bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of the Phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D) Gene and Cardioembolic Stroke in an Australian Cohort
Authors: Milton Austin G. , Aykanat Verna M. , Hamilton-Bruce M. Anne , Nezic Mark , Jannes Jim , Koblar Simon A.
Published: October 2011

Background

Large-scale epidemiological studies support an important role for susceptibility genes in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke, with phosphodiesterase 4D identified as the first gene predisposing to ischemic stroke. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms within the phosphodiesterase 4D gene have been implicated in the pathogenesis of stroke.

Aim

Undertake a multivariate analysis of six single nucleotide polymorphisms within the phosphodiesterase 4D gene in a previously defined Australian stroke cohort, to determine whether these single nucleotide polymorphisms have an association with ischemic stroke.

Methods

This case–control study was performed using an existing genetic database of 180 ischemic stroke patients and 301 community controls, evaluated previously for cerebrovascular risk factors (hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, smoking and history of stroke in a first-degree relative). Based on previously reported associations with large vessel disease, ischemic stroke, cardioembolic stroke or a mixture of these, six single nucleotide polymorphisms in the phosphodiesterase 4D gene were selected for study, these being single nucleotide polymorphisms 13, 19, rs152312, 45, 83 and 87, based on previously utilized DeCODE nomenclature. Single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped using a sequence-specific polymerase chain reaction method and gel electrophoresis. Logistic regression was undertaken to determine the relevance of each polymorphism to stroke. Further analysis was undertaken to determine the risk of stroke following stratification for stroke sub-type and etiology.

Results

Significant odds ratios were found to be associated with cardioembolic strokes in two single nucleotide polymorphisms: rs152312 and SNP 45 ( P<0·05).

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrated an association between cardioembolic stroke and phosphodiesterase 4D single nucleotide polymorphisms rs152312 and 45. No significant association was found for the other four single nucleotide polymorphisms investigated within the phosphodiesterase 4D gene. We propose that the results from this Australian population support the concept that a large prospective international study is required to investigate the role of phosphodiesterase 4D in the cardiogenic cause of ischemic stroke.
The Crucible Differentiation Scale: Assessing Differentiation in Human Relationships
Authors: Schnarch David , Regas Susan
Published: October 2011

Whereas most existing differentiation measures are grounded in Bowen’s writings about differentiation, the self‐report instrument created in this study addresses differentiation according to the Four Points of Balance articulated by the Crucible Approach. The Crucible Differentiation Scale (CDS) is a 63‐item, Likert‐type, multidimensional measure of differentiation focused on adults and their important relationships. The psychometric properties of the CDS were tested through five studies with a total of 4,169 participants. The identified CDS subscales are Solid Self, Connectedness, Anxiety Regulation through Self‐Soothing, Anxiety Regulation through Accommodation, Reactivity through Avoidance, Reactivity through Arguments, and Tolerating Discomfort for Growth. The CDS has potential use in evaluating differentiation theory, organizing treatment, and measuring therapy process and outcome.
Surgical and oncologic outcomes following laparoscopic versus open liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Li Ning , Wu Yong‐Rong , Wu Bin , Lu Min‐Qiang
Published: October 2011

Aim:  Laparoscopic hepatectomy has become a common method for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) nowadays, but the oncologic risks of laparoscopic liver resection for HCC are still under investigation. We performed a meta‐analysis to quantitatively compare surgical and oncologic outcomes of patients with HCC undergoing laparoscopic versus open hepatectomy.

Methods:  Systematic review and meta‐analysis of studies comparing laparoscopic with open liver resection for HCC. Two authors independently assessed study quality and extracted data. All data were analyzed using RevMan 5.

Results:  Ten studies comprising 627 patients were eligible for inclusion. The overall rate of conversion to open surgery was 6.6%. The laparoscopic group had significantly less blood loss by 223.17 mL (95% confidence interval [CI]: −331.81, −114.54; P < 0.0001), fewer need for transfusions (odds ratio [OR]: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.22, .079; P = 0.007), shorter hospital stay by 5.05 days (95% CI: −7.84, −2.25; P = 0.0004) and fewer postoperative complications (OR: 0.50; 95% CI: 0.32, 0.77; P = 0.002). No significant differences were found concerning surgery margin (weighted mean differences [WMD], 0.55; 95% CI: −0.71, 1.80; P = 0.39), resection margin positive rate (OR, 0.63; 95% CI: 0.25, 1.54; P = 0.31) and tumor recurrence (OR, 0.79; 95% CI: 0.49, 1.27; P = 0.33). In the 244 patients that underwent laparoscopic hepatectomy of all 10 studies included, no patients developed tumor recurrence at the site of resection margin, peritoneal dissemination or trocar‐site metastases.

Conclusions:  On currently available evidence, laparoscopic resection appears not to affect oncologic outcomes and increase tumor recurrence. It also offers less blood loss, decreased rate of intraoperative transfusion and shorter lengths of hospital stay. Laparoscopic resection is a safe and feasible choice for selected patients with HCC.
Platelet‐derived adenosine 5′‐triphosphate suppresses activation of human hepatic stellate cell: In vitro study
Authors: Ikeda Naoya , Murata Soichiro , Maruyama Takehito , Tamura Takafumi , Nozaki Reiji , Kawasaki Takuya , Fukunaga Kiyoshi , Oda Tatsuya , Sasaki Ryoko , Homma Masato , Ohkohchi Nobuhiro
Published: October 2011

Aim:  Activated hepatic stellate cells (HSC) play a critical role in liver fibrosis. Suppressing abnormal function of HSC or reversion from activated to quiescent form is a hopeful treatment for liver cirrhosis. The interaction between platelets and HSC remains unknown although platelets go through hepatic sinusoids surrounded by HSC. This study aimed at clarifying the hypothesis that platelets control activation of HSC.

Methods:  We used human platelets, platelet extracts, and primary or immortalized human HSC. We examined the effect of platelets on the activation, DNA synthesis, type I collagen production, and fibrosis‐relating gene expressions of HSC. We investigated what suppressed activation of HSC within platelets and examined the mechanism of controlling activation in vitro.

Results:  Platelets and platelet extracts suppressed activation of HSC. Platelets decreased type I collagen production without affecting DNA synthesis. Platelets increased the expression of matrix metallopeptidase 1. As platelet extracts co‐cultured with an enzyme of degrading adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP) suppressed activation, we detected adenine nucleotides within platelets or on their surfaces and confirmed the degradation of adenine nucleotides by HSC and the production of adenosine. Adenosine and platelets increased the intracellular cyclic adenosine 5′‐monophosphate (cAMP), which is important in quiescent HSC. A great amount of adenosine and ATP also suppressed activation of HSC.

Conclusion:  Activation of human HSC is suppressed by human platelets or platelet‐derived ATP via adenosine‐cAMP signaling pathway in vitro. Therefore, platelets have the possibility to be used in the treatment of liver cirrhosis.
Dominance of Shear Stresses in Early Stages of Impulsive Motion of Beams
Authors: Bleich H. H. , Shaw R.
Published: October 2011

In order to compare the magnitude of bending stresses and shear stresses in beams under the action of impulsive forces, the values of these stresses are determined from the known differential equations for the Timoshenko beam. It is found that in the early stages, soon after the initiation of the motion, the shear stresses are of much larger magnitude than the bending stresses. This result indicates that for sufficiently large initial velocities first yielding will be in shear, a matter of consequence in plastic analysis.
Vibrations and Waves in Elastic Bars of Rectangular Cross Section
Authors: Mindlin R. D. , Fox E. A.
Published: October 2011

An exact solution of the equations of elasticity is found for a family of modes of vibration, or waves, in an infinite bar of rectangular cross section for certain ratios of width to depth. The solution is composed of coupled dilatational and equivoluminal waves and the four faces of the bar are free of traction.
Steady-State Undamped Vibrations of a Class of Nonlinear Discrete Systems
Authors: Sethna P. R.
Published: October 2011

Steady-state vibrations of a class of nonlinear discrete systems with an arbitrary number of degrees of freedom are studied. The co-ordinates of the system are first transformed to the principal co-ordinates corresponding to the linear part of the system. A perturbation scheme is used to obtain the solutions. Some special effects of the ratios of the linear natural frequencies on the qualitative nature of the solutions are demonstrated. Solutions are obtained for some specific problems and the results are checked against those obtained from an analog-type computer.
A Unified Criterion for the Degree of Constraint of Plane Kinematic Chains
Authors: Paul B.
Published: October 2011

The degree of freedom or overconstraint of plane kinematic chains is determined by means of an analysis of independent loops. It is shown how the independent loops of a system may be identified and how they may be used to recognize certain special cases which do not fit into the framework of so-called “general formulas.” The independent loops may also be used to systematically formulate the governing kinematic equations of a system. It is shown that the equations so formulated are in general sufficient to solve for all unknown velocities and accelerations.
Mechanics of the Sheet-Bending Process
Authors: Shaffer Bernard W. , Ungar Eric E.
Published: October 2011

Two sets of expressions are obtained for residual stresses and deformations resulting from bending processes in which initially flat sheets are permanently deformed to sheets having finite radii of curvature. One of these sets applies for sheets whose concave surfaces have radii of curvature under load which are greater than 0.84 times the sheet thickness, and is associated with a residual plastic zone in the interior of the sheet. The other set applies whenever the afore-mentioned radii of curvature are less than 0.84 times the sheet thickness, and is associated with residual plastic zones in the bar interior and near the concave boundary of the sheet.
Effect of Shear Deformations on the Bending of Rectangular Plates
Authors: Salerno V. L. , Goldberg M. A.
Published: October 2011

The three partial differential equations derived by Dr. E. Reissner2, 3 have been reduced to a fourth-order partial differential equation resembling that of the classical plate theory and to a second-order differential equation for determining a stress function. The general solution for the two partial differential equations has been applied to a simply supported plate with a constant load p and to a plate with two opposite edges simply supported and the other two edges free. Numerical calculations have been made for the simply supported plate and the results compared with those of classical theory. The calculations for a wide range of parameters indicate that the deviation is small.
Classical Normal Modes in Damped Linear Dynamic Systems
Authors: Caughey T. K.
Published: October 2011

An analysis of the conditions under which a damped linear system possesses classical normal modes is presented. It is shown that a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of classical normal modes is that the damping matrix be diagonalized by the same transformation that uncouples the undamped systems. Sufficient though not necessary conditions on the damping matrix are developed, and it is shown that Rayleigh’s solution is a special case of the present theory.
Stresses in a Slab Having a Spherical Cavity Under Circular Bending
Authors: Ling Chih-Bing , Tsai Chen-Peng
Published: October 2011

This is one of a series of investigations on the effect of a spherical cavity in a solid of revolution when the solid is acted on by a given stress system symmetrical to the axis of revolution. Three problems of this nature have been investigated previously by the senior author in a succession of papers [1, 2, 3].
On the Plastic Behavior of Rotating Cylinders
Authors: Rimrott F. P. J.
Published: October 2011

Equations for strain and stress distribution in hollow rotating cylinders are developed. The deformations are considered to be of such magnitude, that the use of finite-strain theory is necessary. It is assumed that the relationship of true stress to true strain can be represented by a power relation. The three possible modes of plastic failure, namely, instability, cleavage, and shear fracture, are also discussed.
On the Airy Stress Functions of Plane Dislocation Problems
Authors: Ju F. D.
Published: October 2011

The present paper explores the Airy stress function for a general class of elastic dislocation problems in a doubly connected region. The basic concept of the elastic theory and the dislocation theory, included, are essential to the derivation of the method. Applications deal with two shapes of dislocation cuts; an arbitrary straight cut and a logarithmic spiral cut. For simplicity and illustrative purpose, only an infinite region with a circular hole has been considered. The discussion deals with the singular point and the uniqueness of the general solution.
A Method for Investigating Certain Eigenvalue Problems of the Buckling and Vibration of Plates
Authors: Conway H. D. , Leissa A. W.
Published: October 2011

In a recent investigation, a method was given for the approximate solution of certain boundary-value problems. This method lends itself well to the use of the electronic digital computer and is extended here to investigate the eigenvalue problems of the buckling under two-dimensional hydrostatic loading and the vibration of thin plates. The two-dimensional hydrostatic buckling loads of clamped square and equilateral-triangular plates are found by this method, the values agreeing well with the results obtainable by other methods where these results are known.
Propagation of Axisymmetric Waves in an Unlimited Elastic Shell
Authors: Kalnins A. , Naghdi P. M.
Published: October 2011

This investigation is concerned with the propagation of axisymmetric stress waves in unlimited thin shallow elastic spherical shells. In particular, a solution is obtained for an unlimited shallow spherical shell subjected to a harmonically oscillating concentrated load at the apex. This solution, exact within the scope of the linear theory of shallow shells, has an outward propagating wave character in the entire range of forcing frequency. Appropriate expressions for the mechanical impedance and the energy input are derived, and numerical results are obtained for the axial displacement corresponding to various forcing frequencies.
The Elastic Half Plane Subjected to Surface Tractions With Random Magnitude or Separation
Authors: Eringen A. C. , Dunkin J. W.
Published: October 2011

First and second-order moments of the stress tensor are obtained for the elastostatic problem concerning the half-plane subjected to random boundary tractions. The cases treated include the following types of applied surface tractions: (a) A purely random Gaussian load (white noise); (b) concentrated loads of random magnitudes separated by equal intervals; (c) a concentrated load acting at a random location; and (d) concentrated loads of equal magnitudes separated by random intervals.
An Accurate Expression for Gas-Pressure Drop in High-Speed Subsonic Flow With Friction and Heating
Authors: Fox R. H.
Published: October 2011

An approximate solution is derived for the pressure ratio in high-speed subsonic flow through constant-cross-section circular tubes with friction and heating. The results are compared with those obtained from an accurate numerical calculation. The gas used is air. A wide range of variables such as temperature ratio, exit Mach number (up to 0.90), tube length-to-diameter ratio, and shape of the power distribution function is examined. The derived expression is found to be quite accurate in all cases.
Investigations on Deformation Behavior of AA5754 Sheet Alloy Under Warm Hydroforming Conditions
Authors: Mahabunphachai S. , Koc M. , Carsley J. E.
Published: October 2011

Material behavior of AA5754 was investigated under different forming process conditions, including two loading conditions (uniaxial tensile and biaxial bulge), several strain rates (constant strain rates at 0.0013 and 0.013/s, and variable strain rate profiles: increasing and decreasing profiles), and several temperature levels (ambient up to 260 °C). Additional warm hydroforming experiments were conducted using a closed-die set up to understand the forming limits of AA5754. The results from tensile and hydraulic bulge tests as well as closed-die hydroforming experiments suggested that, in general, formability of AA5754 can be significantly improved with slow forming rates (<0.02/s), high forming temperature (>200 °C), and biaxial loading (hydroforming) that can delay strain localization (necking). However, the effect of forming rate did not reveal any significant gain in formability for temperatures below 200 °C. The effect of variable strain rate control was found to be significant only at elevated temperatures (>200 °C), where increasing strain rate resulted in lower formability and decreasing strain rate improved the maximum attainable dome height at temperatures above 200 °C. Finally, the material flow curves obtained from the tensile and bulge tests were shown to provide reasonably accurate predictions for cavity filling ratios (∼ 3–15% error) in finite element analyses.
Toward Automation of Friction Stir Welding Through Temperature Measurement and Closed-Loop Control
Authors: Fehrenbacher Axel , Duffie Neil A. , Ferrier Nicola J. , Pfefferkorn Frank E. , Zinn Michael R.
Published: October 2011

The objectives of this work are to determine an accurate temperature feedback strategy and to develop a closed-loop feedback control system for temperature in friction stir welding (FSW). FSW is a novel joining technology enabling welds with excellent metallurgical and mechanical properties, as well as significant energy consumption and cost savings. However, numerous parameter and condition variations are present in the FSW production environment that can adversely affect weld quality, which has made extensive automation of this process impossible to date. To enable large scale automation while maintaining weld quality, techniques to control the FSW process in the presence of unknown disturbances must be developed. One process variable that must be controlled to maintain uniform weld quality under the inherent workpiece variability (thermal constraints, material properties, geometry, etc.) is the weld zone temperature. Our hypothesis is that the weld zone temperature can be controlled, which can help in controlling the weld quality. A wireless data acquisition system was built to measure temperatures at the tool-workpiece interface. A thermocouple was placed in a through hole right at the interface of tool and workpiece so that the tip is in contact with the workpiece material. This measurement strategy reveals temperature variations within a single rotation of the tool in real time. In order to automate the system, a first order process model with transport delay was experimentally developed that captures the physics between spindle speed and measured interface temperature. The model has a time constant of 110 ms and a delay time of 85 ms. Using this temperature measurement technique, a closed-loop temperature control system with a bandwidth of 0.3 Hz was developed. Interface temperatures in the range from 555 °C to 575 °C were commanded to an integral controller, which regulated the spindle speed between 850 rpm and 1250 rpm to adjust the heat generation and achieve the desired interface temperatures in 6061-T6 aluminum. To simulate changes in thermal boundary conditions, backing plates of different thermal diffusivities were found to effectively alter the heat flow, hence, weld zone temperature. The integral controller that manipulates spindle speed is applied when welding during these intentionally introduced weld disturbances. The measured temperature stayed within ±5 °C after introducing the disturbance, compared to a 50 °C change in temperature when no control was applied.
Au/CeO2 Powders: Influence of the Preparation Procedure, Studied by XPS
Authors: Natile Marta Maria , Galenda Alessandro , Glisenti Antonella
Published: October 2011

In this paper the effect of the preparation procedure and of the Au/Ce atomic ratio on the surface properties of Au/CeO2 nanocomposites is investigated. For this purpose, Au/CeO2 nanocomposite powders were prepared using three different preparation procedures: (1) Direct Anionic Exchange (hereafter DAE); (2) Deposition-Precipitation (hereafter DP) and (3) Wet Impregnation (hereafter IMP) of nanosized ceria powders. By means of each synthesis procedure two different compositions have been prepared: 2 and 7 %wt. (hereafter 2 and 7, respectively) corresponding to a nominal (i.e. calculated from the weighted amount of precursors) Au/Ce atomic ratio of 0.018 and 0.066. The supporting ceria was obtained by precipitation from a basic solution of cerium nitrate containing H2O2 at 273 K. Besides the wide scan spectra, detailed spectra for the Ce 3d, Ce 4d, Au 4f and O 1s regions and related data are presented and discussed. XP data confirm the presence of CeO2 and Au(0) but traces of Ce(III) can also be observed. The Au/Ce atomic ratio obtained from XPS data differs with the synthetic procedure but is always lower than the expected value; this is particularly evident in the samples obtained by DP method and for the specimens richer in gold (Au/Ce = 0.016 and 0.039 for DAE2 [Accession #1154] and DAE7 [Accession #1155], respectively; Au/Ce = 0.005 and 0.015 for DP2 [Accession #1156] and DP7 [Accession #1157], respectively; Au/Ce = 0.017 and 0.023 for IMP2 [Accession #1158] and IMP7 [Accession #1159], respectively). Finally, the O/(Au+Ce) atomic ratios are always lower (O/(Au+Ce) = 1.68 and 1.43 for DAE2 and DAE7, respectively; O/(Au+Ce) = 1.37 and 1.53 for DP2 and DP7, respectively; O/(Au+Ce) = 1.38 and 1.39 for IMP2 and IMP7, respectively) than the expected values (2.0 and 1.9 for the 2 and 7 %wt. specimens, respectively.
Medical Faculty Development: A Modern-Day Odyssey
Authors: Beckerle Mary C. , Reed Kathryn L. , Scott Rosalyn P. , Shafer Mary-Ann , Towner Dena , Valantine Hannah A. , Zahniser Nancy R.
Published: October 2011

Academic medical centers must make systematic changes to improve the quality of life—and thus productivity—of their faculty.
Human T
H
17 Cells Are Long-Lived Effector Memory Cells
Authors: Kryczek Ilona , Zhao Ende , Liu Yan , Wang Yin , Vatan Linhua , Szeliga Wojciech , Moyer Jeffrey , Klimczak Aleksandra , Lange Andrzej , Zou Weiping
Published: October 2011

Human T
H
17 cells function as long-lived effector memory cells in the context of chronic disease.
Vitamin D Is Required for IFN-γ–Mediated Antimicrobial Activity of Human Macrophages
Authors: Fabri Mario , Stenger Steffen , Shin Dong-Min , Yuk Jae-Min , Liu Philip T. , Realegeno Susan , Lee Hye-Mi , Krutzik Stephan R. , Schenk Mirjam , Sieling Peter A. , Teles Rosane , Montoya Dennis , Iyer Shankar S. , Bruns Heiko , Lewinsohn David M. , Hollis Bruce W. , Hewison Martin , Adams John S. , Steinmeyer Andreas , Zügel Ulrich , Cheng Genhong , Jo Eun-Kyeong , Bloom Barry R. , Modlin Robert L.
Published: October 2011

Vitamin D is required for both innate and adaptive immunity to tuberculosis.
The Draft Genome of Planococcus donghaensis MPA1U2 Reveals Nonsporulation Pathways Controlled by a Conserved Spo0A Regulon
Authors: Pearson Michael D. , Noller Harry F.
Published: October 2011

The
Planococcaceae
are extreme survivors, having been cultured from environments such as deep sea sediments, marine solar salterns, glaciers, permafrost, Antarctic deserts, and sea ice brine. The family contains both sporulating and nonsporulating genera. Here we present the unclosed, draft genome sequence of
Planococcus donghaensis
strain MPA1U2, a nonsporulating psychrotrophic bacterium isolated from surface coastal water of the Pacific Ocean.
The Independent Payment Advisory Board: impact on neurointerventionalists
Authors: Manchikanti Laxmaiah , Hirsch Joshua A
Published: October 2011

The Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) is a powerful component of the Affordable Care Act, with the authority to issue recommendations to reduce the growth in Medicare spending and to provide recommendations to Congress for fast-track implementation. The IPAB works by recommending policies to Congress to help Medicare provide better care at a lower cost, including ideas on coordinating care, getting rid of waste in the system, providing incentives for best practices and prioritizing primary care. Congress then has the power to accept or reject these recommendations. However, Congress faces extreme limitations either to enact policies that achieve equivalent savings or to let the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) follow the IPAB's recommendations. The IPAB statute sets target growth rates for Medicare spending. The applicable percentage for maximum savings appears to be 0.5% for 2015, 1% for 2016, 1.25% for 2017 and 1.5% for 2018 and later. The IPAB Medicare proposal process involves mandatory recommendations and advisory recommendations with multiple reporting requirements. We believe neurointerventionalists, as highly specialized physicians reliant on expensive technology, should be aware of the IPAB and its impact on the practice of medicine.
High-temperature brine in chalcopyrite-rich quartz vein 40 km southwest of Sudbury, Ontario
Authors: Schandl Eva S. , Gorton Michael P. , Bray Colin J.
Published: October 2011

The Lac Panache (Nipissing) gabbro intrudes Huronian metasediments ca. 40 km southwest of the Sudbury Igneous Complex. The gabbro contains disseminated sulfides and is in contact with a chalcopyrite-rich quartz vein that crystallized from highly saline fluids (46.8 ± 3 equivalent wt.% NaCl) at a minimum temperature of 420 ± 27 °C. Chloride and carbonate inclusions in opened fluid inclusion cavities in the vein suggest that the brine contained dissolved metals (in addition to NaCl), such as Fe, Cu, Mn, and Co. The weakly altered quartz vein postdated regional metamorphism and was probably contemporaneous with the 1.7 Ga felsic magmatism and attendant albite alteration in the area. Cl-rich scapolite in the gabbro and highly saline fluid inclusions in the quartz vein suggest the existence of circulating hot brine throughout the tectonic evolution of the region. The 2.2 Ga old gabbro contains an abundance of Cl-rich scapolite intergrown with pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite that formed during the early hydrothermal (deuteric) alteration of the gabbro.
Differential activations of PKC/PKA related to microvasculopathy in diabetic GK rats
Authors: Wang Hui , Jiang Yong-Wei , Zhang Wen-Jian , Xu Shi-Qing , Liu Hong-Lin , Yang Wen-Ying , Lou Jin-Ning
Published: October 2011

Microvasculopathy is the most serious and predictable threat to the health of diabetic patients, which often results in end-stage renal disease, blindness, and limb amputations. Up to the present, the underlying mechanisms have remained elusive. Here, it was found that the differential activations of PKC/PKA were involved in diabetic microvasculopathy in diabetic GK rats. By real-time PCR, Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme activity assay, upregulation of PKC was prominent in kidney but was not significant in liver and brain. The expression and activity of PKA were lowered in kidney but comparable in brain and liver during diabetic nephropathy. Furthermore, the generation of reactive oxygen species, production of nitric oxide, and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase induced by advanced glycation end products were inhibited by PKCβ inhibitor LY-333531 or a PKA agonist in rat glomerular microvascular endothelial cells. Finally, albuminuria was significantly lowered by a PKA agonist and boosted by a PKA antagonist. It suggested that the differential activations of PKC/PKA related to microvasculopathy in diabetes and that activation of PKA may protect the diabetic microvasculature.
Mitochondrial metabolic suppression and reactive oxygen species production in liver and skeletal muscle of hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels
Authors: Brown Jason C. L. , Chung Dillon J. , Belgrave Kathleen R. , Staples James F.
Published: October 2011

During hibernation, animals cycle between periods of torpor, during which body temperature (Tb) and metabolic rate (MR) are suppressed for days, and interbout euthermia (IBE), during which Tb and MR return to resting levels for several hours. In this study, we measured respiration rates, membrane potentials, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production of liver and skeletal muscle mitochondria isolated from ground squirrels ( Ictidomys tridecemlineatus ) during torpor and IBE to determine how mitochondrial metabolism is suppressed during torpor and how this suppression affects oxidative stress. In liver and skeletal muscle, state 3 respiration measured at 37°C with succinate was 70% and 30% lower, respectively, during torpor. In liver, this suppression was achieved largely via inhibition of substrate oxidation, likely at succinate dehydrogenase. In both tissues, respiration by torpid mitochondria further declined up to 88% when mitochondria were cooled to 10°C, close to torpid Tb. In liver, this passive thermal effect on respiration rate reflected reduced activity of all components of oxidative phosphorylation (substrate oxidation, phosphorylation, and proton leak). With glutamate + malate and succinate, mitochondrial free radical leak (FRL; proportion of electrons leading to ROS production) was higher in torpor than IBE, but only in liver. With succinate, higher FRL likely resulted from increased reduction state of complex III during torpor. With glutamate + malate, higher FRL resulted from active suppression of complex I ROS production during IBE, which may limit ROS production during arousal. In both tissues, ROS production and FRL declined with temperature, suggesting ROS production is also reduced during torpor by passive thermal effects.
Search for Non-Gaussianities in the WMAP Data with the Scaling Index Method
Authors: Rossmanith G. , Modest H. , Räth C. , Banday A. J. , Górski K. M. , Morfill G.
Published: October 2011

In the recent years, non-Gaussianity and statistical isotropy of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) was investigated with various statistical measures, first and foremost by means of the measurements of the WMAP satellite. In this paper, we focus on the analyses that were accomplished with a measure of local type, the so-calledScaling Index Method(SIM). The SIM is able to detect structural characteristics of a given data set and has proven to be highly valuable in CMB analysis. It was used for comparing the data set with simulations as well as surrogates, which are full-sky maps generated by randomisation of previously selected features of the original map. During these investigations, strong evidence for non-Gaussianities as well as asymmetries and local features could be detected. In combination with the surrogates approach, the SIM detected the highest significances for non-Gaussianity to date.
A Novel Call Admission Control Policy Using Mobility Prediction and Throttle Mechanism for Supporting QoS in Wireless Cellular Networks
Authors: Wu Chen-Feng , Lee Liang-Teh , Chang Hung-Yuan , Tao Der-Fu
Published: October 2011

The decision of call admission becomes an important work owing to the scarce wireless spectrum for wireless cellular networks. If there exists adequate information for call admission control (CAC) schemes, the terms of quality of service (QoS), such as call dropping probability (CDP), call blocking probability (CBP), and system utilization, will be kept in a certain acceptable level. Therefore, a prediction system which can predict most information, such as system utilization and CDP, in advance with a novel data mining technique and a distributed CAC scheme is presented in this paper. Based on the prediction results and the bandwidth consumption of adjacent cells, the proposed CAC scheme is able to decide to admit a new call. The throttle flag that can indicate the usage of current cell is proposed to prevent the newly admitted call request from being blocked in adjacent cells if handoff is needed. The simulation results show that the proposed CAC scheme can maintain the CDP below a predefined threshold, and the CBP is also lower than the cluster prediction and traditional guard channel policies.
Indoor Surveillance Security Robot with a Self-Propelled Patrolling Vehicle
Authors: Lee Hou-Tsan , Lin Wei-Chuan , Huang Ching-Hsiang
Published: October 2011

Self-propelled patrolling vehicles can patrol periodically in the designed area to ensure the safety like men do. The proposed vehicle cannot only save manpower, but also ensure the performance without mistakes caused by man. It is different from the traditional patrolling system which is limited by the manpower and the fixed camera positions. To improve such situation, this paper proposes a self-propelled patrolling vehicle which can move automatically to a wider range and record the monitored image by IPCAM within a predefined patrolling route. Besides, the user can use the mobile device or website to connect to the vehicle at anytime and anywhere and control it to move to the position to get the indoor image user wants. The position of self-propelled vehicles can be detected by the RFID reader as a feedback and be shown on the PC screen and smart phone. The recorded images can be also transmitted back to the server via WiFi system for face tracking and discriminating analysis. On the other hand, the self-propelled vehicle patrolling routes can be modified by the Android smart-phone remote-control module. When some defined events occur, the build-in MSN module will notice users by sending messages to PC and smart phone. Experimental results are given in the paper to validate its performance.
Valuing Options in Heston′s Stochastic Volatility Model: Another Analytical Approach
Authors: Frontczak Robert
Published: October 2011

We are concerned with the valuation of European options in the Heston stochastic volatility model with correlation. Based on Mellin transforms, we present new solutions for the price of European options and hedging parameters. In contrast to Fourier‐based approaches, where the
transformation variable is usually the log‐stock price at maturity, our framework focuses on directly transforming the current stock price. Our solution has the nice feature that it requires only a single integration. We make numerical tests to compare our results with Heston′s solution based on Fourier inversion and investigate the accuracy of the derived pricing formulae.
An Unusual Cause of Pseudomedian Nerve Palsy
Authors: Manjaly Zina-Mary , Luft Andreas R. , Sarikaya Hakan
Published: October 2011

We describe a patient who presented with an acute paresis of her distal right hand suggesting a peripheral median nerve lesion. However, on clinical examination a peripheral origin could not be verified, prompting further investigation. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging revealed an acute ischaemic lesion in the hand knob area of the motor cortex. Isolated hand palsy in association with cerebral infarction has been reported occasionally. However, previously reported cases presented predominantly as ulnar or radial palsy. In this case report, we present a rather rare finding of an acute cerebral infarction mimicking median never palsy.
Abdominal Trauma: Never Underestimate It
Authors: Bodhit Aakash N. , Bhagra Anjali , Stead Latha Ganti
Published: October 2011

Introduction. We present a case of a sports injury. The initial presentation and clinical examination belied serious intra-abdominal injuries.Case Presentation. A 16-year-old male patient came to emergency department after a sports-related blunt abdominal injury. Though on clinical examination the injury did not seem to be serious, FAST revealed an obscured splenorenal window. The CT scan revealed a large left renal laceration and a splenic laceration that were managed with Cook coil embolization. Patient remained tachycardic though and had to undergo splenectomy, left nephrectomy, and a repair of left diaphragmatic rent. Patient had no complication and had normal renal function at 6-month followup.Conclusion. The case report indicates that management of blunt intra-abdominal injury is complicated and there is a role for minimally invasive procedures in management of certain patients. A great deal of caution is required in monitoring these patients, and surgical intervention is inevitable in deteriorating patients.
Beyond Screen Time: Assessing Recreational Sedentary Behavior among Adolescent Girls
Authors: Bauer Katherine W. , Friend Sarah , Graham Daniel J. , Neumark-Sztainer Dianne
Published: October 2011

Most studies of sedentary behavior have focused on television use or screen time. This study aims to examine adolescent girls' participation in a variety of recreational sedentary behaviors (e.g., talking on the phone and hanging around), and their association with physical activity (PA), dietary behaviors, and body mass index. Data were from a sample of 283 adolescent girls. Recreational sedentary behavior, PA, and dietary behaviors were self-reported, and girls' height and weight were measured. Over 95% of girls engaged in at least one recreational sedentary behavior during the recall period. Watching television and hanging around were the most common behaviors. Watching television, using the Internet, and hanging around were associated with less PA; watching television, hanging around, and talking on the phone were associated with less healthful dietary behaviors. No associations were found with body mass index. Interventions may benefit from capitalizing on and intervening upon girls' common recreational sedentary behaviors.
Effect of Electronegativity and Charge Balance on the Visible-Light-Responsive Photocatalytic Activity of Nonmetal Doped Anatase TiO2
Authors: Lu Jibao , Jin Hao , Dai Ying , Yang Kesong , Huang Baibiao
Published: October 2011

The origin of visible light absorption and photocatalytic activity of nonmetal doped anatase TiO2were investigated in details in this work based on density functional theory calculations. Our results indicate that the electronegativity is of great significance in the band structures, which determines the relative positions of impurity states induced by the doping species, and further influences the optical absorption and photocatalytic activities of doped TiO2. The effect of charge balance on the electronic structure was also discussed, and it was found that the charge-balance structures may be more efficient for visible light photocatalytic activities. In addition, the edge positions of conduction band and valence band, which determine the ability of a semiconductor to transfer photoexcited electrons to species adsorbed on its surface, were predicted as well. The results may provide a reference to further experimental studies.
Phase I Safety and Pharmacokinetic Study of Bavituximab, a Chimeric Phosphatidylserine-Targeting Monoclonal Antibody, in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Gerber David E. , Stopeck Alison T. , Wong Lucas , Rosen Lee S. , Thorpe Philip E. , Shan Joseph S. , Ibrahim Nuhad K.
Published: October 2011

Purpose: Bavituximab is a chimeric immunoglobulin G1 phosphatidylserine-targeting monoclonal antibody that triggers vascular disruption and enhances antitumor immune response. This phase I study assessed the safety and pharmacokinetics of bavituximab in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Experimental Design: Patients with refractory advanced solid tumors were enrolled into four sequential dose-escalation cohorts (0.1, 0.3, 1, or 3 mg/kg bavituximab weekly) with two dosing schedules. Patients in the 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg cohorts received bavituximab on days 0, 28, 35, and 42. Patients in the 1 and 3 mg/kg cohorts were administered bavituximab on days 0, 7, 14, and 21. Safety, pharmacokinetics, and tumor response were assessed.

Results: Twenty-six patients were accrued. No maximum tolerated dose was reached. Six serious adverse events occurred in five patients, including one pulmonary embolism at 3 mg/kg, which was the only dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) in the study. Bavituximab half-life ranged from 37 to 47 hours, with no accumulation seen following administration of multiple doses. Activated partial thromboplastin time was modestly prolonged in vitro at the highest dose tested. As assessed on day 56, a total of 18 patients were evaluable for efficacy, of whom 10 had disease progression and none had an objective response.

Conclusions: Bavituximab was well tolerated at doses ranging up to 3 mg/kg weekly. Pharmacokinetic studies support a weekly dosing regimen. Additional phase I and II clinical trials are in progress to investigate bavituximab in combination with chemotherapy and other molecularly targeted agents. Clin Cancer Res; 17(21); 6888–96. ©2011 AACR.
Phase II Study of the Effects of Ginger Root Extract on Eicosanoids in Colon Mucosa in People at Normal Risk for Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zick Suzanna M. , Turgeon D. Kim , Vareed Shaiju K. , Ruffin Mack T. , Litzinger Amie J. , Wright Benjamin D. , Alrawi Sara , Normolle Daniel P. , Djuric Zora , Brenner Dean E.
Published: October 2011

Inhibitors of COX indicate that upregulation of inflammatory eicosanoids produced by COX, and in particular prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), are early events in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Ginger has shown downregulation of COX in vitro and decreased incidence/multiplicity of adenomas in rats. This study was conducted to determine if 2.0 g/d of ginger could decrease the levels of PGE2, 13-hydroxy-octadecadienoic acids, and 5-, 12-, and 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-, 12-, and 15-HETE), in the colon mucosa of healthy volunteers. To investigate this aim, we randomized 30 subjects to 2.0 g/d ginger or placebo for 28 days. Flexible sigmoidoscopy at baseline and day 28 was used to obtain colon biopsies. A liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method was used to determine eicosanoid levels in the biopsies, and levels were expressed per protein or per free arachidonic acid. There were no significant differences in mean percent change between baseline and day 28 for any of the eicosanoids, when normalized to protein. There was a significant decrease in mean percent change in PGE2 (P = 0.05) and 5-HETE (P = 0.04), and a trend toward significant decreases in 12-HETE (P = 0.09) and 15-HETE (P = 0.06) normalized to free arachidonic acid. There was no difference between the groups in terms of total adverse events P = 0.55). On the basis of these results, it seems that ginger has the potential to decrease eicosanoid levels, perhaps by inhibiting their synthesis from arachidonic acid. Ginger also seemed to be tolerable and safe. Further investigation in people at high risk for CRC seems warranted. Cancer Prev Res; 4(11); 1929–37. ©2011 AACR.
Assessment of Respiratory Physiology of C57BL/6 Mice following Bleomycin Administration Using Barometric Plethysmography
Authors: Milton Phillipa L. , Dickinson Hayley , Jenkin Graham , Lim Rebecca
Published: October 2011

Background: Assessment of deterioration of lung function in animal models of respiratory disease traditionally relies upon quantitating biochemical markers. Plethysmography is a technique for measuring lung function that includes invasive and non-invasive methodologies. Objectives: This study used whole-body barometric plethysmography to characterize change(s) in respiratory physiology of C57BL/6 mice following bleomycin administration. Methods: Cohorts of animals were culled at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days to semi-quantitatively score the lung for fibrosis, and quantitate levels of hydroxyproline in the lung. We have described in detail the response of C57BL/6 mice to bleomycin. Results: Bleomycin-treated mice had reduced minute volume (p < 0.05) and an increased total breathing cycle time (p < 0.0001), which consisted of a shortened inspiration time (p < 0.01) and an extended expiration time (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: We have demonstrated that plethysmography can be a primary indicator of the development of respiratory disease in the mouse and would thus be suitable in assessing potential therapies since any truly effective treatment should elicit restoration of respiratory parameters in addition to improving traditional biochemical and histological indices of lung function.
The Evaluation of Oesophageal Function in Patients with Different Types of Oesophageal Metaplasia
Authors: Rosztóczy András , Izbéki Ferenc , Róka Richárd , Németh István , Gecse Krisztina , Vadászi Klára , Kádár Judit , Vetró Éva , Tiszlavicz László , Wittmann Tibor
Published: October 2011

Aim: To evaluate the oesophageal function in patients with different types of oesophageal metaplasia and in cases with dysplasia on the basis of the Montreal definition of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Patients and Methods: 270 consecutive patients [M/F 151/119, mean age 54.2 years (19–84)] with endoscopic and histological evidence of oesophageal metaplasia were prospectively studied: patients with specialized intestinal metaplasia (SIM, n = 109) and patients without SIM (n = 161). Patients with SIM were subdivided into a dysplasia-positive (n = 34) and a dysplasia-negative (n = 75) group. All patients underwent reflux symptom analysis, oesophageal manometry, and simultaneous 24-hour pH and biliary reflux monitoring. Results: Patients with SIM were significantly older and had a significantly higher body mass index than patients without SIM. A significant male predominance was observed in patients with SIM and dysplasia compared to the dysplasia-negative group. The clinical symptom spectrum and the prevalence of erosive oesophageal lesions were similar in all groups. Patients with SIM had longer metaplastic segments, which was further increased in the dysplasia-positive group. During oesophageal manometry, pH and biliary reflux monitoring, patients with SIM had more severe alterations than patients without SIM, and these were further increased in patients with SIM and dysplasia. Conclusions: Patients with SIM had more severe oesophageal function abnormalities than those with other types of oesophageal metaplasia (e.g. gastric). The oesophageal function was further impaired if dysplasia was present in the metaplastic mucosa.