bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Haemodynamic and structural correlates of the first and second heart sounds in pulmonary arterial hypertension: an acoustic cardiography cohort study
Authors: Chan William , Woldeyohannes Maryam , Colman Rebecca , Arand Patti , Michaels Andrew D , Parker John D , Granton John T , Mak Susanna
Published: April 2013

Objective

To examine the relationship between acoustic characteristics of the first and second heart sounds (S1 and S2) and underlying cardiac structure and haemodynamics in patients with isolated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and controls.

Design

Prospective multicentre cohort study.

Setting

Tertiary referral and community hospitals.

Participants

We prospectively evaluated 40 PAH patients undergoing right-heart catheterisation with contemporaneous digital acoustic cardiography (intensity and complexity) and two-dimensional transthoracic echocardiography. To normalise for differences in body habitus, acoustic variables were also expressed as a ratio (S2/S1). 130 participants (55 also had haemodynamic and/or echocardiographic assessment) without clinical or haemodynamic evidence of PAH or congestive heart failure acted as controls.

Results

Patients with PAH had higher mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPA; 40±13 vs 16±4 mm Hg, p<0.0001) and pulmonary vascular resistance (9±6 vs 1±1 Wood Units, p<0.0001) compared with controls, but cardiac index and mean pulmonary capillary wedge pressure were similar. More PAH patients had evidence of right ventricular (RV) dilation (50% vs 19%) and RV systolic dysfunction (41% vs 9%) in the moderate–severe range (all p<0.05). Compared with controls, the acoustic profiles of PAH patients were characterised by increased S2 complexity, S2/S1 complexity and S2/S1 intensity (all p<0.05). In the PAH cohort, S2 complexity was inversely related to S1 complexity. mPA was the only independent multivariate predictor of S2 complexity. The severity of RV enlargement and systolic impairment had reciprocal effects on the complexity of S2 (increased) and S1 (decreased). Decreased S1 complexity was also related to evidence of a small left ventricular cavity.

Conclusions

Acoustic characteristics of both S1 and S2 are related to the severity of PAH and are associated with RV enlargement and systolic dysfunction. The reciprocal relationship between S2 and S1 complexity may also reflect the underlying ventricular interaction associated with PAH.
Recruiting ethnic minority participants to a clinical trial: a qualitative study
Authors: MacNeill Virginia , Nwokoro Chinedu , Griffiths Chris , Grigg Jonathan , Seale Clive
Published: April 2013

Objectives

To compare the motives and experiences of different ethnic groups participating in a randomised double blind placebo-controlled trial of montelukast in preschool wheeze, and to assess parents’ or guardians’ understanding of trial procedures and their implications, including the collection of genetic material.

Design

Qualitative interviews with parents or guardians.

Setting

Interviews occurred in the homes of London children recruited to a national multicentre clinical trial following primary and secondary care attendance with wheeze.

Participants

42 parents (20 of Bangladeshi origin, 10 white UK, 12 other ethnicities) of preschool children enrolled in a clinical trial.

Results

Bangladeshi families were relatively reluctant to participate in the qualitative study, despite strong engagement with the parent study. Anxiety related to wheezing was a common primary motive for trial enrolment. Parents viewed the trial as a route to improved treatment. Verbal delivery of trial information appeared more effective than study literature, especially for Bangladeshi families, with low parental literacy and high levels of trust in medical professionals potential contributors to this effect. All ethnic groups expressed a low understanding and/or retention of essential study concepts such as randomisation and genetic testing.

Conclusions

Bangladeshi families are particularly motivated to participate in clinical trials despite variable comprehension of study concepts. This motivation is more strongly contingent on strong researcher-subject rapport than on the quality of study literature. Trial teams seeking to recruit from South Asian populations should emphasise face-to-face verbal explanation of trial concepts and procedures and consider modified trial literature.
Midlife dietary patterns and mortality in the population-based study of Swedish twins
Authors: Granic A , Andel R , Dahl A K , Gatz M , Pedersen N L
Published: April 2013

Background

We examined midlife dietary patterns in relation to (1) sociodemographic and health-related characteristics and (2) survival.

Methods

A two-step cluster analysis of a 12-item food questionnaire was used to derive dietary patterns in a cohort of 16 649 members of the Swedish Twin Registry, a prospective, population-based study of twins. The average age at baseline (1967) was 55.5 years; the follow-up for all-cause mortality extended until 2011 (26.8±12.35 years or 345 127 person-years) via death records.

Results

Four dietary patterns (classes) distinguishable by demographic and health characteristics emerged: Moderate Intake and Starch Diet (Class 1), Moderate Intake Diet with Low Flour-Based Foods (Class 2), Meat and Starch Diet (Class 3) and Low Meat Intake Diet (Class 4). Membership in Class 3 was associated with 7% increased risk of mortality compared with Class 2 independent of baseline age, cohort, sex and body mass index. These results were mostly explained by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. When follow-up was restricted to those in the study for 20+ years, both Classes 1 and 3 conferred increased risk of mortality compared with Class 2, independent of covariates. Analyses conducted within twin pairs revealed similar results.

Conclusions

Midlife diet over-represented by meat and starch-based foods may increase the risk of mortality, whereas the diet low in starch may be beneficial. These results appear to be independent of factors shared by twins, as well as at least partially a function of social and lifestyle factors, particularly marital status and smoking.
Timing of reproductive events in the marine copepod Calanus glacialis: a pan-Arctic perspective
Authors: Daase Malin , Falk-Petersen Stig , Varpe Øystein , Darnis Gerald , Søreide Janne E. , Wold Anette , Leu Eva , Berge Jørgen , Philippe Benoit , Fortier Louis
Published: April 2013

The timing of reproductive events of Calanus glacialis is closely coupled to the two major marine primary production events in the Arctic: the ice algal and phytoplankton blooms. Reproductive strategies vary between different physical and biological environments of the European and Canadian Arctic. In the Canadian Beaufort Sea and the high Arctic Rijpfjorden on Svalbard, C. glacialis utilized the ice algae bloom to fuel spawning in spring, while growth and development of the new generation was primarily supported by the phytoplankton bloom. In the predominantly ice-free Arctic Kongsfjorden (Svalbard), C. glacialis was mainly a capital breeder spawning early in the season in the absence of food. This enabled the offspring to synchronize their growth and development with the phytoplankton bloom and, thus, reproduce successfully despite the lack of an early ice algal bloom. The variability in life history traits observed in the Canadian and European Arctic is compared with data from other Arctic regions to present a pan-Arctic perspective on life cycle strategies of C. glacialis.
Improving the accuracy of aquatic macroinvertebrate trait assignment — the importance of taxon-weighting
Authors: Monaghan Kieran A. , Soares Amadeu M.V.M.
Published: April 2013

Weighting family-level trait descriptions by taxon frequencies improved the accuracy of macroinvertebrate traits defined at both the individual and community level compared with trait descriptions derived from the proportionate inclusion of all taxa. Applying a priori data on (i) national rarity (rarity model) and (ii) frequency occurrence at reference sites (quality model), the deviation of family trait descriptions was measured in relation to a nonweighted null model. Overall, the quality model was more divergent than the rarity model, reflecting the respective specific and general survey protocols associated with their source data. Assessing performance with contrasting datasets demonstrated that taxon-weighting provided improved accuracy even when survey protocols associated with model data and test sites were discordant. However, accuracy generally increased as the geographic coverage and sampling methods of weighted models and test data corresponded more closely. Measuring trait variability within families provides a useful indicator of the expected accuracy of generalized trait descriptions, while distinguishing variability in terms of even or skewed dispersion suggests options for the further refinement of assessment protocols.
Predation by a visual planktivore perch (Perca fluviatilis) in a turbulent and turbid environment
Authors: Pekcan-Hekim Zeynep , Joensuu Laura , Horppila Jukka
Published: April 2013

Turbulence and turbidity are thought to independently affect the foraging success of fish, but little is known about their interactive effects on the feeding of fish larger than a few centimetres. We experimentally tested for this interaction on the feeding of planktivorous perch (Perca fluviatilis). There was an interactive effect of root mean square (RMS) velocity (0, 1.3, 2.7, 5.5, and 18.3 cm·s−1) and turbidity (0, 30, and 60 nephelometric turbidity units; NTU) on perch feeding on phantom midge larvae (Chaoborus flavicans). In the 0 and 60 NTU conditions, there was no significant change in the feeding efficiency of perch. However, at 30 NTU, increasing turbulence enhanced perch feeding by increasing encounter rates and disabling the prey escape response. The proportion of encountered Chaoborus larvae that were consumed showed a linear decline with increasing turbulence under clear and 30 NTU conditions and a dome-shaped response under 60 NTU. The results indicate that turbulence has a strong effect on the post-encounter stages of the foraging cycle.
Assessing the influence of forest ownership type and location on roundwood utilization at the stump and top in a region with small-diameter markets
Authors: Bumgardner Matthew , Bowe Scott , Wiedenbeck Janice
Published: April 2013

Research conducted in a variety of hardwood regions across the United States has indicated that utilization of small-diameter roundwood is hindered by a lack of markets. Efficient removal of such material could enable silvicultural practices to improve stand conditions and economic return for landowners. However, evidence from other studies has suggested that markets alone may not be enough to encourage small-diameter utilization, and that management decisions are important as well. This study sought to compare roundwood utilization at the stump and top for different ownership categories and locations in north-central Wisconsin, a region with active pulpwood and other low-grade markets and different types of forest ownerships. Thirty-six recently harvested sites were visited in 2007 and 2008 across three ownership types (managed county-owned forests, private land timber sales involving a professional forester, and private land timber sales without involvement of a professional forester) and two locations (county groupings) with different markets. Results of a linear mixed model indicated that ownership type was a significant predictor variable for the utilization measures studied (stump diameter, top diameter, and stump height). Location effects were significant for stump diameter and stump height. Sales on unmanaged private forests exhibited the largest stump and top diameters and highest stump heights, regardless of location. Overall, this study suggests that both management practices and markets influence harvest site small-diameter utilization.
Double whammy: high-severity fire and drought in ponderosa pine forests of the Southwest
Authors: Savage Melissa , Mast Joy Nystrom , Feddema Johannes J.
Published: April 2013

We examine regeneration dynamics across landscapes under extreme climate conditions and a human-altered fire regime in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Douglas ex Lawson & C. Lawson) forests of the American Southwest. Our research asks how well these forests recover when unprecedented conditions of a high-severity fire regime combine with historical drought conditions. Tree recruitment is documented at five sites in New Mexico after high-severity fires that burned forests in the drought that prevailed from ∼1945 to 1958. We develop a water-balance type model to evaluate how altered microclimate conditions in the years after a fire and during a drought may inhibit ponderosa pine regeneration in comparison with drought conditions alone. We empirically identify two pathways of forest recovery following high-severity fires during drought: recovery to nonforest types, either dense shrubfields or shrubs in grasslands (four sites) or recovery to hyperdense forest (one site). Model simulations predict fewer favorable opportunities for germination, fewer periods favorable for seedling establishment, shortening of favorable establishment periods, and more adverse conditions because of later spring and earlier fall hard freezes. Our research suggests that a specific climate window critical to the capacity of southwestern ponderosa pine trees to regenerate is narrowed by a synchronous occurrence of high-severity fire and drought.
A heat-flow reconnaissance of southeastern Alaska
Authors: Sass J. H. , Lawver L. A. , Munroe R. J.
Published: April 2013

Heat flow was measured at nine sites in crystalline and sedimentary rocks of southeastern Alaska. Seven of the sites, located between 115 and 155 km landward of the Queen Charlotte – Fairweather transform fault, have an average heat flow of 59 ± 6 mW m−2. This value is significantly higher than the mean of 42 mW m−2 in the coastal provinces between Cape Mendocino and the Queen Charlotte Islands, to the south, and is lower than the mean of 72 ± 2 mW m−2 for 81 values within 100 km of the San Andreas transform fault, even farther south. This intermediate value suggests the absence of significant heat sinks associated with Cenozoic subduction and of heat sources related to either late Cenozoic tectono-magmatic events or significant shear-strain heating. At Warm Springs Bay, 75 km from the plate boundary, an anomalously high heat flow of 150 mW m−2 can most plausibly be ascribed to the thermal spring activity from which its name is derived. At Quartz Hill, 240 km landward of the plate boundary, a value of 115 mW m−2 might indicate a transition to a province of high heat flow resulting from late Tertiary and Quaternary extension and volcanism.
ON AN INTEGRAL EQUATION OF THE FIRST KIND ARISING IN THE THEORY OF COSSERAT
Authors: CIALDEA A. , DOLCE E. , MALASPINA A. , NANNI V.
Published: April 2013

In this paper we study an integral equation of the first kind concerning an indirect boundary integral method for the Dirichlet problem in the theory of Cosserat continuum. Our method hinges on the theory of reducible operators and on the theory of differential forms.
EXACT SOLUTIONS TO THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL GROSS–PITAEVSKII EQUATION WITH MODULATED RADIAL NONLINEARITY
Authors: WANG WEI-TING , LI YING-YING , YANG SHI-JIE
Published: April 2013

We study the Bose–Einstein condensate trapped in a three-dimensional spherically symmetrical potential. Exact solutions to the stationary Gross–Pitaevskii equation are obtained for properly modulated radial nonlinearity. The solutions contain vortices with different winding numbers and exhibit the shell-soliton feature in the radial distributions.
THE FIRST HOCHSCHILD COHOMOLOGY GROUP OF A CLUSTER TILTED ALGEBRA REVISITED
Authors: ASSEM IBRAHIM , BUSTAMANTE JUAN CARLOS , IGUSA KIYOSHI , SCHIFFLER RALF
Published: April 2013

Given a cluster-tilted algebra B we study its first Hochschild cohomology group HH 1(B) with coefficients in the B–B-bimodule B. If C is a tilted algebra such that B is the relation extension of C by [Formula: see text], then we prove that HH 1(B) is isomorphic, as a vector space, to the direct sum of HH 1(C) with HH 1(B,E). This yields homological interpretations for results of the first and the fourth authors with M. J. Redondo.
REVIEW
Authors: Tan Adeline
Published: April 2013

Treating An Aging Population – Innovative Dutch Solutions: Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency.
POWER SHARING IN POLITICS
Authors: HOLLER MANFRED J. , NURMI HANNU
Published: April 2013

After a brief description of a representative selection of power indices and a discussion of the notion of power in collective decision making, the paper discusses the modeling of power of an individual or collective agent as identified with the potential or factual effect the decision of this agent has on the outcome. It demonstrates that the distribution of power is crucially dependent on the procedures resorted to, and not just on the distribution of resources and the majority threshold as captured by the standard power measures. Similarly, it is shown that the selection and formulation of the questions to analyze can be highly relevant when we link power and power measures to causality. The concluding section discusses whether power indices are measures that represent power and ratios of power, or whether they are indicators that point out properties of the cooperative game and the underlying decision situation.
COOPERATIVE GAME THEORY IN SPORTS
Authors: MANUEL CONRADO , GONZÁLEZ-ARANGÜENA ENRIQUE , DEL POZO MÓNICA
Published: April 2013

This paper contains a survey of cooperative game theory applied to a sports environment. The variety of these applications serves us as a proof of the strength of cooperative game theory introducing successful strategies in sports and explaining the behavior of different actors.
TOWARDS THE RATIONALIZATION OF ANTHROPOMORPHIC ROBOT HAND DESIGN: EXTRACTING KNOWLEDGE FROM CONSTRAINED HUMAN MANUAL DEXTERITY TESTING
Authors: SALIBA MICHAEL A. , CHETCUTI ALISTAIRE , FARRUGIA MATTHEW J.
Published: April 2013

In this work, we take a new approach to the determination of the quantified contribution of various attributes of the human hand to its dexterity, with the aim of transposing this knowledge into supportive guidelines for the design of anthropomorphic robotic and prosthetic hands. We have carried out a number of standard dexterity tests on normal human subjects with various physical constraints applied to selected attributes of their hands, and have analyzed the results of the tests to extract knowledge on the quantified contribution of each attribute to overall manual dexterity. This knowledge is particularly significant in cases where it is important to optimize the trade-off between dexterity and complexity in the design of artificial hands. The data collection was made over 35 h of direct experimentation involving 40 volunteers during two separate runs, and the results represent empirically-derived upper limits on the achievable performance of humanoid robot hands having the specified deficiencies. We discuss the implications of our results in the context of a minimal anthropomorphic dexterous hand, which would incorporate the lowest possible number of degrees of freedom and other attributes while still retaining an acceptable level of dexterity. We end the paper with a suggestion on how the general approach presented herein could be extended to provide a platform for the quantification of the dexterity of anthropomorphic artificial hands.
THE BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHOD
Authors: MUKHERJEE SUBRATA , LIU YIJUN
Published: April 2013

The boundary element method (BEM), along with the finite element and finite difference methods, is commonly used to carry out numerical simulations in a wide variety of subjects in science and engineering. The BEM, rooted in classical mathematics of integral equations, started becoming a useful computational tool around 50 years ago. Many researchers have worked on computational aspects of this method during this time.

This paper presents an overview of the BEM and related methods. It has three sections. The first, relatively short section, presents the governing equations for classical applications of the BEM in potential theory, linear elasticity and acoustics. The second describes specialized applications in bodies with thin features including micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). The final section addresses current research. It has three subsections that present the boundary contour, boundary node and fast multipole methods (BCM, BNM and FMM), respectively. Several numerical examples are included in the second and third sections of this paper.
SURFACE PLASMON EXCITATION AND MANIPULATION IN DISORDERED TWO-DIMENSIONAL NANOPARTICLE ARRAYS
Authors: COELLO VICTOR , CORTES RODOLFO , GARCIA-ORTIZ CESAR E. , ELIZONDO NORA
Published: April 2013

We present experimental and numerical results of simultaneous surface plasmon polariton (SPP) excitation and in-plane manipulation with random arrays of gold nanoparticles. The recorded images were obtained by using leakage radiation microscopy (LRM) for the excitation wavelength of 633 nm and for different densities of particles. The numerical model makes use of a composed analytic Green dyadic which takes into account near- and far-field regions, with the latter being approximated by the part describing the scattering via excitation of SPP. The LRM optical images obtained are related to the calculated SPP intensity distributions demonstrating that the developed approach can be successfully used in studies of systems of closely spaced arrays.
SOLITONS AND CONSERVATION LAWS IN NEUROSCIENCES
Authors: BISWAS ANJAN , KARA ABDUL H. , SAVESCU MICHELLE , BOKHARI ASHFAQUE H. , ZAMAN F. D.
Published: April 2013

This paper obtains the 1-soliton solution by the ansatz method for the proposed model that governs the propagation of solitons through the neurons. This model is an improved one that describes the solitons in neurosciences more accurately. The ansatz method is applied to obtain the 1-soliton solution to the model. The Lie symmetry analysis is subsequently applied to obtain the conservation laws for the model.
FUEL CELL WASTE HEAT POWERED ADSORPTION COOLING SYSTEMS
Authors: OH SEUNG TAEK , SAHA BIDYUT BARAN , KARIYA KEISHI , HAMAMOTO YOSHINORI , MORI HIDEO
Published: April 2013

In the present paper, the effect of desorption temperature on the performance of adsorption cooling systems driven by waste heat from fuel cells was analyzed. The studied adsorption cooling systems employ activated carbon fiber (ACF) of type A-20–ethanol and RD type silica gel–water as adsorbent–refrigerant pairs. Two different temperature levels of waste heat from polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) and solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) are used as the heat source of the adsorption cooling systems. The adsorption cycles consist of one pair of adsorption–desorption heat exchanger, a condenser and an evaporator. System performance in terms of specific cooling capacity (SCC) and coefficient of performance (COP) are determined and compared between the studied two systems. Results show that silica gel–water based adsorption cooling system is preferable for effective utilization of relatively lower temperature heat source. At relatively high temperature heat source, COP of ACF–ethanol based adsorption system shows better performance than that of silica gel–water based adsorption system.
Excessive fructose intake causes 1,25-(OH)2D3-dependent inhibition of intestinal and renal calcium transport in growing rats
Authors: Douard Veronique , Sabbagh Yves , Lee Jacklyn , Patel Chirag , Kemp Francis W. , Bogden John D. , Lin Sheldon , Ferraris Ronaldo P.
Published: April 2013

We recently discovered that chronic high fructose intake by lactating rats prevented adaptive increases in rates of active intestinal Ca2+ transport and in levels of 1,25-(OH)2D3, the active form of vitamin D. Since sufficient Ca2+ absorption is essential for skeletal growth, our discovery may explain findings that excessive consumption of sweeteners compromises bone integrity in children. We tested the hypothesis that 1,25-(OH)2D3 mediates the inhibitory effect of excessive fructose intake on active Ca2+ transport. First, compared with those fed glucose or starch, growing rats fed fructose for 4 wk had a marked reduction in intestinal Ca2+ transport rate as well as in expression of intestinal and renal Ca2+ transporters that was tightly associated with decreases in circulating levels of 1,25-(OH)2D3, bone length, and total bone ash weight but not with serum parathyroid hormone (PTH). Dietary fructose increased the expression of 24-hydroxylase (CYP24A1) and decreased that of 1α-hydroxylase (CYP27B1), suggesting that fructose might enhance the renal catabolism and impair the synthesis, respectively, of 1,25-(OH)2D3. Serum FGF23, which is secreted by osteocytes and inhibits CYP27B1 expression, was upregulated, suggesting a potential role of bone in mediating the fructose effects on 1,25-(OH)2D3 synthesis. Second, 1,25-(OH)2D3 treatment rescued the fructose effect and normalized intestinal and renal Ca2+ transporter expression. The mechanism underlying the deleterious effect of excessive fructose intake on intestinal and renal Ca2+ transporters is a reduction in serum levels of 1,25-(OH)2D3. This finding is significant because of the large amounts of fructose now consumed by Americans increasingly vulnerable to Ca2+ and vitamin D deficiency.
Contamination of current-clamp measurement of neuron capacitance by voltage-dependent phenomena
Authors: White William E. , Hooper Scott L.
Published: April 2013

Measuring neuron capacitance is important for morphological description, conductance characterization, and neuron modeling. One method to estimate capacitance is to inject current pulses into a neuron and fit the resulting changes in membrane potential with multiple exponentials; if the neuron is purely passive, the amplitude and time constant of the slowest exponential give neuron capacitance (Major G, Evans JD, Jack JJ. Biophys J 65: 423–449, 1993). Golowasch et al. (Golowasch J, Thomas G, Taylor AL, Patel A, Pineda A, Khalil C, Nadim F. J Neurophysiol 102: 2161–2175, 2009) have shown that this is the best method for measuring the capacitance of nonisopotential (i.e., most) neurons. However, prior work has not tested for, or examined how much error would be introduced by, slow voltage-dependent phenomena possibly present at the membrane potentials typically used in such work. We investigated this issue in lobster ( Panulirus interruptus) stomatogastric neurons by performing current clamp-based capacitance measurements at multiple membrane potentials. A slow, voltage-dependent phenomenon consistent with residual voltage-dependent conductances was present at all tested membrane potentials (−95 to −35 mV). This phenomenon was the slowest component of the neuron's voltage response, and failure to recognize and exclude it would lead to capacitance overestimates of several hundredfold. Most methods of estimating capacitance depend on the absence of voltage-dependent phenomena. Our demonstration that such phenomena make nonnegligible contributions to neuron responses even at well-hyperpolarized membrane potentials highlights the critical importance of checking for such phenomena in all work measuring neuron capacitance. We show here how to identify such phenomena and minimize their contaminating influence.
Integration of texture and disparity cues to surface slant in dorsal visual cortex
Authors: Murphy Aidan P. , Ban Hiroshi , Welchman Andrew E.
Published: April 2013

Reliable estimation of three-dimensional (3D) surface orientation is critical for recognizing and interacting with complex 3D objects in our environment. Human observers maximize the reliability of their estimates of surface slant by integrating multiple depth cues. Texture and binocular disparity are two such cues, but they are qualitatively very different. Existing evidence suggests that representations of surface tilt from each of these cues coincide at the single-neuron level in higher cortical areas. However, the cortical circuits responsible for 1) integration of such qualitatively distinct cues and 2) encoding the slant component of surface orientation have not been assessed. We tested for cortical responses related to slanted plane stimuli that were defined independently by texture, disparity, and combinations of these two cues. We analyzed the discriminability of functional MRI responses to two slant angles using multivariate pattern classification. Responses in visual area V3B/KO to stimuli containing congruent cues were more discriminable than those elicited by single cues, in line with predictions based on the fusion of slant estimates from component cues. This improvement was specific to congruent combinations of cues: incongruent cues yielded lower decoding accuracies, which suggests the robust use of individual cues in cases of large cue conflicts. These data suggest that area V3B/KO is intricately involved in the integration of qualitatively dissimilar depth cues.
-Exponential Stability of Nonlinear Impulsive Dynamic Equations on Time Scales
Authors: Hatipoğlu Veysel Fuat , Uçar Deniz , Koçak Zeynep Fidan
Published: April 2013

The purpose of this paper is to present the sufficient -exponential, uniform exponential, and global exponential stability conditions for nonlinear impulsive dynamic systems on time scales.
The Fractional S-Transform on Spaces of Type
Authors: Singh Sunil Kumar
Published: April 2013

Certain properties of the S-transform are given and composition of S-transform is defined. We study the fractional S-transform on spaces of type . It is shown that the fractional S-transform is a continuous linear map of the space of type defined on into the space of type defined on .
Independent Association between Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Cardiovascular Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lu Hongyun , Liu Hong , Hu Fang , Zou Lingling , Luo Shunkui , Sun Liao
Published: April 2013

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is closely correlated with insulin resistance and several metabolic syndrome features, but whether it could increase the risk of cardiovascular disease remains undefined. To assess the association between NAFLD and the risk of cardiovascular outcomes, we systematically searched the MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library database (1947 to October 2012) by using Medical Subject Heading search terms and a standardized protocol. Randomized controlled trials, case-control, and prospective studies carried out in human adults, in which the unadjusted and multivariate adjusted odds ratios with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) for cardiovascular disease with NAFLD were reported. The search yielded 4 cross-sectional studies and 2 prospective cohort studies including 7,042 participants. The pooled effects estimate showed that NAFLD was a predictor of cardiovascular disease (odds ratio 1.88, 95% CI, 1.68 to 2.01; ). The random effects summary estimate indicated that NAFLD retained a significant association with cardiovascular outcomes independent of conventional risk factors after adjustment for established cardiovascular risk factors (odds ratio 1.50, 95% CI, 1.21 to 1.87; ). These results indicate that NAFLD is a strong independent predictor of cardiovascular disease and may play a central role in the cardiovascular risk of metabolic syndrome.
Honokiol Eliminates Human Oral Cancer Stem-Like Cells Accompanied with Suppression of Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling and Apoptosis Induction
Authors: Yao Chih-Jung , Lai Gi-Ming , Yeh Chi-Tai , Lai Ming-Tang , Shih Ping-Hsiao , Chao Wan-Ju , Whang-Peng Jacqueline , Chuang Shuang-En , Lai Tung-Yuan
Published: April 2013

Honokiol, an active compound ofMagnolia officinalis, exerted many anticancer effects on various types of cancer cells. We explored its effects on the elimination of cancer stem-like side population (SP) cells in human oral squamous cell carcinoma SAS cells. The sorted SP cells possessed much higher expression of stemness genes, such asABCG2,ABCC5,EpCAM,OCT-4,CD133,CD44, andβ-catenin, and more clonogenicity as compared with the Non-SP cells. After 48 h of treatment, honokiol dose dependently reduced the proportion of SP from 2.53% to 0.09%. Apoptosis of honokiol-treated SP cells was evidenced by increased annexin V staining and cleaved caspase-3 as well as decreased Survivin and Bcl-2. Mechanistically, honokiol inhibited the CD44 and Wnt/β-catenin signaling of SP cells. The Wnt signaling transducers such asβ-catenin and TCF-4 were decreased in honokiol-treated SP cells, while theβ-catenin degradation promoting kinase GSK-3α/βwas increased. Consistently, the protein levels ofβ-catenin downstream targets such asc-MycandCyclin D1were also downregulated. Furthermore, theβ-catenin-related EMT markers such as Slug and Snail were markedly suppressed by honokiol. Our findings indicate honokiol may be able to eliminate oral cancer stem cells through apoptosis induction, suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, and inhibition of EMT.
Borderline Ovarian Tumor during Pregnancy: A Case Report
Authors: Casanova Joao , Maciel Raquel , Ferreira Vânia , Fernandes Eugénia , Rodrigues Rosa Maria
Published: April 2013

We report a case of a 33 year-old pregnant woman who was diagnosed at the time of the first trimester ultrasound with a multilocular solid arising form the right ovary. An abdominal MRI was performed afterwards and it revealed a pelvic mass, developing from the right ovary, with a liquid component but with a major solid area. CA 125 was within the normal range values. A laparotomy followed by right salpingo-oophorectomy was performed at 14 weeks of gestation and both the frozen section and the definitive histology revealed a borderline mucinous ovarian tumor. Ovarian tumors of low malignant potential comprise 10%–20% of all ovarian malignancies. They carry an excellent prognosis with 95%–99% long-term survival. Whereas in the past, radical surgery (hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with peritoneal staging) was standard regardless of the age of the patient, unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with or without staging has become the recommended management for women who desire childbearing. In the absence of large prospective randomized trials it is difficult to know which are the best management practices and especially to determine the right moment during pregnancy to perform surgery in these patients.
Dysregulated Alternative Splicing Pattern of PKCδ during Differentiation of Human Preadipocytes Represents Distinct Differences between Lean and Obese Adipocytes
Authors: Carter Gay , Apostolatos André , Patel Rekha , Mathur Abhishek , Cooper Denise , Murr Michel , Patel Niketa A.
Published: April 2013

Obesity and its comorbidities affect millions of people. Here, we demonstrate that human preadipocytes are susceptible to programmed cell death (apoptosis) while mature adipocytes are resistant to apoptosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the phenotype of apoptosis-resistant adipocytes are lesser known. To study the role of apoptosis and define molecular differences in the developmental process of adipogenesis, human preadipocytes were differentiated in vitro to mature adipocytes. Many genes in the apoptosis pathway are alternatively spliced. Our data demonstrates that during differentiation PKCδ, Bclx, and Caspase9 switch to their prosurvival splice variants along with an increase in Bcl2 expression when the cells terminally differentiate into mature adipocytes. Next we determined the expression pattern of these genes in obesity. Our data indicated high expression of PKCδVIII in adipose tissue of obese patient in different depots. We demonstrate a shift in the in vitro expression of these splice variants in differentiating preadipocytes derived from obese patients along with a decrease in adipogenesis markers. Hence, the programmed splicing of antiapoptotic proteins is a pivotal switch in differentiation that commits adipocytes to a prosurvival pathway. The expression pattern of these genes is dysregulated in obesity and may contribute to adipose tissue dysfunction.
Correction of Spatial Bias in Oligonucleotide Array Data
Authors: Serhal Philippe , Lemieux Sébastien
Published: April 2013

Background. Oligonucleotide microarrays allow for high-throughput gene expression profiling assays. The technology relies on the fundamental assumption that observed hybridization signal intensities (HSIs) for each intended target, on average, correlate with their target’s true concentration in the sample. However, systematic, nonbiological variation from several sources undermines this hypothesis. Background hybridization signal has been previously identified as one such important source, one manifestation of which appears in the form of spatial autocorrelation. Results. We propose an algorithm, pyn, for the elimination of spatial autocorrelation in HSIs, exploiting the duality of desirable mutual information shared by probes in a common probe set and undesirable mutual information shared by spatially proximate probes. We show that this correction procedure reduces spatial autocorrelation in HSIs; increases HSI reproducibility across replicate arrays; increases differentially expressed gene detection power; and performs better than previously published methods. Conclusions. The proposed algorithm increases both precision and accuracy, while requiring virtually no changes to users’ current analysis pipelines: the correction consists merely of a transformation of raw HSIs (e.g., CEL files for Affymetrix arrays). A free, open-source implementation is provided as an R package, compatible with standard Bioconductor tools. The approach may also be tailored to other platform types and other sources of bias.
p-Type Quasi-Mono Silicon Solar Cell Fabricated by Ion Implantation
Authors: Lee Chien-Ming , Chang Sheng-Po , Chang Shoou-Jinn , Wu Ching-In
Published: April 2013

The p-type quasi-mono wafer is a novel type of silicon material that is processed using a seed directional solidification technique. This material is a promising alternative to traditional high-cost Czochralski (CZ) and float-zone (FZ) material. Here, we evaluate the application of an advanced solar cell process featuring a novel method of ion implantation on p-type quasi-mono silicon wafer. The ion implantation process has simplified the normal industrial process flow by eliminating two process steps: the removal of phosphosilicate glass (PSG) and the junction isolation process that is required after the conventional thermal POCl3diffusion process. Moreover, the good passivation performance of the ion implantation process improvesVoc. Our results show that, after metallization and cofiring, an average cell efficiency of 18.55% can be achieved using 156 × 156 mm p-type quasi-mono silicon wafer. Furthermore, the absolute cell efficiency obtained using this method is 0.47% higher than that for the traditional POCl3diffusion process.
The Proposed Modified Liu System with Fractional Order
Authors: Golmankhaneh Alireza K. , Arefi Roohiyeh , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: April 2013

The chaos in a new system with order 3 is studied. We have shown that this chaotic system again will be chaotic when the order of system is less than 3. Generalized Adams-Bashforth algorithm has been used for investigating in stability of fixed points and existence of chaos.
Nanoscale Phenomena Occurring during Pyrolysis of Salix viminalis Wood
Authors: Cyganiuk Aleksandra W. , Klimkiewicz Roman , Olejniczak Andrzej , Kucińska Anna , Łukaszewicz Jerzy P.
Published: April 2013

Selective utilisation of unique properties of Salix viminalis wood enables preparation of materials of nanotechnologic properties. Thermal decomposition of lignin-cellulose organic matter results in the formation of a nanostructured porous carbon matrix (charcoal). Narrowed pore size distribution (PSD) in the subnanometer range allows to consider the charcoals as carbon molecular sieves (CMSs), which are capable of separating even chemically inert gases like neon, krypton, and nitrogen. High tolerance of Salix viminalis to heavy metal ions enables enriching living plant tissues with metal ions like lanthanum and manganese. Such ions may later form LaMnO3 with parallel transformation of plant tissues (organic matter) to carbon matrix using a heat treatment. In this way, one gets a hybrid material: a porous carbon matrix with uniformly suspended nanocrystallites of LaMoO3. The crystallites are in the catalytically active phase during the conversion of n-butanol to heptanone-4 with high yield and selectivity.
Mild Hypertransaminasemia in Primary Care
Authors: Al-Busafi Said A. , Hilzenrat Nir
Published: April 2013

The liver enzymes, alanine transaminase (ALT) or aspartate transaminase (AST), are commonly used in clinical practice as screening as well as diagnostic tests for liver diseases. ALT is more specific for liver injury than AST and has been shown to be a good predictor of liver related and all-cause mortality. Asymptomatic mild hypertransaminasemia (i.e., less than five times normal) is a common finding in primary care and this could be attributed to serious underlying condition or has transient and benign cause. Unfortunately, there are no good literatures available on the cost-effectiveness of evaluating patients with asymptomatic mild hypertransaminasemia. However, if the history and physical examination do not suggest a clear cause, a stepwise approach should be initiated based on pretest probability of the underlying liver disease. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is becoming the most common cause of mild hypertransaminasemia worldwide. Other causes include alcohol abuse, medications, and hepatitis B and C. Less common causes include hemochromatosis, α1-antitrypsin deficiency, autoimmune hepatitis, and Wilson's disease. Nonhepatic causes such as celiac disease, thyroid, and muscle disorders should be considered in the differential diagnosis. Referral to a specialist and a possible liver biopsy should be considered if persistent hypertransaminasemia for six months or more of unclear etiology.
Urban, Suburban, and Rural: Adolescents’ Use and Preferences for Fitness Promotion Technologies across Communities
Authors: Mikulec Erika , Goniu Natalie , Moreno Megan
Published: April 2013

Introduction. An understanding of adolescents’ use of technology across ages and communities could allow for future targeted obesity intervention strategies. Methods. Focus groups of adolescents from rural, suburban, and urban cities in three states were conducted. Focus groups were led by a trained facilitator to explore how participants used technologies and whether they applied them for fitness purposes. All focus groups were audio recorded and manually transcribed. Analysis was conducted by three investigators using an iterative process. Results. Five focus groups included adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 years (20 females and 8 males.) Three themes were derived from our data. First, we found age differences regarding technology applied to fitness. Younger participants described technology as a complement to fitness; older participants viewed technology as a motivator for fitness. Second, differences in fitness approaches existed between rural and urban adolescents. Adolescents in rural communities reported focusing on the outdoors for fitness, while urban adolescents relied on fitness-oriented video games. Both rural and urban teens related having a lack of fitness-focused resources in their communities. Conclusions. Our findings indicate differences in adolescents’ application of technology for fitness. Despite adolescents’ differing uses of technology across communities, a common need exists to expand their resources.
Realization of Colored Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells with SiO2/SiNx:H Double Layer Antireflection Coatings
Authors: Li Minghua , Zeng Libin , Chen Yifeng , Zhuang Lin , Wang Xuemeng , Shen Hui
Published: April 2013

We presented a method to use SiO2/SiNx:H double layer antireflection coatings (DARC) on acid textures to fabricate colored multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells. Firstly, we modeled the perceived colors and short-circuit current density (Jsc) as a function of SiNx:H thickness for single layer SiNx:H, and as a function of SiO2thickness for the case of SiO2/SiNx:H (DARC) with fixed SiNx:H (refractive indexn=2.1at 633 nm, and thickness = 80 nm). The simulation results show that it is possible to achieve various colors by adjusting the thickness of SiO2to avoid significant optical losses. Therefore, we carried out the experiments by using electron beam (e-beam) evaporation to deposit a layer of SiO2over the standard SiNx:H for156×156 mm2mc-Si solar cells which were fabricated by a conventional process. Semisphere reflectivity over 300 nm to 1100 nm andI-Vmeasurements were performed for grey yellow, purple, deep blue, and green cells. The efficiency of colored SiO2/SiNx:H DARC cells is comparable to that of standard SiNx:H light blue cells, which shows the potential of colored cells in industrial applications.
Therapeutic Time Window for Edaravone Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Authors: Miyamoto Kazuyuki , Ohtaki Hirokazu , Dohi Kenji , Tsumuraya Tomomi , Song Dandan , Kiriyama Keisuke , Satoh Kazue , Shimizu Ai , Aruga Tohru , Shioda Seiji
Published: April 2013

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in young people. No effective therapy is available to ameliorate its damaging effects. Our aim was to investigate the optimal therapeutic time window of edaravone, a free radical scavenger which is currently used in Japan. We also determined the temporal profile of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, oxidative stress, and neuronal death. Male C57Bl/6 mice were subjected to a controlled cortical impact (CCI). Edaravone (3.0 mg/kg), or vehicle, was administered intravenously at 0, 3, or 6 hours following CCI. The production of superoxide radicals (O2∙-) as a marker of ROS, of nitrotyrosine (NT) as an indicator of oxidative stress, and neuronal death were measured for 24 hours following CCI. Superoxide radical production was clearly evident 3 hours after CCI, with oxidative stress and neuronal cell death becoming apparent after 6 hours. Edaravone administration after CCI resulted in a significant reduction in the injury volume and oxidative stress, particularly at the 3-hour time point. Moreover, the greatest decrease inO2∙-levels was observed when edaravone was administered 3 hours following CCI. These findings suggest that edaravone could prove clinically useful to ameliorate the devastating effects of TBI.
Physical Activity Recognition Utilizing the Built-In Kinematic Sensors of a Smartphone
Authors: He Yi , Li Ye
Published: April 2013

Physical activity (PA) recognition has recently become important in activity monitoring for the public healthcare. Although body-worn sensors are well suited to collect data on activity patterns for long periods of time, users may forget to wear special microsensors. On the contrary, more and more people take smartphone with them almost anytime. At present, most popular smartphones have three built-in kinematic sensors (triaccelerometer, gyroscope, and magnetic sensor) which could be utilized to recognize PA. This study utilized three built-in kinematic sensors in a smartphone to recognize PA and found out which features derived from the three sensors were significant to different PA. We used a combined algorithm of Fisher's discriminant ratio criterion and [Formula: see text] criterion for feature selection. A hierarchical classifiers system including fourteen classifiers was proposed and employed to recognize fifteen activities. The optimal features derived from the built-in kinematic sensors of the smartphone were selected from 140 features. The results indicated that the accelerometer was significant to PA recognition, while gyroscope and orientation sensor were effective to recognize the change of body posture and detect falls, respectively. The total classification accuracy of 95.03% demonstrated the feasibility of utilizing the built-in kinematic sensors of the smartphone to recognize PA.