bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HER2 Status in Advanced or Metastatic Gastric, Esophageal, or Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma for Entry to the TRIO-013/LOGiC Trial of Lapatinib
Authors: Press Michael F. , Ellis Catherine E. , Gagnon Robert C. , Grob Tobias J. , Buyse Marc , Villalobos Ivonne , Liang Zhiyong , Wu Shafei , Bang Yung-Jue , Qin Shu-Kui , Chung Hyun Cheol , Xu Jianming , Park Joon Oh , Jeziorski Krzysztof , Afenjar Karen , Ma Yanling , Estrada Monica C. , Robinson Douglas M. , Scherer Stefan J. , Sauter Guido , Hecht J. Randolph , Slamon Dennis J.
Published: November 2016

HER2/ERBB2 status is used to select patients for HER2-targeted therapy. HER2/ERBB2 amplification/overexpression of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) adenocarcinomas was determined locally or in two central laboratories to select patients for the TRIO-013/LOGiC trial of chemotherapy with or without lapatinib. Patients selected locally had central laboratory confirmation of HER2 amplification for inclusion in the primary efficacy population. HER2 was assessed with PathVysion or IQ PharmDx FISH and HercepTest immunohistochemistry assays. Associations with outcomes were retrospectively evaluated. Overall, HER2 status was determined in UGI cancers from 4,674 patients in a central laboratory for eligibility (1,995 cases) and for confirmation of local HER2 results (333 cases). Of 1,995 adenocarcinomas screened centrally, 322 (16.1%) had HER2-amplified disease with 29 (1.5%) showing HER2 genomic heterogeneity. Men and older patients had higher rates of amplification. Of 545 patients accrued to the trial (gastric, 87.3%; GEJ, 8.3% and esophageal cancer, 4.4%), 487 patients (89%) were centrally confirmed as having HER2-amplified disease. Concordance between central and local HER2 testing was 83%. Concordance between PathVysion and IQ PharmDx FISH assays was 99% and FISH in the two central laboratories was 95%. Lapatinib-treated Asian participants and those less than 60 years had significant improvement in progression-free survival (PFS), particularly among those whose cancers had 5.01–10.0 and >10.0-fold amplification of HER2. In conclusion, HER2 is commonly amplified in UGI adenocarcinomas with amplification highly correlated to overexpression, and HER2 amplification levels correlated with PFS. While HER2 genomic heterogeneity occurs, its prevalence is low. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(1); 228–38. ©2016 AACR.
Dual Inhibition of MEK and PI3K/Akt Rescues Cancer Cachexia through both Tumor-Extrinsic and -Intrinsic Activities
Authors: Talbert Erin E. , Yang Jennifer , Mace Thomas A. , Farren Matthew R. , Farris Alton B. , Young Gregory S. , Elnaggar Omar , Che Zheng , Timmers Cynthia D. , Rajasekera Priyani , Maskarinec Jennifer M. , Bloomston Mark , Bekaii-Saab Tanios , Guttridge Denis C. , Lesinski Gregory B.
Published: November 2016

Involuntary weight loss, a part of the cachexia syndrome, is a debilitating comorbidity of cancer and currently has no treatment options. Results from a recent clinical trial at our institution showed that biliary tract cancer patients treated with a MEK inhibitor exhibited poor tumor responses but surprisingly gained weight and increased their skeletal muscle mass. This implied that MEK inhibition might be anticachectic. To test this potential effect of MEK inhibition, we utilized the established Colon-26 model of cancer cachexia and the MEK1/2 inhibitor MEK162. Results showed that MEK inhibition effectively prevented muscle wasting. Importantly, MEK162 retained its ability to spare muscle loss even in mice bearing a Colon-26 clone resistant to the MEK inhibitor, demonstrating that the effects of blocking MEK are at least in part independent of the tumor. Because single-agent MEK inhibitors have been limited as a first-line targeted therapy due to compensatory activation of other oncogenic signaling pathways, we combined MEK162 with the PI3K/Akt inhibitor buparlisib. Results showed that this combinatorial treatment significantly reduced tumor growth due to a direct activity on Colon-26 tumor cells in vitro and in vivo, while also preserving skeletal muscle mass. Together, our results suggest that as a monotherapy, MEK inhibition preserves muscle mass, but when combined with a PI3K/Akt inhibitor exhibits potent antitumor activity. Thus, combinatorial therapy might serve as a new approach for the treatment of cancer cachexia. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(2); 344–56. ©2016 AACR.

See related article by Kobayashi et al., p. 357
TRPP2 Enhances Metastasis by Regulating Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Wu Kaile , Shen Bing , Jiang Feifei , Xia Lin , Fan Taotao , Qin Maolin , Yang Lianqiang , Guo Jizheng , Li Yifan , Zhu Min , Du Juan , Liu Yehai
Published: November 2016

Background/Aim: Surgery and chemotherapy treatments of human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HLSCC) may fail due to metastasis, in which epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role. TRPP2, a nonselective cation channel, is expressed in various cell types and participates in many biological processes. Here, we show that TRPP2 enhanced metastasis by regulating EMT. Methods: We used immunohistochemistry, western blotting, Ca2+ imaging, transwell and wound healing assays to investigate TRPP2 expression levels in HLSCC tissue, and the role of TRPP2 in invasion and metastasis of a human laryngocarcinoma cell line (Hep2 cell). Results: We found that TRPP2 protein expression levels were significantly increased in HLSCC tissue; higher TRPP2 levels were associated with decreased patient survival time and degree of differentiation and advanced clinical stage. Knockdown of TRPP2 by transfection with TRPP2 siRNA markedly suppressed ATP-induced Ca2+ release, wound healing, and cell invasion in Hep2 cells. Moreover, TRPP2 siRNA significantly decreased vimentin expression but increased E-cadherin expression in Hep2 cells. In the EMT signalling pathway, TRPP2 siRNA significantly decreased Smad4, STAT3, SNAIL, SLUG and TWIST expression in Hep2 cells. Conclusion: We revealed a previously unknown function of TRPP2 in cancer development and a TRPP2-dependent mechanism underlying laryngocarcinoma cell invasion and metastasis. Our results suggest that TRPP2 may be used as a biomarker for evaluating patient prognosis and as a novel therapeutic target in HLSCC.
Vestibular Schwannoma Resection with Ipsilateral Simultaneous Cochlear Implantation in Patients with Normal Contralateral Hearing
Authors: Sanna Mario , Medina María del Mar , Macak Aldin , Rossi Gianluca , Sozzi Valerio , Prasad Sampath Chandra
Published: November 2016

Objective: To report the hearing results of cochlear implantation simultaneous to vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection by means of a translabyrinthine approach in patients with normal contralateral hearing. Methods: This was a prospective study including adults with sporadic VS. Tumors were resected by means of a modified translabyrinthine approach with preservation of the cochlear nerve. Results: A total of 13 patients underwent cochlear implantation. At 14 months, the mean pure-tone audiogram was 56 dB. The mean speech recognition was 80%. Cochlear implantation provides monaural and binaural benefits in all the conditions tested, including sound localization. Conclusions: Cochlear implantation can be safely performed simultaneously to VS resection with satisfactory hearing results provided that the cochlear nerve is anatomically intact.
Troponin I and D-Dimer for Discriminating Acute Pulmonary Thromboembolism from Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Kim Soo Jin , Kim Moo Hyun , Lee Kwang Min , Kim Tae Hyung , Choi Sun Yong , Son Min Kook , Park Ji Woen , Serebruany Victor L.
Published: November 2016

Background: Acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE) is a life-threatening condition, often manifesting with chest pain, dyspnea, and increased cardiac biomarkers including cardiac troponin I (CTI) and D-dimer. Therefore, APTE is often misdiagnosed with classical non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI), resulting in unnecessary coronary interventions and a delay of therapy. Objectives: Our aim was to distinguish APTE from NSTEMI based on CTI and D-dimer levels. Methods: Complete clinical and laboratory data sets from APTE patients (n = 123) were compared with matched NSTEMI patients (n = 123) who presented with chest pain. The APTE diagnosis was confirmed by chest tomography, angiography, or radionuclide ventilation-perfusion scan, while NSTEMI was established by clinical symptoms, cardiac biomarkers, and coronary angiography. Clinical characteristics, CTI (initial and peak), and D-dimer levels at presentation were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The clinical characteristics were not different between APTE and NSTEMI patients. However, significantly lower initial CTI (0.2 ± 0.5 vs. 4.4 ± 9.5 ng/ml) and peak CTI (0.7 ± 2.7 vs. 17.1 ± 20.4 ng/ml), but higher initial D-dimer (9.8 ± 9.4 vs. 1.6 ± 3.6 ng/ml), distinguished APTE from NSTEMI. By receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the cutoff values for initial CTI, peak CTI, and D-dimer were 0.25, 0.98, and 3.18 ng/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Patients with APTE exhibited lower initial and peak CTI but higher D-dimer levels than NSTEMI patients. Assessing cardiac biomarkers is useful for differentiating APTE from NSTEMI. Further large randomized biomarker studies are urgently needed to facilitate a better APTE diagnosis since clinical characteristics are not particularly helpful.
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Mediates Increased Sympathoexcitation via Glutamatergic N-Methyl-
d
-Aspartate Receptors in the Paraventricular Nucleus of Rats With Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Sharma Neeru M. , Cunningham Craig J. , Zheng Hong , Liu Xuefei , Patel Kaushik P.
Published: November 2016

Background—

Increased sympathetic outflow is a major contributor to the progression of chronic heart failure (CHF). Potentiation of glutamatergic tone has been causally related to the sympathoexcitation in CHF. Specifically, an increase in the N-methyl-
d
-aspartate-type 1 receptor (NMDA-NR
1
) expression within the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) is critically linked to the increased sympathoexcitation during CHF. However, the molecular mechanism(s) for the upregulation of NMDA-NR
1
remains unexplored. We hypothesized that hypoxia via hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) might contribute to the augmentation of the NMDA-NR
1
–mediated sympathoexcitatory responses from the PVN in CHF.

Methods and Results—

Immunohistochemistry staining, mRNA, and protein for hypoxia-inducible factor 1α were upregulated within the PVN of left coronary artery–ligated CHF rats. In neuronal cell line (NG108-15) in vitro, hypoxia caused a significant increase in mRNA and protein for HIF-1α (2-fold) with the concomitant increase in NMDA-NR
1
mRNA, protein levels, and glutamate-induced Ca
+
influx. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay identified HIF-1α binding to NMDA-NR
1
promoter during hypoxia. Silencing of HIF-1α in NG108 cells leads to a significant decrease in expression of NMDA-NR
1
, suggesting that expression of HIF-1α is necessary for the upregulation of NMDA-NR
1
. Consistent with these observations, HIF-1α silencing within the PVN abrogated the increased basal sympathetic tone and sympathoexcitatory responses to microinjection of NMDA in the PVN of rats with CHF.

Conclusions—

These results uncover a critical role for HIF-1 in the upregulation of NMDA-NR
1
to mediate sympathoexcitation in CHF. We conclude that subtle hypoxia within the PVN may act as a metabolic cue to modulate sympathoexcitation during CHF.
Comparison Between 1- and 2-Stent Strategies in Unprotected Distal Left Main Disease
Authors: Takagi Kensuke , Naganuma Toru , Chieffo Alaide , Fujino Yusuke , Latib Azeem , Tahara Satoko , Ishiguro Hisaaki , Montorfano Matteo , Carlino Mauro , Kawamoto Hiroyoshi , Kurita Naoyuki , Hozawa Koji , Nakamura Shotaro , Nakamura Sunao , Colombo Antonio
Published: November 2016

Background—

There are only little data available on the comparison of clinical outcomes between a 1-stent strategy (1-SS) and a 2-stent strategy (2-SS) for percutaneous coronary intervention in unprotected distal left main disease.

Methods and Results—

Between April 2005 and August 2011, we recruited 937 consecutive unprotected distal left main patients treated with drug-eluting stents (1-SS, 608 patients; 2-SS, 329 patients). Major adverse cardiovascular events were defined as all-cause death, myocardial infarction, or target lesion revascularization (TLR) during the median follow-up period of 1592 days. Furthermore, the individual components of major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiac death, and stent thrombosis were evaluated. More complex lesions were seen with 2-SS than with 1-SS. Cardiac death occurred more frequently with 1-SS than with 2-SS (propensity score–adjusted hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval, 0.29–0.64;
P
=0.03), whereas TLR occurred more frequently with 2-SS than with 1-SS (propensity score–adjusted hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.15–2.20;
P
=0.005). TLR was mainly driven by revascularizations after restenosis at the ostial left circumflex artery (propensity score–adjusted hazard ratio, 1.94; 95% confidence interval, 1.33–2.82;
P
=0.001). However, there were no differences in major adverse cardiovascular events, all-cause death, stent thrombosis, and myocardial infarction. Of the 139 pairs that were propensity score matched, only TLRs were significantly higher in the 2-SS group (hazard ratio, 1.59; 95% confidence interval, 1.00–2.53;
P
=0.05).

Conclusions—

The difference between 1-SS and 2-SS in percutaneous coronary intervention for unprotected distal left main disease may be summarized by the high incidence of TLR, mainly because of restenosis at the ostial left circumflex artery in the 2-SS group.
Psychrobacter sp. 17-1 enhances growth and survival in early postlarvae of white shrimp, Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931 (Decapoda, Penaeidae)
Authors: Franco R. , Arenal A. , Martín L. , Martínez Y. , Santiesteban D. , Sotolongo J. , Pimentel E. , Carrillo O. , Bossier P.
Published: November 2016

The effects of Psychrobacter sp., isolated from the gut of shrimp Penaeus vannamei Boone, 1931, on growth, digestive enzyme activities, total protein content, osmotic stress resistance, immunity and disease resistance of postlarvae were investigated. For enzymatic activities assays whole postlarvae were homogenized. Shrimp subjected to Psychrobacter sp. treatment showed higher weight (40%) and length (5.6%) than that observed in untreated animals. Compared to the untreated control group, levels of protease and amylase activities in postlarvae, were higher in the probiotic group. Postlarvae treated with Psychrobacter sp. showed significantly increase in the survival compared to the untreated ones after osmotic stress. Nitric oxide metabolite levels and the enzymatic activities of phenoloxidase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase from treated postlarvae were significantly higher than untreated postlarvae. Increased survival was also found after challenge with Aeromonas sp. This is the first study that demonstrates the probiotic effect of Psychrobacter sp. in P. vannamei postlarvae.
The NOAA FM-CW Snow-Level Radar
Authors: Johnston Paul E. , Jordan James R. , White Allen B. , Carter David A. , Costa David M. , Ayers Thomas E.
Published: November 2016

A vertically pointing radar for monitoring radar brightband height (BBH) has been developed. This new radar utilizes frequency-modulated continuous wave (FM-CW) techniques to provide high-resolution data at a fraction of the cost of comparable pulsed radars. This S-band radar provides details of the vertical structure of precipitating clouds, with full Doppler information. Details of the radar design are presented along with observations from one storm. Results from a calibration using these storm data show the radar meets the design goals. Eleven of these radars have been deployed and provide BBH data in near–real time.
Union Membership and Charitable Giving in the United States
Authors: Booth Jonathan E. , Lup Daniela , Williams Mark
Published: November 2016

Using U.S. panel data from 2001–2011, the authors examine general differences in charitable giving between union members, free-riders, and the nonunionized. Results indicate that union members are more likely to give and to give more to charity relative to the nonunionized, whereas free-riders are the least generous. Similar effects are found when examining the question of who joins a union or who becomes a free-rider: joining a union positively affects charitable giving, while becoming a free-rider makes individuals’ behavior less charitable. Evidence also suggests that the positive effect of union membership on giving does not diminish over time. Taken together, these results provide new evidence that union membership generates civic engagement in the form of charitable behavior; results also suggest the need to further investigate the civic behavior of free-riders.
Hydrophilic and antimicrobial properties of acrylic acid and chitosan bigrafted polypropylene melt-blown nonwoven membrane immobilized with silver nanoparticles
Authors: Ren Yuanlin , Zhao Jieyun , Wang Xiuli
Published: November 2016

The polypropylene melt-blown nonwoven membrane (PPM) is widely used in healthcare; however, the highly hydrophobic nature of the PPM readily adsorbs proteins and polysaccharides, which are conducive to bacteria being retained in the network, resulting in biofouling. Therefore, to improve the hydrophilic and antimicrobial properties of PPM, acrylic acid (AA) was first graft-polymerized on PPM (PPM- g-AA) by ultraviolet (UV)-induced photo-grafting polymerization. Chitosan (CS) was then covalently grafted onto PPM- g-AA to obtain the bigrafted PPM (PPM- g-AA- g-CS). Finally, silver (Ag) nanoparticles were immobilized onto PPM- g-AA- g-CS to create the hydrophilic and antibacterial PPM. The surface chemical composition and morphology of the samples were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The hydrophilic and antimicrobial properties of the modified PPM were assessed using static water contact angle measurements, wetting time, and bacteria colony-counting assays. The results show that PPM- g-AA- g-CS with immobilized Ag nanoparticles has excellent antibacterial and hydrophilic properties.
Effects of the FIFA 11 training program on injury prevention and performance in football players: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gomes Neto Mansueto , Conceição Cristiano Sena , de Lima Brasileiro Alécio Jorge Alves , de Sousa Camila Santana , Carvalho Vitor Oliveira , de Jesus Fabio Luciano Arcanjo
Published: November 2016

Objective:

To investigate the effects of FIFA 11 training on injury prevention and performance in football players.

Design and methods:

Systematic review and meta-analysis. We conducted a systematic search using four databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed) to find controlled trials evaluating the effects of FIFA 11 on injury prevention and performance among football players. Weighted mean differences, standard mean differences, risk ratios, and 95% confidence intervals were calculated, and heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 test.

Results:

We analyzed 11 trials, including 4700 participants. FIFA 11 resulted in a significant reduction in injury risk (risk ratio = 0.69; 95% confidence interval, 0.49–0.98; P = 0.02) and improvements in dynamic balance (weighted mean difference = 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 0.44–4.92; P = 0.02) and agility (standard mean difference = −0.36; 95% confidence interval, 0.70–0.02; P = 0.04). The meta-analysis indicated a non-significant improvement in jump height (standard mean difference = 0.25; 95% confidence interval, 0.08–0.59; P = 0.14) and running sprint (standard mean difference = −0.24; 95% confidence interval, 0.58–0.10; P = 0.17) in the FIFA 11 group.

Conclusions:

FIFA 11 can be considered as a tool to reduce the risk of injury. It may improve dynamic balance and agility and can be considered for inclusion in the training of football players.
Carceral circuitry
Authors: Gill Nick , Conlon Deirdre , Moran Dominique , Burridge Andrew
Published: November 2016

Despite the popular impression of prisons and other carceral spaces as disconnected from broader social systems, they are traversed by various circulations that reach within and beyond their boundaries. This article opens a new analytical window onto this reality, developing the concept of ‘circuits’ to critically enquire into the carceral. Drawing inspiration from Harvey (1982; 1985), the article makes circuits do fresh work, teasing apart the emerging carceral landscape to provide a new critical epistemology for carceral geographies. In so doing, a meta-institutional agenda for critical carceral geography is derived, and possible ways to short-circuit carceral systems are revealed.
Thiamin, Pyridoxine, Vitamin D, and Carotene Deficiency in a Malnourished Patient Following Billroth II Gastrectomy
Authors: Lahey Mark D. , Kamel Amir Y.
Published: November 2016

We describe the case of a malnourished 48‐year‐old man who had previously undergone a Billroth II procedure for severe peptic ulcer disease. He was found to have a severely stenotic gastrojejunal anastomosis with inflamed mucosa that prevented him from tolerating solid food. Laboratory assessment revealed deficiencies in thiamin, pyridoxine, vitamin D, and carotene. This case demonstrates potential vital micronutrient complications following a partial gastrectomy.
Hardness characterisation of grey cast iron and its tribological performance in a contact lubricated with soybean oil
Authors: Bahari Adli , Lewis Roger , Slatter Tom
Published: November 2016

The effect of hardness of grey cast iron flat specimen on its wear and friction on the contact were characterised with the presence of vegetable oil as biolubricant. Prior to the tribological test, the as-received grey cast iron flat specimen hardness was characterised. Friction and wear tests were then conducted using a ball-on-flat reciprocating sliding contact. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the significance of friction and wear data with a 95% significance level. The wear scars after the test were then characterised by surface roughness and wear mechanism. The microstructure and elemental analysis were also reported. The average value of hardness was 210 HV with a large difference between minimum (185 HV) and maximum (250 HV) values. The friction and wear performance of grey cast iron specimens with soybean oil varied with its hardness. The specimens with higher hardness gave lower friction coefficient and greater wear resistance than the lower hardness specimens. The difference in coefficient of friction produced between high hardness specimens (COF = 0.122) and low hardness specimens (COF = 0.140) was 17%. In terms of mass loss, the low hardness specimens (mass loss = 50.38 mg) and the high hardness specimens (mass loss = 12.90 mg) produced a difference of 74%. It is shown that, with soybean oil lubricant, the grey cast iron specimen can produce wide range of tribological data especially on mass loss due to its hardness distribution. The influence of soybean oil lubrication in this work is less in improving the wear resistance (about 7%), but greater for friction reduction (about 24%) compared to an unlubricated grey cast iron surface. The hardness of grey cast iron specimen is an important parameter that needs to be specifically measured and controlled on the contact due to wide hardness distribution of grey cast iron may produce variation in tribological data.
Bearing fault diagnosis with auto-encoder extreme learning machine: A comparative study
Authors: Mao Wentao , He Jianliang , Li Yuan , Yan Yunju
Published: November 2016

Intelligent fault-diagnosis methods using machine learning techniques like support vector machines and artificial neural networks have been widely used to distinguish bearings’ health condition. However, though these methods generally work well, they still have two potential drawbacks when facing massive fault data: (1) the feature extraction process needs prior domain knowledge, and therefore lacks a universal extraction method for various diagnosis issues, and (2) much training time is generally needed by the traditional intelligent diagnosis methods and by the newly presented deep learning methods. In this research, inspired by the feature extraction capability of auto-encoders and the high training speed of extreme learning machines (ELMs), an auto-encoder-ELM-based diagnosis method is proposed for diagnosing faults in bearings to overcome the aforementioned deficiencies. This paper performs a comparative analysis of the proposed method and some state-of-the-art methods, and the experimental results on the rolling element bearings data set show the effectiveness of the proposed method not only with adaptive mining of the discriminative fault characteristic but also at high diagnosis speed.
Natural frequency splitting and principal instability of rotating cyclic ring structures
Authors: Sun Wenjia , Wang Shiyu , Xia Ying , Zhang Penghui
Published: November 2016

This work develops an analytical method to estimate the natural frequency splitting and principal instability of the rotating cyclic ring structures. An elastic model is built up under the ring-fixed frame by using the energy method. The modeling leads to a partial differential equation with time-variant coefficient. The eigenvalue is formulated to estimate the natural frequency splitting, principal instability and their relationships. The dependence of the basic parameters on the natural frequency splitting and principal instability is demonstrated. The principal instability can occur at the splitting natural frequencies but cannot at the repeating ones. A classical problem regarding the parametric instability of the rotating ring with stationary supports and the inverse problem are examined. The results verify that the natural frequency splitting does not mean unstable for the former problem, but for the latter the splitting implies unstable. Besides, the model is transformed into the support-fixed frame and thus an equivalent time-invariant model is obtained, which is solved by using the general vibration theory. The analytical method is validated through the comparisons with the results in the open literature and especially the comparisons between the results from the two types of frames.
A gearbox fault diagnosis method based on frequency-modulated empirical mode decomposition and support vector machine
Authors: Zhang Chao , Peng Zhongxiao , Chen Shuai , Li Zhixiong , Wang Jianguo
Published: November 2016

During the operation process of a gearbox, the vibration signals can reflect the dynamic states of the gearbox. The feature extraction of the vibration signal will directly influence the accuracy and effectiveness of fault diagnosis. One major challenge associated with the extraction process is the mode mixing, especially under such circumstance of intensive frequency. A novel fault diagnosis method based on frequency-modulated empirical mode decomposition is proposed in this paper. Firstly, several stationary intrinsic mode functions can be obtained after the initial vibration signal is processed using frequency-modulated empirical mode decomposition method. Using the method, the vibration signal feature can be extracted in unworkable region of the empirical mode decomposition. The method has the ability to separate such close frequency components, which overcomes the major drawback of the conventional methods. Numerical simulation results showed the validity of the developed signal processing method. Secondly, energy entropy was calculated to reflect the changes in vibration signals in relation to faults. At last, the energy distribution could serve as eigenvector of support vector machine to recognize the dynamic state and fault type of the gearbox. The analysis results from the gearbox signals demonstrate the effectiveness and veracity of the diagnosis approach.
Coupled vibrations of rope-guided hoisting system with tension difference between two guiding ropes
Authors: Cao Guohua , Wang Jinjie , Zhu Zhencai
Published: November 2016

The flexibility of the guiding rope and the tension difference between two guiding ropes cause the lateral and torsional vibrations of the hoisting conveyance in the rope-guided hoisting system, respectively, which are theoretically investigated with two different cases in this paper. The assumed modes method is used to discretize the hoisting rope and two guiding ropes, and Lagrange equations of the first kind is adopted to derive the equations of motion, while the geometric matching conditions at the interfaces of the ropes are accounted for by the Lagrangian multiplier. Considering all the geometric matching conditions are approximately linear, the differential algebraic equations are transformed to a system of ordinary differential equations. The current method can obtain not only the accurate lateral displacements of two guiding ropes, but also the constraint forces between the hoisting conveyance and two guiding ropes. Further, the current method is verified by the ADAMS simulation. Finally, the effects of various parameters on the lateral and torsional vibrations of the hoisting conveyance are analyzed and results indicate that the appropriate tension difference and distance difference could decrease the maximum lateral displacement, which is useful to design super deep rope-guided hoisting system for the decrease of the vibration.
A design synthesis framework for directional performance optimization of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles with trailer lateral dynamic control systems
Authors: He Yuping , Islam Md Manjurul , Zhu Shenjin , Hu Thomas
Published: November 2016

This paper presents a design synthesis framework for directional performance optimization of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles with trailer lateral dynamic control systems, e.g. active trailer steering, trailer differential braking, active roll control or the coordination of the three systems. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, it was applied to the design optimization of a multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicle with an active trailer steering controller. In the design, a set of lateral stability measures is originally defined, and the design problem under simulated test manoeuvres is implemented using a parallel computing technique. It is illustrated that the proposed framework and the performance measures can be used to identify effectively the desired variables and to predict reliably the performance envelopes of multi-trailer articulated heavy vehicles with active safety systems by considering the concept of driver-adaptive-vehicle design.
Development issues for impact safety of rail vehicles: Robustness of crashworthy designs, effect of structural crashworthiness on passenger safety and behaviour characterisation of vehicle materials
Authors: Xue Xiangdong , Robinson Mark , Schmid Felix , Smith Roderick
Published: November 2016

This paper supplements two previous papers written by the authors and addresses three issues arising from those papers. The three issues are follows: (1) the robustness of a crashworthy design in scenarios different from the design conditions, (2) the correlation of structural crashworthiness with passenger safety and (3) behaviour characterisation of vehicle materials in train collisions. The investigation of these issues provides an increased understanding of the research conclusions gained from a number of varied conditions, and targeting the development requirements in these three areas will promote crashworthiness applications in rail vehicles.
Mechanical response of a panel section with a hexagonally tessellated stiffener grid
Authors: Bouazizi M , Lazghab T , Soula M
Published: November 2016

Stringers are stiffening members of pressurized aircraft fuselage. They provide support to the fuselage’s skin. A new stringer grid concept is proposed for conventional aircraft fuselage. Optimization is used to find the hexagonal grid that best replaces the original while keeping the same total stringer length. A finite element model is built to analyze the optimal hexagonal grid stiffened structure and compare it with the original orthogonally stiffened structure in terms of eigenfrequencies and static response to external loading. The finite element model is validated through Flugge’s analytical expressions for stiffened shells. Results show that the hexagonal grid stiffened structure yields higher eigenfrequencies with stresses and displacements comparable with that of the original structure.
Investigating factors for increased gonorrhoea re-infection in men who have sex with men attending a genitourinary clinic: a qualitative study
Authors: Payne L , Lawrence D , Soni S , Llewellyn C , Dean G
Published: November 2016

The number of confirmed cases of gonorrhoea increased by one-third in England from 2013 to 2014 and the incidence increased by 32% in men who have sex with men (MSM). In our clinic, annual incidence increased by 28.8% (2013) and re-infection (second infection within one-year of initial infection) rose from 6.7% as a proportion of total infections (2009) to 19.4% (2013). The aim of this study was to explore reasons for repeat gonorrhoea infections among MSM. We interviewed 16 MSM about knowledge and awareness of gonorrhoea, antibiotic resistance and attitudes towards safe sex. We used qualitative methods to investigate the potential causes for the rise in gonorrhoea re-infection. Mobile applications were used to meet casual sex partners and arrange impromptu group-sex parties with partner anonymity making contact tracing difficult. The use of recreational drugs was widespread. It was suggested that new technologies could also be used to increase awareness of STI trends and services for at-risk individuals. Participants were concerned about global antibiotic resistance, but felt that behaviour would not change unless there was local evidence of this. Despite knowing gonorrhoea prevalence was high, participants felt their behaviour was unlikely to change and frequently felt resigned to repeat infections. The use of geosocial networking applications to arrange sexual encounters may be contributing to a rise in STIs, as well as recreational drugs, alcohol and sex parties. Networking applications could increase awareness and advertise testing opportunities. In some cases, risk-taking behaviours are unlikely to change, and for these men, regular sexual health screens should be encouraged to detect and treat infections earlier and reduce onward spread.
Maternal syphilis and accomplishing sexual partner treatment: still a huge gap
Authors: Dallé Jessica , Baumgarten Vanessa Z , Ramos Mauro C , Jimenez Mirela F , Acosta Lisiane , Bumaguin Daniela B , Antonello Vicente S
Published: November 2016

Congenital syphilis (CS) is a preventable epidemic disease for which control is hindered by socioeconomic and health system issues. Inadequately treated maternal syphilis (MaS) commonly has serious adverse obstetric outcomes. This study – which is a cross-sectional study in a Brazilian large urban public Mother and Child hospital, making use of secondary data – evaluated the occurrence of treatment of sexual partners (SP) among women with MaS. The results showed that 771 MaS cases were identified from 2007 to 2014. No information on SP treatment was available in 570 (73.9%) cases. Of the 201 cases presenting information, 25 (12.4%) SP were treated. Out of 164 women having six or more prenatal visits, 25 (15.2%) SP received treatment. Data analyzed biennially have shown a growing trend of cases without collected information, ranging from 27.2% in 2007–2008 to 87.5% in 2013–2014. No linear trend in proportions of treated SP (maximum 7.4% SP treated) was found. Thus, in this study, it has been concluded that the proportion of SP adequately treated was consistently low, and the quality of information deteriorated during the studied period. Prenatal care per se, as provided, was not effective in delivering adequate treatment of SP. Creative integrated services with SP active participation are greatly needed if CS is to be controlled.
Strong militias, weak states and armed violence: Towards a theory of ‘state-parallel’ paramilitaries
Authors: Aliyev Huseyn
Published: November 2016

This article challenges the well-established presentation within conflict studies of paramilitary organizations as state-manipulated death squads or self-defence groups, and argues that some present-day militias extend their functions well beyond the role of shadowy pro-regime enforcers. Drawing its empirical insights from Ukrainian pro-government volunteer battalions and supporting its findings with empirical observations from other parts of the world, the article posits that the rise of powerful militia organizations acting in parallel with the state makes it imperative to revisit the theory and typology of paramilitary violence. The key theoretical argument of the article is that ‘state-parallel’ militias differ qualitatively from the ‘state-manipulated’ paramilitaries that are typical of the Cold War period. The article shows that although ‘state-parallel’ paramilitaries are not a new phenomenon, they have thus far remained critically understudied and undertheorized.
Cervical cancer incidence in British Columbia: Predicting effects of changes from Pap to human papillomavirus screening and of changes in screening participation
Authors: Coldman Andrew , van Niekerk Dirk , Smith Laurie , Ogilvie Gina
Published: November 2016

Objectives

To estimate the impact of increased participation in screening, and of the proposed change from Pap to human papillomavirus screening on the incidence of cervical cancer in British Columbia.

Methods

For invasive cervical cancer cases diagnosed in British Columbia between 2002 and 2011, data were extracted on age and cancer morphology from the British Columbia Cancer Registry, and Pap screening history was obtained from the British Columbia Cervical Cancer Screening Program database. Only screening performed two to seven years prior to diagnosis was assumed to reduce subsequent risk of cancer. Results from randomized trials of human papillomavirus versus cytology screening and population based estimates of cytology screening were used to estimate the effect of a change in screening test and increases in participation.

Results

Between 2002 and 2011, there were 1663 cases of cervical cancer reported; 660 (367 squamous and 293 non-squamous) were eligible and screened two to seven years prior to diagnosis. The predicted reduction by changing to human papillomavirus screening was 363 (95% confidence interval = 124–496) representing 22% of all cases. If 50% of subjects not screened two to seven years prior had undergone Pap screening, it is projected that a further 268 cases (16%) could have been prevented; if they had undergone human papillomavirus screening, a further 365 cases (22%) could have been prevented.

Conclusions

For many women who develop cervical cancer, primary human papillomavirus testing could have substantially reduced their cancer risk. Human papillomavirus rather than Pap testing would further increase the gains from any increases in population screening participation.
Delamination of surface accretions with structural waves: Piezo-actuation and power requirements
Authors: Kalkowski Michał K , Waters Timothy P , Rustighi Emiliano
Published: November 2016

Unwanted accretions on structures, such as aircraft and wind turbine icing or deposits in pipes, are a common problem, which can pose a serious safety threat if not treated effectively and punctually. In this article we investigate the capability of piezo-excited structural waves to delaminate accreted material. The core of the concept is to utilise the stress distribution associated with waves propagating through the structure to detach unwanted build-up. We apply a wave-based technique for modelling piezoelectric excitation based on semi-analytical finite elements to calculate the shear stress at the interface between the host structure and the accretion generated by piezo-actuated waves. Our analyses include the effects of the actuator’s dynamics and allow for comparing different types of actuators, identifying the most effective frequency of excitation and formulating realistic power requirements. For the dual purposes of proof of concept and validation of the model, we present a demonstration experiment in which patches of accreted material are removed from a beam-like waveguide with emulated anechoic terminations using ultrasonic excitation.
A superelastic protective technique for mitigating the effects of vertical and horizontal seismic excitations on highway bridges
Authors: Aryan Hadi , Ghassemieh Mehdi
Published: November 2016

Vertical component of seismic excitations tremendously affects the performance of bridges during the earthquakes. Several conducted studies identified the lack of engineering attention to the vertical seismic excitation as the main reason of various considerable bridge damages during the past earthquakes. Thus, in this article, an innovative system with superelastic properties is proposed for retrofitting and also new design of the bridges which can simultaneously mitigate the effects of vertical and horizontal seismic excitations. In order to investigate the efficiency of the new system, an evaluation is performed through many nonlinear time history analyses on a three-dimensional model of a detailed multi-span simply supported bridge using a suite of representative ground motions of the bridge region. The analyses are conducted separately on the pertinent issues that affect the performance of the new proposed system. As a part of the study, to identify the sensitivity of the new system and evaluate the overall seismic performance, several assessment parameters are utilized. The results show that the proposed system is efficient for reducing bridge responses as well as improving nonlinear performance of the columns during vertical and horizontal seismic excitations.
Analysis of finite deformation of curved beams bonded with piezoelectric actuating layers
Authors: Zhou Yong , Nyberg Timo R , Xiong Gang , Li Shi , Zhou Hongbo
Published: November 2016

Piezoelectric laminated curved beams or laminated curved smart beams, one of the most popular elements, are widely used in nano- or micro-electromechanical systems due to their excellent properties such as small volume, lightweight, and quick response. In this article, the finite deformation of piezoelectric laminated curved beams is analyzed based on Lagrangian and Eulerian description. The piezoelectric actuating character for the deflection in the curved beams bonded with piezoelectric film (polyvinylidene fluoride) driving layers is investigated. Choosing the deformed radius of curvature and tangent slope angle as fundamental parameters, the governing equations of laminated curved smart beams under static mechanical and electrical loadings are derived. First, the equilibrium equations are deduced and decoupled using the deformed angle of tangent slope as the only variant. And then the analytical solutions of laminated curved smart beams are presented using harmonic functions. Finally, the static deformations of the laminated curved smart beams are calculated by this method and the finite element method. The results exhibit good consistency and show the validation of the present method. Circular and spiral beams covered with piezoelectric layers are researched further. Effects of radius, thickness ratios, and stacking sequence on deflections of the piezoelectric laminated beams are explored as well.
Dynamic deformation–dependent magnetic field–induced force transmissibility characteristics of magnetorheological elastomer
Authors: Poojary Umanath R , Hegde Sriharsha , Gangadharan KV
Published: November 2016

The need for broad-band vibration isolation performance of the structures is fulfilled by magnetorheological elastomer–based smart vibration isolation system. The smart isolation capabilities of magnetorheological elastomer isolator vary with the input dynamic deformation levels. In this study, force transmissibility measurement approach is adapted to evaluate the influence of dynamic deformation on the field-induced isolation capabilities of magnetorheological elastomer. The variation in isolation capabilities of magnetorheological elastomer is assessed in terms of isolation effect. Isolation performance of magnetorheological elastomer is enhanced with the increase in the magnetic field. Under increased dynamic deformation levels, the isolation characteristics of magnetorheological elastomer are influenced by the Payne effect. Dominance of the Payne effect under non-magnetized state of magnetorheological elastomer has enhanced the isolation effect at larger strain levels. The influence of strain on isolation characteristics of magnetorheological elastomer is verified from the magnetic force simulation between a pair of dipoles performed in ANSYS (version 14).
Voices of Deficit
Authors: Carver Liddy , Morley Sharon , Taylor Paul
Published: November 2016

People who endure mental and emotional distress experience a plethora of negative experiences beyond the effects of the symptoms themselves. For centuries, the designation of labels of difference; that is, those which transgress approved social norms have affected the lived experiences of those individuals, and more widely in structuring responses, engagements with, and attitudes between society and the individual. Understanding the creation of tainted identities, particularly of those with experience of mental and emotional distress, has been well rehearsed in the sociological literature of the second half of the 20th century. Central to much of this analysis has been to understand the nature of the manufacture of deviant identities, how they are sustained, and the impact of these identities on those who experience them. This article explores the experience of those with mental and emotional distress as a victim of crime. The interconnectedness of matters of identity created though the application of a diagnosis of illness or disorder is addressed as is the crisis of criminal victimization. This is achieved via an exploration of contemporary concerns surrounding victims of crime with experience of mental and emotional distress, including the (further) loss of voice and agency when interfacing with agencies of the state.