bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Issues of Insurance of Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage From Nuclear Low Power Plants
Authors: Demin Vladimir F. , Kuznetsov Vyacheslav P.
Published: July 2014

In the frame of economic analysis of nuclear power (NP) with SMRs in their total life cycle the expert analysis of the problems associated with the civil liability for nuclear damage from SMRs on the example of transportable nuclear power units (TNUs) was performed.

Purpose of the analysis is as follows:

• Assessment of NP’ safety and economy changes in its development based on TNUs with KLT-40S and partly with RITM-200M reactor units.

• Work out of recommendations on this development’ direction in terms of the insurance approach justification and amount of compensation for nuclear damage.

The following aspects were considered in the analysis:

1. National and international approaches and practice of nuclear insurance.

2. Specific features of TNUs and differences from large NPPs basing on example of the design of floating power unit FPU “Academician Lomonosov” with KLT-40S reactors.

3. Assessment of severe accident consequences during TNU’ life cycle.

4. Analysis of insurances’ approaches and assessment of possible insurance costs.
Nuclear Power System on a Base of Transportable Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Velikhov Evgeny P. , Kuznetsov Vyacheslav P. , Demin Vladimir F.
Published: July 2014

This paper presents the initial provisions, materials, results, current status and next tasks of the study dedicated to the issues of legal and institutional support of transportable nuclear power plants. This study is performed in the framework of the IAEA International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles INPRO.

Transportable nuclear power plants (TNPPs) are either small nuclear power plants (SNPPs) with their lifecycle implemented on a single transportable platform, or SNPPs assembled of transportable factory-made modules.

Advantages of SNPPs and TNPPs are:

• Enhanced safety and reliability;

• Design simplicity,

• Shorter construction period;

• Industrial serial production;

• Smaller capital costs and shorter investment cycle compared with large NPP;

• Possibility of autonomous operation;

• Suitability for non-electric application and others.

There is an objective evidence of growing interest in developing a nuclear energy system (NES) based on SNPPs including TNPPs.

Underlying assumptions of the Russian study:

• The User of TNPP services is interested in receiving energy only, does not claim ownership of nuclear technologies, materials and TNPP itself, and this incurs minimal liability for nuclear energy use; INPRO defines this TNPP lifecycle option as “Maximum outsourcing”;

• All operations involving nuclear fuel are performed either at the TNPP manufacturer plant, or at a regional TNPP service center within the Holder’s liability zone;

• TNPP sitting requires no onsite operations except assembling.

Expert reviews have been performed to confirm TNPP lifecycle compliance with the nuclear legislation in fields such as: safety; non-proliferation; nuclear materials’ monitoring, accounting and control; physical protection; and civil liability for nuclear damage; transport operations.

It was confirmed that:

• In traditional approaches, the existing legal and institutional framework is sufficient for implementing TNPP lifecycle; to achieve the highest efficiency and safety of TNPPs it is necessary to develop TNPPs’ designs, their legal and institutional support;

• The following issues are of immediate interest for further studies: combination of inherent safety features and passive safety systems in TNPPs; TNPP lifecycle economy; lifecycle concept without onsite refueling; new approaches to indemnification for nuclear damage; new approaches to physical protection; nuclear liability of TNPP User; remote nuclear materials monitoring, and control and TNPP’ operating; serial industrial fabrication; licensing and certification; public-private partnership; international personnel training system; international cooperation in TNPP fabrication and servicing; role of the IAEA in developing TNPP-based NES.

• TNPP/SNPP-based nuclear energy system including all kinds of respective legal, institutional and infrastructural support should become the subject of further studies.
Analyses of the TRACE V5 Capability for the Simulation of Natural Circulation and Primary/Containment Coupling in BDBA Condition Typical of the MASLWR
Authors: Mascari F. , De Rosa F. , Polidori M. , Colletti A. M. , Costa A. M. , Richiusa M. L. , Vella G. , Woods B. G. , Welter K. , D’Auria F.
Published: July 2014

In the short term period the use of advanced Small Modular Reactor (SMR) is one of the most promising options for the deployment of nuclear technology. The validation and assessment of the best estimate thermal hydraulic system code TRACE against SMR thermal hydraulic phenomena is a novel effort. In this framework the use of the natural circulation database developed at the OSU-MASLWR test facility, simulating the MASLWR reactor prototype, is of interest for analyses of the TRACE code capability in predicting natural circulation and primary/containment coupled behavior in SMR. The target of this paper is to analyze the TRACE V5 capability for the simulation of natural circulation phenomena, at different primary and secondary side conditions, and to simulate the primary/containment coupling behavior, typical of the MASLWR design in Beyond Design-Basis Accidents (BDBA), by using a 3D TRACE model of the containment. The results of the calculated data show that the TRACE code is able to predict, from a quantitative point of view, the primary natural circulation mass flow rate, and that a 3D TRACE model of the containment is able to predict the main thermal hydraulic parameters, characterizing the primary/containment coupled thermal-hydraulic behavior.
Incorporation of Fukushima Lessons Learned Into Small Modular Light Water Reactor Functional Requirements
Authors: Loflin Leonard I.
Published: July 2014

This paper describes the EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) project to enable the incorporation of Fukushima Lessons Learned into new Advanced Light Water Reactor (ALWR) nuclear plant designs and projects. This includes large scale plants and Small Modular Reactors (SMR).

EPRI, working with the bulk of the US nuclear industry, compiled the Utility Requirements Document (URD) for new passive and evolutionary ALWRs. The ∼3,400 pages of functional design and project requirements in the URD became one of the bases documents for the current AP1000, ESBWR and EPR designs. The URD was and is a declaration of requirements of Owners/Operators for any new nuclear plant they might purchase. The 2013 revision 12 of the URD incorporated specific design and project requirements that are directly linked to industry summary conclusions and recommendations concerning the Fukushima event. During 2013 and 2014, EPRI, with assistance from the Department of Energy (DOE), is developing the URD requirements for selected SMRs.
A Retrospective Look on Plant Events for Evolving Expectations in Nuclear Safety
Authors: Koshy Thomas
Published: July 2014

The nuclear industry continues to rise above challenges resulting from major plant events around the world. It is important to study the significant events, and find solutions to overcome the vulnerabilities identified, and retain the lessons while technology evolves to the next generation of SMRs. The plant events discussed are from Light Water reactors (LWRs) but he derived lessons could apply to LWR–SMRs and it could be extrapolated for other designs.

The historical lessons on Station-Black-Out needs to be re-examined further in a new dimension in the light of “Fukushima type” events where AC & DC power was lost to the entire station from a common cause and the recovery in a reasonable period was not practical.

The SMRs are specially considered for smaller grid size and for remote locations where a large reactor is unsuitable. The specific advantages for SMRs are its smaller foot print, modular type construction and flexibility for incremental units to meet rising demand in power. These features are very attractive to countries with small grids and for countries that are in the early stages of nuclear power technology development. In anticipation of these opportunities, when we launch into new technology of evolutionary and revolutionary advancements, the reactors have to be more rugged with ample diversity in critical reactor safety areas through both passive and active means to account for a conditions that may inhibit electrical energy as a source of motive power.

An electrical event in Forsmark plant that propagated from an electrical switchyard resulted in two core cooling divisions disabled and consequently exacerbating the plant condition by opening the steam relief system for reactor coolant system and that significantly increased the probability for core damage. A minor spark in an electronic control system card in a US plant caused inadvertent actuation of emergency core cooling and disabled the capability of control room operators to intervene and prevent the primary cooling system from completely going water solid in the primary loop of Reactor Coolant System. A renewed assessment is needed to address the following questions for advancing reactor safety in the new evolving generation of LWR-SMR plants and to other types as applicable to preserve the historic lessons in safety.

(1) Evaluate the diversity in emergency core cooling systems following loss of all AC power onsite;

(2) Ensure diversity in reactor trip & depressurization;

(3) Evaluate the suitability of logic/control system failure mode resulting from power supply failures in instrument channels and/or divisions, i.e. by conducting failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) for system, power supplies and component level;

(4) Confirm independence in reactor trip and emergency core cooling systems for sensors, power supplies and actuation systems.
Initiators and Triggering Conditions for Adaptive Automation in Advanced Small Modular Reactors
Authors: Le Blanc Katya L. , Oxstrand Johanna H.
Published: July 2014

It is anticipated that Advanced Small Modular Reactors (AdvSMRs) will employ high degrees of automation. High levels of automation can enhance system performance, but often at the cost of reduced human performance. Automation can lead to human out-of the loop issues, unbalanced workload, complacency, and other problems if it is not designed properly. Researchers have proposed adaptive automation (defined as dynamic or flexible allocation of functions) as a way to get the benefits of higher levels of automation without the human performance costs. Adaptive automation has the potential to balance operator workload and enhance operator situation awareness by allocating functions to the operators in a way that is sensitive to overall workload and capabilities at the time of operation. However, there still a number of questions regarding how to effectively design adaptive automation to achieve that potential. One of those questions is related to how to initiate (or trigger) a shift in automation in order to provide maximal sensitivity to operator needs without introducing undesirable consequences (such as unpredictable mode changes). Several triggering mechanisms for shifts in adaptive automation have been proposed including: operator initiated, critical events, performance-based, physiological measurement, model-based, and hybrid methods. As part of a larger project to develop design guidance for human-automation collaboration in AdvSMRs, researchers at Idaho National Laboratory have investigated the effectiveness and applicability of each of these triggering mechanisms in the context of AdvSMR. Researchers reviewed the empirical literature on adaptive automation and assessed each triggering mechanism based on the human-system performance consequences of employing that mechanism. Researchers also assessed the practicality and feasibility of using the mechanism in the context of an AdvSMR control room. Results indicate that there are tradeoffs associated with each mechanism, but that some are more applicable to the AdvSMR domain than others. The two mechanisms that consistently improve performance in laboratory studies are operator initiated adaptive automation based on hierarchical task delegation and the Electroencephalogram (EEG)–based measure of engagement. Current EEG methods are intrusive and require intensive analysis; therefore it is not recommended for an AdvSMR control rooms at this time. Researchers also discuss limitations in the existing empirical literature and make recommendations for further research.
Conceptual Design and Feasibility Study for FAil-Safe Simple Economical SMR (FASES) System
Authors: Kim Ho Sik , No Hee Cheon
Published: July 2014

Because of high marketability of SMR, although many countries are trying to develop SMR, the SMR market is not formed yet. For early dominance of SMR market, the SMR system should be fail-safe, simple and economical. In order to develop FAil-safe Simple Economical SMR (FASES) system we applied the design characteristics of HTGRs into water-cooled reactors. In this study, we performed conceptual design and feasibility study for the FASES system. The feasibility study is focused on a thermal-hydraulic aspect in normal operating conditions and several accident conditions. The key design characteristic of the FASES system obtained from design concepts is to have sufficient decay heat removal capability even in the accidents involving extended station blackout (SBO), failure of passive decay heat removal system (PDHRS), and failure of emergency core cooling system (ECCS). Based on the design concepts, we could define several thermal-hydraulic design requirements. Then, we performed thermal-hydraulic analysis for feasibility study and proposed the specific design of the FASES system satisfying several design requirements.
Active Control and Inherently Safe Operation in Advanced SMRs
Authors: Vilim R. B. , Passerini S. , Ponciroli R.
Published: July 2014

A strategy that ensures active control systems cannot override or compromise passive safety and that power generation goals are still met is described. The approach places an increased reliance on passive feedbacks to regulate plant operation. The tradeoffs this strategy entails are assessed through dynamic simulation studies of a liquid-metal cooled advanced SMR.
Complete Genome Sequences of Three Iberian Brucella suis Biovar 2 Strains Isolated from Wild Boars
Authors: Ferreira Ana Cristina , Tenreiro Rogério , Corrêa de Sá Maria Inácia , Dias Ricardo
Published: July 2014

Brucella suis
biovar 2 is the most common biovar isolated from wild boars (
Sus scrofa
) associated with transmission to outdoor-reared pigs in Europe. We report here the complete and annotated genome sequences of three strains isolated from wild boars in Portugal and Spain and belonging to the Iberian clone (haplotypes 2d and 2e).
Complete Mitochondrial Genome Sequence of Lichtheimia ramosa (syn.
Lichtheimia hongkongensis
)
Authors: Leung Shui-Yee , Huang Yi , Lau Susanna K. P. , Woo Patrick C. Y.
Published: July 2014

We report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of
Lichtheimia ramosa
(syn.
Lichtheimia hongkongensis
), the first complete mitochondrial DNA sequence of the genus
Lichtheimia
. This 31.8-kb mitochondrial genome encodes 11 subunits of respiratory chain complexes, 3 ATP synthase subunits, 25 tRNAs, and small and large rRNAs, with the gene order
atp9-cox2-atp6-cox3-cox1-nad2-nad3-cob-nad1-nad6-nad5-nad4l-nad4-atp8.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Novel Streptomyces griseorubens Strain, JSD-1, Active in Carbon and Nitrogen Recycling
Authors: Feng Haiwei , Zhi Yuee , Sun Yujing , Wei Xing , Luo Yanqing , Zhou Pei
Published: July 2014

Streptomyces griseorubens
JSD-1, isolated from compost-treated soil, is able to utilize lignocellulose and nitrate as its sole carbon and nitrogen source for growth. Here, we announce the draft genome map of this actinomycete. The genes participating in lignocellulose and nitrate metabolism were picked out and identified.
Draft Genome Sequence of Beneficial Rice Rhizosphere Isolate Pseudomonas aeruginosa PUPa3
Authors: Uzelac Gordana , Bertani Iris , Kojic Milan , Paszkiewicz Konrad H. , Studholme David J. , Passos da Silva Daniel , Venturi Vittorio
Published: July 2014

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
PUPa3 is a rhizosphere-colonizing and plant growth-promoting strain isolated from the rhizosphere of rice. This strain has, however, been shown to be pathogenic in two nonmammalian infection models. Here we report the draft genome sequence of
P. aeruginosa
PUPa3.
Genome Sequence of Oenococcus oeni OM27, the First Fully Assembled Genome of a Strain Isolated from an Italian Wine
Authors: Lamontanara Antonella , Orrù Luigi , Cattivelli Luigi , Russo Pasquale , Spano Giuseppe , Capozzi Vittorio
Published: July 2014

Oenococcus oeni
OM27 is a strain selected from “Nero di Troia” wine undergoing spontaneous malolactic fermentation. “Nero di Troia” is a wine made from “Uva di Troia” grapes, an autochthonous black grape variety from the Apulian region (south of Italy). In this paper we present a 1.78-Mb assembly of the
O. oeni
OM27 genome, the first fully assembled genome of an
O. oeni
strain from an Italian wine.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Cupriavidus
sp. Strain SK-3, a 4-Chlorobiphenyl- and 4-Clorobenzoic Acid-Degrading Bacterium
Authors: Vilo Claudia , Benedik Michael J. , Ilori Matthew , Dong Qunfeng
Published: July 2014

We report the draft genome sequence of
Cupriavidus
sp. strain SK-3, which can use 4-chlorobiphenyl and 4-clorobenzoic acid as the sole carbon source for growth. The draft genome sequence allowed the study of the polychlorinated biphenyl degradation mechanism and the recharacterization of the strain SK-3 as a
Cupriavidus
species.
Hashimoto's thyroiditis presenting as Hoffman's syndrome, rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury
Authors: Ahmed Gasim Salaheldin , Zaid Hassan Musa , Moloney Manus
Published: July 2014

An otherwise healthy young man presented with gradual progressive fatigue for the past 12 months disturbing his daily activities. Clinical examination revealed marked generalised muscular hypertrophy including the temporalis muscles bilaterally. Investigation revealed that the patient was grossly hypothyroid due to Hashimoto's thyroiditis with rhabdomyolysis and acute kidney injury. The finding of muscle weakness and pseudohypertrophy in association with hypothyroidism is called Hoffman’s syndrome. The patient was hydrated and thyroxine replacement initiated. On follow-up, the patient showed clinical as well as biochemical improvement.
Vitamin D-deficient osteomalacia due to excessive self-restrictions for atopic dermatitis
Authors: Shikino Kiyoshi , Ikusaka Masatomi , Yamashita Tomoko
Published: July 2014

A 34-year-old Japanese woman presented with a 2-year history of generalised bone pain, muscle weakness and gait disturbance. The patient had been following a restricted diet (without fish or dairy products) and avoiding ultraviolet exposure for 8 years to manage her worsening atopic dermatitis. Physical examination revealed generalised bone tenderness and bilateral symmetric proximal muscle weakness. Vitamin D-deficient osteomalacia was diagnosed based on the laboratory examination findings, which indicated high serum alkaline phosphatase, high intact parathyroid hormone, and low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. Her symptoms improved after oral active vitamin D and calcium administration. To the best our knowledge, this case is the first report of vitamin D-deficient osteomalacia in an adult patient due to excessive dietary restriction for managing atopic dermatitis. We emphasise the importance of increasing awareness of vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor for the development of osteomalacia, and caution against excessive avoidance of sun exposure and dietary restriction.
Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the sphenoid sinus mimicking fibrous dysplasia in CT and MRI
Authors: Yoshihara Shintaro , Kondo Kenji , Ochi Atsushi
Published: July 2014

We present a 70-year-old man with lymphoma who presented with a right eye movement disorder. CT examinations showed ‘ground-glass’ appearance extending around the right sphenoid sinus which suggested fibrous dysplasia. However, biopsy from the mass histologically proved it to be diffusing large B-cell lymphoma and positron emission tomography examinations revealed increased fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake around the right sphenoid bone and multiple spinal bones. After chemotherapy for lymphoma, abnormal FDG uptake disappeared from the body.
Neighbourhood environment factors and the occurrence of injuries in Canadian adolescents: a validation study and exploration of structural confounding
Authors: Vafaei Afshin , Pickett William , Alvarado Beatriz E
Published: July 2014

Objectives

Social sorting mechanisms or analogous selection processes may impose confounding effects in the study of aetiological relationships. Such processes are referred to as structural confounding. If present, certain strata of social factors could hypothetically never be exposed to specific risk factors. This prohibits exchangeability across groups that is needed for meaningful causal inference. The objectives of this study were to: (1) develop and test the reliability and validity of composite scales for the measurement of social capital (SC), socioeconomic status (SES) and built environment (BE) and (2) to explore the possible roles of community level SC, SES and BE factors in studies of the aetiology of youth injury.

Setting/participants

A nationally representative sample of over 26 000 Canadian students aged 11–15 years.

Measures/analysis

Scales describing these key factors were developed and validated via exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. We then used tabular analyses to explore structural confounding in our population.

Results

The proposed scales all demonstrated good psychometric properties. Despite variations in the number of adolescents across social and environmental strata, no evidence for the presence of structural confounding was detected in our data.

Conclusions

Relationships between social capital and the occurrence of injuries in Canadian youth aged 11–16 can potentially be studied without consideration of structural confounding biases. Canada is a suitable place to disentangle the effects of different neighbourhood social and environmental exposures on occurrence of injuries and other outcomes in adolescent populations. Exchangeability is possible across exposure strata and therefore a meaningful multilevel regression analysis is feasible. However, more studies are needed to test the consistency of our findings in other populations and for different outcomes.
Effect of mycophenolate mofetil on progression of interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy after kidney transplantation: a retrospective study
Authors: Mihovilović Karlo , Maksimović Bojana , Kocman Branislav , Guštin Denis , Vidas Željko , Bulimbašić Stela , Ljubanović Danica Galešić , Matovinović Mirjana Sabljar , Knotek Mladen
Published: July 2014

Objectives

Chronic transplant dysfunction after kidney transplantation is a major reason of kidney graft loss and is caused by immunological and non-immunological factors. There is evidence that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) may exert a positive effect on renal damage in addition to immunosuppression, by its direct antifibrotic properties. The aim of our study was to retrospectively investigate the role of MMF doses on progression of chronic allograft dysfunction and fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IF/TA).

Setting

Retrospective, cohort study.

Participants

Patients with kidney transplant in a tertiary care institution. This is a retrospective cohort study that included 79 patients with kidney and kidney–pancreas transplantation. Immunosuppression consisted of anti-interleukin 2 antibody induction, MMF, a calcineurin inhibitor±steroids.

Primary outcome measures

An association of average MMF doses over 1 year post-transplant with progression of interstitial fibrosis (Δci), tubular atrophy (Δct) and estimated-creatinine clearance (eCrcl) at 1 year post-transplant was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

A higher average MMF dose was significantly independently associated with better eCrcl at 1 year post-transplant (b=0.21±0.1, p=0.04). In multiple regression analysis lower Δci (b=−0.2±0.09, p=0.05) and Δct (b=−0.29±0.1, p=0.02) were independently associated with a greater average MMF dose. There was no correlation between average MMF doses and incidence of acute rejection (p=0.68).

Conclusions

A higher average MMF dose over 1 year is associated with better renal function and slower progression of IF/TA, at least partly independent of its immunosuppressive effects.
Time to add a new priority target for child injury prevention? The case for an excess burden associated with sport and exercise injury: population-based study
Authors: Finch Caroline F , Wong Shee Anna , Clapperton Angela
Published: July 2014

Objective

To determine the population-level burden of sports injuries compared with that for road traffic injury for children aged <15 years in Victoria, Australia.

Design

Retrospective observational study.

Setting

Analysis of routinely collected data relating to non-fatal hospital-treated sports injury and road traffic injury cases for children aged <15 years in Victoria, Australia, over 2004–2010, inclusive.

Participants

75 413 non-fatal hospital-treated sports injury and road traffic injury cases in children aged <15 years. Data included: all Victorian public and private hospital hospitalisations, using the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems, 10th Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM) activity codes to identify sports-related cases and ICD-10-AM cause and location codes to identify road traffic injuries; and injury presentations to 38 Victorian public hospital emergency departments, using a combination of activity, cause and location codes.

Main outcome measures

Trends in injury frequency and rate were analysed by log-linear Poisson regression and the population-level injury burden was assessed in terms of years lived with disability (YLD), hospital bed-days and direct hospital costs.

Results

Over the 7-year period, the annual frequency of non-fatal hospital-treated sports injury increased significantly by 29% (from N=7405 to N=9923; p<0.001) but the frequency of non-fatal hospital-treated road traffic injury decreased by 26% (from N=1841 to N=1334; p<0.001). Sports injury accounted for a larger population health burden than did road traffic injury on all measures: 3-fold the number of YLDs (7324.8 vs 2453.9); 1.9-fold the number of bed-days (26 233 vs 13 886) and 2.6-fold the direct hospital costs ($A5.9 millions vs $A2.2 millions).

Conclusions

The significant 7-year increase in the frequency of hospital-treated sports injury and the substantially higher injury population-health burden (direct hospital costs, bed-day usage and YLD impacts) for sports injury compared with road traffic injury for children aged <15 years indicates an urgent need to prioritise sports injury prevention in this age group.
Is ioflupane I123 injection diagnostically effective in patients with movement disorders and dementia? Pooled analysis of four clinical trials
Authors: O'Brien John T , Oertel Wolfgang H , McKeith Ian G , Grosset Donald G , Walker Zuzana , Tatsch Klaus , Tolosa Eduardo , Sherwin Paul F , Grachev Igor D
Published: July 2014

Objectives

To pool clinical trials of similar design to assess overall sensitivity and specificity of ioflupane I123 injection (DaTSCAN or ioflupane (123I)) to detect or exclude a striatal dopaminergic deficit disorder (SDDD), such as parkinsonian syndrome and dementia with Lewy bodies.

Design

Pooled analysis of three phase 3 and one phase 4 clinical trials. These four trials were selected because they were the four studies used for the US new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Setting

Multicentre, open-label, non-randomised.

Participants

Patients with either a movement disorder or dementia, and healthy volunteers.

Interventions

Ioflupane (123I) was administered.

Outcome measures

Images were assessed by panels of 3–5 blinded experts and/or on-site nuclear medicine physicians, classified as normal or abnormal and compared with clinical diagnosis (reference standard) to determine sensitivity and specificity.

Results

Pooling the four studies, 928 participants were enrolled, 849 were dosed and 764 completed their study. Across all studies, when images were assessed by on-site readers, ioflupane (123I) diagnostic effectiveness had an overall (95% CI) sensitivity of 91.9% (88.7% to 94.5%) and specificity of 83.6% (78.7% to 87.9%). When reads were conducted blindly by a panel of independent experts, the overall sensitivity was 88.7% (86.8% to 90.4%) and specificity was 91.2% (89.0% to 93.0%).

Conclusions

In this pooled analysis, the visual assessment of ioflupane (123I) images provided high levels of sensitivity and specificity in detecting the presence/absence of an SDDD. Ioflupane (123I) imaging has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy in patients with signs and symptoms of a movement disorder and/or dementia.

Trial registration number

NCT00209456.
Lifetime alcohol use and overall and cause-specific mortality in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC) study
Authors: Ferrari Pietro , Licaj Idlir , Muller David C , Kragh Andersen Per , Johansson Mattias , Boeing Heiner , Weiderpass Elisabete , Dossus Laure , Dartois Laureen , Fagherazzi Guy , Bradbury Kathryn E , Khaw Kay-Tee , Wareham Nick , Duell Eric J , Barricarte Aurelio , Molina-Montes Esther , Sanchez Carmen Navarro , Arriola Larraitz , Wallström Peter , Tjønneland Anne , Olsen Anja , Trichopoulou Antonia , Benetou Vasiliki , Trichopoulos Dimitrios , Tumino Rosario , Agnoli Claudia , Sacerdote Carlotta , Palli Domenico , Li Kuanrong , Kaaks Rudolf , Peeters Petra , Beulens Joline WJ , Nunes Luciana , Gunter Marc , Norat Teresa , Overvad Kim , Brennan Paul , Riboli Elio , Romieu Isabelle
Published: July 2014

Objectives

To investigate the role of factors that modulate the association between alcohol and mortality, and to provide estimates of absolute risk of death.

Design

The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and nutrition (EPIC).

Setting

23 centres in 10 countries.

Participants

380 395 men and women, free of cancer, diabetes, heart attack or stroke at enrolment, followed up for 12.6 years on average.

Main outcome measures

20 453 fatal events, of which 2053 alcohol-related cancers (ARC, including cancers of upper aerodigestive tract, liver, colorectal and female breast), 4187 cardiovascular diseases/coronary heart disease (CVD/CHD), 856 violent deaths and injuries. Lifetime alcohol use was assessed at recruitment.

Results

HRs comparing extreme drinkers (≥30 g/day in women and ≥60 g/day in men) to moderate drinkers (0.1–4.9 g/day) were 1.27 (95% CI 1.13 to 1.43) in women and 1.53 (1.39 to 1.68) in men. Strong associations were observed for ARC mortality, in men particularly, and for violent deaths and injuries, in men only. No associations were observed for CVD/CHD mortality among drinkers, whereby HRs were higher in never compared to moderate drinkers. Overall mortality seemed to be more strongly related to beer than wine use, particularly in men. The 10-year risks of overall death for women aged 60 years, drinking more than 30 g/day was 5% and 7%, for never and current smokers, respectively. Corresponding figures in men consuming more than 60 g/day were 11% and 18%, in never and current smokers, respectively. In competing risks analyses, mortality due to CVD/CHD was more pronounced than ARC in men, while CVD/CHD and ARC mortality were of similar magnitude in women.

Conclusions

In this large European cohort, alcohol use was positively associated with overall mortality, ARC and violent death and injuries, but marginally to CVD/CHD. Absolute risks of death observed in EPIC suggest that alcohol is an important determinant of total mortality.
On the complements of 3-dimensional convex polyhedra as polynomial images of ℝ3
Authors: Fernando José F. , Ueno Carlos
Published: July 2014

Let [Formula: see text] be a convex polyhedron of dimension n. Denote [Formula: see text] and let [Formula: see text] be its closure. We prove that for n = 3 the semialgebraic sets [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are polynomial images of ℝ3. The former techniques cannot be extended in general to represent the semialgebraic sets [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] as polynomial images of ℝn if n ≥ 4.
A HYBRID CLUSTERING ALGORITHM COMBINING CLOUD MODEL IWO AND K-MEANS
Authors: PAN GUO , LI KENLI , OUYANG AIJIA , ZHOU XU , XU YUMING
Published: July 2014

In order to overcome the drawbacks of the K-means (KM) for clustering problems such as excessively depending on the initial guess values and easily getting into local optimum, a clustering algorithm of invasive weed optimization (IWO) and KM based on the cloud model has been proposed in the paper. The so-called cloud model IWO (CMIWO) is adopted to direct the search of KM algorithm to ensure that the population has a definite evolution direction in the iterative process, thus improving the performance of CMIWO K-means (CMIWOKM) algorithm in terms of convergence speed, computing precision and algorithm robustness. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has such advantages as higher accuracy, faster constringency, and stronger stability.
THE EFFECT OF THE GAS INLET ON THE FLUID FIELD DURING FABRICATING HFCVD DIAMOND-COATED CUTTING TOOLS
Authors: SHEN BIN , CHEN SULIN , CHENG LEI , SUN FANGHONG
Published: July 2014

In the present study, the fluid field in a process of fabricating diamond coated cutting tools using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method is investigated using the finite volume method (FVM), in which the effects of the inlet height, gas initial velocity, inlet radius and arrangement are illustrated in terms of the gas velocity magnitude and vector distribution near the filaments and the flute surface of cutting tools. In the simulations, the coupling effect of the temperature and the gas field is also considered by simultaneously calculating the temperature distribution. The simulation results suggest that either shortening the distance between the gas inlet and filaments, or increasing the gas initial velocity is helpful for the reactive gas arriving at filaments surface and being dissociated. Furthermore, increasing the inlet area is able to significantly increase the velocity of gas field around the filaments, as well as produce a much more uniform gas velocity field. Based on this conclusion, two novel multi-inlets setups are proposed to further improve the generated gas field and the simulation results show that the most superior gas field can be achieved with the one including 8 larger central inlets and 24 smaller outskirt inlets. Finally, an actual deposition experiment is carried out and its result indicates that adopting the optimized such inlet arrangement could generate a highly uniform and homogeneous growth environment on whole deposition area.
Vibration of Beam with Elastically Restrained Ends and Rotational Spring-Lumped Rotary Inertia System at Mid-Span
Authors: Hozhabrossadati Seyed Mojtaba , Sani Ahmad Aftabi , Mofid Masood
Published: July 2014

This technical note addresses the free vibration problem of an elastically restrained Euler–Bernoulli beam with rotational spring-lumped rotary inertia system at its mid-span hinge. The governing differential equations and the boundary conditions of the beam are presented. Special attention is directed toward the conditions of the intermediate spring-mass system which plays a key role in the solution. Sample frequency parameters of the beam system are solved and tabulated. Mode shapes of the beam are also plotted for some spring stiffnesses.
Foundations of higher-order variational theory on Grassmann fibrations
Authors: Urban Zbyněk , Krupka Demeter
Published: July 2014

A setting for higher-order global variational analysis on Grassmann fibrations is presented. The integral variational principles for one-dimensional immersed submanifolds are introduced by means of differential 1-forms with specific properties, similar to the Lepage forms from the variational calculus on fibred manifolds. Prolongations of immersions and vector fields to the Grassmann fibrations are defined as a geometric tool for the variations of immersions, and the first variation formula in the infinitesimal form is derived. Its consequences, the Euler–Lagrange equations for submanifolds and the Noether theorem on invariant variational functionals are proved. Examples clarifying the meaning of the Noether theorem in the context of variational principles for submanifolds are given.
Teichmüller space of negatively curved metrics on Gromov–Thurston manifolds is not contractible
Authors: Sorcar Gangotryi
Published: July 2014

In this paper we prove that for all n = 4k - 2, k ≥ 2 there exists closed n-dimensional Riemannian manifolds M with negative sectional curvature that do not have the homotopy type of a locally symmetric space, such that [Formula: see text] is nontrivial. [Formula: see text] denotes the Teichmüller space of all negatively curved Riemannian metrics on M, which is the topological quotient of the space of all negatively curved metrics modulo the space of self-diffeomorphisms of M that are homotopic to the identity. Gromov–Thurston branched cover manifolds provide examples of negatively curved manifolds that do not have the homotopy type of a locally symmetric space. These manifolds will be used in this paper to prove the above stated result.
Bile acid flux through portal but not peripheral veins inhibits CYP7A1 expression without involvement of ileal FGF19 in rabbits
Authors: Shang Quan , Guo Grace L. , Honda Akira , Shi Daniel , Saumoy Monica , Salen Gerald , Xu Guorong
Published: July 2014

It was proposed that CYP7A1 expression is suppressed through the gut-hepatic signaling pathway fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 15/19-fibroblast growth factor receptor 4, which is initiated by activation of farnesoid X receptor in the intestine rather than in the liver. The present study tested whether portal bile acid flux alone without ileal FGF19 could downregulate CYP7A1 expression in rabbits. A rabbit model was developed by infusing glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA) through the splenic vein to bypass ileal FGF19. Study was conducted in four groups of rabbits: control; bile fistula + bovine serum albumin solution perfusion (BF); BF + GDCA (by portal perfusion); and BF + GDCA-f (by femoral perfusion). Compared with only BF, BF + GDCA (6 h portal perfusion) suppressed CYP7A1 mRNA, whereas BF + GDCA-f (via femoral vein) with the same perfusion rate of GDCA did not show inhibitory effects. Meanwhile, there was a decrease in ileal FGF19 expression and portal FGF19 protein levels, but an equivalent increase in biliary bile acid outputs in both GDCA perfusion groups. This study demonstrated that portal bile acid flux alone downregulated CYP7A1 expression with diminished FGF19 expression and protein levels, whereas the same bile acid flux reaching the liver through the hepatic artery via femoral vein had no inhibitory effect on CYP7A1. We propose that bile acid flux through the portal venous system may be a kind of “intestinal factor” that suppresses CYP7A1 expression.
Effects of acid on vagal nociceptive afferent subtypes in guinea pig esophagus
Authors: Yu Xiaoyun , Hu Youtian , Yu Shaoyong
Published: July 2014

Acid reflux-induced heartburn and noncardiac chest pain are processed peripherally by sensory nerve endings in the wall of the esophagus, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. This study aims to determine the effects of acid on esophageal vagal nociceptive afferent subtypes. Extracellular single-unit recordings were performed in guinea pig vagal nodose or jugular C fiber neurons by using ex vivo esophageal-vagal preparations with intact nerve endings in the esophagus. We recorded action potentials (AP) of esophageal nodose or jugular C fibers evoked by acid perfusion and compared esophageal distension-evoked AP before and after acid perfusion. Acid perfusion for 30 min (pH range 7.4 to 5.8) did not evoke AP in nodose C fibers but significantly decreased their responses to esophageal distension, which could be recovered after washing out acid for 90 min. In jugular C fibers, acid perfusion not only evoked AP but also inhibited their responses to esophageal distension, which were not recovered after washing out acid for 120 min. Lower concentration of capsaicin perfusion mimicked acid-induced effects in nodose and jugular C fibers. Pretreatment with TRPV1 antagonist AMG9810, but not acid-sensing ion channel (ASIC) inhibitor amiloride, significantly inhibited acid-induced effects in nodose and jugular C fiber. These results demonstrate that esophageal vagal nociceptive afferent nerve subtypes display distinctive responses to acid. Acid activates jugular, but not nodose, C fibers and inhibits both of their responses to esophageal distension. These effects are mediated mainly through TRPV1. This inhibitory effect is a novel finding and may contribute to esophageal sensory/motor dysfunction in acid reflux diseases.
Mechanistic and regulatory aspects of intestinal iron absorption
Authors: Gulec Sukru , Anderson Gregory J. , Collins James F.
Published: July 2014

Iron is an essential trace mineral that plays a number of important physiological roles in humans, including oxygen transport, energy metabolism, and neurotransmitter synthesis. Iron absorption by the proximal small bowel is a critical checkpoint in the maintenance of whole-body iron levels since, unlike most other essential nutrients, no regulated excretory systems exist for iron in humans. Maintaining proper iron levels is critical to avoid the adverse physiological consequences of either low or high tissue iron concentrations, as commonly occurs in iron-deficiency anemia and hereditary hemochromatosis, respectively. Exquisite regulatory mechanisms have thus evolved to modulate how much iron is acquired from the diet. Systemic sensing of iron levels is accomplished by a network of molecules that regulate transcription of the HAMP gene in hepatocytes, thus modulating levels of the serum-borne, iron-regulatory hormone hepcidin. Hepcidin decreases intestinal iron absorption by binding to the iron exporter ferroportin 1 on the basolateral surface of duodenal enterocytes, causing its internalization and degradation. Mucosal regulation of iron transport also occurs during low-iron states, via transcriptional (by hypoxia-inducible factor 2α) and posttranscriptional (by the iron-sensing iron-regulatory protein/iron-responsive element system) mechanisms. Recent studies demonstrated that these regulatory loops function in tandem to control expression or activity of key modulators of iron homeostasis. In health, body iron levels are maintained at appropriate levels; however, in several inherited disorders and in other pathophysiological states, iron sensing is perturbed and intestinal iron absorption is dysregulated. The iron-related phenotypes of these diseases exemplify the necessity of precisely regulating iron absorption to meet body demands.
Discoidin domain receptor 2 germline gene deletion leads to altered heart structure and function in the mouse
Authors: Cowling Randy T. , Yeo Seon Ju , Kim In Jai , Park Joong Il , Gu Yusu , Dalton Nancy D. , Peterson Kirk L. , Greenberg Barry H.
Published: July 2014

Discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) is a fibrillar collagen receptor that is expressed in mesenchymal cells throughout the body. In the heart, DDR2 is selectively expressed on cardiac fibroblasts. We generated a germline DDR2 knockout mouse and used this mouse to examine the role of DDR2 deletion on heart structure and function. Echocardiographic measurements from null mice were consistent with those from a smaller heart, with reduced left ventricular chamber dimensions and little change in wall thickness. Fractional shortening appeared normal. Left ventricular pressure measurements revealed mild inotropic and lusitropic abnormalities that were accentuated by dobutamine infusion. Both body and heart weights from 10-wk-old male mice were ∼20% smaller in null mice. The reduced heart size was not simply due to reduced body weight, since cardiomyocyte lengths were atypically shorter in null mice. Although normalized cardiac collagen mass (assayed by hydroxyproline content) was not different in null mice, the collagen area fraction was statistically higher, suggesting a reduced collagen density from altered collagen deposition and cross-linking. Cultured cardiac fibroblasts from null mice deposited collagen at a slower rate than wild-type littermates, possibly due to the expression of lower prolyl 4-hydroxylase α-isoform 1 enzyme levels. We conclude that genetic deletion of the DDR2 collagen receptor alters cardiac fibroblast function. The resulting perturbations in collagen deposition can influence the structure and function of mature cardiomyocytes.
Aminoglycoside-mediated relaxation of the ductus arteriosus in sepsis-associated PDA
Authors: Vucovich Megan M. , Cotton Robert B. , Shelton Elaine L. , Goettel Jeremy A. , Ehinger Noah J. , Poole Stanley D. , Brown Naoko , Wynn James L. , Paria Bibhash C. , Slaughter James C. , Clark Reese H. , Rojas Mario A. , Reese Jeff
Published: July 2014

Sepsis is strongly associated with patency of the ductus arteriosus (PDA) in critically ill newborns. Inflammation and the aminoglycoside antibiotics used to treat neonatal sepsis cause smooth muscle relaxation, but their contribution to PDA is unknown. We examined whether: 1) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or inflammatory cytokines cause relaxation of the ex vivo mouse DA; 2) the aminoglycosides gentamicin, tobramycin, or amikacin causes DA relaxation; and 3) newborn infants treated with aminoglycosides have an increased risk of symptomatic PDA (sPDA). Changes in fetal mouse DA tone were measured by pressure myography in response to LPS, TNF-α, IFN-γ, macrophage-inflammatory protein 2, IL-15, IL-13, CXC chemokine ligand 12, or three aminoglycosides. A clinical database of inborn patients of all gestations was analyzed for association between sPDA and aminoglycoside treatment. Contrary to expectation, neither LPS nor any of the inflammatory mediators caused DA relaxation. However, each of the aminoglycosides caused concentration-dependent vasodilation in term and preterm mouse DAs. Pretreatment with indomethacin and N-(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester did not prevent gentamicin-induced DA relaxation. Gentamicin-exposed DAs developed less oxygen-induced constriction than unexposed DAs. Among 488,349 infants who met the study criteria, 40,472 (8.3%) had sPDA. Confounder-adjusted odds of sPDA were higher in gentamicin-exposed infants, <25 wk and >32 wk. Together, these findings suggest that factors other than inflammation contribute to PDA. Aminoglycoside-induced vasorelaxation and inhibition of oxygen-induced DA constriction support the paradox that antibiotic treatment of sepsis may contribute to DA relaxation. This association was also found in newborn infants, suggesting that antibiotic selection may be an important consideration in efforts to reduce sepsis-associated PDA.