bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Complement C3c as a Biomarker in Heart Failure
Authors: Frey A. , Ertl G. , Angermann C. E. , Hofmann U. , Störk S. , Frantz S.
Published: December 2013

Introduction.Experimental data indicates an important role of the innate immune system in cardiac remodeling and heart failure (HF). Complement is a central effector pathway of the innate immune system. Animals lacking parts of the complement system are protected from adverse remodeling. Based on these data, we hypothesized that peripheral complement levels could be a good marker for adverse remodeling and prognosis in patients with HF.Methods and Results.Since complement activation converges on the complement factor C3, we measured serum C3c, a stable C3-conversion product, in 197 patients with stable systolic HF. Subgroups with normal and elevated C3c levels were compared. C3c levels were elevated in 17% of the cohort. Patients with elevated C3c levels exhibited a trend to better survival, slightly higher LVEF, and lower NTpro-BNP values in comparison to patients with normal C3c values. No differences were found regarding NYHA functional class. Significantly more patients with elevated C3c had preexisting diabetes. The prevalence of CAD, arterial hypertension, and atrial fibrillation was not increased in patients with elevated C3c.Conclusion.Elevated C3c levels are associated with less adverse remodeling and improved survival in patients with stable systolic heart failure.
Leader-Following Protocol Design for Switched Multiagent Systems with Randomly Occurring Self-Delay
Authors: Park M. J. , Kwon O. M. , Park Ju H. , Lee S. M. , Cha E. J.
Published: December 2013

This paper designs a delay-dependent leader-following protocol for multiagent systems with both communication delay and randomly occurring self-delay. Based on the randomly occurring mode of self-delay, a new model of switched multi-agent systems which have not been introduced yet is constructed. By constructing a newly piecewise Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, a leader-following stability criterion of the switched multi-agent systems is derived by the framework of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) and the average dwell time with the randomly occurring mode. Based on the result of the derived stability criterion, a designing leader-following protocol for the system will be proposed. One numerical example is included to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Nonlinear Behavior of Thermal Lagging in Laser-Irradiated Layered Tissue
Authors: Liu Kuo-Chi , Wang Cheng-Chi , Cheng Po-Jeng
Published: December 2013

This work theoretically studies the temperature rise behavior in laser-irradiated layered tissue, which was stratified into skin, fat, and muscle. Taking the effect of microstructural interaction into account, a modified non-Fourier equation of bioheat transfer was developed based on the nonlinear form of the dual-phase-lag model. The broad beam irradiation method was adopted to calculate the laser energy deposition in tissues. The nonlinear high order partial differential equation and the complicated boundary conditions at the interface between two adjacent layers cause some mathematical difficulties. It is not easy to deal with such a problem. Therefore, a hybrid numerical scheme has been proposed to solve the present problem. The comparison between the linear and nonlinear effects of phase lag times on bioheat transfer has been made.
Detection ofTP53R249 Mutation in Iranian Patients with Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Mohamadkhani Ashraf , Naderi Elnaz , Sharafkhah Maryam , Fazli Hamid Reza , Moradzadeh Malihe , Pourshams Akram
Published: December 2013

TheTP53gene encodes tumor protein p53 which play a major role in the etiology of pancreatic cancer. The important role of codon 249 ofTP53for binding of p53 to its sequence-specific consensus site in DNA has been revealed by crystallography’s studies, and mutation at this codon was detected in the plasma of some human cancers. The TP53 Mut assessor software within the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) TP53 Database was performed to evaluate every possible mutation at codon 249. DNA was extracted from the plasma of 133 pancreatic cancer patients and 85 noncancer-bearing individuals. Exon 7 inTP53was amplified, and mutation at R249 was identified by the endonuclease cleavage of HaeIII. The group of patients showed a frequency of 11% (22 of 133 samples) R249 mutation compared to 3.5% (3 of 85 samples) in the group of control which was significant (P=0.03). This mutation demonstrated statistically significant association with pancreatic cancer risk in unadjusted odds ratio (OR: 3.74, 95% CI: 1.1–13.2;P=0.041); however when adjusted for confounding factors, it was marginally significant because of lower control samples. These findings demonstrate that mutation at R249 ofTP53can be considered for increasing risk of pancreatic cancer that needs more research.
Triple Diuretics and Aquaretic Strategy for Acute Decompensated Heart Failure due to Volume Overload
Authors: Jermyn Rita , Rajper Naveed , Estrada Chelsea , Patel Sagar , Weisfelner Bloom Michelle , Wadhwa Nand K.
Published: December 2013

Diuretics, including furosemide, metolazone, and spironolactone, have historically been the mainstay of therapy for acute decompensated heart failure patients. The addition of an aquaretic-like vasopressin antagonist may enhance diuresis further. However, clinical experience with this quadruple combination is lacking in the acute setting. We present two hospitalized patients with acute decompensated heart failure due to massive fluid overload treated with a combination strategy of triple diuretics in conjunction with the aquaretic tolvaptan. The first patient lost 72.1 lbs. (32.7 kg) with an average urine output of 3.5 to 7.5 L/day over eight days on combined therapy with furosemide, metolazone, spironolactone, and tolvaptan. The second patient similarly achieved a weight loss of 28.2 lbs. (12.8 kg) over 4 days on the same treatment. Both patients maintained stable serum sodium, potassium, and creatinine over this period and remained out of the hospital for more than 30 days. Thus, patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure due to volume overload can achieve euvolemia rapidly and without electrolytes disturbances using this regimen, while being under the close supervision of a team of cardiologists and nephrologists. Additionally, this therapy can potentially decrease the need for ultrafiltration and the length of hospital stay.
Mammalian Tribbles Homologs at the Crossroads of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Mammalian Target of Rapamycin Pathways
Authors: Cunard Robyn
Published: December 2013

In 2000, investigators discovered Tribbles, a Drosophila protein that coordinates morphogenesis by inhibiting mitosis. Further work has delineated Xenopus (Xtrb2), Nematode (Nipi-3), and mammalian homologs of Drosophila tribbles, which include TRB1, TRB2, and TRB3. The sequences of tribbles homologs are highly conserved, and despite their protein kinase structure, to date they have not been shown to have kinase activity. TRB family members play a role in the differentiation of macrophages, lymphocytes, muscle cells, adipocytes, and osteoblasts. TRB isoforms also coordinate a number of critical cellular processes including glucose and lipid metabolism, inflammation, cellular stress, survival, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. TRB family members modulate multiple complex signaling networks including mitogen activated protein kinase cascades, protein kinase B/AKT signaling, mammalian target of rapamycin, and inflammatory pathways. The following review will discuss metazoan homologs of Drosophila tribbles, their structure, expression patterns, and functions. In particular, we will focus on TRB3 function in the kidney in podocytes. This review will also discuss the key signaling pathways with which tribbles proteins interact and provide a rationale for developing novel therapeutics that exploit these interactions to provide better treatment options for both acute and chronic kidney disease.
Three Microwave Frequency Dividers Using Current Source/Sink and Modified Current Source Inverters
Authors: Harinarayan Gautham S. , Srinivasulu Avireni
Published: December 2013

In a preceding paper Carlos E. Saavedra, 2005, established that frequency division can be achieved with the use of inverter rings and transmission gates. In this paper, we suggest three modified circuits which obtain the similar function, namely, using Current Sink Inverter, Current Source Inverter, and Modified Current Source Inverter. The performances of the proposed circuits are examined using Cadence and the model parameters of a 45 nm CMOS process. The simulation results of the three circuits are presented and are compared. We also present the results of a simple but effective novel technique to reduce clock skew between real and complementary clock signals and the corresponding improvement achieved in maximum frequency of operation. One of the proposed circuits can operate at up to 8.2 GHz input while performing a divide-by-4 operation.
Qualitative Analysis of Solutions of Nonlinear Delay Dynamic Equations
Authors: Ünal Mehmet , Raffoul Youssef N.
Published: December 2013

We use the fixed point theory to investigate the qualitative analysis of a nonlinear delay dynamic equation on an arbitrary time scales. We illustrate our results by applying them to various kind of time scales.
Optimization of DNA Sensor Model Based Nanostructured Graphene Using Particle Swarm Optimization Technique
Authors: Karimi Hediyeh , Yusof Rubiyah , Rahmani Rasoul , Ahmadi Mohammad Taghi
Published: December 2013

It has been predicted that the nanomaterials of graphene will be among the candidate materials for postsilicon electronics due to their astonishing properties such as high carrier mobility, thermal conductivity, and biocompatibility. Graphene is a semimetal zero gap nanomaterial with demonstrated ability to be employed as an excellent candidate for DNA sensing. Graphene‐based DNA sensors have been used to detect the DNA adsorption to examine a DNA concentration in an analyte solution. In particular, there is an essential need for developing the cost‐effective DNA sensors holding the fact that it is suitable for the diagnosis of genetic or pathogenic diseases. In this paper, particle swarm optimization technique is employed to optimize the analytical model of a graphene‐based DNA sensor which is used for electrical detection of DNA molecules. The results are reported for 5 different concentrations, covering a range from 0.01 nM to 500 nM. The comparison of the optimized model with the experimental data shows an accuracy of more than 95% which verifies that the optimized model is reliable for being used in any application of the graphene‐based DNA sensor.
Research on the Architecture of a Basic Reconfigurable Information Communication Network
Authors: Wang Ruimin , Zhuang Lei , Luo Yuqiang , Chen Hongchang
Published: December 2013

The current information network cannot fundamentally meet some urgent requirements, such as providing ubiquitous information services and various types of heterogeneous network, supporting diverse and comprehensive network services, possessing high quality communication effects, ensuring the security and credibility of information interaction, and implementing effective supervisory control. This paper provides the theory system for the basic reconfigurable information communication network based on the analysis of present problems on the Internet and summarizes the root of these problems. It also provides an in-depth discussion about the related technologies and the prime components of the architecture.
Estimation of Anti-HIV Activity of HEPT Analogues Using MLR, ANN, and SVM Techniques
Authors: Shaik Basheerulla , Zafar Tabassum , Agrawal Vijay K.
Published: December 2013

The present study deals with the estimation of the anti-HIV activity (log1/C) of a large set of 107 HEPT analogues using molecular descriptors which are responsible for the anti-HIV activity. The study has been undertaken by three techniques MLR, ANN, and SVM. The MLR model fits the train set with R2=0.856 while in ANN and SVM with higher values of R2=0.850, 0.874, respectively. SVM model shows improvement to estimate the anti-HIV activity of trained data, while in test set ANN have higher R2
value than those of MLR and SVM techniques. Rm2= metrics and ridge regression analysis indicated that the proposed four-variable model MATS5e, RDF080u, T(O⋯O), and MATS5m as correlating descriptors is the best for estimating the anti-HIV activity (log 1/C) present set of compounds.
Prognosis of Multifocal Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Kuo Sheng-Fong , Lin Shu-Fu , Chao Tzu-Chieh , Hsueh Chuen , Lin Kun-Ju , Lin Jen-Der
Published: December 2013

This study was to investigate the clinical features and therapeutic outcomes of multifocal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). A total of 2,418 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) patients had undergone thyroidectomy in one medical center between 1977 and 2010. There were 483 (20.0%) diagnosed with multifocal PTC. The percentage of multifocal PTC was higher in PTMC patients (22.0%) than in non-PTMC patients (19.5%). Demographic and clinical characteristics of PTMC and multifocal PTC in PTC patients were traced. Multifocal PTC patients presented with smaller tumors at an older age, and a higher percentage underwent total or complete thyroidectomy. These patients also showed a higher incidence of postoperative disease progression than did unifocal PTC patients. Comparison of 483 patients with multifocal PTMC and non-PTMC tumors showed a higher incidence of postoperative disease progression in patients with non-PTMC; otherwise, there was no statistical difference in disease-specific and total mortality between these two groups. In conclusion, the incidence of multifocal PTMC was not lower than that of non-PTMC, and postoperative therapies were necessary for both multifocal PTMC and non-PTMC patients.
CD14 Mediates Binding of High Doses of LPS but Is Dispensable for TNF-αProduction
Authors: Borzęcka Kinga , Płóciennikowska Agnieszka , Björkelund Hanna , Sobota Andrzej , Kwiatkowska Katarzyna
Published: December 2013

Activation of macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) involves a sequential engagement of serum LPS-binding protein (LBP), plasma membrane CD14, and TLR4/MD-2 signaling complex. We analyzed participation of CD14 in TNF-αproduction stimulated with 1–1000 ng/mL of smooth or rough LPS (sLPS or rLPS) and in sLPS binding to RAW264 and J744 cells. CD14 was indispensable for TNF-αgeneration induced by a low concentration, 1 ng/mL, of sLPS and rLPS. At higher doses of both LPS forms (100–1000 ng/mL), TNF-αrelease required CD14 to much lower extent. Among the two forms of LPS, rLPS-induced TNF-αproduction was less CD14-dependent and could proceed in the absence of serum as an LBP source. On the other hand, the involvement of CD14 was crucial for the binding of 1000 ng/mL of sLPS judging from an inhibitory effect of the anti-CD14 antibody. The binding of sLPS was also strongly inhibited by dextran sulfate, a competitive ligand of scavenger receptors (SR). In the presence of dextran sulfate, sLPS-induced production of TNF-αwas upregulated about 1.6-fold. The data indicate that CD14 together with SR participates in the binding of high doses of sLPS. However, CD14 contribution to TNF-αproduction induced by high concentrations of sLPS and rLPS can be limited.
A Genetic Algorithm Approach for Prediction of Linear Dynamical Systems
Authors: Abo-Hammour Za'er , Alsmadi Othman , Momani Shaher , Abu Arqub Omar
Published: December 2013

Modelling of linear dynamical systems is very important issue in science and engineering. The modelling process might be achieved by either the application of the governing laws describing the process or by using the input-output data sequence of the process. Most of the modelling algorithms reported in the literature focus on either determining the order or estimating the model parameters. In this paper, the authors present a new method for modelling. Given the input-output data sequence of the model in the absence of any information about the order, the correct order of the model as well as the correct parameters is determined simultaneously using genetic algorithm. The algorithm used in this paper has several advantages; first, it does not use complex mathematical procedures in detecting the order and the parameters; second, it can be used for low as well as high order systems; third, it can be applied to any linear dynamical system including the autoregressive, moving-average, and autoregressive moving-average models; fourth, it determines the order and the parameters in a simultaneous manner with a very high accuracy. Results presented in this paper show the potentiality, the generality, and the superiority of our method as compared with other well-known methods.
A Noninvasive Neuroprosthesis Augments Hand Grasp Force in Individuals with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: The Functional and Therapeutic Effects
Authors: Thorsen Rune , Dalla Costa Davide , Chiaramonte Sara , Binda Luca , Beghi Ettore , Redaelli Tiziana , Occhi Eugenio , Ferrarin Maurizio
Published: December 2013

Objectives. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate myoelectrically controlled functional electrical stimulation (MeCFES) for enhancing the tenodesis grip in people with tetraplegia. The second aim was to estimate the potential number of candidates for the MeCFES device. The application of MeCFES provides the user with direct control of the grasp force as opposed to triggered FES systems. Methods. Screening 253 medical records of C5 to C7 spinal cord injury resulted in 27 participants who trained activities of daily living for 12 × 2 hours, using the MeCFES. Hand function was evaluated by the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). Primary outcome was the ARAT change score with/without the device, before/after the intervention period. Secondary outcome was the number of positive or clinically relevant change scores with respect to the cohort. Results. The MeCFES improved hand test score in 63% of the subjects at first application. Training resulted in a significant therapeutic effect, which resulted in an overall increase of hand function in 89% of the participants and 30% experienced a clinically relevant change (6 points or more). Conclusions. Clinical relevance was found both as an assistive aid and as a therapeutic tool in rehabilitation. The therapeutic effect deserves further investigation in clinical studies.
Isolation of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 Strain from Fecal Samples of Zoo Animal
Authors: Mohammed Hamzah Aseel , Mohammed Hussein Aseel , Mahmoud Khalef Jenan
Published: December 2013

The isolation and characterization of Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains from 22 out of 174 fecal samples from petting zoo animals representing twenty‐two different species (camel, lion, goats, zebra, bear, baboon monkey, Siberian monkey, deer, elk, llama, pony, horses, fox, kangaroo, wolf, porcupine, chickens, tiger, ostrich, hyena, dogs, and wildcats) were investigated. One petting Al‐Zawraa zoological society of Baghdad was investigated for E. coli O157:H7 over a 16‐month period that spanned two summer and two autumn seasons. Variation in the occurrence of E. coli O157:H7‐positive petting zoo animals was observed, with animals being culture positive only in the summer months but not in the spring, autumn, or winter. E. coli O157:H7 isolates were distinguished by agglutination with E. coli O157:H7 latex reagent (Oxoid), identified among the isolates, which showed that multiple E. coli strains were isolated from one petting zoo animal, in which a single animal simultaneously shed multiple E. coli strains; E. coli O157:H7 was isolated only by selective enrichment culture of 2 g of petting zoo animal feces. In contrast, strains other than O157:H7 were cultured from feces of petting zoo animals without enrichment.
Numerical Simulation and Comparison of Conventional and Sloped Solar Chimney Power Plants: The Case for Lanzhou
Authors: Cao Fei , Li Huashan , Zhang Yang , Zhao Liang
Published: December 2013

The solar chimney power plant (SCPP) generates updraft wind through the green house effect. In this paper, the performances of two SCPP styles, that is, the conventional solar chimney power plant (CSCPP) and the sloped solar chimney power plant (SSCPP), are compared through a numerical simulation. A simplified Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is built to predict the performances of the SCPP. The model is validated through a comparison with the reported results from the Manzanares prototype. The annual performances of the CSCPP and the SSCPP are compared by taking Lanzhou as a case study. Numerical results indicate that the SSCPP holds a higher efficiency and generates smoother power than those of the CSCPP, and the effective pressure in the SSCPP is relevant to both the chimney and the collector heights.
An Efficient Fractal Video Sequences Codec with Multiviews
Authors: Zhu Shiping , Li Liyun , Chen Juqiang , Belloulata Kamel
Published: December 2013

Multiview video consists of multiple views of the same scene. They require enormous amount of data to achieve high image quality, which makes it indispensable to compress multiview video. Therefore, data compression is a major issue for multiviews. In this paper, we explore an efficient fractal video codec to compress multiviews. The proposed scheme first compresses a view-dependent geometry of the base view using fractal video encoder with homogeneous region condition. With the extended fractional pel motion estimation algorithm and fast disparity estimation algorithm, it then generates prediction images of other views. The prediction image uses the image-based rendering techniques based on the decoded video. And the residual signals are obtained by the prediction image and the original image. Finally, it encodes residual signals by the fractal video encoder. The idea is also to exploit the statistical dependencies from both temporal and interview reference pictures for motion compensated prediction. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is consistently better than JMVC8.5, with 62.25% bit rate decrease and 0.37 dB PSNR increase based on the Bjontegaard metric, and the total encoding time (TET) of the proposed algorithm is reduced by 92%.
Prospective Zinc Solubilising Bacteria for Enhanced Nutrient Uptake and Growth Promotion in Maize (Zea maysL.)
Authors: Goteti Praveen Kumar , Emmanuel Leo Daniel Amalraj , Desai Suseelendra , Shaik Mir Hassan Ahmed
Published: December 2013

Zinc (Zn) is one of the essential micronutrients required for optimum plant growth. Substantial quantity of applied inorganic zinc in soil is converted into unavailable form. Zinc solubilising bacteria are potential alternates for zinc supplement. Among 10 strains screened for Zn solubilisation, P29, P33, and B40 produced 22.0 mm clear haloes on solid medium amended with ZnCO3. Similarly, P17 and B40 showed 31.0 mm zone in ZnO incorporated medium. P29 and B40 showed significant release of Zn in broth amended with ZnCO3(17 and 16.8 ppm) and ZnO (18 and 17 ppm), respectively. The pH of the broth was almost acidic in all the cases ranging from 3.9 to 6.1 in ZnCO3and from 4.1 to 6.4 in ZnO added medium. Short term pot culture experiment with maize revealed that seed bacterization with P29 @ 10 g·kg−1significantly enhanced total dry mass (12.96 g) and uptake of N (2.268%), K (2.0%), Mn (60 ppm), and Zn (278.8 ppm).
Feasibility and Merits of Performing Preclinical Imaging on Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine Systems
Authors: Bilgen Mehmet
Published: December 2013

Aim. Researchers have limited access to systems dedicated to imaging small laboratory animals. This paper aims to investigate the feasibility and merits of performing preclinical imaging on clinical systems. Materials and Methods. Scans were performed on rat and mouse models of diseases or injuries on four radiology systems, tomosynthesis, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET-CT), and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), based on the availability at the author’s institute.
Results. Tomosysthesis delineated soft tissue anatomy and hard tissue structure with superb contrast and spatial resolution at minimal scan time and effort. CT allowed high resolution volumetric visualization of bones. Molecular imaging with PET was useful for detecting cancerous tissue in mouse but at the expense of poor resolution. MRI depicted abnormal or intervened tissue at quality and resolution sufficient for experimental studies. The paper discussed limitations of the clinical systems in preclinical imaging as well as challenges regarding the need of additional gadgets, modifications, or upgrades required for longitudinally scanning animals under anesthesia while monitoring their vital signs. Conclusion. Clinical imaging technologies can potentially make cost-effective and efficient contributions to preclinical efforts in obtaining anatomical, structural, and functional information from the underlying tissue while minimally compromising the data quality in certain situations.
Immobilisation of Higher Activity Wastes from Nuclear Reactor Production of99Mo
Authors: Stewart Martin W. A. , Vance Eric R. , Moricca Sam A. , Brew Daniel R. , Cheung Catherine , Eddowes Tina , Bermudez Walter
Published: December 2013

A variety of intermediate- and low-level liquid and solid wastes are produced from reactor production of99Mo using UAl alloy or UO2targets and in principle can be collectively or individually converted into waste forms. At ANSTO, we have legacy acidic uranyl-nitrate-rich intermediate level waste (ILW) from the latter, and an alkaline liquid ILW, a U-rich filter cake, plus a shorter lived liquid stream that rapidly decays to low-level waste (LLW) standards, from the former. The options considered consist of cementitious products, glasses, glass-ceramics, or ceramics produced by vitrification or hot isostatic pressing for intermediate-level wastes. This paper discusses the progress in waste form development and processing to treat ANSTO’s ILW streams arising from99Mo. The various waste forms and the reason for the process option chosen will be reviewed. We also address the concerns over adapting our chosen process for use in a hot-cell environment.
Investigation of Liquid Crystal Ripple Using Ericksen-Leslie Theory for Displays Subject to Tactile Force
Authors: Lee Y. J. , Liu T. S. , Lin Mao-Hsing , Huang Kun-Feng
Published: December 2013

Liquid crystal display panels subjected to tactile force will show ripple propagation on screens. Tactile forces change tilt angles of liquid crystal molecules and alter optical transmission so as to generate ripple on screens. Based on the Ericksen-Leslie theory, this study investigates ripple propagation by dealing with tilt angles of liquid crystal molecules. Tactile force effects are taken into account to derive the molecule equation of motion for liquid crystals. Analytical results show that viscosity, tactile force, the thickness of cell gap, and Leslie viscosity coefficient lead to tilt angle variation. Tilt angle variations of PAA liquid crystal molecules are sensitive to tactile force magnitudes, while those of 5CB and MBBA with larger viscosity are not. Analytical derivation is validated by numerical results.
Review of Physical Based Monitoring Techniques for Condition Assessment of Corrosion in Reinforced Concrete
Authors: Lei Ying , Zheng Zhu-Peng
Published: December 2013

Monitoring the condition of steel corrosion in reinforced concrete (RC) is imperative for structural durability. In the past decades, many electrochemistry based techniques have been developed for monitoring steel corrosion. However, these electrochemistry techniques can only assess steel corrosion through monitoring the surrounding concrete medium. As alternative tools, some physical based techniques have been proposed for accurate condition assessment of steel corrosion through direct measurements on embedded steels. In this paper, some physical based monitoring techniques developed in the last decade for condition assessment of steel corrosion in RC are reviewed. In particular, techniques based on ultrasonic guided wave (UGW) and Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) are emphasized. UGW based technique is first reviewed, including important characters of UGW, corrosion monitoring mechanism and feature extraction, monitoring corrosion induced deboning, pitting, interface roughness, and influence factors. Subsequently, FBG for monitoring corrosion in RC is reviewed. The studies and application of the FBG based corrosion sensor developed by the authors are presented. Other physical techniques for monitoring corrosion in RC are also introduced. Finally, the challenges and future trends in the development of physical based monitoring techniques for condition assessment of steel corrosion in RC are put forward.
Finite Difference Methods for Option Pricing under Lévy Processes: Wiener‐Hopf Factorization Approach
Authors: Kudryavtsev Oleg
Published: December 2013

In the paper, we consider the problem of pricing options in wide classes of Lévy processes. We propose a general approach to the numerical methods based on a finite difference approximation for the generalized Black‐Scholes equation. The goal of the paper is to incorporate the Wiener‐Hopf factorization into finite difference methods for pricing options in Lévy models with jumps. The method is applicable for pricing barrier and American options. The pricing problem is reduced to the sequence of linear algebraic systems with a dense Toeplitz matrix; then the Wiener‐Hopf factorization method is applied. We give an important probabilistic interpretation based on the infinitely divisible distributions theory to the Laurent operators in the correspondent
factorization identity. Notice that our algorithm has the same complexity as the ones which use the explicit‐implicit scheme, with a tridiagonal matrix. However, our method is more accurate. We support the advantage of the new method in terms of accuracy and convergence by using numerical experiments.
On 0-Complete Partial Metric Spaces and Quantitative Fixed Point Techniques in Denotational Semantics
Authors: Shahzad N. , Valero O.
Published: December 2013

In 1994, Matthews introduced the notion of partial metric space with the aim of providing a quantitative mathematical model suitable for program verification. Concretely, Matthews proved a partial metric version of the celebrated Banach fixed point theorem which has become an appropriate quantitative fixed point technique to capture the meaning of recursive denotational specifications in programming languages. In this paper we show that a few assumptions in statement of Matthews fixed point theorem can be relaxed in order to provide a quantitative fixed point technique useful to analyze the meaning of the aforementioned recursive denotational specifications in programming languages. In particular, we prove a new fixed point theorem for self-mappings between partial metric spaces in which the completeness has been replaced by 0-completeness and the contractive condition has been weakened in such a way that the new one best fits the requirements of practical problems in denotational semantics. Moreover, we provide examples that show that the hypothesis in the statement of our new result cannot be weakened. Finally, we show the potential applicability of the developed theory by means of analyzing a few concrete recursive denotational specifications, some of them admitting a unique meaning and others supporting multiple ones.
Health: Cognition and Threshold among the Oraon Tea Garden Labourers of Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal
Authors: Roy Subrata K. , Kar Chakraborty Sujata , Mozumdar Arupendra
Published: December 2013

There is scarcity of health information in many subpopulations in India, which needs to be explored for formulating effective public health policy. Studies on the tea garden population revealed that poor socioeconomic conditions, ignorance due to illiteracy, culture and food habit, overcrowding, and unhygienic living conditions make the population vulnerable to various communicable and noncommunicable diseases and malnutrition. Data were collected from the labourers of Birpara and Dalgaon tea gardens of Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal. The objective was to identify the primary health care available vis-à-vis the health problems. The results were based on mortality data, subjective well-being, frequency of ailment symptoms, perceived health status, and selected health practices as well as some observations, which indicate their cognition and threshold regarding health problems, presented as case studies. Mortality rates were high in the population; comparative mortality data shows no considerable change in mortality rate over time and space. A very high frequency of anaemia was prevalent among females along with sore throat and abdominal pain. Perceived health status of most of the people was good, although that was not always true, because the perception of the people often depends on their threshold and cognition about health and disease.
Revisão: filamentos intermediários
Authors: Machado Gisele Fabrino , Figueiredo Florêncio
Published: December 2013

Os filamentos intermediários (FIs) têm se tornado objeto de interesse considerável para os biologistas celulares e moleculares. Muitos dados indicam que as proteínas dos FIs fazem parte de uma família multigênica, extremamente, heterogênea. A complexidade dos FIs pode estar relacionada com a sua diversidade de funções dentro das células. O artigo relaciona os principais filamentos intermediários de interesse para estudos sobre embriogênese, fisiologia e patologia dos tecidos de origem animal.
Avaliação epidemiológica da hanseníase e dos serviços responsáveis por seu atendimento em Ribeirão Preto - SP no ano de 1992
Authors: Oliveira Sátiro Nakamura , Hennemann Gisele Vieira , Ferreira Flávio Luís Fantini , Azevedo Sílvia Amorim , Forster Aldaísa Cassanho
Published: December 2013

A partir de dados registrados na planilha epidemiológica de hanseníase, instituída pelo Ministério da Saúde, sobre os casos atendidos no Município de Ribeirão Preto-S.P., buscou-se traçar um perfil epidemiológico da hanseníase, no ano de 1992, e avaliar a eficácia dos serviços responsáveis pela assistência aos hansenianos. Encontrou-se um coeficiente de prevalência de 1,72/1000 habitantes, pouco abaixo do coeficiente nacional de 1992 (1,78/1000 habitantes), e superior àquele preconizado pela O.M.S. para definir áreas de baixa prevalência (0,2/1000 habitantes). A maioria dos casos (65,4%) era de formas multibacilares, e o esquema terapêutico predominante foi o DNDS (apesar das recomendações do Ministério da Saúde). Detectou-se, também, que cerca da metade dos pacientes não recebeu avaliação de incapacidades durante o ano, havendo 60% dos pacientes com incapacidades de graus II e III, entre os que saíram do programa por alta, por cura e foram avaliados quanto a incapacidades, apesar do comparecimento dos pacientes ter sido satisfatório. Com base em tais resultados inquietantes, os autores propõem a descentralização do atendimento para as Unidades Básicas de Saúde, aproximando o serviço à comunidade. Encaminhamentos a serviços de nível secundário e terciário seriam feitos apenas para determinação diagnóstica mais apurada, e na ocorrência de complicações. Grupos terapêuticos com orientação multiprofissional e multidisciplinar deveriam ser formados para discutir o estigma e formas de reintegrar, socialmente, os pacientes.
Soropositividade para sífilis em amostras sanguíneas, procedentes de quatro regiões (136 bairros) da cidade de Ribeirão Preto - SP
Authors: Mendes Kunimi Hashizume Costa , Duarte Geraldo , Gir Elucir , Aleixo Yolanda A. , Capuano Divani M.
Published: December 2013

Avaliou-se a demanda de solicitação sorológica para sífilis (VDRL e FTA Abs), considerando-se a idade e sexo dos pacientes e freqüência de soropositividade de acordo com a Área Distrital de Saúde (ADS), responsável pelo atendimento médico. Um total de 16127 amostras, oriundas de 4 ADS (136 bairros de Ribeirão Preto) foram submetidas ao VDRL, confirmando-se o resultado com o FTA-Abs. O percentual de VDRL falsos positivos foi de 9,0% . Considerando os resultados do FTA-Abs, concluiu-se que as freqüências de amostras positivas para sífilis foi de 9,5%. A ADS que apresentou a maior freqüência de positividade foi a Central, provavelmente por ser uma região onde há maior concentração de profissionais do sexo. Notou-se, também, um elevado número de resultados falsos positivos entre as amostras oriundas da ADS Sumarezinho, levantando questões epidemiológicas e laboratoriais de realce. Houve nítido aumento de solicitações das reações sorológicas para diagnóstico de sífilis, considerando o quadriênio 1989-1992. Apesar do aumento no número de diagnósticos, o percentual de soropositividade para sífilis reduziu, consideravelmente, de 1989 para 1992. Aventa-se que essa redução possa refletir o empenho multidisciplinar nas campanhas de educação em saúde.
Curso de especialização em nutrição
Authors: Jordão Junior Alceu Afonso , Oliveira Maria Helena Dutra De , Oliveira José Eduardo Dutra De
Published: December 2013

Este trabalho apresenta uma revisão do Curso de Especialização em Nutrição da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - USP. Os dados foram obtidos nos arquivos da Biblioteca Especializada em Nutrição “Prof. Dutra de Oliveira”, da Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas da UNESP, campus de Araraquara. Os resultados mostram que cerca de 200 alunos, vindos das mais diferentes áreas profissionais, freqüentaram este curso desde sua implantação, em 1968 até 1994. Aspectos históricos do curso, sua filosofia de ensino, as atividades propostas e as opiniões de seus alunos são apresentados. O curso tem contribuído para a caracterização da nutrição como uma área interprofissional e multidisciplinar. Seus ex-alunos estão atuando hoje em diversas áreas da nutrição, sendo que muitos deles são professores universitários.
Semiotécnica neurológica
Authors: Speciali José Geraldo
Published: December 2013

O autor descreve, suscintamente, os principais passos do Exame Neurológico. Os objetivos principais são iniciar os estudantes da área médica, especialmente os de Medicina, nas técnicas do Exame Neurológico e padronizá-las no Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo.
Exame neurológico em crianças
Authors: Funayama Carolina Araújo Rodrigues
Published: December 2013

Técnicas de exame neurológico em crianças, desde o período neonatal, são descritas, bem como modificações que ocorrem, no decorrer da maturação tono, reflexos, postura, coordenação, equilíbrio, linguagem, praxias e gnosias. Ao final, é apresentado um esquema que reúne dados da semiologia neurológica e do desenvolvimento até 7 anos.
Semiologia oftalmológica
Authors: Rodrigues Maria de Lourdes Veronese
Published: December 2013

Iniciando pela anamnese oftalmológica e seguindo com o exame externo do globo ocular, com a avaliação da movimentação ocular e da acuidade visual, concluimos com o exame das estruturas oculares internas do olho com auxílio de instrumentos. Trata-se dos primeiros elementos da propedêutica oftalmológica básica, necessária para o médico não oftalmologista.
Semiologia otorrinolaringológica
Authors: Lima Wilma Terezinha Anselmo , Oliveira José Antonio Aparecido
Published: December 2013

Nesta revisão dirigida ao graduando em Medicina e ao médico não especialista, apresentou-se os principais elementos semiológicos das fossas nasais, seios paranasais, laringe, faringe e ouvidos.
Semiologia ortopédica
Authors: Volpon José Batista
Published: December 2013

Os fundamentos da semiologia ortopédica são apresentados, divididos em: inspeção geral, exame da marcha o dos segmentos do sistema músculo-esquelético: coluna vertebral, ombros, cotovelos, mãos, quadris, joelhos e pés.
Semiologia ginecológica
Authors: Carrara Helio Humberto Angotti , Duarte Geraldo , Philbert Paulo Meyer de Paula
Published: December 2013

Este trabalho tem o objetivo de servir de roteiro aos alunos que estão iniciando o curso de Ginecologia, através da Semiologia Tocoginecológica e, como roteiro, não tem a pretensão de ser completo. Algumas aulas poderão ter abordagem ou seqüência diferente daquela aqui apresentada, porém, o conteúdo principal será respeitado. A leitura das obras citadas ampliará e solidificará os conhecimentos aqui auferidos, lembrando que a complementação com aulas práticas é fundamental.
Epidemiologia da hipertensão arterial sistêmica
Authors: Spritzer Nelson
Published: December 2013

Neste artigo, são discutidos os dados de prevalência de hipertensão arterial sistêmica, especialmente aqueles oriundos de estudos baseados em comunidades. São avaliadas as diferenças de prevalência tanto da própria hipertensão como de suas repercussões clínicas mais freqüentes, incluindo mortalidade. Os dados são discutidos com especial atenção às distinções quanto às raças, sexos, faixas de idade e condição sócioeconômica, medida pela escolaridade e as implicações sobre a prevenção primária
Hipertensão arterial como fator de risco para doenças cardiovasculares
Authors: Simões Marcus Vinicius , Schmidt André
Published: December 2013

Evidências, recentemente, extraídas de amplos estudos epidemiológicos confirmaram a participação da hipertensão arterial sistêmica (HAS) como fator de risco maior para desenvolvimento de complicações cardiovasculares. Nesta breve revisão do assunto, as características clínicas da HAS que interferem, diretamente, na determinação do risco de complicações cardiovasculares degenerativas de natureza aterosclerótica são apresentadas, dando-se destaque à avaliação do risco individual. Aspectos recentes da participação da hipertrofia ventricular esquerda, como preditor de risco de morte súbita arrítmica, são também objetivamente revistos.
Atendimento multiprofissional ao paciente hipertenso
Authors: Jardim Paulo César Brandão Veiga , Sousa Ana Luiza Lima , Monego Estelamaris Tronco
Published: December 2013

Os maiores problemas do tratamento da hipertensão arterial estão relacionados com a observância às orientações instituídas, sejam elas medicamentosas ou não. O atendimento dos hipertensos por diferentes profissionais, trabalhando conjuntamente melhora, em muito, a adesão à terapêutica recomendada. A alternativa mais adequada para este tipo de atuação é a formação de equipes multiprofissionais. A composição de uma equipe multiprofissional pode ser efetivada em qualquer serviço de saúde. Do grupo poderão fazer parte todos os indivíduos existentes no serviço e que tenham contato com os pacientes (médicos, enfermeiros, nutricionistas, assistentes sociais, psicólogos, professores de Educação Física e funcionários administrativos). Para a formação da equipe, não é necessário contar com todos os tipos de profissionais, mas aqueles disponíveis em cada local, desde que estejam imbuídos dos mesmos ideais de atendimento conjunto. É importante a unidade de atuação e o treinamento adequado. As tarefas de cada um são específicas, mas em diversos momentos ocorre um imbricamento natural de funções o que será revertido em benefício dos pacientes. Estes, sendo submetidos a um volume muito maior de informações sobre seus males e como evitá-los, acabarão por incorporar hábitos mais adequados e serão, efetivamente, elementos ativos no seu tratamento. Vale por fim destacar que este tipo de atuação propiciará aos indivíduos uma assistência de melhor qualidade, não só no caso da hipertensão mas também na abordagem de qualquer tipo de patologia médica.
Tratamento não medicamentoso da hipertensão arterial
Authors: Amodeo Celso , Lima Nereida Kilza da Costa
Published: December 2013

A hipertensão arterial é uma doença multifatorial que sofre grande influência do meio ambiente no seu desenvolvimento. Pacientes com predisposição genética à hipertensão arterial poderão desenvolver a doença na idade adulta, se mantiverem um estilo de vida que inclua ingestão excessiva de carboidratos, sal e álcool, além de vida sedentária e competitiva. É importante que, na abordagem terapêutica do paciente hipertenso, tenhamos sempre em mente a necessidade de estimular a mudança de estilo de vida, através de modificações dietético-comportamentais, que contribuirão, em muito, para o melhor controle da pressão arterial.
Tratamento farmacológico da hipertensão arterial essencial
Authors: Oigman Wille
Published: December 2013

O artigo avalia de maneira objetiva as 7 principais famílias de anti-hipertensivos, em uso corrente na prática médica. Procura-se enfatizar, fundamentalmente, suas vantagens e desvantagens. O autor procura posicionar cada família de anti-hipertensivos, fortalecendo a individualização do tratamento, além de acentuar as indicações específicas quando da presença de outras doenças ou de outros fatores de riscos para doença cardiovascular. Procura-se, também, chamar a atenção para as repercussões hemodinâmica e metabólicas que cada anti-hipertensivo poderá determinar.
Monitorização ambulatorial da pressão arterial (MAPA)
Authors: Nobre Fernando
Published: December 2013

Monitorização Ambulatorial da Pressão Arterial (MAPA) é uma técnica que permite a observação das variações tensionais durante 24 ou mais horas, através de medidas programadas e indiretas da pressão arterial. Vantagens, limitações, indicações e utilidades sobre esta metodologia são discutidas nesta revisão.
Análise dos conteúdos de Rorschach de pacientes com distúrbio afetivo bipolar
Authors: Guelli Ana Valéria , Jacquemin André , Santos Manoel Antônio Dos
Published: December 2013

Foram analisados os conteúdos dos protocolos Rorschach de pacientes bipolares, utilizando o “Crivo de Representação de Si”, a fim de avaliar a qualidade da representação de si e as modalidades de relação de objeto no grupo estudado. Foi investigada uma amostra de 11 sujeitos, atendidos pelo Serviço de Psiquiatria do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - USP, com diagnóstico de transtorno afetivo bipolar, sendo 3 do sexo masculino e 8 do sexo feminino, com idades variando entre 22 a 67 anos e nível intelectual entre Médio e Médio Inferior. Foram analisados os conteúdos, segundo as dimensões de integridade, vitalidade e o caráter realista, os tipos de ação, a diferenciação de gênero e os elementos qualitativos particulares, eventualmente introduzidos nas respostas. A análise pluridimensional dos conteúdos evidenciou, no grupo estudado, indicadores de uma representação de si comprometido do ponto de vista da integridade e vitalidade, de uma fragilidade na estrutura da identidade pessoal e de modalidades relacionais pouco satisfatórias, sendo marcante a agressividade nas relações interpessoais.