bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embedded carbon nanotube thread piezoresistive strain sensor performance
Authors: Schulz Mark , Song Yi , Hehr Adam , Shanov Vesselin
Published: March 2014

Purpose

– Carbon nanotube (CNT) thread
'
s piezoresisitive strain sensing properties of gauge factor, linearity, hysteresis, consistency, temperature stability, and bandwidth were evaluated. This evaluation was motivated by little information in literature combined with the need to understand these properties for commercial use. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study here analyzes as-spun CNT thread built into unidirectional glass fiber composites and mounted onto aluminium beams with epoxy to evaluate strain sensing properties. The analyses utilize known sensor parameter definitions to quantify sensor performance.

Findings

– CNT thread can provide reliable and robust strain measurements for composite and metallic structures. The strain sensor performance meets or exceeds other strain sensors in performance.

Research limitations/implications

– CNT thread
'
s piezoresistive effect is not well understood in terms of Poisson
'
s ratio and nanotube contact. More research needs to be carried out to better understand this relationship and optimize the sensor thread.

Practical implications

– CNT thread can be utilized as a robust strain sensor for composite and metallic structures. It can also be built into composite materials for embedded strain and damage monitoring. By monitoring composite materials with the sensor thread, reliability will significantly increase. In turn, this will lower safety factors and revolutionize inspection methods for composite materials.

Originality/value

– This paper is the first to comprehensively evaluate key strain sensing properties of CNT thread. With all this strain sensor information in one spot, this should help expedite the use of this technology in other research and industry.
Are women having a vaginal birth after a previous caesarean delivery at increased risk of anal sphincter injury?
Authors: Hehir MP , Fitzpatrick M , Cassidy M , Murphy M , O'Herlihy C
Published: March 2014

Objective

To examine the incidence of obstetric anal sphincter injury in women who had a successful vaginal birth after a previous caesarean delivery (VBAC).

Design

Retrospective analysis of prospectively gathered data.

Setting

A tertiary referral university institution.

Population

All secundiparous women with a previous caesarean delivery who had a VBAC from 2001 to 2011.

Methods

Details of maternal demographics, intrapartum characteristics and outcomes were examined in cases of VBAC with accompanying anal sphincter injury.

Main outcome measures

Rates of obstetric anal sphincter injury and associated risk factors.

Results

During the study period there were 3071 trials of labour in secundiparous women with a previous caesarean delivery; 65% (1981/3071) of these had a successful VBAC. Women having a VBAC were at greater risk of anal sphincter injury than nulliparous women having a vaginal delivery over the same period (5% [98/1981] versus 3.5% [1216/34 496], P = 0.001, odds ratio 1.4, 95% CI 1.15–1.75). The rate of instrumental delivery in woman having a VBAC was 39% (771/1981). On multiple logistic regression analysis an increased rate of instrumental delivery was a strong predictor of sphincter injury (P = 0.03, odds ratio 1.15, 95% CI 1.01–1.3). When the first labours of women with sphincter injury in the VBAC group were examined, 70% (60/86) had been in labour before undergoing their caesarean delivery.

Conclusion

The incidence of anal sphincter injury in women undergoing VBAC is 5% and birthweight is the strongest predictor of this. The rate of instrumental delivery in this group was also increased.
Diagnostic value of serum glutathione peroxidase 3 levels in patients with lung cancer
Authors: Oh In‐Jae , Kim Hye‐Eun , Song Sang‐Yun , Na Kook‐Joo , Kim Kyu‐Sik , Kim Young‐Chul , Lee Seung‐Won
Published: March 2014

Background

We selected glutathione peroxidase 3 (GPx3) as a specific candidate that is down regulated in patients with lung cancer. In this study, we examined the diagnostic value of serum GPx3, which is an extracellular protein and readily detectable in blood.

Methods

We collected serum samples from 342 patients with lung cancer and 126 controls (normal healthy people and patients with benign diseases or other malignancies). We measured serum GPx3 levels using the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Mean serum GPx3 levels were significantly lower in the patient group compared with the control group (10.1 ± 5.0 μg/mL vs. 13.0 ± 5.8 μg/mL, P < 0.001). In addition, mean serum GPx3 levels tended to be lower in the patients without metastasis compared with those with metastasis (9.6 ± 4.5 μg/mL vs. 10.7 ± 5.7 μg/mL, P = 0.051). Furthermore, mean serum GPx3 levels had a significant difference according to initial treatments (P < 0.001). In other words, mean serum GPx3 levels were significantly lower in the surgery group (8.2 ± 4.1 μg/mL) compared with the concurrent chemoradiotherapy (11.5 ± 4.6 μg/mL, P < 0.001), chemotherapy (10.7 ± 5.6 μg/mL, P < 0.001), and supportive care groups (10.9 ± 4.8 μg/mL, P = 0.002).

Conclusion

Our results showed that serum GPx3 levels were significantly lower in the patients who underwent surgery, which indicates that the serum may have diagnostic value in patients at an operable stage of lung cancer, rather than those at a locally advanced or metastatic stage.
Effects of acid treatment on carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios in ecological samples: a review and synthesis
Authors: Schlacher Thomas A. , Connolly Rod M.
Published: March 2014

Stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen are mainstay tracers in diverse fields of ecology, particularly in studies of food webs.

Investigators are generally interested in tracing dietary C and N, and hence routinely remove non‐dietary, inorganic C contained in calcified structures (e.g. shells, bones) by chemical dissolution of the carbonates. Acid treatment can, however, isotopically fractionate samples if part of the organic matter is lost or chemically modified, resulting in potentially altered δ13C and δ15N values.

Here, we synthesize the effects of acid treatments on stable isotope analysis reported in the literature, showing that: (i) the method can change both δ13C and δ15N values; (ii) shifts in δ13C are generally, but not always, consistent with expectations of more depleted carbon ratios after the removal of the isotopically heavier inorganic carbonates; (iii) nitrogen ratios either decrease or increase in 15N content; and (iv) the majority (74–79% of comparisons) of reported changes to δ13C and δ15N values attributable to acid treatment are <1 ‰, but larger acid effects can occur.

Acidification is needed if mechanical removal of calcified structures is unfeasible in carbonate‐rich sample matrices containing low organic C and N, but should otherwise be very carefully considered before its use as a routine pre‐treatment step of biological samples in isotope ratio mass spectrometry.
Randomized Clinical Trial of Hydrocodone/Acetaminophen Versus Codeine/Acetaminophen in the Treatment of Acute Extremity Pain After Emergency Department Discharge
Authors: Chang Andrew K. , Bijur Polly E. , Munjal Kevin G. , John Gallagher E.
Published: March 2014

Objectives

The objective was to test the hypothesis that hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Vicodin [5/500]) provides more efficacious analgesia than codeine/acetaminophen (Tylenol #3 [30/300]) in patients discharged from the emergency department (ED). Both are currently Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Schedule III narcotics.

Methods

This was a prospective, randomized, double‐blind, clinical trial of patients with acute extremity pain who were discharged home from the ED, comparing a 3‐day supply of oral hydrocodone/acetaminophen (5 mg/500 mg) to oral codeine/acetaminophen (30 mg/300 mg). Pain was measured on a valid and reproducible verbal numeric rating scale (NRS) ranging from 0 to 10, and patients were contacted by telephone approximately 24 hours after being discharged. The primary outcome was the between‐group difference in improvement in pain at 2 hours following the most recent ingestion of the study drug, relative to the time of phone contact after ED discharge. Secondary outcomes compared side‐effect profiles and patient satisfaction.

Results

The median time from ED discharge to follow‐up was 26 hours (interquartile range [IQR] = 24 to 39 hours). The mean NRS pain score before the most recent dose of pain medication after ED discharge was 7.6 NRS units for both groups. The mean decrease in pain scores 2 hours after pain medications were taken were 3.9 NRS units in the hydrocodone/acetaminophen group versus 3.5 NRS units in the codeine/acetaminophen group, for a difference of 0.4 NRS units (95% confidence interval [CI] = –0.3 to 1.2 NRS units). No differences were found in side effects or patient satisfaction.

Conclusions

Both medications decreased NRS pain scores by approximately 50%. However, the oral hydrocodone/acetaminophen failed to provide clinically or statistically superior pain relief compared to oral codeine/acetaminophen when prescribed to patients discharged from the ED with acute extremity pain. Similarly, there were no clinically or statistically important differences in side‐effect profiles or patient satisfaction. If the DEA reclassifies hydrocodone as a Schedule II narcotic, as recently recommended by its advisory board, our data suggest that the codeine/acetaminophen may be a clinically reasonable Schedule III substitute for hydrocodone/acetaminophen at ED discharge. These findings should be regarded as tentative and require independent validation in similar and other acute pain models.
Urinary Catheter Use and Appropriateness in U.S. Emergency Departments, 1995–2010
Authors: Schuur Jeremiah D. , Chambers Jennifer Gibson , Hou Peter C.
Published: March 2014

Objectives

Catheter‐associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most prevalent hospital‐acquired infection, yet little is known about emergency department (ED) use of urinary catheters. The objective was to describe use of urinary catheters in U.S. EDs and determine the proportion that was potentially avoidable.

Methods

The National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), a weighted probability sample of U.S. ED visits, was analyzed from 1995 through 2010 for use of urinary catheters in adults. Use of a urinary catheter was a specific chart review element and was classified as potentially avoidable if none of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) list of appropriate indications were met by ED visit diagnoses or patient disposition. Annual frequency of urinary catheter use and appropriateness were calculated. Predictors of ED‐placed urinary catheters for admitted patients were assessed with multivariate logistic regression.

Results

The annual rate of ED‐placed urinary catheters varied from 2.2 to 3.3 per 100 adult ED visits. Among admitted patients, 8.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 8.0% to 9.1%) received urinary catheters; 64.9% (95% CI = 56.9% to 72.9%) were potentially avoidable. Among discharged patients 1.6% (95% CI = 1.5% to 1.7%) received urinary catheters. There was no significant trend over time in the use of urinary catheters or potentially avoidable urinary catheters (PAUCs). Predictors of catheter use in admitted patients included indicators of patient severity, female sex, and race/ethnicity. Hospital characteristics predicting catheter use included region, ownership type, and urban location. Predictors of potentially avoidable urinary catheter use were lower patient severity, female sex, care by a midlevel practitioner, and nonurban location.

Conclusions

Reducing use of urinary catheters outside of CDC guideline criteria in ED patients is a promising strategy to reduce CAUTIs.
How much is enough? A study of municipal councillor remuneration
Authors: Schobel Kurt
Published: March 2014

Canadian municipalities face a significant challenge when setting council remuneration. The inherent conflict‐of‐interest that arises when councillors vote on their remuneration requires the process to be as unbiased as possible. This article identifies four themes in municipal remuneration reports: composition of review committees, use of tax‐free remunerations, methodology of reviews, and identification of common key criteria for reviews. Using the identified criteria, the article recommends a four‐stage process for remuneration. Focusing the reviews on the stated criteria of municipalities may increase acceptance of the results and attract the best possible candidates.

Sommaire

Les municipalités canadiennes font face à un défi de taille lorsqu'elles doivent fixer la rémunération des conseillers. Le conflit d'intérêts inhérent, qui surgit lorsque les conseillers votent au sujet de leur rémunération, exige que le processus soit aussi impartial que possible. Cet article identifie quatre thèmes dans les rapports municipaux sur la rémunération : composition des comités d'examen, recours à des rémunérations non imposables, méthodologie des examens, et identification de critères clés communs pour les examens. À l'aide des critères identifiés, l'article recommande un processus de rémunération en quatre étapes. En axant les examens sur les critères stipulés par les municipalités, on pourrait accroître l'acceptation des résultats et attirer les meilleurs candidats possibles.
The management and administration of government communications in Canada
Authors: Glenn Ted
Published: March 2014

This article examines the communications function in Canadian government using the results of a pilot study on the governments of Canada, Ontario and the City of Toronto. It first defines what government communication is, explains what activities are included within the function, and then explains how and for what purposes government communications are used. It also provides a high‐level overview of how communications within the federal, provincial and municipal governments are managed and administered. The article concludes with some observations about the nature of government communications in Canada and thoughts about future research in the area.

Sommaire

Cet article examine la fonction de communication au sein du gouvernement canadien en se fondant sur les résultats d'une étude pilote sur les gouvernements du Canada, de l’Ontario et de la Ville de Toronto. Il définit tout d'abord en quoi consiste la communication gouvernementale, démontre quelles sont les activités que comporte cette fonction, puis explique comment est utilisée la communication gouvernementale et à quelles fins. L'article offre également un aperçu de haut niveau sur la manière dont on gère et administre les communications au sein du gouvernement fédéral et des gouvernements provinciaux et municipaux. En conclusion, l'article présente certaines observations sur la nature de la communication gouvernementale au Canada et des suggestions de recherche future dans le domaine.
The intestinal microbiome in type 1 diabetes
Authors: Dunne J L , Triplett E W , Gevers D , Xavier R , Insel R , Danska J , Atkinson M A
Published: March 2014

Few concepts in recent years have garnered more disease research attention than that of the intestinal (i.e. ‘gut’) microbiome. This emerging interest has included investigations of the microbiome's role in the pathogenesis of a variety of autoimmune disorders, including type 1 diabetes (T1D). Indeed, a growing number of recent studies of patients with T1D or at varying levels of risk for this disease, as well as in animal models of the disorder, lend increasing support to the notion that alterations in the microbiome precede T1D onset. Herein, we review these investigations, examining the mechanisms by which the microbiome may influence T1D development and explore how multi-disciplinary analysis of the microbiome and the host immune response may provide novel biomarkers and therapeutic options for prevention of T1D.
Association of the (TTTA)n repeat polymorphism of CYP19 gene with bone mineral density in Greek peri‐ and postmenopausal women
Authors: Markatseli Anastasia E. , Lazaros Leandros , Markoula Sofia , Kostoulas Harilaos , Sakaloglou Prodromos , Tigas Stelios , Georgiou Ioannis , Tsatsoulis Agathocles
Published: March 2014

Aromatase is encoded by the CYP19 gene and catalyses the conversion of androgens to oestrogens, which in turn regulate skeletal homeostasis. CYP19 gene polymorphisms have been studied for their association with bone mineral density (BMD) in the general population with mixed results.

Objective

To explore the influence of the CYP19 (TTTA)n repeat polymorphism on BMD and serum levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κΒ ligand (RANKL), and bone metabolic markers in a Greek female population.

Design

Cross‐sectional study.

Participants and Measurements

Two hundred and seventeen peri‐ and postmenopausal women aged 42–63 years were enrolled. All participants underwent spinal BMD evaluation by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). Genotyping of the (TTTA)n repeat polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction. Levels of OPG, soluble RANKL (sRANKL) and bone metabolic markers were measured.

Results

Genotype analysis revealed alleles having 7–12 TTTA repeats. Women carrying the (TTTA)11 and/or (TTTA)12 alleles had significantly higher spinal BMD than women not carrying these alleles in the total study population as well as in the subgroup of women with osteoporosis (P = 0·042 and P = 0·006, respectively). The aforementioned associations remained significant after adjustment for age, years since menopause, smoking and body mass index (P = 0·048 and P = 0·023, respectively, by multivariate analysis). Moreover, the urinary calcium to creatinine ratio was associated with the (TTTA)n polymorphism. No association of the (TTTA)n polymorphism with circulating levels of OPG, sRANKL was observed.

Conclusions

The (TTTA)n polymorphism of the CYP19 gene is associated with spinal BMD in peri‐ and postmenopausal Greek women.
Greedy Geometric Algorithms for Collection of Balls, with Applications to Geometric Approximation and Molecular Coarse‐Graining
Authors: Cazals F. , Dreyfus T. , Sachdeva S. , Shah N.
Published: March 2014

Choosing balls that best approximate a 3D object is a non‐trivial problem. To answer it, we first address the inner approximation problem, which consists of approximating an object defined by a union of n balls with balls defining a region . This solution is further used to construct an outer approximation enclosing the initial shape, and an interpolated approximation sandwiched between the inner and outer approximations. The inner approximation problem is reduced to a geometric generalization of weighted max k‐cover, solved with the greedy strategy which achieves the classical lower bound. The outer approximation is reduced to exploiting the partition of the boundary of by the Apollonius Voronoi diagram of the balls defining the inner approximation. Implementation‐wise, we present robust software incorporating the calculation of the exact Delaunay triangulation of points with degree two algebraic coordinates, of the exact medial axis of a union of balls, and of a certified estimate of the volume of a union of balls. Application‐wise, we exhibit accurate coarse‐grain molecular models using a number of balls 20 times smaller than the number of atoms, a key requirement to simulate crowded cellular environments.
Ridge alterations following grafting of fresh extraction sockets in man. A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Araújo Mauricio G. , da Silva João Carlos Costa , de Mendonça Arthur Furtado , Lindhe Jan
Published: March 2014

Objective

To evaluate dimensional alterations of the alveolar ridge that occurred following tooth extraction at sites grafted with Bio‐Oss® Collagen.

Material and methods

Twenty‐eight subjects with maxillary incisors, canines, and premolars scheduled for extraction were included. The tooth was carefully removed. The patients were randomly assigned to a test or a control group. In the test group patients, Bio‐Oss® Collagen was placed in the fresh extraction socket while in the controls no grafting was performed.

Radiographic examination (cone beam computed tomograms, CBCT) was performed immediately after tooth extraction and socket treatment. Four months later, a new CBCT was obtained. In the radiographs, (i) the distance (mm) between base of the alveolar process (apex) and the buccal and palatal crests was determined, (ii) the outer profile of alveolar process of the experimental sites was outlined, and the cross section of the area (mm2) determined.

Results

After 4 months of healing, the buccal and to a less extent also the palatal bone plate had become markedly reduced in height. The placement of a biomaterial in the socket failed to prevent resorption of the buccal and palatal bone walls. The cross‐sectional area of the control ridge was reduced about 25% and of the test ridge with 3%.

Conclusion

The placement of a xenograft in fresh extraction sockets markedly counteracted the reduction in the hard tissue component of the edentulous sites.
Dyeing properties of CI Acid Blue 193 and the non‐equivalent properties of CI Acid Black 194 produced by different manufacturers
Authors: Wojciechowski Krzysztof , Szuster Lucjan , Rutowicz Joanna , Kaminska Anna
Published: March 2014

This paper presents the results of research conducted into the colour properties of commercial metal complex dyes CI Acid Blue 193 and CI Acid Black 194. Three chromium(III) complexes with different colours were identified using thin‐layer chromatographic analysis and then separated by preparative chromatography. It was found that colour differences of the examined dyes depend on the ratio of the three components in CI Acid Blue 193 and CI Acid Black 194, and that these differences are typical for each of the commercial products. The colour differences of the components were expressed as ΔS, calculated as the difference in the areas under the absorption curve of the individual components in the range 400–700 nm after spectrum normalisation. The UV‐vis spectroscopic and CIELAB colorimetric properties (at 1% owf on polyamide) of eleven samples of CI Acid Black 194 were investigated. From these results, the proportions of the three components were derived. Theoretically, dyes sold under the same CI name are interchangeable. In practice, the obtained colour of the dyed material is different owing to the difference in composition namely the ratio of the components in the tested dyes. Consequently, the result of polyamide dyeing with the studied dyes CI Acid Blue 193 and CI Acid Black 194 is a redder or greener hue. It has been concluded from these findings that the production of identical dyeings may be impossible when dyes from different sources are employed.
Forecasted climate and land use changes, and protected areas: the contrasting case of spiders
Authors: Leroy Boris , Bellard Céline , Dubos Nicolas , Colliot Arthur , Vasseur Manon , Courtial Cyril , Bakkenes Michel , Canard Alain , Ysnel Frédéric
Published: March 2014

Aim

To assess the exposure of 10 spider species to two drivers of global change (climate and land use), the suitability of the current network of protected areas with respect to this exposure, and the implications for a national conservation programme.

Location

The western Palearctic and France.

Methods

We predicted the current and future potential distributions of 10 spider species using species distribution models (SDMs). We explicitly quantified uncertainties in the models and estimated the future environmental suitability with discounted uncertainty. We analysed the predicted future suitability for protected versus unprotected occurrence cells.

Results

In this first forecast of the future of multiple spider species in the face of environmental changes, we showed that environmental changes could be confidently predicted to have serious impacts on all the studied species, with significant range contractions and expansions within a relatively short time‐scale (up to 2050). We predicted that for seven of the 10 species, the current network of protected areas will conserve at least one occurrence cell in suitable conditions in the future. However, we showed that there is considerable room for improvement.

Main conclusions

This study illustrated how SDMs could be applied to a conservation programme for an understudied taxon such as spiders, in spite of significant uncertainties in their predictions. In addition, the uncertainties raised here compel us to emphasize the pressing need to improve our knowledge on understudied taxa such as spiders. We advocate the necessity of increasing monitoring schemes, experiments and forecasts of environmental change effects on a larger and more diversified range of species than is currently the case in the literature.
Characteristics of Men and Premenopausal Women With Burning Mouth Symptoms: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Kim Yongdae , Kim Hyung‐Il , Kho Hong‐Seop
Published: March 2014

Objectives

To identify possible clinical differences between male, premenopausal, and postmenopausal female patients with burning mouth symptoms.

Background

Burning mouth symptoms are known to occur predominantly in postmenopausal women. In some rare cases, however, such symptoms may also appear in men and younger premenopausal women. There is no information on the characteristics of male and premenopausal female patients with burning mouth symptoms.

Methods

A total of 22 male patients (no age limit) and 19 relatively younger premenopausal female patients (age: ≤45 years) with a burning sensation in the mouth without any visible signs of oral mucosal diseases were included in the experimental groups. Sixty burning mouth patients (postmenopausal females, age: ≥50 years) without oral mucosal diseases were included as a typical older postmenopausal group for comparison. All individuals in the 3 groups were subjected to clinical evaluations including an interview, a comprehensive questionnaire, a simplified psychological evaluation (Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revision [SCL‐90‐R]), blood tests, and a measurement of salivary flow rate.

Results

The male group reported taste problems less commonly (40.9%, P = .009) and less severely (median visual analog scale [VAS] = 0.00, P = .004) than the postmenopausal group (73.3%, median VAS = 4.50). The younger premenopausal group complained of paresthesia more commonly (68.4%, P = .006) and more severely (median VAS = 0.50, P = .007) than the postmenopausal group (30.0%, median VAS = 0.00). The male group (81.8%) reported discomfort of the tongue less commonly than the postmenopausal group (100.0%, P = .004). The percentage of patients with a symptom triad of oral mucosal pain, dysguesia, and xerostomia was significantly higher in the premenopausal (73.7%, P = .005) and postmenopausal (60.0%, P = .012) groups than the male group (27.3%). The flow rate of unstimulated whole saliva was significantly higher in the premenopausal group (0.27 ± 0.18 mL/min) than the postmenopausal group (0.17 ± 0.16 mL/min, P = .006). None of the 9 symptom dimensions of the SCL‐90‐R were significantly different among the 3 groups. The percentage of patients with abnormal blood tests and taking medications due to comorbid diseases was the lowest in the premenopausal group.

Conclusions

Male and premenopausal female patients with burning mouth symptoms showed different characteristics compared with typical postmenopausal female patients.
Oligocene crustal xenolith‐bearing alkaline basalt from Jandaq area (Central Iran): implications for magma genesis and crustal nature
Authors: Rajabi Samineh , Torabi Ghodrat , Arai Shoji
Published: March 2014

The Oligocene alkaline basalts of Toveireh area (southwest of Jandaq, Central Iran) exhibit northwest–southeast to west–east exposure in northwest of the central‐east Iranian microcontinent (CEIM). These basalts are composed of olivine (Fo70–90), clinopyroxene (diopside, augite), plagioclase (labradorite), spinel, and titanomagnetite as primary minerals and serpentine and zeolite as secondary ones. They are enriched in alkalis, TiO2 and light rare earth elements (La/Yb = 9.64–12.68) and are characterized by enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (Cs, Rb, Ba) and high field strength elements (Nb, Ta). The geochemical features of the rocks suggest that the Toveireh alkaline basalts are derived from a moderate degree partial melting (10–20%) of a previously enriched garnet lherzolite of asthenospheric mantle. Subduction of the CEIM confining oceanic crust from the Triassic to Eocene is the reason of mantle enrichment. The studied basalts contain mafic‐ultramafic and aluminous granulitic xenoliths. The rock‐forming minerals of the mafic‐ultramafic xenoliths are Cr‐free/poor spinel, olivine, Al‐rich pyroxene, and feldspar. The aluminous granulitic xenoliths consist of an assemblage of hercynitic spinel + plagioclase (andesine–labradorite) ± corundum ± sillimanite. They show interstitial texture, which is consistent with granulite facies. They are enriched in high field strength elements (Ti, Nb and Ta), light rare earth elements (La/Yb = 37–193) and exhibit a positive Eu anomaly. These granulitic xenoliths may be Al‐saturated but Si‐undersaturated feldspar bearing restitic materials of the lower crust. The Oligocene Toveireh basaltic magma passed and entrained these xenoliths from the lower crust to the surface.
Patient satisfaction with primary health‐care services in Kuwait
Authors: Alotaibi Muhammad , Alazemi Talal , Alazemi Fahad , Bakir Yusif
Published: March 2014

The study aims to evaluate patient satisfaction with respect to primary health‐care services in Kuwait.A total of 245 patients completed the General Practice Assessment Questionnaire postconsultation version 2.0. Two statistically significant differences of patients' satisfaction with sex and level of education were found. Overall satisfaction was higher among men than women (P = 0.002), and it was also higher among those with university degree of education than the other levels of education (P = 0.049). We also found statistically significant differences of patients' responses over sex for three themes, namely: satisfaction with receptionists, satisfaction with access and satisfaction with communication; and over the age for one theme: satisfaction with access. There was no statistically significant differences of patients' responses over nationality for all themes. Satisfaction is a multifactorial and no one factor alone could provide satisfaction with primary health services in Kuwait.
Recommendations for dispatching emergency vehicles under multitiered response via simulation
Authors: Sudtachat Kanchala , Mayorga Maria E. , McLay Laura A.
Published: March 2014

Emergency medical service (EMS) systems provide medical care and transportation. While many real‐world systems use multiple vehicle types to attend different call priorities, few guidelines exist about which vehicles to allocate in multitiered responses where more than one vehicle is sent per call. This paper makes recommendations for multiple‐unit dispatch to multiple call priorities based on simulation optimization and heuristics. The objective is to maximize the overall expected survival probability of patients classified as “life‐threatening”. We assume two types of medical units and three call priorities; and that information may be updated when the medical unit arrives on‐scene. First, we study the optimal dispatching policies through several examples. Numerical results show that dispatching while considering call priorities, rather than dispatching the closest units, improves EMS system effectiveness. A heuristic algorithm is developed for large‐scale problems. A comparison between the heuristic and closest policy is demonstrated using real‐world data.
Ultrastructure of spermiogenesis and synthesis of enigmatic cytoplasmic inclusions in the spirally shaped spermatozoon of the polychaete Spio setosa (Annelida: Spionidae)
Authors: Eckelbarger Kevin J. , Hodgson Alan N.
Published: March 2014

The sperm of Spio setosa (Polychaeta, Spionidae) are known to be very unusual in form; here, spermiogenesis and the structure of the spermatozoon in this species are described by transmission electron microscopy. While spermiogenesis is similar to that described for many other polychaetes, two notable exceptions to this process include the synthesis of abundant ring‐shaped and tubular, membrane‐bounded cytoplasmic inclusions in the midpiece, and the differentiation of a spirally shaped sperm head. Spermatids develop as free‐floating tetrads in the male's coelom. A microtubular manchette does not develop during chromatin condensation and nuclear elongation, and the spiral acrosome forms as a single Golgi‐derived vesicle that migrates anteriorly to become housed in a deep anterior nuclear fossa. Early in spermiogenesis, numerous Golgi‐derived, membrane‐bounded cytoplasmic inclusions appear in the cytoplasm; these ultimately occupy the sperm midpiece only. The mature spermatozoon in the male has a 15‐μm‐long head consisting of a nucleus coiled like a spring and a spiral acrosome with differentiated substructure, the posterior two thirds of which sits in an anterior nuclear fossa. The midpiece is wider than the rest of the spermatozoon and contains 9–10 spherical mitochondria surrounding the two centrioles, as well as numerous membrane‐bounded conoid and tubular cytoplasmic inclusions. The axoneme has a 9 + 2 arrangement of microtubules. By contrast, stored sperm in the female's seminal receptacles have lost the midpiece inclusions but contain an abundance of glycogen. The function of the midpiece inclusions remains unresolved, and the significance of their absence in stored sperm within the seminal receptacle and the appearance of midpiece glycogen stores remains unclear and requires additional investigation.
Assessing the learning potential and students' perception of rich lecture captures
Authors: Pale P. , Petrović J. , Jeren B.
Published: March 2014

There is a large variety of lecture capture forms being used today when considering their content and ways in which that content is being reproduced. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate the students' perception and the learning potential of lecture captures enriched using additional learning contents compared to lecture captures containing only the video and audio recording of the lecturer and his slideshow. In an experiment in which students were learning using each of those two types of learning materials, a slight yet unsignificant difference was observed in favour of learning from rich lecture captures. Students' survey responses indicated they prefer rich lecture captures for learning and that their availability would not necessarily have a negative impact on students' live lecture attendance rates. These results suggest that even though students prefer rich lecture capture materials for learning, they did not prove to be more efficient in achieving the desired learning outcomes. Additional research would be needed to verify this conclusion on more complex subjects.
Annual Research Review: Reaction time variability in ADHD and autism spectrum disorders: measurement and mechanisms of a proposed trans‐diagnostic phenotype
Authors: Karalunas Sarah L. , Geurts Hilde M. , Konrad Kerstin , Bender Stephan , Nigg Joel T.
Published: March 2014

Background

Intraindividual variability in reaction time (RT) has received extensive discussion as an indicator of cognitive performance, a putative intermediate phenotype of many clinical disorders, and a possible trans‐diagnostic phenotype that may elucidate shared risk factors for mechanisms of psychiatric illnesses.

Scope and Methodology

Using the examples of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), we discuss RT variability. We first present a new meta‐analysis of RT variability in ASD with and without comorbid ADHD. We then discuss potential mechanisms that may account for RT variability and statistical models that disentangle the cognitive processes affecting RTs. We then report a second meta‐analysis comparing ADHD and non‐ADHD children on diffusion model parameters. We consider how findings inform the search for neural correlates of RT variability.

Findings

Results suggest that RT variability is increased in ASD only when children with comorbid ADHD are included in the sample. Furthermore, RT variability in ADHD is explained by moderate to large increases (d = 0.63–0.99) in the ex‐Gaussian parameter τ and the diffusion parameter drift rate, as well as by smaller differences (d = 0.32) in the diffusion parameter of nondecision time. The former may suggest problems in state regulation or arousal and difficulty detecting signal from noise, whereas the latter may reflect contributions from deficits in motor organization or output. The neuroimaging literature converges with this multicomponent interpretation and also highlights the role of top‐down control circuits.

Conclusion

We underscore the importance of considering the interactions between top‐down control, state regulation (e.g. arousal), and motor preparation when interpreting RT variability and conclude that decomposition of the RT signal provides superior interpretive power and suggests mechanisms convergent with those implicated using other cognitive paradigms. We conclude with specific recommendations for the field for next steps in the study of RT variability in neurodevelopmental disorders.
The Effect of Statins on Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cui Yuanshan , Zong Huantao , Yan Huilei , Zhang Yong
Published: March 2014

Introduction

It is not known if statins will improve symptoms in patients with established erectile dysfunction (ED).

Aim

We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of statins on ED.

Methods

A literature review was performed to identify all published randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trials of statins for the treatment of ED. The search included the following databases: MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. The reference lists of the retrieved studies were also investigated. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted.

Main Outcome Measures

Six publications involving a total of 462 patients were used in the analysis, including three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared statins with placebo and three RCTs that compared statins plus sildenafil with placebo plus sildenafil.

Results

For the comparison of statins (+/− sildenafil) with placebo (+/− sildenafil), the mean International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) (the standardized mean difference [SMD] = 3.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] = −1.65 to 4.80, P < 0.0001) indicated that statins (+/− sildenafil) showed statistically significantly greater improvements in the mean IIEF-5 compared with placebo (+/− sildenafil). For the comparison of statins with placebo, the mean IIEF-5 (SMD = 2.13, 95% CI = −1.46 to 5.73, P = 0.24) indicated that there was no significant difference in erectile function between the statins and placebo. For the comparison of statins plus sildenafil with placebo plus sildenafil, the mean IIEF-5 (SMD = 3.60, 95% CI = 2.64 to 4.56, P < 0.00001), the IIEF domain (SMD = 4.88, 95%CI = 3.01 to 6.74, P < 0.00001), and the global efficacy question (odds ratio = 6.44, 95% CI = 2.92 to 14.23, P < 0.00001) showed that compared with placebo plus sildenafil, statins plus sildenafil clearly improved erectile function.

Conclusions

This meta-analysis indicates that statins (+/− sildenafil) may improve ED compared with placebo (+/− sildenafil).
A Zero‐Fluoroscopy Approach to Cavotricuspid Isthmus Catheter Ablation: Comparative Analysis of Two Electroanatomical Mapping Systems
Authors: MACÍAS ROSA , URIBE INÉS , TERCEDOR LUIS , JIMÉNEZ‐JÁIMEZ JUAN , BARRIO TERESA , ÁLVAREZ MIGUEL
Published: March 2014

Background

Electroanatomical mapping systems have reduced the amount of fluoroscopy required to ablate the cavotricuspid isthmus. The aims of this study are to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a zero‐fluoroscopy approach to cavotricuspid isthmus catheter ablation using the Carto®3 system (Biosense Webster, Diamond Bar, CA, USA) and to compare the results of this approach with those of the zero‐fluoroscopy approach using the Ensite‐NavX™ system (St. Jude Medical, St. Paul, MN, USA).

Methods

Twenty consecutive procedures guided by the Carto®3 system (Group A) were compared with two case‐control groups matched from 146 procedures guided with the Ensite‐NavX™ system. Group B consisted of 20 matched procedures from the first 50 procedures performed in the electrophysiology unit, and Group C consisted of 20 matched procedures from the last 50 procedures. Acute success (bidirectional block), complications, and recurrences were analyzed. The procedure times were also compared.

Results

There were no differences in the rates of acute success (95%, 100%, and 100%, respectively), complications (0%, 5%, and 0%), and recurrences (5.2%, 0%, and 5%) in the three groups. A zero‐fluoroscopy approach was attempted in all procedures, and electroanatomical mapping made it possible to successfully avoid fluoroscopy in 90% of the procedures in Group A, 85% in B, and 95% in C. The total procedure time was shorter in Group C. The fluoroscopy and radiofrequency times were not different.

Conclusions

A zero‐fluoroscopy approach to cavotricuspid isthmus catheter ablation using the Carto®3 system is feasible in most procedures. This approach has similar results to the zero‐fluoroscopy approach using the Ensite‐NavX™ system.
The changing landscape of HIV‐related lung disease: Non‐AIDS lung malignancy as a player in the field
Authors: Gingo Matthew R.
Published: March 2014

See article, page 339
Sensor‐based assessment of herbicide effects
Authors: Streibig J C , Rasmussen J , Andújar D , Andreasen C , Berge T W , Chachalis D , Dittmann T , Gerhards R , Giselsson T M , Hamouz P , Jaeger‐Hansen C , Jensen K , Jørgensen R N , Keller M , Laursen M , Midtiby H S , Nielsen J , Müller S , Nordmeyer H , Peteinatos G , Papadopoulos A , Svensgaard J , Weis M , Christensen S
Published: March 2014

Non‐destructive assessment of herbicide effects may be able to support integrated weed management. To test whether effects of herbicides on canopy variables could be detected by sensors, two crops were used as models and treated with herbicides at BBCH 20 using a logarithmic sprayer. Twelve days after spraying at BBCH 25 and 42 days after sowing, nine sensor systems scanned a spring barley and an oilseed rape field experiment sown at different densities and sprayed with increasing field rates of glyphosate and tribenuron‐methyl. The objective was to compare ED50s for crops and weeds derived by the different sensors in relation to crop density and herbicides. Although sensors were not directly developed to detect herbicide symptoms, they all detected changes in canopy colours or height and crop density. Generally ED50s showed the same pattern in response to crop density within herbicide, but there were marked differences between barley and oilseed rape. We suggest that the results of comparing the various sensor outputs could become a stepping stone to future standardisation for the benefit of the research and development of sensors that will detect herbicide effect on crops and weeds, particularly at the most vulnerable stages of development of the canopy.
Determination of the Reduced Creep Function of Viscoelastic Compliant Materials Using Pipette Aspiration Method
Authors: Cao Yan-Ping , Li Guo-Yang , Zhang Man-Gong , Feng Xi-Qiao
Published: March 2014

Determining the mechanical properties of soft matter across different length scales is of great importance in understanding the deformation behavior of compliant materials under various stimuli. A pipette aspiration test is a promising tool for such a purpose. A key challenge in the use of this method is to develop explicit expressions of the relationship between experimental responses and material properties particularly when the tested sample has irregular geometry. A simple scaling relation between the reduced creep function and the aspiration length is revealed in this paper by performing a theoretical analysis on the aspiration creep tests of viscoelastic soft solids with arbitrary surface profile. Numerical experiments have been performed on the tested materials with different geometries to validate the theoretical solution. In order to incorporate the effects of the rise time of the creep pressure, an analytical solution is further derived based on the generalized Maxwell model, which relates the parameters in reduced creep function to the aspiration length. Its usefulness is demonstrated through a numerical example and the analysis of the experimental data from literature. The analytical solutions reported here proved to be independent of the geometric parameters of the system under described conditions. Therefore, they may not only provide insight into the deformation behavior of soft materials in aspiration creep tests but also facilitate the use of this testing method to deduce the intrinsic creep/relaxation properties of viscoelastic compliant materials.
Thermal-Aware Microchannel Cooling of Multicore Processors: A Three-Stage Design Approach
Authors: Li Yubai , Guo Dongzhi , Yao Shi-Chune
Published: March 2014

This study goes beyond the common microchannel cooling system composed of uniform parallel straight microchannels and proposed a three-stage design approach for spatially thermal-aware microchannel cooling of 2D multicore processors. By applying effective strategies and arranging key design parameters, stronger cooling is provided under the high power core area, and less cooling is provided under the low power cache area to effectively save the precious pumping power, lower the hot spot temperature and lower temperature gradients on chip. Two microchannel cooling systems are specifically designed for a 2 core 150 W Intel Tulsa processor and an 8 core 260 W (doubled power) Intel Nehalem processor with single phase HFE7100 as coolant. For the Tulsa processor, a strategy named strip-and-zone is used. The final design leads to 30 kPa pressure drop and 0.094 W pumping power while maintains the hot spot temperature to be 75°C. For the Nehalem processor, a split flow microchannel system and a widen-inflow strategy are applied. A design is achieved to cost 15 kPa pressure drop and 0.0845 W pumping power while maintains the hot spot temperature to be 82.9°C. The design approach in this study provides the basic guide for the industrial applications of effective multicore processor cooling using microchannels.
Fabrication of Genetically Engineered Silk-Elastin-Like Protein Polymer Fibers
Authors: Qiu Weiguo , Cappello Joseph , Wu Xiaoyi
Published: March 2014

Micro- and submicro-diameter protein fibers are fundamental building blocks of extra- and intra-cellular matrices, providing structural support, stability and protection to cells, tissues and organism [1]. Fabricating performance fibers of both naturally derived and genetically engineered proteins has been extensively pursued for a variety of biomedical applications, including tissue engineering and drug delivery [2]. Silk-elastin-like proteins (SELPs), consisting of tandemly repeated polypeptide sequences derived from silk and elastin, have been biosynthesized using recombinant DNA technique [3]. Their potential as a biomaterials in the form of hydrogels continues to be explored [4, 5]. This study will focus on the fabrication of robust, micro-diameter SELP fibers as biomaterials for tissue engineering applications.