bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib on cholesterol containing distearoyl phosphatidylcholine membranes
Authors: Sade Asli , Banerjee Sreeparna , Severcan Feride
Published: April 2012

The effects of different concentrations of celecoxib on the acyl chain order, dynamics and the hydration status of the head group and interfacial region of model membranes containing DSPC and cholesterol were investigated in detail using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Our results reveal that regardless of the presence of cholesterol, celecoxib is able to alter the physical properties of membranes. It exerts opposing effects on membrane order at high and low concentrations and decreases membrane fluidity in the presence of cholesterol. An evidence of phase separation has also been observed. The decrease in membrane fluidity supports the hypothesis that celecoxib may induce changes in the activity of membrane bound enzymes through modulating physical properties of the membrane thereby contributing to its anticancer activity. A possible change in the location of celecoxib in DSPC membranes when cholesterol is present has also been proposed. These results clarify, to a certain extent, the molecular interactions of celecoxib with membrane systems and may additionally contribute to a better understanding of COX-2 independent mechanisms of celecoxib action.
The optimization of FTIR spectroscopy combined with partial least square for analysis of animal fats in quartenary mixtures
Authors: Rohman Abdul , Che Man Yaakob B.
Published: April 2012

Four types of animal fats, namely lard (LD) and body fats of lamb (LBF), cow (Cow-BF) and chicken (Ch-BF), in quaternary mixtures were quantitatively analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate calibration of partial least square (PLS). The animal fats, either individual or in quaternary mixtures, were subjected to horizontal total attenuated total reflectance (HATR) as sample handling technique and scanned at mid-infrared region (4000–650 cm–1) with resolution of 4 cm–1and with 32 interferograms. PLS calibration revealed that the first derivative FTIR spectrum was well suited for the correlation between actual value of LD and FTIR calculated value. The other animal fats (LBF, Cow-BF and Ch-BF) were better determined using normal FTIR spectra. The coefficient of determination (R2) obtained using the optimized spectral treatments was higher than 0.99. The root mean standard error of calibration (RMSEC) values obtained were in the range of 0.773–1.55. Analysis of animal fats using FTIR spectroscopy allows rapid, no excessive sample preparation, and can be regarded as “green analytical technique” due to the absence of solvent and chemical reagent used during the analysis.
High-sensitivity determination of 2-chlorovinylarsonous acid in biomedical samples for retrospective detection of exposure to lewisite upon antidotal therapy
Authors: Koryagina N. L. , Ukolova E. S. , Savel’eva E. I. , Voitenko N. G. , Orlova O. I. , Jenkins R. O. , Goncharov N. V.
Published: April 2012

A procedure for determination of the lewisite metabolite 2-chlorovinylarsonous acid (CVAA) in biomedical samples, involving derivatization of the latter with propane-1,3-dithiol and head-space solid-phase microextraction of the derivative on a 100-μm PDMS fiber followed by GC-MS, was applied for the first time to analysis ofin vivosamples. The detection limits of CVAA in urine, plasma and red blood cells were 0.1, 1.0 and 10 ng/ml, respectively. Upon exposure to lewisite at a dose of 1.6 mg/kg, CVAA could be detected in rat urine for about three months. Study of the effect of a single injection of the antidote unithiol on the CVAA excretion profile revealed more active CVAA excretion during the first two days after the injection, compared to that observed in the absence of antidotal therapy.
Study on the interaction between ketoprofen and bovine serum albumin by molecular simulation and spectroscopic methods
Authors: Zhu Jin Lian , He Jia , He Hua , Tan Shu Hua , He Xiao Mei , Pham-Huy Chuong , Li Lun
Published: April 2012

The interaction between ketoprofen and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated by molecular simulation, fluorescence and UV-vis spectroscopy methods under the simulated physiological conditions. Molecular simulation method performed to reveal the possible binding mode or mechanism suggested the binding forces between ketoprofen and BSA were mainly hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bond, which was in agreement with the thermodynamic study (ΔHΦand ΔSΦwere calculated to be 74.514 kJ/mol and 333.98 J/mol · K). The binding constants of ketoprofen and BSA at different temperatures (298, 310 and 318 K) were calculated according to the data obtained from fluorescence spectra and the results indicated that ketoprofen had strong ability to quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA via a combination of static and dynamic quenching. Meanwhile, the changes of the conformation of BSA caused by ketoprofen were qualitatively analyzed with the UV-vis and synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy. The distance between ketoprofen and tryptophan residue in BSA was calculated to be 1.58 nm.
Diagnostic model based on Raman spectra of normal, hyperplasia and prostate adenocarcinoma tissuesin vitro
Authors: Lopes Ricardo Matias , Silveira Landulfo , Silva Marcos Augusto R. S. , Leite Kátia Ramos M. , Pasqualucci Carlos Augusto G. , Pacheco Marcos Tadeu T.
Published: April 2012

This study evaluated the use of Raman spectroscopy to identify the spectral differences between normal (N), benign hyperplasia (BPH) and adenocarcinoma (CaP) in fragments of prostate biopsiesin vitrowith the aim of developing a spectral diagnostic model for tissue classification. A dispersive Raman spectrometer was used with 830 nm wavelength and 80 mW excitation. Following Raman data collection and tissue histopathology (48 fragments diagnosed as N, 43 as BPH and 14 as CaP), two diagnostic models were developed in order to extract diagnostic information: the first using PCA and Mahalanobis analysis techniques and the second one a simplified biochemical model based on spectral features of cholesterol, collagen, smooth muscle cell and adipocyte. Spectral differences between N, BPH and CaP tissues, were observed mainly in the Raman bands associated with proteins, lipids, nucleic and amino acids. The PCA diagnostic model showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100%, which indicates the ability of PCA and Mahalanobis distance techniques to classify tissue changesin vitro. Also, it was found that the relative amount of collagen decreased while the amount of cholesterol and adipocyte increased with severity of the disease. Smooth muscle cell increased in BPH tissue. These characteristics were used for diagnostic purposes.
Combination of ICP-OES, XRF and XRD techniques for analysis of several dental ceramics and their identification using chemometrics
Authors: Obeidat Safwan M. , Al-Momani Idrees , Haddad Asma'a , Bani Yasein Motasem
Published: April 2012

In this paper dental ceramic samples from seven vendors were studied. The elemental composition for each type was investigated using the ICP-OES and the XRF. Assessment of the seven types of ceramic was also successfully achieved using the XRD spectral data and processed with Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Detecting possible adulteration in different mass percentages of ceramic was also possible by applying the XRD data for the adulterated samples to the original PCA model.
Dispersive Raman spectroscopy for the invitroidentification and quantification of injected vancomycin intra-vitreous
Authors: Lora Roney Carlos , Silveira Landulfo , Zamuner Stella Regina , Pacheco Marcos Tadeu Tavares
Published: April 2012

This work presents a study which aimed to quantify the intravitreally-injected vancomycin antibiotic using dispersive Raman spectroscopy and Partial Least Squares multivariate calibration. Eyes of New Zealand rabbits were injected with 5.0 mg vancomycin at different time intervals (8, 24 and 48 h groups). Distilled water was injected into the eyes of rabbits in the control group. The vitreous was then removed from each eyeball, placed into a quartz cuvette and submitted for dispersive Raman spectroscopy. The Raman equipment used a laser (80 mW, 830 nm), an imaging spectrograph and a CCD camera with exposure time of 50 s. A calibration curve was developed using the PLS method with vancomycin diluted in water in the range of 1.0–8.0 mg/ml. The spectrum of vancomycin was present in bands at the positions of C=C, amide I, CH3, amide III and vibrations of the carbon chain (C–C, aromatic ring breathing and C–O–C). The spectra of the injected vitreous bodies showed weak bands which were correlated with the pure drug. The PLS calibration model had a standard error of prediction of 0.8 mg/ml using one latent variable. The PLS showed changes in the predicted concentrations of the injected vitreous bodies depending on the time of injection, with an amount near zero for the water-injected group and ranging between 2 and 3 mg/ml for the drug-injected groups. Raman spectroscopy could be employed in the quantitative evaluation of intravitreally-injected vancomycin in future invivoapplications.
Classification of Five Kinds of Moss Plants with the Use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Chemometrics
Authors: Hu Tao , Jin Wen-Ying , Cheng Cun-Gui
Published: April 2012

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) with Horizontal Attenuated Total Reflectance (HATR) techniques is used to obtain the FT-IR spectra of five kinds of mosses, such asPtychomitrium dentatum(Mitt.) Jaeg.,Ptychomitrium polyphylloides(C. Muell.) Par.,Ptychomitrium sinense(Mitt.) Jaeg.,Macromitrium syntrichophyllumTher. Etp. Vard., andMacromitrium ferrieiCard. Sz Ther. Based on the comparison of the above mosses in the FT-IR spectra, the region ranging from 4000 to 650 cm−1was selected as the characteristic spectra for analysis. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis are considered to identify the five moss species. Because they belong to the homogeneous plants, and have similar chemical components and close FT-IR spectroscopy, PCA and cluster analysis can only give a rough result of classification among the five moss species, Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD) and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) methods are used to enhance the differences between them. We use these methods for further study. Results show that it is an excellent method to use FT-IR spectroscopy combined with FSD and DWT to classify the different species in the same family. FT-IR spectroscopy combined with chemometrics, such as FSD and DWT, can be used as an effective tool in systematic research of bryophytes.
Meta-analysis of global metabolomics and proteomics data to link alterations with phenotype
Authors: Patti Gary J. , Tautenhahn Ralf , Fonslow Bryan R. , Cho Yonghoon , Deutschbauer Adam , Arkin Adam , Northen Trent , Siuzdak Gary
Published: April 2012

Global metabolomics has emerged as a powerful tool to interrogate cellular biochemistry at the systems level by tracking alterations in the levels of small molecules. One approach to define cellular dynamics with respect to this dysregulation of small molecules has been to consider metabolic flux as a function of time. While flux measurements have proven effective for model organisms, acquiring multiple time points at appropriate temporal intervals for many sample types (e.g., clinical specimens) is challenging. As an alternative, meta-analysis provides another strategy for delineating metabolic cause and effect perturbations. That is, the combination of untargeted metabolomic data from multiple pairwise comparisons enables the association of specific changes in small molecules with unique phenotypic alterations. We recently developed metabolomic software called metaXCMS to automate these types of higher order comparisons. Here we discuss the potential of metaXCMS for analyzing proteomic datasets and highlight the biological value of combining meta-results from both metabolomic and proteomic analyses. The combined meta-analysis has the potential to facilitate efforts in functional genomics and the identification of metabolic disruptions related to disease pathogenesis.
The interaction between protocatechuic aldehyde and human serum albumin using three-dimensional fluorescence techniques
Authors: Tian Jing , Chen Changyun , Xue Mengwei
Published: April 2012

The binding mechanism between protocatechuic aldehyde (PA) and human serum albumin (HSA) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy at different temperatures. It is proved that the fluorescence quenching of HSA by PA is not results of the formation of PA–HSA complex. The equilibrium constantKand the number of binding sitesnwere measured at different temperature by fluorescence quenching method. The standard enthalpy change (ΔH) and the standard entropy change (ΔS) of this interaction process were calculated to be 114.02 kJ · mol−1, 541.92 J · mol−1·K−1, respectively. According to the interaction between PA and HSA of thermodynamic parameters ΔHand ΔS, the major acting force can be measured. The synchronous fluorescence spectra shows the microenvironment of tryptophan residue is changed and the hydrophobicity is increased. Through three-dimensional (3D) fluorescence spectra can get some valuable structure changing information.
DNA binding and photo-induced DNA cleavage activity of Elsinochrome A in visible light
Authors: Ma Fei , Tang Jing , Yang Chao , Feng Yu-Ying , Wei Shao-Hua , Shen Jian , Zhou Jia-Hong , Zhou Lin
Published: April 2012

The interaction of Elsinochrome A (EA) with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been investigated by UV-vis spectra and fluorescence spectra. The results show that EA can bind with CT-DNA and binding sites are destroyed after irradiation by visible light, which indicates that EA is a promising candidate for photodynamic therapy. In addition, the binding mechanism is studied using fluorescence quenching test and ethidium bromide (EB) replace assay experiments. The results suggest that EA and CT-DNA are binding with a strong force and the major binding mode of EA with DNA could be the electrostatic binding.
Study on the early detection of gastric cancer based on discrete wavelet transformation feature extraction of FT-IR spectra combined with probability neural network
Authors: Hu Tao , Lu Yu-Hui , Cheng Cun-Gui , Sun Xiao-Chen
Published: April 2012

This paper introduces a new method for the early detection of gastric cancer using a combination of feature extraction based on discrete wavelet transformation (DWT) for horizontal attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (HATR–FT-IR) and classification using probability neural network (PNN). 344 FT-IR spectra were collected from 172 pairs of fresh normal and abnormal stomach tissue᾽s samples. After preprocessing, 5 features were extracted with DWT analysis. Based on the PNN classification, all FT-IR spectra were classified into three categories. The accuracy of identifying normal gastric tissue, early gastric cancer tissue and gastric cancer tissue samples were 100.00, 97.56 and 100.00%, respectively. This result indicated that FT-IR with DWT and PNN could effectively and easily diagnose gastric cancer in its early stages.
Ultrasensitive determination for picomolar-level midecamycin in human serum by flow injection chemiluminescence using luminol–BSA system
Authors: Lv Hairu , Tan Xijuan , Zhang Yun , Song Zhenghua
Published: April 2012

An ultrasensitive method for determining picomolar midecamycin (MID) by flow injection (FI) chemiluminescence (CL) was first described based on the inhibitory effect of MID on luminol–BSA reaction. It was found that the CL intensity decrements were linear with the logarithm of MID concentrations in the range of 1.0–5000 pmol · l–1with a detection limit as low as 0.3 pmol · l–1(3σ). The relative standard deviation of seven repetitive measurements for 10 pmol · l–1MID was 3.0%. At a flow rate of 2.0 ml · min–1, the whole analysis procedure including sampling and washing could be finished in 30 s, offering the sample efficiency of 120 h–1. This proposed method was successfully applied to determine MID in human serum samples with the recoveries from 96.0 to 110.0%. The CL mechanism of luminol–BSA–MID reaction was also given.
Near infrared spectroscopy: A diagnostic tool to evaluate effects of radiotherapy in the mandible?
Authors: Reher Peter , Chrcanovic Bruno Ramos , Springett Roger , Harris Malcolm
Published: April 2012

Purpose. This study tests the hypothesis that near infrared spectroscopy can be used to detect changes in haemoglobin oxygenation status in the mandible, and therefore can be used to monitor the deleterious effects of radiotherapy and the possible reversion of these effects with therapeutic ultrasound. Methods. A probe was used to calculate the concentrations of deoxyhaemoglobin in the mandible bone of 30 volunteers with no known malignancies and 10 patients with malignancies in the head and neck region treated with radiotherapy. Results. Although the variability of the measurements was very high, when comparing the right side to the left side of the mandible, the measurements remained relatively similar. There was a great variability between the data for each patient, there was no correlation with age. Conclusions. The near infrared spectroscopy validation for the measurement of deoxyhaemoglobin concentrations in the mandible showed that the variability of the measurements was very high, therefore it is not appropriate to be used diagnostically for the evaluation of radiotherapy effects on the mandibular blood flow and metabolic status.
SERS spectra of a single nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell based on intracellularly grown and passive uptake Au nanoparticles
Authors: Huang Hao , Chen Weiwei , Pan Jianji , Chen Qisong , Feng Shangyuan , Yu Yun , Chen Yanping , Su Ying , Chen Rong
Published: April 2012

The intracellularly-grown-Au-nanoparticles (IGAuNs) technique was employed to analyze the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) spectra of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells (CNE-1 cell line). There are only six obvious Raman bands (718, 1001, 1123, 1336, 1446, 1660 cm−1) in the normal Raman spectrum of living CNE-1 cells. However, over twenty SERS Raman bands have been detected in the SERS spectra of IGAuNs-induced cells, among which five bands are of the DNA backbone (673, 1097, 1306, 1336 and 1585 cm−1). There are four vibrations of the DNA backbone (1026, 1097, 1336 and 1585 cm−1) in the SERS spectra of living CNE-1 cells induced by the passive uptake gold nanoparticles (PUAuNS), but one more DNA backbone and many nucleus Raman peaks appeared in the IGAuNs-induced SERS spectra. Many Raman peaks in the PUAuNs-induced SERS spectra are stronger than those in the IGAuNs-induced ones. This study has shown that the PUAuNs technique can achieve stronger Raman signals, and that the IGAuNs technique can enable the gold element to access to the nucleus more easily, which could help to obtain more surface-enhanced Raman signals of the intracellular biochemical molecules. Thus, the two techniques can work together to attain the Raman spectral information of the cytoplasm and the nucleus in a better way, which might provide a sensitive method for broad biomedical applications such as intracellular SERS analysis of living cells.
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for in-process inspection, counterfeit detection and quality control of anti-diabetic drugs
Authors: Farouk Faten , Moussa Bahia Abbas , Azzazy Hassan Mohamed El-Said
Published: April 2012

The purpose of this study is to develop simple and cost-effective Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) methods for quality control evaluation of repaglinide (RPG), rosiglitazone maleate (RGZ), pioglitazone hydrochloride (PGZ) and metformin hydrochloride (MET) and assess their use for in-process quality control and detection of counterfeit medicine. The conventional KBr disc sampling technique used in FT-IR does not result in constant path-length thus impeding the use of this sensitive and simple technique for quantification of drugs. In this study, FT-IR quantitative assays were developed using a constant KBr disc pathlength to quantify drugs in bulk and tablets. Method validation was done according to the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines and recovery studies were performed by applying standard addition technique. Samples representing pitfalls at different tablet manufacturing stages and counterfeit medicines were prepared and tested by FT-IR. The developed methods achieved ICH validation parameters. Statistical comparison of the results with reference or reported methods showed no significant difference with respect to method accuracy and precision. The methods were applicable to tablet dosage form with average recovery ranging between 99 and 102%. The developed methods are capable of detecting impurities that result from in-process manufacturing problems and counterfeit products and are inclusive for in-process and end product testing.
Vibrational analysis and electronic properties of 2-Decenoic acid and its derivative by first principles
Authors: Dwivedi Apoorva , Pandey Anoop Kumar , Misra Neeraj
Published: April 2012

Royal jelly is the mixture of acids like 2-Decenoic acid (DA), 10-Hydroxy 2-Decenoic acid and many others. 10-HDA possesses strong inhibition to the growth of cancer cells, namely transferable AKR leukaemia, TA3 breast cancer, etc. The equilibrium geometry of 2-Decenoic acid and its derivative 10-Hydroxy 2-Decenoic acid in the ground state have been determined and analyzed by Density functional theory (DFT) employing 6-311 G (d, p) as the basis set. The harmonic frequencies of 2-DA and 10-HDA have also been calculated to understand its complete vibrational dynamics. The study of simulated spectra provides important information about the ability of the computational method to describe the vibrational modes.
The application of pattern recognition techniques in metabolite fingerprinting of six differentPhyllanthusspp.
Authors: Dharmaraj Saravanan , Gam Lay-Harn , Sulaiman Shaida Fariza , Mansor Sharif Mahsufi , Ismail Zhari
Published: April 2012

FTIR spectroscopy was used together with multivariate analysis to distinguish six different species ofPhyllanthus. Among these speciesP. niruri,P. debilisandP. urinariaare morphologically similar whereasP. acidus,P. emblicaandP. myrtifoliusare different. The FTIR spectrometer was used to obtain the mid-infrared spectra of the dried powdered leaves in the region of 400–4000 cm−1. The region of 400–2000 cm−1was analyzed with four different pattern recognition methods. Initially, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce the spectra to six principal components and these variables were used for linear discriminant analysis (LDA). The second technique used LDA on most discriminating wavenumber variables as searched by genetic algorithm using canonical variate approach for either 30 or 60 generations. SIMCA, which consisted of constructing an enclosure for each species using separate principal component models, was the third technique. Finally, multi-layer neural network with batch mode of backpropagation learning was used to classify the samples. The best results were obtained with GA of 60 gens. When LDA was run with the six wavenumbers chosen (1151, 1578, 1134, 609, 876 and 1227), 100% of the calibration spectra and 96.3% of the validation spectra were correctly assigned.
Single-Port Laparoscopic Surgery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Rijcken Emile , Mennigen Rudolf , Senninger Norbert , Bruewer Matthias
Published: April 2012

Background. Single Port Laparoscopic Surgery (SPLS) is being increasingly employed in colorectal surgery for benign and malignant diseases. The particular role for SPLS in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has not been determined yet. In this review article we summarize technical aspects and short term results of SPLS resections in patients with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.Methods. A systematic review of the literature until January 2012 was performed. Publications were assessed for operative techniques, equipment, surgical results, hospital stay, and readmissions.Results. 34 articles, published between 2010 and 2012, were identified reporting on 301 patients with IBD that underwent surgical treatment in SPLS technique. Surgical procedures included ileocolic resections, sigmoid resections, colectomies with end ileostomy or ileorectal anastomosis, and restorative proctocolectomies with ileum-pouch reconstruction. There was a wide variety in the surgical technique and the employed equipment. The overall complication profile was similar to reports on standard laparoscopic surgery in IBD.Conclusions. In experienced hands, single port laparoscopic surgery appears to be feasible and safe for the surgical treatment of selected patients with IBD. However, evidence from prospective randomized trials is required in order to clarify whether there is a further benefit apart from the avoidance of additional trocar incisions.
Animal Model of Dermatophytosis
Authors: Shimamura Tsuyoshi , Kubota Nobuo , Shibuya Kazutoshi
Published: April 2012

Dermatophytosis is superficial fungal infection caused by dermatophytes that invade the keratinized tissue of humans and animals. Lesions from dermatophytosis exhibit an inflammatory reaction induced to eliminate the invading fungi by using the host’s normal immune function. Many scientists have attempted to establish an experimental animal model to elucidate the pathogenesis of human dermatophytosis and evaluate drug efficacy. However, current animal models have several issues. In the present paper, we surveyed reports about the methodology of the dermatophytosis animal model for tinea corporis, tinea pedis, and tinea unguium and discussed future prospects.
Appreciation of a Child’s Journey: Implementation of a Cardiac Action Research Project
Authors: Dengler Kate Alexa , Wilson Valerie , Redshaw Sarah , Scarfe Gabrielle
Published: April 2012

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the phases of the action research process involved in developing, implementing, and evaluating the Heart Beads program. The aim of the project is to enrich the hospital experience of children with cardiac conditions. Heart Beads involves children receiving unique beads specific to each cardiac treatment, procedure or event in recognition of their experiences, and endurance. An action research approach, involving a partnership between clinicians and researchers and emphasising the involvement of patients and their families, was used to guide the Heart Beads program. The project followed the five phases of action research: identification, investigation, program development, implementation, and evaluation. Heart Beads began as a small project which continues to grow in popularity and significance with children at a tertiary paediatric hospital in Sydney, Australia. The program is now being implemented nationwide with the vision that all Australian children hospitalised with cardiac conditions can benefit from Heart Beads.
Two-Dimensional Fuzzy Spatial Relations: A New Way of Computing and Representation
Authors: Salamat Nadeem , Zahzah El-hadi
Published: April 2012

Fuzziness is found everywhere, in modeling spatial relations, fuzziness is found at object level as well as in relation semantics. Commonly, fuzzy topological relations are computed between fuzzy objects. Fuzziness in relation semantics is represented by fuzzy topological relations between crisp objects and these types of fuzzy topological relations are much less developed. In this paper, we propose a method for combining fuzzy topological and directional relations. We also propose an algorithm for defuzzification of relations which provides us a binary topological and directional relation between a 2D object pair. These relations are represented in a neighborhood graph. For validation and assessment, a number of experiments have been performed on artificial data.
Assessment of Psychological Distress in Epilepsy: Perspective from Pakistan
Authors: Sahar Najam-us
Published: April 2012

The unpredictable nature & elongated course of epilepsy affect all dimensions (physical, psychological, and social) of an individual’s life. People with the diagnosis of epilepsy are a high-risk group for different psychiatric problems that is anxiety, depression as well as social problems (marriage, education, and daily activities). The findings of present research revealed high rate (70%) of psychological distress among fifty adult individuals with epilepsy. It was also found that people with uncontrolled epilepsy experience high level of psychological distress (100%) as compared to those with controlled (42%). Demographic and clinical factors associated with distress include lack of occupation, the presence of an underlying disabling condition (with treatment), and the severity of epilepsy. The finding generated here showed that 13 out of 19 females with epilepsy reported psychological distress. It was also found that none of these women was employed (a cultural specific phenomenon) with a slightly high number of unmarried females (74%). So by understanding the relationship between clinical and psychosocial variables, a good management plan can be devised with a focus on social and gender differences. The present research can also help to increase the awareness and to lower the stigmatization related to epilepsy.
Source Activity Correlation Effects on LCMV Beamformers in a Realistic Measurement Environment
Authors: Belardinelli Paolo , Ortiz Erick , Braun Christoph
Published: April 2012

In EEG and MEG studies on brain functional connectivity and source interactions can be performed at sensor or source level. Beamformers are well-established source-localization tools for MEG/EEG signals, being employed in source connectivity studies both in time and frequency domain. However, it has been demonstrated that beamformers suffer from a localization bias due to correlation between source time courses. This phenomenon has been ascertained by means of theoretical proofs and simulations. Nonetheless, the impact of correlated sources on localization outputs with real data has been disputed for a long time. In this paper, by means of a phantom, we address the correlation issue in a realistic MEG environment. Localization performances in the presence of simultaneously active sources are studied as a function of correlation degree and distance between sources. A linear constrained minimum variance (LCMV) beamformer is applied to the oscillating signals generated by the current dipoles within the phantom. Results show that high correlation affects mostly dipoles placed at small distances (1, 5 centimeters). In this case the sources merge. If the dipoles lie 3 centimeters apart, the beamformer localization detects attenuated power amplitudes and blurred sources as the correlation level raises.
Optimization of Wind Turbine Airfoil Using Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm and Pareto Optimal Front
Authors: Huque Ziaul , Zemmouri Ghizlane , Harby Donald , Kommalapati Raghava
Published: April 2012

A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and response surface-based multiobjective design optimization were performed for six different 2D airfoil profiles, and the Pareto optimal front of each airfoil is presented. FLUENT, which is a commercial CFD simulation code, was used to determine the relevant aerodynamic loads. The Lift Coefficient (CL) and Drag Coefficient (CD) data at a range of 0°to 12°angles of attack (α) and at three different Reynolds numbers (Re=68,459, 479, 210, and 958, 422) for all the six airfoils were obtained. Realizablek-εturbulence model with a second-order upwind solution method was used in the simulations. The standard least square method was used to generate response surface by the statistical code JMP. Elitist Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) was used to determine the Pareto optimal set based on the response surfaces. Each Pareto optimal solution represents a different compromise between design objectives. This gives the designer a choice to select a design compromise that best suits the requirements from a set of optimal solutions. The Pareto solution set is presented in the form of a Pareto optimal front.
Multiple Myeloma of the Thyroid Cartilage
Authors: Kalina Peter , Rykken Jeffrey B.
Published: April 2012

A 60-year-old male presented with hoarseness. His past medical history was remarkable for a plasmacytoma of the left maxillary sinus having been resected without systemic evidence of plasma cell myeloma (PCM), also known as multiple myeloma (MM), at the time. This maxillary sinus disease recurred and was treated with radiation. Workup for PCM was conducted. Treatment included melphalan and autologous stem cell transplant. Because of the therapeutic and prognostic implications, a Plasma cell neoplasm (PCN) in a neck mass must be carefully evaluated by clinical and pathological criteria in order to distinguish plasmacytoma from PCM. PCN involvement of the thyroid cartilage is very rare, with only 5 previously reported cases.
Ulam Stability of a Quartic Functional Equation
Authors: Bodaghi Abasalt , Alias Idham Arif , Ghahramani Mohammad Hosein
Published: April 2012

The oldest quartic functional equation was introduced by J. M. Rassias in (1999), and then was employed by other authors. The functional equation f(2x + y) + f(2x − y) = 4f(x + y) + 4f(x − y) + 24f(x) − 6f(y) is called a quartic functional equation, all of its solution is said to be a quartic function. In the current paper, the Hyers‐Ulam stability and the superstability for quartic functional equations are established by using the fixed‐point alternative theorem.
Amyloid Beta Peptide Slows Down Sensory-Induced Hippocampal Oscillations
Authors: Peña-Ortega Fernando , Bernal-Pedraza Ramón
Published: April 2012

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progresses with a deterioration of hippocampal function that is likely induced by amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers. Hippocampal function is strongly dependent on theta rhythm, and disruptions in this rhythm have been related to the reduction of cognitive performance in AD. Accordingly, both AD patients and AD-transgenic mice show an increase in theta rhythm at rest but a reduction in cognitive-induced theta rhythm. We have previously found that monomers of the short sequence of Aβ (peptide 25–35) reduce sensory-induced theta oscillations. However, considering on the one hand that different Aβ sequences differentially affect hippocampal oscillations and on the other hand that Aβ oligomers seem to be responsible for the cognitive decline observed in AD, here we aimed to explore the effect of Aβ oligomers on sensory-induced theta rhythm. Our results show that intracisternal injection of Aβ1–42 oligomers, which has no significant effect on spontaneous hippocampal activity, disrupts the induction of theta rhythm upon sensory stimulation. Instead of increasing the power in the theta band, the hippocampus of Aβ-treated animals responds to sensory stimulation (tail pinch) with an increase in lower frequencies. These findings demonstrate that Aβ alters induced theta rhythm, providing an in vivo model to test for therapeutic approaches to overcome Aβ-induced hippocampal and cognitive dysfunctions.
Detector Dead Time Determination and Optimal Counting Rate for a Detector Near a Spallation Source or a Subcritical Multiplying System
Authors: Bécares V. , Blázquez J.
Published: April 2012

The operation of accelerator-driven systems or spallation sources requires the monitoring of intense neutron fluxes, which may be billions-fold more intense than the fluxes obtained with usual radioactive sources. If a neutron detector is placed near a very intense source, it can become saturated because of detector dead time. On the contrary, if it is placed far away from the source, it will lose counting statistics. For this reason, there must exist an optimal position for placing the detector. The optimal position is defined as the one with the minimal relative uncertainty in the counting rate. In this work, we review the techniques to determine the detector dead time that can be applied with an accelerator-driven subcritical system or a spallation source. For the case of a spallation source, counting rates do not follow Poisson's statistics because of the multiplicity of the number of neutrons emitted by incident proton. It has been found a simple expression that relates the optimal counting rate with the source multiplicity and the uncertainty in the determination of the dead time.
Ultrawideband Impulse Radar Through-the-Wall Imaging with Compressive Sensing
Authors: Zhang Wenji , Amin Moeness G. , Ahmad Fauzia , Hoorfar Ahmad , Smith Graeme E.
Published: April 2012

Compressive Sensing (CS) provides a new perspective for addressing radar applications requiring large amount of measurements and long data acquisition time; both issues are inherent in through-the-wall radar imaging (TWRI). Most CS techniques applied to TWRI consider stepped-frequency radar platforms. In this paper, the impulse radar two-dimensional (2D) TWRI problem is cast within the framework of CS and solved by the sparse constraint optimization performed on time-domain samples. Instead of the direct sampling of the time domain signal at the Nyquist rate, the Random Modulation Preintegration architecture is employed for the CS projection measurement, which significantly reduces the amount of measurement data for TWRI. Numerical results for point-like and spatially extended targets show that high-quality reliable TWRI based on the CS imaging approach can be achieved with a number of data points with an order of magnitude less than that required by conventional beamforming using the entire data volume.
Stability of Analytic and Numerical Solutions for Differential Equations with Piecewise Continuous Arguments
Authors: Song Minghui , Liu M. Z.
Published: April 2012

In this paper, the asymptotic stability of the analytic and numerical solutions for differential equations with piecewise continuous arguments is investigated by using Lyapunov methods. In particular, the linear equations with variable coefficients are considered. The stability conditions of the analytic solutions of those equations and the numerical solutions of the θ‐methods are obtained. Some examples are illustrated.
Attracting Periodic Cycles for an Optimal Fourth‐Order Nonlinear Solver
Authors: Lee Mi Young , Chun Changbum
Published: April 2012

We consider an optimal fourth‐order method for solving nonlinear
equations and construct polynomials such that the rational map arising from the method applied to these polynomials has an attracting periodic orbit of any prescribed period.
The Role of Parasitism in Adaptive Radiations—When Might Parasites Promote and When Might They Constrain Ecological Speciation?
Authors: Karvonen Anssi , Seehausen Ole
Published: April 2012

Research on speciation and adaptive radiation has flourished during the past decades, yet factors underlying initiation of reproductive isolation often remain unknown. Parasites represent important selective agents and have received renewed attention in speciation research. We review the literature on parasite-mediated divergent selection in context of ecological speciation and present empirical evidence for three nonexclusive mechanisms by which parasites might facilitate speciation: reduced viability or fecundity of immigrants and hybrids, assortative mating as a pleiotropic by-product of host adaptation, and ecologically-based sexual selection. We emphasise the lack of research on speciation continuums, which is why no study has yet made a convincing case for parasite driven divergent evolution to initiate the emergence of reproductive isolation. We also point interest towards selection imposed by single versus multiple parasite species, conceptually linking this to strength and multifariousness of selection. Moreover, we discuss how parasites, by manipulating behaviour or impairing sensory abilities of hosts, may change the form of selection that underlies speciation. We conclude that future studies should consider host populations at variable stages of the speciation process, and explore recurrent patterns of parasitism and resistance that could pinpoint the role of parasites in imposing the divergent selection that initiates ecological speciation.
Structural‐Electrical‐Coupled Formulation for the Free Vibration of a Piezoelectric‐Laminated Plate Using the Analytical Arbitrary Quadrilateral p Element
Authors: Lee Y. Y. , Leung A. Y. T. , Zhu B.
Published: April 2012

An analytical quadrilateral p element is developed for solving the free vibrations of piezoelectric‐laminated plates. The formulations of the displacement and strain fields are based on first‐order shear deformation plate theory. The coupling effect between the electrical and stress fields is also considered. The Legendre orthogonal polynomials are used as the element interpolation functions, and the analytical integration technique is adopted. It is found that the present p element method gives high numerical precision results, fast and monotonic convergence rate. In the numerical cases, the effects of the number of hierarchical terms and mesh size on the convergence rate are investigated. Examples of square plates with different displacement and potential boundary conditions are studied. In the comparisons, the solutions of the present element are in good agreement with those obtained from other classical and finite element methods.
Anti-Interleukin-1 Agents in Adult Onset Still's Disease
Authors: Giampietro Cecilia , Fautrel Bruno
Published: April 2012

Interleukin 1β(IL-1β) is emerging as a master mediator of adult onset Still’s disease (AOSD) pathogenesis. This pleiotropic cytokine, whose expression is under the control of the inflammasome pathway, has a wide type of effects. As a key mediator of innate immunity is a potent pyrogen and facilitates neutrophilic proliferation and diapedesis into the inflamed tissues, which are key AOSD manifestations. The study of proinflammatory cytokines profiles in sera and pathological tissues of AOSD patients has shown elevated levels of IL-1β, these levels being highly correlated with disease activity and severity. These experimental evidences and the analogy with other autoinflammatory diseases that share with AOSD clinical and biological characteristics have suggested the blockade of IL-1βas a possible new therapeutic option for the AOSD, especially in conventional therapy resistant cases. Anakinra, the first anti-IL-1 agent put on the market, has demonstrated capable to induce a rapid response sustained over time, especially in systemic forms, where anti-TNFαfailed to control symptoms. While a growing number of evidences supports the utilisation of anakinra in AOSD, a new generation of anti-IL1βantagonists is developing. Canakinumab and rilonacept, thanks to their higher affinity and longer half-life, could improve the management of this invalidating disease.
MDAN-21: A Bivalent Opioid Ligand Containing mu-Agonist and Delta-Antagonist Pharmacophores and Its Effects in Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: Aceto Mario D. , Harris Louis S. , Negus S. Stevens , Banks Matthew L. , Hughes Larry D. , Akgün Eyup , Portoghese Philip S.
Published: April 2012

MDAN-21, 7′-{2-[(7-{2-[({(5α,6α)-4,5-Epoxy-3,14-dihydroxy-17-methylmorphin-6-yl}-aminocarbonyl)metoxy]-acetylamino}-heptylaminocarbonyl)-methoxy]-acetylamino}-naltrindole, a bivalent opioid ligand containing a mu-opioid receptor agonist (derived from oxymorphone) linked to the delta-opioid receptor antagonist (related to naltrindole) by a spacer of 21 atoms, was reported to have potent analgesic properties in mice. Tolerance, physical dependence, and conditioned place preference were not evident in that species. The finding that bivalent ligands in this series, with spacers 19 atoms or greater, were devoid of tolerance and dependence led to the proposal that MDAN-21 targets heteromeric mu-delta-opioid receptors. The present study focused on its effects in nonhuman primates (Macaca mulatta), a species with a physiology and behavioral repertoire not unlike humans. With regard to opioids, this species usually better predicts clinical outcomes. MDAN-21 substituted for morphine in morphine-dependent monkeys in the remarkably low dose range 0.006–0.032 mg/kg, subcutaneously. Although MDAN-21 failed to produce reliable thermal analgesia in the dose range 0.0032–0.032 mg/kg, intramuscularly, it was active in the same dose range and by the same route of administration, in the capsaicin-induced thermal allodynia assay. The results suggest that MDAN-21 may be useful in the treatment of opioid dependence and allodynia. The data provide additional evidence that opioid withdrawal is associated with sensitized pain.
Development of a Secondary SCRAM System for Fast Reactors and ADS Systems
Authors: Vanmaercke Simon , Van den Eynde Gert , Tijskens Engelbert , Bartosiewicz Yann
Published: April 2012

One important safety aspect of any reactor is the ability to shutdown the reactor. A shutdown in an ADS can be done by stopping the accelerator or by lowering the multiplication factor of the reactor and thus by inserting negative reactivity. In current designs of liquid-metal-cooled GEN IV and ADS reactors reactivity insertion is based on absorber rods. Although these rod-based systems are duplicated to provide redundancy, they all have a common failure mode as a consequence of their identical operating mechanism, possible causes being a largely deformed core or blockage of the rod guidance channel. In this paper an overview of existing solutions for a complementary shut down system is given and a new concept is proposed. A tube is divided into two sections by means of aluminum seal. In the upper region, above the active core, spherical neutron-absorbing boron carbide particles are placed. In case of overpower and loss of coolant transients, the seal will melt. The absorber balls are then no longer supported and fall down into the active core region inserting a large negative reactivity. This system, which is not rod based, is under investigation, and its feasibility is verified both by experiments and simulations.
Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Down’s Syndrome: Relevance to Aging and Dementia
Authors: Coskun Pinar E. , Busciglio Jorge
Published: April 2012

Genome-wide gene deregulation and oxidative stress appear to be critical factors determining the high variability of phenotypes in Down’s syndrome (DS). Even though individuals with trisomy 21 exhibit a higher survival rate compared to other aneuploidies, most of them diein uteroor early during postnatal life. While the survivors are currently predicted to live past 60 years, they suffer higher incidence of age-related conditions including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This paper is centered on the mechanisms by which mitochondrial factors and oxidative stress may orchestrate an adaptive response directed to maintain basic cellular functions and survival in DS. In this context, the timing of therapeutic interventions should be carefully considered for the successful treatment of chronic disorders in the DS population.
Structural characterization of ambazone salt with niflumic acid
Authors: Kacso Irina , Rus Lucia , Pop Mircea , Borodi Gheorghe , Bratu Ioan
Published: April 2012

Salt formation is a good method of increasing solubility, dissolution rate and consequently the bioavailability of poor soluble acidic or basic drugs [Polymorphism in Pharmaceutical Solids, Drugs and the Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 192, 2nd edn, Informa Healthcare, New York, 2009]. The aim of this study was to obtain and to investigate the structural properties of the compound obtained by solvent drop grinding (SDG) method [Chem. Commun. (Camb.) 20 (2002), 2372–2373] at room temperature starting from the 1:1 molar ratios of ambazone (AMB) and niflumic acid (NIA). The thermal behavior of the obtained compound (AMB · NIA) was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG), the thermal diffusivity and effusivity parameters were determined by photothermal radiometry (PTR). The structural characterization was performed with X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). XRPD data and FTIR spectra demonstrated a new structure for AMB · NIA compound as compared to those of the starting materials.