bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spontaneous Rupture of an Ovarian Artery Aneurysm: A Rare Postpartum Complication
Authors: Enakpene Christopher A. , Stern Toni , Barzallo Salazar Marco J. , Mukherjee Pradip
Published: February 2016

Background. Spontaneous rupture of an ovarian artery aneurysm is a rare but usually life-threatening event. It is most often associated with pregnancy or fibroids. Our case followed a normal vaginal delivery and then a delayed presentation with features similar to other less life-threatening postpartum conditions. The diagnosis could have been missed but for the meticulous and timely interventions which avoided catastrophic outcome.Case. This is a case of a multiparous woman with rupture of a left ovarian artery aneurysm, causing massive retroperitoneal hemorrhage and hematoma that required a combination of arterial embolization, percutaneous CT scan guided drainage, and surgical evacuation of the hematoma.Conclusion. Spontaneous rupture of ovarian artery should be considered as one of the differential diagnoses in the immediate postpartum period especially when the clinical symptoms do not correlate with the amount of blood loss. A high index of suspicion, prompt diagnosis, intervention, and a multidisciplinary approach in the management were the elements of a successful outcome in this case.
Prevalence of Dog Erythrocyte Antigens 1, 4, and 7 in Podenco Ibicenco (Ibizan Hounds) from Ibiza Island
Authors: Spada Eva , Proverbio Daniela , Viñals Flórez Luis Miguel , Serra Gómez de la Serna Blanca , del Rosario Perlado Chamizo Maria , Baggiani Luciana , Perego Roberta
Published: February 2016

The aims of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of Dog Erythrocyte Antigens (DEA) 1, 4, and 7 in Ibizan hounds, to compare the results with the prevalence of DEA in Spanish greyhounds, and to determine the risk of sensitization following the first transfusion of blood not typed for DEA 1 and the probability of an acute hemolytic reaction following a second incompatible transfusion using untyped DEA 1 blood. DEA 1, 4, and 7 status was determined in 92 Ibizan hounds. Results were compared with the previously reported prevalence in Spanish greyhounds. The risks of sensitization and of a hemolytic transfusion reaction were determined amongst Ibizan hounds and between Ibizan hounds and Spanish greyhounds. The prevalence of DEA 1, 4, and 7 was 75%, 98.9%, and 25%, respectively. There was a significantly higher expression of DEA 1 and 7 in Ibizan hounds than in Spanish greyhounds. The probability of sensitization of a recipient dog to DEA 1 with transfusions amongst Ibizan hounds was 18.5% and between Ibizan hounds and Spanish greyhounds was 13.7%. The probability of an acute hemolytic reaction in each group was 3.5% and 1.9%, respectively. There is a higher prevalence of DEA 1 and 7 in Ibizan hounds than in other sighthounds.
An Analysis of Behaviour Change Techniques Used in a Sample of Gestational Weight Management Trials
Authors: Soltani H. , Arden M. A. , Duxbury A. M. S. , Fair F. J.
Published: February 2016

Introduction. Maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain are associated with multiple adverse outcomes. There is a lack of clarity on the specific components of effective interventions to support pregnant women with gestational weight management.Method. All 44 studies within a preexisting review of lifestyle interventions, with a potential to impact on maternal weight outcomes, were considered for content analysis. Interventions were classified using Behaviour Change Technique (BCT) taxonomy clusters to explore which categories of BCT were used in interventions and their effectiveness in managing gestational weight gain.Results. The most commonly used BCTs were within the categories of “feedback and monitoring,” “shaping knowledge,” “goals and planning,” “repetition and substitution,” “antecedents,” and “comparison of behaviours.” For diet and mixed interventions “feedback and monitoring,” “shaping knowledge,” and “goals and planning” appeared the most successful BCT categories.Conclusions. Poor reporting within studies in defining the BCTs used, in clarifying the differences in processes between intervention and control groups, and in differentiating between the intervention and research processes made BCT classification difficult. Future studies should elaborate more clearly on the behaviour change techniques used and report them accurately to allow a better understanding of the effective ingredients for lifestyle interventions during pregnancy.
Retrieval Architecture with Classified Query for Content Based Image Recognition
Authors: Das Rik , Thepade Sudeep , Bhattacharya Subhajit , Ghosh Saurav
Published: February 2016

The consumer behavior has been observed to be largely influenced by image data with increasing familiarity of smart phones and World Wide Web. Traditional technique of browsing through product varieties in the Internet with text keywords has been gradually replaced by the easy accessible image data. The importance of image data has portrayed a steady growth in application orientation for business domain with the advent of different image capturing devices and social media. The paper has described a methodology of feature extraction by image binarization technique for enhancing identification and retrieval of information using content based image recognition. The proposed algorithm was tested on two public datasets, namely, Wang dataset and Oliva and Torralba (OT-Scene) dataset with 3688 images on the whole. It has outclassed the state-of-the-art techniques in performance measure and has shown statistical significance.
Hypoxemia and Right-to-Left-Shunt in Patient with Antiphospholipid Syndrome: A Case Report with Multimodality Imaging Findings and Literature Review
Authors: Bin Saeedan Mnahi , Alrujaib Mashael , Fathala Ahmed L.
Published: February 2016

This is a case report of an extremely rare cause of superior vena cava syndrome with systemic-to-pulmonary venous shunts, illustrated using different imaging modalities with successful SVC and IVC dilatation and stenting.
Dealings between Cataract and Retinal Reattachment Surgery in PVR
Authors: Deuchler Svenja , Singh Pankaj , Müller Michael , Kohnen Thomas , Ackermann Hanns , Iwanczuk Joerg , Benjilali Rachid , Koch Frank
Published: February 2016

Introduction. To evaluate the impact of the eye lens status and oil side effects on the outcome of vitreoretinal surgery in retinal detachment with proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and a temporary silicone oil tamponade (SOT).Methods. 101 eyes were analyzed retrospectively and 103 eyes prospectively in regard to their retinal reattachment success rate and key factors for the outcome. Subgroup analysis of 27 eyes with Scheimpflug lens photography (SLP) before and after retinal reattachment service with SOT was performed. For SLP (65% phakic eyes) a Pentacam densitometry reference body with 3 mm diameter was chosen and 3 segments (anterior/mid/posterior) were evaluated separately after a quality check.Results. The retinal reattachment rate was highest in the prospective pseudophakic group (p=0.039). Lens transparency loss occurred earlier in middle aged patients than in younger patients. Besides the nucleus, layers posterior and anterior to it showed specific transparency changes. The emulsification rate was higher when eyes had been operated on in the anterior chamber before retinal reattachment service.Conclusions. Retinal reattachment surgery seems to benefit from preoperative cataract removal. We found significant lens changes in the nucleus as well as in the layers anterior and posterior to it. This corresponds to the histology of the lens epithelium published before.
Cystic Endometriosis in a Huge Degenerated Subserous Leiomyoma Mimicking Bilateral Multicystic Endometriomas in an Infertile Woman with Diminished Ovarian Reserve: A Rare Endometriotic Implantation
Authors: Hatirnaz Safak , Colak Sabri , Reis Abdulkadir
Published: February 2016

Uterine leiomyomas are the most common pelvic tumor in women. Leiomyoma can show atypical locations and degenerations and may not be easily differentiated from adnexal masses. Uterine leiomyoma can undergo cystic degeneration and is said to be found in 4% of all types of degenerations. The commonest type of degeneration is hyaline seen in 60% of patients. Usually uterine leiomyoma does not present as clinical and radiological diagnostic challenge. However, when leiomyoma undergoes massive cystic degeneration they may become clinical and radiological diagnostic dilemmas. The MRI showed a huge cystic mass protruding up to the pelvis not differentiated from bilateral endometriomas and accompanying subserous myomas. Surgery revealed that the mass is not bilateral endometriomas but a huge pedunculated leiomyoma with cystic degeneration and cystic endometriosis. Endometriosis is a troubling gynecologic condition occurring in 10% to 15% of women of reproductive age and is associated with fertility problems. As a peritoneal disease, the locations of endometriotic lesions are predominantly the ovaries (96.4%), followed by the soft tissue (2.8%), gastrointestinal tract (0.3%), and urinary tract (0.2%) and other rare locations. The presented case is multiple sized cystic endometriosis (endometriomas) located in a huge pedunculated subserous leiomyoma in an infertile woman having a history of laparoscopic bilateral endometrioma surgery.Conclusion. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case for endometriotic cysts (endometriomas) located in a huge cystic degenerated leiomyoma. PubMed search revealed no report concerning endometriotic implantation in the leiomyomas.
Cutaneous Disease as Sole Clinical Manifestation of Protothecosis in a Boxer Dog
Authors: Papadogiannakis Emmanouil I. , Velonakis Emmanouil N. , Spanakos Gregory K. , Koutinas Alexander F.
Published: February 2016

Prototheca wickerhamiiis ubiquitous, saprophytic achlorophyllous algae that cause opportunistic infections in the dog and cat and disseminated disease usually in immunocompromised animals. In this report an uncommon case of canine cutaneous protothecosis is presented. A 6-year-old female boxer was brought in with skin lesions that consisted of nodules and generalized footpad hyperkeratosis, depigmentation, and erosion. Cytology and histopathology showed pyogranulomatous inflammation along with organisms containing round sporangia with spherical sporangiospores. PCR and sequencing identified the causal organism asPrototheca wickerhamii. Therapy applied in this patient with either fluconazole alone or combination of amphotericin B and itraconazole proved effective only for footpad lesions but not for skin nodules. Systemic therapy seems to be ineffective for skin nodules, at least in chronic cases of canine cutaneous protothecosis. Although canine protothecosis usually presents with the disseminated form, cutaneous disease as sole clinical manifestation of the infection may also be witnessed.
Transition Metal Complexes of Naproxen: Synthesis, Characterization, Forced Degradation Studies, and Analytical Method Verification
Authors: Hasan Md. Sharif , Kayesh Ruhul , Begum Farida , Rahman S. M. Abdur
Published: February 2016

The aim of our current research was to synthesize some transition metal complexes of Naproxen, determine their physical properties, and examine their relative stability under various conditions. Characterizations of these complexes were done by 1H-NMR, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), FT-IR, HPLC, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Complexes were subjected to acidic, basic, and aqueous hydrolysis as well as oxidation, reduction, and thermal degradation. Also the reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method of Naproxen outlined in USP was verified for the Naproxen-metal complexes, with respect to accuracy, precision, solution stability, robustness, and system suitability. The melting points of the complexes were higher than that of the parent drug molecule suggesting their thermal stability. In forced degradation study, complexes were found more stable than the Naproxen itself in all conditions: acidic, basic, oxidation, and reduction media. All the HPLC verification parameters were found within the acceptable value. Therefore, it can be concluded from the study that the metal complexes of Naproxen can be more stable drug entity and offer better efficacy and longer shelf life than the parent Naproxen.
Resin-Induced ColonicPseudotumor: Rare Complication from Chronic Use of Potassium Binders in a Hemodialysis Patient
Authors: Bui Mary , Chou Shyan-Yih , Faubert Pierre , Loarte Pablo , Cohen Ronny
Published: February 2016

Potassium-binding resins are widely used in the treatment of hyperkalemia, mostly in the acute setting. Gastrointestinal adverse events, although reported, are not frequently seen due to its short course of use. This report describes a case involving an end-stage renal disease patient on hemodialysis who developed a colonic mass after being on sodium polystyrene sulfonate chronically for persistent hyperkalemia. Gastrointestinal symptoms developed late during the treatment rather than early as reported previously in the literature. This mass was mistaken for a carcinomatous lesion, which initiated an extensive work-up as well as hospitalization that nearly resulted in a subtotal colectomy.
Surgical Approaches to First Branchial Cleft Anomaly Excision: A Case Series
Authors: Quintanilla-Dieck Lourdes , Virgin Frank , Wootten Chistopher , Goudy Steven , Penn Edward
Published: February 2016

Objectives. First branchial cleft anomalies (BCAs) constitute a rare entity with variable clinical presentations and anatomic findings. Given the high rate of recurrence with incomplete excision, identification of the entire tract during surgical treatment is of paramount importance. The objectives of this paper were to present five anatomic variations of first BCAs and describe the presentation, evaluation, and surgical approach to each one.Methods. A retrospective case review and literature review were performed. We describe patient characteristics, presentation, evaluation, and surgical approach of five patients with first BCAs.Results. Age at definitive surgical treatment ranged from 8 months to 7 years. Various clinical presentations were encountered, some of which were atypical for first BCAs. All had preoperative imaging demonstrating the tract. Four surgical approaches required a superficial parotidectomy with identification of the facial nerve, one of which revealed an aberrant facial nerve. In one case the tract was found to travel into the angle of the mandible, terminating as a mandibular cyst. This requireden blocexcision that included the lateral cortex of the mandible.Conclusions. First BCAs have variable presentations. Complete surgical excision can be challenging. Therefore, careful preoperative planning and the recognition of atypical variants during surgery are essential.
FPGA-Based Design of an Intelligent On-Chip Sensor Network Monitoring and Control Using Dynamically Reconfigurable Autonomous Sensor Agents
Authors: Abba Sani , Lee Jeong-A
Published: February 2016

This paper proposes different low-level microarchitectural designs and frameworks for real-time monitoring and efficient control of on-chip sensor network for field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The main goals are to design low power, low-cost, and highly accurate monitoring and control mechanism using autonomous sensor agents and to dynamically reconfigure control of on-chip sensor networks by FPGAs. By collecting dynamic and real-time monitoring parameters such as voltage and temperature, the system becomes self-aware and is able to improve the utilization of FPGA resources and power consumption. The FPGA synthesis, place and route, and implementation were performed for the proposed design. The results after synthesis and implementation show a significant low usage of FPGA logic resources and efficient power consumption of all on-chip sensor components compared with previous approaches. Furthermore, the experimental results from the FPGA-measured on-chip sensor readings show high precision and accuracy in the measured voltage and temperature. Setting the dynamic reconfiguration refresh time at 1000 ms produces highly accurate FPGA-measured on-chip sensor readings compared with those at 100 and 500 ms. The proposed design technique and framework will assist network engineers and system designers by providing flexible and efficient real-time monitoring and control design of large and complex on-chip sensor networks and remote-sensing applications.
Association between Self-Reported Bruxism and Sleeping Patterns among Dental Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Shokry Shereen M. , El Wakeel Eman E. , Al-Maflehi Nassr , RasRas Zaheera , Fataftah Nida , Abdul Kareem Enam
Published: February 2016

Objectives.The aim of this cross-sectional study was to identify sleeping patterns among dental students and their association with self-reported bruxism in Riyadh Colleges of Dentistry and Pharmacy (RCsDP).Methods.A cross-sectional study was performed including 549 students (67 men and 482 women). A structured questionnaire was adopted from The PSQI (The Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire Index) used for data collection. It included questions which are categorized into sleeping habits, sleep-related symptoms, and additional questions concerning bruxism. This questionnaire was randomly distributed among all college preclinical and postclinical students. Sleep bruxism diagnosis was based on self-reported data. The data were analyzed using Chi-square tests through SPSS software for Windows.Results.Statistical analyses revealed significant correlations between self-reported bruxism and sleeping habits including sleep initiation (χ2=22.6,p=0.000), continuous sleep until morning (χ2=19.2,p=0.001), nighttime sleep duration (χ2=20.2,p=0.000), and length of daytime naps (χ2=28.35,p=0.000). There was an association between self-reported bruxism and sleeping-related symptoms including awakening early in the morning before the usual time without a cause (χ2=16.52,p=0.000) and increased nightmares (χ2=13.7,p=0.001).Conclusions.Poor sleeping pattern was an important factor among dental students, who reported sleep bruxism.
Bus Implementation Using New Low Power PFSCL Tristate Buffers
Authors: Pandey Neeta , Choudhary Bharat , Gupta Kirti , Mittal Ankit
Published: February 2016

This paper proposes new positive feedback source coupled logic (PFSCL) tristate buffers suited to bus applications. The proposed buffers use switch to attain high impedance state and modify the load or the current source section. An interesting consequence of this is overall reduction in the power consumption. The proposed tristate buffers consume half the power compared to the available switch based counterpart. The issues with available PFSCL tristate buffers based bus implementation are identified and benefits of employing the proposed tristate buffer topologies are put forward. SPICE simulation results using TSMC 180 nm CMOS technology parameters are included to support the theoretical formulations. The performance of proposed tristate buffer topologies is examined on the basis of propagation delay, output enable time, and power consumption. It is found that one of the proposed tristate buffer topology outperforms the others in terms of all the performance parameters. An examination of behavior of available and the proposed PFSCL tristate buffer topologies under parameter variations and mismatch shows a maximum variation of 14%.
Is Recurving an Effective Strategy ofTrifolium repensL. to Augment Reproduction?
Authors: Ahmad Mustaqeem , Uniyal Sanjay Kr.
Published: February 2016

Flowers ofTrifolium repensL. show recurving. We, therefore, studied whether this is an effective strategy employed by the species to augment reproduction. For this, fifty plants of the species were tagged and monitored. This included twenty control and twenty constrained to recurve. The remaining 10 plants were covered with a net to limit cross-pollination. Daily observations on the plants were recorded. No significant difference in the number of flowers per inflorescence between control and constrained plants was found. However, a significant difference (p<0.001) in the number of seeds produced by control (68.35±3.92) and constrained plants (22.25 ± 1.35) was observed. Three times more seeds, without compromising on seed mass (p>0.05), were produced in the control plants. No seeds were produced in the flowers that were netted. Thus, recurving appears to helpT. repensin reproduction.
A Fair Resource Allocation Algorithm for Data and Energy Integrated Communication Networks
Authors: Yu Qin , Zhao Yizhe , Zhang Lanxin , Yang Kun , Leng Supeng
Published: February 2016

With the rapid advancement of wireless network technologies and the rapid increase in the number of mobile devices, mobile users (MUs) have an increasing high demand to access the Internet with guaranteed quality-of-service (QoS). Data and energy integrated communication networks (DEINs) are emerging as a new type of wireless networks that have the potential to simultaneously transfer wireless energy and information via the same base station (BS). This means that a physical BS is virtualized into two parts: one is transferring energy and the other is transferring information. The former is called virtual energy base station (eBS) and the latter is named as data base station (dBS). One important issue in such setting is dynamic resource allocation. Here the resource concerned includes both power and time. In this paper, we propose a fair data-and-energy resource allocation algorithm for DEINs by jointly designing the downlink energy beamforming and a power-and-time allocation scheme, with the consideration of finite capacity batteries at MUs and power sensitivity of radio frequency (RF) to direct current (DC) conversion circuits. Simulation results demonstrate that our proposed algorithm outperforms the existing algorithms in terms of fairness, beamforming design, sensitivity, and average throughput.
Robot-Assisted Myomectomy for Large Uterine Myomas: A Single Center Experience
Authors: Gunnala Vinay , Setton Robert , Pereira Nigel , Huang Jian Qun
Published: February 2016

Objective.To determine if robot-assisted myomectomy (RAM) is feasible for women with large uterine myomas.Methods.Retrospective review of one gynecologic surgeon’s RAM cases between May 2010 and July 2013. Large uterine myomas, defined as the largest myoma ≥9 cm by preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, was age- and time-matched to controls with the largest myoma <9 cm. Primary surgical outcomes compared were operative time and estimated blood loss (EBL).Results.207 patients were included: 66 (32%) patients were in the ≥9 cm group, while 141 (68%) patients were in the <9 cm group. There was a statistically significant increase in the operative time (130 min versus 92 min) and EBL (100 mL versus 25 mL) for the ≥9 cm group compared to the <9 cm group. Ten (4.8%) patients had the largest myoma measuring ≥15 cm, and 11 (5.3%) patients had a specimen weight >900 gm, of which no major adverse outcomes were observed. All patients in the study cohort were discharged on the same day after surgery.Conclusion.RAM is a feasible surgical approach for patients with myomas ≥9 cm. Patients with large myomas undergoing RAM are also candidates for same-day discharge after surgery.
Impedimetric Humidity Sensor Based on Nanohybrid Composite of Conducting Poly(diphenylamine sulfonic acid)
Authors: Dinç Zor Şule , Cankurtaran Hüsnü
Published: February 2016

Interdigitated thin film humidity sensors have been prepared using organic/inorganic nanocomposites of poly(diphenylamine sulfonic acid) (PSDA), 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPTMS), and nano-ZnO. Humidity sensing properties of the sensors, regarding the effect of nano-ZnO addition and the applied alternating current frequency, were studied by impedance measurements in the frequency range of 100 Hz–1 kHz. It was found that the sensing properties of the ZnO based nanocomposite sensors had better properties than those of the PSDA-MPTMS based composite due to contribution of the nanomaterial. Good sensitivity (about three orders’ magnitude change in impedance), linear response, rapid response (90 s) and recovery (60 s), and low hysteresis within 4% as well as good repeatability and stability in the range from 12% to 95% RH were obtained.
Biomass and Soil Carbon Stocks in Wet Montane Forest, Monteverde Region, Costa Rica: Assessments and Challenges for Quantifying Accumulation Rates
Authors: Tanner Lawrence H. , Wilckens Megan T. , Nivison Morgan A. , Johnson Katherine M.
Published: February 2016

We measured carbon stocks at two forest reserves in the cloud forest region of Monteverde, comparing cleared land, experimental secondary forest plots, and mature forest at each location to assess the effectiveness of reforestation in sequestering biomass and soil carbon. The biomass carbon stock measured in the mature forest at the Monteverde Institute is similar to other measurements of mature tropical montane forest biomass carbon in Costa Rica. Local historical records and the distribution of large trees suggest a mature forest age of greater than 80 years. The forest at La Calandria lacks historical documentation, and dendrochronological dating is not applicable. However, based on the differences in tree size, above-ground biomass carbon, and soil carbon between the Monteverde Institute and La Calandria sites, we estimate an age difference of at least 30 years of the mature forests. Experimental secondary forest plots at both sites have accumulated biomass at lower than expected rates, suggesting local limiting factors, such as nutrient limitation. We find that soil carbon content is primarily a function of time and that altitudinal differences between the study sites do not play a role.
Integrated Experimental and Numerical Comparison of Different Approaches for Planar Biaxial Testing of a Hyperelastic Material
Authors: Avanzini Andrea , Battini Davide
Published: February 2016

Planar biaxial testing has been applied to a variety of materials to obtain relevant information for mechanical characterization and constitutive modeling in presence of complex stress states. Despite its diffusion, there is currently no standardized testing procedure or a unique specimen design of common use. Consequently, comparison of results obtained with different configurations is not always straightforward and several types of optimized shapes have been proposed. The purpose of the present work is to develop a procedure for comprehensive comparison of results of biaxial tests carried out on the same soft hyperelastic material, using different types of gripping methods and specimen shapes (i.e., cruciform and square). Five configurations were investigated experimentally using a biaxial test rig designed and built by the authors, using digital imaging techniques to track the displacements of markers apposed in selected positions on the surfaces. Then, material parameters for a suitable hyperelastic law were determined for each configuration examined, employing an inverse method which combines numerical simulations with the finite element method (FEM) and optimization algorithms. Finally, efficiency of examined biaxial configurations was assessed comparing stress reductions factor, degree and uniformity of biaxial deformation, and operative strain ranges.
Seminoma in a Man with Russell-Silver Syndrome Presenting with Testicular Torsion
Authors: Funada Satoshi , Ikeuchi Ryosuke , Yoshida Toru , Segawa Takehiko
Published: February 2016

Russell-Silver syndrome (RSS) is a type of primordial dwarfism. Only one case of testicular cancer in RSS has been reported, the pathology of which was nonseminoma. Here, we report a case of seminoma in a 36-year-old man who was diagnosed with RSS at birth. The seminoma was diagnosed when the patient presented with testicular torsion. This is the first report of testicular seminoma in an RSS patient in the literature. We also discussed the correlation between seminoma and RSS.
The Effect of Morphological Characteristic of Coarse Aggregates Measured with Fractal Dimension on Asphalt Mixture’s High-Temperature Performance
Authors: Wang Hainian , Bu Yin , Wang Yanzhe , Yang Xu , You Zhanping
Published: February 2016

The morphological properties of coarse aggregates, such as shape, angularity, and surface texture, have a great influence on the mechanical performance of asphalt mixtures. This study aims to investigate the effect of coarse aggregate morphological properties on the high-temperature performance of asphalt mixtures. A modified Los Angeles (LA) abrasion test was employed to produce aggregates with various morphological properties by applying abrasion cycles of 0, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1000, and 1200 on crushed angular aggregates. Based on a laboratory-developed Morphology Analysis System for Coarse Aggregates (MASCA), the morphological properties of the coarse aggregate particles were quantified using the index of fractal dimension. The high-temperature performances of the dense-graded asphalt mixture (AC-16), gap-graded stone asphalt mixture (SAC-16), and stone mastic asphalt (SMA-16) mixtures containing aggregates with different fractal dimensions were evaluated through the dynamic stability (DS) test and the penetration shear test in laboratory. Good linear correlations between the fractal dimension and high-temperature indexes were obtained for all three types of mixtures. Moreover, the results also indicated that higher coarse aggregate angularity leads to stronger high-temperature shear resistance of asphalt mixtures.
An Acoustic OFDM System with Symbol-by-Symbol Doppler Compensation for Underwater Communication
Authors: MinhHai Tran , Rie Saotome , Suzuki Taisaku , Wada Tomohisa
Published: February 2016

We propose an acoustic OFDM system for underwater communication, specifically for vertical link communications such as between a robot in the sea bottom and a mother ship in the surface. The main contributions are (1) estimation of time varying Doppler shift using continual pilots in conjunction with monitoring the drift of Power Delay Profile and (2) symbol-by-symbol Doppler compensation in frequency domain by an ICI matrix representing nonuniform Doppler. In addition, we compare our proposal against a resampling method. Simulation and experimental results confirm that our system outperforms the resampling method when the velocity changes roughly over OFDM symbols. Overall, experimental results taken in Shizuoka, Japan, show our system using 16QAM, and 64QAM achieved a data throughput of 7.5 Kbit/sec with a transmitter moving at maximum 2 m/s, in a complicated trajectory, over 30 m vertically.
A 27-Year-Old Patient Fulfilling the Diagnostic Criteria of Both CMML and JMML
Authors: Elghazaly Assem A. , Manzoor Mohmmed U. , AlMishari Mai A. , Ibrahim Mamoun H.
Published: February 2016

Chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (CMML) and juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML) are two disease entities that come under the myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasms category. Each of the two conditions has its own diagnostic criteria. In addition, they have different ages of presentation; while CMML is typically a disease of the elderly, JMML is a disease of young children. Here we are presenting the case of a 27-year-old male patient who, at the time of diagnosis, fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of both diseases. In addition he had radiological changes of type 1 neurofibromatosis. Possible explanations of the patient case have been discussed.
IL-1ra Secreted by ATP-Induced P2Y2Negatively Regulates MUC5AC Overproduction via PLCβ3 during Airway Inflammation
Authors: Jeong Jee-Yeong , Kim Jiwook , Kim Bokyoum , Kim Joowon , Shin Yusom , Kim Judeok , Ryu Siejeong , Yang Yu-Mi , Song Kyoung Seob
Published: February 2016

Mucus secretion is often uncontrolled in many airway inflammatory diseases of humans. Identifying the regulatory pathway(s) of mucus gene expression, mucus overproduction, and hypersecretion is important to alleviate airway inflammation in these diseases. However, the regulatory signaling pathway controlling mucus overproduction has not been fully identified yet. In this study, we report that the ATP/P2Y2complex secretes many cytokines and chemokines to regulate airway inflammation, among which IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) downregulatesMUC5ACgene expression via the inhibition of Gαq-induced Ca2+signaling. IL-1ra inhibited IL-1αprotein expression and secretion, and vice versa. Interestingly, ATP/P2Y2-induced IL-1ra and IL-1αsecretion were both mediated by PLCβ3. A dominant-negative mutation in the PDZ-binding domain of PLCβ3 inhibited ATP/P2Y2-induced IL-1ra and IL-1αsecretion. IL-1αin the presence of the ATP/P2Y2complex activated the ERK1/2 pathway in a greater degree and for a longer duration than the ATP/P2Y2complex itself, which was dramatically inhibited by IL-1ra. These findings suggest that secreted IL-1ra exhibits a regulatory effect on ATP/P2Y2-inducedMUC5ACgene expression, through inhibition of IL-1αsecretion, to maintain the mucus homeostasis in the airway. Therefore, IL-1ra could be an excellent modality for regulating inflamed airway microenvironments in respiratory diseases.
Effect ofIn SituThermal Annealing on Structural, Optical, and Electrical Properties of CdS/CdTe Thin Film Solar Cells Fabricated by Pulsed Laser Deposition
Authors: Al-mebir Alaa Ayad , Harrison Paul , Kadhim Ali , Zeng Guanggen , Wu Judy
Published: February 2016

Anin situthermal annealing process (iTAP) has been introduced before the commonex situcadmium chloride (CdCl2) annealing to improve crystal quality and morphology of the CdTe thin films after pulsed laser deposition of CdS/CdTe heterostructures. A strong correlation between the two annealing processes was observed, leading to a profound effect on the performance of CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells. Atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy show that the iTAP in the optimal processing window produces considerable CdTe grain growth and improves the CdTe crystallinity, which results in significantly improved optoelectronic properties and quantum efficiency of the CdS/CdTe solar cells. A power conversion efficiency of up to 7.0% has been obtained on thin film CdS/CdTe solar cells of absorber thickness as small as 0.75 μm processed with the optimal iTAP at 450°C for 10–20 min. This result illustrates the importance of controlling microstructures of CdTe thin films and iTAP provides a viable approach to achieve such a control.
Anticorrosion Activity of 8-Quinoline Sulphonyl Chloride on Mild Steel in 1 M HCl Solution
Authors: Ganapathi Sundaram R. , Sundaravadivelu M.
Published: February 2016

An anticorrosion activity of 8-quinoline sulphonyl chloride (8-QSC) on mild steel in 1 M HCl solution was studied by weight loss (WL) method and electrochemical methods, namely, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Tafel polarization (TP), and linear polarization resistance (LPR). Results obtained from WL method, EIS, TP, and LPR, showed that 8-QSC is a good corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in 1 M HCl solution. The results indicated that the inhibition efficiency and extent of surface coverage were increased with increase in inhibitor concentration and decrease in the corrosion rate. This is due to the formation of protective film on the surface of mild steel. Adsorption of 8-QSC on the mild steel surface was found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. A Tafel plot indicates that the used inhibitor behaves predominantly as cathodic type. The surface morphology of the mild steel was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-Ray (EDX) Spectroscopy techniques. All the methods give the same order of inhibition efficiencies.
Nitric Oxide Concentration and Other Salivary Changes after Insertion of New Complete Dentures in Edentulous Subjects
Authors: Breseghelo Maria de Lourdes , Guillo Lídia Andreu , Nogueira Túlio Eduardo , Leles Cláudio Rodrigues
Published: February 2016

Objective. To assess changes in levels of salivary nitric oxide (NO) after insertion of new complete dentures and its association with clinical and salivary parameters.Methods. Nineteen fully edentulous subjects were included, mean age 64.4. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected before and after insertion of the dentures, at follow-up visits, and after 12 months. The concentration of the final stable NO product (nitrite) was measured by a colorimetric assay based on the Griess reaction. Clinical parameters were assessed during all clinical visits.Results. Functional adaptation to the dentures progressively improved, with no complaints at the long-term follow-up. NO concentration was not influenced by the level of functional adaptation, presence of injuries to the mucosa, salivary flow, and saliva viscosity. Pairwise comparison showed a reduction in NO concentration at the first follow-up compared to baseline values but differences were not statistically significant. Significant differences were observed in NO concentrations at the long-term follow-up when compared to the first (p=0.024) and second (p=0.027) visits.Conclusion. NO concentration reduced after denture insertion and returned to baseline levels in the long-term follow-up. This appears to be an autonomic response of the body and provides valuable complementary information for the management of the edentulous patient.
Muscle Strength, Physical Activity, and Functional Limitations in Older Adults with Central Obesity
Authors: Germain Cassandra M. , Batsis John A. , Vasquez Elizabeth , McQuoid Douglas R.
Published: February 2016

Background.Obesity and muscle weakness are independently associated with increased risk of physical and functional impairment in older adults. It is unknown whether physical activity (PA) and muscle strength combined provide added protection against functional impairment. This study examines the association between muscle strength, PA, and functional outcomes in older adults with central obesity.Methods.Prevalence and odds of physical (PL), ADL, and IADL limitation were calculated for 6,388 community dwelling adults aged ≥ 60 with central obesity. Individuals were stratified by sex-specific hand grip tertiles and PA. Logistic models were adjusted for age, education, comorbidities, and body-mass index and weighted.Results.Overall prevalence of PL and ADL and IADL limitations were progressively lower by grip category. Within grip categories, prevalence was lower for individuals who were active than those who were inactive. Adjusted models showed significantly lower odds of PL OR 0.42 [0.31, 0.56]; ADL OR 0.60 [0.43, 0.84], and IADL OR 0.46[0.35, 0.61] for those in the highest grip strength category as compared to those in the lowest grip category.Conclusion.Improving grip strength in obese elders who are not able to engage in traditional exercise is important for reducing odds of physical and functional impairment.
Development of High-Field Permanent Magnetic Circuits for NMRI/MRI and Imaging on Mice
Authors: Wang Guangxin , Xie Huantong , Hou Shulian , Chen Wei , Yang Xiuhong
Published: February 2016

The high-field permanent magnetic circuits of 1.2 T and 1.5 T with novel magnetic focusing and curved-surface correction are developed. The permanent magnetic circuit comprises a magnetic yoke, main magnetic steel, nonspherical curved-surface magnetic poles, plugging magnetic steel, and side magnetic steel. In this work, a novel shimming method is proposed for the effective correction of base magnetic field (B0) inhomogeneities, which is based on passive shimming on the telescope aspheric cutting, grinding, and fine processing technology of the nonspherical curved-surface magnetic poles and active shimming adding higher-order gradient coils. Meanwhile, the magnetic resonance imaging dedicated alloy with high-saturation magnetic field induction intensity and high electrical resistivity is developed, and nonspherical curved-surface magnetic poles which are made of the dedicated alloy have very good anti-eddy-current effect. In addition, the large temperature coefficient problem of permanent magnet can be effectively controlled by using a high quality temperature controller and deuterium external locking technique. Combining our patents such as gradient coil, RF coil, and integration computer software, two kinds of small animal Micro-MRI instruments are developed, by which the high quality MRI images of mice were obtained.
Recent Clinical Characteristics of Labors Using Three Japanese Systems of Midwife-Led Primary Delivery Care
Authors: Suzuki Shunji
Published: February 2016

Objective. The objective of this study was to describe the recent clinical characteristics of labor using 3 systems of Japanese midwife-led primary delivery care, as follows: (1) those intending to give birth at home managed by midwives who do not belong to our hospital, (2) those planning to give birth in our hospital managed by the same midwives, and (3) those planning to give birth managed by midwives who belong to our hospital.Methods. A retrospective cohort study was performed.Results. There were no significant differences in the obstetric or neonatal outcomes among the 3 groups. The rate of transfers during labor with the system involving midwives belonging to our hospital was higher than those with the other 2 systems. In addition, the timing of transfers in the system with the midwives belonging to our hospital was earlier than with the other 2 systems. Among the 3 groups, there were no significant differences in the rate of the main 2 indications for transfers: fetal heart rate abnormality and failure to progress.Conclusion. There were no significant differences in perinatal outcomes among the 3 systems; however, there were some differences in the status of transfers to obstetric shared care.
Identifying Robertsonian Translocation Carriers by Microarray-Based DNA Analysis
Authors: Huang Stephanie , Juneau Kara , Bogard Patrick E. , Davies Kelli A. , Wang Eric T. , Kingsley Christopher B. , Struble Craig A. , Oliphant Arnold , Zahn Jacob M. , Nicolaides Kypros H.
Published: February 2016

Objective: To develop a noninvasive prenatal testing improvement that allows identification of Robertsonian translocation carriers. Methods: Blood samples from 191 subjects, including 7 pregnant and 9 non-pregnant Robertsonian translocation carriers, were analyzed for fetal trisomy and Robertsonian translocation status. Digital Analysis of Selected Regions (DANSR™) assays targeting sequences common to the p arms of 5 acrocentric chromosomes were developed and added to existing DANSR assays. DANSR products were hybridized onto a custom DNA microarray for DNA analysis. The Fetal-Fraction Optimized Risk of Trisomy Evaluation (FORTE™) algorithm measures the fraction of fetal DNA and accounts for both the fetal and maternal fractions in the cell-free DNA sample to determine Robertsonian risk. The expectation in a Robertsonian translocation carrier is that DANSR assays on acrocentric p arms should have a concentration 20% less than that of controls. Results: The FORTE algorithm correctly classified the fetal trisomy status and maternal Robertsonian translocation status in all 191 samples. Sixteen samples had a Robertsonian risk score above 99%, while 175 samples had a Robertsonian risk score below 0.01%. Conclusions: Robertsonian translocations are the most common chromosomal translocations and can have significant reproductive consequences. A maternal screen for Robertsonian translocation carriers would provide women valuable information regarding the risk of fetal trisomy.
Endothelial Function and Cardiovascular Autonomic Activity in Neurally Mediated Syncope
Authors: Park Kyoung-Ha , Han Sang Jin , Kim Hyun-Sook , Jo Sang Ho , Kim Sung-Ai , Park Woo Jung
Published: February 2016

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate endothelial function and cardiovascular autonomic activity in patients with neurally mediated syncope (NMS). Methods: Patients with a typical history of NMS were divided according to the result of a head-up tilt (HUT) test. There were 25 patients each in the HUT-positive (HUT+), HUT-negative (HUT-) and control groups. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography (AECG) were performed before the HUT tests. Results: The HUT+ group had a significantly higher FMD than that of the HUT- group and the control group (8.8 ± 3.3 vs. 6.4 ± 2.9%, p = 0.006, and 8.8 ± 3.3 vs. 5.7 ± 2.2%, p = 0.001, respectively). On a 24-hour AECG, the parasympathetic indexes of time domain, such as rMSSD and the pNN50, were significantly higher in the HUT+ group than in the HUT- group (39.0 ± 9.6 vs. 31.6 ± 9.6 ms, p = 0.016, and 16.5 ± 8.1 vs. 10.2 ± 7.2%, p = 0.002, respectively) and the control group (39.0 ± 9.6 vs. 28.9 ± 9.6%, p = 0.001 and 16.5 ± 8.1 vs. 8.7 ± 6.7%, p = 0.001, respectively). High-frequency spectra (parasympathetic activity) of the frequency domain showed similar results. Conclusions: Not only parasympathetic activity, but also endothelial function may affect the results of HUT tests in patients with NMS.
Arterial Stiffness and Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Garnier Anne-Sophie , Briet Marie
Published: February 2016

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health concern due to the high prevalence of associated cardiovascular (CV) disease. CV mortality is 10-30 times higher in end-stage renal disease patients than in the age-adjusted general population. The last 20 years have been marked by a huge effort in the characterization of the vascular remodeling process associated with CKD and its consequences on the renal, CV and general prognosis. By comparison with patients with normal renal function, with or without hypertension, an increase in large artery stiffness has been described in end-stage renal disease as well as in CKD stages 2-5. Most clinical studies are consistent with the observation that damage to large arteries may contribute to the high incidence of CV disease. By contrast, the impact of large artery stiffening and remodeling on CKD progression is still a matter of debate. Concomitant exposure to other CV risk factors, including diabetes, seems to play a major role in the association between aortic stiffness and estimated GFR. The conflicting results obtained from longitudinal studies designed to evaluate the impact of baseline aortic stiffness on GFR progression are detailed in the present review. Only pulse pressure, central and peripheral, is almost constantly associated with incident CKD and GFR decline. Kidney transplantation improves patients' CV prognosis, but its impact on arterial stiffness is still controversial. Donor age, living kidney donation and mean blood pressure appear to be the main determinants of improvement in aortic stiffness after kidney transplantation.