bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non‐surgical periodontal therapy improves oral health‐related quality of life
Authors: Wong Ruby M. S. , Ng Sam K. S. , Corbet Esmonde F. , Keung Leung W.
Published: October 2011

Aim

The influence of non‐surgical periodontal therapy on oral health‐related quality of life (OHQoL) was investigated.

Materials and Methods

Sixty‐five Chinese adults (25 men, mean 47.4 years) with moderate‐to‐advanced chronic periodontitis were recruited. All received oral hygiene instructions (OHI) and non‐surgical periodontal treatment in a quadrant‐wise approach, followed by recalls at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months post treatment, when OHI and prophylaxis were repeated. Clinical parameters were recorded, and oral health impact profile short‐form (OHIP‐14S) was administered at all time points.

Results

Moderate‐to‐deep sites (≥4 mm) decreased from 31.0% to 3.0% at 12 months post treatment (p < 0.005) which corresponded well with reductions in plaque, 72.8% to 25.4% (p < 0.005) and bleeding on probing, 86.3% to 32.0% (p < 0.005). Median OHIP‐14S scores gradually reduced from 17 at baseline to 14 over the first 6 months and remained plateaued at 12‐month post treatment (p < 0.005). Improvements in subdomains of physical pain, psychological discomfort and psychological disability accounted for the changes.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that OHQoL, in particular, pain and psychological subdomains, improvement was associated with non‐surgical periodontal therapy responses. Clinicians could capitalize upon the positive psychological OHQoL impacts of mechanical periodontal treatment for subsequent patient‐centred motivation during maintenance therapy.
A γ‐aminobutyrate type A receptor‐associated protein involved in the immune response of Eriocheir sinensis
Authors: Zhou Z. , Wang L. , Kong P. , Qiu L. , Zhang H. , Gao Y. , Yang J. , Song L.
Published: October 2011

The γ‐aminobutyrate type A receptor‐associated protein (GABARAP) is a ubiquitin‐like modifier, which is implicated in membrane trafficking and fusion events of γ‐aminobutyrate type A receptor, autophagy and apoptosis. In the present study, the gene encoding GABARAP (designated EsGABARAP) was cloned from Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis by using rapid amplification of cDNA ends approach and expression sequence tag (EST) analysis. The full‐length cDNA of EsGABARAP was of 457 bp, containing a 5′ untranslated region (UTR) of 77 bp, a 3′ UTR of 32 bp with a poly(A) tail and an open reading frame (ORF) of 348 bp encoding a polypeptide of 116 amino acids with the predicted molecular weight of 13.81 kDa and theoretical isoelectric point of 8.73. The deduced amino acid sequence of EsGABARAP shared higher similarity (91.8–97.4%) with those of other GABARAPs, and it contained a conserved MAP1_LC3 domain. In the phylogenetic tree, EsGABARAP was firstly clustered with GABARAPs from other animals and then gathered together with the same family proteins of GABARAP. The mRNA expression level of EsGABARAP in six tissues and its temporal expression level in haemocytes of crabs challenged with Listonella anguillarum were determined by quantitative real‐time RT‐PCR. The mRNA transcripts of EsGABARAP could be detected ubiquitously in the examined tissues, including haemocytes, hepatopancreas, muscle, gill, heart and gonad, with the highest expression level in hepatopancreas. The expression level of EsGABARAP mRNA in haemocytes was up‐regulated after L. anguillarum challenge and reached 6.58‐fold of that in blank group at 24 h (P < 0.05) and 7.52‐fold at 48 h (P < 0.05). The increasing transcripts in haemocytes after L. anguillarum challenge gave the preliminary evidence for the involvement of EsGABARAP as a part of immune response against bacteria challenge in crabs.
Daily Light–Dark Cycles Influence Hypoxia‐Inducible Factor 1 and Heat Shock Protein Levels in the Pacemakers of Crayfish
Authors: Velázque‐Amado Rosa María , Escamilla‐Chimal Elsa G. , Fanjul‐Moles María Luisa
Published: October 2011

It has been proposed that at moderate concentrations, reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role as regulatory mediators in signaling processes. Many of the ROS‐mediated responses, such as those mediated by the glutathione (GSH) system, protect cells against oxidative stress and reestablish “redox homeostasis.” The response to stress is controlled by specific transcription factors, such as hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1), which interacts with chaperones such as heat shock proteins (HSP) that stabilize intracellular components. We have reported that the oxidation produced by extreme light cycles was coupled to cellular fluctuations in the production of free radicals and ROS in crayfish. Herein, we investigated whether ROS resulting from light–dark cycles (20:4 LD) with a long photoperiod activated HIF‐1α in the putative pacemakers of crayfish. Our results indicate that both the light resulting from equatorial and extreme daily light cycles and the constant darkness‐induced HIF‐1α and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) appeared to regulate each other. The interaction between these proteins and the ability of crayfish to shift from the oxidative to glycolytic pathways, thereby synchronizing to extreme illumination conditions and maintaining a rhythmic predictive relationship with the environment, suggest HIF‐1 as a key factor in these rhythmic metabolic interactions.
Examining the influence of insurance and moral hazard on the utilisation of practitioner‐based complementary and alternative medicine
Authors: Bohm Josef
Published: October 2011

Moral hazard (excess consumption of clinical services) is representative of consumer behaviour associated with the utilisation of services reimbursed from third‐party payers. Within the USA, CAM is supported by numerous commercial and public insurance programmes. The objective of this article is to assess the utilisation of CAM when paid for by third‐party payers. Data from the 2007 US National Health Interview Survey were examined to measure the relationship between insurance coverage and the utilisation of practitioner‐based alternative medicine. Participant use of chiropractic, osteopathic manipulation and acupuncture was compared with health insurance coverage. The analysis applied standard epidemiological risk ratios to the data in order to calculate the effect of insurance coverage on CAM and moral hazard. The presence of health insurance was a strong facilitator of utilisation, with up to a 40% increase in utilisation when reimbursement mechanisms were introduced. The finding suggests that market‐based strategies for dealing with moral hazard have little influence when applied to practitioner‐based CAM, while insurance coverage plays a significant role in its delivery. Consequently, factors related to behavioural economics and agency modelling may undermine efficient utilisation and payment for CAM services.
A Criterion for Combination Rule in Flaw Assessment of Parallel Surface Cracks
Authors: Kamaya Masayuki
Published: October 2011

When multiple cracks approach one another, the stress intensity factor and J-integral value change due to the interaction of the stress field. Since the changes in these parameters are not always conservative in structural reliability evaluations, the interaction between multiple cracks should be taken into account. Section XI of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code provides a flaw characterization rule for interacting multiple cracks. In Section XI, adjacent cracks are replaced with a coalesced single crack when the distance between the cracks is less than half of the crack depth. However, the criterion for the offset distance is given as an absolute value, although the magnitude of the interaction depends on the crack size. In the current study, an alternative criterion for the offset distance was examined. Linear-elastic and elastic–plastic analyses were performed for interacting semicircular and semi-elliptical surface cracks by the finite element method under a tensile or bending load. The change in the stress intensity factors and J-integral values due to the relative spacing of cracks was investigated. Based on the relationship between the magnitude of the interaction and the relative position of the cracks, the allowable ctriterion for the offset distance was discussed.
Effects of Clad and Base Metal Thickness on Residual Stress in the Repair Weld of a Stainless Steel Clad Plate
Authors: Jiang Wenchun , Yang B. , Gong J. M. , Tu S. T.
Published: October 2011

This paper used finite element method (FEM) to predict the residual stresses in repair weld of a stainless steel clad plate. The effects of clad metal thickness and base metal thickness on residual stresses have been investigated. The results show that large residual stresses have been generated in weld metal and heat affected zone (HAZ). The clad metal and base metal thickness have a great effect on residual stresses. With clad metal thickness increase, the deformation and plastic strain are increased to relax some residual stress, which leads to a decrease in residual stress. The repair structure has an angular deformation for the shrinkage of weld metal. The strength of base metal is great larger than that of clad metal, and therefore, the base metal has a constraint on the shrinkage of clad metal. As the base metal thickness increase, this constraint function is enhanced, which leads to an increase in residual stress, which provides a reference for the repair welding of stainless steel clad plate.
Atwood's Heavy Chain
Authors: Beeken Paul
Published: October 2011

While perusing various websites in search of a more challenging lab for my students, I came across a number of ideas where replacing the string in an Atwood's machine1 with a simple ball chain like the kind found in lamp pulls created an interesting system to investigate. The replacement of the string produced a nice nonuniform acceleration, but one that my AP® students found difficult to analyze given their current math background. As the year progressed, we began to explore the importance of work and its utility in making predictions on systems that did not lend themselves to easy analysis using Newtonian mechanics. The effort made it apparent that the heavy rope Atwood's machine would make a perfect system for investigation using the lessons gained from work and energy.
A Conspectus on U.S. Energy
Authors: Hayden Howard C.
Published: October 2011

An athlete sitting on a bicycle seat can produce about 100 watts of useful power on a long-term basis. After 10 hours, the athlete produces 1000 watt-hours, or one kilowatt-hour (kWh). While some people balk at the notion of having to pay (say) 8.5 cents rather than their present 8 cents for that kilowatt-hour, what would they have to pay the athlete for 10 hours of hard labor? And what would it cost for that kWh if we had to do nothing more than feed the athlete?
Measuring Lift with the Wright Airfoils
Authors: Heavers Richard M. , Soleymanloo Arianne
Published: October 2011

In this laboratory or demonstration exercise, we mount a small airfoil with its long axis vertical at one end of a nearly frictionless rotating platform.1 Air from a leaf blower2 produces a sidewise lift force L on the airfoil and a drag force D in the direction of the air flow (Fig. 1). The rotating platform is kept in equilibrium by adding weights (the measured values of L) to the lower end of a string passing over a pulley and connected to the other end of the rotating platform (Fig. 2). Our homemade airfoils are similar to those tested by the Wright brothers in 1901. From our lift plots in Fig. 3, we can draw the same conclusions as the Wrights about the influence of an airfoil's curvature and shape on lift.
Containing the
Contagion
: Treating the Virus That Inspired the Film
Authors: Lee Benhur
Published: October 2011

Postexposure passive immunotherapy protects African green monkeys from lethal challenge with
Contagion
-related Hendra virus.
GLOBAL WEAK SOLUTIONS FOR A PERIODIC HUNTER–SAXTON EQUATION WITH WEAK DISSIPATION
Authors: WEI XUEMEI
Published: October 2011

In this paper, we consider a periodic Hunter–Saxton equation with weak dissipation. We obtain the existence of global weak solutions to the equation for any initial data in H1(𝕊).
COHERENT SYSTEMS AND MODULAR SUBAVRIETIES OF $\mathcal{SU}_C(r)$
Authors: BOLOGNESI MICHELE , BRIVIO SONIA
Published: October 2011

Let C be an algebraic smooth complex curve of genus g > 1. The object of this paper is the study of the birational structure of certain moduli spaces of vector bundles and of coherent systems on C and the comparison of different type of notions of stability arising in moduli theory. Notably we show that in certain cases these moduli spaces are birationally equivalent to fibrations over simple projective varieties, whose fibers are GIT quotients (ℙr-1)rg// PGL (r), where r is the rank of the considered vector bundles. This allows us to compare different definitions of (semi-)stability (slope stability, α-stability, GIT stability) for vector bundles, coherent systems and point sets, and derive relations between them. In certain cases of vector bundles of low rank when C has small genus, our construction produces families of classical modular varieties contained in the Coble hypersurfaces.
FUNCTION PROJECTIVE SYNCHRONIZATION OF CHAOTIC SYSTEMS VIA NONLINEAR ADAPTIVE–IMPULSIVE CONTROL
Authors: WU RANCHAO , CAO DONGXU
Published: October 2011

In this paper, function projective synchronization of chaotic systems is investigated through nonlinear adaptive–impulsive control. To achieve synchronization, suitable nonlinear continuous and impulsive controllers are designed, according to invariant principle of impulsive dynamical systems. Sufficient conditions are given to ensure the synchronization. Numerical simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
CROSSING TIME THROUGH THE FITNESS BARRIER IN AN ASYMMETRIC MULTIPLICATIVE OR ADDITIVE LANDSCAPE IN THE MUTATION-SELECTION MODEL
Authors: GILL WONPYONG
Published: October 2011

This study examines the dependence of crossing time on sequence length for a finite population in an asymmetric multiplicative, or additive, landscape with a positive asymmetric parameter and a fixed extension parameter in three types of mutation-selection model: the coupled discrete-time model, the coupled continuous-time model, and the decoupled continuous-time model. The crossing times for a finite population in the three types of mutation-selection model began to deviate from the crossing times for an infinite population at a critical sequence length. It then increased exponentially as a function of sequence length in the stochastic region where the sequence length was much longer than the critical sequence length. The exponentially increasing rates of the crossing times in the three types of mutation-selection model were similar to each other. These rates were decreased by increasing the asymmetric parameter. Once the asymmetric parameter reached a certain limit the crossing times for the three models in the stochastic region could not be decreased further by increasing the asymmetric parameter past this limit.
JAGUC — A SOFTWARE PACKAGE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL DIVERSITY ANALYSES
Authors: NEBEL MARKUS E. , WILD SEBASTIAN , HOLZHAUSER MICHAEL , HÜTTENBERGER LARS , REITZIG RAPHAEL , SPERBER MATTHIAS , STOECK THORSTEN
Published: October 2011

Background: The study of microbial diversity and community structures heavily relies on the analyses of sequence data, predominantly taxonomic marker genes like the small subunit of the ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) amplified from environmental samples. Until recently, the "gold standard" for this strategy was the cloning and Sanger sequencing of amplified target genes, usually restricted to a few hundred sequences per sample due to relatively high costs and labor intensity. The recent introduction of massive parallel tag sequencing strategies like pyrosequencing (454 sequencing) has opened a new window into microbial biodiversity research. Due to its swift nature and relatively low expense, this strategy produces millions of environmental SSU rDNA sequences granting the opportunity to gain deep insights into the true diversity and complexity of microbial communities. The bottleneck, however, is the computational processing of these massive sequence data, without which, biologists are hardly able to exploit the full information included in these sequence data.

Results: The freely available standalone software package JAGUC implements a broad regime of different functions, allowing for efficient and convenient processing of a huge number of sequence tags, including importing custom-made reference data bases for basic local alignment searches, user-defined quality and search filters for analyses of specific sets of sequences, pairwise alignment-based sequence similarity calculations and clustering as well as sampling saturation and rank abundance analyses. In initial applications, JAGUC successfully analyzed hundreds of thousands of sequence data (eukaryote SSU rRNA genes) from aquatic samples and also was applied for quality assessments of different pyrosequencing platforms.

Conclusions: The new program package JAGUC is a tool that bridges the gap between computational and biological sciences. It enables biologists to process large sequence data sets in order to infer biological meaning from hundreds of thousands of raw sequence data. JAGUC offers advantages over available tools which are further discussed in this manuscript.
INTERFACES FEATURES IN POLYMER NANOCOMPOSITES: A REVIEW OF PROPOSED MODELS
Authors: PITSA DESPOINA , DANIKAS MICHAEL G.
Published: October 2011

Different properties and phenomena that polymer nanocomposites exhibit compared to the base polymers or conventional polymers (polymers with micron scale particles) are attributed to interfaces features. As a consequence, theories and models (such as Lewis' model, Tsagaropoulos' model and the multicore model proposed by Tanaka) have been proposed, primarily to interpret the physical, chemical and electrical structure of interfaces. Moreover, these models try to explain several different phenomena and properties that polymer nanocomposites exhibit based on the interfaces features. According to these models, the interface with thickness comparable to the diameter of the nanoparticle consists of multilayers. In this paper, a detailed review and analysis of these models and theories is presented. Differences and similarities of the models are also discussed.
A NEW QUANTITATIVE DETECTION METHOD OF RECOMBINANT CFP10-ESAT6 AMALGAMATION PROTEINS FROM MYCOBACTERIUM TUBERCULOSIS BASED ON MICRO-MAGNETIC PROBES STRATEGY
Authors: HUANG YIQING , LUO JINPING , WANG MIXIA , LIU JUNTAO , CAI XINXIA
Published: October 2011

A new rapid, specific and sensitive method for assay of recombinant CFP10-ESAT6 amalgamation proteins from Mycobacterium tuberculosis was proposed. The method used streptavidin-coated magnetic beads to enrich the specific biotinylated anti-CFP10 antibody, then adopted a sandwich-type enzyme linked immunosorbent assay technology with two kinds of monoclonal antibodies: biotinylated anti-CFP10 antibody and HRP-labeled anti-CFP10 antibody to identify the target CFP10-ESAT6 proteins, and finally detected chemiluminescence intensity by a small home-made optical sensor. It was shown that, the corresponding chemiluminescence intensity had a good logarithmic linear response to the concentration of CFP10-ESAT6 proteins when ranging at 1 ~ 1000 ng/mL, and the correlation coefficient is 0.9937. The proposed method could detect the CFP10-ESAT6 proteins with low detection limit (1 ng/mL) and the detection time could be controlled within 45 min. Compared with commonly used detection methods of M. tuberculosis, this method was easy to operate, faster, and of higher sensitivity. The achievement of the quantitative detection of CFP10-ESAT6 proteins has important scientific significance and wide application prospects in tuberculosis control.
On, Around, and Through: Neutrophil-Endothelial Interactions in Innate Immunity
Authors: Schmidt Eric P. , Lee Warren L. , Zemans Rachel L. , Yamashita Cory , Downey Gregory P.
Published: October 2011

This manuscript will review our current understanding of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocyte (neutrophil) interactions with the endothelium during immune and inflammatory responses, focusing on the molecular mechanisms regulating neutrophil adhesion to and migration through the endothelium in response to infection or tissue injury. This is a complex and dynamic area of research and one that has been the topic of several recent comprehensive reviews to which the interested reader is referred ( 64 , 118 , 131 ). By design, this review will begin with a brief review of some basic aspects of neutrophil biology and endothelial adhesion to provide a foundation. The remainder of the review will focus on selected areas of this complex field, specifically the role of the endothelial glycocalyx in regulating neutrophil adhesion and the mechanisms and consequences of migration of neutrophils between (paracellular) and through (transcellular) endothelial cells during egress from the vasculature.
COPII and COPI Traffic at the ER-Golgi Interface
Authors: Szul Tomasz , Sztul Elizabeth
Published: October 2011

Protein traffic is necessary to maintain homeostasis in all eukaryotic organisms. All newly synthesized secretory proteins destined to the secretory and endolysosmal systems are transported from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi before delivery to their final destinations. Here, we describe the COPII and COPI coating machineries that generate carrier vesicles and the tethers and SNAREs that mediate COPII and COPI vesicle fusion at the ER-Golgi interface.
Systems genetics of susceptibility to obesity-induced diabetes in mice
Authors: Davis Richard C. , van Nas Atila , Castellani Lawrence W. , Zhao Yi , Zhou Zhiqiang , Wen Pingzi , Yu Suzanne , Qi Hongxiu , Rosales Melenie , Schadt Eric E. , Broman Karl W. , Péterfy Miklós , Lusis Aldons J.
Published: October 2011

Inbred strains of mice are strikingly different in susceptibility to obesity-driven diabetes. For instance, deficiency in leptin receptor ( db/db) leads to hyperphagia and obesity in both C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice, but only on the DBA/2 background do the mice develop beta-cell loss leading to severe diabetes, while C57BL/6 mice are relatively resistant. To further investigate the genetic factors predisposing to diabetes, we have studied leptin receptor-deficient offspring of an F2 cross between C57BL/6J ( db/+) males and DBA/2J females. The results show that the genetics of diabetes susceptibility are enormously complex and a number of quantitative trait loci (QTL) contributing to diabetes-related traits were identified, notably on chromosomes 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 19. The Chr. 4 locus is likely due to a disruption of the Zfp69 gene in C57BL/6J mice. To identify candidate genes and to model coexpression networks, we performed global expression array analysis in livers of the F2 mice. Expression QTL (eQTL) were identified and used to prioritize candidate genes at clinical trait QTL. In several cases, clusters of eQTLs colocalized with clinical trait QTLs, suggesting a common genetic basis. We constructed coexpression networks for both 5 and 12 wk old mice and identified several modules significantly associated with clinical traits. One module in 12 wk old mice was associated with several measures of hepatic fat content as well as with other lipid- and diabetes-related traits. These results add to the understanding of the complex genetic interactions contributing to obesity-induced diabetes.
Correlation between Rotator Cuff Tears and Systemic Atherosclerotic Disease
Authors: Donovan Andrea , Schweitzer Mark , Bencardino Jenny , Petchprapa Catherine , Cohen Jodi , Ciavarra Gina
Published: October 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of aortic arch calcification, a surrogate marker of atherosclerosis, with rotator cuff tendinosis and tears given the hypothesis that decreased tendon vascularity is a contributing factor in the etiology of tendon degeneration. A retrospective review was performed to identify patients ages 50 to 90 years who had a shoulder MRI and a chest radiograph performed within 6 months of each other. Chest radiographs and shoulder MRIs from 120 patients were reviewed by two sets of observers blinded to the others' conclusions. Rotator cuff disease was classified as tendinosis, partial thickness tear, and full thickness tear. The presence or absence of aortic arch calcification was graded and compared with the MRI appearance of the rotator cuff. The tendon tear grading was positively correlated with patient age. However, the tendon tear grading on MRI was not significantly correlated with the aorta calcification scores on chest radiographs. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between aorta calcification severity and tendon tear grading. In conclusion, rotator cuff tears did not significantly correlate with aortic calcification severity. This suggests that tendon ischemia may not be associated with the degree of macrovascular disease.
Chronic Treatment with a Promnesiant GABA-A -Selective Inverse Agonist Increases Immediate Early Genes Expression during Memory Processing in Mice and Rectifies Their Expression Levels in a Down Syndrome Mouse Model
Authors: Braudeau J. , Dauphinot L. , Duchon A. , Loistron A. , Dodd R. H. , Hérault Y. , Delatour B. , Potier M. C.
Published: October 2011

Decrease of GABAergic transmission has been proposed to improve memory functions. Indeed, inverse agonists selective forα5 GABA-A-benzodiazepine receptors (α5IA) have promnesiant activity. Interestingly, we have recently shown thatα5IA can rescue cognitive deficits in Ts65Dn mice, a Down syndrome mouse model with altered GABAergic transmission. Here, we studied the impact of chronic treatment withα5IA on gene expression in the hippocampus of Ts65Dn and control euploid mice after being trained in the Morris water maze task. In euploid mice, chronic treatment withα5IA increased IEGs expression, particularly ofc-FosandArcgenes. In Ts65Dn mice, deficits of IEGs activation were completely rescued after treatment withα5IA. In addition, normalization ofSod1overexpression in Ts65Dn mice afterα5IA treatment was observed. IEG expression regulation afterα5IA treatment following behavioral stimulation could be a contributing factor for both the general promnesiant activity ofα5IA and its rescuing effect in Ts65Dn mice alongside signaling cascades that are critical for memory consolidation and cognition.
Stability Analysis of Distributed Order Fractional Differential Equations
Authors: Najafi H. Saberi , Sheikhani A. Refahi , Ansari A.
Published: October 2011

We analyze the stability of three classes of distributed order fractional differential equations (DOFDEs) with respect to the nonnegative density function. In this sense, we discover a robust stability condition for these systems based on characteristic function and new inertia concept of a matrix with respect to the density function. Moreover, we check the stability of a distributed order fractional WINDMI system to illustrate the validity of proposed procedure.
Neuropsychiatric Outcome of an Adolescent Who Received Deep Brain Stimulation for Tourette's Syndrome
Authors: Pullen S. J. , Wall C. A. , Lee K. H. , Stead S. M. , Klassen B. T. , Brown T. M.
Published: October 2011

This case study followed one adolescent patient who underwent bilateral deep brain stimulation of the centromedian parafascicular complex (CM-Pf) for debilitating, treatment refractory Tourette's syndrome for a period of 1.5 years. Neurocognitive testing showed no significant changes between baseline and follow-up assessments. Psychiatric assessment revealed positive outcomes in overall adaptive functioning and reduction in psychotropic medication load in this patient. Furthermore, despite significant baseline psychiatric comorbidity, this patient reported no suicidal ideation following electrode implantation. Deep brain stimulation is increasingly being used in children and adolescents. This case reports on the positive neurologic and neuropsychiatric outcome of an adolescent male with bilateral CM-Pf stimulation.
On Convergents Infinite Products and Some Generalized Inverses of Matrix Sequences
Authors: Kiliçman Adem , Al-Zhour Zeyad
Published: October 2011

The definition of convergence of an infinite product of scalars is extended to the infinite usual and Kronecker products of matrices. The new definitions are less restricted invertibly convergence. Whereas the invertibly convergence is based on the invertible of matrices; in this study, we assume that matrices are not invertible. Some sufficient conditions for these kinds of convergence are studied. Further, some matrix sequences which are convergent to the Moore‐Penrose inverses A+ and outer inverses as a general case are also studied. The results are derived here by considering the related well‐known methods, namely, Euler‐Knopp, Newton‐Raphson, and Tikhonov methods. Finally, we provide some examples for computing both generalized inverses and A+ numerically for any arbitrary matrix Am,n of large dimension by using MATLAB and comparing the results between some of different methods.
Role of Confocal Laser Endomicroscopy in Detection of Residual Barrett's Esophagus after Radiofrequency Ablation
Authors: Diamantis Giorgio , Bocus Paolo , Realdon Stefano , Battaglia Giorgio
Published: October 2011

Endoscopic endoluminal radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a novel and promising modality for Barrett's esophagus (BE) treatment. Actually the only surveillance method after the ablation treatment is random biopsies throughout the whole treated area. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) is a new endoscopic imaging tool that permits high-resolution microscopic examination of the gastrointestinal tract. The technology has garnered increasing attention because of its ability to provide real-time “optical” biopsy specimens, with a very high sensitivity and specificity. This paper summarize the potential application of CLE in the surveillance of the reepithelialization of BE, after endoscopic RFA.
Development of a Lightweight Low-Carbon Footprint Concrete Containing Recycled Waste Materials
Authors: Talukdar S. , Islam S. T. , Banthia N.
Published: October 2011

Use of any recycled material helps to maintain a greener environment by keeping waste materials out of the landfills. Recycling practices also can decrease the environmental and economical impact of manufacturing the materials from virgin resources, which reduces the overall carbon footprint of industrial materials and processes. This study examined the use of waste materials such as crushed glass, ground tire rubber, and recycled aggregate in concrete. Compressive strength and elastic modulus were the primary parameters of interest. Results demonstrated that ground tire rubber introduced significant amounts of air into the mix and adversely affected the strength. The introduction of a defoamer was able to successfully remove part of the excess air from the mix, but the proportional strength improvements were not noted implying that air left in the defoamed mixture had undesirable characteristics. Freeze-thaw tests were next performed to understand the nature of air in the defoamed mixtures, and results demonstrated that this air is not helpful in resisting freeze-thaw resistance either. Overall, while lightweight, low-carbon footprint concrete materials seem possible from recycled materials, significant further optimization remains possible.
Wildland Fire Behaviour Case Studies and Fuel Models for Landscape‐Scale Fire Modeling
Authors: Santoni Paul-Antoine , Filippi Jean-Baptiste , Balbi Jacques-Henri , Bosseur Frédéric
Published: October 2011

This work presents the extension of a physical model for the spreading of surface fire at landscape scale. In previous work, the model was validated at laboratory scale for fire spreading across litters. The model was then modified to consider the structure of actual vegetation and was included in the wildland fire calculation system Forefire that allows converting the two‐dimensional model of fire spread to three dimensions, taking into account spatial information. Two wildland fire behavior case studies were elaborated and used as a basis to test the simulator. Both fires were reconstructed, paying attention to the vegetation mapping, fire history, and meteorological data. The local calibration of the simulator required the development of appropriate fuel models for shrubland vegetation (maquis) for use with the model of fire spread. This study showed the capabilities of the simulator during the typical drought season characterizing the Mediterranean climate when most wildfires occur.
A Rare Case Report of Fatal Fulminant Hepatic Failure in a Child due to MixedvivaxandfalciparumInfection
Authors: Thakur Neha , Sodani Ravitanaya , Chandra J. , Mahto Deonath
Published: October 2011

Malaria remains an overwhelming problem in the tropical developing countries, with 300 to 500 million new cases and about a million deaths per year (Mishra et al., 2003). Malaria is a potentially life-threatening disease in the tropics. Jaundice is one of the severe manifestations offalciparummalaria. Its incidence (Mishra et al., 2003). varies between 10 and 45% in different reports and is seen more in adults than in children. Jaundice may vary from mild to very severe. However, clinical signs of hepatic encephalopathy (such as liver flaps) are never seen unless there is presence of concomitant viral hepatitis (WHO, 2000). Our case is a 6-year-old female child presented with fever, jaundice, and anasarca. Peripheral smear showed trophozoites and schizonts ofPlasmodium(P.)vivaxand trophozoites and gametocytes ofP. falciparum.Viral markers for hepatitis were negative. She developed fulminant hepatic failure and expired after 26 hours of admission.
A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Challenges Facing Comparative Cancer Survivorship Research
Authors: Syse Astri , Geller Berta
Published: October 2011

Cancer survivorship research includes the study of physical, psychosocial, and economic consequences of cancer diagnosis and treatment among pediatric and adult cancer survivors. Historically, the majority of cancer survivorship studies were from the United States, but survivorship issues are increasingly being addressed in other developed countries. Cross-cultural studies remain, however, scarce. The degree to which knowledge attained may or may not be transferred across cultures, countries, or regions is not known. Some important challenges for comparative research are therefore discussed in a cross-cultural perspective. Several substantive and methodological challenges that complicate the execution of cross-cultural cancer survivorship research are presented with examples and discussed to facilitate comparative research efforts in the establishment of new survivorship cohorts and in the planning and implementation of survivorship studies. Comparative research is one key to understanding the nature of cancer survivorship, distinguishing modifiable from nonmodifiable factors at individual, hospital, societal, and system levels and may thus guide appropriate interventions. Lastly, suggested future courses of action within the field of comparative cancer survivorship research are provided.
A Hybrid Analytical‐Numerical Model Based on the Method of Fundamental Solutions for the Analysis of Sound Scattering by Buried Shell Structures
Authors: Godinho L. , Amado-Mendes P. , Pereira A.
Published: October 2011

Several numerical and analytical models have been used to study underwater acoustics problems. The most accurate and realistic models are usually based on the solution of the wave equation using a variety of methods. Here, a hybrid numerical‐analytical model is proposed to address the problem of underwater sound scattering by an elastic shell structure, which is assumed to be circular and that is buried in a fluid seabed bellow a water waveguide. The interior of the shell is filled with a fluid that may have different properties from the host medium. The analysis is performed by coupling analytical solutions developed both for sound propagation in the waveguide and in the vicinity of the circular hollow pipeline. The coupling between solutions is performed using the method of fundamental solutions. This strategy allows a compact description of the propagation medium while being very accurate and highly efficient from the computational point of view.
MRI Contrast Agent-Based Multifunctional Materials: Diagnosis and Therapy
Authors: Yim Hyeona , Seo Seogjin , Na Kun
Published: October 2011

Various imaging technologies have become increasingly important in developing a better understanding of information on the biological and clinical phenomena associated with diseases of interest. Of these technologies, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most powerful for clinical diagnosis and in vivo imaging without the exposure to ionising radiation or radiotracers. Despite its many advantages, there are intrinsic limitations caused by MRI contrast agents, such as short vascular half-life circulation, which lead to unwanted side effects. In this review, we will focus on the multifunctional modification of MRI contrast agents for diagnosis and therapy.
Stable Bipolar Patient Switched to Mania following Clinical Doses of Prednisone
Authors: Panwar Vikram , Lassi Krishan
Published: October 2011

We describe a stable bipolar female patient on medications that got switched into mania due to higher doses of prednisone prescribed for her severe sinusitis.
Toxicity and Molecular Identification of Green ToadfishLagocephalus lunarisCollected from Kyushu Coast, Japan
Authors: Nagashima Yuji , Matsumoto Takuya , Kadoyama Keisuke , Ishizaki Shoichiro , Terayama Makoto
Published: October 2011

Green toadfishLagocephalus lunarisinhabits tropical and subtropical seas and contains high tetrodotoxin (TTX) levels in the muscle as well as liver and gonad. In 2008 to 2009, food poisoning due to ingestingL. lunaisoccurred in Western Japan. Five specimens of green toadfish caught in Kyushu coast, Japan, were analyzed for toxicity, toxins, and species identification. All five specimens were toxic by bioassay. Comparing the maximum toxicity in tissues, ovary contained the most toxin (1810 mouse unit [MU]/g), followed by liver (341 MU/g), muscle (135 MU/g), skin (79 MU/g), and intestine (72 MU/g). Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis revealed that TTX was the major toxin. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the 16S rRNA gene fragment of muscle mitochondrial DNA indicated that partial sequences of PCR products of four specimens were identical with that ofL. lunaris. The sequence of one specimen was indistinguishable from that of the brown-backed toadfishLagocephalus wheeleri, a nontoxic species.
Becoming Global Citizens through Bilingualism: English Learning in the Lives of University Students in China
Authors: Chen Yangguang
Published: October 2011

The ongoing globalisation has led to a tremendous expansion of the English language. With China striving to become part of the world economy since the late 1970's, there has been a great emphasis placed on the education of young people to become a world citizen with fluent English. “Being a global citizen” is having strong interests in global issues, cultivating the understanding and appreciation of diverse values, and enhancing country's competitiveness. All this however needs to be realized through communication in English, the world language. Improving communicative competence among Chinese learners of English depends on how English is learnt in the FL classroom and how it gets practiced outside the classroom. Data drawn from English corners, English clubs and English church all show that those informal learning settings have a complentary role to play especially when the formal English classroom is found having various deficits. Data also confirm that informal settings offer the opportunity to close the gap between L1 and L2 learning processes, and nurtutre learners' communicative competence through social intercourse and intercultural exchanges. Moreover, EFL learning is inherently intercultural, which facilitate cross cultural perspectives through bilingualism and bridges over the indigenous cultural traditions and the western democratic values.
Experimental Investigation of a Forward Swept Rotor in a Multistage Fan with Inlet Distortion
Authors: Wadia Aspi R.
Published: October 2011

Previous studies of transonic swept rotors in single stage fans have demonstrated the potential of significant improvements in both efficiency and stall margin with forward swept blading. This paper extends the assessment of the payoff derived from forward sweep to multistage configurations. The experimental investigation compare two builds of an advanced two-stage fan configuration tested alternately with a radial and a forward swept stage 1 blade. In the two-stage evaluations, the testing was extended to include the effect on inlet flow distortion. While the common second stage among the two builds prevented the overall fan from showing clean inlet performance and stability benefits with the forward swept rotor 1, this configuration did demonstrate superior front stage efficiency and tolerance to inlet distortion. Having obtained already low distortion sensitivity with the radial rotor 1 configuration relative to current production military fan standards, the sensitivity to inlet distortion was halved with the forward swept rotor 1 configuration. In the case of the 180-degree one-per-rev distortion pattern, the two-stage configuration was evaluated both with and without inlet guide vanes (IGVs). The presence of the inlet guide vanes had a profound impact in lowering the two-stage fan's sensitivity with inlet distortion.
Osteochondral Fracture Lateral Femoral Condyle Treated with ORIF Using Z-Plasty: A Modification of Coonse and Adams Approach
Authors: Agarwala Sanjay , Mohrir Ganesh S. , Mahajan Brijbhushan S.
Published: October 2011

Osteochondral fractures of lateral femoral condyle are common in adolescents and young adults. They are usually caused by direct trauma or twisting injuries of the knee. We present a case of large osteochondral fracture of lateral femoral condyle involving the articular surface in a fifteen-year-old male with a positive history of significant weight gain of 5 kilograms in last six months. Blood investigations reported low vitamin D and testosterone levels with elevated alkaline phosphatase. Adequate exposure was achieved by doing Z-plasty of quadriceps apparatus. The fracture was treated with open reduction and internal fixation using Herbert's screws. Medical management in the form of vitamin D and calcium along with testosterone was given. After the surgery, full weight-bearing was allowed at three months. At one year followup, patient has good quadriceps function without any weakness of the muscle.
Effects of Stubble Management on Soil Fertility and Crop Yield of Rainfed Area in Western Loess Plateau, China
Authors: Huang G. B. , Luo Z. Z. , Li L. L. , Zhang R. Z. , Li G. D. , Cai L. Q. , Xie J. H.
Published: October 2011

The combination of continuous cereal cropping, tillage and stubble removal reduces soil fertility and increases soil erosion on sloping land. The objective of the present study was to assessment soil fertility changes under stubble removal and stubble retention in the Loess Plateau where soil is prone to severe erosion. It was indicated that soil N increased a lot for and two stubble retention treatments had the higher N balance at the end of two rotations. Soil K balance performed that soil K was in deficient for all treatments and two stubble retention treatments had lower deficit K. The treatments with stubble retention produced higher grain yields than the stubble removal treatments. It was concluded that stubble retention should be conducted to increase crops productivity, improve soil fertility as well as agriculture sustainability in the Loess plateau, China.
Rapid and Reliable Calibration of Laser Beam Deflection System for Microcantilever-Based Sensor Setups
Authors: Mishra Rohit , Grange Wilfried , Hegner Martin
Published: October 2011

Cantilever array-based sensor devices widely utilise the laser-based optical deflection method for measuring static cantilever deflections mostly with home-built devices with individual geometries. In contrast to scanning probe microscopes, cantilever array devices have no additional positioning device like a piezo stage. As the cantilevers are used in more and more sensitive measurements, it is important to have a simple, rapid, and reliable calibration relating the deflection of the cantilever to the change in position measured by the position-sensitive detector. We present here a simple method for calibrating such systems utilising commercially available AFM cantilevers and the equipartition theorem.
Polymerized-Type I Collagen Induces Upregulation of Foxp3-Expressing CD4 Regulatory T Cells and Downregulation of IL-17-Producing CD4+T Cells (Th17) Cells in Collagen-Induced Arthritis
Authors: Furuzawa-Carballeda Janette , Macip-Rodríguez Perla , Galindo-Feria Angeles S. , Cruz-Robles David , Soto-Abraham Virgina , Escobar-Hernández Sergio , Aguilar Diana , Alpizar-Rodríguez Deshiré , Férez-Blando Karen , Llorente Luis
Published: October 2011

Previous studies showed that polymerized-type I collagen (polymerized collagen) exhibits potent immunoregulatory properties. This work evaluated the effect of intramuscular administration of polymerized collagen in early and established collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice and analyzed changes in Th subsets following therapy. Incidence of CIA was of 100% in mice challenged with type II collagen. Clinimorphometric analysis showed a downregulation of inflammation after administration of all treatments (P<0.05). Histological analysis showed that the CIA-mice group had extensive bone erosion, pannus and severe focal inflammatory infiltrates. In contrast, there was a remarkable reduction in the severity of arthritis in mice under polymerized collagen, methotrexate or methotrexate/polymerized collagen treatment. Polymerized Collagen but not methotrexate induced tissue joint regeneration. Polymerized Collagen and methotrexate/polymerized collagen but not methotrexate alone induces downregulation of CD4+/IL17A+T cells and upregulation of Tregs and CD4+/IFN-γ+T cells. Thus, Polymerized Collagen could be an effective therapeutic agent in early and established rheumatoid arthritis by exerting downregulation of autoimmune inflammation.
Autophagy as a Therapeutic Target in Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Tanaka Yuki , Kume Shinji , Kitada Munehiro , Kanasaki Keizo , Uzu Takashi , Maegawa Hiroshi , Koya Daisuke
Published: October 2011

Diabetic nephropathy is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus, and its prevalence has been increasing worldwide. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify a new therapeutic target to prevent diabetic nephropathy. Autophagy is a major catabolic pathway involved in degrading and recycling macromolecules and damaged organelles to maintain intracellular homeostasis. The study of autophagy in mammalian systems is advancing rapidly and has revealed that it is involved in the pathogenesis of various metabolic or age-related diseases. The functional role of autophagy in the kidneys is also currently under intense investigation although, until recently, evidence showing the involvement of autophagy in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy has been limited. We provide a systematic review of autophagy and discuss the therapeutic potential of autophagy in diabetic nephropathy to help future investigations in this field.