bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of continence following 532 nm laser prostatectomy for patients previously treated with radiation therapy or brachytherapy
Authors: No David , Osterberg E. Charles , Otto Brandon , Naftali Izolda , Choi Benjamin
Published: June 2013

Introduction/Objective

Urinary complications such as bladder outlet obstruction or urinary retention following radiation therapy or brachytherapy have been reported in up to 15% of men. When conservative therapy has failed, surgical intervention with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) may be performed, but carries a significant risk of incontinence, ranging from 18% to 70% in reported literature. We reviewed a cohort of men previously treated with radiation or brachytherapy, who underwent laser prostatectomy.

Methods

From February 2004 to October 2011, 12 patients (Six = brachytherapy and Six = external beam radiation) underwent 532 nm GreenLight™ laser prostatectomy by a single surgeon (BBC) for chronic retention or debilitating obstructive symptoms. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative parameters were collected prospectively and reviewed retrospectively. Statistical analysis was performed with a Wilcox Rank sum test with significance defined as P < 0.05.

Results

The median patient age was 77.4 (Interquartile range (IQR) 73.9, 79.1). Prior to surgery, five patients were catheter dependent. Intraopertively, the median operative time was 48 minutes (IQR 35, 67); median lasing time was 28 minutes (IQR 23, 44); median Joules used was 126,873 (IQR 95,030, 222,336) J. Postoperative median follow up was 22.9 (IQR 13.4, 41.7) months. Significant improvements were noted in IPSS, QoL scores, PVR, and Qmax after PVP treatment. At 12 months, the median decrease in IPSS, QoL scores, and PVR was 15 (IQR 14.5, 22) to 10 (IQR 5.5, 13.5), 5 (IQR 3.5, 5) to 2 (IQR 1, 3.5), 200 (IQR 171, 327.5) to 5 (IQR 1.25, 8), respectively (P < 0.05 for all). Similarly, at 12 months, the median increase in Qmax (ml/second) was 4 (IQR 3, 10) to 15.9 (IQR 11, 16) (P = 0.04). There were no reportable complications at 12 months. None of the 12 patients that underwent 532 nm GreenLight™ laser prostatectomy developed stress urinary incontinence. One patient developed metastatic prostate cancer and the remaining patients had no evidence of biochemical recurrence.

Conclusion

In this pilot study, 532 nm GreenLight™ laser prostatectomy is feasible and safe in patients who have undergone prior radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Laser prostatectomy provides a durable response while maintaining continence in this cohort suffering from severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or retention. Larger, randomized trials comparing GreenLight™ laser prostatectomy to traditional TURP are necessary to confirm non‐inferiority. Lasers Surg. Med. 45:358–361, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Behaviors of multivariable finite Euler products in probabilistic view
Authors: Aoyama Takahiro , Nakamura Takashi
Published: June 2013

The finite Euler product is known one of the classical zeta functions in number theory. In [1], [2] and [3], we have introduced some multivariable zeta functions and studied their definable probability distributions on . They include functions which generate infinitely divisible, not infinitely divisible characteristic functions and not even to be characteristic functions. In this paper, we treat some multivariable finite Euler products and show how they behave in view of such properties.
Measures of noncompactness and essential pseudospectra on Banach space
Authors: Ammar Aymen , Jeribi Aref
Published: June 2013

In this research article, we work with the notion of the measures of noncompactness in order to establish some results concerning the essential pseudospectra of closed, densely defined linear operators in the Banach space. We start by giving a refinement of the definition of the essential pseudospectra by means of the measure of noncompactness, and we give sufficient conditions on the perturbed operator to have its invariance. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thin domains with doubly oscillatory boundary
Authors: Arrieta José M. , Villanueva‐Pesqueira Manuel
Published: June 2013

We consider a two‐dimensional thin domain with order of thickness ϵ that presents oscillations of amplitude also ϵ on both boundaries, top and bottom, but the period of the oscillations are of different order at the top and at the bottom. We study the behavior of the Laplace operator with Neumann boundary condition and obtain its asymptotic homogenized limit as ϵ → 0. We are interested in understanding how this different oscillatory behavior at the boundary, influences the limit problem. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On a new generalization of dispersionless Kadomtsev–Petviashvili hierarchy and its reductions
Authors: Wu Hongxia , Zeng Yunbo
Published: June 2013

The dispersionless Kadomtsev–Petviashvili hierarchy is generalized by introducing two new time series γn and σk with two parameters ηn and λk. By this hierarchy, we obtain the first type, the second type as well as mixed type of dispersionless Kadomtsev–Petviashvili equation with self‐consistent sources and their related conservation equations. In addition, the reduction and constrained flow of this new hierarchy are studied. The first type, the second type and the mixed type of dispersionless Korteweg–de Vries equation with self‐consistent sources and of dispersionless Boussinesq equation with self‐consistent sources are obtained. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Existence and asymptotic behavior for an incompressible Newtonian flow with intrinsic degree of freedom
Authors: He Cheng , Zhou Daoguo
Published: June 2013

We consider the Cauchy problem of a mathematical model for an incompressible, homogeneous, Newtonian fluid taking into account internal degrees of freedom. We first show that there exists a unique global strong solution when the given initial data are small in some sense. Then, we deduce the optimal decay rates for velocity vector in L2 − norm and Lp − norm for p > n. These decay estimates depend only on the spatial dimension and the decay properties of the heat solution with the same data. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Trace formulae for differential pencils with spectral parameter dependent boundary conditions
Authors: Yang Chuan‐Fu
Published: June 2013

For the eigenvalues λn of a differential operator, the series , generally speaking, diverges; however, it can be regularized by subtracting from λn the first terms of the asymptotic expansion, which interfere with the convergence of the series. The sum of such a regularized series is called the trace of Gelfand–Levitan type. A second‐order differential pencil on a finite interval with spectral parameter dependent boundary conditions is considered. We derive the regularized trace formulae of Gelfand–Levitan type for this operator. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Method of Tapered Resistive Sheet Loading for Controlling Edge Scattering
Authors: Chen Hai‐Yan , Xie Jian‐Liang , Zhu Zhi‐Wei , Deng Long‐Jiang
Published: June 2013

In this work, the design of tapered resistive sheet realized by geometric variation based on frequency‐selective surfaces concepts is demonstrated having good suppression of edge scattering from a triangular metallic plate. Electromagnetic back‐scattering of the as‐prepared target from a triangular plate with edge tapered resistive sheet loading is proposed for both horizontal polarization and vertical polarization, and compared with that from the one of the same shape but loaded with constant or none resistive sheet on the edge. Experimental results are presented and compared to numerical simulations, and they demonstrated that the proposed tapered resistive sheet loading advances excellent suppression of edge scattering and the wide angular radar cross section reduction of the target further than the other designs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:1992–1996, 2013
Decomposition, Response Surface Approximations, and Space Mapping for EM‐Driven Design of Microwave Filters
Authors: Koziel Slawomir , Ogurtsov Stanislav
Published: June 2013

Low‐cost methodology for modeling and design optimization of electromagnetically simulated filters is presented. The proposed approach consists of the following steps: (i) decomposition of the structure under design, (ii) construction of response surface approximation models of the decomposed parts, and (iii) combining those models into a fast surrogate representing the original structure with good accuracy. In case the electromagnetic (EM) coupling between the parts cannot be neglected, an optional space mapping correction is applied to the surrogate in order to align it with the high‐fidelity EM model. Decomposition allows us to greatly reduce the computational cost of creating the surrogate as the simulation time of the parts of the structure is considerably lower than that of the entire structure. Most importantly it alleviates the curse of dimensionality while sampling the design space, which is because decomposed parts of the original structure are described using only a few parameters (usually, two to four), whereas the entire set of designable parameters may be much larger. Two examples of microstrip filters are presented to demonstrate our approach. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2137–2141, 2013
Effect of Integrated DGS Filters on Small Slotted Round Microstrip Antenna
Authors: Oukil Sofiane , Azrar Arab , Kimouche Hocine , Aksas Rabia
Published: June 2013

In this work, the effect of adding a dumb‐bell–shaped defected ground structure is used to suppress higher order harmonics of a small slotted patch antenna. This work is further extended to integrate a band pass filter (double‐rejection bands) that simultaneously allows a central frequency and eliminates the lower and the outer frequencies. This is achieved by cascading the rectangular and the U‐shaped slots in the ground plane. Measurement results on prototype antennas fully demonstrate the validity of the obtained structures. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:1981–1987, 2013
Dual Wideband CPW‐Fed Monopole Antenna with Split‐Ring Resonators
Authors: Basaran Siddik Cumhur , Sertel Kubilay
Published: June 2013

We present a dual‐wideband monopole antenna for WLAN applications. The antenna is fed by a coplanar waveguide transmission line and consists of a concentric split‐ring structure as the radiating element. Measured results show that the proposed design exhibits an impedance bandwidth covering 2.40−2.68 GHz and 3.85−6.95 GHz. In addition, the antenna pattern is well‐behaved in both E‐ and H‐planes. Comparison of simulated and measured results of return losses, radiation patterns, and gains of the antenna are provided. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2088–2092, 2013
High‐Performance W‐Band Mhemt Low Noise Amplifier using Millimeter‐Wave Tuner System
Authors: An Dan , Rhee Jin‐Koo
Published: June 2013

In this article, we report a high‐performance W‐band metamorphic high electron‐mobility transistor (MHEMT) low noise amplifier (LNA) using millimeter‐wave tuner system. The MHEMT devices for millimeter‐wave monolithic integrated circuit LNA exhibited the current gain cutoff frequency (fT) and maximum oscillation frequency (fmax) were 195 and 305 GHz, respectively. The accurate noise parameter was extracted using millimeter‐wave tuner system to design the W‐band LNA. The fabricated W‐band LNA represented S21 gain of 7.42 dB at 94 GHz and noise figure of 2.8 dB at 94.2 GHz. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2157–2160, 2013
A Full X‐Band Power Amplifier with an Integrated Guanella‐Type Transformer and a Predistortion Linearizer In 0.18‐µM CMOS
Authors: Chung Hua‐Yen , Kuo Chin‐Wei , Chiou Hwann‐Kaeo
Published: June 2013

A full X‐band push‐pull power amplifier (PA) with predistortion linearizer is developed in tsmcTM 0.18‐µm CMOS technology. The broadband performance is achieved by using transformers including a differential Guanella‐type transmission line transformer and two magnetically coupled transformers. The linearity of PA is enhanced by feedback topology and the use of predistortion linearizer. Over full X‐band from 8 to 12 GHz, the saturated power and maximum power‐added efficiency are higher than 21.3 dBm and 16.19%, respectively. The performances of output power at 1‐dB compression point and power‐added efficiency (PAE) at P1dB are significantly improved by an output power of 2.2 dBm and a PAE of 12.1%, which contributes to power back‐off operation for the application of linear modulation. The chip area, including pads, is 1.05 mm2. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2229–2232, 2013
Pore‐scale modeling of fluid‐particles interaction and emerging poromechanical effects
Authors: Catalano E. , Chareyre B. , Barthélémy E.
Published: June 2013

A micro‐hydromechanical model for granular materials is presented. It combines the discrete element method for the modeling of the solid phase and a pore‐scale finite volume formulation for the flow of an incompressible pore fluid. The coupling equations are derived and contrasted against the equations of conventional poroelasticity. An analogy is found between the discrete element method pore‐scale finite volume coupling and Biot's theory in the limit case of incompressible phases. The simulation of an oedometer test validates the coupling scheme and demonstrates the ability of the model to capture strong poromechanical effects. A detailed analysis of microscale strain and stress confirms the analogy with poroelasticity. An immersed deposition problem is finally simulated and shows the potential of the method to handle phase transitions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A fast convergent iterative solver for approximate inverse of matrices
Authors: Soleymani F.
Published: June 2013

In this paper, a rapid iterative algorithm is proposed to find robust approximations for the inverse of nonsingular matrices. The analysis of convergence reveals that this high‐order method possesses eighth‐order convergence. The interesting point is that, this rate is attained using less number of matrix‐by‐matrix multiplications in contrast to the existing methods of the same type in the literature. The extension of the method for finding Moore–Penrose inverse of singular or rectangular matrices is also presented. Numerical comparisons will be given to show the applicability, stability and consistency of the new scheme by paying special attention on the computational time. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
BEM‐based models to simulate the resin flow at macroscale and microscale in LCM processes
Authors: Gantois Renaud , Cantarel Arthur , Cosson Benoît , Dusserre Gilles , Felices Jean‐Noël , Schmidt Fabrice
Published: June 2013

In industry, resin flow prediction is a real challenge, because filling defects, such as dry spots and porosities, can dramatically degrade the mechanical properties of the shaped part. The present contribution investigates the use of the boundary element method for the numerical simulation of resin flow in liquid composite molding processes. Due to the dual‐scale structure of the reinforcement, there are two different approaches in the literature to simulate the flow: the macroscale, well suited for the mold design, and the microscale, usually used for the local analysis of the reinforcement impregnation. In this work, both scales are under consideration. The article presents the numerical methods used to solve Darcy's law and Stokes equations with boundary integral formulations. Typical applications are given to illustrate both methods, and numerical validations are performed using comparisons with experimental and analytical data. The results show that the methods provide a high accuracy and a low CPU time. POLYM. COMPOS. 34:1235–1244, 2013. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers
Air temperature optimisation for humidity‐controlled cold storage of the predatory mites Neoseiulus californicus and Phytoseiulus persimilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae)
Authors: Ghazy Noureldin Abuelfadl , Suzuki Takeshi , Amano Hiroshi , Ohyama Katsumi
Published: June 2013

BACKGROUND

Humidity‐controlled cold storage, in which the water vapour pressure is saturated, can prolong the survival of the predatory mites Neoseiulus californicus (McGregor) and Phytoseiulus persimilis Athias‐Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae). However, information on the optimum air temperature for long‐term storage by this method is limited. The authors evaluated the survival of mated adult females of N. californicus and P. persimilis at 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 °C under saturated water vapour condition (vapour pressure deficit 0.0 kPa).

RESULTS

N. californicus showed a longer survival time than P. persimilis at all the air temperatures. The longest mean survival time of N. californicus was 11 weeks at 7.5 °C, whereas that of P. persimilis was 8 weeks at 5.0 °C. After storage at 7.5 °C for 8 weeks, no negative effect on post‐storage oviposition was observed in N. californicus, whereas the oviposition of P. persimilis stored at 5.0 °C for 8 weeks was significantly reduced.

CONCLUSION

The interspecific variation in the response of these predators to low air temperature might be attributed to their natural habitat and energy requirements. These results may be useful for the long‐term storage of these predators, which is required for cost‐effective biological control. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry
A Multi‐Objective Design Approach for the c Chart Considering Taguchi Loss Function
Authors: Lupo Toni
Published: June 2013

The present paper proposes a multi‐objective design approach for the c chart, considering in the optimization process of the chart parameters both the statistical and the economic objectives. In particular, the minimization of the hourly total quality related costs is the considered objective to carry out the economic goal, whereas the statistical objective is reached by the minimization the out‐of‐control average run length of the chart. A mixed integer non‐linear constrained mathematical model is formulated to solve the treated multi‐objective optimization problem, whereas the Pareto optimal frontier is described by the ε‐constraint method. In order to show the employment of the proposed approach, an illustrative example is developed and the related considerations are given. Finally, some sensitivity analysis is also performed to investigate the effects of operative and costs parameters on the chart performance. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long paths and cycles in random subgraphs of graphs with large minimum degree
Authors: Krivelevich Michael , Lee Choongbum , Sudakov Benny
Published: June 2013

For a given finite graph G of minimum degree at least k, let Gp be a random subgraph of G obtained by taking each edge independently with probability p. We prove that (i) if for a function that tends to infinity as k does, then Gp asymptotically almost surely contains a cycle (and thus a path) of length at least , and (ii) if , then Gp asymptotically almost surely contains a path of length at least k. Our theorems extend classical results on paths and cycles in the binomial random graph, obtained by taking G to be the complete graph on k + 1 vertices. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 46, 320–345, 2015
Research to regulation: Cougar social behavior as a guide for management
Authors: Beausoleil Richard A. , Koehler Gary M. , Maletzke Benjamin T. , Kertson Brian N. , Wielgus Robert B.
Published: June 2013

Cougar (Puma concolor) populations are a challenge to estimate because of low densities and the difficulty marking and monitoring individuals. As a result, their management is often based on imperfect data. Current strategies rely on a source–sink concept, which tends to result in spatially clumped harvest within management zones that are typically approximately 10,000 km2. Agencies often implement quotas within these zones and designate management objectives to reduce or maintain cougar populations. We propose an approach for cougar management founded on their behavior and social organization, designed to maintain an older age structure that should promote population stability. To achieve these objectives, hunter harvest would be administered within zones approximately 1,000 km2 in size to distribute harvest more evenly across the landscape. We also propose replacing the term “quota” with “harvest threshold” because quotas often connote a harvest target or goal rather than a threshold not to exceed. In Washington, USA, where the source–sink concept is implemented, research shows that high harvest rates may not accomplish the intended population reduction objectives due to immigration, resulting in an altered population age structure and social organization. We recommend a harvest strategy based on a population growth rate of 14% and a resident adult density of 1.7 cougars/100 km2 that represent probable average values for western populations of cougars. Our proposal offers managers an opportunity to preserve behavioral and demographic attributes of cougar populations, provide recreational harvest, and accomplish a variety of management objectives. We believe this science‐based approach to cougar management is easy to implement, incurs few if any added costs, satisfies agency and stakeholder interests, assures professional credibility, and may be applied throughout their range in western North America. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Reduction in Bone Volume Resection with a Newer Posterior Stabilized Total Knee Arthroplasty Design
Authors: Pugh Luke , Ruel Allison , Lipman Joseph , Wright Timothy , Gessell Mark , Westrich Geoffrey
Published: June 2013

Background

Posterior stabilized total knee arthroplasty requires an intercondylar notch to accommodate the cam housing that articulates with the tibial post to create femoral rollback required for deep flexion. The volume of bone resected for the intercondylar notch varies with implant design, and newer designs may accommodate high flexion with less bone resection.

Questions/Purposes

This study aims to analyze the bone volume and density resected from the intercondylar notch for three posterior stabilized implants from a single company: a Posterior Stabilized (PS) system, a Hi-Flex system (HF), and a rounded new box-reamer (RB) system and to further assess whether the newer RB with a cylindrical cutting tool would preserve more native bone.

Materials and Methods

Using a computer model, the PS, HF, and RB femoral components were digitally implanted into CT scans of 19 cadaver femurs. Nine cadavers were fit with a size 4 implant, six with size 3, and four with a size 2. The volume of intercondylar bone resected digitally for femoral preparation was measured. Bone density was measured by CT scans in Hounsfield units (HU). A paired t test was used to compare the mean volume of bone resected for each implant.

Results

For the size 4 femurs, the newer RB design removed 8% less intercondylar bone than the PS design (7,832 ± 501 vs. 8,547 ± 377 mm3, p < 0.001) and 28% less bone than the HF design (7,832 ± 501 vs. 10,897 ± 444 mm3, p < 0.001). The average HU for size 4 femurs for RB design was 427 ± 72 (PS = 399 ± 69, p < 0.001; HF = 379 ± 66, p < 0.001). For the size 3 femurs, the RB design removed 12% less intercondylar bone than the PS (6,664 ± 786 vs. 7,516 ± 648 mm3, p < 0.001) and 27% less bone than the HF (6,664 ± 786 vs. 9,078 ± 713 mm3, p < 0.001). HU for size 3 femurs for the RB design was 452 ± 70 (PS = 422 ± 53, p < 0.1; HF = 410 ± 59, p < 0.01). For the size 2 femurs, the RB design removed 5% less intercondylar bone than the PS (5,730 ± 552 vs. 6,009 ± 472 mm3, p < 0.01) and 22% less bone than the HF (5,730 ± 552 vs. 7,380 ± 532 mm3, p < 0.001). HU for size 2 femurs for the RB design was 430 ± 48 (PS = 408 ± 55, p < 0.01; HF = 385 ± 56, p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The newer RB design removes less bone from the intercondylar notch than the classic PS and HF designs in all sizes tested. The bone-conserving cuts incorporated into this newer implant design appear to preserve native bone without compromising design objectives.
Outcome of Total Knee Arthroplasty after High Tibial Osteotomy: Does Malalignment Jeopardize the Results when Using a Posterior-Stabilized Arthroplasty?
Authors: Hernigou Philippe , Duffiet Pascal , Julian Didier , Guissou Issac , Poignard Alexandre , Flouzat-Lachaniette Charles Henri
Published: June 2013

Background

The controversy regarding the outcome of total knee arthroplasties after high tibial osteotomy may relate to malalignment secondary to overcorrection after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) [ 1 , 2 ] and to the type of arthroplasty itself (posterior-stabilized arthroplasty or posterior cruciate ligament-retaining prosthesis).

Questions/Purpose

We asked two questions: (1) Would a posterior-stabilized arthroplasty provide sufficient constrain and improve pain and function in patients with severe malalignment due to a previous HTO? (2) Will malalignment of the previous HTO jeopardize the long-term results of a total knee reconstruction with a posterior-stabilized implant?

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 25 posterior-stabilized TKAs in 25 patients with severe valgus deformity after HTO (ranging from 10° to 20° of valgus) and compared the results with a series of matched 25 posterior-stabilized TKAs in 25 patients with normocorrection after HTO ranging from 5° of valgus to 5° of varus. Clinical, operative, and radiographic data were reviewed. Minimum follow-up was 10 years after the arthroplasty (average, 15 years; range, 10–20 years).

Results

All the knees had standard posterior-stabilized total knee arthroplasty implants. Patients with an overcorrected HTO were more likely to require a soft tissue release to balance the knee. However, Average Knee Society and Function Score improved, respectively, from 48 to 85 and from 50 to 90 points in the severely overcorrected group, versus, respectively, 50 to 89 and 52 to 97 in the normocorrected group, but the range of mobility was superior for patients with normal alignment. Fifteen-year survivorship after the arthroplasty comparison showed no significant difference between the two groups (one revision in each group).

Conclusions

Patients with an overcorrected HTO are more likely to require a soft tissue release to balance the knee. However, both groups show improvements in function and pain. With a posterior-stabilized arthroplasty, the degree of deformity has no impact on the longevity of the TKA.
Beneficial role of overexpression of TFPI‐2 on tumour progression in human small cell lung cancer
Authors: Lavergne Marion , Jourdan Marie-Lise , Blechet Claire , Guyetant Serge , Pape Alain Le , Heuze-Vourc’h Nathalie , Courty Yves , Lerondel Stephanie , Sobilo Julien , Iochmann Sophie , Reverdiau Pascale
Published: June 2013

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor‐2 (TFPI‐2) is a potent inhibitor of plasmin, a protease which is involved in tumour progression by activating (MMPs). This therefore makes TFPI‐2 a potential inhibitor of invasiveness and the development of metastases. In this study, low levels of TFPI‐2 expression were found in 65% of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC), the most aggressive type of lung cancer. To study the impact of TFPI‐2 in tumour progression, TFPI‐2 was overexpressed in NCI‐H209 SCLC cells which were orthotopically implanted in nude mice. Investigations showed that TFPI‐2 inhibited lung tumour growth. Such inhibition could be explained in vitro by a decrease in tumour cell viability, blockade of G1/S phase cell cycle transition and an increase in apoptosis shown in NCI‐H209 cells expressing TFPI‐2. We also demonstrated that TFPI‐2 upregulation in NCI‐H209 cells decreased MMP expression, particularly by downregulating MMP‐1 and MMP‐3. Moreover, TFPI‐2 inhibited phosphorylation of the MAPK signalling pathway proteins involved in the induction of MMP transcripts, among which MMP‐1 was predominant in SCLC tissues and was inversely expressed with TFPI‐2 in 35% of cases. These results suggest that downregulation of TFPI‐2 expression could favour the development of SCLC.
A Partially Hidden Markov Model of Customer Dynamics for CLV Measurement
Authors: Romero Jaime , van der Lans Ralf , Wierenga Berend
Published: June 2013

Customer lifetime value (CLV) measurement is challenging as it requires forecasting customers’ future purchases. Existing stochastic CLV models for this purpose generally make the following assumptions: 1) purchase behavior of customers can be described by purchase frequency and the average monetary value of transactions, 2) customers keep the same purchase behavior pattern over time, 3) purchase frequency and monetary value are independent, and 4) customers are active during a limited period of time after which they permanently defect. We develop a new stochastic model that relaxes these four assumptions. First, in addition to the number of transactions and its monetary values, we also model purchase incidence decisions (i.e. whether or not to purchase). Second, our partially hidden Markov truncated–NBD-GG (PHM/TNBD-GG) model allows dynamic purchase patterns, dependence between purchase frequency and monetary value, and customers to become active after a few periods of temporary inactivity. Validation of our model on two datasets demonstrates that if assumptions 1 to 4 of existing stochastic models are violated our model produces more accurate forecasts of future customer behavior.
α-Tanycytes of the adult hypothalamic third ventricle include distinct populations of FGF-responsive neural progenitors
Authors: Robins S.C. , Stewart I. , McNay D.E. , Taylor V. , Giachino C. , Goetz M. , Ninkovic J. , Briancon N. , Maratos-Flier E. , Flier J.S. , Kokoeva M.V. , Placzek M.
Published: June 2013

Emerging evidence suggests that new cells, including neurons, can be generated within the adult hypothalamus, suggesting the existence of a local neural stem/progenitor cell niche. Here, we identify α-tanycytes as key components of a hypothalamic niche in the adult mouse. Long-term lineage tracingin vivousing aGLAST::CreERT2conditional driver indicates that α-tanycytes are self-renewing cells that constitutively give rise to new tanycytes, astrocytes and sparse numbers of neurons.In vitrostudies demonstrate that α-tanycytes, but not β-tanycytes or parenchymal cells, are neurospherogenic. Distinct subpopulations of α-tanycytes exist, amongst which only GFAP-positive dorsal α2-tanycytes possess stem-like neurospherogenic activity.Fgf-10andFgf-18are expressed specifically within ventral tanycyte subpopulations; α-tanycytes require fibroblast growth factor signalling to maintain their proliferationex vivoand elevated fibroblast growth factor levels lead to enhanced proliferation of α-tanycytesin vivo.Our results suggest that α-tanycytes form the critical component of a hypothalamic stem cell niche, and that local fibroblast growth factor signalling governs their proliferation.
Inter-residue coupling contributes to high-affinity subtype-selective binding of α-bungarotoxin to nicotinic receptors
Authors: Sine Steven M. , Huang Sun , Li Shu-Xing , daCosta Corrie J. B. , Chen Lin
Published: June 2013

The crystal structure of a pentameric α7 ligand-binding domain chimaera with bound α-btx (α-bungarotoxin) showed that of the five conserved aromatic residues in α7, only Tyr184 in loop C of the ligand-binding site was required for high-affinity binding. To determine whether the contribution of Tyr184 depends on local residues, we generated mutations in an α7/5HT3A (5-hydroxytryptamine type 3A) receptor chimaera, individually and in pairs, and measured 125I-labelled α-btx binding. The results show that mutations of individual residues near Tyr184 do not affect α-btx affinity, but pairwise mutations decrease affinity in an energetically coupled manner. Kinetic measurements show that the affinity decreases arise through increases in the α-btx dissociation rate with little change in the association rate. Replacing loop C in α7 with loop C from the α-btx-insensitive α2 or α3 subunits abolishes high-affinity α-btx binding, but preserves acetylcholine-elicited single channel currents. However, in both the α2 and α3 construct, mutating either residue that flanks Tyr184 to its α7 counterpart restores high-affinity α-btx binding. Analogously, in α7, mutating both residues that flank Tyr184 to the α2 or α3 counterparts abolishes high-affinity α-btx binding. Thus interaction between Tyr184 and local residues contributes to high-affinity subtype-selective α-btx binding.
Writing Treatment for Aphasia: A Texting Approach
Authors: Beeson Pélagie M. , Higginson Kristina , Rising Kindle
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Treatment studies have documented the therapeutic and functional value of lexical writing treatment for individuals with severe aphasia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether such retraining could be accomplished using the typing feature of a cellular telephone, with the ultimate goal of using text messaging for communication.

Method

A 31-year-old man with persistent Broca's aphasia, severe apraxia of speech, global dysgraphia, and right hemiparesis participated in this study. Using a multiple baseline design, relearning and maintenance of single-word spellings (and oral naming) of targeted items were examined in response to traditional Copy and Recall Treatment (CART) for handwriting and a new paradigm using 1-handed typing on a cell phone keyboard (i.e., a texting version of CART referred to as T-CART).

Results

Marked improvements were documented in spelling and spoken naming trained in either modality, with stronger maintenance for handwriting than cell phone typing. Training resulted in functional use of texting that continued for 2 years after treatment.

Conclusions

These results suggest that orthographic retraining using a cell phone keyboard has the potential to improve spelling knowledge and provide a means to improve functional communication skills. Combined training with both handwriting and cell phone typing should be considered in order to maximize the durability of treatment effects.
Influence of Analogy Instruction for Pitch Variation on Perceptual Ratings of Other Speech Parameters
Authors: Tse Andy C. Y. , Wong Andus W-K. , Ma Estella P-M. , Whitehill Tara L. , Masters Rich S. W.
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Analogy
is the similarity of different concepts on which a comparison can be based. Recently, an analogy of “waves at sea” was shown to be effective in modulating fundamental frequency (F
0
) variation. Perceptions of intonation were not examined, as the primary aim of the work was to determine whether analogy instruction had a negative impact on other parameters of the speech signal compared with explicit instruction. The purpose of this study was (a) to determine whether changes in the standard deviation of F
0
, acoustically, resulted in similar changes in the perception of pitch variability and (b) to determine the perceptual influence of analogy vs. explicit instructions on speech naturalness, loudness, and rate.

Method

Ten speech-language pathologists were asked to listen to and rate pitch variation, speech naturalness, loudness, and rate for 74 Cantonese speech samples using a visual analogue scale, which allowed raters to indicate their subjective perceptions of each parameter.

Results

It is revealed that listeners perceived pitch variation to be greater and speech to be more natural in analogy-instructed, rather than explicitly instructed, speech. No differences were perceived for ratings of speech loudness or speech rate.

Conclusion

It is concluded that analogy instruction has a less negative impact on the naturalness of speech than explicit instruction and may provide a better method by which to manipulate desired pitch variation.
Dual‐metastability FPGA‐based true random number generator
Authors: Wieczorek P.Z.
Published: June 2013

A novel concept of a true random number generator (TNRG) based on two metastable flip‐flops in a FPGA circuit is introduced. Most of metastable based TRNG solutions are based on the assumption of a D‐latch (flip‐flop) state's uncertainty which is the source of randomness. In the proposed approach direct proximity of the metastable point is not necessary. Difference of the time of response of a pair of nearly metastable flip‐flops lies upon the proposed circuit's principle of operation. It can be implemented in common programmable FPGA or CPLD circuits ensuring randomness quality‐passing NIST, Diehard and Matlab tests.
Adaptive iterated particle filter
Authors: Zuo J.‐Y. , Jia Y.‐N. , Zhang Y.‐Z. , Lian W.
Published: June 2013

The adaptive iterated particle filter (AIPF) is presented, where the importance density function is updated iteratively by the particle filter itself when necessary. By using a simulated annealing algorithm with an adaptive annealing parameter, the current measurement can be quickly incorporated into the sampling process, resulting in greatly improved sampling efficiency. Simulation results demonstrate the improved performance of the AIPF over the sampling importance resampling filter, unscented Kalman particle filter and auxiliary particle filter.
Gain enhancement for wide bandwidth endfire antenna with I‐shaped resonator (ISR) structures
Authors: Sun Y.H. , Wen G.J. , Jin H.Y. , Wang P. , Huang Y.J.
Published: June 2013

A broadband gain enhancement endfire antenna is presented. The gain enhancement is achieved by loading with an I‐shaped resonator (ISR) structure in the endfire direction. Broad bandwidth is realised by using a microstrip‐to‐coplanar balun and bowtie dipole elements, while gain enhancement is achieved by loading the ISR structure in the endfire direction. The measurements show that the ISR‐loaded antenna presents a gain of about 4–8 dB in the whole working band (4.5–9.5 GHz), which is about 2 dB more than the unloaded one. The advantages of broad bandwidth and high gain make this antenna valuable in wireless communication systems.
Laterally‐coupled distributed feedback laser with first‐order gratings by interference lithography
Authors: Li Jingsi , Cheng Julian
Published: June 2013

The first laterally‐coupled distributed feedback (DFB) laser with first‐order sidewall gratings fabricated by optical interference lithography is experimentally demonstrated. The gratings were first etched into a dielectric mask on the planar top surface of an InP/AlGaInAs laser epiwafer, and then transferred to both sidewalls of a 2 µm deep ridge‐waveguide structure using a novel self‐aligned process. DFB ridge‐waveguide lasers with a cavity length of 650 µm and width of 2.6 µm (with 300 nm gratings on both sidewalls) achieved single longitudinal mode continuous‐wave operation, with a sidemode suppression ratio of 37 dB. The threshold current density is 1.7 kA/cm2 at room temperature, and the slope efficiency is 0.14 mW/mA per facet (uncoated).
Piezoresistive bridge microcantilevers biosensor based on SOI wafer for glucose detecting
Authors: Wen Feng , Zhao Yuejin , Yu Xiaomei
Published: June 2013

To measure glucose accurately, a high sensitivity piezoresistive four‐set Wheatstone bridge structure microcantilevers glucose biosensor was developed. The microcantilevers with a piezoresistor were fabricated using a series of bulk silicon processes based on a silicon‐on‐insulator wafer. An improved Wheatstone bridge readout circuit with voltage closed‐loop auto‐zero and high‐gain magnified functions is proposed. The sensing microcantilever gold‐coated surface was functionalised by immobilising a self‐assembled monolayer of 4‐mercaptophenylboronic acid, the reference cantilever was not functionalised. The relationship between a piezoresistive bridgeout caused by the microcantilevers bending and glucose solution concentration was obtained at 5 and 15 mM. Experimental results demonstrated that the output voltage induced by microcantilevers bending is proportional to the glucose concentrations and the sensitivity is up to 0.1 V/mM.
UV spectroscopic characterization of an alkyl substituted Criegee intermediate CH3CHOO
Authors: Beames Joseph M. , Liu Fang , Lu Lu , Lester Marsha I.
Published: June 2013

Ozonolysis of alkenes in the troposphere proceeds through a Criegee intermediate, or carbonyl oxide, which has only recently been detected in the gas phase. The present study focuses on the production of an alkyl-substituted Criegee intermediate, CH3CHOO, in a pulsed supersonic expansion, and then utilizes VUV photoionization at 118 nm and UV-induced depletion of the m/z = 60 signal to probe the B 1A′ ← X 1A′ transition. The UV-induced depletion approaches 100% near the peak of the profile at 320 nm, indicating rapid dynamics in the B state, and corresponds to a peak absorption cross section of ∼5 × 10−17 cm2 molecule−1. The electronic spectrum for CH3CHOO is similar to that reported recently for CH2OO, but shifted 15 nm to shorter wavelength, which will result in a longer tropospheric lifetime for CH3CHOO with respect to solar photolysis. Complementary electronic structure calculations (EOM-CCSD) are carried out for the B and X potentials of these Criegee intermediates along the O–O coordinate. An intramolecular interaction stabilizes the ground state of the syn-conformer of CH3CHOO relative to anti-CH3CHOO, and indicates that the syn-conformer will be the more abundant species in the expansion. The excited B electronic state of syn-CH3CHOO is also predicted to be destabilized relative to that for anti-CH3CHOO and CH2OO, in accord with the shift in the B-X transition observed experimentally. Hydroxyl radicals produced concurrently with the generation of the Criegee intermediates are detected by 1+1′ resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization. The OH yield observed with CH3CHOO is 4-fold larger than that from CH2OO, consistent with prior studies of OH generation from alkene ozonolysis.
H2 in solid C60: Coupled translation-rotation eigenstates in the octahedral interstitial site from quantum five-dimensional calculations
Authors: Ye Shufeng , Xu Minzhong , FitzGerald Stephen , Tchernyshyov Kirill , Bačić Zlatko
Published: June 2013

We report rigorous quantum five-dimensional (5D) calculations of the coupled translation-rotation (TR) energy levels and wave functions of an H2 molecule, in the ground (ν = 0) and vibrationally excited (ν = 1) states, confined inside the octahedral interstitial site of solid C60 with S6 symmetry. Translational and rotational excitations of H2 in this nanocavity have been measured by the inelastic neutron scattering (INS) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, enabling direct comparison between theory and experiment. A pairwise additive 5D intermolecular potential energy surface (PES) was employed in the calculations. The quantum calculations cover the range of energies and types of translational and rotational excitations of the guest molecule which go substantially beyond those considered in the earlier theoretical investigations of this system, revealing new information about the TR energy level structure. The computed j = 1 and j = 2 rotational levels and their splittings, as well as the translational fundamental, are in semi-quantitative agreement with the available INS and IR data, indicating the need for a more accurate intermolecular PES. Our calculations reveal a strong dependence of the TR energy levels, in particular their splittings, on the setting angle which defines the orientation of the C60 molecules relative to their local threefold axes.
Pseudogap in CdBa2Cu3O7−δ HTSC material
Authors: Aliev V. M. , Ragimov S. S. , Selim-zade R. I.
Published: June 2013

Long-lived minima are detected at Tmin1 = 275 K and Tmin2 = 252 K in the ρ(T) curve of polycrystalline CdBa2Cu3O7−δ, which has a superconducting transition at 86.8 K. It is shown that the excess conductivity Δσ(T) near Tmin obeys the classical Aslamazov-Larkin fluctuation theory. This suggests that fluctuation Cooper pairs may develop in CdBa2Cu3O7−δ at T ≫ Tc. The experimental data are used to calculate the coherence length ξc(0), the 2D-3D crossover temperature T0, and the interplanar pairing constants. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the pseudogap for a sample without the minima are found to be typical of cuprate HTSC materials.
Effect of screening on the phonon-polaron states in diluted magnetic semiconductor nanotubes
Authors: Seyid-Rzayeva S. M.
Published: June 2013

We calculate the effect of screening on the weakly coupled Fröhlich polaron binding energy of the ground state and the polaron contribution to the mass for the lowest spin-down subband of the conduction band in diluted magnetic semiconductor nanotubes. Expressions for the polaron energy and the polaron contribution to the effective mass are obtained as functions of the magnetic field and the radius of the nanotube, taking into account the screening effect as well as virtual transitions from the ground state with n = 0 to size-quantized subbands with n′ = 1, 2, …, 10. Numerical calculations show that screening reduces the polaron binding energy and polaron contribution to the effective mass by about 35% and 25%, respectively, for a magnetic field of 0.1 T. Screening reduces the polaron binding energy of the ground state by approximately 30%-15% and also reduces the polaron contribution to the effective mass by 25%-10% when the nanotube radius is increased by 10-40 nm.
Null phase curves and manifolds in geometric phase theory
Authors: Chaturvedi S. , Ercolessi E. , Morandi G. , Ibort A. , Marmo G. , Mukunda N. , Simon R.
Published: June 2013

Bargmann invariants and null phase curves are known to be important ingredients in understanding the essential nature of the geometric phase in quantum mechanics. Null phase manifolds in quantum-mechanical ray spaces are submanifolds made up entirely of null phase curves, and so are equally important for geometric phase considerations. It is shown that the complete characterization of null phase manifolds involves both the Riemannian metric structure and the symplectic structure of ray space in equal measure, which thus brings together these two aspects in a natural manner.
Sensing glucose concentrations at GHz frequencies with a fully embedded Biomicro-electromechanical system (BioMEMS)
Authors: Birkholz M. , Ehwald K.-E. , Basmer T. , Kulse P. , Reich C. , Drews J. , Genschow D. , Haak U. , Marschmeyer S. , Matthus E. , Schulz K. , Wolansky D. , Winkler W. , Guschauski T. , Ehwald R.
Published: June 2013

The progressive scaling in semiconductor technology allows for advanced miniaturization of intelligent systems like implantable biosensors for low-molecular weight analytes. A most relevant application would be the monitoring of glucose in diabetic patients, since no commercial solution is available yet for the continuous and drift-free monitoring of blood sugar levels. We report on a biosensor chip that operates via the binding competition of glucose and dextran to concanavalin A. The sensor is prepared as a fully embedded micro-electromechanical system and operates at GHz frequencies. Glucose concentrations derive from the assay viscosity as determined by the deflection of a 50 nm TiN actuator beam excited by quasi-electrostatic attraction. The GHz detection scheme does not rely on the resonant oscillation of the actuator and safely operates in fluidic environments. This property favorably combines with additional characteristics—(i) measurement times of less than a second, (ii) usage of biocompatible TiN for bio-milieu exposed parts, and (iii) small volume of less than 1 mm3—to qualify the sensor chip as key component in a continuous glucose monitor for the interstitial tissue.