bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Numerical Simulation of a Brush Seal Section and Some Experimental Results
Authors: Braun M. J. , Kudriavtsev V. V.
Published: February 2015

The brush seal technology represents quite a promising advance in the effort of construction of more efficient, and possibly smaller size engines. Conclusions of recent workshops determined that while the brush seals works well, there is a need to improve its performance characteristics. The considerable amount of experimental work performed to date has indicated the importance of the local flow phenomena in the global sealing process performance of the brush (Braun et al., 1990a, 1991b, 1992, Hendricks et al., 1991a). The distributed flow and pressure fields are thus of vital importance for the prediction of the possible sudden failure of the brush seal under unexpected local “pressure hikes”. It is in this context that the authors developed a numerical, two dimensional time dependent formulation of the Navier-Stokes equations with constant properties, and included the effects of inertia, viscous and pressure terms. The algorithm is applied to a set of non-compliant multirow, multicolumn pin configurations that are similar to the ones found in an idealized brush seal configuration. While the numerical parametric investigation aims to establish the occurrence of major flow patterns and associated pressure maps, the experimental portion of the paper is aimed at gaining further insight into the relevant flow structures, and thus guide the development of the mathematical and numerical model.
Finite Element Analysis of Two-Dimensional Turbulent Asymmetric Near and Far Non-Periodic and Periodic Wakes by κ-ϵ Model of Turbulence
Authors: Nayak Amlan Kusum , Venkatrayulu N. , Raj D. Prithvi
Published: February 2015

Two dimensional time averaged, steady incompressible, adiabatic turbulent asymmetric near and far non-periodic and periodic wake flow problems are solved by Galerkin Finite Element Method. A primitive-variables formulation is adopted using Reynolds-averaged momentum equations, with standard k-ε turbulence model. Finite element equations are solved by Newton-Raphson technique with relaxation, using frontal solver. Periodic boundary condition is specified on the periodic lines of the cascade, and asymptotic boundary condition is specified at the exit. These boundary conditions are applied without much difficulty which are not so straight forward in finite volume (FV) method. The results show good agreement with FV prediction and experimental data.
Microwave Processing of Silicon Nitride for Advanced Gas Turbine Applications
Authors: Tiegs Terry N. , Kiggans James O.
Published: February 2015

The results from previous studies on microwave processing of silicon nitride-based ceramics are reviewed to ascertain the application of this technology to advanced gas turbine (AGT) materials. Areas of microwave processing that have been examined in the past are (1) sintering of powder compacts; (2) heat-treatment of dense materials; and (3) nitridation of Si for reaction-bonded silicon nitride. The sintering of Si3N4 powder compacts showed improved densification and enhanced grain growth. However, the high additive levels required to produce crack-free parts generally limit these materials to low temperature applications. Improved high-temperature creep resistance has been observed for microwave heat-treated materials and therefore has application to materials used in highly demanding service conditions. In contrast to Si3N4, Si couples well in the microwave and sintered reaction-bonded silicon nitride materials have been fabricated in a one-step process with cost-effective raw materials. However, these materials are also limited to lower temperature applications, under about 1000°C.
The ERCOFTAC Seminar and Workshop on 3D Turbomachinery Flow Predictions: December 1992
Authors: Gregory-Smith David G.
Published: February 2015

The ERCOFTAC (European Research Community on Flow, Turbulence and Combustion) Seminar and Workshop was held with the aim of sharing between academic and industrial organisations information on the state of the art of 3D flow calculations for turbomachines. An important objective was the educational element for both established workers and new researches in the area. The philosophy was one of openness and sharing of both successes and problems. Four test cases were selected from the open literature covering a range of turbomachinery configurations. Five review lectures were given to provide a background for the discussion of the computational results. The workshop sessions indicated the importance of ensuring numerical accuracy, the need for future work particularly in turbulence and transition modelling, and the possibilities of adaptive and unstructured grids. Industrial participation was rather low and the problems in allocating resources by an organisation for this sort of exercise are recognised, and should be carefully considered for any future similar event.
Mechanical Attachment of Ceramics to Metals in Gas Turbine Engines
Authors: Battison J. Mark
Published: February 2015

Williams International has been actively investigating the use of ceramic materials in gas turbine engines for over 10 years. Ceramic component applications include both static and dynamic components such as combustors and turbine rotors. Component stresses, material properties, and cost, dictate attachment strategies. Non-metallic turbines with metal-to-non-metallic attachment schemes have been successfully demonstrated. This paper reviews a progression of attachment strategies that eventually led to a successful test of a non-metallic turbine in a gas turbine engine.
Impact of range shifter material on proton pencil beam spot characteristics
Authors: Shen Jiajian , Liu Wei , Anand Aman , Stoker Joshua B. , Ding Xiaoning , Fatyga Mirek , Herman Michael G. , Bues Martin
Published: February 2015

Purpose:

To quantitatively investigate the effect of range shifter materials on single‐spot characteristics of a proton pencil beam.

Methods:

An analytic approximation for multiple Coulomb scattering (“differential Moliere” formula) was adopted to calculate spot sizes of proton spot scanning beams impinging on a range shifter. The calculations cover a range of delivery parameters: six range shifter materials (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, Lexan, Lucite, polyethylene, polystyrene, and wax) and water as reference material, proton beam energies ranging from 75 to 200 MeV, range shifter thicknesses of 4.5 and 7.0 g/cm2, and range shifter positions from 5 to 50 cm. The analytic method was validated by comparing calculation results with the measurements reported in the literature.

Results:

Relative to a water‐equivalent reference, the spot size distal to a wax or polyethylene range shifter is 15% smaller, while the spot size distal to a range shifter made of Lexan or Lucite is about 6% smaller. The relative spot size variations are nearly independent of beam energy and range shifter thickness and decrease with smaller air gaps.

Conclusions:

Among the six material investigated, wax and polyethylene are desirable range shifter materials when the spot size is kept small. Lexan and Lucite are the desirable range shifter materials when the scattering power is kept similar to water.
ibex: An open infrastructure software platform to facilitate collaborative work in radiomics
Authors: Zhang Lifei , Fried David V. , Fave Xenia J. , Hunter Luke A. , Yang Jinzhong , Court Laurence E.
Published: February 2015

Purpose:

Radiomics, which is the high‐throughput extraction and analysis of quantitative image features, has been shown to have considerable potential to quantify the tumor phenotype. However, at present, a lack of software infrastructure has impeded the development of radiomics and its applications. Therefore, the authors developed the imaging biomarker explorer (ibex), an open infrastructure software platform that flexibly supports common radiomics workflow tasks such as multimodality image data import and review, development of feature extraction algorithms, model validation, and consistent data sharing among multiple institutions.

Methods:

The ibex software package was developed using the matlab and c/c++ programming languages. The software architecture deploys the modern model‐view‐controller, unit testing, and function handle programming concepts to isolate each quantitative imaging analysis task, to validate if their relevant data and algorithms are fit for use, and to plug in new modules. On one hand, ibex is self‐contained and ready to use: it has implemented common data importers, common image filters, and common feature extraction algorithms. On the other hand, ibex provides an integrated development environment on top of matlab and c/c++, so users are not limited to its built‐in functions. In the ibex developer studio, users can plug in, debug, and test new algorithms, extending ibex’s functionality. ibex also supports quality assurance for data and feature algorithms: image data, regions of interest, and feature algorithm‐related data can be reviewed, validated, and/or modified. More importantly, two key elements in collaborative workflows, the consistency of data sharing and the reproducibility of calculation result, are embedded in the ibex workflow: image data, feature algorithms, and model validation including newly developed ones from different users can be easily and consistently shared so that results can be more easily reproduced between institutions.

Results:

Researchers with a variety of technical skill levels, including radiation oncologists, physicists, and computer scientists, have found the ibex software to be intuitive, powerful, and easy to use. ibex can be run at any computer with the windows operating system and 1GB RAM. The authors fully validated the implementation of all importers, preprocessing algorithms, and feature extraction algorithms. Windows version 1.0 beta of stand‐alone ibex and ibex’s source code can be downloaded.

Conclusions:

The authors successfully implemented ibex, an open infrastructure software platform that streamlines common radiomics workflow tasks. Its transparency, flexibility, and portability can greatly accelerate the pace of radiomics research and pave the way toward successful clinical translation.
ON THE NUMBER OF ABELIAN BORDERED WORDS (WITH AN EXAMPLE OF AUTOMATIC THEOREM-PROVING)
Authors: GOČ DANIEL , RAMPERSAD NARAD , RIGO MICHEL , SALIMOV PAVEL
Published: February 2015

In the literature, many bijections between (labeled) Motzkin paths and various other combinatorial objects are studied. We consider abelian (un)bordered words and show the connection with irreducible symmetric Motzkin paths and paths in ℤ not returning to the origin. This study can be extended to abelian unbordered words over an arbitrary alphabet and we derive expressions to compute the number of these words. In particular, over a 3-letter alphabet, the connection with paths in the triangular lattice is made. Finally, we characterize the lengths of the abelian unbordered factors occurring in the Thue–Morse word using some kind of automatic theorem-proving provided by a logical characterization of the k-automatic sequences.
SORTING CONJUGATES AND SUFFIXES OF WORDS IN A MULTISET
Authors: BONOMO SILVIA , MANTACI SABRINA , RESTIVO ANTONIO , ROSONE GIOVANNA , SCIORTINO MARINELLA
Published: February 2015

In this paper we are interested in the study of the combinatorial aspects related to the extension of the Burrows-Wheeler transform to a multiset of words. Such study involves the notion of suffixes and conjugates of words and is based on two different order relations, denoted by <lex and ≺ω, that, even if strictly connected, are quite different from the computational point of view. In particular, we introduce a method that only uses the <lex sorting among suffixes of a multiset of words in order to sort their conjugates according to ≺ω-order. In this study an important role is played by Lyndon words. This strategy could be used in applications specially in the field of Bioinformatics, where for instance the advent of “next-generation” DNA sequencing technologies has meant that huge collections of DNA sequences are now commonplace.
Singular Levi-flat hypersurfaces in complex projective space induced by curves in the Grassmannian
Authors: Lebl Jiří
Published: February 2015

Let H ⊂ ℙn be a real-analytic subvariety of codimension one induced by a real-analytic curve in the Grassmannian G(n + 1, n). Assuming H has a global defining function, we prove H is Levi-flat, the closure of its smooth points of top dimension is a union of complex hyperplanes, and its singular set is either of dimension 2n - 2 or dimension 2n - 4. If the singular set is of dimension 2n - 4, then we show the hypersurface is algebraic and the Levi-foliation extends to a singular holomorphic foliation of ℙn with a meromorphic (rational of degree 1) first integral. In this case, H is in some sense simply a complex cone over an algebraic curve in ℙ1. Similarly if H has a degenerate singularity, then H is also algebraic. If the dimension of the singular set is 2n - 2 and is nondegenerate, we show by construction that the hypersurface need not be algebraic nor semialgebraic. We construct a Levi-flat real-analytic subvariety in ℙ2 of real codimension 1 with compact leaves that is not contained in any proper real-algebraic subvariety of ℙ2. Therefore a straightforward analogue of Chow's theorem for Levi-flat hypersurfaces does not hold.
On identities in the products of group varieties
Authors: Boatman Nicholas S. , Yu Olshanskii Alexander
Published: February 2015

Let ℬn be the variety of groups satisfying the identity xn = 1. It is proved that for every sufficiently large prime p, say p > 1010, the product ℬpℬp cannot be defined by a finite set of identities. This solves the problem formulated by C. K. Gupta and A. N. Krasilnikov in 2003. We also find the axiomatic and the basis ranks of the variety ℬpℬp. For this goal, we improve the estimate for the basis rank of the product of group varieties obtained by G. Baumslag, B. H. Neumann, H. Neumann and P. M. Neumann in 1964.
Formation of Cu1-xGex Nanoplatelets Using LPCVD of Ge2Me6 or Ge2Me6/Et4Pb Mixture
Authors: Dřínek V. , Křenek T. , Klementová M. , Fajgar R. , Pola M. , Savková J. , Medlín R. , Novotný F.
Published: February 2015

Unlike synthesis of nanowires (1D nano-objects) the synthesis of nanoplatelets (2D nano-objects) has not been performed frequently. Herein, we report on the synthesis of Cu – Ge based on nanoplatelets with a high surface-to-volume ratio prepared by low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) of Ge 2 Me 6 and a mixture of Ge 2 Me 6/ PbEt 4. Nanostructured deposits are composed of Cu 1-x Ge x nanoplatelets, Ge nanowires and Ge nanoparticles. The nanoplatelets, which have the lateral size up to several tens of micrometers and thickness of 100–400 nm, belong to the cubic α phase of Cu 91 Ge 9 alloy ( Ge admixture in cubic Cu ) and hexagonal ζ phase of Cu 85 Ge 15 alloy. Nanowires composed of cubic Ge have a diameter of about 30 nm and length of several tens of micrometers. Lead does not enter any of these phases due to Pb – Cu and Pb – Ge immiscibility; therefore, it was observed as separate nanoparticles.
Control of Cancer Growth Using Two Input Autonomous Fuzzy Nanoparticles
Authors: Razmi Fahimeh , Moghaddam Reihaneh Kardehi , Rowhanimanesh Alireza
Published: February 2015

A major challenge in cancer therapy is destroying cancer cells with least side effects on healthy cells. In this paper, autonomous drug-encapsulated nanoparticle (ADENP) with a real feedback control is recommended to prevent from the growth of cancerous tumors and treatment of them. The proposed ADENPs, swarmly perform local drug delivery which leads to significant reduction in side effects on healthy tissues in comparison to global drug delivery. The proposed ADENPs every moment, take feedback directly from drugs and cancer cells and at any time decide how much drugs to release. Also, these ADENPs have the capability of distinguishing unhealthy from healthy tissues, and medication use of these nanoparticles is more efficient than drug carriers. Another feature of these ADENPs is their simple structure in comparison to nanorobots. Simulation results show that ADENPs successfully reduce the number of cancer cells with minimal side effects.
The Yamada polynomial of lens spatial graphs
Authors: Chbili Nafaa
Published: February 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be a spatial graph in the 3-sphere which covers a graph in the lens space. We introduce a combinatorial representation of [Formula: see text] which reflects the symmetry of the spatial graph. This representation involves a ribbon n-graph and the generator of the center of the n-braid group. We apply this result to study the Yamada polynomial of a class of lens spatial graphs.
Curvelet transform on tempered distributions
Authors: Moorthy R. Subash , Roopkumar R.
Published: February 2015

The curvelet transform of a tempered distribution is defined as an infinitely differentiable function of (a, b, θ) with a polynomial growth in b. An inversion formula of the curvelet transform on tempered distributions is also obtained.
Independent 2-rainbow domination in trees
Authors: Amjadi J. , Dehgardi N. , Mohammadi N. , Sheikholeslami S. M. , Volkmann L.
Published: February 2015

A 2-rainbow dominating function (2RDF) on a graph G is a function f from the vertex set V(G) to the set of all subsets of the set {1, 2} such that for any vertex v ∈ V(G) with f(v) = ∅ the condition ⋃u∈N(v)f(u) = {1, 2} is fulfilled. A 2RDF f is independent 2-rainbow dominating function (I2RDF) if no two vertices assigned nonempty sets are adjacent. The weight of a 2RDF f is the value ω(f) = ∑v∈V |f(v)|. The 2-rainbow domination number γr2(G) (respectively, the independent 2-rainbow domination number ir2(G)) is the minimum weight of a 2RDF (respectively, I2RDF) on G. M. Chellali and N. Jafari Rad [Independent 2-rainbow domination in graphs, to appear in J. Combin. Math. Combin. Comput.] have studied the independent 2-rainbow domination numbers in graphs and posed the following problem: Find a sharp bound for ir2(T) in terms of the order of a tree T. In this paper we prove that for every tree T of order n ≥ 3, [Formula: see text].
On the universality of spectral limit for random matrices with martingale differences entries
Authors: Merlevède F. , Peligrad C. , Peligrad M.
Published: February 2015

For a class of symmetric random matrices whose entries are martingale differences adapted to an increasing filtration, we prove that under a Lindeberg-like condition, the empirical spectral distribution behaves asymptotically similarly to a corresponding matrix with independent centered Gaussian entries having the same variances. Under a slightly reinforced condition, the approximation holds in the almost sure sense. We also point out several sufficient regularity conditions imposed to the variance structure for convergence to the semicircle law or the Marchenko–Pastur law and other convergence results. In the stationary case, we obtain a full extension from the i.i.d. case to the martingale case of the convergence to the semicircle law as well as to the Marchenko–Pastur one. Our results are well adapted to study several examples including nonlinear autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic random fields of infinite order.
Serum Soluble Vascular‐Cell Adhesion Molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) in Patients with Acute and Chronic Liver Diseases
Authors: Pirisi Mario , Fabris Carlo , Falleti Edmondo , Soardo Giorgio , Toniutto Pierluigi , Vitulli Daniela , Gonano Fabio , Bartoli Ettore
Published: February 2015

Our ai m was to ascertai n the degree of variation of serum soluble vascular cell adhesion moleculeI (VCAM‐1) concentrations according to the nature and the severity of an underl ying liver disease . One‐hundred forty sera collected from 123 patients (83 male, 40 female) with acute hepatitis (n=14). mi Id chronic Ii ver disease (n=52) or cirrhosis (n=57) of different etiologies as well as from 17 healthy blood donors (8 male, 9 female) were studied. Soluble VCAM‐I concentration was measured immunoenzymatically. One‐way analysis of variance revealed a significant variability of the mean values of soluble VCAM‐1 among groups (F=80.02, p <0.000 I). All groups of patients had higher soluble VCAM‐I than controls; moreover, patients with acute hepatitis and patients with cirrhosis had higher soluble VCAM‐1 levels than patients with mild chronic liver disease (Bonferroni′s test. p <0.(1). These results did not change after stratification of patients according to the etiology (viral or toxic) of liver disease (two‐way analysis of variance: grouping factor diagnosis, F=60.39, p <0.000 I; grouping factor etiology. F= 1.73, p NS). Cholinesterase, total bilirubin, circulating thrombocytes and blood urea nitrogen were the independent predictors of the concentration of soluble VCAM‐1. In conclusion, patients with liver disease have high serum soluble VCAM‐1, which seems to reflect more the severity of impairment of liver function rather than the etiologic nature of the disease.
A Combinatorial Benders’ Cuts Algorithm for the Local Container Drayage Problem
Authors: Xue Zhaojie , Zhang Canrong , Yang Peng , Miao Lixin
Published: February 2015

This paper examines the local container drayage problem under a special operation mode in which tractors and trailers can be separated; that is, tractors can be assigned to a new task at another location while trailers with containers are waiting for packing or unpacking. Meanwhile, the strategy of sharing empty containers between different customers is also considered to improve the efficiency and lower the operation cost. The problem is formulated as a vehicle routing and scheduling problem with temporal constraints. We adopt combinatorial benders’ cuts algorithm to solve this problem. Numerical experiments are performed on a group of randomly generated instances to test the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Energy-Efficientβ-Approximate Skylines Processing in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Xin Junchang , Wang Zhiqiong , Bai Mei , Ding Linlin , Wang Guoren
Published: February 2015

As the first priority of query processing in wireless sensor networks is to save the limited energy of sensor nodes and in many sensing applications a part of skyline result is enough for the user’s requirement, calculating the exact skyline is not energy-efficient relatively. Therefore, a new approximate skyline query,β-approximate skyline query which is limited by a guaranteed error bound, is proposed in this paper. With an objective to reduce the communication cost in evaluatingβ-approximate skyline queries, we also propose an energy-efficient processing algorithm using mapping and filtering strategies, named Actual Approximate Skyline (AAS). And more than that, an extended algorithm named Hypothetical Approximate Skyline (HAS) which replaces the real tuples with the hypothetical ones is proposed to further reduce the communication cost. Extensive experiments on synthetic data have demonstrated the efficiency and effectiveness of our proposed approaches with various experimental settings.
Pleomorphic Adenoma of Breast: A Radiological and Pathological Study of a Common Tumor in an Uncommon Location
Authors: Ginter Paula S. , Scognamiglio Theresa , Tauchi-Nishi Pamela , Antonio Lilian B. , Hoda Syed A.
Published: February 2015

Pleomorphic adenoma occurs commonly in the major salivary glands but is uncommonly encountered in the breast. In both of these locations, the tumor is typically grossly circumscribed and has a “mixed” histological appearance, being composed of myoepithelial and epithelial components amid a myxochondroid matrix. Herein, we report a case of pleomorphic adenoma of the breast which was preoperatively thought to represent a fibroadenoma on clinical and radiological grounds. It is the rarity of the tumor in the breast, rather than its histological appearance, that causes diagnostic difficulty.
Picard Sequence and Fixed Point Results onb-Metric Spaces
Authors: Demma Marta , Vetro Pasquale
Published: February 2015

We obtain some fixed point results for single-valued and multivalued mappings in the setting of ab-metric space. These results are generalizations of the analogous ones recently proved by Khojasteh, Abbas, and Costache.
Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Antibiotic‐Functionalized Graphite Nanofibers
Authors: Rotella Madeline , Briegel Alicia , Hull John , Lagalante Anthony , Giuliano Robert
Published: February 2015

Surface functionalization of nanomaterials is an area of current investigation that supports the development of new biomaterials for applications in biology and medicine. Herein we describe the synthesis, characterization, and antibacterial properties of the first examples of antibiotic‐labeled graphitic carbon nanofibers (GCNFs) covalently functionalized with aminoglycoside and quinolone antibiotics. Ruthenium tetroxide oxidation of herringbone GCNFs gave higher amounts of surface carboxyl groups than previous methods. These carboxyl groups served as sites of attachment for antibiotics by acyl substitution. Bioassay of these novel, functionalized GCNFs using serial dilution and optical density methods demonstrated that antibiotic‐labeled GCNFs possess significant antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The activity we observe for aminoglycoside‐functionalized GCNFs suggests a membranolytic mechanism of action.
PCR and ELISA vis-à-vis Microscopy for Detection of Bovine Anaplasmosis: A Study on Associated Risk of an Upcoming Problem in North India
Authors: Sharma Amrita , Singla L. D. , Kaur Paramjit , Bal M. S.
Published: February 2015

This investigation demonstrates the status of bovine anaplasmosis caused by A. marginale in bovines from Submountain and Undulating Zone of Punjab. Out of 184 suspected animals, 25 (19.51%), 47 (31.71%), and 78 (68.75%) were positive by microscopy, indirect ELISA, and PCR assay, respectively. The microscopy showed 29% sensitivity and 99% specificity, while ELISA showed 32% sensitivity and 79% specificity in concordance with PCR assay. Five false negative samples by msp1β PCR were reconfirmed for Anaplasma spp. targeting 16S rRNA gene. The sequence analysis showed the presence for A. marginale specific restriction site, indicating variation in the local strains of the organism resulting in no amplification with msp1β gene primers. Of 82 samples positive by PCR, 57 were negative by ELISA indicating lower efficacy of ELISA to detect early anaplasmosis. The assessment of risk factor with results of PCR technique indicated that cattle (Odds ratio = 2.884), particularly those of age > 1 years (Odds ratio = 2.204) of district Pathankot (Odds ratio = 3.182) of Submountain Zone (Odds ratio = 2.086), were at high risk of anaplasmosis. All three districts of Submountain Zone are at higher risk indicating the impact of biotic and abiotic factors on the incidence of disease.
Electroacupuncture Suppressed Neuronal Apoptosis and Improved Cognitive Impairment in the AD Model Rats Possibly via Downregulation of Notch Signaling Pathway
Authors: Guo Hai-dong , Tian Jin-xin , Zhu Jing , Li Li , Sun Kui , Shao Shui-jin , Cui Guo-hong
Published: February 2015

Acupuncture is a potential strategy for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the possible mechanisms worth to be explored. In this study, we proposed and tested the hypothesis that whether Notch signaling pathway is involved in the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment. Rats that received EA treatment on the acupoints of Baihui (Du 20) and Shenshu (BL 23) had shorter latency and remained in the original platform quadrant longer and crossed the former platform contained quadrant more frequently compared to the Aβinjection rats without EA treatment. EA obviously alleviated the cell apoptosis resulted by Aβinfusion in hippocampus CA1 regions through upregulating the expression of Bcl-2 and downregulating the expression of Bax. EA could further obviously promote the expression of synapsin-1 and synaptophysin in hippocampus. Aβinjection significantly increased the expression of Notch1, Jag1, and Hes1 mRNA, while EA treatment downregulated the level of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA in hippocampus, but not Jag1 mRNA. Our data suggested that EA treatment improved learning and memory function in the AD rat model partially through downregulating Notch signaling pathway.
Unprotected Left Main Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Acute Coronary Syndromes with Extracorporeal Life Support Backup
Authors: Staudacher Dawid L. , Langner Oliver , Biever Paul , Benk Christoph , Zehender Manfred , Bode Christoph , Wengenmayer Tobias
Published: February 2015

Background. Left main PCI is superior to coronary bypass surgery in selected patients. Registry data, however, suggest significant early adverse event rates associated with unprotected left main PCI. We aimed to evaluate safety of an extracorporeal life support (ECLS) as backup system during PCI.Methods. We report a registry study of 16 high-risk patients presenting with acute coronary syndromes undergoing unprotected left main PCI with an ECLS backup.Results. Seven patients (43.8%) presented with an acute myocardial infarction while 9 patients (56.3%) had unstable angina. Unprotected left main PCI could be successfully performed in all 16 patients. Mortality or thromboembolic event rates were zero within the index hospital stay. General anesthesia was necessary only in 5 patients (31.3%). Access site bleeding requiring transfusion was encountered in 4 patients (25.0%). Three patients (18.8%) developed access site complications requiring surgical intervention. All patients were ECLS-free after 96 hours.Conclusions. Unprotected left main PCI could be safely and effectively performed after ECLS implantation as backup in acute coronary syndromes in our patient collectively. Vascular access site complications however need to be considered when applying ECLS as backup system.
Severe Impaction of the Primary Mandibular Second Molar Accompanied by Displacement of the Permanent Second Premolar
Authors: Matsuyama Junko , Kinoshita-Kawano Shoko , Hayashi-Sakai Sachiko , Mitomi Tomoe , Sano-Asahito Tomiko
Published: February 2015

Tooth impaction is defined as any tooth that fails to erupt into a normal functional position and remains unerupted beyond the time at which it should normally erupt. Reports of impaction and eruption failure in primary teeth are relatively rare compared to permanent teeth. We report 2 rare cases where the second premolar was located on the occlusal side of the impacted mandibular second primary molar. In the first case, the succedaneous permanent tooth erupted after extraction of the primary tooth, fenestration, and traction. In the second case, the succedaneous permanent tooth erupted without fenestration or traction. Although the etiology of the tooth displacement was unknown in both cases, inhibition of the eruptive movement of the primary molar may have been associated with displacement of the succedaneous permanent premolar.
Adaptive Topology Reconfiguration from an Actor Failure in Wireless Sensor-Actor Networks
Authors: Zhang Shengfeng , Wu Xiaobei , Huang Cheng
Published: February 2015

Wireless Sensor-Actor Network (WSAN) usually consists of numerous sensor nodes and fewer actors, and the connectivity of interactors is critical to the whole network. Due to the hash deployed environments and limited energy supply, actor nodes may fail and impact the performance of the whole network. Since the failure of a cut-vertex will disrupt connectivity and divide the topology into disjoint segments, most of the previous researches have already considered this scenario. However, the impact of an abruptly actor's failure to the network will be far more than that. This paper focuses on the problem of an actor's failure and gives a more comprehensive view of the faulty actor, that is, not only restricts to the cut-vertex. Length-Aware Topology Reconfiguration Algorithm (LTRA) is proposed on the basis of two vital definitions named as length impact index (LII) and vertex cut set (VCS). LTRA is a hybrid method which selects a best candidate for each actor (if it has) and then initiates in a distributed manner. Main idea of this approach is that candidate will move to replace the faulty one once the failure occurs. In addition, the candidate is selected from one-hop neighbors of each actor. Finally, performance of LTRA is validated by extensive simulation experiments.
First Genomic Analysis of Dendritic Cells from Lung and Draining Lymph Nodes in Murine Asthma
Authors: Tschernig Thomas , Hartwig Christina , Jeron Andreas , Dinh Quoc Thai , Gereke Marcus , Bruder Dunja
Published: February 2015

Asthma is the consequence of allergic inflammation in the lung compartments and lung-draining lymph nodes. Dendritic cells initiate and promote T cell response and drive it to immunity or allergy. However, their modes of action during asthma are poorly understood. In this study, an allergic inflammation with ovalbumin was induced in 38 mice versus 42 control animals. After ovalbumin aerosol challenge, conventional dendritic cells (CD11c/MHCII/CD8) were isolated from the lungs and the draining lymph nodes by means of magnetic cell sorting followed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. A comparative transcriptional analysis was performed using gene arrays. In general, many transcripts are up- and downregulated in the CD8−dendritic cells of the allergic inflamed lung tissue, whereas few genes are regulated in CD8+dendritic cells. The dendritic cells of the lymph nodes also showed minor transcriptional changes. The data support the relevance of the CD8−conventional dendritic cells but do not exclude distinct functions of the small population of CD8+dendritic cells, such as cross presentation of external antigen. So far, this is the first approach performing gene arrays in dendritic cells obtained from lung tissue and lung-draining lymph nodes of asthmatic-like mice.
Formulation Development and Evaluation of Fast Disintegrating Tablets of Salbutamol Sulphate, Cetirizine Hydrochloride in Combined Pharmaceutical Dosage Form: A New Era in Novel Drug Delivery for Pediatrics and Geriatrics
Authors: Sharma Deepak , Singh Gurmeet , Kumar Dinesh , Singh Mankaran
Published: February 2015

The objective of the present study was to prepare the fast disintegrating tablet of Salbutamol Sulphate, Cetirizine Hydrochloride in combined tablet dosage form for respiratory disorders such as bronchitis, asthma, and coughing for pediatrics and geriatrics. The tablets were prepared by direct compression technique. Superdisintegrant such as Sodium Starch Glycolate was optimized as 4% on the basis of least disintegration time. Different binders such as MCC and PVP K-30 were optimized along with optimized superdisintegrant concentration. 1% MCC was selected as optimum binder concentration on the basis of least disintegration time. The tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, weight variation, wetting time, disintegration time, and drug content uniformity. Optimized formulation was further evaluated by in vitro dissolution test, drug-excipient compatibility, and accelerated stability study. Percent weight variation and content uniformity were within the acceptable limit. The friability was less than 1%. The wetting time and disintegration time were practically good for all formulations. FTIR studies and accelerated stability study showed that there was no interaction between the drug and excipients. It was concluded that, by employing commonly available pharmaceutical excipients such as superdisintegrants, hydrophilic and swellable excipients and proper filler, a fast disintegrating tablet of Salbutamol Sulphate, Cetirizine Hydrochloride in combined tablet dosage form, were formulated successfully with desired characteristics.
Bone Morphology in 46 BXD Recombinant Inbred Strains and Femur‐Tibia Correlation
Authors: Zhang Yueying , Huang Jinsong , Jiao Yan , David Valentin , Kocak Mehmet , Roan Esra , Di’Angelo Denis , Lu Lu , Hasty Karen A. , Gu Weikuan
Published: February 2015

We examined the bone properties of BXD recombinant inbred (RI) mice by analyzing femur and tibia and compared their phenotypes of different compartments. 46 BXD RI mouse strains were analyzed including progenitor C57BL/6J (n = 16) and DBA/2J (n = 15) and two first filial generations (D2B6F1 and B6D2F1). Strain differences were observed in bone quality and structural properties (P < 0.05) in each bone profile (whole bone, cortical bone, or trabecular bone). It is well known that skeletal phenotypes are largely affected by genetic determinants and genders, such as bone mineral density (BMD). While genetics and gender appear expectedly as the major determinants of bone mass and structure, significant correlations were also observed between femur and tibia. More importantly, positive and negative femur‐tibia associations indicated that genetic makeup had an influence on skeletal integrity. We conclude that (a) femur‐tibia association in bone morphological properties significantly varies from strain to strain, which may be caused by genetic differences among strains, and (b) strainwise variations were seen in bone mass, bone morphology, and bone microarchitecture along with bone structural property.
VEGF Overexpression Is a Valuable Prognostic Factor for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Evidence from a Systemic Meta-Analysis
Authors: Yang Jing , Li Wenlu , He Xin , Zhang Guofei , Yue Lan , Chai Ying
Published: February 2015

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a vital role in the progression of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). Although multiple studies have investigated the relationship between VEGF expression and prognosis of NHL, these studies have yielded conflicting results. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the role of VEGF in the prognosis of NHL patients. We systematically searched eligible studies from databases and determined that there was a significant correlation between VEGF overexpression and overall survival (HR (hazard ratio) = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.25–2.22,P=0.001). Based on subgroup analysis by study location, number of patients, the source of VEGF expression, and study design, we found that VEGF overexpression in surgically resected tissue (HR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.41–2.69,P=0.000), but not in serum (HR = 1.37, 95% CI: 0.96–1.95,P=0.087), was associated with poorer prognosis. Additionally, VEGF overexpression did not correlate with performance status, LDH level, IPI score, tumor staging, B symptoms, or NHL relapse. In summary, overexpression of VEGF in lymphoma tissue represents a promising potential prognostic factor in NHL.
Experimental Study of Constant Volume Sulfur Dust Explosions
Authors: Kalman Joseph , Glumac Nick G. , Krier Herman
Published: February 2015

Dust flames have been studied for decades because of their importance in industrial safety and accident prevention. Recently, dust flames have become a promising candidate to counter biological warfare. Sulfur in particular is one of the elements that is of interest, but sulfur dust flames are not well understood. Flame temperature and flame speed were measured for sulfur flames with particle concentrations of 280 and 560 g/m3and oxygen concentration between 10% and 42% by volume. The flame temperature increased with oxygen concentration from approximately 900 K for the 10% oxygen cases to temperatures exceeding 2000 K under oxygen enriched conditions. The temperature was also observed to increase slightly with particle concentration. The flame speed was observed to increase from approximately 10 cm/s with 10% oxygen to 57 and 81 cm/s with 42% oxygen for the 280 and 560 g/m3cases, respectively. A scaling analysis determined that flames burning in 21% and 42% oxygen are diffusion limited. Finally, it was determined that pressure-time data may likely be used to measure flame speed in constant volume dust explosions.
Severe Bradycardia Possibly due to a Local Anesthetic Oral Mucosal Injection during General Anesthesia
Authors: Satoh Kenichi , Ohashi Ayako , Kumagai Miho , Hoshi Hideki , Otaka Kousei , Joh Shigeharu
Published: February 2015

Local anesthesia may induce systemic complications leading to parasympathetic activity leading to bradycardia and hypotension. We report a case of a 50-year-old man undergoing dental surgery under general anesthesia who experienced severe bradycardia and hypotension after local anesthesia infiltration. Concerns regarding the utilization of a relatively large lumen injection needle for local anesthesia during general anesthesia are discussed.
Phase Behavior and Heat Capacity of {DPnP + Water} Mixtures at the Temperature Range of 273.15–338.15 K
Authors: Tkaczyk Mariola , Piekarski Henryk , Góralski Paweł
Published: February 2015

The differential scanning calorimetry method (DSC) was used to examine the miscibility in the{dipropylene glycol propyl ether (DPnP) + water}system. Based on recorded curves of differential heat flow on temperature, HF=f(T), the range (composition, temperature) of the occurrence of miscibility gap, the values of lower critical solution temperature (LCST), and critical concentration were determined. On the basis of the experimentally determined specific heat capacity data the partial molar heat capacities (Cp,2) of DPnP in the mixtures with water were calculated. Analyzing changes in the course ofCp,2=f(x2)function, the boundary of transition from a homogeneous solution was determined, in which the monomers of amphiphile dominate, to the region, in which aggregates of the cluster type appear.
CXCR4 Expression in Gastric Cancer and Bone Marrow: Association with Hypoxia-Regulated Indices, Disseminated Tumor Cells, and Patients Survival
Authors: Osinsky Dmitry , Kovelskaya Antonina , Bubnovskaya Larissa , Ganusevich Irina , Gumenyuk Lilya , Merentsev Sergej , Osinsky Sergej , Mamontova Lesya
Published: February 2015

Aim. The analysis of the association of CXCR4 expression in gastric cancer (GC) and bone marrow (BM) with clinical characteristics. Patients and Methods. 65 patients with GC were investigated. Immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry, NMR-spectroscopy, and zymography were used. Results. CXCR4 was expressed in 78.5% of GC specimens and correlated with tumor hypoxia (P<0.05), VEGF expression (P<0.01), and gelatinases activity (P<0.05). CXCR4-positive cells in GC were detected in 80% of patients with disseminated tumor cells (DTCs). Overall survival (OS) of patients with CXCR4-positive tumors was poorer than that of patients with CXCR4-negative tumors (P=0.037). The CXCR4-positive cells in BM were found in 46% of all patients and in 56% of patients with DTCs. CXCR4 expression in BM was not associated with OS. Risk of unfavourable outcome is increased in patients with CXCR4-positive tumors (P<0.05). CXCR4 expression in BM was positively associated with DTCs, especially in patients with M0 category. Risk of unfavourable outcome is increased in patients with M0 category and with both CXCR4-positive BM and DTCs (P=0.03). Conclusions. CXCR4 expression in tumor was positively correlated with hypoxia level and VEGF expression in tumor as well as OS. CXCR4 expression in BM is associated with DTCs.
Prediction of Outcome for Transabdominal Cerclage in Women with Cervical Insufficiency
Authors: Song Ji Eun , Lee Keun Young , Son Ga Hyun
Published: February 2015

We investigated pregnancy outcome following transabdominal cerclage (TAC) in women with cervical insufficiency (CI) and explored parameters for predicting pregnancy outcomes following TAC. In this retrospective cohort study, we included 161 women with TAC. We considered demographic, obstetric, and gynecologic histories, pre- and postoperative cervical length (CL), and CL at 20–24 weeks as parameters for predicting outcomes following TAC. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for predicting delivery before 34 weeks after TAC. 182 pregnancies occurred after TAC, and 290 pregnancies prior to TAC were identified. The rate of delivery <34 weeks significantly decreased following TAC (5% versus 82%,P<0.001). Univariate analysis demonstrated that a short CL (<25 mm) at 20–24 weeks and adenomyosis were associated with delivery at <34 weeks’ gestation following TAC (P=0.015andP=0.005, resp.). However, multivariate analysis demonstrated that only a short CL (<25 mm) at 20–24 weeks was a significant predictor (P=0.005). TAC is an efficacious procedure that prolongs pregnancy in women with CI. A short CL at 20–24 weeks may predict the delivery at <34 weeks’ gestation following TAC.
Immediate Postoperative Inflammation Is an Important Prognostic Factor in Breast Cancer
Authors: Lee Se Kyung , Choi Min-Young , Bae Soo Youn , Lee Jun Ho , Lee Hyun-Chul , Kil Won Ho , Lee Jeong Eon , Kim Seok Won , Nam Seok Jin
Published: February 2015

Objective: Inflammation is associated with worse outcomes in cancer. Operations induce an acute inflammatory response and could impact the clinical outcomes in breast cancer. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a well-known indicator of inflammation. We investigated the prognostic significance of perioperative inflammation with the NLR in breast cancer. Methods: We reviewed the clinical and pathological records of women diagnosed with invasive breast carcinoma at the Samsung Medical Center between 2000 and 2010. The NLR levels in the immediate preoperative period and the postoperative periods (1 week and 1 month) were assessed. Results: The NLRs of a total of 3,116 breast cancer patients were examined. In the univariate analysis, the NLR in postoperative week 1, total mastectomy, the presence of lymphovascular invasion, a higher nuclear grade and pathologic TNM stage, and negative hormone receptor and subtypes were factors associated with poor disease-specific survival. The NLR in postoperative week 1 remained a significant prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis. A cutoff level of 5.2, determined by the minimum p value approach, was found to be a significant level for discriminating the impact on breast cancer-specific mortality (p = 0.0116 adjusted by the Bonferroni correction). Conclusions: Immediate postoperative inflammation is an important prognostic marker in breast cancer patients.
Carving versus Stitching: The Concept of Psychic Function and the Continuity/Discontinuity Debate
Authors: Rejón Altable Carlos , Múzquiz Jiménez Álvaro
Published: February 2015

Background: The current debate on the continuity or discontinuity of psychotic symptoms and common psychic experiences has mainly dealt with methodological, epidemiological and clinical issues, but it has neglected epistemological research on the main concepts of the field. Methods: The implicit epistemic structure of continuity models of psychotic symptoms and its effect on research are addressed. Results: We explain how the seemingly commonsense, unproblematic concept of psychic function may explain the contradictions and paradoxes of research. Conclusions: A new model of symptom individuation and symptom eliciting is proposed - based on the concepts of ‘schemas', ‘embodied affordances' and ‘thick/thin descriptions'.