Specific Functional Parameters Research Articles

A new algorithm for simulation of the functional symmetric and asymmetric cascades

Design of cascade based on operational functions of a single machine is an important goal in the isotope separation theory. By recognizing the behavior of gas in a centrifuge machine, a cascade with desirable properties and parameters can be designed. In the classical theory of multistage separation installation, it has been shown that in an ideal cascade (no mixing) the total number of separation elements flow is minimal, and accordingly, the maximum separation work unit (SWU) of the cascade occurs. In the practical form, the cut and separation factors may assume to be dependent on the feed flow. Using specific functional parameters, the algorithm, design the functional cascades (DFUNCAS), can design the functional symmetric and asymmetric cascades. DFUNCAS can design a cascade with stated waste and product concentration. Furthermore, the program can design symmetric and asymmetric cascades. In this work, four test cases were considered and the results show that the DFUNCAS can design any kind of cascade accurately.

Evoluzione metodologica dell’invalidità civile in Italia: confronto ragionato tra i sistemi valutativi tabellari, di legge e non, che si sono succeduti negli anni

The authors describe the evolution from 1980 to the present of the tables that describe invalidating states, on which the medical-legal judgments of civil disability in Italy are based.The first part of the work briefly describes the main disabilities, grouped by both body system and percentage value range, that can be found in the tables attached to the main documents applied, or applicable, to the sector: those issued alongside the Ministerial Decree n. 282 of 1980, those that accompanied the Ministerial Decree of February 1982 (still in force today) and those proposed by the Italian Institute of Social Security (INPS) in 2012, which have not yet entered into force.The second part of the paper has two aims. On the one hand, it seeks to underline the change in the pre-eminent type of disability featured in the tables: from osteoarticular diseases, which were the most significant type in the 1980 tables, to neoplastic diseases, which are the most prevalent overall in the 2012 tables.On the other hand, the authors highlight that the tables themselves have evolved, moving towards a more precise definition (both clinical and instrumental) of the organ damage causing the reduction in general working capacity. In the 1980 tables, disability was often evaluated empirically rather than based on the use of functional indices or systematic classification. In the 2012 INPS proposed tables, evaluations of the reduction in working capacity are often based on specific functional parameters for the various organs (EF for the heart, FEV1 for the respiratory system, GFR for the urinary system) or on standardized disability evaluation scales (NYHA classes for heart diseases, EDSS or the Hoehn & Yahr classification for neurological disorders, MMSE or CDR for dementia, the Child-Pugh classification for cirrhogenic hepatopathies).

Trackerless panoramic optoacoustic imaging: a first feasibility evaluation

Optoacoustic imaging provides high spatial resolution and the possibility to image specific functional parameters in real-time, therefore positioning itself as a promising modality for various applications. However, despite these advantages, the applicability of real-time optoacoustic imaging is generally limited due to a relatively small field of view. With this work, we aim at presenting a path towards panoramic optoacoustic tomographic imaging without requiring additional sensors or position trackers. We propose a two-step seamless stitching method for the compounding of multiple datasets acquired with a real-time 3D optoacoustic imaging system within a panoramic scan. The employed workflow is specifically tailored to the image properties and respective challenges. A comparison of the presented alignment on in-vivo data shows a mean error of [Formula: see text] compared to ground truth tracking data. The presented compounding scheme integrates the physical resolution of optoacoustic data and hence can provide improved contrast in comparison with other compounding approaches based on addition or averaging. The proposed method can produce optoacoustic volumes with an enlarged field of view and improved quality compared to current methods in optoacoustic imaging. However, our study also shows challenges for panoramic scans. In this view, we discuss relevant properties, challenges, and opportunities and present an evaluation of the performance of the presented approach with different input data.

Responder Definition in Clinical Stem Cell Trials in Cardiology: Will the Real Responder Please Stand Up?

Defining responders to cell treatment based on functional measurements in cardiac stem cell trials has been troublesome, and it may be considered as the Holy Grail. The functional recovery after myocardial infarction (MI) can range from only mild impairments and recovery to progression into heart failure at the next clinical visit regardless of the therapy given. In a clinical trial with adequate randomization, this will not pose an issue on the overall outcome of the trial. However, subgroup analyses become difficult, as the whimsical course of the disease influences the end result on top of the effect of the cell treatment. In other words, even patients who have suffered significant loss of functional cardiac capacity may still have benefited from cell therapy compared with the potential reference point of the same patient in the placebo group. Among other reasons, this can make subgroup analyses hard to interpret and potentially less informative. Proper subgroup analyses are ideally addressing true response, based on (pre)clinical hints, and are prospectively declared. Furthermore, the power needed to show specific responding groups might be beyond the number of participants included in hitherto conducted cell therapy trials. Meta-analyses including all randomized controlled studies have consistently shown significant positive effects of treatment with bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) after MI. Stratified subgroup meta-analyses hint toward different effects with increasing age and specific functional parameters.1 Researchers have questioned the availability and quality of autologous cells harvested from patients with multiple risk factors.2 The negative effects of endogenous risk factors on bone marrow and circulating progenitor cells have been confirmed with regard to age, smoking, heart failure, diabetes mellitus, and general risk factor profiles.2 To date, it is not known if the negative effect of clinical risk factors on BMMNC function …

Mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization increases reactive oxygen species production and decreases mean sperm velocity but is not associated with DNA fragmentation in human sperm.

Does induction of mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) in vitro affect specific functional parameters of human spermatozoa? Our findings show that MOMP induction increases intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreases mean sperm velocity but does not alter DNA integrity. MOMP in somatic cells is related to a variety of apoptotic traits, such as alteration of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), and increase in ROS production and DNA fragmentation. Although the presence of these apoptotic features has been reported in spermatozoa, to date the effects of MOMP on sperm function and DNA integrity have not been analysed. The study included spermatozoa from fertile donors. Motile sperm were obtained using the swim-up method. The highly motile sperm were collected and diluted with human tubal fluid to a final cell concentration of 5 × 10(6) ml(-1). To induce MOMP, selected sperm were treated at 37°C for 4 h with a mimetic of a Bcl-2 pro-apoptotic protein, ABT-737. MOMP was evaluated by relocating of cytochrome c. In addition, the effect of ABT-737 on mitochondrial inner membrane permeabilization was assessed using the calcein-AM/cobalt chloride method. In turn, ΔΨm was evaluated with JC-1 staining, intracellular ROS production with dihydroethidium, sperm motility was analysed by computer-assisted sperm analysis and DNA fragmentation by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) assay. Measurements were performed by flow cytometry. MOMP was associated with ΔΨm dissipation (P < 0.05), increased ROS production (P < 0.05) and decreased mean sperm velocity (P < 0.05), but it was not associated with DNA fragmentation. MOMP did not induce a large increase in ROS, which could explain the negligible effect of MOMP on sperm DNA fragmentation under our experimental conditions. The study was carried out in vitro using highly motile sperm, selected by swim-up, from healthy donors. The results obtained in this study reveal that the alterations of sperm functions caused by MOMP are sufficiently relevant to justify its future study in male infertility. None. The study was funded by grant DI12-0102 from the Universidad de La Frontera (J.V.V.) and a doctoral scholarship from CONICYT (F.T.). The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Scalable and Optimized Hybrid Verification of Embedded Software

The verification of embedded software has become an important subject over the last years. However, neither standalone verification approaches, like simulation-based/formal verification, nor state-of-the-art semiformal verification approaches are able to verify large and complex embedded software with or without hardware dependencies. This work presents a scalable hybrid verification approach for the verification of embedded software using a semiformal algorithm optimized with static parameter assignment (SPA). These algorithms and methodologies like SPA and counterexample guided simulation are used to combine simulation-based and formal verification in a new way. SPA offers a method to interact between dynamic and static verification approaches based on an automated ranking determination of possible function parameters according to the impact on the model size. Furthermore, SPA inserts initialization code for specific function parameters into the source code under test and supports model building and optimization algorithms to reduce the state space. We have successfully applied this optimized hybrid verification methodology to embedded software applications: Motorola's Powerstone Benchmark suite and a complex automotive industrial embedded software. The results show that our approach scales better than standalone software model checkers to reach deep state spaces.

Adult exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) in Wistar rats reduces sperm quality with disruption of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis.

Reproductive physiology involves complex biological processes that can be disrupted by exposure to environmental contaminants. The effects of bisphenol A (BPA) on spermatogenesis and sperm quality is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the reproductive toxicity of BPA at dosages considered to be safe (5 or 25mg BPA/kg/day). We assessed multiple sperm parameters, the relative expression of genes involved in the central regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis, and the serum concentrations of testosterone, estradiol, LH and FSH. BPA exposure reduced sperm production, reserves and transit time. Significant damage to the acrosomes and the plasma membrane with reduced mitochondrial activity and increased levels of defective spermatozoa may have compromised sperm function and caused faster movement through the epididymis. BPA exposure reduced the serum concentrations of testosterone, LH and FSH and increased the concentration of estradiol. The relative gene expression revealed an increase in gonadotropin releasing hormone receptor (Gnrhr), luteinizing hormone beta (Lhb), follicle stimulating hormone beta (Fshb), estrogen receptor beta (Esr2) and androgen receptor (Ar) transcripts in the pituitary and a reduction in estrogen receptor alpha (Esr1) transcripts in the hypothalamus. In this study, we demonstrated for the first time that adult male exposure to BPA caused a reduction in sperm production and specific functional parameters. The corresponding pattern of gene expression is indicative of an attempt by the pituitary to reestablish normal levels of LH, FSH and testosterone serum concentrations. In conclusion, these data suggest that at dosages previously considered nontoxic to reproductive function, BPA compromises the spermatozoa and disrupts the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, causing a state of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Return to Play After Open Bankart Repair: A Systematic Review.

Background:Results of open Bankart repair have been well reported. However, less information is available outlining the timetable for return to play (RTP) in athletes after this procedure.Purpose:To review the current literature regarding (1) the timetable recommended for athletes to RTP after an open Bankart repair and (2) the objective criteria on which the decision to allow an athlete to RTP is based.Study Design:Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4.Methods:A comprehensive literature search was conducted of all relevant English-language articles using the electronic databases OVID and PubMed between the years 1947 and 2012 to identify open Bankart repair. Two reviewers screened articles for eligibility based on the following criteria: (1) an open Bankart repair, (2) a minimum follow-up of at least 8 months, (3) any report that described the procedure in athletes, and (4) any report that described the time for an athlete to RTP. All relevant data were collected and analyzed with regard to number of patients; mean follow-up; Rowe, Constant, and American Shoulder and Elbow (ASES) scores; redislocation rate; and return-to-sport timing.Results:In all, 559 relevant citations were identified, of which 29 articles met the inclusion criteria. The mean follow-up was 51.7 months (range, 8-162 months), and the mean age was 25.9 years (range, 21-31 years). The average Rowe score for all studies was 86.9 (range, 63-90). The average redislocation rate was 5.3%. Twenty-six of 29 studies cited a specific timetable for unrestricted RTP, with an average of 23.2 weeks (range, 12-36 weeks). Only 38% of authors reported sport-specific criteria for return to competition, with the majority allowing return to noncontact sports at 12 to 16 weeks, and the resumption of throwing/contact sports by 24 weeks. Three reports described specific functional parameters for RTP.Conclusion:The current review summarized return-to-play guidelines for athletic competition after open Bankart repair. These data may provide general guidelines to aid surgeons when determining the appropriate timetable to allow an athlete to return to unrestricted competition.

New tools for assessing the individual risk of metastasis in renal cell carcinoma

Localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC) progresses to metastatic disease in 20-40 % after surgical resection. Affected patients might benefit from adjuvant treatment and have to be reliably identified for treatment indication. However, existing molecular markers and classification nomograms lack sufficient validity for clinical application so far. Therefore, in order to improve diagnostic tools for the identification of patients at risk, we tested invasiveness and the capability to activate vascular endothelium of primary RCC cells as tumor specific functional parameters. As a parameter for cell invasiveness the ability of RCC cells to break-down transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) of an epithelial cell monolayer was tested. Loss of resistance, calculated as invasivity index, resembled the degree of cell invasiveness. In addition, secretion of Von Willebrand Factor by endothelial cells incubated with RCC cell supernatant was measured as a surrogate marker for endothelial cell activation. TEER-assay results matched clinical status of disease in 9 out of 12 cases. Metastatic tumors and less differentiated tumors had a significant increase of invasivity index (p = 0.007; p = 0.034). Endothelial cell activation and clinical outcome matched in 5 out of 9 samples. In addition, tumor cell induced endothelial cell activation significantly correlated to the pathologic T classification status of RCC tumors (p = 0.009). Taken together, our study validated endothelial cell activation analysis and cell invasiveness as solitary prognostic markers for tumor dissemination. TEER-analysis has proven to be a useful functional assay giving highly relevant individual information on functional tumor cell characteristics that add to pathologic evaluation.

Demographic factors affecting long-term outcome of total hip arthroplasty.

We report the outcome of total hip arthroplasty (THA) in a cohort of patients with complete long-term radiographic and clinical followup information from our database of more than 48,000 primary hip replacements. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the influence of various demographic factors and patient comorbidity (Charnley classification) on the long-term outcome of THA. The cohort was comprised of 25,990 total hip replacements (THRs) in 10,243 (46.6%) men and 11,754 (53.4%) women with a median age of 66 years (range, 20-96 years) at the time of arthroplasty. Our study confirmed that THA has an impressive efficiency and reliability in alleviating pain and improving function for almost all of the patients. Furthermore, the results are enduring with more than 90% of patients being satisfied with the outcome at 15 years. Clinical outcome measures reach their maximum at 2 to 5 years after arthroplasty and thereafter they decline gradually. Furthermore, patient age, gender, body mass index, and main diagnosis all have an influence on specific functional parameters. The Charnley classification has the most profound effect on the overall functional status of patients.

Ecosystem response of pasture soil communities to fumigation‐induced microbial diversity reductions: an examination of the biodiversity–ecosystem function relationship

A technique based on progressive fumigation was used to reduce soil microbial biodiversity, and the effects of such reductions upon the stability of key soil processes were measured. Mineral soil samples from a grassland were fumigated with chloroform for up to 24 h and then incubated for 5 months to allow recolonisation by surviving organisms. The diversity of cultivable and non‐cultivable bacteria, protozoa and nematodes was progressively reduced by increasing fumigation times, as was the number of trophic groups, phyla within trophic groups, and taxa within phyla. Total microbial biomass was similar within fumigated soils, but lower than for unfumigated soil. There was no direct relationship between biodiversity and function. Some broad‐scale functional parameters increased as biodiversity decreased, e.g. thymidine incorporation, growth on added nutrients, and the decomposition rate of plant residues. Other more specific parameters decreased as biodiversity decreased, e.g. nitrification, denitrification and methane oxidation. Thus specific functional parameters may be a more sensitive indicator of environmental change than general parameters. Although fumigation reduced soil microbial biodiversity, there was evidence to suggest that it selected for organisms with particular physiological characteristics. The consequences of this for interpreting biodiversity – function relationships are discussed. The stability of the resulting communities to perturbation was further examined by imposing a transient (brief heating to 40°C) or a persistent (addition of CuSO4) stress. Decomposition of grass residues was determined on three occasions after such perturbations. The soils clearly demonstrated resilience to the transient stress; decomposition rates were initially depressed by the stress and recovered over time. Resilience was reduced in the soils with decreasing biodiversity. Soils were not resilient to the persistent stress, there was no recovery in decomposition rate over time, but the soils with the highest biodiversity were more resistant to the stress than soils with impaired biodiversity. The study of functional stability under applied perturbation is a powerful means of examining the effects of biodiversity.

Sensory nerve endings in rhesus monkey sinus hairs.

The sensory innervation of primate sinus hairs has been studied by light and electron microscopy. For light microscopy paraffin sections as well as thick frozen sections were impregnated with silver and compared with serial semi-thin sections of tissue prepared for electron microscopy. One type of sensory terminal is present in the epidermis surrounding the hair follicle, and four specific nerve terminals have been identified within the blood sinus. An epidermal rete ridge collar encircles the hair shaft and contains approximately 200 Merkel cell-neurite complexes. Numerous other Merkel cell-neurite complexes are present in the external root sheath of the hair follicle beneath a thick glassy membrane innervated by approximately 65 nerve fibers. At this level 10-15 lanceolate or palisade terminals are situated in the connective tissue. Up to 10 simple encapsulated corpuscles can be identified above the level of lanceolate endings and Merkel cell terminals. Ruffini corpuscles are closely applied to the glassy membrane below the lanceolate and Merkel terminals at the level where nerve fibers penetrate the capsule of the sinus. All of these terminals are supplied by 80-100 large diameter myelinated fibers distributed approximately as follows: 65 innervate Merkel cell-neurite complexes, 15 to lanceolate, 10 to simple corpuscles, and 10 to Ruffini corpuscles. The innervation of the rete ridge collar is independent of that of the sinus consisting of 10-12 fibers derived from the superficial dermal network. Each of these sensory terminals can be correlated with specific functional parameters as described in numerous neurophysiologic studies. Merkel cell-neurite complexes and Ruffini corpuscles ae slowly adapting receptors; lanceolate terminals and simple corpuscles are rapidly adapting receptors.