bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Directed flight and optimal airspeeds: homeward‐bound gulls react flexibly to wind yet fly slower than predicted
Authors: McLaren James D. , Shamoun‐Baranes Judy , Camphuysen C. J. , Bouten Willem
Published: November 2015

Birds in flight are proposed to adjust their body orientation (heading) and airspeed to wind conditions adaptively according to time and energy constraints. Airspeeds in goal‐directed flight are predicted to approach or exceed maximum‐range airspeeds, which minimize transport costs (energy expenditure per unit distance) and should increase in headwinds and crosswinds. Diagnosis of airspeed adjustment is however obscured by uncertainty regarding birds' goal‐directions, transport costs, interrelations with orientation strategy and the attainability of predicted behaviour. To address these issues, we tested whether gulls minimized transport costs through adjustment of airspeed and heading to wind conditions during extended inbound flight over water (180–360 km) to their breeding colony, and introduce a methodology to assess transport (energy) efficiency given wind conditions. Airspeeds, heading, flight mode and energy expenditure were estimated using GPS tracking, accelerometer and wind data. Predicted flight was determined by simulating each trip according to maximum‐range airspeeds and various orientation strategies. Gulls employed primarily flapping flight (93%), and negotiated crosswinds flexibly to exploit both high altitude tailwinds and coastal soaring opportunities. We demonstrate that predicted airspeeds in heavy crosswinds depend strongly on orientation strategy and presumed preferred direction. Measured airspeeds increased with headwind and crosswind similarly to maximum‐range airspeeds based on full compensation for wind drift, yet remained ∼ 30% lower than predicted by all strategies, resulting in slower and 30–35% costlier flight. Interestingly, more energy could be saved through adjustment of airspeed (median 40%) than via orientation strategy (median 4%). Therefore, despite remarkably flexible reaction to wind at sea, these gulls evidently minimized neither time nor energy expenditure. However, airspeeds were possibly over‐predicted by current aerodynamic models. This study emphasizes the importance of accounting for orientation strategy when assessing airspeed adjustments to wind and indicates that either the cost or adaptive ‘currency’ of extended flight among gulls may require revision.
Eggshell biliverdin concentration does not sufficiently predict eggshell coloration
Authors: Butler Michael W. , Waite Haleigh S.
Published: November 2015

Avian eggshell coloration may have arisen due to selection on the biological, chemical, or physical properties of the pigments embedded within the eggshell, or due to selection on the coloration that emerges due to pigment deposition. Within both hypothetical frameworks, pigment‐based eggshell coloration would be related to metrics of egg quality; however, no one has evaluated the relative strength of coloration and pigment concentration in predicting egg quality. Here, we examined 66 European starling Sturnus vulgaris eggs and quantified eggshell biliverdin concentration (an antioxidant that produces the eggshell's blue coloration) and used 28 different coloration metrics derived from both photographic and spectrophotometric data. We also measured egg size, eggshell thickness, concentration of carotenoids in the yolk, and concentration of lysozyme in the albumen to capture variation in egg quality. We found that throughout the laying sequence, biliverdin concentration increased while eggshell thickness, yolk carotenoid concentration, and lysozyme concentration in the albumen all decreased, but this variation was not captured by any eggshell coloration metric. Both eggshell coloration and biliverdin concentration were negatively associated with yolk carotenoid concentration, but only eggshell biliverdin concentration was negatively associated with yolk mass. Lastly, biliverdin concentration explained, at most, only 46% of the variation for all eggshell coloration metrics. Our results suggest biliverdin concentration is a better predictor of egg quality than egg coloration in European starlings, supporting the hypothesis that eggshell pigment concentration per se may be the target of selection.
Indochinese‐Sundaic faunal transition and phylogeographical divides north of the Isthmus of Kra in Southeast Asian Bulbuls (Aves: Pycnonotidae)
Authors: Dejtaradol Ariya , Renner Swen C. , Karapan Sunate , Bates Paul J. J. , Moyle Robert G. , Päckert Martin
Published: November 2015

Aim

For terrestrial organisms, a faunal transition zone between the Indochinese and Sundaic regions is delimited north of the Isthmus of Kra on the Thai‐Malay Peninsula. We used a mitochondrial marker to test the predicted location of intraspecific north–south divides for four species of bulbuls (Pycnonotus). Phylogenetic relationships among Thai‐Malay populations and their closest relatives from the Greater Sundas were reconstructed from a multilocus data set including 35 Pycnonotus species.

Location

Indochina, Thai‐Malay Peninsula, Greater Sundas.

Methods

We sampled target species along a north–south transect spanning the Isthmus of Kra and reconstructed phylogeographical patterns based on ND2 haplotype networks. Phylogenies were reconstructed using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Divergence time estimates were inferred from single‐locus and multilocus data using *beast.

Results

We found mitochondrial north–south divides in all target species. Haplotypes of southern genetic clusters were distributed all across the Thai‐Malay Peninsula and north into Central Thailand. Local overlap of genetic lineages was confirmed at one location in one species only. In three of the focal species, the southern limits of southern haplotype clusters were restricted to the Thai‐Malay Peninsula and did not extend into the Greater Sundas. Peninsular north–south divides were dated to the late Pleistocene, whereas Indochinese‐Sundaic lineage divergence was dated to the late Pliocene.

Main conclusions

Population boundaries did not coincide with the Isthmus of Kra, but instead were located north of the Thai‐Malay Peninsula in Central Thailand. Only one of four divides represented an Indochinese‐Sundaic transition. Different phylogeographical patterns among target species were presumably shaped by different ecological preferences in Pleistocene palaeohabitats. Pliocene Indochinese‐Sundaic lineage divergence in bulbuls coincides with strong vegetational changes on the Peninsula that shaped two phytogeographical transitions. Distribution limits of bird species roughly coincide with these transition zones and therefore the avifaunal Thai‐Malay transition represents a broad zone rather than a sharp boundary.
Study of light emission and collection in a transparent dielectric cantilever‐based near‐field optical probe
Authors: MOURCHED B. , NATIVEL E.L. , KRIBICH R. , FALGAYRETTES P. , GALL‐BORRUT P.
Published: November 2015

We report the design of a new type of scanning near‐field optical microscopy probes combining the advantages of both tapered optical fibres type and cantilever type commercial scanning near‐field optical microscopy probes. The material is an organomineral synthesized by the sol‐gel method. This material matches mechanical and optical performances for such a scanning near‐field optical microscopy probe fabrication. Numerical calculations were carried out using finite element method in order to study the optical transmission of the probe in emission and collection modes. The influence of the probe geometry on the intensity distribution in the vicinity of the aperture and in the extremity of the cantilever is studied in details.
A Behavioral Theory of Sustainable Supply Chain Management Decision Making in Non‐exemplar Firms
Authors: Kirchoff Jon F. , Omar Ayman , Fugate Brian S.
Published: November 2015

Empirical evidence shows that investments in sustainable supply chain management can improve economic‐based performance. Thus, based on standard economic theory, rational business decision makers should and will implement sustainable supply chain management practices. However, through inductive research methods, we uncovered an intriguing theme that runs counter to both the existing empirical evidence and such economic‐based assumptions. We find that managers operating in firms without exemplary sustainable supply chain management practices face immense hurdles in developing a business case for implementing sustainability initiatives. Despite the lack of such practices—and in tension with the prevailing empirical evidence and theory—the firms within which these managers operate were performing well on economic‐based performance metrics. Departing from the neoclassical economic theory of the firm, we apply the Behavioral Theory of the Firm's theoretical assumptions to findings which suggest four segments of managers in non‐exemplary firms who vary based primarily on how they perceive strategic vulnerability, evaluate choices, and utilize sustainability knowledge.
Assessing vertebrate biodiversity in a kelp forest ecosystem using environmental DNA
Authors: Port Jesse A. , O'Donnell James L. , Romero‐Maraccini Ofelia C. , Leary Paul R. , Litvin Steven Y. , Nickols Kerry J. , Yamahara Kevan M. , Kelly Ryan P.
Published: November 2015

Preserving biodiversity is a global challenge requiring data on species’ distribution and abundance over large geographic and temporal scales. However, traditional methods to survey mobile species’ distribution and abundance in marine environments are often inefficient, environmentally destructive, or resource‐intensive. Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a new means to assess biodiversity and on much larger scales, but adoption of this approach for surveying whole animal communities in large, dynamic aquatic systems has been slowed by significant unknowns surrounding error rates of detection and relevant spatial resolution of eDNA surveys. Here, we report the results of a 2.5 km eDNA transect surveying the vertebrate fauna present along a gradation of diverse marine habitats associated with a kelp forest ecosystem. Using PCR primers that target the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene of marine fishes and mammals, we generated eDNA sequence data and compared it to simultaneous visual dive surveys. We find spatial concordance between individual species’ eDNA and visual survey trends, and that eDNA is able to distinguish vertebrate community assemblages from habitats separated by as little as ~60 m. eDNA reliably detected vertebrates with low false‐negative error rates (1/12 taxa) when compared to the surveys, and revealed cryptic species known to occupy the habitats but overlooked by visual methods. This study also presents an explicit accounting of false negatives and positives in metabarcoding data, which illustrate the influence of gene marker selection, replication, contamination, biases impacting eDNA count data and ecology of target species on eDNA detection rates in an open ecosystem.
A review of the strategies used to reduce the prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia in infants aged 6–36 months
Authors: Pratt O.
Published: November 2015

Iron deficiency (ID) and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) are global public health concerns that impact on infants worldwide in low and middle income populations. There is indication that ID affects long‐term neurodevelopment and that these effects could be irreversible. The present study reviews the strategies available to reduce the prevalence of ID and IDA in 6‐12 month‐old infants.

A comprehensive review was carried out to identify all relevant studies. Four databases were searched: The Cochrane Library, PubMed/MEDLINE, Leeds Metropolitan Discover and Google Scholar up to 1 November 2014. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), quasi‐randomised trials and non‐randomised trials investigating the effects of preventative strategies on the prevalence of ID and IDA in infants were included. Primary outcome measures were haemoglobin concentration, anaemia, iron deficiency and iron status. Identified articles were assessed against quality criteria, and a data extraction template was implemented to source all relevant information. A total of 1038 articles were identified by the initial search, with eight trials fitting the criteria for more detailed critical evaluation. Of the final eight articles reviewed, two trials investigated the effect of micronutrient sprinkles, two trials assessed iron‐fortified milk programmes, two trials investigated the effect of iron supplementation, one trial evaluated food‐based strategies, and one trial looked at the efficacy of different strategies to treat ID and IDA. Micronutrient sprinkles proved successful in reducing percentage prevalence of ID by an average of 20% as well as significantly increasing mean haemoglobin levels; additionally, iron‐fortified milk programmes resulted in a significant reduction in percentage prevalence of IDA. Results of the iron supplementation trials were mixed, with one trial showing no difference between intervention and control groups for the incidence of ID and IDA whilst the other trial showed a dose–response effect in the daily supplementation group compared to the control group. Programmes focusing on iron rich food consumption were also unconvincing, with only red meat intake shown to help prevent the decline of iron stores. Results indicate that there are numerous beneficial strategies to reduce ID and IDA in young infants. Larger RCTs of longer duration are needed to determine the effects of timing and dose of these treatments, particularly the use of micronutrient sprinkles which are not commonly used in Europe but show promising results.
Vitamin D: Sunshine vs. diet vs. pills
Authors: Buttriss J. L.
Published: November 2015

One in five people in the UK is known to have a low serum vitamin D level (25‐hydroxy vitamin D below 25 nmol/l) according to the National Diet and Nutrition Survey. The Summer of 2015 saw publication of a draft report from the government's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN), which proposes introduction of dietary reference values (DRVs) for all age groups (not just those considered as vulnerable).

The health outcome identified as the basis for setting DRVs for vitamin D was musculoskeletal health (based on rickets, osteomalacia, falls, risk of falling and muscle strength). The data were not sufficient to establish a distribution of serum 25(OH)D concentrations or a clear threshold serum 25(OH)D concentration to support musculoskeletal health outcomes, but the evidence overall suggests that the risk of poor musculoskeletal health is increased at serum 25(OH)D concentrations below 25 nmol/l. Therefore, SACN selected a serum 25(OH)D concentration of 25 nmol/l, on a precautionary basis, as the target concentration to protect all individuals from poor musculoskeletal health. This concentration was considered to be a ‘population protective level’ (i.e. the concentration that 97.5% of individuals in the UK should be above, throughout the year, in order to protect musculoskeletal health).

After establishing the health outcomes linked with low vitamin D status, the next step in estimating DRVs for vitamin D was translation of the serum 25(OH)D concentration of 25 nmol/l into a dietary intake value that represents the reference nutrient intake (RNI) for vitamin D [i.e. the average daily vitamin D intake that would be sufficient to maintain a serum 25(OH)D concentration of at least 25 nmol/l in 97.5% of individuals in the UK]. The average vitamin D intake refers to the mean or average intake over the long‐term and takes account of day‐to‐day variations in vitamin D intake. It was not possible to quantify the sunlight exposure required in the summer months to maintain a winter serum 25(OH)D concentration of at least 25 nmol/l because of the number of factors that affect endogenous vitamin D synthesis, storage and utilisation. Instead, use was made of a series of three randomised controlled trials, conducted in the winter months, to estimate directly the amount of vitamin D required daily to achieve a serum threshold of 25 nmol/l throughout the year. The RNI proposed by SACN for all people aged 4 and above is 10 μg/day. For younger children, a Safe Intake of 8.5–10 μg/day (depending on age) is proposed.

These recommendations bring alignment with many other countries of the world. As dietary intakes from food are typically well below the 10 μg/day proposed by SACN for most age groups, media reports speculated on how this advice might be achieved in practice.
Update on the role of maternal diet in pregnancy and the programming of infant body composition
Authors: Blumfield M. L.
Published: November 2015

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy is a major environmental factor that can programme offspring health outcomes in later life. Evidence is now available to suggest a role for maternal diet in the programming of infant body composition. Infant body composition may be modifiable by nutritional interventions in the mother, particularly those that focus on balancing protein and carbohydrate intakes. Offspring susceptibility to disease in adulthood is likely to relate to body composition in infanthood and thus must be investigated in future studies. This article provides an update on the role of maternal diet in the programming of infant body composition. Current challenges and implications for research and practice are also discussed.
Eating disorders in South Asia: Should we be concerned?
Authors: Hoodbhoy Z. , Zahid N. , Iqbal R.
Published: November 2015

Eating disorders are a group of psychiatric conditions characterised by disturbances in eating behaviour along with severe concern regarding bodyweight and shape, which appear to be on the rise in South Asian countries. These disorders are commonly observed in young individuals and are caused by a complex interaction of genetic, biological, psychological and social factors and associated with a wide range of adverse physical, psychological and social consequences. Treatment of these disorders can be quite expensive as it requires specialised care from a multidisciplinary team. Hence, prevention of eating disorders is essential; this should focus on modifiable risk factors such as the media and low self‐esteem, which contribute to body image dissatisfaction in young people and increases their risk of developing an eating disorder. This article provides recommendations for prevention of eating disorders specifically in the South Asian context.
S6 kinase phosphorylated at T229 is involved in tau and actin pathologies in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Sonoda Yuma , Tooyama Ikuo , Mukai Hideyuki , Maeda Kiyoshi , Akiyama Haruhiko , Kawamata Toshio
Published: November 2015

The 70‐kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinase (S6K), a serine/threonine kinase that modulates the phosphorylation of the 40S ribosomal protein S6, regulates cell cycle progression and is known as a tau kinase in Alzheimer's disease (AD). In AD brains, neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) have been shown to be positively stained with antibodies against S6K proteins phosphorylated at T389 (pT389‐S6K) or T421/S424 (pT421/S424‐S6K) by the mammalian target of rapamycin and mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways, respectively. However, there is little information available about S6K proteins directly phosphorylated at T229 (pT229‐S6K) by the PI3K‐PDK1 pathway. In the present study, we investigated the distribution of pT229‐S6K in post mortem human brain tissues from elderly (control) and patients with AD using immnunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. pT229‐S6K immunoreactivity was localized to small granular structures in neurons and endothelial cells in control and AD brains. In AD brains, intense pT229‐S6K immunoreactivity was detected in 16.3% of AT8‐positive NFTs, neuropil threads, and dystrophic neurites in the hippocampus and other vulnerable brain areas. In addition, Hirano bodies were also positive for pT229‐S6K but were negative for pT389‐S6K or pT421/S424‐S6K. The present results indicate that S6K phosphorylation via the PI3K‐PD1 pathway is involved in tau pathology in NFTs and abnormal neurites as well as actin pathology in Hirano bodies.
Falls in critical care: a local review to identify incidence and risk
Authors: Richardson Annette , Carter Rachel
Published: November 2015

Background

Patient falls are the most common adverse event in hospitals, resulting in devastating physical, psychological and financial consequences. Therefore the emphasis on falls assessment and prevention is a key priority. Within hospitals those reported at greatest risk of falls are older patients with little known about the factors within critical care. At a local level, a practice development project was identified to review risk factors contributing to falls in critical care.

Aims

To identify the incidence of falls within adult critical care and the risk factors most likely to contribute to a fall.

Methods

Reported falls incidents were reviewed retrospectively using a local incident reporting system, over a 2‐year period from four critical care units.

Findings

Forty‐two incidents were reviewed indicating a low rate of injury and low rate of occurrence (0·99 falls/1000 bed days). The median age of fallers was 58 years and the most common risk factor for falls was confusion or agitation, followed by patients attempting to mobilize against advice.

Discussion

Critically ill patients were less likely to fall and were more likely to be younger than patients falling on an acute care ward. Neuroscience/trauma critically ill patients were more likely to fall than general critically ill patients; this was expected to be because of the increased presence of confusion or agitation in this group. The local system used to report falls produced difficulties in identifying risk factors in a consistent way. Although limitations exist, this review has enabled the development of more suitable local critical care falls risk factor assessment and interventions to minimize the risk of falling.

Conclusions

Fall rates, related injuries and circumstances of falls vary considerably among acute care and critical care specialities. Future work should concentrate on better falls reporting systems and further research should include validating risk factors for critical care falls.
Optical diagnostic systems for assessing head and neck lesions
Authors: Green B , Tsiroyannis C , Brennan PA
Published: November 2015

Novel optical‐based diagnostic systems are promising technologies that can be used in the clinic providing the clinician with an adjunct to histopathological assessment and facilitating rapid diagnosis for patients. Aided by the use of differing wavelengths of light, these systems are capable of detecting changes within tissues and provide immediate results. We reviewed the most common optical biopsy systems to detect oral and head and neck lesions and discussed their clinical applications.
Respiratory allergies in childhood: Recent advances and future challenges
Authors: Caminati Marco , Durić‐Filipović Ivana , Arasi Stefania , Peroni Diego G. , Živković Zorica , Senna Gianenrico
Published: November 2015

The burden of allergic airway diseases still represents a major health problem in childhood. Despite many different options are currently available for the diagnostic work‐up and management, the overall disease control in terms of impact on quality of life, morbidity and mortality, is not yet satisfactory. The extreme variability of individual risk factors and severity determinants may account for it. On the other side, the knowledge of the multifaceted allergy background could pave the way to primary prevention, early intervention and disease course modification. In fact, most of current research is focusing on the identification of biological and clinical predictive markers of allergy and asthma onset. This review aims at summarizing the latest achievements concerning the complex inter‐relation between genetic predisposition and environmental factors, and their impact on prevention strategies and early identification of at risk subjects. An update on the diagnostic and monitoring tools as well as an insight into the newest treatments options is also provided.
Horseshoe crab phylogeny and independent colonizations of fresh water: ecological invasion as a driver for morphological innovation
Authors: Lamsdell James C.
Published: November 2015

Xiphosurids are an archaic group of aquatic chelicerate arthropods, generally known by the colloquial misnomer of ‘horseshoe crabs’. Known from marine environments as far back as the earlyOrdovician, horseshoe crabs are generally considered ‘living fossils’ – descendants of a bradytelic lineage exhibiting little morphological or ecological variation throughout geological time. However, xiphosurids are known from freshwater sediments in thePalaeozoic andMesozoic; furthermore, the contention that xiphosurids show little morphological variation has never been tested empirically. Attempts to test this are hampered by the lack of a modern phylogenetic framework with which to explore different evolutionary scenarios. Here,Ipresent a phylogenetic analysis ofXiphosurida and explore patterns of morphospace and environmental occupation of the group throughout thePhanerozoic.Xiphosurids are shown to have invaded non‐marine environments independently at least five times throughout their evolutionary history, twice resulting in the radiation of major clades – bellinurines and austrolimulids – that occupied novel regions of morphospace. These clades show a convergent ecological pattern of differentiation, speciation and subsequent extinction. Horseshoe crabs are shown to have a more dynamic and complex evolutionary history than previously supposed, with the extant species representing only a fraction of the group's past ecological and morphological diversity.
On Whether we Can See Intentions
Authors: Spaulding Shannon
Published: November 2015

Direct Perception is the view that we can see others' mental states, i.e. that we perceive others' mental states with the same immediacy and directness that we perceive ordinary objects in the world. I evaluate Direct Perception by considering whether we can see intentions, a particularly promising candidate for Direct Perception. I argue that the view equivocates on the notion of intention. Disambiguating the Direct Perception claim reveals a troubling dilemma for the view: either it is banal or highly implausible.
Think of the Children! Epistemic Justification and Cognitively Unsophisticated Subjects
Authors: Stoutenburg Gregory
Published: November 2015

I undermine the argument that ‘high’ epistemic standards are false because children and other cognitively unsophisticated subjects possess justification while lacking certain logical and epistemic concepts. I argue, instead, that the standards we often use to attribute logical and epistemic concepts to ordinary, cognitively sophisticated adults can easily be seen to cover many unsophisticated subjects; therefore, the alleged lack of certain concepts is no basis for rejecting ‘high’ epistemic standards. Whether or not such standards are correct has to be argued on other grounds.
Activating the Mind: Descartes' Dreams and the Awakening of the Human Animal Machine
Authors: Waldow Anik
Published: November 2015

In this essay I argue that one of the things that matters most to Descartes' account of mind is that we use our minds actively. This is because for him only an active mind is able to re‐organize its passionate experiences in such a way that a genuinely human, self‐governed life of virtue and true contentment becomes possible. To bring out this connection, I will read the Meditations against the backdrop of Descartes' correspondence with Elisabeth. This will reveal that in Descartes' writings there is a crucial connection between the conception of ourselves as dreamers and the idea that we fail to realize our true potential as self‐determined, active agents. Dreams, as Descartes conceives them, are passively received mental states that inhibit our freedom to use reason at will. To awaken here takes the form of activating our thoughts, which holds the key to freeing ourselves from the stimulus‐response patterns that Descartes takes to be at work in animal conduct. Applied to the Meditations, these insights suggest that this work engages in questions far beyond the epistemological agenda. By activating the mind, the Meditations teach us how to realize our true human potential as virtuous thinkers and passionate agents.
Sensitivity Actually
Authors: Blome‐Tillmann Michael
Published: November 2015

A number of prominent epistemologists claim that the principle of sensitivity “play[s] a starring role in the solution to some important epistemological problems” (DeRose 2010: 161; also Nozick 1981). I argue that traditional sensitivity accounts fail to explain even the most basic data that are usually considered to constitute their primary motivation. To establish this result I develop Gettier and lottery cases involving necessary truths. Since beliefs in necessary truths are sensitive by default, the resulting cases give rise to a serious explanatory problem for the defenders of sensitivity accounts. It is furthermore argued that attempts to modally strengthen traditional sensitivity accounts to avoid the problem must appeal to a notion of safety—the primary competitor of sensitivity in the literature. The paper concludes that the explanatory virtues of sensitivity accounts are largely illusory. In the framework of modal epistemology, it is safety rather than sensitivity that does the heavy explanatory lifting with respect to Gettier cases, lottery examples, and other pertinent cases.
Mucinous cystic tumor with CK20 and CDX2 expression of the thymus: Is this a benign counterpart of adenocarcinoma of the thymus, enteric type?
Authors: Akiba Jun , Harada Hiroshi , Yokoyama Shintaro , Hashiguchi Toshihiro , Kawahara Akihiko , Mitsuoka Masahiro , Takamori Shinzo , Yano Hirohisa
Published: November 2015

Primary thymic adenocarcinoma is extremely rare. Moreover, thymic pure epithelial benign neoplasms are extremely rare. We encountered a cystic tumor almost purely composed of goblet cell‐like mucus‐producing cells of the thymus. A mass lesion of the mediastinum was detected in a 54‐year‐old man. The gross specimen presented a unilocular cystic lesion containing abundant mucin, measuring 8 × 5.5 × 4.5 cm. Microscopic examination revealed a cystic tumor consisting of bland mucus‐producing cells resembling goblet cells and forming tiny daughter cysts within the dense fibrous capsule. No destructive growth or infiltration into surrounding thymic tissue was observed. Papillary growth was found in a small focus. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin 20 and caudal type homobox 2, which are representative markers of enteric differentiation. The patient has been well without any recurrence for approximately ten years after the operation. Thus, the tumor should be regarded as a mucinous cystic tumor in the thymus. Very recently, thymic adenocarcinoma with enteric differentiation was proposed as a novel subtype of thymic carcinoma. This case could be regarded as a benign counterpart of adenocarcinoma of the thymus, enteric type. A further follow‐up study is required to confirm the exact biological behavior of this tumor.
A Bayesian Semiparametric Model for Radiation Dose‐Response Estimation
Authors: Furukawa Kyoji , Misumi Munechika , Cologne John B. , Cullings Harry M.
Published: November 2015

In evaluating the risk of exposure to health hazards, characterizing the dose‐response relationship and estimating acceptable exposure levels are the primary goals. In analyses of health risks associated with exposure to ionizing radiation, while there is a clear agreement that moderate to high radiation doses cause harmful effects in humans, little has been known about the possible biological effects at low doses, for example, below 0.1 Gy, which is the dose range relevant to most radiation exposures of concern today. A conventional approach to radiation dose‐response estimation based on simple parametric forms, such as the linear nonthreshold model, can be misleading in evaluating the risk and, in particular, its uncertainty at low doses. As an alternative approach, we consider a Bayesian semiparametric model that has a connected piece‐wise‐linear dose‐response function with prior distributions having an autoregressive structure among the random slope coefficients defined over closely spaced dose categories. With a simulation study and application to analysis of cancer incidence data among Japanese atomic bomb survivors, we show that this approach can produce smooth and flexible dose‐response estimation while reasonably handling the risk uncertainty at low doses and elsewhere. With relatively few assumptions and modeling options to be made by the analyst, the method can be particularly useful in assessing risks associated with low‐dose radiation exposures.
Principal Causal Effect Identification and Surrogate end point Evaluation by Multiple Trials
Authors: Jiang Zhichao , Ding Peng , Geng Zhi
Published: November 2015

Principal stratification is a causal framework to analyse randomized experiments with a post-treatment variable between the treatment and end point variables. Because the principal strata defined by the potential outcomes of the post-treatment variable are not observable, we generally cannot identify the causal effects within principal strata. Motivated by a real data set of phase III adjuvant colon cancer clinical trials, we propose approaches to identifying and estimating the principal causal effects via multiple trials. For the identifiability, we remove the commonly used exclusion restriction assumption by stipulating that the principal causal effects are homogeneous across these trials. To remove another commonly used monotonicity assumption, we give a necessary condition for the local identifiability, which requires at least three trials. Applying our approaches to the data from adjuvant colon cancer clinical trials, we find that the commonly used monotonicity assumption is untenable, and disease-free survival with 3-year follow-up is a valid surrogate end point for overall survival with 5-year follow-up, which satisfies both causal necessity and causal sufficiency. We also propose a sensitivity analysis approach based on Bayesian hierarchical models to investigate the effect of the deviation from the homogeneity assumption.
The “Saltin–Grimby Physical Activity Level Scale” and its application to health research
Authors: Grimby G. , Börjesson M. , Jonsdottir I. H. , Schnohr P. , Thelle D. S. , Saltin B.
Published: November 2015

The use of a four‐level questionnaire to assess leisure time physical activity (PA) and its validation is reviewed in this paper. This questionnaire was first published in 1968 and has then been used by more than 600 000 subjects, especially in different population studies in the Nordic countries. A number of modifications to the questionnaire have been published. These are mostly minor changes, such as adding practical examples of activities to illustrate the levels ofPA. Some authors have also added duration requirements that were not included for all levels ofPAin the original version. The concurrent validity, with respect to aerobic capacity and movement analysis using objective measurements has been shown to be good, as has the predictive validity with respect to various risk factors for health conditions and for morbidity and mortality.
Maintained peak leg and pulmonary VO2 despite substantial reduction in muscle mitochondrial capacity
Authors: Boushel R. , Gnaiger E. , Larsen F. J. , Helge J. W. , González‐Alonso J. , Ara I. , Munch‐Andersen T. , van Hall G. , Søndergaard H. , Saltin B. , Calbet J. A. L.
Published: November 2015

We recently reported the circulatory and muscle oxidative capacities of the arm after prolonged low‐intensity skiing in the arctic (Boushel et al., 2014). In the present study, leg VO2 was measured by the Fick method during leg cycling while muscle mitochondrial capacity was examined on a biopsy of the vastus lateralis in healthy volunteers (7 male, 2 female) before and after 42 days of skiing at 60% HR max. Peak pulmonary VO2 (3.52 ± 0.18 L.min−1 pre vs 3.52 ± 0.19 post) and VO2 across the leg (2.8 ± 0.4L.min−1 pre vs 3.0 ± 0.2 post) were unchanged after the ski journey. Peak leg O2 delivery (3.6 ± 0.2 L.min−1 pre vs 3.8 ± 0.4 post), O2 extraction (82 ± 1% pre vs 83 ± 1 post), and muscle capillaries per mm2 (576 ± 17 pre vs 612 ± 28 post) were also unchanged; however, leg muscle mitochondrial OXPHOS capacity was reduced (90 ± 3 pmol.sec−1.mg−1 pre vs 70 ± 2 post, P < 0.05) as was citrate synthase activity (40 ± 3 μmol.min−1.g−1 pre vs 34 ± 3 vs P < 0.05). These findings indicate that peak muscle VO2 can be sustained with a substantial reduction in mitochondrial OXPHOS capacity. This is achieved at a similar O2 delivery and a higher relative ADP‐stimulated mitochondrial respiration at a higher mitochondrial p50. These findings support the concept that muscle mitochondrial respiration is submaximal at VO2max, and that mitochondrial volume can be downregulated by chronic energy demand.
Computational models of atrial cellular electrophysiology and calcium handling, and their role in atrial fibrillation
Authors: Heijman Jordi , Erfanian Abdoust Pegah , Voigt Niels , Nattel Stanley , Dobrev Dobromir
Published: November 2015

The complexity of the heart makes an intuitive understanding of the relative contribution of ion channels, transporters and signalling pathways to cardiac electrophysiology challenging. Computational modelling of cardiac cellular electrophysiology has proven useful to integrate experimental findings, extrapolate results obtained in expression systems or animal models to other systems, test quantitatively ideas based on experimental data and provide novel hypotheses that are experimentally testable. While the bulk of computational modelling has traditionally been directed towards ventricular bioelectricity, increasing recognition of the clinical importance of atrial arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation, has led to widespread efforts to apply computational approaches to understanding atrial electrical function. The increasing availability of detailed, atrial‐specific experimental data has stimulated the development of novel computational models of atrial‐cellular electrophysiology and Ca2+ handling. To date, more than 300 studies have employed mathematical simulations to enhance our understanding of atrial electrophysiology, arrhythmogenesis and therapeutic responses. Future modelling studies are likely to move beyond current whole‐cell models by incorporating new data on subcellular architecture, macromolecular protein complexes, and localized ion‐channel regulation by signalling pathways. At the same time, more integrative multicellular models that take into account regional electrophysiological and Ca2+ handling properties, mechano‐electrical feedback and/or autonomic regulation will be needed to investigate the mechanisms governing atrial arrhythmias. A combined experimental and computational approach is expected to provide the more comprehensive understanding of atrial arrhythmogenesis that is required to develop improved diagnostic and therapeutic options. Here, we review this rapidly expanding area, with a particular focus on Ca2+ handling, and provide ideas about potential future directions.

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Risk Assessment of Emergency Diesel Generator Subject to Design-Basis Earthquake Shaking
Authors: Uriz Patxi , Morgan Troy A.
Published: November 2015

A monitoring system intended to track vibrations associated with the operation of an emergency diesel generator (EDG) at a nuclear power plant was originally installed to trip generators during potential out-of-balance shaking. Years after original installation, plant engineers raised questions as to whether the monitoring system would have functioned properly in the event of excessive vibrations associated with earthquake ground shaking. As part of the plant’s examination of this issue, analytical models were developed for three vibration transducers via experimental characterization. A suite of ground motion records was selected and scaled such that their mean and dispersion were representative of the design-basis event (DBE) level of intensity at the plant site. The scaled suite of ground motions was used as an input for a three-dimensional (3D) analytical model representing the structure and soil-foundation interface, where the EDGs were installed. The voltage signal from the analytical transducer model provided input to the physical vibration alarm monitor. This monitor filters the vibration transducer signal and generates an output to a time-delay relay that will trip the EDG if the output from the vibration monitor is not reset within 5 s. The analysis and testing completed and described in this paper concluded that a DBE would not have caused the vibration monitoring circuit to spuriously trip the EDGs.
Design, Fabrication and Characterization of a Mechanical Micropump
Authors: Duan Bin , Guo Tinghui , Luo Minqing , Luo Xiaobing
Published: November 2015

In this paper, a centrifugal micropump was designed, fabricated and characterized. The proposed micropump is able to provide a 1.4L/min flow rate and a 75KPa pressure head at 24000 rpm with an oversize of 46mm wide and 69mm long. The hydrodynamic components were designed based on partial emission pump. Meanwhile, the geometric profiles of both impeller and volute were simplified for manufacturing. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed to predict the effects of blade inlet angle and vane number on hydraulic performance. Experiments were conducted at 4 different rotational speeds to validate the numerical results. The results showed that the numerical simulation has a high accuracy to predict the micropump flow field with the overall average deviation less than 3%. As expected, the micropump prototype performed obvious partial emission pump features. In terms of the external characteristic, the pressure head at a given rotational speed decreased little with flow rate increasing. While, in the flow field, complex secondary flow was significant in the impeller passage, due to the joint action of the blade tip clearance leakage and axial vortex. Regression analysis and statistical evaluation showed that the flow nondimensional coefficients at different rotational speeds correlated well, indicating that classical similarity rules was still applicable to this micropump.
Highly Stretchable Interconnects for Flexible Electronics Applications
Authors: Arafat Yeasir , Panat Rahul , Dutta Indranath
Published: November 2015

Interconnects that can deform under monotonous and/or repeated loading are increasingly important to a new class of electronic devices used for wearable applications. Such interconnects integrate different material sets such as polymers and metallic conductors and are subjected to large strain levels. A typical method to overcome the material incompatibility involves the conductor in the form of a serpentine or an out-of-the plane buckled geometry. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel combination of interconnect materials that enables significant improvement in the interconnect stretchability using Indium over the state-of-the-art without affecting the system performance. This was achieved without the necessity of the serpentine interconnects geometry that significantly improves the routing density. The manufacturing method used for this approach is also described. Finally, we discuss the cost competitiveness of the materials and the manufacturing method to assess the commercial viability of this approach. (5nm)
Thermal Stress Simulation for 3D SiP With TSV Structure Under Unsteady Thermal Loads
Authors: Kinoshita Takahiro , Kawakami Takashi , Sugiura Tomoya , Matsumoto Keiji , Kohara Sayuri , Orii Yasumitsu
Published: November 2015

3D packaging technology and TSV (Through Silicon Via) technology have been developed to reduce size and improve performance of semiconductor devices. On the other hand, cooling performance is decreased because thermal sources are accumulated and concentrated by chip stacking. In particular, unsteady thermal loads by hot spot, which is steep temperature elevation within a local area, produce damage in stacked semiconductor chips. In this study, temperature elevation in stacked chips and stresses around TSV structure in 3D SiP (Three Dimensional System in Package) are discussed with a large scale and a parallel computing simulator, which was based on FEM (Finite Element Method), under unsteady thermal conditions as hot spot. The level of heat generation was varied and conditions for device operation were suggested. In addition, stresses of Cu-TSV and Si chips are discussed as function of level of heat generation by hot spot to ensure the reliability of 3D SiP.
Measuring Moisture Leakage Out of Water Cooling Hardware
Authors: Singh Prabjit , Ellsworth Michael
Published: November 2015

Computer processor speeds have increased in recent years to the extent that water cooling is becoming an attractive and sometimes a necessary way of cooling the processors and their associated electronics. Water can conduct heat much faster than air, allowing processors to run at higher speeds at lower acoustic levels. The ability of water to cool computer electronics can be diminished, or even lost, if there is excessive loss of water by permeation through, or leaks past, the various materials and/or connections between materials. Knowing the rate of loss of coolant from cooling systems can help designers determine the maintenance procedures and schedules for their cooling systems. The paper describes a novel, accurate and convenient method for measuring the moisture leakage rates out of water-carrying hardware. The water-filled hardware under test is placed in a chamber that is purged dry with flowing nitrogen gas and the chamber is then sealed. The rate of rise of relative humidity in the chamber is used to determine the rate of moisture leakage out of the water-filled hardware. The errors arising from the hose terminations and the adsorption of moisture by the metal chamber walls and the plastic fittings can be accounted for and corrected. The test duration is typically less than 10 days. The paper presents examples of water leakage out of hoses and tubes and their terminations and out of quick connects.
Mitigation of Tin Whisker Growth by Dopant Addition
Authors: Meinshausen Lutz , Banerjee Soumik , Dutta Indranath , Majumdar Bhaskar
Published: November 2015

Due to world wide Pb-free regulation for electroplated tin, whisker formation has returned as a long term reliability problem for tin coated electronic components. In addition the exact mechanism(s) responsible for Sn whisker growth mitigation by Pb were never clearly indentified, which makes the search for an replacement of Pb a difficult process. In this work the effects of In doping on tin whisker growth were investigated. In order to maintain Sn as a single phase material only small additions of In were incorporated, approximately 5–10 wt.% In. Indium was incorporated into Sn using a 100 nm over-plate of In on 1 μm thick Sn followed by heat treatments at 125°C and 160°C to permit diffusion of In into Sn. Control samples of pure Sn in the as-plated as well as 125 C heat treated conditions were also used. Whisker density results show a dramatic decrease of almost two orders of magnitude for the 160°C HT Sn-In sample. This is a new result in whisker mitigation studies, and we interpret it as a real effect of In, although further verification including the use of control samples are required. The segregation of dopants at the grain boundaries (GB) of tin, which might lead to reduced self diffusion of Sn, was investigated by performing molecular dynamic (MD) simulations on randomly added Pb atoms. Segregation of Pb clusters to GB was observed. While simulations with In dopant has not been conducted as yet, nevertheless such segregation may be one of several mechanisms responsible for the In effect.