Search

Using anticoagulants and antiplatelet drugs in patients with cardiovascular and medical comorbidities is prevalent. Because of hyper vascular nature of kidney, physicians tend to stop using aspirin before percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). We have shown the effects of remaining on low dose aspirin in complete supine PCNL (csPCNL).

Relatively recent increased computational power and extensive traffic data availability have provided a unique opportunity to re-investigate drivers’ car-following (CF) behavior. Classic CF models assume drivers’ behavior is only influenced by their preceding vehicle. Recent studies have indicated that considering surrounding vehicles’ information (e.g., multiple preceding vehicles) could affect CF models’ performance. An in-depth investigation of surrounding vehicles’ contribution to CF modeling performance has not been reported in the literature. This study uses a deep-learning model with long short-term memory (LSTM) to investigate to what extent considering surrounding vehicles could improve CF models’ performance. This investigation helps to select the right inputs for traffic flow modeling. Five CF models are compared in this study (i.e., classic, multi-anticipative, adjacent-lanes, following-vehicle, and all-surrounding-vehicles CF models). Performance of the CF models is compared in relation to accuracy, stability, and smoothness of traffic flow. The CF models are trained, validated, and tested by a large publicly available dataset. The average mean square errors (MSEs) for the classic, multi-anticipative, adjacent-lanes, following-vehicle, and all-surrounding-vehicles CF models are 1.58 × 10−3, 1.54 × 10−3, 1.56 × 10−3, 1.61 × 10−3, and 1.73 × 10−3, respectively. However, the results show insignificant performance differences between the classic CF model and multi-anticipative model or adjacent-lanes model in relation to accuracy, stability, or smoothness. The following-vehicle CF model shows similar performance to the multi-anticipative model. The all-surrounding-vehicles CF model has underperformed all the other models.

In the present study, the effect of alloying AZ91 magnesium alloy with 0.4 wt.% silver as well as chilled casting on the corrosion response of different casting conditions was investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) tests were carried out to analyze the effect of silver and chilled solidification on the corrosion performance of AZ91 alloy. The silver-containing samples showed better corrosion resistance, mainly due to its effect on the microstructure modification of the alloy by altering the morphology of the β-Mg17Al12phase. As a result, corrosion current density of silver-containing samples was lower than the original AZ91 Mg alloy down to 4 times. The corrosion rate of to the AZ91 alloy with 0.4 wt.% silver and pouring temperature of 750 °C was 0.256 mm.y-1. More uniform microstructure of the β phase due to the addition of silver could facilitate the uniform growth of corrosion products, which led to the lower corrosion rate of the AZ91 alloy.

ABSTRACTThe influence of impact shock-loading was investigated on the mechanical behaviour, microstructure evolution, and texture of a new high-Mn steel. The mechanical behaviour of the shock-loaded specimen was compared with quasi-static compression condition. A Hopkinson pressure bar setup was used to perform the high-strain-rate deformation. Continuous yielding was observed under both low and high-strain-rate deformation. The yield stress also illustrated a positive strain-rate sensitivity with increasing strain-rate. An obvious increase in the flow stress of the steel was detected at higher strain-rate. A strain hardening followed by a strain softening was detected in stress–strain curve after shock-loading. Electron backscatter diffraction also displayed the activation of strain-induced ϵ-martensite and ά-martensite while deformation twinning was absent at high-strain-rate.

The influence of impact shock-loading was investigated on the mechanical behaviour, microstructure evolution, and texture of a new high-Mn steel. The mechanical behaviour of the shock-loaded specimen was compared with quasi-static compression condition. A Hopkinson pressure bar setup was used to perform the high-strain-rate deformation. Continuous yielding was observed under both low and high-strain-rate deformation. The yield stress also illustrated a positive strain-rate sensitivity with increasing strain-rate. An obvious increase in the flow stress of the steel was detected at higher strain-rate. A strain hardening followed by a strain softening was detected in stress–strain curve after shock-loading. Electron backscatter diffraction also displayed the activation of strain-induced ?-martensite and ?-martensite while deformation twinning was absent at high-strain-rate.

Gasoline is the main source of energy used for surface transportation in the United States. Reducing fuel consumption in light-duty vehicles can significantly reduce the transportation sector’s impact on the environment. Implementation of emerging automated technologies in vehicles could result in fuel savings. This study examines the effect of automated vehicle systems on fuel consumption using stochastic modeling. Automated vehicle systems examined in this study include warning systems such as blind spot warning, control systems such as lane keeping assistance, and information systems such as dynamic route guidance. We have estimated fuel savings associated with reduction of accident and non-accident-related congestion, aerodynamic force reduction, operation load, and traffic rebound. Results of this study show that automated technologies could reduce light-duty vehicle fuel consumption in the U.S. by 6% to 23%. This reduction could save $60 to $266 annually for the owners of vehicles equipped with automated technologies. Also, adoption of automated vehicles could benefit all road users (i.e., conventional vehicle drivers) up to $35 per vehicle annually (up to $6.2 billion per year).

The SOCS1gene coding for suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 is frequently repressed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and hence SOCS1 is considered a tumor suppressor in the liver. However, the tumor-suppressor mechanisms of SOCS1 are not yet well understood. SOCS1 is known to inhibit pro-inflammatory cytokine production and signaling and to promote activation of the p53 tumor suppressor. However, we observed that SOCS1-deficient mice developed numerous and large liver tumor nodules following treatment with the hepatocarcinogen diethylnitrosamine (DEN) without showing increased interleukin-6 production or activation of p53. On the other hand, the livers of DEN-treated Socs1-null mice showed elevated levels of p21CIP1/WAF1protein (p21). Even though p21 generally functions as a tumor suppressor, paradoxically many cancers, including HCC, are known to express elevated levels of p21 that correlate with poor prognosis. We observed elevated p21 expression also in the regenerating livers of SOCS1-deficient mice and in cisplatin-treated Socs1-null hepatocytes, wherein the p21 protein showed increased stability. We show that SOCS1 interacts with p21 and promotes its ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Besides, the DEN-treated livers of Socs1-null mice showed increased nuclear and cytosolic p21 staining, and the latter was associated with growth factor-induced, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-dependent phosphorylation of p21 in SOCS1-deficient hepatocytes. Cytosolic p21 is often associated with malignancy and chemo-resistance in many cancers. Accordingly, SOCS1-deficient hepatocytes showed increased resistance to apoptosis that was reversed by shRNA-mediated p21 knockdown. In the regenerating livers of Socs1-null mice, increased p21 expression coincided with elevated cyclinD levels. Correspondingly, SOCS1-deficient hepatocytes showed increased proliferation to growth factor stimulation that was reversed by p21 knockdown. Overall, our findings indicate that the tumor-suppressor functions of SOCS1 in the liver could be mediated, at least partly, via regulation of the expression, stability and subcellular distribution of p21 and its paradoxical oncogenic functions, namely, resistance to apoptosis and increased proliferation.

We have recently reported the first case of mutation in the core promoter sequence of the human calreticulin gene in a family case of schizoaffective disorder. Remarkably, this gene coincides with a region of suggested linkage at 19p13.2, identified in a whole genome scan [Hamshere et al. (2005); Arch Gen Psychiatry 62;1081–1088]. The identified mutation was located at the conserved position −48 from the transcription start site, and was shown to be of functional effect, resulting in the aberrant expression of the gene. Following screening of the gene in 60 independent cases of schizoaffective disorder, we report novel germ‐line mutations at positions −205 C > T and the conserved exon 5 (c: 682 C > T, pro228ser) in two unrelated cases of schizoaffective disorder. These mutations were disease‐specific, and as for the −48 G > C mutation, neither was detected in a control population of 370 individuals, indicating a contribution of 3.17% in this sample series. To our knowledge, this is the first instance of disease‐specific mutations in schizoaffective disorder, which warrants systematic screening of the regulatory and coding regions of the calreticulin gene in this disorder. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a significant disease worldwide and its incidence is expected to increase. In selected patients, liver transplantation offers a 5-year patient survival between 48% and 75%. However, HCC recurrence occurs in approximately 20% of transplant recipients. No therapy has proven efficacious in decreasing the risk of recurrence after transplantation. Sorafenib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been shown to improve survival in patients with advanced HCC that have no history of liver transplantation. We report complete remission of HCC in a 54-year-old man who developed biopsy-proven lung metastasis after liver transplantation treated with sorafenib.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a significant disease worldwide and its incidence is expected to increase. In selected patients, liver transplantation offers a 5-year patient survival between 48% and 75. However, HCC recurrence occurs in approximately 20 of transplant recipients. No therapy has proven efficacious in decreasing the risk of recurrence after transplantation. Sorafenib, a multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been shown to improve survival in patients with advanced HCC that have no history of liver transplantation. We report complete remission of HCC in a 54-year-old man who developed biopsy-proven lung metastasis after liver transplantation treated with sorafenib.

Activated carbon can be produced from a large variety of raw materials, basically by two methods, physical and chemical activation or a combination of both. The adsorption properties of activated carbon vary with the feed materials used and the way of activation. Production cost may be lowered by choosing a cheap raw material and performing a suitable production process. Agricultural and forestry residues, or generally, biomass residue wastes could be used as suitable raw materials for the production of activated carbon. In the present work, different agricultural residues such as hard shells of apricot stones, almond, walnut and hazelnut shells, rice hulls and residues of liquorices were used as precursors. The activation was performed using phosphoric acid under the same conditions. The results showed that at the selected experimental conditions, the type of biomass as well as the final activation temperature, heating rate and impregnation rate of the chemical agent had the greatest influence on the quality of activated carbon. The quality of activated carbon was evaluated in terms of the iodine number reflecting the surface area. According to the results, activated carbon from the hard shells of apricot stones had the best adsorption properties and the largest surface area.

A new and direct approach to verify surface heterogeneity as the microscopic origin of contact-angle hysteresis is demonstrated. IR−visible sum-frequency-generation spectroscopy (SFG) was used to selectively probe the molecules at the interface of an alkyl-side-chain polymer [poly(vinyl n-octadecyl carbamate-co-vinyl acetate)] with water. The spectra indicate that in contact with water, the polymer surface is heterogeneous (having areas of differing surface energies). This evidence of surface heterogeneity supports the hysteresis observed in the advancing and receding contact angles of the polymer surface with water. The same measurements made for the chemically and structurally similar surface of an octadecyltrichlorosilane self-assembled monolayer indicates a homogeneous surface at the water interface. In this case, contact-angle hysteresis measurements implicate surface roughness as the cause of hysteresis. Atomic force microscopy measurements of roughness for these surfaces further support our conclusions. The polymer−water interface was probed using SFG at above-ambient temperatures, and an order-to-disorder transition (ODT) of alkyl side chains at the interface was observed, which closely follows the melting of crystalline side chains in the bulk. This transition explains the increased wettability of the polymer, by water, when the temperature is raised above the bulk melting temperature. Furthermore, the irreversibility of this ODT suggests that the disordered polymer−water interface is the thermodynamic equilibrium state, whereas the before-heating structure of this interface is a kinetically hindered metastable state.

We study the effects of bonding temperature and crosslinking agent on the adhesion of a crosslinkable BIMS polymer (terpolymer of isobutylene, p-bromomethylstyrene, and p-methylstyrene) to a crosslinkable diene polymer, such as polyisoprene rubber (IR) or polybutadiene rubber (BR). The strength of adhesion between these two dissimilar polymers, represented by the work of detachment, Ga, is measured by using the T-peel geometry at various test temperatures and separation speeds. Surface-sensitive infrared-visible sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy is used to characterize the surface of BIMS and ensure the existence of crosslinkable species, the p-bromomethylstyrene functional group, on this polymer. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) is utilized to determine the loci of failure of the debonded surfaces and the influence of curative migration, if any, on adhesion. Although a zinc di-2-ethylhexanoate crosslinkable BIMS polymer shows interfacial crosslinking or cocure when bonded to a sulfur crosslinkable diene polymer at 140°C, interfacial cocure does not occur when the bonding temperature is raised to 180°C. On the other hand, if the sulfur crosslinking agent in the diene polymer is replaced by another crosslinking agent, a brominated phenolic resin, interfacial cocure occurs between BIMS and the diene polymer when the bonding temperature is 140, 160, or 180°C. Also, this brominated resin cocures the BIMS and diene polymer phases when these immiscible polymers are blended together in the presence of a metal compound (salt) of carboxylic acid, such as zinc di-2-ethylhexanoate. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 323–335, 2004

IR−visible sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy was used to study surface modification of polystyrene by its exposure to a UV light source or plasma. It was found that the polystyrene surface underwent dramatic changes after exposure to these treatments, as evidenced by marked changes in the surface SFG spectra. Before the treatments, the surface spectrum showed a pronounced peak at 3068 cm^-1 which is characteristic of the symmetric stretch of the aromatic C−H of polystyrene. This peak decreased markedly, and other vibrational bands associated with the CH2 and CH3 groups appeared after the treatments. The observed spectral changes provided direct evidence of surface reactions involving the aromatic ring. In addition, our data showed that the degrees of oxidation of the polystyrene surface were different with the two processes. The oxidation to a higher oxidation state, resulting in the formation of carbonyl/carboxyl species, was observed with plasma treatment but not with UV irradiation. This difference was also reflected in contact angle measurements. Before the treatments, the contact angle was 95 ± 4°. It decreased to 45 ± 4° and to less than 10° with UV irradiation and plasma treatment, respectively. The different pathways for the two treatments are discussed. In addition, the kinetics of photooxidation of the polystyrene surface was measured in situ, yielding a half-life of 15 min, which is much shorter than that of the bulk.

Second-harmonic generation and linear photomodulation are combined to study free-charge trapping mechanisms at ZnSe–GaAs(001) heterointerfaces. The variation of second-harmonic intensity as a function of charged-trap density at the buried junction is analyzed quantitatively and used with time-dependent measurements to determine interfacial charge-trap lifetimes.

Aberrant expression of the caveolin1 CAV1 gene is associated with Alzheimers disease AD brain. We have recently reported a polymorphic purine stretch located at between 1.8 and 1.5 kb flanking the CAV1 gene, whose alleles and genotypes are associated with lateonset AD. Extrashort homozygote haplotypes were observed that were present only in the AD cases. Following an independent casecontrol study, we report alleles at the other extreme of the allele range, haplotypes of which were observed to be homozygous across the region in the AD cases. We propose that there is a window for the length of motifs and haplotypes in the controls. Homozygosity for shorter and longer motifs and haplotypes was linked with AD in our study. Our findings elucidate novel predisposing haplotypes at the CAV1 gene purine complex, and confirm the role of this region in the etiopathophysiology of lateonset AD. © 2009 WileyLiss, Inc.