bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vision based interface system for hands free control of an intelligent wheelchair
Authors: Ju Jin Sun , Shin Yunhee , Kim Eun Yi 
Published: August 2009

AbstractBackgroundDue to the shift of the age structure in today's populations, the necessities for developing the devices or technologies to support them have been increasing. Traditionally, the wheelchair, including powered and manual ones, is the most popular and important rehabilitation/assistive device for the disabled and the elderly. However, it is still highly restricted especially for severely disabled. As a solution to this, the Intelligent Wheelchairs (IWs) have received considerable attention as mobility aids. The purpose of this work is to develop the IW interface for providing more convenient and efficient interface to the people the disability in their limbs.MethodsThis paper proposes an intelligent wheelchair (IW) control system for the people with various disabilities. To facilitate a wide variety of user abilities, the proposed system involves the use of face-inclination and mouth-shape information, where the direction of an IW is determined by the inclination of the user's face, while proceeding and stopping are determined by the shapes of the user's mouth. Our system is composed of electric powered wheelchair, data acquisition board, ultrasonic/infra-red sensors, a PC camera, and vision system. Then the vision system to analyze user's gestures is performed by three stages: detector, recognizer, and converter. In the detector, the facial region of the intended user is first obtained using Adaboost, thereafter the mouth region is detected based on edge information. The extracted features are sent to the recognizer, which recognizes the face inclination and mouth shape using statistical analysis andK-means clustering, respectively. These recognition results are then delivered to the converter to control the wheelchair.Result & conclusionThe advantages of the proposed system include 1) accurate recognition of user's intention with minimal user motion and 2) robustness to a cluttered background and the time-varying illumination. To prove these advantages, the proposed system was tested with 34 users in indoor and outdoor environments and the results were compared with those of other systems, then the results showed that the proposed system has superior performance to other systems in terms of speed and accuracy. Therefore, it is proved that proposed system provided a friendly and convenient interface to the severely disabled people.
Proinflammatory-Activated Trigeminal Satellite Cells Promote Neuronal Sensitization: Relevance for Migraine Pathology
Authors: Capuano Alessandro , De Corato Alice , Lisi Lucia , Tringali Giuseppe , Navarra Pierluigi , Russo Cinzia Dello 
Published: August 2009

Background Migraine is a complex, chronic, painful, neurovascular disorder characterized by episodic activation of the trigeminal system. Increased levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) are found at different levels during migraine attacks. Interestingly, CGRP is also released within the trigeminal ganglia suggesting possible local effects on satellite cells, a specialized type of glia that ensheaths trigeminal neurons. CGRP was shown to enhance satellite-cell production of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), while trigeminal neurons express an activity-dependent production of nitric oxide (NO). Thus, in the present study we tested the hypothesis that IL-1β and NO induce trigeminal satellite cell activation, and that once activated these cells can influence neuronal responses. Results Primary cultures of rat trigeminal satellite cells isolated from neuronal cultures were characterized in vitro. Cyclooxygenase (COX) expression and activity were taken as a marker of glial pro-inflammatory activation. Most of the experiments were carried out to characterize satellite cell responses to the two different pro-inflammatory stimuli. Subsequently, medium harvested from activated satellite cells was used to test possible modulatory effects of glial factors on trigeminal neuronal activity. IL-1β and the NO donor diethylenetriamine/nitric oxide (DETA/NO) elevated PGE2 release by satellite cells. The stimulatory effect of IL-1β was mediated mainly by upregulation of the inducible form of COX enzyme (COX2), while NO increased the constitutive COX activity. Regardless of the activator used, it is relevant that short exposures of trigeminal satellite cells to both activators induced modifications within the cells which led to significant PGE2 production after removal of the pro-inflammatory stimuli. This effect allowed us to harvest medium from activated satellite cells (so-called ‘conditioned medium’) that did not contain any stimulus, and thus test the effects of glial factors on neuronal activation. Conditioned medium from satellite cells activated by either IL-1β or NO augmented the evoked release of CGRP by trigeminal neurons. Conclusion These findings indicate that satellite cells contribute to migraine-related neurochemical events and are induced to do so by autocrine/paracrine stimuli (such as IL-1β and NO). The responsiveness of IL-1β to CGRP creates the potential for a positive feedback loop and, thus, a plurality of targets for therapeutic intervention in migraine.
Mandibular prognathism caused by acromegaly – a surgical orthodontic case
Authors: Gosau Martin , Vogel Corinna , Moralis Antonios , Proff Peter , Kleinheinz Johannes , Driemel Oliver 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
A 22-year-old man presented for orthodontic surgery because of mandibular prognathism. Clinical symptoms suggested acromegaly, and diagnosis was verified by an endocrinologist as well as by radiograph. Bilateral mandibular prognathism often represents the first and most striking physical characteristic of acromegaly; usually, it is also the main reason why patients seek help from orthodontists or maxillo-facial surgeons. This case report recapitulates the clinical and histopathological findings in pituitary growth hormone (GH) adenomas and emphasises their importance in surgical orthodontic planning. Mandibular prognatism, macroglossia and abnormal growth of hands and feet represent strong indicators for the diagnosis of acromegaly. This disease and its complications not only affect the entire body but increase mortality if the pituitary gland tumour remains untreated.
Spinal Subdural Staphylococcus Aureus Abscess: case report and review of the literature
Authors: Velissaris Dimitris , Aretha Diamanto , Fligou Fotini , Filos Kriton S 
Published: August 2009

Abstract

Background
Only 65 cases (including our case) of spinal subdural abscesses have been reported to the literature, mostly to the lumbar spine. Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacterial. The symptoms are not caracteristic and contrast – enhanced magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) is the imaging method of choice. The early diagnosis is crucial for the prognosis of the patient.

Case presentation
We present a patient 75 years old who had a history of diabetes and suffered acute low back pain in the region of the lumbar spine for the last 4 days before his admission to the hospital. He also experienced lower leg weakness, fever and neck stiffness. After having a brain CT scan and a lumbar puncture the patient hospitalized with the diagnosis of meningitis. Five days after his admission the diagnosis of subdural abscess secured with contrast – enhanced MRI but meanwhile the condition of the patient impaired with respiratory failure and quadriplegia and he was admitted to the ICU. A laminectomy was performed eight days after his admission into the hospital but unfortunately the patient died.

Conclusion
Early diagnosis and treatment are very important for the good outcome in patients with subdural abscess. Although morbidity and mortality are very high, surgical and antibiotic treatment should be established as soon as possible after the diagnosis has secured.
Application of molecular cytogenetic techniques to clarify apparently balanced complex chromosomal rearrangements in two patients with an abnormal phenotype: case report
Authors: de Vree Paula JP , Simon Marleen EH , van Dooren Marieke F , Stoevelaar Gerda HT , Hilkmann José TW , Rongen Michel A , Huijbregts Gido CM , Verkerk Annemieke JMH , Poddighe Pino J 
Published: August 2009

Abstract

Background
Complex chromosomal rearrangements (CCR) are rare cytogenetic findings that are difficult to karyotype by conventional cytogenetic analysis partially because of the relative low resolution of this technique. High resolution genotyping is necessary in order to identify cryptic imbalances, for instance near the multiple breakpoints, to explain the abnormal phenotype in these patients. We applied several molecular techniques to elucidate the complexity of the CCRs of two adult patients with abnormal phenotypes.

Results
Multicolour fluorescence in situ hybridization (M-FISH) showed that in patient 1 the chromosomes 1, 10, 15 and 18 were involved in the rearrangement whereas for patient 2 the chromosomes 5, 9, 11 and 13 were involved. A 250 k Nsp1 SNP-array analysis uncovered a deletion in chromosome region 10p13 for patient 1, harbouring 17 genes, while patient 2 showed no pathogenic gains or losses. Additional FISH analysis with locus specific BAC-probes was performed, leading to the identification of cryptic interstitial structural rearrangements in both patients.

Conclusion
Application of M-FISH and SNP-array analysis to apparently balanced CCRs is useful to delineate the complex chromosomal rearrangement in detail. However, it does not always identify cryptic imbalances as an explanation for the abnormal phenotype in patients with a CCR.
Host sequence motifs shared by HIV predict response to antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Dampier William , Evans Perry , Ungar Lyle , Tozeren Aydin 
Published: August 2009

AbstractBackgroundThe HIV viral genome mutates at a high rate and poses a significant long term health risk even in the presence of combination antiretroviral therapy. Current methods for predicting a patient's response to therapy rely on site-directed mutagenesis experiments andin vitroresistance assays. In this bioinformatics study we treat response to antiretroviral therapy as a two-body problem: response to therapy is considered to be a function of both the host and pathogen proteomes. We set out to identify potential responders based on the presence or absence of host protein and DNA motifs on the HIV proteome.ResultsAn alignment of thousands of HIV-1 sequences attested to extensive variation in nucleotide sequence but also showed conservation of eukaryotic short linear motifs on the protein coding regions. The reduction in viral load of patients in the Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database exhibited a bimodal distribution after 24 weeks of antiretroviral therapy, with 2,000 copies/ml cutoff. Similarly, patients allocated into responder/non-responder categories based on consistent viral load reduction during a 24 week period showed clear separation. In both cases of phenotype identification, a set of features composed of short linear motifs in the reverse transcriptase region of HIV sequence accurately predicted a patient's response to therapy. Motifs that overlap resistance sites were highly predictive of responder identification in single drug regimens but these features lost importance in defining responders in multi-drug therapies.ConclusionHIV sequence mutates in a way that preferentially preserves peptide sequence motifs that are also found in the human proteome. The presence and absence of such motifs at specific regions of the HIV sequence is highly predictive of response to therapy. Some of these predictive motifs overlap with known HIV-1 resistance sites. These motifs are well established in bioinformatics databases and hence do not require identification viain vitromutation experiments.
Integrated microarray and multiplex cytokine analyses of Kaposi's Sarcoma Associated Herpesvirus viral FLICE Inhibitory Protein K13 affected genes and cytokines in human blood vascular endothelial cells
Authors: Punj Vasu , Matta Hittu , Schamus Sandra , Chaudhary Preet M 
Published: August 2009

AbstractBackgroundKaposi's sarcoma (KS) associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiological agent of KS, a neoplasm characterized by proliferating spindle cells, extensive neoangiogenesis and a prominent inflammatory infiltrate. Infection of blood vascular endothelial cells with KSHV in vitro results in their spindle cell transformation, which is accompanied by increased expression of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines, and acquisition of lymphatic endothelial markers. Mimicking the effect of viral infection, ectopic expression of KSHV-encoded latent protein vFLIP K13 is sufficient to induce spindle transformation of vascular endothelial cells. However, the effect of K13 expression on global gene expression and induction of lymphatic endothelial markers in vascular endothelial cells has not been studied.MethodsWe used gene array analysis to determine change in global gene expression induced by K13 in human vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs). Results of microarray analysis were validated by quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting and a multiplex cytokine array.ResultsK13 affected the expression of several genes whose expression is known to be modulated by KSHV infection, including genes involved in immune and inflammatory responses, anti-apoptosis, stress response, and angiogenesis. The NF-κB pathway was the major signaling pathway affected by K13 expression, and genetic and pharmacological inhibitors of this pathway effectively blocked K13-induced transcriptional activation of the promoter of CXCL10, one of the chemokines whose expression was highly upregulated by K13. However, K13, failed to induce expression of lymphatic markers in blood vascular endothelial cells.ConclusionWhile K13 may account for change in the expression of a majority of genes observed following KSHV infection, it is not sufficient for inducing lymphatic reprogramming of blood vascular endothelial cells.
CDX2 hox gene product in a rat model of esophageal cancer
Authors: Ingravallo Giuseppe , Dall'Olmo Luigi , Segat Daniela , Fassan Matteo , Mescoli Claudia , Dazzo Emanuela , Castoro Carlo , Polimeno Lorenzo , Rizzetto Christian , Baroni Maurizio David , Zaninotto Giovanni , Ancona Ermanno , Rugge Massimo 
Published: August 2009

Abstract

Background
Barrett's mucosa is the precursor of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The molecular mechanisms behind Barrett's carcinogenesis are largely unknown. Experimental models of longstanding esophageal reflux of duodenal-gastric contents may provide important information on the biological sequence of the Barrett's oncogenesis.

Methods
The expression of CDX2 hox-gene product was assessed in a rat model of Barrett's carcinogenesis. Seventy-four rats underwent esophago-jejunostomy with gastric preservation. Excluding perisurgical deaths, the animals were sacrificed at various times after the surgical treatment (Group A: <10 weeks; Group B: 10–30 weeks; Group C: >30 weeks).

Results
No Cdx2 expression was detected in either squamous epithelia of the proximal esophagus or squamous cell carcinomas. De novo Cdx2 expression was consistently documented in the proliferative zone of the squamous epithelium close to reflux ulcers (Group A: 68%; Group B: 64%; Group C: 80%), multilayered epithelium and intestinal metaplasia (Group A: 9%; Group B: 41%; Group C: 60%), and esophageal adenocarcinomas (Group B: 36%; Group C: 35%). A trend for increasing overall Cdx2 expression was documented during the course of the experiment (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

De novo expression of Cdx2 is an early event in the spectrum of the lesions induced by experimental gastro-esophageal reflux and should be considered as a key step in the morphogenesis of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
The cytotoxicity of γ-secretase inhibitor I to breast cancer cells is mediated by proteasome inhibition, not by γ-secretase inhibition
Authors: Han Jianxun , Ma Ivy , Hendzel Michael J , Allalunis-Turner Joan 
Published: August 2009

AbstractIntroductionNotch is a family of transmembrane protein receptors whose activation requires proteolytic cleavage by γ-secretase. Since aberrant Notch signaling can induce mammary carcinomas in transgenic mice and high expression levels of Notch receptors and ligands correlates with overall poor clinical outcomes, inhibiting γ-secretase with small molecules may be a promising approach for breast cancer treatment. Consistent with this hypothesis, two recent papers reported that γ-secretase inhibitor I (GSI I), Z-LLNle-CHO, is toxic to breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we compared the activity and cytotoxicity of Z-LLNle-CHO to that of two highly specific GSIs, DAPT and L-685,458 and three structurally unrelated proteasome inhibitors, MG132, lactacystin, and bortezomib in order to study the mechanism underlying the cytotoxicity of Z-LLNle-CHO in breast cancer cells.MethodsThree estrogen receptor (ER) positive cell lines, MCF-7, BT474, and T47D, and three ER negative cell lines, SKBR3, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-MB-468, were used in this study. Both SKBR3 and BT474 cells also overexpress HER2/neu. Cytotoxicity was measured by using an MTS cell viability/proliferation assay. Inhibition of γ-secretase activity was measured by both immunoblotting and immunofluorescent microscopy in order to detect active Notch1 intracellular domain. Proteasome inhibition was determined by using a cell-based proteasome activity assay kit, by immunoblotting to detect accumulation of polyubiquitylated protein, and by immunofluorescent microscopy to detect redistribution of cellular ubiquitin.ResultsWe found that blocking γ-secretase activity by DAPT and L-685,458 had no effect on the survival and proliferation of a panel of six breast cancer cell lines while Z-LLNle-CHO could cause cell death even at concentrations that inhibited γ-secretase activity less efficiently. Furthermore, we observed that Z-LLNle-CHO could inhibit proteasome activity and the relative cellular sensitivity of these six breast cancer cell lines to Z-LLNle-CHO was the same as observed for three proteasome inhibitors. Finally, we found that the cell killing effect of Z-LLNle-CHO could be reversed by a chemical that restored the proteasome activity.ConclusionsWe conclude that the cytotoxicity of Z-LLNle-CHO in breast cancer cells is mediated by proteasome inhibition, not by γ-secretase inhibition.
Short-term outcomes of cadaveric lung transplantation in ventilator-dependent patients
Authors: Hsu Hsao-Hsun , Chen Jin-Shing , Ko Wen-Je , Huang Shu-Chien , Kuo Shuenn-Wen , Huang Pei-Ming , Chi Nai-Hsin , Chang Chin-Chih , Chen Robert J , Lee Yung-Chie 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Introduction
Survival after cadaveric lung transplantation (LTx) in respiratory failure recipients who were already dependent on ventilation support prior to transplantation is poor, with a relatively high rate of surgical mortality and morbidity. In this study, we sought to describe the short-term outcomes of bilateral sequential LTx (BSLTx) under extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in a consecutive series of preoperative respiratory failure patients.

Methods
Between July 2006 and July 2008, we performed BSLTx under venoarterious (VA) ECMO support in 10 respiratory failure patients with various lung diseases. Prior to transplantation, 6 patients depended on invasive mechanical ventilation support and the others (40%) needed noninvasive positive pressure ventilation to maintain adequate gas exchange. Their mean age was 40.9 years and the mean observation period was 16.4 months.

Results
Except for 1 ECMO circuit that had been set up in the intensive care unit for pulmonary crisis 5 days prior to transplantation, most ECMO (90%) circuits were set up in the operating theater prior to pneumonectomy of native lung during transplantation. Patients were successfully weaned off ECMO circuits immediately after transplantation in 8 cases, and within 1 day (1/10 patients) and after 9 days (1/10 patients) due to severe reperfusion lung edema following transplantation. The mean duration of ECMO support in those successfully weaned off in the operating theater (n = 8) was 7.8 hours. The average duration of intensive care unit stay (n = 10) was 43.1 days (range, 35 to 162 days) and hospital stay (n = 10) was 70 days (range, 20 to 86 days). Although 4 patients (40%) had different degrees of complicated postoperative courses unrelated to ECMO, all patients were discharged home postoperatively. The mean forced vital capacity and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second both increased significantly postoperatively. The cumulative survival rates at 3 months and at 12 months post-transplantation were 100% and 90%.

Conclusions
Although BSLTx in this critical population has varied surgical complications and prolonged length of postoperative ICU and hospital stays, all the patients observed in this study could tolerate the transplant procedures under VA ECMO support with promising pulmonary function and satisfactory short-term outcome.
Eigenfrequencies of generally restrained Timoshenko beams
Authors: Quintana V , Grossi R 
Published: August 2009

This article deals with the free transverse vibration of a Timoshenko beam with intermediate elastic constraints and ends elastically restrained against rotation and translation. A combination of the Ritz method and the Lagrange multiplier method and also the standard Ritz method are used to examine the free vibration characteristics of the mentioned beam. Trial functions denoting the transverse deflections and the normal rotations of the cross-section of the beam are expressed in polynomial forms. In order to obtain an indication of the accuracy of the developed mathematical models, some cases available in the literature have been considered. New results are presented for different end conditions and intermediate elastic restraints.
Reconfigurable modelling for drivetrain real-time simulation
Authors: Mason B A , Ebrahimi M , Farid M 
Published: August 2009

This article discusses a body of ongoing work that seeks to reduce the time and effort required to create, reconfigure, and parameterize physically based models that are to be used as part of a model-based design (‘MBD’) process. Initially a new modular approach for system model creation is presented. The method facilitates rapid creation of simulation models to be used within an MBD process making use of application-specific submodels. It is shown that through the use of the submodels created using Simulink configurable subsystems, the number of degrees of freedom and thus fidelity of a model may be altered by a simple parameter change. The work continues, beyond the introduction of a number of plug-and-simulate drivetrain submodels, to investigate a means by which a model's parameters may be reduced to an absolute minimum. An algorithm capable of identifying parameters of potentially low significance to an output of interest is shown in the form of the parameter elimination and model evaluation algorithm (‘PEMEA’). Simulation results that make use of the PEMEA suggest that a number of parameters may be eliminated. The parameter eliminations, conducted in situ in Simulink models, are shown to have minimum effect on the model outputs-of-interest and marginally decrease the computational overhead of the model.
Rhodium Catalysts Bearing Mixed Thioether–Phosphine Ligands for Carbonylation of Methanol
Authors: Sakakibara Ken , Nozaki Kyoko 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Two kinds of thioether–trialkylphosphine ligands and their Rh complexes were synthesized and applied to the carbonylation of methanol to acetic acid to reveal that one of the two complexes showed higher activity compared to Rh catalyst without any ligands.
Copper-Catalyzed Arylation of Chlorosilanes with Grignard Reagents
Authors: Morita Eiji , Murakami Kei , Iwasaki Masayuki , Hirano Koji , Yorimitsu Hideki , Oshima Koichiro 
Published: August 2009

Abstract
Nucleophilic substitution reactions of chlorosilanes with aryl Grignard reagents take place efficiently in the presence of copper(I) iodide to afford tetraorganosilanes.