bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermoenvironomic optimization of gas turbine cycles with air preheat
Authors: Seyyedi S M , Ajam H , Farahat S
Published: February 2011

In optimization of thermodynamic cycles, it is appropriate for the economic and environmental aspects to be considered simultaneously. The sum of the fuel and investment cost flowrates is known as thermoeconomic objective function. A new objective function, known as a thermoenvironomic objective function, is obtained by integrating the environmental impacts, which should be defined and expressed in terms of cost, and thermoeconomic objective function. The objective of this paper is to study the effect of air preheater (APH) in the thermodynamic cycles by considering environmental impacts. In order to perform this, four simple thermodynamic cycles are selected and economic and environmental aspects are optimized. All considered thermodynamic cycles produce 30 MW of electricity and two of them, which are cogeneration systems, produce 18 kg/s of saturated steam at 20 bar, too. For optimization of these cycles, a code has been developed in MATLAB based on the real coding and optimal solutions have been obtained. The results show that the existence of APH increases exergetic efficiency of the cycles and the environmental impacts cost flowrate but decreases the total cost flowrate. Also, in the cycles without APH, the optimum values of decision variables corresponding to thermoeconomic and thermoenvironomic objective functions do not change considerably, while in the cycles with APH, they change noticeably.
Flow fields and losses downstream of an ultra-highly loaded turbine cascade with bowed blades
Authors: Tan C Q , Zhang H L , Chen H S , Yamamoto A
Published: February 2011

For the first time, a systematic experimental investigation on flow fields and losses of an ultra-highly loaded turbine cascade with bowed blades has been conducted. Flow patterns, secondary flow vortices and vectors, losses, and yaw angles at the downstream outlet have been analysed based on the measurements. The results show that the flow fields downstream of the cascade are characterized by a complicated vortex structure including passage vortices (PVs), trailing edge vortices (TVs), and corner vortices (CVs). The high-loss cores at the cascade outlet roughly correspond to the high-vorticity regions. A −20° bow angle gives the optimal aerodynamic performance under the conditions of this work, but the overall improvement is not significant. Appropriate negative blade bowing weakens the PVs and TVs and prevents the meeting and mixing of the PVs at the midspan, hence improving the flow fields and reducing the overall losses. However, negative blade bowing also increases the flow separation in corner regions, and enhances the CVs and the accumulation of low-energy air flow. This partially counteracts the beneficial effects, making the overall improvement not significant. The pitch-averaged yaw angle at the outlet of the cascade varies dramatically over the whole span. Negative blade bowing can improve the uniformity of the yaw angle distribution at the outlet. On the contrary, positive blade bowing degrades the aerodynamic performance of the cascade.
Polymorphism in CYP1A1, GSTMI,GSTT1 genes and organochlorine pesticides in the etiology of hypospadias
Authors: ShekharYadav Chandra , Bajpai Minu , Kumar Vivek , Ahmed Rafat Sultana , Gupta Piyush , Banerjee Basu Dev
Published: February 2011

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and maternal endogenous estrogen may cause hypospadias, common congenital anomaly. Several organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have been reported to possess an endocrine-disrupting potential. Cytochrome P4501A1 (CYP1A1) and glutathione S-transferases (GSTM1 and GSTT1) of xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme family are involved in the metabolism of various environmental toxicants and steroidal hormones. Hence, the present study was designed to evaluate the role of CYP1A1, GSTM1, GSTT1 genes polymorphism, OCPs levels and risk of hypospadias. A total of 80 hypospadiac and 120 age-matched control boys were included. OCP levels in blood were determined using Gas Chromatograph equipped with electron capture detector (GC-ECD) and polymorphism in CYP1A1, GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes was evaluated by RFLP and multiplex PCR method. We observed significant high levels of β-hexachlorohexane (HCH), γ-HCH, and p, p′-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene ( p,p’-DDE) in the cases. CYP1A1 polymorphisms were not significantly different among cases and controls, whereas concomitant deletion of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes was significantly higher in cases as compared to controls. However, after adjusting for low birth weight and maternal occupational exposure, the results did not remain significant but odds of risk was higher (OR = 1.72, p = 0.14) among cases. In conclusion, our study suggests irrespective of genetic predisposition, higher level of some OCPs may be associated with increased risk of hypospadias.
IL-17-producing T cells in lupus nephritis
Authors: Apostolidis SA , Crispín JC , Tsokos GC
Published: February 2011

Significant evidence implicates interleukin-17 (IL-17) in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), particularly in the development of tissue damage. IL-17 production and IL-17-producing CD4+ and CD3 + CD4−CD8− cells are increased in patients with SLE. IL-17-producing cells are present in the inflamed kidney tissues from patients with lupus nephritis. In lupus-prone mice, IL-17 production appears to be involved in the expression of disease pathology and pharmacologic or genetic manipulation of its production results in suppression of the disease. It becomes obvious that the use of biologics including humanized anti-IL-17 antibodies or decoy IL-17 receptors deserve clinical consideration. Similarly, the development of drugs that suppress the production of IL-17 is in order.
Immunoadsorption (IAS) for systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Stummvoll GH
Published: February 2011

Immunoadsorption (IAS) is used as a rescue therapy in severely ill SLE patients who are refractory to conventional therapies. This extracorporeal method aims at the rapid and extensive removal of pathogenic immunocomplexes (ICs) and (auto-)antibodies (Abs). Although past data have shown short- to mid-term efficacy and biocompatibility of IAS in (renal) SLE, it is still an experimental and rather expensive procedure – and evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) is lacking. Nevertheless, IAS is successfully used in life-threatening situations because of its fast mode of action and its acceptable safety profile.
Task Force on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) and Non-criteria APS Manifestations (II): thrombocytopenia and skin manifestations
Authors: Cervera R , Tektonidou MG , Espinosa G , Cabral AR , González EB , Erkan D , Vadya S , Adrogué HE , Solomon M , Zandman-Goddard G , Shoenfeld Y
Published: February 2011

The objectives of the ‘Task Force on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) and Non-criteria APS Manifestations’ were to assess the clinical utility of the international consensus statement on classification criteria and treatment guidelines for the catastrophic APS, to identify and grade the studies that analyze the relationship between the antiphospholipid antibodies and the non-criteria APS manifestations, and to present the current evidence regarding the accuracy of these non-criteria APS manifestations for the detection of patients with APS. This article summarizes the studies analyzed on thrombocytopenia and skin manifestations, and presents the recommendations elaborated by the Task Force after this analysis.
‘Criteria’ aPL tests: Report of a Task Force and preconference workshop at the 13th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies, Galveston, Texas, April 2010
Authors: Pierangeli SS , Groot PG de , Dlott J , Favaloro E , Harris EN , Lakos G , Ortel T , Meroni PL , Otomo K , Pengo V , Tincani A , Wong R , Roubey R
Published: February 2011

Current classification criteria for definite antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) mandate the use of one or more of three positive ‘standardized’ laboratory assays to detect antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) (viz: anticardiolipin [aCL] IgG and IgM; anti-β2glycoprotein I [anti-β2GPI] antibodies IgG and IgM; and/or a lupus anticoagulant [LAC]), when at least one of the two major clinical manifestations (thrombosis or pregnancy losses) are present. Although, efforts of standardization for these ‘criteria’ aPL tests have been conducted over the last 27 years, reports of inconsistencies, inter-assay and inter-laboratory variation in the results of aCL, LAC, and anti-β2GPI, and problems with the interpretation and the clinical value of the tests still exist, which affect the consistency of the diagnosis of APS. A Task Force of scientists and pioneers in the field from different countries, subdivided in three working groups, discussed and analyzed critical questions related to ‘criteria’ aPL tests in an evidence-based manner, during the 13th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies (APLA 2010, April 13–16, 2010, Galveston, TX). These included: review of the standardization and the need for international consensus protocol for aCL and anti-β2GPI tests; the use of monoclonal and/or polyclonal standards in the calibration curve of those tests; and the need for establishment of international units of measurement for anti-β2GPI tests. The group also reviewed the recently updated guidelines for LAC testing, and analyzed and discussed the possibility of stratification of ‘criteria’ aPL tests as risk factors for APS, as well as the clinical value of single positive vs. multiple aPL positivity. The group members presented, discussed, analyzed data, updated and re-defined those critical questions at a preconference workshop that was open to congress attendees. This report summarizes the findings, conclusions, and recommendations of this Task Force.
Evidence-based recommendations for the prevention and long-term management of thrombosis in antiphospholipid antibody-positive patients: Report of a Task Force at the 13th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies
Authors: Ruiz-Irastorza G , Cuadrado MJ , Ruiz-Arruza I , Brey R , Crowther M , Derksen R , Erkan D , Krilis S , Machin S , Pengo V , Pierangeli S , Tektonidou M , Khamashta M
Published: February 2011

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is defined by the presence of thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity in combination with the persistent presence of circulating antiphospholipid antibodies: lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibodies and/or anti-β2-glycoprotein I antibodies in medium to high titers. The management of thrombosis in patients with APS is a subject of controversy. This set of recommendations is the result of an effort to produce guidelines for therapy within a group of specialist physicians in Cardiology, Neurology, Hematology, Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, with a clinical and research focus on APS.
Antiphospholipid antibodies and the brain: A consensus report
Authors: Brey RL , Muscal E , Chapman J
Published: February 2011

This report discusses the difference between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) as a predictor for first and recurrent ischemic stroke, whether or not concomitant systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) increases aPL-associated risk, and the association of aPL with other neurological manifestations. The neurological manifestations covered in this report were selected because they are among the most common, including cognitive dysfunction, headache, multiple sclerosis and seizures/epilepsy. Recommendations are made regarding further research that is needed to clarify remaining uncertainties.
A generalized p-value approach for assessing noninferiority in a three-arm trial
Authors: Gamalo Mark A , Muthukumarana Saman , Ghosh Pulak , Tiwari Ram C
Published: February 2011

The existing generalized p-value approach, from statistical literature, is applied to assess noninferiority of an experimental treatment in a three-arm clinical trial including a placebo. Two generalized test functions (GTFs) are constructed and Monte Carlo simulations are used to compute the p-value. The GTFs perform well in terms of maintaining the Type-I error probabilities, and the power of the tests are shown to increase to 1 as both the sample size and the parameter denoting the fraction of the effect of the reference drug with respect to placebo increase. The generalized confidence intervals are shown to retain the coverage probabilities. A published dataset is re-analysed using the proposed test and the results are in agreement with earlier findings.
Modelling batched Gaussian longitudinal weight data in mice subject to informative dropout
Authors: Albert Paul S , Shih Joanna H
Published: February 2011

Modelling longitudinal data subject to informative dropout is an active area in statistical research. This article focuses on modelling such longitudinal data when the outcome at each follow-up time is collected in batches rather than individually collected. The problem occurred in a study that compared the weight of mice over time between a control and a treatment group, where animal weight was measured in batches of five animals per cage. We develop both a shared parameter and a pattern mixture modelling approach for accounting for potentially informative dropout due to an animal's death. Our methodology suggests that animals receiving the treatment have a lower weight in mid-life, and have a slower decline in weight in the later period of life. Our simulations suggest that both the shared random parameter and pattern mixture modelling approaches work well under a correctly specified model. However, the pattern mixture model is more robust against model misspecification than the shared random parameter model, but the shared random parameter model parameters have a more direct interpretation than those of the pattern mixture modelling approach.
Connecting Contemporary Paradigms to the Social Security Administration’s Disability Evaluation Process
Authors: Brandt Diane E. , Houtenville Andrew J. , Huynh Minh T. , Chan Leighton , Rasch Elizabeth K.
Published: February 2011

From 1998 to 2008, the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) disability insurance program (DI) applications rose from 1.2 million to 2.3 million and exceeded 3 million in 2009. Given these large and growing numbers, even small changes in processing disability applications may reduce processing time, lower program costs, and improve performance of SSA’s disability programs. A literature review examining current conceptual models of disability and SSA’s disability evaluation process for adults was conducted. A gap exists between contemporary models of disability and how SSA defines and operationalizes disability. This is complicated by substantial variation in the timing, quantity, and quality of applicant functional information and workplace demands. A focus on impairment marginalizes more comprehensive assessment of function necessary to assess capacity for work. Novel assessment methodologies, such as computer adaptive testing to measure human functioning may hold promise for SSA’s data collection methods and disability assessment.
Song Prompts: I Had a Cat
Authors: Kenney Susan Hobson
Published: February 2011

This article discusses song prompts as a way to encourage children to sing during exploratory play. A song prompt for “I Had a Cat” is included for educators to try in their own classrooms or preschools. Educators are invited to share ideas they have used that encourage children to sing during free play.
Constructivist Perspectives for Developing and Implementing Lesson Plans in General Music
Authors: Scott Sheila J.
Published: February 2011

Stacy McKenzie is challenged to find new ways to involve students in their learning. She begins this journey by developing a lesson planning framework based on constructivist principles for learning. The perspectives Stacy applies in her program are shared in this article: First, by examining how she crafts a lesson framework that provides opportunities for students to build new understandings from what they already know through active involvement with music; and, second, by exploring how she uses questions to guide and support students’ learning and how her students use questions as a means to assume an active role in their learning. This lesson is part of a larger unit of study using the piece Simple Gifts.
Review: Freeze Concentration Technology Applied to Dairy Products
Authors: Sánchez J. , Hernández E. , Auleda J.M. , Raventós M.
Published: February 2011

Freeze concentration is a process of concentrating liquid products by freezing the water content and subsequently removing the so-formed ice crystals from the food system. In dairy processing, this technology offers the advantage of minimizing the heat abuse of sensitive milk components, such as proteins and flavors. It thus provides an opportunity for producing dairy ingredients with enhanced functional and organoleptic qualities. By freeze concentration, skim milk has been concentrated up to 40 wt% total solids (TS) and whole milk up to 44 wt% TS. Lactose and lipids are more concentrated in the ice fraction than in the concentrated fraction. Proteins (casein and whey protein) decrease the ice growth rate and the high viscosity is a limiting factor for the freeze concentration of both skim milk and whole milk. In this study, the most important studies relating to the suspension, block and layer freeze concentration of milk are summarized, analyzing results and indicating how freeze concentration process efficiency of dairy products can be improved.
Sodium Pyruvate Modulates Cell Death Pathways in HaCaT Keratinocytes Exposed to Half-Mustard Gas
Authors: Paromov Victor , Brannon Marianne , Kumari Sudha , Samala Mallikarjun , Qui Min , Smith Milton , Stone William L.
Published: February 2011

2-Chloroethyl ethyl sulfide (CEES) or half-mustard gas, a sulfur mustard (HD) analog, is a genotoxic agent that causes oxidative stress and induces both apoptotic and necrotic cell death. Sodium pyruvate induced a necrosis-to-apoptosis shift in HaCaT cells exposed to CEES levels ≤ 1.5 mmol/L and lowered markers of DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation. This study provides a rationale for the future development of multicomponent therapies for HD toxicity in the skin. We hypothesize that a combination of pyruvates with scavengers/antioxidants encapsulated in liposomes for optimal local delivery should be therapeutically beneficial against HD-induced skin injury. However, the latter suggestion should be verified in animal models exposed to HD.
Effect of optic neuritis on progressive axonal damage in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Garcia-Martin E , Pueyo V , Ara JR , Almarcegui C , Martin J , Pablo L , Dolz I , Sancho E , Fernandez FJ
Published: February 2011

Objective: The objective of this research was to study the effect of optic neuritis (ON) on axonal damage in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Specifically, we compared changes over 2 years in the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) between affected and contralateral eyes in MS patients with a prior history of ON.

Methods: Thirty-four patients with one unilateral definitive episode of ON were included and underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), scanning laser polarimetry, visual evoked potentials (VEP) and pattern electroretinogram (pERG). All patients were re-evaluated at 12 and 24 months. Parameters were compared between ON-affected and contralateral eyes in an initial exploration and over the course of the follow-up. Correlations between parameter changes were analysed.

Results: RNFL thickness and functional parameters showed more affection in ON eyes ( p ≤ 0.05), but changes in measurements during the study were similar between both groups of eyes.

Conclusions: Progressive axonal loss can be detected in the optic nerve, but ON is not a risk factor for increased chronic damage in MS patients without ophthalmic relapses. Loss of the RNFL is caused by progressive degeneration associated with the disease.
Populist leniency, crime control and due process
Authors: Jones Richard
Published: February 2011

This article identifies and discusses examples of populist calls against punishment and for leniency—a phenomenon here termed ‘populist leniency’. A penal moderate might find such populist opposition to punishment superficially appealing. However, drawing from Packer’s classic models of the criminal process, it is argued that both populist leniency and penal populism express ‘Crime Control’ values, the view that the proper role of the criminal process (and criminal justice) is to protect ‘law-abiding citizens’ from dangerous others. Since ‘Crime Control’ does not advocate any net reduction in penal power (and if anything, quite the opposite), the article asks whether Packer’s other model, ‘Due Process’, presents a more attractive potential resource for penal moderates, since this model offers a sceptical view of criminal justice, protecting individuals from unconstrained official power.
Do these prisons make me look fat?
Authors: Simon Jonathan
Published: February 2011

Various observers have raised the question of how our penal appetite relates to broader patterns of consumption in western societies. Most recently, Ian Loader (2009) has suggested that our appetite for punishment, much like our appetite for ice cream and other high-calorie foods, has been accelerated by broad cultural and policy developments and queried how we might develop strategies to moderate it. The relationship is not simply metaphorical. The prison boom and the food binge, along with the housing bubble, constitute parallel developments in advanced liberal societies. While they may all be reflections of the kind of deeper structural change in these societies often labeled ‘neo-liberalism’, I would suggest their relationships are often more direct—and that they can possibly be analytically reversed, yielding insights as to how restraint in one domain might be mobilized within another. This essay seeks to back out some ideas about moderation in punishment from emerging strategies to fight obesity.
Assessment of Safety Performance Indicators: A Case Study for the Bouri Field
Authors: ElSayed T , Leheta H , Gadar H
Published: February 2011

An assessment of the safety performance indicators on board two fixed offshore structures handling petroleum is presented in this paper. Results are based on an analysis of a database of safety activities covering a period of 3 years from 2006 to 2008. The database is compiled by the operating company of the platforms, which are located about 120 km offshore from Libya in the Bouri field. The key safety performance indicators assessed are the potential loss of life, fatal accident rate, average individual risk, lost-time injury frequency, and accident severity index (gravity index). The assessment provides important information on personnel safety performance and rates of injury occurrences on board fixed offshore platforms. The computed values for the safety indicators are then compared with acceptable standard values and with other platforms and regions to assess the current safety performance level on board the platforms. The results could be a valuable tool for improving personnel safety on board the platforms, for identifying changes over time, and for focusing efforts where improvements are needed.
Buoyancy, Stability, and Subdivision: From Archimedes to SOLAS 2009 and the Way Ahead
Authors: Francescutto A , Papanikolaou A D
Published: February 2011

In this paper the historical developments in ship buoyancy, stability, and subdivision since the milestone formulation of the basic law of buoyancy and stability by Archimedes are reviewed. Emphasis is herein placed on the development of the international regulatory framework governing intact and damage ship stability and safety over the last 23 centuries, in line with the continuous progress in the design of ships as a most efficient transportation means and the high expectations of society regarding the safety of lives of people onboard and of the marine environment. Latest regulatory developments lead to proactive risk- and performance-based stability and safety provisions on the basis of modern scientific developments, displacing more and more traditional reactive semi-empirical deterministic stability standards.
A first-principles study on the elastic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubesg
Authors: Song X , Ge Q , Yen S-C
Published: February 2011

A first-principles study is carried out to investigate the effects of structure and size on the elastic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). Ten zigzag-type and seven armchair-type SWNTs with diameters between 0.551 and 1.358nm are systematically studied. The linear elastic behaviour of the SWNTs when subjected to small deformations is studied by four virtual mechanical experiments: uniaxial strain, uniaxial stress, in-plane pure shear, and in-plane biaxial tension tests. Assuming that a SWNT should be transversely isotropic, a strain energy approach is used to calculate the Young's moduli in axial and transverse directions, major Posson's ratio, plain strain bulk, and in-plane shear moduli of the carbon nanotubes. It is found that the elastic constants are insensitive to the tube size, but show a slight dependence on the helicity. The differences in all the elastic moduli between zigzag and armchair nanotubes are within 10 per cent.
“Hubris Breeds the Tyrant”: The Anti-Politics of Hubris from Thebes to Abu Ghraib
Authors: Button Mark E.
Published: February 2011

While the morally loaded charge of “hubris” continues to echo around today’s agora, as it once did in ancient Athens, contemporary writers have rarely justified their use of this term, nor have they taken the full measure, ethically and politically speaking, of the dangers that hubris poses for democratic societies. This article aims to provide such a treatment by specifying the meaning and character of hubris and showing how hubris not only offends against the equality and moral dignity of others, but threatens the political domain more broadly by eliding plurality and undermining the conditions necessary for deliberation, good counsel, and shared political judgment.
Authenticity as a Justification for Precedent
Authors: Byrne Gavin
Published: February 2011

This article argues that Heidegger’s concept “Authenticity” can be used to provide a justification for the doctrine of precedent beyond traditional predictability and equality arguments. This justification is based on an attitude towards existence itself rather than prescriptive claims about judging. The article demonstrates that a Heideggerian description of adjudication can allay the fears of writers such as Hobbes and Holmes that adherence to precedent might impede reason or justice. It further suggests that precedent presents judges with a rare opportunity to develop their own sense of reason or justice in adjudication. Particular emphasis is placed on efforts by adjudication to capture the nature of real entities. For illustrative purposes, use is made of the concept of a “lease” in the English case Ashburn Anstalt v. Arnold.
The Micropolitics of Justice: Language, Sense and Space
Authors: Shapiro Michael J.
Published: February 2011

This article treats the micropolitics of justice. Whereas the macropolitics of justice involves the way states administer the law, an analysis of the “micropolitics” of justice focuses on the way individuals and collectives are affected by legality/illegalities, such that they participate in a culture of feelings or sensibilities and subsequently engage in discursive encounters about what is just. Because much of my concern is with the tension between formal legal justice and embodied senses of justice, I turn to philosophical approaches to space, language, and embodiment that help me to derive insights from artistic texts that stage discursive encounters between persons who embody incommensurate senses of justice. In approaching such encounters, I conceptualize and illustrate with examples, interrelationships among law, space and cultures of feeling, especially in terms of the way justice-related encounters articulate the spatial bases – boundaries and cultural enclosures – separating alternative loci of enunciation.
Things as They Are: William Godwin on Sympathy and Punishment
Authors: Higinbotham Sarah
Published: February 2011

William Godwin’s political philosophy positioned him as a key British radical during the French Revolution. And although his popularity was short-lived, his first novel, Things as They Are; or, the Adventures of Caleb Williams, was tremendously successful and influential in the 1790s. The novel illustrates how the humanities can contribute to our understanding of justice, advocating the Romantic virtue of “sympathy” to transform retributive justice to a more restorative and sustainable model, as many current sociologists promote. This article explores the intersection of three facets of the humanities and punishment: A direct engagement with Godwin’s novel Caleb Williams, its relevance to current punishment theory in America, and my own experience with sympathy and punishment in the prison system.
Strategies in the prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia
Authors: Maselli Diego J. , Restrepo Marcos I.
Published: February 2011

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a significant problem in the hospital setting, with very high morbidity, mortality, and cost. We performed an evidence-based review of the literature focusing on clinically relevant pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions to prevent VAP. Owing to the importance of this condition the implementation of preventive measures is paramount in the care of mechanically ventilated patients. There is evidence that these measures decrease the incidence of VAP and improve outcomes in the intensive care unit. A multidisciplinary approach, continued education, and ventilator protocols ensure the implementation of these measures. Future research will continue to investigate cost/benefit relationships, antibiotic resistance, as well as newer technologies to prevent contamination and aspiration in mechanically ventilated patients.
The potential for inhaled treprostinil in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Gessler Tobias , Seeger Werner , Schmehl Thomas
Published: February 2011

Inhaled treprostinil is a safe and well-tolerated approved pharmaceutical for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. In a series of open-label studies and in the pivotal trial with 253 patients, this long-acting prostacyclin analogue demonstrated pronounced pulmonary selectivity of vasodilatory effects, improved physical capacity and excellent tolerability and safety following aerosol administration. For efficient treatment, only four daily inhalations of treprostinil are necessary compared with six to nine in iloprost aerosol therapy. This review describes in detail the development of inhaled treprostinil, starting with intravenous epoprostenol followed by inhaled iloprost and subcutaneous treprostinil, all three representing well-established and widely approved prostanoid therapies for pulmonary hypertension.

In order to circumvent the drawbacks of intravenous epoprostenol, stable prostacyclin analogues with similar pharmacological properties have been investigated. In addition, alternative routes of administration have been proposed and evaluated, mainly inhaled and subcutaneous delivery. The concept of inhaled treprostinil was to combine the pulmonary selectivity of an aerosolized vasodilator with the long-acting effects of a stable prostacyclin analogue.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension remains, however, a severe, life-threatening disease, in spite of the enormous progress in specific drug therapy over the last decade. Therefore, further improvement of drug therapy will be essential, with clear potential for inhaled treprostinil: a reduction of inhalation frequency and duration would markedly improve quality of life and compliance, and a longer-lasting local prostanoid effect might further enhance the efficacy of inhaled treprostinil. The advantageous pharmacological properties of treprostinil offer the opportunity to establish a convenient metered dose inhaler as a delivery system, to combine inhaled treprostinil with available or future drugs for pulmonary arterial hypertension, or to develop sustained release formulations of treprostinil suitable for inhalation based on liposomes or biodegradable nanoparticles.
A new correlation for slip factor in radial and mixed-flow impellers
Authors: Ji C , Zou J , Ruan X D , Dario P , Fu X
Published: February 2011

The slip phenomenon will result in a deviation of the theoretical head; thus, it is usually considered as an important factor in the design process of turbomachines (compressor, pump, or turbine). A new correlation for the slip factor in radial and mixed-flow impellers is developed in this study, which is derived on the basis of the Euler equation in turbomachinery and relative eddy theory. It is a function of flow coefficient besides geometric parameters, enabling it to predict the varying trend of slip factor with flowrate accurately, and is applied to several cases for validation.
Ultrasonic measurement of railway wheel hub–axle press-fit contact pressures
Authors: Marshall M B , Lewis R , Dwyer-Joyce R S , Demilly F , Flament Y
Published: February 2011

Railway wheels are secured onto the axle by means of an interference fit. The wheel is either shrink fitted or press fitted onto a pre-lubricated axle, and the resulting interference fit induces a contact pressure at the interface. Occasionally railway axles fail by fatigue, with the initiation point for the failure frequently traced to the interference fit. In this study, the reflection of ultrasound was used to determine contact conditions in the interference fit. It is a non-intrusive technique preserving the mechanics of the contact. The concept is simple; an acoustic wave bounces back from an incomplete interface. The higher the contact load, the more conformal the contact and hence more of the wave will be transmitted. A spring model is used to determine maps of contact stiffness from ultrasonic reflection data. A calibration procedure is then used to determine the pressure. Two types of wheelsets were used for the measurements, both with a hollow axle that was used as an access point for the ultrasonic transducer. The wheels differed in the design of their web sections. Variations were detected in the determined interface pressure profiles, due to both surface roughness effects and discontinuities in the fit geometry. When comparing the two fits, it was found that material removal from the web of the wheel in the second fit reduced the interface pressure distribution.
Atmospheric Planetary Probes and Balloons in the Solar System
Authors: Coustenis A , Atkinson D , Balint T , Beauchamp P , Atreya S , Lebreton J-P , Lunine J , Matson D , Erd C , Reh K , Spilker T R , Elliott J , Hall J , Strange N
Published: February 2011

A primary motivation for in situ probe and balloon missions in the solar system is to progressively constrain models of its origin and evolution. Specifically, understanding the origin and evolution of multiple planetary atmospheres within our solar system would provide a basis for comparative studies that lead to a better understanding of the origin and evolution of our own solar system as well as extra-solar planetary systems. Hereafter, the authors discuss in situ exploration science drivers, mission architectures, and technologies associated with probes at Venus, the giant planets and Titan.
Design of a ‘driven cylinder’ viscometer for bone cement rheological characterization
Authors: Carnelli D , Bianchi E , Villa T , Galbusera F , Pennati G
Published: February 2011

The long-term success of surgical applications requiring bone cement is strongly influenced by the cement’s rheological properties. Previous studies showed a clear non-Newtonian, pseudoplastic, time-dependent rheological behaviour of acrylic bone cement during the working time. However, the particular nature of this material raises issues about its rheological characterization: the aim of this paper is to develop a new device, called ‘driven cylinder’ viscometer, able to accomplish the rheological characterization of acrylic bone cement. Three different fluids were tested by using the ‘driven cylinder’ viscometer: (a) liquid soap, (b) low-viscosity bone cement, and (c) vertebroplasty bone cement. For the sake of comparison, the rheological behaviour of the fluids (a) and (b) was also evaluated using traditional viscometers. The developed device allowed evaluation of the constitutive rheological parameters for non-Newtonian, power-law fluids. Independent evaluation of the viscosity of liquid soap and low-viscosity bone cement carried out by means of parallel-plate rotational rheometers showed a good agreement with the trends obtained by the ‘driven cylinder’ viscometer. The device versatility suggests its application for a complete description of pseudoplastic and time-dependent rheological properties of acrylic bone cements, which is a mandatory step for virtual tools of cement-based surgical procedures.
The Effect of Demonstrator Gender on Wind Instrument Preferences of Kindergarten, Third-Grade, and Fifth-Grade Students
Authors: Killian Janice N. , Satrom Shauna L.
Published: February 2011

This study examined possible influences of demonstrator gender on children’s instrument choices. Participants ( N = 104) included boys ( n = 53) and girls ( n = 51) in fifth grade ( n = 27), third grade ( n = 41), and kindergarten ( n = 36) in six intact music classes from a single elementary school. Pretest and posttest consisted of circling (Grades 3 and 5) or placing a sticker on (kindergarten) the instrument “you most want to play” from a picture containing flute, clarinet, alto saxophone, trumpet, trombone, and tuba. Treatment consisted of intact classes viewing a live demonstration of all six instruments performed by either all male or all female university music majors. Results indicated that boys who viewed male demonstrators chose more brass instruments, whereas girls who viewed female demonstrators chose more woodwind instruments, although these differences were not statistically significant. Both boys and girls who saw opposite-gender demonstrators picked brass and woodwind in nearly equal numbers.
Students’ Motivations for Considering a Career in Music Performance
Authors: Parkes Kelly A. , Jones Brett D.
Published: February 2011

The purpose of this study was to explore the reasons why undergraduate music majors pursue a career in music performance. The authors surveyed music majors at seven institutions and asked them about the main reasons as to why they were considering a career in music performance. Participant responses yielded qualitative data that the authors coded, through a grounded theory approach, into the following four themes: enjoyment, ability, usefulness, and identity. That is, students reported that they enjoyed playing music, they had the ability to succeed, they believed that music performance was useful, and they viewed themselves as musicians. The authors examine these results through the lens of three psychological constructs (i.e., affect, expectancy, and value). To better understand the implications for best practice in music career education, the authors compare the results of the present study with the results of prior studies investigating the reasons why music majors choose a career in music education.
Application of dual affinity retargeting molecules to achieve optimal redirected T-cell killing of B-cell lymphoma
Authors: Moore Paul A. , Zhang Wenjun , Rainey G. Jonah , Burke Steve , Li Hua , Huang Ling , Gorlatov Sergey , Veri Maria Concetta , Aggarwal Sudeepta , Yang Yinhua , Shah Kalpana , Jin Linda , Zhang Sunan , He Leilei , Zhang Tengfei , Ciccarone Valentina , Koenig Scott , Bonvini Ezio , Johnson Syd
Published: February 2011

We describe the application of a novel, bispecific antibody platform termed dual affinity retargeting (DART) to eradicate B-cell lymphoma through coengagement of the B cell–specific antigen CD19 and the TCR/CD3 complex on effector T cells. Comparison with a single-chain, bispecific antibody bearing identical CD19 and CD3 antibody Fv sequences revealed DART molecules to be more potent in directing B-cell lysis. The enhanced activity with the CD19xCD3 DART molecules was observed on all CD19-expressing target B cells evaluated using resting and prestimulated human PBMCs or purified effector T-cell populations. Characterization of a CD19xTCR bispecific DART molecule revealed equivalent potency with the CD19xCD3 DART molecule, demonstrating flexibility of the DART structure to support T-cell/B-cell associations for redirected T cell–killing applications. The enhanced level of killing mediated by DART molecules was not accompanied by any increase in nonspecific T-cell activation or lysis of CD19− cells. Cell-association studies indicated that the DART architecture is well suited for maintaining cell-to-cell contact, apparently contributing to the high level of target cell killing. Finally, the ability of the CD19xTCR DART to inhibit B-cell lymphoma in NOD/SCID mice when coadministered with human PBMCs supports further evaluation of DART molecules for the treatment of B-cell malignancies.
Deletion of cIAP1 and cIAP2 in murine B lymphocytes constitutively activates cell survival pathways and inactivates the germinal center response
Authors: Gardam Sandra , Turner Vivian M. , Anderton Holly , Limaye Sandhya , Basten Antony , Koentgen Frank , Vaux David L. , Silke John , Brink Robert
Published: February 2011

B cells require signals delivered through B-cell activating factor of the TNF family receptor (BAFF-R) and CD40 to survive and produce antibody responses in vivo. In vitro data indicate that these signals are controlled by the homologous RING finger proteins cIAP1 and cIAP2, in collaboration with TRAF2 and TRAF3. There is also mounting evidence that all 4 of these signaling molecules can act as tumor suppressors in human B-lineage malignancies. However, it has not been possible to identify the roles of cIAP1 and cIAP2 in controlling B-cell physiology because of the absence of an appropriate in vivo model. Here we describe a unique genetically modified mouse in which the linked cIap1 and cIap2 genes can be independently inactivated. Deletion of cIAP1 plus cIAP2 (but not either protein alone) rendered primary B cells independent of BAFF-R for their survival and led to their uncontrolled accumulation in vivo. B cells deficient in cIAP1 and cIAP2 were also incapable of forming germinal centers, a key step in antibody-mediated immunity. These data define a fundamental role for cIAP1/cIAP2 in regulating B-cell survival and responsiveness, show this requires direct binding to TRAF2, and suggest how mutations of TRAF2, TRAF3, and cIAP1/cIAP2 contribute to B-lineage malignancies, such as multiple myeloma.
Molecular identification of an MHC-independent ligand recognized by a human α/β T-cell receptor
Authors: Hanada Ken-ichi , Wang Qiong J. , Inozume Takashi , Yang James C.
Published: February 2011

During an analysis of T-cell responses against human renal cell carcinoma (RCC), we identified a CD4+ T-cell line that showed TCR-mediated recognition and lysis of nearly all RCC lines regardless of MHC type. We have now elucidated the nature of the ligand for this α/β TCR, and it contains no MHC-related moiety and does not involve classic peptide processing. First, matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) expressed on RCC cells releases membrane-bound TRAIL expressed by the T cell; then, soluble TRAIL binds to its receptor DR4 (TRAIL-R1), which is expressed on tumor cells, and this TRAIL-DR4 complex is recognized by the TCR through a complementarity-determining region 3α (CDR3α)–mediated interaction. Direct and specific antigen-TCR interaction was demonstrated when the immobilized recombinant TRAIL/DR4 complex stimulated the TCR. In addition, amino acid substitutions in the CDR3α of the TCR either obliterated or enhanced target-specific recognition. This description of the molecular nature of a non-MHC target structure recognized by a naturally occurring α/β TCR not only broadens our concept of what the TCR can recognize, but also raises the question of whether such a T cell could be of clinical utility against RCC.
Viral induction and targeted inhibition of galectin-1 in EBV+ posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders
Authors: Ouyang Jing , Juszczynski Przemyslaw , Rodig Scott J. , Green Michael R. , O'Donnell Evan , Currie Treeve , Armant Myriam , Takeyama Kunihiko , Monti Stefano , Rabinovich Gabriel A. , Ritz Jerome , Kutok Jeffery L. , Shipp Margaret A.
Published: February 2011

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are potentially fatal, EBV-driven B-cell malignancies that develop in immunocompromised solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell recipients. In PTLD, the expression of EBV proteins, including latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) and LMP2A, viral immune evasion strategies, and impaired host immune surveillance foster the proliferation of EBV-transformed B cells. Current PTLD treatment strategies include reduction of immunosuppression, which increases the risk of graft rejection, anti-CD20 treatment, combination chemotherapy, and administration of EBV-specific cytotoxic T cells. In the present study, we report that EBV-transformed lymphoblastoid B-cell lines (LCLs) and primary PTLDs overexpress galectin-1 (Gal1), a carbohydrate-binding lectin that induces tolerogenic dendritic cells and triggers the selective apoptosis of CD4+ Th1 and Th17 cells and cytotoxic T cells. In transcriptional reporter assays, LMP2A and LMP1 each increased Gal1-driven luciferase expression, and the combination of LMP2A and LMP1 was additive. In addition, small interfering RNA (siRNA)–mediated depletion of LMP2A decreased Gal1 protein abundance in EBV-transformed LCLs. Gal1 expression in LCLs was dependent on both activating protein 1 (AP-1) and PI3K. A newly developed neutralizing Gal1 mAb selectively inhibited Gal1-mediated apoptosis of EBV-specific CD8+ T cells. Given the tolerogenic and immunosuppressive function of Gal1, antibody-mediated Gal1 neutralization may represent a novel immunotherapeutic strategy for PTLD and other Gal1-expressing tumors.
A replication analysis of foot-and-mouth disease virus in swine lymphoid tissue might indicate a putative carrier stage in pigs
Authors: Rodríguez-Calvo Teresa , Segundo Fayna Díaz-San , Sanz-Ramos Marta , Sevilla Noemí
Published: February 2011

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMVD), one of the most contagious viruses of cloven-hoofed animals, may cause a prolonged, asymptomatic but persistent infection in ruminants, named the "carrier state". However, it remains an open question whether this carrier state occurs in pigs. Here we present quantitative analyses of the duration of FMDV RNA and infectivity in lymphoid and epithelial tissues in experimentally infected pigs with FMDV C-S8c1. The data indicated that although FMDV RNA remained in blood until day 14 post-infection (pi), viremia was cleared by day 7 pi. However, all tissues tested were positive for FMDV until day 14-17 pi. Interestingly, the specific infectivity of FMDV in these tissues was in some cases even higher than the FMDV C-S8c1. We therefore propose that a "pseudopersistent state" may occur in pigs in which virus replicates in lymphoid tissues for a prolonged period of time, thereby representing a potential source of virus.