bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Causes of Early Age Cracking on Concrete Bridge Deck Expansion Joint Repair Sections
Authors: Wright Jared R. , Rajabipour Farshad , Laman Jeffrey A. , Radlińska Aleksandra
Published: March 2014

Cracking of newly placed binary Portland cement-slag concrete adjacent to bridge deck expansion dam replacements has been observed on several newly rehabilitated sections of bridge decks. This paper investigates the causes of cracking by assessing the concrete mixtures specified for bridge deck rehabilitation projects, as well as reviewing the structural design of decks and the construction and curing methods implemented by the contractors. The work consists of (1) a comprehensive literature review of the causes of cracking on bridge decks, (2) a review of previous bridge deck rehabilitation projects that experienced early-age cracking along with construction observations of active deck rehabilitation projects, and (3) an experimental evaluation of the two most commonly used bridge deck concrete mixtures. Based on the literature review, the causes of concrete bridge deck cracking can be classified into three categories: concrete material properties, construction practices, and structural design factors. The most likely causes of the observed early-age cracking were found to be inadequate curing and failure to properly eliminate the risk of plastic shrinkage cracking. These results underscore the significance of proper moist curing methods for concrete bridge decks, including repair sections. This document also provides a blueprint for future researchers to investigate early-age cracking of concrete structures.
Solution of Axisymmetric Potential Problem in Oblate Spheroid Using the Exodus Method
Authors: Momoh O. D. , Sadiku M. N. O. , Musa S. M.
Published: March 2014

This paper presents the use of Exodus method for computing potential distribution within a conducting oblate spheroidal system. An explicit finite difference method for solving Laplace’s equation in oblate spheroidal coordinate systems for an axially symmetric geometry was developed. This was used to determine the transition probabilities for the Exodus method. A strategy was developed to overcome the singularity problems encountered in the oblate spheroid pole regions. The potential computation results obtained correlate with those obtained by exact solution and explicit finite difference methods.
A Case of Mucinous Cystadenofibroma of the Ovary
Authors: Lee Dae Hyung
Published: March 2014

Ovarian adenofibroma is a rare benign tumour originating from the germinal lining and stroma of the ovary. We describe here the case of a 36-year-old woman with an ovarian mucinous cystadenofibroma that was diagnosed as a benign cystic mass of the ovary before surgery. The tumour was a cystic lesion composed of 2 regions: one filled with mucinous fluid and the other with yellowish solid components. The patient successfully underwent a left oophorectomy.
Particle Collisions in the Lower Dimensional Rotating Black Hole Space-Time with the Cosmological Constant
Authors: Yang Jie , Li Yun-Liang , Li Yang , Wei Shao-Wen , Liu Yu-Xiao
Published: March 2014

We study the effect of ultrahigh energy collisions of two particles with different energies near the horizon of a2+1dimensional BTZ black hole (BSW effect). We find that the particle with the critical angular momentum could exist inside the outer horizon of the BTZ black hole regardless of the particle energy. Therefore, for the nonextremal BTZ black hole, the BSW process is possible on the inner horizon with the fine tuning of parameters which are characterized by the motion of particle, while, for the extremal BTZ black hole, the particle with the critical angular momentum could only exist on the degenerated horizon, and the BSW process could also happen there.
Investigation of Tribological Performances for Porous Structure of Diatom Frustule with FSI Method
Authors: Meng Fanming , Gao Guixiang , Li TingTing
Published: March 2014

Tribological performances of the diatom frustule are investigated with the liquid-solid interaction (FSI) method. Take, for example, the representativeCoscinodiscussp. shell; the diatom frustule with the porous structure is achieved by the scanning electron microscope (SEM). Based on the frustule, the representative diatom frustule is modeled. Further, tribological performances of the diatom at its different geometry sizes and velocities are solved with FSI method and compared with corresponding values for the nonporous structure. The numerical result shows that the existence of the porous structure of the diatom helps to reduce friction between it and ambient water and to increase its load-carrying capacity.
Natural Image Enhancement Using a Biogeography Based Optimization Enhanced with Blended Migration Operator
Authors: Jasper J. , Berlin Shaheema S. , Berlin Shiny S.
Published: March 2014

This paper addresses a novel and efficient algorithm for solving optimization problem in image processing applications. Image enhancement (IE) is one of the complex optimization problems in image processing. The main goal of this paper is to enhance color images such that the eminence of the image is more suitable than the original image from the perceptual viewpoint of human. Traditional methods require prior knowledge of the image to be enhanced, whereas the aim of the proposed biogeography based optimization (BBO) enhanced with blended migration operator (BMO) algorithm is to maximize the objective function in order to enhance the image contrast by maximizing the parameters like edge intensity, edge information, and entropy. Experimental results are compared with the current state‐of‐the‐art approaches and indicate the superiority of the proposed technique in terms of subjective and objective evaluation.
Distance-Ranked Fault Identification of Reconfigurable Hardware Bitstreams via Functional Input
Authors: Imran Naveed , DeMara Ronald F.
Published: March 2014

Distance-Ranked Fault Identification (DRFI)is a dynamic reconfiguration technique which employs runtime inputs to conduct online functional testing of fielded FPGA logic and interconnect resources without test vectors. At design time, a diverse set of functionally identical bitstream configurations are created which utilize alternate hardware resources in the FPGA fabric. An ordering is imposed on the configuration pool as updated by the PageRank indexing precedence. The configurations which utilize permanently damaged resources and hence manifest discrepant outputs, receive lower rank are thus less preferred for instantiation on the FPGA. Results indicate accurate identification of fault-free configurations in a pool of pregenerated bitstreams with a low number of reconfigurations and input evaluations. For MCNC benchmark circuits, the observed reduction in input evaluations is up to 75% when comparing the DRFI technique to unguided evaluation. The DRFI diagnosis method is seen to isolate all 14 healthy configurations from a pool of 100 pregenerated configurations, and thereby offering a 100% isolation accuracy provided the fault-free configurations exist in the design pool. When a complete recovery is not feasible, graceful degradation may be realized which is demonstrated by the PSNR improvement of images processed in a video encoder case study.
Healthcare Providers’ Knowledge of Disordered Sleep, Sleep Assessment Tools, and Nonpharmacological Sleep Interventions for Persons Living with Dementia: A National Survey
Authors: Brown Cary A. , Wielandt Patricia , Wilson Donna , Jones Allyson , Crick Katelyn
Published: March 2014

A large proportion of persons with dementia will also experience disordered sleep. Disordered sleep in dementia is a common reason for institutionalization and affects cognition, fall risk, agitation, self-care ability, and overall health and quality of life. This report presents findings of a survey of healthcare providers’ awareness of sleep issues, assessment practices, and nonpharmacological sleep interventions for persons with dementia. There were 1846 participants, with the majority being from nursing and rehabilitation. One-third worked in long-term care settings and one-third in acute care. Few reported working in the community. Findings revealed that participants understated the incidence of sleep deficiencies in persons with dementia and generally lacked awareness of the relationship between disordered sleep and dementia. Their knowledge of sleep assessment tools was limited to caregiver reports, self-reports, and sleep diaries, with few using standardized tools or other assessment methods. The relationship between disordered sleep and comorbid conditions was not well understood. The three most common nonpharmacological sleep interventions participants identified using were a regular bedtime routine, increased daytime activity, and restricted caffeine. Awareness of other evidence-based interventions was low. These findings will guide evidence-informed research to develop and test more targeted and contextualized sleep and dementia knowledge translation strategies.
Biogeographical Variation and Population Genetic Structure ofSporisorium scitamineumin Mainland China: Insights from ISSR and SP-SRAP Markers
Authors: Xu Liping , Lu Yunhai , You Qian , Liu Xiaolan , Grisham Michael Paul , Pan Yongbao , Que Youxiong
Published: March 2014

A total of 100Sporisorium scitamineumisolates were investigated by inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) and single primer-sequence related amplified polymorphism (SP-SRAP) markers. These isolates were clearly assorted into three distinct clusters regardless of method used: either cluster analysis or by principal component analysis (PCA) of the ISSR, SP-SRAP, or ISSR + SP-SRAP data set. The total gene diversity (Ht) and gene diversity between subpopulations (Hs) were estimated to be 0.34 to 0.38 and 0.22 to 0.29, respectively, by analyzing separately the ISSR and SP-SRAP data sets, and to be 0.26–0.36 by analyzing ISSR + SP-SRAP data set. The gene diversity attributable to differentiation among populations (Gst) was estimated to be 0.35 and 0.22, and the gene flow (Nm) was 0.94 and 1.78, respectively, when analyzing separately ISSR and SP-SRAP data set, and was 0.27 and 1.33, respectively, when analyzing ISSR + SP-SRAP data set. Our study showed that there is considerable genetic variation in the analyzed 100 isolates, and the environmental heterogeneity has played an important role for this observed high degree of variation. The genetic differentiation of sugarcane smut fungus depends to a large extent on the heterogeneity of their habitats and is the result of long-term adaptations of pathogens to their ecological environments.
NiTi Intermetallic Surface Coatings by Laser Metal Deposition for Improving Wear Properties of Ti-6Al-4V Substrates
Authors: Mokgalaka Mokgadi Nomsa , Pityana Sisa Lesley , Popoola Patricia Abimbola Idowu , Mathebula Tebogo
Published: March 2014

The NiTi intermetallic possesses a number of good properties, such as high wear, oxidation, and corrosion resistance. This paper focuses on the deposition of NiTi intermetallic coatings on Ti6Al4V substrate by laser melting of Ti and Ni elemental powder mixtures. The effect of varying the Ti content in the NiTi composition on the microstructure and wear properties of the coatings was investigated. The microstructure of the NiTi intermetallic coatings were characterized by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy Dispersive Spectroscope (EDS). The wear properties of the coatings were performed under accelerated dry sliding wear tests. The results obtained from the SEM/EDS analysis; show that the coatings consist of Ni and Ti elements from the feedstock, and the NiTi, NiTi2and NiTi3, intermetallic phases. Dry sliding wear analysis revealed that there is correlation between the hardness and the wear rate. The coatings displayed significant improvement in wear resistance up to 80% compared to the substrate.
A Cytological Study of Palpable Superficial Nodules of Parasitic Origin: A Study of 41 Cases
Authors: Goyal Prashant , Sehgal Shelly , Ghosh Soumyesh , Mittal Deepti , Kumar Awanindra , Singh Sompal
Published: March 2014

Background. Few parasitic infestations present as only superficial palpable subcutaneous or intramuscular nodule.
The current study highlights the role of FNAC in the diagnosis of superficial palpable parasitic lesions. Methods. This was a retrospective study in which we reviewed the FNAC
record of all patients over a period of two years from September 2011 to August 2013. During this period, FNA was performed on 5954 cases which presented as superficial
palpable lump at various sites of body. There were 41 cases diagnosed as parasitic lesion or suspicious of parasitic lesion on cytology which were included in the study. Results.
In the present study, most of the patients were children and young adults. The lesions were located over trunk in 18 (43.9%) cases, extremities in 12 (29.3%) cases, and head and neck region in 11 (26.8%) cases. Out of 41 cases, 27 (65.8%) cases were confirmed on cytology and/or histopathology as parasitic lesions, including 21 (51.2%) cases of cysticercosis, 5 (12.2%) cases of filariasis, and one (2.4%) case of hydatid cyst. Cytological findings of remaining cases were suggestive of parasitic lesion. Conclusion. Careful assessment of cytological material is helpful to detect parasite or inflammatory response to parasite even in asymptomatic patients.
New Perspectives on Specific Immune‐Depletion Technique Using Monoclonal Antibodies against Small Active Molecules in Herbs
Authors: Wang Xue-Qian , Cheng Fa-Feng , Qu Hui-Hua , Zhao Yan , Yu Cai , Liu Yuan-Jun , Zhu Wen-Xiang , Wang Qing-Guo
Published: March 2014

One of the main focuses in Chinese Medicine research is the identification of efficacious components in Chinese herbal medicine (CHM). Studies in such area are difficult due to the complexity and the synergistic characteristics of CHM. Current methods to track and separate active components are not adequate to meet the needs of revealing effects and identify substances and pharmacological mechanisms, which directly restrict the modernization and globalization of CHM. In this paper, a new methodology to deplete a single active component via immunoassay was introduced. The specific active component in a CHM mixture can then be identified and studied through comparative analyses of the pharmacological effects before and after immune depletion. With this new methodology, degree of contribution of a particular component to the whole complex herbal mixture can be elucidated, and its synergistic property with other components can be determined. The new method can reflect not only the overall combined pharmacological effects of CHM but also the effect of individual component. It is an effective way to explain the degree of contribution of one specific component to the overall activity of a CHM prescription.
Discrete and Continuous Optimization Based on Hierarchical Artificial Bee Colony Optimizer
Authors: Ma Lianbo , Hu Kunyuan , Zhu Yunlong , Niu Ben , Chen Hanning , He Maowei
Published: March 2014

This paper presents a novel optimization algorithm, namely, hierarchical artificial bee colony optimization (HABC), to tackle complex high-dimensional problems. In the proposed multilevel model, the higher-level species can be aggregated by the subpopulations from lower level. In the bottom level, each subpopulation employing the canonical ABC method searches the part-dimensional optimum in parallel, which can be constructed into a complete solution for the upper level. At the same time, the comprehensive learning method with crossover and mutation operator is applied to enhance the global search ability between species. Experiments are conducted on a set of 20 continuous and discrete benchmark problems. The experimental results demonstrate remarkable performance of the HABC algorithm when compared with other six evolutionary algorithms.
Is It Possible to Predict the Presence of Intestinal Angioectasias?
Authors: Cúrdia Gonçalves Tiago , Magalhães Joana , Boal Carvalho Pedro , Moreira Maria João , Rosa Bruno , Cotter José
Published: March 2014

Background and Aim. Angioectasias are the most common vascular anomalies found in the gastrointestinal tract. In small bowel (SB), they can cause obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) and in this setting, small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) is an important diagnostic tool. This study aimed to identify predictive factors for the presence of SB angioectasias, detected by SBCE.Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the results of 284 consecutive SBCE procedures between April 2006 and December 2012, whose indication was OGIB, of which 47 cases with SB angioectasias and 53 controls without vascular lesions were selected to enter the study. Demographic and clinical data were collected.Results. The mean age of subjects with angioectasias(70.9±14.7)was significantly higher than in controls(53.1±18.6;P<0.001). The presence of SB angioectasias was significantly higher when the indication for the exam was overt OGIB versus occult OGIB (13/19 versus 34/81,P=0.044). Hypertension and hypercholesterolemia were significantly associated with the presence of SB angioectasias (38/62 versus 9/38,P<0.001and 28/47 versus 19/53,P=0.027, resp.). Other studied factors were not associated with small bowel angioectasias.Conclusions. In patients with OGIB, overt bleeding, older age, hypercholesterolemia, and hypertension are predictive of the presence of SB angioectasias detected by SBCE, which may be used to increase the diagnostic yield of the SBCE procedure and to reduce the proportion of nondiagnostic examinations.
TFIIB-Related Factor 2 Is Associated with Poor Prognosis of Nonsmall Cell Lung Cancer Patients through Promoting Tumor Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Tian Yu , Lu Ming , Yue Weiming , Li Lin , Li Shuhai , Gao Cun , Si Libo , Qi Lei , Hu Wensi , Tian Hui
Published: March 2014

In this study, we found that increased BRF2 protein expression was prevalent in NSCLC. Overexpression of BRF2 correlated with abnormal expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and snail. Additionally, expression of BRF2 was found to be an independent prognostic factor in NSCLC patients. Furthermore, we showed that targeted knockdown of BRF2 expression could inhibit the migratory and invasive abilities of NSCLC cells and induced loss of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of NSCLC cells. These results suggested that BRF2 overexpression in tumor tissues is significantly associated with the poor prognosis of NSCLC patients through promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program.
An Optimal Hierarchical Decision Model for a Regional Logistics Network with Environmental Impact Consideration
Authors: Zhang Dezhi , Li Shuangyan , Qin Jin
Published: March 2014

This paper proposes a new model of simultaneous optimization of three-level logistics decisions, for logistics authorities, logistics operators, and logistics users, for regional logistics network with environmental impact consideration. The proposed model addresses the interaction among the three logistics players in a complete competitive logistics service market with CO2emission charges. We also explicitly incorporate the impacts of the scale economics of the logistics park and the logistics users’ demand elasticity into the model. The logistics authorities aim to maximize the total social welfare of the system, considering the demand of green logistics development by two different methods: optimal location of logistics nodes and charging a CO2emission tax. Logistics operators are assumed to compete with logistics service fare and frequency, while logistics users minimize their own perceived logistics disutility given logistics operators’ service fare and frequency. A heuristic algorithm based on the multinomial logit model is presented for the three-level decision model, and a numerical example is given to illustrate the above optimal model and its algorithm. The proposed model provides a useful tool for modeling competitive logistics services and evaluating logistics policies at the strategic level.
An Overview on Study of Identification of Driver Behavior Characteristics for Automotive Control
Authors: Lin Na , Zong Changfu , Tomizuka Masayoshi , Song Pan , Zhang Zexing , Li Gang
Published: March 2014

Driver characteristics have been the research focus for automotive control. Study on identification of driver characteristics is provided in this paper in terms of its relevant research directions and key technologies involved. This paper discusses the driver characteristics based on driver’s operation behavior, or the driver behavior characteristics. Following the presentation of the fundamental of the driver behavior characteristics, the key technologies of the driver behavior characteristics are reviewed in detail, including classification and identification methods of the driver behavior characteristics, experimental design and data acquisition, and model adaptation. Moreover, this paper discusses applications of the identification of the driver behavior characteristics which has been applied to the intelligent driver advisory system, the driver safety warning system, and the vehicle dynamics control system. At last, some ideas about the future work are concluded.
An Analysis of Strong Coupling in the High Tc Superconductors
Authors: Turner J. H.
Published: March 2014

A new McMillan formula is assembled for the High Temperature Superconductors that evidences strong coupling in these materials. The McMillan-Hopfield parameter is calculated in each case, in addition to the Bergmann and Rainer enhancement frequency. The cubic symmetry of the CuO layers and the lattice cohesion and oxygen presence are suggested reasons for the effect.
s,S Inventory with Positive Service Time and Retrial of Demands: An Approach through Multiserver Queues
Authors: Nair Anoop N. , Jacob M. J.
Published: March 2014

We analyze an s,S inventory with positive service time and retrial of demands by considering the inventory as servers of a multiserver queuing system. Demands arrive according to a Poisson process and service time distribution is exponential. On each service completion, the number of demands in the system as well as the number of inventories (servers) is reduced by one. When all servers are busy, new arrivals join an orbit from which they try to access the service at an exponential rate. Using matrix geometric methods the steady state joint distribution of the demands and inventory has been analyzed and a numerical illustration is given.
Eddy Current Inversion Models for Estimating Dimensions of Defects in Multilayered Structures
Authors: Ye Bo , Dong Jun , Qiu Gefei , Li Siqi , Zeng Fang , Yang Tanghua , Bai Biao , He Zhangzhou
Published: March 2014

In eddy current nondestructive evaluation, one of the principal challenges is to determine the dimensions of defects in multilayered structures from the measured signals. It is a typical inverse problem which is generally considered to be nonlinear and ill‐posed. In the paper, two effective approaches have been proposed to estimate the defect dimensions. The first one is a partial least squares (PLS) regression method. The second one is a kernel partial least squares (KPLS) regression method. The experimental research is carried out. In experiments, the eddy current signals responding to magnetic field changes are detected by a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor and preprocessed for noise elimination using a wavelet packet analysis (WPA) method. Then, the proposed two approaches are used to construct the inversion models of defect dimension estimation. Finally, the estimation results are analyzed. The performance comparison between the proposed two approaches and the artificial neural network (ANN) method is presented. The comparison results demonstrate the feasibility and validity of the proposed two methods. Between them, the KPLS regression method gives a better prediction performance than the PLS regression method at present.
Construction of Time‐Stamped Mobility Map for Path Tracking via Smith‐Waterman Measurement Matching
Authors: Zhou Mu , Tian Zengshan , Xu Kunjie , Wu Haibo , Pu Qiaolin , Yu Xiang
Published: March 2014

Path tracking in wireless and mobile environments is a fundamental technology for ubiquitous location‐based services (LBSs). In particular, it is very challenging to develop highly accurate and cost‐efficient tracking systems applied to the anonymous areas where the floor plans are not available for security and privacy reasons. This paper proposes a novel path tracking approach for large Wi‐Fi areas based on the time‐stamped unlabeled mobility map which is constructed from Smith‐Waterman received signal strength (RSS) measurement matching. Instead of conventional location fingerprinting, we construct mobility map with the technique of dimension reduction from the raw measurement space into a low‐dimensional embedded manifold. The feasibility of our proposed approach is verified by the real‐world experiments in the HKUST campus Wi‐Fi networks, sMobileNet. The experimental results prove that our approach is adaptive and capable of achieving an adequate precision level in path tracking.
Dermatology Residency Selection Criteria with an Emphasis on Program Characteristics: A National Program Director Survey
Authors: Gorouhi Farzam , Alikhan Ali , Rezaei Arash , Fazel Nasim
Published: March 2014

Background. Dermatology residency programs are relatively diverse in their resident selection process. The authors investigated the importance of 25 dermatology residency selection criteria focusing on differences in program directors’ (PDs’) perception based on specific program demographics.Methods. This cross-sectional nationwide observational survey utilized a 41-item questionnaire that was developed by literature search, brainstorming sessions, and online expert reviews. The data were analyzed utilizing the reliability test, two-step clustering, andK-means methods as well as other methods. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in PDs’ perception regarding the importance of the selection criteria based on program demographics.Results. Ninety-five out of 114 PDs (83.3%) responded to the survey. The top five criteria for dermatology residency selection were interview, letters of recommendation, United States Medical Licensing Examination Step I scores, medical school transcripts, and clinical rotations. The following criteria were preferentially ranked based on different program characteristics: “advanced degrees,” “interest in academics,” “reputation of undergraduate and medical school,” “prior unsuccessful attempts to match,” and “number of publications.”Conclusions. Our survey provides up-to-date factual data on dermatology PDs’ perception in this regard. Dermatology residency programs may find the reported data useful in further optimizing their residency selection process.
The Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Correlates of Erosive Esophagitis and Barrett’s Esophagus in Iranian Patients with Reflux Symptoms
Authors: Sharifi Alireza , Dowlatshahi Shahab , Moradi Tabriz Hedieh , Salamat Fatemeh , Sanaei Omid
Published: March 2014

Background.Erosive esophagitis (EE) and Barrett’s esophagus (BE) are the two important complications of gastroesophageal reflux disease. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of and the risk factors for EE and BE in an Iranian group of patients with reflux symptoms. We also examined the relationship between reflux symptoms and endoscopic findings.Methods.A total of 736 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms were enrolled and all underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus was confirmed by pathologic examination and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection was demonstrated by rapid urease test.Results.Two hundred eighty-three and 34 patients were found to have EE and BE, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that hiatal hernia (P<0.001) and H. pylori infection (P<0.002) were the two significantly related risk factors for esophagitis. Only age was related to BE, with BE patients being more likely to be older (P<0.001) than others.Conclusions.Prevalence of EE and BE in Iranian reflux patients is similar to that seen in western countries. H. pylori infection and the presence of hiatal hernia may be strong risk factors for esophagitis as does older age for Barrett’s esophagus. Finally, reflux symptoms have no significant relationship with endoscopic findings.
A Fuzzy Approach Using Generalized Dinkelbach’s Algorithm for Multiobjective Linear Fractional Transportation Problem
Authors: Cetin Nurdan , Tiryaki Fatma
Published: March 2014

We consider a multiobjective linear fractional transportation problem (MLFTP) with several fractional criteria, such as, the maximization of the transport profitability like profit/cost or profit/time, and its two properties are source and destination. Our aim is to introduce MLFTP which has not been studied in literature before and to provide a fuzzy approach which obtain a compromise Pareto‐optimal solution for this problem. To do this, first, we present a theorem which shows that MLFTP is always solvable. And then, reducing MLFTP to the Zimmermann’s “min” operator model which is the max‐min problem, we construct Generalized Dinkelbach’s Algorithm for solving the obtained problem. Furthermore, we provide an illustrative numerical example to explain this fuzzy approach.
Feasibility Study of 1/3 Thorium-Plutonium Mixed Oxide Core
Authors: Lau Cheuk Wah , Nylén Henrik , Insulander Björk Klara , Sandberg Urban
Published: March 2014

Thorium-plutonium mixed oxide (Th-MOX) fuel has become one of the most promising solutions to reduce a large and increasing plutonium stockpile. Compared with traditional uranium-plutonium mixed oxide (U-MOX) fuels, Th-MOX fuel has higher consumption rate of plutonium in LWRs. Besides, thorium based fuels have improved thermomechanical material properties compared with traditional U-MOX fuels. Previous studies on a full Th-MOX core have shown reduced efficiency in reactivity control mechanisms, stronger reactivity feedback, and a significantly lower fraction of delayed neutrons compared with a traditional uranium oxide (UOX) core. These problems complicate the implementation of a full Th-MOX core in a similar way as for a traditional U-MOX core. In order to reduce and avoid some of these issues, the introduction of a lower fraction of Th-MOX fuel in the core is proposed. In this study, one-third of the assemblies are Th-MOX fuel, and the rest are traditional UOX fuel. The feasibility study is based on the Swedish Ringhals-3 PWR. The results show that the core characteristics are more similar to a traditional UOX core, and the fraction of delayed neutrons is within acceptable limits. Moreover, the damping of axial xenon oscillations induced by control rod insertions is almost 5 times more effective for the 1/3 Th-MOX core compared with the standard core.
Perinatal Hypoxia-Ischemia Reducesα7 Nicotinic Receptor Expression and Selectiveα7 Nicotinic Receptor Stimulation Suppresses Inflammation and Promotes Microglial Mox Phenotype
Authors: Hua Sansan , Ek C. Joakim , Mallard Carina , Johansson Maria E.
Published: March 2014

Inflammation plays a central role in neonatal brain injury. During brain inflammation the resident macrophages of the brain, the microglia cells, are rapidly activated. In the periphery,α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7R) present on macrophages can regulate inflammation by suppressing cytokine release. In the current study we investigatedα7R expression in neonatal mice after hypoxia-ischemia (HI). We further examined possible anti-inflammatory role ofα7R stimulationin vitroand microglia polarization afterα7R agonist treatment. Real-time PCR analysis showed a 33% reduction inα7R expression 72 h after HI. Stimulation of primary microglial cells with LPS in combination with increasing doses of the selectiveα7R agonist AR-R 17779 significantly attenuated TNFαrelease and increasedα7R transcript in microglial cells. Gene expression of M1 markers CD86 and iNOS, as well as M2 marker CD206 was not influenced by LPS and/orα7R agonist treatment. Further, Mox markers heme oxygenase (Hmox1) and sulforedoxin-1 (Srx1) were significantly increased, suggesting a polarization towards the Mox phenotype afterα7R stimulation. Thus, our data suggest a role for theα7R also in the neonatal brain and support the anti-inflammatory role ofα7R in microglia, suggesting thatα7R stimulation could enhance the polarization towards a reparative Mox phenotype.
Medial Radial Head Dislocation Associated with a Proximal Olecranon Fracture: A Bado Type V?
Authors: Segaren Neil , Abdul-Jabar Hani B. , Segaren Nicholas , Barry Matthew
Published: March 2014

The Monteggia fracture is relatively rare. We present an unreported configuration of a traumatic olecranon fracture with a concomitant medial radial head dislocation in a 3-year-old male. This injury was initially missed and required a subsequent operative intervention. Following surgery, there was evident fracture union, articular congruency, and a full functional recovery. Medial radial head dislocation is not accounted for in the Bado (1967) classification of the Monteggia lesion and hence we propose the addition of a Bado V category.
Analysis of Differentially Expressed Genes and Signaling Pathways Related to Intramuscular Fat Deposition in Skeletal Muscle of Sex-Linked Dwarf Chickens
Authors: Ye Yaqiong , Lin Shumao , Mu Heping , Tang Xiaohong , Ou Yangdan , Chen Jian , Ma Yongjiang , Li Yugu
Published: March 2014

Intramuscular fat (IMF) plays an important role in meat quality. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying IMF deposition in skeletal muscle have not been addressed for the sex-linked dwarf (SLD) chicken. In this study, potential candidate genes and signaling pathways related to IMF deposition in chicken leg muscle tissue were characterized using gene expression profiling of both 7-week-old SLD and normal chickens. A total of 173 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the two breeds. Subsequently, 6 DEGs related to lipid metabolism or muscle development were verified in each breed based on gene ontology (GO) analysis. In addition, KEGG pathway analysis of DEGs indicated that some of them (GHR, SOCS3, and IGF2BP3) participate in adipocytokine and insulin signaling pathways. To investigate the role of the above signaling pathways in IMF deposition, the gene expression of pathway factors and other downstream genes were measured by using qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Collectively, the results identified potential candidate genes related to IMF deposition and suggested that IMF deposition in skeletal muscle of SLD chicken is regulated partially by pathways of adipocytokine and insulin and other downstream signaling pathways (TGF-β/SMAD3 and Wnt/catenin-βpathway).
Modelling Soil Water Retention Using Support Vector Machines with Genetic Algorithm Optimisation
Authors: Lamorski Krzysztof , Sławiński Cezary , Moreno Felix , Barna Gyöngyi , Skierucha Wojciech , Arrue José L.
Published: March 2014

This work presents point pedotransfer function (PTF) models of the soil water retention curve. The developed models allowed for estimation of the soil water content for the specified soil water potentials: –0.98, –3.10, –9.81, –31.02, –491.66, and –1554.78 kPa, based on the following soil characteristics: soil granulometric composition, total porosity, and bulk density. Support Vector Machines (SVM) methodology was used for model development. A new methodology for elaboration of retention function models is proposed. Alternative to previous attempts known from literature, theν-SVM method was used for model development and the results were compared with the formerly used theC-SVM method. For the purpose of models’ parameters search, genetic algorithms were used as an optimisation framework. A new form of the aim function used for models parameters search is proposed which allowed for development of models with better prediction capabilities. This new aim function avoids overestimation of models which is typically encountered when root mean squared error is used as an aim function. Elaborated models showed good agreement with measured soil water retention data. Achieved coefficients of determination values were in the range 0.67–0.92. Studies demonstrated usability ofν-SVM methodology together with genetic algorithm optimisation for retention modelling which gave better performing models than other tested approaches.
Tracing Fasting Glucose Fluxes with Unstressed Catheter Approach in Streptozotocin Induced Diabetic Rats
Authors: Du Shichun , Wu Hui , Xu Xiao , Meng Ying , Xia Fangzhen , Zhai Hualing , Lu Yingli
Published: March 2014

Objective. Blood glucose concentrations of type 1 diabetic rats are vulnerable, especially to stress and trauma. The present study aimed to investigate the fasting endogenous glucose production and skeletal muscle glucose uptake of Streptozotocin induced type 1 diabetic rats using an unstressed vein and artery implantation of catheters at the tails of the rats as a platform.Research Design and Methods. Streptozotocin (65 mg·kg−1) was administered to induce type 1 diabetic state. The unstressed approach of catheters of vein and artery at the tails of the rats was established before the isotope tracer injection. Dynamic measurement of fasting endogenous glucose production was assessed by continuously infusing stable isotope [6, 6-2H2] glucose, while skeletal muscle glucose uptake by bolus injecting radioactively labeled [1-14C]-2-deoxy-glucose.Results. Streptozotocin induced type 1 diabetic rats displayed polydipsia, polyphagia, and polyuria along with overt hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia. They also had enhanced fasting endogenous glucose production and reduced glucose uptake in skeletal muscle compared to nondiabetic rats.Conclusions. The dual catheters implantation at the tails of the rats together with isotope tracers injection is a save time, unstressed, and feasible approach to explore the glucose metabolism in animal models in vivo.
Scheduling IT Staff at a Bank: A Mathematical Programming Approach
Authors: Labidi M. , Mrad M. , Gharbi A. , Louly M. A.
Published: March 2014

We address a real-world optimization problem: the scheduling of a Bank Information Technologies (IT) staff. This problem can be defined as the process of constructing optimized work schedules for staff. In a general sense, it requires the allocation of suitably qualified staff to specific shifts to meet the demands for services of an organization while observing workplace regulations and attempting to satisfy individual work preferences. A monthly shift schedule is prepared to determine the shift duties of each staff considering shift coverage requirements, seniority-based workload rules, and staff work preferences. Due to the large number of conflicting constraints, a multiobjective programming model has been proposed to automate the schedule generation process. The suggested mathematical model has been implemented using Lingo software. The results indicate that high quality solutions can be obtained within a few seconds compared to the manually prepared schedules.
Alcohol Consumption during Adolescence and Risk of Diabetes in Young Adulthood
Authors: Liang Wenbin , Chikritzhs Tanya
Published: March 2014

Background. There is very limited data available on the association between underage drinking and risk of diabetes. The aim of this study is to investigate the association between alcohol use during adolescence and the risk of diabetes while controlling for a wide range of confounders, including parental alcohol use.Methods. This population-based study used data collected from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). Participants were initially recruited in 1994-1995 (Wave I), then followed up in 1996 (Wave II) and in 2001-2002 (Wave III), and in 2008-2009 (Wave IV). Analysis included 2,850 participants (46% male) who were successfully followed up at Waves I, III, and IV without a known diagnosis of diabetes at Waves I and III and who provided all necessary information for the analysis.Results. During adolescence, frequent alcohol consumption at levels reaching 5 or more drinks, 3–7 days/week, substantially increased the risk of diabetes in young adulthood, with an odds ratio of 12.57 (95% CI 4.10–38.61) compared to current abstainers.Conclusions. Heavy alcohol use during adolescence may increase the risk of diabetes in young adulthood.The Significant finding of the Study.
Dynamic Range Analysis of the Phase Generated Carrier Demodulation Technique
Authors: Plotnikov M. J. , Kulikov A. V. , Strigalev V. E. , Meshkovsky I. K.
Published: March 2014

The dependence of the dynamic range of the phase generated carrier (PGC) technique on low-pass filters passbands is investigated using a simulation model. A nonlinear character of this dependence, which could lead to dynamic range limitations or measurement uncertainty, is presented for the first time. A detailed theoretical analysis is provided to verify the simulation results and these results are consistent with performed calculations. The method for the calculation of low-pass filters passbands according to the required dynamic range upper limit is proposed.
Echocardiographic Parameters as Predictors of In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Sladojevic Miroslava , Sladojevic Srdjan , Culibrk Dubravko , Tadic Snezana , Jung Robert
Published: March 2014

Different ways have been used to stratify risk in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients. The aim of the study was to examine the usefulness of echocardiographic parameters as predictors of in-hospital outcome in patients with ACS after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A data of 2030 patients with diagnosis of ACS hospitalized from December 2008 to December 2011 was used to develop a risk model based on echocardiographic parameters using the binary logistic regression. This model was independently evaluated in validation cohort prospectively (954 patients admitted during 2012). In-hospital mortality in derivation cohort was 7.73%, and 6.28% in validation cohort. Developed model has been designed with 4 independent echocardiographic predictors of in-hospital mortality: left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF RR=0.892; 95%CI=0.854–0.932,P<0.0005), aortic leaflet separation diameter (AOvs RR=0.131; 95%CI=0.027–0.627,P=0.011), right ventricle diameter (RV RR=2.675; 95%CI=1.109–6.448,P=0.028) and right ventricle systolic pressure (RVSP RR=1.036; 95%CI=1.000–1.074,P=0.048). Model has good prognostic accuracy (AUROC=0.84) and it retains good (AUROC=0.78) when testing on the validation cohort. Risks for in-hospital mortality after PCI in ACS patients using echocardiographic measurements could be accurately predicted in contemporary practice. Incorporation of such developed model should facilitate research, clinical decisions, and optimizing treatment strategy in selected high risk ACS patients.
Anodic Oxidation Synthesis of One‐Dimensional TiO2 Nanostructures for Photocatalytic and Field Emission Properties
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Ma Lisha , Shao Minghui , Huang Jinzhao , Ding Meng , Deng Xiaolong , Wei Xianqi , Xu Xijin
Published: March 2014

One‐dimensional (1D) TiO2 micro/nanostructures have received more and more attentions because of their potential applications in environmental issues. This paper reviews the most recent activities in TiO2 nanostructures with an emphasis on the authors’ own results especially on those synthesized using anodic oxidation method. The review begins with a survey of the effects of fabrication methods and the experiment conditions on the obtained TiO2 nanostructures, and then focuses on their 1D nanostructures, including the syntheses, characterizations, formation mechanisms, photocatalytic, and field emission properties. Finally, we conclude this review with the perspectives and outlooks on the future developments in this field.
Elastic Properties of the Fabric Liner and Their Influence on the Wear Depth of the Spherical Plain Bearing
Authors: Shen Xuejin , Gao Pandong , Liu Zhaolei , Chen Xiaoyang
Published: March 2014

The major failure mechanism of typical spherical plain bearings with self‐lubrication is the wear of the woven fabric liner, which is an orthotropic composite of different elastic properties in different directions. The elastic properties of the liner are required for studying the tribological properties of the spherical plain bearings. This paper aims to develop an elastic property analysis model suitable for three commonly used fabric liners through a theoretical analysis of the elastic properties in order to obtain the parameter expression of the compliance matrix. The influence of the elastic properties on the wear depth of the spherical plain bearings is further investigated. Suggestions are made for the optimal design of the spherical plain bearings based on wear reduction.
A New Fuzzy TOPSIS-TODIM Hybrid Method for Green Supplier Selection Using Fuzzy Time Function
Authors: Arshadi Khamseh Alireza , Mahmoodi Mahdi
Published: March 2014

Today green supply chain is considered all around the world and supplier selection has been changed regarding these green and carbon emission criteria, so green supplier selection has been a major problem in this area. In this study we use fuzzy time function to assist managers in green supplier selection under uncertainty and ambiguity. This function will consider derivation from the goal during the time and by using it, and we will be able to have the best supplier in every period after having some modification in legal limitations for green supplier selection criteria. We use a fuzzy TOPSIS to have better initial weighting in TODIM, a discrete multicriteria method based on prospect theory in uncertainty (known as TODIM in Portuguese) decision making method. The results indicated that our proposed approach can easily and effectively accommodate criteria with gains and loss functions during time and also by using this method we will have a more reasonable predict of our suppliers ranking in future and that will help us in future investment in these suppliers. Finally it has been shown in car industries in Iran.
A Cylindrical Dielectric Resonator Antenna-Coupled Sensor Configuration for 94 GHz Detection
Authors: Saleem M. Kamran , Abdel-Rahman M. , Alkanhal Majeed , Sebak Abdelrazik
Published: March 2014

A novel antenna-coupled sensor configuration for millimeter wave detection is presented. The antenna is based on two cylindrical dielectric resonators (CDRs) excited by rectangular slots placed below the CDRs. TheHEM11Δmode resonating at 94 GHz is generated within the CDRs and a 3 GHz impedance bandwidth is achieved at center frequency of 94 GHz. The simulated antenna gain is 7.8 dB, with a radiation efficiency of about 40%.
Erectile Dysfunction in the Elderly: An Old Widespread Issue with Novel Treatment Perspectives
Authors: Gareri Pietro , Castagna Alberto , Francomano Davide , Cerminara Gregorio , De Fazio Pasquale
Published: March 2014

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common chronic diseases affecting men and its prevalence increases with aging. It is also the most frequently diagnosed sexual dysfunction in the older male population. A number of different diseases potentially worsening sexual function may occur in elderly people, together with polypharmacy. Related causes of ED are variable and can include arterial, neurogenic, hormonal, cavernosal, iatrogenic, and psychogenic causes. The aim of the present review was to examine the main aspects of erectile dysfunction going through epidemiology and pathophysiology and revise most of ED in elderly disabled men and in those affected with psychiatric disorders. Lastly we tried to focus on the main aspects of nonpharmacological and pharmacological treatments of ED and the recreational use in the elderly. Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5-I) are commonly used for on-demand or chronic treatment of ED. It is widely known that PDE5-I have lower response rates in older men than in younger patients, but they have the advantages of ease of use and excellent safety profile, also in the elderly. The old and new PDE5-I as well as the alternative treatments for ED are extensively discussed.