bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using ASM Podcasts to Excite Undergraduate Students about Current Microbiological Research
Authors: Lettini Stacey E.
Published: December 2014

Innovative technology is often used as a mechanism to engage students in and out of the classroom and can be used to increase critical thinking skills. Podcasts are an excellent way to introduce students to current topics and research in microbiology. The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) produces three podcasts that are microbiologically focused: This Week in Microbiology (TWiM), This Week in Parasitology (TWiP), and This Week in Virology (TWiV). These podcasts are usually presented in a manner similar to a journal club, as the presenters regularly invite guests to discuss current research papers. Since students often find reading scientific literature difficult and get bogged down in the details rather than seeing the over-arching purpose of a paper, these podcasts have been used in a General Microbiology course to introduce recent research articles. The students were first assigned an original research article to read and review, and they were asked to generate questions pertaining to things they did not understand. Next, students listened to the corresponding podcast that discussed the article and used it to answer their questions. This was followed by a classroom discussion of the article and the podcast. The ASM podcast helped to demystify original research by providing details of the experimental design and presentation of the results in a language that is more casual and relatable. Students demonstrated greater critical thinking and comprehension of microbiology literature after listening to the podcast. This activity can be used in a variety of courses in the biology curriculum.
How Should Journal Editors Respond to Cases of Suspected Misconduct?
Authors: Wager Elizabeth
Published: December 2014

Journals and institutions have important complementary roles to play in cases of suspected research and publication misconduct. Journals should take responsibility for everything they publish and should alert institutions to cases of possible serious misconduct but should not attempt to investigate such cases. Institutions should take responsibility for their researchers and for investigating cases of possible misconduct and for ensuring journals are informed if they have published unreliable or misleading articles so that these can be retracted or corrected. Journals and institutions should have policies in place for handling such cases and these policies should respect their different roles.
Evaluation in RCR Training—Are You Achieving What You Hope For?
Authors: McGee Richard
Published: December 2014

This Perspective addresses the value of, and realistic approaches to, incorporating formal evaluation processes in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training. It comes from the experiences of a career that has combined: leading research teams and directing Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. training; teaching RCR since it was first required by NIH; teaching evaluation methods to directors of RCR and research training programs; and serving as an external evaluator for RCR and research training programs. Approaches to evaluation are introduced, contrasting quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods, along with the differences between formative (process) and summative (outcome) evaluation. Practical and realistic approaches are presented, knowing that RCR programs seldom have the luxury of time and funding for extensive evaluation. Guidance is provided on how to make sure evaluation starts from and focuses on what the training is designed to achieve (in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors) rather than just what activities are taking place or what information is being ‘delivered.’ Examples of evaluation questions that might be asked about RCR programs are provided, as well as approaches to answering them.
The Integrity Mindset: An Obligation to Ourselves and Others
Authors: Gunsalus C. K.
Published: December 2014

Scientists and scholars should cultivate and maintain an integrity mindset. This involves the ability to build habits consciously to counteract systematic cognitive errors that undermine effective decision making. Both individuals and institutions need these habits to support ethical well-being of teaching and research in a system that has some dysfunctional elements that can be seen to reward questionable or selfish conduct that undercuts achieving the highest standards of integrity. Key junctures at which to develop an integrity mindset include: framing questions in designing experiments; critiquing students; sharing results with collaborators; writing up work for publication; pursuing disagreements with others; and assessing allegations of improper practice or misconduct. When we teach and talk about the responsible conduct of research, including discussing straightforwardly the places the formal and hidden curricula deviate from each other, we must do so in the integrity mindset.
Socially Responsible Science Is More than “Good Science”
Authors: Bird Stephanie J.
Published: December 2014

The role of scientist carries an array of responsibilities. The most obvious is accurate and reliable research that can be depended upon by fellow researchers. Scientists also have a responsibility to oppose misuse or abuse in the application of research findings, and to attend to both the limitations and the foreseeable impacts of their work. In addition, as members of society, scientists have a responsibility to participate in discussions and decisions regarding the appropriate use of science in addressing societal issues and concerns, and to bring their specialized knowledge and expertise to activities and discussions that promote the education of students and fellow citizens, thereby enhancing and facilitating informed decision making and democracy.
The Role of Philosophers in RCR Training
Authors: Comstock Gary
Published: December 2014

The expanding moral circle lends coherence to the usual hodge-podge of canonical RCR topics. As it is in a person’s own interest to report falsification, understand fabrication, avoid plagiarism, beware of intuition, and justify one’s decisions, it is useful to begin RCR discussions with the principle that
we ought to do what is in our own long-term best interests.
As it is in the interest of a person’s research group to articulate their reasons for their conclusions, to write cooperatively, review manuscripts professionally, and report statistics transparently, one can introduce the principle that
we ought to keep our promises and contracts.
As it is a basic matter of rights to respect human subjects, mentor inclusively, recognize intellectual property, and reveal both conflicts of interests and collaborations with private industry, an RCR instructor can introduce the idea that
we ought to respect each individual’s moral rights.
Finally, as many animals can feel pain, are subjects of their own lives, and have interests of their own, we must take seriously our role in their welfare as research subjects. In this last step, we expand the circle fully, considering animal experimentation, duties to future generations and the natural environment, and the larger social responsibilities of researchers while adopting a utilitarian principle:
We ought to do what will maximize aggregate happiness.
Creating a Three-Parent Child: An Educational Paradigm for the Responsible Conduct of Research
Authors: Fischbach Ruth L. , Benston Shawna , Loike John D.
Published: December 2014

The field of assisted reproduction is renowned for its remarkable advances and constant pushing forward of research boundaries in an effort to offer innovative and effective methods for enhancing fertility. Accompanying these advances, however, are physiological, psychological, and bioethical consequences that must be considered. These concomitant advances and consequences make assisted reproduction an excellent educational paradigm for inculcating responsible conduct in both research and clinical practice. Ultimately, responsible conduct rests on the ethical researcher and clinician. Here, we present the as-yet unapproved, contentious assisted reproductive technology of mitochondrial replacement transfer (MRT) as an ideal educational platform to foster the responsible conduct of research by advancing dialogue among multi-disciplinary scholars, researchers, and students. Using a likely future case, we present the basic science, legal, and ethical considerations, and the pedagogical principles and strategies for using MRT as an effective educational paradigm. Society will benefit when the ethical issues inherent in creating children with three genetic parents as well as germline interference are discussed across multiple academic levels that include researchers, legal experts, bioethicists, and government-appointed commissions. Furthermore, undergraduate and graduate students should be included because they will likely determine the ethical fates of these biotechnologies. While emerging assisted reproduction technologies such as MRT are highly complex and will take years to be readily available for patients in need, now is the time to consider their scientific, legal, ethical, and cultural/religious implications for ensuring the responsible conduct of research.
Pregnancy-associated outcomes in women who spent some of their childhood looked after by local authorities: findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study
Authors: Botchway Stella K , Quigley Maria A , Gray Ron
Published: December 2014

Objectives

There has been very little description of the health and social outcomes at pregnancy and early motherhood of girls who were previously looked after by local authorities. The objectives of this study were to compare the sociodemographic and health profiles of mothers who had spent time in a children's home or with foster parents as a child to mothers who had not. In particular, to examine associations between being looked after and the likelihood of smoking during pregnancy, birth weight, the presence of symptoms of maternal depression and the initiation of breastfeeding.

Design

A retrospective cross-sectional study using the baseline questionnaire of the Millennium Cohort Study.

Setting

The UK.

Participants

A nationally representative study of 18 492 mothers of babies born in the UK during 2000–2002.

Exposure

A history of spending time in a children's home or with foster parents.

Outcome measures

(1) Smoking during pregnancy; (2) low birth weight; (3) symptoms of maternal depression and (4) initiation of breastfeeding.

Results

In univariable analyses, women who had been looked after by local authorities were significantly less likely to be of a higher social class, live in a high-income household or have achieved a high level of education. They were more likely to have a low-birthweight baby and be a single parent. In multivariable analyses, women who had been looked after by local authorities were more likely to smoke during pregnancy (adjusted OR 3.0 95% CI 2.14 to 4.3) and were more likely to have symptoms of depression (adjusted OR 1.98 95% CI 1.4 to 2.7) compared with women who had not been looked after.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that these women carry social disadvantage into motherhood, with the potential of continuing the cycle of deprivation. There is a case for increasing our attention on this group, which can be readily accessed by maternity and early years’ services.
Evaluation of postextraction bleeding incidence to compare patients receiving and not receiving warfarin therapy: a cross-sectional, multicentre, observational study
Authors: Iwabuchi Hiroshi , Imai Yutaka , Asanami Soichiro , Shirakawa Masayori , Yamane Gen-yuki , Ogiuchi Hideki , Kurashina Kenji , Miyata Masaru , Nakao Hiroyuki , Imai Hirohisa
Published: December 2014

Objectives

We investigated incidence and risk factors for postextraction bleeding in patients receiving warfarin and those not receiving anticoagulation therapy.

Design

Cross-sectional, multicentre, observational study.

Setting

26 hospitals where an oral surgeon is available.

Participants

Data on 2817 teeth (from 496 patients receiving warfarin, 2321 patients not receiving warfarin; mean age (SD): 62.2 (17.6)) extracted between 1 November 2008 and 31 March 2010, were collected. Warfarin-receiving patients were eligible when prothrombin time–international normalised ratio (PT-INR) measured within 7 days prior to the extraction was less than 3.0.

Interventions

Simple dental extraction was performed, and incidence of postextraction bleeding and comorbidities were recorded.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Postextraction bleeding not controlled by basic haemostasis procedure was clinically significant.

Results

Bleeding events were reported for 35 (7.1%) and 49 (2.1%) teeth, of which 18 (3.6%) and 9 (0.4%) teeth were considered clinically significant, in warfarin and non-warfarin groups, respectively, the difference between which was 3.24% (CI 1.58% to 4.90%). The incidence rates by patients were 2.77% and 0.39%, in warfarin and non-warfarin groups, respectively (incidence difference 2.38%, CI 0.65% to 4/10%). Univariate analyses showed that age (OR 0.197, p=0.001), PT-INR (OR 3.635, p=0.003), mandibular foramen conduction anaesthesia (OR 4.854, p=0.050) and formation of abnormal granulation tissue in extraction socket (OR 2.900, p=0.031) significantly correlate with bleeding incidence. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (OR 0.126, p=0.001), antiplatelet drugs (OR 0.100, p=0.049), PT-INR (OR 7.797, p=0.001) and history of acute inflammation at extraction site (OR 3.722, p=0.037) were significant risk factors for postextraction bleeding.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that there is slight but significant increase in the incidences of postextraction bleeding in patients receiving warfarin. Although absolute incidence was low in both groups, the bleeding risk is not negligible.
Influence of health-related quality of life on time from symptom onset to hospital arrival and the risk of readmission in patients with myocardial infarction
Authors: Henriksson Catrin , Larsson Margareta , Herlitz Johan , Karlsson Jan-Erik , Wernroth Lisa , Lindahl Bertil
Published: December 2014

Background

Despite increased awareness of the importance of early treatment in acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the delay from symptom onset to hospital arrival is still too long and rehospitalisations are frequent. Little is known about how health-related quality of life (HRQL) affects delay time and the frequency of readmissions.

Method

We used quality registers to investigate whether patients’ HRQL has any impact on delay time with a new AMI, and on the rate of readmissions during the first year. Patients with AMI <75 years, with HRQL assessed with EQ-5D at 1-year follow-up, and who thereafter had a new AMI registered, were evaluated for the correlation between HRQL and delay time (n=454). The association between HRQL and readmissions was evaluated among those who had an additional AMI and a new 1-year follow-up registration (n=216).

Results

Patients who reported poor total health status (EQ-VAS ≤50), compared to those who reported EQ-VAS 81–100, had tripled risk to delay ≥2 h from symptom onset to hospital arrival (adjusted OR 3.01, 95% CI 1.43 to 6.34). Patients scoring EQ-VAS ≤50 had also a higher risk of readmissions in the univariate analysis (OR 3.08, 95% CI 1.71 to 5.53). However, the correlation did not remain significant after adjustment (OR 1.99, 95% CI 0.90 to 4.38). EQ-index was not independently associated with delay time or readmissions.

Conclusions

Aspects of total health status post-AMI were independently associated with delay time to hospital arrival in case of a new AMI. However, the influence of total health status on the risk of readmissions was less clear.
A decade of changes in clinical characteristics and management of elderly patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction admitted in Italian cardiac care units
Authors: De Luca Leonardo , Olivari Zoran , Bolognese Leonardo , Lucci Donata , Gonzini Lucio , Di Chiara Antonio , Casella Gianni , Chiarella Francesco , Boccanelli Alessandro , Di Pasquale Giuseppe , Bovenzi Francesco M , Savonitto Stefano
Published: December 2014

Objective

To describe the evolution of clinical characteristics, in-hospital management and early outcome of elderly patients with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI).

Methods

We analysed data from five consecutive Italian nationwide registries, conducted between 2001 and 2010, including patients with acute coronary syndromes admitted to cardiac care units (CCUs).

Results

Of 10 983 patients with NSTEMI enrolled in the 5 surveys, 4350 (39.6%) were ≥75 years old (mean age 81±5 years). Some clinical characteristics such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, renal dysfunction and previous percutaneous coronary intervention increased significantly, whereas a history of stroke, myocardial infarction and heart failure decreased over time. An invasive approach increased from 26.6% in 2001 to 68.4% in 2010 (p<0.0001) and revascularisation rates increased from 9.9% to 51.7% (p<0.0001). Early use and prescription at discharge of β-blockers, statins and dual antiplatelet treatment increased significantly (p<0.0001). Thirty-day observed mortality decreased from 14.6% (95% CI 9.9 to 20.4) to 9.5% (95% CI 7.7 to 11.6). At the multivariate logistic regression analyses adjusted for baseline characteristics, compared with 2001, the risk of death was significantly lower in all the other studies performed at different times with reductions in adjusted mortality between 66% and 45%.

Conclusions

Over the past decade, substantial changes have occurred in the clinical characteristics and management of elderly patients admitted with NSTEMI in Italian CCUs, with a greater use of revascularisation therapy and recommended medications. These variations have been associated with a reduction in 30-day adjusted mortality rate.
Agent based modeling of the coevolution of hostility and pacifism
Authors: Dalmagro Fermin , Jimenez Juan
Published: December 2014

We propose a model based on a population of agents whose states represent either hostile or peaceful behavior. Randomly selected pairs of agents interact according to a variation of the Prisoners Dilemma game, and the probabilities that the agents behave aggressively or not are constantly updated by the model so that the agents that remain in the game are those with the highest fitness. We show that the population of agents oscillate between generalized conflict and global peace, without either reaching a stable state. We then use this model to explain some of the emergent behaviors in collective conflicts, by comparing the simulated results with empirical data obtained from social systems. In particular, using public data reports we show how the model precisely reproduces interesting quantitative characteristics of diverse types of armed conflicts, public protests, riots and strikes.
Associative string functions
Authors: Lehtonen Erkko , Marichal Jean-Luc , Teheux Bruno
Published: December 2014

We introduce the concept of associativity for string functions, where a string function is a unary operation on the set of strings over a given alphabet. We discuss this new property and describe certain classes of associative string functions. We also characterize the recently introduced preassociative functions as compositions of associative string functions with injective unary maps. Finally, we provide descriptions of the classes of associative and preassociative functions which depend only on the length of the input.
Use of carbon accumulation rates to estimate the duration of coal seams and the influence of atmospheric dust deposition on coal composition
Authors: Large David J. , Marshall Chris
Published: December 2014

Time contained within coal seams is most commonly estimated using a volumetric approach that fails to take into account processes of carbon accumulation and loss during peat formation and coalification. A more appropriate approach for estimating the time contained within a coal seam is to use Holocene long-term carbon accumulation rates, accounting for carbon loss during coalification. Using this approach the thickness of coal corresponding to 10 kyr of carbon accumulation is calculated for coals of all ranks and latitudinal settings. To test the validity of this approach, latitudinal patterns of Holocene dust deposition are used in conjunction with estimated rates of carbon accumulation to calculate the concentration of titanium in coal. The result is a statistically significant correlation that is optimized when latitudinal variation in carbon accumulation rate is considered. Overall, the use of carbon produces far greater accountability of time within coal-bearing stratigraphic sequences and is not influenced by the presence of hiatal surfaces within the coal. Estimated coal seam duration increases considerably, often removing the need to infer substantial intra-seam hiatuses. On the basis of the results, a re-evaluation of coal and coal-bearing stratigraphic sequences is recommended.
Taming Paraconsistent (and Other) Logics
Authors: Ciabattoni Agata , Lahav Ori , Spendier Lara , Zamansky Anna
Published: December 2014

We develop a fully algorithmic approach to “taming” logics expressed Hilbert style, that is, reformulating them in terms of analytic sequent calculi and useful semantics. Our approach applies to Hilbert calculi extending the positive fragment of propositional classical logic with axioms of a certain general form that contain new unary connectives. Our work encompasses various results already obtained for specific logics. It can be applied to new logics, as well as to known logics for which an analytic calculus or a useful semantics has so far not been available. A Prolog implementation of the method is described.
Decidability of Approximate Skolem Problem and Applications to Logical Verification of Dynamical Properties of Markov Chains
Authors: Biscaia M. , Henriques D. , Mateus P.
Published: December 2014

When studying probabilistic dynamical systems, temporal logic has typically been used to analyze path properties. Recently, there has been some interest in analyzing the dynamical evolution of state probabilities of these systems. In this article, we show that verifying linear temporal properties concerning the state evolution induced by a Markov chain is equivalent to the decidability of the Skolem problem -- a long-standing open problem in Number Theory. However, from a practical point of view, usually it is enough to check properties up to some acceptable error bound ϵ. We show that an approximate version of the Skolem problem is decidable, and that it can be applied to verify, up to arbitrarily small ϵ, linear temporal properties of the state evolution induced by a Markov chain.
Depth of Field Affects Perceived Depth in Stereographs
Authors: Zhang Tingting , O’hare Louise , Hibbard Paul B. , Nefs Harold T. , Heynderickx Ingrid
Published: December 2014

Although it has been reported that depth of field influences depth perception in nonstereo photographs, it remains unclear how depth of field affects depth perception under stereo viewing conditions. We showed participants stereo photographs with different depths of field using a Wheatstone stereoscope and a commercially available 3D TV. The depicted scene contained a floor, a background, and a measuring probe at different locations. Participants drew a floor plan of the depicted scene to scale. We found that perceived depth decreased with decreasing depth of field for shallow depths of field in scenes containing a height-in-the-field cue. For larger depths of field, different effects were found depending on the display system and the viewing distance. There was no effect on perceived depth using the 3D TV, but perceived depth decreased with increasing depth of field using the Wheatstone stereoscope. However, in the 3D TV case, we found that the perceived depth decreased with increasing depth of field in scenes in which the height-in-the-field cue was removed. This indicates that the effect of depth of field on perceived depth may be influenced by other depth cues in the scene, such as height-in-the-field cues.
Diversifying Citation Recommendations
Authors: Küçüktunç Onur , Saule Erik , Kaya Kamer , Çatalyürek Ümit V.
Published: December 2014

Literature search is one of the most important steps of academic research. With more than 100,000 papers published each year just in computer science, performing a complete literature search becomes a Herculean task. Some of the existing approaches and tools for literature search cannot compete with the characteristics of today’s literature, and they suffer from ambiguity and homonymy. Techniques based on citation information are more robust to the mentioned issues. Thus, we recently built a Web service called the advisor, which provides personalized recommendations to researchers based on their papers of interest. Since most recommendation methods may return redundant results, diversifying the results of the search process is necessary to increase the amount of information that one can reach via an automated search. This article targets the problem of result diversification in citation-based bibliographic search, assuming that the citation graph itself is the only information available and no categories or intents are known. The contribution of this work is threefold. We survey various random walk--based diversification methods and enhance them with the
direction awareness
property to allow users to reach either old, foundational (possibly well-cited and well-known) research papers or recent (most likely less-known) ones. Next, we propose a set of novel algorithms based on vertex selection and query refinement. A set of experiments with various evaluation criteria shows that the proposed γ-RLM algorithm performs better than the existing approaches and is suitable for real-time bibliographic search in practice.
Identifying Points of Interest Using Heterogeneous Features
Authors: Yang Yiyang , Gong Zhiguo , U Leong Hou
Published: December 2014

Deducing trip-related information from web-scale datasets has received large amounts of attention recently. Identifying points of interest (POIs) in geo-tagged photos is one of these problems. The problem can be viewed as a standard clustering problem of partitioning two-dimensional objects. In this work, we study spectral clustering, which is the first attempt for the identification of POIs. However, there is no unified approach to assigning the subjective clustering parameters, and these parameters vary immensely in different metropolitans and locations. To address this issue, we study a self-tuning technique that can properly determine the parameters for the clustering needed. Besides geographical information, web photos inherently store other rich information. Such heterogenous information can be used to enhance the identification accuracy. Thereby, we study a novel refinement framework that is based on the tightness and cohesion degree of the additional information. We thoroughly demonstrate our findings by web-scale datasets collected from Flickr.
The Role of Individual Difference in Judging Expressiveness of Computer-Assisted Music Performances by Experts
Authors: Poli Giovanni De , Canazza Sergio , Rodà Antonio , Schubert Emery
Published: December 2014

Computational systems for generating expressive musical performances have been studied for several decades now. These models are generally evaluated by comparing their predictions with actual performances, both from a performance parameter and a subjective point of view, often focusing on very specific aspects of the model. However, little is known about how listeners evaluate the generated performances and what factors influence their judgement and appreciation. In this article, we present two studies, conducted during two dedicated workshops, to start understanding how the audience judges entire performances employing different approaches to generating musical expression. In the preliminary study, 40 participants completed a questionnaire in response to five different computer-generated and computer-assisted performances, rating preference and describing the expressiveness of the performances. In the second, “GATM” (
Gruppo di Analisi e Teoria Musicale
) study, 23 participants also completed the Music Cognitive Style questionnaire. Results indicated that music systemizers tend to describe musical expression in terms of the formal aspects of the music, and music empathizers tend to report expressiveness in terms of emotions and characters. However, high systemizers did not differ from high empathizers in their mean preference score across the five pieces. We also concluded that listeners tend not to focus on the basic technical aspects of playing when judging computer-assisted and computer-generated performances. Implications for the significance of individual differences in judging musical expression are discussed.
Design and Analysis of Predictive Sampling of Haptic Signals
Authors: Bhardwaj Amit , Chaudhuri Subhasis , Dabeer Onkar
Published: December 2014

In this article, we identify adaptive sampling strategies for haptic signals. Our approach relies on experiments wherein we record the response of several users to haptic stimuli. We then learn different classifiers to predict the user response based on a variety of causal signal features. The classifiers that have good prediction accuracy serve as candidates to be used in adaptive sampling. We compare the resultant adaptive samplers based on their rate-distortion tradeoff using synthetic as well as natural data. For our experiments, we use a haptic device with a maximum force level of 3 N and 10 users. Each user is subjected to several piecewise constant haptic signals and is required to click a button whenever he perceives a change in the signal. For classification, we not only use classifiers based on level crossings and Weber’s law but also random forests using a variety of causal signal features. The random forest typically yields the best prediction accuracy and a study of the importance of variables suggests that the level crossings and Weber’s classifier features are most dominant. The classifiers based on level crossings and Weber’s law have good accuracy (more than 90%) and are only marginally inferior to random forests. The level crossings classifier consistently outperforms the one based on Weber’s law even though the gap is small. Given their simple parametric form, the level crossings and Weber’s law--based classifiers are good candidates to be used for adaptive sampling. We study their rate-distortion performance and find that the level crossing sampler is superior. For example, for haptic signals obtained while exploring various rendered objects, for an average sampling rate of 10 samples per second, the level crossings adaptive sampler has a mean square error about 3dB less than the Weber sampler.
Host-Compiled Multicore System Simulation for Early Real-Time Performance Evaluation
Authors: Razaghi Parisa , Gerstlauer Andreas
Published: December 2014

With increasing complexity and software content, modern embedded platforms employ a heterogeneous mix of multicore processors along with hardware accelerators in order to provide high performance in limited power budgets. To evaluate real-time performance and other constraints, full system simulations are essential. With traditional approaches being either slow or inaccurate, so-called source-level or host-compiled simulators have recently emerged as a solution for rapid evaluation of the complete system at early design stages. In such approaches, a faster simulation is achieved by abstracting execution behavior and increasing simulation granularity. However, existing source-level simulators often focus on application behavior only while neglecting the effects of hardware/software interactions and their associated speed and accuracy trade-offs.

In this article, we present a host-compiled simulator that emulates software execution in a full-system context. Our simulator incorporates abstract models of both real-time operating systems (RTOSs) and multicore processors to replicate timing-accurate hardware/software interactions and to enable full system cosimulation. An integrated approach for automatic timing granularity adjustment (ATGA) uses observations of the system state to automatically control the timing model and optimally navigate speed versus accuracy conditions. Results as applied to industrial-strength platforms confirm that OS- and system-level effects can significantly contribute to overall accuracy and simulation overhead. By providing careful abstractions, our models can achieve full system simulations at equivalent speeds of more than a thousand MIPS with less than 3% timing error. Coupled with the capability to easily adjust simulation parameters and configurations, this demonstrates the benefits of our simulator for early application development and design space exploration.
Development, Characterization, and Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of Hydrochlorothiazide Loaded Self-Nanoemulsifying Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Yadav Pankajkumar S. , Yadav Ekta , Verma Amita , Amin Saima
Published: December 2014

The objective of the current work was to develop optimized self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery systems (SNEDDS) and evaluate theirin vitroandin vivoperformance. The research comprised various studies which includes solubility studies in various vehicles, pseudoternary phase diagram construction, and preparation and characterization of SNEDDS along within vitrodissolution andin vivopharmacodynamic profiling. Based on dissolution profile, a remarkable increase in rate of dissolution was observed in comparison with plain drug and marketed formulation. Optimized SNEDDS formulation was composed of Capmul MCM (19.17% w/w), Tween 80 (57.5% w/w), Transcutol P (12.7% w/w), and HCT (4.17% w/w).In vivopharmacodynamic evaluation in Wistar rats showed considerable increase in pharmacological effect of HCT by SNEDDS formulation as compared with plain HCT.
Simulation of the Westinghouse AP1000 Response to SBLOCA Using RELAP/SCDAPSIM
Authors: Elshahat Ayah , Abram Timothy , Hohorst Judith , Allison Chris
Published: December 2014

Great interest is given now to advanced nuclear reactors especially those using passive safety components. The Westinghouse AP1000 Advanced Passive pressurized water reactor (PWR) is an 1117 MWe PWR designed to achieve a high safety and performance record. The AP1000 safety system uses natural driving forces, such as pressurized gas, gravity flow, natural circulation flow, and convection. In this paper, the safety performance of the AP1000 during a small break loss of coolant accident (SBLOCA) is investigated. This was done by modelling the AP1000 and the passive safety systems employed using RELAP/SCDAPSIM code. RELAP/SCDAPSIM is designed to describe the overall reactor coolant system (RCS) thermal hydraulic response and core behaviour under normal operating conditions or under design basis or severe accident conditions. Passive safety components in the AP1000 showed a clear improvement in accident mitigation. It was found that RELAP/SCDAPSIM is capable of modelling a LOCA in an AP1000 and it enables the investigation of each safety system component response separately during the accident. The model is also capable of simulating natural circulation and other relevant phenomena. The results of the model were compared to that of the NOTRUMP code and found to be in a good agreement.
Numb Chin Syndrome as First Symptom of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Carbone Mario , Della Ferrera Francesco , Carbone Lucio , Gatti Gaia , Carrozzo Marco
Published: December 2014

Numb chin syndrome is a rare sensory neuropathy of the mental nerve characterized by numbness, hypoesthesia, paraesthesia, and very rarely pain. Dental causes, especially iatrogenic ones, maxillofacial trauma, or malignant neoplasm are etiologic factors for this rare syndrome. Many malignant and metastatic neoplasms are causing this syndrome, like primary osteosarcoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and mandibular metastasis of primary carcinoma of breast, lung, thyroid, kidney, prostate, and nasopharynx. Haematological malignancies like acute lymphocytic leukaemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and myeloma can cause this neuropathy. The authors report a case of a 71-year-old woman in which the numb chin syndrome was the first symptom of the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which caused infiltration and reabsorption of the alveolar ridge and lower mandibular cortex. A biopsy of the mass was performed on fragments of tissue collected from the mandibular periosteum, medullary and cortical mandibular bone, and inferior alveolar nerve.
Simulation Study on Train‐Induced Vibration Control of a Long‐Span Steel Truss Girder Bridge by Tuned Mass Dampers
Authors: Wang Hao , Tao Tianyou , Cheng Huaiyu , He Xuhui
Published: December 2014

Train‐induced vibration of steel truss bridges is one of the key issues in bridge engineering. This paper talks about the application of tuned mass damper (TMD) on the vibration control of a steel truss bridge subjected to dynamic train loads. The Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge (NYRB) is taken as the research object and a recorded typical train load is included in this study. With dynamic finite element (FE) method, the real‐time dynamic responses of NYRB are analyzed based on a simplified train‐bridge time‐varying system. Thereinto, two cases including single train moving at one side and two trains moving oppositely are specifically investigated. According to the dynamic characteristics and dynamic responses of NYRB, the fourth vertical bending mode is selected as the control target and the parameter sensitivity analysis on vibration control efficiency with TMD is conducted. Using the first‐order optimization method, the optimal parameters of TMD are then acquired with the control efficiency of TMD, the static displacement of Midspan, expenditure of TMDs, and manufacture difficulty of the damper considered. Results obtained in this study can provide references for the vibration control of steel truss bridges.
Effects of Mangrove Zonation and the Physicochemical Parameters of Soil on the Distribution of Macrobenthic Fauna in Kadolkele Mangrove Forest, a Tropical Mangrove Forest in Sri Lanka
Authors: Dissanayake Navodha , Chandrasekara Upali
Published: December 2014

The ecology of the macrobenthic fauna of the mangrove forests has received little attention compared to the mangrove flora. The present study was aimed at filling this information gap and investigated if the diversity and distribution of macrobenthic fauna at Kadolkele mangrove forest, a pristine mangrove forest situated at the Negombo estuary in Sri Lanka, are governed by the mangrove zonation and variation of physicochemical parameters of the mangrove soil. Since the aerial photographs identified three distinct mangrove zones at Kadolkele, namely, Rhizophora, Avicennia, and Lumnitzera zones, fauna were sampled and physicochemical parameters of the soil were measured in belt transects that were established at each mangrove zone. Data were collected and analyzed using appropriate field sampling techniques and statistical methods, respectively. Results revealed that the physicochemical parameters in soil varied between the three mangrove zones and that the distribution of benthic fauna followed the mangrove zonation. Further, the diversity measures of epifauna were found to be higher than those of the infauna of this tropical estuary.
Shifting the Frontiers of Analog and Mixed-Signal Electronics
Authors: van Roermund Arthur H. M.
Published: December 2014

Nowadays, analog and mixed-signal (AMS) IC designs, mainly found in the frontends of large ICs, are highly dedicated, complex, and costly. They form a bottleneck in the communication with the outside world, determine an upper bound in quality, yield, and flexibility for the IC, and require a significant part of the power dissipation. Operating very close to physical limits, serious boundaries are faced. This paper relates, from a high-level point of view, these boundaries to the Shannon channel capacity and shows how the AMS circuitry forms a matching link in transforming the external analog signals, optimized for the communication medium, to the optimal on-chip signal representation, the digital one, for the IC medium. The signals in the AMS part itself are consequently not optimally matched to the IC medium. To further shift the frontiers of AMS design, a matching-driven design approach is crucial for AMS. Four levels will be addressed: technology-driven, states-driven, redundancy-driven, and nature-driven design. This is done based on an analysis of the various classes of AMS signals and their specific properties, seen from the angle of redundancy. This generic, but abstract way of looking at the design process will be substantiated with many specific examples.
Research on Overflow Monitoring Mechanism Based on Downhole Microflow Detection
Authors: Ge Liang , Hu Ze , Chen Ping , Shi Lei , Yang Qing , Liao Junbi
Published: December 2014

The flow rate variation of the drilling fluid and micro‐overflow loss is difficult to analyze. The purpose to prevent the occurrence of kick, lost circulation, and other complex conditions is not easy to be achieved. Therefore, the microflow‐induced annulus multiphase flow rate and annulus pressure field model were studied, and a downhole microflow measurement system has been developed. A differential pressure type flow measurement was used in the system, and real‐time downhole information was obtained to achieve deep, narrow windows and other safety‐density complex formation security. This paper introduced a new bottom‐hole flow meter which can measure the annular flux while drilling and monitor overflow and circulation loss. The accuracy and reliability of the MPD (managed pressure drilling) system can be improved obviously by applying the device; as a result, the safety of drilling is enhanced and the cost is reduced.
The Association between Diabetic Retinopathy and Levels of Ischemia-Modified Albumin, Total Thiol, Total Antioxidant Capacity, and Total Oxidative Stress in Serum and Aqueous Humor
Authors: Kirboga Kadir , Ozec Ayse V. , Kosker Mustafa , Dursun Ayhan , Toker Mustafa I. , Aydin Huseyin , Erdogan Haydar , Topalkara Aysen , Arici Mustafa K.
Published: December 2014

Purpose. To investigate the oxidant and antioxidant status of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (DRP).Methods. Forty-four patients who had cataract surgery were enrolled in the study. We included 22 patients with DRP in one group and 22 patients in the control group. Samples of aqueous humor and serum were taken from all patients. Serum and aqueous ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), total thiol, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and total oxidative stress (TOS) levels were compared in two groups.Results. Median serum IMA levels were 44.80 absorbance units in the DRP group and 40.15 absorbance units in the control group (P=0.031). Median serum total thiol levels in the DRP group were significantly less than those in the control group (3051.13 and 3910.12, resp.,P=0.004). Mean TOS levels in the serum were 2.93 ± 0.19 in the DRP group and 2.61 ± 0.26 in the control group (P=0.039). The differences in mean total thiol, TAC, and TOS levels in the aqueous humor and mean TAC levels in the serum were not statistically significant.Conclusion. IMA, total thiol, and TOS levels in the serum might be useful markers in monitoring the risk of DRP development.
Arch Height Mediation of Obesity-Related Walking in Adults: Contributors to Physical Activity Limitations
Authors: Gill Simone V. , Lewis Cara L. , DeSilva Jeremy M.
Published: December 2014

Walking and foot arch structure have risk-increasing effects that contribute to decreased physical activity in adults with overweight and obese body mass index (BMI) scores. However, it is unknown whether both excessive weight and arch height influence walking compared to the effects of excessive weight or arch height alone. The purpose of this study was to investigate if arch height mediates obesity-related walking characteristics among adults with different BMI classifications. Spatiotemporal walking kinematics and dynamic plantar pressure were collected as adults with normal(n=30), overweight(n=34), and obese(n=25)BMI scores walked at their preferred speed. Digital footprints created with plantar pressure data were used to calculate a measure of arch height, the Chippaux-Smirak Index (CSI). The results showed that obese adults had lower arches than normal weight adults(P<0.05). Arch height was related to velocity, double limb support time, stance time, step length, and foot rotation (allPs < 0.05). Overweight participants with lower arches had lower velocities and higher double limb support times (allPs < 0.05). The results have implications for aiding an increase in physical activity for overweight adults via intervening in adults’ arch height.
Deblurring by Solving a TVp-Regularized Optimization Problem Using Split Bregman Method
Authors: Xiao Su
Published: December 2014

Image deblurring is formulated as an unconstrained minimization problem, and its penalty function is the sum of the error term and TVp-regularizers with0<p<1. Although TVp-regularizer is a powerful tool that can significantly promote the sparseness of image gradients, it is neither convex nor smooth, thus making the presented optimization problem more difficult to deal with. To solve this minimization problem efficiently, such problem is first reformulated as an equivalent constrained minimization problem by introducing new variables and new constraints. Thereafter, the split Bregman method, as a solver, splits the new constrained minimization problem into subproblems. For each subproblem, the corresponding efficient method is applied to ensure the existence of closed-form solutions. In simulated experiments, the proposed algorithm and some state-of-the-art algorithms are applied to restore three types of blurred-noisy images. The restored results show that the proposed algorithm is valid for image deblurring and is found to outperform other algorithms in experiments.
Emotional Intelligence and Personality in Anxiety Disorders
Authors: Lizeretti Nathalie P. , Vázquez Costa María , Gimeno-Bayón Ana
Published: December 2014

Anxiety disorders (AD) are by far the most frequent psychiatric disorders, and according to epidemiologic data their chronicity, comorbidities, and negative prognostic constitute a public health problem. This is why it is necessary to continue exploring the factors which contribute to the incidence, appearance, and maintenance of this set of disorders. The goal of this study has been to analyze the possible relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and personality disorders (PersD) in outpatients suffering from AD. The sample was made up of 146 patients with AD from the Mental Health Center at the Health Consortium of Maresme, who were evaluated with the STAI, MSCEIT, and MCMI-II questionnaires. The main findings indicate that 89,4% of the patients in the sample met the criteria for the diagnosis of some PersD. The findings also confirm that patients with AD present a low EI, especially because of difficulties in the skills of emotional comprehension and regulation, and the lack of these skills is related to a higher level of anxiety and the presence of PersD. These findings suggest the need to consider emotional skills of EI and personality as central elements for the diagnosis and treatment of AD.