47 research outputs found
Construction and analysis of causally dynamic hybrid bond graphs
Engineering systems are frequently abstracted to models with discontinuous behaviour (such as a switch or contact),
and a hybrid model is one which contains continuous and discontinuous behaviours. Bond graphs are an established
physical modelling method, but there are several methods for constructing switched or ‘hybrid’ bond graphs, developed
for either qualitative ‘structural’ analysis or efficient numerical simulation of engineering systems. This article proposes a
general hybrid bond graph suitable for both. The controlled junction is adopted as an intuitive way of modelling a discontinuity in the model structure. This element gives rise to ‘dynamic causality’ that is facilitated by a new bond graph notation. From this model, the junction structure and state equations are derived and compared to those obtained by
existing methods. The proposed model includes all possible modes of operation and can be represented by a single set
of equations. The controlled junctions manifest as Boolean variables in the matrices of coefficients. The method is more
compact and intuitive than existing methods and dispenses with the need to derive various modes of operation from a
given reference representation. Hence, a method has been developed, which can reach common usage and form a platform for further study
Temporal bone verrucous carcinoma: outcomes and treatment controversy
Verrucous carcinoma is a rare tumor that presents in the head and neck with the most common sites being the oral cavity and larynx. Fourteen cases of verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone have been described in literature; this study aims to examine treatment outcomes and discuss the controversy surrounding postoperative radiation. The study design included a literature review along with individual case report in the setting of a tertiary care medical center. Outcome analysis of all cases of verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone, which are documented in the English literature, and presentation of a single patient report including gross, histologic and radiologic analyses were performed. The longest recorded survival for verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone occurs in patients treated with surgery alone. Poorer outcomes for patients treated with adjuvant (chemo)radiation may be due to more advanced stage of disease at the time of treatment. Early reports of radiation leading to tumor dedifferentiation or early recurrence are not supported by more recent studies. Whether adjuvant radiation therapy is indicated in verrucous carcinoma of the temporal bone remains controversial
Elevated hydrogen peroxide and decreased catalase and glutathione peroxidase protection are associated with aging sarcopenia
Ubiquitous molecular substrates for associative learning and activity-dependent neuronal facilitation.
Recent evidence suggests that many of the molecular cascades and substrates that contribute to learning-related forms of neuronal plasticity may be conserved across ostensibly disparate model systems. Notably, the facilitation of neuronal excitability and synaptic transmission that contribute to associative learning in Aplysia and Hermissenda, as well as associative LTP in hippocampal CA1 cells, all require (or are enhanced by) the convergence of a transient elevation in intracellular Ca2+ with transmitter binding to metabotropic cell-surface receptors. This temporal convergence of Ca2+ and G-protein-stimulated second-messenger cascades synergistically stimulates several classes of serine/threonine protein kinases, which in turn modulate receptor function or cell excitability through the phosphorylation of ion channels. We present a summary of the biophysical and molecular constituents of neuronal and synaptic facilitation in each of these three model systems. Although specific components of the underlying molecular cascades differ across these three systems, fundamental aspects of these cascades are widely conserved, leading to the conclusion that the conceptual semblance of these superficially disparate systems is far greater than is generally acknowledged. We suggest that the elucidation of mechanistic similarities between different systems will ultimately fulfill the goal of the model systems approach, that is, the description of critical and ubiquitous features of neuronal and synaptic events that contribute to memory induction
Proteomic Changes of Alveolar Lining Fluid in Illnesses Associated with Exposure to Inhaled Non-Infectious Microbial Particles
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