bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No short-term effect of salinity on oxygen consumption in threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from fresh, brackish, and salt water
Authors: Grøtan Kyrre , Østbye Kjartan , Taugbøl Annette , Vøllestad L. Asbjørn
Published: December 2012

Marine threespine stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculatus L., 1758) have repeatedly colonized Holarctic freshwater environments after the retreat of the Pleistocene glaciers, and based on their ability to move rapidly between salinities have apparently retained a robust osmoregulatory apparatus that can cope with both short- and long-term exposure to non-native salinity environments. Standard metabolic rate (SMR), measured as oxygen consumption at rest, can be used as an indicator of the cost of osmoregulation when fish are exposed to new environmental conditions. Following freshwater colonization, reduction in the number of lateral plates, an antipredator defence structure, is common. Completely plated fish dominate in the sea, low-plated fish dominate in fresh water, and partially plated fish often dominate in brackish water environments. In a laboratory experiment, we estimated SMR in locally adapted populations from salt, brackish, and freshwater environments at three different salinities (0, 15, and 30 practical salinity units (PSU)). In addition, we tested for correlations between SMR and lateral plate number and lateral plate genotype at the Ectodysplasin locus for stickleback originating from the brackish water population. Contrary to our expectations, no differences were found in SMR between any of the experimental groups in our experiment. Apparently, the threespine stickleback is able to move among salinity environments without large short-term metabolic costs, irrespective of their environment of origin.
Widespread erosion and mass failure from the ∼51 Ma Montagnais marine bolide impact off southwestern Nova Scotia, Canada 1This article is one of a series of papers published in this CJES Special Issue on the theme of Mesozoic–Cenozoic geology of the Scotian Basin. 2Earth Sciences Sector Contribution 20120241.
Authors: Deptuck Mark E. , Campbell D. Calvin
Published: December 2012

The ∼51 Ma Montagnais impact crater on the outer Scotian Shelf is well known, but the potential effects from the impact event on the slope and rise seaward of the crater have, until now, remained poorly understood. Through detailed seismic stratigraphic correlation and ties to available wells, we define a threefold seismic stratigraphic subdivision for Upper Cretaceous to Eocene strata on the shelf and slope, calibrated to the most recent biostratigraphic results. Using this framework, we identify a number of depositional and erosional products that are temporally consistent with a late Ypresian impact event (within the limits of seismic and biostratigraphic resolution). We link a series of prominent failure scarps on the outer shelf and upper slope to a single widespread mass-transport deposit (MTD) on the lower continental slope, rise, and abyssal plain. Failed material amassed in a large debris field referred to here as the “Montagnais MTD”. It covers an area of ∼93 000 km2 and travelled up to 580 km from the impact site where its distal termination onlaps the New England Seamounts, making it one of the largest known debris avalanches on Earth. We interpret these deposits, and the associated pattern of erosion landward of them, as products of widespread margin collapse caused by a combination of ground shaking and ensuing tsunamis triggered by the Montagnais impact event. This study provides insight into the potential effects of outer-shelf marine impact events immediately downslope from impact sites, and their diminished effects with increasing distance along the margin.
Bacterial endophytes mediate positive feedback effects of early legume termination times on the yield of subsequent durum wheat crops
Authors: Yang Chao , Hamel Chantal , Gan Yantai , Vujanovic Vladimir
Published: December 2012

Field crops influence the biotic properties of the soil, impacting the health and productivity of subsequent crops. Polymerase chain reaction and 454 GS FLX pyrosequencing of amplicons were used to clarify the legacy of chickpea and pea crops on the quality of the bacterial community colonizing the root endosphere of subsequent crops of wheat, in a replicated field study. Similar communities of root endosphere bacteria were formed in durum wheat grown after pea and chickpea crops when chickpea crops were terminated as early as pea (July). Termination of the chickpea crops in September led to the domination of Firmicutes in wheat root endosphere; Actinobacteria dominated the wheat root endosphere following early pulse crop termination. The architecture of wheat plants was correlated with the composition of its root endosphere community. High grain yield was associated with the production of fewer but larger wheat heads, the abundance of endospheric Actinobacteria and Acidobacteria, and the scarcity of endospheric Firmicutes. Pulse termination time affected wheat root endosphere colonization strongly in 2009 but weakly in 2010, an abnormally wet year. This study improved our understanding of the so-called “crop rotation effect” in pulse–wheat systems and showed how this system can be manipulated through agronomic decisions.
Relaxation response of abdominal aorta to androgens in orchidectomised Sprague–Dawley rats fed a high-salt diet
Authors: Oloyo Ahmed Kolade , Nair Renuka R. , Anigbogu Chikodi N. , Sofola Olusoga A.
Published: December 2012

Previous studies have demonstrated the acute relaxant effects of androgens on normal arterial beds, but not on any with underlying or induced pathologies. This study investigated whether the status of the gonads affects the direct actions of androgens on isolated abdominal aorta from male Sprague–Dawley rats fed a high-salt diet. A high-salt diet reduced the relaxation response to exogenous testosterone, but not to dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Orchidectomy reduced the relaxation response to both testosterone and DHEA, while testosterone replacement restored the acute vasorelaxant effect of testosterone and DHEA in both normal and high-salt diet fed rats. Gonadal status appears to be important in the acute vasorelaxant effect of androgens.
MICROSCOPIC IRREVERSIBILITY AND THE H THEOREM
Authors: MAGPANTAY JOSE A.
Published: December 2012

Time-reversal had always been assumed to be a symmetry of physics at the fundamental level. In this paper we will explore the violations of time-reversal symmetry at the fundamental level and the consequence on thermodynamic systems. First, we will argue from current physics that the universe dynamics is not time-reversal invariant. Second, we will argue that any thermodynamic system cannot be isolated completely from the universe. We then discuss how these two make the dynamics of thermodynamics systems very weakly irreversible at the classical and quantum level. Since time-reversal is no longer a symmetry of realistic systems, the problem of how macroscopic irreversibility arises from microscopic reversibility becomes irrelevant because there is no longer microscopic reversibility. At the classical level of a thermodynamic system, we show that the H theorem of Boltzmann is still valid even without microscopic reversibility. We do this by deriving a modified H theorem, which still shows entropy monotonically increasing. At the quantum level, we explicitly show the effect of CP violation, small irreversible changes on the internal states of the nuclear and atomic energy levels of thermodynamic systems. Thus, we remove Loschmidt's objection to Boltzmann's ideas.
DYNAMICS MODELING AND SIMULATION OF A KIND OF WHEELED HUMANOID ROBOT BASED ON SCREW THEORY
Authors: WANG JINGGUO , LI YANGMIN
Published: December 2012

Based on the screw theory and Lie group notations, this paper presents a modeling method for a kind of wheeled humanoid robot whose upper human-like body is mounted on the top of a mobile platform with three wheels. By combining the reciprocal product of the twist and wrench with Jourdain variation principle, a general formulation method is proposed to model the whole system's dynamics that represents directly the relationship between the input and the resultant external and inertial wrench. Both the system kinematics and dynamics are derived carefully. The simulations are made to verify the proposed modeling methodology and the simulation results are also compared with the results obtained from the multi-body dynamics software.
White Light-Emitting Diodes Using Sr-Containing Sialon Phosphors
Authors: Fukuda Yumi , Sato Takahiro
Published: December 2012

We have successfully developed white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that are highly luminescent with excellent color rendering by utilizing a green-emitting phosphor (Sr3Si13Al3O2N21:Eu2
+) and a red-emitting phosphor (Sr2Si7Al3ON13:Eu2
+). The LEDs have luminous efficacy of 53–60 lm/W and color rendering index Ra of 95–98 in a wide range of tunable correlated color temperatures (3200–6100 K). We found that white LEDs using these phosphors have excellent properties at high power output. Hence, these phosphors have potential applications in white LEDs for lighting.
Bringing Virtualization to the x86 Architecture with the Original VMware Workstation
Authors: Bugnion Edouard , Devine Scott , Rosenblum Mendel , Sugerman Jeremy , Wang Edward Y.
Published: December 2012

This article describes the historical context, technical challenges, and main implementation techniques used by VMware Workstation to bring virtualization to the x86 architecture in 1999. Although virtual machine monitors (VMMs) had been around for decades, they were traditionally designed as part of monolithic, single-vendor architectures with explicit support for virtualization. In contrast, the x86 architecture lacked virtualization support, and the industry around it had disaggregated into an ecosystem, with different vendors controlling the computers, CPUs, peripherals, operating systems, and applications, none of them asking for virtualization. We chose to build our solution independently of these vendors.

As a result, VMware Workstation had to deal with new challenges associated with (i) the lack of virtualization support in the x86 architecture, (ii) the daunting complexity of the architecture itself, (iii) the need to support a broad combination of peripherals, and (iv) the need to offer a simple user experience within existing environments. These new challenges led us to a novel combination of well-known virtualization techniques, techniques from other domains, and new techniques.

VMware Workstation combined a hosted architecture with a VMM. The hosted architecture enabled a simple user experience and offered broad hardware compatibility. Rather than exposing I/O diversity to the virtual machines, VMware Workstation also relied on software emulation of I/O devices. The VMM combined a trap-and-emulate direct execution engine with a system-level dynamic binary translator to efficiently virtualize the x86 architecture and support most commodity operating systems. By relying on x86 hardware segmentation as a protection mechanism, the binary translator could execute translated code at near hardware speeds. The binary translator also relied on partial evaluation and adaptive retranslation to reduce the overall overheads of virtualization.

Written with the benefit of hindsight, this article shares the key lessons we learned from building the original system and from its later evolution.
Quantifying the Mismatch between Emerging Scale-Out Applications and Modern Processors
Authors: Ferdman Michael , Adileh Almutaz , Kocberber Onur , Volos Stavros , Alisafaee Mohammad , Jevdjic Djordje , Kaynak Cansu , Popescu Adrian Daniel , Ailamaki Anastasia , Falsafi Babak
Published: December 2012

Emerging scale-out workloads require extensive amounts of computational resources. However, data centers using modern server hardware face physical constraints in space and power, limiting further expansion and calling for improvements in the computational density per server and in the per-operation energy. Continuing to improve the computational resources of the cloud while staying within physical constraints mandates optimizing server efficiency to ensure that server hardware closely matches the needs of scale-out workloads.

In this work, we introduce CloudSuite, a benchmark suite of emerging scale-out workloads. We use performance counters on modern servers to study scale-out workloads, finding that today’s predominant processor microarchitecture is inefficient for running these workloads. We find that inefficiency comes from the mismatch between the workload needs and modern processors, particularly in the organization of instruction and data memory systems and the processor core microarchitecture. Moreover, while today’s predominant microarchitecture is inefficient when executing scale-out workloads, we find that continuing the current trends will further exacerbate the inefficiency in the future. In this work, we identify the key microarchitectural needs of scale-out workloads, calling for a change in the trajectory of server processors that would lead to improved computational density and power efficiency in data centers.
A Parallel Repetition Theorem for Constant-Round Arthur-Merlin Proofs
Authors: Pass Rafael , Venkitasubramaniam Muthuramakrishnan
Published: December 2012

We show a parallel-repetition theorem for constant-round Arthur-Merlin Proofs, using an efficient reduction. As a consequence, we show that parallel repetition reduces the soundness-error at an optimal rate (up to a negligible factor) in constant-round public-coin argument systems, and constant-round public-coin proofs of knowledge. The first of these results resolves an open question posed by Bellare, Impagliazzo, and Naor (FOCS’97).
Approximating the Influence of Monotone Boolean Functions in O(√n) Query Complexity
Authors: Ron Dana , Rubinfeld Ronitt , Safra Muli , Samorodnitsky Alex , Weinstein Omri
Published: December 2012

The Total Influence
(
Average Sensitivity
) of a discrete function is one of its fundamental measures. We study the problem of approximating the total influence of a monotone Boolean function, which we denote by
I
[
f
]. We present a randomized algorithm that approximates the influence of such functions to within a multiplicative factor of (1 ±
ε
) by performing
O
(√
n
I
[
f
] poly(1/
ε
)) queries. We also prove a lower bound of
Ω
(√
n
log
n
·
I
[
f
]) on the query complexity of any constant factor approximation algorithm for this problem (which holds for
I
[
f
]=
Ω
(1)), hence showing that our algorithm is almost optimal in terms of its dependence on
n
. For general functions, we give a lower bound of
Ω
(
n
I
[
f
]), which matches the complexity of a simple sampling algorithm.
The XtreemOS Resource Selection Service
Authors: Stratan Corina , Sacha Jan , Napper Jeff , Costa Paolo , Pierre Guillaume
Published: December 2012

Many large-scale utility computing infrastructures comprise heterogeneous hardware and software resources. This raises the need for scalable resource selection services that identify resources that match application requirements. Such a service must provide an efficient lookup in spite of changing resource attributes such as disk size, changing application requirements such as installed software libraries, and changing system composition as resources join or leave. We present a fully decentralized, self-managing Resource Selection Service (RSS) algorithm by which resources autonomously select themselves when their attributes match a query. An application specifies what it expects from a resource by means of a conjunction of (attribute,value-range) pairs, which are matched against the attribute values of resources. The set of search attributes can also be updated online to reflect new requirements. We show that our solution scales in the number of resources and in the number of attributes, while being relatively insensitive to churn and other membership changes like node failures. Our RSS continuously self-adapts its routing structure in response to variations in the distribution of node attributes and queries. We show that this autonomous optimization maintains performance and availability in a long-lived service even when the set of application requirements used to select resources changes.
Exploiting External Collections for Query Expansion
Authors: Weerkamp Wouter , Balog Krisztian , de Rijke Maarten
Published: December 2012

A persisting challenge in the field of information retrieval is the vocabulary mismatch between a user’s information need and the relevant documents. One way of addressing this issue is to apply query modeling: to add terms to the original query and reweigh the terms. In social media, where documents usually contain creative and noisy language (e.g., spelling and grammatical errors), query modeling proves difficult. To address this, attempts to use external sources for query modeling have been made and seem to be successful. In this article we propose a general generative query expansion model that uses external document collections for term generation: the External Expansion Model (EEM). The main rationale behind our model is our hypothesis that each query requires its own mixture of external collections for expansion and that an expansion model should account for this. For some queries we expect, for example, a news collection to be most beneficial, while for other queries we could benefit more by selecting terms from a general encyclopedia. EEM allows for query-dependent weighing of the external collections.

We put our model to the test on the task of blog post retrieval and we use four external collections in our experiments: (i) a news collection, (ii) a Web collection, (iii) Wikipedia, and (iv) a blog post collection. Experiments show that EEM outperforms query expansion on the individual collections, as well as the Mixture of Relevance Models that was previously proposed by Diaz and Metzler [2006]. Extensive analysis of the results shows that our naive approach to estimating query-dependent collection importance works reasonably well and that, when we use “oracle” settings, we see the full potential of our model. We also find that the query-dependent collection importance has more impact on retrieval performance than the independent collection importance (i.e., a collection prior).
Prevalence of Cognitive Impairment and Depression among a Population Aged over 60 Years in the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara, Mexico
Authors: Ortiz Genaro G. , Arias-Merino Elva D. , Flores-Saiffe María E. , Velázquez-Brizuela Irma E. , Macías-Islas Miguel A. , Pacheco-Moisés Fermín P.
Published: December 2012

Background. Cognitive impairment is an important clinical issue among elderly patients with depression and has a more complex etiology because of the variable rate of neurodegenerative changes associated with depression. The aim of the present work was to examine the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression in a representative sample of adults aged≥60 years.Methods. The presented work was a cross-sectional study on the prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression. Door-to-door interview technique was assigned in condition with multistage probability random sampling to obtain subjects that represent a population of the Guadalajara metropolitan area (GMA), Mexico. Cognitive function and depression were assessed by applying standardized Mini-Mental State Examination of Folstein (MMSE) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), respectively.Results. Prevalence of cognitive impairment was 13.8% (14.5% women, 12.6% men); no significant differences by gender and retired or pensioner were found. Prevalence of depression was 29.1% (33.6% women, 21.1% men); no significant differences by retired or pensioner were found. Cognitive impairment was associated with depression (OR  =  3.26, CI 95%, 2.31–4.60). Prevalence of cognitive impairment and depression is associated with: being woman, only in depression being older than 75 years being married, and a low level of education.Conclusion. Cognitive impairment and depression are highly correlated in adults aged≥60.
The Impact of the HMCFRP Ratio on the Strengthening of Steel Composite I‐Beams
Authors: Agcakoca E. , Aktas M.
Published: December 2012

Carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer materials have become popular in the construction industry during the last decade for their ability to strengthen and retrofit concrete structures. The recent availability of high‐modulus carbon fiber‐reinforced polymer strips (HMCFRP) has opened up the possibility of using this material in strengthening steel structures as well. The strips can be used in steel bridge girders and structures that are at risk of corrosion‐induced cross‐sectional losses, structural deterioration from aging, or changes in function. In this study, a set of bending experiments was performed on three types of steel beams reinforced with HMCFRP. The results were used to enhance a nonlinear finite element model built with ABAQUS software. The accuracy of the mathematical models for HMCFRP, epoxy, and steel profiles was compared with the experimental results, and the ability of HMCFRP to continue carrying load from the steel beams during rupture and postrupture scenarios was observed using numerical analysis. Using these verified finite element models, a parametric analysis was performed on the HMCFRP failure modes and the quantity to be used with IPE profile steel beams. The maximum amount of HMCFRP needed for strengthening was determined, and an upper limit for its use was calculated to avoid any debonding failure of the fiber material.
Single‐Machine Group Scheduling Problems with Deterioration to Minimize the Sum of Completion Times
Authors: He Yong , Sun Li
Published: December 2012

We consider two single‐machine group scheduling problems with deteriorating group setup and job processing times. That is, the job processing times and group setup times are linearly increasing (or decreasing) functions of their starting times. Jobs in each group have the same deteriorating rate. The objective of scheduling problems is to minimize the sum of completion times. We show that the sum of completion times minimization problems remains polynomially solvable under the agreeable conditions.
Efficacy and Safety of Low-Dose Peginterferon Alpha-2a Plus Ribavirin on Chronic Hepatitis C
Authors: Yan Zehui , Fan Ke , Wang Xiaohong , Mao Qing , Deng Guohong , Wang Yuming
Published: December 2012

Background. The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of low-dose peg-IFNα-2a plus ribavirin on the treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.Patients and Methods. A total of 243 HCV patients treated with different doses of peg-IFNα-2a plus ribavirin were stratified into three groups. End-of-treatment response (ETR) and sustained viral response (SVR) were evaluated for efficacy. Adverse events and laboratory abnormalities were conducted for safety.Results. ETR and SVR in group I were obtained in 83.9% and 68.9% of the patients, separately, which was similar to groups II (84.1% and 68.3%) and III (81.7% and 66.7%). The received peg-IFNα-2a dose was not the independent factor-related SVR in our population (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.94–1.81;P=0.106). The frequency of no adverse events reported in group III (24.7%) was significantly higher than that in group I (11.5%) and group II (12.7%) (P=0.036).Conclusions. The peg-IFNα-2a 90 μg/week plus ribavirin is as effective as, and better tolerated than, peg-IFNα-2a standard dose with ribavirin in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. This low-dose combination achieves high SVR rates and may be cost-saving.
Monophasic Epithelial Synovial Sarcoma Accompanied by an Inverted Papilloma in the Sphenoid Sinus
Authors: Jiang Xiaohua , Huang Qi , Tang Jianguo , Hoffman Matthew R.
Published: December 2012

A 58-year-old man presented with a six-month history of intermittent blood-stained posterior nasal discharge. Five years ago, he had a three-week episode of fitful light headaches. Nasal ventilation, olfactory sensation, and facial sensation were normal; there were no ophthalmological complaints. Coronal computed tomography (CT) scans revealed soft masses in the bilateral sphenoid sinuses with bone absorption. The patient underwent bilateral functional endoscopic sinus surgery and resection of right nasal papillary masses. Papillary masses and mucosa in both sphenoid sinuses were also removed. The mass in the left sphenoid sinus was diagnosed as two separate entities, one being a primary monophasic epithelial synovial sarcoma and the other an inverted papilloma, while the mass in the right sphenoid sinus was an inverted papilloma. After surgery, the patient underwent radiotherapy and chemotherapy. At the 50-month follow-up visit, there were no signs of recurrence.
Performance Analysis of the IEEE 802.11s PSM
Authors: Alam Mirza Nazrul , Jäntti Riku , Kneckt Jarkko , Nieminen Johanna
Published: December 2012

With the introduction of IEEE 802.11 power save mode (PSM), a lot of work has been done to enhance the energy saving ability of the wireless nodes. The ultimate goal of the research is to make the networking equipment carbon neutral and prolong the lifetime of the energy limited device for various applications; in some cases it is a trade-off between energy efficiency and delay. However, few studies have been made until now in the area of IEEE 802.11s based link specific power mode. The essence of this method is the ability of a node to maintain different power modes with its different peer nodes at the same time. A new peer service period (PSP) mechanism is also proposed in IEEE 802.11s amendment for transmitting to a receiver operating in PSM. In this paper the performance of the link specific power mode is studied for a single- and a multilink network in terms of energy, delay throughput, and sleep duration. It is found that at small load the energy saving could be as high as eighty percent when compared with the active mode operation. A stochastic model, based on discrete time discrete state Markov chain, is developed for one peer link operation to study the system behavior closely during PSM operation.
Toward a Practical Technique to Halt Multiple Virus Outbreaks on Computer Networks
Authors: Hole Kjell Jørgen
Published: December 2012

The author analyzes a technique to prevent multiple simultaneous virus epidemics on any vulnerable computer network with inhomogeneous topology. The technique immunizes a small fraction of the computers and utilizes diverse software platforms to halt the virus outbreaks. The halting technique is of practical interest since a network's detailed topology need not be known.
SubacuteStaphylococcus epidermidisBacterial Endocarditis Complicated by Mitral-Aortic Intervalvular Fibrosa Pseudoaneurysm
Authors: Elegino-Steffens Diane , Stratton Amy , Geimer-Flanders Jone
Published: December 2012

The patient is a 75-year-old man with a history significant for hypertension and congestive heart failure who underwent a bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement secondary to acute onset of aortic insufficiency. Cultures of the native valve were positive forStaphylococcus epidermidissensitive to nafcillin and intravenous cefazolin was initiated. On postoperative day 24, he developed acute decompensated heart failure. A transesophageal echocardiogram demonstrated a structurally abnormal mitral valve with severe regurgitation, anterior and posterior leaflet vegetations, and scallop prolapse. There was also evidence of a mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa pseudoaneurysm (P-MAIF) with systolic expansion and flow within the aneurysm. Antibiotic treatment was changed from cefazolin to vancomycin for presumed development of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus. He subsequently underwent a bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement and has restoration of health without sequella. This case highlights the development of a P-MAIF as a rare complication of both aortic or mitral valve replacement and infective endocarditis.
Scalp Acupuncture for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Wang Yan , Shen Jiangang , Wang Xiu-min , Fu Deng-lei , Chen Chao-yang , Lu Ling-yan , Lu Lin , Xie Cheng-long , Fang Jian-qiao , Zheng Guo-qing
Published: December 2012

Scalp acupuncture (SA) is a commonly used therapeutic approach for stroke throughout China and elsewhere in the world. The objective of this study was to assess clinical efficacy and safety of SA for acute ischemic stroke. A systematical literature search of 6 databases was conducted to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of SA for acute ischemic stroke compared with western conventional medicines (WCMs). All statistical analyses were performed by the Rev Man Version 5.0. Eight studies with 538 participants were included in the studies. The studies were deemed to have an unclear risk of bias based on the Cochrane Back Review Group. Compared with the WCM, 6 RCTs showed significant effects of SA for improving neurological deficit scores (P<0.01); 4 RCTs showed significant effects of SA for favoring the clinical effective rate (P<0.01) However, the adverse events have not been documented. In conclusion, SA appears to be able to improve neurological deficit score and the clinical effective rate when compared with WCM, though the beneficial effect from SA is possibly overvalued because of generally low methodology of the included trials. No evidence is available for adverse effects. Rigorous well-designed clinical trials are needed.
Growth and Progression of TRAMP Prostate Tumors in Relationship to Diet and Obesity
Authors: Bonorden Melissa J. L. , Grossmann Michael E. , Ewing Sarah A. , Rogozina Olga P. , Ray Amitabha , Nkhata Katai J. , Liao D. Joshua , Grande Joseph P. , Cleary Margot P.
Published: December 2012

To clarify effects of diet and body weight on prostate cancer development, three studies were undertaken using the TRAMP mouse model of this disease. In the first experiment, obesity was induced by injection of gold thioglucose (GTG). Age of prostate tumor detection (~33 wk) and death (~43 wk) was not significantly different among the groups. In the second study, TRAMP-C2 cells were injected into syngeneic C57BL6 mice and tumor progression was evaluated in mice fed either high-fat or low-fat diets. The high fat fed mice had larger tumors than did the low-fat fed mice. In the third study, tumor development was followed in TRAMP mice fed a high fat diet from 6 weeks of age. There were no significant effects of body weight status or diet on tumor development among the groups. When the tumors were examined for the neuroendocrine marker synaptophysin, there was no correlation with either body weight or diet. However, there was a significant correlation of the expression of synaptophysin with earlier age to tumor detection and death. In summary, TRAMP-C2 cells grew faster when the mice were fed a high-fat diet. Further synaptophysin may be a marker of poor prognosis independent of weight and diet.
A Fundamental Inequality of Algebroidal Function
Authors: Huo Yingying , Sun Daochun
Published: December 2012

By using a new mapping of Ahlfors covering surfaces, a fundamental inequality in the angular domain for the algebroidal function is obtained.
Achondroplasia Associated with Bilateral Keratoconus
Authors: Al Mahmood Ammar M. , Al Katan Hind M. , Al Bin Ali Ghada Y. , Al-Swailem Samar A.
Published: December 2012

We report a rare case of bilateral keratoconus in association with achondroplasia. A 26-year-old male, with a known case of achondroplasia, complained of bilateral gradual deterioration in vision for the past few years. Slit lamp biomicroscopy showed bilateral central corneal protrusion and stromal thinning at the apex consistent with keratoconus. a trial of hard contact lens fitting failed to improve VA in the left eye (LE). Right eye (RE) improved to 20/25. The patient underwent penetrating keratoplasty (PKP) in his LE. Twenty-seven months postoperatively, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 20/30. Ophthalmologists should be aware that patients with achondroplasia who complain of poor vision should be suspected of having keratoconus once other more common conditions are ruled out.
Stochastic Methodology for the Study of an Epidemic Decay Phase, Based on a Branching Model
Authors: Pénisson Sophie , Jacob Christine
Published: December 2012

We present a stochastic methodology to study the decay phase of an epidemic. It is based on a general stochastic epidemic process with memory, suitable to model the spread in a large open population with births of any rare transmissible disease with a random incubation period and a Reed-Frost type infection. This model, which belongs to the class of multitype branching processes in discrete time, enables us to predict the incidences of cases and to derive the probability distributions of the extinction time and of the future epidemic size. We also study the epidemic evolution in the worst-case scenario of a very late extinction time, making use of the Q-process. We provide in addition an estimator of the key parameter of the epidemic model quantifying the infection and finally illustrate this methodology with the study of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy epidemic in Great Britain after the 1988 feed ban law.
Clinical Outcomes of the Marginal Ulcer Bleeding after Gastrectomy: As Compared to the Peptic Ulcer Bleeding with Nonoperated Stomach
Authors: Chung Woo Chul , Jeon Eun Jung , Lee Kang-Moon , Paik Chang Nyol , Oh You Suk , Lee Yang Woon , Kim Sang Bae , Jun Kyong-Hwa , Chin Hyung Min
Published: December 2012

Background. Marginal ulcer is a well-known complication after gastrectomy. Its bleeding can be severe, but the severity has rarely been reported. We aim to evaluate the clinical outcomes of marginal ulcer bleeding (MUB) as compared to peptic ulcer bleeding (PUB) with nonoperated stomach.Methods. A consecutive series of patients who had nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding and admitted to the hospital between 2005 and 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 530 patients were enrolled in this study, and we compared the clinical characteristics between 70 patients with MUB and 460 patients with PUB.Results. Patients with MUB were older (mean age:62.86±10.59years versus53.33±16.68years,P=0.01). The initial hemoglobin was lower (8.16±3.05 g/dL versus9.38±2.49 g/dL,P=0.01), and the duration of admission was longer in MUB (7.14±4.10days versus5.90±2.97days,P=0.03). After initial hemostasis, the rebleeding rate during admission was higher (16.2% versus 6.5%,P=0.01) in MUB. However, the mortality rate did not differ statistically between MUB and PUB groups.Helicobacter pylori-positive rate with MUB was lower than that of PUB (19.4% versus 54.4%,P=0.01).Conclusions. Clinically, MUB after gastrectomy is more severe than PUB with nonoperated stomach. Infection withH. pylorimight not appear to play an important role in MUB after gastrectomy.
Robust Observer Design for Takagi‐Sugeno Fuzzy Systems with Mixed Neutral and Discrete Delays and Unknown Inputs
Authors: Karimi Hamid Reza , Chadli Mohammed
Published: December 2012

A robust observer design is proposed for Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy neutral models with unknown inputs. The model consists of a mixed neutral and discrete delay, and the disturbances are imposed on both state and output signals. Delay‐dependent sufficient conditions for the design of an unknown input T‐S observer with time delays are given in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Some relaxations are introduced by using intermediate variables. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the given results.
Adaptive Fuzzy Control with Supervisory Compensator for Three‐Phase Active Power Filter
Authors: Fei Juntao , Hou Shixi
Published: December 2012

An adaptive fuzzy control system with supervisory controller is
proposed to improve dynamic performance of three‐phase active power filter (APF). The
proposed adaptive fuzzy controller for APF does not build an accurate mathematical model but
approximates the nonlinear characteristics of APF using fuzzy approximation. The adaptive law based on the Lyapunov analysis can adaptively adjust the fuzzy rules; therefore the
asymptotical stability of the adaptive fuzzy control system can be guaranteed. Simulation
results demonstrate that the APF control system has excellent dynamic performance such as small current tracking error, reduced total harmonic distortion (THD) index, strong robustness in the presence of parameters variation, and nonlinear load.
A Neuro‐Augmented Observer for Robust Fault Detection in Nonlinear Systems
Authors: Gong Huajun , Zhen Ziyang
Published: December 2012

A new fault detection method using neural‐networks‐augmented state observer for nonlinear systems is presented in this paper. The novelty of the approach is that instead of approximating the entire nonlinear system with neural network, we only approximate the unmodeled part that is left over after linearization, in which a radial basis function (RBF) neural network is adopted. Compared with conventional linear observer, the proposed observer structure provides more accurate estimation of the system state. The state estimation error is proved to asymptotically approach zero by the Lyapunov method. An aircraft system demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed fault detection scheme, simulation results of which show that the proposed RBF neural network‐based observer scheme is effective and has a potential application in fault detection and identification (FDI) for nonlinear systems.
Bilateral Visual Loss as Presenting Symptom of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome in a Patient with HIV/Tuberculosis Coinfection: A Case Report
Authors: Guerriero S. , Ciracì L, , Centoducati T. , Pignatelli F. , Lamargese V. , Salvati A. , Dicuonzo F.
Published: December 2012

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neurotoxic state accompanied by a unique brain imaging pattern. This cliniconeuroradiological entity usually presents with visual disturbances (cortical blindness, homonymous hemianopia, visual neglect, and blurred vision) along with neurotoxic manifestations. Only a few cases of PRES have previously been reported in patients with advanced HIV disease. The authors describe a case of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in a patient with advanced HIV/TBC infection who developed a neurotoxic state following TB and ART therapy initiation. They present a comprehensive review of the literature and discuss the pathogenetic hypotheses.
Socioeconomic Factors Affect Disparities in Access to Liver Transplant for Hepatocellular Cancer
Authors: Wong Linda L. , Hernandez Brenda Y. , Albright Cheryl L.
Published: December 2012

Objective. The incidence/death rate of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is increasing in America, and it is unclear if access to care contributes to this increase.Design/Patients. 575 HCC cases were reviewed for demographics, education, and tumor size.Main Outcome Measures. Endpoints to determine access to HCC care included whether an eligible patient underwent liver transplantation.Results. Transplant patients versus those not transplanted were younger (55.7 versus 61.8 yrs,P<0.001), males (89.3% versus 74.4%,P=0.013), and having completed high school (10.1% versus 1.2%,P=0.016). There were differences in transplant by ethnicity, insurance, and occupation. Transplant patients with HCC had higher median income via census classification ($54,383 versus $49,383,P=0.046) and self-reported income ($48,948 versus $38,800,P=0.002). Differences in access may be related to exclusion criteria for liver transplant, as Pacific Islanders were more likely to have tumor size larger than 5 cm compared to Whites and have BMI > 35 (20.7%) compared to Whites (6.4%) and Asians (4.7%).Conclusions. Ethnic differences in access to transplant are associated with socioeconomic status and factors that can disqualify patients (advanced disease/morbid obesity). Efforts to overcome educational barriers and screening for HCC could improve access to transplant.
Strong Convergence Theorems for Maximal Monotone Operators with Nonspreading Mappings in a Hilbert Space
Authors: Liu Hongjie , Wang Junqing , Feng Qiansheng
Published: December 2012

We prove the strong convergence theorems for finding a common element of the set of fixed points of a nonspreading mapping T and the solution sets of zero of a maximal monotone mapping and an α‐inverse strongly monotone mapping in a Hilbert space. Manaka and Takahashi (2011) proved weak convergence theorems for maximal monotone operators with nonspreading mappings in a Hilbert space; there we introduced new iterative algorithms and got some strong convergence theorems for maximal monotone operators with nonspreading mappings in a Hilbert space.
Ferromagnetic Resonance Characterization of Nano-FePt by Electron Spin Resonance
Authors: Nkosi S. S. , Gavi H. M. , Motaung D. E. , Keartland J. , Sideras-Haddad E. , Forbes A. , Mwakikunga B. W.
Published: December 2012

Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements at room temperature and X-band microwave frequency were performed on highly crystalline FePt system thin films. Fairly high DC static magnetic field absorption of about 300 mT was observed in these films. We attribute the high field absorption to ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). Upon increasing iron content in FePt system, no detectable spin waves modes were identified already at room temperature. This signifies a homogeneous distribution of the magnetization across the films. We qualitatively attributed such homogeneity distribution in the films to self-assembly of these Fe–Pt system nanoparticles. The results revealed that the FePt system contains hyperfine coupling with sextetI=5/2exhibiting a phase reversal behaviour compared to FMR line. Both iron content and crystallite size increased the FMR intensity making the films good candidates for large data storage mediums and spintronics.
The Choice of Screening Instrument Matters: The Case of Problematic Cannabis Use Screening in Spanish Population of Adolescents
Authors: Thanki Danica , Domingo-Salvany Antónia , Barrio Anta Gregorio , Sánchez Mañez Amparo , Llorens Aleixandre Noelia , Suelves Josep Maria , Brime Beteta Begoña , Vicente Julián
Published: December 2012

The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility of problem cannabis use screening instruments administration within wide school surveys, their psychometric properties, overlaps, and relationships with other variables. Students from 7 Spanish regions, aged 14–18, who attended secondary schools were sampled by two-stage cluster sampling (net sample 14,589). Standardized, anonymous questionnaire including DSM-IV cannabis abuse criteria, Cannabis Abuse Screening Test (CAST), and Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) was self-completed with paper and pencil in the selected classrooms. Data was analysed using classical psychometric theory, bivariate tests, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. Not responding to instruments’ items (10.5–12.3%) was associated with reporting less frequent cannabis use. The instruments overlapped partially, with 16.1% of positives being positive on all three. SDS was more likely to identify younger users with lower frequency of use who thought habitual cannabis use posed a considerable problem. CAST positivity was associated with frequent cannabis use and related problems. It is feasible to use short psychometric scales in wide school surveys, but one must carefully choose the screening instrument, as different instruments identify different groups of users. These may correspond to different types of problematic cannabis use; however, measurement bias seems to play a role too.
Changes inγ-Tubulin Protein Distribution in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) Oocytes and the Early Cleavage-Stage Embryo
Authors: Liu Jianxiong , Lessman Charles A.
Published: December 2012

We investigated the distribution ofγ-tubulin in zebrafish oocytes and embryos using epifluorescent or confocal microscopy andγ-tubulin antibodies. During meiotic maturation of zebrafish oocytes,γ-tubulin begins redistribution from oocyte ooplasm and cortex to the future blastodisc region at the animal pole. In activated eggs,γ-tubulin was uniformly distributed in the enlarging blastodisc with label emanating from the yolk cell. In newly fertilized eggs,γ-tubulin was evenly distributed in blastomere cytoplasm, with the presence of pronuclei but initially lacking discernable centrosomes. During early cleavage, especially at the eight-cell stage, striking arc-shaped/rings (A/R) of putative centrosomes were detected. Decreasingγ-tubulin was seen in yolk cells while early cleavage blastomeres had strong cytoplasmic label along with obvious A/R arrays. In addition, we found the orientation of the A/R array and nuclear division alternated by about 90 degrees for each cell cycle along with alternation of punctate and A/R arrays.
Spectroscopic Investigations of Pentobarbital Interaction with Transthyretin
Authors: Darwish Saqer M. , Ghithan Jafar , Abuteir Musa M. , Faroun Mariam , Abu-hadid Mahmoud M.
Published: December 2012

Transthyretin (TTR) aggregation has been characterized to be responsible for several amyloid diseases. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, fluorescence, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are used to investigate secondary structure changes in transthyretin, induced upon thermal denaturation and interaction with pentobarbital. Spectral analysis revealed a strong static quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of TTR by pentobarbital with a binding constant (K) estimated at2.092×103 M-1. Fourier self-deconvolution (FSD) technique is used to evaluates intensity changes in the spectra of the component bands in the amide I and amide II regions due to the changes in pentobarbital concentration in the protein complex. The increases of the relative intensities of the peaks at 1614 cm−1and 1507 cm−1are due to the increase of pentobarbital concentrations which is linked to the formation of oligomers in the protein.
Adipokine Levels in the Course of Mild Biliary Pancreatitis
Authors: Demirci Selim , Akbal Erdem , Koçak Erdem , Taş Adnan , Köklü Seyfettin
Published: December 2012

Objectives: Obesity markedly increases the risk of severe acute pancreatitis (AP). Several adipokines have been ascribed a role as a predictor of clinical severity in AP. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between leptin and adiponectin and mild biliary AP. Methods: We included 24 consecutive patients with mild biliary AP and 24 consecutive healthy age- and sex-matched controls. Clinical severity was classified by the Ranson score. ELISA was used to assess leptin and adiponectin levels on admission and in remission. Complete blood cell counts and other laboratory tests were also performed at baseline and in remission. Results: Leptin, adiponectin, insulin and HOMA-IR measurements showed no difference in pancreatitis patients both on admission and in remission compared to the control group. No difference was found in leptin, insulin or HOMA-IR levels in the course of pancreatitis. However, adiponectin levels were higher in remission compared to admission. Conclusions: Increased adiponectin levels in remission may be an indication of improvement in this condition. Further studies are needed to determine whether adiponectin provides protection from AP.