bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Implementation of a Shoulder Soft Tissue Injury Triage Service in a UK NHS Teaching Hospital Improves Time to Surgery for Acute Rotator Cuff Tears.
Authors: Bateman Marcus , Davies-Jones Gareth , Tambe Amol , Clark David I
Published: June 2016

Shoulder problems account for 2.4% of GP consultations in the United Kingdom and of those 70% are related to the rotator cuff. Many rotator cuff tears are of a degenerate nature but they can occur as a result of trauma in 8% of cases. Evidence suggests that patients with traumatic rotator cuff tears gain a better outcome in terms of pain and function if the tear is repaired early after injury.

A specialist shoulder soft tissue injury clinic was set up in a large UK NHS teaching hospital with the primary purpose in the first year to halve the length of time patients with traumatic rotator cuff tears had to wait to consult a specialist and double the number of patients undergoing surgical repair within three months. The secondary purpose was to ensure that the new clinic was utilised to capacity by the end of the first year. The clinic was later expanded to manage patients with acute glenohumeral joint (GHJ) or acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) dislocations and identify those patients requiring surgical stabilisation. The new service involved referral of all patients presenting to the Accident & Emergency department with recent shoulder trauma and either an inability to raise the arm over shoulder height with a normal set of radiographs, or a confirmed GHJ or ACJ dislocation; to a specialist clinic run by an experienced upper limb physiotherapist. Patients were reassessed and referred for further imaging if required. Those patients found to have traumatic rotator cuff tears or structural instability lesions were listed for expedited surgery. The clinic ran alongside a consultant-led fracture clinic giving fast access to surgical decision-making. The service was reviewed after 3, 6, and 12 months and findings compared to a sample of 30 consecutive patients having undergone rotator cuff repair surgery via the previous pathway.

144 patients were referred to the clinic in the first year: 62 with rotator cuff symptoms, 38 with GHJ instability, 13 with ACJ instability, and 33 others. 7 missed fractures were identified. 12 patients subsequently underwent rotator cuff repair surgery, 10 GHJ stabilisation, and 1 ACJ stabilisation. Mean referral time to first clinical assessment improved from 37 days to 8 days. For rotator cuff repair: mean referral to surgery time was 86 days compared with 115 days on the old pathway. 58% of patients underwent surgery within 90 days of injury compared with 20% previously.

Our new service resulted in surgical repair of traumatic rotator cuff tears 29 days faster than the traditional system with an extra 38% of patients having surgery within 90 days of injury - a benchmark thought to improve outcome. Future work will aim to improve this percentage further and include long term patient follow up of outcome measures after surgery.
Presenting risk information in sexual and reproductive health care
Authors: David Anna L , Akintomide Hannat
Published: June 2016

Objectives

Presenting risk information to patients is an important part of clinical encounters. Good risk communication improves patient satisfaction with their care and the decisions they make. In sexual and reproductive healthcare (SRH), women frequently need to make decisions based on their perceived risk. Risk perception can be altered by how actual risk is presented to patients.

Methods

Databases were searched using MeSH terms combined with a keyword search for articles relevant to SRH; the search was limited to English language.

Results

Personalised risk communication where a risk score is provided, increases knowledge and slightly increases uptake of screening tests. Decision aids improve a patient's knowledge of the options, create realistic expectations of their benefits and harms, reduce difficulty with decision-making, and increase participation in the process. The most effective way to present risks uses a range of structured, tailored presentation styles; interactive formats are best. Framing the information improves patient understanding. Most people understand natural frequencies or event rates better than probability formats with varying denominators. Expressing changes in risk as an absolute risk reduction or relative risk reduction with baseline risk formats improves understanding. Descriptive terms such as ‘low risk’ or ‘high risk’ should be quantified as a frequency rather than a percentage. Using a consistent denominator to portray risk is recommended. Using the ‘number needed to treat’ and visual aids puts benefits or risks into perspective. The duration of risk should be presented.

Conclusion

Presenting risk information to patients can be optimised using a number of strategies.
Video Capsule Endoscopy: Is Bowel Preparation Necessary?
Authors: Catalano Carmine , Companioni Rafael Antonio Ching , Khankhanian Pouya , Vyas Neil , Patel Ishan , Bansal Raghav , Walfish Aaron
Published: June 2016

There is no standardized protocol for bowel preparation prior to video capsule endoscopy, although one is strongly recommended. The purpose of our study was to see if there was a statistical significance between small bowel mucosal visualization rates for those who received bowel preparation and those who did not. We retrospectively analyzed all patients who had a video capsule endoscopy from August 2014 to January 2016 at a tertiary care center. All patients fasted prior to the procedure. Bowel preparation when used consisted of polyethylene glycol. A long fast consisted of 12 or more hours. The grading system used to assess the small bowel was adapted from a previously validated system from Esaki et al. Statistical analyses were performed using Fisher's exact test or Welch's 2-sample t-test and statistical significance was present if the p value was ≤0.05. 76 patients were carried forward for analysis. Small bowel mucosal visualization rates were similar between those who received bowel preparation and those who did not (92.5% vs 88.9%, p=0.44). Small bowel mucosal visualization rates were significantly better in those patients who had a long fast compared with those who had a short fast (97.7% vs 81.3%, p=0.019). Our study demonstrates that the addition of bowel preparation prior to video capsule endoscopy does not significantly improve small bowel mucosal visualization rates and, in addition, there is a statistically significant relationship between increased fasting time and improved small bowel mucosal visualization. A prolonged fast without bowel preparation might be satisfactory for an adequate small bowel visualization but further randomized, prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings.
Protein content correlates with starch morphology, composition and physicochemical properties in field peas
Authors: Shen Shian , Hou Hongwei , Ding Chunbang , Bing Deng-Jin , Lu Zhen-Xiang
Published: June 2016

Protein and starch are two major components in field peas. In this study, we investigated the starch morphologies, compositions, and thermal properties between high protein peas (approximately 30%) and other market types of field peas (yellow, green, maple, and marrowfat peas, with approximately 23% protein contents). For the shape and size, high protein peas had the compound starch granules that could be easily fragmented into small irregular and polygonal granules, whereas other pea types had oval or kidney-like starch granules with high percentage of large granule sizes. High protein peas had significantly lower starch contents (27.2%–34.2%) than other pea types (45.5%–47.4%). However, the amylose content (74.6%–89.2%) in high protein peas were significantly higher that of other pea types (50.1%–54.1%). Our differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) data showed that the onset temperature (To), peak temperature (Tp), and conclusion temperature (Tc) of starch gelatinization in high protein peas were significantly higher than those of other pea types, whereas the enthalpy change (ΔH) of high protein peas was significantly lower than those of other pea types. The unique properties of high protein peas characterized in this study provided useful information to further improve pea quality.
Nonlinear Connectivity in the Human Stretch Reflex Assessed by Cross-Frequency Phase Coupling
Authors: Yang Yuan , Solis-Escalante Teodoro , Yao Jun , van der Helm Frans C. T. , Dewald Julius P. A. , Schouten Alfred C.
Published: June 2016

Communication between neuronal populations is facilitated by synchronization of their oscillatory activity. Although nonlinearity has been observed in the sensorimotor system, its nonlinear connectivity has not been widely investigated yet. This study investigates nonlinear connectivity during the human stretch reflex based on neuronal synchronization. Healthy participants generated isotonic wrist flexion while receiving a periodic mechanical perturbation to the wrist. Using a novel cross-frequency phase coupling metric, we estimate directional nonlinear connectivity, including time delay, from the perturbation to brain and to muscle, as well as from brain to muscle. Nonlinear phase coupling is significantly stronger from the perturbation to the muscle than to the brain, with a shorter time delay. The time delay from the perturbation to the muscle is 33 ms, similar to the reported latency of the spinal stretch reflex at the wrist. Source localization of nonlinear phase coupling from the brain to the muscle suggests activity originating from the motor cortex, although its effect on the stretch reflex is weak. As such nonlinear phase coupling between the perturbation and muscle activity is dominated by the spinal reflex loop. This study provides new evidence of nonlinear neuronal synchronization in the stretch reflex at the wrist joint with respect to spinal and transcortical loops.
Exhaustive Community Enumeration in Parallel
Authors: Trefftz Christian , McGuire Hugh , Kurmas Zachary , Scripps Jerry
Published: June 2016

An algorithm to evaluate/count all the possible communities of a graph is presented. An associated unrank function is described. An implementation of an existing algorithm to evaluate all the possible partitions of a graph, based on an unrank function, is presented as well. Performance results of the parallelizations of these algorithms obtained on a shared memory machine, a cluster of workstations and a Graphical Processing Unit (GPU) are included.
Achieving Native GPU Performance for Out-of-Card Large Dense Matrix Multiplication
Authors: Wu Jing , Jaja Joseph
Published: June 2016

In this paper, we illustrate the possibility of developing strategies to carry out matrix computations on heterogeneous platforms which achieve native GPU performance on very large data sizes up to the capacity of the CPU memory. More specifically, we present a dense matrix multiplication strategy on a heterogeneous platform, specifically tailored for the case when the input is too large to fit on the device memory, which achieves near peak GPU performance. Our strategy involves the development of CUDA stream based software pipelines that effectively overlap PCIe data transfers with kernel executions. As a result, we are able to achieve over 1 and 2 TFLOPS performance on a single node using 1 and 2 GPUs respectively.
Community detection enhancement using non-negative matrix factorization with graph regularization
Authors: Liu Xiao , Wei Yi-Ming , Wang Jian , Wang Wen-Jun , He Dong-Xiao , Song Zhan-Jie
Published: June 2016

Community detection is a meaningful task in the analysis of complex networks, which has received great concern in various domains. A plethora of exhaustive studies has made great effort and proposed many methods on community detection. Particularly, a kind of attractive one is the two-step method which first makes a preprocessing for the network and then identifies its communities. However, not all types of methods can achieve satisfactory results by using such preprocessing strategy, such as the non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) methods. In this paper, rather than using the above two-step method as most works did, we propose a graph regularized-based model to improve, specialized, the NMF-based methods for the detection of communities, namely NMFGR. In NMFGR, we introduce the similarity metric which contains both the global and local information of networks, to reflect the relationships between two nodes, so as to improve the accuracy of community detection. Experimental results on both artificial and real-world networks demonstrate the superior performance of NMFGR to some competing methods.
Structural optimization and physical properties of TcB3 and MoB3 at high-pressure: First-principles
Authors: Ying Chun , Bai Xiaowan , Du Yungang , Zhao Erjun , Lin Lin , Hou Qingyu
Published: June 2016

The thermodynamic, mechanical and dynamic properties of TcB3 and MoB3 are systematically investigated at high-pressure by first-principles within density functional theory (DFT). The calculated formation enthalpies are negative for TcB3 with considered structures under the pressure range from 0 to 100 GPa. Triboride hP4-TcB3 (i.e., TcB3 in hP4-OsB3 type structure) has the lowest formation enthalpy of −1.44 eV under ambient condition. The largest shear modulus of 240 GPa and smallest Poisson’s ratio of 0.20 for oP16-TcB3 are comparable to those of 267 GPa and 0.15 for ReB2. The calculated elastic constants show that MB3 (M=Tc and Mo) are mechanically stable at ambient conditions, except for mP8-MoB3. The estimated high hardness of 33.4 and 33.1 GPa for oP16-TcB3 and hP4-TcB3, respectively, are reported for the first time. The calculated lattice parameters for MoB3 are in good agreement with the previously theoretical and experimental studies. Below 13 GPa, hP16-MoB3 and hR24-MoB3 are thermodynamically more favorable than MoB3 in other structures. A pressure-induced phase transition is predicted at 13 GPa from hP16-MoB3 and hR24-MoB3 to hP4-MoB3. Above 13 GPa, hP4-MoB3 becomes the thermodynamically most stable phase among MoB3 in considered structures. All compounds with considered structures are metallic, and the electronic structures of MB3 are governed by a strong hybridization between M-4d and B-2p states. The strong and directional covalent bonding between M-4d and B-2p as well as the strong interlayer interactions of boron layers are correlated to the high hardness of 38.0 and 38.4 GPa for hP16-MoB3 and hR24-MoB3, respectively.
A Data-driven Method for Identifying Intricate Trend Component Hidden in Measured Signal
Authors: Jiang X. X. , Li S. M.
Published: June 2016

Identification of the latent trend component is a vital procedure for further evaluating the measured signal. Many methods have been presented to extract the trend component. However, some essential parameters used in these methods need to be selected depending on much prior knowledge or experience. To avoid the inherent flaws in current methods, we introduce a novel signal decomposition method called variational mode decomposition (VMD) to cope with this issue. Firstly, the parameters involved in VMD method are discussed according to the universal characteristics of trend component. Then, a novel data-driven method based on the iterative VMD is proposed to identify the intricate trend component. Moreover, a criterion called normalized euclidean distance (NED) is presented to evaluate the converging property of the proposed method. Finally, the simulated time series and the collected extensive experimental cases are employed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The analysis results show that the proposed method delivers a good performance for the trend component extraction and outperforms the benchmark method, i.e., empirical mode decomposition (EMD)-based method, for which more than one intrinsic mode function (IMF) is regarded as the underlying trend component.
The metrizability problem for Lorentz-invariant affine connections
Authors: Urban Zbyněk , Volná Jana
Published: June 2016

The invariant metrizability problem for affine connections on a manifold, formulated by Tanaka and Krupka for connected Lie groups actions, is considered in the particular cases of Lorentz and Poincaré (inhomogeneous Lorentz) groups. Conditions under which an affine connection on the open submanifold [Formula: see text] of the Euclidean space [Formula: see text] coincides with the Levi-Civita connection of some [Formula: see text], respectively [Formula: see text]-invariant metric field are studied. We give complete description of metrizable Lorentz-invariant connections. Explicit solutions (metric fields) of the invariant metrizability equations are found and their properties are discussed.
Synthesis and characterization oftrans-di-(4-pyridyl)porphyrin dimers
Authors: Pisano Simone , Milano Domenico , Passoni Nicola , Iengo Elisabetta , Tecilla Paolo
Published: June 2016

Preparation and characterization of a small library of symmetric trans-di(4-pyridyl)porphyrin dimers, obtained by either Glaser–Hay or Sonogashira coupling reactions from appropriately prepared trans-di-4-pyridylporphyrin precursors, is presented. The porphyrin dimers are differentiated by a phenyl-alkynyl bridge of increasing length at one meso-position, while for all the derivatives the two remaining opposite meso-positions are tailored with a phenyl moiety bearing a short polyether chain. Coordination of the four pyridyl groups with appropriate metal fragments may be exploited to construct tubular hollow structures, with varied internal sizes, depending on the choice of the porphyrin dimer component.
Multiple Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Tomatsu Makoto , Isogaki Jun , Watanabe Takahiro , Yajima Kiyoshige , Okumura Takuya , Yamashita Kimihiro , Suzuki Kenji , Kawabe Akihiro , Komiyama Akira , Hirota Seiichi
Published: June 2016

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are relatively common in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF 1) patients. Approximately 90% of GISTs associated with NF 1 are located in the small intestine, while sporadic GISTs are most commonly located in the stomach. Here we report an extremely rare case of an NF 1 patient with multiple gastric GITs (90 or more) but without multiple small intestinal tumors. A 63-year-old female patient who had a history of NF 1 underwent surgery for a gastric neuroendocrine tumor and gastric submucosal tumor (SMT). During the operation, multiple small nodules were identified on the serosal surface of the upper stomach. SMT and multiple nodules on the serosal surface were diagnosed as GISTs consisting of spindle cells positive for KIT, CD34, and DOG-1. Both GIST and the normal gastric mucosa showed no mutations not only in the c-kitgene (exons 8, 9, 11, 13, and 17) but also in thePDGFRAgene (exons 12, 14, and 18). This patient is being followed up without the administration of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
Efficiency Improvement of Three-Phase Cascaded H-Bridge Multilevel Inverters for Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Thitichaiworakorn Nuntawat , Chayopitak Nattapon , Hatti Natchpong
Published: June 2016

Medium-scale photovoltaic (PV) systems using cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverters have a capability to perform individual maximum power point tracking (MPPT) for each PV panel or each small group of panels, resulting in minimization of both power losses from panel mismatch and effect of partial shading. They also provide high power quality, modularity, and possibility of eliminating dc-dc boost stage and line-frequency transformer. However, each PV panel in the system is subjected to a double-line-frequency voltage ripple at the dc-link which reduces the MPPT efficiency. This paper proposes a dc-link voltage ripple reduction by third-harmonic zero-sequence voltage injection for improving the MPPT efficiency. Moreover, a control method to achieve individual MPPT control of each inverter cell is also presented. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed methods were verified by computer simulation.
The Process of Separating Bovine Serum Albumin Using Hydroxyapatite and Active Babassu Coal (Orbignya martiana)
Authors: Ribeiro Alves Márcia Regina , Zuñiga Abraham Damian Giraldo , Sousa Rita de Cássia Superbi , Zacchi Scolforo Carmelita
Published: June 2016

Bovine serum albumin is one of the major serum proteins; it plays an important role as a result of its functional and nutritional properties which have bioactive peptides. Adsorption method was used to separate protein, which involves hydroxyapatite, synthetic hydroxyapatite, and active babassu coal. Initially, characterization was carried out using the zeta potential of the adsorbents. Kinetic pseudo-first- and pseudo-second-order models were applied. For isotherms, equilibrium data studies were carried out using the Langmuir and Freundlich models, in addition to determining the efficiency of adsorptive process. The results of the zeta potential showed loads ranging from +6.9 to −42.8 mV. The kinetic data were better represented in the pseudo-second-order model with chemisorption characteristics. The adsorption capacity of the adsorbents decreased as pH increased, indicating that the electrostatic bonds and some functional groups of active babassu coal contributed to the reduction of adsorption, especially oxygen linked to carbon atoms. The value of pH 4.0 showed the best results of adsorption, being obtained as the maximum adsorption capacity (qm) and yield (%) (whereqm=87.95 mg g−1and 74.2%; 68.26 mg g−1and 68.6%; and 36.18 mg g−1, 37.4%) of hydroxyapatite, synthetic hydroxyapatite, and active babassu coal, respectively.
The Validation of a Novel Surveillance System for Monitoring Bloodstream Infections in the Calgary Zone
Authors: Leal Jenine R. , Gregson Daniel B. , Church Deirdre L. , Henderson Elizabeth A. , Ross Terry , Laupland Kevin B.
Published: June 2016

Background. Electronic surveillance systems (ESSs) that utilize existing information in databases are more efficient than conventional infection surveillance methods. The objective was to assess an ESS for bloodstream infections (BSIs) in the Calgary Zone for its agreement with traditional medical record review.Methods. The ESS was developed by linking related data from regional laboratory and hospital administrative databases and using set definitions for excluding contaminants and duplicate isolates. Infections were classified as hospital-acquired (HA), healthcare-associated community-onset (HCA), or community-acquired (CA). A random sample of patients from the ESS was then compared with independent medical record review.Results. Among the 308 patients selected for comparative review, the ESS identified 318 episodes of BSI of which 130 (40.9%) were CA, 98 (30.8%) were HCA, and 90 (28.3%) were HA. Medical record review identified 313 episodes of which 136 (43.4%) were CA, 97 (30.9%) were HCA, and 80 (25.6%) were HA. Episodes of BSI were concordant in 304 (97%) cases. Overall, there was 85.5% agreement between ESS and medical record review for the classification of where BSIs were acquired (kappa = 0.78, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.75–0.80).Conclusion. This novel ESS identified and classified BSIs with a high degree of accuracy. This system requires additional linkages with other related databases.
Nonobstructive Acute Renal Failure with a Large Solitary Fibroid
Authors: Elkattah Rayan , Mashak Zineb , Bakker Blakele , Mohling Shanti , Yilmaz Ali , DePasquale Stephen , Boren Todd
Published: June 2016

A 38-year-old African American woman presenting with acute abdominal pain and nonobstructive renal failure was found to have an enlarged fibroid uterus. A differential for sepsis was considered. Lab evaluation revealed an elevated creatinine and myoglobin level at 3.9 mg/dL and 2140 ng/mL, respectively. Ongoing hemodynamic instability mandated surgery for acute abdomen. A 25 cm fibroid uterus was extirpated through a total abdominal hysterectomy. Immediate improvement of acute nephropathy mirrored the postoperative decline in serum myoglobin levels. Myoglobinemia from a massive degenerating fibroid is associated with nonobstructive acute renal failure.
Placenta Increta Complicating Persistent Cesarean Scar Ectopic Pregnancy following Failed Excision with Subsequent Preterm Cesarean Hysterectomy
Authors: Malik M. F. , Hoyos L. R. , Rodriguez-Kovacs J. , Gillum J. , Johnson S. C.
Published: June 2016

Introduction.Cesarean scar pregnancies (CSPs) are one of the rarest forms of ectopic pregnancy. Given their rarity, there is lack of consensus regarding the management and natural course of CSPs.Case.A 37-year-old G10 P3063 female with a history of two prior cesarean deliveries was diagnosed with her second CSP at 6 weeks and 5 days in her tenth pregnancy. The patient underwent vertical hysterotomy, excision of a gestational sac implanted in the cesarean sac, and bilateral salpingectomy via a laparotomy incision. The histopathology report confirmed immature chorionic villi. The patient returned 10 weeks later and was found to be still pregnant. Obstetric ultrasound confirmed a viable fetus of 19 weeks and 4 days of gestational age with a thin endometrium and an anteroposterior and right lateral placenta with multiple placental lakes. The patient ruptured her membranes at 31 weeks of gestation and pelvic MRI revealed an anterior placenta invading the myometrium and extending to the external serosal surface consistent with placenta increta. Following obstetric interventions, a live female infant was delivered by cesarean hysterectomy (because of placenta increta) at 32 weeks of gestation.Conclusion.Development of standardized guidelines for management of CSPs, as well as heightened vigilance for possible complications, is required for proper care and avoidance of potential morbidity and mortality.
Coordinating a Supply Chain When Manufacturer Makes Cost Reduction Investment in Supplier
Authors: Huang Shilei , Fu Hong , Ma Yongkai
Published: June 2016

We consider a supply chain consisting of an upstream supplier and a downstream manufacturer, in which the supplier provides a component to the manufacturer, facing a price-sensitive and uncertain demand. The manufacturer makes cost reduction investment in the supplier to improve the supplier’s production efficiency, which benefits the entire supply chain. We derive the optimal investment and operating decisions. Both the centralized and decentralized supply chains are studied. We show that the optimal investment and operating decisions in the decentralized setting may deviate from that in the centralized setting. To avoid the profit loss caused by such a deviation, we develop a coordination mechanism by introducing a combined policy of revenue-sharing policy and investment cost-sharing policy. We also show that the developed coordination mechanism can achieve Pareto improvement for the two players.
τ-Complexity and Tilting Modules
Authors: Zheng Lijing , Huang Chonghui , Wan Qianhong
Published: June 2016

Let A be a finite dimensional algebra over an algebraic closed field k. In this note, we will show that if T is a separating and splitting tilting A-module, then τ-complexities of A and B are equal, where B=EndA(T).
Full-Length cDNA, Prokaryotic Expression, and Antimicrobial Activity of UuHb-F-I fromUrechis unicinctus
Authors: Niu Rongli , Chen Xiang
Published: June 2016

Hemoglobin, which widely exists in all vertebrates and in some invertebrates, is possibly a precursor of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). However, AMPs in the hemoglobin of invertebrates have been rarely investigated. This study is the first to report the full-length cDNA, prokaryotic expression, and antimicrobial activity of UuHb-F-I fromUrechis unicinctus. The full-length cDNA sequence of UuHb-F-I was 780 bp with an open-reading frame of 429 bp encoding 142 amino acids. MALDI-TOF-MS suggested that the recombinant protein of UuHb-F-I (rUuHb-F-I) yielded a molecular weight of 15,168.01 Da, and its N-terminal amino acid sequence was MGLTGAQIDAIK. rUuHb-F-I exhibited different antimicrobial activities against microorganisms. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration againstMicrococcus luteuswas 2.78–4.63 μM. Our results may help elucidate the immune defense mechanism ofU. unicinctusand may provide insights into new AMPs in drug discovery.
Generated Surfaces via Inextensible Flows of Curves inR3
Authors: Hussien Rawya A. , Mohamed Samah G.
Published: June 2016

We study the inextensible flows of curves in 3-dimensional Euclidean spaceR3. The main purpose of this paper is constructing and plotting the surfaces that are generated from the motion of inextensible curves inR3. Also, we study some geometric properties of those surfaces. We give some examples about the inextensible flows of curves inR3and we determine the curves from their intrinsic equations (curvature and torsion). Finally, we determine and plot the surfaces that are generated by the motion of those curves by using Mathematica 7.
Study of the Electrical Characteristics, Shock-Wave Pressure Characteristics, and Attenuation Law Based on Pulse Discharge in Water
Authors: Yan Dong , Bian Decun , Zhao Jinchang , Niu Shaoqing
Published: June 2016

Strong shock waves can be generated by pulse discharge in water. Study of the pressure characteristics and attenuation law of these waves is highly significant to industrial production and national defense construction. In this research, the shock-wave pressures at several sites were measured by experiment under different conditions of hydrostatic pressure, discharge energy, and propagation distance. Moreover, the shock-wave pressure characteristics were analyzed by combining them with the discharge characteristics in water. An attenuation equation for a shock wave as a function of discharge energy, hydrostatic pressure, and propagation distance was fitted. The experimental results indicated that (1) an increase in hydrostatic pressure had an inhibiting effect on discharge breakdown; (2) the shock-wave peak pressure increased with increasing discharge voltage at 0.5 m from the electrode; it increased rapidly at first and then decreased slowly with increasing hydrostatic pressure; and (3) shock-wave attenuation slowed down with increasing breakdown energy and hydrostatic pressure during shock-wave transfer. These experimental results were discussed based on the mechanism described.
Compact Penta-Band Dual ZOR Antenna for Mobile Applications
Authors: Lee Jae-Gon , Kim Dong-Jin , Lee Jeong-Hae
Published: June 2016

A compact penta-band dual zeroth order resonator (ZOR) antenna with band-stop filter is proposed for mobile applications. The ZOR antenna is designed with modified mushroom-like structures extended on nonground region to obtain good efficiency and broad bandwidth. This modified mushroom-like structure is confirmed as double negative (DNG) transmission line by full wave simulated dispersion relation. Moreover, a bended patch and a band-stop filter (BSF) are employed to increase efficiency and bandwidth, respectively. The length of each antenna is aboutλ0/10at the resonant frequencies of 900 MHz and 1800 MHz, respectively. The overall dimension of the antenna is 54.4 mm (length) × 4 mm (width) × 5 mm (height). The total efficiencies in low and high bands are measured more than 40% and 70%, respectively.
Passive Control System for Mitigation of Longitudinal Buffeting Responses of a Six-Tower Cable-Stayed Bridge
Authors: Geng Fangfang , Ding Youliang , Li Aiqun
Published: June 2016

This paper presents an investigation of mitigation of longitudinal buffeting responses of the Jiashao Bridge, the longest multispan cable-stayed bridge in the world. A time-domain procedure for analyzing buffeting responses of the bridge is implemented in ANSYS with the aeroelastic effect included. The characteristics of longitudinal buffeting responses of the six-tower cable-stayed bridge are studied in some detail, focusing on the effects of insufficient longitudinal stiffness of central towers and partially longitudinal constraints between the bridge deck and part of bridge towers. The effectiveness of viscous fluid dampers on the mitigation of longitudinal buffeting responses of the bridge is further investigated and a multiobjective optimization design method that uses a nondominating sort genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) is used to optimize parameters of the viscous fluid dampers. The results of the parametric investigations show that, by appropriate use of viscous fluid dampers, the top displacements of central towers and base forces of bridge towers longitudinally restricted with the bridge deck can be reduced significantly, with hampering the significant gain achieved in the base forces of bridge towers longitudinally unrestricted with the bridge deck. And the optimized parameters for the viscous fluid dampers can be determined from Pareto-optimal fronts using the NSGA-II that can satisfy the desired performance requirements.
Time-Dependent Toroidal Compactification Proposals and the Bianchi Type I Model: Classical and Quantum Solutions
Authors: Sesma L. Toledo , Socorro J. , Loaiza O.
Published: June 2016

We construct an effective four-dimensional model by compactifying a ten-dimensional theory of gravity coupled with a real scalar dilaton field on a time-dependent torus. This approach is applied to anisotropic cosmological Bianchi type I model for which we study the classical coupling of the anisotropic scale factors with the two real scalar moduli produced by the compactification process. Under this approach, we present an isotropization mechanism for the Bianchi I cosmological model through the analysis of the ratio between the anisotropic parameters and the volume of the Universe which in general keeps constant or runs into zero for late times. We also find that the presence of extra dimensions in this model can accelerate the isotropization process depending on the momenta moduli values. Finally, we present some solutions to the corresponding Wheeler-DeWitt (WDW) equation in the context of standard quantum cosmology.
De NovoAssembly and Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Provide Insight into Lysine Biosynthesis inToona sinensisRoem
Authors: Zhang Xia , Song Zhenqiao , Liu Tian , Guo Linlin , Li Xingfeng
Published: June 2016

Toona sinensisRoem is a popular leafy vegetable in Chinese cuisine and is also used as a traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, leaf samples were collected from the same plant on two development stages and then used for high-throughput Illumina RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq). 125,884 transcripts and 54,628 unigenes were obtained throughde novoassembly. A total of 25,570 could be annotated with known biological functions, which indicated that theT. sinensisleaves and shoots were undergoing multiple developmental processes especially for active metabolic processes. Analysis of differentially expressed unigenes between the two libraries showed that the lysine biosynthesis was an enriched KEGG pathway, and candidate genes involved in the lysine biosynthesis pathway inT. sinensisleaves and shoots were identified. Our results provide a primary analysis of the gene expression files ofT. sinensisleaf and shoot on different development stages and afford a valuable resource for genetic and genomic research on plant lysine biosynthesis.
Effect of Chemical Corrosion on the Mechanical Characteristics of Parent Rocks for Nuclear Waste Storage
Authors: Han Tielin , Shi Junping , Chen Yunsheng , Li Zhihui
Published: June 2016

Long-term immersion was adopted to explore the damage deterioration and mechanical properties of granite under different chemical solutions. Here, granite was selected as the candidate of parent rocks for nuclear waste storage. The physical and mechanical properties of variation regularity immersed in various chemical solutions were analyzed. Meanwhile, the damage variable based on the variation in porosity was used in the quantitative analysis of chemical damage deterioration degree. Experimental results show that granite has a significant weakening tendency after chemical corrosion. The fracture toughnessKIC, splitting tensile strength, and compressive strength all demonstrate the same deteriorating trend with chemical corrosion time. However, a difference exists in the deterioration degree of the mechanical parameters; that is, the deterioration degree of fracture toughnessKICis the greatest followed by those of splitting tensile strength and compressive strength, which are relatively smaller. Strong acid solutions may aggravate chemical damage deterioration in granite. By contrast, strong alkaline solutions have a certain inhibiting effect on chemical damage deterioration. The chemical solutions that feature various compositions may have different effects on chemical damage degree; that is,SO42-ions have a greater effect on the chemical damage in granite thanHCO3-ions.
Lipoxin A4 Preconditioning Attenuates Intestinal Ischemia Reperfusion Injury through Keap1/Nrf2 Pathway in a Lipoxin A4 Receptor Independent Manner
Authors: Han Xue , Yao Weifeng , Liu Zipeng , Li Haobo , Zhang Zhong-jun , Hei Ziqing , Xia Zhengyuan
Published: June 2016

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of intestinal ischemia reperfusion (IIR) injury. Enhancement in endogenous Lipoxin A4 (LXA4), a potent antioxidant and mediator, is associated with attenuation of IIR. However, the effects of LXA4 on IIR injury and the potential mechanisms are unknown. In a rat IIR (ischemia 45 minutes and subsequent reperfusion 6 hours) model, IIR caused intestinal injury, evidenced by increased serum diamine oxidase, D‐lactic acid, intestinal‐type fatty acid‐binding protein, and the oxidative stress marker 15‐F2t‐Isoprostane. LXA4 treatment significantly attenuated IIR injury by reducing mucosal 15‐F2t‐Isoprostane and elevating endogenous antioxidant superoxide dismutase activity, accompanied with Keap1/Nrf2 pathway activation. Meanwhile, LXA4 receptor antagonist Boc‐2 reversed the protective effects of LXA4 on intestinal injury but failed to affect the oxidative stress and the related Nrf2 pathway. Furthermore, Nrf2 antagonist brusatol reversed the antioxidant effects conferred by LXA4 and led to exacerbation of intestinal epithelium cells oxidative stress and apoptosis, finally resulting in a decrease of survival rate of rat. Meanwhile, LXA4 pretreatment upregulated nuclear Nrf2 level and reduced hypoxia/reoxygenation‐induced IEC‐6 cell damage and Nrf2 siRNA reversed this protective effect of LXA4 in vitro. In conclusion, these findings suggest that LXA4 ameliorates IIR injury by activating Keap1/Nrf2 pathway in a LXA4 receptor independent manner.
Flux Enhancement in Membrane Distillation Using Nanofiber Membranes
Authors: Jiříček T. , Komárek M. , Chaloupek J. , Lederer T.
Published: June 2016

Membrane distillation (MD) is an emerging separation technology, whose largest application potential lies in the desalination of highly concentrated solutions, which are out of the scope of reverse osmosis. Despite many attractive features, this technology is still awaiting large industrial application. The main reason is the lack of commercially available membranes with fluxes comparable to reverse osmosis. MD is a thermal separation process driven by a partial vapour pressure difference. Flux, distillate purity, and thermal efficiency are always in conflict, all three being strictly connected with pore size, membrane hydrophobicity, and thickness. The world has not seen the ideal membrane yet, but nanofibers may offer a solution to these contradictory requirements. Membranes of electrospun PVDF were tested under various conditions on a direct contact (DCMD) unit, in order to determine the optimum conditions for maximum flux. In addition, their performance was compared to commonly available PTFE, PE, and PES membranes. It was confirmed that thinner membranes have higher fluxes and a lower distillate purity and also higher energy losses via conduction across the membrane. As both mass and heat transfer are connected, it is best to develop new membranes with a target application in mind, for the specific membrane module and operational conditions.
Optimal Timing for Venous Systemic Oxygen Persufflation Supplemented with Nitric Oxide Gas in Cold-Stored, Warm Ischemia-Damaged Experimental Liver Grafts
Authors: Porschen Anne , Kadaba Srinivasan Pramod , Iwasaki Junji , Afify Mamdouh , Tolba René H.
Published: June 2016

Background/Aim: Worldwide shortage of donor organs has increased the use of donation after cardiac death (DCD). The aim of this study was to analyze the best time point for venous systemic oxygen persufflation (VSOP) supplemented with nitric oxide (NO) gas during the 1st and 24th hour of cold storage (CS) in warm ischemia (WI)-damaged experimental liver grafts. Materials and Methods: Liver grafts (n = 5) were retrieved after 30 min of WI induced by cardiac arrest and CS in histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate solution at 4°C. The 1st hour group was immediately persufflated with a VSOP plus NO (VSOP+NO) mixture for 1 h followed by 23 h of static CS (DCD+NO 1st hour). The 24th hour group entailed CS for 23 h followed by 1 h of VSOP+NO persufflation (DCD+NO 24th hour). CS livers without WI but with VSOP served as controls. CS livers with WI represented the fourth group (DCD). Viability of the liver grafts was assessed by normothermic isolated reperfusion for 45 min with oxygenated Krebs-Henseleit buffer. Results: Data are presented as mean ± SEM (control vs. DCD vs. DCD+NO 1st hour vs. DCD+NO 24th hour). After 45 min of reperfusion, the DCD+NO 1st hour group showed significantly lower aspartate aminotransferase (13.4 ± 5.3, 63.2 ± 17.3, 25.6 ± 3.9, and 82.8 ± 27.3 U/l) and lactate dehydrogenase levels (289.4 ± 41.2, 2,139.4 ± 542.7, 577.2 ± 117.2, and 2,429 ± 221.6 U/l). Malondialdehyde levels were significantly abrogated (1.0 ± 0.3, 2.7 ± 1, 1.0 ± 0, and 3.9 ± 1.2 nmol/ml). Significantly higher levels of portal venous pressure were recorded in the DCD+NO 24th hour group (12.0 ± 1, 21.2 ± 3.1, 16.1 ± 1, and 23.2 ± 3.5 mm Hg). NO levels were recorded after 5 min of reperfusion (1.42 ± 0.17, 1.8 ± 0.2, 2.7 ± 0.2, and 2.6 ± 0.1 μmol/l). Bile production levels showed no statistical significance (23.2 ± 3.8, 27.3 ± 1.8, 43.5 ± 18, and 31 ± 2.5 μl/45 min). Conclusion: Our results present the beneficial effects of NO combined with VSOP during the 1st hour of CS of WI-damaged experimental liver grafts.
In-Office Hyaluronate Injection Laryngoplasty as Palliative Treatment for Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
Authors: Soriano Ronaldo G. , Pei Yu-Chen , Fang Tuan-Jen
Published: June 2016

Background: Voice and swallowing impairments can impact on both quality of life and survival. Unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) as a result of distant metastasis can cause breathy voice and aspiration. The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate a less invasive and effective alternative therapy for UVFP. Methods: This was a retrospective review of prospectively enrolled patients at a tertiary referral center in Taiwan. Among a cohort of 177 patients who received intracordal hyaluronate injections, 2 had UVFP from distant metastasis and met the inclusion criteria. Vocal cord motion was recorded by videostroboscopy, and the normalized glottal gap area was measured. Voice quality, defined by speech language pathologists, and swallowing status were compared, and immediate complications after the injection were investigated. Results: Two patients with UVFP with M1 lesions (both lung) accepted the procedure. The glottal gap area was significantly improved 1 month after in-office hyaluronate injection. Voice quality and aspiration were also improved. No immediate complications were noted in either patient. Conclusions: In-office intracordal hyaluronate injection is a safe and effective treatment for UVFP, providing a palliative method to help maintain the patient's voice and quality of life.
Protein Kinase CK2 Regulates Leukocyte-Endothelial Cell Interactions during Ischemia and Reperfusion in Striated Skin Muscle
Authors: Ampofo Emmanuel , Widmaier Daniela , Montenarh Mathias , Menger Michael D. , Laschke Matthias W.
Published: June 2016

Background: Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) causes tissue injury by inflammatory processes. This involves the upregulation of endothelial surface proteins by phospho-regulated signaling pathways, resulting in enhanced interactions of leukocytes with endothelial cells. Recently, we found that protein kinase CK2 is a crucial regulator of leukocyte-mediated inflammation. Therefore, in this study we investigated the involvement of CK2 in leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions during I/R injury. Methods: We first analyzed the inhibitory action of (E)-3-(2,3,4,5-tetrabromophenyl)acrylic acid (TBCA) and CX-4945 on CK2 kinase activity and the viability of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC). To mimic I/R conditions in vitro, HDMEC were exposed to hypoxia and reoxygenation and the expression of adhesion molecules was analyzed by flow cytometry. Moreover, we analyzed in vivo the effect of CK2 inhibition on leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions in the dorsal skinfold chamber model of I/R injury by means of repetitive intravital fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemistry. Results: We found that TBCA and CX-4945 suppressed the activity of CK2 in HDMEC without affecting cell viability. This was associated with a significant downregulation of E-selectin and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 after in vitro hypoxia and reoxygenation. In vivo, CX-4945 treatment significantly decreased the numbers of adherent and transmigrated leukocytes in striated muscle tissue exposed to I/R. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that CK2 is involved in the regulation of leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions during I/R by mediating the expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1.
Physical Activity and Nutrition in Primary and Tertiary Prevention of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Schoenberg Michael H.
Published: June 2016

Background: Lifestyle factors play a pivotal role in the primary and tertiary prevention of colorectal cancer. The purpose of this review article is to summarize data concerning the effect of the lifestyle factors physical activity (PA) and nutrition in primary and, more importantly, tertiary prevention of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Focusing on the influence of lifestyle factors on prognosis und quality of life (QOL), a comprehensive literature search of clinical studies published mainly in the years 2000 until 2015 was performed and the current knowledge based on these clinical studies reviewed. Results: Besides avoiding risk factors (such as smoking and overindulgence in alcohol), healthy weight, regular and moderate PA as well as a diet which contains fruit, vegetables, poultry, and fish (so-called ‘Mediterranean' diet) may reduce the risk of the disease significantly. Patients already diagnosed with CRC can also actively improve the prognosis of CRC and QOL by changing their lifestyle. Patients commencing moderate exercise and modifying their eating habits in terms of a ‘Mediterranean' diet can reduce cancer-specific and overall mortality by up to 40% and significantly increase their quality of life already during chemotherapy. Therefore, moderate physical exercise, calorie restriction, and a Mediterranean dietary pattern for patients with CRC should be recommended by physicians treating these patients. In fact, the World Cancer Research Fund/American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR/WCRF) systematic literature review from 2007 shows that the lifestyle changes recommended after diagnosis are the same for primary prevention of this disease. Conclusion: Lifestyle changes such as moderate PA and a Mediterranean diet significantly improve the QOL as well as the prognosis of patients suffering from colorectal disease. However, the effect of lifestyle changes is mostly based on observational studies, while only few studies are prospective and none are randomized. Therefore, these observational studies warrant controlled randomized trials to prove the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions on QOL and cancer recurrence.