bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prediction of high-frequency vibration transmission across coupled, periodic ribbed plates by incorporating tunneling mechanisms
Authors: Yin Jianfei , Hopkins Carl
Published: April 2013

Prediction of structure-borne sound transmission on built-up structures at audio frequencies is well-suited to Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) although the inclusion of periodic ribbed plates presents challenges. This paper considers an approach using Advanced SEA (ASEA) that can incorporate tunneling mechanisms within a statistical approach. The coupled plates used for the investigation form an L-junction comprising a periodic ribbed plate with symmetric ribs and an isotropic homogeneous plate. Experimental SEA (ESEA) is carried out with input data from Finite Element Methods (FEM). This indicates that indirect coupling is significant at high frequencies where bays on the periodic ribbed plate can be treated as individual subsystems. SEA using coupling loss factors from wave theory leads to significant underestimates in the energy of the bays when the isotropic homogeneous plate is excited. This is due to the absence of tunneling mechanisms in the SEA model. In contrast, ASEA shows close agreement with FEM and laboratory measurements. The errors incurred with SEA rapidly increase as the bays become more distant from the source subsystem. ASEA provides significantly more accurate predictions by accounting for the spatial filtering that leads to non-diffuse vibration fields on these more distant bays.
Nonuniform depth grids in parabolic equation solutions
Authors: Sanders William M. , Collins Michael D.
Published: April 2013

The parabolic wave equation is solved using a finite-difference solution in depth that involves a nonuniform grid. The depth operator is discretized using Galerkin's method with asymmetric hat functions. Examples are presented to illustrate that this approach can be used to improve efficiency for problems in ocean acoustics and seismo-acoustics. For shallow water problems, accuracy is sensitive to the precise placement of the ocean bottom interface. This issue is often addressed with the inefficient approach of using a fine grid spacing over all depth. Efficiency may be improved by using a relatively coarse grid with nonuniform sampling to precisely position the interface. Efficiency may also be improved by reducing the sampling in the sediment and in an absorbing layer that is used to truncate the computational domain. Nonuniform sampling may also be used to improve the implementation of a single-scattering approximation for sloping fluid-solid interfaces.
Using multi-frequency acoustic attenuation to monitor grain size and concentration of suspended sediment in rivers
Authors: Moore S. A. , Le Coz J. , Hurther D. , Paquier A.
Published: April 2013

Multi-frequency acoustic backscatter profiles recorded with side-looking acoustic Doppler current profilers are used to monitor the concentration and size of sedimentary particles suspended in fluvial environments. Data at 300, 600, and 1200 kHz are presented from the Isère River in France where the dominant particles in suspension are silt and clay sizes. The contribution of suspended sediment to the through-water attenuation was determined for three high concentration (> 100 mg/L) events and compared to theoretical values for spherical particles having size distributions that were measured by laser diffraction in water samples. Agreement was good for the 300 kHz data, but it worsened with increasing frequency. A method for the determination of grain size using multi-frequency attenuation data is presented considering models for spherical and oblate spheroidal particles. When the resulting size estimates are used to convert sediment attenuation to concentration, the spheroidal model provides the best agreement with optical estimates of concentration, but the aspect ratio and grain size that provide the best fit differ between events. The acoustic estimates of size were one-third the values from laser grain sizing. This agreement is encouraging considering optical and acoustical instruments measure different parameters.
Multi-channel Kalman filters for active noise control
Authors: van Ophem S. , Berkhoff A. P.
Published: April 2013

By formulating the feed-forward broadband active noise control problem as a state estimation problem it is possible to achieve a faster rate of convergence than the filtered reference least mean squares algorithm and possibly also a better tracking performance. A multiple input/multiple output Kalman algorithm is derived to perform this state estimation. To make the algorithm more suitable for real-time applications, the Kalman filter is written in a fast array form and the secondary path state matrices are implemented in output normal form. The resulting filter implementation is tested in simulations and in real-time experiments. It was found that for a constant primary path the filter has a fast rate of convergence and is able to track changes in the frequency spectrum. For a forgetting factor equal to unity the system is robust but the filter is unable to track rapid changes in the primary path. A forgetting factor lower than 1 gives a significantly improved tracking performance but leads to a numerical instability for the fast array form of the algorithm.
Synthetic aperture flow imaging using dual stage beamforming: Simulations and experiments
Authors: Li Ye , Arendt Jensen Jørgen
Published: April 2013

A method for synthetic aperture flow imaging using dual stage beamforming has been developed. The main motivation is to increase the frame rate and still maintain a beamforming quality sufficient for flow estimation that is possible to implement in a commercial scanner. This method can generate continuous high frame rate flow images with lower calculation demands than the full synthetic aperture flow imaging. The performance of the approach was investigated using Field II simulations and measurements with the experimental scanner SARUS. A laminar flow with a parabolic profile was generated by a flow rig system. The flow data were acquired by a commercial 7 MHz linear array transducer. Four emissions were transmitted sequentially and repeated 12 times corresponding to 48 emissions. Flow with a peak velocity of 0.12 m/s was measured, the relative standard deviation was 6.4%, and the bias was 7.6% (2.1% and 3.2% for the simulations). A parameter study revealed that emission spacing, number of cross-correlation functions used for averaging, and the length of the velocity searching range influence the performance. Compared to the full synthetic aperture flow imaging the total number of beamformed samples are reduced by a factor of 64 times, and the frame rate is much higher than the conventional method for the same velocity estimation accuracy.
Drosophila
H1 Regulates the Genetic Activity of Heterochromatin by Recruitment of Su(var)3-9
Authors: Lu Xingwu , Wontakal Sandeep N. , Kavi Harsh , Kim Byung Ju , Guzzardo Paloma M. , Emelyanov Alexander V. , Xu Na , Hannon Gregory J. , Zavadil Jiri , Fyodorov Dmitry V. , Skoultchi Arthur I.
Published: April 2013

Silencing Transposons

Eukaryotic DNA is packaged onto nucleosomes, which are composed of four core histones (H2A, H2B, H3, and H4). Chromatin also contains a fifth histone, H1, which binds to both the core particles and the “linker” DNA that joins adjacent nucleosomes, where it helps chromatin to fold into higher-order structures and generally silences gene expression. In
Drosophila
germline and somatic cells and tissues,

Lu
et al.

(p.
78
) found that the repressive function of H1 in vivo was directed toward transposable elements and independent of small RNA silencing pathways. Instead, H1 acted through direct recruitment of the histone methyltransferase Su(var)3–9, which methylates histone H3 lysine 9, a repressive histone mark.
Breathing Perchlorate
Authors: Nerenberg Robert
Published: April 2013

An archaeon with an unusual perchlorate-reducing metabolism raises questions about the diversity and evolution of perchlorate-reducing microorganisms.

[Also see Report by

Liebensteiner
et al.

]
How to Build a Dream-Reading Machine
Authors: Underwood Emily
Published: April 2013

Researchers successfully predicted images seen in sleep based exclusively on MRI scans of brain activity.
Retrospective Assessment of Transcription-Mediated Amplification-Based Screening for Trichomonas vaginalis in Male Sexually Transmitted Infection Clinic Patients
Authors: Munson Erik , Wenten David , Phipps Paula , Gremminger Roger , Schuknecht Mary Kay , Napierala Maureen , Hamer Deb , Olson Robin , Schell Ronald F. , Hryciuk Jeanne E.
Published: April 2013

Transcription-mediated amplification (TMA) enhances detection of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
and
Chlamydia trachomatis
from rectal and pharyngeal sources. The utility of TMA for detection of
Trichomonas vaginalis
has recently been described. We report on the performance of TMA for detection of sexually transmitted infection (STI) agents from extraurogenital sources, with a focus on
T. vaginalis
. Within a 21-month interval, 1,314 consecutive male patient encounters at an STI clinic resulted in collection of 2,408 specimens for
C. trachomatis
,
N. gonorrhoeae
, and
T. vaginalis
TMA screening. A total of 471 encounters were managed with a single specimen collection (94.9% urine), with 12.7% positive for at least one STI agent. This detection percentage increased to 14.4% with collection of specimens from two sources and to 20.3% with collection from three sources (
P
= 0.03 versus single-source sampling). A total of 44.4% of encounters were managed by collection of urine and pharyngeal specimens and 19.1% by the addition of a third (rectal) collection. While procurement of urine and rectal specimens resulted in greater detection of
C. trachomatis
(6.1% and 11.3% rates, respectively) than of other STI agents, 858 pharyngeal specimens yielded a 2.9%
T. vaginalis
detection rate compared with 2.1% for
N. gonorrhoeae
and 1.6% for
C. trachomatis
. All
T. vaginalis
pharyngeal detections were confirmed by TMA-based alternative target testing. A total of 38.1% of
T. vaginalis
-positive pharyngeal specimens were derived from symptomatic patient encounters. A total of 85.7% of males with
T. vaginalis
-positive pharyngeal collections indicated strictly heterosexual preference. Additional specimen source sampling is necessary to make STI screening comprehensive. Incorporation of extraurogenital sources into assessment for
T. vaginalis
detection may identify additional symptomatic and asymptomatic male STI carriers.
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Variants Selectively Infect and Kill Human Melanomas but Not Normal Melanocytes
Authors: Wollmann Guido , Davis John N. , Bosenberg Marcus W. , van den Pol Anthony N.
Published: April 2013

Metastatic malignant melanoma remains one of the most therapeutically challenging forms of cancer. Here we test replication-competent vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSV) on 19 primary human melanoma samples and compare these infections with those of normal human melanocyte control cells. Even at a low viral concentration, we found a strong susceptibility to viral oncolysis in over 70% of melanomas. In contrast, melanocytes displayed strong resistance to virus infection and showed complete protection by interferon. Several recombinant VSVs were compared, and all infected and killed most melanomas with differences in the time course with increasing rates of melanoma infection, as follows: VSV-CT9-M51 < VSV-M51 < VSV-G/GFP < VSV-rp30. VSV-rp30 sequencing revealed 2 nonsynonymous mutations at codon positions P126 and L223, both of which appear to be required for the enhanced phenotype. VSV-rp30 showed effective targeting and infection of multiple subcutaneous and intracranial melanoma xenografts in SCID mice after tail vein virus application. Sequence analysis of mutations in the melanomas used revealed that BRAF but not NRAS gene mutation status was predictive for enhanced susceptibility to infection. In mouse melanoma models with specific induced gene mutations including mutations of the
Braf
,
Pten
, and
Cdkn2a
genes, viral infection correlated with the extent of malignant transformation. Similar to human melanocytes, mouse melanocytes resisted VSV-rp30 infection. This study confirms the general susceptibility of the majority of human melanoma types for VSV-mediated oncolysis.
INDUSTRIAL CASE STUDIES FOR EVALUATING SEARCH BASED STRUCTURAL TESTING
Authors: VOS TANJA E. J. , BAARS ARTHUR I. , LINDLAR FELIX F. , WINDISCH ANDREAS , WILMES BENJAMIN , GROSS HAMILTON , KRUSE PETER M. , WEGENER JOACHIM
Published: April 2013

Evolutionary structural testing has been researched and promising results have been presented. However, it has hardly been applied to real-world complex systems and as such, little is known about the scalability, applicability and acceptability of it in an industrial setting. The European project EvoTest (IST-33472) team has been working from 2006 till 2009 to improve this situation and this paper informs about the results. We start with an overview of tools and techniques which we have developed for automated evolutionary structural testing. Subsequently, we describe the empirical setup used to study the applicability of evolutionary structural testing in industry through two case studies. The test objects used for the studies are selected functions (handwritten and generated) from production systems at Daimler and Berner & Mattner Systemtechnik (BMS) like, for example, Rear Window Defroster, Global Powertrain Engine Controller, Window Lift Control System, etc. The results of the case studies are described and research questions are assessed based on the obtained results. In summary, the results indicate that evolutionary structural testing in an industrial setting is worthwhile and profitable. Hardly any detailed knowledge of evolutionary computation is required to search for interesting test data. The case studies also research the benefits of using techniques like automated parameter tuning and search space smoothing.
QUASI-STATIC INFLATION SIMULATIONS BASED ON CO-ROTATIONAL TRIANGULAR SPACE MEMBRANE ELEMENTS
Authors: ERIKSSON ANDERS , FAROUGHI SHIRKO
Published: April 2013

Co-rotational triangular space membrane elements are developed for the quasi-static analysis of very thin structures subjected to pressure loadings from compressible media, aiming primarily at simulations of inflation processes. By separating rigid body motion and deformational displacement, the major part of geometric nonlinearity is treated by a co-rotational filter. With the formulation, hyper-elastic and linear elastic material models are used in the local plane element expressions. Numerical experiments show that either material model can be used in the present context, but that the linearly elastic model demands an optimal reference system. The hyper-elastic form is useful also for very large expansions, but the neo-Hookean expression chosen has some limitations for large strains. Simulations are parameterized by internal over-pressure, but an amount of injected gas can be calculated from pressure and enclosed volume. The uniqueness and stability in the response of the structures must be seen as a function of either pressure or amount of gas, dependent on the precise mechanism for inflation.
A NOVEL APPLICATION OF HIGHER CONTINUITY FINITE ELEMENT IN VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF MICRO-PLATES
Authors: FARAHMAND HAMED , AHMADI ALIREZA , ARABNEJAD SAID
Published: April 2013

In this paper, higher continuity p-version finite element, in particular two-dimensional C2 elements are utilized in studying vibrational characteristics of rectangular Flexural Micro-Plates based on the "gradient elasticity theory". In order to verify the computational procedure, results obtained from the finite element framework are compared to the classical plate theory results and to those of the micro-plate and classical plate investigations that are available in literature. Results indicate that the proposed framework, yields highly accurate results. Moreover, it is concluded that, under certain boundary conditions and length scale effects, the differences in predictions are so gross that the validity of classical theory in predicting micro-plates vibrational characteristics can be ruled out completely.
PERFORMANCE VARIATIONS OF A CABLE-STAYED BRIDGE WITH DAMAGED CABLES
Authors: YANG OU , LI HUI , OU JINPING , LI Q. S.
Published: April 2013

A cable-stayed bridge model was made based on the design drawings of Shandong Binzhou Yellow River Highway Bridge (BZB) and detailed model tests were conducted. In the tests, the cable damage effects on the loading behavior and dynamic performance of the bridge model were studied by considering different cable damages' locations, different numbers of damaged cables, and different damaged levels of cables etc. The experimental results revealed that the cable damages may significantly affect the internal forces of other cables and the stress distributions of the girders; however, they have less influence on the natural frequencies of the bridge model. In parallel with the model tests, a finite element model of the bridge structure has been established. Numerical analysis for the bridge model with cable damages was carried out to validate the experimental results and explain the phenomena observed in the model tests.
QUANTIFYING DIGIT FORCE VECTOR COORDINATION DURING PRECISION PINCH
Authors: MARQUARDT TAMARA L. , LI ZONG-MING
Published: April 2013

A methodology was established to investigate the contact mechanics of the thumb and the index finger at the digit–object interface during precision pinch. Two force/torque transducers were incorporated into an apparatus designed to overcome the thickness of each transducer and provide a flexible pinch span for digit placement and force application. To demonstrate the utility of the device, five subjects completed a pinch task with the pulps of their thumb and index finger. Inter-digit force vector coordination was quantified by examining the (1) force vector component magnitudes, (2) resultant force vector magnitudes, (3) coordination angle: the angle formed by the resultant vectors of each digit, (4) direction angle: the angle formed by each vector and the coordinate axes, and (5) center of pressure locations. It was shown that the resultant force magnitude of the index finger exceeded that of the thumb by 0.8 ± 0.3 N and that the coordination angle between the digit resultant force vectors was 160.2 ± 4.6°. The experimental apparatus and analysis methods provide a valuable tool for the quantitative examination of biomechanics and motor control during dexterous manipulation.
Studies on a Double Poisson-Geometric Insurance Risk Model with Interference
Authors: Huang Yujuan , Yu Wenguang
Published: April 2013

This paper mainly studies a generalized double Poisson-Geometric insurance risk model. By martingale and stopping time approach, we obtain adjustment coefficient equation, the Lundberg inequality, and the formula for the ruin probability. Also the Laplace transformation of the time when the surplus reaches a given level for the first time is discussed, and the expectation and its variance are obtained. Finally, we give the numerical examples.
Structural Stereochemistry of Androstene Hormones Determines Interactions with Human Androgen, Estrogen, and Glucocorticoid Receptors
Authors: Shaak Thomas L. , Wijesinghe Dayanjan S. , Chalfant Charles E. , Diegelmann Robert F. , Ward Kevin R. , Loria Roger M.
Published: April 2013

DHEA, 17α-AED, 17β-AED, and 17β-AET exhibit strong biological activity that has been attributed to androgenic, estrogenic, or antiglucocorticoid activity in vivo and in vitro. This study compared DHEA, 17α-AED, 17β-AED, and 17β-AET for their ability to activate the human AR, ER, and GR and determine the relative androgenicity, estrogenicity, and glucocorticoid activity. The results show that, at the receptor level, these androstene hormones are weak AR and even weaker ER activators. Direct androstene hormone activation of the human AR, ERα, and ERβmay not be essential for their biological function. Similarly, these hormones indirectly activated the human GR, only in the presence of high dexamethasone concentrations. These results underscore the major difference between androstene hormone interactions with these nuclear receptors and their biological effects.
Block Preconditioned SSOR Methods for -Matrices Linear Systems
Authors: Pu Zhao-Nian , Wang Xue-Zhong
Published: April 2013

We present a block preconditioner and consider block preconditioned SSOR iterative methods for solving linear system . When is an -matrix, the convergence and some comparison results of the spectral radius for our methods are given. Numerical examples are also given to illustrate that our methods are valid.
P-Glycoprotein Altered Expression in Alzheimer's Disease: Regional Anatomic Variability
Authors: Jeynes Brian , Provias John
Published: April 2013

We investigated the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in brain samples of Alzheimer disease (AD) and normative brains (NM). Superior temporal cortex hippocampal and brainstem samples from 15 AD and NM brains were selected from comparable sites. P-gp positive capillaries and β-amyloid (Aβ) senile plaques (SP) were counted. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using nonparametric data analysis with Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Spearman’s tests. There were no significant differences in P-gp expression between superior temporal and hippocampus samples. However, there were significant differences in P-gp expression, when comparing brainstem with both hippocampal and superior temporal samples in both conditions (P<0.012; P< 0.002 in NM cases and P<0.001; <0.001 in AD cases); the brainstem has greater P-gp expression in each case and condition. In addition, there was a notable inverse negative correlation (P<0.01) between P-gp expression and the presence of SPs in the AD condition superior temporal cortex. The results of this study suggest that there were significant site-dependent differences in the expression of P-gp. There may be an increased protective role for P-gp expression against amyloid deposition in the brainstem and in the superior temporal cortex of AD brains.
Supervisor Reconfiguration for Deadlock Prevention by Resources Reallocation
Authors: Liu Miao , Wang Shouguang , Li Zhiwu
Published: April 2013

Analysis and control of deadlocks play an important role in the design and operation of automated flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs). In FMS, deadlocks are highly undesirable situations, which always cause unnecessary cost. The design problem of an optimal supervisor is in general NP-hard. A computationally efficient method often ends up with a suboptimal one. This paper develops a deadlock prevention policy based on resources reallocation and supervisor reconfiguration. First, given a plant model, we reallocate the marking of each resource place to be one, obtaining a net model whose reachable states are much less than that of the original one. In this case, we find a controlled system for it by using the theory of regions. Next, the markings of the resource places in the controlled system are restored to their original ones. Without changing the structure of the obtained controlled system, we compute the markings of the monitors gradually, which can be realized by two algorithms proposed in this paper. Finally, we decide a marking for each monitor such that it makes the controlled system live with nearly optimal permissive behavior. Two FMS examples are used to illustrate the application of the proposed method and show its superior efficiency.
Meir-Keeler Type Multidimensional Fixed Point Theorems in Partially Ordered Metric Spaces
Authors: Karapınar Erdal , Roldán Antonio , Martínez-Moreno Juan , Roldán Concepcion
Published: April 2013

We study the existence and uniqueness of a fixed point of the multidimensional operators which satisfy Meir-Keeler type contraction condition. Our results extend, improve, and generalize the results mentioned above and the recent results on these topics in the literature.
Biharmonic and Quasi-Biharmonic Slant Surfaces in Lorentzian Complex Space Forms
Authors: Fu Yu
Published: April 2013

In 1991, Chen and Ishikawa initially studied biharmonic marginally trapped surfaces in neutral pseudo-Euclidean 4-space. Recently, biharmonic and quasi-biharmonic marginally trapped Lagrangian surfaces in Lorentzian complex space forms were studied by Sasahara in 2007 and 2011, respectively. In this paper we extend Sasahara's results to the case of slant surfaces in Lorentzian complex space forms. By results, we completely classify biharmonic marginally trapped slant surfaces and quasi-biharmonic marginally trapped slant surfaces in Lorentzian complex space forms.
Mutation Ant Colony Algorithm of Milk-Run Vehicle Routing Problem with Fastest Completion Time Based on Dynamic Optimization
Authors: Ma Jianhua , Sun Guohua
Published: April 2013

The objective of vehicle routing problem is usually to minimize the total traveling distance or cost. But in practice, there are a lot of problems needed to minimize the fastest completion time. The milk-run vehicle routing problem (MRVRP) is widely used in milk-run distribution. The mutation ACO is given to solve MRVRP with fastest completion time in this paper. The milk-run VRP with fastest completion time is introduced first, and then the customer division method based on dynamic optimization and split algorithm is given to transform this problem into finding the optimal customer order. At last the mutation ACO is given and the numerical examples verify the effectiveness of the algorithm.
Existence and Uniqueness of the Solution of Lorentz-Rössler Systems with Random Perturbations
Authors: Wang Xiaoying , Jiang Fei , Yin Junping
Published: April 2013

We consider a new chaotic system based on merging two well-known systems (the Lorentz and Rössler systems). Meanwhile, taking into account the effect of environmental noise, we incorporate whit-enoise in each equation. We prove the existence, uniqueness, and the moments estimations of the Lorentz-Rössler systems. Numerical experiments show the applications of our systems and illustrate the results.
Allee-Effect-Induced Instability in a Reaction-Diffusion Predator-Prey Model
Authors: Wang Weiming , Cai Yongli , Zhu Yanuo , Guo Zhengguang
Published: April 2013

We investigate the spatiotemporal dynamics induced by Allee effect in a reaction-diffusion predator-prey model. In the case without Allee effect, there is nonexistence of diffusion-driven instability for the model. And in the case with Allee effect, the positive equilibrium may be unstable under certain conditions. This instability is induced by Allee effect and diffusion together. Furthermore, via numerical simulations, the model dynamics exhibits both Allee effect and diffusion controlled pattern formation growth to holes, stripes-holes mixture, stripes, stripes-spots mixture, and spots replication, which shows that the dynamics of the model with Allee effect is not simple, but rich and complex.
Portal Hypertension in Childhood Bilateral Wilms' Tumor Survivor: An Excellent Indication for TIPS
Authors: Nakib Ghassan , Calcaterra Valeria , Brunero Marco , Goruppi Ilaria , Quaretti Pietro , Moramarco Lorenzo Paolo , Bruno Raffaele , Raffaele Alessandro , Pelizzo Gloria
Published: April 2013

Introduction. Increased pressure in portal venous system is relatively a rare complication after chemoradiotherapy for Wilms' tumor (WT). In paediatric population, feasibility and efficacy of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) in portal hypertension nonresponsive to medical or endoscopic treatment have been recently advocated. We report a case of TIPS positioning in a 15-year-old girl with portal hypertension as a long-term sequel of multimodality therapy in bilateral WT.Case Report. Two-year-old girl was diagnosed for bilateral WT. Right nephrectomy with left heminephrectomy and chemoradiotherapy were performed. At 7 years of age, the first gastrointestinal bleeding appeared, followed by another episode two years later, both were treated successfully with beta-blockers. At 15 years of age, severe unresponsive life-threatening gastroesophageal bleeding without hepatosplenomegaly was managed by TIPS. Reduction of the portosystemic pressure gradient was obtained.Conclusion. TIPS positioning for portal hypertension in long-term tumors' sequel is feasible and could be considered as an additional indication in paediatric patients.
Conceptual Design of Deployment Structure of Morphing Nose Cone
Authors: Li Junlan , Wu Jianing , Yan Shaoze
Published: April 2013

For a reusable space vehicle or a missile, the shape of the nose cone has a significant effect on the drag of the vehicle. In this paper, the concept of morphing nose cone is proposed to reduce the drag when the reentry vehicle flies back into the atmosphere. The conceptual design of the structure of morphing nose cone is conducted. Mechanical design and optimization approach are developed by employing genetic algorithm to find the optimal geometric parameters of the morphing structure. An example is analyzed by using the proposed method. The results show that optimal solution supplies the minimum position error. The concept of morphing nose cone will provide a novel way for the drag reduction of reentry vehicle. The proposed method could be practically used for the design and optimization of the deployable structure of morphing nose cone.
Assessing the Discriminative Ability and Internal Consistency of the School Outcomes Measure
Authors: Arnold Sandra H. , Kolobe Thubi H. A. , Thompson David M. , Boeckman Lindsay
Published: April 2013

The School Outcomes Measure (SOM) measures the outcomes of students who receive school-based occupational and physical therapies in the USA. This study examined the SOM’s discriminative ability and internal consistency. Descriptive data from a previous study of 73 students, classified by gross motor function classification (GMFCS) level of disability, was computed to determine the frequency of use of the SOM items and differences in subscale scores by students with various ages and levels of disability. There were no differences in mean subscale scores based on age; however students with less severe disabilities (GMFCS I–III) had higher mean scores in all subscales except expresses learning all students and behavior. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was used to examine the internal consistency of items of the SOM. The correlations between many of the items within the subscales were high (.87–.99). Lower alpha coefficients were noted when the SOM was applied to students in GMFCS Levels II and III on two subscales when compared to GMFCS Levels I, IV, and V. On the basis of this evaluation, we revised the SOM to prepare it for a national field testing to measure its construct validity.
Glucose Lowering Therapeutic Strategies for Type 2 Diabetic Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease in Primary Care Setting in France: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Grandfils N. , Detournay B. , Attali C. , Joly D. , Simon D. , Vergès B. , Toussi M. , Briand Y. , Delaitre O.
Published: April 2013

Aim. To understand glucose lowering therapeutic strategies of French general practitioners (GPs) in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods. A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted from March to June 2011 among a sample of French GPs who contribute to the IMS Lifelink Disease Analyzer database. Eligible patients were those with T2DM and moderate-to-severe CKD who visited their GPs at least once during the study period. Data were collected through electronic medical records and an additional questionnaire.Results. 116 GPs included 297 patients: 86 with stage 3a (Group 1, GFR = 45–60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and 211 with stages 3b, 4, or 5 (Group 2, GFR < 45 mL/min/1.73 m2). Patients’ mean age was approximately 75 years. Insulin was used in 19% of patients, and was predominant in those with severe CKD. More than two-thirds of patients were treated with glucose lowering agents which were either contraindicated or not recommended for CKD. Conclusion Physicians most commonly considered the severity of diabetes and not CKD in their therapeutic decision making, exposing patients to potential iatrogenic risks. The recent patient oriented approach and individualization of glycemic objectives according to patient profile rather than standard HbA1c would improve this situation.
A New Approach in Modifying Polymeric Coatings to Increase Corrosion Resistance Properties
Authors: Toloei Alisina , Atashin Sanam , Bahrololoom Mohammad Ebrahim
Published: April 2013

In this study, carbon steel sheets were coated with a modified epoxy coating. The urea-modified montmorillonite clay nanoparticles were added to a DGEBA epoxy resin in different contents and then applied to the surfaces. The corrosion resistance of the coated samples was determined by electrochemical techniques (open circuit potential and linear polarization) in 3.5 wt% NaCl solutions at room temperature and 80°C. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) evaluated the properties of polymer-coated metals and their changes during the exposure to corrosive environments. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to characterize the coatings. An improvement of protective properties of epoxy coatings with an optimal percentage of the modified clay in comparison with pure epoxy was achieved.
Pattern Formation in a Semi-Ratio-Dependent Predator-Prey System with Diffusion
Authors: Baek Hunki , Jung Dong Ick , Wang Zhi-wen
Published: April 2013

We investigate spatiotemporal dynamics of a semi-ratio-dependent predator-prey system with reaction-diffusion and zero-flux boundary. We obtain the conditions for Hopf, Turing, and wave bifurcations of the system in a spatial domain by making use of the linear stability analysis and the bifurcation analysis. In addition, for an initial condition which is a small amplitude random perturbation around the steady state, we classify spatial pattern formations of the system by using numerical simulations. The results of numerical simulations unveil that there are various spatiotemporal patterns including typical Turing patterns such as spotted, spot-stripelike mixtures and stripelike patterns thanks to the Turing instability, that an oscillatory wave pattern can be emerged due to the Hopf and wave instability, and that cooperations of Turing and Hopf instabilities can cause occurrence of spiral patterns instead of typical Turing patterns. Finally, we discuss spatiotemporal dynamics of the system for several different asymmetric initial conditions via numerical simulations.
Internal Nasal Valve Incompetence Is Effectively Treated Using Batten Graft Functional Rhinoplasty
Authors: Bewick J. C. , Buchanan M. A. , Frosh A. C.
Published: April 2013

Introduction. Internal nasal valve incompetence (INVI) has been treated with various surgical methods. Large, single surgeon case series are lacking, meaning that the evidence supporting a particular technique has been deficient. We present a case series using alar batten grafts to reconstruct the internal nasal valve, all performed by the senior author.Methods. Over a 7-year period, 107 patients with nasal obstruction caused by INVI underwent alar batten grafting. Preoperative assessment included the use of nasal strips to evaluate symptom improvement. Visual analogue scale (VAS) assessment of nasal blockage (NB) and quality of life (QOL) both pre- and postoperatively were performed and analysed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test.Results. Sixty-seven patients responded to both pre- and postoperative questionnaires. Ninety-one percent reported an improvement in NB and 88% an improvement in QOL. The greatest improvement was seen at 6 months (median VAS 15 mm and 88 mm resp., with aPvalue of <0.05 for both). Nasal strips were used preoperatively and are a useful tool in predicting patient operative success in both NB and QOL (odds ratio 2.15 and 2.58, resp.).Conclusions. Alar batten graft insertion as a single technique is a valid technique in treating INVI and produces good outcomes.
An EIRP Measurement Method for Base-Station Antennas Using Field Strengths Measured along a Single Straight Line
Authors: Oh Soon-Soo , Lee Young-Hwan
Published: April 2013

We describe an EIRP measurement technique for a base-station antenna. The proposed method especially can be applied to the base-station antenna installed in real environments. Fresnel region measurement method is an optimal technique to avoid the far-field multipath interference, and, furthermore, it could shorten the measurement time. For detecting only the field strengths along a single straight line, we also propose a simple phase-retrieval method. For verification, a simulation and experiment have been performed. An anechoic chamber was utilized in this paper before the real environment test with the outdoor measurement system. The transformed far-field pattern and EIRP agree closely with the reference data within a valid angle. The proposed method can be applied for the EIRPin situmeasurements without moving a vehicle loading the EIRP measurement apparatus.
Assessment of Bony Pelvis and Vaginally Assisted Deliveries
Authors: Korhonen Ulla , Taipale Pekka , Heinonen Seppo
Published: April 2013

Objective. To evaluate whether pelvic measurements have any association with operative vaginal deliveries and the duration of the second stage of
the delivery. Study design. A retrospective study of pregnant women at an increased risk of fetal-pelvic disproportion during 2000–2008 in North-Carelian Central Hospital. The mode of the vaginal delivery was chosen to represent the reference standard. The target condition was spontaneous vaginal delivery. Patients were divided into subgroups according to the size of the fetus and also by the parity to evaluate the variability reflecting differences in patient groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were established. Results. A total of 226 participants with fetal cephalic presentation delivered vaginally; of these, 184 women delivered spontaneously, and 42 women required operative vaginal delivery with vacuum extraction. There were no clinically or statistically significant differences between the size of the maternal pelvic outlet and the different modes of delivery types within these subgroups. With respect to the pelvic inlet and outlet, the areas under the curve in ROC were 0.566 with the
P value of 0.18 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.465–0.667 and 0.573 (95% CI: 0.484–0.622; P=0.14). Conclusions. The maternal bony pelvic dimensions exhibited virtually no correlation with the need for operative vaginal deliveries.
Studies on thePinctada fucataBMP-2 Gene: Structural Similarity and Functional Conservation of Its Osteogenic Potential within the Animal Kingdom
Authors: Takami Akiko , Kato Hirotaka , Takagi Ryousuke , Miyashita Tomoyuki
Published: April 2013

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 plays an important role in morphogenesis in both vertebrates and invertebrates. BMP-2 is one of the most powerful bioactive substances known to induce the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal cells. We examined the structural and functional conservation ofPinctada fucataBMP-2 in inducing osteogenesis in the murine mesenchymal stem cells, C3H10T1/2. Exposure of C3H10T1/2 cells to the recombinant mature fragment ofPinctada fucataBMP-2 resulted in osteoblastic differentiation. The sequence, SVPKPCCVPTELSSL, within the C-terminal portion ofPinctada fucataBMP-2, is homologous to the knuckle epitope of human BMP-2. This synthetic polypeptide was able to induce differentiation of C3H10T1/2 along the osteoblastic lineage, as confirmed by an increase in alkaline phosphatase activity, and the accumulation of calcium, as determined by von Kossa staining. Furthermore, using immunohistochemical staining, we observed an increased expression of collagen type I, osteopontin, and osteocalcin, which are known markers of osteogenesis. These results show that BMP-2 is conserved, not only in terms of its homology at the amino acid sequence, but also in terms of driving the formation of hard tissues in vertebrates and invertebrates.
18F‐Fluorothymidine‐Pet Imaging of Glioblastoma Multiforme: Effects of Radiation Therapy on Radiotracer Uptake and Molecular Biomarker Patterns
Authors: Chandrasekaran Sanjay , Hollander Andrew , Xu Xiangsheng , Benci Joseph L. , Davis James J. , Dorsey Jay F. , Kao Gary
Published: April 2013

Introduction. PET imaging is a useful clinical tool for studying tumor progression and treatment effects. Conventional 18F‐FDG‐PET imaging is of limited usefulness for imaging Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) due to high levels of glucose uptake by normal brain and the resultant signal‐to‐noise intensity. 18F‐Fluorothymidine (FLT) in contrast has shown promise for imaging GBM, as thymidine is taken up preferentially by proliferating cells. These studies were undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of 18F‐FLT‐PET in a GBM mouse model, especially after radiation therapy (RT), and its correlation with useful biomarkers, including proliferation and DNA damage. Methods. Nude/athymic mice with human GBM orthografts were assessed by microPET imaging with 18F‐FDG and 18F‐FLT. Patterns of tumor PET imaging were then compared to immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence for markers of proliferation (Ki‐67), DNA damage and repair (γH2AX), hypoxia (HIF‐1α), and angiogenesis (VEGF). Results. We confirmed that 18F‐FLT‐PET uptake is limited in healthy mice but enhanced in the intracranial tumors. Our data further demonstrate that 18F‐FLT‐PET imaging usefully reflects the inhibition of tumor by RT and correlates with changes in biomarker expression. Conclusions. 18F‐FLT‐PET imaging is a promising tumor imaging modality for GBM, including assessing RT effects and biologically relevant biomarkers.
Germanium Doping to Improve Carrier Mobility in CdO Films
Authors: Dakhel A. A.
Published: April 2013

This investigation addresses the structural, optical, and electrical properties of germanium incorporated cadmium oxide (CdO : Ge) thin films. The focus was on the improvement in carrier mobility to achieve high transparency for near-infrared light and low resistivity at the same time. The properties were studied using X-ray diffraction, SEM, spectral photometry, and Hall measurements. All CdO : Ge films were polycrystalline with high texture orientation along [111] direction. It was observed that it is possible to control the carrier concentration () and mobility () with Ge-incorporation level. The mobility could be improved to a highest value of  cm2/V·s with Ge doping of 0.25 wt% while maintaining the electrical resistivity as low as  Ω·cm and good transparency % in the NIR spectral region. The results of the present work proved to select Ge as dopant to achieve high carrier mobility with low resistivity for application in transparent conducting oxide (TCO) field. Generally, the properties found make CdO : Ge films particularly interesting for the application in optoelectronic devices like thin-film solar cells.
On Intuitionistic Fuzzy Context-Free Languages
Authors: Jin Jianhua , Li Qingguo , Li Chunquan
Published: April 2013

Taking intuitionistic fuzzy sets as the structures of truth values, we propose the notions of intuitionistic fuzzy context-free grammars (IFCFGs, for short) and pushdown automata with final states (IFPDAs). Then we investigate algebraic characterization of intuitionistic fuzzy recognizable languages including decomposition form and representation theorem. By introducing the generalized subset construction method, we show that IFPDAs are equivalent to their simple form, called intuitionistic fuzzy simple pushdown automata (IF-SPDAs), and then prove that intuitionistic fuzzy recognizable step functions are the same as those accepted by IFPDAs. It follows that intuitionistic fuzzy pushdown automata with empty stack and IFPDAs are equivalent by classical automata theory. Additionally, we introduce the concepts of Chomsky normal form grammar (IFCNF) and Greibach normal form grammar (IFGNF) based on intuitionistic fuzzy sets. The results of our study indicate that intuitionistic fuzzy context-free languages generated by IFCFGs are equivalent to those generated by IFGNFs and IFCNFs, respectively, and they are also equivalent to intuitionistic fuzzy recognizable step functions. Then some operations on the family of intuitionistic fuzzy context-free languages are discussed. Finally, pumping lemma for intuitionistic fuzzy context-free languages is investigated.
Lithium Toxicity in the Setting of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Medications
Authors: Hassan Syed , Khalid Fatima , Alirhayim Zaid , Amer Syed
Published: April 2013

Lithium toxicity is known to affect multiple organ systems, including the central nervous system. Lithium levels have been used in the diagnosis of toxicity and in assessing response to management. There is evidence that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) can increase lithium levels and decrease renal lithium clearance. We present a case of lithium toxicity, which demonstrates this effect and also highlights the fact that lithium levels do not correlate with clinical improvement, especially the neurological deficit.
Positive Steady States of a Strongly Coupled Predator-Prey System with Holling-(n+1) Functional Response
Authors: Feng Xiao-zhou , Wang Zhi-guo
Published: April 2013

This paper discusses a predator-prey system with Holling-(n+1) functional response and the fractional type nonlinear diffusion term in a bounded domain under homogeneous Neumann boundary condition. The existence and nonexistence results concerning nonconstant positive steady states of the system were obtained. In particular, we prove that the positive constant solution(u~,v~)is asymptotically stable when the parameterksatisfies some conditions.
Infusion Rate Escalation Study of Rituximab in Patients with CD20+ B-Cell Lymphomas: A Single Institution Analysis in Japan
Authors: Yokoyama Masahiro , Terui Yasuhito , Takeuchi Kengo , Nara Eriko , Nakano Kenji , Ueda Kyoko , Nishimura Noriko , Mishima Yuko , Sakajiri Sakura , Tsuyama Naoko , Ozawa Keiya , Hatake Kiyohiko
Published: April 2013

Background. To determine the maximum tolerable infusion rate of rituximab, and investigate the safety and feasibility of rapid infusion of rituximab for patients with CD20 positive B-cell lymphomas (CD20+NHL). Patients and Methods. 18 patients with CD20+NHL were registered. This study had six cohorts of administration rate of rituximab. The median age was 56 years (range, 38–79), and five of 18 patients were male. Two patients (11%) with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma were receiving R-CHOP therapy, two (11%) with indolent lymphoma were receiving R-CVP therapy, and 14 (78%) with indolent lymphoma were receiving rituximab as maintenance therapy. Results. A total of 88 cycles of rituximab was administered. Rapid infusion of rituximab was well tolerated, with only one grade 3 leukocytepenia and one grade 4 neutropenia. Four patients (22%) developed grade 1 infusion-related toxicities at the first administration of rituximab. No patient with severe drug-related events was observed.
Conclusions. We determined that the maximum tolerable infusion rate of rituximab is 300 mL/h (under 700 mg/h), and confirmed that administration of over 60 minutes is safe and feasible. We recommend rapid administration of rituximab for practice setting in patients with CD20+NHL being treated with rituximab or rituximab-containing chemotherapy. (Clinical trial no. JFCR2009-1027).