bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with shunt-dependent hydrocephalus after decompressive craniectomy for traumatic brain injury
Authors: Vedantam Aditya , Yamal Jose-Miguel , Hwang Hyunsoo , Robertson Claudia S. , Gopinath Shankar P.
Published: June 2017

OBJECTIVE

Posttraumatic hydrocephalus (PTH) affects 11.9%–36% of patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy (DC) and is an important cause of morbidity after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Early diagnosis and treatment of PTH can prevent further neurological compromise in patients who are recovering from TBI. There is limited data on predictors of shunting for PTH after DC for TBI.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data from the erythropoietin severe TBI randomized controlled trial were studied. Demographic, clinical, and imaging data were analyzed for enrolled patients who underwent a DC. All head CT scans during admission were reviewed and assessed for PTH by the Gudeman criteria or the modified Frontal Horn Index ≥ 33%. The presence of subdural hygromas was categorized as unilateral/bilateral hemispheric or interhemispheric. Using L1-regularized logistic regression to select variables, a multiple logistic regression model was created with ventriculoperitoneal shunting as the binary outcome. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

A total of 60 patients who underwent DC were studied. Fifteen patients (25%) underwent placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt for PTH. The majority of patients underwent unilateral decompressive hemicraniectomy (n = 46, 77%). Seven patients (12%) underwent bifrontal DC. Unilateral and bilateral hemispheric hygromas were noted in 31 (52%) and 7 (11%) patients, respectively. Interhemispheric hygromas were observed in 19 patients (32%). The mean duration from injury to first CT scan showing hemispheric subdural hygroma and interhemispheric hygroma was 7.9 ± 6.5 days and 14.9 ± 11.7 days, respectively. The median duration from injury to shunt placement was 43.7 days. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of interhemispheric hygroma (OR 63.6, p = 0.001) and younger age (OR 0.78, p = 0.009) were significantly associated with the need for a shunt after DC.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of interhemispheric subdural hygromas and younger age were associated with shunt-dependent hydrocephalus after DC in patients with severe TBI.
Update on the diagnostic value and safety of stereotactic biopsy for pediatric brainstem tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis of 735 cases
Authors: Hamisch Christina , Kickingereder Philipp , Fischer Matthias , Simon Thorsten , Ruge Maximilian I.
Published: June 2017

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies have shed light on the molecular makeup of diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas and led to the identification of potential treatment targets for these lesions, which account for the majority of pediatric brainstem tumors (pedBSTs). Therefore, stereotactic biopsy–driven molecular characterization of pedBSTs may become an important prerequisite for the management of these fatal brain tumors. The authors conducted a systemic review and meta-analysis to precisely determine the safety and diagnostic success of stereotactic biopsy of pedBSTs.

METHODS

A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Web of Science yielded 944 potentially eligible abstracts. Meta-analysis was conducted on 18 studies (including the authors’ own institutional series), describing a total of 735 biopsy procedures for pedBSTs. The primary outcome measures were diagnostic success and procedure-related complications. Pooled estimates were calculated based on the Freeman-Tukey double-arcsine transformation and DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model. Heterogeneity, sensitivity, and meta-regression analyses were also conducted.

RESULTS

The weighted average proportions across the analyzed studies were 96.1% (95% CI 93.5%–98.1%) for diagnostic success, 6.7% (95% CI 4.2%–9.6%) for overall morbidity, 0.6% (95% CI 0.2%–1.4%) for permanent morbidity, and 0.6% (95% CI 0.2%–1.3%) for mortality. Subgroup analyses at the study level identified no significant correlation between the outcome measures and the distribution of the chosen biopsy trajectories (transfrontal vs transcerebellar), age, year of publication, or the number of biopsy procedures annually performed in each center.

CONCLUSION

Stereotactic biopsy of pedBSTs is safe and allows successful tissue sampling as a prerequisite for the molecular characterization and the identification of potentially druggable targets toward more individualized treatment concepts to improve the outcome for children harboring such lesions.
Analog networks on function data streams
Authors: Poças Diogo , Zucker Jeffery
Published: June 2017

Most of the physical processes arising in nature are modeled by differential equations, either ordinary (example: the spring/mass/damper system) or partial (example: heat diffusion). From the point of view of analog computability, the existence of an effective way to obtain solutions (either exact or approximate) of these systems is essential.

A pioneering model of analog computation is the General Purpose Analog Computer (GPAC), introduced by Shannon [ Journal of Mathematical Physics 20 ( 1941 ), 337–354] as a model of the Differential Analyzer and improved by Pour-El [ Transactions of the American Mathematical Society 199 ( 1974 ), 1–28], Lipshitz and Rubel [ Proceedings of the American Mathematical Society 99(2) ( 1987 )], Costa and Graça [ Journal of Complexity 19(5) ( 2003 ), 644–664] and others. The GPAC is capable of manipulating real-valued data streams. Its power is known to be characterized by the class of differentially algebraic functions, which includes the solutions of initial value problems for ordinary differential equations.

We address one of the limitations of this model, which is its fundamental inability to reason about functions of more than one independent variable (the ‘time’ variable), as noted by Rubel [ Advances in Applied Mathematics 14(1) ( 1993 ), 39–50]. In particular, the Shannon GPAC cannot be used to specify solutions of partial differential equations. We extend the class of data types using networks with channels which carry information on a general complete metric space X; here we take [Formula: see text], the class of continuous functions of one real (spatial) variable.

We consider the original modules in Shannon’s construction (constants, adders, multipliers, integrators) and we add a differential module which has one input and one output. For input u, it outputs the spatial derivative [Formula: see text].

We then define an X-GPAC to be a network built with X-stream channels and the above-mentioned modules. This leads us to a framework in which the specifications of such analog systems are given by fixed points of certain operators on continuous data streams. Such a framework was considered by Tucker and Zucker [ Theoretical Computer Science 371 ( 2007 ), 115–146]. We study the properties of these analog systems and their associated operators, and present a characterization of the X-GPAC-generable functions which generalizes Shannon’s results.
Integrating participatory design and health literacy to improve research and interventions
Authors: Neuhauser Linda
Published: June 2017

Health communication is an essential health promotion strategy to convert scientific findings into actionable, empowering information for the public. Health communication interventions have shown positive outcomes, but many efforts have been disappointing. A key weakness is that expert-designed health communication is often overly generic and not adequately aligned with the abilities, preferences and life situations of specific audiences. The emergence of the field of health literacy is providing powerful theoretical guidance and practice strategies. Health literacy, in concert with other determinants of health, has greatly advanced understanding of factors that facilitate or hinder health promotion at individual, organizational and community settings. However, health literacy models are incomplete and interventions have shown only modest success to date. A challenge is to move beyond the current focus on individual comprehension and address deeper factors of motivation, self-efficacy and empowerment, as well as socio-environmental influences, and their impact to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities.

Integrating participatory design theory and methods drawn from social sciences and design sciences can significantly improve health literacy models and interventions. Likewise, researchers and practitioners using participatory design can greatly benefit from incorporating health literacy principles into their efforts. Such interventions at multiple levels are showing positive health outcomes and reduction of health disparities, but this approach is complex and not yet widespread. This article focuses on research findings about health literacy and participatory design to improve health promotion, and practical guidance and case examples for researchers, practitioners and policymakers.
A Retrospective Analysis of the Evolution of Pratt Trusses in Indiana
Authors: Fehér Eszter , Baranyai Tamás
Published: June 2017

A simple method is presented to carry out a retrospective analysis to examine the development of load-bearing structures. The idea is to eliminate the differences coming from technological changes (such as joints, profiles, loads) by using relative numbers to express the relation of the structures to the possible theoretical solutions under the same circumstances. The method is demonstrated by investigating the impact of historical changes focusing on metal Pratt trusses spanning about 100 ft, located in Indiana, U.S., erected between 1870 and 1937. Data of 87 structures was collected and compared to the results of a multi-objective optimisation computed using a genetic algorithm. Using the relative numbers acquired by evaluating the objective functions for the historical structures, a large time-scale optimisation process through history can be visualised. Plotting them on the Pareto-front diagram determined by the genetic algorithm and examining the historical background of the state revealed that the economic and industrial changes, in fact, had a considerable impact on the design trends, which manifests in changes of the weights of the objective functions.
Improving the Effectiveness of Public Spending on Transport Infrastructure
Authors: Tomek Radan
Published: June 2017

The highways network is the backbone of every national transport system and plays a strategic role in a country’s economic development. With regards to the large investments, operational and maintenance costs that it requires, sound asset management and a thorough economic appraisal of investments are of high importance. Therefore, it is appropriate to analyse and possibly modify existing methods for evaluating the economic efficiency of road construction and asset management at the scientific level, with the support of the real practice experience. Our research concentrates on an evaluation of the current approach to the asset management of the transport infrastructure, methods of economic appraisal, their consecutive improvement,  incorporation of the LCCA agenda and an evaluation of environmental and social aspects in the investment decision process. Consequently, it focuses on the possibilities for improving the effectivity of these aspects through the proposal of very concrete measures based on the results of our research and the experience of real practice management construction.
Investigation of Frost-Heaving Characteristics of Horizontal- Cup-Shape Frozen Ground Surface for Reinforced End Soil Mass in Shield Tunnel Construction
Authors: Zhang Yongxing , Zhang Ting , Yang Ping
Published: June 2017

Artificial freezing method is commonly adopted for reinforcingend soil mass of shield tunnel in the weak and rich aqueousformation, which is expected to prevent the construction riskin the originating and arriving of shield machine, whereas thearrangement of freezing pipes is sometimes varied due to variouscomplex limitations, and the corresponding frost-heavingcharacteristics of ground surface also differs from others. Inthis paper, a case of artificial freezing end soil mass with cupshape arrangement of horizontal freezing pipes is studied byfield investigation and numerical analysis, in which a numericalmodel coupled with water-heat-force interactions is proposedfor appropriately evaluating the frost-heaving characteristicsof ground surface in artificial freezing method. Theresults demonstrate that all the considered factors on brinetemperature, buried depth and cup bottom thickness have significantlyinfluences of frost-heaving characteristics of groundsurface in the artificial ground freezing (AGF) with cup shapearrangement of horizontal freezing pipes, in which the frostheave displacement of horizontal-cup-shape frozen groundsurface is increased with the increasing brine temperature andburied depth, whereas that is decreased with the increasing cupbottom thickness.
Time-dependent Reliability Analysis of Timber-Concrete Composite Beams
Authors: Velimirovic Nikola , Stojić Dragoslav , Djordjević Miodrag , Topličić-Ćurčić Gordana
Published: June 2017

Timber-concrete composite system is increasing the use of timber in construction because some structures could not be built by timber alone, but it becomes possible with this composite system. The deterioration of structures in service is generally uncertain over time, therefore the appropriate approach for the structural analysis is a time-dependent reliability analysis that considers the randomness and uncertainties of deterioration process over a time period. This paper describes two methods for time dependent reliability analysis, random variable deterioration rate model and gamma process model, and compares the deterioration prediction as well as service life estimation of timber-concrete composite beams under normal use based on proposed models.
Fracture Mechanism of Brazilian Discs with Multiple Parallel Notches Using PFC2D
Authors: Sarfarazi Vahab , Haeri Hadi , Fatehi Mohammad
Published: June 2017

This study presents crack initiation, propagation and coalescenceat or near pre-existing open cracks in a numericalmodel under Brazilian test. Firstly, Particle Flow Code intwo dimensions (PFC2d) was calibrated with respect to thedata obtained from experimental laboratory tests to ensurethe conformity of the simulated numerical models response.Brazilian discs contain one, two, three, four, and five parallelcentred cracks (45° to the horizontal) under compressiveline loading. Models containing two and three cracks havedifferent joint spacing and joint configuration. In model consistingone flaws, tensile cracks initiated from notch tip andpropagates in direction of compressive loading till coalescewith model edge. By increasing the number of notch, first typeof tensile crack initiated at the tips of outer flaws and coalescedwith model edge. Also second type of tensile cracksinitiates from middle of inner flaws and coalesce with tip ofthe neighbouring flaws. The results show that joint spacingand joint configuration has important effect on the failure patternin model consisting two and three notch. Experimentaland numerical results rendered by other researchers showed agood agreement with the numerical results in the coalescencecharacteristics in cracked model. In addition, crack initiationand coalescence stresses in models were analyzed and comparedwith those in the single-flawed model.
Analysis of Gothic Architectural Details by Spatial Object Reconstruction Techniques
Authors: Somogyi Árpád József , Fehér Krisztina , Lovas Tamás , Halmos Balázs , Barsi Árpád
Published: June 2017

The paper focuses on the 3D data acquisition technologiesthat support capturing the geometry of medieval architecturalfragmented stones. High-resolution models of such fragmentsenable the analysis of profile shapes as well as the markinglines and curves left by the instruments of stonemasons, andtherefore, indirectly, identifying connections between severalmaster builders could become possible. Considering therequirements of historical analysis and the fact that the investigatedstones are under monument protection, the authorsdecided to use remote sensing technologies, such as structuredlight scanning, terrestrial laser scanning, depth camera andimage-based reconstruction.The paper evaluates the discussed technologies based on theaccuracy and geometric resolution of the obtained 3D models.Besides technical parameters, time and cost requirements alsohave been investigated. The paper gives an overview on theadvantages and shortcomings of the applied data acquisitiontechnologies and of the provided end-products.
Experimental Characterization of the Hydromechanical Properties of the Gypsum Soil of Sebkha of Oran
Authors: Chikhaoui Mohamed , Belayachi Naima , Nechnech Ammar , Hoxha Dashnor
Published: June 2017

This paper deals with hydro-mechanical investigation of salinegypsum soil properties from Sebkha of Oran in respect withtheir impact on the feasibility of the project of the second runwayof the Es-Sénia airport in Oran (Algeria). The geologicaland in-situ geotechnical studies prior to the construction phaseof the airport runway revealed underground cavities supposedto be created from salts and gypsum dissolution in the Sebkhasoil. Standard laboratory experiments are used to determinepermeability coefficient, isotherm curve, shear resistance andelastic parameters of two soils. These ones are affected by thevariation of water table level that varies according to the dryperiod (summer) or the rainy period (winter), creating cyclichydric conditions. The paper presents a comparison of parametersof these two soils in saturated and partially saturatedconditions. The results of tests performed in laboratory arecompared with those performed in situ in order to check theirrepresentativeness before a detailed comparison of the effect ofwater conditions. The two soils have similar behavior highlysensible to water with some particularities.
Seismic Failure Probability and Vulnerability Assessment of Steel-Concrete Composite Structures
Authors: Ahmadi Masoud , Naderpour Hosein , Kheyroddin Ali , Gandomi Amir Hosein
Published: June 2017

Building collapse in earthquakes caused huge losses, both in human and economic terms. To assess the risk posed by using the composite members, this paper investigates seismic failure probability and vulnerability assessment of steel-concrete composite structures constituted by rectangular concrete ﬁlled steel tube (RCFT) columns and steel beams. To enable numerical simulation of RCFT-structure, the details of components modeling are developed using OpenSEES finite element analysis package and the validation of proposed procedure is investigated through comparisons with available experimental results. The seismic fragility and vulnerability curves of RCFT-structures are created through nonlinear dynamic analysis using an appropriate suite of ground motions for seismic loss assessment. These curves developed for three-, six- and nine-story prototypes of RCFT-structure. Fragility curves are an appropriate tool for representing the seismic failure probabilities and vulnerability curves demonstrate a probability of exceeding loss to a measure of ground motion intensity.
Experimental Investigation on 3D Flow around a Single T-Shaped Spur Dike in a Bend
Authors: Vaghefi Mohammad , Ghodsian Masoud , Akbari Maryam
Published: June 2017

The flow field around a T-shaped spur dike located in a 90° bend is investigated experimentally. The three-dimensional Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) was used for measuring the flow field. The comparison of the three dimensional components of velocity was made in different sections of the bend and the differences of the flow pattern along the bend was analyzed. The observations showed the significant effect of the spur dike on the secondary flow patterns. Some horizontal vortices with a counter-clock-wise direction were also observed in the up and down stream of the spur dike near the outer bank of the bend. In addition, the vortices and reverse flows in the up and down stream of the spur dike, the changes of the secondary flow and vorticity are also addressed in this study.
Swelling of Natural Soil Subjected to Acidic and Alkaline Contamination
Authors: Ponnapureddy Hariprasad Reddy , Chavali Rama Vara Prasad , Pillai Rakesh J
Published: June 2017

This paper aims at establishing the influence of acidic and alkalinepore fluids on the swell behaviour of an expansive soil. Aseries of laboratory one dimensional free swell tests were performedto study the behaviour of soil in acidic and alkaline environment.Three different concentrations of sodium hydroxide andsulphuric acid solutions were used as pore fluids to understandthe influence of variable concentrations on the swell behaviourof soil. Results showed that, the swelling of soil that interactedwith sodium hydroxide solution initially increased at lower concentrationand then decreased with increase in concentration.In contrast, the swelling initially decreased at lower concentrationof sulphuric acid and then increased with increase inconcentration of solution. The complexity in the swell behaviourof contaminated soil was assessed by thoroughly investigatingthe mineralogy and microstructure alterations by carrying outX-ray diffraction analysis, Scanning electron microscopy andEnergy dispersive analysis of X-ray at the end of interaction.
Design of Pin Jointed Structures under Stress and Deflection Constraints Using Hybrid Electromagnetism-like Mechanism and Migration Strategy Algorithm
Authors: Jalili Shahin , Hosseinzadeh Yousef
Published: June 2017

Hybrid electromagnetism-like mechanism and migration strategy(EM-MS) algorithm is a recently developed optimizationmethod which tries to benefit from both electromagnetism-likemechanism (EM) algorithm and migration strategy (MS). TheEM algorithm is a population-based meta-heuristic methodthat simulates the attraction and repulsion mechanism betweenthe charged particles to move them around the solution space.In the EM-MS method, the EM algorithm has a role of the globaloptimizer, while migration strategy (MS) helps the particles toexploit search space efficiently. In the current study, this hybridmethod is utilized for optimum design of pin jointed structuresunder stress and deflection constraints. The efficiency of theEM-MS algorithm is demonstrated through four benchmarkdesign examples. The results obtained confirm the potentialand effectiveness of the EM-MS algorithm compared to othermethods published in the recent state-of-the art literatures forthe optimum design of pin jointed structures under stress anddeflection constraints.
Refurbishment of Existing Steel Structures – an Actual Problem
Authors: Dorin Radu , Feier Anamaria , Petzek Edward , Bancila Radu
Published: June 2017

Many steel structures erected at the end of the XIX and begin ofthe XX-centuries still are in function. Some of these structures,particularly bridges, have already achieved an age of ninety,hundred or even more years and are still in operation afterdamages, several phases of repair and strengthening. Replacementwith new structures raises financial, technical and politicalproblems. The budget of the administration gets smaller.Information about the safety of the structure, the remaining life,the costs for maintenance etc. are important. Nobody will takethe responsibility for failure of a structure as a result of budgetrestriction. The aim of the paper is to emphasize the importanceof refurbishment of existing steel structures, part of sustainabledevelopment.
Research on Shear Lag Effect of T-shaped Short-leg Shear Wall
Authors: Liu Chengqing , Wei Xiaodan , Ni Xiangyong , He Guangjie
Published: June 2017

Longitudinal displacement of cross section of T-shaped shortlegshear wall was simplified to three parts: shear lag warpingdisplacement, plane section bending displacement and axialdisplacement. Shear lag warping deformation was assumed ascubic parabola distribution along flange, and based on minimumpotential energy principle, differential equations were deduced;with boundary conditions, a calculation theory for shear lageffect was established. With two T-shaped short-leg shear wallmodels, vertical stresses of flanges were obtained by calculationtheory and finite element calculation respectively, and comparisonbetween theoretical analysis results and numerical calculationresults was made. At last, parameter analysis was carriedout, and the influence of shear force, shear span ratio andheight-thickness ratio on shear lag coefficient was obtained.Research shows that numerical calculation results are in goodagreement with theoretical analysis results, and each parameterhas different influence on shear lag coefficient.
A Modern Approach to Estimate the Bearing Capacity of Layered Soil
Authors: Misir Gizem , Laman Mustafa
Published: June 2017

This study is concerned with the bearing capacity of circularfootings on a granular fill layer above a soft clay soil. Theresults of an extensive series of laboratory and field tests wereused to define an empirical equation. This is generally doneby estimating the dependent variable (e.g. bearing capacity)based on the independent variables (e.g. granular fill layerthickness, soil and footing parameters and settlement ratio).A logarithmic model has been developed by using regressionanalysis to estimate the bearing capacity of a circular footingresting on granular fill at any settlement ratio, using allpossible regression techniques based on 342 field test data, toselect the significant subset of the predictors. The results indicatethat the logarithmic model serves a simple and reliabletool to predict the bearing capacity of circular footings placedon a granular fill with different thicknesses above a soft claysoil. And also, the validity of the developed formulation wasverified with different plate load test results from literature.
Effects of Damping Uncertainties on Damping Reduction Factors
Authors: Benahmed Baizid , Hammoutene Malek , Cardone Donatello
Published: June 2017

It is apparent that the dynamic response of a building dependson its energy dissipation capacity, hence damping ratio. Thedamping value experienced by a building during an earthquakediffers significantly from the value specified in the design step.This introduces uncertainties in the design process of the building.It would be desirable to consider not only the effects ofuncertainties in loading but also the uncertainties in the structuralparameters. In this paper, the effects of uncertainties in the estimation ofdamping ratio ξ, on the use of Damping Reduction Factors (DRF) for the evaluation of high damping response spectra,are examined. Damping uncertainties are described by a lognormalprobability distribution, and the Monte Carlo techniqueis used to generate the random values of damping. Theaverage of the distribution is the deterministic value of damping (taken equal to 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%) whilethree different values of coefficient of variation are considered (i.e. 10%, 20% and 40%, respectively). All the DRF formulations found in the literature are not able totake into consideration damping uncertainties, leading to significantdiscrepancies in the high damping response spectra. Based on the results of this study, a new DRF formulation, ableto account for uncertainties in damping estimation, is tentatively proposed.
Suffosion Holes as the Results of a Breakage of a Buried Water Pipe
Authors: Iwanek Małgorzata , Suchorab Paweł , Karpińska-Kiełbasa Małgorzata
Published: June 2017

The result of a breakage of a buried water pipe is the watermovement in soil, which can cause that fine soil particles arewashed out from the solid matrix and transported through pores(suffosion process). It is widely known that the most hazardoussuffosion effects in urban areas relate to water-engineeringstructures. Holes, that can form on the soil surface by wateroutflowing after a failure of a buried pipeline (suffosion holes),are in different shapes and sizes. Recognition of factors influencingholes shapes and sizes would facilitate the preventionof hazardous suffosion effects connected with failures of waterdistribution systems. In the range of the presented article, theinfluence of selected parameters on the dimensions of suffosionholes was analyzed. The basis of the analysis was results oflaboratory investigations of the controlled leakage from a buriedwater pipe. The vast majority of values of suffosion holesareas, selected according to area of leak and hydraulic pressurehead in a pipe, occurred normally distributed. The tendencyof average area of suffosion holes to be higher with risingpressure head in a pipe was clearly visible, but we were asyet unable to select one regression model fitting measured andcalculated data better than others. Moreover, no tendency wasobserved between the biggest probable area of suffosion holeand pressure head in a pipe.
Modeling Free-surface Solitary Waves with Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics
Authors: Tóth Balázs
Published: June 2017

A three-dimensional weakly compressible Smoothed ParticleHydrodynamics (SPH) solver is presented and applied tosimulate free-surface solitary waves generated in a quasi twodimensionaldam-break experiment. Test cases are constructedbased on the measurement layouts of a dam-break experiment.The simulated wave propagation speeds are compared to theexact solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation as afirst order theory, and to a second order iterative approximationinvestigated in the literature. Free surface shapes of differentsimulation cases are investigated as well. The results show goodagreement with the free surface shapes of the KdV equation aswell as with the second order approximation of solitary wavepropagation speeds.
Efficiency Evaluation of Operation Analysis Systems Based on Dynamic Data Envelope Analysis Models from a Big Data Perspective
Authors: Sun Yixin , Yu Xiaobao , Tan Zhongfu , Xu Xiaofei , Yan Qingyou
Published: June 2017

The operating environment of power grid enterprises is complex with a range of monitoring indicators. To grasp the overall operational status in time and find the key affecting factors, Balanced Scorecard Card (BSC), Interpretive Structural Model (ISM), Principal component analysis (PCA) should be applied. This paper proposed several grid enterprise operators and monitoring indicator systems (which include achievement indicators and driver indicators), and applied PCA for verification and evaluation. The achievement indicators mainly reflected the effectiveness of business operations, which included corporate value, social value, customer value, and so on. Driver indicators mainly reflected the core resources and operations process management of business operations, which have a direct impact on the achievement indicators. The driver and achievement indicators were used as input and output indicators for the provinces to assess the efficiency of operations, and appropriate measures were proposed for improvement. The results showed that the dynamic data envelopment analysis (DEA) model could reflect the time lag of the grid enterprises operating investment and income much better than the other two methods, and the static changes compared to assess efficiency had an average around 4%.
Assessing the Impact of Finings on the Perception of Beer
Authors: Barnett Andrew , Juravle Georgiana , Spence Charles
Published: June 2017

In recent years, a number of commentators have suggested that the use of finings to clarify beer can impair the flavour, because of the removal of key volatile aromatic molecules from the drink. However, are such claims necessarily correct? Unaware of any previous attempt to address this question empirically, we conducted both a blind and a sighted taste test. The test made use of two beers from the same batch, one made using finings and the other made without. In neither experiment did the use of finings affect flavour or liking ratings amongst the social drinkers (N = 235) tested. Thus, the present results clearly suggest that the use of finings does not necessarily impact either the sensory-discriminative or hedonic ratings of beer, despite its influence on the clarity of the finished product.
Biocompatibility Analyses of Al2O3-Treated Titanium Plates Tested with Osteocyte and Fibroblast Cell Lines
Authors: Smargiassi Alberto , Bertacchini Jessika , Checchi Marta , Cavani Francesco , Ferretti Marzia , Palumbo Carla
Published: June 2017

Osseointegration of a titanium implant is still an issue in dental/orthopedic implants durable over time. The good integration of these implants is mainly due to their surface and topography. We obtained an innovative titanium surface by shooting different-in-size particles of Al2O3 against the titanium scaffolds which seems to be ideal for bone integration. To corroborate that, we used two different cell lines: MLO-Y4 (murine osteocytes) and 293 (human fibroblasts) and tested the titanium scaffolds untreated and treated (i.e., Al2O3 shot-peened titanium surfaces). Distribution, density, and expression of adhesion molecules (fibronectin and vitronectin) were evaluated under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and confocal microscope (CM). DAPI and fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies were used to highlight nuclei, fibronectin, and vitronectin, under CM; cell distribution was analyzed after gold-palladium sputtering of samples by SEM. The engineered biomaterial surfaces showed under SEM irregular morphology displaying variously-shaped spicules. Both SEM and CM observations showed better outcome in terms of cell adhesion and distribution in treated titanium surfaces with respect to the untreated ones. The results obtained clearly showed that this kind of surface-treated titanium, used to manufacture devices for dental implantology: (i) is very suitable for cell colonization, essential prerequisite for the best osseointegration, and (ii) represents an excellent solution for the development of further engineered implants with the target to obtain recovery of stable dental function over time.
Enhancing BER Performance Limit of BCH and RS Codes Using Multipath Diversity
Authors: Al-Barrak Alyaa , Al-Sherbaz Ali , Kanakis Triantafyllos , Crockett Robin
Published: June 2017

Modern wireless communication systems suffer from phase shifting and, more importantly, from interference caused by multipath propagation. Multipath propagation results in an antenna receiving two or more copies of the signal sequence sent from the same source but that has been delivered via different paths. Multipath components are treated as redundant copies of the original data sequence and are used to improve the performance of forward error correction (FEC) codes without extra redundancy, in order to improve data transmission reliability and increase the bit rate over the wireless communication channel. For a proof of concept Bose, Ray-Chaudhuri, and Hocquenghem (BCH) and Reed-Solomon (RS) codes have been used for FEC to compare their bit error rate (BER) performances. The results showed that the wireless multipath components significantly improve the performance of FEC. Furthermore, FEC codes with low error correction capability and employing the multipath phenomenon are enhanced to perform better than FEC codes which have a bit higher error correction capability and did not utilise the multipath. Consequently, the bit rate is increased, and communication reliability is improved without extra redundancy.
Tree Density and Forest Productivity in a Heterogeneous Alpine Environment: Insights from Airborne Laser Scanning and Imaging Spectroscopy
Authors: Fatehi Parviz , Damm Alexander , Leiterer Reik , Pir Bavaghar Mahtab , Schaepman Michael , Kneubühler Mathias
Published: June 2017

We outline an approach combining airborne laser scanning (ALS) and imaging spectroscopy (IS) to quantify and assess patterns of tree density (TD) and forest productivity (FP) in a protected heterogeneous alpine forest in the Swiss National Park (SNP). We use ALS data and a local maxima (LM) approach to predict TD, as well as IS data (Airborne Prism Experiment—APEX) and an empirical model to estimate FP. We investigate the dependency of TD and FP on site related factors, in particular on surface exposition and elevation. Based on reference data (i.e., 1598 trees measured in 35 field plots), we observed an underestimation of ALS-based TD estimates of 40%. Our results suggest a limited sensitivity of the ALS approach to small trees as well as a dependency of TD estimates on canopy heterogeneity, structure, and species composition. We found a weak to moderate relationship between surface elevation and TD (R2 = 0.18–0.69) and a less pronounced trend with FP (R2 = 0.0–0.56), suggesting that both variables depend on gradients of resource availability. Further to the limitations faced in the sensitivity of the applied approaches, we conclude that the combined application of ALS and IS data was convenient for estimating tree density and mapping FP in north-facing forested areas, however, the accuracy was lower in south-facing forested areas covered with multi-stemmed trees.
A Panel of MicroRNAs as Diagnostic Biomarkers for the Identification of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Daniel Rhonda , Wu Qianni , Williams Vernell , Clark Gene , Guruli Georgi , Zehner Zendra
Published: June 2017

Prostate cancer is the most common non-cutaneous cancer among men; yet, current diagnostic methods are insufficient, and more reliable diagnostic markers need to be developed. One answer that can bridge this gap may lie in microRNAs. These small RNA molecules impact protein expression at the translational level, regulating important cellular pathways, the dysregulation of which can exert tumorigenic effects contributing to cancer. In this study, high throughput sequencing of small RNAs extracted from blood from 28 prostate cancer patients at initial stages of diagnosis and prior to treatment was used to identify microRNAs that could be utilized as diagnostic biomarkers for prostate cancer compared to 12 healthy controls. In addition, a group of four microRNAs (miR-1468-3p, miR-146a-5p, miR-1538 and miR-197-3p) was identified as normalization standards for subsequent qRT-PCR confirmation. qRT-PCR analysis corroborated microRNA sequencing results for the seven top dysregulated microRNAs. The abundance of four microRNAs (miR-127-3p, miR-204-5p, miR-329-3p and miR-487b-3p) was upregulated in blood, whereas the levels of three microRNAs (miR-32-5p, miR-20a-5p and miR-454-3p) were downregulated. Data analysis of the receiver operating curves for these selected microRNAs exhibited a better correlation with prostate cancer than PSA (prostate-specific antigen), the current gold standard for prostate cancer detection. In summary, a panel of seven microRNAs is proposed, many of which have prostate-specific targets, which may represent a significant improvement over current testing methods.
Acute Effect of Metformin on Postprandial Hypertriglyceridemia through Delayed Gastric Emptying
Authors: Sato Daisuke , Morino Katsutaro , Nakagawa Fumiyuki , Murata Koichiro , Sekine Osamu , Beppu Fumiaki , Gotoh Naohiro , Ugi Satoshi , Maegawa Hiroshi
Published: June 2017

Postprandial hypertriglyceridemia is a potential target for cardiovascular disease prevention in patients with diabetic dyslipidemia. Metformin has been reported to reduce plasma triglyceride concentrations in the postprandial states. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying the triglyceride-lowering effect of metformin. Here, we examined the effects of metformin on lipid metabolism after olive oil-loading in 129S mice fed a high fat diet for three weeks. Metformin administration (250 mg/kg) for one week decreased postprandial plasma triglycerides. Pre-administration (250 mg/kg) of metformin resulted in a stronger triglyceride-lowering effect (approximately 45% lower area under the curve) than post-administration. A single administration (250 mg/kg) of metformin lowered plasma postprandial triglycerides comparably to administration for one week, suggesting an acute effect of metformin on postprandial hypertriglyceridemia. To explore whole body lipid metabolism after fat-loading, stomach size, fat absorption in the intestine, and fat oxidation (13C/12C ratio in expired CO2 after administration of glyceryl-1-13C tripalmitate) were measured with and without metformin (250 mg/kg) pre-treatment. In metformin-treated mice, larger stomach size, lower fat oxidation, and no change in lipid absorption were observed. In conclusion, metformin administration before fat loading reduced postprandial hypertriglyceridemia, most likely by delaying gastric emptying.
p53 Expression as a Diagnostic Biomarker in Ulcerative Colitis-Associated Cancer
Authors: Kobayashi Kazuhiro , Tomita Hiroyuki , Shimizu Masahito , Tanaka Takuji , Suzui Natsuko , Miyazaki Tatsuhiko , Hara Akira
Published: June 2017

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is defined as an idiopathic inflammatory disorder primarily involving the mucosa and submucosa of the colon. UC-associated colon cancers (also known as colitic cancers) develop through the inflammation–dysplasia sequence, which is a major problem affecting the prognosis of patients with UC. It is therefore very important to detect malignancy from UC at an early stage. As precancerous lesions arising in UC, there are pathological adenomatous changes, basal cell changes, in situ anaplasia, clear cell changes, and pan-cellular change. It is considered that the mutation of the p53 gene plays a crucial role, and the protein expression of p53 in dysplastic crypts may serve as a good biomarker in the early stages of UC-associated colon carcinogenesis. Immunohistochemistry for p53 is a very valuable diagnostic tool in UC-associated colon cancers. However, protein expression of p53 is not always universal, and additional methods may be required to assess p53 status in UC-associated colon cancers.
The Ability of Extracellular Vesicles to Induce a Pro-Inflammatory Host Response
Authors: Van Hezel Maike E. , Nieuwland Rienk , Van Bruggen Robin , Juffermans Nicole P.
Published: June 2017

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can modulate the host immune response, executing both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects. As EVs increasingly gain attention as potential carriers for targeted gene and drug delivery, knowledge on the effects of EVs on the host immune response is important. This review will focus on the ability of EVs to trigger a pro-inflammatory host response by activating target cells. The overall view is that EVs can augment an inflammatory response, thereby potentially contributing to organ injury. This pro-inflammatory potential of EVs may hamper its use for therapeutic drug delivery. Whether removal of EVs as a means to reduce a pro-inflammatory or pro-coagulant response during hyper-inflammatory conditions is beneficial remains to be determined. Prior to any proposed therapeutic application, there is a need for further studies on the role of EVs in physiology and pathophysiology using improved detection and characterization methods to elucidate the roles of EVs in inflammatory conditions.
Determination of Sulfonamide Residues in Food by Capillary Zone Electrophoresis with On-Line Chemiluminescence Detection Based on an Ag(III) Complex
Authors: Dai Tingting , Duan Jie , Li Xinghua , Xu Xiangdong , Shi Hongmei , Kang Weijun
Published: June 2017

The presence of sulfonamide (SA) residues in foods is largely due to the raising of animals with sulfonamide antibiotics added or polluted feedstuff. In this paper, a sensitive method was developed for the determination of the residues of three sulfonamides in animal-derived food; the SAs include sulfadimidine (SDD), sulfadiazine (SDZ), and sulfathiazole (STZ). The method is based on capillary zone electrophoresis (CE) with online chemiluminescence (CL) detection, using an Ag(III) complex as an oxidant. These SAs have an inhibiting effect on the Ag(III)–luminol CL reaction. The electrophoretic buffer is 12.0 mM sodium borate. Under a set of optimized conditions, the linear ranges for the detections were found to be 10.0–200 µg·mL−1 for SDD and SDZ, and 2.0–50.0 µg·mL−1 for STZ. The detection limits were 2.75, 3.14, and 0.65 µg·mL−1 for SDD, SDZ, and STZ, respectively. Relative standard deviations (RSD) for the peak heights were between 2.1% and 2.8% (n = 7). The proposed method was used in the analysis of the SAs in samples from pork meat, chicken meat, and milk, showing satisfactory detection results. A reaction mechanism was also proposed for the Ag(III)–luminol–SA CL reactions. The method has potential applications for the monitoring of residue levels of the three SAs in food, providing food safety data.
The Landscape of the Emergence of Life
Authors: Jheeta Sohan
Published: June 2017

This paper reports on the various nuances of the origins of life on Earth and highlights the latest findings in that arena as reported at the Network of Researchers on Horizontal Gene Transfer and the Last Universal Common Ancestor (NoR HGT and LUCA) which was held from the 3–4th November 2016 at the Open University, UK. Although the answers to the question of the origin of life on Earth will not be fathomable anytime soon, a wide variety of subject matter was able to be covered, ranging from examining what constitutes a LUCA, looking at viral connections and “from RNA to DNA”, i.e., could DNA have been formed simultaneously with RNA, rather than RNA first and then describing the emergence of DNA from RNA. Also discussed are proteins and the origins of genomes as well as various ideas that purport to explain the origin of life here on Earth and potentially further afield elsewhere on other planets.
Warm White Light-Emitting Diodes Based on a Novel Orange Cationic Iridium(III) Complex
Authors: Tang Huaijun , Meng Guoyun , Chen Zeyu , Wang Kaimin , Zhou Qiang , Wang Zhengliang
Published: June 2017

A novel orange cationic iridium(III) complex [(TPTA)2Ir(dPPOA)]PF6 (TPTA: 3,4,5-triphenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole, dPPOA: N,N-diphenyl-4-(5-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)aniline) was synthesized and used as a phosphor in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). [(TPTA)2Ir(dPPOA)]PF6 has high thermal stability with a decomposition temperature (Td) of 375 °C, and its relative emission intensity at 100 °C is 88.8% of that at 25°C. When only [(TPTA)2Ir(dPPOA)]PF6 was used as a phosphor at 6.0 wt % in silicone and excited by a blue GaN (GaN: gallium nitride) chip (450 nm), an orange LED was obtained. A white LED fabricated by a blue GaN chip (450 nm) and only yellow phosphor Y3Al5O12:Ce3+ (YAG:Ce) (1.0 wt % in silicone) emitted cold white light, its CIE (CIE: Commission International de I’Eclairage) value was (0.32, 0.33), color rendering index (CRI) was 72.2, correlated color temperature (CCT) was 6877 K, and luminous efficiency (ηL) was 128.5 lm∙W−1. Such a cold white LED became a neutral white LED when [(TPTA)2Ir(dPPOA)]PF6 was added at 0.5 wt %; its corresponding CIE value was (0.35, 0.33), CRI was 78.4, CCT was 4896 K, and ηL was 85.2 lm∙W−1. It further became a warm white LED when [(TPTA)2Ir(dPPOA)]PF6 was added at 1.0 wt %; its corresponding CIE value was (0.39, 0.36), CRI was 80.2, CCT was 3473 K, and ηL was 46.1 lm∙W−1. The results show that [(TPTA)2Ir(dPPOA)]PF6 is a promising phosphor candidate for fabricating warm white LEDs.