Evaluating adult cor triatriatum with total anomalous pulmonary venous connections by multidetector computed tomography angiography

A 19-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with dyspnea, chest pain, and shortness of breath. A chest radiograph showed mild cardiomegaly. Echocardiography revealed an extra chamber in the heart. To evaluate this abnormality, ECG-gated 16-detector-row computed tomography angiography was performed. Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), showing cor triatriatum with total anomalous pulmonary venous connections (TAPVC), clearly revealed cardiac and vascular anatomy. ECG-gated cardiac MDCT is a useful tool for detection and characterisation of cor triatriatum and related anomalies. (Folia Morphol 2011; 70, 4: 312–314

Heritability of facial soft tissue growth in mono- and dizygotic twins at 12 and 17 years of age: A retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this investigation of untreated monozygotic and dizygotic twins was to identify the genetic and environmental components to the facial soft tissue growth. SETTINGS AND SAMPLE POPULATION The sample consisted of 52 untreated monozygotic twins (36 male and 16 female) and 46 untreated dizygotic twins (23 male and 23 female) from the Forsyth Moorrees Twin Study (1959-1975). MATERIALS AND METHODS Lateral cephalograms were taken at 12 and 17 years of age and traced to analyse facial convexity, nasolabial angle, upper and lower lip thickness, upper and lower lip profile and nose prominence. The genetic and environmental components of variance were analysed with structural equation modelling for multilevel mixed-effects model. RESULTS At 12 years of age, strong additive genetic influence was seen for facial convexity (70%), upper lip profile (66%) and nose prominence (65%), whereas strong dominant genetic components were found for upper lip thickness (56%). Nevertheless, under unique environment influence were nasolabial angle (58%), lower lip profile (51%) and lower lip thickness (64%). At 17 years of age, only upper lip thickness (55%) and nose prominence (84%) were under strong additive genetic control, while the rest of the variables were under strong dominant genetic control. The only exception was lower lip thickness (61%), which is still influenced by the unique environment. CONCLUSION Although monozygotic/dizygotic twins share at least part of their genome, at both times either additive, dominant or environmental components were found. Nevertheless, at 17 years of age most of the variables are either under additive or dominant genetic influence

Untreated Type 2 Diabetes and Its Complications Are Associated With Subcortical Infarctions

OBJECTIVE - To investigate the association of type 2 diabetes with subcortical infarctions. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - We investigated this association in subjects with type 2 diabetes (case subjects; n = 93) and without type 2 diabetes (control subjects; n = 186), matched by age, sex, and years of education. Participants were a subset of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging (median age 79 years) who had undergone magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS - The frequency of subcortical infarctions was 39% in case subjects and 29% in control subjects (odds ratio 1.59 [95% CI 0.91-2.75]). The association was stronger in case subjects without treatment (2.60 [1.11- 6.08]) and in case subjects with diabetes-related complications (1.96 [1.02-3.74]) compared with control subjects. CONCLUSIONS - These findings suggest that untreated type 2 diabetes and type 2 diabetes with complications are associated with subcortical infarctions. © 2011 by the American Diabetes Association

Midlife and Late-Life Vascular Risk Factors and White Matter Microstructural Integrity: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Neurocognitive Study.

BACKGROUND: Diffusion tensor imaging measures of white matter (WM) microstructural integrity appear to provide earlier indication of WM injury than WM hyperintensities; however, risk factors for poor WM microstructural integrity have not been established. Our study quantifies the association between vascular risk factors in midlife and late life with measures of late-life WM microstructural integrity. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used data from 1851 participants in ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study) who completed 3-T magnetic resonance imaging, including diffusion tensor imaging, as part of the ARIC Neurocognitive Study (ARIC-NCS). We quantified the association among lipids, glucose, and blood pressure from the baseline ARIC visit (1987-1989, ages 44-65, midlife) and visit 5 of ARIC (2011-2013, ages 67-90, late life, concurrent with ARIC-NCS) with regional and overall WM mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy obtained at ARIC visit 5 for ARIC participants. We also considered whether these associations were independent of or modified by WM hyperintensity volumes. We found that elevated blood pressure in midlife and late life and elevated glucose in midlife, but not late life, were associated with worse late-life WM microstructural integrity. These associations were independent of the degree of WM hyperintensity, and the association between glucose and WM microstructural integrity appeared stronger for those with the least WM hyperintensity. There was little support for an adverse association between lipids and WM microstructural integrity. CONCLUSIONS: Hypertension in both midlife and late life and elevated glucose in midlife are related to worse WM microstructural integrity in late life

A novel computer adaptive word list memory test optimized for remote assessment: Psychometric properties and associations with neurodegenerative biomarkers in older women without dementia

Introduction: This study established the psychometric properties and preliminary validity of the Stricker Learning Span (SLS), a novel computer adaptive word list memory test designed for remote assessment and optimized for smartphone use. Methods: Women enrolled in the Mayo Clinic Specialized Center of Research Excellence (SCORE) were recruited via e-mail or phone to complete two remote cognitive testing sessions. Convergent validity was assessed through correlation with previously administered in-person neuropsychological tests (n = 96, ages 55-79) and criterion validity through associations with magnetic resonance imaging measures of neurodegeneration sensitive to Alzheimer\u27s disease (n = 47). Results: SLS performance significantly correlated with the Auditory Verbal Learning Test and measures of neurodegeneration (temporal meta-regions of interest and entorhinal cortical thickness, adjusting for age and education). Test-retest reliabilities across two sessions were 0.71-0.76 (two-way mixed intraclass correlation coefficients). Discussion: The SLS is a valid and reliable self-administered memory test that shows promise for remote assessment of aging and neurodegenerative disorders

Genetic variation in the myeloperoxidase gene and cognitive impairment in Multiple Sclerosis

There is evidence that multiple sclerosis (MS) may associated with cognitive impairment in 25 to 40% of cases. The gene encoding myeloperoxidase (MPO) is involved in molecular pathways leading to β-amyloid deposition. We investigated a functional biallelic (G/A) polymorphism in the promoter region (-463) of the MPO gene in 465 patients affected by MS, divided into 204 cognitively normal and 261 impaired. We did not find significant differences in allele or genotype distributions between impaired and preserved MS patients. Our findings suggest that MPO polymorphism is not a risk factor for cognitive impairment in MS

Discovering Communities for Microgrids with Spatial-Temporal Net Energy

Smart grid has integrated an increasing number of distributed energy resources to improve the efficiency and flexibility of power generation and consumption as well as the resilience of the power grid. The energy consumers on the power grid, e.g., households, equipped with distributed energy resources can be considered as “microgrids” that both generate and consume electricity. In this paper, we study the energy community discovery problems which identify energy communities for the microgrids to facilitate energy management, e.g., load balancing, energy sharing and trading on the grid. Specifically, we present efficient algorithms to discover such communities of microgrids considering both their geo-locations and net energy (NE) over any period. Finally, we experimentally validate the performance of the algorithms using both synthetic and real datasets

Frequency and topography of cerebral microbleeds in dementia with Lewy bodies compared to Alzheimer's disease

AbstractAimTo determine the frequency and topographic distribution of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) in comparison to CMBs in Alzheimer disease dementia (AD).MethodsConsecutive probable DLB (n = 23) patients who underwent 3-T T2* weighted gradient-recalled-echo MRI, and age and gender matched probable Alzheimer's disease patients (n = 46) were compared for the frequency and location of CMBs.ResultsThe frequency of one or more CMBs was similar among patients with DLB (30%) and AD (24%). Highest densities of CMBs were found in the occipital lobes of patients with both DLB and AD. Patients with AD had greater densities of CMBs in the parietal, temporal lobes and infratentorial regions compared to DLB (p < 0.05).ConclusionCMBs are as common in patients with DLB as in patients with AD, with highest densities observed in the occipital lobes, suggesting common pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying CMBs in both diseases

Dynamic optimization of a gas-liquid reactor

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10910-011-9941-1A dynamic gas-liquid transfer model without chemical reaction based on unsteady film theory is considered. In this case, the mathematical model presented for gas-liquid mass-transfer processes is based on mass balances of the transferred substance in both phases. The identificability property of this model is studied in order to confirm the possible identifiable parameters of the model from a given set of experimental data. For that, a different modeled of the system is given. A procedure for the identification is proposed. On the other hand, the aim of this work is to solve the quadratic optimal control problem, using an explicit representation of the model. The problem includes some results on controllability, observability and stability criteria and the relation between these properties and the parameters of the model. Using the optimal control problem we study the stability of the system and show how the choice of the weighting matrices can improve the behavior of the system but with an increase of the energy control cost. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.This work has been partially supported by PAID-05-10-003-295 and by MTM2010-18228.Cantó Colomina, B.; Cardona Navarrete, SC.; Coll, C.; Navarro-Laboulais, J.; Sánchez, E. (2012). Dynamic optimization of a gas-liquid reactor. Journal of Mathematical Chemistry. 50(2):381-393. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10910-011-9941-1S381393502Bayón L., Grau J.M., Ruiz M.M., Suárez P.M.: Initial guess of the solution of dynamic optimization of chemical processes. J. Math. Chem. Model. 48, 28–37 (2010)Ben-Zvi A., McLellan P.J., McAuley K.B.: Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 42, 6607–6618 (2003)Cantó B., Coll C., Sánchez E.: Structural identifiability of a model of dialysis. Math. Comp. Model. 50, 733–737 (2009)Cantó B., Coll C., Sánchez E.: Identifiability of a class of discretized linear partial differential algebraic equations. Math. Probl. Eng. 2011, 1–12 (2011)Craciun G., Pantea C.: Identifiability of chemical reaction networks. J. Math. Chem. 44, 244–259 (2008)Dai L.: Descriptor Control Systems. Springer, New York (1989)Deckwer W.D.: Bubble Column Reactors. Wiley, Chichester (1992)Kantarci N., Borak F., Ulgen K.O.: Bubble column reactors. Proc. Biochem. 40(7), 2263–2283 (2005)Kawakernaak H., Sivan R.: Linear Optimal Control Systems. Wiley-Interscience, New York (1972)Kuo B.C.: Automatic Control Systems, 6th edn. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1991)Navarro-Laboulais J., Cardona S.C., Torregrosa J.I., Abad A., López F.: Practical identifiability analysis in dynamic gas-liquid reactors. Optimal experimental design for mass-transfer parameters determination. Comp. Chem. Eng. 32, 2382–2394 (2008)Navarro-Laboulais J., López F., Torregrosa J.I., Cardona S.C., Abad A.: Transient response, model structure and systematic errors in hybrid respirometers: structural identifiabilit analysis based on OUR and DO measurements. J. Math. Chem. 44(4), 969–990 (2007)Patel R., Munro N.: Multivariable Systen. Theory and Design. Pergamon Press, New York (1982)Sondergeld K.: A generalization of the Routh–Hurwitz stability criteria and a application to a problem in robust controller design. IEEE Trans. Automat. Contr. AC-28(10), 965–970 (1983

Proton spectroscopic imaging of brain metabolites in basal ganglia of healthy older adults

Object: We sought to measure brain metabolite levels in healthy older people. Materials and methods: Spectroscopic imaging at the level of the basal ganglia was applied in 40 participants aged 73–74 years. Levels of the metabolites N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline, and creatine were determined in "institutional units" (IU) corrected for T1 and T2 relaxation effects. Structural imaging enabled determination of grey matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid content. ANOVA analysis was carried out for voxels satisfying quality criteria. Results: Creatine levels were greater in GM than WM (57 vs. 44 IU, p < 0.001), whereas choline and NAA levels were greater in WM than GM [13 vs. 10 IU (p < 0.001) and 76 versus 70 IU (p = 0.03), respectively]. The ratio of NAA/cre was greater in WM than GM (2.1 vs. 1.4, p = 0.001) as was that of cho/cre (0.32 vs. 0.16, p < 0.001). A low voxel yield was due to brain atrophy and the difficulties of shimming over an extended region of brain. Conclusion: This study addresses the current lack of information on brain metabolite levels in older adults. The normal features of ageing result in a substantial loss of reliable voxels and should be taken into account when planning studies. Improvements in shimming are also required before the methods can be applied more widely