bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Change of Surface Parameters of 42CrMo4 Steel Treated by Surface Technologies
Authors: Doan Van Thanh , Kusmic David , Pospichal Miroslav , Kadlec Jaromír
Published: December 2015

Plasma nitriding is widely used in many technical applications as a final operation to improve the mechanical and surface properties of steel. Recently, many studies have been investigated combination of plasma nitriding and other surface treatments. This work is focused in study of structural and mechanical properties of 42CrMo4 steel, which was treated by the technologies of plasma nitriding, tenifer and combined with others surface treatment technologies used in the weapon industry: manganese phosphate and blackening. Plasma nitriding was carried out under different nitriding gas mixture at 500ºC for 10h. The results of GDOES layer composition profile, microhardness (HV 0.05), surface hardness measurement and microstructure evaluation were supplemented by the parameters of surface texture. The experiment showed that the change of structure resp. parameters of layer and surface texture after thermochemical treatment depends not only on type of treatment but also on the substrate.
The Assessment of a Material Life Cycle Based on an Analysis of Fracture Surfaces after Fatigue Failure
Authors: Sukac Jiri , Binar Tomas , Sedlarikova Marie , Silinger Karel
Published: December 2015

The service life of machine components exposed to cyclic loading below a yield point is a very significant factor for the assessment of material properties. One of the methods of enhancing material resistance to the initiation and course of a fatigue process is changing the chemical composition of the material surface layer. The paper is concerned with the prolongation of the life cycle of military vehicles machine components by means of a new technology based on the combination of chemical-heat (plasma nitriding) treatment and heat treatment with emphasis put on the increase in the fatigue strength and service life (resistance to corrosion) of originally soft-annealed steel ČSN 412061. The new technology allows reducing the probability of limit state occurrence in a component thus optimising financial means of the Armed Forces of the Czech Republic.
Various Loads in a Microgrid with Hydrogen Energy Storage
Authors: Morte Michal
Published: December 2015

In the paper the MATLAB model of power flow in off-grid system with renewable energy sources (solar power plant) and the hydrogen energy storage (HES) is the basis for examining of influence of various loads on its sizing and power management. The model of HES consists of the alkaline electrolyzer, the PEM fuel cell and the hydrogen tank (inverters are omitted). The Newton - Raphson method is used for solving power flow problem. The various problems of a small off-grid industrial area (convenient voltage level, voltage drop, the transients) are examined with the help of the model and the household area as a load is briefly discussed.
Concentrator Photovoltaic Cells in Practice – Family House Heating
Authors: Vyroubal Petr , Maxa Jiří , Hlavatá Pavla , Hladký Dominik
Published: December 2015

In concentrator cells, light is concentrated using lens to fall on solar cell to deliver a maximum possible energy. By using concentrator cells light intensity is increased by targeting on certain area, which in result increases electricity production. Design and optimization of cooling equipment for heating concentrator solar cells is realized by ANSYS Fluent system. The device is analyzed on the utilization of waste heat.
Simulation of the Influence of Hail Mechanical Action on Photovoltaic Panels
Authors: Janda Marcel , Jandova Kristyna
Published: December 2015

This article deals with the simulation of mechanical influences on the design of photovoltaic panels. For this purpose the program was used Ansys Workbench, namely explicit dynamic analysis. Specifically, the simulated impact of hail on the cover glass. Results show deformation of the material and internal stresses. With these calculations it is possible to perform a large number of experiments with various materials and structural embodiments panels
Optimization of Lead Acid Battery Grid Shapes by Discharging
Authors: Vyroubal Petr , Maxa Jiří , Bača Petr
Published: December 2015

In a lead-acid cell the active materials there are lead dioxide (PbO2) in the positive plate, sponge lead (Pb) in the negative plate, and a solution of sulphuric acid (H2SO4) in water as the electrolyte. A chemical reaction proceeds place between lead plates and sulphuric acid, producing electric current. When the charge is depleted, the battery can be recharged many times. This article deals with optimization of the shape of lead acid battery grid by discharging process using numerical simulation.
The AC Impedance Characteristic of High Power Li4Ti5O12-Based Battery Cells
Authors: Stroe Ana-Irina , Stroe Daniel Ioan , Swierczynski Maciej , Stanciu Tiberiu , Teodorescu Remus , Kær Soren Knudsen
Published: December 2015

This paper studies the impedance characteristics of a fresh 13 Ah high-power lithium titanate oxide (LTO) battery cell and analyses its dependence on the temperature and state-of-charge. The impedance of the battery cell was measured by means of the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique for the entire state-of-charge (SOC) interval and considering five temperatures between 5oC and 45oC. By analyzing the measured impedance spectra of the LTO-based battery cell, it was found out that the cell’s impedance is extremely dependent on the operating conditions. By further processing the measurements data by means of curve fitting, it was found that the parameters of the equivalent electrical circuit (and the corresponding electro-chemical processes) are following different dependencies on the SOC, which in most of the cases are only slightly changing with the measurement temperature.
Novel Functions of Renin Precursors in Homeostasis and Disease
Authors: Gomez R. Ariel , Sequeira-Lopez Maria Luisa S.
Published: December 2015

Renin progenitors appear early and are found in multiple tissues throughout the embryo. Besides their well known role in blood pressure and fluid homeostasis, renin progenitors participate in tissue morphogenesis, repair, and regeneration, and may integrate immune and endocrine responses. In the bone marrow, renin cells offer clues to understand normal and neoplastic hematopoiesis.
Synthesis and Characterization of Bifunctionalα-Fe2O3-Ag Nanoparticles
Authors: Ruíz-Baltazar Alvaro , Reyes-López Simón Yobanny , Esparza Rodrigo , Estévez Miriam , Hernández-Martínez Ángel , Rosas Gerardo , Pérez Ramiro
Published: December 2015

The synthesis ofα-Fe2O3-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles using a novel and simplified route is presented in this work. These hybrid nanoparticles were produced using a modification of the chemical reduction method by sodium borohydride (NaBH4). Fe(III) chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3·6H2O) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) as precursors were employed. Particles with semispherical morphology and dumbbell configuration were observed. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) technique reveals the structure of the dumbbell-likeα-Fe2O3-Ag nanoparticles. Some theoretical models further confirm the formation of theα-Fe2O3-Ag structures. Analysis by cyclic voltammetry reveals an interesting catalytic behavior which is associated with the combination of the individual properties of the Ag andα-Fe2O3nanoparticles.
Links between(γn,σk)-KP Hierarchy,(γn,σk)-mKP Hierarchy, and (2+1)-(γn,σk)-Harry Dym Hierarchy
Authors: Huang Yehui , Yao Yuqin , Zeng Yunbo
Published: December 2015

The new (2+1)-(γn,σk)-Harry Dym hierarchy and(γn,σk)-mKP hierarchy with two new time seriesγnandσk, which consist ofγn-flow,σk-flow, and mixedγnandσkevolution equations of eigenfunctions, are proposed. Gauge transformations and reciprocal transformations between(γn,σk)-KP hierarchy,(γn,σk)-mKP hierarchy, and (2+1)-(γn,σk)-Harry Dym hierarchy are studied. Their soliton solutions are presented.
Online Real-Time Estimation of Response Time for Periodic Messages in Controller Area Networks
Authors: Gao Dahui , Wang Qingfeng , Lei Yong , Chen Zheng , Shangguan Linying
Published: December 2015

The Controller Area Networks (CAN) are widely used in industrial Networked Control Systems (NCSs), such as construction machineries, hybrid vehicles, robotics, and other applications. The message response time (MRT) or communication delay is the main issue to degrade the performance of CAN-based NCSs since its exact value is time-varying and unpredictable. The online acquisition of exact MRT can be quite helpful for the delay compensation of NCSs. However, since the clocks on different nodes are asynchronous, the MRT acquisition in CAN is a challenging work. The current delay acquisition methods for asynchronous systems are not suitable for the delay compensation in CAN-based NCSs because they either increase the bus load of CAN or cannot acquire the exact MRT in real time. In this paper, we propose a novel online real-time MRT estimation method for periodic CAN messages based on the analysis of message traces on CAN bus. The proposed method can estimate the exact MRT of the received message instance in real time without increasing the bus load and can be conveniently embedded into the CAN nodes without requiring additional equipment. In order to validate the proposed method, practical experiments are carried out and the experimental results show that the proposed method can effectively estimate the exact MRT of periodic CAN messages.
Ovarian Vein Thrombosis as a Complication of Laparoscopic Surgery
Authors: Gupta Anu , Gupta Natasha , Blankstein Josef , Trester Richard
Published: December 2015

Ovarian vein thrombosis (OVT) is an extremely rare but life-threatening complication of the postpartum period. It has never been reported as a complication of laparoscopic surgery. We report a case of right ovarian vein thrombosis that occurred in the postoperative period after patient underwent laparoscopic salpingectomy for a right side ectopic pregnancy. She presented with 1-week history of abdominal pain and fever. A complete workup for fever was performed and was found negative. Computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis revealed right ovarian vein thrombosis. The patient was treated with anticoagulant therapy and responded well.
Opuntia ficus-indicaExtract as Green Corrosion Inhibitor for Carbon Steel in 1 M HCl Solution
Authors: Flores-De los Ríos J. P. , Sánchez-Carrillo M. , Nava-Dino C. G. , Chacón-Nava J. G. , González-Rodríguez J. G. , Huape-Padilla E. , Neri-Flores M. A. , Martínez-Villafañe A.
Published: December 2015

The effect ofOpuntia ficus-indica(Nopal) as green corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in 1 M HCl solution has been investigated by using weight loss tests, potentiodynamic polarization curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements. Also, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) analysis were performed. The inhibitor concentrations used ranged from 0 to 300 ppm at 25, 40, and 60°C. Results indicated the inhibition efficiency increases with increasing extract concentration and decreases with the temperature, and the inhibitor acted as a cathodic-type inhibitor which is physically absorbed onto the steel surface. In fact, the adsorption of the inhibitor on the steel surface follows the Langmuir adsorption isotherm, indicating monolayer adsorption. The presence of heteroatoms such as C, N, and O and OH groups were responsible for the corrosion inhibition.
Gender Differences in the Association between Childhood Socioeconomic Status and Cognitive Function in Later Life
Authors: Lyu Jiyoung
Published: December 2015

Objectives. This study was aimed to explore the gender differences in the association between childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and cognitive function in later life.Methods. Using a nationally representative sample from the Health and Retirement Study, 5,544 females and 3,863 males were analyzed separately. Growth curve models were used to examine memory status and change in memory from 1998 to 2010.Results. The results showed that SES disadvantage in childhood was associated with lower memory at baseline controlling for adult SES and other covariates. In addition, cumulated disadvantage in SES was associated with poor memory in both genders. Statistically, the impact of cumulative SES on memory function at baseline was significantly different by gender.Discussion. These findings suggest that childhood SES has long-term effects on cognitive function among both men and women, and cumulative SES from childhood to adulthood may be more important for men than women with respect to their memory performance.
Genomic DNA Hypomethylation and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Mendoza- Pérez Julia , Gu Jian , Herrera Luis A. , Tannir Nizar M. , Matin Surena F. , Karam Jose A. , Huang Maosheng , Chang David W. , Wood Christopher G. , Wu Xifeng
Published: December 2015

Purpose: Genomic DNA hypomethylation is a hallmark of most cancer genomes, promoting genomic instability and cell transformation. In the present study, we sought to determine whether global DNA methylation in peripheral blood is associated with risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Experimental Design: A retrospective case–control study consisting of 889 RCC cases and an equal number of age, gender, and ethnicity-matched controls was applied. Global DNA methylation was measured as 5-mC% content. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between DNA methylation level and the risk of RCC.

Results: The median 5-mC% was significantly lower in cases than in healthy controls (P < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, individuals in the lowest tertile (T1) of 5-mC% had higher risk of RCC with OR of 1.40 (95% CI, 1.06–1.84), compared with individuals in the highest tertile (T3; Pfor trend = 0.02). When stratified by RCC risk factors, associations between hypomethylation and increased RCC risk appeared to be stronger among males (OR, 1.61; Pfor trend = 0.01), younger age (OR, 1.47; Pfor trend = 0.03), never smokers (OR, 1.55; Pfor trend = 0.02), family history of other cancer (OR, 1.64; Pfor trend = 1.22E−03), and late stage (OR, 2.06, Pfor trend = 4.98E−04). Additionally, we observed significant interaction between gender and 5-mC% in elevating RCC risk (Pfor interaction = 0.03).

Conclusions: Our findings suggest an association between global DNA hypomethylation and RCC risk. To establish global DNA hypomethylation as a risk factor for RCC, future prospective studies are warranted. This study may provide further understanding of the etiology of RCC tumorigenesis. Clin Cancer Res; 22(8); 2074–82. ©2015 AACR.
A Phase I Study of the Anti-Activin Receptor-Like Kinase 1 (ALK-1) Monoclonal Antibody PF-03446962 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Goff Laura W. , Cohen Roger B. , Berlin Jordan D. , de Braud Filippo G. , Lyshchik Andrej , Noberasco Cristina , Bertolini Francesco , Carpentieri Marina , Stampino Corrado Gallo , Abbattista Antonello , Wang Erjan , Borghaei Hossein
Published: December 2015

Purpose: Objectives of this dose-finding study were to determine the MTD and recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of the first-in-class anti-activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK-1) monoclonal antibody PF-03446962, and assess safety and antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors.

Experimental Design: This open-label, multicenter study was based on a 3+3 design. PF-03446962 was administered biweekly by intravenous infusion, at doses ranging from 0.5 to 15 mg/kg.

Results: Forty-four patients received treatment with PF-03446962. Dose-limiting toxicities observed during dose escalation included grade 3 increased amylase, grade 3/4 increased lipase, and grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia. The MTD was determined to be 10 mg/kg. The RP2D was set at 7 mg/kg for patients with advanced solid tumors, based on the observed safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumor activity. The most-frequent treatment-related, all-grade adverse events included thrombocytopenia (20.5%), fatigue (15.9%), and nausea, increased amylase, and increased lipase (each 11.4%). Treatment-related telangiectasia was noted in 7% of patients, suggesting in vivo inhibition of the ALK-1 pathway. None of the deaths was deemed to be treatment-related. Three (6.8%) patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, renal cell carcinoma, or non–small cell lung cancer achieved a partial response, and 12 (27.3%) patients had stable disease, across dose levels. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound analysis of tumor vascularity showed reduction in tumor perfusion in 2 patients with stable disease following treatment with PF-03446962.

Conclusions: The clinical activity demonstrated in this study points to PF-03446962 as a novel approach to antiangiogenic therapy, with manageable safety profile and single-agent, antitumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 22(9); 2146–54. ©2015 AACR.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Pre-Operative Delirium in Hip Fracture Patients
Authors: Freter Susan , Dunbar Michael , Koller Katalin , MacKnight Chris , Rockwood Kenneth
Published: December 2015

Background: Delirium is a common complication of hip fracture and is associated with negative outcomes. Previous studies document risk factors for post-operative delirium but have frequently excluded patients with pre-operative delirium. Objective: This study endeavours to document prevalence and risk factors for pre-operative delirium in hip fracture patients and compares risk factor profiles and outcomes between pre- and post-operative delirium. Methods: 283 hip fracture patients were assessed pre-operatively with the Delirium Elderly At Risk (DEAR) instrument, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). They were followed on post-operative days 1, 3, and 5 for the presence of delirium. Doses of opioids were recorded. Wait time to surgery, length of stay, and discharge site were noted. Results: Delirium was present in 57.6% patients pre-operatively and 41.7% post-surgery. Not all patients (62%) with pre-operative delirium also had post-operative delirium. There was a considerable overlap in risk factors, with some differences. Wait time to surgery, number of comorbidities, and total pre-operative opioid and lorazepam doses were associated with pre- but not post-operative delirium. Negative outcomes were more closely associated with post-operative delirium. Conclusion: Delirium is common in pre-hip fracture surgery patients, and not all patients with pre-operative delirium go on to have post-operative delirium. Risk factor profiles are not identical, raising the possibility of identifying and intervening in patients at high risk of delirium pre-operatively.
Rare Exome Sequence Variants in
CLCN6
Reduce Blood Pressure Levels and Hypertension Risk
Authors: Yu Bing , Pulit Sara L. , Hwang Shih-Jen , Brody Jennifer A. , Amin Najaf , Auer Paul L. , Bis Joshua C. , Boerwinkle Eric , Burke Gregory L. , Chakravarti Aravinda , Correa Adolfo , Dreisbach Albert W. , Franco Oscar H. , Ehret Georg B. , Franceschini Nora , Hofman Albert , Lin Dan-Yu , Metcalf Ginger A. , Musani Solomon K. , Muzny Donna , Palmas Walter , Raffel Leslie , Reiner Alex , Rice Ken , Rotter Jerome I. , Veeraraghavan Narayanan , Fox Ervin , Guo Xiuqing , North Kari E. , Gibbs Richard A. , van Duijn Cornelia M. , Psaty Bruce M. , Levy Daniel , Newton-Cheh Christopher , Morrison Alanna C.
Published: December 2015

Background—

Rare genetic variants influence blood pressure (BP).

Methods and Results—

Whole-exome sequencing was performed on DNA samples from 17 956 individuals of European ancestry and African ancestry (14 497, first-stage discovery and 3459, second-stage discovery) to examine the effect of rare variants on hypertension and 4 BP traits: systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse pressure, and mean arterial pressure. Tests of ≈170 000 common variants (minor allele frequency, ≥1%; statistical significance,
P
≤2.9×10
−7
) and gene-based tests of rare variants (minor allele frequency, <1%; ≈17 000 genes; statistical significance,
P
≤1.5×10
−6
) were evaluated for each trait and ancestry, followed by multiethnic meta-analyses. In the first-stage discovery, rare coding variants (splicing, stop-gain, stop-loss, nonsynonymous variants, or indels) in
CLCN6
were associated with lower diastolic BP (cumulative minor allele frequency, 1.3%;
β
=−3.20;
P
=4.1×10
−6
) and were independent of a nearby common variant (rs17367504) previously associated with BP.
CLCN6
rare variants were also associated with lower systolic BP (
β
=−4.11;
P
=2.8×10
−4
), mean arterial pressure (
β
=−3.50;
P
=8.9×10
−6
), and reduced hypertension risk (odds ratio, 0.72;
P
=0.017). Meta-analysis of the 2-stage discovery samples showed that
CLCN6
was associated with lower diastolic BP at exome-wide significance (cumulative minor allele frequency, 1.1%;
β
=−3.30;
P
=5.0×10
−7
).

Conclusions—

These findings implicate the effect of rare coding variants in
CLCN6
in BP variation and offer new insights into BP regulation.
Traffic-Related Air Pollution, Blood Pressure, and Adaptive Response of Mitochondrial Abundance
Authors: Zhong Jia , Cayir Akin , Trevisi Letizia , Sanchez-Guerra Marco , Lin Xinyi , Peng Cheng , Bind Marie-Abèle , Prada Diddier , Laue Hannah , Brennan Kasey J.M. , Dereix Alexandra , Sparrow David , Vokonas Pantel , Schwartz Joel , Baccarelli Andrea A.
Published: December 2015

Background—

Exposure to black carbon (BC), a tracer of vehicular-traffic pollution, is associated with increased blood pressure (BP). Identifying biological factors that attenuate BC effects on BP can inform prevention. We evaluated the role of mitochondrial abundance, an adaptive mechanism compensating for cellular-redox imbalance, in the BC-BP relationship.

Methods and Results—

At ≥1 visits among 675 older men from the Normative Aging Study (observations=1252), we assessed daily BP and ambient BC levels from a stationary monitor. To determine blood mitochondrial abundance, we used whole blood to analyze mitochondrial-to-nuclear DNA ratio (mtDNA/nDNA) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Every standard deviation increase in the 28-day BC moving average was associated with 1.97 mm Hg (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.23–2.72;
P
<0.0001) and 3.46 mm Hg (95% CI, 2.06–4.87;
P
<0.0001) higher diastolic and systolic BP, respectively. Positive BC-BP associations existed throughout all time windows. BC moving averages (5-day to 28-day) were associated with increased mtDNA/nDNA; every standard deviation increase in 28-day BC moving average was associated with 0.12 standard deviation (95% CI, 0.03–0.20;
P
=0.007) higher mtDNA/nDNA. High mtDNA/nDNA significantly attenuated the BC-systolic BP association throughout all time windows. The estimated effect of 28-day BC moving average on systolic BP was 1.95-fold larger for individuals at the lowest mtDNA/nDNA quartile midpoint (4.68 mm Hg; 95% CI, 3.03–6.33;
P
<0.0001), in comparison with the top quartile midpoint (2.40 mm Hg; 95% CI, 0.81–3.99;
P
=0.003).

Conclusions—

In older adults, short-term to moderate-term ambient BC levels were associated with increased BP and blood mitochondrial abundance. Our findings indicate that increased blood mitochondrial abundance is a compensatory response and attenuates the cardiac effects of BC.
Incidence, Time Trends, and Predictors of Intracranial Hemorrhage During Long‐Term Follow‐up After Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Graipe Anna , Binsell‐Gerdin Emil , Söderström Lars , Mooe Thomas
Published: December 2015

Background

To address the lack of knowledge regarding the long‐term risk of intracranial hemorrhage (
ICH
) after acute myocardial infarction (
AMI
), the aims of this study were to: (1) investigate the incidence, time trends, and predictors of
ICH
in a large population within 1 year of discharge after
AMI
; (2) investigate the comparative 1‐year risk of
ICH
in
AMI
patients and a reference group; and (3) study the impact of previous ischemic stroke on
ICH
risk in patients treated with various antithrombotic therapies.

Methods and Results

Data about patients whose first
AMI
occurred between 1998 and 2010 were collected from the Swedish Register of Information and Knowledge about Swedish Heart‐Intensive‐Care Admissions (
RIKS
‐
HIA
). Patients with an
ICH
after discharge were identified in the National Patient Register. Risk was compared against a matched reference population. Of 187 386 patients, 590 had an
ICH
within 1 year. The 1‐year cumulative incidence (0.35%) was approximately twice that of the reference group, and it did not change significantly over time. Advanced age, previous ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, and reduced glomerular filtration rate were associated with increased
ICH
risk, whereas female sex was associated with a decreased risk. Previous ischemic stroke did not increase risk of
ICH
associated with single or dual antiplatelet therapy, but increased risk with anticoagulant therapy.

Conclusion

The 1‐year incidence of
ICH
after
AMI
remained stable, at ≈0.35%, over the study period. Advanced age, decreased renal function, and previous ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke are predictive of increased
ICH
risk.
Heart Retransplant Recipients Have Better Survival With Concurrent Kidney Transplant Than With Heart Retransplant Alone
Authors: Savla Jill , Lin Kimberly Y. , Pradhan Madhura , Ruebner Rebecca L. , Rogers Rachel S. , Haskins Somaly S. , Owens Anjali T. , Abt Peter , Gaynor J. William , Shaddy Robert E. , Rossano Joseph W.
Published: December 2015

Background

Heart retransplant (
HRT
) recipients represent a growing number of transplant patients. The impact of concurrent kidney transplants (
KTs
) in this population has not been well studied. We tested the hypothesis that recipients of HRT with concurrent KT (
HRT
‐
KT
) would have worse survival than recipients of
HRT
alone.

Methods and Results

A retrospective analysis of the United Network of Organ Sharing database was performed for all patients undergoing
HRT
from 1987 to 2011. There were 1660
HRT
patients, of which 116 (7%) received concurrent
KT
. Those who received
HRT
‐
KT
had older age, longer wait‐list time, worse kidney function, and more known diabetes. Survival among recipients of
HRT
‐
KT
was significantly better than that of recipients of
HRT
alone (
P
=0.005). A subgroup of 323
HRT
patients with severe kidney dysfunction (estimated glomerular filtration rate <30 mL/min per 1.73 m
2
or on dialysis) was studied in more detail, and 76 (24%) received concurrent
KT
. Those on dialysis at the time of
HRT
had better survival with versus without concurrent
KT
(
P
<0.0001). On multivariable analysis, concurrent
KT
was independently associated with better outcomes for all patients with
HRT
and for the subgroup of patients with severe kidney dysfunction.

Conclusions

Recipients of
HRT
‐
KT
have better survival than recipients of
HRT
alone. Further research is needed to determine which
HRT
patients may benefit the most from concurrent
KT
.
Correlational Neural Networks
Authors: Chandar Sarath , Khapra Mitesh M. , Larochelle Hugo , Ravindran Balaraman
Published: December 2015

Common representation learning (CRL), wherein different descriptions (or views) of the data are embedded in a common subspace, has been receiving a lot of attention recently. Two popular paradigms here are canonical correlation analysis (CCA)–based approaches and autoencoder (AE)–based approaches. CCA-based approaches learn a joint representation by maximizing correlation of the views when projected to the common subspace. AE-based methods learn a common representation by minimizing the error of reconstructing the two views. Each of these approaches has its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, while CCA-based approaches outperform AE-based approaches for the task of transfer learning, they are not as scalable as the latter. In this work, we propose an AE-based approach, correlational neural network (CorrNet), that explicitly maximizes correlation among the views when projected to the common subspace. Through a series of experiments, we demonstrate that the proposed CorrNet is better than AE and CCA with respect to its ability to learn correlated common representations. We employ CorrNet for several cross-language tasks and show that the representations learned using it perform better than the ones learned using other state-of-the-art approaches.
Muslim Religious Openness and Ilm
Authors: Tekke Mustafa , Watson P. J. , Hisham İsmail Nik A. , Chen Zhuo
Published: December 2015

Religious Reflection Scales yield cross-cultural data suggesting that religious traditions have potentials to integrate intellect with faith. This investigation extended analysis of that possibility to Sunni Muslim university students in Malaysia ( N = 211) and also examined the hypothesis that Islamic commitments to knowledge ( Ilm) promote religious openness. Faith and Intellect Oriented Religious Reflection correlated positively and predicted openness. The Truth of Texts and Teachings factor from the Religious Schema Scales essentially assesses a form of fundamentalism and displayed direct linkages with religious openness as well. Ilm factors from the Ummatic Personality Inventory correlated positively with religious openness and mediated associations of Islamic Religious Reflection with other constructs. Quest as a presumed index of religious openness proved to be incompatible with sincere Muslim commitments. These findings supplemented previous Muslim, Christian, and Hindu data in confirming the potential openness of religious traditions.
Disenchantment or Conflict? Egil Asprem and ‘Science and Religion’ Discourses
Authors: Drees Willem B.
Published: December 2015

In his The Problem of Disenchantment, Egil Asprem offers an interesting view of discourses on science and religion. Despite the dominance of ‘conflicts’ in public perception, the ‘independence’ approach might be more deeply rooted in modern culture. Asprem studies ‘scientific’ movements that oppose disenchantment. In this paper i raise the question of why quantum physics was successful, whereas other revisions of ‘science’ were not. Of the natural theologies discussed, this paper offers some comments on ‘emergence’ and on ‘quantum mysticism’. Asprem presents himself as a methodological naturalist; a position that is in principle open to the study of parapsychology and other ‘spiritual’ claims. He considers theism to be incompatible with such a methodological naturalism, whereas I suggest that an epistemically agnostic theism is also appropriate, combining methodological naturalism and disenchantment.
Non-religious Political Activism: Patterns of Conflict and Mobilisation in the United States and Britain
Authors: Kettell Steven
Published: December 2015

The category of the 'non-religious' has been subject to increasing academic attention in recent years, but questions about the political mobilisation of non-religious actors remain substantially under-researched. This article addresses this issue through a comparative analysis of non-religion in the United States and Britain. Drawing on theoretical insights from Social Movement Theory, it argues that political mobilisation is shaped by varying patterns of conflict between religious and non-religious actors, as well as within and between non-religious groups themselves.
Development of a Fire Weather Index Using Meteorological Observations within the Northeast United States
Authors: Erickson Michael J. , Charney Joseph J. , Colle Brian A.
Published: December 2015

A fire weather index (FWI) is developed using wildfire occurrence data and Automated Surface Observing System weather observations within a subregion of the northeastern United States (NEUS) from 1999 to 2008. Average values of several meteorological variables, including near-surface temperature, relative humidity, dewpoint, wind speed, and cumulative daily precipitation, are compared on observed wildfire days with their climatological average (“climatology”) using a bootstrap resampling approach. Average daily minimum relative humidity is significantly lower than climatology on wildfire occurrence days, and average daily maximum temperature and average daily maximum wind speed are slightly higher on wildfire occurrence days. Using the potentially important weather variables (relative humidity, temperature, and wind speed) as inputs, different formulations of a binomial logistic regression model are tested to assess the potential of these atmospheric variables for diagnosing the probability of wildfire occurrence. The FWI is defined using probabilistic output from the preferred binomial logistic regression configuration. Relative humidity and temperature are the only significant predictors in the binomial logistic regression. The binomial logistic regression model is reliable and has more probabilistic skill than climatology using an independent verification dataset. Using the binomial logistic regression output probabilities, an FWI is developed ranging from 0 (minimum potential) to 3 (high potential) and is verified independently for two separate subdomains within the NEUS. The climatology of the FWI reproduces observed fire occurrence probabilities between 1999 and 2008 over a subdomain of the NEUS.
Atmospheric Moisture Sources, Paths, and the Quantitative Importance to the Eastern Asian Monsoon Region
Authors: Li Lintao , Dolman Albertus J. , Xu Zongxue
Published: December 2015

A Lagrangian model [Flexible Particle dispersion model (FLEXPART)] was used to calculate the back trajectories of air parcels residing over the East Asian monsoon region (EAM) for a 4-yr period (2009–12). To detect the moisture source–sink relationships to the EAM, the moisture budgets [evaporation minus precipitation (E − P)] were evaluated by diagnosing the changes of specific humidity along the trajectories. A circulation constraint method was proposed to define the moisture sources of the EAM, to quantify their importance, to depict the moisture transport processes, and to reveal the fate of the moisture from different sources. The results indicated that in winter the largest airmass inflow is through the dry westerlies, but they do not form net precipitation. The much smaller contribution of the tropical oceans is more relevant to winter precipitation. In summer, the main contribution was through the southwest monsoon, with a mean specific humidity of 9.8 g kg−1 when entering the EAM, providing more than 40% of the moisture to the EAM and making the southwest monsoon the most humid and abundant moisture source of the EAM. Local evaporation plays an important role as a moisture source for the EAM both in summer and winter.
Local rub-impact fault diagnosis of a rotor system based on adaptive local iterative filtering
Authors: An Xueli
Published: December 2015

When rotor rubbing occurs, the vibration signal comprises a periodic signal, a transient impact signal and noise. The main components of the periodic signal are the rotating frequency and harmonics thereof. The transient impact signal includes the rotor fault information. According to the characteristics of the local rub-impact fault in a rotor system, an adaptive local iterative filtering (ALIF) method is applied to fault diagnosis of the rotor local rub-impact. The ALIF method is used to decompose rotor vibration signals and can separate the rub, background and noise signals. The fault features of rotor local rub-impact can be extracted from the rotor vibration signal. A case study showed that the ALIF method can be effectively applied to the fault diagnosis of rotor local rub-impact.
Attachment and depressive symptoms in middle childhood
Authors: Bosmans Guy , Poiana Nicoleta , Van Leeuwen Karla , Dujardin Adinda , De Winter Simon , Finet Chloe , Heylen Joke , Van de Walle Magali
Published: December 2015

The current study investigated whether biological sensitivity to emotional information moderates the link between attachment anxiety/avoidance and depressive symptoms. Sixty children (9–12 years old) completed questionnaires on attachment and depressive symptoms. Skin conductance level (SCL) was measured across three conditions: an emotionally neutral baseline condition, a negative mood induction condition, and a positive mood induction condition. SCL variability (SCLV) was calculated as the intraindividual variation across these conditions expressing the extent to which children are biologically sensitive to positive and negative emotional information. Results showed that SCLV moderated the association between depressive symptoms and attachment anxiety. Attachment anxiety was only linked with depressive symptoms when children showed more SCLV, suggesting that attachment anxiety is only a risk factor for children who are biologically sensitive to respond to emotional information. SCLV did not moderate the association between depressive symptoms and attachment avoidance. Instead, a significant correlation was found between attachment avoidance and SCLV, which replicated previous research and might be caused by more avoidantly attached children’s unsuccessful attempts to suppress emotional reactions.
Process evaluation of the Restore4stroke Self-Management intervention ‘Plan Ahead!’: a stroke-specific self-management intervention
Authors: Tielemans Nienke S , Schepers Vera PM , Visser-Meily Johanna MA , van Haastregt Jolanda CM , van Veen Wendy JM , van Stralen Haike E , van Heugten Caroline M
Published: December 2015

Objective:

To investigate whether the self-management intervention was implemented as intended. Additionally, we studied involvement in and satisfaction with the intervention among patients, their partners and therapists.

Design:

Mixed method, prospective study.

Setting:

Outpatient facilities of hospitals/rehabilitation centres.

Participants:

Stroke patients, their partners and therapists from the experimental arm of the Restore4Stroke Self-Management study.

Intervention:

‘Plan Ahead!’ is a 10-week self-management intervention for stroke patients and partners, consisting of seven two-hour group sessions. Proactive action planning, education and peer support are main elements of this intervention.

Main measures:

Session logs, questionnaires for therapists, patients and their partners, and focus groups.

Data analysis:

Qualitative data were analysed with thematic analysis supplemented by quasi-statistics. Quantitative data were reported as descriptive statistics.

Results:

The study sample consisted of 53 patients and 26 partners taking part in the intervention, and all therapists delivering the intervention ( N = 19). At least three-quarters of the intervention sessions were attended by 33 patients and 24 partners. On a scale from 1 to 10, patients, partners and therapists rated the intervention with mean scores of 7.5 (SD1.6), 7.8 (SD.7) and 7.4 (SD.7), respectively. Peer support was the most frequently appreciated element for participants and therapists. The proactive action planning tool was adequately applied in 76 of the 96 sessions.

Conclusion:

Although the target audience was reached and both participants and therapists were satisfied with the intervention, the proactive action planning tool that distinguishes the current intervention from existing stroke-specific self-management interventions was only partly implemented according to protocol.
Effect on Patient-Reported Outcomes of Debridement or Microfracture of Concomitant Full-Thickness Cartilage Lesions in Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Reconstructed Knees
Authors: Røtterud Jan Harald , Sivertsen Einar Andreas , Forssblad Magnus , Engebretsen Lars , Årøen Asbjørn
Published: December 2015

Background:

The treatment of concomitant cartilage lesions in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)–injured knees is debatable.

Purpose:

To evaluate the effect of debridement or microfracture (MF) compared with no treatment of concomitant full-thickness (International Cartilage Repair Society [ICRS] grades 3-4) cartilage lesions on patient-reported outcomes after ACL reconstruction.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Methods:

Six hundred forty-four patients who underwent primary unilateral ACL reconstruction and had a concomitant full-thickness cartilage lesion treated simultaneously by debridement (n = 129) or MF (n = 164), or underwent no treatment (n = 351) of the cartilage lesion, registered in the Norwegian and Swedish National Knee Ligament Registries from 2005 to 2008 were included. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was used to measure patient-reported outcomes. At a mean follow-up of 2.1 ± 0.2 years after surgery, 357 (55%) patients completed the KOOS. Linear regression analyses were used to evaluate the effect of debridement or MF on the KOOS.

Results:

No significant effects of debridement were detected in the unadjusted or adjusted regression analyses on any of the KOOS subscales at 2-year follow-up. The MF treatment of the cartilage lesions had significant negative effects at 2-year follow-up on the KOOS Sport and Recreation (Sport/Rec) (regression coefficient [β] = −8.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], −15.1 to −1.5) and Knee-Related Quality of Life (QoL) (β = −8.1; 95% CI, −14.1 to −2.1) subscales in the unadjusted analyses. When adjusting for confounders, MF had significant negative effects on the same KOOS subscales of Sport/Rec (β = −8.6; 95% CI, −16.4 to −0.7) and QoL (β = −7.2; 95% CI, −13.6 to −0.8). For the remaining KOOS subscales of Pain, Symptoms, and Activities of Daily Living, there were no significant unadjusted or adjusted effects of MF.

Conclusion:

MF of concomitant full-thickness cartilage lesions showed adverse effects on patient-reported outcomes at 2-year follow-up after ACL reconstruction. Debridement of concomitant full-thickness cartilage lesions showed neither positive nor negative effects on patient-reported outcomes at 2-year follow-up after ACL reconstruction.
“I’m Sure as Hell Not Putting Any Man on a Pedestal”: Male Privilege and Accountability in Domestic and Sexual Violence Work
Authors: Macomber Kris
Published: December 2015

Efforts to involve men as allies in domestic and sexual violence work are expanding, marking a shift for these historically women-led movements. Although this shift is beneficial, it also generates new challenges. From a multi-method qualitative study, this article presents descriptive findings about the internal tensions accompanying the “men as allies” development, namely the gender inequality and male privilege reproduced within movement organizations. I draw on sociological theorizing about men in female-dominated professions to explain the reproduction of gender inequality within movement spaces. I also examine how people are dealing with these tensions by developing a discourse around “men’s accountability.” My findings suggest that, although discourse about accountability has been successfully integrated into the culture of domestic and sexual violence work, there are key challenges that hinder effective accountability practices. I end by offering suggestions for implementing accountability practices at the organizational level. This study contributes important empirical and theoretical insights currently missing from the literature on male allies, which can be used to inform men’s growing involvement in anti-violence work.
Distributed formation flight control of multi-UAV system with nonuniform time-delays and jointly connected topologies
Authors: Xue Ruibin , Song Jianmei , Cai Gaohua
Published: December 2015

This paper aims to investigate formation control problem of multi-UAV system with nonuniform time-delays and jointly-connected topologies. No explicit leader exists in the formation team, and therefore a consensus-based distributed formation control protocol which requires only the local neighbor-to-neighbor information between UAVs is proposed for the system. The stability analysis of the proposed formation control protocol is also performed. The research suggests that when the time-delay, communication topology and control protocol satisfy the stability condition, the formation control protocol will guide the multi-UAV system asymptotically converge to the desired velocity and shape the expected formation team, respectively. Numerical simulations verify the effectiveness of the formation control system.
Climate and tectonic effects on Holocene development of an alpine lake (Muge Co, SE margin of Tibet)
Authors: Hu Zhujun , Anderson N John , Yang Xiangdong , Zhang Enlou , Wang Rong , Jones Richard T
Published: December 2015

South-west China is an important area for determining variability of the SW Asian Monsoon; it is, however, also tectonically very active. Palaeolimnological studies in this region generally focus on climate as a direct driver of ecological change, rarely considering the effects of tectonic activity and catchment ontogeny. We present diatom and organic matter data from a Holocene sediment record from Muge Co, an alpine lake located on an active fault zone in the southeast margin of Tibet, and explore the possible drivers of ecological change. A major change occurred at 9000 cal. BP, when the diatom assemblage switched from benthic to predominantly planktonic forms, and organic matter content decreased rapidly. Comparison of the Holocene diatom record with a regional data set of lake surface sediments using detrended canonical correspondence analysis (DCCA) suggests that this change in diatom development was mainly associated with changing water depth, most likely linked to a seismically triggered landslide (which deepened the lake) rather than climate-driven hydrological change. However, diatom changes associated with principal components analysis (PCA) axis 2 agree well with inferred Holocene temperature changes. From the mid-Holocene, shifts in planktonic diatom species were probably related to indirect climate forcing, notably water column mixing depth and catchment vegetation–driven changes in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nutrient export. The diatom stratigraphy at Muge Co reflects a complex range of indirect climate- and catchment-controlled processes that were superimposed over a change in lake morphology resulting from tectonic activity.
Stasis and Matters of Concern
Authors: DeVasto Danielle , Graham S. Scott , Zamparutti Louise
Published: December 2015

On October 22, 2012, six scientists and one civil servant were convicted of manslaughter for failing to properly warn the people of L’Aquila, Italy, of an impending earthquake that resulted in over 300 deaths and 1,500 injuries. This article investigates a key event leading up to this conviction: An emergency meeting of scientists, civil servants, and politicians to determine whether or not an advanced warning should be issued to the residents of L’Aquila. The following investigation of this emergency meeting uses functional stasis analysis to identify the primary breakdown in deliberation that ultimately led to a message of calm and reassurance immediately prior to the devastating earthquake. The results provide insights into not only the events in L’Aquila but also broader issues of risk, uncertainty, fact, and value in science-policy deliberation.