bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical and Theoretical Perspective on Scapular Stabilization: What Does It Really Mean, and Are We on the Right Track?
Authors: McQuade Kevin J. , Borstad John , de Oliveira Anamaria Siriani
Published: February 2016

Stabilization exercises have been a focus and mainstay of many therapeutic and performance training programs in the past decade. Whether the focus is core stabilization for the spine or scapular stabilization, clinicians and trainers alike have endorsed these programs, largely on the basis of conceptual theory and anecdotal experience. The notion that an unstable scapula is related to shoulder dysfunction and pathology is well accepted, but is it accurate? The aim of this perspective article is to challenge the concept of scapular stabilization through the application of biomechanical and motor control constructs. The objectives are to critically examine current beliefs about scapular stabilization, to discuss definitions of stabilization and stability in the context of the scapulothoracic region, and to evaluate key evidence regarding scapular stabilization and scapular dyskinesia. Several new approaches that may affect the understanding of normal and atypical scapula motion are explored. Finally, a historical analogy is presented and future research and clinical directions are suggested. The aims are to lead readers to the essential concepts implied on scapular stabilization, to increase the critical thought process in rehabilitation practice, and to suggest some open topics to be explored in future research.
Limitations in the Activity of Mobility at Age 6 Years After Difficult Birth at Term: Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: van Iersel Patricia A.M. , Algra Annechien M. , Bakker Saskia C.M. , Jonker Arnold J.H. , Hadders-Algra Mijna
Published: February 2016

Background

A difficult birth at term (DBAT) may manifest as fetal acidosis and low Apgar scores and is often referred to as “perinatal asphyxia,” especially when infants show signs of neonatal encephalopathy (NE). In contrast to DBAT resulting in moderate-to-severe NE, which is associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, little is known about the prognosis of less severe forms of DBAT, with or without NE.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, Children & Youth Version activity “mobility” and other neurodevelopmental sequelae in infants with DBAT at age 6 years.

Methods

The index cohort (n=62; 35 boys, 27 girls) consisted of consecutive term infants with DBAT based on clinical criteria in a Dutch nonacademic hospital from 1999 to 2005. Neonatal encephalopathy was assessed according to the Sarnat grading system and excluded infants with severe NE. The matched reference cohort (n=81; 49 boys, 32 girls) consisted of healthy term infants. The primary outcome at 6 years was limited mobility (Movement Assessment Battery for Children score ≤15th percentile). Secondary outcomes included learning and behavioral problems and the presence of minor neurological dysfunction.

Results

Three children developed cerebral palsy and were excluded from analyses. Children with DBAT more often had limited mobility than children without DBAT (risk ratio [RR]=2.44; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]=1.16, 5.14). The risk of limited mobility rose with increasing severity of NE (mild NE: RR=3.38; 95% CI=1.40, 8.16; moderate NE: RR=4.00; 95% CI=1.54, 10.40), and manual abilities especially were affected (RR=4.12; 95% CI=1.40, 12.14). Learning problems, need for physical therapy, and complex minor neurological dysfunction were more common in children with DBAT than in children without DBAT.

Conclusions

Term infants who develop mild or moderate NE following DBAT are at increased risk for limited mobility at age 6 years. Routine monitoring of neuromotor development in these children is warranted.
Test-Retest Reliability of Dual-Task Outcome Measures in People With Parkinson Disease
Authors: Strouwen Carolien , Molenaar Esther A.L.M. , Keus Samyra H.J. , Münks Liesbeth , Bloem Bastiaan R. , Nieuwboer Alice
Published: February 2016

Background

Dual-task (DT) training is gaining ground as a physical therapy intervention in people with Parkinson disease (PD). Future studies evaluating the effect of such interventions need reliable outcome measures. To date, the test-retest reliability of DT measures in patients with PD remains largely unknown.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of DT outcome measures in patients with PD.

Design

A repeated-measures design was used.

Methods

Patients with PD (“on” medication, Mini-Mental State Examination score ≥24) performed 2 cognitive tasks (ie, backward digit span task and auditory Stroop task) and 1 functional task (ie, mobile phone task) in combination with walking. Tasks were assessed at 2 time points (same hour) with an interval of 6 weeks. Test-retest reliability was assessed for gait while performing each secondary task (DT gait) for both cognitive tasks while walking (DT cognitive) and for the functional task while walking (DT functional).

Results

Sixty-two patients with PD (age=39–89 years, Hoehn and Yahr stages II–III) were included in the study. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) showed excellent reliability for DT gait measures, ranging between .86 and .95 when combined with the digit span task, between .86 and .95 when combined with the auditory Stroop task, and between .72 and .90 when combined with the mobile phone task. The standard error of measurements for DT gait speed varied between 0.06 and 0.08 m/s, leading to minimal detectable changes between 0.16 and 0.22 m/s. With regard to DT cognitive measures, reaction times showed good-to-excellent reliability (digit span task: ICC=.75; auditory Stroop task: ICC=.82).

Limitations

The results cannot be generalized to patients with advanced disease or to other DT measures.

Conclusions

In people with PD, DT measures proved to be reliable for use in clinical studies and look promising for use in clinical practice to assess improvements after DT training. Large effects, however, are needed to obtain meaningful effect sizes.
Was it good for you too?: An analysis of gender differences in oral sex practices and pleasure ratings among heterosexual Canadian university students
Authors: Wood Jessica R , McKay Alexander , Komarnicky Tina , Milhausen Robin R
Published: February 2016

Oral sex has become a standard component of the heterosexual sexual script, though little is known about the level of pleasure men and women experience from giving and receiving oral sex and the extent to which relationship context is associated with levels of pleasure. The purpose of this study was to investigate gender differences in giving and receiving oral sex, and associations with pleasure experienced and partner type. Participants were 899 heterosexual university students who reported on their sexual activities in their most recent sexual encounter in an online survey. Over two-thirds of participants reported that their last sexual encounter included giving and/or receiving oral sex. More women (59%) than men (52%) reported giving oral sex to their partner. More men (63%) than women (44%) reported receiving oral sex. Most men (73%) and women (69%) reported that receiving oral sex was “very pleasurable.” Though most participants rated giving oral sex as at least “somewhat pleasurable,” men were significantly more likely than women to report that giving oral sex was very pleasurable (52% vs. 28%). Overall, ratings of pleasure for giving oral sex were higher for men, but no gender differences were found for overall pleasure ratings of receiving oral sex. Regardless of gender, higher pleasure ratings were reported when giving and receiving oral sex with more committed partners compared to more casual ones. Findings highlight the utility of discussing gendered norms for sexual behaviour with young people, and including pleasure-enhancing information in sexual health education programs.
Reliability in the German Value of Time Study
Authors: Ehreke Ilka , Hess Stephane , Weis Claude , Axhausen Kay W.
Published: February 2016

The German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure is currently preparing the 2015 Federal Transport Investment Plan. Because this effort includes an update to the overall methodology of the ministry's cost–benefit analysis, both the value of reliability (VOR) and the value of travel time (VOT) for personal and business travel will be estimated. The VOT will replace a set of existing values, but the VOR will be estimated for the first time because they are not yet incorporated in the standard appraisal. A two-stage approach was used for data collection: first respondents reported about current trips (revealed preference), and then these responses were systematically varied to become the basis for stated preference experiments. This paper presents the findings of estimating the VOR. In the stated preference experiments the reliability of the travel modes was presented with different formats. The final model formulation differed in the definition of reliability for private and public transport. For car trips, saving travel time had more value for the respondents than reducing the variability. The calculated VOR for the mean expected unscheduled delay of public transport trips was slightly lower than the VOT; this result indicates that the reliability was less important to the respondents than the relevant travel time saving. A mean expected unscheduled delay of 1 min and 1 min of standard deviation are almost equivalent to 1 min of travel time saving (reliability ratio). Because this was the first official estimation of VOR and VOT for Germany, the values should be reconsidered and updated on a regular basis.
Differences in Travel Behavior across Population Sectors in Jerusalem, Israel
Authors: Vyas Gaurav , Bernardo Christina , Vovsha Peter , Givon Danny , Birotker Yehoshua , Bluer Eitan , Mossek Amir
Published: February 2016

The population of Jerusalem, Israel, can be divided into three distinct ethnic sectors: secular Jewish, ultra-Orthodox Jewish, and Arab. Not only do these population sectors tend to inhabit and work in different areas of the city, but they each have unique household structures, activity patterns, mobility tendencies, and, ultimately, travel behavior. These substantial variations in behavior, largely driven by differences in culture and lifestyle that are not captured by other personal characteristics, are essential to representing travel behavior in the Jerusalem travel model. In this paper, sector differences were traced through the activity-based travel demand model framework by using the 2010 Jerusalem Household Travel Survey. Significant variations in behavior were seen both in direct relation to the population sector and in interactions with other socioeconomic and demographic characteristics such as income and gender. This is the first known travel demand model in practice to incorporate ethnic differences so extensively in its application.
Assessing Goodness of Fit of Hybrid Choice Models
Authors: Motoaki Yutaka , Daziano Ricardo A.
Published: February 2016

Recent research in travel behavior has contributed numerous technical developments for the estimation of discrete choice models with latent attributes, including the hybrid choice model (HCM). However, assessment of goodness of fit, reliability, validity, and predictive capacities of the joint model remain open research questions. The HCM is a special form of structural equation modeling (SEM). Several goodness-of-fit indexes are all in standard use in psychometric SEM. In this paper, the validity of these indexes is examined for the HCM case. Behavior of SEM fit assessment tools is known in factor analysis (some controversies in this area are reviewed in this paper), but performance of these indexes in the HCM has not been studied. A Monte Carlo study, as well as empirical microdata on bicycle route choice, was used to show that standard SEM fit assessment did not work as expected for the HCM. Important differences were discovered in model fit between the HCM and the multiple indicator multiple cause (MIMIC) model with the same structural and measurement equations for the latent attributes. Sometimes the HCM was rejected when indexes failed to reject the MIMIC structure and vice versa. One of the sources of this divergence was that the measurement equation of the choice kernel did not have an error term; this assumption was nonstandard in SEM. Until a uniform method for measuring the HCM goodness of fit is found, it is recommended that the chi-square test be used for the MIMIC component of the joint model.
What Do you Do with Your App?
Authors: Fonzone Achille
Published: February 2016

Provision of real-time passenger information (RTPI) increasingly is becoming a fundamental element of the service offered by transit agencies. RTPI changes how travelers perceive public transport services and can have a remarkable influence on travel choices and, consequently, system performance. Such consequences depend on the objectives pursued by the riders and the characteristics of the transit service. The existing knowledge about transit RTPI is extended by studying the decision-making process of bus passengers in the presence of multichannel descriptive and prescriptive real-time information. The use of different kinds of information, decision-making objectives, travel choices, and their associations (which define classes of travel choice behavior) was investigated by conducting a survey of passengers on Lothian Buses in Edinburgh, Scotland. Descriptive RTPI also was accessed before traveling and influenced decisions about route choice above all. The analysis demonstrated that RTPI was associated with more flexible behavior and that classes of behavior were well defined. Results emphasize the importance to transit agencies of providing RTPI that is tailored to customers. The development of models including the effects of RTPI is recommended to assess its impact on system performance.
Analytical Approach to Identify the Optimum Inputs for a Bus Travel Time Prediction Method
Authors: Kumar B. Anil , Mothukuri Snigdha , Vanajakshi Lelitha , Subramanian Shankar C.
Published: February 2016

Even though new infrastructure is being developed to meet demand, increased urbanization and vehicle ownership have increased the congestion levels in Indian cities. Attracting more travelers to public transport is an option to reduce congestion but still remains a challenge, mainly because of the uncertainty of service. A reliable and accurate system for predicting vehicle arrival can help make public transportation more attractive. An accurate prediction method should be used to provide reliable information to passengers, and accuracy depends on the input data used. Therefore, identifying the optimum inputs and incorporating them in the prediction method become important. The optimum number of inputs required for best prediction performance was identified with an analytical approach. A model-based algorithm motivated by the Kalman filter was used to predict bus travel time with the use of GPS data. A case study was conducted on two selected bus routes in the city of Chennai, India, to evaluate the prediction accuracy of the proposed method. Results obtained from the algorithm were promising and showed the prediction accuracy to be 65 min for a prediction window of 30 min in 92% of instances. The predicted travel time can be used to provide realtime bus arrival information to the public through various media, including web pages, mobile applications, and display boards.
Effects of Transit Quality of Service Characteristics on Daily Bus Ridership
Authors: Kashfi Syeed Anta , Bunker Jonathan M. , Yigitcanlar Tan
Published: February 2016

A case study of Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, explored how explicit measures of transit quality of service (e.g., service frequency, service span, and travel time ratio) and implicit environmental predictors (e.g., topographic grade factor) influenced bus ridership. The primary hypothesis tested was that bus ridership was higher in suburbs with high transit quality of service than in suburbs with limited service quality. Multiple linear regression, used to identify a strong positive relationship between route intensity (bus-km/h-km2) and bus ridership, indicated that both increased service frequency and spatial route density corresponded to higher bus ridership. Additionally, the travel time ratio (i.e., the ratio of in-vehicle transit travel time to in-vehicle automobile travel time) had a significant negative association with suburban ridership: transit use declined as travel time ratio increased. In contrast, topographic grade and service span did not significantly affect suburban bus ridership. The study findings enhance the fundamental understanding of traveler behavior, which is informative to urban transportation policy, planning, and provision.
Estimating Drivers’ Willingness to Pay by Using Empirical Data from a Variably Priced Freeway Facility
Authors: Campbell Robert
Published: February 2016

This paper presents a simplified method for estimating the percentage of drivers who would choose to use a priced facility in place of a free alternative by means of a year of revealed preference data from a variably priced freeway facility in Southern California. The resultant model showed a strong fit to the set of 5,071 bins of data (with an R2 value of .869) while using only three easily obtained predictor variables: the expected travel time savings by use of the managed lanes, the toll price being imposed, and the relative speeds between the two alternatives at the time the decision is made. This model contrasts sharply with other existing methods of analysis, which often use logit models and require much more detail about the population of drivers. The author then illustrates how these results can be used for planning analyses of other priced facilities with different operational conditions and roadway configurations (specifically, converting a current high-occupancy-vehicle facility to a high-occupancy-toll facility) by using only the level of data that would be available from common inductive loops, subject to assumptions about the transferability and generalizability of these results from Southern California to the facility being analyzed.
Legibility of the Clearview Typeface and FHWA Standard Alphabets on Negative- and Positive-Contrast Signs
Authors: Garvey Philip M. , Klena M. Jennifer , Eie Wei-Yin , Meeker Donald T. , Pietrucha Martin T.
Published: February 2016

The main objective of this research was to compare the legibility distance of the negative-contrast Clearview typeface with that of comparable FHWA Standard Alphabets on black-on-white signs in the daytime and nighttime for older and younger motorists. Mixed-case Clearview (2-B, 3-B, and 4-B) was compared with both mixed-case and uppercase FHWA Standard Alphabets (Series C, D, and E). In addition, the researchers evaluated the effects of letter height on the legibility distance of mixed-case Clearview. A small set of positive-contrast white-on-green signs were displayed to compare Clearview Typefaces 2-W, 3-W, and 4-W with FHWA Standard Alphabet Series C, D, and E, which are all mixed case. Overall, signs that used Clearview negative-contrast in mixed case performed as well as FHWA Standard Alphabets in uppercase (even though the Clearview fonts took up less sign space than the FHWA Standard Alphabets) and better than mixed-case FHWA Standard Alphabets in both daytime and nighttime. Overall, Clearview in positive contrast (white on green) outperformed the comparable FHWA Standard Alphabets. In addition, a survey conducted with state departments of transportation of their current use of Clearview in positive contrast and their potential use of Clearview in negative contrast is discussed.
Cement-Treated Bases Containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement, Quarry By-Products, and Fibers
Authors: LaHucik Jeffrey , Schmidt Scott , Tutumluer Erol , Roesler Jeffery
Published: February 2016

A laboratory study was conducted to demonstrate that sustainable cement-treated base courses can be achieved through the application of waste quarry by-products (QB) and fractionated reclaimed asphalt pavement (FRAP). Aggregate packing tests were performed on blends of QB and FRAP to determine an optimal blend that would minimize the void content of the aggregate structure while achieving acceptable strengths. The optimal aggregate packing proportions were found to be 70% QB with 30% FRAP. Modified Proctor samples were prepared to determine the moisture–density relationship with several cement contents (2% to 4% by total volume) on dolomite or FRAP coarse aggregate mixed with QB and 0.4% synthetic macrofibers. Mixture design performances were evaluated through strength (compression and split tension) and modulus tests. As expected, higher cement content increased both the strength and elastic modulus for all mixes tested. Mixtures containing virgin aggregates with QB yielded statistically greater elastic moduli than mixtures with FRAP and QB. Fibers did not have a statistical effect on strength or elastic modulus but did provide residual shear capacity across cracks. The QB and FRAP or virgin mixtures with 3% to 4% cement content exceeded the strengths for typical cement-stabilized base materials in the literature. The measured strength and elastic modulus properties show that QB, together with FRAP or virgin aggregates, can be successfully applied as a cement-treated foundation layer.
Dynamic Learning Process for Selecting Storm Protection Investments
Authors: Chan Raymond , Durango-Cohen Pablo L. , Schofer Joseph L.
Published: February 2016

Increasingly aggressive weather events, such as hurricane-driven storm surges, threaten surface transportation systems and motivate defensive actions, including hardening. Decisions about the design and scale of hardening investments are informed by meteorological records. Historically based probabilities of severe storms are used in practice to define expected values of the intensity of weather assaults (e.g., the 100-year storm) and then to select defenses. The prospects of climate change and rising sea level suggest that assuming weather events are stationary may present added risks to surface transportation infrastructure, particularly in coastal environments. This paper proposes a dynamic, learning-based investment strategy, similar to the concept of real options, that updates estimates of storm surges on the basis of experience and recommends incremental hardening investments when observed trends indicate that additional defense is warranted. Monte Carlo simulation is used to compare and evaluate static (expected value-based) and dynamic investment strategies in the context of storm intensity patterns that are ( a) known, ( b) incorrectly estimated, and ( c) nonstationary, with growing intensity. Results suggest that when the future is well described by past experience, the static, once-and-done decision strategy works well, but when the underlying storm generation process is unknown, or when it is changing (growing) in intensity, the learning-based dynamic strategy is especially advantageous. These results underscore the importance of flexibility in designing storm protection, of tracking weather events closely to detect emerging trends, and of data-driven decision strategies. This dynamic approach to decision making under uncertainty can be applied to other sources of uncertainty, for example, demand estimates.
Nonthermal ablation in the rat brain using focused ultrasound and an ultrasound contrast agent: long-term effects
Authors: McDannold Nathan , Zhang Yongzhi , Vykhodtseva Natalia
Published: February 2016

OBJECTIVE

Thermal ablation with transcranial MRI-guided focused ultrasound (FUS) is currently under investigation as a less invasive alternative to radiosurgery and resection. A major limitation of the method is that its use is currently restricted to centrally located brain targets. The combination of FUS and a microbubble-based ultrasound contrast agent greatly reduces the ultrasound exposure level needed to ablate brain tissue and could be an effective means to increase the “treatment envelope” for FUS in the brain. This method, however, ablates tissue through a different mechanism: destruction of the microvasculature. It is not known whether nonthermal FUS ablation in substantial volumes of tissue can safely be performed without unexpected effects. The authors investigated this question by ablating volumes in the brains of normal rats.

METHODS

Overlapping sonications were performed in rats (n = 15) to ablate a volume in 1 hemisphere per animal. The sonications (10-msec bursts at 1 Hz for 60 seconds; peak negative pressure 0.8 MPa) were combined with the ultrasound contrast agent Optison (100 µl/kg). The rats were followed with MRI for 4–9 weeks after FUS, and the brains were examined with histological methods.

RESULTS

Two weeks after sonication and later, the lesions appeared as cyst-like areas in T2-weighted MR images that were stable over time. Histological examination demonstrated well-defined lesions consisting of a cyst-like cavity that remained lined by astrocytic tissue. Some white matter structures within the sonicated area were partially intact.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that nonthermal FUS ablation can be used to safely ablate tissue volumes in the brain without unexpected delayed effects. The findings are encouraging for the use of this ablation method in the brain.
Intraoperative premature rupture of middle cerebral artery aneurysms: risk factors and sphenoid ridge proximation sign
Authors: Park Jaechan , Son Wonsoo , Park Ki-Su , Kang Dong-Hun , Shin Im Hee
Published: February 2016

OBJECTIVE

This study was an investigation of surgical cases of a ruptured middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm that was conducted to identify the risk factors of an intraoperative premature rupture.

METHODS

Among 927 patients with a ruptured intracranial aneurysm who were treated over an 8-year period, the medical records of 182 consecutive patients with a ruptured MCA aneurysm were examined for cases of a premature rupture, and the risk factors were then investigated. The risk factors considered for an intraoperative premature rupture of an MCA aneurysm included the following: patient age; sex; World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies clinical grade; modified Fisher grade; presence of an intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH); location of the ICH (frontal or temporal); volume of the ICH; maximum diameter of the ruptured MCA aneurysm; length of the preaneurysmal M1 segment between the carotid bifurcation and the MCA aneurysm; and a sign of sphenoid ridge proximation. The sphenoid ridge proximation sign was defined as a spatial proximation < 4 mm between the sphenoid ridge and the rupture point of the MCA aneurysm, such as a daughter sac, irregularity, or dome of the aneurysm, based on the axial source images of the brain CT angiography sequences.

RESULTS

A total of 11 patients (6.0%) suffered a premature rupture of the MCA aneurysm during surgery. The premature rupture occurrences were classified according to the stage of the surgery, as follows: 1) craniotomy and dural opening (n = 1); 2) aspiration or removal of the ICH (n = 1); 3) retraction of the frontal lobe (n = 1); 4) dissection of the sphenoid segment of the sylvian fissure to access the proximal vessel (n = 4); and 5) perianeurysmal dissection (n = 4). The multivariate analysis with a binary logistic regression revealed that presence of a sphenoid ridge proximation sign (p < 0.001), presence of a frontal ICH associated with the ruptured MCA aneurysm (p = 0.019), and a short preaneurysmal M1 segment (p = 0.043) were all statistically significant risk factors for a premature rupture. Plus, a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a preaneurysmal M1 segment length ≤ 13.3 mm was the best cutoff value for predicting the occurrence of a premature rupture (area under curve 0.747; sensitivity 63.64%; specificity 81.66%).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients exhibiting a sphenoid ridge proximation sign, the presence of a frontal ICH, and/or a short preaneurysmal M1 segment are at high risk for an intraoperative premature rupture of a MCA aneurysm. Such high-risk MCA aneurysms have a superficial location close to the arachnoid in the sphenoidal compartment of the sylvian fissure and have a rupture point directed anteriorly.
Visualization of lenticulostriate arteries during insular low-grade glioma surgeries by navigated 3D ultrasound power Doppler: technical note
Authors: Šteňo Andrej , Jezberová Michaela , Hollý Vladimír , Timárová Gabriela , Šteňo Juraj
Published: February 2016

OBJECTIVE

Resection of insular gliomas is challenging. In cases of intraoperative injury to the lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs), the usual result is a dense hemiplegia. LSAs are usually localized just behind the medial tumor border but they can also be encased by the tumor. Thus, exact localization of these perforators is important. However, intraoperative localization of LSAs using conventional neuronavigation can be difficult due to brain shift. In this paper, the authors present a novel method of intraoperative LSA visualization by navigated 3D ultrasound (3DUS) power Doppler. This technique enables almost real-time imaging of LSAs and evaluation of their shift during insular tumor resections.

METHODS

Six patients harboring insular Grade II gliomas were consecutively operated on at the Department of Neurosurgery in Bratislava using visualization of LSAs by navigated 3DUS power Doppler. In all cases, the 3DUS data were repeatedly updated to compensate for the brain shift and display the actual position of LSAs and residual tumor.

RESULTS

Successful visualization of LSAs was achieved in all cases. During all surgeries, the distance between the bottom of the resection cavity and LSAs could be accurately evaluated; in all tumors the resection approached the LSAs and only a minimal amount of tissue covering these perforators was intentionally left in place to avoid injury to them.

CONCLUSIONS

Visualization of LSAs by navigated 3DUS power Doppler is a useful tool that may help to prevent injury of LSAs during removal of insular low-grade gliomas. However, reliability of this method has to be carefully evaluated in further studies.
Magnetic resonance–guided laser interstitial thermal therapy: report of a series of pediatric brain tumors
Authors: Tovar-Spinoza Zulma , Choi Hoon
Published: February 2016

OBJECTIVE

Magnetic resonance–guided laser interstitial thermal therapy (MRgLITT) is a novel, minimally invasive treatment that has multiple advantages in pediatric use and broad applicability for different types of lesions. Here, the authors report the preliminary results of the first series of pediatric brain tumors treated with MRgLITT at Golisano Children's Hospital in Syracuse, New York.

METHODS

Pediatric brain tumors treated with MRgLITT between February 2012 and August 2014 at Golisano Children's Hospital were evaluated retrospectively. Medical records, radiological findings, surgical data, complications, and results of tumor volumetric analyses were reviewed. The Visualase thermal laser system (Medtronic) was used in all MRgLITT procedures.

RESULTS

This series included 11 patients with 12 tumors (pilocytic astrocytoma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma, choroid plexus xanthogranuloma, subependymal giant cell astrocytoma, and ganglioglioma). A single laser and multiple overlapping ablations were used for all procedures. The mean laser dose was 10.23 W, and the mean total ablation time was 68.95 seconds. The mean initial target volume was 6.79 cm3, and the mean immediate post-ablation volume was 7.86 cm3. The mean hospital stay was 3.25 days, and the mean follow-up time was 24.5 months. Tumor volume decreased in the first 3 months after surgery (n = 11; p = 0.007) and continued to decrease by the 4- to 6-month followup (n = 11; mean volume 2.61 cm3; p = 0.009). Two patients experienced post-ablation complications: transient right leg weakness in one patient, and transient hemiparesis, akinetic mutism, and eye movement disorder in the other.

CONCLUSIONS

Magnetic resonance–guided laser interstitial thermal therapy is an effective first- or second-line treatment for select pediatric brain tumors. Larger multiinstitutional clinical trials are necessary to evaluate its use for different types of lesions to further standardize practices.
Brain tissue oxygen tension and its response to physiological manipulations: influence of distance from injury site in a swine model of traumatic brain injury
Authors: Hawryluk Gregory W. J. , Phan Nicolas , Ferguson Adam R. , Morabito Diane , Derugin Nikita , Stewart Campbell L. , Knudson M. Margaret , Manley Geoffrey , Rosenthal Guy
Published: February 2016

OBJECTIVE

The optimal site for placement of tissue oxygen probes following traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains unresolved. The authors used a previously described swine model of focal TBI and studied brain tissue oxygen tension (PbtO2) at the sites of contusion, proximal and distal to contusion, and in the contralateral hemisphere to determine the effect of probe location on PbtO2 and to assess the effects of physiological interventions on PbtO2 at these different sites.

METHODS

A controlled cortical impact device was used to generate a focal lesion in the right frontal lobe in 12 anesthetized swine. PbtO2 was measured using Licox brain tissue oxygen probes placed at the site of contusion, in pericontusional tissue (proximal probe), in the right parietal region (distal probe), and in the contralateral hemisphere. PbtO2 was measured during normoxia, hyperoxia, hypoventilation, and hyperventilation.

RESULTS

Physiological interventions led to expected changes, including a large increase in partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood with hyperoxia, increased intracranial pressure (ICP) with hypoventilation, and decreased ICP with hyperventilation. Importantly, PbtO2 decreased substantially with proximity to the focal injury (contusion and proximal probes), and this difference was maintained at different levels of fraction of inspired oxygen and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood. In the distal and contralateral probes, hypoventilation and hyperventilation were associated with expected increased and decreased PbtO2 values, respectively. However, in the contusion and proximal probes, these effects were diminished, consistent with loss of cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity at and near the injury site. Similarly, hyperoxia led to the expected rise in PbtO2 only in the distal and contralateral probes, with little or no effect in the proximal and contusion probes, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

PbtO2 measurements are strongly influenced by the distance from the site of focal injury. Physiological alterations, including hyperoxia, hyperventilation, and hypoventilation substantially affect PbtO2 values distal to the site of injury but have little effect in and around the site of contusion. Clinical interpretations of brain tissue oxygen measurements should take into account the spatial relation of probe position to the site of injury. The decision of where to place a brain tissue oxygen probe in TBI patients should also take these factors into consideration.
Postoperative patient-controlled epidural analgesia in patients with spondylodiscitis and posterior spinal fusion surgery
Authors: Gessler Florian , Mutlak Haitham , Tizi Karima , Senft Christian , Setzer Matthias , Seifert Volker , Weise Lutz
Published: February 2016

OBJECTIVE

The value of postoperative epidural analgesia after major spinal surgery is well established. Thus far, the use of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) has been denied to patients undergoing debridement and instrumentation in spondylodiscitis, with the risk of increased postoperative pain resulting in prolonged recovery. The value of PCEA with special regard to infectious complications remains to be clarified. The present study examined the value of postoperative PCEA in comparison with intravenous analgesia in patients with spondylodiscitis undergoing posterior spinal surgery.

METHODS

Thirty-two patients treated surgically for spondylodiscitis of the thoracic and lumbar spine were prospectively included in a database and retrospectively reviewed for this study. Postoperative antibiotic treatment, functional capacity, pain levels, side effects, and complications were documented. Sixteen patients were given patient-demanded intravenous analgesia (PIA) followed by 16 patients assigned to PCEA. If PCEA was applied, the insertion of an epidural catheter was performed under the direct visual guidance of the surgeon at the end of the surgery.

RESULTS

Three patients intended for PCEA treatment were excluded due to predefined exclusion criteria. Postoperative pain was significantly lower in the PCEA group during the first 48 hours after surgery (p = 0.03). As determined by the trunk control test conducted at 8 (p < 0.001), 24 (p = 0.004), 48 (p = 0.015), 72 (p = 0.0031), and 96 hours (p < 0.001), patients in the PCEA treatment group displayed significantly increased mobilization capacity compared with those of the PIA group. Time until normal accomplishment of all mobilization maneuvers was reduced in the PCEA group compared with that in the PIA group (p = 0.04). No differences in complication rates were observed between the 2 groups (p = 0.52).

CONCLUSIONS

PCEA may reduce postoperative pain and lead to earlier achievement of functional capacity at a low complication rate in patients with surgically treated lumbar and thoracic spondylodiscitis.
Decreasing Aerosol Loading in the North American Monsoon Region
Authors: Raman Aishwarya , Arellano Avelino , Sorooshian Armin
Published: February 2016

We examine the spatio-temporal variability of aerosol loading in the recent decade (2005–2014) over the North American Monsoon (NAM) region. Emerging patterns are characterized using aerosol optical depth (AOD) retrievals from the NASA Terra/Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument along with a suite of satellite retrievals of atmospheric and land-surface properties. We selected 20 aerosol hotspots and classified them into fire, anthropogenic, dust, and NAM alley clusters based on the dominant driver influencing aerosol variability. We then analyzed multivariate statistics of associated anomalies during pre-, monsoon, and post-monsoon periods. Our results show a decrease in aerosol loading for the entire NAM region, confirming previous reports of a declining AOD trend over the continental United States. This is evident during pre-monsoon and monsoon for fire and anthropogenic clusters, which are associated with a decrease in the lower and upper quartile of fire counts and carbon monoxide, respectively. The overall pattern is obfuscated in the NAM alley, especially during monsoon and post-monsoon seasons. While the NAM alley is mostly affected by monsoon precipitation, the frequent occurrence of dust storms in the area modulates this trend. We find that aerosol loading in the dust cluster is associated with observed vegetation index and has only slightly decreased in the recent decade.
Steam Reforming of Bio-Ethanol to Produce Hydrogen over Co/CeO2 Catalysts Derived from Ce1−xCoxO2−y Precursors
Authors: Liu Yanyong , Murata Kazuhisa , Inaba Megumu
Published: February 2016

A series of Ce1−xCoxO2−y precursors were prepared by homogeneous precipitation using urea as a precipitant. The Co/CeO2 catalysts obtained from the Ce1−xCoxO2−y precursors were used for the steam reforming of ethanol to produce hydrogen. Co ions could enter the CeO2 lattices to form Ce1−xCoxO2−y mixed oxides at x ≤ 0.2 using the homogeneous precipitation (hp) method. CeO2 was an excellent support for Co metal in the steam reforming of ethanol because a strong interaction between support and metal (SISM) exists in the Co/CeO2 catalysts. Because Co/CeO2 (hp) prepared by homogeneous precipitation possessed a high BET surface area and small Co metal particles, Co/CeO2 (hp) showed a higher ethanol conversion than the Co/CeO2 catalysts prepared using the co-precipitation (cp) method and the impregnation (im) method. The selectivity of CO2 over Co/CeO2 (hp) increased with increasing reaction temperature at from 573 to 673 K, and decreased with increasing reaction temperature above 673 K due to the increase of CO formation. The carbonaceous deposits formed on the catalyst surface during the reaction caused a slow deactivation in the steam reforming of ethanol over Co/CeO2 (hp). The catalytic activity of the used catalysts could be regenerated by an oxidation-reduction treatment, calcined in air at 723 K and then reduced by H2 at 673 K.
Gas Sensing Studies of an n-n Hetero-Junction Array Based on SnO2 and ZnO Composites
Authors: Naik Anupriya , Parkin Ivan , Binions Russell
Published: February 2016

A composite metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensor array based on tin dioxide (SNO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) has been fabricated using a straight forward mechanical mixing method. The array was characterized using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The array was evaluated against a number of environmentally important reducing and oxidizing gases across a range of operating temperatures (300–500 °C). The highest response achieved was against 100 ppm ethanol by the 50 wt% ZnO–50 wt% SnO2 device, which exhibited a response of 109.1, a 4.5-fold increase with respect to the pure SnO2 counterpart (which displayed a response of 24.4) and a 12.3-fold enhancement with respect to the pure ZnO counterpart (which was associated with a response of 8.9), towards the same concentration of the analyte. Cross sensitivity studies were also carried out against a variety of reducing gases at an operating temperature of 300 °C. The sensors array showed selectivity towards ethanol. The enhanced behaviour of the mixed oxide materials was influenced by junction effects, composition, the packing structure and the device microstructure. The results show that it is possible to tune the sensitivity and selectivity of a composite sensor, through a simple change in the composition of the composite.
Sensitivity Analysis of Entropy Generation in Nanofluid Flow inside a Channel by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Darbari Bijan , Rashidi Saman , Abolfazli Esfahani Javad
Published: February 2016

Nanofluids can afford excellent thermal performance and have a major role in energy conservation aspect. In this paper, a sensitivity analysis has been performed by using response surface methodology to calculate the effects of nanoparticles on the entropy generation. For this purpose, the laminar forced convection of Al2O3-water nanofluid flow inside a channel is considered. The total entropy generation rates consist of the entropy generation rates due to heat transfer and friction loss are calculated by using velocity and temperature gradients. The continuity, momentum and energy equations have been solved numerically using a finite volume method. The sensitivity of the entropy generation rate to different parameters such as the solid volume fraction, the particle diameter, and the Reynolds number is studied in detail. Series of simulations were performed for a range of solid volume fraction 0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 0.05 , particle diameter 30  nm ≤ d p ≤ 90 ​ nm , and the Reynolds number 200 ≤ Re ≤ 800. The results showed that the total entropy generation is more sensitive to the Reynolds number rather than the nanoparticles diameter or solid volume fraction. Also, the magnitude of total entropy generation, which increases with increase in the Reynolds number, is much higher for the pure fluid rather than the nanofluid.
Bounding Extremal Degrees of Edge-Independent Random Graphs Using Relative Entropy
Authors: Shang Yilun
Published: February 2016

Edge-independent random graphs are a model of random graphs in which each potential edge appears independently with an individual probability. Based on the relative entropy method, we determine the upper and lower bounds for the extremal vertex degrees using the edge probability matrix and its largest eigenvalue. Moreover, an application to random graphs with given expected degree sequences is presented.
Changes in Properties of Cement and Lime Mortars When Incorporating Fibers from End-of-Life Tires
Authors: Gil Lluís , Bernat-Masó Ernest , Cañavate Francisco
Published: February 2016

This paper studies the addition of fibers from end-of-life tires to commercial mortar mixtures. Two different types of mortar, one lime-plastic and other cement-fluid, are mixed with different percentage of fibers ranging from 0% to 1%. The changes in bulk density, consistency, compressive and flexural strength, dynamic Young modulus and water absorption are studied. According to the results, consistency is the property that shows more relevant changes for an addition of 0.25% fibers. Consistency is related to workability and affects the water absorption and the Young modulus values. On the contrary, bulk density and mechanical properties did not change with the addition of fibers. The results prove that this fiber, considered a waste from recycling of end-of-life tires, can be used in commercial mixtures without losing strength. On the other hand, mortar workability limits the amount of fibers that can be included in the mixture and this parameter determines the performance of the mortar.
Advancing Sustainability through Urban Green Space: Cultural Ecosystem Services, Equity, and Social Determinants of Health
Authors: Jennings Viniece , Larson Lincoln , Yun Jessica
Published: February 2016

Urban green spaces provide an array of benefits, or ecosystem services, that support our physical, psychological, and social health. In many cases, however, these benefits are not equitably distributed across diverse urban populations. In this paper, we explore relationships between cultural ecosystem services provided by urban green space and the social determinants of health outlined in the United States Healthy People 2020 initiative. Specifically, we: (1) explore connections between cultural ecosystem services and social determinants of health; (2) examine cultural ecosystem services as nature-based health amenities to promote social equity; and (3) recommend areas for future research examining links between urban green space and public health within the context of environmental justice.
Ferritin Assembly in Enterocytes of Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Rosas-Arellano Abraham , Vásquez-Procopio Johana , Gambis Alexis , Blowes Liisa , Steller Hermann , Mollereau Bertrand , Missirlis Fanis
Published: February 2016

Ferritins are protein nanocages that accumulate inside their cavity thousands of oxidized iron atoms bound to oxygen and phosphates. Both characteristic types of eukaryotic ferritin subunits are present in secreted ferritins from insects, but here dimers between Ferritin 1 Heavy Chain Homolog (Fer1HCH) and Ferritin 2 Light Chain Homolog (Fer2LCH) are further stabilized by disulfide-bridge in the 24-subunit complex. We addressed ferritin assembly and iron loading in vivo using novel transgenic strains of Drosophila melanogaster. We concentrated on the intestine, where the ferritin induction process can be controlled experimentally by dietary iron manipulation. We showed that the expression pattern of Fer2LCH-Gal4 lines recapitulated iron-dependent endogenous expression of the ferritin subunits and used these lines to drive expression from UAS-mCherry-Fer2LCH transgenes. We found that the Gal4-mediated induction of mCherry-Fer2LCH subunits was too slow to effectively introduce them into newly formed ferritin complexes. Endogenous Fer2LCH and Fer1HCH assembled and stored excess dietary iron, instead. In contrast, when flies were genetically manipulated to co-express Fer2LCH and mCherry-Fer2LCH simultaneously, both subunits were incorporated with Fer1HCH in iron-loaded ferritin complexes. Our study provides fresh evidence that, in insects, ferritin assembly and iron loading in vivo are tightly regulated.