bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Use of Percutaneous Lumbar Fixation Screws for Bilateral Pedicle Fractures with an Associated Dislocation of a Lumbar Disc Prosthesis
Authors: Harrison William D. , Harrison David J.
Published: November 2013

Study Design.Case report.Objective.To identify a safe technique for salvage surgery following complications of total disc replacement.Summary of Background Data.Lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) is considered by some as the gold standard for discogenic back pain. Revision techniques for TDR and their complications are in their infancy. This case describes a successful method of fixation for this complex presentation.Methods and Results.A 48-year-old male with lumbar degenerative disc disease and no comorbidities. Approximately two weeks postoperatively for a TDR, the patient represented with acute severe back pain and the TDR polyethylene inlay was identified as dislocated anteriorly. Subsequent revision surgery failed immediately as the polyethylene inlay redislocated intraoperatively. Further radiology identified bilateral pedicle fractures, previously unseen on the plain films. The salvage fusion of L5/S1 reutilized the anterior approach with an interbody fusion cage and bone graft. The patient was then turned intraoperatively and redraped. The percutaneous pedicle screws were used to fix L5 to the sacral body via the paracoccygeal corridor.Conclusion.The robust locking screw in the percutaneous screw allowed a complete fixation of the pedicle fractures. At 3-year followup, the patient has an excellent result and has returned to playing golf.
Effect of Structure, Composition, and Micromorphology on the Hydrophobic Property of F‐DLC Film
Authors: Jiang Aihua , Xiao Jianrong , Li Xinyu , Wang Zhiyong
Published: November 2013

Fluorinated diamond‐like carbon (F‐DLC) films were prepared by radio frequency plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique with CF4 and CH4 as source gases under different deposition conditions. The chemical bonding structure and composition of the films were detected by Raman, Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrometry (FTIR), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization. The micromorphology and surface roughness of the film were observed and analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results indicated that all the prepared films presented a diamond‐like carbon structure. The relative content of fluorine in the films increased, containing more CF2 groups. The ratio of hybrid structure sp3/sp2 decreased. The surface roughness of the films increased when the gas flow ratio R (R = CF4/[CH4 + CF4]) or the deposition power increased. The contact angle of water with the surface of the F‐DLC film was measured with a static drop‐contact angle/surface tension measuring instrument. The hydrophobic property of the F‐DLC films was found to be dependent on the sp2 structure, fluorine content, and surface roughness of the films. The contact angle increased when the relative content of fluorine in the films and sp2 content increased, whereas the contact angle first increased and then decreased with the surface roughness.
Insight, Neurocognition, and Schizophrenia: Predictive Value of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test
Authors: Stratton John , Yanos Philip T. , Lysaker Paul
Published: November 2013

Lack of insight in schizophrenia is a key feature of the illness and is associated with both positive and negative clinical outcomes. Previous research supports that neurocognitive dysfunction is related to lack of insight, but studies have not examined how neurocognition relates to change in insight over time. Therefore, the current study sought to understand how performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) differed between participants with varying degrees of change in insight over a 6-month period. Fifty-two patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were administered the WCST and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at baseline, and the PANSS was again administered at a 6-month follow-up assessment. Results indicated that while neurocognition was related to insight at baseline, it was not related to subsequent change in insight. The implications of findings for conceptualization and assessment of insight are discussed.
NonlinearH∞Optimal Control Scheme for an Underwater Vehicle with Regional Function Formulation
Authors: Ismail Zool H. , Dunnigan Matthew W.
Published: November 2013

A conventional region control technique cannot meet the demands for an accurate tracking performance in view of its inability to accommodate highly nonlinear system dynamics, imprecise hydrodynamic coefficients, and external disturbances. In this paper, a robust technique is presented for an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) with region tracking function. Within this control scheme, nonlinearH∞and region based control schemes are used. A Lyapunov-like function is presented for stability analysis of the proposed control law. Numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the performance of the proposed tracking control of the AUV. It is shown that the proposed control law is robust against parameter uncertainties, external disturbances, and nonlinearities and it leads to uniform ultimate boundedness of the region tracking error.
Plasma Amino Acids Changes in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Authors: Alexander Guillermo M. , Reichenberger Erin , Peterlin B. Lee , Perreault Marielle J. , Grothusen John R. , Schwartzman Robert J.
Published: November 2013

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a severe chronic pain condition that most often develops following trauma. Blood samples were collected from 220 individuals, 160 CRPS subjects, and 60 healthy pain-free controls. Plasma amino acid levels were compared and contrasted between groups. L-Aspartate, L-glutamate, and L-ornithine were significantly increased, whereas L-tryptophan and L-arginine were significantly decreased in CRPS subjects as compared to controls. In addition, the L-kynurenine to L-tryptophan ratio demonstrated a significant increase, whereas the global arginine bioavailability ratio (GABR) was significantly decreased in the CRPS subjects. The CRPS subjects demonstrated a significant correlation between overall pain and the plasma levels of L-glutamate and the
L-kynurenine to L-tryptophan ratio. CRPS subjects also showed a correlation between the decrease in plasma L-tryptophan and disease duration. This study shows that CRPS subjects exhibit significant changes in plasma levels of amino acids involved in glutamate receptor activation and in amino acids associated with immune function as compared to healthy pain-free controls. A better understanding of the role plasma amino acids play in the pathophysiology of CRPS may lead to novel treatments for this
crippling condition.
Influence of Ce Doping on the Electrical and Optical Properties of TiO2and Its Photocatalytic Activity for the Degradation of Remazol Brilliant Blue R
Authors: Malik Aisha , Hameed S. , Siddiqui M. J. , Haque M. M. , Muneer M.
Published: November 2013

Nanocrystalline TiO2particles doped with different concentrations of Cerium (Ce, 1–10%) have been synthesized using sol-gel method. The prepared particles were characterized by standard analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The XRD analysis shows no change in crystal structure of TiO2after doping with different concentrations of Ce, which indicates the single-phase polycrystalline material. The SEM analysis shows the partial crystalline nature of undoped, and doped TiO2and TEM analysis shows the particle sizes were in the range of 9–14 nm in size. The a.c. analysis shows that the dielectric constantεand dielectric loss tanδdecrease with the increase in frequency. The dielectric property decreases with the increase in dopant concentration. It is also observed that the impedance increases with an increase in dopant concentration. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized particles (Ce-doped TiO2) with dopant concentration of 9% (Ce) showed the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of the dye derivative Remazol Brilliant Blue R in an immersion well photochemical reactor with 500 W halogen linear lamp in the presence of atmospheric oxygen.
The Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System of the Face: A Model Explored
Authors: Broughton M. , Fyfe G. M.
Published: November 2013

Regional differences in the integument of the body are explained,
at least in part, by differences in fascial arrangements. In the face,
where the skin is more mobile due to the action of the underlying facial muscles,
fascial organisation is important for support and separation of muscle groups.
This study used bequeathed cadaver material to investigate a current model of
the SMAS proposed by Macchi et al., the original boundaries of which were explored
and extended using both histology and gross dissection. As a clearly identifiable
structure spanning the lateral and midface, the SMAS in the specimen supported
the model proposed by Macchi et al. The three main findings that support the model
were the layered morphological appearance of the SMAS, its
progression from fibrous to aponeurotic in a lateral to medial direction,
and the enveloping of the zygomaticus musculature. Extension beyond the
proposed model into the temporal region was observed, but nasal and forehead
regions showed no evidence of SMAS, while its presence in the cervical
platysma region remained inconclusive. Fascial and soft tissue variability was
considerable within facial regions of the examined specimen, helping to explain the debate around the SMAS in the literature.
Does Q223R Polymorphism of Leptin Receptor Influence on Anthropometric Parameters and Bone Density in Childhood Cancer Survivors?
Authors: Sawicka-Żukowska Malgorzata , Krawczuk-Rybak Maryna , Muszynska-Roslan Katarzyna , Panasiuk Anna , Latoch Eryk , Konstantynowicz Jerzy
Published: November 2013

Childhood cancer survivors are in augmented risk for developing obesity. For many factors leptin and leptin receptor gene polymorphism play an important role in the development and metabolism not only of fat, but also, bone tissue. The aim of the analysis was to find the relationships between Q223R, leptin levels, and anthropometric parameters.Patients and Methods. In the study 74 cancer survivors participated (ALLn=64, lymphomasn=10), and the control group consisted of 51 healthy peers. Leptin blood concentration was determined by ELISA method. To estimate leptin receptor gene polymorphism, RFLP method was used. Bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC), fat, and lean tissue measurements were obtained by DXA.Results. We found no correlations between serum leptin concentrations and anthropometric parameters nor BMD. Serum leptin concentrations were significantly lower in the group of cancer survivors compared to controls; however, in those overweight from examined group we found leptin levels higher than those in nonoverweight. Genotype Q223R was not associated with higher leptin levels, BMI, BMD, body fat or lean tissue.Conclusion. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the relationship between BMD and Q223R polymorphism in childhood cancer survivors. Further analysis, based on a larger group of patients, is needed to confirm these findings.
Parents’ Attitudes toward Oral Rehydration Therapy in Children with Mild‐to‐Moderate Dehydration
Authors: Nir Vered , Nadir Erez , Schechter Yaffa , Kline-Kremer Adi
Published: November 2013

Objective. According to current guidelines, the first line of treatment for mild‐to‐moderate dehydration is oral rehydration; the second line is rehydration through a nasogastric tube. Both methods are widely underused. This study was conducted to evaluate parents’ attitudes towards rehydration methods used in pediatric emergency departments. Design. 100 questionnaires were distributed to parents of children who visited emergency room due to gastroenteritis and suspected dehydration. Results. 75 of the parents expected their child to get IV fluids. 49 of them would refuse to consider oral rehydration. 75 of the parents would refuse to consider insertion of nasogastric tube. Parents whose children were previously treated intravenously tended to be less likely to agree to oral treatment. Parents were more prone to decline oral rehydration if the main measurement of dehydration was the child’s clinical appearance, clinical appearance with vomiting, or child’s refusal to drink and were more likely to agree if the main measurement was diarrhea, diarrhea with clinical appearance, or clinical personnel opinion. Conclusions. This is the first study to examine parents’ expectations. We found that in the majority of cases, parents’ expectations contradict current guidelines. Efforts should be taken to educate parents in order to allow full implementation of the guidelines.
A Revised Counter-Propagation Network Model Integrating Rough Set for Structural Damage Detection
Authors: Jiang Shao-Fei , Fu Chun , Zhang Chun-Ming , Wu Zhao-Qi
Published: November 2013

This paper proposes a revised counter-propagation network (CPN) model by integrating rough set in structural damage detection, applicable for processing redundant and uncertain information as well as assessing structural health states. Firstly, rough set is used in the model to deal with a large volume of data; secondly, a revised training algorithm is developed to improve the capabilities of the CPN model; and lastly, the least input vectors are input to the revised CPN (RCPN) model, hence the rough set-based RCPN is proposed in the paper. To validate the model proposed, numerical experiments are conducted, and, as a result, six damage patterns have been successfully identified in a steel frame. The influence of measurement noise, the network models adopted, and the data preprocessing methods on damage identification is also discussed in the paper. The results show that the proposed model not only has good damage detection capability and noise tolerance, but also significantly reduces the data storage requirement and saves computing time.
Social Support Contributes to Outcomes following Distal Radius Fractures
Authors: Symonette Caitlin J. , MacDermid Joy , Grewal Ruby
Published: November 2013

Background. Distal radius fractures are the most common fracture of the upper extremity and cause variable disability. This study examined the role of social support in patient-reported pain and disability at one year following distal radius fracture.Methods. The Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey was administered to a prospective cohort of 291 subjects with distal radius fractures at their baseline visit. Pearson correlations and stepwise linear regression models (F-to-remove 0.10) were used to identify whether social support contributes to wrist fracture outcomes. The primary outcome of pain and disability at one year was measured using the Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation.Results. Most injuries were low energy (67.5%) and were treated nonoperatively (71.9%). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that higher reported social support correlated with improved Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation scores at 1 year,r(n=181)=-0.22,P<0.05. Of the subscales within the Social Support Survey, emotional/informational support explained a significant proportion of the variance in 1-year Patient Rated Wrist Evaluation scores,R2=4.7%,F(1, 181) = 9.98,P<0.05.Conclusion. Lower emotional/informational social support at the time of distal radius fracture contributes a small but significant percentage to patient-reported pain and disability outcomes.
Comparative Study of Exome Copy Number Variation Estimation Tools Using Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization as Control
Authors: Guo Yan , Sheng Quanghu , Samuels David C. , Lehmann Brian , Bauer Joshua A. , Pietenpol Jennifer , Shyr Yu
Published: November 2013

Exome sequencing using next-generation sequencing technologies is a cost-efficient approach to selectively sequencing coding regions of the human genome for detection of disease variants. One of the lesser known yet important applications of exome sequencing data is to identify copy number variation (CNV). There have been many exome CNV tools developed over the last few years, but the performance and accuracy of these programs have not been thoroughly evaluated. In this study, we systematically compared four popular exome CNV tools (CoNIFER, cn.MOPS, exomeCopy, and ExomeDepth) and evaluated their effectiveness against array comparative genome hybridization (array CGH) platforms. We found that exome CNV tools are capable of identifying CNVs, but they can have problems such as high false positives, low sensitivity, and duplication bias when compared to array CGH platforms. While exome CNV tools do serve their purpose for data mining, careful evaluation and additional validation is highly recommended. Based on all these results, we recommend CoNIFER and cn.MOPs for nonpaired exome CNV detection over the other two tools due to a low false-positive rate, although none of the four exome CNV tools performed at an outstanding level when compared to array CGH.
Critical Phenomena in Higher Curvature Charged AdS Black Holes
Authors: Lala Arindam
Published: November 2013

In this paper, we have studied the critical phenomena in higher curvature charged AdS black holes. We have considered Lovelock-Born-Infeld-AdS black hole as an example. The thermodynamics of the black hole have been studied which reveals the onset of a higher-order phase transition in the black hole in the canonical ensemble (fixed charge ensemble) framework. We have analytically derived the critical exponents associated with these thermodynamic quantities. We find that our results fit well with the thermodynamic scaling laws and consistent with the mean field theory approximation. The suggestive values of the other two critical exponents associated with the correlation function and correlation length on the critical surface have been derived.
Fast Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis and Photoluminescence of CaWO4 Nanocrystals
Authors: Li Quanguo , Shen Yanhua , Li Taohai
Published: November 2013

In this work, CaWO4 nanoparticles have been synthesized by microwave‐assisted method at a low temperature of 120°C. The as‐prepared powders were characterized by X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). It is found that the reaction time played an important role in the morphology controlling and crystallinity level of CaWO4 crystals. The effects of photoluminescent properties have a great relationship with crystallinity.
Development of Lifting and Propulsion Mechanism for Biped Robot Inspired by Basilisk Lizards
Authors: Xu Linsen , Mei Tao , Wei Xianming , Cao Kai , Luo Mingzhou
Published: November 2013

The lifting and propulsion mechanism of a novel biped robot inspired by the basilisk lizard's water-walking function has been developed. The movement trajectories of the Watt-I planar linkage are brought out by combining the movement equations of the four-bar mechanism and the coordinate transformation equations, which are used to simulate the foot trajectories of the basilisk lizard, and the lifting and propulsion mechanism of the biped robot walking on water is carried out. The links' parameters are optimized by taking the trajectories overlap ratio as the objective function. The prototype of the biped robot walking on water is manufactured by the results of the kinematic analysis on the robot. And the lifting and propulsion force curve on the robot from water is measured. The experiment results show that the lifting and propulsion system can satisfy the function requirement of the biped robot walking on water.
A Genome-Wide Analysis of RNA Pseudoknots That Stimulate Efficient −1 Ribosomal Frameshifting or Readthrough in Animal Viruses
Authors: Huang Xiaolan , Cheng Qiang , Du Zhihua
Published: November 2013

Programmed −1 ribosomal frameshifting (PRF) and stop codon readthrough are two translational recoding mechanisms utilized by some RNA viruses to express their structural and enzymatic proteins at a defined ratio. Efficient recoding usually requires an RNA pseudoknot located several nucleotides downstream from the recoding site. To assess the strategic importance of the recoding pseudoknots, we have carried out a large scale genome-wide analysis in which we used an in-house developed program to detect all possible H-type pseudoknots within the genomic mRNAs of 81 animal viruses. Pseudoknots are detected downstream from ~85% of the recoding sites, including many previously unknown pseudoknots. ~78% of the recoding pseudoknots are the most stable pseudoknot within the viral genomes. However, they are not as strong as some designed pseudoknots that exhibit roadblocking effect on the translating ribosome. Strong roadblocking pseudoknots are not detected within the viral genomes. These results indicate that the decoding pseudoknots have evolved to possess optimal stability for efficient recoding. We also found that the sequence at thegag-polframeshift junction of HIV1 harbors potential elaborated pseudoknots encompassing the frameshift site. A novel mechanism is proposed for possible involvement of the elaborated pseudoknots in the HIV1 PRF event.
Transitioning to Independence and Maintaining Research Careers in a New Funding Climate: American Society of Preventive Oncology Junior Members Interest Group Report
Authors: Hamilton Jada G. , Birmingham Wendy C. , Tehranifar Parisa , Irwin Melinda L. , Klein William M.P. , Nebeling Linda , Chubak Jessica
Published: November 2013

The American Society of Preventive Oncology (ASPO) is a professional society for multi-disciplinary investigators in cancer prevention and control. The ASPO Junior Members Interest Group promotes the interests of predoctoral, postdoctoral, and junior faculty members within the Society, and provides them with career development and training opportunities. To this end, as part of the 37th ASPO Annual Meeting held in Memphis, Tennessee in March 2013, the Junior Members Interest Group organized a session designed to address issues faced by early-career investigators as they navigate the transition to become an independent, well-funded scientist with a sustainable program of research in the current climate of reduced and limited resources. Four speakers were invited to provide their complementary but distinct perspectives on this topic based on their personal experiences in academic, research-intensive positions and in federal funding agencies. This report summarizes the main themes that emerged from the speakers' presentations and audience questions related to mentoring; obtaining grant funding; publishing; developing expertise; navigating appointments, promotion, and tenure; and balancing demands. These lessons can be used by early-career investigators in cancer prevention and control as they transition to independence and build programs of fundable research. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(11); 2138–42. ©2013 AACR.
Durable Antibody Responses Following One Dose of the Bivalent Human Papillomavirus L1 Virus-Like Particle Vaccine in the Costa Rica Vaccine Trial
Authors: Safaeian Mahboobeh , Porras Carolina , Pan Yuanji , Kreimer Aimee , Schiller John T. , Gonzalez Paula , Lowy Douglas R. , Wacholder Sholom , Schiffman Mark , Rodriguez Ana C. , Herrero Rolando , Kemp Troy , Shelton Gloriana , Quint Wim , van Doorn Leen-Jan , Hildesheim Allan , Pinto Ligia A. ,   for the CVT Group
Published: November 2013

The Costa Rica HPV16/18 Vaccine Trial (CVT) showed that four-year vaccine efficacy against 12-month HPV16/18 persistent infection was similarly high among women who received one, two, or the recommended three doses of the bivalent HPV16/18 L1 virus-like particle (VLP) vaccine. Live-attenuated viral vaccines, but not simple-subunit vaccines, usually induce durable lifelong antibody responses after a single dose. It is unclear whether noninfectious VLP vaccines behave more like live-virus or simple-subunit vaccines in this regard. To explore the likelihood that efficacy will persist longer term, we investigated the magnitude and durability of antibodies to this vaccine by measuring HPV16- and HPV18-specific antibodies by VLP-ELISA using serum from enrollment, vaccination, and annual visits through four years in four vaccinated groups; one-dose (n = 78), two-doses separated by one month (n = 140), two doses separated by six months (n = 52), and three scheduled doses (n = 120, randomly selected). We also tested enrollment sera from n = 113 HPV16- or HPV18 L1-seropositive women prevaccination, presumably from natural infection. At four years, 100% of women in all groups remained HPV16/18 seropositive; both HPV16/18 geometric mean titers (GMT) among the extended two-dose group were non-inferior to the three-dose group, and ELISA titers were highly correlated with neutralization titers in all groups. Compared with the natural infection group, HPV16/18 GMTs were, respectively, at least 24 and 14 times higher among the two-dose and 9 and 5 times higher among one-dose vaccinees. Antibody levels following one-dose remained stable from month 6 through month 48. Results raise the possibility that even a single dose of HPV VLPs will induce long-term protection. Cancer Prev Res; 6(11); 1242–50. ©2013 AACR.
Low Levels of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: A Negative Predictor of Survival in Elderly Patients with Advanced Heart Failure
Authors: Charach Gideon , Rabinovich Alexander , Ori Argov , Weksler Dov , Sheps David , Charach Lior , Weintraub Moshe , George Jacob
Published: November 2013

Objectives: There are conflicting reports on the role of cholesterol as an adverse prognostic predictor in patients with heart failure (HF). This study aimed to examine the impact of low levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) on cardiac mortality in a cohort of elderly patients with moderate and severe HF. Methods: Chronic HF patients from the HF Unit at the Tel-Aviv Medical Center (n = 212, 77% males) with an average NYHA classification of 2.8, a mean age of 76.9 ± 7.3 years (range 66-91) and a mean follow-up of 3.7 years were consecutively enrolled. The cohort was divided into tertiles according to LDL-c levels: LDL <90 mg/dl (group 1), LDL 90-115 mg/dl (group 2) and LDL >115 mg/dl (group 3). Results: The Cox regression analysis revealed that group 3 patients had the best outcome (p = 0.01 vs. groups 2 and 3), with 58% of them surviving longer than 50 months compared to 34% in group 1. The same trend was seen in the group of patients suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy and in patients who were treated by statins (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Low LDL-c levels are associated with a reduced survival in elderly patients with clinically controlled moderate and severe HF.
Hybrid Fibers Transform into Distinct Fiber Types in Maturing Mouse Muscles
Authors: Brummer Hannah , Zhang Min Yi , Piddoubny Maria , Medler Scott
Published: November 2013

The role of hybrid fibers as intermediates in fiber type transformations is not completely understood. In some cases hybrids are clearly transitional fibers changing from one type to another, but in others they represent phenotypically stable fibers in normal muscles. In the current study, our goal was to understand the fate of hybrid fibers in fiber type transitions that take place during muscle maturation. Previous studies have reported high proportions of hybrid fibers during postnatal development, but few have followed the fate of these fibers past the time of weaning. We quantified proportions of hybrid fibers in three different mouse skeletal muscles from newly weaned to 6-month-old mice. Hybrid fibers were very prevalent in the brachioradialis (BR) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles from newly weaned mice, where they constituted 50 and 40% of the fibers, respectively. These hybrids declined steadily to about 15-30% over the next several months. In the soleus muscle the proportion of hybrids did not change, but constituted approximately 20% of fibers. The reduction in IIX/IIB hybrids resulted from different processes in the BR and the TA. In the BR, the reduction was coincident with an increase in type IIX fibers. In the TA, the number of IIX/IIB hybrids was inversely correlated with the proportion of IIB fibers. These patterns reveal that the role of hybrid fibers as intermediates in muscle development is complex. Some hybrid fibers in maturing muscles represent transitional fiber types, while others are phenotypically stable. Moreover, the fate of transitional fibers may be distinct among similar fiber types within different muscles.
Verrucous Spitz Nevus in a Japanese Female
Authors: Honda Rie , Iino Yuka , Ito Shusaku , Tanaka Masaru
Published: November 2013

A 23-year-old female presented with a reddish-brown dome-shaped hyperkeratotic nodule of 11 × 10 mm on the left lower leg. Dermoscopic examination demonstrated a prominent whitish scaly area with ring-like appearance, pinkish-white structureless areas, a few milia-like cysts, dotted and glomerular vessels, and light brown globules. The lesion was completely excised under the diagnosis of verruca vulgaris or dermatofibroma. Histopathological examination revealed a well-circumscribed symmetric lesion with hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, and pseudohorn cysts. The lesion was composed of spindle-shaped and epithelioid melanocytes with large cytoplasm arranged in confluent nests surrounded by stromal fibrosis. Mitotic figures and Kamino bodies were absent. Moderate proliferation of capillaries was found in the papillary dermis. Immunohistochemical staining with melan-A or S-100 was positive for tumor cells, but the staining with HMB-45 was negative. Melan-A staining was weaker in the deeply situated cells than in the superficial ones, which is known as stratification. Finally, we made a diagnosis of verrucous Spitz nevus based on these findings. We should have been aware of the entity of verrucous Spitz nevus as a variant of Spitz nevus and its dermoscopic features in order to reach a correct diagnosis before excision.
Frontal Theta Oscillatory Activity Is a Common Mechanism for the Computation of Unexpected Outcomes and Learning Rate
Authors: Mas-Herrero Ernest , Marco-Pallarés Josep
Published: November 2013

In decision-making processes, the relevance of the information yielded by outcomes varies across time and situations. It increases when previous predictions are not accurate and in contexts with high environmental uncertainty. Previous fMRI studies have shown an important role of medial pFC in coding both reward prediction errors and the impact of this information to guide future decisions. However, it is unclear whether these two processes are dissociated in time or occur simultaneously, suggesting that a common mechanism is engaged. In the present work, we studied the modulation of two electrophysiological responses associated to outcome processing—the feedback-related negativity ERP and frontocentral theta oscillatory activity—with the reward prediction error and the learning rate. Twenty-six participants performed two learning tasks differing in the degree of predictability of the outcomes: a reversal learning task and a probabilistic learning task with multiple blocks of novel cue–outcome associations. We implemented a reinforcement learning model to obtain the single-trial reward prediction error and the learning rate for each participant and task. Our results indicated that midfrontal theta activity and feedback-related negativity increased linearly with the unsigned prediction error. In addition, variations of frontal theta oscillatory activity predicted the learning rate across tasks and participants. These results support the existence of a common brain mechanism for the computation of unsigned prediction error and learning rate.
Different Brains Process Numbers Differently: Structural Bases of Individual Differences in Spatial and Nonspatial Number Representations
Authors: Krause Florian , Lindemann Oliver , Toni Ivan , Bekkering Harold
Published: November 2013

A dominant hypothesis on how the brain processes numerical size proposes a spatial representation of numbers as positions on a “mental number line.” An alternative hypothesis considers numbers as elements of a generalized representation of sensorimotor-related magnitude, which is not obligatorily spatial. Here we show that individuals' relative use of spatial and nonspatial representations has a cerebral counterpart in the structural organization of the posterior parietal cortex. Interindividual variability in the linkage between numbers and spatial responses (faster left responses to small numbers and right responses to large numbers; spatial–numerical association of response codes effect) correlated with variations in gray matter volume around the right precuneus. Conversely, differences in the disposition to link numbers to force production (faster soft responses to small numbers and hard responses to large numbers) were related to gray matter volume in the left angular gyrus. This finding suggests that numerical cognition relies on multiple mental representations of analogue magnitude using different neural implementations that are linked to individual traits.
Taxonomic identity of the Iranian diploid Triticum as evidenced by nrDNA ITS analysis
Authors: Nasernakhaei Fatemeh , Rahiminejad Mohammad Reza , Saeidi Hojjatolah , Tavasoli Manoochehr
Published: November 2013

This study concerns the taxonomic investigation of the Iranian diploid Triticum gene pool using morphology and PCR-SSCP analysis of ITS nrDNA. A co-occurrence of two character states of leaf indumentum and anther length was found to be diagnostically significant among these taxa. Three SSCP profiles were detected among our specimens. Sequencing the representatives of different SSCP patterns detected three new nrITS haplotypes. Based on the results of this study we concluded that the genus Triticum at diploid level is represented by two taxa in Iran : T. monococcum subsp. aegilopoides and T. urartu, which is a new taxonomic interpretation of the former taxon. The phylogenetic neighbor-joining tree based on nrITS confirms this interpretation.
Description of three new species of the genus Herichthys (Perciformes: Cichlidae) from eastern Mexico, with redescription of H. labridens, H. steindachneri,
and H. pantostictus
Authors: MAZA-BENIGNOS MAURICIO DE LA , LOZANO-VILANO MA. DE LOURDES
Published: November 2013

Three new species of the genus Herichthys are described on the basis of chromatic, morphometric, and meristic characters. Herichthys pratinus sp. nov. from the Rio Salto in San Luis Potosi is characterized by a steep and shallow predorsal profile, a concavity before the eye, and adult males with a prominent forehead forming a nuchal hump, DXV–XVI, 10–11; and AV, 8–9. Herichthys pame sp. nov. from the Rio Tamasopo in San Luis Potosi is characterized by a gradual and acute predorsal contour, lack of concavity before the eye, and mouth angled slightly downward. Herichthys. molango sp. nov. from Laguna Azteca, Hidalgo is distinguished by small eyes and a slender (slightly broader than long), well-spaced, and indented lower pharyngeal plate with 2 rows of 8–9 medium-sized, lightly pigmented molars flanking the midline. We also provide redescriptions for three species of Herichthys, H. pantostictus, H. labridens, and H. steindachneri and a review of H. bartoni.
Two new species of Armascirus (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae) from Slovakia
Authors: KALÚZ Stanislav , VRABEC MICHAL
Published: November 2013

Two new mite species from Central Europe, viz. Armascirus fendai sp. nov. and Armascirus masani sp. nov. (Acari: Prostigmata, Cunaxidae) are described and figured. The keys to the known species (females and males) of the genus Armascirus are given.
The Influence of Recurrent Modes of Climate Variability on the Occurrence of Winter and Summer Extreme Temperatures over North America
Authors: Loikith Paul C. , Broccoli Anthony J.
Published: November 2013

The influence of the Pacific–North American (PNA) pattern, the northern annular mode (NAM), and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on extreme temperature days and months over North America is examined. Associations between extreme temperature days and months are strongest with the PNA and NAM and weaker for ENSO. In general, the association with extremes tends to be stronger on monthly than daily time scales and for winter as compared to summer. Extreme temperatures are associated with the PNA and NAM in the vicinity of the centers of action of these circulation patterns; however, many extremes also occur on days when the amplitude and polarity of these patterns do not favor their occurrence. In winter, synoptic-scale, transient weather disturbances are important drivers of extreme temperature days; however, many of these smaller-scale events are concurrent with amplified PNA or NAM patterns. Associations are weaker in summer when other physical mechanisms affecting the surface energy balance, such as anomalous soil moisture content, also influence the occurrence of extreme temperatures.
How do Tropical Temperate Troughs Form and Develop over Southern Africa?
Authors: Macron Clémence , Pohl Benjamin , Richard Yves , Bessafi Miloud
Published: November 2013

This paper aims at separating the respective influences of tropical and midlatitude variability on the development and life cycle of tropical temperate troughs (TTTs) over southern Africa in austral summer (November–February). Cluster analysis is applied to 1971–2000 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) daily outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) anomalies to identify TTTs and monitor tropical convection. The same analysis applied to the zonal wind stretching deformation at 200 hPa (ZDEF) characterizes midlatitude transient perturbations. Results based on the comparison between these two classifications first confirm that midlatitude baroclinic waves are a necessary condition for TTT development, but they are not sufficient. Roughly 40% of those occurring in austral summer are associated with a TTT. They tend to be stronger than the baroclinic waves not associated with TTT development. In the tropics, additional conditions needed to form a TTT consist of an excess of latent energy over the Mozambique Channel, mostly because of moisture advections and convergence from the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Taken together, these conditions are highly favorable for deep atmospheric convection over and near southern Africa and seem to explain a large fraction of TTT variability.
Use of the Parcel Buoyancy Minimum (Bmin) to Diagnose Simulated Thermodynamic Destabilization. Part I: Methodology and Case Studies of MCS Initiation Environments
Authors: Trier Stanley B. , Davis Christopher A. , Ahijevych David A. , Manning Kevin W.
Published: November 2013

A method based on parcel theory is developed to quantify mesoscale physical processes responsible for the removal of inhibition energy for convection initiation (CI). Convection-permitting simulations of three mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) initiating in differing environments are then used to demonstrate the method and gain insights on different ways that mesoscale thermodynamic destabilization can occur.

Central to the method is a thermodynamic quantity Bmin, which is the buoyancy minimum experienced by an air parcel lifted from a specified height. For the cases studied, vertical profiles of Bmin using air parcels originating at different heights are qualitatively similar to corresponding profiles of convective inhibition (CIN). Though it provides less complete information than CIN, an advantage of using Bmin is that it does not require vertical integration, which simplifies budget calculations that enable attribution of the thermodynamic destabilization to specific physical processes. For a specified air parcel, Bmin budgets require knowledge of atmospheric forcing at only the parcel origination level and some approximate level where Bmin occurs.

In a case of simulated daytime surface-based CI, destabilization in the planetary boundary layer (PBL) results from a combination of surface fluxes and upward motion above the PBL. Upward motion effects dominate the destabilizing effects of horizontal advections in two different simulated elevated CI cases, where the destabilizing layer occurs from 1 to 2.5 km AGL. In an elevated case with strong warm advection, changes to the parcel at its origination level dominate the reduction of negative buoyancy, whereas for a case lacking warm advection, adiabatic temperature changes to the environment near the location of Bmin dominate.
Use of the Parcel Buoyancy Minimum (Bmin) to Diagnose Simulated Thermodynamic Destabilization. Part II: Composite Analysis of Mature MCS Environments
Authors: Trier Stanley B. , Davis Christopher A. , Ahijevych David A. , Manning Kevin W.
Published: November 2013

Herein, the parcel buoyancy minimum (Bmin) defined in Part I of this two-part paper is used to examine physical processes influencing thermodynamic destabilization in environments of mature simulated mesoscale convective systems (MCSs). These convection-permitting simulations consist of twelve 24-h forecasts during two 6-day periods characterized by two different commonly occurring warm-season weather regimes that support MCSs over the central United States.

A composite analysis of 22 MCS environments is performed where cases are stratified into surface-based (SB), elevated squall (ES), and elevated nonsquall (ENS) categories. A gradual reduction of lower-tropospheric Bmin to values indicative of small convection inhibition, occurring over horizontal scales >100 km from the MCS leading edge, is a common aspect of each category. These negative buoyancy decreases are most pronounced for the ES and ENS environments, in which convective available potential energy (CAPE) is greatest for air parcels originating above the surface. The implication is that the vertical structure of the mesoscale environment plays a key role in the evolution and sustenance of convection long after convection initiation and internal MCS circulations develop, particularly in elevated systems.

Budgets of Bmin forcing are computed for the nocturnally maturing ES and ENS composites. Though warm advection occurs through the entire 1.5-km-deep layer comprising the vertical intersection of the largest environmental CAPE and smallest environmental Bmin magnitude, the net effect of terms involving vertical motion dominate the destabilization in both composites. These effects include humidity increases in air parcels due to vertical moisture advection and the adiabatic cooling of the environment above.
How Do Forecasters Utilize Output from a Convection-Permitting Ensemble Forecast System? Case Study of a High-Impact Precipitation Event
Authors: Evans Clark , Van Dyke Donald F. , Lericos Todd
Published: November 2013

The proliferation of ensemble forecast system output in recent years motivates this investigation into how operational forecasters utilize convection-permitting ensemble forecast system guidance in the forecast preparation process. A 16-member, convection-permitting ensemble forecast of the high-impact heavy precipitation resulting from Tropical Storm Fay (2008) is conducted and evaluated. The ensemble provides a skillful, albeit underdispersive and bimodal, forecast at all precipitation thresholds considered. A forecasting exercise is conducted to evaluate how forecasters utilize the ensemble forecast system guidance. Forecasters made two storm-total accumulated precipitation forecasts: one before and one after evaluating the ensemble guidance. Concurrently, forecasters were presented with questionnaires designed to gauge their thought processes in preparing each of their forecasts. Exercise participants felt that the high-resolution ensemble guidance added value and confidence to their forecasts, although it did not meaningfully reduce forecast uncertainty. Incorporation of the ensemble guidance into the forecast preparation process resulted in a modest mean improvement in forecast skill, with each forecast found to be skillful at all accumulated precipitation thresholds. Forecasters primarily utilized the ensemble guidance to identify a “most likely” forecast outcome from disparate deterministic guidance solutions and to help quantify the uncertainty associated with the forecast. Forecasters preferred ensemble guidance that enabled them to quickly understand the range of solutions provided by the ensemble, particularly over the entirety of the domain. Forecasters were generally aware of the diversity of solutions provided by the ensemble guidance; however, only a select few actively interrogated this information when revising their forecasts and each did so in different ways.
Precipitation and Temperature Forecast Performance at the Weather Prediction Center
Authors: Novak David R. , Bailey Christopher , Brill Keith F. , Burke Patrick , Hogsett Wallace A. , Rausch Robert , Schichtel Michael
Published: November 2013

The role of the human forecaster in improving upon the accuracy of numerical weather prediction is explored using multiyear verification of human-generated short-range precipitation forecasts and medium-range maximum temperature forecasts from the Weather Prediction Center (WPC). Results show that human-generated forecasts improve over raw deterministic model guidance. Over the past two decades, WPC human forecasters achieved a 20%–40% improvement over the North American Mesoscale (NAM) model and the Global Forecast System (GFS) for the 1 in. (25.4 mm) (24 h)−1 threshold for day 1 precipitation forecasts, with a smaller, but statistically significant, 5%–15% improvement over the deterministic ECMWF model. Medium-range maximum temperature forecasts also exhibit statistically significant improvement over GFS model output statistics (MOS), and the improvement has been increasing over the past 5 yr. The quality added by humans for forecasts of high-impact events varies by element and forecast projection, with generally large improvements when the forecaster makes changes ≥8°F (4.4°C) to MOS temperatures. Human improvement over guidance for extreme rainfall events [3 in. (76.2 mm) (24 h)−1] is largest in the short-range forecast. However, human-generated forecasts failed to outperform the most skillful downscaled, bias-corrected ensemble guidance for precipitation and maximum temperature available near the same time as the human-modified forecasts. Thus, as additional downscaled and bias-corrected sensible weather element guidance becomes operationally available, and with the support of near-real-time verification, forecaster training, and tools to guide forecaster interventions, a key test is whether forecasters can learn to make statistically significant improvements over the most skillful of this guidance. Such a test can inform to what degree, and just how quickly, the role of the forecaster changes.
Bridging the Knowledge and Skills Gap: Tapping Federal Retirees
Authors: Liebowitz Jay
Published: November 2013

Almost every study dealing with workforce planning in the government emphasizes the critical challenges that agencies are facing with respect to strategic human capital issues. With the government moving towards a market-driven approach, some authors suggest that a more flexible workforce is needed for today's (and tomorrow's) government. One pool of relatively untapped talent that hasn't been creatively applied to help address the ensuing human capital issues in the government deals with the use of federal retirees. Federal retirees could help bridge the knowledge and skills gaps in the government. This study addresses this issue and makes some specific recommendations to help agencies better deal with related human capital challenges.