bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Systematic review of services providing information and/or advice to people with dementia and/or their caregivers
Authors: Corbett Anne , Stevens Jennifer , Aarsland Dag , Day Sarah , Moniz‐Cook Esme , Woods Robert , Brooker Dawn , Ballard Clive
Published: October 2011

Background

Information is a key part of service provision to people with dementia and their carers, but there is no systematic review of the evidence. This study aimed to determine whether information services confer significant benefit for quality of life, neuropsychiatric symptoms and carer burden.

Method

A systematic review of intervention studies in people with dementia was carried out, focussing predominantly on the provision of information and/or advice.

Results

Thirteen randomised controlled trials were identified. Two of the three studies measuring quality of life indicated benefit. Significant benefits were also evident for neuropsychiatric symptoms (points difference, −1.48; confidence interval, −2.11 to 0.86), but not carer burden. Most interventions included other key elements such as skills training, telephone support and direct help to navigate the medical and care system.

Conclusion

There is some support for the value of information services, but studies are needed to determine the specific elements that are effective. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Treatment of breast adenocarcinoma metastasis to the neck: Dedifferentiation of the tumor as suggested by hormone markers
Authors: Sproson Eleanor L. , Herd M. Kerry , Spedding Anne V. , Brennan Peter A. , Puxeddu Roberto
Published: October 2011

Background

Breast carcinoma rarely metastasizes to the neck, and its management in this area is controversial. There is little published data about whether hormone receptor status changes between primary breast tumors and neck metastasis and whether this influences management.

Methods

We evaluated the demographics and treatment of 13 patients presenting with neck metastasis. We used immunochemistry to assess estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 in the primary and metastatic neck nodes.

Results

Hormone receptor status changed in some patients (23% for estrogen receptor, and 31% for progesterone receptor). Three patients had complete excision of their neck disease and subsequent good local control. None of our patients survived despite treatment.

Conclusion

The change in hormone status could suggest tumor dedifferentiation. Surgical resection, where possible, achieves good local control for these patients, but, because survival is poor, it is only recommended when it results in little significant morbidity. Head Neck, 2012
Improved treatment outcomes with18F‐FDG PET/CT for patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Haerle Stephan K. , Soyka M. B. , Schmid D. T. , Ahmad N. , Huber G. F. , Crook D. W. , Hany T. F.
Published: October 2011

Background

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of18F‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐D‐glucose (18F‐FDG) PET/CT on survival for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma correlated with a matched patient cohort.

Methods

In all, disease in 58 patients was initially staged using18F‐FDG PET/CT. A case‐control analysis was done with 63 patients who disease was staged without18F‐FDG‐PET/CT.

Results

Disease‐specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) did not show significant differences between both groups. Statistical analysis revealed no difference in DSS and OS between the 2 groups for patients treated by radiochemotherapy (p= .975 andp= .671). In the analysis of survival in patients treated by a combined approach (surgery + radiochemotherapy), a significant difference in favor of patients evaluated by18F‐FDG PET/CT was found (p= .05 andp= .027).

Conclusions

Addition of18F‐FDG PET/CT in patients treated by surgery and conformal radiochemotherapy improves outcome. This may be due to the more comprehensive topographic orientation of the primary tumor for the surgeon. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2012
Successful administration of rituximab–bendamustine regimen in the relapse of Hodgkin lymphoma after autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Magyari Ferenc , Simon Zsofia , Barna Sandor , Udvardy Miklos , Váróczy László , Illés Árpád
Published: October 2011

Objectives. Treatment options for relapsing Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) are controversial after autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Nevertheless, allogeneic HSCT may be curative if it is performed in complete remission. Case report. In 2007, a 22‐year‐old female patient was diagnosed with nodular sclerosis subtype of classical HL. Her clinical stage was IIAX with unfavorable prognosis. Eight courses of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine and dacarbazine chemotherapy and involved field irradiation were applied, but after 3 months of complete remission, disseminated relapse was recognised by 18FDG‐PET/CT. After two cycles of salvage dexamethasone, cisplatinum, and cytosine arabinoside therapy, further progression was noticed, so the treatment was modified to ifosfamide, gemcitabine, vinorelbine, and prednisone (IGEV) regimen. After two cycles of IGEV regimen, she achieved a complete metabolic remission, which was confirmed by a 18FDG‐PET/CT scan again. She was referred for autologous‐HSCT, and a successful stem cell collection was performed in August 2008. However, a rapid progression was detected again, so total body irradiation was applied before the conditioning therapy with R‐mini‐BEAM regimen. The 18FDG‐PET/CT scan performed 100 days after the autologous‐HSCT was still positive. In December 2009, multiple nodal and extranodal progression was detected, so ifosfamide, carboplatine, etoposide, mesna protection rescue treatment was started, but it was ineffective. Based on sporadic data of the literature, rituximab–bendamustine therapy was started in March 2010. After four cycles, she achieved complete metabolic remission, which was verified by 18FDG‐PET/CT. The patient has been referred for an allogeneic HSCT with reduced intensity conditioning. Conclusions. Based on our experience, bendamustine–rituximab salvage therapy can be a suitable option for the treatment of post‐transplant progression or relapse of HL. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Presence of phthalate esters in intravenous solution evaluated using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method
Authors: Štrac Ivona Vidić , Pušić Maja , Gajski Goran , Garaj‐Vrhovac Vera
Published: October 2011

Di‐(2‐ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer widely used in the production of poly‐(vinyl) chloride (PVC) materials. It is a reproductive and developmental toxicant in animals and a suspected endocrine modulator in humans. DEHP is not covalently bound within the PVC molecule, which is why migration into a suitable medium can be expected. Since application of infusion solutions is one of the most common medical treatments, the objective of this study was to determine the migration of phthalates from softened PVC storage bags into infusion solution in different time periods within one year from date of production using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method. The measured values of DEHP ranged between 0.22 and 14.00 µg l−1, but the unexpected presence of other phthalate esters was also detected. It was concluded that values obtained in infusion solutions match the reference data and represent a minor risk for the patient. The presence of other phthalate esters leads to the conclusion that the pharmacopeic requirement for polymer cleanness was not fully met. Since phthalate esters are among the most extensively used industrial chemicals and are widely distributed in the environment, special precautions and further monitoring should be conducted to minimize any possible health risks. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Accuracy of blind versus ultrasound‐guided suprapatellar bursal injection
Authors: Bum Park Yong , Ah Choi Won , Kim Yong‐Kyun , Chul Lee Sang , Hae Lee Ji
Published: October 2011

Purpose.

To compare the accuracy rates between ultrasound (US)‐guided and blind knee intra‐articular injection via the suprapatellar bursa.

Methods.

Ninety‐nine patients with radiographically confirmed knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren/Lawrence grade 2 or 3) without effusion were included. Fifty patients were assigned to the US‐guided injection group and 49 to the blind injection group. After a US‐guided or blind injection of hyaluronic acid (HA) and contrast dye through the suprapatellar bursa into the knee joint, a radiographic image was obtained in each case to ascertain whether all injected material had reached the intra‐articular space.

Results.

US‐guided HA injection exhibited a significantly greater accuracy (48 of 50 knees, 96.0%) than blind injection (41 of 49 knees, 83.7%).

Conclusions.

Intra‐articular injections through the suprapatellar bursa under US guidance increased the accuracy of knee joint injections. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound,2011
Predicting antibiotic resistance to community‐acquired pneumonia antibiotics in culture‐positive patients with healthcare‐associated pneumonia
Authors: Madaras‐Kelly Karl J. , Remington Richard E. , Fan Vincent S. , Sloan Kevin L.
Published: October 2011

OBJECTIVE:

To develop and validate a model to predict resistance to community‐acquired pneumonia antibiotics (CAP‐resistance) among patients with healthcare‐associated pneumonia (HCAP), and to compare the model's predictive performance to a model including only guideline‐defined criteria for HCAP.

DESIGN:

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING:

Six Veterans Affairs Medical Centers in the northwestern United States.

PATIENTS:

Culture‐positive inpatients with HCAP.

MEASUREMENTS:

Patients were identified based upon guideline‐defined criteria for HCAP. Relevant cultures obtained within 48 hours of admission were assessed to determine bacteriology and antibiotic susceptibility. Medical records for the year preceding admission were assessed to develop predictive models of CAP‐resistance with logistic regression. The predictive performance of cohort‐developed and guideline‐defined models was compared.

RESULTS:

CAP‐resistant organisms were identified in 118 of 375 culture‐positive patients. Of guideline‐defined criteria, CAP‐resistance was associated (odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]) with: admission from nursing home (2.6 [1.6‐4.4]); recent antibiotic exposure (1.7 [1.0‐2.8]); and prior hospitalization (1.6 [1.0‐2.6]). In the cohort‐developed model, CAP‐resistance was associated with: admission from nursing home or recent nursing home discharge (2.3 [1.4‐3.8]); positive methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) history within 90 days of admission (6.4 [2.6‐17.8]) or 91‐365 days (2.3 [0.9‐5.9]); cephalosporin exposure (1.8 [1.1‐2.9]); recent infusion therapy (1.9 [1.0‐3.5]); diabetes (1.7 [1.0‐2.8]); and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (1.6 [1.0‐2.6]). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (aROC [95% CI]) for the cohort‐developed model (0.71 [0.65‐0.77]) was significantly higher than for the guideline‐defined model (0.63 [0.57‐0.69]) (P = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS:

Select guideline‐defined criteria predicted CAP‐resistance. A cohort‐developed model based primarily on prior MRSA history, nursing home residence, and specific antibiotic exposures provided improved prediction of CAP‐resistant organisms in HCAP. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2011; © 2011 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Genetic diagnosis of neuroacanthocytosis disorders using exome sequencing
Authors: Walker Ruth H. , Schulz Vincent P. , Tikhonova Irina R. , Mahajan Milind C. , Mane Shrikant , Arroyo Muniz Maritza , Gallagher Patrick G.
Published: October 2011

Neuroacanthocytoses are neurodegenerative disorders marked by phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity. There are several associated genetic loci, and many defects, including gene deletions and insertions, and missense, nonsense, and splicing mutations, have been found spread over hundreds of kilobases of genomic DNA. In some cases, specific diagnosis is unclear, particularly in the early stages of disease or when there is an atypical presentation. Determination of the precise genetic defect allows assignment of the diagnosis and permits carrier detection and genetic counseling. The objective of this report was to utilize exome sequencing for genetic diagnosis in the neuroacanthocytosis syndromes. Genomic DNA from 2 patients with clinical features of chorea‐acanthocytosis was subjected to targeted exon capture. Captured DNA was subjected to ultrahigh throughput next‐generation sequencing. Sequencing data were assembled, filtered against known human variant genetic databases, and results were analyzed. Both patients were compound heterozygotes for mutations in the VPS13A gene, the gene associated with chorea‐acanthocytosis. Patient 1 had a 4‐bp deletion that removes the 5′ donor splice site of exon 58 and a nucleotide substitution that disrupts the 5′ donor splice site of exon 70. Patient 2 had a dinucleotide deletion in exon 16 and a dinucleotide insertion in exon 33. No mutations were identified in the XK, PANK2, or JPH3 gene loci. Exome sequencing is a valuable diagnostic tool in the neuroacanthocytosis syndromes. These studies may provide a better understanding of the function of the associated proteins and provide insight into the pathogenesis of these disorders. © 2011 Movement Disorder Society
Crocin promotes non‐rapid eye movement sleep in mice
Authors: Masaki Mika , Aritake Kosuke , Tanaka Hiroyuki , Shoyama Yukihiro , Huang Zhi‐Li , Urade Yoshihiro
Published: October 2011

Crocus sativus L. (saffron) has been traditionally used for the treatment of insomnia and other diseases of the nervous systems. Two carotenoid pigments, crocin and crocetin, are the major components responsible for the various pharmacological activities of C. sativus L. In this study, we examined the sleep‐promoting activity of crocin and crocetin by monitoring the locomotor activity and electroencephalogram after administration of these components to mice. Crocin (30 and 100 mg/kg) increased the total time of non‐rapid eye movement (non‐REM) sleep by 60 and 170%, respectively, during a 4‐h period from 20:00 to 24:00 after its intraperitoneal administration at a lights‐off time of 20:00. Crocetin (100 mg/kg) also increased the total time of non‐REM sleep by 50% after the administration. These compounds did not change the amount of REM sleep or show any adverse effects, such as rebound insomnia, after the induction of sleep.
Effective duplex radio‐over‐fibre systems for broadband wireless service using diplex signal transport
Authors: Kim Ajung
Published: October 2011

A method for enabling efficient duplex communication in a RoF (radio‐over‐fibre) system by generating and diplexing signals in sideband modes is demonstrated. Data in the mm‐wave band with a rate of 155 Mbps over 5 km of an optical link are transmitted using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing techniques, and the uplink performance measurements are presented. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2700–2702, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25579
Generation of repetition‐rate‐doubled return‐to‐zero pulse train using phase modulator and chirped fiber bragg grating
Authors: Deng Guo , Pan Wei , Zou Xihua
Published: October 2011

An approach to generating repetition‐rate‐doubled return‐to‐zero pulse trains with a 33%‐duty‐cycle is proposed.A phase‐modulated light is divided into two parts having orthogonal polarization‐states, which are injected into a chirped‐fiber‐Bragg‐grating in inverse directions. A return‐to‐zero pulse consisting of odd‐order sidebands is then formed, which is confirmed by a fabricated grating. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2796–2798, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25581
Design of compact microstrip antennas using a modified ground plane
Authors: Mythili P. , Mridula S. , Paul Binu , Mohanan P.
Published: October 2011

A method for simultaneously enhancing the bandwidth and reducing the size of microstrip antennas (MSAs) using a modified ground plane (GP) has been proposed with design formulas.A comb‐shaped truncated GP is used for this purpose. This method provides an overall compactness up to 85% for proximity‐coupled MSAs in the frequency range of 900 MHz–5.5 GHz with an improvement in bandwidth up to seven times when compared with the conventional ones. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2748–2753, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25592
Optical bistable switching with symmetrically configured SOAs in reverse bias
Authors: Costanzo‐Caso Pablo A. , Gehl Michael , Granieri Sergio , Siahmakoun Azad
Published: October 2011

A novel optical switching technique based on two symmetrically coupled semiconductor optical amplifiers operating in reverse‐bias mode is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The device produces both noninverted and inverted hysteresis behavior with switching speed in MHz range. However, switch performance can be improved by implementing this technique in a photonic integrated circuit. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2753–2759, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25594
Extension of the exhaustive Gaussian approach for BER estimation in experimental direct‐detection OFDM setups
Authors: Alves Tiago M. F. , Cartaxo Adolfo V. T.
Published: October 2011

An extension of the exhaustive Gaussian approach to estimate the bit error ratio from a set of experimental runs in direct‐detection orthogonal frequency division multiplexing optical communication systems is proposed. The approach provides fast and accurate bit error ratio estimates avoiding the high amount of data required by direct error counting. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2772–2775, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25595
Ultra‐wideband quadrature power splitter
Authors: Tang Xinyi , Mouthaan Koen
Published: October 2011

A new quadrature power splitter with a bandwidth of 110% from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz consisting of a wideband power divider and a phase shifting network is presented. The quadrature phase difference between the output ports is achieved through the phase difference between a 50 Ohm transmission line and multiple cascaded phase shifting sections. A return loss larger than 13.8 dB, an amplitude imbalance less than 0.5 dB and a phase difference within 90.9° ± 6.0° are measured over the whole ultra‐wideband. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2828–2830, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25606
Tri‐band printed sector‐shaped slot antenna for wireless local area network/worldwide interoperability microwave access applications
Authors: Zhang Qiu‐Yi , Zeng Rui‐Hua , Chu Qing‐Xin
Published: October 2011

In this article, a tri‐band‐printed sector‐shaped slot antenna with better band‐rejected characteristics within the band of 4–5 GHz is presented. By using a pair parasitic elements along the microstrip feed line, wideband performances can be achieved, and then, with use of two strips perpendicular to the parasitic element, tri‐band operation is able to be obtained. Furthermore, two C‐shaped strips are embedded within the slot aperture to enable the better band‐stop characteristics within band of 4–5 GHz. The antenna is calibrated for wireless local area network/worldwide interoperability microwave access applications, which cover the 2.4–2.69, 3.4–3.79, and 5.15–5.95 GHz frequency bands. Details of the proposed antenna configuration and design procedure are given; the experimental results are also discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 52:2821–2825, 2010; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25608
Can hypopressive exercises provide additional benefits to pelvic floor muscle training in women with pelvic organ prolapse?
Authors: Resende Ana Paula Magalhães , Stüpp Liliana , Bernardes Bruno Teixeira , Oliveira Emerson , Castro Rodrigo Aquino , Girão Manoel João Batista Castello , Sartori Marair Gracio Ferreira
Published: October 2011

Aims

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of hypopressive exercises including pelvic floor muscle contraction, pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) alone and control on pelvic floor muscle function in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP).

Methods

Fifty‐eight women with a mean age of 55.4 (±9.8) years old with stage II POP were randomly assigned to participate in the PFMT group, the hypopressive exercises associated with PFMT (HE + PFMT) group or the control group. Each treatment group underwent a 3‐month course of treatment. The three groups received lifestyle advice regarding weight loss, constipation, coughing, and the avoidance of heavy lifting. Participants were evaluated before and after the treatment. Maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) and endurance were assessed using the Modified Oxford grading system. To evaluate muscle activation, surface electromyography (SEMG) was used.

Results

The two treatment group significantly increase pelvic floor muscle function as measured by MVC (P < 0.001) using the Modified Oxford grading system, as well as muscle activation (P < 0.001), measured by SEMG. The PFMT group was superior regarding endurance (P = 0.007). Both groups were superior to the control group regarding MVC, endurance and muscle activation.

Conclusion

Adding hypopressive exercises to PFMT does not improve PFM function. Both treatment groups performed better than the control group. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:121–125, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Are biomechanical properties predictive of the success of prostheses used in stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse? A systematic review
Authors: Mangera Altaf , Bullock Anthony J. , Chapple Christopher R. , MacNeil Sheila
Published: October 2011

Aims

Progressive weakness in pelvic floor tissues is extremely common and leads to the distressing problems of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). There has been extensive work on a vast array of materials spanning synthetics, autografts, allografts, and xenografts. Uniaxial testing of materials has been used to predict their success and rates of erosion. We aimed to compare the uniaxial properties of prostheses to native paravaginal tissue and correlate these to their success and erosion rates.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of the literature to identify the biomechanical properties of paravaginal tissue and of prostheses used in the treatment of SUI and POP. We examined to what extent these findings correlated to their reported success and erosion rates.

Results

Biomechanical properties have been determined for prostheses used in the treatment of POP and SUI both pre‐ and post‐implantation in animal models. Implantation generally led to a decrease in ultimate tensile strength and Young's modulus. We were unable to find any simple correlation between the uniaxial mechanical properties of materials and their success or erosion rates.

Conclusions

Mechanical properties of prostheses, as measured by uniaxial testing, only appears to form part of the picture. We suggest implant integration and host responses to materials, as well as the biomechanical properties of the materials need to be considered to design materials to achieve lasting clinical benefit. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:13–21, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Methods and value of home uroflowmetry in the assessment of men with lower urinary tract symptoms: A literature review
Authors: Bray Alison , Griffiths Clive , Drinnan Michael , Pickard Robert
Published: October 2011

Aims

Uroflowmetry is a key clinical assessment for men with LUTS. Home uroflowmetry is a convenient way to obtain multiple flow readings and has the potential to combat problems inherent to clinic‐based measurements. We reviewed current evidence regarding the technology and value of multiple and home uroflowmetry.

Methods

We searched PubMed and Embase from January 1988 to February 2011 using a predetermined strategy. Reference lists from retrieved articles were scanned and additional papers screened for relevance. Proceedings of the annual meetings of the International Continence Society since 2008 were also searched. Relevant guidelines were obtained from the UK NHS Evidence repository.

Results

Eight studies described five simple, low‐cost instruments giving multiple representative estimates of Qmax but not a complete flow curve. A further eight studies described home use of four sophisticated, electronic flowmeters similar to clinic‐based equipment. The above methods were assessed against ICS recommendations for uroflowmetry and the results of several studies investigating variability of flow parameters such as Qmax were presented.

Conclusions

Our findings illustrate the gulf between low‐cost methods of obtaining average or peak flow measurements and precise, expensive devices with the capabilities of clinic flowmeters. Further studies are required to confirm the statistical benefit of averaging multiple values of Qmax and to investigate the diagnostic and predictive value of flow variables other than Qmax that can be derived from multiple recordings. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:7–12, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spontaneous brain activity changes in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis: A resting‐state fMRI study
Authors: Lei Du , Ma Jun , Du Xiaoxia , Shen Guohua , Tian Minlu , Li Gengying
Published: October 2011

Primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis (PMNE) is a common disorder in school‐aged children. However, little is known about resting‐state neural function in individuals with PMNE. In this work, resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate changes in spontaneous brain activity in children with PMNE. We analyzed resting‐state fMRI data using statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and a resting‐state fMRI data analysis toolkit (REST). Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low‐frequency fluctuation (ALFF) values were calculated to analyze spontaneous brain activity in 16 children with PMNE and 16 healthy controls. Children with PMNE exhibited significant differences in ALFF or ReHo in the left inferior frontal gyrus, medial frontal gyrus (Brodmann area, BA 10), and left midbrain. Abnormalities in BA 10 and the inferior frontal gyrus may affect children's decision‐making with regard to voiding; abnormalities in the midbrain in PMNE children may influence the internal signal transmission in their bladder control network. Our data indicate that, in children with PMNE, several brain areas related to the micturate control network undergo developmental delay. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:99–104, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Correlation of right frontal hypoperfusion and urinary dysfunction in iNPH: A SPECT study
Authors: Sakakibara Ryuji , Uchida Yoshitaka , Ishii Kazunari , Kazui Hiromitsu , Hashimoto Masaaki , Ishikawa Masaaki , Yuasa Tatsuhiko , Kishi Masahiko , Ogawa Emina , Tateno Fuyuki , Uchiyama Tomoyuki , Yamamoto Tatsuya , Yamanishi Tomonori , Terada Hitoshi ,   the members of SINPHONI (Study of Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus On Neurological Improvement)
Published: October 2011

Objectives

To elucidate the pathophysiology of urinary dysfunction in idiopathic normal‐pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) by single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and statistical brain mapping.

Methods

Urinary symptoms were observed and N‐isopropyl‐p‐[123I]‐iodoamphetamine (IMP)‐SPECT imaging was performed in 97 patients with clinico‐radiologically definite iNPH. The patients included 56 men and 41 women; mean age, 74 years. The statistical difference in normalized mean tracer counts was calculated and visualized between patients with urinary dysfunction of severer degrees (>grade 2/4) and milder degrees (<grade 1/4) according to the urinary subscales of the iNPH grading scales.

Results

There was a significant decrease in tracer activity in the right‐side‐dominant bilateral frontal cortex and the left inferior temporal gyrus in the severe urinary dysfunction group (P < 0.05). In order to minimize the effects of gait and cognitive dysfunction, we performed similar analysis among subjects with little or no such dysfunction, and obtained the same results (P < 0.05) as described above.

Conclusions

Urinary dysfunction was found to be closely related with right frontal hypoperfusion in iNPH using [123I]‐IMP SPECT. This right frontal area is one of the critical areas for regulating micturition. While secondary incontinence can result from gait disturbance or dementia, there may also be a neurogenic mechanism underlying urinary dysfunction, which is a significant burden in patients with iNPH and their caregivers. Neurourol. Urodynam. 31:50–55, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A multilevel variable neighborhood search heuristic for a practical vehicle routing and driver scheduling problem
Authors: Wen Min , Krapper Emil , Larsen Jesper , Stidsen Thomas K.
Published: October 2011

The world's second largest producer of pork, Danish Crown, also provides a fresh meat supply logistics system within Denmark. This is used by the majority of supermarkets in Denmark. This article addresses an integrated vehicle routing and driver scheduling problem arising at Danish Crown in their fresh meat supply logistics system. The problem consists of a 1‐week planning horizon, heterogeneous vehicles, and drivers with predefined work regulations. These regulations include, among other things, predefined workdays, fixed starting time, maximum weekly working duration, and a break rule. The objective is to minimize the total delivery cost that is a weighted sum of two kinds of delivery costs. A multilevel variable neighborhood search heuristic is proposed for the problem. In a preprocessing step, the problem size is reduced through an aggregation procedure. Thereafter, the aggregated weekly planning problem is decomposed into daily planning problems, each of which is solved by a variable neighborhood search. Finally, the solution of the aggregated problem is expanded to that of the original problem. The method is implemented and tested on real‐life data consisting of up to 2,000 orders per week. Computational results show that the aggregation procedure and the decomposition strategy are very effective in solving this large scale problem, and our solutions are superior to the industrial solutions given the constraints considered in this work. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 58(4), 311–322 2011
Cutting planes for branch‐and‐price algorithms
Authors: Desaulniers Guy , Desrosiers Jacques , Spoorendonk Simon
Published: October 2011

This article presents a general framework for formulating cutting planes in the context of column generation for integer programs. Valid inequalities can be derived using the variables of an equivalent compact formulation (i.e., the subproblem variables) or the master problem variables. In the first case, cuts are added to the compact formulation, either at the master level or the subproblem level, and the decomposition process is reapplied. In the second case, we show that it is possible to model inequalities defined on the master problem variables by adding new variables and constraints to the subproblem formulation. The augmented subproblem indirectly indicates that there exists an augmented compact formulation that includes these new variables and constraints. Three examples on how to apply this framework are presented: the vehicle routing problem with time windows, the edge coloring problem, and the cutting stock problem. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 58(4), 301–310 2011
Reliable control for interval time‐varying delay systems subjected to actuator saturation and stochastic failure
Authors: Gu Zhou , Liu Jingliang , Peng Chen , Tian Engang
Published: October 2011

This paper is devoted to the problem of reliable control for interval time‐varying delay systems subjected to actuator saturation and stochastic failure. A new practical actuator fault model is proposed by assuming that the actuator fault obeys a certain probabilistic distribution. An optimization problem with LMI constraints is formulated to determine the largest contractively invariant ellipsoid. Delay distribution and fault distribution‐dependent estimations of the domain of attraction are obtained by using the LMI techniques and an optimization method, such that the mean‐square stability of the systems can be guaranteed for given H∞ performance index γ. Two illustrative examples are exploited to show the effectiveness of the proposed design procedures. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tracking control of Wiener models with hierarchical and switching model predictive control
Authors: Picasso Bruno , Romani Carlo , Scattolini Riccardo
Published: October 2011

A tracking problem is considered for a Wiener model. A two‐layer hierarchical control structure is designed: the upper level controller operates at a slow rate and computes the inputs to be ideally provided to the system; the effective control actions are provided by actuators placed at the lower layer and having faster dynamics. Model predictive control (MPC) laws are synthesized for both layers. In order to cope with the discrepancy between the ideal and the effective control action, a robust MPC controller is designed at the upper level. Such a controller can switch among different operating conditions ensuring different level of robustness. In doing so, the overall controller guarantees steady‐state zero error regulation for constant reference signals while trading off robustness versus system performance. A numerical example is reported. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sensitive single‐molecule protein quantification and protein complex detection in a microarray format
Authors: Tessler Lee A. , Mitra Robi D.
Published: October 2011

Single‐molecule protein analysis provides sensitive protein quantitation with a digital read‐out and is promising for studying biological systems and detecting biomarkers clinically. However, current single‐molecule platforms rely on the quantification of one protein at a time. Conventional antibody microarrays are scalable to detect many proteins simultaneously, but they rely on less sensitive and less quantitative quantification by the ensemble averaging of fluorescent molecules. Here, we demonstrate a single‐molecule protein assay in a microarray format enabled by an ultra‐low background surface and single‐molecule imaging. The digital read‐out provides a highly sensitive, low femtomolar limit of detection and four orders of magnitude of dynamic range through the use of hybrid digital‐analog quantification. From crude cell lysate, we measured levels of p53 and MDM2 in parallel, proving the concept of a digital antibody microarray for use in proteomic profiling. We also applied the single‐molecule microarray to detect the p53–MDM2 protein complex in cell lysate. Our study is promising for development and application of single‐molecule protein methods because it represents a technological bridge between single‐plex and highly multiplex studies.
Discrepancies between pediatric laboratories in pulmonary function results from healthy children
Authors: Paton James , Beardsmore Caroline , Laverty Aidan , King Caroline , Oliver Cara , Young David , Stocks Janet
Published: October 2011

Background

Multi‐center research studies that include pulmonary function as an objective outcome are increasingly important in pediatric respiratory medicine. The need for local controls rather than depending on published normative data for lung function remains debatable.

Aim

To compare pulmonary function in childhood controls with no respiratory symptoms from three centers in the United Kingdom and ascertain the extent to which current reference equations are appropriate for this population.

Methods

Spirometry, plethysmographic lung volumes, and specific airways resistance (sRaw) were measured within specialized pediatric laboratories in children from three geographical locations throughout the UK (London, Leicester, and Glasgow), using identical equipment, software and standard operating procedures. Results were compared between centers and in relation to recent or commonly used UK pediatric reference values.

Results

Pulmonary function was assessed in 94 healthy children (mean (SD) age: 7.7 (0.6) years; 88% white Caucasians; ∼30 from each center). There were no significant differences in background demographics or spirometric outcomes when compared between centers. By contrast, statistically significant differences in plethysmographic lung volumes and sRaw were observed between‐centers. Significant differences in relation to published reference data for white subjects were noted for FEV1 in all three centers and occasionally for other lung function measures but the differences from predicted values were small (within ± 0.5 z‐score) and not clinically significant.

Conclusion

After appropriate inter‐laboratory standardization, spirometric measurements in children can be measured in different centers without evidence of systematic differences. However, even after extensive standardization procedures, plethysmographic measures appear more prone to inter‐center differences and cannot, at present, be reliably compared across centers without incorporating controls at each location. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:588–596. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis on folding of misgurin using two‐dimensional HP model
Authors: Yan Shaomin , Wu Guang
Published: October 2011

Misgurin is an antimicrobial peptide from the loach, while the hydrophobic‐polar (HP) model is a way to study the folding conformations and native states in peptide and protein although several amino acids cannot be classified either hydrophobic or polar. Practically, the HP model requires extremely intensive computations, thus it has yet to be used widely. In this study, we use the two‐dimensional HP model to analyze all possible folding conformations and native states of misgurin with conversion of natural amino acids according to the normalized amino acid hydrophobicity index as well as the shortest benchmark HP sequence. The results show that the conversion of misgurin into HP sequence with glycine as hydrophobic amino acid at pH 2 has 1212 folding conformations with the same native state of minimal energy –6; the conversion of glycine as polar amino acid at pH 2 has 13,386 folding conformations with three native states of minimal energy –5; the conversion of glycine as hydrophobic amino acid at pH 7 has 2538 folding conformations with three native states of minimal energy –5; and the conversion of glycine as polar amino acid at pH 7 has 12,852 folding conformations with three native states of minimal energy –4. Those native states can be ranked according to the normalized amino acid hydrophobicity index. The detailed discussions suggest two ways to modify misgurin. Proteins 2011. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A divide‐and‐conquer approach to determine the Pareto frontier for optimization of protein engineering experiments
Authors: He Lu , Friedman Alan M. , Bailey‐Kellogg Chris
Published: October 2011

In developing improved protein variants by site‐directed mutagenesis or recombination, there are often competing objectives that must be considered in designing an experiment (selecting mutations or breakpoints): stability versus novelty, affinity versus specificity, activity versus immunogenicity, and so forth. Pareto optimal experimental designs make the best trade‐offs between competing objectives. Such designs are not “dominated”; that is, no other design is better than a Pareto optimal design for one objective without being worse for another objective. Our goal is to produce all the Pareto optimal designs (the Pareto frontier), to characterize the trade‐offs and suggest designs most worth considering, but to avoid explicitly considering the large number of dominated designs. To do so, we develop a divide‐and‐conquer algorithm, Protein Engineering Pareto FRontier (PEPFR), that hierarchically subdivides the objective space, using appropriate dynamic programming or integer programming methods to optimize designs in different regions. This divide‐and‐conquer approach is efficient in that the number of divisions (and thus calls to the optimizer) is directly proportional to the number of Pareto optimal designs. We demonstrate PEPFR with three protein engineering case studies: site‐directed recombination for stability and diversity via dynamic programming, site‐directed mutagenesis of interacting proteins for affinity and specificity via integer programming, and site‐directed mutagenesis of a therapeutic protein for activity and immunogenicity via integer programming. We show that PEPFR is able to effectively produce all the Pareto optimal designs, discovering many more designs than previous methods. The characterization of the Pareto frontier provides additional insights into the local stability of design choices as well as global trends leading to trade‐offs between competing criteria. Proteins 2011. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Experimental Testing and Computer Simulations of Ductile Fracture in Tool Steels
Authors: Randelius Mats , Krantz Therese , Melander Arne
Published: October 2011

Ductility was determined in experimental four‐point bending tests of smooth specimens of tool steel. The tool steels had different contents of carbides and carbide sizes and with a hardness of approximately 60HRc. Two of the materials tested were produced powder metallurgically, one was spray formed and one was conventionally uphill ingot cast. Carbide size distribution analysis was performed on planar polished sections of each material. Correlation between carbide microstructure and ductility performance was obtained. The fracture mechanisms were investigated with fractography. A 3D FE‐model was used to simulate the four‐point bending tests and thereby analyse the matrix flow curve. Also the strain at failure was analysed for each material when simulations were performed based on experimental data. SEM‐images of the materials carbide microstructure were used to create 2D FE‐models. The models simulated crack initiation and propagation by removing elements in the steel matrix as the plastic strain reached a critical level. With three variants, simulations of crack initiation and propagation at carbides were investigated. That was carbides with no cohesion to matrix, carbides fixed to the matrix and carbides with internal cracks. Comparison of strains at failure for the 2D and the 3D FE‐models showed good correlation.
Aussteifung von biegedrillknickgefährdeten Biegeträgern durch zweiseitig gelagerte Trapezprofile
Authors: Seidel Frank , Lindner Joachim
Published: October 2011

Trapezprofile werden seit langem zur Aussteifung von Biegeträgern herangezogen. Nach dem augenblicklichen Stand der Normung ist die Berücksichtigung der Scheibenwirkung in Form der Schubsteifigkeit S stets an die Ausbildung eines Schubfeldes gekoppelt, d. h. alle vier Ränder müssen mit der Unterkonstruktion verbunden sein. In vielen Fällen der Praxis ist dies jedoch nicht möglich, weil die Oberkanten von Längs‐ und Querträgern sich nicht auf gleicher Höhe befinden. Im folgenden Artikel wird die aussteifende Wirkung von nur zweiseitig gelagerten Trapezprofilen untersucht. Es wird über Großversuche berichtet, welche die Grundlage für ein FEM‐Modell bilden, mit dem sowohl die bekannten Schubfeldwerte als auch die Großversuche nachgerechnet werden. Aus umfangreichen Parameteruntersuchungen ergab sich ein vereinfachtes Balkenmodell, mit dem die Schubsteifigkeiten von zweiseitig gelagerten Trapezprofilen ermittelt werden können.

Stiffening of beams in bending by trapezoidal sheeting connected with the substructure at two edges only. The stiffening effect of trapezoidal sheeting had been used for a long period of time. If according to the present state of standardization the shear stiffness S is considered the construction of a shear panel is necessary. Therefore all four edges of the trapezoidal sheeting must be connected to the substructure. That might cause difficulties in construction especially in industrial buildings where main beams and secondary beams are often not present at the same height level. This paper deals with the problem that the trapezoidal sheeting is connected only at two edges with their substructure, e.g. I‐beams. Full scale tests were carried out on the basis of which a finite element model was developed. Extensive parameter studies using this model delivered parameters for a simplified strut model leading to the stiffening effect of a special shear stiffness S. This stiffness S may be incorporated in a calculation to show sufficient safety against lateral torsional buckling.
Statische Berechnung von verzweigten Rohrleitungen am Beispiel eines Manifolds
Authors: Ofner Robert
Published: October 2011

Für die Auslegung von Rohrleitungen für Flüssigkeiten und Gase werden häufig die ASME B31 Codes verwendet (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). Eine Alternative zur ASME B31 ist die europäische Norm EN 13480. Die Spannungen in komplexen Rohrleitungssystemen werden üblicherweise mit Stabmodellen berechnet. Die Steifigkeit der Bögen und lokale Spannungen an Abzweigern werden mittels Flexibilitätsfaktoren und Spannungsintensitätsfaktoren (SIF) berücksichtigt. In diesem Beitrag wird das Bemessungskonzept für verzweigte Rohrleitungen am Beispiel eines Manifolds (Verteilrohrleitung) vorgestellt. Ein Teil der Rohrstatik ist der Spannungsnachweis der Abzweigstücke.

Stress analysis of branched piping systems using the example of a manifold. For the design of pressure piping systems for liquids and gas the ASME B31 Codes are commonly used (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). An alternative to the ASME B31 is the European standard EN 13480. The stresses in complex piping systems are usually analyzed with beam models. The stiffness of bends and local stresses at pipe branches are considered by flexibility factors and stress intensification factors (SIF). In this paper the stress analysis concept of piping systems is presented using the example of a manifold. One part of the pipe stress analysis is the code compliance check of pipe branches.