bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The design of an adaptive agent driven search system for empowering disenfranchised users
Authors: Chatterjee Mousumi
Published: January 2007

This research is about designing and testing a usable, adaptive search system for disenfranchised users. It involves developing the adaptive agent model and architecture for the tool as well as researching its effectiveness for the users. The potential users for this system are not only naïve about computer driven technology but are also inhibited to try one, which is a consequence of digital divide. They have not experienced a technology-driven environment where computer has become just another tool to mechanize the daily lives. In this respect they are disenfranchised and they belong to the segment that falls under Poor America. Naturally, handing over another search system will not bridge the divide or empower the disenfranchised users. In order to help them overcome the inhibition, this tool has to be, at the very least, easy to use. Therefore as part of the solution, an adaptive, agent-driven search system is being developed. The system will adapt and personalize the process of search to support individual goals and social needs.
Taking back the interface for older people
Authors: Milne Scott
Published: January 2007

The ageing population in western countries will mean increased demand on resources for supporting older people. Technology can play an important part in providing this support and alleviating the economic impact, but it is vital that the needs of older people are properly considered in this process. The general purpose computers in common use today are unsuitable for many older people and only by taking a radical approach to designing technology for this user community can we actually succeed in providing the support which is necessary in enabling them to live an independent life. In this research I propose to develop an application with interaction components specifically designed to allow older users to overcome many of the access barriers they currently face.
An APL-simulator of non-Von Neumann computer architectures
Authors: Geyer-Schulz Andreas , Mitlöhner Johann , Taudes Alfred
Published: January 2007

APL has a long tradition as a language for the notation of computer architectures that dates back to its use as notation of the IBM 360 system. Its powerful primitives and compactness make it an ideal tool for simulating hardware functions in order to gain insights into the functionality, the performance and the programming issues of an algorithm without the need to undergo the painstaking process of actually building the target machine and implementing the program on it. We have developed an APL2 software simulator for Non-Von Neumann computers. The basic data structure of the system is an array whose elements model a number of RAMs containing control registers, data and program code. The user can “define” his/her machine by specifying the communication network and communication primitives, the instruction set and its semantics, and the complexity measure. We demonstrate the use of the program system for studying various schemes for adaptive load sharing on multicomputers.
Integrating APL with symbol manipulation, numerical software and graphics
Authors: Apiola Heikki , Peltola Pirkka
Published: January 2007

Our presentation deals with the idea of combining symbol manipulation, numerical computation and graphics into a high level environment for solving problems in scientific computing. The basic building blocks are
FORTRAN
subroutine libraries, a symbol manipulation system (
MACSYMA
) and a vector-matrix language (
APL
). Thus we have chosen two different high level host systems which are suitably connected to the
FORTRAN
-world.

We shall try to give an overall idea of the structure and construction principles of some parts of the system. Our emphasis will be on illustrations of various kinds of possibilities of high-level problem solving in scientific computing.
Automatic parallelization of APL-style programs
Authors: Ching Wai-Mee
Published: January 2007

APL-style programs use high level primitives on arrays instead of DO-loops whenever possible. For such programs, the average size of a basic blocks is much large than those in their FORTRAN counterparts. Hence, it is sufficiently profitable and relative easy to concentrate on basic blocks when parallelizing APL-style programs. But such an approach must depend on an APL compiler. The APL/370 compiler we have been developing aims at implementing automatic parallelization of APL programs at basic block level.

The compiler exploits functional parallelism on data independent sub-expressions and data parallelism of array primitives on array elements. The compiler front end does a local data dependency analysis and emits synchronization flags at function nodes. The back end does partitioning of (assembly code) array loop. A set of low-level synchronization primitives on MVS has also been developed. This will enable us to run compiled applications in parallel mode on IBM 3090 multi-processors to access the effectiveness of various scheduling methods on a shared memory model.
Angiogram analysis in APL: a case study
Authors: Feldberg Ian
Published: January 2007

Angiograms are commonly used to diagnose the occurrence of an arterial occlusion. Dye is injected into a blood vessel, where its movement is tracked and recorded with x-rays. Currently, a physician uses these pictures to make a qualitative judgment on the state of the heart or artery. Unfortunately, these judgments are quite often incorrect.

A joint project between the Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Applied Physics Laboratory has been investigating the feasibility of digitally analyzing these angiograms, in order to better understand how blood flows through the heart and what type of occlusions are truly dangerous. APL became instrumental in this project because its powerful array manipulation functions allowed us to test our algorithms very quickly. In this overview, some of APL's features are discussed and compared to their equivalents in other software packages.
APL\?
Authors: Hui Roger K. W. , Iverson Kenneth E. , McDonnell E. E. , Whitney Arthur T.
Published: January 2007

This paper describes a version of APL based upon the dictionary [1], but significantly simplified and enhanced, and directly usable on any machine that provides ASCII characters. It also describes salient features of a C implementation that has been tested on several machines, and is available as freeware. There have been four primary motivations for this work:

To provide an APL system for use in teaching mathematics and related topics that is modern, free, and transportable.

To devise a spelling scheme based on the ASCII alphabet that preserves the major advantages of the one-letter words based on the special alphabet commonly used in APL.

To exploit the advantages of breaking from the strict conformance with earlier APL that is normally obligatory in commercial systems.

To explore an unusual style of C programming that makes heavy use of pre-processing facilities.

Examples of the use of the language in a variety of topics are provided in an appendix.

We are indebted to a number of colleagues for advice and help: Anthony Howe, David Steinbrook, Bob Bernecky, Mark Czerwinski, L.J. Dickey, Jiri Dvorak, James Hui, Eric Iverson, Paul Jackson, and Roland Pesch.
DEMOS—a PC-system for population projections for small areas
Authors: Lönn Sven Gunnar
Published: January 2007

DEMOS
*
PLUS is the name of Kommundata's system for population projections. It works together with another package called DEMOGRAFEN, (the DEMOGRAPHER) aimed for presentation of demographic data. These two systems are members of the software group “Planning Systems”, which are developed for social and economic planning activities in local governments. The “Planning Systems” are all written in APL
*
PLUS/PC. They are distributed with the run-time system of APL
*
PLUS

About 80 percent of the expenditures of local governments in Sweden can be assigned to certain age classes. For example the costs of schools, day nurseries, care of old people. Hence it is very important for local authorities to have knowledges of the population and its distribution by age and housing areas. Therefore more than one hundred municipalities in Sweden are using DEMOS and DEMOGRAFEN to improve their knowledge of the population and to make population forecasts for different housing areas. The systems are also used in education in some universities.

DEMOS is designed to give the maximum flexibility in making projections and is easy to use with pop-up windows and extensive on-line help. With DEMOS it is easy to make population forecasts of the whole municipality as well as population projections of selected housing areas for special purposes.
Algorithm alterable models and APL
Authors: Miroshnikov Alexey L.
Published: January 2007

The paper deals with a software development of a certain kind of economics systems models: algorithm alterable models. The special feature of algorithm alterable models as follows: a research work with the model gives new knowledge about the modelling system, that cause a necessity to change the model itself. After changes this cycle is repeated. APL is mostly suitable for a development of the alterable models software. A method of the development is discussed in the paper as well.

As an example the paper outlines a modeling of a long-term planning process in a capital construction. A corresponding software - DDS for the planning - is described. The DDS had been implemented in APL 2.0 on a CDC Cyber-172 mainframe in LIIAS USSR. So called, psuedo-parallel executions, combined APL with ALGOL and FORTRAN subsystems, have been developed to improve dynamics characteristics of the DSS software.
Writing applications for uniform operation on a mainframe or PC: a metric conversion program
Authors: Schulz Charles A.
Published: January 2007

The metric system of measurement is the primary standard in all countries except the USA and two others. Use of the metric system is becoming more important to the USA for trade and commerce in the world economy. A metric conversion program was developed to convert 350 measurement units between inch-pound (or USA customary) and metric systems for engineering design and documentation. The program follows the primary national metric standard with its conversion factors and special rules for arithmetic, rounding, accuracy, formatting, and terminology. It was first developed in APL on a VM CMS mainframe system, but subsequent demand warranted a PC version. The program has been presented at national metric meetings and is briefly described here.

The portability of APL2 under VM CMS and PC DOS was exploited in moving the mainframe program to the PC, maintaining much of the code in identical form, thus giving advantages in testing, verification, and user experience. Differences between the environments fell mainly in the user and file interface areas, which led to a matched set of cover functions for system dependent operations. These functions and differences between the two systems are described for file operations, pop-up windows, printing, stack and host system commands.

The capability and portability of APL enabled this application to become the first internally written example at this company of IBM's new user interface guidelines working on both a central mainframe and a PC.
Structured expert system design
Authors: Smellie D. , Evans F.
Published: January 2007

An ordered approach to expert system design is offered by a shell in which modularization of all data and inferential structures is a feature. The system is completely menu driven, and all APL code is transparent. The user can move easily between design mode and run mode at any time, without any loss of current data. Complex systems can be systematically developed from constituent subsystems. Uncertainty is accommodated by the use of fuzzy logic. All aspects of the expert system are editable at all times.
APLELEGANCE—the art of staying within one's depth
Authors: Thomson Norman
Published: January 2007

A barrier to the successful use of APL2 is the need to control the changes of depth which arise from using the operator each with functions such as enclose and disclose. The “spilt pepper” effect following a deluge of “each”'s can be just as damaging as the chains of left-brackets, and of quotes with their accompanying @@@@'s which are the sign of an ISO APL programmer losing his or her mental grip. The temptations of a fast interactive system as a substitute for thought are considerable, and should be resisted. To this end there are places in which informal perceptions of how APL2 functions and operators work can be more valuable than the formal descriptions given in the manuals, and this paper focuses on some points where such pedagogical issues arise. It consists of 4 sections, each with rules or precepts for the disciplined and controlled use of nestedness.
APL2OS: design considerations for a nested array file system
Authors: Weintraub David M.
Published: January 2007

APL2OS is an External Function for the APL2 system, designed to enable APL2 applications to access operating system files (and information about these files) in a straightforward and efficient way, using the power of APL2 syntax to maximum advantage. The design goals and approaches for APL2OS are discussed, in the context of a summary of its features.
Design and implementation of the interface to compiled languages in APL
*
PLUS II
Authors: Wheeler James G.
Published: January 2007

APL*PLUS II is a second-generation 32-bit APL interpreter that runs under the MS DOS operating system. A recent release has introduced two new system functions — ONA and OMLOAD — that enable APL to dynamically load and execute programs written in compiled languages such as C and Fortran. These enhancements presented both design and implementation challenges. On the design side, it was necessary to make it as easy as possible for the APL programmer to integrate non-APL routines into applications. The implementation side required considerable technical creativity and invention, since the MS DOS environment provides no built-in functions for dynamic loading and execution of programs.
A novel scheme to interconnect multiple frequency hopping channels into an ad hoc network
Authors: Miklós György , Kubinszky Ferenc , Rácz András , Turányi Zoltán , Valkó András , Rónai Miklós Aurél , Molnár Sándor
Published: January 2007

Frequency hopping radios have very attractive features to be used as PAN links, but their use in ad hoc networking is problematic because of the difficulty to synchronize the channels and coordinate transmission attempts. We propose a novel mechanism to interconnect multiple frequency hopping channels into an ad hoc network based on an adapted version of CSMA/CA. The performance of the proposal is investigated using analytical and simulation tools. By using multiple channels, we achieve significant improvement in aggregate throughput despite the penalty of switching between channels. We show how this performance penalty can be decreased by grouping devices based on the traffic pattern.
TSync
Authors: Dai Hui , Han Richard
Published: January 2007

Time synchronization in a wireless sensor network is critical for accurate timestamping of events and fine-tuned coordination of wake/sleep duty cycles to reduce power consumption. This paper proposes TSync, a novel lightweight bidirectional time synchronization service for wireless sensor networks. TSync's bidirectional service offers both a push mechanism for accurate and low overhead global time synchronization as well as a pull mechanism for on-demand synchronization by individual sensor nodes. Multi-channel enhancements improve TSync's performance. We deploy a GPS-enabled framework in live sensor networks to evaluate the accuracy and overhead of TSync in comparison with other in-situ time synchronization algorithms.
Graphical modeling based gene interaction analysis for microarray data
Authors: Wu Xintao , Ye Yong , Zhang Liying
Published: January 2007

DNA Microarray provides a powerful basis for analysis of gene expression. Data mining methods such as clustering have been widely applied to microarray data to link genes that show similar expression patterns. However, this approach usually fails to unveil gene-gene interactions in the same cluster. In this paper, we propose to use graphical modeling based interaction analysis for this purpose. We apply graphical gaussian model to discover pairwise gene interactions and use loglinear model to discover multi-gene interactions. We have constructed a prototype system that permits rapid interactive exploration of gene relationships; results can be validated by experts or known information, or suggest new experiments. We have tested our methodology using the yeast microarray data. Our results reveal some previously unknown interactions that have solid biological explanations.
KDD-2003 workshop on data mining standards, services and platforms (DM-SSP 03)
Authors: Grossman Robert
Published: January 2007

At KDD 2003 a half day workshop was held on data mining standards and data mining services based on them. A theme of the workshop was that data mining standards have matured sufficiently that standards-based services and applications can now be deployed easily.
An evaluation of redundant arrays of disks using an Amdahl 5890
Authors: Chen Peter M. , Gibson Garth A. , Katz Randy H. , Patterson David A.
Published: January 2007

Recently we presented several disk array architectures designed to increase the data rate and I/O rate of supercomputing applications, transaction processing, and file systems [Patterson 88]. In this paper we present a hardware performance measurement of two of these architectures, mirroring and rotated parity. We see how throughput for these two architectures is affected by response time requirements, request sizes, and read to write ratios. We find that for applications with large accesses, such as many supercomputing applications, a rotated parity disk array far outperforms traditional mirroring architecture. For applications dominated by small accesses, such as transaction processing, mirroring architectures have higher performance per disk than rotated parity architectures.
Queueing analysis of an ATM switch with multichannel transmission groups
Authors: Lin Arthur Y. M. , Silvester John A.
Published: January 2007

The discrete-time
D

[
A
]

/D/c/B
queueing system is studied. We consider both a bulk arrival process with constant bulk inter-arrival time (
D
) and general bulk-size distribution (
A
) and a periodic arrival process (
D
1
+ ··· +

D
N

). The service/transmission times are deterministic (
D
) and the system provides for a maximum of
c
servers with a buffer size
B
. The motivation for studying this queueing system is its application in performance modeling and analysis of an
asynchronous transfer mode
(ATM) switch with multichannel transmission groups.
Data cache management using frequency-based replacement
Authors: Robinson John T. , Devarakonda Murthy V.
Published: January 2007

We propose a new frequency-based replacement algorithm for managing caches used for disk blocks by a file system, database management system, or disk control unit, which we refer to here as data caches. Previously, LRU replacement has usually been used for such caches. We describe a replacement algorithm based on the concept of maintaining reference counts in which locality has been “factored out”. In this algorithm replacement choices are made using a combination of reference frequency and block age. Simulation results based on traces of file system and I/O activity from actual systems show that this algorithm can offer up to 34% performance improvement over LRU replacement, where the improvement is expressed as the fraction of the performance gain achieved between LRU replacement and the theoretically optimal policy in which the reference string must be known in advance. Furthermore, the implementation complexity and efficiency of this algorithm is comparable to one using LRU replacement.
The performance of multiprogrammed multiprocessor scheduling algorithms
Authors: Leutenegger Scott T. , Vernon Mary K.
Published: January 2007

Scheduling policies for general purpose multiprogrammed multiprocessors are not well understood. This paper examines various policies to determine which properties of a scheduling policy are the most significant determinants of performance. We compare a more comprehensive set of policies than previous work, including one important scheduling policy that has not previously been examined. We also compare the policies under workloads that we feel are more realistic than previous studies have used. Using these new workloads, we arrive at different conclusions than reported in earlier work. In particular, we find that the “smallest number of processes first” (SNPF) scheduling discipline performs poorly, even when the number of processes in a job is positively correlated with the total service demand of the job. We also find that policies that allocate an equal fraction of the processing power to each job in the system perform better, on the whole, than policies that allocate processing power unequally. Finally, we find that for lock access synchronization, dividing processing power equally among all jobs in the system is a more effective property of a scheduling policy than the property of minimizing synchronization spin-waiting, unless demand for synchronization is extremely high. (The latter property is implemented by
coscheduling
processes within a job, or by using a thread management package that avoids preemption of processes that hold spinlocks.) Our studies are done by simulating abstract models of the system and the workloads.
Ease: an environment for architecture study and experimentation
Authors: Davidson Jack W. , Whalley David B.
Published: January 2007

Gathering detailed measurements of the execution behavior of an instruction set architecture is difficult. There are two major problems that must be solved. First, for meaningful measurements to be obtained, programs that represent typical work load and instruction mixes must be used. This means that high-level language compilers for the target architecture are required. This problem is further compounded as most architectures require an optimizing compiler to exploit their capabilities. Building such a compiler can be a formidable task.

The second problem is that gathering detailed dynamic measurements of an architecture using typical user programs reading typical data sets can consume significant computation resources. For example, a popular way to gather execution measurements is to simulate the architecture. This technique is often used when the architecture in question does not yet exist, or is not yet stable and available for production use. Depending on the level of the simulation, programs can run 100 to 500 times slower than directly-executed code [HUGU87]. Tracing is another alternative one can use if the architecture being measured exists, is accessible, and tracing is possible on that machine. Tracing can be even slower than simulation [HUGU87]. Because of the large performance penalties with these methods, the tendency is to use small programs with small data sets. The relevance of measures collected this way is always subject to question.

This paper describes an environment called
ease
(Environment for Architecture Study and Experimentation) that solves both these problems. It consists of a easily retargetable optimizing compiler that produces production-quality code. The compiler also supports the generation of instrumented code that gathers very fine-grained execution statistics with little overhead. Typically, instrumented code runs 10 to 15 percent slower than code that is not instrumented. Similarly, because information about instructions are collected as a side effect of the compiler generating code, compilation time is only increased by 15 to 20 percent. The combination of an easily retargetable compiler and an efficient method of observing the run-time behavior of real programs provides an environment that is useful in a number of contexts.
Text Summarization Challenge 2 text summarization evaluation at NTCIR workshop 3
Authors: Okumura Manabu , Fukusima Takahiro , Nanba Hidetsugu , Hirao Tsutomu
Published: January 2007

We report the outline of Text Summarization Challenge 2 (TSC2 hereafter), a sequel text summarization evaluation conducted as one of the tasks at the NTCIR Workshop 3. First, we describe briefly the previous evaluation, Text Summarization Challenge (TSC1) as introduction to TSC2. Then we explain TSC2 including the participants, the two tasks in TSC2, data used, evaluation methods for each task, and brief report on the results. Lastly we describe plans for the next evaluation, TSC3.
C
1
spline implicitization of planar curves
Authors: Jüttler B. , Schicho J. , Shalaby M.
Published: January 2007

We present a new method for constructing a low degree
C
1
implicit spline representation of a given parametric planar curve. To ensure the low degree condition, quadratic B-splines are used to approximate the given curve via orthogonal projection in Sobolev spaces. Adaptive knot removal, which is based on spline wavelets, is used to reduce the number of segments. The B-spline segments are implicitized. After multiplying the implicit B-spline segments by suitable polynomial factors the resulting bivariate functions are joined along suitable transversal lines. This yields to a globally
C
1
bivariate function.
A computer simulation for a space-time satellite positioning system
Authors: Huntley Jonathan , Tepper David
Published: January 2007

This paper concerns the development of an autonomously distributed satellite network synchronization and positioning system. A simulation is developed to study the problem of having the member satellites obtain a system wide space-time coordinate reference system. The simulation models on board clocks for a system of satellites together with transfer via line of sight transmission using an EM signal of time and position data. It accounts for the various errors of measurement together with orbit mechanics that includes relativistic effects. Each satellite keeps a record of the defining equations for the orbits of the other members of the system. The ideal of the simulation is to find an algorithm for transferring timing and position data that will produce much agreement as possible for these records for all the members of the system.
Centralized channel assignment and routing algorithms for multi-channel wireless mesh networks
Authors: Raniwala Ashish , Gopalan Kartik , Chiueh Tzi-cker
Published: January 2007

The IEEE 802.11 Wireless LAN standards allow multiple non-overlapping frequency channels to be used simultaneously to increase the aggregate bandwidth available to end-users. Such bandwidth aggregation capability is routinely used in infrastructure mode operation, where the traffic to and from wireless nodes is distributed among multiple interfaces of an access point or among multiple access points to balance the traffic load. However, bandwidth aggregation is rarely used in the context of multi-hop 802.11-based LANs that operate in the ad hoc mode. Most past research efforts that attempt to exploit multiple radio channels require modifications to the MAC protocol and therefore do not work with commodity 802.11 interface hardware. In this paper, we propose and evaluate one of the first multi-channel multi-hop wireless ad-hoc network architectures that can be built using standard 802.11 hardware by equipping each node with multiple network interface cards (NICs) operating on different channels. We focus our attention on wireless mesh networks that serve as the backbone for relaying end-user traffic from wireless access points to the wired network. The idea of exploiting multiple channels is particularly appealing in wireless mesh networks because of their high capacity requirements to support backbone traffic. To reap the full performance potential of this architecture, we develop a set of centralized channel assignment, bandwidth allocation, and routing algorithms for multi-channel wireless mesh networks. A detailed performance evaluation shows that with intelligent channel and bandwidth assignment, equipping every wireless mesh network node with just 2 NICs operating on different channels can increase the total network goodput by a factor of up to 8 compared with the conventional single-channel ad hoc network architecture.
Inquiry packet interference in bluetooth scatternets
Authors: Peterson Brian S. , Baldwin Rusty O. , Raines Richard A.
Published: January 2007

The key to successfully establishing and maintaining a Bluetooth scatternet is the inquiry procedure which discovers Bluetooth devices within range. The inquiry procedure uses a subset of the hop frequencies used by a piconet. While nodes in a scatternet are in the inquiry substate, they can cause significant interference to the neighboring piconets. Nodes seeking to join a piconet cause significant interference to those neighboring piconets attempting normal communication in the connection mode as well. We develop an analytical model of this interference and extend the model to predict interference from any number of interfering nodes. We show that a single inquiring node is expected to disrupt 1.3% of the packets in a neighboring piconet with interference approaching 73% as the number of inquiring nodes increases.
Transcriptomal comparison of human dermal lymphatic endothelial cells ex vivo and in vitro
Authors: Wick Nikolaus , Saharinen Pipsa , Saharinen Juha , Gurnhofer Elisabeth , Steiner Carl W. , Raab Ingrid , Stokic Dejan , Giovanoli Pietro , Buchsbaum Sabine , Burchard Aurea , Thurner Stefan , Alitalo Kari , Kerjaschki Dontscho
Published: January 2007

The in vivo functions of lymphatic endothelial cells depend on their microenvironment, which cannot be fully reproduced in vitro. Because of technical limitations, gene expression in uncultured, “ex vivo” lymphatic endothelial cells has not been characterized at the molecular level. We combined tissue micropreparation and direct cell isolation with DNA chip experiments to identify 159 genes differentiating human lymphatic endothelial cells from blood vascular endothelial cells ex vivo. The same analysis performed with cultured primary cells revealed that only 19 genes characteristic for lymphatic endothelium ex vivo retained this property upon culture, while 27 marker genes were newly induced. In addition, a set of panendothelial genes could be recognized. The propagation of lymphatic endothelial cells in culture stimulated transcription of genes associated with cell turnover, basic metabolism, and the cytoskeleton. On the other hand, there was downregulation of genes encoding extracellular matrix components, signaling via transmembrane tyrosine kinase pathways and the chemokine (C-C) ligand 21. Direct ex vivo analysis of the lymphatic endothelial cell transcriptome is helpful for the understanding of the physiology of the lymphatic vascular system and of the pathogenesis of its diseases.
A Critical Analysis of IQ Studies of Adopted Children
Authors: Richardson Ken , Norgate Sarah H.
Published: January 2007

The pattern of parent-child correlations in adoption studies has long been interpreted to suggest substantial additive genetic variance underlying variance in IQ. The studies have frequently been criticized on methodological grounds, but those criticisms have not reflected recent perspectives in genetics and developmental theory. Here we apply those perspectives to recent IQ adoption studies and show how they further question two sets of problems: first, the assumption of additive gene and environmental effects; second, the assumption that the adoption situation approximates a randomized-effects design. We show how a number of possible factors having systematic effects in breach of those assumptions can produce the received pattern of correlations without appealing to unusual amounts of additive gene variance.
Decline in Cognitive Functioning Is Associated with a Higher Mortality Risk
Authors: van Gelder B.M. , Tijhuis M.A.R. , Kalmijn S. , Giampaoli S. , Kromhout D.
Published: January 2007

Objective: This study investigates the association between 5-year change in cognitive functioning and subsequent mortality. Methods:Four hundred and ninety-three Dutch and Italian men from the Finland, Italy, and the Netherlands Elderly (FINE) Study, born between 1900 and 1920, participated in the present study between 1990 and 2000. Cognitive functioning was measured with the Mini-Mental State Examination in 1990 and 1995, and mortality data were obtained until the year 2000. A proportional hazard analysis was used to investigate the association between 5-year change in cognitive functioning and subsequent 5-year mortality. Adjustments were made for age, education, country, lifestyle factors, prevalence of chronic diseases and, additionally, for baseline cognitive functioning. Results:Men whose cognition decreased (more than 1 standard deviation) between 1990 and 1995 had a 2-fold higher risk of dying in the following 5 years compared with men whose cognition was stable (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.9; 95% confidence interval 1.3–2.7). Mortality risk of men whose cognition improved between 1995 and 2000 was not different from men whose cognition was stable (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.1, 95% confidence interval 0.7–1.9). Conclusion:A decline in cognitive functioning is associated with a higher mortality risk.
Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis Peritonitis: Broth Inoculation Culture versus Water Lysis Method
Authors: Chow Kai Ming , Chow Viola Chi-Ying , Szeto Cheuk Chun , Law Man Ching , Leung Chi Bon , Li Philip Kam-Tao
Published: January 2007

Background/Aim: In the setting of empiric antibiotic treatment of peritoneal-dialysis-related peritonitis complications, the speed with which a bacteriological diagnosis can be achieved is of importance. We compare the clinical performance of two culture methods to diagnose the causative microorganisms as suggested by the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis and the United Kingdom Health Protection Agency. Methods: We prospectively evaluated microbiological cultures of peritoneal fluid samples by the direct broth culture versus water lysis. Samples from 17 consecutive patients with dialysis-associated peritonitis were examined. Results: Of the 17 dialysates cultured, 14 (82.4%) were positive by one of the two methods. The final culture results agreed in 16 of 17 specimens (94.1%). The preliminary organism identification rate by Gram staining with the broth culture method was 70.6%, which was significantly greater than 17.6% by the water lysis method (p = 0.0019). In particular, the broth culture technique demonstrated superior Gram stain performance to identify Gram-positive organisms. Among the 13 dialysate samples positive by both methods, the broth culture method detected organisms faster than the water lysis method (1.3 ± 0.7 vs. 2.6 ± 1.6 days, p = 0.005). Conclusions: Our results support the routine use of the broth culture technique using BacT/Alert blood culture bottles in order to facilitate early streamlining of empiric antibiotic therapy. Gram staining of sediments after centrifugation is associated with low diagnostic yield. Whether the lysis-centrifugation technique could provide additional value in case of peritonitis with a high likelihood of culture-negative results needs to be evaluated.
Involvement of Transglutaminase-2 in Pathological Changes in Renal Disease
Authors: Ikee Ryota , Kobayashi Shuzo , Hemmi Noriaki , Saigusa Takamitsu , Namikoshi Tamehachi , Yamada Muneharu , Imakiire Toshihiko , Kikuchi Yuichi , Suzuki Shigenobu , Miura Soichiro
Published: January 2007

Background: Transglutaminase (Tg)-2 is shown to be related to renal fibrosis. However, its roles in human kidney disease have not been fully studied. Methods: Using immunohistochemistry, we examined Tg-2 expression in renal biopsy specimens from 22 patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and correlated the intensity of Tg-2 staining with clinical and histopathological parameters. We compared the distribution and intensity of Tg-2 staining with those of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β staining. Results: In normal human kidneys, Tg-2 staining was not significant. In IgAN kidneys, glomerular Tg-2 staining correlated with serum creatinine (S-Cr), creatinine clearance (Ccr), urinary protein excretion, glomerular sclerosis, and mesangial cell proliferation. Tubulointerstitial Tg-2 correlated with S-Cr, Ccr, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, urinary β2-microglobulin, and tubulointerstitial injuries. Tg-2 staining in the vicinity of vascular poles of glomeruli preceded the development of mesangial lesions, and was more remarkable in cases with renal impairment. The distribution and intensity of Tg-2 staining were not consistent with those of TGF-β staining. In glomerular crescents, Tg-2 staining was remarkable. Conclusion: The present study showed a correlation between Tg-2 expression and renal function and pathological changes. Tg-2 expression in the vicinity of vascular poles was notable because that may be an initial marker of glomerular injury.
Age at Growth Hormone Therapy Start and First-Year Responsiveness to Growth Hormone Are Major Determinants of Height Outcome in Idiopathic Short Stature
Authors: Ranke Michael B. , Lindberg Anders , Price David A. , Darendeliler Feyza , Albertsson-Wikland Kerstin , Wilton Patrick , Reiter Edward O.
Published: January 2007

Aim: To develop methods to identify factors associated with a favorable outcome in GH-treated children with idiopathic short stature (ISS). Methods: From 4,685 children listed as having ISS within KIGS (Pfizer International Growth Database), we studied (a) the prediction model group (n = 657) to develop the first-year prediction model, and (b) the near adult height group (NAH; n = 256) which received GH for >4 years to develop descriptive models for adult height and overall height gain. Results: NAH group at GH start: age was 10.0 years, height –2.5 SD score (SDS), weight –2.3 SDS, height minus mid-parental height (MPH) –1.5 SDS; GH dose 0.19 mg/kg/week. Height gain was 1.1 SDS at a median age of 17.2 years. Growth response correlated positively with GH dose and weight at the start of GH treatment, and negatively with age and height SDS minus MPH SDS. The model explains 39% (error SD 1.2 cm) of the variability. Adult height correlated (R2 = 0.64) positively with height at GH start, MPH and the first-year responsiveness to GH, and negatively with age. Conclusions: Prepubertal children with ISS who show an appropriate first-year response to GH are likely to benefit from long-term treatment, even on low GH dosages.
Transient Chorioamniotic Membrane Separation after Fetoscope Guide Laser Therapy for Twin–Twin Transfusion Syndrome: A Case Report
Authors: Chang Yao-Lung , Chao An-Shine , Hsieh Peter C.C. , Chang Shuenn-Dyh , Soong Yung-Kuei
Published: January 2007

Chorioamniotic membrane separation (CMS) means that the close attachment of amniotic and chorionic membranes is disrupted, usually following the traumatic entry into the amniotic cavity including fetal therapy. We report a case of twin–twin transfusion syndrome receiving fetoscopic guide laser therapy at gestational age of 19 weeks with partial CMS detected at the fifth week (gestational age of 24 weeks) after surgery and resealed 1 week later. There was no more CMS noted till delivery at gestational age of 34 weeks 6 days. CMS after fetoscope surgery may reseal spontaneously.
Fulminant Sepsis after Second-Trimester Amniocentesis in Pregnant Women by in vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer
Authors: Wu Hsin-Hung , Yeh Guang-Perng , Hsieh Tsung-Che , Lin Kuo-Cherng
Published: January 2007

Second-trimester amniocentesis is a common procedure for prenatal diagnosis. Sepsis is a rare complication after amniocentesis and may rapidly deteriorate if prompt treatment, including broad-spectrum antibiotics and removal of the infected abortus, is delayed. In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is a standard final treatment for infertile women. Transvaginal oocyte retrieval is necessary for such women; this procedure potentially causes Escherichia coli attaching and effacing in the abdominal cavity. Here we report that two pregnant women by IVF-ET developed sepsis after second-trimester amniocentesis. The cause of sepsis after amniocentesis is still unknown. We provided the possibility of the causation of the E. coli infection associated with the previous intra-abdominal procedure, but it needs more evidence to prove it.
Amniocentesis for Twin Pregnancies: Is Alpha-Fetoprotein Useful in Confirming that the Two Sacs Were Sampled?
Authors: Delisle M.F. , Brosseuk L. , Wilson R.D.
Published: January 2007

Objective: To assess if amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein (AFAFP) could be useful to determine if both sacs are sampled during an amniocentesis for twin pregnancies. Method: We reviewed all amniocenteses performed on twin pregnancies over a 5-year period. Inclusion criteria were restricted to pregnancies where both karyotypes and AFAFP were available on each fetus. Pregnancies complicated by fetal anomalies were excluded. The following information was obtained: maternal age, gestational age at the procedure, karyotypes, AFAFP values, pregnancy and neonatal outcome. Placental pathology reports were used to confirm chorionicity. Analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of the fetal gender and chorionicity on the AFAFP values. Results: 260 pregnancies were reviewed. Mean maternal age was 36.9 years (33.6, 40.1). Gestational age at the time of the procedure was 16.2 weeks (14.5, 17.9). Complications included 1.8% of misdiagnosis (discrepancy between karyotype and gender). The difference of AFAFP values between the two fetuses was statistically larger in dichorionic pregnancies than in monochorionic gestations. Fetal gender had no influence on the AFAFP. Conclusion: Amniocentesis in twin pregnancies is associated with a 1.8% risk of misdiagnosis. AFAFP can help to assess the chorionicity of a twin pregnancy. When the difference between the two values is <0.2 MoM and the chorionicity was thought to be dichorionic and the two karyotypes are similar, then failure to sample both sacs should be suspected.
Maternal Morbidity following Routine Second Trimester Genetic Amniocentesis
Authors: Erez Y. , Ben-Shushan A. , Elchalal U. , Ben-Meir A. , Rojansky N.
Published: January 2007

Two cases of septic complications of routine second trimester amniocentesis are presented. The first case is a 37-year-old gravida suffering from ulcerative colitis who was admitted for amniocentesis in the 18th week of her third pregnancy. An uncomplicated transabdominal amniocentesis was performed using a sterile technique and ultrasound guidance. Twenty-eight hours later the patient had a septic abortion and sepsis. The second case is a 34-year-old gravida in the 24th week of her pregnancy who was admitted with amnionitis 10 h after an uncomplicated amniocentesis, and subsequently had a septic abortion. A high index of suspicion and rapid intervention were crucial in both cases.
Deforestation Hotspots in the Brazilian Amazon: Evidence and Causes as Assessed from Remote Sensing and Census Data
Authors: Ferreira Nilson Clementino , Ferreira Laerte Guimarães , Miziara Fausto
Published: January 2007

The main goal of this study, conducted in an area comprising 221 municipalities, in which 90% of the deforestation in the Legal Amazon takes place, was to understand the role of the agrarian structure in the conversion of forest into pasture and agriculture fields. Linear regression results indicate that 54%–62% of the variation in deforestation occurred between 1997 and 2004, respectively, and are explained as a function of changes in the amount of appropriated land in 1995. Likewise, up to 80% of the deforestation can be well explained by the variation in land concentration. In fact, strong spatial correlations were found between deforestation hotspots and land appropriation and land concentration. On the other hand, these critical areas have insufficient governance, particularly at the federal level. As the results of this study clearly demonstrate, strong governance and institutional integration, with emphasis on the territorial ordainment, are mandatory in order to reduce the rapid pace of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.
Environmental Dynamical Control of Tropical Cyclone Intensity—An Observational Study
Authors: Zeng Zhihua , Wang Yuqing , Wu Chun-Chieh
Published: January 2007

The effects of two environmental dynamical factors, namely, the transitional speed and vertical wind shear, on tropical cyclone (TC) intensification, intensity, and lifetime peak intensity were analyzed based on observations in the western North Pacific during 1981–2003. In general, both the fast translation and strong vertical shear are negative to both TC intensification and the lifetime peak intensity. Both the very intense TCs and the TCs with rapid intensification rate are found only to occur in a narrow range of translational speeds between 3 and 8 m s−1, and in relatively weak vertical shear. The overwhelming majority of western North Pacific TCs reach their lifetime peak intensity just prior to recurvature where their environmental steering flow and vertical shear are both weak. The results show that few TCs intensified when they moved faster than 15 m s−1, or when their large-scale environmental vertical shear is larger than 20 m s−1. The intensification rate of TCs is found to increase with decreasing vertical shear while the majority of the weakening storms experience relatively strong vertical shear. Overall, strong vertical shear prohibits rapid intensification and most likely results in the weakening of TCs, similar to the fast storm translation. Based on the statistical analysis, a new empirical maximum potential intensity (MPI) has been developed, which includes the combined negative effect of translational speed and vertical shear as the environmental dynamical control in addition to the positive contribution of SST and the outflow temperature as the thermodynamic control. The new empirical MPI can not only provide more accurate estimation of TC maximum intensity but also better explain the observed behavior of the TC maximum intensity and help explain the thermodynamic and environmental dynamical controls of TC intensity. Implications of the new empirical MPI are discussed.
The Discrete Brier and Ranked Probability Skill Scores
Authors: Weigel Andreas P. , Liniger Mark A. , Appenzeller Christof
Published: January 2007

The Brier skill score (BSS) and the ranked probability skill score (RPSS) are widely used measures to describe the quality of categorical probabilistic forecasts. They quantify the extent to which a forecast strategy improves predictions with respect to a (usually climatological) reference forecast. The BSS can thereby be regarded as the special case of an RPSS with two forecast categories. From the work of Müller et al., it is known that the RPSS is negatively biased for ensemble prediction systems with small ensemble sizes, and that a debiased version, the RPSSD, can be obtained quasi empirically by random resampling from the reference forecast. In this paper, an analytical formula is derived to directly calculate the RPSS bias correction for any ensemble size and combination of probability categories, thus allowing an easy implementation of the RPSSD. The correction term itself is identified as the “intrinsic unreliability” of the ensemble prediction system. The performance of this new formulation of the RPSSD is illustrated in two examples. First, it is applied to a synthetic random white noise climate, and then, using the ECMWF Seasonal Forecast System 2, to seasonal predictions of near-surface temperature in several regions of different predictability. In both examples, the skill score is independent of ensemble size while the associated confidence thresholds decrease as the number of ensemble members and forecast/observation pairs increase.