bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Budd-Chiari Syndrome Combined With Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Shimizu Shigeomi , Miyata Masahiko , Kamiike Wataru , Ito Toshinori , Nakamuro Makoto , Nomura Masaya , Negoro Shigeru , Nakamura Hitonobu , Matsuda Hikaru
Published: August 2008

A forty-three-year-old woman with Budd-Chiari syndrome, who had had transcardiac membranotomy nearly three years earlier, was admitted to hospital with symptoms of abdominal discomfort and subfever for possible recurrence of the condition. Obstructions of the inferior vena cava (IVC) and hepatic veins (HVs) were thought to have recurred, and the obstructive lesions of the HVs were of the long and multiple type. Additionally, she had a high titer for antiphospholipid antibodies. To relieve abdominal discomfort, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and medical treatment were instituted. Subsequent relief of symptoms was accompanied by an improvement in the date from laboratory investigations.

The authors review 14 cases of Budd-Chiari syndrome associated with antiphospholipid syndrome previously reported in the literature and discuss the therapeutic approaches to the characteristic obstruction lesions of the IVC and HVs.
Coronary Artery Bypass Supplemented by Grafting of the Right Ventricular Branches—Case Reports
Authors: Olearchyk Andrew S.
Published: August 2008

Seventeen patients presented with angina pectoris class IV with or without dyspnea, or with dyspnea alone.

Cardiac catheterization revealed an elevated right atrial mean (6.5±3.2 mmHg), right ventricular systolic (31.3±10.3 mmHg) and diastolic (7.3±3.8 mmHg), pulmonary artery systolic (32.9±10.3 mmHg) and diastolic (15.4±5.8 mmHg), pulmonary capillary wedge (15.2±4.8 mmHg), and left ventricular end-diastolic (22.4±8.4 mmHg) pressures. The cardiac index was reduced (2.3±0.6 L/min/m2), as was the left ventricular ejection fraction (39.6±8.6%). Significant and diffuse coronary artery disease was present in 16 patients. In addition, their significant disease involved the proximal acute marginal (n = 6), or the anterior ventricular (n=5), or the anterior ventricular and acute marginal (n=1), or the conus and anterior ventricular (n=1) branches of the right coronary artery. In the remaining patients (n = 4), the latter artery had a significant lesion above or below the origin of those branches, which were free of disease per se. The right ventricular branches provided intercoronary or intracoronary collaterals, or both, in 12 patients.

Coronary artery bypass (4.6 grafts per patient) included vein grafts to the circumflex artery system (n = 22) ; the internal thoracic artery (n=8), or vein (n=6), or both (n=2) grafts to the left anterior descending artery; and vein grafts to the posterior descending artery (n = 8), diagonal branch (n = 7), ramus intermedius and right coronary artery (each, n = 3), and posterior left ventricular branch (n=1). It was supplemented by the vein grafts to the anterior ventricular (n=9), the acute marginal (n=7), or the acute marginal and conus (n=1) branches. One patient also had an aortic valve replacement.

Hemodynamics after the operation without pharmacologic support revealed significant decreases of the right atrial mean pressure to 4.7±2.5 mmHg (p < 0.01), pulmonary artery systolic pressure to 24±7.0 mmHg (p < 0.01), pulmonary artery diastolic pressure to 11.9±3.4 mmHg (p < 0.01), and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure to 9.6±2.9 (p < 0.01). There was a highly significant decrease of the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure as measured indirectly by pulmonary artery diastolic pressure to 11.9±3.4 mmHg (p < 0.001) and by pulmonary capillary wedge pressure to 9.6±2.9 mmHg (p < 0.001). Cardiac index increased significantly to 3.2±0.9 L/min/m2 (p < 0.01).

All patients are alive and free of angina and dyspnea.

Did the revascularization of the right ventricular branches contribute to a functional improvement of the right and adjacent segments of the left ventricles and the septum?
Severe Dyspnea and Anuria May Be Associated With Inflammatory Aneurysm—A Case History
Authors: Mulder Erik J. , Sier Johannes C.
Published: August 2008

A fifty-seven-year-old man presented with severe hypertension and congestive heart disease due to bilateral ureteric obstruction as a result of retroperitoneal fibrosis around a dilatated abdominal aorta. Current views on etiology and treatment of this condition—the "inflammatory" aneurysm—are discussed.
The Use of Vacuum Compression Therapy on Ischemic Lower Limbs as Assessed by Changes in Venous Blood Gases and Serum Lactate
Authors: Samy Ahmed K. , MacBain Gordon , Hutchison Alan S.
Published: August 2008

Simple physical training, intermittent pneumatic compression, cardiosynchronous limb compression, pulsed short-wave radiofrequency, and external negative thigh pressure are all varieties of physiotherapeutic modalities used in the treatment of peripheral vascular disease.

A vacuum compression therapy (VCT) device allows both positive and negative pressure to be applied to an enclosed limb. Lower limbs of 13 consecutive patients suffering from chronic lower limb ischemia were exposed to alternating controlled periods of negative and positive pressure. The effect of this therapy was assessed by measurements of capillary oxygen saturation (by toe pulse oximetry), femoral venous blood gases, and whole blood lactate. These measurements were carried out at three time intervals: before, immediately after, and fifteen minutes after a fifteen-minute application of VCT to the affected limb.

The results showed evidence of deterioration in tissue perfusion immediately after treatment as evidenced by pulse oximetry and venous gases, followed, however, by a significant improvement in the same parameters when measured at fifteen minutes. These findings were consistent. The mean values at fifteen minutes as compared with resting values were as follows: oxygen saturation increased from 94.3 to 97.8% ( P=0.002), venous PO2 increased from 4.1 to 4.6 kPa ( P=0.003), and venous PCO2 returned to its original value at 6.6 kPa/L ( P =0.003). Hydrogen ion concentration decreased from 41.6 to 40.6 nmol/L( P=0.003) and lactate decreased from 1 to 0.91 nmol/L ( P=0.004).

It is, therefore, suggested that VCT may improve peripheral tissue perfusion. The immediate posttreatment biochemical deterioration was asymptomatic and may reflect a capillary washout phenomenon and/or a tourniquet effect created by the device's rubber cuff over the patient's thigh. Further studies monitoring clinical outcomes would be required before objective benefits for VCT therapy in peripheral vascular disease could be claimed.
Late Renal Transplant Vein Thrombosis Associated with Lymphocele
Authors: Patel Bhargavi K. , Garvin Paul J. , Esterl Robert , Reese Jeffrey C. , Aridge Della , Lindsey Lisa
Published: August 2008

The authors present a case of delayed allograft renal vein thrombosis associated with compression from a perirenal transplant lymphocele. Realtime and Doppler ultrasound diagnosed thrombus within an enlarged renal transplant vein, high vascular impedance with absent venous signals, and a peritransplant lymphocele. The graft function was restored following percutaneous drainage of the lymphocele and anticoagulation therapy
Severe Ischemia of the Hand Following Concomitant Catheterization of the Radial Artery and Systemic Administration of Dopamine
Authors: Cheng Joseph C. , Levinsohn David G. , Longaker Michael T. , Gordon Leonard
Published: August 2008

Radial artery cannulation for monitoring of arterial pressure and blood gases has been employed as routine procedure in major cardiothoracic surgery. Complications such as gangrene of the hand are rare because there is extensive collateral arterial circulation to the hand. Dopamine, an inotropic agent often employed in the care of cardiothoracic patients, has been known to cause ischemia of the extremity in high doses. This is the first report of ischemia of the hand resulting from the combined use of radial artery catheter and dopamine. Two patients developed multiple extremity ischemia followed by loss of the catheterized extremity. One, a three-month-old boy, developed ischemia of the hand requiring eventual amputation. He had a radial artery catheter in situ for forty-eight hours and received thirty-six hours of standard dosage dopamine treatment. The other, a sixty-year-old woman, developed ischemia of thumb and index finger during eighteen hours of low-dose dopamine treatment and twenty-four hours of radial artery cannulation.
A Surgical Overview of 200 Patients with Acute Arterial Occlusions of the Vessels of the Arm
Authors: Kirov Buryan Alexandrov , Iani Kostadinov Zakhariev
Published: August 2008

Two hundred patients (103 men, 97 women, average age sixty-three years) with acute arterial occlusion of the vessels of the arm (AAOVA) were treated surgically in the period from January, 1985, to May, 1991; 70.5% of the occlusions were due to emboli and 29.5% were due to primary thrombosis. The subclavian/axillary arteries were occluded in 29% of the cases, the brachial artery in 59%, and the radial/ulnar arteries in 12%; 77.6% of the subclavian/axillary obstructions were due to emboli and 22.4 to thrombosis, 72.9% of the brachial obstructions were due to emboli and 27.1% to thrombosis, and 41.7% of the radial/ulnar obstructions were due to emboli and 58.3% to thrombosis.

Local anesthesia was employed for all patients. There were 49 reoperations: 27 for rethrombosis, 8 for reembolization, 9 for evacuation of hematomas or control of hemorrhage, and 5 for treatment of infection; 11 fasciotomies were performed. Ten (5%) of the patients died, primarily because of cardiac failure or strokes. In 169 patients (84.5%) one or both distal pulses were restored at the wrist with return of normal extremity function. In 22 patients (11%), distal pulses were not restored but the clinical results were satisfactory. In 9 patients (4.5%), amputation at various levels was necessary owing to delayed presentation for treatment, extended thrombosis, or poor vascular status.
Myocardial Revascularization with the Gastroepiploic Artery
Authors: Aramendi José I. , Castellanos Enrique , de Salazar Alvaro Ortiz , Onate Agustin , Munoz Fernando , Antonana Mikel
Published: August 2008

Between July, 1990, and January, 1992, 21 consecutive patients underwent myocardial revascularization with the use of the right gastroepiploic artery, among other grafts. They were 20 men and 1 woman, with a mean age of fifty-five years (range: thirty-seven to seventy). Previous myocardial infarction was present in 44% of patients, unstable angina in 81%, and three-vessel disease in 75%. Mean ejection fraction was 54% (range 45-67%). Two patients had had previous coronary bypass surgery. In 20 patients one or both internal mammary arteries or sequential grafts with the left internal mammary artery were used. Overall 63 coronary grafts were performed (mean 3 grafts per patient). Of these, 81% were arterial grafts and 19% saphenous vein grafts. Gastroepiploical grafts were to the following branches: posterolateral branch, 3 patients; posterior descending artery, 11; right coronary artery, 6; and the left anterior descending artery, 1 patient. Mean aortic crossclamp time was seventy-four minutes. Mean total drainage was 1600 cc. The incidence of perioperative acute myocardial infarction was 9.5%. Overall hospital mortality was represented by 2 patients, 9.5%. Mortality in primary revascularization was represented by 1 patient, 5%.

The authors studied the graft patency with digital subtraction angiography and contrast injection in the celiac trunk. This was accomplished in 16 survivors (84% of total). The graft was patent in 14 patients (87%) and in 2 patients (13%) incomplete visualization of the graft was obtained. The authors conclude that the gastroepiploic artery offers a valid alternative for the revascularization of the branches of the diaphragmatic wall of the heart. It can be accomplished with low mortality and good immediate results.
Mesenteric Infarction Following Angiography
Authors: Levy Pavel J. , Manny Jonah
Published: August 2008

Intestinal necrosis has recently been reported in association with different angiographic procedures, eg, abdominal aortography, coronary angiography, etc. Two new cases of postangiography mesenteric infarction and a review of the literature are presented. This complication occurs owing mainly to thromboembolic phenomena, with "macroembolism" or "microembolism," and has a very high mortality rate. The key to an early diagnosis is a high index of suspicion in cases of persistent or recurrent abdominal pain following angiography The routine use of heparin during the angiographic procedure is still controversial but is indicated for high-risk patients.
Occlusion of Proximal Common Hepatic Artery: A New Etiology for Chronic Intestinal Ischemia
Authors: Prakash Shivana H. , Vanterpool Clyde C. , Kaidi Ashton A. , Barbat Jehan , Thanh Phan
Published: August 2008

Chronic intestinal ischemia is a relatively uncommon vascular entity as compared with all other forms of symptomatic arterial occlusive disease. Severe stenosis or occlusion of one or more of three major vessels supplying the intestine may result in chronic visceral ischemia. However, review of the literature failed to document common hepatic artery occlusion as a cause of chronic intestinal ischemia. A case of a seventy-two-year-old man with a six-month history of postprandial abdominal pain is presented. A selective angiogram was taken, which revealed occlusion of the proximal common hepatic artery with collaterals from the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) reconstituting the hepatic arterial system while resulting in a low-flow state through the SMA. A supraceliac aorto-hepatic artery bypass was performed, using an 8 mm polytetrafluoroethylene graft. Color flow ultrasonography of the aorta, performed prior to discharge, revealed a patent graft. At one year follow-up, the patient is asymptomatic with good flow through the graft as documented by an arteriogram. The authors report the first documented case of common hepatic artery occlusion as a cause of chronic intestinal ischemia.
Flow Stability and Thickness Uniformity in Continuous Extrusion
Authors: Derezinski Stephen J.
Published: August 2008

For continuously extruded products, such as sheet and profile extrusions, thickness uniformity is a key quality factor, and it is directly linked to flow oscillations or flow disturbances at the die. Many sources of flow oscillations in the extrusion system are identified, and methods are shown on how to configure the melt delivery system to minimize their transmission to the die. These methods are illustrated with a model based on the theory of hydraulic transients.
Data Analysis of an Extrusion Experiment
Authors: Wagner John R. , Spalding Mark A. , Crabtree Sam L.
Published: August 2008

The objective of this work is to demonstrate the usefulness of high-speed data acquisition in characterizing the extrusion process. This article analyzes the barrel pressures and motor current data acquired using a high-speed data acquisition system. Graphical analysis shows the relationship between screw design and screw speed.
Intraarticular factor IX protein or gene replacement protects against development of hemophilic synovitis in the absence of circulating factor IX
Authors: Sun Junjiang , Hakobyan Narine , Valentino Leonard A. , Feldman Brian L. , Samulski R. Jude , Monahan Paul E.
Published: August 2008

Hemophilic bleeding into joints causes synovial and microvascular proliferation and inflammation (hemophilic synovitis) that contribute to end-stage joint degeneration (hemophilic arthropathy), the major morbidity of hemophilia. New therapies are needed for joint deterioration that progresses despite standard intravenous (IV) clotting factor replacement. To test whether factor IX within the joint space can protect joints from hemophilic synovitis, we established a hemophilia B mouse model of synovitis. Factor IX knockout (FIX−/−) mice received a puncture of the knee joint capsule with a needle to induce hemarthrosis; human factor IX (hFIX) was either injected through the needle into the joint space (intraarticularly) or immediately delivered IV. FIX−/− mice receiving intraarticular FIX protein were protected from synovitis compared with mice receiving same or greater doses of hFIX IV. Next, adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene transfer vectors expressing hFIX were injected into knee joints of FIX−/− mice. Joints treated with 1010 vector genomes (vg)/joint AAV2-, AAV5-, or AAV8-hFIX or 2.5 × 109 vg/joint AAV5-hFIX developed significantly fewer pathologic changes 2 weeks after injury compared with the pathology of control injured contralateral hind limbs. Extravascular factor activity and joint-directed gene transfer may ameliorate hemophilic joint destruction, even in the absence of circulating FIX.
An 86-probe-set gene-expression signature predicts survival in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia
Authors: Metzeler Klaus H. , Hummel Manuela , Bloomfield Clara D. , Spiekermann Karsten , Braess Jan , Sauerland Maria-Cristina , Heinecke Achim , Radmacher Michael , Marcucci Guido , Whitman Susan P. , Maharry Kati , Paschka Peter , Larson Richard A. , Berdel Wolfgang E. , Büchner Thomas , Wörmann Bernhard , Mansmann Ulrich , Hiddemann Wolfgang , Bohlander Stefan K. , Buske Christian
Published: August 2008

Patients with cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) show heterogeneous treatment outcomes. We used gene-expression profiling to develop a gene signature that predicts overall survival (OS) in CN-AML. Based on data from 163 patients treated in the German AMLCG 1999 trial and analyzed on oligonucleotide microarrays, we used supervised principal component analysis to identify 86 probe sets (representing 66 different genes), which correlated with OS, and defined a prognostic score based on this signature. When applied to an independent cohort of 79 CN-AML patients, this continuous score remained a significant predictor for OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.85; P = .002), event-free survival (HR = 1.73; P = .001), and relapse-free survival (HR = 1.76; P = .025). It kept its prognostic value in multivariate analyses adjusting for age, FLT3 ITD, and NPM1 status. In a validation cohort of 64 CN-AML patients treated on CALGB study 9621, the score also predicted OS (HR = 4.11; P < .001), event-free survival (HR = 2.90; P < .001), and relapse-free survival (HR = 3.14, P < .001) and retained its significance in a multivariate model for OS. In summary, we present a novel gene-expression signature that offers additional prognostic information for patients with CN-AML.
Misoprostol in addition to routine treatment of postpartum hemorrhage: A hospital-based randomized-controlled trial in Karachi, Pakistan
Authors: Zuberi Nadeem F , Durocher Jill , Sikander Rozina , Baber Neelofur , Blum Jennifer , Walraven Gijs
Published: August 2008

Background

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a major killer of women worldwide. Standard uterotonic treatments used to control postpartum bleeding do not always work and are not always available. Misoprostol's potential as a treatment option for PPH is increasingly known, but its use remains ad hoc and available evidence does not support the safety or efficacy of one particular regimen. This study aimed to determine the adjunct benefit of misoprostol when combined with standard oxytocics for PPH treatment.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted in four Karachi hospitals from December 2005 – April 2007 to assess the benefit of a 600 mcg dose of misoprostol given sublingually in addition to standard oxytocics for postpartum hemorrhage treatment. Consenting women had their blood loss measured after normal vaginal delivery and were enrolled in the study after losing more than 500 ml of blood. Women were randomly assigned to receive either 600 mcg sublingual misoprostol or matching placebo in addition to standard PPH treatment with injectable oxytocics. Both women and providers were blinded to the treatment assignment. Blood loss was collected until active bleeding stopped and for a minimum of one hour after PPH diagnosis. Total blood loss, hemoglobin measures, and treatment outcomes were recorded for all participants.

Results

Due to a much lower rate of PPH than expected (1.2%), only sixty-one patients were diagnosed and treated for their PPH in this study, and we were therefore unable to measure statistical significance in any of the primary endpoints. The addition of 600 mcg sublingual misoprostol to standard PPH treatments does, however, suggest a trend in reduced postpartum blood loss, a smaller drop in postpartum hemoglobin, and need for fewer additional interventions. Women who bled less overall had a significantly smaller drop in hemoglobin and received fewer additional interventions. There were no hysterectomies or maternal deaths among study participants. The rate of transient shivering and fever was significantly higher among women receiving misoprostol

Conclusion

A 600 mcg dose of misoprostol given sublingually shows promise as an adjunct treatment for PPH and its use should continue to be explored for its life-saving potential in the care of women experiencing PPH.

Trial Registration

Clinical trials.gov, Registry No. NCT00116480
Development and validation of a preference based measure derived from the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) for use in cost utility analyses
Authors: McKenna Stephen P , Ratcliffe Julie , Meads David M , Brazier John E
Published: August 2008

Background

Pulmonary Hypertension is a severe and incurable disease with poor prognosis. A suite of new disease-specific measures – the Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) – was recently developed for use in this condition. The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a preference based measure from the CAMPHOR that could be used in cost-utility analyses.

Methods

Items were selected that covered major issues covered by the CAMPHOR QoL scale (activities, travelling, dependence and communication). These were used to create 36 health states that were valued by 249 people representative of the UK adult population, using the time trade-off (TTO) technique. Data from the TTO interviews were analysed using both aggregate and individual level modelling. Finally, the original CAMPHOR validation data were used to validate the new preference based model.

Results

The predicted health state values ranged from 0.962 to 0.136. The mean level model selected for analyzing the data had good explanatory power (0.936), did not systematically over- or underestimate the observed mean health state values and showed no evidence of auto correlation in the prediction errors. The value of less than 1 reflects a background level of ill health in state 1111, as judged by the respondents. Scores derived from the new measure had excellent test-retest reliability (0.85) and construct validity. The CAMPHOR utility score appears better able to distinguish between WHO functional classes (II and III) than the EQ-5D and SF-6D.

Conclusion

The tariff derived in this study can be used to classify an individual into a health state based on their responses to the CAMPHOR. The results of this study widen the evidence base for conducting economic evaluations of interventions designed to improve QoL for patients with PH.
Disseminated peritoneal hydatidosis following blunt abdominal trauma: A case report
Authors: Shah Nimish J , Vithalani Nikunj K , Chaudhary Rahul K , Mohite Prashant N
Published: August 2008

A middle age lady presented with abdominal pain was diagnosed to have multiple peritoneal and hepatic hydatid cysts on CT scan. Retrospectively she was found to have suffered blunt abdominal trauma.
A three-dimensional numerical study on exhaust gas emissions from a medium-duty diesel engine using a phenomenological soot particle formation model combined with detailed chemistry
Authors: Kaminaga T , Kusaka J , Ishii Y
Published: August 2008

This paper reports a three-dimensional numerical study, using the KIVA-3V code with modified chemical and physical models, of the exhaust (NO x and soot) emissions from an in-line, four-cylinder, 3.0 l, turbo-charged, direct injection diesel engine operated in spray diffusion combustion mode, by injecting fuel at top dead centre, in typical operating conditions for city driving (70 per cent load, 1500 r/min engine speed) with various exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rates. To predict soot emission parameters, a gas-phase polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) precursor formation model was coupled with a detailed phenomenological particle formation model, including soot nucleation from the precursors, surface growth/oxidation, and particle coagulation, since changes in the surface area of particles and surface reaction rates had to be taken into account. In order to predict NO x emission parameters, the extended Zeldovich (thermal), intermediate N2O and NO2 from NO formation mechanisms were also included in the modelled elementary reactions. From the numerical simulation results, it was shown that the present code had sufficient performance for predicting the amount of exhaust soot and NO x with practical central processing unit (CPU) time. Comparison of the results of the numerical simulations with data obtained from empirical tests show that the applied code provides adequate predictions of soot and NO x emissions for engine design and optimization within practical CPU times. The results also show that the EGR rate does not greatly affect the soot surface growth rate, although it was previously thought to be a major determinant of soot masses. Instead, soot oxidation rates, especially rates of oxidation by OH radicals, were found to be the most influential factors affecting soot emissions under the tested engine operating conditions.
Boundary conditions modelling of one-dimensional gas flows in an internal combustion engine
Authors: Chalet D , Chesse P , Hetet J F
Published: August 2008

The aim of this paper is to improve the boundary conditions modelling for one-dimensional simulation codes. First, a literature survey is made in order to present the main equations and literature models, then a detailed description of the methodology is presented. Cross-sectional area variations and bends are studied using a new methodology. New models are then established that depend on the geometrical configuration and the flow characteristics. Finally, numerical results are compared with experimental results from a shock test bench. The new models are found to give better results for the instantaneous pressure signals and to improve flow calculations significantly.
Shallow-water zero-speed tests and modelling of power-augmented ram craft
Authors: Matveev K I , Soderlund R K
Published: August 2008

A study of the shallow-water static performance of an amphibious power-augmented ram vehicle model has been undertaken. The recovered thrust of the model and pressure under the model platform were measured for variable propulsor thrust, loading conditions, and water depths. When the model hulls do not touch the ground, the sensitivity of the model performance to the water depth is found to be small. In sufficiently shallow waters, when the hulls are in contact with the ground, the recovered thrust is zero at low propulsor thrust and approaches that in deep water at high propulsor thrust. The pressure under the platform saturates when the air leakage appears under the side hulls. A mathematical model is developed accounting for the water surface depression under the platform and for reaction and frictional forces between the hulls and ground. This theory provides reasonable estimates for the recovered thrust and the under-platform pressure.
Random design variables and sensitivity factors applicable to ship structures considering combined bending moments
Authors: Khan I A , Das P K
Published: August 2008

Sensitivity analysis enables the designers to determine the most important random variable responsible for the failure of ship structures. Vertical bending is the most important to assess the strength of a ship, but horizontal bending moment also plays a pivotal role in the safety assessment of ship structures. The method for the reliability analysis taking account of the combined bending moment is presented. The interaction equation between the vertical and horizontal bending moments has been derived using Smith's method, and the limit state function for the reliability analysis has been modelled from the interaction equation. The wave loads are calculated using an International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) rule. The study shows the importance of the contribution of the design variables towards the uncertainty of the limit state function and the advantages for using the sensitivity factors for safety assessment of ship structures.
Analysis of a pitching-and-surging wave-energy converter that reacts against an internal mass, when operating in regular sinusoidal waves
Authors: Widden M B , French M J , Aggidis G A
Published: August 2008

The paper examines the behaviour of a pitching-and-surging wave-energy converter driven by unidirectional waves that exert harmonically varying forces on its hull. The power take-off (PTO) is by means of an inertia that moves either on a straight horizontal rail or on an arm that turns about a horizontal axis. Angular displacements are taken to be small, so that linear analysis is appropriate; these are idealized conditions, but any wave-energy converter must be able to operate effectively in ideal conditions. For good power capture with the least engineering difficulties, it is found that the power take-off inertia should be centred as high as possible above the overall centre of mass G. It is shown that power is captured from the waves by motion of the centre of pressure P relative to the overall centre of mass G. This can only result from motion in pitch and is dependent on the fact that there is a large vertical distance between points P and G. It is found in practical cases that the added mass of water generally brings G closer to P, and this limits the power that can be captured.
A Response Surface Approach to Beam Orientation Optimization in Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning
Authors: Aleman Dionne M. , Romeijn H. Edwin , Dempsey James F.
Published: August 2008

We view the beam orientation optimization (BOO) problem in intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment planning as a global optimization problem with expensive objective function evaluations. We propose a response surface method that, in contrast with other approaches, allows for the generation of problem data only for promising beam orientations as the algorithm progresses. This enables the consideration of additional degrees of freedom in the treatment delivery, i.e., many more candidate beam orientations than is possible with existing approaches to BOO. This ability allows us to include noncoplanar beams and consider the question of whether or not noncoplanar beams can provide significant improvement in treatment plan quality. We also show empirically that using our approach, we can generate clinically acceptable treatment plans that require fewer beams than are used in current practice.
Joint Bidding in the Name-Your-Own-Price Channel: A Strategic Analysis
Authors: Amaldoss Wilfred , Jain Sanjay
Published: August 2008

In this paper, we study the name-your-own-price (NYOP) channel. We examine theoretically and empirically whether asking consumers to place a joint bid for multiple items, rather than bid one item at a time as practiced today, can increase NYOP retailers' profits. Relatedly, we also examine whether allowing consumers to self-select whether to place a joint bid or itemwise bids increases retailers' profits and consumers' surplus. We construct a dynamic model that incorporates both demand uncertainty and supply uncertainty to address these issues. Our theoretical analysis identifies the conditions under which joint bidding can increase both NYOP retailers' profits and consumers' surplus. We find that some consumers might bid more for the very same items when they place joint bids. The increase in bid amount is related to the fact that joint bidding reduces the chance of mismatch between NYOP retailers' costs and consumer bids. We conducted a laboratory study to assess the descriptive validity of some of the model predictions, because there are no field data on joint bidding in the NYOP channel. The results of the study are directionally consistent with our theory.
Identifying Formal and Informal Influence in Technology Adoption with Network Externalities
Authors: Tucker Catherine
Published: August 2008

Firms introducing network technologies (whose benefits depend on who installs the technology) need to understand which user characteristics confer the greatest network benefits on other potential adopters. To examine which adopter characteristics matter, I use the introduction of a video-messaging technology in an investment bank. I use data on its 2,118 employees, their adoption decisions, and their 2.4 million subsequent calls. The video-messaging technology can also be used to watch TV. Exogenous shocks to the benefits of watching TV are used to identify the causal (network) externality of one individual user's adoption on others' adoption decisions. I allow this network externality to vary in size with a variety of measures of informal and formal influence. I find that adoption by either managers or workers in “boundary spanner” positions has a large impact on the adoption decisions of employees who wish to communicate with them. Adoption by ordinary workers has a negligible impact. This suggests that firms should target those who derive their informal influence from occupying key boundary-spanning positions in communication networks, in addition to those with sources of formal influence, when launching a new network technology.
Getting Everyone on Board: The Role of Inspirational Leadership in Geographically Dispersed Teams
Authors: Joshi Aparna , Lazarova Mila B. , Liao Hui
Published: August 2008

A rich body of research in the area of leadership has examined the influence of transformational/charismatic forms of leadership on employees' motivation, attitudes, and behaviors. This research is based on the assumption that leaders are able to influence followers based on close, sustained, and personalized contact with them. However, new organizational realities are challenging this assumption. Drawing on the intersections between social identity theory and leadership research, this study highlights the importance of inspirational leaders who, by developing socialized relationships with team members, can foster attitudes that are critical for team effectiveness in geographically dispersed settings. Findings support the role of this form of leadership in dispersed settings. Inspirational leadership emerged as a significant predictor of individuals' trust in team members and commitment to the team. Further, the positive relationship between inspirational leadership and individuals' commitment to the team and trust in team members was strengthened in teams that were more dispersed suggesting that inspirational leaders are important in all contexts but that their importance is underscored in highly dispersed contexts. Finally, shared perceptions of trust and commitment predicted performance at the team level.
Multiplex Enzyme Assay Screening of Dried Blood Spots for Lysosomal Storage Disorders by Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Zhang X Kate , Elbin Carole S , Chuang Wei-Lien , Cooper Samantha K , Marashio Carla A , Beauregard Christa , Keutzer Joan M
Published: August 2008

Background: Reports of the use of multiplex enzyme assay screening for Pompe disease, Fabry disease, Gaucher disease, Niemann-Pick disease types A and B, and Krabbe disease have engendered interest in the use of this assay in newborn screening. We modified the assay for high-throughput use in screening laboratories.

Methods: We optimized enzyme reaction conditions and procedures for the assay, including the concentrations of substrate (S) and internal standard (IS), assay cocktail compositions, sample clean-up procedures, and mass spectrometer operation. The S and IS for each enzyme were premixed and bottled at an optimized molar ratio to simplify assay cocktail preparation. Using the new S:IS ratio, we validated the modified assay according to CLSI guidelines. Stability of the S, IS, and assay cocktails were investigated. Dried blood spots from 149 healthy adults, 100 newborns, and 60 patients with a lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) were tested using the modified assay.

Results: In our study, the median enzyme activity measured in adults was generally increased 2–3–fold compared to the original method, results indicating higher precision. In the multiplex format, each of the 5 modified enzyme assays enabled unambiguous differentiation between samples from healthy individuals (adults and newborns) and the corresponding disease-specific samples.

Conclusions: The modified multiplex enzyme assay with premixed S and IS is appropriate for use in high-throughput screening laboratories.
Rethinking media events in the context of a global public sphere: Exploring the audience of global disasters in Greece
Authors: Kyriakidou Maria
Published: August 2008

Current accounts on globalization and transnational media flows have reformed traditional debates on media events and have raised questions on the integrative potential of media events at a global level. This article addresses this issue by employing the case of global disasters as media events and exploring some of the characteristics of the global public sphere surrounding them in one of its particular actualizations: that of the Greek audience. The article is empirically grounded on focus group discussions through which questions of perception and framing of disasters as well as of the potential of promotion of global solidarity will be addressed.
Inside the media event: Examining the media practices of Dissent! at the Hori-Zone eco-village at the 2005 G8 Gleneagles Summit
Authors: McCurdy Patrick M.
Published: August 2008

International meetings such as the G8 Summit have evolved from the sequestered gatherings of the economic elite to full-scale political media events. Dominant approaches to such events are often text-centered, focusing on the media's framing of protest and overlooking the actions and interactions at such sites. However, media events must also be examined from the perspectives of those involved in the event. Accordingly, a mediation approach is proposed to analyze the media practices of the Dissent! Network at the 2005 G8 Summit and specifically, Hori-Zone eco-village. After qualifying the G8 Summit as a media event, Hori-Zone is established as a site inside the media event. Protests launched from the camp are then analyzed, arguing that their position inside the media event transforms them from direct action into spectacular action. The conclusion reiterates the importance and implications of understanding political media events from the perspective of those inside the media event.
Eating cake at the European Round Table: Panem et Circenses in the mediation of the European Union's 50th anniversary by the British and the Irish Press
Authors: Trandafoiu Ruxandra
Published: August 2008

This article analyses the intersecting emotive expressions of nationalism, Euroscepticism, and Europeanness in Britain and Ireland during the European Union's 50th birthday festivities in March 2007. Such discursive manifestations in the Irish and British national press were occasioned by the display and public consumption of fifty-four national cakes at the Berlin Volkfest. The public, ritualistic, and convivial eating of national foods, represented a departure from the usual stale recipe of political summits, and was supposed to excite feelings of identity with the European Union project. Yet the event occasioned press, politicians, and public to delve into backward looking nationalist projections, the result of which was a media event riddled by fragmentation and diverging readings, which have to be interpreted via the multifarious relationships between globalization, national dishes and national identity.
Cellulosic aerogels as ultra-lightweight materials. Part 2: Synthesis and properties 2nd ICC 2007, Tokyo, Japan, October 25–29, 2007
Authors: Liebner Falk , Haimer Emmerich , Potthast Antje , Loidl Dieter , Tschegg Stefanie , Neouze Marie-Alexandra , Wendland Martin , Rosenau Thomas
Published: August 2008

Ultra-lightweight cellulose aerogels can be obtained in three steps: (1) preparation of a cellulose solution in molten N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide monohydrate (NMMO·H2O) at 110–120°C and casting of the viscous mass into moulds; (2) extraction of the solidified castings with ethanol to initiate cellulose aggregation and to remove NMMO·H2O so that the fragile, fine-porous texture of cellulose II is largely retained; and (3) drying of the lyogel using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2). According to this approach, cellulosic aerogels were prepared from eight commercial cellulosic materials and pulps and analysed for selected chemical, physicochemical and mechanical parameters. The results reveal that all aerogels obtained from 3% cellulose containing NMMO·H2O melts had a largely uniform mesoporous structure with an average pore size of ∼9–12 nm, surface area of 190–310 m2 g-1, and specific density of 0.046–0.069 g cm-3, but rather low mechanical stability expressed as compressive yield strain of 2.9–5.5%. All samples showed viscoelastic behaviour, with Young's modulus ranging from ∼5 to 10 N mm-2. Doubling the cellulose content in the NMMO·H2O melt from 3% to 6% increased Young's modulus by one order of magnitude. Shrinkage of the fragile cellulose bodies during scCO2 drying was still considerable and is subject to further investigations. Influencing parameters such as scCO2 pressure, cellulose content, regenerating solvent and the number of regenerating baths were optimised.
Intentionality, communicative intentions and the implication of politeness
Authors: Ruhi Şükriye
Published: August 2008

Working within the relevance-theoretic paradigm (Sperber & Wilson 1995 [1986]), complemented with the cognitive linguistic approach (Johnson 1987; Lakoff & Johnson 1980), the paper proposes that politeness is an optional metarepresentation of an “interpersonal attitude” (Haugh 2007:91) that concerns the domain of intentionality. The paper first addresses the issue of “noticed” vs. “unnoticed” politeness with respect to utterance processing and argues that “unnoticed” (conventional) politeness can exist in interaction on the level of “background consciousness” (O'Driscoll 1996:1) and that processing of non-conventional utterances need not go through full-fledged inferential processing to achieve polite interpretations. Politeness is described as an implication that may result via the integration of the metarepresentation of (communicative) intentions and evaluative metarepresentations of the interlocutors' social acts.
SPINKL, a Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor-like protein purified from mouse seminal vesicle fluid, is able to inhibit sperm capacitation
Authors: Lin Ming-Huei , Lee Robert Kuo-Kuang , Hwu Yuh-Ming , Lu Chung-Hao , Chu Shian-Ling , Chen Ying-Jie , Chang Wei-Chao , Li Sheng-Hsiang
Published: August 2008

We report a secreted serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type-like (SPINKL) protein. The SPINKL protein was purified from mouse seminal vesicle secretions through a series of steps, including ion-exchange chromatography on a diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel column, gel filtration on a Sephadex G-75 column, and ion-exchange HPLC on a Q strong anion exchange column. Further analysis identified several SPINKL proteins with various N-linked carbohydrates. The SPINKL protein has six conserved cysteine residues that are nearly identical to those of members of the SPINK protein family. It was noted that the SPINKL protein showed no inhibitory activities against common serine proteases such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, subtilisin, or elastase. Spinkl mRNA and SPINKL proteins were found to be primarily expressed in seminal vesicles. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the SPINKL protein occurred in the luminal fluid and mucosal epithelium of the seminal vesicles and was regulated by testosterone. The SPINKL protein was able to bind onto sperm and enhance sperm motility. Also, it was able to suppress BSA-stimulated sperm capacitation and block sperm–oocyte interactions in vitro, suggesting that SPINKL may be a decapacitation factor.
The absence of corpus luteum formation alters the endocrine profile and affects follicular development during the first follicular wave in cattle
Authors: Hayashi Ken-Go , Matsui Motozumi , Shimizu Takashi , Sudo Natsuko , Sato Ayako , Shirasuna Koumei , Tetsuka Masa , Kida Katsuya , Schams Dieter , Miyamoto Akio
Published: August 2008

We previously established a bovine experimental model showing that the corpus luteum (CL) does not appear following aspiration of the preovulatory follicle before the onset of LH surge. Using this model, the present study aimed to determine the profile of follicular development and the endocrinological environment in the absence of CL with variable nadir circulating progesterone (P4) concentrations during the oestrous cycle in cattle. Luteolysis was induced in heifers and cows and they were assigned either to have the dominant follicle aspirated (CL-absent) or ovulation induced (CL-present). Ultrasound scanning to observe the diameter of each follicle and blood collection was performed from the day of follicular aspiration or ovulation and continued for 6 days. The CL-absent cattle maintained nadir circulating P4 throughout the experimental period and showed a similar diameter between the largest and second largest follicle, resulting in co-dominant follicles. Oestradiol (E2) concentrations were greater in the CL-absent cows than in the CL-present cows at day −1, day 1 and day 2 from follicular deviation. The CL-absent cows had a higher basal concentration, area under the curve (AUC), pulse amplitude and pulse frequency of LH than the CL-present cows. After follicular deviation, the CL-absent cows showed a greater basal concentration, AUC and pulse amplitude of growth hormone (GH) than the CL-present cows. These results suggest that the absence of CL accompanying nadir circulating P4 induces an enhancement of LH pulses, which involves the growth of the co-dominant follicles. Our results also suggest that circulating levels of P4 and E2 affect pulsatile GH secretion in cattle.
Melatonin-enhanced hyperactivation of hamster sperm
Authors: Fujinoki Masakatsu
Published: August 2008

The effects of melatonin on reproductive function were examined using hamster spermatozoa. When 1 pM to 1 μM melatonin was added to the mTALP medium, hyperactivation was significantly enhanced. Antagonists and agonists of the melatonin receptor (i.e., MT1 and MT2) were added to the medium. Luzindole, an MT1 and MT2 competitive antagonist, significantly inhibited melatonin-induced hyperactivation, whereas the MT2-specific antagonists, 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin and N-pentanoyl-2-benzyltryptamine, had no effect. Moreover, hyperactivation was significantly enhanced when non-specific agonists, such as 6-chloromelatonin and 2-iodomelatonin, were added to the medium. 8-Methoxy-2-propionamidotetralin, which is a strong MT2 agonist and a weak MT1 agonist, significantly increased hyperactivation, although the effect was weak. Therefore, it is likely that melatonin enhances sperm hyperactivation via the MT1 receptor.