bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transfer impedance of microperforated materials with tapered holes
Authors: Herdtle Thomas , Stuart Bolton J. , Kim Nicholas N. , Alexander Jonathan H. , Gerdes Ronald W.
Published: December 2013

It has been previously shown that relatively simple computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models can be used to calculate the transfer impedances, including the associated end corrections, of microperforated panels. The impedance is estimated by first calculating the pressure difference across a single hole when a transient input velocity is imposed, and then Fourier transforming the result to obtain the impedance as a function of frequency. Since the size of the hole and the dimensions of the inlet and outlet channels are very small compared to a wavelength, the flow through the hole can be modeled as incompressible. By using those procedures, Bolton and Kim extended Maa's classical theory to include a resistive end correction for sharp-edged cylindrical holes which differs from those previously proposed by the inclusion of a static component. Here it is shown that CFD models can also be used to compute end corrections for tapered holes. Since practical experimental characterization of perforated materials often involves measurement of the static flow resistance, a closed form empirical equation for that quantity has been developed. Finally, it is shown that configurations having equivalent static flow resistances can yield different acoustic absorptions.
An alternative Biot's formulation for dissipative porous media with skeleton deformation
Authors: Bécot François-Xavier , Jaouen Luc
Published: December 2013

This paper presents an alternative formulation of Biot's theory to account for the elastic frame effects in a porous medium in which the acoustical properties of the fluid phase are predicted with an equivalent fluid model. This approach was originally developed for a double porosity medium. In this paper, the alternative formulation is applied to predict the transmission loss and absorption coefficient in the case of a single layer fibrous material, a multi-layer system, vibrating perforated plates, and porous composite materials. In the proposed formulation the coupling coefficients in Biot's poroelasticity equations are expressed in terms of the dynamic volumic mass and dynamic bulk modulus. By doing so, the elastic properties of the material frame are considered independently from the properties of the fluid. This formulation is implemented in the form of a transfer matrix algorithm which is validated against experimental data on sound absorption and sound transmission which are obtained for a range of various sound excitations and material arrangements. It is shown that this approach is able to predict accurately the acoustical properties of vibrating perforated plates and porous composites. The proposed approach is sufficiently general to be implemented in a finite element method.
Characterization of micrometric and superficial residual stresses using high frequency surface acoustic waves generated by interdigital transducers
Authors: Duquennoy Marc , Ouaftouh Mohammadi , Deboucq Julien , Lefebvre Jean-Etienne , Jenot Frederic , Ourak Mohamed
Published: December 2013

Controlling thin film deposition of materials and property gradients is a major challenge for the implementation of applications in microelectronics or glassmaking. It is essential to control the level of residual stress and thus important to have the right tools to characterize this stress in terms of scale and nature of the deposits. In this context, dispersion of ultrasound surface waves caused by the presence of a residual micrometric surface stress was studied in an amorphous medium for different superficial fields of residual stress. The design and implementation of SAW-IDT MEMS sensors enabled quasi-monochromatic Rayleigh-type surface waves to be generated and the dispersion phenomenon to be studied over a wide range of frequencies. The thicknesses of the stressed cortical zones as well as the level of stress were estimated with good accuracy using an inverse method.
The effect of depth on the target strength of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Authors: Bernasconi M. , Patel R. , Nøttestad L. , Pedersen G. , Brierley A. S.
Published: December 2013

Marine mammals are very seldom detected and tracked acoustically at different depths. The air contained in body cavities, such as lungs or swimbladders, has a significant effect on the acoustic energy backscattered from whale and fish species. Target strength data were obtained while a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) swam at the surface and dove underneath a research vessel, providing valuable multi-frequency echosounder recordings of its scattering characteristics from near surface to a depth of about 240 m. Increasing depth dramatically influenced the backscattered energy coming from the large cetacean. This study is tightly linked to the ultimate goal of developing an automated whale detection system for mitigation purposes.
Mixed-methods analytic approach for determining potential impacts of vessel noise on sperm whale click behavior
Authors: Azzara Alyson J. , von Zharen Wyndylyn M. , Newcomb Joal J.
Published: December 2013

The Gulf of Mexico is a center of marine activities from seismic exploration to shipping, drilling, platform installation, lightering, and construction, among others. This analysis explored whether sperm whales respond to the passage of vessels using changes in total number of clicks during vessel passages as a proxy for potential variation in behavior. The data for this analysis were collected in 2001 as part of a larger Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center project using the Environmental Acoustics Recording System buoys. These buoys were bottom moored, autonomous, and self-recording systems consisting of an omni-directional hydrophone and instrument package. Data from 36 days of continuous acoustic monitoring were recorded at a sampling rate of 11.725 kHz, and produced reliable recordings from 5 Hz to ∼5.8 kHz. Multiple preparatory steps were executed including calibration of an automatic click detector. Results indicate a significant decrease (32%) in the number of clicks detected as a ship approached an area. There were also significantly fewer clicks detected after the vessel passed than before (23%).
Emergence of acoustic and optical bands in elastic systems
Authors: Díaz-de-Anda A. , Flores J. , Gutiérrez L. , Méndez-Sánchez R. A. , Monsivais G. , Morales A.
Published: December 2013

Two elastic systems are considered in this work: A special linear chain of harmonic oscillators and a quasi one-dimensional vibrating rod. Starting in both cases with a locally periodic system formed by unit cells with a single element, these cells are converted into binary cells. The acoustic and optical bands then appear. For the vibrating rod experimental values are compared with theoretical results; in particular, the normal-mode amplitudes are obtained and the agreement is excellent.
Effect of signal-temporal uncertainty in children and adults: Tone detection in noise or a random-frequency masker
Authors: Bonino Angela Yarnell , Leibold Lori J. , Buss Emily
Published: December 2013

A cue indicating when in time to listen can improve adults' tone detection thresholds, particularly for conditions that produce substantial informational masking. The purpose of this study was to determine if 5- to 13-yr-old children likewise benefit from a light cue indicating when in time to listen for a masked pure-tone signal. Each listener was tested in one of two continuous maskers: Broadband noise (low informational masking) or a random-frequency, two-tone masker (high informational masking). Using a single-interval method of constant stimuli, detection thresholds were measured for two temporal conditions: (1) Temporally-defined, with the listening interval defined by a light cue, and (2) temporally-uncertain, with no light cue. Thresholds estimated from psychometric functions fitted to the data indicated that children and adults benefited to the same degree from the visual cue. Across listeners, the average benefit of a defined listening interval was 1.8 dB in the broadband noise and 8.6 dB in the random-frequency, two-tone masker. Thus, the benefit of knowing when in time to listen was more robust for conditions believed to be dominated by informational masking. An unexpected finding of this study was that children's thresholds were comparable to adults' in the random-frequency, two-tone masker.
A non-linear viscoelastic model for the tympanic membrane
Authors: Motallebzadeh Hamid , Charlebois Mathieu , Funnell W. Robert J.
Published: December 2013

The mechanical behavior of the tympanic membrane displays both non-linearity and viscoelasticity. Previous finite-element models of the tympanic membrane, however, have been either non-linear or viscoelastic but not both. In this study, these two features are combined in a non-linear viscoelastic model. The constitutive equation of this model is a convolution integral composed of a non-linear elastic part, represented by an Ogden hyperelastic model, and an exponential time-dependent part, represented by a Prony series. The model output is compared with the relaxation curves and hysteresis loops observed in previous measurements performed on strips of tympanic membrane. In addition, a frequency-domain analysis is performed based on the obtained material parameters, and the effect of strain rate is explored. The model presented here is suitable for modeling large deformations of the tympanic membrane for frequencies less than approximately 3 rad/s or about 0.6 Hz. These conditions correspond to the pressurization involved in tympanometry.
The humankind genome: from genetic diversity to the origin of human diseases
Authors: Belizário Jose E.
Published: December 2013

Genome-wide association studies have failed to establish common variant risk for the majority of common human diseases. The underlying reasons for this failure are explained by recent studies of resequencing and comparison of over 1200 human genomes and 10 000 exomes, together with the delineation of DNA methylation patterns (epigenome) and full characterization of coding and noncoding RNAs (transcriptome) being transcribed. These studies have provided the most comprehensive catalogues of functional elements and genetic variants that are now available for global integrative analysis and experimental validation in prospective cohort studies. With these datasets, researchers will have unparalleled opportunities for the alignment, mining, and testing of hypotheses for the roles of specific genetic variants, including copy number variations, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and indels as the cause of specific phenotypes and diseases. Through the use of next-generation sequencing technologies for genotyping and standardized ontological annotation to systematically analyze the effects of genomic variation on humans and model organism phenotypes, we will be able to find candidate genes and new clues for disease’s etiology and treatment. This article describes essential concepts in genetics and genomic technologies as well as the emerging computational framework to comprehensively search websites and platforms available for the analysis and interpretation of genomic data.
A FAULT LOCALIZATION FRAMEWORK TO ALLEVIATE THE IMPACT OF EXECUTION SIMILARITY
Authors: ZHAO LEI , ZHANG ZHENYU , WANG LINA , YIN XIAODAN
Published: December 2013

Coverage-based fault localization (CBFL) techniques contrast the execution spectra of a program entity to assess the extent of how much a program entity is being related to faults. However, different test cases may result in similar executions, which further make the execution spectra of program entities be indistinguishable among similar executions. As a consequence, most of the current CBFL techniques are impacted by the noise of indistinguishable spectra. To alleviate the impact of execution similarity and improve the effectiveness of CBFL techniques, we propose a general fault localization framework. This framework is general to current execution spectra based CBFL techniques, which could synthesize a fault localization technique based on a given base technique. To synthesize the new technique, we use the concept of coverage vector to model execution spectra and capture the execution similarity, then reduce the impact of execution similarity by counting distinct coverage vectors, and finally assess the suspiciousness of basic blocks being related to faults with the spectra of distinct coverage vectors. We adopt four representative fault localization techniques as base techniques, use seven Siemens programs and three median-sized real-life UNIX utility programs as subject programs, to conduct an experimental study on the effectiveness of our framework. The empirical evaluation shows that our framework can effectively alleviate the impact of execution similarity and generate more effective fault localization techniques based on existing ones.
DESIGN, BUILD AND EVALUATION OF AN ONTOLOGY-BASED KMS FOR SUPPORTING CMMI-DEV UNDERSTANDING: BENEFITS AND LIMITATIONS
Authors: MORA MANUEL , O'CONNOR RORY V. , RAISINGHANI MAHESH , GELMAN OVSEI
Published: December 2013

The design, build and evaluation of an ontology-based knowledge management system prototype tool — entitled CMMIoKMS — for supporting the consultation and understanding of CMMI for Development (CMMI-DEV) is reported. Ontology-based tools have been proposed for improving such complex cognitive tasks realized by Software Engineering practitioners involved in CMMI implementations. The design of the CMMI-oKMS prototype tool is based on four proprietary ontologies (of things, of systems, of business, and of CMMI models) and built with Protégé tool. The result from a pilot empirical test, is reported as being satisfactory — compared with the extant reported systems — on the metric of perceived value (with statistical significance) and over usefulness, compatibility, and test score constructs (with practical significance), while that no gain was found in ease of use. Hence, given the limited number of similar KMS tools reported in the current literature, this research contributes to our body of knowledge in Software Engineering by providing useful design, building and evaluation insights for improving these knowledge support systems.
USEFUL SPECIFICATION-BASED LOGIC COVERAGE CRITERIA
Authors: QIAN ZHONGSHENG
Published: December 2013

The specification-based testing can be employed to evaluate software functionalities without knowing program code. Decisions are the primary form of the pre- and post-conditions in formal specifications. This work expatiates on logic coverage criteria for specification-based testing at great length. It proposes and then expounds mask logic coverage criteria to solve the problems which existing determinant logic coverage criteria cannot solve. A feasible test case generation algorithm based on mask logic coverage criteria is developed. The test cases satisfying mask logic coverage criteria can detect those errors caused by the mask property of conditions. An experiment is conducted to compare MC/DC, RC/DC and two mask logic coverage criteria (RMCC and GMCC) on their test effectiveness and fault detection ability. It also elaborates on the constraint among conditions, how to decompose and compose a complicated decision, and the relationship among decisions. All these can respectively clarify the coupling problem among conditions, the multiple occurrences of a condition in a decision, and the location of a decision in a specification or program. Additionally, coverage criteria including full true decision coverage, full false decision coverage, all sub-decisions coverage, unique condition true coverage and unique condition false coverage are proposed. The test sets satisfying these criteria can detect respectively different types of errors. Finally, the hierarchical subsumption relation is established among these presented coverage criteria and some existing ones, and various applicable scenarios for different coverage criteria are suggested.
Protection of Petroleum Pipeline Carbon Steel Alloys with New Modified Core‐Shell Magnetite Nanogel against Corrosion in Acidic Medium
Authors: El Mahdy Gamal A. , Atta Ayman M. , Dyab Amro K. F. , Al-Lohedan Hamad A.
Published: December 2013

New method was used to prepare magnetite nanoparticle based on reduction of Fe(III) ions with potassium iodide to produce Fe3O4 nanoparticle. The prepared magnetite was stabilized with cross‐linked polymer based on 2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS to prepare novel core‐shell nanogel. In this respect, Fe3O4/poly(2‐acrylamido‐2‐methylpropane sulfonic acid) (PAMPS) magnetic nanogels with controllable particle size produced via free aqueous polymerization at 65°C have been developed for the first time. The polymer was crosslinked in the presence of N,N‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker and potassium peroxydisulfate (KPS) as redox initiator system. The structure and morphology of the magnetic nanogel were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM). The effectiveness of the synthesized compounds as corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in 1 M HCl was investigated by various electrochemical techniques such as potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results showed enhancement in inhibition efficiencies with increasing the inhibitor concentrations. The results showed that the nanogel particles act as mixed inhibitors. EIS data revealed that Rct increases with increasing inhibitor concentration.
A New Method for E‐Government Procurement Using Collaborative Filtering and Bayesian Approach
Authors: Zhang Shuai , Xi Chengyu , Wang Yan , Zhang Wenyu , Chen Yanhong
Published: December 2013

Nowadays, as the Internet services increase faster than ever before, government systems are reinvented as E‐government services. Therefore, government procurement sectors have to face challenges brought by the explosion of service information. This paper presents a novel method for E‐government procurement (eGP) to search for the optimal procurement scheme (OPS). Item‐based collaborative filtering and Bayesian approach are used to evaluate and select the candidate services to get the top‐M recommendations such that the involved computation load can be alleviated. A trapezoidal fuzzy number similarity algorithm is applied to support the item‐based collaborative filtering and Bayesian approach, since some of the services’ attributes can be hardly expressed as certain and static values but only be easily represented as fuzzy values. A prototype system is built and validated with an illustrative example from eGP to confirm the feasibility of our approach.
Use of Computational Fluid Dynamics to Estimate Hemodynamic Effects of Respiration on Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Surgery: Total Cavopulmonary Connection Treatments
Authors: Liu Jinlong , Qian Yi , Sun Qi , Liu Jinfen , Umezu Mitsuo
Published: December 2013

Total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC), a typical kind of Fontan procedure, is commonly used in the treatment of a functional single ventricle. The palliative cardiothoracic procedure is performed by connecting the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava to the pulmonary arteries. Due to the difficulty of direct study in vivo, in this paper, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was introduced to estimate the outcomes of patient‐specific TCPC configuration. We mainly focused on the influence of blood pulsation and respiration. Fast Fourier transforms method was employed to separate the measured flow conditions into the rate of breath and heart beat. Blood flow performance around the TCPC connection was investigated by analyzing the results of time‐varying energy losses, blood flow distribution rate, local pressure, and wall shear stress distributions. It was found that the value of energy loss including the influence of respiration was 1.5 times higher than the value of energy loss disregarding respiratory influences. The results indicated that the hemodynamic outcomes of TCPC treatment are obviously influenced by respiration. The influence of respiration plays an important role in estimating the results of TCPC treatment and thus should be included as one of the important conditions of computational haemodynamic analysis.
Trivariate Isogeometric Analysis for Flexible Multibody Dynamics
Authors: Pi Ting
Published: December 2013

Isogeometric analysis (IGA) has been a fundamental step forward in the computational mechanics for the past few years, which maintains the accuracy of the description of computational domain geometry throughout the analysis process. However, the research on IGA in the area of flexible multibody dynamics is little and mainly concentrates on the univariate or bivariate NURBS geometry. This paper applies the trivariate IGA to the flexible multibody dynamics and proposes a continuum mechanics-based method to construct the system dynamic equations within the framework of IGA. A significant feature of this method is that it only employs the position coordinates of the control points as the system variables. To solve the large rotation and deformation coupled problems without introducing any rotation angles, the Green-Lagrange strain tensor is adopted. The evaluation of the elastic force and its Jacobian is easy and accurate by exploiting the appropriate mathematical transformation. In addition, the mass matrix and the generalized gravity force remain constant, and the centrifugal and Coriolis inertia forces equal zero. A numerical experiment is conducted using a thin-plate pendulum, which proves the feasibility and effectiveness of this method.
Novel Observer-Based Suboptimal Digital Tracker for a Class of Time-Delay Singular Systems
Authors: Hu Nien-Tsu , Wu Ter-Feng , Xu Sendren Sheng-Dun , Huang Hsu-Chih
Published: December 2013

This paper presents a novel suboptimal digital tracker for a class of time-delay singular systems. First, some existing techniques are utilized to obtain an equivalent regular time-delay system, which has a direct transmission term from input to output. The equivalent regular time-delay system is important as it enables the optimal control theory to be conveniently combined with the digital redesign approach. The linear quadratic performance index, specified in the continuous-time domain, can be discretized into an equivalent decoupled discrete-time performance index using the newly developed extended delay-free model. Additionally, although the extended delay-free model is large, its advantage is the elimination of all delay terms (which included a new extended state vector), simplifying the proposed approach. As a result, the proposed approach can be applied to a class of time-delay singular systems. An illustrative example demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed design methodology.
A New Improved Quantum Evolution Algorithm with Local Search Procedure for Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem
Authors: Cui Ligang , Wang Lin , Deng Jie , Zhang Jinlong
Published: December 2013

The capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) is the most classical vehicle routing problem (VRP); many solution techniques are proposed to find its better answer. In this paper, a new improved quantum evolution algorithm (IQEA) with a mixed local search procedure is proposed for solving CVRPs. First, an IQEA with a double chain quantum chromosome, new quantum rotation schemes, and self-adaptive quantum Not gate is constructed to initialize and generate feasible solutions. Then, to further strengthen IQEA's searching ability, three local search procedures 1-1 exchange, 1-0 exchange, and 2-OPT, are adopted. Experiments on a small case have been conducted to analyze the sensitivity of main parameters and compare the performances of the IQEA with different local search strategies. Together with results from the testing of CVRP benchmarks, the superiorities of the proposed algorithm over the PSO, SR-1, and SR-2 have been demonstrated. At last, a profound analysis of the experimental results is presented and some suggestions on future researches are given.
Entrained Collective Rhythms of Multicellular Systems: Partial Impulsive Control Strategy
Authors: Chen Lifei , Sun Yonghui , Yang Qingli
Published: December 2013

This paper is concerned with the study of entrained collective rhythms of multicellular systems by using partial impulsive control strategy. The objective is to design an impulsive controller based on only those partially available cell states, so that the entrained collective rhythms are guaranteed for the multicellular systems with cell-to-cell communication mechanism. By using the newly developed impulsive integrodifferential inequality, the sufficient conditions are derived to achieve the entrained collective rhythms of multicellular systems. A synthetic multicellular system with simulation results is finally given to illustrate the usefulness of the developed results.
Berberine Protects against Palmitate-Induced Endothelial Dysfunction: Involvements of Upregulation of AMPK and eNOS and Downregulation of NOX4
Authors: Zhang Ming , Wang Chun-Mei , Li Jing , Meng Zhao-Jie , Wei Sheng-Nan , Li Ji , Bucala Richard , Li Yu-Lin , Chen Li
Published: December 2013

Endothelial dysfunction is a critical factor during the initiation of cardiovascular complications in diabetes. Berberine can ameliorate endothelial dysfunction induced by diabetes. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect and mechanism of berberine on palmitate-induced endothelial dysfunction in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The cell viability of HUVECs was determined by MTT assays. Nitric oxide (NO) level and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined in supernatants or in the cultured HUVECs. The mRNA level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was measured by RT-PCR, and the protein levels of eNOS, p-eNOS, Akt, p-Akt, AMPK, p-AMPK, and NADPH oxidase (NOX4) were analyzed. The results demonstrated that berberine significantly elevated NO levels and reduced the production of ROS. The expressions of eNOS were significantly increased, while NOX4 protein expression was decreased in berberine-treated HUVECs. Moreover, berberine upregulated the protein expression of AMPK and p-AMPK in palmitate-treated HUVECs, but had no effect on the levels of Akt. Therefore, berberine ameliorates palmitate-induced endothelial dysfunction by upregulating eNOS expression and downregulating expression of NOX4. This regulatory effect of berberine may be related to the activation of AMPK.
Sparfloxacin‐Metal Complexes as Urease Inhibitors: Their Synthesis, Characterization, Antimicrobial, and Antienzymatic Evaluation
Authors: Gul Somia , Sultana Najma , Arayne M. Saeed , Shamim Sana , Akhtar Mahwish , Khan Ajmal
Published: December 2013

Four new metal complexes (S12–S15) of SPFX (third‐generation quinolones) via heavy metals have been synthesized in good yield and characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods including TLC, IR, NMR, and elemental analyses. Sparfloxacinato ligand binds with metals through pyridone and oxygen atom of carboxylic group. The biological actives of complexes have been tested against four Gram‐positive and seven Gram‐negative bacteria and six different fungi. Statistical analysis of antimicrobial data was done by one‐way ANOVA, Dunnett’s test; it was observed that S13, S14, and S15 were found to be most active complexes. Antifungal data confirm that all four synthesized complexes are most active and show significant activity against F. solani with respect to parent drug and none of complexes show activity against A. parasiticus, A. effuris, and S. cervicis. To study inhibitory effects of newly formed complexes, enzyme inhibition studies have been conducted against urease, α‐chymotrypsin, and carbonic anhydrase. Enzymatic activity results of these complexes indicated them to be good inhibitors of urease enzyme while all complexes show mild activities against carbonic anhydrase enzyme. Further research may prove the promising role of these synthesized complexes as urease inhibitors.
Ruptured Common Femoral Artery Aneurysm or Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm?
Authors: Niino Tetsuya , Unosawa Satoshi , Kimura Haruka
Published: December 2013

We encountered a patient with a large retroperitoneal hematoma due to rupture of a common femoral artery aneurysm. A 77-year-old man was transferred to our hospital with left groin pain and shock. Computed tomography demonstrated a large retroperitoneal hematoma involving the left iliofemoral segment with extravasation of contrast into the left groin from a ruptured left common femoral artery aneurysm. The patient also had an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Reconstruction of the common femoral artery with a graft was performed successfully. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and subsequently underwent Y-graft replacement of the abdominal aortic aneurysm.
The Immediate Pulmonary Disease Pattern following Exposure to High Concentrations of Chlorine Gas
Authors: Balte Pallavi P. , Clark Kathleen A. , Mohr Lawrence C. , Karmaus Wilfried J. , Van Sickle David , Svendsen Erik R.
Published: December 2013

Background. Classification of pulmonary disease into obstructive, restrictive, and mixed patterns is based on 2005 ATS/ERS guidelines and modified GOLD criteria by Mannino et al. (2003), but these guidelines are of limited use for simple spirometry in situations involving mass casualties.Aim. The purpose of this study was to apply these guidelines to patients who underwent simple spirometry following high concentration of chlorine gas inhalation after a train derailment in Graniteville, South Carolina.Methods. We retrospectively investigated lung functions in ten patients. In order to classify pulmonary disease pattern, we used 2005 ATS/ERS guidelines and modified GOLD criteria along with our own criteria developed using available simple spirometry data.Results. We found predominant restrictive pattern in our patients with both modified GOLD and our criteria, which is in contrast to other chlorine exposure studies where obstructive pattern was more common. When compared to modified GOLD and our criteria, 2005 ATS/ERS guidelines underestimated the frequency of restrictive disease.Conclusion. Diagnosis of pulmonary disease patterns is of importance after irritant gas inhalation. Acceptable criteria need to be developed to evaluate pulmonary disease through simple spirometry in events leading to mass casualty and patient surge in hospitals.
Some Properties of Weighted Pseudo almost Periodic Functions
Authors: Zheng Zhe-Ming , Ding Hui-Sheng , N’Guérékata Gaston M.
Published: December 2013

Several interesting and new properties of weighted pseudo almost periodic functions are established. Firstly, we obtain an equivalent definition for weighted pseudo almost periodic functions, which shows a close relationship between asymptotically almost periodic functions and weighted pseudo almost periodic functions; secondly, we prove that the space of asymptotically almost periodic functions is always a proper subspace of the space of weighted pseudo almost periodic functions; thirdly, we show that under some cases, the space of weighted pseudo almost periodic functions equals the classical space of pseudo almost periodic functions.
An Unusual Stress Fracture in an Archer with Hypophosphatasia
Authors: Yavuz Umut , Sökücü Sami , Demir Bilal , Akpınar Evren , Lapçin Osman , Atıcı Yunus , Kabukçuoğlu Yavuz
Published: December 2013

We report a 45-year-old male archer with stress fracture in his left ulna on the background of adult type of hypophosphatasia. The patient presented to several medical centers for pain around the left elbow and received medical treatment upon diagnosis of tenosynovitis. History of the patient revealed that he had had diagnosis of hypophosphatasia ten years ago and underwent percutaneous screwing for stress fracture on both of his femoral necks. Upon finding nondisplaced stress fracture on proximal metaphysis of the ulna on X-ray, the patient underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to exclude pathological causes. No additional pathology was observed in MRI scanning. The patient’s sportive activities were restricted for 6 weeks and he received conservative management with arm slings. Adult type of hypophosphatasia is a disease manifesting with widespread osteoporosis and presenting with low serum level of alkali phosphatase (ALP). Stress fracture should definitely be considered in the patients with history of hypophosphatasia and refractory extremity pain.
DNA Binding and Cleavage Activities of Na[B(Glu)(OH)2]·2H2O, Na[B(Cit)(OH)2]·2H2O, Li[B(Sal)(OH)2], and Mg[B(Sal)(OH)2]·2H2O Complexes
Authors: Arslantas A. , Devrim A. K. , Sudagidan M. , Köse D. A.
Published: December 2013

The interaction of some previously reported complexes Na[B(Glu)(OH)2]·2H2O, Na[B(Cit)(OH)2]·2H2O, Li[B(Sal)(OH)2], and Mg[B(Sal)(OH)2]·2H2O with cattle genomic DNA (CG‐DNA) was investigated using UV absorption, viscosity measurements, and fluorescence studies. These complexes interact with DNA through the intercalative mode of binding. In addition, the DNA cleavage activity of the complexes in presence of H2O2 was determined using agarose gel electrophoresis. All complexes exhibit moderate ability of cleavage to the DNA.
Essential Hypertension: An Approach to Its Etiology and Neurogenic Pathophysiology
Authors: Bolívar Juan J.
Published: December 2013

Essential hypertension, a rise in blood pressure of undetermined cause, includes 90% of all hypertensive cases and is a highly important public health challenge that remains, however, a major modifiable cause of morbidity and mortality. This review emphasizes that, from an evolutionary point of view, we are adapted to ingest and excrete <1 g of sodium (2.5 g of salt) per day and that essential hypertension develops when the kidneys become unable to excrete the amount of sodium ingested, unless blood pressure is increased. The renal-mean arterial pressure set-point model is briefly described to explain that a shift of the pressure natriuresis relationship toward abnormally high pressure levels is a pathophysiological characteristic of essential hypertension. Evidence indicating that this anomaly in the pressure natriuresis relationship arises from a sympathetic nervous system dysfunction is briefly formulated, and the most widely accepted pathophysiologic proposal to explain the development of this sympathetic dysfunction is described, with commentaries about novel action mechanisms of some drugs currently used in essential hypertension treatment.
Abdominal Wall Abscess due to Acute Perforated Sigmoid Diverticulitis: A Case Report with MDCT and US Findings
Authors: Vasileios Rafailidis , Anna Gavriilidou , Christos Liouliakis , Asimina Tsimitri , Sofia Paschaloudi , Vasiliki Karadimou
Published: December 2013

Perforation of the inflamed diverticula is a common diverticulitis complication. It usually leads to the formation of a local abscess. In some rare cases, the inflammatory process may spread towards extra-abdominal sites like the anterior or posterior abdominal wall or the thigh and form an abscess in these sites. We present the case of a 73-year-old man with a history of pain at the lower left quadrant of the abdomen for 20 days and a visible mass in this site. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed this mass to be an abscess of the abdominal wall which had been formed by the spread of ruptured sigmoid diverticulitis by continuity of tissue through the lower left abdominal wall. Local drainage of the abscess was performed and the patient was discharged after alleviation of symptoms and an uneventful course. We also discuss causes of abdominal wall abscesses along with the possible pathways by which an intra-abdominal abscess could spread outside the abdominal cavity.
Vision Servo Motion Control and Error Analysis of a CoplanarXXYStage for Image Alignment Motion
Authors: Lee Hau-Wei , Liu Chien-Hung
Published: December 2013

In recent years, as there is demand for smart mobile phones with touch panels, the alignment/compensation system of alignment stage with vision servo control has also increased. Due to the fact that the traditional stacked-typeXYθstage has cumulative errors of assembly and it is heavy, it has been gradually replaced by the coplanar stage characterized by three actuators on the same plane with three degrees of freedom. The simplest image alignment mode uses two cameras as the equipments for feedback control, and the work piece is placed on the working stage. The work piece is usually engraved/marked. After the cameras capture images and when the position of the mark in the camera is obtained by image processing, the mark can be moved to the designated position in the camera by moving the stage and using alignment algorithm. This study used a coplanarXXYstage with 1 μm positioning resolution. Due to the fact that the resolution of the camera is about 3.75 μm per pixel, thus a subpixel technology is used, and the linear and angular alignment repeatability of the alignment system can achieve 1 μm and 5 arcsec, respectively. The visual servo motion control for alignment motion is completed within 1 second using the coplanarXXYstage.
Synchronization of Coupled Networks with Uncertainties
Authors: Zuo Yi , Yang Xinsong
Published: December 2013

Asymptotic synchronization for a class of coupled networks with nondelayed and delayed couplings is investigated. A distinct feature of the network is that all the dynamical nodes are affected by uncertain nonlinear nonidentical perturbations. In order to synchronize the network onto a given isolate trajectory, a novel adaptive controller is designed to overcome the effects of the nonidentical uncertain nonlinear perturbations. The designed controller has better robustness than classical adaptive controller, since it can realize the synchronization goal whether the nodes have these perturbations or not. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory and the Barbalat lemma, sufficient conditions guaranteeing the asymptotic synchronization of the coupled network are derived. Two examples with numerical simulations are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Simulations also demonstrate that our adaptive controller has better robustness than existing ones.
Effects ofω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Plasma Proteome in Rett Syndrome
Authors: De Felice Claudio , Cortelazzo Alessio , Signorini Cinzia , Guerranti Roberto , Leoncini Silvia , Pecorelli Alessandra , Durand Thierry , Galano Jean-Marie , Oger Camille , Zollo Gloria , Montomoli Barbara , Landi Claudia , Bini Luca , Valacchi Giuseppe , Ciccoli Lucia , Hayek Joussef
Published: December 2013

The mechanism of action of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) is only partially known. Prior reports suggest a partial rescue of clinical symptoms and oxidative stress (OS) alterations followingω-3 PUFAs supplementation in patients with Rett syndrome (RTT), a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder with transient autistic features, affecting almost exclusively females and mainly caused by sporadic mutations in the gene encoding the methyl CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) protein. Here, we tested the hypothesis thatω-3 PUFAs may modify the plasma proteome profile in typical RTT patients withMECP2mutations and classic phenotype. A total of 24 RTT girls at different clinical stages were supplemented withω-3 PUFAs as fish oil for 12 months and compared to matched healthy controls. The expression of 16 proteins, mainly related to acute phase response (APR), was changed at the baseline in the untreated patients. Followingω-3 PUFAs supplementation, the detected APR was partially rescued, with the expression of 10 out of 16 (62%) proteins being normalized.ω-3 PUFAs have a major impact on the modulation of the APR in RTT, thus providing new insights into the role of inflammation in autistic disorders and paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies.
Effect of TCO/μc-Si:H Interface Modification on Hydrogenated Microcrystalline Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells
Authors: Liang Shin-Wei , Hsu Cheng-Hang , Tsai Chuang-Chuang
Published: December 2013

The effects of H2plasma exposure on optical, electrical, and structural properties of fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and AZO/FTO substrates have been investigated. With increasing the time of H2-plasma exposure, the hydrogen radical and ions penetrated through the FTO surface to form more suboxides such as SnO and metallic Sn, which was confirmed by the XPS analysis. The Sn reduction on the FTO surface can be effectively eliminated by capping the FTO with a very thin layer of sputtered aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), as confirmed by the XPS analysis. By using the AZO/FTO as front TCO with the subsequent annealing, the p-i-nμc-Si:H cell exhibited a significantly enhancedJSCfrom 15.97 to 19.40 mA/cm2and an increased conversion efficiency from 5.69% to 7.09%. This significant enhancement was ascribed to the effective elimination of the Sn reduction on the FTO surface by the thin AZO layer during the Si-based thin-film deposition with hydrogen-rich plasma exposure. Moreover, the subsequent annealing of the sputtered AZO could lead to less defects as well as a better interface of AZO/FTO.
From Palmistry to Anthropometry: Can 2nd to 4th Digit Length (2D:4D) Predict the Risk of Prostate Cancer?
Authors: Salomão Layla , Figueiredo Rui Teófilo , Oliveira Santos Rafael , Damião Ronaldo , da Silva Eloisio Alexsandro
Published: December 2013

Objective: The 2nd to 4th digit length (2D:4D) is inversely related to androgen exposure during the fetal period, which may represent a risk factor for several steroid-related diseases. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between 2D:4D ratio and the risk of developing prostate cancer (PCa). Subjects and Methods: We assessed the 2D:4D ratio of 474 men >40 years old, stratified into three groups: group 1 (n = 222) patients with PCa, group 2 (n = 82) subjects with high risk of PCa, and group 3 (n = 170) men with low risk of PCa. Subjects were submitted to a digital picture of the ventral surface of the right hand and 2nd and 4th fingers measurements were determined by the distance from the proximal crease to the tip using computer-assisted analysis. Results: The mean serum prostate-specific antigen level was 7.5 ng/ml in the high-risk group and 0.92 ng/ml in the low-risk group (p < 0.05). The mean 2D:4D ratios were 0.96 ± 0.04, 0.97 ± 0.04 and 0.96 ± 0.04 for the PCa, high-risk and low-risk groups, respectively, and no difference was found among the three groups (p = 0.12). Conclusion: Anthropometry of the hand using the 2D:4D ratio is not a predictor of PCa.
Clinical Utility of Computed Tomographic Lung Volumes in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Lee Jae Seung , Lee Sang-Min , Seo Joon Beom , Lee Sei Won , Huh Jin Won , Oh Yeon-Mok , Lee Sang-Do
Published: December 2013

Background: Published data concerning the utility of computed tomography (CT)-based lung volumes are limited to correlation with lung function. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical utility of the CT expiratory-to-inspiratory lung volume ratio (CT Vratio) by assessing the relationship with clinically relevant outcomes. Methods: A total of 75 stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients having pulmonary function testing and volumetric CT at full inspiration and expiration were retrospectively evaluated. Inspiratory and expiratory CT lung volumes were measured using in-house software. Correlation of the CT Vratio with patient-centered outcomes, including the modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnea score, the 6-min walk distance (6MWD), the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) score, and multidimensional COPD severity indices, such as the BMI, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, and exercise capacity index (BODE) and age, dyspnea, and airflow obstruction (ADO), were analyzed. Results: The CT Vratio correlated significantly with BMI (r = −0.528, p < 0.001). The CT Vratio was also significantly associated with MMRC dyspnea (r = 0.387, p = 0.001), 6MWD (r = −0.459, p < 0.001), and SGRQ (r = 0.369, p = 0.001) scores. Finally, the CT Vratio had significant correlations with the BODE and ADO multidimensional COPD severity indices (r = 0.605, p < 0.001; r = 0.411, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The CT Vratio had significant correlations with patient-centered outcomes and multidimensional COPD severity indices.
Thelytoky and Sex Determination in the Hymenoptera: Mutual Constraints
Authors: Vorburger C.
Published: December 2013

The Hymenoptera show a high propensity for transitions from arrhenotokous reproduction (diploid females develop from fertilized eggs, haploid males from unfertilized eggs) to thelytokous reproduction (diploid females develop from unfertilized eggs). However, the evolution of thelytoky is frequently constrained by the sex determination system. Under the ancestral system, complementary sex determination (CSD), the constraint results from the production of diploid males by thelytokous females. The magnitude of this constraint depends on the cytological mechanism of thelytoky, determining the rate at which thelytokous lines lose heterozygosity and on whether a single locus or multiple loci are involved in CSD. In this review, it is discussed how diploid male production in the case of CSD or other constraints in the case of alternative sex determination systems may impede transitions to thelytoky, but it is also shown that under particular (and presumably rare) circumstances the production of diploid males will promote rather than hamper the evolution of thelytoky. Furthermore, constraints between the evolution of thelytoky and sex determination may be mutual, because once thelytoky has evolved, it can impact on sex determination. Finally, researchers are encouraged to exploit the frequent occurrence of thelytoky as an opportunity to learn more about the mechanisms of sex determination in the Hymenoptera.
Evolutionary Transitions between Sex-Determining Mechanisms: A Review of Theory
Authors: van Doorn G.S.
Published: December 2013

The extraordinary diversity of sex-determining mechanisms found in nature is thought to have arisen by the addition, modification or replacement of regulators at the upstream end of the sex-determining pathway. The spread of a novel regulator of sex determination can manifest itself by an evolutionary transition between environmental and genetic sex determination, for example, or between male and female heterogamety. Both kinds of transition have occurred frequently in the course of evolution. In this paper, various evolutionary forces acting on sex-determining mutations that can bias transitions in one direction or the other are reviewed. Furthermore, the adaptive significance of the main modes of sex determination are discussed, and the common principle underlying ultimate explanations for environmental sex determination, genetic sex determination and maternal control over sex determination in the offspring are highlighted. Most of the current theory concentrates on the population-genetic aspects of sex determination transitions, using models that do not reflect the developmental mechanisms involved in sex determination. However, the increasing availability of molecular data creates opportunities for the future development of mechanistic models that will further clarify how selection and developmental architecture interact to direct the evolution of sex determination genes.