bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Binary Effect of Fly Ash and Palm Oil Fuel Ash on Heat of Hydration Aerated Concrete
Authors: Mehmannavaz Taha , Ismail Mohammad , Radin Sumadi Salihuddin , Rafique Bhutta Muhammad Aamer , Samadi Mostafa , Sajjadi Seyed Mahdi
Published: February 2014

The binary effect of pulverized fuel ash (PFA) and palm oil fuel ash (POFA) on heat of hydration of aerated concrete was studied. Three aerated concrete mixes were prepared, namely, concrete containing 100% ordinary Portland cement (control sample or Type I), binary concrete made from 50% POFA (Type II), and ternary concrete containing 30% POFA and 20% PFA (Type III). It is found that the temperature increases due to heat of hydration through all the concrete specimens especially in the control sample. However, the total temperature rises caused by the heat of hydration through both of the new binary and ternary concrete were significantly lower than the control sample. The obtained results reveal that the replacement of Portland cement with binary and ternary materials is beneficial, particularly for mass concrete where thermal cracking due to extreme heat rise is of great concern.
Direct Adaptive Tracking Control for a Class of Pure-Feedback Stochastic Nonlinear Systems Based on Fuzzy-Approximation
Authors: Wang Huanqing , Liu Xiaoping , Zhou Qi , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: February 2014

The problem of fuzzy-based direct adaptive tracking control is considered for a class of pure-feedback stochastic nonlinear systems. During the controller design, fuzzy logic systems are used to approximate the packaged unknown nonlinearities, and then a novel direct adaptive controller is constructed via backstepping technique. It is shown that the proposed controller guarantees that all the signals in the closed-loop system are bounded in probability and the tracking error eventually converges to a small neighborhood around the origin in the sense of mean quartic value. The main advantages lie in that the proposed controller structure is simpler and only one adaptive parameter needs to be updated online. Simulation results are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Preoperative Strength Training for Elderly Patients Awaiting Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: van Leeuwen D. M. , de Ruiter C. J. , Nolte P. A. , de Haan A.
Published: February 2014

Objective. To investigate the feasibility and effects of additional preoperative high intensity strength training for patients awaiting total knee arthroplasty (TKA).Design. Clinical controlled trial.Patients. Twenty-two patients awaiting TKA.Methods. Patients were allocated to a standard training group or a group receiving standard training with additional progressive strength training for 6 weeks. Isometric knee extensor strength, voluntary activation, chair stand, 6-minute walk test (6MWT), and stair climbing were assessed before and after 6 weeks of training and 6 and 12 weeks after TKA.Results. For 3 of the 11 patients in the intensive strength group, training load had to be adjusted because of pain. For both groups combined, improvements in chair stand and 6MWT were observed before surgery, but intensive strength training was not more effective than standard training. Voluntary activation did not change before and after surgery, and postoperative recovery was not different between groups (P>0.05). Knee extensor strength of the affected leg before surgery was significantly associated with 6-minute walk (r=0.50) and the stair climb (r−=0.58,P<0.05).Conclusion. Intensive strength training was feasible for the majority of patients, but there were no indications that it is more effective than standard training to increase preoperative physical performance. This trial was registered withNTR2278.
Adherence to Long-Term Therapies and Beliefs about Medications
Authors: AlHewiti Abdullah
Published: February 2014

Objectives. To assess adherence to long-term medications among patients in family medicine clinics and to evaluate relationship between adherence, beliefs about medications, medication information adequacy, and other factors. Methods. Interviewer assisted survey was conducted to assess adherence using the 8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8), beliefs about medications using beliefs about medicine questionnaire (BMQ), and the patients’ perception of medication information adequacy. Results. Of the 408 participants, 56.9% reported low adherence. Pearson’s bivariate correlation showed positive association between MMAS-8 score and BMQ-specific necessity (r=0.526  P<0.001) and the perceived information adequacy (r=0.568  P<0.001), and there was negative association between adherence score and BMQ specific concerns, general overuse, and harm (r=-0.647, -0.466, and -0.663, resp.) (P<0.001). Multivariable analysis revealed that age, number of medications, number of medical conditions, specific necessity and concerns beliefs, general harm beliefs, and perceived adequacy of medication information were independent predictor of adherence. Furthermore, specific beliefs explain 27.7% of the variance in adherence, while medication information adequacy explains 32.3% of the variance in adherence. Conclusion. The prevalence of low adherence among patients on long-term medications is high and it is related to negative beliefs about medications and to inadequate information given to patients about their medications.
Progressive Improvement ofT-Scores in Men with Osteoporosis and Subnormal Serum Testosterone Levels upon Treatment with Testosterone over Six Years
Authors: Haider Ahmad , Meergans Ulrich , Traish Abdulmaged , Saad Farid , Doros Gheorghe , Lips Paul , Gooren Louis
Published: February 2014

Testosterone deficiency leads to bone loss and testosterone treatment has a beneficial effect. This study investigated the effects of normalizing serum testosterone on bone mineral density in 45 men with osteoporosis, diagnosed with testosterone deficiency (serum testosterone levels<12.1 nmol/L,T-scores: (mean ± SD) −3.12 ± 0.45, minimum: −4.10, and maximum: −2.60). In a cumulative, prospective, registry study of hypogonadal men (mean age: 53 ± 7 years) they received parenteral testosterone undecanoate of 1000 mg/12 weeks for up to six years. After one year 44 men were included in the registry, after two years 36 men, after three years 32 men, after four years 25 men, after five years 10 men and after six years 4 men. The declining numbers do not reflect drop-out rates but are a result of the registry design. Over the 6 year period there was a significant and progressive improvement of theT-scores in these men. Normalizing of serum testosterone leads to an improvement of bone mineral density and this improvement was progressive with the time period of testosterone administration. In this study of 6-years many men with testosterone deficiency suffered from classical diagnoses (Klinefelter’s syndrome and testicular pathology) hitherto undiagnosed.
Increasing Prevalence, Changes in Diagnostic Criteria, and Nutritional Risk Factors for Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Neggers Yasmin H.
Published: February 2014

The frequency of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) diagnoses has been increasing for decades, but researchers cannot agree on whether the trend is a result of increased awareness, improved detection, expanding definition, or an actual increase in incidence or a combination of these factors. Though both genetic and multiple environmental risk factors have been studied extensively, many potentially modifiable risk factors including nutritional and immune function related risk factors such as vitamin D, folic acid, and metabolic syndrome have not received sufficient attention. Several recent studies have put forward hypotheses to explain the mechanism of association between both folic acid and vitamin D and autism. A continuous rise in the prevalence of autism in the USA has coincided with a significant enhancement of maternal folate status with FDA mandated folic acid fortification of certain foods starting in 1998. There is also a growing body of research that suggests that vitamin D status either in utero or early in life may be a risk for autism. In this communication, controversies regarding increase in estimate of prevalence, implications of changes in definition, and possible association between some modifiable nutritional risk factors such as folic acid and vitamin D and ASD will be discussed.
Vehicle Tracking Algorithm Based on Observation Feedback and Block Symmetry Particle Filter
Authors: Hao Yanshuang , Yin Yixin , Lan Jinhui
Published: February 2014

This paper proposes a novel particle filter algorithm for vehicle tracking, which feeds observation information back to state model and integrates block symmetry into observation model. In view of the proposal distribution in traditional particle filter without considering the observation data, a new state transition model which takes the observation into account is presented, so that the allocation of particles is more familiar with the posterior distribution. To track the vehicles in background with similar colors or under partial occlusion, block symmetry is proposed and introduced into the observation model. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can improve the accuracy and robustness of vehicle tracking compared with traditional particle filter and Kernel Particle Filter.
Exploratory Analysis of a GGSN’s PDP Context Signaling Load
Authors: Metzger Florian , Rafetseder Albert , Romirer-Maierhofer Peter , Tutschku Kurt
Published: February 2014

This paper takes an exploratory look on control plane signaling in a mobile cellular core network. In contrast to most contributions in this field, our focus does not lie on the wireless or user-oriented parts of the network, but on signaling in the core network. In an investigation of core network data we take a look at statistics related to GTP tunnels and their signaling. Based on the results thereof we propose a definition of load at the GGSN and create an initial load queuing model. We find signs of user devices putting burden on the core network through their behavior.
Toward Sci-φ: A Lightweight Cloud PaaS for Developing Embarrassingly Parallel Applications Based on Jini
Authors: Dazzi Patrizio
Published: February 2014

Embarrassingly parallel problems are characterised by a very small amount of information to be exchanged among the parts they are split in, during their parallel execution. As a consequence they do not require sophisticated, low-latency, high-bandwidth interconnection networks but can be efficiently computed in parallel by exploiting commodity hardware. Basically, this means cheap clusters, networks of workstations and desktops, and Computational Clouds. This computational model can be exploited to compute a quite large range of problems. This paper describes Sci-φ, an almost complete redesign of a previous tool of ours aimed at developing task parallel applications based on Java and Jini that were shown to be an effective and efficient solution in environments like clusters and networks of workstations and desktops.
Activity of a Carboxyl-Terminal Truncated Form of Catechol 2,3-Dioxygenase fromPlanococcussp. S5
Authors: Hupert-Kocurek Katarzyna , Wojcieszyńska Danuta , Guzik Urszula
Published: February 2014

Catechol 2,3-dioxygenases (C23Os, E.C.1.13.12.2) are two domain enzymes that catalyze degradation of monoaromatic hydrocarbons. The catalytically active C-domain of all known C23Os comprises ferrous ion ligands as well as residues forming active site pocket. The aim of this work was to examine and discuss the effect of nonsense mutation at position 289 on the activity of catechol 2,3-dioxygenase fromPlanococcusstrain. Although the mutant C23O showed the same optimal temperature for activity as the wild-type protein (35°C), it exhibited activity slightly more tolerant to alkaline pH. Mutant enzyme exhibited also higher affinity to catechol as a substrate. ItsKm(66.17 µM) was approximately 30% lower than that of wild-type enzyme. Interestingly, removal of the C-terminal residues resulted in 1.5- to 1.8-fold(P<0.05)increase in the activity of C23OB61 against 4-methylcatechol and 4-chlorocatechol, respectively, while towards catechol the activity of the protein dropped to about 80% of that of the wild-type enzyme. The results obtained may facilitate the engineering of the C23O for application in the bioremediation of polluted areas.
Consumptive Coagulopathy in Angiosarcoma: A Recurrent Phenomenon?
Authors: Farid Mohamad , Ahn Linda , Brohl Andrew , Cioffi Angela , Maki Robert G.
Published: February 2014

Objectives. To report the prevalence of consumptive coagulopathy in angiosarcoma patients seen at a single center.Methods. We retrospectively reviewed case records of 42 patients diagnosed with angiosarcoma at Mount Sinai Hospital between 2000 and 2013.Results. Seven patients (17%) met clinical criteria for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) in absence of concomitant clinical states known to cause coagulopathy or myelosuppression. In all patients who received systemic antineoplastic therapy with resultant disease response or stability, DIC resolved in tandem with clinical improvement. DIC recurred at time of disease progression in all cases. Two patients had bulky disease, defined as diameter of largest single or contiguous tumor mass measuring 5 cm or more. All patients demonstrated an aggressive clinical course with short duration of disease control and demise within 1 year. In contrast, evaluation over the same period of 17 epithelioid hemangioendothelioma patients serving as a clinical control group revealed no evidence of DIC.Conclusion. Angiosarcomas can be associated with a consumptive coagulopathy arising in tandem with disease activity. Vigilance for this complication will be needed in the course of often aggressive multimodality therapy. The potential utility of coagulopathy as a prognostic biomarker will need to be explored in future studies.
Flow and Stress Field Analysis of Different Fluids and Blades for Fermentation Process
Authors: Wang Cheng-Chi , Cheng Po-Jen , Liu Kuo-Chi , Tsai Ming-Yi
Published: February 2014

Fermentation techniques are applied for the biotechnology and are widely used for food manufacturing, materials processing, chemical reaction, and so forth. Different fluids and types of blades in the tank for fermentation cause distinct flow and stress field distributions on the surface between fluid and blade and various flow reactions in the tank appear. This paper is mainly focused on the analysis of flow field with different fluid viscosities and also studied the stress field acting on the blades with different scales and shapes of them under specific rotational speed. The results show that the viscosity of fluid influences the flow field and stress distributions on the blades. The maximum stress that acts on the blade is increased with the increasing of viscosity. On the other hand, the ratio of blade length to width influences stress distributions on the blade. At the same time, the inclined angle of blade is also the key parameter for the consideration of design and appropriate inclined angle of blade will decrease the maximum stress. The results provide effective means of gaining insights into the flow and stress distribution of fermentation process.
Primary Carcinoma of the Fallopian Tube: A Review of a Single Institution Experience of 8 Cases
Authors: Nanaiah Shakuntala P. , Rathod Praveen S. , Rajkumar Namrata N. , Kundargi Rajshekar , Subbian Anbukkani , Ramachandra Pallavi V. , Krishnappa Shobha , Narayan Abhilasha , Devi Uma K. , Uttamchand Bafna D.
Published: February 2014

Aims and Objectives. To evaluate the clinicopathologic features, response to cytoreductive surgery and adjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy with or without paclitaxel.Materials and Methods. A retrospective observational study of 8 women with a histopathologic diagnosis of primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) from January 2000 to February 2013.Results. 4/8 (50%) of the women were in the early stage and an intraoperative frozen section was 100% effective in identifying fallopian tube carcinoma and then a staging laparotomy was performed. All 4/8 cases in the early stage had received and responded to single agent carboplatin and all are alive without clinical, radiological, or biochemical evidence of recurrence at the end of 2 years and the longest survivor has completed 13 years. Primary optimal cytoreductive surgery was achievable in 3/4 (75%) in advanced disease. All showed response to adjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin (T+C), but all had succumbed to the disease following recurrence with mean progression-free survival of 19 months (range 15–21 months) and mean overall survival of 27 months (range 22–36 months).Conclusion. The pivotal role played by a frozen section in diagnosing PFTC which is rare needs to be reemphasized, therefore justifying a primary staging laparotomy in an early stage. Prolonged survival observed in this group following an optimum tailored adjuvant single agent carboplatin is worth noting.
Esthetic Rehabilitation of a Severely Compromised Anterior Area: Combined Periodontal and Restorative Approach
Authors: Censi Rachele , Vavassori Virna , Borgonovo Andrea Enrico , Re Dino
Published: February 2014

The complete oral rehabilitation of patients demanding a beautiful and attractive smile involves a multidisciplinary approach that includes the change of both the morphological aspect of the teeth and the architecture of gum tissues. This clinical report describes a successful interdisciplinary approach for the treatment of an esthetically compromised dentition. In a first phase, the periodontal plastic surgery was performed for root coverage and, in particular, it was decided for the execution of a coronally advanced flap for the treatment of multiple recession defects. Once complete healing of soft tissues was obtained, six lithium disilicate veneers were placed over the anterior maxillary teeth. Lithium disilicate is a glass-based ceramic which presents excellent aesthetics and allows the passage of light without creating unnatural reflections. This feature has made it possible to recreate a natural aspect of teeth that in combination with the harmonic architecture of soft tissue has permitted obtaining a beautiful and pleasant smile.
The Linker Histone H1.2 Is an Intermediate in the Apoptotic Response to Cytokine Deprivation in T-Effectors
Authors: Garg Megha , Perumalsamy Lakshmi R. , Shivashankar G. V. , Sarin Apurva
Published: February 2014

Tissue homeostasis is a dynamic process involving proliferation and the removal of redundant or damaged cells. This is exemplified in the coordinated deletion—triggered by limiting trophic factors/cytokines in the extracellular milieu—of differentiated T cells overproduced during the mammalian immune response. However, mechanisms by which extracellular cues are perceived and transduced as apoptotic triggers remain incompletely understood. T-effectors are dependent on cytokines for survival and undergo apoptosis following cytokine withdrawal. Here we report that leptomycin B (LMB), an inhibitor of nuclear export machinery, protected T-effectors from apoptosis implicating a nuclear intermediate in the apoptotic pathway. Evidence is presented that the linker histone H1.2 localizes to the cytoplasm, by a mechanism sensitive to regulation by LMB, to activate apoptotic signaling culminating in nuclear and mitochondrial damage in T-effectors in response to cytokine deprivation. H1.2 is detected in a complex with the proapoptotic mitochondrial resident Bak and its subcellular localization regulated by Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), an intermediate in the apoptotic cascade in T-effectors. These data suggest that metabolic stressors may impinge on H1.2 dynamics favoring its activity at the mitochondrion, thereby functioning as a molecular switch for T-effector apoptosis.
Utilization Bound Scheduling Analysis for Nonpreemptive Uniprocessor Architecture Using UML-RT
Authors: Pon Pushpa S. Ewins , Devasigamani Manamalli
Published: February 2014

The key for adopting the utilization-based schedulability test is to derive the utilization bound. Given the computation times, this paper proposes two utilization bound algorithms to derive interrelease times for nonpreemptive periodic tasks, using a new priority scheme, “Rate Monotonic Algorithm-Shortest Job First.” The obtained task set possesses the advantage of Rate Monotonic Algorithm and Shortest Job First priority scheme. Further, the task set is tested for schedulability, by first deriving a general schedulability condition from “problem window” analysis and, a necessary and sufficient schedulability condition for a task to be scheduled, at any release time are also derived. As a technical contribution, success ratio and effective processor utilization are analyzed for our proposed utilization bound algorithms on a uniprocessor architecture modeled using UML-RT.
Parameters Estimation of Interharmonic Based on State Space Model
Authors: Shiji Yuan , Bin Pei , Zhihua Liu , Wenjing Huang , Mingfeng Sun
Published: February 2014

The special Hankel matrix is structured from interharmonic sampling, which is described by state space model. A method of parameters estimation based on state space model is proposed, which can achieve interharmonics frequency, amplitude and, phase of the joint estimation. The simulation results show that the method can effectively restrain white Gaussian noise, with superior performance.
LEDFD: A Low Energy Consumption Distributed Fault Detection Algorithm for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Xu Xiaolong , Geng Weijian , Yang Geng , Bessis Nik , Norrington Peter
Published: February 2014

Detection of faulty nodes and network energy saving have become the hottest research topics. Furthermore, current fault detection algorithms always pursue high detection performance but neglect energy consumption. In order to obtain good fault detection performance and save the network power, this paper proposes a low energy consumption distributed fault detection algorithm (LEDFD), which takes full advantage of temporally correlated and spatially correlated characteristics of the sensor nodes. LEDFD utilizes the temporally correlated information to examine some faulty nodes and then utilizes the spatially correlated information to examine the nodes that have not been detected as faulty through exchanging information among neighbor nodes to determine those nodes' state. Because LEDFD takes the data produced by nodes themselves to detect certain types of faults, which means nodes need not exchange information with their neighbor nodes during the entire detection process, the energy consumption of networks is efficiently reduced. Experimental results show that the algorithm has good performance and low energy consumption compared with current algorithms.
New Strategy for Analog Circuit Performance Evaluation under Disturbance and Fault Value
Authors: Zhang Aihua , Wang Yongchao , Chen Chen , Karimi Hamid Reza
Published: February 2014

Focus on this issue of disturbance and fault value is inevitable in data collection about analog circuit. A novel strategy is developed for analog circuit online performance evaluation based on fuzzy learning and double weighted support vector machine (DWMK‐FSVM). First, the double weighted support vector regression machine is employed to be the indirect evaluation means, relied on the college analog electronic technology experiment to evaluate analog circuit. Second, the superiority of fuzzy learning also is addressed to realize active suppression to the fault values and disturbance parameters. Moreover, the multikernel RBF is employed by support vector regression machine to realize more flexibility online such as the bandwidths tuning. Numerical results, supported by the college analog circuit experiments, adopted OTL performance eight indexes, which were obtained via precision instrument evaluation in two years to construct training set and are then to be evaluated online based on DWMK‐FSVM. Simulation results presented not only highlight precision of the evaluation strategy derived here but also illustrate its great robustness.
Mixed Phases at the Bottom Interface of Si‐Doped AlGaN Epilayers of Optoelectronic Devices
Authors: Yu Chen-hui , Luo Qing-zhou , Luo Xiang-dong , Liu Pei-sheng
Published: February 2014

This paper presents an analysis of crystalline structures of Si‐doped Al0.4Ga0.6N layers grown on not‐intentionally doped AlGaN buffer layer with an AlN nucleation layer by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Weak cubic Al0.4Ga0.6N (002) and (103) reflection peaks are observed in high‐resolution XRD θ/2θ scans and cubic Al0.4Ga0.6N (LO) mode in Raman scattering spectroscopy. These cubic subgrains are localized at the bottom interface of Si‐doped layer due to the pulsed lower growth temperature and rich hydrogen atmosphere at the start of silane injection. Their appearance has no direct relationship with the buffer and nucleation layer. This study is helpful not only to understand fundamental properties of high aluminum content Si‐doped AlGaN alloys but also to provide specific guidance on the fabrication of multilayer optoelectronic devices where weak cubic subgrains potentially occur and exert complicated influences on the device performance.
Methods of EEG Signal Features Extraction Using Linear Analysis in Frequency and Time-Frequency Domains
Authors: Al-Fahoum Amjed S. , Al-Fraihat Ausilah A.
Published: February 2014

Technically, a feature represents a distinguishing property, a recognizable measurement, and a functional component obtained from a section of a pattern. Extracted features are meant to minimize the loss of important information embedded in the signal. In addition, they also simplify the amount of resources needed to describe a huge set of data accurately. This is necessary to minimize the complexity of implementation, to reduce the cost of information processing, and to cancel the potential need to compress the information. More recently, a variety of methods have been widely used to extract the features from EEG signals, among these methods are time frequency distributions (TFD), fast fourier transform (FFT), eigenvector methods (EM), wavelet transform (WT), and auto regressive method (ARM), and so on. In general, the analysis of EEG signal has been the subject of several studies, because of its ability to yield an objective mode of recording brain stimulation which is widely used in brain-computer interface researches with application in medical diagnosis and rehabilitation engineering. The purposes of this paper, therefore, shall be discussing some conventional methods of EEG feature extraction methods, comparing their performances for specific task, and finally, recommending the most suitable method for feature extraction based on performance.
Improving Predictions of Multiple Binary Models in ILP
Authors: Abudawood Tarek
Published: February 2014

Despite the success of ILP systems in learning first-order rules from small number of examples and complexly structured data in various domains, they struggle in dealing with multiclass problems. In most cases they boil down a multiclass problem into multiple black-box binary problems following the one-versus-one or one-versus-rest binarisation techniques and learn a theory for each one. When evaluating the learned theories of multiple class problems in one-versus-rest paradigm particularly, there is a bias caused by the default rule toward the negative classes leading to an unrealistic high performance beside the lack of prediction integrity between the theories. Here we discuss the problem of using one-versus-rest binarisation technique when it comes to evaluating multiclass data and propose several methods to remedy this problem. We also illustrate the methods and highlight their link to binary tree and Formal Concept Analysis (FCA). Our methods allow learning of a simple, consistent, and reliable multiclass theory by combining the rules of the multiple one-versus-rest theories into one rule list or rule set theory. Empirical evaluation over a number of data sets shows that our proposed methods produce coherent and accurate rule models from the rules learned by the ILP system of Aleph.
Design Approach Based on EtherCAT Protocol for a Networked Motion Control System
Authors: Wang Lei , Li Muguo , Qi Junyan , Zhang Qun
Published: February 2014

This paper presents a new design approach based on EtherCAT protocol aiming at a special networked motion control system. To evaluate this system, the testing platform of the networked motion control system for ocean wave maker is designed. The paper gives the detailed design for the testing platform including software and hardware. With message access delay and jitter, a set of experiments are done to evaluate the crucial performance for the implemented networked motion control system. By analyzing the experimental results, the systemic performance is verified. And the design approach can be widely extended to other automation application scenarios.
Articular Eminence Inclination, Height, and Condyle Morphology on Cone Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: İlgüy Dilhan , İlgüy Mehmet , Fişekçioğlu Erdoğan , Dölekoğlu Semanur , Ersan Nilüfer
Published: February 2014

Aim. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between articular eminence inclination, height, and thickness of the roof of the glenoid fossa (RGF) according to age and gender and to assess condyle morphology including incidental findings of osseous characteristics associated with osteoarthritis (OA) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT).Materials and Methods. CBCT images of 105 patients were evaluated retrospectively. For articular eminence inclination and height, axial views on which the condylar processes were seen with their widest mediolateral extent being used as a reference view for secondary reconstruction. Condyle morphology was categorized both in the sagittal and coronal plane.Results. The mean values of eminence inclination and height of males were higher than those of females (P<0.05). There were significant differences in the RGF thickness in relation to sagittal condyle morphology. Among the group of OA, the mean value of the RGF thickness for “OA-osteophyte” group was the highest (1.59 mm), whereas the lowest RGF values were seen in the “OA-flattening.”Conclusion. The sagittal osteoarthritic changes may have an effect on RGF thickness by mechanical stimulation and changed stress distribution. Gender has a significant effect on eminence height (Eh) and inclination.
Molecular Characterization of ESBL-Producing Enterobacteriaceae in Northern Portugal
Authors: Fernandes Rúben , Amador Paula , Oliveira Carla , Prudêncio Cristina
Published: February 2014

Extended-spectrumβ-lactamases (ESBLs) prevalence was studied in the north of Portugal, among 193 clinical isolates belonging to citizens in a district in the boundaries between this country and Spain from a total of 7529 clinical strains. In the present study we recovered some members of Enterobacteriaceae family, producing ESBL enzymes, includingEscherichia coli(67.9%),Klebsiella pneumoniae(30.6%),Klebsiella oxytoca(0.5%),Enterobacter aerogenes(0.5%), andCitrobacter freundii(0.5%).β-lactamases genes blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M were screened by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing approaches. TEM enzymes were among the most prevalent types (40.9%) followed by CTX-M (37.3%) and SHV (23.3%). Among our sample of 193 ESBL-producing strains 99.0% were resistant to the fourth-generation cephalosporin cefepime. Of the 193 isolates 81.3% presented transferable plasmids harboringblaESBLgenes. Clonal studies were performed by PCR for the enterobacterial repetitive intragenic consensus (ERIC) sequences. This study reports a high diversity of genetic patterns. Ten clusters were found forE. coliisolates and five clusters forK. pneumoniaestrains by means of ERIC analysis. In conclusion, in this country, the most prevalent type is still the TEM-type, but CTX-M is growing rapidly.
Emergency Ultrasound Predicting the Need for Therapeutic Laparotomy among Blunt Abdominal Trauma Patients in a Sub-Saharan African Hospital
Authors: Musiitwa P. C. M. , Galukande M. , Bugeza S. , Wanzira H. , Wangoda R.
Published: February 2014

Background. The trauma burden globally accounts for high levels of mortality and morbidity. Blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) contributes significantly to this burden. Patient’s evaluation for BAT remains a diagnostic challenge for emergency physicians. SSORTT gives a score that can predict the need for laparotomy. The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of SSORTT score in predicting the need for a therapeutic laparotomy after BAT.Method. A prospective observational study. Eligible patients were evaluated for shock and the presence of haemoperitoneum using a portable ultrasound machine. Further evaluation of patients following the standard of care (SOC) protocol was done. The accuracy of SSORTT score in predicting therapeutic laparotomy was compared to SOC.Results. In total, 195 patients were evaluated; M : F ratio was 6 : 1. The commonest injuries were to the head 80 (42%) and the abdomen 54 (28%). A SSORTT score of >2 appropriately identified patients that needed a therapeutic laparotomy (with sensitivity 90%, specificity 90%, PPV 53%, and NPV 98%). The overall mortality rate was 17%.Conclusion. Patients with a SSORTT score of 2 and above had a high likelihood of requiring a therapeutic laparotomy. SSORTT scoring should be adopted for routine practice in low technology settings.
Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography with Secretin Stimulation in the Diagnosis of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm: A Paradigmatic Case Report
Authors: Iannicelli Elsa , Carbonetti Francesco , Di Pietropaolo Marco , Federici Giulia Francesca , Capurso Gabriele , David Vincenzo
Published: February 2014

Context.One of the characteristic findings of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) is the presence of a direct communication between the lesion and the ductal pancreatic system and when magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) shows uncertain findings, it is useful to perform a MRCP after secretin stimulation (MRCP-S) which provides a better visualization of the ductal system.Case Report.We present a case of 51-year-old man in whom, during a CT follow-up for a renal tumour, was found a cystic lesion of the pancreas. To better evaluate the lesion and its suspected communication with the pancreatic system, MR with gadolinium and MRCP and MRCP-S were performed. With the MRCP and MRI it was not possible to identify a clear communication between the cystic lesion and the ductal system. MRCP-S showed an increase in signal intensity of the lesion and its communication with the ductal system, allowing us to classify the cystic lesion as a main duct in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm. The patient underwent a surgical duodenal pancreatectomy. The histological result of the specimen confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma IPMN.Conclusion.In this case MRCP-S has allowed a clearer identification of the cystic lesion allowing a correct diagnosis and treatment.
Blow-Up and Global Existence for a Quasilinear Parabolic System
Authors: Wu Chunchen
Published: February 2014

The problem of solutions to a class of quasilinear coupling parabolic system was studied. By constructing weak upper-solutions and weak lower-solutions, we obtain the global existence and blow-up of solutions under appropriate conditions.
Domain Terminology Collection for Semantic Interpretation of Sensor Network Data
Authors: Hwang Myunggwon , Kim Jinhyung , Gim Jangwon , Song Sa-kwang , Jung Hanmin , Jeong Do-Heon
Published: February 2014

Many studies have investigated the management of data delivered over sensor networks and attempted to standardize their relations. Sensor data come from numerous tangible and intangible sources, and existing work has focused on the integration and management of the sensor data itself. The data should be interpreted according to the sensor environment and related objects, even though the data type, and even the value, is exactly the same. This means that the sensor data should have semantic connections with all objects, and so a knowledge base that covers all domains should be constructed. In this paper, we suggest a method of domain terminology collection based on Wikipedia category information in order to prepare seed data for such knowledge bases. However, Wikipedia has two weaknesses, namely, loops and unreasonable generalizations in the category structure. To overcome these weaknesses, we utilize a horizontal bootstrapping method for category searches and domain-term collection. Both the category-article and article-link relations defined in Wikipedia are employed as terminology indicators, and we use a new measure to calculate the similarity between categories. By evaluating various aspects of the proposed approach, we show that it outperforms the baseline method, having wider coverage and higher precision. The collected domain terminologies can assist the construction of domain knowledge bases for the semantic interpretation of sensor data.
Climate Variability in the Sudano-Guinean Transition Area and Its Impact on Vegetation: The Case of the Lamto Region in Côte D’Ivoire
Authors: Diawara A. , Yoroba F. , Kouadio K. Y. , Kouassi K. B. , Assamoi E. M. , Diedhiou A. , Assamoi P.
Published: February 2014

Based on unique 50-year datasets from 1962 to 2011, this study diagnoses the variability of climate at Lamto (6.13°N, 5.02°W) in Côte d’Ivoire. A combined pluviothermal index is used to identify climate regions of West Africa. The interdecadal change of the climate is analyzed along with a discussion on the West African Monsoon (WAM) circulation. The impact of vegetation is also analyzed. It is shown that Lamto has mainly a subhumid climate but, in some particular years, this area has a humid climate. Two decades (1962–1971 and 2002–2011) exhibit rainfall excess and the last three ones (1972–1981, 1982–1991, and 1992–2001) show a rainfall deficit that affected West Africa in the early 1970s. The meridional wind field from 1000 hPa to 700 hPa is used to study the WAM variability. The level of the WAM is the lowest (~860–890 hPa) during the active period of the northern wind coming from the Sahara desert (November–February). During 1962–1971 and 2007–2009, the depth of the monsoon at Lamto reaches 300 hPa with an increase in the rainfall. A relationship between potential evapotranspiration and the climate highlights rainfall deficit in 1969 and rainfall excess in 2001–2011.
The Mississippi Delta Cardiovascular Health Examination Survey: Study Design and Methods
Authors: Short Vanessa L. , Ivory-Walls Tameka , Smith Larry , Loustalot Fleetwood
Published: February 2014

Assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality in subnational areas is limited. A model for regional CVD surveillance is needed, particularly among vulnerable populations underrepresented in current monitoring systems. The Mississippi Delta Cardiovascular Health Examination Survey (CHES) is a population-based, cross-sectional study on a representative sample of adults living in the 18-county Mississippi Delta region, a rural, impoverished area with high rates of poor health outcomes and marked health disparities. The primary objectives of Delta CHES are to (1) determine the prevalence and distribution of CVD and CVD risk factors using self-reported and directly measured health metrics and (2) to assess environmental perceptions and existing policies that support or deter healthy choices. An address-based sampling frame is used for household enumeration and participant recruitment and an in-home data collection model is used to collect survey data, anthropometric measures, and blood samples from participants. Data from all sources will be merged into one analytic dataset and sample weights developed to ensure data are representative of the Mississippi Delta region adult population. Information gathered will be used to assess the burden of CVD and guide the development, implementation, and evaluation of cardiovascular health promotion and risk factor control strategies.
User Access Control and Authentication System for VoIP Service in Mobile Communication Environments
Authors: Yang Ho-Kyung , Moon Jeong-Kyung , Choi Cheol-Rim , Ryou Hwang-Bin
Published: February 2014

VoIP, which is used to transmit voice data on the Internet, is being welcomed as a replacement for the PSTN. In VoIP, voice data are converted to IP data and transmitted in an ordinary IP network. As a result, it is less expensive than the ordinary telephone network and has excellent scalability. With the increasing demand for VoIP services, problems are also occurring, namely, security vulnerabilities and degraded service quality. To address these issues, in this paper an AA (Attribute Authority) server is added to VoIP to design an authentication system with bolstered security and differentiated user access.
Aqueous Extract of Red Deer Antler Promotes Hair Growth by Regulating the Hair Cycle and Cell Proliferation in Hair Follicles
Authors: Li Jing-jie , Li Zheng , Gu Li-juan , Wang Yun-bo , Lee Mi-ra , Sung Chang-keun
Published: February 2014

Deer antlers are the only mammalian appendage capable of regeneration. We aimed to investigate the effect of red deer antler extract in regulating hair growth, using a mouse model. The backs of male mice were shaved at eight weeks of age. Crude aqueous extracts of deer antler were prepared at either 4°C or 100°C and injected subcutaneously to two separate groups of mice (n=9) at 1 mL/day for 10 consecutive days, with water as a vehicle control group. The mice skin quantitative hair growth parameters were measured and 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine was used to identify label-retaining cells. We found that, in both the 4°C and the 100°C deer antler aqueous extract-injection groups, the anagen phase was extended, while the number of BrdU-incorporated cells was dramatically increased. These results indicate that deer antler aqueous extract promotes hair growth by extending the anagen phase and regulating cell proliferation in the hair follicle region.
Solid Phase Microextraction and Related Techniques for Drugs in Biological Samples
Authors: Moein Mohammad Mahdi , Said Rana , Bassyouni Fatma , Abdel-Rehim Mohamed
Published: February 2014

In drug discovery and development, the quantification of drugs in biological samples is an important task for the determination of the physiological performance of the investigated drugs. After sampling, the next step in the analytical process is sample preparation. Because of the low concentration levels of drug in plasma and the variety of the metabolites, the selected extraction technique should be virtually exhaustive. Recent developments of sample handling techniques are directed, from one side, toward automatization and online coupling of sample preparation units. The primary objective of this review is to present the recent developments in microextraction sample preparation methods for analysis of drugs in biological fluids. Microextraction techniques allow for less consumption of solvent, reagents, and packing materials, and small sample volumes can be used. In this review the use of solid phase microextraction (SPME), microextraction in packed sorbent (MEPS), and stir-bar sorbtive extraction (SBSE) in drug analysis will be discussed. In addition, the use of new sorbents such as monoliths and molecularly imprinted polymers will be presented.
An Asymmetric Hysteresis Model and Parameter Identification Method for Piezoelectric Actuator
Authors: Qin Haichen , Bu Ningbin , Chen Wei , Yin Zhouping
Published: February 2014

Hysteresis behaviour degrades the positioning accuracy of PZT actuator for ultrahigh‐precision positioning applications. In this paper, a corrected hysteresis model based on Bouc‐Wen model for modelling the asymmetric hysteresis behaviour of PZT actuator is established by introducing an input bias φ and an asymmetric factor ΔΦ into the standard Bouc‐Wen hysteresis model. A modified particle swarm optimization (MPSO) algorithm is established and realized to identify and optimize the model parameters. Feasibility and effectiveness of MPSO are proved by experiment and numerical simulation. The research results show that the corrected hysteresis model can represent the asymmetric hysteresis behaviour of the PZT actuator more accurately than the noncorrected hysteresis model based on the Bouc‐Wen model. The MPSO parameter identification method can effectively identify the parameters of the corrected and noncorrected hysteresis models. Some cases demonstrate the corrected hysteresis model and the MPSO parameter identification method can be used to model smart materials and structure systems with the asymmetric hysteresis behaviour.
An Empirical Evaluation of Lightweight Random Walk Based Routing Protocol in Duty Cycle Aware Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Mian Adnan Noor , Fatima Mehwish , Khan Raees , Prakash Ravi
Published: February 2014

Energy efficiency is an important design paradigm in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and its consumption in dynamic environment is even more critical. Duty cycling of sensor nodes is used to address the energy consumption problem. However, along with advantages, duty cycle aware networks introduce some complexities like synchronization and latency. Due to their inherent characteristics, many traditional routing protocols show low performance in densely deployed WSNs with duty cycle awareness, when sensor nodes are supposed to have high mobility. In this paper we first present a three messages exchange Lightweight Random Walk Routing (LRWR) protocol and then evaluate its performance in WSNs for routing low data rate packets. Through NS-2 based simulations, we examine the LRWR protocol by comparing it with DYMO, a widely used WSN protocol, in both static and dynamic environments with varying duty cycles, assuming the standard IEEE 802.15.4 in lower layers. Results for the three metrics, that is, reliability, end-to-end delay, and energy consumption, show that LRWR protocol outperforms DYMO in scalability, mobility, and robustness, showing this protocol as a suitable choice in low duty cycle and dense WSNs.
Prospective Study of BK Virus Infection in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Flores Virginia , Rodríguez-Sánchez Belén , Marín-Jiménez Ignacio , Bouza Emilio , Menchén Luis , Muñoz Patricia
Published: February 2014

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an immune-deficient baseline status further modulated by immunosuppressive therapy that may promote the reactivation of latent viruses such as BK virus (BKV). The aim of this prospective study was to determine the prevalence of BKV infection in IBD patients and its potential relationship with the immunosuppressive treatment. Paired urine and plasma samples from 53 consecutive patients with IBD and 53 controls were analyzed. BKV detection was performed by conventional PCR and positive samples were further quantified by real-time PCR. No viremia was detected. BKV viruria was significantly more common in IBD patients than among the controls (54.7% versus 11.3%;P<0.0001). The only risk factor for BKV viruria in IBD was age (47.2±16.3versus37.8±15.2;P=0.036), and there was a trend towards higher rate of viruria in outpatients (61.5% versus 38.5%;P=0.096) and in those not receiving ciprofloxacin (59.5% versus 40.5%;P=0.17). A clear impact of the immunosuppressive regimen on BKV infection could not be demonstrated.