bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is It Time to Move on from Two‐Dimensional Transesophageal to Three‐Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography for Assessment of Left Atrial Appendage? Review of Existing Literature
Authors: Kumar Vineet , Nanda Navin C.
Published: January 2012

Left atrial appendage (LAA) has unique anatomical and physiological properties, which make it a common site for thrombus formation in many cardiovascular and systemic diseases. Assessment of LAA for thrombus thus becomes important in many clinical situations and two‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE), which allows excellent quality images of LAA because of its close proximity to esophagus is routinely used for this purpose. However, it is a semiinvasive procedure, requires more time and involves some degree of patient discomfort. With some training and experience, two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography (2D TTE) can visualize LAA in most patients with good acoustic windows. A disadvantage of both 2D TTE and 2D TEE is that they provide only a thin slice or section of cardiac structures at any given time limiting their utility in comprehensively assessing the LAA for thrombus. On the other hand, live/real time three‐dimensional (3D) TTE overcomes this limitation of both 2D TTE and 2D TEE because of its ability to encompass whole of the LAA in three‐dimensions in the acquired data set, which can then be cropped and sectioned systematically at any desired angulation to more definitively look for clot. 3D TTE is also useful in differentiating a clot from pectinate muscles in the LAA, which can mimic a thrombus resulting in patient mismanagement. In addition, 3D TTE is helpful in sectioning a clot for lysis, which has implications in clot resolution. We reviewed the existing literature comparing the relative advantages and disadvantages of 3D TTE versus 2D TEE and found that in patients with good acoustic windows 3D TTE had similar efficacy for detecting LAA thrombus. (Echocardiography 2012;29:112‐116)
Real Time Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography for the Evaluation of Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Hage Fadi G. , Dean Phillip , Raslan Saleem , Nanda Navin C.
Published: January 2012

Cardiomyopathy refers to a set of diseases that are characterized by myocardial dysfunction. Classically, two‐dimensional echocardiography has been used in the diagnosis of these disorders and to help guide their management. Three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography is now increasingly being used in the diagnosis, management, and prognostication of intrinsic cardiomyopathies. In this article, we summarize the available data on the use of three‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography in various forms of intrinsic cardiomyopathy as well as some of its advantages over traditional two‐dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. (Echocardiography 2012;29:76‐87)
Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography in the Electrophysiology Laboratory
Authors: Moukabary Talal , Faletra Francesco F. , Kronzon Itzhak , Thomas Walker , Sorrell Vincent L.
Published: January 2012

The use of three‐dimensional echocardiography (3DE) during electrophysiology (EP) procedures is the end product of years of growth in two diverse cardiology subspecialties; namely, advanced cardiac imaging and the EP. During the past decade, progress in both fields has resulted in many important advances that have culminated in their union for a new area of growth and development. Imaging advances have provided the cardiovascular specialist with enhanced cardiac volume and function data, and more recently, 3DE capabilities with improved spatial and temporal resolution providing unprecedented spatial relationships. This latter development is valued by EP specialists in need of hitherto never required anatomic knowledge as they press forward with extraordinary expansion in their capabilities. It makes sense that by combining these two rapidly growing subspecialties, future capabilities in patient care may be achieved that would otherwise not be possible. This paper discusses the value of 3DE during EP procedures and offers the readers insight into this novel multispecialty hybrid arena. Using this model as a template, it is likely that the readers may identify other areas within their practices where periprocedural advanced imaging may afford significant dividends in patient outcomes. (Echocardiography 2012;29:117‐122)
Real Time Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography
Authors: Ahmad Masood
Published: January 2012

(Echocardiography 2012;29:64‐65)
Effect of Statins Therapy Prior to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: LUO JUN , XU LI , YU TIANZHENG , LI JIANG
Published: January 2012

Background: Many previous studies have demonstrated that statins pre‐treatment before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) reduced myocardial infarction (MI) in statin‐naive patients with both stable angina and acute coronary syndrome. However, clinical benefit of statins is controversial as some studies have shown different results.

Methods: A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE using the term statins AND PCI, statins AND percutaneous coronary intervention. The review was limited to articles published in English between January 1990 and July 2011.

Results: Most trials noted that statins pretreatment before PCI in patients are associated with risk reduction of periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). The mechanisms underlying this protective action of statins possibly attribute to the pleiotropic effects. However, controversial results were also reported in some trials that early use of statins before PCI did not influence occurrence of PMI or long‐term clinical outcomes.

Conclusion: Statins therapy among PCI patients seems to be associated with a significant mortality advantage at early and long‐term follow‐up. However, currently early statins use before intervention still cannot serve as a routine strategy of treatment. Further large‐scale randomized studies are critically required to demonstrate the importance of early treatment with statins in pre‐PCI. (J Interven Cardiol 2012;25:156–162)
Sleep problems in children with cerebral palsy and their relationship with maternal sleep and depression
Authors: Wayte Sarah , McCaughey Elizabeth , Holley Simone , Annaz Dagmara , Hill Catherine M
Published: January 2012

Abstract Aim:  To compare sleep problems in children with cerebral palsy to typically developing children. To study the relationship between sleep problems in children with cerebral palsy and maternal sleep quality and depression.

Methods:  Fifty‐seven children with cerebral palsy aged 4–12 years were identified from a UK disability database. Maternal sleep disturbance and mood were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Major Depression Inventory. Child sleep problems, assessed with the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire, but not maternal variables, were compared to 102 typically developing children.

Results:  Forty children (70%) were recruited with a mean age of 7.8 (SD 2.4). Sleep anxiety, night wakings, parasomnias and sleep‐disordered breathing sub‐scales indicated significantly more difficulties than in typically developing children. 40% of mothers of children with cerebral palsy had poor sleep quality of whom 44% had depressed mood. Child and maternal sleep disturbance were significantly correlated. Maternal sleep quality predicted 50% of the variance in maternal depression.

Conclusions:  Children with cerebral palsy have more sleep problems than typically developing peers. Their mothers also have disturbed sleep that correlates with maternal depression. Childhood sleep problems can be treated and should be identified in routine clinical practice.
A DEMOCRATIC FRAMEWORK FOR EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS
Authors: Newman Anne
Published: January 2012

Educational theorists frequently invoke rights claims to express their views about educational justice and authority. But the unyielding nature of rights claims presents a significant quandary in democratic contexts, given the tension between rights claims and majoritarian democracy. Educational theorists have given limited attention to this tension, while political theorists tend to sideline education in their analyses. In this essay Anne Newman addresses this gap by advancing a democratic rationale for educational rights. Newman's purpose is to provide a framework for advancing educational rights that protects these rights from the whims of majoritarian politics. Her central argument is that the importance of educational rights warrants giving democratic bodies far less deference than they are typically accorded. Yet the assertion of a right to a quality education, Newman emphasizes, should not be viewed as an undue constraint on democratic authority but rather is consistent with and required by the values that underlie democracy.
EDUCATION, SCHOOLING, AND CHILDREN'S RIGHTS: THE COMPLEXITY OF HOMESCHOOLING
Authors: Kunzman Robert
Published: January 2012

By blurring the distinction between formal school and education writ large, homeschooling both highlights and complicates the tensions among the interests of parents, children, and the state. In this essay, Robert Kunzman argues for a modest version of children's educational rights, at least in a legal sense that the state has the duty and authority to enforce. At the same time, however, it is important to retain a principled distinction between schooling and education—not only to protect children's basic educational rights, but also to prevent the state from overreaching into the private realm of the home and family.
THE FALSE RIGHT TO AUTONOMY IN EDUCATION
Authors: Swaine Lucas
Published: January 2012

The ideal of personal autonomy enjoys considerable support in educational theory, but close analysis reveals serious problems with its core analytical and psychological components. The core conception of autonomy authorizes individuals to employ their imaginations in troubling and unhealthy ways that clash with sound ideals of moral character. Lucas Swaine argues in this essay that this gives grounds to deny that the core conception of autonomy should be promoted in democratic education. What is more, according to Swaine, young citizens appear to have no right to be educated, in public schools, for the purpose of becoming autonomous individuals of the kind he describes and criticizes in this account.
DETERMINATION OF THE QUALITY AND SHELF LIFE OF SOUS VIDE PACKAGED BONITO (SARDA SARDA, BLOCH, 1793) STORED AT 4 AND 12C
Authors: MOL SUHENDAN , OZTURAN SAMIME , COSANSU SERAP
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to determine the quality and shelf life of sous vide bonito stored at 4 and 12C. The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB‐N) values of cold stored samples exceeded the recommended limit on 35th day of storage, while they were unacceptable according to sensory scores. The TVB‐N and trimethylamine‐N values of sous vide samples stored at 12C exceeded the limits at the 18th day, while sensory scores were very close to the acceptability limit. For all samples, mesophilic and psychrophilic bacterial counts exceeded the limits after they were regarded as spoiled. Therefore, the shelf life of the sous vide bonito, cooked at 70C for 10 min, was 28 days at 4C while 15 days at 12C. It was seen that sous vide packaging provided a long shelf life for bonito.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Sous vide is a long established but relatively little known cooking process. The data regarding the effect of storage temperature on shelf life and quality of sous vide fish are very limited. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the sensory, microbiological and chemical quality of sous vides packaged bonito during refrigerated storage (4 ± 1C) and abuse temperature conditions (12 ± 1C). The results of this study can be utilized by researchers in future studies as well as by manufacturers to determine the processing and storage conditions of sous vide fish.
Nurse‐managed health centers: Safety‐net care through advanced nursing practice
Authors: Esperat Maria Christina R. , Hanson‐Turton Tine , Richardson Michele , Tyree Debisette Annette , Rupinta Catherine
Published: January 2012

Purpose: To describe the nurse‐managed health center (NMHC) as a model for effective health delivery in providing safety‐net care to medically underserved populations.

Data sources: Although the literature regarding outcomes of the model is still building, mounting evidence shows that NMHCs provide quality and cost‐effective care to their target populations. The Division of Nursing of the Health Resources and Services Administration has ample data to support the findings that NMHCs are a significant component of the primary healthcare system in providing access particularly for medically underserved and vulnerable populations. Furthermore, NMHCs are a powerful source of clinical experiences to train nurses and nurse practitioners as part of the healthcare workforce.

Conclusions: The financial challenges facing NMHCs are significant; it will take an enormous push from organized fronts of the NMHC movement to give individual NMHCs a fighting chance to survive within the competitive healthcare climate.

Implications for practice: Policy changes are essential to assure that NMHCs are an integral part of the primary healthcare safety net for America's vulnerable populations, and that advance practice nurses are at the forefront of policy initiatives.
Pursuing Justice in the Midst of War: The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
Authors: Neu Joyce
Published: January 2012

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was the first international war crimes tribunal since Nuremberg and the first to start proceedings before the war had ended. This paper examines the challenges of pursuing a peace agreement while war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide are being investigated and prosecuted. The question of the impact of international war crimes tribunals on peace efforts is increasingly important with the advent of a permanent International Criminal Court whose cases to date are all active conflict situations. Drawing on interviews with key actors during the war in Bosnia, this paper presents the perspective of mediators, the ICTY prosecution, and parties to the conflict in examining whether the pursuit of justice during the Bosnian war impeded the pursuit of peace.
Spider: An R package for the analysis of species identity and evolution, with particular reference to DNA barcoding
Authors: BROWN SAMUEL D. J. , COLLINS RUPERT A. , BOYER STEPHANE , LEFORT MARIE‐CAROLINE , MALUMBRES‐OLARTE JAGOBA , VINK COR J. , CRUICKSHANK ROBERT H.
Published: January 2012

Spider: SPecies IDentity and Evolution in R is a new R package implementing a number of useful analyses for DNA barcoding studies and associated research into species delimitation and speciation. Included are functions essential for generating important summary statistics from DNA barcode data, assessing specimen identification efficacy, and for testing and optimizing divergence threshold limits. In terms of investigating evolutionary and taxonomic questions, techniques for assessing diagnostic nucleotides and probability of reciprocal monophyly are also provided. Additionally, a sliding window function offers opportunities to analyse information across a gene, essential for marker design in degraded DNA studies. Spider capitalizes on R’s extensible ethos and offers an integrated platform ideal for the analysis of both nucleotide and morphological data. The program can be obtained from the comprehensive R archive network (CRAN, http://cran.r‐project.org) and from the R‐Forge package development site (http://spider.r‐forge.r‐project.org/).
VAMP subfamilies identified by specific R‐SNARE motifs
Authors: Rossi Valeria , Picco Raffaella , Vacca Marcella , D’Esposito Maurizio , D’Urso Michele , Galli Thierry , Filippini Francesco
Published: January 2012

Summry— In eukaryotes, interactions among the α‐helical coiled‐coil domains (CCDs) of soluble N‐ethylmaleimide‐sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) play a pivotal role in mediating the fusion among vesicles and target membranes. Surface residues of such CCDs are major candidates to regulate the specificity of membrane fusion, as they may alter local charge at the interaction layers and surface of the fusion complex, possibly modulating its formation and/or the binding of non‐SNARE regulatory factors. Based on alternate patterns in surface residues, we have identified two motifs which group vesicular SNAREs in two novel subfamilies: RG‐SNAREs and RD‐SNAREs. The RG‐SNARE CCD is common to all members of the widely conserved family of long VAMPs or longins and to yeast and non‐neuronal VAMPs, possibly mediating “basic” fusion mechanisms; instead, only synaptobrevins from Bilateria share an RD‐SNARE CCD, which is likely to mediate interactions to specific, yet unknown, regulatory factors and/or be the landmark of rapid fusion reactions like that mediating the release of neurotransmitters.
Inherited retinal degenerations: therapeutic prospects
Authors: Delyfer Marie‐Noëlle , Léveillard Thierry , Mohand‐Saïd Saddek , Hicks David , Picaud Serge , Sahel José‐Alain
Published: January 2012

Summry— Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a heterogeneous group of inherited retinal degenerative diseases, characterized by the progressive death of rod and cone photoreceptors. A tremendous genetic heterogeneity is associated with the RP phenotype. Most mutations affect rods selectively and, through an unknown pathway, cause the rod cells to die by apoptosis. Cones, on the other hand, are seldom directly affected by the identified mutations, and yet, in many cases, they degenerate secondarily to rods, which accounts for loss of central vision and complete blindness. Many animal models of RP are available and have led to a better understanding of the disease and to the development of therapeutic strategies aimed at curing the specific genetic disorder (gene therapy), slowing down or even stopping the process of photoreceptor degeneration (growth factors or calcium blockers applications, vitamin supplementation), preserving the cones implicated in the central visual function (identification of endogenous cone viability factors) or even replacing the lost cells (transplantation, use of stem or precursor cells). Still, many obstacles will need to be overcome before most of these strategies can be applied to humans. In this review, we describe the different therapeutic strategies being studied worldwide and report the latest results in this field.
Glial Progenitors in the CNS and Possible Lineage Relationships Among Them
Authors: Liu Ying , Rao Mahendra S.
Published: January 2012

Summry— Glial cells are derived from stem cells that mature through specific stages of development to generate fully differentiated astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Several types of intermediate precursors have been described and in some cases lineage relationships identified although this remains a subject of controversy. We review recent findings and discuss some possibilities. Motoneuron‐oligodendrocyte precursors (MNOPs), white matter progenitor cells (WMPCs), polydendrocytes, glial restricted precursors (GRPs), astrocyte precursor cells (APCs), and oligodendroblasts are likely all derived from earlier appearing stem cells but segregate at different stages in development. Some of these precursors persist in the adult, and it is these glial progenitors rather than stem cells that respond after injury and participate in the repair process. Although which specific glial progenitor responds remains unclear, the availability of new markers will likely resolve this issue. We believe that the development of consensus sets of markers and an improvement in our ability to define stages of glial maturation will lead to a clearer appreciation of the importance of glia in the etiopathology of disease.
α2‐Adrenergic Receptor Subtypes — Novel Functions Uncovered in Gene‐Targeted Mouse Models
Authors: Brede Marc , Philipp Melanie , Knaus Anne , Muthig Verena , Hein Lutz
Published: January 2012

Summry— The family of adrenergic receptors contains nine different subtypes of G protein‐coupled receptors which mediate the biological effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline. With few exceptions, the full therapeutic potential of subtype‐selective therapy has not yet been explored for the group of adrenergic receptors. In the absence of sufficiently subtype‐selective ligands which can distinguish between individual receptor subtypes of the adrenergic family, gene‐targeted mouse models with deletions in these receptor genes have recently been generated and characterized. These genetic mouse models have helped to assign specific pharmacological effects of α2‐receptor agonists or antagonists to individual receptor subtypes. However, some unexpected and novel functions of α2‐adrenergic receptors were also uncovered in these mouse models: Presynaptic control of catecholamine release from adrenergic nerves in the central and sympathetic nervous system may be regulated by three different α2‐receptor subtypes, α2A, α2B, and α2C. A similar feedback loop also controls the release of catecholamines from the adrenal gland. α2B‐receptors are not only involved in regulating vascular tone in the adult organism, but they are essential for the development of the vascular system of the placenta during prenatal development. The challenge will now be to generate strategies to identify whether the findings obtained in gene‐targeted mice may predict the action of receptor subtype‐selective drugs in humans.
Insights into the viral G protein‐coupled receptor encoded by human herpesvirus type 8 (HHV‐8)
Authors: Couty Jean‐Pierre , Gershengorn Marvin C
Published: January 2012

Summry— HHV‐8‐GPCR is a chemokine‐like receptor encoded by KSHV, the etiologic agent of KS. HHV‐8‐GPCR is constitutively active. Although it is homologous to mammalian CXCR2, it binds CXC and CC chemokines. Structure‐function analysis showed that chemokines bind primarily to the amino terminus whereas signaling occurs in the absence of: the amino terminus, which is, therefore, not a tethered agonist. In in vitro systems, HHV‐8‐GPCR signals via multiple transduction pathways including, activation of phospholipase C and PKC, inhibition of adenylyl cyclase, activation of nuclear factor‐κB; activation PI 3‐kinase, p42/44 MAPK and Akt/PKB, and activation of JNK/SAPK, p38 MAPK and RAFTK. HHV‐8‐GPCR is important in the HHV‐8 life cycle because HHV‐8‐GPCR‐deficient viruses do not replicate in response to chemokines and exhibit, less efficient reactivation from latency. Although the role of HHV‐8‐GPCR in the pathogenesis of KS has not been defined, expression of HHV‐8‐GPCR resulted in the development of angioproliferative, KS‐like tumors in transgenic mice. As endothelial cells may be targets of HHV‐8 infection, HHV‐8‐GPCR has been studied in endothelial cells in vitro in which it affects cell adhesion and migration, increases cell survival, and stimulates secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and proangiogenic factors. Based on these findings and the observation that HHV‐8‐GPCR is expressed in only a few endothelial‐ like “spindle cells” within KS lesions, we propose that HHV‐8—GPCR is involved in KS pathogenesis by stimulating secretion of proinflammatory/proangiogenic factors that act in a paracrine fashion to cause tumorigenesis.
Ghα/tissue transglutaminase 2: an emerging G protein in signal transduction
Authors: Mhaouty‐Kodja Sakina
Published: January 2012

Summry— Gh protein is an heterodimer made up of two subunits α and β. Different from the traditional monomeric and heterotrimeric G proteins, Ghα subunit exhibits both GTPase and transglutaminase activities whereas Ghβ was identified as calreticulin. Activation of Gh by G protein‐coupled receptors (GPCR) turns off transglutaminase activity and shifts Ghα to signal transducer. Thereafter, Ghα regulates downstream effectors. All these aspects are discussed in the present review, in order to shed new light on this atypical G protein.
HIV shedding in the oral cavity: an assessment of HIV type, immunovirologic, demographic and oral factors
Authors: Pavlinac Patricia B , Hawes Stephen E , Gottlieb Geoffrey S , Gaye Awa , N'Diaye Charlotte F , Critchlow Cathy W , Sow Papa Salif , Feng Qinghua , Kiviat Nancy B
Published: January 2012

Objective

To quantify the prevalence and burden of HIV type 2 (HIV-2) and HIV-1 RNA in the oral cavity of antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV-infected Senegalese individuals and to identify correlates of oral HIV viral loads.

Design

A cross-sectional study of 163 HIV-1 and 27 HIV-2-infected antiretroviral therapy-naive Senegalese adults.

Methods

Participants received clinical and oral exams and provided blood and oral wash samples for viral load and plasma CD4 count ascertainment. Logistic and interval regression models were used to identify univariate and multivariable associations between presence and level of oral HIV RNA and various immunovirologic, local and demographic factors.

Results

Presence of detectable oral HIV RNA was less common in HIV-2-infected compared with HIV-1-infected study participants (33% vs 67%, OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.59). HIV type was no longer associated with oral shedding of HIV when plasma viral load was considered. Detection of oral HIV RNA was associated with increased plasma viral load in both HIV-1-infected and HIV-2-infected individuals (HIV-1, OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.24 to 2.61; HIV-2, OR 1.93, 95% CI 1.1 to 3.39). Oral HIV-1 detection was also associated with periodontal disease (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.16 to 7.87).

Conclusions

Oral shedding of HIV-2 RNA is less common than HIV-1 RNA, a likely consequence of lower overall viral burden. Both systemic and local factors may contribute to shedding of HIV in the oral cavity.
Incarceration, high-risk sexual partnerships and sexually transmitted infections in an urban population
Authors: Rogers Susan M , Khan Maria R , Tan Sylvia , Turner Charles F , Miller William C , Erbelding Emily
Published: January 2012

Objectives

The authors examined the associations between personal and partner incarceration, high-risk sexual partnerships and biologically confirmed sexually transmitted infection (STI) in a US urban population.

Methods

Data from a probability survey of young adults 15–35 years of age in Baltimore, Maryland, USA, were analysed to assess the prevalence of personal and partner incarceration and its association with several measures of high-risk sexual partnerships including multiple partners, partner concurrency and current STI.

Results

A history of incarceration was common (24.1% among men and 11.3% among women). Among women with an incarcerated partner in the past year (15.3%), the risk of current STI was significantly increased (adjusted prevalence ratio=2.3, 95% CI 1.5 to 3.5). Multiple partners (5+) in the past year and partner concurrency were disproportionately high among men and women who had been incarcerated or who had sexual partner(s) or who had recently been incarcerated. These associations remained robust independent of personal socio-demographic factors and illicit drug use.

Conclusions

Incarceration may contribute to STI risk by influencing engagement in high-risk behaviours and by influencing contact with partners who engage in risky behaviours and who hence have elevated risk of infection.
IMPROVED PSEUDOINVERSE LINEAR DISCRIMINANT ANALYSIS METHOD FOR DIMENSIONALITY REDUCTION
Authors: PALIWAL KULDIP K. , SHARMA ALOK
Published: January 2012

Pseudoinverse linear discriminant analysis (PLDA) is a classical method for solving small sample size problem. However, its performance is limited. In this paper, we propose an improved PLDA method which is faster and produces better classification accuracy when experimented on several datasets.
FINGERPRINT ENHANCEMENT BASED ON WAVELET AND ANISOTROPIC FILTERING
Authors: LEI JIAJIA , PENG QINMU , YOU XINGE , JABBAR HIYAM HATEM , WANG PATRICK S. P.
Published: January 2012

The importance of high-fidelity enhancement in low quality fingerprint image cannot be overemphasized. Most of the existing fingerprint enhancement methods are contextual filter-based methods and they often suffer from two shortcomings: (1) there is block effect on the enhanced images; and (2) they blur or destroy ridge structures around singular points. In order to well preserve the ridge structures in singular regions and avoid block effect, we develop a new method for fingerprint enhancement combining nontensor product wavelet filter banks and anisotropic filter. We first decompose the fingerprint image using the nontensor product wavelet filter banks. Then we modify the approximation subimage using anisotropic filtering and adjust the high frequency coefficients of the three other subimages by applying the adaptive approach to reduce the noises according to the geometry feature of images. Finally, the inverse transform is applied to map the result and a final contrast enhancement is done subsequently. Experiments have been conducted on the fingerprint database FVC2004 in our study. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach is capable of overcoming block effect and enhancing low quality fingerprint while preserving the ridge structures around singular points.
ISOLATED HIGH STEP-UP ZERO-VOLTAGE-SWITCHING DC-DC CONVERTER WITH A CONTINUOUS INPUT CURRENT
Authors: DO HYUN-LARK
Published: January 2012

An isolated high step-up DC-DC converter with a continuous input current is proposed. The proposed converter consists of two converter cells — a boost converter cell at the input stage for a low input current ripple and a DC-DC converter cell for high voltage gain. Zero-voltage-switching of power switches are achieved and the leakage inductance of the transformer alleviates the reverse-recovery problems of the output diodes. Therefore, the proposed converter achieves high efficiency. Detailed analysis and design of the proposed converter are carried out. A prototype of the proposed converter is developed, and its experimental results are presented for validation.
A CCII-BASED HIGH IMPEDANCE INPUT STAGE FOR BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS
Authors: FERRI GIUSEPPE , STORNELLI VINCENZO , DI SIMONE ALESSIA
Published: January 2012

An integrated current mode high impedance input stage designed for Electrocardiography (ECG) systems (or low frequency general applications) is presented. This feature becomes necessary when a two-electrodes ECG apparatus is used (e.g., in fetal ECG or heart monitoring in extreme sports) and a good response of the system to common mode signals is required. The proposed input stage, based on a bootstrap topology that simultaneously increases the ECG electrodes input impedance (from 5 ÷ 50 kΩ to about 50 MΩ) and amplifies the applied signal, is implemented by using a configuration that employs only two second generation current conveyors for each electrode. Post-layout simulations have proved that the proposed system is quite not sensible to electrodes mismatch and battery discharge.
THE RF CIRCUIT DESIGN OF POWER AND DATA CONTACTLESS TRANSMISSION FOR ISO/IEC 14443-2 TYPE B
Authors: TSAI CHIA-CHUN , DAI SHENG-BIN , LEE TRONG-YEN
Published: January 2012

In this paper, we design and implement an integrated circuit system for contactless interface transmission to conform the transfer protocol of ISO/IEC 14443-2 Type B. The system consists of two major parts, interrogator and transponder, for magnetic power and data transmission. The power and data can synchronously be transferred from the interrogator to the transponder with 10% amplitude shift keying modulation of mixing both carrier 13.56 MHz and data rate 106 Kbps. Another data can be backward to the interrogator from the transponder with the mixed binary phase shift keying modulation. Simulation results to the whole chip based on TSMC 0.35 μm CMOS process have approved using HSPICE.
VARIABILITY MANAGEMENT FOR SOFTWARE PRODUCT-LINE ARCHITECTURE DEVELOPMENT
Authors: KIM YOUNG-GAB , LEE SEOK KEE , JANG SUNG-BONG
Published: January 2012

Software Product-Line Engineering (SPLE) is composed of two areas, namely domain engineering and application engineering. Domain engineering is associated with product-line architecture, which is a core asset of the product-line. One of the key issues of the software product-line, especially in domain engineering, is handling the variability among product families. That is, variation management for the software product-line architecture determines the success of software development. Therefore, this paper proposes processes and artifacts to build the software product-line architecture and to manage uniform variability over the life cycle of software product-lines. Furthermore, a case study, namely, the Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system, is presented.
MICRO BLACK HOLES IN THE LABORATORY
Authors: BLEICHER MARCUS , NICOLINI PIERO , SPRENGER MARTIN , WINSTANLEY ELIZABETH
Published: January 2012

The possibility of creating microscopic black holes is one of the most exciting predictions for the LHC, with potentially major consequences for our current understanding of physics. We briefly review the theoretical motivation for micro black hole production, and our understanding of their subsequent evolution. Recent work on modelling the radiation from quantum-gravity-corrected black holes is also discussed.
ENERGY ORDERING EFFECTS IN THE ARRIVAL DIRECTIONS OF ULTRA-HIGH ENERGY COSMIC RAYS MEASURED BY THE PIERRE AUGER OBSERVATORY
Authors:   for the Pierre Auger Collaboration, SCHIFFER PETER
Published: January 2012

The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest experiment for the measurement of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). These UHECRs are assumed to be to be charged particles, and thus are deflected in cosmic magnetic fields. Recent results of the Pierre Auger Observatory addressing the complex of energy ordering of the UHECRs arrival directions are reviewed in this contribution. So far no significant energy ordering has been observed.
COMPACT STARS AND MAGNETIZED CFL MATTER
Authors: PÉREZ MARTíNEZ AURORA , GONZÁLEZ FELIPE RICARDO , MANREZA PARET DARYEL
Published: January 2012

The stability of the color flavor locked phase in the presence of a strong magnetic field is investigated within the phenomenological MIT bag model. It is found that the minimum value of the energy per baryon in a color flavor locked state at vanishing pressure is lower than the corresponding one for unpaired magnetized strange quark matter and, as the magnetic field increases, the energy per baryon decreases. This implies that magnetized color flavor locked matter is more stable and could become the ground state inside neutron stars. The anisotropy of the pressures is discussed. The mass-radius relation for such stars is also studied.
RADIO-LOUD MAGNETARS AS DETECTORS FOR AXIONS AND AXION-LIKE PARTICLES
Authors: GUENDELMAN EDUARDO I. , CHELOUCHE DORON
Published: January 2012

We show that, by studying the arrival times of radio pulses from highly-magnetized transient beamed sources, it may be possible to detect light pseudo-scalar particles, such as axions and axion-like particles, whose existence could have considerable implications for the strong-CP problem of QCD as well as the dark matter problem in cosmology. Specifically, such light bosons may be detected with a much greater sensitivity, over a broad particle mass range, than is currently achievable by terrestrial experiments, and using indirect astrophysical considerations. The observable effect was discussed in Chelouche & Guendelman (2009), and is akin to the Stern-Gerlach experiment: the splitting of a photon beam naturally arises when finite coupling exists between the electro-magnetic field and the axion field. The splitting angle of the light beams linearly depends on the photon wavelength, the size of the magnetized region, and the magnetic field gradient in the transverse direction to the propagation direction of the photons. If radio emission in radio-loud magnetars is beamed and originates in regions with strong magnetic field gradients, then splitting of individual pulses may be detectable. We quantify the effect for a simplified model for magnetars, and search for radio beam splitting in the 2GHz radio light curves of the radio loud magnetar XTEJ1810-197.
SHOULD AN AMERICAN OPTION BE EXERCISED EARLIER OR LATER IF VOLATILITY IS NOT ASSUMED TO BE A CONSTANT?
Authors: ZHU SONG-PING , CHEN WEN-TING
Published: January 2012

In this paper, we present a correction to Merton (1973)'s well-known classical case of pricing perpetual American put options by considering the same pricing problem under a stochastic volatility model with the assumption that the volatility is slowly varying. Two analytic formulae for the option price and the optimal exercise price of a perpetual American put option are derived, respectively. Upon comparing the results obtained from our analytic approximations with those calculated by a spectral collocation method, it is shown that our current approximation formulae provide fast and reasonably accurate numerical values of both option price and the optimal exercise price of a perpetual American put option, within the validity of the assumption we have made for the asymptotic expansion. We shall also show that the range of applicability of our formulae is remarkably wider than it was initially aimed for, after the original assumption on the order of the "volatility of volatility" being somewhat relaxed. Based on the newly-derived formulae, the quantitative effect of the stochastic volatility on the optimal exercise strategy of a perpetual American put option has also been discussed. A most noticeable and interesting result is that there is a special cut-off value for the spot variance, below which a perpetual American put option priced under the Heston model should be held longer than the case of the same option priced under the traditional Black-Scholes model, when the price of the underlying is falling.
TIME-CHANGED FAST MEAN-REVERTING STOCHASTIC VOLATILITY MODELS
Authors: LORIG MATTHEW
Published: January 2012

We introduce a class of randomly time-changed fast mean-reverting stochastic volatility (TC-FMR-SV) models. Using spectral theory and singular perturbation techniques, we derive an approximation for the price of any European option in the TC-FMR-SV setting. Three examples of random time-changes are provided and are shown to induce distinct implied volatility surfaces. The key features of the TC-FMR-SV framework are that (i) it is able to incorporate jumps into the price process of the underlying asset (ii) it allows for the leverage effect and (iii) it can accommodate multiple factors of volatility, which operate on different time-scales.
STUDY THE BEHAVIOR OF AN ELECTRICALLY EXCITING NANOTUBE USING OPTIMAL HOMOTOPY ASYMPTOTIC METHOD
Authors: KALIJI H. D. , GHADIMI M. , PASHAEI M. H.
Published: January 2012

This paper investigates the nanoelectromechanical switch made of a suspended single wall nanotube over a ground plane. Nonlinear continuous theory is simulated for electrostatic and van der Waals forces between the nanotube and the ground plane, which is modeled by a nonlinear beam. The governing equation of nanotube has been solved using optimal homotopy asymptotic method (OHAM) in order to obtain the deflection of the nanotube. Also, the results have been compared with those of numerical method. The comparison shows an excellent agreement.
Mitral Valve Prolapse
Authors: Guy T. Sloane , Hill Arthur C.
Published: January 2012

Mitral valve prolapse is defined as abnormal bulging of the mitral valve leaflets into the left atrium during ventricular systole. Mitral valve prolapse is a common condition that is a risk factor for mitral regurgitation, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, and endocarditis. Myxomatous degeneration is the most common cause of mitral prolapse in the United States and Europe, and progression of myxomatous mitral prolapse is the most common cause of mitral regurgitation that requires surgical treatment. Myxomatous degeneration appears to have genetic etiology. The genetics of myxomatous degeneration is complex and not fully worked out; it appears to be heterogeneous with multi-gene, multi-chromosomal autosomal dominance with incomplete penetrance. The molecular disorder of myxomatous degeneration appears to consist of a connective tissue disorder with altered extracellular matrix status and involves the action of matrix metalloproteinase, cysteine endoproteases, and tenomodulin. Treatment of mitral prolapse with regurgitation is complex, and the technological advances that are currently in development will be challenging and controversial.
Traumatic Brain Injury and Its Neuropsychiatric Sequelae in War Veterans
Authors: Sayer Nina A.
Published: January 2012

The post–September 11, 2001 wars in and around Afghanistan and Iraq have increased awareness of traumatic brain injury (TBI), particularly blast-induced mild TBI. This article provides an overview of TBI and its neuropsychiatric sequelae in U.S. war veterans who participated in the current operations in and around Afghanistan and Iraq, with particular emphasis on blast-related mild TBI. Psychiatric disorders, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder, pain, and sensory impairments are prevalent in war veterans with TBI. Research is needed to more definitively characterize the epidemiology of TBI-related functional difficulties, the effects of blasts compared with other mechanisms of injury, recovery trajectories, and treatment outcomes in this population.
Long-Term Survival in a Cat with Pancreatic Carcinoma and Splenic Involvement after Surgical Excision
Authors: Rosatelli P. , Menicagli F. , Citro G. , Baldi A. , Spugnini E. P.
Published: January 2012

A thirteen-year-old female spayed with a history of hydronephrosis was presented for a routine abdominal ultrasonographic exam. The imaging exam showed a mass involving the pancreas and a large mass affecting the spleen. Exploratory laparotomy evidenced a mass in the pancreas and another involving one-third of the spleen. The patient had partial pancreatectomy and splenectomy. The histopathology report came back with a diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy was declined. The cat is still free of gross tumor recurrence and metastatic disease after twenty-six months. Early diagnosed and aggressively treated feline pancreatic carcinoma might yield a favorable prognosis.
Clinical Trials and Treatment of ATL
Authors: Tsukasaki Kunihiro , Tobinai Kensei
Published: January 2012

ATL is a distinct peripheral T-lymphocytic malignancy associated with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1). The diversity in clinical features and prognosis of patients with this disease has led to its subtype-classification into four categories, acute, lymphoma, chronic, and smoldering types, defined by organ involvement, and LDH and calcium values. In case of acute, lymphoma, or unfavorable chronic subtypes (aggressive ATL), intensive chemotherapy like the LSG15 regimen (VCAP-AMP-VECP) is usually recommended if outside of clinical trials, based on the results of a phase 3 trial. In case of favorable chronic or smoldering ATL (indolent ATL), watchful waiting until disease progression has been recommended, although the long-term prognosis was inferior to those of, for instance, chronic lymphoid leukemia. Retrospective analysis suggested that the combination of interferon alpha and zidovudine was apparently promising for the treatment of ATL, especially for types with leukemic manifestation. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is also promising for the treatment of aggressive ATL possibly reflecting graft versus ATL effect. Several new agent trials for ATL are ongoing and in preparation, including a defucosylated humanized anti-CC chemokine receptor 4 monoclonal antibody, IL2-fused with diphtheria toxin, histone deacetylase inhibitors, a purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitor, a proteasome inhibitor, and lenalidomide.
Exponential Stability of Impulsive Stochastic Delay Differential Systems
Authors: Wu Xiaotai , Yan Litan , Zhang Wenbing , Chen Liang
Published: January 2012

This paper investigates the stability of stochastic delay differential systems with two kinds of impulses, that is, destabilizing impulses and stabilizing impulses. Both the pth moment and almost sure exponential stability criteria are established by using the average impulsive interval. When the impulses are regarded as disturbances, a lower bound of average impulsive interval is obtained; it means that the impulses should not happen too frequently. On the other hand, when the impulses are used to stabilize the system, an upper bound of average impulsive interval is derived; namely, enough impulses are needed to stabilize the system. The effectiveness of the proposed results is illustrated by two examples.
Current Status and Future Development of Cell Transplantation Therapy for Periodontal Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Yoshida Toshiyuki , Washio Kaoru , Iwata Takanori , Okano Teruo , Ishikawa Isao
Published: January 2012

It has been shown that stem cell transplantation can regenerate periodontal tissue, and several clinical trials involving transplantation of stem cells into human patients have already begun or are in preparation. However, stem cell transplantation therapy is a new technology, and the events following transplantation are poorly understood. Several studies have reported side effects and potential risks associated with stem cell transplantation therapy. To protect patients from such risks, governments have placed regulations on stem cell transplantation therapies. It is important for the clinicians to understand the relevant risks and governmental regulations. This paper describes the ongoing clinical studies, basic research, risks, and governmental controls related to stem cell transplantation therapy. Then, one clinical study is introduced as an example of a government-approved periodontal cell transplantation therapy.
Approximating Ideal Filters by Systems of Fractional Order
Authors: Li Ming
Published: January 2012

The contributions in this paper are in two folds. On the one hand, we propose a general approach for approximating ideal filters based on fractional calculus from the point of view of systems of fractional order. On the other hand, we suggest that the Paley and Wiener criterion might not be a necessary condition for designing physically realizable ideal filters. As an application of the present approach, we show a case in designing ideal filters for suppressing 50-Hz interference in electrocardiogram (ECG) signals.
Weighted Least-Squares Finite Element Method for Cardiac Blood Flow Simulation with Echocardiographic Data
Authors: Wei Fei , Westerdale John , McMahon Eileen M. , Belohlavek Marek , Heys Jeffrey J.
Published: January 2012

As both fluid flow measurement techniques and computer simulation methods continue to improve, there is a growing need for numerical simulation approaches that can assimilate experimental data into the simulation in a flexible and mathematically consistent manner. The problem of interest here is the simulation of blood flow in the left ventricle with the assimilation of experimental data provided by ultrasound imaging of microbubbles in the blood. The weighted least-squares finite element method is used because it allows data to be assimilated in a very flexible manner so that accurate measurements are more closely matched with the numerical solution than less accurate data. This approach is applied to two different test problems: a flexible flap that is displaced by a jet of fluid and blood flow in the porcine left ventricle. By adjusting how closely the simulation matches the experimental data, one can observe potential inaccuracies in the model because the simulation without experimental data differs significantly from the simulation with the data. Additionally, the assimilation of experimental data can help the simulation capture certain small effects that are present in the experiment, but not modeled directly in the simulation.