bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Fertilization and Rootstocks in the Biomass Energy Characterization of Prunus dulcis (Miller)
Authors: Mondragón-Valero Alba , Velázquez-Martí Borja , Salazar Domingo M. , López-Cortés Isabel
Published: May 2018

The importance of replacing fossil fuels with new energy routes such as the use of biomass leads to the improvement of sources such as agricultural and forest systems through adequate management techniques.The selection of the vegetal material and the management practices can influence the properties and quality of the obtained biofuel. The properties of the biomass obtained from pruning almond trees (Prunus dulcis (Mill)) have been analyzed in this study. Two varieties were tested, Marcona and Vayro, with three rootstocks, GF305, GF677 and GN Garnem, under different fertilization systems. The quality of the biofuel was evaluated with respect to the chemical composition and gross calorific value. We observed that the variables that mostly influenced the gross calorific value of the biomass were the variety, the rootstock and, primarily, the variety-rootstock interaction. Marcona presented better biomass properties than Vayro. Trees grafted on GF305 obtained a higher gross calorific value than the ones grafted on GF677 and GN Garnem. The percentage of nitrogen highly depended on the fertilization treatment applied, with saccharides and aminoacid fertilization accumulating a higher level of nitrogen than the humic and fluvic fertilization.
Study on Heat Utilization in an Attached Sunspace in a House with a Central Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning System
Authors: Ma Qingsong , Fukuda Hiroatsu , Lee Myonghyang , Kobatake Takumi , Kuma Yuko , Ozaki Akihito , Wei Xindong
Published: May 2018

Based on numerical simulations, the heating load reduction effect of an attached sunspace in winter was determined, and the effective heat utilization method and sunspace design were explored. In this paper, we studied the heating load reduction effect using heat from the sunspace and temperature fluctuation of each room at the time of heat use from the sunspace (sending air from the sunspace to the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) machine room and taking the air to the adjacent rooms). In the case of the all-day HVAC system, it was confirmed that a larger capacity of sunspace and not sending air from the sunspace to the adjacent room demonstrated a better heating-load reduction effect. Compared with Model Iw (a house with a window on the exterior of the sunspace opened to external air), Model I (a house with an attached sunspace on the second floor) could save approximately 41% of the total energy. Model II (a house with the attached sunspace both on the first and second floors) could save approximately 84% of the total energy. Sending heat from the sunspace to the adjacent room led to temperature increases in the adjacent rooms. However, if the construction plan is to have the sunspace only on the second floor, the house should be carefully designed, for example, by placing a living room on the second floor.
Fumaric Acid Production: A Biorefinery Perspective
Authors: Martin-Dominguez Victor , Estevez Juliana , Ojembarrena Francisco de Borja , Santos Victoria E. , Ladero Miguel
Published: May 2018

The increasing scarcity of fossil raw materials, together with the need to develop new processes and technology based on renewable sources, and the need to dispose of an increasing amount of biomass-derived waste, have boosted the concept of biorefineries. Both 1G and 2G biorefineries are focused on the obtention of biofuels, chemicals, materials, food and feed from biomass, a renewable resource. Fumaric acid, and most compounds involved in the Kreb cycle, are considered key platform chemicals, not only for being acidulants and additives in the food industry, but also for their prospective use as monomers. This review is focused on the biotechnological processes based on fungi, mainly of the Rhizopus genus, whose main product is fumaric acid, on the process conditions, the bioreactors and modes of operation and on the purification of the acid once it is produced.
Agent-Based Modeling of Taxi Behavior Simulation with Probe Vehicle Data
Authors: Ranjit Saurav , Witayangkurn Apichon , Nagai Masahiko , Shibasaki Ryosuke
Published: May 2018

Taxi behavior is a spatial–temporal dynamic process involving discrete time dependent events, such as customer pick-up, customer drop-off, cruising, and parking. Simulation models, which are a simplification of a real-world system, can help understand the effects of change of such dynamic behavior. In this paper, agent-based modeling and simulation is proposed, that describes the dynamic action of an agent, i.e., taxi, governed by behavior rules and properties, which emulate the taxi behavior. Taxi behavior simulations are fundamentally done for optimizing the service level for both taxi drivers as well as passengers. Moreover, simulation techniques, as such, could be applied to another field of application as well, where obtaining real raw data are somewhat difficult due to privacy issues, such as human mobility data or call detail record data. This paper describes the development of an agent-based simulation model which is based on multiple input parameters (taxi stay point cluster; trip information (origin and destination); taxi demand information; free taxi movement; and network travel time) that were derived from taxi probe GPS data. As such, agent’s parameters were mapped into grid network, and the road network, for which the grid network was used as a base for query/search/retrieval of taxi agent’s parameters, while the actual movement of taxi agents was on the road network with routing and interpolation. The results obtained from the simulated taxi agent data and real taxi data showed a significant level of similarity of different taxi behavior, such as trip generation; trip time; trip distance as well as trip occupancy, based on its distribution. As for efficient data handling, a distributed computing platform for large-scale data was used for extracting taxi agent parameter from the probe data by utilizing both spatial and non-spatial indexing technique.
POI Information Enhancement Using Crowdsourcing Vehicle Trace Data and Social Media Data: A Case Study of Gas Station
Authors: Yang Wei , Ai Tinghua
Published: May 2018

Points of interest (POIs) such as stores, gas stations, and parking lots are particularly important for maps. Using gas station as a case study, this paper proposed a novel approach to enhance POI information using low-frequency vehicle trajectory data and social media data. First, the proposed method extracted spatial information of the gas station from sparse vehicle trace data in two steps. The first step proposed the velocity sequence linear clustering algorithm to extract refueling stop tracks from the individual trace line after modeling the vehicle refueling stop behavior using movement features. The second step used the Delaunay triangulation to extract the spatial information of gas stations from the collective refueling stop tracks. Second, attribute information and dimension sentiment semantic information of the gas station were extracted from social media data using the text mining method and tripartite graph model. Third, the gas station information was enhanced by fusing the extracted spatial data and semantic data using a matching method. Experiments were conducted using the 15-day vehicle trajectories of 12,000 taxis and social media data from the Dazhongdianping in Beijing, China, and the results showed that the proposed method could extract the spatial information, attribute information, and review information of gas stations simultaneously. Compared with ground truth data, the automatically enhanced gas station was proved to be of higher quality in terms of the correctness, completeness, and real-time.
Unconventional Imaging Methods to Capture Transient Structures during Actomyosin Interaction
Authors: Katayama Eisaku , Kodera Noriyuki
Published: May 2018

Half a century has passed since the cross-bridge structure was recognized as the molecular machine that generates muscle tension. Despite various approaches by a number of scientists, information on the structural changes in the myosin heads, particularly its transient configurations, remains scant even now, in part because of their small size and rapid stochastic movements during the power stroke. Though progress in cryo-electron microscopy is eagerly awaited as the ultimate means to elucidate structural details, the introduction of some unconventional methods that provide high-contrast raw images of the target protein assemblies is quite useful, if available, to break the current impasse. Quick-freeze deep–etch–replica electron microscopy coupled with dedicated image analysis procedures, and high-speed atomic-force microscopy are two such candidates. We have applied the former to visualize actin-associated myosin heads under in vitro motility assay conditions, and found that they take novel configurations similar to the SH1–SH2-crosslinked myosin that we characterized recently. By incorporating biochemical and biophysical results, we have revised the cross-bridge mechanism to involve the new conformer as an important main player. The latter “microscopy” is unique and advantageous enabling continuous observation of various protein assemblies as they function. Direct observation of myosin-V’s movement along actin filaments revealed several unexpected behaviors such as foot-stomping of the leading head and unwinding of the coiled-coil tail. The potential contribution of these methods with intermediate spatial resolution is discussed.
Experimental Characterization of Unsteady Forces Triggered by Cavitation on a Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Valentini Dario , Pace Giovanni , Pasini Angelo , Hadavandi Ruzbeh , D’Agostino Luca
Published: May 2018

The paper presents an experimental campaign aimed at the characterization of the relationship between cavitation-induced instabilities and forces acting on the shaft, relevant to space application turbopumps. The experiments have been carried out on a six-bladed unshrouded centrifugal turbopump. Pressure fluctuations are analyzed in their frequency content for understanding the instability nature (axial, rotating) and their main characteristics (e.g., amplitude, rotating direction). The spectral analysis of the force components highlights a strong relationship of the z-component (along the rotating axis) with axial instabilities. On the other hand, rotating cavitation may involve force oscillations along all the three components leading to unwanted and dangerous fluctuating unbalances perpendicular to the rotating axis.
Hardware Support for Security in the Internet of Things: From Lightweight Countermeasures to Accelerated Homomorphic Encryption
Authors: Leveugle Régis , Mkhinini Asma , Maistri Paolo
Published: May 2018

In the Internet of Things (IoT), many strong constraints have to be considered when designing the connected objects, including low cost and low power, thus limited resources. The confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data must however be ensured even when they have to be processed in the cloud. Security is therefore one of the design constraints but must be achieved without the usual level of resources. In this paper, we address two very different examples showing how embedded hardware/software co-design can help in improving security in the IoT context. The first example targets so-called “hardware attacks” and we show how some simple attacks can be made much more difficult at very low cost. This is demonstrated on a crypto-processor designed for Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). A very lightweight countermeasure is implemented against Simple Power Analysis (SPA), taking advantage of the general processor usually available in the system. The second example shows how confidentiality in the cloud can be guaranteed by homomorphic encryption at a lower computational cost by taking advantage of a hardware accelerator. The proposed accelerator is very easy to implement and can easily be tuned to several encryption schemes and several trade-offs between hardware costs and computation speed.
Calibration of C-Logit-Based SUE Route Choice Model Using Mobile Phone Data
Authors: Huang Zhengfeng , Huang Zhaodong , Zheng Pengjun , Xu Wenjun
Published: May 2018

Theoretically speaking, the data of a stated preference survey could be suggested for the calibration of a stochastic route choice model. However, it is unrealistic to implement the questionnaire survey for such a large number of alternative routes. Engineers generally determine the parameter empirically. This experienced choice of perception parameter may cause higher errors in the route flows. In our calibration model of the perception parameter, the data of the cellular network is set as the input. This model consists of two levels. The upper level is to minimize the gap squares of the route choice ratio between the C-logit model and the cellular network data. The stochastic user equilibrium (SUE) in terms of the C-logit model is used as the lower level. The simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is used to solve the model, where the route-based gradient projection (GP) algorithm is used to solve the inner SUE. A case study is used to validate the convergence of the model calibration. A real-world road network is used to demonstrate the objective advantage of an equilibrium constraint over a nonequilibrium constraint and explain the feasibility of the candidate routes assumption.
Honey, Wound Repair and Regenerative Medicine
Authors: Martinotti Simona , Ranzato Elia
Published: May 2018

Honey possesses anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and other properties that are useful for wound healing and tissue regeneration. Furthermore, honey has been used for millennia in folk medicine. The misuse of antibiotics has again boosted the use of honey in regenerative medicine. The multifaceted properties of honey could possibly be exploited for scaffold applications in tissue healing.
Biochemical Profile and Body Composition Alteration of Amateur Bodybuilders during the Pre-Contest Period
Authors: De Souza Daniel Costa , Santos José Alexandre Barbosa dos , De Jesus Daniery Marques , Gentil Paulo
Published: May 2018

The paper aims to analyze body composition and biochemical profile alterations in amateur bodybuilders during the cutting phase of a contest preparation, and to discuss them in light of scientific evidence. For the purpose of this study, bodybuilders and coaches provided details of drug administration, supplement use and training schedule. The four participants were two men competing in different Men’s Physique categories, one woman in the Wellness category, and one woman competing in the Bikini category. Participants were evaluated for anthropometry and body composition before and after the cutting phase. There was an evident decrease in body fat for most of the participants during the cutting phase without evident loss of fat-free mass. In general, participants performed high volume resistance training combined with aerobic training. Regarding drug administration, participants used high doses of anabolic androgen steroids (AAS), combined with clenbuterol, thyroid hormone, and ephedrine. Blood analysis revealed alterations in lipid profiles, with increased total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. There were marked alterations in markers of liver (aspartate aminotransferase) and cardiac (MB isoenzyme creatine kinase) damage. Our analysis suggests that the strategies adopted by bodybuilders during the pre-contest phase (high use of AAS and stimulant-based substances) may result in an increased risk of heart disease and liver dysfunction.
Correction: Antoniou, M.; et al. Fixed and Adaptive Parallel Subgroup-Specific Design for Survival Outcomes: Power and Sample Size. J. Pers. Med. 2017, 7, 19
Authors: Antoniou Miranta , Jorgensen Andrea , Kolamunnage-Dona Ruwanthi
Published: May 2018

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [1] [...]
3D Geo-Information Innovation in Europe’s Public Mapping Agencies: A Public Value Perspective
Authors: Ho Serene , Crompvoets Joep , Stoter Jantien
Published: May 2018

Intensifying and increasingly complex physical developments under, on, and above ground, as well as the speed and accessibility of digital innovation, is resulting in growing interest in public sector investment in 3D geo-information. In Europe, a consortium of 11 public mapping agencies (PMAs) recently undertook a cost-benefit analysis for pursuing adoption of 3D geo-information. However, broader public management literature has shown that while economic value is vital for justifying public investment, it is not the only driving factor and that the creation of public value is crucially and equally significant as it conveys social and political legitimacy. Using a public value perspective, this paper aims to re-examine the data collected by the consortium of PMAs. Content analysis of the qualitative data provides strong examples of how 3D geo-information may potentially manifest as different types of public value across a broad public of stakeholders as well as providing evidence that such innovation would likely be politically as well as operationally viable. Nonetheless, the lack of a clear obvious need for 3D geo-information that responds to a specific societal challenge may pose an impediment to successful innovation.
Reliability Analysis of Bond Behaviour of CFRP–Concrete Interface under Wet–Dry Cycles
Authors: Liang Hongjun , Li Shan , Lu Yiyan , Yang Ting
Published: May 2018

Effective bonding between adherents plays a key role in retrofitting concrete structures in civil engineering using fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs). To ensure structural safety, it is critical to develop design codes, which account for uncertainties of materials, the environment, and load, to estimate bond behaviour under long-term exposure to harsh environments. Therefore, a reliability analysis was performed to study the bond behaviour of FRP–concrete interface under wet–dry cycles and sustained loading. Thirty double-lap, shear-bonded carbon FRP (CFRP)–concrete composite specimens were tested after wet–dry cycles and sustained loading exposure. The fracture energy Gf of the bond behavior between CFRP and concrete was directly obtained from the measured local bond-slip curves. Five widely used test methods were adopted to verify the possible distribution types of Gf. Based on the best fit distribution of Gf, a reliability index β was then calculated for the specimens. The effects of wet–dry exposure and sustained loading on β were analysed separately. The effects of the mean and standard deviation of the load on β were compared. It was found that the mean had a greater impact on reliability than the standard deviation, but neither changed the regulation of the exponential reduction of β with increasing wet–dry cycle time. Their impact was significant for a small number of wet–dry cycles but insignificant for more than 4000 wet–dry cycles.
Study of Fluorinated Quantum Dots-Protein Interactions at the Oil/Water Interface by Interfacial Surface Tension Changes
Authors: Carrillo-Carrión Carolina , Gallego Marta , Parak Wolfgang J. , Carril Mónica
Published: May 2018

Understanding the interaction of nanoparticles with proteins and how this interaction modifies the nanoparticles’ surface is crucial before their use for biomedical applications. Since fluorinated materials are emerging as potential imaging probes and delivery vehicles, their interaction with proteins of biological interest must be studied in order to be able to predict their performance in real scenarios. It is known that fluorinated planar surfaces may repel the unspecific adsorption of proteins but little is known regarding the same process on fluorinated nanoparticles due to the scarce examples in the literature. In this context, the aim of this work is to propose a simple and fast methodology to study fluorinated nanoparticle-protein interactions based on interfacial surface tension (IFT) measurements. This technique is particularly interesting for fluorinated nanoparticles due to their increased hydrophobicity. Our study is based on the determination of IFT variations due to the interaction of quantum dots of ca. 5 nm inorganic core/shell diameter coated with fluorinated ligands (QD_F) with several proteins at the oil/water interface. Based on the results, we conclude that the presence of QD_F do not disrupt protein spontaneous film formation at the oil/water interface. Even if at very low concentrations of proteins the film formation in the presence of QD_F shows a slower rate, the final interfacial tension reached is similar to that obtained in the absence of QD_F. The differential behaviour of the studied proteins (bovine serum albumin, fibrinogen and apotransferrin) has been discussed on the basis of the adsorption affinity of each protein towards DCM/water interface and their different sizes. Additionally, it has been clearly demonstrated that the proposed methodology can serve as a complementary technique to other reported direct and indirect methods for the evaluation of nanoparticle-protein interactions at low protein concentrations.
Upper Bound Design for the Lipschitz Constant of the FG(ν,q)-Entropy Operator
Authors: Popkov Yuri S.
Published: May 2018

This paper develops an upper bound design method of the Lipschitz constant for the generalized Fermi–Dirac information entropy operator with a polyhedral admissible set. We introduce the concept of a normal operator from this class in which the constraint matrix has normalized columns. Next, we establish a connection between the normal and original operator. Finally, we demonstrate that the normal operator is majorized by the linear one and find numerical characteristics of this majorant.
Hospitalized Adult Patients with 2009 Pandemic Influenza A (H1N1) in Kaunas, Lithuania
Authors: Mickienė Auksė , Daniusevičiūtė Lina , Vanagaitė Neringa , Vėlyvytė Daiva , Blauzdžiūnienė Ona , Nadišauskienė Rūta , Macas Andrius , Sakalauskas Raimundas , Pilvinis Vidas , Nedzelskienė Irena , Jodžiūnienė Liucija
Published: May 2018

The objective of this study was to identify case characteristics and clinical course of the disease in patients hospitalized with 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) infection during the first wave of the pandemic and to identify risk factors associated with the complicated course of illness. Material and methods. A retrospective study of adult cases of the laboratory-confirmed 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus admitted to three hospitals in Kaunas between November 1, 2009, and March 15, 2010, was carried out. The main outcome measures were clinical characteristics, risk factors for complicated disease, treatment, and clinical course of the disease. Results. The study enrolled 121 of the 125 patients hospitalized due to 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus infection. The median age was 31 years (range, 18–83); 5% of the patients were aged more than 65 years. Pregnant and postpartum women comprised 26% of all hospitalized cases. Nearly half (49.5%) of those who underwent chest radiography had findings consistent with pneumonia, which was bilateral in one-third of cases. The risk to have pandemic influenza complicated by pneumonia increased significantly with one-day delay from symptom onset to antiviral treatment (OR, 2.241; 95% CI, 1.354–3.710). More than half (57%) of the patients received antiviral treatment. In 45% of the treated patients, antiviral drugs were administered within 48 hours from symptom onset. Intensive care was required in 7.4% of the cases. The overall mortality was 5% (6/121). The median age of the patients who died was 43.5 years (range, 23–62); 4 patients had been previously healthy, 1 patient suffered from chronic lympholeukemia, and 1 patient was a pregnant woman. Conclusion. The 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) caused considerable morbidity in a significant proportion of hospitalized adults. The main risk factor associated with the complicated course of illness was delayed antiviral treatment.
The Effect of β-Carotene Against Adriamycin Toxicity on the Embryo Formation
Authors: Žalgevičienė Violeta , Graželienė Gražina , Žukienė Janina , Didžiapetrienė Janina
Published: May 2018

Adriamycin is an anthracycline antibiotic widely used for the treatment of many types of cancer. The cytotoxic effect of Adriamycin occurs by a free radical-mediated mechanism. Thus, to prevent or reduce the toxic effect of Adriamycin, it is possible to use it in combination with antioxidants. The aim of this study was to evaluate a potential effect of β-carotene against Adriamycin-induced toxicity on the embryo formation. Materials and Methods. Pregnant rats were treated with Adriamycin, β-carotene, and their combination during the critical stages of embryogenesis. The first group was control group. Adriamycin was administered on day 9 (group 2a) and day 12 (group 2b) of gestation by a single intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 5 mg/kg. β-Carotene was given at a dosage of 0.6 mg/(kg.day) from day 6 to 10 or from day 9 (group 3a) to 13 (group 3b) of gestation 5 times per os; in the case of their combination, β-carotene was given per os 3 times before Adriamycin injection, one time simultaneously with Adriamycin and one time after its injection (groups 4a and 4b). Animals were euthanized on day 21 of gestation. Embryo resorptions and alive fetuses were counted, weighed, and measured. The embryos of each litter were examined macroscopically after the Buen solution fixation for the embryo defects. In order to render the skeleton visible, the soft tissues were macerated using caustic soda, stained with alizarin red, and cleared with glycerin. Results. Adriamycin induced embryotoxicity; the combination of Adriamycin and β-carotene decreased the number of Adriamycin-induced embryo resorptions about two times. A gavage with Adriamycin alone decreased fetal body weights (P<0.05), while giving it in combination, the fetal body weight was similar to that in the control group. Adriamycin induced the retardation of skeletogenesis and external fetal malformations (microphthalmia, hydrocephaly, anencephaly, and others). After an exposure to β-carotene, external malformations (diaphragmatic hernia) of embryos were found only occasionally. β-Carotene in combination with Adriamycin produced no positive effect on Adriamycin-induced skeletodysgenesis or external malformations. Conclusions. Antioxidant β-carotene in combination with Adriamycin slightly reduced the Adriamycin- induced embryotoxicity, but produced no positive effect on Adriamycin-induced skeletodysgenesis or external malformations.
Survival of Patients With Testicular Cancer in Lithuania During 1999–2002
Authors: Juška Agnius , Ulys Albertas , Kairevičė Laura , Smailytė Giedrė , Stankevičius Edgaras , Jančiauskienė Rasa , Jievaltas Mindaugas
Published: May 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of patients with testicular cancer in Lithuania during 1998–2002 and factors that influenced the survival.Material and methods. The survival rates of testicular cancer patients were evaluated using the data of the Lithuanian Cancer Registry for 1998–2002. The survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test in order to compare the survival rates. The observed survival rates were calculated.Results. The 5-year observed survival rate in Lithuania was 71.2% (95% CI, 64.4%–77.5%). The survival of testicular cancer patients depended on age at the time of diagnosis, histology of tumor, stage and extent of disease.Conclusions. The survival of patients with testicular cancer in Lithuania was substantially lower than in other European countries. The better survival was associated with younger age and lesser extent of metastases.
Rationality of Administered Gentamicin Dose in Cerebral Coma Patients Treated in an Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Janušonis Tomas , Mačiulaitis Romaldas , Sveikata Audrius , Milašius Arvydas , Kregždytė Rima
Published: May 2018

Gentamicin is still widely used in the treatment of patients in an intensive care unit (ICU). The efficacy of aminoglycosides correlates with the peak serum concentration (Cmax), and the toxicity with the minimum serum concentration (Cmin). The aim of this study was to determine Cmax and Cmin in serum of cerebral coma ICU patients when a dosage of gentamicin of 5 mg/kg body weight was administered once daily; to evaluate the rationality of mentioned dose; and to identify factors associated with these concentrations. Material and Methods. A total of 24 ICU patients suffering from cerebral coma were included into this analysis. A dosage of gentamicin of 5 mg/kg body weight was administered once a day. Gentamicin concentrations were tested twice after the first dose infusion (immediately and 5 hours after 1-hour infusion). Cmax, Cmin, volume of distribution (Vd), and elimination half-life (T1/2) were obtained. Results. The mean Cmax was 17.96 (SD, 4.31) μg/mL (range, 10.30–27.87 μg/mL). The desirable Cmax (≥20 μg/mL) was reached only in 6 patients (25%). Cmin was calculated using a special pharmacokinetic program “Kinetica.” Cmin of 0.5 μg/mL was not exceeded in any patient. A correlative analysis indicated a significant inverse direct correlation between Cmax and Vd and between Cmax and treatment duration in the ICU. An inverse correlation was observed between Cmin and T1/2, evaluation of coma according to the Glasgow coma scale, and creatinine clearance. Conclusions. A dosage of 5 mg/kg body weight once a day was not sufficient in cerebral coma ICU patients. This dose was not associated with the nephrotoxic effect of gentamicin (additional risk factors were absent). It is recommended to obtain gentamicin concentration at two time points following administration of the first dose (e.g., immediately after 1-hour infusion and 5 hours later), and using a special pharmacokinetic software, to calculate a necessary dose and interval of administration.
Differential Diagnosis between Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer: A Prospective Study of 156 Patients
Authors: Brimienė Vilma , Brimas Gintautas , Strupas Kęstutis
Published: May 2018

The aim of this study was to evaluate prospectively the efficacy of different imaging methods in differentiating between chronic pancreatitis and cancer in focal pancreatic lesions and staging of adenocarcinoma. Material and Methods. Between June 2005 and October 2007, 156 consecutive patients were enrolled into the prospective clinical trial. The patients were randomized into two groups. Ultrasonoscopy and endoscopic ultrasound were performed in both the groups. Group A patients were additionally examined by computed tomography and tumor marker assay, while in the group B, intraoperative ultrasonoscopy with biopsy and urgent histological examination were done. Results of each imaging technique regarding differential diagnosis and cancer stage were compared with the fi ndings of surgical and histological examination. Results. Chronic pancreatitis and adenocarcinoma were documented in 58 (37.2%) and 78 (50%) patients, respectively. The size of the lesions and clinical presentation were similar in both the groups, but cancer patients were older than patients with pancreatitis (P<0.001). Preoperatively endosonoscopy had the highest accuracy in assessing differential diagnosis (92.1%) and adenocarcinoma (91.8%), whereas computed tomography had the highest accuracy in assessing tumor size (84.5%) and transabdominal ultrasonography in assessing lymph node involvement (78.9%) and distant metastases (88.6%). Intraoperative ultrasound was the most accurate imaging technique in the assessment of differential diagnosis (100%), adenocarcinoma (98.5%), extent of primary tumor (84.8%), lymph node involvement (87.9%), and distant metastases (100%). Conclusions. In the differential diagnosis between chronic pancreatitis and adenocarcinoma, preoperative ultrasonography and intraoperative ultrasound are the best imaging methods. When ultrasonography is nondiagnostic, computed tomography and endoscopic ultrasound are alternative techniques.
Factors Affecting Self-Eruption of Displaced Permanent Maxillary Canines
Authors: Smailienė Dalia , Šidlauskas Antanas , Lopatienė Kristina , Guzevičienė Vesta , Juodžbalys Gintaras
Published: May 2018

The aim of this study was to examine the possibility of the spontaneous eruption of displaced unerupted maxillary canines after the extraction of the deciduous canine and dental arch expansion and to determine the impact of initial canine position on treatment success rate. Materials and Methods. The study sample included 50 patients (mean age, 13.5 years [SD, 2.2]) with unilaterally displaced unerupted maxillary canines. Deciduous canines were extracted, and the space for displaced canine was created at the beginning of the study. The follow-up period for the spontaneous eruption was 12 months. The initial vertical, horizontal, labio-palatal position and angle of inclination to the midline of the displaced canine were assessed on panoramic radiographs. Results. Only 42% of displaced canines erupted spontaneously within one-year period (52.9% of labially displaced canines and 36.4% of palatally displaced canines). A significant difference of inclination was determined between spontaneously erupted and unerupted teeth in the labially displaced canine group (P<0.01), with no difference in the palatally displaced canine group. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the critical angle of inclination for the spontaneous eruption of the retained canine was 20º (sensitivity 0.759; specificity 0.571; P<0.05). The majority of unerupted canines (75.9%) were inclined more than 20º. The initial height of canine was crucial for spontaneous eruption (sensitivity 0.966; specificity 0.81; P<0.001). This was true for both palatal and labial cases. Conclusions. The initial vertical position of the labially and palatally displaced canines and the inclination of the labially displaced canines were the most important predictors for spontaneous eruption of the cuspid.
Concomitant Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation with Osteochondral Grafting for Treatment of a Massive Osteochondral Defect in the Bilateral Knees of a Child
Authors: Gudas Rimtautas , Simonaitytė Rasa , Čekanauskas Emilis , Mickevičius Tomas
Published: May 2018

We report the case of a 15-year-old patient who underwent concomitant autologous chondrocyte implantation and osteochondral grafting for the treatment of a massive osteochondritis dissecans defect in the left knee and autologous chondrocyte implantation in the right knee joint. Magnetic resonance imaging showed large osteochondral defects in both the knee joints measuring 8–9 cm2. Both defects were located in the weight-bearing areas of the medial femoral condyles. Therefore, simultaneous autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) and osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT) for the left knee defect and ACI for the right knee joint were performed. Osteochondral plugs were harvested from the patellofemoral joint of the same left knee and grafted into the most dorsal regions of the large osteochondral defect of the left knee. The remaining osteochondral defect was covered with ACI using collagen type I and III membrane and chondrocyte cells. The membrane was implanted into more proximal part of the osteochondral defect of the left knee. Time interval between operations of the left and right knee joints was 6 months. Magnetic resonance imaging at 6 months after each knee surgery showed good preservation of the OAT and ACI grafts. The most recent follow-up examination, performed 12 months after surgeries, has shown excellent results with an International Knee Documentation Committee score of 95.59±4.64 and 96.88±4.69 for the right and left knee joints, respectively, and full range of knee motions with no symptoms. In this clinical case, the combination of ACI and OAT methods in a one-step procedure produced a good reconstruction of the joint surface with excellent clinical outcomes in the both knee joints of the same patient. Autologous osteochondral grafting and autologous chondrocyte implantation can be combined for the treatment of large osteochondral defects of the knee.
Investigation of the Antimicrobial Activity of Rhaponticum (Rhaponticum Carthamoides D.C. Iljin) and Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla Fruticosa L.)
Authors: Jurkštienė Vilma , Pavilonis Alvydas , Garšvienė Daiva , Juozulynas Algirdas , Samsonienė Laimutė , Daukšienė Dalia , Jankauskienė Konstancija , Šimonienė-Kazlauskienė Genovaitė , Stankevičius Edgaras
Published: May 2018

The aim of the study was to determine antimicrobial activity of rhaponticum and shrubby cinquefoil extracts. Material and Methods. Ethanol extract from the leaves of rhaponticum (Rhaponticum carthamoides D.C. Iljin) and shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa L.) was produced at the Department of Food Technology, Kaunas University of Technology. The antimicrobial activity of the viscous extract or rhaponticum and shrubby cinquefoil was evaluated using standard microorganism cultures (bacteria Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Enterococcus faecalis ATCC 29212, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 33499, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Proteus mirabilis ATCC 12459, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Bacillus cereus ATCC 8035 and fungi Candida albicans ATCC 60193). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the examined preparations was determined. Results. Both studied preparations – rhaponticum (Rhaponticum carthamoides D.C. Iljin) and shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa L.) – demonstrated similar antimicrobial activity. The highest sensitivity to the studied preparations was observed in microbes with eukaryotic cell structure: Candida albicans, which is a fungus, and a spore-forming prokaryotic bacterium, Bacillus cereus. The highest resistance was observed in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Conclusions. The studied preparations – viscous extracts of rhaponticum and shrubby cinquefoil – are substances with antimicrobial activity against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Proteus mirabilis) bacteria, spore-forming bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus), and fungi (Candida albicans).
Gaucher’s Disease in Lithuania: Its Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Kleinotienė Gražina , Tylki-Szymanska Anna , Czartoryska Barbara
Published: May 2018

Gaucher’s disease is a lysosomal storage disease caused by the lack of beta-glucocerebrosidase enzyme, leading to the accumulation of glucocerebroside. Gaucher’s disease is the most frequent type of sphingolipidosis as well as the most frequent lysosomal disease. Clinically, two forms of Gaucher’s disease are defined: nonneuronopathic form, so-called type 1, characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia, anemia, and osteopenia, and neuronopathic form, known as types 2 and 3, which are also characterized by hepatosplenomegaly, hematological and bone changes; however, involvement of the central nervous system dominates in the clinical picture. Severe deficiency of beta-glucocerebrosidase activity allows confirming the diagnosis based on the clinical picture or the findings of bone marrow examination. Treatment with human glucocerebrosidase was introduced in 1991. Clinically good results are achieved: not only accumulation of glucocerebroside is stopped, but also positive changes in the reticuloendothelial system and an improvement in development and hematological parameters of children are observed as well as the development of bone lesions is reduced. To date, Gaucher’s disease has been diagnosed in 8 patients in Lithuania: 3 persons have type 3 and 5 have type 1 disease. Enzyme replacement therapy was started in 2001, and currently 6 persons are being treated. In majority of patients, Gaucher’s disease was suspected after exclusion of other possible proliferative diseases. All patients within the first or second year of treatment achieved the therapeutic goals, namely: normalization of hematological parameters, reduction in liver and spleen volumes, and bone pain relief.
Comparison of C-reactive Protein Levels in Patients with Lung Cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Vagulienė Neringa , Žemaitis Marius , Miliauskas Skaidrius , Urbonienė Daiva , Brigita  , Sakalauskas Raimundas
Published: May 2018

Objective. The aim of this study was to establish C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in serum of patients with lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and evaluate the associations of CRP levels with clinicopathological characteristics. Materials and Methods. In total, 140 persons were included in the study: 43 patients with lung cancer, 34 patients with lung cancer and COPD, 42 patients with COPD, and 21 healthy subjects. CRP analysis was performed with a serum protein analyzer using commercially available highsensitivity reagent kits. Results. The C-reactive protein levels were significantly higher in the lung cancer patients with or without COPD compared with the COPD patients or the control group (20.42±1.95 and 22.49±2.31 vs. 8.37±0.91 and 2.49±0.47 mg/L, respectively; P<0.01). The patients with advanced lung cancer had higher CRP levels compared with the patients suffering from early stage lung cancer (23.11±1.72 vs. 14.59±2.23 mg/L, P<0.01). The CRP levels were significantly higher in the patients with early stage lung cancer compared with the COPD patients (14.59±2.23 mg/L vs. 8.37±0.91 mg/L, P<0.05). No association was found between CRP and histology, lung function, and smoking status in the patients with lung cancer. Conclusions. Chronic inflammation plays an important role in both diseases: lung cancer and COPD. However, it seems that inflammation is more pronounced in patients with lung cancer, as the CRP levels were significantly higher in these patients than other groups.
Risk Factors for Erosive Esophagitis and Barrett’s Esophagus in a high Helicobacter pylori Prevalence Area
Authors: Jonaitis Laimas , Kriukas Darius , Kiudelis Gediminas , Kupčinskas Limas
Published: May 2018

Objective. To establish the prevalence and risk factors of erosive esophagitis (EE) and Barrett’s esophagus (BE) among patients routinely referred for upper endoscopy. Material and Methods. A total of 4032 consecutive patients referred to a regional hospital for upper endoscopy due to upper gastrointestinal and/or “alarm” symptoms were examined. Analysis was performed on the prospectively selected patients (40 in each group) with EE of different grades and BE. Results. EE was diagnosed in 474 patients (11.75%): grade A, in 194 (41%); grade B, in 167 (35%); grade C, in 65 (14%); and grade D, in 48 patients (10%). Increasing severity of erosive esophagitis and presence of its complication – Barrett’s esophagus – were associated with the decreasing prevalence of H. pylori and increasing hiatal hernia size (P<0.05). Male gender (OR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.12 to 10.62), hiatal hernia >2 cm (OR, 3.73; 95% CI, 1.60 to 8.68), and absence of H. pylori (OR, 4.24; 95% CI, 1.07 to 16.84) were the factors found to be associated with severe EE. The factors associated with BE were as follows: ulcer and/or stricture of esophagus (OR, 11.94; 95% CI, 2.51 to 41.37), age >60 years (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.20), smoking >10 cigarettes per day (OR, 4.62; 95% CI, 1.01 to 12.50), hiatal hernia >2 cm (OR, 5.22; 95% CI, 1.86 to 14.64), and absence of H. pylori (OR, 5.60; 95% CI, 1.38 to 22.72). Conclusions. The prevalence of EE was found to be low, and the prevalence of BE was found to be very low among routinely endoscoped patients in primary and secondary care settings in a Lithuanian rural area with high H. pylori prevalence. Increasing severity of gastroesophageal reflux disease was associated with the decreasing prevalence of Helicobacter pylori.
Growth Factors, Their Receptors, Neuropeptide-Containing Innervation, and Matrix Metalloproteinases in the Proximal and Distal Ends of the Esophagus in Children With Esophageal Atresia
Authors: Pilmane Māra , Ozoliņa Linda , Ābola Zane , Pētersons Aigars , Popkovs Vjačeslavs , Dabužinskienė Anita , Vētra Jānis
Published: May 2018

Objective. The pathogenesis of esophageal atresia (EA) remains unknown despite a relatively high incidence of this anomaly in population affecting 1 newborn per 3000 live births. The aim of this study was to examine the relative occurrence of growth factors, their receptors, neuropeptide- containing innervation, and tissue-degradating enzymes – matrix metalloproteinases – in the proximal and distal parts of the esophagus with EA. Materials and Methods. A histopathological study was conducted on 15 patients with EA. Tissues were processed for NGFRp75, PGP 9.5, TGF-β, FGFR, VEGF, EGFR and MMP-2 by means of biotin-streptavidin immunohistochemistry. Results. In the control and EA-affected distal esophageal specimens, numerous and abundant NGFR-containing structures were detected, while in the proximal part of the esophagus, a decrease in their number was observed in patients. PGP 9.5 also marked neuronal structures similarly. TGF-β was found only in occasional cells in the EA-affected esophageal specimens, while control material demonstrated moderate to numerous TGF-β-containing structures. Abundance of FGFR and only occasional appearance of VEGF-positive cells were found in both the control and EA-affected material. A moderate number of connective tissue cells in controls contained EGFR. Compared with controls, the number of MMP-2 expressing cells in the EA-affected tissues was decreased in the proximal esophagus. Conclusions. A decrease in PGP 9.5-containing neuronal structures in the proximal esophagus supports insufficient innervation of this part of the organ in EA. A decrease in MMP-2 positive cells in the esophageal atresia-affected proximal esophagus indicates also a possible decrease of tissue adaptive and regenerative reactions. Low expression of TGF-β and almost the absence of EGFR in the EA-affected specimens may result in disturbances of cell growth, proliferation, and differentiation, indicating a significant role of these substances in morphopathogenesis of EA. FGFR and VEGF seem not to characterize EA pathogenesis.
Contact Sensitization to the Allergens of European Baseline Series in Patients With Chronic Leg Ulcers
Authors: Beliauskienė Aistė , Valiukevičienė Skaidra , Šitkauskienė Brigita , Schnuch Axel , Uter Wolfgang
Published: May 2018

Background and Objective. The pattern of contact sensitization among patients with chronic leg ulcers depends on the local practice of wound treatment along with demographic and clinical confounders. The study was aimed at revealing the associations between chronic leg ulcers and contact sensitization. Material and Methods. Between 2006 and 2008, 35 patients with chronic leg ulcers and surrounding dermatitis and 59 patients with contact dermatitis of the lower leg or foot were prospectively recruited at the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. Demographic and clinical data were collected in accordance with the “minimal data set” of the European Surveillance System on Contact Allergy. Patch testing was performed with the allergens of the European baseline series. Results. At least one positive patch test reaction was found in 28 (80%) of the patients with chronic leg ulcers and in 24 (41%) of the patients with dermatitis of the lower leg or foot (P<0.001). Sensitization to some of the most common allergens, namely colophony, Myroxylon pereirae resin, and methyldibromo glutaronitrile, was prevalent in both the groups of patients, whereas sensitization to benzocaine, p-phenylenediamine, and lanolin alcohol was associated with the presence of chronic leg ulcers. Benzocaine was found to be the leading allergen among patients with chronic leg ulcers (positive patch test reactions in 34.4% of the patients). Conclusions. Contact sensitization to benzocaine, p-phenylenediamine, and lanolin was found to be associated with the presence of chronic leg ulcers.