bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design of an optimal preview controller for linear time-varying discrete systems in a multirate setting
Authors: Liao Fucheng , Guo Yujian , Tang Yuan Yan
Published: November 2015

This paper is concerned with preview control problems for linear time-varying discrete systems in a multirate setting. First, by using the discrete lifting technique, the multirate time-varying discrete system is converted to a formal single-rate system. Then, by applying the standard linear quadratic (LQ) preview control method, we construct the expanded error system, and the optimal preview control model of the common time-varying discrete system is obtained. The optimal control input of the expanded error system is obtained by using the outcome of optimal control theory on time-varying systems. The controller with preview action is obtained when we transfer our conclusion into the original system. Finally, a numerical example is included to illustrate the validity of the proposed method.
Tectonic setting of Georgia–Eastern Black Sea: a review
Authors: Adamia S. A. , Chkhotua T. G. , Gavtadze T. T. , Lebanidze Z. A. , Lursmanashvili N. D. , Sadradze N. G. , Zakaraia D. P. , Zakariadze G. S.
Published: November 2015

During the Palaeozoic–Early Cenozoic, Georgia and adjacent areas represented part of the Tethys ocean and its northern margin. At the pre-collisional stage, systems of island-arc and back-arc structures can be distinguished along the southern margin of the East European continent and the oceanic basin. Several events of supra-subduction magmatic activity and obduction of oceanic crust fragments took place during the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Early Cenozoic. New results obtained through the International Research Group and DARIUS projects can be used to build a base for more precise tectonic zoning of the southern Caucasus and adjacent areas, the correlation of these zones and better substantiated Mesozoic–Early Cenozoic palaeotectonic reconstructions of the region. The final closure of the oceanic and back-arc basins and the formation of the present day structure of Georgia and adjacent countries occurred in the Late Cenozoic. The collision between the Africa–Arabian and Eurasian plates caused inversion of the relief and, in place of the intra-arc and back-arc basins, the mountain fold–thrust belts of the Great and Lesser Caucasus were formed with the Transcaucasian intermontane depression between them. The marine basins of Georgia were replaced by euxinic basins and, later, by continental basins with subaerial sedimentation and volcanism.
ARC 2014
Authors: Scicluna Neil , Bouganis Christos-Savvas
Published: November 2015

Clustering large numbers of data points is a very computationally demanding task that often needs to be accelerated in order to be useful in practical applications. This work focuses on the Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm, which is one of the state-of-the-art clustering algorithms, and targets its acceleration using an FPGA device. The article presents an optimized, scalable, and parameterizable architecture that takes advantage of the internal memory structure of modern FPGAs in order to deliver a high-performance clustering system. Post-synthesis simulation results show that the developed system can obtain mean speedups of 31× in real-world tests and 202× in synthetic tests when compared to state-of-the-art software counterparts running on a quad-core 3.4GHz Intel i7-2600k. Additionally, this implementation is also capable of clustering data with any number of dimensions without impacting the performance.
Phasor Imaging
Authors: Gupta Mohit , Nayar Shree K. , Hullin Matthias B. , Martin Jaime
Published: November 2015

In
correlation-based time-of-flight
(C-ToF) imaging systems, light sources with temporally varying intensities illuminate the scene. Due to global illumination, the temporally varying radiance received at the sensor is a combination of light received along multiple paths. Recovering scene properties (e.g., scene depths) from the received radiance requires separating these contributions, which is challenging due to the complexity of global illumination and the additional temporal dimension of the radiance.

We propose phasor imaging, a framework for performing fast inverse light transport analysis using C-ToF sensors. Phasor imaging is based on the idea that, by representing light transport quantities as phasors and light transport events as phasor transformations, light transport analysis can be simplified in the temporal frequency domain. We study the effect of temporal illumination frequencies on light transport and show that, for a broad range of scenes, global radiance (inter-reflections and volumetric scattering) vanishes for frequencies higher than a scene-dependent threshold. We use this observation for developing two novel scene recovery techniques. First, we present micro-ToF imaging, a ToF-based shape recovery technique that is robust to errors due to inter-reflections (multipath interference) and volumetric scattering. Second, we present a technique for separating the direct and global components of radiance. Both techniques require capturing as few as 3--4 images and minimal computations. We demonstrate the validity of the presented techniques via simulations and experiments performed with our hardware prototype.
Sketching Folds
Authors: Jung Amaury , Hahmann Stefanie , Rohmer Damien , Begault Antoine , Boissieux Laurence , Cani Marie-Paule
Published: November 2015

We present the first sketch-based modeling method for developable surfaces with pre-designed folds, such as garments or leather products. The main challenge we address for building folded surfaces from sketches is that silhouette strokes on the sketch correspond to discontinuous sets of non-planar curves on the 3D model. We introduce a new zippering algorithm for progressively identifying silhouette edges on the model and tying them to silhouette strokes. Our solution ensures that the strokes are fully covered and optimally sampled by the model. This new method, interleaved with developability optimization steps, is implemented in a multiview sketching system where the user can sketch the contours of internal folds in addition to the usual silhouettes, borders, and seam lines. All strokes are interpreted as hard constraints, while developability is only optimized. The developability error map we provide then enables users to add local seams or darts where needed and progressively improve their design. This makes our method robust, even to coarse input for which no fully developable solution exists.
Continuum Foam
Authors: Yue Yonghao , Smith Breannan , Batty Christopher , Zheng Changxi , Grinspun Eitan
Published: November 2015

We consider the simulation of dense foams composed of microscopic bubbles, such as shaving cream and whipped cream. We represent foam not as a collection of discrete bubbles, but instead as a continuum. We employ thematerial point method(MPM) to discretize a hyperelastic constitutive relation augmented with the Herschel-Bulkley model of non-Newtonian viscoplastic flow, which is known to closely approximate foam behavior. Since large shearing flows in foam can produce poor distributions of material points, a typical MPM implementation can produce non-physical internal holes in the continuum. To address these artifacts, we introduce a particle resampling method for MPM. In addition, we introduce an explicit tearing model to prevent regions from shearing into artificially thin, honey-like threads. We evaluate our method's efficacy by simulating a number of dense foams, and we validate our method by comparing to real-world footage of foam.
SemanticPaint
Authors: Valentin Julien , Vineet Vibhav , Cheng Ming-Ming , Kim David , Shotton Jamie , Kohli Pushmeet , Nießner Matthias , Criminisi Antonio , Izadi Shahram , Torr Philip
Published: November 2015

We present a new interactive and online approach to 3D scene understanding. Our system,
SemanticPaint
, allows users to simultaneously scan their environment whilst interactively segmenting the scene simply by reaching out and touching any desired object or surface. Our system continuously learns from these segmentations, and labels new unseen parts of the environment. Unlike offline systems where capture, labeling, and batch learning often take hours or even days to perform, our approach is fully online. This provides users with continuous live feedback of the recognition during capture, allowing to immediately correct errors in the segmentation and/or learning—a feature that has so far been unavailable to batch and offline methods. This leads to models that are tailored or
personalized
specifically to the user's environments and object classes of interest, opening up the potential for new applications in augmented reality, interior design, and human/robot navigation. It also provides the ability to capture substantial labeled 3D datasets for training large-scale visual recognition systems.
Approximate Translational Building Blocks for Image Decomposition and Synthesis
Authors: Li Chuan , Wand Michael
Published: November 2015

We introduce approximate translational building blocks for unsupervised image decomposition. Such building blocks are frequently appearing copies of image patches that are mapped coherently under translations.

We exploit the coherency assumption to find approximate building blocks in noisy and ambiguous image data, using a spectral embedding of re-occurrence patterns. We quantitatively evaluate our method on a large benchmark dataset and obtain clear improvements over state-of-the-art methods. We apply our method to texture synthesis by integrating building block constraints and their offset statistics into a conventional Markov random field model. A user study shows improved retargeting results even if the images are only partially described by a few classes of building blocks.
Online Structure Analysis for Real-Time Indoor Scene Reconstruction
Authors: Zhang Yizhong , Xu Weiwei , Tong Yiying , Zhou Kun
Published: November 2015

We propose a real-time approach for indoor scene reconstruction. It is capable of producing a ready-to-use 3D geometric model even while the user is still scanning the environment with a consumer depth camera. Our approach features explicit representations of planar regions and nonplanar objects extracted from the noisy feed of the depth camera, via an online structure analysis on the dynamic, incomplete data. The structural information is incorporated into the volumetric representation of the scene, resulting in a seamless integration with KinectFusion's global data structure and an efficient implementation of the whole reconstruction process. Moreover, heuristics based on rectilinear shapes in typical indoor scenes effectively eliminate camera tracking drift and further improve reconstruction accuracy. The instantaneous feedback enabled by our on-the-fly structure analysis, including repeated object recognition, allows the user to selectively scan the scene and produce high-fidelity large-scale models efficiently. We demonstrate the capability of our system with real-life examples.
"Implicit search feature based approach to assist users in exploratory search tasks" by Chathra Hendahewa, with Prateek Jainas as coordinator
Authors: Hendahewa Chathra
Published: November 2015

Chathra Hendahewa is a Ph.D. candidate in Department of Computer Science at Rutgers University in New Jersey, currently finishing up her dissertation (Expected Graduation Date: Jan 2016) under the guidance of Prof. Chirag Shah. Her major research interests lie in user search behavior analysis, data mining/machine learning for user interaction analysis and time series analysis. She has published and presented her research work at reputable conferences such as SIGIR, WSDM and ICMLA and also co-authored multiple journal papers published in ACM TOIS, IP&M and JASIST.

She holds a Master of Science in Computer Science from Rutgers University, USA (Jan 2013). Before joining Rutgers, she received her Bachelors in Information Technology from University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka (Jan 2007), where she was awarded the best information technology graduate award. Chathra was a recipient of the International Fulbright Science and Technology Award (2008-2011) to pursue her doctoral studies. For more information see: http://paul.rutgers.edu/~chathrah/
Upcoming SIGWEB supported conferences
Authors: Samuel Hamman
Published: November 2015

The Special Interest Group on Hypertext and the Web, SIGWEB was created in 1989 to support the community participating in the annual ACM Hypertext Conference. Now in its third decade, SIGWEB has grown considerably and now sponsors five annual conferences of different sizes and covering a wide range of topics. SIGWEB supports several specialized conferences, short courses, and workshops, as well as the Annual Hypertext Conference. SIGWEB sponsored conferences focus on timely topics in applied and computational hypertext and Web disciplines and provide a place for members and the entire applied Hypermedia and Web community to exchange ideas and to meet with and expand their network of colleagues. In this article, we provide a brief overview of SIGWEB sponsored conferences, in addition to events that are in cooperation with SIGWEB.
Renal denervation attenuates NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidative stress and hypertension in rats with hydronephrosis
Authors: Peleli Maria , Al-Mashhadi Ammar , Yang Ting , Larsson Erik , Wåhlin Nils , Jensen Boye L. , G. Persson A. Erik , Carlström Mattias
Published: November 2015

Hydronephrosis is associated with the development of salt-sensitive hypertension. Studies have suggested that increased sympathetic nerve activity and oxidative stress play important roles in hypertension and the modulation of salt sensitivity. The present study primarily aimed to examine the role of renal sympathetic nerve activity in the development of hypertension in rats with hydronephrosis. In addition, we aimed to investigate if NADPH oxidase (NOX) function could be affected by renal denervation. Partial unilateral ureteral obstruction (PUUO) was created in 3-wk-old rats to induce hydronephrosis. Sham surgery or renal denervation was performed at the same time. Blood pressure was measured during normal, high-, and low-salt diets. The renal excretion pattern, NOX activity, and expression as well as components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system were characterized after treatment with the normal salt diet. On the normal salt diet, rats in the PUUO group had elevated blood pressure compared with control rats (115 ± 3 vs. 87 ± 1 mmHg, P < 0.05) and displayed increased urine production and lower urine osmolality. The blood pressure change in response to salt loading (salt sensitivity) was more pronounced in the PUUO group compared with the control group (15 ± 2 vs. 5 ± 1 mmHg, P < 0.05). Renal denervation in PUUO rats attenuated both hypertension (97 ± 3 mmHg) and salt sensitivity (5 ± 1 mmHg, P < 0.05) and normalized the renal excretion pattern, whereas the degree of renal fibrosis and inflammation was not changed. NOX activity and expression as well as renin and ANG II type 1A receptor expression were increased in the renal cortex from PUUO rats and normalized by denervation. Plasma Na+and K+levels were elevated in PUUO rats and normalized after renal denervation. Finally, denervation in PUUO rats was also associated with reduced NOX expression, superoxide production, and fibrosis in the heart. In conclusion, renal denervation attenuates hypertension and restores the renal excretion pattern, which is associated with reduced renal NOX and components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. This study emphasizes a link between renal nerves, the development of hypertension, and modulation of NOX function.
Sulfate and thiosulfate inhibit oxalate transport via a dPrestin (Slc26a6)-dependent mechanism in an insect model of calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis
Authors: Landry Greg M. , Hirata Taku , Anderson Jacob B. , Cabrero Pablo , Gallo Christopher J. R. , Dow Julian A. T. , Romero Michael F.
Published: November 2015

Nephrolithiasis is one of the most common urinary tract disorders, with the majority of kidney stones composed of calcium oxalate (CaOx). Given its prevalence (US occurrence 10%), it is still poorly understood, lacking progress in identifying new therapies because of its complex etiology. Drosophila melanogaster (fruitfly) is a recently developed model of CaOx nephrolithiasis. Effects of sulfate and thiosulfate on crystal formation were investigated using the Drosophila model, as well as electrophysiological effects on both Drosophila (Slc26a5/6; dPrestin) and mouse (mSlc26a6) oxalate transporters utilizing the Xenopus laevis oocyte heterologous expression system. Results indicate that both transport thiosulfate with a much higher affinity than sulfate Additionally, both compounds were effective at decreasing CaOx crystallization when added to the diet. However, these results were not observed when compounds were applied to Malpighian tubules ex vivo. Neither compound affected CaOx crystallization in dPrestin knockdown animals, indicating a role for principal cell-specific dPrestin in luminal oxalate transport. Furthermore, thiosulfate has a higher affinity for dPrestin and mSlc26a6 compared with oxalate These data indicate that thiosulfate's ability to act as a competitive inhibitor of oxalate via dPrestin, can explain the decrease in CaOx crystallization seen in the presence of thiosulfate, but not sulfate. Overall, our findings predict that thiosulfate or oxalate-mimics may be effective as therapeutic competitive inhibitors of CaOx crystallization.
Measuring the human ventilatory and cerebral blood flow response to CO2: a technical consideration for the end-tidal-to-arterial gas gradient
Authors: Tymko Michael M. , Hoiland Ryan L. , Kuca Tomas , Boulet Lindsey M. , Tremblay Joshua C. , Pinske Bryenna K. , Williams Alexandra M. , Foster Glen E.
Published: November 2015

Our aim was to quantify the end-tidal-to-arterial gas gradients for O2 (PET-PaO2) and CO2 (Pa-PETCO2) during a CO2 reactivity test to determine their influence on the cerebrovascular (CVR) and ventilatory (HCVR) response in subjects with (PFO+, n = 8) and without (PFO−, n = 7) a patent foramen ovale (PFO). We hypothesized that 1) the Pa-PETCO2 would be greater in hypoxia compared with normoxia, 2) the Pa-PETCO2 would be similar, whereas the PET-PaO2 gradient would be greater in those with a PFO, 3) the HCVR and CVR would be underestimated when plotted against PETCO2 compared with PaCO2, and 4) previously derived prediction algorithms will accurately target PaCO2. PETCO2 was controlled by dynamic end-tidal forcing in steady-state steps of −8, −4, 0, +4, and +8 mmHg from baseline in normoxia and hypoxia. Minute ventilation (V̇E), internal carotid artery blood flow (Q̇ICA), middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAv), and temperature corrected end-tidal and arterial blood gases were measured throughout experimentation. HCVR and CVR were calculated using linear regression analysis by indexing V̇E and relative changes in Q̇ICA, and MCAv against PETCO2, predicted PaCO2, and measured PaCO2. The Pa-PETCO2 was similar between hypoxia and normoxia and PFO+ and PFO−. The PET-PaO2 was greater in PFO+ by 2.1 mmHg during normoxia ( P = 0.003). HCVR and CVR plotted against PETCO2 underestimated HCVR and CVR indexed against PaCO2 in normoxia and hypoxia. Our PaCO2 prediction equation modestly improved estimates of HCVR and CVR. In summary, care must be taken when indexing reactivity measures to PETCO2 compared with PaCO2.
Association between resting-state brain functional connectivity and muscle sympathetic burst incidence
Authors: Taylor Keri S. , Kucyi Aaron , Millar Philip J. , Murai Hisayoshi , Kimmerly Derek S. , Morris Beverley L. , Bradley T. Douglas , Floras John S.
Published: November 2015

The insula (IC) and cingulate are key components of the central autonomic network and central nodes of the salience network (SN), a set of spatially distinct but temporally correlated brain regions identified with resting-state (task free) functional MRI (rsMRI). To examine the SN's involvement in sympathetic outflow, we tested the hypothesis that individual differences in intrinsic connectivity of the SN correlate positively with resting postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) burst incidence (BI) in subjects without and with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Overnight polysomnography, 5-min rsMRI, and fibular MSNA recording were performed in 36 subjects (mean age 57 yr; 10 women, 26 men). Independent component analysis (ICA) of the entire cohort identified the SN as including bilateral IC, pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC), midcingulate cortex (MCC), and the temporoparietal junction (TPJ). There was a positive correlation between BI and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ( P < 0.001), but dual-regression analysis identified no differences in SN functional connectivity between subjects with no or mild OSA ( n = 17) and moderate or severe ( n = 19) OSA. Correlation analysis relating BI to the strength of connectivity within the SN revealed large (i.e., spatial extent) and strong correlations for the left IC ( P < 0.001), right pgACC/MCC ( P < 0.006), left TPJ ( P < 0.004), thalamus ( P < 0.035), and cerebellum ( P < 0.013). Indexes of sleep apnea were unrelated to BI and the strength of SN connectivity. There were no relationships between BI and default or sensorimotor network connectivity. This study links connectivity within the SN to MSNA, demonstrating several of its nodes to be key sympathoexcitatory regions.
Impact of Drought, Heat, and Their Combination on Chlorophyll Fluorescence and Yield of Wild Barley (Hordeum spontaneum)
Authors: Jedmowski Christoph , Ashoub Ahmed , Momtaz Osama , Brüggemann Wolfgang
Published: November 2015

The impact of (long-term) drought acclimation and (short-term) heat stress and their combination on fast chlorophyll fluorescence induction curves (OJIP) and grain yield was tested using pot-grown plants of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) originating from Northern Egypt. Concerning agronomic traits, the main effect of drought was decreased biomass accumulation and grain yield, while heat specifically affected floral development. The treatments caused specific inhibitions of photosystem II (PSII) functionality. While heat stressed plants showed a reduction of maximum quantum efficiency of PSII (φP0), an indication of effects on oxygen evolving complex (OEC) functionality, and the connectivity of PSII units, these features were entirely missing in drought acclimated plants. Drought caused a reduction of the Performance Index (PIabs) and of the relative amplitude of the IP-phase of the OJIP induction curve (ΔVIP). Individuals suffering from a combination of drought and heat showed a better ability to recover photosynthetic electron transport after the relief of stress in comparison to heat stressed plants. However, this improved capacity to recover was not accompanied by an increased grain yield. Thus, we conclude that chlorophyll fluorescence measurements provide valuable physiological data; however, their use in agronomic studies for the prediction of agronomic traits should be done with some precaution.
Product Reliability Oriented Design Scheme of Control Chart Based on the Convergent CEV for Censored Characteristics
Authors: He Yihai , Wang Linbo , He Zhenzhen , Wei Yi
Published: November 2015

Since the censored characteristics are unmonitored effectively in the manufacturing process, the produced product tends to have an unexpected high infant failure rate. Thus, this paper analyzes the associated relationship between product reliability and censored quality characteristics in manufacturing process firstly, and the dynamic and universal control demands for censored characteristics are presented. In view that traditional CEV-based control charts are usually confined to some specific types when dealing with censored characteristics, which greatly restrict the wide application of censored control charts in the high-quality manufacturing process, the convergent CEV technique based on the principle of asymptotic reduction is proposed to be better applied in the analysis of censored characteristics. And novel design procedures and simple but practical performance indicator in the form of the most dangerous alarm distance for censored characteristics of Weibull distribution are put forward. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is verified by a case study of monitoring a censored characteristic relative to lifetime of some aeronautical bearings, and the result proves that the sensitivity of the proposed control chart increased 79.96% compared to traditional CEV chart and is proved to be applicable to monitoring mixed censored characteristics affecting product reliability in manufacturing process.
Antibacterial Effects of Cissus welwitschii and Triumfetta welwitschii Extracts against Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus
Authors: Moyo Batanai , Mukanganyama Stanley
Published: November 2015

Antibiotic resistance has increased sharply, while the pace for the development of new antimicrobials has slowed down. Plants provide an alternative source for new drugs. This study aimed to screen extracts from Cissus welwitschii and Triumfetta welwitschii for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus. The tests conducted included a susceptibility determination test, analysis of the effect of T. welwitschii on cell wall integrity, and transport across the membrane. It was found that the T. welwitschii methanol extracts were more effective than the water extracts and had the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration at 0.125 mg/mL and 0.5 mg/mL, respectively, against E. coli and B. cereus. The C. welwitschii extract caused the most drug accumulation in E. coli. In B. cereus, no significant drug accumulation was observed. Nucleic acid leakage in B. cereus and E. coli and protein leakage in E. coli were observed after exposure to the T. welwitschii extract. The extracts from T. welwitschii had greater antibacterial activity than the extracts from C. welwitschii. T. welwitschii may be a potential source of lead compounds for that could be developed into antibacterial agents.
Geometry Dynamics ofα-Helices in Different Class I Major Histocompatibility Complexes
Authors: Ribarics Reiner , Kenn Michael , Karch Rudolf , Ilieva Nevena , Schreiner Wolfgang
Published: November 2015

MHCα-helices form the antigen-binding cleft and are of particular interest for immunological reactions. To monitor these helices in molecular dynamics simulations, we applied a parsimonious fragment-fitting method to trace the axes of theα-helices. Each resulting axis was fitted by polynomials in a least-squares sense and the curvature integral was computed. To find the appropriate polynomial degree, the method was tested on two artificially modelled helices, one performing a bending movement and another a hinge movement. We found that second-order polynomials retrieve predefined parameters of helical motion with minimal relative error. From MD simulations we selected those parts ofα-helices that were stable and also close to the TCR/MHC interface. We monitored the curvature integral, generated a ruled surface between the two MHCα-helices, and computed interhelical area and surface torsion, as they changed over time. We found that MHCα-helices undergo rapid but small changes in conformation. The curvature integral of helices proved to be a sensitive measure, which was closely related to changes in shape over time as confirmed by RMSD analysis. We speculate that small changes in the conformation of individual MHCα-helices are part of the intrinsic dynamics induced by engagement with the TCR.
Resveratrol, Acetyl-Resveratrol, and Polydatin Exhibit Antigrowth Activity against 3D Cell Aggregates of the SKOV-3 and OVCAR-8 Ovarian Cancer Cell Lines
Authors: Hogg Simon J. , Chitcholtan Kenny , Hassan Wafaa , Sykes Peter H. , Garrill Ashley
Published: November 2015

Resveratrol has aroused significant scientific interest as it has been claimed that it exhibits a spectrum of health benefits. These include effects as an anti-inflammatory and an antitumour compound. The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare any potential antigrowth effects of resveratrol and two of its derivatives, acetyl-resveratrol and polydatin, on 3D cell aggregates of the EGFR/Her-2 positive and negative ovarian cancer cell lines SKOV-3 and OVCAR-8, respectively. Results showed that resveratrol and acetyl-resveratrol reduced cell growth in the SKOV-3 and OVCAR-8 in a dose-dependant manner. The growth reduction was mediated by the induction of apoptosis via the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1). At lower concentrations, 5 and 10 µM, resveratrol, acetyl-resveratrol, and polydatin were less effective than higher concentrations, 50 and 100 µM. In SKOV-3 line, at higher concentrations, resveratrol and polydatin significantly reduced the phosphorylation of Her-2 and EGFR and the expression of Erk. Acetyl-resveratrol, on the other hand, did not change the activation of Her-2 and EGFR. Resveratrol, acetyl-resveratrol, and polydatin suppressed the secretion of VEGF in a dose-dependant fashion. In the OVCAR-8 cell line, resveratrol and acetyl-resveratrol at 5 and 10 µM increased the activation of Erk. Above these concentrations they decreased activation. Polydatin did not produce this effect. This study demonstrates that resveratrol and its derivatives may inhibit growth of 3D cell aggregates of ovarian cancer cell lines via different signalling molecules. Resveratrol and its derivatives, therefore, warrant furtherin vivoevaluation to assess their potential clinical utility.
A Model Chain Application to Estimate Mixing Layer Height Related to PM10 Dispersion Processes
Authors: Guarnieri F. , Calastrini F. , Busillo C. , Messeri G. , Gozzini B.
Published: November 2015

The mixing layer height (MLH) is a crucial parameter in order to investigate the near surface concentrations of air pollutants. The MLH can be estimated by measurements of some atmospheric variables, by indirect estimates based on trace gases concentration or aerosol, or by numerical models. Here, a modelling approach is proposed. The developed modelling system is based on the models WRF‐ARW and CALMET. This system is applied on Firenze‐Prato‐Pistoia area (Central Italy), during 2010, and it is compared with in situ measurements. The aim of this work is to evaluate the use of MLH model estimates to characterize the critical episodes for PM10 in a limited area. In order to find out the meteorological conditions predisposing accumulation of PM10 in the atmosphere’s lower level, some indicators are used: daily mean wind speed, cumulated rainfall, and mean MLH estimates from CALMET model. This indicator is linked to orography, which has important consequences on local weather dynamics. However, during critical events the local emission sources are crucial to the determination of threshold exceeding of PM10. Results show that the modelled MLH, together with cumulative rainfall and wind speed, can identify the meteorological conditions predisposing accumulation of air pollutant at ground level.
Adrenal Lymphangioma Masquerading as a Catecholamine Producing Tumor
Authors: Hodish Israel , Schmidt Lindsay , Moraitis Andreas G.
Published: November 2015

Objective. To report the unusual case of an adrenal lymphangioma presenting in a patient with an adrenal cystic lesion and biochemical testing concerning for pheochromocytoma. The pertinent diagnostic and imaging features of adrenal lymphangiomas are reviewed.Methods. We describe a 59-year-old patient who presented with hyperhidrosis and a 2.2 by 2.2 cm left adrenal nodule. Biochemical evaluation revealed elevated plasma-free normetanephrine, urine normetanephrine, urine vanillylmandelic acid, and urine norepinephrine levels. Elevated plasma norepinephrine levels were not suppressed appropriately with clonidine administration.Results. Given persistent concern for pheochromocytoma, the patient underwent adrenalectomy. The final pathology was consistent with adrenal lymphangioma.Conclusions. Lymphangiomas are benign vascular lesions that can very rarely occur in the adrenal gland. Imaging findings are generally consistent with a cyst but are nonspecific. Excluding malignancy in patients presenting with adrenal cysts can be difficult. Despite its benign nature, the diagnosis of adrenal lymphangioma may ultimately require pathology.
Electromagnetic Interference between Cranes and Broadcasting Antennas
Authors: Javor V.
Published: November 2015

An interesting phenomenon was noticed in some cases by workers operating with cranes in electromagnetic field of broadcasting antennas. They experienced electrical shock or burning pain at distances of kilometers away from powerful transmitters because cranes act as unintentional receiving antennas. The solution to this problem depends on dimensions and positioning of the crane structure, electromagnetic field strength at the site, frequency, and directional characteristic of the transmitting antenna. Electromagnetic interference between such structures is analyzed in this paper. Computational results for the induced currents and voltages in crane, treated as wire antenna problem, are determined using integrodifferential equations for the current along conductive structure, satisfying boundary condition for the electric field. Point matching method as the Method of Moments (MoM) is applied for solving these equations and polynomial approximation of the current is used. Results are presented for different crane structures and possible solutions to this problem are given.
Multiple Low Energy Long Bone Fractures in the Setting of Rothmund-Thomson Syndrome
Authors: Beckmann Nicholas
Published: November 2015

Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive genodermatosis characterized by a poikilodermatous rash starting in infancy as well as various skeletal anomalies, juvenile cataracts, and predisposition to certain cancers. Although Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is associated with diminished bone mineral density in addition to multiple skeletal abnormalities, there are few reports of the association with stress fractures or pathologic fractures in low energy trauma or delayed healing of fractures. Presented is a case of a young adult male with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome presenting with multiple episodes of long bone fractures caused by low energy trauma with one of the fractures exhibiting significantly delayed healing. The patient was also found to have an asymptomatic stress fracture of the lower extremity, another finding of Rothmund-Thomson syndrome rarely reported in the literature. A thorough review of the literature and comprehensive presentation of Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is provided in conjunction with our case.
Phytochemicals Mediated Remediation of Neurotoxicity Induced by Heavy Metals
Authors: Gupta Vivek Kumar , Singh Shweta , Agrawal Anju , Siddiqi Nikhat Jamal , Sharma Bechan
Published: November 2015

Almost all the environmental components including both the abiotic and biotic factors have been consistently threatened by excessive contamination of heavy metals continuously released from various sources. Different heavy metals have been reported to generate adverse effects in many ways. Heavy metals induced neurotoxicity and impairment in signalling cascade leading to cell death (apoptosis) has been indicated by several workers. On one hand, these metals are required by the cellular systems to regulate various biological functions of normal cells, while on the other their biomagnification in the cellular systems produces adverse effects. The mechanism by which the heavy metals induce neurotoxicity follows free radicals production pathway(s) specially the generation of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. These free radicals produced in excess have been shown to create an imbalance between the oxidative and antioxidative systems leading to emergence of oxidative stress, which may cause necrosis, DNA damage, and many neurodegenerative disorders. This mini review summarizes the current knowledge available on the protective role of varied natural products isolated from different herbs/plants in imparting protection against heavy metals (cadmium, lead, arsenic, and mercury) mediated neurotoxicity.
Efficacy of Cow Urine as Plant Growth Enhancer and Antifungal Agent
Authors: Jandaik Savita , Thakur Preeti , Kumar Vikas
Published: November 2015

The present study was conducted to determine antifungal activity of three different concentrations (5, 10, and 15%) of cow urine against three fungal pathogens (Fusarium oxysporum, Rhizoctonia solani, andSclerotium rolfsii) isolated from infected plants of Methi and Bhindi that showed symptoms of damping off and wilting disease by poison food technique. The extent of growth of test fungi in plates poisoned with cow urine was lesser when compared with the control plates. Among these concentrations cow urine at 15% concentration was most effective. When the three fungal organisms were compared, maximum growth suppression was observed inFusarium oxysporum(78.57%) at 15% concentration of cow urine followed byRhizoctonia solani(78.37%) andSclerotium rolfsii(73.84%). Finally we concluded that the cow urine has antifungal activities and the inhibitory activity can be used in the control of fungi. The nutritional effect of cow urine on plant growth was also tested withTrigonella foenum-graecum(Methi) andAbelmoschus esculentus(Bhindi) plants and the chlorophyll and protein content was also estimated.
Evaluation of Water Storage Change of Inland Cryosphere in Northwestern China
Authors: Xu Min , Kang Shichang , Li Jiazhen
Published: November 2015

The Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission provides measurements of Earth’s static and time-variable gravity fields with monthly resolution. In this study, changes of water storage in northwestern China were determined by GRACE monthly gravity field data obtained from 2003 to 2010. Comparisons of water storage change (WSC) simulated by a four-dimensional assimilation model (Noah) and observed by GRACE revealed similar patterns of change and a correlation coefficient of 0.71(P<0.05). Trend analysis indicated significant changes in the spatiotemporal variation of WSC in northwestern China during the 8-year study period, which were stronger in the east than in the west and more pronounced in the south than in the north. The most pronounced increase in water storage occurred in Gansu and Qinghai provinces, but, overall, water storage increased by 0.61 mm/a over northwestern China during the study period. Clear seasonal variations of WSC and precipitation were found, because glacial meltwater and precipitation are the main sources of water in the hydrosphere; meanwhile, the distributions of glaciers and permafrost also affect the spatial distribution of WSC.
Statins in Asthma: Potential Beneficial Effects and Limitations
Authors: Bhattacharjee Dipanjan , Chogtu Bharti , Magazine Rahul
Published: November 2015

Asthma’s sustenance as a global pandemic, across centuries, can be attributed to the lack of an understanding of its workings and the inability of the existing treatment modalities to provide a long lasting cure without major adverse effects. The discovery of statins boosted by a better comprehension of the pathophysiology of asthma in the past few decades has opened up a potentially alternative line of treatment that promises to be a big boon for the asthmatics globally. However, the initial excellent results from the preclinical and animal studies have not borne the results in clinical trials that the scientific world was hoping for. In light of this, this review analyzes the ways by which statins could benefit in asthma via their pleiotropic anti-inflammatory properties and explain some of the queries raised in the previous studies and provide recommendations for future studies in this field.
All-Optical Surface Micropatterning by Electric Field Intensity Gradient
Authors: Gertners U. , Teteris J.
Published: November 2015

In this report an all-optical photo-induced formation of surface relief gratings is shown. For the surface patterning of As2S3 and As4S1.5Se4.5 films a direct holographic recording setup with a 532 nm wavelength Nd:YAG CW laser light was used. Our investigations have shown that the light-induced mass transfer process strongly depends on the material itself and on the polarization of the light. It has been shown that an electric field intensity gradient has to be obtained to achieve a direct patterning. The evolution of a surface relief in relation to recording parameters and thickness of the sample has been investigated in detail.
Documentos y Evidencia: El Lugar de la Gestión Documental en la Lucha Contra la Corrupción
Authors: Andaur Gomez Gabriela
Published: November 2015

En el presente artículo se discute acerca de la función que cumplen los documentos como evidencia del actuar de personas y organizaciones. Para ello, se utilizan ejemplos de la utilización de documentos en la investigación de casos recientes vinculados a la corrupción. Esta exposición tiene como finalidad poner de manifiesto la relevancia que puede tener este tipo de soporte de información en la prevención y esclarecimiento de estos casos, y con ello la necesidad de regular y mejorar la práctica de la gestión documental en Chile, especialmente en el ámbito de la administración pública.
Qué Hacer y a Quién Denunciar Si Se es Victima de una Irregularidad o Fraude: Algunos Tips
Authors: Nino-Moris Christian
Published: November 2015

Este artículo aborda la problemática de cómo enfrentar alguna conducta fraudulenta, o irregular, dentro de una organización. El entendimiento de una irregularidad exige conocer en que entorno se mueve la entidad y sus características de Gobierno Corporativo, a saber: ¿de qué tipo de entidad se trata, público o privado?; Si es privado: ¿es una entidad regulada o no por algún Servicio supervisor?; ¿quién está involucrado en dicha irregularidad: un empleado o un alto directivo? Se proponen los caminos a seguir en cada una de estas situaciones y se considera el rol de los auditores externos.
Evaluation of the Expanded Criteria of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancers: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Dai Jinfeng , Huang Xuan , Lu Bin , Jin Haifeng , Meng Lina
Published: November 2015

Background: In 2010, undifferentiated early-stage gastric cancers (EGCs; ≤1 cm and confined to the mucosa) were included in the expanded criteria for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), as established by the Japanese Gastric Cancer Association. Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the newly expanded criteria of ESD for EGCs. Methods: PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant studies published between January 1, 2010 and July 10, 2014. These studies were collected by 2 authors and then analyzed with RevMan 5.0. Results: Six studies including 6,687 patients were identified. Compared to the standard group (SG), the expanded group (EG) had higher bleeding (OR 1.66; 95% CI 1.02-2.68), perforation (OR 2.03; 95% CI 1.25-3.31), positive lateral margin rates (OR 16.88; 95% CI 3.83-74.5) and lower en bloc resection rate (OR 0.48; 95% CI 0.34-0.70). The local recurrence (OR 2.46; 95% CI 0.31-19.23) and total survival rates (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.76-1.12) between the 2 groups were not statistically different. Conclusions: Considering the similar rates of local recurrence and total survival between the SG and EG, the use of ESD for the management of EGCs that meet the expanded criteria could be considered a safe and effective treatment method.
The Modern Landscape of Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal Women with Breast Cancer
Authors: Rossi Lorenzo , Pagani Olivia
Published: November 2015

The optimal endocrine therapy for premenopausal women with early and advanced breast cancer still remains an important and controversial issue. For over 30 years, tamoxifen has been the gold standard in the adjuvant setting. New therapeutic options, such as the addition of ovarian function suppression to oral endocrine therapy (either tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors), can improve outcomes over tamoxifen alone in well-selected patients. Treatment duration has also been revisited, and extended therapy is becoming a new standard of care, especially in high-risk patients. Endocrine therapy for advanced disease still represents a challenge and a research priority. New drugs and combinations able to overcome endocrine resistance are at the horizon, and their role in premenopausal women should be better elucidated. Side effects and quality of life (including family planning considerations) play an important role in treatment selection and in the patients' treatment adherence and should always be discussed before start of treatment. The paper will specifically focus on how to integrate all new treatment options in the current armamentarium of endocrine therapy of premenopausal women, with the aim of best fine-tuning treatment selections according to the individual risk/benefit evaluation.
Treatment of Retinal Vein Occlusion with Ranibizumab in Clinical Practice: Longer-Term Results and Predictive Factors of Functional Outcome
Authors: Farinha Cláudia , Marques João Pedro , Almeida Elisabete , Baltar Alda , Santos Ana Rita , Melo Pedro , Costa Miguel , Figueira João , Cachulo Maria Luz , Pires Isabel , Silva Rufino
Published: November 2015

Purpose: To evaluate long-term results and predictors of efficacy in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab in a clinical practice setting. Methods: The clinical records of patients with a minimum follow-up of 3 years were retrospectively analyzed. Sixteen eyes with branch RVO (BRVO) and 16 with central RVO (CRVO) were included. All patients performed cross-sectional evaluation with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spectral domain optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was assessed and microstructural morphology of the retina was characterized. Results: Follow- up was 42.9 ± 9.0 and 44.8 ± 8.0 months in the CRVO and BRVO groups, respectively. Patients with CRVO received on average 6.9 injections, with a final VA gain of 8.3 ± 15.0 letters (p = 0.05). BRVO eyes had on average 5.9 injections, with a final VA gain of 1.6 ± 21.0 letters (p > 0.05). The FAZ area remained stable in both groups (p > 0.05). Baseline BCVA and disruption of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) were predictors of final BCVA (p = 0.001 and 0.011, respectively). Conclusion: Although functional outcomes were inferior to those reported in clinical trials, ranibizumab was satisfactory in the long-term treatment of macular edema secondary to RVO and was not associated with increased macular ischemia. Final BCVA depends on baseline BCVA and RPE integrity.