bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wide Range Temperature Sensors Based on One-Dimensional Photonic Crystal with a Single Defect
Authors: Kumar Arun , Kumar Vipin , Suthar B. , Bhargava A. , Singh Kh. S. , Ojha S. P.
Published: August 2012

Transmission characteristics of one-dimensional photonic crystal structure with a defect have been studied. Transfer matrix method has been employed to find the transmission spectra of the proposed structure. We consider a Si/air multilayer system and refractive index of Si layer has been taken as temperature dependent. As the refractive index of Si layer is a function of temperature of medium, so the central wavelength of the defect mode is a function of temperature. Variation in temperature causes the shifting of defect modes. It is found that the average change or shift in central wavelength of defect modes is 0.064 nm/K. This property can be exploited in the design of a temperature sensor.
Bardet-Biedl Syndrome, Crohn Disease, Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, and Autoantibody Positive Thyroiditis: A Case Report and A Review of a Cohort of BBS Patients
Authors: Halac Ugur , Herzog Denise
Published: August 2012

Bardet-Biedel syndrome (BBS) is a rare autosomal recessive, genetically heterogeneous ciliopathy. Although the disease has been described in a patient with psoriasis, individuals with BBS are not known to be at risk of developing autoimmune disorders. Our objective was to describe a 14-year-old patient with BBS who presented with Crohn disease (CD), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and thyroiditis in the context of a cohort review at Sainte-Justine Hospital and to alert clinicians to the increased risk of autoimmune disorders in these patients. The cohort contained fifteen patients (9 boys), followed from 1968 to 2009 during a median period of 12 years (range 9 months–26 years). Three of the 15 patients (20%) developed a chronic autoimmune disease: one had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis; a second one had type 1 diabetes mellitus in association with Hashimoto thyroiditis and psoriasis; a third one developed CD, PSC, and Hashimoto thyroiditis. As chronic autoimmune diseases occurred in 20% of our cohort of children with BBS, it is appropriate to keep this association in mind during the followup.
Eye Diseases and Impaired Vision as Possible Risk Factors for Recurrent Falls in the Aged: A Systematic Review
Authors: Salonen Liisa , Kivelä Sirkka-Liisa
Published: August 2012

Background. Recurrent falls are common among the aged. Vision is needed in maintaining balance, and impaired vision may be an intrinsic risk factor of recurrent falls. The aim was to perform a systematic review about the relationships between eye diseases or impaired vision and the risk of recurrent falls in the aged.Material and Methods. MEDLINE and CINAHL databases were searched in order to find longitudinal epidemiological studies about the associations between eye diseases or impaired vision and the risk of recurrent falls. Altogether 19 studies were found. A qualitative systematic analysis of these studies was performed.Results and Conclusions. The evidence about poor depth perception/stereoacuity and poor low-contrast visual acuity as risk factors of recurrent falls is quite convincing. Discrepant vision, a decrease in visual acuity, and loss of visual field may be risk factors, but more studies are needed. The results concerning the relationships between poor visual acuity and poor contrast sensitivity and the risk of recurrent falls are controversial. More studies about the relationships between different measures of vision and the risk of recurrent falls are needed before final conclusions about poor vision as a risk factor for recurrent falling can be done.
Evaluation of Anti-Mutated Citrullinated Vimentin Antibodies, Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies and Rheumatoid Factor in Omani Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Al-Shukaili Ahmed , Al-Ghafri Saif , Al-Marhoobi Safia , Alkaabi Juma
Published: August 2012

Rheumatoid factor (RF) is currently used in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The discovery of anticitrullinated protein autoantibodies has led to the development of various new tests, such as anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies, and anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) antibodies, to diagnose RA. The aims of this study were to determine the sensitivity and specificity of anti-MCV antibodies in comparison with anti-CCP antibodies and RF in Omani Arab patients with RA and compare our findings with published values from different ethnic groups. The sensitivity of anti-MCV antibodies was 72% with 87% specificity. For anti-CCP antibodies the sensitivity was 52% and the specificity was 97%. The sensitivity of RF was 57% with 94% specificity. Anti-CCP antibodies have higher diagnostic specificity and positive predictive value than RF and anti-MCV antibodies. Anti-MCV antibodies have the highest sensitivity when compared to anti-CCP antibodies and RF. Anti-MCV antibodies do not appear to be very useful in the diagnosis of RA. However, long-term study is required to find out whether anti-MCV antibodies can be used as predictive test for incidence of RA.
Antimicrobial Activity of Xoconostle Pears (Opuntia matudae) againstEscherichia coliO157:H7 in Laboratory Medium
Authors: Hayek Saeed A. , Ibrahim Salam A.
Published: August 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of xoconostle pears (Opuntia matudae) againstEscherichia coliO157:H7. Xoconostle pears were sliced, blended, and centrifuged. The supernatant was then filtered using a 0.45 μm filter to obtain direct extract. Direct extract of xoconostle pears was tested against four strains ofE. coliO157:H7 in brain heart infusion (BHI) laboratory medium using growth over time and agar well diffusion assays. Our results showed that direct extract of xoconostle pears had a significant (P<0.05) inhibitory effect at 4, 6, and 8% (v/v) concentrations and complete inhibitory effect at 10% (v/v) during 8 h of incubation at 37°C. Minimum inhibitory volume (MIV) was 400 μL mL−1(v/v) and minimum lethal volume (MLV) was 650 μL mL−1(v/v). The inhibitory effect of xoconostle pears found to be concentration dependent and not strain dependent. Thus, xoconostle pears extract has the potential to inhibit the growth ofE. coliO157:H7 and could provide a natural means of controlling pathogenic contamination, thereby mitigating food safety risks.
Productivity Formulae of an Infinite‐Conductivity Hydraulically Fractured Well Producing at Constant Wellbore Pressure Based on Numerical Solutions of a Weakly Singular Integral Equation of the First Kind
Authors: Hu Chaolang , Lu Jing , He Xiaoming
Published: August 2012

In order to increase productivity, it is important to study the performance of a hydraulically fractured well producing at constant wellbore pressure. This paper constructs a new productivity formula, which is obtained by solving a weakly singular integral equation of the first kind, for an infinite‐conductivity hydraulically fractured well producing at constant pressure. And the two key components of this paper are a weakly singular integral equation of the first kind and a steady‐state productivity formula. A new midrectangle algorithm and a Galerkin method are presented in order to solve the weakly singular integral equation. The numerical results of these two methods are in accordance with each other. And then the solutions of the weakly singular integral equation are utilized for the productivity formula of hydraulic fractured wells producing at constant pressure, which provide fast analytical tools to evaluate production performance of infinite‐conductivity fractured wells. The paper also shows equipotential threads, which are generated from the numerical results, with different fluid potential values. These threads can be approximately taken as a family of ellipses whose focuses are the two endpoints of the fracture, which is in accordance with the regular assumption in Kuchuk and Brigham, 1979.
Mood Disorders in Mothers of Children on the Autism Spectrum Are Associated with Higher Functioning Autism
Authors: Vasa Roma A. , Anderson Connie , Marvin Alison R. , Rosenberg Rebecca E. , Law J. Kiely , Thorn Julia , Sarphare Geeta , Law Paul A.
Published: August 2012

Mood disorders occur more frequently in family members of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) than in the general population. There may be associations between maternal mood disorder history patterns and specific ASD phenotypes. We therefore examined the relationship between maternal mood disorders and child autism spectrum disorders in 998 mother-child dyads enrolled in a national online autism registry and database. Mothers of children with ASD completed online questionnaires addressing their child’s ASD as well as their own mood disorder history. In multivariate logistic regression models of ASD diagnoses, the odds of an Asperger disorder versus autistic disorder diagnosis were higher among those children whose mothers had a lifetime history of bipolar disorder (OR 2.11, CI 1.20, 3.69) or depression (OR 1.62, CI 1.19, 2.19). Further, maternal mood disorder onset before first pregnancy was associated with higher odds (OR 2.35, CI 1.48, 3.73) of an Asperger versus autism diagnosis among this sample of children with ASD. These data suggest that differences in maternal mood disorder history may be associated with ASD phenotype in offspring.
A New Hybrid Nelder‐Mead Particle Swarm Optimization for Coordination Optimization of Directional Overcurrent Relays
Authors: Liu An , Yang Ming-Ta
Published: August 2012

Coordination optimization of directional overcurrent relays (DOCRs) is an important part of an efficient distribution system. This optimization problem involves obtaining the time dial setting (TDS) and pickup current (Ip) values of each DOCR. The optimal results should have the shortest primary relay operating time for all fault lines. Recently, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm has been considered an effective tool for linear/nonlinear optimization problems with application in the protection and coordination of power systems. With a limited runtime period, the conventional PSO considers the optimal solution as the final solution, and an early convergence of PSO results in decreased overall performance and an increase in the risk of mistaking local optima for global optima. Therefore, this study proposes a new hybrid Nelder‐Mead simplex search method and particle swarm optimization (proposed NM‐PSO) algorithm to solve the DOCR coordination optimization problem. PSO is the main optimizer, and the Nelder‐Mead simplex search method is used to improve the efficiency of PSO due to its potential for rapid convergence. To validate the proposal, this study compared the performance of the proposed algorithm with that of PSO and original NM‐PSO. The findings demonstrate the outstanding performance of the proposed NM‐PSO in terms of computation speed, rate of convergence, and feasibility.
Fatal Fulminant Hepatic Failure from Adenovirus in Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant Patients
Authors: Vyas Jatin M. , Marasco Wayne A.
Published: August 2012

We report two cases of fatal hepatic failure in patients who received matched unrelated bone marrow transplantation. Both patients presented with high fevers, abnormal liver functions tests, and hypodense lesions in the liver by CT scan. Histologic examination of postmortem liver samples demonstrated extensive necrosis, and immunohistochemistry was positive for adenovirus.
Is Post-ERCP Pancreatitis a Genetically Predisposed Complication?
Authors: Mystakidis Konstantinos , Kouklakis George , Papoutsi Androniki , Souftas Vasilios D. , Efremidou Eleni , Kapetanos Dimitrios , Pitiakoudis Michail , Lyratzopoulos Nikolaos , Karagiannakis Anastasios , Pantelios Alexandros
Published: August 2012

Background/Objectives. Pancreatitis remains the most common complication of ERCP. History of post-ERCP pancreatitis is an independent risk factor for a new episode, suggesting a genetic background. The N34S mutation in serine protease inhibitor Kazal type 1 (SPINK 1) gene may downregulate the threshold for the development of pancreatitis. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the presence of this mutation among patients with post-ERCP pancreatitis.Methods. During a period of four years, thirty patients with post-ERCP pancreatitis entered the study. Patients and procedural data were collected, focusing on risk factors for pancreatitis. Blood samples were taken for genetic testing for the presence of N34S mutation in SPINK 1 gene. After DNA extraction, we used an allele-specific polymerase chain reaction as an initial screening method for the N34S mutation, and in order to confirm the results and to determine the hetero- and homozygosity genotype status, we used a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method.Results. None of the thirty patients was found to carry the N34S mutation, with both of the applied methods. Patients had an average of two of the known risk factors.Conclusion. SPINK1 N34S mutation does not seem to play a role in post-ERCP pancreatitis, but larger studies needed to confirm our results.
Extinction and Permanence of a General Predator‐Prey System with Impulsive Perturbations
Authors: Liu Xianning , Chen Lansun
Published: August 2012

A general predator‐prey system is studied in a scheme where there is periodic impulsive perturbations. This scheme has the potential to protect the predator from extinction but under some conditions may also serve to lead to extinction of the prey. Conditions for extinction and permanence are obtained via the comparison methods involving monotone theory of impulsive systems and multiple Liapunov functions, which establish explicit bounds on solutions. The existence of a positive periodic solution is also studied by the bifurcation theory. Application is given to a Lotka‐Volterra predator‐prey system with periodic impulsive immigration of the predator. It is shown that the results are quite different from the corresponding system without impulsive immigration, where extinction of the prey can never be achieved. The prey will be extinct or permanent independent of whether the system without impulsive effect immigration is permanent or not. The model and its results suggest an approach of pest control which proves more effective than the classical one.
The Effects of Virgin Coconut Oil on Bone Oxidative Status in Ovariectomised Rat
Authors: Abujazia Mouna Abdelrahman , Muhammad Norliza , Shuid Ahmad Nazrun , Soelaiman Ima Nirwana
Published: August 2012

Virgin coconut oil (VCO) was found to have antioxidant property due to its high polyphenol content. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the virgin coconut oil on lipid peroxidation in the bone of an osteoporotic rat model. Normal female Sprague-Dawley rats aged 3 months old were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 8 rats in each group: baseline, sham, ovariectomised (OVX) control group, and OVX given 8% VCO in the diet for six weeks. The oxidative status of the bone was assessed by measuring the index of lipid peroxidation, which is malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, as well as the endogenous antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the tibia at the end of the study. The results showed that there was a significant decrease in MDA levels in the OVX-VCO group compared to control group. Ovariectomised rats treated with VCO also had significantly higher GPX concentration. The SOD level seemed to be increased in the OVX-VCO group compared to OVX-control group. In conclusion, VCO prevented lipid peroxidation and increased the antioxidant enzymes in the osteoporotic rat model.
Usefulness of Background Coloration in Detection of Esophago-Pharyngeal Lesions Using NBI Magnification
Authors: Minami Hitomi , Inoue Haruhiro , Ikeda Haruo , Satodate Hitoshi , Hamatani Shigeharu , Nakao Kazuhiko , Kudo Shin-ei
Published: August 2012

Background and Aim. We evaluated the usefulness of background coloration (BC), a color change in the area between intrapapillary capillary loops (IPCLs) in the early esophago-pharyngeal lesions using NBI with magnificaiton.Methods. Between April 2004 and March 2010, a total of 294 esophago-pharyngeal lesions were examined using NBI with magnification, and the presence of BC and IPCL patterns were assessed. Using BC, discrimination of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or high-grade neoplasia (HGN) from low-grade neoplasia (LGN) or nonatypia was conducted.Results. Among 294 lesions, 209 lesions (71.1%) were positive for BC, while 85 (28.9%) were negative. In the BC-positive group, 187 lesions (89.5%) were diagnosed as SCC/HGN. And 68 lesions (80.0%) in the BC-negative group were diagnosed as LGN/nonatypia. Overall accuracy of BC to discriminate SCC/HGN from LGN/nonatypia was 87.3%. The sensitivity and specificity were 91.9%, 76.7%. BC could discriminate SCC/HGN from LGN/nonatypia accurately (P<0.0001). Among 68 lesions classified into the IPCL type IV, the BC-positive group (n=26) included 21 SCC/HGN lesions, while there were 36 LGN/nonatypia lesions in the 42 BC-negative lesions.Conclusions. BC is a useful finding in differentiating SCC/HGN from LGN/nonatypia lesions in the esophagus especially when it is combined with IPCL pattern classification.
N, P, and K Budgets and Changes in Selected Topsoil Nutrients over 10 Years in a Long-Term Experiment with Conventional and Organic Crop Rotations
Authors: Korsaeth Audun
Published: August 2012

This study presents soil system budgets of N, P and K in six contrasting cropping systems during 10 years of a long-term experiment in southeast Norway. The experiment included systems with arable cash-cropping and with mixed arable-dairy cropping (cash- and fodder crops), with organic and conventional management represented in both groups. All major nutrient inputs and outputs were measured or estimated. State of the art conventional cash-cropping appeared to be balanced in terms of N, whereas conventional mixed cropping had an N surplus. By contrast, less up to date conventional arable cash-cropping and all the organic systems showed indications of soil organic N depletion (negative N budgets). All the organic systems showed that mining of the soil P and K content occurs, whereas the conventional systems all had P and K surpluses. The results corresponded well with measured differences between systems in terms of ignition loss, P-AL, K-AL and K-HNO3measured in 2009. This study shows that a fertile soil may be exposed to substantial mining of N, P and K over many years before it is detectable by traditional analyses, and that field nutrient budgeting is a feasible, but data-demanding, approach to detect such misbalances at an early stage.
Novel Simplified and Rapid Method for Screening and Isolation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Producing Marine Bacteria
Authors: Tilay Ashwini , Annapure Uday
Published: August 2012

Bacterial production of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is a potential biotechnological approach for production of valuable nutraceuticals. Reliable method for screening of number of strains within short period of time is great need. Here, we report a novel simplified method for screening and isolation of PUFA-producing bacteria by direct visualization using the H2O2-plate assay. The oxidative stability of PUFAs in growing bacteria towards added H2O2is a distinguishing characteristic between the PUFAs producers (no zone of inhibition) and non-PUFAs producers (zone of inhibition) by direct visualization. The confirmation of assay results was performed by injecting fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) produced by selected marine bacteria to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GCMS). To date, this assay is the most effective, inexpensive, and specific method for bacteria producing PUFAs and shows drastically reduction in the number of samples thus saves the time, effort, and cost of screening and isolating strains of bacterial PUFAs producers.
Extradural Dermoid Cyst of Mastoid Bone: A Case Report
Authors: Al-Muhaimeed Hamad S. , Abdelwahed Hazem Y. , Elgamal Essam A. , Alokby Ghassan M. , Binnasser Ameen M. , Ashraf Masoada M.
Published: August 2012

Dermoid cysts of the head and neck are rare congenital benign tumors. According to the literature they represent about seven percent of all dermoids and less than one percent of all intracranial neoplasms. Extradural dermoid cysts are very rare. We report a case of intracranial extradural dermoid cyst of mastoid bone. We believe that this is the second documented extradural dermoid cyst, the first case reported in the literature (Ammirati et al., 2007) was in close relation to the petrous apex but ours is in close relation to mastoid antrum. Hearing loss was the only clinical presentation in this case, while neurological symptoms were the main presenting symptoms in the first reported case. We present our management of this rare case with respect to the clinical, radiological, histopathological, and surgical aspects and conclude that dermoid tumors, though rare, need to be included in differential diagnosis of middle ear lesions.
Portable RF-Sensor System for the Monitoring of Air Pollution and Water Contamination
Authors: Kang Joonhee , Kim Jin Young
Published: August 2012

Monitoring air pollution including the contents of VOC, O3, NO2, and dusts has attracted a lot of interest in addition to the monitoring of water contamination because it affects directly to the quality of living conditions. Most of the current air pollution monitoring stations use the expensive and bulky instruments and are only installed in the very limited area. To bring the information of the air and water quality to the public in real time, it is important to construct portable monitoring systems and distribute them close to our everyday living places. In this work, we have constructed a low-cost portable RF sensor system by using 400 MHz transceiver to achieve this goal. Accuracy of the measurement was comparable to the ones used in the expensive and bulky commercial air pollution forecast systems.
Fetal Intervention in Right Outflow Tract Obstructive Disease: Selection of Candidates and Results
Authors: Gómez Montes E. , Herraiz I. , Mendoza A. , Galindo A.
Published: August 2012

Objectives. To describe the process of selection of candidates for fetal cardiac intervention (FCI) in fetuses diagnosed with pulmonary atresia-critical stenosis with intact ventricular septum (PA/CS-IVS) and report our own experience with FCI for such disease.Methods. We searched our database for cases of PA/CS-IVS prenatally diagnosed in 2003–2012. Data of 38 fetuses were retrieved and analyzed. FCI were offered to 6 patients (2 refused). In the remaining it was not offered due to the presence of either favourable prognostic echocardiographic markers (n=20) or poor prognostic indicators (n=12).Results. The outcome of fetuses with PA/CS-IVS was accurately predicted with multiparametric scoring systems. Pulmonary valvuloplasty was technically successful in all 4 fetuses. The growth of the fetal right heart and hemodynamic parameters showed a Gaussian-like behaviour with an improvement in the first weeks and slow worsening as pregnancy advanced, probably indicating a restenosis.Conclusions. The most likely type of circulation after birth may be predicted in the second trimester of pregnancy by means of combining cardiac dimensions and functional parameters. Fetal pulmonary valvuloplasty in midgestation is technically feasible and in well-selected cases may improve right heart growth, fetal hemodynamics, and postnatal outcome.
An Application of Improved Gap-BIDE Algorithm for Discovering Access Patterns
Authors: Yu Xiuming , Li Meijing , Kim Taewook , Jeong Seon-phil , Ryu Keun Ho
Published: August 2012

Discovering access patterns from web log data is a typical sequential pattern mining application, and a lot of access pattern mining algorithms have been proposed. In this paper, we propose an improved approach of Gap-BIDE algorithm to extract user access patterns from web log data. Compared with the previous Gap-BIDE algorithm, a process of getting a large event set is proposed in the provided algorithm; the proposed approach can find out the frequent events by discarding the infrequent events which do not occur continuously in an accessing time before generating candidate patterns. In the experiment, we compare the previous access pattern mining algorithm with the proposed one, which shows that our approach is very efficient in discovering access patterns in large database.
Patterns of Change in Cognitive Function over Six Months in Adults with Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Riegel Barbara , Lee Christopher S. , Glaser Dale , Moelter Stephen T.
Published: August 2012

Few investigators have studied cognition over time in adults with heart failure (HF). A battery of neuropsychological tests was administered to 279 adults with chronic systolic or diastolic HF at baseline, three and six months. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to model the measure anticipated to be most sensitive, the digit symbol substitution task (DSST). We describe how and why the DSST patterns change over time. Other measures of cognition were examined to identify consistency with the DSST patterns. The sample was predominantly male (63.2%), Caucasian (62.7%), mean age 62 years. The best fit GMM revealed two trajectories of DSST scores:Averageprocessing speed group (40.5%) andBelow Averageprocessing speed (59.9%). Neither group changed significantly over the six month study. Other measures of cognition were consistent with the DSST patterns. Factors significantly associated with increased odds of being in theBelow Averageprocessing speed group included older age, male gender, Non-Caucasian race, less education, higher ejection fraction, high comorbid burden, excessive daytime sleepiness, and higher BMI. As some of the factors related to cognitive impairment are modifiable, research is needed to identify interventions to preserve and improve cognition in these patients.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Chronic Hepatitis B and C Patients from Western Amazon
Authors: Nascimento A. C. M. , Maia D. R. , Neto S. M. , Lima E. M. , Twycross M. , Baquette R. F. , Lobato C. M. O.
Published: August 2012

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) includes a wide spectrum of histological conditions, extending from simple steatosis to end-stage liver failure. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of NAFLD and its associations in chronic hepatitis B and C patients.Methods. We included all patients diagnosed with chronic hepatitis B and C who underwent a liver biopsy between January 2010 and October 2011 (n= 104). Parameters studied included hepatitis type, anthropometric data, histologic, hepatic, metabolic and lipid assessments, presence of hypertension and viral load.Results. Hepatitis B was presented in 28.8% (n= 30) of patients, while hepatitis C was presented in 71.2% (n= 74). In addition, hepatic steatosis was present in 25% (n= 26) of the patients. Steatosis was frequently found in hepatitis C patients (31.1%; 25%n= 23), but infrequently in hepatitis B patients (10%;n= 3) (P= 0.024). It was also found that steatosis was frequently present in hepatitis C patients with intense fibrosis (52.94%) (P= 0.025).Discussion. Our results suggest that steatosis is a common feature in patients with viral chronic hepatitis, and that it plays a different role in each type of hepatitis.
Strategies to Prevent Anthracycline-Related Congestive Heart Failure in Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Authors: Armenian Saro H. , Gelehrter Sarah K. , Chow Eric J.
Published: August 2012

Cardiovascular complications are a leading cause of therapy-related morbidity and mortality in long-term survivors of childhood malignancy. In fact, childhood cancer survivors are at a 15-fold risk of developing CHF compared to age-matched controls. There is a strong dose-dependent association between anthracycline exposure and risk of CHF, and the incidence increases with longer followup. Outcome following diagnosis of CHF is generally poor, with overall survival less than 50% at 5 years. The growing number of childhood cancer survivors makes it imperative that strategies be developed to prevent symptomatic heart disease in this vulnerable population. We present here an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention strategies for childhood cancer survivors at high risk for CHF, drawing on lessons learned from prevention studies in nononcology populations as well as from the more limited experience in cancer survivors.
Uncertainty Quantification in Simulations of Epidemics Using Polynomial Chaos
Authors: Santonja F. , Chen-Charpentier B.
Published: August 2012

Mathematical models based on ordinary differential equations are a useful tool to study the processes involved in epidemiology. Many models consider that the parameters are deterministic variables. But in practice, the transmission parameters present large variability and it is not possible to determine them exactly, and it is necessary to introduce randomness. In this paper, we present an application of the polynomial chaos approach to epidemiological mathematical models based on ordinary differential equations with random coefficients. Taking into account the variability of the transmission parameters of the model, this approach allows us to obtain an auxiliary system of differential equations, which is then integrated numerically to obtain the first-and the second-order moments of the output stochastic processes. A sensitivity analysis based on the polynomial chaos approach is also performed to determine which parameters have the greatest influence on the results. As an example, we will apply the approach to an obesity epidemic model.
Thermal Adaptation of the Archaeal and Bacterial Lipid Membranes
Authors: Koga Yosuke
Published: August 2012

The physiological characteristics that distinguish archaeal and bacterial lipids, as well as those that define thermophilic lipids, are discussed from three points of view that (1) the role of the chemical stability of lipids in the heat tolerance of thermophilic organisms: (2) the relevance of the increase in the proportion of certain lipids as the growth temperature increases: (3) the lipid bilayer membrane properties that enable membranes to function at high temperatures. It is concluded that no single, chemically stable lipid by itself was responsible for the adaptation of surviving at high temperatures. Lipid membranes that function effectively require the two properties of a high permeability barrier and a liquid crystalline state. Archaeal membranes realize these two properties throughout the whole biological temperature range by means of their isoprenoid chains. Bacterial membranes meet these requirements only at or just above the phase-transition temperature, and therefore their fatty acid composition must be elaborately regulated. A recent hypothesis sketched a scenario of the evolution of lipids in which the “lipid divide” emerged concomitantly with the differentiation of archaea and bacteria. The two modes of thermal adaptation were established concurrently with the “lipid divide.”
Multiclass Boosting with Adaptive Group‐Based kNN and Its Application in Text Categorization
Authors: La Lei , Guo Qiao , Yang Dequan , Cao Qimin
Published: August 2012

AdaBoost is an excellent committee‐based tool for classification. However, its effectiveness and efficiency in multiclass categorization face the challenges from methods based on support vector machine (SVM), neural networks (NN), naïve Bayes, and k‐nearest neighbor (kNN). This paper uses a novel multi‐class AdaBoost algorithm to avoid reducing the multi‐class classification problem to multiple two‐class classification problems. This novel method is more effective. In addition, it keeps the accuracy advantage of existing AdaBoost. An adaptive group‐based kNN method is proposed in this paper to build more accurate weak classifiers and in this way control the number of basis classifiers in an acceptable range. To further enhance the performance, weak classifiers are combined into a strong classifier through a double iterative weighted way and construct an adaptive group‐based kNN boosting algorithm (AGkNN‐AdaBoost). We implement AGkNN‐AdaBoost in a Chinese text categorization system. Experimental results showed that the classification algorithm proposed in this paper has better performance both in precision and recall than many other text categorization methods including traditional AdaBoost. In addition, the processing speed is significantly enhanced than original AdaBoost and many other classic categorization algorithms.
The Negative Impacts of Whale-Watching
Authors: Parsons E. C. M.
Published: August 2012

Whale watching is an international industry worth more than US$2 billion globally and is currently the greatest economic activity reliant upon cetaceans. However, there is concern that whale watching is detrimental to the target species. Numerous studies have shown that cetaceans exhibit behavioral changes in response to whale-watching boat traffic. Some of these behavioral changes involve inhibiting biologically important behaviors such as feeding and resting. There is convincing evidence for some species that these can translate into population-level effects such as reduced reproductive rates. Whale watching can also cause direct mortality through collisions between vessels and animals. The introduction of guidelines or regulations for whale watching has been the most common method of trying to mitigate the impacts of boat-based whale watching. However, there is great variety in the comprehensiveness of guidelines, and even if operators have guidelines, compliance with them can be poor. Compliance might be improved if guidelines have legal under-pinnings, with monitoring and enforcement or via pressure to comply by other operators and whale-watching tourists. Simple guidelines may be more easily complied with that ones requiring specialist knowledge. Likewise undertaking simple measures, such as establishing temporal or spatial “refuges” protecting biologically important areas (e.g., feeding grounds) where whale-watching activity is prohibited, could be an appropriate mitigation strategy.
Fuzzy Systems Based on Multispecies PSO Method in Spatial Analysis
Authors: Di Martino Ferdinando , Loia Vincenzo , Sessa Salvatore
Published: August 2012

We present a method by using the hierarchical cluster-based Multispecies particle swarm optimization to generate a fuzzy system of Takagi-Sugeno-Kang type encapsulated in a geographical information system considered as environmental decision support for spatial analysis. We consider a spatial area partitioned in subzones: the data measured in each subzone are used to extract a fuzzy rule set of above mentioned type. We adopt a similarity index (greater than a specific threshold) for comparing fuzzy systems generated for adjacent subzones.
Biochemical Analysis of Pentraxin 3 and Fibrinogen Levels in Experimental Periodontitis Model
Authors: Keles Gonca Cayir , Balli Umut , Cetinkaya Burcu Ozkan , Ayas Bulent , Findik Arzu , Keles Zeynep Pinar , Pamuk Ferda
Published: August 2012

Objective.Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), newly discovered inflammation marker, is a member of acute-phase proteins. The hypothesis, synthesis of gingival tissue and serum PTX-3 increases in the experimental periodontitis model (with 10-day and 40-day periods), was tested by detecting gingival tissue and serum PTX-3 levels in rats with experimental periodontitis.Methods.Thirty rats were randomly divided into three groups of ten animals each: ligature-induced experimental periodontitis groups (with 10-day (Group1) and 40-day periods (Group2)) and healthy group (Group3). At the end of experimental period, rats were sacrificed, and radiological and histomorphometric analyses were performed on the mandibles. PTX3 levels were measured in gingival tissue and serum samples using ELISA. Plasma fibrinogen levels were measured according to the nephelometric method.Results.Significant alveolar bone resorption and periodontal inflammation were evident in periodontitis groups. Levels of PTX3 in gingival tissue were statistically higher in Group 1 than those in groups 2 and 3 (P<0.01). No significant difference was found in serum PTX3 levels between experimental periodontitis and control groups (P>0.05). Plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly increased in the experimental periodontitis groups (P<0.001).Conclusion.PTX3 seems to be associated with tissue destruction in earlier periods of inflammatory periodontal disease, contrary to the fibrinogen findings.
Fabrication of Aligned-Carbon-Nanotube-Composite Paper with High and Anisotropic Conductivity
Authors: Fujitsuka Yuki , Oya Takahide
Published: August 2012

A functional carbon-nanotube (CNT)-composite paper is described in which the CNTs are aligned. This “aligned-CNT composite paper” is a flexible composite material that has CNT functionality (e.g., electrical conductivity) despite being a paper. An advanced fabrication method was developed to overcome the problem of previous CNT-composite papers, that is, reduced conductivity due to random CNT alignment. Aligning the CNTs by using an alternating current (AC) field was hypothesized to increase the electrical conductivity and give the paper an anisotropic characteristic. Experimental results showed that a nonionic surfactant was not suitable as a CNT dispersant for fabricating aligned-CNT composite paper and that catechin with its six-membered rings and hydrophilic groups was suitable. Observation by scanning electron microscopy of samples prepared using catechin showed that the CNTs were aligned in the direction of the AC field on the paper fibers. Measurement of the electric conductivity showed that the surface resistance was different between the direction of the aligned CNTs (high conductivity) and that of verticality (low). The conductivity of the aligned-CNT-composite paper samples was higher than that of nonaligned samples. This unique and functional paper, which has high and anisotropic conductivity, is applicable to a conductive material to control the direction of current.
Polymyositis following Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) and 2009-10 Seasonal Trivalent Vaccines
Authors: Ferri Clodoveo , Colaci Michele , Manzini Carlo Umberto , Sebastiani Marco , Giuggioli Dilia , Brugioni Lucio
Published: August 2012

Sporadic associations between inflammatory myopathies with vaccinations were described in the literature, raising the possible trigger value of vaccines in the development of these autoimmune disorders. Here, we reported the clinical history of 3 patients who developed polymyositis complicated by interstitial lung disease (2 cases) and dermatomyositis (1 case), after influenza A (H1N1) vaccination.
Web-Based Specialist Support for Spinal Cord Injury Person’s Care: Lessons Learned
Authors: Della Mea Vincenzo , Marin Dario , Rosin Claudio , Zampa Agostino
Published: August 2012

Persons with disability from spinal cord injury (SCI) are subject to high risk of pathological events and need a regular followup even after discharge from the rehabilitation hospital. To help in followup, we developed a web portal for providing online specialist as well as GP support to SCI persons. After a feasibility study with 13 subjects, the portal has been introduced in the regional healthcare network in order to make it compliant with current legal regulations on data protection, including smartcard authentication. Although a number of training courses have been made to introduce SCI persons to portal use (up to 50 users), the number of accesses remained very low. Reasons for that have been investigated by means of a questionnaire submitted to the initial feasibility study subjects and included the still easier use of telephone versus our web-based smartcard-authenticated portal, in particular, because online communications are still perceived as an unusual way of interacting with the doctor. To summarize, the overall project has been appreciated by the users, but when it is time to ask for help to, the specialist, it is still much easier to make a phone call.
Genetic and Biochemical Alterations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Johnson Jackie L. , Pillai Smitha , Chellappan Srikumar P.
Published: August 2012

Despite significant advances in the detection and treatment of lung cancer, it causes the highest number of cancer-related mortality. Recent advances in the detection of genetic alterations in patient samples along with physiologically relevant animal models has yielded a new understanding of the molecular etiology of lung cancer. This has facilitated the development of potent and specific targeted therapies, based on the genetic and biochemical alterations present in the tumor, especially non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). It is now clear that heterogeneous cell signaling pathways are disrupted to promote NSCLC, including mutations in critical growth regulatory proteins (K-Ras, EGFR, B-RAF, MEK-1, HER2, MET, EML-4-ALK, KIF5B-RET, and NKX2.1) and inactivation of growth inhibitory pathways (TP53, PTEN, p16, and LKB-1). How these pathways differ between smokers and non-smokers is also important for clinical treatment strategies and development of targeted therapies. This paper describes these molecular targets in NSCLC, and describes the biological significance of each mutation and their potential to act as a therapeutic target.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Prostate Cancer: Long-Term Followup and Complications Rate
Authors: Maestroni Umberto , Dinale Francesco , Minari Roberto , Salsi Paolo , Ziglioli Francesco
Published: August 2012

Introduction. As it is well known, High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) is a minimally invasive procedure for prostate cancer. Many investigators reported their series of patients, demonstrating the effectiveness of the treatment. The most majority of Authors, however, do not report the side effects and the complications of the procedure, which is the aim of our study. The diagnosis and management of complications is discussed, and the oncologic outcome is reported in terms of quality of life.Materials and Methods. We report our experience in 89 patients, low-, intermediate-, and high-risk patients according with D’Amico classification. All data collected along the study were analyzed, including side effects and complications of the procedure.Results. Our series demonstrates the effectiveness of the procedure, in line with larger series reported in literature by other investigators. The most important side effects are sexual function impairment and transient incontinence in a minority of cases. Minor complications are reported as well as rare cases of major complications, which can require surgical treatment.
Religious and Spiritual Factors in Depression: Review and Integration of the Research
Authors: Bonelli Raphael , Dew Rachel E. , Koenig Harold G. , Rosmarin David H. , Vasegh Sasan
Published: August 2012

Depressive symptoms and religious/spiritual (R/S) practices are widespread around the world, but their intersection has received relatively little attention from mainstream mental health professionals. This paper reviews and synthesizes quantitative research examining relationships between R/S involvement and depressive symptoms or disorders during the last 50 years (1962 to 2011). At least 444 studies have now quantitatively examined these relationships. Of those, over 60% report less depression and faster remission from depression in those more R/S or a reduction in depression severity in response to an R/S intervention. In contrast, only 6% report greater depression. Of the 178 most methodologically rigorous studies, 119 (67%) find inverse relationships between R/S and depression. Religious beliefs and practices may help people to cope better with stressful life circumstances, give meaning and hope, and surround depressed persons with a supportive community. In some populations or individuals, however, religious beliefs may increase guilt and lead to discouragement as people fail to live up to the high standards of their religious tradition. Understanding the role that R/S factors play in preventing depression, facilitating its resolution, or leading to greater depression will help clinicians determine whether this is a resource or a liability for individual patients.
Vibrational Investigations of Silver-Doped Hydroxyapatite with Antibacterial Properties
Authors: Ciobanu Carmen Steluta , Iconaru Simona Liliana , Le Coustumer Phillippe , Predoi Daniela
Published: August 2012

Silver-doped hydroxyapatite (Ag:HAp) was obtained by coprecipitation method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), infrared, and Raman analysis confirmed the development of Ag:HAp with good crystal structure. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed an uniform ellipsoidal morphology with particles from 5 nm to 15 nm. The main vibrational bands characteristic to HAp were identified. The bands assigned to phosphate vibrational group were highlighted in infrared and Raman spectra. The most intense peak Raman spectrum is the narrow band observed at 960 cm−1. In this article Ag:HAp-NPs were also evaluated for their antimicrobial activities againstgram-positive, gram-negative, and fungal strains. The specific antimicrobial activity revealed by the qualitative assay demonstrates that our compounds are interacting differently with the microbial targets.
Regioselective Thiocyanation of Aromatic and Heteroaromatic Compounds by Using Boron Sulfonic Acid as a New, Efficient, and Cheap Catalyst in Water
Authors: Sajjadifar Sami , Louie Omid
Published: August 2012

Highly efficient regioselective thiocyanations of indoles and N,N‐disubstituted anilines are achieved via a green and simple protocol using boron sulfonic acid (BSA) as a new catalyst and KSCN/H2O2 as a mild and environmentally friendly oxidant in aqueous media.
LRP1B Deletion in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancers Is Associated with Acquired Chemotherapy Resistance to Liposomal Doxorubicin
Authors: Cowin Prue A. , George Joshy , Fereday Sian , Loehrer Elizabeth , Van Loo Peter , Cullinane Carleen , Etemadmoghadam Dariush , Ftouni Sarah , Galletta Laura , Anglesio Michael S. , Hendley Joy , Bowes Leanne , Sheppard Karen E. , Christie Elizabeth L. ,   Australian Ovarian Cancer Study, Pearson Richard B. , Harnett Paul R. , Heinzelmann-Schwarz Viola , Friedlander Michael , McNally Orla , Quinn Michael , Campbell Peter , deFazio Anna , Bowtell David D.L.
Published: August 2012

High-grade serous cancer (HGSC), the most common subtype of ovarian cancer, often becomes resistant to chemotherapy, leading to poor patient outcomes. Intratumoral heterogeneity occurs in nearly all solid cancers, including ovarian cancer, contributing to the development of resistance mechanisms. In this study, we examined the spatial and temporal genomic variation in HGSC using high-resolution single-nucleotide polymorphism arrays. Multiple metastatic lesions from individual patients were analyzed along with 22 paired pretreatment and posttreatment samples. We documented regions of differential DNA copy number between multiple tumor biopsies that correlated with altered expression of genes involved in cell polarity and adhesion. In the paired primary and relapse cohort, we observed a greater degree of genomic change in tumors from patients that were initially sensitive to chemotherapy and had longer progression-free interval compared with tumors from patients that were resistant to primary chemotherapy. Notably, deletion or downregulation of the lipid transporter LRP1B emerged as a significant correlate of acquired resistance in our analysis. Functional studies showed that reducing LRP1B expression was sufficient to reduce the sensitivity of HGSC cell lines to liposomal doxorubicin, but not to doxorubicin, whereas LRP1B overexpression was sufficient to increase sensitivity to liposomal doxorubicin. Together, our findings underscore the large degree of variation in DNA copy number in spatially and temporally separated tumors in HGSC patients, and they define LRP1B as a potential contributor to the emergence of chemotherapy resistance in these patients. Cancer Res; 72(16); 4060–73. ©2012 AACR.