bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental System Identification of the Vibro-Impact Dynamics Towards Structural Health Monitoring and Damage Detection
Authors: Chen Heng , Lee Young S. , Kurt Mehmet , McFarland D. Michael , Bergman Lawrence A. , Vakakis Alexander F.
Published: February 2014

We perform nonlinear system identification (NSI) on the acceleration signals that were experimentally measured at ten, almost evenly spaced positions along a cantilever beam undergoing vibro-impacts between two rigid stops with clearances. The NSI methodology is based on the correspondence between analytical and empirical slow-flow dynamics, with the first step requiring empirical mode decomposition (EMD) analysis of the measured time series leading to sets of intrinsic modal oscillators (IMOs) governing the vibro-impact dynamics at different time scales. By comparing the spatiotemporal variations of the nonlinear modal interactions (and hence the IMOs), we examine how vibro-impacts influence the low- and high-frequency modes in global and local senses. In applications of the NSI results to structural health monitoring and damage detection (SHM / DD), we calculate typical measures such as the modal assurance criterion (MAC) and the coordinate modal assurance criterion (COMAC) by extracting information about the mode shape functions from the spatiotemporal IMO solutions. Whereas the MAC provides a global aspect of damage occurrence (i.e., which modes are more affected by induced defects), the COMAC can narrow down the damage locations (i.e., where in the structure defects exist that yield low correlation values in specific modes). Finally, we discuss the use of the 2-dimensional correlation spectroscopy technique to SHM / DD, which is frequently used in optical chemistry areas. With the spatiotemporal IMOs the 2-D correlation intensity for the linear beam is proportional to the product of the two mode shape functions at the respective positions; hence any deviations from that may indicate the occurrence and locations of damage in the structure.
Quantification of Customer Perception on Airplane Cabin Lighting Design Based on Cumulative Prospect Theory
Authors: Zhou Feng , Jiao Jianxin (Roger)
Published: February 2014

This paper aims to develop quantitative models of customer perception on products and/or services. Prevailing methods often deal with this issue using utility theory, which uses normative models to make rational decisions without considering affective factors. This paper takes another perspective using cumulative prospect theory through how human users’ subjective experience impacts their choice behavior under uncertainty. Toward this end, quantitative measure of customer perception based on cumulative prospect theory and affective influence in terms of parameter shaping based on hierarchical Bayesian model with Markov chain Monte Carlo is proposed. A case study of airplane cabin lighting design is presented to show the potential and feasibility of the proposed method.
Steam Turbine Vibration Caused by Oil Coking Rubs: Case Studies and Numerical Simulation
Authors: Wang Weimin , Feng Kun , Dimond Tim , Allaire Paul
Published: February 2014

Rotor-stator rub interactions play an important role in the operation of high performance turbomachinery such as steam turbines, compressors, motors, and generators with small clearances between the rotating and stationary components. It is difficult to diagnose the problem because the vibration characteristics are widely varied and often the same as those resulting from other common causes. Also, rubs can cause secondary effects which can be misdiagnosed as the primary cause of the vibration excursion. The paper investigates one of the rub phenomena — the bearing lubricant (oil) coking in the close clearance regions while the other operational parameters are unchanged. The amplitude of vibration typically increases suddenly and then decreases after a few minutes. An FFT analysis of the vibration spectrum result indicates that most of the vibration energy is distributed to synchronous components or super-synchronous components. Two industrial case studies are presented and the possible factors are reviewed. Simulation results indicate that the model can describe the behavior of the steam turbine under oil coking rotor-stator rub conditions well and help locate the axial position of the oil coking rub. The analysis results of the paper are very useful for transient vibration fault diagnosis.
Selectivity of metal oxide atomic layer deposition on hydrogen terminated and oxidized Si(001)-(2×1) surface
Authors: Longo Roberto C. , McDonnell Stephen , Dick D. , Wallace R. M. , Chabal Yves J. , Owen James H. G. , Ballard Josh B. , Randall John N. , Cho Kyeongjae
Published: February 2014

In this work, the authors used density-functional theory methods and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study the chemical composition and growth rate of HfO2, Al2O3, and TiO2 thin films grown by in-situ atomic layer deposition on both oxidized and hydrogen-terminated Si(001) surfaces. The growth rate of all films is found to be lower on hydrogen-terminated Si with respect to the oxidized Si surface. However, the degree of selectivity is found to be dependent of the deposition material. TiO2 is found to be highly selective with depositions on the hydrogen terminated silicon having growth rates up to 180 times lower than those on oxidized Si, while similar depositions of HfO2 and Al2O3 resulted in growth rates more than half that on oxidized silicon. By means of density-functional theory methods, the authors elucidate the origin of the different growth rates obtained for the three different precursors, from both energetic and kinetic points of view.
Causing Chloride Changes
Authors: Stern Peter R.
Published: February 2014

Imaging of a fluorescent chloride indicator reveals a role for impermeant anions in setting intraneuronal chloride levels.
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Activities of Pterostilbene against Candida albicans Biofilms
Authors: Li De-Dong , Zhao Lan-Xue , Mylonakis Eleftherios , Hu Gan-Hai , Zou Yong , Huang Tong-Kun , Yan Lan , Wang Yan , Jiang Yuan-Ying
Published: February 2014

Pterostilbene (PTE) is a stilbene-derived phytoalexin that originates from several natural plant sources. In this study, we evaluated the activity of PTE against
Candida albicans
biofilms and explored the underlying mechanisms. In 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) reduction assays, biofilm biomass measurement, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, we found that ≤16 μg/ml PTE had a significant effect against
C. albicans
biofilms
in vitro
, while it had no fungicidal effect on planktonic
C. albicans
cells, which suggested a unique antibiofilm effect of PTE. Then we found that PTE could inhibit biofilm formation and destroy the maintenance of mature biofilms. At 4 μg/ml, PTE decreased cellular surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and suppressed hyphal formation. Gene expression microarrays and real-time reverse transcription-PCR showed that exposure of
C. albicans
to 16 μg/ml PTE altered the expression of genes that function in morphological transition, ergosterol biosynthesis, oxidoreductase activity, and cell surface and protein unfolding processes (heat shock proteins). Filamentation-related genes, especially those regulated by the Ras/cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway, including
ECE1
,
ALS3
,
HWP1
,
HGC1
, and
RAS1
itself, were downregulated upon PTE treatment, indicating that the antibiofilm effect of PTE was related to the Ras/cAMP pathway. Then, we found that the addition of exogenous cAMP reverted the PTE-induced filamentous growth defect. Finally, with a rat central venous catheter infection model, we confirmed the
in vivo
activity of PTE against
C. albicans
biofilms. Collectively, PTE had strong activities against
C. albicans
biofilms both
in vitro
and
in vivo
, and these activities were associated with the Ras/cAMP pathway.
Synthesis and Antifungal Activity
In Vitro
of Isoniazid Derivatives against Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum
Authors: de Aguiar Cordeiro Rossana , de Farias Marques Francisca Jakelyne , de Aguiar Cordeiro Rebecca , da Silva Marcos Reinaldo , Donato Maia Malaquias Angela , Silva de Melo Charlline Vládia , Mafezoli Jair , Ferreira de Oliveira Maria da Conceição , Nogueira Brilhante Raimunda Sâmia , Gadelha Rocha Marcos Fábio , Pinheiro Gomes Bandeira Tereza de Jesus , Costa Sidrim José Júlio
Published: February 2014

Histoplasmosis is a severe infection that affects millions of patients worldwide and is endemic in the Americas. Amphotericin B (AMB) and itraconazole are highly effective for the treatment of severe and milder forms of the disease, but AMB is toxic, and the bioavailability of itraconazole is erratic. Therefore, it is important to investigate new classes of drugs for histoplasmosis treatment. In this study, a series of nine isoniazid hydrazone derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their antifungal activities
in vitro
against the dimorphic fungus
Histoplasma capsulatum
var.
capsulatum
. The drugs were tested by microdilution in accordance with CLSI guidelines. The compound
N
′-(1-phenylethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide had the lowest MIC range of all the compounds for the yeast and filamentous forms of
H. capsulatum
. The
in vitro
synergy of this compound with AMB against the planktonic and biofilm forms of
H. capsulatum
cells was assessed by the checkerboard method. The effects of this hydrazone on cellular ergosterol content and membrane integrity were also investigated. The study showed that the compound alone is able to reduce the ergosterol content of planktonic cells and can alter the membrane permeability of the fungus. Furthermore, the compound alone or in combination with AMB showed inhibitory effects against mature biofilms of
H. capsulatum
.
N
′-(1-Phenylethylidene)isonicotinohydrazide alone or combined with AMB might be of interest in the management of histoplasmosis.
Comparative Study of Genotype and Virulence in CTX-M-Producing and Non-Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolates
Authors: Shin Juyoun , Ko Kwan Soo
Published: February 2014

Molecular and virulence characteristics of CTX-M-producing and non-extended-spectrum-β-lactamase (non-ESBL)-producing
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates were compared. Lack of shared characteristics between the two groups suggested that most CTX-M-producing
K. pneumoniae
isolates in South Korea did not occur by transfer of
bla
CTX-M
into susceptible strains. Conjugation assays confirmed that the plasmid with the
bla
CTX-M-15
gene confers virulence as well as antimicrobial resistance, suggesting that a CTX-M-15-producing clone such as ST11 may have a selective advantage even without antibiotic pressure.
Moxifloxacin Retains Antimycobacterial Activity in the Presence of
gyrA
Mutations
Authors: McGrath Marieta , Gey van Pittius Nico C. , Sirgel Frederick A. , Van Helden Paul D. , Warren Robin M.
Published: February 2014

Moxifloxacin-resistant
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
mutants were selected
in vitro
using different concentrations of moxifloxacin.
gyrA
mutations at codons 88 and 94 were associated with resistance (defined as an MIC of ≥2 μg/ml) (
P
< 0.0001 and
P
= 0.0053, respectively). Despite the presence of
gyrA
mutations, moxifloxacin significantly impedes bacterial growth, supporting its use for the treatment of ofloxacin-resistant
M. tuberculosis
.
Temporins A and B Stimulate Migration of HaCaT Keratinocytes and Kill Intracellular Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Di Grazia Antonio , Luca Vincenzo , Segev-Zarko Li-av T. , Shai Yechiel , Mangoni Maria Luisa
Published: February 2014

The growing number of microbial pathogens resistant to available antibiotics is a serious threat to human life. Among them is the bacterium
Staphylococcus aureus
, which colonizes keratinocytes, the most abundant cell type in the epidermis. Its intracellular accumulation complicates treatments against resulting infections, mainly due to the limited diffusion of conventional drugs into the cells. Temporins A (Ta) and B (Tb) are short frog skin antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Despite extensive studies regarding their antimicrobial activity, very little is known about their activity on infected cells or involvement in various immunomodulatory functions. Here we show that Tb kills both ATCC-derived and multidrug-resistant clinical isolates of
S. aureus
within infected HaCaT keratinocytes (80% and 40% bacterial mortality, respectively) at a nontoxic concentration, i.e., 16 μM, whereas a weaker effect is displayed by Ta. Furthermore, the peptides prevent killing of keratinocytes by the invading bacteria. Further studies revealed that both temporins promote wound healing in a monolayer of HaCaT cells, with front speed migrations of 19 μm/h and 12 μm/h for Ta and Tb, respectively. Migration is inhibited by mitomycin C and involves the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. Finally, confocal fluorescence microscopy indicated that the peptides diffuse into the cells. By combining antibacterial and wound-healing activities, Ta and Tb may act as multifunctional mediators of innate immunity in humans. Particularly, their nonendogenous origin may reduce microbial resistance to them as well as the risk of autoimmune diseases in mammals.
Respiratory Microbiota Dynamics following Streptococcus pneumoniae Acquisition in Young and Elderly Mice
Authors: Krone Cassandra L. , Biesbroek Giske , Trzciński Krzysztof , Sanders Elisabeth A. M. , Bogaert Debby
Published: February 2014

The upper respiratory tract (URT) is a distinct microbial niche of low-density bacterial communities and, also, a portal of entry for many potential pathogens, including
Streptococcus pneumoniae
. Thus far, animal models have been used to study the dynamics of and interactions between limited numbers of different species in the URT. Here, we applied a deep sequencing approach to explore, for the first time, the impact of
S. pneumoniae
acquisition on URT microbiota in a mouse model, as well as potential age-dependent effects. Young-adult and elderly mice were inoculated intranasally with
S. pneumoniae
, and nasal lavage samples were collected for up to 28 days postcolonization. Bacterial DNA extracted from lavage samples was subjected to barcoded pyrosequencing of the V5-to-V7 hypervariable region of the small-subunit rRNA gene. We observed highly diverse microbial profiles, with the presence overall of 15 phyla and approximately 645 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). We noted differences in the composition of microbiota between young and elderly mice, with a significantly higher abundance of
Bacteroidetes
in the young mice. The introduction of
S. pneumoniae
into the URT led to a temporary dominance of pneumococci in the microbiota of all mice, accompanied by a significant decrease in microbial diversity. As mice gradually cleared the colonization, the diversity returned to baseline levels. Diversification was accompanied by an early expansion of
Bacteroidetes
,
Staphylococcus
spp., and
Lachnospiraceae
. Moreover, the
Bacteroidetes
expansion was significantly greater in young-adult than in elderly mice. In conclusion, we observed differences in URT microbiota composition between naive young-adult and elderly mice that were associated with differences in pneumococcal clearance over time.
Natural Disruption of Two Regulatory Networks in Serotype M3 Group A Streptococcus Isolates Contributes to the Virulence Factor Profile of This Hypervirulent Serotype
Authors: Cao Tram N. , Liu Zhuyun , Cao Tran H. , Pflughoeft Kathryn J. , Treviño Jeanette , Danger Jessica L. , Beres Stephen B. , Musser James M. , Sumby Paul
Published: February 2014

Despite the public health challenges associated with the emergence of new pathogenic bacterial strains and/or serotypes, there is a dearth of information regarding the molecular mechanisms that drive this variation. Here, we began to address the mechanisms behind serotype-specific variation between serotype M1 and M3 strains of the human pathogen
Streptococcus pyogenes
(the group A
Streptococcus
[GAS]). Spatially diverse contemporary clinical serotype M3 isolates were discovered to contain identical inactivating mutations within genes encoding two regulatory systems that control the expression of important virulence factors, including the thrombolytic agent streptokinase, the protease inhibitor-binding protein-G-related α
2
-macroglobulin-binding (GRAB) protein, and the antiphagocytic hyaluronic acid capsule. Subsequent analysis of a larger collection of isolates determined that M3 GAS, since at least the 1920s, has harbored a 4-bp deletion in the
fasC
gene of the
fasBCAX
regulatory system and an inactivating polymorphism in the
rivR
regulator-encoding gene. The
fasC
and
rivR
mutations in M3 isolates directly affect the virulence factor profile of M3 GAS, as evident by a reduction in streptokinase expression and an enhancement of GRAB expression. Complementation of the
fasC
mutation in M3 GAS significantly enhanced levels of the small regulatory RNA FasX, which in turn enhanced streptokinase expression. Complementation of the
rivR
mutation in M3 GAS restored the regulation of
grab
mRNA abundance but did not alter capsule mRNA levels. While important, the
fasC
and
rivR
mutations do not provide a full explanation for why serotype M3 strains are associated with unusually severe invasive infections; thus, further investigation is warranted.
Genome-Wide Saturation Mutagenesis of Burkholderia pseudomallei K96243 Predicts Essential Genes and Novel Targets for Antimicrobial Development
Authors: Moule Madeleine G. , Hemsley Claudia M. , Seet Qihui , Guerra-Assunção José Afonso , Lim Jiali , Sarkar-Tyson Mitali , Clark Taane G. , Tan Patrick B. O. , Titball Richard W. , Cuccui Jon , Wren Brendan W.
Published: February 2014

Burkholderia pseudomallei
is the causative agent of melioidosis, an often fatal infectious disease for which there is no vaccine.
B. pseudomallei
is listed as a tier 1 select agent, and as current therapeutic options are limited due to its natural resistance to most antibiotics, the development of new antimicrobial therapies is imperative. To identify drug targets and better understand the complex
B. pseudomallei
genome, we sought a genome-wide approach to identify lethal gene targets. As
B. pseudomallei
has an unusually large genome spread over two chromosomes, an extensive screen was required to achieve a comprehensive analysis. Here we describe transposon-directed insertion site sequencing (TraDIS) of a library of over 10
6
transposon insertion mutants, which provides the level of genome saturation required to identify essential genes. Using this technique, we have identified a set of 505 genes that are predicted to be essential in
B. pseudomallei
K96243. To validate our screen, three genes predicted to be essential,
pyrH
,
accA
, and
sodB
, and a gene predicted to be nonessential,
bpss0370
, were independently investigated through the generation of conditional mutants. The conditional mutants confirmed the TraDIS predictions, showing that we have generated a list of genes predicted to be essential and demonstrating that this technique can be used to analyze complex genomes and thus be more widely applied.

IMPORTANCE
Burkholderia pseudomallei
is a lethal human pathogen that is considered a potential bioterrorism threat and has limited treatment options due to an unusually high natural resistance to most antibiotics. We have identified a set of genes that are required for bacterial growth and thus are excellent candidates against which to develop potential novel antibiotics. To validate our approach, we constructed four mutants in which gene expression can be turned on and off conditionally to confirm that these genes are required for the bacteria to survive.
Two Lipid Signals Guide Fruiting Body Development of Myxococcus xanthus
Authors: Bhat Swapna , Ahrendt Tilman , Dauth Christina , Bode Helge B. , Shimkets Lawrence J.
Published: February 2014

Myxococcus xanthus
produces several extracellular signals that guide fruiting body morphogenesis and spore differentiation. Mutants defective in producing a signal may be rescued by codevelopment with wild-type cells or cell fractions containing the signal. In this paper, we identify two molecules that rescue development of the E signal-deficient mutant LS1191 at physiological concentrations,
iso
15:0 branched-chain fatty acid (FA) and 1-
iso
15:0-alkyl-2,3-di-
iso
15:0-acyl glycerol (TG1), a development-specific monoalkyl-diacylglycerol. The physiological concentrations of the bioactive lipids were determined by mass spectrometry from developing wild-type cells using chemically synthesized standards. Synthetic TG1 restored fruiting body morphogenesis and sporulation and activated the expression of the developmentally regulated gene with locus tag
MXAN_2146
at physiological concentrations, unlike its nearly identical tri-
iso
15:0 triacylglycerol (TAG) counterpart, which has an ester linkage instead of an ether linkage.
iso
15:0 FA restored development at physiological concentrations, unlike palmitic acid, a straight-chain fatty acid. The addition of either lipid stimulates cell shortening, with an 87% decline in membrane surface area, concomitantly with the production of lipid bodies at each cell pole and in the center of the cell. We suggest that cells produce triacylglycerol from membrane phospholipids. Bioactive lipids may be released by
p
rogrammed
c
ell
d
eath (PCD), which claims up to 80% of developing cells, since cells undergoing PCD produce lipid bodies before lysing.

IMPORTANCE
Like mammalian adipose tissue, many of the
M. xanthus
lipid body lipids are triacylglycerols (TAGs), containing ester-linked fatty acids. In both systems, ester-linked fatty acids are retrieved from TAGs with lipases and consumed by the fatty acid degradation cycle. Both mammals and
M. xanthus
also produce lipids containing ether-linked fatty alcohols with alkyl or vinyl linkages, such as plasmalogens. Alkyl and vinyl linkages are not hydrolyzed by lipases, and no clear role has emerged for lipids bearing them. For example, plasmalogen deficiency in mice has detrimental consequences to spermatocyte development, myelination, axonal survival, eye development, and long-term survival, though the precise reasons remain elusive. Lipids containing alkyl- and vinyl-linked fatty alcohols are development-specific products in
M. xanthus
. Here, we show that one of them rescues the development of E signal-producing mutants at physiological concentrations.
Marked functional improvement after combined chemoradiotherapy for cervical spine glioblastoma causing quadriparesis in an adolescent
Authors: Lau Peter Kar Han , Lee Gabriel , Bynevelt Michael , Nowak Anna K
Published: February 2014

Primary spinal glioblastoma (GBM) is a rare spinal tumour and is considered to have poor prognosis. We describe a case of a 17-year-old adolescent boy with a cervical spine GBM presenting with neck pain and right upper limb weakness. Initial spinal MRI demonstrated a 4.5 cm lesion extending from C2 to C5 suspicious for demyelination. Despite high-dose corticosteroids, his weakness progressed resulting in quadriparesis. Subsequent laminectomy and biopsy confirmed spinal GBM. Shortly after surgery the patient continued to deteriorate and was essentially bedbound. Standard chemoradiotherapy as per the Stupp protocol, together with multimodal rehabilitation, resulted in substantial functional improvement within 6 weeks of initiation. Continued functional improvement was observed for a period of 11 months. Although an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score of 4 would normally preclude chemoradiotherapy, a prolonged response to treatment and return to independent function were observed.
A bone metastasis of non-small cell lung carcinoma with prominent clear cell features
Authors: Imanishi Jungo , Yazawa Yasuo , Meguro Shiori , Shimizu Michio
Published: February 2014

We report the case of a 78-year-old man with multiple bone tumours and three round, smooth nodules in the right lung. He was referred to our hospital because of the left femoral neck pathological fracture. The histological characteristics of the femoral tumour corresponded to clear cell carcinoma, and bone and lung lesions were regarded as metastatic from an unknown primary site, since there was no clinical evidence of renal carcinoma. His general conditions gradually declined, and he died 2 months after the operation. At autopsy, no neoplasia lesion was found in the kidneys. Although clear cell components were histologically dominant in the affected organs such as the lungs, bones and liver, neoplastic tubular structures also existed. Immunohistochemically, atypical cells were positive for napsin-A. The final diagnosis was adenocarcinoma of the lung origin with prominent clear cell features.
Treatments for macular oedema following central retinal vein occlusion: systematic review
Authors: Ford John A , Clar Christine , Lois Noemi , Barton Samantha , Thomas Sian , Court Rachel , Shyangdan Deepson , Waugh Norman
Published: February 2014

Objectives

To review systematically the randomised controlled trial (RCT) evidence for treatment of macular oedema due to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

Data sources

MEDLINE, EMBASE, CDSR, DARE, HTA, NHSEED, CENTRAL and meeting abstracts (January 2005 to March 2013).

Study eligibility criteria, participants and interventions

RCTs with at least 12 months of follow-up assessing pharmacological treatments for CRVO were included with no language restrictions.

Study appraisal and synthesis methods

2 authors screened titles and abstracts and conducted data extracted and Cochrane risk of bias assessment. Meta-analysis was not possible due to lack of comparable studies.

Results

8 studies (35 articles, 1714 eyes) were included, assessing aflibercept (n=2), triamcinolone (n=2), bevacizumab (n=1), pegaptanib (n=1), dexamethasone (n=1) and ranibizumab (n=1). In general, bevacizumab, ranibizumab, aflibercept and triamcinolone resulted in clinically significant increases in the proportion of participants with an improvement in visual acuity of ≥15 letters, with 40–60% gaining ≥15 letters on active drugs, compared to 12–28% with sham. Results for pegaptanib and dexamethasone were mixed. Steroids were associated with cataract formation and increased intraocular pressure. No overall increase in adverse events was found with bevacizumab, ranibizumab, aflibercept or pegaptanib compared with control. Quality of life was poorly reported. All studies had a low or unclear risk of bias.

Limitations

All studies evaluated a relatively short primary follow-up (1 year or less). Most had an unmasked extension phase. There was no head-to-head evidence. The majority of participants included had non-ischaemic CRVO.

Conclusions and implications of key findings

Bevacizumab, ranibizumab, aflibercept and triamcinolone appear to be effective in treating macular oedema secondary to CRVO. Long-term data on effectiveness and safety are needed. Head-to-head trials and research to identify ‘responders’ is needed to help clinicians make the right choices for their patients. Research aimed to improve sight in people with ischaemic CRVO is required.
Preserving lung after traumatic transection of left lower lobe bronchus from bullet injury
Authors: Hanif Muhammad Shoaib , Mishwani AH , Oparka J , Buchan K
Published: February 2014

A 22-year-old soldier was shot in the left chest by a bullet from close range. He was found to have a left haemothorax and remained shocked despite aggressive resuscitation. Due to difficult terrain and night time movement restrictions, there were limitations to the transfer of patient. So he was attended at a peripheral hospital. At emergency thoracotomy, three segmental arteries to left upper lobe were ligated and haemostasis was secured. The level of transection of left lower lobe bronchus was identified to be below the origin of the apical segmental bronchus. The lower lobe bronchus was successfully re-attached and followed up with a daily bronchoscopic clearance of distal airway. The patient made a full recovery. Anastomosis of left lower lobe bronchus after traumatic transection is a viable option for preserving an amputated lobe, in trauma settings, provided haemostatic control has been adequately achieved.
Facial self-mutilation: an analysis of published cases
Authors: Ciorba Irina , Farcus Oana , Giger Roland , Nisa Lluís
Published: February 2014

Objectives

Facial self-mutilation is rare. It is usually discussed from the psychiatric or psychoanalytic perspectives but has little prominence in general medical literature. Our objective was to describe facial self-mutilation in terms of its comorbidities, and to outline the different types of facial mutilation, as well as the basic approach to the patients with facial self-mutilation.

Methods

We undertook a review of all published cases of facial self-mutilation (1960–2011).

Results

We identified 200 published cases in 123 relevant papers. Four major groups of comorbidities emerged: psychiatric, neurological and hereditary disorders, and a group of patients without identified comorbidities. There were three general patterns of facial self-mutilation: (1) major and definitive mutilation, with the ocular globe as primary target—seen in patients with psychotic disorders; (2) stereotypical mutilation involving the oral cavity and of variable degree of severity, most often seen in patients with hereditary neuropathy or encephalopathy; (3) mild chronic self-mutilation, seen in patients with non-psychotic psychiatric disorders, acquired neurological disorders, and patients without comorbidities. About 20% of patients that mutilated their face also mutilated extra-facial structures.

Patients with psychiatric conditions, especially those with psychotic disorders, had significantly higher (p<0.05) rates of permanent facial self-mutilation than others. Most treatment plans were very individually based, but some principles, such as prevention of irreversible loss of function and structure, or development of infection are applicable to all patients with facial self-mutilation.

Conclusions

Facial self-mutilation is a potentially severe manifestation of diverse conditions. Several aspects of facial self-mutilation remain to be fully characterised from a clinical perspective.
Excimer laser crystallization of a-SiCx on glass
Authors: Kühnapfel S. , Amkreutz D. , Klimm C. , Nickel N.H.
Published: February 2014

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising material for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices. In the amorphous state physical-vapor-deposited SiC is already an essential part of the production of electron beam liquid phase crystallized silicon absorbers, because of its good wettability for the silicon melt. The resulting polycrystalline thin film absorbers exhibit excellent electrical properties (B. Eggleston et al. MRS Online Proc. Libr. 1426, 251 (2012)) and demonstrate the potential of this technology (J. Dore et al. IEEE J. Photovolt. 4, 33 (2014)). A drawback of amorphous SiC interlayers is their poor optical properties. In this work we investigate two different approaches. Firstly, we show how those properties can be improved by depositing SiCxOy layers to enhance the transmittance while maintaining the wettability. Secondly, the laser crystallization of amorphous silicon–carbon compounds is studied as a function of their composition and the applied laser fluence. Compared to the amorphous SiC layers a clear reduction of the absorption coefficient was achieved upon laser annealing without losing wettability. Raman backscattering measurements showed that laser annealing of reactively sputtered amorphous SiC leads to a material with a vibrational mode at 770 cm−1 that is indicative of 6H–SiC. Atomic force microscopy measurements of those crystalline layers also show an ordered triangular grain structure, which was not observed in the amorphous material. It is shown that segregation effects are strongly affected by the stoichiometry and the applied laser fluence.
GLOBALIZATION, LIBERALIZATION AND INCOME INEQUALITY: THE CASE OF CHINA
Authors: XUE JINJUN , LUO CHULIANG , LI SHI
Published: February 2014

This paper studies the mutual effects of globalization, liberalization and income inequality using a case study of China. Comparing the trends of economic growth and income distribution, we found that the economic reform and opening-up policy promoted China's rapid growth while inducing an expansion in income disparity. We also found that the income gap had been a force driving China's high growth in its earlier transition period but began to be an obstacle as the Chinese economy became more globalized and liberalized. To enhance future economic development, China must reduce this inequality.
Functional perturbative approach to equal-time correlation functions
Authors: Weber Axel , Astorga Francisco
Published: February 2014

Equal-time correlation functions play a central role in the recent noncovariant approaches to infrared QCD in the Coulomb gauge. In this article, we explore the possibilities to derive equal-time correlation functions from a generating functional, represent them diagrammatically, and formulate nonperturbative relations similar to Dyson–Schwinger equations among them, in analogy to the covariant n-point functions. For simplicity, we set up the formalism for λϕ4 theory and derive explicit expressions for the equal-time 2- and 4-point functions.
COMPARISON BETWEEN KINESIO TAPING AND PHYSIOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF de QUERVAIN'S DISEASE
Authors: Homayouni Keynoosh , Zeynali Leila , Mianehsaz Elaheh
Published: February 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of a therapeutic Kinesio taping (KT) and physical therapy (PT) modalities for the treatment of de Quervain's disease. Methods: In this prospective randomized clinical study, 30 patients were enrolled into the KT group, and 30 other patients were enrolled into the physical therapy group. In the KT group, 3 pieces of Kinesio tapes were used 4 times weekly, and in the PT group 10 min paraffin bath, 5 min ultrasound (US) under water, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), and a friction massage were applied every 3 days for 10 sessions. Pain severity and the presence of swelling were assessed in all patients before and after the course of 1-month treatment. Results: The overall success rate was 80% in the KT group and 30% in the PT group. In the KT group, the baseline visual analog scale (VAS) was 58 and at the end of treatment it changed into 13. In the PT group, these figures were 56 and 38. Swelling was improved in 17 people (73%) and 5 people (19%) in the KT and PT groups, respectively. Conclusion: Results revealed that patients with de Quervain's disease respond more favorably to KT rather than PT.
THE MASS OF A BIT OF INFORMATION AND THE BRILLOUIN'S PRINCIPLE
Authors: HERRERA L.
Published: February 2014

Based on the Brillouin (negentropic) principle, we answer to the question: Does information have mass? The obtained answer is affirmative and the mass associated to a bit of information (which is always a positive definite quantity) is explicitly calculated. Since the Brillouin's principle is modified in the presence of a gravitational field, so does the mass associated to a bit of information. Some consequences ensuing these facts, as well as the link between radiation and information, are discussed.
SUCCESS FACTORS FOR STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION OF CORPORATE INNOVATIVENESS FOR FINANCIAL ANALYSTS
Authors: TRAUTMANN KERSTIN , ENKEL ELLEN
Published: February 2014

Instead of profiting from an innovation premium at the capital market, many companies suffer from a gap between their actual innovativeness and its perception. Hence, this explorative study elaborates how to manage financial analysts' perception and valuation through strategic innovation communication. By following a holistic research design, six best practicing companies are examined by means of case studies in order to investigate how they successfully address analysts. Additionally, the perspective and information demands of 18 analysts are explored in an online survey. Based on the idea of addressing the cognitive structures that guide analysts' innovation perception, we identified success factors of innovation communication for financial analysts and the capital market which are an integrated content approach regarding innovation input, process and outcome as well as an instrument mix. Surprisingly, the analyst's innovation perception is also driven by comprehensive innovation demonstrations and stories highlighting the necessity of strategic innovation communication for the capital market.
Indemics
Authors: Bisset Keith R. , Chen Jiangzhuo , Deodhar Suruchi , Feng Xizhou , Ma Yifei , Marathe Madhav V.
Published: February 2014

We describe the design and prototype implementation of Indemics(_Interactive; Epi_demic; _Simulation;)—a modeling environment utilizing high-performance computing technologies for supporting complex epidemic simulations. Indemicscan support policy analysts and epidemiologists interested in planning and control of pandemics. Indemicsgoes beyond traditional epidemic simulations by providing a simple and powerful way to represent and analyze policy-based as well as individual-basedadaptive interventions. Users can also stop the simulation at any point, assess the state of the simulated system, and add additional interventions. Indemicsis available to end-users via a web-based interface.

Detailed performance analysis shows that Indemicsgreatly enhances the capability and productivity of simulating complex intervention strategies with a marginal decrease in performance. We also demonstrate how Indemicswas applied in some real case studies where complex interventions were implemented.
High performance many-to-many intranet screen sharing with DisplayCast
Authors: Chandra Surendar , Boreczky John , Rowe Lawrence A.
Published: February 2014

DisplayCast is a many to many Intranet screen sharing system. Its screen capture mechanism creates a sequence of pixmap images of the screen updates. Prior systems that used a similar approach were designed to operate over constrained wide-area networks and did not exploit the Intranet network conditions to achieve high capture rates. First we empirically analyzed the screen contents for a variety of scenarios. We showed that screen updates were sporadic with long periods of inactivity. When active, screens were updated at far higher rates than was supported by earlier systems. The mismatch was pronounced for interactive scenarios. Even during active screen updates, the number of updated pixels were frequently small. We showed that crucial information can be lost if individual updates were merged. When the available system resources could not support high capture rates, we showed ways in which updates can be
effectively
collapsed. Next, we investigate compression mechanisms for streaming these updates. Even while using a hardware encoder, lossy compressors such as H.264 were unable to sustain high frame rates. Though Zlib lossless compression operated within the latency and compression rate requirements, the compression efficiency was poor. By analyzing the screen pixels, we developed a practical transformation that significantly improved compression rates. DisplayCast incorporates these observations. It shares the processor and network resources required for screen capture, compression and transmission with host applications whose output needs to be shared. DisplayCast is agile and uses faster processing capability to achieve even higher performance. Our system components operate natively in Windows 7, Mac OS X and iOS and is deployed in a production setting. DisplayCast is released under a New BSD License.
A new data hiding method via revision history records on collaborative writing platforms
Authors: Lee Ya-Lin , Tsai Wen-Hsiang
Published: February 2014

A new data hiding method via collaboratively-written articles with forged revision history records on collaborative writing platforms is proposed. The hidden message is camouflaged as a stego-document consisting of a stego-article and a revision history created through a simulated process of collaborative writing. The revisions are forged using a database constructed by mining word sequences used in real cases from an English Wikipedia XML dump. Four characteristics of article revisions are identified and utilized to embed secret messages, including the author of each revision, the number of corrected word sequences, the content of the corrected word sequences, and the word sequences replacing the corrected ones. Related problems arising in utilizing these characteristics for data hiding are identified and solved skillfully, resulting in an effective multiway method for hiding secret messages into the revision history. To create more realistic revisions, Huffman coding based on the word sequence frequencies collected from Wikipedia is applied to encode the word sequences. Good experimental results show the feasibility of the proposed method.
Mixed image-keyword query adaptive hashing over multilabel images
Authors: Liu Xianglong , Mu Yadong , Lang Bo , Chang Shih-Fu
Published: February 2014

This article defines a new hashing task motivated by real-world applications in content-based image retrieval, that is, effective data indexing and retrieval given mixed query (query image together with user-provided keywords). Our work is distinguished from state-of-the-art hashing research by two unique features: (1) Unlike conventional image retrieval systems, the input query is a combination of an exemplar image and several descriptive keywords, and (2) the input image data are often associated with multiple labels. It is an assumption that is more consistent with the realistic scenarios. The mixed image-keyword query significantly extends traditional image-based query and better explicates the user intention. Meanwhile it complicates semantics-based indexing on the multilabel data. Though several existing hashing methods can be adapted to solve the indexing task, unfortunately they all prove to suffer from low effectiveness. To enhance the hashing efficiency, we propose a novel scheme “boosted shared hashing”. Unlike prior works that learn the hashing functions on either all image labels or a single label, we observe that the hashing function can be more effective if it is designed to index over an optimal label subset. In other words, the association between labels and hash bits are moderately sparse. The sparsity of the bit-label association indicates greatly reduced computation and storage complexities for indexing a new sample, since only limited number of hashing functions will become active for the specific sample. We develop a Boosting style algorithm for simultaneously optimizing both the optimal label subsets and hashing functions in a unified formulation, and further propose a query-adaptive retrieval mechanism based on hash bit selection for mixed queries, no matter whether or not the query words exist in the training data. Moreover, we show that the proposed method can be easily extended to the case where the data similarity is gauged by nonlinear kernel functions. Extensive experiments are conducted on standard image benchmarks like CIFAR-10, NUS-WIDE and a-TRECVID. The results validate both the sparsity of the bit-label association and the convergence of the proposed algorithm, and demonstrate that the proposed hashing scheme achieves substantially superior performances over state-of-the-art methods under the same hash bit budget.
Data-driven simulation of complex multidimensional time series
Authors: Schruben Lee W. , Singham Dashi I.
Published: February 2014

This article introduces a new framework for resampling general time series data. The approach, inspired by computer agent flocking algorithms, can be used to generate inputs to complex simulation models or for generating pseudo-replications of expensive simulation outputs. The method has the flexibility to enable replicated sensitivity analysis for trace-driven simulation, which is critical for risk assessment. The article includes two simple implementations to illustrate the approach. These implementations are applied to nonstationary and state-dependent multivariate time series. Examples using emergency department data are presented.
Convergence of interactive displays with smart mobile devices for effective advertising
Authors: She James , Crowcroft Jon , Fu Hao , Li Flora
Published: February 2014

The trend of replacing public static signages with digital displays creates opportunities for interactive display systems, which can be used in collaborative workspaces, social gaming platforms and advertising. Based on marketing communication concepts and existing models for consumer behavior, three stages, namely attraction, interaction and conation, are defined in this article to analyze the effectiveness of interactive display advertising. By reviewing various methods and strategies employed by existing systems with attraction, interaction and conation stages, this article concludes that smart mobile devices should be integrated as a component to increase the effectiveness of interactive displays as advertising tools. Future research challenges related to this topic are also discussed.
A review of the October 1968 Microprogramming Workshop held at Mitre
Authors: Sullivan Joseph E.
Published: February 2014

The Workshop on Microprograiming, sponsored by the ACM with the cooperation of MITRE, took place at MITRE on October 7-8, 1968, The purposes of the workship were to:

- Identify the work currently being done in the field

- Promote conmunication between microprogramming practitioners

- Identify promising new directions for investigation

Ninety-one individuals attended the Workshops fifty-seven from industry, twenty-three from the academic world or university-associated laboratories and eleven from non-profits or government. Eighty-nine were from the United States, with one each from Italy and Great Britain.
Cystatin C as a Predictor of Mortality and Cardiovascular Events in a Population with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Vigil Ana , Condés Emilia , Vigil Luis , Gallar Paloma , Oliet Aniana , Ortega Olimpia , Rodriguez Isabel , Ortiz Milagros , Herrero Juan Carlos , Mon Carmen , Cobo Gabriela , Jimenez Juana
Published: February 2014

Background. We examine whether cystatin C, a surrogate marker of renal function, could identify patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with an increased risk of renal disease progression, death, or cardiovascular events.Methods. Data were obtained for 180 patients, with a diagnosis of chronic renal failure based on serum creatinine estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcreat) <90 mL/min/1.73 m2. This population was grouped in tertiles according to cystatin C and creatinine values at baseline. Cardiovascular events and overall mortality were estimated for each tertile. Predictors of overall mortality and for the development of renal disease progression were analyzed.Results. The median age was 75 years (interquartile range 69–82) and the median eGFRcreat38 mL/min m2(interquartile range 33–49). Overall mortality was lower on the first and on the second tertiles of cystatin C than on the third one (HR = 0.060; 95% CI: 0.008–0.447 and HR = 0.094; 95% CI: 0.022–0.406, resp.). Deaths related to the creatinine tertiles followed the same pattern, but differences were not as large. Cardiovascular mortality was lower on the second than on the third cystatin C tertile (HR = 0.198; 95% CI: 0.040–0.987), but it did not show differences on the first and the second creatinine tertiles compared with the third one (HR = 0.126; 95% CI: 0.013–1.265 and HR = 0.403; 95% CI: 0.093–1.740). The only independent predictors of mortality during followup were baseline cystatin C (OR = 0.100; 95% CI: 0.021–0.463) and baseline uric acid (OR = 1.377; 95% CI: 1.070–1.773).Conclusion. Cystatin C may be an alternative to creatinine for detecting a high risk of death and cardiovascular events in a population with CKD.