bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequency factor in the segmentation of function words in French-learning infants
Authors: Shi Rushen , Lepage Melanie , Gauthier Bruno , Marquis Alexandra
Published: October 2013

Previous work showed that 8-month-old French-learning infants segment both highly and moderately frequent function words from continuous speech [Shi and Gauthier, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117, 2426 (2005)]. In the present study we examine if high-frequency function words are segmented by even younger infants. Participants were 6-month-old Quebec-French-learning infants. As in the previous study, infants in the high-frequency condition were familiarized with a target functor (des or la) and were then tested with phrases containing the target versus those containing the nontarget. Thus, for infants familiarized to la, la-phrases were the target phrases and des-phrases were the nontarget phrases during Test. The reverse was the case when des was the familiarization target. The lower-frequency condition included a target functor mes versus ta (prosodically analogous to the functors in the high-frequency condition). The results show that 6-month-olds listened significantly longer to phrases containing the familiarized target than those containing the nontarget during Test, suggesting that they segmented the target. No difference was observed in the lower-frequency condition. Thus, while 8-month-olds segmented both high- and lower-frequency functors [Shi and Gauthier, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117, 2426 (2005)], 6-month-olds showed evidence of segmentation only for high-frequency functors. These findings suggest that frequency is a determining factor in the development of the segmentation of function words.
Time-domain three-dimensional Green’s functions for power law media.
Authors: Kelly James , Meerschaert Mark , McGough Robert
Published: October 2013

Frequency-dependent loss and dispersion are typically modeled with a power law attenuation coefficient, where the power law exponent ranges from 0 to 2. Typically, these effects are modeled in the frequency domain and then time-domain results are obtained via inverse fast Fourier transform because analytical solutions in the time domain were previously not available. To address this problem, analytical three-dimensional Green’s functions are derived in power law media for exponents between 0 and 2 by utilizing stable law probability distributions. For exponents equal to 0, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 3/2, and 2, Green’s function is expressed in terms of Dirac delta, exponential, Airy, and hypergeometric functions. For exponents strictly less than 1, Green’s functions are causal and expressed in terms of the Fox function. For exponents strictly greater than 1, Green’s functions are also expressed in terms of Fox and Wright functions and are noncausal. For exponents equal to 1, Green’s function is expressed as a stable distribution and is noncausal. However, numerical computations demonstrate that for observation points only one wavelength from the radiating source, Green’s function, is effectively causal for power law exponents greater than or equal to 1.
Variability of the water column sound speed profile and its effect on acoustic propagation during the Shallow Water 2006 Experiment.
Authors: Ballard Megan S. , Becker Kyle M.
Published: October 2013

Water column sound speed variability can have a significant effect on acoustic propagation. However, measurements of water column properties, either by ship based systems or moored instruments, are often neither spatially nor temporally colocated with acoustic measurements. Variability of the water column over the acoustic propagation path must be approximated by extrapolation. During SW06, a low-frequency sound source, broadcasting pure tones, was towed along radials from a vertical array comprised of both hydrophones and oceanographic sensors. Concurrently, and from the same ship, a towed CTD chain was used to measure the water column as a function of both time and space. Changes in sound speed as high as 15 m/s were recorded over a 5-km aperture. The CTD chain, in combination with environmental sensors on the VLA, allowed for continuous monitoring of the water column sound speed profile at both the source and receiver locations. It is shown that horizontal wavenumber predictions for the acoustic field are biased by the sound speed measured at the source compared to at the receiver. In addition, predictions of the acoustic field are improved when the range dependence of the sound speed profile is considered. [Work supported by NDSEG and ONR.]
The speech-to-song illusion.
Authors: Deutsch Diana , Lapidis Rachael , Henthorn Trevor
Published: October 2013

This paper reports the first formal investigation of a surprising illusion: A particular spoken phrase is made to be heard convincingly as sung rather than spoken, simply by repeating it several times over. Three groups of 18 subjects each listened to the spoken phrase repeated ten times, and they judged after each repetition whether, and how strongly, they heard the phrase as spoken or as sung. For all groups, the first and last repetitions were identical. For the first group, the intervening repetitions were also identical. For the second group, the intervening repetitions were transposed upward and downward slightly (by 2/3 semitone and 1 1/3 semitone), so that the pitches differed but the pitch relationships were preserved. For the third group, the intervening repetitions consisted of the untransposed syllables presented in jumbled orders. Comparing the first with the last repetition, a clear and highly significant transition from perceived speech to perceived song occurred when the intervening repetitions were exact, but not when the intervening repetitions were transformed. This indicates that both the exact pitches and the exact pitch contours need to be repeated for the illusion to occur. This paper is accompanied by sound demonstrations of the illusion.
A Divergent Variant of the Eleventh Human Polyomavirus Species, Saint Louis Polyomavirus
Authors: Pastrana Diana V. , FitzGerald Peter C. , Phan Giao Q. , Raiji Manish T. , Murphy Philip M. , McDermott David H. , Velez Daniel , Bliskovsky Valery , McBride Alison A. , Buck Christopher B.
Published: October 2013

Saint Louis polyomavirus (STLPyV) was recently discovered in human feces. Using random-primed rolling circle amplification combined with deep sequencing, we have found a divergent variant of STLPyV in a sanitized human skin wart specimen. The result strongly suggests that STLPyV directly infects humans and is not simply a dietary contaminant.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Novel
Peptoniphilus
sp. Strain ChDC B134, Isolated from a Human Periapical Abscess Lesion
Authors: Cho Eugene , Park Soon-Nang , Kim Hak Kyun , Kim Dae-Soo , Jung Jaeeun , Baek Jeong-Hun , Lim Yun Kyong , Jo Eojin , Choi Mi-Hwa , Chang Young-Hyo , Shin Yeseul , Paek Jayoung , Shin Jeong Hwan , Kim Jihun , Choi Sang-Haeng , Park Hong-Seog , Kim Hongik , Kook Joong-Ki
Published: October 2013

The genus
Peptoniphilus
comprises butyrate-producing, nonsaccharolytic species that use peptone and amino acids as major energy sources. The novel
Peptoniphilus
sp. strain ChDC B134 (=KCOM 1628) was isolated from a human periapical abscess lesion. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the strain.
Comparison of rectal, tympanic membrane and axillary temperature measurement methods in dogs
Authors: Lamb V. , McBrearty A. R.
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to compare axillary and tympanic membrane (TM) temperature measurements to rectal temperature in a large group of clinical canine patients. We also sought to ascertain whether certain factors affected the differences between the measurements and to compare the ease of measurement. Axillary temperatures were easy to obtain but tended to be lower than rectal readings (median difference 0.6°C). In 54.7 per cent of dogs there was a difference of >0.5°C between the two readings. Weight, coat length, body condition score and breed size were significantly associated with the difference between the rectal and axillary temperature. TM temperatures were more similar to rectal temperatures (median difference 0°C) but in 25 per cent of dogs, there was a difference of >0.5°C between rectal and TM readings. TM measurements were less well tolerated than axillary measurements. None of the factors assessed were associated with the difference between the rectal and TM temperature. As a difference of >0.5°C has previously been described as unacceptable for different methods of temperature measurement, neither axillary nor TM temperatures are interchangeable with rectal temperatures for the measurement of body temperature.
Reduced‐size microchips for identification of horses: response to implantation and readability during a six‐month period
Authors: Wulf M. , Aurich C. , von Lewinski M. , Möstl E. , Aurich J. E.
Published: October 2013

In this study, readability of reduced‐size microchips in horses and the response to implantation were analysed. It was hypothesised that small microchips can be implanted stress‐free but are less readable than larger microchips. Adult mares (n=40) were implanted with a reduced‐size microchip (10.9×1.6 mm) at the left side of the neck (size of conventional microchips 11.4×2.2 mm). Microchips were identified with three different scanners (A, B, C) immediately, and at 6, 12 and 28 weeks after implantation. Twelve out of the 40 mares were submitted to microchip implantation and control treatments and cortisol, heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV) were determined. From the chip‐bearing side of the neck, microchips were identified with all scanners in all horses at all times. From the contralateral side, correct readings were always 100 per cent with scanner C and with scanners A and B ranged between 60 and 100 per cent. Heart rate and HRV variable sd of beat‐to‐beat interval increased slightly (P<0.01) at microchip implantation and control treatment, but cortisol concentration did not increase. In conclusion, reduced‐size microchips are highly reliable for identification of horses. Compared with conventional microchips, the reduction in size did not impair readability. Microchip implantation is no pronounced stressor for horses.
Different volumes of injectate using electrostimulator and blinded techniques for brachial plexus block in dogs
Authors: Riccó C. , Shih A. , Killos M. , Henao‐Guerrero N. , Graham L.
Published: October 2013

To compare different volumes of injectate using electrostimulator (ES)‐guided and blind brachial plexus blockade (BPB) techniques in dogs. Prospective, randomised, blinded study. Fifty‐eight healthy adult purpose‐bred beagle dogs. Animals were randomised into 4 groups based on the volume of methylene blue 0.1 per cent administered for BPB, three using ES technique: E1 (0.2 ml/kg, n=22), E2 (0.6 ml/kg, n=22), and E3 (1.0 ml/kg, n=14), and one using blinded technique B4 (1.0 ml/kg, n=14). After euthanasia, the axillary region was dissected and nerves identified by a blinded evaluator. Success was defined as 3/4 nerves stained, or presence of dye in the tissue immediately surrounding the plexus. There were no significant differences between groups when total nerve count, adjacent staining, success rate (92.8–100 per cent), or rate of haematoma were evaluated. The musculocutaneous nerve was significantly more targeted in B4 than E1 and E2, but not E3. Electrostimulator‐guided BPB using lower volumes of injectate had similar success rate as the blinded technique using higher volume, thus, lower volumes can be used without compromising success. When an ES is not available, the blind technique with 1 ml/kg is also acceptable. However, when performing an ES‐guided BPB, volumes as low as 0.2 ml/kg can be used. As volume is increased, the musculocutaneous nerve becomes more likely to be targeted.
Effect of head-out water immersion on vascular function in healthy subjects
Authors: Ayme Karine , Gavarry Olivier , Rossi Pascal , Desruelle Anne-Virginie , Regnard Jacques , Boussuges Alain
Published: October 2013

Immersion in thermoneutral water increases cardiac output and peripheral blood flow and reduces systemic vascular resistance. This study examined the effects of head-out water immersion on vascular function. Twelve healthy middle-aged males were immersed during 60 min in the seated position, with water at the level of xiphoid. Local and central vascular tone regulating systems were studied during that time. Brachial artery diameter and blood flow were recorded using ultrasonography and Doppler. Endothelial function was assessed with flow-mediated dilation. Results were compared with the same investigations performed under reference conditions in ambient air. During water immersion, brachial artery diameter increased (3.7 ± 0.2 mm in ambient air vs. 4 ± 0.2 mm in water immersion; p < 0.05). Endothelium-mediated dilation was significantly lower in water immersion than in ambient air (10% vs. 15%; p = 0.01). Nevertheless, the difference disappeared when the percentage vasodilatation of the brachial artery was normalized to the shear stimulus. Smooth muscle-mediated dilation was similar in the 2 conditions. Spectral analysis of systolic blood pressure variability indicated a decrease in sympathetic vascular activity. Plasma levels of nitric oxide metabolites remained unchanged, whereas levels of natriuretic peptides were significantly elevated. An increase in brachial blood flow, a decrease in sympathetic activity, a warming of the skin, and an increase in natriuretic peptides might be involved in the increase in reference diameter observed during water immersion. Endothelial cell reactivity and smooth muscle function did not appear to be altered.
Isolation ofBacteroidesfrom fish and human fecal samples for identification of unique molecular markers
Authors: Kabiri Leila , Alum Absar , Rock Channah , McLain Jean E. , Abbaszadegan Morteza
Published: October 2013

Bacteroides molecular markers have been used to identify human fecal contamination in natural waters, but recent work in our laboratory confirmed cross-amplification of several human-specific Bacteroides spp. assays with fecal DNA from fish. For identification of unique molecular markers, Bacteroides from human (n = 4) and fish (n = 7) fecal samples were cultured and their identities were further confirmed using Rapid ID 32A API strips. The 16S rDNA from multiple isolates from each sample was PCR amplified, cloned, and sequenced to identify unique markers for development of more stringent human-specific assays. In human feces, Bacteroides vulgatus was the dominant species (75% of isolates), whereas in tilapia feces, Bacteroides eggerthii was dominant (66%). Bacteroides from grass carp, channel catfish, and blue catfish may include Bacteroides uniformis, Bacteroides ovatus, or Bacteroides stercoris. Phylogenic analyses of the 16S rRNA gene sequences showed distinct Bacteroides groupings from each fish species, while human sequences clustered with known B. vulgatus. None of the fish isolates showed significant similarity to Bacteroides sequences currently deposited in NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information). This study expands the current sequence database of cultured fish Bacteroides. Such data are essential for identification of unique molecular markers in human Bacteroides that can be utilized in differentiating fish and human fecal contamination in water samples.
Effects of essential oil from Chamaecyparis obtusa on cytokine genes in the hippocampus of maternal separation rats
Authors: Park Hae Jeong , Kim Su Kang , Kang Won Sub , Woo Jong-Min , Kim Jong Woo
Published: October 2013

We investigated the effects of an essential oil from Chamaecyparis obtusa (EOCO) on early life stress, using maternal separation (MS) rats and a microarray method to analyze the changes in gene expressions caused by EOCO in the hippocampus of MS rats. Rats in the MS groups were separated from their respective mothers from postnatal day (pnd) 14 to 28. Rats in the EOCO-treated groups were exposed to EOCO for 1 or 2 h by inhalation from pnd 21 to 28. The EOCO-treated MS rats showed decreased anxiety-related behaviors compared with the untreated MS rats in the elevated plus-maze (EPM) test. In the microarray analysis, we found that EOCO downregulated the expressions of cytokine genes such as Ccl2, Il6, Cxcl10, Ccl19, and Il1rl in the hippocampus of MS rats, and also confirmed that using reverse transcriptase – PCR. In particular, the expressions of Ccl2 and Il6 were predominantly decreased by EOCO in the hippocampus of MS rats. Interestingly, protein expression was also reduced by EOCO in MS rats. These results indicate that EOCO decreases MS-induced anxiety-related behaviors, and modulates cytokines, particularly Ccl2 and Il6, in the hippocampus of MS rats.
MULTI-AGENT DIFFUSION OF DECISION EXPERIENCES
Authors: FAN XIAOCONG , SU MENG
Published: October 2013

Diffusion geometry offers a fresh perspective on multi-scale information analysis, which is critical to multiagent systems that need to process massive data sets. A recent study has shown that when the "diffusion distance" concept is applied to human decision experiences, its performance on solution synthesis can be significantly better than using Euclidean distance. However, as a data set expands over time, it can quickly exceed the processing capacity of a single agent. In this paper, we proposed a multi-agent diffusion approach where a massive data set is split into several subsets and each diffusion agent only needs to work with one subset in diffusion computation. We conducted experiments with different splitting strategies applied to a set of decision experiences. The result indicates that the multi-agent diffusion approach is beneficial, and it is even possible to benefit from using a larger group of diffusion agents if their subsets have common experiences and pairly-shared experiences. Our study also shows that system performance could be affected significantly by the splitting granularity (size of each splitting unit). This study paves the road for applying the multi-agent diffusion approach to massive data analysis.
REDUNDANCY ELIMINATION IN HIGHLY PARALLEL SOLUTIONS OF MOTION COORDINATION PROBLEMS
Authors: SURYNEK PAVEL
Published: October 2013

Problems of motion coordination of multiple entities are addressed in this paper. These problems are dealt on the abstract level where they can be viewed as tasks of constructing a spatial-temporal plan for a set of identical mobile entities. The entities reside in a certain environment where they can move. Each entity need to reach a given goal position supposed it is starting from some initial position. The most abstract formal representations of coordinated motion problems are known as “pebble motion on a graph” and “multi-robot path planning”. The existent algorithms for pebble motion and multi-robot problems were suspected of generating solutions containing redundancies. This hypothesis eventually confirmed in this work. We present several techniques for identifying and eliminating redundancies from solutions generated by existent algorithms. An extensive experimental evaluation was performed and it showed that the quality of generated solutions can be improved up to the order of magnitude. We also identify parameters characterizing instances of problems where a significant improvement is expectable.
NEW MDS AND CLUSTERING BASED ALGORITHMS FOR PROTEIN MODEL QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND SELECTION
Authors: WANG QINGGUO , SHANG CHARLES , XU DONG , SHANG YI
Published: October 2013

In protein tertiary structure prediction, assessing the quality of predicted models is an essential task. Over the past years, many methods have been proposed for the protein model quality assessment (QA) and selection problem. Despite significant advances, the discerning power of current methods is still unsatisfactory. In this paper, we propose two new algorithms, CC-Select and MDS-QA, based on multidimensional scaling and k-means clustering. For the model selection problem, CC-Select combines consensus with clustering techniques to select the best models from a given pool. Given a set of predicted models, CC-Select first calculates a consensus score for each structure based on its average pairwise structural similarity to other models. Then, similar structures are grouped into clusters using multidimensional scaling and clustering algorithms. In each cluster, the one with the highest consensus score is selected as a candidate model. For the QA problem, MDS-QA combines single-model scoring functions with consensus to determine more accurate assessment score for every model in a given pool. Using extensive benchmark sets of a large collection of predicted models, we compare the two algorithms with existing state-of-the-art quality assessment methods and show significant improvement.
SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF Zr-BASED AMORPHOUS AND CRYSTALLINE COMPOSITE COATING ON Ti SUBSTRATE BY LASER CLADDING
Authors: TANG D. M. , ZHANG D. C. , PENG W. , LUO Z. C. , WU X. Q. , WANG Y. M. , LIN J. G.
Published: October 2013

A thin strip of a Zr -based alloy with a composition of Zr 60 Cu 25 Fe 5 Al 10 (in atom percent) was used as a raw material, and the composite coatings containing Zr -based amorphous phase and crystallites on Ti substrate were fabricated by a one-step laser cladding method without protection. The microstructure, phase constitution, microhardness and wear properties of the coatings were investigated. The results indicate that the microstructure of the coatings is strongly dependent on the laser scanning speed under the conditions of the laser power of 1300 W and laser beam diameter of 6 mm, and the composite coating mainly containing amorphous phase with a small amount of the crystallites can be obtained at the laser scanning speed of 10 mm/s. The composite coating exhibits much higher microhardness than the pure Ti substrate, and thus it behaves superior wear resistance in comparison with the substrate.
PHYSICAL AND MICROSTRUCTURE PROPERTIES OF MgAl2C2 MATRIX COMPOSITE COATING ON TITANIUM
Authors: LI PENG
Published: October 2013

This work is based on the dry sliding wear of the MgAl 2 C 2- TiB 2- FeSi composite coating deposited on a pure Ti using a laser cladding technique. Scanning electron microscope images indicate that the nanocrystals and amorphous phases are produced in such coating. X-ray diffraction result indicated that such coating mainly consists of MgAl 2 C 2, Ti - B , Ti - Si , Fe - Al , Ti 3 SiC 2, TiC and amorphous phases. The high resolution transmission electron microscope image indicated that the TiB nanorods were produced in the coating, which were surrounded by other fine precipitates, favoring the formation of a fine microstructure. With increase of the laser power from 0.85 kW to 1.00 kW, the micro-hardness decreased from 1350 ~ 1450 HV0.2 to 1200 ~ 1300 HV0.2. The wear volume loss of the laser clad coating was 1/7 of pure Ti .
ACCURATE QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT OF LUNATE UNCOVERING RATIO — IS GILULA'S SEMIQUANTITATIVE TEST RELIABLE?
Authors: Wu Der Yang , Huang Mei Ching , Wang Yung Cheng , Tseng Wen Chang
Published: October 2013

The Gilula's test suggests the presence of ulnocarpal translation when 50% or more of the lunate lies medial to the ulnar edge of radius. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of this semiquantitative test as there was inconsistency between the previous publications in regarding 50% as the cutoff value for the normal lunate uncovering ratio (LUR).

We utilized the Picture Archiving and Communication System to investigate radiographs of 299 normal adult wrists and emphasized defined radiographic landmarks for accurate quantitative measurement. Our mean LUR was 35%(SD8) with a range of 8 to 49%. Therefore we re-affirmed the reliability of the Gilula's test since none of our normal wrists had a LUR of 50% or greater.
OUTCOME OF TRACTION TENOLYSIS IN OPEN TRIGGER FINGER RELEASE — A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW
Authors: Choudhury Muntasir Mannan , Tay Shian Chao
Published: October 2013

Surgical treatment for trigger finger involves division of the A1 pulley. Some surgeons perform an additional step of traction tenolysis by sequentially bringing the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus tendons out of the wound gently with a Ragnell retractor. There is currently no study which states whether flexor tendon traction tenolysis should be routinely performed or not. The objective of this study is to compare the outcome in patients who have traction tenolysis performed (A group) versus those who did not have traction tenolysis (B group) performed. It was noted that even though the mean total active motion (TAM) for the B group in our study was lower preoperatively, it was consistently higher than the A group in all the 3 post-operative visits demonstrating a better outcome in the B group. Even though it was not statistically significant, our data also showed that patients with traction tenolysis appeared to have more postoperative pain compared to those without.
PEAK LOAD RESISTANCE OF THE JUGGERKNOTXS™ SOFT ANCHOR TECHNIQUE COMPARED WITH OTHER COMMON FIXATION TECHNIQUES FOR LARGE MALLET FINGER FRACTURES
Authors: Cheung Jason Pui Yin , Fung Boris , Ip Wing Yuk
Published: October 2013

Introduction: To identify the strongest peak load resistance among four mallet finger fracture fixation methods (Kirschner wire, pull-out wire, tension-band wiring and the JuggerKnot™ (Biomet) soft anchor fixation).

Methods: Fixation techniques were assigned among 24 specimens from six cadaveric human hands in a randomized block fashion. Peak load resistance was tested at 30°, 45° and 60° of flexion of the distal interphalangeal joint.

Results: The mean peak load of tension-band wiring was 67.8 N at 60° of flexion which was most superior. The JuggerKnot™ fixation had mean peak loads of 13.35 N (30°), 22.51 N (45°) and 32.96 N (60°). No complications of implant failure or fragmentation of the dorsal fragment was noted.

Conclusions: Tension-band wiring was the strongest fixation method but was most prominent on the skin surface as seen in three specimens. The JuggerKnot™ soft anchor fixation had similar peak load resistance as k-wire fixation and pull-out wiring.
SUPERNUMERARY FLEXOR CARPI ULNARIS — CASE REPORT AND REVIEW
Authors: Bhardwaj Praveen , Bhandari Laxminarayan , Sabapathy S. Raja
Published: October 2013

Anomalies of Flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU) are uncommon and predominantly consist of abnormal insertion or extra tendinous bands. The presence of two separate bellies of FCU muscle with separate tendons has been termed as Digastric FCU. It is a very rare anomaly with only six previously reported cases and no report of clinical use of such anomalous muscle. We describe a case of anomalous FCU found incidentally in a patient operated for complex Post Volkmann's ischemic contracture deficits. On table each head of FCU was found to form separate belly and tendon. One tendon was used for the thumb opposition while the other for index finger flexion. Postoperatively, the patient had independent movement of thumb and index finger. This is the first reported case of clinical application of digastric FCU. We reviewed the literature for supernumerary FCU in general and digastric FCU in particular. We propose a new classification for supernumerary FCUs based on the clinical appearance and the probable embryological basis of the anomaly: Type 1 (Split tendons) — single muscle with two tendons; Type 2 (Digastric FCU) — for each head of FCU forming separate muscle bellies and tendons; and Type 3 (Accessory FCU) — abnormal muscle adjacent to normal FCU with combined features of FCU and Palmaris longus.
FLEXOR POLLICIS LONGUS TENDON ENTRAPMENT AFTER PERFORMING MINIMALLY INVASIVE PLATE OSTEOSYNTHESIS OF A DISTAL RADIUS FRACTURE: A CASE REPORT
Authors: Chiu Yen-Chun , Kao Feng-Chen , Tu Yuan-Kun
Published: October 2013

In this study, we report a case of a 60-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus, who had a left distal radius fracture and could not flex the interphalangeal joint of her left thumb after we performed an open reduction and internal fixation procedure using minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis. Nine days after the first operation, we explored her wrist. We observed that the flexor pollicis longus tendon was compressed by the inserted plate. Then revision surgery and tendon repair were performed. Three months later, the fracture was healed and flexor pollicis longus function recovered well without sequelae. Approach through the interval between flexor carpi radialis and radial artery is preferred to prevent tendon entrapement.
THE RUBBER BAND SYNDROME: THE FORGOTTEN RUBBER BAND IN THE WRIST
Authors: Agarwal Anil , Kant Kumar Shashi , Verma Indreshwar
Published: October 2013

A linear constricting scar around the wrist in the presence of a discharging sinus raises clinical suspicion of a forgotten band around the wrist. A 3-year-old girl presented with an encircling scar, swelling and discharging sinus over the right wrist since last three months. There were no trophic ulcers and gross sensations were intact. Wrist radiographs showed the "constriction" sign in the radial epiphysis. MRI confirmed the diagnosis of encircling band inside wrist abutting the bone. A coloured rubber band was surgically extracted lying deep to restored and continuous tendons and neurovascular structures. Wound healing was uneventful. Examination at 14 months revealed residual ulnar nerve palsy. If aware, the clinical diagnosis is fairly accurate in rubber band syndrome. MRI aids in establishing diagnosis preoperatively. The reparative potential of a child's tissues is amazing. Although the lesion heals well after extraction of encircling band, the clinician should be wary of residual neurological changes.
HAMATE HOOK NON-UNION TREATED WITH A BREAK-AWAY SCREW: A CASE REPORT
Authors: Naito Kiyohito , Yoshikawa Kei , Kaneko Kazuo , Obayashi Osamu
Published: October 2013

Hamate hook non-union is a relatively rare, but on the increase. We encountered a 25-year-old male baseball instructor with hamate hook non-union, and treated it with debridement of the fractured region and osteosynthesis using a break-away screw. Splint fixation was applied for three weeks after surgery, and active/passive range of motion exercises were actively performed thereafter. Bone union was noted three months after surgery. Transient ulnar paralysis resolved, and the patient could return to the same sports activity as that before injury six months after surgery. Since break-away screws are capable of loading a strong pressure on the fractured region and these screws can be inserted by preparing only a surgical field for guide wire insertion, requiring no soft tissue dissection to prepare a region for applying fixation materials, break-away screws are useful for the fixation of small bone fragments and osteosynthesis in a deep surgical field.
OPTICAL SPATIAL SOLITON IN STRONG NONLOCAL LOGARITHMIC MEDIUM
Authors: WANG QING , LI JINGZHEN , WANG XINGHUA
Published: October 2013

In this paper, the propagation of Gaussian beam in strong nonlocal logarithmic medium is studied, and the evolution equations for the parameters are obtained. The initial condition of forming spatial optical soliton in this kind of medium, which requires the initial beam on-waist incident and its width equaling to the critical beam width, is different from that in strong nonlocal Kerr medium. The reason of the difference is also analyzed. Moreover, the result shows that the beam width will oscillate periodically when the initial condition is dissatisfied. In addition, we discuss the influence of the initial beam width on oscillating range.
REFRACTIVE PROPERTIES OF MOLECULAR CRYSTALLINE SUPERLATTICES
Authors: VUČENOVIĆ SINIŠA M. , ŠKIPINA BLANKA , GRUJIĆ TAINA , ŠETRAJČIĆ JOVAN P.
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we continue the theoretical study of changes in optical characteristics of superlattices as a consequence of some specific behavior of excitons. Based on the particular dispersion law and the spectral distribution of excitons, we have formulated and calculated the refractive indices of these structures and defined how refractive indices change with external electromagnetic field. It was determined that among wide variety of parameters governing calculus, only two parameters have a significant effect on exciton energy spectra and calculated optical quantities: (a) the number of film layers which constitute superlattice; (b) ratio of the exciton energy transfer between the layers of one film and on the boundary between two different films.
OPTICAL SOLITONS IN MULTI-DIMENSIONS WITH SPATIO-TEMPORAL DISPERSION AND NON-KERR LAW NONLINEARITY
Authors: XU YANAN , JOVANOSKI ZLATKO , BOUASLA ABDELAZIZ , TRIKI HOURIA , MORARU LUMINITA , BISWAS ANJAN
Published: October 2013

This paper studies the dynamics of optical solitons in multi-dimensions with spatio-temporal dispersion and non-Kerr law nonlinearity. The integrability aspect is the main focus of this paper. Five different forms of nonlinearity are considered — Kerr law, power law, parabolic law, dual-power law and log law nonlinearity. The traveling wave hypothesis, ansatz approach and the semi-inverse variational principle are the integration tools that are adopted to retrieve the soliton solutions to the governing equation. As a result, several constraint conditions arise out of the integration process and represent necessary conditions for the existence of solitons.
FUNCTIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIVERSE EXON–INTRON STRUCTURES OF HUMAN GPCR GENES
Authors: HAMMOND DOROTHY A. , OLMAN VICTOR , XU YING
Published: October 2013

The GPCR genes have a variety of exon–intron structures even though their proteins are all structurally homologous. We have examined all human GPCR genes with at least two functional protein isoforms, totaling 199, aiming to gain an understanding of what may have contributed to the large diversity of the exon–intron structures of the GPCR genes. The 199 genes have a total of 808 known protein splicing isoforms with experimentally verified functions. Our analysis reveals that 1301 (80.6%) adjacent exon–exon pairs out of the total of 1,613 in the 199 genes have either exactly one exon skipped or the intron in-between retained in at least one of the 808 protein splicing isoforms. This observation has a statistical significance p-value of 2.051762 * e-09, assuming that the observed splicing isoforms are independent of the exon–intron structures. Our interpretation of this observation is that the exon boundaries of the GPCR genes are not randomly determined; instead they may be selected to facilitate specific alternative splicing for functional purposes.
Argon extraction from geological samples by CO
2
scanning laser step-heating
Authors: Barfod D. N. , Mark D. F. , Tait A. , Dymock R. C. , Imlach J.
Published: October 2013

Lasers are fundamental tools for sampling in geochemical studies and have found wide application in mass spectrometric sample introduction systems. Here we describe an isotope extraction method for
40
Ar/
39
Ar geochronology using a new scanning CO
2
laser system. This method can partially un-mix radiogenic (
40
Ar*) from trapped argon components and provides an alternative to furnace step-heating methods. A key advantage of the laser scanning method developed at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) is the ability to step-heat samples as large as 100 mg to fusion using low raster speeds, although care must be taken to avoid self-shielding of grains and proper laser targeting. The scanning laser extraction system has the potential for lower overall blanks and the ability to run blanks and calibrations between steps of a heating sequence. This provides better control on system performance and characterization during sample measurement and can result in improved data quality.

Supplementary material:

Ar/Ar data presented in Figures 6a–c and 7 (obsidian) is available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18694
.
Technology as a geological phenomenon: implications for human well-being
Authors: Haff P. K.
Published: October 2013

The technosphere, the interlinked set of communication, transportation, bureaucratic and other systems that act to metabolize fossil fuels and other energy resources, is considered to be an emerging global paradigm, with similarities to the lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere. The technosphere is of global extent, exhibits large-scale appropriation of mass and energy resources, shows a tendency to co-opt for its own use information produced by the environment, and is autonomous. Unlike the older paradigms, the technosphere has not yet evolved the ability to recycle its own waste stream. Unless or until it does so, its status as a paradigm remains provisional. Humans are ‘parts’ of the technosphere – subcomponents essential for system function. Viewed from the inside by its human parts, the technosphere is perceived as a derived and controlled construct. Viewed from outside as a geological phenomenon, the technosphere appears as a quasi-autonomous system whose dynamics constrains the behaviour of its human parts. A geological perspective on technology suggests why strategies to limit environmental damage that consider only the needs of people are likely to fail without parallel consideration of the requirements of technology, especially its need for an abundant supply of energy.
Assessing the Anthropocene with geochemical methods
Authors: Gałuszka Agnieszka , Migaszewski Zdzisław M. , Zalasiewicz Jan
Published: October 2013

Anthropogenic chemical contamination is one of the most evident signals of human influence on the environment. The large amounts of industrially produced pollutants that have been introduced, over decades, into air, soil and water have caused modifications to natural elemental cycling. Anthropogenic contamination usually leads to enrichment in many elements, particularly in industrial areas. Thus, certain elements and their isotopes can be used as geochemical tracers of anthropogenic impact. Some human-induced changes in the environment may be regarded as a secondary effect of pollution, such as acidification, which causes increased geochemical mobility of several trace elements in surficial deposits. Methods used by geochemists to assess the scale of anthropogenic influence on the environment include calculations of anthropogenic influence on the environment via enrichment and contamination factors, geoaccumulation index and pollution load index. The use of geochemical background levels for delineating between natural and anthropogenic pollution is important. A historical perspective of anthropogenic contamination, allied with isotopic and geochemical signatures in dated sediment cores, may be applied to help define the Anthropocene.
Definition of the Anthropocene: a view from the underworld
Authors: Fairchild Ian J. , Frisia Silvia
Published: October 2013

Annually laminated stalagmites from natural caves and limestone mines capture a number of significant environmental and climatic signals during the anthropogenically disturbed era. The effects of forest clearance, or development of agricultural or industrial practices, can be marked by changes in soil or hydrological responses leading to shifts in both chemical (e.g. carbon and oxygen isotope ratios or trace elements) and physical (e.g. fabric, thickness of laminae) signals. However, these signals are diachronous because of the spatial heterogeneity of human societies. Twentieth-century changes in atmospheric composition are known from speleothems at several sites and demonstrate pollution disturbance of the sulphur cycle and the signal provided by the 1950s rise in radiocarbon caused by atmospheric nuclear tests. This latter is a global signal and hence a strong candidate to define the start of the Anthropocene, although other considerations, including comparison with instrumental archives, would favour an earlier timing. An attractive option is the climate amelioration marking the end of the Little Ice Age in the mid-nineteenth century, which is marked in Alpine and other Northern Hemisphere areas. Examples are illustrated from the Grotta di Ernesto cave to illustrate the appearance of a putative mid-nineteenth-century boundary.
Biology and Management of Psocids Infesting Stored Products
Authors: Nayak Manoj K. , Collins Patrick J. , Throne James E. , Wang Jin-Jun
Published: October 2013

Previously regarded as minor nuisance pests, psocids belonging to the genus Liposcelis now pose a major problem for the effective protection of stored products worldwide. Here we examine the apparent biological and operational reasons behind this phenomenon and why conventional pest management seems to be failing. We investigate what is known about the biology, behavior, and population dynamics of major pest species to ascertain their strengths, and perhaps find weaknesses, as a basis for a rational pest management strategy. We outline the contribution of molecular techniques to clarifying species identification and understanding genetic diversity. We discuss progress in sampling and trapping and our comprehension of spatial distribution of these pests as a foundation for developing management strategies. The effectiveness of various chemical treatments and the availability and potential of nonchemical control methods are critically examined. Finally, we identify research gaps and suggest future directions for research.
Model Systems, Taxonomic Bias, and Sexual Selection: Beyond Drosophila
Authors: Zuk Marlene , Garcia-Gonzalez Francisco , Herberstein Marie Elisabeth , Simmons Leigh W.
Published: October 2013

Although model systems are useful in entomology, allowing generalizations based on a few well-known species, they also have drawbacks. It can be difficult to know how far to generalize from information in a few species: Are all flies like Drosophila? The use of model systems is particularly problematic in studying sexual selection, where variability among taxa is key to the evolution of different behaviors. A bias toward the use of a few insect species, particularly from the genus Drosophila, is evident in the sexual selection and sexual conflict literature over the past several decades, although the diversity of study organisms has increased more recently. As the number of model systems used to study sexual conflict increased, support for the idea that sexual interactions resulted in harm to females decreased. Future work should choose model systems thoughtfully, combining well-known species with those that can add to the variation that allows us to make more meaningful generalizations.
Sexual Selection in Complex Environments
Authors: Miller Christine W. , Svensson Erik I.
Published: October 2013

Sexual selection has resulted in some of the most captivating features of insects, including flashy colors, bizarre structures, and complex pheromones. These features evolve in dynamic environments, where conditions can change rapidly over space and time. However, only recently has ecological complexity been embraced by theory and practice in sexual selection. We review replicated selection studies as well as studies on variation in the agents of selection to delineate gaps in current knowledge and clarify exciting new directions for research. Existing work suggests that fluctuations in sexual selection may be extremely common, though work on the ecological factors influencing these fluctuations is scarce. We suggest that deeper ecological perspectives on sexual selection may alter some of the fundamental assumptions of sexual selection theory and rapidly lead to new discoveries.
New Cost-Effective Treatment Strategies for Acute Emergency Situations
Authors: Chandra Subani , Chong David H.
Published: October 2013

In an era of ever-increasing healthcare costs, new treatments must not only improve outcomes and quality of care but also be cost-effective. This is most challenging for emergency and critical care. Bigger and better has been the mantra of Western medical care for decades, leading to costlier but not necessarily better care. Recent advances focused on new implementation processes for evidence-based best practices such as checklists and bundles have transformed medical care. We outline recent advances in medical practice that have positively affected both the quality of care and its cost-effectiveness. Future medical care must be smarter and more effective if we are to meet the increasing demands of an aging patient population in the context of ever more limited resources.
Fetal and Perinatal Exposure to Drugs and Chemicals: Novel Biomarkers of Risk
Authors: Etwel Fatma , Hutson Janine R. , Madadi Parvaz , Gareri Joey , Koren Gideon
Published: October 2013

Pregnant women are almost always excluded from randomized controlled clinical trials, as the risks to the fetus posed by most new chemical entities or approved drugs cannot be sufficiently ruled out. Hence, a major scientific challenge in this field is to discover and validate alternative tools that will fill the knowledge gap created by the lack of participation in gold-standard randomized trials. This review focuses on novel tools that allow estimation of fetal risks after exposure to therapeutic agents, such as placental perfusion studies, biomarkers of fetal exposure, and novel epidemiological and pharmacogenetic tools, all of which have been tested successfully in recent years.
GABAAReceptor Subtypes: Therapeutic Potential in Down Syndrome, Affective Disorders, Schizophrenia, and Autism
Authors: Rudolph Uwe , Möhler Hanns
Published: October 2013

The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system plays a pivotal role in orchestrating the synchronicity of local networks and the functional coupling of different brain regions. Here we review the impact of the GABAAreceptor subtypes on cognitive and emotional behavior, paying particular attention to five disease states: cognitive dysfunction and Down syndrome, anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and autism. Through the bidirectional modulation of tonic inhibition, α5-subunit-containing GABAAreceptors permit the bidirectional modulation of cognitive processes, and a partial inverse agonist acting at the α5-subunit-containing GABAAreceptor is in a clinical trial in individuals with Down syndrome. With regard to anxiety disorders, the viability of nonsedative anxiolytics based on the modulation of α2- and α3-subunit-containing GABAAreceptors has been established in clinical proof-of-concept trials. Regarding the remaining three disease states, the GABA hypothesis of depression offers new options for antidepressant drug development; cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia are attributed to a cortical GABAergic deficit, and dysfunctional GABAergic inhibition is increasingly understood to contribute to the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders.
Role of Hepatic Efflux Transporters in Regulating Systemic and Hepatocyte Exposure to Xenobiotics
Authors: Pfeifer Nathan D. , Hardwick Rhiannon N. , Brouwer Kim L.R.
Published: October 2013

Hepatic efflux transporters include numerous well-known and emerging proteins localized to the canalicular or basolateral membrane of the hepatocyte that are responsible for the excretion of drugs into the bile or blood, respectively. Altered function of hepatic efflux transporters due to drug-drug interactions, genetic variation, and/or disease states may lead to changes in xenobiotic exposure in the hepatocyte and/or systemic circulation. This review focuses on transport proteins involved in the hepatocellular efflux of drugs and metabolites, discusses mechanisms of altered transporter function as well as the interplay between multiple transport pathways, and highlights the importance of considering intracellular unbound concentrations of transporter substrates and/or inhibitors. Methods to evaluate hepatic efflux transport and predict the effects of impaired transporter function on systemic and hepatocyte exposure are discussed, and the sandwich-cultured hepatocyte model to evaluate comprehensively the role of hepatic efflux in the hepatobiliary disposition of xenobiotics is characterized.