bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gas Injection Optimization in a Brown Field: Karachaganak, Republic of Kazakhstan
Authors: Tarantini V. , Bigoni F. , Imagambetov K. , Tumbarello G. , Marino R. , Francesconi A.
Published: November 2015

Karachaganak field, brought on stream in 1985, is one of the largest accumulations of gas-condensate in the world. Located in the northern Pre-Caspian Basin (Kazakhstan), the field is a Permo-Carboniferous isolated carbonate platform, with a hydrocarbon column of about 1500 m.

The current development focuses the oil rim with gas injection in a confined area of the Platform Interior implemented since 2004. Among the future development scenarios under consideration, an increase of gas injection in different areas of the field was evaluated with the scope of maximizing liquid recovery and keeping the production plateau. The internal reservoir architecture is indeed very complex: an initial development of aggrading mounds is followed by prograding clinoforms passing to cyclic, grain-dominated platform interior sediments. The resulting reservoir quality is quite heterogeneous, with low porosity, but locally high productivity when affected by micro-fractures and vugs. The analysis was performed considering both incremental volumes of injected gas and the uncertainties affecting the reservoir to obtain a ranking which takes into account additional liquid recoveries and relevant risks. Eventually, the analysis led to a proxy function which, through a mean-variance optimization approach, was used to estimate the most favourable gas injection configurations, reaching the best compromise between recovery and uncertainty.

In conclusion, the analysis highlighted pros and cons for each reservoir area, offering a better view to optimize the future development. The depositional region where the injection was already implemented appears to be a good candidate; other areas, although affected by a certain degree of uncertainty, are also promising from the recovery point of view, while some other regions, characterized by high compartmentalization, seem to be less interesting.
The Benefit of Integrated Asset Modeling and Optimization in Evaluating Production Strategies under various Oil and Gas Price Scenarios
Authors: Rahmawati S. D. , Hoda M. F.
Published: November 2015

The decrease in oil and gas prices results in a huge impact in the oil and gas company. This paper discusses the importance of integrated asset modeling and optimization of oil and gas fields under various oil and gas price scenarios. The integrated model is defined as simulation runs from the reservoir up to the surface process and continues with an economic evaluation.

Various field models under different production strategies are presented in the paper and evaluated based on the integrated asset model. The reservoir models are a gas condensate reservoir under gas cycling and an oil reservoir under water alternating gas (WAG) injection production strategies taken from SPE 3 and SPE 5 comparative projects. Derivative free optimization methods are used to find the best operating conditions for the field. The optimization objective is to maximize economic key performance indicators, such as net present value, and to minimize cost, such as gas injection cost. The decision variables are gas injection fraction, gas injection time, water injection rate and WAG time.

Using integrated system modeling, the operating parameters can be determined accurately considering reservoir and surface process capabilities. The optimization results showed that optimum gas injection time is longer during high oil prices compared to low oil prices for the gas condensate reservoir under gas injection. The oil and gas prices are fluctuating in a certain cycle over time, and the dynamic fluctuations are accommodated in the economic model. Many reasons are behind the dynamic fluctuations of oil and gas prices. The fluctuations will have an impact on company production strategies. The economic model will be simulated under very high, high, intermediate, low and very low price scenarios. For each scenario, the model will be run in the integrated modeling and reservoir only modeling. A scenario of varying the ratio of oil to gas price is also included in the analysis. Different oil and gas prices will lead to different management decisions during the field lifetime. A conservative production strategy, meaning when the field is simulated separately part-by-part, could mislead field production decisions. Based on the reservoir simulation, the liquid production might flow easily from the reservoir to the surface. However, based on the surface simulation, the well might be shut–down due to flow restriction on the surface.

This paper presents the important concept of the integrated model and optimization under dynamic oil and gas prices. The oil and gas prices have an influence in determining production parameters. The integrated model that is used in the paper is flexible and can be replaced with another reservoir model, surface process model, or economic models.

Keywords: Integrated asset model and optimization; various oil and gas price scenarios, production strategies.
Nasopharyngeal Capillary Arteriovenous Malformation with Ancient/Symplastic Change: A Simulator of Malignancy
Authors: Samardzija Gordana , Djuricic Slavisa M. , Baljosevic Ivan , Calonje Eduardo
Published: November 2015

There are only 8 published cases of symplastic hemangioma (SH), a relatively recently described, distinct benign entity characterized by pleomorphic vascular smooth muscle and interstitial cells in a pre-existing, long-standing vascular lesion. Seven of these cases were of SH in cutaneous locations, and 1 case was described in the mediastinum. We report the case of the 12-year-old girl with a nasopharyngeal tumor mass with prominent symplastic changes arising in the background of a combined capillary arteriovenous malformation. After critical analysis of all published cases of SH, it is clear that these lesions commonly represent capillary arteriovenous malformations (CAVM) with ancient/symplastic changes according to current terminology proposed in the classification required by the International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies (ISSVA). This is the first such lesion reported in a mucosal location and presenting in the pediatric age group. CAVM with ancient/symplastic change follows a benign clinical course, but it can simulate a malignant vascular tumor.
Case Report: Congenital Erythroleukemia in a Premature Infant with Dysmorphic Features
Authors: Helin Heidi , van der Walt Jon , Holder Muriel , George Simi
Published: November 2015

We present a case of pure erythroleukemia, diagnosed at autopsy, in a dysmorphic premature infant who died of multiorgan failure within 24 hours of birth. Dysmorphic features included facial and limb abnormalities with long philtrum, microagnathia, downturned mouth, short neck as well as abnormal and missing nails, missing distal phalanx from the second toe, and overlapping toes. Internal findings included gross hepatomegaly and patchy hemorrhages in the liver, splenomegaly, and cardiomegaly; and subdural, intracerebral, and intraventricular hemorrhages. Histology revealed infiltration of bone marrow, kidney, heart, liver, adrenal, lung, spleen, pancreas, thyroid, testis, thymus, and placenta by pure erythroleukemia. Only 6 cases of congenital erythroleukemia have been previously reported with autopsy findings similar to those of this case. The dysmorphic features, although not fitting any specific syndrome, make this case unique. Congenital erythroleukemia and possible syndromes suggested by the dysmorphic features are discussed.
Epidemiological and serological profiles of TORCH infection in pregnancy
Authors: Pradhan SV
Published: November 2015

Background: Maternal infections caused by TORCH [Toxoplasma gondii, Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Herpes simplex virus (HSV)] are the major causes of bad obstetric history. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of TORCH infections in pregnancyMaterials and Methods:The study included 109 pregnant women with unfavorable previous pregnancy. Serological evaluation for TORCH infections was carried out by IgM Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay method.  Data was analyzed using SPSS 17.0 whenever necessary.Results: The IgM/ IgG sero-positivity to T. gondii, Rubella, CMV and HSV-2 was 26.6/9.2 %, 9.2/78.9%, 17.4/58.7%, and 4.6/35.8 % respectively. There was an increased percentage of CMV infection. There was increased number of recent Toxoplasma infection in comparison to other studies conducted.Conclusion: A previous history of pregnancy wastage and the serological reaction for TORCH infections during current pregnancy must be considered while managing BOH cases so as to reduce the adverse fetal outcome.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2015) Vol. 5, 705-708
Cardiac conduction system- A detailed study in 46 cases of sudden death
Authors: Ilias LM , Pai MR , Shukla S , Ponniah A , Gautam K , Vijayan P
Published: November 2015

Background: Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease is the modern pandemic and is said to be responsible for a major chunk of sudden cardiac deaths. However, in few cases; especially among the young, conduction system abnormalities were found to be the cause of death with absence of significant coronary lesions. These days, examination of the cardiac conduction system during autopsy has been abandoned as it is said to be a time consuming process. The present study was undertaken to highlight the importance of examining the cardiac conduction system in all sudden death cases.Materials and Methods: This study was a prospective one, conducted from June 2007 to June 2009 in the department of Pathology, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Forty six hearts of persons who died suddenly were studied.Results: Our study showed that even though atherosclerotic coronary lesions were the most common cause of sudden death, cardiac conduction defects also contributed to a significant number of cases; especially in the young. In our study of 46 cases; 6 cases showed only conduction system abnormalities. These were young adults who had died suddenly. The predominant lesion identified in them was fibromuscular dysplasia of the nodal arteries.Conclusion: A detailed examination of the coronaries and the cardiac conduction system should be made mandatory in all sudden death cases, especially in the young as they will help to throw some light into the cause of death.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2015) Vol. 5, 709-716
Retinoblastoma: An institutional experience
Authors: Karki S , Upadhyaya P , Agarwal M , Maharjan KK , Lavaju P
Published: November 2015

Background: This article aims to describe histopathologic high risk tumor characteristics in our patient population of retinoblastoma. It is based on consensus criteria for definitions of choroidal and optic nerve invasion as outlined in The International RetinoblastomaStaging Working Group (IRSWG) 2009.Materials and Methods: Fifty histopathologically diagnosed cases of retinoblastoma were archived from records of Pathology department during years 2004 to 2014. Re-evaluation of slides to identify choroidal and optic nerve invasion as per IRSWG along with Pathologic tumor staging was done. Data were entered into Microsoft excel sheets and results expressed in percentages. Department of Ophthalmology was consulted for recurrence of Retinoblastoma.Results: Among fifty cases, Choroidal invasion was absent in 62% cases. Minimal invasion (<3mm) was seen in 18% cases, massive (>3mm) in 14% cases and extra ocular involvement in 6% cases. The optic nerve was free of tumor in more than three forth of the cases (78%). Prelaminar and retro laminar involvement of optic nerve was observed in 6% and 10% cases respectively. Intraocular spread of tumor was observed in 6% of cases. The cut margin of optic nerve was involved in 42% while it was free of tumor in 58% of cases. Significant number of tumours were pathologically classified as pT1 (58%) followed by pT2a (22%). pT3a and pT4b were found in 6% each and pT3b and pT4a were found in 4% each. Recurrence was observed in two cases of PT3a and one of pT4b.Conclusion: We conclude identifying low percentages of high risk charateristics in a retrospective histologic experience with Retinoblastoma. Recurrence observed in two tumours staged pT3a sheds light on prognostic significance of reporting massive choroidal invasion despite free cut margin. These observations call for routine practice of standardized histopathologic reporting and processing of enucleated eye samples at our tertiary care centre.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2015) Vol. 5, 723-726
Expressions of HPV 16-E6 in esophageal carcinoma and it’s clinical significance
Authors: Xing Zhao , Sahi R , Yu-Yang Zhao , Jun Wang , Li Chun-Hui
Published: November 2015

Background?Gastrointestinal cancer is the most common malignant tumor in China. This research aims to explore the association between HPV16-E6 protein and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Materials and Methods: SP immunohistochemical method was used to examine the expression of HPV 16-E6 in 50 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 10 cases of normal esophageal squamous cell and 10 cases of adjacent tissue.Results: The expressions of HPV 16-E6 was significantly higher in esophageal carcinoma than in normal esophageal mucosa and in adjacent tissue. The expressions of HPV 16-E6 had correlation with invasive depth (P<0.05), but not with patient age, lymph node metastasis, tumor size (P>0.05).Conclusion: HPV 16-E6 can promote the growth and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and can be a prognostic factor of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2015) Vol. 5, 752-755
Low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma – A series of 4 cases and review of relevant literature
Authors: Vijayan P , Ilias LM , Ponniah A , Mohammed BA
Published: November 2015

Endometrial stromal tumors are rare uterine malignancies composed of cells resembling those of proliferative endometrial stroma. Because of their indistinct clinical and radiological features, these malignancies are very rarely diagnosed preoperatively. They are mostly often diagnosed as fibroid uteruspreoperatively and as a result managed conservatively many a time. Usually distinguishing these tumors from benign smooth muscle tumors of the uterus are not problematic by light microscopy, however, difficulties arise in distinction between highly cellular leiomyomas and endometrial stromal sarcomas with smooth muscle differentiation. Here we present four consecutive cases of low grade endometrial stromal sarcomaswith emphasis on their clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical features. By this study, we have attempted to document the histologic features of LGESS with discussion of the differential diagnoses to contribute to this rare spectrum of uterine neoplasms.Journal of Pathology of Nepal (2015) Vol. 5, 774-777
Explaining Low High School Attainment in Northern Aboriginal Communities: An Analysis of the Aboriginal Peoples' Surveys
Authors: O'Gorman Melanie , Pandey Manish
Published: November 2015

Within the off-reserve Canadian Aboriginal population, high school graduation rates are about 45 percent lower in Northern communities (North) than the rest of Canada (South). Using data from the Aboriginal Peoples' Surveys for 2000 and 2005, we document that economic incentives do not appear to be important in explaining the North–South gap in graduation rates. We then consider individual-specific and schooling-related determinants of high school graduation and find that these factors can explain between 31 percent and 59 percent of the North–South gap in the probability of graduation for those who had graduated by the time of the survey. Further, much of the gap is attributable to a respondent speaking/understanding or being taught an Aboriginal language. We discuss the possible implications of these results for language and curricular programming in the North.
Economic Efficiency of Federal Provision of Scientific Information and Support for Science Research in Canada
Authors: Davies James B. , Slivinski Al
Published: November 2015

Federal provision of scientific information and support for science research have declined significantly in recent years, and a trend away from pure research toward applied and commercializable research has begun. This commentary asks whether those and other trends in this area can be justified in terms of economic efficiency. It is argued that the marginal benefits of scientific information and research have likely risen relative to production costs and the marginal cost of public funds has fallen, implying that reduced provision cannot be justified on efficiency grounds. An efficiency rationale for increased support for commercializable research is also lacking. Longer-term trends include the rise of open data, which does make sense, and a relative shift from intramural government research and development toward university-based R&D. The latter shift likely responds to underlying economic factors, but does not warrant a sudden sharp reduction in government research, such as seen recently in Canada.
Subchannel analysis of Al2O3 nanofluid as a coolant in VMHWR
Authors: Zarifi E. , Tashakor S.
Published: November 2015

The main objective of this study is to predict the thermal hydraulic behavior of nanofluids as the coolant in the fuel assembly of variable moderation high performance light water reactor (VMHWR). VMHWR is the new version of high performance light water reactor (HPLWR) conceptual design. Light water reactors at supercritical pressure (VMHWR, HPLWR), being currently under design, are the new generation of nuclear reactors. Water-based nanofluids containing various volume fractions of Al2O3 nanoparticles are analyzed. The conservation equations and conduction heat transfer equation for fuel and clad have been derived and discretized by the finite volume method. The transfer of mass, momentum and energy between adjacent subchannels are split into diversion crossflow and turbulent mixing components. The governed non linear algebraic equations are solved by using analytical iteration methods. Finally the nanofluid analysis results are compared with the pure water results.
Measuring U concentration in solution product of UF6 hydrolysis using a gamma ray densitometer
Authors: Peyvandi R. Gholipour , Hassanali F. , Rahmanzadeh S. , Islami Rad S. Z. , Ghannadi M.
Published: November 2015

UO2F2 is an intermediate in conversion of UF6 to uranium oxide or metal form and is a direct product of the reaction of UF6 with moisture in the air. UF6 will be continually hydrolyzed in the presence of water vapor. The amount of UF6 and H2O can be controlled during the hydrolysis reaction, if the concentration of U in the solution product of the hydrolysis be determined. In this paper, we have designed a γ-ray densitometer with 137Cs as gamma source with a medium energy of 662 keV for measuring the U concentration. In this research we have also studied the effect of two different activities of 10 mCi and 30 mCi on the measurement errors, and according to the results we chose the activity of 30 mCi with a relative error of 1.7 %. Finally, in order to investigate the effect of the temperature of the solution on the calibration of the apparatus, we calibrated our γ-ray densitometer for two temperatures of 15 and 80 °C and it was found that the temperature modification can be attained by software correction.
Rapid Accelerometer Measurements of Vehicle Bumps at Bridge Approaches
Authors: Du Yuchuan , Liu Chenglong , Zhang Xi , Sun Lijun
Published: November 2015

Bridge approach settlement (BAS) is one of the most common problems in highway and bridge construction. The settlement can result in unsafe driving conditions, rider discomfort, structural deterioration of bridges, and long-term maintenance costs. BAS research has focused mainly on causes, hazards, and countermeasures, with little emphasis on BAS measurement. This paper presents a rapid vehicle-mounted accelerometer method for BAS measurement and proposes a comprehensive BAS measure consisting of three indexes that measure user physical and psychological comfort as well as the impact on bridge structures. A wavelet transform is used to identify the reaction position. Power spectral density analysis and one-third octave band filtering are applied to calculate the weighted root mean square acceleration as an index of comfort. Adopting the annoyance rate concept from experimental psychology, an annoyance rate model was developed that includes a membership function and the distribution of user comfort levels. A quarter-car model and a linear time invariant (LTI) system were used to estimate the equivalent impact coefficient as an index of durability. Furthermore, a collective system equipped with z-axis accelerometers and a GPS device was created, and small-scale field tests were conducted in Shanghai, China. A velocity correction equation was generated to correct the evaluation model. The test results demonstrate the stability and efficiency of the rapid measurement system.
Feature-Based Pothole Detection in Two-Dimensional Images
Authors: Ryu Seung-Ki , Kim Taehyeong , Kim Young-Ro
Published: November 2015

Accurately detecting potholes is an important task in determining the proper strategies for pavement maintenance and rehabilitation. However, manually detecting and evaluating methods are expensive and time-consuming. A pothole detection method is proposed in this study; the method uses various features in two-dimensional (2-D) images that improve the existing method and can accurately detect a pothole. The proposed method can be divided into three steps: ( a) segmentation, ( b) candidate region extraction, and ( c) decision. First, a histogram and the closing operation of a morphology filter are used; the process extracts dark regions for pothole detection. Next, candidate regions of a pothole are extracted with the use of features such as size and compactness. Finally, a decision is made on whether candidate regions are potholes with a comparison of pothole and background features. The 2-D asphalt images with a pothole and without a pothole extracted from a pothole database collected by a survey vehicle on national highways in South Korea were used to compare the performance of the proposed method with that of the existing method. Experimental results show that the proposed pothole detection method has better results than the existing method and that it performs well in distinguishing between a pothole and similar patterns.
Using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to Conduct Site Inspections of Erosion and Sediment Control Practices and Track Project Progression
Authors: Perez Michael A. , Zech Wesley C. , Donald Wesley N.
Published: November 2015

Construction activities increase the erosion potential of a site through earth-disturbing processes of vegetative grubbing, topsoil stripping, and grading. Receiving waters become susceptible and vulnerable to the process of sedimentation, which degrades the overall water quality. Federal, state, and local regulations require the use of erosion and sediment controls to help manage stormwater discharge from construction sites. Regulations further require regular inspections, monitoring, and maintenance of employed erosion and sediment control practices. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are an emerging remote sensing tool capable of acquiring high resolution spatial and sensing data. Remote sensing with UAVs has the potential to provide high-quality aerial imagery and data that can assist in site inspections of erosion and sediment control practices and monitoring project progression. UAVs are economical and flexible in acquiring aerial data and can be preprogrammed with flight paths to capture data over construction sites objectively. UAV-based remote sensing enables user-controlled image acquisition and bridges the gap in scale and resolution between ground observations and imagery acquired from conventional manned aircraft and satellites. This research describes the application of UAV technologies for construction site inspections of erosion and sediment control practices and tracking project progression. A case study was performed on an active residential construction site with a commercially available UAV to showcase its application and capabilities of enhancing the site inspection process and construction monitoring.
Automated Region-Based Vehicle Conflict Detection Using Computer Vision Techniques
Authors: Li Jinling , Liu Yuhao , Tageldin Ahmed , Zaki Mohamed H. , Mori Greg , Sayed Tarek
Published: November 2015

An approach for vehicle conflict analysis based on three-dimensional (3-D) vehicle detection is presented. Techniques for quantitative conflict measurements often use a point trajectory representation for vehicles. More accurate conflict measurement can be facilitated with a region-based vehicle representation instead. This paper describes a computer vision approach for extracting vehicle trajectories from video sequences. The method relied on a fusion of background subtraction and feature-based tracking to provide a three-dimensional (3-D) cuboid representation of the vehicle. Standard conflict measures, including time to collision and postencroachment time, were computed with the use of the 3-D cuboid vehicle representations. The use of these conflict measures was demonstrated on a challenging data set of video footage. Results showed that the region-based representation could provide more precise calculation of traffic conflict indicators compared with approaches based on a point representation.
Transportation Routing Map Abstraction Approach
Authors: Zhu Lei , Chiu Yi-Chang
Published: November 2015

The transportation navigation map is increasingly used in various transportation network modeling applications such as navigation or traffic assignment. A typical navigation map contains all detailed facility layers and may not be as computationally efficient for path finding as a lower resolution map. A lower resolution transportation routing map retains only roadway layers related to route-finding roadway layers and is efficient for path finding, but this map may result in only suboptimal routes. With the goal of balancing the quality and computation requirements of a transportation navigation map, the systematic abstraction of the lower resolution transportation routing map from the navigation map is an important and nontrivial task. The challenge is in how the abstracted routing map balances path-finding effectiveness and efficiency. To deal with this challenge, this study proposes an innovative map abstraction method or connectivity enhancement algorithm. The algorithm starts from a low-resolution network and continues updating the routing map by adding new links and nodes when it processes each search set node. The outcome of the proposed algorithm is an abstract map that retains the original detailed map's hierarchical structure with high topological connectivity quality at a significant computation saving.
On Missing Traffic Data Imputation Based on Fuzzy C-Means Method by Considering Spatial–Temporal Correlation
Authors: Tang Jinjun , Wang Yinhai , Zhang Shen , Wang Hua , Liu Fang , Yu Shaowei
Published: November 2015

The lack of some traffic flow data seriously affects the quality of data collection and analysis in the traffic system. Completing the missing data is one of the most important steps in achieving the functions of intelligent transportation systems. In this paper an approach based on fuzzy C-means (FCM) imputes missing traffic volume data in loop detectors. With spatial–temporal correlation between detectors, the conventional vector-based data structure is first transformed into a matrix-based data pattern. Then, the genetic algorithm is applied to optimize the parameters of cluster size and weighting factor in the FCM model. Finally, the actual traffic flow volume collected at different locations is designed as a testing data set, and two indicators including root mean square error and relative accuracy are used to evaluate the imputation performance of the proposed method by comparison with some conventional methods (multiple linear regression, autoregressive integrated moving average model, and average historical method) by missing ratio. The applications in four scenarios demonstrate that the FCM-based imputation method outperforms conventional methods.
Behavior Analysis Using a Multilevel Motion Pattern Learning Framework
Authors: Mohamed Mohamed Gomaa , Saunier Nicolas
Published: November 2015

The increasing availability of video data, through existing traffic cameras or dedicated field data collection, and the development of computer vision techniques pave the way for the collection of massive data sets about the microscopic behavior of road users. Analysis of such data sets helps in understanding normal road user behavior and can be used for realistic prediction of motion and computation of surrogate safety indicators. A multilevel motion pattern learning framework was developed to enable automated scene interpretation, anomalous behavior detection, and surrogate safety analysis. First, points of interest (POIs) were learned on the basis of the Gaussian mixture model and the expectation maximization algorithm and then used to form activity paths (APs). Second, motion patterns, represented by trajectory prototypes, were learned from road users' trajectories in each AP by using a two-stage trajectory clustering method based on spatial then temporal (speed) information. Finally, motion prediction relied on matching at each instant partial trajectories to the learned prototypes to evaluate potential for collision by using computing indicators. An intersection case study demonstrates the framework's ability in many ways: it helps reduce the computation cost up to 90%; it cleans the trajectory data set from tracking outliers; it uses actual trajectories as prototypes without any pre- and postprocessing; and it predicts future motion realistically to compute surrogate safety indicators.
Neurophysiological Assessment of Alzheimer’s Disease Individuals by a Single Electroencephalographic Marker
Authors: Lizio Roberta , Del Percio Claudio , Marzano Nicola , Soricelli Andrea , Yener Görsev G. , Başar Erol , Mundi Ciro , De Rosa Salvatore , Triggiani Antonio Ivano , Ferri Raffaele , Arnaldi Dario , Nobili Flavio Mariano , Cordone Susanna , Lopez Susanna , Carducci Filippo , Santi Giulia , Gesualdo Loreto , Rossini Paolo M. , Cavedo Enrica , Mauri Margherita , Frisoni Giovanni B. , Babiloni Claudio
Published: November 2015

Here we presented a single electroencephalographic (EEG) marker for a neurophysiological assessment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients already diagnosed by current guidelines. The ability of the EEG marker to classify 127 AD individuals and 121 matched cognitively intact normal elderly (Nold) individuals was tested. Furthermore, its relationship to AD patients’ cognitive status and structural brain integrity was examined. Low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) freeware estimated cortical sources of resting state eyes-closed EEG rhythms. The EEG marker was defined as the ratio between the activity of parieto-occipital cortical sources of delta (2–4 Hz) and low-frequency alpha (8–10.5 Hz) rhythms. Results showed 77.2% of sensitivity in the recognition of the AD individuals; 65% of specificity in the recognition of the Nold individuals; and 0.75 of area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve. Compared to the AD subgroup with the EEG maker within one standard deviation of the Nold mean (EEG-), the AD subgroup with EEG+ showed lower global cognitive status, as revealed by Mini-Mental State Evaluation score, and more abnormal values of white-matter and cerebrospinal fluid normalized volumes, as revealed by structural magnetic resonance imaging. We posit that cognitive and functional status being equal, AD patients with EEG+ should receive special clinical attention due to a neurophysiological “frailty”. EEG+ label can be also used in clinical trials (i) to form homogeneous groups of AD patients diagnosed by current guidelines and (ii) as end-point to evaluate intervention effects.
Capillary Amyloid-β Protein Deposition in a Population-Based Study (Vantaa 85+)
Authors: Mäkelä Mira , Paetau Anders , Polvikoski Tuomo , Myllykangas Liisa , Tanskanen Maarit
Published: November 2015

Background: Capillary amyloid-β (capAβ) deposition in the cerebral cortex is the neuropathological feature providing the basis for categorizing cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) into two distinct types, CAA-Type1 with capAβ and CAA-Type2 without capAβ. Objective: We investigated the neuropathological and clinical characteristics of capAβ deposition in a prospective population-based study. Methods: Vantaa 85+ includes 601 individuals aged ≥85 years, of which 300 were studied clinically and neuropathologically. 278 subjects were analyzed for the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. The diagnosis of capAβ was determined using immunohistochemistry against Aβ, and of CAA using Congo red confirmed by Aβ immunohistochemistry, both analyzed in six brain areas. The severity of capAβ was graded semi-quantitatively, and the severity of CAA was based on the percentage of affected vessels. Alzheimer’s disease (AD)-type neuropathology (CERAD score and Braak stage) was analyzed using standard methods. Results: CAA-Type1 was present in 86/300, CAA-Type2 in 135/300, and 79/300 had no CAA. CapAβ was most frequent in the occipital lobe (79/86). CAA-Type1 was associated with the severity of CAA (p <  0.001), dementia (p <  0.001), severe AD-type neuropathology (p-value 0.09 for CERAD C and 0.017 for Braak stages V-VI), and APOE ɛ4 allele carrier status (p <  0.001). Conclusions: This population-based study confirmed the presence of distinct CAA-Type1 and its association with the severity of CAA, severe AD-type neuropathology, and the APOE ɛ4 carrier status. Both the severity and localization of the deposition seemed to determine the clinical significance of capAβ.
Strategies for Improving Memory: A Randomized Trial of Memory Groups for Older People, Including those with Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Kinsella Glynda J. , Ames David , Storey Elsdon , Ong Ben , Pike Kerryn E. , Saling Michael M. , Clare Linda , Mullaly Elizabeth , Rand Elizabeth
Published: November 2015

Background: Governments are promoting the importance of maintaining cognitive health into older age to minimize risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Older people with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are particularly vulnerable to memory challenges in daily activities and are seeking ways to maintain independent living. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of memory groups for improving memory strategies and memory ability of older people, especially those with aMCI. Methods: 113 healthy older adults (HOA) and 106 adults with aMCI were randomized to a six-week memory group or a waitlist control condition. Outcome was evaluated through knowledge and use of memory strategies, memory ability (self-report and neuropsychological tests), and wellbeing. Assessments included a six-month follow-up. Results: Using intention to treat analyses, there were intervention effects for HOA and aMCI groups in strategy knowledge (HOA: η2= 0.20; aMCI: η2= 0.06), strategy use (HOA: η2= 0.18; aMCI: η2= 0.08), and wellbeing (HOA: η2= 0.11; aMCI: η2= 0.05). There were also intervention effects in the HOA group, but not the aMCI group, in self-reported memory ability (η2= 0.06) and prospective memory tests (η2= 0.02). By six-month follow-up, gains were found on most HOA outcomes. In the aMCI group gains were found in strategy use, and by this stage, gains in prospective memory were also found. Conclusion: Memory groups can engage older people in techniques for maintaining cognitive health and improve memory performance, but more modest benefits are seen for older adults with aMCI.
Clinical Utility of the Informant AD8 as a Dementia Case Finding Instrument in Primary Healthcare
Authors: Chan Qun Lin , Xu Xin , Shaik Muhammad Amin , Chong Steven Shih Tsze , Hui Richard Jor Yeong , Chen Christopher Li-Hsian , Dong YanHong
Published: November 2015

The informant AD8 has excellent discriminant ability for dementia case finding in tertiary healthcare settings. However, its clinical utility for dementia case finding at the forefront of dementia management, primary healthcare, is unknown. Therefore, we recruited participants from two primary healthcare centers in Singapore and measured their performance on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), and a local formal neuropsychological battery, in addition to the AD8. Logistic regression was conducted to examine the associations between demographic factors and dementia. Area under the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was used to establish the optimal cut-off points for dementia case finding. Of the 309 participants recruited, 243 (78.7%) had CDR = 0, 22 (7.1%) CDR = 0.5, and 44 (14.2%) CDR ≥1. Age was strongly associated with dementia, and the optimal age for dementia case finding in primary healthcare settings was ≥75 years. In this age group, the AD8 has excellent dementia case finding capability and was superior to the MMSE and equivalent to the MoCA [AD8 AUC (95% CI): 0.95 (0.91–0.99), cut-off: ≥3, sensitivity: 0.90, specificity: 0.88, PPV: 0.79 and NPV: 0.94; MMSE AUC (95% CI): 0.87 (0.79–0.94), p = 0.04; MoCA AUC (95% CI): 0.88 (0.82–0.95), p = 0.06]. In conclusion, the AD8 is well suited for dementia case finding in primary healthcare settings.
Quantitative Phosphoproteomic Analyses of the Inferior Parietal Lobule from Three Different Pathological Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Triplett Judy C. , Swomley Aaron M. , Cai Jian , Klein Jon B. , Butterfield D. Allan
Published: November 2015

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder, is clinically characterized by progressive neuronal loss resulting in loss of memory and dementia. AD is histopathologically characterized by the extensive distribution of senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, and synapse loss. Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is generally accepted to be an early stage of AD. MCI subjects have pathology and symptoms that fall on the scale intermediately between ‘normal’ cognition with little or no pathology and AD. A rare number of individuals, who exhibit normal cognition on psychometric tests but whose brains show widespread postmortem AD pathology, are classified as ‘asymptomatic’ or ‘preclinical’ AD (PCAD). In this study, we evaluated changes in protein phosphorylation states in the inferior parietal lobule of subjects with AD, MCI, PCAD, and control brain using a 2-D PAGE proteomics approach in conjunction with Pro-Q Diamond phosphoprotein staining. Statistically significant changes in phosphorylation levels were found in 19 proteins involved in energy metabolism, neuronal plasticity, signal transduction, and oxidative stress response. Changes in the disease state phosphoproteome may provide insights into underlying mechanisms for the preservation of memory with expansive AD pathology in PCAD and the progressive memory loss in amnestic MCI that escalates to the dementia and the characteristic pathology of AD brain.
Validation of the Spanish Version of the Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination
Authors: Salmerón Sergio , Huedo Isabel , López-Utiel Melisa , Soler-Moratalla Isabel , Flores-Ruano Teresa , Fernández-Sánchez Miguel , Noguerón Alicia , Doody Rachelle S. , Abizanda Pedro
Published: November 2015

Background: There are no short valid instruments to evaluate cognitive status in severe Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients in the Spanish language. Objective: To validate the Spanish version of the Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination (BPMSE-Sp). Methods: The Baylor Profound Mental Status Examination (BPMSE) was translated to Spanish and back translated. Validation was conducted in 100 patients with severe probable AD with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) <12. We assessed internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha), concurrent validity (Pearson’s correlations) with the MMSE, Severe Impairment Battery (SIB), Neuropsychiatric Inventory Short Form (NPI-Q) and the Functional Assessment Staging and reliability. Results: The mean age of patients was 84.9; 74% were female; 64% were institutionalized. The mean MMSE was 5.6; the mean BPMSE-Sp was 13.6; the mean BPMSE-Sp behavior was 1.2; the mean SIB was 42.2; and the mean NPI-Q was 4.7. BPMSE-Sp presented good internal consistency (Cronbach α= 0.84). There were significant correlations between the BPMSE-Sp and MMSE (r = 0.86, p <  0.001), and between the BPMSE-Sp and SIB (r = 0.92, p <  0.001). Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were in both cases excellent, ranging between 0.96 and 0.99 (p <  0.001). BPMSE-Sp had fewer floor and ceiling effects than the MMSE. Conclusions: The BPMSE-Sp is a valid tool for use in daily practice and research in the evaluation of cognitive function of patients with severe AD.
Time Trends in Antipsychotic Drug Use in Patients with Dementia: A Nationwide Study
Authors: Nørgaard Ane , Jensen-Dahm Christina , Gasse Christiane , Hansen Hanne Vibe , Waldemar Gunhild
Published: November 2015

Background: Antipsychotics are often used to treat neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia, but the evidence for effect is limited. Antipsychotics have been associated with increased risk of adverse events and mortality in patients with dementia, leading to safety regulations worldwide. Objective: To investigate time trends in use of antipsychotics and other psychotropic drugs in dementia care. Methods: The study included longitudinal data on all Danish residents ≥65 years. The study population was defined on January 1 of each year from 2000–2012. Data included prescriptions, discharge diagnoses, and somatic and psychiatric comorbidities. Multivariate time trend analyses of psychotropic drug use in patients with dementia within 4-year age bands were performed. Results: Overall, among patients with dementia the prevalence of antipsychotic drug use decreased from 31.3% in 2000 to 20.4% in 2012. The decreasing use of antipsychotics was accompanied by decreasing use of anxiolytics and hypnotics/sedatives, but an increase in the use of antidepressants from 43.3% in 2000 to 53.8% in 2012. These changes were significant across almost all age groups. Treatment intensity among patients using antipsychotics increased as the annual median number of defined daily doses (DDD) increased from 33.3 to 42.0 DDD. Conclusions: The changing patterns of psychotropic drug use may be caused by warnings against use of antipsychotics. Further research is needed to explore the implications for patient safety.
Dietary High Cholesterol and Trace Metals in the Drinking Water Increase Levels of ABCA1 in the Rabbit Hippocampus and Temporal Cortex
Authors: Schreurs Bernard G. , Sparks D. Larry
Published: November 2015

Background: Cholesterol-fed rabbits have been documented to show increased amyloid-β (Aβ) deposits in the brain that can be exacerbated by the quality of drinking water especially if rabbits drink tap water or distilled water containing copper. One mechanism of cholesterol and Aβ clearance may be through the ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1). Objective and Methods: Using an ABCA1 antibody, we determined the number of ABCA1-immunopositive neurons in three areas of rabbit brain as a function of feeding 2% cholesterol and providing tap water, distilled water, or distilled water to which aluminum, copper, or zinc was added. Results: The number of neurons with ABCA1 immunoreactivity was increased significantly as a result of dietary cholesterol in the rabbit hippocampus and inferior and superior temporal cortex. The number of neurons with ABCA1 immunoreactivity was further increased in all three areas as a result of cholesterol-fed rabbits drinking tap water or distilled water with copper. Finally, cholesterol-fed rabbits that drank distilled water with aluminum also showed an increased number of ABCA1-immunopositive neurons in inferior and superior temporal cortex. Conclusions: These data suggest that ABCA1 levels increase in parallel with previously documented increases in Aβ levels as a result of high dietary cholesterol and copper in the drinking water. Addition of aluminum to distilled water may have a similar effect in the temporal cortex. ABCA1 has been proposed as a means of clearing Aβ from the brain and manipulations that increase Aβ also result in an increase of clearance machinery.
Reconstruction of arbitrary defect profiles from three-axial MFL signals based on metaheuristic optimization method
Authors: Chen Junjie , Huang Songling , Zhao Wei
Published: November 2015

This paper explores the property of three-axial magnetic flux leakage (MFL) signals in pipeline inspection. Then, metaheuristic optimization methods, including genetic algorithm (GA) and tabu search (TS) algorithm, are utilized to reconstruct defect profiles from three-axial MFL signals. Performances of the two methods are testified and compared, and a series of improving methods are proposed to minimize the time consumption while maintaining the accuracy of defect reconstruction. Experiments of defect reconstruction demonstrate that the proposed inversion methods have high performance in terms of both accuracy and robustness.
Symmetric tungsten triple probe diagnostic for time resolved measurements in plasma discharge
Authors: Ali A. , Farooq M.U. , Naz M.Y. , Qayyum A. , Khan Y. , Ghaffar A. , Shukrullah S.
Published: November 2015

In this research work, time resolved measurements of floating potential, electron temperature and number density were performed in air discharge plasma. A symmetric tungsten triple probe diagnostic and circuitry were developed to diagnose DC discharge at different operating conditions. Motivation behind the direct access of electrical probe diagnostic to the plasma chamber was stemmed from the need to characterize the plasma for time resolved measurements of the discharge parameters with high accuracy. The error analysis showed that overall inaccuracy in the measurements for electron temperature and number density remained in the range of 8.2-11.6% and 7.65-13.9%, respectively. Traditionally, the error in electrostatic probe measurements is typically 20% for electron temperature and 50% for electron number density. Although these values are sufficiently large, the given analysis on consecutive measurements under same operating conditions yielded the data with high accuracy. The time resolved spectra of floating potential, investigated at all applied voltages, showed negligible variations in potential wave shape over time. However, the pressure dependent spectra predicted that the floating potential changed into sinusoidal waves of growing amplitude at higher air pressures. Overall floating potential was appreciably decreased with rise in air pressure.
GC/MS analysis, antimicrobial and in vitro anti-cholinesterase activities of the essential oil from Buddleja asiatica
Authors: Khan Farman Ali , Jan Abdul Khaliq , Khan Nasir Mehmood , Khan Nayab Ali , Khan Shahnaz
Published: November 2015

Buddleja asiatica essential oil from the leaves by hydrodistillation was subjected to gas chromatography/mass spectrometery analysis which revealed the presence of 17 constituents out of which 14 were identified as: four monoterpenes hydrocarbons, four oxygenated monoterpenes, one hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes and five oxygenated sesquiterpenes. The major constituent being found was 1,8-cineole (38.1%) while β-sinensal, 1, 10-seco-1-hydroxy-calamenen-10-one and α-phellandrene were found to be in 11.8%, 10.2% and 5.8%, respectively. The essential oil exhibited 66% strong antibacterial activity against Shigella boydii while in fungicidal assay, it revealed an outstanding 79% inhibition against Aspergillus flavus. The essential oil showed outstanding acetylcholinesterase (IC50 5.2 μM) and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory effect (IC50 27.9 μM) as compared to standard drugs respectively.

 