bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transdural arterial recruitment to brain arteriovenous malformation: clinical and management implications in a prospective cohort series
Authors: Bervini David , Morgan Michael Kerin , Stoodley Marcus Andrew , Heller Gillian Ziona
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

The occurrence of transdural arterial recruitment (TDAR) in association with brain arteriovenous malformation (bAVM) is uncommon, and the reason for TDAR is not understood. The aim of this cohort study was to examine patient and bAVM characteristics associated with TDAR and the implications of TDAR on management.

METHODS

A prospective surgical database of bAVMs was examined. Cases previously treated elsewhere or incompletely examined by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) assessment were excluded. Three studies of this cohort were performed, as follows: characteristics associated with TDAR, the relationship between TDAR and neurological deficits unassociated with hemorrhage (NDUH), and the impact of TDAR on outcome from surgery. Regression models were performed.

RESULTS

Of 769 patients with complete DSA who had no previous treatment, 51 (6.6%) were found to have TDAR. The presence of TDAR was associated with increasing age (p < 0.01; OR 1.05; 95% CI 1.02–1.07); presentation with NDUH (p < 0.01; OR 2.71; 95% CI 1.29–5.71); increasing size of the bAVM (p < 0.01; OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.29–1.91); and combined supply from both anterior and posterior circulations (p = 0.02; OR 2.37; 95% CI 1.17–4.78). Further analysis of TDAR cases comparing those with and without NDUH found an association of larger size (6.6 cm [2.9 SD] compared with 4.7 cm [1.8 SD]; p < 0.01) and combined supply from both anterior and posterior circulations (relative risk 2.5; 95% CI 1.0–6.2; p = 0.04) to be associated with an NDUH presentation.

For the 632 patients undergoing surgery there was an increased risk of complications (where this produced a new permanent neurological deficit at 12 months represented by a modified Rankin Scale score of > 1) with the following variables: size; location in eloquent brain; deep venous drainage; increasing age; and no presentation with hemorrhage. The presence of TDAR was not associated with an increased risk of complications from surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors found that TDAR occurs in older patients with larger bAVMs, and that TDAR is also more likely to be associated with bAVMs presenting with NDUH. The likely explanation for the presence of TDAR is a secondary recruitment arising as a consequence of shear stress, rather than a primary vascular supply present from the earliest development of the bAVM.
Normative ranges of anthropometric cranial indices and metopic suture closure during infancy
Authors: Pindrik Jonathan , Molenda Joseph , Uribe-Cardenas Rafael , Dorafshar Amir H. , Ahn Edward S.
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

Subjective evaluations typically guide craniosynostosis repair. This study provides normative values of anthropometric cranial indices that are clinically useful for the evaluation of multiple types of craniosynostosis and introduces 2 new indices that are useful in the evaluation and management of metopic and bicoronal synostosis. The authors hypothesize that normative values of the new indices as well as for established measures like the cephalic index can be drawn from the evaluation of CT scans of normal individuals.

METHODS

High-resolution 3D CT scans obtained in normal infants (age 0–24 months) were retrospectively reviewed. Calvarial measurements obtained from advanced imaging visualization software were used to compute cranial indices. Additionally, metopic sutures were evaluated for patency or closure.

RESULTS

A total of 312 participants were included in the study. Each monthly age group (total 24) included 12–18 patients, yielding 324 head CT scans studied. The mean cephalic index decreased from 0.85 at age 0–3 months to 0.81 at 19–24 months, the mean frontoparietal index decreased from 0.68 to 0.65, the metopic index from 0.59 to 0.55, and the towering index remained comparatively uniform at 0.64 and 0.65. Trends were statistically significant for all measured indices. There were no significant differences found in mean cranial indices between sexes in any age group. Metopic suture closure frequency for ages 3, 6, and 9 months were 38.5%, 69.2%, and 100.0%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Radiographically acquired normative values for anthropometric cranial indices during infancy can be used as standards for guiding preoperative decision making, surgical correction, and postoperative helmeting in various forms of craniosynostosis. Metopic and towering indices represent new cranial indices that are potentially useful for the clinical evaluation of metopic and bicoronal synostoses, respectively. The present study additionally shows that metopic suture closure appears ubiquitous after 9 months of age.
Topographic changes in cerebral blood flow and reduced white matter integrity in the first 2 weeks following revascularization surgery in adult moyamoya disease
Authors: Kazumata Ken , Tha Khin Khin , Uchino Haruto , Shiga Tohru , Shichinohe Hideo , Ito Masaki , Nakayama Naoki , Abumiya Takeo
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

After revascularization surgery, hyperperfusion and ischemia are associated with morbidity and mortality in adult moyamoya disease (MMD). However, structural changes within the brain following revascularization surgery, especially in the early postsurgical period, have not been thoroughly studied. Such knowledge may enable improved monitoring and clinical management of hyperperfusion and ischemia in MMD. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the topographic and temporal profiles of cerebral perfusion and related white matter microstructural changes following revascularization surgery in adult MMD.

METHODS

The authors analyzed 20 consecutive surgeries performed in 17 adults. Diffusion imaging in parallel with serial measurements of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using SPECT was performed. Both voxel-based and region-of-interest analyses were performed, comparing neuroimaging parameters of postoperative hemispheres with those of preoperative hemispheres at 4 different time points within 2 weeks after surgery.

RESULTS

Voxel-based analysis showed a distinct topographic pattern of cerebral perfusion, characterized by increased rCBF in the basal ganglia for the first several days and gradually increased rCBF in the lateral prefrontal cortex over 1 week (p < 0.001). Decreased rCBF was also observed in the lateral prefrontal cortex, occipital lobe, and cerebellum contralateral to the surgical hemisphere (p < 0.001). Reduced fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity (AD), as well as increased radial diffusivity (RD), were demonstrated in both the anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule (p < 0.001). Diffusion parameters demonstrated the greatest changes in both FA and RD on Days 1–2 and in AD on Days 3–6; FA, RD, and AD recovered to preoperative levels on Day 14. Patients with transient neurological deteriorations (TNDs), as compared with those without, demonstrated greater increases in rCBF in both the lateral prefrontal cortex and striatum as well as smaller FAs in the posterior limb of the internal capsule (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The excessively increased rCBF and the recovery process were heterogeneous across brain regions, demonstrating a distinct topographic pattern during the initial 2 weeks following revascularization surgery in MMD. Temporary impairments in the deep white matter tract and immediate postoperative ischemia were also identified. The study results characterized postoperative brain perfusion as well as the impact of revascularization surgery on the brain microstructure. Notably, rCBF and white matter changes correlated to TNDs, suggesting that these changes represent potential neuroimaging markers for tracking tissue structural changes associated with hyperperfusion during the acute postoperative period following revascularization surgery for MMD.
Pediatric neurosurgery telemedicine clinics: a model to provide care to geographically underserved areas of the United States and its territories
Authors: James Hector E.
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

The author describes the creation, structuring, and development of a pediatric neurosurgery telemedicine clinic (TMC) to provide telehealth across geographical, time, social, and cultural barriers.

METHODS

In July 2009 the University of Florida (UF) Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery received a request from the Southeast Georgia Health District (Area 9–2) to provide a TMC to meet regional needs. The Children's Medical Services (CMS) of the State of Georgia installed telemedicine equipment and site-to-site connectivity. Audiovisual connectivity was performed in the UF Pediatric Neurosurgery office, maintaining privacy and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) requirements. Administrative steps were taken with documentation of onsite training of the secretarial and nursing personnel of the CMS clinic. Patient preregistration and documentation were performed as required by the UF College of Medicine–Jacksonville. Monthly clinics are held with the CMS nursing personnel presenting the pertinent clinical history and findings to the pediatric neurosurgeon in the presence of the patient/parents. Physical findings and diagnostic studies are discussed, and management decisions are made.

RESULTS

The first TMC was held in August 2011. A total of 40 TMC sessions have been held through January 2016, with a total of 43 patients seen: 13 patients once; 13 patients twice; 8 patients for 3 visits; 2 for 4 visits; 2 for 6 visits; 2 for 5 visits; 2 for 7 visits; and 1 patient has been seen 8 times.

CONCLUSIONS

Pediatric patients in areas of the continental US and its territories with limited access to pediatric neurosurgery services could benefit from this model, if other pediatric neurosurgery centers provide telehealth services.
Statistical Models of Parkinson’s Disease Progression: Predictive Validity in a 3-Year Follow-up
Authors: Mendes Alexandre , Gonçalves Alexandra , Vila-Chã Nuno , Calejo Margarida , Moreira Inês , Fernandes Joana , Damásio Joana , Teixeira-Pinto Armando , Krack Paul , Lima António Bastos , Cavaco Sara
Published: September 2016

Background: The rate of Parkinson’s disease (PD) progression varies widely between patients. Current knowledge does not allow to accurately predict the evolution of symptoms in a given individual over time.

Objectives: To develop regression-based models of PD progression and to explore its predictive value in a three-year follow-up.

Methods: At baseline, 300 consecutive PD patients were assessed using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) - subscales II and III, Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) and Schwab and England Independence Scale (S&E); and the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOG-Q). UPDRS-III and H&Y were applied in OFF and ON medication conditions. An axial index was derived from the UPDRS-III. Based on multiple linear regression coefficients, algorithms were developed to adjust test scores to the characteristics of each individual. Sixty-eight patients were reevaluated three years later.

Results: In the construction of the models, disease duration, age ≥70, age at disease onset ≥55, tremor as the first symptom alone, and medication description explained between 35% (UPDRS-III in ON) and 57% (axial index in ON) of the variance of test scores. The predictive r2 of the models in a 10-fold cross-validation ranged between 33% (UPDRS-III in ON) and 55% (axial index in ON and S&E in OFF). All measures, except UPDRS-III OFF, H&Y ON, and S&E ON, had moderate/good absolute agreement (intraclass correlation coefficient between 0.60 and 0.72) between baseline and follow-up.

Conclusions: A cross-sectional assessment of a PD population allowed the development of models of disease progression, whose predictive value was validated on a three-year longitudinal study.
Multicenter Assessment of Immunohistochemical Methods for Pathological Alpha-Synuclein in Sigmoid Colon of Autopsied Parkinson’s Disease and Control Subjects
Authors: Beach Thomas G. , Corbillé Anne-Gaëlle , Letournel Franck , Kordower Jeffrey H. , Kremer Thomas , Munoz David G. , Intorcia Anthony , Hentz Joseph , Adler Charles H. , Sue Lucia I. , Walker Jessica , Serrano Geidy , Derkinderen Pascal
Published: September 2016

Background: Conflicting results from studies of Lewy-type α−synucleinopathy (LTS) in colonic biopsies of subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD) prompted a two-part multicenter assessment. The first assessment, now published (Acta Neuropathol Commun 4 : 35, 2016), examined archived colonic biopsies and found that none of the tested methods was adequately sensitive or specific.

Objective: As the amount of nervous tissue in typical colonic biopsies may be insufficient, and the clinical diagnosis of PD not completely accurate, the objective of the current study was to use instead full-thickness sections of sigmoid colon from autopsy-proven PD and normal subjects.

Methods: Seven different immunohistochemical (IHC) methods were used, employing five different primary antibodies and four different combinations of epitope exposure and signal development protocols. Specific staining was defined as being restricted to morphological features consistent with neuronal elements. Stained slides from each subject were independently categorized as being positive or negative for LTS, and their density semi-quantitatively graded, by four raters blinded to diagnosis.

Results: Agreement and mean diagnostic performance varied markedly between raters. With the two most accurate raters, 5 methods achieved diagnostic accuracies of 70% or greater; one method had 100% accuracy and 100% inter-rater agreement. The submucosa had the highest prevalence of pathological LTS staining, followed by the muscularis and mucosa.

Conclusions: The major conclusion of this study is that, when sufficient submucosa and LTS is present, and when specific staining is defined as being consistent with neuronal morphology, adequately-trained raters may reliably distinguish PD colon from control using suitable IHC methods.
Similarity Solutions for Unsteady Hydromagnetic Free Convection Boundary Layer Flow over Flat Plates with Thermophoresis
Authors: Ali M. Y. , Uddin M. J. , Uddin M. N. , Zahed N. M. R.
Published: September 2016

This paper is focused on the analysis of thermophoresis on an unsteady two dimensional free convective boundary layer flow along a permeable inclined flat plate in the presence of magnetic field and thermophoresis. Governing time dependent partial differential equations are non- dimensionalzed and transformed into a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations by applying similarity transformations. These are solved numerically by using the shooting method along with Runge-Kutta sixth order integration scheme. Numerical results for the dimensionless velocity, temperature and concentration profiles have been obtained and displayed graphically. The skin-friction coefficient, wall heat transfer coefficient and wall deposition flux rate have also been obtained and are presented in tabular form. The obtained numerical results also show that increased unsteadiness parameter significantly controls the thermophoretic particle.
Spectroscopic Study of Interactions of Metal Complexes, Metal Salts and Amino Acids with Anionic Surfactant Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate (SDS) Using Surfactant-Solute-PAN Dye Ternary Systems
Authors: Subhan M. A. , Rana M. M. , Sarker P. , Rahman M. A.
Published: September 2016

The study of micellar behavior of SDS in presence of additives such as metal (Fe, Cu, Co, Zn) phendione complexes, calcium salts and amino acids in aqueous solutions in surfactant-solute-1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol(PAN) dye ternary systems were carried out by measuring the absorbance of PAN at 470 nm. The complexes [Fe(phendione)3](ClO4)2·2H2O, [Co(phendione)3](ClO4)2·3H2O, and [Cu(phendione)2] (ClO4)2·2H2O, decreased the CMC value of SDS from 8 mM to 0.70 mM, 0.40 mM, and 1.0 mM, respectively. In presence of calcium salts (CaCl2, CaF2, calcium acetate, calcium oxalate·H2O) the CMC of SDS decreased. The study of interaction of amino acids with anionic surfactant SDS provides important information about protein-surfactant and peptide-surfactant interaction in aqueous environment. In the present study glycine, L-alanine, L-valine, L-histidine, L-leucine, L-lysine have been used as additives in SDS aqueous solution which also decreased the CMC of SDS. The thermodynamic parameters for each series were obtained from absorbance versus concentration curves. Among the series more negative values for ?G0mic of SDS are observed for the metal complexes. Amino acids series as well as metal salts show similar negative values for ?G0mic of SDS. Negative values of ?G0mic indicated that the process of micellization is thermodynamically favorable.
Binary Cockroach Swarm Optimization for Combinatorial Optimization Problem
Authors: Obagbuwa Ibidun , Abidoye Ademola
Published: September 2016

The Cockroach Swarm Optimization (CSO) algorithm is inspired by cockroach social behavior. It is a simple and efficient meta-heuristic algorithm and has been applied to solve global optimization problems successfully. The original CSO algorithm and its variants operate mainly in continuous search space and cannot solve binary-coded optimization problems directly. Many optimization problems have their decision variables in binary. Binary Cockroach Swarm Optimization (BCSO) is proposed in this paper to tackle such problems and was evaluated on the popular Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), which is considered to be an NP-hard Combinatorial Optimization Problem (COP). A transfer function was employed to map a continuous search space CSO to binary search space. The performance of the proposed algorithm was tested firstly on benchmark functions through simulation studies and compared with the performance of existing binary particle swarm optimization and continuous space versions of CSO. The proposed BCSO was adapted to TSP and applied to a set of benchmark instances of symmetric TSP from the TSP library. The results of the proposed Binary Cockroach Swarm Optimization (BCSO) algorithm on TSP were compared to other meta-heuristic algorithms.
Nanofibers: Friend or Foe?
Authors: Petri-Fink Alke , Rothen-Rutishauser Barbara , Clift Martin
Published: September 2016

Since the early 1990s nanoﬁbers, particularly those of a carbonaceous content [1] have received heightened interest due to their advantageous physico-chemical characteristics (e.g., high strength, stiffness, semi-conductor, increased thermal conductivity and one of the highest Young’s modulus [2]).[...]
Spectral and Polarization Signatures of Relativistic Shocks in Blazars
Authors: Böttcher Markus
Published: September 2016

Relativistic shocks are one of the most plausible sites of the emission of strongly variable, polarized multi-wavelength emission from relativistic jet sources such as blazars, via the diffusive shock acceleration (DSA) of relativistic particles. This paper summarizes recent results on a self-consistent coupling of diffusive shock acceleration and radiation transfer in blazar jets. We demonstrate that the observed spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of blazars strongly constrain the nature of hydromagnetic turbulence responsible for pitch-angle scattering by requiring a strongly energy-dependent pitch-angle mean free path. The prominent soft X-ray excess (“Big Blue Bump”) in the SED of the BL Lac object AO 0235+164 can be modelled as the signature of bulk Compton scattering of external radiation fields by the thermal electron population, which places additional constraints on the level of hydromagnetic turbulence. It has further been demonstrated that internal shocks propagating in a jet pervaded by a helical magnetic field naturally produce polarization-angle swings by 180 ∘ , in tandem with multi-wavelength flaring activity, without requiring any helical motion paths or other asymmetric jet structures. The specific application of this model to 3C279 presents the first consistent simultaneous modeling of snap-shot SEDs, multi-wavelength light curves, and time-dependent polarization signatures of a blazar during a polarization-angle (PA) rotation. This model has recently been generalized to a lepto-hadronic model, in which the high-energy emission is dominated by proton synchrotron radiation. It is shown that in this case, the high-energy (X-ray and γ-ray) polarization signatures are expected to be significantly more stable (not showing PA rotations) than the low-energy (electron-synchrotron) signatures.
Regional Lithological Mapping Using ASTER-TIR Data: Case Study for the Tibetan Plateau and the Surrounding Area
Authors: Ninomiya Yoshiki , Fu Bihong
Published: September 2016

The mineralogical indices the Quartz Index (QI), Carbonate Index (CI) and Mafic Index (MI) for ASTER multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) data were applied to various geological materials for regional lithological mapping on the Tibetan Plateau. Many lithological and structural features are not currently well understood in the central Tibetan Plateau, including the distribution of mafic-ultramafic rocks related to the suture zones, the quartzose and carbonate sedimentary rocks accreted to the Eurasian continent, and sulfate layers related to the Tethys and neo-Tethys geological setting. These rock types can now be mapped with the interpretation of the processed ASTER TIR images described in this paper. A methodology is described for the processing of ASTER TIR data applied to a very wide region of the Tibetan Plateau. The geometrical and radiometric performance of the processed images is discussed, and the advantages of using ortho-rectified data are shown. The challenges of using ASTER data with a small footprint in addition to selecting an appropriate subset of scenes are also examined. ASTER scenes possess a narrow swath width when compared to LANDSAT data (60 km vs. 185 km, respectively). Furthermore, the ASTER data archive is vast, consisting of approximately three million images. These details can present an added level of complexity during an image processing workflow. Finally, geological interpretations made on the maps of the indices are compared with prior geological field studies. The results from the investigations suggest that the indices perform well in the classification of quartzose rocks based on the carbonate and mafic mineral content, in addition to the granitic rocks based on the feldspar content.
Infectious Diseases: Pathophysiology, Diagnostics and Prevention
Authors: Esposito Susanna
Published: September 2016

Infectious diseases occur very frequently in children and adults. Novel diagnostic methods have permitted us to expand our knowledge on their epidemiology and pathophysiology [1].[...]
Preparation of Silk Sericin/Lignin Blend Beads for the Removal of Hexavalent Chromium Ions
Authors: Kwak Hyo , Shin Munju , Yun Haesung , Lee Ki
Published: September 2016

In the present study, novel adsorbents having high adsorption capability and reusability were prepared using agricultural by-products: silk sericin and lignin. Silk sericin and lignin blend beads were successfully prepared using simple coagulation methods for the removal of hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) from aqueous solution. A 1 M lithium chloride (LiCl)/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvent system successfully dissolved both sericin and lignin and had sufficient viscosity for bead preparation. Compared to the conventional sericin bead adsorbent, sericin/lignin blend beads showed higher Cr(VI) adsorption capacity. The amount of lignin added to the adsorbent greatly affected the adsorption capacity of the beads, and a 50:50 sericin/lignin blend ratio was optimal. Adsorption behavior followed the Freundlich isotherm, which means the adsorption of Cr(VI) occurred on the heterogeneous surface. Cr(VI) adsorption capability increased with temperature because of thermodynamic-kinetic effects. In addition, over 90% of Cr(VI) ions were recovered from the Cr(VI) adsorbed sericin/lignin beads in a 1 M NaOH solution. The adsorption-desorption recycling process was stable for more than seven cycles, and the recycling efficiency was 82%. It is expected that the sericin/lignin beads could be successfully applied in wastewater remediation especially for hazardous Cr(VI) ions in industrial wastewater.
Aberrant JAK/STAT Signaling Suppresses TFF1 and TFF2 through Epigenetic Silencing of GATA6 in Gastric Cancer
Authors: Wu Cheng-Shyong , Wei Kuo-Liang , Chou Jian-Liang , Lu Chung-Kuang , Hsieh Ching-Chuan , Lin Jora , Deng Yi-Fang , Hsu Wan-Ting , Wang Hui-Min , Leung Chung-Hang , Ma Dik-Lung , Li Chin , Chan Michael
Published: September 2016

Aberrant Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling is crucial to the development of gastric cancer. In this study, we examined the role of STAT3 in the expression and methylation of its targets in gastric cancer patients. Results from RNA sequencing identified an inverse correlation between the expression of STAT3 and GATA6 in 23 pairs of gastric cancer patient samples. We discovered that the expression of GATA6 is epigenetically silenced through promoter methylation in gastric cancer cell lines. Interestingly, the inhibition of STAT3 using a novel STAT3 inhibitor restored the expression of GATA6 and its targets, trefoil factors 1 and 2 (TFF1/2). Moreover, disruption of STAT3 binding to GATA6 promoter by small hairpin RNA restored GATA6 expression in AGS cells. A clinically significant correlation was also observed between the expression of GATA6 and TFF1/2 among tissue samples from 60 gastric cancer patients. Finally, bisulfite pyrosequencing revealed GATA6 methylation in 65% (39/60) of the patients, and those with higher GATA6 methylation tended to have shorter overall survival. In conclusion, we demonstrated that aberrant JAK/STAT signaling suppresses TFF1/2 partially through the epigenetic silencing of GATA6. Therapeutic intervention of STAT3 in reversing the epigenetic status of GATA6 could benefit the treatment of gastric cancer and is worthy of further investigation.
Melanoma Brain Metastasis: Mechanisms, Models, and Medicine
Authors: Kircher David , Silvis Mark , Cho Joseph , Holmen Sheri
Published: September 2016

The development of brain metastases in patients with advanced stage melanoma is common, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for their development are poorly understood. Melanoma brain metastases cause significant morbidity and mortality and confer a poor prognosis; traditional therapies including whole brain radiation, stereotactic radiotherapy, or chemotherapy yield only modest increases in overall survival (OS) for these patients. While recently approved therapies have significantly improved OS in melanoma patients, only a small number of studies have investigated their efficacy in patients with brain metastases. Preliminary data suggest that some responses have been observed in intracranial lesions, which has sparked new clinical trials designed to evaluate the efficacy in melanoma patients with brain metastases. Simultaneously, recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of melanoma cell dissemination to the brain have revealed novel and potentially therapeutic targets. In this review, we provide an overview of newly discovered mechanisms of melanoma spread to the brain, discuss preclinical models that are being used to further our understanding of this deadly disease and provide an update of the current clinical trials for melanoma patients with brain metastases.
Advances in Integrating Traditional and Omic Biomarkers When Analyzing the Effects of the Mediterranean Diet Intervention in Cardiovascular Prevention
Authors: Fitó Montserrat , Melander Olle , Martínez José , Toledo Estefanía , Carpéné Christian , Corella Dolores
Published: September 2016

Intervention with Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has provided a high level of evidence in primary prevention of cardiovascular events. Besides enhancing protection from classical risk factors, an improvement has also been described in a number of non-classical ones. Benefits have been reported on biomarkers of oxidation, inflammation, cellular adhesion, adipokine production, and pro-thrombotic state. Although the benefits of the MedDiet have been attributed to its richness in antioxidants, the mechanisms by which it exercises its beneficial effects are not well known. It is thought that the integration of omics including genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and metabolomics, into studies analyzing nutrition and cardiovascular diseases will provide new clues regarding these mechanisms. However, omics integration is still in its infancy. Currently, some single-omics analyses have provided valuable data, mostly in the field of genomics. Thus, several gene-diet interactions in determining both intermediate (plasma lipids, etc.) and final cardiovascular phenotypes (stroke, myocardial infarction, etc.) have been reported. However, few studies have analyzed changes in gene expression and, moreover very few have focused on epigenomic or metabolomic biomarkers related to the MedDiet. Nevertheless, these preliminary results can help to better understand the inter-individual differences in cardiovascular risk and dietary response for further applications in personalized nutrition.
Efficacy of Controlled Atmosphere Treatments to Manage Arthropod Pests of Dry-Cured Hams
Authors: Hasan Md. , Aikins Michael , Schilling Wes , Phillips Thomas
Published: September 2016

Research here explored the use of controlled atmospheres (CA) for managing arthropod pests that infest dry-cured hams. Experiments were conducted with low oxygen (O2) achieved with low pressure under a vacuum, high carbon dioxide (CO2), and ozone (O3). Results showed that both low O2 and high CO2 levels required exposures up to 144 h to kill 100% of all stages of red-legged ham beetle, Necrobia rufipes (De Geer) (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and ham mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Schrank) (Sarcoptiformes: Acaridae) at 23 °C. In addition, both low O2 and high CO2 had no significant mortality against the ham beetle and ham mites at short exposures ranging from 12 to 48 h. Ham beetles were more tolerant than ham mites to an atmosphere of 75.1% CO2 and low pressure of 25 mm Hg, which imposed an atmosphere estimated at 0.9% O2. Both low O2 and high CO2 trials indicated that the egg stages of both species were more tolerant than other stages tested, but N. rufipes eggs and pupae were more susceptible than larvae and adults to high concentration ozone treatments. The results indicate that O3 has potential to control ham beetles and ham mites, particularly at ≈166 ppm in just a 24 h exposure period, but O3 is known from other work to have poor penetration ability, thus it may be more difficult to apply effectively than low O2 or high CO2. would be. CA treatment for arthropod pests of dry-cured hams show promise as components of integrated pest management programs after methyl bromide is no longer available for use.
Real World Experiences: Pirfenidone and Nintedanib are Effective and Well Tolerated Treatments for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Hughes Gareth , Toellner Hannah , Morris Helen , Leonard Colm , Chaudhuri Nazia
Published: September 2016

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) now has two licensed treatments available. Pirfenidone was the first drug to be licensed and approved for use, followed by nintedanib. We set out our real world experience with these agents in terms of their adverse events profile outside the restrictions of a clinical trial. We have demonstrated in the real world setting, that side effects are common and predominantly gastrointestinal with both therapies. Our study shows that the side effects can be effectively managed in the majority of patients with an acceptable discontinuation rate similar to that seen in the clinical trials. These findings are compelling despite the fact that the patients in our study are older, have severer disease as depicted by baseline lung function and more co-morbidities. Our data provides ongoing evidence of the safety and tolerability of both pirfenidone and nintedanib in patients who would not have met the rigorous criteria to be included in a clinical trial. Both these agents are effective in the management of IPF and slow the progression of this debilitating life limiting condition.
Wave Energy Converter Annual Energy Production Uncertainty Using Simulations
Authors: Hiles Clayton , Beatty Scott , De Andres Adrian
Published: September 2016

Critical to evaluating the economic viability of a wave energy project is: (1) a robust estimate of the electricity production throughout the project lifetime and (2) an understanding of the uncertainty associated with said estimate. Standardization efforts have established mean annual energy production (MAEP) as the metric for quantification of wave energy converter (WEC) electricity production and the performance matrix approach as the appropriate method for calculation. General acceptance of a method for calculating the MAEP uncertainty has not yet been achieved. Several authors have proposed methods based on the standard engineering approach to error propagation, however, a lack of available WEC deployment data has restricted testing of these methods. In this work the magnitude and sensitivity of MAEP uncertainty is investigated. The analysis is driven by data from simulated deployments of 2 WECs of different operating principle at 4 different locations. A Monte Carlo simulation approach is proposed for calculating the variability of MAEP estimates and is used to explore the sensitivity of the calculation. The uncertainty of MAEP ranged from 2%–20% of the mean value. Of the contributing uncertainties studied, the variability in the wave climate was found responsible for most of the uncertainty in MAEP. Uncertainty in MAEP differs considerably between WEC types and between deployment locations and is sensitive to the length of the input data-sets. This implies that if a certain maximum level of uncertainty in MAEP is targeted, the minimum required lengths of the input data-sets will be different for every WEC-location combination.
A Modelling Study for Predicting Life of Downhole Tubes Considering Service Environmental Parameters and Stress
Authors: Zhao Tianliang , Liu Zhiyong , Du Cuiwei , Hu Jianpeng , Li Xiaogang
Published: September 2016

A modelling effort was made to try to predict the life of downhole tubes or casings, synthetically considering the effect of service influencing factors on corrosion rate. Based on the discussed corrosion mechanism and corrosion processes of downhole tubes, a mathematic model was established. For downhole tubes, the influencing factors are environmental parameters and stress, which vary with service duration. Stress and the environmental parameters including water content, partial pressure of H2S and CO2, pH value, total pressure and temperature, were considered to be time-dependent. Based on the model, life-span of an L80 downhole tube in oilfield Halfaya, an oilfield in Iraq, was predicted. The results show that life-span of the L80 downhole tube in Halfaya is 247 months (approximately 20 years) under initial stress of 0.1 yield strength and 641 months (approximately 53 years) under no initial stress, which indicates that an initial stress of 0.1 yield strength will reduce the life-span by more than half.
A Coral-Derived Compound Improves Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury through Its Antiapoptotic and Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Authors: Chen Chun-Hong , Chen Nan-Fu , Feng Chien-Wei , Cheng Shu-Yu , Hung Han-Chun , Tsui Kuan-Hao , Hsu Chi-Hsin , Sung Ping-Jyun , Chen Wu-Fu , Wen Zhi-Hong
Published: September 2016

Background: Our previous in vitro results demonstrated that 11-dehydrosinulariolide significantly reduced 6-hydroxydopamine-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in a human neuroblastoma cell line, SH-SY5Y, and suppressed the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase 2 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophage cells. The neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of 11-dehydrosinulariolide may be suitable for treating spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: In the present study, Wistar rats were pretreated with 11-dehydrosinulariolide or saline through intrathecal injection after a thoracic spinal cord contusion injury induced using a New York University (NYU) impactor. The apoptotic cells were assessed using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The expression and localization of proinflammatory, apoptosis-associated and cell survival-related pathway proteins were examined through immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: 11-Dehydrosinulariolide attenuated SCI-induced cell apoptosis by upregulating the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and cell survival-related pathway proteins p-Akt and p-ERK, 8 h after SCI. Furthermore, the transcription factor p-CREB, which regulates Bcl-2 expression, was upregulated after 11-dehydrosinulariolide treatment. On day 7 after SCI, 11-dehydrosinulariolide exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect, attenuating SCI-induced upregulation of the inflammatory proteins iNOS and tumor necrosis factor-α. 11-Dehydrosinulariolide also induced an increase in the expression of arginase-1 and CD206, markers of M2 microglia, in the injured spinal cord on day 7 after SCI. Thus, the anti-inflammatory effect of 11-dehydrosinulariolide may be related to the promotion of an alternative pathway of microglia activation. Conclusion: The results show that 11-dehydrosinulariolide exerts antiapoptotic effects at 8 h after SCI and anti-inflammatory effects at 7 days after SCI. We consider that this compound may be a promising therapeutic agent for SCI.
Controllable Acoustic Mixing of Fluids in Microchannels for the Fabrication of Therapeutic Nanoparticles
Authors: Westerhausen Christoph , Schnitzler Lukas , Wendel Dominik , Krzysztoń Rafał , Lächelt Ulrich , Wagner Ernst , Rädler Joachim , Wixforth Achim
Published: September 2016

Fifteen years ago, surface acoustic waves (SAW) were found to be able to drive fluids and numerous applications in microfluidics have been developed since. Here, we review the progress made and report on new approaches in setting-up microfluidic, continuous flow acoustic mixing. In a microchannel, chaotic advection is achieved by generation of a SAW driven fluid jet perpendicular to the mean flow direction. Using a high speed video camera and particle image velocimetry, we measure the flow velocities and show that mixing is achieved in a particularly controllable and fast way. The mixing quality is determined as a function of system parameters: SAW power, volume flux and fluid viscosity. Exploring the parameter space of mixing provides a practical guide for acoustic mixing in microchannels and allows for adopting conditions to different solvents, as e.g., required for the generation of nanoscale particles from alcoholic phases. We exemplarily demonstrate the potential of SAW based continuous flow mixing for the production of therapeutic nucleic acid nanoparticles assembled from polymer and lipid solutions.
Process, Design and Materials for Unidirectionally Tilted Polymeric Micro/Nanohairs and Their Adhesion Characteristics
Authors: Im Hyeon , Kim Jong , Han Sungwon , Kim Tae-il
Published: September 2016

Recent research in the field of gecko-inspired dry adhesive has focused on modifying the material and structural properties of polymer-based nanohairs. Polymers such as polystyrene (PS), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), ultraviolet curable epoxy (SU-8), polyurethane acrylate (PUA), polycarbonate (PC), and polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) can fulfill many mechanical property requirements, are easily tunable, and can be produced via large-scale fabrication. However, the fabrication process for tilted structure remains challenging. The tilted structure is a crucial factor in high-degree conformal contact, which facilitates high adhesion, low effective modulus, and directional adhesion properties. Recent studies have attempted to create a tilted structure by applying beam irradiation, mechanical and thermal stress, and magnetic fields. This review provides a comprehensive investigation into advanced strategies for producing tilted polymeric nanostructures and their potential applications in the near future.
Heat Release Property and Fire Performance of the Nomex/Cotton Blend Fabric Treated with a Nonformaldehyde Organophosphorus System
Authors: Yang Charles , Chen Qin
Published: September 2016

Blending Nomex® with cotton improves its affordability and serviceability. Because cotton is a highly flammable fiber, Nomex®/cotton blend fabrics containing more than 20% cotton require flame-retardant treatment. In this research, combination of a hydroxyl functional organophosphorus oligmer (HFPO) and 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) was used for flame retardant finishing of the 65/35 Nomex®/cotton blend woven fabric. The system contains HFPO as a flame retardant, BTCA as a bonding agent, and triethenolamine (TEA) as a reactive additive used to enhance the performance of HFPO/BTCA. Addition of TEA improves the hydrolysis resistance of the HFPO/BTCA crosslinked polymeric network on the blend fabric. Additionally, TEA enhances HFPO’s flame retardant performance by reducing formation of calcium salts and also by providing synergistic nitrogen to the treated blend fabric. The Nomex®/cotton blend fabric treated with the HFPO/BTCA/TEA system shows high flame resistance and high laundering durability at a relatively low HFPO concentration of 8% (w/w). The heat release properties of the treated Nomex®/cotton blend fabric were measured using microscale combustion calorimetry. The functions of BTCA; HFPO and TEA on the Nomex®/cotton blend fabric were elucidated based on the heat release properties, char formation, and fire performance of the treated blend fabric.
Cracks in Polymer Spherulites: Phenomenological Mechanisms in Correlation with Ring Bands
Authors: Woo Eamor , Lugito Graecia
Published: September 2016

This article reviews possible mechanisms of various crack forms and their likely correlations with interior crystal lamellae and discontinuous interfaces in spherulites. Complex yet periodically repetitive patterns of cracks in spherulites are beyond attributions via differences in thermal expansion coefficients, which would cause random and irregular cracks in the contract direction only. Cracks in brittle polymers such as poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA), or poly(4-hydroxyl butyrate) (PHB), or more ductile polymers such as poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) are examined and illustrated, although for focus and demonstration, more discussions are spent on PLLA. The cracks can take many shapes that bear extremely striking similarity to the ring-band or lamellar patterns in the same spherulites. Crack patterns may differ significantly between the ring-banded and ringless spherulites, suggesting that the cracks may be partially shaped and governed by interfaces of lamellae and how the lamellar crystals assemble themselves in spherulites. Similarly, with some exceptions, most of the cracks patterns in PHB or PTT are also highly guided by the lamellar assembly in either ring-banded spherulites or ringless spherulites. Some exceptions of cracks in spherulites deviating from the apparent crystal birefringence patterns do exist; nevertheless, discontinuous interfaces in the initial lamellae neat the nuclei center might be hidden by top crystal over-layers of the spherulites, which might govern crack propagation.
Using Custom Fiber Bragg Grating-Based Sensors to Monitor Artificial Landslides
Authors: Zhang Qinghua , Wang Yuan , Sun Yangyang , Gao Lei , Zhang Zhenglin , Zhang Wenyuan , Zhao Pengchong , Yue Yin
Published: September 2016

Four custom fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based sensors are developed to monitor an artificial landslide located in Nanjing, China. The sensors are composed of a rod and two FBGs. Based on the strength of the rods, two sensors are referred to as “hard sensors” (Sensor 1 and Sensor 2), the other two are referred to as “soft sensors” (Sensor 3 and Sensor 4). The two FBGs are fixed on each sensor rod at distances of 50 cm and 100 cm from the top of the rod (an upper FBG and a lower FBG). In the experiment presented in this paper, the sensors are installed on a slope on which an artificial landslide is generated through both machine-based and manual excavation. The fiber sensing system consists of the four custom FBG-based sensors, optical fiber, a static fiber grating demodulation instrument (SM125), and a PC with the necessary software. Experimental data was collected in the presence of an artificial landslide, and the results show that the lower FBGs are more sensitive than the upper FBGs for all four of the custom sensors. It was also found that Sensor 2 and Sensor 4 are more capable of monitoring small-scale landslides than Sensor 1 and Sensor 3, and this is mainly due to their placement location with respect to the landslide. The stronger rods used in the hard sensors make them more adaptable to the harsh environments of large landslides. Thus, hard sensors should be fixed near the landslide, while soft sensors should be placed farther away from the landslide. In addition, a clear tendency of strain variation can be detected by the soft sensors, which can be used to predict landslides and raise a hazard alarm.
A Disposable Microfluidic Device with a Screen Printed Electrode for Mimicking Phase II Metabolism
Authors: Vasiliadou Rafaela , Nasr Esfahani Mohammad , Brown Nathan , Welham Kevin
Published: September 2016

Human metabolism is investigated using several in vitro methods. However, the current methodologies are often expensive, tedious and complicated. Over the last decade, the combination of electrochemistry (EC) with mass spectrometry (MS) has a simpler and a cheaper alternative to mimic the human metabolism. This paper describes the development of a disposable microfluidic device with a screen-printed electrode (SPE) for monitoring phase II GSH reactions. The proposed chip has the potential to be used as a primary screening tool, thus complementing the current in vitro methods.
Numerical Analysis of Orbital Perturbation Effects on Inclined Geosynchronous SAR
Authors: Dong Xichao , Hu Cheng , Long Teng , Li Yuanhao
Published: September 2016

The geosynchronous synthetic aperture radar (GEO SAR) is susceptible to orbit perturbations, leading to orbit drifts and variations. The influences behave very differently from those in low Earth orbit (LEO) SAR. In this paper, the impacts of perturbations on GEO SAR orbital elements are modelled based on the perturbed dynamic equations, and then, the focusing is analyzed theoretically and numerically by using the Systems Tool Kit (STK) software. The accurate GEO SAR slant range histories can be calculated according to the perturbed orbit positions in STK. The perturbed slant range errors are mainly the first and second derivatives, leading to image drifts and defocusing. Simulations of the point target imaging are performed to validate the aforementioned analysis. In the GEO SAR with an inclination of 53° and an argument of perigee of 90°, the Doppler parameters and the integration time are different and dependent on the geometry configurations. Thus, the influences are varying at different orbit positions: at the equator, the first-order phase errors should be mainly considered; at the perigee and apogee, the second-order phase errors should be mainly considered; at other positions, first-order and second-order exist simultaneously.