bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Progression and Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PATH 2.0)
Authors: Gopalappa Chaitra , Farnham Paul G. , Chen Yao-Hsuan , Sansom Stephanie L.
Published: September 2016

Background. HIV transmission is the result of complex dynamics in the risk behaviors, partnership choices, disease stage and position along the HIV care continuum—individual characteristics that themselves can change over time. Capturing these dynamics and simulating transmissions to understand the chief sources of transmission remain important for prevention. Methods. The Progression and Transmission of HIV/AIDS (PATH 2.0) is an agent-based model of a sample of 10,000 people living with HIV (PLWH), who represent all men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexuals living with HIV in the U.S.A. Persons uninfected were modeled as populations, stratified by risk and gender. The model included detailed individual-level data from several large national surveillance databases. The outcomes focused on average annual transmission rates from 2008 through 2011 by disease stage, HIV care continuum, and sexual risk group. Results. The relative risk of transmission of those in the acute phase was nine-times [5th and 95th percentile simulation interval (SI): 7, 12] that of those in the non-acute phase, although, on average, those with acute infections comprised 1% of all PLWH. The relative risk of transmission was 24- to 50-times as high for those in the non-acute phase who had not achieved viral load suppression as compared with those who had. The relative risk of transmission among MSM was 3.2-times [SI: 2.7, 4.0] that of heterosexuals. Men who have sex with men and women generated 46% of sexually acquired transmissions among heterosexuals. Conclusions. The model results support a continued focus on early diagnosis, treatment and adherence to ART, with an emphasis on prevention efforts for MSM, a subgroup of whom appear to play a role in transmission to heterosexuals.
Effectiveness of debris flow mitigation strategies in mountainous regions
Authors: Xiong Muqi , Meng Xingmin , Wang Siyuan , Guo Peng , Li Yajun , Chen Guan , Qing Feng , Cui Zhijie , Zhao Yan
Published: September 2016

Debris flows represent major hazards in most mountainous regions of the world where they repeatedly result in disasters. In order to protect people and infrastructure against future debris flows, many debris flow catchments have been artificially intervened by employing various mitigation measures, including civil engineering works. However, the commonly adapted engineering measures, such as check dams, are not effective for every debris flow catchment, and the failure of such measures even causes more damage, e.g. the Sanyanyu debris flow catchment in Zhouqu, China, killed 1756 people. In order to research the effectiveness of engineering strategies and explore much more effective mitigation works for debris flows in the mountainous regions, we took the Bailong River catchment of Southern Gansu of China as study area, with special emphasis on Sanyanyu debris flow catchment (with civil engineering works) and Goulinping debris flow catchment (without civil engineering works), and comparatively analysed the two catchments. The comparative results show that both catchments have similar material source, geomorphological/environmental and climatic conditions, however, vegetation cover and rock hardness are poorer in Goulinping than in Sanyanyu, the catchment that underwent larger-scale debris flows, suggesting that the mitigation measures had been applied in Sanyanyu catchment were inappropriate. Subsequently, we simulated the effectiveness of controlling debris flow peak discharge with check dams at the lower part of Sanyanyu and Goulinping catchment using the Kanako simulator, and summarised argument based on the hypothesis and facts from positive and negative aspects. We draw the conclusion that it is not reasonable to build check dams in the two catchments and instead, drainage channels should be primarily considered for reducing debris flow hazards in such densely populated areas. Finally, we undertook detailed field investigations and experiments on the native plants in the region, and found that the ecological mitigation measure with planting Robinia Pseudoacacia on the debris flow deposits is an effective method to alleviate debris flow hazards. It is concluded that channel works combined with ecological measures are the preferable approaches to minimize the debris flow damage in debris flow catchments characterised with high mountains, concentrated rainfalls and active neotectonic movement.
Planning for the closure of uncontrolled landfills in Turkey to reduce environmental impacts
Authors: Ergene Şentürk Didar , Alp Emre
Published: September 2016

Landfilling is the most preferred solid waste disposal method in Turkey owing to both economic and technical reasons. However, beside the sanitary landfills there are also hundreds of uncontrolled waste sites located throughout Turkey, which are often left either abandoned or burning. Because there is a lack of legislative guidelines governing the closure and rehabilitation of these dumpsites, the municipalities that are responsible for waste management do not initiate the proactive strategies required for the closure of these sites. In this study, a method based on a multi-criteria analysis is conducted for different dumpsites in Turkey to evaluate the level of negative impacts on the environment. This method is based on the use of environmental indices for a quantitative assessment of the landfills, such as environmental interaction between the source and the receptors, environmental values of the receptors, and operational conditions. It was possible to assess the robustness of the proposed methodology since the pre- and post-groundwater quality monitoring data was available from the study sites that were closed and rehabilitated in 2014. The results of this study show that the method based on a multi-criteria analysis is an effective tool while in the preliminary planning stages of closure and rehabilitation activities of uncontrolled waste landfills.
The Frontal Assessment Battery
Authors: Coen Robert F. , McCarroll Kevin , Casey Miriam , McNulty Helene , Laird Eamon , Molloy Anne M. , Ward M. , Strain J. J. , Hoey Leane , Hughes Catherine , Cunningham Conal J.
Published: September 2016

Background:

The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) is a short battery designed to assess frontal executive functioning, but data for interpretation of performance are limited.

Objectives:

The Trinity, Ulster, Department of Agriculture (TUDA) study provided the opportunity to derive performance data from a large sample of community-dwelling hospital outpatient or general practitioner (GP) attenders.

Methods:

Normative analysis based on 2508 TUDA participants meeting these criteria: Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) >26/30, not depressed (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression <16) or anxious (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale <8), no history of stroke, or transient ischemic attack. Correlation and regression analyses were used to evaluate the effects of age, education, gender, and general cognition (MMSE). Norms for FAB were created stratified by age and education, using overlapping midpoint ranges of 10 years with a 3-year interval from age 60 to 97.

Results:

Age and education accounted for 9.6% of variance in FAB score ( r2 = .096) with no significant effect of gender. The FAB and MMSE were modestly correlated ( r = .29, P < .01) with MMSE increasing the model’s total explained variance in FAB score from 9.6% to 14%.

Conclusion:

This is the largest study to date to create normative data for the FAB. Age and education had the most significant impact on FAB performance, which was largely independent of global cognition (MMSE). These data may be of benefit in interpreting FAB performance in individuals with similar demographic/health status characteristics in hospital outpatient or GP settings.
Preparation and properties of semi-IPN proton exchange membranes based on SPEEK and cross-linked PSt-DVB for direct methanol fuel cells
Authors: Zhao Chunxia , He Da , Yang Qiuxia , Li Yuntao , Yue Jie
Published: September 2016

Sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone)/poly(styrene-divinylbenzene) (SPEEK/PSt-DVB) semi-interpenetrating polymer networks (semi-IPNs) were prepared to be used as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) applications. The morphologies of the membranes were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy. The ion-exchange capacity, water uptake, proton conductivity, methanol permeability, mechanical properties, and the thermal stability were characterized for each of the various semi-IPN membranes and evaluated for DMFC suitability. The semi-IPN SPEEK/PSt-DVB structure provided better dimensional stability, thermal stability, and mechanical integrity than the pristine SPEEK membrane. The methanol diffusion coefficient of the SPEEK/PSt-DVB-30% was reduced approximately by 70% when compared to the value of Nafion-117 at 30°C. The maximum selectivity of the semi-IPN membranes was 9.27 × 104 S s cm−3 for the SPEEK/PSt-DVB-20%, which was nearly 2.1 times higher than that of the Nafion-117 membrane. The improved properties of the SPEEK/PSt-DVB membranes were attributed to the homogeneous semi-IPN structure and to the hydrophobic molecular chains of PSt-DVB.
Multiple imputation by chained equations for systematically and sporadically missing multilevel data
Authors: Resche-Rigon Matthieu , White Ian R
Published: September 2016

In multilevel settings such as individual participant data meta-analysis, a variable is ‘systematically missing’ if it is wholly missing in some clusters and ‘sporadically missing’ if it is partly missing in some clusters. Previously proposed methods to impute incomplete multilevel data handle either systematically or sporadically missing data, but frequently both patterns are observed. We describe a new multiple imputation by chained equations (MICE) algorithm for multilevel data with arbitrary patterns of systematically and sporadically missing variables. The algorithm is described for multilevel normal data but can easily be extended for other variable types. We first propose two methods for imputing a single incomplete variable: an extension of an existing method and a new two-stage method which conveniently allows for heteroscedastic data. We then discuss the difficulties of imputing missing values in several variables in multilevel data using MICE, and show that even the simplest joint multilevel model implies conditional models which involve cluster means and heteroscedasticity. However, a simulation study finds that the proposed methods can be successfully combined in a multilevel MICE procedure, even when cluster means are not included in the imputation models.
Does ignoring clustering in multicenter data influence the performance of prediction models? A simulation study
Authors: Wynants L , Vergouwe Y , Van Huffel S , Timmerman D , Van Calster B
Published: September 2016

Clinical risk prediction models are increasingly being developed and validated on multicenter datasets. In this article, we present a comprehensive framework for the evaluation of the predictive performance of prediction models at the center level and the population level, considering population-averaged predictions, center-specific predictions, and predictions assuming an average random center effect. We demonstrated in a simulation study that calibration slopes do not only deviate from one because of over- or underfitting of patterns in the development dataset, but also as a result of the choice of the model (standard versus mixed effects logistic regression), the type of predictions (marginal versus conditional versus assuming an average random effect), and the level of model validation (center versus population). In particular, when data is heavily clustered (ICC 20%), center-specific predictions offer the best predictive performance at the population level and the center level. We recommend that models should reflect the data structure, while the level of model validation should reflect the research question.
Testing of non-inferiority and superiority for three-arm clinical studies with multiple experimental treatments
Authors: Zhong Junjiang , Wen Miin-Jye , Kwong Koon Shing , Cheung Siu Hung
Published: September 2016

The purpose of a non-inferiority trial is to assert the efficacy of an experimental treatment compared with a reference treatment by showing that the experimental treatment retains a substantial proportion of the efficacy of the reference treatment. Statistical methods have been developed to test multiple experimental treatments in three-arm non-inferiority trials. In this paper, we report the development of procedures that simultaneously test the non-inferiority and the superiority of experimental treatments after the assay sensitivity has been established. The advantage of the proposed test procedures is the additional ability to identify superior treatments while retaining an non-inferiority testing power comparable to that of existing testing procedures. Single-step and stepwise procedures are derived and then compared with each other to determine their relative testing power and testing error in a simulation study. Finally, the suggested procedures are illustrated with two clinical examples.
Process-waste reduction in the construction supply chain using proactive information network
Authors: Moon Sungkon , Han Sangwon , Zekavat Payam R , Bernold Leonhard E , Wang Xiangyu
Published: September 2016

Construction projects require the generation and communication of an ever-larger amount of information. Unfortunately, present project organisations do not foster proactive approaches to preventing costly production waste derived from communication problems. To address this, the effective exchange of information needs to be performed across all different parties, as the construction project commonly includes concurrent progresses along its supply chain. This article proposes a new concept that integrates feed-forward control with the principle of network science. Referred to as supply-chain information network, it aims to comprehend the correlations within a sequenced supply chain network, in order to identify the critical communication links supporting a preventive control. Its effectiveness was verified by applying the model to an actual case: the rebar supply chain from a multi-story building in Sydney, NSW, Australia. The analysis recognised four problematical players in the supply chain: (1) rebar factory linemen, (2) radio crew, (3) senior steel fixers and (4) steel fixers, based on four centrality measurements. Consequently, the experimental data confirm the hypothesis that proactive management of the supply chain will produce drastic improvements, achieving up to 23.3% reduction in waste time during placement. The relevance of this research lies in the operational introduction of network science to the construction supply chain, and its proactive culture resulted in significant improvements of process performance. In addition, the developed communication backbone suggests an actualised test bed of concurrent information exchanges that tried to escape the spatiotemporal limitation in a chained attribute in the construction industry.
A Primer for Preventing Teen Dating Violence? The Representation of Teen Dating Violence in Young Adult Literature and Its Implications for Prevention
Authors: Storer Heather L. , Strohl Katyayani R.
Published: September 2016

Teen dating violence (TDV) is a significant public health issue. Preventing TDV requires attention to risk and protective factors across ecological system levels. The media is one of the primary cultural drivers of societal-level social scripts about the causes of TDV. Framing theory asserts that the media’s portrayal of social issues, including what contextual information is included and/or excluded, affects individual-level attitudes about TDV and potential policy responses. This study investigates the representation of TDV in young adult (YA) literature, a media genre that is marketed to adolescent audiences. Data include all YA novels ( N = 8) that have a primary focus on TDV. Texts were analyzed systematically using thematic content analysis methods. Results indicate that the antecedents of TDV were portrayed as being related to victim personal characteristics such as inexperience in relationships and low self-esteem. Rather than underscoring how societal-level factors contribute to TDV, perpetration was seen as stemming from family dysfunction and mental health issues. These results underscore how the structural determinants of TDV have been overshadowed in the media’s portrayal of TDV, in favor of narrow portrayals of victimization and perpetration. Implications for TDV prevention programs including the importance of media literacy are discussed.
Clinical and Emotional Factors Related to Erectile Dysfunction in HIV-Infected Men
Authors: Fumaz Carmina R. , Ayestaran Aintzane , Perez-Alvarez Nuria , Muñoz-Moreno Jose A. , Ferrer Maria Jose , Negredo Eugenia , Clotet Bonaventura
Published: September 2016

The prevalence and associated factors of erectile dysfunction (ED) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)–infected men remain controversial. The authors evaluated ED, clinical, and emotional variables in a group of 501 HIV-infected men in a cross-sectional 4-month observational study. ED was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function–5 and emotional status using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) questionnaire. Median age (interquartile range) was 42 (35, 48) years. Time since HIV diagnosis was 6.3 (2.6, 17.1) years, 92% were taking antiretroviral treatment and 81.8% had an HIV-RNA viral load <50 copies. The prevalence of ED was 58.5%. ED was mild in 30.1%, mild to moderate in 19.5%, moderate in 6.1%, and severe in 2.5%. ED medications were used by 19% of men. In the univariate analysis, the variables associated with all degrees of ED were older age, longer time since HIV diagnosis, higher scores in HAD, not taking efavirenz, taking etravirine, taking ritonavir, HIV/Hepatitis C Virus coinfection, and taking a protease inhibitor-containing regimen. For mild to moderate, moderate, and severe ED, the same variables were significant, as were lower nadir CD4 cell count, lower social support, taking atazanavir, concomitant conditions, and concomitant treatments. The variables that remained significant in the multivariate analyses, considering all degrees of ED or excluding mild ED were the following: older age and higher scores in HAD total. In summary, ED affected more than half of this cohort of well controlled HIV-infected men. Age and emotional status seemed to play a fundamental role in its presence.
The Impact of Intense Exercise on Semen Quality
Authors: Jóźków Paweł , Rossato Marco
Published: September 2016

With expanding knowledge on the health benefits of exercise, there is an increasing demand for information on the andrological consequences of participating in sports. These consequences are especially important in the context of infertility problems worldwide. The so-called “male factor” is reported in up to 50% of couples having trouble with conception. The answer to the question, “Is physical activity good for male reproductive health?” is not straightforward. A number of studies have suggested that significant changes in semen parameters may occur due to sports training of certain types, intensities, and durations. The changes to these parameters vary in scope, direction, and magnitude. Findings in recreational athletes have also differed from those in professional athletes. This review of the current literature suggests that intense physical activity may affect the semen concentration, as well as the number of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa. Training at higher intensities and with increased loads seems to be associated with more profound changes in semen quality. In recreational athletes, exercise has either a positive or neutral effect on semen parameters. Due to many limitations (e.g., global sperm count trends, concerns about the quality control of sperm evaluations, and new standards for semen analysis), comparisons among historical data and their interpretation are difficult.
Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet generator and voltage stabilizing control technology for vehicles
Authors: Zhang Xueyi , Du Qinjun , Ma Chao , Ma Shilun , Xu Jinbin , Geng Huihui , Tian Guangdong
Published: September 2016

In this study, the tangential magnetic field Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet generator is designed and analyzed. In the generator, the adjacent permanent steel is sequentially arranged on the radial groove by the way of same polarity-oriented manner. The optimal design parameters of the generator are obtained by analyzing the influence rule of the generator leakage magnetic flux and leakage coefficient which is affected by the change in rotor pole pairs, permanent steel thickness, magnetic isolation air width, and air-gap length. The mathematical model of the magnetic field is developed and analyzed using the finite element method. Using the finite element method model, the diagrams of magnetic force line distribution, magnetic flux density modulus value, and magnetic flux density vector are obtained, which can be used to verify the validity of the main design parameters. A three-phase half-wave impulse-type controlled rectifier voltage regulator is developed with the function of regulator and rectifier, which proposes a solution to the output voltage instability of the Nd-Fe-B permanent magnet generator in a wide speed and load range.
Drivers’ hazard perception analysis based on logistic regression and Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test
Authors: Li Haoran , Wu Chaozhong , Chu Duanfeng , Zhong Ming , Li Yaqiu
Published: September 2016

Current researches of hazard perception based on the conventional self-report, video scene, driving simulator experiments, and road studies all have their shortcomings. Accident interrogation record data not only have the benefits of the conventional self-report method (inexpensive and detailed), but also overcome the deficiencies of the self-report (impact of social desirability) to a great degree. In this article, the collision data, especially the accident interrogation record data on freeways in the City of Chongqing, China, are used to analyze the contributing factors to hazard perception, based on logistic regression and Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test. The logistic method is used to study the correlation among these factors on hazard perception. In addition, the Cochran–Mantel–Haenszel test method is applied to factors that are not statistically significantly identified in logistic regression analysis. The results show that factors such as age, years of driving experience, gender, month, vehicle type, road alignment, and road surface have effects on hazard perception. The study results can be used to improve the drivers’ hazard perception abilities on freeways and can also help the highway administrators to formulate the related policies and regulations.
Automatic classification of registered clinical trials towards the Global Burden of Diseases taxonomy of diseases and injuries
Authors: Atal Ignacio , Zeitoun Jean-David , Névéol Aurélie , Ravaud Philippe , Porcher Raphaël , Trinquart Ludovic
Published: September 2016

Background

Clinical trial registries may allow for producing a global mapping of health research. However, health conditions are not described with standardized taxonomies in registries. Previous work analyzed clinical trial registries to improve the retrieval of relevant clinical trials for patients. However, no previous work has classified clinical trials across diseases using a standardized taxonomy allowing a comparison between global health research and global burden across diseases. We developed a knowledge-based classifier of health conditions studied in registered clinical trials towards categories of diseases and injuries from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2010 study.

The classifier relies on the UMLS® knowledge source (Unified Medical Language System®) and on heuristic algorithms for parsing data. It maps trial records to a 28-class grouping of the GBD categories by automatically extracting UMLS concepts from text fields and by projecting concepts between medical terminologies. The classifier allows deriving pathways between the clinical trial record and candidate GBD categories using natural language processing and links between knowledge sources, and selects the relevant GBD classification based on rules of prioritization across the pathways found. We compared automatic and manual classifications for an external test set of 2,763 trials. We automatically classified 109,603 interventional trials registered before February 2014 at WHO ICTRP.

Results

In the external test set, the classifier identified the exact GBD categories for 78 % of the trials. It had very good performance for most of the 28 categories, especially “Neoplasms” (sensitivity 97.4 %, specificity 97.5 %). The sensitivity was moderate for trials not relevant to any GBD category (53 %) and low for trials of injuries (16 %). For the 109,603 trials registered at WHO ICTRP, the classifier did not assign any GBD category to 20.5 % of trials while the most common GBD categories were “Neoplasms” (22.8 %) and “Diabetes” (8.9 %).

Conclusions

We developed and validated a knowledge-based classifier allowing for automatically identifying the diseases studied in registered trials by using the taxonomy from the GBD 2010 study. This tool is freely available to the research community and can be used for large-scale public health studies.
Improved osteogenesis and upregulated immunogenicity in human placenta-derived mesenchymal stem cells primed with osteogenic induction medium
Authors: Fu Xuejie , Yang Huilin , Zhang Hui , Wang Guichao , Liu Ke , Gu Qiaoli , Tao Yunxia , Chen Guangcun , Jiang Xiaohua , Li Gang , Gu Yanzheng , Shi Qin
Published: September 2016

Background

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in cell-based therapy owing to their multilineage potential and low immunogenicity. However, low differentiation efficiency and unpredictable immunogenicity of allogeneic MSCs in vivo limit their success in therapeutic treatment. Herein, we evaluated the differentiation potential and immunogenicity of human placenta-derived MSCs manipulated with osteogenic priming and dedifferentiation process.

Methods

MSCs from human placentas were subjected to osteogenic induction and then cultivated in osteogenic factor-free media; the obtained cell population was termed dedifferentiated mesenchymal stem cells (De-MSCs). De-MSCs were induced into osteo-, chondro- and adipo-differentiation in vitro. Cell proliferation was quantified by a Cell-Counting Kit-8 or tritiated thymidine ([3H]-TdR) incorporation. Meanwhile, the osteogenesis of De-MSCs in vivo was assayed by real-time PCR and histological staining. The expressions of stem cell markers and co-stimulatory molecules on De-MSCs and lymphocytes from primed BALB/c mouse with De-MSCs were determined by flow cytometry.

Results

De-MSCs exhibited some properties similar to MSCs including multiple differentiation potential and hypoimmunogenicity. Upon re-osteogenic induction, De-MSCs exhibited higher differentiation capability than MSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Of note, De-MSCs had upregulated immunogenicity in association with their osteogenesis, reflected by the alternated expressions of co-stimulatory molecules on the surface and decreased suppression on T cell activation. Functionally, De-MSC-derived osteoblasts could prime lymphocytes of peripheral blood and spleen in BALB/c mice in vivo.

Conclusions

These data are of great significance for the potential application of De-MSCs as an alternative resource for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. In order to avoid being rejected by the host during allogeneic De-MSC therapy, we suggest that immune intervention should be considered to boost the immune acceptance and integration because of the upregulated immunogenicity of De-MSCs with redifferentiation in clinical applications.
Detecting and quantifying organic contaminants in sediments with nuclear magnetic resonance
Authors: Fay Emily L. , Knight Rosemary J.
Published: September 2016

We have conducted proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements of relaxation times [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] as well as the diffusion coefficient [Formula: see text] to detect and quantify gasoline, diesel, crude oil, and trichloroethylene (TCE) in sediment samples containing water. The sediment samples were coarse sand, fine sand, and a sand-clay mixture. We found that water, gasoline, diesel, and crude oil all exhibited similar signal amplitudes per unit volume, whereas TCE exhibited one-tenth the signal. The ability to use [Formula: see text] measurements to distinguish the contaminant signal from the water signal depended on the bulk-fluid properties as well as the sediment texture and grain size. In the [Formula: see text] distributions for samples containing equal volumes of contaminant and water, the contaminant signal could be resolved for crude oil in sand and for gasoline and TCE in the sand-clay mixture. Adding the diffusion measurement, using either pulsed or static gradients, made it possible to distinguish diesel and crude oil in all of the samples due to the large differences between the [Formula: see text] of the contaminants and water. From the diffusion measurements, we were able to accurately quantify diesel and crude oil volumes ranging from 1% to 17% of the total sample volume. These methods could be applied in the field using NMR logging tools to quantify and monitor subsurface contamination.
Optimizing near-orthogonal air-gun firing sequences for marine simultaneous source separation
Authors: Mueller Moritz B. , Halliday David F. , van Manen Dirk-Jan , Robertsson Johan O. A.
Published: September 2016

Air-gun arrays can be encoded by firing individual air guns sequentially over a range of time. This marine source encoding is shown to be particularly beneficial for simultaneous source separation, which can exploit the orthogonality of the encoding sequences to improve the source separation. We have developed a method to design encoding sequences for air-gun arrays having minimized crosscorrelation and optimized autocorrelation properties. By varying the firing times of the individual air-gun subelements, different encoding sequences are constructed using a simulated annealing approach so that their orthogonality properties are optimized. These optimized sequences are then used for time-dithered simultaneous source encoding. Realistic synthetic data examples show a significant improvement of simultaneous source separation. We have also determined the robustness of the method for take-off angle variations and possible errors in sequence estimation.
Restricted model domain time Radon transforms
Authors: Sabbione Juan I. , Sacchi Mauricio D.
Published: September 2016

The coefficients that synthesize seismic data via the hyperbolic Radon transform (HRT) are estimated by solving a linear-inverse problem. In the classical HRT, the computational cost of the inverse problem is proportional to the size of the data and the number of Radon coefficients. We have developed a strategy that significantly speeds up the implementation of time-domain HRTs. For this purpose, we have defined a restricted model space of coefficients applying hard thresholding to an initial low-resolution Radon gather. Then, an iterative solver that operated on the restricted model space was used to estimate the group of coefficients that synthesized the data. The method is illustrated with synthetic data and tested with a marine data example.
Vasectomy and Prostate Cancer Incidence and Mortality in a Large US Cohort
Authors: Jacobs Eric J. , Anderson Rebecca L. , Stevens Victoria L. , Newton Christina C. , Gansler Ted , Gapstur Susan M.
Published: September 2016

Purpose

In a recent large prospective study, vasectomy was associated with modestly higher risk of prostate cancer, especially high-grade and lethal prostate cancer. However, evidence from prospective studies remains limited. Therefore, we assessed the associations of vasectomy with prostate cancer incidence and mortality in a large cohort in the United States.

Patients and Methods

We examined the association between vasectomy and prostate cancer mortality among 363,726 men in the Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II) cohort, of whom 7,451 died as a result of prostate cancer during follow-up from 1982 to 2012. We also examined the association between vasectomy and prostate cancer incidence among 66,542 men in the CPS-II Nutrition Cohort, a subgroup of the CPS-II cohort, of whom 9,133 were diagnosed with prostate cancer during follow-up from 1992 to 2011. Cox proportional hazards regression modeling was used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs.

Results

In the CPS-II cohort, vasectomy was not associated with prostate cancer mortality (HR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.10). In the CPS-II Nutrition Cohort, vasectomy was not associated with either overall prostate cancer incidence (HR, 1.02; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.08) or high-grade prostate cancer incidence (HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.78 to 1.07 for cancers with Gleason score ≥ 8).

Conclusion

Results from these large prospective cohorts do not support associations of vasectomy with either prostate cancer incidence or prostate cancer mortality.
Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma With a Somatic KCNJ5 Mutation Revealing APC-Dependent Familial Adenomatous Polyposis
Authors: Vouillarmet Julien , Fernandes-Rosa Fabio , Graeppi-Dulac Julia , Lantelme Pierre , Decaussin-Petrucci Myriam , Thivolet Charles , Peix Jean-Louis , Boulkroun Sheerazed , Clauser Eric , Zennaro Maria-Christina
Published: September 2016

Context:

Recurrent somatic mutations in KCNJ5, CACNA1D, ATP1A1, and ATP2B3 have been identified in aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs). The question as to whether they are responsible for both nodulation and aldosterone production is not solved.

Case Description:

We describe the case of a young patient who was diagnosed with severe arterial hypertension due to primary aldosteronism at age 26 years, followed by hemorrhagic stroke 4 years later. Abdominal computed tomography showed bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia. Identification of lateralized aldosterone secretion led to right adrenalectomy, followed by normalization of biochemical and hormonal parameters and amelioration of blood pressure. The resected adrenal showed three nodules, one of them expressing aldosterone synthase and harboring a somatic KNCJ5 mutation. A Weiss revisited index of 3 of the APA prompted us to perform a second 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography after surgery, which revealed abnormal rectal activity despite the absence of clinical symptoms. Gastrointestinal exploration showed multiple polyps with severe dysplasia, and the diagnosis of familial adenomatous polyposis was established in the presence of a germline heterozygous APC gene mutation. Sequencing of somatic DNA from the APA and a second adrenal nodule revealed biallelic APC inactivation due to loss of heterozygosity in both nodules.

Conclusions:

This case report underlines the need for establishing the frequency of germline APC variants in patients with primary aldosteronism and bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia because their presence may predispose to APA development and severe hypertension well before the first familial adenomatous polyposis symptoms appear. From a mechanistic point of view, it supports a two-hit model for APA development, whereby the first hit drives increased cell proliferation whereas the second hit specifies the pattern of hormonal secretion.
Οι εκθέσεις του Εθνικού Ιστορικού Μουσείου
Authors: Κουμαριανού Αικατερίνη
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Αρχείο φωτογραφιών
Authors: Κουμαριανού Αικατερίνη
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Συνθετικά σώματα περιοδικών
Authors: Δημαράς Κ. Θ.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Το Α΄Διεθνές Συνέδριο Βαλκανικών Σπουδών και Σπουδών Νοτιοανατολικής Ευρώπης (Σόφια, 26 Αυγ. – 1 Σεπτ. 1966)
Authors: Παναγιωτόπουλος Β. Π.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Σωκράτης Β. Κουγέας
Authors: Οικονομίδης Ν.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Εκδόσεις ή ευρετήρια;
Authors: Δημαράς Κ. Θ.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Βιβλιογραφικό σχόλιο
Authors: Πικραμένου Δήμητρα Σκ.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Ioannes Karatzas als Küster der griechischen Kirchengemeinde zu Pest im Jahre 1797
Authors: Füves Ödön
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Κατάλογος των ελληνικών εντύπων της βιβλιοθήκης του ελληνορθόδοξου σερβικού επισκοπάτου Σαιντ - Έντρε της Ουγγαρίας
Authors: Füves Ödön
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Ελληνική Βιβλιογραφία 1800–1863. Προσθήκες
Authors: Leyton–Ζένιου Εύρω
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Το θεατρικό έργο «Σουλιώτες» 1809-1827
Authors: Φενερλή–Παναγιωτοπούλου Αγγελική
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Ελληνική Βιβλιογραφία 1800-1863. Προσθήκες
Authors: Δημαράς Κ. Θ.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Μία ωδή της Ευανθίας Καΐρη στον Εφέσου Διονύσιο τον Καλλιάρχη
Authors: Παναγιωτόπουλος Β. Π.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Βιβλιογραφικά από την διαμάχη Κοραή-Δούκα
Authors: Κουμαριανού Αικατερίνη
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Ο ελληνικός Τύπος (1811-1863). Συμπλήρωμα
Authors: Γκίνης Δημήτριος Σ.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Σπυρίδων Βλαντής (1782-1857)
Authors: Δρούλια Λουκία
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Κώδιξ του Εργαστηρίου Φαρμακογνωσίας του Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών
Authors: Κρητικός Παν. Γ.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Quelques renseignements sur l'activité maçonnique des frères Ypsilanti
Authors: Nicolopoulos J.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Έλληνες χαρτογράφοι του 16ου αι.
Authors: Μακρυμίχαλος Στέφανος Ι.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Η λατινομάθεια του Σολωμού
Authors: Rotolo Vincenzo
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Ελληνική βιβλιογραφία 1800-1863. Προσθήκες
Authors: Σαμπανόπουλος Β.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Το Υπόμνημα του Κ. Παπαρρηγοπούλου (1849) και η απάντηση του Ε. Καστόρχη (Αθησαύριστα κείμενα)
Authors: Δημαράς Κ. Θ.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Η «Πρότασις προς τους νέους τους Ίωνας» (1816)
Authors: Φραγκίσκος Εμμ. Ν.
Published: September 2016

No abstract
Targeted pharmacotherapy after somatic cancer mutation screening
Authors: Polasek Thomas M. , Ambler Karen , Scott Hamish S. , Sorich Michael J. , Kaub Peter A. , Rowland Andrew , Wiese Michael D. , Kichenadasse Ganessan
Published: September 2016

Many patients with solid tumours are treated with targeted pharmacotherapy based on the results of genetic testing (‘precision medicine’). This study investigated the use of targeted drugs after OncoFOCUS™+KIT screening in patients with malignant melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic colorectal cancer, and then audited the results against the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. Patients who were not indicated for targeted pharmacotherapy did not receive such treatment (99%, 100/101). Of the patients indicated for targeted drugs, 79% (33/42) received treatment according to NCCN guidelines. In 48% (20/42) of these patients the results from OncoFOCUS™+KIT screening were required for targeted drug selection, with the remaining 52% (22/42) prescribed drugs independent of the screening results for various reasons. This study highlights the growing importance of precision medicine approaches in directing pharmacotherapy in medical oncology.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae single-copy plasmids for auxotrophy compensation, multiple marker selection, and for designing metabolically cooperating communities
Authors: Mülleder Michael , Campbell Kate , Matsarskaia Olga , Eckerstorfer Florian , Ralser Markus
Published: September 2016

Auxotrophic markers are useful tools in cloning and genome editing, enable a large spectrum of genetic techniques, as well as facilitate the study of metabolite exchange interactions in microbial communities. If unused background auxotrophies are left uncomplemented however, yeast cells need to be grown in nutrient supplemented or rich growth media compositions, which precludes the analysis of biosynthetic metabolism, and which leads to a profound impact on physiology and gene expression. Here we present a series of 23 centromeric plasmids designed to restore prototrophy in typicalSaccharomyces cerevisiaelaboratory strains. The 23 single-copy plasmids complement for deficiencies inHIS3, LEU2, URA3, MET17 or LYS2genes and in their combinations, to match the auxotrophic background of the popular functional-genomic yeast libraries that are based on the S288c strain. The plasmids are further suitable for designing self-establishing metabolically cooperating (SeMeCo) communities, and possess a uniform multiple cloning site to exploit multiple parallel selection markers in protein expression experiments.
biojs-io-biom, a BioJS component for handling data in Biological Observation Matrix (BIOM) format
Authors: Ankenbrand Markus J. , Terhoeven Niklas , Hohlfeld Sonja , Förster Frank , Keller Alexander
Published: September 2016

The Biological Observation Matrix (BIOM) format is widely used to store data from high-throughput studies. It aims at increasing interoperability of bioinformatic tools that process this data. However, due to multiple versions and implementation details, working with this format can be tricky. Currently, libraries in Python, R and Perl are available, whilst such for JavaScript are lacking. Here, we present a BioJS component for parsing BIOM data in all format versions. It supports import, modification, and export via a unified interface. This module aims to facilitate the development of web applications that use BIOM data. Finally, we demonstrate it's usefulness by two applications that already use this component. Availability: https://github.com/molbiodiv/biojs-io-biom, https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.61698
Items of jewelry art of pre- Mongolian Russia in the collections of Russian museums
Authors: Макаренко Зоя , Makarenko Zoya , Жилкова Юлия , Zhilkova Yuliya , Бережная Марина , Berezhnaya Marina
Published: September 2016

The article deals with the question of exhibiting of jewelry art items of pre-Mongolian Russia in Russian museums. Public and private museums that were opening in the Russian Empire contributed to preservation of the cultural heritage of the country. When they were emerging, many private collectors donated part or all of their collections to state. This was especially promoted by opening of the Historical Museum in 1883 for the general public. Exhibits of public museum were replenished by the collections of Uvarovs, Kropotkins, Shcherbatovs, Golitsyns. The fate of collection of the outstanding collector M. Botkin is noteworthy.

Masterpieces of jewelry art of ancient Russia may be exhibited in only a few museums in the country, including two sites in the Moscow Kremlin, which show such kind of items. Collection "Russian gold and silverware of beginning of XII-XVII centuries" is located in the exposition hall 1 of Armory Chamber. The glass case 2 presents gold and silver items, made by goldsmiths of Kiev, Chernigov, Ryazan, Suzdal, Novgorod.

Museum affair after the October Revolution in the country was significantly reformed. Museums and collections of the palaces were declared as the national property. For registration, accounting and secure of all artistic and cultural treasures, the artistic and historical commissions and the State Museum Fund were created. Majority private collections were nationalized.

Russian Museum, located in the Mikhailovsky Palace in Sankt Petersburg has one of the largest collections of pre-Mongolian Russian treasures and individual items of jewelry art of X-XIII centuries.

Thousands of works of jewelry art of ancient Russia are collected in the expositions and funds of Russian museums. Today collections of not only central but also local museums are multiplied, facilities and exhibitions are quality improving.
Computing Near-Optimal Stable Cost Allocations for Cooperative Games by Lagrangian Relaxation
Authors: Liu Lindong , Qi Xiangtong , Xu Zhou
Published: September 2016

For a cost-sharing cooperative game with an empty core, we study the problem of calculating a near-optimal cost allocation that satisfies coalitional stability constraints and maximizes the total cost allocated to all players. One application of such a problem is finding the minimum level of subsidy required to stabilize the grand coalition. To obtain solutions, we propose a new generic framework based on Lagrangian relaxation, which has several advantages over existing work that exclusively relies on linear programming (LP) relaxation techniques. Our approach can generate better cost allocations than LP-based algorithms, and is also applicable to a broader range of problems. To illustrate the efficiency and performance of the Lagrangian relaxation framework, we investigate two different facility location games. The results demonstrate that our new approach can find better cost allocations than the LP-based algorithm, or provide alternative optimal cost allocations for cases that the LP-based algorithm can also solve to optimality.
An Exact Algorithm for the Two-Dimensional Stage-Unrestricted Guillotine Cutting/Packing Decision Problem
Authors: Fleszar Krzysztof
Published: September 2016

We propose a new exact algorithm for the two-dimensional stage-unrestricted guillotine cutting/packing decision problem, which asks if a set of rectangular items can be cut from a single stock rectangle using guillotine cuts only, with fixed item orientation or with 90-degree item rotation. Our algorithm constructs patterns of items by means of horizontal and vertical builds. To speed up the algorithm and reduce its memory requirement, patterns are constructed in the order of nondecreasing waste, the patterns that use the same subset of items are grouped together, and dominated patterns in each group are discarded. Moreover, a heuristic capable of completing a partial pattern is repeatedly used during the algorithm to quickly determine a feasible solution. Furthermore, the algorithm tries to prove infeasibility with a subset of items before considering all items. We test our algorithm on benchmark instances for the two-dimensional guillotine strip-cutting problem, which we solve by varying the strip height and testing with our algorithm whether a feasible solution exists. We show that our approach outperforms all previously proposed algorithms for the problem with fixed item orientation. Computational experiments for the problem with item rotation are also reported.
Latest developments
Authors: Leitch Neil , Reitemeier Bob
Published: September 2016

Send your letters, news stories or latest developments to: The Editor, Child Care, St Jude's Church, Dulwich Road, Herne Hill, London, SE24 0PB email: childcare@markallengroup.com
Providing advice to travellers with diabetes
Authors: Phillips Anne , Carling Janet
Published: September 2016

The number of people travelling with diabetes has increased in recent years. Anne Phillips and Janet Carling highlight the importance of pre-travel advice to reduce the risk of problems occuring for travellers

It is important for people with diabetes who plan to travel to receive appropriate advice to make the trip as safe as possible. The information the person with diabetes receives should be individualised and tailored to their particular needs. It is critical for the the individual to achieve good blood glucose control before travelling to avoid the risk of complications while abroad, and they should also receive the country-specific travel advice for vaccinations that other travellers would receive. Diabetes does not prevent travel, but requires careful planning by both the health professional and the traveller.
Teaching A level mathematics
Authors: Anderson Michael
Published: September 2016

If you're new to the chalkface, the challenge of teaching A level maths can be a tough one. Michael Anderson offers a few pointers and looks at the changing curriculum requirements