bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimating time-dependent transmission rate of avian influenza via stable numerical algorithm
Authors: Smirnova Alexandra , Tuncer Necibe 
Published: February 2013

Abstract.
One of the main challenges in mathematical modeling of infectious diseases is to estimate the model parameters realistically. It is crucial to have accurate parameters in order to analyze the control strategies and to predict the outcome of the disease.
In particular, the transmission rate of infectious diseases is very difficult to estimate. In this paper, we propose a numerical algorithm for estimating the transmission rate of avian influenza. We address the question of calculating the time-dependent bird-to-human transmission rate of the disease using cumulative
number of infected H5N1 human cases and the number of infected poultry. A new regularization algorithm for solving this problem numerically is proposed. Theoretical analysis of the inversion procedure is accompanied by numerical experiments on simulated and real data. The qualitative and quantitative study of the computed solutions indicates that for real data, our numerical results capture a number of important properties that the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) transmission rate does, indeed, exhibit. The simulation study shows that the method introduced in this paper performs satisfactorily.
A new cumulative wavefront reconstructor for the Shack–Hartmann sensor
Authors: Neubauer Andreas 
Published: February 2013

Abstract.
We present a new direct algorithm for the reconstruction of the optical
wavefront from the Shack–Hartmann sensor measurements in Single Conjugate
Adaptive Optics (SCAO) systems. The computational complexity of this method
which is based on linear triangular finite elements is linear in the number of
unknowns. Moreover, due to its simple structure, the cumulative reconstructor is
pipelinable and parallelizable, which makes the effective computation even
faster. Error estimates are given in dependence of the number of the
subapertures and the data noise.
PLA/PLGA nanoparticles for delivery of drugs across the blood-brain barrier
Authors: Li Jingyan , Sabliov Cristina 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThe blood-brain barrier (BBB), which protects the central nervous system (CNS) from unnecessary substances, is a challenging obstacle in the treatment of CNS disease. Many therapeutic agents such as hydrophilic and macromolecular drugs cannot overcome the BBB. One promising solution is the employment of polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) such as poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) NPs as drug carrier. Over the past few years, significant breakthroughs have been made in developing suitable PLGA and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) NPs for drug delivery across the BBB. Recent advances on PLGA/PLA NPs enhanced neural delivery of drugs are reviewed in this paper. Both in vitro and in vivo studies are included. In these papers, enhanced cellular uptake and therapeutic efficacy of drugs delivered with modified PLGA/PLA NPs compared with free drugs or drugs delivered by unmodified PLGA/PLA NPs were shown; no significant in vitro cytotoxicity was observed for PLGA/PLA NPs. Surface modification of PLGA/PLA NPs by coating with surfactants/polymers or covalently conjugating the NPs with targeting ligands has been confirmed to enhance drug delivery across the BBB. Most unmodified PLGA NPs showed low brain uptake (<1%), which indirectly confirms the safety of PLGA/PLA NPs used for other purposes than treating CNS diseases.
Multiple Dependent State Sampling Plan Based on Process Capability Index
Authors: Aslam Muhammad , Azam Muhammad , Jun Chi-Hyuck 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
This paper extends the idea of multiple dependent state sampling plans to the case of using process capability index when the quality characteristic of the product follows the normal distribution. The plan parameters are determined using the optimization process with minimum values of sample size so that the specified producer’s risk and consumer’s risk should be satisfied simultaneously for given values of acceptable quality level and limiting quality level in terms of fraction defective beyond two specification limits. The plan parameters are determined under symmetric and asymmetric cases of fraction defective. The advantage of the proposed plan is discussed over the single variable sampling plan. A real example is presented to illustrate the proposed plan in practice.
Apparatus for Geosynthetic Interface Testing and Evaluation Under Elevated Temperature Conditions
Authors: Karademir Tanay , Frost J. David 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Temperature is one of many important environmental variables that can impact the long-term performance, strength, and deformation characteristics of many man-made construction materials, including geosynthetics. The functional engineering properties of these materials must remain within acceptable limits during their service life to ensure that the overall design and performance are acceptable. In the case of geosynthetics used in landfills and other applications, laboratory interface shear tests are performed under standard test conditions, including temperature. Information emerging today shows that geosynthetic interfaces (i.e., in landfill liner applications) experience elevated temperatures resulting from exothermic reactions occurring in the waste body, amongst other factors. To this end, the field conditions at elevated temperatures should also be simulated in the laboratory during physical/mechanical laboratory tests in order for researchers to better understand in situ functional engineering properties and operational performance of manmade geo-construction materials. For this purpose, a temperature-controlled chamber was designed and developed to allow the shear behavior of geosynthetic–geosynthetic and soil–geosynthetic interfaces to be evaluated at different temperatures. This paper describes both the development and the validation of the test system. The results of experimental investigations are presented to illustrate how the shear behavior of interfaces between nonwoven polypropylene geotextile and smooth and/or textured high density polyethylene geomembrane, as well as those between rounded and/or angular sand and geomembranes, change with temperature. The results provide insight into the importance of being able to independently control this variable during mechanical testing in the laboratory.
Use of Sweep Test for Emulsion and Hot Asphalt Chip Seals: Laboratory and Field Evaluation
Authors: Wasiuddin Nazimuddin M. , Marshall Amanda , Saltibus Nibert E. , Saber Aziz , Abadie Christopher , Mohammad Louay N. 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Currently, the scope of the standard test method for sweep test of bituminous emulsion surface treatment samples (ASTM D7000) is limited to emulsion-based chip seals only. To this end, the objective of this study is to evaluate the sensitivity of the sweep test for both emulsions and hot asphalts, with respect to aggregate mineralogical types, aggregate precoating, aggregate moisture content, asphaltic materials type, and application rates of asphaltic materials. For the field evaluation, fifteen chip seal test sections were prepared with three asphaltic materials and five aggregates in a 9-acre parking lot. Two years after construction, each of the 15 sections were visually inspected for aggregate loss and bleeding. Each section was given a distress rating. The % aggregate loss from the sweep test was then compared with the field distress rating. Both laboratory and field tests indicate that overall, expanded shale lightweight aggregate is better than any crushed stone, whereas clay lightweight performed the worst among the six aggregates tested in this study. Precoated expanded shale lightweight aggregates performed better than uncoated shale lightweight aggregates, with respect to % aggregate loss. Between the two hot asphalts, PAC-15 performed better than AC20-5TR. In the case of hot asphalt, the % aggregate loss increases as moisture content increases in oven dry, air dry, and saturated surface dry aggregates. However, for emulsion, air dry aggregates performed the best. For both emulsion and hot asphalt, an increase in asphaltic materials application rate reduces the % aggregate loss significantly. Distress rankings in all 15 sections, except for one PAC-15 section, matched sweep test rankings. Overall, the results indicate that the sweep test using both emulsion and hot asphalt can be an effective tool for evaluation of performance of chip seals.
Exploration of a Performance Test for Emulsion Treated Asphalt Surfaces
Authors: Braham Andrew , Howard Isaac L. , Barham Jason 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Asphalt emulsions are a key material used for pavement preservation. Over time, asphalt concrete pavements become oxidized, which can lead to cracking and other surface deterioration. The addition of pavement maintenance treatments, such as scrub seals, chip seals, or fog seals, can rejuvenate the pavement surface as the asphalt emulsion penetrates the oxidized layer of pavement. However, most existing test methods for asphalt emulsions are empirical in nature and do not directly address field performance. With the aim of improving material characterization and testing so as to better capture field properties, this research explored using a bending beam rheometer (BBR) to measure the stiffness and rate of change of the stiffness (or m-value) of asphalt concrete mixture beams treated with asphalt emulsions. There were three components of this study. First, procedures for fabricating BBR beams from field asphalt concrete samples were developed, as the top portion of pavement is often brittle after field aging and oxidation. It was determined that beams could be successfully fabricated with reasonable geometric variability. Second, asphalt concrete BBR specimens compacted and fabricated in the laboratory were sawn and tested, with and without asphalt emulsion, to determine whether the addition of emulsion could be detected. Third, the same emulsion applied to the laboratory fabricated specimens was applied to field mixes to determine the influence of asphalt emulsion on candidate materials for pavement preservation. Overall, beam fabrication was repeatable, and coefficient of variation values for test results were lower for the laboratory compacted plant mix (10 % to 25 %) than for the field mixtures (9 % to 57 %). Emulsion addition increased the m-value and decreased the stiffness of all pavements, which indicates rejuvenation of the asphalt concrete. BBR mixture beams appear to be able to capture the effect of adding emulsion to both lab produced and field specimens, but more types of emulsions, a more comprehensive conditioning regime, and more asphalt concrete mixtures should be examined in order to determine the effectiveness of the measured performance properties of asphalt concrete with the addition of asphalt emulsion.
Method for Assessing Applicability of an Artificial Flaw as a Small Initial Crack for Fatigue Limit Evaluation and Its Application to a Drill Hole and an FIB Processed Sharp Notch in Annealed 0.45% Carbon Steel
Authors: Sakamoto Junji , Takahashi Yoshimasa , Aono Yuuta , Noguchi Hiroshi 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
In this study, we propose a method for assessing the applicability of an artificial flaw as a small initial crack for fatigue limit evaluation. The proposed method is applied to drill holes and sharp notches introduced using a focused ion beam (FIB) technique in annealed 0.45% carbon steel. It is found that under rotating bending fatigue, an FIB notch can be used as a small initial crack for fatigue limit evaluation, whereas a drill hole cannot, for √area of ∼50 μm. Here, √area is the square root of the area obtained by projecting the defect onto a plane perpendicular to the load axial direction. The results indicate that an FIB notch can be used as a small initial crack for fatigue limit evaluation in a greater number of materials than those in which a drill hole can be used.
The Damage Investigation of Wedge-Shaped Electromagnetic Riveting Structure of CFRP/Aluminium Alloy
Authors: Liu Shengwang , Zhang Weifang , Wu Yufeng , Chen Yu 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
In the aircraft industry, electromagnetic riveting is now widely used in the riveting of wedge-shaped aluminium-alloy structure and carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), but damages to the CFRP often happen. To investigate the reason for the damages, methods of C-scan, x ray, Compton backscatter scanning (CBS), metallography, and thermal deply were applied to study the wedge-shaped riveting structures. The study indicates that the composites by the tail of the rivets, which are close to the edge of the structure, are almost comminuted, and those rivets expand uniformly along the shaft and interference fit with the structure, and at the same time curve toward the edge. The composites around the rivets, which are away from the edge of the structure, are slightly damaged, and these rivets deformed not so uniformly, most of them clearance fit with the structure, and in some joints interference fit and clearance fit occur alternatively. The investigation shows that, in the joints close to the edge, the balance of constraints from the aperture to the rivet is broken by the slope around the tail of the rivet, results in a rightward force working on the rivet tail. The integration of this force and the riveting force curves the rivet instantaneously, which comminutes the right-side composites of the rivet tail. For the rivets away from the edge, the deformation becomes more buckled the longer the rivet, which causes the instability of the fit situation and reduces the damage to the composites.
A Study on the Fitting Accuracy of CMOD Compliance Equations
Authors: Wang Enyang , Zhou Wenxing , Shen Guowu 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
The maximum error of the inverse fitting of Tada et al.’s equation of the a/W–crack mouth opening displacement (CMOD) compliance equation proposed by Joyce and adopted in ASTM E1820-11 for single edge bend [SE(B)] specimens with shallow cracks (0.05 ≤ a/W &lt; 0.45) is observed to be 2.03 % for 0.05 &lt; a/W &lt; 0.1. A new a/W–CMOD compliance equation with the same fifth-order polynomial fitting applicable for SE(B) specimens with 0.05 ≤ a/W ≤ 0.7 is therefore proposed. The maximum fitting error of the proposed equation is approximately 0.19 %.
Health Information Technology in Screening and Treatment of Child Obesity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Smith Anna Jo , Skow Áine , Bodurtha Joann , Kinra Sanjay 
Published: February 2013

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:
Childhood obesity is a major problem in the United States, yet screening and treatment are often inaccessible or ineffective. Health information technology (IT) may improve the quality, efficiency, and reach of chronic disease management. The objective of this study was to review the effect of health IT (electronic health records [EHRs], telemedicine, text message or telephone support) on patient outcomes and care processes in pediatric obesity management.

METHODS:
Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Registry of Controlled Trials were searched from January 2006 to April 2012. Controlled trials, before-and-after studies, and cross-sectional studies were included if they used IT to deliver obesity screening or treatment to children aged 2 to 18 and reported impact on patient outcomes (BMI, dietary or physical activity behavior change) or care processes (BMI screening, comorbidity testing, diet, or physical activity counseling). Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed trial quality.

RESULTS:
Thirteen studies met inclusion criteria. EHR use was associated with increased BMI screening rates in 5 of 8 studies. Telemedicine counseling was associated with changes in BMI percentile similar to that of in-person counseling and improved treatment access in 2 studies. Text message or telephone support was associated with weight loss maintenance in 1 of 3 studies.

CONCLUSIONS:
To date, health IT interventions have improved access to obesity treatment and rates of screening. However, the impact on weight loss and other health outcomes remains understudied and inconsistent. More interactive and time-intensive interventions may enhance health IT's clinical effectiveness in chronic disease management.
Readiness of Primary Care Practices for Medical Home Certification
Authors: Zickafoose Joseph S. , Clark Sarah J. , Sakshaug Joseph W. , Chen Lena M. , Hollingsworth John M. 
Published: February 2013

OBJECTIVES:
To assess the prevalence of medical home infrastructure among primary care practices for children and identify practice characteristics associated with medical home infrastructure.

METHODS:
Cross-sectional analysis of restricted data files from 2007 and 2008 of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We mapped survey items to the 2011 National Committee on Quality Assurance’s Patient-Centered Medical home standards. Points were awarded for each “passed” element based on National Committee for Quality Assurance scoring, and we then calculated the percentage of the total possible points met for each practice. We used multivariate linear regression to assess associations between practice characteristics and the percentage of medical home infrastructure points attained.

RESULTS:
On average, pediatric practices attained 38% (95% confidence interval 34%–41%) of medical home infrastructure points, and family/general practices attained 36% (95% confidence interval 33%–38%). Practices scored higher on medical home elements related to direct patient care (eg, providing comprehensive health assessments) and lower in areas highly dependent on health information technology (eg, computerized prescriptions, test ordering, laboratory result viewing, or quality of care measurement and reporting). In multivariate analyses, smaller practice size was significantly associated with lower infrastructure scores. Practice ownership, urban versus rural location, and proportion of visits covered by public insurers were not consistently associated with a practice’s infrastructure score.

CONCLUSIONS:
Medical home programs need effective approaches to support practice transformation in the small practices that provide the vast majority of the primary care for children in the United States.
A Novel Multispecialty Surgical Risk Score for Children
Authors: Rhee Daniel , Salazar Jose H. , Zhang Yiyi , Yang Jingyan , Yang Jessica , Papandria Dominic , Ortega Gezzer , Goldin Adam B. , Rangel Shawn J. , Chrouser Kristin , Chang David C. , Abdullah Fizan 
Published: February 2013

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:
There is a lack of broadly applicable measures for risk adjustment in pediatric surgical patients necessary for improving outcomes and patient safety. Our objective was to develop a risk stratification model that predicts mortality after surgical operations in children.

METHODS:
The model was created by using inpatient databases from 1988 to 2006. Patients younger than 18 years who underwent an inpatient surgical procedure as identified by using the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, coding were included. A 7-point scale was developed with 70 variables selected for their predictive value for mortality using multivariate analysis. This model was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and compared with the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) in two separate validation data sets.

RESULTS:
A total of 2 087 915 patients were identified in the training data set. Generated risk scores positively correlated with inpatient mortality. In the training data set, the ROC was 0.949 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.947, 0.950). In the first validation data set, the ROC was 0.959 (95% CI: 0.952, 0.967) compared with the CCI ROC of 0.596 (95% CI: 0.575, 0.616). In the second validation data set, the ROC was 0.901 (95% CI: 0.885, 0.917) and the CCI ROC was 0.587 (95% CI: 0.562, 0.611).

CONCLUSIONS:
This study depicts creation of a broadly applicable model for risk adjustment that predicts inpatient mortality with more reliability than current risk indexes in pediatric surgical patients. This risk index will allow comorbidity-adjusted outcomes broadly in pediatric surgery.
Developmental Trends in Peer Victimization and Emotional Distress in LGB and Heterosexual Youth
Authors: Robinson Joseph P. , Espelage Dorothy L. , Rivers Ian 
Published: February 2013

OBJECTIVES:This study had 2 objectives: Our first objective was to provide the first evidence of developmental trends in victimization rates for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)- and heterosexual-identified youth, both in absolute and relative terms, and to examine differences by gender. Our second objective was to examine links between victimization, sexual identity, and later emotional distress.METHODS:Data are from a nationally representative prospective cohort study of youth in England were collected annually between 2004 and 2010. Our final analytic dataset includes 4135 participants with data at all 7 waves; 4.5% (n = 187) identified as LGB. Analyses included hierarchical linear modeling, propensity score matching, and structural equation modeling.RESULTS:LGB victimization rates decreased in absolute terms. However, trends in relative rates were more nuanced: Gay/bisexual-identified boys became more likely to be victimized compared with heterosexual-identified boys (wave 1: odds ratio [OR] = 1.78, P = .011; wave 7: OR = 3.95, P = .001), whereas relative rates among girls approached parity (wave 1: OR = 1.95, P = .001; wave 7: OR = 1.18, P = .689), suggesting different LGB–heterosexual relative victimization rate trends for boys and girls. Early victimization and emotional distress explained about 50% of later LGB–heterosexual emotional distress disparities for both boys and girls (each P &lt; .015).CONCLUSIONS:Victimization of LGB youth decreases in absolute, but not necessarily relative, terms. The findings suggest that addressing LGB victimization during adolescence is critical to reducing LGB–heterosexual emotional distress disparities but additional support may be necessary to fully eliminate these disparities.
Modeling Silicon-Based Periodic Waveguides for Optical Interconnects
Authors: Shih Meng-Mu 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACTTo assist the precision and stability of wavelength at 1550 nm and 1300 nm in planar optical waveguides, hybrid semiconductor-metal corrugated gratings with nanometer period are integrated into silicon-based optical interconnects. This work utilizes multi-parametric optical waveguide models to compute the mode-coupling coefficients in the silicon photonic devices. For such a semiconductor-metal hybrid structure, a proper photonic technique needs to be utilized to solve this computational complexity. The optical method and the photonic method are used to compute coupling coefficients. Both methods have close numerical values shown in figures. Numerical results demonstrate how the normalized corrugation amplitudes of metal gratings can affect the coupling coefficients. Further physical interpretation and discussion can support and explain the above results. The modeling results can help engineers decide the values of parameters used in the design and fabrication of optical waveguides.