bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prospects for Nonlinear Energy Harvesting Systems Designed Near the Elastic Stability Limit When Driven by Colored Noise
Authors: Harne R. L. , Wang K. W.
Published: December 2013

Ambient vibration sources in many prime energy harvesting applications are characterized as having stochastic response with spectra concentrated at low frequencies and steadily reduced power density as frequency increases (colored noise). To overcome challenges in designing linear resonant systems for such inputs, nonlinear restoring potential shaping has become a popular means of extending a harvester's bandwidth downward towards the highest concentration of excitation energy available. Due to recent works which have individually probed by analysis, simulation, or experiment the opportunity for harvester restoring potential shaping near the elastic stability limit (buckling transition) to improve power generation in stochastic environments—in most cases focusing on postbuckled designs and in some cases arriving at conflicting conclusions—we seek to provide a consolidated and insightful investigation for energy harvester performance employing designs in this critical regime. Practical aspects drive the study and encourage evaluation of the role of asymmetries in restoring potential forms. New analytical, numerical, and experimental investigations are conducted and compared to rigorously assess the opportunities and reach well-informed conclusions. Weakly bistable systems are shown to potentially provide minor performance benefits but necessitate a priori knowledge of the excitation environment and careful avoidance of asymmetries. It is found that a system designed as close to the elastic stability limit as possible, without passing the buckling transition, may be the wiser solution to energy harvesting in colored noise environments.
Plasma damage mechanisms in low k organosilicate glass and their inhibition by Ar ion bombardment
Authors: Kazi Haseeb , Kelber Jeffry A.
Published: December 2013

In-situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ex-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photons with or without O2, and O radicals point to distinct mechanisms of carbon abstraction in nanoporous organosilicate glass (OSG) films. VUV alone in the absence of O2 results in Si-CH3 bond scission and recombination preferentially at silicon monomethyl sites, obeying diffusion kinetics. In contrast, the presence of O2 interferes with recombination, resulting in diffusion-dominated carbon loss kinetics, enhanced Si oxidation, and greatly accelerating the rate of carbon loss in both the near surface and bulk regions of the OSG, at both monomethyl and dimethyl sites. Carbon abstraction due to exposure to (O(3P)) does not follow diffusion kinetics, and such interactions yield a SiO2-like surface layer inhibiting further O diffusion. Results indicate that diffusion-dominated carbon abstraction kinetics previously observed for OSG exposure to O2 plasma damage is primarily attributable to the diffusion of O2 down OSG nanopores, reacting at photoactivated sites, rather than the diffusion of O radicals. OSG pretreatment by 900 eV Ar+ bombardment effectively inhibits both VUV + O2 and O damage mechanisms by formation of ∼1 nm thick SiO2-like surface region that inhibits both O and O2 diffusion.
Bowhead whale acoustic activity in the southeast Beaufort Sea during late summer 2008–2010
Authors: Charif Russell A. , Rahaman Ashakur , Muirhead Charles A. , Pitzrick Michael S. , Warde Ann M. , Hall James , Pyć Cynthia , Clark Christopher W.
Published: December 2013

Autonomous passive acoustic recorders were deployed to record sounds of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) in the southeast Beaufort Sea for periods of 30–55 days during the late summer, open-water seasons of 2008–2010. Recordings were made in three areas licensed for hydrocarbon exploration, spanning the continental slope and adjacent outer shelf, and in a shallow inner-shelf area where bowheads have been observed congregating to feed in recent decades. Bowhead sounds were counted in samples comprising 10% of each recorded hour. In mid-August and September in all 3 years, the rate of bowhead calling at outer shelf sites exceeded that at adjacent continental slope sites by one to two orders of magnitude. Higher rates of calling occurred on the slope in late July and early August than at later dates. Calling rates varied by an order of magnitude between years in the one area that was monitored in different years. The highest rates of calling occurred on the inner shelf, offshore of the northern Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula. These trends are consistent with patterns of habitat use previously reported from aerial surveys in this and nearby areas of the Beaufort Sea and with the results of satellite tagging studies.
Time and frequency metrics related to auditory masking of a 10 kHz tone in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
Authors: Branstetter Brian K. , Trickey Jennifer S. , Aihara Hitomi , Finneran James J. , Liberman Tori R.
Published: December 2013

Metrics related to the frequency spectrum of noise (e.g., critical ratios) are often used to describe and predict auditory masking. In this study, detection thresholds for a 10 kHz tone were measured in the presence of anthropogenic, natural, and synthesized noise. Time-domain and frequency-domain metrics were calculated for the different noise types, and regression models were used to determine the relationship between noise metrics and masked tonal thresholds. Statistical models suggested that detection thresholds, masked by a variety of noise types at a variety of noise levels, can be explained with metrics related to the spectral density of noise and the degree to which amplitude modulation is correlated across frequency regions of the noise. The results demonstrate the need to include time-domain metrics when describing and predicting auditory masking.
Normalized stiffness ratios for mechanical characterization of isotropic acoustic foams
Authors: Sahraoui Sohbi , Brouard Bruno , Benyahia Lazhar , Parmentier Damien , Geslain Alan
Published: December 2013

This paper presents a method for the mechanical characterization of isotropic foams at low frequency. The objective of this study is to determine the Young's modulus, the Poisson's ratio, and the loss factor of commercially available foam plates. The method is applied on porous samples having square and circular sections. The main idea of this work is to perform quasi-static compression tests of a single foam sample followed by two juxtaposed samples having the same dimensions. The load and displacement measurements lead to a direct extraction of the elastic constants by means of normalized stiffness and normalized stiffness ratio which depend on Poisson's ratio and shape factor. The normalized stiffness is calculated by the finite element method for different Poisson ratios. The no-slip boundary conditions imposed by the loading rigid plates create interfaces with a complex strain distribution. Beforehand, compression tests were performed by means of a standard tensile machine in order to determine the appropriate pre-compression rate for quasi-static tests.
Generalized equation for transient-wave propagation in continuous inhomogeneous rigid-frame porous materials at low frequencies
Authors: Fellah M. , Fellah Z. E. A. , Ogam E. , Mitri F. G. , Depollier C.
Published: December 2013

This paper provides a temporal model for the propagation of transient acoustic waves in continuous inhomogeneous isotropic porous material having a rigid frame at low frequency range. A temporal equivalent fluid model, in which the acoustic wave propagates only in the fluid saturating the material, is considered. In this model, the inertial effects are described by the inhomogeneous inertial factor [A. N. Norris, J. Wave Mat. Interact. 1, 365–380 (1986)]. The viscous and thermal losses of the medium are described by two inhomogeneous susceptibility kernels which depend on the viscous and thermal permeabilities. The medium is one-dimensional and its physical parameters (porosity, inertial factor, viscous, and thermal permeabilities) are depth dependent. A generalized wave propagation equation in continuous inhomogeneous material is established and discussed.
Identification of the full anisotropic flow resistivity tensor for multiple glass wool and melamine foam samples
Authors: Van der Kelen Christophe , Göransson Peter
Published: December 2013

The flow resistivity tensor, which is the inverse of the viscous permeability tensor, is one of the most important material properties for the acoustic performance of porous materials used in acoustic treatments. Due to the manufacturing processes involved, these porous materials are most often geometrically anisotropic on a microscopic scale, and for demanding applications, there is a need for improved characterization methods. This paper discusses recent refinements of a method for the identification of the anisotropic flow resistivity tensor. The inverse estimation is verified for three fictitious materials with different degrees of anisotropy. Measurements are performed on nine glass wool samples and seven melamine foam samples, and the anisotropic flow resistivity tensors obtained are validated by comparison to measurements performed on uni-directional cylindrical samples, extracted from the same, previously measured cubic samples. The variability of flow resistivity in the batch of material from which the glass wool is extracted is discussed. The results for the melamine foam suggest that there is a relation between the direction of highest flow resistivity, and the rise direction of the material.
Plumbing the depths of Ligeia: Considerations for depth sounding in Titan's hydrocarbon seas
Authors: Arvelo Juan , Lorenz Ralph
Published: December 2013

Saturn's moon Titan is the only satellite in this solar system with a dense atmosphere and hydrocarbon seas. The Titan Mare Explorer (TiME) mission would splashdown a capsule to float for 3 months on Ligeia Mare, a several-hundred-kilometer wide sea near Titan's north pole. Among TiME's scientific goals is the determination of the depth of Ligeia, to be achieved with an acoustic depth sounder. Since Titan's surface temperature is known to vary around 92 K, all instruments must be ruggedized to operate at cryogenic temperatures. This paper's contributions include an approach to infer key acoustic properties of this remote environment and the extraterrestrial environment's influence on the development of a cryogenic depth sounder. Additionally, an approach is formulated to infer the transducer's response, sensitivity, and performance when in situ calibration is impossible or when replicating key environmental conditions is too costly.
Seismic wave attenuation and dispersion due to wave-induced fluid flow in rocks with strong permeability fluctuations
Authors: Germán Rubino J. , Monachesi Leonardo B. , Müller Tobias M. , Guarracino Luis , Holliger Klaus
Published: December 2013

Oscillatory fluid movements in heterogeneous porous rocks induced by seismic waves cause dissipation of wave field energy. The resulting seismic signature depends not only on the rock compressibility distribution, but also on a statistically averaged permeability. This so-called equivalent seismic permeability does not, however, coincide with the respective equivalent flow permeability. While this issue has been analyzed for one-dimensional (1D) media, the corresponding two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cases remain unexplored. In this work, this topic is analyzed for 2D random medium realizations having strong permeability fluctuations. With this objective, oscillatory compressibility simulations based on the quasi-static poroelasticity equations are performed. Numerical analysis shows that strong permeability fluctuations diminish the magnitude of attenuation and velocity dispersion due to fluid flow, while the frequency range where these effects are significant gets broader. By comparing the acoustic responses obtained using different permeability averages, it is also shown that at very low frequencies the equivalent seismic permeability is similar to the equivalent flow permeability, while for very high frequencies this parameter approaches the arithmetic average of the permeability field. These seemingly generic findings have potentially important implications with regard to the estimation of equivalent flow permeability from seismic data.
An experimental study on the ultrasonic wave propagation in cancellous bone: Waveform changes during propagation
Authors: Fujita Fuminori , Mizuno Katsunori , Matsukawa Mami
Published: December 2013

Wave propagation in a trabecular bone was experimentally investigated using an acoustic tube. For the purposes of this study, a cubic sample was gradually filed so the waveform change due to the sample thickness could be observed. The initial sample showed clear two-wave separation. As the sample became thinner, the fast and slow waves gradually overlapped. The apparent frequencies and amplitudes of the fast waves obtained from the time domain data decreased significantly for the smaller thicknesses. This indicates an increase in the apparent attenuation at the initial stage of the propagation. Next the authors investigated the distribution of the ultrasonic field after the transmission through the cancellous bone sample. In addition to a large aperture receiver, a needle-type ultrasonic transducer was used to observe the ultrasonic field. Within an area of the same size of the large transducer, the waveforms retrieved with the needle sensor exhibited high spatial variations; however, the averaged waveform in the plane was similar to the waveform obtained with the large aperture receiver. This indicates that the phase cancellation effect on the surface of the large aperture receiver can be one of the reasons for the strong apparent attenuation observed at the initial stages of the propagation.
Characterizing a porous road pavement using surface impedance measurement: A guided numerical inversion procedure
Authors: Benoit Gaëlle , Heinkélé Christophe , Gourdon Emmanuel
Published: December 2013

This paper deals with a numerical procedure to identify the acoustical parameters of road pavement from surface impedance measurements. This procedure comprises three steps. First, a suitable equivalent fluid model for the acoustical properties porous media is chosen, the variation ranges for the model parameters are set, and a sensitivity analysis for this model is performed. Second, this model is used in the parameter inversion process, which is performed with simulated annealing in a selected frequency range. Third, the sensitivity analysis and inversion process are repeated to estimate each parameter in turn. This approach is tested on data obtained for porous bituminous concrete and using the Zwikker and Kosten equivalent fluid model. This work provides a good foundation for the development of non-destructive in situ methods for the acoustical characterization of road pavements.
Fusion of spatially separated vowel formant cues
Authors: Takanen Marko , Raitio Tuomo , Santala Olli , Alku Paavo , Pulkki Ville
Published: December 2013

Previous studies on fusion in speech perception have demonstrated the ability of the human auditory system to group separate components of speech-like sounds together and consequently to enable the identification of speech despite the spatial separation between the components. Typically, the spatial separation has been implemented using headphone reproduction where the different components evoke auditory images at different lateral positions. In the present study, a multichannel loudspeaker system was used to investigate whether the correct vowel is identified and whether two auditory events are perceived when a noise-excited vowel is divided into two components that are spatially separated. The two components consisted of the even and odd formants. Both the amount of spatial separation between the components and the directions of the components were varied. Neither the spatial separation nor the directions of the components affected the vowel identification. Interestingly, an additional auditory event not associated with any vowel was perceived at the same time when the components were presented symmetrically in front of the listener. In such scenarios, the vowel was perceived from the direction of the odd formant components.
Sound diffusers based on sonic crystals
Authors: Redondo J. , Picó R. , Sánchez-Morcillo V. J. , Woszczyk W.
Published: December 2013

A sound diffuser is proposed based on sonic crystals, structures formed by a periodic distribution of cylindrical scatterers in a host medium, which is usually air. The diffuser is a so-called biperiodic structure, as formed by two arrays of sonic crystals with slightly different periodicities. Large diffusivity at low frequencies is achieved when the typical scale of the blocks is much larger than the periodicity of the crystals, determined by its lattice constant. An interpretation of the low frequency behavior of the diffuser is given in the homogenization limit in terms of multiple reflections and interference between the fields scattered by the different blocks. It is also shown that sonic crystal based diffusers enhance time spreading in comparison with other conventional diffusers.
TheDrosophila melanogasterseptin geneSep2has a redundant function with the retrogeneSep5in imaginal cell proliferation but is essential for oogenesis
Authors: O’Neill Ryan S. , Clark Denise V.
Published: December 2013

Septins are cytoskeletal proteins that form hetero-oligomeric complexes and function in many biological processes, including cytokinesis. Drosophila melanogaster has five septin genes. Sep5, which is the most recently evolved septin gene in Drosophila, is a retrogene copy of Sep2. Sep5 mutants appear wild type, whereas Sep2 mutant females are semisterile. Their ovaries have egg chambers containing abnormal numbers of nurse cells. The egg chamber phenotype is rescued to wild type by expressing a Sep2 cDNA, but it is only partially rescued by expressing a Sep5 cDNA, showing that these paralogs have diverged in function at the protein level. Sep2 Sep5 double mutants have an early pupal lethal phenotype and lack imaginal discs, suggesting that these genes have redundant functions during imaginal cell proliferation.
QUANTIFYING THE EFFECTS OF ASPECTUAL DECOMPOSITIONS ON DESIGN BY CONTRACT MODULARIZATION: A MAINTENANCE STUDY
Authors: REBÊLO HENRIQUE , LIMA RICARDO , KULESZA UIRÁ , RIBEIRO MÁRCIO , CAI YUANFANG , COELHO ROBERTA , SANT'ANNA CLÁUDIO , MOTA ALEXANDRE
Published: December 2013

Although it is assumed that the implementation of design by contract is better modularized by means of aspect-oriented (AO) programming, there is no empirical evidence on the effectiveness of AO for modularizing non-trivial design by contract code in realistic development scenarios. This paper reports a quantitative and qualitative case study that evolves a real-life application to assess various facets of the adequacy of aspects for modularizing the design by contract concern. Our evaluation focused upon a number of system changes that are typically performed during software maintenance tasks. The study was driven by an analysis of fundamental modularity attributes, such as separation of concerns, coupling, conciseness, and change propagation. We have found that AO techniques improved separation of concerns and the design stability between the design by contract code and base application code throughout the development scenarios. However, contradicting the general intuition, the AO versions of the system did not present significant gains regarding four classical size metrics we employed.
Positive Association betweenGCKRrs780093 Polymorphism and Coronary Heart Disease in the Aged Han Chinese
Authors: Lian Jiangfang , Guo Jian , Chen Zhikui , Jiang Qingjun , Ye Huadan , Huang Xiaoyan , Yang Xi , Ba Yanna , Zhou Jianqing , Duan Shiwei
Published: December 2013

Objective. Previous studies have confirmed thatGCKRrs780093 polymorphism is associated with triglyceride (TG), a known risk factor of coronary heart disease (CHD). The goal of our study is to explore the association ofGCKRrs780093 polymorphism with CHD in Han Chinese population.Methods and Results. A total of 568 CHD cases and 494 non-CHD controls were enrolled in the current case-control study. Genotyping was done using melting temperature shift (Tm-shift) approach. Our results also showed thatGCKRrs780093 polymorphism was significantly associated with TG level (P=0.0016). Although there was no significant association between cases and controls (P>0.05), a breakdown analysis by age yielded a significant association ofGCKRrs780093 polymorphism with CHD in individuals aged 65 and older (genotype:χ2=6.86; df = 2;P=0.03; allele:χ2=4.11; df = 1;P=0.04).Conclusion. Our findings confirmed the contribution ofGCKRrs780093 polymorphism to TG metabolism and demonstratedGCKRrs780093 as a risk factor of CHD in individuals aged 65 and older.
Stability of Impulsive Differential Systems
Authors: Reinfelds Andrejs , Sermone Lelde
Published: December 2013

The asymptotic phase property and reduction principle for stability of a trivial solution is generalized to the case of the noninvertible impulsive differential equations in Banach spaces whose linear parts split into two parts and satisfy the condition of separation.
Seven‐Spot Ladybird Optimization: A Novel and Efficient Metaheuristic Algorithm for Numerical Optimization
Authors: Wang Peng , Zhu Zhouquan , Huang Shuai
Published: December 2013

This paper presents a novel biologically inspired metaheuristic algorithm called seven‐spot ladybird optimization (SLO). The SLO is inspired by recent discoveries on the foraging behavior of a seven‐spot ladybird. In this paper, the performance of the SLO is compared with that of the genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, and artificial bee colony algorithms by using five numerical benchmark functions with multimodality. The results show that SLO has the ability to find the best solution with a comparatively small population size and is suitable for solving optimization problems with lower dimensions.
Variation inHNF1Band Obesity May Influence Prostate Cancer Risk in African American Men: A Pilot Study
Authors: Chornokur Ganna , Amankwah Ernest K. , Davis Stacy N. , Phelan Catherine M. , Park Jong Y. , Pow-Sang Julio , Kumar Nagi B.
Published: December 2013

Background. Prostate cancer (PCa) racial disparity is multifactorial, involving biological, sociocultural, and lifestyle determinants. We investigated the association between selected potentially functional polymorphisms (SNPs) and prostate cancer (PCa) risk in Black (AAM) and White (EAM) men. We further explored if these associations varied by the body mass index (BMI) and height.Methods. Age-matched DNA samples from 259 AAM and 269 EAM were genotyped for 10 candidate SNPs in 7 genes using the TaqMan allelic differentiation analysis. The dominant, recessive, and additive age-adjusted unconditional logistic regression models were fitted.Results. Three SNPs showed statistically significant associations with PCa risk: in AAM,HNF1Brs7501939 (OR=2.42,P=0.0046) and rs4430796 (OR=0.57,P=0.0383); in EAM,CTBP2rs4962416 (OR=1.52,P=0.0384). In addition, high BMI in AAM (OR=1.06,P=0.022) and height in EAM (OR=0.92,P=0.0434) showed significant associations. Interestingly,HNF1Brs7501939 was associated with PCa exclusively in obese AAM (OR=2.14,P=0.0103).Conclusion. Our results suggest that variation in theHNF1Bmay influence PCa risk in obese AAM.
A Framework to Examine the Role of Epigenetics in Health Disparities among Native Americans
Authors: Brockie Teresa N. , Heinzelmann Morgan , Gill Jessica
Published: December 2013

Background. Native Americans disproportionately experience adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as well as health disparities, including high rates of posttraumatic stress, depression, and substance abuse. Many ACEs have been linked to methylation changes in genes that regulate the stress response, suggesting that these molecular changes may underlie the risk for psychiatric disorders related to ACEs.Methods. We reviewed published studies to provide evidence that ACE-related methylation changes contribute to health disparities in Native Americans. This framework may be adapted to understand how ACEs may result in health disparities in other racial/ethnic groups.Findings. Here we provide evidence that links ACEs to methylation differences in genes that regulate the stress response. Psychiatric disorders are also associated with methylation differences in endocrine, immune, and neurotransmitter genes that serve to regulate the stress response and are linked to psychiatric symptoms and medical morbidity. We provide evidence linking ACEs to these epigenetic modifications, suggesting that ACEs contribute to the vulnerability for developing psychiatric disorders in Native Americans.Conclusion. Additional studies are needed to better understand how ACEs contribute to health and well-being. These studies may inform future interventions to address these serious risks and promote the health and well-being of Native Americans.
Influence of Sorbent Characteristics on Fouling and Deposition in Circulating Fluid Bed Boilers Firing High Sulfur Indian Lignite
Authors: Palaniswamy Selvakumaran , Rajavel M. , Vinodhan A. Leela , Kumar B. Ravi , Lawrence A. , Bakthavatsalam A. K.
Published: December 2013

125 MWe circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) boiler experienced severe fouling in backpass of the boiler leading to obstruction of gas flow passage, while using high sulfur lignite with sorbent, calcium carbonate, to capture sulfur dioxide. Optical microscopy of the hard deposits showed mainly anhydrite (CaSO4) and absence of intermediate phases such as calcium oxide or presence of sulfate rims on decarbonated limestone. It is hypothesized that loose unreacted calcium oxides that settle on tubes are subjected to recarbonation and further extended sulfation resulting in hard deposits. Foul probe tests were conducted in selected locations of backpass for five different compositions of lignite, with varied high sulfur and ash contents supplied from the mines along with necessary rates of sorbent limestone to control SO2, and the deposits build-up rate was determined. The deposit build-up was found increasing, with increase in ash content of lignite, sorbent addition, and percentage of fines in limestone. Remedial measures and field modifications to dislodge deposits on heat transfer surfaces, to handle the deposits in ash conveying system, and to control sorbent fines from the milling circuit are explained.
Viral and Cellular Biomarkers in the Diagnosis of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Cancer
Authors: Tornesello Maria Lina , Buonaguro Luigi , Giorgi-Rossi Paolo , Buonaguro Franco M.
Published: December 2013

Cervical cancer arises from cells localized in the ectoendocervical squamocolumnar junction of the cervix persistently infected with one of about 13 human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes. The majority of HPV infections induces low grade squamous epithelial lesions that in more than 90% of cases spontaneously regress and in about 10% eventually progress to high grade lesions and even less frequently evolve to invasive cancer. Tumor progression is characterized by (1) increased expression of E6 and E7 genes of high risk HPVs, known to bind to and inactivate p53 and pRb oncosuppressors, respectively; (2) integration of viral DNA into host genome, with disruption of E2 viral genes and host chromosomal loci; and (3) molecular alterations of key regulators of cell cycle. Molecular markers with high sensitivity and specificity in differentiating viral infections associated with cellular abnormalities with high risk of progression are strongly needed for cervical cancer screening and triage. This review will focus on the analysis of clinical validated or candidate biomarkers, such as HPV DNA, HPV E6/E7 mRNA, HPV proteins, p16(INK4a) and Ki67, TOP2A and MCM2 cellular factors, and DNA methylation profiles, which will likely improve the identification of premalignant lesions that have a high risk to evolve into invasive cervical cancer.
Grasping the World: Object-Affordance Effect in Schizophrenia
Authors: Sevos Jessica , Grosselin Anne , Pellet Jacques , Massoubre Catherine , Brouillet Denis
Published: December 2013

For schizophrenic patients, the world can appear as deprived of practical meaning, which normally emerges from sensory-motor experiences. However, no research has yet studied the integration between perception and action in this population. In this study, we hypothesize that patients, after having controlled the integrity of their visuospatial integration, would nevertheless present deficit in sensory-motor simulation. In this view, we compare patients to control subjects using two stimulus-response compatibility (SRC) tasks. Experiment 1 is performed to ensure that visuo-spatial integration is not impaired (Simon Effect). Experiment 2 replicates a study from Tucker and Ellis (1998) to explore the existence of sensory-motor compatibility between stimulus and response (Object Affordance). In control subjects, the SRC effect appears in both experiments. In schizophrenic patients, it appears only when stimuli and responses share the same spatial localization. This loss of automatic sensory-motor simulation could emerge from a lack of relation between the object and the subject’s environment.
Epidemiological Clinical Features and Evolution of Gastroduodenal Ulcer Bleeding in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Spain, during the Last Seven Years
Authors: Lauret Eugenia , Herrero Jesús , Blanco Lorena , Castaño Olegario , Rodriguez Maria , Pérez Isabel , Alvarez Verónica , Suárez Adolfo , Rodrigo Luis
Published: December 2013

Background. Gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding is a common medical emergency. The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics of bleeding episodes and to identify changes in the clinical trends over seven years.Methods. Retrospective observational clinical study on a cohort of 272 consecutive adult patients with peptic ulcer bleeding, during the 2006–2012 period.Results. Mean annual admission rate was 12.8 per 100.000 inhabitants. Men were predominant (71%), with a mean age of 66.6 years. Comorbidities were present in 131 cases (48.2%) and 156 patients (57.4%) had received ulcerogenic drugs. Duodenal ulcer was the commonest location (61%). Endoscopic therapy was necessary in 183 cases (67.3%) and rebleeding occurred in 30 patients (11%). Overall mortality rate was 5.5%, with a significant association with the presence of comorbidities (P<0.01). There were no differences in trends of annual hospitalization, clinical features at presentation, and outcomes during this 7-years period.Conclusions. Annual hospitalization rates and prognosis of peptic ulcer bleeding have remained unchanged in the study period. This may be due to the fact that the effect of improved approach on this condition is probably counteracted by risk factors such as older age, severe comorbidities, and ulcerogenic drugs consumption, which have also remained stable over recent years.
A Network Investigation on Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism in China
Authors: Zhao Weiwei , Ye Hongying , Zhao Xiaolong , Zhang Zhaoyun , Sun Shouyue , Jiang Yiran , He Min , Xu Cheng , Hu Renming , Li Yiming
Published: December 2013

Idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) is a rare condition in which puberty does not take place naturally. We aimed to develop and follow an internet-based cohort and to improve our understanding of the disease. We established an internet-based questionnaire survey. A total of 74 male IHH patients were recruited from the Chinese largest IHH network social group. The clinical symptoms before treatment mainly included small testis, underdeveloped secondary sexual characteristics, and sexual dysfunction. After treatment, the penis length, testicular volume, external genital organ development, pubic hair, beard, laryngeal prominence, erection, and spermatorrhea were improved significantly (P<0.001). 18.9% of the patients completed fertility; however, more than half of the patients still complained of poor happiness and low physical strength. In addition, improvements in penis and pubic hair development, testosterone normalization and the physical strength in IHH patients who received gonadotropin and androgen replacement therapy were better than in those who received single gonadotropin therapy (P<0.05for all). In conclusion, disease-specific network investigation can be used as an alternative method of medical research for rare diseases. The results of our cross-sectional study showed the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy for IHH and implied that gonadotropin and androgen replacement therapy may be superior to gonadotropin treatment alone.
A Modified Dynamic Evolving Neural‐Fuzzy Approach to Modeling Customer Satisfaction for Affective Design
Authors: Kwong C. K. , Fung K. Y. , Jiang Huimin , Chan K. Y. , Siu Kin Wai Michael
Published: December 2013

Affective design is an important aspect of product development to achieve a competitive edge in the marketplace. A neural‐fuzzy network approach has been attempted recently to model customer satisfaction for affective design and it has been proved to be an effective one to deal with the fuzziness and non‐linearity of the modeling as well as generate explicit customer satisfaction models. However, such an approach to modeling customer satisfaction has two limitations. First, it is not suitable for the modeling problems which involve a large number of inputs. Second, it cannot adapt to new data sets, given that its structure is fixed once it has been developed. In this paper, a modified dynamic evolving neural‐fuzzy approach is proposed to address the above mentioned limitations. A case study on the affective design of mobile phones was conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology. Validation tests were conducted and the test results indicated that: (1) the conventional Adaptive Neuro‐Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) failed to run due to a large number of inputs; (2) the proposed dynamic neural‐fuzzy model outperforms the subtractive clustering‐based ANFIS model and fuzzy c‐means clustering‐based ANFIS model in terms of their modeling accuracy and computational effort.
Constructing a Knowledge-Based Database for Dermatological Integrative Medical Information
Authors: Shin Jeeyoung , Jo Yunju , Bae Hyunsu , Hong Moochang , Shin Minkyu , Kim Yangseok
Published: December 2013

Recently, overuse of steroids and immunosuppressive drugs has produced incurable dermatological health problems. Traditional medical approaches have been studied for alternative solutions. However, accessing relevant information is difficult given the differences in information for western medicine (WM) and traditional medicine (TM). Therefore, an integrated medical information infrastructure must be utilized to bridge western and traditional treatments. In this study, WM and TM information was collected based on literature searches and information from internet databases on dermatological issues. Additionally, definitions for unified terminology and disease categorization based on individual cases were generated. Also a searchable database system was established that may be a possible model system for integrating both WM and TM medical information on dermatological conditions. Such a system will yield benefits for researchers and facilitate the best possible medical solutions for patients. The DIMI is freely available online.
Optimization of Cultural Conditions for Production of Extracellular Polymeric Substances (EPS) by Serpentine RhizobacteriumCupriavidus pauculusKPS 201
Authors: Pal Arundhati , Paul A. K.
Published: December 2013

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are complex biopolymers produced by a wide array of microorganisms for protection against dessication, aggregation, adhesion, and expression of virulence. Growth associated production of EPS by Ni-resistantCupriavidus pauculusKPS 201 was determined in batch culture using sodium gluconate as the sole carbon source. The optimum pH and temperature for EPS production were 6.5 and 25°C, respectively. Optimal EPS yield (118 μg/mL) was attained at 0.35% Na-gluconate after 72 h of growth.CupriavidusKPS 201 cells also utilized glutamate, acetate, pyruvate, fumarate, malate, malonate, formate, citrate, and succinate for EPS production. Although EPS production was positively influenced by the increase of nitrogen and phosphate in the growth medium, it was negatively influenced by nickel ions. Compositional analysis of the purified EPS showed that it is a homopolymer of rhamnose containing uronic acid, protein, and nucleic acid. Presence of lipids was also detected with spectroscopy. Non-destructive EPS mediated biofilm formation of KPS 201 was also visualized by epifluorescence microscopy.
Involvement of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor Genes in Benign Prostate Hyperplasia in a Korean Population
Authors: Park Hae Jeong , Kim Su Kang , Kim Jong Woo , Lee Sang Hyub , Yoo Koo Han , Chung Joo-Ho
Published: December 2013

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) have been implicated in prostate growth and are overexpressed in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In this study, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of theFGFRgenes (FGFR1andFGFR2) were associated with BPH and its clinical phenotypes in a population of Korean men. We genotyped four SNPs in the exons ofFGFR1andFGFR2(rs13317 inFGFR1; rs755793, rs1047100, and rs3135831 inFGFR2) using direct sequencing in 218 BPH patients and 213 control subjects. No SNPs ofFGFR1orFGFR2genes were associated with BPH. However, analysis according to clinical phenotypes showed that rs1047100 ofFGFR2was associated with prostate volume in BPH in the dominant model (GA/AA versus GG,P= 0.010). In addition, a significant association was observed between rs13317 ofFGFR1and international prostate symptom score (IPSS) in the additive (TC versus CC versus TT,P= 0.0022) and dominant models (TC/CC versus TT,P= 0.005). Allele frequency analysis also showed significant association between rs13317 and IPSS (P= 0.005). These results suggested thatFGFRgenes could be related to progression of BPH.
Approximate Analytical Solution for the Forced Korteweg-de Vries Equation
Authors: David Vincent Daniel , Nazari Mojtaba , Barati Vahid , Salah Faisal , Abdul Aziz Zainal
Published: December 2013

The forced Korteweg-de Vries (fKdV) equations are solved using Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM). HAM is an approximate analytical technique which provides a novel way to obtain series solutions of such nonlinear problems. It has the auxiliary parameterℏ, where it is easy to adjust and control the convergence region of the series solution. Some examples of forcing terms are employed to analyse the behaviours of the HAM solutions for the different fKdV equations. Finally, this form of HAM solution is compared with the analytical soliton-type solution of fKdV equation as derived by Zhao and Guo. The results is found to be in good agreement with Zhao and Guo.
Some Results for the Drazin Inverses of the Sum of Two Matrices and Some Block Matrices
Authors: Shakoor Abdul , Yang Hu , Ali Ilyas
Published: December 2013

We give a formula of(P+Q)Dunder the conditionsP2Q+QPQ=0,P3Q=0, andPQPQ=0. Then, we apply it to give some expressions for the Drazin inverse of block matrixM=(ABCD)(AandDare square matrices) under some conditions, generalizing some recent results in the literature. Finally, numerical examples are given to illustrate our results.
Hotspots Detection in Spatial Analysis via the Extended Gustafson-Kessel Algorithm
Authors: Di Martino Ferdinando , Sessa Salvatore
Published: December 2013

We show a new approach for detecting hotspots in spatial analysis based on the extended Gustafson-Kessel clustering method encapsulated in a Geographic Information System (GIS) tool. This algorithm gives (in the bidimensional case) ellipses as cluster prototypes to be considered as hotspots on the geographic map and we study their spatiotemporal evolution. The data consist of georeferenced patterns corresponding to positions of Taliban’s attacks against civilians and soldiers in Afghanistan that happened during the period 2004–2010. We analyze the formation through time of new hotspots, the movement of the related centroids, the variation of the surface covered, the inclination angle, and the eccentricity of each hotspot.
Positive Solutions for a System of Fourth-Order p-Laplacian Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Sun Lianlong , Yang Zhilin
Published: December 2013

We investigate the existence of positive solutions for the system of fourth-order p-Laplacian boundary value problems (|u′′|p-1u′′)′′=f1(t,u,v),  (|v′′|q-1v′′)′′=f2(t,u,v),  u(2i)(0)=u(2i)(1)=0,  i=0,1,  v(2i)(0)=v(2i)(1)=0,  i=0,1, where p,q>0 and f1,f2∈C([0,1]×ℝ+2,ℝ+)  (ℝ+:=[0,∞)). Based on a priori estimates achieved by utilizing Jensen’s integral inequalities and nonnegative matrices, we use fixed point index theory to establish our main results.
Analytical Solution for Stress and Displacement after X-Section Cast-in-Place Pile Installation
Authors: Zhou Hang , Liu Han Long , Kong Gangqiang , Cao Zhaohu
Published: December 2013

X-section cast-in-place (referred to as XCC) pile, which is one of new pile types developed by Hohai University, is widely used for pile foundation and pile-supported embankment over soft ground in China. However, little research has been carried out on this new type pile, especially the surrounding soil disturbance under XCC pile installation. This paper presents an analytical solution for estimating the horizontal stress and displacement of surrounding soil of XCC pile after XCC pile installation. The reliability and accuracy of the present solution are verified by comparing them with the field test results. Then, parametric studies, such as outsourcing diameter(a), open arc distance(b), open arc angle(θ), the undrained strength(Su), the limit pile cavity pressure(Plim), and the radius of the plastic zone(Rp), are discussed for the practice engineering design. The results show that the stress and displacement distributions of surrounding soil calculated by this paper are in agreement with field test results.
On the Role of Diffusion Behaviors in Stability Criterion forp-Laplace Dynamical Equations with Infinite Delay and Partial Fuzzy Parameters under Dirichlet Boundary Value
Authors: Rao Ruofeng , Pu Zhilin , Zhong Shouming , Huang Jialin
Published: December 2013

By the way of Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional approach and some variational methods in the Sobolev spaceW01,p(Ω), a global asymptotical stability criterion forp-Laplace partial differential equations with partial fuzzy parameters is derived under Dirichlet boundary condition, which gives a positive answer to an open problem proposed in some related literatures. Different from many previous related literatures, the nonlinearp-Laplace diffusion item plays its role in the new criterion though the nonlinearp-Laplace presents great difficulties. Moreover, numerical examples illustrate that our new stability criterion can judge what the previous criteria cannot do.
Distribution of Bone Mineral Content Is Associated with Body Weight and Exercise Capacity in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Yamamoto Yoshifumi , Yoshikawa Masanori , Tomoda Koichi , Fujita Yukio , Yamauchi Motoo , Fukuoka Atsuhiko , Tamaki Shinji , Koyama Noriko , Kimura Hiroshi
Published: December 2013

Background: Although low bone mineral density is highly prevalent in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the distribution of the reduced bone mass has not been fully elucidated. Objectives: To determine regional bone mass loss in patients with COPD and investigate whether the change in distribution may be associated with body weight loss and functional capacity. Methods: Body mass index (BMI) was assessed, and height squared indices were derived for the bone mineral content index (BMCI) of the arms, legs and trunk by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in 45 male patients with COPD and 12 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Pulmonary function tests were performed, and maximal oxygen uptake (V·O2max) was measured. Results: The BMCI was lower in the total bone, legs and trunk of patients with COPD than in control subjects, although the BMCI in the arms was similar between the groups. BMI correlated significantly with the BMCI in all 3 segments. Bone mineral content (BMC) in the trunk, expressed as a percentage of total BMC (BMC trunk/total BMC), correlated significantly with BMI. The BMCI in the trunk was closely related with V·O2max but not with airflow limitation. Conclusions: There was a regional difference in BMC reduction, but a predominant reduction of bone mass in the trunk was not associated with the severity of airflow limitation but rather with body weight loss and exercise intolerance. These data suggest that body weight loss and exercise intolerance are important risk factors for vertebral fracture in patients with COPD.
Comparison of Normal- and High-Tension Glaucoma: Nerve Fiber Layer and Optic Nerve Head Damage
Authors: Häntzschel Janek , Terai Naim , Furashova Olga , Pillunat Karin , Pillunat Lutz E.
Published: December 2013

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate differences in the nerve fiber layer and glaucoma-induced structural optic nerve head (ONH) damage in patients with normal- (NTG) and high-tension (HTG) glaucoma. Methods: In this retrospective pair-matched comparative study, 22 NTG and 22 HTG eyes were matched according to the same glaucomatous damage based on rim volume, rim area and disk size, as measured by Heidelberg retinal tomography (HRT III). Visual fields (VF) were assessed by Humphrey perimetry, and nerve fiber layer thickness was determined both by scanning laser polarimetry (GDxVCC) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Comparisons of all measured parameters were made between NTG and HTG groups. Results: Based on HRT results, both NTG and HTG eyes displayed comparable structural damage to the ONH (NTG/HTG, mean: disk area, 2.30/2.31 mm2, p = 0.942; rim area, 1.02/0.86 mm2, p = 0.082; rim volume, 0.19/0.17 mm3, p = 0.398). NTG eyes had significantly less VF damage than HTG eyes (NTG/HTG, mean deviation: -4.23/-12.12 dB, p = 0.002; pattern standard deviation: 5.39/8.23 dB, p = 0.022). The inferior nerve fiber layer of NTG patients was significantly thicker than that of HTG patients (NTG/HTG, mean: GDx inferior: 53.5/46.3 µm, p = 0.046). SD-OCT revealed a significantly thicker nerve fiber in NTG compared with HTG patients in all quadrants (NTG/HTG, total mean: 72.72/58.45 µm, p = 0.002). Conclusion: At comparable glaucomatous stages, nerve fiber loss was more advanced in HTG patients compared with NTG patients.