bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is renal hyperfiltration protective in chronic kidney disease‐stage 1 pregnancies? A step forward unravelling the mystery of the effect of stage 1 chronic kidney disease on pregnancy outcomes
Authors: Piccoli Giorgina Barbara , Attini Rossella , Vigotti Federica Neve , Parisi Silvia , Fassio Federica , Pagano Arianna , Biolcati Marilisa , Giuffrida Domenica , Rolfo Alessandro , Todros Tullia
Published: December 2014

Background

The correlation between advanced or proteinuric chronic kidney disease (CKD) and adverse pregnancy outcomes is intuitive, although how early CKD affects pregnancy remains unknown. Glomerular hyperfiltration is a physiological response to pregnancy, correlated with outcomes in hypertension or collagen diseases. The aim of the study was to correlate first trimester hyperfiltration with pregnancy outcomes in stage 1 CKD patients.

Methods

A historical prospective study was conducted on the database of our Unit, gathering all pregnant CKD patients referred since 1 January 2000. From 383 pregnancies referred in 2000–2013, 75 patients were selected (stage 1 CKD, referred within the 14th gestational week, singleton deliveries, absence of diabetes, hypertension or nephrotic proteinuria at referral, body mass index [BMI] < 30); 267 ‘low‐risk’ pregnancies, followed in the same setting, served as controls. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was assessed by Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD‐EPI) and dichotomized at 120 mL/min. The odds for Caesarean section, prematurity, need for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) were assessed by univariate analysis and logistic regression.

Results

Risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes was not affected by hyperfiltration (univariate OR GFR ≥ 120 mL/min: Caesarean section 1.30 (0.46–3.65); preterm delivery: 0.84 (0.25–2.80)). In contrast, even in these cases with normal kidney function, stage 1 CKD was associated with prematurity (17.3% vs 4.9% P = 0.001), lower birth weight (3027 ± 586 versus 3268 ± 500 P < 0.001) need for NICU (12% vs 1.1% P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, the risks were significantly increased by proteinuria and maternal age but not by GFR.

Conclusions

In pregnant Stage 1 CKD patients, hyperfiltration was not associated with maternal‐foetal outcomes, thus suggesting a need to focus attention on qualitative factors, eventually enhanced by age, as vascular stiffness, endothelial damage or oxidative stress.
Tax Exporting and the Business Share of Sales Tax Levies
Authors: Foster John M.
Published: December 2014

In 2010, state and local sales taxes on non‐labor input purchases made by businesses constituted 42 percent of state and local sales tax revenue, on average. Taxing firms could enable state and local governments to export portions of their tax burdens. The average tax rates that subnational governments choose to levy on business purchases are potentially influenced by the exportability of those taxes as well as on the exportability of alternative taxes. If a state's capacity to export the burdens of alternative taxes is limited, then governments may rely more heavily on business sales taxes. This study examines the relationship between tax exporting and the average sales tax rate that state and local governments choose to levy on business purchases using state‐level panel data from 2003 to 2010. I find that the average sales tax rate is largely determined by a state's ability to export taxes to national taxpayers through the deductibility provisions provided by the federal tax code. The offset provided to firms by the deductibility of state and local business taxes is positively related to the average sales tax rate on business purchases. The deductibility offset available to households that itemize places downward pressure on average sales tax rates. The results suggest that federal tax policies that increase the deductibility offset for firms or reduce the offset for itemizers could prompt subnational governments to increase sales tax levies on business purchases which would increase business tax deductions at the federal level and offset revenue gains from federal tax reform.
A Thick-Walled Fluid–Solid-Growth Model of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Evolution: Application to a Patient-Specific Geometry
Authors: Grytsan Andrii , Watton Paul N. , Holzapfel Gerhard A.
Published: December 2014

We propose a novel thick-walled fluid–solid-growth (FSG) computational framework for modeling vascular disease evolution. The arterial wall is modeled as a thick-walled nonlinearly elastic cylindrical tube consisting of two layers corresponding to the media-intima and adventitia, where each layer is treated as a fiber-reinforced material with the fibers corresponding to the collagenous component. Blood is modeled as a Newtonian fluid with constant density and viscosity; no slip and no-flux conditions are applied at the arterial wall. Disease progression is simulated by growth and remodeling (G&R) of the load bearing constituents of the wall. Adaptions of the natural reference configurations and mass densities of constituents are driven by deviations of mechanical stimuli from homeostatic levels. We apply the novel framework to model abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) evolution. Elastin degradation is initially prescribed to create a perturbation to the geometry which results in a local decrease in wall shear stress (WSS). Subsequent degradation of elastin is driven by low WSS and an aneurysm evolves as the elastin degrades and the collagen adapts. The influence of transmural G&R of constituents on the aneurysm development is analyzed. We observe that elastin and collagen strains evolve to be transmurally heterogeneous and this may facilitate the development of tortuosity. This multiphysics framework provides the basis for exploring the influence of transmural metabolic activity on the progression of vascular disease.
Effects of Tooth Indexing Errors on Load Distribution and Tooth Load Sharing of Splines Under Combined Loading Conditions
Authors: Hong J. , Talbot D. , Kahraman A.
Published: December 2014

In this paper, influences of tooth indexing errors on load distribution and tooth load sharing of spline joints are investigated by modifying an existing semi-analytical load distribution model for side-fit involute splines. Two commonly observed loading conditions, namely (i) combined torsion and radial loads representative of a spline joint of a spur gear with shaft and (ii) combined torsion, radial loads, and tilting moment representative of a spline joint of a helical gear with shaft are considered in this study. Numerical results of an example spline having (i) no tooth indexing error, (ii) a single tooth with indexing error, and (iii) a random sequence of tooth indexing errors under these two loading conditions are presented to demonstrate the effects of tooth indexing errors. In addition, a practical study of the robustness to manufacturing tolerances is also presented where probability distributions of load sharing factor of the critical tooth of an example spline designed to certain manufacturing tolerance classes are obtained with a large number of randomly generated indexing error sequences.
Local Versus Global Mechanical Effects of Intramural Swelling in Carotid Arteries
Authors: Sorrentino T. A. , Fourman L. , Ferruzzi J. , Miller K. S. , Humphrey J. D. , Roccabianca S.
Published: December 2014

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are increasingly thought to play important roles in arterial mechanics and mechanobiology. We recently suggested that these highly negatively charged molecules, well known for their important contributions to cartilage mechanics, can pressurize intralamellar units in elastic arteries via a localized swelling process and thereby impact both smooth muscle mechanosensing and structural integrity. In this paper, we report osmotic loading experiments on murine common carotid arteries that revealed different degrees and extents of transmural swelling. Overall geometry changed significantly with exposure to hypo-osmotic solutions, as expected, yet mean pressure-outer diameter behaviors remained largely the same. Histological analyses revealed further that the swelling was not always distributed uniformly despite being confined primarily to the media. This unexpected finding guided a theoretical study of effects of different distributions of swelling on the wall stress. Results suggested that intramural swelling can introduce highly localized changes in the wall mechanics that could induce differential mechanobiological responses across the wall. There is, therefore, a need to focus on local, not global, mechanics when examining issues such as swelling-induced mechanosensing.
Kinematic Analysis of the 3-RPS Cube Parallel Manipulator
Authors: Nurahmi Latifah , Schadlbauer Josef , Caro Stéphane , Husty Manfred , Wenger Philippe
Published: December 2014

The 3-RPS cube parallel manipulator, a three-degree-of-freedom parallel manipulator initially proposed by Huang and Fang (1995, “Motion Characteristics and Rotational Axis Analysis of Three DOF Parallel Robot Mechanisms,” IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics. Intelligent Systems for the 21st Century, Vancouver, BC, Canada, Oct. 22–25, pp. 67–71) is analyzed in this paper with an algebraic approach, namely, Study kinematic mapping of the Euclidean group SE(3) and is described by a set of eight constraint equations. A primary decomposition is computed over the set of eight constraint equations and reveals that the manipulator has only one operation mode. Inside this operation mode, it turns out that the direct kinematics of the manipulator with arbitrary values of design parameters and joint variables, has 16 solutions in the complex space. A geometric interpretation of the real solutions is given. The singularity conditions are obtained by deriving the determinant of the Jacobian matrix of the eight constraint equations. All the singular poses are mapped onto the joint space and are geometrically interpreted. By parametrizing the set of constraint equations under the singularity conditions, it is shown that the manipulator is in actuation singularity. The uncontrolled motion gained by the moving platform is also provided. The motion of the moving platform is essentially determined by the fact that three vertices in the moving platform move in three mutually orthogonal planes. The workspace of each point of the moving platform (with exception of the three vertices) is bounded by a Steiner surface. This type of motion has been studied by Darboux in 1897. Moreover, the 3DOF motion of the 3-RPS cube parallel manipulator contains a special one-degree-of-freedom motion, called the vertical Darboux motion (VDM). In this motion, the moving platform can rotate and translate about and along the same axis simultaneously. The surface generated by a line in the moving platform turns out to be a right-conoid surface.
Cumulative phase delay between second harmonic and fundamental components—A marker for ultrasound contrast agents
Authors: Demi Libertario , Wijkstra Hessel , Mischi Massimo
Published: December 2014

Several imaging techniques aimed at detecting ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) echo signals, while suppressing signals coming from the surrounding tissue, have been developed. These techniques are especially relevant for blood flow, perfusion, or contrast dispersion quantification. However, despite several approaches being presented, improving the understanding of the ultrasound/UCAs interaction may support further development of imaging techniques. In this paper, the physical phenomena behind the formation of harmonic components in tissue and UCAs, respectively, are addressed as a possible way to recognize the origin of the echo signals. Simulations based on a modified Rayleigh, Plesset, Noltingk, Neppiras, and Poritsky equation and transmission and backscattering measurements of ultrasound propagating through UCAs performed with a single element transducer and a submergible hydrophone, are presented. Both numerical and in vitro results show the occurrence of a cumulative time delay between the second harmonic and fundamental component which increases with UCA concentration and propagation path length through UCAs, and that was clearly observable at frequencies (f0 = 2.5 MHz) and pressure regimes (mechanical index = 0.1) of interest for imaging. Most importantly, this delay is not observed in the absence of UCAs. In conclusion, the reported phenomenon represents a marker for UCAs with potential application for imaging.
Shock wave propagation along constant sloped ocean bottoms
Authors: Maestas Joseph T. , Taylor Larissa F. , Collis Jon M.
Published: December 2014

The nonlinear progressive wave equation (NPE) is a time-domain model used to calculate long-range shock propagation using a wave-following computational domain. Current models are capable of treating smoothly spatially varying medium properties, and fluid-fluid interfaces that align horizontally with a computational grid that can be handled by enforcing appropriate interface conditions. However, sloping interfaces that do not align with a horizontal grid present a computational challenge as application of interface conditions to vertical contacts is non-trivial. In this work, range-dependent environments, characterized by sloping bathymetry, are treated using a rotated coordinate system approach where the irregular interface is aligned with the coordinate axes. The coordinate rotation does not change the governing equation due to the narrow-angle assumption adopted in its derivation, but care is taken with applying initial, interface, and boundary conditions. Additionally, sound pressure level influences on nonlinear steepening for range-independent and range-dependent domains are used to quantify the pressures for which linear acoustic models suffice. A study is also performed to investigate the effects of thin sediment layers on the propagation of blast waves generated by explosives buried beneath mud line.
Information criteria and selection of vibration models
Authors: Ruzek Michal , Guyader Jean-Louis , Pézerat Charles
Published: December 2014

This paper presents a method of determining an appropriate equation of motion of two-dimensional plane structures like membranes and plates from vibration response measurements. The local steady-state vibration field is used as input for the inverse problem that approximately determines the dispersion curve of the structure. This dispersion curve is then statistically treated with Akaike information criterion (AIC), which compares the experimentally measured curve to several candidate models (equations of motion). The model with the lowest AIC value is then chosen, and the utility of other models can also be assessed. This method is applied to three experimental case studies: A red cedar wood plate for musical instruments, a thick paper subjected to unknown membrane tension, and a thick composite sandwich panel. These three cases give three different situations of a model selection.
Discrimination of frequency variance for tonal sequences
Authors: Byrne Andrew J. , Viemeister Neal F. , Stellmack Mark A.
Published: December 2014

Real-world auditory stimuli are highly variable across occurrences and sources. The present study examined the sensitivity of human listeners to differences in global stimulus variability. In a two-interval, forced-choice task, variance discrimination was measured using sequences of five 100-ms tone pulses. The frequency of each pulse was sampled randomly from a distribution that was Gaussian in logarithmic frequency. In the non-signal interval, the sampled distribution had a variance of σSTAN2, while in the signal interval, the variance of the sequence was σSIG2 (with σSIG2 > σSTAN2). The listener's task was to choose the interval with the larger variance. To constrain possible decision strategies, the mean frequency of the sampling distribution of each interval was randomly chosen for each presentation. Psychometric functions were measured for various values of σSTAN2. Although the performance was remarkably similar across listeners, overall performance was poorer than that of an ideal observer (IO) which perfectly compares interval variances. However, like the IO, Weber's Law behavior was observed, with a constant ratio of (σSIG2-σSTAN2) to σSTAN2 yielding similar performance. A model which degraded the IO with a frequency-resolution noise and a computational noise provided a reasonable fit to the real data.
Speech-cue transmission by an algorithm to increase consonant recognition in noise for hearing-impaired listeners
Authors: Healy Eric W. , Yoho Sarah E. , Wang Yuxuan , Apoux Frédéric , Wang DeLiang
Published: December 2014

Consonant recognition was assessed following extraction of speech from noise using a more efficient version of the speech-segregation algorithm described in Healy, Yoho, Wang, and Wang [(2013) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134, 3029–3038]. Substantial increases in recognition were observed following algorithm processing, which were significantly larger for hearing-impaired (HI) than for normal-hearing (NH) listeners in both speech-shaped noise and babble backgrounds. As observed previously for sentence recognition, older HI listeners having access to the algorithm performed as well or better than young NH listeners in conditions of identical noise. It was also found that the binary masks estimated by the algorithm transmitted speech features to listeners in a fashion highly similar to that of the ideal binary mask (IBM), suggesting that the algorithm is estimating the IBM with substantial accuracy. Further, the speech features associated with voicing, manner of articulation, and place of articulation were all transmitted with relative uniformity and at relatively high levels, indicating that the algorithm and the IBM transmit speech cues without obvious deficiency. Because the current implementation of the algorithm is much more efficient, it should be more amenable to real-time implementation in devices such as hearing aids and cochlear implants.
An ancient defense system eliminates unfit cells from developing tissues during cell competition
Authors: Meyer S. N. , Amoyel M. , Bergantiños C. , de la Cova C. , Schertel C. , Basler K. , Johnston L. A.
Published: December 2014

Developing tissues that contain mutant or compromised cells present risks to animal health. Accordingly, the appearance of a population of suboptimal cells in a tissue elicits cellular interactions that prevent their contribution to the adult. Here we report that this quality control process, cell competition, uses specific components of the evolutionarily ancient and conserved innate immune system to eliminate
Drosophila
cells perceived as unfit. We find that Toll-related receptors (TRRs) and the cytokine Spätzle (Spz) lead to NFκB-dependent apoptosis. Diverse “loser” cells require different TRRs and NFκB factors and activate distinct pro-death genes, implying that the particular response is stipulated by the competitive context. Our findings demonstrate a functional repurposing of components of TRRs and NFκB signaling modules in the surveillance of cell fitness during development.
Endometriosis-induced intussusception of the caecal appendix
Authors: Costa Marta , Bento Ana , Batista Hamilton , Oliveira Fernando
Published: December 2014

Appendicular intussusception is an uncommon entity, with a reported incidence of 0.01%. The diagnosis is difficult and often only performed at the time of surgery. Intussusception has multiple causes including tumours, foreign bodies and polyps. The definitive treatment is surgical, and the extent of resection is determined by the underlying pathology and degree of invagination. Endometriosis is a rare cause of appendicular intussusception, with 194 cases described in the English literature. We report a case of a 42-year-old woman who presented with chronic abdominal pain in the lower right quadrant. A mass at the caecum was identified during investigations for renal stones by CT. Colonoscopy showed a polypoid lesion, with presumed origin in the appendix. Ileocaecal resection was performed because an appendicular tumour was suspected. Pathological examination identified endometriosis of the appendix and associated peritoneum with invagination of the caecum. The patient was discharged 7 days after surgery and is currently asymptomatic.
Tuberculosis: oral alveolus and pulmonary alveoli coexisting
Authors: Verma Sanjeev Kumar , Upadhyay Rashmi , Chand Pooran , Tayal Nitesh
Published: December 2014

Tuberculosis of the oral cavity is uncommon in this antibiotic era. We report a case of a long standing non-healing ulcer of the right upper maxillogingival sulcus, found to be tuberculosis of a rather unusual site in the oral cavity, the alveolus.
Risk factors and clinical features of ovarian pregnancy: a case–control study
Authors: Zhu Qian , Li Cheng , Zhao Wei-Hong , Yuan Jiang-Jing , Yan Ming-Xing , Qin Guo-Juan , Zhang Jian
Published: December 2014

Objective

To identify risk factors for ovarian pregnancy (OP) and compare clinical features between OP and tubal pregnancy (TP) patients.

Design

Case–control study.

Setting

University hospital.

Participants

A case–control study was conducted from January 2005 to May 2014. Women diagnosed with OP were recruited as the case group (n=71), 145 women with TP and 146 with intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) were matched as controls at a ratio of 1:2:2. Women who refused interviews or provided incomplete information were excluded.

Results

OP risk was lower than TP risk in women with serological evidence ofChlamydia trachomatisinfection (adjusted OR10.17, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.52), previous adnexal surgery (adjusted OR10.25, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.95), and current levonorgestrel emergency contraceptive use (adjusted OR10.24, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.78). In vitro fertilisation-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) carried a higher risk of OP (adjusted OR112.18, 95% CI 2.23 to 66.58) than natural conception. When Controlled by IUP women, current users of intrauterine devices (IUDs) carried a higher risk of OP than non-users of any contraceptives (adjusted OR29.60, 95% CI 1.76 to 42.20). β-Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels on the day of surgery were higher in OP patients than in TP patients (p<0.01). Women with OP were less likely to initially present with vaginal bleeding than those with TP (p=0.02). Moreover, shock (p=0.02), rupture (p<0.01), haemoperitoneum (p<0.01) and emergency laparotomy (p<0.01) were more common in the OP group than in the TP group.

Conclusions

IVF-ET and IUD use may be risk factors for OP, and OP patients tend to have high β-hCG levels and a poor clinical outcome (shock, rupture, haemoperitoneum and need for emergency laparotomy). Our findings may contribute to the prevention and early diagnosis of OP.
The Calculation and Anticipation Unit for Floating-Point Addition
Authors: Li Linghao , Shao Zhibiao
Published: November 2014

Most recent microprocessors present multiple special functional units to optimize their performance. In this paper, a new functional unit called the calculation and anticipation (C&A) unit is presented for the IEEE 754 standard floating-point adder (FPA) that is the most important and frequently used calculation part for both modern CPUs and GPUs. C&A unit parallelize rounding step and readjustment step, which are known as the time-consuming steps for floating-point addition with significand addition. Therefore it reduces FPA critical path delay enormously, and even more decreases a little FPA area occupation. The synthesis results show that the double-precision FPA with C&A unit takes about 17.17% improvement in the critical path delay, while saves about 8.32% area than the conventional one. It takes 5.90% advantage in area and 19.58% improvement in the worst case delay than the double-precision FPA from the Open Core module "fpu_double" (rev 14 2010-02-13) synthesized in the same 0.13-μm CMOS bulk. Furthermore, comparing with the two-path double-precision FPA synthesized using LSI Logic's gflxp 0.11-μm CMOS library, it takes about 4.30% advantage in the critical path delay, and saves almost one-third area in the number of the individual cells.
A High Linear CMOS Body Effect Compensation Bootstrapped Switch
Authors: Dong Siwan , Liu Minjie , Zhu Zhangming , Yang Yintang
Published: November 2014

This paper presents a new bootstrapped switch with high speed and low nonlinear distortion. Instead of fixed voltage, the gate-to-source voltage of switch varies with input to implement first-order body effect compensation. Post-layout simulations have been done in standard 0.18-μm CMOS process at 1.8 V, and results indicate that at 200 MHz sample rate, a peak signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) of 98.4 dB, spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of 105.7 dB and total harmonic distortion (THD) of -104.9 dB can be acquired. For input frequency up to the 60 MHz frequency, proposed structure maintains |THD| over 85 dB, SFDR better than 86 dB, respectively.
AN ASSESSMENT OF TESTING COST WITH EFFORT-DEPENDENT FDP AND FCP UNDER LEARNING EFFECT: A GENETIC ALGORITHM APPROACH
Authors: KUMAR VIJAY , KHATRI SUNIL KUMAR , DUA HITESH , SHARMA MANISHA , MATHUR PARIDHI
Published: November 2014

Software testing involves verification and validation of the software to meet the requirements elucidated by customers in the earlier phases and to subsequently increase software reliability. Around half of the resources, such as manpower and CPU time are consumed and a major portion of the total cost of developing the software is incurred in testing phase, making it the most crucial and time-consuming phase of a software development lifecycle (SDLC). Also the fault detection process (FDP) and fault correction process (FCP) are the important processes in SDLC. A number of software reliability growth models (SRGM) have been proposed in the last four decades to capture the time lag between detected and corrected faults. But most of the models are discussed under static environment. The purpose of this paper is to allocate the resources in an optimal manner to minimize the cost during testing phase using FDP and FCP under dynamic environment. An elaborate optimization policy based on optimal control theory for resource allocation with the objective to minimize the cost is proposed. Further, genetic algorithm is applied to obtain the optimum value of detection and correction efforts which minimizes the cost. Numerical example is given in support of the above theoretical result. The experimental results help the project manager to identify the contribution of model parameters and their weight.
FAST RANDOMIZED ALGORITHM FOR MINIMAL TEST COST ATTRIBUTE REDUCTION
Authors: LI JINGKUAN , MIN FAN , ZHU WILLIAM
Published: November 2014

Attribute reduction is a key data preprocessing technique, and has been widely studied in data mining, machine learning, and granular computing. Minimal test cost attribute reduction is one of important parts researched in cost-sensitive learning. The backtracking algorithm can obtain an optimal reduct, however on only small datasets due to the NP-hardness of the problem. Heuristic algorithms, such as the genetic one and the information gain based one, are employed to deal with this problem. In this paper, we propose the Fast Randomized Algorithm to obtain a satisfactory reduct more efficiently. The focus of the algorithm is a randomization mechanism that deals with attributes addition and deletion. There are two important parameters in the addition stage, namely the selecting probability of attributes and the number of selected attributes per batch. We obtain some appropriate parameter settings through experiments in a variety of datasets. Results show that the optimal settings of two parameters rarely change on different datasets. Our algorithm is more stable and significantly more efficient than existing heuristic ones.
QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT FOR SOFTWARE SAFETY INTEGRITY LEVEL WITH FUNCTIONAL SAFETY STANDARDS AND RISK COSTS
Authors: YAMADA SHIGERU , NISHIKAWA TAKAHIRO
Published: November 2014

Reliability and safety for hardware in computer systems have been sufficiently studied in recent years. On the other hand, a safety-related system (SRS) for software has not been assured with the proper method of calculating the software safety integrity level (SIL) in the functional safety standards, which is currently determined only by the number of development methods applied to practical safety-related system (SRSs). In this paper, we discuss quantitative assessment for it by applying quantitative measures based on software reliability growth models (SRGMs) that have been widely and successfully applied to practical software quality management activities. Based on a nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP), the plausible methods of calculating software SIL in the functional safety standard are proposed. Further, we discuss the quantitative method for assuring software SIL based on the optimal release policies with the test cost during testing-environment and the risk cost after the software products will be released.
Numerical study of the effects of polymeric shell on plasmonic resonance of gold nanorods
Authors: Akouibaa A. , Derouiche A. , Redouane H.
Published: November 2014

Gold nanorods (GNRs) have great potential widespread applications in biomedical imaging, drug delivery and photothermal therapy due to unique surface plasmon resonance (SPR) ranging from visible to near infrared (NIR) region, facile synthesis and easy functionalization. The frequency of SPR is not only determined by the nature of the metal, but also by a number of other parameters, such as particle size and shape, the presence of a capping shell on the particle surface, or the dielectric properties of the surrounding medium. In this study, use is made of finite element method (FEM) for the calculation of the complex effective permittivity of the gold-core nanorod coated with polymer shells. Such a permittivity allows the determination of the absorption spectrum of these clothed nanoparticles. A simple scheme based on FEM is developed, which enables us to compute the optical properties, such as the effective dielectric function and absorption cross-section of coated-GNRs which are embedded in a dielectric matrix. The influences of the aspect ratio, shell thickness and dielectric constant of the shell on the longitudinal and transversal resonances modes are investigated.
The potential for the use of model fusion techniques in building and developing catastrophe models
Authors: Royse K. R. , Hillier J. K. , Hughes A. , Kingdon A. , Singh A. , Wang L.
Published: December 2014

Global economic losses related to natural hazards are large and increasing, peaking at US$380 billion in 2011 driven by earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand and flooding in Thailand. Catastrophe models are stochastic event-set based computer models, first created 25 years ago, that are now vital to risk assessment within the insurance and reinsurance industry. They estimate likely losses from extreme events, whether natural or man-made. Most catastrophe models limit the level of user interaction, stereotyped as ‘black boxes’. In this paper we investigate how model fusion techniques could be used to develop ‘plug and play’ catastrophe models and discuss the impact of open access modelling on the insurance industry and other stakeholders (e.g. local government).
Krüppel-like factor KLF10 regulates transforming growth factor receptor II expression and TGF-β signaling in CD8+ T lymphocytes
Authors: Papadakis Konstantinos A. , Krempski James , Reiter Jesse , Svingen Phyllis , Xiong Yuning , Sarmento Olga F. , Huseby April , Johnson Aaron J. , Lomberk Gwen A. , Urrutia Raul A. , Faubion William A.
Published: December 2014

KLF10 has recently elicited significant attention as a transcriptional regulator of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling in CD4+ T cells. In the current study, we demonstrate a novel role for KLF10 in the regulation of TGF-β receptor II (TGF-βRII) expression with functional relevance in antiviral immune response. Specifically, we show that KLF10-deficient mice have an increased number of effector/memory CD8+ T cells, display higher levels of the T helper type 1 cell-associated transcription factor T-bet, and produce more IFN-γ following in vitro stimulation. In addition, KLF10−/− CD8+ T cells show enhanced proliferation in vitro and homeostatic proliferation in vivo. Freshly isolated CD8+ T cells from the spleen of adult mice express lower levels of surface TGF-βRII (TβRII). Congruently, in vitro activation of KLF10-deficient CD8+ T cells upregulate TGF-βRII to a lesser extent compared with wild-type (WT) CD8+ T cells, which results in attenuated Smad2 phosphorylation following TGF-β1 stimulation compared with WT CD8+ T cells. Moreover, we demonstrate that KLF10 directly binds to the TGF-βRII promoter in T cells, leading to enhanced gene expression. In vivo viral infection with Daniel's strain Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV) also led to lower expression of TGF-βRII among viral-specific KLF10−/− CD8+ T cells and a higher percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T cells in the spleen. Collectively, our data reveal a critical role for KLF10 in the transcriptional activation of TGF-βRII in CD8+ T cells. Thus, KLF10 regulation of TGF-βRII in this cell subset may likely play a critical role in viral and tumor immune responses for which the integrity of the TGF-β1/TGF-βRII signaling pathway is crucial.
Paraneoplastic Recurrent Hypoglycaemic Seizures: An Initial Presentation of Hepatoblastoma in an Adolescent Male—A Rare Entity
Authors: Madabhavi Irappa , Patel Apurva , Choudhary Mukesh , Aagre Suhas , Revannasiddaiah Swaroop , Modi Gaurang , Anand Asha , Panchal Harsha , Parikh Sonia , Raut Shreeniwas
Published: November 2014

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is a rare malignant tumour of the liver and usually occurs in the first three years of life. Hepatoblastoma in adolescents and young adults is extremely rare; nevertheless the prognosis is much worse than in childhood, because these kinds of tumours are usually diagnosed late. Characteristic imaging and histopathological and AFP levels help in the diagnosis of hepatoblastoma. Paraneoplastic features of hepatoblastoma are not uncommon at presentation and include erythrocytosis, thrombocytosis, hypocalcaemia, isosexual precocious puberty, and rarely hypoglycaemia. Even though hypoglycaemia is commonly seen in hepatocellular carcinoma, its association with hepatoblastoma is very rare. We present a case of 15-year-old male patient presenting with complaints of recurrent hypoglycaemic seizures ultimately leading to diagnosis of hepatoblastoma. Managed successfully with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy with adriamycin and cisplatin based regimens. An extensive review of literature in the PubMed and MEDLINE did not reveal much data on paraneoplastic recurrent hypoglycaemic seizures as an initial presentation of hepatoblastomas in adolescents and young adults.
Inner Segment Ellipsoid Band and Cone Outer Segment Tips Changes Preceding Macular Hole Development in a Young Patient
Authors: Harasawa Mariana , Quiroz-Mercado Hugo , Salcedo-Villanueva Guillermo , Garcia-Aguirre Gerardo , Schwartz Shulamit
Published: December 2014

Purpose. Pathophysiology of macular hole (MH) is not yet well defined but the advances of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) give us access to further detailed imaging. We report a case with macular inner segment ellipsoid (ISe) band loss and cone outer segment tips (COST) line changes seen in SD-OCT preceding MH appearance in a young patient.Methods. 21-year-old woman presented with a partial central scotoma, metamorphopsia, and a 20/25 vision in her right eye. Past medical history was positive for laser assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery 7 months ago with no complications. Macular SD-OCT showed ISe band loss and COST line elevation. She was followed a month later with visual acuity deteriorating to 20/200 and a full thickness MH.Results. The patient underwent a pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling. Her visual acuity 2 months later was 20/20.Conclusion. SD-OCT can identify preliminary changes, yet to be described, preceding MH formation. Our patient demonstrated ISe band loss and COST abnormalities on SD-OCT a month prior to MH development. SD-OCT should be considered in young patients with subtle visual symptoms and mild changes in visual acuity that are not readily explained by ophthalmological exam.
Effect of Gas Permeability and Solubility on Foam
Authors: Farajzadeh Rouhollah , Vincent-Bonnieu Sebastian , Bourada Bourada Nacera
Published: November 2014

We perform a study on the influence of gas permeability and solubility on the drainage and stability of foam stabilized with an anionic surfactant. Our study compares the foam stability for four pure gases and two gas mixtures while previous works only compared two pure gases. Drainage and foam-volume-decay rates are calculated from the experimental data and analysed. We find good agreement with existing theory as the foam stability is strongly influenced by the properties of the gas phase, in particular its solubility in the aqueous phase (measured by Henry’s solubility constant, kH) and permeability (measured by foam-film permeability coefficient, K). The foam volume decreases considerably with increasing K. Moreover, we observe that foams are more stable when a less soluble gas is added to a more soluble gas. Our analysis confirms theories linking drainage, stability, and coarsening rate. Finally, we introduce a new formulation for the foaming index that considers gas solubility and permeability.
Effectiveness and Safety of S-1-Based Therapy Compared with 5-Fluorouracil-Based Therapy for Advanced Colorectal Cancer: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ye Jiaxiang , Chen Jiawei , Ge Lianying , Liu Aiqun , Zhou Shaozhang
Published: November 2014

Objectives.The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy and safety of S-1-based therapy (SBT) versus 5-fluorouracil-based therapy (FBT) for advanced colorectal cancer (ACRC).Methods.A meta-analysis of all eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was performed using RevMan 5.1.0 software.Results.A total of 1625 patients from twelve RCTs including 820 patients in the SBT group and 805 patients in the FBT group were available for analysis. The meta-analysis of overall survival (hazards ratio HR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.80–1.10), progression-free survival (HR = 1.03, 95% CI = 0.91–1.18), and overall response rate (odds ratio OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.00–1.53) showed no statistical significance between SBT group and FBT group. The statistically significant differences in the meta-analysis indicated less incidence of graded 3-4 neutropenia (OR = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.35–0.68) and nausea/vomit (OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.23–0.72) in the SBT group, and there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of grade 3-4 anemia, thrombocytopenia, leucopenia, diarrhea, and treatment-related deaths between two groups.Conclusions.SBT had similar efficacy and better safety than FBT and was an attractive alternative to FBT for patients of ACRC, but further investigations in different populations would be needed to confirm it.
Bottom-Up Enhancement of g-C3N4Photocatalytic H2Evolution Utilising Disordering Intermolecular Interactions of Precursor
Authors: Wang Xue Lu , Fang Wen Qi , Li Yu Hang , Liu Pengfei , Zhang Haimin , Wang Yun , Liu Porun , Yao Yefeng , Zhao Huijun , Yang Hua Gui
Published: November 2014

Disordered intermolecular interaction carbon nitride precursor prepared by water-assisted grinding of dicyandiamide was used for synthesis of g-C3N4. The final sample possesses much looser structure and provides a broadening optical window for effective light harvesting and charge separation efficiency, which exhibits significantly improved H2evolution by photocatalytic water splitting. The bottom-up mechanochemistry method opens new vistas towards the potential applications of weak interactions in the photocatalysis field and may also stimulate novel ideas completely different from traditional ones for the design and optimization of photocatalysts.
The StrongWomen Change Clubs: Engaging Residents to Catalyze Positive Change in Food and Physical Activity Environments
Authors: Seguin Rebecca A. , Folta Sara C. , Sehlke Mackenzie , Nelson Miriam E. , Heidkamp-Young Eleanor , Fenton Mark , Junot Bridgid
Published: November 2014

Introduction.The epidemic of obesity is a multifaceted public health issue. Positive policy and environmental changes are needed to support healthier eating and increased physical activity.Methods.StrongWomen Change Clubs (SWCCs) were developed through an academic-community research partnership between researchers at Cornell University and Tufts University and community partners (cooperative extension educators) in rural towns in seven U.S. states. Extension educators served as the local leader and each recruited 10–15 residents to undertake a project to improve some aspect of the nutrition or physical activity environment. Most residents had limited (or no) experience in civic engagement. At 6 and 12 months after implementation, the research team conducted key informant interviews with SWCC leaders to capture their perceptions of program process, benchmark achievement, and self-efficacy.Results.At 12 months, each SWCC had accomplished one benchmark; the majority had completed three or more benchmarks. They described common processes for achieving benchmarks such as building relationships and leveraging stakeholder partnerships. Barriers to benchmark achievement included busy schedules and resistance to and slow pace of change.Conclusion.Findings suggest that community change initiatives that involve stakeholders, build upon existing activities and organizational resources, and establish feasible timelines and goals can successfully catalyze environmental change.
Theoretical Analysis of Effects of Wall Suction on Entropy Generation Rate in Laminar Condensate Layer on Horizontal Tube
Authors: Chang Tong-Bou
Published: December 2014

The effects of wall suction on the entropy generation rate in a two‐dimensional steady film condensation flow on a horizontal tube are investigated theoretically. In analyzing the liquid flow, the effects of both the gravitational force and the viscous force are taken into account. In addition, a film thickness reduction ratio, Sf, is introduced to evaluate the effect of wall suction on the thickness of the condensate layer. The analytical results show that, the entropy generation rate depends on the Jakob number Ja, the Rayleigh number Ra, the Brinkman number Br, the dimensionless temperature difference ψ, and the wall suction parameter Sw. In addition, it is shown that in the absence of wall suction, a closed‐form correlation for the Nusselt number can be derived. Finally, it is shown that the dimensionless entropy generation due to heat transfer, NT, increases with an increasing suction parameter Sw, whereas the dimensionless entropy generation due to liquid film flow friction, NF, decreases.
Prevalence and Severity of Anaemia Stratified by Age and Gender in Rural India
Authors: Alvarez-Uria Gerardo , Naik Praveen K. , Midde Manoranjan , Yalla Pradeep S. , Pakam Raghavakalyan
Published: December 2014

Anaemia is a major public health problem in India. Although nearly three quarters of the Indian population live in rural areas, the epidemiology of anaemia in rural settings is not well known. We performed a retrospective observational study using routine clinical data from patients attending the out-patient clinics of a rural hospital in India from June 2011 to August 2014. The study included 73,795 determinations of haemoglobin. 49.5% of patients were female. The median haemoglobin concentration was 11.3 g/dL (interquartile range (IQR), 9.8–12.4) in females and 12.5 g/dL (IQR, 10.6–14.2) in males. Anaemia was present in the majority of children <10 years, women after puberty, and older adults. Children <5 years had the highest prevalence of anaemia, especially children aged 1-2 years. The high proportion of microcytic anaemia and the fact that gender differences were only seen after the menarche period in women suggest that iron deficiency was the main cause of anaemia. However, the prevalence of normocytic anaemia increased with age. The results of this study can be used by public health programmes to design target interventions aimed at reducing the huge burden of anaemia in India. Further studies are needed to clarify the aetiology of anaemia among older adults.
Hepatocellular Carcinoma to the Right Ventricle
Authors: Marzouka George R. , Badheka Apurva , Rodriguez Alexis P. , Chaparro Sandra V.
Published: November 2014

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most prevalent cancer in the world, but metastatic disease to the heart is rare. We present a case of a 63-year-old man with history of hepatitis C and cirrhosis, which had progressed to HCC. The patient had undergone two prior liver transplantations. He presented to the hospital complaining of worsening lower extremity edema. His exam was also pertinent for jugular venous distension, a 3/6 crescendo-decrescendo murmur, and hepatosplenomegaly. A transthoracic echocardiogram showed a large irregular lobulated mass in the apex of the right ventricle with a mobile pedunculated component. An MRI of the heart revealed a 4.4 × 3.4 × 4.0 cm mass within the right ventricular apex, which was subsequently biopsied and found to be moderately differentiated HCC with myocardial fragments. The patient opted out of any further therapy, or intervention, and was enrolled in hospice care.
Large Scale Gas Stratification Erosion by a Vertical Helium-Air Jet
Authors: Kapulla R. , Mignot G. , Paranjape S. , Ryan L. , Paladino D.
Published: November 2014

Containment conditions after certain postulated severe accident scenarios in nuclear power plants might result in the accumulation of hydrogen in the vessel dome. Inspired by these accident scenarios an experiment for the OECD/NEA benchmark exercise (2014) was carried out in the large scale PANDA facility at the Paul Scherrer Institut in Switzerland. The benchmark experiment was conducted at room temperature and under conditions characterized by an initially positively buoyant jet which becomes negatively buoyant while interacting with a helium layer. The experiment addresses (i) the initial conditions especially at the tube exit and (ii) the details of the entrainment of the helium stratification into the jet and the transport of the mixture towards the lower parts of the vessel. For the tube exit velocity mean and fluctuating quantities we find a reasonable agreement with pipe flow data, but a lack of agreement between past tube exit measurements and our results. It is shown that the axial velocity of the jet experiences a strong deceleration in the vicinity of the helium-rich layer and is finally stopped. Fluid accumulates in this zone and part of this fluid is flowing back in a narrow annular region around the upward flowing jet. Consequently, part of the annular flow is reentrained into the rising jet. During the layer erosion, the flow structure changes from a more downwards oriented annular type to a more horizontally oriented mushroom type of flow. It is found that locations for which we record considerable turbulent kinetic energykextends above the region where the velocity magnitudevhas decayed to almost zero, indicating that the jet deceleration and redirection introduces considerable turbulence in the helium stratification.