bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CONSTRUCTION OF MIXED COVERING ARRAYS OF STRENGTHS 2 THROUGH 6 USING A TABU SEARCH APPROACH
Authors: GONZALEZ-HERNANDEZ LORETO , RANGEL-VALDEZ NELSON , TORRES-JIMENEZ JOSE
Published: August 2012

The development of a new software system involves extensive tests of the software functionality in order to identify possible failures. Also, a software system already built requires a fine tuning of its configurable options to give the best performance in the environment where it is going to work. Both cases require a finite set of tests that avoids testing all the possible combinations (which is time consuming); to this situation mixed covering arrays (MCAs) are a feasible alternative. MCAs are combinatorial structures having a case per row. MCAs are small, in comparison with exhaustive search, and guarantee a level of interaction among the involved parameters (a difference with random testing). We present a tabu search algorithm (TSA) for the construction of MCAs. Also, we report the fine tuning process used to identify the best parameter values for TSA. The analyzed TSA parameters were three different initialization functions, five different tabu list sizes and the mixture of four neighborhood functions. The performance of TSA was evaluated with two benchmarks previously reported. The results showed that TSA improved the algorithms IPOG-F, ITCH, Jenny, TConfig, and TVG in relation with the size of the constructed matrices. Particularly, TSA found the optimal size in 20 of the 23 cases tested.
BOUNDED LENGTH, 2-EDGE AUGMENTATION OF GEOMETRIC PLANAR GRAPHS
Authors: KRANAKIS EVANGELOS , KRIZANC DANNY , PONCE OSCAR MORALES , STACHO LADISLAV
Published: August 2012

2-Edge connectivity is an important fault tolerance property of a network because it maintains network communication despite the deletion of a single arbitrary edge. Planar spanning subgraphs have been shown to play a significant role for achieving local decentralized routing in wireless networks. Existing algorithmic constructions of spanning planar subgraphs of unit disk graphs (UDGs) such as Minimum Spanning Tree, Gabriel Graph, Nearest Neighborhood Graph, etc. do not always ensure connectivity of the resulting graph under single edge deletion. Furthermore, adding edges to the network so as to improve its edge connectivity not only may create edge crossings (at points which are not vertices) but it may also require edges of unbounded length. Thus we are faced with the problem of constructing 2-edge connected geometric planar spanning graphs by adding edges of bounded length without creating edge crossings (at points which are not vertices). To overcome this difficulty, in this paper we address the problem of augmenting the edge set (i.e., adding new edges) of planar geometric graphs with straight line edges of bounded length so that the resulting graph is planar and 2-edge connected. We provide bounds on the number of newly added straight-line edges, prove that such edges can be of length at most 3 times the max length of an edge of the original graph, and also show that the factor 3 is optimal. It is shown to be NP-Complete to augment a geometric planar graph to a 2-edge connected geometric planar graph with the minimum number of new edges of a given bounded length. We also provide a constant time algorithm that works in location-aware settings to augment a planar graph into a 2-edge connected planar graph with straight-line edges of length bounded by 3 times the longest edge of the original graph. It turns out that knowledge of vertex coordinates is crucial to our construction and in fact we prove that this problem cannot be solved locally if the vertices do not know their coordinates. Moreover, we provide a family of k-connected UDGs which does not have 2-edge connected spanning planar subgraphs, for any [Formula: see text].
A BOUND ON THE BONDAGE NUMBER OF TOROIDAL GRAPHS
Authors: HOU JIANFENG , LIU GUIZHEN
Published: August 2012

The bondage number b(G) of a nonempty graph G is the cardinality of a smallest set of edges whose removal from G results in a graph with domination number greater than γ(G), where γ(G) denote the domination number of G. Let G be a toroidal graph with maximum degree Δ(G). In this paper, we show that b(G) ≤ 9. Moveover, if Δ(G) ≠ 6, then b(G) ≤ 8.
Climatic controls on facies in Palaeogene Mediterranean subtropical carbonate platforms
Authors: Gatt P. A. , Gluyas J. G.
Published: August 2012

Cenozoic carbonate platforms in the central Mediterranean region show distinct vertical changes in carbonate skeletal assemblages and porosity characteristics that reflect shifts in environmental conditions affecting the western Tethys. The Photozoan Association produced by carbonate ecosystems adapted to low nutrient environments and the Heterozoan Association favoured by mesotrophic conditions alternate through time over the Malta Platform and nearby carbonate platforms, although not in phase with trans-Mediterranean Oligocene carbonates. This anomaly reflects the transitional nature of Cenozoic climate as well as continental convergence of the Tethyan margins. Restricted conditions amplified the effect of nutrient flux from North African fluvial systems, which was controlled by meridional shifts in the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) precipitation belt. We model the climate–carbonate interaction by comparing the global oxygen isotope proxy to ice volume and meridional position of the ITCZ to changes in trophic level of carbonate ecosystems. The results show that the development of Palaeogene Mediterranean photozoan assemblages coincides with periods when the ITCZ had shifted away from North Africa (as is the case presently), whereas the heterozoan assemblages thrived during increased nutrient flux when the precipitation belt was located over the Sahara. The climatic controls resulted in facies characteristics that exert a fundamental influence on porosity in carbonate reservoirs.
Adaptive manifolds for real-time high-dimensional filtering
Authors: Gastal Eduardo S. L. , Oliveira Manuel M.
Published: August 2012

We present a technique for performing high-dimensional filtering of images and videos in real time. Our approach produces high-quality results and accelerates filtering by computing the filter's response at a reduced set of sampling points, and using these for interpolation at all
N
input pixels. We show that for a proper choice of these sampling points, the total cost of the filtering operation is linear both in
N
and in the dimension
d
of the space in which the filter operates. As such, ours is the first high-dimensional filter with such a complexity. We present formal derivations for the equations that define our filter, as well as for an algorithm to compute the sampling points. This provides a sound theoretical justification for our method and for its properties. The resulting filter is quite flexible, being capable of producing responses that approximate either standard Gaussian, bilateral, or non-local-means filters. Such flexibility also allows us to demonstrate the first hybrid Euclidean-geodesic filter that runs in a single pass. Our filter is faster and requires less memory than previous approaches, being able to process a 10-Megapixel full-color image at 50 fps on modern GPUs. We illustrate the effectiveness of our approach by performing a variety of tasks ranging from edge-aware color filtering in 5-D, noise reduction (using up to 147 dimensions), single-pass hybrid Euclidean-geodesic filtering, and detail enhancement, among others.
Printing spatially-varying reflectance for reproducing HDR images
Authors: Dong Yue , Tong Xin , Pellacini Fabio , Guo Baining
Published: August 2012

We present a solution for viewing high dynamic range (HDR) images with spatially-varying distributions of glossy materials printed on reflective media. Our method exploits appearance variations of the glossy materials in the angular domain to display the input HDR image at different exposures. As viewers change the print orientation or lighting directions, the print gradually varies its appearance to display the image content from the darkest to the brightest levels. Our solution is based on a commercially available printing system and is fully automatic. Given the input HDR image and the BRDFs of a set of available inks, our method computes the optimal exposures of the HDR image for all viewing conditions and the optimal ink combinations for all pixels by minimizing the difference of their appearances under all viewing conditions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method with print samples generated from different inputs and visualized under different viewing and lighting conditions.
Reconstructing the indirect light field for global illumination
Authors: Lehtinen Jaakko , Aila Timo , Laine Samuli , Durand Frédo
Published: August 2012

Stochastic techniques for rendering indirect illumination suffer from noise due to the variance in the integrand. In this paper, we describe a general reconstruction technique that exploits anisotropy in the light field and permits efficient reuse of input samples between pixels or world-space locations, multiplying the effective sampling rate by a large factor. Our technique introduces visibility-aware anisotropic reconstruction to indirect illumination, ambient occlusion and glossy reflections. It operates on point samples without knowledge of the scene, and can thus be seen as an advanced image filter. Our results show dramatic improvement in image quality while using very sparse input samplings.
Eulerian video magnification for revealing subtle changes in the world
Authors: Wu Hao-Yu , Rubinstein Michael , Shih Eugene , Guttag John , Durand Frédo , Freeman William
Published: August 2012

Our goal is to reveal temporal variations in videos that are difficult or impossible to see with the naked eye and display them in an indicative manner. Our method, which we call Eulerian Video Magnification, takes a standard video sequence as input, and applies spatial decomposition, followed by temporal filtering to the frames. The resulting signal is then amplified to reveal hidden information. Using our method, we are able to visualize the flow of blood as it fills the face and also to amplify and reveal small motions. Our technique can run in real time to show phenomena occurring at the temporal frequencies selected by the user.
Rig-space physics
Authors: Hahn Fabian , Martin Sebastian , Thomaszewski Bernhard , Sumner Robert , Coros Stelian , Gross Markus
Published: August 2012

We present a method that brings the benefits of physics-based simulations to traditional animation pipelines. We formulate the equations of motions in the subspace of deformations defined by an animator's rig. Our framework fits seamlessly into the workflow typically employed by artists, as our output consists of animation curves that are identical in nature to the result of manual keyframing. Artists can therefore explore the full spectrum between handcrafted animation and unrestricted physical simulation. To enhance the artist's control, we provide a method that transforms stiffness values defined on rig parameters to a non-homogeneous distribution of material parameters for the underlying FEM model. In addition, we use automatically extracted high-level rig parameters to intuitively edit the results of our simulations, and also to speed up computation. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our method, we create compelling results by adding rich physical motions to coarse input animations. In the absence of artist input, we create realistic passive motion directly in rig space.
Tensor displays
Authors: Wetzstein Gordon , Lanman Douglas , Hirsch Matthew , Raskar Ramesh
Published: August 2012

We introduce tensor displays: a family of compressive light field displays comprising all architectures employing a stack of time-multiplexed, light-attenuating layers illuminated by uniform or directional backlighting (i.e., any low-resolution light field emitter). We show that the light field emitted by an
N
-layer,
M
-frame tensor display can be represented by an
N
th
-order, rank-
M
tensor. Using this representation we introduce a unified optimization framework, based on nonnegative tensor factorization (NTF), encompassing all tensor display architectures. This framework is the first to allow joint multilayer, multiframe light field decompositions, significantly reducing artifacts observed with prior multilayer-only and multiframe-only decompositions; it is also the first optimization method for designs combining multiple layers with directional backlighting. We verify the benefits and limitations of tensor displays by constructing a prototype using modified LCD panels and a custom integral imaging backlight. Our efficient, GPU-based NTF implementation enables interactive applications. Through simulations and experiments we show that tensor displays reveal practical architectures with greater depths of field, wider fields of view, and thinner form factors, compared to prior automultiscopic displays.
Image melding
Authors: Darabi Soheil , Shechtman Eli , Barnes Connelly , Goldman Dan B. , Sen Pradeep
Published: August 2012

Current methods for combining two different images produce visible artifacts when the sources have very different textures and structures. We present a new method for synthesizing a transition region between two source images, such that inconsistent color, texture, and structural properties all change gradually from one source to the other. We call this process
image melding
. Our method builds upon a patch-based optimization foundation with three key generalizations: First, we enrich the patch search space with additional geometric and photometric transformations. Second, we integrate image gradients into the patch representation and replace the usual color averaging with a screened Poisson equation solver. And third, we propose a new energy based on mixed
L

2

/L

0

norms for colors and gradients that produces a gradual transition between sources without sacrificing texture sharpness. Together, all three generalizations enable patch-based solutions to a broad class of image melding problems involving inconsistent sources: object cloning, stitching challenging panoramas, hole filling from multiple photos, and image harmonization. In several cases, our unified method outperforms previous state-of-the-art methods specifically designed for those applications.
Guided exploration of physically valid shapes for furniture design
Authors: Umetani Nobuyuki , Igarashi Takeo , Mitra Niloy J.
Published: August 2012

Geometric modeling and the physical validity of shapes are traditionally considered independently. This makes creating aesthetically pleasing yet physically valid models challenging. We propose an interactive design framework for efficient and intuitive exploration of geometrically and physically valid shapes. During any geometric editing operation, the proposed system continuously visualizes the valid range of the parameter being edited. When one or more constraints are violated after an operation, the system generates multiple suggestions involving both discrete and continuous changes to restore validity. Each suggestion also comes with an editing mode that simultaneously adjusts multiple parameters in a coordinated way to maintain validity. Thus, while the user focuses on the aesthetic aspects of the design, our
computational design
framework helps to achieve physical realizability by providing active guidance to the user. We demonstrate our framework on plank-based furniture design with nail-joint and frictional constraints. We use our system to design a range of examples, conduct a user study, and also fabricate a physical prototype to test the validity and usefulness of the system.
Surface flows for image-based shading design
Authors: Vergne Romain , Barla Pascal , Fleming Roland W. , Granier Xavier
Published: August 2012

We present a novel method for producing convincing pictures of shaded objects based entirely on 2D image operations. This approach, which we call
image-based shading design
, offers direct artistic control in the picture plane by deforming image primitives so that they appear to conform to specific 3D shapes. Using a differential analysis of reflected radiance, we identify the two types of
surface flows
involved in the depiction of shaded objects, which are consistent with recent perceptual studies. We then introduce two novel
deformation operators
that closely mimic surface flows while providing direct artistic controls in real-time.
Interactive images
Authors: Zheng Youyi , Chen Xiang , Cheng Ming-Ming , Zhou Kun , Hu Shi-Min , Mitra Niloy J.
Published: August 2012

Images are static and lack important depth information about the underlying 3D scenes. We introduce
interactive images
in the context of man-made environments wherein objects are simple and regular, share various non-local relations (e.g., coplanarity, parallelism, etc.), and are often repeated. Our interactive framework creates partial scene reconstructions based on cuboid-proxies with minimal user interaction. It subsequently allows a range of intuitive image edits mimicking real-world behavior, which are otherwise difficult to achieve. Effectively, the user simply provides high-level semantic hints, while our system ensures plausible operations by conforming to the extracted non-local relations. We demonstrate our system on a range of real-world images and validate the plausibility of the results using a user study.
Image-based rendering for scenes with reflections
Authors: Sinha Sudipta N. , Kopf Johannes , Goesele Michael , Scharstein Daniel , Szeliski Richard
Published: August 2012

We present a system for image-based modeling and rendering of real-world scenes containing reflective and glossy surfaces. Previous approaches to image-based rendering assume that the scene can be approximated by 3D proxies that enable view interpolation using traditional back-to-front or z-buffer compositing. In this work, we show how these can be generalized to multiple layers that are combined in an additive fashion to model the reflection and transmission of light that occurs at specular surfaces such as glass and glossy materials. To simplify the analysis and rendering stages, we model the world using piecewise-planar layers combined using both additive and opaque mixing of light. We also introduce novel techniques for estimating multiple depths in the scene and separating the reflection and transmission components into different layers. We then use our system to model and render a variety of real-world scenes with reflections.
Mass splitting for jitter-free parallel rigid body simulation
Authors: Tonge Richard , Benevolenski Feodor , Voroshilov Andrey
Published: August 2012

We present a parallel iterative rigid body solver that avoids common artifacts at low iteration counts. In large or real-time simulations, iteration is often terminated before convergence to maximize scene size. If the distribution of the resulting residual energy varies too much from frame to frame, then bodies close to rest can visibly jitter. Projected Gauss-Seidel (PGS) distributes the residual according to the order in which contacts are processed, and preserving the order in parallel implementations is very challenging. In contrast, Jacobi-based methods provide order independence, but have slower convergence. We accelerate projected Jacobi by dividing each body mass term in the effective mass by the number of contacts acting on the body, but use the full mass to apply impulses. We further accelerate the method by solving contacts in blocks, providing wallclock performance competitive with PGS while avoiding visible artifacts. We prove convergence to the solution of the underlying linear complementarity problem and present results for our GPU implementation, which can simulate a pile of 5000 objects with no visible jittering at over 60 FPS.
Global parametrization by incremental flattening
Authors: Myles Ashish , Zorin Denis
Published: August 2012

Global parametrization of surfaces requires singularities (cones) to keep distortion minimal. We describe a method for finding cone locations and angles and an algorithm for global parametrization which aim to produce seamless parametrizations with low metric distortion. The idea of the method is to evolve the metric of the surface, starting with the original metric so that a growing fraction of the area of the surface is constrained to have zero Gaussian curvature; the curvature becomes gradually concentrated at a small set of vertices which become cones. We demonstrate that the resulting parametrizations have significantly lower metric distortion compared to previously proposed methods.
Discrete bi-Laplacians and biharmonic b-splines
Authors: Feng Powei , Warren Joe
Published: August 2012

Divided differences play a fundamental role in the construction of univariate B-splines over irregular knot sequences. Unfortunately, generalizations of divided differences to irregular knot geometries on two-dimensional domains are quite limited. As a result, most spline constructions for such domains typically focus on regular (or semi-regular) knot geometries. In the planar harmonic case, we show that the discrete Laplacian plays a role similar to that of the divided differences and can be used to define well-behaved harmonic B-splines. In our main contribution, we then construct an analogous discrete bi-Laplacian for both planar and curved domains and show that its corresponding biharmonic B-splines are also well-behaved. Finally, we derive a fully irregular, discrete refinement scheme for these splines that generalizes knot insertion for univariate B-splines.
Sparse transfer learning for interactive video search reranking
Authors: Tian Xinmei , Tao Dacheng , Rui Yong
Published: August 2012

Visual reranking is effective to improve the performance of the text-based video search. However, existing reranking algorithms can only achieve limited improvement because of the well-known semantic gap between low-level visual features and high-level semantic concepts. In this article, we adopt interactive video search reranking to bridge the semantic gap by introducing user's labeling effort. We propose a novel dimension reduction tool, termed sparse transfer learning (STL), to effectively and efficiently encode user's labeling information. STL is particularly designed for interactive video search reranking. Technically, it (a) considers the pair-wise discriminative information to maximally separate labeled query relevant samples from labeled query irrelevant ones, (b) achieves a sparse representation for the subspace to encodes user's intention by applying the elastic net penalty, and (c) propagates user's labeling information from labeled samples to unlabeled samples by using the data distribution knowledge. We conducted extensive experiments on the TRECVID 2005, 2006 and 2007 benchmark datasets and compared STL with popular dimension reduction algorithms. We report superior performance by using the proposed STL-based interactive video search reranking.
Dimensions of Concern
Authors: Cohen Mark A. , Ritter Frank E. , Haynes Steven R.
Published: August 2012

Producing useful and usable software often requires continuous and iterative evaluation. This paper introduces a novel usability evaluation method based on the Cognitive Dimensions of Notations framework. The target of our evaluation is Herbal a suite of tools designed to simplify agent development by providing a high-level language and maintenance-oriented development environment. The method introduced here uncovers dimensions of concern, which are used to measure the usability of Herbal and to identify areas for improvement in the design. In this article, we demonstrate how we used dimensions of concern to effectively evaluate and improve usability, and we discuss ways in which our method can be adapted, extended, and applied to improving the usability of other interactive systems.
Study of Polynomial Mapping Functions in Video-Oculography Eye Trackers
Authors: Cerrolaza Juan J. , Villanueva Arantxa , Cabeza Rafael
Published: August 2012

Gaze-tracking data have been used successfully in the design of new input devices and as an observational technique in usability studies. Polynomial-based Video-Oculography (VOG) systems are one of the most attractive gaze estimation methods thanks to their simplicity and ease of implementation. Although the functionality of these systems is generally acceptable, there has been no thorough comparative study to date of how the mapping equations affect the final system response. After developing a taxonomic classification of calibration functions, we examined over 400,000 models and evaluated the validity of several conventional assumptions. Our rigorous experimental procedure enabled us to optimize the calibration process for a real VOG gaze-tracking system and halve the calibration time while avoiding a detrimental effect on the accuracy or tolerance to head movement. Finally, a geometry-based method is implemented and tested. The results and performance is compared with those obtained by the general purpose expressions.
The Moderating Effects of Utilitarian and Hedonic Values on Information Technology Continuance
Authors: Xu Lingling , Lin Julian , Chan Hock Chuan
Published: August 2012

This study examines how the nature of technology affects users’ intention to continue using information technologies. It proposes an extended technology acceptance model, with perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and pleasure affecting the intention to continue using a technology. We hypothesized that these effects are moderated by the technology’s utilitarian and hedonic values. The model was validated for smartphone functions. A user survey showed that perceived ease of use significantly affected the intention to continue using only for high-utilitarian functions, whereas pleasure affected the intention to continue using only for high-hedonic functions. The effect of perceived ease of use on perceived usefulness was stronger for high-utilitarian than for low-utilitarian functions. The effect of pleasure on perceived usefulness was stronger for high-hedonic than for low-hedonic functions. The results suggest that marketing should consider the nature of the functions.
“Spindex” (Speech Index) Enhances Menus on Touch Screen Devices with Tapping, Wheeling, and Flicking
Authors: Jeon Myounghoon , Walker Bruce N. , Srivastava Abhishek
Published: August 2012

Users interact with many electronic devices via menus such as auditory or visual menus. Auditory menus can either complement or replace visual menus. We investigated how advanced auditory cues enhance auditory menus on a smartphone, with tapping, wheeling, and flicking input gestures. The study evaluated a spindex (speech index), in which audio cues inform users where they are in a menu; 122 undergraduates navigated through a menu of 150 songs. Study variables included auditory cue type (text-to-speech alone or TTS plus spindex), visual display mode (on or off), and input gesture (tapping, wheeling, or flicking). Target search time and subjective workload were lower with spindex than without for all input gestures regardless of visual display mode. The spindex condition was rated subjectively higher than plain speech. The effects of input method and display mode on navigation behaviors were analyzed with the two-stage navigation strategy model. Results are discussed in relation to attention theories and in terms of practical applications.
Backtracking Events as Indicators of Usability Problems in Creation-Oriented Applications
Authors: Akers David , Jeffries Robin , Simpson Matthew , Winograd Terry
Published: August 2012

A diversity of user goals and strategies make creation-oriented applications such as word processors or photo-editors difficult to comprehensively test. Evaluating such applications requires testing a large pool of participants to capture the diversity of experience, but traditional usability testing can be prohibitively expensive. To address this problem, this article contributes a new usability evaluation method called backtracking analysis, designed to automate the process of detecting and characterizing usability problems in creation-oriented applications. The key insight is that interaction breakdowns in creation-oriented applications often manifest themselves in backtracking operations that can be automatically logged (e.g., undo and erase operations). Backtracking analysis synchronizes these events to contextual data such as screen capture video, helping the evaluator to characterize specific usability problems. The results from three experiments demonstrate that backtracking events can be effective indicators of usability problems in creation-oriented applications, and can yield a cost-effective alternative to traditional laboratory usability testing.
Efficient and Practical Approach for Private Record Linkage
Authors: Yakout Mohamed , Atallah Mikhail J. , Elmagarmid Ahmed
Published: August 2012

Record linkage is used to associate entities from multiple data sources. For example, two organizations contemplating a merger may want to know how common their customer bases are so that they may better assess the benefits of the merger. Another example is a database of people who are forbidden from a certain activity by regulators, may need to be compared to a list of people engaged in that activity. The autonomous entities who wish to carry out the record matching computation are often reluctant to fully share their data; they fear losing control over its subsequent dissemination and usage, or they want to insure privacy because the data is proprietary or confidential, and/or they are cautious simply because privacy laws forbid its disclosure or regulate the form of that disclosure. In such cases, the problem of carrying out the linkage computation without full data exchange has been called
private record linkage
. Previous private record linkage techniques have made use of a third party. We provide efficient techniques for private record linkage that improve on previous work in that (1) our techniques make no use of a third party, and (2) they achieve much better performance than previous schemes in terms of their execution time while maintaining acceptable quality of output compared to nonprivacy settings. Our protocol consists of two phases. The first phase primarily produces candidate record pairs for matching, by carrying out a very fast (but not accurate) matching between such pairs of records. The second phase is a novel protocol for efficiently computing distances between each candidate pair (without any expensive cryptographic operations such as modular exponentiations). Our experimental evaluation of our approach validates these claims.
Interleukin-11 protects against renal ischemia and reperfusion injury
Authors: Lee H. Thomas , Park Sang Won , Kim Mihwa , Ham Ahrom , Anderson Lana J. , Brown Kevin M. , D'Agati Vivette D. , Cox George N.
Published: August 2012

Renal ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury causes renal tubular necrosis, apoptosis, and inflammation leading to acute and chronic kidney dysfunction. IL-11 is a multifunctional hematopoietic cytokine clinically approved to treat chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. Recent studies suggest that IL-11 also has potent antiapoptotic and antinecrotic properties. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that exogenous IL-11 protects against renal IR injury and determined the mechanisms involved in renal protection. Pretreatment with human recombinant IL-11 (HR IL-11) or with long-acting site-specific polyethylene glycol (PEG)-conjugated human IL-11 analog (PEGylated IL-11) produced partial but significant protection against renal IR injury in mice. In addition, HR IL-11 or PEGylated IL-11 given 30–60 min after IR also provided renal protection in mice. Significant reductions in renal tubular necrosis and neutrophil infiltration as well as tubular apoptosis were observed in mice treated with HR IL-11 or PEGylated IL-11. Furthermore, HR IL-11 or PEGylated IL-11 decreased both necrosis and apoptosis in human proximal tubule (HK-2) cells in culture. Mechanistically, IL-11 increased nuclear translocation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and induced sphingosine kinase-1 (SK1) expression and activity in HK-2 cells. Moreover, selective HIF-1α inhibitors blocked IL-11-mediated induction of SK1 in HK-2 cells. Finally, HR IL-11 or PEGylated IL-11 failed to protect against renal IR injury in SK1-deficient mice. Together, our data show powerful renal protective effects of exogenous IL-11 against IR injury by reducing necrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis through induction of SK1 via HIF-1α.
Tracing Atlantic Water Signature in the Arctic Sea Ice Cover East of Svalbard
Authors: Ivanov Vladimir V. , Alexeev Vladimir A. , Repina Irina , Koldunov Nikolay V. , Smirnov Alexander
Published: August 2012

We focus on the Arctic Ocean between Svalbard and Franz Joseph Land in order to elucidate the possible role of Atlantic water (AW) inflow in shaping ice conditions. Ice conditions substantially affect the temperature regime of the Spitsbergen archipelago, particularly in winter. We test the hypothesis that intensive vertical mixing at the upper AW boundary releases substantial heat upwards that eventually reaches the under-ice water layer, thinning the ice cover. We examine spatial and temporal variation of ice concentration against time series of wind, air temperature, and AW temperature. Analysis of 1979–2011 ice properties revealed a general tendency of decreasing ice concentration that commenced after the mid-1990s. AW temperature time series in Fram Strait feature a monotonic increase after the mid-1990s, consistent with shrinking ice cover. Ice thins due to increased sensible heat flux from AW; ice erosion from below allows wind and local currents to more effectively break ice. The winter spatial pattern of sea ice concentration is collocated with patterns of surface heat flux anomalies. Winter minimum sea ice thickness occurs in the ice pack interior above the AW path, clearly indicating AW influence on ice thickness. Our study indicates that in the AW inflow region heat flux from the ocean reduces the ice thickness.
Posterior Nutcracker Syndrome with Left Renal Vein Duplication: A Rare Cause of Haematuria in a 12-Year-Old Boy
Authors: Preza Fernandes J. , Amorim Rui , Gomes M. J. , Oliveira V. , Reis A. , Ribeiro-Castro J.
Published: August 2012

The nutcracker syndrome (NCS) is a rare cause of haematuria. It embraces an extended nonpathognomonic spectrum of symptoms that imply a difficult diagnosis. Ultimately it may be associated with substantial morbidity and even life-threatening events. We report a rare cause if a 12-year-old boy who presented with a history of frequent intermittent episodes of painless constant haematuria. The cystoscopy showed a bloody urine ejaculate from the left ureter meatus. The Doppler ultrasonography showed turbulent pattern of venous blood flow of the posterior renal vein branch behind the aorta. The abdominopelvic computer tomography (apCT) revealed left renal vein (LRV) duplication with a dilated retroaortic branch, entrapped between the aorta and the vertebral column, promoting the renal nutcracker syndrome. The patient was initially hospitalized and managed with oral iron supplements and continuous saline bladder irrigation, not requiring additional treatment. The child is currently asymptomatic, with haemoglobin value returning to normal and therefore proposed to conservative management with close followup. The authors present a case report of episodic haematuria caused by a rare entity—posterior nutcracker syndrome with renal vein duplication.
Thermal, Spectral, Fluorescence, and Antimicrobial Studies of Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, and Zinc Complexes Derived from 4-[(5-Bromo-thiophen-2-ylmethylene)-amino]-3-mercapto-6-methyl-5-oxo-[1,2,4]triazine
Authors: Singh Kiran , Kumar Yogender , Puri Parvesh , Sharma Chetan , Aneja Kamal Rai
Published: August 2012

A new series of cobalt, nickel, copper, and zinc complexes of bidentate Schiff base derived from the condensation of 5-bromothiophene-2-carboxaldehyde with 4-amino-3-mercapto-6-methyl-5-oxo-[1,2,4]triazine were synthesized. Physical (magnetic measurements, molar conductance, TG), spectral (UV-Vis, IR, 1HNMR, fluorescence, ESR), and analytical data have established the structures of synthesized Schiff base and its metal complexes. The presence of coordinated water in metal complexes was confirmed by IR and TG studies. The Schiff base exhibits a strong fluorescence emission, contrast to this partial fluorescence quenching phenomena is observed in its metal complexes. A square planar geometry for Cu(II) and octahedral geometry for Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes have been proposed. The Schiff base and its metal complexes have been screened for antibacterial (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungal activities (Aspergillus niger, A. flavus).
An Unusual Presentation of Ludwig’s Angina Complicated by Cervical Necrotizing Fasciitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Chueng Kristelle , Clinkard David J. , Enepekides Danny , Peerbaye Yousef , Lin Vincent Y. W.
Published: August 2012

Ludwig’s angina can seldom be complicated by necrotizing fasciitis. Due to the rapidly progressing nature of this infection and the potential for airway compromise and death, it is important to be aware of different ways in which this disease process can present in order to recognize and treat it emergently. We report here an unusual presentation of a case of Ludwig’s angina complicated by necrotizing fasciitis in an elderly patient. The clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment are discussed in detail as well as a brief literature review on craniocervical necrotizing fasciitis.
Can Propranalol Prevent Hepatocellular Carcinoma?
Authors: London W. Thomas , McGlynn Katherine A.
Published: August 2012

β-Adrenergic signaling is involved in many processes that may contribute to cancer progression. In this issue of the journal (beginning on page 1007), Nkontchou and colleagues report their retrospective observational finding that the β-blocker propranolol was associated with a highly statistically significant reduction in the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with advanced cirrhosis and related esophageal varices. This surprising finding requires confirmation, but the result is biologically plausible. Epidemiologic studies have linked β-blockers with reduced rates of metastasis of other cancers and reduced cancer mortality. Laboratory studies suggest biologic mechanisms for anticancer effects of β-blockers. Cancer Prev Res; 5(8); 989–91. ©2012 AACR.
A Study of Plasma Bicalutamide Concentrations in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Ito Fumio , Goya Nobuyuki , Nakazawa Hayakazu , Suzuki Toshiaki , Suzuki Keiko , Kubo Kazuo , Kihara Takeshi
Published: August 2012

Bicalutamide is an anti-androgen that is used worldwide to treat prostate cancer (CaP). However, there are no data on blood bicalutamide concentrations in hemodialysis (HD) patients with CaP. Therefore, we investigated the plasma levels of bicalutamide during the peridialysis period in this population. The study group included 5 HD patients with CaP who had been treated with bicalutamide (80 mg/day) for at least 3 months. Blood samples were taken during and between HD sessions and the plasma concentrations of the active R enantiomer (R-bicalutamide) were assessed using an HPLC assay. The plasma R-bicalutamide levels on the non-dialysis day were measured in 2 patients (patients 1 and 2) immediately before dosing and 8 and 24 h after dosing. These levels were 18,730, 19,090 and 19,420 ng/ml (patient 1), and 4,522, 4,581, and 5,296 ng/ml (patient 2), respectively. The mean plasma levels of R-bicalutamide in all 5 subjects just before HD, and 2 and 4 h after the start of HD were 8,726, 9,354 and 10,068 ng/ml, respectively. These results show that bicalutamide does not accumulate and is not diluted in the blood circulation of HD patients when given at the normal dosage used in the general population.
Ureteral Stenting in Cytoreductive Surgery plus Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy as a Routine Procedure: Evidence and Necessity
Authors: Coccolini Federico , Lotti Marco , Manfredi Roberto , Catena Fausto , Vallicelli Carlo , De Iaco Pier Andrea , Da Pozzo Luigi , Frigerio Luigi , Ansaloni Luca
Published: August 2012

Introduction: There is a need for more exhaustive data concerning the use of prophylactic ureteral stenting for extended debulking and cytoreductive procedures in the literature. Material and Methods: A retrospective analysis of the CARPEPACEM study protocol database was performed. The trial protocol schedules the positioning of bilateral ureteral stents before cytoreductive surgery + hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). Results: Fifty-one operated patients: 31 (59.6%) with peritoneal dissemination from ovarian cancer, 8 (15.3%) from colorectal cancer, 4 (7.9%) from pseudomyxoma peritonei, 3 (5.7%) from gastric cancer, 2 (3.8%) from peritoneal mesothelioma, 1 (1.9%) from appendiceal cancer, 1 (1.9%) from endometrial cancer, and 1 (1.9%) from leiomyosarcoma. Mean and median peritoneal cancer index: 11 and 10 (range: 0–28). CC-score: CC-0 in 45 (86.5%) patients, CC-1 in 5 (9.6%) and CC-2 in 1 (1.9%). HIPEC was performed with platinum + taxol in 22 patients (42.3%), platinum + adriablastin in 10 (19.2%), mitomycin in 9 (17.3%), platinum + mitomycin in 7 (13.4%), platinum + doxorubicin in 2 (3.8%), and taxol + adriablastin in 1 (1.9%). Two major ureteral complications were observed (3.9%). Discussion: Prophylactic ureteral stenting could reduce the risk of postoperative ureteral complications without an increase in stent placement-related complications; however, a randomized clinical trial is needed.
Resection of Anterior Cranial Base Meningiomas with Intra- and Extracranial Involvement via a Purely Endoscopic Endonasal Approach
Authors: Zhang Qiuhang , Wang Zhenlin , Guo Hongchuan , Kong Feng , Chen Ge , Bao Yuhai , Ling Feng
Published: August 2012

Objective: The complete resection of anterior cranial base meningiomas with intra- and extracranial involvement is always challenging. We describe our experience of treating such meningiomas via a purely endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA). Methods: Eight patients with intra- and extradural meningiomas were operated via EEA. In this study, we describe the operative technique, and analyze the degree of resection, complications and the clinical outcomes. Results: The complete resection of meningiomas with intra- and extracranial involvement was achieved in all patients using EEA. Preoperative visual symptoms were improved or resolved in all cases. One patient experienced a postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leak and delayed meningitis. No patient in our series experienced a new neurological deficit after surgery or recurrence in the follow-up period (18–60 months). Conclusion: Our limited experience indicates that EEA is feasible and safe for the complete resection of anterior cranial base meningiomas with intra- and extracranial involvement in one stage in selected cases.
Survival of diabetic hypertensive patients.
Authors: Thygesen K , Strate M , Hansen L , Harvald B
Published: August 2012

Seventy-nine of 673 patients attending a hypertensive outpatient clinic were classified as diabetics at the first examination. These patients were age- and sex-matched to two control groups: nondiabetic hypertensives and the background population. Nondiabetic hypertensive patients had a significantly poorer survival than expected during a 10-year observation period; the survival of diabetic hypertensives was even poorer, although not significantly. No sex difference was observed in the survival rates of hypertensive diabetics, neither was a difference seen between insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent patients. Acute myocardial infarction was the most frequent cause of death in both diabetic (40%) and nondiabetic (42%) hypertensive persons.
A fresh approach to the evaluation of antihypertensive agents.
Authors: Campbell D B , Lowe S , Taylor D , Turner P , Walsh N
Published: August 2012

Clinical studies on the use and activity of drugs often rely on data generated from a relatively small number of patients, and definitive conclusions are drawn that are assumed to represent the population at large. Similarly, interpretation and comparison of studies are made difficult when end points of effectiveness, particularly with antihypertensive agents, are arbitrarily chosen. The results from a clinical study of more than 1400 hypertensive patients after indapamide therapy for 3 months, alone or in combination with a beta blocker, are presented using a different graphic approach. This is based on the assumption that the magnitude of the fall in blood pressure after hypertensive therapy is dependent on initial blood pressure. Diastolic and systolic pressures were plotted as a scattergram against the change in blood pressure. Predetermined response lines were drawn with a slope of 1 and intercepts on the initial blood pressure axis of 90 mm Hg for diastolic and 140 mm Hg for systolic pressures with tolerance limits of +/- 10 mm Hg drawn about it. Subdivisions of response can be achieved by counting the number of patients above and below these lines. This allows a drug to be "finger-printed" in terms of its pattern of activity in all degrees of severity of hypertension and, more relevant, direct comparisons with other drugs can be made. Similarly, the potential activity of the drug can be determined by computing the slope and intercept of the actual regression line through the data points.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Blood pressure and the progression of mild background diabetic retinopathy.
Authors: Chahal P , Inglesby D V , Sleightholm M , Kohner E M
Published: August 2012

A retrospective 5-year study examined the relationship between blood pressure and the severity and progression of mild background retinopathy in 48 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes and 38 with insulin-dependent diabetes who did not receive treatment in either eye for at least 3 years from their initial visit. All patients had annual medical and ophthalmic examinations including fundus photography. Retinopathy was assessed from fundus photographs using the Hammersmith grading system. Initial mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures (mm Hg) were significantly higher in those with non-insulin-dependent diabetes (149/88) than in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes (129/81). The former had significantly worse retinopathy than the latter initially and at 5 years. When non-insulin-dependent patients were grouped according to systolic blood pressure, those with readings above 160 mm Hg had significantly more severe retinopathy than those with readings below 140 mm Hg. Blood pressures initially and at 3 years were not significantly different between patients who received photocoagulation (five with insulin-dependent and six with non-insulin-dependent diabetes and those who did not in either group. There was significant correlation between systolic blood pressure and severity of retinopathy in patients with non-insulin-dependent disease, but the change in severity of retinopathy at 5 years did not correlate with blood pressure in either group.