bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chronic kidney disease as a risk factor for incident gout among men and women: retrospective cohort study using data from the Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Wang Weiqi , Bhole Vidula Manish , Krishnan Eswar
Published: April 2015

Objectives

Historically, the nature of association between chronic kidney disease (CKD) and gouty arthritis has been unclear. The goal of the present study was to test the hypothesis that CKD is an independent risk factor for developing incident gout.

Design

Patients were from the original Framingham Heart Study cohort. Using Cox proportional hazard models we estimated the HR of CKD to incident gout among men and women separately after adjusting for age, alcohol consumption, smoking, hypertension, diabetes and body mass index.

Settings

Patients were all from Framingham, Massachusetts, USA.

Participants

Excluding patients who had CKD in the first visit from this study, 2159 men and 2558 women were selected covering a 54-year period (1948–2002).

Results

There were 371 incident cases (231 men and 140 women) of gout over the follow-up of 140 421 person-years. Incidence rates of gout per 1000 person-years for participants with and without CKD were 6.82 (95% CI 5.10 to 9.10) and 2.43 (2.18 to 2.71), respectively. In multivariable Cox models, CKD was associated with gout, with a HR of 1.88 (1.13 to 3.13) among men and 2.31 (1.25 to 4.24) among women. Additional analyses using alternate definitions for CKD and cross-sectional study did not change the results. Sensitivity analysis suggested that the observed findings might be an underestimate of the true relative risk.

Conclusions

The present study provides epidemiological evidence to support the notion that CKD is a risk factor for gout.
Acupuncture for acute migraine attacks in adults: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Du Ruosang , Wang Yang , Liu Xiaoxu , Liu Zhishun
Published: April 2015

Introduction

Acupuncture has been used worldwide for migraine attacks. This systematic review aims to assess if acupuncture is effective and safe in relieving headache, preventing relapse and reducing migraine-associated symptoms for the treatment of acute migraine attacks in adults.

Methods and analysis

We will search the following seven databases from inception to February 2015: MEDLINE (OVID), EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and four Chinese databases (Chinese Biomedical Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database and Wanfang Database). Any randomised controlled trials in English or Chinese related to acupuncture for acute migraine attacks will be included. Conference abstracts and reference lists of included manuscripts will also be searched. The study inclusion, data extraction and quality assessment will be conducted independently by two reviewers. Meta-analysis will be performed using RevMan V.5.3.5 statistical software.

Dissemination

The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publication and/or conference presentations.

Trial registration number

PROSPERO CRD42014013352.
Effect of glucomannan supplementation on body weight in overweight and obese children: protocol of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Zalewski Bartłomiej Mateusz , Szajewska Hania
Published: April 2015

Introduction

Glucomannan (GNN), a water-soluble dietary fibre derived from the plantAmorphophallus konjac, is marketed for weight reduction. The exact mechanisms by which GNN might exert its actions are unclear. However, it has been shown that GNN slows gastric emptying by forming a viscous gel of large volume, which increases the feeling of satiety. Current evidence on the effectiveness of GNN for weight reduction is sparse, and well-designed trials performed in children are needed to assess the efficacy of this modality. We aim to systematically evaluate the efficacy of GNN consumption for the management of children who are overweight or obese.

Methods and analysis

Children aged 6–17 years who are overweight or obese (based on the WHO growth criteria) will be randomly assigned to receive GNN or placebo (maltodextrin) (both at a dose of 3 g/day) for 3 months and will be followed-up for 3 months. Before the intervention, all children will receive dietetic advice, and they will be encouraged to engage in physical activity. The primary outcome measure will be the body mass index-for-age z-score difference between the groups at the end of the intervention.

Ethics and dissemination

The study was approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Medical University of Warsaw. The findings of this trial will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal (paediatric, nutrition or gastroenterology). Abstracts will be submitted to relevant national and international conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT02280772.
005 PP: THE BENEFITS OF USING QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS TO UNDERSTAND CARE HOME MEDICINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
Authors: Gilmartin JFM , Jani Y , Smith FJ
Published: April 2015

In United Kingdom care homes (CHs), multi-compartment compliance aid (MCA) medicine management systems are more commonly used than original medicine packaging (OP), to organise and administer the large volume of medicines used by residents. This study aimed to understand how these two systems (MCAs and OP) impact on CH medicine administration.

This was a mixed methods study. The quantitative component involved direct observation to identify discrepancies in medicine administration. The qualitative component involved an ethnographic approach and interviews to understand the medicine administration process and identify associated barriers/facilitators. In September and October 2014, a pharmacist researcher spent 1–3 days observing 17 nurses administer medicines and interviewing 15 nurses, at 4 purposively sampled CHs around Greater London that used either MCAs or OP. Ethical approval was obtained from the University College London Research Ethics Committee.

The ethnographic approach allowed the researcher to immerse themselves into the work environment of the nurses. This facilitated a comprehensive understanding of the MCA and OP medicine management systems under research, at all times of the day and under all possible work conditions that could arise. The observations allowed the researcher to identify practices that may contribute to medicine administration discrepancies. These practices may not have been discussed at all, or in any great detail, during nurse interviews. Potential challenges of this qualitative research include participant apprehensiveness concerning the observations in general, or observations interfering with daily work practices. These were managed by ensuring observations were minimally intrusive and all participating CHs and nurses remained anonymous.

The qualitative research methods used in this study helped explain the quantitative data and provided a rich and comprehensive understanding of the systems under research, which is unlikely to have occurred using quantitative research methods alone.
002 OP: EXPLAINING DISCREPANT RESULTS FROM QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS CONCERNING HELP-SEEKING: ARE ‘PUBLIC’ AND ‘PRIVATE’ ACCOUNTS THE KEY?
Authors: Dobson CM , Brown SR , Russell AJ , Rubin GP
Published: April 2015

Social surveys and interviews are staple methods within health research. One of the perceived merits of the postal questionnaire is the anonymity it affords to participants, enabling people to provide honest accounts, particularly in relation to sensitive topics. Interviewing can potentially introduce bias to participants' accounts because of a compulsion to provide socially desirable responses. Here we examine these assumptions through a comparison of questionnaire and interview accounts of the help-seeking experiences of people with symptoms of cancer.

Public discourses of early diagnosis of cancer are increasingly commonplace, particularly after the ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaigns, which reinforced the importance of consulting quickly when experiencing cancer symptoms. This study aimed to explore the help-seeking experiences of people with symptoms of lung or colorectal cancer by inviting patients to complete a questionnaire about their symptom onset and first consultation with a health care practitioner. A sub sample of these participants were interviewed about their help-seeking experiences, with the interviews taking place within 8 weeks of the questionnaires being returned.

We found that the reported length of the help-seeking interval (time from first symptom to first consultation with a health care practitioner) differed in questionnaire and interview accounts for the majority of participants. Whilst we may have expected participants to report longer intervals in the questionnaire, because of its perceived ability to reduce social desirability bias, we found that the converse was true; for most of the cases where there was a discrepancy in interval length between questionnaire and interview, longer help-seeking intervals were reported in the interview.

We shall consider possible explanations for these unexpected results, suggesting that the concept of ‘public accounts’ and ‘private accounts’ provides insight into these discrepant participant responses. The formality of the questionnaire and the closed nature of questioning may encourage participants to report more socially acceptable behaviours in order to conform to public discourses around early help-seeking and early diagnosis. Whereas in interviews, participants were able to report more deviant accounts because they were within the private setting (their homes) and were able to narrate their stories and detail their reasoning.
005 OP: ON THE NEED FOR PRACTICE THEORIES IN HEALTH SERVICES AND POLICY RESEARCH: LESSONS FROM QUALITATIVE INQUIRY
Authors: Shaw J
Published: April 2015

Researchers in the fields of health services and policy generally focus on optimizing the organization and practice of health care in order to ensure best possible outcomes for patients and the public. This broad mandate variably entails evaluating the feasibility of new service delivery models, devising interventions that achieve better outcomes, and studying populations to tailor specific health care initiatives and programs. Implied in these various foci of health services and policy research is a normative logic of implementation, which can be formulated something like this: If researchers find the truth, then practitioners should use it. However, the widely discussed and longstanding “gap” between evidence and practice strongly suggests that this “logic” of implementation must not be very logical at all.

In this paper I suggest that the lack of “uptake” of research findings in practice provides a gateway to elaborating on two key conceptual issues in health services and policy research. The first issue is regarding what constitutes knowledge in everyday health care practice, otherwise known as epistemologies of practice. The second issue, building on the first, is regarding how the practice of health care providers actually comes to be and thus how it can be changed. Understanding the knowledge and practice of health care providers requires an understanding of practice in its broadest theoretical sense, as the coordinated activities of everyday experience through which our ongoing lives derive their meaning.

Drawing on the findings of a comparative qualitative case study of transitions from hospital to home in London, UK and Toronto, Canada, I will illustrate how conceptual advances in theories of practice provide great insight into (a) the knowledge that health care providers create and use in their everyday practice, (b) why health care is practiced exactly the way it is, and (c) how it might be changed for the better. Demonstrating the value of insights from qualitative applications of practice theories, as demonstrated by the qualitative findings presented in this paper, I call for a shift toward the more systematic use of practice theories in health services and policy research.
Evaluating pile installation and subsequent thixotropic and consolidation effects on setup by numerical simulation for full-scale pile load tests
Authors: Abu-Farsakh Murad , Rosti Firouz , Souri Ahmad
Published: April 2015

During pile installation, stresses and void ratios in the surrounding soils change significantly, creating large displacements, large strains, soil disturbance, and development of excess pore-water pressures. The surrounding disturbed soil tends to regain its strength with time due to both consolidation and thixotropic effects. In this paper, the pile installation process and subsequent consolidation, thixotropy, and load tests conducted at different times after end of driving (EOD) were modeled for test piles at the Bayou Laccassine Bridge site, Louisiana. In the finite element (FE) model, the pile was considered as an elastic material and the anisotropic modified Cam-clay model (AMCCM) was used to describe the behavior of the surrounding clayey soils. Pile installation was modeled by applying prescribed radial and vertical displacements on the nodes at the soil–pile interface (volumetric cavity expansion), followed by vertical deformation to activate the soil–pile interface friction and simulate static load tests. The thixotropic effect was incorporated by applying a time-dependent reduction parameter, β, which affects both interface friction and material properties. Results from the FE numerical simulation include the development of excess pore-water pressure during pile installation and its dissipation with time, the increase in effective lateral stress at the pile–soil interface, changes in stress state of the surrounding soil, and setup attributed to both the soil consolidation and thixotropy at different times. FE results are compared with measured values obtained from full-scale instrumented pile load tests, which show good agreement between measured and FE-predicted results.
Strategic analysis of forest vulnerability to risk related to fire: an example from the coniferous boreal forest of Quebec
Authors: Gauthier Sylvie , Raulier Frédéric , Ouzennou Hakim , Saucier Jean-Pierre
Published: April 2015

As fire is a major disturbance in boreal forests, it is now recognized that it has to be taken into account in forest management planning. Moreover, as the time of exposure to fire is related to stand productivity, combining information on productivity and fire should help in assessing the potential to sustainably manage forests. We present a method to assess potential vulnerability to the risk of fire and illustrate it in the boreal coniferous forest of Quebec. This method takes into account some sources of uncertainty related to the estimation of productivity and fire risk. Spatialization of stand productivity from growth and yield curves allowed us to compute the area comprised of productive stands of each district with or without considering fire risk. Results showed that productive area is generally decreasing with decreasing degree-days, increasing elevation, or in relation to surficial geology. Furthermore, districts with moderate to good productivity were found to be vulnerable to fire when burn rates were greater than 0.333%·year–1. Our innovative approach allowed us to assess the vulnerability of the districts to fire and could be helpful in many regions in the context of a projected increase in future area burned under climate change.
An approach for assessing suitability for forest management based on constraints of the physical environment at a regional scale
Authors: Robitaille André , Saucier Jean-Pierre , Chabot Michel , Côté Damien , Boudreault Catherine
Published: April 2015

Constraints of the physical environment affect forest growth and forest operations. At a local scale, these constraints are generally considered during forest operations. At regional or continental scales, they are often integrated to larger assessments of the potential for a given land unit to be managed. In this study, we propose an approach to analyze the integration of physical-environment constraints in forest management activities at the regional scale (482 000 km2). The land features that pose constraints to forest management (i.e., hydromorphic organic deposits, dead-ice moraines, washed till, glacial block fields, talus, and active aeolian deposits, slopes > 40%) were evaluated within 1114 land districts. To distinguish land districts that can be suitably managed from those where constraints are too important for sustainable timber production, we carried out a sensitivity analysis of physical constraints for the 1114 land districts. After analysis of two portions of the study area under management, a land district was considered suitable for management when more than 20% of its land area consists of features imposing few constraints or, for mountain-type relief districts, when more than 40% of the land area consists of features imposing few constraints. These cutoff values were defined by expert opinion, based on sensitivity analyses performed on the entire study area, on analyses of two different sectors with different types of constraints and on a strong understanding of the study area. Our results show that land districts where the physical environment posed significant constraints covered 7.5% of the study area (36 000 km2). This study shows that doing an a priori classification of land units based on permanent environmental features could facilitate the identification of areas that are not suitable for forest management activities.
Influence of applied current density on the nanostructural and light emitting properties of n-type porous silicon
Authors: Cetinel A. , Artunç N. , Sahin G. , Tarhan E.
Published: April 2015

Effects of current density on nanostructure and light emitting properties of porous silicon (PS) samples were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), gravimetric method, Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. FE-SEM images have shown that below 60 mA/cm2, macropore and mesopore arrays, exhibiting rough morphology, are formed together, whose pore diameter, pore depth and porosity are about 265–760 nm, 58–63 μ m and 44–61%, respectively. However, PS samples prepared above 60 mA/cm2display smooth and straight macropore arrays, with pore diameter ranging from 900–1250 nm, porosity of 61–80% and pore depth between 63–69 μ m . Raman analyses have shown that when the current density is increased from 10 mA/cm2to 100 mA/cm2, Raman peaks of PS samples shift to lower wavenumbers by comparison to crystalline silicon (c-Si). The highest Raman peak shift is found to be 3.2 cm-1for PS sample, prepared at 90 mA/cm2, which has the smallest nanocrystallite size, about 5.2 nm. This sample also shows a pronounced PL, with the highest blue shifting, of about 12 nm. Nanocrystalline silicon, with the smallest nanocrystallite size, confirmed by our Raman analyses using microcrystal model (MCM), should be responsible for both the highest Raman peak shift and PL blue shift due to quantum confinement effect (QCE).
RESISTANCE SCALING FACTOR OF THE PILLOW AND FRACTALINA FRACTALS
Authors: IGNATOWICH MICHAEL J. , KELLEHER DANIEL J. , MALONEY CATHERINE E. , MILLER DAVID J. , SERHIYENKO KHRYSTYNA
Published: April 2015

Much is known in the analysis of a finitely ramified self-similar fractal when the fractal has a harmonic structure: a Dirichlet form which respects the self-similarity of a fractal. What is still an open question is when such a structure exists in general. In this paper, we introduce two fractals, the fractalina and the pillow, and compute their resistance scaling factor. This is the factor which dictates how the Dirichlet form scales with the self-similarity of the fractal. By knowing this factor one can compute the harmonic structure on the fractal. The fractalina has scaling factor [Formula: see text], and the pillow fractal has scaling factor [Formula: see text].
Finite Cell Method: High-Order Structural Dynamics for Complex Geometries
Authors: Elhaddad M. , Zander N. , Kollmannsberger S. , Shadavakhsh A. , Nübel V. , Rank E.
Published: April 2015

In this contribution, the finite cell method (FCM) is applied to solve transient problems of linear elastodynamics. The mathematical formulation of FCM for linear elastodynamics is presented, following from the weak formulation of the initial/boundary-value problem. Semi-discrete time integration schemes are briefly discussed, and the choice of implicit time integration is justified. A 1D benchmark problem is solved using FCM, illustrating the method's ability to solve problems of linear elastodynamics obtaining high rates of convergence. Furthermore, a numerical example of transient analysis from an industrial application is solved using FCM. The numerical results are compared to the results obtained using state-of-the-art commercial software, employing linear finite elements, in conjunction with explicit time integration. The results illustrate the potential of FCM as a powerful tool for transient analysis in elastodynamics, offering a high degree of accuracy at a moderate computational effort.
On the Cover-Avoid Property of Injectors for Hartley Classes
Authors: Liu Yufeng , Yi Xiaolan , Vorob'ev N. T.
Published: April 2015

In this paper, we study the cover-avoid property of 𝔉-injectors on chief factors of a group G for a Fitting class 𝔉 in some universe 𝔘 with partial solubility.
Sequentially Cohen-Macaulay Mixed Product Ideals
Authors: Rinaldo Giancarlo
Published: April 2015

We classify the ideals of mixed products that are sequentially Cohen-Macaulay.
Gorenstein Flat Complexes with Respect to a Semidualizing Module
Authors: Liang Li , Yang Chunhua
Published: April 2015

In this paper, we introduce and study G C-flat complexes over a commutative Noetherian ring, where C is a semidualizing module. We prove that G C-flat complexes are actually the complexes of G C-flat modules. This complements a result of Yang and Liang. As an application, we get that every complex has a [Formula: see text]-cover, where [Formula: see text] is the class of G C-flat complexes. We also give a characterization of complexes of modules in [Formula: see text] that are defined by Sather-Wagstaff, Sharif and White.
Universal Enveloping Algebras of Simple Symplectic Anti-Jordan Triple Systems
Authors: Tvalavadze Marina
Published: April 2015

In this work we are concerned with the universal associative envelope of a finite-dimensional simple symplectic anti-Jordan triple system (AJTS). We prove that if 𝕋 is a triple system as above, then there exists an associative algebra U(𝕋) and an injective homomorphism ε : 𝕋 → U(𝕋), where U(𝕋) is an AJTS under the triple product defined by (a,b,c) = abc - cba. Moreover, U(𝕋) is a universal object with respect to such homomorphisms. We explicitly determine the PBW-basis of U(𝕋), the center Z(U(𝕋)) and the Gelfand-Kirillov dimension of U(𝕋).
Restricted Envelopes of Lie Superalgebras
Authors: Sun Liping , Liu Wende , Gao Xiaocheng , Wu Boying
Published: April 2015

Certain important results concerning p-envelopes of modular Lie algebras are generalized to the super-case. In particular, any p-envelope of the Lie algebra of a Lie superalgebra can be naturally extended to a restricted envelope of the Lie superalgebra. As an application, a theorem on the representations of Lie superalgebras is given, which is a super-version of Iwasawa's theorem in Lie algebra case. As an example, the minimal restricted envelopes are computed for three series of modular Lie superalgebras of Cartan type.
Skew-symmetric Elements in Nonlinear Involutions in Group Rings
Authors: Raposo A. P.
Published: April 2015

Given an involution in a group G, it can be extended in various ways to an involution in the group ring RG, where R is a ring, not necessarily commutative. In this paper nonlinear extensions are considered and necessary and sufficient conditions are given on the group G, its involution, the ring R and the extension for the set of skew-symmetric elements to be commutative and for it to be anticommutative.
Intensity-dependent alterations in the excitability of cortical and spinal projections to the knee extensors during isometric and locomotor exercise
Authors: Weavil J. C. , Sidhu S. K. , Mangum T. S. , Richardson R. S. , Amann M.
Published: April 2015

We investigated the role of exercise intensity and associated central motor drive in determining corticomotoneuronal excitability. Ten participants performed a series of nonfatiguing (3 s) isometric single-leg knee extensions (ISO; 10–100% of maximal voluntary contractions, MVC) and cycling bouts (30–160% peak aerobic capacity, Wpeak). At various exercise intensities, electrical potentials were evoked in the vastus lateralis (VL) and rectus femoris (RF) via transcranial magnetic stimulation (motor-evoked potentials, MEP), and electrical stimulation of both the cervicomedullary junction (cervicomedullary evoked potentials, CMEP) and the femoral nerve (maximal M-waves, Mmax). Whereas Mmax remained unchanged in both muscles ( P > 0.40), voluntary electromyographic activity (EMG) increased in an exercise intensity-dependent manner for ISO and cycling exercise in VL and RF (both P < 0.001). During ISO exercise, MEPs and CMEPs progressively increased in VL and RF until a plateau was reached at ∼75% MVC; further increases in contraction intensity did not cause additional changes ( P > 0.35). During cycling exercise, VL-MEPs and CMEPs progressively increased by ∼65% until a plateau was reached at Wpeak. In contrast, RF MEPs and CMEPs progressively increased by ∼110% throughout the tested cycling intensities without the occurrence of a plateau. Furthermore, alterations in EMG below the plateau influenced corticomotoneuronal excitability similarly between exercise modalities. In both exercise modalities, the MEP-to-CMEP ratio did not change with exercise intensity ( P > 0.22). In conclusion, increases in exercise intensity and EMG facilitates the corticomotoneuronal pathway similarly in isometric knee extension and locomotor exercise until a plateau occurs at a submaximal exercise intensity. This facilitation appears to be primarily mediated by increases in excitability of the motoneuron pool.
The quantal component of synaptic transmission from sensory hair cells to the vestibular calyx
Authors: Highstein Stephen M. , Mann Mary Anne , Holstein Gay R. , Rabbitt Richard D.
Published: April 2015

Spontaneous and stimulus-evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were recorded in calyx nerve terminals from the turtle vestibular lagena to quantify key attributes of quantal transmission at this synapse. On average, EPSC events had a magnitude of ∼42 pA, a rise time constant of τ0 ∼229 μs, decayed to baseline with a time constant of τR ∼690 μs, and carried ∼46 fC of charge. Individual EPSCs varied in magnitude and decay time constant. Variability in the EPSC decay time constant was hair cell dependent and due in part to a slow protraction of the EPSC in some cases. Variability in EPSC size was well described by an integer summation of unitary quanta, with each quanta of glutamate gating a unitary postsynaptic current of ∼23 pA. The unitary charge was ∼26 fC for EPSCs with a simple exponential decay and increased to ∼48 fC for EPSCs exhibiting a slow protraction. The EPSC magnitude and the number of simultaneous unitary quanta within each event increased with presynaptic stimulus intensity. During tonic hair cell depolarization, both the EPSC magnitude and event rate exhibited adaptive run down over time. Present data from a reptilian calyx are remarkably similar to noncalyceal vestibular synaptic terminals in diverse species, indicating that the skewed EPSC size distribution and multiquantal release might be an ancestral property of inner ear ribbon synapses.
Design and Dynamic Analysis of a Novel Biomimetic Robotics Hip Joint
Authors: Cui Bingyan , Chen Liwen , Wang Zhijun , Zhao Yuanhao , Li Zhanxian , Jin Zhenlin
Published: April 2015

In order to increase the workspace and the carrying capacity of biomimetic robotics hip joint, a novel biomimetic robotics hip joint was developed. The biomimetic robotics hip joint is mainly composed of a moving platform, frame, and 3-RRR orthogonal spherical parallel mechanism branched chains, and has the characteristics of compact structure, large bearing capacity, high positioning accuracy, and good controllability. The functions of the biomimetic robotics hip joint are introduced, such as the technical parameters, the structure and the driving mode. The biomimetic robotics hip joint model of the robot is established, the kinematics equation is described, and then the dynamics are analyzed and simulated with ADAMS software. The proposed analysis methodology can be provided a theoretical base for biomimetic robotics hip joint of the servo motor selection and structural design. The designed hip joint can be applied in serial and parallel robots or any other mechanisms.
Estimation of Nonlinear Functions of State Vector for Linear Systems with Time-Delays and Uncertainties
Authors: Song Il Young , Shevlyakov Georgy , Shin Vladimir
Published: April 2015

This paper focuses on estimation of a nonlinear function of state vector (NFS) in discrete-time linear systems with time-delays and model uncertainties. The NFS represents a multivariate nonlinear function of state variables, which can indicate useful information of a target system for control. The optimal nonlinear estimator of an NFS (in mean square sense) represents a function of the receding horizon estimate and its error covariance. The proposed receding horizon filter represents the standard Kalman filter with time-delays and special initial horizon conditions described by the Lyapunov-like equations. In general case to calculate an optimal estimator of an NFS we propose using the unscented transformation. Important class of polynomial NFS is considered in detail. In the case of polynomial NFS an optimal estimator has a closed-form computational procedure. The subsequent application of the proposed receding horizon filter and nonlinear estimator to a linear stochastic system with time-delays and uncertainties demonstrates their effectiveness.
The Unexpected Pitter Patter: New-Onset Atrial Fibrillation in Pregnancy
Authors: White Sarah , Welch Janna , Brown Lawrence H.
Published: April 2015

Background. Atrial fibrillation is a relatively uncommon but dangerous complication of pregnancy. Emergency physicians must know how to treat both stable and unstable tachycardias in late pregnancy. In this case, a 40-year-old female with a cerclage due to incompetent cervix and previous preterm deliveries presents in new-onset atrial fibrillation.Case Report. A previously healthy 40-year-old African American G2 P1 female with a 23-week twin gestation complicated by an incompetent cervix requiring a cervical cerclage presented to the emergency department with intermittent palpitations and shortness of breath for the past two months. EMS noted the patient to have a tachydysrhythmia, atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. She was placed on a diltiazem drip, which was titrated to 15 mg/hr without successful rate control. Her heart rate remained in the 130s and the rhythm continued to be atrial fibrillation with RVR. Digoxin was then added as a second agent, and discussions about the potential risks of cardioversion in pregnancy ensued. Fortunately, the patient converted to sinus rhythm before cardioversion became necessary. The digoxin was discontinued; the diltiazem was also discontinued after the patient subsequently developed hypotension.“Why Should Emergency Physicians Be Aware of This?”New-onset atrial fibrillation is rare in pregnancy but can increase the mortality and morbidity of the mother and fetus if not treated promptly.
Relationship between Hyperuricemia and Haar-Like Features on Tongue Images
Authors: Cui Yan , Liao Shizhong , Wang Hongwu , Liu Hongyu , Wang Wenhua , Yin Liqun
Published: April 2015

Objective. To investigate differences in tongue images of subjects with and without hyperuricemia.Materials and Methods. This population-based case-control study was performed in 2012-2013. We collected data from 46 case subjects with hyperuricemia and 46 control subjects, including results of biochemical examinations and tongue images. Symmetrical Haar-like features based on integral images were extracted from tongue images.T-tests were performed to determine the ability of extracted features to distinguish between the case and control groups. We first selected features using the common criterionP<0.05, then conducted further examination of feature characteristics and feature selection using means and standard deviations of distributions in the case and control groups.Results. A total of 115,683 features were selected using the criterionP<0.05. The maximum area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of these features was 0.877. The sensitivity of the feature with the maximum AUC value was 0.800 and specificity was 0.826 when the Youden index was maximized. Features that performed well were concentrated in the tongue root region.Conclusions. Symmetrical Haar-like features enabled discrimination of subjects with and without hyperuricemia in our sample. The locations of these discriminative features were in agreement with the interpretation of tongue appearance in traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Neurophysiology ofDrosophilaModels of Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: West Ryan J. H. , Furmston Rebecca , Williams Charles A. C. , Elliott Christopher J. H.
Published: April 2015

We provide an insight into the roleDrosophilahas played in elucidating neurophysiological perturbations associated with Parkinson’s disease- (PD-) related genes. Synaptic signalling deficits are observed in motor, central, and sensory systems. Given the neurological impact of disease causing mutations within these same genes in humans the phenotypes observed in fly are of significant interest. As such we observe four unique opportunities provided by fly nervous system models of Parkinson’s disease. Firstly,Drosophilamodels are instrumental in exploring the mechanisms of neurodegeneration, with several PD-related mutations eliciting related phenotypes including sensitivity to energy supply and vesicular deformities. These are leading to the identification of plausible cellular mechanisms, which may be specific to (dopaminergic) neurons and synapses rather than general cellular phenotypes. Secondly, models show noncell autonomous signalling within the nervous system, offering the opportunity to develop our understanding of the way pathogenic signalling propagates, resembling Braak’s scheme of spreading pathology in PD. Thirdly, the models link physiological deficits to changes in synaptic structure. While the structure-function relationship is complex, the genetic tractability ofDrosophilaoffers the chance to separate fundamental changes from downstream consequences. Finally, the strong neuronal phenotypes permit relevant firstin vivodrug testing.
Simulation of Ni-Based Super-Alloy and Optimizing of Its Mechanical Properties in a Near-Shaped Turbine Blade Part
Authors: Alizadeh Mohammd Reza
Published: April 2015

This paper presents simulation of a Ni-based super-alloy during filling of a near-shaped turbine blade part to optimize its mechanical properties. Since geometrical shape of the airfoil is so complicated, a simple near-shaped part was made by plexiglass to water modeling. Condition and parameters of water modeling were obtained from the Procast software simulation. The flow pattern of the transparent systems, recorded by a high speed video camera, was analyzed. Air bubble amounts were quantitatively measured by an image analysis software. Quantified results were used to compare two systems in terms of ability to prevent bubble formation and entrainment. Both water modeling and computer simulating methods indicated that highest turbulences in bottom- and top-poured systems form in first initially pouring times. According to the water modeling results amount of bubble values was 40 and 18 percent for top-poured and bottom-poured systems, respectively. Then the Ni-base super-alloy IN939 is poured by investment casting in bottom- and top-poured systems and compared with each other. The results stated that bottom-poured system had higher mechanical properties compared to top-poured one. Ultimate tensile strength for the former was 820 MPa while for the part which was cast by bottom-poured system it was 850 MPa.
Successful Treatment of Bronchial Fistula after Pulmonary Lobectomy by Endobronchial Embolization Using an Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot
Authors: Machida Yuichiro , Tanaka Makoto , Motono Nozomu , Maeda Sumiko , Usuda Katsuo , Sagawa Motoyasu
Published: April 2015

A bronchial fistula is one of the most serious complications that can occur following pulmonary lobectomy. We herein report a case of bronchial fistula that was successfully treated by endobronchial embolization using an Endobronchial Watanabe Spigot (EWS). A 72-year-old male underwent right lower lobectomy of the lung with nodal dissection for a pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma. A bronchial fistula developed 53 days after surgery. Tube drainage was performed, and air leakage was apparent. Under endoscopic observation, intrathoracic injection of indigo carmine revealed that a fistula existed at the peripheral site of the B2ai bronchus. After one EWS (small) was inserted into the B2a bronchus tightly using a bronchoscope, the air leakage was stopped. Pleurodesis was further carried out, the thoracostomy tube was subsequently removed, and the patient was discharged. Endobronchial embolization using an EWS is an option for the treatment of a bronchial fistula after pulmonary resection.
mRMR-ABC: A Hybrid Gene Selection Algorithm for Cancer Classification Using Microarray Gene Expression Profiling
Authors: Alshamlan Hala , Badr Ghada , Alohali Yousef
Published: April 2015

An artificial bee colony (ABC) is a relatively recent swarm intelligence optimization approach. In this paper, we propose the first attempt at applying ABC algorithm in analyzing a microarray gene expression profile. In addition, we propose an innovative feature selection algorithm, minimum redundancy maximum relevance (mRMR), and combine it with an ABC algorithm, mRMR-ABC, to select informative genes from microarray profile. The new approach is based on a support vector machine (SVM) algorithm to measure the classification accuracy for selected genes. We evaluate the performance of the proposed mRMR-ABC algorithm by conducting extensive experiments on six binary and multiclass gene expression microarray datasets. Furthermore, we compare our proposed mRMR-ABC algorithm with previously known techniques. We reimplemented two of these techniques for the sake of a fair comparison using the same parameters. These two techniques are mRMR when combined with a genetic algorithm (mRMR-GA) and mRMR when combined with a particle swarm optimization algorithm (mRMR-PSO). The experimental results prove that the proposed mRMR-ABC algorithm achieves accurate classification performance using small number of predictive genes when tested using both datasets and compared to previously suggested methods. This shows that mRMR-ABC is a promising approach for solving gene selection and cancer classification problems.
Coexpression Pattern Analysis of NPM1-Associated Genes in Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia
Authors: Wang Fengfeng , Chan Lawrence W. C. , Tsui Nancy B. Y. , Wong S. C. Cesar , Siu Parco M. , Yip S. P. , Yung Benjamin Y. M.
Published: April 2015

Background. Nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1) plays an important role in ribosomal synthesis and malignancies, but NPM1 mutations occur rarely in the blast-crisis and chronic-phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients. The NPM1-associated gene set (GCM_NPM1), in total 116 genes including NPM1, was chosen as the candidate gene set for the coexpression analysis. We wonder if NPM1-associated genes can affect the ribosomal synthesis and translation process in CML.Results. We presented a distribution-based approach for gene pair classification by identifying a disease-specific cutoff point that classified the coexpressed gene pairs into strong and weak coexpression structures. The differences in the coexpression patterns between the normal and the CML groups were reflected from the overall structure by performing two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Our developed method effectively identified the coexpression pattern differences from the overall structure:P  value=1.71×10-22<0.05for the maximum deviationD=0.109. Moreover, we found that genes involved in the ribosomal synthesis and translation process tended to be coexpressed in the CML group.Conclusion. Our developed method can identify the coexpression difference between two different groups. Dysregulation of ribosomal synthesis and translation process may be related to the CML disease. Our significant findings may provide useful information for the novel CML mechanism exploration and cancer treatment.
The Significance of ST Depression in a Postmenopausal Woman on Estrogen Therapy during Regadenoson Myocardial SPECT Imaging
Authors: Kiran Mehta Nishaki , Hardebeck Charles , Gulati Martha
Published: April 2015

The incidence of false-positive stress tests has been noted in women, especially on hormone replacement therapy. Current literature describes this phenomenon in treadmill and adenosine stress tests. The introduction of regadenoson as a vasodilator agent has been widely adopted owing to its potency and specificity. To our knowledge, false-positive stress test with regadenoson in a postmenopausal woman on estrogen has never been described. Given the higher chronotropic response with regadenoson, we believe that normal perfusion images with a higher heart rate response indicate a good prognosis in such patients.
A Smoothing Inexact Newton Method for Nonlinear Complementarity Problems
Authors: Wan Zhong , Li HuanHuan , Huang Shuai
Published: April 2015

A smoothing inexact Newton method is presented for solving nonlinear complementarity problems. Different from the existing exact methods, the associated subproblems are not necessary to be exactly solved to obtain the search directions. Under suitable assumptions, global convergence and superlinear convergence are established for the developed inexact algorithm, which are extensions of the exact case. On the one hand, results of numerical experiments indicate that our algorithm is effective for the benchmark test problems available in the literature. On the other hand, suitable choice of inexact parameters can improve the numerical performance of the developed algorithm.
Immunological Hypoglycemia Associated with Insulin Antibodies Induced by Exogenous Insulin in 11 Chinese Patients with Diabetes
Authors: Quan Heng , Tan Huiwen , Li Qianrui , Li Jianwei , Li Sheyu
Published: April 2015

Aims. To investigate the characteristics of immunological hypoglycemia associated with insulin antibodies (IAbs) induced by exogenous insulin in Chinese patients with diabetes.Methods. The clinical data of patients with immunological hypoglycemia due to IAbs were retrospectively analyzed by screening patients with diabetes discharged from West China Hospital from 2007 to 2013.Results. A total of 11 patients (eight men and three women) were identified. Insulin-C-peptide separation was found in all patients via insulin and C-peptide release test. Previous insulin use was ceased after admission and was switched to oral hypoglycemic agents (OHAs) (8/11), lifestyle modification only (2/11), or regular human insulin (1/11). Hypoglycemia was ameliorated after a median of 20 days (interquartile range [IQR], 11–40), while IAbs turned negative after a median of 17 months (IQR, 4–19), and serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI) levels dropped substantially after a median of 22 months (IQR, 9–32) in these cases.Conclusions. In insulin-treated patients with unexpected and refractory hypoglycemia even after insulin therapy was gradually reduced or even withdrawn, IAbs induced by exogenous insulin should be considered, and insulin withdrawal might be promptly needed. The course of immunological hypoglycemia was benign and self-limited.
Climatic Cycles and Gradients of the El Niño Core Region in North Peru
Authors: Rollenbeck Rütger , Bayer Fabian , Münchow Jannes , Richter Michael , Rodriguez Rodolfo , Atarama Nestor
Published: April 2015

Climatic processes in northern Peru are evaluated on surface observation independent of modelling studies. The region is characterized by regular oscillations, but episodic El Niño-events introduce strong disturbances. Conceptual models based on observations, remote sensing data, and output of regional climate models are compared with data from a new station network. The results show regular oscillations of all climate variables on the annual and daily time scale. The daily cycle is probably associated with thermotidal forcings, causing gravity waves to emanate from the Andes Cordillera. Main factors are the interaction of large scale pressure systems like the Southeast Pacific High and the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Also, there are regional factors: an extended sea-breeze system, the barrier-effect of the Andes, additional energy input by elevated radiation absorption at the mountain slopes, local wind systems, and the variations of the sea surface temperature. At the coast, a low-level jet works as a thermodynamic energy sink, suppressing deep convection and supporting the aridity. Those patterns are found in most of the station data and the processes of this climate can generally be confirmed. The overturning of this stable system with the onset of El Niño-conditions is possibly caused by disruptions of the regional circulation.
The Existence and Uniqueness of Global Solutions to the Initial Value Problem for the System of Nonlinear Integropartial Differential Equations in Spatial Economics: The Dynamic Continuous Dixit-Stiglitz-Krugman Model in an Urban-Rural Setting
Authors: Tabata Minoru , Eshima Nobuoki
Published: April 2015

Assume that economic activities are conducted in a bounded continuous domain where workers move toward regions that offer higher real wages and away from regions that offer below-average real wages. The density of real wages is calculated by solving the nominal wage equation of the continuous Dixit-Stiglitz-Krugman model in an urban-rural setting. The evolution of the density of workers is described by an unknown function of the replicator equation whose growth rate is equal to the difference between the density of real wages and the average real wage. Hence, the evolution of the densities of workers and real wages is described by the system of the nominal wage equation and the replicator equation. This system of equations is an essentially new kind of system of nonlinear integropartial differential equations in the theory of functional equations. The purpose of this paper is to obtain a sufficient condition for the initial value problem for this system to have a unique global solution.
Two Brothers with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome Presenting with Chronic Renal Failure
Authors: Sahin Cem , Huddam Bulent , Akbaba Gulhan , Tunca Hasan , Koca Emine , Levent Mustafa
Published: April 2015

Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) is a rarely seen autosomal recessive transfer disease characterised by retinal dystrophy, obesity, extremity deformities, mental retardation, and renal and genital system anomalies. BBS shows heterogenic transfer. To date, 18 genes (BBS1–18) and 7 BBS proteins have been defined as related to BBS. All of the defined BBS genes have been shown to be related to the biogenesis or function of cilia. Renal failure accompanying the syndrome, especially in the advanced stages, is the most common cause of mortality. Therefore, as one of the major diagnostic criteria, renal damage is of great importance in early diagnosis. This paper presents the cases of two brothers with BBS who presented with chronic renal failure.
Adaptive Synchronization in Complex Network with Different Order Node Dynamics
Authors: Zhang Fan-di , Jia Jin-ping , Yang Li-xin
Published: April 2015

This paper investigates the adaptive cluster synchronization in the complex networks with different orders. By means of Lyapunov stability theory and the adaptive control technique, a novel adaptive synchronization controller is developed. To demonstrate the validity of the proposed method, the examples for the synchronization of systems with the chaotic and hyperchaotic node dynamics are presented.