E. Ferretti¹

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.6, No.3, pp. 227-244, 2004, DOI:10.3970/cmes.2004.006.227

Abstract Defining the crack path in brittle and non-brittle crack is not easy, due to several unknowns. If the direction of crack propagation can be computed by means of one of the existing criteria, it is not known whether this direction will remain constant during crack propagation. A crack initiation leads to an enhanced stress field at crack tip. During propagation, the enhanced tip stress field propagates into the solid, locally interacting with the pre-existing stress field. This interaction can lead to modifications of the propagation direction, depending on the domain and crack geometry. Moreover, trajectory… More >

R. Gangadharan¹, A. Rajagopal¹, S.M. Sivakumar^{1, 2}

CMC-Computers, Materials & Continua, Vol.1, No.3, pp. 229-244, 2004, DOI:10.3970/cmc.2004.001.229

Abstract A new r-h adaptive scheme is proposed and formulated. It involves a combination of the configurational force based r-adaption with weighted Laplacian smoothing and mesh enrichment by h-refinement. A Zienkiewicz-Zhu best guess stress error estimator is used in the h-refinement strategy. The best sequence for combining the effectiveness of r- and h- adaption has been evolved at in this study. A further reduction in the potential energy and the relative error norm of the system is found to be achieved with combined r-adaption and mesh enrichment (in the form h-refinement). Numerical study confirms that the More >

M. D. Rodríguez-Arnao, A. Rodríguez-Sánchez, J. Rodríguez-Arnao, E. Dulín-Íñiguez¹, J. M. Bellón Cano², M. A. Muñoz-Fernández²

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.1, pp. 63-68, 2003

Abstract Objetive: To analyse the production of TNF-α and NO in euthyroid and hypothyroid newborns.
Patients: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 10 newborns diagnosed with primary congenital hypothyroidism (CH; group A) and 10 euthyroid children (group B).
Results: There were undetectable plasma levels of TNF-α and NO in the hypothyroid children, however plasma levels of TNF-α (5.5 ± 0.5 pg/ml) and NO (5.6 ± 1.7 µM) were detected at normal levels in all euthyroid children. Moreover, expression of iNOS mRNA in PBMC, determined by RT-PCR, was negative in both groups of infants.
Conclusion: TNF-α and NO production More >

John K. A. Tetteh¹, Mark M. Addae¹, Naruhiko Ishiwada², Sena M. Yempewu¹, Shinya Yamaguchi¹, David Ofori-Adjei¹, Hitoshi Kamiya⁴, Yoshihiro Komada³, Bartholomew D. Akanmori^1,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.2, pp. 109-113, 2003

Abstract To understand the pathogenesis of vaccine-modified measles (VMM), we measured plasma levels of IFN-γ and IL-2 (Th1 cytokines), IL-4 and IL-10 (Th2 cytokines), IL-12, TNF-α and TGF-β1 in children with uncomplicated measles, who had anti-measles IgG antibodies and with a history of immunization on admission (day 0), day 14 and day 60. We compared these to levels in healthy, age-matched, immunized children. Plasma levels of IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-12 were significantly higher in VMM patients on day 0 compared to healthy controls (p = 0.023; p = 0.018; p = 0.001) respectively. In contrast, plasma… More >

Carita Eklund¹, Farhana Jahan¹, Tanja Pessi¹, Terho Lehtimäki², Mikko Hurme^1,3

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 168-171, 2003

Abstract C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive marker of inflammation induced by both IL-6 and IL-1. Thus, genetic variation in these genes could be associated with the variety in C-reactive protein levels, and therefore with the severity of the entire inflammatory response. Even a subtle elevation in baseline CRP levels in healthy individuals has been found to significantly increase the risk for cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, to find out the possible role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in CRP baseline regulation we conducted a study of 338 healthy blood donors whose CRP levels were determined and whose single nucleotide More >

Dariusz P. Olszyna^1,2, Annelies Verbon², John P. Pribble³, Terence Turner³, Tim Axtelle³, Sander J. H. van Deventer¹, Tom van der Poll^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 158-162, 2003

Abstract To determine the role of CD14 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced release of chemokines, 16 humans were injected with LPS (4 ng/kg) preceded (– 2 h) by intravenous IC14, an anti-human CD14 monoclonal antibody, or placebo. LPS elicited increases in interleukin (IL)-8 concentrations in plasma and in lysates of red blood cell (RBC), polymorphonuclear cell and mononuclear cell fractions, which were all reduced by IC14. LPS also induced rises in the plasma and RBC levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, which were diminished by IC14. Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1a and MIP-1β, chemokines that in contrast to IL-8 More >

Elie Mavoungou^1,2, Adrian J. F. Luty^1,2, Peter G. Kremsner^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.3, pp. 134-142, 2003

Abstract The ability of human NK cells to inhibit the growth in vitro of the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum was tested. Purified NK cells from donors with no prior exposure to malaria significantly inhibited parasite growth after 48 hours of co-culture in the presence of human immune serum. This inhibition was completely abrogated by pre-treatment of the NK cells with an anti-CD95 (anti-Fas) monoclonal antibody and human Fas-Fc soluble protein. The level of growth inhibition was also substantially reduced by pre-treatment with an anti-CD56 antibody. These two antibodies caused reductions, to varying levels, of the More >

Michael Heesen¹, Brunhilde Bloemeke², Dagmar Kunz³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.14, No.4, pp. 234-237, 2003

Abstract Previous studies have found that heterozygosity for the A896G mutation of the endotoxin receptor TLR4 confers susceptibility to Gram-negative infections and septic shock. To evaluate the underlying mecha-nisms, we studied the association of the TLR4 polymorphism with endotoxin-induced cytokine synthesis in human whole blood. Monocyte CD14 density and monocyte count were also determined. Healthy individuals were genotyped by means of a real-time polymerase chain reaction. Plasma concentrations of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-8 were measured by chemiluminescence. No significant differences in cytokine synthesis were observed between heterozygous individuals and homozygous carriers of the wild type allele. More >

Daniel J. Caruso, Murali K. Ankem, John Riordan, Joseph G. Barone

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.10, No.3, pp. 1910-1911, 2003

Abstract Prune Belly Syndrome developed urinary ascites secondary to forniceal rupture. Treatment consisted of bilateral cutaneous pyelostomies. Even though most children with Prune Belly Syndrome respond to lower urinary tract drainage, a cutaneous pyelostomy may be necessary when the ureters are tortuous and do not drain adequately following bladder decompression. More >

Robert K. Nam¹, Michael A. S. Jewett¹, Murray D. Krahn², Michael A. Robinette¹, John Tsihlias¹, Ants Toi³, Minnie Ho¹, Andrew Evans⁴, Joan Sweet⁴, John Trachtenberg¹

Canadian Journal of Urology, Vol.10, No.3, pp. 1891-1898, 2003

Abstract Background: In Canada, waiting times for cancer care have been increasing, particularly for patients with genitourinary malignancies. We examined whether delay from diagnosis for patients undergoing surgery for clinically localized prostate cancer affects cancer cure rates.
Methods: We conducted a historical cohort study among 645 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy between 1987 and 1997, using biochemical recurrence (PSA elevation) and metastasis as endpoints. We examined whether patients who underwent surgery ≥3 months (delayed surgery group) from the date of diagnosis had reduced recurrence-free survival, compared to patients who had surgery <3 months (early surgery group) from the… More >