bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transarterial Embolization for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Comparison between Nonspherical PVA and Microspheres
Authors: Scaffaro Leandro Armani , Kruel Cleber Dario Pinto , Stella Steffan Frosi , Gravina Gabriela Leal , Machado Filho Geraldo , Borges de Almeida Carlos Podalirio , Pinto Luiz Cezar Pontes Fonseca , Alvares-da-Silva Mario Reis , Kruel Cleber Rosito Pinto
Published: August 2015

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and transarterial embolization (TAE) have improved the survival rates of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the optimal TACE/TAE embolic agent has not yet been identified. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of two different embolic agents such as microspheres (ME) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) on survival, tumor response, and complications in patients with HCC submitted to transarterial embolization (TAE). Eighty HCC patients who underwent TAE between June 2008 and December 2012 at a single center were retrospectively studied. A total of 48 and 32 patients were treated with PVA and ME, respectively. There were no significant differences in survival (P=0.679) or tumoral response (P=0.369) between groups (PVA or ME). Overall survival rates at 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 months were 97.9, 88.8, 78.9, 53.4, and 21.4% in the PVA-TAE group and 100, 92.9, 76.6, 58.8, and 58% in the ME-TAE group (P=0.734). Patients submitted to TAE with ME presented postembolization syndrome more frequently when compared with the PVA group (P=0.02). According to our cohort, the choice of ME or PVA as embolizing agent had no significant impact on overall survival.
Psychobiobehavioral Model for Preterm Birth in Pregnant Women in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Premji Shahirose S. , Yim Ilona S. , Dosani (Mawji) Aliyah , Kanji Zeenatkhanu , Sulaiman Salima , Musana Joseph W. , Samia Pauline , Shaikh Kiran , Letourneau Nicole , MiGHT Group
Published: August 2015

Preterm birth (PTB) is a final common outcome resulting from many interrelated etiological pathways; of particular interest is antenatal psychosocial distress (i.e., stress, anxiety, and depression). In LMI countries, both exposure to severe life stressors and rate of PTB are on average greater when compared with high-income countries. In LMI countries women are exposed to some of the most extreme psychosocial stress worldwide (e.g., absolute poverty, limited social resources). High prevalence of antenatal stress and depression have been observed in some studies from LMI countries. We propose a psychosocial, biological, and behavioral model for investigating the complex multisystem interactions in stress responses leading to PTB and explain the basis of this approach. We discuss ethical considerations for a psychosocial, biological, and behavioral screening tool to predict PTB from a LMI country perspective.
3D Reconstruction from IR Thermal Images and Reprojective Evaluations
Authors: Chen Chia-Yen , Yeh Chia-Hung , Chang Bao Rong , Pan Jun-Ming
Published: August 2015

Infrared thermography has been widely used in various domains to measure the temperature distributions of objects and surfaces. The methodology can be further extended to 3D applications if the spatial information of the temperature distribution is available. This paper proposes a 3D infrared imaging approach based on silhouette volume intersection to reconstruct volumetric temperature data of enclosed objects. 3D IR images are taken from various angles and integrated with 2D RGB images to effectively reconstruct a 3D model of the object's temperature distributions. Various automatic thresholding methods are also compared and evaluated by reprojection scoring to systematically assess the effectiveness and accuracy of the different approaches. Experiment results have demonstrated the ability of the system to provide an estimate to the 3D location of an internal heat source from images taken externally.
Face Recognition Using MLP and RBF Neural Network with Gabor and Discrete Wavelet Transform Characterization: A Comparative Study
Authors: Chelali Fatma Zohra , Djeradi Amar
Published: August 2015

Face recognition has received a great attention from a lot of researchers in computer vision, pattern recognition, and human machine computer interfaces in recent years. Designing a face recognition system is a complex task due to the wide variety of illumination, pose, and facial expression. A lot of approaches have been developed to find the optimal space in which face feature descriptors are well distinguished and separated. Face representation using Gabor features and discrete wavelet has attracted considerable attention in computer vision and image processing. We describe in this paper a face recognition system using artificial neural networks like multilayer perceptron (MLP) and radial basis function (RBF) where Gabor and discrete wavelet based feature extraction methods are proposed for the extraction of features from facial images using two facial databases: the ORL and computer vision. Good recognition rate was obtained using Gabor and DWT parameterization with MLP classifier applied for computer vision dataset.
Preliminary Observations on Sensitivity and Specificity of Magnetization Transfer Asymmetry for Imaging Myelin of Rat Brain at High Field
Authors: Kim Jae-Woong , Choi Jiye , Cho Janggeun , Lee Chulhyun , Jeon Daejong , Park Sung-Hong
Published: August 2015

Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) has been often used for imaging myelination. Despite its high sensitivity, the specificity of MTR to myelination is not high because tissues with no myelin such as muscle can also show high MTR. In this study, we propose a new magnetization transfer (MT) indicator, MT asymmetry (MTA), as a new method of myelin imaging. The experiments were performed on rat brain at 9.4 T. MTA revealed high signals in white matter and significantly low signals in gray matter and muscle, indicating that MTA has higher specificity than MTR. Demyelination and remyelination studies demonstrated that the sensitivity of MTA to myelination was as high as that of MTR. These experimental results indicate that MTA can be a good biomarker for imaging myelination. In addition, MTA images can be efficiently acquired with an interslice MTA method, which may accelerate clinical application of myelin imaging.
Properties of Polymer-Composite Used as Fills of Asian Lacquerware: Issues on Restoration Processes of Lacquered Objects from Cultural Heritage
Authors: Le Hô Anne-Solenn , Fabre-Francke Isabelle , Thiphavong Caroline
Published: August 2015

One of the common problems encountered in lacquerware issued from cultural heritage is the appearance of lifting areas and some losses of material. Composite systems made of commercial polymer and different fills were tested as filling agents for the cracking, splitting, and losses compensation of Asian lacquer. For that purpose, the stability of traditional and modern commercially available materials usually used in the restoration practice of historical lacquerware was assessed. Their thermomechanical and chemical properties and surface state were evaluated by a set of techniques (TGA, DMA, mechanical test, contact angle value, and microtopography). There is a drastic change of the behavior of the interface between fill and Asian lacquer, dependent on the nature of the composite fillers. So the evaluation of materials and processes for the restoration of Asian lacquer were emphasized. The commercial Paraloid B72 used with glass microspheres as additives appeared to be the most stable of all of the investigated fillers.
Added Value of Assessing Adnexal Masses with Advanced MRI Techniques
Authors: Thomassin-Naggara I. , Balvay D. , Rockall A. , Carette M. F. , Ballester M. , Darai E. , Bazot M.
Published: August 2015

This review will present the added value of perfusion and diffusion MR sequences to characterize adnexal masses. These two functional MR techniques are readily available in routine clinical practice. We will describe the acquisition parameters and a method of analysis to optimize their added value compared with conventional images. We will then propose a model of interpretation that combines the anatomical and morphological information from conventional MRI sequences with the functional information provided by perfusion and diffusion weighted sequences.
MRI for Crohn’s Disease: Present and Future
Authors: Yoon Kichul , Chang Kyu-Tae , Lee Hong J.
Published: August 2015

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition with relapsing-remitting behavior, often causing strictures or penetrating bowel damage. Its lifelong clinical course necessitates frequent assessment of disease activity and complications. Computed tomography (CT) enterography has been used as primary imaging modality; however, the concern for radiation hazard limits its use especially in younger population. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has advantages of avoiding radiation exposure, lower incidence of adverse events, ability to obtain dynamic information, and good soft-tissue resolution. MR enterography (MRE) with oral contrast agent has been used as primary MR imaging modality of CD with high sensitivity, specificity, and interobserver agreement. The extent of inflammation as well as transmural ulcers and fibrostenotic diseases can be detected with MRE. Novel MR techniques such as diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI), motility study, PET-MRI, and molecular imaging are currently investigated for further improvement of diagnosis and management of CD. MR spectroscopy is a remarkable molecular imaging tool to analyze metabolic profile of CD with human samples such as plasma, urine, or feces, as well as colonic mucosa itself.
Preparation and Characterization of Urushiol Methylene Acetal Derivatives with Various Degrees of Unsaturation in Alkyl Side Chain
Authors: Wang Chengzhang , He Yuanfeng , Zhou Hao , Tao Ran , Chen Hongxia , Ye Jianzhong , Zhang Yusi
Published: August 2015

Preparation of urushiol derivatives was carried out in response to the drug industry’s increasing demand for new synthetic anticancer agents. Urushiol methylene acetal derivatives were synthesized in high yields by reaction of urushiol with methylene chloride under the catalytic action of NaOH. Four kinds of urushiol methylene acetal monomers were separated by silica-gel column and preparative HPLC, and their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR (1H,13C-NMR,1H-1HCOSY, HSQC, and HMBC) as well as TOF-MS. They were identified as 3-[pentadecyl] benzene methylene ether (compound 1), 3-[8′-pentadecatrienyl] benzene methylene ether (compound 2), 3-[8′,11′-pentadecatrienyl] benzene methylene ether (compound 3), and 3-[8′,11′,14′-pentadecatrienyl] benzene methylene ether (compound 4). This research provides a theoretical reference for exploration of these interesting and potentially bioactive compounds.
8-Methoxypsoralen Induces Intrinsic Apoptosis in HepG2 Cells: Involvement of Reactive Oxygen Species Generation and ERK1/2 Pathway Inhibition
Authors: Yang Huan , Xiong Jing , Luo Wenjing , Yang Jian , Xi Tao
Published: August 2015

Background/Aims: 8-Methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), a formerly considered photosensitizing agent, induces apoptosis when used alone. On this basis, the present study was designed to explore the effects and mechanisms of 8-MOP-induced apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, independent of its photoactivation. Methods: We analyzed the cell viability with MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to examine the apoptosis rate, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation after specific staining. The expression and location of apoptosis-associated protein as well as the activation status of cell signaling pathway were determined by Western blot analysis. Results: 8-MOP significantly decreased cell viability and induced cell apoptosis through mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, as demonstrated by increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, collapsed MMP, and induced cytochrome c release (Cyt c) and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) transposition. ROS generation was significantly increased by 8-MOP and the eradication of ROS significantly abolished 8-MOP-induced apoptosis. In addition, the activation of ERK1/2 was drastically decreased by 8-MOP as ERK inhibitor PD98059, indicating a role of ERK1/2 signaling pathway in 8-MOP-induced cell apoptosis. Conclusion: 8-MOP induces intrinsic apoptosis by increasing ROS generation and inhibiting ERK1/2 pathway in HepG2 cells. The findings are important in substantiating the anti-tumor role of 8-MOP in cancer therapy.
Contribution of Nrf2 to Atherogenic Phenotype Switching of Coronary Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells Lacking CD38 Gene
Authors: Xu Ming , Li Xiao-Xue , Wang Lei , Wang Mi , Zhang Yang , Li Pin-Lan
Published: August 2015

Background/Aims: Recent studies have indicated that CD38 gene deficiency results in dedifferentiation or transdifferentiation of arterial smooth muscle cells upon atherogenic stimulations. However, the molecular mechanisms mediating this vascular smooth muscle (SMC) phenotypic switching remain unknown. Methods & Results: In the present study, we first characterized the phenotypic change in the primary cultures of coronary arterial myocytes (CAMs) from CD38-/- mice. It was shown that CD38 deficiency decreased the expression of contractile marker calponin, SM22α and α-SMA but increased the expression of SMC dedifferentiation marker, vimentin, which was accompanied by enhanced cell proliferation. This phenotypic change in CD38-/- CAMs was enhanced by 7-ketocholesterol (7-Ket), an atherogenic stimulus. We further found that the CD38 deficiency decreased the expression and activity of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor sensitive to redox regulation. Similar to CD38 deletion, Nrf2 gene silencing increased CAM dedifferentiation upon 7-Ket stimulation. In contrast, the overexpression of Nrf2 gene abolished 7-Ket-induced dedifferentiation in CD38-/- CAMs. Given the sensitivity of Nrf2 to oxidative stress, we determined the role of redox signaling in the regulation of Nrf2 expression and activity associated with CD38 effect in CAM phenotype changes. It was demonstrated that in CD38-/- CAMs, 7-Ket failed to stimulate the production of O2-., while in CD38+/+ CAMs 7-Ket induced marked O2-. production and enhancement of Nrf2 activity, which was substantially attenuated by NOX4 gene silencing. Finally, we demonstrated that 7-Ket-induced and NOX4-dependent O2-. production was inhibited by 8-Br-cADPR, an antagonist of cADPR or NED-19, an antagonist of NAADP as product of CD38 ADP-ribosylcyclase, which significantly inhibited the level of cytosolic Ca2+ and the activation of Nrf2 under 7-Ket. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that CD38 activity is required for 7-Ket-induced Ca2+ and consequently O2-. production in CAMs, which increases Nrf2 activity to maintain their differentiated status. When CD38 gene expression and function are deficient, the Nrf2 activity is suppressed, thereby leading to phenotypic switching of CAMs.
Roles of Toll-like Receptor 7 and 8 in Prevention of Intrauterine Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus
Authors: Tian Ting , Sun Dandan , Wang Peng , Wang Hanzhi , Bai Xiaoxia , Yang Xiaofu , Wang Zhengping , Dong Minyue
Published: August 2015

Background: Approximately 5% of newborns were infected by hepatitis B virus (HBV) via intrauterine transmission, but most of the infants born to HBV-positive mothers are protected from infection. However, the mechanisms by which intrauterine transmission is avoided remain elusive, and the roles of toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been proposed. The aims of this study were to clarify if TLR 7 and 8 are involved in the prevention of intrauterine transmission of HBV. Methods: Real time polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) was used to determine the expression of TLRs and cytokines in placenta and trophoblasts. The expression of MyD88 was interfered with small interfering RNA (siRNA) in trophoblasts. An in intro model mimicking trophoblast barrier was established to evaluate the effect of MyD88 siRNA on HBV transmission across trophoblast barrier. Results: There were significant differences in placental expression of TLR7 (F=3.263, P=0.048) and TLR8 (F=3.257, P=0.048) among control (HBV-negative women), non-infected group (HBV-positive women whose infants were not infected) and infected group (HBV-positive women whose infants were infected). The expression of TLR7 was significantly higher in non-infected group than infected group (P=0.039) and control (P=0.043). There was a significant difference in TLR8 expression between non-infected group and control (P=0.014), and the difference was close to but not significant (P=0.074) between non-infected and infected groups. Exposure of trophoblast to HBV significantly induced the expression of TLR7 (P<0.001), TLR8 (P=0.005), MyD88 (P=0.004), interferon (IFN)-α (P=0.004), IFN-β (P<0.001) and interleukin (IL)-8 (P=0.001). When MyD88 was interfered by siRNA, the expression of IFN-α (P<0.001), IFN-β (P=0.01) and IL-8 (P<0.001) was significantly decreased while the amount of HBV transcytosed across trophoblastic barrier significantly increased (P=0.03). Conclusions: TLR7 and TLR8 on trophoblastic cells play an important role in the prevention of intrauterine HBV transmission by inhibiting HBV translocation across trophoblast.
Thrice-Weekly Nocturnal In-Centre Haemodiafiltration: A 2-Year Experience
Authors: Dey Vishal , Hair Mario , So Beng , Spalding Elaine M.
Published: August 2015

Background: Adequate control of plasma phosphate without phosphate binders is difficult to achieve on a thrice-weekly haemodialysis schedule. The use of quotidian nocturnal dialysis is effective but not practical in the in-centre setting. This quality improvement project was set up as an exercise allowing the evaluation of small-solute clearance by combining convection with extended-hour dialysis in a thrice-weekly hospital setting. Methods: A single-centred, prospective analysis of patients' electronic records was performed from August 2012 to July 2014. The duration of haemodiafiltration was increased from a median of 4.5 to 8 h. Dialysis adequacy, biochemical parameters and medications were reviewed on a monthly basis. A reduction in plasma phosphate was anticipated, so all phosphate binders were stopped. Results: Since inception, 14 patients have participated with over 2,000 sessions of dialysis. The pre-dialysis phosphate level fell from a mean of 1.52 ± 0.4 to 1.06 ± 0.1 mmol/l (p < 0.05). The average binder intake of 3.26 ± 2.6 tablets was eliminated. A normal plasma phosphate range has been maintained with increased dietary phosphate intake and no requirement for intradialytic phosphate supplementation. Conclusion: Phosphate control can be achieved without the need for binders or supplementation on a thrice-weekly in-centre haemodiafiltration program.
Gene Variants Associated with Transient Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus in the Very Low Birth Weight Infant
Authors: Anderson de la Llana Sabrina , Klee Philippe , Santoni Federico , Stekelenburg Caroline , Blouin Jean-Louis , Schwitzgebel Valerie M.
Published: August 2015

Background: Transient and permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM), usually defined as diabetes diagnosed within the first 6 months of life, are rare conditions occurring in 1:90,000-260,000 live births. The origin of NDM is rarely related to type 1 diabetes, but rather to single gene defects. Methods: Genetic analysis was performed using targeted parallel sequencing including 323 diabetes genes. Data were filtered by a locally developed program. Results: A very low birth weight neonate born at 28 weeks postmenstrual age developed diabetes 13 days after birth. The patient was treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. After 1 month, insulin treatment could be stopped. At 18 months of age, the child was normoglycemic and developing normally. Genetic analysis revealed a novel variant (p.Pro190Leu) in HNF4A, which is located in the ligand binding domain of the transcription factor, and the p.Glu23Lys variant in KCNJ11, which is associated with type 2 diabetes. Conclusion: Here, we describe a novel HNF4A variant associated with transient NDM in a premature infant. We hypothesize that the neonatal phenotype previously described in carriers of HNF4A mutations was modified by the additional variant in KCNJ11 and prematurity.
Retinal Layer Location of Increased Retinal Thickness in Eyes with Subclinical and Clinical Macular Edema in Diabetes Type 2
Authors: Bandello Francesco , Tejerina Amparo Navea , Vujosevic Stela , Varano Monica , Egan Catherine , Sivaprasad Sobha , Menon Geeta , Massin Pascale , Verbraak Frank D. , Lund-Andersen Henrik , Martinez Jose P. , Jürgens Ignasi , Smets R.M. Erica , Coriat Caroline , Wiedemann Peter , Ágoas Victor , Querques Giuseppe , Holz Frank G. , Nunes Sandrina , Alves Dalila , Neves Catarina , Santos Torcato , Ribeiro Luisa , Cunha-Vaz José ,   for the EVICR.net
Published: August 2015

Purpose: To identify the retinal layer predominantly affected in eyes with subclinical and clinical macular edema in diabetes type 2. Methods: A cohort of 194 type 2 diabetic eyes/patients with mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (ETDRS levels 20/35) were examined with Cirrus spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) at the baseline visit (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01145599). Automated segmentation of the retinal layers of the eyes with subclinical and clinical macular edema was compared with a sample of 31 eyes from diabetic patients with normal OCT and an age-matched control group of 58 healthy eyes. Results: From the 194 eyes in the study, 62 had subclinical macular edema and 12 had clinical macular edema. The highest increases in retinal thickness (RT) were found in the inner nuclear layer (INL; 33.6% in subclinical macular edema and 81.8% in clinical macular edema). Increases were also found in the neighboring layers. Thinning of the retina was registered in the retinal nerve fiber, ganglion cells and inner plexiform layers in the diabetic eyes without macular edema. Conclusions: The increase in RT occurring in diabetic eyes with macular edema is predominantly located in the INL but extends to neighboring retinal layers indicating that it may be due to extracellular fluid accumulation.
What Are the Predictive Factors for Gleason Score Upgrade following RP?
Authors: Alchin David Rhys , Murphy Declan , Lawrentschuk Nathan
Published: August 2015

The Gleason score is one of a number of factors used in staging patients diagnosed with prostate cancer and in determining the treatment path such patients will ultimately follow. However, discrepancies in the Gleason scores obtained through biopsy compared with the final pathological staging of specimens following radical prostatectomy are not uncommon. Incorrect Gleason scoring can potentially influence treatment decisions and therefore, it is imperative that research is undertaken to elucidate factors that may be able to predict whether a patient's Gleason score might need to be reconsidered. A literature review was undertaken in late 2014 to highlight some of these factors that require further investigation.
Adverse Effects of Sporadic Dialysis on Body Composition
Authors: Workeneh Biruh , Shypailo Roman , DeCastro Iris , Shah Maulin , Guffey Danielle , Minard Charles G. , Mitch William E.
Published: August 2015

Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the body composition of patients receiving emergent dialysis and compare their body cell mass (BCM) and fat-free mass (FFM) with those of normal subjects. The care of patients receiving sporadic, emergent dialysis treatment is a growing public health concern and the magnitude of muscle wasting that occurs in this population is not known. Design and Methods: We used a cross-sectional design with matching to determine differences in total body potassium - an indicator of both BCM and FFM - between emergent dialysis patients and healthy normal subjects. We studied 22 subjects using a 40K counter that measures BCM and FFM and compared them to controls after matching with sex, height and weight. Results: In the matched comparison, BCM and FFM were significantly lower in subjects with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Unadjusted BCM was 4.7 kg lower and FFM was 8.8 kg lower for those with ESRD compared to those without ESRD (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). Comparison with unmatched controls who underwent 40K analysis also revealed significantly lower BCM (4.1 kg) and FFM (7.7 kg) in the ESRD subjects (p = 0.004). After adjusting for age, height, weight and gender, BCM and FFM were lower by 4.2 and 7.8 kg, respectively (p < 0.001). Repeated observations were available for a subset of ESRD subjects, and the rate of FFM loss over time was significant, with the ESRD subjects demonstrating 2.2 kg per year decline (p = 0.01). Conclusion: We conclude that among other consequences, muscle wasting indicated by decline in BCM and FFM is a significant concern in the growing emergent dialysis population.
A Indústria Cultural como objeto de Pesquisa Geográfica
Authors: Valverde Rodrigo Ramos Hospodar Felippe
Published: August 2015

Há na atualidade uma grande confusão a respeito do significado da noção de indústria cultural e dos seus possíveis interesses de estudos em diferentes ciências sociais. Através desse artigo, queremos encontrar elementos que nos permitam discutir princípios gerais para a criação de modelos aplicáveis a estudos nesse tema de pesquisa geográfica. Para tanto, é preciso mais uma vez realizar uma análise das conexões entre as dimensões econômica e cultural, tentando superar a tendência à dicotomia que costuma ser dominante no contexto do conhecimento geográfico. Ao fazê-lo, oferecemos reflexões que nos auxiliam a compreender as diferentes mudanças nos processos produtivos, nos ativismos sociais, nas formas urbanas e nos clamores por autonomias que observamos no mundo globalizado.
Anomalias de drenagem no Ribeirão dos Rodrigues: Contribuições sobre a geomorfologia da região de Sorocaba-SP
Authors: Souza André De Oliveira , Arruda Emerson Martins
Published: August 2015

Este artigo propõe-se a discutir a interação de processos denudacionais com aqueles de origem tectônica no controle da dinâmica geomorfológica da bacia do Ribeirão dos Rodrigues, localizada nos municípios de Salto de Pirapora, Pilar do Sul e Sarapuí na região de Sorocaba-SP. O estudo foi realizado a partir da aplicação de técnicas morfométricas (RDE, Perfil Longitudinal, cálculos da área da bacia, do comprimento do curso principal e hierarquia fluvial), elaboração do mapa de lineamentos e trabalhos de campo. A partir dos resultados obtidos verificou-se uma integração de sistemas litológicos, estruturais e erosivos na dinâmica epirogênica e neotectônica da área.
Duração da estação chuvosa e ocorrência de veranicos na Bacia do Rio Paranaíba
Authors: Silva Mariana Mendes , Ferreira Vanderlei Oliveira
Published: August 2015

Este artigo procura contribuir para demarcação do início e fim da estação chuvosa e avaliação da frequência e intensidade de veranicos na bacia hidrográfica do rio Paranaíba, que abrange áreas dos estados de Goiás, Minas Gerais, Distrito Federal e Mato Grosso do Sul. A compreensão de tal assunto é particularmente útil para entendimento do ritmo pluviométrico da bacia, podendo subsidiar o planejamento e gestão de atividades econômicas vulneráveis em relação ao ritmo de oferta hídrica. Recorreu-se às séries históricas de vinte e dois postos pluviométricos da Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA), correspondentes ao período 1973-2011 (38 anos). Para delimitar a estação chuvosa foram adotados critérios baseados na quantidade e continuidade das chuvas. No caso dos veranicos, baseou-se em somatórios de dias interiores ao período chuvoso sem precipitações ou que as mesmas tenham sido inferiores ou iguais à metade da evapotranspiração diária. Constatou-se que o período chuvoso ocorre, em média, de 28 de outubro a 02 de abril, embora existam especificidades, destacando-se Brasília e seu entorno e o leste da bacia. Quanto aos veranicos,os meses mais preocupantes são janeiro e fevereiro, pois, apesar de receberem totais pluviométricos mensais mais expressivos,registram o maior número de eventos, especialmente mais longos.
Accuracy and Efficiency in Fixed-Point Neural ODE Solvers
Authors: Hopkins Michael , Furber Steve
Published: August 2015

Simulation of neural behavior on digital architectures often requires the solution of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) at each step of the simulation. For some neural models, this is a significant computational burden, so efficiency is important. Accuracy is also relevant because solutions can be sensitive to model parameterization and time step. These issues are emphasized on fixed-point processors like the ARM unit used in the SpiNNaker architecture. Using the Izhikevich neural model as an example, we explore some solution methods, showing how specific techniques can be used to find balanced solutions.

We have investigated a number of important and related issues, such as introducing explicit solver reduction (ESR) for merging an explicit ODE solver and autonomous ODE into one algebraic formula, with benefits for both accuracy and speed; a simple, efficient mechanism for cancelling the cumulative lag in state variables caused by threshold crossing between time steps; an exact result for the membrane potential of the Izhikevich model with the other state variable held fixed. Parametric variations of the Izhikevich neuron show both similarities and differences in terms of algorithms and arithmetic types that perform well, making an overall best solution challenging to identify, but we show that particular cases can be improved significantly using the techniques described.

Using a 1 ms simulation time step and 32-bit fixed-point arithmetic to promote real-time performance, one of the second-order Runge-Kutta methods looks to be the best compromise; Midpoint for speed or Trapezoid for accuracy. SpiNNaker offers an unusual combination of low energy use and real-time performance, so some compromises on accuracy might be expected. However, with a careful choice of approach, results comparable to those of general-purpose systems should be possible in many realistic cases.
A Simple Label Switching Algorithm for Semisupervised Structural SVMs
Authors: Balamurugan P. , Shevade Shirish , Sundararajan S.
Published: August 2015

In structured output learning, obtaining labeled data for real-world applications is usually costly, while unlabeled examples are available in abundance. Semisupervised structured classification deals with a small number of labeled examples and a large number of unlabeled structured data. In this work, we consider semisupervised structural support vector machines with domain constraints. The optimization problem, which in general is not convex, contains the loss terms associated with the labeled and unlabeled examples, along with the domain constraints. We propose a simple optimization approach that alternates between solving a supervised learning problem and a constraint matching problem. Solving the constraint matching problem is difficult for structured prediction, and we propose an efficient and effective label switching method to solve it. The alternating optimization is carried out within a deterministic annealing framework, which helps in effective constraint matching and avoiding poor local minima, which are not very useful. The algorithm is simple and easy to implement. Further, it is suitable for any structured output learning problem where exact inference is available. Experiments on benchmark sequence labeling data sets and a natural language parsing data set show that the proposed approach, though simple, achieves comparable generalization performance.
Linear Methods for Efficient and Fast Separation of Two Sources Recorded with a Single Microphone
Authors: Bhargava Saurabh , Blättler Florian , Kollmorgen Sepp , Liu Shih-Chii , Hahnloser Richard H. R.
Published: August 2015

This letter addresses the problem of separating two speakers from a single microphone recording. Three linear methods are tested for source separation, all of which operate directly on sound spectrograms: (1) eigenmode analysis of covariance difference to identify spectro-temporal features associated with large variance for one source and small variance for the other source; (2) maximum likelihood demixing in which the mixture is modeled as the sum of two gaussian signals and maximum likelihood is used to identify the most likely sources; and (3) suppression-regression, in which autoregressive models are trained to reproduce one source and suppress the other. These linear approaches are tested on the problem of separating a known male from a known female speaker. The performance of these algorithms is assessed in terms of the residual error of estimated source spectrograms, waveform signal-to-noise ratio, and perceptual evaluation of speech quality scores. This work shows that the algorithms compare favorably to nonlinear approaches such as nonnegative sparse coding in terms of simplicity, performance, and suitability for real-time implementations, and they provide benchmark solutions for monaural source separation tasks.
Civilizing Humans with Shame: How Early Confucians Altered Inherited Evolutionary Norms through Cultural Programming to Increase Social Harmony
Authors: Nichols Ryan
Published: August 2015

To say Early Confucians advocated the possession of a sense of shame as a means to moral virtue underestimates the tact and forethought they used successfully to mold natural dispositions to experience shame into a system of self, familial, and social governance. Shame represents an adaptive system of emotion, cognition, perception, and behavior in social primates for measurement of social rank. Early Confucians understood the utility of the shame system for promotion of cooperation, and they build and deploy cultural modules – e.g., rituals, titles, punishments – with this in mind. These policies result in subtle alterations to components of the evolved shame system that are detectable in data form contemporary cross-cultural psychology that show that populations in the Confucian diaspora have a unique shame profile compared to Western and non-Western populations. The status of Confucian diaspora populations as outliers in the context of shame is partially explained by appeal to the cultural transmission and historical endurance of relevant Early Confucian cultural modules.
Contingency in the Age of Religion: The Hajj and Religion-Making in Colonial and Postcolonial India
Authors: Elfenbein Caleb
Published: August 2015

InUnion of India v. Bhikan(2012), the Indian Supreme Court ruled that government hajj subsidies violated the Indian Constitution’s secular principles. What is notable about this decision is that the Supreme Court based the ruling on its own interpretation of the Qur’an, privileging direct access to scripture over historically established practices surrounding the pilgrimage in discerning what “Islam says” about the state’s proper role in the hajj. Archival and legal research shows thatUnion of India v. Bhikanis merely the latest moment in over a century of colonial and postcolonial debates about pilgrimage management. This article employs the theoretical and methodological insights of Jonathan Z. Smith and Talal Asad to explore this history and its effects, using the matter of hajj administration to identify the concrete implications of different methods of “religion-making,” or the construction of religion as an object for consideration and regulation, in the public sphere.
Reflections on the Advisory Jurisdiction of itlos as a Full Court: The itlos Advisory Opinion of 2015
Authors: Tanaka Yoshifumi
Published: August 2015

In its advisory opinion of 2 April 2015, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (itlos) broke new ground in the itlos jurisprudence, by stating that the full Tribunal has an advisory jurisdiction. However, the legal basis of the advisory jurisdiction of itlos as a full court is not free from controversy. An issue also arises with regard to the admissibility of the request for an advisory opinion. Given that the itlos jurisprudence concerning advisory proceedings is still in its early stages, the advisory jurisdiction of itlos as a full court deserves serious consideration. Thus, this contribution will seek to examine the legal basis of the advisory jurisdiction of itlos as a full court and the admissibility of the request for an advisory opinion by focusing on the 2015 itlos advisory opinion.
Simon Oomius on the Elderly
Authors: van der Pol Frank
Published: August 2015

This contribution connects the issue of spiritual leadership with the religious ideas and ecclesiastical and social environment of a seventeenth-century Dutch preacher, dr. Simon Oomius (1630–1706). Oomius represents the movement known as the Further Reformation (Nadere Reformatie), or Reformed Pietism. The focus is on his perception of old age. Through a close reading of his treatise Cierlyke Kroon, this article highlights a specimen of pastoral leadership associated with the seventeenth-century Dutch Reformed theologia ascetica. Seven qualities for his spiritual leadership can be traced: Oomius’s own old age, his spirituality, academic education, use of examples, hermeneutic competence, ability to empathise, and spiritual training.
A House with Many Mansions
Authors: Bosschaert Dries
Published: August 2015

This contribution engages in presenting the underdeveloped thematic cluster of twentieth-century theological research designated by the umbrella-term, ‘Christian anthropology’ and in particular, the contribution of the Louvain Faculty of Theology to that field. It proposes a new structure for this (international) field of Christian anthropology by focusing on theological reflection of the human being (Christian humanism), the temporal order as such (Théologie des réalités terrestres), the history in which humanity is placed (theology of history), the social context (theology of society), as well as the identity of the laity and their role within the Church and society (theology of the laity). In each section the active efforts of different members of the Belgian Faculty of Theology to make progress in these different areas shall be presented for the period 1942–1962.
A new synonym in Leptotheca Schwaegr. (Musci; Rhizogoniaceae)

Authors: O’Brien Terry J.
Published: August 2015

Leptotheca hamiltonii Crum was originally described from a collection made in Peru, and is known only from this collection. The holotype specimen of L. hamiltonii, as well as one isotype specimen, both have morphological traits consistent with those shown in the holotype and twelve additional specimens of Leptotheca boliviana Herzog. It is concluded that L. hamiltonii is a new synonym of L. boliviana.
Two new species of Rhodiola (Crassulaceae) from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhang Jianqiang , Meng Shi-Yong , Rao Guang-Yuan
Published: August 2015

Two new species, Rhodiola daochengensis, and Rhodiola tricarpa (Crassulaceae) were described from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China. Rhodiola daochengensis was placed in sect. Rhodiola due to its dioecy, cymose inflorescences, and sessile, serrate stem leaves. It shares close morphological affinity with R. kirilowii which is supported by the ITS data but differed from the latter in the morphology of leaves (amplexicaul, cordate at base of leaves), flower stems, and pedicel (with densely glandular-pubescent) and fruits (apical beak recurved strongly). Rhodiola tricarpa is unique for its tricarpellary pistil and belongs to sect. Chamaerhodiola due to its dioecy and elongate flowering stems. It shares morphological affinity with R. coccinea, R. fastigiata and R. tangutica but differs in caudex leaves (dimorphic), and flowers (3-merous).
Eutrema racemosum (Eutremeae, Brassicaceae), a new tetraploid species from southwest China
Authors: Hao Guoqian , Al-Shehbaz Ihsan , Wang Qian , Liang Qianlong , Liu Jianquan
Published: August 2015

The new species Eutrema racemosum is described, and its relationship to the closely related E. heterophyllum and E. edwardsii are discussed based on morphological, cytological, and molecular data.  The novelty differs from E. heterophyllum by having elongated racemes and from E. edwardsii by somewhat reflexed fruiting pedicels. Four chloroplast DNA fragments and nuclear ITS region were sequenced for multiple individuals of each species. Three species show distinct and stable sequence variations. Eutrema racemosum and E. heterophyllum form a clade sister to that of E. edwardsii in phylogenetic analyses of sequence variations. Our cytological studies revealed that E. heterophyllum is a diploid with the small genome size, while E. racemosum is a tetraploid with duplicate genomes. These available data support the recognition of E. racemosum as a distinct species well differentiated morphologically and genetically, as well as well-isolated reproductively from its sister species E. heterophyllum. We further found some interspecific triploid hybrids between tetraploid E. racemosum and diploid E. heterophyllum, which seem to be sterile according to our germination experiments.
Taxonomic changes in the treehopper genera Helonica Ball, Telamona Fitch, and Palonica Ball (Hemiptera: Membracidae: Smiliinae: Telamonini)
Authors: WALLACE MATTHEW S.
Published: August 2015

Nomenclatural changes within the treehopper tribe Telamonini are made as follows based on an examination of the type material of several species: the genus Helonica Ball is a junior synonym of Telamona Fitch, n. syn.; Telamona excelsa (Fairmaire), n. comb., with n. syn. T. unicolor Fitch; T. projecta Butler is reinstated from synonymy as a valid taxon for the North American taxa historically placed in Helonica; and Palonica albidorsata (Fowler) from Mexico, n. comb., is reinstated from synonymy based on morphological differences with T. excelsa and T. projecta. Lectotype designations are clarified for T. fasciata and T. unicolor based on specimens in the New York State Museum (NYSM). As a result of this work, the tribe Telamonini contains 68 species in 10 genera, the genus Palonica contains 7 species, and the genus Telamona contains 29 species.
Terrathelphusa secula, a new species of semiterrestrial freshwater crab (Crustacea: Brachyura: Gecarcinucidae) from Sabah, East Malaysia, Borneo
Authors: NG PETER K. L. , TAN LEO W. H.
Published: August 2015

A new species of semiterrestrial gecarcinucid freshwater crab, Terrathelphusa secula, is described from Danum Valley in Sabah, East Malaysia, eastern Borneo. In the form of its carapace, third maxilliped, and male second gonopod, it most closely resembles T. ovis Ng, 1997, and T. telur Ng, 1997, from eastern Sarawak and Brunei, respectively. It differs markedly from these and other congeners in its proportionately much wider carapace, and a male first gonopod that is strongly curved and sickle-shaped.
Thermoarcturidae, a new crustacean family of three genera (Isopoda: Valvifera)
Authors: POORE GARY C. B.
Published: August 2015

A new family Thermoarcturidae of valviferan isopod is erected for three genera, Califarcturus n. gen., Spinarcturus Kensley, 1978 and Thermoarcturus Paul & Menzies, 1971, each represented by one species. All share strong stiff setae on distal articles of pereopods 2–4, uropods with two rami, and a tomentum of fine setae over the cuticle. The members are distinguished from Antarcturidae, Arcturididae, Rectarcturidae and Arcturidae, similar arcturoid families that differ in having rows of filter setae on pereopods 2–4 and usually lack one or more uropodal rami.
An Observational, Spatially Explicit, Stability-Based Estimate of the Wind Resource off the Shore of North Carolina
Authors: Thomas N. , Seim H. , Haines S.
Published: August 2015

As part of ongoing studies of the feasibility of utility-scale wind energy off the shore of North Carolina, winds at 80-m elevation are estimated with a stability-based height-adjustment scheme. Data sources are level-3 daily Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) 10-m wind fields as measured by the MetOp-A satellite, North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) estimates of near-surface atmospheric temperature and humidity, and the National Climatic Data Center’s optimally interpolated Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR-OI) sea surface temperature (SST). A height-adjustment assuming neutral atmospheric stability provides reference conditions. The SST from AVHRR-OI was more accurate than SST from NARR and was used with NARR atmospheric data to represent atmospheric stability in the study region. The 5-yr average of the ASCAT 10-m winds is 6.5–9.0 m s−1 off the shore of North Carolina, with the strongest winds found over the Gulf Stream. Neutral-scheme 80-m wind speeds are 7.5–10.5 m s−1 and follow the same spatial pattern. The stability-based scheme produces an 80-m wind field with significantly different spatial wind patterns, with greater wind speeds than the neutral scheme in coastal regions where stable atmosphere conditions occur and lesser wind speeds than the neutral scheme farther offshore where unstable conditions are prevalent. The largest differences between the schemes occur in winter and spring when and where stable atmospheric conditions are most common. Estimated power inshore from the 100-m isobath with the neutral scheme yields average values of 400–800 W m−2, whereas the stability-based-scheme values are 600–800 W m−2. Capacity factors vary between 30% and 55%, with values in excess of 40% common in coastal areas off North Carolina.
Atmospheric Wake of Madeira: First Aerial Observations and Numerical Simulations
Authors: Grubišić Vanda , Sachsperger Johannes , Caldeira Rui M. A.
Published: August 2015

The island of Madeira is well known for giving rise to atmospheric wakes. Strong and unsteady atmospheric wakes, resembling a von Kármán vortex street, are frequently observed in satellite images leeward of Madeira, especially during summer months, when conditions favoring the formation of atmospheric wakes occur frequently under the influence of the Azores high.

Reported here is the analysis of the first airborne measurements of Madeira’s wake collected during the 2010 Island-induced Wake (I-WAKE) campaign. High-resolution in situ and remote sensing data were collected in the I-WAKE by a research aircraft. The measurements reveal distinctive wake signatures, including strong lateral wind shear zones and warm and dry eddies downwind of the island. A strong anticorrelation of the horizontal wind speed and sea surface temperature (SST) was found within the wake.

High-resolution numerical simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model were used to study the dynamics of the wake generation and its temporal evolution. The comparison of the model results and observations reveals a remarkable fidelity of the simulated wake features within the marine boundary layer (MBL). Strong potential vorticity (PV) anomalies were found in the simulated MBL wake, emanating from the flanks of the island. The response of the wake formation within the MBL to surface friction and enhanced thermal forcing is explored through the model sensitivity analyses.
Robust Warming Pattern of Global Subtropical Oceans and Its Mechanism
Authors: Wang Guihua , Xie Shang-Ping , Huang Rui Xin , Chen Changlin
Published: August 2015

The subsurface ocean response to anthropogenic climate forcing remains poorly characterized. From the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), a robust response of the lower thermocline is identified, where the warming is considerably weaker in the subtropics than in the tropics and high latitudes. The lower thermocline change is inversely proportional to the thermocline depth in the present climatology. Ocean general circulation model (OGCM) experiments show that sea surface warming is the dominant forcing for the subtropical gyre change in contrast to natural variability for which wind dominates, and the ocean response is insensitive to the spatial pattern of surface warming. An analysis based on a ventilated thermocline model shows that the pattern of the lower thermocline change can be interpreted in terms of the dynamic response to the strengthened stratification and downward heat mixing. Consequently, the subtropical gyres become intensified at the surface but weakened in the lower thermcline, consistent with results from CMIP experiments.