bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Diabetes on Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Emergent Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis
Authors: Karamanos Efstathios , Sivrikoz Emre , Beale Elizabeth , Chan Linda , Inaba Kenji , Demetriades Demetrios
Published: May 2013

Background

The purpose of the present study was to determine the prevalence of diabetes and its effect on surgical outcomes in patients undergoing emergent, in‐patient cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. Some 8.3 % of the U.S. population has diabetes and this number is projected to rise to 21–33 % by 2050. Diabetes is considered to be associated with a higher incidence of acute cholecystitis; however, its impact on outcomes is unknown.

Methods

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify all patients with acute cholecystitis who underwent emergent in‐patient cholecystectomy from 2004 to 2010. The study population was divided into two groups: diabetics and non‐diabetics. Diabetics were further subdivided into those taking oral medication and those on insulin. Demographics, co‐morbidities, and wound classification were compared with univariate analysis, and 30‐day outcomes were compared with univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

A total of 5,460 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these 770 (14.10 %) had a diagnosis of diabetes. Mortality was higher for diabetics than for non‐diabetics [4.4 vs 1.4 %, adjusted odds ratio (AOR) (95 % CI): 1.79 (1.09, 2.94), adj‐p = 0.022]. Preoperative perforation rates were 25.1 and 13.0 %, respectively [AOR (95 % CI): 1.34 (1.09, 1.65), adj‐p = 0.005]. The adjusted risk of cardiovascular events and renal failure was significantly higher for diabetics. Insulin treatment, but not oral medication, was associated with a significant increase in mortality, preoperative perforation, superficial surgical site infection, septic shock, cardiovascular incidents, and renal insufficiency.

Conclusions

In patients undergoing cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis, diabetes increases the risk of mortality, cardiovascular events, and renal failure. Insulin‐treated diabetics have more co‐morbidities and poorer outcomes.
Enhanced succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes after genome shuffling
Authors: Zheng Pu , Zhang Kunkun , Yan Qiang , Xu Yan , Sun Zhihao
Published: May 2013

Succinic acid is an important platform chemical for synthesis of C4 compounds. We applied genome shuffling to improve fermentative production of succinic acid by A. succinogenes. Using a screening strategy composed of selection in fermentation broth, cultured in 96-deep-well plates, and condensed HPLC screening, a starting population of 11 mutants producing a higher succinic acid concentration was selected and subjected to recursive protoplasts fusion. After three rounds of genome shuffling, strain F3-II-3-F was obtained, producing succinic acid at 1.99 g/l/h with a yield of 95.6 g/l. The genome shuffled strain had about a 73 % improvement in succinic acid production compared to the parent strain after 48 h in fed-batch fermentation. The genomic variability of F3-II-3-F was confirmed by amplified fragment-length polymorphism. The activity levels of key enzymes involved in end-product formation from glucose and metabolic flux distribution during succinic acid production were compared between A. succinogenes CGMCC 1593 and F3-II-3-F. Increased activity of glucokinase, fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase, PEP carboxykinase and fumarase, as well as decreased activity of pyruvate kinase, pyruvate formate-lyase, and acetate kinase explained the enhanced succinic acid production and decreased acetic acid formation. Metabolic flux analysis suggested that increased flux to NADH was the main reason for increased activity of the C4 pathway resulting in increased yields of succinic acid. The present work will be propitious to the development of a bio-succinic acid fermentation industry.
Brief report: Early adolescents' value development at war time
Authors: Daniel Ella , Fortuna Keren , Thrun Sophia K. , Cioban Shaylee , Knafo Ariel
Published: May 2013

Values are considered relatively stable individual characteristics, and there is little research to date on the conditions that underlie value‐priorities change. This small‐scale short‐term longitudinal study tested whether a major life event of war changes the priority that early adolescents assign to values. Thirty‐nine Israeli adolescents completed the Schwartz Values Survey on four occasions—at the beginning, middle, and end of the 2006 Israeli–Lebanese war during which their hometown was bombed. As hypothesized, anxiety‐based values of tradition, power, and security increased in importance, while conformity values decreased in importance. Anxiety‐free values of benevolence, universalism, self‐direction, stimulation, and hedonism decreased in importance. Achievement values decreased and then increased in importance. Despite methodological limitations, the findings demonstrate that value development, at least during early adolescence, can take place rather quickly under circumstances of major traumatic events such as war.
Human small heat shock proteins: Protein interactomes of homo‐ and hetero‐oligomeric complexes: An update
Authors: Arrigo André-Patrick
Published: May 2013

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) regulate a large number of fundamental cellular processes and are involved in many pathological diseases. They share complex oligomerization and phosphorylation properties allowing them to interact and modulate the activity of many client proteins. Here, the up‐to date protein interactome of the ten human sHsps is presented as an illustration of their multiple cellular functions. In addition of forming homo‐oligomers, some of these proteins interact whith each other and form hetero‐oligomeric complexes that could bear new protein targets recognition abilities. Here, novel informations are presented on how the formation of HspB1/HspB5 complex can stimulate the activity of the oxidoresistance promoting enzyme glucose 6‐phosphate dehydrogenase through its interaction with newly formed highly phosphorylated HspB1 homo‐oligomers.
The cell stress machinery and retinal degeneration
Authors: Athanasiou Dimitra , Aguilà Monica , Bevilacqua Dalila , Novoselov Sergey S. , Parfitt David A. , Cheetham Michael E.
Published: May 2013

Retinal degenerations are a group of clinically and genetically heterogeneous disorders characterised by progressive loss of vision due to neurodegeneration. The retina is a highly specialised tissue with a unique architecture and maintaining homeostasis in all the different retinal cell types is crucial for healthy vision. The retina can be exposed to a variety of environmental insults and stress, including light‐induced damage, oxidative stress and inherited mutations that can lead to protein misfolding. Within retinal cells there are different mechanisms to cope with disturbances in proteostasis, such as the heat shock response, the unfolded protein response and autophagy. In this review, we discuss the multiple responses of the retina to different types of stress involved in retinal degenerations, such as retinitis pigmentosa, age‐related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Understanding the mechanisms that maintain and re‐establish proteostasis in the retina is important for developing new therapeutic approaches to fight blindness.
Translating next generation sequencing to practice: Opportunities and necessary steps
Authors: Kamalakaran Sitharthan , Varadan Vinay , Janevski Angel , Banerjee Nilanjana , Tuck David , McCombie W. Richard , Dimitrova Nevenka , Harris Lyndsay N.
Published: May 2013

Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) approaches for measuring RNA and DNA benefit from greatly increased sensitivity, dynamic range and detection of novel transcripts. These technologies are rapidly becoming the standard for molecular assays and represent huge potential value to the practice of oncology. However, many challenges exist in the transition of these technologies from research application to clinical practice. This review discusses the value of NGS in detecting mutations, copy number changes and RNA quantification and their applications in oncology, the challenges for adoption and the relevant steps that are needed for translating this potential to routine practice.
The metastasis‐associated molecule C4.4A promotes tissue invasion and anchorage independence by associating with the alpha6beta4 integrin
Authors: Thuma Florian , Ngora Honoré , Zöller Margot
Published: May 2013

C4.4A is a metastasis‐associated molecule that functions appear to rely on associated alph6beta4 integrin. To corroborate the impact of the C4.4A‐alpha6beta4 integrin association on metastasis formation, C4.4A was knocked‐down in a highly metastatic rat pancreatic adenocarcinoma (ASML, ASML‐C4.4Akd).

Metastasis formation by ASML‐C4.4Akd cells after intrafootpad application was strongly retarded in draining nodes and lung colonization was rare. Furthermore, cisplatin treatment significantly prolonged the survival time only of ASML‐C4.4Akd‐bearing rats. ASML‐C4.4Akd cells display reduced migratory activity and impaired matrix protein degradation due to inefficient MMP14 activation; loss of drug‐resistance is due to mitigated PI3K/Akt pathway activation. These losses of function rely on the laminin receptor C4.4A recruiting activated alpha6beta4 integrin into rafts, where C4.4A cooperates with alpha6beta4 and via alpha6beta4 with MMP14. Within this raft‐located complex, MMP14 provokes focalized matrix degradation and mostly alpha6beta4 integrin promotes BAD phosphorylation and upregulated Bcl2 and BclXl expression.

Thus, metastasis‐promoting activities of C4.4A are not genuine characteristics of C4.4A. Instead, the raft‐located laminin receptor C4.4A recruits alpha6beta4 integrin and supports via the alpha6beta4 integrin MMP14 activation. Thereby C4.4A acts as a linker to facilitate several steps in the metastatic cascade. Taking the restricted C4.4A expression in non‐transformed tissue, this knowledge should pave the way toward the use of C4.4A as a therapeutic target.
Hydroxypropylation of high-amylose maize starch changes digestion and fermentation-dependent parameters in rats
Authors: Ebihara Kiyoshi , Tachibe Makoto , Kaneko Natsumi , Kishida Taro
Published: May 2013

It was examined whether the physiological effects of high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) are influenced by hydroxypropylation. Rats were fed one of the following three diets: an AIN-93-based diet with waxy maize starch (WMS) as a starch source, or this diet with 150 g of WMS replaced by either HAMS or hydroxypropylated HAMS (HP-HAMS). The activities of amylase in bile-pancreatic juice and sucrose, maltase and isomaltase of the jejunum and ileum were not affected by diet, but the digestibility of HAMS was decreased by hydroxypropylation. The amounts of SCFA in caecal content and H2excreted in the breath and flatus for HAMS were decreased by hydroxypropylation. Plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), glucose and insulin concentrations were not affected by diet. On the basis of PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles, the similarity in caecal bacteria population of the HP-HAMS group and HAMS group was low, but that of the HP-HAMS and WMS groups was high. The amount of caecal IgA was not affected by hydroxypropylation, but those in the HAMS and HP-HAMS groups were greater than that in the WMS group. Plasma and liver concentrations of TAG and cholesterol for HAMS were not affected by hydroxypropylation. These results show that the small intestinal digestibility and fermentation-dependent parameters such as caecal SCFA and H2productions and caecal bacterial profile of HAMS were affected by hydroxypropylation, but parameters of glucose metabolism such as GLP-1 and insulin, those of lipid metabolism such as plasma TAG and cholesterol and the amount of caecal IgA were not.
Curcuma oil ameliorates hyperlipidaemia and associated deleterious effects in golden Syrian hamsters
Authors: Singh Vishal , Jain Manish , Misra Ankita , Khanna Vivek , Rana Minakshi , Prakash Prem , Malasoni Richa , Dwivedi Anil Kumar , Dikshit Madhu , Barthwal Manoj Kumar
Published: May 2013

Essential oil components from turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) are documented for neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anti-thrombotic and antioxidant effects. The present study aimed to investigate the disease-modifying potential of curcuma oil (C. oil), a lipophilic component from C. longa L., in hyperlipidaemic hamsters. Male golden Syrian hamsters were fed a chow or high-cholesterol (HC) and fat-rich diet with or without C. oil (30, 100 and 300 mg/kg) for 28 d. In HC diet-fed hamsters, C. oil significantly reduced plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and TAG, and increased HDL-cholesterol when compared with the HC group. Similar group comparisons showed that C. oil treatment reduced hepatic cholesterol and oxidative stress, and improved liver function. Hyperlipidaemia-induced platelet activation, vascular dysfunction and repressed eNOS mRNA expression were restored by the C. oil treatment. Furthermore, aortic cholesterol accumulation and CD68 expression were also reduced in the C. oil-treated group. The effect of C. oil at 300 mg/kg was comparable with the standard drug ezetimibe. Delving into the probable anti-hyperlipidaemic mechanism at the transcript level, the C. oil-treated groups fed the chow and HC diets were compared with the chow diet-fed group. The C. oil treatment significantly increased the hepatic expression of PPARα, LXRα, CYP7A1, ABCA1, ABCG5, ABCG8 and LPL accompanied by reduced SREBP-2 and HMGCR expression. C. oil also enhanced ABCA1, ABCG5 and ABCG8 expression and suppressed NPC1L1 expression in the jejunum. In the present study, C. oil demonstrated an anti-hyperlipidaemic effect and reduced lipid-induced oxidative stress, platelet activation and vascular dysfunction. The anti-hyperlipidaemic effect exhibited by C. oil seems to be mediated by the modulation of PPARα, LXRα and associated genes involved in lipid metabolism and transport.
Infections by Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Jordanian equids: epidemiology and genetic diversity
Authors: QABLAN MONEEB A. , OBORNÍK MIROSLAV , PETRŽELKOVÁ KLÁRA J. , SLOBODA MICHAL , SHUDIEFAT MUSTAFA F. , HOŘÍN PETR , LUKEŠ JULIUS , MODRÝ DAVID
Published: May 2013

Microscopic diagnosis of equine piroplasmoses, caused by Theileria equi and Babesia caballi, is hindered by low parasitaemia during the latent phase of the infections. However, this constraint can be overcome by the application of PCR followed by sequencing. Out of 288 animals examined, the piroplasmid DNA was detected in 78 (27·1%). Multiplex PCR indicated that T. equi (18·8%) was more prevalent than B. caballi (7·3%), while mixed infections were conspicuously absent. Sequences of 69 PCR amplicons obtained by the ‘catch-all’ PCR were in concordance with those amplified by the multiplex strategy. Computed minimal adequate model analyses for both equine piroplasmid species separately showed a significant effect of host species and age in the case of T. equi, while in the B. caballi infections only the correlation with host sex was significant. Phylogenetic analyses inferred the occurrence of three genotypes of T. equi and B. caballi. Moreover, a novel genotype C of B. caballi was identified. The dendrogram based on obtained sequences of T. equi revealed possible speciation events. The infections with T. equi and B. caballi are enzootic in all ecozones of Jordan and different genotypes circulate wherever dense horse population exists.
Attention and inhibition in children with ASD, ADHD and co-morbid ASD + ADHD: an event-related potential study
Authors: Tye C. , Asherson P. , Ashwood K. L. , Azadi B. , Bolton P. , McLoughlin G.
Published: May 2013

Background

Substantial overlap has been reported between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Deficits in executive function (EF) are characteristic of both disorders but these impairments have not been compared directly across pure and co-morbid cases using event-related potentials (ERPs).

Method

Behavioural parameters and ERPs were recorded during a flankered cued-continuous performance test (CPT-OX) administered to 8–13-year-old boys with ASD (n = 19), ADHD (n = 18), co-morbid ASD + ADHD (n = 29) and typically developing controls (TD;n = 26). Preparatory processing (contingent negative variation, CNV) and attentional orienting (Cue-P3) at cues, response execution at targets (Go-P3), inhibitory processing at non-targets (NoGo-P3) and conflict monitoring between target and non-target trials (Go-N2v.NoGo-N2) were examined.

Results

Categorical diagnoses and quantitative trait measures indicated that participants with ADHD (ADHD/ASD + ADHD) made more omission errors and exhibited increased reaction-time (RT) variability and reduced amplitude of the Cue-P3 and NoGo-P3 compared to TD/ASD participants. Participants with ASD (ASD/ ASD + ADHD) demonstrated reduced N2 enhancement from Go to NoGo trials compared to TD/ADHD participants. Participants with ASD-only displayed enhanced CNV amplitude compared to ASD + ADHD and TD participants.

Conclusions

Children with ADHD show deficits in attentional orienting and inhibitory control whereas children with ASD show abnormalities in conflict monitoring and response preparation. Children with co-morbid ASD + ADHD present as an additive co-occurrence with deficits of both disorders, although non-additive effects are suggested for response preparation. Measuring ERPs that index attention and inhibition is useful in disentangling cognitive markers of ASD and ADHD and elucidating the basis of co-occurring ASD + ADHD to guide clinical assessment.
Estimating the burden of pertussis in young children on hospitals and emergency departments: a study using linked routinely collected data
Authors: McCALLUM L. K. , LIU B. , McINTYRE P. , JORM L. R.
Published: May 2013

Potential underestimation of the health system burden of pertussis was investigated by linking administrative datasets including pertussis notifications, hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) presentations for 1 304 876 children aged <15 years in NSW, Australia. From 2005 to 2008, 3006 children had a pertussis notification, 455 were hospitalized and 644 had an ED presentation with a coded diagnosis of pertussis. Linking hospital and ED records with pertussis notifications identified 140 hospitalizations and 735 ED presentations which occurred ±7 days from notification but did not have a diagnosis of pertussis recorded. These additional events were more likely to have a diagnosis of bronchiolitis, upper respiratory infection and cough compared to all other admissions and presentations. Including these additional events significantly increased the proportion of notified cases that were hospitalized or visited EDs, particularly for those aged 5 to <15 years. Linked administrative data allowed more comprehensive estimation of the health system burden of pertussis.
Duration of shedding of Verocytotoxin-producingEscherichia coliin children and risk of transmission in childcare facilities in England
Authors: DABKE G. , LE MENACH A. , BLACK A. , GAMBLIN J. , PALMER M. , BOXALL N. , BOOTH L.
Published: May 2013

Exclusion of children with presumptive Verocytotoxin-producingEscherichia coli(VTEC) from childcare facilities until negative stool specimens are obtained is routine practice that disrupts families. We estimated the shedding and exclusion duration and transmission risk in such facilities. The study population comprised 225 children aged <6 years attending 201 childcare facilities in England with microbiologically confirmed VTEC in 2010–2011. We estimated the interval from onset to first negative specimen, and identified transmission events with secondary cases linked to facilities. The median duration of shedding was 31 days, and median period of exclusion was 39·5 days. Cases attending facilities while shedding VTEC did so for a median of 2 days before exclusion. Secondary cases occurred in 6/83 facilities (7%) attended by infectious cases. Despite evidence of VTEC shedding at facilities, transmission is relatively low. Revised control guidelines could consider supervised return for prolonged asymptomatic shedders.
Epidemiological and clinical features of HEV infection: a survey in the district of Foggia (Apulia, Southern Italy)
Authors: SCOTTO G. , MARTINELLI D. , CENTRA M. , QUERQUES M. , VITTORIO F. , CARRI P. DELLI , TARTAGLIA A. , CAMPANALE F. , BULLA F. , PRATO R. , FAZIO V.
Published: May 2013

In this study we assessed the seroprevalence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection in both the Italian population and immigrants from developing countries in Foggia (Apulia, Southern Italy). The seroprevalence of HEV was determined in 1217 subjects [412 (34%) immigrants and 805 Italian subjects (blood donors, general population, HIV-positive, haemodialysis patients)]. Serum samples were tested for anti-HEV and confirmed by Western blot assay; in positive patients HEV RNA and genotype were also determined. There were 8·8% of patients that were positive to anti-HEV, confirmed by Western blot. The prevalence in immigrants was 19·7%, and in Italians 3·9% (blood donors 1·3%, general population 2·7%, HIV-positive patients 2·0%, haemodialysis patients 9·6%). Anti-HEV IgM was found in 38/107 (35·5%) of the anti-HEV-positive serum samples (34 immigrants, four Italians). This study indicates a higher circulation of HEV in immigrants and Italian haemodialysis patients, whereas a low prevalence of HEV antibodies was seen in the remaining Italian population.
COUNTING THE NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS TO THE ERDŐS–STRAUS EQUATION ON UNIT FRACTIONS
Authors: ELSHOLTZ CHRISTIAN , TAO TERENCE
Published: May 2013

For any positive integer$n$, let$f(n)$denote the number of solutions to the Diophantine equation$$\begin{eqnarray*}\frac{4}{n} = \frac{1}{x} + \frac{1}{y} + \frac{1}{z}\end{eqnarray*}$$with$x, y, z$positive integers. TheErdős–Straus conjectureasserts that$f(n)\gt 0$for every$n\geq 2$. In this paper we obtain a number of upper and lower bounds for$f(n)$or$f(p)$for typical values of natural numbers$n$and primes$p$. For instance, we establish that$$\begin{eqnarray*}N\hspace{0.167em} {\mathop{\log }\nolimits }^{2} N\ll \displaystyle \sum _{p\leq N}f(p)\ll N\hspace{0.167em} {\mathop{\log }\nolimits }^{2} N\log \log N.\end{eqnarray*}$$These upper and lower bounds show that a typical prime has a small number of solutions to the Erdős–Straus Diophantine equation; small, when compared with other additive problems, like Waring’s problem.
THE ÉTALE GROUPOID OF AN INVERSE SEMIGROUP AS A GROUPOID OF FILTERS
Authors: LAWSON M. V. , MARGOLIS S. W. , STEINBERG B.
Published: May 2013

Paterson showed how to construct an étale groupoid from an inverse semigroup using ideas from functional analysis. This construction was later simplified by Lenz. We show that Lenz’s construction can itself be further simplified by using filters: the topological groupoid associated with an inverse semigroup is precisely a groupoid of filters. In addition, idempotent filters are closed inverse subsemigroups and so determine transitive representations by means of partial bijections. This connection between filters and representations by partial bijections is exploited to show how linear representations of inverse semigroups can be constructed from the groups occurring in the associated topological groupoid.
Imaging Brain Deoxyglucose Uptake and Metabolism by Glucocest MRI
Authors: Nasrallah Fatima A , Pagès Guilhem , Kuchel Philip W , Golay Xavier , Chuang Kai-Hsiang
Published: May 2013

2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) is a known surrogate molecule that is useful for inferring glucose uptake and metabolism. Although 13C-labeled 2DG can be detected by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), its low sensitivity for detection prohibits imaging to be performed. Using chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) as a signal-amplification mechanism, 2DG and the phosphorylated 2DG-6-phosphate (2DG6P) can be indirectly detected in 1H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We showed that the CEST signal changed with 2DG concentration, and was reduced by suppressing cerebral metabolism with increased general anesthetic. The signal changes were not affected by cerebral or plasma pH, and were not correlated with altered cerebral blood flow as demonstrated by hypercapnia; neither were they related to the extracellular glucose amounts as compared with injection of D- and L-glucose. In vivo31P NMR revealed similar changes in 2DG6P concentration, suggesting that the CEST signal reflected the rate of glucose assimilation. This method provides a new way to use widely available MRI techniques to image deoxyglucose/glucose uptake and metabolism in vivo without the need for isotopic labeling of the molecules.
Therapy Techniques for Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Bourgeois Michelle S.
Published: May 2013

There is increasing concern among people in late middle age about cognitive changes they experience for everyday memory tasks. They are especially fearful that these memory lapses signal the beginning stages of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). For some, the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a transitional state between normal aging and early dementia that precipitates a search for therapies to prevent conversion to AD. The purpose of this article is to describe a continuum of therapeutic approaches for the cognitive challenges experienced by persons with MCI, discuss the growing evidence for promising techniques to address these challenges, and outline a university-based memory strategies intervention program that incorporates several effective strategies.
Meteorological approach for detection and removal of rain from videos
Authors: Tripathi Abhishek Kumar , Mukhopadhyay Sudipta
Published: May 2013

Rain removal algorithms require certain number of consecutive frames for reducing the visibility of rain from videos. These algorithms are designed for the rain videos captured by the fixed camera. In this study, it is demonstrated that using global motion compensation all the rain removal algorithms developed for fixed camera can be used for moving camera too. In this study a novel, efficient and simple algorithm for detection and removal of rain from video using meteorological properties is proposed. Here meteorological properties are used to separate the rain pixels from the non‐rain pixels. The proposed algorithm achieves good accuracy in spite of less number of consecutive frames, which reduces the buffer size and delay. It works only on the intensity plane that further reduces the complexity and execution time significantly. Quantitative and qualitative analyses show that the proposed algorithm removes rain effectively under constrained buffer size and delay in comparison with most of the competing rain removal algorithms.
Probabilistic gait modelling and recognition
Authors: Hong Sungjun , Lee Heesung , Kim Euntai
Published: May 2013

Biometric researchers have recently found considerable applicability of gait recognition in visual surveillance systems. This study proposes a probabilistic framework for gait modelling that is applied to gait recognition. The basic idea of this framework is to consider the silhouette shape as a multivariate random variable and model it in a full probabilistic framework. The Bernoulli mixture model is employed to model silhouette distribution and recursive algorithms are provided for silhouette image and sequence classification. Finally, the proposed probabilistic method is applied to benchmark databases and its validity is demonstrated through experiments.
Illumination invariant stationary object detection
Authors: Hassan Waqas , Birch Philip , Mitra Bhargav , Bangalore Nagachetan , Young Rupert , Chatwin Chris
Published: May 2013

A real‐time system for the detection and tracking of moving objects that becomes stationary in a restricted zone. A new pixel classification method based on the segmentation history image is used to identify stationary objects in the scene. These objects are then tracked using a novel adaptive edge orientation‐based tracking method. Experimental results have shown that the tracking technique gives more than a 95% detection success rate, even if objects are partially occluded. The tracking results, together with the historic edge maps, are analysed to remove objects that are no longer stationary or are falsely identified as foreground regions because of sudden changes in the illumination conditions. The technique has been tested on over 7 h of video recorded at different locations and time of day, both outdoors and indoors. The results obtained are compared with other available state‐of‐the‐art methods.
RBRIEF: a robust descriptor based on random binary comparisons
Authors: Huang Wei , Wu Ling‐Da , Song Han‐Chen , Wei Ying‐Mei
Published: May 2013

The authors propose a robust descriptor based on BRIEF, called RBRIEF. Unlike the original BRIEF, the proposed descriptor is also robust to scale and in‐plane rotation transformations. Furthermore, the authors use first derivative as sample function to do binary comparisons which has proven to be better compared against the function of intensity used in BRIEF. In the feature matching stage, the authors use Hamming distance to evaluate the descriptor similarity. As a result, the performance of the proposed descriptor outperforms SURF, BRIEF and ORB using standard benchmarks. In particular, the experiments demonstrate the proposed descriptor's superior performance in the presence of image blur, JPEG compression and light changes. Furthermore, the descriptor exhibits robust performance using only relatively few bits compared to other descriptors.
Fragile and blind watermarking technique based on Weber's law for medical image authentication
Authors: Walia Ekta , Suneja Anu
Published: May 2013

In developing countries such as India, transmission of medical images over the network is essential for providing health services to rural/remote population. During this transmission, a small distortion in the medical image may lead to wrong conclusions. Thus, arises the need to embed some authentication information in medical images to authenticate transmitted image. In this study, a blind and fragile watermarking technique based on Weber's law is proposed. Here, fragile watermark is inserted by quantising intensity of selected pixels in a medical image. As the proposed technique is fragile, it detects even a small change made to watermarked image and locates blocks where distortion has been made. Besides being able to detect all malicious changes that affect the quality of watermarked image, it is tolerant to image compression, which is essential to transmit images over the network. The proposed technique is highly imperceptible as the watermark is inserted by modifying intensity of dark pixels selected using Weber's law. An extension of the proposed technique is also given to enhance its capacity. Experimental results on standard medical image database prove the efficacy of the proposed method over existing works.
Risk/investment‐driven transmission expansion planning with multiple scenarios
Authors: Rahmani Mohsen , Romero Ruben A. , Rider Marcos J.
Published: May 2013

This study presents a new methodology based on risk/investment to solve transmission network expansion planning (TNEP) problem with multiple future scenarios. Three mathematical models related to TNEP problems considering multiple future generation and load scenarios are also presented. These models will provide planners with a meaningful risk assessment that enable them to determine the necessary funding for transmission lines at a permissible risk level. The results using test and real systems show that the proposed method presents better solutions compared with scenario analysis method.
Energy harvesting for a wireless‐monitoring system of overhead high‐voltage power lines
Authors: Zhao Xinming , Keutel Thomas , Baldauf Marc , Kanoun Olfa
Published: May 2013

For electric power transmission the overhead power line monitoring system plays an important role in operating security for grid operators as well as high supply availability at optimised cost. In this study, an approach to harvesting energy from the electric field around the conductor to supply the wireless sensor nodes was investigated. Special requirements in functionality, reliability and limited accessibility at the power line result in the development of a specific energy management strategy. A prototype of the power module was realised and tested under high voltage laboratory conditions. Then, a field test was carried out under real operating conditions. The test results confirm that the power module can collect enough energy to power the sensor nodes. The contribution in this study presents theoretical considerations of energy availability from the electric field, design of energy management and results from measurements with the prototype in a high voltage laboratory and in field test. The field test results demonstrate that the energy harvester can collect enough energy to power the sensor nodes by 16 mW.
Reliability improvement of power system observability with minimum phasor measurement units
Authors: Gorgani Firouzjah Khalil , Sheikholeslami Abdolreza , Barforoushi Taghi
Published: May 2013

The size and complexity of power network and the cost of monitoring equipments, make it unfeasible to monitor the whole system variables. Conventional system analysers use voltages and currents of the network for monitoring purposes, which affects the system analysis, control and protection. A strategic placement of phasor measurement units (PMUs) is crucial to monitor the whole system with minimum number of devices. This study improves a topological circuit observation method to find essential PMUs. Besides the observability of the normal network, observability of abnormal network is considered. Consequently, a high level of system reliability is achieved. The reliability is maintained by observability under bad current data (CT errors) and all possible single single‐line outage. These limitations are taken into the account in a hybrid genetic particle swarm optimisation strategy to minimise monitoring cost and avoiding unobservability under abnormal conditions. Proposed algorithm is tested on 14, 30, 39 and 118‐bus IEEE standard test systems and a 24‐bus network of Mazandaran Regional Electric Company located in north of Iran.
Maximum loadability of droop regulated microgrids – formulation and analysis
Authors: Díaz Guzmán
Published: May 2013

This study extends the methodologies presented in other study concerned with the modelling and stability analysis of autonomous microgrids. It elaborates on a continuation method for finding the equilibria states through the entire loading range of an autonomous microgrid. The continuation method is based on the conventional continuation power flow (CPF) employed in the analysis of large power systems. However, the dissimilarities between conventional, simplified models of large power systems employed in CPF and those of detailed dynamics employed in microgrids make it necessary to reinterpret the CPF methodology. The methodology followed employs modelling procedures of microgrids previously published so as to build the Jacobians required by the predictor step. The procedure is quite expeditious, speeding up the solutions. The study also discusses revisions conducted on the CPF to warrant convergence of the corrector step to the particular case of islanded microgrids.
Guaranteed state estimation of power system via interval constraints propagation
Authors: Wang Bin , He Guangyu , Liu Kaicheng , Lv Hairong , Yin Wenjun , Mei Shengwei
Published: May 2013

This study deals with guaranteed state estimation of power systems in the bounded‐error context, which avoids the effect of inexact matching of the assumed statistical hypotheses on the error. A new approach, based on interval constraint propagation, is proposed to compute guaranteed estimates of state variables and measurements. According to the feature of power systems, two improvements based on interval constraint propagation are presented to improve contraction and obtain narrow interval images. First, a monotonicity‐based contractor is exploited because of the monotonicity of measure function to part of state variables. Second, the constraints set are extended by combining the measurement constraints. The improved method is guaranteed, contraction efficient and time efficient. The results, achieved using the proposed method, are compared with those typical existing methods to demonstrate its effectiveness. Tests are carried out on the IEEE 14‐bus system and the IEEE 118‐bus system, respectively.
Adaptive neuro‐fuzzy controller for static VAR compensator to damp out wind energy conversion system oscillation
Authors: Huang Huazhang , Chung Chi‐Yung
Published: May 2013

Wind shear and tower shadow produce a periodic pulse reduction in mechanical torque captured from wind energy resulting in wind energy conversion system (WECS) active power oscillations. In this study, an adaptive neuro‐fuzzy controller for static VAR compensator, used in power networks integrated with WECS, is presented to address the torque oscillation problem. The proposed controller consists of a radial basis function neural network representing a third‐order auto‐regressive and moving average system model and performing the prediction, and a main controller with adaptive neuro‐fuzzy inference system providing the damping signal. A modified two‐area four‐machine power network with WECS integration is applied to validate the proposed implementation, compared with conventional lead/lag compensation. Time‐domain simulations prove that the proposed controller can provide a damping signal to improve the active power oscillation and system dynamic stability, influenced by torque oscillations under WECSs synchronised operating condition.
Histogram‐bin‐shifting‐based reversible watermarking for colour images
Authors: Naskar Ruchira , Subhra Chakraborty Rajat
Published: May 2013

Histogram‐bin‐shifting has been previously shown to be an effective method of reversibly watermarking greyscale images. For colour image reversible watermarking, histogram‐bin‐shifting technique can be extended trivially to RGB colour space. However, direct application of histogram‐bin‐shifting to the RGB colour image components, results in relatively poor performance of the watermarking algorithm. In order to improve the performance of the algorithm in terms of embedding capacity and distortion whereas preserving the inherent computational simplicity of the histogram‐bin‐shifting technique, the authors propose a technique of shifting frequency histogram bins of transformed colour components. In this study, the authors consider the YCbCr colour‐space. Experimental results on standard test images, prove that the proposed technique achieves high embedding capacity with considerably low distortion.
Architecture‐dependent robustness in a class of multiple positive feedback loops
Authors: Shi Changhong , Li Han‐xiong , Zhou Tianshou
Published: May 2013

Many types of multiple positive feedbacks with each having potentials to generate bistability exist extensively in natural, raising the question of why a particular architecture is present in a cell. In this study, the authors investigate multiple positive feedback loops across three classes: one‐loop class, two‐loop class and three‐loop class, where each class is composed of double positive feedback loop (DPFL) or double negative feedback loop (DNFL) or both. Through large‐scale sampling and robustness analysis, the authors find that for a given class, the homogeneous DPFL circuit (i.e. the coupled circuit that is composed of only DPFLs) is more robust than all the other circuits in generating bistable behaviour. In addition, stochastic simulation shows that the low stable state is more robust than the high stable state in homogeneous DPFL whereas the high‐stable state is more robust than the low‐stable state in homogeneous DNFL circuits. It was argued that this investigation provides insight into the relationship between robustness and network architecture.
Relationship between changes in core body temperature in lambs and post-slaughter muscle glycogen content and dark-cutting
Authors: Pighin D. G. , Brown W. , Ferguson D. M. , Fisher A. D. , Warner R. D.
Published: May 2013

Pre-slaughter stress may decrease muscle glycogen content, a key element for a suitable low ultimate pH and prevention of dark-cutting meat. Body temperature monitoring is a tool used in research on animal stress, as an indicator of stress events. Possible relationships between body temperature of sheep and post-mortem muscle glycogen were investigated in this study. Body temperature was measured with intravaginal loggers inserted into each animal at 3 days pre-slaughter, to record body temperature every 3 min over a period of 3 days. Blood samples were collected from each animal at exsanguination for measurement of glucose and lactic acid concentrations. The muscle content of glycogen and lactic acid were determined in samples of M. longissimus collected at the level of the 13th rib, at 1 h post-slaughter. A plot of body temperature versus time showed a rise in body temperature from all animals during events such as mustering, loading onto the truck, unloading at the abattoir, during pre-slaughter handling and at slaughter. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were determined between (1) the main temperature increments occurring between farm and slaughter; and (2) post-slaughter muscle glycogen and lactate levels. A significant negative correlation was detected between elevation in core body temperature due to physical stress of sheep and muscle glycogen levels at slaughter. A low correlation was detected between body temperature and blood glucose or lactate concentrations. Further research should examine the relationship between core body temperature and meat quality in order to better understand the complex relationship between animal stress and meat quality.
A diagnostic method for gander selection in Zi geese (Anser cygnoides L.) and Rhin geese (Anser anser L.) using massage reaction and semen quality
Authors: Liu S. J. , Li J. L. , Li H.
Published: May 2013

The objective of this study was to score reactions to artificial semen collection procedures and to develop an efficient method for gander selection in two original geese breeds. One-hundred and three Zi geese and 110 Rhin geese were used. Gander reaction scores to massage and semen quality parameters were investigated in 10 Zi and 10 Rhin ganders during a complete reproductive season. The relationships between average gander massage reaction score and semen quality were evaluated. After natural mating, egg fertility comparison between Zi ganders selected by massage reaction scores and those not subjected to selection were investigated. Ganders exhibited large variations in artificial semen collection and semen characteristics between breeds. Only 30.1% (31/103) of Zi geese and 46.3% (51/110) of Rhin geese had stable positive massage reactions with semen ejaculation (P < 0.05). Average massage reaction score, ejaculate volume, spermatozoa concentration, sperm motility and semen quality factor for single ejaculate were significantly higher in Zi than in Rhin geese. There was a high correlation between average massage reaction score and semen volume, being 0.87 for Zi geese (P < 0.05) and 0.82 for Rhin (P < 0.05), and this correlation enabled pre-selection of ganders at the beginning of the breeding season. Reproductive efficiency could be improved with massage-selected ganders in natural breeding flocks. Examination of gander massage reaction scores combined with laboratory assessment of semen quality early in the breeding season is a feasible method for predicting fertilising capability of ganders.
Effect of the duration of road transport on the physiology and meat quality of lambs
Authors: Dalmau Antoni , Di Nardo Antonio , Realini Carolina Eva , Rodríguez Pedro , Llonch Pol , Temple Déborah , Velarde Antonio , Giansante Daniele , Messori Stefano , Villa Paolo Dalla
Published: May 2013

To assess the effect of transport duration on animal welfare and meat quality of lambs, two trials were performed: Forty Ile-de-France × Merino lambs were used in Trial 1 and 40 Comisana lambs in Trial 2. In both trials, the lambs, aged between 14 and 16 weeks, were divided into two groups of 20 animals. One group was subjected to a 1-h period of transportation (T1) and the other to a 24-h period of transportation (T24), both in the same truck and arriving to the same slaughterhouse at the same time. The effect of transport on serum biochemistry variables (cortisol, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, blood urea nitrogen, creatine kinase, creatinine and total proteins), salivary cortisol, metabolites of cortisol in faeces, intra-ruminal temperature and meat quality (pH, conductivity, expressible juice, colour and shear force) was assessed. In both studies, the duration of transport did not affect serum and salivary cortisol concentration (P > 0.05). However, in Trial 2, lambs exposed to 24-h transport had a higher concentration of faecal cortisol metabolites than did those transported for 1 h (P < 0.05). Blood variables were not affected by transport in either trial (P > 0.05), with the exception of blood urea nitrogen which was higher in Trial 1 for the T24 group (P < 0.05) than it was to T1 group. Although no signs of dehydration were found, intra-ruminal loggers showed that animals did not drink during the transportation in the way they did before transport. In Trial 1, no effect of transport duration was found on meat-quality traits (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, in Trial 2, lambs exposed to 24-h transport had higher values of colour attribute of a* (red trend) and less tenderness or higher values of shear force (P < 0.05). The present study showed that although there is little effect on meat quality, signs of stress are detectable in lambs transported for 24 h. Therefore, in the case of lambs, the effect of long transportation periods must be considered more in terms of animal welfare than in terms of product quality.
Stratification ratio of organic matter pools influenced by management systems in a weathered Oxisol from a tropical agro-ecoregion in Brazil
Authors: Figueiredo C. C. , Resck D. V. S. , Carneiro M. A. C. , Ramos M. L. G. , Sá J. C. M.
Published: May 2013

Enhancement of organic matter plays an essential role in improving soil quality for supporting sustainable food production. Changes in carbon stocks with impacts on emissions of greenhouse gases may result from the stratification of organic matter as a result of soil use. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of soil management systems on soil carbon stocks and stratification ratios (SR) of soil organic matter pools. Total organic carbon (TOC), particulate organic carbon (POC), mineral-associated organic carbon, microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and nitrogen, basal respiration, and particulate organic matter nitrogen (PON) were determined. The field experiment comprised several tillage treatments: conventional tillage, no-till with biannual rotation, no-till with biannual rotation combined with a second crop, no-till with annual rotation, and pasture. The labile fractions indicated a high level of variation among management systems. Pasture proved to be an excellent option for the improvement of soil carbon. While the conventional tillage system reduced total carbon stocks of the soil (0–40 cm), no-tillage presented TOC stocks similar to that of native vegetation. Sensitivity of the TOC SR varied from 0.93 to 1.28, a range of 0.35; the range for POC was 1.76 and for MBC 1.64. The results support the hypothesis that the labile fractions (POC, MBC, and PON) are highly sensitive to the dynamics of organic matter in highly weathered soils of tropical regions influenced by different management systems. Reductions to SRs of labile organic matter pools are related to the impacts of agricultural use of Cerrado soils.