bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automatic and topology-preserving gradient mesh generation for image vectorization
Authors: Lai Yu-Kun , Hu Shi-Min , Martin Ralph R.
Published: July 2009

Gradient mesh
vector graphics representation, used in commercial software, is a regular grid with specified position and color, and their gradients, at each grid point. Gradient meshes can compactly represent smoothly changing data, and are typically used for single objects. This paper advances the state of the art for gradient meshes in several significant ways. Firstly, we introduce a
topology-preserving
gradient mesh representation which allows an arbitrary number of
holes
. This is important, as objects in images often have holes, either due to occlusion, or their 3D structure. Secondly, our algorithm uses the concept of image manifolds, adapting surface parameterization and fitting techniques to generate the gradient mesh in a
fully automatic
manner. Existing gradient-mesh algorithms require manual interaction to guide grid construction, and to cut objects with holes into disk-like regions. Our new algorithm is empirically at least 10 times
faster
than previous approaches. Furthermore, image segmentation can be used with our new algorithm to provide automatic gradient mesh generation for a
whole image
. Finally, fitting errors can be simply controlled to balance quality with storage.
Asynchronous contact mechanics
Authors: Harmon David , Vouga Etienne , Smith Breannan , Tamstorf Rasmus , Grinspun Eitan
Published: July 2009

We develop a method for reliable simulation of elastica in complex contact scenarios. Our focus is on firmly establishing three parameter-independent guarantees: that simulations of well-posed problems (a) have no interpenetrations, (b) obey causality, momentum- and energy-conservation laws, and (c) complete in finite time. We achieve these guarantees through a novel synthesis of asynchronous variational integrators, kinetic data structures, and a discretization of the contact barrier potential by an infinite sum of nested quadratic potentials. In a series of two- and three-dimensional examples, we illustrate that this method more easily handles challenging problems involving complex contact geometries, sharp features, and sliding during extremely tight contact.
Physically guided liquid surface modeling from videos
Authors: Wang Huamin , Liao Miao , Zhang Qing , Yang Ruigang , Turk Greg
Published: July 2009

We present an image-based reconstruction framework to model real water scenes captured by stereoscopic video. In contrast to many image-based modeling techniques that rely on user interaction to obtain high-quality 3D models, we instead apply automatically calculated physically-based constraints to refine the initial model. The combination of image-based reconstruction with physically-based simulation allows us to model complex and dynamic objects such as fluid. Using a depth map sequence as initial conditions, we use a physically based approach that automatically fills in missing regions, removes outliers, and refines the geometric shape so that the final 3D model is consistent to both the input video data and the laws of physics. Physically-guided modeling also makes interpolation or extrapolation in the space-time domain possible, and even allows the fusion of depth maps that were taken at different times or viewpoints. We demonstrated the effectiveness of our framework with a number of real scenes, all captured using only a single pair of cameras.
Adaptive global visibility sampling
Authors: Bittner Jiří , Mattausch Oliver , Wonka Peter , Havran Vlastimil , Wimmer Michael
Published: July 2009

In this paper we propose a global visibility algorithm which computes from-region visibility for all view cells simultaneously in a progressive manner. We cast rays to sample visibility interactions and use the information carried by a ray for all view cells it intersects. The main contribution of the paper is a set of adaptive sampling strategies based on ray mutations that exploit the spatial coherence of visibility. Our method achieves more than an order of magnitude speedup compared to per-view cell sampling. This provides a practical solution to visibility preprocessing and also enables a new type of interactive visibility analysis application, where it is possible to quickly inspect and modify a coarse global visibility solution that is constantly refined.
Anomaly detection
Authors: Chandola Varun , Banerjee Arindam , Kumar Vipin
Published: July 2009

Anomaly detection is an important problem that has been researched within diverse research areas and application domains. Many anomaly detection techniques have been specifically developed for certain application domains, while others are more generic. This survey tries to provide a structured and comprehensive overview of the research on anomaly detection. We have grouped existing techniques into different categories based on the underlying approach adopted by each technique. For each category we have identified key assumptions, which are used by the techniques to differentiate between normal and anomalous behavior. When applying a given technique to a particular domain, these assumptions can be used as guidelines to assess the effectiveness of the technique in that domain. For each category, we provide a basic anomaly detection technique, and then show how the different existing techniques in that category are variants of the basic technique. This template provides an easier and more succinct understanding of the techniques belonging to each category. Further, for each category, we identify the advantages and disadvantages of the techniques in that category. We also provide a discussion on the computational complexity of the techniques since it is an important issue in real application domains. We hope that this survey will provide a better understanding of the different directions in which research has been done on this topic, and how techniques developed in one area can be applied in domains for which they were not intended to begin with.
A survey of Web clustering engines
Authors: Carpineto Claudio , Osiński Stanislaw , Romano Giovanni , Weiss Dawid
Published: July 2009

Web clustering engines organize search results by topic, thus offering a complementary view to the flat-ranked list returned by conventional search engines. In this survey, we discuss the issues that must be addressed in the development of a Web clustering engine, including acquisition and preprocessing of search results, their clustering and visualization. Search results clustering, the core of the system, has specific requirements that cannot be addressed by classical clustering algorithms. We emphasize the role played by the quality of the cluster labels as opposed to optimizing only the clustering structure. We highlight the main characteristics of a number of existing Web clustering engines and also discuss how to evaluate their retrieval performance. Some directions for future research are finally presented.
Compiler-assisted soft error detection under performance and energy constraints in embedded systems
Authors: Hu Jie , Li Feihui , Degalahal Vijay , Kandemir Mahmut , Vijaykrishnan N. , Irwin Mary J.
Published: July 2009

Soft errors induced by terrestrial radiation are becoming a significant concern in architectures designed in newer technologies. If left undetected, these errors can result in catastrophic consequences or costly maintenance problems in different embedded applications. In this article, we focus on utilizing the compiler's help in duplicating instructions for error detection in VLIW datapaths. The instruction duplication mechanism is further supported by a hardware enhancement for efficient result verification, which avoids the need of additional comparison instructions. In the proposed approach, the compiler determines the instruction schedule by balancing the permissible performance degradation and the energy constraint with the required degree of duplication. Our experimental results show that our algorithms allow the designer to perform trade-off analysis between performance, reliability, and energy consumption.
An efficient placement and routing technique for fault-tolerant distributed embedded computing
Authors: Jafari Roozbeh , Ghasemzadeh Hassan , Dabiri Foad , Nahapetian Ani , Sarrafzadeh Majid
Published: July 2009

This article presents an efficient technique for placement and routing of sensors/actuators and processing units in a grid network. The driver application that we present is a medical jacket, which requires an extremely high level of robustness and fault tolerance. The power consumption of such jacket is another key technological constraint. Our proposed interconnection network is a mesh of wires. A jacket made of fabric and wires would be susceptible to accidental damage via tears. By modeling the tears, we evaluate the probability of having failures on every segment of wires in our mesh interconnection network. Then, we study two problems of placement and routing in the sensor networks such that the fault tolerance is maximized while the power consumption is minimized. We develop efficient integer linear programming (ILP) formulations to address these problems and perform both placement and routing, simultaneously. This ensures that the solution is a lower bound for both problems. We evaluate the effectiveness of our proposed techniques on a variety of benchmarks.
Functional test generation using design and property decomposition techniques
Authors: Koo Heon-Mo , Mishra Prabhat
Published: July 2009

Functional verification of microprocessors is one of the most complex and expensive tasks in the current system-on-chip design methodology. Simulation using functional test vectors is the most widely used form of processor validation. A significant bottleneck in the validation of such systems is the lack of automated techniques for directed test generation. While existing model checking--based approaches have proposed several promising ideas for automated test generation, many challenges remain in applying them to industrial microprocessors. The time and resources required for test generation using existing model checking--based techniques can be prohibitively large. This article presents an efficient test generation technique using decompositional model checking. The contribution of the article is the development of both property and design decomposition procedures for efficient test generation of pipelined processors. Our experimental results using a multi-issue MIPS processor and an industrial processor based on Power Architecture™ Technology demonstrate several orders-of-magnitude reduction in validation effort by drastically reducing both test generation time and test program length.
Web service clustering using multidimensional angles as proximity measures
Authors: Platzer Christian , Rosenberg Florian , Dustdar Schahram
Published: July 2009

Increasingly, application developers seek the ability to search for existing Web services within large Internet-based repositories. The goal is to retrieve services that match the user's requirements. With the growing number of services in the repositories and the challenges of quickly finding the right ones, the need for clustering related services becomes evident to enhance search engine results with a list of similar services for each hit. In this article, a statistical clustering approach is presented that enhances an existing distributed vector space search engine for Web services with the possibility of dynamically calculating clusters of similar services for each hit in the list found by the search engine. The focus is laid on a very efficient and scalable clustering implementation that can handle very large service repositories. The evaluation with a large service repository demonstrates the feasibility and performance of the approach.
Self-stabilizing robot formations over unreliable networks
Authors: Gilbert Seth , Lynch Nancy , Mitra Sayan , Nolte Tina
Published: July 2009

We describe how a set of mobile robots can arrange themselves on any specified curve on the plane in the presence of dynamic changes both in the underlying ad hoc network and in the set of participating robots. Our strategy is for the mobile robots to implement a
self-stabilizing virtual layer
consisting of mobile client nodes, stationary Virtual Nodes (VNs), and local broadcast communication. The VNs are associated with predetermined regions in the plane and coordinate among themselves to distribute the client nodes relatively uniformly among the VNs' regions. Each VN directs its local client nodes to align themselves on the local portion of the target curve. The resulting motion coordination protocol is self-stabilizing, in that each robot can begin the execution in any arbitrary state and at any arbitrary location in the plane. In addition, self-stabilization ensures that the robots can adapt to changes in the desired target formation.
On the convergence and stability of data-driven link estimation and routing in sensor networks
Authors: Zhang Hongwei , Sang Lifeng , Arora Anish
Published: July 2009

The wireless network community has become increasingly aware of the benefits of data-driven link estimation and routing as compared with beacon-based approaches, but the issue of
Biased Link Sampling
(BLS) estimation has not been well studied even though it affects routing convergence in the presence of network and environment dynamics. Focusing on traffic-induced dynamics, we examine the open, unexplored question of how serious the BLS issue is and how to effectively address it when the routing metric ETX is used. For a wide range of traffic patterns and network topologies and using both node-oriented and network-wide analysis and experimentation, we discover that the optimal routing structure remains quite stable even though the properties of individual links and routes vary significantly as traffic pattern changes. In cases where the optimal routing structure does change, data-driven link estimation and routing is either guaranteed to converge to the optimal structure or empirically shown to converge to a close-to-optimal structure. These findings provide the foundation for addressing the BLS issue in the presence of traffic-induced dynamics and suggest approaches other than existing ones. These findings also demonstrate that it is possible to maintain an optimal, stable routing structure despite the fact that the properties of individual links and paths vary in response to network dynamics.
Density-based clustering of data streams at multiple resolutions
Authors: Wan Li , Ng Wee Keong , Dang Xuan Hong , Yu Philip S. , Zhang Kuan
Published: July 2009

In data stream clustering, it is desirable to have algorithms that are able to detect clusters of arbitrary shape, clusters that evolve over time, and clusters with noise. Existing stream data clustering algorithms are generally based on an online-offline approach: The online component captures synopsis information from the data stream (thus, overcoming real-time and memory constraints) and the offline component generates clusters using the stored synopsis. The online-offline approach affects the overall performance of stream data clustering in various ways: the ease of deriving synopsis from streaming data; the complexity of data structure for storing and managing synopsis; and the frequency at which the offline component is used to generate clusters. In this article, we propose an algorithm that (1) computes and updates synopsis information in constant time; (2) allows users to discover clusters at multiple resolutions; (3) determines the right time for users to generate clusters from the synopsis information; (4) generates clusters of higher purity than existing algorithms; and (5) determines the right threshold function for density-based clustering based on the fading model of stream data. To the best of our knowledge, no existing data stream algorithms has all of these features. Experimental results show that our algorithm is able to detect arbitrarily shaped, evolving clusters with high quality.
Run-time reconfigurability in embedded multiprocessors
Authors: Purnaprajna Madhura , Porrmann Mario , Rueckert Ulrich
Published: July 2009

To meet application-specific performance demands, architectures are predominantly redesigned and customised. Every architectural change results in huge overheads in design, verification, and fabrication, which together result in prolonged time-to-market. As an alternative, configurable architectures provide easy adaptability to different application domains in place of costly redesigns. To deal with application changes and custom requirements, a method of configuring and reusing the basic building blocks within processors is developed. Additionally, this enables co-operative multiprocessing. In this paper, a runtime reconfiguration mechanism for embedded multiprocessor architectures is proposed as a method to introduce customisations in the post-fabrication phase. A method of application description in conjunction with a flexible reconfigurable multiprocessor template is presented. Finally, the costs and benefits of this approach are analysed for computationally intensive algorithms used in digital signal processing. The impact of application specific characteristics on execution time, power consumption, and total energy dissipation are analysed.
Properties of Matrix Variate Beta Type 3 Distribution
Authors: Gupta Arjun K. , Nagar Daya K.
Published: July 2009

We study several properties of matrix variate beta type 3 distribution.
We also derive probability density functions of the product of two independent random
matrices when one of them is beta type 3. These densities are expressed in terms of Appell′s
first hypergeometric function F1 and Humbert′s confluent hypergeometric function Φ1 of matrix arguments. Further, a bimatrix variate generalization of the beta type 3 distribution
is also defined and studied.
β-Thalassaemia Major in a Spanish Patient due to a Compound Heterozygosity for CD39C→T/−28A→C
Authors: Gamarra Soledad , Garcia-Effron Guillermo , Monteserin Carmen , Lopez-Villar Isabel , Gilsanz Florinda , Martinez-Lopez Joaquín
Published: July 2009

A Spanish male patient withβ-thalassaemia major was studied. Compound heterozygosity was found for one of the most commonβ-globin gene mutations in the Spanish population (codon 39C→T) and for a mutation in the TATA box element of theβ-globin gene promoter (−28 A→Cmutation). To our knowledge this is the first report of a CD39C→Tand−28 A→Cchange association and the first report of the−28 A→Csubstitution in a Spanish patient.
A Viscosity Approximation Method for Finding Common Solutions of Variational Inclusions, Equilibrium Problems, and Fixed Point Problems in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Plubtieng Somyot , Sriprad Wanna
Published: July 2009

We introduce an iterative method for finding a common element of the set of common fixed points of a countable family of nonexpansive mappings, the set of solutions of a variational inclusion with set-valued maximal monotone mapping, and inverse strongly monotone mappings and the set of solutions of an equilibrium problem in Hilbert spaces. Under suitable conditions, some strong convergence theorems for approximating this common elements are proved. The results presented in the paper improve and extend the main results of J. W. Peng et al. (2008) and many others.
Connecting Fuzzifying Topologies and Generalized Ideals by Means of Fuzzy Preorders
Authors: Elsalamony G.
Published: July 2009

The present paper investigates the relations between fuzzifying topologies and generalized ideals of fuzzy subsets, as well as constructing generalized ideals and fuzzifying topologies by means of fuzzy preorders. Furthermore, a construction of generalized ideals from preideals, and vice versa, is obtained. As a particular consequence of the results in this paper, a construction of fuzzifying topology generated by generalized ideals of fuzzy subsets via a given I‐topology is given. The notion of σ‐generalized ideal is introduced and hence every σ‐generalized ideal is shown to be a fuzzifying topology induced by some fuzzy preorder.
Strong and Weak Convergence of Modified Mann Iteration for New Resolvents of Maximal Monotone Operators in Banach Spaces
Authors: Plubtieng Somyot , Sriprad Wanna
Published: July 2009

We prove strong and weak convergence theorems for a new resolvent of maximal monotone operators in a Banach space and give an estimate of the convergence rate of the algorithm. Finally, we apply our convergence theorem to the convex minimization problem. The result present in this paper extend
and improve the corresponding result of Ibaraki and Takahashi (2007), and Kim and Xu (2005).
When Inflation Causes No Increase in Claim Amounts
Authors: Brazauskas Vytaras , Jones Bruce L. , Zitikis Ričardas
Published: July 2009

It is well known that when (re)insurance coverages involve a deductible, the
impact of inflation of loss amounts is distorted, and the changes in claims paid by the
(re)insurer cannot be assumed to reflect the rate of inflation. A particularly interesting
phenomenon occurs when losses follow a Pareto distribution. In this case, the observed loss
amounts (those that exceed the deductible) are identically distributed from year to year
even in the presence of inflation. Nevertheless, in this paper we succeed in estimating the
inflation rate from the observations. We develop appropriate statistical inferential methods
to quantify the inflation rate and illustrate them using simulated data. Our solution hinges
on the recognition that the distribution of the number of observed losses changes from year
to year depending on the inflation rate.
Incorporation of Anterior Rectus Fascial Sling into Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy Improves Postoperative Continence
Authors: Altinova Serkan , Demirci Durmus A. , Ozdemir Ahmet T. , Akbulut Ziya , Atmaca Ali F. , Caglayan Alper , Balbay Mevlana D.
Published: July 2009

Aim: To determine the impact of rectus fascial sling suspension at the time of radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) on postoperative continence status. Patients and Methods: A total of 86 patients underwent RRP for clinically localized prostate cancer. Out of 86 patients, a rectus fascial sling procedure was incorporated into RRP in 40 randomly selected patients (group 1). The remaining 46 patients underwent standard RRP without any suspension operation (group 2). Results: The incontinence rates were 17.5 and 43.5% for groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.010). Incontinence degrees for each group were statistically significant (p = 0.03). The mean time to achieve full continence was 1.4 ± 2.2 (0–11) and 3.8 ± 3.8 (0–12) months for groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.026). Conclusion: Our results showed that incorporation of an anterior rectus fascial sling into RRP is a reasonable and efficient way of achieving improved rates of postoperative continence.
Transpubic Urethroplasty for Complex Posterior Urethral Strictures: A Single Center Experience
Authors: Gupta N.P. , Mishra S. , Dogra P.N. , Yadav R. , Seth A. , Kumar R.
Published: July 2009

Aim: To review our experience and outcome of transpubic urethroplasty for complex posterior urethral strictures. Patients and Methods: 19 patients, mean age 17.8 (6–35) years, were treated with transpubic urethroplasty over the last 6 years. All had traumatic etiology (15 due to road traffic accidents and 4 due to falls from height). Mean stricture length was 4.4 (3.0–6.0) cm. All had a history of some intervention earlier. Three had rectourethral fistula, and 2 sinus tract in perineum which was connected to the periurethral cavity. One had a long fistulous tract connected through the anus to the anterior abdominal wall. One patient each had urethrocutaneous fistula, periurethral cavity and osteomyelitis of the pubic bone. Results: 16 of 19 (84.2%) patients had excellent outcomes with no evidence of stricture. Three had acceptable outcomes with some evidence of stricture. The mean operative time was 3.2 (2.5–4.0) h and average blood loss was 650 (500–900) ml. The mean hospital stay was 7.6 (6–12) days and average follow-up was 30 (7–66) months. Two patients developed mild wound infection. One patient each developed epididymoorchitis, perineal hematoma, fecal fistula and urine leak. One patient failed to void, and one patient developed erectile dysfunction. Conclusion: Transpubic urethroplasty is an excellent approach for patients with complex posterior urethral strictures.
Comparison of a 20-Min Pad Test with the 1-Hour Pad Test of the International Continence Society to Evaluate Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence
Authors: Machold Sandra , Olbert Peter Jochen , Hegele Axel , Kleinhans Georg , Hofmann Rainer , Schrader Andres Jan
Published: July 2009

Objectives: Urinary incontinence is a hygienic and socially distressing problem for affected people and causes high healthcare costs. Objective standardized noninvasive quantification of urinary incontinence is highly important and, in addition, enables control of therapeutic efficacy. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility, accuracy and reproducibility of a standardized 20-min pad test to measure urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy in comparison to the 1-hour pad-weighing test recommended by the International Continence Society (ICS). Methods: We applied a standardized questionnaire, the ICS 1-hour pad test and a simplified 20-min pad test to evaluate subjective and objective post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence in 56 men. Results: The technical feasibility of the 20-min pad test was excellent; the results correlated significantly with both the self-assessment via questionnaire (r = 0.63; p < 0.001) and the 1-hour pad test (ICS; r = 0.66; p < 0.001). Moreover, it was highly reliable (r = 0.74; p < 0.0005) with excellent patient acceptance. Conclusions: The 20-min pad test qualified as a reliable, cost-effective and noninvasive tool which can easily be applied in urologic or physiotherapeutic practice to assess post-prostatectomy urinary incontinence and to evaluate the success of therapeutic approaches.
Long-Term Clinical Outcome of Diagnostic Transurethral Resection of the Prostate in Patients with Elevated Prostate-Specific Antigen Level and Minor Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Authors: van Renterghem Koenraad , van Koeveringe Gommert , Achten Ruth , van Kerrebroeck Philip
Published: July 2009

Introduction: In patients with minor lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and (multiple) negative multi-site biopsies, therapy decision is complex. Long-term outcome of a diagnostic transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) in these patients needs to be determined. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated patients with minor LUTS, elevated PSA levels (≥4 ng/ml) and no signs of prostate cancer. Patients with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) underwent TURP. When TURP showed no malignancy, patients were annually evaluated by PSA testing and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Results: The study included 82 consecutive patients satisfying the inclusion criteria. All patients underwent TURP. No malignancy was encountered in 74 patients (90.2%). Of this group, 36 patients were followed >3 years (mean 62.1 months). One patient (2.8%) showed a persistently rising PSA level with positive extended multi-site biopsies 4 years after TURP, implying further treatment. 35 patients (97.2%) had a permanent complete normalization of PSA levels (<4 ng/ml) together with normalized IPSS. Conclusions: We consider an elevated PSA level in patients with minor LUTS and (multiple) negative multi-site biopsies as a sign of BOO. If these patients receive a diagnostic TURP, long-term outcome is excellent.
Effect of Tadalafil on Renal Resistivity and Pulsatility Index in Partial Ureteral Obstruction
Authors: Ayyıldız Ali , Kaya Mahir , Karagüzel Ersagun , Bumin Ali , Akgül Turgay , Aklan Zeki , Germiyanoğlu Cankon
Published: July 2009

Introduction: To investigate the effect of tadalafil on Resistivity Index (RI) and Pulsatility Index (PI) in partial unilateral ureteral obstruction (PUUO). Methods: Twelve New Zealand rabbits were assigned into two groups. Baseline renal Doppler ultrasonography (USG) was performed in all rabbits. The rabbits in group 1 received tadalafil for a month (10 mg/72 h) and group 2 was defined as sham. After 1 month, in both groups left PUUO was created. Renal Doppler USG was performed to measure RI and PI parameters of both kidneys on the 4th hour and 1st and 3rd days postoperatively. Results: Baseline renal Doppler USG revealed that there was no difference between two kidneys in both groups. The differences in mean RI and PI values of the kidneys between the sham and tadalafil groups were not statistically significant. Compared with the preoperative values, postoperative RI and PI values for the left kidneys were significantly increased in the period from 4 h to 3 days postoperatively in the sham group (p < 0.05). However, mean RI and PI values were not increased in the tadalafil group when compared with the sham group and this difference between the two groups was significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Tadalafil has a lowering affect on RI and PI in experimentally created PUUO.
Functional Impact of the Rhabdosphincter Branch of the Pelvic Nerve on the Membranous Urethra in Comparison to That of the Pudendal Nerve in Male Rabbits
Authors: van der Horst Christof , Hamann Moritz F. , Kuhtz Buschbeck Johann P. , Kaufmann Sascha , Jünemann Klaus P. , Naumann Carsten M.
Published: July 2009

Introduction: The innervation of the membranous urethra (MU) is still under debate. We analysed the functional effects of electrostimulation of the rhabdosphincter branch of the pelvic nerve (RBP) on the MU in a standardized male rabbit model, paying attention both to the efferent and the possible afferent effects of stimulation. Material and Methods: Six male rabbits (chinchilla bastards) were included in this study. Pudendal nerve branches as well as pelvic nerve branches were exposed bilaterally in all animals. Randomized electrostimulation trials of both the pudendal nerve fibres and the RBP were carried out using a biphasic signal (0.3 mA, 200 μs). The stimulation frequency ranged from 10 to 40 Hz in a randomized pattern. Changes in MU pressure were measured urodynamically. The pressure changes occurring as a result of stimulation were compared in both nerve structures. At the end of the stimulation trial, the RBP and the pudendal nerve were dissected at different positions before repeating the stimulation and the MU pressure recording. Results: The mean MU baseline pressure without stimulation was 24 cm H2O (range 21–27) in all animals. During unilateral pudendal stimulation, the mean pressure response rose by highly significant values (p < 0.005) compared to baseline. The pressure response was frequency dependent. Stimulation of the RBP resulted in a small but significant change of the MU pressure in the lower frequency range (10 and 20 Hz) (p > 0.05). On performing stimulation at higher frequencies, there was no significant difference from baseline. The pressure response of the MU during stimulation of the intact RBP did not differ significantly from the response after dissection of the RBP. However, after dissecting the pudendal nerve, the MU pressure response to RBP stimulation was diminished. Conclusion: Our results confirm the primacy of the pudendal nerve in the innervation of the MU. Stimulation of the RBP, however, may produce an afferent signal which is transmitted to the pudendal nerve, thus resulting in a pressure increase of the MU and contributing towards continence. We showed the importance of the RBP to maintain full urinary continence in rabbits. Our results suggest that substantially higher continence rates can be achieved through a nerve-sparing procedure in radical prostatectomy. Nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy incidentally also protects the RBP from injury.
The Effect of Retroperitoneal Fat Tissue Thickness on Testicular Venous Drainage
Authors: Celiktas Medih , Aikimbaev Kairgeldy , Aridogan I. Atilla , Soyupak Sureyya , İnal Mehmet
Published: July 2009

Introduction: We evaluated a possible effect of the amount of retroperitoneal fat tissue on testicular venous drainage to shed light on the mechanism of varicocele occurrence. Patients andMethods: A total of 132 patients with no fertility complaints were included in this study. Retroperitoneal fat thickness (RPFT) was measured during abdominal computed tomography examinations. According to the calculated body mass index (BMI), patients were categorized as normal, overweight or obese using National Institutes of Health criteria. Relationships were sought between RPFT, BMI and testicular vein-pampiniform plexus diameters measured with ultrasonography on both sides. Results: Left and right testicular vein maximum diameters were significantly larger in obese patients compared with normal and overweight men (p = 0.01 and p = 0.003, respectively). In accordance with this, the left and right pampiniform plexus diameters were larger in the obese group than in the normal and overweight groups (p = 0.004 and p = 0.006, respectively). There was a moderate but significant correlation between the right testicular vein maximum diameter and mean RPFT (p = 0.003). The relationship between bilateral pampiniform plexus diameters and retroperitoneal fat distribution was stronger and significant (p = 0.0001). Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship between BMI and retroperitoneal fat distribution (R = 0.53, p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The amount of retroperitoneal fat, which is related to BMI, could be a contributing factor in the etiology of right varicocele.
Extraperitoneal Inguinoscrotal Herniation of the Ureter: A Rare Case of Recurrence after Hernia Repair
Authors: Golgor E. , Stroszczynski C. , Froehner M.
Published: July 2009

Inguinoscrotal herniation of the ureter is a rare finding with the potential for serious surgical complications. Two anatomic forms are defined. In the more common paraperitoneal variant, the herniating peritoneal sac drags the ureter and sometimes other abdominal structures with it. The uncommon variant – extraperitoneal inguinal hernia – is without a peritoneal sac and consists of the ureter and fat tissue. We report a case of extraperitoneal inguinoscrotal hernia possibly due to a prior inguinal hernia repair.
Primary Chondrosarcoma of the Kidney
Authors: Buse Stephan , Behnisch Wolfgang , Kulozik Andreas , Autschbach Frank , Hohenfellner Markus
Published: July 2009

We present a case of primary renal chondrosarcoma, its diagnosis and management.
Prostatic Metastasis of Renal Cell Carcinoma Successfully Treated with Sunitinib
Authors: Fokt Ralf-Michael , Templeton Arnoud , Gillessen Silke , Öhlschlegel Christian , Schmid Hans-Peter
Published: July 2009

Metastases of renal cell carcinoma to the prostate gland are very rare. We present a case of a metastasis of renal cell carcinoma in the prostate which occurred 10 years after nephrectomy. Treatment with sunitinib was initiated and a notable response achieved.
Comparison of Different Haplotype-Based Haplotype-Based Association Methods for Gene-Environment (G×E) Interactions in Case-Control Studies when Haplotype-Phase Is Ambiguous
Authors: Hein Rebecca , Beckmann Lars , Chang-Claude Jenny
Published: July 2009

Objective: We compared four haplotype-based approaches for the analysis of gene-environment interactions when haplotype-phase is ambiguous. The methods employ different versions of the expectation maximization algorithm and differ in the choice of the reference group and in the way the risk of disease is modeled (retrospective versus prospective). Furthermore, the methods are based on distinct assumptions (such as Hardy Weinberg equilibrium). The haplotype-based methods were also compared to single-marker logistic regression (LR). Methods: We simulated case-control scenarios where the risk variant was directly genotyped (direct scenario) or in linkage disequilibrium with the genotyped markers (indirect scenario). Results: The retrospective methods tended to be more powerful for detecting interactions than the prospective methods. In the indirect scenarios, the power of all methods was decreased. However, the power of the retrospectives methods was high in some scenarios and the interactions may only be detectable when using these approaches. Furthermore, we observed that the precision of one prospective method was clearly lower than the precision of the retrospective methods. Conclusion: For the analysis of gene-environment (G×E) interactions in case-control data, the investigated retrospective methods can be an attractive alternative to haplotype-based methods which do not account for the retrospective sampling design.
Studies on Cryogelglobulinemia Associated with IgA Myeloma Protein
Authors: Slavin R.G. , Suriano J.R. , Dreesman G.
Published: July 2009

A patient with an extramedullary plasmacytoma was diagnosed as having multiple myeloma associated with type I (κ) IgA cryogelglobulin. Treatment of the patient with cyclophosphamide resulted in a marked decrease in the serum IgA level with a concomitant increase in serum gelling time. Physical studies of the whole serum and the partially purified cryogelglobulin showed it had a sedimentation coefficient of 8.8S and an approximate isoelectric pH of 5.5. Alteration of disulfide bonds without alkylation greatly increased the gelling time of the cryogelglobulin.
Demonstration of Birch Pollen Allergen from Isolated Pollen Grains Using Immunofluorescence and a Single Radial Immunodiffusion Technique
Authors: Belin L. , Rowley J.R.
Published: July 2009

Immunofiuorescence (IF) and single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) methods were modified in order to study the relation of allergen to the surface of birch pollen. By absorption of the anti-birch pollen sera employed, it was ascertained that both methods demonstrated thermostable allergenic birch pollen antigen and not nonallergenic antigens. The allergen rapidly diffuses from unfixed, wetted grains. After an aldehyde treatment and wet heating of the grains this leakage which mainly occurs through the pollen apertures was not demonstrated. Birch pollen allergen was released in a similar way from pollen of all of the six tested species of birch.
In vitro Diagnosis of Atopic Allergy
Authors: Berg T. , Bennich H. , Johansson S.G.O.
Published: July 2009

In 96 children with symptoms of asthma or allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, 503 provocation tests with some common allergens (animal danders, pollens, house dust) were performed and the results were compared with RAST, an in vitro method for determination of circulating reagins. The overall agreement between RAST and the provocation tests was 74%, with no significant difference between bronchial and rhinoconjunctival provocation tests. Equally good agreement was obtained with different allergens. In patients with pronounced allergy, as demonstrated by positive provocation tests using highly diluted allergens, RAST was positive in all cases. In patients with low-grade allergy or with negative provocation tests the agreement with RAST was not as good. RAST offers without doubt a most valuable in vitro method, especially in pediatric practice. However, provocation tests will have also in the future a definite place in the diagnosis of allergies.
Effect of Measles Immunization on Tuberculin Hypersensitivity and in vitro Lymphocyte Reactivity
Authors: Zweiman B. , Pappagianis D. , Maibach H. , Hildreth E.A.
Published: July 2009

Tuberculin skin test reactivity, blood lymphocyte levels, antituberculoprotein antibody levels and in vitro proliferative responses of lymphocytes cultured with tuberculin were compared in subjects receiving measles vaccine or placebo. Five of 10 individuals receiving measles vaccine showed significant depression of tuberculin skin test reactivity; 4 of these 5 showed concomitant decrease in degrees of tuberculin-induced lymphocyte proliferation. There were no significant changes following placebo administration to 3 individuals.
Immunochemical Studies on Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (HCG)
Authors: Bassett E.W. , Reiss Alice M.
Published: July 2009

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) with a biological potency of 19,000 IU/mg has been obtained by a combination of procedures involving gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and chromatography on SE cellulose. However, these biologically active preparations are not immunochemically pure. A component of serum was always present and at times a component of urine was also detected; neither were associated with pregnancy. Amino acid and amino sugar analyses were determined on three partially purified materials of different biological potencies and the significant changes are noted in the text. Reduction of HCG preparations with 2-mercaptoethanol destroyed both biological and immunological activity of HCG but did not affect the immunological activity of the extraneous serum and urinary components. Chymotrypsin treatment of a purified fraction of the hormone drastically altered the immunoelectrophoretic properties of HCG, but had little effect on the ability of the material to inhibit agglutination. Fractionation of a sample of the purified material on Sephadex G-100 after enzyme digestion did not aid in the isolation of immunologically reactive, homogeneous material.
Cellular and Humoral Immune Responses in Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis
Authors: Ringertz B. , Wasserman J. , Packalén T. , Perlmann P.
Published: July 2009

Guinea pigs were immunized once with homologous thyroglobulin in complete Freund’s adjuvant and observed for lesions in the thyroid gland as well as for different parameters of the immune response to thyroglobulin. In individual animals there was a significant correlation between the development of thyroiditis and delayed type skin hypersensitivity to thyroglobulin and the inhibition of migration of peritoneal exudate cells by thyroglobulin. Thyroid lesions and haemagglutinating antibodies to thyroglobulin were less well correlated. Lymphoid spleen cells from immunized animals lysed thyroglobulin coated chicken erythrocytes. Sera from these animals contained antibodies which in the absence of complement rendered lymphocytes from normal guinea pigs cytotoxic for thyroglobulin coated chicken erythrocytes. Presence of thyroid lesions was correlated to both these phenomena. The incidence of thyroiditis and cytotoxicity of immune spleen cells reached their peak 3–4 weeks after immunization and then decreased. The inhibition of macrophage migration reached its peak before the establishment of thyroid lesions and decreased at the same time as the incidence of thyroiditis decreased. Skin reactivity, haemagglutinating antibodies and antibody induced cytotoxicity of normal lymphocytes remained unchanged during the observation period.
The Cardiac Auto-Immune System
Authors: Thompson A. , Halbert S.P. , Lin T.M. , Kiefer D.
Published: July 2009

(1) Rats immunized with rat heart revealed a complex cardiac auto-immune system, similar to that previously seen in the rabbit. Up to 4 cardiac auto-antibodies were seen by two directional immunodiffusion in some animals, while no reactions were seen in control sera. (2) The responses were shown to be true auto-antibodies by reactions of the sera of several individual animals with extracts of their own hearts. (3) As in the rabbit system, several of the antigens involved in these reactions were apparently restricted to cardiac tissue. (4) The rat heart auto-antibodies reacted with analogous proteins in other mammalian hearts (rabbit, human, bovine and guinea pig), as was the case in the rabbit system. (5) Many of the rat anti-rat heart sera revealed antibodies to 2, and perhaps as many as 4 plasma protein allotypes, which exist in the strains of Sprague-Dawley rats used. These plasma allotypes were confirmed by immunization of rats with rat plasma.
In vitro Diagnosis of Atopic Allergy
Authors: Berg T. , Johansson S.G.O.
Published: July 2009

The reaginic activity in serum from pollen-allergic children, determined by the radioallergosorbent test (RAST) was followed before, during and after the pollen season. In addition, the serum concentration of IgE was examined. The investigation included both untreated children and children treated by inhalations of disodium cromoglycate for pollen-induced asthma. Typical seasonal variations of IgE antibodies and pollen allergens, as well as total IgE, were found in the majority of the children. In general, changes of specific antibodies were considerably more pronounced than those of total IgE. The serological course was characterised by a rapid increase in reaginic activity during the pollen season. In some patients reagins could not be determined by the RAST technique before the season. However, reagins were found both during and after the season. In 1 patient, circulating reagins were found during, but not after, the pollen season. Very favourable results were obtained following treatment with disodium cromoglycate. Treated patients showed pronounced serological changes of a type similar to those observed in untreated cases, despite absent or insignificant asthma symptoms. In a group of patients, allergic to birch pollen, that was treated with disodium cromoglycate the average increase in the birch reaginic serum level was almost twice as high as that found in untreated patients allergic to birch pollen.
Bordetella pertussis as a Beta-Adrenergic Blocking Agent
Authors: Pieroni R.E. , Bundeally Amina E. , Amdur Mary O. , Levine L.
Published: July 2009

Further evidence is presented indicating that the sensitizing effects of Bordetella pertussis may be mediated by blockade of β-adrenergic receptors of the autonomic nervous system. Both the extracted histamine-sensitizing factor (HSF) of B. pertussis and the β-adrenergic blocking agent, propranolol, were found capable of enhancing the sensitivity of mice to experimental immune hemolytic anemia, hypothermic stress, and bacterial endotoxin. Although pertussis-vaccinated guinea pigs exhibited a slightly higher mortality following histamine challenge, no differences were detected in the respiratory responses (pulmonary compliance and resistance) of pertussis-inoculated and control guinea pigs following histamine. These results indicate that the action of B. pertussis is more selective among species than are the β-adrenergic blocking agents such as propranolol.
Adsorption of Human Reagins to Ethylchloroformate Polymerized Antigen E and Desorption with Thiocyanate Ions
Authors: Tannenbaum Marion , Goodfriend L.
Published: July 2009

Ethylchloroformate polymerized ragweed antigen E was employed as immunoadsorbent for separation of reagins from human ragweed atopic serum. For elution of adsorbed reagins, 2 m KSCN was found to be a more effective reagent than 2 m KI. Recoveries of 25–60% of the initial serum reagin content were obtained under optimal conditions of adsorption and desorption.