bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety Assessment for Electrical Motor Drive System Based on SOM Neural Network
Authors: Meng Linghui , Wang Peizhen , Liu Zhigang , Qiu Ruichang , Wang Lei , Xu Chunmei
Published: March 2016

With the development of the urban rail train, safety and reliability have become more and more important. In this paper, the fault degree and health degree of the system are put forward based on the analysis of electric motor drive system’s control principle. With the self-organizing neural network’s advantage of competitive learning and unsupervised clustering, the system’s health clustering and safety identification are worked out. With the switch devices’ faults data obtained from the dSPACE simulation platform, the health assessment algorithm is verified. And the results show that the algorithm can achieve the system’s fault diagnosis and health assessment, which has a point in the health assessment and maintenance for the train.
On Combined Effects of Heat Transfer and Chemical Reaction for the Flow through an Asymmetric Channel with Orthogonally Deformable Porous Walls
Authors: Mohyud-Din Syed Tauseef , Ahmed Naveed , Khan Umar , Waheed Asif , Hussain Saqib , Darus Maslina
Published: March 2016

The combined effects of heat transfer and chemical reaction are studied for the flow through a semi-infinite asymmetric channel with orthogonally deformable porous walls. The similarity transforms have been used to reduce the conservation laws to a corresponding system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The resulting equations are solved, both analytically and numerically, by using Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM) and the fourth-order Runge-Kutta (RK-4) method, respectively. The convergence of the analytical solution is assured through the so-called total squared residual error analysis. The optimal values of auxiliary parameters are obtained by minimizing the total squared residual error.
Relationship between Fujikawa’s Method and the Background Field Method for the Scale Anomaly
Authors: Lin Chris L. , Ordóñez Carlos R.
Published: March 2016

We show the equivalence between Fujikawa’s method for calculating the scale anomaly and the diagrammatic approach to calculating the effective potential via the background field method, for anO(N)symmetric scalar field theory. Fujikawa’s method leads to a sum of terms, each one superficially in one-to-one correspondence with a vacuum diagram of the 1-loop expansion. From the viewpoint of the classical action, the anomaly results in a breakdown of the Ward identities due to scale-dependence of the couplings, whereas, in terms of the effective action, the anomaly is the result of the breakdown of Noether’s theorem due to explicit symmetry breaking terms of the effective potential.
Reliability and Validity of Modified Algometer in Abdominal Examination
Authors: Ko Seok-Jae , Kim Honggeol , Kim Seul-Ki , Park Kyungmo , Lee Jeungchan , Lee Beom-Joon , Oh Jayoung , Lee Kyungjin , Park Jae-Woo
Published: March 2016

Objective. Abdominal examination (AE) is one of the essential diagnostic methods in traditional Korean medicine that has been widely used for deciding treatment, cause, and prognosis of the disease. AE majorly depends on the experience of practitioners; therefore, standardization and quantification of AE are desperately needed. However, few studies have tried to objectify AE and established its standard. We assessed the reliability and validity of newly developed diagnostic device for AE called modified algometer (MA). Methods. Thirty‐six subjects with functional dyspepsia were allocated into one of 2 groups according to gold standard of AE: epigastric discomfort without tenderness (n = 23) group or epigastric discomfort with tenderness (n = 13) group. Pressure pain threshold was evaluated at participants’ epigastric region with algometer and MA. We assessed reliability and validity (sensitivity and specificity) and calculated optimal cutoff value. Results. MA showed high intertrial reliability (ICC 0.849; 0.703–0.923; P < 0.000) and validity (sensitivity: 76.92%; specificity: 60.87%), and cutoff value was 330.0 mmHg. Algometer and MA showed moderate correlation (r = 0.583, P ≤ 0.000). Conclusion. MA can be reliable and valid diagnostic device for AE and has the possibility of practical use for quantification and standardization of AE.
HSIP: A Novel Task Scheduling Algorithm for Heterogeneous Computing
Authors: Wang Guan , Wang Yuxin , Liu Hui , Guo He
Published: March 2016

High-performance heterogeneous computing systems are achieved by the use of efficient application scheduling algorithms. However, most of the current algorithms have low efficiency in scheduling. Aiming at solving this problem, we propose a novel task scheduling algorithm for heterogeneous computing named HSIP (heterogeneous scheduling algorithm with improved task priority) whose functionality relies on three pillars: (1) an improved task priority strategy based on standard deviation with improved magnitude as computation weight and communication cost weight to make scheduling priority more reasonable; (2) an entry task duplication selection policy to make the makespan shorter; and (3) an improved idle time slots (ITS) insertion-based optimizing policy to make the task scheduling more efficient. We evaluate our proposed algorithm on randomly generated DAGs, using some real application DAGs by comparison with some classical scheduling algorithms. According to the experimental results, our proposed algorithm appears to perform better than other algorithms in terms of schedule length ratio, efficiency, and frequency of best results.
Influence of Body Composition on Gait Kinetics throughout Pregnancy and Postpartum Period
Authors: Branco Marco , Santos-Rocha Rita , Vieira Filomena , Silva Maria-Raquel , Aguiar Liliana , Veloso António P.
Published: March 2016

Pregnancy leads to several changes in body composition and morphology of women. It is not clear whether the biomechanical changes occurring in this period are due exclusively to body composition and size or to other physiological factors. The purpose was to quantify the morphology and body composition of women throughout pregnancy and in the postpartum period and identify the contribution of these parameters on the lower limb joints kinetic during gait. Eleven women were assessed longitudinally, regarding anthropometric, body composition, and kinetic parameters of gait. Body composition and body dimensions showed a significant increase during pregnancy and a decrease in the postpartum period. In the postpartum period, body composition was similar to the 1st trimester, except for triceps skinfold, total calf area, and body mass index, with higher results than at the beginning of pregnancy. Regression models were developed to predict women’s internal loading through anthropometric variables. Four models include variables associated with the amount of fat; four models include variables related to overall body weight; three models include fat-free mass; one model includes the shape of the trunk as a predictor variable. Changes in maternal body composition and morphology largely determine kinetic dynamics of the joints in pregnant women.
Pure White Cell Aplasia and Necrotizing Myositis
Authors: Kim Peter Geon , Suh Joome , Adelman Max W. , Oduro Kwadwo , Williams Erik , Brunner Andrew M. , Kuter David J.
Published: March 2016

Pure white cell aplasia (PWCA) is a rare hematologic disorder characterized by the absence of neutrophil lineages in the bone marrow with intact megakaryopoiesis and erythropoiesis. PWCA has been associated with autoimmune, drug-induced, and viral exposures. Here, we report a case of a 74-year-old female who presented with severe proximal weakness without pain and was found to have PWCA with nonspecific inflammatory necrotizing myositis and acute liver injury on biopsies. These findings were associated with a recent course of azithromycin and her daily use of a statin. Myositis improved on prednisone but PWCA persisted. With intravenous immunoglobulin and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor therapies, her symptoms and neutrophil counts improved and were sustained for months.
The Neural Correlates of Long-Term Carryover following Functional Electrical Stimulation for Stroke
Authors: Gandolla Marta , Ward Nick S. , Molteni Franco , Guanziroli Eleonora , Ferrigno Giancarlo , Pedrocchi Alessandra
Published: March 2016

Neurorehabilitation effective delivery for stroke is likely to be improved by establishing a mechanistic understanding of how to enhance adaptive plasticity. Functional electrical stimulation is effective at reducing poststroke foot drop; in some patients, the effect persists after therapy has finished with an unknown mechanism. We used fMRI to examine neural correlates of functional electrical stimulation key elements, volitional intent to move and concurrent stimulation, in a group of chronic stroke patients receiving functional electrical stimulation for foot-drop correction. Patients exhibited task-related activation in a complex network, sharing bilateral sensorimotor and supplementary motor activation with age-matched controls. We observed consistent separation of patients with and without carryover effect on the basis of brain responses. Patients who experienced the carryover effect had responses in supplementary motor area that correspond to healthy controls; the interaction between experimental factors in contralateral angular gyrus was seen only in those without carryover. We suggest that the functional electrical stimulation carryover mechanism of action is based on movement prediction and sense of agency/body ownership—the ability of a patient to plan the movement and to perceive the stimulation as a part of his/her own control loop is important for carryover effect to take place.
Preparation of Nanofibers with Renewable Polymers and Their Application in Wound Dressing
Authors: Zhao Ying , Qiu Yihui , Wang Huanhuan , Chen Yu , Jin Shaohua , Chen Shuseng
Published: March 2016

Renewable polymers have attracted considerable attentions in the last two decades, predominantly due to their environmentally friendly properties, renewability, good biocompatibility, biodegradability, bioactivity, and modifiability. The nanofibers prepared from the renewable polymers can combine the excellent properties of the renewable polymer and nanofiber, such as high specific surface area, high porosity, excellent performances in cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, differentiation, and the analogous physical properties of extracellular matrix. They have been widely used in the fields of wound dressing to promote the wound healing, hemostasis, skin regeneration, and treatment of diabetic ulcers. In the present review, the different methods to prepare the nanofibers from the renewable polymers were introduced. Then the recent progress on preparation and properties of the nanofibers from different renewable polymers or their composites were reviewed; the application of them in the fields of wound dressing was emphasized.
Transition Form Factors ofχb2(1P)→Bcl¯νin QCD
Authors: Azizi K. , Sundu H. , Süngü J. Y. , Yinelek N.
Published: March 2016

The form factors of the semileptonicχb2(1P)→Bcl¯νdecay are calculated by using the QCD sum rule technique. The results obtained are then used to estimate the decay widths of this transition in all lepton channels. The orders of decay rates indicate that this transition is accessible at LHC for all lepton channels.
Effects of Two-Phase Treatment with the Herbst and Preadjusted Edgewise Appliances on the Upper Airway Dimensions
Authors: Koay Woei Li , Yang Yanqi , Tse Christine Shuk Kwan , Gu Min
Published: March 2016

Aims. To assess the effects of two-phase treatment with the Herbst and the preadjusted edgewise appliances on upper airway dimensions and to investigate the correlation between changes in the upper airway dimensions and skeletal morphologies.Methods. A total of 27 Chinese male adolescents aged12.8±1.3years were selected. Lateral cephalograms were collected to assess the skeletal morphology and upper airway dimensions.Results. Following Herbst appliance treatment, the upper airway space was significantly enlarged, with the retropalatal (U-MPW) increasing by1.1±1.6 mm (P<0.001), the retroglossal (PASmin) increasing by1.3±2.9 mm (P<0.05), and the hypopharynx (V-LPW) enlarging by1.6±3.0 mm (P<0.01). PASmin was found to show a negative correlation to the mandibular plane angle (MnPl-SN) byr=-0.413(P<0.05). There was no significant change (P>0.05) in upper airway dimensions during the second-phase treatment.Conclusions. Herbst appliance treatment increased the oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal airway dimensions among adolescents with Class II malocclusion, and the effects were maintained throughout the second treatment phase with a preadjusted edgewise appliance. There was a negative correlation between the change in the depth of the retroglossal pharynx and the mandibular plane angle.
The Numerical Analysis of Two-Sided Space-Fractional Wave Equation with Improved Moving Least-Square Ritz Method
Authors: Cheng Rongjun , Ge Hongxia , Wu Yong
Published: March 2016

A numerical analysis of the space-fractional wave equation is carried out by the improved moving least-square Ritz (IMLS-Ritz) method. The trial functions for the space-fractional wave equation are constructed by the IMLS approximation. By the Galerkin weak form, the energy functional is formulated. Employing the Ritz minimization procedure, the final algebraic equations system is obtained. In this numerical analysis, the applicability and efficiency of the IMLS-Ritz method are examined by some example problems. Comparing the numerical results with the analytical solutions, the stability and accuracy of the IMLS-Ritz method are also presented.
Redox Nanoparticle Therapeutics for Acetaminophen‐Induced Hepatotoxicity in Mice
Authors: Boonruamkaew Phetcharat , Chonpathompikunlert Pennapa , Nagasaki Yukio
Published: March 2016

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the hepatoprotective effect of an antioxidative nanoparticle (RNPN) recently developed against APAP‐induced hepatotoxicity in mice. The effects of oral administration of RNPN to APAP‐treated mice were assessed for various biochemical liver function parameters: alanine transaminase (ALT) activity, aspartate transaminase (AST) activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, prothrombin time, and serum albumin (ALB) level. The treatment effects were assessed in terms of free radical parameters: malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, % inhibition of superoxide anion (), and histopathological examination. The N‐acetylcysteine (NAC)‐treated group exhibited an enhanced prothrombin time relative to the control group, while RNPN did not prolong prothrombin time. The RNPN‐treated animals exhibited lower levels of ALT, AST, and ALP, while increased ALB levels were measured in these animals compared to those in the other groups. The RNPN‐treated animals furthermore exhibited improved MDA levels, GPx activity, and % inhibition of , which relate to oxidative damage. Histological staining of liver tissues from RNPN‐treated animals did not reveal any microscopic changes relative to the other groups. The findings of this study suggest that RNPN possesses effective hepatoprotective properties and does not exhibit the notable adverse effects associated with NAC treatment.
RAGE Architecture for Reusable Serious Gaming Technology Components
Authors: van der Vegt Wim , Westera Wim , Nyamsuren Enkhbold , Georgiev Atanas , Ortiz Iván Martínez
Published: March 2016

For seizing the potential of serious games, the RAGE project—funded by the Horizon-2020 Programme of the European Commission—will make available an interoperable set of advanced technology components (software assets) that support game studios at serious game development. This paper describes the overall software architecture and design conditions that are needed for the easy integration and reuse of such software assets in existing game platforms. Based on the component-based software engineering paradigm the RAGE architecture takes into account the portability of assets to different operating systems, different programming languages, and different game engines. It avoids dependencies on external software frameworks and minimises code that may hinder integration with game engine code. Furthermore it relies on a limited set of standard software patterns and well-established coding practices. The RAGE architecture has been successfully validated by implementing and testing basic software assets in four major programming languages (C#, C++, Java, and TypeScript/JavaScript, resp.). Demonstrator implementation of asset integration with an existing game engine was created and validated. The presented RAGE architecture paves the way for large scale development and application of cross-engine reusable software assets for enhancing the quality and diversity of serious gaming.
Inhibition of Asthma in OVA Sensitized Mice Model by a Traditional Uygur Herb Nepeta bracteata Benth.
Authors: Wang Jing , Li Feng-sen , Pang Nan-nan , Tian Ge , Jiang Min , Zhang Hong-ping , Ding Jian-bing
Published: March 2016

Asthma is a chronic lung inflammation which affects many people. As current therapies for asthma mainly rely on administration of glucocorticoids and have many side effects, new therapy is needed. In this study, we investigated Nepeta bracteata Benth., a traditional Uygur Herb, for its therapeutics effect in OVA induced asthmatic mice model. Treatment of OVA sensitized asthma mice with extract from Nepeta bracteata Benth. demonstrated improved lung pathology, as well as reduced infiltration of eosinophil and neutrophil. Nepeta bracteata Benth. extract also contributed to the rebalance of Th17/Treg cell via decreasing the Th17 cell and increasing the Treg, which was corresponding with the inhibited Th17 cytokine response and increased IL‐10 level. Moreover, the reduced TGF‐β level and Smad2/3 protein level also suggested that Nepeta bracteata Benth. extract could inhibit TGF‐β mediated airway remodelling as well. Taken together, these data suggested that Nepeta bracteata Benth. may be a novel candidate for future antiasthma drug development.
Mitochondria in White, Brown, and Beige Adipocytes
Authors: Cedikova Miroslava , Kripnerová Michaela , Dvorakova Jana , Pitule Pavel , Grundmanova Martina , Babuska Vaclav , Mullerova Dana , Kuncova Jitka
Published: March 2016

Mitochondria play a key role in energy metabolism in many tissues, including cardiac and skeletal muscle, brain, liver, and adipose tissue. Three types of adipose depots can be identified in mammals, commonly classified according to their colour appearance: the white (WAT), the brown (BAT), and the beige/brite/brown‐like (bAT) adipose tissues. WAT is mainly involved in the storage and mobilization of energy and BAT is predominantly responsible for nonshivering thermogenesis. Recent data suggest that adipocyte mitochondria might play an important role in the development of obesity through defects in mitochondrial lipogenesis and lipolysis, regulation of adipocyte differentiation, apoptosis, production of oxygen radicals, efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation, and regulation of conversion of white adipocytes into brown‐like adipocytes. This review summarizes the main characteristics of each adipose tissue subtype and describes morphological and functional modifications focusing on mitochondria and their activity in healthy and unhealthy adipocytes.
Identification of Coupled Map Lattice Based on Compressed Sensing
Authors: Xie Dong , Li Lixiang , Niu Xinxin , Yang Yixian
Published: March 2016

A novel approach for the parameter identification of coupled map lattice (CML) based on compressed sensing is presented in this paper. We establish a meaningful connection between these two seemingly unrelated study topics and identify the weighted parameters using the relevant recovery algorithms in compressed sensing. Specifically, we first transform the parameter identification problem of CML into the sparse recovery problem of underdetermined linear system. In fact, compressed sensing provides a feasible method to solve underdetermined linear system if the sensing matrix satisfies some suitable conditions, such as restricted isometry property (RIP) and mutual coherence. Then we give a low bound on the mutual coherence of the coefficient matrix generated by the observed values of CML and also prove that it satisfies the RIP from a theoretical point of view. If the weighted vector of each element is sparse in the CML system, our proposed approach can recover all the weighted parameters using only aboutMsamplings, which is far less than the number of the lattice elementsN. Another important and significant advantage is that if the observed data are contaminated with some types of noises, our approach is still effective. In the simulations, we mainly show the effects of coupling parameter and noise on the recovery rate.
A New Conic Approach to Semisupervised Support Vector Machines
Authors: Tian Ye , Luo Jian , Yan Xin
Published: March 2016

We propose a completely positive programming reformulation of the 2-norm soft marginS3VMmodel. Then, we construct a sequence of computable cones of nonnegative quadratic forms over a union of second-order cones to approximate the underlying completely positive cone. Anϵ-optimal solution can be found in finite iterations using semidefinite programming techniques by our method. Moreover, in order to obtain a good lower bound efficiently, an adaptive scheme is adopted in our approximation algorithm. The numerical results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve more accurate classifications than other well-known conic relaxations of semisupervised support vector machine models in the literature.
A Novel Complex Event Processing Engine for Intelligent Data Analysis in Integrated Information Systems
Authors: Wang Dong , Zhou Mingquan , Ali Sajid , Zhou Pengbo , Liu Yusong , Wang Xuesong
Published: March 2016

Novel and effective engines for data analysis in integrated information systems are urgently required by diverse applications, in which massive business data can be analyzed to enable the capturing of various situations in real time. The performance of existing engines has limited capacity of data processing in distributed computing. Although Complex Event Processing (CEP) has enhanced the capacity of data analysis in information systems, it is still a big challenging task since events are rapidly increasing in diverse applications. In this paper, a lightweight intelligent data analysis system with a novel CEP engine named LIDA-E is introduced, which employs the knowledge base with rules and an event processing algorithm for analysis. Event models as well as operators support the rules for event selection and aggregation. These operators and rules have been utilized for constructing new CEP system architecture which combines expressiveness and efficiency in analysis. It adopts the agents and filter conception explicitly to provide the event transmission mechanism efficiently. Finally, the comparison between the proposed engine and the existing engine shows that LIDA-E has 48.65% averagely reduced time cost in different tests. The experimental results demonstrate that the developed architecture has better performance in both transmitting and analyzing a large number of events.
Removal of Mercury(II) from Aqueous Solutions by Adsorption on Poly(1-amino-5-chloroanthraquinone) Nanofibrils: Equilibrium, Kinetics, and Mechanism Studies
Authors: Huang Shaojun , Ma Chengzhang , Liao Yaozu , Min Chungang , Du Ping , Jiang Yubo
Published: March 2016

Poly(1-amino-5-chloroanthraquinone) (PACA) nanofibrils were applied as novel nanoadsorbents for highly toxic mercury removal from aqueous solutions. A series of batch adsorption experiments were conducted to study the effect of adsorbent dose, pH, contact time, and metal concentration on Hg(II) uptake by PACA nanofibrils. Kinetic data indicated that the adsorption process of PACA nanofibrils for Hg(II) achieved equilibrium within 2 h following a pseudo-second-order rate equation. The adsorption mechanism of PACA nanofibrils for Hg(II) was investigated by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses. The adsorption isotherm of Hg(II) fitted well the Langmuir model, exhibiting superb adsorption capacity of 3.846 mmol of metal per gram of adsorbent. Lastly, we found out that the as-synthesized PACA nanofibrils are efficient in Hg(II) removal from real wastewater. Furthermore, five consecutive adsorption-desorption cycles demonstrated that the PACA nanofibrils were suitable for repeated use without considerable changes in the adsorption capacity.
Inequalities in US Life Expectancy by Area Unemployment Level, 1990–2010
Authors: Singh Gopal K. , Siahpush Mohammad
Published: March 2016

This study examined the association between unemployment and life expectancy in the United States during 1990–2010. Census-based unemployment rates were linked to US county-level mortality data. Life expectancies were calculated by age, sex, race, and unemployment level during 1990–2010. Differences in life expectancy were decomposed by age and cause of death. Life expectancy was consistently lower in areas with higher unemployment rates. In 2006–2010, those in areas with high unemployment rates (≥9%) had a life expectancy of 76.9 years, compared with 80.7 years for those in areas with low unemployment rates (<3%). The association between unemployment and life expectancy was stronger for men than for women. Life expectancy ranged from 69.9 years among black men in high unemployment areas to 90.0 years among Asian/Pacific Islander women in low unemployment areas. Disparities persisted over time. In 1990–1992, life expectancy was 4.7 years shorter in high unemployment than in low unemployment areas. In 2006–2010, the life expectancy difference between the lowest and highest unemployment areas decreased to 3.8 years. Heart disease, cancer, homicide, unintentional injuries, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and liver cirrhosis contributed most to the lower life expectancy in high unemployment areas. High unemployment areas recorded larger gains in life expectancy than low unemployment areas, contributing to the narrowing gap during 1990–2010.
Localized Castleman’s Disease in the Breast in a Young Woman
Authors: Parra-Medina Rafael , Guio José Ismael , López-Correa Patricia
Published: March 2016

Castleman’s disease (CD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. It typically occurs in adulthood but it may also develop in childhood. Clinically, this disease may be classified as localized (unicentric) or systemic (multicentric). Six cases of breast CD have been described in the literature, and all have been reported in adults. Herein we describe the case of a 15-year-old female who presented with a slow-growing tumor in the right breast. The tumor was excised and histopathological examination demonstrated hyaline vascular variant CD. After two years of follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic without evidence of cervical or axillary lymphadenopathy.
Face Recognition Based on Optimized Projections for Distributed Intelligent Monitoring Systems
Authors: Yu Aihua , Bai Huang , Sun Binbin , Li Gang , Hou Beiping
Published: March 2016

Compressive sensing (CS), as a new theory of signal processing, has found many applications. This paper deals with a CS-based face recognition system design. A novel framework, called projection matrix optimization- (PMO-) based compressive classification, is proposed for distributed intelligent monitoring systems. Unlike the sparse preserving projection (SPP) approach, the projection matrix is designed such that the coherence between different classes of faces is reduced and hence a higher recognition rate is expected. The optimal projection matrix problem is formulated as identifying a matrix that minimizes the Frobenius norm of the difference between a given target Gram and that of the equivalent dictionary. A class of analytical solutions is derived. With the PMO-based CS system, two frameworks are proposed for compressive face recognition. Experiments are carried out with five popularly utilized face databases (i.e., ORL, Yale, Yale Extend, CMU PIE, and AR) and simulation results show that the proposed approaches outperform those existing compressive ones in terms of the recognition rate and reconstruction error.
Mechanistic and Economical Characteristics of Asphalt Rubber Mixtures
Authors: Souliman Mena I. , Eifert Annie
Published: March 2016

Load associated fatigue cracking is one of the major distress types occurring in flexible pavement systems. Flexural bending beam fatigue laboratory test has been used for several decades and is considered to be an integral part of the new superpave advanced characterization procedure. One of the most significant solutions to prolong the fatigue life for an asphaltic mixture is to utilize flexible materials as rubber. A laboratory testing program was performed on a conventional and Asphalt Rubber- (AR-) gap-graded mixtures to investigate the impact of added rubber on the mechanical, mechanistic, and economical attributes of asphaltic mixtures. Strain controlled fatigue tests were conducted according to American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) procedures. The results from the beam fatigue tests indicated that the AR-gap-graded mixtures would have much longer fatigue life compared with the reference (conventional) mixtures. In addition, a mechanistic analysis using 3D-Move software coupled with a cost analysis study based on the fatigue performance on the two mixtures was performed. Overall, analysis showed that AR modified asphalt mixtures exhibited significantly lower cost of pavement per 1000 cycles of fatigue life per mile compared to conventional HMA mixture.
The Second Look after Fights: Why Wounds Might Not Only Be Superficial
Authors: Küçük Egemen , Kochai Alauddin , Onur Ümit Fikret , Kirazaldı Yasemin Yıldız , Başak Ali Murat
Published: March 2016

Introduction. We present a case of intraosseous foreign body penetration due to knife attack and its emergency service management.Case. Seventeen-year-old patient was admitted to the emergency department with a knife cut over the right knee. In the local wound exploration during the extension position of the knee, deep tissue penetration was not observed. Therefore, the patient was discharged after a primary wound saturation without any radiographic evaluation. During the second admission, the detailed anamnesis revealed that the injury occurred while the knee was in the flexion and the radiographic examination displayed a broken knifepoint in the sagittal plane of the femur’s medial patellar region penetrated in the intraosseous tissue.Conclusion. Intraosseous foreign body cases due to the knife attacks are quite rare. There is no algorithm, indicating the necessity of radiographic examination in the stab wounds. Local wound exploration of stab wounds should be done in accordance with the mechanism of injury.
Protection against Mitochondrial and Metal Toxicity Depends on Functional Lipid Binding Sites in ATP13A2
Authors: Martin Shaun , van Veen Sarah , Holemans Tine , Demirsoy Seyma , van den Haute Chris , Baekelandt Veerle , Agostinis Patrizia , Eggermont Jan , Vangheluwe Peter
Published: March 2016

The late endo-/lysosomal P-type ATPase ATP13A2 (PARK9) is implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Kufor-Rakeb syndrome, early-onset atypical Parkinsonism. ATP13A2 interacts at the N-terminus with the signaling lipids phosphatidic acid (PA) and phosphatidylinositol (3,5) bisphosphate (PI(3,5)P2), which modulate ATP13A2 activity under cellular stress conditions. Here, we analyzed stable human SHSY5Y cell lines overexpressing wild-type (WT) or ATP13A2 mutants in which three N-terminal lipid binding sites (LBS1–3) were mutated. We explored the regulatory role of LBS1–3 in the cellular protection by ATP13A2 against mitochondrial stress induced by rotenone and found that the LBS2-3 mutants displayed an abrogated protective effect. Moreover, in contrast to WT, the LBS2 and LBS3 mutants responded poorly to pharmacological inhibition of, respectively, PI(3,5)P2 and PA formation. We further demonstrate that PA and PI(3,5)P2 are also required for the ATP13A2-mediated protection against the toxic metals Mn2+, Zn2+, and Fe3+, suggesting a general lipid-dependent activation mechanism of ATP13A2 in various PD-related stress conditions. Our results indicate that the ATP13A2-mediated protection requires binding of PI(3,5)P2 to LBS2 and PA to LBS3. Thus, targeting the N-terminal lipid binding sites of ATP13A2 might offer a therapeutic approach to reduce cellular toxicity of various PD insults including mitochondrial stress.
Natural Product Vibsanin A Induces Differentiation of Myeloid Leukemia Cells through PKC Activation
Authors: Yu Zu-Yin , Xiao He , Wang Li-Mei , Shen Xing , Jing Yu , Wang Lin , Sun Wen-Feng , Zhang Yan-Feng , Cui Yu , Shan Ya-Jun , Zhou Wen-Bing , Xing Shuang , Xiong Guo-Lin , Liu Xiao-Lan , Dong Bo , Feng Jian-Nan , Wang Li-Sheng , Luo Qing-Liang , Zhao Qin-Shi , Cong Yu-Wen
Published: March 2016

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-based cell differentiation therapy has been successful in treating acute promyelocytic leukemia, a unique subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, other subtypes of AML display resistance to ATRA-based treatment. In this study, we screened natural, plant-derived vibsane-type diterpenoids for their ability to induce differentiation of myeloid leukemia cells, discovering that vibsanin A potently induced differentiation of AML cell lines and primary blasts. The differentiation-inducing activity of vibsanin A was mediated through direct interaction with and activation of protein kinase C (PKC). Consistent with these findings, pharmacological blockade of PKC activity suppressed vibsanin A–induced differentiation. Mechanistically, vibsanin A–mediated activation of PKC led to induction of the ERK pathway and decreased c-Myc expression. In mouse xenograft models of AML, vibsanin A administration prolonged host survival and inhibited PKC-mediated inflammatory responses correlated with promotion of skin tumors in mice. Collectively, our results offer a preclinical proof of concept for vibsanin A as a myeloid differentiation-inducing compound, with potential application as an antileukemic agent. Cancer Res; 76(9); 2698–709. ©2016 AACR.
Tumor Heterogeneity in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Facing the Challenges
Authors: Lu Li-Chun , Hsu Chih-Hung , Hsu Chiun , Cheng Ann-Lii
Published: March 2016

Tumor heterogeneity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), such as that found in second primary tumors after curative treatment, synchronous multifocal tumors of different clonality, or intratumor heterogeneity, poses severe challenges for the development and administration of systemic molecular targeted therapies. Various methodologies, including historical DNA ploidy analysis, integrated hepatitis B virus DNA analysis, DNA fingerprinting, and next-generation sequencing technologies, are used to explore tumor heterogeneity in HCC. It is estimated that 30%-60% of recurrent or metastatic tumors harbor clones different from the primary tumor, 22%-79% of synchronous tumors vary clonally, and 12%-66% of single tumors contain intratumor heterogeneity. Substantial intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity renders biomarker identification, which is critical for the development and administration of molecular targeted therapy, challenging when applied to a single tumor biopsy specimen. The use of circulating tumor cells or circulating tumor DNA to evaluate overall tumor heterogeneity may help resolve this problem. This article reviews previous studies of tumor heterogeneity and discusses the implications and future opportunities regarding tumor heterogeneity in HCC.
Optimal Selection of Radiotherapy as Part of a Multimodal Approach for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Yoon Hong In , Seong Jinsil
Published: March 2016

A multimodal approach to treatment is a basic oncologic principle with proven survival benefits for most cancer types. However, existing guidelines recommend single modalities for treating each stage of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonetheless, multimodal approaches can be considered for HCC, depending on the characteristics of the disease in individual cases. Radiotherapy (RT), an effective local modality, is a critical element of most multimodal approaches. Improved RTtechnology and increased understanding of the tolerance of the liver to radiation have contributed to the popularity of RT for treating liver tumors in clinical practice. Consequently, numerous reports have described the effects of RT on liver cancer, despite a lack of stringent evidence for its benefits. RT can be delivered using various technologies and approaches, which may be the source of some confusion. For example, high-dose ablative RT can be curative on its own, or high-dose ablative or conventional RT can complement other treatments such as radiofrequency ablation and transarterial chemoembolization. Combinations of systemic agents and RT can also be applied. This review discusses the optimal selection of RT as part of a multimodal approach for HCC.
Psychological Stress and Depression: Risk Factors for IBD?
Authors: Bernstein Charles N.
Published: March 2016

While it is widely accepted that chronic diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may trigger negative psychological emotions such as distress and even depression, it is unknown if this response to a chronic illness like IBD is solely a psychological response to an adverse situation or whether it also represents a biological response, that is, the active inflammatory state of IBD intersecting with the pathobiology of what mediates mood and anxiety disorders. There is a bi-directionality between psychological comorbidity and IBD with each influencing the course of the other when they coexist. Furthermore, there is much to learn in terms of the underlying pathobiology of depression and anxiety and how this may impact on the pathobiology of IBD. Several important questions in regards to psychological comorbidity and IBD will be reviewed in this chapter.
IBD and Environment: Are There Differences between East and West
Authors: Gearry Richard B.
Published: March 2016

Background: The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) occur worldwide with differences in epidemiology, etiology and phenotype between regions. Breakthroughs have occurred in IBD genetics, although the genes that predispose to IBD differ between racial groups. What do we know about the ‘envirotype' of those who develop IBD, and are there differences between the East and the West? Key Messages: The strongest IBD risk factor identified to date is a family history of IBD. Whilst likely representing an underlying genetic predisposition, it may also reflect shared environmental factors amongst family members. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing CD, whilst smoking is less common in those who develop UC. Having ceased smoking increases the risk of developing UC subsequently. Unlike the West, cigarette smoking appears to play a lesser role in the East. Other environmental risk factors are inconsistent. Studies of migrant populations moving from regions of low to high IBD incidence point to early life as a key time for environmental triggers. In these populations, it is the second generation (those born in the high incidence region) with higher IBD incidence rates than their parents. Early life environmental exposures have been studied exhaustively but, except for having been breastfed, few putative early childhood environmental risk factors have been shown consistently to alter the risk of developing IBD. Conclusions: The identification of IBD environmental risk factors remains elusive in both the East and West. In the West, case-control studies are unlikely to move the field forward without multi-level (phenotype, genotype, diet history, ‘envirotype' and microbiome) data, ideally collected prospectively. Cohort studies (such as the Genes, Environment, Microbiome project) may address some of these issues. However, in the East where IBD incidence is still increasing, well-designed comprehensive case-control studies may identify differences that give an insight into the ‘envirotype' driving IBD incidence.
‘Treat to Target' - Lessons Learnt
Authors: Kurti Zsuzsanna , Vegh Zsuzsanna , Golovics Petra Anna , Lakatos Peter Laszlo
Published: March 2016

Background: Therapeutic management in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) has significantly changed in the last decades with the advent of biological therapy resulting in new treatment targets other than clinical symptoms. Key Messages: Patient stratification in the early stage of the disease is an important step to identify patients with poor prognosis, who might benefit from early aggressive treatment to avoid complications in the later disease course. Recent randomized and hypothesis driven (e.g., Randomized Evaluation of an Algorithm for Crohn's Treatment, Post-Operative Crohn's Endoscopic Recurrence) clinical trials conducted in the biological era underscore the need of objective disease monitoring including assessment of biomarkers (e.g., C-reactive protein and calprotectin), mucosal healing and, for biologically treated patients, therapeutic drug monitoring beside clinical symptom assessment in both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Conclusions: Assessing the treatment efficacy objectively has become an important element of patient monitoring besides clinical symptom assessment. Further clinical studies are needed to assess whether implementation of new therapeutic algorithms based on these targets and tight monitoring in clinical practice have the potential to further improve long-term disease outcomes in IBD.
Nodular Fasciitis: Definitive Diagnosis by Fine Needle Aspiration
Authors: Berry Anna B. , Jaffee Ian , Greenberg Matthew , Eisele David W. , Ljung Britt-Marie
Published: March 2016

Objectives: Nodular fasciitis (NF) is a self-limited, mass-forming, fibrous proliferation that can occur in the head and neck and may mimic malignancy. Fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is a minimally invasive, rapid, accurate method of obtaining diagnostic material from head and neck masses. In this study, we verify the usefulness of FNAB in obtaining a definitive diagnosis of NF. Methods: Cases were identified from our laboratory information system. Cytology slides were reviewed to note morphologic features and confirm diagnoses. Clinical history was obtained to document the case presentations and outcomes. Results: All 9 cases were found to have clinical presentations and common distinguishing morphologic features consistent with NF. Two cases were excised surgically, and the remainder regressed spontaneously. There were no recurrences. Conclusions: FNAB can produce a definitive diagnosis of NF, providing an opportunity to avoid surgical excision in patients with a typical clinical presentation.
Oral Nitrate Administration Ameliorates Cardiogenic Shock due to Eclipsed Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: Kimura Mai , Kohno Takashi , Murata Mitsushige , Nakahara Tadaki , Sugihara Kai , Nishiyama Takahiko , Tsuruta Hikaru , Egashira Toru , Maekawa Yuichiro , Kudo Mikihiko , Sano Motoaki , Shimizu Hideyuki , Fukuda Keiichi
Published: March 2016

Eclipsed mitral regurgitation (MR) has been reported as transient massive functional MR caused by a sudden coaptation defect in the absence of left ventricular remodeling or epicardial coronary artery stenosis. Coronary spasm or microvascular dysfunction has been suggested to be associated with the pathogenesis. Here, we present a 68-year-old woman with eclipsed MR with cardiogenic shock ameliorated by nitrate. She was admitted for transient shock with massive functional MR. Transient MR was associated with a complete absence of mitral leaflet coaptation owing to tethering of the lateral posterior mitral leaflet. The leaflet tethering was triggered by transient myocardial ischemia around the anterolateral papillary muscle, which could have been caused by coronary spasm and/or microvascular dysfunction. During admission, she experienced similar repeated episodes, which were ameliorated by oral nitrate administration. This is the first described case of eclipsed MR with shock ameliorated by nitrate. Although eclipsed MR, a cause of life-threatening shock, is uncommon, we need to keep in mind that nitrate administration could be a treatment option even in patients with cardiogenic shock.
The Susceptibility to Dental Erosion Differs among Individuals
Authors: Uhlen M.M. , Mulic A. , Holme B. , Tveit A.B. , Stenhagen K.R.
Published: March 2016

Studies of wine tasters and patients with self-induced vomiting have revealed that 30-50% of individuals at high risk do not develop erosive lesions. The aim was to investigate this apparent individual susceptibility to enamel erosion. Two enamel specimens were made from each of 3 premolars from 8 persons (donors). Six acrylic mouth appliances were worn by 6 volunteers (carriers). One specimen from each donor was mounted on each appliance. The carriers wore the appliances for 9 days. The appliances were immersed in 0.01 M HCl for 3 min twice per day to imitate a vomiting/reflux situation. The enamel specimens were analysed by a white-light interferometer to measure enamel loss (in micrometres). The enamel loss varied significantly both between the donor teeth (p = 0.009) and the carriers (p = 0.004). The lesion in the specimen with the largest amount of enamel loss was 4 times as deep as in the specimen with the lowest. In 1 carrier, all specimens displayed enamel loss above the mean, including the specimen from the donor with the most resistant enamel. The variation in susceptibility to erosion among individuals appears to be influenced both by the sustainability of the enamel and by factors in the oral environment. This could explain the variation in prevalence and severity of dental erosions among patients exposed to similar acidic challenges. The results suggest that for certain individuals, only minimal acidic challenges may be sufficient to cause damage to the teeth, while others may never develop dental erosions despite extensive exposure to acid.
Three-Dimensional Imaging Using Contrast-Enhanced and Three-Dimensional Ultrasound Techniques in the Ablative Zone Treated with a Multipolar Radiofrequency Ablation System for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Tanaka Takashi , Ikeda Kenji , Sorin Yushi , Fukushima Taito , Kawamura Yusuke , Kobayashi Masahiro , Kumada Hiromitsu
Published: March 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to generate three-dimensional (3D) images of the ablative zone in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with multipolar radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and 3DUS and to investigate the shape of the ablative zone among several patterns after insertion of two or three electrodes. Methods: This study included 16 patients and 20 HCCs treated with a multipolar RFA system. All patients underwent CEUS within 14 days after multipolar RFA therapy. The 3D scanning functionality of the LOGIQ E9 US imaging system (GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, Wis., USA), which acquires volume data using a manually controlled sweep on perfusion defects of CEUS, was used in this study to acquire CEUS/3DUS data. The ablative-area shapes resulting from three insertion patterns were investigated, using two electrodes (T20-T20 and T30-T30) or three electrodes (T30-T30-T30). Results: The resulting shapes using two electrodes were globule-like (T20-T20) or elliptical (T30-T30). The shape using three electrodes (T30-T30-T30) was almost ellipse-like but slightly irregular. Conclusions: Generating 3D images using CEUS/3DUS techniques is simple and useful for evaluating the shape of the ablative area, and these images provide informational or educational tools for patients and medical staff associated with multipolar RFA procedures.