bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factors influencing unspecified chest pain admission rates in England
Authors: Bidmead Tom , Goodacre Steve , Maheswaran Ravi , O'Cathain Alicia
Published: June 2014

Background

Unspecified chest pain is an important and potentially avoidable cause of emergency hospital admission. We aimed to examine inter-hospital variation in admission rates with unspecified chest pain and identify population characteristics, services and technologies that might explain this variation.

Methods

We used Hospital Episodes Statistics data from 152 acute trusts in England to calculate a direct standardised annual admission rate per 100 000 population for each trust. Regression analysis was used to identify factors explaining variation, first, using routinely available data relating to the hospital catchment area and service and then using responses to a survey of emergency department (ED) management.

Results

The best predictors of admission rate using routine data were total beds per 1000 population (p=0.001), rapid access chest pain clinic (RACPC) attendances per year (p<0.001) and percentage of households in poverty (p=0.01). Including data from 105/142 (74%) survey responses, the best predictors of admission rate were total beds (p<0.001), RACPC attendances (p=0.001), mean ED waiting time (p=0.049) and percentage of households in poverty (p<0.001). All associations were positive (higher variable predicts higher rate) except ED waiting time. We found no significant associations between factors relating to acute chest pain management and admission rate.

Conclusions

Hospitals with higher admission rates for unspecified chest pain have greater bed provision, more RACPC attendances and serve populations with a higher percentage of households in poverty. These findings may be explained by services responding to demand in populations with greater need. We found no evidence that chest pain management influenced admission rates.
ATV riding and helmet use among youth aged 12–17 years, USA, 2011: results from the YouthStyles survey
Authors: Shults Ruth A , West Bethany A
Published: June 2014

Background

National estimates of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding patterns among youth in the USA are lacking.

Methods

We analysed the 2011 YouthStyles survey to estimate the proportion of 12–17 year olds in the USA who had ridden an ATV at least once during the past 12 months and summarise their patterns of helmet use.

Results

Of the 831 youth respondents, an estimated 25% reported riding an ATV at least once during the past year. The proportion of youth living outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area who reported riding an ATV was twice that of those living inside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area. Males and females reported similar proportions of riding at least once during the past year, but among riders, the proportion of males who rode ≥6 times was triple that of females. Only 45% of riders reported always wearing a helmet, and 25% reported never wearing a helmet. The most frequent riders had the lowest consistent helmet use, with 8 of 10 youth who rode ≥6 times during the past year not always wearing a helmet.

Conclusions

ATV riding appears to remain popular among youth in the USA, particularly in rural areas, and consistent helmet use while riding is low. A more thorough understanding of gender differences in ATV riding patterns among youth and perceived risks and benefits of both safe and unsafe riding practices might help inform future ATV injury prevention efforts.
Conventional and novel peripheral blood iron markers compared against bone marrow in Malawian children
Authors: Jonker Femkje A M , Boele van Hensbroek Michael , Leenstra Tjalling , Vet Raymond J W M , Brabin Bernard J , Maseko Nelson , Gushu Montfort B , Emana Mercy , Kraaijenhagen Rob , Tjalsma Harold , Swinkels Dorine W , Calis Job C J
Published: June 2014

Aim

Iron deficiency is an important child health problem. Its diagnosis in areas of high infection exposure remains complicated as inflammation may interfere with the accuracy of peripheral iron markers. With this study, we aimed to validate the conventional iron markers and two novel iron markers, hepcidin and Red blood cell Size Factor (RSf), against the reference standard of iron status, bone marrow iron, in children living in an infectious setting.

Methods

We compared ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, Soluble Transferrin Log-Ferritin Index (sTfR-F), mean cellular volume, mean cellular haemoglobin concentration, hepcidin and RSf, against bone marrow iron in 87 healthy Malawian children (6–66 months) scheduled for elective surgery.

Results

Of all children, 44.8% had depleted bone marrow iron stores. Using optimised cut-offs, ferritin (<18 µg/L) and sTfR-F (>1.85) best predicted depleted iron stores with a sensitivity/specificity of 73.7%/77.1% and 72.5%/75.0%, respectively. Hepcidin (<1.4 nmol/L) was a moderate sensitive marker (73.0%) although specificity was 54.2%; RSf poorly predicted depleted iron stores.

Conclusions

We provide the first bone marrow-validated data on peripheral iron markers in African children, and showed ferritin and sTfR-F best predicted iron status. Using appropriately defined cut-offs, these indicators can be applied in surveillance and research. As their accuracy is limited for clinical purposes, more reliable iron biomarkers are still required in African children.
Combined sputum hypermethylation and eNose analysis for lung cancer diagnosis
Authors: Hubers A Jasmijn , Brinkman Paul , Boksem Remco J , Rhodius Robert J , Witte Birgit I , Zwinderman Aeilko H , Heideman Daniëlle A M , Duin Sylvia , Koning Remco , Steenbergen Renske D M , Snijders Peter J F , Smit Egbert F , Sterk Peter J , Thunnissen Erik
Published: June 2014

Aims

The aim of this study is to explore DNA hypermethylation analysis in sputum and exhaled breath analysis for their complementary, non-invasive diagnostic capacity in lung cancer.

Methods

Sputum samples and exhaled breath were prospectively collected from 20 lung cancer patients and 31 COPD controls (Set 1). An additional 18 lung cancer patients and 8 controls only collected exhaled breath as validation set (Set 2). DNA hypermethylation of biomarkersRASSF1A, cytoglobin,APC,FAM19A4,PHACTR3,3OST2andPRDM14was considered, and breathprints from exhaled breath samples were created using an electronic nose (eNose).

Results

Both DNA hypermethylation markers in sputum and eNose were independently able to distinguish lung cancer patients from controls. The combination ofRASSF1Aand3OST2hypermethylation had a sensitivity of 85% with a specificity of 74%. eNose had a sensitivity of 80% with a specificity of 48%. Sensitivity for lung cancer diagnosis increased to 100%, whenRASSF1Ahypermethylation was combined with eNose, with specificity of 42%. Both methods showed to be complementary to each other (p≤0.011). eNose results were reproducible in Set 2.

Conclusions

When used in concert,RASSF1Ahypermethylation in sputum and exhaled breath analysis are complementary for lung cancer diagnosis, with 100% sensitivity in this series. This finding should be further validated.
Does waist circumference uncorrelated with BMI add valuable information?
Authors: Ngueta Gerard , Laouan-Sidi Elhadji A , Lucas Michel
Published: June 2014

Background

Estimation of relative contribution of Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) on health outcomes requires a regression model that includes both obesity metrics. But, multicollinearity could yield biased estimates.

Methods

To address the multicollinearity issue between BMI and WC, we used the residual model approach. The standard WC (Y-axis) was regressed on the BMI (X-axis) to obtain residual WC. Data from two adult population surveys (Nunavik Inuit and James Bay Cree) were analysed to evaluate relative effect of BMI and WC on four cardiometabolic risk factors: insulin, triglycerides, systolic blood pressure and high-density lipoprotein levels.

Results

In multivariate models, standard WC and BMI were significantly associated with cardiometabolic outcomes. Residual WC was not linked with any outcomes. The BMI effect was weakened by including standard WC in the model, but its effect remained unchanged if residual WC was considered.

Conclusions

The strong correlation between standard WC and BMI does not allow assessment of their relative contributions to health in the same model without a risk of making erroneous estimations. By contrast with BMI, fat distribution (residual WC) does not add valuable information to a model that already contains overall adiposity (BMI) in Inuit and Cree.
Lower vitamin D levels are associated with higher systemic lupus erythematosus activity, but not predictive of disease flare-up
Authors: Schoindre Yoland , Jallouli Moez , Tanguy Marie-Laure , Ghillani Pascale , Galicier Lionel , Aumaître Olivier , Francès Camille , Le Guern Véronique , Lioté Frédéric , Smail Amar , Limal Nicolas , Perard Laurent , Desmurs-Clavel Hélène , Thi Huong Du Le , Asli Bouchra , Kahn Jean-Emmanuel , Sailler Laurent , Ackermann Félix , Papo Thomas , Sacré Karim , Fain Olivier , Stirnemann Jérôme , Cacoub Patrice , Leroux Gaëlle , Cohen-Bittan Judith , Hulot Jean-Sébastien , Lechat Philippe , Musset Lucile , Piette Jean-Charles , Amoura Zahir , Souberbielle Jean-Claude , Costedoat-Chalumeau Nathalie
Published: June 2014

Objectives

Growing evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a key role in the pathogenesis and progression of autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Recent studies have found an association between lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and higher SLE activity. We studied the relationship between 25(OH)D levels and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) score, and we assessed for the first time the role of vitamin D in predicting SLE flare-ups.

Methods

Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured in 170 patients with SLE who were prospectively followed up for 6 months (Plaquenil LUpus Systemic study, ClinicalTrials.gov numberNCT00413361).

Results

The mean SLEDAI score was 2.03±2.43 and 12.3% patients had active disease (SLEDAI ≥6). The mean 25(OH)D level was 20.6±9.8 ng/mL. Deficiency (25(OH)D <10 ng/mL) was observed in 27 (15.9%), insufficiency (10≤25(OH)D<30) in 112 (65.9%) and optimal vitamin D status (25(OH)D≥30) in 31 (18.2%) patients. In multivariate analysis, female gender (p=0.018), absence of defined antiphospholipid syndrome (p=0.002) and higher creatinine clearance (p=0.004) were predictive of lower 25(OH)D levels. In multivariate analysis, lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with high SLE activity (p=0.02). Relapse-free survival rate was not statistically different according to the vitamin D status during the 6-month follow-up (p=0.22).

Conclusions

We found a low vitamin D status in the majority of patients with SLE, and a modest association between lower 25(OH)D levels and high disease activity. There was no association between baseline 25(OH)D levels and relapse-free survival rate.
Direct access to the middle meningeal artery for embolization of complex dural arteriovenous fistula: a hybrid treatment approach
Authors: Lin Ning , Brouillard Adam M , Mokin Maxim , Natarajan Sabareesh K , Snyder Kenneth V , Levy Elad I , Siddiqui Adnan H
Published: June 2014

Endovascular embolization has become increasingly favored over microsurgical resection for treatment of complex dural arteriovenous fistulas (DAVFs). However, endovascular treatment can be restricted by tortuous transarterial access and a transvenous approach is not always feasible. We present a Borden III DAVF treated by direct access to the middle meningeal artery (MMA) and Onyx embolization performed in a hybrid operating room–angiography suite. A middle-aged patient with pulsatile headaches was found to have left transverse sinus occlusion and DAVF with retrograde cortical venous drainage fed by multiple external carotid artery (ECA) feeders. Endovascular attempts via conventional transvenous and transarterial routes were unsuccessful, and the major MMA feeder was accessed directly after temporal craniotomy was performed under neuronavigation. Onyx embolization was performed; complete occlusion of the fistula was achieved. Three-month follow-up angiography showed no residual filling; the patient remains complication-free. A combined surgical–endovascular technique in a hybrid operating room–angiography suite can be an effective treatment for DAVFs complicated by inaccessible arterial and transvenous approaches.
Bovine colostrum, training status, and gastrointestinal permeability during exercise in the heat: a placebo-controlled double-blind study
Authors: Morrison Shawnda A. , Cheung Stephen S. , Cotter James D.
Published: June 2014

Heat stress can increase gastrointestinal permeability, allowing ingress of gram-negative bacterial fragments and thus potentially inflammation and ultimately endotoxemia. Permeability may rise with intense exercise, yet some data indicate that endotoxemia may be mitigated with bovine colostrum supplementation. Using a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled crossover study, we tested whether bovine colostrum (COL; 1.7 g·kg−1·day−1for 7 days) would attenuate physiological strain and aid exercise capacity in the heat, especially in untrained individuals. Seven trained men (T; peak oxygen uptake 64 ± 4 mL·kg−1·min−1) and 8 untrained men (UT, peak oxygen uptake 46 ± 4 mL·kg−1·min−1) exercised for 90 min in 30 °C (50 % relative humidity) after COL or placebo (corn flour). Exercise consisted of 15-min cycling at 50 % heart rate reserve (HRR) before and after 60 min of running (30 min at 80 % HRR then 30-min distance trial). Heart rate, blood pressure (Finometer), esophageal, and skin temperatures were recorded continuously. Gastrointestinal permeability was assessed from urine (double-sugar model, using high-performance liquid chromatography) and blood (intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, I-FABP). The T group ran ∼2.4 km (35%) further than the UT group in the distance trial, and I-FABP increased more in the T group than in the UT group, but physiological and performance outcomes were unaffected by colostrum supplementation, irrespective of fitness. Circulating pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine concentrations were higher following exercise, but were not modulated by fitness or COL. Despite substantial thermal and cardiovascular strain incurred in environmental conditions in which exertional endotoxemia may occur, bovine colostrum supplementation had no observable benefit on the physiology or performance of either highly trained endurance athletes or untrained individuals.
Population dynamics of sugar maple through the southern portion of its range: implications for range migration
Authors: Hart Justin L. , Oswalt Christopher M. , Turberville Craig M.
Published: June 2014

The range of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) is expected to shift northward in accord with changing climate. However, a pattern of increased sugar maple abundance has been reported from sites throughout the eastern US. The goal of our study was to examine the stability of the sugar maple southern range boundary by analyzing its demography through the southern extent of its distribution. We analyzed changes in sugar maple basal area, relative frequency, relative density, relative importance values, diameter distributions, and the ratio of sapling biomass to total sugar maple biomass at three spatial positions near the southern boundary of the species’ range using forest inventory data from the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis program over a 20 year observation period (1990–2010). We contend that the southern range boundary of sugar maple neither contracted nor expanded during this period. We speculated that biophysical changes caused by succession may provide a short-lived ameliorative barrier to a rapid southern range contraction for some species. The eclipse of some greater climate change threshold may therefore be required to realize significant range movement for mesophytic tree species.
Early experience and reproductive morph both affect brain morphology in adult male Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
Authors: Wiper Mallory L. , Britton Stephanie , Higgs Dennis M.
Published: June 2014

It is clear that brain size and structure can be greatly influenced by the environment, and in fish, factors such as habitat complexity, rearing environment, and reproductive status have been shown to affect brain morphology and behaviour, but it is unclear how long these effects last. The objective of the current study was to investigate variability in overall brain size and particular brain regions of male Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) through the evaluation of potential driving forces — environment and reproductive morph. By comparing fish from different rearing environments and different male reproductive morphs (hooknose versus jack), the current research assessed the influence of each of these factors on overall brain size and on select brain regions. Male hooknose salmon had relatively smaller brains, once corrected for body size, than male jack salmon, suggesting possible trade-offs between somatic and brain development. Fish reared in hatchery environments but released into the wild as presmolts still had relatively larger brains than their wild counterparts, despite sharing wild habitats for over 3 years, suggesting persistent effects of hatchery rearing. Taken together, these results show that the difference in reproductive morphs can substantially impact brain morphology and that short-term environmental influences can have persistent effects throughout ontogeny.
Determinants of survival over 7 years for a natural cohort of sugar maple seedlings in a northern hardwood forest
Authors: Cleavitt Natalie L. , Battles John J. , Fahey Timothy J. , Blum Joel D.
Published: June 2014

The regeneration ecology of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) has been impacted by acid rain leaching of base cations from the soils throughout much of its range. We tracked the survival and causes of death for a natural cohort of sugar maple seedlings across 22 sites in the Hubbard Brook Valley in New Hampshire, USA, where soil acidification has been documented. Survival over 7 years averaged 3.4%; however, significant differences in survival were observed among sites, which were classified into three main groups based on the shape of their survival curves. These site groups differed in position on the landscape, seedling nutrition and leaf size, and the prevalence of damage agents, but not in soil Ca. First-season mortality was high (71%), and the main damage agents were fungal infection (Rhizoctonia spp.) and caterpillar herbivory (Geometridae). Other principal causes of mortality in order of importance were winter injury, mechanical damage, and rodent (Myodes gapperi Vigors, 1830) tunneling, and all damage agents varied significantly in severity between years. This study highlights the importance of landscape-level variation in biotic factors for predicting sugar maple regeneration success. Predictions of sugar maple regeneration will require a better understanding of controls on initial seedling growth and the suite of biotic agents that damages seedlings.
Recovering glycoside hydrolase genes from active tundra cellulolytic bacteria
Authors: Pinnell Lee J. , Dunford Eric , Ronan Patrick , Hausner Martina , Neufeld Josh D.
Published: June 2014

Bacteria responsible for cellulose hydrolysis in situ are poorly understood, largely because of the relatively recent development of cultivation-independent methods for their detection and characterization. This study combined DNA stable-isotope probing (DNA-SIP) and metagenomics for identifying active bacterial communities that assimilated carbon from glucose and cellulose in Arctic tundra microcosms. Following DNA-SIP, bacterial fingerprint analysis of gradient fractions confirmed isotopic enrichment. Sequenced fingerprint bands and clone library analysis of 16S rRNA genes identified active bacterial taxa associated with cellulose-associated labelled DNA, including Bacteroidetes (Sphingobacteriales), Betaproteobacteria (Burkholderiales), Alphaproteobacteria (Caulobacteraceae), and Chloroflexi (Anaerolineaceae). We also compared glycoside hydrolase metagenomic profiles from bulk soil and heavy DNA recovered from DNA-SIP incubations. Active populations consuming [13C]glucose and [13C]cellulose were distinct, based on ordinations of light and heavy DNA. Metagenomic analysis demonstrated a ∼3-fold increase in the relative abundance of glycoside hydrolases in DNA-SIP libraries over bulk-soil libraries. The data also indicate that multiple displacement amplification introduced bias into the resulting metagenomic analysis. This research identified DNA-SIP incubation conditions for glucose and cellulose that were suitable for Arctic tundra soil and confirmed that DNA-SIP enrichment can increase target gene frequencies in metagenomic libraries.
On the numerical solution and convergence study for the system of nonlinear fractional diffusion equations
Authors: Khader M.M.
Published: June 2014

In this article, an implementation of an efficient numerical method for solving the system of coupled nonlinear fractional diffusion equations (NFDEs) is introduced. The proposed system has many applications, such as porous media and plasma transport. The fractional derivative is described in the Caputo sense. The method is based upon a combination between the properties of the Legendre approximations and finite difference method (FDM). The proposed method reduces NFDEs to a system of ordinary differential equations that are solved using FDM. Special attention is given to the study of the convergence analysis and deducing the upper bound of the error of the resulting approximate solution. A numerical example is given to show the validity and the accuracy of the proposed method.
GATA-4 protects against hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte injury: effects on mitochondrial membrane potential
Authors: Li Hong-Xia , Zhou Ya-Feng , Zhao Xin , Jiang Bin , Yang Xiang-Jun
Published: June 2014

Our previous studies have suggested that GATA-4 increases the differentiation of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into cardiac phenotypes. This study further investigated whether GATA-4 enhances MSC-mediated cardioprotection following hypoxia. MSCs were harvested from rat bone marrow and transduced with GATA-4 (MSCGATA-4). To mimic ischemic injury, cultured cardiomyocytes (CMs) isolated from neonatal rat ventricles were exposed to hypoxia or were pretreated with concentrated conditioned medium (CdM) from MSCGATA-4or transduced control MSC (MSCNull) for 16 h before exposure to hypoxic culture conditions (low glucose and low oxygen). Myocyte damage was estimated by annexin-V-PE and TUNEL technique and by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Cell survival was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) uptake. Mitochondrial membrane potential was determined using confocal microscopy. ELISA studies indicated that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were significantly increased in MSCGATA-4compared with MSCNull. Hypoxia-induced apoptosis/cell death was significantly reduced when CMs were co-cultured with MSCGATA-4in a dual-chamber system. Cell protection mediated by MSCGATA-4was mimicked by treating CMs with CdM from MSCGATA-4and abrogated with IGF-1- and VEGF-neutralizing antibodies. MSCGATA-4protects CMs under hypoxic conditions. The release of IGF-1 and VEGF from MSCGATA-4is likely to be responsible for protection of CMs.
Entanglement and quantum spin glass
Authors: Koh C. Y.
Published: June 2014

The paper reviews the entanglement behavior of a 2-qubit system in a quantum spin glass using the Heisenberg XX model and the interaction of the system with a spin glass bath environment. In the first part, we study the entanglement (concurrence) for a 3- and 4-qubit with nearest neighbor interaction. With a fixed mean and varying standard deviation for the J coupling, the concurrence is numerically plotted with temperature for the different configurations. A general formula for the concurrence is given for n qubits at low temperature. In the second part, we study the concurrence of a 2-qubit system coupled to a spin glass bath environment with n = 2 to ≥ 4 qubits. The bath sites are coupled with random J coupling and varying applied magnetic field. A general formula for concurrence is given for mean J = 0 and B = 0 for n bath sites. For small random J and magnetic field B, a steady state is obtained with an approximate concurrence of 0.5, showing that the entanglement is preserved.
Generation and evolution of electrons in strong-field atomic processes
Authors: Shu Xiaofang , Liu Shibing , Song Haiying
Published: June 2014

The generation and their velocity distribution of free electrons generated in field ionization process is presented by using the single electron tracking method in the interaction of an intense laser pulse with noble atoms. Based on the quasi-static field approximation, the density of field-ionized free electrons in the pulse envelope is obtained by solving the Ammosov–Delone–Krainov ionization rate equation. The simulation result shows that the laser-generated plasma can rapidly consume the laser energy at falling edge of pulse and change the pulse shape in the laser-atom interaction.
First-principles study of the binary intermetallics in theAu–Rbsystem
Authors: Benmechri Achraf , Djaballah Yassine , Amer Ahmed Said , Belgacem-Bouzida Aissa , Bouderba Hichem
Published: June 2014

First-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT) with the projector augmented wave (PAW) technique were used to investigate the stabilities of intermetallics in the Au – Rb system at 0 K. Four intermetallics: Au7Rb3, Au3Rb2, Au5Rb and AuRb were investigated in their observed experimental structures. The Au2Rb compound, reported in the Au – Rb phase diagrams without specifying explicitly its structure, was also investigated by inspecting several hypothetical structures. A suspect compound ( AuRb2) was also investigated. Results show that: (i) The Au3Rb2and Au7Rb3compounds, which were never reported in any Au – Rb phase diagram, are stable at 0 K. (ii) The Au2Rb compound is not a ground state for all the tested structures. (iii) Stability of the Au5Rb and AuRb compounds was confirmed. (iv) The new compound AuRb2, not yet reported experimentally, is found mechanically stable at 0 K.
Impact of Sr on the performance of BaTi0.9Zr0.1O3–BaTiO3 dielectric powders
Authors: Wang Jing , Rong Guijuan , Wang Tingwei , Yao Hao
Published: June 2014

BaTi 0.9 Zr 0.1 O 3– Ba 1-x Sr x TiO 3 fine-powders are synthesized by two-step liquid phase method. Phase analysis and microstructure evaluation conducted by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy confirm the perovskite structure of the ceramic grain. Different Sr content is considered to optimize the density and dielectric performance. The dielectric constant increases and dielectric loss decreases with the rising of Sr content until x = 0.05. At the doping content of 5%, the dielectric constant maximum of 42,430 and excellent Y5V dielectric material can be obtained due to composition inhomogeneity and compact properties. Its dielectric properties are as follows: ε RT = 36,914, tan δ < 0.09, ΔC/C 20° C at -30° C and 80°C are -58.98% and 14.94%, respectively, and the breakdown strength Eb ≥ 5.2 kV ⋅ mm -1.
Investigating Associative Classification for Software Fault Prediction: An Experimental Perspective
Authors: Ma Baojun , Zhang Huaping , Chen Guoqing , Zhao Yanping , Baesens Bart
Published: June 2014

It is a recurrent finding that software development is often troubled by considerable delays as well as budget overruns and several solutions have been proposed in answer to this observation, software fault prediction being a prime example. Drawing upon machine learning techniques, software fault prediction tries to identify upfront software modules that are most likely to contain faults, thereby streamlining testing efforts and improving overall software quality. When deploying fault prediction models in a production environment, both prediction performance and model comprehensibility are typically taken into consideration, although the latter is commonly overlooked in the academic literature. Many classification methods have been suggested to conduct fault prediction; yet associative classification methods remain uninvestigated in this context. This paper proposes an associative classification (AC)-based fault prediction method, building upon the CBA2 algorithm. In an empirical comparison on 12 real-world datasets, the AC-based classifier is shown to achieve a predictive performance competitive to those of models induced by five other tree/rule-based classification techniques. In addition, our findings also highlight the comprehensibility of the AC-based models, while achieving similar prediction performance. Furthermore, the possibilities of cross project prediction are investigated, strengthening earlier findings on the feasibility of such approach when insufficient data on the target project is available.
Mining Complex Spatial Patterns: Issues and Techniques
Authors: Samson Grace L. , Lu Joan , Showole Aminat A.
Published: June 2014

Spatial data mining is the quantitative study of phenomena that are located in space. This paper investigates methods of mining patterns of a complex spatial data set (which generally describes any kind of data where the location in space of object holds importance). We based this research on the analysis of some spatial characteristics of certain objects. We began with describing the spatial pattern of events or objects with respect to their attributes; we looked at how to describe the spatial nature/characteristics of entities in an environment with respect to their spatial and non-spatial attributes. We also looked at modelling (predictive modelling/knowledge management of complex spatial systems), querying and implementing a complex spatial database (using data structure and algorithms). Critically speaking, the presence of spatial auto-correlation and the fact that continuous data types are always present in spatial data makes it important to create methods, tools and algorithms to mine spatial patterns in a complex spatial data set. This work is particularly useful to researchers in the field of data mining as it contributes a whole lot of knowledge to different application areas of data mining especially spatial data mining. It can also be useful in teaching and likewise for other study purposes.
Ornamental stone in the history of St Petersburg architecture
Authors: Bulakh A. G.
Published: June 2014

St Petersburg was founded in 1703. Between 1703 and the 1830s, buildings of baroque and classicism styles were faced with stones from the NW part of the Russian Empire. In 1840s–1910s, many new types of ornamental stones from different European countries were added to the faces of buildings of so-called eclecticism and modernism styles. The map of deposits shows 32 main sources of stone. This report gives a chronological review of the use of natural stone in the architecture of St Petersburg, Russia, in 1703–2009. The map of deposits and a list of rock types are given.
The Sierra Nevada serpentinites: the serpentinites most used in Spanish heritage buildings
Authors: Navarro Rafael , Pereira Dolores , Rodríguez-Navarro Carlos , Sebastián-Pardo Eduardo
Published: June 2014

Serpentinites from Sierra Nevada (Granada, south of Spain) have traditionally been used as ornamental elements in historical buildings, both indoors and outdoors. The cathedral, the Palace of Charles V, the Royal Chancellery in Granada and some others are good examples of their use. Outside Granada, the serpentinites are seen at the monastery of El Escorial, The Royal Palace and the convent of Las Salesas Reales, all of them part of Madrid's architectural heritage, although there are much more examples to be found across the country. There are two quarries located in Sierra Nevada that supplied all the material to make the different elements in the above buildings. In this work, we report a thorough characterization of the main characteristics of the serpentinites from Sierra Nevada in order to propose this stone as a possible candidate as a ‘Global Heritage Stone Resource’. This work is important for duly recognizing a natural stone that has been profusely used in the past in the construction of a magnificent heritage of important cities, and historical quarries should be protected so that they can provide original material if required to do so in the future.
Tissue-type plasminogen activator deficiency delays bone repair: roles of osteoblastic proliferation and vascular endothelial growth factor
Authors: Kawao Naoyuki , Tamura Yukinori , Okumoto Katsumi , Yano Masato , Okada Kiyotaka , Matsuo Osamu , Kaji Hiroshi
Published: June 2014

Further development in research of bone regeneration is necessary to meet the clinical demand for bone reconstruction. Recently, we reported that plasminogen is crucial for bone repair through enhancement of vessel formation. However, the details of the role of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in the bone repair process still remain unknown. Herein, we examined the effects of plasminogen activators on bone repair after a femoral bone defect using tPA-deficient ( tPA−/−) and uPA-deficient ( uPA−/−) mice. Bone repair of the femur was delayed in tPA−/−mice, unlike that in wild-type ( tPA+/+) mice. Conversely, the bone repair was comparable between wild-type ( uPA+/+) and uPA−/−mice. The number of proliferative osteoblasts was decreased at the site of bone damage in tPA−/−mice. Moreover, the proliferation of primary calvarial osteoblasts was reduced in tPA−/−mice. Recombinant tPA facilitated the proliferation of mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells. The proliferation enhanced by tPA was antagonized by the inhibition of endogenous annexin 2 by siRNA and by the inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 phosphorylation in MC3T3-E1 cells. Vessel formation as well as the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) were decreased at the damaged site in tPA−/−mice. Our results provide novel evidence that tPA is crucial for bone repair through the facilitation of osteoblast proliferation related to annexin 2 and ERK1/2 as well as enhancement of vessel formation related to VEGF and HIF-1α at the site of bone damage.
Metabolomic strategies to map functions of metabolic pathways
Authors: Mulvihill Melinda M. , Nomura Daniel K.
Published: June 2014

Genome sequencing efforts have revealed a strikingly large number of unannotated and uncharacterized genes that fall into metabolic enzymes classes, likely indicating that our current knowledge of biochemical pathways in normal physiology, let alone in disease states, remains largely incomplete. This realization presents a daunting challenge for post-genomic-era scientists in deciphering the biochemical and (patho)physiological roles of these enzymes and their metabolites and metabolic networks. This is further complicated by many recent studies showing a rewiring of normal metabolic networks in disease states to give rise to unique pathophysiological functions of enzymes, metabolites, and metabolic pathways. This review focuses on recent discoveries made using metabolic mapping technologies to uncover novel pathways and metabolite-mediated posttranslational modifications and epigenetic alterations and their impact on physiology and disease.
EEG mean frequency changes in healthy subjects during prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation
Authors: Accornero Neri , Capozza Marco , Pieroni Laura , Pro Stefano , Davì Leonardo , Mecarelli Oriano
Published: June 2014

In this pilot study we evaluated electroencephalographic (EEG) mean frequency changes induced by prefrontal transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and investigated whether they depended on tDCS electrode montage. Eight healthy volunteers underwent tDCS for 15 min during EEG recording. They completed six tDCS sessions, 1 wk apart, testing left and right direct current (DC) dipole directions with six different montages: four unipolar montages (one electrode on a prefrontal area, the other on the opposite wrist) and two bipolar montages (both electrodes on prefrontal areas), and a single sham session. EEG power spectra were assessed from four 1-min EEG epochs, before, during, and after tDCS. During tDCS the outcome variable, brain rate ( fb), changed significantly, and the changes persisted for minutes after tDCS ended. With the DC dipole directed to the left (anode on the left prefrontal area or wrist), fb increased, and with the DC dipole directed to the right (anode on the right prefrontal area or wrist), fb decreased, suggesting asymmetric prefrontal cortex functional organization in the normal human brain. Anodal and cathodal effects were opposite but equally large. Gender left these effects unchanged.
Higher neuronal discharge rate in the motor area of the subthalamic nucleus of Parkinsonian patients
Authors: Deffains Marc , Holland Peter , Moshel Shay , de Noriega Fernando Ramirez , Bergman Hagai , Israel Zvi
Published: June 2014

In Parkinson's disease, pathological synchronous oscillations divide the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of patients into a dorsolateral oscillatory region and ventromedial nonoscillatory region. This bipartite division reflects the motor vs. the nonmotor (associative/limbic) subthalamic areas, respectively. However, significant topographic differences in the neuronal discharge rate between these two STN subregions in Parkinsonian patients is still controversial. In this study, 119 STN microelectrode trajectories (STN length > 2 mm, mean = 5.32 mm) with discernible oscillatory and nonoscillatory regions were carried on 60 patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery for Parkinson's disease. 2,137 and 2,152 multiunit stable signals were recorded (recording duration > 10 s, mean = 21.25 s) within the oscillatory and nonoscillatory STN regions, respectively. Spike detection and sorting were applied offline on every multiunit stable signal using an automatic method with systematic quantification of the isolation quality (range = 0–1) of the identified units. In all, 3,094 and 3,130 units were identified in the oscillatory and nonoscillatory regions, respectively. On average, the discharge rate of better-isolated neurons (isolation score > 0.70) was higher in the oscillatory region than the nonoscillatory region (44.55 ± 0.87 vs. 39.97 ± 0.77 spikes/s, N = 665 and 761, respectively). The discharge rate of the STN neurons was positively correlated to the strength of their own and their surrounding 13- to 30-Hz beta oscillatory activity. Therefore, in the Parkinsonian STN, beta oscillations and higher neuronal discharge rate are correlated and coexist in the motor area of the STN compared with its associative/limbic area.
Progesterone receptor-dependent regulation of genes in the oviducts of female mice
Authors: Akison Lisa K. , Boden Michael J. , Kennaway David J. , Russell Darryl L. , Robker Rebecca L.
Published: June 2014

Oviducts play a critical role in gamete and embryo transport, as well as supporting early embryo development. Progesterone receptor (PGR) is a transcription factor highly expressed in oviductal cells, while its activating ligand, progesterone, surges to peak levels as ovulation approaches. Progesterone is known to regulate oviduct cilia beating and muscular contractions in vitro, but how PGR may mediate this in vivo is poorly understood. We used PGR null mice to identify genes potentially regulated by PGR in the oviducts during the periovulatory period. Histologically, oviducts from PGR null mice showed no gross structural or morphological defects compared with normal littermates. However, microarray analysis of oviducts at 8 h posthuman chorionic gonadotropin revealed >1,000 PGR-dependent genes. Using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) we selected 10 genes for validation based on their potential roles in oocyte/embryo transport and support. Eight genes were confirmed to be downregulated ( Adamts1, Itga8, Edn3, Prlr, Ptgfr, Des, Myocd, and Actg2) and one upregulated ( Agtr2) in PGR null oviducts. Expression of these genes was also assessed in oviducts of naturally cycling mice during ovulation and day 1 and day 4 of pregnancy. Adamts1, Itga8, Edn3, Prlr, and Ptgfr were significantly upregulated in oviducts at ovulation/mating. However, most genes showed basal levels of expression at other times. The exceptions were Prlr and Ptgfr, which showed pulsatile increases on day 1 and/or day 4 of pregnancy. This is the first, comprehensive study to elucidate putative PGR-regulated genes in the oviduct and reveals key downstream targets potentially mediating oocyte and embryo transport.
Studies on the Iron Nanoparticles Catalyzed Reduction of Substituted Aromatic Ketones to Alcohols
Authors: Parimala L. , Santhanalakshmi J.
Published: June 2014

Iron nanoparticles are synthesized and size characterized using HRTEM, FESEM, and XRD. Polyethylene glycol(PEG), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and poly N-vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) are used as nanoparticle stabilizers. The sizes of Fe nps are found to be 9 nm, 14 nm, and 17 nm ± 1 nm corresponding to PEG, CMC, and PVP stabilizers, respectively. The three different iron nanoparticles (Fe nps) prepared are used as catalysts in the hydrogenation reaction of various substituted aromatic ketones to alcohols with NaBH4. The progress of the reaction was monitored using time variance UV spectra. Kinetic plots are made from the absorbance values and the pseudo first order rate coefficient values are determined. Catalytic efficiency of the Fe nps is obtained by comparing the pseudo first order rate coefficient values, times of reaction, and % yield. Fe-PEG nps was found to act as better catalyst than Fe-CMC nps and Fe-PVP nps. Also, effects of substituents in the aromatic ring of ketones reveal that +I substituents are better catalysed than –I substituents.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue Using TiO2Impregnated Diatomite
Authors: Zuo Ranfang , Du Gaoxiang , Zhang Weiwei , Liu Lianhua , Liu Yanming , Mei Lefu , Li Zhaohui
Published: June 2014

Nano-TiO2showed a good catalytic activity, but it is easy to agglomerate, resulting in the reduction or even complete loss of photocatalytic activity. The dispersion of TiO2particles on porous materials was a potential solution to this problem. Diatomite has high specific surface and absorbability because of its particular shell structure. Thus, TiO2/diatomite composite, prepared by loading TiO2on the surface of diatomite, was a good photocatalyst, through absorbing organic compounds with diatomite and degrading them with TiO2. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrum (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), chemical analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) indicated that TiO2was impregnated well on the surface of diatomite. Furthermore, TiO2/diatomite was more active than nano-TiO2for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) in solution. MB at concentrations of 15 and 35 ppm can be completely degraded in 20 and 40 min, respectively.
Stent Selection for Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Drainage of Pancreatic Fluid Collections: A Multicenter Study in China
Authors: Lin Hui , Zhan Xian-Bao , Sun Si-Yu , Yang Xiu-Jiang , Jin Zhen-Dong , Zou Duo-Wu , Li Zhao-Shen
Published: June 2014

Aims. We attempted to establish some guidelines for the selection of transmural stents during endoscopic drainage of PFCs by retrospective review of the clinical data obtained from three tertiary hospitals.Patients and Methods. Clinical data of 93 patients with attempted endoscopic drainage of symptomatic PFCs were obtained through chart review and prospective follow-up.Results. Treatment success for acute pseudocyst (n=67), chronic pseudocyst (n=9), and WOPN (n=17) was 95.3%, 100%, and 88.2%, respectively (P=0.309). Clinical success for single-stent drainage was 93.9% (46/49) versus 97.4% (37/38) for multiple-stent drainage (P=0.799). Secondary infection for single-stent drainage was 18.4% (9/49) versus 5.3% (2/38) for multiple-stent drainage (P=0.134). Secondary infection for stent diameter less than or equal to 8.5 F was 3.4% (1/29) versus 17.2% (10/58) for stent diameter larger than or equal to 10 F (P=0.138).Conclusion. EUS-guided transmural drainage is an effective therapy for PFCs. Single-stent transmural drainage of PFCs is enough and does not seem to influence clinical success. The number or diameter of stents does not seem to be associated with secondary infection.
Molecular Phylogeny of the Bamboo Sharks (Chiloscylliumspp.)
Authors: Masstor Noor Haslina , Samat Abdullah , Nor Shukor Md , Md-Zain Badrul Munir
Published: June 2014

Chiloscyllium, commonly called bamboo shark, can be found inhabiting the waters of the Indo-West Pacific around East Asian countries such as Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Singapore, and Indonesia. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List has categorized them as nearly threatened sharks out of their declining population status due to overexploitation. A molecular study was carried out to portray the systematic relationships withinChiloscylliumspecies using 12S rRNA and cytochromebgene sequences. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian were used to reconstruct their phylogeny trees. A total of 381 bp sequences’ lengths were successfully aligned in the 12S rRNA region, with 41 bp sites being parsimony-informative. In the cytochromebregion, a total of 1120 bp sites were aligned, with 352 parsimony-informative characters. All analyses yield phylogeny trees on whichC. indicumhas close relationships withC. plagiosum.C. punctatumis sister taxon to bothC. indicumandC. plagiosumwhileC. griseumandC. hasseltiiformed their own clade as sister taxa. TheseChiloscylliumclassifications can be supported by some morphological characters (lateral dermal ridges on the body, coloring patterns, and appearance of hypobranchials and basibranchial plate) that can clearly be used to differentiate each species.
Discordant Correlation between Serological Assays Observed When Measuring Heterosubtypic Responses against Avian Influenza H5 and H7 Viruses in Unexposed Individuals
Authors: Molesti Eleonora , Ferrara Francesca , Lapini Giulia , Montomoli Emanuele , Temperton Nigel
Published: June 2014

The human population is constantly exposed to multiple influenza A subtypes due to zoonotic spillover and rapid viral evolution driven by intrinsic error-prone replication and immunological pressure. In this context, antibody responses directed against the HA protein are of importance since they have been shown to correlate with protective immunity. Serological techniques, detecting these responses, play a critical role for influenza surveillance, vaccine development, and assessment. As the recent human pandemics and avian influenza outbreaks have demonstrated, there is an urgent need to be better prepared to assess the contribution of the antibody response to protection against newly emerged viruses and to evaluate the extent of preexisting heterosubtypic immunity in populations. In this study, 68 serum samples collected from the Italian population between 1992 and 2007 were found to be positive for antibodies against H5N1 as determined by single radial hemolysis (SRH), but most were negative when evaluated using haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and microneutralisation (MN) assays. As a result of these discordant serological findings, the increased sensitivity of lentiviral pseudotypes was exploited in pseudotype-based neutralisation (pp-NT) assays and the results obtained provide further insight into the complex nature of humoral immunity against influenza A viruses.
A Review of Definitions for Fractional Derivatives and Integral
Authors: de Oliveira Edmundo Capelas , Tenreiro Machado José António
Published: June 2014

This paper presents a review of definitions of fractional order derivatives and integrals that appear in mathematics, physics, and engineering.