bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reported prevalence of gestational diabetes in Scotland: The relationship with obesity, age, socioeconomic status, smoking and macrosomia, and how many are we missing?
Authors: Collier Andrew , Abraham E Christie , Armstrong Julie , Godwin Jon , Monteath Kirsten , Lindsay Robert
Published: July 2016

Aims/Introduction

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is defined as ‘carbohydrate intolerance of varying degrees of severity with onset or first recognition during pregnancy,’ and is associated with increased fetal and maternal risks. The aims of the present study were to investigate the prevalence of GDM in Scotland over 32 years (1981–2012), and using the data from 2012, to assess how GDM related to maternal body mass index, maternal age, parity, smoking, Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, infant gender and macrosomia status.

Materials and Methods

GDM prevalence along with anthropometric, obstetric and demographic data were collected on a total of 1,891,097 women with a delivery episode between 1 January 1981 and 31 December 2012 using data extracted from the Scottish Morbidity Record 02. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was undertaken to investigate their association with GDM.

Results

A ninefold increase in GDM prevalence was observed from 1981 to 2012 (P < 0.001). GDM prevalence in 2012 was 1.9%. Maternal body mass index, age, parity status, Scottish index of multiple deprivation and fetal macrosomia were positively associated with GDM. Reported smoking status at booking was inversely associated with GDM. Multivariable analysis showed that fetal macrosomia was not associated with GDM status.

Conclusions

The present study confirmed that the reporting of GDM is low in Scotland, and that GDM is associated with maternal body mass index, maternal age, multiparity and social deprivation. GDM was negatively associated with smoking and requires further investigation. The lack of association between GDM and macrosomia (following multivariate analysis) might reflect the screening processes undertaken in Scotland.
Bacterium‐Expressed dsRNA Downregulates Microsporidia Nosema bombycis Gene Expression
Authors: Pan Qiuling , Wang Ling , Dang Xiaoqun , Ma Zhengang , Zhang Xiaoyan , Chen Shiliang , Zhou Zeyang , Xu Jinshan
Published: July 2016

The microsporidia Nosema bombycis is the insect pathogen of pebrine disease severely destructive to sericulture production. Here, we describe the use of Escherichia coli HT115 strain (DE3) to express double‐strand RNAs targeting the gene encoding ADP/ATP protein in N. bombycis. The results showed that dsRNAs deferentially suppressed the gene expression during N. bombycis infection in the silkworm, and the effect waned gradually. Our results, for the first time, provide a tool to utilize the dsRNA expressed by recombinant E. coli to control the pebrine disease of the domestic silkworm.
Growth of juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss under size‐selective pressure limited by seasonal bioenergetic and environmental constraints
Authors: Thompson J. N. , Beauchamp D. A.
Published: July 2016

Increased freshwater growth of juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss improved survival to smolt and adult stages, thus prompting an examination of factors affecting growth during critical periods that influenced survival through subsequent life stages. For three tributaries with contrasting thermal regimes, a bioenergetics model was used to evaluate how feeding rate and energy density of prey influenced seasonal growth and stage‐specific survival of juvenile O. mykiss. Sensitivity analysis examined target levels for feeding rate and energy density of prey during the growing season that improved survival to the smolt and adult stages in each tributary. Simulated daily growth was greatest during warmer months (1 July to 30 September), whereas substantial body mass was lost during cooler months (1 December to 31 March). Incremental increases in annual feeding rate or energy density of prey during summer broadened the temperature range at which faster growth occurred and increased the growth of the average juvenile to match those that survived to smolt and adult stages. Survival to later life stages could be improved by increasing feeding rate or energy density of the diet during summer months, when warmer water temperatures accommodated increased growth potential. Higher growth during the summer period in each tributary could improve resiliency during subsequent colder periods that lead to metabolic stress and weight loss. As growth and corresponding survival rates in fresh water are altered by shifting abiotic regimes, it will be increasingly important for fisheries managers to better understand the mechanisms affecting growth limitations in rearing habitats and what measures might maintain or improve growth conditions and survival.
Psychosomatic effects of blanketing in nursing care
Authors: Tokunaga Namiji , Fukai Kiyoko
Published: July 2016

Aim

Blanketing, which involves covering patients with a blanket in order to maintain their body temperature and privacy and help alleviate the stress that is associated with medical procedures, is a fundamental skill in nursing care. However, the actual therapeutic effects of blanketing have not been adequately investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to clarify the psychosomatic effects of blanketing in nursing care by observing autonomic nervous activity.

Methods

This single‐cohort, intra‐participant, comparative cross‐over study included 30 healthy female adolescents. Two of the 30 participants were excluded from the analysis. After splitting the participants into blanketing and non‐blanketing groups, the stress and anxiety that patients undergo during nursing care was simulated and the responses were analyzed by using psychological and physiological indicators. The parametric data were analyzed by using a paired t‐test or one‐way ANOVA and the non‐parametric data were analyzed by using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test. The significance level was <5%.

Results

No significant difference was seen between the two groups in vital signs, salivary alpha‐amylase activity, respiratory movement or skin surface temperature. However, the postintervention scores for “Tension–Anxiety” in the Profile of Mood States – Brief Form were significantly lower for the blanketed than the non‐blanketed arm, “sense of ease” and “feeling protected” were significantly higher for the blanketed arm, and in the middle intervention segment, the parasympathetic nervous activity and sympathetic nervous activity were significantly higher and lower, respectively, for the blanketed arm.

Conclusion

These results suggest that blanketing is effective in relieving psychological stress and promoting a sense of ease among patients who are receiving nursing care.
Challenges of multimodality: Language and the body in social interaction
Authors: Mondada Lorenza
Published: July 2016

This article reflects on recent challenges emerging from the study of language and the body in social interaction. There is a general interest in language and the body across disciplines that has invited a reconceptualization of the broader issues relative to action, cognition, culture, knowledge, social relations and identities, spatiality and temporality. The study of social interaction focuses on how multimodal resources – including language and bodily movements – are holistically and situatedly used in building human action. This article discusses some consequences and challenges of putting the body at the center of attention: it repositions language as one among other modalities, and invites us to consider the involvement of entire bodies in social interaction, overcoming a logo‐centric vision of communication, as well as a visuo‐centric vision of embodiment. These issues are developed through a series of conversation analytic studies, firstly of classic topics in linguistics like deixis, then of more recent topics, such as mobility and sensoriality.
A Simplified Form of the Psychometric Function for the m‐Alternative Forced Choice (mAFC) Method
Authors: Bi Jian , Kuesten Carla
Published: July 2016

The m‐Alternative Forced Choice (mAFC), including the 2AFC, 3AFC, and mAFC where m > 3, are a type of widely used sensory discrimination method. This article offers an interesting finding for the psychometric function for the mAFC. The conventional general psychometric function for the mAFC, which is based on m independent normal distributions with one signal and m−1 noise observations, can be expressed as an elegant simplified form, i.e., a single cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the standard (m−1)‐variate normal distribution. This finding provides not only an alternative approach to calculate the probability of correct responses (Pc) and Thurstonian discriminal distance (δ) for the mAFC, but also an intuitive geometric interpretation for Pc in the mAFC. Moreover, the simplified form of the psychometric function for the mAFC may provide some insight for the decision strategies used in the mAFC.

Practical Applications

The simplified form of the psychometric function for the mAFC derived originally in this paper can be expressed in a built‐in S‐Plus program “pmvnorm” (for 3AFC) and R program “pmvnorm” (for mAFC where m > 2) in the R package “mvtnorm.” Two R codes “mAFCp” and “mAFCq,” which are based on the simplified form and the R package, were developed in the article. The codes can be used for calculations of Pc and δ for the mAFC easily. A table for Pc values in the mAFC is produced for m = 2 to 8, and δ from 0 to 4 with a step of 0.1. A table for δ values in the mAFC is produced for m = 2 to 8, and Pc from 0.01 to 0.99 with a step of 0.01. A table for the B values for calculation of variance of d‐prime obtained from the mAFC is also produced.
Human dignity and professional reputation under threat: Iranian Nurses' experiences of workplace violence
Authors: Najafi Fereshteh , Fallahi‐Khoshknab Masoud , Ahmadi Fazlollah , Dalvandi Asghar , Rahgozar Mehdi
Published: July 2016

Workplace violence against nurses is a challenging problem in both developed and developing countries. Because the concept of violence bears some cultural load, nurses' understanding is region‐specific. This study explores Iranian nurses' perceptions of workplace violence. Using qualitative content analysis, 22 registered nurses underwent unstructured, in‐depth interviews. The main themes of threats to human dignity and professional reputation emerged, plus four categories: physical violence, psychological violence, honor insults, and ethnic‐religious insults. The term "honor insults," as a unique finding, was used instead of "sexual harassment." These findings may help to redefine workplace violence based on cultural background, design strategies for supporting nurses, and prevent and manage such violence.
Community traits affect plant–plant interactions across climatic gradients
Authors: Copeland Stella M. , Harrison Susan P.
Published: July 2016

Plant abundances and demography often vary along gradients of environmental stress, and neighboring plants can amplify or diminish such variation. We asked to what degree the effects of neighboring plants on a focal species can be explained by the traits and abundances of species in the surrounding community. We studied a common understory herb, Trientalis latifolia, across climatic gradients created by topography in the Siskiyou Mountains, southwestern Oregon. We compared Trientalis fitness along these gradients with and without neighbor removal, and asked whether the effects of neighboring plants could be predicted by their community‐weighted trait values and abundances. Environmental conditions alone did not explain whether neighbors had competitive or facilitative effects on Trientalis. However, the environment interacted with neighbor traits and biomass to influence neighbor effects: at cool, higher elevations, high neighbor biomass was associated with stronger facilitative effects, while at warm, lower elevations, high neighbor dissimilarity from Trientalis was associated with stronger competitive effects. We suggest that covariation and interactions among environmental and community characteristics are key to understanding species performance along climatic gradients.
Early childhood exposure to short periods of sevoflurane is not associated with later, lasting cognitive deficits
Authors: Poor Zamany Nejat Kermany Mahtab , Roodneshin Fatemeh , Ahmadi Dizgah Niloofar , Gerami Ebrahim , Riahi Esmail
Published: July 2016

Background

A detrimental effect of commonly used anesthetics on the neurodevelopmental and behavioral parameters has long been shown in young animals subjected to early childhood anesthesia. Epidemiologic studies suggest the possibility of a modestly elevated risk of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children exposed to anesthesia during early childhood. However, these results are still preliminary and inconclusive.

Aim

To further elucidate the probability of occurrence of such adverse outcomes, we evaluated cognitive performance of children who underwent general anesthesia early in their childhood.

Method

One hundred and fifteen children aged 5‒16 years with established glaucoma were included in the study. Of these, 68 children had a history of at least one general anesthesia with sevoflurane before age 3. Phonemic and semantic verbal fluency, and forward and backward digit span tests were performed to evaluate cognitive function in the study subjects.

Results

The two‐way anova revealed that all these variables showed significant changes in various age groups, but they were comparable among subjects with no, single, or multiple childhood anesthesia.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that brief periods of anesthesia with single anesthetic sevoflurane may be safe for children under age 3.
Feasibility and pharmacokinetics of caudal blockade in children and adolescents with 30–50 kg of body weight
Authors: Keplinger Maya , Marhofer Peter , Klug Wolfgang , Reiter Birgit , Stimpfl Thomas , Kettner Stephan C. , Korf Lena , Zeitlinger Markus , Marhofer Daniela , Triffterer Lydia
Published: July 2016

Background

Caudal blockade, although an important technique of pediatric regional anesthesia, is rarely used in children heavier than 30 kg. This reservation is due to anatomical concerns and lack of pharmacokinetic data. We therefore set out to evaluate, in pediatric patients weighing 30−50 kg, the feasibility of ultrasound‐guided caudal blockade and the pharmacokinetics of caudally administered ropivacaine.

Methods

Twenty consecutive children were included. General anesthesia was used to ensure a secured airway. For the caudal punctures, we applied the same clinical standards as in smaller children, administering ropivacaine 3.1 mg·ml‐1 for a volume of 1 ml·kg−1 via ultrasound guidance. Pharmacokinetic analysis was based on total plasma ropivacaine levels and included maximum concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (tmax), terminal elimination half‐life, area under the concentration–time curve for the 4‐h sampling period, apparent total body clearance, and apparent volume of distribution.

Results

In all 19 cases of successful puncture, we identified the relevant anatomical structures (sacral cornua, sacral hiatus, dura mater) and verified correct administration of the local anesthetic by visualizing its cranial spread. Surgical blockade was successful in 18 of 20 cases (90%; one puncture was technically not possible and one child received intraoperatively 50 μg fentanyl). The pharmacokinetic profile of the administered ropivacaine 3.1 mg·ml−1 indicated plasma levels within safe ranges in pediatric patients weighing 30−50 kg.

Conclusions

Based on our pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic results, we suggest that the body weight of 50 kg it is feasible to perform effective and safe caudal blockade in children up to 50 kg body weight.
Incontinentia Pigmenti Coxsackium
Authors: Jefferson Julie , Grossberg Anna
Published: July 2016

Late recurrences of first‐stage inflammatory vesiculobullous lesions of incontinentia pigmenti (IP) are uncommon but have been reported to occur in the setting of infections, fevers, and vaccinations. This phenomenon has not been described in the setting of atypical hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). In addition, atypical HFMD often has a predilection for areas of previous inflammation or trauma, such as areas of atopic dermatitis (eczema coxsackium). We present a case of incontinentia pigmenti coxsackium in which a coxsackievirus infection triggered reactivation of IP and cutaneous viral lesions were concentrated in areas of IP.
Germ Cell Testicular Cancer Incidence, Latitude and Sunlight Associations in the United States and Australia
Authors: Biggar Robert J. , Baade Peter D. , Sun Jiandong , Brandon Lindsay E. , Kimlin Michael
Published: July 2016

International patterns suggest germ cell testicular cancer (GCTC) incidence may be lower in lower latitudes. To investigate this possibility, we examined GCTC incidence by latitude (population centroid in 2000) for men ≥15 years within two reasonably homogeneous countries, the United States and Australia. In the United States, we examined age‐adjusted incidence/latitude trends using data from states (2001–2010) and local‐area registries (1980–2011). In Australia, we evaluated incidence/latitude trends in 61 Statistical Divisions (2000–2009). In U.S. White men (68 566 cases), state incidences increased by latitude, rising 5.74% (4.45–7.05%) per 5°North latitude increment. Similar trends were found for seminoma and nonseminoma subtypes (P < 0.001). In U.S. Black men (2256 cases), the association was also seen (4.9%; 0.2–9.7%). In local U.S. data, similar increases in incidence with latitude were present in each of the last three decades. In Australia (6042 cases), the incidence increased by 4.43% (95% CI: 1.54–7.39%) per 5°South, and trends for subtypes were similar. Thus, we found that incidence of GCTC in both White and Black men increased significantly with distance from the equator, approximately 1% per degree within the range of latitudes studied.
Detection of bacterial contamination andDNAquantification in stored blood units in 2 veterinary hospital blood banks
Authors: Stefanetti Valentina , Miglio Arianna , Cappelli Katia , Capomaccio Stefano , Sgariglia Elisa , Marenzoni Maria L. , Antognoni Maria T. , Coletti Mauro , Mangili Vittorio , Passamonti Fabrizio
Published: July 2016

Blood transfusions in veterinary medicine have become increasingly more common and are now an integral part of lifesaving and advanced treatment in small and large animals. Important risks associated with transfusion of blood products include the transmission of various infectious diseases. Several guidelines suggest what infectious agents to screen for in canine and feline transfusion medicine. However, while the risk of bacterial contamination of blood products during storage and administration has not been documented in veterinary medicine, it has emerged as a cause of morbidity and mortality in human transfusion medicine. Clinical experience shows that the majority of blood component bacterial contaminations are caused by only a few species. Unlike other types of bacteria, psychrotolerant species likePseudomonasspp. andSerratiaspp. can proliferate during the storage of blood units at 4°C from a very low titer at the time of blood collection to a clinically significant level (> 105CFU/mL) causing clinical sepsis resulting from red blood cell concentrate transfusions in human medicine. The purpose of this report was to describe the detection and quantification procedures applied in 4 cases of bacterial contamination of canine and feline blood units, which suggest the need for further investigations to optimize patients’ safety in veterinary transfusion medicine.
Surgical Technique and Initial Clinical Experience with a Novel Extracapsular Articulating Implant for Treatment of the Canine Cruciate Ligament Deficient Stifle Joint
Authors: Barkowski Veronica J. , Embleton Neil A.
Published: July 2016

Objective

To describe the surgical technique, clinical efficacy, and complications using the Simitri Stable in Stride®extracapsular articulating implant (EAI) to treat naturally occurring stifle instability due to cranial cruciate ligament (CrCL) insufficiency.

Study Design

Prospective case series.

Animals

Client‐owned dogs with CrCL‐deficient stifles (n=60 dogs; 66 stifles).

Methods

An EAI was applied to the medial aspect of the distal femur and proximal tibia after stifle exploration and treatment of joint pathology. Outcome measures included lameness score, time to weight bearing, and bilateral assessment of stifle stability, stifle range of motion (ROM), and thigh circumference (TC). Outcome measures were determined preoperatively and at intervals from 4.5 to 16.0 months (median 8.9 months) postoperatively. Data were excluded from bilaterally affected dogs <6 months after CrCL surgery on the contralateral limb, and from dogs with contralateral limb lameness.

Results

Within 24 hours of EAI surgery, dogs were weight bearing on 64 of 66 limbs at the walk. Incidence of major complications requiring surgical revision was 15.3% and minor complications was 10.2%. Postoperatively, there were significant improvements in lameness scores and ROM in 34 EAI‐treated limbs meeting inclusion criteria, and the mean ROM returned to within normal limits. TC did not change in the operated limb, but decreased significantly in the control limb.

Conclusion

The EAI effectively stabilized the CrCL‐deficient stifle, and significantly improved lameness scores and stifle ROM. Decreased TC in control limbs may have been due to early return to mobility and weight bearing on the EAI‐treated limb.
High-Ampacity Overhead Power Lines With Carbon Nanostructure–Epoxy Composites
Authors: Ranjith Kumar V. S. N. , Kumar S. , Pal G. , Shah Tushar
Published: July 2016

Design of high-performance power lines with advanced materials is indispensable to effectively eliminate losses in electrical power transmission and distribution (T&D) lines. In this study, aluminum conductor composite core with carbon nanostructure (ACCC–CNS) coating in a multilayered architecture is considered as a novel design alternative to conventional aluminum conductor steel-reinforced (ACSR) transmission line. In the multiphysics approach presented herein, first, electrothermal finite element analysis (FEA) of the ACSR line is performed to obtain its steady-state temperature for a given current. Subsequently, the sag of the ACSR line due to self-weight and thermal expansion is determined by performing thermostructural analysis employing an analytical model. The results are then verified with those obtained from the FEA of the ACSR line. The electrothermal finite element (FE) model and the thermostructural analytical model are then extended to the ACCC–CNS line. The results indicate that the ACCC–CNS line has higher current-carrying capacity (CCC) and lower sag compared to those of the ACSR line. Motivated by the improved performance of the ACCC–CNS line, a systematic parametric study is conducted in order to determine the optimum ampacity, core diameter, and span length. The findings of this study would provide insights into the optimal design of high-performance overhead power lines.
Determining the energetic and informational components of speech-on-speech masking
Authors: Kidd Gerald , Mason Christine R. , Swaminathan Jayaganesh , Roverud Elin , Clayton Kameron K. , Best Virginia
Published: July 2016

Identification of target speech was studied under masked conditions consisting of two or four independent speech maskers. In the reference conditions, the maskers were colocated with the target, the masker talkers were the same sex as the target, and the masker speech was intelligible. The comparison conditions, intended to provide release from masking, included different-sex target and masker talkers, time-reversal of the masker speech, and spatial separation of the maskers from the target. Significant release from masking was found for all comparison conditions. To determine whether these reductions in masking could be attributed to differences in energetic masking, ideal time-frequency segregation (ITFS) processing was applied so that the time-frequency units where the masker energy dominated the target energy were removed. The remaining target-dominated “glimpses” were reassembled as the stimulus. Speech reception thresholds measured using these resynthesized ITFS-processed stimuli were the same for the reference and comparison conditions supporting the conclusion that the amount of energetic masking across conditions was the same. These results indicated that the large release from masking found under all comparison conditions was due primarily to a reduction in informational masking. Furthermore, the large individual differences observed generally were correlated across the three masking release conditions.
Lie group analysis of hydromagnetic flow and heat transfer of a power-law fluid over stretching surface with temperature-dependent viscosity and thermal conductivity
Authors: El-Aziz Mohamed Abd , Afify Ahmed A.
Published: July 2016

The symmetry group of MHD boundary layer flow and heat transfer of a non-Newtonian power-law fluid over a stretching surface under the effects of variable fluid properties is investigated. The similarity equations with the corresponding boundary conditions are solved numerically by using a shooting method with the fourth order Runge–Kutta integration scheme. Comparisons of the numerical method with the existing results in the literature are made and obtained an excellent agreement. It is observed that the heat transfer rate diminishes with an increase in magnetic parameter and variable thermal conductivity parameter. Further, the opposite influence is found with an increase in variable viscosity parameter.
Ab-initio study of structural, electronic and thermodynamic properties of Ba2YTaO6
Authors: Du Lifei , Du Huiling
Published: July 2016

The structural, electronic and thermodynamic properties of cubic double perovskite Ba2YTaO6 are calculated by using the plane wave within density functional theory (DFT) framework employing the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). The ground state quantities including the lattice parameter, bulk moduli and its pressure derivative are fitted by the Birch–Murnaghan equation of state. The calculated energy band indicates that Ba2YTaO6 has a direct band gap of 3.42 eV at [Formula: see text] point in the Brillouin zone and the energy band near Fermi level is determined by the density of states of O 2[Formula: see text], Ta 5[Formula: see text] and Y 4[Formula: see text] electrons. The thermodynamic properties including Debye temperature, bulk moduli and heat capacity of various pressures and temperatures are calculated and analyzed. Results indicate that the temperature and induced pressure have significant effect on the thermodynamic properties of Ba2YTaO6.
Buckling and Vibration of a Long Shaft Rotor System with a Stabilized Bearing
Authors: Xiao Shi-Fu , Chen Hong-Yong , Niu Hong-Pan
Published: July 2016

Based on the dynamic theory of flexible multi-body systems, a nonlinear dynamic model is established of a long shaft rotor system with a stabilized elastic bearing located along the shaft at an arbitrary position by the generalized Hamilton’s principle. Lower-order polynomials are adopted to construct the Ritz basis for investigating the first two vibration frequencies and the critical rotational velocity, as well as the optimal stabilized position of the elastic bearing. The critical rotational velocity and optimal stabilized position of the elastic bearing are also verified by the finite element method. The results obtained by the two methods agree well. Then, the post-buckling and the nonlinear vibration responses of the system fluctuating at the rotational velocity are investigated. The present study indicates that critical rotational velocity exists for the long shaft rotor system with stabilized elastic bearing. Once the rotational velocity exceeds the critical value, the system’s trivial equilibrium state losses its stability by pitchfork bifurcation. The optimal stabilized position of the elastic bearing for the long shaft rotor system is located at 73% length of the shaft from the pinned end. When in the supercritical state, the system changes to different vibration modes with local period-1 solutions and global period-2 solutions around the post-buckling position due to fluctuation of the rotational velocity. Furthermore, the global period-2 vibration may evolve to the almost periodic motion as the fluctuation frequency varies. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the geometrical nonlinear effect and vibration modes of the long shaft rotor system working in the supercritical state.
Dynamic Performance Characteristics of Pre-Stressed Cable RC Truss Floor System under Human-Induced Loads
Authors: Zhou Xuhong , Li Jiang , Liu Jiepeng , Chen Y. Frank
Published: July 2016

Excessive floor vibrations in slender structural systems due to human activity are becoming more prevalent. This may result in serviceability problems such as discomfort to occupants and even subsequent public panic. This paper describes the experimental and analytical studies on the vibration performance of a long-span pre-stressed cable RC truss (PCT) floor system, along with an extensive comparison between the present results and the current vibration design criteria used in the USA and China. The dynamic responses of this floor system under heel-drop, falling-into-seats, and jumping loads were obtained through on-site tests. The test results show good agreement in natural frequencies of the PCT floor system with others, but there are obvious differences in peak accelerations and damping ratios. A method based on the classical plate theory was adopted to determine the fundamental frequency of the system. Dynamic magnification factors (DMFs) under different loads were calculated using the inversion technique and then compared with the results available from others. Some of the conclusions achieved may be incorporated into the structural design of the system of concern to improve safety and serviceability. They can also serve as the basis for developing the relevant design guideline.
Progressive Trends in the Uptake of SEA in South Asia
Authors: Saxena Akanksha , Rajvanshi Asha , Mathur V. B.
Published: July 2016

Striking a balance between the need to achieve socio-economic growth and to conserve and sustainably use natural resources has become a pressing requirement globally, especially in developing nations. Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) that recognises and integrates environmental, social and economic considerations into policies, plans and programmes is a recognised and effective planning tool in more than 90 countries across the globe.

The paper reflects on changing trends in SEA uptake and increasing momentum for its application in South Asia. Evidence suggests that various drivers including voluntary practice and donor driven impact assessments are favouring the uptake of SEA as a robust and futuristic planning support tool for sustainable growth in multiple economic sectors.

The paper draws on numerous examples of SEA and ‘SEA-like’ instruments applied in different sectors in South Asia and identifies growth sectors where SEA has a significant potential to synchronise conservation and sustainable development objectives.
Real-time facial animation with image-based dynamic avatars
Authors: Cao Chen , Wu Hongzhi , Weng Yanlin , Shao Tianjia , Zhou Kun
Published: July 2016

We present a novel image-based representation for dynamic 3D avatars, which allows effective handling of various hairstyles and headwear, and can generate expressive facial animations with fine-scale details in real-time. We develop algorithms for creating an image-based avatar from a set of sparsely captured images of a user, using an off-the-shelf web camera at home. An optimization method is proposed to construct a topologically consistent morphable model that approximates the dynamic hair geometry in the captured images. We also design a real-time algorithm for synthesizing novel views of an image-based avatar, so that the avatar follows the facial motions of an arbitrary actor. Compelling results from our pipeline are demonstrated on a variety of cases.
An interaction-aware, perceptual model for non-linear elastic objects
Authors: Piovarči Michal , Levin David I. W. , Rebello Jason , Chen Desai , Ďurikovič Roman , Pfister Hanspeter , Matusik Wojciech , Didyk Piotr
Published: July 2016

Everyone, from a shopper buying shoes to a doctor palpating a growth, uses their sense of touch to learn about the world. 3D printing is a powerful technology because it gives us the ability to control the haptic impression an object creates. This is critical for both replicating existing, real-world constructs and designing novel ones. However, each 3D printer has different capabilities and supports different materials, leaving us to ask: How can we best replicate a given haptic result on a particular output device? In this work, we address the problem of mapping a real-world material to its nearest 3D printable counterpart by constructing a perceptual model for the compliance of nonlinearly elastic objects. We begin by building a perceptual space from experimentally obtained user comparisons of twelve 3D-printed metamaterials. By comparing this space to a number of hypothetical computational models, we identify those that can be used to accurately and efficiently evaluate human-perceived differences in nonlinear stiffness. Furthermore, we demonstrate how such models can be applied to complex geometries in an interaction-aware way where the compliance is influenced not only by the material properties from which the object is made but also its geometry. We demonstrate several applications of our method in the context of fabrication and evaluate them in a series of user experiments.
Rigel
Authors: Hegarty James , Daly Ross , DeVito Zachary , Ragan-Kelley Jonathan , Horowitz Mark , Hanrahan Pat
Published: July 2016

Image processing algorithms implemented using custom hardware or FPGAs of can be orders-of-magnitude more energy efficient and performant than software. Unfortunately, converting an algorithm by hand to a hardware description language suitable for compilation on these platforms is frequently too time consuming to be practical. Recent work on hardware synthesis of high-level image processing languages demonstrated that a single-rate pipeline of stencil kernels can be synthesized into hardware with provably minimal buffering. Unfortunately, few advanced image processing or vision algorithms fit into this highly-restricted programming model.

In this paper, we present Rigel, which takes pipelines specified in our new multi-rate architecture and lowers them to FPGA implementations. Our flexible multi-rate architecture supports pyramid image processing, sparse computations, and space-time implementation tradeoffs. We demonstrate depth from stereo, Lucas-Kanade, the SIFT descriptor, and a Gaussian pyramid running on two FPGA boards. Our system can synthesize hardware for FPGAs with up to 436 Megapixels/second throughput, and up to 297x faster runtime than a tablet-class ARM CPU.
Automatic triage for a photo series
Authors: Chang Huiwen , Yu Fisher , Wang Jue , Ashley Douglas , Finkelstein Adam
Published: July 2016

People often take a series of nearly redundant pictures to capture a moment or scene. However, selecting photos to keep or share from a large collection is a painful chore. To address this problem, we seek a relative quality measure within a series of photos taken of the same scene, which can be used for automatic photo triage. Towards this end, we gather a large dataset comprised of photo series distilled from personal photo albums. The dataset contains 15, 545 unedited photos organized in 5,953 series. By augmenting this dataset with ground truth human preferences among photos within each series, we establish a benchmark for measuring the effectiveness of algorithmic models of how people select photos. We introduce several new approaches for modeling human preference based on machine learning. We also describe applications for the dataset and predictor, including a smart album viewer, automatic photo enhancement, and providing overviews of video clips.
Synthesis of filigrees for digital fabrication
Authors: Chen Weikai , Zhang Xiaolong , Xin Shiqing , Xia Yang , Lefebvre Sylvain , Wang Wenping
Published: July 2016

Filigrees are thin patterns found in jewelry, ornaments and lace fabrics. They are often formed of repeated base elements manually composed into larger, delicate patterns. Digital fabrication simplifies the process of turning a virtual model of a filigree into a physical object. However, designing a virtual model of a filigree remains a time consuming and challenging task. The difficulty lies in tightly packing together the base elements while covering a target surface. In addition, the filigree has to be well connected and sufficiently robust to be fabricated. We propose a novel approach automating this task. Our technique covers a target surface with a set of input base elements, forming a filigree strong enough to be fabricated. We exploit two properties of filigrees to make this possible. First, as filigrees form delicate traceries they are well captured by their skeleton. This affords for a simpler definition of operators such as matching and deformation. Second, instead of seeking for a perfect packing of the base elements we relax the problem by allowing appearance preserving partial overlaps. We optimize a filigree by a stochastic search, further improved by a novel boosting algorithm that records and reuses good configurations discovered during the process.

We illustrate our technique on a number of challenging examples reproducing filigrees on large objects, which we manufacture by 3D printing. Our technique affords for several user controls, such as the scale and orientation of the elements.
A system for rapid exploration of shader optimization choices
Authors: He Yong , Foley Theresa , Fatahalian Kayvon
Published: July 2016

We present Spire, a shading language and compiler framework that facilitates rapid exploration of shader optimization choices (such as frequency reduction and algorithmic approximation) afforded by modern real-time graphics engines. Our design combines ideas from rate-based shader programming with new language features that expand the scope of shader execution beyond traditional GPU hardware pipelines, and enable a diverse set of shader optimizations to be described by a single mechanism: overloading shader terms at various spatio-temporal computation rates provided by the pipeline. In contrast to prior work, neither the shading language's design, nor our compiler framework's implementation, is specific to the capabilities of any one rendering pipeline, thus Spire establishes architectural separation between the shading system and the implementation of modern rendering engines (allowing different rendering pipelines to utilize its services). We demonstrate use of Spire to author complex shaders that are portable across different rendering pipelines and to rapidly explore shader optimization decisions that span multiple compute and graphics passes and even offline asset preprocessing. We further demonstrate the utility of Spire by developing a shader level-of-detail library and shader auto-tuning system on top of its abstractions, and demonstrate rapid, automatic re-optimization of shaders for different target hardware platforms.
Bounded distortion harmonic shape interpolation
Authors: Chien Edward , Chen Renjie , Weber Ofir
Published: July 2016

Planar shape interpolation is a classic problem in computer graphics. We present a novel shape interpolation method that blends
C
∞
planar harmonic mappings represented in closed-form. The intermediate mappings in the blending are guaranteed to be locally injective
C
∞
harmonic mappings, with conformal and isometric distortion bounded by that of the input mappings. The key to the success of our method is the fact that the blended differentials of our interpolated mapping have a simple closed-form expression, so they can be evaluated with unprecedented efficiency and accuracy. Moreover, in contrast to previous approaches, these differentials are integrable, and result in an actual mapping without further modification. Our algorithm is embarrassingly parallel and is orders of magnitude faster than state-of-the-art methods due to its simplicity, yet it still produces mappings that are superior to those of existing techniques due to its guaranteed bounds on geometric distortion.
Lightweight eye capture using a parametric model
Authors: Bérard Pascal , Bradley Derek , Gross Markus , Beeler Thabo
Published: July 2016

Facial scanning has become ubiquitous in digital media, but so far most efforts have focused on reconstructing the skin. Eye reconstruction, on the other hand, has received only little attention, and the current state-of-the-art method is cumbersome for the actor, time-consuming, and requires carefully setup and calibrated hardware. These constraints currently make eye capture impractical for general use. We present the first approach for high-quality
lightweight
eye capture, which leverages a database of pre-captured eyes to guide the reconstruction of new eyes from much less constrained inputs, such as traditional single-shot face scanners or even a single photo from the internet. This is accomplished with a new parametric model of the eye built from the database, and a novel image-based model fitting algorithm. Our method provides both automatic reconstructions of real eyes, as well as artistic control over the parameters to generate user-specific eyes.
Body talk
Authors: Streuber Stephan , Quiros-Ramirez M. Alejandra , Hill Matthew Q. , Hahn Carina A. , Zuffi Silvia , O'Toole Alice , Black Michael J.
Published: July 2016

Realistic, metrically accurate, 3D human avatars are useful for games, shopping, virtual reality, and health applications. Such avatars are not in wide use because solutions for creating them from high-end scanners, low-cost range cameras, and tailoring measurements all have limitations. Here we propose a simple solution and show that it is surprisingly accurate. We use crowdsourcing to generate attribute ratings of 3D body shapes corresponding to standard linguistic descriptions of 3D shape. We then learn a linear function relating these ratings to 3D human shape parameters. Given an image of a new body, we again turn to the crowd for ratings of the body shape. The collection of linguistic ratings of a photograph provides remarkably strong constraints on the metric 3D shape. We call the process
crowdshaping
and show that our
Body Talk
system produces shapes that are perceptually indistinguishable from bodies created from high-resolution scans and that the metric accuracy is sufficient for many tasks. This makes body "scanning" practical without a scanner, opening up new applications including database search, visualization, and extracting avatars from books.
Extraction of Unerupted Maxillary Canine Teeth in a Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
Authors: Pessoa Lourdes M. B. , Roza Marcello , Farias Anderson , Jesus Pedro Henrique de , Campbell Rita de Cassia , Pinho Mariângela Pereira de
Published: July 2016

The purpose of this case report is to describe the diagnosis and treatment of unerupted canine teeth in a maned wolf. After physical examination, complete blood count, and serum biochemical profile, the animal underwent general anesthesia and head radiography was performed to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment consisted of the extraction of both maxillary canine teeth and clinical and radiographic follow-up of the right mandibular canine tooth.
Accessibility to, Acceptability of, and Adherence to HIV/AIDS Prevention Services by Men Who Have Sex with Men: Challenges Encountered at Facility Level
Authors: Otambo P. C. N. , Makokha A. , Karama M. , Mwangi M.
Published: July 2016

The prevalence of HIV/AIDS among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nairobi has been reported to be 16.4% which is a public health concern. The aim of this study was to determine factors that affected accessibility to, acceptability of, and adherence to HIV/AIDS prevention services by men who have sex with men in Nairobi County, Kenya.Methods. The study used a mixed methods design, applying both quantitative and qualitative methods.Results. Over 70% of MSM reported that TB drugs, antiretroviral drugs, lubricants, condoms, and other STI treatment services were accessible. However, 31.6% of MSM reported that discrimination at the health facility level was a hindrance to accessing HIV/AIDS prevention services while 26.3% reported encountering stigma. 48.4% of MSM consumed alcohol while taking of drugs was reported, at 36.1%.Conclusion. Discrimination and stigma adversely affected MSM seeking HIV/AIDS prevention services in health facilities. MSM engaged in alcohol and substance abuse that likely affected their health seeking behavior. Although most prevention services are reported as accessible, uptake of the same needs to be considered.
Bilateral Postoperative Cyst after Maxillary Sinus Surgery: Report of a Case and Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Niederquell Boris-Mark , Brennan Peter A. , Dau Michael , Moergel Maximilian , Frerich Bernhard , Kämmerer Peer Wolfgang
Published: July 2016

Purpose. We present a case of a bilateral postoperative maxillary cyst (PMC) and discuss this with a systemic review.Case Report and Literature Review. A 68-year-old female with pain and swelling on the right side of the face. MRI and CT showed a cystic tumors of the right and left maxillary sinus. Radical maxillary surgery via a Caldwell-Luc procedure had been performed 55 years ago and bilateral PMC was diagnosed. The PubMed database was searched for PMC within the last 30 years.Results. Together with the current case, we found 23 reports including 284 patients describing PMC. It was diagnosed at a mean time of 22 years after causal surgery at a mean age of 47 years. Initial symptoms were mostly pain with or without swelling. The main radiological sign was a unilocular radiolucency with a slight preference for the left side.Discussion. PMC is a long-term complication that can occur after maxillary sinus surgery and a second surgical approach is required in order to stop cystic expansion. Therefore, patients’ informed consent on this complication as well as a prolonged follow-up is recommended. Simple paranasal ultrasound or paranasal sinus plain radiography may lead to an earlier detection reducing interventional morbidity.
Sleep Spindles Characteristics in Insomnia Sufferers and Their Relationship with Sleep Misperception
Authors: Normand Marie-Pier , St-Hilaire Patrick , Bastien Célyne H.
Published: July 2016

Cortical hyperarousal is higher in insomnia sufferers (INS) than in good sleepers (GS) and could be related to an alteration in sleep protection mechanisms, like reduced density or altered characteristics in sleep spindles. The deficient sleep protection mechanisms might in turn enhance underestimation of sleep. This study’s objective was to document sleep spindles characteristics in INS compared with GS and to investigate their potential role in sleep consolidation and misperception. Seventeen individuals with paradoxical insomnia (PARA-I), 24 individuals with psychophysiological insomnia (PSY-I), and 29 GS completed four consecutive polysomnographic nights in laboratory. Sleep spindles were detected automatically during stage 2 and SWS (3-4) on night 3. Number, density, duration, frequency, and amplitude of sleep spindles were calculated. A misperception index was used to determine the degree of discrepancy between subjective and objective total sleep times. Kruskal-WallisHtests and post hoc tests revealed that PARA-I had significantly shorter sleep spindles than GS but that PSY-I and GS did not differ on spindles length. A standard multiple regression model revealed that neither sleep spindles characteristics nor objective sleep measures were predictive of sleep misperception. A longer duration of spindles could reflect a higher gating process but this hypothesis still needs to be confirmed in replication studies.