bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Renal function is independently associated with red cell distribution width in kidney transplant recipients: a potential new auxiliary parameter for the clinical evaluation of patients with chronic kidney disease
Authors: Ujszaszi Akos , Molnar Miklos Z. , Czira Maria E. , Novak Marta , Mucsi Istvan
Published: March 2013

Red cell distribution width (RDW), a measure of heterogeneity in the size of circulating erythrocytes, reportedly predicts mortality. Similarly to RDW, impaired renal function is also associated with inflammation and protein‐energy wasting. This study assessed if renal function is associated with RDW independent of relevant confounders in stable kidney transplant recipients. We examined the association between RDW and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in a cohort of 723 prevalent kidney transplanted recipients who were not receiving erythropoietin‐stimulating agents. Associations were examined in regression models adjusted for age, sex, comorbidity, blood haemoglobin, iron indices, markers of nutritional status and inflammation, markers of bone and mineral metabolism and the use of immune suppressants. Lower eGFR was significantly associated with higher RDW (r = −0·382, P < 0·001). This association remained highly significant even after multivariate adjustments where 10 ml/min decrease in the eGFR was significantly associated with an increase of the RDW values (B10 ml/min decrease =  0·078; 95% confidence interval: 0·044–0·111). The results were consistent in subgroups of patients with different levels of haemoglobin, chronic kidney disease status and various markers of inflammation and iron status. Lower eGFR is associated with higher RDW, independent of comorbidity, iron deficiency, inflammation and nutritional status in kidney transplant recipients.
Modulation of the conformational state of the SV2A protein by an allosteric mechanism as evidenced by ligand binding assays
Authors: Daniels V , Wood M , Leclercq K , Kaminski R M , Gillard M
Published: March 2013

Background and Purpose

Synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A) is the specific binding site of the anti‐epileptic drug levetiracetam (LEV) and its higher affinity analogue UCB30889. Moreover, the protein has been well validated as a target for anticonvulsant therapy. Here, we report the identification of UCB1244283 acting as a SV2A positive allosteric modulator of UCB30889.

Experimental Approach

UCB1244283 was characterized in vitro using radioligand binding assays with [3H]UCB30889 on recombinant SV2A expressed in HEK cells and on rat cortex. In vivo, the compound was tested in sound‐sensitive mice.

Key Results

Saturation binding experiments in the presence of UCB1244283 demonstrated a fivefold increase in the affinity of [3H]UCB30889 for human recombinant SV2A, combined with a twofold increase of the total number of binding sites. Similar results were obtained on rat cortex. In competition binding experiments, UCB1244283 potentiated the affinity of UCB30889 while the affinity of LEV remained unchanged. UCB1244283 significantly slowed down both the association and dissociation kinetics of [3H]UCB30889. Following i.c.v. administration in sound‐sensitive mice, UCB1244283 showed a clear protective effect against both tonic and clonic convulsions.

Conclusions and Implications

These results indicate that UCB1244283 can modulate the conformation of SV2A, thereby inducing a higher affinity state for UCB30889. Our results also suggest that the conformation of SV2A per se might be an important determinant of its functioning, especially during epileptic seizures. Therefore, agents that act on the conformation of SV2A might hold great potential in the search for new SV2A‐based anticonvulsant therapies.
The effects of patient characteristics and geographical region on hospitalization in patients with Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Zaman M. J. , Patel A. , Chalmers J. , Woodward M. , Clarke P. , Li Q. , Zoungas S.
Published: March 2013

Aims

The ADVANCE trial recruited participants from 20 countries worldwide. We analyse here regional variations and causes of hospitalization for people with Type 2 diabetes from Asia, Established Market Economies and Eastern Europe.

Methods

A cohort analysis examining the effects of region on causes of first hospitalization, and the association of participant characteristics on all‐cause first hospitalization across regions, using multivariable (adjusted for clinical, physiological, behavioural and socio‐demographic factors) Cox models.

Results

Of 11 140 individuals (6407 men), all‐cause hospitalization rates were highest in Established Market Economies, followed by Eastern Europe then Asia. Eastern Europe had rates of hospitalization for diabetic causes four times greater than Established Market Economies [multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio 4.02 (95% CI 2.86–5.63)]. There were no significant regional variations in hospitalization rates for cardiovascular disease (P = 0.534), but much lower rates for musculoskeletal and non‐specific causes in Eastern Europe [multivariable‐adjusted hazard ratio 0.44 (95% CI 0.32–0.60) and 0.19 (95% CI 0.12–0.29)] and Asia [hazard ratio 0.21 (95% CI 0.16–0.29) and 0.09 (95% CI 0.06–0.14)] compared with Established Market Economies. In all regions, participants hospitalized for any cause were more likely to be older, male, hypertensive, smokers, have higher glycated haemoglobin and a history of macrovascular or macrovascular disease.

Conclusions

Across three markedly different regions of the world, regional rates and causes of hospitalization varied widely in patients with Type 2 diabetes. Adjustment for a range of patient characteristics did not explain these regional differences in hospitalization, which appear to be attributable to health system factors.
Screening for obstructive sleep apnoea in obesity and diabetes – potential for future approaches
Authors: Seetho Ian W. , Wilding John P.H.
Published: March 2013

Background

It is recognised that sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB), in particular, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with obesity and diabetes. The complications of OSA include dysregulation of metabolic and cardiovascular homeostasis. With the growing population of diabetes and obesity globally, it is becoming apparent that identifying and screening patients who are at risk is becoming increasingly crucial. Many patients may remain unaware of the potential diagnosis and continue to be undiagnosed. The high prevalence of OSA poses a demanding challenge to healthcare providers in order to provide sufficient resources and facilities for patient diagnosis and treatment.

Design

In this article, we review the evidence in favour of screening populations deemed to be at increased risk of OSA, with particular reference to patients with obesity and diabetes. We consider the recent advances in potential screening methods that may allow new prognostic and predictive tools to be developed. A detailed search of Medline and Web of Science electronic databases for relevant articles in English was performed.

Results

Apart from the use of screening tools such as questionnaires and clinical decision models, there is increasing evidence to suggest that there are differences in biological parameters in patients with OSA. Although further studies are required, there may be potential for such biomarkers to contribute to and augment the screening process. However, the significance of such biological tools remains to be elucidated.

Conclusions

A fundamental role for improved screening in patients with conditions such as obesity and diabetes can enable early interventions that may improve health outcomes relating to the adverse consequences of OSA. The future will see further research being carried out in the development of potential screening methods with emphasis on the selection of patients at risk of sleep disorders, thereby allowing more detailed physiological studies to be carried out where needed.
Survival and growth of European eels stocked as glass‐ and farm‐sourced eels in five lakes in the first years after stocking
Authors: Simon Janek , Dörner Hendrik
Published: March 2013

European eels Anguilla anguilla stocked as wild‐sourced glass eels showed a better overall performance of growth and survival compared with farm‐sourced eels after stocking in five isolated lakes within a 7‐year study period. Eels stocked as farm eels lost their initial size advantage over eels stocked as glass eels within 3–5 years after stocking. Population sizes estimated for consecutive stocking batches indicated that 8–17% of eels stocked as farm eels survived 3–6 years after stocking compared with 5–45% of eels stocked as glass eels. This study coupled with results of previous studies suggests that stocking of farm eels may have no advantage in growth and survival compared with stocking of glass eels if stocking occurs at an optimal time in spring. In addition, the use of relatively expensive farm eels may provide no general advantage over stocking of glass eels. However, if glass eels are only available for stocking purposes very early in the year, lower survival rates than obtained in the present study can be assumed and stocking with relatively more expensive farm eels could possibly be a better option.
Social IT outsourcing and development: theorising the linkage
Authors: Madon Shirin , Sharanappa Sandesh
Published: March 2013

In recent years, a growing number of social enterprises have focused their attention on harnessing the benefits of trade in software by involving underprivileged communities from developing countries in the production of information technology (IT). The goal of this type of activity, known as social IT outsourcing, is not only to provide employment and income to low‐income individuals but also to address wider development priorities within the locality. This paper focuses on strengthening our understanding of social IT outsourcing as a promoter of development. Based on research in Jharkhand, eastern India, we seek to understand how social IT outsourcing activity is interpreted from the perspective of employees who provide data services for the market and from the perspective of the social enterprise that balances its market orientation with its social development goals. Our findings generate new insights into the mechanisms at play through which social IT outsourcing is able to provide a variety of developmental advantages to rural poor communities leading to policy implications for governments and development agencies.
Coping with the unemployment crisis in Europe
Authors: Sarfati Hedva
Published: March 2013

Since the 1970s, Europe has been plagued by a chronic unemployment crisis, which has escalated with the current Great Recession. The author discusses a number of relevant elements in this regard, including the extent to which social dialogue and social pacts have been successful in reforming labour markets and pension systems, the effect of active labour market policies and the characteristics of “resilient” economies. She concludes with the need to rethink social dialogue, social safety nets, the granting of loans – especially to SMEs – and the coordination of macroeconomic policies to increase labour demand.
The European Union at the Horn of Africa: The Contribution of Critical Geopolitics to Piracy Studies
Authors: Germond Basil
Published: March 2013

Critical geopolitics highlights the construction of threats, space and identities along an inside‐outside line, and the subsequent normalization of the practice of power projection beyond one’s own external boundary so as to obtain security within. When applied to the EU’s response to piracy at the Horn of Africa, this approach allows understanding the role of geographical representations and the subsequent normalization of power projection activities as a response to piracy. Ultimately, this article demonstrates that the EU’s geopolitical discourse and power projection activities transcend the somewhat benign image given by the Union as a civilian or normative power, although geopolitical interests and global governance principles are not incompatible.
Limited plasticity in the phenotypic variance‐covariance matrix for male advertisement calls in the black field cricket,Teleogryllus commodus
Authors: Pitchers W. R. , Brooks R. , Jennions M. D. , Tregenza T. , Dworkin I. , Hunt J.
Published: March 2013

Phenotypic integration and plasticity are central to our understanding of how complex phenotypic traits evolve. Evolutionary change in complex quantitative traits can be predicted using the multivariate breeders’ equation, but such predictions are only accurate if the matrices involved are stable over evolutionary time. Recent study, however, suggests that these matrices are temporally plastic, spatially variable and themselves evolvable. The data available on phenotypic variance‐covariance matrix (P) stability are sparse, and largely focused on morphological traits. Here, we comparedPfor the structure of the complex sexual advertisement call of six divergent allopatric populations of the Australian black field cricket,Teleogryllus commodus. We measured a subset of calls from wild‐caught crickets from each of the populations and then a second subset after rearing crickets under common‐garden conditions for three generations. In a second experiment, crickets from each population were reared in the laboratory on high‐ and low‐nutrient diets and their calls recorded. In both experiments, we estimatedPfor call traits and used multiple methods to compare them statistically (Flury hierarchy, geometric subspace comparisons and random skewers). Despite considerable variation in means and variances of individual call traits, the structure ofPwas largely conserved among populations, across generations and between our rearing diets. Our finding thatPremains largely stable, among populations and between environmental conditions, suggests that selection has preserved the structure of call traits in order that they can function as an integrated unit.
Microsatellite and single‐nucleotide polymorphisms indicate recurrent transitions to asexuality in a microsporidian parasite
Authors: Haag K. L. , Sheikh‐Jabbari E. , Ben‐Ami F. , Ebert D.
Published: March 2013

Assessing the mode of reproduction of microparasites remains a difficult task because direct evidence for sexual processes is often absent and the biological covariates of sex and asex are poorly known. Species with geographically divergent modes of reproduction offer the possibility to explore some of these covariates, for example, the influence of life‐history traits, mode of transmission and life‐cycle complexity. Here, we present a phylogeographical study of a microsporidian parasite, which allows us to relate population genetic structure and mode of reproduction to its geographically diverged life histories. We show that in microsporidians from the genus Hamiltosporidium, that use the cladoceran Daphnia as host, an epidemic population structure has evolved, most probably since the last Ice Age. We partially sequenced three housekeeping genes (alpha tubulin, beta tubulin and hsp70) and genotyped seven microsatellite loci in 51 Hamiltosporidium isolates sampled within Europe and the Middle East. We found two phylogenetically related asexual parasite lines, one each from Fennoscandia and Israel, which share the unique ability of being transmitted both vertically and horizontally from Daphnia to Daphnia. The sexual forms cannot transmit horizontally among Daphnia, but presumably have a complex life cycle with a second host species. In spite of the similarities between the two asexual lineages, a clustering analysis based on microsatellite polymorphisms shows that asexual Fennoscandian parasites do not share ancestry with any other Hamiltosporidium that we have sampled. Moreover, allele sequence divergence at the hsp70 locus is twice as large in Fennoscandian than in Israeli parasites. Our results indicate that asexual reproduction evolved twice independently, first in Fennoscandian and more recently in the Israeli parasites. We conclude that the independent origin of asexuality in these two populations is associated with the altered parasite mode of transmission and the underlying dynamics of host populations.
Biodiversity and Molecular Phylogeny of Australian Clevelandella Species (Class Armophorea, Order Clevelandellida, Family Clevelandellidae), Intestinal Endosymbiotic Ciliates in the Wood‐Feeding Roach Panesthia cribrata Saussure, 1864
Authors: Lynn Denis H. , Wright André‐Denis G.
Published: March 2013

There are over 100 species in the Order Clevelandellida distributed in many hosts. The majority is assigned to one of the five families, the Nyctotheridae. Our knowledge of clevelandellid genetic diversity is limited to species of Nyctotherus and Nyctotheroides. To increase our understanding of clevelandellid genetic diversity, species were isolated from intestines of the Australian wood‐feeding roach Panesthia cribrata Saussure, 1864 from August to October, 2008. Four morphospecies, similar to those reported in Java and Japan by Kidder [Parasitologica, 29:163–205], were identified: Clevelandella constricta, Clevelandella nipponensis, Clevelandella parapanesthiae, and Clevelandella panesthiae. Small subunit rRNA gene sequences assigned all species to a “family” clade that was sister to the clade of species assigned to the Family Nyctotheridae in the Order Clevelandellida. Genetics and morphology were consistent for the first three Clevelandella species, but isolates assigned to C. panesthiae were assignable to three different genotypes, suggesting that this may be a cryptic species complex.
Family needs and involvement in the intensive care unit: a literature review
Authors: Al‐Mutair Abbas Saleh , Plummer Virginia , O'Brien Anthony , Clerehan Rosemary
Published: March 2013

Aims and objectives

To understand the needs of critically ill patient families', seeking to meet those needs and explore the process and patterns of involving family members during routine care and resuscitation and other invasive procedures.

Methods

A structured literature review using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Pubmed, Proquest, Google scholar, Meditext database and a hand search of critical care journals via identified search terms for relevant articles published between 2000 and 2010.

Results

Thirty studies were included in the review either undertaken in the Intensive Care Unit or conducted with critical care staff using different methods of inquiry. The studies were related to family needs; family involvement in routine care; and family involvement during resuscitation and other invasive procedures. The studies revealed that family members ranked both the need for assurance and the need for information as the most important. They also perceived their important needs as being unmet, and identified the nurses as the best staff to meet these needs, followed by the doctors. The studies demonstrate that both family members and healthcare providers have positive attitudes towards family involvement in routine care. However, family members and healthcare providers had significantly different views of family involvement during resuscitation and other invasive procedures.

Conclusion

Meeting Intensive Care Unit family needs can be achieved by supporting and involving families in the care of the critically ill family member. More emphasis should be placed on identifying the family needs in relation to the influence of cultural values and religion held by the family members and the organisational climate and culture of the working area in the Intensive Care Unit.
The Vestan cataclysm: Impact‐melt clasts in howardites and the bombardment history of 4 Vesta
Authors: Cohen Barbara A.
Published: March 2013

Crystalline impact‐melt samples were created in high‐temperature environments by relatively large craters and, as such, give additional constraints on the nature of the impacts that created them. This article provides new40Ar‐39Ar ages of impact‐melt clasts in howardites and shows that these clasts formed on theHEDparent body, 4 Vesta, within the time period 3.3–3.8 Ga. Rather than resulting from an increased number of impacts, however, impact‐melted material in howardites may result from unusually high‐velocity impacts occurring in the asteroid belt during this period. This scenario is similar to the late heavy bombardment of the Moon, pointing to an unusual dynamical event at this time across the inner solar system. Therefore, impact‐melt rocks in howardites uniquely record a Vestan cataclysm.
Putrescine catabolism is a metabolic response to several stresses in Escherichia coli
Authors: Schneider Barbara L. , Hernandez V. James , Reitzer Larry
Published: March 2013

Genes whose products degrade arginine and ornithine, precursors of putrescine synthesis, are activated by either regulators of the nitrogen‐regulated (Ntr) response or σS‐RNA polymerase. To determine if dual control regulates a complete putrescine catabolic pathway, we examined expression of patA and patD, which specify the first two enzymes of one putrescine catabolic pathway. Assays of PatA (putrescine transaminase) activity and β‐galactosidase from cells with patA–lacZ transcriptional and translational fusions indicate dual control of patA transcription and putrescine‐stimulated patA translation. Similar assays for PatD indicate that patD transcription required σS‐RNA polymerase, and Nac, an Ntr regulator, enhanced the σS‐dependent transcription. Since Nac activation via σS‐RNA polymerase is without precedent, transcription with purified components was examined and the results confirmed this conclusion. This result indicates that the Ntr regulon can intrude into the σS regulon. Strains lacking both polyamine catabolic pathways have defective responses to oxidative stress, high temperature and a sublethal concentration of an antibiotic. These defects and the σS‐dependent expression indicate that polyamine catabolism is a core metabolic response to stress.
POLICY ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SERVICE MOTIVATION
Authors: ANDERFUHREN‐BIGET SIMON , VARONE FRÉDÉRIC , GIAUQUE DAVID
Published: March 2013

This article analyzes whether and to what extent the policy environment of civil servants has an impact on their level of Public Service Motivation (PSM). It hypothesizes that public employees working in different policy domains and stages of the policy cycle are diversely motivated by fourPSMorientations (Compassion, Commitment to the public interest, Self‐sacrifice and Attraction to politics). The empirical results are based on a survey of 6885 Swiss civil servants. They show that those in charge of Welfare State policies are inclined to have higher levels of ‘Compassion’, whereas those performing core state functions report lower levels. Furthermore, employees whose main tasks are related to policy formulation display high levels of the ‘Attraction to politics’ dimension ofPSM. This study questions the generalization of previous findings onPSMthat are based on heterogeneous survey populations.
A novel dominant selectable system for the selection of transgenic plants under in vitro and greenhouse conditions based on phosphite metabolism
Authors: López‐Arredondo Damar L. , Herrera‐Estrella Luis
Published: March 2013

Antibiotic and herbicide resistance genes are currently the most frequently used selectable marker genes for plant research and crop development. However, the use of antibiotics and herbicides must be carefully controlled because the degree of susceptibility to these compounds varies widely among plant species and because they can also affect plant regeneration. Therefore, new selectable marker systems that are effective for a broad range of plant species are still needed. Here, we report a simple and inexpensive system based on providing transgenic plant cells the capacity to convert a nonmetabolizable compound (phosphite, Phi) into an essential nutrient for cell growth (phosphate) trough the expression of a bacterial gene encoding a phosphite oxidoreductase (PTXD). This system is effective for the selection of Arabidopsis transgenic plants by germinating T0 seeds directly on media supplemented with Phi and to select transgenic tobacco shoots from cocultivated leaf disc explants using nutrient media supplemented with Phi as both a source of phosphorus and selective agent. Because the ptxD/Phi system also allows the establishment of large‐scale screening systems under greenhouse conditions completely eliminating false transformation events, it should facilitate the development of novel plant transformation methods.
XXIInd International Congress of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Authors: Newby Paul R. T. , Buckley Simon J. , Dowman Ian J. , Drummond Jane E. , Holland David A. , Lavender Samantha J. , Miller Pauline E. , Muller Jan‐Peter , Pfeifer Norbert , Polidori Laurent , Rekha Bhanu , Sima Aleksandra A. , Zielinski Rafal T.
Published: March 2013

The XXIInd International Congress of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, Victoria, Australia, from 25th August to 1st September 2012. Reports are given on the Congress as a whole, including the General Assembly, Plenary and Special sessions, some Technical Commission activities and the Congress Exhibition. Papers from the Congress are published in Volume XXXIX of the International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences and Volume I of the new ISPRS Annals of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences.
Ecological restoration of reclaimed wastewater lakes using submerged plants and zooplankton
Authors: Li Kejun , He Wenhui , Hu Qian , Gao Song
Published: March 2013

High‐pollutant concentrations have led to the breakout of planktonic bloom and the breakdown of the ecosystem in many lakes in China and other countries. The removal of the organic and inorganic pollutants from industrial, agricultural and domestic wastewater and the restoration of the aquatic ecosystem of the polluted water bodies are persistent issues. Constructed wetlands are often used, and most depend on emerged plants. In this study, Daphnia magna, a type of zooplankton, and five species of submerged plants were used to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from reclaimed domestic wastewater in four scenery lakes of a garden in Peking, China. Water quality was assessed by the local environmental inspection station as the government inspection and a commercial company as the third party inspection, and the gathered data proved that ecological restoration was successful in this study.
Investigating hydrologic alterations for wetland systems in terms of river environmental flows
Authors: Gül Ali , Onuşluel Gül Gülay , Dikmen A. Çağatay , Kuzucu Ayşegül
Published: March 2013

Turkey's wetlands that represent a very diverse set of ecosystems are subject to considerable risks of biodiversity loss arising from the changes in their hydrology. Maintaining the full spectrum of naturally occurring flows in many rivers is almost impossible inTurkey's economically competing watersheds. Environmental flow assessments may still represent a compromise between water resources development and river ecology maintenance. In the presented study, changes in the water regimes observed in the period 1960–2000 are investigated together with concurrent ecological conditions for over 35 wetlands belonging to different ecological regions. The results, which are presented with indicator‐based risk figures to potentially correlate biodiversity loss to decreases in environmental flows in course of time, broadly indicate that substantial risks are estimated inTurkey in terms of environmental flows for wetland systems. Few exceptions appear in the north‐east in accordance with the recent climate change predictions indicating precipitation increase trends in the region.
Coupled Thermomechanical Modeling of Small Volume FCC Metals
Authors: Faghihi Danial , Voyiadjis George Z. , Park Taehyo
Published: March 2013

The mechanical and thermal behavior of small volume metallic compounds on the fast transient time are addressed in this work through developing a thermodynamically consistent nonlocal framework. In this regard, an enhanced gradient plasticity theory is coupled with the application of the micromorphic approach to the temperature variable. The yield function of the VA–FCC (Voyiadjis Abed Face Centered Cubic) model based on the concept of thermal activation energy and the dislocations interaction mechanisms including nonlinear hardening is taken into consideration in the derivation. The effect of the material microstructural interface between two materials is also incorporated in the formulation with both temperature and rate effects. In order to accurately address the strengthening and hardening mechanisms, the theory is developed based on the decomposition of the mechanical state variables into energetic and dissipative counterparts which provided the constitutive equations to have both energetic and dissipative gradient length scales for the bulk material and the interface. Moreover, the nonlocal evolution of temperature is addressed by incorporating the microstructural interaction effect in the fast transient process using two time scales in the microscopic heat equation.
Thermal Stresses in Metallic Materials Due to Extreme Loading Conditions
Authors: Sumelka Wojciech , Łodygowski Tomasz
Published: March 2013

The role of thermal stresses, understood as stresses introduced by a uniform or nonuniform temperature change in a body which is somehow constrained against expansion or contraction, in metallic materials due to extreme loading conditions is under consideration. The thermomechanical couplings (thermal expansion and thermal plastic softening phenomena) have a fundamental impact on damage and localization phenomena due to their influence on the propagation and interaction of the deformation waves. Such processes include strain rates over 107s-1 and temperatures reaching the melting point. It should be emphasized, that apart from thermal effects, the anisotropy of damage (both initial and induced by deformation) plays a central role in the overall process. The aforementioned dynamic events are described in this paper in terms of the Perzyna's type viscoplasticity model recently developed by the authors, including the anisotropic damage. The discussed constitutive structure has a deep physical interpretation derived from the analysis of a single crystal and polycrystal behaviors.
Modeling Studies of Tubular SOFCs for Transportation Markets
Authors: DiGiuseppe Gianfranco , Honnagondanahalli Naveen K. , Taylor Owen , Dederer Jeff
Published: March 2013

This paper reports a new 3D isothermal, steady state electrochemical modeling study for tubular solid oxide fuel cells where the testing setup is studied in order to improve fuel distribution and geometry. For the model validation, an experimental voltage-current density curve measured in house was used. This study focuses on the cell testing setup and is used to optimize the testing geometry for improved testing conditions. The mathematical model consists of coupling fluid dynamics, electrical conduction, and diffusion physics. The model indicates that flow mal-distribution may be of concern and may affect cell performance. In addition, concentrations of current densities throughout the solid oxide fuel cell may cause some hot spots. Finally, the model is able to predict the cell voltage-current density of the cell very well when compared to experimental data.
Nonlinear Model Identification From Multiple Data Sets Using an Orthogonal Forward Search Algorithm
Authors: Li Ping , Wei Hua-Liang , Billings Stephen A. , Balikhin Michael A. , Boynton Richard
Published: March 2013

A basic assumption on the data used for nonlinear dynamic model identification is that the data points are continuously collected in chronological order. However, there are situations in practice where this assumption does not hold and we end up with an identification problem from multiple data sets. The problem is addressed in this paper and a new cross-validation-based orthogonal search algorithm for NARMAX model identification from multiple data sets is proposed. The algorithm aims at identifying a single model from multiple data sets so as to extend the applicability of the standard method in the cases, such as the data sets for identification are obtained from multiple tests or a series of experiments, or the data set is discontinuous because of missing data points. The proposed method can also be viewed as a way to improve the performance of the standard orthogonal search method for model identification by making full use of all the available data segments in hand. Simulated and real data are used in this paper to illustrate the operation and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Paying Our Sleep Debt in Extra Pounds
Authors: Jastreboff Ania
Published: March 2013

People who get insufficient sleep eat more to balance their energy expenditure but may overcompensate, causing weight gain.
To evaluate the effect of combining photo-activation therapy with platelet-rich plasma injections for the novel treatment of osteoarthritis
Authors: Freitag Julien Ben , Barnard Adele
Published: March 2013

Objective

To evaluate the effect of combining photo-activation therapy with platelet-rich plasma injections for the novel treatment of osteoarthritis.

Design

We present a case report of osteoarthritis of the knee treated with photo-activated platelet-rich plasma injections (PAPRP).

Methods

After utilising conventional osteoarthritis treatment methods a patient underwent a course of PAPRP injections. The patient outcome was measured using the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis (WOMAC) Index.

Results

Following treatment the patient reported improvements in both pain and function as measured by the NPRS and WOMAC Index, respectively. The patient was followed up for 18 weeks, at which time no significant complications were noted.

Conclusions

In this case report of osteoarthritis, with strict control of conventional therapy variables, PAPRP injections demonstrated improvement in all recorded outcome measures. The results of this case report highlight the need to further investigate the use of PAPRP in the treatment of symptomatic knee osteoarthritis.
Campylobacter fetussepsis in an immunocompetent patient with haematological complication
Authors: Nagy Mathias Thomas , Hla Sann Minn
Published: March 2013

Campylobacter fetussepsis is rare, especially among young, immunocompetent patients. We present the case of a 43-year-old man with a history of ulcerative colitis who was diagnosed withC fetusbacteraemia with endovascular manifestation. The patient was found to have a low vitamin K level and a high international normalised ratio, and developed deep vein thrombosis. The patient was fully recovered with oral antibiotic treatment, anticoagulation and supportive therapy. Clinicians should be aware that this type of infection, although extremely rare, can occur even in younger, healthy adults and immediate diagnosis and treatment are required to avert life-threatening complications.
Myoepithelial and epithelial–myoepithelial, mesenchymal and fibroepithelial breast lesions: updates from the WHO Classification of Tumours of the Breast 2012
Authors: Tan Puay Hoon , Ellis Ian O
Published: March 2013

In the 4th edition of the WHO Classification of Tumours of the Breast, myoepithelial lesions are retitled myoepithelial and epithelial–myoepithelial lesions in order to better reflect the dual participation of luminal and myoepithelial compartments in some key entities. Malignant myoepithelioma, described as a section within the chapter on myoepithelial lesions in the 3rd edition, is recognised in the 4th edition as part of metaplastic carcinoma. Adenomyoepithelioma with malignancy is categorised in terms of the cellular component undergoing malignant transformation. The list of antibodies that can be used for identifying myoepithelial cells is updated. Among mesenchymal lesions, new additions are nodular fasciitis and atypical vascular lesions, while the haemangiopericytoma is removed. The 3rd edition stated that pathological prediction of behaviour of phyllodes tumours is difficult in the individual case. In the 4th edition, some progress has been made in prioritisation and weighting of histological parameters that can potentially estimate probability of recurrence. The WHO Working Group advocates leaning towards a diagnosis of fibroadenoma in cases where there is histological uncertainty in distinction from a benign phyllodes tumour, or adopting the neutral term ‘benign fibroepithelial neoplasm’, as the clinical behaviour of fibroadenoma overlaps with that of benign phyllodes tumour. The 3rd edition terminology of ‘periductal stromal sarcoma’ is revised to ‘periductal stromal tumour’, akin to the widespread consensus to avoid the use of the term ‘cystosarcoma’ in the context of phyllodes tumours.
Molecular determinations ofEGFRandEML4-ALKon a single slide of NSCLC tissue
Authors: Ulivi Paola , Puccetti Maurizio , Capelli Laura , Chiadini Elisa , Bravaccini Sara , Calistri Daniele , Zoli Wainer , Amadori Dino , Candoli Piero
Published: March 2013

Introduction

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and anti-anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) agents are highly effective for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harbouring specific alterations, and molecular characterisation of the tumour is needed even when limited tumour material is available.

Methods

20 patients with a known epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene status were enrolled: 10 had mutated and 10 had wild type tumours. FISH analysis was performed on one cytological or histological sample to determineEML4-ALKstatus, after which the same cells scraped off each slide were used to evaluate theEGFRstatus.

Results

In the 10 EGFR mutated patients, molecular analysis showed the same results as those obtained before the FISH test. One patient with anEGFRmutation also showed anEML4-ALKtranslocation, and both FISH-positive and FISH-negative cells maintained theEGFRmutation.

Conclusions

EGFRmutation analysis can be performed on the same sample previously submitted to theEML4-ALKFISH procedure.
INFLUENCE OF BREAKUP PROCESS IN THE FUSION REACTIONS WITH WEAKLY BOUND NUCLEUS 9Be
Authors: GHODSI O. N. , SEYYEDI S. A.
Published: March 2013

Recent experimental results for the fusion of the weakly bound nucleus 9 Be with spherical targets are analyzed by dynamical classical trajectories approach. In this approach, the Proximity model has been used to calculate the nuclear part of interaction potentials. Having determined the breakup functions and interaction potentials for 9 Be + 124 Sn , 89 Y , 144 Sm and 208 Pb reactions, the complete and incomplete fusion (ICF) cross-sections are calculated by classical trajectories model and our results show a good description of the experimental data. We have stressed on the ICF probability ( P ICF ) for chosen reactions. The obtained results show that the ( P ICF ) based on our calculations are in a good agreement with both experimental data and empirical predictions [J. Hinde et al., Phys. Rev. Lett.89, 272701 (2002)].
SOME EXACT BLOWUP SOLUTIONS TO MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCHRÖDINGER MAP EQUATION ON HYPERBOLIC SPACE AND CONE
Authors: ZHONG PENGHONG , WANG SHU , ZENG MING
Published: March 2013

Exact solutions for the multidimensional Schrödinger map equation (SM for short) on hyperbolic 2-space [Formula: see text] cone are obtained. Consequently, we show the non-traveling wave solution on [Formula: see text] is a finite energy solution on the finite spacial domain. The question of whether a solution of SM can develop a finite time singularity on [Formula: see text] with smooth initial data is not clear. Our result show that blowup can really happen on this initial data. In addition, some exact global smooth solutions are constructed.
LEARNING DETERMINISTIC CAUSAL RELATIONS
Authors: FENG DINGCHENG , CHEN FENG , XU WENLI
Published: March 2013

Learning causal relations from observational data is a fundamental task in knowledge discovery. Recently, an Information Geometric Causal Inference (IGCI) framework is proposed, which represents causal relations by deterministic functions, defines causal mechanisms by a cause-mapping independence postulate and learns causal directions by an information geometry formulation. Observing IGCI's limitation in representing general causal relations and its ambiguity in inferring causal directions, we generalize IGCI's original postulate, and propose a new dependence causal inference (DCI) method where linear correlation and a new cross likelihood (CL) measure are introduced. We prove that CL dependence measure incorporates IGCI as its special case in some sense. Experimental results on synthetic and real-world data verify the effectiveness of our generalization and methods, and show that our method is more robust to disturbances on real data sets.
SPECIAL LAGRANGIAN SUB-MANIFOLDS AND SUPER-SYMMETRY
Authors: BAHRAINI ALIREZA
Published: March 2013

Special Lagrangian sub-manifolds of Calabi–Yau (CY) 3-folds are used to describe membrane instanton solutions of N = 1, 11-dimensional super-gravity theories. Super-symmetry is the essential ingredient that relates super-gravity branes to special Lagrangian sub-manifolds [K. Becker, M. Becker and A. Strominger, Fivebranes, membranes and non-perturbative string theory, Nucl. Phys. B456(1–2) (1995) 135–152]. In this note we would like to explain this relation, more explicitly and with more details than in the current literature.
Mechanisms of human motor cortex facilitation induced by subthreshold 5-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Authors: Sommer Martin , Rummel Milena , Norden Christoph , Rothkegel Holger , Lang Nicolas , Paulus Walter
Published: March 2013

Our knowledge about the mechanisms of human motor cortex facilitation induced by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is still incomplete. Here we used pharmacological conditioning with carbamazepine, dextrometorphan, lorazepam, and placebo to elucidate the type of plasticity underlying this facilitation, and to probe if mechanisms reminiscent of long-term potentiation are involved. Over the primary motor cortex of 10 healthy subjects, we applied biphasic rTMS pulses of effective posterior current direction in the brain. We used six blocks of 200 pulses at 5-Hz frequency and 90% active motor threshold intensity and controlled for corticospinal excitability changes using motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitudes and latencies elicited by suprathreshold pulses before, in between, and after rTMS. Target muscle was the dominant abductor digiti minimi muscle; we coregistered the dominant extensor carpi radialis muscle. We found a lasting facilitation induced by this type of rTMS. The GABAergic medication lorazepam and to a lesser extent the ion channel blocker carbamazepine reduced the MEP facilitation after biphasic effective posteriorly oriented rTMS, whereas the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor-antagonist dextrometorphan had no effect. Our main conclusion is that the mechanism of the facilitation induced by biphasic effective posterior rTMS is more likely posttetanic potentiation than long-term potentiation. Additional findings were prolonged MEP latency under carbamazepine, consistent with sodium channel blockade, and larger MEP amplitudes from extensor carpi radialis under lorazepam, suggesting GABAergic involvement in the center-surround balance of excitability.
Splenic Vein Embolization Using Coil Anchors and Prophylactic Occlusion of a Hepatofugal Collateral for Hepatic Encephalopathy due to Splenorenal Shunt: Technical Note and Literature Review
Authors: Inoue Masayoshi , Tanaka Toshihiro , Nakagawa Hiroyuki , Yoshioka Tetsuya , Kichikawa Kimihiko
Published: March 2013

Purpose. Interventional treatment strategies for patients with encephalopathy due to splenorenal shunt remain controversial. Portosplenic blood flow separation by occluding the splenic vein could avoid the complication of severe portal hypertension, but it would require repeated reintervention due to recurrence of symptoms. This paper describes occlusion of the splenic vein using coil anchors and prophylactic embolization of a collateral hepatofugal vessel with no recurrence of hyperammonemia.Materials and Methods. A 51-year-old woman with severe cirrhosis had hepatic encephalopathy due to a large splenorenal shunt. The serum ammonia level was 132 μg/dL. Via a transileocolic approach, the splenic vein was completely embolized with 0.035-inch metallic coils using coil anchors while preserving the splenorenal shunt. In addition, one of the collateral vessels of the portal vein, the retrogastric vein, was also embolized prophylactically.Results. After this procedure, the serum ammonia level decreased immediately to 24 μg/dL. The portal venous pressure increased by only 1.5 mmHg. Hepatic encephalopathy had not been observed for 25 months after the procedure, and neither retention of ascites nor worsening of esophageal varices and liver function was observed.Conclusion. This procedure appears to be safe and effective for hepatic encephalopathy caused by a splenorenal shunt.
Fatal Necrotizing Fasciitis in a Child following a Blunt Chest Trauma
Authors: Ocaña Yohel , Ulloa-Gutierrez Rolando , Yock-Corrales Adriana
Published: March 2013

Necrotizing fasciitis is a serious soft tissue infection rarely occurring in children after blunt trauma. Due to its high morbidity and mortality rates, a high index of suspicion is necessary for prompt diagnosis and treatment. We describe a 6-year-old Costa Rican girl who died secondary to multiple complications following a posttraumatic necrotizing fasciitis.
Thermomagnetic Features of Crust in Southern Parts of the Structural Provinces of Tocantins and São Francisco, Brazil
Authors: Guimaraes Suze Nei P. , Hamza Valiya M.
Published: March 2013

In the present work we report results of a regional scale investigation of the thermal and magnetic characteristics of the crust in the southern sector of the geologic provinces of Tocantins and São Francisco, Brazil. Updated compilations of aeromagnetic and geothermal data sets were employed for this purpose. Use of such techniques as vertical derivative, analytic signal, and Euler deconvolution in analysis of aeromagnetic data has allowed precise locations of the sources of magnetic anomalies and determination of their respective depths. The anomalies in the Tocantins province are considered as arising from variations in the magnetic susceptibilities and remnant magnetizations of alkaline magmatic intrusions of the Tertiary period. The lateral dimensions of the bodies are less than 10 km, and these are found to occur at shallow depths of less than 20 km. On the other hand, the anomalies in the cratonic areas are related to contrasts in magnetic properties of bodies situated at depths greater than 20 km and have spatial dimensions of more than 50 km. Analysis of geothermal data reveals that the cratonic area is characterized by geothermal gradients and heat flow values lower when compared with those of the Tocantins province.