bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diffusion tensor imaging in spinal cord compression
Authors: Wang Wei , Qin Wen , Hao Nanxin , Wang Yibin , Zong Genlin 
Published: August 2012

BackgroundAlthough diffusion tensor imaging has been successfully applied in brain research for decades, several main difficulties have hindered its extended utilization in spinal cord imaging.PurposeTo assess the feasibility and clinical value of diffusion tensor imaging and tractography for evaluating chronic spinal cord compression.Material and MethodsSingle-shot spin-echo echo-planar DT sequences were scanned in 42 spinal cord compression patients and 49 healthy volunteers. The mean values of the apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy were measured in region of interest at the cervical and lower thoracic spinal cord. The patients were divided into two groups according to the high signal on T2WI (the SCC-HI group and the SCC-nHI group for with or without high signal). A one-way ANOVA was used. Diffusion tensor tractography was used to visualize the morphological features of normal and impaired white matter.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in the apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional anisotropy values between the different spinal cord segments of the normal subjects. All of the patients in the SCC-HI group had increased apparent diffusion coefficient values and decreased fractional anisotropy values at the lesion level compared to the normal controls. However, there were no statistically significant diffusion index differences between the SCC-nHI group and the normal controls. In the diffusion tensor imaging maps, the normal spinal cord sections were depicted as fiber tracts that were color-encoded to a cephalocaudal orientation. The diffusion tensor images were compressed to different degrees in all of the patients.ConclusionDiffusion tensor imaging and tractography are promising methods for visualizing spinal cord tracts and can provide additional information in clinical studies in spinal cord compresion.
Passivitätsbasierte Regelung schaltender nichtlinearer Systeme
Authors: Kloiber Tobias , Kotyczka Paul 
Published: August 2012

Zusammenfassung
Es wird eine konstruktive Reglerentwurfsmethode für schaltende nichtlineare steuerungssaffine Systeme vorgestellt, die dem geschlossenen Regelkreis eine schaltende Port-Hamiltonsche Struktur mit gemeinsamer Energiefunktion zuweist und so (asymptotische) Stabilität der Ruhelage erzielt. Die Methode generiert alle schaltenden Zustandsrückführungen, welche die Strecke unter beliebigem Schalten asymptotisch stabilisieren. Für eine spezielle Systemklasse wird ein systematisches Vorgehen für den Reglerentwurf präsentiert. Dabei wird ein neues Ergebnis zur Matrixgleichung
AX+X

T

A

T
=Q
vorgestellt.
Beobachterbasierte Zustandsrückführungen für hyperbolische verteiltparametrische Systeme
Authors: Woittennek Frank 
Published: August 2012

Zusammenfassung
Der Beitrag behandelt den Entwurf von Zustandsrückführungen für hyperbolische Systeme mit örtlich verteilten Parametern in einer Ortsdimension. Grundlage für den Entwurf sind hyperbolische Regelungs- und Beobachterformen. Die Transformation in diese speziellen Zustandsdarstellungen wird mit Hilfe flachheitsbasierter Methoden berechnet und anhand eines einfachen Beispiel erläutert. Der Nutzen der Methode wird in Simulationsstudien nachgewiesen.
Glycemic Variability in the Use of Point-of-Care Glucose Meters
Authors: Hellman Richard 
Published: August 2012

In Brief
Point-of-care (POC) glucose meters are an essential part of diabetes care, but if their results are inaccurate, patients can be harmed. This review discusses pitfalls in the use and analysis of results from POC glucose meters. It also offers guidance on when these devices should not be used.
The influence of the chelating/combustion agents on the structure and magnetic properties of zinc ferrite
Authors: Slatineanu Tamara , Diana Eliano , Nica Valentin , Oancea Victor , Caltun Ovidiu , Iordan Alexandra , Palamaru Mircea 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
The present study is reporting the influence of the chelating/combustion agents on the magnetic properties of Zn ferrite. Six chelating/combustion agents, citric acid, egg white, tartaric acid, glycine, glucose and urea, were used to obtain monophase zinc nanoferrite via a sol-gel auto-combustion method. The samples were subjected to a comparative study of structural features and magnetic properties by means of infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry. Significant influence of fuel and combustion mode was observed in the magnetic behavior of as-obtained samples. Values of the structural parameters were discovered to vary as a function of fuel choice, and to obtain crystallite size between 38 and 62 nm, inversion degree between 0.239 and 0.807, lattice parameter between 8.4125 and 8.4432 Å. The optimization of sol-gel method synthesis of zinc ferrite nanoparticles by chosing the appropriate fuel is providing structural and magnetic properties of zinc nanoferrite as potential materials to be used in biomedical applications.
Catalytic reduction of sulfuric acid to sulfur dioxide
Authors: Balla Ancuţa , Marcu Cristina , Axente Damian , Borodi Gheorghe , Lazăr Diana 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
The reduction of H2SO4 to SO2 occurs with a relatively good efficiency only at high temperatures, in the presence of catalysts. Some experimental results, regarding conversion of sulfuric acid (96 wt.%) to sulfur dioxide and oxygen, are reported. The reduction has been performed at 800 – 900°C and atmospheric pressure, in a tubular quartz reactor. The following commercial catalysts were tested: Pd/Al2O3 (5 wt.% and 0.5 wt.% Pd), Pt/Al2O3 (0.1 wt.% Pt) and α-Fe2O3. The fresh and spent catalysts were characterized by X-Ray diffraction and BET method. The highest catalytic activity was determined for 5 wt.% Pd/Al2O3, a conversion of 80% being obtained for 5 hours time on stream, at 9 mL h−1 flow rate of 96 wt.% H2SO4. A conversion of 64% was determined for 0.5 wt.% Pd/Al2O3 and 0.1 wt.% Pt/Al2O3. For α-Fe2O3, a less expensive catalyst, a conversion of 61% for about 60 hours was obtained.
Enantioselective inhibition of immobilized acetylcholinesterase in biosensor determination of pesticides
Authors: Kaniewska Marzena , Jońca Justyna , Połeć Iwona , Sikora Tomasz , Marty Jean-Louis , Trojanowicz Marek 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Chiral effects for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by organophosphorus pesticides were investigated for insecticide malathion and malaoxon, which is a metabolic product of malathion in living organisms. Studies were carried out using a bienzymatic biosensor with immobilized acetylcholinesterase, choline oxidase, and with Prussian Blue used as a mediator. In both cases the R enantiomers accelerate acetylocholinesterase inhibition. The chiral effect in inhibition was much more pronounced in fast flow measurements than in batch measurements.
Analysis of trans fatty acids production and squalene variation during amaranth oil extraction
Authors: Ortega Jose , Martínez Zavala Arturo , Hernández Maribel , Díaz Reyes Joel 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the decay of squalene and the formation of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in the amaranth oil extracted with hexane with and without heat. Oils were analyzed by determining their chemical values, and the fatty acids were identified and quantified by using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, in the mid-region of 400–4000 cm−1, and gas chromatography. The FTIR analysis shows that two oil extracts (with and without heat) present a well-defined peak at 968 cm−1, which represents the trans double bonds. The quantified TFAs are
Spatial relationships between the pharmacophores of endomorphin-2: a comparative study of stereoisomers
Authors: Leitgeb Balázs 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
The spatial relationships between the pharmacophore elements were investigated in the case of four different stereoisomeric forms of opioid tetrapeptide, endomorphin-2, taking into account the L-D and cis-trans isomerisms. On the basis of distances and angles measured between the pharmacophoric points, a comparative analysis of conformational distributions was performed, applying a variety of distance-angle maps. The results obtained by this theoretical study indicated that the stereoisomers of endomorphin-2 could be distinguished from one another, based on the comparative analysis of distance-angle maps. Nevertheless, it could be concluded that this method proved to be suitable to examine the effects of L-D and cis-trans isomerisms on the spatial relationships of the pharmacophores of tetrapeptide.
Tuning the textural and surface properties of carbon xerogels to be used as supports for gold catalysts
Authors: Xu Xuelian , Zhu Junjiang , Faria Joaquim , Li Jinlin , Figueiredo José 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Carbon xerogels (CXs) synthesized from resorcinol and formaldehyde under different pH conditions were investigated. Both the textural and surface properties of the CXs depend closely on the pH used in the synthesis procedure. Concerning the texture, the mesoporous surface area (Smeso) increases and the micropore volume (Vmicro) decreases as the pH increases; concerning the surface chemistry, surface oxygen functional groups were easier to be created (by O2) on CX synthesized at lower pH. Application of these CXs as support of gold catalysts was also studied. Results showed that the oxygen activated CX that was synthesized at moderate pH (i.e., pH 6.0) was the most favorable support for gold catalysts used in selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol by molecular oxygen in liquid phase, due to the adequate amounts of surface oxygen functional groups created on the surface.
Heat and Cold Waves in an Annual Cycle Air Temperatures in Warsaw (1951-2010)
Authors: Stopa-Boryczka Maria , Boryczka Jerzy , Kossowska-Cezak Urszula , Wawer Jolanta 
Published: August 2012

Heat and Cold Waves in an Annual Cycle Air Temperatures in Warsaw (1951-2010)
Heat and cold waves in Warsaw (the Okęcie district) have been determined determined basing on daily average air temperature values in Warsaw (the Okęcie district), measured for 60 years between 1951 and 2010. Air temperature cycles, i.e. periods, amplitudes and phases have been determined by means of a sinusoidal regression method. Especially worth noting are 15 to 18-day long cycles of air temperature in given months (e.g. 16-day long cycles during 6 months: March, April, May, August, September, and October). Heat and cold waves result from interferences of cycles whose duration ranges from several to teen days of daily temperature values, and long-term cycles of average annual temperature.
Reliability Properties of Residual Life Time and Inactivity Time of Series and Parallel System
Authors: Gupta Nitin , Gandotra Neeraj , Bajaj Rakesh 
Published: August 2012

Reliability Properties of Residual Life Time and Inactivity Time of Series and Parallel SystemThe concepts of residual life time and inactivity time are extensively used in reliability theory for modeling life time data. In this paper we prove some new results on stochastic comparisons of residual life time and inactivity time in series and parallel systems. These results are in addition to the existing results of Li & Zhang (2003) and Li & Lu (2003). We also present sufficient conditions for aging properties of the residual life time and inactivity life time of series and parallel systems. Some examples from Weibull and Gompertz distributions are provided to support the results as well.
A New Information Inequality and Its Application in Establishing Relation Among Various f-Divergence Measures
Authors: Jain K. , Saraswat Ram 
Published: August 2012

A New Information Inequality and Its Application in Establishing Relation Among Various f-Divergence MeasuresAn Information inequality by using convexity arguments and Jensen inequality is established in terms of Csiszar f-divergence measures. This inequality is applied in comparing particular divergences which play a fundamental role in Information theory, such as Kullback-Leibler distance, Hellinger discrimination, Chi-square distance, J-divergences and others.
Diagonal Scaling of Ill-Conditioned Matrixes by Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Vajargah Behrouz , Moradi Mojtaba 
Published: August 2012

Diagonal Scaling of Ill-Conditioned Matrixes by Genetic AlgorithmThe purpose of this article is to use genetic algorithm for finding two invertible diagonal matricesD1andD2such that the scaled matrixD1AD2approaches to minimum condition number.
Automatic snow surface roughness estimation using digital photos
Authors: Manninen Terhikki , Anttila Kati , Karjalainen Tuure , Lahtinen Panu 
Published: August 2012

AbstractA surface roughness measurement system for snow is presented. It is based on a background board with scales on the edges and a digital camera. Analysis software is developed for automatic processing of images to produce calibrated profiles. The image analysis and calibration was fully automatic in >99% of the studied cases. In the others, the intensity adjustment or board detection needed manual intervention. Profile detection, control point picking and calibration always worked autonomously. The accuracy of the system depends on the photographing configuration, and is typically of the order of 0.1 mm vertically and 0.04 mm horizontally. The method tolerates relatively well cases of snowfall, traces of wiping the black background dry, uneven shading, reflected sunlight, reflected flash light, litter on the snow surface and a tilted plate. The repeatability of the system is at least 1%.
124I-PET/CT images of differentiated thyroid cancer patients
Authors: Rosenbaum-Krumme S. , Nagarajah J. , Ruhlmann M. , Bockisch A. , Jentzen W. 
Published: August 2012

SummaryFor an adequate therapy planning and staging of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), the correct assignment of thyroid remnants (TRs) and lymph node metastases (LMs) is important. Patients, method: We retrospectively analyzed whether kinetic quantities can help improving LM assignment using serial 124I-PET/CT data. 127 patients with a total of 317 lesions (TR: n = 265; LM: n = 52) received pre-therapy 124I-PET/CT lesion dosimetry using images 24 h and > 96 h after 124I administration. For each lesion, maximum activity concentration (MAC) at 24 h and effective half-life (EHL) were determined. Moreover, the product of MAC and EHL was also investigated as a quantity and is referred to CAQ (cumulated activity proportional quantity). In addition, differences between endogenous and exogenous thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) stimulation and between papillary (PTC) and follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) were investigated. Results, conclusion: The median MAC, EHL, and CAQ values in TR were significantly higher than in LM but a clinically relevant cut-off value could not be determined because of high overlapping regions. No significant differences for the three quantities were found for the mode of TSH stimulations, but a significant difference for MAC and CAQ between PTC and FTC.
Survival, Causes of Death, and Prognostic Factors in Systemic Sclerosis: Analysis of 947 Brazilian Patients
Authors: SAMPAIO-BARROS PERCIVAL D. , BORTOLUZZO ADRIANA B. , MARANGONI ROBERTA G. , ROCHA LUIZA F. , DEL RIO ANA PAULA T. , SAMARA ADIL M. , YOSHINARI NATALINO H. , MARQUES-NETO JOÃO FRANCISCO 
Published: August 2012

Objective.To analyze survival, prognostic factors, and causes of death in a large cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).Methods.From 1991 to 2010, 947 patients with SSc were treated at 2 referral university centers in Brazil. Causes of death were considered SSc-related and non-SSc-related. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify prognostic factors. Survival at 5 and 10 years was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.Results.One hundred sixty-eight patients died during the followup. Among the 110 deaths considered related to SSc, there was predominance of lung (48.1%) and heart (24.5%) involvement. Most of the 58 deaths not related to SSc were caused by infection, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease, and cancer. Male sex, modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) > 20, osteoarticular involvement, lung involvement, and renal crisis were the main prognostic factors associated to death. Overall survival rate was 90% for 5 years and 84% for 10 years. Patients presented worse prognosis if they had diffuse SSc (85% vs 92% at 5 yrs, respectively, and 77% vs 87% at 10 yrs, compared to limited SSc), male sex (77% vs 90% at 5 yrs and 64% vs 86% at 10 yrs, compared to female sex), and mRSS > 20 (83% vs 90% at 5 yrs and 66% vs 86% at 10 yrs, compared to mRSS < 20).Conclusion.Survival was worse in male patients with diffuse SSc, and lung and heart involvement represented the main causes of death in this South American series of patients with SSc.
The Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH): Patients with New-onset Synovitis Meeting the 2010 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria But Not the 1987 ACR Classification Criteria Present with Less Severe Disease Activity
Authors: BYKERK VIVIAN P. , JAMAL SHAHIN , BOIRE GILLES , HITCHON CAROL A. , HARAOUI BOULOS , POPE JANET E. , THORNE J. CARTER , SUN YE , KEYSTONE EDWARD C. 
Published: August 2012

Objective.Our objective was to describe characteristics of Canadian patients with early arthritis and examine differences between those fulfilling 1987 and 2010 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) classification criteria.Methods.The Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH) is a national, multicenter, observational, prospective cohort of patients with early inflammatory arthritis, receiving usual care, recruited since 2007. Inclusion criteria include age > 16 years; symptom duration 6–52 weeks; swelling of ≥ 2 joints or ≥ 1 metacarpophalangeal/proximal interphalangeal joint; and 1 of rheumatoid factor ≥ 20 IU, positive anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), morning stiffness ≥ 45 min, response to nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug, or positive metatarsophalangeal joint squeeze test. Data from patients enrolled to March 15, 2011, were analyzed.Results.In total, 1450 patients met the eligibility criteria (1187 were followed). At baseline, mean age was 53 ± 15 years, symptom duration was 6.1 ± 3.2 months, Disease Activity Score (DAS28) was 4.9 ± 1.6, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index was 1.0 ± 0.7. Forty-one percent (n = 450) of patients had moderate (3.2 < DAS28 ≤ 5.1) and 46% (n = 505) had high (DAS28 > 5.1) disease activity; 28% of those with baseline radiographs (n = 250/908) had radiographic evidence of erosions. ACPA status was available for 70% (n = 831) of patients; 55% (n = 453) tested positive. Sixty percent (n = 718) of patients were treated with methotrexate (MTX) initially. Of 612 patients without erosions, 63% and 83% fulfilled 1987 and 2010 RA classification criteria, respectively. Seventy-three percent (n = 166) of those who did not fulfill 1987 criteria were newly identified by the 2010 criteria. These patients had less severe disease and more were MTX-naive compared to those satisfying the 1987 criteria. Forty-seven percent of all patients achieved remission at 1 year.Conclusion.Patients with early RA present with moderate high disease activity; < 50% achieve remission at 1 year, despite MTX treatment in the majority. The 2010 RA classification criteria identify more patients with RA who would previously have been designated as having undifferentiated disease. However, these patients have lower disease activity at the time of identification.
De la présence de nos amis les chiens en psychothérapie
Authors: Bruni Francesco 
Published: August 2012

La relation avec les chiens, compagnons de nos vies, est examinée dans le contexte de notre quotidien ainsi que dans celui de la psychothérapie. Cet article s’appuie sur les recherches menées en éthologie, la théorie de l’attachement et les analyses des processus communicationnels et relationnels. La contribution du chien à la psychothérapie est évaluée à l’aide de méthodes analogiques, de l’intégration des processus primaires et secondaires et de la fonction « comme si... » associée au jeu. Des vignettes cliniques illustreront le rôle du chien en tant qu’« objet thérapeutique » ou « objet flottant ». En effet, les chiens nous sensibilisent au langage analogique, mobilisent les émotions et suscitent des activités, des « jeux » et des procédures qui sont des métaphores des relations capables de favoriser le changement en psychothérapie.
Théâtre, psychothérapie, formation. Trois lieux, trois systèmes, trois voies thérapeutiques
Authors: Marteaux Alain 
Published: August 2012

Cet article montre les corrélations et tente de dresser des ponts entre le jeu théâtral, la formation d’acteurs et la formation de futurs thérapeutes familiaux. L’auteur part de ses expériences théâtrales et de sa pratique de formateur en thérapie familiale. Après avoir relevé les convergences entre auteurs dramatiques et psychothérapeutes, il tente de montrer comment l’émotion naît du corps se mouvant dans un espace scénique ou thérapeutique : corps producteur de signes faisant naître du sens.
Study of histopathological features and proliferation markers in cases of Wilms′ tumor
Authors: Das Ram Narayan , Chatterjee Uttara , Sinha Swapan K , Ray Ashoke K , Saha Koushik , Banerjee Sugato 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Context: The spectrum of pediatric renal tumors is different from adult renal tumors, and Wilms′ tumor (WT) forms the majority. The histological type and clinicopathological staging are the two important prognostic parameters. The role of newer prognostic factors is not clear. Aims: This study was performed to analyze the histopathological spectrum of pediatric renal tumors and to study the expression of proliferation markers (Ki-67 and p53) in WT and correlate its expression in epithelial and blastema components in different stages. Materials and Methods: Twenty-seven cases of pediatric renal tumors were collected over 2 years. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used for diagnosis. Immunostaining was performed for Ki-67 and p53. Ki-67 proliferation index (PI) and p53 expression were determined in each case and for the epithelial and blastema components separately. Statistical Analysis and Results: We had 20 cases of WT (74.1%), three cases of mesoblastic nephroma (11.1%), three cases of clear cell sarcoma (11.1%) and one case of rhabdoid tumor (3.7%). It was observed that the PI of the epithelial component (57.2%) was significantly higher than that of blastema (39.53%) in all stages. The PI in Stage II is significantly higher than that in Stage I. Statistical analysis could not be performed in Stages III and IV due to the small number of cases. p53 expression did not show any significant difference in the epithelial and blastema components. There was also no significant difference between the stages. Conclusion: In this study, we found the differences between PI of different tissue components of WT, with the epithelial component having a higher PI, which correlated with the stage of advancement of the disease.
Angiosarcoma of the scalp associated with Xeroderma pigmentosum
Authors: Sharma Shilpi , Deshmukh Anuja D , Bal Munita M , Chaukar Devendra A , Dcruz Anil K 
Published: August 2012

AbstractXeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis associated with hypersensitivity to ultraviolet light due to defects in Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) repair. These patients have more than a 1000-fold increased risk of developing skin cancers. Although multiple cutaneous malignancies are common, the simultaneous occurrence of angiosarcoma and basal cell carcinoma is a rare phenomenon. We report a case of a 25-year-old male with XP with angiosarcoma scalp and basal cell carcinoma of face and occiput and discuss the treatment of this aggressive neoplasm with a review of the literature pertaining to it.