bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Double Higgs mechanisms, supermassive stable particles and the vacuum energy
Authors: Santillán Osvaldo P. , Gabbanelli Luciano
Published: July 2016

In the present work, a hidden scenario which cast a long-lived superheavy particle [Formula: see text] and simultaneously an extremely light particle [Formula: see text] with mass [Formula: see text] eV is presented. The potential energy [Formula: see text] of the particle [Formula: see text] models the vacuum energy density of the universe [Formula: see text]. On the other hand, the [Formula: see text] particle may act as superheavy dark matter at present times and the products of its decay may be observed in high energy cosmic ray events. The hidden sector proposed here include light fermions with masses near the neutrino mass [Formula: see text] eV and superheavy ones with masses of the order of the GUT scale, interacting through a hidden SU(2)L interaction which also affects the ordinary sector. The construction of such combined scenario is nontrivial since the presence of light particles may spoil the stability of the heavy particle [Formula: see text]. However, double Higgs mechanisms may be helpful for overcoming this problem. In this context, the stability of the superheavy particle [Formula: see text] is ensured due to chiral symmetry arguments elaborated in the text.
Temperature of neutron stars
Authors: Tsuruta Sachiko
Published: July 2016

We start with a brief introduction to the historical background in the early pioneering days when the first neutron star thermal evolution calculations predicted the presence of neutron stars hot enough to be observable. We then report on the first detection of neutron star temperatures by ROSAT X-ray satellite, which vindicated the earlier prediction of hot neutron stars. We proceed to present subsequent developments, both in theory and observation, up to today. We then discuss the current status and the future prospect, which will offer useful insight to the understanding of basic properties of ultra-high density matter beyond the nuclear density, such as the possible presence of such exotic particles as pion condensates.
A microscopic description of black hole evaporation via holography
Authors: Berkowitz Evan , Hanada Masanori , Maltz Jonathan
Published: July 2016

We propose a description of how a large, cold black hole (black zero-brane) in type IIA superstring theory evaporates into freely propagating [Formula: see text]0-branes, by solving the dual gauge theory quantitatively. The energy spectrum of emitted [Formula: see text]0-branes is parametrically close to thermal when the black hole is large. The black hole, while initially cold, gradually becomes an extremely hot and stringy object as it evaporates. As it emits [Formula: see text]0-branes, its emission rate speeds up and it evaporates completely without leaving any remnant. Hence this system provides us with a concrete holographic description of black hole evaporation without information loss.
ALGORITHMIC TRADING OF CO-INTEGRATED ASSETS
Authors: CARTEA ÁLVARO , JAIMUNGAL SEBASTIAN
Published: July 2016

We assume that the drift in the returns of asset prices consists of an idiosyncratic component and a common component given by a co-integration factor. We analyze the optimal investment strategy for an agent who maximizes expected utility of wealth by dynamically trading in these assets. The optimal solution is constructed explicitly in closed-form and is shown to be affine in the co-integration factor. We calibrate the model to three assets traded on the Nasdaq exchange (Google, Facebook, and Amazon) and employ simulations to showcase the strategy’s performance.
Utilizing Time Redundancy for Particle Filter-Based Transfer Alignment
Authors: Chattaraj Suvendu , Mukherjee Abhik
Published: July 2016

Signal detection in the presence of high noise is a challenge in natural sciences. From understanding signals emanating out of deep space probes to signals in protein interactions for systems biology, domain specific innovations are needed. The present work is in the domain of transfer alignment (TA), which deals with estimation of the misalignment of deliverable daughter munitions with respect to that of the delivering mother platform. In this domain, the design of noise filtering scheme has to consider a time varying and nonlinear system dynamics at play. The accuracy of conventional particle filter formulation suffers due to deviations from modeled system dynamics. An evolutionary particle filter can overcome this problem by evolving multiple system models through few support points per particle. However, this variant has even higher time complexity for real-time execution. As a result, measurement update gets deferred and the estimation accuracy is compromised. By running these filter algorithms on multiple processors, the execution time can be reduced, to allow frequent measurement updates. Such scheme ensures better system identification so that performance improves in case of simultaneous ejection of multiple daughters and also results in better convergence of TA algorithms for single daughter.
Top-Down Influences in the Detection of Spatial Displacement in a Musical Scene
Authors: Marentakis Georgios , Griffiths Cathryn , Mcadams Stephen
Published: July 2016

We investigated the detection of sound displacement in a four-voice musical piece under conditions that manipulated the attentional setting (selective or divided attention), the sound source numerosity, the spatial dispersion of the voices, and the tonal complexity of the piece. Detection was easiest when each voice was played in isolation and performance deteriorated when source numerosity increased and uncertainty with respect to the voice in which displacement would occur was introduced. Restricting the area occupied by the voices improved performance in agreement with the auditory spotlight hypothesis as did reducing the tonal complexity of the piece. Performance under increased numerosity conditions depended on the voice in which displacement occurred. The results highlight the importance of top-down processes in the context of the detection of spatial displacement in a musical scene.
A Proposed Methodology for Evaluating HDR False Color Maps
Authors: Akyüz Ahmet Oğuz , Kaya Osman
Published: July 2016

Color mapping, which involves assigning colors to the individual elements of an underlying data distribution, is a commonly used method for data visualization. Although color maps are used in many disciplines and for a variety of tasks, in this study we focus on its usage for visualizing luminance maps. Specifically, we ask ourselves the question of how to best visualize a luminance distribution encoded in a high-dynamic-range (HDR) image using false colors such that the resulting visualization is the mostdescriptive. To this end, we first propose a definition for descriptiveness. We then propose a methodology to evaluate it subjectively. Then, we propose an objective metric that correlates well with the subjective evaluation results. Using this metric, we evaluate several false coloring strategies using a large number of HDR images. Finally, we conduct a second psychophysical experiment using images representing a diverse set of scenes. Our results indicate that the luminance compression method has a significant effect and the commonly used logarithmic compression is inferior to histogram equalization. Furthermore, we find that the default color scale of the Radiance global illumination software consistently performs well when combined with histogram equalization. On the other hand, the commonly used rainbow color scale was found to be inferior. We believe that the proposed methodology is suitable for evaluating future color mapping strategies as well.
Reproducing Reality
Authors: Rummukainen Olli , Mendonça Catarina
Published: July 2016

Most research on multisensory processing focuses on impoverished stimuli and simple tasks. In consequence, very little is known about the sensory contributions in the perception of real environments. Here, we presented 23 participants with paired comparison tasks, where natural scenes were discriminated in three perceptually meaningful attributes: movement, openness, and noisiness. The goal was to assess the auditory and visual modality contributions in scene discrimination with short (≤500ms) natural scene exposures. The scenes were reproduced in an immersive audiovisual environment with 3D sound and surrounding visuals. Movement and openness were found to be mainly visual attributes with some input from auditory information. In some scenes, the auditory system was able to derive information about movement and openness that was comparable with audiovisual condition already after 500ms stimulation. Noisiness was mainly auditory, but visual information was found to have a facilitatory role in a few scenes. The sensory weights were highly imbalanced in favor of the stronger modality, but the weaker modality was able to affect the bimodal estimate in some scenes.
Competitively Scheduling Tasks with Intermediate Parallelizability
Authors: Im Sungjin , Moseley Benjamin , Pruhs Kirk , Torng Eric
Published: July 2016

We introduce a scheduling algorithm Intermediate-SRPT, and show that it is
O
(log
P
)-competitive with respect to average flow time when scheduling jobs whose parallelizability is intermediate between being fully parallelizable and sequential. Here, the parameter
P
denotes the ratio between the maximum job size to the minimum. We also show a general matching lower bound on the competitive ratio. Our analysis builds on an interesting combination of potential function and local competitiveness arguments.
Neuronal Substrates Underlying Performance Variability in Well-Trained Skillful Motor Task in Humans
Authors: Mizuguchi Nobuaki , Uehara Shintaro , Hirose Satoshi , Yamamoto Shinji , Naito Eiichi
Published: July 2016

Motor performance fluctuates trial by trial even in a well-trained motor skill. Here we show neural substrates underlying such behavioral fluctuation in humans. We first scanned brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging while healthy participants repeatedly performed a 10 s skillful sequential finger-tapping task. Before starting the experiment, the participants had completed intensive training. We evaluated task performance per trial (number of correct sequences in 10 s) and depicted brain regions where the activity changes in association with the fluctuation of the task performance across trials. We found that the activity in a broader range of frontoparietocerebellar network, including the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), anterior cingulate and anterior insular cortices, and left cerebellar hemisphere, was negatively correlated with the task performance. We further showed in another transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) experiment that task performance deteriorated, when we applied anodal tDCS to the right DLPFC. These results indicate that fluctuation of brain activity in the nonmotor frontoparietocerebellar network may underlie trial-by-trial performance variability even in a well-trained motor skill, and its neuromodulation with tDCS may affect the task performance.
Kinect-Based Correction of Overexposure Artifacts in Knee Imaging with C-Arm CT Systems
Authors: Rausch Johannes , Maier Andreas , Fahrig Rebecca , Choi Jang-Hwan , Hinshaw Waldo , Schebesch Frank , Haase Sven , Wasza Jakob , Hornegger Joachim , Riess Christian
Published: July 2016

Objective.To demonstrate a novel approach of compensating overexposure artifacts in CT scans of the knees without attaching any supporting appliances to the patient. C-Arm CT systems offer the opportunity to perform weight-bearing knee scans on standing patients to diagnose diseases like osteoarthritis. However, one serious issue is overexposure of the detector in regions close to the patella, which can not be tackled with common techniques.Methods.A Kinect camera is used to algorithmically remove overexposure artifacts close to the knee surface. Overexposed near-surface knee regions are corrected by extrapolating the absorption values from more reliable projection data. To achieve this, we develop a cross-calibration procedure to transform surface points from the Kinect to CT voxel coordinates.Results.Artifacts at both knee phantoms are reduced significantly in the reconstructed data and a major part of the truncated regions is restored.Conclusion.The results emphasize the feasibility of the proposed approach. The accuracy of the cross-calibration procedure can be increased to further improve correction results.Significance.The correction method can be extended to a multi-Kinect setup for use in real-world scenarios. Using depth cameras does not require prior scans and offers the possibility of a temporally synchronized correction of overexposure artifacts. To achieve this, we develop a cross-calibration procedure to transform surface points from the Kinect to CT voxel coordinates.
Esophageal Stent for Refractory Variceal Bleeding: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shao Xiao-Dong , Qi Xing-Shun , Guo Xiao-Zhong
Published: July 2016

Background. Preliminary studies suggest that covered self-expandable metal stents may be helpful in controlling esophageal variceal bleeding.Aims. To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of esophageal stent in refractory variceal bleeding in a systematic review and meta-analysis.Methods. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library covering the period from January 1970 to December 2015. Data were selected and abstracted from eligible studies and were pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed usingI2test.Results. Five studies involving 80 patients were included in the analysis. The age of patients ranged from 18 to 91 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 46.8 d (range, 30–60 d). The success rate of stent deployment was 96.7% (95% CI: 91.6%–99.5%) and complete response to esophageal stenting was in 93.9% (95% CI: 82.2%–99.6%). The incidence of rebleeding was 13.2% (95% CI: 1.8%–32.8%) and the overall mortality was 34.5% (95% CI: 24.8%–44.8%). Most of patients (87.4%) died from hepatic or multiple organ failure, and only 12.6% of patients died from uncontrolled bleeding. There was no stent-related complication reported and the incidence of stent migration was 21.6% (95% CI: 4.7%–46.1%).Conclusion. Esophageal stent may be considered in patients with variceal bleeding refractory to conventional therapy.
Three-Dimensional Assessment of Volumetric Changes in Sinuses Augmented with Two Different Bone Substitutes
Authors: Gultekin B. Alper , Borahan Oguz , Sirali Ali , Karabuda Z. Cuneyt , Mijiritsky Eitan
Published: July 2016

Introduction. The bone volume of the posterior maxilla may not be appropriate for implant placement, due to factors such as pneumatized maxillary sinus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the percentage of graft volume reduction following sinus floor elevation (SFE), with either slow resorbable bone substitute only or a composite of slow and fast resorbable bone substitutes, using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).Materials and Methods. In this retrospective study, CBCT scans of SFE procedures were evaluated to determine the volume of grafted sinus with either deproteinized bovine bone (DBB) or a 2 : 1 mixture of biphasic calcium sulfate (CS) and DBB, as a composite. The volumetric changes of sinus augmentations were measured 2 weeks (V-I) and 6 months (V-II) after operation.Results. Thirty-three patients were included in this study. The average percentage volume reduction was9.39±3.01% and17.65±4.15% for DBB and composite grafts, respectively. A significant graft volume reduction was observed between V-I and V-II for both groups (p<0.01). The DBB group exhibited significantly less volume reduction than the composite group (p<0.01).Conclusions. Augmented sinus volume may change before implant placement. DBB offers greater volume stability during healing than composite grafts.
Mifepristone Accelerates HPA Axis Recovery in Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency
Authors: Cohan Pejman
Published: July 2016

Context. Transient secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI) is an expected complication following successful adenomectomy of ACTH-secreting pituitary adenomas or unilateral adrenalectomy for cortisol-secreting adrenal adenomas. To date, no pharmacological therapy has been shown to hasten recovery of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in this clinical scenario.Case Description. A 33-year-old woman underwent uncomplicated unilateral adrenalectomy for a 3.7 cm cortisol-secreting adrenal adenoma. Postoperatively, she developed SAI and was placed on hydrocortisone 15 mg/day, given in divided doses. In the ensuing six years, the patient’s HPA axis failed to recover and she remained corticosteroid-dependent. Quarterly biochemical testing (after withholding hydrocortisone for 18 hours) consistently yielded undetectable serum cortisol and subnormal plasma ACTH levels. While she was on hydrocortisone 15 mg/day, mifepristone was initiated and gradually titrated to a maintenance dose of 600 mg/day after 5 months. Rapid recovery of the HPA axis was subsequently noted with ACTH rising into the supranormal range at 4 months followed by a subsequent rise in cortisol levels into the normal range. After 6 months, the dose of hydrocortisone and mifepristone was lowered and both were ultimately stopped after 8 months. The HPA axis remains normal after an additional 16 months of follow-up.Conclusion. Mifepristone successfully restored the HPA axis in a woman with prolonged secondary adrenal insufficiency (SAI) after adrenalectomy for Cushing’s syndrome (CS).
Risk of Parkinson’s Disease in the Users of Antihypertensive Agents: An Evidence from the Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Authors: Mullapudi Amarnath , Gudala Kapil , Boya Chandra Sekhar , Bansal Dipika
Published: July 2016

Background. Antihypertensive agents have been shown to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory response and thus neuroprotection in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Epidemiological evidence suggests inconsistency between use of antihypertensives and risk of PD. This study is aimed to examine the association between antihypertensive use and risk of PD. Methods. Literature search in PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO database was undertaken through February 2012 looking for observational studies evaluating the association between antihypertensive drug use and risk of PD. Before meta-analysis, the studies were evaluated for publication bias and heterogeneity. Pooled relative risk (RR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effects model (DerSimonian and Laird method). Subgroup analyses and sensitivity analysis were also performed. Results. Seven relevant studies including a total of 28,32,991 subjects were included. Pooled RR of overall use of antihypertensive agents was found to be 0.95 (95% CI 0.84–1.05). A significant reduction in the risk of PD was observed among users of calcium channel blockers (RR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71–0.93). Significant heterogeneity (I2 = 76.2%) but no publication bias was observed. Conclusions. Overall use of antihypertensive agents showed no significant association with the risk of PD. CCBs provided significant protective role. However, studies with large sample size and dose relationships are required to strengthen our hypothesis.
Valproic Acid Induced Hyperammonemia in a Long Time Treated Patient
Authors: Aiyer Rohit , Seide Margaret , Stern Robert G.
Published: July 2016

We report a case of a patient who had been on long time valproic acid for treatment of bipolar affective disorder. While being an inpatient, serology ammonia level testing revealed a very high ammonia level despite being asymptomatic. Dual therapy of carnitine and lactulose was provided to the patient for treatment of the hyperammonemia. It should also be noted that, during this treatment, valproic acid was not stopped. Consequently, this case illustrates that patients can present asymptomatically despite very high ammonia levels and hyperammonemia can occur in chronic valproic acid despite not increasing the dose of the medication and psychiatrists do not need to discontinue valproic acid in the presence of elevated levels of ammonia if the patient shows no signs of encephalopathy or delirium.
The Comparison of Dietary Behaviors among Rural Controlled and Uncontrolled Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Kamran Aziz , Shekarchi Ali Akbar , Sharifian Elham , Heydari Heshmatolah
Published: July 2016

Nutrition is a dominant peripheral factor in increasing blood pressure; however, little information is available about the nutritional status of hypertensive patients in Iran. This study aimed to compare nutritional behaviors of the rural controlled and uncontrolled hypertensive patients and to determine the predictive power of nutritional behaviors from blood pressure. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 671 rural hypertensive patients, using multistage random sampling method in Ardabil city in 2013. Data were collected by a 3-day food record questionnaire. Nutritional data were extracted by Nutritionist 4 software and analyzed by the SPSS 18 software using Pearson correlation, multiple linear regression, ANOVA, and independentt-test. A significant difference was observed in the means of fat intake, cholesterol, saturated fat, sodium, energy, calcium, vitamin C, fiber, and nutritional knowledge between controlled and uncontrolled groups. In the controlled group, sodium, saturated fats, vitamin C, calcium, and energy intake explained 30.6% of the variations in blood pressure and, in the uncontrolled group, sodium, carbohydrate, fiber intake, and nutritional knowledge explained 83% of the variations in blood pressure. There was a significant difference in the nutritional behavior between the two groups and changes in blood pressure could be explained significantly by nutritional behaviors.
Non-Mulberry and Mulberry Silk Protein Sericins as Potential Media Supplement for Animal Cell Culture
Authors: Sahu Neety , Pal Shilpa , Sapru Sunaina , Kundu Joydip , Talukdar Sarmistha , Singh N. Ibotambi , Yao Juming , Kundu Subhas C.
Published: July 2016

Silk protein sericins, in the recent years, find application in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals and as biomaterials. We investigate the potential of sericin, extracted from both mulberryBombyx moriand different non-mulberry sources, namely, tropical tasar,Antheraea mylitta; muga,Antheraea assama; and eri,Samia ricini,as growth supplement in serum-free culture medium. Sericin supplemented media containing different concentrations of sericins from the different species are examined for attachment, growth, proliferation, and morphology of fibrosarcoma cells. The optimum sericin supplementation seems to vary with the source of sericins. The results indicate that all the sericins promote the growth of L929 cells in serum-free culture media; however,S. ricinisericin seems to promote better growth of cells amongst other non-mulberry sericins.
Relationship between Lower Limb Angular Kinematic Variables and the Effectiveness of Sprinting during the Acceleration Phase
Authors: Struzik Artur , Konieczny Grzegorz , Stawarz Mateusz , Grzesik Kamila , Winiarski Sławomir , Rokita Andrzej
Published: July 2016

The ability to reach a high running velocity over a short distance is essential to a high playing performance in team games. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between running time over a 10-meter section of a 30-meter sprint along a straight line and changes in the angle and angular velocity that were observed in the ankle, knee, and hip joints. The possible presence may help to optimize motion efficiency during acceleration sprint phase. Eighteen girls involved in team sports were examined in the study. The Fusion Smart Speed System was employed for running time measurements. The kinematic data were recorded using the Noraxon MyoMotion system. Statistically significant relationships were found between running time over a 10-meter section and the kinematic variables of hip and ankle joints. An excessively large flexion in hip joints might have an unfavorable effect on running time during the acceleration phase. Furthermore, in order to minimize running time during the acceleration phase, stride should be maintained along a line (a straight line) rather than from side to side. It is also necessary to ensure an adequate range of motion in the hip and ankle joints with respect to the sagittal axis.
Using Metabolomic Profiles as Biomarkers for Insulin Resistance in Childhood Obesity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Zhao Xue , Gang Xiaokun , Liu Yujia , Sun Chenglin , Han Qing , Wang Guixia
Published: July 2016

A growing body of evidence has shown the intimate relationship between metabolomic profiles and insulin resistance (IR) in obese adults, while little is known about childhood obesity. In this review, we searched available papers addressing metabolomic profiles and IR in obese children from inception to February 2016 on MEDLINE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and EMASE. HOMA-IR was applied as surrogate markers of IR and related metabolic disorders at both baseline and follow-up. To minimize selection bias, two investigators independently completed this work. After critical selection, 10 studies (including 2,673 participants) were eligible and evaluated by using QUADOMICS for quality assessment. Six of the 10 studies were classified as “high quality.” Then we generated all the metabolites identified in each study and found amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism were the main affected metabolic pathways in obese children. Among identified metabolites, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), aromatic amino acids (AAAs), and acylcarnitines were reported to be associated with IR as biomarkers most frequently. Additionally, BCAAs and tyrosine seemed to be relevant to future metabolic risk in the long-term follow-up cohorts, emphasizing the importance of early diagnosis and prevention strategy. Because of limited scale and design heterogeneity of existing studies, future studies might focus on validating above findings in more large-scale and longitudinal studies with elaborate design.
Delivery after Operation for Deeply Infiltrating Endometriosis
Authors: Allerstorfer Christina , Oppelt Peter , Enzelsberger Simon H. , Shamiyeh Andreas , Schimetta Wolfgang , Shebl Omar Josef , Mayer Richard Bernhard
Published: July 2016

Background.It has been suggested that, during pregnancy, endometriosis can cause a variety of disease-related complications.Objectives.The purpose of the study was to find out if women with histologically confirmed endometriosis do have a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcome and if they suffer from a higher rate of complications during labor.Study Design.51 women who underwent surgery because of deeply infiltrating endometriosis in the General Hospital Linz and the Women’s General Hospital Linz and who gave birth in the Women’s General Hospital Linz after the surgery were included in our survey.Results.31 women (60.8%) had a spontaneous delivery and in 20 women (39.2%) a caesarean section was performed. There were no cases of third- and fourth-degree perineal lacerations. Collectively there were 4 cases (7.8%) of preterm delivery and one case (2.0%) of premature rupture of membranes. In two women (6.5%) a retained placenta was diagnosed.Conclusions.Our study is the first description on delivery modes after surgery for deeply infiltrating endometriosis. We did not find an elevated risk for perineal or vaginal laceration in women with a history of surgery for deeply infiltrating endometriosis, even when a resection of the rectum or of the posterior vaginal wall had been performed.
Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention through a Severely Bent Artificial Ascending Aorta Using the DIO Thrombus Aspiration Catheter
Authors: Fujikake Akinori , Komatsu Takaaki , Taguchi Isao
Published: July 2016

A 66-year-old man was admitted to our institute because of chest pain. He had undergone replacement of the ascending aorta due to aortic dissection 9 years previously. We made a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome, and coronary artery angiography was performed. Although the right coronary artery was successfully cannulated, a severe bend of the artificial aorta made it very difficult to advance the catheter into the left coronary artery. Ultimately, a DIO thrombus aspiration catheter was used to enter the left coronary artery, and a stent was implanted successfully. The DIO catheter is very useful when the selection of a guiding catheter is complicated, such as in the case of severe vessel tortuosity or a bend of the ascending aorta.
Long-Term Fatigue and Its Probability of Failure Applied to Dental Implants
Authors: Prados-Privado María , Prados-Frutos Juan Carlos , Gehrke Sérgio Alexandre , Sánchez Siles Mariano , Calvo Guirado José Luis , Bea José Antonio
Published: July 2016

It is well known that dental implants have a high success rate but even so, there are a lot of factors that can cause dental implants failure. Fatigue is very sensitive to many variables involved in this phenomenon. This paper takes a close look at fatigue analysis and explains a new method to study fatigue from a probabilistic point of view, based on a cumulative damage model and probabilistic finite elements, with the goal of obtaining the expected life and the probability of failure. Two different dental implants were analysed. The model simulated a load of 178 N applied with an angle of 0°, 15°, and 20° and a force of 489 N with the same angles. Von Mises stress distribution was evaluated and once the methodology proposed here was used, the statistic of the fatigue life and the probability cumulative function were obtained. This function allows us to relate each cycle life with its probability of failure. Cylindrical implant has a worst behaviour under the same loading force compared to the conical implant analysed here. Methodology employed in the present study provides very accuracy results because all possible uncertainties have been taken in mind from the beginning.
Mortality and Associated Risk Factors in Dialysis Patients with Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Tong Junrong , Liu Manyi , Li Hong , Luo Zhengmao , Zhong Xianyang , Huang Jun , Liu Riguang , He Feng , Fu Junzhou
Published: July 2016

Background/Aims: Although dialysis patients have a higher risk of morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) than the general population, the mortality and associated risk factors in Asian dialysis patients with CVD have not been well examined. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, mortality and risk factors were investigated in 591 dialysis patients who were recruited from two dialysis centers from May 1, 2009 to May 1, 2014. The Cox proportional hazards regression assessed adjusted differences in mortality risk. A multivariate analysis was also performed, comparing the CVD and non-CVD groups. Results: A total of 591 patients were enrolled in this study (mean age, 52.05 ± 16.46 years [SD]; 61.8% men; 20.8% with CVD), with a median follow-up of 21.9 (maximum, 72) months. The cumulative hazard of mortality was significantly higher in CVD patients (hazard ratio [HR], 1.835; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.023-3.293; P=0.042) than in their non-CVD counterparts after adjusting for various confounders. On multivariate Cox analysis, stroke (HR, 4.574; 95% CI, 2.149-9.736; P<0.001) was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in the CVD group. In the non-CVD group, diabetes mellitus (HR, 2.974; 95% CI, 1.560-5.668; P=0.001) and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive lipoprotein (hs-CRP) (HR, 1.017; 95% CI, 1.005-1.030; P=0.005) were independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Conclusion: All-cause mortality was significantly higher in the CVD group than in the non-CVD group. Stroke is an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality in dialysis patients with CVD. These findings warrant further studies into preventive and interventional strategies.
Hemodynamic Assessment of a Murine Heterotopic Biventricularly Loaded Cardiac Transplant in vivo Model
Authors: Książek Agnieszka A. , Mitchell Katharyn J. , Morax Laurent , Schwarzwald Colin C. , Hoerstrup Simon P. , Weber Benedikt
Published: July 2016

Background: Heterotopic heart transplantation (HHT) in rodent animal models represents an important technique enabling studies on organ transplantation immunology and pharmaceutical development. Recent investigations used nonworking HHT designs, with the left ventricle (LV) bypassed in the anastomosis system. In spite of their principal success, the lack of orthogonal ventricular filling leads to myocardial atrophy. However, when focusing on the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the in vivo remodeling of the myocardium or cell-based cardiovascular implants, a nonworking model is suboptimal as it lacks the native-analogous hemodynamic and metabolic situation. Here we present the hemodynamic and electrical assessment of a biventricularly loaded murine HHT method without the need for a combined heart-lung transplantation approach. Methods: Heterotopic transplantations (n = 13) were performed on C57BL/6J-(H-2b) inbred mice (n = 13 donors, n = 13 recipients) by creating end-to-side anastomoses between the donors' cranial vena cava (CrVC) and the recipients' abdominal caudal vena cava (CVC), between the donors' ascending aorta and the recipients' abdominal aorta (aAo), and between the grafts' pulmonary trunk and the left atrium. After transplantation, a hemodynamic assessment using echocardiography (including 2D speckle tracking analysis) and electrocardiography was performed. Results: The loaded HHT procedure in the mice was performed with an overall success rate of 61%. In 3 of the remaining 5 cases, only atrial function was restored. The median duration of the entire surgical procedure for the recipient animal was 190 (IQR 180-250) min. The mean heart rate in the loaded HHT group was 355 ± 6 bpm in comparison to the control group with an in situ heart rate of 418 ± 61 bpm. A native-like closing and opening pattern of the aortic and mitral valves (visible on both 2D and M-mode images) was observed, confirming a native-analogous loading of the LV. Pulsed-wave Doppler provided visualization of the flow across the region of anastomoses between the pulmonary trunk and the left atrium, reaching a mean maximum velocity of 382 ± 12 mm/s. Exemplary 2D speckle tracking analysis of the LV free wall and interventricular septum revealed some differences in vector directions in one animal when compared to the orthotopic native heart, indicating an asynchronous movement of the LV. Conclusions: These results demonstrate the technical (micro)surgical feasibility of a fully loaded HHT procedure in the murine model without using a combined heart-lung transplantation approach. The acute hemodynamic performance of the HHT grafts approximated the native orthotopic situation. This model may open up new options for the investigation of cellular and molecular questions in the murine cardiovascular in vivo system in the near future.
Stereotactic Thalamotomy for Hairdresser's Dystonia: A Case Series
Authors: Horisawa Shiro , Goto Shinichi , Nakajima Takeshi , Ochiai Taku , Kawamata Takakazu , Taira Takaomi
Published: July 2016

Background: Hairdresser's dystonia is a rarely reported form of focal hand dystonia, and the clinical course and treatment remains poorly understood. Objectives: The aim of this report was to clarify the impact of thalamotomy on hairdresser's dystonia. Methods: Four consecutive patients with hairdresser's task-specific dystonia evaluated at Tokyo Women's Medical University Hospital between 2008 and 2013 were treated with stereotactic thalamotomy, and were recruited for this case series. Results: The mean age at the onset of symptoms was 37.25 ± 10.64 years, the median duration of symptoms was 4.25 ± 1.3 years, and the mean follow-up period was 17 ± 12.37 months. Two of the 4 patients returned to work with significant improvement following the stereotactic thalamotomy and the beneficial effects persisted for the duration of their clinical follow-up. The other 2 patients experienced transient improvements for up to 3 months. Surgical complications included only dysarthria in 2 patients, and did not interfere with their daily activities. No patients experienced a deterioration of dystonic symptoms after thalamotomy. Conclusion: Although the benefits of thalamotomy remain vulnerable to incorrect or insufficient coagulation, stereotactic thalamotomy may be a feasible and effective procedure for patients with hairdresser's dystonia.
Dental Caries and Tooth Wear in a Byzantine Paediatric Population (7th to 10th Centuries AD) from Yenikapı-Constantinople, Istanbul
Authors: Caglar Esber , Görgülü Mehmet , Kuscu Ozgur O.
Published: July 2016

Dental caries and wear are important conditions to record in archaeological collections. The aim of the present paper is to determine the frequency and distribution of dental caries and dental wear in a mediaeval Byzantine paediatric population in Yenikapı, Constantinople, Istanbul. The present research was carried out on the skeletal remains of 1 infant and 28 children with a total of 180 teeth (113 primary and 67 permanent teeth). The frequency of ante-mortem tooth loss in the sample was 1%. The total frequency of carious lesions in the sample was 2.2%. The frequency of dental wear was rather low (3.3%) exhibiting presence of dentin clusters mostly. The present study evaluated an archaeological collection with low dental wear and low dental caries prevalence indicating a fishing community.
Increased Intestinal Permeability and Decreased Barrier Function: Does It Really Influence the Risk of Inflammation?
Authors: Fukui Hiroshi
Published: July 2016

Background: Increased intestinal permeability due to barrier dysfunction is supposed to cause microbial translocation which may induce low-grade inflammation in various diseases. However, this series of events has not been comprehensively evaluated yet. Summary: Intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction and increased permeability have been described in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), liver cirrhosis, acute pancreatitis, primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), type 1 and type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, chronic heart failure (CHF), depression, and other diseases. Most clinical reports used either permeability assays of challenge tests or measurement of circulating bacterial markers like endotoxin for assessment of ‘the leaky gut'. The intestinal permeability assessed by the challenge tests has often been related to the changes of tight junction proteins in the epithelium or circulating endotoxin levels. In patients with IBD, alcoholic liver disease, NASH, liver cirrhosis, PBC, obstructive jaundice, severe acute pancreatitis, and CHF, endotoxemia and proinflammatory cytokinemia have been found in addition to increased permeability. In the serum of patients with IBS and depression, antiflagellin antibodies and antilipid A antibodies were detected, respectively, together with increased permeability and proinflammatory cytokinemia. The site of infection, which is localized to the intestine in IBD and IBS, includes various extraintestinal organs in other diseases. The relation of gut dysbiosis to intestinal barrier dysfunction has gradually been clarified. Key Messages: Although no direct cause-and-effect relationship has been confirmed, all clinical and experimental data suggest the importance of intestinal hyperpermeability in the inflammatory changes of various diseases. Increased intestinal permeability is a new target for disease prevention and therapy. Considering the close relationship of ‘the leaky gut' and gut dysbiosis to the major diseases, we can conclude that meticulous dietetic and probiotic approaches to recover healthy microbiota have the potential to make a breakthrough in the management of these diseases tomorrow.
Édouard Manet's Tabes Dorsalis: From Painful Ataxia to Phantom Limb
Authors: Bogousslavsky Julien , Tatu Laurent
Published: July 2016

Édouard Manet (1832-1883) is considered the ‘father' of Impressionism and even of XXth century modern art. Manet's genius involved getting away from the classical narrative or historical topics and replacing them by the banality of daily life. Technically, he erased volumes into flat two-dimensional coloured planes, and distorted conventional perspective with often gross brushstrokes intentionally giving an ‘unfinished' aspect to the work. It is little known that Manet had a very painful second part of his life, due to excruciating limb and chest pains, which developed in parallel with proprioceptive ataxia and gait imbalance. Manet always remained discreet about his private life, and we mainly know that his future wife was his family piano teacher, with whom he had a liaison already at age 17. Later, the great but platonic passion of his life was the painter Berthe Morisot (1841-1895), who got married to Manet's brother Eugène. In fact, we do not know whether he had any mistress at all, although he had several elegant ‘flirts' in the mundane and artistic milieu. Thus, while Manet's progressive painful ataxia from age 40 yields little doubt on its tabetic origin, how he contracted syphilis at least 15-20 years before will probably remain a mystery. It is fascinating that Manet's daily struggle against pain and poor coordination may have led his art to become one of the most significant of modern times, opening the way to XXth century avant-gardes, along with another victim of syphilis, Paul Gauguin (1848-1903). Manet never showed any sign of General Paresis, and like his contemporary the writer Alphonse Daudet, his clinical picture remained dominated by paroxysmal pain and walking impairment. Difficult hand coordination made him quit watercolor painting, and during the last 2 years of his life, he had to focus on small format oil works, whose subject was nearly limited to modest bunches of fresh flowers, now often considered to be his maturity masterpieces. Having become bedridden, he had to be amputated of one leg, which was developing gangrene probably associated with ergot overuse. While he died shortly thereafter, we have some witness anecdotes suggesting that he experienced a phantom limb: when Claude Monet (1840-1926) visited him and sat down on his bed, Manet violently shouted at him that he was just sitting on his (absent) leg, which provoked terrible pains. With its facts and mysteries, the subtle interaction between Manet's illness and his work output remains one of the most intriguing stories in neurology of art.
Nutritional Status Associated to Skipping Breakfast in Brazilian Health Service Patients
Authors: Batista-Jorge Gislaine Cândida , Barcala-Jorge Antônio Sérgio , Oliveira Dias Anderson Frederico , Silveira Marise Fagundes , de Farias Lelis Deborah , Oliveira Andrade João Marcus , Claro Rafael Moreira , de Paula Alfredo Mauricio Batista , Guimaraes Andre Luiz Sena , Ferreira Adaliene Versiane , Santos Sérgio Henrique Sousa
Published: July 2016

Recent studies show that skipping breakfast is associated with an increased risk of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In this context, this study evaluated 400 patients from the Brazilian health service who had their nutritional status defined based on the body mass index and were classified as physically active or insufficient active. The energy intake and macronutrients was also assessed by a 24-hour dietary recall where the association of overweight/obesity with the investigated variables was evaluated using chi-square, Student's t test and multivariate analysis (p < 0.05). The main results showed that more than half of the studied population have the habit of omitting breakfast (55.8%), and among those, 81.2% were overweight/obese (p < 0.0001). Almost three-fourths of these individuals consumed no more than 4 meals a day (73.0%), and regarding this meal frequency/day, 78.8% of the individuals who reported having 4 meals or less a day were overweight/obese compared with 57.8% who reported as having 5-6 meals/day (p < 0.0001). The individuals who reported to omit breakfast had a higher chance of being overweight compared with those who had this habit (OR 2.20; 95% CI 1.40-3.60) and the chance of the physically insufficient active individuals to be overweight/obese was 2.9 times higher when compared to the active individuals (p < 0.0001). Our findings suggest that regular breakfast consumption may decrease overweight and obesity risk.
Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells in Regenerative Medicine: Can Preconditioning Strategies Improve Therapeutic Efficacy
Authors: Schäfer Richard , Spohn Gabriele , Baer Patrick C.
Published: July 2016

Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are becoming increasingly important for the development of cell therapeutics in regenerative medicine. Featuring immunomodulatory potential as well as secreting a variety of trophic factors, MSCs showed remarkable therapeutic effects in numerous preclinical disease models. However, sustainable translation of MSC therapies to the clinic is hampered by heterogeneity of MSCs and non-standardized in vitro culture technologies. Moreover, potent MSC therapeutics require MSCs with maximum regenerative capacity. There is growing evidence that in vitro preconditioning strategies of MSCs can optimize their therapeutic potential. In the following we will discuss achievements and challenges of the development of MSC therapies in regenerative medicine highlighting specific in vitro preconditioning strategies prior to cell transplantation to increase their therapeutic efficacy.
Idiopathic Facial Aseptic Granuloma in a 13-Year-Old Boy Dramatically Improved with Oral Doxycycline and Topical Metronidazole: Evidence for a Link with Childhood Rosacea
Authors: Orion Camille , Sfecci Alicia , Tisseau Laurent , Darrieux Laure , Safa Gilles
Published: July 2016

Idiopathic facial aseptic granuloma (IFAG) is a rare, benign pediatric dermatological lesion that occurs in children between 8 months and 13 years of age. The pathogenesis of IFAG is still unclear but it is likely to be associated with granulomatous rosacea in childhood. Here we describe a case of IFAG in a 13-year-old boy who showed a dramatic response to oral doxycycline and topical metronidazole, which supports the hypothesis that IFAG may belong to the spectrum of rosacea.
M2-Polarized Macrophages Compose Lupus Vulgaris Arising from a Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Vaccination Site
Authors: Sato Yota , Fujimura Taku , Furudate Sadanori , Kakizaki Aya , Iizawa Osamu , Aiba Setsuya
Published: July 2016

Since bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is an attenuated strain of Mycobacterium bovis, lupus vulgaris (LV) is reported as one of the rare complications after BCG vaccination, correlating with immunosuppression in the lesional skin. In this report, we describe a case of LV arising from the BCG vaccination site 22 years after vaccination. Interestingly, in the present case, granuloma cells were composed of M2-polarized macrophages. Our case might explain the contribution of M2-polarized macrophages to the biology of LV arising from a BCG vaccination site.