bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human papillomavirus genotypes in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with anal pathology in Madrid, Spain
Authors: García-Espinosa Benjamín , Moro-Rodríguez Ernesto , Álvarez-Fernández Emilio
Published: December 2013

Background

We studied anal specimens to determine the distribution of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes and co-infection occurrence. This information will contribute to the knowledge of HPV genotype distributions and provide an estimate of the prevalence of different oncogenic HPV genotypes found in patients in Madrid (Spain).

Methods

We studied a total of 82 anal biopsies from the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón of Madrid. These included 4 specimens with benign lesions, 52 specimens with low-grade anal squamous intraepithelial lesion, 24 specimens with high-grade anal squamous intraepithelial lesions and 2 specimens with invasive anal carcinoma. HPV genotyping was performed with PCR amplification and reverse dot blot hybridization.

Results

We detected 33 different HPV genotypes, including 16 HPVs associated with a high risk of carcinogenesis, 3 HPVs associated with a highly likely risk of carcinogenesis and 14 HPVs associated with a low-risk of carcinogenesis. In two specimens, an uncharacterized HPV genotype was detected. The most frequent HPV genotypes found were HPV-16 (10.3%; 95% CI: 6.6%-15.1%), HPV-52 (8.5%; 95% CI: 5.2%-13%) and HPV-43/44 (7.6%; 95% CI: 4.5%-11.9%). HPV-18 was only detected in 0.9% (95% CI: 0.1%-3.2%) of the total viruses detected in all lesions. HPV co-infections were found in 83.9% of all types of lesions. The majority of cases (90.2%) were concomitantly infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Conclusion

The prevalence of high-risk carcinogenic genotypes in anal pathological samples was remarkable. Therefore, further studies that include a greater number of samples, particularly invasive carcinoma cases are needed to evaluate the potential influence of these HPV genotypes in the appearance of anal carcinomas. Also, the influence of other accompanying infections should be evaluated clarify the appearance of this type of carcinoma.

Virtual slides

The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/2075238024106058.
Ground Motion Site Amplification Factors for Sites Located within the Mississippi Embayment with Consideration of Deep Soil Deposits
Authors: Malekmohammadi Mojtaba , Pezeshk Shahram
Published: December 2013

In this study, site amplification factors for the deep soil deposits of the Mississippi embayment are computed using a nonlinear site response analysis program first to develop a model for nonlinear soil response for possible use by ground motion developers and second to address site amplification estimation. The effects of geology, sediment depth, and average shear wave velocity at the upper 30 m of soil ranging 180–800 m/s, as well as the effect of peak ground acceleration at the bedrock on nonlinear ground motion amplification for the upper embayment, are investigated. The site response computations cover various site conditions, sediment depth of 70–750 m, and peak acceleration of input rock motions of 0.01–0.90 g. The amplification (or de-amplification) at various frequencies implied by the sediment depth is greater than that implied just by site classification of the top 30 m of soil.
Activation of Linear Alkanes by a Hydrido Triruthenium Cluster and Associated Skeletal Rearrangements
Authors: Takao Toshiro , Suzuki Hiroharu
Published: December 2013

We explored polyhydrido cluster reaction chemistry for over two decades, developing rational syntheses of di-, tri-, tetra-, and pentanuclear clusters of ruthenium. In our study of cluster chemistry, we found that triruthenium pentahydrido complex [{Cp*Ru(µ-H)}3(µ3-H)2] (1) (Cp*: η5-C5Me5) reacts with linear alkanes to exclusively afford a closo-ruthenacyclopentadiene complex 2. The reaction mechanism has been elucidated by the isolation and alternative preparation of several important intermediates by the reaction of 1 with other hydrocarbons, such as alkynes, dienes, and alkenes. The mechanism is shown to consist of two reversible and four irreversible steps involving dihydrogen elimination, where the cooperative interaction of neighboring metal centers with hydrocarbons on the cluster is clearly seen. Facile migration of a hydride from a metal center to the carbon atom is also observed during the reaction, which emphasizes the crucial role of hydrido ligands in the skeletal rearrangement of hydrocarbyl ligands on a polyhydrido cluster. In addition, coupling reaction between two hydrocarbyl ligands placed on each face of the triruthenium core with concomitant partial cleavage of the cluster skeleton has also been observed. Such a flexible cluster skeleton enables unusual transformation of hydrocarbons on the cluster.
Simultaneously Learning and Optimizing Using Controlled Variance Pricing
Authors: den Boer Arnoud V. , Zwart Bert
Published: December 2013

Price experimentation is an important tool for firms to find the optimal selling price of their products. It should be conducted properly, since experimenting with selling prices can be costly. A firm, therefore, needs to find a pricing policy that optimally balances between learning the optimal price and gaining revenue. In this paper, we propose such a pricing policy, called controlled variance pricing (CVP). The key idea of the policy is to enhance the certainty equivalent pricing policy with a taboo interval around the average of previously chosen prices. The width of the taboo interval shrinks at an appropriate rate as the amount of data gathered gets large; this guarantees sufficient price dispersion. For a large class of demand models, we show that this procedure is strongly consistent, which means that eventually the value of the optimal price will be learned, and derive upper bounds on the regret, which is the expected amount of money lost due to not using the optimal price. Numerical tests indicate that CVP performs well on different demand models and time scales.

This paper was accepted by Assaf Zeevi, stochastic models and simulation.
Anin vivostudy of hindfoot 3D kinetics in stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) flatfoot based on weight-bearing CT scan
Authors: Zhang Y. , Xu J. , Wang X. , Huang J. , Zhang C. , Chen L. , Wang C. , Ma X.
Published: December 2013

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the rotation and translation of each joint in the hindfoot and compare the load response in healthy feet with that in stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction (PTTD) flatfoot by analysing the reconstructive three-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) image data during simulated weight-bearing.

Methods

CT scans of 15 healthy feet and 15 feet with stage II PTTD flatfoot were taken first in a non-weight-bearing condition, followed by a simulated full-body weight-bearing condition. The images of the hindfoot bones were reconstructed into 3D models. The ‘twice registration’ method in three planes was used to calculate the position of the talus relative to the calcaneus in the talocalcaneal joint, the navicular relative to the talus in talonavicular joint, and the cuboid relative to the calcaneus in the calcaneocuboid joint.

Results

From non- to full-body-weight-bearing condition, the difference in the talus position relative to the calcaneus in the talocalcaneal joint was 0.6° more dorsiflexed (p = 0.032), 1.4° more everted (p = 0.026), 0.9 mm more anterior (p = 0.031) and 1.0 mm more proximal (p = 0.004) in stage II PTTD flatfoot compared with that in a healthy foot. The navicular position difference relative to the talus in the talonavicular joint was 3° more everted (p = 0.012), 1.3 mm more lateral (p = 0.024), 0.8 mm more anterior (p = 0.037) and 2.1 mm more proximal (p = 0.017). The cuboid position difference relative to the calcaneus in the calcaneocuboid joint did not change significantly in rotation and translation (all p ≥ 0.08).

Conclusion

Referring to a previous study regarding both the cadaveric foot and the live foot, joint instability occurred in the hindfoot in simulated weight-bearing condition in patients with stage II PTTD flatfoot. The method used in this study might be applied to clinical analysis of the aetiology and evolution of PTTD flatfoot, and may inform biomechanical analyses of the effects of foot surgery in the future. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2013;2:255–63.
Alteplase: Pleural Effusion (Parapneumonic) and Empyema in Children
Authors: Generali Joyce A. , Cada Dennis J.
Published: December 2013

This Hospital Pharmacy feature is extracted from Off-Label Drug Facts, a publication available from Wolters Kluwer Health. Off-Label Drug Facts is a practitioner-oriented resource for information about specific drug uses that are unapproved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This new guide to the literature enables the health care professional or clinician to quickly identify published studies on off-label uses and determine if a specific use is rational in a patient care scenario. References direct the reader to the full literature for more comprehensive information before patient care decisions are made. Direct questions or comments regarding Off-Label Drug Uses to jgeneral@ku.edu .
Evaluation of Bleeding Rates in Renal Transplant Patients on Therapeutic Intravenous Heparin
Authors: Ringenberg Theresa , Desanto Heather , Opsha Yekaterina , Costello Jennifer , Schiller Daryl
Published: December 2013

Background

It is unknown whether coagulation properties differ between renal transplant and nontransplant patients.

Objective

To assess whether renal transplant patients on intravenous (IV) heparin, titrated to therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin times (aPPT; 56-93 seconds), experienced a higher rate of bleeding compared to nontransplant patients.

Methods

Twenty-nine renal transplant and 29 nontransplant patients receiving IV heparin for a deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, atrial fibrillation, or acute coronary syndrome were randomly identified through a retrospective chart review.

Results

Renal transplant patients had higher bleeding rates on IV heparin therapy compared to nontransplant patients (31% vs 6.9%, respectively; P = .041). Renal transplant patients experienced a drop in hemoglobin of at least 1 g/dL or the need for a transfusion more often then nontransplant patients (69% vs 45%, respectively; P = .111), although the difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions

Further research is necessary to identify the factors contributing to increased rates of bleeding in renal transplant patients on IV heparin and to determine the ideal aPTT to appropriately balance anticoagulation in renal transplant patients.
Measuring Change in Health-System Pharmacy over 50 Years: “Reflecting” on the Mirror, Part I
Authors: Weber Robert J. , Stevenson James , Ng Christine , White Sara
Published: December 2013

The Director's Forum guides pharmacy leaders in establishing patient-centered services in hospitals and health systems. August 2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Mirror to Hospital Pharmacy, which was a comprehensive study of hospital pharmacy services in the United States. This iconic textbook was co-authored by Donald Francke, Clifton J. Latiolais, Gloria N. Francke, and Norman Ho. The Mirror profiled hospital pharmacy of the 1950s and established goals for the profession in 6 paradigms: (1) professional philosophy and ethics, (2) scientific and technical expansion of health-system pharmacy, (3) development of administrative and managerial acumen, (4) increased practice competence, (5) wage and salary compensation commensurate with professional responsibilities, and (6) health-system pharmacy as a vehicle for advancing the profession as a whole. This article critically reviews the profession's progress on the first 3 goals; an article in the January 2014 issue of Hospital Pharmacy will review the final 3 goals. An understanding of the profession's progress on these goals since the seminal work of the Mirror provides directors of pharmacy a platform from which to develop strategies to enhance patient-centered pharmacy services.
Interlaboratory Agreement of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Concentrations Measured by Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Cox Holly D , Lopes Filipe , Woldemariam Getachew A , Becker Jessica O , Parkin Mark C , Thomas Andreas , Butch Anthony W , Cowan David A , Thevis Mario , Bowers Larry D , Hoofnagle Andrew N
Published: December 2013

BACKGROUND

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1)7 is a key mediator of growth hormone (GH) action and a well-characterized biomarker of GH abuse. Current immunoassays for IGF-1 suffer from poor concordance between platforms, which makes comparison of results between laboratories difficult. Although previous work has demonstrated good interlaboratory imprecision of LC-MS/MS methods when plasma is supplemented with purified proteins, the interlaboratory imprecision of an endogenous protein in the nanogram-per-milliliter concentration range has not been reported.

METHODS

We deployed an LC-MS/MS method to quantify serum IGF-1 in 5 laboratories using 5 different instruments and analyzed 130 healthy human samples and 22 samples from patients with acromegaly. We determined measurement imprecision (CV) for differences due to instrumentation, calibration curve construction, method of calibration, and reference material.

RESULTS

Instrument-dependent variation, exclusive of digestion, across 5 different instrument platforms was determined to be 5.6%. Interlaboratory variation was strongly dependent on calibration. Calibration materials from a single laboratory resulted in less variation than materials made in individual laboratories (CV 5.2% vs 12.8%, respectively). The mean imprecision for 152 samples between the 5 laboratories was 16.0% when a calibration curve was made in each laboratory and 11.1% when a single-point calibration approach was used.

CONCLUSIONS

The interlaboratory imprecision of serum IGF-1 concentrations is acceptable for use of the assay in antidoping laboratories and in standardizing results across clinical laboratories. The primary source of variability is not derived from the sample preparation but from the method of calibration.
El doble estigma de la mujer consumidora de drogas: estudio cualitativo sobre un grupo de auto apoyo de mujeres con problemas de abuso de sustancias
Authors: Llort Suárez Antoni , Ferrando Esquerré Sara , Borrás Cabacés Tre , Purroy Aritzeta Imma
Published: December 2013

Los estudios sobre género y drogas han sido un campo de la investigación en salud poco desarrollado y difundido y en el que se ha trabajado poco hasta el momento. El texto que se presenta aquí pretende mostrar la investigación desde la perspectiva antropológica sobre un Grupo de Auto Apoyo entre mujeres drogodependientes, visibilizando mediante técnicas cualitativas aspectos biográficos y de relación con las sustancias que permiten señalar diferencias y desigualdades de género en relación a la atención a la salud. La investigación cualitativa aplicada se ha centrado en el conocimiento de aspectos y significaciones sobre los procesos de salud/enfermedad/atención y consumo de drogas, la búsqueda de elementos que permitan evaluar y mejorar el funcionamiento del propio grupo y por último aspectos específicos desde la perspectiva de género. Para ello se han realizado 8 entrevistas semi estructuradas en profundidad y 2 entrevistas grupales. Algunos de los principales resultados han sido que los factores socio estructurales son tanto o más influyentes en el problema del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas que las propias sustancias o la características individuales de las usuarias, siendo la confluencia de los tres factores el punto de partida de nuestro trabajo. La constatación del doble estigma; uno por romper los roles tradicionales de género y el otro por ser consumidoras de drogas ilegales, la gran influencia de las relaciones con parejas masculinas vinculadas al consumo problemático y la constatación de que los Grupos de Apoyo pueden introducir mejoras importantes en la calidad de vida de las participantes, son algunos de los resultados más destacados.
Serviço social crítico: da modernidade à contemporaneidade
Authors: Belchior Rocha Helena , Marques Ferreira Paula , Silva Teresa Paula , Braz Ramalho Vanda
Published: December 2013

O Século XXI e o desafio da contemporaneidade, implicam para o Serviço Social diferentes horizontes teóricos e diferentes abordagens de prática, no enfrentamento da «questão social» e na promoção de conceções de mudança social. Com o objetivo de entender o imanente e o explícito no questionamento dos fundamentos normativos e dos fundamentos que sustentam a crítica no Serviço Social, e ainda de localizar no amplo debate da Teoria Social Contemporânea as influencias dos pensadores, da Teoria Social clássica, da Escola de Frankfurt e mais recentemente pelas teorias pós estruturalistas, as reflexões do presente artigo abarcam do contexto de surgimento das teorias críticas ao Serviço Social crítico contemporâneo, seus principios e fundamentos e por fim a teoria crítica pósmoderna na sua dimensão ontológica, epistemológica e metodológica.
Aproximación a la realidad de los desahucios: perfil y características de las familias en proceso de desahucios en la ciudad de Málaga
Authors: Arredondo Quijada Rafael , Palma García María de las Olas
Published: December 2013

El incremento de familias que se encuentran en situación de vulnerabilidad y/o riesgo social ante la pérdida de su vivienda se presenta en la actualidad como realidad emergente para la intervención social. Con el objetivo de acercarnos a dicha realidad, el presente artículo recoge los resultados de una investigación desarrollada en el marco del Master de Investigación e Intervención Social y Comunitaria de la Universidad de Málaga, en la que se analizan los hechos ocurridos en los últimos años, como posibles explicaciones de los actuales desahucios y las características de las familias que los sufren. En el estudio participan 110 sujetos, identificados de forma aleatoria a partir de las familias que acuden a los diferentes recursos de atención a la realidad de los desahucios en la ciudad de Málaga, principalmente a través de la Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca (PAH). A los participantes se les aplica un cuestionario específico diseñado para esta investigación que explora el perfil de las familias afectadas por los desahucios y las circunstancias que presentan ante el impago de sus hipotecas. Los resultados muestran el desempleo como principal causa de dicho impago, a la vez que se describen como posibles consecuencias, efectos directos sobre el bienestar psicosocial de las familias implicadas. A partir de los resultados, se realizan propuestas para la intervención con dichas familias y su entorno, así como con las entidades financieras, tales como la necesidad de abordar el desempleo como circunstancia fundamental que está originando los impagos hipotecarios, la utilización de la mediación como instrumento de resolución del conflicto y la necesidad de que se realicen las modificaciones legislativas correspondientes a fin de que la vivienda se considere un derecho fundamental. Se concluye sobre la necesidad de seguir con esta línea de investigación ante la escasez de estudios que aborden esta problemática
Impacto de la crisis económica y los cambios en las políticas sociales en el perfil, necesidades y prestaciones de las personas usuarias de los servicios sociales municipales: análisis de caso local en la región de Murcia (España)
Authors: Pastor Seller Enrique , Sánchez Millán Margarita
Published: December 2013

El artículo presenta los resultados de una investigación empírica orientada a conocer y analizar el impacto de la crisis económica y los cambios normativos en las necesidades y prestaciones de las personas usuarias del sistema de servicios sociales de atención primaria. Para su consecución se ha realizado una investigación longitudinal de necesidades y prestaciones en un municipio de la Comarca Oriental de la Región de Murcia durante el período comprendido entre 1996 y 2011, comparando sus resultados con investigaciones similares de ámbito regional y estatal. Así mismo se presenta un análisis transversal (2012) y de tendencias. La metodología empleada se ha basado en la diversidad de técnicas y fuentes de recolección y análisis de datos a partir del análisis del universo de personas usuarias, concretamente 4.562 personas y 3.325 unidades familiares, lo que proporciona a la investigación unos resultados fiables, contrastables y transferibles. Los resultados obtenidos permiten verificar la hipótesis de partida de que los cambios en el perfil de las personas usuarias, las necesidades y los servicios / recursos aplicados por la estructura básica de los servicios sociales municipales están directamente relacionados con las dinámicas de la crisis social y económica y el desarrollo de las políticas/normativas de bienestar social relacionadas directa e indirectamente con los servicios sociales.
Aplicación del sistema de promoción de la autonomía personal y atención a personas en situación de dependencia en la Comunitat Valenciana: efectos sobre el ejercicio del derecho social
Authors: Montalbá Ocaña Carmen
Published: December 2013

Este artículo presenta el estudio de caso realizado sobre el ciclo de vida de la Ley de Promoción de la autonomía personal y atención a situaciones de dependencia (LAPAD) en la Comunitat Valenciana durante el periodo 2006-2012. El objetivo de esta investigación ha sido identificar las razones que han contribuido a incrementar la brecha entre la formulación legal y su efectiva implementación. La hipótesis de partida, sometida a contraste mediante método etnográfico, propone que la citada ley no puede representar un avance en la afirmación de derechos sociales en el contexto de una débil cultura de la legalidad, como representa el caso valenciano. La metodología cualitativa y el método etnográfico han guiado el procedimiento de investigación, empleando múltiples técnicas que transitan desde las «narrativas individuales» de informantes clave a los «discursos colectivos» representativos de los diferentes actores considerados (sindicatos, patronal, movimientos sociales, etc.). Los resultados obtenidos han fijado la atención sobre aquellas dimensiones que remiten al modelo institucional que acoge el derecho social y aquellas condiciones que posibilitan o dificultan su pleno ejercicio, confirmando la hipótesis planteada a partir de la identificación de los siguientes obstáculos en el reconocimiento y ejercicio del derecho: la relación público-privado en la política social valenciana, la relación de la administración y la ciudadanía valenciana (rendición de cuentas y transparencia), el conflicto competencial y los mecanismos de defensa del derecho que conducen a la judicialización de la política.
Bladder perforation during pregnancy due to misplaced surgical clips
Authors: Eyi Elif Gül Yapar , Engin-Üstün Yaprak , Özkan Mehmet Şahin
Published: December 2013

Misplaced or wandering clips in endoscopic surgery have led to a variety of complications and diagnostic challenges. We describe a woman at 37 weeks of gestation, who presented to our hospital with symptoms of acute abdomen pain. Sonographic examination showed voluminous abdomino-pelvic fluid and laparotomy revealed a bladder perforation with endoclips attached to the urinary bladder fundus. The clips had been placed for hemostasis during the laparoscopic removal of an intrapelvic intrauterine device 2years earlier. We emphasize the importance of meticulous dissection, proper tissue handling and the removal of any misplaced/wandering clips during endoscopic surgery.
Electronic transport in organic memories of chitosan with gold nanoparticles
Authors: Valencia Germán Ayala , Llanos Jaiber Humberto Rodríguez , de Oliveira Vercik Luci Cristina , Vercik Andrés
Published: December 2013

The effect of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the electronic transport in chitosan and chitosan/AuNPs films was experimentally and theoretically studied. The electronic properties (current-voltage curves) relative to the transport in the organic bulk in films were fitted to various models: space-charge limited current (SCLC), trap-charge limited current (TCLC) and scaling rule. However, it was found that the TCLC model, ITCLC(V)αVl+1 and scaling rule, I(V)α(V-VT)ξ, describes better the electronic transport in chitosan and chitosan/AuNPs films. Current-voltage (I-V) curves showed an increasing conductivity with the AuNPs concentration. In addition, a bistable behavior was observed in chitosan/AuNPs films and it was attributed to the electron capture in the AuNPs. The results reported in this paper indicate that the electronic conductivity and bistable behavior in chitosan/AuNPs films could be controlled by the AuNPs incorporation on the chitosan matrix.
Use of glass waste as mineral filler in hot mix asphalt
Authors: Saltan Mehmet , Öksüz Betül , Uz Volkan Emre
Published: December 2013

The use of resources is increasing due to continuous increase in world population and rapid industrialization, while natural resources are being exhausted day by day. Usage of waste materials or by-products in highway construction has substantial environmental and economic benefits. In this study, the usage of cullet and waste glass bottle dust as mineral filler material in hot mix asphalt as an alternate to traditional crushed stone dust was investigated. Optimum bitumen content was determined by the Marshall mix design method by using six different bitumen contents (4.0%, 4.5%, 5.0%, 5.5%, 6.0%, and 6.5%). With the optimum bitumen content, three different mineral filler types (cullet, glass bottle waste, and stone dust) and six different filler ratios (4%, 5%, 6%, 7%, 8%, and 9%) were used to prepare asphalt mixture samples. Samples were performed using the Marshall stability test, and the results were compared. It is concluded that cullet and glass bottle waste can be used in asphalt mixtures as a mineral filler alternate to crushed stone dust if the economic and environmental factors favor it.
Fabrication and mechanical properties of ultrafine structured dissimilar laminated metal composite sheets (LMCS)
Authors: Chen Zejun , Chen Quanzhong , Liu Qing , Zhou Zheng , Wang Guojun
Published: December 2013

The ultrafine grain structure is very difficult to fabricate by severe plastic deformation (SPD) for metals with poor formability. In this paper, a fabrication technology of ultrafine structured dissimilar laminated metal composite sheets (LMCS) was developed for poor plastic metals which have low elongation by hot accumulative roll bonding (ARB) in conjunction with cold rolling. The hot ARBed 1100/7075 LMCS was cold rolled at room temperature after recrystallization annealing treatment. An ultrafine structured dissimilar LMCS was obtained without undergoing severe cold rolled deformation. The mechanical properties were enhanced and optimized by using heat treatment technology. The accelerated refining mechanism of grain was revealed by microstructure characterization of the composite sheet. The enhanced strength was mainly derived from the fine layers, refined grains, increased dislocation accumulation, and abundant dispersoids. The results of the research are helpful in improving the mechanical properties of dissimilar LMCS and optimizing the preparation technology.
Investigation of Hygro-Thermal Cycle Effects on the Membranes of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Colak Ozgen , Acar Alperen , Ergenekon Emre
Published: December 2013

Nafion is the most commonly used membrane material in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. New and used membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) are subjected to dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) tests in temperature scan mode to determine the effect of catalyst coating and hygro-thermal aging. DMA tests are also performed using specimens obtained from the rolling and transverse directions to investigate the anisotropic effects of the membrane and the coating. The catalyst coating increases the stiffness and brittleness of the membrane. Increased stiffness is observed in used MEAs relative to new MEAs, which indicates that hygro-thermal aging increases the brittleness of the material. A slight dependence on direction—that is, anisotropy—is also determined.
Bernstein estimator for unbounded copula densities
Authors: Bouezmarni Taoufik , Ghouch El , Taamouti Abderrahim
Published: December 2013

Copulas are widely used for modeling the dependence structure of
multivariate data. Many methods for estimating the copula density functions are investigated. In this paper, we study the asymptotic properties of the Bernstein estimator for unbounded copula density functions.
We show that the estimator converges to infinity at the corner and we establish its relative convergence when the copula density is unbounded. Also, we provide the uniform strong consistency of the estimator on every compact in the interior region.
We investigate the finite sample performance of the estimator via an
extensive simulation study and we compare the Bernstein copula density
estimator with other nonparametric methods.
Finally, we consider an empirical application where the asymmetric dependence between international equity markets (US, Canada, UK, and France) is examined.
Genome-Wide Gene Expression Effects of Sex Chromosome Imprinting inDrosophila
Authors: Lemos Bernardo , Branco Alan T , Jiang Pan-Pan , Hartl Daniel L , Meiklejohn Colin D
Published: December 2013

Imprinting is well-documented in both plant and animal species. In Drosophila, the Y chromosome is differently modified when transmitted through the male and female germlines. Here, we report genome-wide gene expression effects resulting from reversed parent-of-origin of the X and Y chromosomes. We found that hundreds of genes are differentially expressed between adult male Drosophila melanogaster that differ in the maternal and paternal origin of the sex chromosomes. Many of the differentially regulated genes are expressed specifically in testis and midgut cells, suggesting that sex chromosome imprinting might globally impact gene expression in these tissues. In contrast, we observed much fewer Y-linked parent-of-origin effects on genome-wide gene expression in females carrying a Y chromosome, indicating that gene expression in females is less sensitive to sex chromosome parent-of-origin. Genes whose expression differs between females inheriting a maternal or paternal Y chromosome also show sex chromosome parent-of-origin effects in males, but the direction of the effects on gene expression (overexpression or underexpression) differ between the sexes. We suggest that passage of sex chromosome chromatin through male meiosis may be required for wild-type function in F1 progeny, whereas disruption of Y-chromosome function through passage in the female germline likely arises because the chromosome is not adapted to the female germline environment.
Residual Scarring From Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Fractionated CO2 Laser as a Novel and Noninvasive Approach
Authors: Krakowski Andrew C. , Admani Shehla , Uebelhoer Nathan S. , Eichenfield Lawrence F. , Shumaker Peter R.
Published: December 2013

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory skin condition that can have a significant psychosocial impact, both with the active disease and with residual scarring. Although a wide variety of treatment options exist for HS, to our knowledge there are no reported modalities aimed specifically at treating HS scarring. We describe the case of an adolescent female who received medical management of intramammary HS followed by successful treatment with fractionated 10 600-nm carbon dioxide laser for her residual cribriform scarring. We believe there is great potential for the use of fractionated carbon dioxide laser to improve short- and long-term psychosocial outcomes of HS, promote physical scar remodeling, and possibly alter the disease process itself.
Perceptions of 24/7 In-Hospital Intensivist Coverage on Pediatric Housestaff Education
Authors: Rehder Kyle J. , Cheifetz Ira M. , Willson Douglas F. , Turner David A.
Published: December 2013

BACKGROUND:

In recent years, the focus on patient safety and housestaff supervision has led to a steady increase in institutions providing 24/7 in-hospital (also known as in-house, henceforth referred to as IH) coverage by pediatric intensivists. Effects of this increased attending physician presence on education of pediatric housestaff have not been studied. We hypothesized that IH coverage would decrease perceived autonomy of housestaff and negatively affect their preparedness to be independent attending physicians on completion of training.

METHODS:

A secure, anonymous, Web-based survey was sent to pediatric intensivists in the United States and Canada, and pediatric critical care fellows and pediatric residents at academic centers across the United States. Questions focused on perceptions of IH coverage and housestaff educational experience.

RESULTS:

We report 1323 responses from 147 institutions (center response rate 74%). Although 96% of respondents stated that the PICU provides “a good educational experience,” only 50% of pediatric intensivists and 67% of housestaff feel that housestaff are prepared for independent practice after training in an IH model. Compared with those training in home-call models, respondents currently working in IH models have more favorable perceptions of the effects of IH coverage on housestaff autonomy (P < .0001), supervision (P < .0001), and preparation for independent practice (P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS:

Pediatric intensivists and housestaff express concern regarding the preparation of housestaff training in a 24/7 IH attending model. An important priority for institutions using or considering a 24/7 IH attending coverage model is the balance between adequate housestaff supervision and autonomy.
Prosthodontic Rehabilitation of Congenital Auricular Defect: A Clinical Report
Authors: Shrestha Binit , Fatmasari Fahima , Thaworanunta Sita , Srithavaj Theerathavaj
Published: December 2013

This clinical report presents the prosthetic rehabilitation of a congenital auricular defect. The rehabilitation was initially performed with an adhesive retained silicone prosthesis. After careful evaluation of the patient's retentive needs, two endo-osseous craniofacial implants were placed in the mastoid region. After integration, an implant-retained silicone prosthesis was fabricated using a Hader bar with two ERA attachments, which restored the defect with good aesthetic and functional outcome. Prosthetic rehabilitation is a viable treatment option for restoring auricular defects and can be indicated in situations where surgical reconstruction may not be feasible.
Low Bone Mass Is a Risk Factor in Periodontal Disease-Related Tooth Loss in Patients with Intellectual Disability
Authors: Numoto Yoko , Mori Takayuki , Maeda Shigeru , Tomoyasu Yumiko , Higuchi Hitoshi , Egusa Masahiko , Miyawaki Takuya
Published: December 2013

Teeth are fundamental to maintaining good quality of life, but are often lost prematurely in individuals with intellectual disability. Furthermore, since bone mass decreases in menopausal women, women with intellectual disability have an augmented risk of losing their teeth. However, the relationship between periodontal disease-related tooth loss and bone mass has never been studied specifically in patients with intellectual disability. This study evaluated this relationship in a retrospective cohort study.

Participants were female dental patients aged between 20 and 50 years and with an intellectual disability, who were treated in the Special Needs Dentistry unit of the Okayama University Hospital from January 2009 to March 2010. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze which factors affect periodontal disease-related tooth loss. Information relating to 12 predictor variables, including age and bone mass level, was derived from medical records.

The 27 subjects had a total of 704 teeth at the time of initial examination, but 20 teeth (2.8%) had been lost owing to periodontal disease by the time bone mass measurements were recorded. Results of the multinomial logistic regression analysis indicated a significant odds ratio for three items: number of missing teeth at the time of initial examination, bone mass, and living environment.

This result suggests that low bone mass is an independent risk factor in tooth loss secondary to periodontal disease in patients with intellectual disability. Dentists should thus take account of this heightened risk of tooth loss when caring for post-menopausal women with intellectual disability.
Holmium laser enucleation versus transurethral resection of the prostate: A comparison of clinical results
Authors: Basic Dragoslav , Stankovic Jablan , Potic Milan , Ignjatovic Ivan , Stojkovic Ivica
Published: December 2013

Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) represents a great
potential alternative technique to standard transurethral resection of the
prostate (TURP). We present 12-month follow up results of a randomized
clinical trial, comparing HoLEP with TURP. A total of 40 patients with BPH
and prostate volume < 50g, have been randomized for HoLEP (n=20) or TURP
(n=20). Urinary tract ultrasound with postvoid residual urine (PVR),
International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Single Question Quality of
Life (QoL) Score were evaluated preoperatively and during the follow-up
period at 1, 3, 6, and 12 mo postoperatively. Intra- and perioperative data
as well as early and late complications were assessed. Operative time was
longer in the HoLEP group (p<0,001); catheterization time (p<0,05) and
hospital stay (p<0,05) shorter. Hemoglobin levels drop (p<0,001) was higher
in the TURp group. Early and late postoperative complications were more
frequent in the TURp group (p<0,001). Follow-up data favored the HoLEP group,
both regarding IPSS at 6-month (p<0,05) and 12-month (p<0,01), and single
question QoL score, at 6-month (p<0,01) and 12-month (p<0,05). PVR was lower
in the HoLEP group at 6- month (p<0,01). HoLEP demonstrates superiority to
TURp in regards to perioperative parameters and follow- up data and has a
great potential to become the new gold standard in the surgical treatment of
BPH.
Current treatment options of acquired flatfoot
Authors: Lesic Aleksandar , Atkinson Henry , Zagorac Slavisa , Bumbasirevic Marko
Published: December 2013

Symptomatic acquired flatfoot is an important orthopaedic problem, due to
progressive loss of whole foot function and the increasing problem of patient
disability. It is a complex entity, involving the tibialis posterior tendon,
ankle joint, hindfoot and midfoot. In most cases the posterior tibial tendon
(PTT) is the root cause of acquired flat foot, but there are other
contributions and many different factors have an influence. The clinical
picture varies depending on the stage of the deformity, as well as the
treatment approach. Initially soft tissue procedures, synoviectomy and
augmentation of the PTT are advised. In stage 2, lateral column lengthening
and calcaneal osteotomy, with soft tissue -tendon transfers (TA, FHL, FDL)
are recommended. In stage 3 subtalar, double or triplearthodesis is
preferable, while in stage 4 pantalar fusion is indicated. In the article
more detailed etiology, the clinical picture, diagnosis and modalities of
treatment are presented.
Correlation between air temperature and electricity demand by linear regression and wavelet coherence approach: UK, Slovakia and Bosnia and Herzegovina case study
Authors: Avdakovic Samir , Ademovic Alma , Nuhanovic Amir
Published: December 2013

In this paper, the results of correlations between air temperature and electricity demand by linear regression and Wavelet Coherence (WTC) approach for three different European countries are presented. The results show a very close relationship between air temperature and electricity demand for the selected power systems, however, the WTC approach presents interesting dynamics of correlations between air temperature and electricity demand at different time-frequency space and provide useful information for a more complete understanding of the related consumption.
SVC placement for voltage constrained loss minimization using self-adaptive Firefly algorithm
Authors: Selvarasu R. , Surya Kalavathi M. , Asir Rajan C. Christober
Published: December 2013

Static Var Compensator (SVC) is a popular FACTS device for providing reactive power support in power systems and its placement representing the location and size has significant influence on network loss, while keeping the voltage magnitudes within the acceptable range. This paper presents a Firefly algorithm based optimization strategy for placement of SVC in power systems with a view of minimizing the transmission loss besides keeping the voltage magnitude within the acceptable range. The method uses a self-adaptive scheme for tuning the parameters in the Firefly algorithm. The strategy is tested on three IEEE test systems and their results are presented to demonstrate its effectiveness.
Principal component analysis for functional data on grain yield of winter wheat cultivars
Authors: Krzyśko Mirosław , Derejko Adriana , Górecki Tomasz , Gacek Edward
Published: December 2013

The aim of this paper is to present a statistical methodology to assess patterns of cultivars' adaptive response to agricultural environments (agroecosystems) on the basis of complete Genotype x Crop Management x Location x Year (GxMxLxY) data obtained from 3-year multi-location twofactor trials conducted within the framework of the Polish post-registration trials (PDOiR), with an illustration of the application and usefulness of this methodology in analyzing winter wheat grain yield. Producing specific varieties for each subregion of a target region, from widely adapted varieties, may exploit positive genotype x location (GL) interactions to increase crop yields. Experiments designed to examine combinations of environment (E), management practices (M) and cultivars (G) also provide evidence of the relative importance of each of these factors for yield improvement. The evidence shows that variation due to E far outweighs the variation of grain yield that can be attributed to M or G, or the interactions between these factors, and between these factors and E (Anderson, 2010). This statistical method involves the use of functional PCA and cluster analysis. A total of 24 cultivars were evaluated over 3 years in 20 environments using randomized incomplete split-block designs with two replications per trial. The methodology proved an efficient tool for the reliable classification of 24 winter wheat cultivars, distinguishing cultivar groups that exhibited homogeneous adaptive response to environments. It enables the identification of cultivars displaying wide or specific adaptation. The remaining cultivars were locally adapted to some testing environments, or some of them were not relatively adapted to the environments because they always yielded substantially below the environmental means. Performing earlier specific selection, or adopting distinct genetic bases for each agro-ecosystem, may further increase the advantage of specific breeding.
Detection of outlying observations using the Akaike information criterion
Authors: Kornacki Andrzej
Published: December 2013

For the detection of outliers (observations which are seemingly different from the others) the method of testing hypotheses is most often used. This approach, however, depends on the level of significance adopted by the investigator. Moreover, it can lead to the undesirable effect of “masking” of the outliers. This paper presents an alternative method of outlier detection based on the Akaike information criterion. The theory presented is applied to analysis of the results of beet leaf mass determination.
Channel Characterisation and Link Budget of MIMO Configuration in Near Field Magnetic Communication
Authors: Nguyen Hoang , Agbinya Johnson I. , Devlin John
Published: December 2013

Traditional radio communication has gained significantly from using multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) architecture in the system. Many wireless applications, such as wireless LAN and cellular network, have adopted this technology to improve their system performance. However, the effect of MIMO systems has not been investigated in the case of inductive near field short range communications. The purpose of this paper is to explore a new method for increasing the magnetic communication range using MIMO. Three system models includingMISO, SIMO and MIMO are proposed to characterize the number of transmitters and receivers to the link. These models have helped to extend not only the range but also the communication channel in NFMIC.
Experimental Results of High-Resolution ISAR Imaging of Ground-Moving Vehicles with a Stationary FMCW Radar
Authors: Kulpa Janusz S. , Malanowski Mateusz , Gromek Damian , Samczyńsk Piotr , Kulpa Krzysztof , Gromek Artur
Published: December 2013

In the paper experimental results of ISAR (Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar) processing obtained with highresolution radar are presented. Targets under observation were ground moving vehicles, such as cars, trucks and tractors. The experiments were performed with a FMCW (Frequency- Modulated Continuous-Wave) radar operating at 94 GHz with almost 1 GHz of bandwidth. Due to the measurement scenario more typical for SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar), than ISAR, i.e. targets moving along straight line crossing the antenna beam, algorithms usually applied for SAR processing have been used.
Analysis of the Impact of the Frequency Range of the Tensometer Bridge and Projectile Geometry on the Results of Measurements by the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar Method
Authors: Moćko Wojciech
Published: December 2013

The paper presents the results of the analysis of the striker shape impact on the shape of the mechanical elastic wave generated in the Hopkinson bar. The influence of the tensometer amplifier bandwidth on the stress-strain characteristics obtained in this method was analyzed too. For the purposes of analyzing under the computing environment ABAQUS / Explicit the test bench model was created, and then the analysis of the process of dynamic deformation of the specimen with specific mechanical parameters was carried out. Based on those tests, it was found that the geometry of the end of the striker has an effect on the form of the loading wave and the spectral width of the signal of that wave. Reduction of the striker end diameter reduces unwanted oscillations, however, adversely affects the time of strain rate stabilization. It was determined for the assumed test bench configuration that a tensometric measurement system with a bandwidth equal to 50 kHz is sufficient
Measurement System for Determination of Supercapacitor Equivalent Parameters
Authors: Kopka Ryszard , Tarczyński Wiesław
Published: December 2013

In this paper a measurement system for determination of supercapacitor equivalent parameters is proposed. Specific properties of materials used for supercapacitor construction require some advanced tools and measurement procedures to be applied during tests. The measurement system allows to measure values of equivalent parameters by both the DC and AC method whilst keeping appropriate time criteria required by this type of devices. Furthermore, in this paper the most relevant properties and measurement capabilities of the proposed system are described as well as some exemplary values of the supercapacitor equivalent parameters measured experimentally are presented.