bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Passive dynamic object manipulation: A framework for passive walking systems
Authors: Beigzadeh Borhan , Meghdari Ali , Sohrabpour Saeed
Published: April 2013

In this study, we deal with passive dynamic object manipulation. During passive dynamic object manipulation, a passive object is manipulated using passive manipulators. Like other passive robotic systems, there are no actuators in these systems. The object follows a path and travels along it under the effect of its own weight, as well as, the interaction force applied by each manipulator on it. The objects are not necessarily rigid, but we manipulate passive multibody objects as well as rigid ones. Thus, for a passive walking system, we assume that the passive walker is a multibody object and is manipulated by the ground (zero degree-of-freedom manipulator). As an example, we show that a compass-gait walking model could be constructed based on a passive manipulation framework by an evolutionary procedure. First, a polygonal rigid object is selected to be manipulated by one degree-of-freedom manipulator. Then, we deal with simple two-link objects manipulating them with the same one degree-of-freedom manipulator. For each example, dynamic equations of motion are derived and the stability of the process is taken into account using analysis of Poincare map. It is also shown that the second example has chaotic behaviour for some initial conditions. Finally, the model of the compass-gait walker is constructed according to the two previous examples’ results. Simulations and experiments are used to support the concept and verify the results.
Numerical study of the air gap between fire-protective clothing and the skin
Authors: Ghazy Ahmed
Published: April 2013

The analysis of the air gap between fire-protective clothing and the skin plays a crucial role in evaluating the protective performance of the clothing. However, the more accurate the analysis of the air gap, the more complex the air-gap model. This article introduces a novel air-gap model that stands halfway in terms of accuracy and complexity between other two models that already exist in the literature. A comparison between the performances of fire-protective clothing predicted by using the three air-gap models is discussed in this article. Different parameters that affect heat transfer within the air gap and hence the protective performance of the clothing were studied to assess the novel air-gap model compared with the other two models. Despite its simplicity, the novel air-gap model predicted the performance of fire-protective clothing as accurately as the most realistic model.
Hybrid Endovascular Treatment of an Aortic Root and Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm in a High-Risk Patient With Marfan Syndrome
Authors: Gelpi Guido , Mazzaccaro Daniela , Romagnoni Claudia , Contino Monica , Antona Carlo
Published: April 2013

This report describes the hybrid endovascular treatment of an aortic root dilatation and a thoracoabdominal aneurysm in a high-risk patient with Marfan syndrome. A 50-year-old male, in hemodialysis for polycystic kidney and polycystic liver, was referred to our department for aortic root dilatation of 5 cm and a 6.3-cm thoracoabdominal aneurysm . He already underwent surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm 10 years ago, complicated by pseudoaneurysm of the proximal anastomosis that had been treated in another center, with an endoprosthesis. The patient underwent aortic root replacement, aortic valve sparing operation, and rerouting of the superior mesenteric artery and celiac trunk to the ascending aorta. The thoracoabdominal aneurysm was excluded with an endoprosthesis few days after the surgical step. The 12-month computed tomography scan confirmed the complete exclusion of the thoracoabdominal aneurysm.
Neuroscience Findings on Coordination of Reaching to Grasp an Object
Authors: van Vliet Paulette , Pelton Trudy A. , Hollands Kristen Leigh , Carey Leeanne , Wing Alan Miles
Published: April 2013

Background. Knowledge of how damage to brain regions and pathways affects central nervous system control of coordination of reach-to-grasp (RTG) following stroke may not be sufficiently used in existing treatment interventions or in research that assesses their effectiveness. Objective. To review current knowledge of motor control of coordination of RTG and discuss the extent to which this information is being used in research evaluating treatment interventions. Method. This review (1) summarizes the current knowledge of motor control of RTG coordination in healthy individuals, including speculative models and structures of the brain identified as being involved; (2) summarizes evidence of RTG coordination deficits in people with stroke; (3) evaluates current interventions directed at retraining coordination of RTG, including a review of the extent to which these interventions are based on putative neurobiological mechanisms and reports on their effectiveness; and (4) recommends directions for research on treatment interventions for coordination of RTG. Results. Functional task-specific therapy, electrical stimulation, and robot or computerized training were identified as treatments targeted at improving coordination of RTG. However, none of the studies reporting the effect of these interventions related results to individual brain regions affected, and neurobiological mechanisms underlying improved performance were only minimally discussed. Conclusions. Research on treatment interventions for coordination of RTG needs to combine measures of interruption to brain networks and how remaining intact neural tissue and networks respond to therapy with measures of spatiotemporal motor control and upper-limb function to gain a fuller understanding of treatment effects and their mechanisms.
Changing the Conceptualization of Stress in Social Anxiety Disorder
Authors: Jamieson Jeremy P. , Nock Matthew K. , Mendes Wendy Berry
Published: April 2013

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a pervasive problem associated with debilitating impairments in social settings. This research explored the affective and physiological reactions to social evaluation and examined the efficacy of an arousal reappraisal intervention in altering cardiovascular reactivity and affective responses. Across two studies, socially anxious participants exhibited a disjunction between subjective ratings and physiological responses. Whereas anxious individuals reported more anxiety and negative affect during a stressful public speaking task relative to nonanxious controls, no differences emerged in physiological reactivity as a function of anxiety. In the second experiment socially anxious and nonanxious participants instructed to reframe stress arousal as a positive coping tool exhibited reduced attentional bias and improvements in physiological functioning: decreased vasoconstriction and increased cardiac efficiency. This research suggests that outcomes in SAD may be improved by reappraising stress arousal.
Poractant alfa (Curosurf®) increases phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by alveolar macrophages in vivo
Authors: Willems Coen HMP , Urlichs Florian , Seidenspinner Silvia , Kunzmann Steffen , Speer Christian P , Kramer Boris W
Published: April 2013

Background

Clearance of apoptotic neutrophils in the lung is an essential process to limit inflammation, since they could become a pro-inflammatory stimulus themselves. The clearance is partially mediated by alveolar macrophages, which phagocytose these apoptotic cells. The phagocytosis of apoptotic immune cells by monocytes in vitro has been shown to be augmented by several constituents of pulmonary surfactant, e.g. phospholipids and hydrophobic surfactant proteins. In this study, we assessed the influence of exogenous poractant alfa (Curosurf®) instillation on the in vivo phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by alveolar macrophages.

Methods

Poractant alfa (200 mg/kg) was instilled intratracheally in the lungs of three months old adult male C57/Black 6 mice, followed by apoptotic neutrophil instillation. Bronchoalveloar lavage was performed and alveolar macrophages and neutrophils were counted. Phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils was quantified by determining the number of apoptotic neutrophils per alveolar macrophages.

Results

Exogenous surfactant increased the number of alveolar macrophages engulfing apoptotic neutrophils 2.6 fold. The phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils was increased in the presence of exogenous surfactant by a 4.7 fold increase in phagocytosed apoptotic neutrophils per alveolar macrophage.

Conclusions

We conclude that the anti-inflammatory properties of surfactant therapy may be mediated in part by increased numbers of alveolar macrophages and increased phagocytosis of apoptotic neutrophils by alveolar macrophages.
Predicting protein-ATP binding sites from primary sequence through fusing bi-profile sampling of multi-view features
Authors: Zhang Ya-Nan , Yu Dong-Jun , Li Shu-Sen , Fan Yong-Xian , Huang Yan , Shen Hong-Bin
Published: April 2013

Background

Adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP) is one of multifunctional nucleotides and plays an important role in cell biology as a coenzyme interacting with proteins. Revealing the binding sites between protein and ATP is significantly important to understand the functionality of the proteins and the mechanisms of protein-ATP complex.

Results

In this paper, we propose a novel framework for predicting the proteins’ functional residues, through which they can bind with ATP molecules. The new prediction protocol is achieved by combination of sequence evolutional information and bi-profile sampling of multi-view sequential features and the sequence derived structural features. The hypothesis for this strategy is single-view feature can only represent partial target’s knowledge and multiple sources of descriptors can be complementary.

Conclusions

Prediction performances evaluated by both 5-fold and leave-one-out jackknife cross-validation tests on two benchmark datasets consisting of 168 and 227 non-homologous ATP binding proteins respectively demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed protocol. Our experimental results also reveal that the residue structural characteristics of real protein-ATP binding sites are significant different from those normal ones, for example the binding residues do not show high solvent accessibility propensities, and the bindings prefer to occur at the conjoint points between different secondary structure segments. Furthermore, results also show that performance is affected by the imbalanced training datasets by testing multiple ratios between positive and negative samples in the experiments. Increasing the dataset scale is also demonstrated useful for improving the prediction performances.
Epidemiology of noninvasive mechanical ventilation in acute respiratory failure - a retrospective population-based study
Authors: Wang Shihan , Singh Balwinder , Tian Lin , Biehl Michelle , Krastev Ivaylo L , Kojicic Marija , Li Guangxi
Published: April 2013

Background

Noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) is a front-line therapy for the management of acute respiratory failure (ARF) in the intensive care units. However, the data on factors and outcomes associated with the use of NIV in ARF patients is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to determine the utilization of NIV for ARF in a population-based study.

Methods

We conducted a populated-based retrospective cohort study, where in all consecutively admitted adults (≥18 years) with ARF from Olmsted County, Rochester, MN, at the Mayo Clinic medical and surgical ICUs, during 2006 were included. Patients without research authorization or on chronic NIV use for sleep apnea were excluded.

Results

Out of 1461 Olmsted County adult residents admitted to the ICUs in 2006, 364 patients developed ARF, of which 146 patients were initiated on NIV. The median age in years was 75 (interquartile range, 60–84), 48% females and 88.7% Caucasians. Eighteen patients (12%) were on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) mode and 128 (88%) were on noninvasive intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (NIPPV) mode. Forty-six (10%) ARF patients were put on NIV for palliative strategy to alleviate dyspnea. Seventy-six ARF patients without treatment limitation were given a trial of NIV and 49 patients succeeded, while 27 had to be intubated. Mortality was similar between the patients initially supported with NIV versus invasive mechanical ventilation (33% vs 22%, P=0.289). In the multivariate analysis, the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and higher APACHE III scores were associated with the failure of initial NIV treatment.

Conclusions

Our results have important implications for a future planning of NIV in a suburban US community with high access to critical care services. The higher APACHE III scores and the development of ARDS are associated with the failure of initial NIV treatment.
Fracture parameter estimation from well-log data
Authors: Sil Samik
Published: April 2013

We evaluated a method of deriving seismic fracture parameters from vertical-well-log data with the assumption that the fractured medium is transversely isotropic with a horizontal axis of symmetry (HTI). One approximation we used is that the observed vertical P-wave velocity is the same as the background isotropic P-wave velocity of the HTI medium. Another assumption was that the fractures and cracks are noninteractive and penny shaped. Using these approximations, we generated the fracture compliance matrix for each layer. Fracture parameters were then derived by constructing the HTI stiffness matrix for those layers. We tested our method using vertical-well-log data from a tight sand reservoir in Colorado, USA. “Thomsen-style” parameters were derived, and gas-filled fractures were identified on this log. The identified gas-filled fractures were compared to the production log data. The fracture density was also obtained at the well location within the depth of interest. We also found some problems and limitations caused by approximating vertical P-wave velocity the same as the background isotropic P-wave velocity.
Foundation News
Authors: Blythe Natalie
Published: April 2013

Haiti, one of the most impoverished nations in the world, is highly susceptible to strong ground motion as witnessed by the 12 January 2010 Port-au-Prince Earthquake. This earthquake led to catastrophic loss of life with fatalities estimated around 300,000. Today, Haiti remains at risk of future seismic events. The SEG Foundation Board of Directors recently approved a new project in Haiti to join the Geoscientists Without Borders (GWB) ranks. This will be the 15th GWB program, some of which have already been completed. The new program is a two-year award to the University of Kentucky (UK) Department of Civil Engineering (USA) for a project titled “Shear wave velocity measurement and estimation of seismic site response in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.” Leading the University of Kentucky team is Project Manager Michael Kalinski who first learned of GWB after searching the Internet for humanitarian geosciences. This search led him to the GWB Web site ( www.seg.org/gwb ).
Geomechanical and geometric seismic attributes in an interpretation workflow for characterization of unconventional reservoirs
Authors: Trinchero Eduardo , Vernengo Luis , Cardoso Joaquín
Published: April 2013

Conventional seismic attributes often provide satisfactory results, especially in the characterization of conventional reservoirs such as sandstones. This is not so evident with more compact, low-permeability, and apparently uniform reservoirs, which comprise substantial reserves in amounts unthinkable a few decades ago, and whose development seemed almost impossible until very recently. Unconventional reservoirs considered in this article are located in a predominantly Jurassic-Cretaceous rifted depositional basin. The basin shifted into an early sag phase during the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous, resulting in the accumulation of a thick series of carbonates and shales. Tithonian, Berriasian and Valanginian rocks compose the segment of the geologic column under consideration. The studied sedimentary sequence is a highly prolific oil-prone source rock, with total organic carbon (TOC) up to 8 wt% and amorphous organic matter (type I/II kerogen) deposited in a euxinic paleoenvironment which generated sulfur-rich oils.
Pharmacodynamic Effects and Mechanisms of Resistance to Vemurafenib in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma
Authors: Trunzer Kerstin , Pavlick Anna C. , Schuchter Lynn , Gonzalez Rene , McArthur Grant A. , Hutson Thomas E. , Moschos Stergios J. , Flaherty Keith T. , Kim Kevin B. , Weber Jeffrey S. , Hersey Peter , Long Georgina V. , Lawrence Donald , Ott Patrick A. , Amaravadi Ravi K. , Lewis Karl D. , Puzanov Igor , Lo Roger S. , Koehler Astrid , Kockx Mark , Spleiss Olivia , Schell-Steven Annette , Gilbert Houston N. , Cockey Louise , Bollag Gideon , Lee Richard J. , Joe Andrew K. , Sosman Jeffrey A. , Ribas Antoni
Published: April 2013

Purpose

To assess pharmacodynamic effects and intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms of the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib in BRAFV600-mutant melanoma, leading to an understanding of the mechanism of action of vemurafenib and ultimately to optimization of metastatic melanoma therapy.

Methods

In the phase II clinical study NP22657 (BRIM-2), patients received oral doses of vemurafenib (960 mg twice per day). Serial biopsies were collected to study changes in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, cell-cycle progression, and factors causing intrinsic or acquired resistance by immunohistochemistry, DNA sequencing, or somatic mutation profiling.

Results

Vemurafenib inhibited MAPK signaling and cell-cycle progression. An association between the decrease in extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK) phosphorylation and objective response was observed in paired biopsies (n = 22; P = .013). Low expression of phosphatase and tensin homolog showed a modest association with lower response. Baseline mutations in MEK1P124 coexisting with BRAFV600 were noted in seven of 92 samples; their presence did not preclude objective tumor responses. Acquired resistance to vemurafenib associated with reactivation of MAPK signaling as observed by elevated ERK1/2 phosphorylation levels in progressive lesions and the appearance of secondary NRASQ61 mutations or MEK1Q56P or MEK1E203K mutations. These two activating MEK1 mutations had not previously been observed in vivo in biopsies of progressive melanoma tumors.

Conclusion

Vemurafenib inhibits tumor proliferation and oncogenic BRAF signaling through the MAPK pathway. Acquired resistance results primarily from MAPK reactivation driven by the appearance of secondary mutations in NRAS and MEK1 in subsets of patients. The data suggest that inhibition downstream of BRAF should help to overcome acquired resistance.
AVEREL: A Randomized Phase III Trial Evaluating Bevacizumab in Combination With Docetaxel and Trastuzumab As First-Line Therapy for HER2-Positive Locally Recurrent/Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Gianni Luca , Romieu Gilles H. , Lichinitser Michail , Serrano Sergio V. , Mansutti Mauro , Pivot Xavier , Mariani Paola , Andre Fabrice , Chan Arlene , Lipatov Oleg , Chan Stephen , Wardley Andrew , Greil Richard , Moore Nicola , Prot Sylvie , Pallaud Celine , Semiglazov Vladimir
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The AVEREL trial [A Study of Avastin (Bevacizumab) in Combination With Herceptin (Trastuzumab)/Docetaxel in Patients With HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer] evaluated first-line bevacizumab-containing therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) –positive locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer (LR/MBC).

Patients and Methods

Patients with measurable/evaluable HER2-positive LR/MBC who had not received trastuzumab or chemotherapy for LR/MBC were stratified by prior adjuvant trastuzumab, prior (neo)adjuvant taxane, hormone receptor status, and measurable disease and were randomly assigned to receive docetaxel 100 mg/m2 plus trastuzumab 8 mg/kg loading dose followed by 6 mg/kg either with bevacizumab 15 mg/kg or without bevacizumab, all administered every 3 weeks. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Additional end points included overall survival, response rate (RR), safety, quality of life, and translational research.

Results

Baseline characteristics of the 424 patients were balanced between treatment arms. Most patients had visceral metastases, 43% had a disease-free interval less than 12 months, and 85% had measurable disease. Median follow-up was 26 months. The hazard ratio for investigator-assessed PFS was 0.82 (95% CI, 0.65 to 1.02; P = .0775; median PFS, 13.7 v 16.5 months in the non-bevacizumab and bevacizumab arms, respectively; PFS events in 72%). The Independent Review Committee–assessed PFS hazard ratio was 0.72 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.94; P = .0162; median PFS, 13.9 v 16.8 months, respectively; PFS events in 53%). The RR was 70% versus 74%, respectively (P = .3492). Grade ≥ 3 febrile neutropenia and hypertension were more common with bevacizumab-containing therapy. High baseline plasma vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) concentrations were associated with greater bevacizumab benefit (not statistically significant).

Conclusion

Combining bevacizumab with docetaxel and trastuzumab did not significantly improve investigator-assessed PFS. The potential predictive value of plasma VEGF-A is consistent with findings in HER2-negative LR/MBC, warranting prospective evaluation.
Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized Trial of Maintenance Chemotherapy Versus Observation in Patients With Metastatic Breast Cancer After Achieving Disease Control With Six Cycles of Gemcitabine Plus Paclitaxel As First-Line Chemotherapy: KCSG-BR07-02
Authors: Park Yeon Hee , Jung Kyung Hae , Im Seock-Ah , Sohn Joo Hyuk , Ro Jungsil , Ahn Jin-Hee , Kim Sung-Bae , Nam Byung-Ho , Oh Do Youn , Han Sae-Won , Lee Soohyeon , Park In Hae , Lee Keun Seok , Kim Jee Hyun , Kang Seok Yun , Lee Moon Hee , Park Hee Sook , Ahn Jin Seok , Im Young-Hyuck
Published: April 2013

Purpose

The primary purpose of our study was to evaluate whether maintenance chemotherapy with paclitaxel/gemcitabine (PG) was superior to observation in improving progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) who achieved disease control with an initial six cycles of PG as their first-line treatment.

Patients and Methods

The study was a prospective, randomized, multicenter, phase III trial. Patients MBC with who achieved disease control after six cycles of PG chemotherapy were randomly assigned to maintenance chemotherapy or observation until progression.

Results

Of 324 patients from 10 centers enrolled, 231 patients with MBC exhibited disease control (complete response + partial response + stable disease) with first-line PG and were randomly assigned to maintenance chemotherapy (n = 116) or observation (n = 115). The median age was 48 years (range, 28 to 76 years), median follow-up was 33 months, and median number of chemotherapy cycles in the maintenance group after random assignment was six. The median PFS time after random assignment was longer in the maintenance group than in the observation group (7.5 v 3.8 months, respectively; P = .026). The median overall survival (OS) time was longer in the maintenance group than in the observation group (32.3 v 23.5 months, respectively; P = .047). The rate of grade 3 or higher neutropenia after random assignment was higher in the maintenance group than in the observation group (61% v 0.9%, respectively; P < .001).

Conclusion

In patients with MBC who achieved disease control with an initial six cycles of PG chemotherapy, maintenance PG chemotherapy resulted in better PFS and OS compared with observation.
Migration ofDrosophilaintestinal stem cells across organ boundaries
Authors: Takashima Shigeo , Paul Manash , Aghajanian Patrick , Younossi-Hartenstein Amelia , Hartenstein Volker
Published: April 2013

All components of the Drosophila intestinal tract, including the endodermal midgut and ectodermal hindgut/Malpighian tubules, maintain populations of dividing stem cells. In the midgut and hindgut, these stem cells originate from within larger populations of intestinal progenitors that proliferate during the larval stage and form the adult intestine during metamorphosis. The origin of stem cells found in the excretory Malpighian tubules (‘renal stem cells’) has not been established. In this paper, we investigate the migration patterns of intestinal progenitors that take place during metamorphosis. Our data demonstrate that a subset of adult midgut progenitors (AMPs) move posteriorly to form the adult ureters and, consecutively, the renal stem cells. Inhibiting cell migration by AMP-directed expression of a dominant-negative form of Rac1 protein results in the absence of stem cells in the Malpighian tubules. As the majority of the hindgut progenitor cells migrate posteriorly and differentiate into hindgut enterocytes, a group of the progenitor cells, unexpectedly, invades anteriorly into the midgut territory. Consequently, these progenitor cells differentiate into midgut enterocytes. The midgut determinant GATAe is required for the differentiation of midgut enterocytes derived from hindgut progenitors. Wingless signaling acts to balance the proportion of hindgut progenitors that differentiate as midgut versus hindgut enterocytes. Our findings indicate that a stable boundary between midgut and hindgut/Malpighian tubules is not established during early embryonic development; instead, pluripotent progenitor populations cross in between these organs in both directions, and are able to adopt the fate of the organ in which they come to reside.
The Dimensionality of Customer Satisfaction Survey Responses and Implications for Driver Analysis
Authors: Büschken Joachim , Otter Thomas , Allenby Greg M.
Published: April 2013

The canonical design of customer satisfaction surveys asks for global satisfaction with a product or service and for evaluations of its distinct attributes. Users of these surveys are often interested in the relationship between global satisfaction and attributes; regression analysis is commonly used to measure the conditional associations. Regression analysis is only appropriate when the global satisfaction measure results from the attribute evaluations and is not appropriate when the covariance of the items lie in a low-dimensional subspace, such as in a factor model. Potential reasons for low-dimensional responses are that responses may be haloed from overall satisfaction and there may be an unintended lack of item specificity. In this paper we develop a Bayesian mixture model that facilitates the empirical distinction between regression models and relatively much lower-dimensional factor models. The model uses the dimensionality of the covariance among items in a survey as the primary classification criterion while accounting for the heterogeneous usage of rating scales. We apply the model to four different customer satisfaction surveys that evaluate hospitals, an academic program, smartphones, and theme parks, respectively. We show that correctly assessing the heterogeneous dimensionality of responses is critical for meaningful inferences by comparing our results to those from regression models.
Recent catalytic approaches to chemical synthesis from carbon feedstocks
Authors: Yeung Charles S.
Published: April 2013

Traditional organic synthesis is driven by the need for functional molecules. The development of green chemical methods, however, is an increasingly important challenge in the context of global sustainability. To this end, the direct use of abundant carbon feedstocks in synthesis (such as CO, CO2, methanol, arenes, alkanes, α-olefins, and biological raw materials) aims to minimize waste production and increase efficiency.
Association of CYP2A6*4 with Susceptibility of Lung Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Lishan
Published: April 2013

Objectives

To assess the association between the variant of Cytochrome P450 2A6 whole gene deletion (CYP2A6*4) polymorphism and risk of lung cancer.

Methods

Two investigators independently searched the PubMed, Elsevier, EMBASE, Web of Science, Wiley Online Library and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for CYP2A6*4 and lung cancer were calculated in a fixed-effects model (the Mantel-Haenszel method) and a random-effects model (the DerSimonian and Laird method) when appropriate.

Results

This meta-analysis included seven eligible studies, which included 2524 lung cancer cases and 2258 controls (cancer–free). Overall, CYP2A6*4 was associated with the risk of lung cancer (allele*4 vs. allele non-*4, pooled OR  = 0.826, 95% CI  = 0.725−0.941, P-value  = 0.004). When stratifying for population, significant association was observed in Asian (additive model, pooled OR  = 0.794, 95% CI  = 0.694−0.909, P-value  = 0.001; dominant model, pooled OR  = 0.827, 95% CI  = 0.709−0.965, P-value  = 0.016; recessive model (pooled OR  = 0.444, 95% CI  = 0.293−0.675, P-value <0.0001). In the overall analysis, a comparably significant decrease in the frequency of *4/*4 genotype was detected between cases and controls in Asian while no *4/*4 genotype was detected in Caucasian in collected data.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis suggests that the CYP2A6*4 polymorphism is associated with susceptibility of lung cancer in Asian. The whole gene deletion of CYP2A6 may decrease the risk of lung cancer in Asian samples.
Antibiotics: present and future
Authors: Bérdy János
Published: April 2013

The author discuss the up to date interpretation of the concept of antibiotics and antibiotic research, as well as the present role of various natural, semisynthetic and synthetic antibiotic compounds in various areas of the human therapy. The origin and the total number of all antibiotics and applied antibiotics in the practice, as well as the bioactive microbial metabolites (antibiotics) in other therapeutical, non-antibiotic fields (including agriculture) are also reviewed. The author discusses main problems, such as increasing (poly)resistance, virulence of pathogens and the non-scientific factors (such as a decline of research efforts and their sociological, economic, financial and regulatory reasons). A short summary of the history of Hungarian antibiotic research is also provided. The author briefly discusses the prospects in the future and the general advantages of the natural products over synthetic compounds. It is concluded that new approaches for the investigation of the unlimited possibilities of the living world are necessary. The discovery of new types or simply neglected (micro)organisms and their biosynthetic capabilities, the introduction of new biotechnological and genetic methods (genomics, metagenom, genome mining) are absolutely required in the future. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 563–573.
The role of mesenchymal stem cells in the reconstruction of nerve injuries in the hand
Authors: Bíró Vilmos
Published: April 2013

At present the end results of reconstruction of peripheral nerve injuries cannot be considered unequivocally advantageous. It seems that the level of reconstructive possibilities of these injuries has already peaked. Hence, ongoing research focuses on experimental studies to further improve results. One of the methods is the joint usage of pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells with tissue inductive polypeptides (growth factors) and frame structures to enhance the attachment of these cells with the aim creating new neural tissue (tissue engineering). The conditions to create new tissue can be further improved by gene technology. Based on recent literature data, the author summarizes the basic characteristics of the method related to nerve injuries, and the possibilities and modalities of clinical applications. In conclusion, future direction is a the wider use of stem cells, however, the currently established surgical and rehabilitation methods have to be performed at high levels since stem cell research data are not established in the clinical setting yet. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 574–580.
Changes in leisure activity among young people aged 15–18 years in Hungary: physical activity, media-consumption and smoking
Authors: Takács Bence
Published: April 2013

Introduction: Young people are more and more inactive, which has numerous well-known negative effects on their health. Several studies indicate that inactive lifestyle disposes people to sit in front of the television, which increases agression and decreases the willingness of reading. There is also a strong link between inactivity and an increase of body mass, deterioration of anthropometric parameters, and deviant behaviour. Aims: The aim of the study was to find out, on the basis of two cross-sectional surveys, the changes occurred within eight years in the free-time activity of Hungarian young people aged between 15 and 19 years. Methods: Data obtained from two surveys conducted by the National Institute for Family and Social Policy, Hungary in 2000 and 2008 including 1780 and 2018 young people, respectively, were analysed and compared. Results: The number of young people regularly involved in sport activity increased significantly, while their media-consumption failed to decrease. Physically active young people are more health-conscious, but regular sporting activity did not expel smoking, which was associated with a sedentary lifestyle and television watching. Conclusions: These data reveal new responses of a new generation; watching televison still takes the largest part of their free time activity, but use of computers, and participation in social activities are not necessarily increase sedentary lifestyle and deviant habits. Internet has positive effects on the regularity of their physical activity. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 581–589.
Rehabilitation of Surgically Relocated Integrated Dental Implants With and Without Bone Morphogenesis Protein-2
Authors: Tremblay Gilbert
Published: April 2013

In the following case report, three osseointegrated implants placed in a dysfunctional and nonaesthetic position were successfully relocated with innovative surgical techniques were followed by a comprehensive dental rehabilitation. The goal of this report is to communicate the surgical techniques used to successfully relocate dental implants rather than replace them. Two techniques were used for these implants relocation. One technique consisted of displacing the integrated implant with some similarity to the alveolar distraction osteogenesis but without using the distraction device. The second surgical technique involved the displacement of the 2 adjacent implants, similarly to the first approach, except that an osseoinductive molecule, recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2, was used for guided bone growth. It was possible to relocate dental implants within bone blocs and rehabilitate them to adopt new dental abilities by complying with bone regeneration parameters. However, advanced treatment planning with computerized tomography scans, parametric software, and stereolithography models as well as guided surgery and bone regeneration products were used.
Network arch bridges at Trinec-Baliny, Czech Republic
Authors: Foglar Marek , Lubas Ales
Published: April 2013

The paper describes the network arches built at the grade separated junction of the II/468 road and the industrial area of Trinec-Baliny in the Czech Republic. A network arch is defined as an arch bridge with inclined hangers where some hangers cross other hangers at least twice. The tie is formed by a concrete slab with longitudinal prestress. Owing to the arrangement of hangers, there is little bending in the tie and the arches. All hangers have the same cross-section. Their connections should be placed equidistantly along the arch; the hangers act like a light web. The two 73·5 m span network arch bridges described in the paper and the adjacent approach ramps work as one articulation system. The paper presents the prestressing arrangement of the prestressed concrete deck, the unique bridge articulation without fixed bearing and the prestressing of the interchange between the arch bridges (the part where the approach ramps turn left and right from the longitudinal axis of the bridges). The activation of the bridge hangers is also described, together with the results of the long-term monitoring (the bridges were put in operation in April 2009).
Precast concrete voussoir geometry in a skewed arch bridge
Authors: Redpath John
Published: April 2013

The replacement of Midmill Bridge, a reinforced concrete arch bridge crossing Cruden Water in north-east Scotland, was accomplished by the construction of an arch comprising discrete interlocking precast concrete voussoirs. By eliminating reinforcement entirely from the arch structure, durability was improved. The re-aligned road crosses the river obliquely and to maintain the spandrels parallel to the road the arch has an end skew of 35°. Skewed arches pose a design challenge as the geometry of the coursing of the voussoirs is surprisingly complex. Three-dimensional computer-aided design modelling was deployed to obtain a single precast voussoir block that could be set out and placed on the barrel falsework requiring no more than conventional site skills and resources. In total 479 copies of this single voussoir were cast to construct the majority of the arch barrel. The voussoirs are placed in the English or helicoidal arrangement with special precast blocks to form the arch springings.
Climate interacts with soil to produce beta diversity in Californian plant communities
Authors: Fernandez-Going B. M. , Harrison S. P. , Anacker B. L. , Safford H. D.
Published: April 2013

Spatially distinct communities can arise through interactions and feedbacks between abiotic and biotic factors. We suggest that, for plants, patches of infertile soils such as serpentine may support more distinct communities from those in the surrounding non‐serpentine matrix in regions where the climate is more productive (i.e., warmer and/or wetter). Where both soil fertility and climatic productivity are high, communities may be dominated by plants with fast‐growing functional traits, whereas where either soils or climate impose low productivity, species with stress‐tolerant functional traits may predominate. As a result, both species and functional composition may show higher dissimilarity between patch and matrix in productive climates. This pattern may be reinforced by positive feedbacks, in which higher plant growth under favorable climate and soil conditions leads to higher soil fertility, further enhancing plant growth.

For 96 pairs of sites across a 200‐km latitudinal gradient in California, we found that the species and functional dissimilarities between communities on infertile serpentine and fertile non‐serpentine soils were higher in more productive (wetter) regions. Woody species had more stress‐tolerant functional traits on serpentine than non‐serpentine soil, and as rainfall increased, woody species functional composition changed toward fast‐growing traits on non‐serpentine, but not on serpentine soils. Soil organic matter increased with rainfall, but only on non‐serpentine soils, and the difference in organic matter between soils was positively correlated with plant community dissimilarity. These results illustrate a novel mechanism wherein climatic productivity is associated with higher species, functional, and landscape‐level dissimilarity (beta diversity).
Seeking optimal groundwater pumping strategies at Pinggu District in Beijing, China
Authors: Yang A. L. , Huang G. H. , Qin X. S. , Li L. , Li W.
Published: April 2013

A simulation-based fuzzy optimization method (SFOM) was proposed for regional groundwater pumping management in considering uncertainties. SFOM enhanced the traditional groundwater management models by incorporating a response matrix model (RMM) into a fuzzy chance-constrained programming (FCCP) framework. RMM was used to approximate the input–output relationship between pumping actions and subsurface hydrologic responses. Due to its explicit expression, RMM could be easily embedded into an optimization model to help seek cost-effective pumping solutions. A groundwater management case in Pinggu District of Beijing, China, was used to demonstrate the method's applicability. The study results showed that the obtained system cost and pumping rates would vary significantly under different confidence levels of constraints satisfaction. The decision-makers could identify the best groundwater pumping strategy through analyzing the tradeoff between the risk of violating the related water resources conservation target and the economic benefit. Compared with traditional approaches, SFOM was particularly advantageous in linking simulation and optimization models together, and tackling uncertainties using fuzzy chance constraints.
Geomorphology-based genetic programming approach for rainfall–runoff modeling
Authors: Nourani Vahid , Komasi Mehdi , Alami Mohamad Taghi
Published: April 2013

Nowadays, artificial intelligence approaches such as artificial neural network (ANN) as a self-learn non-linear simulator and genetic programming (GP) as a tool for function approximations are widely used for rainfall–runoff modeling. Both approaches are usually created based on temporal characteristics of the process. Hence, the motivation to present a comprehensive model which also employs the watershed geomorphological features as spatial data. In this paper, two different scenarios, separated and integrated geomorphological GP (GGP) modeling based on observed time series and spatially varying geomorphological parameters, were presented for rainfall–runoff modeling of the Eel River watershed. In the first scenario, the model could present a good insight into the watershed hydrologic operation via GGP formulation. In the second scenario, an integrated model was proposed to predict runoff in stations with lack of data or any point within the watershed due to employing the spatially variable geomorphic parameters and rainfall time series of the sub-basins as the inputs. This ability of the integrated model for the spatiotemporal modeling of the process was examined through the cross-validation technique. The results of this research demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approaches due to taking advantage of geomorphological features of the watershed.
Coordinating multiple model predictive controllers for the management of large-scale water systems
Authors: Anand Abhay , Galelli Stefano , Samavedham Lakshminarayanan , Sundaramoorthy Sitanandam
Published: April 2013

The optimal management of multi-purpose water reservoir networks is a challenging control problem, because of the simultaneous presence of multiple objectives, the uncertainties associated with the inflow processes and the several interactions between the subsystems. For such systems, model predictive control (MPC) is an attractive control strategy that can be implemented in both centralized and decentralized configurations. The latter is easy to implement and is characterized by reduced computational requirements, but its performance is sub-optimum. However, individual decentralized controllers can be coordinated and driven towards the performance of a centralized configuration. Coordination can be achieved through the communication of information between the subsystems, and the modification of the local control problems to ensure cooperation between the controllers. In this work the applicability of coordination algorithms for the operation of water reservoir networks is evaluated. The performance of the algorithms is evaluated through numerical simulation experiments on a quadruple tank system and a two reservoir water network. The analysis also includes a numerical study of the trade-off between the algorithms' computational burden and the different levels of cooperation. The results show the potential of the proposed approach, which could provide a viable alternative to traditional control methods in real-world applications.
HUGO PREUSS’S CONCEPT OF THE VOLK: CRITICAL CONFUSION OR SOPHISTICATED CONCEPTION?
Authors: Caldwell Peter C
Published: April 2013

Hugo Preuss, Germany’s Interior Minister during the revolution of 1918–9, was the chief influence on the shape of the Weimar Constitution (1919–33). In his writings and constitutional commentaries over the years that followed, he developed a theory of politics that aimed to bridge the gap between revolution and constitution by institutionalizing the power of the ‘people.’ From his critics’ point of view, the result was an eclectic mixture of different concepts of the ‘people.’ The Volk was sometimes a substantive, unified subject – the nation as real, willing entity; at other times, it was a disunited plurality of voices; at still other times it was the product of a procedure for creating laws and electing leaders. And last but not least, Preuss also referred to a set of historical and cultural notions that contributed to a sense of national belonging. I argue that Preuss provided an account of revolutionary democracies that was both realistic and viable precisely because it remained, in its basic concepts, fragmented and contradictory – as indeed the ‘people’ in a democracy, as a plurality of voices able to express itself in different institutional ways, in fact are. Preuss’s aim of emancipating civil society through a constitutional revolution while guarding against the myth of the state and the myth of the univocal Volk foreshadows the aims of the ‘self-limiting’ revolutionaries of 1989–90.
Successful treatment of hyperphagia by resection of a hypothalamic hamartoma
Authors: Esquenazi Yoshua , Sandberg David I. , Rekate Harold L.
Published: April 2013

Hypothalamic hamartomas (HHs) are benign lesions that are often associated with central precocious puberty and may present with gelastic seizures. Treatment modalities for HH include medical therapy with long-term gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs or resection. The authors report the case of a 7-year-old girl who was diagnosed with an HH due to precocious puberty and was treated medically with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog for 3 years. Despite normalization of her plasma levels of luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and estradiol and arrest of her precocious puberty, the patient developed progressive weight gain associated with extreme hyperphagia and morbid obesity by the age of 10 years. Her compulsive eating patterns were refractory to counseling and other interventions attempted by her parents and physicians. After resection of the HH, her hyperphagia resolved and her weight stabilized. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing resection of an HH for the purpose of treating hyperphagia and obesity.
Influence of Freezing and Storage Procedure on Human Urine Samples in NMR-Based Metabolomics
Authors: Rist Manuela , Muhle-Goll Claudia , Görling Benjamin , Bub Achim , Heissler Stefan , Watzl Bernhard , Luy Burkhard
Published: April 2013

It is consensus in the metabolomics community that standardized protocols should be followed for sample handling, storage and analysis, as it is of utmost importance to maintain constant measurement conditions to identify subtle biological differences. The aim of this work, therefore, was to systematically investigate the influence of freezing procedures and storage temperatures and their effect on NMR spectra as a potentially disturbing aspect for NMR-based metabolomics studies. Urine samples were collected from two healthy volunteers, centrifuged and divided into aliquots. Urine aliquots were frozen either at −20 °C, on dry ice, at −80 °C or in liquid nitrogen and then stored at −20 °C, −80 °C or in liquid nitrogen vapor phase for 1–5 weeks before NMR analysis. Results show spectral changes depending on the freezing procedure, with samples frozen on dry ice showing the largest deviations. The effect was found to be based on pH differences, which were caused by variations in CO2 concentrations introduced by the freezing procedure. Thus, we recommend that urine samples should be frozen at −20 °C and transferred to lower storage temperatures within one week and that freezing procedures should be part of the publication protocol.