bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Anticardiolipin antibodies are associated with cognitive dysfunction in stroke‐free individuals
Authors: Homayoon N. , Schwingenschuh P. , Hofer E. , Katschnig‐Winter P. , Schmidt R. 
Published: December 2013

Background and purposeThe presence of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCLs) has been associated with vascular occlusive events. The role of aCLs as a risk factor for stroke has been a matter of debate, and scarce information exists on the relationship between aCLs and other cerebral disorders. Reports exist for seizures, chorea and subtle cognitive dysfunction. The association between aCLs and cognition was further explored and the relationship between aCL titres and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings was evaluated in a large cohort of community‐dwelling individuals.MethodsThe study cohort was drawn from the Austrian Stroke Prevention Study. A total of 1895 subjects had a complete risk factor assessment and measurement of aCL titres in serum. Participants were classified as aCL positive if either the immunoglobulin G (IgG) or IgM aCL titres were elevated (IgG > 21 U/ml, IgM > 12 U/ml). All subjects were also categorized based on the quartile distribution of IgG and IgM isotype titres. All underwent cognitive testing by the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a random sample of 947 participants also underwent brain MRI.ResultsaCL positive participants performed worse on the MMSE. IgG but not IgM isotype titres related to worse performance on the MMSE. No significant association existed with vascular brain abnormalities including lacunes, cortical infarcts and white matter lesions.ConclusionsThese data support the view that in normal elderly persons increasing IgG aCL titres relate to global cognitive dysfunction. It is unlikely that structural brain lesions are responsible for this finding.
Septic funiculitis caused byStreptococcus equisubspeciesequiinfection with associated immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia
Authors: Caniglia C. J. , Davis J. L. , Schott H. C. , Brakenhoff J. E. 
Published: December 2013

SummaryA 2‐year‐oldQuarterHorse gelding presented for anaemia, icterus, depression and intermittent colic 2 weeks after routine castration. Bilateral septic funiculitis withStreptoccocus equissp.equiwith secondary immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia were diagnosed. A blood transfusion was required to facilitate general anaesthesia for surgical excision of the septic funiculitis. Antibiotic therapy was provided initially with chloramphenicol and later enrofloxacin. Immunosuppressive therapy was provided with dexamethasone and later azathioprine. The horse responded well to treatment and was discharged 8 weeks after presentation.Streptococcus equissp.equishould be considered in cases with septic funiculitis and the potential for a secondary immune‐mediated haemolytic anaemia exists with this bacterial species.
Omentin serum levels and omentin gene Val109Asp polymorphism in patients with psoriasis
Authors: Turan Hakan , Yaykasli Kursat Oguz , Soguktas Hatice , Yaykasli Emine , Aliagaoglu Cihangir , Erdem Teoman , Karkucak Mutlu , Kaya Ertugrul , Ucgun Taner , Bahadir Anzel 
Published: December 2013

AbstractBackgroundPsoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of uncertain pathogenesis. Omentin is a new adipokine with anti‐inflammatory properties; however, the relationship between psoriasis and omentin has not been fully established yet.ObjectivesThis study was designed to evaluate the relationship between psoriasis and omentin serum levels and Val109Asp polymorphism in exon 4 of the omentin gene.MethodsForty‐nine patients with plaque‐type psoriasis and 39 healthy subjects were included in the study. Omentin concentrations were determined by using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Val109Asp polymorphism in exon 4 of the omentin gene was assessed by the polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Genotypes were determined according to the bands formed in agarose electrophoresis gels. In the statistical analysis, the level of significance was set at P < 0.05.ResultsThe serum omentin levels of the patients with psoriasis (354.2 ± 152.0) were found to be significantly lower than those in the control group (488.7 ± 190.3) (P = 0.001). A moderate level negative correlation was determined between serum omentin level and body mass index and waist circumference. No significant differences were observed between the patient and control groups in terms of the genotype and allele frequency of Val109Asp polymorphism in exon 4 of the omentin gene (P > 0.05).ConclusionsOmentin serum levels were determined to be low in patients with psoriasis. No significant difference was found regarding Val109Asp polymorphism of the omentin gene. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first clinical study to examine the relationship between psoriasis and omentin in terms of serum and genomic levels.
Spouses’ reflections on Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator treatment with focus on the future and the end‐of‐life: a qualitative content analysis
Authors: Fluur Christina , Bolse Kärstin , Strömberg Anna , Thylén Ingela 
Published: December 2013

AbstractAimTo explore future reflections of spouses living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipient with focus on the end‐of‐life phase in an anticipated palliative phase.BackgroundA history of or risk for life‐threatening arrhythmias may require an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. Despite the life‐saving capacity of the device, eventually life will come to an end. As discussion about preferences of shock therapy at end‐of‐life phase seldom takes place in advance, the implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients may face defibrillating shocks in the final weeks of their lives, adding to stress and anxiety in patients and their families.DesignQualitative study with in‐depth interviews analysed with a content analysis.MethodsInterviews were performed with 18 spouses of medically stable implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients during 2011–2012.ResultsThe spouses described how they dealt with changes in life and an uncertain future following the implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation. Six subcategories conceptualized the spouses’ concerns: Aspiring for involvement; Managing an altered relationship; Being attentive to warning signs; Worries for deterioration in the partner's health; Waiting for the defibrillating shock; and Death is veiled in silence.ConclusionDespite the partner's serious state of health; terminal illness or death and the role of the device was seldom discussed with healthcare professionals or the implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipient. Open and honest communication was requested as important to support coping with an unpredictable life situation and to reduce worries and uncertainty about the future and end‐of‐life.
Assessing Mobility Competences of Children With Intellectual Disabilities: Development and Results of the Mobility Assessment Schedule
Authors: Kvas Štefan , Stöppler Reinhilde , Haveman Meindert , Tillmann Vera 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThis article describes the aims, development, and testing of the Mobility Assessment Schedule (MAS), an instrument assessing the ability of students with intellectual disability (ID), to function effectively as pedestrians in normal traffic. The MAS provides information about individual mobility skills of school‐age children with ID and measures the child's traffic skills congruent with safely and independently functioning in traffic situations. Mobility skills are measured in eight areas: visual perception, auditory perception, reaction, memory, attention, motor skills, social skills, and communication. The MAS was tested with 128 students at one school for children with ID in Germany. The internal consistencies of the scale and subscales were reasonable to good. Baseline results showed that the students already possessed—even before mobility training—many skills that are necessary for participation in traffic situations. The MAS is applicable and valid to assess traffic functioning skills of children with ID and can be an important tool for mobility training because it delivers information on various skills, which are necessary to function independently in traffic situations. This inventory can be part of the school's individual educational plans.
Significance of serum and hepatic microRNA‐122 levels in patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Miyaaki Hisamitsu , Ichikawa Tatsuki , Kamo Yasuhiro , Taura Naota , Honda Takuya , Shibata Hidetaka , Milazzo Maddalena , Fornari Francesca , Gramantieri Laura , Bolondi Luigi , Nakao Kazuhiko 
Published: December 2013

AbstractBackground & AimsNon‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is believed to be a type of metabolic syndrome. MicroRNA‐122 (miR‐122) is the most abundant microRNA in the liver and is an important factor for the metabolism of glucose and lipids. In the present study, we examined the correlation between the hepatic and serum miR‐122 expression levels and the clinicopathological factors of patients with NAFLD.MethodsWe extracted the total RNA, along with preserved miRNAs, from liver biopsy samples of 67 patients with NAFLD. In 52 of these 67 patients, the total RNA was extracted from serum. The miR‐122 that was obtained by quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction was quantified using TaqMan MicroRNA assays.ResultsA significant correlation was detected between serum and hepatic miR‐122 expression (correlation coefficient, 0.461; P = 0.005). Patients with mild steatosis (<33%) showed significantly lower levels of hepatic miR‐122 compared with patients with severe steatosis (>33%) (hepatic miR‐122: mild/severe = 2.158 ± 1.786/4.836 ± 7.506, P = 0.0473; serum miR‐122: mild/severe = 0.002 ± 0.005/0.007 ± 0.001, P = 0.0491). Moreover, hepatic and serum miR‐122 levels were significantly higher in patients with mild fibrosis than in those with severe fibrosis (hepatic miR‐122: mild/severe = 5.201 ± 7.275/2.394 ± 1.547, P = 0.0087; serum miR‐122: mild/severe = 0.008 ± 0.011/0.002 ± 0.004, P = 0.0191).ConclusionsWe found that the hepatic and serum miR‐122 levels were associated with hepatic steatosis and fibrosis. The serum miR‐122 level can be a useful predictive marker of liver fibrosis in patients with NAFLD.
Truth and the ‘Politics of Ourselves’
Authors: Anderson Russell , Wong James 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThe authors take up Amy Allen's suggestion that while Foucault's work may be able to support a certain type of self‐critique and self‐development, it does not permit the kind of interpersonal relations that are necessary for the development of intersubjective meaning in struggles against imposed identities. The authors contend that for Foucault, relations of ‘truth’ play an important constitutive role in subjectivities, and that understanding the ‘politics of ourselves’ in the context of this truth shows not only an openness to meaningful interpersonal relations, but also that these relations are capable of generating the conceptual and normative resources necessary for resisting socially imposed subjectivities. The authors present such an account of intersubjective relations based on Foucault's discussion of parrhesia, and develop a model of collaborative political action that addresses the criticisms raised.
The paraventricular nucleus and heart failure
Authors: Pyner Susan 
Published: December 2013

New Findings
What is the topic of this review?
This review gives an update on the cellular and molecular mechanisms within the autonomic nervous system involved in non‐pathological and pathological cardiovascular regulation.
What advances does it highlight?
For cardiovascular homeostasis in non‐pathological conditions to be maintained, discrete neural networks using specified signalling mechanisms at both cellular and molecular levels are required. In heart failure, the cell signalling protein partners CAPON and PIN decrease the bioavailability of nitric oxide by inhibiting neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity, leading to the removal of tonic neuronal inhibition. Following a myocardial infarction, pro‐inflammatory cytokines in the paraventricular nucleus and the subsequent generation of reactive oxygen species, via angiotensin II activation of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor, increase neuronal excitability further, leading to sympathetic excitation.
A pathological feature of heart failure is abnormal control of the sympathetic nervous system. The paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) is one of the most important central sites involved in regulating sympathetic tone and is, in part, responsible for the dysregulation of the sympathetic nervous system evident in heart failure. Generation of sympathetic tone in response to fluctuations in cardiovascular regulation uses discrete anatomical pathways and neurochemical modulators. Direct and indirect projections from the PVN pre‐autonomic neurons innervate the sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord, which in turn innervate sympathetic ganglia that give rise to the sympathetic nerves. Pre‐autonomic neurons of the PVN themselves receive an afferent input arising from the nucleus tractus solitarii, and viscerosensory receptors convey cardiovascular fluctuations to the nucleus tractus solitarii. The PVN contains excitatory and inhibitory neurons, whose balance determines the sympathetic tone. In non‐pathological conditions, the tonic inhibition of the PVN pre‐autonomic neurons is mediated by GABA‐ and NO‐releasing neurons. In heart failure, the pre‐autonomic neurons are disinhibited by the actions of the excitatory neurotransmitters glutamate and angiotensin II, leading to increased sympathetic activity. A key feature of the disinhibition is a reduction in the bioavailability of NO as a consequence of disrupted CAPON and PIN signalling mechanisms within the neuron. Another critical feature that contributes to increased neuronal excitation within the PVN is the production of pro‐inflammatory cytokines immediately following a myocardial infarction, the activation of the angiotensin II type 1 receptor and the production of reactive oxygen species. By examining the changes associated with the sympathetic nervous system pathway, we will progress our understanding of sympathetic regulation in heart failure, identify gaps in our knowledge and suggest new therapeutic strategies.
Modelling of an Unconventional Airship
Authors: Chaabani Said , Azouz Naoufel , Lerbet Jean , Abichou Azgal 
Published: December 2013

This paper presents preliminary results of the modelling of an unconventional unmanned airship moving in an ideal fluid. We are studying here a quad-rotor flying wing.
The airships are also governed by the aerodynamic forces that have to be modelled. An evaluation of the added masses of the airship’s components is presented. A first dynamic modelling including the effect of the added masses is proposed.
A control law based on the elaborated dynamic model was applied to this large flying object to evaluate its sensitivity when manoeuvring over an uploading area.
Modelling IR-Heating in Stretch-Blow Moulding and Thermoforming
Authors: Rasche S. , Begemann M. , Hopmann Ch. 
Published: December 2013

The two-stage stretch-blow moulding process has been established for the large scale production of high quality PET containers with excellent mechanical and optical properties. Thermoforming is the process of choice for manufacturing thin-gauge or large-area parts for packaging or technical applications. Both processes allow lightweight thermoplastic parts to be produced rapidly and economically.
In both processes thermoplastic semi-finished products are formed by pressurised air under the influence of heat. To enable forming of the thermoplastic materials, the semi-finished products need to be transferred into a thermoelastic state. IR-heating is widely used due to short heating times.
From a cost perspective, about 7 % of the total production costs of a stretch-blow moulded bottle are spent for energy in order to heat and form the preform to the later bottle. Depending on machine, semi-finished product type and cycle time, energy costs in thermoforming account for around 1–5 % of the total production costs. Modern roll-fed automatic thermoforming machines use about 22 % of the energy consumption for the heating step and around 70 % for the production of pressurised air. Due to this significant share and due to increasing energy costs during recent years, the packaging industry is interested in increasing the energy efficiency of these processes.
The most important quality criterion for both processes is a uniform wall thickness distribution. The production of high-quality parts requires optimised temperature profiles of the semi-finished product depending on the particular product geometry. Simulation is an approved tool for the prediction of the influence of the heater setting on the temperature profile.
Over the last decade IKV has developed an integrative three-dimensional process simulation which models the complete path of a preform through a stretch-blow moulding machine. An essential first step is the heating simulation where the temperature profile of the preform is computed. Based on this data the temperature-dependent material behaviour of PET can be considered during the inflation simulation.
This work shows the influence of a thoughtful temperature profile on the wall thickness distribution in stretch-blow moulding. The focus is on modelling the reheat phase of the stretch-blow moulding process in FEA. Beyond that, a purposeful heating offers the possibility to cut down energy waste.
Augmented Reality Based Maintenance Within Virtual Environments
Authors: Stelzer Ralph , Steindecker Erik , Saske Bernhard , Lässig Stefanie 
Published: December 2013

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology used for maintenance support of existing products. The service instructions are depicted directly into the operator’s vision and enhance his product view while maintaining the item. In order to provide high-quality maintenance support the manuals have to be created and tested at the development stage of the product.
This paper describes a possible solution for testing AR instructions on virtual prototypes by combining AR and Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Technical aspects for combining VR and AR displays are outlined and a combined system is presented. Furthermore, the paper shows the development of a specific test scenario for evaluating the created system and contains design patterns for depicting AR instructions in Virtual Environments. Finally, the usability of the solution is tested by a user study.
Sources and Potential Utilization of Waste Heat at a Natural Gas Processing Facility in the Middle East
Authors: Eveloy Valerie , Rodgers Peter 
Published: December 2013

Waste heat recovery (WHR) has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency of process industries such as in the oil and gas sector, and reduce their environmental impact. The design of an effective WHR strategy requires a comprehensive plant energy audit, but examples of such information are lacking in the published literature. In this paper a detailed energy audit is presented for a major natural gas (NG) processing facility in the Middle East, to identify sources of waste heat and evaluate their potential for on-site recovery. Waste heat sources are quantified and evaluated in terms of grade (i.e., temperature), rate, accessibility (i.e., proximity to potential on-site WHR applications), and impact of potential WHR on the performance and safety of existing facilities. Based on the audit undertaken, conceptual WHR strategies are proposed, focusing on utilities enhancement, i.e., process cooling/heating, electrical/mechanical power generation, and steam production. In addition, to permit the techno-economic feasibility evaluation of the proposed WHR strategies in modeling work undertaken in parallel with this study, the operating parameters of waste heat producing equipment are compiled, along with the cooling/heating loads and electric power/fuel consumption of WHR-enhanced processes.
A total of 689 MW of waste heat is identified in the plant, which consists of 526 MW gas turbine (GT) and 56 MW gas generator exhaust gases, 10 MW flared gases, 5 MW excess process steam, 88 MW process gas air-cooler heat dissipation, 2 MW furnace exhaust gases, and 1 MW steam turbine outlet steam. Waste energy in the form of excess propane cooling capacity is also identified. The total amount of waste heat meeting the rate, grade, accessibility and minimal performance-and-safety-impact criteria defined for potential WHR in this study is of approximately 547 MW, most of which is produced by GTs. Only 174 MW of GT waste heat is presently re-utilized, in addition to excess propane cooling capacity. Novel absorption refrigeration-based WHR strategies are proposed to recover the available GT waste heat. These strategies were found to be thermodynamically and economically feasible in an accompanying study, and to lead to substantial energy and cost savings for the plant.
Prediction Reliability of a Statistical Methodology for Gas Turbine Prognostics
Authors: Venturini Mauro , Puggina Nicola 
Published: December 2013

The performance of gas turbines degrades over time and, as a consequence, a decrease in gas turbine performance parameters also occurs, so that they may fall below a given threshold value. Therefore, corrective maintenance actions are required to bring the system back to an acceptable operating condition. In today’s competitive market, the prognosis of the time evolution of system performance is also recommended, in such a manner as to take appropriate action before any serious malfunctioning has occurred and, as a consequence, to improve system reliability and availability. Successful prognostics should be as accurate as possible, because false alarms cause unnecessary maintenance and non-profitable stops.
For these reasons, a prognostic methodology, developed by the authors, is applied in this paper to assess its prediction reliability for several degradation scenarios typical of gas turbine performance deterioration. The methodology makes use of the Monte Carlo statistical method to provide, on the basis of the recordings of past behavior, a prediction of future availability, i.e. the probability that the considered machine or component can be found in the operational state at a given time in the future. The analyses carried out in this paper aim to assess the influence of the degradation scenario on methodology prediction reliability, as a function of a user-defined threshold and minimum value allowed for the parameter under consideration. A technique is also presented and discussed, in order to improve methodology prediction reliability by means a correction factor applied to the time points used for methodology calibration.
The results presented in this paper show that, for all the considered degradation scenarios, the prediction error is lower than 4% (in most cases, it is even lower than 2%), if the availability is estimated for the next trend, while it is not higher than 12%, if the availability is estimated five trends ahead. The application of a proper correction factor allows the prediction errors after five trends to be reduced to approximately 5%.