bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Clinical Outcomes Associated with a Novel Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation System in the Knee
Authors: Long William J. , Greene Joseph W. , Cushner Fred D.
Published: March 2016

Background. Osteochondral defects of the knee are a common finding at the time of arthroscopic intervention. Purpose/Hypothesis. To report our outcomes after utilizing a new technique of osteochondral allograft transplantation for focal cartilage defects. Study Design. Case series. Methods. All patients treated with osteochondral allograft transplantation with a Zimmer Chondrofix plug (Zimmer Inc., Warsaw, IN) for focal cartilage defects over a 12-month period were followed up at a minimum of 24 months. Failures were documented and radiographs were evaluated. Results. 61 knees (58 patients) underwent grafting. Three cases were lost to follow-up. In the remaining 58 cases the average age was 40 (range 18–59). At a mean follow-up of 28 months (range 24–36), there were 5 failures requiring further surgery. Mean KOOS scores in the Pain, Symptoms, ADL, Sports, and Quality of Life dimensions were 82, 79, 84, 66, and 58, respectively. Radiographs demonstrated maintenance of the subchondral bone without graft absorption or subsidence. Conclusions. Our observations suggest that osteochondral allograft transplantation leads to a satisfactory activity level and function at early follow-up while avoiding the inherent complexities associated with other cartilage restoration techniques. Longer follow-up is warranted to monitor the subchondral bone, articular surface, and patient outcome measures.
Fuzzy Risk Analysis for a Production System Based on the Nagel Point of a Triangle
Authors: Akyar Handan
Published: March 2016

Ordering and ranking fuzzy numbers and their comparisons play a significant role in decision-making problems such as social and economic systems, forecasting, optimization, and risk analysis problems. In this paper, a new method for ordering triangular fuzzy numbers using the Nagel point of a triangle is presented. With the aid of the proposed method, reasonable properties of ordering fuzzy numbers are verified. Certain comparative examples are given to illustrate the advantages of the new method. Many papers have been devoted to studies on fuzzy ranking methods, but some of these studies have certain shortcomings. The proposed method overcomes the drawbacks of the existing methods in the literature. The suggested method can order triangular fuzzy numbers as well as crisp numbers and fuzzy numbers with the same centroid point. An application to the fuzzy risk analysis problem is given, based on the suggested ordering approach.
Transurethral Unroofing of a Symptomatic Imperforate Cowper’s Syringocele in an Adult Male
Authors: Awad Mohannad A. , Alwaal Amjad , Harris Catherine R. , Zaid Uwais B. , Gaither Thomas W. , Osterberg E. Charles , Breyer Benjamin N.
Published: March 2016

Cystic dilatation of bulbourethral gland ducts (Cowper’s gland syringocele) is a rare abnormality. The condition has been described among pediatric populations, but it is uncommon in adults. It can be asymptomatic or present with obstructive and irritative urinary symptoms. We report a case of a symptomatic imperforate Cowper’s syringocele in a young patient that was successfully managed with transurethral unroofing of the cyst.
An Algorithm for Identifying the Isomorphism of Planar Multiple Joint and Gear Train Kinematic Chains
Authors: Zou Yanhuo , He Peng
Published: March 2016

Isomorphism identification of kinematic chains is one of the most important and challenging mathematical problems in the field of mechanism structure synthesis. In this paper, a new algorithm to identify the isomorphism of planar multiple joint and gear train kinematic chains has been presented. Firstly, the topological model (TM) and the corresponding weighted adjacency matrix (WAM) are introduced to describe the two types of kinematic chains, respectively. Then, the equivalent circuit model (ECM) of TM is established and solved by using circuit analysis method. The solved node voltage sequence (NVS) is used to determine the correspondence of vertices in two isomorphism identification kinematic chains, so an algorithm to identify two specific types of isomorphic kinematic chains has been obtained. Lastly, some typical examples are carried out to prove that it is an accurate, efficient, and easy mathematical algorithm to be realized by computer.
Stable Voice Clusters Identified When Using the Maximum versus Minimum Intensity Curve in the Phonetogram
Authors: Camarrone Flavio , Ivanova Anna , Decoster Wivine , de Jong Felix , van Hulle Marc M.
Published: March 2016

Objective: To examine whether the minimum as well as the maximum voice intensity (i.e. sound pressure level, SPL) curves of a voice range profile (VRP) are required when discovering different voice groups based on a clustering analysis. In this approach, no a priori labeling of voice types is used. Patients and Methods: VRPs of 194 (84 male and 110 female) professional singers were registered and processed. Cluster analysis was performed with the use of features related to (1) both the maximum and minimum SPL curves and (2) the maximum SPL curve only. Results: Features related to the maximum as well as the minimum SPL curves showed three clusters in both male and female voices. These clusters, or voice groups, are based on voice types with similar VRP features. However, when using features related only to the maximum SPL curve, the clusters became less obvious. Conclusion: Features related to the maximum and minimum SPL curves of a VRP are both needed in order to identify the three voice clusters.
Long-Term Outcome Data in Patients following One Year's Use of a Fully Implantable Active Middle Ear Implant
Authors: Uhler Kristin , Anderson Melinda C. , Jenkins Herman A.
Published: March 2016

This study examined the safety and efficacy of a fully implantable active middle ear (AMEI) system. Outcome measures assessed AMEI performance compared with an optimally fitted conventional hearing aid (CHA). Fifty adults with stable, symmetric moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss were implanted at 9 ambulatory settings. Consonant-Nucleus-Consonant (CNC) words, Bamford-Kowel-Bench Speech in Noise test (BKB-SIN), Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB), and unaided hearing thresholds in the implanted ear were compared to baseline measures obtained using a personal CHA. Changes in thresholds were observed from pre- to 12-month postoperative assessments. CNC word scores decreased (within 10%), and the BKB-SIN showed no change from pre- to 12-month postoperative time points. The APHAB revealed improvement. Findings suggest no difference in performance between an appropriately fit CHA and the AMEI at 12 months. This study indicates AMEIs have the potential to help individuals who choose not to use CHAs.
Intravitreous Injection of Interleukin-6 Leads to a Sprouting in the Retinotectal Pathway at Different Stages of Development
Authors: Menezes Grasielle D. , Goulart Vanessa G. , Espírito-Santo Sheila , Oliveira-Silva Priscilla , Serfaty Claudio Alberto , Campello-Costa Paula
Published: March 2016

Objective: The development of retinotectal pathways form precise topographical maps is usually completed by the third postnatal week. Cytokines participate in the development and plasticity of the nervous system. We have previously shown that in vivo treatment with interleukin 2 disrupts the retinocollicular topographical order in early stages of development. Therefore, we decided to study the effect of a single intravitreous injection of IL-6 upon retinotectal circuitry in neonates and juvenile rats. Materials and Methods: Lister Hooded rats received an intravitreous injection of IL-6 (50 ng/ml) or vehicle (PBS) at either postnatal day (PND)10 or PND30 and the ipsilateral retinotectal pathway was evaluated 4 or 8 days later, respectively. Results: Our data showed that, at different stages of development, a single IL-6 intravitreous treatment did not produce an inflammatory response and increased retinal axon innervation throughout the visual layers of the superior colliculus. Conclusions: Taken together, our data provide the first evidence that a single intravitreous injection with IL-6 leads to sprouting in the subcortical visual connections and suggest that small changes in IL-6 levels might be sufficient to impair the correct neuronal circuitry fine-tuning during brain development.
Neurothekeoma of the Cornea
Authors: Naguib Mina M. , Craven Caroline , Kozarsky Alan , Grossniklaus Hans E.
Published: March 2016

Neurothekeomas (NTKs) are benign cutaneous neoplasms of fibrohistiocytic origin and most commonly occur in the head, neck, and upper extremities. Traditionally, NTK and nerve sheath myxoma (NSM) were classified as subtypes of a single neoplasm with a common histogenesis, but recently immunostaining has demonstrated that the lesions are most likely of distinct cellular origin. Rarely, NTKs have been reported to occur in the ocular adnexa, and the present case of a 39-year-old female is the first to describe a cellular NTK originating in the cornea and mimicking a Salzmann's nodular degeneration. This report describes the clinical and pathological findings of the patient, discusses the changes in the classification of these rare neoplasms in light of advances in immunohistochemistry, and reviews all cases of ocular NTK found in the literature.
The Noise Reduction over Wireless Channel Using Vector Quantization Compression and Filtering
Authors: Elawady Iman , Moulay Lakhdar Abdelmounaim , Mustapha Khelifi
Published: March 2016

The transmission of compressed data over wireless channel conditions represents a big challenge. The idea of providing robust transmission gets a lot of attention in field of research. In this paper we study the effect of the noise over wireless channel. We use the model of Gilbert-Elliot to represent the channel. The parameters of the model are selected to represent three cases of channel. As data for transmission we use images in gray level size 512x512. To minimize bandwidth usage we compressed the image with vector quantization also in this compression technique we study the effect of the codebook in the robustness of transmission so we use different algorithms to generate the codebook for the vector quantization finally we study the restoration efficiency of received image using filtering and indices recovery technique.
High Speed Power Efficient CMOS Inverter Based Current Comparator in UMC 90 nm Technology
Authors: Bhatia Veepsa , Pandey Neeta , Bhattacharyya Asok
Published: March 2016

A novel power-speed efficient current comparator is proposed in this paper. It comprises of only CMOS inverters in its structure, employing a simple biasing method. The structure offers simplicity of design. It posesses the very desirable features of high speed and low power dissipation, making this structure a highly desirable one for various current mode applications. The simulations have been performed using UMC 90 nm CMOS technology and the results demonstrate the propagation delay of about 3.1 ns and the average power consumption of 24.3 µW for 300 nA input current at supply voltage of 1V.
Multi-input DC-AC Inverter for Hybrid Renewable Energy Power System
Authors: Rosli Mohd Azman , Yahaya Nor Zaihar , Baharudin Zuhairi
Published: March 2016

The objective of this paper is to design a multi-input dc-ac inverter integrated photovoltaic array, wind turbine and fuel cell in order to simplify the hybrid power system and reduce the cost.  The output power characteristics of the photovoltaic array, wind turbine and fuel cell are introduced. The operational principle and technical details of the proposed multi-input dc-ac inverter is then explained. The proposed inverter consists of a three input flyback dc-dc converter and a single phase full bridge dc-ac inverter. The control strategy for the proposed inverter to distribute the power reasonably to the sources and it achieved a priority of the new energy utilization is discussed. This multi-input dc-ac inverter is capable of being operated in five conditions and power delivered to the ac load can be either individually or simultaneously. First to third condition occurs when the power delivered from either renewable energy sources individually, fourth condition happens when power is demanded from two sources simultaneously, and finally when power are available from three sources simultaneously. The proposed inverter has been simulated by employing NI Multisim 12.0 circuit simulator.
Replacement of Analog Automatic Voltage Regulator using Digital Technology
Authors: Mukti Ersalina Werda , Wijanarko Sulistyo , Muqorobin Anwar
Published: March 2016

Before the 90’s, many power plants in Indonesia were equipped with analog controllers and now those power plants are still in operation to produce electricity. One of those controller parts is Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR). If a failure occurs in the AVR, the economic solution is by replacing the damaged electronic component with new component. However this method will not solve the problem if the components are not available in local market or become obsolete. Purchasing the new AVR that compatible with other controller parts cannot be done again because the analog controllers are no longer produced by the vendor. Furthermore, replacement of all the controllers with the current technology become expensive.  According to this, an alternative solution is proposed in this paper by designing an AVR that compatible with other controller parts and considering the availability of the electronic components in local market. ATmega8 microcontroller is used to implement a digital AVR and employing op amp based as its signal conditioning. The result shows that the digital AVR can reduce hardware size and power consumption. The digital AVR also meets the computation rate of the computation signal.
QoS Design Consideration for Enterprise and Provider’s Network at Ingress and Egress Router for VoIP protocols
Authors: Kolhar Manjur , M Abualhaj Mosleh , Rizwan Faiza
Published: March 2016

Compliance with the Service Level Agreement (SLA) metric is a major challenge in a Multiprotocol Label Switching Virtual Private Network (MPLS VPN) because mandatory models must be maintained on both sides of the MPLS VPN in order to achieve end-to-end service levels. The end-to-end service of an MPLS VPN can be degraded owing to various issues such as distributed denial of service (DDoS), and Random Early Detection (RED) that prevents congestion and differentiates between legitimate and illegitimate user traffic. In this study, we propose a centralized solution that uses a SLA Violation Detector (SLAVD) and intrusion detection to prevent SLA violation.
3LRM-3 Layer Risk Mitigation Modelling of ICT Software Development Projects
Authors: Firdose Salma , Rao L. Manjunath
Published: March 2016

With the adoption of new technology and quality standards, the software development firms are still encountering the critical issues of risk modelling. With the changing dynamics of customer needs, potential competition has being mushrooming in the global IT markets to relay a new standard of software engineering which has higher capability of sustaining risk.  However, till date, it is still theoretical to large extent from research viewpoint. Hence, this paper presents a mathematical model called as 3LRM that is designed with the simple approach keeping in mind the real-time issues of risk factors in software engineering for ICT software development project. The study has also identified requirement volatility as one of the prominent source of risk and hence, the framework intends to identify a risk as well as mitigating the risk to a large extent. The paper is illustrated with some of the simple statistical approaches of random probability.
Application of Component Criticality Importance Measures in Design Scheme of Power Plants
Authors: Bisanovic Smajo , Samardzic Mersiha , Aganovic Damir
Published: March 2016

This paper presents application of component criticality importance measures in phase of preparation and design of power plants. These measures provide a numerical rank to determine which components are more important for power plant reliability improvement or more critical for power plant failure. Identifying critical components for power plant reliability provides an important input for decision-making and guidance throughout the development project. The study on several schematic design options of conventional thermal power plant show that the importance measures can be used as an effective tool to assess component criticality in the project phase of new production capacities.
A Study on the Effect of Consumer Involvement and Affect Intensity before and after Plagiarism Suspicion on the Purchase Intention of Music Goods
Authors: Jo Jin-Wan , Shin Mi-Hae , Kim Young-Chul
Published: March 2016

This study aims to examine the effect of consumers' involvement and affect intensity on the purchase intention of music items. In particular  domestically, there is no clear standard for judgment of plagiarism, and thus it is expected that plagiarism suspicion is likely to affect consumers' involvement and affect intensity, and as a result, their purchase intention as well. Accordingly, consumer characteristics (involvement, affect intensity) were chosen as independent variables, and consumers' purchase intention on music items as a subordinate variable, respectively. The first questionnaire-based survey was conducted before the awareness of plagiarism suspicion, followed by the second survey after the awareness of plagiarism suspicion. It turned out that the higher level of involvement and affect intensity, both of which are consumer characteristics, the higher level of purchase intention of music goods. While plagiarism suspicion caused C.R values to decrease in every item, a significant difference was observed only in the relation of ‘involvement - purchase intention’. This study shows that music items which involve plagiarism suspicion result in changes in consumers' purchase intention, which will cause damage to the creators and performers of related music items. Thus, for the development of the music industry and creative activity, tools and standards that can clearly distinguish plagiarism need to be developed.
A Comparison of the Query Execution Algorithms in Secure Database System
Authors: Jang Young-Dal , Kim Ji-Hong
Published: March 2016

In accordance with the database management, DAS(Database as Service) model is one solution for outsourcing. However, we need some data protection mechanisms in order to maintain the database security The most effective algorithm to secure databases from the security threat of third party attackers is to encrypt the sensitive data within the database. However, once we encrypt the sensitive data, we have difficulties in queries execution on the encrypted database. In this paper, we focus on the search process on the encrypted database. We proposed the selective tuple encryption method using Bloom Filter which could tell us the existence of the data. Finally, we compare the search performance between the proposed method and the other encryption methods we know.
A Polynomial Digital Pre-Distortion Technique Based on Iterative Architecture
Authors: Lee Kwang-Pyo , Hong Soon-Il , Jeong Eui-Rim
Published: March 2016

A digital predistortion (DPD) technique based on an iterative adaptation structure is proposed for linearizing power amplifiers (PAs). To obtain proper DPD parameters, a feedback path that converts the PA’s output to a baseband signal is required, and memory is also needed to store the baseband feedback signals. DPD parameters are usually found by an adaptive algorithm by using the transmitted signals and the corresponding feedback signals. However, for the adaptive algorithm to converge to a reliable solution, long feedback samples are required, which increases hardware complexity and cost. Considering that the convergence time of the adaptive algorithm highly depends on the initial condition, we propose a DPD technique that requires relatively shorter feedback samples. Specifically, the proposed DPD iteratively utilizes the short feedback samples in memory while keeping and using the DPD parameters found at the former iteration as the initial condition at the next iteration. Computer simulation shows that the proposed technique performs better than the conventional technique, as the former requires much shorter feedback memory than the latter.
Defect Detection in Ceramic Images Using Sigma Edge Information and Contour Tracking Method
Authors: Kim Kwang-Baek , Woo Young Woon
Published: March 2016

In this paper, we suggest a method of detecting defects by applying Hough transform and least squares on ceramic images obtained from non-destructive testing. In the ceramic images obtained from non-destructive testing, the background area, where the defect does not exist, commonly shows gradual change of luminosity in vertical direction. In order to extract the background area which is going to be used in the detection of defects, Hough transform is performed to rotate the ceramic image in a way that the direction of overall luminosity change lies in the vertical direction as much as possible. Least squares is then applied on the rotated image to approximate the contrast value of the background area. The extracted background area is used for extracting defects from the ceramic images. In this paper we applied this method on ceramic images acquired from non-destructive testing. It was confirmed that extracted background area could be effectively applied for searching the section where the defect exists and detecting the defect.
Influence of Gate Material and Process on Junctionless FET Subthreshold Performance
Authors: A Riyadi Munawar , D Sukawati Irawan , Prakoso Teguh , Darjat Darjat
Published: March 2016

The recent progress of dimension scaling of electronic device into nano scale has motivated the invention of alternative materials and structures. One new device that shows great potential to prolong the scaling is junctionless FET (JLFET). In contrast to conventional MOSFETs, JLFET does not require steep junction for source and drain. The device processing directly influence the performance, therefore it is crucial to understand the role of gate processing in JLFET. This paper investigates the influence of gate material and process on subthreshold performance of junctionless FET, by comparing four sets of gate properties and process techniques. The result shows that in terms of subthreshold slope, JLFET approaches near ideal value of 60 mV/decade, which is superior than the SOI FET for similar doping rate. On the other hand, the threshold value shows different tendencies between those types of device.
A cognitive approach for evaluating the usability of Storage as a Service in Cloud Computing Environment
Authors: Roy Sharmistha , Pattnaik Prasant Kumar , Mall Rajib
Published: March 2016

Cloud computing is a style of computing which thrives users requirements by delivering scalable, on-demand and pay-per-use IT services. It offers different service models, out of which Storage as a Service (StaaS) is the fundamental block of Infrastructure cloud that fulfills user’s excess demand of elastic computing resources.  But considering the competitive business scenario choosing the best cloud storage provider is a difficult task. Thus, usability is considered to be the key performance indicator which evaluates the better cloud storage based on user’s satisfaction. This paper aims to focus on the usability evaluation of StaaS providers namely Google drive, Drop box and One drive. This paper proposed a fuzzy based AHP model for measuring user satisfaction. Usability evaluation is carried out based on user feedback through Interview and Questionnaire method. Analysis of user feedback is done based on the fuzzy approach in order to remove vaguness. Whereas, AHP model is used for measuring satisfaction degree of the different cloud storage services and it solves the problem of selecting best cloud storage.
Designing and Simulation of Surrounding Supporting Multicast Routing Protocol
Authors: Mahaboob Jani Shaik , Umar Syed , Prasada Rao P.V.R.D , Gutta Sridevi
Published: March 2016

In the Wireless sensor networks having of multi-hop transmission in the Adhoc networks. These Adhoc networks having advantages of limited bandwidth and mobility which is more useful for the changing of and usage of various protocols, so that these Adhoc networks having energy conservation, simple to construct, robustness. In this paper we are proposing a new protocol called Surrounding supporting multicast routing protocol [SSMRP]. This protocol uses the mesh networks to enhance the resilience against change of node. This SSMRP utilizes the node locality which reduces the overhead of the route maintenance and it also reduces the route for good data transmissions. In this paper we clearly explain how the data will be delivered   efficiently by reducing the overheads.
Use of Photovoltaics in Microgrid as Energy Source and Control Method Using MATLAB/SIMULINK
Authors: Rahman Sumaiya , Rahman Hasimah Abdul
Published: March 2016

Microgrid in power system has drawn wide attention due to its significant benefits in terms of sustainable energy system in recent years. This approach is the most economical alternative to conventional energy system which uses Renewable Energy (RE) resources. RE sources ensure pollution free and clean environment by emitting zero CO2. This paper proposes a design of a microgrid system using solar photovoltaics (PV) as the Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and a controlling method for managing the components of microgrid by using MATLAB/SIMULINK. The results show that microgrid system is promising as alternative to replace the fossil fuel based energy system. Integration of an effective controller can help to manage the loads and resources, resulting in more stable and reliable. 
The Analytic Utility (and Practical Pitfalls) of Accountability
Authors: Hoffmann Matthew
Published: March 2016

This forum provides commentary on five accountability articles in this issue. In response to those pieces, it advances the argument that the study of accountability through the framework proposed by Kramarz and Park (and demonstrated by the empirical articles) can uncover key political dynamics that drive the design of global environmental governance initiatives. The utility of the practical application of accountability measures to ensure good design, rather than proper implementation, is less clear. Using the framework to study accountability does, however, provide an opening for debates over initiative design that may lead to improvements in global environmental governance outcomes.
The Politics of Accountability in Networked Urban Climate Governance
Authors: Gordon David J.
Published: March 2016

Cities are increasingly seen as essential components of the global response to climate change: setting targets, taking action, and rendering themselves accountable to global audiences for their efforts. Why cities are making themselves globally accountable in the absence of compulsion or obligation, and what it means for cities to operate simultaneously as global and locally accountable actors, constitute important puzzles for scholars of global climate politics. In this article I set out the basic parameters of this phenomenon, and offer a conceptual framework with which to parse the politics of accountability in networked urban climate governance. I apply this framework to identify three distinct forms of accountability present in the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group: an external politics of recognition; a network politics of ordering, and; an internal politics of translation. The article explores each for their distinct political processes, orientation, and power dynamics, and offers some propositions with respect to how they interact, and what it means both locally and globally when cities make themselves globally accountable.
On the Teleological Threshold: Dostoevsky’s Execution of the Execution Motif
Authors: Johae Antony
Published: March 2016

The traumatic event in the author’s life – a mock execution – has found its way into his works, both fiction and non-fiction, in an almost obsessively repetitious manner. Dostoevsky finds this original trauma analogous to many kinds of “threshold” events in which the moment before the final crossing over – be it murder, confession or a proposal of marriage – is experienced similarly as one of heightened awareness and acute intensity. The paper explores such “threshold” events in Dostoevsky’s opus.
Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard in the Context of State Censorship: Problem Statement (with a Postscript on the ‘Hostage Syndrome’). Part I.
Authors: Zohrab Irene
Published: March 2016

Readers of diverse persuasions have viewed Fedor Dostoevsky (1821- 1881) and Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) as precursors of existentialism. The intention of this paper is to reconsider this perceived affinity between the two writers in the context of State censorship operating during their lifetimes in their respective countries, one writing and publishing in Imperial Russia that upheld the official Greco-Russian Orthodox Church, and the other in the Kingdom of Denmark with its State Lutheran Church.
“Outer” and “Inner” Body in Mikhail Bakhtin’s Literary Theory
Authors: Horváth Géza S.
Published: March 2016

Bakhtin subordinates the experience of the body to the experience of the action, to the participation in the event of being. The world's thickening into body around the man is named as a new reality, an “aesthetic reality” by Bakhtin: “the artist and art as a whole create a completely new vision of the world, a new image of the world, a new reality of the world’s mortal flesh [реальность смертной плоти мира], unknown to any of the other clturally creative activities. [. . .] Aesthetic activity collects the world scattered in meaning and condenses it into a finished and self-contained image [образ]. This constitutes the analogy of the body and the artistic form for the creative view. The aesthetic activity gathers and thickens into a complete, sufficient- for-itself image the world dispersed from the perspective of the sense. The problem of the outer and inner body is treated in this paper in the light of Bakhtin’s philosophy of the act and being.
The Tenuipalpidae of Turkey, with a key to species (Acari: Trombidiformes)
Authors: ÇOBANOĞLU SULTAN , UECKERMANN EDWARD ALBERT , SAĞLAM HAYRİYE DİDEM
Published: March 2016

A new Turkish species of Tenuipalpidae, Aegyptobia juniperi sp. nov., is described and seven previously recorded species are redescribed: Aegyptobia beglarovi Livshitz & Mitrofanov 1967, Brevipalpus rotai Castagnoli & Pegazzano, 1979, Cenopalpus bagdasariani (Livshitz & Mitrofanov, 1970), Cenopalpus bakeri Düzgüneş, 1967, Phytoptipalpus salicicola (Al-Gboory, 1987), Tenuipalpus granati Sayed, 1946 and Tenuipalpus punicae Pritchard & Baker, 1958. A key to the 28 species of Tenuipalpidae from Turkey is provided. Cenopalpus bagdasariani, B. rotai and A. beglarovi are new records for Turkey.
New species of microcaddisflies from China (Trichoptera: Hydroptilidae)
Authors: ZHOU LEI , YANG LIAN-FANG , MORSE JOHN C.
Published: March 2016

Five new species of hydroptilids in four genera are described from China, including three new species in Hydroptilinae: Agraylea dactylina n. sp., Allotrichia rhynchophyllum n. sp., and Microptila hamatilis n. sp.; and two new species in Stactobiinae: Stactobiella mutica n. sp. and Stactobiella parallelica n. sp. New records are given for Stactobiella biramosa Martynov 1929 and Pseudoxyethira thingana (Oláh) 1989. Genera Agraylea, Allotrichia, Stactobiella, and Microptila are new to Chinese fauna.
Three new species of Leptoceridae Leach 1815 (Insecta: Trichoptera) from Shan State, Myanmar
Authors: LAUDEE PONGSAK , MALICKY HANS
Published: March 2016

Three new species of Leptoceridae, including Ceraclea satasookae n. sp., Setodes siribumrungsukhai n. sp., and S. salweenensis n. sp. are described and figured from Shan State, Myanmar. Twenty-two species of Leptoceridae were found and 21 of them are new records to the country.
Vertical Structure of Upper-Ocean Seasonality: Extratropical Spiral versus Tropical Phase Lock
Authors: Chen Ge , Wang Xuan , Qian Chengcheng
Published: March 2016

Seasonality is a fundamental feature of the coupled ocean–atmosphere system. The hemispherically opposite general pattern at the air–sea interface is well known, but its penetrative behavior below the sea surface is poorly understood. Over 10 years of Argo data reveal for the first time the spiral-like structure of vertical seasonality in the upper extratropical ocean: the amplitude (strength of annual sea temperature variability) decreases rapidly with depth while the phase (peaking time) rotates from August (February) at the sea surface to December (June) at the bottom of the mixed layer in the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere under a clockwise representation. It is found that, analogous to the Ekman current spiral, the oceanic seasonality is almost reversed at approximately 500-m depth with about 5% of the surface intensity left. In contrast, the seasonality of subtropical oceans below the thermocline exhibits a phase-lock pattern around May and October to the north and south of the equator, respectively. Meanwhile, a systematic westward progression of annual phase corresponding to the warmest month is observed in the equatorial regions between 10°S and 10°N. It is suggested that the seasonality spiral of extratropical oceans occurs as a result of the vertical decay of solar penetration in tandem with delayed annual maximum mixing in the context of buoyancy and turbulent induced convections, while the month of full summer appears to be “constant” May (October) in the subtropical oceans of the Northern (Southern) Hemisphere under the stratified subsurface layer due to a 9-month trapping of penetrating solar energy from May (October) to next January (June). The vertically locked westward annual phase progression in the equatorial regions is likely to be a consequence of the first baroclinic mode of β-refracted annual Rossby waves. The spiral and phase-lock behaviors of the upper oceans are of critical significance to the understanding of mixed layer and thermocline dynamics.
Identification, Collection, and Preservation of Veterinary Forensic Evidence
Authors: Touroo R. , Fitch A.
Published: March 2016

Although it is the obligation of the veterinary forensic pathologist to be competent in identifying, collecting, and preserving evidence from the body, it is also necessary for them to understand the relevance of conditions on the crime scene. The body is just one piece of the puzzle that needs to be considered when determining the cause of death. The information required for a complete postmortem analysis should also include details of the animal’s environment and items of evidence present on the crime scene. These factors will assist the veterinary forensic pathologist in the interpretation of necropsy findings. Therefore, the veterinary forensic pathologist needs to have a basic understanding of how the crime scene is processed, as well as the role of the forensic veterinarian on scene. In addition, the veterinary forensic pathologist must remain unbiased, necessitating an understanding of evidence maintenance and authentication.
The Impact of an Art Program on an Inpatient Oncology Unit
Authors: Ferszt Ginette G. , Massotti Elaine , Williams Jane , Miller Jean R.
Published: March 2016

Although there is a growing body of literature describing the benefits of creative arts in health care, research in this area is limited. This article describes an exploratory qualitative research study that examines the potential benefits of an arts program on an inpatient oncology unit located in a major medical center in New England. Semistructured interviews of seven patients and seven nurses who cared for these patients were conducted following participation in an established arts program. Benefits included improved patient coping with pain, improved nurse-patient communication, and improved attitude toward hospitalization.
Particle entrapment and indentation process in rolling bearings
Authors: Morales Espejel Guillermo E , Gabelli Antonio
Published: March 2016

In this paper, a complete engineering model for particle entrapment in rolling bearings and consequences in raceway indentations is presented. The attention is focussed on the conditions for particle entrapment once the particles are in contact with the two rolling surfaces. After the entrapment, the model follows the particle trajectory within the contact. The particle deformation is then calculated and finally an elastic-plastic contact model is applied to simulate the eventual raceway indentation. Laboratory experiments with a single contact device as well as full bearing tests were performed to validate the models. The comparisons between model and experiments show good agreement in the number and type of indentations.
Are We Getting Any Better? A Study on Repair Integrity in 1600 Consecutive Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repairs
Authors: McColl Hayden , Lam Patrick Hong , Murrell George A.
Published: March 2016

Objectives:

Post-operative retear is the most common surgical complication following rotator cuff repair with reported rates ranging from 11% to 94%. There have been a number of advancements in the technology and management of rotator cuff repair which may have improved retear rates. The aim of this study was to determine if there has been any improvements in rotator cuff repair integrity in our centre and, to identify any changes in the management of rotator cuff tears that may have impacted post-operative re tear rate.

Methods:

This observational single cohort study used running average analysis to examine 1600 consecutive patients who underwent primary arthroscopic rotator cuff repair by a single surgeon, and had cuff integrity assessed by ultrasound six months post operation. Exclusion criteria included revision rotator cuff repairs, isolated subscapularis repairs, and irreparable tears.

Results:

Retear rates over the course of our study ranged from 3% to 34%, with the mean retear rate being 15%. The retear rate at the commencement of our study was 18% and decreased to 5% by the end. Reductions in retear were associated with; more passive rehabilitation, more attention to post-operative abduction sling use, increased surgical team experience. Increases in retear rates were associated with; increased false positives with a more sensitive ultrasound machine and, learning curves with new equipment for surgeon and sonographer.

Conclusion:

A significant decrease in retear rate following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair was observed over the course of our study with the re-tear rate at the end of the study being 5%. While the study design does not allow us to directly attribute changes in retear rate to changes in management, our results suggest that less aggressive rehabilitation, abduction sling use and increased surgeon experience decrease postoperative retear.
Factors associated with medication adherence in school-aged children with asthma
Authors: Chan Amy H.Y. , Stewart Alistair W. , Foster Juliet M. , Mitchell Edwin A. , Camargo Carlos A. , Harrison Jeff
Published: March 2016

Adherence to preventive asthma treatment is poor, particularly in children, yet the factors associated with adherence in this age group are not well understood.

Adherence was monitored electronically over 6 months in school-aged children who attended a regional emergency department in New Zealand for an asthma exacerbation and were prescribed twice-daily inhaled corticosteroids. Participants completed questionnaires including assessment of family demographics, asthma responsibility and learning style. Multivariable analysis of factors associated with adherence was conducted.

101 children (mean (range) age 8.9 (6–15) years, 51% male) participated. Median (interquartile range) preventer adherence was 30% (17–48%) of prescribed. Four explanatory factors were identified: female sex (+12% adherence), Asian ethnicity (+19% adherence), living in a smaller household (−3.0% adherence per person in the household), and younger age at diagnosis (+2.7% for every younger year of diagnosis) (all p<0.02).

In school-aged children attending the emergency department for asthma, males and non-Asian ethnic groups were at high risk for poor inhaled corticosteroid adherence and may benefit most from intervention. Four factors explained a small proportion of adherence behaviour indicating the difficulty in identifying adherence barriers. Further research is recommended in other similar populations.
isomiR-SEA: an RNA-Seq analysis tool for miRNAs/isomiRs expression level profiling and miRNA-mRNA interaction sites evaluation
Authors: Urgese Gianvito , Paciello Giulia , Acquaviva Andrea , Ficarra Elisa
Published: March 2016

Background

Massive parallel sequencing of transcriptomes, revealed the presence of many miRNAs and miRNAs variants named isomiRs with a potential role in several cellular processes through their interaction with a target mRNA. Many methods and tools have been recently devised to detect and quantify miRNAs from sequencing data. However, all of them are implemented on top of general purpose alignment methods, thus providing poorly accurate results and no information concerning isomiRs and conserved miRNA-mRNA interaction sites.

Results

To overcome these limitations we present a novel algorithm named isomiR-SEA, that is able to provide users with very accurate miRNAs expression levels and both isomiRs and miRNA-mRNA interaction sites precise classifications. Tags are mapped on the known miRNAs sequences thanks to a specialized alignment algorithm developed on top of biological evidence concerning miRNAs structure. Specifically, isomiR-SEA checks for miRNA seed presence in the input tags and evaluates, during all the alignment phases, the positions of the encountered mismatches, thus allowing to distinguish among the different isomiRs and conserved miRNA-mRNA interaction sites.

Conclusions

isomiR-SEA performances have been assessed on two public RNA-Seq datasets proving that the implemented algorithm is able to account for more reliable and accurate miRNAs expression levels with respect to those provided by two compared state of the art tools. Moreover, differently from the few methods currently available to perform isomiRs detection, the proposed algorithm implements the evaluation of isomiRs and conserved miRNA-mRNA interaction sites already in the first alignment phases, thus avoiding any additional filtering stages potentially responsible for the loss of useful information.
Introduction to this special section: Offshore geophysical applications/OTC
Authors: Dev Ashwani , Torres-Verdín Carlos
Published: March 2016

The special section in this issue of The Leading Edge focuses on offshore geophysical applications. Its publication is aligned with the annual Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), which takes place 2–5 May in Houston, Texas. The OTC is one of the most popular and well-attended conferences, which is largely focused on drilling and drilling equipment.
Professional Development
Authors: Chávez-Pérez Sergio
Published: March 2016

I served as the SEG Honorary Lecturer (HL) for the Latin America region from August to December 2015. I love communication, presentations, exchange of ideas, and workshops dealing with knowledge and experience transfer, as they are a great part of my work, but I never expected to do something like the HL tour. My nomination and election were completely unexpected, but I assure you that it has truly been a great privilege and a very high honor to be part of this effort. I am a much better professional — and human being — after the tour. Let me explain why.
Phenotype and Treatment of Breast Cancer in HIV-Positive and -Negative Women in Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Langenhoven Lizanne , Barnardt Pieter , Neugut Alfred I. , Jacobson Judith S.
Published: March 2016

Purpose

An estimated 5.9 million people in South Africa are infected with HIV. Because antiretroviral therapy has made infection with HIV a treatable, chronic condition, HIV-infected individuals are now surviving to middle and older age. We investigated the implications of HIV status for breast cancer in South Africa.

Methods

We compared clinical and demographic characteristics of women newly diagnosed with a first primary breast cancer at Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa, from January 2010 to December 2011 by HIV status. We then compared HIV-positive patients with HIV-negative controls, matched 2:1 on age and ethnicity, with respect to chemotherapy regimens, toxicities, completion of systemic chemotherapy, and changes in CD4 cell count.

Results

Of 586 women with breast cancer, 31 (5.3%) were HIV positive, 420 (71.7%) were HIV negative, and 135 (23%) were untested for HIV. Women with HIV were younger than other women (P < .001). The groups did not differ in regard to stage at presentation, histologic subtype, tumor grade, nodal involvement, or hormone receptor positivity. More than 84% of patients who initiated systemic chemotherapy, regardless of HIV status, completed it without serious toxicity. Among HIV-positive patients receiving chemotherapy, the mean baseline CD4 cell count was 477 cells/µL (standard deviation, 160 cells/µL), and the mean nadir was 333 cells/µL (standard deviation, 166 cells/µL).

Conclusion

HIV-infected women were younger at breast cancer diagnosis than HIV-negative women but otherwise similar in phenotype and completion of chemotherapy. Longer term follow-up is needed to evaluate the effects of HIV, antiretroviral therapy, and chemotherapy on the survival and quality of life of patients with breast cancer.
Knockdown of TC-1 enhances radiosensitivity of non-small cell lung cancer via the Wnt/β-catenin pathway
Authors: Wu Dapeng , Li Lei , Yan Wei
Published: March 2016

Thyroid cancer 1 (TC-1, C8ofr4) is widely expressed in vertebrates and associated with many kinds of tumors. Previous studies indicated that TC-1 functions as a positive regulator in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its exact role and regulation mechanism in radiosensitivity of NSCLC are still unclear. The expression level of TC-1 was measured by qRT-PCR and western blot in NSCLC cell lines. Proliferation and apoptosis of NSCLC cells in response to TC-1 knockdown or/and radiation were determined by MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was further examined by western blot in vitro and in vivo. Compared to TC-1 siRNA or radiotherapy alone, TC-1 silencing combined with radiation inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis in NSCLC cell lines by inactivating of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Furthermore, inhibition of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway by XAV939, a Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibitor, contributed to proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induction in NSCLC A549 cells. Combinative treatment of A549 xenografts with TC-1 siRNA and radiation caused significant tumor regression and inactivation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway relative to TC-1 siRNA or radiotherapy alone. The results from in vitro and in vivo studies indicated that TC-1 silencing sensitized NSCLC cell lines to radiotherapy through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
Long-Run Impacts of Childhood Access to the Safety Net
Authors: Hoynes Hilary , Schanzenbach Diane Whitmore , Almond Douglas
Published: March 2016

We examine the impact of a positive and policy-driven change in economic resources available in utero and during childhood. We focus on the introduction of the Food Stamp Program, which was rolled out across counties between 1961 and 1975. We use the Panel Study of Income Dynamics to assemble unique data linking family background and county of residence in early childhood to adult health and economic outcomes. Our findings indicate access to food stamps in childhood leads to a significant reduction in the incidence of metabolic syndrome and, for women, an increase in economic self-sufficiency. (JEL I12, I38, J24)