bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SPATIAL REPRESENTATION AND SPECIFICATION OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES: A METHODOLOGY USING LAND USE/LAND COVER DATA AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Authors: SHEATE W. R. , EALES R. P. , DALY E. , BAKER J. , MURDOCH A. , HILL C. , OJIKE U. , KARPOUZOGLOU T.
Published: May 2012

The challenge for implementing an ecosystems approach to environmental decision-making processes, such as spatial planning, is to understand the range, nature and amount of ecosystem services currently provided and the potential for such service provision in the future. The ability to spatially represent ecosystems services is a critical element of the evidence base on which to make decisions about how physical space is used most effectively and sustainably, and the way people and activities are distributed at different spatial scales. This paper reports on the outcomes of a research project originally undertaken for the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which developed a methodology for mapping ecosystem services using GIS and readily available, existing land use/land cover datasets. Critical components of the methodology, in order to determine which datasets are appropriate for which services, are network analysis and stakeholder engagement techniques, to define the relevant typology of ecosystem services and their relationship to land use/land cover types. The methodology was developed and tested successfully in the context of green grid (green infrastructure) networks in a major UK regeneration area, the Thames Gateway, to the east of London, and its potential use in impact assessment further explored through a number of case studies.
SCALE IN REGIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING: THE RECONSTRUCTION OF NORTH-BRABANT, THE NETHERLANDS
Authors: KOOIMAN ANDRE , KESHKAMAT SUKHAD SUBODH
Published: May 2012

Selection of scale in science and planning is often guided by ad-hoc decisions and arguments of accuracy and availability of existing data and resources. A more analytical approach to selection of scale and a bridge between theoretical insight and practical application is required. This paper reviews recent developments in thinking on theoretical concepts on scale from the perspective of geo-information science and compares these with a real life case. The concept of scale is framed as a three dimensional boundary object that explains scale choice as resultant of rationalities in reality-, model- and data scales. It is applied to a case-study of how issues of scale were handled in the Reconstruction program of the Province of North Brabant in The Netherlands. The Reconstruction is an ongoing regional spatial planning exercise that started in the year 2000 in response to major veterinary, environmental, social and economic problems in areas with concentrations of intensive livestock keeping. It combines legislation and policies at international, national, regional and municipal levels. Geographic information was produced to support and present the results of the plan process and related SEA. Scale of various intermediate and final geo-information products varied from 1:5000–1:400,000 and was dependent on the plan stage, plan status and target audience, plan instrument, level of participation, data characteristics, costs and technology. By comparing theory with the case study we bring out the criteria and conditions of selection of appropriate scale whereby the usefulness of academic research in geographic information science for planning and decision making could be improved.
Coingestion of whey protein and casein in a mixed meal: demonstration of a more sustained anabolic effect of casein
Authors: Soop Mattias , Nehra Vandana , Henderson Gregory C. , Boirie Yves , Ford G. Charles , Nair K. Sreekumaran
Published: May 2012

When consumed separately, whey protein (WP) is more rapidly absorbed into circulation than casein (Cas), which prompted the concept of rapid and slow dietary protein. It is unclear whether these proteins have similar metabolic fates when coingested as in milk. We determined the rate of appearance across the splanchnic bed and the rate of disappearance across the leg of phenylalanine (Phe) from coingested, intrinsically labeled WP and Cas. Either [15N]Phe or [13C- ring C6]Phe was infused in lactating cows, and the labeled WP and Cas from their milk were collected. To determine the fate of Phe derived from different protein sources, 18 healthy participants were studied after ingestion of one of the following: 1) [15N]WP, [13C]Cas, and lactose; 2) [13C]WP, [15N]Cas, and lactose; 3) lactose alone. At 80–120 min, the rates of appearance (Ra) across the splanchnic bed of Phe from WP and Cas were similar [0.068 ± 0.010 vs. 0.070 ± 0.009%/min; not significant (ns)]. At time 220–260 min, Phe appearance from WP had slowed (0.039 ± 0.008%/min, P < 0.05) whereas Phe appearance from Cas was sustained (0.068 ± 0.013%/min). Similarly, accretion rates across the leg of Phe absorbed from WP and Cas were not different at 80–120 min (0.011 ± 0.002 vs. 0.012 ± 0.003%/min; ns), but they were significantly lower for WP (0.007 ± 0.002%/min) at 220–260 min than for Cas (0.013 ± 0.002%/min) at 220–260 min. Early after meal ingestion, amino acid absorption and retention across the leg were similar for WP and Cas, but as rates for WP waned, absorption and assimilation into skeletal muscle were better retained for Cas.
TCTP in Development and Cancer
Authors: Koziol Magdalena J. , Gurdon John B.
Published: May 2012

The translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) is highly conserved among animal species. It is widely expressed in many different tissues. It is involved in regulating many fundamental processes, such as cell proliferation and growth, apoptosis, pluripotency, and the cell cycle. Hence, it is not surprising that it is essential for normal development and, if misregulated, can lead to cancer. Provided herein is an overview of the diverse functions of TCTP, with a focus on development. Furthermore, we discuss possible ways by which TCTP misregulation or mutation could result in cancer.
Nanostructured Porous Silicon Photonic Crystal for Applications in the Infrared
Authors: Recio-Sánchez G. , Torres-Costa V. , Manso-Silván M. , Martín-Palma R. J.
Published: May 2012

In the last decades great interest has been devoted to photonic crystals aiming at the creation of novel devices which can control light propagation. In the present work, two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) devices based on nanostructured porous silicon have been fabricated. 2D devices consist of a square mesh of 2 μm wide porous silicon veins, leaving5×5 μm square air holes. 3D structures share the same design although multilayer porous silicon veins are used instead, providing an additional degree of modulation. These devices are fabricated from porous silicon single layers (for 2D structures) or multilayers (for 3D structures), opening air holes in them by means of 1 KeV argon ion bombardment through the appropriate copper grids. For 2D structures, a complete photonic band gap for TE polarization is found in the thermal infrared range. For 3D structures, there are no complete band gaps, although several new partial gaps do exist in different high-symmetry directions. The simulation results suggest that these structures are very promising candidates for the development of low-cost photonic devices for their use in the thermal infrared range.
Everolimus-Eluting versus Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents in Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials
Authors: Alazzoni Ashraf , Al-Saleh Ayman , Jolly Sanjit S.
Published: May 2012

Background. Individual randomized trials have suggested that everolimus-eluting stents may have improved clinical outcomes compared to paclitaxel-eluting stents, but individual trials are underpowered to examine outcomes such as mortality and very late stent thrombosis. Methods. Medline, Cochrane, and conference proceedings were searched for randomized trials comparing everolimus versus paclitaxel-eluting stents for percutaneous coronary intervention. Results. 6792 patients were included from 4 randomized controlled trials. Stent thrombosis was reduced with everolimus stents versus paclitaxel stents (0.7% versus 2.3%; OR: 0.32; CI: 0.20–0.51; P<0.00001). The reductions in stent thrombosis were observed in (i) early stent thrombosis (within 30 days) (0.2% versus 0.9%; OR: 0.24; P=0.0005), (ii) late (day 31–365) (0.2% versus 0.6%; OR: 0.32; P=0.01), and (iii) very late stent thrombosis (>365 days) (0.2% versus 0.8%; OR: 0.34; P=0.009). The rates of cardiovascular mortality were 1.2% in everolimus group and 1.6% in paclitaxel group (OR: 0.85; P=0.43). Patients receiving everolimus-eluting stents had significantly lower myocardial infarction events and target vessel revascularization as compared to paclitaxel-eluting stents. Interpretation. Everolimus compared to paclitaxel-eluting stents reduced the incidence of early, late, and very late stent thrombosis as well as target vessel revascularization.
Growing Teratoma Syndrome: A Rare Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Kampan Nirmala , Irianta Trika , Djuana Arifuddin , Pei Shan Lim , Hashim Omar Mohd , Hatta Mohd Dali Ahmad Zailani
Published: May 2012

Growing teratoma syndrome is rare and usually it occurs in the younger aged group. The use of chemotherapy following initial surgical resection will yield the diagnosis following tumour enlargement. Complete resection is usually curative and renders better prognosis.
An Extrapolated Iterative Algorithm for Multiple‐Set Split Feasibility Problem
Authors: Dang Yazheng , Gao Yan
Published: May 2012

The multiple‐set split feasibility problem (MSSFP), as a generalization of the split feasibility problem, is to find a point in the intersection
of a family of closed convex sets in one space such that its image
under a linear transformation will be in the intersection of another
family of closed convex sets in the image space. Censor et al. (2005) proposed a method for solving the multiple‐set split feasibility problem (MSSFP), whose efficiency depends heavily on the step size, a fixed constant related to the Lipschitz constant of ∇p(x) which may be slow. In
this paper, we present an accelerated algorithm by introducing an
extrapolated factor to solve the multiple‐set split feasibility
problem. The framework encompasses the algorithm presented by Censor
et al. (2005). The convergence of the method is investigated, and numerical experiments are provided to illustrate the benefits of the extrapolation.
Positive Solutions of a Fractional Boundary Value Problem with Changing Sign Nonlinearity
Authors: Wang Yongqing , Liu Lishan , Wu Yonghong
Published: May 2012

We discuss the existence of positive solutions of a boundary value problem of nonlinear fractional differential equation with changing sign nonlinearity. We first derive some properties of the associated Green function and then obtain some results on the existence of positive solutions by means of the Krasnoselskii′s fixed point theorem in a cone.
Measurement of Harm Outcomes in Older Adults after Hospital Discharge: Reliability and Validity
Authors: Douglas Alison , Letts Lori , Eva Kevin , Richardson Julie
Published: May 2012

Objectives. Defining and validating a measure of safety contributes to further validation of clinical measures. The objective was to define and examine the psychometric properties of the outcome “incidents of harm.”Methods. The Incident of Harm Caregiver Questionnaire was administered to caregivers of older adults discharged from hospital by telephone. Caregivers completed daily logs for one month and medical charts were examined.Results. Test-retest reliability (n=38) was high for the occurrence of an incident of harm (yes/no; kappa = 1.0) and the type of incident (agreement = 100%). Validation against daily logs found no disagreement regarding occurrence or types of incidents. Validation with medical charts found no disagreement regarding incident occurrence and disagreement in half regarding incident type.Discussion. The data support the Incident of Harm Caregiver Questionnaire as a reliable and valid estimation of incidents for this sample and are important to researchers as a method to measure safety when validating clinical measures.
Hepatoprotective Effects ofPanus giganteus(Berk.) Corner against Thioacetamide- (TAA-) Induced Liver Injury in Rats
Authors: Wong Wei-Lun , Abdulla Mahmood Ameen , Chua Kek-Heng , Kuppusamy Umah Rani , Tan Yee-Shin , Sabaratnam Vikineswary
Published: May 2012

Panus giganteus, a culinary and medicinal mushroom consumed by selected indigenous communities in Malaysia, is currently being considered for large scale cultivation. This study was undertaken to investigate the hepatoprotective effects ofP. giganteusagainst thioacetamide- (TAA-) induced liver injury inSprague-Dawleyrats. The rats were injected intraperitoneally with TAA thrice weekly and were orally administered freeze-dried fruiting bodies ofP. giganteus(0.5 or 1 g/kg) daily for two months, while control rats were given vehicle orP. giganteusonly. After 60 days, rats administered withP. giganteusshowed lower liver body weight ratio, restored levels of serum liver biomarkers and oxidative stress parameters comparable to treatment with the standard drug silymarin. Gross necropsy and histopathological examination further confirmed the hepatoprotective effects ofP. giganteus. This is the first report on hepatoprotective effects ofP. giganteus. The present study showed thatP. giganteuswas able to prevent or reduce the severity of TAA-induced liver injury.
Sterol Lipid Metabolism in Down Syndrome Revisited: Down Syndrome Is Associated with a Selective Reduction in Serum Brassicasterol Levels
Authors: Tansley Gavin , Holmes Daniel T. , Lütjohann Dieter , Head Elizabeth , Wellington Cheryl L.
Published: May 2012

Over the past 15 years, insights into sterol metabolism have improved our understanding of the relationship between lipids and common conditions such as atherosclerosis and Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). A better understanding of sterol lipid metabolism in individuals with Down Syndrome (DS) may help elucidate how this population’s unique metabolic characteristics influence their risks for atherosclerosis and AD. To revisit the question of whether sterol lipid parameters may be altered in DS subjects, we performed a pilot study to assess traditional serum sterol lipids and lipoproteins, as well as markers of sterol biosynthesis, metabolites, and plant sterols in 20 subjects with DS compared to age-matched controls. Here we report that the levels of nearly all lipids and lipoproteins examined are similar to control subjects, suggesting that trisomy 21 does not lead to pronounced general alterations in sterol lipid metabolism. However, the levels of serum brassicasterol were markedly reduced in DS subjects.
Handgrip Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction Does Not Correlate with Thenar Motor Unit Number Estimation
Authors: Aggarwal Arun
Published: May 2012

In slowly progressive conditions, such as motor neurone disease (MND), 50–80% of motor units may be lost before weakness becomes clinically apparent. Despite this, maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) has been reported as a clinically useful, reliable, and reproducible measure for monitoring disease progression in MND. We performed a study on a group of asymptomatic subjects that showed a lack of correlation between isometric grip strength and thenar MUNE. Motor unit number estimation (MUNE) estimates the number of functioning lower motor neurones innervating a muscle or a group of muscles. We used the statistical electrophysiological technique of MUNE to estimate the number of motor units in thenar group of muscles in 69 subjects: 19 asymptomatic Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD 1) mutation carriers, 34 family controls, and 16 population controls. The Jamar hand dynamometer was used to measure isometric grip strength. This study suggests that MUNE is more sensitive for monitoring disease progression than maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC), as MUNE correlates with the number of functional motor neurones. This supports the observation that patients with substantial chronic denervation can maintain normal muscle twitch tension until 50–80% of motor units are lost and weakness is detectable.
A Pilot Study of Real-Time Experience Sampling Method to Evaluate Student Engagement in a Global Health Rotation
Authors: Ahmad Asima , Schneider John , Nwadei Ifeoma , Darcy Michael , Farr Rachel , Thal Rebecca , Arora Vineet
Published: May 2012

International experiences are increasingly popular among medical students, but few have been rigorously evaluated. We used ESM to characterize the experience of medical students participating in the one-month University of Chicago Geographic Medicine Scholars Program (GMSP) in Hyderabad, India. Participants wore watches programmed to randomly beep eight times daily, during the first and third weeks. When alerted, students reported their activity and rated their level of engagement and emotion in booklets. All 11 student participants responded to 59% of 816 alerts. 41% of beeps occurred during GMSP formal structured activities (i.e., lecture, clinic). Students reported structured activities to be more interesting (6.05 versus 4.14;P<0.001), more important to their future goals (6.48 versus 5.71;P<0.001), more challenging (3.75 versus 2.48;P<0.001), and more enjoyable (6.08 versus 5.36;P<0.001) than unstructured activities. Our results show that future global health efforts should augment the use of structured activities.
Accelerating Relevance‐Vector‐Machine‐Based Classification of Hyperspectral Image with Parallel Computing
Authors: Dong Chao , Tian Lianfang
Published: May 2012

Benefiting from the kernel skill and the sparse property, the relevance vector machine (RVM) could acquire a sparse solution, with an equivalent generalization ability compared with the support vector machine. The sparse property requires much less time in the prediction, making RVM potential in classifying the large‐scale hyperspectral image. However, RVM is not widespread influenced by its slow training procedure. To solve the problem, the classification of the hyperspectral image using RVM is accelerated by the parallel computing technique in this paper. The parallelization is revealed from the aspects of the multiclass strategy, the ensemble of multiple weak classifiers, and the matrix operations. The parallel RVMs are implemented using the C language plus the parallel functions of the linear algebra packages and the message passing interface library. The proposed methods are evaluated by the AVIRIS Indian Pines data set on the Beowulf cluster and the multicore platforms. It shows that the parallel RVMs accelerate the training procedure obviously.
Sarcoma Stem Cells: Do We Know What We Are Looking for?
Authors: Trucco Matteo , Loeb David
Published: May 2012

Sarcomas represent a heterogeneous group of cancers thought to originate from malignant transformation of mesenchymal cells. There is increasing evidence that many, if not all, sarcomas contain within them tumor-initiating, or “cancer stem,” cells responsible for the initiation, maintenance, and potentially relapse and metastasis of the tumor. Various techniques have been adopted in recent years to identify putative sarcoma stem cell populations. The goal of this paper is to summarize the criteria used to identify a stem cell population, describe the more prominent markers and techniques used to isolate cancer stem cells in sarcomas, and review the evidence for the existence of cancer stem cells in sarcomas.
The Current State of Knowledge of Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Based on Its Study in Experimental Models
Authors: Mendes-Braz M. , Elias-Miró M. , Jiménez-Castro M. B. , Casillas-Ramírez A. , Ramalho F. S. , Peralta C.
Published: May 2012

The present review focuses on the numerous experimental models used to study the complexity of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Although experimental models of hepatic I/R injury represent a compromise between the clinical reality and experimental simplification, the clinical transfer of experimental results is problematic because of anatomical and physiological differences and the inevitable simplification of experimental work. In this review, the strengths and limitations of the various models of hepatic I/R are discussed. Several strategies to protect the liver from I/R injury have been developed in animal models and, some of these, might find their way into clinical practice. We also attempt to highlight the fact that the mechanisms responsible for hepatic I/R injury depend on the experimental model used, and therefore the therapeutic strategies also differ according to the model used. Thus, the choice of model must therefore be adapted to the clinical question being answered.
Nanopore‐Based DNA Analysis via Graphene Electrodes
Authors: Zhao Qing , Wang Yang , Dong Jianjin , Zhao Lina , Rui X. F. , Yu Dapeng
Published: May 2012

We propose an improvement for nanopore‐based DNA analysis via transverse transport using graphene as transverse electrodes. Our simulation results show conspicuous distinction of tunneling current during translocation of different nucleotides through nanopore. Applying the single‐atom thickness property of graphene, our findings demonstrate the feasibility of using graphene as transverse electrodes in future rapid and low‐cost genome sequencing.
Coupled Fixed Point Theorems for Weak Contraction Mappings under F‐Invariant Set
Authors: Sintunavarat Wutiphol , Cho Yeol Je , Kumam Poom
Published: May 2012

We extend the recent results of the coupled fixed point theorems of Cho et al. (2012) by weakening the concept of the mixed monotone property. We also give some examples of a nonlinear contraction mapping, which is not applied to the existence of the coupled fixed point by the results of Cho et al. but can be applied to our results. The main results extend and unify the results of Cho et al. and many results of the coupled fixed point theorems.
Pilot-Induced Oscillation Suppression by Using Adaptive Control
Authors: Wang Chuan , Santone Michael , Cao Chengyu
Published: May 2012

Despite significant technical advances, pilot-induced oscillation (PIO) continues to occur in both flight tests and operational aircrafts. Such a phenomenon has led to significant research activities that aim to alleviate this problem. In this paper, theL1adaptive controller has been introduced to suppress the PIO, which is caused by rate limiting and pure time delay. Due to its architecture, theL1adaptive controller will achieve a desired response with fast adaptation. The analysis of PIO and its suppression byL1adaptive controller are presented in detail in the paper. The simulation results indicate that theL1adaptive control is efficient in solving this kind of problem.
Compact Source Detection in Multichannel Microwave Surveys: From SZ Clusters to Polarized Sources
Authors: Herranz Diego , Argüeso Francisco , Carvalho Pedro
Published: May 2012

We describe the state-of-the art status of multifrequency detection techniques for compact sources in microwave astronomy. From the simplest cases where the spectral behaviour is well known (i.e., thermal SZ clusters) to the more complex cases where there is little a priori information (i.e., polarized radio sources) we will review the main advances and the most recent results in the detection problem.
Mechanisms of Resistance to Trastuzumab and Novel Therapeutic Strategies in HER2-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Wong Andrea L. A. , Lee Soo-Chin
Published: May 2012

HER2-positive breast cancers have poorer prognosis and are prime candidates for molecular-targeted therapy because they are driven by the unique mechanism of HER2 oncogene addiction. While anti-HER2 agents such as trastuzumab and lapatinib are integral to the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, intrinsic and secondary resistance pose a significant challenge, underscoring the need to develop novel anti-HER2 therapies. In recent years, an array of promising and novel anti-HER2 therapeutic agents and their combinations have entered various stages of clinical development. However, questions remain on the optimal sequences of HER2-directed therapies and selection of patients for the most appropriate drug or combinations; incompletely defined mechanisms of trastuzumab action and resistance have also dampened the progress of more successful biomarker-driven treatment approaches. This paper summarizes existing preclinical and clinical evidence on the mechanisms of trastuzumab action and resistance and provides an up-to-date overview of novel HER2-directed therapies in clinical development.
The Promise of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells in Dental Research
Authors: Srijaya Thekkeparambil Chandrabose , Pradeep Padmaja Jayaprasad , Zain Rosnah Binti , Musa Sabri , Abu Kasim Noor Hayaty , Govindasamy Vijayendran
Published: May 2012

Induced pluripotent stem cell-based therapy for treating genetic disorders has become an interesting field of research in recent years. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the applicability of induced pluripotent stem cells in dental research. Recent advances in the use of induced pluripotent stem cells have the potential for developing disease-specific iPSC linesin vitrofrom patients. Indeed, this has provided a perfect cell source for disease modeling and a better understanding of genetic aberrations, pathogenicity, and drug screening. In this paper, we will summarize the recent progress of the disease-specific iPSC development for various human diseases and try to evaluate the possibility of application of iPS technology in dentistry, including its capacity for reprogramming some genetic orodental diseases. In addition to the easy availability and suitability of dental stem cells, the approach of generating patient-specific pluripotent stem cells will undoubtedly benefit patients suffering from orodental disorders.
Strictly Cyclic Functionals, Reflexivity, and Hereditary Reflexivity of Operator Algebras
Authors: Chen Quanyuan , Fang Xiaochun
Published: May 2012

This paper is concerned with strictly cyclic functionals of operator algebras on Banach spaces. It is shown that if X is a reflexive Banach space and 𝒜 is a norm‐closed semisimple abelian subalgebra of B(X) with a strictly cyclic functional f ∈ X∗, then 𝒜 is reflexive and hereditarily reflexive. Moreover, we construct a semisimple abelian operator algebra having a strictly cyclic functional but having no strictly cyclic vectors. The hereditary reflexivity of an algbra of this type can follow from theorems in this paper, but does not follow directly from the known theorems that, if a strictly cyclic operator algebra on Banach spaces is semisimple and abelian, then it is a hereditarily reflexive algebra.
Archaeal Phospholipid Biosynthetic Pathway Reconstructed inEscherichia coli
Authors: Yokoi Takeru , Isobe Keisuke , Yoshimura Tohru , Hemmi Hisashi
Published: May 2012

A part of the biosynthetic pathway of archaeal membrane lipids, comprised of 4 archaeal enzymes, was reconstructed in the cells ofEscherichia coli. The genes of the enzymes were cloned from a mesophilic methanogen,Methanosarcina acetivorans, and the activity of each enzyme was confirmed using recombinant proteins.In vitroradioassay showed that the 4 enzymes are sufficient to synthesize an intermediate of archaeal membrane lipid biosynthesis, that is, 2,3-di-O-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycerol-1-phosphate, from precursors that can be produced endogenously inE. coli. Introduction of the 4 genes intoE. coliresulted in the production of archaeal-type lipids. Detailed liquid chromatography/electron spray ionization-mass spectrometry analyses showed that they are metabolites from the expected intermediate, that is, 2,3-di-O-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycerol and 2,3-di-O-geranylgeranyl-sn-glycerol-1-phosphoglycerol. The metabolic processes, that is, dephosphorylation and glycerol modification, are likely catalyzed by endogenous enzymes ofE. coli.
Is There Truly No Benefit with Sunscreen Use and Basal Cell Carcinoma? A Critical Review of the Literature and the Application of New Sunscreen Labeling Rules to Real-World Sunscreen Practices
Authors: Chesnut Cameron , Kim Jenny
Published: May 2012

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human malignancy. Both epidemiological and direct evidence have established ultraviolet (UV) exposure from the sun as the most important risk factor for BCC development. There has only been one randomized and controlled study to examine sunscreen's role in the prevention of BCC, and no significant protective benefit was found. This study did not address four important concepts: sunscreen abuse, sunscreen misuse, sunscreen formulation, and cumulative UV exposure. Thus, the results of this study are difficult to interpret and extrapolate with real-world sunscreen practices.
Acute Ischemic Stroke Secondary to Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Case Report
Authors: Mehta Preema J. , Chapman Sherita , Jayam-Trouth Annapurni , Kurukumbi Mohankumar
Published: May 2012

A rare case of acute ischemic stroke in a young patient with iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is reported. IDA has been suggested to have an association with stroke, but few cases have proven it thus far. Three physiological mechanisms explaining IDA to ischemic stroke include a hypercoagulable state secondary to IDA, thrombocytosis secondary to IDA, and anemic hypoxia induced by IDA. Our paper shows an example of a hypoxia-induced stroke secondary to IDA in a young woman with menorrhagia. Thrombus formation was ruled out as the Magnetic Resonance Angiogram (MRA) showed no evidence. As all other known causes for stroke were ruled out, the patient's IDA is a reasonable cause for her stroke. Iron deficiency decreases the amount of hemoglobin, which consequently decreases the amount of oxygen in the blood resulting in low-oxygen delivery to the brain. This causes hypoxic conditions in the brain, leading to death of brain tissue. Thus, we suggest a possible relationship between IDA and ischemic stroke in young adults. Considering IDA as one of the risk factors for ischemic stroke and treating with timely transfusions would be an important step one can take to prevent stroke.
High-Performance Anion-Exchange Chromatography Coupled with Pulsed Electrochemical Detection as a Powerful Tool to Evaluate Carbohydrates of Food Interest: Principles and Applications
Authors: Corradini Claudio , Cavazza Antonella , Bignardi Chiara
Published: May 2012

Specific HPLC approaches are essential for carbohydrate characterization in food products. Carbohydrates are weak acids with pKa values in the range 12–14 and, consequently, at high pH can be transformed into oxyanions, and can be readily separated using highly efficient anion-exchange columns. Electrochemical detection in HPLC has been proven to be a powerful analytical technique for the determination of compounds containing electroactive groups; pulsed amperometric detection of carbohydrates is favourably performed by taking advantage of their electrocatalytic oxidation mechanism at a gold working electrode in a basic media. High-performance Anion Exchange Chromatography (HPAEC) at high pH coupled with pulsed electrochemical detection (PED) is one of the most useful techniques for carbohydrate determination either for routine monitoring or research application. This technique has been of a great impact on the analysis of oligo- and polysaccharides. The compatibility of electrochemical detection with gradient elution, coupled with the high selectivity of the anion-exchange stationary phases, allows mixtures of simple sugars, oligo- and polysaccharides to be separated with high resolution in a single run. A few reviews have been written on HPAEC-PED of carbohydrates of food interest in the last years. In this paper the recent developments in this field are examined.
Effects of Substrate Mechanics on Contractility of Cardiomyocytes Generated from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Hazeltine Laurie B. , Simmons Chelsey S. , Salick Max R. , Lian Xiaojun , Badur Mehmet G. , Han Wenqing , Delgado Stephanie M. , Wakatsuki Tetsuro , Crone Wendy C. , Pruitt Beth L. , Palecek Sean P.
Published: May 2012

Human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC-) derived cardiomyocytes have potential applications in drug discovery, toxicity testing, developmental studies, and regenerative medicine. Before these cells can be reliably utilized, characterization of their functionality is required to establish their similarity to native cardiomyocytes. We tracked fluorescent beads embedded in 4.4–99.7 kPa polyacrylamide hydrogels beneath contracting neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and cardiomyocytes generated from hPSCs via growth-factor-induced directed differentiation to measure contractile output in response to changes in substrate mechanics. Contraction stress was determined using traction force microscopy, and morphology was characterized by immunocytochemistry for α-actinin and subsequent image analysis. We found that contraction stress of all types of cardiomyocytes increased with substrate stiffness. This effect was not linked to beating rate or morphology. We demonstrated that hPSC-derived cardiomyocyte contractility responded appropriately to isoprenaline and remained stable in culture over a period of 2 months. This study demonstrates that hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes have appropriate functional responses to substrate stiffness and to a pharmaceutical agent, which motivates their use in further applications such as drug evaluation and cardiac therapies.
A Simple Circular Cell Method for Multilevel Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Talebi Hossein , Zi Goangseup , Silani Mohammad , Samaniego Esteban , Rabczuk Timon
Published: May 2012

A simple multiscale analysis framework for heterogeneous solids based
on a computational homogenization technique is presented. The macroscopic strain
is linked kinematically to the boundary displacement of a circular or spherical representative volume which contains the microscopic information of the material. The
macroscopic stress is obtained from the energy principle between the macroscopic
scale and the microscopic scale. This new method is applied to several standard
examples to show its accuracy and consistency of the method proposed.
A Local World Evolving Model for Energy-Constrained Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Jiang Nan , Chen Huan , Xiao Xiang
Published: May 2012

Energy efficiency is one of the basic requirements of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) yet this problem has not been sufficiently explored in the context of cluster-based sensor networks. Specifically, the interaction of different types of sensor nodes is one of the major factors of energy efficiency in large-scale heterogeneous networks. In this paper, we aim at improving the interactions among sensor nodes, and we present a heterogeneous local-world model to form large-scale wireless sensor networks based on complex network theory. Two types of nodes, normal nodes and cluster nodes, are added to the networks. The degree distribution for this model is obtained analytically by mean-field theory. This approach depicts the evolution of the network as having a topological feature that is not completely exponential and not completely power law; instead, it behaves between them. The experiment and simulation indicate that the control method has excellent robustness and a satisfactory control effect (interaction of different types of sensor nodes). Furthermore, the results also show that the higher the generation rate of the cluster nodes is, the closer the degree distribution follows the power-law distribution.
Molecular Events in Primary and Metastatic Colorectal Carcinoma: A Review
Authors: Kanthan Rani , Senger Jenna-Lynn , Kanthan Selliah Chandra
Published: May 2012

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease, developing through a multipathway sequence of events guided by clonal selections. Pathways included in the development of CRC may be broadly categorized into (a) genomic instability, including chromosomal instability (CIN), microsatellite instability (MSI), and CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), (b) genomic mutations including suppression of tumour suppressor genes and activation of tumour oncogenes, (c) microRNA, and (d) epigenetic changes. As cancer becomes more advanced, invasion and metastases are facilitated through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), with additional genetic alterations. Despite ongoing identification of genetic and epigenetic markers and the understanding of alternative pathways involved in the development and progression of this disease, CRC remains the second highest cause of malignancy-related mortality in Canada. The molecular events that underlie the tumorigenesis of primary and metastatic colorectal carcinoma are detailed in this manuscript.
General Iterative Methods for Equilibrium Problems and Infinitely Many Strict Pseudocontractions in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Duan Peichao , Wang Aihong
Published: May 2012

We propose an implicit iterative scheme and an explicit iterative scheme for finding a common element of the set of fixed point of infinitely many strict pseudocontractive mappings and the set of solutions of an equilibrium problem by the general iterative methods. In the setting of real Hilbert spaces, strong convergence theorems are proved. Our results improve and extend the corresponding results reported by many others.
Some Proximal Methods for Solving Mixed Variational Inequalities
Authors: Noor Muhammad Aslam , Huang Zhenyu
Published: May 2012

It is well known that the mixed variational inequalities are equivalent to the fixed point problem. We use this alternative equivalent formulation to suggest some new proximal point methods for solving the mixed variational inequalities. These new methods include the explicit, the implicit, and the extragradient method as special cases. The convergence analysis of these new methods is considered under some suitable conditions. Our method of constructing these iterative methods is very simple. Results proved in this paper may stimulate further research in this direction.
Effectiveness of a Tai-Chi Training and Detraining on Functional Capacity, Symptomatology and Psychological Outcomes in Women with Fibromyalgia
Authors: Romero-Zurita Alejandro , Carbonell-Baeza Ana , Aparicio Virginia A. , Ruiz Jonatan R. , Tercedor Pablo , Delgado-Fernández Manuel
Published: May 2012

Background. The purpose was to analyze the effects of Tai-Chi training in women with fibromyalgia (FM).Methods. Thirty-two women with FM (mean age, years) attended to Tai-Chi intervention 3 sessions weekly for 28 weeks. The outcome measures were: tenderness, body composition, functional capacity and psychological outcomes (Fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), Short Form Health Survey 36 (SF-36)).Results. Patients showed improvements on pain threshold, total number of tender points and algometer score (all ). The intervention was effective on 6-min walk (), back scratch (), handgrip strength (), chair stand, chair sit & reach, 8 feet up & go and blind flamingo tests (all ). Tai-Chi group improved the FIQ total score () and six subscales: stiffness (), pain, fatigue, morning tiredness, anxiety, and depression (all ). The intervention was also effective in six SF-36 subscales: bodily pain (), vitality (), physical functioning, physical role, general health, and mental health (all ).Conclusions. A 28-week Tai-Chi intervention showed improvements on pain, functional capacity, symptomatology and psychological outcomes in female FM patients.
Erectile Dysfunction and Hypertension: Impact on Cardiovascular Risk and Treatment
Authors: Javaroni Valter , Neves Mario Fritsch
Published: May 2012

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common complaint in hypertensive men and can represent a systemic vascular disease, an adverse effect of antihypertensive medication or a frequent concern that may impair drug compliance. ED has been considered an early marker of cardiovascular disease. The connection between both conditions seems to be located in the endothelium, which may become unable to generate the necessary dilatation in penile vascular bed in response to sexual excitement, producing persistent impairment in erection. On the other hand, the real influence of antihypertensive drugs in erectile function still deserves discussion. Therefore, regardless of ED mechanism in hypertension, early diagnosis and correct approach of sexual life represent an important step of cardiovascular evaluation which certainly contributes for a better choice of hypertension treatment, preventing some complications and restoring the quality of life.
Long‐Time Decay to the Global Solution of the 2D Dissipative Quasigeostrophic Equation
Authors: Benameur Jamel , Blel Mongi
Published: May 2012

We study the behavior at infinity in time of any global solution of the surface quasigeostrophic equation with subcritical exponent 2/3 ≤ α ≤ 1. We prove that . Moreover, we prove also the nonhomogeneous version of the previous result, and we prove that if is a global solution, then .
Seasonal, Diurnal, and Solar-Cycle Variations of Electron Density at Two West Africa Equatorial Ionization Anomaly Stations
Authors: Ouattara Frédéric , Gnabahou Doua Allain , Amory Mazaudier Christine
Published: May 2012

We analyse the variability of foF2 at two West Africa equatorial ionization anomaly stations (Ouagadougou and Dakar) during three solar cycles (from cycle 20 to cycle 22), that is, from 1966 to 1998 for Ouagadougou and from 1971 to 1997 for Dakar. We examine the effect of the changing levels of solar extreme ultraviolet radiation with sunspot number. The study shows high correlation between foF2 and sunspot number (Rz). The correlation coefficient decreases from cycle 20 to cycle 21 at both stations. From cycle 21 to cycle 22 it decreases at Ouagadougou station and increases at Dakar station. The best correlation coefficient, 0.990, is obtained for Dakar station during solar cycle 22. The seasonal variation displays equinoctial peaks that are asymmetric between March and September. The percentage deviations of monthly average data from one solar cycle to another display variability with respect to solar cycle phase and show solar ultraviolet radiation variability with solar cycle phase. The diurnal variation shows a noon bite out with a predominant late-afternoon peak except during the maximum phase of the solar cycle. The diurnal Ouagadougou station foF2 data do not show a significant difference between the increasing and decreasing cycle phases, while Dakar station data do show it, particularly for cycle 21. The percentage deviations of diurnal variations from solar-minimum conditions show more ionosphere during solar cycle 21 at both stations for all three of the other phases of the solar cycle. There is no significant variability of ionosphere during increasing and decreasing solar cycle phases at Ouagadougou station, but at Dakar station there is a significant variability of ionosphere during these two solar-cycle phases.
Comparison of Modified Chandler, Roller Pump, and Ball Valve Circulation Models forIn VitroTesting in High Blood Flow Conditions: Application in Thrombogenicity Testing of Different Materials for Vascular Applications
Authors: van Oeveren Wim , Tielliu Ignace F. , de Hart Jurgen
Published: May 2012

Three different models, a modified Chandler loop, roller pump, and a new ball valve model (Hemobile), were compared with regard to intrinsic damage of blood components and activation of platelets. The Hemobile was used for testing of polymer tubes. High flow was not possible with the Chandler loop. The roller pump and the Hemobile could be adjusted to high flow, but he pump induced hemolysis. Platelet numbers were reduced in the roller pump and Chandler loop (P<0.05), but remained high in the Hemobile. Platelet aggregation was reduced in all models. The Hemobile was applied for testing vascular graft materials, and allowed different circuits circulated simultaneously at 37°C. ePTFE, Dyneema Purity UHMWPE fiber and PET fiber based tubes, all showed hemolysis below 0.2% and reduced platelet count and function. Binding of fibrin and platelets was higer on PET, inflammatory markers were lowest on Dyneema Purity UHMWPE. We concluded that the Hemobile minimally affects blood and could be adjusted to high blood flows, simulating arterial shear stress. The Hemobile was used to measure hemocompatibility of graft material and showed Dyneema Purity UHMWPE fiber in many ways more hemocompatible than ePTFE and PET.
Identities Involving q‐Bernoulli and q‐Euler Numbers
Authors: Kim D. S. , Kim T. , Choi J. , Kim Y. H.
Published: May 2012

We give some identities on the q‐Bernoulli and q‐Euler numbers by using p‐adic integral equations on ℤp.
Exponential Stability of Impulsive Stochastic Functional Differential Systems
Authors: Wu Zheng , Huang Hao , Wang Lianglong
Published: May 2012

This paper is concerned with stabilization of impulsive stochastic delay differential systems. Based on the Razumikhin techniques and Lyapunov functions, several criteria on pth moment and almost sure exponential stability are established. Our results show that stochastic functional differential systems may be exponentially stabilized by impulses.
In VivoConsequences of Disrupting SH3-Mediated Interactions of the Inducible T-Cell Kinase
Authors: Levytskyy Roman M. , Hirve Nupura , Guimond David M. , Min Lie , Andreotti Amy H. , Tsoukas Constantine D.
Published: May 2012

ITK-SH3-mediated interactions, both with exogenous ligands and via intermolecular self-association with ITK-SH2, have been shown to be important for regulation of ITK activity. The biological significance of these competing SH3 interactions is not completely understood. A mutant of ITK where substitution of the SH3 domain with that of the related kinase BTK (ITK-BTK(SH3)) was used to disrupt intermolecular self-association of ITK while maintaining canonical binding to exogenous ligands such as SLP-76. ITK-BTK(SH3)displays reduced association with SLP-76 leading to inefficient transphosphorylation, reduced phosphorylation of PLCγ1, and diminished Th2cytokine production. In contrast, ITK-BTK(SH3)displays no defect in its localization to the T-cell-APC contact site. Another mutation, Y511F, in the activation loop of ITK, impairs ITK activation. T cells expressing ITK-Y511F display defective phosphorylation of ITK and its downstream target PLCγ1, as well as significant inhibition of Th2cytokines. In contrast, the inducible localization of ITK-Y511F to the T cell-APC contact site and its association with SLP-76 are not affected. The presented data lend further support to the hypothesis that precise interactions between ITK and its signaling partners are required to support ITK signaling downstream of the TCR.
Finding Ernesto: Temporary Labour Migration and Disabled Children’s Health
Authors: Soldatic Karen , Meekosha Helen , Somers Kelly
Published: May 2012

We seek to expose the implications of Australia’s exclusionary and discriminatory disability migration provisions on the health and wellbeing of disabled children who have arrived in Australia through alternative migratory routes. By undertaking an in-depth analysis of a single case study, Ernesto, we bring to the fore the key issues facing disabled immigrant children. These children, like our case study Ernesto, are only granted visas on the proviso that their parents/primary caregivers agree to cover the full costs associated with their disability, including medical care and additional expenses such as educational inclusion. The story of Ernesto reveals the extreme impact of these discriminatory policies on this population’s health and wellbeing. Further, we discuss how the state’s “right to exclude” people with disabilities from the migratory process negatively affects the health and wellbeing of their siblings and parents.