Significance of Size of Lymph Node Metastasis on Postsurgical Stimulated Thyroglobulin Levels After Prophylactic Unilateral Central Neck Dissection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

published_or_final_versionSpringer Open Choice, 28 May 201

Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART) for social media analytics

This chapter presents the ART-based clustering algorithms for social media analytics in detail. Sections 3.1 and 3.2 introduce Fuzzy ART and its clustering mechanisms, respectively, which provides a deep understanding of the base model that is used and extended for handling the social media clustering challenges. Important concepts such as vigilance region (VR) and its properties are explained and proven. Subsequently, Sects. 3.3-3.7 illustrate five types of ART adaptive resonance theory variants, each of which addresses the challenges in one social media analytical scenario, including automated parameter adaptation, user preference incorporation, short text clustering, heterogeneous data co-clustering and online streaming data indexing. The content of this chapter is several prior studies, including Probabilistic ART [15

Timing of deep brain stimulation in Parkinson disease: a need for reappraisal?

We review the current application of deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson disease (PD) and consider the evidence that earlier use of DBS confers long-term symptomatic benefit for patients compared to best medical therapy. Electronic searches were performed of PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to identify all article types relating to the timing of DBS in PD. Current evidence suggests that DBS is typically performed in late stage PD, a mean of 14 to 15 years after diagnosis. Current guidelines recommend that PD patients who are resistant to medical therapies, have significant medication side effects and lengthening off periods, but are otherwise cognitively intact and medically fit for surgery be considered for DBS. If these criteria are rigidly interpreted, it may be that, by the time medical treatment options have been exhausted, the disease has progressed to the point that the patient may no longer be fit for neurosurgical intervention. From the evidence available, we conclude that surgical management of PD alone or in combination with medical therapy results in greater improvement of motor symptoms and quality of life than medical treatment alone. There is evidence to support the use of DBS in less advanced PD and that it may be appropriate for earlier stages of the disease than for which it is currently used. The improving short and long-term safety profile of DBS makes early application a realistic possibility

Quantifying sources of methane using light alkanes in the Los Angeles basin, California

Methane (CH4), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and C2-C5 alkanes were measured throughout the Los Angeles (L.A.) basin in May and June 2010. We use these data to show that the emission ratios of CH4/CO and CH4/CO2 in the L.A. basin are larger than expected from population-apportioned bottom-up state inventories, consistent with previously published work. We use experimentally determined CH4/CO and CH4/CO2 emission ratios in combination with annual State of California CO and CO2 inventories to derive a yearly emission rate of CH4 to the L.A. basin. We further use the airborne measurements to directly derive CH4 emission rates from dairy operations in Chino, and from the two largest landfills in the L.A. basin, and show these sources are accurately represented in the California Air Resources Board greenhouse gas inventory for CH4. We then use measurements of C2-C5 alkanes to quantify the relative contribution of other CH4 sources in the L.A. basin, with results differing from those of previous studies. The atmospheric data are consistent with the majority of CH4 emissions in the region coming from fugitive losses from natural gas in pipelines and urban distribution systems and/or geologic seeps, as well as landfills and dairies. The local oil and gas industry also provides a significant source of CH4 in the area. The addition of CH4 emissions from natural gas pipelines and urban distribution systems and/or geologic seeps and from the local oil and gas industry is sufficient to account for the differences between the top-down and bottom-up CH4 inventories identified in previously published work. Key PointsTop-down estimates of CH4 emissions in L.A. are greater than inventory estimatesEstimates of CH4 emissions from landfills in L.A. agree with CARB inventoryPipeline natural gas and/or seeps, and landfills are main sources of CH4 in L.A. ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved

Transcatheter Arterial Embolization of Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding with N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with N-Butyl Cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between March 1999 and December 2002, TAE for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding was performed in 93 patients. The endoscopic approach had failed or was discarded as an approach for control of bleeding in all study patients. Among the 93 patients NBCA was used as the primary embolic material for TAE in 32 patients (28 men, four women; mean age, 59.1 years). The indications for choosing NBCA as the embolic material were: inability to advance the microcatheter to the bleeding site and effective wedging of the microcatheter into the bleeding artery. TAE was performed using 1:1-1:3 mixtures of NBCA and iodized oil. The angiographic and clinical success rate, recurrent bleeding rate, procedure related complications and clinical outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: The angiographic and clinical success rates were 100% and 91% (29/32), respectively. There were no serious ischemic complications. Recurrent bleeding occurred in three patients (9%) and they were managed with emergency surgery (n = 1) and with a successful second TAE (n = 2). Eighteen patients (56%) had a coagulopathy at the time of TAE and the clinical success rate in this group of patients was 83% (15/18). CONCLUSION: TAE with NBCA is a highly effective and safe treatment modality for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding, especially when it is not possible to advance the microcatheter to the bleeding site and when the patient has a coagulopathy

Modifying the Sum Over Topological Sectors and Constraints on Supergravity

The standard lore about the sum over topological sectors in quantum field theory is that locality and cluster decomposition uniquely determine the sum over such sectors, thus leading to the usual theta-vacua. We show that without changing the local degrees of freedom, a theory can be modified such that the sum over instantons should be restricted; e.g. one should include only instanton numbers which are divisible by some integer p. This conclusion about the configuration space of quantum field theory allows us to carefully reconsider the quantization of parameters in supergravity. In particular, we show that FI-terms and nontrivial Kahler forms are quantized. This analysis also leads to a new derivation of recent results about linearized supergravity.Comment: 17 pages, minor change

Celecoxib exerts protective effects in the vascular endothelium via COX-2-independent activation of AMPK-CREB-Nrf2 signalling

Although concern remains about the athero-thrombotic risk posed by cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2-selective inhibitors, recent data implicates rofecoxib, while celecoxib appears equivalent to NSAIDs naproxen and ibuprofen. We investigated the hypothesis that celecoxib activates AMP kinase (AMPK) signalling to enhance vascular endothelial protection. In human arterial and venous endothelial cells (EC), and in contrast to ibuprofen and naproxen, celecoxib induced the protective protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Celecoxib derivative 2,5-dimethyl-celecoxib (DMC) which lacks COX-2 inhibition also upregulated HO-1, implicating a COX-2-independent mechanism. Celecoxib activated AMPKα(Thr172) and CREB-1(Ser133) phosphorylation leading to Nrf2 nuclear translocation. Importantly, these responses were not reproduced by ibuprofen or naproxen, while AMPKα silencing abrogated celecoxib-mediated CREB and Nrf2 activation. Moreover, celecoxib induced H-ferritin via the same pathway, and increased HO-1 and H-ferritin in the aortic endothelium of mice fed celecoxib (1000 ppm) or control chow. Functionally, celecoxib inhibited TNF-α-induced NF-κB p65(Ser536) phosphorylation by activating AMPK. This attenuated VCAM-1 upregulation via induction of HO-1, a response reproduced by DMC but not ibuprofen or naproxen. Similarly, celecoxib prevented IL-1β-mediated induction of IL-6. Celecoxib enhances vascular protection via AMPK-CREB-Nrf2 signalling, a mechanism which may mitigate cardiovascular risk in patients prescribed celecoxib. Understanding NSAID heterogeneity and COX-2-independent signalling will ultimately lead to safer anti-inflammatory drugs

IGF-1 Counteracts TGF-β-Mediated Enhancement of Fibronectin for in Vitro Human Lens Epithelial Cells

PURPOSE: To determine whether insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) affects transforming growth factor (TGF-beta)- mediated fibronectin accumulation in human lens epithelial cell line (HLE B-3) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: HLE B-3 cells were incubated for 24 hours with TGF-beta (10 ng/ mL), IGF-1 (10 ng/mL), or both. Expression of the fibronectin gene was determined using a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Fibronectin levels were examined using western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: Expression of the fibronectin gene was not different between the TGF-beta/IGF-1 treated group and the TGF-beta treated group (p= 0.116). However, western blot analysis demonstrated decreased fibronectin levels in human lens epithelial cells treated with TGF-beta and IGF-1 compared to those treated with TGF-beta only (p < 0.01). Immunofluorescence staining disclosed inhibition of TGF-beta-induced fibronectin in the presence of IGF-1. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that IGF-1 counteracts TGF-beta-mediated fibronectin accumulation in human lens epithelial cells.ope

Factors associated with dental caries among institutionalized residents with schizophrenia in Taiwan: a cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Little research has been done on the relationship between dental caries and the personal characteristics of institutionalized residents diagnosed with schizophrenia. This study investigates the individual and treatment factors associated with the dental caries among institutionalized residents with schizophrenia in Taiwan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>An oral health survey of institutionalized residents with schizophrenia in the largest public psychiatric hospital was conducted in Taiwan in 2006. Based on this data, multiple logistic analyses were used to determine the relationship between some explanatory variables and the outcome variables of dental caries among subjects with schizophrenia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the 1,108 subjects with schizophrenia, age was the only variable independently associated with DMFT > 8 (OR = 7.74, 95% CI = 3.86-15.55, p < 0.001 in comparison to residents aged 65 + years vs. 20-44 years; OR = 3.06, 95% CI = 2.03-4.61, p < 0.001 in comparison to residents aged 55-64 years vs. 20-44 years) after making adjustments for other explanatory variables. In addition, those with an education of only elementary school (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.08-2.56, p = 0.021), low income (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.02-2.44, p = 0.039), and length of stay (LOS) of > 10 years (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.30-3.37, p = 0.002) were associated with a care index < 54.7%. Older age, lower educational level, and longer hospital stays were associated with number of remaining teeth being < 24.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Aging was the most important factor related to a high level of dental caries. Low educational level, low income, and LOS were also associated with the indicators of dental caries among institutionalized subjects with schizophrenia. It is necessary to address the treatment factors such as prolonged stay in institutions when decision-makers are planning for preventive strategies of oral health for institutionalized residents with schizophrenia.</p