bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The importance of partnership factors and individual factors associated with absent or inconsistent condom use in heterosexuals: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Matser Amy , Heiligenberg Marlies , Geskus Ronald , Heijman Titia , Low Nicola , Kretzschmar Mirjam , Schim van der Loeff Maarten
Published: February 2014

Objectives

Decisions to use condoms are made within partnerships. We examined the associations between inconsistent or no condom use and individual and partnership characteristics. We also examined the relative importance of individual versus partnership factors.

Methods

Cross-sectional study of heterosexual individuals enrolled from the sexually transmitted infections (STI) outpatient clinic in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from May to August 2010. Participants completed a questionnaire about sexual behaviour with the last four partners in the preceding year. Participant and partnership factors associated with inconsistent or no condom use in steady and casual partnerships were identified.

Results

2144 individuals were included, reporting 6401 partnerships; 54.7% were female, the median age was 25 (IQR 22–30) years and 79.9% were Dutch. Inconsistent or no condom use occurred in 86.1% of 2387 steady partnerships and in 66.5% of 4014 casual partnerships. There was statistical evidence of associations between inconsistent condom use in steady partnerships and ethnic concordance, longer duration, higher number of sex acts, practising anal sex, and sex-related drug use. In casual partnerships, associations were found with having an older partner, ethnic concordance, longer duration, higher number of sex acts, anal sex, sex-related drug use, ongoing partnerships and concurrency. In multivariable models, partnership factors explained 50.9% of the variance in steady partnerships and 70.1% in casual partnerships compared with 10.5% and 15.4% respectively for individual factors.

Conclusions

Among heterosexual STI clinic attendees in Amsterdam, partnership factors are more important factors related with inconsistent condom use than characteristics of the individual.
Hydrodynamic tail vein injection of SOCS3 eukaryotic expression vector in vivo promoted liver lipid metabolism and hepatocyte apoptosis in mouse
Authors: Liu Zhenjiang , Gan Lu , Yang Xiaobo , Zhang Zhenzhen , Sun Chao
Published: February 2014

Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3), a signal transduction cytokine, is involved in lipid metabolism as well as in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and so on. To explore the effects of SOCS3 on apoptosis and lipid metabolism in liver, we used a simple effective method named hydrodynamic tail vein injection to overexpress SOCS3. Then orbital blood was obtained for the assessment of blood lipid after injection. Lipid metabolism related genes were detected by Western blot after the determination of serum lipids. Meanwhile, liver cell apoptosis was observed by Hoechst and TUNEL staining and the expression of apoptosis related proteins Bax, Bcl-2, and Caspase3 were detected as well as the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. In addition, we also demonstrated the effect of SOCS3 in prime hepatocyte by overexpression or interference of SOCS3 along with SD1008, which is a specific inhibitor of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Taken together, all the results indicated that SOCS3 promoted lipid synthesis in mice liver and promoted hepatocyte apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway, however the detailed regulation mechanism had not yet been fully understood and needs further study.
Reconstructing phosphorus levels using models based on the modern diatom assemblages of 55 lakes in southern Quebec
Authors: Tremblay Roxane , Pienitz Reinhard , Legendre Pierre
Published: February 2014

This study shows how modern diatom assemblages, obtained from the surface sediments of 55 deep and shallow lakes in southern Quebec and representing a gradient in trophic state and specific conductivity, can be used to reconstruct the historical water column concentrations of total phosphorus (TP) over time. Inference models were developed with the aid of regression analyses based on weighted means. The TP models demonstrate statistical performances equal to or superior to TP models developed in the past for other regions in Canada and elsewhere in the world. A reconstruction of TP values, based on fossil diatom assemblages of Lac Nairne (Charlevoix, QC), was conducted. Comparing the TP inferred values with the measured values and those estimated using export coefficients, the reliability of the model was proven. In addition, the comparison of the results obtained from reconstructions performed with two inference models (Quebec and Ontario lakes) also revealed that models predicted TP and not a collinear variable.
Lightweight amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules on flexible plastic substrate
Authors: Vygranenko Y. , Khosropour A. , Yang R. , Sazonov A. , Kosarev A. , Abramov A. , Terukov E.
Published: February 2014

Solar cells on lightweight and flexible substrates have advantages over glass- or wafer-based photovoltaic devices in both terrestrial and space applications. Here, we report on development of amorphous silicon thin film photovoltaic modules fabricated at maximum deposition temperature of 150 °C on 100 μm thick polyethylene-naphtalate plastic films. Each module of 10 cm × 10 cm area consists of 72 a-Si:H n-i-p rectangular structures with transparent conducting oxide top electrodes with Al fingers and metal back electrodes deposited through the shadow masks. Individual structures are connected in series forming eight rows with connection ports provided for external blocking diodes. The design optimization and device performance analysis are performed using a developed SPICE model.
Rectifying and Schottky characteristics of a-SixGe1−xOy with metal contacts
Authors: Muztoba Md , Rana Mukti
Published: February 2014

Metal–semiconductor contacts are a vital part of semiconductor devices as they can form a Schottky barrier or an Ohmic contact. The nature of the contact plays an important role in determining the electrical and physical characteristics of the device and hence is of paramount importance in the operation of the device. In the current work we report the design, fabrication, and current–voltage (I-V) characteristics of microbolometers, a type of infrared detector where the change in temperature changes the resistance of the sensing layer. Eight different types of microbolometers were fabricated using a-SixGe1−x or a-SixGe1−xOy sensing layers and Ti, Cr, Al, Au, Ni, or Ni0.80Cr0.20 metals contacts. It has been observed that bolometers with an a-Si0.15Ge0.85 (Si was lightly p-doped) sensing layer formed a Schottky contact with Ti, Au, Cr, and Al contact metals, while bolometers with a-Si0.15Ge0.85 (Si was heavily n-doped) sensing layers formed an Ohmic contact with Au. For microbolometers with a Si0.15Ge0.85O0.039 sensing layer, both Ni and Ni0.80Cr0.20 contact metals formed the Ohmic contact. For a-SixGe1−x and a-SixGe1−xOy microbolometers, Au and Ni0.80Cr0.20 were used as the absorber layers, respectively. The I–V characteristics of the microbolometers were analyzed with a thermionic emission model. A linear dependence on the Ge composition was approximated to find the effective Richardson constant. The theory predicts Richardson constants of 112 and 50 A/cm2K2 for Si and Ge, respectively. Barrier heights of all devices are calculated and the reasons for the formation of the Ohmic and Schottky contacts are discussed.
Theoretical calculation of the low-lying doublet electronic states of the SrF molecule
Authors: Jardali F. , Korek M. , Younes G.
Published: February 2014

The potential energy curves of the low-lying doublet electronic states in the representation 2s+1Λ(+/−) of the SrF molecule have been investigated by using the complete active space self-consistent field with multireference configuration interaction and multireference Rayleigh–Schrödinger perturbation theory methods. The harmonic frequency, ωe; the internuclear distance, Re; the dipole moment; and the electronic energy with respect to the ground state, Te, have been calculated for the considered electronic states. The eigenvalues, Ev; the rotational constants, Bv; and the abscissas of the turning points, Rmin and Rmax, have been investigated using the canonical functions approach. The comparison between the values of the present work and those available in the literature for several electronic states shows very good agreement. Nine new electronic states have been investigated here for the first time.
Distinctive Features of BBB- and BB-Graded Firms Using Earnings Management and Conservatism: Evidence from the Korean Market
Authors: Yoo Youngtae , Lee Jaehong , Chang Jinho
Published: February 2014

The purpose of this paper is to inform investors of differences in opportunistic behavior between managers of BBB- and BB-graded firms as measured by earnings management and accounting conservatism. Previous studies investigate the gaps between grades and between investment and speculative grades by grouping together the various characteristics of investment and speculative firms, assuming that the incentives to make significant economic changes are homogeneously the same. However, this study demonstrates that this is not the case. Using 1,225 Korean firm-year observations, we identify noteworthy features distinguishing BBB- and BB-graded firms. More specifically, in BBB-graded firms, discretionary accruals (DACC) (a proxy used to represent earnings management) are larger than those in BB-graded firms. As for accounting conservatism, BB-graded firms exhibit a higher degree of conservatism than BBB-graded firms. According to the conventional credit rating scenario, higher-graded firms have fewer DACC and are more conservative in comparison with firms of lower grades. However, the results of this study imply that the reverse is true for firms of grades BBB and BB, which are commonly accepted as straddling the border between investment and speculative grades.
Silencing of the Fibroblast growth factor 21 gene is an underlying cause of acinar cell injury in mice lacking MIST1
Authors: Johnson Charis L. , Mehmood Rashid , Laing Scott W. , Stepniak Camilla V. , Kharitonenkov Alexei , Pin Christopher L.
Published: February 2014

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a key regulator of metabolism under conditions of stress such as starvation, obesity, and hypothermia. Rapid induction of FGF21 is also observed in experimental models of pancreatitis, and FGF21 reduces tissue damage observed in these models, suggesting a nonmetabolic function. Pancreatitis is a debilitating disease with significant morbidity that greatly increases the risk of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The goals of this study were to examine the regulation and function of FGF21 in acinar cell injury, specifically in a mouse model of pancreatic injury ( Mist1 −/−). Mist1 −/− mice exhibit acinar cell disorganization, decreased acinar cell communication and exocytosis, and increased sensitivity to cerulein-induced pancreatitis (CIP). Examination of Fgf21 expression in Mist1 −/− mice by qRT-PCR, Northern blot, and Western blot analyses showed a marked decrease in pancreatic Fgf21 expression before and after induction of CIP compared with C57Bl/6 mice. To determine whether the loss of FGF21 accounted for the Mist1 −/− phenotypes, we generated Mist1 −/− mice overexpressing human FGF21 from the ApoE promoter ( Mist1 −/− ApoE-FGF21). Reexpression of FGF21 partially mitigated pancreatic damage in Mist1 −/− tissue based on reduced intrapancreatic enzyme activation, reduced expression of genes involved in fibrosis, and restored cell-cell junctions. Interestingly, alteration of Fgf21 expression in Mist1 −/− tissue was not simply due to a loss of direct transcriptional regulation by MIST1. Chromatin immunopreciptation indicated that the loss of Fgf21 in the Mist1 −/− pancreas is due, in part, to epigenetic silencing. Thus, our studies identify a new role for FGF21 in reducing acinar cell injury and uncover a novel mechanism for regulating Fgf21 gene expression.
Ex vivo culture of primary human colonic tissue for studying transcriptional responses to 1α,25(OH)2 and 25(OH) vitamin D
Authors: Mapes Brandon , Chase Meredith , Hong Ellie , Ludvik Anton , Ceryes Katy , Huang Yong , Kupfer Sonia S.
Published: February 2014

1α,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1α,25(OH)2D3] is a steroid hormone derived from circulating 25(OH) vitamin D [25(OH)D] with chemopreventive effects in colorectal cancer. 1α,25(OH)2D3 acts through transcriptional mechanisms; however, our understanding of vitamin D transcriptional responses in the colon is derived from studies in transformed cancer cell lines which may not represent responses in normal healthy tissue. Here, we describe the optimization of an ex vivo culture model using primary colonic biopsy samples for studying short-term transcriptional response induced by 1α,25(OH)2D3 and 25(OH)D treatment. Colon biopsy samples from healthy subjects were maintained in primary culture and treated in parallel with 100 nM 1α,25(OH)2D3 or 62.5 nM 25(OH)D and vehicle control (ethanol). Viability was assessed using histology and enzymatic assays. Genome-wide transcriptional responses to 1α,25(OH)2D3 were assessed and expression of 25(OH)D targets CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 were measured by real time PCR. We show that ex vivo culture of colonic tissue remains viable for up to 8 h. The largest number of differentially expressed genes in response to 1α,25(OH)2D3 was noted after 6 h ( n = 120). As proof of concept, the top upregulated gene was CYP24A1, a well-established vitamin D-responsive gene. With 25(OH)D treatment, mRNA expression of CYP27B1 was significantly increased after 1 h, while expression of CYP24A1 was greatest at 8 h. Ex vivo culture can be used to assess short-term transcriptional responses to 1α,25(OH)2D3 and 25(OH)D in primary tissue from human colon. Future studies will address interindividual differences in transcriptional responses.
Modified Microstrip Aperture Coupled Patch Antenna with Sierpinski Fractal Geometry
Authors: Jiang Hao , Li Weiming , Xue Zhenghui
Published: February 2014

A two-layer modified microstrip aperture coupled patch antenna with Sierpinski fractal geometry is presented in this paper. The effects of the two coupling slots and the parasitic patch are discussed. The proposed antenna can work on 956 MHz to 968 MHz, 3.654 GHz to 3.78 GHz, and 8.81 GHz to 9.28 GHz three frequency bands, and the maximum gain in each band is 4.64 dBi, 8.46 dBi, and 7.85 dBi, respectively. The simulated result reveals that the Sierpinski patch antenna we proposed in this paper performs better on radiation properties.
A Robust Collaborative Filtering Approach Based on User Relationships for Recommendation Systems
Authors: Gao Min , Ling Bin , Yuan Quan , Xiong Qingyu , Yang Linda
Published: February 2014

Personalized recommendation systems have been widely used as an effective way to deal with information overload. The common approach in the systems, item‐based collaborative filtering (CF), has been identified to be vulnerable to “Shilling” attack. To improve the robustness of item‐based CF, the authors propose a novel CF approach based on the mostly used relationships between users. In the paper, three most commonly used relationships between users are analyzed and applied to construct several user models at first. The DBSCAN clustering is then utilized to select the valid user model in accordance with how the models benefit detecting spam users. The selected model is used to detect spam user group. Finally, a detection‐based CF method is proposed for the calculation of item‐item similarities and rating prediction, by setting different weights for suspicious spam users and normal users. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach provides a better robustness than the typical item‐based kNN (k Nearest Neighbor) CF approach.
Hybrid Strategy for Residual Arch and Thoracic Aortic Dissection following Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Repair
Authors: Viswanathan Sidharth , Agrawal Vivek , Parameshwarappa Shashidhar Kallappa , Savlania Ajay , Kumar Santhosh , Madathipat Unnikrishnan
Published: February 2014

Progressive dilatation of the false lumen in the arch and descending aorta has been encountered in one-third of survivors as a late sequelae following repair of ascending aortic dissection. Conventional treatment for the same requiring cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest is associated with high morbidity and mortality especially in the elderly cohort of patients. Herein we report a case of symptomatic progressive aneurysmal dilatation of residual arch and descending thoracic aortic dissection following repair of type A aortic dissection, successfully treated by total arch debranching and ascending aortic prosthesis to bicarotid and left subclavian bypass followed by staged retrograde aortic stent-graft deployment. This case report with relevant review of the literature highlights this clinical entity and the present evidence on its appropriate management strategies. Close surveillance is mandatory following surgical repair of type A aortic dissection and hybrid endovascular procedures seem to be the most dependable modality for salvage of patients detected to have progression of residual arch dissection.
Assessment of Visual Reliance in Balance Control: An Inexpensive Extension of the Static Posturography
Authors: Púčik Jozef , Šaling Marián , Lukáč Tomáš , Ondráček Oldřich , Kucharík Martin
Published: February 2014

Ability of humans to maintain balance in an upright stance and during movement activities is one of the most natural skills affecting everyday life. This ability progressively deteriorates with increasing age, and balance impairment, often aggravated by age-related diseases, can result in falls that adversely impact the quality of life. Falls represent serious problems of health concern associated with aging. Many investigators, involved in different science disciplines such as medicine, engineering, psychology, and sport, have been attracted by a research of the human upright stance. In a clinical practice, stabilometry based on the force plate is the most widely available procedure used to evaluate the balance. In this paper, we have proposed a low-cost extension of the conventional stabilometry by the multimedia technology that allows identifying potentially disturbing effects of visual sensory information. Due to the proposed extension, a stabilometric assessment in terms of line integral of center of pressure (COP) during moving scene stimuli shows higher discrimination power between young healthy and elderly subjects with supposed stronger visual reliance.
Evaluation of Bioelectrical Activity of Pelvic Floor Muscles and Synergistic Muscles Depending on Orientation of Pelvis in Menopausal Women with Symptoms of Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Preliminary Observational Study
Authors: Halski Tomasz , Słupska Lucyna , Dymarek Robert , Bartnicki Janusz , Halska Urszula , Król Agata , Paprocka-Borowicz Małgorzata , Dembowski Janusz , Zdrojowy Romuald , Ptaszkowski Kuba
Published: February 2014

Objectives. Evaluation of resting and functional bioelectrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) and the synergistic muscles, depending on the orientation of the pelvis, in anterior (P1) and posterior (P2) pelvic tilt.Design. Preliminary, prospective observational study.Setting. Department and Clinic of Urology, University Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland.Participants. Thirty-two menopausal and postmenopausal women with stress urinary incontinence were recruited. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, sixteen women aged 55 to 70 years were enrolled in the study.Primary Outcome Measures. Evaluation of resting and functional bioelectrical activity of the pelvic floor muscles by electromyography (sEMG) and vaginal probe.Secondary Outcome Measures. Evaluation of activity of the synergistic muscles by sEMG and surface electrodes.Results. No significant differences between orientations P1 and P2 were found in functional and resting sEMG activity of the PFM. During resting and functional PFM activity, higher electrical activity in P2 than in P1 has been recorded in some of the synergistic muscles.Conclusions. This preliminary study does not provide initial evidence that pelvic tilt influences PFM activation. Although different activity of synergistic muscles occurs in various orientations of the pelvic tilt, it does not have to affect the sEMG activity of the PFM.
Two Episodes of Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Migration in a Patient with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Authors: Balakrishnan V. , Jeanmonod R.
Published: February 2014

Introduction. Ventriculoperitoneal shunts are often placed as treatment for refractory idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Dislodgement and migration of the distal portion of the shunt are more common in obese patients and can be difficult to detect. We report the case of a woman with two separate episodes of shunt migration into her abdominal wall.Case Presentation. We report a case of a 37-year-old female with history of obesity eventually diagnosed with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) as the cause. She failed outpatient therapy and, through neurosurgery, had a VP shunt placed for symptom control. She had subsequent development of worsened symptoms that were found to be due to shunt migration. This happened not once but twice to the same patient.Conclusion. Shunt dislodgement, migration, and subsequent failure are common in obese patients who have shunts placed for IIH. The medical provider should maintain a high index of suspicion for shunt malfunction in these patients, particularly because clinical evaluation may be challenging due to habitus.
The MLFMA Equipped with a Hybrid Tree Structure for the Multiscale EM Scattering
Authors: Kong Wei-Bin , Zhou Hou-Xing , Li Wei-Dong , Hua Guang , Hong Wei
Published: February 2014

We present an efficient strategy for reducing the memory requirement for the near-field matrix in the multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) for solving multiscale electromagnetic (EM) scattering problems. A multiscale problem can obviously lower the storage efficiency of the MLFMA for the near-field matrix. This paper focuses on overcoming this shortcoming to a certain extent. A hybrid tree structure for the MLFMA that possesses two kinds of bottom-layer boxes with different edge sizes will be built to significantly reduce the memory requirement for the near-field matrix in the multiscale case compared with the single-tree-structure technique. Several numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed scheme in the multiscale EM scattering.
UV Spectrophotometric Simultaneous Determination of Paracetamol and Ibuprofen in Combined Tablets by Derivative and Wavelet Transforms
Authors: Hoang Vu Dang , Ly Dong Thi Ha , Tho Nguyen Huu , Minh Thi Nguyen Hue
Published: February 2014

The application of first-order derivative and wavelet transforms to UV spectra and ratio spectra was proposed for the simultaneous determination of ibuprofen and paracetamol in their combined tablets. A new hybrid approach on the combined use of first-order derivative and wavelet transforms to spectra was also discussed. In this application, DWT (sym6 and haar), CWT (mexh), and FWT were optimized to give the highest spectral recoveries. Calibration graphs in the linear concentration ranges of ibuprofen (12–32 mg/L) and paracetamol (20–40 mg/L) were obtained by measuring the amplitudes of the transformed signals. Our proposed spectrophotometric methods were statistically compared to HPLC in terms of precision and accuracy.
Mycobacterium genavense Infections in a Tertiary Hospital and Reviewed Cases in Non-HIV Patients
Authors: Santos M. , Gil-Brusola A. , Escandell A. , Blanes M. , Gobernado M.
Published: February 2014

Mycobacterium genavense is a relatively new species of nontuberculous mycobacterium reported to cause disseminated infections in patients with AIDS and later on in non-HIV immunosuppressed patients. We describe clinical and laboratory features and response to therapy in 7 patients, three of them with HIV infection and four non-HIV—three organ transplant recipients and one with hyper-IgE syndrome—in Valencia, Spain, in a ten years period. We then summarize the published cases of M. avium complex infection, with invasion of peripheral blood, liver, spleen, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and lungs. In clinical samples a large number of acid-fast bacilli were observed. M. genavense grew only from liquid media and after a prolonged incubation period. Its identification was accomplished through molecular methods. Patients were treated with prolonged combinations of antimicrobial agents. There was clinical favourable outcome in 4 patients.
UA-MAC: An Underwater Acoustic Channel Access Method for Dense Mobile Underwater Sensor Networks
Authors: Lv Chao , Wang Shuo , Tan Min , Chen Lan
Published: February 2014

The long propagation delay and low data rate characteristics of acoustic communication attach many challenges to underwater wireless sensor networks. In this paper, a TDMA based underwater acoustic channel access method (UA-MAC) is proposed mainly to improve channel utilization in dense mobile underwater wireless sensor networks (MUWSN). In UA-MAC, the time slot of each node accessing to the acoustic channel is assigned according to a preverified template, which aims to minimize amount of slots so as to decrease the end-to-end delay. In addition, a piggyback based protocol is implemented to synchronize and schedule the network. The simulation results show that UA-MAC is much superior to common TDMA in throughput, channel utilization, and end-to-end delay especially in dense scenario. Based on the low-power low-cost underwater acoustic nodes we developed, the experiments were carried out to validate the proposed UA-MAC.
Expression of Neuroendocrine Markers in Different Molecular Subtypes of Breast Carcinoma
Authors: Wachter David L. , Hartmann Arndt , Beckmann Matthias W. , Fasching Peter A. , Hein Alexander , Bayer Christian M. , Agaimy Abbas
Published: February 2014

Background. Carcinomas of the breast with neuroendocrine features are incorporated in the World Health Organization classification since 2003 and include well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumors, poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas/small cell carcinomas, and invasive breast carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation. Neuroendocrine differentiation is known to be more common in certain low-grade histologic special types and has been shown to mainly cluster to the molecular (intrinsic) luminal A subtype.Methods. We analyzed the frequency of neuroendocrine differentiation in different molecular subtypes of breast carcinomas of no histologic special type using immunohistochemical stains with specific neuroendocrine markers (chromogranin A and synaptophysin).Results. We found neuroendocrine differentiation in 20% of luminal B-like carcinomas using current WHO criteria (at least 50% of tumor cells positive for synaptophysin or chromogranin A). In contrast, no neuroendocrine differentiation was seen in luminal A-like, HER2 amplified and triple-negative carcinomas. Breast carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation presented with advanced stage disease and showed aggressive behavior.Conclusions. We conclude that neuroendocrine differentiation is more common than assumed in poorly differentiated luminal B-like carcinomas. Use of specific neuroendocrine markers is thus encouraged in this subtype to enhance detection of neuroendocrine differentiation and hence characterize the biological and therapeutic relevance of this finding in future studies.
Evaluation and Ranking of Organizational Resilience Factors by Using a Two‐Step Fuzzy AHP and Fuzzy TOPSIS
Authors: Tadić Danijela , Aleksić Aleksandar , Stefanović Miladin , Arsovski Slavko
Published: February 2014

We presented a novel fuzzy multicriteria decision making approach to evaluate and rank organizational resilience factors with respect to user preference orders. Due to vagueness of the decision data, the precise numerical data are inadequate for real‐life business situations. Human judgements can be expressed by linguistic expressions which are modeled by fuzzy sets. The complexity of the considered problem calls for analytic methods rather than intuitive decisions. Two fuzzy multi‐criteria methods are proposed for solving the treated problem: Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchical Process (FAHP) is applied to determine the relative importance of business processes and the relative importance of organizational resilience factors under each business process, and an extension of the fuzzy Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) is applied to rank the organizational resilience factors. With respect to complexity and the type of considered management problem, we introduce a modified fuzzy decision matrix. The proposed algorithm has efficiently been applied in the assessment of organizational resilience factors to small and medium enterprises of the process industry.
An FEM Analysis with Consideration of Random Void Defects for Predicting the Mechanical Properties of 3D Braided Composites
Authors: Xu Kun , Qian Xiaomei
Published: February 2014

Random void defects have detrimental effect on the mechanical properties of 3D braided composites. A 3D FEM based on a periodic representative unit cell is developed to appraise the mechanical properties of 3D 4-directional braided composites containing the defects. Two basic types of void defects, such as the dry patches in the reinforced yarns and the voids in the resin matrix pocket, have been taken into account. A simple method for generating the random void defect elements in FEM is presented. The FE software ABAQUS is adopted to study the elastic properties. The predicted effective elastic properties are in good agreement with the available experimental data, demonstrating the applicability of the mesomechanical FEM. By considering the random distribution of void defects, the probability statistics analysis of mechanical properties was conducted. In addition, the effect of the void volume fraction on the elastic properties was discussed in detail, and some useful conclusions were drawn herein.
Three Vessel Coronary Cameral Fistulae Associated with New Onset Atrial Fibrillation and Angina Pectoris
Authors: Yuksel Murat , Yildiz Abdulkadir , Oylumlu Mustafa , Polat Nihat , Acet Halit , Ozaydogdu Necdet
Published: February 2014

Coronary cameral fistulas are abnormal communications between a coronary artery and a heart chamber or a great vessel which are reported in less than 0.1% of patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography. All three major coronary arteries are even less frequently involved in fistula formation as it is the case in our patient. A 68-year-old woman was admitted to cardiology clinic with complaints of exertional dyspnea and angina for two years and a new onset palpitation. Standard 12-lead electrocardiogram revealed atrial fibrillation (AF) with a ventricular rate of 114 beat/minute and accompanying T wave abnormalities and minimal ST-depression on lateral derivations. Transthoracic echocardiographic examination was normal except for diastolic dysfunction, minimally mitral regurgitation, and mild to moderate enlargement of the left atrium. Sinus rhythm was achieved by medical cardioversion with amiodarone infusion. Coronary angiography revealed diffuse and multiple coronary-left ventricle fistulas originating from the distal segments of both left and right coronary arterial systems without any stenosis in epicardial coronary arteries. The patient’s symptoms resolved almost completely with medical therapy. High volume shunts via coronary artery to left ventricular microfistulas may lead to increased volume overload and subsequent increase in end-diastolic pressure of the left ventricle and may cause left atrial enlargement.
A Support Vector Data Description Committee for Face Detection
Authors: Liu Yi-Hung , Ting Yung , Shyu Shian-Shing , Chen Chang-Kuo , Lee Chung-Lin , Jeng Mu-Der
Published: February 2014

Face detection is a crucial prestage for face recognition and is often treated as a binary (face and nonface) classification problem. While this strategy is simple to implement, face detection accuracy would drop when nonface training patterns are undersampled. To avoid these problems, we propose in this paper a one‐class learning‐based face detector called support vector data description (SVDD) committee, which consists of several SVDD members, each of which is trained on a subset of face patterns. Nonfaces are not required in the training of the SVDD committee. Therefore, the face detection accuracy of SVDD committee is independent of the nonface training patterns. Moreover, the proposed SVDD committee is also able to improve generalization ability of the original SVDD when the face data set has a multicluster distribution. Experiments carried out on the extended MIT face data set show that the proposed SVDD committee can achieve better face detection accuracy than the widely used SVM face detector and performs better than other one‐class classifiers, including the original SVDD and the kernel principal component analysis (Kernel PCA).
Transport Critical Current Density of (Bi1.6Pb0.4)Sr2Ca2Cu3O10Ceramic Superconductor with Different Nanosized Co3O4Addition
Authors: Azman Nur Jannah , Abdullah Huda , Abd-Shukor Roslan
Published: February 2014

The effect of different nanosized Co3O4(10, 30, and 50 nm) addition on the Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2Cu3O10(Co3O4)xsuperconductor withx=0–0.05 wt.% has been investigated using X-ray diffraction method, scanning electron microscopy, transition temperature, and critical current densityJcmeasurements. The samples were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. Samples withx=0.01 wt.% Co3O4(10 nm) showed the highestTc-zeroat 102 K. The highestJcwas observed in thex=0.03 wt.% Co3O4(10 nm) andx=0.02 wt.% Co3O4(30 nm) samples. At 77 K,Jcof the 10 nm and 30 nm Co3O4added samples was 6 and 13 times larger than the nonadded samples, respectively. Small addition of Co3O4nanoparticles in the Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2Cu3O10(Bi-2223) samples enhanced the critical current density and the phase formation. The larger Co3O4nanoparticle (50 nm) had a greater degradation affect on superconductivity of the Bi-2223 phase.
Function Spaces with BoundedLpMeans and Their Continuous Functionals
Authors: Picardello Massimo A.
Published: February 2014

This paper studies typical Banach and complete seminormed spaces of locally summable functions and their continuous functionals. Such spaces were introduced long ago as a natural environment to study almost periodic functions (Besicovitch, 1932; Bohr and Fölner, 1944) and are defined by boundedness of suitableLpmeans. The supremum of such means defines a norm (or a seminorm, in the case of the full Marcinkiewicz space) that makes the respective spaces complete. Part of this paper is a review of the topological vector space structure, inclusion relations, and convolution operators. Then we expand and improve the deep theory due to Lau of representation of continuous functional and extreme points of the unit balls, adapt these results to Stepanoff spaces, and present interesting examples of discontinuous functionals that depend only on asymptotic values.
Preoperative Gadoxetic Acid-Enhanced MRI and Simultaneous Treatment of Early Hepatocellular Carcinoma Prolonged Recurrence-Free Survival of Progressed Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients after Hepatic Resection
Authors: Matsuda Masanori , Ichikawa Tomoaki , Amemiya Hidetake , Maki Akira , Watanabe Mitsuaki , Kawaida Hiromichi , Kono Hiroshi , Sano Katsuhiro , Motosugi Utaroh , Fujii Hideki
Published: February 2014

Background/Purpose. The purpose of this study was to clarify whether preoperative gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI) and simultaneous treatment of suspected early hepatocellular carcinoma (eHCC) at the time of resection for progressed HCC affected patient prognosis following hepatic resection. Methods. A total of 147 consecutive patients who underwent their first curative hepatic resection for progressed HCC were enrolled. Of these, 77 patients underwent EOB-MRI (EOB-MRI (+)) before hepatic resection and the remaining 70 patients did not (EOB-MRI (−)). Suspected eHCCs detected by preoperative imaging were resected or ablated at the time of resection for progressed HCC. Results. The number of patients who underwent treatment for eHCCs was significantly higher in the EOB-MRI (+) than in the EOB-MRI (−) (17 versus 6; P=0.04). Recurrence-free survival (1-, 3-, and 5-year; 81.4, 62.6, 48.7% versus 82.1, 41.5, 25.5%, resp., P<0.01), but not overall survival (1-, 3-, and 5-year; 98.7, 90.7, 80.8% versus 97.0, 86.3, 72.4%, resp., P=0.38), was significantly better in the EOB-MRI (+). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that preoperative EOB-MRI was one of the independent factors significantly correlated with better recurrence-free survival. Conclusions. Preoperative EOB-MRI and simultaneous treatment of eHCC prolonged recurrence-free survival after hepatic resection.
Diabetic Dead-in-Bed Syndrome: A Possible Link to a Cardiac Ion Channelopathy
Authors: Skinner Jonathan R. , Marquis-Nicholson Renate , Luangpraseuth Alix , Cutfield Rick , Crawford Jackie , Love Donald R.
Published: February 2014

Sudden unexpected nocturnal death among patients with diabetes occurs approximately ten times more commonly than in the general population. Malignant ventricular arrhythmia due to Brugada syndrome has been postulated as a cause, since a glucose-insulin bolus can unmask the Brugada electrocardiographic signature in genetically predisposed individuals. In this report we present a 16-year-old male with insulin-dependent diabetes who died suddenly at night. His diabetes had been well controlled, without significant hypoglycaemia. At autopsy, he had a full stomach and a glucose level of 7 mmol/L in vitreous humor, excluding hypoglycaemia. Genetic analysis of autopsy DNA revealed a missense mutation, c.370A>G (p.Ile124Val), in theGPD1Lgene. A parent carried the same mutation and has QT prolongation. Mutations in this gene have been linked to Brugada syndrome and sudden infant death. The patient may have died from a ventricular arrhythmia, secondary to occult Brugada syndrome, triggered by a full stomach and insulin. The data suggest that molecular autopsies are warranted to investigate other cases of the diabetic dead-in-bed syndrome.
Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube Incorporated Molecular Imprinted Polymer with Binding Affinity towards Testosterone
Authors: Augustine Anju , Mathew Beena
Published: February 2014

A novel polymer was synthesised using functionalized carbon nanotube and acrylamide as the polymer support for the separation of testosterone. The developed polymers were characterised using FT-IR, XRD, and SEM techniques. Imprinted polymer showed specificity towards the template testosterone. Among the various polymers, the MWCNT incorporated polymer showed high binding towards the used template. Investigation of the selectivity characteristics revealed that the developed polymer showed selectivity toward the template testosterone than similar compounds. The bound template could be totally recovered and regenerated polymer maintains its recognition property after repeated use. On the basis of the results, the imprinted polymer can be applied for the direct extraction of testosterone in clinical analysis.
Subnormal Weighted Shifts on Directed Trees and Composition Operators inL2-Spaces with Nondensely Defined Powers
Authors: Budzyński Piotr , Dymek Piotr , Jabłoński Zenon Jan , Stochel Jan
Published: February 2014

It is shown that for every positive integernthere exists a subnormal weighted shift on a directed tree (with or without root) whosenth power is densely defined while its (n+1)th power is not. As a consequence, for every positive integernthere exists a nonsymmetric subnormal composition operatorCin anL2-space over aσ-finite measure space such thatCnis densely defined andCn+1is not.
Spatial and Temporal Variation of Annual Precipitation in a River of the Loess Plateau in China
Authors: Shen Cui , Qiang Huang
Published: February 2014

Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) decomposition and geostatistical (semivariogram) analysis are used to analyze the spatial and temporal patterns of annual precipitation in the Weihe basin based on the data from 1960 to 2011 at 30 national meteorological stations within and surrounding the Weihe basin area of the Loess Plateau in China. Then the Mann-Kendall method is used to discriminate the variation points of precipitation series at each station. The results show that, during the study period, there was an overall reduction in annual precipitation across the basin and there were two spatial patterns: increase in the northwest, decrease in southeast and increase in the west, decrease in east. Variation points in the annual precipitation series at each meteorological station in the basin were detected, and they occur earliest in the southeast and downstream, then progressively later in the northwest and upstream areas. These variations were most frequent during the 1970s and 1980s. The findings have significant implications for the variations research of runoff in the basin and formulate robust strategies to adapt to climate change and mitigate its effects.
Fuzzy Approach for Group Sequential Test
Authors: İçen Duygu , Bacanlı Sevil , Günay Süleyman
Published: February 2014

Buckley’s approach (Buckley (2004), (2005), (2006)) uses sets of confidence intervals by taking into consideration both of the uncertainty and impreciseness of concepts that produce triangular shaped fuzzy numbers for the estimator. This approach produces fuzzy test statistics and fuzzy critical values in hypothesis testing. In addition, the sample size is fixed for this test. When data comes sequentially, however, it is not suitable to study with a fixed sample size test. In such cases, sequential and group sequential tests are recommended. Unlike a sequential test, a group of sequential test provides substantial savings in sample and enables us to make decisions as early as possible. This intends paper to combine the benefits of group sequential test and Buckley's approach usingα-cuts. It attempts to show that usingα-cuts can be used within the group sequential tests. To illustrate the test more explicitly a numerical example is also given.
Efficacy and Side Effects of Narrowband-UVB in Early Stage Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma in Jordanian Patients
Authors: Abdallat Salah A. , Alqaqaa Ayman S. , Obaidat Nidal A. , Alnueimi Rameh F.
Published: February 2014

Background. Many studies, on light-skinned patients, suggested narrowband-UVB to be effective and safe for the treatment of early stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of narrowband-UVB in treatment of early stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in patients with skin phototypes III, IV, and V. Methods. A total of 27 patients with the diagnosis of early stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma were involved in this prospective study. All patients received narrowband-UVB as monotherapy until clearance or a maximum of 42 sessions. Patients with complete clearance were followed for six months or relapse. Rate of clearance, number of sessions, and cumulative narrowband-UVB dose needed to achieve clearance, percentage of patients remaining in remission at 6 months, and side effects were analyzed. Results. Within 5–14 weeks (15–42 sessions), using cumulative narrowband-UVB dose ranging from 17.3 to 48.2 J/cm2, complete remission was achieved in 76.4% of patients. The rest of the patients achieved partial remission. Six months after discontinuation of the treatment, 42.8% of patients with complete remission remained in remission. Transient erythema in 11.1% of patients and mild hyperpigmentation in 14.8% of patients were the only side effects encountered during this study. Conclusion. We conclude that narrowband-UVB phototherapy is safe and effective for the treatment of early stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in darker-skinned patients.
Curcumin Suppresses Proliferation of Colon Cancer Cells by Targeting CDK2
Authors: Lim Tae-Gyu , Lee Sung-Young , Huang Zunnan , Lim Do Young , Chen Hanyong , Jung Sung Keun , Bode Ann M. , Lee Ki Won , Dong Zigang
Published: February 2014

Curcumin, the yellow pigment of turmeric found in Southeast Indian food, is one of the most popular phytochemicals for cancer prevention. Numerous reports have demonstrated modulation of multiple cellular signaling pathways by curcumin and its molecular targets in various cancer cell lines. To identify a new molecular target of curcumin, we used shape screening and reverse docking to screen the Protein Data Bank against curcumin. Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), a major cell-cycle protein, was identified as a potential molecular target of curcumin. Indeed, in vitro and ex vivo kinase assay data revealed a dramatic suppressive effect of curcumin on CDK2 kinase activity. Furthermore, curcumin induced G1 cell-cycle arrest, which is regulated by CDK2 in HCT116 cells. Although the expression levels of CDK2 and its regulatory subunit, cyclin E, were not changed, the phosphorylation of retinoblastoma (Rb), a well-known CDK2 substrate, was reduced by curcumin. Because curcumin induced cell-cycle arrest, we investigated the antiproliferative effect of curcumin on HCT116 colon cancer cells. In this experiment, curcumin suppressed HCT116 cell proliferation effectively. To determine whether CDK2 is a direct target of curcumin, CDK2 expression was knocked down in HCT116 cells. As expected, HCT116 sh-CDK2 cells exhibited G1 arrest and reduced proliferation. Because of the low levels of CDK2 in HCT116 sh-CDK2 cells, the effects of curcumin on G1 arrest and cell proliferation were not substantially relative to HCT116 sh-control cells. From these results, we identified CDK2 as a direct target of curcumin in colon cancer cells. Cancer Prev Res; 7(4); 466–74. ©2014 AACR.
Allergic Disorders at a Venerable Age: A Mini-Review
Authors: Milgrom Henry , Huang Hua
Published: February 2014

This review focuses on 3 allergic disorders of persons coming up against venerable age: asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. The prevalence of allergic diseases in the elderly ranges from 5 to 10% and appears to be rising. A gradual decline in immune function, termed immunosenescence, and age-related changes in tissue structure influence the development of these disorders. Common complications are comorbidities, polypharmacy, and adverse effects of drugs. The elderly have difficulty mounting protective immune responses against newly encountered antigens. The integrity of epithelial barriers is compromised, leading to a chronic, subclinical inflammatory state and an enhanced Th2 (allergic) immune response. Undiagnosed asthma is frequent in elderly persons (about 8%) and still more commonplace in those with respiratory symptoms. Poorly controlled asthma in the elderly undermines their functional status and leads to a loss of autonomy and social isolation that may delay seeking medical services. Aggravation of allergic rhinitis coincides with exacerbation of asthma, whereas treatment of nasal inflammation improves control of the asthma. Atopic dermatitis is a chronically relapsing inflammatory skin disease often associated with respiratory allergy.