Damage detection and identification of parameter matrices using residual force vector

Beginning with incomplete mode shape measurement data, this study presents analytical equations to predict the actual stiffness and mass matrices. The measured modal data, including the measurement, manufacturing and modeling errors, should be updated for subsequent analysis. In this study, the incomplete mode shape data are expanded to a full set of degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) based on the generalized inverse method and the concept of residual force vector. The corrected parameter matrices are straightforwardly derived using the estimated mode shape data and the pseudo inverse method. The validity of the proposed method is evaluated based on the number of measured modes in an application, and its limitations are investigated

Laparoscopically Resected Ectopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Mimicking Subepithelial Tumor of Stomach: A Case Report

Ectopic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be defined as an HCC arising from hepatic parenchyma located in an extrahepatic organ or tissue. Fewer than 100 cases of ectopic liver have been reported. In 30 of these cases, HCC was detected in ectopic tissue. The author describes a case of ectopic HCC mimicking subepithelial tumor (SET) of the stomach successfully treated by laparoscopic resection. This case report also provides a pertinent review of the literature. A 61-year-old male was referred to our department for the management of an intra-abdominal mass found on abdominal computed tomography performed at a local medical center due to a 2-month history of vague abdominal pain. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography showed a 7.2-cm sized heterogenous mass over the left subphrenic space adjacent to the stomach. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy showed a huge subepithelial mass at the fundus of the stomach. Based on the above findings, the diagnosis of SET of the stomach such as gastrointestinal stromal tumor or leiomyoma was suspected. Laparoscopic surgery was performed for definite diagnosis and treatment of the huge SET of the stomach. Histologic diagnosis was ectopic HCC of the trabecular type. Its histologic grade was consistent with Edmondson grade II. Although ectopic HCC is quite rare tumor of the stomach, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of other abdominal mass-like lesions. Currently, with advances of laparoscopic surgery, laparoscopic resection for complete excision of ectopic HCC is possible with acceptable results

ForestPMPlot: A Flexible Tool for Visualizing Heterogeneity Between Studies in Meta-analysis.

Meta-analysis has become a popular tool for genetic association studies to combine different genetic studies. A key challenge in meta-analysis is heterogeneity, or the differences in effect sizes between studies. Heterogeneity complicates the interpretation of meta-analyses. In this paper, we describe ForestPMPlot, a flexible visualization tool for analyzing studies included in a meta-analysis. The main feature of the tool is visualizing the differences in the effect sizes of the studies to understand why the studies exhibit heterogeneity for a particular phenotype and locus pair under different conditions. We show the application of this tool to interpret a meta-analysis of 17 mouse studies, and to interpret a multi-tissue eQTL study

Role of Lipid Peroxidation-Derived α

Vascular diseases are the most prominent cause of death, and inflammation and vascular dysfunction are key initiators of the pathophysiology of vascular disease. Lipid peroxidation products, such as acrolein and other α, β-unsaturated aldehydes, have been implicated as mediators of inflammation and vascular dysfunction. α, β-Unsaturated aldehydes are toxic because of their high reactivity with nucleophiles and their ability to form protein and DNA adducts without prior metabolic activation. This strong reactivity leads to electrophilic stress that disrupts normal cellular function. Furthermore, α, β-unsaturated aldehydes are reported to cause endothelial dysfunction by induction of oxidative stress, redox-sensitive mechanisms, and inflammatory changes such as induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and cytokines. This review provides an overview of the effects of lipid peroxidation products, α, β-unsaturated aldehydes, on inflammation and vascular dysfunction

Damage detection and identification of parameter matrices using residual force vector

Beginning with incomplete mode shape measurement data, this study presents analytical equations to predict the actual stiffness and mass matrices. The measured modal data, including the measurement, manufacturing and modeling errors, should be updated for subsequent analysis. In this study, the incomplete mode shape data are expanded to a full set of degrees-of-freedom (DOFs) based on the generalized inverse method and the concept of residual force vector. The corrected parameter matrices are straightforwardly derived using the estimated mode shape data and the pseudo inverse method. The validity of the proposed method is evaluated based on the number of measured modes in an application, and its limitations are investigated

Effects of a Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Antagonist on Experimentally Induced Rhinosinusitis

This prospective, randomized, and controlled study examined the effects of tumor necrosis factor soluble receptor type I (sTNFRI, a TNF-α antagonist) on experimentally induced rhinosinusitis in rats. The experimental groups received an instillation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus an intramuscular injection of amoxicillin/clavulanate (antibiotic group), an instillation of sTNFRI (sTNFRI group), an instillation of sTNFRI and an injection of amoxicillin/clavulanate (sTNFRI/antibiotic group), or no additional treatment (LPS group). Histopathological changes were determined using hematoxylin-eosin and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. Leakage of exudate was determined using fluorescence microscopy. Vascular permeability was measured using the Evans blue dye technique. Expression of MUC5AC was measured using reverse transcriptase PCR. The sTNFRI, antibiotic, and sTNFRI/antibiotic groups had significantly less capillary permeability, mucosal edema, PAS staining, and expression of MUC5AC than the LPS group. There were no differences in capillary permeability, mucosal edema, PAS staining, and MUC5AC expression between the sTNFRI and sTNFRI/antibiotic groups. The antibiotic group had PAS staining similar to that of the sTNFRI and sTNFRI/antibiotic groups but had a greater increase in capillary permeability, mucosal edema, and MUC5AC expression. This study shows that sTNFRI reduces inflammatory activity and mucus hypersecretion in LPS-induced rhinosinusitis in rats

Nitric oxide directly activates calcium-activated potassium channels from rat brain reconstituted into planar lipid bilayer

AbstractUsing the planar lipid bilayer technique, we tested whether NO directly activates calcium-activated potassium (Maxi-K) channels isolated from rat brain. We used streptozotocin (STZ) as NO donor, and the NO release was controlled with light. In the presence of 100–800 μM STZ, the Maxi-K channel activity increased up to 3-fold within several tens of seconds after the light was on, and reversed to the control level several minutes after shutting off the light. Similar activation was observed with other NO donors such as S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine and sodium nitroprusside. The degree of activity increase was dependent upon the initial open probability (Pinit). When the Pinit was lower, the activity increase was greater. These results demonstrate that NO can directly affect the Maxi-K channel activity, and suggest that the Maxi-K channel might be one of the physiological targets of NO in brain