bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Migraine with aura and TCD bubble-test: The significance of positive result
Authors: Podgorac Ana , Zidverc-Trajkovic Jasna , Jovanovic Zagorka , Radojicic Aleksandra , Pavlovic Aleksandra , Mijajlovic Milija , Svabic-Medjedovic Tamara , Covickovic-Sternic Nadezda
Published: July 2015

Background/Aim. The association between the right-to left shunt (RLS) and
migraine with aura (MA) has been proven so far. The aim of this study was to
determine if the presence of RLS detected as a result of transcranial doppler
(TCD) bubble-test, makes any difference in clinical presentation, aura and
headache in patients with MA. Methods. A single-group descriptive study was
conducted on 153 patients diagnosed with MA. TCD bubble-test was performed on
135 of them. The recorded demographic and clinical features of patients were
analyzed and compared with the results of the TCD bubble test. Results. In
the group of 135 patients, 88 (65.2%) had positive TCD bubble-test. The
difference in the investigated clinical features of patients of the patients
and aura between the patients with and without RLS, was not found.
Conclusion. The results of our study confirm a high prevalence of
right-to-left shunt in patients with MA, but the clinical relevance of this
association was not shown.
Efficacy of nanocrystalline bone substitute biphasic calcium phosphate/poly-DL-lactide-co-glycolide for periodontal intrabony defects filling
Authors: Stevanovic Momir , Biocanin Vladimir , Nedic Milica , Ignjatovic Nenad
Published: July 2015

Background/Aim. Different bone substitutes have been used for filling and
reparation of intrabony defects. The aim of this study was to compare
nanocrystalline material, biphasic calcium phosphate
poly-DL-lactide-co-glycolide (BCP/PLGA) with deproteinised bovine bone (DPBB)
and ?-tricalcium phosphate (?- TCP) in the treatment of periodontal intrabony
defects. Methods. The study included 24 patients with bilateral, intrabony
defects in the region of the upper first and second premolar, and the upper
first molar. On one side of the mouth, DPBB (BioOss?) was used to fill
defects in upper premolars while ?- TCP (RTR?) was used for the upper first
molar. BCP/PLGA was applied into periodontal defects of the upper premolars
and upper first molar of the opposite side. Results. The comparison of the
BCP/PLGA and the ?-TCP group, 6 months following filling of defects, showed a
statistically significant reduction of periodontal pocket depth (PPD) and the
position of the cementenamel junction (CEJ) in the group with BCP/PLGA, when
compared to the ?-TCP group. The reduction of PPD and CEJ was similar in the
groups treated with BCP/PLGA and DPBB. Conclusion. Significant reductions of
PPD and CEJ were registered in the group with BCP/PLGA when compared to the
?- TCP group.
Identifying residual stresses in laser welds by fatigue crack growth acceleration measurement
Authors: Sundqvist Jesper , Kaplan Alexander F. H. , Granström Jan , Sundin Karl-Gustaf , Keskitalo Markku , Mäntyjärvi Kari , Ren Xiaobo
Published: July 2015

During laser welding, residual stresses are thermally induced. They can have strong impact on the fatigue behavior and fatigue life. A standardized measurement method for the fatigue crack growth rate was expanded to identify residual stress along the cracking path. The second derivative of the measured crack opening and in turn the crack acceleration corresponded well with distinct acceleration maxima and minima and accordingly with tensile and compressive stress, as was basically proven by numerical simulation. The method is simple and extendable. It provides valuable information, as was demonstrated for various situations.
Research Procedure: An Introduction
Authors: Bist Resham Bahadur
Published: July 2015

Research is common phenomenon to investigate the resolution of existing problems and generate the new dimension of knowledge in all sectors. It aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and wisdom which is undertaken with its certain system and procedures. Regarding the issue of research, this article aims to explain briefly what research is, its significance, and its purposes. It then mentions about the types of research and its methods, processes, and qualities briefly. Journal of NELTA Surkhet Vol.4 2014: 34-40
Large Under-Resourced ELT Classes: What do the Learners Expect?
Authors: Ghimire Ramesh Prasad
Published: July 2015

This research explores the learners’ expectations in a large under-resourced ELT classes in Nepalese context. The researcher used a set of questionnaire as a tool for data collection. The data were collected from a total of one hundred secondary level students at different government- aided schools in Kathmandu valley. The collected data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. The overall findings of the survey revealed that the learners expect a wide variety of activities to be used in a large ELT classroom. Similarly, they highly emphasize the rapport with the teacher, and expect normal speed of speech from the teacher while teaching. The implication of these and many other findings is that large and under-resourced ELT classes in Nepalese context need special attention on the part of the teacher. As far as possible collaborative activities like group and pair works should be encouraged and the teacher must be active and dynamic in the classroom paying attention to all kinds of learners. Journal of NELTA Surkhet Vol.4 2014: 64-69
The meningeal branches of the superior cerebellar artery: a surgical observation study
Authors: Umeoka Katsuya , Takusakawa Yutaka , Kominami Shushi , Kobayashi Shiro , Morita Akio
Published: July 2015

OBJECT

The tentorial branch of the posterior cerebral artery was first identified in a cadaver dissection study. However, the tentorial branch of the superior cerebellar artery (SCA) has not been clearly described in autopsy or normal anatomical studies. In this study, a dural branch of the SCA that was found during the surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia is described.

METHODS

Between April 2011 and March 2014, 70 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia underwent microvascular decompression. The records of 58 patients were reviewed to investigate the meningeal branch of the SCA.

RESULTS

The meningeal branch of the SCA was visualized in 15 of the 58 patients (25.9%). In 4 patients, it was necessary to divide this branch in order to achieve decompression of the trigeminal nerve without eliciting postoperative neurological deficits.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first identification of the meningeal branch of the SCA in living subjects, and such branches were rather frequently found. Recognition of this branch is important for the management of lesions in the cerebellopontine angle and tentorial lesions, using either an open microsurgical or endovascular method.
Intraoperative fiducial-less patient registration using volumetric 3D ultrasound: a prospective series of 32 neurosurgical cases
Authors: Fan Xiaoyao , Roberts David W. , Ji Songbai , Hartov Alex , Paulsen Keith D.
Published: July 2015

OBJECT

Fiducial-based registration (FBR) is used widely for patient registration in image-guided neurosurgery. The authors of this study have developed an automatic fiducial-less registration (FLR) technique to find the patient-to-image transformation by directly registering 3D ultrasound (3DUS) with MR images without incorporating prior information. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the performance of the FLR technique when used prospectively in the operating room and to compare it with conventional FBR.

METHODS

In 32 surgical patients who underwent conventional FBR, preoperative T1-weighted MR images (pMR) with attached fiducial markers were acquired prior to surgery. After craniotomy but before dural opening, a set of 3DUS images of the brain volume was acquired. A 2-step registration process was executed immediately after image acquisition: 1) the cortical surfaces from pMR and 3DUS were segmented, and a multistart sum-of-squared-intensity-difference registration was executed to find an initial alignment between down-sampled binary pMR and 3DUS volumes; and 2) the alignment was further refined by a mutual information-based registration between full-resolution grayscale pMR and 3DUS images, and a patient-to-image transformation was subsequently extracted.

RESULTS

To assess the accuracy of the FLR technique, the following were quantified: 1) the fiducial distance error (FDE); and 2) the target registration error (TRE) at anterior commissure and posterior commissure locations; these were compared with conventional FBR. The results showed that although the average FDE (6.42 ± 2.05 mm) was higher than the fiducial registration error (FRE) from FBR (3.42 ± 1.37 mm), the overall TRE of FLR (2.51 ± 0.93 mm) was lower than that of FBR (5.48 ± 1.81 mm). The results agreed with the intent of the 2 registration techniques: FBR is designed to minimize the FRE, whereas FLR is designed to optimize feature alignment and hence minimize TRE. The overall computational cost of FLR was approximately 4–5 minutes and minimal user interaction was required.

CONCLUSIONS

Because the FLR method directly registers 3DUS with MR by matching internal image features, it proved to be more accurate than FBR in terms of TRE in the 32 patients evaluated in this study. The overall efficiency of FLR in terms of the time and personnel involved is also improved relative to FBR in the operating room, and the method does not require additional image scans immediately prior to surgery. The performance of FLR and these results suggest potential for broad clinical application.
Disrupting the right pars opercularis with electrical stimulation frees the song: case report
Authors: Herbet Guillaume , Lafargue Gilles , Almairac Fabien , Moritz-Gasser Sylvie , Bonnetblanc François , Duffau Hugues
Published: July 2015

The authors report the first case of a strikingly unusual speech impairment evoked by intraoperative electrostimulation in a 36-year-old right-handed patient, a well-trained singer, who underwent awake surgery for a right fronto-temporo-insular low-grade glioma. Functionally disrupting the pars opercularis of the right inferior frontal gyrus led the patient to automatically switch from a speaking to a singing mode of language production. Given the central role of the right pars opercularis in the inhibitory control network, the authors propose that this finding may be interpreted as possible evidence for a competitive and independent neurocognitive subnetwork devoted to the melodically intoned articulation of words (normal language-based vs singing-based) in subjects with high expertise. From a more clinical perspective, such data may have implications for awake neurosurgery, especially to preserve the quality of life for singers.
Impact of sagittal spinopelvic alignment on clinical outcomes after decompression surgery for lumbar spinal canal stenosis without coronal imbalance
Authors: Hikata Tomohiro , Watanabe Kota , Fujita Nobuyuki , Iwanami Akio , Hosogane Naobumi , Ishii Ken , Nakamura Masaya , Toyama Yoshiaki , Matsumoto Morio
Published: July 2015

OBJECT

The object of this study was to investigate correlations between sagittal spinopelvic alignment and improvements in clinical and quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes after lumbar decompression surgery for lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LCS) without coronal imbalance.

METHODS

The authors retrospectively reviewed data from consecutive patients treated for LCS with decompression surgery in the period from 2009 through 2011. They examined correlations between preoperative or postoperative sagittal vertical axis (SVA) and radiological parameters, clinical outcomes, and health-related (HR)QOL scores in patients divided according to SVA. Clinical outcomes were assessed according to Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores. Health-related QOL was evaluated using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) and the JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JOABPEQ).

RESULTS

One hundred nine patients were eligible for inclusion in the study. Compared to patients with normal sagittal alignment prior to surgery (Group A: SVA < 50 mm), those with preoperative sagittal imbalance (Group B: SVA ≥ 50 mm) had significantly smaller lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis angles and larger pelvic tilt. In Group B, there was a significant decrease in postoperative SVA compared with the preoperative SVA (76.3 ± 29.7 mm vs 54.3 ± 39.8 mm, p = 0.004). The patients in Group B with severe preoperative sagittal imbalance (SVA > 80 mm) had residual sagittal imbalance after surgery (82.8 ± 41.6 mm). There were no significant differences in clinical and HRQOL outcomes between Groups A and B. Compared to patients with normal postoperative SVA (Group C: SVA < 50 mm), patients with a postoperative SVA ≥ 50 mm (Group D) had significantly lower JOABPEQ scores, both preoperative and postoperative, for walking ability (preop: 36.6 ± 26.3 vs 22.7 ± 26.0, p = 0.038, respectively; postop: 71.1 ± 30.4 vs 42.5 ± 29.6, p < 0.001) and social functioning (preop: 38.7 ± 18.5 vs 30.2 ± 16.7, p = 0.045; postop: 67.0 ± 25.8 vs 49.6 ± 20.0, p = 0.001), as well as significantly higher postoperative RMDQ (4.9 ± 5.2 vs 7.9 ± 5.7, p = 0.015) and VAS scores for low-back pain (2.68 ± 2.69 vs 3.94 ± 2.59, p = 0.039).

CONCLUSIONS

Preoperative sagittal balance was not significantly correlated with clinical or HRQOL outcomes after decompression surgery in LCS patients without coronal imbalance. Decompression surgery improved the SVA value in patients with preoperative sagittal imbalance; however, the patients with severe preoperative sagittal imbalance (SVA > 80 mm) had residual imbalance after decompression surgery. Both clinical and HRQOL outcomes were negatively affected by postoperative residual sagittal imbalance.
Gradual spinal cord decompression through migration of floated plaques after anterior decompression via a posterolateral approach for OPLL in the thoracic spine
Authors: Kato Satoshi , Murakami Hideki , Demura Satoru , Yoshioka Katsuhito , Hayashi Hiroyuki , Yokogawa Noriaki , Fang Xiang , Tsuchiya Hiroyuki
Published: July 2015

OBJECT

Several surgical procedures have been developed to treat thoracic OPLL (ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament). However, favorable surgical results are not always achieved, and consistent protocols and procedures for surgical treatment of OPLL in this region have not been established. Beak-type OPLL in the thoracic spine is known to be the most complicated form of OPLL to treat surgically. In this study, the authors examine the clinical outcomes after anterior decompression via a posterolateral approach for beak-type OPLL in the thoracic spine and address the gradual spinal cord decompression caused by migration of the floated plaques after surgery.

METHODS

Between 2011 and 2013, a total of 12 patients with thoracic myelopathy due to OPLL were surgically treated at the authors’ institute. The study group for this paper comprises 6 of those 12 patients. These 6 patients, who had beak-type OPLL, underwent with anterior decompression and instrumented fusion via the authors’ posterolateral approach-based surgical technique. The other 6 patients, who exhibited other types of OPLL, underwent posterior decompression and instrumented fusion. In the study group (the 6 patients with beak-type OPLL), half of the patients (the 3 patients who were treated first) were treated with removal of the ossified ligament. These patients are referred to as the removal group. The other 3 patients were treated by means of “floating” the OPLL plaques and are referred to as the floating group. Clinical and radiographic outcomes were evaluated in these 6 cases.

RESULTS

The recovery rates were 52.4% in the removal group and 60.0% in the floating group. Two patients in the removal group had operative complications, including a dural tear and temporary neurological deterioration. No operative complications were encountered in the floating group. In all 3 cases in the floating group, floating of the ossified ligament was completely achieved, and the floated plaque gradually migrated into the ventral bone resection areas. The mean migration distances of the floated plaque were 2.4 mm, 4.3 mm, 4.7 mm, and 4.8 mm at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment of beak-type OPLL in the thoracic spine via the posterolateral approach-based floating plaque technique was safe and effective in this small case series. Gradual migration of the floated plaques provided additional spinal cord decompression during the postoperative course.
Ultrasound stylet for non-image-guided ventricular catheterization
Authors: Coulson Nathaniel K. , Chiarelli Peter A. , Su David K. , Chang Jason J. , MacConaghy Brian , Murthy Revathi , Toms Peter , Robb Terrence L. , Ellenbogen Richard G. , Browd Samuel R. , Mourad Pierre D.
Published: July 2015

OBJECT

Urgent ventriculostomy placement can be a lifesaving procedure in the setting of hydrocephalus or elevated intracranial pressure. While external ventricular drain (EVD) insertion is common, there remains a high rate of suboptimal drain placement. Here, the authors seek to demonstrate the feasibility of an ultrasound-based guidance system that can be inserted into an existing EVD catheter to provide a linear ultrasound trace that guides the user toward the ventricle.

METHODS

The ultrasound stylet was constructed as a thin metal tube, with dimensions equivalent to standard catheter stylets, bearing a single-element, ceramic ultrasound transducer at the tip. Ultrasound backscatter signals from the porcine ventricle were processed by custom electronics to offer real-time information about ventricular location relative to the catheter. Data collected from the prototype device were compared with reference measurements obtained using standard clinical ultrasound imaging.

RESULTS

A study of porcine ventricular catheterization using the experimental device yielded a high rate of successful catheter placement after a single pass (10 of 12 trials), despite the small size of pig ventricles and the lack of prior instruction on porcine ventricular architecture. A characteristic double-peak signal was identified, which originated from ultrasound reflections off of the near and far ventricular walls. Ventricular dimensions, as obtained from the width between peaks, were in agreement with standard ultrasound reference measurements (p < 0.05). Furthermore, linear ultrasound backscatter data permitted in situ measurement of the stylet distance to the ventricular wall (p < 0.05), which assisted in catheter guidance.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors have demonstrated the ability of the prototype ultrasound stylet to guide ventricular access in the porcine brain. The alternative design of the device makes it potentially easy to integrate into the standard workflow for bedside EVD placement. The availability of a fast, easy-to-use, inexpensive guidance system can play a role in reducing the complication rate for EVD placement.
'Protecting the Primitive Natives': Indigenous People as Endangered Species in the Early Nature Protection Movement, 1900-1940
Authors: Sysling Fenneke
Published: July 2015

This paper draws attention to the role of indigenous people in the early nature protection movement in Europe. In the first half of the twentieth century, not only flora and fauna but on several occasions 'natural people' too were the object of the protection ambitions of nature conservationists. In discussions on the history of nature protection much attention has been paid to the ways indigenous people were separated from the nature in which they lived, while today they are often portrayed as ideal guardians of nature. However their complex position in the movement as endangered species themselves has been overlooked. This paper addresses this issue by examining the Swiss naturalist Paul Sarasin's calls for the protection of indigenous people in the 1910s and the campaign of the Netherlands-based Committee for International Nature Protection in the 1930s to establish a reserve to protect the inhabitants of the highlands of New Guinea. These episodes in the history of nature protection show how shared communities of scientific expertise and their concepts of endangerment produced a continuum between 'nature' and 'natural people' in early conservation discourse that was then mobilised into protection schemes.
Marketing Nature: The Canadian National Parks Branch and Constructing the Portrayal of National Parks in Promotional Brochures, 1936-1970
Authors: Saari Paula Johanna
Published: July 2015

This article studies the promotional publications of the Canadian National Parks Branch by examining how the ideal national park landscape was constructed in booklets. The study adds to literature that examines the shifting purposes of national parks and complements recent studies on representations of national park nature, by extending attention to Canadian park brochures, which have received little attention from scholars. Based on an examination of numerous booklets and extensive archival records on promotional publications, the article argues that rather than merely publicising the parks as they were, the Branch carefully constructed the park ideal in its booklets. This portrayal of parks drew from the parks agency's own ideas regarding the purpose of parks and from the perceived wishes of visitors and society, creating expectations of park nature but also responding to them. The park ideal portrayed in booklets transformed over time. The article illustrates how nature's place and meaning was altered in booklets to create and recreate the parks according to the needs of changing times. In examining the National Parks Branch's promotional brochures and their creation process, the article aids our understanding of the place of national parks and nature in society. It demonstrates how the parks agency redefined parks in response to its own evolving views of parks and society's wishes: changing views of what made parks useful altered their representation and the guiding themes of parks promotion shifted from usefulness and recreation to wilderness museum. Promotional literature carried certain connotations - such as national identity connected to natural landscape - throughout the period, rearticulating them to suit different times. As recent discussions on national parks in global perspective have noted, parks are part of transnational circulation of ideas, hence the Canadian experience can also be seen in a broader context.
Expected loss analysis for authentication in constrained channels
Authors: Dimitrakakis Christos , Mitrokotsa Aikaterini , Vaudenay Serge
Published: July 2015

Abstract

We derive bounds on the expected loss for authentication protocols in channels which are constrained due to noisy conditions and communication costs. This is motivated by a number of authentication protocols, where at least some part of the authentication is performed during a phase, lasting n rounds, with no error correction. This requires assigning an acceptable threshold for the number of detected errors and taking into account the cost of incorrect authentication and of communication. This paper describes a framework enabling an expected loss analysis for all the protocols in this family. Computationally simple methods to obtain nearly optimal values for the threshold, as well as for the number of rounds are suggested and upper bounds on the expected loss, holding uniformly, are given. These bounds are tight, as shown by a matching lower bound. Finally, a method to adaptively select both the number of rounds and the threshold is proposed for a certain class of protocols.
‘I'm certainly not one of these women's libbers’: Revisiting Gender inThe Family
Authors: Holmes Su
Published: July 2015

In 1974 the BBC screened the twelve-part documentary serial The Family. Yet despite the title of the programme, and its promise to open up the gendered terrain of the domestic sphere, The Family has largely been conceptualised with regard to discourses of class rather than gender. Given the famous slogan of second-wave feminism that the ‘personal is political’, The Family provides a fertile terrain upon which to consider how discourses relating to the women's movement at the time were negotiated within a particularly (tele)visible domestic sphere. It was often at the level of the micro-political – the everyday oppressions in women's daily lives – that the second wave often sought to politicise the nature of female subjectivity (Tyler 1997). In 1974, many critics and viewers lamented the fact that the wider social insight promised by The Family's publicity failed to transpire, suggesting that it was ultimately about ‘nothing much’. In challenging this view, this article seeks to contribute to the project of writing women, at the level of representation and critical reception, back into the history of canonical documentary texts, a process which can involve revisiting documentaries that have been untouched by feminist scholarship ( Waldman and Walker 1999 ). In doing so, it draws upon archival research undertaken at the BBC Written Archive Centre as based upon press cuttings, internal production memos and BBC Audience Research reports.
Chariots of FireRerun: Locating Film's Cultural Capital on a Contemporary Stage
Authors: Rice Tom , Yumibe Joshua
Published: July 2015

The title sequence of Chariots of Fire – filmed on the West Sands beach of St Andrews, Scotland – has become one of the most reworked and reinterpreted moments of British cinema, transposed across a variety of places, politics and times. In exploring these moves – from the period of its setting in 1924, through its production in 1980, and to its most recent reworkings in the London 2012 Olympics – the article examines the constantly evolving legacies of the sequence and the cultural capital which it has accrued via these various contexts. By considering the original production and its subsequent multiple receptions, the article positions the sequence at the vanguard of shifts in film production and cultural heritage. Viewed from the vantage point of the 2012 Olympics, the film provides an integral source of cultural capital not just for national but also for local and regional economies as they increasingly target new sources of revenue in a post-industrial age.
Situating The South Bank Show: Continuity and Transition in British Arts Television
Authors: Lee David , Corner John
Published: July 2015

This article examines aspects of The South Bank Show (SBS), the UK's long-running and successful series over 35 years, closely associated with its editor and presenter Melvyn Bragg and since 2010 broadcast on the channel Sky Arts 1 rather than on its previous home, the ITV network. After placing this series in the broader history of arts television, the article examines aspects of programme design and address, the diversity of topics treated, and the way in which it has reflected some of the changes at work in the social positioning and evaluation of the arts in Britain. It explores questions about the documentary methods and forms used, the relationship of programme design to different kinds of artistic practice, the way in which artists themselves figure in expositions of their work and the forms of engagement both with the high/popular divide and the playoff between the established and the new. The series is seen to be defined not only by its attempts to be ‘accessible’ but also by its ‘sociability’, often grounded in the settings, informality and tone of the interview exchanges. The article pays attention to the continuation of SBS on Sky Arts 1, including the SBS Specials, before concluding with some more general observations on arts coverage within a changing television economy and an increasingly diverse cultural landscape.
The social dynamics of school bullying
Authors: Thornberg Robert
Published: July 2015

Bullying has over the years been examined and explained in individual as well as in contextual terms, and from a wide range of different theories and methods. A growing number of bullying researchers approach bullying as a socially complex phenomenon and from social psychological and sociological perspectives. There is today a tension between theoretical perspectives on bullying, but also a need for investigating the social and contextual aspects of bullying further. In this article, I will argue for the necessity of dialogue between different theoretical perspectives and the inclusive potential of the social-ecological framework to create a meeting point of theories in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of school bullying.
Bullying and the philosophy of shooting freaks
Authors: Walton Gerald
Published: July 2015

Not Available.
Implementation of a Parallel Algorithm Based on a Spark Cloud Computing Platform
Authors: Wang Longhui , Wang Yong , Xie Yudong
Published: July 2015

Parallel algorithms, such as the ant colony algorithm, take a long time when solving large-scale problems. In this paper, the MAX-MIN Ant System algorithm (MMAS) is parallelized to solve Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) based on a Spark cloud computing platform. We combine MMAS with Spark MapReduce to execute the path building and the pheromone operation in a distributed computer cluster. To improve the precision of the solution, local optimization strategy 2-opt is adapted in MMAS. The experimental results show that Spark has a very great accelerating effect on the ant colony algorithm when the city scale of TSP or the number of ants is relatively large.
Testing of Eight Medicinal Plant Extracts in Combination with Kresoxim-Methyl for Integrated Control of Botrytis cinerea in Apples
Authors: Fielding Burtram , Knowles Cindy-Lee , Vries Filicity , Klaasen Jeremy
Published: July 2015

Botrytis cinerea is a fungus that causes gray mold on many fruit crops. Despite the availability of a large number of botryticides, the chemical control of gray mold has been hindered by the emergence of resistant strains. In this paper, tests were done to determine the botryticidal efficacy of selected plant extracts alone or combined with kresoxim-methyl. In total, eight South African medicinal plants viz Artemisia afra, Elyptropappus rhinocerotis, Galenia africana, Hypoxis hemerocallidea, Siphonochilus aetheopicus, Sutherlandia frutescens, Tulbaghia violacea and Tulbaghia alliacea were screened. Allium sativum, a plant species known to have antifungal activity, was included in the in vivo studies. For the in vitro studies, synergistic interactions between the plant extracts and the kresoxim-methyl fungicide were tested with radial growth assays. Data indicated synergistic inhibitory effects between the fungicide and the plant extracts. Next, different doses of plant extracts combined with kresoxim-methyl were used for decay inhibition studies on Granny Smith apples. Synergistic and additive effects were observed for many of the combinations. Even though this study was done using only one strain of B. cinerea, results showed that the tested indigenous South African plant species possess natural compounds that potentiate the activity of kresoxim-methyl.
Infrared Spectroscopy as a Versatile Analytical Tool for the Quantitative Determination of Antioxidants in Agricultural Products, Foods and Plants
Authors: Cozzolino Daniel
Published: July 2015

Spectroscopic methods provide with very useful qualitative and quantitative information about the biochemistry and chemistry of antioxidants. Near infrared (NIR) and mid infrared (MIR) spectroscopy are considered as powerful, fast, accurate and non-destructive analytical tools that can be considered as a replacement of traditional chemical analysis. In recent years, several reports can be found in the literature demonstrating the usefulness of these methods in the analysis of antioxidants in different organic matrices. This article reviews recent applications of infrared (NIR and MIR) spectroscopy in the analysis of antioxidant compounds in a wide range of samples such as agricultural products, foods and plants.
Proton Beam Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current Clinical Evidence and Future Directions
Authors: Berman Abigail , James Sara , Rengan Ramesh
Published: July 2015

Lung cancer is the leading cancer cause of death in the United States. Radiotherapy is an essential component of the definitive treatment of early-stage and locally-advanced lung cancer, and the palliative treatment of metastatic lung cancer. Proton beam therapy (PBT), through its characteristic Bragg peak, has the potential to decrease the toxicity of radiotherapy, and, subsequently improve the therapeutic ratio. Herein, we provide a primer on the physics of proton beam therapy for lung cancer, present the existing data in early-stage and locally-advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as in special situations such as re-irradiation and post-operative radiation therapy. We then present the technical challenges, such as anatomic changes and motion management, and future directions for PBT in lung cancer, including pencil beam scanning.
Mental Health in Multiple Sclerosis Patients without Limitation of Physical Function: The Role of Physical Activity
Authors: Tallner Alexander , Waschbisch Anne , Hentschke Christian , Pfeifer Klaus , Mäurer Mathias
Published: July 2015

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, in general, show reduced physical function, physical activity, and quality of life. Positive associations between physical activity and quality of life have been reported. In particular, we were interested in the relation between physical activity and mental health in MS patients without limitation of physical function, since limitations of physical function may influence both physical activity and quality of life. Assessment comprised the Baecke questionnaire on physical activity, the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). We ranked our sample according to physical activity into four groups and performed an ANOVA to analyze the relationship between levels of physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Then we performed a subgroup analysis and included patients with unlimited walking distance and a score of less than 18 in the BDI. Most active vs. inactive patients were compared for the mental subscales of the SF-36 and depression scores. From 632 patients, 265 met inclusion criteria and hence quartiles were filled with 67 patients each. Active and inactive patients did not differ considerably in physical function. In contrast, mental subscales of the SF-36 were higher in active patients. Remarkable and significant differences were found regarding vitality, general health perception, social functioning and mental health, all in favor of physically active patients. Our study showed that higher physical activity is still associated with higher mental health scores even if limitations of physical function are accounted for. Therefore, we believe that physical activity and exercise have considerable health benefits for MS patients.
Synthesis of Unsaturated Polyester Resins from Various Bio-Derived Platform Molecules
Authors: Farmer Thomas , Castle Rachael , Clark James , Macquarrie Duncan
Published: July 2015

Utilisation of bio-derived platform molecules in polymer synthesis has advantages which are, broadly, twofold; to digress from crude oil dependence of the polymer industry and secondly to reduce the environmental impact of the polymer synthesis through the inherent functionality of the bio-derived platform molecules. Bulk polymerisation of bio-derived unsaturated di-acids has been employed to produce unsaturated polyester (UPEs) which have been analysed by GPC, TGA, DSC and NMR spectroscopy, advancing on the analysis previously reported. UPEs from the diesters of itaconic, succinic, and fumaric acids were successfully synthesised with various diols and polyols to afford resins of MN 480–477,000 and Tg of −30.1 to −16.6 °C with solubilities differing based on starting monomers. This range of properties allows for many applications and importantly due to the surviving Michael acceptor moieties, solubility and cross-linking can be specifically tailored, post polymerisation, to the desired function. An improved synthesis of itaconate and succinate co-polymers, via the initial formation of an itaconate bis-diol, is also demonstrated for the first time, resulting in significantly improved itaconate incorporation.
Differences between Mice and Humans in Regulation and the Molecular Network of Collagen, Type III, Alpha-1 at the Gene Expression Level: Obstacles that Translational Research Must Overcome
Authors: Wang Lishi , Liu Hongchao , Jiao Yan , Wang Erjian , Clark Stephen , Postlethwaite Arnold , Gu Weikuan , Chen Hong
Published: July 2015

Collagen, type III, alpha-1 (COL3A1) is essential for normal collagen I fibrillogenesis in many organs. There are differences in phenotypes of mutations in the COL3A1 gene in humans and mutations in mice. In order to investigate whether the regulation and gene network of COL3A1 is the same in healthy populations of mice and humans, we compared the quantitative trait loci (QTL) that regulate the expression level of COL3A1 and the gene network of COL3A1 pathways between humans and mice using whole genome expression profiles. Our results showed that, for the regulation of expression of Col3a1 in mice, an eQTL on chromosome (Chr) 12 regulates the expression of Col3a1. However, expression of genes in the syntenic region on human Chr 7 has no association with the expression level of COL3A1. For the gene network comparison, we identified 44 top genes whose expression levels are strongly associated with that of Col3a1 in mice. We next identified 41 genes strongly associated with the expression level of COL3A1 in humans. There are a few but significant differences in the COL3A1 gene network between humans and mice. Several genes showed opposite association with expression of COL3A1. These genes are known to play important roles in development and function of the extracellular matrix of the lung. Difference in the molecular pathway of key genes in the COL3A1 gene network in humans and mice suggest caution should be used in extrapolating results from models of human lung diseases in mice to clinical lung diseases in humans. These differences may influence the efficacy of drugs in humans whose development employed mouse models.
Retinal Cell Death Caused by Sodium Iodate Involves Multiple Caspase-Dependent and Caspase-Independent Cell-Death Pathways
Authors: Balmer Jasmin , Zulliger Rahel , Roberti Stefano , Enzmann Volker
Published: July 2015

Herein, we have investigated retinal cell-death pathways in response to the retina toxin sodium iodate (NaIO3) both in vivo and in vitro. C57/BL6 mice were treated with a single intravenous injection of NaIO3 (35 mg/kg). Morphological changes in the retina post NaIO3 injection in comparison to untreated controls were assessed using electron microscopy. Cell death was determined by TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining. The activation of caspases and calpain was measured using immunohistochemistry. Additionally, cytotoxicity and apoptosis in retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, primary retinal cells, and the cone photoreceptor (PRC) cell line 661W were assessed in vitro after NaIO3 treatment using the ApoToxGlo™ assay. The 7-AAD/Annexin-V staining was performed and necrostatin (Nec-1) was administered to the NaIO3-treated cells to confirm the results. In vivo, degenerating RPE cells displayed a rounded shape and retracted microvilli, whereas PRCs featured apoptotic nuclei. Caspase and calpain activity was significantly upregulated in retinal sections and protein samples from NaIO3-treated animals. In vitro, NaIO3 induced necrosis in RPE cells and apoptosis in PRCs. Furthermore, Nec-1 significantly decreased NaIO3-induced RPE cell death, but had no rescue effect on treated PRCs. In summary, several different cell-death pathways are activated in retinal cells as a result of NaIO3.
A Multi-Objective Approach for Protein Structure Prediction Based on an Energy Model and Backbone Angle Preferences
Authors: Tsay Jyh-Jong , Su Shih-Chieh , Yu Chin-Sheng
Published: July 2015

Protein structure prediction (PSP) is concerned with the prediction of protein tertiary structure from primary structure and is a challenging calculation problem. After decades of research effort, numerous solutions have been proposed for optimisation methods based on energy models. However, further investigation and improvement is still needed to increase the accuracy and similarity of structures. This study presents a novel backbone angle preference factor, which is one of the factors inducing protein folding. The proposed multiobjective optimisation approach simultaneously considers energy models and backbone angle preferences to solve the ab initio PSP. To prove the effectiveness of the multiobjective optimisation approach based on the energy models and backbone angle preferences, 75 amino acid sequences with lengths ranging from 22 to 88 amino acids were selected from the CB513 data set to be the benchmarks. The data sets were highly dissimilar, therefore indicating that they are meaningful. The experimental results showed that the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of the multiobjective optimization approach based on energy model and backbone angle preferences was superior to those of typical energy models, indicating that the proposed approach can facilitate the ab initio PSP.
Mind, Matter, Information and Quantum Interpretations
Authors: Maleeh Reza
Published: July 2015

In this paper I give a new information-theoretic analysis of the formalisms and interpretations of quantum mechanics (QM) in general, and of two mainstream interpretations of quantum mechanics in particular: The Copenhagen interpretation and David Bohm’s interpretation of quantum mechanics. Adopting Juan G. Roederer’s reading of the notion of pragmatic information, I argue that pragmatic information is not applicable to the Copenhagen interpretation since the interpretation is primarily concerned with epistemology rather than ontology. However it perfectly fits Bohm’s ontological interpretation of quantum mechanics in the realms of biotic and artificial systems. Viewing Bohm’s interpretation of QM in the context of pragmatic information imposes serious limitations to the qualitative aspect of such an interpretation, making his extension of the notion active information to every level of reality illegitimate. Such limitations lead to the idea that, contrary to Bohm’s claim, mind is not a more subtle aspect of reality via the quantum potential as active information, but the quantum potential as it affects particles in the double-slit experiment represents the non-algorithmic aspect of the mind as a genuine information processing system. This will provide an information-based ground, firstly, for refreshing our views on quantum interpretations and secondly, for a novel qualitative theory of the relationship of mind and matter in which mind-like properties are exclusive attributes of living systems. To this end, I will also take an information-theoretic approach to the notion of intentionality as interpreted by John Searle.
Efinaconazole Topical Solution, 10%: Factors Contributing to Onychomycosis Success
Authors: Pollak Richard , Siu William , Tatsumi Yoshiyuki , Pillai Radhakrishnan
Published: July 2015

To provide an adequate therapeutic effect against onychomycosis, it has been suggested that topical drugs should have two properties: drug permeability through the nail plate and into the nail bed, and retention of their antifungal activity in the disease-affected areas. Only recently has the importance of other delivery routes (such as subungual) been discussed. Efinaconazole has been shown to have a more potent antifungal activity in vitro than the most commonly used onychomycosis treatments. The low keratin affinity of efinaconazole contributes to its effective delivery through the nail plate and retention of its antifungal activity. Its unique low surface tension formulation provides good wetting properties affording drug delivery both through and under the nail. High antifungal drug concentrations have been demonstrated in the nail of onychomycosis patients, and effectiveness of efinaconazole topical solution, 10% confirmed in two large well-controlled multicenter Phase 3 clinical studies in patients with mild-to-moderate disease.
Lifestyle Factors in Cancer Survivorship: Where We Are and Where We Are Headed
Authors: Vijayvergia Namrata , Denlinger Crystal
Published: July 2015

Advances in early detection and curative therapies have led to an increased number of cancer survivors over the last twenty years. With this population comes the need to evaluate the late and long term effects of cancer treatment and develop recommendations about how to optimally care for these survivors. Lifestyle factors (diet, body weight, physical activity, and smoking) have been linked to a higher risk of many medical comorbidities (cardiovascular, metabolic, etc.). There is increasing evidence linking these factors to the risk of developing cancer and likely cancer-related outcomes. This link has been studied extensively in common cancers like breast, colon, prostate, and lung cancers through observational studies and is now being prospectively evaluated in interventional studies. Realizing that survivors are highly motivated to improve their overall health after a diagnosis of cancer, healthy lifestyle recommendations from oncology providers can serve as a strong tool to motivate survivors to adopt health behavior changes. Our article aims to review the evidence that links lifestyle factors to cancer outcomes and provides clinical recommendations for cancer survivors.
Experimental Study on Artificial Cemented Sand Prepared with Ordinary Portland Cement with Different Contents
Authors: Li Dongliang , Liu Xinrong , Liu Xianshan
Published: July 2015

Artificial cemented sand test samples were prepared by using ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as the cementing agent. Through uniaxial compression tests and consolidated drained triaxial compression tests, the stress-strain curves of the artificial cemented sand with different cementing agent contents (0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.08) under various confining pressures (0.00 MPa, 0.25 MPa, 0.50 MPa and 1.00 MPa) were obtained. Based on the test results, the effect of the cementing agent content (Cv) on the physical and mechanical properties of the artificial cemented sand were analyzed and the Mohr-Coulomb strength theory was modified by using Cv. The research reveals that when Cv is high (e.g., Cv = 0.03, 0.05 or 0.08), the stress-strain curves of the samples indicate a strain softening behavior; under the same confining pressure, as Cv increases, both the peak strength and residual strength of the samples show a significant increase. When Cv is low (e.g., Cv = 0.01), the stress-strain curves of the samples indicate strain hardening behavior. From the test data, a function of Cv (the cementing agent content) with c′ (the cohesion force of the sample) and Δϕ′ (the increment of the angle of shearing resistance) is obtained. Furthermore, through modification of the Mohr-Coulomb strength theory, the effect of cementing agent content on the strength of the cemented sand is demonstrated.
Bond Strength of Composite CFRP Reinforcing Bars in Timber
Authors: Corradi Marco , Righetti Luca , Borri Antonio
Published: July 2015

The use of near-surface mounted (NSM) fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) bars is an interesting method for increasing the shear and flexural strength of existing timber members. This article examines the behaviour of carbon FRP (CFRP) bars in timber under direct pull-out conditions. The objective of this experimental program is to investigate the bond strength between composite bars and timber: bars were epoxied into small notches made into chestnut and fir wood members using a commercially-available epoxy system. Bonded lengths varied from 150 to 300 mm. Failure modes, stress and strain distributions and the bond strength of CFRP bars have been evaluated and discussed. The pull-out capacity in NSM CFRP bars at the onset of debonding increased with bonded length up to a length of 250 mm. While CFRP bar’s pull-out was achieved only for specimens with bonded lengths of 150 and 200 mm, bar tensile failure was mainly recorded for bonded lengths of 250 and 300 mm.