bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bicuspid Aortic Valve Disease and Ascending Aortic Aneurysms: Gaps in Knowledge
Authors: Losenno Katie L. , Goodman Robert L. , Chu Michael W. A.
Published: October 2012

The bicuspid aortic valve is the most common congenital cardiac anomaly in developed nations. The abnormal bicuspid morphology of the aortic valve results in valvular dysfunction and subsequent hemodynamic derangements. However, the clinical presentation of bicuspid aortic valve disease remains quite heterogeneous with patients presenting from infancy to late adulthood with variable degrees of valvular stenosis and insufficiency and associated abnormalities including aortic coarctation, hypoplastic left heart structures, and ascending aortic dilatation. Emerging evidence suggests that the heterogeneous presentation of bicuspid aortic valve phenotypes may be a more complex matter related to congenital, genetic, and/or connective tissue abnormalities. Optimal management of patients with BAV disease and associated ascending aortic aneurysms often requires a thoughtful approach, carefully assessing various risk factors of the aortic valve and the aorta and discerning individual indications for ongoing surveillance, medical management, and operative intervention. We review current concepts of anatomic classification, pathophysiology, natural history, and clinical management of bicuspid aortic valve disease with associated ascending aortic aneurysms.
Primary Mediastinal Large B-Cell Lymphoma during Pregnancy
Authors: Perez Cesar A. , Amin Janki , Aguina Luz M. , Cioffi-Lavina Maureen , Santos Edgardo S.
Published: October 2012

Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) rarely presents during pregnancy and primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMLBCL) accounts for approximately 2.5% of patients with NHL. The case of a 22-year-old woman who was diagnosed with Stage IIA PMLBCL during week 13 of her intrauterine pregnancy is described. The staging consisted in computed tomography (CT) of the chest and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen and pelvis. She was managed with R-CHOP regimen (rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) for a total of six cycles and, because of the early presentation during the second trimester, she received the entire chemotherapy course during the pregnancy. She delivered a healthy baby at 34 weeks of pregnancy and a18FDG-PET/CT scan demonstrated complete remission after delivery. After 20 months of follow up she remains with no evidence of disease and her 1-year-old son has shown no developmental delays or physical abnormalities. PMLBCL, although an uncommon subgroup of DLBCL, may present during pregnancy and R-CHOP should be considered as one suitable option in this complex scenario.
On Asymptotic Analysis of Packet and Wormhole Switched Routing Algorithm for Application‐Specific Networks‐on‐Chip
Authors: Nitin
Published: October 2012

The application of the multistage interconnection networks (MINs) in systems‐on‐chip (SoC) and networks‐on‐chip (NoC) is hottest since year 2002. Nevertheless, nobody used them practically for parallel communication. However, to overcome all the previous problems, a new method is proposed that uses MIN to provide intra‐(global) communication among application‐specific NoCs in networks‐in‐package (NiP). For this, four O(n)2 fault‐tolerant parallel algorithms are proposed. It allows different NoCs to communicate in parallel using either fault‐tolerant irregular Penta multistage interconnection network (PNN) or fault‐tolerant regular Hexa multistage interconnection network (HXN). These two are acting as an interconnects‐on‐chip (IoC) in NiP. Both IoC use packet switching and wormhole switching to route packets from source NoC to destination NoC. The results are compared in terms of packet losses and wormhole switching which comes out to be better than packet switching. The comparison of IoC on cost and MTTR concluded that the HXN has the higher cost than the PNN, but MTTR values of the HXN are low in comparison to the PNN. This signifies that the ability to tolerate faults and online repairing of the HXN is higher and faster than the PNN.
Novel Application of Statistical Methods to Identify New Urinary Incontinence Risk Factors
Authors: Ogunyemi Theophilus O. , Siadat Mohammad-Reza , Arslanturk Suzan , Killinger Kim A. , Diokno Ananias C.
Published: October 2012

Longitudinal data for studying urinary incontinence (UI) risk factors are rare. Data from one study, the hallmark Medical, Epidemiological, and Social Aspects of Aging (MESA), have been analyzed in the past; however, repeated measures analyses that are crucial for analyzing longitudinal data have not been applied. We tested a novel application of statistical methods to identify UI risk factors in older women. MESA data were collected at baseline and yearly from a sample of 1955 men and women in the community. Only women responding to the 762 baseline and 559 follow-up questions at one year in each respective survey were examined. To test their utility in mining large data sets, and as a preliminary step to creating a predictive index for developing UI, logistic regression, generalized estimating equations (GEEs), and proportional hazard regression (PHREG) methods were used on the existing MESA data. The GEE and PHREG combination identified 15 significant risk factors associated with developing UI out of which six of them, namely, urinary frequency, urgency, any urine loss, urine loss after emptying, subject’s anticipation, and doctor’s proactivity, are found most highly significant by both methods. These six factors are potential candidates for constructing a future UI predictive index.
Nonlocal Electron-Phonon Interaction as a Source of Dynamic Charge Stripes in the Cuprates
Authors: Falter Claus , Bauer Thomas
Published: October 2012

We calculate for La2CuO4the phonon-induced redistribution of the electronic charge density in the insulating, the underdoped pseudogap, and the more conventional metallic state as obtained for optimal and overdoping, respectively. The investigation is performed for the anomalous high-frequency oxygen bond-stretching modes, which experimentally are known to display a strong softening of the frequencies upon doping in the cuprates. This most likely generic anomalous behaviour of these modes is shown to be due to a strong nonlocal electron-phonon interaction mediated by charge fluctuations on the ions. We demonstrate that the softening of the modes is caused by nonlocally induced dynamic charge inhomogeneities in form of charge stripes along the CuO bonds with different orbital character. The dynamic charge inhomogeneities may in turn be considered as precursors of static charge stripe order as recently observed in in a broad range of doping around . The latter may trigger a reconstruction of the Fermi surface into small pockets with reduced doping. We argue that the incompressibility of the orbital and simultaneously the compressibility of the orbital in the pseudogap state seem to be required to nucleate dynamic stripes.
Active Ageing: An Empirical Approach to the WHO Model
Authors: Paúl Constança , Ribeiro Oscar , Teixeira Laetitia
Published: October 2012

Background. In the beginning of the 21st century, the world summit on population taking place in Madrid approved active ageing, WHO (2002) as the main objective of health and social policies for old people. Few studies have been done on the scientific validity of the construct. This study aims to validate the construct of active ageing and test empirically the WHO (2002) model of Active Ageing in a sample of community-dwelling seniors.Methods. 1322 old people living in the community were interviewed using an extensive assessment protocol to measure WHO's determinants of active ageing and performed an exploratory factor analysis followed by a confirmatory factor analyses.Results. We did not confirm the active ageing model, as most of the groups of determinants are either not independent or not significant. We got to a six-factor model (health, psychological component, cognitive performance, social relationships, biobehavioural component, and personality) explaining 54.6% of total variance.Conclusion. The present paper shows that there are objective as well as subjective variables contributing to active ageing and that psychological variables seem to give a very important contribute to the construct. The profile of active ageing is expected to vary between contexts and cultures and can be used to guide specific community and individually based interventions.
Effect of Si and SiO2 Substrates on the Geometries of As‐Grown Carbon Coils
Authors: Park Semi , Kim Sung-Hoon , Kim Tae-Gyu
Published: October 2012

Carbon coils could be synthesized using C2H2/H2 as source gases and SF6 as an incorporated additive gas under thermal chemical vapor deposition system. Si substrate, SiO2 thin film deposited Si substrate (SiO2 substrate), and quartz substrate were employed to elucidate the effect of substrate on the formation of carbon coils. The characteristics (formation densities, morphologies, and geometries) of the deposited carbon coils on the substrate were investigated. In case of Si substrate, the microsized carbon coils were dominant on the substrate surface. While, in case of SiO2 substrate, the nanosized carbon coils were prevailing on the substrate surface. The surface morphologies of samples were investigated step by step during the reaction process. The cause for the different geometry formation of carbon coils according to the different substrates was discussed in association with the different thermal expansion coefficient values of Si and SiO2 substrates and the different etched characteristics of Si and SiO2 substrates by SF6 + H2 flow.
The Prevalence of Root Sensitivity following Periodontal Therapy: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lin Y. H. , Gillam D. G.
Published: October 2012

The reported prevalence of dentine/root (hyper)sensitivity (DH/RS) in the published literature varies, and this may be due in part to a) the different study populations and (b) the different methodologies employed in evaluating the pain response. According to von Troil et al. (2002) there are limited data available in terms of the prevalence and intensity of DH/RS following periodontal therapy.Objectives. The aim of the present study was therefore to review the literature in order to identify all relevant studies for inclusion and to determine whether there was any evidence of DH/RS following periodontal procedures in the published literature up to 31st December 2009 using an agreed search protocol.Methods. 840 papers were identified, from searching both electronic databases (PUBMED) and hand searching of relevant written journals. Twelve papers were subsequently accepted for inclusion.Results. The results of the present study would indicate that the reported prevalence for DH/RS (following nonsurgical therapy) was between 62.5% and 90% one day after treatment decreasing to approximately 52.6% to 55% after one week. The prevalence of DH/RS following surgical therapy was between 76.8% and 80.4% one day after treatment subsequently decreasing over time to 36.8% after 1 week, 33.4% after 2 weeks, 29.6% after 4 weeks, and 21.7% after 8 weeks.Conclusions. It is evident from reviewing the included studies that patients may suffer from mild discomfort following periodontal procedures although both the prevalence and intensity of DH/RS may vary depending on the duration and the type of procedure involved. Most of the studies included in this paper would tend to suggest that DH/RS may be relatively mild/moderate in nature and transient in duration.
FPGA-Based Fixed Point Implementation of a Real-Time Induction Motor Emulator
Authors: Charaabi L.
Published: October 2012

This paper investigates the numerical issue of a discrete-time induction-motor emulator implementation. The stability analysis of the finite-word-length implementation shows a coupling between required word length and the sample rate. We propose specific guidelines to analyze this coupling and to estimate the required data word length for both signals and coefficients of the model. To respect algorithm requirements, an FPGA-based implementation was used for architecture development. The direct torque control is implemented to verify in real time the AC-motor emulator prototype.
Community Level Disadvantage and the Likelihood of First Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Boden-Albala Bernadette , Roberts Eric T. , Moats Harmon , Arif Hiba , Sacco Ralph L. , Paik Myunghee C.
Published: October 2012

Background and Purpose. Residing in “disadvantaged” communities may increase morbidity and mortality independent of individual social resources and biological factors. This study evaluates the impact of population-level disadvantage on incident ischemic stroke likelihood in a multiethnic urban population. Methods. A population based case-control study was conducted in an ethnically diverse community of New York. First ischemic stroke cases and community controls were enrolled and a stroke risk assessment performed. Data regarding population level economic indicators for each census tract was assembled using geocoding. Census variables were also grouped together to define a broader measure of collective disadvantage. We evaluated the likelihood of stroke for population-level variables controlling for individual social (education, social isolation, and insurance) and vascular risk factors. Results. We age-, sex-, and race-ethnicity-matched 687 incident ischemic stroke cases to 1153 community controls. The mean age was 69 years: 60% women; 22% white, 28% black, and 50% Hispanic. After adjustment, the index of community level disadvantage (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.7–2.1) was associated with increased stroke likelihood overall and among all three race-ethnic groups. Conclusion. Social inequalities measured by census tract data including indices of community disadvantage confer a significant likelihood of ischemic stroke independent of conventional risk factors.
A Characteristic Difference Scheme for Time‐Fractional Heat Equations Based on the Crank‐Nicholson Difference Schemes
Authors: Karatay Ibrahim , Bayramoglu Serife R.
Published: October 2012

We consider the numerical solution of a time‐fractional heat equation, which is obtained from the standard diffusion equation by replacing the first‐order time derivative with Riemann‐Liouville fractional derivative of order α, where 0 < α < 1. The main purpose of this work is to extend the idea on Crank‐Nicholson method to the time‐fractional heat equations. We prove that the proposed method is unconditionally stable, and the numerical solution converges to the exact one with the order O(τ2 + h2). Numerical experiments are carried out to support the theoretical claims.
Numerical Simulations of the Impact and Spreading of a Particulate Drop on a Solid Substrate
Authors: Jeong Hyun Jun , Hwang Wook Ryol , Kim Chongyoup
Published: October 2012

We present two-dimensional numerical simulations of the impact and spreading of a droplet containing a number of small particles on a flat solid surface, just after hitting the solid surface, to understand particle effects on spreading dynamics of a particle-laden droplet for the application to the industrial inkjet printing process. The Navier-Stokes equation is solved by a finite-element-based computational scheme that employs the level-set method for the accurate interface description between the drop fluid and air and a fictitious domain method for suspended particles to account for full hydrodynamic interaction. Focusing on the particle effect on droplet spreading and recoil behaviors, we report that suspended particles suppress the droplet oscillation and deformation, by investigating the drop deformations for various Reynolds numbers. This suppressed oscillatory behavior of the particulate droplet has been interpreted with the enhanced energy dissipation due to the presence of particles.
Financial Strain Is Associated with Malnutrition Risk in Community-Dwelling Older Women
Authors: Samuel Laura J. , Szanton Sarah L. , Weiss Carlos O. , Thorpe Roland J. , Semba Richard D. , Fried Linda P.
Published: October 2012

This study examined the relationship between financial strain, or difficulty acquiring necessities, and malnutrition risk in a community dwelling sample of frail and nonfrail women aged 70–79 in the Women’s Health and Aging Study (n=679). Malnutrition risk was measured with a modified version of the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF) and defined as a score <11, financial strain was measured by (1) sufficiency of money on a monthly basis and (2) adequacy of income for food, and income was measured by ordinal categories. Mean (SD) modified MNA-SF score was 12.2 (1.80), and 14.7% of women had malnutrition risk. Women who usually did not have enough money to make ends meet had more than four-fold increased odds of malnutrition risk (OR=4.54; 95% CI: 2.26, 9.14) compared to their counterparts who had some money left over each month. This was only slightly attenuated after control for income and education, (OR=4.08; 95% CI: 1.95, 8.52) remaining robust.
These results show an association between financial strain and malnutrition risk, independent of income, in older women. Self-reported financial strain may be preferable to income as a screener for malnutrition risk in older adults in clinical and research settings.
Primary Ewing's Sarcoma of Frontoparietal Bone with Major Soft Tissue Extension: An Unusual Presentation and Review of the Literature
Authors: Gupta Anshu , Bansal Sachin , Chaturvedi Sujata
Published: October 2012

An 11-year-old girl presented with progressively increasing swelling in scalp of 8-month duration with no neurological deficit. Local examination showed a hard swelling that seemed to be arising from frontal bone. General and systemic examination was normal. MRI revealed a well-defined lytic lesion in left frontoparietal bone with a subgaleal component. The patient was operated upon and excision of tumor with reconstruction of skull was done. Histopathological examination showed a monomorphic small round cell tumor of bone infiltrating into the subcutaneous tissue. Immunohistochemical stain showed diffuse immunopositivity for MIC-2 in tumor cells, thus final diagnosis of Ewing’s sarcoma was made. The patient was kept for follow up for 3 months and had no symptoms.
Effect of Cetane Number on Specific Fuel Consumption and Particulate Matter and Unburned Hydrocarbon Emissions from Diesel Engines
Authors: Cataluña Renato , da Silva Rosangela
Published: October 2012

This paper discusses the effect of ignition delay time in diesel engines on the formation of particulate matter, using fuel formulations with different sulfur concentrations from various sources. Our findings indicate that the cetane number has a significant influence on particulate matter emissions, especially in engines with mechanical fuel injection. The maximum pressure in the combustion chamber increases as the cetane number increases, favoring the increase in the cracking reactions of high molecular weight fractions remaining in the liquid state and thus increasing the production of particulate matter. In certain conditions, this increase in pressure has a beneficial effect on the thermal efficiency of the cycle. Higher temperatures in the combustion chamber augment the speed of oxidation, reducing unburned hydrocarbon emissions. The ignition delay time of fuel has a strong effect on the formation of particulate matter and on the emission of unburned hydrocarbons.
A Fusion Approach of RSSI and LQI for Indoor Localization System Using Adaptive Smoothers
Authors: Joana Halder Sharly , Kim Wooju
Published: October 2012

Due to the ease of development and inexpensiveness, indoor localization systems are getting a significant attention but, with recent advancement in context and location aware technologies, the solutions for indoor tracking and localization had become more critical. Ranging methods play a basic role in the localization system, in which received signal strength indicator- (RSSI-) based ranging technique gets the most attraction. To predict the position of an unknown node, RSSI measurement is an easy and reliable method for distance estimation. In indoor environments, the accuracy of the RSSI-based localization method is affected by strong variation, specially often containing substantial amounts of metal and other such reflective materials that affect the propagation of radio-frequency signals in nontrivial ways, causing multipath effects, dead spots, noise, and interference. This paper proposes an adaptive smoother based location and tracking algorithm for indoor positioning by making fusion of RSSI and link quality indicator (LQI), which is particularly well suited to support context aware computing. The experimental results showed that the proposed mathematical method can reduce the average error around 25%, and it is always better than the other existing interference avoidance algorithms.
Well‐Posedness of Reset Control Systems as State‐Dependent Impulsive Dynamical Systems
Authors: Baños Alfonso , Mulero Juan I.
Published: October 2012

Reset control systems are a special type of state‐dependent impulsive dynamic systems, in which the time evolution depends both on continuous dynamics between resets and the discrete dynamics corresponding to the resetting times. This work is devoted to investigate well‐posedness of reset control systems, taking as starting point the classical definition of Clegg and Horowitz. Well‐posedness is related to the
existence and uniqueness of solutions, and in particular to the resetting times to be well defined and distinct. A sufficient condition is developed for a reset system to have well‐posed resetting times, which is also a sufficient condition for avoiding Zeno solutions and, thus, for a reset control system to be well‐posed.
The First‐Integral Method and Abundant Explicit Exact Solutions to the Zakharov Equations
Authors: Shang Yadong , Zheng Xiaoxiao
Published: October 2012

This paper is concerned with the system of Zakharov equations which involves the interactions between Langmuir and ion‐acoustic waves in plasma. Abundant explicit and exact solutions of the system of Zakharov equations are derived uniformly by using the first integral method. These exact solutions are include that of the solitary wave solutions of bell‐type for n and E, the solitary wave solutions of kink‐type for E and bell‐type for n, the singular traveling wave solutions, periodic wave solutions of triangle functions, Jacobi elliptic function doubly periodic solutions, and Weierstrass elliptic function doubly periodic wave solutions. The results obtained confirm that the first integral method is an efficient technique for analytic treatment of a wide variety of nonlinear systems of partial differential equations.
Myasthenia Gravis: A Review
Authors: Jayam Trouth Annapurni , Dabi Alok , Solieman Noha , Kurukumbi Mohankumar , Kalyanam Janaki
Published: October 2012

Acquired myasthenia gravis is a relatively uncommon disorder, with prevalence rates that have increased to about 20 per 100,000 in the US population. This autoimmune disease is characterized by muscle weakness that fluctuates, worsening with exertion, and improving with rest. In about two-thirds of the patients, the involvement of extrinsic ocular muscle presents as the initial symptom, usually progressing to involve other bulbar muscles and limb musculature, resulting in generalized myasthenia gravis. Although the cause of the disorder is unknown, the role of circulating antibodies directed against the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in its pathogenesis is well established. As this disorder is highly treatable, prompt recognition is crucial. During the past decade, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the disease, leading to new treatment modalities and a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality.
Should One Measure Balance or Gait to Best Predict Falls among People with Parkinson Disease?
Authors: Duncan Ryan P. , Earhart Gammon M.
Published: October 2012

Introduction. We aimed to determine whether gait velocity is as useful as a balance test, a self-report measure of freezing of gait (FOG), and/or a measure of motor symptom severity for predicting falls among people with Parkinson Disease (PD).Methods. Fifty-six individuals with idiopathic PD completed a baseline assessment consisting of these measures: (1) MDS-UPDRS III, (2) Mini-BESTest, (3) gait velocity (forward, backward, dual task, and fast), and (4) FOGQ. Retrospective fall history was collected at baseline and six months later. Participants were considered fallers if they had two or more falls in the surveillance period. Ability of the tests to discriminate between fallers and nonfallers was determined using ROC curves followed by pairwise statistical noninferiority comparisons (P=.05) of the area under the ROC curve (AUC) for each test.Results. At six months, 22% (n=21) of the sample were fallers. Fallers differed significantly from nonfallers on the MDS-UPDRS III, Mini-BESTest, backward gait velocity, and FOGQ. The Mini-BESTest had the highest AUC and was superior to all gait velocity measures at identifying fallers.Conclusion. A single measure of gait velocity, even in a challenging condition, may not be as effective as the Mini-BESTest in identifying fallers among people with PD.
Solving Fractional-Order Logistic Equation Using a New Iterative Method
Authors: Bhalekar Sachin , Daftardar-Gejji Varsha
Published: October 2012

A fractional version of logistic equation is solved using new iterative method proposed by Daftardar-Gejji and Jafari (2006). Convergence of the series solutions obtained is discussed. The solutions obtained are compared with Adomian decomposition method and homotopy perturbation method.
Specific Roles of MicroRNAs in Their Interactions with Environmental Factors
Authors: Wang Juan , Cui Qinghua
Published: October 2012

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of gene expression by modulating numerous target mRNAs expression at posttranscriptional level. Extensive studies have shown that miRNAs are critical in various important biological processes, including cell growth, proliferation, differentiation, development, and apoptosis. In terms of their importance, miRNA dysfunction has been associated with a broad range of diseases. Increased number of studies have shown that miRNAs can functionally interact with a wide spectrum of environmental factors (EFs) including drugs, industrial materials, virus and bacterial pathogens, cigarette smoking, alcohol, nutrition, sleep, exercise, stress, and radiation. More importantly, the interactions between miRNAs and EFs have been shown to play critical roles in determining abnormal phenotypes and diseases. In this paper, we propose an outline of the current knowledge about specific roles of miRNAs in their interactions with various EFs and analyze the literatures detailing miRNAs-EFs interactions in the context of various of diseases.
Synthesis of Mo, W, and Mo‐ and W‐Doped Multiwall VONTs via Sol‐Gel and Hydrothermal Methods
Authors: Rouhani Roya , Aghabozorg Hamid Reza , Asadi Asadabad Mohsen , Aghabozorg Hossein
Published: October 2012

Mo, W, and Mo and W were doped into multiwall vanadium oxide nanotubes. The syntheses were performed using sol‐gel method followed by hydrothermal method. The synthesized samples were characterized by XRD, SEM, EDX, and TEM techniques. The XRD patterns of the synthesized samples indicated that Mo and W could be doped into VONTs totally up to 50%. The SEM and TEM images showed that the prepared samples have tubular and multiwall morphology and open ends.
Removal of Fluoride from Drinking Water Using Modified Immobilized Activated Alumina
Authors: Rafique Aneeza , Awan M. Ali , Wasti Ayesha , Qazi Ishtiaq A. , Arshad Muhammad
Published: October 2012

The study describes the removal of fluoride from drinking water using modified immobilized activated alumina (MIAA) prepared by sol‐gel method. The modification was done by adding a specific amount of alum during the sol formation step. The fluoride removal efficiency of MIAA was 1.35 times higher as compared to normal immobilized activated alumina. A batch adsorption study was performed as a function of adsorbent dose, contact time, stirring rate, and initial fluoride concentration. More than 90% removal of fluoride was achieved within 60 minutes of contact time. The adsorption potential of MIAA was compared with activated charcoal which showed that the removal efficiency was about 10% more than the activated charcoal. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms fitted well for the fluoride adsorption on MIAA with the regression coefficient R2 of 0.99 and 0.98, respectively. MIAA can both be regenerated thermally and chemically. Adsorption experiments using MIAA were employed on real drinking water samples from a fluoride affected area. The study showed that modified immobilized activated alumina is an effective adsorbent for fluoride removal.
Effective Biosorption of Nickel(II) from Aqueous Solutions Using Trichoderma viride
Authors: Sujatha P. , Kalarani V. , Kumar B. Naresh
Published: October 2012

The primary objective of the present study is to evaluate the optimization conditions such as kinetic and equilibrium isotherm models involved in the removal of Ni(II) from the aqueous solutions by Trichoderma viride. The biosorbent was characterized by FTIR and SEM. The optimum biosorption conditions were determined as a function of pH, biomass dosage, contact time, initial metal ion concentration, and temperature. The maximum Ni(II) biosorption was obtained at pH 4.5. The equilibrium data were better fit by the Langmuir isotherm model than by the Freundlich isotherm. The kinetic studies indicate that the biosorption process of the metal ion Ni(II) has followed well the pseudo‐second‐order model. The sum of the square errors (SSE) and chi‐square (χ2) tests were also carried out to find the best fit kinetic model and adsorption isotherm. The maximum biosorption capacity (qm) of T. viride biomass was found to be 47.6 mg/g for Ni(II) ion. Therefore, it can be concluded that T. viride biomass was effective and low‐cost potential adsorbent to remove the toxic metal Ni(II) from aqueous solutions. The recovery process of Ni(II) from T. viride biomass was found to be higher than 98% by using 0.25 M HNO3. Besides the application of removal of toxic metal Ni(II) from aqueous solutions, the biosorbent T. viride can be reused for five consecutive sorption‐desorption cycles was determined.
Study of Ultraviolet Emission Spectra in ZnO Thin Films
Authors: Lu Y. M. , Li X. P. , Cao P. J. , Su S. C. , Jia F. , Han S. , Liu W. J. , Zhu D. L. , Ma X. C.
Published: October 2012

Photoluminescence (PL) of ZnO thin films prepared on c-Al2O3substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) are investigated. For all samples, roomtemperature (RT) spectra show a strong band-edge ultraviolet (UV) emission with a pronounced low-energy band tail. The origin of this UV emission is analyzed by the temperature dependence of PL spectra. The result shows that the UV emission at RT contains different recombination processes. At low temperature donor-bound exciton (D0X) emission plays a major role in PL spectra, while the free exciton transition (FX) gradually dominates the spectrum with increasing temperatures. It notes that at low temperature an emission band (FA) appears in low energy side of D0X and FX and can survive up to RT. Further confirmation shows that the origin of the band FA can be attributed to the transitions of conduction band electrons to acceptors (e, A0), in which the acceptor binding energy is estimated to be approximately 121 meV. It is concluded that at room temperature UV emission originates from the corporate contributions of the free exciton and free electrons-to-acceptor transitions.
Genetic Analysis of Polymorphisms in Dopamine Receptor and Transporter Genes for Association with Smoking among Cancer Patients
Authors: Gordiev Marat , Engstrom Paul F. , Khasanov Rustem , Moroshek Anton , Sitdikov Rustem , Dgavoronkov Vladamir , Schnoll Robert A.
Published: November 2012

Background: Smoking among Russian cancer patients may be related to variations in the DRD2/ANKK1 (Taq1), DRD4 (exon III VNTR), and SLC6A3 genes. Methods: Seven hundred fifty patients provided smoking history and DNA. Results: Current smokers were more likely to be DRD2 A2 allele carriers versus nonsmokers (former/never smokers; 69 vs. 56%; OR = 1.69; 95% CI 1.13–2.53, p = 0.01) and former smokers (69 vs. 59%; OR = 1.54; 95% CI 0.97–2.46, p = 0.07). Ever smokers (current/former smokers) were more likely to be DRD2 A2 allele carriers versus never smokers (65 vs. 55%; OR = 1.50; 95% CI 1.00–2.27, p = 0.05). The risk of current smoking among DRD2 A2 allele carriers was present if the DRD4 short allele was also present (OR = 1.76; 95% CI 1.12–2.78, p = 0.02), and the risk of ever smoking among DRD2 A2 allele carriers was present if the DRD4 short allele was also present (OR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.02–2.55, p = 0.04). DRD2 A2 allele carriers had a shorter period of previous abstinence versus DRD2 A1 carriers (p = 0.02). Effects were not statistically significant when controlling for multiple comparisons. Conclusions: The DRD2 A2 allele may increase the risk of smoking among cancer patients, convergent with studies using non-Western samples. However, additional replication is needed.
Pleiotropic Effects of Long-Term Monotherapy with Rosuvastatin in Dogs with Moderate Heart Failure
Authors: Zacà Valerio , Mishra Sudhish , Gupta Ramesh C. , Rastogi Sharad , Sabbah Hani N.
Published: October 2012

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the potential pleiotropic effects of rosuvastatin (RSV) in the left ventricular (LV) myocardium of dogs with moderate heart failure (HF). Methods: LV tissue was obtained from HF dogs randomized to 3 months therapy with low-dose RSV (n = 7), high-dose RSV (n = 7) or to no therapy (Control, n = 7) and from 7 normal dogs. mRNA and protein expression of prohypertrophic mediator NGFI-A binding protein 1 (Nab1), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were measured, as well as that of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), bone marrow-derived stem cell markers cKit and Sca1, vascular endothelial and fibroblast growth factors (VEGF and FGF) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms. Results: Nab1, PTEN, PI3K, mTOR and IL-6 increased in the controls. High-dose RSV reduced expression of Nab1, PTEN, PI3K, mTOR and IL-6 to near-normal levels. cKit and Sca1 significantly increased, while VEGF and FGF decreased in the controls compared to the normal dogs. RSV therapy further increased expression of cKit, Sca1, VEGF and FGF. High-dose RSV normalized the expression of NOS isoforms. Conclusion: These pleiotropic effects of RSV may account, in part, for the observed beneficial effect of RSV on LV function and structural remodeling.
Poor Zinc Status in Early Infancy among Both Low and Normal Birth Weight Infants and Their Mothers in Delhi
Authors: Agarwal Ramesh , Virmani Deenanath , Jaipal Munnalal , Gupta Shuchita , Sankar Mari Jeeva , Bhatia Sunita , Agarwal Anand , Devgan Veena , Deorari Ashok , Paul Vinod K. , Toteja Gurudayal Singh ,   and Investigators of the LBW Micronutrient Study Group
Published: October 2012

Background: Low birth weight (LBW) infants are at high risk of zinc deficiency, but there is a paucity of data on their zinc status. Objective: To evaluate zinc status of LBW (BW <2,500 g) and normal birth weight (NBW; BW ≥2,500 g) infants at birth and in early infancy. Methods: A total of 339 infants (LBW, n = 220; NBW, n = 119) were enrolled, and venous blood samples of mother-infant dyad were taken within 48 h of birth. Infants’ levels were repeated between 2 and 10 months of age. Serum zinc levels were estimated using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. Primary outcome was zinc deficiency, defined as serum zinc <65 µg/dl. Results: Zinc results were available for 182 LBW and 103 NBW infants at birth and for 100 LBW and 66 NBW infants at follow-up with a median postnatal age of 14 and 15.5 weeks, respectively. Median zinc levels were low and comparable at birth as well as at follow-up, with zinc deficiency being present in 51.0% of LBW and 42.4% of NBW infants at birth and in 79.0% of LBW and 66.7% of NBW infants at follow-up. Zinc levels decreased significantly in both groups from birth to follow-up, irrespective of zinc multivitamin supplementation. Zinc levels of infants with BW <2,000 g at follow-up were significantly lower compared to infants with higher BW. Conclusion: Zinc status was poor in many infants at birth irrespective of BW. Zinc status worsened significantly during early infancy, with infants with BW <2,000 g having the lowest zinc levels.
Comorbid Heart Failure and Renal Impairment: Epidemiology and Management
Authors: Iyngkaran Pupalan , Thomas Merlin , Majoni William , Anavekar Nagesh S. , Ronco Claudio
Published: October 2012

Heart failure mortality is significantly increased in patients with baseline renal impairment and those with underlying heart failure who subsequently develop renal dysfunction. This accelerated progression occurs independent of the cause or grade of renal dysfunction and baseline risk factors. Recent large prospective databases have highlighted the depth of the current problem, while longitudinal population studies support an increasing disease burden. We have extensively reviewed the epidemiological and therapeutic data among these patients. The evidence points to a progression of heart failure early in renal impairment, even in the albuminuric stage. The data also support poor prescription of prognostic therapies. As renal function is the most important prognostic factor in heart failure, it is important to establish the current understanding of the disease burden and the therapeutic implications.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width in ‘Non-Dippers’ versus ‘Dippers’
Authors: Gunebakmaz Ozgur , Kaya Mehmet G. , Duran Mustafa , Akpek Mahmut , Elcik Deniz , Eryol Namık Kemal
Published: October 2012

Objectives: Because both high red cell distribution width (RDW) and non-dipping hypertension are closely related to adverse cardiovascular outcomes and higher inflammatory status, we aimed to investigate whether there is any relationship between RDW and dipping/non-dipping hypertension status. Methods: The present study involved 123 hypertensive patients and 65 age- and gender-matched healthy, normotensive subjects. Hypertensive patients were divided into two groups: 56 dipper patients (20 males, mean age 51.9 ± 15.3 years) and 67 non-dipper patients (27 males, mean age 55.6 ± 15.0 years). If the systolic daytime blood pressure (BP) of the patients decreased by at least 10% during the nighttime, these subjects were ‘dippers’, and all other subjects were ‘non-dippers’. Results: Both dipper patients and non-dipper patients had higher levels of RDW compared to normotensives (13.5 ± 0.89 and 14.1 ± 1.33 vs. 13.0 ± 1.42%, p = 0.027 and p <0.001, respectively). Also RDW values in non-dippers were statistically higher compared to those in dippers (p = 0.008). Although there were negative correlations between RDW values and nocturnal systolic BP fall (p = 0.027, r = –0.199) and diastolic BP fall (p = 0.383, r = –0.079) in all hypertensive patients, these correlations did not reach a statistically significant level. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates that non-dippers have high RDW levels compared to both dippers and controls.
Sorafenib Is Effective in the Treatment of Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease
Authors: Kataoka Masaharu , Yanagisawa Ryoji , Fukuda Keiichi , Yoshino Hideaki , Satoh Toru
Published: October 2012

The present study is the first report of the effectiveness of sorafenib in the treatment of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD). A 66-year-old woman with PVOD was started on sorafenib. After 3 months of treatment with a maximum dosage of 400 mg/day sorafenib, there was an improvement in the patient’s New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class from IV to III. However, because of severe painful eruptions as a side effect of sorafenib, the patient stopped sorafenib and was started on imatinib instead. This treatment resulted in a worsening of the patient’s NYHA class from III to IV, so sorafenib was restarted at a reduced dosage of 300 mg/day. The resumption of sorafenib was associated with clinical improvement, specifically NYHA class from IV to II and hemodynamic amelioration, and tolerable eruptions. In conclusion, sorafenib may be a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PVOD.
The European Database for Subspecialist Training in Neonatology – Transparency Achieved
Authors: Breindahl Morten , Blennow Mats , Fauchère Jean-Claude , Lluch Marta Thio , De Luca Daniele , Marlow Neil , Picaud Jean-Charles , Roehr Charles Christoph , Vanpée Mireille , Vilamor Eduardo , Zaharie Gabriela , Greisen Gorm ,   on behalf of the European Society for Neonatology (ESN)
Published: October 2012

Background: The European Society for Neonatology (ESN) developed a curriculum for subspecialist training in Europe recommending standards for national neonatal training programmes. We speculate whether these official recommendations are widely accepted or used in practice. Objectives: To characterize the variation in national neonatal training programmes, to enhance transparency, and to compare them to the ESN Curriculum. Methods: We constructed a database based on the backbone of the ESN Curriculum: (1) training – knowledge, (2) training – skills, (3) key competencies, (4) personal development, and (5) recording of progress. National neonatal representatives from all 30 member states of the Union of European Medical Specialties (UEMS) provided data on national training programmes. Results: Although only one country (3%) based its neonatology training entirely on the ESN Curriculum, we found high levels of uniformity among the UEMS member countries regarding knowledge, skills, and key competencies needed to practice neonatology at a tertiary care level. Discrepancy was encountered on ethical and legal issues and on personal development of the trainees. Mentoring and professional evaluation was generally not implemented in the participating countries. Conclusions: There is an awareness and readiness to focus on educational demands for neonatal trainees. Further discussions about the overall educational goals of neonatal training and the essence of practicing neonatology in each country are needed. The ESN will undertake this process to provide an updated and effective syllabus aimed to harmonize care and outcomes for babies and their families across Europe.
Effects of Restructured Pork Containing Himanthalia elongata on Adipose Tissue Lipogenic and Lipolytic Enzyme Expression of Normo- and Hypercholesterolemic Rats
Authors: González-Torres Laura , Churruca Itziar , Schultz Moreira Adriana R. , Bastida Sara , Benedí Juana , Portillo María P. , Sánchez-Muniz Francisco J.
Published: November 2012

Background: Inclusion of seaweeds in restructured pork (RP) would improve meat health properties. Aim: The aim was to determine the effects of RP containing Himanthalia elongata on growth, organ weight, cholesterolemia, and expression of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in adipose tissue of Wistar rats. Methods: The control group (C) consumed control RP, and the seaweed group (SS) consumed RP with 5% Himanthalia elongata. Animals on cholesterol-enriched diets (CholC, CholSS) consumed their corresponding basal diets with supplementary cholesterol (2.43%) plus cholic acid (0.49%) as hypercholesterolemic agents. Results: Seaweed inclusion did not modify cholesterolemia but reduced (p < 0.01) the hypercholesterolemic effect of dietary cholesterol plus cholic acid. CholC rats presented lower (p < 0.05) adipose fat and weight than C rats. Cholesterol feeding affected HSL, ACC, and FAS expression (p < 0.05), while alga consumption influenced HSL and ACC (p < 0.05). LPL was not significantly affected by both factors. CholSS rats showed decreased HSL and FAS (p < 0.05) but increased ACC (p < 0.05) expression compared with CholC rats. Conclusion:Himanthalia RP partially blocked the dietary hypercholesterolemic effect and changed the lipogenic/lipolytic enzyme expression, reducing the wasting effect of hypercholesterolemia on adipose tissue in rats.
Uremic Plasma Impairs Barrier Function and Depletes the Tight Junction Protein Constituents of Intestinal Epithelium
Authors: Vaziri Nosratola D. , Goshtasbi Nisa , Yuan Jun , Jellbauer Stefan , Moradi Hamid , Raffatellu Manuela , Kalantar-Zadeh Kamyar
Published: October 2012

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) causes intestinal barrier dysfunction which by allowing influx of endotoxin and other noxious products contributes to the CKD-associated systemic inflammation and uremic toxicity. We have recently shown that intestinal barrier dysfunction in CKD animals is due to degradation of transcellular (claudin-1 and occludin) and intracellular (ZO1) constituents of epithelial tight junction (TJ). This study determined whether CKD-associated disruption of TJ is mediated by retained uremic toxins/metabolites and, if so, whether they are removed by hemodialysis. Methods: The TJ-forming human enterocytes (T84 cells) were seeded on the Transwell plates and utilized when transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) exceeded 1,000 mΩ/cm2 to ensure full polarization and TJ formation. The cells were then incubated for 24 h in media containing 10% pre- or posthemodialysis plasma from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients or healthy individuals. TER was then measured and cells were processed for Western blot and immunohistological analyses. Results: Compared with the control plasma, incubation in media containing predialysis plasma from ESRD patients resulted in a marked drop in TER pointing to increased epithelial permeability. This was accompanied by significant reductions in claudin-1 (85%), occludin (15%), and ZO1 (70%) abundance. The severity of TJ damage and dysfunction was significantly less in cells exposed to the postdialysis in comparison to predialysis plasma. These findings point to the presence of as-yet unidentified product(s) in the uremic plasma capable of depleting epithelial TJ. Conclusions: Exposure to uremic milieu damages the intestinal epithelial TJ and impairs its barrier function, events which are mediated by agents which are partially removed by hemodialysis.