bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Validation of a Novel Virtual Reality Simulator for Robotic Surgery
Authors: Schreuder Henk W. R. , Persson Jan E. U. , Wolswijk Richard G. H. , Ihse Ingmar , Schijven Marlies P. , Verheijen René H. M.
Published: January 2014

Objective. With the increase in robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery there is a concomitant rising demand for training methods. The objective was to establish face and construct validity of a novel virtual reality simulator (dV-Trainer, Mimic Technologies, Seattle, WA) for the use in training of robot-assisted surgery.Methods. A comparative cohort study was performed. Participants (n=42) were divided into three groups according to their robotic experience. To determine construct validity, participants performed three different exercises twice. Performance parameters were measured. To determine face validity, participants filled in a questionnaire after completion of the exercises.Results. Experts outperformed novices in most of the measured parameters. The most discriminative parameters were “time to complete” and “economy of motion” (P<0.001). The training capacity of the simulator was rated 4.6 ± 0.5 SD on a 5-point Likert scale. The realism of the simulator in general, visual graphics, movements of instruments, interaction with objects, and the depth perception were all rated as being realistic. The simulator is considered to be a very useful training tool for residents and medical specialist starting with robotic surgery.Conclusions. Face and construct validity for the dV-Trainer could be established. The virtual reality simulator is a useful tool for training robotic surgery.
The Relationship between Diaspore Characteristics with Phylogeny, Life History Traits, and Their Ecological Adaptation of 150 Species from the Cold Desert of Northwest China
Authors: Liu Hui-Liang , Zhang Dao-Yuan , Duan Shi-Min , Wang Xi-Yong , Song Ming-Fang
Published: January 2014

Diaspore characteristics of 22 families, including 102 genera and 150 species (55 represented by seeds and 95 by fruits) from the Gurbantunggut Desert were analyzed for diaspore biological characteristics (mass, shape, color, and appendage type). The diaspore mass and shape were significantly different in phylogeny group (APG) and dispersal syndromes; vegetative periods significantly affected diaspore mass, but not diaspore shape; and ecotypes did not significantly affect diaspore mass and shape, but xerophyte species had larger diaspore mass than mesophyte species. Unique stepwise ANOVA results showed that variance in diaspore mass and shape among these 150 species was largely dependent upon phylogeny and dispersal syndromes. Therefore, it was suggested that phylogeny may constrain diaspore mass, and as dispersal syndromes may be related to phylogeny, they also constrained diaspore mass and shape. Diaspores of 85 species (56.67%) had appendages, including 26 with wings/bracts, 18 with pappus/hair, 14 with hooks/spines, 10 with awns, and 17 with other types of appendages. Different traits (mass, shape, color, appendage, and dispersal syndromes) of diaspore decided plants forming different adapted strategies in the desert. In summary, the diaspore characteristics were closely related with phylogeny, vegetative periods, dispersal syndromes, and ecotype, and these characteristics allowed the plants to adapt to extreme desert environments.
Agglomeration and Dendritic Growth of Cu/Ti/Si Thin Film
Authors: Lin Qi-jing , Jing Weixuan , Yang Shu-ming , Jiang Zhuang-de , Wang Chen-ying
Published: January 2014

Agglomeration and the transformation from random fractal to dendritic growth have been observed during Cu/Ti/Si thin film annealing. The experimental results show that the annealing temperature, film thickness, and substrate thickness influenced the agglomeration and dendritic growth. Multifractal spectrum is used to characterize the surface morphology quantificationally. The shapes of the multifractal spectra are hook‐like to the left. Value of Δα increases with the annealing temperature rising, and Δf increases from 500°C to 700°C but reduces from 700°C to 800°C. The dendritic patterns with symmetrical branches are generated in the surfaces when the thin films were annealed at 800°C.
Heat Transfer Enhancement of Laminar Nanofluids Flow in a Circular Tube Fitted with Parabolic-Cut Twisted Tape Inserts
Authors: Salman Sami D. , Kadhum Abdul Amir H. , Takriff Mohd S. , Mohamad Abu Bakar
Published: January 2014

Numerical investigation has been carried out on heat transfer and friction factor characteristics of copper-water nanofluid flow in a constant heat-fluxed tube with the existence of new configuration of vortex generator using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. Two types of swirl flow generator: Classical twisted tape (CTT) and Parabolic-cut twisted tape (PCT) with a different twist ratio (y= 2.93, 3.91 and 4.89) and different cut depth (w= 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 cm) with 2% and 4% volume concentration of CuO nanofluid were used for simulation. The effect of different parameters such as flow Reynolds number, twist ratio, cut depth and nanofluid were considered. The results show that the enhancement of heat transfer rate and the friction factor induced by the Classical (CTT) and Parabolic-cut (PCT) inserts increases with twist ratio and cut depth decreases. The results also revealed that the heat transfer enhancement increases with an increase in the volume fraction of the CuO nanoparticle. Furthermore, the twisted tape with twist ratio (y= 2.93) and cut depthw= 0.5 cm offered 10% enhancement of the average Nusselt number with significant increases in friction factor than those of Classical twisted tape.
The Region Centromeric toHLA-CIs a Key Region for Understanding the Phenotypic Variability of Psoriatic Arthritis
Authors: Queiro Rubén , Tejón Patricia , Alonso Sara , Coto Pablo , López-Larrea Carlos , Martínez-Borra Jesús , González Segundo
Published: January 2014

With the aim of clarifying the role of several polymorphisms around theHLA-Clocus in the clinical expression of PsA, the distribution of several polymorphic markers and genes located around theHLA-Clocus was analyzed in a well-established cohort of 110 patients with PsA, 50 patients with psoriasis alone, and 110 healthy controls. The frequency of these genes was also analyzed by PsA articular models, based on three main subgroups: oligoarthritis, polyarthritis, and spondylitis. Distal interphalangeal joint (DIP) involvement was associated with the presence ofMICB-CA20(OR 6.0, 95% CI: 1.58–22.69,P=0.005).HLA-DRB*07was associated with oligoarticular forms of PsA (OR 4.1, 95% CI: 1.8–9.3,P=0.0007). The spondylitic forms overexpressed the antigenHLA-B*27(OR 5.7, 95% CI: 2.4–13.6,P=0.0001).MICA-A5.1showed association with polyarthritis (OR 3.7, 95% CI: 1.5–8.8,P=0.006). Genes telomeric toHLA-Cwere overexpressed in psoriasis but not in PsA subphenotypes. This study shows that the region centromeric toHLA-Cis a key region that expresses not only disease risk genes but also genes that help explain the phenotypic variability of PsA.
Evaluation of Varying Ductile Fracture Criteria for 42CrMo Steel by Compressions at Different Temperatures and Strain Rates
Authors: Quan Guo-zheng , Luo Gui-chang , Mao An , Liang Jian-ting , Wu Dong-sen
Published: January 2014

Fracturing by ductile damage occurs quite naturally in metal forming processes, and ductile fracture of strain-softening alloy, here 42CrMo steel, cannot be evaluated through simple procedures such as tension testing. Under these circumstances, it is very significant and economical to find a way to evaluate the ductile fracture criteria (DFC) and identify the relationships between damage evolution and deformation conditions. Under the guidance of the Cockcroft-Latham fracture criteria, an innovative approach involving hot compression tests, numerical simulations, and mathematic computations provides mutual support to evaluate ductile damage cumulating process and DFC diagram along with deformation conditions, which has not been expounded by Cockcroft and Latham. The results show that the maximum damage value appears in the region of upsetting drum, while the minimal value appears in the middle region. Furthermore, DFC of 42CrMo steel at temperature range of 1123~1348 K and strain rate of 0.01~10 s-1are not constant but change in a range of 0.160~0.226; thus, they have been defined as varying ductile fracture criteria (VDFC) and characterized by a function of temperature and strain rate. In bulk forming operations, VDFC help technicians to choose suitable process parameters and avoid the occurrence of fracture.
Continuous Spike-Wave during Slow Wave Sleep and Related Conditions
Authors: Singhal Nilika Shah , Sullivan Joseph E.
Published: January 2014

Continuous spike and wave during slow wave sleep (CSWS) is an epileptic encephalopathy that presents with neurocognitive regression and clinical seizures, and that demonstrates an electroencephalogram (EEG) pattern of electrical status epilepticus during sleep, as defined by the Commission on Classification and Terminology of the International League Against Epilepsy 1989. CSWS is an age-related condition, typically presenting in children around 5 years of age, with clinical seizures which progress within 2 years to a severe epileptic encephalopathy. The pathophysiology of CSWS is not completely understood, but the corticothalamic neuronal network involved in sleep patterns is thought to be involved. Genetic predisposition and injury in early development are thought to play etiological roles. Treatment strategies have involved traditional anticonvulsants, hormonal therapies, and other newer techniques. Outcomes are fair, and the thought is that earlier diagnosis and intervention preserve neurocognitive development, as in the case of other epileptic encephalopathies. Further understanding of the mechanisms of CSWS may lead to improved therapeutic options and thus outcomes of children with CSWS.
Urinary Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Metabolites and Attention/Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Learning Disability, and Special Education in U.S. Children Aged 6 to 15
Authors: Abid Zaynah , Roy Ananya , Herbstman Julie B. , Ettinger Adrienne S.
Published: January 2014

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adversely affects child neurodevelopment, but little is known about the relationship between PAHs and clinically significant developmental disorders. We examined the relationship between childhood measures of PAH exposure and prevalence of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disability (LD), and special education (SE) in a nationally representative sample of 1,257 U.S. children 6–15 years of age. Data were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001–2004. PAH exposure was measured by urinary metabolite concentrations. Outcomes were defined by parental report of (1) ever doctor-diagnosed ADHD, (2) ever doctor- or school representative-identified LD, and (3) receipt of SE or early intervention services. Multivariate logistic regression accounting for survey sampling was used to determine the associations between PAH metabolites and ADHD, LD, and SE. Children exposed to higher levels of fluorine metabolites had a 2-fold increased odds (95% C.I. 1.1, 3.8) of SE, and this association was more apparent in males (OR 2.3; 95% C.I. 1.2, 4.1) than in females (OR 1.8; 95% C.I. 0.6, 5.4). No other consistent pattern of developmental disorders was associated with urinary PAH metabolites. However, concurrent exposure to PAH fluorine metabolites may increase use of special education services among U.S. children.
The Opinion of General Practitioners, Medical Students, and Other Medical Specialists on Palliative Care in Bulgaria
Authors: Foreva G. , Asenova R. , Semerdjieva M.
Published: January 2014

In Bulgaria, the patient is entitled to palliative care in case of incurable disease with an unfavourable prognosis. Palliative care is provided by the family doctor/GP and institutions. Literature on palliative care providing is scarce. The objective of the study was to investigate the opinion of general practitioners, medical students, and other medical specialists working in institutions on palliative care.Method.We have developed a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics have been calculated for all items. Differences between groups have been compared usingu-criterion. Level of significance wasP<0.05. Data has been analyzed using SPSS v. 16.Results.A total of 518 respondents completed the survey. Lack of appropriate organisation and financing has been pointed out by all participants. The GP’s role in palliative care providing has been described as a contradictory one. The criteria on the basis of which the patients are eligible for palliative care have been arranged in the same way by all respondents, but GPs chose the longest temporal indicator. Quality assessment has not been applied. 2/3 of respondents demanded palliative care training.Conclusion.On the whole, the investigated groups differed to some extent in their opinion on palliative care both on conceptual and practical levels.
Transverse Skin Crease versus Vertical Midline Incision versus Laparoscopy for Right Hemicolectomy: A Systematic Review—Current Status of Right Hemicolectomy
Authors: Santoro Alberto , Boselli Carlo , Renzi Claudio , Gubbiotti Francesca , Grassi Veronica , Di Rocco Giorgio , Cirocchi Roberto , Redler Adriano
Published: January 2014

Purpose. The right hemicolectomy may be conducted through laparoscopic or laparotomic surgery, transverse or midline incisions. The transverse laparotomy offers some advantages compared to the midline laparotomy and laparoscopy. A literature review was performed to evaluate the possible advantages of the transverse incision versus midline incision or laparoscopic right hemicolectomy.Methods. A systematic research was performed in Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, BioMed Central, and the Science Citation Index.Results. Laparotomic right hemicolectomy with transverse incision is preferable to laparotomic hemicolectomy with midline incision. A transverse incision offers a lessened postoperative pain following physical activity, a lessened need to administer analgesic therapy during the post-operative time, better aesthetic results, and a better post-operative pulmonary function. Open surgery with transverse or midline incision ensured a shorter operative time, lower costs and a greater length of the incision compared to the laparoscopic. However, there are no differences in the oncological outcomes.Conclusions. It was not possible to identify significant differences between the open right hemicolectomy with transverse incision versus the open right hemicolectomy with midline incision or laparoscopic hemicolectomy.
Long-Term Survival and Outcome in Children Admitted to Kilifi District Hospital with Convulsive Status Epilepticus
Authors: Prins Agnes , Chengo Eddie , Mung'ala Odera Victor , Sadarangani Manish , Seaton Claire , Holding Penny , Fegan Greg , Newton Charles R.
Published: January 2014

Objectives. The incidence of convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) is high in Africa but the long-term outcome is unknown. We examined the neurocognitive outcome and survival of children treated for CSE in a Kenyan hospital 3 to 4 years after discharge.Methods. The frequency and nature of neurological deficits among this group of children were determined and compared to a control group. The children were screened with the Ten Questions Questionnaire for neurodevelopmental impairment if alive and those that screened positive were invited for further assessment to determine the pattern and extent of their impairment. A verbal autopsy was performed to determine the cause of death in those that died.Results. In the 119 cases followed-up, 9 (8%) died after discharge, with the majority having seizures during their fatal illness. The 110 survivors (median age 5 years) had significantly more neurological impairments on the screening compared to 282 controls (34/110 (30.9%) versus 11/282 (3.9%), OR = 11.0, 95% CI 5.3–22.8). Fifteen percent of the cases had active epilepsy.Conclusions. This study demonstrates the considerable burden of CSE in African children. Strategies to manage children with CSE that are acceptable to the community need to be explored to improve the longer-term outcome.
The Effect of Conspecific Density on Emergence ofLestes bipupillatusCalvert, 1909 (Odonata: Lestidae)
Authors: Cardoso-Leite Ricardo , Vilardi Gabriel C. , Guillermo-Ferreira Rhainer , Bispo Pitágoras C.
Published: January 2014

Conspecific density may influence adult recruitment and consequently population dynamics. Several studies have shown the density dependence of larvae growth rates in Odonata. However, few studies studied how conspecific density influence final instar larvae emergence date decisions. Considering that larvae may choose the date of emergence, the present study investigated if density affects larvae choice. For this, we reared eight final instar larvae in individual aquaria and other 24 larvae in aquaria with three larvae each. This way, we simulated environments with low and high larval densities. We then noted the days that larvae took to emerge and compared it between low and high density groups. The results showed that larvae seem to emerge earlier when in high densities (Mann-Whitney,U=10.000,P=0.03). These results support the hypothesis that damselfly last instar larvae may postpone or hasten emergence in response to the social environment and related constraints.
Approximate Analytical Solutions for Mathematical Model of Tumour Invasion and Metastasis Using Modified Adomian Decomposition and Homotopy Perturbation Methods
Authors: Mahiddin Norhasimah , Hashim Ali S. A.
Published: January 2014

The modified decomposition method (MDM) and homotopy perturbation method (HPM) are applied to obtain the approximate solution of the nonlinear model of tumour invasion and metastasis. The study highlights the significant features of the employed methods and their ability to handle nonlinear partial differential equations. The methods do not need linearization and weak nonlinearity assumptions. Although the main difference between MDM and Adomian decomposition method (ADM) is a slight variation in the definition of the initial condition, modification eliminates massive computation work. The approximate analytical solution obtained by MDM logically contains the solution obtained by HPM. It shows that HPM does not involve the Adomian polynomials when dealing with nonlinear problems.
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome in a Postpartum Preeclamptic Woman without Seizure
Authors: Ural Ülkü Mete , Balik Gülsah , Şentürk Şenol , Üstüner Işık , Çobanoğlu Uğur , Şahin Figen Kır
Published: January 2014

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a cliniconeuroradiological entity presenting with headache, confusion, visual disturbances or blindness, and seizures. Parieto-occipital white matter changes due to vasogenic oedema can be observed on imaging modalities. It rarely occurs without seizures and after delivery. We report a 33-year-old multigravida with a history of preeclampsia in term pregnancy complicated by PRES without seizures at the postpartum period. Clinical improvement with complete resolution without any complications was observed on the 6th day after delivery. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome is reversible when early diagnosis is established and appropriate treatment is started without delay.
State-Feedback Stabilization for Stochastic High-Order Nonlinear Systems with Time-Varying Delays
Authors: Gao Fangzheng , Yuan Zheng , Yuan Fushun
Published: January 2014

This paper investigates the problem of state-feedback stabilization for a class of stochastic high-order nonlinear systems with time-varying delays. Under the weaker conditions on the power order and the nonlinear growth, by using the method of adding a power integrator, a state-feedback controller is successfully designed, and the global asymptotic stability in the probability of the resulting closed-loop system is proven with the help of an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional. A simulation example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design procedure.
Two Cases of Cervical Hemorrhage with Upper Airway Obstruction: A Life-Threatening Condition
Authors: Amadei Enrico Maria , Benedettini Laura , Piccin Ottavio
Published: January 2014

Several are the causes of cervical masses and among them a spontaneous hemorrhage presents a rare and life-threatening condition. Sometimes hemorrhage develops from a previous silent neck lesion as in the case of an anaplastic thyroid carcinoma associated with bleeding. We present two cases: a 70-year-old woman suffering from enlarging cervical mass causing respiratory distress because of upper airway compression due to a spontaneous rupture of the superior thyroid artery and a 74-year-old woman who drew our attention because of a progressively worsening dyspnea due to a large medial cervical mass with rapid onset. We removed it surgically, finding out an anaplastic thyroid carcinoma that is associated with internal bleeding. We discuss our management of these rare and life-threatening conditions, recalling that the patency of upper airway should always be the prerogative in every emergency. Besides, we make a review of the recent literature.
Value and Efficacy of Foley Catheter Removal of Blunt Pediatric Esophageal Foreign Bodies
Authors: Abdurehim Yasin , Yasin Yalkun , Yaming Qu , Hua Zhang
Published: January 2014

Objective. To discuss the safety and efficacy of Foley catheter removal of blunt pediatric esophageal foreign bodies.Methods. Analyzing our first 17 cases of pediatric esophageal foreign bodies removed by Foley catheter method in respect of the efficacy, removal methods, and complications. We also reviewed related literature and discussed the background, current status, and technical matters that need attention of this method.Results. In three-year period between May 2010 and May 2013, in 16 out of 17 children blunt radiopaque foreign bodies impacted in the esophagus were successfully removed by a Foley catheter. There were no complications. In one patient, the foreign body was advanced into stomach and came out with stool 2 days later.Conclusions. The technique is safe, rapid, and cost-effective procedure and applicable for blunt, flat foreign bodies impacted in the esophagus.
Active Grasping Control of Virtual‐Dexterous‐Robot Hand with Open Inventor
Authors: Chen Jinbao , Han Dong , Peng Zhuang
Published: January 2014

The grasping technology of the virtual‐dexterous‐robot (VDR) hand plays a key role in the teleoperation of the space robot. For a grasp task in the virtual environment, the collision detection and virtual force calculation need to be implemented. Firstly, a tree‐structure virtual scene including a VDR hand and a target object is built up with open inventor (OIV). Secondly, the collision manager provided by OIV is used for collision detection and the oriented bounding box (OBB) is adopted to improve the real‐time performance of collision detection. Thirdly, an algorithm is proposed for calculating the virtual force by using the contact deformation. And the contact deformation is calculated according to the transformation matrix between the coordinate systems of the two contact objects. Furthermore, the contact friction is also calculated by this matrix. Considering the virtual force, the modified stable grasping conditions are proposed which are suitable for the virtual grasping. Then a method is proposed for implementing the grasp or release operation by translating different nodes in the tree‐structure scene, which can avoid destroying the tree structure. Finally, the viability and effectiveness of the proposed algorithms are proved by simulation experiments.
Kinetics of Thermal Degradation of Recycled Polyvinyl Chloride Resin
Authors: Alwaan I. M.
Published: January 2014

The goal of this study is to find the effect of time and temperature on the thermal degradation of recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin. The isothermal rate of reaction(r)of recycled PVC resin was investigated at the following temperatures to: 100, 110, 120, 130, and 140°C at period of times ranging from 10 to 50 min. The result shows that the rate of reaction(r)of recycled PVC increases with increasing temperatures. The reaction rate constant(K)for temperatures ranging from 100 to 140°C was doubled from 0.028–0.056 mol·L−1·S−1. The process was found to be zero order reaction at all range of temperatures 100–140°C. The activation energy of the thermal weight loss was calculated at different temperatures(E/R = 2739.5°K). The average enthalpy and entropy of reaction at temperature of 298°K were determined.
Evaluation of p53, HoxD10, and E-Cadherin Status in Breast Cancer and Correlation with Histological Grade and Other Prognostic Factors
Authors: Sekar Preethi , Bharti Jyotsna Naresh , Nigam Jitendra Singh , Sharma Ankit , Soni Priyanka Bhatia
Published: January 2014

Background. Study of tumor molecular characteristics is necessary to understand both the risk of breast cancer recurrence and the response to therapy.Aims. To evaluate p53, HoxD10, and E-cadherin status in breast cancer and to correlate with histological grade and other prognostic factors.Material and Methods. The study was conducted in 60 cases of invasive ductal carcinoma NOS with 20 cases belonging to each grade and evaluation of p53 was done by IHC and that of HoxD10 and E Cadherin status by PCR and correlation was done with histological grade and other prognostic factors.Result. p53 expression was seen in 71.67% (43/60) of the tumors. HoxD10 gene was downregulated in 46.67% (28/60) of the tumors. p53 overexpression and lower HoxD10 mRNA levels showed statistically significant association higher histological grade of the tumor (P<0.05). CDH1 gene mutation was seen in 60% (15/25) of the tumors. No significant association was found between p53 expression, HoxD10 gene, CDH1 gene mutation, and other prognostic factors.Conclusion. p53 over expression and lower HoxD10 mRNA levels were found to be significantly associated with higher grade tumours. This suggests that p53 and HoxD10 gene play an important tumor suppressor role and the loss of which results in breast cancer progression.
Novel Design of High-Gain Planar Dipole-Array Antenna for RFID 2.45 GHz
Authors: Xie Danpeng , Liu Xueguan , Guo Huiping , Yang Xinmi
Published: January 2014

This paper presents a novel high-gain planar dipole-array antenna for 2.45 GHz which consists of four planar dipole elements placed in two parallel lines. Phase retardation of each element is set by feeding network to form controllable radiation direction. The radiation pattern of the array is discussed according to Arrays Theorem. The measured −10 dB band is from 2.3 GHz to 2.57 GHz, and peak gain in this band is 7.5 dBi. The gain can even reach 10.5 dBi after installing additional ground. The proposed antenna has advantages of high gain, controllable direction, and planarity which are suitable for 2.45 GHz RFID base station.
QoS-Oriented High Dynamic Resource Allocation in Vehicular Communication Networks
Authors: Bejaoui Tarek
Published: January 2014

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) are emerging as new research area and attracting an increasing attention from both industry and research communities. In this context, a dynamic resource allocation policy that maximizes the use of available resources and meets the quality of service (QoS) requirement of constraining applications is proposed. It is a combination of a fair packet scheduling policy and a new adaptive QoS oriented call admission control (CAC) scheme based on the vehicle density variation. This scheme decides whether the connection request is to be admitted into the system, while providing fair access and guaranteeing the desired throughput. The proposed algorithm showed good performance in testing in real world environment.
DSMC Simulation and Experimental Validation of Shock Interaction in Hypersonic Low Density Flow
Authors: Xiao Hong , Shang Yuhe , Wu Di
Published: January 2014

Direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) of shock interaction in hypersonic low density flow is developed. Three collision molecular models, including hard sphere (HS), variable hard sphere (VHS), and variable soft sphere (VSS), are employed in the DSMC study. The simulations of double-cone and Edney’s type IV hypersonic shock interactions in low density flow are performed. Comparisons between DSMC and experimental data are conducted. Investigation of the double-cone hypersonic flow shows that three collision molecular models can predict the trend of pressure coefficient and the Stanton number. HS model shows the best agreement between DSMC simulation and experiment among three collision molecular models. Also, it shows that the agreement between DSMC and experiment is generally good for HS and VHS models in Edney’s type IV shock interaction. However, it fails in the VSS model. Both double-cone and Edney’s type IV shock interaction simulations show that the DSMC errors depend on the Knudsen number and the models employed for intermolecular interaction. With the increase in the Knudsen number, the DSMC error is decreased. The error is the smallest in HS compared with those in the VHS and VSS models. When the Knudsen number is in the level of 10−4, the DSMC errors, for pressure coefficient, the Stanton number, and the scale of interaction region, are controlled within 10%.
Skin Biopsy in the Context of Dermatological Diagnosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Korfitis Chrysovalantis , Gregoriou Stamatis , Antoniou Christina , Katsambas Andreas D. , Rigopoulos Dimitris
Published: January 2014

Background. Skin biopsy is an established method for allying the dermatologist in overcoming the diagnostic dilemmas which occur during consultations. However neither do all skin biopsies produce a conclusive diagnosis nor the dermatologists routinely perform this procedure to every patient they consult. The aim of this study was to investigate the favourable clinical diagnoses set by dermatologists when performing skin biopsy, the diagnoses reached by the dermatopathologists after microscopic examination, and the relationship between them and finally to comment on the instances that skin biopsy fails to fulfill the diagnostic task.Methods. Six thousand eight hundred and sixteen biopsy specimens were reviewed and descriptive statistics were performed.Results. The mean age of the patients was54.58±0.26years, the most common site of biopsy was the head and neck (38.3%), the most frequently proposed clinical diagnoses included malignancies (19.28%), and the most prevalent pathological diagnosis was epitheliomas (21.9%). After microscopic examination, a specific histological diagnosis was proposed in 83.29% of the cases and a consensus between clinical and histological diagnoses was observed in 68% of them.Conclusions. Although there are cases that skin biopsy exhibits diagnostic inefficiency, it remains a valuable aid for the dermatology clinical practice.
Liposarcoma of the Spermatic Cord Masquerading as an Inguinal Hernia
Authors: Londeree William , Kerns Tamie
Published: January 2014

This is a case of a 70-year-old male who presented with a mass in his right testicle. He was treated with antibiotics for epididymitis while undergoing serial ultrasounds for one year due to testicular swelling and pain. His fourth ultrasound revealed a mild hydrocele with a large paratesticular mass of undescribed size, superior to the right testicle, thought to be an inguinal hernia. Preoperative CT scan demonstrated a large fat-containing inguinal hernia extending into the scrotal sac. An inguinal hernia repair was complicated by fatty tissue surrounding the testicle requiring a right orchiectomy. Pathology review of the tissue demonstrated well-differentiated liposarcoma with a small focus of dedifferentiation grade 2 tumor. Tumor was identified at the inked margins indicating an incomplete resection. It was decided that no further surgical intervention was needed and the patient would undergo surveillance for local tumor recurrence. Six-month follow-up MRI scan was negative for any recurrence of disease. A liposarcoma presenting as a paratesticular mass with spermatic cord involvement is rare, and imaging studies may fail to distinguish a liposarcoma from normal adipose tissue.
Molecular Approach for Tracing Dissemination Routes of Shiga Toxin-ProducingEscherichia coliO157 in Bovine Offal at Slaughter
Authors: Asakura Hiroshi , Masuda Kazuya , Yamamoto Shigeki , Igimi Shizunobu
Published: January 2014

Bovine offal is currently recognized as one of the sources of human Shiga toxin-producingEscherichia coli(STEC) infection in Japan. Here, the prevalence and genetic characterization of STEC O157 in bovine feces, offal, and carcasses at slaughtering were examined between July and October in 2006. STEC O157 was detected in 31 of 301 cattle feces (10.3%) delivered from 120 farms. Simultaneously, 60 bovine-originated offal (tongue, liver, and omasum) and carcasses were randomly selected and the detection of O157 STEC was examined as well. STEC O157 was isolated from 4 tongues (6.7%), 1 liver (1.7%), 3 omasa (5.0%), and 2 carcasses (3.3%), respectively. All the O157 isolates were positive foreaeandhlyAgenes, and 37 of 41 isolates (90.2%) exhibitedstx2cgenotype. PFGE analysis revealed the identical macrogenotypes of 4-tongue- and 1-liver-originated isolates and among 2 fecal isolates from animals slaughtered consecutively. Considering their continuous detection according to the slaughtering order, we concluded that these distributions of O157 in bovine offal and feces might be due to cross-contamination at (pre)slaughter. Our data thus reposes implication of better sanitary control in diapedesis from both upper and lower sites to prevent spread of this pathogen to bovine offal at slaughtering.
Modeling and Simulation of Linear and Nonlinear MEMS Scale Electromagnetic Energy Harvesters for Random Vibration Environments
Authors: Khan Farid , Stoeber Boris , Sassani Farrokh
Published: January 2014

The simulation results for electromagnetic energy harvesters (EMEHs) under broad band stationary Gaussian random excitations indicate the importance of both a high transformation factor and a high mechanical quality factor to achieve favourable mean power, mean square load voltage, and output spectral density. The optimum load is different for random vibrations and for sinusoidal vibration. Reducing the total damping ratio under band-limited random excitation yields a higher mean square load voltage. Reduced bandwidth resulting from decreased mechanical damping can be compensated by increasing the electrical damping (transformation factor) leading to a higher mean square load voltage and power. Nonlinear EMEHs with a Duffing spring and with linear plus cubic damping are modeled using the method of statistical linearization. These nonlinear EMEHs exhibit approximately linear behaviour under low levels of broadband stationary Gaussian random vibration; however, at higher levels of such excitation the central (resonant) frequency of the spectral density of the output voltage shifts due to the increased nonlinear stiffness and the bandwidth broadens slightly. Nonlinear EMEHs exhibit lower maximum output voltage and central frequency of the spectral density with nonlinear damping compared to linear damping. Stronger nonlinear damping yields broader bandwidths at stable resonant frequency.
Cutaneous and Mucosal Lichen Planus: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Subtypes, Risk Factors, Diagnosis, and Prognosis
Authors: Gorouhi Farzam , Davari Parastoo , Fazel Nasim
Published: January 2014

Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that most often affects middle-aged adults. LP can involve the skin or mucous membranes including the oral, vulvovaginal, esophageal, laryngeal, and conjunctival mucosa. It has different variants based on the morphology of the lesions and the site of involvement. The literature suggests that certain presentations of the disease such as esophageal or ophthalmological involvement are underdiagnosed. The burden of the disease is higher in some variants including hypertrophic LP and erosive oral LP, which may have a more chronic pattern. LP can significantly affect the quality of life of patients as well. Drugs or contact allergens can cause lichenoid reactions as the main differential diagnosis of LP. LP is a T-cell mediated immunologic disease but the responsible antigen remains unidentified. In this paper, we review the history, epidemiology, and clinical subtypes of LP. We also review the histopathologic aspects of the disease, differential diagnoses, immunopathogenesis, and the clinical and genetic correlations.
Venous Drainage Patterns in Carotid Cavernous Fistulas
Authors: Aralasmak Ayse , Karaali Kamil , Cevikol Can , Senol Utku , Sindel Timur , Toprak Huseyin , Ozdemir Huseyin , Alkan Alpay
Published: January 2014

Purpose. The carotid-cavernous fistula (CCF) is an abnormal arteriovenous communication and its drainage pathways may affect the clinic presentation and change treatment approach. We evaluated drainage patterns of CCFs by digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and categorized drainage pathways according to their types and etiology. Materials and Methods. Venous drainage patterns of 13 CCFs from 10 subjects were studied and categorized as anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, and contralateral on DSA. Drainage patterns were correlated to types and etiology of CCFs. Diagnosis of CCFs was first made by noninvasive imaging techniques. Results. On DSA, traumatic CCFs were usually high flow, direct type while spontaneous CCFs were usually slow flow, indirect type. Bilaterality and mixed types were observed among the indirect spontaneous CCFs. In all CCFs, anterior and inferior drainages were the most common. Contrary to the literature, posterior and superior drainages were noted only in high flow and long standing direct fistulas. Contralateral drainage was not observed in all, supporting plausible compartmentalization of cavernous sinuses. Conclusion. Types, etiology, and duration of the CCFs may affect their drainage patterns. DSA is valuable for categorization of CCFs and verification of drainage patterns. Drainage pathways may affect the clinic presentation and also change treatment approach.
Accuracy of Neck Circumference in Classifying Overweight and Obese US Children
Authors: Kim Youngwon , Lee Jung-Min , Laurson Kelly , Bai Yang , Gaesser Glenn A. , Welk Gregory J.
Published: January 2014

Objective. To evaluate classification accuracy of NC and compare it with body mass index (BMI) in identifying overweight/obese US children. Methods. Data were collected from 92 children (boys: 61) aged 7 to 13 over a 2-year period. NC, BMI, and percent of body fat (BF%) were measured in each child and their corresponding cut-off values were applied to classify the children as being overweight/obese. Classification accuracy of NC and BMI was systematically investigated for boys and girls in relation to true overweight/obesity categorization as assessed with a criterion measure of BF% (i.e., Bod Pod). Results. For boys, Cohen’s κ (0.25), sensitivity (38.1%), and specificity (85.0%) of NC were smaller in comparison with Cohen’s κ (0.57), sensitivity (57.1%), and specificity (95.0%) of BMI in relation to BF% categorization. For girls, Cohen’s κ (0.45), sensitivity (50.0%), and specificity (91.3%) of NC were smaller in comparison with Cohen’s κ (0.52), sensitivity (50.0%), and specificity (95.7%) of BMI. Conclusion. NC measurement was not better than BMI in classifying childhood overweight/obesity and, for boys, NC was inferior to BMI. Pediatricians and/or pediatric researchers should be cautious or wary about incorporating NC measurements in their pediatric care and/or research.
A Simple Clinical Measure of Quadriceps Muscle Strength Identifies Responders to Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Authors: Walsh James R. , Morris Norman R. , McKeough Zoe J. , Yerkovich Stephanie T. , Paratz Jenny D.
Published: January 2014

The aim was to determine if baseline measures can predict response to pulmonary rehabilitation in terms of six-minute walk distance (6MWD) or quality of life. Participants with COPD who attended pulmonary rehabilitation between 2010 and 2012 were recruited. Baseline measures evaluated included physical activity, quadriceps strength, comorbidities, inflammatory markers, and self-efficacy. Participants were classified as a responder with improvement in 6MWD (criteria of ≥25 m or ≥2SD) and Chronic Respiratory Questionnaire (CRQ; ≥0.5 points/question). Eighty-five participants with a mean (SD) age of 67(9) years and a mean forced expiratory volume in one second of 55(22)% were studied. Forty-nine and 19 participants were responders when using the 6MWD criteria of ≥25 m and ≥61.9 m, respectively, with forty-four participants improving in CRQ. In a regression model, responders in 6MWD (≥25 m criteria) had lower baseline quadriceps strength (P=0.028) and higher baseline self-efficacy scores (P=0.045). Independent predictors of 6MWD response (≥61.9 m criteria) were participants with metabolic disease (P=0.007) and lower baseline quadriceps strength (P=0.016). Lower baseline CRQ was the only independent predictor of CRQ response. A participant with relatively lower baseline quadriceps strength was the strongest independent predictor of 6MWD response. Metabolic disease may predict 6MWD response, but predictors of CRQ response remain unclear.
Preparation, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of Spinel-Corundum-Sialon Composite Materials from Waste Fly Ash and Aluminum Dross
Authors: Huang Juntong , Fang Minghao , Huang Zhaohui , Liu Yan’gai , Yang Jingzhou , Huang Saifang , Xu Youguo , Chen Kai , Yi Shuai , Zhang Shaowei
Published: January 2014

The solid wastes fly ash and aluminum dross were used to prepare the low cost, high added-value product spinel-corundum-Sialon with anin situaluminothermic reduction-nitridation reaction. The effects of varying raw material components and heating temperatures on the phase compositions, microstructure, bulk density, apparent porosity, and bending strength of products were investigated. The presence of hazardous or impure elements in the products was also evaluated. The sintered materials mainly consisted of micro-/nanosized plate corundum, octahedral spinel, and hexagonal columnarβ-Sialon. The bulk density and bending strength of product samples initially increased and then decreased as Al content increased. Product samples with an Al content exceeding 10 mass% that were sintered at 1450°C exhibited the highest bending strength (288 MPa), the lowest apparent porosity (1.24%), and extremely low linear shrinkage (0.67%). The main impurity present was Fe5Si3with hazardous elements P, Cr, Mn, and Ni doping. This work could provide a new method to reduce environmental pollution and manufacture low cost high performance refractory materials using the abundant waste materials fly ash and aluminum dross.
A Neural-Network-Based Approach to White Blood Cell Classification
Authors: Su Mu-Chun , Cheng Chun-Yen , Wang Pa-Chun
Published: January 2014

This paper presents a new white blood cell classification system for the recognition of five types of white blood cells. We propose a new segmentation algorithm for the segmentation of white blood cells from smear images. The core idea of the proposed segmentation algorithm is to find a discriminating region of white blood cells on the HSI color space. Pixels with color lying in the discriminating region described by an ellipsoidal region will be regarded as the nucleus and granule of cytoplasm of a white blood cell. Then, through a further morphological process, we can segment a white blood cell from a smear image. Three kinds of features (i.e., geometrical features, color features, and LDP-based texture features) are extracted from the segmented cell. These features are fed into three different kinds of neural networks to recognize the types of the white blood cells. To test the effectiveness of the proposed white blood cell classification system, a total of 450 white blood cells images were used. The highest overall correct recognition rate could reach 99.11% correct. Simulation results showed that the proposed white blood cell classification system was very competitive to some existing systems.
HIV Testing and Counselling in Colombia: Local Experience on Two Different Recruitment Strategies to Better Reach Low Socioeconomic Status Communities
Authors: Galindo-Quintero Jaime , Mueses-Marin Hector Fabio , Montaño-Agudelo David , Pinzón-Fernández María Virginia , Tello-Bolívar Inés Constanza , Alvarado-Llano Beatriz Eugenia , Martinez-Cajas Jorge Luis
Published: January 2014

HIV testing rates remain very low in Colombia, with only 20% of individuals at risk ever tested. In order to tackle this issue, the Corporacion de Lucha Contra el Sida (CLS) has implemented a multidisciplinary, provider-initiated, population-based HIV testing/counselling strategy named BAFI. In this report, we describe the experience of CLS at reaching populations from low socioeconomic backgrounds in 2008-2009. Two different approaches were used: one led by CLS and local health care providers (BAFI-1) and the other by CLS and community leaders (BAFI-2). Both approaches included the following: consented HIV screening test, a demographic questionnaire, self-reported HIV knowledge and behaviour questionnaires, pre- and posttest counselling, confirmatory HIV tests, clinical follow-up, access to comprehensive care and antiretroviral treatment. A total of 2085 individuals were enrolled in BAFI-1 and 363 in BAFI-2. The effectiveness indicators for BAFI-1 and BAFI-2, respectively, were HIV positive-confirmed prevalence = 0.29% and 3.86%, return rate for confirmatory results = 62.5% and 93.7%, return rate for comprehensive care = 83.3% and 92.8%, and ART initiation rate = 20% and 76.9%. Although more people were reached with BAFI-1, the community-led BAFI-2 was more effective at reaching individuals with a higher prevalence of behavioural risk factors for HIV infection.
Tripled Coincidence and Common Fixed Point Results for Two Pairs of Hybrid Mappings
Authors: Kutbi Marwan Amin , Ahmad Jamshaid , Abbas Mujahid , Arshad Muhammad
Published: January 2014

The tripled fixed point is a generalization of the well-known concept of “coupled fixed point.” In this paper, tripled coincidence and common fixed point results for two hybrid pairs consisting of multivalued and single valued mappings on a metric space are proved. We give examples to illustrate our results. In the process, several comparable coincidence and fixed point results in the existing literature are improved, unified, and generalized.
Effect of Vertically Propagating Shear Waves on Seismic Behavior of Circular Tunnels
Authors: Akhlaghi Tohid , Nikkar Ali
Published: January 2014

Seismic design loads for tunnels are characterized in terms of the deformations imposed on the structure by surrounding ground. The free-field ground deformations due to a seismic event are estimated, and the tunnel is designed to accommodate these deformations. Vertically propagating shear waves are the predominant form of earthquake loading that causes the ovaling deformations of circular tunnels to develop, resulting in a distortion of the cross sectional shape of the tunnel lining. In this paper, seismic behavior of circular tunnels has been investigated due to propagation of shear waves in the vertical direction using quasi-static analytical approaches as well as numerical methods. Analytical approaches are based on the closed-form solutions which compute the forces in the lining due to equivalent static ovaling deformations, while the numerical method carries out dynamic, nonlinear soil-structure interaction analysis. Based on comparisons made, the accuracy and reliability of the analytical solutions are evaluated and discussed. The results show that the axial forces determined using the analytical approaches are in acceptable agreement with numerical analysis results, while the computed bending moments are less comparable and show significant discrepancies. The differences between the analytical approaches are also investigated and addressed.