bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The role of pro‐resolution lipid mediators in infectious disease
Authors: Russell Clark D. , Schwarze Jürgen 
Published: October 2013

AbstractInflammation is an essential host defence against infection, but can be damaging when excessive. Resolution of inflammation is an active process, and the pro‐resolution effects of lipoxins, resolvins and protectins have received significant interest. Here, we review emerging data on the role of these lipid mediators in infectious disease. Lipoxins influence host control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma cruzi and Plasmodium berghei cerebral malaria in mice. Their effects are protective in toxoplasmosis, T. cruzi infection and cerebral malaria but detrimental in tuberculosis; related to the balance between pathogen‐control and excessive immune response. Topical lipoxin abrogates the tissue damage seen in a rabbit model of Porphyromonas gingivalis periodontitis. The increased virulence of H5N1 influenza A virus in mice correlates with reduced expression of SOCS2, required to mediate the effects of lipoxin. Mice unable to synthesize lipoxin suffer increased lung pathology during respiratory syncytial virus infection. Protectin suppresses influenza A virus replication in vitro and increases survival in a mouse model of severe influenza infection. Resolvins were investigated in a number of animal models of systemic bacterial infection, and were found to enhance phagocytic clearance of bacteria, reduce inflammation severity, promote neutrophil apoptosis, modulate neutrophil chemotaxis and importantly, reduce mortality. Interestingly, resolvin also enhances the antibacterial effect of ciprofloxacin and vancomycin. Topical resolvin application reduces the severity of herpes simplex virus ocular infection in mice. If the effects of these mediators translate from pre‐clinical studies into successful clinical trials, they represent promising new strategies in managing infectious disease.
Relationship Between Left Ventricular Geometry and Soluble ST2 in a Cohort of Hypertensive Patients
Authors: Ojji Dike B. , Opie Lionel H. , Lecour Sandrine , Lacerda Lydia , Adeyemi Olusoji , Sliwa Karen 
Published: October 2013

Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) is classified according to geometric pattern into 4 types: concentric hypertrophy, eccentric hypertrophy, concentric remodeling, and normal geometry. Prevalence of death and cardiovascular complications associated with hypertension depend on the geometric pattern. Although soluble ST2 levels, a novel cardiac biomarker of mechanical strain is increased in hypertension, the relationship with hypertensive LV geometric patterns has not been studied. The authors investigated the relationship between soluble ST2 levels and LV geometric patterns in a cohort of hypertensive patients. LVH was considered present when echocardiographic LV mass index exceeded 49.2 g/m2.7 in men and 46.2 g/m2.7 in women. Patients with concentric hypertrophy had higher soluble ST2 levels compared with patients with normal geometry (20.4±8.4 ng/mL vs 14.3±5.4 ng/mL, P<.002). Therefore, soluble ST2 level is not only affected by hypertensive LV, but may be a future biomarker in differentiating concentric hypertrophy from normal geometry in hypertension.
Does EEG‐neurofeedback improve neurocognitive functioning in children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder? A systematic review and a double‐blind placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Vollebregt Madelon A , van Dongen‐Boomsma Martine , Buitelaar Jan K , Slaats‐Willemse Dorine 
Published: October 2013

BackgroundThe number of placebo‐controlled randomized studies relating to EEG‐neurofeedback and its effect on neurocognition in attention‐deficient/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is limited. For this reason, a double blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study was designed to assess the effects of EEG‐neurofeedback on neurocognitive functioning in children with ADHD, and a systematic review on this topic was performed.MethodsForty‐one children (8–15 years) with a DSM‐IV‐TR diagnosis of ADHD were randomly allocated to EEG‐neurofeedback or placebo‐neurofeedback treatment for 30 sessions, twice a week. Children were stratified by age, electrophysiological state of arousal, and medication use. Neurocognitive tests of attention, executive functioning, working memory, and time processing were administered before and after treatment. Researchers, teachers, children and their parents, with the exception of the neurofeedback‐therapist, were all blind to treatment assignment. Outcome measures were the changes in neurocognitive performance before and after treatment.Clinical trial registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00723684.ResultsNo significant treatment effect on any of the neurocognitive variables was found. A systematic review of the current literature also did not find any systematic beneficial effect of EEG‐neurofeedback on neurocognitive functioning.ConclusionOverall, the existing literature and this study fail to support any benefit of neurofeedback on neurocognitive functioning in ADHD, possibly due to small sample sizes and other study limitations.
Morphological enhancement of microscopy mineral image using opening‐ and closing‐based toggle operator
Authors: BAI X. 
Published: October 2013

SummaryTo enhance unclear microscopy mineral images, an algorithm based on toggle operator using opening and closing is proposed in this paper. Firstly, the specified toggle operator using opening and closing through designing the selection rules is analysed. Secondly, after importing the multiscale theory into the specified toggle operator, useful mineral image features, especially the mineral details, are extracted using the multiscale theory‐based toggle operator. Finally, the mineral image is enhanced through the strategy of enlarging the contrast between the extracted bright and dark image features. Experimental results on different types of mineral images verified that the proposed algorithm could effectively enhance mineral images and performed better than some other algorithms. The enhanced mineral image is clear and contains rich mineral details, whereas the grey scale distribution of the original mineral image is appropriately maintained. This would be useful for the further mineral analysis. Therefore, the proposed algorithm could be widely used for image‐based mineral applications.
Perinatal common mental disorders and child survival in Ethiopia
Authors: Adewuya Abiodun O , Hanlon Charlotte , Medhin Girmay , Dewey Michael , Alem Atalay , Worku Bogale , Prince Martin 
Published: October 2013

AimsThe study aims to evaluate the impact of perinatal common mental disorders (CMDs) on child mortality up to 3.5 years in a demographic surveillance site at Butajira, Ethiopia.MethodsOne thousand sixty‐five eligible women were assessed for CMD in the third trimester of pregnancy and at 2 months post‐delivery using the Self‐Reporting Questionnaire. We derived a four‐level categorical exposure variable for the course of perinatal CMD. The outcome measure was child death recorded from 1 month after the postnatal assessment up to 3.5 years. Potential confounders and mediators were evaluated.ResultsThe cumulative child mortality rates were 62.6/1000 at 1 year and 82.5/1000 at 3.5 years, respectively. Exposure to perinatal CMD did not significantly affect child survival at 3.5 years, with results showing fully adjusted hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of 1.85 (0.43, 7.88) for CMD in pregnancy only, 1.47 (0.14, 15.66) for CMD in postnatal period only and 0.41 (0.02, 7.38) for persistent CMD (both in pregnancy and postnatal). Only using soap less frequently than daily (HR 5.67, 95% CI 1.58–20.30) and episode of malaria in pregnancy (HR 5.02, 95% CI 2.15–11.72) were associated with child mortality in multivariable analysis.ConclusionsMaternal health, health behaviours and family structure appear to be the most important factors affecting post‐neonatal child mortality in this Ethiopian birth cohort, with little evidence for an effect of maternal perinatal CMD.
Rust fungi and global change
Authors: Helfer Stephan 
Published: October 2013

SummaryRust fungi are important components of ecological communities and in ecosystem function. Their unique life strategies as biotrophic pathogens with complicated life cycles could make them vulnerable to global environmental change. While there are gaps in our knowledge, especially in natural plant–rust systems, this review of the exposure of rust fungi to global change parameters revealed that some host–rust relationships would decline under predicted environmental change scenarios, whereas others would either remain unchanged or become more prevalent. Notably, some graminicolous rusts are negatively affected by higher temperatures and increased concentrations of atmospheric CO2. An increase of atmospheric O3 appears to favour rust diseases on trees but not those on grasses. Combined effects of CO2 and O3 are intermediary. The most important global drivers for the geographical and host plant range expansion and prevalence of rusts, however, are global plant trade, host plant genetic homogenization and the regular occurrence of conducive environmental conditions, especially the availability of moisture. However, while rusts thrive in high‐humidity environments, they can also survive in desert habitats, and as a group their environmental tolerance is large, with no conclusive change in their overall prevalence predictable to date.
Temperature Fluctuations Inside the CANDU Reactor Moderator Test Facility (MTF)
Authors: Sarchami Araz , Ashgriz Nasser , Kwee Marc 
Published: October 2013

Three dimensional numerical simulation is conducted on the CANDU Moderator Test Facility (MTF). Heat generation inside the tank is modeled through surface heating. Transient variations of the temperature and velocity distributions inside the tank are determined.
The results show that the flow and temperature distributions inside the moderator tank are three dimensional and no symmetry plane can be identified. A high temperature zone, located on the top left corner of the tank, is identified. The inlet jets are found to flow along the walls of the tank and impinge on each other at the top of the tank. This impingement point is located more towards the right side of the tank. The impingement of these two flow result in a secondary downward moving jet, which penetrates into the tube bundle. This secondary jet divides the tank into two sides. One side contains high temperature liquid and the other side contains low temperature liquid.
The temperature contours along the length of the tank have a saddle shape, with high temperatures towards the edges of the saddle. This is due to strong wall jet flows in the middle planes pushing the hotter fluid towards the end walls of the tank. Competition between the upward moving buoyancy driven flows and the downward moving momentum driven flows, results in the formation of circulation zones inside the tank. The numerical results for MTF indicate that the moderator tank operates in the buoyancy driven mode. Any small disturbances in the flow or temperature can make the system unstable and asymmetric. Once the system comes out of symmetry, it cannot go back to symmetry. This results in circulating buoyancy driven flow at one side and a momentum driven flow at the other side of tank.
Different types temperature fluctuations are noted inside the tank: (i) large amplitude temperature fluctuations are mainly at the boundaries between the hot and cold; (ii) low amplitude temperature fluctuations are mainly in the core of the tank with more uniform temperature distributions; (iii) high frequency fluctuations are in the regions with high velocities; and (iv) low frequency fluctuations are in the regions with lower fluid velocities.
A Procedure for Characterizing the Range of Input Uncertainty Parameters by the Use of the FFTBM
Authors: Kovtonyuk A. , Petruzzi A. , D’Auria F. 
Published: October 2013

In the last years various methodologies were proposed to evaluate the uncertainty of Best Estimate (BE) code predictions. The most used method at the industrial level is based upon the selection of input uncertain parameters, on assigning related ranges of variations and Probability Distribution Functions (PDFs) and on performing a suitable number of code runs to get the combined effect of the variations on the results.
A procedure to characterize the variation ranges of the input uncertain parameters is proposed in the paper in place of the usual approach based (mostly) on engineering judgment. The procedure is based on the use of the Fast Fourier Transform Based Method (FFTBM), already part of the Uncertainty Method based on the Accuracy Extrapolation (UMAE) method and extensively used in several international frameworks.
The FFTBM has been originally developed to answer questions like “How long improvements should be added to the system thermal-hydraulic code model? How much simplifications can be introduced and how to conduct an objective comparison?”. The method, easy to understand, convenient to use and user independent, clearly indicates when simulation needs to be improved.
The procedure developed for characterizing the range of input uncertainty parameters involves the following main aspects:
a) One single input parameter shall not be ‘responsible’ for the entire error |exp-calc|, unless exceptional situations to be evaluated case by case;
b) Initial guess for Max and Min for variation ranges to be based on the usual (adopted) expertise;
c) More than one experiment can be used per each NPP and each scenario. Highly influential parameters are expected to be the same. The bounding ranges should be considered for the NPP uncertainty analysis;
d) A data base of suitable uncertainty input parameters can be created per each NPP and each transient scenario.
Test and Evaluation of a Filtering System for Retention of Fibres in a Coolant Flow After Loss-of-Coolant Accident
Authors: Gocht T. , Kästner W. , Kratzsch A. , Strasser M. 
Published: October 2013

In case of an accident the safe heat removal from the reactor core with the installed emergency core cooling system (ECCS) is one of the main features in reactor safety. During a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) the release of insulation material fragments in the reactor containment can lead to malfunctions of ECCS. Therefore, the retention of particles by strainers or filtering systems in the ECCS is one of the major tasks.
The aim of the presented experimental investigations was the evaluation of a filtering system for the retention of fiber-shaped particles in a fluid flow. The filtering system consists of a filter case with a special lamellar filter unit. The tests were carried out at a test facility with filtering units of different mesh sizes. Insulation material (mineral rock wool) was fragmented to fiber-shaped particles. To simulate the distribution of particle concentration at real plants with large volumes the material was divided into single portions and introduced into the loop with a defined time interval. Material was transported to the filter by the fluid and agglomerated there. The assessment of functionality of the filtering system was made by differential pressure between inlet and outlet of the filtering system and by mass of penetrated particles. It can be concluded that for the tested filtering system no penetration of insulation particles occurred.
Generation of Response Spectra Compatible Artificial Acceleration Time Histories
Authors: Kähkönen Jukka , Varpasuo Pentti 
Published: October 2013

A procedure to generate artificial acceleration time histories compatible with predefined target response spectrum is presented. The procedure is demonstrated with three examples.
It was found out that the generated artificial histories yield high quality response spectra for single-damping defined target spectra. A need for method that yields histories matching target spectra defined with multiple damping values was recognized.
Investigation on Velocity Distribution Around the Wrapping Wire in an Inner Subchannel of Fuel Pin Bundle
Authors: Nishimura Masahiro , Sato Hiroyuki , Kamide Hideki , Ohshima Hiroyuki , Nagasawa Kazuyoshi , Imai Yasutomo 
Published: October 2013

A sodium cooled fast reactor is designed to attain a high burn-up core in commercialized fast reactor cycle systems. In high burn-up fuel subassemblies, deformation of fuel pin due to the swelling and thermal bowing may decrease local flow velocity via change of flow area in the subassembly and influence the heat removal capability. Therefore, it is important to obtain the flow velocity distribution in a wire wrapped pin bundle. In this study, water experiments were carried out to investigate the detailed velocity distribution in inner subchannel of the pin bundle geometry. These basic data are not only useful for understanding of pin bundle thermal hydraulics but also code validation.
A wire-wrapped 3-pin bundle water model was applied to investigate the detailed velocity distribution in an inner subchannel surrounded by 3 pins with the wrapping wire. The test section consists of an irregular hexagonal acrylic duct tube and fluorinated resin pins which have nearly the same refractive index with that of water and a high light transmission rate. This refractive index matching enables to visualize the inner subchannel through the outer pins. The velocity distribution in the inner subchannel with the wrapping wire was measured by PIV (Particle Image Velocimetry) through two sides of the duct tube. Typical flow velocity conditions in the pin bundle were 1.6m/s (Re = 13,500) and 0.36m/s (Re = 2,700).
Feature of stream regime in the subchannel existing wrapping wire was visualized in vertical and horizontal plane. The time averaged velocity field in the horizontal plane was reconstructed from the two vertical plane data in different directions. A detailed simulation code based on FEM was applied to the experimental analysis. The calculated velocity distributions were consistent with the experimental data.
Jet Breakup Behavior With Surface Solidification
Authors: Iwasawa Yuzuru , Abe Yutaka , Kaneko Akiko , Kuroda Taihei , Matsuo Eiji , Nariai Hideki , Koyama Kazuya , Sakaba Hiroshi , Itoh Kazuhiro 
Published: October 2013

When a hypothetical Core Disruptive Accident (CDA) occurs in Fast Breeder Reactor (FBR), it is strongly required that the molten core material can be solidified and cooled down by the sodium coolant in a reactor vessel. In order to estimate whether the molten material jet is completely solidified by sodium coolant, it is necessary to understand the interaction between the molten core material and the coolant.
The objectives of the present study are to clarify the correlation of the jet breakup and fragmentation behavior and the dominant factors of both behaviors considering surface solidification. In order to investigate the influence of surface solidification on jet breakup and fragmentation behavior, experiments under surface solidification and liquid-liquid contact condition are conducted. Although the molten material jet is fragmented with each condition, jet breakup and fragmentation behaviors on each condition are different. In addition, when the surface solidification occurs, there is possibility that the material strength of solidified crust on the surface affects jet breakup and fragmentation behaviors. Then, numerical calculation based on hydrodynamics and material mechanics is conducted to evaluate the influence of the material strength on jet breakup and fragmentation behaviors. In comparison with the numerical estimation and mass median diameters obtained from experimental results, the effect of solidification on jet breakup and fragmentation behavior of molten material jet is discussed.
Thermal Hydraulic Test of Advanced Fuel Bundle With Spectral Shift Rod (SSR) for BWR: Steady State and Transient Test Results and Analysis
Authors: Kondo Takao , Kitou Kazuaki , Chaki Masao , Ohga Yukiharu , Makigami Takeshi 
Published: October 2013

Japanese national project of next generation light water reactor (LWR) development started in 2008. Under this project, spectral shift rod (SSR) is being developed.
SSR, which replaces conventional water rod (WR) of boiling water reactor (BWR) fuel bundle, was invented to enhance the BWR’s merit, spectral shift effect for uranium saving. In SSR, water boils by neutron and gamma-ray direct heating and water level is formed as a boundary of the upper steam region and the lower water region. This SSR water level can be controlled by core flow rate, which amplifies the change of average core void fraction, resulting in the amplified spectral shift effect.
This paper presents the steady state test with varied SSR geometry parameters, the transient test, and the simulation analysis of these steady state and transient tests. The steady state test results showed that the basic functioning principle such as the controllability of SSR water level by flow rate was maintained in the possible range of geometry parameters. The transient test results showed that the change rate of SSR water level was slower than the initiating parameters. The simulation analysis of steady state and transient test showed that the analysis method can simulate the height of SSR water level and its change with a good agreement.
As a result, it is shown that the SSR design concept and its analysis method are feasible in both steady state and transient conditions.
Measurement of Void Fraction in Dispersed Bubbly Flow With Constant Electric Current Method
Authors: Uesawa Shin-ichiro , Kaneko Akiko , Abe Yutaka 
Published: October 2013

Void fraction is one of important physical values for gas-liquid two-phase flow in nuclear power plants, and it is an essential parameter for designs and performance evaluations of devices, including a core of BWR and so on. Therefore void fraction measurement with real time, high temporal resolution and high spatial resolution has been needed. In several void fraction measurement methods, electric measurement methods of void fraction can realize real-time measurement. In previous studies, conductance methods capacitance methods, wire mesh methods and tomography techniques have been studied.
In the present study, we research on a constant electric current method. This method can measure void fraction with higher temporal resolution and simpler systems. In previous study, the constant electrical current method has been applied in annular flow mainly. However, the method cannot be applied to three dimensional dispersed bubbly flow. This is because void fraction is estimated by cross-section ratio of gas and liquid phases in this method. In the present study, Maxwell’s theory and polarization method are applied to calculation method of void fraction from voltage measured by constant electrical current method, and we try to measure void fraction in dispersed bubbly flow. Maxwell’s theory is a calculation of a mixture with two materials of different conductivity. The polarization method proposed in this study assumes bubbles to be dielectric bodies and void fraction is estimated by the polarization electric field of the bubbles.
In the experimental results, the void fractions in the three dimensional dispersed bubbly flow can be estimated with Maxwell’s theory and the polarization method. The void fractions estimated with these methods are more accurately than the previous method. Furthermore, it is experimentally clarified that the present proposed method can follow highly temporal void fluctuations of bubbly and froth flows. In addition, effects of intervals between electrodes and structures of electrodes are experimentally investigated.