bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictors of adalimumab drug survival in psoriasis differ by reason for discontinuation: long‐term results from the Bio‐CAPTURE registry
Authors: van den Reek J.M.P.A. , Tummers M. , Zweegers J. , Seyger M.M.B. , van Lümig P.P.M. , Driessen R.J.B. , van de Kerkhof P.C.M. , Kievit W. , de Jong E.M.G.J.
Published: August 2014

Background

Drug survival is an indicator for treatment success; insight in predictors associated with drug survival is important.

Objectives (I)

To analyse the long‐term drug survival for adalimumab in patients with psoriasis treated in daily practice and (II) to identify predictors of prolonged drug survival for adalimumab split for different reasons of discontinuation.

Methods

Data were extracted from a prospective psoriasis cohort and analysed using Kaplan–Meier survival curves split for reasons of discontinuation. Baseline predictors associated with longer drug survival were identified using multivariate Cox‐regression analysis.

Results

One hundred and sixteen patients were included with a total of 208 patient‐years. Overall drug survival was 76% after 1 year and 52% after 4.5 years. In patients who stopped due to ineffectiveness, longer drug survival was associated with the absence of specific comorbidities (P = 0.03). In patients who stopped due to side‐effects, longer drug survival was associated with male gender (P = 0.02).

Conclusions

Predictors of adalimumab drug survival in psoriasis differ by reason for discontinuation. Strong, specific predictors can lead to patient‐tailored treatment.
Angles and geometric shapes, but not lines, in melanocytic lesions may be helpful in the clinical diagnosis of melanoma
Authors: Betti R. , Cerri A. , Vergani R. , Agape E. , Menni S.
Published: August 2014

Background

Geometric shapes have been suggested to be found in malignant melanomas. We have observed a number of melanomas presenting with linear and incomplete angulated figures.

Objective

To verify the assumption that geometric shapes, a linear border and/or incomplete angulated figures may indicate a potential melanoma.

Methods

Patients with surgically removed melanocytic lesions were admitted to the study. We evaluated the presence of a sharp linear demarcation, the presence of contiguous lines resulting in the formation of angle/s and the presence of complete geometric figure. We distinguished the obtained results into melanoma and benign melanocytic naevi.

Results

A total of 471 melanomas and 1979 melanocytic naevi were collected. Linear borders, angles and geometric figures were observed in 42 melanomas and in 75 benign melanocytic naevi. Angles with incomplete geometric configuration were observed in 21 melanomas and in 37 benign naevi (21/471 vs. 37/1979, 4.24% vs. 1.87%; P < 0.0016); complete even if irregular geometrical figures in 12 melanomas and 17 naevi (12/471 vs. 17/1979, 2.54% vs. 0.85%; P < 0.005). The presence of line(s) did not significantly differed in the two considered groups.

Conclusions

Melanocytic lesions with angulated shapes and complete geometrical configurations might indicate a suspect melanoma. Only sharp linear demarcation of the lesion do not seem to be significantly associated with melanoma suspicion.
Accuracy of a smartphone application using fractal image analysis of pigmented moles compared to clinical diagnosis and histological result
Authors: Maier T. , Kulichova D. , Schotten K. , Astrid R. , Ruzicka T. , Berking C. , Udrea A.
Published: August 2014

Background

Lately, various smartphone applications have been introduced as diagnostic self‐monitoring tools in the evaluation of pigmented moles, but most of these techniques have not been evaluated systematically.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate prospectively the sensitivity and specificity of a recently developed smartphone application using fractal image analysis for the risk evaluation algorithm in the diagnosis of malignant melanoma compared to clinical diagnosis and histopathological result.

Methods

Consecutive patients with melanocytic lesions were recruited and clinical and dermoscopical diagnosis was documented by two dermatologists independently. Imaging and analysis with the smartphone application was performed prior to excision of lesions. The findings were compared to the histological results as gold standard.

Results

Of 195 included lesions histopathological analysis revealed 40 melanomas, 42 dysplastic nevi and 113 benign nevi. The sensitivity of the diagnosis melanoma by fractal image analysis using smartphone images was 73%, the specificity was 83% compared to a sensitivity of 88% and specificity of 97% regarding the clinical diagnosis by the dermatologists.

Conclusion

The smartphone application using fractal analysis might be a promising tool in the pre‐evaluation of pigmented moles by laypersons, while it is to date inferior to the diagnostic evaluation by a dermatologist.
Genetic characteristics of Streptococcus dysgalactiae isolated from cage cultured cobia, Rachycentron canadum (L.)
Authors: Tsai M‐A , Wang P‐C , Yoshida T , Chen S‐C
Published: August 2014

Disease outbreaks occurred during 2007–2013 in Taiwan with 2.5–10% mortality among the cage cultured cobia, Rachycentron canadum (L.), characterized by the presence of polyserositis, pericarditis and peritonitis. The micro‐organisms isolated from internal organs were Gram‐positive cocci. The isolates were confirmed as Streptococcus dysgalactiae by a polymerase chain reaction assay that yielded the expected specific 259 bp amplicon. Additionally, partial sequence of the 16S–23S rDNA intergenic spacer region of the GCS strain isolates from fish was also compared and produced 100% sequence identity with S. dysgalactiae (GenBank accession number AB252398). The genetic characterization was then determined by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. Based on PFGE, the Apa I or Sma I digestion patterns of chromosomal DNA of these isolates were grouped into three main clusters. Taiwanese strains were divided into two clusters, and the tet(M) gene was detected in cluster 1 (pulsotypes: A1–A2 and S1–S3), but not in cluster 2 strains (pulsotypes: A3–A4 and S4–S5). Three Japanese strains from amberjack, Seriola dumerili (Risso), were grouped into cluster 3 (pulsotypes: A5–A7 and S6–S8) and displayed no mortality to cobia in the challenge experiment. Conversely, Taiwanese strains from cobia and snubnose pompano, Trachinotus blochii (L.), displayed a mortality rate of 50–87.5% in cobia.
Diagnostic features of sessile serrated adenoma/polyps on magnifying narrow band imaging: A prospective study of diagnostic accuracy
Authors: Yamashina Takeshi , Takeuchi Yoji , Uedo Noriya , Aoi Kenji , Matsuura Noriko , Nagai Kengo , Matsui Fumi , Ito Takashi , Fujii Mototsugu , Yamamoto Sachiko , Hanaoka Noboru , Higashino Koji , Ishihara Ryu , Tomita Yasuhiko , Iishi Hiroyasu
Published: August 2014

Background and Aims

The narrow band imaging classification system (NBI International Colorectal Endoscopic [NICE] classification) classifies colorectal polyps very accurately. However, sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSA/Ps) pathologically resembles hyperplastic polyp and has a possibility to be left in situ on NICE classification. The aim of this study was to establish and evaluate new simple diagnostic features for SSA/Ps using magnifying narrow band imaging (M‐NBI).

Methods

We performed a single‐arm observational study of diagnostic accuracy in two stages, as follows: seeking stage, development of simple diagnostic features for SSA/P and definition of diagnostic criteria based on retrospective assessments of M‐NBI; and validation stage, prospective validation and evaluation of the new diagnostic criteria.

Results

In the seeking stage, we identified brownish, oval, expanded crypt openings and thick‐branched vessels on the surfaces of SSA/Ps. We named these “expanded crypt openings” (ECOs) and “thick and branched vessels” (TBVs), respectively. In the validation stage, we enrolled 796 polyps in 261 patients, and classified 126 polyps as NICE type 1; all these lesions were endoscopically removed and assessed histopathologically. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of ECOs for SSA/Ps were 84.3%, 81.1%, and 82.4%, whereas those of TBVs were 45.1%, 68.9%, and 59.2%, respectively. M‐NBI provided a sensitivity of 98% and specificity of 59.5% for discrimination of SSA/Ps from other lesions classified as NICE type 1.

Conclusions

Identification of ECOs, supplemented with TBVs, has high sensitivity for the diagnosis of SSA/P. These findings may facilitate the use of endoscopic optical diagnosis in clinical practice.
Sophocarpine attenuates toll‐like receptor 4 in steatotic hepatocytes to suppress pro‐inflammatory cytokines synthesis
Authors: Song Chun‐Yan , Zeng Xin , Wang Yang , Shi Jian , Qian Hui , Zhang Yi , Fang Jia‐Qing , Sheng Xia , Zheng Jian‐Ming , Chen Yue‐Xiang
Published: August 2014

Background and Aim

Sophocarpine, a tetracyclic quinolizidine alkaloid derived from Sophora alopecuroides L., has been documented that it can suppress pro‐inflammatory cytokines synthesis in alleviating nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in vivo. Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a pattern recognition receptor whose activation results in the production of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines. It has been reported that TLR4 is upregulated in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of NASH. This study aimed to examine the changes of TLR4 and its signaling pathways in sophocarpine's anti‐inflammatory process on experimental NASH in vitro.

Methods

Primary hepatocytes were isolated, and oleic acid‐induced steatosis model was established. Cell Counting Kit‐8 assay was used to detect the number of metabolically active mitochondria and viable cells. Immunocytochemistry analysis was applied to evaluating pro‐inflammatory cytokines synthesis. Total RNA and protein were extracted for real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot detection.

Results

Enhanced expression of TLR4 was observed in oleic acid‐induced steatotic hepatocytes. Sophocarpine suppressed pro‐inflammatory cytokines synthesis and reduced the expression of TLR4 in steatotic hepatocytes. Expression of TLR4 and pro‐inflammatory cytokines recovered after sophocarpine was removed. Moreover, sophocarpine restrained the activation of nuclear factor‐kappaB (NF‐κB), c‐Jun‐N‐terminal kinase (JNK), and Extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathways in the anti‐inflammatory process.

Conclusion

Sophocarpine could decrease the expression of TLR4 in steatotic hepatocytes and suppress pro‐inflammatory cytokines synthesis. NF‐κB, JNK, and ERK signaling pathways were important workable downstream pathways.
Association between specific mucosa‐associated microbiota in Crohn's disease at the time of resection and subsequent disease recurrence: A pilot study
Authors: De Cruz Peter , Kang Seungha , Wagner Josef , Buckley Michael , Sim Winnie H , Prideaux Lani , Lockett Trevor , McSweeney Chris , Morrison Mark , Kirkwood Carl D , Kamm Michael A
Published: August 2014

Background and Aim

Crohn's disease pathogenesis involves alterations in the gut microbiota. We characterized the mucosa‐associated microbiota at the time of surgical resection and 6 months later to identify bacterial profiles associated with recurrence and remission.

Methods

Tissue samples were collected from surgical resection specimens in 12 Crohn's disease patients, and at 6 months postoperative colonoscopy from the neoterminal ileum and anastomosis. Endoscopic recurrence was assessed using the Rutgeerts score. Microbiota was characterized using microarray and 454 pyrosequencing. Longitudinal comparisons were made within patients, and cross‐sectional comparisons made with colonoscopic biopsies from the terminal ileum and cecum of 10 healthy subjects.

Results

Microbiota of healthy subjects had high diversity and was dominated by the Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria phyla. Biodiversity was lower in Crohn's disease patients at the time of surgery, increased after surgery, but still differed from healthy subjects. Crohn's disease patients with recurrent disease retained a microbiota favoring proteolytic‐fueled fermentation and lactic acid‐producing bacteria, including Enterococcus and Veillonella spp., while those maintaining remission demonstrated predominant saccharolytic Bacteroides, Prevotella, and Parabacteroides spp., and saccharolytic, butyrate‐producing Firmicutes.

Conclusion

In Crohn's disease, the mucosa‐associated microbiota diversity is reduced at the time of surgery, but also differs between patients with different clinical outcomes at 6 months. These findings may provide prognostic information at the time of surgery, allowing identification of patients at increased risk of recurrence, and provide basis for a more targeted approach for therapeutic interventions after surgery.
High‐resolution anorectal manometry and dynamic pelvic magnetic resonance imaging are complementary technologies
Authors: Jodorkovsky Daniela , Macura Katarzyna J , Gearhart Susan L , Dunbar Kerry B , Stein Ellen M , Clarke John O
Published: August 2014

Background and Aim

Dynamic pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (DP‐MRI) offers a comprehensive evaluation of pelvic organ structure in addition to functional information regarding evacuation. Opportunity to apply this technology can be limited due to regional lack of availability. Ideally, clues from standard anorectal testing could predict abnormalities on DP‐MRI, leading to its efficient use. The aim of this study is to determine whether high‐resolution anorectal manometry (HR‐ARM) correlates with findings on DP‐MRI.

Methods

This is a retrospective study of HR‐ARM performed on patients with constipation who also underwent DP‐MRI. Studies were reviewed for significant findings including posterior pelvic organ prolapse, rectocele > 3 cm, rectal intussusception, and anorectal angle. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, Student's t‐test, and Fisher's exact test.

Results

Twenty‐three patients undergoing HR‐ARM (age range 25–78) also underwent DP‐MRI. All were female; 76% were Caucasian. Twenty had significant structural findings: small pelvic prolapse (n = 2), moderate pelvic prolapse (n = 10), large pelvic prolapse (n = 9), rectocele (n = 8), or rectal intussusception (n = 3). Only intrarectal pressure on HR‐ARM weakly correlated with size of rectocele (r = 0.46; P = 0.03) and degree of pelvic organ prolapse (r = 0.48; P = 0.02). The remainder of the HR‐ARM parameters did not significantly correlate with DP‐MRI findings. Patients with dyssynergy were not more likely to have rectoceles > 3 cm (44.4% versus 35.7%; P = 0.5) or large prolapses (44.4% versus 50%, P = 1.0), compared with those without dyssynergy, on HR‐ARM.

Conclusion

We were unable to find a correlation between HR‐ARM findings and structural pelvic defects on DP‐MRI. Therefore, these two technologies provide complementary information in the evaluation of defecatory dysfunction.
Soft X‐ray spectromicroscopy for speciation, quantitation and nano‐eco‐toxicology of nanomaterials
Authors: LAWRENCE J.R. , SWERHONE G.D.W. , DYNES J.J. , KORBER D.R. , HITCHCOCK A.P.
Published: August 2014

There is a critical need for methods that provide simultaneous detection, identification, quantitation and visualization of nanomaterials at their interface with biological and environmental systems. The approach should allow speciation as well as elemental analysis. Using the intrinsic X‐ray absorption properties, soft X‐ray scanning transmission X‐ray spectromicroscopy (STXM) allows characterization and imaging of a broad range of nanomaterials, including metals, oxides and organic materials, and at the same time is able to provide detailed mapping of biological components. Thus, STXM offers considerable potential for application to research on nanomaterials in biology and the environment. The potential and limitations of STXM in this context are discussed using a range of examples, focusing on the interaction of nanomaterials with microbial cells, biofilms and extracellular polymers. The studies outlined include speciation and mapping of metal‐containing nanomaterials (Ti, Ni, Cu) and carbon‐based nanomaterials (multiwalled carbon nanotubes, C60 fullerene). The benefits of X‐ray fluorescence detection in soft X‐ray STXM are illustrated with a study of low levels of Ni in a natural river biofilm.
The use of fractal dimension and lacunarity in the characterization of mast cell degranulation in rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss)
Authors: MANERA M. , DEZFULI B.S. , BORRECA C. , GIARI L.
Published: August 2014

Fractal analysis is a reliable method for describing, summarizing object complexity and heterogeneity and has been widely used in biology and medicine to deal with scale, size and shape management problems. The aim of present survey was to use fractal analysis as a complexity measure to characterize mast cells (MCs) degranulation in a rainbow trout ex vivo model (isolated organ bath). Compound 48/80, a condensation product of N‐methyl‐p‐methoxyphenethylamine with formaldehyde, was adopted as MCs degranulation agent in trout intestinal strips. Fractal dimension (D), as a measure of complexity, ‘roughness’ and lacunarity (λ), as a measure of rotational and translational invariance, heterogeneity, in other words, of the texture, were compared in MCs images taken from intestinal strips before and after compound 48/80 addition to evaluate if and how they were affected by degranulation. Such measures were also adopted to evaluate their discrimination efficacy between compound 48/80 degranulated group and not degranulated group and the results were compared with previously reported data obtained with conventional texture analysis (image histogram, run‐length matrix, co‐occurrence matrix, autoregressive model, wavelet transform) on the same experimental material. Outlines, skeletons and original greyscale images were fractal analysed to evaluate possible significant differences in the measures values according to the analysed feature. In particular, and considering outline and skeleton as analysed features, fractal dimensions from compound 48/80 treated intestinal strips were significantly higher than the corresponding untreated ones (paired t and Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05), whereas corresponding lacunarity values were significantly lower (paired Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05) but only for outline as analysed feature. Outlines roughness increase is consistent with an increased granular mediators interface, favourable for their biological action; while lacunarity (image heterogeneity) reduction is consistent with the biological informative content decrease, due to granule content depletion. In spite of the significant differences in fractal dimension and lacunarity values registered according to the analysed feature (greyscale obtained values were, on average, lower than those obtained from outlines and skeletons; General Linear Model, p < 0.01), the discrimination power between not degranulated and degranulated MCs was, on average, the same and fully comparable with previously performed texture analysis on the same experimental material (outline and skeleton misclassification error, 20% [two false negative cases]; greyscale misclassification error, 30% [two false negative cases and one false positive case]). Fractal analysis proved to be a reliable and objective method for the characterization of MCs degranulation.
Modelling broilers’ abdominal fat in response to dietary treatments
Authors: Salarpour A. , Rahmatnejad E. , Khotanlou H.
Published: August 2014

Neural networks are capable of modelling any complex function and can be used in poultry production. Dietary crude fibre (CF) and exogenous enzymes (exEn) extensively affected abdominal fat (AF) of broilers. Current methods to studyAFand its correlation with dietaryCFlevels and exEn supplements are costly, laborious and time‐consuming. The purpose of this study was to develop an artificial neural network–genetic algorithm (ANN‐GA) to model data on the response of broiler chickens (AF) toCFand exEn from 0 to 42 days of age. A data set containing eight treatments was divided to the train, validation, and test data set of theANNmodels. The information about feeding eight diets at two periods [starter (0–21 days of age) and grower (22–42 days of age)] were used to estimateAFof broilers byANN‐GA. A multilayer feed‐forward neural network with different structures was developed usingmatlabsoftware, and optimal values for theANNweights were obtained using the genetic algorithm (GA). Crude fibre, and exEn were used as input variables andAFof broilers was output variable. The best model ofANN‐GAwas determined based on the train root mean square error (RMSE). The best selectedANN‐GAshowed desirable results,RMSE, 0.1286% andR2coefficient, 0.876 for test data.
Social inclusion/exclusion as matters of social (in)justice: a call for nursing action
Authors: Yanicki Sharon M , Kushner Kaysi E , Reutter Linda
Published: August 2014

Social inclusion/exclusion involves just/unjust social relations and social structures enabling or constraining opportunities for participation and health. In this paper, social inclusion/exclusion is explored as a dialectic. Three discourses – discourses on recognition, capabilities, and equality and citizenship – are identified within Canadian literature. Each discourse highlights a different view of the injustices leading to social exclusion and the conditions supporting inclusion and social justice. An Integrated Framework for Social Justice that incorporates the three discourses is developed and used to critique the dominant focus on distributive justice within foundational Canadian nursing documents. We propose a broader conceptualization of social (in)justice that includes both relational and structural dimensions. Opportunities for multilevel interventions to promote social justice are identified. This framework is congruent with nursing's moral imperative to promote health equity and with the multiple roles played by nurses to promote social justice in everyday practice.
A four‐country comparison of healthcare systems, implementation of diagnostic criteria, and treatment availability for functional gastrointestinal disorders
Authors: Schmulson M. , Corazziari E. , Ghoshal U. C. , Myung S.‐J. , Gerson C. D. , Quigley E. M. M. , Gwee K.‐A. , Sperber A. D.
Published: August 2014

Background

Variations in healthcare provision around the world may impact how patients with functional gastrointestinal disorder (FGIDs) are investigated, diagnosed, and treated. However, these differences have not been reviewed.

Purposes

The Multinational Working Team of the Rome Foundation, established to make recommendations on the conduct of multinational, cross‐cultural research in FGIDs, identified seven key issues that are analyzed herein: (i) coverage afforded by different healthcare systems/providers; (ii) level of the healthcare system where patients with FGIDs are treated; (iii) extent/types of diagnostic procedures typically undertaken to diagnose FGIDs; (iv) physicians’ familiarity with and implementation of the Rome diagnostic criteria in clinical practice; (v) range of medications approved for FGIDs and approval process for new agents; (vi) costs involved in treating FGIDs; and (vii) prevalence and role of complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) for FGIDs. Because it was not feasible to survey all countries around the world, we compared a selected number of countries based on their geographical and ethno‐cultural diversity. Thus, we included Italy and South Korea as representative of nations with broad‐based coverage of healthcare in the population and India and Mexico as newly industrialized countries where there may be limited provision of healthcare for substantial segments of the population. In light of the paucity of formal publications on these issues, we included additional sources from the medical literature as well as perspectives provided by local experts and the media. Finally, we provide future directions on healthcare issues that should be taken into account and implemented when conducting cross‐cultural and multinational research in FGIDs.
The Effect of Poverty and Income Disparity on the Psychological Well‐Being of Hong Kong Children
Authors: Ho Ka Yan , Li William H. C. , Chan Sophia S. C.
Published: August 2014

Objective

This study explored the impact of poverty and income disparity on the psychological well‐being of Hong Kong Chinese children.

Design and Sample

A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 12 elementary schools from the three highest and three lowest median household income districts. A total of 1,725 pupils were recruited with 898 pupils came from low‐income and 827 from high‐income families.

Measures

Participants were asked to respond to the Chinese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale for Children, the Rosenberg self‐esteem scale, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. The data were collected from 2012 to 2013.

Results

Children from low‐income families reported statistically significant lower scores in self‐esteem and quality of life, but higher scores in depressive symptoms than those from high‐income families. Income disparity had their greatest impact on children's self‐esteem.

Conclusion

This study has addressed a gap in the literature by comparing the self‐esteem, depressive symptoms, and quality of life among children living in low‐ and high‐income families. The results add further evidence to the literature that poverty and income disparity may have a negative impact on the psychological well‐being of children.
The Failure of Practical Intuition: How Forward‐Coverage Inventory Targets Cause the Landslide Effect
Authors: Neale John J. , Willems Sean P.
Published: August 2014

Seasonal demand for products is common at many companies including Kraft Foods, Case New Holland, and Elmer's Products. This study documents how these, and many other companies, experience bloated inventories as they transition from a low season to a high season and a severe drop in service levels as they transition from a high season to a low season. Kraft has termed this latter phenomenon the “landslide effect.” In this study, we present real examples of the landslide effect and attribute its root cause to a common industry practice employing forward days of coverage when setting inventory targets. While inventory textbooks and academic articles prescribe correct ways to set inventory targets, forward coverage is the dominant method employed in practice. We investigate the magnitude and drivers of the landslide effect through both an analytical model and a case study. We find that the effect increases with seasonality, lead time, and demand uncertainty and can lower service by an average of ten points at a representative company. While the logic is initially counterintuitive to many practitioners, companies can avoid the landslide effect by using demand forecasts over the preceding lead time to calculate safety stock targets.
Pros and Cons of Body Mass Index as a Nutritional and Risk Assessment Tool in Dialysis Patients
Authors: Carrero Juan Jesús , Avesani Carla Maria
Published: August 2014

Obesity is a problem of serious concern among chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients; it is a risk factor for progression to end‐stage renal disease and its incidence and prevalence in dialysis patients exceeds those of the general population. Obesity, typically assessed with the simple metric of body mass index (BMI), is considered a mainstay for nutritional assessment in guidelines on nutrition in CKD. While regular BMI assessment in connection with the dialysis session is a simple and easy‐to‐use monitoring tool, such ease of access can lead to excess‐of‐use, as the value of this metric to health care professionals is overestimated. This review examines BMI as a clinical monitoring tool in CKD practice and offers a critical appraisal as to what a high or a low BMI may signify in this patient population. Topics discussed include the utility of BMI as a reflection of body size, body composition and body fat distribution, diagnostic versus prognostic performance, and consideration of temporal trends over single assessments.
Biophysical properties of striae distensae evaluated in vivo using non‐invasive assays
Authors: Stamatas G. N. , Lopes‐DaCunha A. , Nkengne A. , Bertin C.
Published: August 2014

Background

Striae Distensae (SD) or stretch marks are manifestations of epidermal atrophy that occurs after tissue tearing due to rapid growth or over‐stretching and are characterized by distinct microstructural features. The objective of this in vivo study was to investigate the biophysical properties of SD lesions, including skin barrier function, skin surface hydration, mechanical properties, and chromophore concentrations, compared to normal adjacent skin.

Methods

Non‐invasive methods were used on 29 volunteers with SD to characterize: (i) visual appearance (visual assessment and clinical imaging), (ii) skin barrier function by measuring transepidermal water loss, (iii) skin surface hydration using corneometry (skin capacitance), (iv) mechanical properties measuring skin elasticity under vacuum and surface propagation of a sonic wave, (v) the presence of erythema and pigmentation using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and (vi) the levels of interleukin‐1α on the skin surface.

Results

No difference was observed in skin barrier function and a slight difference in skin hydration between the striae and adjacent uninvolved skin. Viscoelasticity measurements showed that SD lesions were significantly less firm, less elastic, and less deformable than normal skin (P < 0.05). Mechanical anisotropy was increased in SD compared to normal skin, reflecting the skin surface anisotropy reported previously. Diffuse reflectance spectroscopy showed no differences in the apparent hemoglobin concentrations between SD and control. Skin pigmentation and light scattering values were significantly lower in SD (P < 0.001) compared to adjacent skin and there was no correlation between them indicating independent causes: lower melanin production for pigmentation and altered collagen fiber structure in the dermis for light scattering.

Conclusions

Based on these results, the distinct microstructural features characterizing SD lesions are accompanied by changes in the mechanical and optical properties. These changes however do not seem to affect the skin barrier and moisturization properties.
Dynamic Models for Load Calculation Procedures of Offshore Wind Turbine Support Structures: Overview, Assessment, and Outlook
Authors: van der Valk Paul L. C. , Voormeeren Sven N. , de Valk Pauline C. , Rixen Daniel J.
Published: August 2014

One of the main mechanisms for driving down the cost of offshore wind energy is to install ever larger wind turbines in larger wind farms. At the same time, these turbines are placed further offshore in deeper waters. As a result, traditional monopile foundations are not always feasible and multimembered foundations, such as jackets and tripods are required. Typically, thousands of load cases need to be simulated for the design and certification of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). As models of such foundations are significantly larger than their monopile counterparts, model reduction is often applied to limit the computational costs. Additionally, the foundation design is generally done by a specialized company, which bases its design on the results of the load simulations. Hence, an accurate estimation of the stresses in load simulation is essential to predict the integrity and the lifetime of different designs. The effect on the load accuracy of both the model reduction as well as the postprocessing method used by foundation designers (FDs) are investigated in this paper. A case study is performed on a jacket-based wind turbine model to verify and quantify the findings. First, it is observed that the effect of the reduced foundation model on the wind turbine loads is negligible. However, both the reduction method and the postprocessing method applied by the FD have a large influence on the fatigue loading in the jacket. It is shown that the popular Guyan reduction results in significant errors on the fatigue damage and that a static postprocessing analysis leads to serious underestimations of the fatigue loads. Finally, an outlook is given into future developments in the field of load calculations for OWT foundation design.
Positive Finite-Time Stabilization for Discrete-Time Linear Systems
Authors: Xue Wenping , Li Kangji
Published: August 2014

In this paper, a new finite-time stability (FTS) concept, which is defined as positive FTS (PFTS), is introduced into discrete-time linear systems. Differently from previous FTS-related papers, the initial state as well as the state trajectory is required to be in the non-negative orthant of the Euclidean space. Some test criteria are established for the PFTS of the unforced system. Then, a sufficient condition is proposed for the design of a state feedback controller such that the closed-loop system is positively finite-time stable. This condition is provided in terms of a series of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) with some equality constraints. Moreover, the requirement of non-negativity of the controller is considered. Finally, two examples are presented to illustrate the developed theory.
Effect of the Water Storage Tank Coverage With an Outer Glass Tube on the Thermal Performance of an Integrated Collector Storage Solar Water Heater
Authors: Chaabane Monia , Mhiri Hatem , Bournot Philippe
Published: August 2014

The thermal performance of an integrated collector storage solar water heater (ICSSWH) is numerically examined using the numerical software Fluent 6.3. As this solar system presents the disadvantage of its high night thermal losses, a new strategy helping to reduce these losses is proposed. A particular system in which the storage tank is covered with an outer glass tube is studied and a parametric study is conducted in order to evaluate the optimal air spacing gap between the water tank and the covering glass tube which minimizes this system's heat losses. A 3D computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model interpreting this modified system is so developed and its thermal performance is compared to that of the noncovered tank based ICSSWH. The analysis of these solar systems daily performance shows that the modified ICSSWH is able to generate more thermal output and presents the advantage of its lower thermal losses. Regarding the night operating, this covered tank based ICSSWH is shown more effective in retaining higher temperatures for longer period, resulting so in lower night thermal losses. Results also suggest that the best performance corresponds to the lowest air gap spacing (L = 0.005 m).
An Alignment Strategy for Evolution of Multi-Agent Systems
Authors: Rastgoftar Hossein , Jayasuriya Suhada
Published: August 2014

Developed in this paper is the notion that the collective behavior of swarms can be achieved without explicit peer-to-peer communication among agents. It is based on a recently proposed continuum framework for studying swarms where homogeneous maps are the key. The paper focuses on 2D evolution of a multi-agent system (MAS) that consists of N agents with Nl leaders at the two ends of m lines called leading segments, that are on the boundary of a moving convex domain Ωt. Rest of the (N-Nl) agents, the followers, are distributed along the m leading segments while lying inside the convex domain Ωt. Every follower i is initially located at the intersection of two line segments whose end points define four agents that are adjacent to i. Under this setup if the domain Ωt is transformed under a homogenous mapping and if every follower agent moves in such a way to reach the point of intersection of the two line segments connecting the adjacent agents, then the final formation of the MAS will satisfy the same homogenous map. This alignment strategy has the distinct advantage that the followers do not need the exact positions of the adjacent local agents to stay aligned.
The Synthesis of High-Dispersed Ni/Pt/C Nano-Electrocatalysts for Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Chen Yumei , Shi Jianchao
Published: August 2014

High-dispersed core–shell Ni/Pt/C nano-electrocatalysts were prepared by “modified polyol process” method. Effect of the experimental parameters, such as the pretreatment of XC-72 supports, the method of adding the XC-72 supports, the concentration of the precursors, on the characteristic and the dispersion of the Ni/Pt nanoparticles on carbon were studied in details. The prepared core–shell Ni/Pt/C catalysts were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and electrochemical methods. The results exhibit that the choice of method of adding the XC-72 support into the solution before formation of the Ni core and appropriately lower concentration of the precursor can obtain high dispersed Ni/Pt/C catalysts, which showed remarkably enhanced activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR).
Comparison of Alkaline Direct Ethanol Fuel Cells With and Without Anion Exchange Membrane
Authors: Huang Jing , Faghri Amir
Published: August 2014

The performance of three alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells (ADEFCs) is investigated. All three use identical anode and cathode electrodes, but one uses an anion exchange membrane (AEM) and the other two use nonpermselective porous separators. Ethanol was chosen as the fuel because of its low toxicity, low carbon footage, and market readiness. A direct comparison between ADEFCs with and without AEM is reported. The performance of each cell is studied under different operation conditions of temperature, reactants flow rate, ethanol and potassium hydroxide (KOH) concentrations. The results show that with low cost porous separator, the ADEFC can reach similar power output as those using expensive AEMs. With 1 M ethanol and 1 M KOH aqueous solution, the maximum power densities of 26.04 mW/cm2 and 24.0 mW/cm2 are achieved for the ADEFC employing AEM and porous separator, respectively. This proves the feasibility of replacing AEM with nonpermselective separators. The results suggest that improving the cathode structure in order to provide a better oxygen supply is the key factor to enhance the performance of an AEM free ADEFC.
Reverse-Pass Cooling Systems for Improved Performance
Authors: Kirollos Benjamin , Povey Thomas
Published: August 2014

Total heat transfer between a hot and a cold stream of gas across a nonporous conductive wall is greatest when the two streams flow in opposite directions. This counter-current arrangement outperforms the co-current arrangement because the mean driving temperature difference is larger. This simple concept, whilst familiar in the heat exchanger community, has received no discussion in papers concerned with cooling of hot-section gas turbine components (e.g., turbine vanes/blades, combustor liners, afterburners). This is evidenced by the fact that there are numerous operational systems which would be significantly improved by the application of “reverse-pass” cooling. That is, internal coolant flowing substantially in the opposite direction to the mainstream flow. A reverse-pass system differs from a counter-current system in that the cold fluid is also used for film cooling. Such systems can be realized when normal engine design constraints are taken into account. In this paper, the thermal performance of reverse-pass arrangements is assessed using bespoke 2D numerical conjugate heat transfer models, and compared to baseline forward-pass and adiabatic arrangements. It is shown that for a modularized reverse-pass arrangement implemented in a flat plate, significantly less coolant is required to maintain metal temperatures below a specified limit than for the corresponding forward-pass system. The geometry is applicable to combustor liners and afterburners. Characteristically, reverse-pass systems have the benefit of reducing lateral temperature gradients in the wall. The concept is demonstrated by modeling the pressure and suction surfaces of a typical nozzle guide vane with both internal and film cooling. For the same cooling mass flow rate, the reverse-pass system is shown to reduce the peak temperature on the suction side (SS) and reduce lateral temperature gradients on both SS and pressure side (PS). The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that by introducing concepts familiar in the heat exchanger community, engine hot-section cooling efficiency can be improved whilst respecting conventional manufacturing constraints.
Uranium mobility in face-centered cubic aluminium driven by interstitial migration
Authors: Ramunni Viviana P.
Published: August 2014

We characterize the solute mobility behavior driven by interstitial mechanism in FCC diluted alloys using a classical molecular static technique (CMS). In the same line of ideas as the multi-frequency model, we calculate the tracer self- and solute diffusion coefficients. Specifically, we perform our calculations for the Al –U diluted alloy. We verify that in the Al –U system, mixed dumb-bells are observed to be unstable and U mobility is driven by crowdions. From previous results of diffusion in same alloys containing only vacancies, qualitatively we conclude that, experimental data are in perfect agreement with previous calculations of solute U diffusion driven by a vacancy mechanism. Also we give a possible migration path for solute U atoms through interstitial migration, where we have found that U enhances the Al mobility in the alloy.
UNSTABLE DYNAMICS OF ADAPTATION IN UNKNOWN ENVIRONMENT DUE TO NOVELTY SEEKING
Authors: ZGONNIKOV ARKADY , LUBASHEVSKY IHOR
Published: August 2014

Learning and adaptation play great role in emergent socio-economic phenomena. Complex dynamics has been previously found in the systems of multiple learning agents interacting via a simple game. Meanwhile, the single agent adaptation is considered trivially stable. We advocate the idea that adopting a more complex model of the individual behavior may result in a more diverse spectrum of macro-level behaviors. We develop an adaptation model based on the reinforcement learning framework extended by an additional processing channel. We scrutiny the dynamics of the single agent adapting to the unknown environment; the agent is biased by novelty seeking, the intrinsic inclination for exploration. We demonstrate that the behavior of the novelty-seeking agent may be inherently unstable. One of the surprising results is that under certain conditions the increase of the novelty-seeking level may cause the agent to switch from the non-rational to the strictly rational behavior. Our results give evidence to the hypothesis that the intrinsic motives of agents should be paid no less attention than the extrinsic ones in the models of complex socio-economic systems.
The number of shortest paths in the (n, k)-star graph
Authors: Cheng Eddie , Qiu Ke , Shen Zhizhang
Published: August 2014

We count the shortest paths, not necessarily disjoint, between any two vertices in an (n, k)-star graph by counting the minimum factorizations of a permutation in terms of the transpositions corresponding to edges in that graph. This result generalizes a previous one for the star graph, and can be applied to obtain the number of the shortest paths between a pair of vertices in some of the other structures closely related to the (n, k)-star graph, such as the alternating group networks. Furthermore, the techniques made use of in this paper can be applied to solve the same problem for some of the other structures such as the arrangement graph.
Firm Performance in a Global Market
Authors: De Loecker Jan , Goldberg Pinelopi Koujianou
Published: August 2014

In this article, we introduce an empirical framework to analyze how firm performance is affected by increased globalization. Using this framework, we discuss recent work on measuring the impact of various shocks firms face in the global marketplace, such as reductions in trade costs (through lowering tariffs and abolishing quotas). Our analytical framework nests most empirical approaches to estimating the impact of trade and industrial policies on firms active in international markets. We identify outstanding issues surrounding the identification of the underlying mechanisms and conclude with suggestions for future research.
Quality of Primary Care in Low-Income Countries: Facts and Economics
Authors: Das Jishnu , Hammer Jeffrey
Published: August 2014

New research on the quality of care in public and private primary care facilities has significantly enriched our understanding of how health care is delivered in low- and middle-income countries. First, this article summarizes recent advances in the measurement of quality, distinguishing between measurements of provider knowledge and provider effort. Second, it looks at the determinants of practice quality variation in low-income settings, highlighting the limited role of structural constraints such as infrastructure, the supply of materials including drugs, and provider training—the mainstay of much of global health policy today. In contrast, practice quality variation is clearly linked to provider effort, an aspect of provider behavior that can be altered through a variety of means. Third, it provides a broad economic framework to interpret the findings. We look for evidence of specific market failures in the provision of primary care and emphasize that the key difficulty is (and always was) the transaction-specific nature of medical advice. Providers can do too much or too little (or both), and the extent of either depends on the specific patient and the specific disease. We document specific ways in which it is difficult for both consumers and governments to monitor every transaction to detect potentially errant behavior.
Managing Rush Hour Congestion with Lane Reversal and Tradable Credits
Authors: Li Qing , Gao Ziyou
Published: August 2014

Within the morning and evening rush hour, the two‐way road flows are always unbalanced in opposite directions. In order to make full advantage of the existing lanes, the two‐way road lane has to be reallocated to play the best role in managing congestion. On the other hand, an effective tradable credit scheme can help to reduce the traffic demand and improve fairness for all travelers. So as to alleviate the commute congestion in urban transportation network, a discrete bilevel programming model is established in this paper. In the bilevel model, the government at the upper level reallocates lanes on the two‐way road to minimize the total system cost. The traveler at the lower level chooses the optimal route on the basis of both travel time and credit charging for the lanes involved. A numerical experiment is conducted to examine the efficiency of the proposed method.
Experimental Analyses of the Major Parameters Affecting the Intensity of Outbursts of Coal and Gas
Authors: Nie W. , Peng S. J. , Xu J. , Liu L. R. , Wang G. , Geng J. B.
Published: August 2014

With an increase in mining depth and production, the intensity and frequency of outburst of coal and gas have a tendency to increase. Estimating the intensity of outbursts of coal and gas plays an important role because of its relation with the risk value. In this paper, we described the semiquantitative relations between major parameters and intensity of outburst based on physical experiments. The results showed increment of geostress simulated by horizontal load (from 1.4, 2.4, 3.2, to 3.4 MPa) or vertical load (from 2, 3, 3.6, to 4 MPa) improved the relative intensity rate (3.763–7.403% and 1.273–7.99%); the increment of porosity (from 1.57, 2.51, 3, to 3.6%) improved the relative intensity rate from 3.8 to 13.8%; the increment of gas pressure (from 0, 0.5, 0.65, 0.72, 1, to 1.5 Mpa) induced the relative intensity rate to decrease from 38.22 to 0%; the increment of water content (from 0, 2, 4, to 8%) caused the relative intensity rate to drop from 5.425 to 0.5%. Furthermore, sensitivity and range analysis evaluates coupled factors affecting the relative intensity. In addition, the distinction with initiation of outburst of coal and gas affected by these parameters is discussed by the relative threshold of gas content rate.