bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Does Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Based Tractography at 3 Months of Age Contribute to the Prediction of Motor Outcome After Perinatal Arterial Ischemic Stroke?
Authors: van der Aa Niek E. , Leemans Alexander , Northington Frances J. , van Straaten Henrica L. , van Haastert Ingrid C. , Groenendaal Floris , Benders Manon J.N.L. , de Vries Linda S. 
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—
After perinatal arterial ischemic stroke, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and early evaluation of spontaneous motor behavior can be used to predict the development of unilateral motor deficits. The aim of this study was to investigate whether diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography at 3 months of age contributes to this prediction.

Methods—
Twenty-two infants with unilateral perinatal arterial ischemic stroke were included and scanned during the neonatal period. DWI was used to assess restricted diffusion in the cerebral peduncle. At the age of 3 months, diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography of the corticospinal tracts was performed along with assessment of the movement repertoire. The role of DWI, diffusion tensor imaging, and motor assessment in predicting unilateral motor deficits were compared by calculating the positive and negative predictive values for each assessment.

Results—
Eleven infants (50%) showed abnormal motor behavior at 3 months with subsequent development of unilateral motor deficits in 8 as determined at follow-up (9–48 months, positive predictive value 73%). Diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography correctly predicted the development of unilateral motor deficits in all 8 infants (positive predictive value 100%). A diagnostic neonatal DWI was available in 20 of 22 (91%) infants. Seven infants showed an abnormal DWI, resulting in unilateral motor deficits in 6 infants (positive predictive value 86%). All assessments had a negative predictive value of 100%.

Conclusions—
Diffusion tensor imaging-based tractography at 3 months can be used to predict neurodevelopmental outcome after perinatal arterial ischemic stroke. It has a similar predictive value as DWI in the neonatal period and can especially be of additional value in case of an indecisive neonatal DWI or unexpected abnormal early motor development.
Rapid Conditioning With Oxygen Oscillation
Authors: Liu Changsuo , Weaver John , Liu Ke Jian 
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—
Normobaric hyperoxia (NBO) has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia and to restore penumbral oxygenation. Inspired by recent reports on postconditioning with intermittent occlusions of cerebral artery, we tested the hypothesis that intermittent NBO (iNBO) may cause oscillation of cerebral oxygenation and thereby elicit repetitive interruptions to reperfusion, leading to attenuated ischemia/reperfusion damage after transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

Methods—
Rats were subjected to 90 minutes of middle cerebral artery occlusion. During ischemia, animals received air, iNBO (4 cycles of 3 minutes of NBO and 2 minutes of air), continuous NBO (cNBO; 75 minutes), short NBO (18 minutes), or a combination of iNBO and cNBO. Infarct volume and neurological score were evaluated at 24 and 72 hours after ischemia. Production of superoxide was assessed by the hydroethidine method, and the expression of Akt and phosphorylated Akt was examined by Western blot.

Results—
iNBO and cNBO had similar effects in reducing infarct volume and neurological deficit at 24 hours after ischemia, whereas at 72 hours the neuroprotection exerted by iNBO was greater than cNBO. Combining iNBO and cNBO produced no greater protection, and short NBO failed to provide neuroprotection. Both iNBO and cNBO attenuated superoxide production. Importantly, prolonged activation of Akt was observed in the iNBO group, and neuroprotection by iNBO was partly eliminated by inhibition of Akt activation.

Conclusions—
iNBO may represent a novel form of postconditioning, and this neuroprotection is likely mediated by attenuating superoxide generation and activation of the Akt pathway.
Direct Thrombus Imaging as a Means to Control the Variability of Mouse Embolic Infarct Models
Authors: Kim Dong-Eog , Kim Jeong-Yeon , Nahrendorf Matthias , Lee Su-Kyoung , Ryu Ju Hee , Kim Kwangmeyung , Kwon Ick Chan , Schellingerhout Dawid 
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—
High experimental variability in mouse embolic stroke models could mask the effects of experimental treatments. We hypothesized that imaging thrombus directly would allow this variability to be controlled.

Methods—
We optically labeled thrombi with a near-infrared fluorescent (NIRF) probe C15 that is covalently linked to fibrin by factor-XIIIa. Labeled thrombus was injected into the left distal internal carotid artery (ICA) of C57/BL6 mice (n=47), near its bifurcation, and laser-Doppler cerebral-blood-flow (CBF) was assessed for 30 minutes. NIRF thrombus imaging was done ex vivo at 24 hours.

Results—

CBF variably decreased to 43.9±17.3% at 5 minutes (rCBF; 11.2∼80.4%). NIRF thrombus imaging at 24 hours showed variability in distribution (ICA bifurcation, adjacent and/or remote areas) and burden (2279±1270 pixels; 0∼5940 pixels). Final infarct size was also variable (21.0±10.3%; 4.7∼60.3% of the bihemispheric volume). Despite this heterogeneity, a strong thrombus-infarct correlation was maintained. The left hemispheric target infarct size (% of the hemisphere) correlated with thrombus burden, as a stronger predictor of infarct volume (
P
<0.001, r=0.50) than rCBF (
P
=0.02, r=−0.34). The infarct size was best predicted by a combination of thrombus imaging and CBF: left-hemispheric big-thrombi (>1865 pixels)/low-rCBF (≤42%) had an infarct volume of 56.9±10.4% (n=12), big-thrombi/high-rCBF had 45.9±23.5% (n=11), small-thrombi/low-rCBF 35.7±17.3% (n=11) and small-thrombi/ high-rCBF 27.3±16.4% (n=12).

Conclusions—
This is the first study to demonstrate that the highly heterogeneous nature of the mouse embolic stroke model can be characterized and managed by using near-infrared fluorescent thrombus imaging combined with CBF monitoring to stratify animals into useful subgroups.
Depression and Risk of Stroke
Authors: Dong Jia-Yi , Zhang Yong-Hong , Tong Jian , Qin Li-Qiang 
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—
A history of depression may be associated with an increased risk of stroke. We aimed to determine the association between depression and risk of stroke by performing a meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Methods—
Relevant studies were identified by a PubMed database search through May 2011 without restrictions and by reviewing reference lists of obtained articles. Community-based or population-based prospective studies that reported relative risk estimates with 95% confidence intervals for the association between depression and stroke were selected. Studies that enrolled participants with preexisting stroke at baseline were excluded. A random-effects model was used to compute the pooled risk estimate.

Results—
Random-effects meta-analysis of 17 prospective studies involving 206 641 participants and 6086 cases demonstrated a significant positive association between depression and subsequent risk of stroke (pooled relative risk, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.17–1.54) after adjustment for potential confounding factors. The associations were similar between men and women. Potential publication bias may exist, but correction for this bias using a formal statistical method did not materially alter the combined risk estimate.

Conclusions—
Depression significantly increased the risk of development of stroke, and this increase was probably independent of other risk factors, including hypertension and diabetes.
Cannabinoid Type 2 Receptor Activation Downregulates Stroke-Induced Classic and Alternative Brain Macrophage/Microglial Activation Concomitant to Neuroprotection
Authors: Zarruk Juan G. , Fernández-López David , García-Yébenes Isaac , García-Gutiérrez María S. , Vivancos José , Nombela Florentino , Torres Magdalena , Burguete María C. , Manzanares Jorge , Lizasoain Ignacio , Moro María A. 
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—
Ischemic stroke continues to be one of the main causes of death worldwide. Inflammation accounts for a large part of damage in this pathology. The cannabinoid type 2 receptor (CB2R) has been proposed to have neuroprotective properties in neurological diseases. Therefore, our aim was to determine the effects of the activation of CB2R on infarct outcome and on ischemia-induced brain expression of classic and alternative markers of macrophage/microglial activation.

Methods—
Swiss wild-type and CB2R knockout male mice were subjected to a permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. Mice were treated with either a CB2R agonist (JWH-133), with or without a CB2R antagonist (SR144528) or vehicle. Infarct outcome was determined by measuring infarct volume and neurological outcome. An additional group of animals was used to assess mRNA and protein expression of CB2R, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein–1 (MCP-1), macrophage inflammatory peptide (MIP) –1α, RANTES, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2, IL-4, IL-10, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), arginase I, and Ym1.

Results—
Administration of JWH-133 significantly improved infarct outcome, as shown by a reduction in brain infarction and neurological impairment. This effect was reversed by the CB2R antagonist and was absent in CB2R knockout mice. Concomitantly, administration of JWH-133 led to a lower intensity of Iba1+ microglia/macrophages and a decrease in middle cerebral artery occlusion–induced gene expression of both classic (IL-6, TNF-α, MCP-1, MIP-1α, RANTES, and iNOS) and alternative mediators/markers (IL-10, TGF-β, and Ym1) of microglial/macrophage activation after permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion.

Conclusions—
The inhibitory effect of CB2R on the activation of different subpopulations of microglia/macrophages may account for the protective effect of the selective CB2R agonist JWH-133 after stroke.
The Use of Blood Biomarkers to Predict Poor Outcome After Acute Transient Ischemic Attack or Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Whiteley William , Wardlaw Joanna , Dennis Martin , Lowe Gordon , Rumley Ann , Sattar Naveed , Welsh Paul , Green Alison , Andrews Mary , Sandercock Peter 
Published: October 2011

Background and Purpose—
The prediction of death or disability (“poor outcome”) after stroke by validated clinical models might be improved by the addition of blood biomarker measurements. We investigated whether such measurements improved the classification of patients into 4 categories of predicted risk of poor outcome: very high, intermediate high, intermediate low, and very low.

Methods—
We prospectively recruited symptomatic patients within 24 hours of ischemic cerebrovascular events. We measured clinical prognostic variables in each patient. We drew blood soon after admission and measured markers of inflammation, thrombosis, cardiac strain, and cerebral damage. We assessed poor outcome at 3 months with the modified Rankin Scale and recovery of symptoms at 24 hours. We measured the association between blood marker levels and poor outcome after adjustment for stroke severity and age with multivariate logistic regression. Where these associations were statistically significant, we calculated the net reclassification index.

Results—
We recruited 270 patients with acute ischemic cerebrovascular events. At 3 months, 112 patients had a poor outcome. After adjustment for stroke severity and age, only interleukin-6 and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide were significantly associated with poor outcome. The addition of either interleukin-6 or N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide to National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and age did not improve the prediction of a poor outcome.

Conclusions—
Neither interleukin-6 nor N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide had sufficient predictive power to be of clinical use to predict poor outcome after stroke. The search for better markers to improve the classification of patients across clinically relevant boundaries of predicted probabilities of outcome events needs to continue.
A case study on the application of air- and water-cooled oil-free chillers to hospitals in Hong Kong
Authors: Yik Francis WH , Lai Joseph HK , Fong NK , Leung Polly HM , Yuen PL 
Published: October 2011

A comparison study on using air-cooled and water-cooled conventional and oil-free chillers in hospitals in Hong Kong is reported. The study commenced with a comprehensive literature review to reaffirm the effectiveness of recommended precaution measures for containing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease (LD) associated with using cooling towers. Numerical performance models for oil-free chillers established for use in the study are presented. Based on recorded cooling demands of two existing hospitals, the life-cycle energy consumption and cost of system options involving different combinations of heat rejection method and chiller type were evaluated, compared and discussed. The results show that water-cooled air-conditioning systems with conventional chillers and cooling towers are still more energy efficient than air-cooled systems with oil-free chillers. Water-cooled oil-free chillers may become an economically viable choice when their price is lowered in future. Pilot installation is recommendable, as it would allow the reliability and maintainability of the new oil-free chillers to be ascertained. Practical applications: Findings of the literature review reaffirmed the effectiveness of measures recommended in contemporary guidelines for LD prevention, which would ease the mind of owners, designers and operation and maintenance personnel in regard of using cooling towers in hospitals. The numerical models for oil-free chillers presented in the paper are useful for evaluation of the energy consumption of this new type of chiller and for comparison with other types of chillers. The study approach described in the paper, including the energy consumption prediction and life-cycle cost evaluation methods, provides a useful framework for similar studies.
Developments in mathematical simulation of fluid flow in building drainage systems
Authors: Campbell DP 
Published: October 2011

A mathematical model utilising the Method of Characteristics to solve the equations of continuity and momentum in a finite difference scheme forms a computer based simulation package - AIRNET. It can simulate conditions in building drainage, waste and vent systems. Recent work extended AIRNET by including the effects of detergents and temperature. Other work examined the motive force of the water, extending it to include a proportion of the discharge appearing as droplets falling in the central air core as opposed to assuming it was due entirely to an annular film. This article includes these additions and links to previous work on non-dimensional analysis, to yield a more refined AIRNET model which includes the effects of detergents, temperature and droplet fraction. Significant refinement of the AIRNET model is described in this article. Practical Applications: Accurate simulation of detergent dosed waste as described here extends the scope over which accurate simulations and code guideline comparisons can be made, to include ‘live’ domestic and industrial media from modern appliances and practices. This will have a significant impact on code generation and drainage system design practices, allowing optimisation for reliability, effectiveness and cost. This article improves the current level of understanding of the hydraulic basis for the design requirements imposed on sanitation engineers and code bodies, and improved an existing computer simulation model in its capacity as a design tool.
The use of Monte Carlo simulation in evaluating the elevator round trip time under up-peak traffic conditions and conventional group control
Authors: Al-Sharif Lutfi , Aldahiyat Husam M , Alkurdi Laith M 
Published: October 2011

The design of vertical transportation systems still relies on the evaluation of the round trip of the elevators during the up-peak (incoming) traffic conditions in a building. The evaluation of the round trip time for anything other than the most straightforward case becomes very complicated and requires the use of advanced special condition formulae. These formulae become even more complicated when a combination of the special conditions exist within the building being designed. The most four prominent examples of these special conditions are the case of multiple entrances to the building (rather than a single entrance), the case where the top speed is not attained within one floor jump (or even two or three floor jumps), unequal floor heights and unequal floor population. Moreover, no analytical formulae exist for some combinations of these special conditions. The use of the Monte Carlo simulation is presented in this paper as a simple and practical means to calculate the round trip time for an elevator during the up-peak (incoming) traffic conditions, under a combination of any or all of the special conditions such as multiple entrances, top speed not attained within one or more floor journeys, unequal floor heights and unequal floor populations. Analytical methods are used to show that the Monte Carlo simulation produces the same results for real-life cases of multiple entrances and where the top speed is not attained in a one floor jump. The same can be applied to the other two special conditions or any combination of the four special conditions. The structure and architecture of the Monte Carlo simulation tool used is discussed in detail. The practical details that are used to ensure the speed of the tool in producing an answer are also discussed. The method developed here only applies to up-peak traffic conditions under a conventional group control system. Practical Application: Evaluating the elevator round trip time under up-peak traffic conditions is possible using analytical methods by applying well-established formulae. The round trip time is necessary to decide on the number of elevators required for a building. Where special conditions exist in the building, the use of the analytical method becomes very complicated, and is not possible under the combinations of all special conditions. The only alternatives available are discrete time-slice simulation packages. This piece of work provides the designer with a basis to use the Monte Carlo simulation as a software tool to calculate the round trip time, regardless of the special cases that exist in the building. It also offers a reference to allow the benchmarking and verification of calculation and simulation packages in research environments.
Comparison study of air mixing modes in liquid desiccant based all-air air conditioning systems
Authors: Xiao Fu , Niu XiaoFeng 
Published: October 2011

Liquid desiccant is an energy-saving, environmentally friendly and healthy means of air dehumidification. A liquid desiccant-based all-air air conditioning system is studied by simulation. Two different modes of air mixing between the return air and the fresh air are compared, that is mixing before and mixing after the liquid desiccant dehumidifier, respectively. System performance and total energy consumption of the two modes under different operation conditions are obtained. The results show that mixing air after dehumidification consumes less energy than mixing air before dehumidification. Coefficient of performance (COP) of the all-air system with air mixing after dehumidification is higher. The differences of COP and energy consumption between the two air mixing modes increase when the outdoor air temperature and relative humidity increase. Practical application: Liquid desiccant based all-air system is quite suitable for museums, libraries and computer centres where water is not allowed to enter the space for property safety and strict thermal-hygrometric control is necessary. The results of this paper provide guidelines on the selection of air mixing modes in liquid desiccant-based all-air systems, considering energy consumption and system COP.
Effects of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in a Mouse Model of Allergic Rhinitis
Authors: Jung Dallim , Lee Seungdeok , Hong Seungug 
Published: October 2011

ObjectiveIn this study, the authors examined the effects of acupuncture and moxibustion on the expression of various inflammatory cells and mediators in the nasal mucosa of an allergic rhinitis (AR) animal model.Study DesignRandomized controlled animal study.SettingAnimal laboratory in a Dongguk University.Subjects and MethodsTwenty‐eight BALB/c mice were divided into 4 groups: control, levocetirizine (Lcz), moxibustion (Mox), and acupuncture (Acu). To induce AR, mice were intraperitoneally sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) and challenged with intranasal OVA. At 7 days following the final sensitization and every day for a further 7 days, the Lcz group was orally administered levocetirizine (50 mg/kg), the Mox group was subjected to 5 seconds of moxibustion stimulation at the juncture of the medial canthus and nostril, and the Acu group was subjected to 30 seconds of acupuncture stimuli at the same point. The authors measured the degree of positive reaction to substance P, STAT6, nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB), and iNOS via immunohistochemical staining of the nasal mucosa.ResultsThe degree of positive reaction to substance P, STAT6, NFκB, and iNOS was markedly decreased in the treatment groups compared to that in the control group. Notably, the above indices were most significantly decreased in the Acu group, followed by the Mox group and then the Lcz group (P =. 000).ConclusionIn an allergic rhinitis animal model, acupuncture and moxibustion are shown to exhibit an antiallergic effect and exert their effects by reducing the expression of substance P, STAT6, NFκB, and iNOS.
Comparison of Bone‐Conducted Vibration for Eliciting Ocular Vestibular‐Evoked Myogenic Potentials
Authors: Tseng Chia‐Chen , Wang Shou‐Jen , Young Yi‐Ho 
Published: October 2011

ObjectiveThis study compared bone‐conducted vibration (BCV) stimuli at forehead (Fz) and mastoid sites for eliciting ocular vestibular‐evoked myogenic potentials (oVEMPs).Study DesignProspective study.SettingUniversity hospital.MethodsTwenty healthy subjects underwent oVEMP testing via BCV stimuli at Fz and mastoid sites. Another 50 patients with unilateral Meniere’s disease also underwent oVEMP testing.ResultsAll healthy subjects showed clear oVEMPs via BCV stimulation regardless of the tapping sites. The right oVEMPs stimulated by tapping at the right mastoid had earlier nI and pI latencies and a larger nI‐pI amplitude compared with those stimulated by tapping at the Fz and left mastoid. Similar trends were also observed in left oVEMPs. However, the asymmetry ratio did not differ significantly between the ipsilateral mastoid and Fz sites. Clinically, tapping at the Fz revealed absent oVEMPs in 28% of Meniere’s ears, which decreased to 16% when tapping at the ipsilesional (hydropic) mastoid site, exhibiting a significant difference.ConclusionTapping at the ipsilateral mastoid site elicits earlier oVEMP latencies and larger oVEMP amplitudes when compared with tapping at the Fz site. Thus, tapping at the Fz site is suggested to screen for the otolithic function, whereas tapping at the ipsilesional mastoid site is suitable for evaluating residual otolithic function.