bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cosmology with higher-derivative matter fields
Authors: Harko Tiberiu , Lobo Francisco S. N. , Saridakis Emmanuel N.
Published: May 2016

We investigate the cosmological implications of a new class of modified gravity, where the field equations generically include higher-order derivatives of the matter fields, arising from the introduction of non-dynamical auxiliary fields in the action. Imposing a flat, homogeneous and isotropic geometry, we extract the Friedmann equations, obtaining an effective dark-energy sector containing higher-derivatives of the matter energy density and pressure. For the cases of dust, radiation and stiff matter, we analyze the cosmological behavior, finding accelerating, de Sitter and non-accelerating phases, dominated by matter or dark-energy. Additionally, the effective dark-energy equation-of-state parameter can be quintessence-like, cosmological-constant-like or even phantom-like. The detailed study of these scenarios may provide signatures, that could distinguish them from other candidates of modified gravity.
Synthesis of Flower-Like Hybrid BiOI/HZSM-5 Composites with High Visible-Light Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Li Wei , Ni Gang , Li Jing , Han Ying
Published: May 2016

BiOI/HZSM-5 composites were synthesized via a facile and environmentally-benign hydrothermal method. The crystalline structures and morphologies of the powder have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The photocatalytic activity of samples was tested for degradation of methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) dye under simulated solar light irradiation. The degradation rate of MB and RhB by BiOI/HZSM-5 composite photocatalysts respective reach 99.6% and 98.6% under visible light irradiation, BiOI/HZSM-5 exhibited the highest photocatalytic performance when compared with pure BiOI.
Application of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision combined with sphincter-preserving surgery in low or ultralow rectal cancer
Authors: Liu Yan , Lu Xiao-Ming , Niu Yan-Feng , Tao Kai-Xiong , Wang Guo-Bin
Published: May 2016

This study aimed to investigate the influence of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision combined with sphincter-preserving surgery on the postoperative defecation function, urinary function and sexual function in low or ultralow rectal cancer. A retrospective study was undertaken on 107 patients (65 laparoscopic resection and 42 laparoctomic resection) with rectal cancer undergoing laparoscopic or open laparoscopic total mesorectal excision combined with sphincter-preserving surgery from April 2009 to April 2013. The quality of life outcomes of all patients, including defection, urinary and sexual function, were assessed at 6, 12 and 24 months after operation. Gastrointestinal quality of life index (GQOLI) was used to evaluate the fecal incontinence and bowel dysfunction. Urinary and sexual functions were studied by means of questionnaires on the basis of the international prostatic symptom score (IPSS) and international index of erectile function (IIEF), respectively. In laparoscopic surgery group, there were two cases of anastomotic leakage, three cases of anastomotic stricture, seven cases of local recurrence, ten cases of hepatic metastasis and five cases of lung metastasis. The satisfaction rates of patients about their defecation function reached 60.3% (35/58, 84.5% (49/58) and 91.3% (53/58) at 6, 12, and 24 months follow-up, respectively. The assessment after one year showed that the overall incidence of urinary dysfunction was 10.7% (7/65); Among male patients, 18.4% (7/36) suffered from erectile dysfunction and 27.8% (10/36) suffered from ejaculatory dysfunction; 65.5% (19/29) female patients investigated were satisfied with their postoperative sexual life. In open surgery group, there were two cases of anastomotic leakage, two cases of anastomotic stricture, nine cases of local recurrence, ten cases of hepatic metastasis and seven cases of lung metastasis. The satisfaction rates of patients about their defecation function were 56.4% (22/39), 82.1% (32/39) and 94.8% (37/39) at 6, 12, and 24 months follow-up, respectively. The assessment after one year showed that the overall incidence of urinary dysfunction was 11.9% (5/42); 25% (4/16) male patients suffered from erectile dysfunction and 31.3% (5/16) suffered from ejaculatory dysfunction; 69.2% (19/26) female patients investigated were satisfied of their postoperative sexual life. There was no statistic difference in the two groups. Laparoscopic total mesorectal excision combined with sphincter-preserving surgery in low or ultralow rectal carcinoma is safe and practicable. It can be helpful for enhancing the probability of anus reservation, and obtains satisfactory defecation, sexual and urinary functions.
Monte Carlo simulation-based thinning and calculating method for noninvasive blood glucose sensing by near-infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Ma Congcong , Qin Jia , Zhang Qi , Lu Junsheng , Xu Kexin , Jiang Jingying
Published: May 2016

Previous results show that the floating reference theory (FRT) is an effective tool to reduce the influence of interference factors on noninvasive blood glucose sensing by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). It is the key to measure the floating reference point (FRP) precisely for the application of FRT. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation has been introduced to quantitatively investigate the effects of positioning errors and light source drifts on measuring FRP. In this article, thinning and calculating method (TCM) is proposed to quantify the positioning error. Meanwhile, the normalization process (NP) is developed to significantly reduce the error induced by light source drift. The results according to TCM show that 7[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m deviations in positioning can generate about 10.63% relative error in FRP. It is more noticeable that 1% fluctuation in light source intensity may lead to 12.21% relative errors. Gratifyingly, the proposed NP model can effectively reduce the error caused by light source drift. Therefore, the measurement system for FRPs must meet that the positioning error is less than 7[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m, and the light source drift is kept within 1%. Furthermore, an improvement for measurement system is proposed in order to take advantage of the NP model.
Preliminary study of structural changes in Li2MnSiO4 cathode material during electrochemical reaction
Authors: Świętosławski Michał , Molenda Marcin , Gajewska Marta
Published: May 2016

In this paper, we present exsitu observations of a structure of particular Li2MnSiO4 grains at different states of charge (SOC). The goal of these studies is structural analysis of Li2MnSiO4 cathode material for Li-ion batteries at different stages of electrochemical reaction using transmission electron microscopy. Performed analysis suggests that amorphization process of Li2MnSiO4 is not directly connected with lithium ions deintercalation but with additional electrochemical reactions running in the working cell.
Understanding JavaScript Event-Based Interactions with Clematis
Authors: Alimadadi Saba , Sequeira Sheldon , Mesbah Ali , Pattabiraman Karthik
Published: May 2016

Web applications have become one of the fastest-growing types of software systems today. Despite their popularity, understanding the behavior of modern web applications is still a challenging endeavor for developers during development and maintenance tasks. The challenges mainly stem from the dynamic, event-driven, and asynchronous nature of the JavaScript language. We propose a generic technique for capturing low-level event-based interactions in a web application and mapping those to a higher-level behavioral model. This model is then transformed into an interactive visualization, representing episodes of triggered causal and temporal events, related JavaScript code executions, and their impact on the dynamic DOM state. Our approach, implemented in a tool called C
lematis
, allows developers to easily understand the complex dynamic behavior of their application at three different semantic levels of granularity. Furthermore, C
lematis
helps developers bridge the gap between test cases and program code by localizing the fault related to a test assertion. The results of our industrial controlled experiment show that C
lematis
is capable of improving the comprehension task accuracy by 157% while reducing the task completion time by 47%. A follow-up experiment reveals that C
lematis
improves the fault localization accuracy of developers by a factor of two.
Impact of Fin Width Scaling on RF/Analog Performance of Junctionless Accumulation-Mode Bulk FinFET
Authors: Biswas Kalyan , Sarkar Angsuman , Sarkar Chandan Kumar
Published: May 2016

In this article, the RF and analog performance of junctionless accumulation-mode bulk FinFETs is analyzed by employing the variation of fin width so that it can be used as a high-efficiency RF integrated circuit design. The RF/analog performance evaluation has been carried out using the ATLAS 3D device simulator in terms of evaluation of figure-of-merits metrics such as transconductance (g
m
), gate-to-source/drain capacitances (C
gg
), cutoff frequency (f
T
), and maximum frequency of oscillation (f
max
). Apart from RF/analog performance investigation, the variation of ON-current to OFF-current ratio (I
ON
/I
OFF
) and transconductance generation factor (g
m
/I
ds
) have also been carried out. From this study, it is observed that smaller fin width of the device improves its performance.
A Simple and Efficient Algorithm for Computing Market Equilibria
Authors: Fleischer Lisa , Garg Rahul , Kapoor Sanjiv , Khandekar Rohit , Saberi Amin
Published: May 2016

We give a new mathematical formulation of market equilibria in exchange economies using an
indirect utility function
: the function of prices and income that gives the maximum utility achievable. The formulation is a
convex
program and can be solved when the indirect utility function is convex in prices. We illustrate that many economies, including:

—Homogeneous utilities of degree α ∈ [0, 1] in Fisher economies—this includes Linear, Leontief, Cobb-Douglas

—
Resource allocation utilities
like multi-commodity flows

satisfy this condition and can be efficiently solved.

Further, we give a natural tâtonnement type price-adjusting algorithm in these economies. Our algorithm, which is applicable to a larger class of utility functions than previously known
weak gross substitutes
, mimics the natural dynamics for the markets as suggested by Walras: it iteratively adjusts a good’s price upward when the demand for that good under current prices exceeds its supply; and downward when its supply exceeds its demand. The algorithm computes an approximate equilibrium in a number of iterations that is independent of the number of traders and is almost
linear
in the number of goods.
Area Minimization Synthesis for Reconfigurable Single-Electron Transistor Arrays with Fabrication Constraints
Authors: Chen Yi-Hang , Chen Jian-Yu , Huang Juinn-Dar
Published: May 2016

Power dissipation has become a pressing issue of concern in the designs of most electronic system as fabrication processes enter even deeper submicron regions. More specifically, leakage power plays a dominant role in system power dissipation. An emerging circuit design style, the reconfigurable single-electron transistor (SET) array, has been proposed for continuing Moore's Law due to its ultra-low leakage power consumption. Recently, several works have been proposed to address the issues related to automated synthesis for the reconfigurable SET array. Nevertheless, all of those existing approaches consider mandatory fabrication constraints of SET array merely in late synthesis stages. In this article, we propose a synthesis algorithm, featuring input-variable ordering and dynamic product term ordering, for area minimization. The fabrication constraints are taken into account at every synthesis stage of proposed flow to guarantee better synthesis outcomes. We also develop a simulated annealing-based postprocess to find a proper phase assignment of each input variable for further area reduction. Experimental results show that our new methodology can achieve up to 29% area reduction as compared to existing state-of-the-art techniques.
Care Plans for Native and Prosthetic Joint Septic Arthritis, and Acute Hematogenous and Chronic Osteomyelitis
Authors: Shafran Stephen D , The Septic Arthritis∕Osteomyelitis Outpatient Intravenous An
Published: May 2016

The current paper presents care plans for the treatment of septic arthritis of native and prosthetic joints, as well as for
acute hematogenous and chronic osteomyelitis. A nursing care plan for septic arthritis and osteomyelitis is included,
along with pathogen‐specific therapy for common pathogens, including Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative cocci.
Diabetic Foot Care Plan
Authors: Dow Gordon , The Diabetic Foot Care Plan Working Group
Published: May 2016

Diabetes mellitus is the number one cause of limb loss in North America, and is associated with growing, unacceptable
rates of morbidity, mortality and economic loss. Approximately 80% of these amputations are preceded by the development
of foot ulceration. Various disciplines have studied the
prevention and management of foot ulceration in those with
diabetes. The present care plan was constructed to incorporate the
important contributions from these disciplines into practical
therapeutic guidelines. The care plan has been divided into three
basic sections: assessment, general management and antibiotic
therapy. Each of these sections is described in detail and borrows
heavily from previous Canadian position papers. Application of the
care plan is illustrated by multiple diabetic foot clinical
scenarios, which have been categorized according to the Wagner
classification.
Outpatient Intravenous Antibiotic Therapy: The Vancouver Hospital experience
Authors: Stiver Grant , Wai Amy , Chase Lynne , Frighetto Luciana , Marra Carlo , Jewessen Peter
Published: May 2016

From June 1, 1995 to December 31, 1997, 334 patients at the Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Centre (VHHSC)
were referred to and screened for, outpatient intravenous antibiotic therapy. One hundred and ninety were accepted, 107
of whom were cared for under the VHHSC program and 83 of whom were discharged to continue intravenous therapy in
their own health region. Thirty‐four of 144 patients not accepted for outpatient intravenous therapy, were screened by
the Infectious Disease Service and Pharmacy, and were discharged on oral antibiotics. Peripherally inserted central
catheters were employed in 61 of 107 (57%) patients, peripheral short catheters in 20 (19%), Hickman lines in 14 (13%),
and Port‐a‐caths in 12 (12%). Ninety‐two of 107 patients treated in the VHHSC program completed their course uneventfully
with resolution of the infection. The average duration of hospital therapy was 10.9 days versus 23.6 days of
outpatient therapy. In 15 patients, home treatment was discontinued because of clinical deterioration: adverse drug reaction
(n=2), phlebitis (n=2), unsuitable home environment (n=1), noncompliance (n=1), line‐related sepsis (n=1)
and death due to unrelated causes (n=1). There were 15 adverse drug reactions overall in the total of 2534 patient‐days
of therapy over 18 months. Cost analysis showed a cost of 12 cents on the dollar compared with inhospital therapy.
What Constitutes Failure for Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy?
Authors: Malfertheiner P , Peitz U , Treiber G
Published: May 2016

Apart from patients with peptic ulcer disease, the use of eradication
therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection has been extended to patients
with H pylori‐positive dyspepsia and conditions at risk for gastric cancer.
Standard treatments comprise a proton pump inhibitor plus two antibiotics
for at least one week. The main factors leading to treatment failure
are noncompliance and antibiotic resistance. Provided the patient is
sufficiently informed about possible side effects, discontinuation of the
newer triple therapies has become rare. The prevalence of antibiotic
resistance varies considerably among different geographic regions,
reflecting the habits of prescription of these antibiotics for other indications.
Largely, it ranges from 1% to 15% for macrolides, and from 7% to
60% for nitroimidazoles. With nitroimidazole resistance, treatment failure
occurs in only less than 50%; with macrolide resistance, by contrast,
in more than 50% of the cases. Futhermore, bacterial and host‐related
factors (Cag A virulence factor, grade of inflammation) contribute to
eradication success. In case of treatment failure, post‐therapeutic resistance
is frequent. Important principles for the choice of second‐line
treatment are: not to repeat an antibiotic with potential post‐therapeutic
resistance, and to ensure sufficient acid suppression.
Helicobacter pylori Management: How to Improve the Therapeutic Confusion in Practice
Authors: Talley Nicholas J
Published: May 2016

There appears to be a disconnect between current guidelines for
Helicobacter pylori testing and treatment, and clinical practice, including
physician beliefs and actual prescribing patterns. In particular, there are
markedly different approaches in primary and secondary care, and country‐
specific differences in eradication therapy for H pylori infection.
Although most physicians do not believe that H pylori causes nonulcer
dyspepsia, the majority appear to prescribe eradication. Less information
is available on the management of H pylori infection and gastroesophageal
reflux disease, and more marked differences in attitudes and
practice occur in this condition. Even in peptic ulcer disease, where most
clinicians both in primary and in secondary care believe H pylori should
be eradicated, there is often a breakdown in the translation of this belief
into practice. There is also confusion in terms of treatment regimens
applied for H pylori eradication. Eradication regimens are less successful
in practice than in clinical trials. Furthermore, a sizable proportion of
patients with peptic ulcer remain symptomatic despite cure of the ulcer
diathesis, which may undermine confidence. Therapeutic confusion
about what to prescribe, side effects limiting compliance, bacterial resistance,
and socioeconomic factors may all impair therapeutic success with
eradication therapy in practice. Unfortunately, it has been well documented
that guidelines alone are likely to have little or no impact in practice.
Publication in a journal is unlikely to lead to effective
implementation in primary care. On the basis of available evidence, clinical
behaviour is most likely changed when guidelines are developed by
the peer group of clinicians for whom they were intended, are disseminated
through a specific educational program, and are implemented by applying,
preferably during the consultation, specific reminders.
Ethical Issues in the Management of Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Axon Anthony
Published: May 2016

Medical ethics are not absolute; they change according to social attitudes,
technological advances and alterations in the doctor/patient
relationship. The discovery of Helicobacter pylori highlighted
entrenched attitudes in academia and the pharmaceutical industry
that were not always appropriate. The explosion of research that followed
was ethically controlled by local research ethics committees
and the system of peer review and editorial responsibility. Now that
effective treatments are available, the control arm in trials of new
therapy should be either placebo (giving the option of effective treatment
later) or a first‐line treatment; mono and dual therapy should
not be employed because of the risk of inducing bacterial resistance.
Ethical issues that still remain include whether always to test patients
for H pylori at endoscopy and what information should be given when
they test positive. The most important issue is the approach of the
medical profession to the high death rate carried by H pylori infection.
Peptic ulcer and gastric cancer together account for a large
number of deaths worldwide, and the medical profession and public
health services have not yet grappled with this problem, neither
advocating universal testing and treatment nor funding or research to
determine whether this approach would be effective.
Can the Response to Eradication Therapy in Helicobacter pylori Infection be Predicted?
Authors: Clancy Robert , Borody Thomas , Ren Zhigang , Pang Gerald
Published: May 2016

The failure to eradicate Helicobacter pylori infection with antibiotic
therapy has become a major clinical problem, not entirely accounted
for by either poor compliance or antibiotic resistance. Recognition
that failed eradication is one outcome of the host‐parasite relationship
focuses attention on impaired host protection as a determinant
of nonresponse to antibiotics. A secreted interleukin (IL)‐4 whole
blood assay was developed to determine whether persistent infection
was contributed to by impaired cytokine responses. The blood assay
was shown to correlate well with mucosal organ cultures.
Significantly lower levels of IL‐4 were detected in the whole blood
assays in 11 subjects with failed eradication compared with subjects
with successful eradication (P<0.05). This latter group underwent a
Th1 to Th0 ‘switch’, which appears to be important to successful
eradication. Detection of subjects at risk for failing to eradicate infection
with standard combination therapy, by virtue of low secreted
IL‐4 in whole blood cultures, may have clinical value.
Helicobacter pylori Resistance to Antibiotics: Prevalence, Mechanism, Detection. What’s New?
Authors: Mégraud Francis
Published: May 2016

Helicobacter pylori resistance to antibiotics is increasingly reported
and may limit the efficacy of current treatment regimens. Their
resistance mechanism has been found to be point mutations for all
antibiotics. Macrolide resistance is the most clinically important, but
can be detected efficiently by molecular methods. Metronidazole
resistance has limited clinical impact but testing methods are not
reliable. Seldomly found cases of resistance, such as to amoxicillin
and tetracycline, have had their mechanism recently elucidated. The
existance of rapid and practical methods for the detection of
macrolide resistance (eg, Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer
assay) should improve management of H pylori‐positive patients in
the future, by allowing an adapted first‐line therapy.
How Can the Current Strategies for Helicobacter pylori Eradication Therapy be Improved?
Authors: Ford Alex , Moayyedi Paul
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUND: The use of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy is
advocated in an increasing variety of situations. It is therefore important to
optimise current strategies to eradicate H pylori infection

OBJECTIVES: To define the optimum dosage, drugs and duration of
proton pump inhibitor (PPI) triple therapy.

METHODS: A review of the literature was performed to identify randomized
controlled trials and systematic reviews addressing these issues.

RESULTS: In PPI, amoxicillin and clarithromycin (PAC) based regimens,
twice daily PPI gave optimal eradication rates (relative risk reduction
[RRR] compared with once daily = 7%; 95% CI 2% to 12%), but in
PPI, clarithromycin and metronidazole (PCM) based regimens there was
no difference (RRR = 2%; 95% CI –7% to 10%). Omeprazole and lansoprazole‐
containing triple therapies achieved similar eradication rates, but
rabeprazole appeared superior to omeprazole (RRR = 8%; 95% CI 2% to
14%). The optimum clarithromycin dose in a PAC regimen was 500 mg
twice daily (RRR = 11%; 95% CI = 3% to 18%), but 250mg twice daily
in a PCM regimen (RRR = 2%; 95% CI –4% to 7%). Eradication rates
were lower with a seven day regimen compared with fourteen (RRR =
12%; 95% CI 7% to 17%). Overall there was no difference between a
PAC and a PCM regimen (RRR = 0%; 95% CI –3% to 3%).

CONCLUSIONS: PAC and PCM regimens are equally effective if used
optimally, though PCM is cheaper. The eradication regimen and its duration
should be tailored according to the clinical situation.
Are There Geographical and Regional Differences in Helicobacter pylori Eradication?
Authors: Vakil Nimish
Published: May 2016

An important area of controversy in Helicobacter pylori eradication is
the apparent difference in eradication rates seen in different countries
and populations. A recent meta‐analysis showed that several factors
may affect the outcome of therapy. Individuals residing in northeast
Asia had higher eradication rates than those residing in Europe or
other areas of Asia. Triple and quadruple drug therapies had significantly
higher eradication rates than did dual drug therapies.
Treatment regimens that lasted longer than 14 days were better than
those that lasted less than seven days, but there was no significant
advantage for 10 day therapy over seven day therapy. A number of
factors may play a role in determining the regional and geographical
differences in H pylori eradication therapy. Included in these factors
are genetic differences in the metabolism of the proton pump
inhibitor, which can alter the availability of antimicrobials in the
stomach. Regional differences in antimicrobial resistance also affect
the outcome of therapy. Some studies suggest that the degree of gastritis
and the nature of the underlying disease may affect the outcome
of therapy, but the data are controversial. Understanding the regional
and geographical differences in H pylori eradication can help physicians
select the optimal treatment regimen in different regions.
Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants: Practical Considerations for Emergency Medicine Physicians
Authors: Peacock W. Frank , Rafique Zubaid , Singer Adam J.
Published: May 2016

Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation- (NVAF-) related stroke and venous thromboembolism (VTE) are cardiovascular diseases associated with significant morbidity and economic burden. The historical standard treatment of VTE has been the administration of parenteral heparinoid until oral warfarin therapy attains a therapeutic international normalized ratio. Warfarin has been the most common medication for stroke prevention in NVAF. Warfarin use is complicated by a narrow therapeutic window, unpredictable dose response, numerous food and drug interactions, and requirements for frequent monitoring. To overcome these disadvantages, direct-acting oral anticoagulants (DOACs)—dabigatran, rivaroxaban, apixaban, and edoxaban—have been developed for the prevention of stroke or systemic embolic events (SEE) in patients with NVAF and for the treatment of VTE. Advantages of DOACs include predictable pharmacokinetics, few drug-drug interactions, and low monitoring requirements. In clinical studies, DOACs are noninferior to warfarin for the prevention of NVAF-related stroke and the treatment and prevention of VTE as well as postoperative knee and hip surgery VTE prophylaxis, with decreased bleeding risks. This review addresses the practical considerations for the emergency physician in DOAC use, including dosing recommendations, laboratory monitoring, anticoagulation reversal, and cost-effectiveness. The challenges of DOACs, such as the lack of specific laboratory measurements and antidotes, are also discussed.
Water Soluble Cationic Porphyrin Sensor for Detection of Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+
Authors: Zamadar Matibur , Orr Christopher , Uherek Miranda
Published: May 2016

Here we report the sensing properties of the aqueous solution ofmeso-tetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphine tetrachloride (1) for simultaneous detection of toxic metal ions by using UV-vis spectroscopy. Cationic porphyrin1displayed different electronic absorptions in UV-vis region upon interacting with Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, and Cu2+ions in neutral water solution at room temperature. Quite interestingly, the porphyrin1showed that it can function as a single optical chemical sensor and/or metal ion receptor capable of detecting two or more toxic metal ions, particularly Hg2+, Pb2+, and Cd2+ions coexisting in a water sample. Porphyrin1in an aqueous solution provides a unique UV-vis sensing system for the determination of Cd2+in the presence of larger metal ions such as Hg2+, or Pb2+. Finally, the examination of the sensing properties of1demonstrated that it can operate as a Cu2+ion selective sensor via metal displacement from the1-Hg2+,1-Pb2+, and1-Cd2+.
Positive Filtering withl1-Gain for Discrete-Time Positive Systems
Authors: Chen Xiaoming
Published: May 2016

This paper is concerned with the positive filtering problem for discrete-time positive systems under thel1-induced performance. We aim to propose a pair of positive filters with error-bounding features to estimate the output of positive systems. A novel characterization is first constructed so that the filtering error system is asymptotically stable with a prescribedl1-induced performance. Then, necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of required filters are presented, and the obtained results are expressed as linear programming problems. Moreover, it is pointed out that the results can be easily checked by standard software. In addition, a numerical example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed design procedures.
Analyzing Chaos Systems and Fine Spectrum Sensing Using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis Algorithm
Authors: González-Salas Javier S. , Shbat Modar S. , Ordaz-Salazar Francisco C. , Simón Jorge
Published: May 2016

A numerical study that uses detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) algorithm of time series obtained from linear and nonlinear dynamical systems is presented. The DFA algorithm behavior toward periodic and chaotic signals is investigated and the effect of the time scale under analysis is discussed. The displayed results prove that the DFA algorithm response is invariant (stable performance) to initial condition and chaotic system parameters. An initial idea of DFA algorithm implementation for fine spectrum sensing (SS) is proposed under two-stage spectrum sensor approach with test statistics based on the scaling exponent value. The outcomes demonstrate a promising new SS technique that can alleviate several imperfections such as noise power uncertainty and spatial correlation between the adjacent antenna array elements.
A Data-Flow Soft-Core Processor for Accelerating Scientific Calculation on FPGAs
Authors: Verdoscia Lorenzo , Giorgi Roberto
Published: May 2016

We present a new type of soft-core processor called the “Data-Flow Soft-Core” that can be implemented through FPGA technology with adequate interconnect resources. This processor provides data processing based on data-flow instructions rather than control flow instructions. As a result, during an execution on the accelerator of the Data-Flow Soft-Core, both partial data and instructions are eliminated as traffic for load and store activities. Data-flow instructions serve to describe a program and to dynamically change the context of a data-flow program graph inside the accelerator, on-the-fly. Our proposed design aims at combining the performance of a fine-grained data-flow architecture with the flexibility of reconfiguration, without requiring a partial reconfiguration or new bit-stream for reprogramming it. The potential of the data-flow implementation of a function or functional program can be exploited simply by relying on its description through the data-flow instructions that reprogram the Data-Flow Soft-Core. Moreover, the data streaming process will mirror those present in other FPGA applications. Finally, we show the advantages of this approach by presenting two test cases and providing the quantitative and numerical results of our evaluations.
Tuberculosis Case Finding in Benin, 2000–2014 and Beyond: A Retrospective Cohort and Time Series Study
Authors: Ade Serge , Békou Wilfried , Adjobimey Mênonli , Adjibode Omer , Ade Gabriel , Harries Anthony D. , Anagonou Séverin
Published: May 2016

Objective. To determine any changes in tuberculosis epidemiology in the last 15 years in Benin, seasonal variations, and forecasted numbers of tuberculosis cases in the next five years.Materials and Methods. Retrospective cohort and time series study of all tuberculosis cases notified between 2000 and 2014. The “R” software version 3.2.1 (Institute for Statistics and Mathematics Vienna Austria) and the Box-Jenkins 1976 modeling approach were used for time series analysis.Results. Of 246943 presumptive cases, 54303 (22%) were diagnosed with tuberculosis. Annual notified case numbers increased, with the highest reported in 2011. New pulmonary bacteriologically confirmed tuberculosis (NPBCT) represented 78%  ± SD 2%. Retreatment cases decreased from 10% to 6% and new pulmonary clinically diagnosed cases increased from 2% to 8%. NPBCT notification rates decreased in males from 2012, in young people aged 15–34 years and in Borgou-Alibori region. There was a seasonal pattern in tuberculosis cases. Over 90% of NPBCT were HIV-tested with a stable HIV prevalence of 13%. The ARIMA best fit model predicted a decrease in tuberculosis cases finding in the next five years.Conclusion. Tuberculosis case notifications are predicted to decrease in the next five years if current passive case finding is used. Additional strategies are needed in the country.
Factors Affecting Corrosion in Gulf of Finland Brackish Water
Authors: Aromaa Jari , Forsén Olof
Published: May 2016

The Baltic Sea is a relatively shallow inland sea surrounded by the countries of North-Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. The brackish water in the Baltic Sea has low salt concentration and it is typically one-sixth of the ocean seawater. The “nominal” amount of dissolved solids, upon which formulae for artificial seawater are based, is about 34,500 ppm, of which most is sodium chloride. The major constituents are those whose concentrations are greater than 1 mg/L and are not greatly affected by biological processes. The ratio of concentrations of these ions and molecules to each other is relatively constant. Corrosion rates were determined in long-term tests in Gulf of Finland brackish water off Helsinki. The water temperature varies through the year from about 0°C in January to 15-16°C in June to August. Salinity is 4–6‰, highest at the end of summer and lowest when ice melts. pH is between 7.0 and 8.1. Weight loss tests from one- to four-year tests for steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminium, zinc, and galvanized steel are reported and compared to short term laboratory tests in artificial seawater. Tests for passivation rates and crevice corrosion for stainless steel are discussed in terms of environment variation. The effect of corrosion on strength of steel is also discussed.
Assessment of the Performance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging/Ultrasound Fusion Guided Prostate Biopsy against a Combined Targeted Plus Systematic Biopsy Approach Using 24-Core Transperineal Template Saturation Mapping Prostate Biopsy
Authors: Ting Francis , Van Leeuwen Pim J. , Thompson James , Shnier Ron , Moses Daniel , Delprado Warick , Stricker Phillip D.
Published: May 2016

Objective.To compare the performance of multiparametric resonance imaging/ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy (MRI/US-TBx) to a combined biopsy strategy (MRI/US-TBx plus 24-core transperineal template saturation mapping biopsy (TTMB)).Methods.Between May 2012 and October 2015, all patients undergoing MRI/US-TBx at our institution were included for analysis. Patients underwent MRI/US-TBx of suspicious lesions detected on multiparametric MRI+/-simultaneous TTMB. Subgroup analysis was performed on patients undergoing simultaneous MRI/US-TBx + TTMB. Primary outcome was PCa detection. Significant PCa was defined as ≥Gleason score (GS)3+4=7PCa. McNemar’s test was used to compare detection rates between MRI/US-TBx and the combined biopsy strategy.Results.148 patients underwent MRI/US-TBx and 80 patients underwent MRI/US-TBx + TTMB. In the MRI/US-TBx versus combined biopsy strategy subgroup analysis (n=80), there were 55 PCa and 38 significant PCa. The detection rate for the combined biopsy strategy versus MRI/US-TBx for significant PCa was 49% versus 40% (p=0.02) and for insignificant PCa was 20% versus 10% (p=0.04), respectively. Eleven cases (14%) of significant PCa were detected exclusively on MRI/US-TBx and 7 cases (8.7%) of significant PCa were detected exclusively on TTMB.Conclusions.A combined biopsy approach (MRI/US-TBx + TTMB) detects more significant PCa than MRI/US-TBx alone; however, it will double the detection rate of insignificant PCa.
Rare Presentation of Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis Causing Acute Respiratory Failure
Authors: Kroll Ryan R. , Kumar Sameer , Grossman Ronald F. , Price Charles , Srigley John R.
Published: May 2016

Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare condition characterized by dysfunctional alveolar macrophages, which ineffectively clear surfactant and typically cause mild hypoxemia. Characteristic Computed Tomography findings are septal reticulations superimposed on ground-glass opacities in a crazy paving pattern, with a clear juxtaposition between affected and unaffected parenchyma. While traditionally PAP was diagnosed via biopsy, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is usually sufficient; the fluid appears milky, and on microscopic examination there are foamy macrophages with eosinophilic granules and extracellular hyaline material that is Periodic Acid-Schiff positive. Standard therapy is whole lung lavage (WLL), although novel treatments are under development. The case presented is a 55-year-old woman with six months of progressive dyspnea, who developed hypoxemic respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation; she had typical findings of PAP on imaging and BAL. WLL was ultimately successful in restoring adequate oxygenation. Respiratory failure of this magnitude is a rare finding in PAP.
Dietary Administration of Banana (Musa acuminata) Peel Flour Affects the Growth, Antioxidant Status, Cytokine Responses, and Disease Susceptibility of Rohu,Labeo rohita
Authors: Giri Sib Sankar , Jun Jin Woo , Sukumaran Venkatachalam , Park Se Chang
Published: May 2016

To explore the feasibility ofMusa acuminata(banana) peels as a feed additive, effects of banana peel flour (BPF) on the growth and immune functions ofLabeo rohitawere evaluated. Diets containing five different concentrations of BPF (0% [basal diet], 1% [B1], 3% [B3], 5% [B5], and 7% [B7]) were fed to the fish (average weight: 15.3 g) for 60 days. The final weight gain and specific growth rate were higher (P<0.05) in the B5 group. The most significant improvements in immune parameters such as lysozyme, alternative complement pathway, leukocyte phagocytic, superoxide dismutase, and catalase activities were observed in the B5 group. However, the B5 group exhibited the lowest malondialdehyde activity. IgM and glutathione peroxidise activities were significantly elevated in the treatment groups, except in B1, after only 30 days of feeding. Of the examined cytokine-related genes, IL-1β, TNF-α, and HSP70 were upregulated in the head kidney and hepatopancreas, and expressions were generally higher in the B3 and B5 groups. Moreover, B5 group challenged withAeromonas hydrophila60 days after feeding exhibited the highest survival rate (70%;P<0.05). These results suggest that dietary BPF at 5% could promote growth performance and strengthen immunity inL. rohita.
Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injection as an Adjuvant in the Treatment of Neovascular Glaucoma Accompanied by Vitreous Hemorrhage after Diabetic Vitrectomy
Authors: Shen Xi , Chen Yanwei , Wang Yanuo , Yang Lu , Zhong Yisheng
Published: May 2016

Purpose.To determine the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab injection as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of neovascular glaucoma (NVG) accompanied by postvitrectomy diabetic vitreous hemorrhage (PDVH).Methods.Eighteen NVG patients (18 eyes) accompanied by PDVH were enrolled in this prospective, monocenter, 12-month, interventional case series. The consecutive 18 patients with an IOP ≥ 25 mmHg despite being treated with the maximum medical therapy were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injections. Vitreous surgery or/with Ahmed valve implantation were indicated if no clinical improvement in vitreous haemorrhage and uncontrolled IOP was shown.Results.Ten patients got clear vitreous and controlled IOP only with2.7±1.8injections of ranibizumab without additional surgery. Vitrectomy or/with Ahmed valve implantation was administered in the other 8 eyes due to uncontrolled VH and IOP. At follow-up month 12, all the 18 eyes gained clear vitreous. At month 12 BCVA improved significantly compared to baseline. The baseline and follow-up at month 12 IOP/medication usage were36.7±8.1 mmHg on3.4±0.7medications and16.2±4.9 mmHg on0.67±0.77medications, respectively.Conclusions.The findings suggest that intravitreal ranibizumab injection as adjuvant therapy for treatment of NVG accompanied by PDVH may be safe and potentially effective. This clinical trial is registered withNCT02647515.
Trypanosoma vivax Adhesion to Red Blood Cells in Experimentally Infected Sheep
Authors: Boada-Sucre Alpidio A. , Rossi Spadafora Marcello Salvatore , Tavares-Marques Lucinda M. , Finol Héctor J. , Reyna-Bello Armando
Published: May 2016

Trypanosomosis, a globally occurring parasitic disease, poses as a major obstacle to livestock production in tropical and subtropical regions resulting in tangible economic losses. In Latin America including Venezuela, trypanosomosis of ruminants is mainly caused by Trypanosoma vivax. Biologically active substances produced from trypanosomes, as well as host-trypanosome cellular interactions, contribute to the pathogenesis of anemia in an infection. The aim of this study was to examine with a scanning electron microscope the cellular interactions and alterations in ovine red blood cells (RBC) experimentally infected with T. vivax. Ovine infection resulted in changes of RBC shape as well as the formation of surface holes or vesicles. A frequent observation was the adhesion to the ovine RBC by the trypanosome’s free flagellum, cell body, or attached flagellum in a process mediated by the filopodia emission from the trypanosome surface. The observed RBC alterations are caused by mechanical and biochemical damage from host-parasite interactions occurring in the bloodstream. The altered erythrocytes are prone to mononuclear phagocytic removal contributing to the hematocrit decrease during infection.
Evaluation of Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation in Manikin Studies: What Are the Current Limitations?
Authors: Khoury A. , Sall F. S. , De Luca A. , Pugin A. , Pili-Floury S. , Pazart L. , Capellier G.
Published: May 2016

Introduction.Manikin-based studies for evaluation of ventilation performance show high heterogeneity in the analysis and experimental methods used as we pointed out in previous studies. In this work, we aim to evaluate these potential limitations and propose a new analysis methodology to reliably assess ventilation performance.Methods.One hundred forty healthcare providers were selected to ventilate a manikin with two adult self-inflating bags in random order. Ventilation parameters were analysed using different published analysis methods compared to ours.Results.Using different methods impacts the evaluation of ventilation efficiency which ranges from 0% to 45.71%. Our new method proved relevant and showed that all professionals tend to cause hyperventilation and revealed a significant relationship between professional category, grip strength of the hand keeping the mask, and ventilation performance (p=0.0049andp=0.0297, resp.).Conclusion.Using adequate analysis methods is crucial to avoid many biases. Extrapolations to humans still have to be taken with caution as many factors impact the evaluation of ventilation performance. Healthcare professionals tend to cause hyperventilation with current devices. We believe this problem could be prevented by implementing monitoring tools in order to give direct feedback to healthcare professionals regarding ventilation efficiency and ventilatory parameter values.
Effective and Reliable Malware Group Classification for a Massive Malware Environment
Authors: Lee Taejin , Kwak Jin
Published: May 2016

Most of the cyber-attacks are caused by malware, and damage from them has escalated from cyber space to home appliances and infrastructure, thus affecting the daily living of the people. As such, anticipative analysis and countermeasures for malware have become more important. Most malware programs are created as variations of existing malware. This paper proposes a scheme for the detection and group classification of malware, some measures to improve the dependability of classification using the local clustering coefficient, and the technique for selecting and managing the leading malware for each group to classify them cost-effectively in a massive malware environment. This study also developed the system for the proposed model and compared its performance with the existing methods on actual malware to verify the level of dependability improvement. The technology developed in this study is expected to be used for the effective analysis of new malware, trend analysis of the same malware group, automatic identification of malware of interest, and same attacker trend analysis in addition to countermeasures for each malware program.
How Neutrophil Extracellular Traps Become Visible
Authors: de Buhr Nicole , von Köckritz-Blickwede Maren
Published: May 2016

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) have been identified as a fundamental innate immune defense mechanism against different pathogens. NETs are characterized as released nuclear DNA associated with histones and granule proteins, which form an extracellular web-like structure that is able to entrap and occasionally kill certain microbes. Furthermore, NETs have been shown to contribute to several noninfectious disease conditions when released by activated neutrophils during inflammation. The identification of NETs has mainly been succeeded by various microscopy techniques, for example, immunofluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Since the last years the development and improvement of new immunofluorescence-based techniques enabled optimized visualization and quantification of NETs. On the one handin vitrolive-cell imaging led to profound new ideas about the mechanisms involved in the formation and functionality of NETs. On the other hand different intravital,in vivo, andin situmicroscopy techniques led to deeper insights into the role of NET formation during health and disease. This paper presents an overview of the main used microscopy techniques to visualize NETs and describes their advantages as well as disadvantages.
Systematic Review of Focal Prostate Brachytherapy and the Future Implementation of Image-Guided Prostate HDR Brachytherapy Using MR-Ultrasound Fusion
Authors: Peach M. Sean , Trifiletti Daniel M. , Libby Bruce
Published: May 2016

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy found in North American and European men and the second most common cause of cancer related death. Since the practice of PSA screening has become common the disease is most often found early and can have a long indolent course. Current definitive therapy treats the whole gland but has considerable long-term side effects. Focal therapies may be able to target the cancer while decreasing dose to organs at risk. Our objective was to determine if focal prostate brachytherapy could meet target objectives while permitting a decrease in dose to organs at risk in a way that would allow future salvage treatments. Further, we wanted to determine if focal treatment results in less toxicity. Utilizing the Medline repository, dosimetric papers comparing whole gland to partial gland brachytherapy and clinical papers that reported toxicity of focal brachytherapy were selected. A total of 9 dosimetric and 6 clinical papers met these inclusion criteria. Together, these manuscripts suggest that focal brachytherapy may be employed to decrease dose to organs at risk with decreased toxicity. Of current technology, image-guided HDR brachytherapy using MRI registered to transrectal ultrasound offers the flexibility and efficiency to achieve such focal treatments.