bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependence of dioxin’s effects on constitutive mouse hepatic cytochromes P450 and growth hormone signaling components
Authors: Lee Chunja , Riddick David S.
Published: October 2012

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) has physiological roles in the absence of exposure to exogenous ligands, and mediates adaptive and toxic responses to the environmental pollutant 2,3,7,8-tetracholorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). A readily metabolized AHR agonist, 3-methylcholanthrene, disrupts the expression of mouse hepatic growth hormone (GH) signaling components and suppresses cytochrome P450 2D9 (Cyp2d9), a male-specific gene controlled by pulsatile GH via signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b (STAT5b). Using TCDD as an essentially nonmetabolized AHR agonist, and Ahr −/−mice as the preferred model to determine the AHR-dependence of biological responses, we now show that 2 mouse hepatic STAT5b target genes, Cyp2d9, and major urinary protein 2 (Mup2), are suppressed by TCDD in an AHR-dependent manner. TCDD also decreased hepatic mRNA levels for GH receptor, Janus kinase 2, and STAT5a/b with AHR-dependence. Without inducing selected hepatic inflammatory markers, TCDD caused AHR-dependent induction of Cyp1a1 and NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (Por) and suppression of Cyp3a11. In vehicle-treated mice, basal mRNA levels for CYP2D9, CYP3A11, POR, serum amyloid protein P, and MUP2 were influenced by Ahr genetic status. We conclude that AHR activation per se leads to dysregulation of hepatic GH signaling components and suppression of some, but not all, STAT5b target genes.
The effect of endogenous estrogen on Doppler-estimated right ventricular systolic pressure during exercise
Authors: Wang Vicki N. , Ahmed Mavra , Ciofani Amelia , Sasson Zion , Granton John T. , Mak Susanna
Published: October 2012

We evaluated the effect of endogenous estrogen levels on exercise-related changes in right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) of healthy, eumenorrheic, sedentary women. Volunteers were studied at two separates phases of the menstrual cycle (LO and HI estrogen phases), exercised on a semi-supine ergometer with escalating workload and monitored continuously by 12-lead ECG and automated blood pressure cuff. At each exercise stage, Doppler echocardiography measurements were obtained and analyzed to determine RVSP. Fourteen subjects (age 24 ± 5) were studied. Exercise duration was significantly higher on the HI estrogen day, but no significant differences in hemodynamic response to exercise were found between the two study days. There were also no significant differences with respect to heart rate (HR) acceleration during early exercise, as well as resting and peak RVSP, HR, blood pressure, and rate pressure product. Doppler-estimated RVSP demonstrated a linear relationship to HR at a ratio of 1 mm Hg (1 mm Hg = 133.3224 Pa) for every 5 bpm (beats per minute) increase in HR. There were no differences in the slope of this relationship between HI and LO estrogen phases of the menstrual cycle. Our findings did not demonstrate any effect of endogenous estrogen levels on the modulation of the pulmonary vascular response to exercise in healthy women.
Preventive and therapeutic effects of quercetin on lipopolysaccharide-induced oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction in mice
Authors: Kukongviriyapan Upa , Sompamit Kwanjit , Pannangpetch Patchareewan , Kukongviriyapan Veerapol , Donpunha Wanida
Published: October 2012

Quercetin, a dietary antioxidant flavonoid, possesses strong anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective activities. The effects were investigated in an animal model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxaemia and vascular dysfunction in vivo. Male ICR mice were injected with LPS (10 mg/kg; i.p.). Quercetin (50 or 100 mg/kg) was intragastrically administered either before or after LPS administration. Fifteen hours after LPS injection, mice were found in endotoxaemic condition, as manifested by hypotension, tachycardia, and blunted vascular responses to vasodilators and vasoconstrictor. The symptoms were accompanied by increased aortic iNOS protein expression, decreased aortic eNOS protein expression, marked suppression of cellular glutathione (GSH) redox status, enhanced aortic superoxide production, increased plasma malodialdehyde and protein carbonyl, and elevated urinary nitrate/nitrite. Treatment with quercetin either before or after LPS preserved the vascular function, as blood pressure, heart rate, vascular responsiveness were restored to near normal values, particularly when quercetin was given as a preventive regimen. The vascular protective effects were associated with upregulation of eNOS expression, reduction of oxidative stress, and maintained blood GSH redox ratio. Overall findings suggest the beneficial effect of quercetin on the prevention and restoration of a failing eNOS system and alleviation of oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction against endotoxin-induced shock in mice.
Angiotensin II promotes iron accumulation and depresses PGI2and NO synthesis in endothelial cells: effects of losartan and propranolol analogs
Authors: Mak I. Tong , Landgraf Kenneth M. , Chmielinska Joanna J. , Weglicki William B.
Published: October 2012

Angiotensin may promote endothelial dysfunction through iron accumulation. To research this, bovine endothelial cells (ECs) were incubated with iron (30 µmol·L–1) with or without angiotensin II (100 nmol·L–1). After incubation for 6 h, it was observed that the addition of angiotensin enhanced EC iron accumulation by 5.1-fold compared with a 1.8-fold increase for cells incubated with iron only. This enhanced iron uptake was attenuated by losartan (100 nmol·L–1), d-propranolol (10 µmol·L–1), 4-HO-propranolol (5 µmol·L–1), and methylamine, but not by vitamin E or atenolol. After 6 h of incubation, angiotensin plus iron provoked intracellular oxidant formation (2′7′-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) fluorescence) and elevated oxidized glutathione; significant loss of cell viability occurred at 48 h. Stimulated prostacyclin release decreased by 38% (6 h) and NO synthesis was reduced by 41% (24 h). Both oxidative events and functional impairment were substantially attenuated by losartan or d-propranolol. It is concluded that angiotensin promoted non-transferrin-bound iron uptake via AT-1 receptor activation, leading to EC oxidative functional impairment. The protective effects of d-propranolol and 4-HO-propranolol may be related to their lysosomotropic properties.
THE ANOMALIES IN SPECIFIC HEAT: THE INFLUENCE OF KONDO EFFECT AND f-ELECTRON CORRELATION IN HEAVY FERMION (HF) SYSTEMS
Authors: ROUT G. C. , BARAL P. C.
Published: October 2012

We report here a microscopic theory of the temperature dependence of the specific heat in heavy fermion (HF) systems. The standard model Hamiltonian consists of c–f spin exchange term and Heisenberg type inter-site spin–spin correlation in addition to the conduction electron and f-electron hopping terms. The Hamiltonian is treated in mean-field approximation (MFA) taking into account two mean-field parameters i.e. the Kondo singlet [Formula: see text] and f-electron correlation parameter [Formula: see text]. An attempt has been made in this present communication to calculate the temperature dependent of specific heat to study the peaks at Kondo and correlation temperatures. The evolution of peaks are studied by varying the model parameters and comparing its relation to the experimental data.
THE EFFECT OF CYCLIC STRETCHING SPEED ON THE FORCE DEGRADATION OF ORTHODONTIC ELASTIC BANDS
Authors: LIN DAN-JAE , HUNG TZU-NING , TSAI MING-TZU , HSU JUI-TING , HUANG HENG-LI , YU JIAN-HONG
Published: October 2012

This study evaluated the effect of the cyclic stretching speed on the force degradation of orthodontic elastics. Forty-five natural rubber bands (3M Unitek™) were stretched at different speeds in three groups: (1) static stretching test, (2) cyclic stretching test at a speed of 80 mm/min, and (3) cyclic stretching at a speed of 160 mm/min. A material tester and customized strain gauge were used to measure the residual force of the elastics in 37°C artificial saliva at different times. One-way repeated-measure analysis of variance followed by Scheffe's post-hoc comparison and t-test were used for statistical analysis. In Group 1, the force of the elastics degraded with time, with two separate phases being observed — distinctive degradation after 15 min and stabilization after 120 min. The cyclic stretching in Group 2 produced a significant deviation in the residual force and the initial force from the first minute, and stabilization after 300 min. After 1,440 min, 60% of the bands had snapped. Under accelerated stretching, no areas of relative stability were observed between the start of stretching to the start of breaking. After 1,440 high-speed stretches, 87% of the elastics in Group 3 snapped. These results indicate that the stretching speed affects the stability of the residual force of elastics. Cyclic stretching at high speed immediately induces a rapid degradation of the elastic's force and increases its probability of breakage.
RE-RANKING ALGORITHM FOR MULTIMEDIA RETRIEVAL VIA UTILIZATION OF INCLUSIVE AND EXCLUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SEMANTIC CONCEPTS
Authors: CHEN CHAO , LIN LIN , SHYU MEI-LING
Published: October 2012

The performance of ranking the retrieval results based on context and/or content information is usually limited because it depends heavily on the quality of the extracted information. Therefore, re-ranking approaches have been developed to improve the retrieval performance, but how to re-rank the retrieval results remains a challenge. In this paper, the inclusive and exclusive relationships between semantic concepts are utilized to re-rank the retrieval results. The inclusive relationship refers to the high co-occurrence relation between a target semantic concept and a reference semantic concept; while the exclusive relationship refers to the low or none co-occurrence relation. Moreover, multiple reference concepts provide more information from different aspects than only one reference concept does. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) is applied in this paper to capture the correlation in terms of the impact weights between attributes and the co-occurrence classes, and the average value of all the impact weights is utilized to re-rank the retrieved results for the target semantic concept. Experimental results on the MediaMill Challenge problem and the TRECVID 2011 video collections demonstrate that our proposed framework can enhance the retrieval results for a number of target semantic concepts.
SEMI-AUTOMATIC ANNOTATION OF WEB SERVICES: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH AGENDA
Authors: AL ASSWAD MOHAMMAD MOURHAF , ALFARIES AUHOOD , DE CESARE SERGIO , LYCETT MARK
Published: October 2012

Semantic web services (SWS) have recently attracted much attention because of their potential to automate all common service tasks such as discovery, composition, invocation and execution. The successful implementation of SWS is profoundly based on the availability of appropriate methods for SWS description. There is, however, no consensus in the SWS arena on the significant service elements that make SWS description comprehensive. Furthermore, semantic annotation of those elements is still a manual process where human involvement is a must. Therefore, automating the annotation process is highly desired as the manual annotation is a difficult, costly and time-consuming process. Few approaches exist aiming to semi-automate the annotation task. These approaches have limitations preventing their wide adoption by the research and practice communities. This paper contributes by analysing and comparing those existing semi-automatic Web service annotation approaches in order to highlight the major challenges and provide fruitful guidelines to aid future research. Particularly, a synthesis of service elements that require semantic annotation is provided and then used to assess the completeness of semi-automated approaches. The comparison leads to significant implications for theory and practice.
Where is the Value in High Frequency Trading?
Authors: Cartea Álvaro , Penalva José
Published: October 2012

We analyze the impact of high frequency (HF) trading in financial markets based on a model with three types of traders: liquidity traders (LTs), professional traders (PTs), and high frequency traders (HFTs). Our four main findings are: (i) The price impact of liquidity trades is higher in the presence of the HFTs and is increasing with the size of the trade. In particular, we show that HFTs reduce (increase) the prices that LTs receive when selling (buying) their equity holdings. (ii) Although PTs lose revenue in every trade intermediated by HFTs, they are compensated with a higher liquidity discount in the market price. (iii) HF trading increases the microstructure noise of prices. (iv) The volume of trades increases as the HFTs intermediate trades between the LTs and PTs. This additional volume is a consequence of trades which are carefully tailored for surplus extraction and are neither driven by fundamentals nor is it noise trading. In equilibrium, HF trading and PTs coexist as competition drives down the profits for new HFTs while the presence of HFTs does not drive out traditional PTs.
Book Reviews: PHP Objects, Patterns, and Practice
Authors: Zandstra Matt , Martin Robert
Published: October 2012

PHP Objects, Patterns, and Practice. Matt Zandstra, Apress, 2007, $44.99,. ISBN: 1590599098. This is yet another book on PHP, but reading it will bring a number of pleasant surprises for many readers.
Translating to Co-Büchi Made Tight, Unified, and Useful
Authors: Boker Udi , Kupferman Orna
Published: October 2012

We solve the longstanding open problems of the blow-up involved in the translations, when possible, of a nondeterministic Büchi word automaton (NBW) to a nondeterministic co-Büchi word automaton (NCW) and to a deterministic co-Büchi word automaton (DCW). For the NBW to NCW translation, the currently known upper bound is 2
O(n log n)
and the lower bound is 1.5
n
. We improve the upper bound to
n
2
n
and describe a matching lower bound of 2
Ω(n)
. For the NBW to DCW translation, the currently known upper bound is 2
O(n log n)
. We improve it to 2
O(n)
, which is asymptotically tight. Both of our upper-bound constructions are based on a simple subset construction, do not involve intermediate automata with richer acceptance conditions, and can be implemented symbolically.

We continue and solve the open problems of translating nondeterministic Streett, Rabin, Muller, and parity word automata to NCW and to DCW. Going via an intermediate NBW is not optimal and we describe direct, simple, and asymptotically tight constructions, involving a 2
Θ(n)
blow-up. The constructions are variants of the subset construction, providing a unified approach for translating all common classes of automata to NCW and DCW.

Beyond the theoretical importance of the results, we point to numerous applications of the new constructions. In particular, they imply a simple subset-construction based translation, when possible, of LTL to deterministic Büchi word automata.
A Generalized QSQR Evaluation Method for Horn Knowledge Bases
Authors: Madalińska-Bugaj Ewa , Nguyen Linh Anh
Published: October 2012

We generalize the QSQR evaluation method to give the first set-oriented depth-first evaluation method for Horn knowledge bases. The resulting procedure closely simulates SLD-resolution (to take advantages of the goal-directed approach) and highly exploits set-at-a-time tabling. Our generalized QSQR evaluation procedure is sound and complete. It does not use adornments and annotations. To deal with function symbols, our procedure uses iterative deepening search, which iteratively increases term-depth bound for atoms and substitutions occurring in the computation. When the term-depth bound is fixed, our evaluation procedure runs in polynomial time in the size of extensional relations.
Fuzzy Equilibrium Logic
Authors: Schockaert Steven , Janssen Jeroen , Vermeir Dirk
Published: October 2012

In this article, we introduce fuzzy equilibrium logic as a generalization of both Pearce equilibrium logic and fuzzy answer set programming. The resulting framework combines the capability of equilibrium logic to declaratively specify search problems, with the capability of fuzzy logics to model continuous domains. We show that our fuzzy equilibrium logic is a proper generalization of both Pearce equilibrium logic and fuzzy answer set programming, and we locate the computational complexity of the main reasoning tasks at the second level of the polynomial hierarchy. We then provide a reduction from the problem of finding fuzzy equilibrium logic models to the problem of solving a particular bilevel mixed integer program (biMIP), allowing us to implement reasoners by reusing existing work from the operations research community. To illustrate the usefulness of our framework from a theoretical perspective, we show that a well-known characterization of strong equivalence in Pearce equilibrium logic generalizes to our setting, yielding a practical method to verify whether two fuzzy answer set programs are strongly equivalent. Finally, to illustrate its application potential, we show how fuzzy equilibrium logic can be used to find strong Nash equilibria, even when players have a continuum of strategies at their disposal. As a second application example, we show how to find abductive explanations from Łukasiewicz logic theories.
Feature space optimization for content-based image retrieval
Authors: Avalhais Letricia P. S. , da Silva Sergio F. , Rodrigues Jose F. , Traina Agma J. M. , Traina Caetano
Published: October 2012

Substantial benefits can be gained from effective Relevance Feedback techniques in content-based image retrieval. However, existing techniques are limited due to computational cost and/or by being restricted to linear transformations on the data. In this study we analyze the role of nonlinear transformations in relevance feedback. We present two promising Relevance Feedback methods based on Genetic Algorithms used to enhance the performance on the task of image retrieval according to the user's interests. The first method adjusts the dissimilarity function by using weighting functions while the second method redefines the features space by means of linear and nonlinear transformation functions. Experimental results on real data sets demonstrate that our methods are effective and the results show that the transformation approach outperforms the weighting approach, achieving a precision gain of up to 70%. Our results indicate that nonlinear transformations have a great potential in capturing the user's interests in image retrieval and should be further analyzed employing other learning/optimization mechanisms.
Hard Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at the Large Hadron Collider
Authors: Butterworth Jonathan M. , Dissertori Günther , Salam Gavin P.
Published: October 2012

The measurement of hard scattering processes, meaning those with energy scales of more than a few GeV, is the main method by which physics is being explored and extended by the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider. We review the principal measurements made so far and explain what they have told us about physics at the energy frontier.
Next-to-Leading-Order Event Generators
Authors: Nason Paolo , Webber Bryan
Published: October 2012

We review the methods developed for combining the parton shower approximation to quantum chromodynamics with fixed-order perturbation theory so as to achieve next-to-leading-order (NLO) accuracy for inclusive observables. These developments have made it possible to generate fully simulated hadronic final states with the precision and stability of NLO calculations. We explain the underlying theory of the existing methods, MC@NLO and POWHEG, together with their similarities, differences, achievements, and limitations. For illustration, we mainly compare results on Higgs boson production at the LHC, with particular emphasis on the residual uncertainties arising from the different treatment of effects beyond NLO. We also briefly summarize the difference between these NLO plus parton shower methods and matrix-element plus parton shower matching, along with current efforts to combine the two approaches.
A Rare Presentation of ConcurrentScedosporium apiospermumandMadurella griseaEumycetoma in an Immunocompetent Host
Authors: Gulati Vivek , Bakare Seun , Tibrewal Saket , Ismail Nizar , Sayani Junaid , Baghla Davinder Paul Singh
Published: October 2012

Mycetoma is a disfiguring, chronic granulomatous infection which affects the skin and the underlying subcutaneous tissue. We present an atypical case of recurrent mycetoma without ulceration, in a 35-year-old immunocompetent male caused byScedosporium apiospermumsensu stricto andMadurella grisea, occurring at two separate anatomical sites.
Effectiveness of International Surgical Program Model to Build Local Sustainability
Authors: Magee William P. , Raimondi Haley M. , Beers Mark , Koech Maryanne C.
Published: October 2012

Background. Humanitarian medical missions may be an effective way to temporarily overcome limitations and promote long-term solutions in the local health care system. Operation Smile, an international medical not-for-profit organization that provides surgery for patients with cleft lip and palate, not only provides surgery through short-term international missions but also focuses on developing local capacity. Methods. The history of Operation Smile was evaluated globally, and then on a local level in 3 countries: Colombia, Bolivia, and Ethiopia. Historical data was assessed by two-pronged success of (1) treating the surgical need presented by cleft patients and (2) advancing the local capacity to provide primary and ongoing care to patients. Results. The number of patients treated by Operation Smile has continually increased. Though it began by using only international teams to provide care, by 2012, this had shifted to 33% of patients being treated by international teams, while the other 67% received treatment from local models of care. The highest level of sustainability was achieved in Columbia, where two permanent centers have been established, followed by Bolivia and lastly Ethiopia. Conclusions. International missions have value because of the patients that receive surgery and the local sustainable models of care that they promote.
Finite‐Time Robust Stabilization for Stochastic Neural Networks
Authors: Jin Weixiong , Liu Xiaoyang , Zhao Xiangjun , Jiang Nan , Wang Zhengxin
Published: October 2012

This paper is concerned with the finite‐time stabilization for a class of stochastic neural networks (SNNs) with noise perturbations. The purpose of the addressed problem is to design a nonlinear stabilizator which can stabilize the states of neural networks in finite time. Compared with the previous references, a continuous stabilizator is designed to realize such stabilization objective. Based on the recent finite‐time stability theorem of stochastic nonlinear systems, sufficient conditions are established for ensuring the finite‐time stability of the dynamics of SNNs in probability. Then, the gain parameters of the finite‐time controller could be obtained by solving a linear matrix inequality and the robust finite‐time stabilization could also be guaranteed for SNNs with uncertain parameters. Finally, two numerical examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method.
CHF Phenomena by Photographic Study of Boiling Behavior due to Transient Heat Inputs
Authors: Park Jongdoc , Fukuda Katsuya , Liu Qiusheng
Published: October 2012

The transient boiling heat transfer characteristics in a pool of water and highly wetting liquids such as ethanol and FC-72 due to an exponentially increasing heat input of various rates were investigated using the 1.0 mm diameter experimental heater shaped in a horizontal cylinder for wide ranges of pressure and subcooling. The trend of critical heat flux (CHF) values in relation to the periods was divided into three groups. The CHF belonging to the 1st group with a longer period occurs with a fully developed nucleate boiling (FDNB) heat transfer process. For the 2nd group with shorter periods, the direct transition to film boiling from non boiling occurs as an explosive boiling. The direct boiling transition at the CHF from non-boiling regime to film boiling occurred without a heat flux increase. It was confirmed that the initial boiling behavior is significantly affected by the property and the wettability of the liquid. The photographic observations on the vapor bubble behavior during transitions to film boiling were performed using a high-speed video camera system.
Laparoscopic Navigated Liver Resection: Technical Aspects and Clinical Practice in Benign Liver Tumors
Authors: Kleemann Markus , Deichmann Steffen , Esnaashari Hamed , Besirevic Armin , Shahin Osama , Bruch Hans-Peter , Laubert Tilman
Published: October 2012

Laparoscopic liver resection has been performed mostly in centers with an extended expertise in both hepatobiliary and laparoscopic surgery and only in highly selected patients. In order to overcome the obstacles of this technique through improved intraoperative visualization we developed a laparoscopic navigation system (LapAssistent) to register pre-operatively reconstructed three-dimensional CT or MRI scans within the intra-operative field. After experimental development of the navigation system, we commenced with the clinical use of navigation-assisted laparoscopic liver surgery in January 2010. In this paper we report the technical aspects of the navigation system and the clinical use in one patient with a large benign adenoma. Preoperative planning data were calculated by Fraunhofer MeVis Bremen, Germany. After calibration of the system including camera, laparoscopic instruments, and the intraoperative ultrasound scanner we registered the surface of the liver. Applying the navigated ultrasound the preoperatively planned resection plane was then overlain with the patient's liver. The laparoscopic navigation system could be used under sterile conditions and it was possible to register and visualize the preoperatively planned resection plane. These first results now have to be validated and certified in a larger patient collective. A nationwide prospective multicenter study (ProNavic I) has been conducted and launched.
Cluster Consensus on Discrete‐Time Multi‐Agent Networks
Authors: Xiao Li , Liao Xiaofeng , Wang Huiwei
Published: October 2012

Nowadays, multi‐agent networks are ubiquitous in the real world. Over the last decade, consensus has received an increasing attention from various disciplines. This paper investigates cluster consensus for discrete‐time multi‐agent networks. By utilizing a special coupling matrix and the Kronecker product, a criterion based on linear matrix inequality (LMI) is obtained. It is shown that the addressed discrete‐time multi‐agent networks achieve cluster consensus if a certain LMI is feasible. Finally, an example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed criterion.
Dirac Dispersion in Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystals
Authors: Chan C. T. , Hang Zhi Hong , Huang Xueqin
Published: October 2012

We show how one may obtain conical (Dirac) dispersions in photonic crystals, and in some cases, such conical dispersions can be used to create a metamaterial with an effective zero refractive index. We show specifically that in two-dimensional photonic crystals with C4v symmetry, we can adjust the system parameters to obtain accidental triple degeneracy at Γ point, whose band dispersion comprises two linear bands that generate conical dispersion surfaces and an additional flat band crossing the Dirac-like point. If this triply degenerate state is formed by monopole and dipole excitations, the system can be mapped to an effective medium with permittivity and permeability equal to zero simultaneously, and this system can transport wave as if the refractive index is effectively zero. However, not all the triply degenerate states can be described by monopole and dipole excitations and in those cases, the conical dispersion may not be related to an effective zero refractive index. Using multiple scattering theory, we calculate the Berry phase of the eigenmodes in the Dirac-like cone to be equal to zero for modes in the Dirac-like cone at the zone center, in contrast with the Berry phase of π for Dirac cones at the zone boundary.
Pelvic Nephroureterectomy for Renal Cell Carcinoma in an Ectopic Kidney
Authors: Baldie Kevin G. , Al-Qassab Usama A. , Ritenour Chad W. , Issa Muta M. , Osunkoya Adeboye O. , Petros John A.
Published: October 2012

We present a case of an ectopic renal tumor in a 61-year-old morbidly obese man with a pelvic kidney found after presenting with hematuria and irritative voiding symptoms. The mass, along with the ectopic kidney and ureter, was radically resected through an open operation that involved removing both them and the renal vessels from the underlying iliac vessels. Pathological analysis demonstrated an 8.3 cm papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with oncocytic features, Fuhrman nuclear grade 3, with angiolymphatic invasion and negative margins. The patient has been recurrence-free for over four years since tumor resection.
Relationships between 9-Year-Olds' Math and Literacy Worries and Academic Abilities
Authors: Punaro Laura , Reeve Robert
Published: October 2012

We investigated whether 9-year-olds experience math and/or literacy worries and, if they do, whether it is related to problem-solving abilities. Fifty-eight children judged the correctness of math, literacy, and mental rotation problems that differed in difficulty and rated their worry level about the correctness of judgments. Nonverbal IQ, general math, and literacy abilities were also assessed. Results showed children's worry ratings varied as a function of task and problem difficulty. Latent class analyses of math and literacy worry ratings revealed high-, moderate- and low-worry subgroups in both domains. The high-worry math subgroup exhibited poorer math performance than the other math subgroups, demonstrating a link between math worry and math performance. No relationship was found between worry literacy subgroups and literacy performance. Moreover, no relationship was found between teachers’ rating of children's academic and general worry and children’s own worry ratings. The relevance of the findings for understanding math and literacy worry is discussed.
A Nonlinear Schrödinger Model for Many‐Particle Quantum Systems
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Ma Tian
Published: October 2012

Considering both effects of the s‐wave scattering and the atom‐atom interaction rather than only the effect of the s‐wave scattering, we establish a nonlinear Schrödinger model for many‐particle quantum systems and we prove the global existence of a solution to the model and obtain the expression of the solution. Furthermore, we show that the Hamilton energy and the total particle number both are conservative quantities.
Successful Salvage of a Renal Allograft after Acute Renal Vein Thrombosis due to May-Thurner Syndrome
Authors: Vaidya Omkar U. , Buersmeyer Todd , Rojas Rebecca , Dolmatch Bart
Published: October 2012

A 68-year-old Caucasian female with a past medical history of a deceased donor kidney transplant four months prior was admitted with a two-day history of anuria and acute kidney injury. A renal ultrasound demonstrated thrombus in the transplanted kidney's renal vein that extended into the left iliac vein as well as into the left femoral venous system. Catheter-guided tissue thrombolytics were infused directly into the clot. Within twelve hours of initiating thrombolytic infusion, there was brisk urine output. Interval venography demonstrated decreasing clot burden. At the time of discharge her creatinine was 0.78 mg/dL, similar to her baseline value prior to presentation. The patient was noted to have May-Thurner syndrome on intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Angioplasty followed by stent placement was done. Unique to our case report was the timing of the presentation of renal vein thrombosis (four months after transplant) and the predisposing anatomy consistent with May-Thurner syndrome, which was diagnosed with IVUS and successfully treated with local thrombolytics.
Protein Clearance Mechanisms of Alpha-Synuclein and Amyloid-Beta in Lewy Body Disorders
Authors: Deleidi Michela , Maetzler Walter
Published: October 2012

Protein clearance is critical for the maintenance of the integrity of neuronal cells, and there is accumulating evidence that in most—if not all—neurodegenerative disorders, impaired protein clearance fundamentally contributes to functional and structural alterations eventually leading to clinical symptoms. Dysfunction of protein clearance leads to intra- and extraneuronal accumulation of misfolded proteins and aggregates. The pathological hallmark of Lewy body disorders (LBDs) is the abnormal accumulation of misfolded proteins such as alpha-synuclein (Asyn) and amyloid-beta (Abeta) in a specific subset of neurons, which in turn has been related to deficits in protein clearance. In this paper we will highlight common intraneuronal (including autophagy and unfolded protein stress response) and extraneuronal (including interaction of neurons with astrocytes and microglia, phagocytic clearance, autoimmunity, cerebrospinal fluid transport, and transport across the blood-brain barrier) protein clearance mechanisms, which may be altered across the spectrum of LBDs. A better understanding of the pathways underlying protein clearance—in particular of Asyn and Abeta—in LBDs may result in the identification of novel biomarkers for disease onset and progression and of new therapeutic targets.
Therapeutic Targeting of Redox Signaling in Myofibroblast Differentiation and Age-Related Fibrotic Disease
Authors: Sampson Natalie , Berger Peter , Zenzmaier Christoph
Published: October 2012

Myofibroblast activation plays a central role during normal wound healing. Whereas insufficient myofibroblast activation impairs wound healing, excessive myofibroblast activation promotes fibrosis in diverse tissues (including benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH) leading to organ dysfunction and also promotes a stromal response that supports tumor progression. The incidence of impaired wound healing, tissue fibrosis, BPH, and certain cancers strongly increases with age. This paper summarizes findings fromin vitrofibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation systems that serve as cellular models to study fibrogenesis of diverse tissues. Supported by substantialin vivodata, a large body of evidence indicates that myofibroblast differentiation induced by the profibrotic cytokine transforming growth factor beta is driven by a prooxidant shift in redox homeostasis due to elevated production of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4)-derived hydrogen peroxide and supported by concomitant decreases in nitric oxide/cGMP signaling and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes. Fibroblast-to-myofibroblast differentiation can be inhibited and reversed by restoring redox homeostasis using antioxidants or NOX4 inactivation as well as enhancing nitric oxide/cGMP signaling via activation of soluble guanylyl cyclases or inhibition of phosphodiesterases. Current evidence indicates the therapeutic potential of targeting the prooxidant shift in redox homeostasis for the treatment of age-related diseases associated with myofibroblast dysregulation.
Palm Tocotrienol Supplementation Enhanced Bone Formation in Oestrogen-Deficient Rats
Authors: Soelaiman Ima Nirwana , Ming Wang , Abu Bakar Roshayati , Hashnan Nursyahrina Atiqah , Mohd Ali Hanif , Mohamed Norazlina , Muhammad Norliza , Shuid Ahmad Nazrun
Published: October 2012

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is the commonest cause of osteoporosis. It is associated with increased free radical activity induced by the oestrogen-deficient state. Therefore, supplementation with palm-oil-derived tocotrienols, a potent antioxidant, should be able to prevent this bone loss. Our earlier studies have shown that tocotrienol was able to prevent and even reverse osteoporosis due to various factors, including oestrogen deficiency. In this study we compared the effects of supplementation with palm tocotrienol mixture or calcium on bone biomarkers and bone formation rate in ovariectomised (oestrogen-deficient) female rats. Our results showed that palm tocotrienols significantly increased bone formation in oestrogen-deficient rats, seen by increased double-labeled surface (dLS/Bs), reduced single-labeled surface (sLS/BS), increased mineralizing surface (MS/BS), increased mineral apposition rate (MAR), and an overall increase in bone formation rate (BFR/BS). These effects were not seen in the group supplemented with calcium. However, no significant changes were seen in the serum levels of the bone biomarkers, osteocalcin, and cross-linked C-telopeptide of type I collagen, CTX. In conclusion, palm tocotrienol is more effective than calcium in preventing oestrogen-deficient bone loss. Further studies are needed to determine the potential of tocotrienol as an antiosteoporotic agent.
Patch Clamp: A Powerful Technique for Studying the Mechanism of Acupuncture
Authors: Zhang D.
Published: October 2012

Cellular and molecular events can be investigated using electrophysiological techniques. In particular, the patch-clamp method provides detailed information. In addition, the patch-clamp technique has become a powerful method for investigating the mechanisms underlying the effects of acupuncture. In this paper, recent researches on how acupuncture might modulate electrophysiological responses in the central nervous system (CNS) and affect peripheral structures are reviewed.
In VitroandIn VivoCharacterizations of Chiglitazar, a Newly Identified PPAR Pan-Agonist
Authors: He B. K. , Ning Z. Q. , Li Z. B. , Shan S. , Pan D. S. , Ko B. C. B. , Li P. P. , Shen Z. F. , Dou G. F. , Zhang B. L. , Lu X. P. , Gao Y.
Published: October 2012

Solid rationales are still present for the identification of synthetic ligands to simultaneously target multiple PPAR subtypes for the treatment of T2DM. The purpose of this study was to characterize thein vitroandin vivodifferential effects of chiglitazar, a non-TZD type of PPAR pan-agonist currently in phase III clinic development in China, from PPARγ-selective agonist like rosiglitazone. Chiglitazar showed transactivating activity in each PPARα,γ, andδsubtype and upregulated the expression of PPARαand/or PPARδdownstream genes involved in the key processes of lipid metabolism and thermogenesis. Comparable blood glucose lowering effect was observed between chiglitazar and rosiglitazone, but chiglitazar did not significantly increase the body weight in KKAy and fat pad weight indb/dbmice. Chiglitazar had high distribution in liver, pancreas, and skeleton muscles but was less present in kidney, heart, and adipose in rats. Heart weight increase was not observed in rats treated with chiglitazar for 6 months at a dose as high as 45 mg kg−1. Thein vitroandin vivodifferential features of chiglitazar are informative and encouraging for the further development of this synthetic ligand for the potential use in T2DM.
Modeling and Computation of Heat Transfer through Permeable Hollow-Pin Systems
Authors: Khaled A.-R. A.
Published: October 2012

Heat transfer inside permeable hollow-fin systems is analyzed in this work. Two types are considered: (A) the permeable hollow-pin, and (B) the permeable hollow joint-pin. The governing partial differential equations are solved numerically using a well-known implicit, iterative and finite-difference method. The numerical solutions are validated against various analytical solutions derived based on different constraints. It is found that the permeable hollow-pin can transfer more thermal energy than the solid pin when an external suction flow is present at the outer surfaces. Moreover, the maximum reported heat transfer rate due to permeable hollow-pin is 362 percent above that of solid pin at dimensionless suction flow number equals to 3.0. Furthermore, the maximum reported heat transfer rate due to permeable hollow joint-pin is 44 percent above that of the solid joint-pin at dimensionless suction flow number equals to 2.0. In addition, the permeable hollow joint-pin is found to be capable of transferring more thermal energy than the solid joint-pin at a specific joint-pin lengths ratio depending on the values of the various controlling parameters. Finally, this work demonstrates that by using combined heat transfer enhancement approaches, novel heat transfer enhancers can be proposed.
A Rare Case of Pneumonia Caused byShewanella putrefaciens
Authors: Patel Rajshree , Abraham Albin , Thomas Johnson , Zhi Wanqing , Ahmed Shadab , Verley Janice
Published: October 2012

Shewanella putrefaciensis a gram-negative, nonfermentative, oxidase positive, motile bacillus that produces hydrogen sulphide. It is found widely in the nature especially in marine environments. In some very rare casesShewanella putrefacienscan be a human pathogen. It can produce a wide variety of clinical syndromes including bacteremia as well as skin and soft tissue infections. However, pneumonia due toS. putrefaciensis rare; there are a total of 4 reported cases in the literature. We present a case of 63-year-old male who was presented to emergency room status after cardiac arrest, fell into sea water face down. On the second day of hospitalization, he was diagnosed to have pneumonia based on the clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings. Empirical antibiotic treatment with vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam combination was initiated. Gram-stained smear of endotracheal aspirate yielded gram-negative bacteria, and the isolate grown from endotracheal aspirate culture was identified asS. putrefaciensby Biomerieux API 20 NE technique. On review of the literature and according to culture and sensitivity results, therapy in our patient was changed to cefepime. Patient’s pneumonia improved with treatment with cefepime. We believe that our patient developed pneumonia evidently caused byS. putrefaciens, after near drowning in sea water. The pneumonia resolved after treatment with cefepime.
Anemia and Blood Transfusions in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Athar M. Kamran , Puri Nitin , Gerber David R.
Published: October 2012

Anemia is common in critically ill patients. As a consequence packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusions are frequent in the critically ill. Over the past two decades a growing body of literature has emerged, linking PRBC transfusion to infections, immunosuppression, organ dysfunction, and a higher mortality rate. However, despite growing evidence that risk of PRBC transfusion outweighs its benefit, significant numbers of critically ill patients still receive PRBC transfusion during their intensive care unit (ICU) stay. In this paper, we summarize the current literature concerning the impact of anemia on outcomes in critically ill patients and the potential complications of PRBC transfusions.
Experimental Evaluation of Koala Scat Persistence and Detectability with Implications for Pellet-Based Fauna Census
Authors: Cristescu Romane H. , Goethals Klara , Banks Peter B. , Carrick Frank N. , Frère Céline
Published: October 2012

Establishing species distribution and population trends are basic requirements in conservation biology, yet acquiring this fundamental information is often difficult. Indirect survey methods that rely on fecal pellets (scats) can overcome some difficulties but present their own challenges. In particular, variation in scat detectability and decay rate can introduce biases. We studied how vegetation communities affect the detectability and decay rate of scats as exemplified by koalasPhascolarctos cinereus: scat detectability was highly and consistently dependent on ground layer complexity (introducing up to 16% non-detection bias); scat decay rates were highly heterogeneous within vegetation communities; exposure of scats to surface water and rain strongly accelerated scat decay rate and finally, invertebrates were found to accelerate scat decay rate markedly, but unpredictably. This last phenomenon may explain the high variability of scat decay rate within a single vegetation community. Methods to decrease biases should be evaluated when planning scat surveys, as the most appropriate method(s) will vary depending on species, scale of survey and landscape characteristics. Detectability and decay biases are both stronger in certain vegetation communities, thus their combined effect is likely to introduce substantial errors in scat surveys and this could result in inappropriate and counterproductive management decisions.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Motor Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale
Authors: Vassar Stefanie D. , Bordelon Yvette M. , Hays Ron D. , Diaz Natalie , Rausch Rebecca , Mao Cherry , Vickrey Barbara G.
Published: October 2012

The motor examination section of the unified Parkinson’s disease rating scale (UPDRS) is widely used in research but few studies have examined whether subscales exist that tap relatively distinct motor abnormalities. We analyzed data from 193 persons enrolled in a population-based study in Central California. Patients were examined after overnight PD medication washout (“OFF” state) and approximately one hour after taking medication (“ON” state). We performed confirmatory factor analysis of the UPDRS for OFF and ON state examinations; correlations, reliability, and relative validity of resulting subscales were evaluated. A model with five factors (gait/posture, tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia affecting the left extremities, bradykinesia affecting the right extremities) fit the data well, with similar results for OFF and ON states. Internal consistency reliability coefficients were 0.90 or higher for all subscales. The gait/posture subscale most strongly discriminated across levels of patient reported PD symptom severity and of how PD affects them on a daily basis. Compared to the right sided bradykinesia subscale, the left sided bradykinesia subscale had higher discrimination across levels of self-reported PD symptom severity and functional impairment. This supports motor UPDRS containing multiple subscales that can be analyzed separately and provide information distinct from the total score that may be useful in clinical studies.
The Influences of Actual and Perceived Familiarity on Environmental Preferences for the Design of a Proposed Urban Square
Authors: Craig Tony , Conniff Anna , Galan-Diaz Carlos
Published: October 2012

People gain actual familiarity through direct experience of environments, but environments we have never visited can still seem familiar. To date, few academic studies have investigated this phenomenon of perceived familiarity. This paper discusses the concept of perceived familiarity and environmental preference from the perspective of people who may be asked to make judgements of future urban designs as part of the planning process. A sample of local (n=102) and nonlocal (n=176) people were asked to rate images of two versions (existing environment and proposed redesign) of an urban square on scales of preference and perceived familiarity. Results showed that the mean ratings for the proposed design were similar for both local and non-local samples. However, we found a clearly discernible difference in the way psychological antecedents are associated with environmental preference. For nonlocals, preference for the existing design is significantly associated with preference for the proposed design, but for local people this is not the case. In addition, for non-locals perceived familiarity of the proposed design is associated with perceived familiarity of the existing environment, but for the local sample this is not the case. Implications for public participation processes in urban design, as well as limitations and future lines of research, are discussed.