bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Measurements of HbA1c by High Performance Liquid Chromatography in D-10 analyzer and Immunological Method by Beckman Coulter AU480 System: A Comparative Study
Authors: Khan Md Aminul Haque , Rabeya Mst Rokshana , Saiedullah Muhammad
Published: December 2012

Background: HbA1c can be measured by different methods. Enzymatic, boronate affinity chromatographic and cation-exchange high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) methods are considered as gold standard methods. To make the test cost-effective many laboratories use the immunological method installed in a chemistry analyzer. Objective: To compare the values of HbA1c measured by high performance liquid chromatographic method and immunological method in two laboratory settings.Materials and Methods: This observational and comparative study was conducted in Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS) and Enam Medical College, Savar, Dhaka. HbA1c levels measured by HPLC in BIHS were compared with that measured by immunological method in Enam Medical College, Savar, Dhaka. p values <0.05 were considered significant.Results: Statistically no difference was observed in mean HbA1c% between two methods in <7.0% HbA1c group and 7.1-10.0% HbA1c group. Significant statistical difference was found in mean HbA1c >10.0% group, but it was within acceptable limit.Conclusion: HbA1c can be measured by immunological method installed in an automated chemistry analyzer to make the test cost-effective. But HPLC method is preferable.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jemc.v2i2.12839J Enam Med Col 2012; 2(2): 62-66
Association of Age with Thyroid Hormone Status and Ischaemic Heart Disease (IHD)
Authors: Lovely Nasreen Sultana , Begum Rokeya , Akhter Qazi Shamima , Akhter Salma , Mili Nilufar Yasmin , Ashraf-uz-zaman Md
Published: December 2012

Background: Aging is associated with increased prevalence of thyroid function abnormalities including hypothyroidism. A meta-analysis showed an increased prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular mortality only in a relatively younger population. Objective: To compare the thyroid function status in IHD patients of different age groups. Methods: This cross sectional   study was carried out on 31 IHD subjects aged 35-59 years (Group B1) and 19 IHD subjects aged 60-85 years (Group B2) in the Department of Physiology, Dhaka Medical College, Dhaka from July 2009 to June 2010. For comparison 24 healthy subjects aged 35-59 years   (Group A1) and 26 with age 60-85 years (Group A2) were studied. The IHD subjects were   selected from coronary care unit of cardiology department and OPD of Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka. Serum FT3, FT4 and TSH of all subjects were measured by radioimmunoassay. Statistical analysis was done by unpaired Students t test. Results: The mean ± SD of FT3 and FT4 were significantly lower and TSH was significantly higher in   Group B1 IHD patients than that of Group A1 healthy subjects, but no difference was found between Group A2 and Group B2 and between Group B1 and Group B2.Conclusion: Thyroid   hormone levels are significantly lower in younger IHD population (age 35-59 years) than the   age-matched normal controls. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jemc.v2i2.12842 J Enam Med Col 2012; 2(2): 80-84
A Case of Childhood Ovarian Teratoma
Authors: Bhuiyan Helal Uddin , Afsana Faria , Yasmin Sharmin , Begum Khodeja
Published: December 2012

Germ cell tumors are malignant (cancerous) or nonmalignant (benign, noncancerous) tumors that are comprised mostly of germ cells, the cells that develop in the embryo and become the  cells that make up the reproductive system in male and female. Most ovarian tumors are of germ cell origin. A 5-year-old female child was taken to the Paediatrics department at Tawau General Hospital (TGH), Sabah, Malaysia on 10.4.2005 with gradual distension of abdomen  which had been noticed by parents for the last 2 months. As bedside ultrasonography (USG)  showed mixed echogenic mass in the lower abdomen, CT scan of abdomen was requested for  further delineation. CT scan of abdomen done on 18.4.2005 showed a very large (about 12 × 9 cm) mixed density mass with homogenously enhancing well defined borders in the abdomen extending from the pelvic cavity to the upper abdomen causing significant pressure effect downwards towards urinary bladder and contrast material filled guts outwards and backwards mostly occupying the anterior part of abdominal cavity. The tumor was removed surgically and diagnosed as ovarian teratoma histopathologically. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jemc.v2i2.12846 J Enam Med Col 2012; 2(2): 94-96
Womens Health: Infertility- Needs a Team Approach of Both Physician & Gynecologist
Authors: Khondokar M A Kashem
Published: December 2012

No Abstract AvailableDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12738 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 127-128
Risk Factors of Stroke in Young and Old age Group - A Comparative Study
Authors: Miah MNA , Azhar MA , Rahman A , Halder D , Akteruzzaman M , Kundu NC
Published: December 2012

Background: Stroke is an important cause of death and disability. Prevalence of stroke in Bangladesh differs with age. The risk factors in young differ in comparison to old age group. In this study risk factors of stroke in young in comparison to old age group were evaluated. Objectives: To compare the risk factors associated with stroke in young adult and to those of old age group. Methodology: This comparative study conducted in the department of Medicine and Neurology, Sir Salimullah Medical College & Mitford Hospital, Dhaka from January 2008 to June 2009. One hundred two stroke patient of above 15 years of age were confirmed by CT scan or MRI of brain those were included in young and old age groups. The risk factors of stroke were defined in terms of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidaemia, ischemic heart diseases, valvular heart disease, history of transient ischemic attack or stroke, smoking and oral contraceptive pill. Results: Of total 102 cases 17 were young adults and 85 old patients between 19 to 100 years. Mean age young adult was 39.76 (± 6.379) and old age was 65.06 (± 11.238). 61.7% were male & 38.2% were female and the ratio was 1.6:1. Amongst male 58.8% patients were smoker in each age group and only 2.9% old patients were alcoholic. Only 17.6% had previous history of transient ischemic attack or stroke in each age group. 58.8% of young and 48.2% of old were hypertensive. 7% old patients had history of ischemic heart disease. 5.9% of young and 2.4% of old patients had valvular heart disease but no patient had vasculitis. 16.7% old patients had diabetes mellitus. 4.9% of total patients (young 11.8% and 3.5% old) were oral contraceptive pill user. Out of all patients 24.7% old patients and 5.9% young adult was dyslipidaemic. Among all patients 66.7% patients had the Ischemic stroke and 33.3% patients had the hemorrhagic stroke. 68.2% old patients and 58.8% young patients had Ischemic stroke; 31.8% old patients and 41.2% young patients had hemorrhagic stroke. Conclusion: In young age group smoking, transient ischemic attack or stroke, hypertension, valvular heart disease, oral contraceptive pill and in old age group smoking, transient ischemic attack or stroke, hypertension, Ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia were found significant risk factors for development of stroke. So modification of risk factors may reduce the incidence of stroke. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12741 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 138-142
Pattern and Outcome of Presentation at the Children Emergency Unit of a Tertiary Institution in The Niger Delta Region of Nigeria: A One Year Prospective Study
Authors: Ugwu GIM , Okperi BO , Chinemelu UCO
Published: December 2012

Background : Children emergency unit is a very important in hospitals offering paediatric services. Most of the studies done in Nigeria have been retrospective which most times do not capture the total picture of presentations as some are lost due to poor record keeping. Aim : To determine the true pattern and outcome of presentations at the children emergency unit in our hospital through a prospective study. Materials and Method : All presentations at the children emergency unit of Delta State University Teaching Hospital Oghara since its inception in December 2010 till November 2011 were recorded and all the information about each patient from the biodata to the outcome of each presentation were analysed. Result : A total of five hundred and twenty patients were seen within this period. Non- emergency patients represented 10.2%. There was a male preponderance, and over 90% were five years and below. Malaria was the commonest presentation at 16.7% followed by acute respiratory infections at 14.4%. Mortality was 2.3% with meningitis and severe anaemia each accounting for 33.3%. 66.7% of the total deaths were in infants. Discussion : Malaria is the commonest presentation. Over 10% were cold cases. Triaging will reduce mortality as this will give the emergency physician undistracted attention to more serious patients. Death in infancy still represents the highest contributor to the over- all mortality. Conclusion : Presentation at the children emergency unit has largely remained the same over the years. However prospective studies should always be done to establish true picture of presentation at children emergency units and efforts to select truly emergency patients will help in rendering better services. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12753 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 170-173
Emergence of A New Entity: The Autoimmune Encephalitis
Authors: Ahmad Q , Ali MA , Kabir MA , Alahi MM , Amin MP , Kafiluddin M.
Published: December 2012

Encephalitis has been known as a distinct entity for a long time but its exact cause has remained undetected in about half the cases in spite of extensive investigations. During the last few years there has been reports of cases of encephalitis in which antibodies has been detected against deep grey matter neurons. Antibodies have been detected against the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors or voltage-gated potassium channels (VGKC). VGKC antibody positive encephalitis usually presents in middle aged or elderly people and is twice as common in men. The main symptoms are memory loss and seizures. Cognitive impairment, confusion, disorientation, personality change and behavioral disturbances are also common. Encephalitis associated with NMDA receptor antibodies is mainly seen in children and young adults, with women being affected about three to four times more often than men. Initially there is a period of cognitive impairment and psychiatric features like hallucinations, agitation and depression but later there is gradual deterioration in conscious level with autonomic features often requiring intensive care. The most striking feature of both these types of encephalitis is their uniform good response to immunomodulating therapies. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), glucocorticosteroids, plasma exchange and drugs like cyclophosphamide, rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, singly or in combination have all produced good results. It is this surprisingly easily available effective treatment which makes diagnosis of this condition imperative. Encephalitis is a condition which is encountered by physicians at all levels and so a high level of awareness about the condition will ensure that the condition is not missed. This review about this new condition is being presented to make physicians aware about this devastating but easily treatable disease. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12755 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 179-189
Evaluation of Female Infertility
Authors: Akhter Neke , Jebunnaher Sultana
Published: December 2012

No Abstract AvailableDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12757 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 200-209
Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumour in a Patient of Type 1 Neurofibromatosis
Authors: Sengupta Amitava , Bandyopadhyay Ankan , Jash Debraj , Saha Kaushik
Published: December 2012

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumours (MPNST) constitute a rare type of soft tissue sarcoma which arises from peripheral nerves or Schwann cells, perineural cells or fibroblasts. MPNST is a rare neoplasm affecting 1 in 1,00,000 population. Here we report a case of a 36 year old male who presented to us with an upper abdominal swelling for last 3 months. At first ,a diagnosis of type 1 neurofibromatosis type 1(NF-1) was made. Contrast enhanced CT scan abdomen and thorax revealed presence of a complex, heterogenous mass in upper abdomen with extension towards left hemithorax. Histopathological examination done from true cut biopsy specimen of the mass was suggestive of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour. Positivity of tumour cells on immunohistochemistry to S-100 established the diagnosis of MPNST in type 1 neurofibromatosis. In conclusion, it was a rare case of MPNST in a patient of NF-1. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12761 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 219-221
Central Haemangioma (Intraosseous) of Jaw
Authors: Shukla Samarth , Acharya Sourya , Bhola Nitin , Chaudhary Minul , Borle Mr. , Grover Mrs
Published: December 2012

Vascular neoplasms are common but are often much debated and discussed out entities. These mesenchymal neoplasms are categorized as benign (haemangiomas) or of intermediate behavior (heamangiopericytoma, Hemangioendotheliomas) and malignant as in Angiosarcoma and Kaposis sarcoma. But even the most benign of entities like haemngiomas can often behave in a nasty way depending on the presentation. Posing great diagnostic dilemma and management delay, we present a rare case of a young boy presenting with an ever increasing firm nodular growth in the outer left mandible. The gingival and the outer skin was intact. Xray suggested of a cystic multiloculated lesion. Biopsy on histopathology revealed an intraosseous haemngioma. A true rarity in itself with extreme paucity of such reported lesions. Again the origins and the cell of origin of haemngiomas have been at major flashpoints and cross firing especially when taken up as differentials with arteriovenous malformations. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12762 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 222-226
Cutaneous Leismaniasis in a Middle Aged Man
Authors: Amin Md Robed , Islam Shafiul , Rahman Md Habibur , Ahmed Farukh , Hossain Ahmed Riyadh , Kahhar Md Azizul
Published: December 2012

The incidence of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is greater in the Old World than in the New World. It can be caused by several Leishmania spp and is transmitted to human beings and animals by sandflies and is usually more common in rural than urban areas, but it is found in some periurban and urban areas too. In Bangladesh there has been many cases of Post kala azar leismaniasis(PKDL) in endemic areas but pure form of cutaneous leismaniasis has not been reported many. Recently a case of cutaneous leismaniasis was diagnosed in Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) who presented with increasing number of papulonodular crusted lesions in acral parts of body. The patients although resided in Saudi Arabia, there was no history regarding risk factor to get the disease from there or in Bangladesh indicating search for exploration of disease in Bangladesh is crucial. The patient was diagnosed methodically and treated with inj Sodium Stibogluconate with complete recovery. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12768 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 233-236
Clozapine Induced Ogilvies Syndrome
Authors: Mosli Ahmoud Hisham , Beaton Melanie
Published: December 2012

We report a case of clozapine induced acute intestinal pseudo obstruction (also known as Ogilvies syndrome) in a 54-year female with a history significant for multiple psychiatric disorders. The diagnosis was made after a challenging clinical presentation where collaboration between multiple medical services resulted in reaching a unified diagnosis. The diagnosis was established based on multiple radiological imaging modalities and confirmed by a documented response to colonic decompression through colonoscopy and discontinuation of the offending medication. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12769 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 237-239
Leucocytoclastic Vasculitis: A Rare Cause of Palpable Purpura
Authors: Das Aparna , Hoque AKM Aminul , Gupta Ratan Das , Banik Gobinda , Hossain Md Yeanur , Islam Moinul
Published: December 2012

Leucocytoclastic vasculitis (LCV) is an isolated condition without systemic vasculitis or glomerulonephritis. The skin is the most commonly involved organ in LCV, predominantly in the lower extremities. The most common skin manifestation is palpable purpura. Some patients may have arthralgias or arthritis as the presenting symptom, usually oligoarthritis of the knees or ankles. The inflammation of small blood vessels, most commonly postcapillary venules, is the cardinal histologic feature of LCV. A16-year-old male admitted into our medicine unit with palpable purpura. He was diagnosed as leukocytoclastic vasculitisof unidentified etiology on the basis of clinical conditions, laboratory tests, and histopathological analysis. Most important cause of LCV is drugs. So, we report this case to increase the awareness of indiscriminate use of medicine which can case this problems. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12770 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 240-242
Polycythaemia Vera with Abdominal Pain - An Unusual Association
Authors: Tarafder Binoy Krishna , Khan Mohammad Ashik Imran , Poddar Mrinmay Kumar , Rahman Estakur , Amiruzzaman Md , Miah Md Titu
Published: December 2012

Polycythaemia vera is difficult disease to diagnose when it has an atypical presentation. Here we present a case where a middle aged man who presented to us with abdominal pain and recurrent peptic ulceration and was later diagnosed as a case of polycythaemia vera. To best of our knowledge this is the first report of such association from Bangladesh. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12774 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 252-255
Book Review
Authors: Miah Md. Titu , Ayaz K F M , Das Aparna
Published: December 2012

No Abstract AvailableDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v13i2.12778 J Medicine 2012; 13 : 261-262
Testing Goodness of Fit of Random Graph Models
Authors: Csiszár Villõ , Hussami Péter , Komlós János , Móri Tamás , Rejtõ Lídia , Tusnády Gábor
Published: December 2012

Random graphs are matrices with independent 0–1 elements with probabilities determined by a small number of parameters. One of the oldest models is the Rasch model where the odds are ratios of positive numbers scaling the rows and columns. Later Persi Diaconis with his coworkers rediscovered the model for symmetric matrices and called the model beta. Here we give goodness-of-fit tests for the model and extend the model to a version of the block model introduced by Holland, Laskey and Leinhard.
Preparation of Knockout Extract by Immunoaffinity Column and Its Application
Authors: Uto Takuhiro , Tung Nguyen , Morinaga Osamu , Shoyama Yukihiro
Published: December 2012

Importance of herbal medicines have recently increased owing to rising interest in their health benefits. However, medicinal plant extracts are complex mixtures of phytochemicals that act synergistically or additively on specific and/or multiple molecular and cellular targets. Thus, it is difficult to examine the actual pharmacological roles of active compounds in plant extracts. This review describes a new strategy for isolating target compounds from plant extracts using immunoaffinity columns coupled with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against natural compounds. Through one-step purification using mAb-coupled immunoaffinity columns, we succeeded in preparing a knockout (KO) extract, which contains all components except the target compound. Furthermore, we investigated the pharmacological effects of the KO extract to reveal the actual effects of a bioactive compound in the crude extract. This approach may help determine the potential function of target compounds in herbal medicines.
Cell-Based Biosensors: Electrical Sensing in Microfluidic Devices
Authors: Kiilerich-Pedersen Katrine , Rozlosnik Noemi
Published: December 2012

Cell-based biosensors provide new horizons for medical diagnostics by adopting complex recognition elements such as mammalian cells in microfluidic devices that are simple, cost efficient and disposable. This combination renders possible a new range of applications in the fields of diagnostics and personalized medicine. The review looks at the most recent developments in cell-based biosensing microfluidic systems with electrical and electrochemical transduction, and relevance to medical diagnostics.
The Sound of Silence: RNAi in Poly (ADP-Ribose) Research
Authors: Blenn Christian , Wyrsch Philippe , Althaus Felix
Published: December 2012

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)-ation is a nonprotein posttranslational modification of proteins and plays an integral part in cell physiology and pathology. The metabolism of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) is regulated by its synthesis by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs) and on the catabolic side by poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG). PARPs convert NAD+ molecules into PAR chains that interact covalently or noncovalently with target proteins and thereby modify their structure and functions. PAR synthesis is activated when PARP1 and PARP2 bind to DNA breaks and these two enzymes account for almost all PAR formation after genotoxic stress. PARG cleaves PAR molecules into free PAR and finally ADP-ribose (ADPR) moieties, both acting as messengers in cellular stress signaling. In this review, we discuss the potential of RNAi to manipulate the levels of PARPs and PARG, and consequently those of PAR and ADPR, and compare the results with those obtained after genetic or chemical disruption.
Plato’s and Aristotle’s Language Critique in Francisco Sanchez’s That Nothing Is Known
Authors: Bermudez Manuel
Published: December 2012

In That Nothing Is Known, Francisco Sanchez created a very interesting reflection on the analysis of language and on the epistemic consequences of the importance of language. He did so in a way that allowed some scholars to consider him a predecessor of analytic philosophy. The Spanish physician believed that language had a leading role within science, but he also thought that language was a weak foundation upon which to build any attempt of knowledge.
Hair Toxic Metal Concentrations and Autism Spectrum Disorder Severity in Young Children
Authors: Geier David , Kern Janet , King Paul , Sykes Lisa , Geier Mark
Published: December 2012

Previous studies have found a higher body-burden of toxic metals, particularly mercury (Hg), among subjects diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in comparison to neurotypical controls. Moreover, Hg body-burden was associated with ASD severity. This cross-sectional study examined the potential correlation between hair toxic metal concentrations and ASD severity in a prospective cohort of participants diagnosed with moderate to severe ASD. The Institutional Review Board at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas (Dallas, TX) approved the present study. Qualifying study participants (n = 18) were evaluated for ASD severity using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and quantitatively for arsenic, Hg, cadmium, lead, chromium, cobalt, nickel, aluminum, tin, uranium, and manganese using hair toxic element testing by Doctor’s Data (a CLIA-approved laboratory). CARS scoring and hair toxic element testing were blinded to one another. Increasing hair Hg concentrations significantly correlated with increased ASD severity. In contrast, no significant correlations were observed between any other of the hair toxic metals examined and ASD severity. This study helps to provide additional mechanistic support for Hg in the etiology of ASD severity, and is supported by an increasing number of recent critical reviews that provide biological plausibility for the role of Hg exposure in the pathogenesis of ASDs.
Polyphenolic Profile and Biological Activity of Chinese Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida BUNGE) Fruits
Authors: Jurikova Tunde , Sochor Jiri , Rop Otakar , Mlcek Jiri , Balla Stefan , Szekeres Ladislav , Adam Vojtech , Kizek Rene
Published: December 2012

Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) fruits are rich in polyphenols (e.g., epicatechin, procyanidin B2, procyanidin B5, procyanidin C1, hyperoside, isoquercitrin and chlorogenic acid)—active compounds that exert beneficial effects. This review summarizes all information available on polyphenolic content and methods for their quantification in Chinese hawthorn berries and the relationships between individual polyphenolic compounds as well. The influence of species or cultivars, the locality of cultivation, the stage of maturity, and extract preparation conditions on the polyphenolic content were discussed as well. Currently, only fruits of C. pinnatifida and C. pinnatifida var. major are included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Recent trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Chinese hawthorn fruit in lowering blood cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The fruit has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour activities. This review deals mainly with the biological activity of the fruit related to its antioxidant properties.
A Novel Soft Biomimetic Microrobot with Two Motion Attitudes
Authors: Shi Liwei , Guo Shuxiang , Li Maoxun , Mao Shilian , Xiao Nan , Gao Baofeng , Song Zhibin , Asaka Kinji
Published: December 2012

A variety of microrobots have commonly been used in the fields of biomedical engineering and underwater operations during the last few years. Thanks to their compact structure, low driving power, and simple control systems, microrobots can complete a variety of underwater tasks, even in limited spaces. To accomplish our objectives, we previously designed several bio-inspired underwater microrobots with compact structure, flexibility, and multi-functionality, using ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuators. To implement high-position precision for IPMC legs, in the present research, we proposed an electromechanical model of an IPMC actuator and analysed the deformation and actuating force of an equivalent IPMC cantilever beam, which could be used to design biomimetic legs, fingers, or fins for an underwater microrobot. We then evaluated the tip displacement of an IPMC actuator experimentally. The experimental deflections fit the theoretical values very well when the driving frequency was larger than 1 Hz. To realise the necessary multi-functionality for adapting to complex underwater environments, we introduced a walking biomimetic microrobot with two kinds of motion attitudes: a lying state and a standing state. The microrobot uses eleven IPMC actuators to move and two shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators to change its motion attitude. In the lying state, the microrobot implements stick-insect-inspired walking/rotating motion, fish-like swimming motion, horizontal grasping motion, and floating motion. In the standing state, it implements inchworm-inspired crawling motion in two horizontal directions and grasping motion in the vertical direction. We constructed a prototype of this biomimetic microrobot and evaluated its walking, rotating, and floating speeds experimentally. The experimental results indicated that the robot could attain a maximum walking speed of 3.6 mm/s, a maximum rotational speed of 9°/s, and a maximum floating speed of 7.14 mm/s. Obstacle-avoidance and swimming experiments were also carried out to demonstrate its multi-functionality.
Context-Aided Sensor Fusion for Enhanced Urban Navigation
Authors: Martí Enrique , Martín David , García Jesús , De la Escalera Arturo , Molina José , Armingol José
Published: December 2012

The deployment of Intelligent Vehicles in urban environments requires reliable estimation of positioning for urban navigation. The inherent complexity of this kind of environments fosters the development of novel systems which should provide reliable and precise solutions to the vehicle. This article details an advanced GNSS/IMU fusion system based on a context-aided Unscented Kalman filter for navigation in urban conditions. The constrained non-linear filter is here conditioned by a contextual knowledge module which reasons about sensor quality and driving context in order to adapt it to the situation, while at the same time it carries out a continuous estimation and correction of INS drift errors. An exhaustive analysis has been carried out with available data in order to characterize the behavior of available sensors and take it into account in the developed solution. The performance is then analyzed with an extensive dataset containing representative situations. The proposed solution suits the use of fusion algorithms for deploying Intelligent Transport Systems in urban environments.
Microsatellite loci for tucumã of Amazonas (Astrocaryum aculeatum) and amplification in other Arecaceae
Authors: Ramos Santiago L. Ferreyra , de Macêdo Jeferson L. Vasconcelos , Lopes Maria T. Gomes , Batista Jacqueline S. , Formiga Kyara M. , da Silva Perla Pimentel , Saulo‐Machado Antonio C. , Veasey Elizabeth Ann
Published: December 2012

• Premise of the study: Microsatellite loci were developed for tucumã of Amazonas (Astrocaryum aculeatum), and cross‐species amplification was performed in six other Arecaceae, to investigate genetic diversity and population structure and to provide support for natural populations management.

• Methods and Results: Fourteen microsatellite loci were isolated from a microsatellite‐enriched genomic library and used to characterize two wild populations of tucumã of Amazonas (Manaus and Manicoré cities). The investigated loci displayed high polymorphism for both A. aculeatum populations, with a mean observed heterozygosity of 0.498. Amplification rates ranging from 50% to 93% were found for four Astrocaryum species and two additional species of Arecaceae.

• Conclusions: The information derived from the microsatellite markers developed here provides significant gains in conserved allelic richness and supports the implementation of several molecular breeding strategies for the Amazonian tucumã.
Disparities in Timeliness of Care for U.S. Medicare Patients Diagnosed with Cancer
Authors: Halpern M.T. , Holden D.J.
Published: December 2012

Background: Timeliness of care (rapid initiation of treatment after definitive diagnosis) is a key component of high-quality cancer treatment. The present study evaluated factors influencing timeliness of care for U.S. Medicare enrollees. Methods: Data for Medicare enrollees diagnosed with breast, colorectal, lung, or prostate cancer while living in U.S. seer (Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results) regions in 2000–2002 were analyzed. Patients were classified as experiencing delayed treatment if the interval between diagnosis and treatment was greater than the 95th percentile for each cancer site. The impacts of patient sociodemographic, clinical, and area-based factors on the likelihood of delayed treatment were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression. Results: Black patients (compared with white patients) and patients initially treated with radiation therapy or chemotherapy (rather than surgery) had a greater likelihood of treatment delays across all four cancer sites. Hispanic status, dual Medicare–Medicaid status, location of initial treatment (inpatient vs. outpatient), and stage at diagnosis also affected timeliness of care for some cancer sites. Surprisingly, area-based factors reflecting availability of cancer care services were not significantly associated with timeliness of care or were associated with greater delays in areas with greater numbers of service providers. Conclusions: Multiple factors affected receipt of timely cancer care for members of the study population, all of whom had coverage of medical care services through Medicare. Because delays in treatment initiation can increase morbidity, decrease quality of life, shorten survival, and result in greater costs, prospective studies and tailored interventions are needed to address those factors among at-risk patient groups.
Prospective Validation of Risk Prediction Indexes for Acute and Delayed Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting
Authors: Bouganim N. , Dranitsaris G. , Hopkins S. , Vandermeer L. , Godbout L. , Dent S. , Wheatley–Price P. , Milano C. , Clemons M.
Published: December 2012

Background: Despite the use of standardized anti-emetic guidelines, up to 20% of cancer patients suffer from moderate-to-severe chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV)—that is, grade 2 or greater according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.0. We previously developed cycle-based prediction models and associated scoring systems for acute and delayed CINV. As part of the validation process, we prospectively evaluated the ability of the scoring systems to accurately identify patients deemed to be high risk for grade 2 or greater CINV. Methods: Patients who were receiving any chemotherapy for solid tumours and who consented to participate were provided with symptom diaries. Compliance to the diaries was enhanced by 24-hour and 5-day telephone callbacks after chemotherapy in every cycle. All patients received anti-emetic prophylaxis as prescribed by the treating physician. Before each cycle of chemotherapy, the acute and delayed CINV scoring systems were used to stratify patients into low- and high-risk groups. Logistic regression modelling was then applied to compare the risk for grade 2 or greater CINV between patients considered to be at high and at low risk. The external validity of each system was also assessed using an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) analysis. Results: We collected CINV outcomes data from 95 patients during 181 cycles of chemotherapy. The incidence of grade 2 or greater acute and delayed CINV was 17.7% and 18.2% respectively. As previously identified, major predictors for grade 2 or greater CINV included younger patient age, platinum- or anthracycline-based chemotherapy, low alcohol consumption, earlier cycles of chemotherapy, previous history of morning sickness, and prior emetic episodes after chemotherapy. The acute and delayed scoring systems both had good predictive accuracy when applied to the external validation sample (acute—auroc: 0.69; 95% confidence interval: 0.59 to 0.79; delayed—AUROC: 0.70; 95% confidence interval: 0.60 to 0.80). Patients identified by the scoring systems to be at high risk were 2.8 (p = 0.025) and 3.1 (p = 0.001) times more likely to develop grade 2 or greater acute and delayed CINV. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that our scoring systems are able to accurately identify patients at high risk for acute and delayed CINV. Application and planned continued refinement of the scoring systems will be an important means of patient-specific risk assessment that will allow for optimization of anti-emetic therapy.
The Pedicled Myocutaneous Flap as a Choice Reconstructive Technique for Immediate Adjuvant Brachytherapy in Sarcoma Treatment
Authors: Saba S.C. , Shaterian A. , Tokin C. , Dobke M.K. , Wallace A.M.
Published: December 2012

Successful treatment of soft-tissue sarcomas is highly dependent on total tumour resection coupled with adjuvant radiation therapy to achieve local control and decrease recurrence. Reconstruction of soft-tissue defects after resection aims to cover vital structures, while providing enough stable tissue to withstand adjuvant brachytherapy treatment. In the present study, pedicled myocutaneous flaps were used as a vital adjunct in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma, and our experience with 2 such patients is described. The flaps served to reconstruct large three-dimensional defects while providing stable coverage over brachytherapy hardware to allow for delivery of radiation in the immediate postoperative period. Pedicled locoregional myocutaneous flaps provide a safe, easy, and reliable reconstructive technique in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma.
De ante à devant et avant : différenciation sémantique dans l'évolution des langues romanes
Authors: Fagard Benjamin
Published: December 2012

Dans cet article, nous proposons une réflexion sur l’évolution sémantique et la polysémie, à partir de l’étude de formes prépositionnelles issues du latin ante dans les langues romanes. Nous montrons la complexité des paradigmes résultants dans chaque langue, avec des formes nombreuses et des emplois qui se chevauchent (adverbes, prépositions, conjonctions). Nous tentons en particulier de voir dans quelle mesure l’apparition de nouvelles formes peut être liée à un besoin de désambiguïsation. Pour ce faire, nous étudions plus d’une quinzaine de formes à partir de corpus médiévaux et modernes, dans quatre langues romanes (français, italien, espagnol, portugais). Une analyse sémantique en deux temps, opérée sur plus de quatre mille occurrences prépositionnelles au total, nous permet de mettre en évidence les différences entre ces états de langue, et de montrer qu’il ne s’agit pas tant de désambiguïsation que de glissement sémantique constant du spatial au temporel et/ou au notionnel.
Peut-on faire de l'intersectionnalité sans les ex-colonisé-e-s ?
Authors: Ait Ben Lmadani Fatima , Moujoud Nasima
Published: December 2012

Résumé La réception en France du Black feminism , accompagné des études de l’intersectionnalite et de l’imbrication des rapports de pouvoir, a créé un nouvel espace critique de référence dans la recherche universitaire française mais on y reproduit souvent une forte coupure entre théorie et action, puisque les travaux français ou francophones sur le racisme, les migrations, la colonisation, et les luttes de minoritaires, y sont marginalisés. Cette coupure inhibe la déconstruction des discours et pratiques ethnocentristes, masculines, hétéronormatives et élitistes locales, et invisibilise les savoirs des minoritaires ex-colonisé-e-s.
Une mission de sauvetage : Exhibitions. L'invention du sauvage au musée du quai Branly
Authors: Arndt Lotte
Published: December 2012

Résumé Présentée en 2012 par le musée du quai Branly, l’exposition Exhibitions. L’invention du sauvage a été visitée par des milliers de spectateurs et spectatrices et récompensée par le prix de la presse française pour les arts et la culture. Cette exposition ambitieuse proposait de montrer comment la distinction entre « nous » et « les autres » a été mise en scène à travers les siècles. Cette motivation se trouve prise au piège de plusieurs failles conceptuelles et finit par reproduire ce qu’elle aspirait à déconstruire : une rétroprojection anhistorique de concepts, l’accaparement de la parole par la voix omnisciente des commissaires et la surimposition de représentations raciales figées.
Crise de l'offre foncière économique en Algérie : du blocage à l'investissement informel. Le cas de la ville d'Annaba
Authors: Boulbir Laala , Boukhemis Kaddour , Zeghiche Anissa
Published: December 2012

Avec la libéralisation économique, l’État algérien s’assigne des missions régaliennes et managériales en vue de garantir et attirer les investissements étrangers pour créer des richesses et offrir de l’emploi. Dans cette perspective, l’accès au foncier a été placé au centre de dispositifs procéduraux pour parer à d’éventuels spéculateurs et ne pas brader le patrimoine public de l’État. Après une décennie (1990) d’improvisations, la décennie 2000 marque une volonté de prise en charge sérieuse du dossier foncier. Un état des lieux des ZI (Zones Industrielles) et ZAC (Zones d’Activités Commerciales) a été dressé en vue de rationaliser l’utilisation du potentiel foncier public existant et de le mobiliser pour la promotion de l’investissement privé. L’objet de ce travail est l’analyse du système de pilotage de l’offre foncière publique instauré pour promouvoir l’investissement privé en prenant pour étude de cas, Annaba, la 4 e ville d’Algérie.
Des dispositifs de jugement pour et par les consommateurs ?
Authors: Rodet Diane
Published: December 2012

Résumé Présentant les propriétés des singularités, les biens issus du commerce équitable, de l’agriculture biologique et les AMAP, offrent un terrain inédit pour étudier la participation des consommateurs aux dispositifs de jugement. Plusieurs réseaux de ces secteurs mettent en effet en place des « systèmes participatifs de garantie » impliquant l’ensemble des parties prenantes de la production dans le processus d’évaluation et de garantie. Ils participent ainsi à une démarche plus globale de résistance face au risque perçu de désingularisation qu’entraînerait la certification par tiers.
Finding Persistent Strong Rules
Authors: Scime Anthony , Rajasethupathy Karthik , Rajasethupathy Kulathur S. , Murray Gregg R.
Published: December 2012

Data mining is a collection of algorithms for finding interesting and unknown patterns or rules in data. However, different algorithms can result in different rules from the same data. The process presented here exploits these differences to find particularly robust, consistent, and noteworthy rules among much larger potential rule sets. More specifically, this research focuses on using association rules and classification mining to select the persistently strong association rules. Persistently strong association rules are association rules that are verifiable by classification mining the same data set. The process for finding persistent strong rules was executed against two data sets obtained from the American National Election Studies. Analysis of the first data set resulted in one persistent strong rule and one persistent rule, while analysis of the second data set resulted in 11 persistent strong rules and 10 persistent rules. The persistent strong rule discovery process suggests these rules are the most robust, consistent, and noteworthy among the much larger potential rule sets.
Active Learning and Mapping
Authors: Baumes Laurent A.
Published: December 2012

The data mining technology increasingly employed into new industrial processes, which require automatic analysis of data and related results in order to quickly proceed to conclusions. However, for some applications, an absolute automation may not be appropriate. Unlike traditional data mining, contexts deal with voluminous amounts of data, some domains are actually characterized by a scarcity of data, owing to the cost and time involved in conducting simulations or setting up experimental apparatus for data collection. In such domains, it is hence prudent to balance speed through automation and the utility of the generated data. The authors review the active learning methodology, and a new one that aims at generating successively new samples in order to reach an improved final estimation of the entire search space investigated according to the knowledge accumulated iteratively through samples selection and corresponding obtained results, is presented. The methodology is shown to be of great interest for applications such as high throughput material science and especially heterogeneous catalysis where the chemists do not have previous knowledge allowing to direct and to guide the exploration.
Learning Different Concept Hierarchies and the Relations between them from Classified Data
Authors: Benites Fernando , Sapozhnikova Elena
Published: December 2012

Methods for the automatic extraction of taxonomies and concept hierarchies from data have recently emerged as essential assistance for humans in ontology construction. The objective of this chapter is to show how the extraction of concept hierarchies and finding relations between them can be effectively coupled with a multi-label classification task. The authors introduce a data mining system which performs classification and addresses both issues by means of association rule mining. The proposed system has been tested on two real-world datasets with the class labels of each dataset coming from two different class hierarchies. Several experiments on hierarchy extraction and concept relation were conducted in order to evaluate the system and three different interestingness measures were applied, to select the most important relations between concepts. One of the measures was developed by the authors. The experimental results showed that the system is able to infer quite accurate concept hierarchies and associations among the concepts. It is therefore well suited for classification-based reasoning.
A Neuro-Fuzzy Partner Selection System for Business Social Networks
Authors: Wong T. T. , Sze Loretta K.W.
Published: December 2012

Enterprises are now facing growing global competition and the continual success in the marketplace depends very much on how efficient and effective companies are able to respond to customer demands. Business social network sites (BSNS) have provided a powerful tool to link up manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and customers. Among the emerging business social networks, decision support functionality addressing the issue of selecting business partners is an important domain to be studied, and it is the objective of this chapter to propose a practical partner selection decision support system. Essentially, a neural-network data mining system is used to generate information for subsequent fuzzy multi-objective analysis. It demonstrates the benefits of integrating information technology, artificial intelligence, and multi-objective decision making to form a practical aid that capitalizes on the merits of BSNS. A special feature is that the trust among companies can be incorporated as an evaluation criterion.
Remarks on a Fuzzy Approach to Flexible Database Querying, Its Extension and Relation to Data Mining and Summarization
Authors: Kacprzyk Janusz , de Tré Guy , Zadrozny Slawomir
Published: December 2012

For an effective and efficient information search of databases, various issues should be solved. A very important one, though still usually neglected by traditional database management systems, is related to a proper representation of user preferences and intentions, and then their representation in querying languages. In many scenarios, they are not clear-cut, and often have their original form deeply rooted in natural language implying a need of flexible querying. Although the research on introducing elements of natural language into the database querying languages dates back to the late 1970s, the practical commercial solutions are still not widely available. This chapter is meant to revive the line of research in flexible querying languages based on the use of fuzzy logic. This chapter recalls details of a basic technique of flexible fuzzy querying, discusses some newest developments in this area and, moreover, shows how other relevant tasks may be implemented in the framework of such queries interface. In particular, it considers fuzzy queries with linguistic quantifiers and shows their intrinsic relation with linguistic data summarization. Moreover, the chapter mentions so called “bipolar queries” and advocates them as a next relevant breakthrough in flexible querying based on fuzzy logic and possibility theory.
Measuring Human Intelligence by Applying Soft Computing Techniques
Authors: Mankad Kunjal , Sajja Priti Srinivas
Published: December 2012

The chapter focuses on Genetic-Fuzzy Rule Based Systems of soft computing in order to deal with uncertainty and imprecision with evolving nature for different domains. It has been observed that major professional domains such as education and technology, human resources, psychology, etc, still lack intelligent decision support system with self evolving nature. The chapter proposes a novel framework implementing Theory of Multiple Intelligence of education to identify students’ technical and managerial skills. Detail methodology of proposed system architecture which includes the design of rule bases for technical and managerial skills, encoding strategy, fitness function, cross-over and mutation operations for evolving populations is presented in this chapter. The outcome and the supporting experimental results are also presented to justify the significance of the proposed framework. It concludes by discussing advantages and future scope in different domains.