bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of Equal Channel Angular Pressing on the Surface Roughness of Solid State Recycled Aluminum Alloy 6061 Chips
Authors: Abbas Adel Taha , Taha Mohamed Adel , Ragab Adham Ezzat , El-Danaf Ehab Adel , Abd El Aal Mohamed Ibrahim
Published: March 2017

Solid state recycling through hot extrusion is a promising technique to recycle machining chips without remelting. Furthermore, equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) technique coupled with the extruded recycled billet is introduced to enhance the mechanical properties of recycled samples. In this paper, the surface roughness of solid state recycled aluminum alloy 6061 turning chips was investigated. Aluminum chips were cold compacted and hot extruded under an extrusion ratio (ER) of 5.2 at an extrusion temperature (ET) of 425°C. In order to improve the properties of the extruded samples, they were subjected to ECAP up to three passes at room temperature using an ECAP die with a channel die angle(Φ)of 90°. Surface roughness (RaandRz) of the processed recycled billets machined by turning was investigated. Box-Behnken experimental design was used to investigate the effect of three machining parameters (cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut) on the surface roughness of the machined specimens for four materials conditions, namely, extruded billet and postextrusion ECAP processed billets to one, two, and three passes. Quadratic models were developed to relate the machining parameters to surface roughness, and a multiobjective optimization scheme was conducted to maximize material removal rate while maintaining the roughness below a preset practical value.
Research on Pattern Recognition Method of Blockage Signal in Pipeline Based on LMD Information Entropy and ELM
Authors: Yang Jingzong , Wang Xiaodong , Feng Zao , Huang Guoyong
Published: March 2017

Aiming at the nonstationary and nonlinear characteristics of acoustic impulse response signal in pipeline blockage and the difficulty in identifying the different degrees of blockage, this paper proposed a pattern recognition method based on local mean decomposition (LMD), information entropy theory, and extreme learning machine (ELM). Firstly, the impulse response signals of pipeline extracted in different operating conditions were decomposed with LMD method into a series of product functions (PFs). Secondly, based on the information entropy theory, the appropriate energy entropy, singular spectrum entropy, power spectrum entropy, and Hilbert spectrum entropy were extracted as the input feature vectors. Finally, ELM was introduced for classification of pipeline blockage. Through the analysis of acoustic impulse response signal collected under the condition of health and different degrees of blockages in pipeline, the results show that the proposed method can well characterize the state information. Also, it has a great advantage in terms of accuracy and it is time consuming when compared with the support vector machine (SVM) and BP (backpropagation) model.
A Study on the Generalized Approximation Modeling Method Based on Fitting Sensitivity for Prediction of Engine Performance
Authors: Lin Lin , Wang Fang , Zhong Shisheng
Published: March 2017

Prediction technology for aeroengine performance is significantly important in operational maintenance and safety engineering. In the prediction of engine performance, to address overfitting and underfitting problems with the approximation modeling technique, we derived a generalized approximation model that could be used to adjust fitting precision. Approximation precision was combined with fitting sensitivity to allow the model to obtain excellent fitting accuracy and generalization performance. Taking the Grey model (GM) as an example, we discussed the modeling approach of the novel GM based on fitting sensitivity, analyzed the setting methods and optimization range of model parameters, and solved the model by using a genetic algorithm. By investigating the effect of every model parameter on the prediction precision in experiments, we summarized the change regularities of the root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) varying with the model parameters in novel GM. Also, by analyzing the novel ANN and ANN with Bayesian regularization, it is concluded that the generalized approximation model based on fitting sensitivity can achieve a reasonable fitting degree and generalization ability.
Research on Key Technologies of Network Centric System Distributed Target Track Fusion
Authors: Mao Yi , Li Yun-ru , Zhu Jin-fu
Published: March 2017

To realize common tactical picture in network‐centered system, this paper proposes a layered architecture for distributed information processing and a method for distributed track fusion on the basis of analyzing the characteristics of network‐centered systems. Basing on the noncorrelation of three‐dimensional measurement of surveillance and reconnaissance sensors under polar coordinates, it also puts forward an algorithm for evaluating track quality (TQ) using statistical decision theory. According to simulation results, the TQ value is associated with the measurement accuracy of sensors and the motion state of targets, which is well matched with the convergence process of tracking filters. Besides, the proposed algorithm has good reliability and timeliness in track quality evaluation.
Probing the Effect of Ag2S Quantum Dots on Human Serum Albumin Using Spectral Techniques
Authors: Fu Yiying , Guan Enli , Liang Jiangong , Ren Guolan , Chen Lu
Published: March 2017

The understanding of the interaction between protein and quantum dots (QDs) has significant implications for biological applications of QDs. Herein, we studied the effect of Ag2S QDs on human serum albumin (HSA) using UV-Vis absorption spectra and fluorescence spectroscopy and found that the fluorescence intensity of HSA was gradually decreased with increasing Ag2S QDs concentrations. By using the Stern-Volmer equation for the fluorescence quenching constant (KSV) of the response of Ag2S QDs to HSA as well as thermodynamic equations, the values of thermodynamic enthalpy change (ΔHθ), entropy change (ΔSθ), and free energy change (ΔGθ) were calculated to be −10.79 KJ·mol−1, 37.80 J·mol−1·K−1, and −22.27 KJ·mol−1, respectively. The results indicate that Ag2S QDs exert an obvious static fluorescence quenching effect on HSA and electrostatic interaction plays a key role in the binding process. Furthermore, Raman spectral analysis reveals that Ag2S QDs alter the external environment of tyrosine and tryptophan or the C-H bending of HSA but not the α-helical content.
Eag1 K+ Channel: Endogenous Regulation and Functions in Nervous System
Authors: Han Bo , Tokay Tursonjan , Zhang Guangming , Sun Peng , Hou Shangwei
Published: March 2017

Ether-à-go-go1 (Eag1, Kv10.1, KCNH1) K+ channel is a member of the voltage‐gated K+ channel family mainly distributed in the central nervous system and cancer cells. Like other types of voltage‐gated K+ channels, the EAG1 channels are regulated by a variety of endogenous signals including reactive oxygen species, rendering the EAG1 to be in the redox‐regulated ion channel family. The role of EAG1 channels in tumor development and its therapeutic significance have been well established. Meanwhile, the importance of hEAG1 channels in the nervous system is now increasingly appreciated. The present review will focus on the recent progress on the channel regulation by endogenous signals and the potential functions of EAG1 channels in normal neuronal signaling as well as neurological diseases.
A Note on an Analytic Solution for an Incompressible Fluid-Conveying Pipeline System
Authors: Olunloyo Vincent O. S. , Osheku Charles A. , Olayiwola Patrick S.
Published: March 2017

This paper presents an integral transform analytic solution to the equations governing a fluid-conveying pipeline segment where a gyroscopic or Coriolis force effect is taken into consideration. The mathematical model idealizes a segment of the pipeline as an elastic beam conveying an incompressible fluid. It is clearly shown that when such a system is supported at both ends and in a free motion, the Coriolis force dissipates no energy (or simply does not work) as it generates conjugate complex vibratory components for all flow velocities. It is demonstrated that the modal natural frequencies can be computed from the algebraic products of the complex frequency pairs. Clearly, the patterns of the characteristics of the system’s natural frequencies are seen partly when the real and imaginary components are plotted, as widely seen in the literature. Nonetheless, results from this study revealed that a continuity profile exists to connect the subcritical, critical, and postcritical vibratory behaviours when the absolute values are plotted for any velocity. In the meantime, the efficacy and versatility of this method against the usual assumed spatial or temporal modal solutions are demonstrated by confirming the predictions and validity of results of earlier workers such as Paidoussis, Ziegler, and others where pre- and postdivergence behaviours are exhibited.
Debugging the Black Box
Authors: Yang James C.
Published: March 2017

Summary: A better understanding of the mechanisms by which tumor rejection succeeds and fails is needed to improve immunotherapies. Here, Anagnostou and colleagues find that mutations predicted to be the most immunogenic are preferentially lost when cancer progresses through checkpoint blockade. Cancer Discov; 7(3); 250–1. ©2017 AACR.

See related article by Anagnostou et al., p. 264.
A arte de compor canções
Authors: Tatit Luiz
Published: March 2017

In the absence of technical information on how songwriters compose, this article uses testimonials from composers which reveal −from very particular creative strategies −a strong awareness of the language in which they operate. In fact, the practice of blending melody and lyrics is substantially different from musical and literary experiences, when considered singly. That’s because the encounter of those two components generates prosodic (not just musical) melodies that respond in good measure via the persuasiveness of the language. Furthermore, other forms of compatibility between melody and lyrics (such as thematization and passionalization) support the meaning of the song, often eliminating the need for verbal coherence of its lyrics
O Tropicalismo e a crítica da canção
Authors: Favaretto Celso
Published: March 2017

The article highlights the uniqueness of the activity of the Tropicalism movement, focusing on the modes of production which distinguished its songs since its beginning in terms of concept, structure, transmission and intervention on the artistic and cultural debates taking place in Brazil during the 1960s
Do Factory Managers Know What Workers Want? Manager–Worker Information Asymmetries and Pareto Optimal Human Resource Management Policies
Authors: Adler Paris , Brown Drusilla , Dehejia Rajeev , Domat George , Robertson Raymond
Published: March 2017

This paper evaluates the conjecture that factory managers may not be offering a cost-minimizing configuration of compensation and workplace amenities by using manager and worker survey data from Better Work Vietnam. Working conditions are found to have a significant positive impact on global life assessments and reduce measures of depression and traumatic stress. We find significant deviations in manager perceptions of working conditions from those of workers. These deviations significantly impact a worker's perception of well-being and indicators of mental health. Such deviations may lead the factory manager to underprovide certain workplace amenities relative to the cost-minimizing configuration, which may in part explain the persistence of relatively poor working conditions in developing economies.
Decomposing Total Factor Productivity Growth in Manufacturing and Services
Authors: Foster-McGregor Neil , Verspagen Bart
Published: March 2017

Using the World Input–Output Database, this paper calculates total factor productivity (TFP) growth for a sample of 40 economies during the period 1995–2009 to show that TFP growth in Asian economies has been relatively strong. In a number of Asian economies, TFP growth in services has outpaced that in manufacturing. This paper presents a novel structural decomposition of TFP growth and shows that the main drivers of aggregate productivity growth, as well as differences in productivity growth between services and manufacturing, have been changing factor requirements. These effects tend to offset the negative productivity effect of a declining ratio of value added to gross output.
Determinants of Intra-ASEAN Migration
Authors: Tuccio Michele
Published: March 2017

International labor mobility in Southeast Asia has risen drastically in recent decades and is expected to continue increasing with the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Economic Community in 2015. This paper looks at the determinants of the movement of workers and finds three structural factors that will likely drive further intra-ASEAN migration in the coming years: (i) demographic transition, (ii) large income differentials between economies, and (iii) the porosity of borders. A microfounded gravity model is estimated in order to empirically analyze the main determinants of intra-ASEAN migration in the period 1960–2000. Results suggest that the movement of migrants between Southeast Asian economies has mostly been driven by higher wages and migrant social networks in destination economies, as well as natural disasters in origin economies.
Onobrychis mehmetchiquii (Fabaceae) sp. nov, a new species from European Turkey
Authors: AYBEKE MEHMET , DANE FERUZAN
Published: March 2017

A new Onobrychis taxon was collected from regions of Turkey that reside in Europe and is described as Onobrychis mehmetchiquii Aybeke & Dane sp. nova belonging to sect. Onobrychis. Additionally, a description of the species along with illustrations and key features are given in contrast to O. alba and O. degenii which are the most similar to the new taxon.
A new species and new record of deep-sea scale-worms (Polynoidae: Polychaeta) from the Okinawa Trough and the South China Sea
Authors: SUI JIXING , LI XINZHENG
Published: March 2017

A new species of scale-worm, Lepidonotopodium okinawae sp. nov. from the Okinawa Trough is described. The new species differs from the other species of Lepidonotopodium by having 24 segments and numerous foveolae on the surface of elytra with one globular micropapilla in every foveola. A new record of the mussel commensal Branchipolynoe pettiboneae Miura & Hashimoto, 1991 is reported and described from the northern South China Sea, where for the first time the scale-worm is noted as occurring at a cold-seep. Keys to distinguish the species of Branchipolynoe and Lepidonotopodium are provided.
Coupling Groundwater, Vegetation, and Atmospheric Processes: A Comparison of Two Integrated Models
Authors: Sulis Mauro , Williams John L. , Shrestha Prabhakar , Diederich Malte , Simmer Clemens , Kollet Stefan J. , Maxwell Reed M.
Published: March 2017

This study compares two modeling platforms, ParFlow.WRF (PF.WRF) and the Terrestrial Systems Modeling Platform (TerrSysMP), with a common 3D integrated surface–groundwater model to examine the variability in simulated soil–vegetation–atmosphere interactions. Idealized and hindcast simulations over the North Rhine–Westphalia region in western Germany for clear-sky conditions and strong convective precipitation using both modeling platforms are presented. Idealized simulations highlight the strong variability introduced by the difference in land surface parameterizations (e.g., ground evaporation and canopy transpiration) and atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) schemes on the simulated land–atmosphere interactions. Results of the idealized simulations also suggest a different range of sensitivity in the two models of land surface and atmospheric parameterizations to water-table depth fluctuations. For hindcast simulations, both modeling platforms simulate net radiation and cumulative precipitation close to observed station data, while larger differences emerge between spatial patterns of soil moisture and convective rainfall due to the difference in the physical parameterization of the land surface and atmospheric component. This produces a different feedback by the hydrological model in the two platforms in terms of discharge over different catchments in the study area. Finally, an analysis of land surface and ABL heat and moisture budgets using the mixing diagram approach reveals different sensitivities of diurnal atmospheric processes to the groundwater parameterizations in both modeling platforms.
A Dynamically Consistent Reconstruction of Ocean Temperature
Authors: Shen Samuel S. P. , Behm Gregory P. , Song Y. Tony , Qu Tangdong
Published: March 2017

This paper provides a spectral optimal gridding (SOG) method to make a dynamically consistent reconstruction of water temperature for the global ocean at different depth levels. The dynamical consistency is achieved by using the basis of empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) derived from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) non-Boussinesq ocean general circulation model (OGCM) output at ¼° resolution from 1958 to 2013. A convenient singular value decomposition (SVD) method is used to calculate the EOFs, in order to enable efficient computing for a fine spatial grid globally. These EOFs are used as explainable variables and are regressed against the sparsely distributed in situ ocean temperature data at 33 standard depth levels. The observed data are aggregated onto a 1° latitude–longitude grid at each level from the surface to the 5500-m layer for the period 1950–2014. Three representative temperature reconstruction examples are presented and validated: two 10-m-layer (i.e., the second layer from the surface) reconstructions for January 2008 and January 1998, which are compared with independent sea surface temperature (SST) observations; and one 100-m-layer reconstruction for January 1998, which shows a strong cold anomaly El Niño signal in the western tropical Pacific up to −5°C from 150°E to 140°W. The SOG reconstruction can accurately locate the El Niño signal region in different ocean layers. The SOG reconstruction method is shown reliable and yields satisfactory accuracy even with sparse data. Validation and error analysis indicate that no systematic biases exist in the observed and reconstructed data.
Temporary Employment, Demand Volatility, and Unions: Firm-Level Evidence
Authors: Devicienti Francesco , Naticchioni Paolo , Ricci Andrea
Published: March 2017

This article investigates the effect of workplace unionization and product market volatility on firms’ propensity to use temporary employment. Using Italian firm-level data, the authors show that volatility has a positive impact on the share of temporary contracts. The baseline estimates for the impact of unions are inconclusive, but a clear pattern emerges when a specification including an interaction term with volatility is used. This approach allows a richer characterization of the impact of workplace unionization, which is positive for low levels of volatility and negative for high levels. The authors discuss various direct and indirect mechanisms to explain this novel finding. Furthermore, they find that these effects hold only for cases in which the employer does not provide training for temporary workers, whereas temporary contracts with training provisions are not affected by unions, volatility, and their interplay.
Longitudinal Study of Caries Development from Childhood to Adolescence
Authors: Hall-Scullin E. , Whitehead H. , Milsom K. , Tickle M. , Su T.-L. , Walsh T.
Published: March 2017

The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that globally, dental caries is the most important oral condition. To develop effective prevention strategies requires an understanding of how this condition develops and progresses over time, but there are few longitudinal studies of caries onset and progression in children. The aim of the study was to establish the pattern of caries development from childhood into adolescence and to explore the role of potential risk factors (age, sex, ethnicity, and social deprivation). Of particular interest was the disease trajectory of dentinal caries in the permanent teeth in groups defined by the presence or absence of dentinal caries in the primary teeth. Intraoral examinations to assess oral health were performed at 4 time points by trained and calibrated dentist examiners using a standardized, national diagnostic protocol. Clinical data were available from 6,651 children. Mean caries prevalence (% D3MFT > 0) was 16.7% at the first clinical examination (ages 7–9 y), increasing to 31.0%, 42.2%, and 45.7% at subsequent examinations. A population-averaged model (generalized estimating equations) was used to model the longitudinal data. Estimated mean values indicated a rising D3MFT count as pupils aged (consistent with new teeth emerging), which was significantly higher (4.49 times; 95% confidence interval, 3.90–5.16) in those pupils with caries in their primary dentition than in those without. This study is one of the few large longitudinal studies to report the development of dental caries from childhood into adolescence. Children who developed caries in their primary dentition had a very different caries trajectory in their permanent dentition compared to their caries-free contemporaries. In light of these results, caries-free and caries-active children should be considered as 2 separate populations, suggesting different prevention strategies are required to address their different risk profiles.
Structure-Function Relationships of Temporomandibular Retrodiscal Tissue
Authors: Coombs M.C. , Petersen J.M. , Wright G.J. , Lu S.H. , Damon B.J. , Yao H.
Published: March 2017

It is estimated that 2% to 4% of the US population will seek treatment for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) symptoms, typically occurring with anterior disc displacement. The temporomandibular retrodiscal tissue (RDT) has been postulated to restrict pathologic disc displacement. To elucidate RDT function, understanding regional RDT biomechanics and ultrastructure is required. No prior biomechanical analysis has determined regional variations in RDT properties or associated biomechanical outcomes with regional variations in collagen and elastin organization. The purpose of this study was to determine direction- and region-dependent tensile biomechanical characteristics and regional fibrillar arrangement of porcine RDT. Incremental stress relaxation experiments were performed on 20 porcine RDT specimens, with strain increments from 5% to 50%, a ramp-strain rate of 2% per second, and relaxation periods of 2.5 min. Tensile characteristics were determined between temporal and condylar regions and anteroposterior and mediolateral directions. RDT preparations were imaged using second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy for both collagen and elastin. Young’s modulus showed significant differences by region ( P < 0.001) and strain ( P < 0.001). Young’s modulus was <1 MPa from 5% to 20% strain, before increasing from 20% to 50% strain to a maximum of 2.9 MPa. Young’s modulus trended higher in the temporal region and mediolateral direction. Instantaneous and relaxed moduli showed no significant difference by region or direction. Collagen arrangement was most organized near the disc boundary, with disorganization increasing posteriorly. Elastin was present at the disc boundary and RDT mid-body. Porcine RDT demonstrated region- and strain-dependent variations in tensile moduli, associated with regional differences in collagen and elastin. The small tensile moduli suggest that the RDT is not resistive to pathologic disc displacement. Further biomechanical analysis of the RDT is required to fully define RDT functional roles. Understanding regional variations in tissue stiffness and ultrastructure for TMJ components is critical to understanding joint function and for the long-term goal of improving TMJ disorder treatment strategies.
Two-step migration: A comparison of Australia's and New Zealand's policy development between 1998 and 2010
Authors: Chiou Beibei
Published: March 2017

Since the late 1990s, the competition for ‘the best and the brightest’ has shaped many developed countries’ policy approaches toward international students seeking permanent skilled migration in their countries. Australia and New Zealand are among those that established innovative immigration policies to facilitate the skilled migration of international students after successful completion of their studies. Using Considine's policy system framework, this paper reviewed each country's policy setting linking education and migration between 1998 and 2010 and compared policy developments by their constituent policy institutions, policy actors, political economy and policy culture. The similarities and differences between the two countries are identified and used to understand how international education and skilled migration policies had changed in each setting.
Joseonjok and their evolving roles as mediators in transnational enterprises in Qingdao, China
Authors: Shin HaeRan
Published: March 2017

This paper looks at the role played by Joseonjok (Korean Chinese who live in China) as mediators between newly arrived Korean entrepreneurs and Han Chinese migrant workers in the context of Qingdao, China. Based on archival analysis and ethnographic fieldwork, the paper demonstrates that the interactions and conflicts among Joseonjok (who are second- and third-generation transnational migrants), newcomer Korean entrepreneurs and Han Chinese migrant workers reflect the dynamics of geopolitics and the transnationalism process. The study found that Joseonjok’s mediating role diminished as Korean entrepreneurs and Han workers learned to adapt to each other, a development that prompted Joseonjok to consider other options.
The hero, the villain, the princess, and the book
Authors: Smith Emma
Published: March 2017

This article establishes a prehistory of the excitement about the discovery of the Saint-Omer Shakespeare First Folio in a longer narrative of investments in the book’s secrets. Tracing the neglected importance of Baconianism to the establishment of the First Folio’s cultural prominence in the early twentieth century, parallels between the kinds of narratives told by authorship sceptics and by bibliographers are drawn. I argue that the sense that the book encodes mysteries about its own genesis unites popular and academic approaches to the First Folio and is one way to account for the discrepancy between its value and its non-rarity.
Prediction of final infarct volume on subacute MRI by quantifying cerebral edema in ischemic stroke
Authors: Tipirneni-Sajja Aaryani , Christensen Soren , Straka Matus , Inoue Manabu , Lansberg Maarten G , Mlynash Michael , Bammer Roland , Parsons Mark W , Donnan Geoffrey A , Davis Stephen M , Albers Gregory W
Published: March 2017

Final infarct volume in stroke trials is assessed on images obtained between 30 and 90 days after stroke onset. Imaging at such delayed timepoints is problematic because patients may be lost to follow-up or die before the scan. Obtaining an early assessment of infarct volume on subacute scans avoids these limitations; however, it overestimates true infarct volume because of edema. The aim of this study was to develop a novel approach to quantify edema so that final infarct volumes can be approximated on subacute scans. We analyzed data from 20 stroke patients (median age, 75 years) who had baseline, subacute (fu5d) and late (fu90d) MRI scans. Edema displaces CSF from sulci and ventricles; therefore, edema volume was estimated as change in CSF volume between baseline and spatially coregistered fu5d ADC maps. The median (interquartile range, IQR) estimated edema volume was 13.3 (7.5–37.7) mL. The fu5d lesion volumes correlated well with fu90d infarct volumes with slope: 1.24. With edema correction, fu5d infarct volumes are in close agreement, slope: 0.97 and strongly correlated with actual fu90d volumes. The median (IQR) difference between actual and predicted infarct volumes was 0.1 (−3.0–5.7) mL. In summary, this novel technique for estimation of edema allows final infarct volume to be predicted from subacute MRI.
MRI-based mismatch detection in acute ischemic stroke: Optimal PWI maps and thresholds validated with PET
Authors: Zaro-Weber Olivier , Moeller-Hartmann Walter , Siegmund Dora , Kandziora Alexandra , Schuster Alexander , Heiss Wolf-Dieter , Sobesky Jan
Published: March 2017

Perfusion-weighted (PW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to detect penumbral tissue in acute stroke, but the selection of optimal PW-maps and thresholds for tissue at risk detection remains a matter of debate. We validated the performance of PW-maps with 15O-water-positron emission tomography (PET) in a large comparative PET-MR cohort of acute stroke patients. In acute and subacute stroke patients with back-to-back MRI and PET imaging, PW-maps were validated with 15O-water-PET. We pooled two different cerebral blood flow (CBF) PET-maps to define the critical flow (CF) threshold, (i) quantitative (q)CBF-PET with the CF threshold <20 ml/100 g/min and (ii) normalized non-quantitative (nq)CBF-PET with a CF threshold of <70% (corresponding to <20 ml/100 g/min according to a previously published normogram). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to specify the accuracy and the optimal critical flow threshold of each PW-map as defined by PET. In 53 patients, (stroke to imaging: 9.8 h; PET to MRI: 52 min) PW-time-to-maximum (Tmax) with a threshold >6.1 s (AUC = 0.94) and non-deconvolved PW-time-to-peak (TTP) >4.8 s (AUC = 0.93) showed the best performance to detect the CF threshold as defined by PET. PW-Tmax with a threshold >6.1 s and TTP with a threshold >4.8 s are the most predictive in detecting the CF threshold for MR-based mismatch definition.
Real-time SPARSE-SENSE cine MR imaging in atrial fibrillation: a feasibility study
Authors: Goebel Juliane , Nensa Felix , Schemuth Haemi P , Maderwald Stefan , Quick Harald H , Schlosser Thomas , Nassenstein Kai
Published: March 2017

Background

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relies on correct ECG-gating, which is hindered in arrhythmia.

Purpose

To examine whether a prototype free-breathing real-time cine sequence using SPARSE-SENSE (SPARSE) improves left ventricular quantification in atrial fibrillation.

Material and Methods

On a 1.5T MR system left ventricular short-axis stacks were acquired of the SPARSE sequence and of a “reference” steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequence with arrhythmia rejection in 20 patients with atrial fibrillation. Two radiologists independently rated arrhythmia-caused artifact severity in both sequences using a 4-point scale. Coefficients of variation of myocardial signal intensity for both sequences were acquired. Volumetry was performed twice by one reader and once by another reader. Correlation between artifact severity and employed sequence was analyzed by modified Fisher’s exact test. Coefficients of variation and volumetric data were compared by paired t-test and intraclass correlation.

Results

Median arrhythmia-caused artifact severity was 2 in both readers for SSFP and 0 (reader 1)/1 (reader 2) for SPARSE, being significantly lower in SPARSE ( P < 0.001). Mean coefficient of variance was significantly smaller in SPARSE (0.11 ± 0.04) compared to SSFP (0.22 ± 0.13, P = 0.003), which was interpreted as a hint for fewer artifacts in SPARSE. Only a small difference of 9 ± 15 mL was seen for end-systolic volume ( P = 0.019) between sequences, otherwise no significant difference was detected (end-diastolic volume, P = 0.200; stroke volume, P = 0.554; ejection fraction, P = 0.136; myocardial mass, P = 0.353). Intraclass correlation between sequences was good to excellent (range, 0.80–0.97).

Conclusion

Real-time MRI with SPARSE data sampling is promising in atrial fibrillation because it reduces arrhythmia-caused artifacts.
Diagnostic impact of integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI in cerebral staging of patients with non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: Deuschl Cornelius , Nensa Felix , Grueneisen Johannes , Poeppel Thorsten D , Sawicki Lino M , Heusch Philipp , Gramsch Carolin , Mönninghoff Christoph , Quick Harald H , Forsting Michael , Umutlu Lale , Schlamann Marc
Published: March 2017

Background

Integrated positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) systems are increasingly being available and used for staging examinations. Brain metastases (BM) are frequent in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and decisive for treatment strategy.

Purpose

To assess the diagnostic value of integrated 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D glucose (18F-FDG) PET/MRI in initial staging in patients with NSCLC for BM in comparison to MRI alone.

Material and Methods

Eighty-three patients were prospectively enrolled for an integrated 18F-FDG PET/MRI examination. The 3 T MRI protocol included a fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery sequence (FLAIR) and a contrast-enhanced three-dimensional magnetization prepared rapid acquisition GRE sequence (MPRAGE). Two neuroradiologists evaluated the datasets in consensus regarding: (i) present lesions; (ii) size of lesions; and (iii) number of lesions detected in MRI alone, compared to the PET component when reading the 18F-FDG PET/MRI.

Results

Based on MRI alone, BM were detected in 15 out of the 83 patients, comprising a total of 39 metastases. Based on PET alone, six patients out of the 83 patients were rated positive for metastatic disease, revealing a total of 15 metastases. PET detected no additional BM. The size of the BM correlated positively with sensitivity of detection in PET.

Conclusion

The sensitivity of PET in detection of BM depends on their size. 18F-FDG PET/MRI does not lead to an improvement in diagnostic accuracy in cerebral staging of NSCLC patients, as MRI alone remains the gold standard.
Measurements of myocardial bridges on computed tomography predict presence of clinical symptoms and outcomes of adverse heart events: a retrospective study in a large population from China
Authors: Liu Guobing , Qu Yanjuan , Chen Xin , Liao Meiyan , Hu Huijuan , Cao Yiyuan , Tian Zhixiong
Published: March 2017

Background

Clinical-radiological correlation of myocardial bridge (MB) remains unclear.

Purpose

To correlate clinical symptoms and outcomes of MBs with computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography findings.

Material and Methods

A total of 2092 patients with CT coronary angiography were collected. Patients were divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic groups, adverse heart events (AHE) and non-AHE groups, MB and non-MB groups, as well as left anterior descending (LAD)-MB and non-LAD-MB groups. Statistical analyses were performed to identify inter-group differences, and clinical-radiological correlations of MBs or mural coronary arteries (MCAs).

Results

The prevalence of MB, the MCA stenosis either in systole or in diastole, and the ratio of LAD-MB were significantly higher in the symptomatic group than in the asymptomatic group, and higher in the AHE group than in the non-AHE group ( P all <0.05). MB thickness, systolic MCA stenosis, and diastolic MCA stenosis were independent variables predicting clinical symptoms ( P < 0.05), with diastolic MCA stenosis having the highest diagnostic performance, when cutting at 24.6%. The corresponding sensitivity and specificity were 87.8% and 90.6%, respectively. Diastolic MCA stenosis independently indicated outcome of AHE (odds ratio, 1.047; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Measurements of MB-MCA by CT predict the presence of clinical symptoms and outcomes of AHE, with diastolic MCA stenosis possessing the greatest performance.
A multi-reader in vitro study using porcine kidneys to determine the impact of integrated circuit detectors and iterative reconstruction on the detection accuracy, size measurement, and radiation dose for small (<4 mm) renal stones
Authors: Wells Michael L , Froemming Adam T , Kawashima Akira , Vrtiska Terri J , Kim Bohyun , Hartman Robert P , Holmes David R , Carter Rickey E , Bartley Adam C , Leng Shuai , McCollough Cynthia H , Fletcher Joel G
Published: March 2017

Background

Detection of small renal calculi has benefitted from recent advances in computed tomography (CT) scanner design. Information regarding observer performance when using state-of-the-art CT scanners for this application is needed.

Purpose

To assess observer performance and the impact of radiation dose for detection and size measurement of <4 mm renal stones using CT with integrated circuit detectors and iterative reconstruction.

Material and Methods

Twenty-nine <4 mm calcium oxalate stones were randomly placed in 20 porcine kidneys in an anthropomorphic phantom. Four radiologists used a workstation to record each calculus detection and size. JAFROC Figure of Merit (FOM), sensitivity, false positive detections, and calculus size were calculated.

Results

Mean calculus size was 2.2 ± 0.7 mm. The CTDIvol values corresponding to the automatic exposure control settings of 160, 80, 40, 25, and 10 Quality Reference mAs (QRM) were 15.2, 7.9, 4.2, 2.7, and 1.3 mGy, respectively. JAFROC FOM was ≥ 0.97 at ≥ 80 QRM, ≥ 0.89 at ≥ 25 QRM, and was inferior to routine dose (160 QRM) at 10 QRM (0.72, P < 0.05). Per-calculus sensitivity remained ≥ 85% for every reader at ≥ 25 QRM. Mean total false positive detections per reader were ≤ 3 at ≥ 80 QRM, but increased substantially for two readers ( ≥ 12) at ≤ 40 QRM. Measured calculus size significantly decreased at ≤ 25 QRM ( P ≤ 0.01).

Conclusion

Using low dose renal CT with iterative reconstruction and ≥ 25 QRM results in high sensitivity, but false positive detections increase for some readers at very low dose levels (≤ 40 QRM). At very low doses with iterative reconstruction, measured calculus size will artifactually decrease.
Indocyanine green detects sentinel lymph nodes in early breast cancer
Authors: Liu Jun , Huang Linping , Wang Ning , Chen Ping
Published: March 2017

Objective

To explore the clinical value of indocyanine green (ICG) for the fluorescence-guided detection of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) during sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with early breast cancer.

Methods

This retrospective study included female patients with breast cancer. Patients were administered methylene blue and ICG using standard techniques. All SLNs that were collected during surgery were submitted for pathological examination. SLNs were defined as those that were either fluorescent, blue, fluorescent and blue or palpably suspicious. Surgical complications, axillary recurrence, distant metastasis and overall survival rates were observed postoperatively.

Results

A total of 60 patients were enrolled in the study. The fluorescence detection rate of SLNs was 100% ( n = 177), with a mean of 2.95 SLNs per patient. The methylene blue staining rate was 88.3% ( n = 106), with a mean of 1.77 SLNs per patient. Pathological assessment of intraoperative frozen specimens revealed SLN metastases in 10 patients, who immediately underwent axillary lymph node dissection. No patient had axillary recurrence or distant metastases, with a survival rate of 100%. Patients who underwent SLNB showed good appearance in the axillary wound, with no limited shoulder joint abduction and upper limb oedema.

Conclusion

Fluorescence-guided SLNB has several advantages and is suitable for clinical application.
Modernizing the flow of blood: Biomedical technicians, working knowledge and the transformation of Swedish blood centre practices
Authors: Berner Boel , Björkman Maria
Published: March 2017

The early 1980s saw a ‘paradigm change’ in how donated blood was handled and used by blood centres, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. In Sweden, a five-year state-financed R&D programme initiated a swift modernization process, an alleged ‘revolution’ of existing blood centre practices. In this article, we use interviews and archival material to analyse the role of female biomedical technicians in this rapid technical and organizational change. In focus is their working knowledge, or savoir-faire, of blood, instruments and techniques. We give a detailed analysis of technicians’ embrained and embodied skills to create safety in blood and its representations, handle contingencies and invent new procedures and techniques. These transformations are analysed as sociomaterial entanglements, where the doing and undoing of gender, sociomaterial practices, hierarchies of authority and expertise, and emotions are intertwined.
Effects of Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Lactobacillus acidophilus on bacterial vaginal pathogens
Authors: Bertuccini Lucia , Russo Rosario , Iosi Francesca , Superti Fabiana
Published: March 2017

The human vagina is colonized by a variety of microbes. Lactobacilli are the most common, mainly in healthy women; however, the microbiota composition can change rapidly, leading to infection or to a state in which potential pathogenic microorganisms co-exist with other commensals. In premenopausal women, urogenital infections, such as bacterial vaginosis and aerobic vaginitis, remain an important health problem. Treatment of these infections involves different kind of antibiotics; however, the recurrence rate remains high, and it must be also underlined that antibiotics are unable to spontaneously restore normal flora characterized by an abundant community of Lactobacilli. The main limitation is the inability to offer a long-term defensive barrier, thus facilitating relapses and recurrences.

We report here the antimicrobial activities of two commercially existing Lactobacillus strains, Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 and Lactobacillus acidophilus GLA-14 strains and their combination (Respecta® probiotic blend) against four different pathogens responsible for both bacterial vaginosis ( Gardenerella vaginalis and Atopobium vaginae) and aerobic vaginitis ( Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) by co-culturing assay. The probiotic combination, even if resulting in a different microbicidal activity against the different strains tested, demonstrated the efficacy of combined Lactobacillus strain treatment.
Investing in Independent Contract Work
Authors: Occhiuto Nicholas
Published: March 2017

New York City “yellow” taxi drivers work as independent contractors. Like many independent contract workers, taxi drivers engage in economically precarious work—or work that is economically uncertain, unpredictable, and risky. This article explores how taxi drivers make sense of the economic risks they face each workday. Drawing on 20 months of ethnographic data, it finds that taxi drivers made sense of their work by expressing a sense of control over their work schedule, which is significant given the self-conceptions that drivers bring with them to this particular work arrangement. As a result, this sense of schedule control serves as a mechanism for worker investment in the structure of independent contract work.
American and Korean Youths’ Attachment to Handcraft Apparel and Its Relation to Sustainability
Authors: Lee Yoon Kyung , DeLong Marilyn
Published: March 2017

This research explored teenagers’ use of handcraft apparel in the United States and South Korea. Teenagers were selected for a cross national comparison of youth and their emotional attachment to handcraft apparel in terms of: use of handcraft items compared with purchased products; the relationship between the craft user and creator; and the influence of emotional attachment to handcrafts on the friendship and self-esteem of youths. Responses of US and Korean high school and middle school students acknowledged the value of handcrafts. Handcraft items offer a measure of sustainability not offered by clothing destined for the fast-fashion cycle. Items handcrafted by friends and family have considerable value as objects of everyone design as well as emotional value. In this study, we also conclude that the value of handcraft apparel and crafts in everyday creativity may have a positive influence on peer relationships and self-esteem among youth in the two countries. Comparing the two youth groups in this study, we found that US teenagers have a greater tendency to use handcrafted items compared with their Korean counterparts that may be attributed to the wider popularity of handcrafting in US society. US participants reported a significantly longer period of actual use of handcraft items. Although handcraft items are increasingly overlooked in favor of mass-produced fashion products, handcraft apparel can be expected to endure as an alternative product with recognized sustainability, given the perceived importance of handmade craft and apparel made by loved ones.
How far is mitigation of Russian gas dependency possible through energy efficiency and renewable policies assuming different gas market structures?
Authors: Selei Adrienn , Tóth Borbála , Resch Gustav , Szabó László , Liebmann Lukas , Kaderják Péter
Published: March 2017

This paper presents the results of a coordinated modelling assessment that incorporates European energy efficiency and renewable policies with two potential gas market scenarios. First, the impact of EU energy efficiency and renewable policies on natural gas demand is calculated using the PRIMES model 2014 Baseline projection, the Fraunhofer ISI Low Policy Intensity Energy Efficiency scenario, and the Green-X model for renewable deployment. Next, the effect of these policies on the natural gas markets is assessed, using the European Gas Market Model. The model tests scenarios for different positions on long-term gas contracts with Russia assuming different stages of European gas infrastructure development. The findings show that dependency on Russian natural gas can be reduced to low levels without triggering a significant increase in natural gas prices for any single EU member country. In an extreme scenario whereby energy efficiency savings, higher renewable energy sources deployment and the assumed positive gas market developments take place simultaneously, gas cost savings can reach as high as 37%. Benefits arise not only in the most recent round of EU Member States (12 MS) targeted in the study, but are visible across most EU gas markets. This underlines the interlinkages of the whole EU gas market, and the results suggest that security of gas supply is not only a challenge for new Member States, but in the broader European markets.
Modelling support policies and renewable energy sources deployment in the Hungarian district heating sector
Authors: Mezősi András , Kácsor Enikő , Beöthy Ákos , Törőcsik Ágnes , Szabó László
Published: March 2017

Increasing renewable-based district heating could contribute significantly to the renewable target achievements of Central and Eastern European Member States with significant shares of district heating in their heat markets. These countries face dual challenges: high competition with other heating sources (including individual heating) and decreasing heat consumption due to building-related energy efficiency improvements in the sector. Our paper is based on a Hungarian case study, attempting to contribute to identifying the most efficient options to achieve these targets in the district heating sector. We apply a district heating model covering all district heating systems in the country and assess the available policy instruments with the potential for increasing renewable energy sources deployment and competitiveness in the sector. The assessment shows that investment grants and operational support are efficient instruments to increase renewable energy sources shares and also improve efficiency in the sector, while end user price and renewable co-generation support in the electricity market lead to non-optimal outcomes.