bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changing Global Trends in Seizure Outcomes Following Resective Surgery for Tuberous Sclerosis in Children with Medically Intractable Epilepsy
Authors: Ibrahim George M. , Fallah Aria , Carter Snead O. , Rutka James T.
Published: November 2012

Introduction. Tuberous sclerosis (TS) is the leading cause of genetic epilepsy worldwide. Here, we evaluate changes in seizure outcomes following resective epilepsy surgery in children with TS over time. Methods. A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies reporting seizure outcomes following resective epilepsy surgery in children with TS. Using an individual participant meta-analysis approach, seizure outcomes and associated covariates were combined. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine significant associations between seizure outcomes and time of surgery. Results. Twenty studies from 1966 to present, yielding 186 participants, met the inclusion criteria for the study. On univariate analysis, there was a significant improvement in seizure outcomes in children who underwent resective epilepsy surgery within the last 15 years compared to older cohorts (chi-square 4.1; P=0.043). On multivariate analysis, adjusting for length of followup, this trend was not significant (OR 0.52; 95% CI 0.23–1.17; P=0.11). In the last 15 years, a greater proportion of younger children also underwent resective surgery compared to older cohorts (OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.89–0.97; P<0.01). Conclusions. A trend towards improved seizure outcomes following resective surgery for TS was observed from 1966 to present on multivariate analysis.
Effect of Red Mud and Copper Slag Particles on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Bamboo-Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites
Authors: Biswas Sandhyarani , Patnaik Amar , Kaundal Ritesh
Published: November 2012

In the present work, a series of bamboo-fiber-reinforced epoxy composites are fabricated by using red mud and copper slag particles as filler materials. A filler plays an important role in determining the properties and behavior of particulate composites. The effects of these two fillers on the mechanical properties of bamboo-epoxy composites are investigated. Comparative analysis shows that with the incorporation of these fillers, the tensile strength of the composites increases significantly, whereas the flexural strength and impact strength decrease with increase in filler content (red mud and copper slag fillers) in the epoxy-bamboo fiber composites. The density and hardness are also affected by the type and content of filler particles. It is found that the addition of copper slag filler improves the hardness of the bamboo-epoxy composites, whereas the addition of red mud filler reduces the hardness value of bamboo-epoxy composites. The study reveals that the addition of copper slag filler in bamboo-epoxy composites shows better physical and mechanical properties as compared to the red-mud-filled composites.
Extension of the Multipole Approach to Random Metamaterials
Authors: Chipouline A. , Sugavanam S. , Petschulat J. , Pertsch T.
Published: November 2012

Influence of the short-range lateral disorder in the meta-atoms positioning on the effective parameters of the metamaterials is investigated theoretically using the multipole approach. Random variation of the near field quasi-static interaction between metaatoms in form of double wires is shown to be the reason for the effective permittivity and permeability changes. The obtained analytical results are compared with the known experimental ones.
Activity of Antimicrobial Silver Polystyrene Nanocomposites
Authors: Palomba M. , Carotenuto G. , Cristino L. , Di Grazia M. A. , Nicolais F. , De Nicola S.
Published: November 2012

A simple technique based on doping polymers with in situ generated silver nanoparticles (Ag/PS films) has been developed. In particular, an antiseptic material has been prepared by dissolving silver 1,5‐cyclooctadiene‐hexafluoroacetylacetonate in amorphous polystyrene, and the obtained solid solution has been heated for ca. 10 s at a convenient temperature (180°C). Under such conditions the metal precursor decomposes producing silver atoms that diffuse into the polymer and clusterize. The antimicrobial characteristics of the resulting polystyrene‐based material have been accurately evaluated toward Escherichia coli (E. coli) comparing the cytotoxicity effect of 10 wt.% and 30 wt.% (drastic and mild annealing) silver‐doped polystyrene to the corresponding pure micrometric silver powder. Two different bacterial viability assays were performed in order to demonstrate the cytotoxic effect of Ag/PS films on cultured E. coli: (1) turbidimetric determination of optical density; (2) BacLight fluorescence‐based test. Both methods have shown that silver‐doped polystyrene (30 wt.%) provides higher antibacterial activity than pure Ag powder, under similar concentration and incubation conditions.
Suppression of Tinnitus in a Patient with Unilateral Sudden Hearing Loss: A Case Report
Authors: Fioretti Alessandra , Peri Giorgia , Eibenstein Alberto
Published: November 2012

We describe a case of a 67-year-old woman with severe disabling right-sided tinnitus, mild hyperacusis, and headache. The tinnitus was associated with sudden right hearing loss and vertigo, which occurred about 18 months before. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) resulted in normal anatomical structures of the cochlea and of the cranial nerves showing a partial empty sella syndrome with suprasellar cistern hernia. Angio-MR revealed a bilateral contact between the anterior-inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and the acoustic-facial nerve with a potential neurovascular conflict. Surgery was considered unnecessary after further evaluations. The right ear was successfully treated with a combination device (hearing aid plus sound generator). Shortly after a standard fitting procedure, the patient reported a reduction of tinnitus, hyperacusis, and headache which completely disappeared at the follow-up evaluation after 3, 6, and 12 months. This paper demonstrates that the combination device resulted in a complete tinnitus and hyperacusis suppression in a patient with unilateral sensorineural sudden hearing loss. Our paper further supports the restoration of peripheral sensory input for the treatment of tinnitus associated with hearing loss in selected patients.
The Ablation Properties of CO2Laser Irradiating to Absorption Media: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Sattayut Sajee , Hortong Kittiwut , Kitichaiwan Chorpaka
Published: November 2012

This study aimed to compare histological affected zone of tissue samples irradiated by defocused CO2laser at 1, 2, and 3W continuous wave with and without absorption media. The in vitro experiment was conducted in 70 tissue blocks. The samples were randomly allocated into 7 groups: 10 samples each group, namely, the groups irradiated with 1, 2, and 3W, defocused CO2laser for 5 seconds, the groups irradiated with 1, 2, and 3W, defocused CO2laser to the absorption media, and the media alone group as a control. Then the samples were stained with Masson’s trichrome and measured the affected borders under light microscope at 10 × 10 magnification. There was no histological alteration in the groups irradiated with the defocused CO2laser to the absorption media while the groups without using the absorption media showed the tissue alteration by photoablation.
On Bayesian Analysis of Burr Type VII Distribution under Different Censoring Schemes
Authors: Feroze Navid , Aslam Muhammad
Published: November 2012

This paper includes the Bayesian analysis of Burr type VII distribution. Three censoring schemes, namely, left censoring, singly type II censoring, and doubly type II censoring have been used for posterior estimation. The results of different censoring schemes have been compared with those under complete samples. The comparative study among the performance of different censoring schemes has also been made. Two noninformative (uniform and Jeffreys) priors have been assumed to derive the posterior distributions under each case. The performance of Bayes estimators has been compared in terms of posterior risks under a simulation study.
Formal Analysis of SET and NSL Protocols Using the Interpretation Functions-Based Method
Authors: Houmani Hanane , Mejri Mohamed
Published: November 2012

Most applications in the Internet such as e-banking and e-commerce use the SET and the NSL protocols to protect the communication channel between the client and the server. Then, it is crucial to ensure that these protocols respect some security properties such as confidentiality, authentication, and integrity. In this paper, we analyze the SET and the NSL protocols with respect to the confidentiality (secrecy) property. To perform this analysis, we use the interpretation functions-based method. The main idea behind the interpretation functions-based technique is to give sufficient conditions that allow to guarantee that a cryptographic protocol respects the secrecy property. The flexibility of the proposed conditions allows the verification of daily-life protocols such as SET and NSL. Also, this method could be used under different assumptions such as a variety of intruder abilities including algebraic properties of cryptographic primitives. The NSL protocol, for instance, is analyzed with and without the homomorphism property. We show also, using the SET protocol, the usefulness of this approach to correct weaknesses and problems discovered during the analysis.
A High-Efficiency, Low-Cost Solution for On-Board Power Converters
Authors: Boscaino V. , Capponi G.
Published: November 2012

Wide-input, low-voltage, and high-current applications are addressed. A single-ended isolated topology which improves the power efficiency, reduces both switching and conduction losses, and heavily lowers the system cost is presented. During each switching cycle, the transformer core reset is provided. The traditional tradeoff between the maximum allowable duty-cycle and the reset voltage is avoided and the off-voltage of active switches is clamped to the input voltage. Therefore, the system cost is heavily reduced and the converter is well suited for wide-input applications. Zero-voltage switching is achieved for active switches, and the power efficiency is greatly improved. In the output mesh, an inductor is included making the converter suitable for high-current, low-voltage applications. Since the active clamp forward converter is the closest competitor of the proposed converter, a comparison is provided as well. In this paper, the steady-state and small-signal analysis of the proposed converter is presented. Design examples are provided for further applications. Simulation and experimental results are shown to validate the great advantages brought by the proposed topology.
Bone Morphometric Evaluation around Immediately Placed Implants Covered with Porcine-Derived Pericardium Membrane: An Experimental Study in Dogs
Authors: Jimbo Ryo , Marin Charles , Witek Lukasz , Suzuki Marcelo , Tovar Nick , Chesnoiu-Matei Ioana , Dragan Irina Florentina , Coelho Paulo G.
Published: November 2012

Objective. To investigate whether porcine-derived bioresorbable pericardium membrane coverage enhances the osseointegration around implants placed in fresh extraction sockets.Study Design. Twenty-four commercially available endosseous implants were placed in the fresh extraction sockets of the mandibular first molar of mature beagles (n=6). On one side, implants and osteotomy sites were covered with porcine-derived bioresorbable pericardium membranes, whereas on the other side, no membranes were used. After 6 weeks, samples were retrieved and were histologically processed for histomorphometric analysis.Results. The histological observation showed that bone loss and soft tissue migration in the coronal region of the implant were evident for the control group, whereas bone fill was evident up to the neck of the implant for the membrane-covered group. Bone-to-implant contact was significantly higher for the membrane-covered group compared to the control group, 75% and 45% (P<0.02), respectively.Conclusion. The experimental membranes proved to regenerate bone around implants placed in fresh extraction sockets without soft tissue intrusion.
Retrieval of Brain Tumors with Region-Specific Bag-of-Visual-Words Representations in Contrast-Enhanced MRI Images
Authors: Huang Meiyan , Yang Wei , Yu Mei , Lu Zhentai , Feng Qianjin , Chen Wufan
Published: November 2012

A content-based image retrieval (CBIR) system is proposed for the retrieval of T1-weighted contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI) images of brain tumors. In this CBIR system, spatial information in the bag-of-visual-words model and domain knowledge on the brain tumor images are considered for the representation of brain tumor images. A similarity metric is learned through a distance metric learning algorithm to reduce the gap between the visual features and the semantic concepts in an image. The learned similarity metric is then used to measure the similarity between two images and then retrieve the most similar images in the dataset when a query image is submitted to the CBIR system. The retrieval performance of the proposed method is evaluated on a brain CE-MRI dataset with three types of brain tumors (i.e., meningioma, glioma, and pituitary tumor). The experimental results demonstrate that the mean average precision values of the proposed method range from 90.4% to 91.5% for different views (transverse, coronal, and sagittal) with an average value of 91.0%.
Using Cellular Automata to Investigate Pedestrian Conflicts with Vehicles in Crosswalk at Signalized Intersection
Authors: Li Xiaomeng , Yan Xuedong , Li Xingang , Wang Jiangfeng
Published: November 2012

The operational efficiency and safety of pedestrian flows at intersections is an important aspect of urban traffic. Particularly, conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles in crosswalk are one of the most influential factors for intersection safety. This paper presents a cellular automata model that simulates pedestrian and vehicle crossing behaviors at signalized intersections. Through the simulation, we investigate the effects of different pedestrian signal timing and crosswalk widths on the crosswalk capacity, the number of traffic conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles, and pedestrian delay due to the conflicts. The simulation results indicate that the cellular automata is an effective simulation platform for investigating complex pedestrian‐related traffic phenomenon at signalized intersections.
Relativistic and Quantum Revisions of the Multisource Thermal Model in High-Energy Collisions
Authors: Liu Fu-Hu , Tian Cai-Xing , Duan Mai-Ying , Li Bao-Chun
Published: November 2012

The multisource thermal model is revised for relativistic and quantum situations. It is shown that the quantum effect can be neglected due to a very small result. The distributions of particle momenta, momentum components, transverse momenta, kinetic energies, and velocities in both the classical and relativistic situations are presented to give comparisons.
Wavelet Packet Entropy for Heart Murmurs Classification
Authors: Safara Fatemeh , Doraisamy Shyamala , Azman Azreen , Jantan Azrul , Ranga Sri
Published: November 2012

Heart murmurs are the first signs of cardiac valve disorders. Several studies have been conducted in recent years to automatically differentiate normal heart sounds, from heart sounds with murmurs using various types of audio features. Entropy was successfully used as a feature to distinguish different heart sounds. In this paper, new entropy was introduced to analyze heart sounds and the feasibility of using this entropy in classification of five types of heart sounds and murmurs was shown. The entropy was previously introduced to analyze mammograms. Four common murmurs were considered including aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation, aortic stenosis, and mitral stenosis. Wavelet packet transform was employed for heart sound analysis, and the entropy was calculated for deriving feature vectors. Five types of classification were performed to evaluate the discriminatory power of the generated features. The best results were achieved by BayesNet with 96.94% accuracy. The promising results substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed wavelet packet entropy for heart sounds classification.
A Case of Severe Asthma with Eosinophilic Otitis Media Successfully Treated with Anti-IgE Monoclonal Antibody Omalizumab
Authors: Okude Azusa , Tagaya Etsuko , Kondo Mitsuko , Nonaka Manabu , Tamaoki Jun
Published: November 2012

A 51-year-old woman had been receiving medical treatment for asthma since she was 21 years old. However, her asthma was poorly controlled despite treatment involving combination inhalation of high-dose corticosteroid and long-actingβ2-aderenergic agonist (LABA) and regularly taking oral steroids. Hearing loss and otorrhea appeared at the age of 44, and she was given a diagnosis of eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) and received medical treatment. In 2007, symptoms of asthma and otitis media deteriorated. In December 2009, omalizumab therapy was started for refractory asthma. After 2 months of omalizumab treatment, not only asthma, but also hearing loss improved. It is suggested that early initiation of omalizumab therapy may inhibit the progression of progressive EOM.
Photovoltaic Pumps: Technical and Practical Aspects for Applications in Agriculture
Authors: Petroselli A. , Biondi P. , Colantoni A. , Monarca D. , Cecchini M. , Marucci A. , Sirio Cividino
Published: November 2012

The paper deals with a series of tests conducted on a PV‐DC pump in Viterbo (42°24′ North, 12°06′ East). The tests lasted from January 2003 up to November 2004 and involved measurements of solar radiation, on both a horizontal surface and the tilted module surface, flow rates, volumes, and total dynamic heads. In total, up to 3000 data were collected every day whose analysis allowed us to find empirical relationships among system efficiencies, solar radiations, and total dynamic heads. In the second part of the paper we develop a simple method that allows both the assessment of performances of the whole system when installed in a different site from that in which the tests were performed and the optimal inclination angle of the panel to be determined in relation to annual or seasonal use (see irrigation).
Adult-Onset Still’s Disease Masquerading as Sepsis in an Asplenic Active Duty Soldier
Authors: Jaqua Nathan T. , Finger David , Hawley Joshua S.
Published: November 2012

This is a case of a 26-year-old active duty male with a history of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and surgical asplenia who presented with a one-week history of fevers, myalgias, arthralgias, and rigors. His evaluation upon presentation was significant for a temperature of 103 degrees F, white blood cell count of 36 K with a granulocytic predominance, and elevated transaminases. He was treated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics with concern for a systemic infection with an encapsulated organism. During his stay, he developed four SIRS criteria and was transferred to the progressive care unit for suspected sepsis. He continued to have twice-daily fevers and a faint, salmon-colored centripetal rash was eventually observed during his febrile episodes. After a nondiagnostic microbiologic and serologic workup, he was diagnosed with adult-onset Still’s Disease and started on intravenous methylprednisolone with brisk response. He was discharged on oral prednisone and was started on anakinra. Adult-onset Still’s disease is a rare condition that presents with varying severity, and this is the first reported case, to our knowledge, of its diagnosis in an asplenic patient. Its management in the setting of asplenia is complicated by the need for antibiotic therapy with each episode of fever.
Involution of a Large Parotid Hemangioma with Oral Propranolol: An Illustrative Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Mantadakis Elpis , Tsouvala Emmanouela , Deftereos Savas , Danielides Vassilios , Chatzimichael Athanassios
Published: November 2012

Propranolol has emerged as a new treatment option for infantile hemangiomas. We describe a 20-month-old boy with a large right parotid hemangioma diagnosed at the age of 37 days. Starting at the age of 2.5 months, he received oral propranolol for 6.5 months. Although the mass regressed, it recurred when propranolol was discontinued. He was successfully retreated at the age of 11 months with propranolol for another 5.5 months without further recurrences. Treatment was tolerated well. Our paper and a review of the literature demonstrate that propranolol appears to be safe and effective for symptomatic infantile parotid gland hemangiomas.
Performance of Clinical Algorithms for Smear-Negative Tuberculosis in HIV-Infected Persons in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Duc T. M. , Nguyen Hung Q. , Beasley R. Palmer , Ford Charles E. , Hwang Lu-Yu , Graviss Edward A.
Published: November 2012

Background. Tuberculosis (TB) disease diagnosis in Vietnam relies on symptom screening, chest radiography (CXR), and acid fast bacilli (AFB) sputum smear which have a poor sensitivity in HIV patients. We evaluated the performance of clinical algorithms in screening and diagnosing AFB smear-negative TB in HIV patients.Methods. We enrolled 399 HIV-positive patients seeking care at a HIV clinic in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), Vietnam. Participants’ demographics, medical history, common TB symptoms, CXR, and laboratory tests were collected.Results. Of 399 HIV patients, 390 had initial AFB-negative smears and 22/390 patients had positive cultures. Symptom screening missed 54% (12/22) of smear-negative pulmonary TB (PTB) cases. Multivariate analysis found CD4+ cell level and CXR were significant PTB predictors. An algorithm combining four TB symptoms and TST presented a high sensitivity (100%), but poorly specific (24%) diagnostic performance for smear-negative PTB.Conclusion. Up to 54% of PTB cases in the HIV-infected population may be missed in the routine screening and diagnostic procedures used in Vietnam. Symptom screening was a poor overall diagnostic measure in detecting smear-negative TB in HIV patients. Our study results suggest that routine sputum cultures should be implemented to achieve a more accurate diagnosis of TB in HIV patients.
A Rare Presentation of a Rare Disease: Pulmonary Lymphomatoid Granulomatosis
Authors: Mohyuddin Ghulam Rehman , Sultan Fatima , Khaleeq Ghulam
Published: November 2012

A 70-year-old female presented with a 4-week history of dry cough and wheezing. Chest radiograph showed a 10.5 cm mass-like density in the anterior mediastinum which had not been previously visualized. Computed tomography scan (CT) of the chest showed a right hilar mass encasing and narrowing right upper lobe bronchus and right mainstem bronchus and secondary atelectatic changes. Biopsy was consistent with a diagnosis of lymphomatoid granulomatosis Grade 3. She responded well clinically and radiologically to therapy. Lymphomatoid granulomatosis is a rare EBV-associated disorder which is considered a lymphoproliferative disease. The most common radiographic feature is multiple lung nodules. An isolated hilar mass is an exceptionally rare presentation of this rare disease.
Beliefs, Anxiety, and Avoiding Failure in Mathematics
Authors: Chinn Steve
Published: November 2012

Mathematics anxiety has been the subject of several books and numerous research papers, suggesting that it is a significant issue for many people. Children and adults develop strategies to cope with this anxiety, one of which is avoidance. This paper presents data taken from over 2500 mathematics test papers in order to compare the levels of accuracy and the frequency of the use of the “no attempt” strategy, that is, avoidance, for arithmetic problems given to children aged from 10 years to adults aged up to 49 years from across the UK.
Melanoma in Organ Transplant Recipients: Incidence, Outcomes and Management Considerations
Authors: Ali Faisal R. , Lear John T.
Published: November 2012

The incidence of melanoma continues to increase year on year. With better surgical techniques and medical management, greater numbers of organ transplants are being performed annually with much longer graft survival. The authors review our current understanding of the incidence of melanoma amongst organ transplant recipients, outcomes compared to the immunocompetent population, and management strategies in this burgeoning group.
Comparing the Alteration of Nasal Tip Sensibility and Sensory Recovery Time following Open Rhinoplasty with and without Soft Tissue Removal
Authors: Bakhshaeekia Alireza , Ghiasi-hafezi Sina
Published: November 2012

In this study we evaluated sensory alteration in nasal tip and adjacent upper columella (territory of external nasal nerve) after open rhinoplasty. Two groups were randomly selected, each containing 25 patients with thick nasal skin; sensory testing was done preoperatively in all patients; in group one, subdermal soft tissue in tip and supratip areas was removed but in group two no soft tissue removal was done; we compared sensory pressure threshold values 3 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. Results showed no statistical difference between the two groups in nasal skin sensibility at these times; also this study showed that 6 months after rhinoplasty normal sensation of nasal skin will be achieved.
Design and Implementation of a Fuzzy Controller for a TRIGA Mark III Reactor
Authors: Rivero-Gutiérrez Tonatiuh , Benítez-Read Jorge S. , Segovia-De-los-Ríos Armando , Longoria-Gándara Luis C. , Palacios-Hernández Javier C.
Published: November 2012

The design and testing of a fuzzy rule based controller to regulate the power of a TRIGA Mark III research nuclear reactor are presented. The design does not require the current exact parameters of the point kinetic equations of the reactor. Instead, from a qualitative analysis of the actions taken by the operators during the reactor’s operation, a set of control rules is derived. The rules cover the operation of the reactor from low levels of about dozens of watts up to its full power level of one megawatt. The controller is able to increase power from different initial values to a wide range of desired levels, maintaining constant levels for long periods of time. The controller’s output is the external reactivity, which is further converted to a control rod incremental movement. The fuzzy controller is implemented on the reactor’s digital operating console, and the results of a series of experiments are discussed.
A Direct Solution Approach to the Inverse Shallow‐Water Problem
Authors: Gessese Alelign , Sellier Mathieu
Published: November 2012

The study of open channel flow modelling often requires an accurate representation of the channel bed topography to accurately predict the flow hydrodynamics. Experimental techniques are the most widely used approaches to measure the bed topographic elevation of open channels. However, they are usually cost and time consuming. Free surface measurement is, on the other hand, relatively easy to obtain using airborne photographic techniques. We present in this work an easy to implement and fast to solve numerical technique to identify the underlying bedrock topography from given free surface elevation data in shallow open channel flows. The main underlying idea is to derive explicit partial differential equations which govern this inverse reconstruction problem. The technique described here is a “one‐shot technique” in the sense that the solution of the partial differential equation provides the solution to the inverse problem directly. The idea is tested on a set of artificial data obtained by first solving the forward problem governed by the shallow‐water equations. Numerical results show that the channel bed topographic elevation can be reconstructed with a level of accuracy less than 3%. The method is also shown to be robust when noise is present in the input data.
Telemonitoring of Daily Activity and Symptom Behavior in Patients with COPD
Authors: Tabak Monique , Vollenbroek-Hutten Miriam M. R. , van der Valk Paul D. L. P. M. , van der Palen Job , Tönis Thijs M. , Hermens Hermie J.
Published: November 2012

Objectives. This study investigated the activity behavior of patients with COPD in detail compared to asymptomatic controls, and the relationship between subjective and objective activities (awareness), and readiness to change activity behavior.Methods. Thirty-nine patients with COPD (66.0 years; FEV1% predicted: 44.9%) and 21 healthy controls (57.0 years) participated. Objective daily activity was assessed by accelerometry and expressed asamountof activity in counts per minute (cpm). Patients' baseline subjective activity and stage of change were assessed prior to measurements.Results. Mean daily activity in COPD patients was significantly lower compared to the healthy controls ( cpm versus  cpm, ). COPD patients showed a temporary decrease in objective activities in the early afternoon. Objective and subjective activities were significantly moderately related and most patients (55.3%) were in the maintenance phase of the stages of change.Conclusions. COPD patients show a distinctive activity decrease in the early afternoon. COPD patients are moderately aware of their daily activity but regard themselves as physically active. Therefore, future telemedicine interventions might consider creating awareness of an active lifestyle and provide feedback that aims to increase and balance activity levels.
Management of Anterior Abdominal Wall Defect Using a Pedicled Tensor Fascia Lata Flap: A Case Report
Authors: Ojuka K. D. , Nangole F. , Ngugi M.
Published: November 2012

Degloving injuries to anterior abdominal wall are rare due to the mechanism of injury. Pedicled tensor fascia lata is known to be a versatile flap with ability to reach the lower anterior abdomen. A 34-year-old man who was involved in a road traffic accident presented with degloving injury and defect at the left inguinal region, sigmoid colon injury, and scrotal bruises. At investigation, he was found to have pelvic fracture. The management consisted of colostomy and tensor fascia lata to cover the defect at reversal. Though he developed burst abdomen on fifth postoperative day, the flap healed with no complications.
Ginseng Berry Extract Prevents Atherogenesis via Anti-Inflammatory Action by Upregulating Phase II Gene Expression
Authors: Kim Chun-Ki , Cho Dong Hui , Lee Kyu-Sun , Lee Dong-Keon , Park Chan-Woong , Kim Wan Gi , Lee Sang Jun , Ha Kwon-Soo , Goo Taeg Oh , Kwon Young-Guen , Kim Young-Myeong
Published: November 2012

Ginseng berry possesses higher ginsenoside content than its root, which has been traditionally used in herbal medicine for many human diseases, including atherosclerosis. We here examined the antiatherogenic effects of the Korean ginseng berry extract (KGBE) and investigated its underlying mechanism of actionin vitroandin vivo. Administration of KGBE decreased atherosclerotic lesions, which was inversely correlated with the expression levels of phase II genes to include heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and glutamine-cysteine ligase (GCL). Furthermore, KGBE administration suppressed NF-κB-mediated expression of atherogenic inflammatory genes (TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS, COX-2, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1), without altering serum cholesterol levels, in ApoE-/-mice fed a high fat-diet. Treatment with KGBE increased phase II gene expression and suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced reactive oxygen species production, NF-κB activation, and inflammatory gene expression in primary macrophages. Importantly, these cellular events were blocked by selective inhibitors of HO-1 and GCL. In addition, these inhibitors reversed the suppressive effect of KGBE on TNF-α-mediated induction of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, resulting in decreased interaction between endothelial cells and monocytes. These results suggest that KGBE ameliorates atherosclerosis by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated expression of atherogenic genes via upregulation of phase II enzymes and thus has therapeutic or preventive potential for atherosclerosis.
A New Class of Meromorphic Functions Associated with Spirallike Functions
Authors: Shi Lei , Wang Zhi-Gang , Yi Jing-Ping
Published: November 2012

We introduce a new class of meromorphic functions associated with spirallike functions. Such results as subordination property, integral representation, convolution property, and coefficient inequalities are proved.
Preparation and Properties of Segmented Quasi-Dynamic Display Device
Authors: Wang Dengwu , Wang Fang
Published: November 2012

A kind of material, microencapsulated electronic ink, was prepared and supported on ITO glass used as backplane electrode and etched panels of the words “N-P-U” as pixel electrode. In addition, a quasi-dynamic display device was designed for electronic paper. The control signal generated by monostable process of 555 counter was used to drive the relay to work. The actual output of this kind of display was also observed. Through the combination of 555 counter and relay, quasi-dynamic electronic ink display was able to be achieved at the voltage of 15 V. Furthermore, the delay time can be controlled within 0–10 seconds by adjusting monostable trigger time of the counter.
Novel Reduced Parts Online Uninterruptible Power Supply
Authors: Ashrafi Bahram , Niroomand Mehdi
Published: November 2012

This paper presents design consideration and performance analysis of novel reduced parts online three-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system. The proposed UPS system is based on reduced switch count dual bridge matrix converter. It employs only six power switches and results in reducing the cost of the system compared to conventional online UPS topologies, while achieving excellent performance. The performance of the proposed system is evaluated through simulation in terms of input/output waveforms quality and shows the viability of topology.
Functional Proteomic Profiling of Phosphodiesterases Using SeraFILE Separations Platform
Authors: Oka Amita R. , Kuruc Matthew P. , Gujarathi Ketan M. , Roy Swapan
Published: November 2012

Functional proteomic profiling can help identify targets for disease diagnosis and therapy. Available methods are limited by the inability to profile many functional properties measured by enzymes kinetics. The functional proteomic profiling approach proposed here seeks to overcome such limitations. It begins with surface-based proteome separations of tissue/cell-line extracts, using SeraFILE, a proprietary protein separations platform. Enzyme kinetic properties of resulting subproteomes are then characterized, and the data integrated into proteomic profiles. As a model, SeraFILE-derived subproteomes of cyclic nucleotide-hydrolyzing phosphodiesterases (PDEs) from bovine brain homogenate (BBH) and rat brain homogenate (RBH) were characterized for cAMP hydrolysis activity in the presence (challenge condition) and absence of cGMP. Functional profiles of RBH and BBH were compiled from the enzyme activity response to the challenge condition in each of the respective subproteomes. Intersample analysis showed that comparable profiles differed in only a few data points, and that distinctive subproteomes can be generated from comparable tissue samples from different animals. These results demonstrate that the proposed methods provide a means to simplify intersample differences, and to localize proteins attributable to sample-specific responses. It can be potentially applied for disease and nondisease sample comparison in biomarker discovery and drug discovery profiling.
Blow‐Up Criteria for Three‐Dimensional Boussinesq Equations in Triebel‐Lizorkin Spaces
Authors: Zang Minglei
Published: November 2012

We establish a new blow‐up criteria for solution of the three‐dimensional Boussinesq equations in Triebel‐Lizorkin spaces by using Littlewood‐Paley decomposition.
Contrast Enhancement of Optical Coherence Tomography Images Using Branched Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Ponce de León Y. , Pichardo-Molina J. L. , Alcalá Ochoa N. , Luna-Moreno D.
Published: November 2012

We propose the use of branched gold nanoparticles (B‐GNPs) as a contrast agent for optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. Our results show that even when the central source of our OCT (1325 nm) is too far from the maximum peak of the plasmon resonance, branched nanoparticles scatter light very efficiently at this wavelength. B‐GNPs were tested as a contrast agent in water and agarose‐TiO2 tissue phantoms; the estimated increments in contrast were 9.19 dB and 15.07 dB for branched nanoparticles in water with concentrations of 2.2 × 109 NPs/mL and 6.6 × 109 NPs/mL, respectively, while for agarose‐TiO2 tissue phantoms the estimated value was 3.17 dB. These results show the promising application of B‐GNPs as a contrast agent for tissue imaging using OCT, not only for sources at 1325 nm but also at other central wavelengths located between 800 and 1000 nm.
Approximate Analytical Solutions Using Hyperbolic Functions for the Generalized Blasius Problem
Authors: Yun Beong In
Published: November 2012

We propose simple forms of approximate analytical solutions for the generalized Blasius problem based on the given boundary conditions and some known properties of the solution. The efficiency of the proposed solutions is shown for various cases. As a result, one can see that the solutions are uniformly accurate over the whole region.
Associations of Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Fatness with Metabolic Syndrome in Rural Women with Prehypertension
Authors: Hageman Patricia A. , Pullen Carol H. , Hertzog Melody , Boeckner Linda S. , Walker Susan Noble
Published: November 2012

Background. This study investigated the associations of fitness and fatness with metabolic syndrome in rural women, part of a recognized US health disparities group.Methods. Fitness, percentage body fat, BMI, and metabolic syndrome criteria were assessed at baseline in 289 rural women with prehypertension, ages 40–69, enrolled in a healthy eating and activity community-based clinical trial for reducing blood pressure.Results. Ninety (31%) women had metabolic syndrome, of which 70% were obese by BMI (≥30 kg/m2), 100% by percentage body fat (≥30%), and 100% by revised BMI standards (≥25 kg/m2) cited in current literature. Hierarchical logistic regression models, adjusted for age, income, and education, revealed that higher percentage body fat (P< 0.001) was associated with greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Alone, higher fitness lowered the odds of metabolic syndrome by 7% (P< 0.001), but it did not lower the odds significantly beyond the effects of body fat. When dichotomized into “fit” and “unfit” groups, women categorized as “fat” had lower odds of metabolic syndrome if they were “fit” by 75% and 59%, for percentage body fat and revised BMI, respectively.Conclusion. Among rural women with prehypertension, obesity and fitness were associated with metabolic syndrome. Obesity defined as ≥25 kg/m2produced results more consistent with percentage body fat as compared to the ≥30 kg/m2definition.
Survival Trends and Long-Term Toxicity in Pediatric Patients with Osteosarcoma
Authors: Hagleitner Melanie M. , de Bont Eveline S. J. M. , te Loo D. Maroeska W. M.
Published: November 2012

Background. This study was conducted to investigate the clinical characteristics and treatment results of osteosarcoma in pediatric patients during the past 30 years. Trends in survival rates and long-term toxicity were analyzed.Procedure. 130 pediatric patients under the age of 20 years with primary localized or metastatic high-grade osteosarcoma were analyzed regarding demographic, treatment-related variables, long-term toxicity, and survival data.Results. Comparison of the different time periods of treatment showed that the 5-year OS improved from 58.6% for children diagnosed during 1979–1983 to 78.6% for those diagnosed during 2003–2008 (P=0.13). Interestingly, the basic treatment agents including cisplatin, doxorubicin, and methotrexate remained the same. Treatment reduction due to acute toxicity was less frequent in patients treated in the last era (7.1% versus 24.1% in patients treated in 1979–1983;P=0.04). Furthermore, late cardiac effects and secondary malignancies can become evident many years after treatment.Conclusion. We elucidate the prevalence of toxicity to therapy of patients with osteosarcoma over the past 30 years. The overall improvement in survival may in part be attributed to improved supportive care allowing regimens to be administered to best advantage with higher tolerance of chemotherapy and therefore less chemotherapy-related toxicity.
Divergent Significance of Bone Mineral Density Changes in Aging Depending on Sites and Sex Revealed through Separate Analyses of Bone Mineral Content and Area
Authors: Matsui Yasumoto , Takemura Marie , Harada Atsushi , Ando Fujiko , Shimokata Hiroshi
Published: November 2012

Bone mineral density (aBMD) is equivalent to bone mineral content (BMC) divided by area. We rechecked the significance of aBMD changes in aging by examining BMC and area separately. Subjects were 1167 community-dwelling Japanese men and women, aged 40–79 years. ABMDs of femoral neck and lumbar spine were assessed by DXA twice, at 6-year intervals. The change rates of BMC and area, as well as aBMD, were calculated and described separately by the age stratum and by sex. In the femoral neck region, aBMDs were significantly decreased in all age strata by an increase in area as well as BMC loss in the same pattern in both sexes. In the lumbar spine region, aBMDs decreased until the age of 60 in women, caused by the significant BMC decrease accompanying the small area change. Very differently in men, aBMDs increased after their 50s due to BMC increase, accompanied by an area increase. Separate analyses of BMC and area change revealed that the significance of aBMD changes in aging was very divergent among sites and between sexes. This may explain in part the dissociation of aBMD change and bone strength, suggesting that we should be more cautious when interpreting the meaning of aBMD change.
Factorial Study of Compressive Mechanical Properties and Primary In Vitro Osteoblast Response of PHBV/PLLA Scaffolds
Authors: Sultana Naznin , Khan Tareef Hayat
Published: November 2012

For bone tissue regeneration, composite scaffolds containing biodegradable polymers and nanosized osteoconductive bioceramics have been regarded as promising biomimetic systems. Polymer blends of poly(hydroxybutyrate‐co‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and poly(L‐lactic acid) (PLLA) can be used as the polymer matrix to control the degradation rate. In order to render the scaffolds osteoconductive, nano‐sized hydroxyapatite (nHA) particles can be incorporated into the polymer matrix. In the first part of this study, a factorial design approach to investigate the influence of materials on the initial compressive mechanical properties of the scaffolds was studied. In the second part, the protein adsorption behavior and the attachment and morphology of osteoblast‐like cells (Saos‐2) of the scaffolds in vitro were also studied. It was observed that nHA incorporated PHBV/PLLA composite scaffolds adsorbed more bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein than PHBV or PHBV/PLLA scaffolds. In vitro studies also revealed that the attachment of human osteoblastic cells (SaOS‐2) was significantly higher in nHA incorporated PHBV/PLLA composite scaffolds. From the SEM micrographs of nHA incorporated PHBV/PLLA composite scaffolds seeded with SaOS‐2 cells after a 7‐day cell culture period, it was observed that the cells were well expanded and spread in all directions on the scaffolds.
Refractory Gout Attack
Authors: Fargetti Simone , Goldenstein-Schainberg Claudia , Silva Abreu Andressa , Fuller Ricardo
Published: November 2012

Refractory gout attack is an uncommon problem, since gout flares are usually self-limited. This clinical condition is characterized by serum uric acid higher than 6 mg/Dl or continuous manifestations of recurrent flares, chronic arthritis, and increased tophi. We report in this paper a 69-year-old man with a polyarticular and protracted gout attack, despite usual treatment and low urate sera levels. In order to manage this problem, we reviewed gout pathophysiology and developed a therapeutic solution based on benzbromarone pharmacokinetics. We also review herein new options for gout treatment that could be used in similar cases.
Time‐Variant Reliability Assessment and Its Sensitivity Analysis of Cutting Tool under Invariant Machining Condition Based on Gamma Process
Authors: Li Changyou , Zhang Yimin
Published: November 2012

The time‐variant reliability and its sensitivity of cutting tools under both wear deterioration and an invariant machining condition are analyzed. The wear process is modeled by a Gamma process which is a continuous‐state and continuous‐time stochastic process with the independent and nonnegative increment. The time‐variant reliability and its sensitivity of cutting tools under six cases are considered in this paper. For the first two cases, the compensation for the cutting tool wear is not carried out. For the last four cases, the off‐line or real‐time compensation method is adopted. While the off‐line compensation method is used, the machining error of cutting tool is supposed to be stochastic. Whether the detection of the real‐time wear is accurate or not is discussed when the real‐time compensation method is adopted. The numerical examples are analyzed to demonstrate the idea of how the reliability of cutting tools under the invariant machining condition could be improved according to the methods described in this paper.
Experimental Verification of Vuks Equation Using Hollow Prism Refractometer
Authors: Kanwar Anita , Yadav Priya S.
Published: November 2012

The refractive indices of the cholesteric liquid crystal solution were measured using multiwavelength (visible range) refractometer for three different wavelengths. Measurements were made at different temperatures for various concentrations of the solution, mixing CLC in a soluble solvent. Vuks equation describes the wavelength and temperature dependence of refractive indices of anisotropic crystalline materials. We have used a simplified version of Vuks equation relating only to macroscopic indices and verified its validity for five-different-concentration solution at various temperatures. The result is also used to obtain molecular polarizabilities and temperature dependent material constants of our sample.
Metachronous Rectum Metastases from Gastric Adenocarcinoma: A Case Report
Authors: Tural Deniz , Selçukbiricik Fatih , Erçalışkan Abdülkadir , İnanç Berin , Günver Feray , Büyükünal Evin
Published: November 2012

Introduction. Hepatic metastases of gastric adenocarcinomas are frequently observed due to the drainage into portal vein. Intestinal metastases disseminate from gastrocolic and mesenteric ligaments but they are seen very rarely and in most cases detected in postmortem studies.Case Report. A 74-year-old female patient with no known history of disease. Her complaints on application were epigastric pain, burning, and constipation. Gastroscopy showed a submucosal mass in the greater curvature of fundus and in colonoscopy, a mass with polypoid appearance that narrows the lumen at the rectum was detected. No far metastases or pathology were detected. Pathology report from gastric biopsy material demonstrated well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Cytokeratin 7 (CK7) was found to be extensively strongly positive, Cytokeratin 20 (CK20) was negative in the immunohistochemical staining of the biopsy obtained from rectosigmoid area.Conclusion. Gastric cancer is among the frequent cancers today, most of which are adenocarcinomas. Although most of the metastases are observed in the liver, lungs, lymph nodes, and peritoneum, it should be remembered that intestinal metastases may be seen without the presence of any other metastatic focus. Our case is the first in literature reporting a rectum metastasis without any other organ metastasis.