bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subverting Injurious Language: How Ilse Aichinger’s Narratological Strategies Liberate the Protagonist of “Spiegelgeschichte”
Authors: Scott Claire E.
Published: September 2016

This essay examines the narratological and rhetorical features of Ilse Aichinger’s story of a botched abortion, “Spiegelgeschichte,” in order to highlight the challenges associated with putting female, bodily trauma into language. By focusing its analysis on the text’s second-person narration and imperative statements it makes an argument about the degree to which the protagonist is liberated from the oppressive conditions that lead to her death. Through her act of reflective storytelling the protagonist divides herself into narrated and narrating selves in order to experience herself as both subject and object and to fight back against her entrapment in a temporal chain of cause and effect. Reaching the limits of this reflective language, however, she must eventually turn to defiant silence in order to (re)establish herself as a unified subject and escape the injurious language that surrounds her.
Examinations of casting cracks in a high alloy steel valve
Authors: Çöl Mustafa , Kahrıman Fulya , Uygun Mehmet , Adişen Serhat
Published: August 2016

High alloy steels are widely used for high temperature and corrosion resistance applications in power plants, e. g., in chemical and petroleum industries. Mechanical properties of these alloys (e. g., hardness and tensile strength) can be altered by suitable heat treatment. This paper deals with failure investigations of a cast valve made of high alloy steel. The samples were taken from valve body and prepared by metallographic techniques. Microstructural defects causing cracking were investigated using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Segregation areas at the grain boundaries in the microstructure of the material were observed. Casting was repeated by taking necessary measures during the production in order to eliminate these heterogeneous regions and then suitable heat treatment was applied to the part. The samples taken from the last part were also examined. As a result, a homogeneous microstructure was obtained and no macro or micro cracks were observed.
Performance and Fatigue Analysis of High Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Content and Warm-Mix Asphalt Test Sections
Authors: Timm David H. , West Randy C. , Taylor Adam J.
Published: September 2016

The use of warm-mix asphalt and reclaimed asphalt pavement is gaining wider acceptance across the United States. Though they are commonly used, there is a need to better characterize their laboratory properties and field performance to achieve optimal flexible pavement structures in the future. To meet this need, the National Center for Asphalt Technology began a study in 2009 that featured five sections using warm-mix asphalt technologies and high reclaimed asphalt pavement contents. The sections were expected to fail within 10 million equivalent single-axle load applications according to past experience but they performed well until 14 million equivalent single-axle loads, at which point fatigue cracking developed. A variety of fatigue cracking performance tests were conducted in the laboratory to develop correlations between laboratory and field performance. The laboratory results yielded different predictions, with the modified overlay tester showing the best correlation to field performance.
Laparoscopy versus mini-laparotomy peritoneal catheter insertion of ventriculoperitoneal shunts: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: He Mingliang , Ouyang Leping , Wang Shengwen , Zheng Meiguang , Liu Anmin
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt treatment is the main treatment method for hydrocephalus. The traditional operative approach for peritoneal catheter insertion is mini-laparotomy. In recent years, laparoscopy-assisted insertion has become increasingly popular. It seems likely that use of an endoscope could lower the incidence of shunt malfunction. However, there is no consensus about the benefits of laparoscopy-assisted peritoneal catheter insertion.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed using the PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library databases. A manual search for reference lists was conducted. The protocol was prepared according to the interventional systematic reviews of the Cochrane Handbook, and the article was written on the basis of the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines.

RESULTS

Eleven observational trials and 2 randomized controlled trials were included. Seven operation-related outcome measures were analyzed, and 3 of these showed no difference between operative techniques. The results of the meta-analysis are as follows: in the laparoscopy group, the rate of distal shunt failure was lower (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.25–0.67; p = 0.0003), the absolute effect is 7.11% for distal shunt failure, the number needed to treat is 14 (95% CI 8–23), operative time was shorter (mean difference [MD], −12.84; 95% CI −20.68 to −5.00; p = 0.001), and blood loss was less (MD −9.93, 95% CI −17.56 to −2.31; p = 0.01). In addition, a borderline statistically significant difference tending to laparoscopic technique was observed in terms of hospital stay (MD −1.77, 95% CI −3.67 to 0.13; p = 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

To some extent, a laparoscopic insertion technique could yield a better prognosis, mainly because it is associated with a lower distal failure rate and shorter operative time, which would be clinically relevant.
Cerebral venous overdrainage: an under-recognized complication of cerebrospinal fluid diversion
Authors: Barami Kaveh
Published: September 2016

Understanding the altered physiology following cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion in the setting of adult hydrocephalus is important for optimizing patient care and avoiding complications. There is mounting evidence that the cerebral venous system plays a major role in intracranial pressure (ICP) dynamics especially when one takes into account the effects of postural changes, atmospheric pressure, and gravity on the craniospinal axis as a whole. An evolved mechanism acting at the cortical bridging veins, known as the “Starling resistor,” prevents overdrainage of cranial venous blood with upright positioning. This protective mechanism can become nonfunctional after CSF diversion, which can result in posture-related cerebral venous overdrainage through the cranial venous outflow tracts, leading to pathological states. This review article summarizes the relevant anatomical and physiological bases of the relationship between the craniospinal venous and CSF compartments and surveys complications that may be explained by the cerebral venous overdrainage phenomenon. It is hoped that this article adds a new dimension to our therapeutic methods, stimulates further research into this field, and ultimately improves our care of these patients.
Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid and bleeding risks with ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement
Authors: Kamenova Maria , Croci Davide , Guzman Raphael , Mariani Luigi , Soleman Jehuda
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

Ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt placement is a common procedure for the treatment of hydrocephalus following diverse neurosurgical conditions. Most of the patients present with other comorbidities and receive antiplatelet therapy, usually acetylsalicylic acid (ASA). Despite its clinical relevance, the perioperative management of these patients has not been sufficiently investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the peri- and postoperative bleeding complication rates associated with ASA intake in patients undergoing VP shunt placement.

METHODS

Of 172 consecutive patients undergoing VP shunt placement between June 2009 and December 2015, 40 (23.3%) patients were receiving low-dose ASA treatment. The primary outcome measure was bleeding events in ASA users versus nonusers, whereas secondary outcome measures were postoperative cardiovascular events, hematological findings, morbidity, and mortality. A subgroup analysis was conducted in patients who discontinued ASA treatment for < 7 days (n = 4, ASA Group 1) and for ≥ 7 days (n = 36, ASA Group 2).

RESULTS

No statistically significant difference for bleeding events was observed between ASA users and nonusers (p = 0.30). Cardiovascular complications, surgical morbidity, and mortality did not differ significantly between the groups either. Moreover, there was no association between ASA discontinuation regimens (< 7 days and ≥ 7 days) and hemorrhagic events.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the lack of guidelines regarding perioperative management of neurosurgical patients with antiplatelet therapy, these findings elucidate one issue, showing comparable bleeding rates in ASA users and nonusers undergoing VP shunt placement.
Epidemiology of adult-onset hydrocephalus: institutional experience with 2001 patients
Authors: Bir Shyamal C. , Patra Devi Prasad , Maiti Tanmoy K. , Sun Hai , Guthikonda Bharat , Notarianni Christina , Nanda Anil
Published: September 2016

OBJECTIVE

Adult-onset hydrocephalus is not commonly discussed in the literature, especially regarding its demographic distribution. In contrast to pediatric hydrocephalus, which is related to a primary CSF pathway defect, its development in adults is often secondary to other pathologies. In this study, the authors investigated the epidemiology of adult-onset hydrocephalus as it pertains to different etiologies and in reference to age, sex, and race distributions.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed the clinical notes of 2001 patients with adult-onset hydrocephalus who presented to Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center within a 25-year span. Significant differences between the groups were analyzed by a chi-square test; p < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The overall mean (± SEM) incidence of adult hydrocephalus in this population was 77 ± 30 per year, with a significant increase in incidence in the past decade (55 ± 3 [1990–2003] vs 102 ± 6 [2004–2015]; p < 0.0001). Hydrocephalus in a majority of the patients had a vascular etiology (45.5%) or was a result of a tumor (30.2%). The incidence of hydrocephalus in different age groups varied according to various pathologies. The incidence was significantly higher in males with normal-pressure hydrocephalus (p = 0.03) or head injury (p = 0.01) and higher in females with pseudotumor cerebri (p < 0.0001). In addition, the overall incidence of hydrocephalus was significantly higher in Caucasian patients (p = 0.0002) than in those of any other race.

CONCLUSIONS

Knowledge of the demographic variations in adult-onset hydrocephalus is helpful in achieving better risk stratification and better managing the disease in patients. For general applicability, these results should be validated in a large-scale meta-analysis based on a national population database.
Imaging normal pressure hydrocephalus: theories, techniques, and challenges
Authors: Keong Nicole C. H. , Pena Alonso , Price Stephen J. , Czosnyka Marek , Czosnyka Zofia , Pickard John D.
Published: September 2016

The pathophysiology of NPH continues to provoke debate. Although guidelines and best-practice recommendations are well established, there remains a lack of consensus about the role of individual imaging modalities in characterizing specific features of the condition and predicting the success of CSF shunting. Variability of clinical presentation and imperfect responsiveness to shunting are obstacles to the application of novel imaging techniques. Few studies have sought to interpret imaging findings in the context of theories of NPH pathogenesis. In this paper, the authors discuss the major streams of thought for the evolution of NPH and the relevance of key imaging studies contributing to the understanding of the pathophysiology of this complex condition.
Spectrum of Etiology among Adult Intussusception Patients: Study of 11 Cases at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Bangladesh
Authors: Akhter SM Quamrul , Rahman Md. Mamunur , Reza Syed Masud , Hoque Md. Mozammel , Marium Syeda Nishat , Molla Sanjida Mohammad Anowaruzzaman , Ansary Abdullah Md. Abu Ayub , Ara Showkat
Published: September 2016

Background: Intussusception in adult patients is occurred in different reasons. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to see the spectrum of etiology among adult intussusception patients. Methodology: This case series was performed in the Department of Surgery at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, Dhaka from July 2014 to June 2015 for a period of 1(one) year. All the patients presented with intussusceptions were selected as study population. A detailed history was obtained from each patient. Patients with the age of ?18 years, regardless the symptoms like onset, duration, intensity, progression were included for this study. Per-operative diagnosis was further confirmed by histopathology of the resected specimen. Result: A total number of 11 cases were recruited after fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Gastro intestinal stromal tumour (GIST) was the most common etiology of intussusceptions which was 5(45.5%) cases followed by adenocarcinoma which was 2(18.2%) cases. Meckels diverticulum, Intestinal TB, Lipoma and Leiyomyomatous polyp were also found in 1 case each. Conclusion: Adult intussusception is most commonly occurred due to gastro intestinal stromal tumour followed by adenocarcinoma. Journal of Science Foundation, January 2016;14(1):3-7
Chondrosarcoma of Dorsal Spine: A Case Study
Authors: Alam Md. Shafiul , Alam AKM Jakirul , Hasan Md. Rejaul , Farzana Tayseer
Published: September 2016

Chondrosarcoma is a type of tumor originated from cartilage and bone. About 30% of skeletal system cancers are chondrosarcomas and less than 10% of all chondrosarcomas occur in the spine. It is resistant to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Total resection ensures early recovery and prevents recurrence. This author presents a case of chondrosarcoma of spine diagnosed by MRI and histopathology.Journal of Science Foundation, January 2016;14(1):30-33
Optimized and Validated RP-HPLC Method for the Determination of Clopidogrel in Bulk and Pharmaceutical Formulation
Authors: Akter R. , Banik S. , Ghosh A. , Rashid M. M. O.
Published: September 2016

This study was undertaken to develop a novel, simple, rapid, accurate and precise sensitive reverse phase HPLC method for estimating Clopidogrel in bulk and pharmaceutical dosage form. The current method in this study was achieved by Thermo Hypersil RP C-18 column (100 mm x 4.6 mm, 3.5 µm) using a mobile phase of Phosphate Buffer: Acetonitrile (pH 3.0) is 70: 30 at a column temperature of 25°C. The effluent was monitored by UV detector at 238 nm. The retention time of Clopidogrel was 4.75 min with a flow rate 1.0 mL/min. Calibration curve was linear in the range of 10-60 µg/mL. The method was validated for linearity, precision, robustness and accuracy as per ICH guidelines. The results of all the validation parameters were well within their acceptance values (%RSD <2.0 specified by the USP, ICH and FDA), which prove applicability of the proposed method for routine analyses and quality-control assay of Clopidogrel in pharmaceutical preparations.
From Erythromycin to Azithromycin and New Potential Ribosome-Binding Antimicrobials
Authors: Jelić Dubravko , Antolović Roberto
Published: September 2016

Macrolides, as a class of natural or semisynthetic products, express their antibacterial activity primarily by reversible binding to the bacterial 50S ribosomal subunits and by blocking nascent proteins’ progression through their exit tunnel in bacterial protein biosynthesis. Generally considered to be bacteriostatic, they may also be bactericidal at higher doses. The discovery of azithromycin from the class of macrolides, as one of the most important new drugs of the 20th century, is presented as an example of a rational medicinal chemistry approach to drug design, applying classical structure-activity relationship that will illustrate an impressive drug discovery success story. However, the microorganisms have developed several mechanisms to acquire resistance to antibiotics, including macrolide antibiotics. The primary mechanism for acquiring bacterial resistance to macrolides is a mutation of one or more nucleotides from the binding site. Although azithromycin is reported to show different, two-step process of the inhibition of ribosome function of some species, more detailed elaboration of that specific mode of action is needed. New macrocyclic derivatives, which could be more potent and less prone to escape bacterial resistance mechanisms, are also continuously evaluated. A novel class of antibiotic compounds—macrolones, which are derived from macrolides and comprise macrocyclic moiety, linker, and either free or esterified quinolone 3-carboxylic group, show excellent antibacterial potency towards key erythromycin-resistant Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains, with possibly decreased potential of bacterial resistance to macrolides.
A Low-Cost Label-Free AFB1 Impedimetric Immunosensor Based on Functionalized CD-Trodes
Authors: Foguel Marcos , Furlan Giordano Gabriela , De Sylos Célia , Carlos Iracilda , Pupim Ferreira Antonio , Benedetti Assis , Yamanaka Hideko
Published: September 2016

This work describes the investigation of a label-free immunosensor for the detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). CD-trodes (electrodes obtained from recordable compact disks) were used as low-cost and disposable transducers after modification with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of lipoic acid. The anti-aflatoxin B1 antibody was immobilized via EDC/NHS activation, followed by blocking with bovine serum albumin and immunoassays with AFB1. The optimization of analytical parameters and the detection were carried out using electrochemical impedance measurements. Using chemometric tools, the best conditions for the immunosensor development were defined as: anti-AFB1 antibody at 1:2000 dilution and surface blocking with 0.5% bovine serum albumin, both incubated for 1 h, and antibody–antigen immunoreaction for 30 min. The impedimetric immunosensor showed a linear range from 5 × 10−9 to 1 × 10−7 mol·L−1 (1.56–31.2 ng·mL−1), limit of detection and limit of quantification, respectively, 3.6 × 10−10 and 1.1 × 10−9mol·L−1 (0.11 and 0.34 ng·mL−1). The proposed immunosensor was applied to analyze peanut samples.
Diurnal and Seasonal Variation of Surface Urban Cool and Heat Islands in the Semi-Arid City of Erbil, Iraq
Authors: Rasul Azad , Balzter Heiko , Smith Claire
Published: September 2016

The influence of land surface temperature (LST) makes the near-surface layer of the troposphere a key driver of urban climate. This paper assesses the temporal formation of the daytime Surface Urban Cool Island (SUCI) and night-time Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) effect in Erbil, Iraq, situated in a semi-arid climate region. LST retrievals from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aqua and Terra and MODIS Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from January 2003 to December 2014 are analysed. The relationships of LST with NDVI and the Normalized Multi-band Drought Index (NMDI) are investigated in order to assess the influence of vegetation and moisture on the observed patterns of LST and the SUCI/SUHI. The results indicate that during the daytime, in summer, autumn and winter, densely built-up areas had lower LST acting as a SUCI compared to the non-urbanised area around the city. In contrast, at night-time, Erbil experienced higher LST and demonstrated a significant SUHI effect. The relationship between LST and NDVI is affected by seasonality and is strongly inverted during spring (r2 = 0.73; p < 0.01). Contrary to previous studies of semi-arid cities, a SUCI was detected, not only in the morning, but also during the afternoon.
Socio-Economic Implications of Drought in the Agricultural Sector and the State Economy
Authors: Ziolkowska Jadwiga
Published: September 2016

In 2011, the most severe drought in Texas history caused $7.62 billion in losses in the agricultural sector alone. This paper analyzes ripple effects of the 2011 drought in Texas agriculture on the entire state economy retrospectively in an effort to foster discussion on targeted mitigation measures in the long term. By using an Input-Output and social accounting matrix model, direct effects on livestock, cotton, sorghum, wheat, corn, hay, and timber production, as well as indirect effects on other related sectors, and finally induced effects from changing consumers behavior have been estimated. According to the results, the 2011 drought caused economic losses of $16.9 billion in the entire Texas economy and increased the unemployment by around 166,895 people. The agricultural sector alone lost around 106,000 jobs. The cotton farming experienced 91% of revenue losses (as compared to 2010), while the livestock production lost 32% in revenue. The decreased production yields and limited market supply directly influence market prices for those products, which might create additional spillover effects on export and import quantities. The presented analysis can be helpful for designing policies to launch mitigation programs for drought events in the future.
Baseline Model for Bubbly Flows: Simulation of Monodisperse Flow in Pipes of Different Diameters
Authors: Kriebitzsch Sebastian , Rzehak Roland
Published: September 2016

CFD simulations of the multiphase flow in technical equipment are feasible within the framework of interpenetrating continua, the so-called two-fluid modelling. Predictions with multiphase CFD are only possible if a fixed set of closures for the interfacial exchange terms is available that has been validated for a wide range of flow conditions and can therefore reliably be used also for unknown flow problems. To this end, a baseline model, which is applicable for adiabatic bubbly flow, has been specified recently and has been implemented in OpenFOAM. In this work, we compare simulation results obtained using the baseline model with three different sets of experimental data for dispersed gas-liquid pipe flow. Air and water under similar flow conditions have been used in the different experiments, so that the main difference between the experiments is the variation of the pipe diameter from 25 mm to 200 mm. Gas fraction and liquid velocity are reasonably well reproduced, in particular in the bulk of the flow. Discrepancies can be seen in the turbulent kinetic energy, the gas velocity and in the wall peaks of the gas fraction. These can partly be explained by the simplified modelling, but to some extent must be attributed to uncertainty in the experimental data. The need for improved near-wall modelling, turbulence modelling and modelling of the bubble size distribution is highlighted.
The Conference Blazars through Sharp Multi-Wavelength Eyes
Authors: Marscher Alan , Gómez Jose , Jorstad Svetlana
Published: September 2016

Blazars are active, galactic nuclei with jets of magnetized, high-energy plasma that ﬂow outward from the center of the host galaxy at near-light speeds.[...]
Comparison of Three Real-Time Measurement Methods for Airborne Ultrafine Particles in the Silicon Alloy Industry
Authors: Kero Ida , Jørgensen Rikke
Published: September 2016

The aim of this study was to compare the applicability and the correlation between three commercially available instruments capable of detection, quantification, and characterization of ultrafine airborne particulate matter in the industrial setting of a tapping area in a silicon alloy production plant. The number concentration of ultrafine particles was evaluated using an Electric Low Pressure Impactor (ELPITM), a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPSTM), and a Condensation Particle Counter (CPC). The results are discussed in terms of particle size distribution and temporal variations linked to process operations. The instruments show excellent temporal covariation and the correlation between the FMPS and ELPI is good. The advantage of the FMPS is the excellent time- and size resolution of the results. The main advantage of the ELPI is the possibility to collect size-fractionated samples of the dust for subsequent analysis by, for example, electron microscopy. The CPC does not provide information about the particle size distribution and its correlation to the other two instruments is somewhat poor. Nonetheless, the CPC gives basic, real-time information about the ultrafine particle concentration and can therefore be used for source identification.
Ambient Concentrations of Metabolic Disrupting Chemicals and Children’s Academic Achievement in El Paso, Texas
Authors: Clark-Reyna Stephanie , Grineski Sara , Collins Timothy
Published: September 2016

Concerns about children’s weight have steadily risen alongside the manufacture and use of myriad chemicals in the US. One class of chemicals, known as metabolic disruptors, interfere with human endocrine and metabolic functioning and are of specific concern to children’s health and development. This article examines the effect of residential concentrations of metabolic disrupting chemicals on children’s school performance for the first time. Census tract-level ambient concentrations for known metabolic disruptors come from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s National Air Toxics Assessment. Other measures were drawn from a survey of primary caretakers of 4th and 5th grade children in El Paso Independent School District (El Paso, TX, USA). A mediation model is employed to examine two hypothetical pathways through which the ambient level of metabolic disruptors at a child’s home might affect grade point average. Results indicate that concentrations of metabolic disruptors are statistically significantly associated with lower grade point averages directly and indirectly through body mass index. Findings from this study have practical implications for environmental justice research and chemical policy reform in the US.
Review of Studies Concerning Electromagnetic Field (EMF) Exposure Assessment in Europe: Low Frequency Fields (50 Hz–100 kHz)
Authors: Gajšek Peter , Ravazzani Paolo , Grellier James , Samaras Theodoros , Bakos József , Thuróczy György
Published: September 2016

We aimed to review the findings of exposure assessment studies done in European countries on the exposure of the general public to low frequency electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) of various frequencies. The study shows that outdoor average extremely low frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) in public areas in urban environments range between 0.05 and 0.2 µT in terms of flux densities, but stronger values (of the order of a few µT) may occur directly beneath high-voltage power lines, at the walls of transformer buildings, and at the boundary fences of substations. In the indoor environment, high values have been measured close to several domestic appliances (up to the mT range), some of which are held close to the body, e.g., hair dryers, electric shavers. Common sources of exposure to intermediate frequencies (IF) include induction cookers, compact fluorescent lamps, inductive charging systems for electric cars and security or anti-theft devices. No systematic measurement surveys or personal exposimetry data for the IF range have been carried out and only a few reports on measurements of EMFs around such devices are mentioned. According to the available European exposure assessment studies, three population exposure categories were classified by the authors regarding the possible future risk analysis. This classification should be considered a crucial advancement for exposure assessment, which is a mandatory step in any future health risk assessment of EMFs exposure.
Assessing Patient bypass Behavior Using Taxi Trip Origin–Destination (OD) Data
Authors: Yang Gege , Song Ci , Shu Hua , Zhang Jia , Pei Tao , Zhou Chenghu
Published: September 2016

Many patients prefer to use the best hospitals even if there are one or more other hospitals closer to their homes; this behavior is called “hospital bypass behavior”. Because this behavior can be problematic in urban areas, it is important that it be reduced. In this paper, the taxi GPS data of Beijing and Suzhou were used to measure hospital bypass behavior. The “bypass behavior index” (BBI) represents the bypass behavior for each hospital. The results indicated that the mean hospital bypass trip distance value ranges from 5.988 km to 9.754 km in Beijing and from 4.168 km to 10.283 km in Suzhou. In general, the bypass shares of both areas show a gradually increasing trend. The following hospitals exhibited significant patient bypass behavior: the 301 Hospital, Beijing Children’s Hospital, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and the Suzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The hospitals’ reputation, transport accessibility and spatial distribution were found to be the main factors affecting patient bypass behavior. Although the hospital bypass phenomena generally appeared to be more pronounced in Beijing, the bypass trip distances between hospitals were found to be more significant in Suzhou.
The Methoxyflavonoid Isosakuranetin Suppresses UV-B-Induced Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 Expression and Collagen Degradation Relevant for Skin Photoaging
Authors: Jung Hana , Lee Eunjoo , Lee Tae , Cho Man-Ho
Published: September 2016

Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a main extrinsic factor for skin aging. Chronic exposure of the skin to UV radiation causes the induction of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), such as MMP-1, and consequently results in alterations of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and skin photoaging. Flavonoids are considered as potent anti-photoaging agents due to their UV-absorbing and antioxidant properties and inhibitory activity against UV-mediated MMP induction. To identify anti-photoaging agents, in the present study we examined the preventative effect of methoxyflavonoids, such as sakuranetin, isosakuranetin, homoeriodictyol, genkwanin, chrysoeriol and syringetin, on UV-B-induced skin photo-damage. Of the examined methoxyflavonoids, pretreatment with isosakuranetin strongly suppressed the UV-B-mediated induction of MMP-1 in human keratinocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. Isosakuranetin inhibited UV-B-induced phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling components, ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and p38 proteins. This result suggests that the ERK1/2 kinase pathways likely contribute to the inhibitory effects of isosakuranetin on UV-induced MMP-1 production in human keratinocytes. Isosakuranetin also prevented UV-B-induced degradation of type-1 collagen in human dermal fibroblast cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that isosakuranetin has the potential for development as a protective agent for skin photoaging through the inhibition of UV-induced MMP-1 production and collagen degradation.
Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Modify the Response of Prostate Cancer Cells to Androgen and Anti-Androgens in Three-Dimensional Spheroid Culture
Authors: Eder Theresa , Weber Anja , Neuwirt Hannes , Grünbacher Georg , Ploner Christian , Klocker Helmut , Sampson Natalie , Eder Iris
Published: September 2016

Androgen receptor (AR) targeting remains the gold standard treatment for advanced prostate cancer (PCa); however, treatment resistance remains a major clinical problem. To study the therapeutic effects of clinically used anti-androgens we characterized herein a tissue-mimetic three-dimensional (3D) in vitro model whereby PCa cells were cultured alone or with PCa-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Notably, the ratio of PCa cells to CAFs significantly increased in time in favor of the tumor cells within the spheroids strongly mimicking PCa in vivo. Despite this loss of CAFs, the stromal cells, which were not sensitive to androgen and even stimulated by the anti-androgens, significantly influenced the sensitivity of PCa cells to androgen and to the anti-androgens bicalutamide and enzalutamide. In particular, DuCaP cells lost sensitivity to enzalutamide when co-cultured with CAFs. In LAPC4/CAF and LNCaP/CAF co-culture spheroids the impact of the CAFs was less pronounced. In addition, 3D spheroids exhibited a significant increase in E-cadherin and substantial expression of vimentin in co-culture spheroids, whereas AR levels remained unchanged or even decreased. In LNCaP/CAF spheroids we further found increased Akt signaling that could be inhibited by the phosphatidyl-inositol 3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002, thereby overcoming the anti-androgen resistance of the spheroids. Our data show that CAFs influence drug response of PCa cells with varying impact and further suggest this spheroid model is a valuable in vitro drug testing tool.
Circulating MicroRNAs: A Next-Generation Clinical Biomarker for Digestive System Cancers
Authors: Kawaguchi Tsutomu , Komatsu Shuhei , Ichikawa Daisuke , Tsujiura Masahiro , Takeshita Hiroki , Hirajima Shoji , Miyamae Mahito , Okajima Wataru , Ohashi Takuma , Imamura Taisuke , Kiuchi Jun , Konishi Hirotaka , Shiozaki Atsushi , Okamoto Kazuma , Otsuji Eigo
Published: September 2016

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression and play important roles in various physiological and developmental processes such as oncogenic or tumor suppressive regulators. Specific miRNA expression signatures have been identified in a number of human cancers. Cell-free miRNAs have recently been stably detected in plasma and serum (circulating miRNAs), and their presence in blood has attracted the attention of researchers due to their potential as non-invasive biomarkers. Circulating miRNAs have emerged as tumor-associated biomarkers that reflect not only the existence of early-stage tumors, but also the dynamics and status of advanced stage tumors, tumor recurrence, and drug sensitivities. This methodology for liquid biopsy may provide non-invasive and reproductive biomarkers and individualized therapeutic strategies for cancer patients. We herein review the current phase of biological and clinical research on the circulating miRNAs of solid cancers, particularly digestive tract cancers, and discuss future perspectives. The present review may be beneficial for future research on miRNAs used to detect various cancers.
New Approach in Translational Medicine: Effects of Electrolyzed Reduced Water (ERW) on NF-κB/iNOS Pathway in U937 Cell Line under Altered Redox State
Authors: Franceschelli Sara , Gatta Daniela , Pesce Mirko , Ferrone Alessio , Patruno Antonia , De Lutiis Maria , Grilli Alfredo , Felaco Mario , Croce Fausto , Speranza Lorenza
Published: September 2016

It is known that increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) can exert harmful effects, altering the cellular redox state. Electrolyzed Reduced Water (ERW) produced near the cathode during water electrolysis exhibits high pH, high concentration of dissolved hydrogen and an extremely negative redox potential. Several findings indicate that ERW had the ability of a scavenger free radical, which results from hydrogen molecules with a high reducing ability and may participate in the redox regulation of cellular function. We investigated the effect of ERW on H2O2-induced U937 damage by evaluating the modulation of redox cellular state. Western blotting and spectrophotometrical analysis showed that ERW inhibited oxidative stress by restoring the antioxidant capacity of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase. Consequently, ERW restores the ability of the glutathione reductase to supply the cell of an important endogenous antioxidant, such as GSH, reversing the inhibitory effect of H2O2 on redox balance of U937 cells. Therefore, this means a reduction of cytotoxicity induced by peroxynitrite via a downregulation of the NF-κB/iNOS pathway and could be used as an antioxidant for preventive and therapeutic application. In conclusion, ERW can protect the cellular redox balance, reducing the risk of several diseases with altered cellular homeostasis such as inflammation.
Sandwiched Magnetic Coupler for Adjustable Gear Ratio
Authors: Leong Foo-Hong , Tsai Nan-Chyuan , Chiu Hsin-Lin
Published: September 2016

An innovative design of a magnetic coupler for shaft speed amplification is proposed and verified by experiments. The structure of the proposed magnetic coupler is similar to an infinite-stage gearbox. In addition, the mathematical model of flux density is derived to look into the equation of adjustable gear ratio and effect of speed amplification. Moreover, two sets of experiments, namely verification of gear ratio and observation of stall phenomenon, are built up to examine the capabilities and drawbacks of the proposed variable-gear-ratio magnetic coupler. Three types of gear ratios are presented by theoretical analysis at first and then examined by experiments. The gear ratios for these three specific types between the input and output rotors are 4.75, 5.75 and 10.5, respectively. That is, the rotational speed of the output rotor can be precisely and realistically amplified. Besides, in order to reduce the torque inertia of the outer rotor, a ferrite bush is inserted to the inner side of the core rotor to decrease the flux density in the air gap. On the other hand, the overlapped depth of permanent magnets, which are attached onto the inner rotor and outer rotor, has to be appropriately chosen. The smaller the overlapped depth, the weaker is the magnetic attractive force in the air gap. As long as these two modifications (an inserted ferrite bush and the aforesaid overlapped depth) are validated, the torque inertia of the outer rotor can be significantly reduced. Accordingly, the required power to rotate the outer rotor can be greatly reduced if the overlapped depth is shortened. However, insufficient overlapped depth between the high-speed rotor and low-speed rotor will bring about a stall phenomenon caused by the magnetic attractive force between the high-speed rotor and the low-speed rotor being weaker than the start-up torque inertia. In other words, the reduced overlapped depth can also reduce the start-up torque inertia but stall phenomenon may easily occur.
Effect of Dissolved Oxygen and Immersion Time on the Corrosion Behaviour of Mild Steel in Bicarbonate/Chloride Solution
Authors: Eyu Gaius , Will Geoffrey , Dekkers Willem , MacLeod Jennifer
Published: September 2016

The electrochemical behavior of mild steel in bicarbonate solution at different dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations and immersion times has been studied under dynamic conditions using electrochemical techniques. The results show that both DO and immersion times influence the morphology of the corrosion products. In comparative tests, the corrosion rate was systematically found to be lower in solutions with lower DO, lower HCO3− concentrations and longer immersion time. The SEM analyses reveal that the iron dissolution rate was more severe in solutions containing higher DO. The decrease in corrosion rate can be attributed to the formation of a passive layer containing mainly α -FeO (OH) and ( γ -Fe2O3/Fe3O4) as confirmed by the X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Passivation of mild steel is evident in electrochemical test at ≈ −600 mVSCE at pH ≥ 8 in dearated ( ≤ 0.8 ppm DO) chloride bicarbonate solution under dynamic conditions.
Determination of Actual Friction Factors in Metal Forming under Heavy Loaded Regimes Combining Experimental and Numerical Analysis
Authors: Camacho Ana , Veganzones Mariano , Claver Juan , Martín Francisco , Sevilla Lorenzo , Sebastián Miguel
Published: September 2016

Tribological conditions can change drastically during heavy loaded regimes as experienced in metal forming; this is especially critical when lubrication can only be applied at the early stage of the process because the homogeneous lubricant layer can break along the die-workpiece interface. In these cases, adopting a constant friction factor for the lubricant-surface pair may not be a valid assumption. This paper presents a procedure based on the use of dual friction factor maps to determine friction factors employed in heavy loaded regimes. A finite element (FE) simulation is used to obtain the friction factor map for the alloy UNS A96082. Experiments were conducted using four lubricants (aluminum anti-size, MoS2 grease, silicone oil, and copper paste) to determine the actual friction curves. The experimental procedure is based on the application of lubricant only at the beginning of the first stage of ring compression, and not at intermediate stages as is usual in typical ring compression tests (RCTs). The results show that for small reductions (rh < 20%), the conventional RCT can be applied because the tribological conditions remain similar. For large reductions (rh > 20%), it is recommended to obtain an average value of the friction factor for every lubricant-surface pair in the range of deformation considered.
Study of the Isothermal Oxidation Process and Phase Transformations in B2-(Ni,Pt)Al/RENE-N5 System
Authors: Cáceres-Díaz Luis , Alvarado-Orozco Juan , Ruiz-Luna Haidee , García-Herrera John , Mora-García Alma , Trápaga-Martínez Gerardo , Arroyave Raymundo , Muñoz-Saldaña Juan
Published: September 2016

Changes in composition, crystal structure and phase transformations of B2-(Ni,Pt)Al coatings upon isothermal oxidation experiments (natural and scale free oxidation) at 1100 °C, as a function of time beyond their martensitic transformation, are reported. Specifically, the analysis of lattice parameter and composition are performed to identify changes in the B2-(Ni,Pt)Al phase upon the chemically-driven L10-(Ni,Pt)Al and L12-(Ni,Pt)3Al transformations. The B2-(Ni,Pt)Al phase was found to disorder and transform the martensite during the heat treatments for both oxidation experiments at approximately 36.3 and 40.9 at. % of Al, 47.7 and 42.9 at. % of Ni, 6.2 and 8.5 at. % of Pt, 4.2 and 2.9 at. % of Cr and 4.4 and 3.8 at. % of Co. The lattice constant and the long-range order parameter of the B2-(Ni,Pt)Al phase decreased linearly as a function of the elemental content irrespective of the nature of the oxidation experiments.
Fabrication and Microassembly of a mm-Sized Floating Probe for a Distributed Wireless Neural Interface
Authors: Yeon Pyungwoo , Mirbozorgi S. , Ash Bruce , Eckhardt Helmut , Ghovanloo Maysam
Published: September 2016

A new class of wireless neural interfaces is under development in the form of tens to hundreds of mm-sized untethered implants, distributed across the target brain region(s). Unlike traditional interfaces that are tethered to a centralized control unit and suffer from micromotions that may damage the surrounding neural tissue, the new free-floating wireless implantable neural recording (FF-WINeR) probes will be stand-alone, directly communicating with an external interrogator. Towards development of the FF-WINeR, in this paper we describe the micromachining, microassembly, and hermetic packaging of 1-mm3 passive probes, each of which consists of a thinned micromachined silicon die with a centered Ø(diameter) 130 μm through-hole, an Ø81 μm sharpened tungsten electrode, a 7-turn gold wire-wound coil wrapped around the die, two 0201 surface mount capacitors on the die, and parylene-C/Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating. The fabricated passive probe is tested under a 3-coil inductive link to evaluate power transfer efficiency (PTE) and power delivered to a load (PDL) for feasibility assessment. The minimum PTE/PDL at 137 MHz were 0.76%/240 μW and 0.6%/191 μW in the air and lamb head medium, respectively, with coil separation of 2.8 cm and 9 kΩ receiver (Rx) loading. Six hermetically sealed probes went through wireless hermeticity testing, using a 2-coil inductive link under accelerated lifetime testing condition of 85 °C, 1 atm, and 100%RH. The mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) of the probes at 37 °C is extrapolated to be 28.7 years, which is over their lifetime.
Identification of Iridoids in Edible Honeysuckle Berries (Lonicera caerulea L. var. kamtschatica Sevast.) by UPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS
Authors: Kucharska Alicja , Fecka Izabela
Published: September 2016

Iridoid profiles of honeysuckle berry were studied. Compounds were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry UPLC-ESI-qTOF-MS/MS in positive and negative ions mode. The MS fragmentation pathways of detected iridoid glycosides were also studied in both modes. In the negative ESI mass spectra, iridoids with a methyl ester or lactone structure have preferentially produced adduct [M + HCOOH − H]− ions. However, protonated ions of molecular fragments, which were released by glycosidic bond cleavage and following fragmentation of aglycone rings, were more usable for iridoid structure analysis. In addition, the neutral losses of H2O, CO, CO2, CH3OH, acetylene, ethenone and cyclopropynone have provided data confirming the presence of functional substituents in the aglycone. Among the 13 iridoids, 11 were identified in honeysuckle berries for the first time: pentosides of loganic acid (two isomers), pentosides of loganin (three isomers), pentosyl sweroside, and additionally 7-epi-loganic acid, 7-epi-loganin, sweroside, secologanin, and secoxyloganin. The five pentoside derivatives of loganic acid and loganin have not been previously detected in the analyzed species. Honeysuckle berries are a source of iridoids with different structures, compounds that are rarely present in fruits.
Synthesis of a Potent Aminopyridine-Based nNOS-Inhibitor by Two Recent No-Carrier-Added 18F-Labelling Methods
Authors: Drerup Christian , Ermert Johannes , Coenen Heinz
Published: September 2016

Nitric oxide (NO), an important multifunctional signaling molecule, is produced by three isoforms of NO-synthase (NOS) and has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders. Selective inhibitors of the subtypes iNOS (inducible) or nNOS (neuronal) are of great interest for decoding neurodestructive key factors, and 18F-labelled analogues would allow investigating the NOS-function by molecular imaging with positron emission tomography. Especially, the highly selective nNOS inhibitor 6-((3-((3-fluorophenethylamino)methyl)phenoxy)methyl)-4-methylpyridin-2-amine (10) lends itself as suitable compound to be 18F-labelled in no-carrier-added (n.c.a.) form. For preparation of the 18F-labelled nNOS-Inhibitor [18F]10 a “build-up” radiosynthesis was developed based on a corresponding iodonium ylide as labelling precursor. The such activated phenethyl group of the compound was efficiently and regioselectively labelled with n.c.a. [18F]fluoride in 79% radiochemical yield (RCY). After conversion by reductive amination and microwave assisted displacement of the protecting groups, the desired nNOS-inhibitor was obtained in about 15% total RCY. Alternatively, for a simplified “late-stage” 18F-labelling procedure a corresponding boronic ester precursor was synthesized and successfully used in a newer, copper(II) mediated n.c.a. 18F-fluoro-deboroniation reaction, achieving the same total RCY. Thus, both methods proved comparatively suited to provide the highly selective NOS-inhibitor [18F]10 as probe for preclinical in vivo studies.
Comparison of the Essential Oil Composition of Selected Impatiens Species and Its Antioxidant Activities
Authors: Szewczyk Katarzyna , Kalemba Danuta , Komsta Łukasz , Nowak Renata
Published: September 2016

The present paper describes the chemical composition of the essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation from four Impatiens species, Impatiens glandulifera Royle, I. parviflora DC., I. balsamina L. and I. noli-tangere L. The GC and GC-MS methods resulted in identification of 226 volatile compounds comprising from 61.7%–88.2% of the total amount. The essential oils differed significantly in their composition. Fifteen compounds were shared among the essential oils of all investigated Impatiens species. The majority of these constituents was linalool (0.7%–15.1%), hexanal (0.2%–5.3%) and benzaldehyde (0.1%–10.2%). Moreover, the antioxidant activity of the essential oils was investigated using different methods. The chemical composition of the essential oils and its antioxidant evaluation are reported for the first time from the investigated taxon.