bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of bone grafts placed within an oral and maxillofacial training programme for implant rehabilitation
Authors: Kaing L , Grubor D , Chandu A
Published: December 2011

Background:  This study aimed to review the survival of bone grafting procedures, performed by surgical trainees and assess factors affecting survival of these bone grafts as an adjunct to implant rehabilitation.

Methods:  Data were collected from patients between 2003 and 2009 receiving bone grafting. Graft failure was defined as any complete or partial graft loss, graft which had to be removed or regrafted, or was unable to have an implant placed. Implant survival rates were not assessed in this study.

Results:  Seventy‐five patients received 86 bone grafts over a period of 7 years. Overall graft survival was 87.3% with 7 complete graft failures (8.1%) and 3 partial graft failures (4.6%). All failed grafts were of the block graft type, predominately in the anterior maxilla. The main reason for failure was secondary infection. Other complications occurred in about 27% of patients. Factors significantly increasing the risk of graft failure included use of bone block augmentation (p = 0.001), mixed autogenous/bone substitute grafts (p = 0.007) and diabetes mellitus (p = 0.006). Smoking was not found to affect graft survival.

Conclusions:  Good results were found in a series of patients treated in an oral and maxillofacial training programme. Care should be taken in regards to planning block grafts in diabetic patients.
Surveillance of Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli in Irish Bovine Dairy Herds
Authors: Lynch M. J. , Fox E. M. , O’Connor L. , Jordan K. , Murphy M.
Published: December 2011

Verocytotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) are highly significant zoonotic threats to public health, and have been the causative agent implicated in numerous high‐profile outbreaks affecting large numbers of people. Serovar O157 is most frequently linked with human illness; however, other serovars, such as O26, O103, O111 and O145, have also been implicated. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and virulence determinants of these five serovars in Irish dairy farm herds, and their milk. Using real‐time PCR (RTi‐PCR), bovine rectal faecal swabs and raw milk samples, along with milk filters, were screened for the presence of vt genes. Positive samples were then screened for the five serovars using sero‐specific PCR. Serovar‐positive samples were subjected to immunomagnetic separation, to isolate viable VTEC strains. These isolates were subsequently screened for four virulence factors: vt1, vt2, eaeA and hlyA. Three hundred and eighty six of the 600 rectal faecal swabs, 85 of the 117 milk‐filters and 43 of the 120 bulk‐tank milk samples, were positive for vt genes. From these 514 total vt‐positive samples, 58 O26, 162 O103, 1 O111, 324 O145 and 26 O157 positives were detected by sero‐specific RTi‐PCR. Immunomagnetic separation yielded 12 O26, 26 O103, 0 O111, 19 O145 and 10 O157 isolates. Ten of these isolates contained at least one of the four virulence determinants screened for (i.e. vt1, vt2, eaeA and hlyA). Of these 10 isolates, pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis showed that two of the O26 isolates from different farms were indistinguishable. Two O157 isolates were also indistinguishable. This study found serovars O103 and O145 to be the most prevalent in samples tested. Apart from the occurrence of VTEC in dairy herds, this study shows a high occurrence of vt genes in the environment, creating the possibility of horizontal gene transfer and emergence of new VTEC strains.
Hand‐assisted laparoscopic adhesiolysis of extensive small intestinal adhesions in a mare after breeding injury
Authors: Delling U. , Stoebe S. , Brehm W.
Published: December 2011

In this article we report the course of disease in a mare following severe vaginal injury during natural cover. Although the genital injury healed completely, the mare developed extensive intra‐abdominal intestinal adhesions causing complete small intestinal obstruction 2 years after the incident. The adhesion was not accessible during initial emergency laparotomy and a standing, hand‐assisted laparoscopic adhesiolysis and jejuno‐jejunal end‐to‐end anastomosis were subsequently performed. The mare was subjected to euthanasia 10 weeks after surgery due to recurrence of abdominal pain. The pertaining literature is discussed in regards to this case.
Effect of Modification to Tongue and Impeller Geometry on Unsteady Flow, Pressure Fluctuations, and Noise in a Centrifugal Pump
Authors: Dong R. , Chu S. , Katz J.
Published: November 2011

Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV), pressure, and noise measurements are used to study the effect of modifications to tongue and impeller geometries on the flow structure and resulting noise in a centrifugal pump. It is demonstrated that the primary sources of noise are associated with interactions of the nonuniform outflux from the impeller (jet/wake phenomenon) with the tongue. Consequently, significant reduction of noise is achieved by increasing the gap between the tongue and the impeller up to about 20 percent of the impeller radius. Further increase in the gap affects the performance adversely with minimal impact on the noise level. When the gap is narrow, the primary sources of noise are impingement of the wake on the tip of the tongue, and tongue oscillations when the pressure difference across it is high. At about 20 percent gap, the entire wake and its associated vorticity trains miss the tongue, and the only (quite weak) effect of nonuniform outflux is the impingement of the jet on the tongue. An attempt is also made to reduce the nonuniformity in outflux from the impeller by inserting short vanes between the blades. They cause reduction in the size of the original wakes, but generate an additional jet/wake phenomenon of their own. Both wakes are weak to a level that their impacts on local pressure fluctuations and noise are insignificant. The only remaining major contributor to noise is tongue oscillations. This effect is shown to be dependent on the stiffness of the tongue.
Row-of-Holes Film Cooling of Curved Walls at Low Injection Angles
Authors: Goldstein R. J. , Stone L. D.
Published: November 2011

Film cooling effectiveness data are presented against a backdrop of ammonia-diazo flow visualizations for row-of-holes injection along a convex wall and a concave wall at angles of 15, 25, and 45 deg to the mainstream and at density ratios of approximately one and two. Injection angle effects vary with the rate of injection: At low blowing rates the injection angle is unimportant, at moderate blowing rates the shallower angles provide better effectiveness, and at high blowing rates a steeper injection angle sometimes provides better effectiveness. The condition of the local boundary layer, the severity of jet lift-off, and the strength of vortex interactions among the bound vortices of neighboring jets are key considerations in interpreting the data.
Experimental Investigation of Steady and Unsteady Flow Field Downstream of an Automotive Torque Converter Turbine and Inside the Stator: Part II—Unsteady Pressure on the Stator Blade Surface
Authors: Marathe B. V. , Lakshminarayana B. , Maddock D. G.
Published: November 2011

The stator flow field of an automotive torque converter is highly unsteady due to potential and viscous interactions with upstream and downstream rotors. The objective of this investigation is to understand the influence of potential and viscous interactions of the upstream rotor on the stator surface pressure field with a view toward improvement of the stator design. Five miniature fast-response pressure transducers were embedded on the stator blade. The measurements were conducted at three locations near the leading edge and two locations near the trailing edge at the midspan location. The upstream flow field was measured using a fast response five-hole probe and is described in Part I of this paper. The experimental data were processed in the frequency domain by spectrum analysis and in the temporal-spatial domain by the ensemble-averaging technique. The flow properties were resolved into mean, periodic, aperiodic, and unresolved components. The unsteady amplitudes agreed well with the pressure envelope predicted by panel methods. The aperiodic component was found to be significant due to the rotor–rotor and rotor–stator interactions observed in multistage, multispool environment.
A Perturbation Approach for Analyzing Dispersion and Group Velocities in Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Periodic Lattices
Authors: Narisetti R. K. , Ruzzene M. , Leamy M. J.
Published: December 2011

The paper investigates wave dispersion in two-dimensional, weakly nonlinear periodic lattices. A perturbation approach, originally developed for one-dimensional systems and extended herein, allows for closed-form determination of the effects nonlinearities have on dispersion and group velocity. These expressions are used to identify amplitude-dependent bandgaps, and wave directivity in the anisotropic setting. The predictions from the perturbation technique are verified by numerically integrating the lattice equations of motion. For small amplitude waves, excellent agreement is documented for dispersion relationships and directivity patterns. Further, numerical simulations demonstrate that the response in anisotropic nonlinear lattices is characterized by amplitude-dependent “dead zones.”
Growth and electrical properties of silicon oxide grown by atomic layer deposition using Bis(ethyl-methyl-amino)silane and ozone
Authors: Won Seok-Jun , Jung Hyung-Suk , Suh Sungin , Jin Choi Yu , Lee Nae-In , Seong Hwang Cheol , Joon Kim Hyeong
Published: December 2011

Silicon oxide thin film grown at low temperatures (<300–500 °C) is essential for a range of applications in semiconductor devices. In this study, silicon oxide films were deposited at a substrate temperature of ∼300 °C by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process using Bis(ethyl-methyl-amino)silane (BEMAS). BEMAS precursors adsorbed on the growing surface reacted with ozone but not with H2O. This suggests that the Si–H bonds in the BEMAS precursors adsorbed on the surface are robust and could be cleaved only by ozone. The reaction using BEMAS and ozone exhibited ALD saturation behavior. The dielectric constant of the ALD-SiO2 was measured to be ∼9, which is 2.3 times higher than that (∼3.9) of normal amorphous SiO2. This was attributed to the existence of the ∼10% OH species in the film.
Gα
i2
Signaling Promotes Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy, Myoblast Differentiation, and Muscle Regeneration
Authors: Minetti Giulia C. , Feige Jerome N. , Rosenstiel Antonia , Bombard Florian , Meier Viktor , Werner Annick , Bassilana Frederic , Sailer Andreas W. , Kahle Peter , Lambert Christian , Glass David J. , Fornaro Mara
Published: December 2011

Signaling through Gα
i2
induces hypertrophy and can counterbalance pathways that promote muscle wasting.
Applying the Brakes with Calcium
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: December 2011

Calcium signaling delays proapoptotic responses in cells stimulated through CD95.
Go with the Flow
Authors: Hurtley Stella M.
Published: December 2011

Patterning of
Caenorhabditis elegans
zygotes involves passive as well as active mechanisms.
GraXSR Proteins Interact with the VraFG ABC Transporter To Form a Five-Component System Required for Cationic Antimicrobial Peptide Sensing and Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Falord Mélanie , Karimova Gouzel , Hiron Aurélia , Msadek Tarek
Published: November 2011

The GraSR two-component system (TCS) controls cationic antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) resistance in
Staphylococcus aureus
through the synthesis of enzymes that increase bacterial cell surface positive charges, by
d
-alanylation of teichoic acids and lysylination of phosphatidylglycerol, leading to electrostatic repulsion of CAMPs. The GraS histidine kinase belongs to the “intramembrane-sensing kinases” subfamily, with a structure featuring a short amino-terminal sensing domain, and two transmembrane helices separated only by a short loop, thought to be buried in the cytoplasmic membrane. The GraSR TCS is in fact a multicomponent system, requiring at least one accessory protein, GraX, in order to function, which, as we show here, acts by signaling through the GraS kinase. The
graXRS
genes are located immediately upstream from genes encoding an ABC transporter,
vraFG
, whose expression is controlled by GraSR. We demonstrated that the VraFG transporter does not act as a detoxification module, as it cannot confer resistance when produced on its own, but instead plays an essential role by sensing the presence of CAMPs and signaling through GraS to activate GraR-dependent transcription. A bacterial two-hybrid approach, designed to identify interactions between the GraXSR and VraFG proteins, was carried out in order to understand how they act in detecting and signaling the presence of CAMPs. We identified many interactions between these protein pairs, notably between the GraS kinase and both GraX and the VraG permease, indicating the existence of an original five-component system involved in CAMP sensing and signal transduction to promote
S. aureus
resistance.
Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Aeromonas Strains Isolated from Clinical and Environmental Sources to 26 Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Aravena-Román Max , Inglis Timothy J. J. , Henderson Barbara , Riley Thomas V. , Chang Barbara J.
Published: November 2011

We determined the susceptibilities of 144 clinical and 49 environmental
Aeromonas
strains representing 10 different species to 26 antimicrobial agents by the agar dilution method. No single species had a predominantly nonsusceptible phenotype. A multidrug nonsusceptible pattern was observed in three (2.1%) clinical strains and two (4.0%) strains recovered from diseased fish. Common clinical strains were more resistant than the corresponding environmental isolates, suggesting that resistance mechanisms may be acquired by environmental strains from clinical strains.
Ampicillin Enhances Daptomycin- and Cationic Host Defense Peptide-Mediated Killing of Ampicillin- and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Sakoulas George , Bayer Arnold S. , Pogliano Joseph , Tsuji Brian T. , Yang Soo-Jin , Mishra Nagendra N. , Nizet Victor , Yeaman Michael R. , Moise Pamela A.
Published: November 2011

We studied an ampicillin- and vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus faecium
(VRE) isolate from a patient with endocarditis and bacteremia refractory to treatment with daptomycin (6 mg/kg of body weight) plus linezolid. Blood cultures cleared within 24 h of changing therapy to daptomycin (12 mg/kg) plus ampicillin. We examined the effects of ampicillin on daptomycin-induced growth inhibition and killing, surface charge, and susceptibility to several prototypical host defense cationic antimicrobial peptides. MICs and time-kill curves with daptomycin were assessed in the presence and absence of ampicillin. The impact of ampicillin on surface charge was assessed by flow cytometry and a poly-
l
-lysine binding assay. The effects of ampicillin preexposures upon VRE killing by five distinct cationic peptides of different structure, charge, origin, and mechanism of action were analyzed using the epidermal cathelicidin LL-37, thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal proteins (tPMPs), and a synthetic congener modeled after tPMP microbicidal domains (RP-1), human neutrophil peptide-1 (hNP-1), and polymyxin B (bacteria derived). Fluoroscein-Bodipy-labeled daptomycin was used to evaluate daptomycin binding to VRE membranes in the presence or absence of ampicillin. In media containing ampicillin (25 to 100 mg/liter), daptomycin MICs decreased from 1.0 to 0.38 mg/liter. Based on time-kill analysis and an
in vitro
pharmacodynamic model, ampicillin enhanced daptomycin activity against the study VRE from a bacteriostatic to a bactericidal profile. VRE grown in ampicillin (25 to 150 mg/liter) demonstrated an incremental reduction in its relative net positive surface charge. When grown in the presence (versus absence) of ampicillin (25 and 100 mg/liter), the VRE strain (i) was more susceptible to killing by LL-37, tPMPs, hNP-1, and RP-1 but not to polymyxin B and (ii) exhibited greater binding to Bodipy-labeled daptomycin. We conclude that ampicillin induces reductions in net positive bacterial surface charge of VRE, correlating with enhanced bactericidal effects of cationic calcium-daptomycin and a diverse range of other cationic peptides
in vitro
. While the mechanism(s) of such β-lactam-mediated shifts in surface charge remains to be defined, these finding suggest a potential for β-lactam-mediated enhancement of activity of both daptomycin and innate host defense peptides against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Physics of Bacterial Morphogenesis
Authors: Sun Sean X. , Jiang Hongyuan
Published: December 2011

Bacterial cells utilize three-dimensional (3D) protein assemblies to perform important cellular functions such as growth, division, chemoreception, and motility. These assemblies are composed of mechanoproteins that can mechanically deform and exert force. Sometimes, small-nucleotide hydrolysis is coupled to mechanical deformations. In this review, we describe the general principle for an understanding of the coupling of mechanics with chemistry in mechanochemical systems. We apply this principle to understand bacterial cell shape and morphogenesis and how mechanical forces can influence peptidoglycan cell wall growth. We review a model that can potentially reconcile the growth dynamics of the cell wall with the role of cytoskeletal proteins such as MreB and crescentin. We also review the application of mechanochemical principles to understand the assembly and constriction of the FtsZ ring. A number of potential mechanisms are proposed, and important questions are discussed.
Peptidoglycan Hydrolases of Escherichia coli
Authors: van Heijenoort Jean
Published: December 2011

The review summarizes the abundant information on the 35 identified peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolases of
Escherichia coli
classified into 12 distinct families, including mainly glycosidases, peptidases, and amidases. An attempt is also made to critically assess their functions in PG maturation, turnover, elongation, septation, and recycling as well as in cell autolysis. There is at least one hydrolytic activity for each bond linking PG components, and most hydrolase genes were identified. Few hydrolases appear to be individually essential. The crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of certain hydrolases having defined functions were investigated. However, our knowledge of the biochemical properties of most hydrolases still remains fragmentary, and that of their cellular functions remains elusive. Owing to redundancy, PG hydrolases far outnumber the enzymes of PG biosynthesis. The presence of the two sets of enzymes acting on the PG bonds raises the question of their functional correlations. It is difficult to understand why
E. coli
keeps such a large set of PG hydrolases. The subtle differences in substrate specificities between the isoenzymes of each family certainly reflect a variety of as-yet-unidentified physiological functions. Their study will be a far more difficult challenge than that of the steps of the PG biosynthesis pathway.
Fascin expression in endocervical neoplasia: correlation with tumour morphology and growth pattern
Authors: Stewart Colin J R , Crook Maxine , Loi Sarah
Published: December 2011

Background

Fascin is an actin-binding protein that potentiates migratory and invasive behaviour in neoplastic cells and has been shown to be upregulated in various malignancies. In this study fascin expression was assessed in adenocarcinoma in situ (ACIS) and invasive adenocarcinoma of the endocervix, and the results were correlated with tumour growth patterns (papillary, glandular or infiltrative).

Methods

Fascin immunoreactivity was assessed in 10 cases of ACIS and in 34 cervical adenocarcinomas, 15 of which also included an in situ component. Staining within normal epithelium and stromal elements was also noted.

Results

Normal endocervical epithelium and 23/25 ACIS lesions were fascin-negative. Most invasive tumour elements were also unstained but 13/32 adenocarcinomas that exhibited a glandular growth pattern showed focal fascin immunoreactivity mainly towards the basal aspect of the larger tumour glands. These fascin-positive cells often showed a morphological alteration similar to that seen in infiltrative tumour areas. None of the papillary tumour elements, present in 12 cases, was fascin-positive. Twenty adenocarcinomas included a focal infiltrative component, often distributed at the advancing or deep tumour margin (invasive front), and these tumour cells were usually fascin-positive. Staining was also observed in normal parabasal squamous cells, endothelial and dendritic cells.

Conclusions

Novel fascin expression occurs during the development and progression of some endocervical neoplasms. Fascin immunoreactivity within infiltrative neoplastic elements suggests that this protein may have an important role in areas of active tumour invasion.
Agronomic, breeding, and biotechnological approaches to parasitic plant management through manipulation of germination stimulant levels in agricultural soils
Authors: Fernández-Aparicio M. , Westwood J.H. , Rubiales D.
Published: December 2011

A number of plant species have adapted to parasitize other plants, and some parasitic species pose severe constraints to major crops. The role of strigolactones and other metabolites present in host root exudates as germination stimulants for weedy root parasitic weed seeds has been known for the last 40 years. Recently, the ecological and developmental roles of strigolactones have been clarified by the discovery that they are a new class of plant hormone that controls shoot branching and serve as host recognition signals for mycorrhizal fungi. Parasitic plants also recognize these chemicals and use them to coordinate their life cycle with that of their host. Here we review agronomic practices that use parasitic germination stimulant production as a target for manipulation to control parasitic weeds.
RANKING DIFFERENTIAL HUBS IN GENE CO-EXPRESSION NETWORKS
Authors: ODIBAT OMAR , REDDY CHANDAN K.
Published: December 2011

Identifying the genes that change their expressions between two conditions (such as normal versus cancer) is a crucial task that can help in understanding the causes of diseases. Differential networking has emerged as a powerful approach to detect the changes in network structures and to identify the differentially connected genes among two networks. However, existing differential network-based methods primarily depend on pairwise comparisons of the genes based on their connectivity. Therefore, these methods cannot capture the essential topological changes in the network structures. In this paper, we propose a novel algorithm, DiffRank, which ranks the genes based on their contribution to the differences between the two networks. To achieve this goal, we define two novel structural scoring measures: a local structure measure (differential connectivity) and a global structure measure (differential betweenness centrality). These measures are optimized by propagating the scores through the network structure and then ranking the genes based on these propagated scores. We demonstrate the effectiveness of DiffRank on synthetic and real datasets. For the synthetic datasets, we developed a simulator for generating synthetic differential scale-free networks, and we compared our method with existing methods. The comparisons show that our algorithm outperforms these existing methods. For the real datasets, we apply the proposed algorithm on several gene expression datasets and demonstrate that the proposed method provides biologically interesting results.
THE STRONG MOTION RECORDS OF THEMs8.0 WENCHUAN EARTHQUAKE BY THE DIGITAL STRONG EARTHQUAKE NETWORK IN SICHUAN AND THE NEIGHBORING REGION
Authors: ZHOU RONGJUN , LI YONG , DENSMORE ALEXANDER L. , LAI MIN , ZHANG YI , YU HUA , LONG CHENGHOU , WANG SHIYUAN , KANG CHUANCHUAN , LIANG MINGJIAN
Published: November 2011

The Ms8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake of May 12, 2008 resulted in oblique dextral-thrust motion in the Longmen Shan tectonic belt resulted. During this earthquake event, 133 sets of three-component acceleration records were collected by the digital earthquake network in Sichuan Province. By using these records and some strong motion records from the networks in Shanxi and Gansu provinces, contours of peak ground acceleration were determined. These contours are elliptically shaped with the major axis oriented in a northeast direction. The peak acceleration decayed more gradually toward the northeast, parallel to the rupture propagation than toward the southwest, indicating a directivity effect. The peak acceleration also decayed more gradually toward the northwest, on the hanging wall, than toward the southeast on the footwall. A relatively high rate of attenuation in the peak acceleration was also evident on the Yingxiu-Beichuan section of the fault; this can be attributed to the seismic source fracture pattern and rupture progress. The measured peak vertical and horizontal ground acceleration components were far larger than the design values prescribed by the Code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GB50011-2001). As distance from the rupture increased, the acceleration response spectrum gradually became dominated by long-period motions. A large velocity pulse was also measured at a distance of about 80–100 km from the fault.
Fractographic features on joints of KTB drill cores (Bavaria, Germany)
Authors: Bankwitz P. , Bankwitz E.
Published: November 2011

The cores of the superdeep drilling in Bavaria (KTB: Continental Deep Drilling, Windischeschenbach) were used to estimate the orientation of the contemporary maximum horizontal stress by several methods in the KTB-field laboratory, including a study of core disking, borehole break-outs, cuttings and relaxation of the cores. Core disking surfaces are one type of coring-induced joint occurring in quasi-isotropic parts of the rock. Fractographic features on core disking surfaces aid in understanding the core disking process. We determined the
in situ
stress orientation from fractographic structures on common coring-induced fractures, which are present in all sections of the cores. This analysis is based on the symmetry of joint characteristics (3D shape and surface features of joint planes). The symmetry axes of these joint features are related to the principal stress axes, which permits a determination of the orientation of the recent maximum and minimum horizontal stress axis (
S
H
≠
S
h
).
Fracture surface markings in Liassic limestone at Lavernock Point, South Wales
Authors: Roberts John C.
Published: November 2011

A study of fracture surface markings (FSM) on three joint sets, striking at 190, 335 and 280°, cutting a 2.5 m thick slice of interbedded limestones and mudstones of lower Liassic age, yields evidence which enables determination of the orientation of the palaeostress field at the time of joint formation. A specific element of the FSM, namely the border planes, or the twist hackle, has been used to determine the orientation of σ
1
, in that these twist-hackle structures are considered to be developed normal to the remote tensile stress σ
3
. In the case of the joint sets striking at 335 and 190°, the sense of rotation of the twist plane would suggest that for both sets σ
1
was aligned N-S and almost parallel to bedding. Other FSM features suggest that the 190° set propagated rapidly with S-type plumose markings being the most common. The small angle of border plane rotation (10–15°) suggests that all of the joint sets propagated under relatively low confining pressures. The sense of border plane rotation on the 335 and 190° sets suggests that there is a possible conjugate relationship between them. However, the other main joint set which strikes at 280° cannot be accounted for by simultaneous development in a N-S aligned σ
1
which might have caused the development of the 335–190° joint sets.
Modeling and generating moving trees from video
Authors: Li Chuan , Deussen Oliver , Song Yi-Zhe , Willis Phil , Hall Peter
Published: November 2011

We present a probabilistic approach for the automatic production of tree models with convincing 3D appearance and motion. The only input is a video of a moving tree that provides us an initial dynamic tree model, which is used to generate new individual trees of the same type. Our approach combines global and local constraints to construct a dynamic 3D tree model from a 2D skeleton. Our modeling takes into account factors such as the shape of branches, the overall shape of the tree, and physically plausible motion. Furthermore, we provide a generative model that creates multiple trees in 3D, given a single example model. This means that users no longer have to make each tree individually, or specify rules to make new trees. Results with different species are presented and compared to both reference input data and state of the art alternatives.
Candid portrait selection from video
Authors: Fiss Juliet , Agarwala Aseem , Curless Brian
Published: November 2011

In this paper, we train a computer to select still frames from video that work well as candid portraits. Because of the subjective nature of this task, we conduct a human subjects study to collect ratings of video frames across multiple videos. Then, we compute a number of features and train a model to predict the average rating of a video frame. We evaluate our model with cross-validation, and show that it is better able to select quality still frames than previous techniques, such as simply omitting frames that contain blinking or motion blur, or selecting only smiles. We also evaluate our technique qualitatively on videos that were not part of our validation set, and were taken outdoors and under different lighting conditions.
A rendering framework for multiscale views of 3D models
Authors: Hsu Wei-Hsien , Ma Kwan-Liu , Correa Carlos
Published: November 2011

Images that seamlessly combine views at different levels of detail are appealing. However, creating such multiscale images is not a trivial task, and most such illustrations are handcrafted by skilled artists. This paper presents a framework for direct multiscale rendering of geometric and volumetric models. The basis of our approach is a set of non-linearly bent camera rays that smoothly cast through multiple scales. We show that by properly setting up a sequence of conventional pinhole cameras to capture features of interest at different scales, along with image masks specifying the regions of interest for each scale on the projection plane, our rendering framework can generate non-linear sampling rays that smoothly project objects in a scene at multiple levels of detail onto a single image. We address two important issues with non-linear camera projection. First, our streamline-based ray generation algorithm avoids undesired camera ray intersections, which often result in unexpected images. Second, in order to maintain camera ray coherence and preserve aesthetic quality, we create an interpolated 3D field that defines the contribution of each pinhole camera for determining ray orientations. The resulting multiscale camera has three main applications: (1) presenting hierarchical structure in a compact and continuous manner, (2) achieving focus+context visualization, and (3) creating fascinating and artistic images.
Animated construction of line drawings
Authors: Fu Hongbo , Zhou Shizhe , Liu Ligang , Mitra Niloy J.
Published: November 2011

Revealing the sketching sequence of a line drawing can be visually intriguing and used for video-based storytelling. Typically this is enabled based on tedious recording of artists' drawing process. We demonstrate that it is often possible to estimate a reasonable drawing order from a static line drawing with clearly defined shape geometry, which looks plausible to a human viewer. We map the key principles of drawing order from drawing cognition to computational procedures in our framework. Our system produces plausible animated constructions of input line drawings, with no or little user intervention. We test our algorithm on a range of input sketches, with varying degree of complexity and structure, and evaluate the results via a user study. We also present applications to gesture drawing synthesis and drawing animation creation especially in the context of video scribing.
Pattern-guided smoke animation with lagrangian coherent structure
Authors: Yuan Zhi , Chen Fan , Zhao Ye
Published: November 2011

Fluid animation practitioners face great challenges from the complexity of flow dynamics and the high cost of numerical simulation. A major hindrance is the uncertainty of fluid behavior after simulation resolution increases and extra turbulent effects are added. In this paper, we propose to regulate fluid animations with predesigned flow patterns. Animators can design their desired fluid behavior with fast, low-cost simulations. Flow patterns are then extracted from the results by the Lagrangian Coherent Structure (LCS) that represents major flow skeleton. Therefore, the final high-quality animation is confined towards the designed behavior by applying the patterns to drive high-resolution and turbulent simulations. The pattern regulation is easily computed and achieves controllable variance in the output. The method makes it easy to design special fluid effects, which increases the usability and scalability of various advanced fluid modeling technologies.
Interference-aware geometric modeling
Authors: Harmon David , Panozzo Daniele , Sorkine Olga , Zorin Denis
Published: November 2011

While often a requirement for geometric models, there has been little research in resolving the interaction of deforming surfaces during real-time modeling sessions. To address this important topic, we introduce an interference algorithm specifically designed for the domain of geometric modeling. This algorithm is general, easily working within existing modeling paradigms to maintain their important properties. Our algorithm is fast, and is able to maintain interactive rates on complex deforming meshes of over 75K faces, while robustly removing intersections. Lastly, our method is controllable, allowing fine-tuning to meet the specific needs of the user. This includes support for minimum separation between surfaces and control over the relative rigidity of interacting objects.
Boundary aligned smooth 3D cross-frame field
Authors: Huang Jin , Tong Yiying , Wei Hongyu , Bao Hujun
Published: November 2011

In this paper, we present a method for constructing a 3D
cross-frame field
, a 3D extension of the 2D cross-frame field as applied to surfaces in applications such as quadrangulation and texture synthesis. In contrast to the surface cross-frame field (equivalent to a 4-Way Rotational-Symmetry vector field), symmetry for 3D cross-frame fields cannot be formulated by simple one-parameter 2D rotations in the tangent planes. To address this critical issue, we represent the 3D frames by spherical harmonics, in a manner invariant to combinations of rotations around any axis by multiples of π/2. With such a representation, we can formulate an efficient smoothness measure of the cross-frame field. Through minimization of this measure under certain boundary conditions, we can construct a smooth 3D cross-frame field that is aligned with the surface normal at the boundary. We visualize the resulting cross-frame field through restrictions to the boundary surface, streamline tracing in the volume, and singularities. We also demonstrate the application of the 3D cross-frame field to producing hexahedron-dominant meshes for given volumes, and discuss its potential in high-quality hexahedralization, much as its 2D counterpart has shown in quadrangulation.
Physically-based interactive bi-scale material design
Authors: Wu Hongzhi , Dorsey Julie , Rushmeier Holly
Published: November 2011

We present the first physically-based interactive system to facilitate the appearance design at
different scales
consistently, through manipulations of both small-scale geometry and materials. The core of our system is a novel reflectance filtering algorithm, which rapidly computes the large-scale appearance from small-scale details, by exploiting the low-rank structures of the Bidirectional Visible Normal Distribution Function and pre-rotated BRDFs in the matrix formulation of our rendering problem. Our algorithm is three orders of magnitude faster than a ground-truth method. We demonstrate various editing results of different small-scale geometry with analytical and measured BRDFs. In addition, we show the applications of our system to physical realization of appearance, as well as modeling of real-world materials using very sparse measurements.
AppWarp
Authors: An Xiaobo , Tong Xin , Denning Jonathan D. , Pellacini Fabio
Published: November 2011

We propose a method for retargeting measured materials, where a source measured material is edited by applying the reflectance functions of a template measured dataset. The resulting dataset is a material that maintains the spatial patterns of the source dataset, while exhibiting the reflectance behaviors of the template. Compared to editing materials by subsequent selections and modifications, retargeting shortens the time required to achieve a desired look by directly using template data, just as color transfer does for editing images. With our method, users have to just mark corresponding regions of source and template with rough strokes, with no need for further input.

This paper introduces
AppWarp
, an algorithm that achieves retargeting as a user-constrained, appearance-space warping operation, that executes in tens of seconds. Our algorithm is independent of the measured material representation and supports retargeting of analytic and tabulated BRDFs as well as BSSRDFs. In addition, our method makes no assumption of the data distribution in appearance-space nor on the underlying correspondence between source and target. These characteristics make
AppWarp
the first general formulation for appearance retargeting. We validate our method on several types of materials, including leaves, metals, waxes, woods and greeting cards. Furthermore, we demonstrate how retargeting can be used to enhance diffuse texture with high quality reflectance.
T&I engine
Authors: Nah Jae-Ho , Park Jeong-Soo , Park Chanmin , Kim Jin-Woo , Jung Yun-Hye , Park Woo-Chan , Han Tack-Don
Published: November 2011

Ray tracing naturally supports high-quality global illumination effects, but it is computationally costly. Traversal and intersection operations dominate the computation of ray tracing. To accelerate these two operations, we propose a hardware architecture integrating three novel approaches. First, we present an ordered depth-first layout and a traversal architecture using this layout to reduce the required memory bandwidth. Second, we propose a three-phase ray-triangle intersection architecture that takes advantage of early exit. Third, we propose a latency hiding architecture defined as the ray accumulation unit. Cycle-accurate simulation results indicate our architecture can achieve interactive distributed ray tracing.
Insitu
Authors: Paczkowski Patrick , Kim Min H. , Morvan Yann , Dorsey Julie , Rushmeier Holly , O'Sullivan Carol
Published: November 2011

Architecture is design in spatial context. The only current methods for representing context involve designing in a heavyweight computer-aided design system, using a full model of existing buildings and landscape, or sketching on a panoramic photo. The former is too cumbersome; the latter is too restrictive in viewpoint and in the handling of occlusions and topography. We introduce a novel approach to presenting context such that it is an integral component in a lightweight conceptual design system. We represent sites through a fusion of data available from different sources. We derive a site model from geographic elevation data, on-site point-to-point distance measurements, and images of the site. To acquire and process the data, we use publicly available data sources, multidimensional scaling techniques and refinements of recent bundle adjustment techniques. We offer a suite of interactive tools to acquire, process, and combine the data into a lightweight stroke and image-billboard representation. We create multiple and linked
pop-ups
derived from images, forming a lightweight representation of a three-dimensional environment. We implemented our techniques in a stroke-based conceptual design system we call
Insitu
. We developed our work through continuous interaction with professional designers. We present designs created with our new techniques integrated in a conceptual design system.
Development of Corrosion Coatings by Controlled Chemical Precipitation Method for Biomedical Applications Using AISI 316 L Stainless Steel
Authors: Ortega Clemente Ana I. , Domínguez-Crespo Miguel A. , Torres-Huerta Aide M. , Onofre-Bustamante Edgar
Published: December 2011

In this work, protective hydroxyapatite (HA) films were deposited on AISI 316L stainless steel using a controlled chemical precipitation process (CCP). The crystallization characteristics of each film at different temperatures (300, 600 and 800 ° C) and its effect on the electrochemical performance were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicate that during the synthesis, good protective coatings were obtained even though some traces of CaHPO4.H2O were detected. The electrochemical properties (higher charge transfer resistance) are towards correlated with the crystallinity and particle size forming the film. Hence, the HA coating sintered at 800 ° C showed greater protection in chlorine media compared to lower sintering temperatures and uncoated material.
Electrochemical Impedance Evaluation of Uracil and Thymine Pyrimidine Derivatives and its Nucleosides Compounds as a Non-Toxic Corrosion Inhibitors of Steels in 1M HCl
Authors: Espinoza-Vazquez Araceli , Negrón-Silva Guillermo , Angeles-Beltrán Deyanira , Palomar-Pardavé Manuel E. , Romero-Romo Mario A. , Herrera-Hernández Héctor
Published: December 2011

An electrochemical impedance (EIS) study was used to evaluate the corrosion inhibiting properties of two pyrimidine derivate bases, namely, thymine and uracil, and their related nucleosides: thymidine and uridine. Different concentrations of these compounds were monitored in a system comprising samples of the steel type API 5L X52 exposed to 1M HCl using an IM6-Zahner electrochemical workstation. EIS spectra showed that the charge transfer resistance (Rct) increased with increasing inhibitor concentration in the electrolyte. It was also found that the best corrosion inhibition efficiency, IE, was reached with only 30 ppm for the compound bases (thymine, 93.8% or uracil, 80.5%), in comparison to their nucleosides (thymidine, 79.3% or uridine, 73.5%, respectively). The corrosion inhibition kinetics of thymine was studied at 30 ppm for 350 hours immersion in order to determine its performance as a function of time; its IE capacity remained practically over 80%. This is sufficient reason to consider the thymine compound as the best corrosion inhibitor of those proposed here, for the of steel in 1M HCl.
A Treatment of the Absorption Spectrum for a Multiphoton V‐TypeThree‐Level Atom Interacting with a Squeezed Coherent Field in thePresence of Nonlinearities
Authors: Faramawy F. K.
Published: December 2011

We study the interaction of a three‐level atom with a single mode field
through multiphoton transition in a cavity, taking explicitly into account the
existence of forms of nonlinearities of both the field and the intensity‐dependent
atom‐field coupling. The analytical forms of the absorption spectrum is calculated
using the dressed states of the system. The effects of photon multiplicities, mean
photon number, detuning, Kerr‐like medium, and the intensity‐dependent coupling
functional on the absorption spectrum are analyzed.
Development of a Nongenetic Mouse Model of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Gilbert Elizabeth R. , Fu Zhuo , Liu Dongmin
Published: November 2011

Insulin resistance and loss of β-cell mass cause Type 2 diabetes (T2D). The objective of this study was to generate a nongenetic mouse model of T2D. Ninety-six 6-month-old C57BL/6N males were assigned to 1 of 12 groups including (1) low-fat diet (LFD; low-fat control; LFC), (2) LFD with 1 i.p. 40 mg/kg BW streptozotocin (STZ) injection, (3), (4), (5), (6) LFD with 2, 3, 4, or 5 STZ injections on consecutive days, respectively, (7) high-fat diet (HFD), (8) HFD with 1 STZ injection, (9), (10), (11), (12) HFD with 2, 3, 4, or 5 STZ injections on consecutive days, respectively. After 4 weeks, serum insulin levels were reduced in HFD mice administered at least 2 STZ injections as compared with HFC. Glucose tolerance was impaired in mice that consumed HFD and received 2, 3, or 4 injections of STZ. Insulin sensitivity in HFD mice was lower than that of LFD mice, regardless of STZ treatment. Islet mass was not affected by diet but was reduced by 50% in mice that received 3 STZ injections. The combination of HFD and three 40 mg/kg STZ injections induced a model with metabolic characteristics of T2D, including peripheral insulin resistance and reduced β-cell mass.
Resistance to BRAF Inhibitors: Unraveling Mechanisms and Future Treatment Options
Authors: Villanueva Jessie , Vultur Adina , Herlyn Meenhard
Published: December 2011

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has emerged as a central target for melanoma therapy due to its persistent activation in the majority of tumors. Several BRAF inhibitors aimed at curbing MAPK pathway activity are currently in advanced stages of clinical investigation. However, their therapeutic success is limited by the emergence of drug resistance, as responses are transient and tumors eventually recur. To develop effective and long-lasting therapies for melanoma patients, it is essential to understand the mechanisms underlying resistance to BRAF inhibitors. Here, we briefly review recent preclinical studies that have provided insight into the molecular mechanisms of resistance to BRAF inhibitors and discuss potential strategies to treat drug-resistant melanomas. Cancer Res; 71(23); 7137–40. ©2011 AACR.
The Pax-5 Gene: A Pluripotent Regulator of B-cell Differentiation and Cancer Disease
Authors: O'Brien Pierre , Morin Pier , Ouellette Rodney J. , Robichaud Gilles A.
Published: December 2011

The Pax-5 oncogene encodes a potent transcription factor that plays a key role in B-cell development and cancerous processes. In normal B-lymphopoiesis, Pax-5 accomplishes a dual function by activating B-cell commitment genes while concomitantly repressing non–B-lineage genes. Given the pivotal importance of Pax-5–mediated processes in B-cell development, an aberrant regulation of Pax5 expression has consistently been associated with B-cell cancers, namely, lymphoma and lymphocytic leukemias. More recently, Pax-5 gene expression has been proposed to influence carcinogenic events in tissues of nonlymphoid origin by promoting cell growth and survival. However, in other cases, Pax-5 products have opposing effects on proliferative activity, thus redefining its generally accepted role as an oncogene in cancer. In this review, we attempt to summarize recent findings about the function and regulation of Pax-5 gene products in B-cell development and related cancers. In addition, we present new findings that highlight the pleiotropic effects of Pax-5 activity in a number of other cancer types. Cancer Res; 71(24); 7345–50. ©2011 AACR.