bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between excess body weight and urine protein concentration in healthy dogs
Authors: Tefft Karen M. , Shaw Darcy H. , Ihle Sherri L. , Burton Shelley A. , Pack LeeAnn
Published: April 2014

Background

Markedly overweight people can develop progressive proteinuria and kidney failure secondary to obesity‐related glomerulopathy (ORG). Glomerular lesions in dogs with experimentally induced obesity are similar to those in people with ORG.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate if urine protein and albumin excretion is greater in overweight and obese dogs than in dogs of ideal body condition.

Methods

Client‐owned dogs were screened for underlying health conditions. These dogs were assigned a body condition score (BCS) using a 9‐point scoring system. Dogs with a BCS of ≥ 6 were classified as being overweight/obese, and dogs with a BCS of 4 or 5 were classified as being of ideal body weight. The urine protein:creatinine ratio (UPC) and urine albumin:creatinine ratio (UAC) were then determined, and compared between 20 overweight/obese dogs and 22 ideal body weight control dogs.

Results

Median UPC (0.04 [range, 0.01–0.14; interquartile range, 0.07]) and UAC (0.41 [0–10.39; 3.21]) of overweight/obese dogs were not significantly different from median UPC (0.04 [0.01–0.32; 0.07]) and UAC (0.18 [0–7.04; 1.75]) in ideal body weight dogs.

Conclusions

Clinicopathologic abnormalities consistent with ORG were absent from overweight/obese dogs in this study.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of the Effect of Leg Position on Cyclist Aerodynamic Drag
Authors: Griffith Martin D. , Crouch Timothy , Thompson Mark C. , Burton David , Sheridan John , Brown Nicholas A. T.
Published: April 2014

An experimental and numerical analysis of cycling aerodynamics is presented. The cyclist is modeled experimentally by a mannequin at static crank angle; numerically, the cyclist is modeled using a computer aided design (CAD) reproduction of the geometry. Wind tunnel observation of the flow reveals a large variation of drag force and associated downstream flow structure with crank angle; at a crank angle of 15 deg, where the two thighs of the rider are aligned, a minimum in drag is observed. At a crank angle of 75 deg, where one leg is at full extension and the other is raised close to the torso, a maximum in drag is observed. Simulation of the flow using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) reproduces the observed variation of drag with crank angle, but underpredicts the experimental drag measurements by approximately 15%, probably at least partially due to simplification of the geometry of the cyclist and bicycle. Inspection of the wake flow for the two sets of results reveals a good match in the downstream flow structure. Numerical simulation also reveals the transient nature of the entire flow field in greater detail. In particular, it shows how the flow separates from the body of the cyclist, which can be related to changes in the overall drag.
Associations of Activity Monitor Output and an Estimate of Aerobic Fitness With Pulse Wave Velocities: The Nakanojo Study
Authors: Ayabe Makoto , Park Sungjin , Shephard Roy J. , Aoyagi Yukitoshi
Published: April 2014

Background:

We examined the relative contributions of habitual physical activity and aerobic fitness to the prevention of arteriosclerosis.

Methods:

Elderly individuals (97 men and 109 women, aged > 65 y) each wore a uniaxial activity monitor continuously for 1 year, with activity data summarized as an average daily step count and duration of activity > 3 metabolic equivalents (METs). Aerobic fitness was assessed by a standardized 5-m walking test measure of maximal walking speed. Central arterial stiffness was determined using an automatic waveform analyzer measure of cardio-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV).

Results:

The cfPWV was negatively associated with daily step count, duration of activity > 3 METs, and maximal walking speed (P < .05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that the step count, duration of activity > 3 METs, and maximal walking speed were all significant predictors of cfPWV, accounting for 11%, 7%, and 4% of total variance, respectively.

Conclusions:

In contrast to findings from studies using potentially fallible questionnaires, our data suggest that a measure of health (arterial stiffness) is more closely related to objective measures of physical activity than to an estimate of aerobic fitness.
Validity and Reliability of Question 8 of the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire Among Healthy Adults
Authors: Simpson Kathleen , Parker Beth , Capizzi Jeffrey , Thompson Paul , Clarkson Priscilla , Freedson Patty , Pescatello Linda Shannon
Published: April 2014

Background:

Little information exists regarding the psychometric properties of question 8 (Q8) of the Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ) to assess exercise. Thus, we conducted 2 studies to assess the validity and test–retest reliability of Q8 among adults.

Methods:

Study 1 participants (n = 419) were 44.1 ± 16.1 years of age. Validity was determined by comparing self-reported hr·d−1 in sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous intensity physical activity (PA) and MET-hr·wk−1 on Q8 at baseline to accelerometer and health/fitness measurements using Spearman rank-order correlations. Study 2 participants (n = 217) were 44.7 ± 16.3 years of age and completed Q8 at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Test–retest reliability was determined using repeated measures analysis of covariance, intraclass correlations (ICCs), and standard error of the measurement (SEM).

Results:

Q8 displayed good criterion validity compared with accelerometer measurements (r = .102 to .200, P < .05) and predictive validity compared with health/fitness measurements (r = –.272 to .203, P < .05). No differences were observed in self-reported hr·d−1 in any of the PA categories at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months (ICC: 0.49 to 0.68; SEM: 1.0 to 2.0; P > .05), indicating good reliability.

Conclusion:

Q8 demonstrates adequate criterion validity, acceptable predictive validity, and satisfactory test–retest reliability and can be used in conjunction with other components of the PPAQ to provide a complete representation of exercise.
Relationship Between Metabolic Syndrome and Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity in Youth
Authors: Machado-Rodrigues Aristides M. , Leite Neiva , Silva Manuel J. Coelho e , Valente-dos-Santos João , Martins Raul A. , Mascarenhas Luis PG , Boguszewski Margaret CS , Padez Cristina , Malina Robert M.
Published: April 2014

Background:

Associations of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with lifestyle behaviors in youth is potentially important for identifying subgroups at risk and encourage interventions. This study evaluates the associations among the clustering of metabolic risk factors and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in youth.

Methods:

The sample comprised 522 girls and 402 boys (N = 924) aged 11 to 17 years. Height, weight, waist circumference (WC), fasting glucose, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressures were measured. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was assessed using the 20-m shuttle run test. MVPA was estimated with a 3-day diary. Outcome variables were statistically normalized and expressed as z scores. A clustered metabolic risk score was computed as the mean of z scores. Multiple linear regression was used to test associations between metabolic risk and MVPA by sex, adjusted for age, WC, and CRF.

Results:

After adjustment for potential confounders, MVPA was inversely associated with the clustering of metabolic risk factors in girls, but not in boys; in addition, after adjusting for WC, the statistical model of that relationship was substantially improved in girls.

Conclusion:

MVPA was independently associated with increased risk of MetS in girls. Additional efforts are needed to encourage research with different analytical approach and standardization of criteria for MetS in youth.
Estimating Physical Activity in Children: Impact of Pedometer Wear Time and Metric
Authors: Laurson Kelly R. , Welk Gregory J. , Eisenmann Joey C.
Published: April 2014

Background:

The purpose of this study was to provide a practical demonstration of the impact of monitoring frame and metric when assessing pedometer-determined physical activity (PA) in youth.

Methods:

Children (N = 1111) were asked to wear pedometers over a 7-day period during which time worn and steps were recorded each day. Varying data-exclusion criteria were used to demonstrate changes in estimates of PA. Steps were expressed using several metrics and criteria, and construct validity was demonstrated via correlations with adiposity.

Results:

Meaningful fluctuations in average steps per day and percentage meeting PA recommendations were apparent when different criteria were used. Children who wore the pedometer longer appeared more active, with each minute the pedometer was worn each day accounting for an approximate increase of 11 and 8 steps for boys and girls, respectively (P < .05). Using more restrictive exclusion criteria led to stronger correlations between indices of steps per day, steps per minute, steps per leg length, steps per minute per leg length, and obesity.

Conclusion:

Wear time has a meaningful impact on estimates of PA. This should be considered when determining exclusion criteria and making comparisons between studies. Results also suggest that incorporating wear time per day and leg length into the metric may increase validity of PA estimates.
Scheduled Physical Activity is Associated With Better Academic Performance in Chilean School-Age Children
Authors: Burrows Raquel , Correa-Burrows Paulina , Orellana Yasna , Almagiá Atilio , Lizana Pablo , Ivanovic Daniza
Published: April 2014

Background:

This study was carried out to examine the association between systematic physical activity and academic performance in school kids after controlling for potential sociodemographic and educational confounders.

Methods:

In a random sample of 1271 students from urban Santiago, attending 5th and 9th grade, who took the 2009 System for the Assessment of Educational Quality (SIMCE) tests, we measured physical activity habits, anthropometric characteristics, and socioeconomic status. Academic performance was measured by the standardized SIMCE tests. Logistic regressions assessed the relationship between the allocation of time to weekly scheduled exercise, potential confounding factors, and individual academic performance.

Results:

About 80% of students reported less than 2 hours of weekly scheduled exercise, while 10.6% and 10.2% reported 2 to 4 hours/week and more than 4 hours/week, respectively. Devoting more than 4 hours/week to scheduled exercise significantly increased (P < .01) the odds of having SIMCE composite z-scores ≥ 50th percentile (OR: 2.3, 95% CI: 1.4 to 3.6) and ≥ 75th percentile (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.3–3.3).

Conclusions:

Better academic performance was associated with a higher allocation of time to scheduled exercise in school-age children.
Self-Efficacy, Action Control, and Social Support Explain Physical Activity Changes Among Costa Rican Older Adults
Authors: Fernández Benjamin Reyes , Montenegro Esteban Montenegro , Knoll Nina , Schwarzer Ralf
Published: April 2014

Background:

Self-efficacy, action control, and social support are considered to influence changes in physical activity levels in older adults. This study examines the relationship among these variables and explores the putative mediating and moderating mechanisms that might account for activity changes.

Methods:

A longitudinal study with 54 older adults (≥ 50 years of age) was carried out in Costa Rica. In a moderated mediation analysis, action control was specified as a mediator between self-efficacy and physical activity, whereas social support was specified as a moderator between self-efficacy and action control. Baseline physical activity, age, and sex were specified as covariates.

Results:

Action control mediated between self-efficacy and physical activity. An interaction between social support and self-efficacy on action control pointed to a synergistic effect at the first stage of the mediating process.

Conclusions:

The effect of self-efficacy on physical activity was partly explained by action control, providing evidence of action control as a proximal mediator of physical activity. Moreover, the moderator role of social support was confirmed: high social support appeared to compensate for low levels of self-efficacy.
Substrates mediate responses of forest bryophytes to a gradient in overstory retention
Authors: Halpern Charles B. , Dovčiak Martin , Urgenson Lauren S. , Evans Shelley A.
Published: April 2014

Forest bryophytes are sensitive to the disturbances and environmental changes associated with forest management. We asked whether the substrates on which bryophytes grow mediate responses to exposure following canopy removal. We measured bryophyte cover and richness in 0.1 m2 quadrats on the forest floor, decayed logs, and tree bases along a gradient of dispersed overstory retention (100%, 40%, and 15% of initial basal area) 7 to 8 years after harvest of mature Pseudotsuga forests. Cover, local richness, and, to a lesser degree, species evenness declined steeply across the retention gradient on decayed logs and tree bases but not on the forest floor. Liverworts were more sensitive than mosses, particularly on decayed logs and on the southwestern aspects of trees (>97% declines in cover under 15% retention). Richness and evenness at the treatment scale also declined sharply on decayed logs and on the southwestern aspects of trees but changed little or increased under 40% retention on the forest floor. Our results indicate that even moderate levels of dispersed retention cannot sustain the abundance and overall diversity of wood-associated bryophytes in these forests. During regeneration harvests, conservation of these species may require retention of intact forest aggregates in which substrate quality and microclimatic stability can be maintained.
Bending vibration band structure of phononic crystal beam by modified transfer matrix method
Authors: Ni Zhi-Qiang , Zhang Yan , Jiang Lin-Hua , Han Lin
Published: April 2014

The bending vibration band structure of phononic crystal (PC) beam is solved by a unified formulation of the modified transfer matrix (MTM) method in this paper. The improvement of MTM method is the introduction of constitutive matrix U and matrix of derivative functions V, which standardizes and simplifies the deduction by the matrix operation. The band structure of an epoxy-aluminum PC Timoshenko beam is calculated by both MTM method and plane wave expansion (PWE) method. The results show that the present MTM method has a great advantage in the precision of the result. In addition, the formulation of transfer matrix derived from Timoshenko beam condition is a general form which is also suitable for other general beam structures just by replacing corresponding matrices.
COST-SENSITIVE MULTI-VIEW LEARNING MACHINE
Authors: WANG ZHE , LU MINGZHE , NIU ZENGXIN , XUE XIANGYANG , GAO DAQI
Published: April 2014

Multi-view learning aims to effectively learn from data represented by multiple independent sets of attributes, where each set is taken as one view of the original data. In real-world application, each view should be acquired in unequal cost. Taking web-page classification for example, it is cheaper to get the words on itself (view one) than to get the words contained in anchor texts of inbound hyper-links (view two). However, almost all the existing multi-view learning does not consider the cost of acquiring the views or the cost of evaluating them. In this paper, we support that different views should adopt different representations and lead to different acquisition cost. Thus we develop a new view-dependent cost different from the existing both class-dependent cost and example-dependent cost. To this end, we generalize the framework of multi-view learning with the cost-sensitive technique and further propose a Cost-sensitive Multi-View Learning Machine named CMVLM for short. In implementation, we take into account and measure both the acquisition cost and the discriminant scatter of each view. Then through eliminating the useless views with a predefined threshold, we use the reserved views to train the final classifier. The experimental results on a broad range of data sets including the benchmark UCI, image, and bioinformatics data sets validate that the proposed algorithm can effectively reduce the total cost and have a competitive even better classification performance. The contributions of this paper are that: (1) first proposing a view-dependent cost; (2) establishing a cost-sensitive multi-view learning framework; (3) developing a wrapper technique that is universal to most multiple kernel based classifier.
Band structure of odd-mass lanthanum nuclei
Authors: Sharma Deepti , Verma Preeti , Singh Suram , Bharti Arun , Khosa S. K.
Published: April 2014

Negative parity energy states in 121–131 La have been studied using Projected Shell Model (PSM). Some nuclear structure properties like yrast spectra, back-bending in moment of inertia, reduced transition probabilities and band diagrams have been described. The experimental feature of the co-existence of prolate–oblate shapes in 125–131 La isotopes has been satisfactorily explained by PSM results. Comparison of the theoretical data with their experimental counterparts has also been made. From the calculations, it is found that the yrast states arise because of multi-quasiparticle states.
On the Boolean-like Law I(x, I(y, x)) = 1
Authors: Cruz Anderson , Bedregal Benjamín , Santiago Regivan
Published: April 2014

The well-known Boolean-law “α → (β → α) = 1” can be generalized to fuzzy context as I(x, I(y, x)) = 1, where I is a fuzzy implication. In this paper we show the necessary and sufficient conditions under which this generalization holds in fuzzy logics. We focus the investigation on the following classes of fuzzy implication: (S,N)-, R-, QL-, D- and (N, T)-implications. In addition, we demonstrate that a fuzzy implication I satisfies such Boolean-like law if, and only if, its Ф-conjugate also satisfies it.
Steffensen's Integral Inequality for the Sugeno Integral
Authors: Hong Dug Hun , Moon Eunho L. , Kim Jae Duck
Published: April 2014

In this paper we consider Steffensen's integral inequality for the Sugeno integral [Formula: see text] where f is a nonincreasing and convex function defined on [0, 1] with f(0) = 1, f(1) = 0 and g is a nonincreasing function defined on [0, 1] where 0 ≤ g(t) ≤ 1 for all t ∈ [a, b] with [Formula: see text]
Possibilistic Clustering Methods for Interval-Valued Data
Authors: Pimentel Bruno Almeida , De Souza Renata M. C. R.
Published: April 2014

Outliers may have many anomalous causes, for example, credit card fraud, cyberintrusion or breakdown of a system. Several research areas and application domains have investigated this problem. The popular fuzzy c-means algorithm is sensitive to noise and outlying data. In contrast, the possibilistic partitioning methods are used to solve these problems and other ones. The goal of this paper is to introduce cluster algorithms for partitioning a set of symbolic interval-type data using the possibilistic approach. In addition, a new way of measuring the membership value, according to each feature, is proposed. Experiments with artificial and real symbolic interval-type data sets are used to evaluate the methods. The results of the proposed methods are better than the traditional soft clustering ones.
AERODYNAMICS AND AEROACOUSTICS OF AIRFLOW OVER A HUMAN HEAD
Authors: MA FUYIN , WU JIU HUI , GANG FU , BAI CHANG AN , QI LI
Published: April 2014

Airflow should be affected by ear, nose, etc, and aerodynamic sound could be brought when the human head and the airflow occurs at a relative speed movement. Because the drag force of the head is large, in cycling competitions and other high-speed sport the diversion hats should be worn. After the speed of airflow reaches to a certain speed, due to the strong airflow interference, the aerodynamic noise could be brought and it could greatly impact on the athletes to make action decisions. In this paper, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is used for solving the aerodynamic behavior of a human head under different air velocities, and the pressure on head surface and the airflow around the head are calculated. Then, the above-mentioned conditions of different aerodynamic sound are solved by the finite element/infinite element method (FEM/IFEM), the points in the canal entrance of the two ears are picked up for collecting the SPL spectral curves, and the sound distribution of the horizontal plane and the median plane are drawn. Previous studies showed that the aerodynamic noise brought by head spoiler is obvious at low frequencies, because the influence of the head, if the airflow speed is greater than a certain value, the aerodynamic noise could not only increase, but also should be substantially reduced. The results are useful for athlete diversion cap design and spatial hearing research in which the influence of the airflow should be considered.
MODELING AND STRESS ANALYSIS OF SMART CNTs/FIBER/POLYMER MULTISCALE COMPOSITE PLATES
Authors: RAFIEE M. , HE X. Q. , MAREISHI S. , LIEW K. M.
Published: April 2014

Modeling and nonlinear stress analysis of piezolaminated CNTs/fiber/polymer composite (CNTFPC) plates under a combined mechanical and electrical loading are investigated in this study. The governing equations of the piezoelectric CNTFPC plates are derived based on first-order shear deformation plate theory (FSDT) and von Kármán geometric nonlinearity. Halpin–Tsai equations and fiber micromechanics are used in hierarchy to predict the bulk material properties of the multiscale composite. The CNTs are assumed to be uniformly distributed and randomly oriented through the epoxy resin matrix. An analytical solution is employed to determine the large deflection response and stress analysis of the nanocomposite plates. Finally, by solving some numerical examples for simply supported plates, the effects of the applied constant voltage, plate geometry, volume fraction of fibers and weight percentage of SWCNTs and MWCNTs on the deflection and stress analyses of the piezoelectric CNTs/fiber/polymer multiscale composite plate are studied. It is shown that the deflections significantly decrease with a small percentage of CNTs. Also, it is found that the SWCNTs reinforcement produces more pronounced effect on the bending and stress of the nanocomposite plates in comparison with MWCNTs.
Existence and Stability of Periodic Solution to Delayed Nonlinear Differential Equations
Authors: Gu Xiang , Wang Huicheng , Wong P. J. Y. , Xia Yonghui
Published: April 2014

The main purpose of this paper is to study the periodicity and global asymptotic stability of a generalized Lotka-Volterra’s competition system with delays. Some sufficient conditions are established for the existence and stability of periodic solution of such nonlinear differential equations. The approaches are based on Mawhin’s coincidence degree theory, matrix spectral theory, and Lyapunov functional.
Energy and Exergy Analysis of a Plane Reflector Integrated Photovoltaic-Thermal Water Heating System
Authors: Naik Prem Sagar , Palatel Arun
Published: April 2014

A photovoltaic-thermal water heating system is a hybrid energy conversion device transforming the incident solar radiation to yield electrical energy and thermal energy. Plane reflectors are found to be a convenient option for enhancing the solar radiation incident on the collector plane. The present work investigates the performance of a photovoltaic-thermal water heater integrated with a plane reflector mounted on the top edge of the collector for the tropical climate of Calicut (11.25°N, 75.78°E). Performance testing of the system has been carried out for the winter season of the location. The variations in thermal and electrical output are studied for various inclination angles of the reflector. The system performance is evaluated on the basis of system energy efficiency and exergetic efficiency. It is observed that there is a significant enhancement in the thermal and electrical output of the system with the integration of the reflector as compared to the system without the reflector. For the present system, the reflector tilt angle in the range of 85–100° has been found to be suitable in terms of enhanced system output and exergetic efficiency for the winter conditions of Calicut.
Lateralization of Motor Cortex Excitability in Stroke Patients during Action Observation: A TMS Study
Authors: Marangon Mattia , Priftis Konstantinos , Fedeli Marta , Masiero Stefano , Tonin Paolo , Piccione Francesco
Published: April 2014

Action observation activates the same motor areas as those involved in the performance of the observed actions and promotes functional recovery following stroke. Movement observation is now considered a promising tool for motor rehabilitation, by allowing patients to train their motor functions when voluntary movement is partially impaired. We asked chronic-stroke patients, affected by either left (LHD) or right hemisphere (RHD) lesions, to observe either a left or right hand, while grasping a small target (eliciting a precision grip) or a large target (eliciting a whole hand grasp directed towards a target object). To better understand the effects of action observation on damaged motor circuits, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to induce motor evoked potentials (MEP) from two muscles of the unaffected hand in 10 completely hemiplegic participants. Results revealed that LHD patients showed MEP facilitation on the right (contralesional) M1 during action observation of hand-object interactions. In contrast, results showed no facilitation of the left (contralesional) M1 in RHD patients. Our results confirm that action observation might have a positive influence on the recovery of motor functions after stroke. Activating the motor system by means of action observation might provide a mechanism for improving function, at least in LHD patients.
Implicit Vector Integral Equations Associated with Discontinuous Operators
Authors: Cubiotti Paolo , Yao Jen-Chih
Published: April 2014

LetI∶=[0,1]. We consider the vector integral equationh(u(t))=ft,∫Ig(t,z),u(z),dzfor a.e.t∈I,wheref:I×J→R, g:I×I→ [0,+∞[,andh:X→Rare given functions andX,Jare suitable subsets ofRn. We prove an existence result for solutionsu∈Ls(I, Rn), where the continuity offwith respect to the second variable is not assumed. More precisely,fis assumed to be a.e. equal (with respect to second variable) to a functionf*:I×J→Rwhich is almost everywhere continuous, where the involved null-measure sets should have a suitable geometry. It is easily seen that such a functionfcan be discontinuous at each pointx∈J. Our result, based on a very recent selection theorem, extends a previous result, valid for scalar casen=1.
Modeling and Optimization of Beam Pumping System Based on Intelligent Computing for Energy Saving
Authors: Gu Xiaohua , Li Taifu , Liao Zhiqiang , Yang Liping , Nie Ling
Published: April 2014

Beam pumping system which is widely used in petroleum enterprises of China is one of the most energy-consuming equipment. It is difficult to be modeled and optimized due to its complication and nonlinearity. To address this issue, a novel intelligent computing based method is proposed in this paper. It firstly employs the general regression neural network (GRNN) algorithm to obtain the best model of the beam pumping system, and secondly searches the optimal operation parameters with improved strength Pareto evolutionary algorithm (SPEA2). The inputs of GRNN include the number of punching, the maximum load, the minimum load, the effective stroke, and the computational pump efficiency, while the outputs are the electric power consumption and the oil yield. Experimental results show that there is good overlap between model estimations and unseen data. Then sixty-one sets of optimum parameters are found based on the obtained model. Also, the results show that, under the optimum parameters, more than 5.34% oil yield is obtained and more than 3.75% of electric power consumption is saved.
Developing Strategies to Improve Advance Care Planning in Long Term Care Homes: Giving Voice to Residents and Their Family Members
Authors: Ramsbottom Kimberly , Kelley Mary Lou
Published: April 2014

Long term care (LTC) homes, also known as residential care homes, commonly care for residents until death, making palliative care and advance care planning (ACP) important elements of care. However, limited research exists on ACP in LTC. In particular, research giving voice to family members and substitute decision makers is lacking. The objective of this research was to understand experiences, perspectives, and preferences to guide quality improvement of ACP in LTC. This qualitative descriptive study conducted 34 individual semistructured interviews in two LTC homes, located in Canada. The participants were 31 family members and three staff, consisting of a front line care worker, a registered nurse, and a nurse practitioner. All participants perceived ACP conversations as valuable to provide “resident-centred care”; however, none of the participants had a good understanding of ACP, limiting its effectiveness. Strategies generated through the research to improve ACP were as follows: educating families and staff on ACP and end-of-life care options; better preparing staff for ACP conversations; providing staff skills training and guidelines; and LTC staff initiating systematic, proactive conversations using careful timing. These strategies can guide quality improvement of palliative care and development of ACP tools and resources specific to the LTC home sector.
Application of Ultrasound on Monitoring the Evolution of the Collagen Fiber Reinforced nHAC/CS CompositesIn Vivo
Authors: Chen Yan , Yan Yuting , Li Xiaoming , Li He , Tan Huiting , Li Huajun , Zhu Yanwen , Niemeyer Philipp , Yaega Matin , Yu Bo
Published: April 2014

To date, fiber reinforce scaffolds have been largely applied to repair hard and soft tissues. Meanwhile, monitoring the scaffolds for long periodsin vivois recognized as a crucial issue before its wide use. As a consequence, there is a growing need for noninvasive and convenient methods to analyze the implantation remolding processin situand in real time. In this paper, diagnostic medical ultrasound was used to monitor thein vivobone formation and degradation process of the novel mineralized collagen fiber reinforced composite which is synthesized by chitosan (CS), nanohydroxyapatite (nHA), and collagen fiber (Col). To observe the impact of cells on bone remodeling process, the scaffolds were planted into the back of the SD rats with and without rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs). Systematic data of scaffoldsin vivowas extracted from ultrasound images. Significant consistency between the data from the ultrasound and DXA could be observedP<0.05. This indicated that ultrasound may serve as a feasible alternative for noninvasive monitoring the evolution of scaffoldsin situduring cell growth.
Maternofoetal Complications and Their Association with Proteinuria in a Tertiary Care Hospital of a Developing Country
Authors: Kumari Archana , Chakrawarty Avinash , Singh Abha , Singh Ritu
Published: April 2014

Objective. To investigate association between maternofoetal complications and the amount of proteinuria measured by spot urine protein creatinine ratio in patients with preeclampsia.Methods. 200 consecutive patients with preeclampsia were recruited in the study. The complications like first episode of severe hypertension, renal insufficiency, raised level of aspartate transaminase, signs of neurological involvement, thrombocytopenia, eclampsia, and need to shift in intensive care units were studied. The maternal outcome was studied in terms of type of labour, outcome of pregnancy, mode of delivery, indication of cesarean section, and maternal mortality. The foetal complications and outcome parameters were birth weight, Apgar score at the time of birth and at five minutes, need of high dependency unit care, and perinatal mortality.Result. The frequency of various maternal and foetal complications was between 14–53% and 22–92%, respectively. Maternal mortality was 3%, whereas perinatal mortality was 23%. Statistically significant association was found between the frequencies of various complications in mother and newborn and spot UPCR.Conclusion. The rate of various maternofoetal complications in preeclampsia is higher in developing countries than in developed world. Maternofoetal complications and outcome correlate with maternal spot UPCR.
Characterization of Environmental Nano- and Macrocolloid Particles Extracted from Selected Soils and Biosolids
Authors: Ghezzi J. L. , Karathanasis A. D. , Matocha C. J. , Unrine J. , Thompson Y. L.
Published: April 2014

Environmental nanoparticles found in soil systems and biosolids may pose a considerable risk to groundwater quality as contaminant carriers. Little effort has been invested in the characterization of natural nanocolloids compared to corresponding macrocolloids. This study involved physicochemical, mineralogical, and morphological characterizations of nanocolloids and macrocolloids fractionated from three Kentucky soils and one biosolid. Particle size and morphology were investigated using scanning/transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Mineralogical composition was determined by X-ray diffraction and thermogravimetric and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. Zeta potentials and cation exchange capacities assessed surface charge and chemical reactivity. The estimated average hydrodynamic diameter of nanoparticles was nearly twice the ideal 100 nm range, apparently due to irregular particle shapes and partial aggregation. Nanoparticles were also found attached to surfaces of macrocolloids, forming macro-nano aggregates and obscuring some of their physical and chemical characteristics. However, nanocolloids exhibited greater surface reactivity, likely due to their smaller size, poor crystallinity, and morphological shape distortions. In spite of some behavior modification due to nanoaggregation phenomena, nanocolloids appeared to be much more potent vectors of contaminant transport in subsurface environments than their macrosize fractions. Nevertheless, their heterogeneous nature brings to light important considerations in addressing pollution prevention and remediation challenges.
Comparison of Antioxidant Status and Vitamin D Levels between Multiple Sclerosis Patients and Healthy Matched Subjects
Authors: Hejazi Ehsan , Amani Reza , SharafodinZadeh Naser , Cheraghian Bahman
Published: April 2014

Objective. The aim of the present study was to compare the serum levels of total antioxidant status (TAS) and 25(OH) D3 and dietary intake of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with those of normal subjects.Method. Thirty-seven MS patients (31 women) and the same number of healthy matched controls were compared for their serum levels and dietary intake of 25(OH) D3 and TAS. Sun exposure and the intake of antioxidants and vitamin D rich foods were estimated through face-to-face interview and food frequency questionnaire.Results. Dietary intake of antioxidants and vitamin D rich foods, vitamin C, vitamin A, and folate was not significantly different between the two groups. There were also no significant differences in the mean levels of 25(OH) D3 and TAS between the study groups. Both groups had low serum levels of 25(OH) D3 and total antioxidants.Conclusion. No significant differences were detected in serum levels and dietary intake of vitamin D and antioxidants between MS patients and healthy controls. All subjects had low antioxidant status and vitamin D levels.
Expansive Mappings and Their Applications in Modular Space
Authors: Azizi A. , Moradi R. , Razani A.
Published: April 2014

Some fixed point theorems forρ-expansive mappings in modular spaces are presented. As an application, two nonlinear integral equations are considered and the existence of their solutions is proved.
HIV Prevalence Trends, Risky Behaviours, and Governmental and Community Responses to the Epidemic among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China
Authors: Chow Eric P. F. , Lau Joseph T. F. , Zhuang Xun , Zhang Xiaohu , Wang Yanjie , Zhang Lei
Published: April 2014

Purpose of Review.Numerous studies reported the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. This paper aims to investigate the overall epidemic trend and associated high-risk behaviours among Chinese MSM and to explore the governmental and community responses to the epidemic.Recent Findings.HIV prevalence among Chinese MSM increased rapidly in all Chinese regions in the past decade and disproportionally affected the Southwest China. In addition to the high-risk homosexual behaviours, overlapping bisexual, commercial, and drug use behaviours are commonly observed among Chinese MSM. The Chinese government has significantly expanded the surveillance efforts among MSM over the past decade. Community responses against HIV have been substantially strengthened with the support of international aid. However, lack of enabling legal and financial environment undermines the role of community-based organisations (CBOs) in HIV surveillance and prevention.Conclusion.HIV continues to spread rapidly among MSM in China. The hidden nature of MSM and the overlapping homosexual, bisexual, and commercial behaviours remain a challenge for HIV prevention among MSM. Strong collaboration between the government and CBOs and innovative intervention approaches are essential for effective HIV surveillance and prevention among MSM in China.
Test Purpose Oriented I/O Conformance Test Selection with Colored Petri Nets
Authors: Liu Jing , Ye Xinming , Zhou Jiantao
Published: April 2014

This paper proposes an input-output conformance (IOCO) test selection method directed by test purpose model specified with colored Petri nets (CPN). Based on conformance testing oriented CPN models for specifying software functional behaviors and specific test purposes, respectively, feasible test cases are generated, guided by the CPN based IOCO relation, using synchronized model simulation with the proof of the soundness of test generation and the coverage towards test purposes. This test selection method integrates the merits the IOCO testing theory and the CPN modeling synergistically and is applied as a novel and applicable test selection method for actual testing practice of large-scale software systems. As the synchronized model simulation with two CPN models is irrespective of their model scale, the effectiveness and practicability of our test selection method are enhanced with scalability.
Performance Comparison of Particle Swarm Optimization and Gravitational Search Algorithm to the Designed of Controller for Nonlinear System
Authors: Md Rozali Sahazati , Fua’ad Rahmat Mohd , Husain Abdul Rashid
Published: April 2014

This paper presents backstepping controller design for tracking purpose of nonlinear system. Since the performance of the designed controller depends on the value of control parameters, gravitational search algorithm (GSA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) techniques are used to optimise these parameters in order to achieve a predefined system performance. The performance is evaluated based on the tracking error between reference input given to the system and the system output. Then, the efficacy of the backstepping controller is verified in simulation environment under various system setup including both the system subjected to external disturbance and without disturbance. The simulation results show that backstepping with particle swarm optimization technique performs better than the similar controller with gravitational search algorithm technique in terms of output response and tracking error.
Concealed Enterovesical Fistula Associated with Forgotten Intra-Abdominal Haemostat and Intravesical Towel
Authors: Popoola Ademola Alabi , Bello J. O. , Ezeoke G. G. , Adeshina K. T. , Fadimu A.
Published: April 2014

Introduction.Enterovesical fistula is rare and is often caused by bowel inflammatory diseases and tumours in the urinary bladder or the intestine with local infiltration of bowel or bladder, respectively. The fistula usually presents with lower urinary tract symptoms, pneumaturia, and faecaluria or with food particles in the urine. Intra-abdominal retained surgical foreign bodies have also been reported as causes.Case Presentation.A case of atypical presentation in a woman with enterovesical fistula following abdominal hysterectomy. Investigations confirmed the presence of surgical towel in the urinary bladder and a pair of artery forceps in the abdomen. The towel was removed at cystoscopy after which she presented with food particles in the urine. She later had laparatomy to remove the haemostat and to repair the fistula.Discussion.A typical presentation of enterovesical fistula delayed the diagnosis and treatment in this patient.Conclusion.Managing patients with recurrent urinary tract infection after abdominal operation should include appropriate imaging of the abdomen with emphasis on pelvic organs. Also, surgical operation should always be given the best shot the first time and strict operation room standards and guidelines should always be followed.
Hole-Phonon Relaxation and Photocatalytic Properties of Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide: First-Principles Approach
Authors: Zhukov V. P. , Tyuterev V. G. , Chulkov E. V. , Echenique P. M.
Published: April 2014

First-principles calculations for the temporal characteristics of hole-phonon relaxation in the valence band of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide have been performed. A first-principles method for the calculations of the quasistationary distribution function of holes has been developed. The results show that the quasistationary distribution of the holes in TiO2extends to an energy level approximately 1 eV below the top of the valence band. This conclusion in turn helps to elucidate the origin of the spectral dependence of the photocatalytic activity of TiO2. Analysis of the analogous data for ZnO shows that in this material spectral dependence of photocatalytic activity in the oxidative reactions is unlikely.
Hessian Geometry on Lagrange Spaces
Authors: Vaisman Izu
Published: April 2014

We extend the correspondence between Hessian and Kähler metrics and curvatures to Lagrange spaces.
Shrinking Projection Methods for Split Common Fixed-Point Problems in Hilbert Spaces
Authors: Wu Huan-chun , Cheng Cao-zong
Published: April 2014

Inspired by Moudafi (2011) and Takahashi et al. (2008), we present the shrinking projection method for the split common fixed-point problem in Hilbert spaces, and we obtain the strong convergence theorem. As a special case, the split feasibility problem is also considered.
A Bio-Inspired QoS-Oriented Handover Model in Heterogeneous Wireless Networks
Authors: Tian Daxin , Zhou Jianshan , Qi Honggang , Lu Yingrong , Wang Yunpeng , Wang Jian , He Anping
Published: April 2014

We propose a bio-inspired model for making handover decision in heterogeneous wireless networks. It is based on an extended attractor selection model, which is biologically inspired by the self-adaptability and robustness of cellular response to the changes in dynamic environments. The goal of the proposed model is to guarantee multiple terminals’ satisfaction by meeting the QoS requirements of those terminals’ applications, and this model also attempts to ensure the fairness of network resources allocation, in the meanwhile, to enable the QoS-oriented handover decision adaptive to dynamic wireless environments. Some numerical simulations are preformed to validate our proposed bio-inspired model in terms of adaptive attractor selection in different noisy environments. And the results of some other simulations prove that the proposed handover scheme can adapt terminals’ network selection to the varying wireless environment and benefits the QoS of multiple terminal applications simultaneously and automatically. Furthermore, the comparative analysis also shows that the bio-inspired model outperforms the utility function based handover decision scheme in terms of ensuring a better QoS satisfaction and a better fairness of network resources allocation in dynamic heterogeneous wireless networks.
Increased Statistical Efficiency in a Lognormal Mean Model
Authors: Skrepnek Grant H. , Sahai Ashok
Published: April 2014

Within the context of clinical and other scientific research, a substantial need exists for an accurate determination of the point estimate in a lognormal mean model, given that highly skewed data are often present. As such, logarithmic transformations are often advocated to achieve the assumptions of parametric statistical inference. Despite this, existing approaches that utilize only a sample’s mean and variance may not necessarily yield the most efficient estimator. The current investigation developed and tested an improved efficient point estimator for a lognormal mean by capturing more complete information via the sample’s coefficient of variation. Results of an empirical simulation study across varying sample sizes and population standard deviations indicated relative improvements in efficiency of up to 129.47 percent compared to the usual maximum likelihood estimator and up to 21.33 absolute percentage points above the efficient estimator presented by Shen and colleagues (2006). The relative efficiency of the proposed estimator increased particularly as a function of decreasing sample size and increasing population standard deviation.
Association of Age and BP Variability with Long-term Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Kim Ha Yeon , Kang Yong Un , Kim Chang Seong , Choi Joon Seok , Bae Eun Hui , Ma Seong Kwon , Kim Soo Wan
Published: April 2014

Background/Aims: Blood pressure (BP) variability is known as a poor prognostic factor for cardiovascular outcomes. This study assessed the prognostic significance of BP variability in association with increasing age in hemodialysis patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 2,174 patients on hemodialysis from March 2005 to December 2012. The impact of intradialytic and interdialytic BP variability on all-cause mortality according to age groups was analyzed. Results: Kaplan-Meier survival curves for 5-year cumulative mortality showed higher mortality in patients with higher intradialytic systolic and diastolic BP variability as well as interdialytic systolic and diastolic BP variability (log-rank p=0.006, <0.001, 0.018 and < 0.001) in patients aged <55 years, but not in older age groups. Cox proportional analysis revealed that 5-year mortality was associated with intradialytic diastolic BP variability in patients aged <55 years (HR, 2.03 CI, 1.24-3.32). Conclusion: The overall mortality was associated with BP variability in patients aged <55 years, but not in older ages. This result suggests that younger hemodialysis patients with BP variability require further medical attention and intervention to reduce BP variability.