bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reduction in High-Frequency Hearing Aid Gain Can Improve Performance in Patients With Contralateral Cochlear Implant: A Pilot Study
Authors: Messersmith Jessica J. , Jorgensen Lindsey E. , Hagg Jessica A.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an alternate fitting strategy, specifically adjustment to gains in a hearing aid (HA), would improve performance in patients who experienced poorer performance in the bimodal condition when the HA was fit to traditional targets.

Method

This study was a retrospective chart review from a local clinic population seen during a 6-month period. Participants included 6 users of bimodal stimulation. Two performed poorer in the cochlear implant (CI) + HA condition than in the CI-only condition. One individual performed higher in the bimodal condition, but the overall performance was low. Three age range–matched users whose performance increased when the HA was used in conjunction with a CI were also included. The HA gain was reduced beyond 2000 Hz. Speech perception scores were obtained pre- and postmodification to the HA fitting.

Results

All listeners whose HA was programmed using the modified approach demonstrated improved speech perception scores with the modified HA fit in the bimodal condition when compared with the traditional HA fit in the bimodal condition.

Conclusion

Modifications to gains above 2000 Hz in the HA may improve performance for bimodal listeners who perform more poorly in the bimodal condition when the HA is fit to traditional targets.
The Predictive Value of Preschool Language Assessments on Academic Achievement: A 10-Year Longitudinal Study of Icelandic Children
Authors: Einarsdóttir Jóhanna T. , Björnsdóttir Amalía , Símonardóttir Ingibjörg
Published: November 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between language knowledge at 5 years of age and later academic achievement throughout compulsory school in Iceland.

Method

Between 1997 and 1998, 267 Icelandic preschool children aged from 5;4 (years;months) to 5;10 were tested with the HLJÓM-2 (an Icelandic test of phonological awareness; Símonardóttir, Einarsdóttir, & Björnsdóttir, 2002) and the Icelandic version of the Test of Language Development—Primary: Second Edition (TOLD-2P; oral comprehension tasks; Símonardóttir, Guðmundsson, Skúlason, & Pétursdóttir, 1995). In 2011 these individuals, now aged 18–19 years, were contacted again. Of the original 267 participants, 221 (83%) gave permission to link their results from the preschool language assessments with their performance on national tests in 4th, 7th, and 10th grades.

Results

The results showed strong correlation between phonological awareness (as measured by the HLJÓM-2) and academic achievement (Icelandic and mathematics) in 4th, 7th, and 10th grades. There was also a significant but lower correlation with oral comprehension skills, as measured with the TOLD-2P. Regression analysis showed that the preschool oral-language assessments in phonological awareness and oral comprehension explained between 35% and 43% of variability in scores on national tests in Icelandic and between 20% and 39% of variability in scores in mathematics.

Conclusion

Preschool language knowledge is a reliable predictor of later academic achievement.
Suspended stripline low‐loss bandpass filter with four transmission zeros
Authors: Xu Zhao‐Xu , Yu Xi , Liu Jia‐Qi , Chen Yong‐Pin P. , Le‐Wei Li Joshua
Published: November 2015

A novel fifth‐order suspended stripline (SSL) low‐loss bandpass filter with four transmission zeros is proposed. The technique of utilising only one cross‐coupling structure introduces four transmission zeros to provide high selectivity. By adjusting the parameters of the coupling open loop, the performance of out‐of‐band of the filter can be changed. A detailed discussion of this effect of the coupling open loop is given. The highest out‐of‐band rejection of the filter is more than 70 dB. An SSL bandpass filter is designed, fabricated and measured. The measured results are in good agreement with the simulated results.
Fluorescence microscopy investigation of InGaN‐based light‐emitting diodes
Authors: Presa Silvino , Maaskant Pleun P. , Kappers Menno J. , Corbett Brian
Published: November 2015

The authors image the spatial dependent luminescent properties of InGaN quantum wells (QWs) in light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) using fluorescence microscopy with selective excitation of the QWs through the transparent sapphire substrate. The authors measure strong carrier escape with the associated photovoltaic effect in the device under open and short circuit conditions. The addition of electrical contacts allows comparison of the images under both optical and electrical excitation. A lateral distribution of the junction potential is measured in LEDs with structured metal contacts. An ohmic contact creates an equipotential surface and influences the collective emission. The technique offers useful insights into the spatial properties of the recombination processes in InGaN materials and LED fabrication processes at low forward bias.
Improved direct power control for Vienna‐type rectifiers based on sliding mode control
Authors: Ma Hui , Xie Yunxiang , Shi Zeyu
Published: November 2015

This study proposes an improved direct power control (DPC) strategy based on sliding mode control (SMC) with dual closed loop for the Vienna‐type rectifier to improve transient response during both start‐up and load step‐change periods and to guarantee stability in steady state. The inner power closed‐loop utilises SMC–DPC controller to directly regulate the required rectifier's control voltage without transforming to synchronous rotating coordinate reference frame or tracking phase angle of the grid voltage, which simplifies the control system. In addition, the outer loop employs a novel sliding mode controller to improve the dynamic performance of the dc output voltage and the instantaneous power. Finally, the dynamic and steady‐state performances of the grid current, dc output voltage, active/reactive power are experimentally investigated and compared with the conventional proportional–integral‐DPC scheme, both the simulation and the experimental results demonstrated the dynamic performance and stability of the proposed control scheme.
Three‐dimensional deceptive scene generation against single‐pass InSAR based on coherent transponders
Authors: Zhang Jingke , Xing Shiqi , Dai Dahai , Li Yongzhen , Xiao Shunping
Published: November 2015

Single‐pass interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) has strong anti‐jamming capacity, and can eliminate the arbitrary jamming generated by single stationary transponder via dual‐channel cancellation. In this study, a novel three‐dimensional (3D) deceptive scene generation method against single‐pass InSAR based on two coherent transponders is proposed. The deceptive signal of the proposed method at arbitrary location is composed by two complex components generated by the transponders. The complex scattering coefficient template modulated in each transponder is determined according to the relation between the deceptive interferometric phase template and the modulated complex scattering coefficient ratio of the two transponders. The 3D deceptive scene against single‐pass InSAR is realised by generating jamming signal in each transponder via the fast deceptive jamming techniques against SAR. Simulation results of false point targets and 3D deceptive scene demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.
Good practical continuous waveform for active bistatic radar
Authors: Cohen Itzik , Elster Rafael , Levanon Nadav
Published: November 2015

In monostatic continuous wave (CW) radar the dominant waveform is periodic linear frequency modulation, mostly because its stretch processing requires sampling rate much lower than the bandwidth. In a bistatic scene a clean copy of the transmitted signal, required in stretch processing, is not available to the receiver. That opens the competition for other periodic waveforms. The authors study describes and demonstrates, through bistatic field trials, the good performances of bi‐phase and tri‐phase CW waveforms. Among their advantages are sidelobe‐free range response, availability at all prime lengths and ease of synchronisation. Successful bistatic operation is a prerequisite for multistatic systems.
Atomic layer deposition of perovskite oxides and their epitaxial integration with Si, Ge, and other semiconductors
Authors: McDaniel Martin D. , Ngo Thong Q. , Hu Shen , Posadas Agham , Demkov Alexander A. , Ekerdt John G.
Published: November 2015

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a proven technique for the conformal deposition of oxide thin films with nanoscale thickness control. Most successful industrial applications have been with binary oxides, such as Al2O3 and HfO2. However, there has been much effort to deposit ternary oxides, such as perovskites (ABO3), with desirable properties for advanced thin film applications. Distinct challenges are presented by the deposition of multi-component oxides using ALD. This review is intended to highlight the research of the many groups that have deposited perovskite oxides by ALD methods. Several commonalities between the studies are discussed. Special emphasis is put on precursor selection, deposition temperatures, and specific property performance (high-k, ferroelectric, ferromagnetic, etc.). Finally, the monolithic integration of perovskite oxides with semiconductors by ALD is reviewed. High-quality epitaxial growth of oxide thin films has traditionally been limited to physical vapor deposition techniques (e.g., molecular beam epitaxy). However, recent studies have demonstrated that epitaxial oxide thin films may be deposited on semiconductor substrates using ALD. This presents an exciting opportunity to integrate functional perovskite oxides for advanced semiconductor applications in a process that is economical and scalable.
Equilibrium simulation of trp-cage in the presence of protein crowders
Authors: Bille Anna , Linse Björn , Mohanty Sandipan , Irbäck Anders
Published: November 2015

While steric crowders tend to stabilize globular proteins, it has been found that protein crowders can have an either stabilizing or destabilizing effect, where a destabilization may arise from nonspecific attractive interactions between the test protein and the crowders. Here, we use Monte Carlo replica-exchange methods to explore the equilibrium behavior of the miniprotein trp-cage in the presence of protein crowders. Our results suggest that the surrounding crowders prevent trp-cage from adopting its global native fold, while giving rise to a stabilization of its main secondary-structure element, an α-helix. With the crowding agent used (bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor), the trp-cage–crowder interactions are found to be specific, involving a few key residues, most of which are prolines. The effects of these crowders are contrasted with those of hard-sphere crowders.
Coexisting ferroelectric and magnetic morphotropic phase boundaries in Dy-modified BiFeO3-PbTiO3 multiferroics
Authors: Zhuang Jian , Su Lun-Wei , Wu Hua , Bokov Alexei A. , Liu Ming , Ren Wei , Ye Zuo-Guang
Published: November 2015

Morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in ferroelectric solid solutions can significantly enhance the dielectric and piezoelectric performances of the materials. Similarly, magnetic MPB has been found to exist in a few ferromagnets and is proved to be greatly beneficial to the magnetostrictive response. In this letter, we report the finding of a magnetic MPB in the multiferroic 0.66Bi1−xDyxFeO3-0.34PbTiO3 system, which overlaps the structural MPB of ferroelectric phases. A (weak) ferromagnetic state is induced at room temperature by Dy for the rhombohedral compositions with x ≥ 0.10. Upon cooling down from room temperature, the tetragonal compositions (x ≤ 0.05) show only one magnetic phase transition from the paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic phase, while the rhombohedral compositions exhibit a series of magnetic phase transitions from the (weak) ferromagnetic state to an antiferromagnetic order then to another weak ferromagnetic phase. A magneto-structural phase diagram has been established that reveals the presence of a magnetic MPB and a ferroelectric MPB. More significantly, the ferroelectric and magnetic MPB regions are found to overlap with each other, pointing to interesting kinds of multiferroic couplings.
Alpha channeling with high-field launch of lower hybrid waves
Authors: Ochs I. E. , Bertelli N. , Fisch N. J.
Published: November 2015

Although lower hybrid waves are effective at driving currents in present-day tokamaks, they are expected to interact strongly with high-energy particles in extrapolating to reactors. In the presence of a radial alpha particle birth gradient, this interaction can take the form of wave amplification rather than damping. While it is known that this amplification more easily occurs when launching from the tokamak high-field side, the extent of this amplification has not been made quantitative. Here, by tracing rays launched from the high-field-side of a tokamak, the required radial gradients to achieve amplification are calculated for a temperature and density regime consistent with a hot-ion-mode fusion reactor. These simulations, while valid only in the linear regime of wave amplification, nonetheless illustrate the possibilities for wave amplification using high-field launch of the lower hybrid wave.
Suppression of surface roughening kinetics of homogenously multilayered W films
Authors: Yang J. J. , Zhu H. L. , Wan Q. , Yang Y. Y. , Liao J. L. , Liu N. , Wang L. M.
Published: November 2015

Using multi-step deposition mode, we developed an innovational strategy of homogenously multilayered (HM) structure to tailor the roughening kinetics of sputtered W films. Dynamic scaling analysis showed that all sublayers of HM W films exhibited the same anomalous roughening behavior, which originated from the limited surface diffusion. Intriguingly, different from its single-layered counterpart, the HM W films exhibited a suppression effect of kinetic roughening, which could be well manipulated by film modulation period. Detailed experimental characterization and phenomenological model analysis suggested that this roughening suppression arises from the multi-interruption of the continuous film roughening process, forming an interlayer interface after every interruption and restarting the sublayer roughening on the pre-sublayer surface.
Stability of liquid-nitrogen-jet laser-plasma targets
Authors: Fogelqvist E. , Kördel M. , Selin M. , Hertz H. M.
Published: November 2015

Microscopic jets of cryogenic substances such as liquid nitrogen are important regenerative high-density targets for high-repetition rate, high-brightness laser-plasma soft x-ray sources. When operated in vacuum such liquid jets exhibit several non-classical instabilities that negatively influence the x-ray source's spatial and temporal stability, yield, and brightness, parameters that all are important for applications such as water-window microscopy. In the present paper, we investigate liquid-nitrogen jets with a flash-illumination imaging system that allows for a quantitative stability analysis with high spatial and temporal resolution. Direct and indirect consequences of evaporation are identified as the key reasons for the observed instabilities. Operating the jets in an approximately 100 mbar ambient atmosphere counteracts the effects of evaporation and produces highly stable liquid nitrogen jets. For operation in vacuum, which is necessary for the laser plasmas, we improve the stability by introducing an external radiative heating element. The method significantly extends the distance from the nozzle that can be used for liquid-jet laser plasmas, which is of importance for high-average-power applications. Finally, we show that laser-plasma operation with the heating-element-stabilized jet shows improved short-term and long-term temporal stability in its water-window x-ray emission.
Back-gate bias effect on nanosheet hybrid P/N channel of junctionless thin-film transistor with increased Ion versus decreased Ioff
Authors: Cheng Ya-Chi , Chen Hung-Bin , Chang Chun-Yen , Wu Yi-Kang , Shih Yi-Jia , Shao Chi-Shen , Wu Yung-Chun
Published: November 2015

A hybrid P/N channel junctionless (JL) thin-film transistor (TFT) with back-gate bias (Vbg) has been demonstrated. By applying negative bias of Vbg = −8 V in gate length of 50 nm shows excellent SS (<90 mV/dec), a negligible drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL), increased Ion versus decreased Ioff (ratio > 108), and high Vth modulation. The increased Ion simultaneously decreased Ioff via negative Vbg is attributed to smaller surface E-field at ON-state, significantly reducing the impact on interface traps and thinner effective channel thickness at OFF-state, improving gate controllability. Hence, hybrid P/N JL-TFT with Vbg is a promising for low power circuit, power management, and System-on-Chip applications.
Microwave metamaterial absorber based on multiple square ring structures
Authors: Zhou Weicheng , Wang Pinghe , Wang Nan , Jiang Wei , Dong Xiaochun , Hu Song
Published: November 2015

In this paper, we report the design, analysis, and simulation of quintuple-band metamaterial absorber (MMA) in the microwave region. The absorber is constructed of a delicate periodic patterned structures and a metallic background plane, separated by a dielectric substrate. By manipulating the periodic patterned structures, high absorption can be obtained at five specific resonance frequencies. Moreover, the significantly high absorptions of quintuple-peaks are persistent with polarization independence, and the influence of angle of incidence for both TE and TM modes was also elucidated. For explaining the absorption mechanism of proposed structures, the electric and magnetic field distributions and resistance matching principal were given. Importantly, the design idea has the ability to be extended to other frequencies, like terahertz, infrared and optical frequencies.
Individual vortex nucleation/annihilation in ferromagnetic nanodots with broken symmetry observed by micro-Hall magnetometry
Authors: Ščepka T. , Polakovič T. , Šoltýs J. , Tóbik J. , Kulich M. , Kúdela R. , Dérer J. , Cambel V.
Published: November 2015

We studied vortex nucleation/annihilation process and its temperature dependence in micromagnetic objects with lowered symmetry using micro-Hall magnetometry. Magnetization reversal curves were obtained for the Pacman-like nanodots placed directly on Hall probes. Lowered symmetry of the object leads to good control of its chirality. Vortex nucleation and annihilation fields strongly depend on the angle of the external in-plane magnetic field with respect on the nanodot symmetry. The micromagnetic simulations support the experimental results - the vortex nucleation fields are controlled by local magnetization configurations present in the object (C-, S-, and double S-states) for field just above vortex nucleation field. The experiments also confirm that the vortex nucleation proceeds via thermal activation over an energy barrier.
Assessment of a metaviromic dataset generated from nearshore Lake Michigan
Authors: Watkins Siobhan C. , Kuehnle Neil , Ruggeri C. Anthony , Malki Kema , Bruder Katherine , Elayyan Jinan , Damisch Kristina , Vahora Naushin , O'Malley Paul , Ruggles-Sage Brieanne , Romer Zachary , Putonti Catherine
Published: November 2015

Bacteriophages are powerful ecosystem engineers. They drive bacterial mortality rates and genetic diversity, and affect microbially mediated biogeochemical processes on a global scale. This has been demonstrated in marine environments; however, phage communities have been less studied in freshwaters, despite representing a potentially more diverse environment. Lake Michigan is one of the largest bodies of freshwater on the planet, yet to date the diversity of its phages has yet to be examined. Here, we present a composite survey of viral ecology in the nearshore waters of Lake Michigan. Sequence analysis was performed using a web server previously used to analyse similar data. Our results revealed a diverse community of DNA phages, largely comprising the order Caudovirales. Within the scope of the current study, the Lake Michigan virome demonstrates a distinct community. Although several phages appeared to hold dominance, further examination highlighted the importance of interrogating metagenomic data at the genome level. We present our study as baseline information for further examination of the ecology of the lake. In the current study we discuss our results and highlight issues of data analysis which may be important for freshwater studies particularly, in light of the complexities associated with examining phage ecology generally.
Bacterial clade with the ribosomal RNA operon on a small plasmid rather than the chromosome
Authors: Anda Mizue , Ohtsubo Yoshiyuki , Okubo Takashi , Sugawara Masayuki , Nagata Yuji , Tsuda Masataka , Minamisawa Kiwamu , Mitsui Hisayuki
Published: November 2015

Significance

In bacterial genomes, chromosomes are distinguished from plasmids by the localization of essential genes. It has been taken for granted that fundamental genes such as the rRNA (
rrn
) operon should be transmitted faithfully on the chromosome. Here, we found a striking exception: A plant-associated bacterium,
Aureimonas
sp. AU20, and its close relatives harbor the
rrn
operon only on a small, high-copy-number replicon but not on the chromosome. Our findings show the existence of novel genome organization in bacteria.
The political economy of a de facto state: the importance of local stakeholders in the case of Abkhazia
Authors: Oltramonti Giulia Prelz
Published: November 2015

Between 1993 and 2008, the economy of Abkhazia was subjected to a multiplicity of internal and external influences. According to the authorities of the de facto state, its stunted growth was a consequence of what they branded as the ‘Georgian embargo’. However, not only was Russia as strong an influencing actor, but the picture is also skewed if local stakeholders are not taken into consideration. Far from being passive recipients or targets of external pressures, local elites shaped the Abkhaz economy, while financially and politically profiting from it. In this paper, this is shown by tracing the evolution of the Abkhaz economic development through time and underlining its spatial characteristics. Processes of isolation, progressive opening, economic transformation and trade are deconstructed to demonstrate the gap between practice and discourse, and to unveil the key role played by local stakeholders.
Cloaking using complementary media for the Helmholtz equation and a three spheres inequality for second order elliptic equations
Authors: Nguyen Hoai-Minh , Nguyen Loc
Published: November 2015

Cloaking using complementary media was suggested by Lai et al. in 2009. This was proved by H.-M. Nguyen (2015) in the quasistatic regime. One of the difficulties in the study of this problem is the appearance of the localized resonance, i.e., the fields blow up in some regions and remain bounded in some others as the loss goes to 0. To this end, H.-M. Nguyen introduced the technique of removing localized singularity and used a standard three spheres inequality. The method used also works for the Helmholtz equation. However, it requires small size of the cloaked region for large frequency due to the use of the (standard) three spheres inequality. In this paper, we give a proof of cloaking using complementary media in the finite frequency regime without imposing any condition on the cloaked region; the cloak works for an arbitrary fixed frequency provided that the loss is sufficiently small. To successfully apply the above approach of Nguyen, we establish a new three spheres inequality. A modification of the cloaking setting to obtain illusion optics is also discussed.
Recurrent Septic Arthritis Due to Achromobacter xylosoxidans in a Patient With Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis
Authors: Patel Payal K. , von Keudell Arvind , Moroder Philipp , Appleton Paul , Wigmore Robin , Rodriguez Edward K.
Published: November 2015

We report a case of recurrent Achromobacter xylosoxidans infections including bacteremia, sepsis, septic joints and endocarditis in a 72 year old female with granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Achromobacter xylosoxidans is a gram negative bacteria increasingly identified in immunocompromised patients. Surgical and medical therapy may need to be combined.
Global Comparison of Drug Resistance Mutations After First-Line Antiretroviral Therapy Across Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Subtypes
Authors: Huang Austin , Hogan Joseph W. , Luo Xi , DeLong Allison , Saravanan Shanmugam , Wu Yasong , Sirivichayakul Sunee , Kumarasamy Nagalingeswaran , Zhang Fujie , Phanuphak Praphan , Diero Lameck , Buziba Nathan , Istrail Sorin , Katzenstein David A. , Kantor Rami
Published: November 2015

Background.  Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 drug resistance mutations (DRMs) often accompany treatment failure. Although subtype differences are widely studied, DRM comparisons between subtypes either focus on specific geographic regions or include populations with heterogeneous treatments.

Methods.  We characterized DRM patterns following first-line failure and their impact on future treatment in a global, multi-subtype reverse-transcriptase sequence dataset. We developed a hierarchical modeling approach to address the high-dimensional challenge of modeling and comparing frequencies of multiple DRMs in varying first-line regimens, durations, and subtypes. Drug resistance mutation co-occurrence was characterized using a novel application of a statistical network model.

Results.  In 1425 sequences, 202 subtype B, 696 C, 44 G, 351 circulating recombinant forms (CRF)01_AE, 58 CRF02_AG, and 74 from other subtypes mutation frequencies were higher in subtypes C and CRF01_AE compared with B overall. Mutation frequency increased by 9%–20% at reverse transcriptase positions 41, 67, 70, 184, 215, and 219 in subtype C and CRF01_AE vs B. Subtype C and CRF01_AE exhibited higher predicted cross-resistance (+12%–18%) to future therapy options compared with subtype B. Topologies of subtype mutation networks were mostly similar.

Conclusions.  We find clear differences in DRM outcomes following first-line failure, suggesting subtype-specific ecological or biological factors that determine DRM patterns.
Early Outcomes of Pediatric Elbow Dislocation—Risk Factors Associated With Morbidity
Authors: Murphy Robert F. , Vuillermin Carley , Naqvi Manahil , Miller Patricia E. , Bae Donald S. , Shore Benjamin J.
Published: November 2015

Introduction:

Ulnohumeral elbow dislocation is a rare elbow injury in children. We reviewed a large cohort of pediatric ulnohumeral elbow dislocations and sought to identify risk factors associated with poor functional outcomes.

Methods:

Medical charts and radiographs were reviewed for all acute pediatric ulnohumeral elbow dislocations evaluated at our facility during a 7-year period. Charts were abstracted for demographics, injury characteristics, treatments, and complications. Functional outcomes were assessed at minimum 6-week follow-up using a combination of symptoms and elbow range of motion (Roberts criteria).

Results:

A total of 145 cases qualified for inclusion and were analyzed. The average age at injury was 11 years (range, 5 to 18 y), with equal distribution between male and female individuals. Concomitant elbow fractures were identified in 114 (80%) cases; the most common was the medial epicondyle (80/134, 60%). Treatment consisted of open reduction and fixation of associated fracture(s) in 59% of fracture cases. At an average follow-up of 3.7 months, the average range of motion was −5-degree extension to 126-degree flexion. Immobilization for longer than 2 weeks resulted in a loss of elbow extension (P<0.001). Functional outcomes as assessed by the Roberts criteria were good or excellent in 90% of cases. Risk factors associated with less than excellent functional outcomes included the presence of multiple fractures (P=0.001), the need for operative intervention (P=0.01), and the duration of immobilization (P=0.03). Complications requiring further treatment occurred in 16 cases (11%). Patients without complication resulted in a higher proportion of “excellent” functional outcomes (76%) compared with those with a complication (40%) (P<0.001).

Conclusions:

The majority of pediatric ulnohumeral elbow dislocations experience good to excellent functional outcomes by early follow-up. Risk factors associated with less than excellent functional outcomes include the presence of multiple associated fractures, operative intervention, and prolonged immobilization. Complications requiring operative intervention are not rare, and have a significant effect on functional outcomes.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—prognostic.
Prognostic Factors as a Function of Disease-free Interval After Definitive (Chemo)radiation for Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Conditional Survival Analysis
Authors: Hong Jidong , Liao Zhongxing , Zhuang Yan , Levy Lawrence B. , Sheu Tommy , Heymach John V. , Nguyen Quynh-Nhu , Xu Ting , Komaki Ritsuko , Gomez Daniel R.
Published: November 2015

Purpose:

We analyzed overall and disease-free survival (OS and DFS) after definitive (chemo)radiation for stage III non–small cell lung cancer with 2 statistical methods: Kaplan-Meier (KM) analysis, with diagnosis as index date, and conditional survival (CS) analysis, with a variety of disease-free index dates, and determined whether prognostic factors varied based on the reference date.

Materials and Methods:

All 651 patients analyzed received definitive (chemo)radiotherapy for stage III non–small cell lung cancer in November 1998 to December 2010 at a single institution; all had Karnofsky performance status scores ≥60 and received ≥60 Gy. OS and DFS were first calculated with the KM method, and then CS was used to calculate 2 outcomes: OS conditioned on DFS time (OS|DFS) and DFS conditioned on DFS time (DFS|DFS). Factors predicting OS and DFS conditioned on 1-, 2-, and 3-year DFS were sought in univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results:

KM analysis produced 1-, 2-, and 3-year DFS rates of 48%, 30%, and 26%; OS rates were 64%, 41%, and 29%. By CS analysis, both OS|DFS and DFS|DFS showed an increase in 5-year OS after 6 months, and CS after 30 months approached 100%. On multivariate analyses, age and concurrent chemoradiation predicted OS|DFS; age, smoking history, tumor histology, disease stage, and radiation dose predicted DFS|DFS.

Conclusions:

CS analysis showed that the probability of long-term survival increases sharply after 6 months with no evidence of disease; factors predicting survival differed based on the method and endpoint used.
Preoperative Radiosurgery for Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Authors: Kubicek Gregory J. , LaCouture Tamara , Kaden Maureen , Kim Tae Won , Lerman Nati , Khrizman Polina , Patel Ashish , Xu Qianyi , Lackman Richard
Published: November 2015

Objectives:

Preoperative radiation followed by surgical resection is a standard treatment for soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). The conventional method of radiation is 5 weeks to approximately 50 Gy. We report on our initial experience and phase II single-arm study assessing 5 fractions of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), followed by surgical resection for STS.

Methods:

Thirteen patients and 14 tumors were treated with preoperative SBRT; tumors were mostly poorly differentiated (5) or myxoid (5) and were located on the leg (10), arm (2) or groin (2). The median tumor size in greatest dimension was 7.6 cm (maximum 16 cm). Twelve patients received 35 Gy in 5 fractions; for 2 deeper tumors the dose was 40 Gy in 5 fractions. Ten patients were administered 0.5 cm bolus to improve the dose. Gross tumor volume was expanded 0.5 cm radially and 3 cm along the tissue plane. Treatment was to an isodose line (median 81%) and was delivered every other day. Maximum dose to the skin was 46 Gy (median 41 Gy).

Results:

The median follow-up period was 279 days. Surgical resection occurred a median of 37 days after completion of SBRT. Four patients had acute toxicity consisting of 2 grade 2 and 2 grade 3 skin reactions; all cases of skin toxicity resolved by the time of surgery. Percent tumor necrosis ranged from 10% to 95% (median 60%). All patients had negative margins. Planned vacuum-assisted wound closure was used in 4 patients; there were no other major wound complications. There was 1 local recurrence and 7 distant recurrences.

Conclusion:

This is the initial experience of radiosurgery for preoperative treatment of STSs. We have found this to be well tolerated, convenient for the patients, and a much shorter treatment course, allowing patients to undergo surgery and subsequent chemotherapy quicker. Surgical complications and control rates are satisfactory. The initial results are encouraging for further investigation.
Whole Versus Partial Bladder Radiation
Authors: Kang Jung J. , Steinberg Michael L. , Kupelian Patrick , Alexander Sherri , King Christopher R.
Published: November 2015

Objectives:

To report our institutional experience using definitive chemoradiation via whole bladder (WB) and partial bladder (PB) treatment in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Combining intensity-modulated radiation therapy with image-guidance can improve the therapeutic ratio.

Materials and Methods:

Retrospective analysis of 26 patients with clinical stage T2-4 N0-2 M0 urothelial cancer treated in 2009 to 2012; 16 received WB radiation and 10 received PB radiation. PB/tumor boost volume included visibly thickened bladder wall or tumor localized on cystoscopy. WB radiation delivered 45 to 50.4 Gy to bladder/lymph nodes, then sequential 19.8 to 21.6 Gy tumor boost (1.8 Gy/fx). PB radiation was 45 to 50 Gy to lymph nodes (1.8 to 2 Gy/fx) and simultaneous integrated boost to 55 to 62.5 Gy to tumor only (2.2 to 2.5 Gy/fx). The primary endpoint was local control, defined as no muscle-invasive recurrence. Secondary endpoints were overall survival, toxicity, and cost.

Results:

Mean age was 77 and median follow-up was 20 months. Freedom from local recurrence was 86% at 2 years (PB 100%, WB 77%). Overall survival was 80% at 1 year (PB 88%, WB 75%), and 55% at 2 years (PB 70%, WB 48%, P=0.38). Failure was predominantly distant. Toxicities were minimal (3 late grade 3 ureteral, 1 acute grade 4 renal), and all resolved. No cystectomies were performed for toxicity. Hypofractionation reduces treatment time and costs by one third.

Conclusions:

Image-guided hypofractionated PB radiation provides local control with similar survival to WB therapy, with minimal toxicity. Hypofractionation also offers time and cost advantages. Our results need to be validated in a larger, multi-institutional cohort.
Is There Any Benefit of Neuromonitoring during Descending and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair?
Authors: Fok Matthew , Jafarzadeh Fatemeh , Sancho Elena , Abello David , Rimmer Lara , Howard Callum , Kennedy Tom , Hammoud Ibrahim , Bashir Mohamad
Published: November 2015

Objective

Paraplegia remains the most feared and a devastating complication after descending and thoracoabdominal aneurysm operative repair (DTA and TAAAR). Neuromonitoring, particularly use of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs), for this surgery has gained popularity. However, ambiguity remains regarding its use and benefit. We systematically reviewed the literature to assess the benefit and applicability of neuromonitoring in DTA and TAAAR.

Methods

Electronic searches were performed on 4 major databases from inception until February 2014 to identify relevant studies. Eligibility decisions, method quality, data extraction, and analysis were performed according to predefined clinical criteria and end points.

Results

Among the studies matching our inclusion criteria, 1297 patients had MEP monitoring during DTA and TAAAR. In-hospital mortality was low (6.9% ± 3.6). Immediate neurological deficit was low (3.5% ± 2.6). In one third of patients (30.4% ± 14.2), the MEPs dropped below threshold, which were 30.4% and 29.4% with threshold levels of 75% and 50%, respectively. A range of surgical techniques were applied after reduction in MEPs. Most patients whose MEPs dropped and remained below threshold had immediate permanent neurological deficit (92.0% ± 23.6). Somatosensory-evoked potentials were reported in one third of papers with little association between loss of somatosensory-evoked potentials and permanent neurological deficit (16.7% ± 28.9%).

Conclusions

We demonstrate that MEPs are useful at predicting paraplegia in patients who lose their MEPs and do not regain them intraoperatively. To date, there is no consensus regarding the applicability and use of MEPs. Current evidence does not mandate or support MEP use.
Heart Procurement from a Donor on Venovenous ECMO Support
Authors: Singh Gopal , Tsukashita Masaki , Biscotti Mauer , Costa Joseph , Lambert Daniel , Bacchetta Matthew , Takayama Hiroo
Published: November 2015

We report the case of a 37-year-old woman with acute respiratory distress syndrome and became a candidate for organ donation after anoxic brain injury and was on a venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) support. On preoperative evaluation and gross examination, the donor’s heart was acceptable for heart transplantation to a 62-year-old female patient with a history of nonischemic cardiomyopathy with a HeartMate II mechanical assist device. Orthotopic heart transplantation was successfully performed in the recipient. We report a case that suggests that the procurement of a heart from a donor on ECMO support can potentially expand the donor heart pool in carefully selected patients.
Limited Role of Sinus CT in the Management of Febrile Pediatric HSCT Recipients
Authors: Dumitriu Anca , Armeson Kent , Hudspeth Michelle
Published: November 2015

Management guidelines have questioned the role of sinus computed tomography (CT). We reviewed 55 febrile episodes with sinus CT during 1 year after admission for hematopoietic stem cell transplant to determine predictive factors for positive sinus CT and the impact on management. Positive sinus CT findings were seen in 42% of febrile episodes. No characteristics were identified as predictors of a positive sinus CT. No other infectious source was identified in 17% of positive sinus CT episodes, with no pharmacotherapy modifications based solely on a positive sinus CT. Sinus CT should be examined in multicenter groups to develop practice guidelines.
Brain regions associated with visual cues are important for bird migration
Authors: Vincze Orsolya , Vágási Csongor I. , Pap Péter L. , Osváth Gergely , Møller Anders Pape
Published: November 2015

Long-distance migratory birds have relatively smaller brains than short-distance migrants or residents. Here, we test whether reduction in brain size with migration distance can be generalized across the different brain regions suggested to play key roles in orientation during migration. Based on 152 bird species, belonging to 61 avian families from six continents, we show that the sizes of both the telencephalon and the whole brain decrease, and the relative size of the optic lobe increases, while cerebellum size does not change with increasing migration distance. Body mass, whole brain size, optic lobe size and wing aspect ratio together account for a remarkable 46% of interspecific variation in average migration distance across bird species. These results indicate that visual acuity might be a primary neural adaptation to the ecological challenge of migration.
Analogies between optical propagation and heat diffusion: applications to microcavities, gratings and cloaks
Authors: Amra C. , Petiteau D. , Zerrad M. , Guenneau S. , Soriano G. , Gralak B. , Bellieud M. , Veynante D. , Rolland N.
Published: November 2015

A new analogy between optical propagation and heat diffusion in heterogeneous anisotropic media has been proposed recently by three of the present authors. A detailed derivation of this unconventional correspondence is presented and developed. In time harmonic regime, all thermal parameters are related to optical ones in artificial metallic media, thus making possible to use numerical codes developed for optics. Then, the optical admittance formalism is extended to heat conduction in multilayered structures. The concepts of planar microcavities, diffraction gratings and planar transformation optics for heat conduction are addressed. Results and limitations of the analogy are emphasized.
Social context-dependent modification of courtship behaviour in
Drosophila prolongata
Authors: Setoguchi Shiori , Kudo Ayumi , Takanashi Takuma , Ishikawa Yukio , Matsuo Takashi
Published: November 2015

Induction of alternative mating tactics by surrounding conditions, such as the presence of conspecific males, is observed in many animal species. Satellite behaviour is a remarkable example in which parasitic males exploit the reproductive investment by other males. Despite the abundance of parasitic mating tactics, however, few examples are known in which males alter courtship behaviour as a counter tactic against parasitic rivals. The fruit fly
Drosophila prolongata
shows prominent sexual dimorphism in the forelegs. When courting females, males of
D. prolongata
perform ‘leg vibration’, in which a male vibrates the female's body with his enlarged forelegs. In this study, we found that leg vibration increased female receptivity, but it also raised a risk of interception of the female by rival males. Consequently, in the presence of rivals, males of
D. prolongata
shifted their courtship behaviour from leg vibration to ‘rubbing’, which was less vulnerable to interference by rival males. These results demonstrated that the males of
D. prolongata
adjust their courtship behaviour to circumvent the social context-dependent risk of leg vibration.
Milkweed butterfly resistance to plant toxins is linked to sequestration, not coping with a toxic diet
Authors: Petschenka Georg , Agrawal Anurag A.
Published: November 2015

Insect resistance to plant toxins is widely assumed to have evolved in response to using defended plants as a dietary resource. We tested this hypothesis in the milkweed butterflies (Danaini) which have progressively evolved higher levels of resistance to cardenolide toxins based on amino acid substitutions of their cellular sodium–potassium pump (Na
+
/K
+
-ATPase). Using chemical, physiological and caterpillar growth assays on diverse milkweeds (
Asclepias
spp.) and isolated cardenolides, we show that resistant Na
+
/K
+
-ATPases are not necessary to cope with dietary cardenolides. By contrast, sequestration of cardenolides in the body (as a defence against predators) is associated with the three levels of Na
+
/K
+
-ATPase resistance. To estimate the potential physiological burden of cardenolide sequestration without Na
+
/K
+
-ATPase adaptations, we applied haemolymph of sequestering species on isolated Na
+
/K
+
-ATPase of sequestering and non-sequestering species. Haemolymph cardenolides dramatically impair non-adapted Na
+
/K
+
-ATPase, but had systematically reduced effects on Na
+
/K
+
-ATPase of sequestering species. Our data indicate that major adaptations to plant toxins may be evolutionarily linked to sequestration, and may not necessarily be a means to eat toxic plants. Na
+
/K
+
-ATPase adaptations thus were a potential mechanism through which predators spurred the coevolutionary arms race between plants and insects.
Systematic Functional Annotation and Visualization of Biological Networks
Authors: Baryshnikova Anastasia
Published: November 2015

Large-scale biological networks map functional connections between most genes in the genome and can potentially uncover high level organizing principles governing cellular functions. These networks, however, are famously complex and often regarded as disordered masses of tangled interactions (“hairballs”) that are nearly impenetrable to biologists. As a result, our current understanding of network functional organization is very limited. To address this problem, I developed a systematic quantitative approach for annotating biological networks and examining their functional structure. This method, named Spatial Analysis of Functional Enrichment (SAFE), detects network regions that are statistically overrepresented for a functional group or a quantitative phenotype of interest, and provides an intuitive visual representation of their relative positioning within the network. By successfully annotating theSaccharomyces cerevisiaegenetic interaction network with Gene Ontology terms, SAFE proved to be sensitive to functional signals and robust to noise. In addition, SAFE annotated the network with chemical genomic data and uncovered a new potential mechanism of resistance to the anti-cancer drug bortezomib. Finally, SAFE showed that protein-protein interactions, despite their apparent complexity, also have a high level functional structure. These results demonstrate that SAFE is a powerful new tool for examining biological networks and advancing our understanding of the functional organization of the cell.
The implementation of Lean Six Sigma concept at national bank of Kenya-operation division
Authors: Ndaita Paul Mumo , Gachie Thomas , Kiveu Christopher W.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine the level of Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation at National bank Operations Division by utilizing the five stages of progress identified by Gygi et al. (2005), namely, initialize, deploy, implement, expand and sustain. A further aim was to determine the impact of implementation so far on various operations within the division.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study was conducted within the head office. Data were gathered through a questionnaire distributed to all employees working in the operations division via e-mail. Responses were analyzed using SPSS v20.

Findings

– The results obtained indicated that 99 percent of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the bank has past stages 1 and 2 and are now implementing stage 3. The finding also showed that there was a significant impact on a number of operations including reductions in average process cycle times, reductions in costs, reductions in turnaround times and reductions in error rates.

Research limitations/implications

– The research findings are limited to National Bank of Kenya Ltd and may not be generalized to other organizations. Further research will have to be carried out to cover other types of organizations to establish general impact.

Practical implications

– The findings of the study provide evidence of the practical benefits of LSS as well as justification for the adoption and implementation of LSS principles and techniques in the National Bank of Kenya with possible similar benefits for other financial services organizations.

Originality/value

– This study is the first to report on the implementation of LSS in a Kenya bank.