bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Use of Integrated Simulation and Experimentation to Quantify Impact Damage
Authors: Feligiotti Mara , Hack Erwin , Lampeas George , Wang Wei Zhuo , Mottershead John E. , Burguete Richard L.
Published: August 2011

The term damage can be generally defined as a change introduced into a system that affects its performance. Its identification and characterization is a valid help in deciding amongst continuing the operation or performing a repair or replacement of the system. A valid support to this decision is based on the use of well-known measurement techniques from Non-Destructive Testing and Evaluation (NDT&E). A well-established correlation between damage and features extracted from the measured data makes these techniques capable of providing information about the extent of the damage. However the prediction of the remaining useful life of a system by comparing full-filed measurements techniques and FEM analysis results is the challenge of an increasing number of research studies. The need of a guide for enumerating the extent of the damage has been the thrust to perform this work. A common methodology developed for both numerical and experimental studies will be presented. It consists of three main parts: proper selection of the parameter capable of describing the damage in a quantitative manner; several approaches to obtain results from measurement techniques and FEM analysis; and damage assessment making use of a quantitative comparison of FEM results only, full-field experimental results only, or comparison of FEM to experimental results. A different approach in damage assessment will be also presented making use of Zernike moment descriptors from which the severity of the damage is inferred. An example to illustrate the methodology will be shown.
Comparison of Numerical and Experimental Strain Measurements of a Composite Panel Using Image Decomposition
Authors: Sebastian Christopher M , Patterson Eann A , Ostberg Donald
Published: August 2011

Image decomposition is used to address the problem of accurately and concisely describing the strain in an inhomogeneous composite panel that is bolted to a vehicle structure. In-service, the composite panel is subject to structural loads from the vehicle which can cause unintended damage to the panel. Finite element simulations have been performed with the plan to establish their fidelity using full-field optical strain measurements obtained using digital image correlation. A methodology is presented based on using orthogonal shape descriptors to decompose the data-rich maps of strain into information-preserved data sets of reduced dimensionality that facilitate a quantitative comparison of the computational and experimental results. The decomposition is achieved employing the Fourier transform followed by fitting Tchebichef moments to the maps of the magnitude of the Fourier transform. The results show that this approach is fast and reliably describes the strain fields using less than fifty moments as compared to the thousands of data points in each strain map.
Approaches to Synchronise Conventional Measurements with Optical Techniques at High Strain Rates
Authors: Crump Duncan A. , Dulieu-Barton Janice M. , Longana Marco L.
Published: August 2011

Polymer composites are increasingly being used in high-end and military applications, mainly due to their excellent tailorability to specific loading scenarios and strength/stiffness to weight ratios. The overall purpose of the research project is to develop an enhanced understanding of the behaviour of fibre reinforced polymer composites when subjected to high velocity loading. This is particularly important in military applications, where composite structures are at a high risk of receiving high strain rate loading, such as those resulting from collisions or blasts. The work described here considers an approach that allows the collection of full-field temperature and strain data to investigate the complex viscoelastic behaviour of composite material at high strain rates. To develop such a data-rich approach digital image correlation (DIC) is used to collect the displacement data and infra-red thermography (IRT) is used to collect temperature data. The use of optical techniques at the sampling rates necessary to capture the behaviour of composites subjected to high loading rates is novel and requires using imaging systems at the far extent of their design specification. One of the major advantages of optical techniques is that they are non-contact; however this also forms one of the challenges to their application to high speed testing. The separate camera systems and the test machine/loading system must be synchronised to ensure that the correct strain/temperature measurement is correlated with the correct temporal value of the loading regime. The loading rate exacerbates the situation where even at high sampling rates the data is discrete and therefore it is difficult to match values. The work described in the paper concentrates on investigating the possibility of the high speed DIC and synchronisation. The limitations of bringing together the techniques are discussed in detail, and a discussion of the relative merits of each synchronisation approach is included, which takes into consideration ease of use, accuracy, repeatability etc.
Performances and Limitations of Three Ultra High-Speed Imaging Cameras for Full-Field Deformation Measurements
Authors: Pierron Fabrice , Cheriguene Rachid , Forquin Pascal , Moulart Raphael , Rossi Marco , Sutton M.A.
Published: August 2011

This paper compares the technology and the performances of three ultra high speed cameras for full-field deformation measurements with Digital image correlation or the grid method. The three cameras are based on multiple CCD sensors (Cordin 550-62, with rotating mirror or DRS IMACON 200 with gated intensified CCDs) or dedicated chip (Shimadzu HPV). The advantages and limitations of these cameras are critically reviewed.
Strength Hypothesis Applied to Hard Foams
Authors: Kolupaev Vladimir A. , Bolchoun Alexandre , Altenbach Holm
Published: August 2011

The analysis of well-known strength hypotheses leads to the derivation of a generalized model, which contains a number of known hypotheses as special cases and could be used for the description of the 3D-failure of hard foams. This model in the case of the strength hypothesis for hard foams is characterized by a closed surface in the principal stress space. In order to fit the model to the experimental data certain objective functions are formulated. The optimization results are shown in the Pareto-diagram (optimal solutions for several targets). The results of the fitting are plotted in the Burzyński-plane. It can be seen that reliable modeling requires the knowledge of the material behavior under hydrostatic tension and compression.
Elevated levels of DNA methylation at the OPRM1 promoter in blood and sperm from male opioid addicts
Authors: Chorbov, PhD Vesselin M. , Todorov, PhD Alexandre A. , Lynskey, PhD Michael T. , Cicero, PhD Theodore J.
Published: August 2011

Objective: The OPRM1 gene was studied for DNA methylation in opioid dependence and possible paternal contribution to epigenetic inheritance of altered methylation profiles.Participants and methods: DNA was extracted from blood and sperm from 13 male opioid addicts and 21 male control subjects. DNA methylation was determined by pyrosequencing in 24 CpG sites at the OPRM1 promoter region.Results: The authors found significantly increased overall methylation in blood DNA from addicted subjects (Kruskal-Wallis [K-W] p = 0.013). Seven CpG sites showed significantly hypermethylated blood DNA from cases when compared with blood DNA from controls (p < 0.05 at CpGs 5, 9, 10, 11, 18, 23, and 24). In spermderived DNA from addicts, the methylation was significantly increased at CpG 2 (p = 0.012), and overall methylation did not reach significant difference (K-W p = 0.523).Conclusions: Increased DNA methylation in the OPRM1 gene is associated with opioid dependence. Hypermethylated CpG sites located in OPRM1 promoter may potentially block the binding of Sp1 and other transcription activators, thus leading to OPRM1 silencing. The increased DNA methylation in sperm may suggest a way of epigenetic heritability of opioid abuse or dependence phenotypes.
Air-chemistry "turbulence": power-law scaling and statistical regularity
Authors: Hsu H.-m. , Lin C.-Y. , Guenther A. , Tribbia J. J. , Liu S. C.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. With the intent to gain further knowledge on the spectral structures and statistical regularities of surface atmospheric chemistry, the chemical gases (NO, NO2, NOx, CO, SO2, and O3) and aerosol (PM10) measured at 74 air quality monitoring stations over the island of Taiwan are analyzed for the year of 2004 at hourly resolution. They represent a range of surface air quality with a mixed combination of geographic settings, and include urban/rural, coastal/inland, plain/hill, and industrial/agricultural locations. In addition to the well-known semi-diurnal and diurnal oscillations, weekly, and intermediate (20 ~ 30 days) peaks are also identified with the continuous wavelet transform (CWT). The spectra indicate power-law scaling regions for the frequencies higher than the diurnal and those lower than the diurnal with the average exponents of −5/3 and −1, respectively. These dual-exponents are corroborated with those with the detrended fluctuation analysis in the corresponding time-lag regions. These exponents are mostly independent of the averages and standard deviations of time series measured at various geographic settings, i.e., the spatial inhomogeneities. In other words, they possess dominant universal structures. After spectral coefficients from the CWT decomposition are grouped according to the spectral bands, and inverted separately, the PDFs of the reconstructed time series for the high-frequency band demonstrate the interesting statistical regularity, −3 power-law scaling for the heavy tails, consistently. Such spectral peaks, dual-exponent structures, and power-law scaling in heavy tails are important structural information, but their relations to turbulence and mesoscale variability require further investigations. This could lead to a better understanding of the processes controlling air quality.
The fate of saharan dust across the atlantic and implications for a central american dust barrier
Authors: Nowottnick E. , Colarco P. , da Silva A. , Hlavka D. , McGill M.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Saharan dust was observed over the Caribbean basin during the summer 2007 NASA Tropical Composition, Cloud, and Climate Coupling (TC4) field experiment. Airborne Cloud Physics Lidar (CPL) and satellite observations from MODIS suggest a barrier to dust transport across Central America into the eastern Pacific. We use the NASA GEOS-5 atmospheric transport model with online aerosol tracers to perform simulations of the TC4 time period in order to understand the nature of this barrier. Our simulations are driven by the Modern Era Retrospective-Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) meteorological analyses. Compared to observations from MODIS and CALIOP, GEOS-5 reproduces the observed location and magnitude of observed dust events, but our baseline simulation does not develop as strong a barrier to dust transport across Central America as observations suggest. Analysis of the dust transport dynamics and loss processes suggest that while both mechanisms play a role in defining the dust transport barrier, loss processes by wet removal of dust are about twice as important as transport. Sensitivity analyses with our model showed that the dust barrier would not exist without convective scavenging over the Caribbean. The best agreement between our model and the observations was obtained when dust wet removal was parameterized to be more aggressive, treating the dust as we do hydrophilic aerosols.
The Wildland Fire Emission Inventory: emission estimates and an evaluation of uncertainty
Authors: Urbanski S. P. , Hao W. M. , Nordgren B.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. We present the Wildland Fire Emission Inventory (WFEI), a high resolution model for non-agricultural open biomass burning (hereafter referred to as wildland fires) in the contiguous United States (CONUS). WFEI was used to estimate emissions of CO and PM2.5 for the western United States from 2003–2008. The estimated annual CO emitted ranged from 436 Gg yr−1 in 2004 to 3107 Gg yr−1 in 2007. The extremes in estimated annual PM2.5 emitted were 65 Gg yr−1 in 2004 and 454 Gg yr−1 in 2007. Annual wildland fire emissions were significant compared to other emission sources in the western United States as estimated in a national emission inventory. In the peak fire year of 2007, fire emissions were ~20 % of total CO emissions and ~39 % of total PM2.5 emissions. During the months with the greatest fire activity, wildland fires accounted for the majority of CO and PM2.5 emitted across the study region. The uncertainty in the inventory estimates of CO and PM2.5 emissions (ECO and EPM2.5, respectively) have been quantified across spatial and temporal scales relevant to regional and global modeling applications. The uncertainty in annual, domain wide emissions was 28 % to 51 % for CO and 40 % to 65 % for PM2.5. Sensitivity of the uncertainty in ECO and EPM2.5 to the emission model components depended on scale. At scales relevant to regional modeling applications (Δx = 10 km, Δt = 1 day) WFEI estimates 50 % of total ECO with an uncertainty <133 % and half of total EPM2.5 with an uncertainty <146 %. The uncertainty in ECO and EPM2.5 is significantly reduced at the scale of global modeling applications (Δx = 100 km, Δt = 30 day). Fifty percent of total emissions are estimated with an uncertainty <50 % for CO and <64 % for PM2.5. Uncertainty in the burned area drives the emission uncertainties at regional scales. At global scales the uncertainty in ECO is most sensitive to uncertainties in the fuel load consumed while the uncertainty in the emission factor for PM2.5 drives the EPM2.5 uncertainty. Our uncertainty analysis indicates that the large scale aggregate uncertainties (e.g. annual, CONUS) that are typically reported for biomass burning emission inventories may not be appropriate for evaluating and interpreting results of modeling applications that employ the emission estimates. When feasible, biomass burning emission inventories should be evaluated and reported across the scales for which they are intended to be used.
Parameterising secondary organic aerosol from α-pinene using a detailed oxidation and aerosol formation model
Authors: Ceulemans K. , Compernolle S. , Müller J.-F.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. A new 10-product parameter model for α-pinene secondary organic aerosol (SOA) is presented, based on simulations with the detailed model BOREAM (Biogenic hydrocarbon Oxidation and Related Aerosol formation Model). The parameterisation takes into account the influence of temperature, type of oxidant, NOx-regime, photochemical ageing and water uptake, and is suitable for use in global chemistry transport models. BOREAM is validated against recent photooxidation smog chamber experiments, for which it reproduces SOA yields to within a factor of 2 in most cases. In the simple chemical mechanism of the parameter model, oxidation of α-pinene generates peroxy radicals, which, upon reaction with NO or HO2, yield products corresponding to high or low-NOx conditions, respectively. The model parameters – i.e. the temperature-dependent stoichiometric coefficients and partitioning coefficients of the 10 semi-volatile products – are obtained from simulations with BOREAM, including a prescribed diurnal cycle for the radiation, oxidant and emission levels, as well as a deposition sink for the particulate and gaseous products. The effects of photooxidative ageing are implicitly included in the parameterisation, since it is based on near-equilibrium SOA concentrations, obtained through simulations of a two-week period. Modelled SOA mass yields are about ten times higher in low-NOx than in high-NOx conditions, with yields of about 50 % in the low-NOx OH-initiated oxidation of α-pinene, considerably more than in previous parameterisations based on smog chamber experiments. The parameterisation is only moderately sensitive to the assumed oxidant levels. However, photolysis of species in the particulate phase is found to strongly reduce SOA yields. Water uptake is parameterised using fitted activity coefficients, resulting in a good agreement with the full model.
Application of infrared remote sensing to constrain in-situ estimates of ice crystal particle size during SPartICus
Authors: Cooper S. J. , Garrett T. J.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. In a prior paper (Cooper and Garrett, 2010), an infrared remote sensing technique was developed that quantifies the effective radius re of ice crystals in cirrus clouds. By accounting for a broad range of expected inversion uncertainties, this retrieval scheme isolates those radiometric signatures that can only occur if the cirrus has nominally "small" values of re below 20 μm. The method is applicable only for specific cloud and atmospheric conditions. However, it can be particularly useful in constraining in-situ estimates of cirrus cloud re obtained from aircraft. Recent studies suggest that airborne measurements may be compromised by the shattering of ice crystals on airborne instrument inlets, so robust, independent confirmation of these measurements is needed. Here, we expand the Cooper and Garrett (2010) retrieval scheme to identify ice clouds that are likely to have "large" values of re greater than 20 μm. Using MODIS observations, we then compare assessments of cirrus cloud re with in-situ measurements obtained during three test cases from the 2010 SPartICus campaign. In general, there is good agreement between retrievals and in-situ measurements for a "small" and "large" crystal case. For a more ambiguously "small" re case, the 2D-S cloud probe indicates values of re that are slightly larger than expected from infrared retrievals, possibly indicating a slight bias in the 2D-S results towards large particles. For our test cases, there is no evidence to suggest that an FSSP-100 with unmodified inlets produces measurements of re in cirrus that are strongly biased low.
Near-surface profiles of aerosol number concentration and temperature over the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Held A. , Orsini D. A. , Vaattovaara P. , Tjernström M. , Leck C.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Temperature and particle number concentration profiles were measured at small height intervals above open and frozen leads and snow surfaces in the central Arctic. The device used was a gradient pole designed to investigate potential particle sources over the central Arctic Ocean. The collected data were fitted according to basic logarithmic flux-profile relationships to calculate the sensible heat flux and particle deposition velocity. Independent measurements by the eddy covariance technique were conducted at the same location. General agreement was observed between the two methods when logarithmic profiles could be fitted to the gradient pole data. In general, snow surfaces behaved as weak particle sinks with a maximum deposition velocity vd = 1.3 mm s−1 measured with the gradient pole. The lead surface behaved as a weak particle source before freeze-up with an upward flux Fc = 5.7 × 104 particles m−2 s−1, and as a relatively strong heat source after freeze-up, with an upward maximum sensible heat flux H = 13.1 W m−2. Over the frozen lead, however, we were unable to resolve any significant aerosol profiles.
Role of de novo biosynthesis in ecosystem scale monoterpene emissions from a boreal Scots pine forest
Authors: Taipale R. , Kajos M. K. , Patokoski J. , Rantala P. , Ruuskanen T. M. , Rinne J.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. Monoterpene emissions from Scots pine have traditionally been assumed to originate as evaporation from specialized storage pools. More recently, the significance of de novo emissions, originating directly from monoterpene biosynthesis, has been recognized. To study the role of biosynthesis at the ecosystem scale, we measured monoterpene emissions from a Scots pine dominated forest in southern Finland using the disjunct eddy covariance method combined with proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. The interpretation of the measurements was based on a correlation analysis and a hybrid emission algorithm describing both de novo and pool emissions. During the measurement period May–August 2007, the monthly medians of daytime emissions were 200, 290, 180, and 200 μg m−2 h−1. The emissions were partly light dependent, probably due to de novo biosynthesis. The emission potential for both de novo and pool emissions exhibited a decreasing summertime trend. The ratio of the de novo emission potential to the total emission potential varied between 30 % and 46 %. Although the monthly changes were not significant, the ratio always differed statistically from zero, suggesting that the role of de novo biosynthesis was observable. Given the uncertainties in this study, we conclude that more accurate estimates of the contribution of de novo emissions are required for improving monoterpene emission algorithms for Scots pine dominated forests.
The CATDAT damaging earthquakes database
Authors: Daniell J. E. , Khazai B. , Wenzel F. , Vervaeck A.
Published: August 2011

Abstract. The global CATDAT damaging earthquakes and secondary effects (tsunami, fire, landslides, liquefaction and fault rupture) database was developed to validate, remove discrepancies, and expand greatly upon existing global databases; and to better understand the trends in vulnerability, exposure, and possible future impacts of such historic earthquakes. Lack of consistency and errors in other earthquake loss databases frequently cited and used in analyses was a major shortcoming in the view of the authors which needed to be improved upon. Over 17 000 sources of information have been utilised, primarily in the last few years, to present data from over 12 200 damaging earthquakes historically, with over 7000 earthquakes since 1900 examined and validated before insertion into the database. Each validated earthquake includes seismological information, building damage, ranges of social losses to account for varying sources (deaths, injuries, homeless, and affected), and economic losses (direct, indirect, aid, and insured). Globally, a slightly increasing trend in economic damage due to earthquakes is not consistent with the greatly increasing exposure. The 1923 Great Kanto ($214 billion USD damage; 2011 HNDECI-adjusted dollars) compared to the 2011 Tohoku (>$300 billion USD at time of writing), 2008 Sichuan and 1995 Kobe earthquakes show the increasing concern for economic loss in urban areas as the trend should be expected to increase. Many economic and social loss values not reported in existing databases have been collected. Historical GDP (Gross Domestic Product), exchange rate, wage information, population, HDI (Human Development Index), and insurance information have been collected globally to form comparisons. This catalogue is the largest known cross-checked global historic damaging earthquake database and should have far-reaching consequences for earthquake loss estimation, socio-economic analysis, and the global reinsurance field.
Low‐temperature conversion of spent adsorbent to iodine sodalite by a mechanochemical route
Authors: Hirabayashi D. , Tanada Y. , Sugiyama T. , Enokida Y. , Sawada K.
Published: August 2011

The focus on a ball milling induced conversion as a possible synthesis route of iodine sodalite (Na8Al6Si6O24I2) from zeolite‐based iodine adsorbents in order to treat a radioactive iodine filter for the off‐gas cleaning during nuclear facilities is presented. A mixture of silver iodide and zeolite 13X as a simulated adsorbent was mechanochemically milled using a laboratory‐scale planetary ball mill. The obtained powders were characterized by X‐ray diffraction to determine the effect of milling time on the conversion of the iodine sodalite. The crystal grain size and the lattice strain of the grounded phases were evaluated. After the ball milling, the milled samples were hydrothermally crystallized to form a sodalite phase with a sodium hydroxide solution for 48 h in an autoclave maintained at 150°C. The iodine sodalite was successfully obtained after hydrothermal crystallization. A leaching test was carried out for the assessment of the order of iodine leachability and chemical durability under reducing conditions. The leaching amount was found to be low on the orders of 10−4 ∼10−5 mol dm−3 in sodium thiosulfate solution. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 2441–2447, 2012
Numerical simulation of particulate processes for control and estimation by spectral methods
Authors: Bück Andreas , Klaunick Günter , Kumar Jitendra , Peglow Mirko , Tsotsas Evangelos
Published: August 2011

Results of application of pseudospectral methods, also known as spectral collocation methods, to practical particulate processes including growth, nucleation, aggregation, and breakage are presented. For growth‐dominated processes, a considerable reduction in model dimension can be achieved; for pure aggregation and breakage they form a viable option. To handle problems that include aggregation, breakage, and growth phenomena simultaneously, we introduce a hybrid algorithm combining the advantages of spectral methods and cell average or fixed pivot methods for aggregation and breakage. Results are shown for analytical examples as well as real processes taken from the fields of granulation and crystallization. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 2309–2319, 2012
Follicular lymphoma: 2011 update on diagnosis and management
Authors: Freedman Arnold
Published: August 2011

Disease overview:

Follicular lymphoma (FL) is generally an indolent B‐cell lymphoproliferative disorder of transformed follicular center B cells. FL is characterized by diffuse lymphoadenopathy, bone marrow involvement, splenomegaly, and less commonly other extranodal sites of involvement. In general, cytopenias can occur but constitutional symptoms of fever, nightsweats, and weight loss are uncommon.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis is based on histology of preferably biopsy of a lymph node. Immunohistochemical staining is positive in virtually all cases for cell surface CD19, CD20, CD10 and monoclonal immunoglobulin, as well as cytoplasmic expression of bcl‐2 protein. The overwhelming majority of cases have the characteristic t(14;18) translocation involving the IgH/bcl‐2 genes.

Risk stratification:

The Follicular Lymphoma International Prognostic Index prognostic model for FL uses five independent predictors of inferior survival: age > 60 years, hemoglobin <12 g/dL, serum LDH > normal, Ann Arbor stage III/IV, number of involved nodal areas > 4. The presence of 0–1, 2, and ≥3 adverse factors defines low, intermediate, and high‐risk disease with median 10 year survivals in the pre‐rituximab era of approximately 71, 51, and 36 months, respectively. With the use of more modern therapies, specifically anti‐CD20 monoclonal antibody, the outcome has improved.

Risk‐adapted therapy:

Observation continues to be adequate for asymptomatic patients with low bulk disease and no cytopenias. For patients needing therapy, most patients are treated with chemotherapy plus rituximab, which has improved response rates, duration of response, and overall survival. Randomized studies have shown additional benefit for maintenance rituximab both following chemotherapy‐rituximab and single agent rituximab. Autologous stem cell transplantation has not shown a survival benefit in first remission patients. Stem cell transplantation (SCT) including both autologous and allogeneic SCT or experimental agent therapy is considered for recurrent disease. Am. J. Hematol. 86:769‐775, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical aspects of odontogenic maxillary sinusitis: a case series
Authors: Longhini Anthony B. , Ferguson Berrylin J.
Published: August 2011

Background:

The incidence of odontogenic maxillary sinusitis (OMS) is unknown. Failure to address dental pathology causing sinusitis can lead to failure of medical and surgical treatments. The purpose of this article is to present an OMS patient series.

Methods:

Retrospective review of prospectively accrued patients. Sinusitis guidelines were reviewed for OMS incidence and management. The clinical aspects of OMS in 21 patients diagnosed by sinus computed tomography (CT) scan over the last 30 months were assessed.

Results:

In our series the mean age was 53 years (range, 21–70 years), mean duration of symptoms was 2.6 years (range, 1 month to 15 years), rotten smell or bad taste was present in 10 of 21 (48%) patients, dental pain was present in 6 of 21 (29%) patients, and unilateral maxillary opacification was present in 12 of 23 (57%) patients. Dental pathology was not noted in 6 of 7 (86%) of pre‐CT dental films and 14 of 21 (67%) of initial sinus CT reports but reevaluation of CT scans found dental pathology in all patients.

Conclusion:

Dental pathology causing sinusitis was frequently missed on plain dental X‐rays and CT scan reports. Dental pain and foul‐smelling nasal discharge are present in less than one‐half of patients and symptoms commonly persist for years. Otolaryngologists must have a high index of suspicion for an odontogenic cause of refractory maxillary sinusitis. © 2011 ARS‐AAOA, LLC.
Keratinocyte chemoattractant (interleukin‐8) regulation of sinonasal cilia function in a murine model
Authors: Shen Jessica C. , Chen Bei , Cohen Noam A.
Published: August 2011

Background:

Chronic rhinosinusitis is a multifactorial disease characterized by a local inflammatory response and impaired mucociliary clearance. Our prior work suggests that nonpolypoid inflammation can blunt ciliary dynamics. Thus, we set out to determine whether exogenously applied recombinant keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC), mouse homologue of interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), modulates ciliary function.

Methods:

Murine primary sinonasal cultures were established in an air–liquid interface. Exogenous KC was administered to apical and basal surfaces at 500 pg/mL (n = 6) or 5 ng/mL (n = 3). Basal and stimulated cilia beat frequency (CBF) was recorded at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after exposure. Control groups were treated with buffered saline solution (n = 6). Cilia were mechanically stimulated with bursts of pressurized air (55 mmHg). CBF after prolonged KC exposure (96 hours) was also measured.

Results:

KC‐treated cultures had significantly increased basal CBF at 24 hours and 48 hours. KC (500 pg/mL) yielded a 41.6% ± 9.5 increase in basal CBF (p < 0.001) at 24 hours, which persisted at 48 hours, 35.8% ± 10.2 (p < 0.05), while high‐concentration KC (5 ng/mL) yielded a 50.2% ± 6.6 (p < 0.01) increase in basal CBF at 24 hours, which declined to 15.2% ± 5.2 (p < 0.01) at 48 hours. After 48 hours, the KC group demonstrated decreased response to mechanical stimulus vs control (500 pg/mL: p < 0.01, 5 ng/mL: p ≤ 0.04). With prolonged KC exposure (500 pg/mL) CBF declined: −25.5% ± 6.9 (p < .001) at 72 hours, and −19.6% ± 5.4 (p < 0.01) at 96 hours.

Conclusion:

Our results demonstrate modulation of cilia function of murine sinonasal epithelial cells by the inflammatory cytokine KC, which acutely increases basal CBF while decreasing the response of cilia to mechanical stimulation. Prolonged KC exposure decreases basal CBF. © 2011 ARS‐AAOA, LLC.
Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy treatment of chronic recurrent sinusitis biofilms
Authors: Biel Merrill A. , Sievert Chet , Usacheva Marina , Teichert Matthew , Balcom Jim
Published: August 2011

Background

Chronic recurrent sinusitis (CRS) is an inflammatory disease of the facial sinuses and nasal passages that is defined as lasting longer than 12 weeks or occurring more than 4 times per year with symptoms usually lasting more than 20 days. The National Institute for Health Statistics estimates that CRS is one of the most common chronic conditions in the United States, affecting an estimated 37 million Americans. The potential etiologies of CRS include bacteria, viruses, allergies, fungi, superantigens, and microbial biofilms. In clinical practice there is a significant subpopulation of patients with CRS who remain resistant to cure despite rigorous treatment regimens including surgery, allergy therapy, and prolonged antibiotic therapy. The reason for treatment failure is thought to be related to the destruction of the sinus mucociliary defense by the chronic sinus infection resulting in the development of secondary antibiotic‐resistant microbial colonization of the sinuses and biofilm formation. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is a nonantibiotic broad‐spectrum antimicrobial treatment that has been demonstrated to eradicate antibiotic‐resistant bacteria and biofilms. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a noninvasive aPDT treatment method of eradicating antibiotic resistant biofilms/microorganisms known to cause CRS in an in vitro model.

Methods

Antibiotic‐resistant planktonic bacteria and fungi and polymicrobial biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were grown on silastic sheets and treated with a methylene blue photosensitizer and 670 nm non–thermal‐activating light. Cultures of the planktonic microorganisms and biofilms were obtained before and after light treatment to determine efficacy of planktonic bacteria and biofilm reduction.

Results

The in vitro CRS planktonic microorganism and biofilm study demonstrated that aPDT reduced the CRS polymicrobial biofilm by >99.9% after a single treatment.

Conclusion

aPDT can effectively treat CRS polymicrobial antibiotic‐resistant bacteria, fungi, and biofilms in vivo. Human clinical studies are currently planned to assess the safety and efficacy of this treatment for CRS. © 2011 ARS‐AAOA, LLC.
Effect of extractives on the performance properties of wood flour‐polypropylene composites
Authors: Sheshmani Shabnam , Ashori Alireza , Farhani Foad
Published: August 2011

In this study, the effects of extractives in wood flour on the physicomechanical properties of wood flour‐polypropylene (PP) composites have been investigated. Three different solvents, hot‐water (HW), 1% NaOH (AL), and dichloromethane (DM), were used to remove extractives in both poplar and eucalypt wood flour. The obtained results showed that mechanical properties of the composites were moderately enhanced on using extractive‐free lignocellulosic materials in both the wood types. A large increase in the strength of eucalyptus flour‐PP composites was observed upon the removal of extractives from eucalyptus flour. Unlike the mechanical properties, no improvement in the water absorption and thickness swelling was observed for any type of extracted‐free samples. The thermal degradation behavior of the composites showed that in both cases, the degradation temperatures shifted to higher values after removing the extractives. In general, the removal of AL solubles was more effective in its improvement of the physicomechanical properties than the removal of HW and DM extractives. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Polyurethane‐based biomaterials for shape‐adjustable cardiovascular devices
Authors: Silvestri A. , Serafini P. M. , Sartori S. , Ferrando P. , Boccafoschi F. , Milione S. , Conzatti L. , Ciardelli G.
Published: August 2011

A series of biostable polyurethane (PUR) formulations, including a composite containing a clay as filler, were prepared as new biomaterials for cardiovascular applications. Poly(dimethyl siloxane) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) were selected as macrodiols because of their mechanical properties and the high hydrolysis resistance they confer to PURs. 1,6‐Diisocyanatohexane and 1,4‐cyclohexane dimethanol were used as a diisocyanate and chain extender, respectively. The polymeric products were chemically, thermally, and mechanically characterized. Thermomechanical characterizations highlighted that some of the obtained formulations are promising materials for applications in the cardiovascular field, in particular, for the realization of annuloplastic rings in mitral valve repair. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Effect of elastic properties modification on the vibrational density of states: A joint Brillouin and Raman scattering study
Authors: Caponi S. , Corezzi S. , Fioretto D. , Fontana A. , Rossi F.
Published: August 2011

The modification of the vibrational density of states in a reactive epoxy–amine mixture during isothermal polymerization at different temperatures was characterized by Brillouin and Raman scattering measurements. During the reaction, the system underwent the glass‐transition passing from the liquid to the glassy phase. The relative variations of the boson peak (BP) and the elastic moduli were investigated. We found that the intensity variation and the shift of the BP could be completely explained in terms of the elastic medium transformation. A master curve of the spectra in the BP region can always be obtained both as a function of the reaction temperature and as a function of the reaction time. Moreover, the Brillouin light‐scattering results gave evidence of the validity of a Cauchy‐like relation for the real part of the elastic moduli measured at finite frequencies also in a relaxing regime. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
No evidence for a fundamental visual motion processing deficit in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Jones Catherine R.G. , Swettenham John , Charman Tony , Marsden Anita J.S. , Tregay Jenifer , Baird Gillian , Simonoff Emily , Happé Francesca
Published: August 2011

It has been suggested that atypicalities in low‐level visual processing contribute to the expression and development of the unusual cognitive and behavioral profile seen in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, previous investigations have yielded mixed results. In the largest study of its kind (ASD n = 89; non‐ASD = 52; mean age 15 years 6 months) and testing across the spectrum of IQ (range 52–133), we investigated performance on three measures of basic visual processing: motion coherence, form‐from‐motion and biological motion (BM). At the group level, we found no evidence of differences between the two groups on any of the tasks, suggesting that there is no fundamental visual motion processing deficit in individuals with an ASD, at least by adolescence. However, we identified a tail of individuals with ASD (18% of the sample) who had exceptionally poor BM processing abilities compared to the non‐ASD group, and who were characterized by low IQ. For the entire sample of those both with and without ASD, performance on the BM task uniquely correlated with performance on the Frith–Happé animations, a higher‐level task that demands the interpretation of moving, interacting agents in order to understand mental states. We hypothesize that this association reflects the shared social–cognitive characteristics of the two tasks, which have a common neural underpinning in the superior temporal sulcus. Autism Res 2011,4:347–357. © 2011 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
No effects of short‐term exposure to mobile phone electromagnetic fields on human cognitive performance: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Barth Alfred , Ponocny Ivo , Gnambs Timo , Winker Robert
Published: August 2011

During recent years, a large number of studies on the effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by cellular mobile phones on human cognitive performance have been carried out. However, the results have been ambiguous. We carried out the current meta‐analysis in order to investigate the impact of electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on human cognition. Seventeen studies were included in the meta‐analysis as they fulfill several requirements such as single‐ or double‐blind experimental study design, and documentation of means and standard deviations of dependent variables. The meta‐analysis was carried out as a group comparison between exposed and non‐exposed subjects. No significant effects of electromagnetic fields emitted by Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) mobile phones were found. Cognitive abilities seem to be neither impaired nor facilitated. Results of the meta‐analysis suggest that a substantial short‐term impact of high frequency electromagnetic fields emitted by mobile phones on cognitive performance can essentially be ruled out. Bioelectromagnetics 33:159–165, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pathways for cervical metastasis in malignant neoplasms of the head and neck region
Authors: Wang Yuan , Ow Thomas J. , Myers Jeffrey N.
Published: August 2011

There have been significant changes in the evaluation and management of lymphatic metastases in the neck during the past several decades, and knowledge of the functional anatomy of the cervical lymphatics is fundamental to the clinical management of metastasis in this region. This review provides a comprehensive description of the cervical lymphatics and discusses how this knowledge is used in the modern management of the neck lymphatics in the setting of common cancers of the head and neck. The patterns of tumor spread can be delineated based on the well‐studied functional anatomy of the lymphatic networks in the cervical region. The characteristics and patterns of metastatic spread for two common cancers found in this region, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma, are discussed in this review. Significant improvements in clinical care, namely, selective neck dissection and sentinel lymph node biopsy aided by lymphoscintigraphy, have been developed and are based upon detailed studies of the pathways of metastatic spread. These advances have significantly decreased the morbidity associated with the evaluation and treatment of metastatic disease to the neck. Clin. Anat. 25:54–71, 2012. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Branching pattern of the external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve and its clinical importance
Authors: Yalcin Bulent , Tubbs R. Shane , Durmaz Abdullah , Comert Ayhan , Toygar Mehmet , Loukas Marios , Develi Sedat
Published: August 2011

The external branch of the superior laryngeal nerve gives off many branches above the upper pole of the thyroid gland. Differentiating the branch innervating the cricothyroid muscle from the others may be important during surgery. Therefore, we aimed to demonstrate the branching pattern of this nerve in detail. In 34 human cadavers (59 sides), branches of the nerve were exposed and measurements related to them and neighboring structures were made. A cricothyroidal branch was present on all sides. This branch pierced the inferior pharyngeal constrictor muscle 3.9–17.6 mm above, 3.1–9.9 mm below, or at the level of the upper pole of the thyroid gland. On all sides, the nerve provided one or two thyroidal branches. The thyroidal branch was generally thinner than the cricothyroidal branch. But they were equal in size on three (5%) sides. The external laryngeal nerve provided two or three pharyngeal branches on all sides. These branches arose from the nerve 3.5–12.7 mm from the upper pole of the thyroid gland. Although the branch was generally thinner than the cricothyroidal branch, both branches were equal on four (6.7%) sides. Two cardiac branches were observed on two (3.3%) left sides. In conclusion, the cricothyroidal branch was generally thicker than the other branches. But on seven (11.8%) sides, thyroidal or pharyngeal branches and the cricothyroidal branch were equal in size. These data may be important during surgery as the surgeon may confuse the cricothyroidal branch with other branches of the external laryngeal nerve. Clin. Anat. 25:32–39, 2012. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Vision‐based control of a line‐tracing mobile robot
Authors: Simončič Samo , Podržaj Primož
Published: August 2011

In this article, a vision‐based control of a line‐tracing mobile robot is presented. The position of the robot is determined based on the analysis of the images obtained by a ceiling mounted camera. Such an approach has some advantages compared to the more common robot mounted camera approach. The robot detection algorithm uses some well‐known image processing algorithms. As the PC is common these days and the mobile robot is quite easy to build or buy, the only prerequisite is a camera. The time delay of a web camera is too large so a FireWire CCD camera is preferred for better performance. The control system presented can be an ideal educational tool for an introductory level course in image processing, image analysis, or machine vision. As the line‐tracing problem is well known to everyone studying mechatronics or robotics, the approach presented in this article should be of great interest to all students in these fields, because it offers an alternative solution to the line‐tracing problem. Besides that this approach makes it possible to implement a more advanced predictive control algorithm. In order to make the experiment even more interesting, an obstacle avoidance algorithm is presented as well. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 22:474–480, 2014; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/cae; DOI 10.1002/cae.10.1002/cae.20573
Tuning Molecular Recognition in Water‐Soluble Nanogels with Enzyme‐Like Activity for the Kemp Elimination
Authors: Servant Ania , Haupt Karsten , Resmini Marina
Published: August 2011

The synthesis and characterization of water‐soluble imprinted nanogels with enzyme‐like activity in the Kemp elimination is reported together with studies that demonstrate how the recognition properties, morphology, and catalytic activity of the nanoparticles can be tuned by the use of surfactants, such as Tween 20. A detailed kinetic investigation is carried out, which shows clear evidence of saturation kinetics and rule out the effects of mass transfer. This is supported by characterization of the polymeric materials that confirms the morphological changes resulting from the use of surfactants. These results provide an important tool for the development of nanoparticle‐based, new catalyst‐mimicking enzymes.
Size‐Controllable Gold–Platinum Alloy Nanoparticles on Nine Functionalized Ionic‐Liquid Surfaces and Their Application as Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Peroxide Reduction
Authors: Yu Yanyan , Sun Qian , Liu Xiaoqian , Wu Haihong , Zhou Tianshu , Shi Guoyue
Published: August 2011

A series of room‐temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) containing different functional groups such as hydroxyl, nitrile, carboxyl, and thiol attached to imidazolium cations, combined with various anions such as chloride [Cl], tetrafluoroborate [BF4], hexafluorophosphate [PF6], and bis[(trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl]imide [Tf2N], have been successfully synthesized. Dissolved in chitosan (Chi), the Chi/RTIL composites can be employed as flexible templates for the preparation of Au/Pt nanostructures. These Au/Pt nanostructures can be facilely deposited in situ on the surface of Chi/RTILs through electrodeposition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) results demonstrate that the alloy size is significantly dependent on the structure of the Chi/RTILs, with sizes ranging from 2.8 to 84.7 nm. Based upon the functionalized RTILs, nine Chi/RTIL–Au/Pt biosensors have been fabricated. First, the size‐dependent electrochemistry of Chi/RTIL–Au/Pt was investigated using potassium ferricyanide as the probe. The reversible electron transfer of the Fe(CN)63−/4− redox couple was realized for the nine biosensors, and the peak currents, as well as the peak‐to‐peak separations (ΔEp) and electron‐transfer rates, differ greatly from each other because of the diversity of the RTILs. Further electrochemical research reveals that the functional groups of these RTILs exert an evident influence on the reduction behavior of H2O2, which in turn illustrates that the electrocatalytic activity of Chi/RTIL–Au/Pt nanocomposites can be tuned by means of employing RTILs with different functional groups, and an appropriate combination of cations and anions may produce a higher activity. The facilitated electron transfer and the intrinsic catalytic activity of Au/Pt NPs provide a facile way to construct a third‐generation H2O2 biosensor with a high sensitivity, low detection limit, quick response time, and excellent selectivity.