loss values. The increase of dielectric constant and dielectric loss with temperature for chitosan-salt membranes indicated an increase of charge carrier concentration.
Adalimumab Ameliorates Abdominal Aorta Cross Clamping Which Induced Liver Injury in Rats
Authors: Cure Erkan , Cumhur Cure Medine , Tumkaya Levent , Kalkan Yildiray , Aydin Ibrahim , Kirbas Aynur , Yilmaz Arif , Yuce Suleyman , Yücel Ahmet Fikret
Published: January 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible protective effects of adalimumab (ADA) on cell damage in rat liver tissue during ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury of infrarenal abdominal aorta. Thirty male Wistar-albino rats were divided into three groups: control, I/R, and I/R+ADA, each group containing 10 animals. Laparotomy without I/R injury was performed in the control group animals. Laparotomy in the I/R group was followed by two hours of infrarenal abdominal aortic cross ligation and then two hours of reperfusion. ADA (50 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally as a single dose, to the I/R+ADA group, five days before I/R. The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (pg/mg protein) and nitric oxide (NO) (µmol/g protein) levels in the I/R group (430.8 ± 70.1, 8.0 ± 1.1, resp.) were significantly higher than those in the I/R+ADA group (338.0 ± 71.6,P=0.006; 6.3 ± 1.2,P=0.008) and the control group (345.5 ± 53.3,P=0.008; 6.5 ± 1.5,P=0.010, resp.). I/R causes severe histopathological injury to the liver tissue, but ADA leads to much less histopathological changes. ADA treatment significantly decreased the severity of liver I/R injury. ADA pretreatment may have protective effects on experimental liver injury.
Determination of Arsenic in Drinking Water Samples by Electrothermal Atomic Absorption Spectrometry after Preconcentration Using the Biomass ofAspergillus nigerLoaded on Activated Charcoal
Authors: Shahlaei Mohsen , Pourhossein Alireza
Published: January 2014

A simple, fast, and sensitive method for determination of total arsenic in drinking water sample by ETAAS after solid phase preconcentration has been developed. The dead biomass ofA. nigerloaded on activated charcoal has been applied as bioadsorbent for preconcentration step. The effects of parameters such as pH, type and concentration of eluent, biosorption time, sample volume, and effect of interfering ions have also been studied. Under the optimum condition, the enrichment factor of 10 for the analyte has been obtained. The accuracy of the method has been investigated by the recovery of spiked standards and the recovery percents between 99 and 102% have been achieved. Total amount of arsenic was determined by reducing As (V) to As (III) with potassium iodide (KI) and ascorbic acid in HCl solution. Under the optimum conditions, for 400 mL of drinking water samples, the detection limit (3σ) and linear range were achieved 1 ng/mL and 5–100 ng/mL, respectively. The relative standard deviation for ten determinations of a spiked sample with concentration of 10 ng/mL As was 3.2%.
Component Thermodynamical Selection Based Gene Expression Programming for Function Finding
Authors: Guo Zhaolu , Wu Zhijian , Dong Xiaojian , Zhang Kejun , Wang Shenwen , Li Yuanxiang
Published: January 2014

Gene expression programming (GEP), improved genetic programming (GP), has become a popular tool for data mining. However, like other evolutionary algorithms, it tends to suffer from premature convergence and slow convergence rate when solving complex problems. In this paper, we propose an enhanced GEP algorithm, called CTSGEP, which is inspired by the principle of minimal free energy in thermodynamics. In CTSGEP, it employs a component thermodynamical selection (CTS) operator to quantitatively keep a balance between the selective pressure and the population diversity during the evolution process. Experiments are conducted on several benchmark datasets from the UCI machine learning repository. The results show that the performance of CTSGEP is better than the conventional GEP and some GEP variations.
Poissonian Image Deconvolution via Sparse and Redundant Representations and Framelet Regularization
Authors: Shi Yu , Fang Houzhang , Wang Guoyou
Published: January 2014

Poissonian image deconvolution is a key issue in various applications, such as astronomical imaging, medical imaging, and electronic microscope imaging. A large amount of literature on this subject is analysis‐based methods. These methods assign various forward measurements of the image. Meanwhile, synthesis‐based methods are another well‐known class of methods. These methods seek a reconstruction of the image. In this paper, we propose an approach that combines analysis with synthesis methods. The method is proposed to address Poissonian image deconvolution problem by minimizing the energy functional, which is composed of a sparse representation prior over a learned dictionary, the data fidelity term, and framelet based analysis prior constraint as the regularization term. The minimization problem can be efficiently solved by the split Bregman technique. Experiments demonstrate that our approach achieves better results than many state‐of‐the‐art methods, in terms of both restoration accuracy and visual perception.
Development ofp-yCurves of Laterally Loaded Piles in Cohesionless Soil
Authors: Khari Mahdy , Kassim Khairul Anuar , Adnan Azlan
Published: January 2014

The research on damages of structures that are supported by deep foundations has been quite intensive in the past decade. Kinematic interaction in soil-pile interaction is evaluated based on thep-ycurve approach. Existingp-ycurves have considered the effects of relative density on soil-pile interaction in sandy soil. The roughness influence of the surface wall pile onp-ycurves has not been emphasized sufficiently. The presented study was performed to develop a series ofp-ycurves for single piles through comprehensive experimental investigations. Modification factors were studied, namely, the effects of relative density and roughness of the wall surface of pile. The model tests were subjected to lateral load in Johor Bahru sand. The newp-ycurves were evaluated based on the experimental data and were compared to the existingp-ycurves. The soil-pile reaction for various relative density (from 30% to 75%) was increased in the range of 40–95% for a smooth pile at a small displacement and 90% at a large displacement. For rough pile, the ratio of dense to loose relative density soil-pile reaction was from 2.0 to 3.0 at a small to large displacement. Direct comparison of the developedp-ycurve shows significant differences in the magnitude and shapes with the existing load-transfer curves. Good comparison with the experimental and design studies demonstrates the multidisciplinary applications of the present method.
Knowledge Discovery from Vibration Measurements
Authors: Deng Jun , Li Jian , Wang Daoyao
Published: January 2014

The framework as well as the particular algorithms of pattern recognition process is widely adopted in structural health monitoring (SHM). However, as a part of the overall process of knowledge discovery from data bases (KDD), the results of pattern recognition are only changes and patterns of changes of data features. In this paper, based on the similarity between KDD and SHM and considering the particularity of SHM problems, a four-step framework of SHM is proposed which extends the final goal of SHM from detecting damages to extracting knowledge to facilitate decision making. The purposes and proper methods of each step of this framework are discussed. To demonstrate the proposed SHM framework, a specific SHM method which is composed by the second order structural parameter identification, statistical control chart analysis, and system reliability analysis is then presented. To examine the performance of this SHM method, real sensor data measured from a lab size steel bridge model structure are used. The developed four-step framework of SHM has the potential to clarify the process of SHM to facilitate the further development of SHM techniques.
Root-MUSIC Based Angle Estimation for MIMO Radar with Unknown Mutual Coupling
Authors: Li Jianfeng , Zhang Xiaofei , Chen Weiyang
Published: January 2014

Direction of arrival (DOA) estimation problem for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar with unknown mutual coupling is studied, and an algorithm for the DOA estimation based on root multiple signal classification (MUSIC) is proposed. Firstly, according to the Toeplitz structure of the mutual coupling matrix, output data of some specified sensors are selected to eliminate the influence of the mutual coupling. Then the reduced-dimension transformation is applied to make the computation burden lower as well as obtain a Vandermonde structure of the direction matrix. Finally, Root-MUSIC can be adopted for the angle estimation. The angle estimation performance of the proposed algorithm is better than that of estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques (ESPRIT)-like algorithm and MUSIC-like algorithm. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm has lower complexity than them. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the algorithm, and the theoretical estimation error of the algorithm is also derived.
Angiogenesis in Spontaneous Tumors and Implications for Comparative Tumor Biology
Authors: Benazzi C. , Al-Dissi A. , Chau C. H. , Figg W. D. , Sarli G. , Oliveira J. T. de , Gärtner F.
Published: January 2014

Blood supply is essential for development and growth of tumors and angiogenesis is the fundamental process of new blood vessel formation from preexisting ones. Angiogenesis is a prognostic indicator for a variety of tumors, and it coincides with increased shedding of neoplastic cells into the circulation and metastasis. Several molecules such as cell surface receptors, growth factors, and enzymes are involved in this process. While antiangiogenic therapy for cancer has been proposed over 20 years ago, it has garnered much controversy in recent years within the scientific community. The complex relationships between the angiogenic signaling cascade and antiangiogenic substances have indicated the angiogenic pathway as a valid target for anticancer drug development and VEGF has become the primary antiangiogenic drug target. This review discusses the basic and clinical perspectives of angiogenesis highlighting the importance of comparative biology in understanding tumor angiogenesis and the integration of these model systems for future drug development.
A Standardized Method for 4D Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Blockade and Catheter Placement
Authors: Clendenen N. J. , Robards C. B. , Clendenen S. R.
Published: January 2014

We present a standardized method for using four-dimensional ultrasound (4D US) guidance for peripheral nerve blocks. 4D US allows for needle tracking in multiple planes simultaneously and accurate measurement of the local anesthetic volume surrounding the nerve following injection. Additionally, the morphology and proximity of local anesthetic spread around the target nerve is clearly seen with the described technique. This method provides additional spatial information in real time compared to standard two-dimensional ultrasound.
Robust Range Estimation with a Monocular Camera for Vision-Based Forward Collision Warning System
Authors: Park Ki-Yeong , Hwang Sun-Young
Published: January 2014

We propose a range estimation method for vision-based forward collision warning systems with a monocular camera. To solve the problem of variation of camera pitch angle due to vehicle motion and road inclination, the proposed method estimates virtual horizon from size and position of vehicles in captured image at run-time. The proposed method provides robust results even when road inclination varies continuously on hilly roads or lane markings are not seen on crowded roads. For experiments, a vision-based forward collision warning system has been implemented and the proposed method is evaluated with video clips recorded in highway and urban traffic environments. Virtual horizons estimated by the proposed method are compared with horizons manually identified, and estimated ranges are compared with measured ranges. Experimental results confirm that the proposed method provides robust results both in highway and in urban traffic environments.
Adverse Prognostic Factors and Optimal Intervention Time for Kyphoplasty/Vertebroplasty in Osteoporotic Fractures
Authors: Papanastassiou Ioannis D. , Filis Andreas , Aghayev Kamran , Kokkalis Zinon T. , Gerochristou Maria A. , Vrionis Frank D.
Published: January 2014

Introduction. While evidence supports the efficacy of vertebral augmentation (kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty) for the treatment of osteoporotic fractures, randomized trials disputed the value of vertebroplasty. The aim of this analysis is to determine the subset of patients that may not benefit from surgical intervention and find the optimal intervention time.Methods. 27 prospective multiple-arm studies with cohorts of more than 20 patients were included in this meta-analysis. We hereby report the results from the metaregression and subset analysis of those trials reporting on treatment of osteoporotic fractures with kyphoplasty and/or vertebroplasty.Results. Early intervention (first 7 weeks after fracture) yielded more pain relief. However, spontaneous recovery was encountered in hyperacute fractures (less than 2 weeks old). Patients suffering from thoracic fractures or severely deformed vertebrae tended to report inferior results. We also attempted to formulate a treatment algorithm.Conclusion. Intervention in the hyperacute period should not be pursued, while augmentation after 7 weeks yields less consistent results. In cases of thoracic fractures and significant vertebral collapse, surgeons or interventional radiologists may resort earlier to operation and be less conservative, although those parameters need to be addressed in future randomized trials.
UV-C Radiation as a Factor Reducing Microbiological Contamination of Fish Meal
Authors: Skowron Krzysztof , Bauza-Kaszewska Justyna , Dobrzański Zbigniew , Paluszak Zbigniew , Skowron Karolina Jadwiga
Published: January 2014

Fish meals, added to feeds as a source of protein, may contain pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, effective methods for their sanitizing, such as UV-C radiation, are needed to minimize the epidemiological risk. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of UV-C radiation on the sanitary state of fish meals. The research materials included salmon and cod meals. Samples of the fish meals were inoculated with suspensions ofSalmonella,E. coli, enterococci, andC. sporogenesspores and exposed to the following surface UV-C fluencies: 0–400 J·m−2for bacteria and 0–5000 J·m−2for spores. For the vegetative forms, the highest theoretical lethal UV-C dose, ranging from 670.99 to 688.36 J·m−2depending on the meal type, was determined forSalmonella. The lowest UV-C fluency of 363.34–363.95 J·m−2was needed for the inactivation ofEnterococcusspp. Spores were considerably more resistant, and the UV-C doses necessary for inactivation were 159571.1 J·m−2in salmon meal and 66836.9 J·m−2in cod meal. The application of UV-C radiation for the sanitization of fish meals proved to be a relatively effective method for vegetative forms of bacteria but was practically ineffective for spores.
Facing the Danger Zone: The Use of Ultrasound to Distinguish Cellulitis from Abscess in Facial Infections
Authors: Lewis Dywanda L. , Butts Christine J. , Moreno-Walton Lisa
Published: January 2014

Physical exam alone is often insufficient to determine whether or not cellulitis is accompanied by an abscess. Bedside ultrasound can be a valuable tool in ruling out suspected abscess by allowing direct visualization of a fluid collection. The proximity of the infection to adjacent structures can also be determined, thus aiding clinical decision making. Patients with cellulitis near the eye and nose are of particular concern due to the adjacent facial structures and the anatomy of the venous drainage. Accurately determining the presence or absence of an associated abscess in these patients is a crucial step in treatment planning. The purpose of this report is to (1) emphasize the benefits of bedside ultrasound when used in conjunction with the physical exam to rule out abscess; (2) demonstrate the utility of bedside ultrasound in planning a treatment strategy for soft tissue infection; (3) depict an instance where ultrasound detected an abscess when computed tomography (CT) scan did not.
Differential Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins in Postmortem Huntington’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease Human Brains
Authors: Fourie C. , Kim E. , Waldvogel H. , Wong J. M. , McGregor A. , Faull R. L. M. , Montgomery J. M.
Published: January 2014

NMDA and AMPA-type glutamate receptors and their bound membrane-associated guanylate kinases (MAGUKs) are critical for synapse development and plasticity. We hypothesised that these proteins may play a role in the changes in synapse function that occur in Huntington’s disease (HD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). We performed immunohistochemical analysis of human postmortem brain tissue to examine changes in the expression of SAP97, PSD-95, GluA2 and GluN1 in human control, and HD- and PD-affected hippocampus and striatum. Significant increases in SAP97 and PSD-95 were observed in the HD and PD hippocampus, and PSD95 was downregulated in HD striatum. We observed a significant increase in GluN1 in the HD hippocampus and a decrease in GluA2 in HD and PD striatum. Parallel immunohistochemistry experiments in the YAC128 mouse model of HD showed no change in the expression levels of these synaptic proteins. Our human data show that major but different changes occur in glutamatergic proteins in HD versus PD human brains. Moreover, the changes in human HD brains differ from those occurring in the YAC128 HD mouse model, suggesting that unique changes occur at a subcellular level in the HD human hippocampus.
Nanotechnology in Cancer Drug Delivery and Selective Targeting
Authors: Sutradhar Kumar Bishwajit , Amin Md. Lutful
Published: January 2014

Nanoparticles are rapidly being developed and trialed to overcome several limitations of traditional drug delivery systems and are coming up as a distinct therapeutics for cancer treatment. Conventional chemotherapeutics possess some serious side effects including damage of the immune system and other organs with rapidly proliferating cells due to nonspecific targeting, lack of solubility, and inability to enter the core of the tumors resulting in impaired treatment with reduced dose and with low survival rate. Nanotechnology has provided the opportunity to get direct access of the cancerous cells selectively with increased drug localization and cellular uptake. Nanoparticles can be programmed for recognizing the cancerous cells and giving selective and accurate drug delivery avoiding interaction with the healthy cells. This review focuses on cell recognizing ability of nanoparticles by various strategies having unique identifying properties that distinguish them from previous anticancer therapies. It also discusses specific drug delivery by nanoparticles inside the cells illustrating many successful researches and how nanoparticles remove the side effects of conventional therapies with tailored cancer treatment.
A Lexicographic Approach to Postdisaster Relief Logistics Planning Considering Fill Rates and Costs under Uncertainty
Authors: Liu Yajie , Guo Bo
Published: January 2014

Predicting the occurrences of earthquakes is difficult, but because they often bring huge
catastrophes, it is necessary to launch relief logistics campaigns soon after they occur. This paper proposes a stochastic optimization model for post‐disaster relief logistics to guide the strategic planning with respect to the locations of temporary facilities, the mobilization levels of relief supplies, and the deployment of transportation assets with uncertainty on demands. In addition, delivery plans for relief supplies and evacuation plans for critical population have been developed for each scenario. Two objectives are featured in the proposed model: maximizing the expected minimal fill rate of affected areas, where the mismatching distribution among correlated relief demands is penalized, and minimizing the expected total cost. An approximate lexicographic approach is here used to transform the bi‐objective stochastic programming model into a sequence of single objective stochastic programming models, and scenario‐decomposition‐based heuristic algorithms are furthermore developed to solve these transformed models. The
feasibility of the proposed bi‐objective stochastic model has been demonstrated empirically, and the effectiveness of the developed solution algorithms has also been evaluated and compared to that of commercial mixed‐integer optimization software.
Rendering Distortion Estimation Model for 3D High Efficiency Depth Coding
Authors: Zhang Qiuwen , Tian Liang , Huang Lixun , Wang Xiaobing , Zhu Haodong
Published: January 2014

A depth map represents three‐dimensional (3D) scene geometry information and is used for depth image based rendering (DIBR) to synthesize arbitrary virtual views. Since the depth map is only used to synthesize virtual views and is not displayed directly, the depth map needs to be compressed in a certain way that can minimize distortions in the rendered views. In this paper, a modified distortion estimation model is proposed based on view rendering distortion instead of depth map distortion itself and can be applied to the high efficiency video coding (HEVC) rate distortion cost function process for rendering view quality optimization. Experimental results on various 3D video sequences show that the proposed algorithm provides about 31% BD‐rate savings in comparison with HEVC simulcast and 1.3 dB BD‐PSNR coding gain for the rendered view.
Effect of Silicon Addition on High-Temperature Solid Particle Erosion-Wear Behaviour of Mullite-SiC Composite Refractories Prepared by Nitriding Reactive
Authors: Li Xiaochao , Chen Shusen , Huang Zhaohui , Fang Minghao , Liu Yan’gai , Wu Xiaowen , Huang Juntong , Liu Baolin
Published: January 2014

Solid particle erosion-wear experiments on as-prepared mullite-SiC composite refractories by nitriding reactive sintering were performed at elevated temperatures, using sharp black SiC abrasive particles at an impact speed of 50 m/s and the impact angle of 90° in the air atmosphere. The effects of silicon powder addition and erosion temperature on the erosion-wear resistance of mullite-SiC composite refractories were studied. The test results reveal that Si powders caused nitriding reaction to formβ-sialon whiskers in the matrix of mullite-SiC composite refractories. The erosion-wear resistance of mullite-SiC composite refractories was improved with the increase of silicon powder addition and erosion temperature, and the minimum volume erosion rate was under the condition of 12% silicon added and a temperature of 1400°C. The major erosion-wear mechanisms of mullite-SiC composite refractories were brittle erosion at the erosion temperature from room temperature to 1000°C and then plastic deformation from 1200°C to 1400°C.
A Numerical Method of Large-Scale Concrete Displacing Boom Dynamic and Experimental Validation
Authors: Ren Wu , Wu Yun-xin , Zhang Zhao-wei , Shi Wen-ze
Published: January 2014

Concrete displacing boom is large-scale motion manipulator. During the long distance pouring the postures needs to frequently change. This makes the real-time dynamic analysis and health monitoring difficult. Virtual spring-damper method is adopted to establish the equivalent hydraulic actuator model. Besides boom cylinder joint clearance is taken into account. Then transfer matrix method is used to build the multibody concrete placing boom model by dividing the system into two substructures. Next typical working conditions displacements and accelerations during the pouring process are studied. The results of the numerical method are correct and feasible compared with Recurdyn software and the experimental ones. So it provides reference to the real-time monitoring and structure design for such light weight large scale motion manipulators.
Screening for Sleep Apnoea in Mild Cognitive Impairment: The Utility of the Multivariable Apnoea Prediction Index
Authors: Wilson Georgina , Terpening Zoe , Wong Keith , Grunstein Ron , Norrie Louisa , Lewis Simon J. G. , Naismith Sharon L.
Published: January 2014

Purpose. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered an “at risk” state for dementia and efforts are needed to target modifiable risk factors, of which Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is one. This study aims to evaluate the predictive utility of the multivariate apnoea prediction index (MAPI), a patient self-report survey, to assess OSA in MCI.Methods. Thirty-seven participants with MCI and 37 age-matched controls completed the MAPI and underwent polysomnography (PSG). Correlations were used to compare the MAPI and PSG measures including oxygen desaturation index and apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI). Receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) curve analyses were performed using various cut-off scores for apnoea severity.Results. In controls, there was a significant moderate correlation between higher MAPI scores and more severe apnoea (AHI:r=0.47,P=0.017). However, this relationship was not significant in the MCI sample. ROC curve analysis indicated much lower area under the curve (AUC) in the MCI sample compared to the controls across all AHI severity cut-off scores.Conclusions. In older people, the MAPI moderately correlates with AHI severity but only in those who are cognitively intact. Development of further screening tools is required in order to accurately screen for OSA in MCI.
Experimental Investigation of Thermohydraulic Performance of a Rectangular Solar Air Heater Duct Equipped with V-Shaped Perforated Blocks
Authors: Alam Tabish , Saini R. P. , Saini J. S.
Published: January 2014

This paper presents the thermohydraulic performance of rectangular solar air heater duct equipped with V-shaped rectangular perforated blocks attached to the heated surface. The V-shaped perforated blocks are tested for downstream (V-down) to the air flow at Reynolds number from 2000 to 20000. The perforated blocks have relative pitch ratio ( P/e) from 4 to 12, relative blockage height ratio ( e/H) from 0.4 to 1.0, and open area ration from 5% to 25% at a fixed value of angle of attack of 60∘ in a rectangular duct having duct aspect ratio ( W/H) of 12. Thermohydraulic performance is compared at different geometrical parameters of V-shaped perforated blocks for equal pumping power which shows that maximum performance is observed at a relative pitch of 8, relative rib height of 0.8, and open area ration of 20%. It is also observed that the performance of V-shaped perforated blocks was better than transverse-perforated blocks.
The P2X7 Receptor: A Key Player in Immune-Mediated Bone Loss?
Authors: Kvist Torben Madsen , Schwarz Peter , Jørgensen Niklas Rye
Published: January 2014

Inflammatory diseases are often multiorganic diseases with manifestations not related directly to the primary affected organ. They are often complicated by a generalized bone loss that subsequently leads to osteoporosis and bone fractures. The exact mechanism for the accompanying bone loss is not understood in full detail, but factors such as glucocorticoid treatment, immobilization, malnutrition, and insufficient intake of vitamin D play a role. However, it has become evident that the inflammatory process itself is involved and the resulting bone loss is termed immune-mediated bone loss. It stems from an increase in bone resorption and the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta and has been shown to not only mediate the inflammatory response but also to strongly stimulate bone degradation. The purinergic P2X7 receptor is central in the processing of these two cytokines and in the initiation of the inflammatory response, and it is a key molecule in the regulation of both bone formation and bone resorption. The aim of this review is therefore to provide evidence-based novel hypotheses of the role of ATP-mediated purinergic signalling via the P2X7 receptor in immune-mediated bone loss and -osteoporosis.
Liver Injury Secondary to Anti-TNF-Alpha Therapy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Case Series and Review of the Literature
Authors: Parekh Ravish , Kaur Nirmal
Published: January 2014

Background. Biologic therapy to inhibit tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) is an effective, safe treatment for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). All TNF-αinhibitors have been associated with liver toxicity, but many of these cases have been reported in patients receiving therapy for rheumatologic disease. Herein we report the first single-center case series of TNF-αantagonist related liver injury in patients with IBD.Methods. A retrospective case series was performed at the Henry Ford Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Center. IRB approval was obtained.Results. 2 patients were treated with infliximab, whereas the 3rd patient was treated with adalimumab for IBD. All 3 patients had negative viral markers, normal autoimmune serologies, and normal biliary imaging studies. Liver biopsy was performed in all 3 patients, and evidence of portal inflammation was seen. Liver enzymes normalized after discontinuation of therapy in all patients, and no long term effects have been observed. One patient was successfully transitioned from infliximab to adalimumab without relapse of either IBD or liver injury.Conclusion. Liver injury secondary to TNF-αantagonist is an underrecognized, important clinical entity with potentially serious consequences. The mechanism of drug-induced injury is idiosyncratic. Larger cohort studies are needed to establish risk factors and injury patterns related to hepatotoxicity in these patients.
Numerical Analysis of Oxygen Adsorption on SnO2Surface Using Slab Geometry
Authors: Izydorczyk Weronika
Published: January 2014

Oxidation of thin film SnO2layer was simulated. In particular, the evolution of depletion layer was investigated by solving Poisson-Boltzmann equation for SnO2slab geometry grains. On this basis, the surface energy barrier dependence on layer thickness (30–500 nm) was obtained. The effect of the donor mobility (oxygen vacancies in the bulk) and degree of donor ionization on electric potential inside layer with different thicknesses was discussed. Furthermore, the dependence of per-square conductance on temperature (from 400 K to 700 K) has been computed. It was assumed that the bulk oxygen vacancies (donors) are singly or doubly ionized and mobile. The temperature variations in the carrier mobility were also taken into account.
Monitoring Corrosion of Steel Bars in Reinforced Concrete Structures
Authors: Verma Sanjeev Kumar , Bhadauria Sudhir Singh , Akhtar Saleem
Published: January 2014

Corrosion of steel bars embedded in reinforced concrete (RC) structures reduces the service life and durability of structures causing early failure of structure, which costs significantly for inspection and maintenance of deteriorating structures. Hence, monitoring of reinforcement corrosion is of significant importance for preventing premature failure of structures. This paper attempts to present the importance of monitoring reinforcement corrosion and describes the different methods for evaluating the corrosion state of RC structures, especially hal-cell potential (HCP) method. This paper also presents few techniques to protect concrete from corrosion.
The Laboratory of Genetics and Physiology 2: Emerging Insights into the Controversial Functions of This RIG-I-Like Receptor
Authors: Zhu Zixiang , Zhang Xiangle , Wang Guoqing , Zheng Haixue
Published: January 2014

The laboratory of genetics and physiology 2 (LGP2) is a key component of the RNA helicase family of retinoic acid-inducible gene 1- (RIG-I-) like receptors (RLRs) and is widely involved in viral RNA recognition and regulation during innate immune responses. Unlike RIG-I and melanoma differentiation-associated 5, both RLR members, LGP2 lacks the caspase-recruitment domain (CARD), which is required for recruiting and interacting with downstream signaling proteins to activate a cascade of downstream signaling events. The absence of the CARD results in divergent functional performance for LGP2 compared to these other RLR members. Both negative and positive regulatory roles have been reported for LGP2 in antiviral immune responses. It is currently unclear how the unusual properties of LGP2 mediate opposing roles. Future studies should elucidate the molecular mechanism(s) of LGP2 action. This minireview provides a brief overview of LGP2 structure and functions, with an expanded discussion on the regulation mechanisms in response to viral infection, hopefully stimulating insight into the divergent roles of LGP2 in the regulation of antiviral immune responses.
First Trimester Spontaneous Uterine Rupture in a Young Woman with Uterine Anomaly
Authors: Tola Esra Nur
Published: January 2014

Spontaneous uterine rupture is a life-threatening obstetrical emergency carrying a high risk for the mother and the fetus. Spontaneous uterine rupture in early pregnancy is very rare complication and it occurs usually in scarred uterus. Uterine anomalies are one of the reasons for spontaneous unscarred uterine rupture in early pregnancy. Obstetricians must consider this diagnosis when a pregnant patient presented with acute abdomen in early pregnancy. We present a case of spontaneous uterine rupture at 12 weeks of gestation in 24-year-old multigravida who had uterine anomaly presenting as an acute abdomen. Our preoperative diagnosis was ectopic pregnancy. Emergency laparotomy confirmed a spontaneous uterine rupture. Uterine anomaly is a risk factor for spontaneous uterine rupture in the early pregnancy. Clinical signs of uterine rupture in early pregnancy are nonspecific and must be distinguished from acute abdominal emergencies.
Continuous Selective Intra-Arterial Application of Nimodipine in Refractory Cerebral Vasospasm due to Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
Authors: Ott Stephanie , Jedlicka Sheila , Wolf Stefan , Peter Mozes , Pudenz Christine , Merker Patrick , Schürer Ludwig , Lumenta Christianto Benjamin
Published: January 2014

Background. Cerebral vasospasm is one of the leading courses for disability in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Effective treatment of vasospasm is therefore one of the main priorities for these patients. We report about a case series of continuous intra-arterial infusion of the calcium channel antagonist nimodipine for 1–5 days on the intensive care unit.Methods. In thirty patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage and refractory vasospasm continuous infusion of nimodipine was started on the neurosurgical intensive care unit. The effect of nimodipine on brain perfusion, cerebral blood flow, brain tissue oxygenation, and blood flow velocity in cerebral arteries was monitored.Results. Based on Hunt & Hess grades on admission, 83% survived in a good clinical condition and 23% recovered without an apparent neurological deficit. Persistent ischemic areas were seen in 100% of patients with GOS 1–3 and in 69% of GOS 4-5 patients. Regional cerebral blood flow and computed tomography perfusion scanning showed adequate correlation with nimodipine application and angiographic vasospasm. Transcranial Doppler turned out to be unreliable with interexaminer variance and failure of detecting vasospasm or missing the improvement.Conclusion. Local continuous intra-arterial nimodipine treatment for refractory cerebral vasospasm after aSAH can be recommended as a low-risk treatment in addition to established endovascular therapies.
Parecoxib Reduces Systemic Inflammation and Acute Lung Injury in Burned Animals with Delayed Fluid Resuscitation
Authors: Chong Si Jack , Wong Yong Chiat , Wu Jian , Tan Mui Hong , Lu Jia , Moochhala Shabbir M.
Published: January 2014

Burn injuries result in the release of proinflammatory mediators causing both local and systemic inflammation. Multiple organ dysfunctions secondary to systemic inflammation after severe burn contribute to adverse outcome, with the lungs being the first organ to fail. In this study, we evaluate the anti-inflammatory effects of Parecoxib, a parenteral COX-2 inhibitor, in a delayed fluid resuscitation burned rat model. Anaesthetized Sprague Dawley rats were inflicted with 45% total body surface area full-thickness scald burns and subsequently subjected to delayed resuscitation with Hartmann’s solution. Parecoxib (0.1, 1.0, and 10 mg/kg) was delivered intramuscularly 20 min after injury followed by 12 h interval and the rats were sacrificed at 6 h, 24 h, and 48 h. Burn rats developed elevated blood cytokines, transaminase, creatinine, and increased lung MPO levels. Animals treated with 1 mg/kg Parecoxib showed significantly reduced plasma level of CINC-1, IL-6, PGEM, and lung MPO. Treatment of 1 mg/kg Parecoxib is shown to mitigate systemic and lung inflammation without significantly affecting other organs. At present, no specific therapeutic agent is available to attenuate the systemic inflammatory response secondary to burn injury. The results suggest that Parecoxib may have the potential to be used both as an analgesic and ameliorate the effects of lung injury following burn.
On Some Vector-Valued Inequalities of Gronwall Type
Authors: Luor Dah-Chin
Published: January 2014

In this paper we established some vector-valued inequalities of Gronwall type in ordered Banach spaces. Our results can be applied to investigate systems of real-valued Gronwall-type inequalities. We also show that the classical Gronwall-Bellman-Bihari integral inequality can be generalized from composition operators to a variety of operators, which include integral operators, maximal operators, geometric mean operators, and geometric maximal operators.