bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Repowering Cycles
Authors: Riekert Louis A. 
Published: February 2015

There are three primary methods by which an aging steam electric unit can be repowered by incorporating a gas turbine-generator. These are: heat recovery steam generator repowering, Feedwater Heater repowering, and Windbox repowering. Evaluation of these options can be very difficult due to the fact that the initial capital cost may be the smallest cost. The present worth of future fuel and maintenance costs can far outweigh the initial cost. An additional complexity is the fact that the repowered unit may have the best unit heat rate within the system. It will certainly be improved, which means the capacity factor will be increased. As the capacity factor increases, the cost of fuel becomes more significant. For a base loaded fossil unit, the cost of fuel is the largest single annual cost. Prediction of the future capacity factor is complex, involving many variables and uncertainties. Selection of the best method requires an evaluation of future energy demand and currently incurred capital costs as well as future fuel and maintenance costs. Determination of an optimum balance between present and future costs has always been the problem of the utility planner.
The intent of this paper is to outline an evaluation method to determine the most suitable repowering option. Comments regarding each option will be made. In some cases, a selection can be made by intuition or by observing the obvious. In other cases, the selection will not be obvious. The utility will always benefit from the execution of a well thought out evaluation plan. Following an orderly procedure will enhance the thought process. In addition, a documented procedure will be available for re-evaluation when changes occur and will always provide documentation for future reference.
High-Performance and Scalable GPU Graph Traversal
Authors: Merrill Duane , Garland Michael , Grimshaw Andrew 
Published: February 2015

Breadth-First Search (BFS) is a core primitive for graph traversal and a basis for many higher-level graph analysis algorithms. It is also representative of a class of parallel computations whose memory accesses and work distribution are both irregular and data dependent. Recent work has demonstrated the plausibility of GPU sparse graph traversal, but has tended to focus on asymptotically inefficient algorithms that perform poorly on graphs with nontrivial diameter.
We present a BFS parallelization focused on fine-grained task management constructed from efficient prefix sum computations that achieves an asymptotically optimal O(|V| + |E|) gd work complexity. Our implementation delivers excellent performance on diverse graphs, achieving traversal rates in excess of 3.3 billion and 8.3 billion traversed edges per second using single- and quad-GPU configurations, respectively. This level of performance is several times faster than state-of-the-art implementations on both CPU and GPU platforms.
Cardiac Function in a Long-Term Follow-Up Study of Moderate and Severe Porcine Model of Chronic Myocardial Infarction
Authors: de Jong Renate , van Hout Gerardus P. J. , Houtgraaf Jaco H. , Takashima S. , Pasterkamp Gerard , Hoefer Imo , Duckers Henricus J. 
Published: February 2015

Background. Novel therapies need to be evaluated in a relevant large animal model that mimics the clinical course and treatment in a reasonable time frame. To reliably assess therapeutic efficacy, knowledge regarding the translational model and the course of disease is needed.Methods. Landrace pigs were subjected to a transient occlusion of the proximal left circumflex artery (LCx)(n=6)or mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD)(n=6)for 150 min. Cardiac function was evaluated before by 2D echocardiography or 3D echocardiography and pressure-volume loop analysis. At 12 weeks of follow-up the heart was excised for histological analysis and infarct size calculations.Results. Directly following AMI, LVEF was severely reduced compared to baseline in the LAD group-17.1±1.6%, P=0.009compared to only a moderate reduction in the LCx group-5.9±1.5%, P=0.02and this effect remained unchanged during 12 weeks of follow-up.Conclusion. Two models of chronic MI, representative for different patient groups, can reproducibly be created through clinically relevant ischemia-reperfusion of the mid-LAD and proximal LCx.
Infinitely Many Eigenfunctions for Polynomial Problems: Exact Results
Authors: Chen Yi-Chou 
Published: February 2015

LetFx, y=asxys+as-1xys-1+⋯+a0xbe a real-valued polynomial function in which the degreesofyinFx, yis greater than or equal to 1. For any polynomialyx, we assume thatT:Rx→Rxis a nonlinear operator withTyx=Fx, yx. In this paper, we will find an eigenfunctionyx∈Rxto satisfy the following equation:Fx, yx=ayxfor some eigenvaluea∈Rand we call the problemFx, yx=ayxa fixed point like problem. If the number of all eigenfunctions inFx, yx=ayxis infinitely many, we prove that (i) any coefficients ofFx, y, asx, as-1x,…, a0x, are all constants inRand (ii)yxis an eigenfunction inFx, yx=ayxif and only ifyx∈R.
Advanced age is associated with worsened outcomes and a unique genomic response in severely injured patients with hemorrhagic shock
Authors: Vanzant Erin L , Hilton Rachael E , Lopez Cecilia M , Zhang Jianyi , Ungaro Ricardo F , Gentile Lori F , Szpila Benjamin E , Maier Ronald V , Cuschieri Joseph , Bihorac Azra , Leeuwenburgh Christiaan , Moore Frederick A , Baker Henry V , Moldawer Lyle L , Brakenridge Scott C , Efron Philip A ,   The Inflammation and Host Response to Injury Investigators
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Introduction
We wished to characterize the relationship of advanced age to clinical outcomes and to transcriptomic responses after severe blunt traumatic injury with hemorrhagic shock.

Methods
We performed epidemiological, cytokine, and transcriptomic analyses on a prospective, multi-center cohort of 1,928 severely injured patients.

Results
We found that there was no difference in injury severity between the aged (age ≥55, n = 533) and young (age <55, n = 1395) cohorts. However, aged patients had more comorbidities. Advanced age was associated with more severe organ failure, infectious complications, ventilator days, and intensive care unit length of stay, as well as, an increased likelihood of being discharged to skilled nursing or long-term care facilities. Additionally, advanced age was an independent predictor of a complicated recovery and 28-day mortality. Acutely after trauma, blood neutrophil genome-wide expression analysis revealed an attenuated transcriptomic response as compared to the young; this attenuated response was supported by the patients’ plasma cytokine and chemokine concentrations. Later, these patients demonstrated gene expression changes consistent with simultaneous, persistent pro-inflammatory and immunosuppressive states.

Conclusions
We concluded that advanced age is one of the strongest non-injury related risk factors for poor outcomes after severe trauma with hemorrhagic shock and is associated with an altered and unique peripheral leukocyte genomic response. As the general population’s age increases, it will be important to individualize prediction models and therapeutic targets to this high risk cohort.
An ADAM10 promoter polymorphism is a functional variant in severe sepsis patients and confers susceptibility to the development of sepsis
Authors: Cui Lili , Gao Yan , Xie Yuliu , Wang Yan , Cai Yujie , Shao Xin , Ma Xiaotang , LI You , Ma Guoda , Liu Gen , Cheng Wanwen , Liu Yu , Liu Tingting , Pan Qunwen , Tao Hua , Liu Zhou , Zhao Bin , Shao Yiming , Li Keshen 
Published: February 2015

AbstractIntroductionAlthough genetic variants of the A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 10 (ADAM10) gene have been shown to be associated with susceptibility to several inflammatory-related diseases, to date little is known about the clinical relationship in the development of sepsis.MethodsTwo genetic variants in the promoter of ADAM10 were selected to analyze the potential association with the risk of sepsis. A total of 440 sepsis patients and 450 matched healthy individuals in two independent Chinese Han population were enrolled. Pyrosequencing and polymerase chain reaction-length polymorphism was used to determine the genotypes of the rs514049 and rs653765. A real-time qPCR method was used to detect the mRNA level of ADAM10. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the expression levels of substrates CX3CL1, interleukin (IL)-6R, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6. Luciferase assay was used to analyze the activities of the promoter haplotypes of ADAM10.ResultsNo statistically significant differences between sepsis cases and controls in the genotype or allele frequencies were observed, suggesting that ADAM10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may not be risk factors for the occurrence of sepsis. A significant difference in the genotype and allele frequencies of the rs653765 SNP between patients with sepsis subtype and severe sepsis (P = 0.0014) or severe sepsis/sepsis shock (P = 0.0037) were observed. Moreover, the rs653765 CC genotype in severe sepsis showed a higher ADAM10 level compared to healthy groups, and the rs653765 CC polymorphism had a strong impact on the production of the ADAM10 substrates CX3CL1, IL-6R and TNF-α. Furthermore, the functional assay showed that ADAM10 C-A haplotype carriers exhibited significantly higher reporter activity compared with the T-A carriers and T-C carriers in human acute monocytic leukemia cell line.ConclusionsOur data initially indicated the ADAM10 rs653765 polymorphism was associated with the development of severe sepsis; the risk CC genotype could functionally affect the expression level of ADAM10 mRNA and was accompanied by the up-regulation of its substrates. Thus, ADAM10 might be clinically important and play a critical role in the pathogenesis of the development of sepsis, with potentially important therapeutic implications.
Benefit profile of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin in sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation: a multicenter propensity score analysis
Authors: Yoshimura Jumpei , Yamakawa Kazuma , Ogura Hiroshi , Umemura Yutaka , Takahashi Hiroki , Morikawa Miki , Inoue Yoshiaki , Fujimi Satoshi , Tanaka Hiroshi , Hamasaki Toshimitsu , Shimazu Takeshi 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Introduction
The safety and efficacy of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhTM) have been demonstrated, with promising evidence suggestive of efficacy for patients with severe sepsis involving coagulopathy in a phase IIb randomized controlled trial. However, the benefit profiles of rhTM have not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to explore whether patients with greater disease severity, determined according to the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores, would experience treatment benefit from rhTM administration.

Methods
This was a post hoc, subgroup analysis of a multicenter retrospective cohort study conducted in three Japanese tertiary referral hospitals. Patients with sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) who required ventilator management were included. We stratified patients into several strata according to disease severity, determined by APACHE II and SOFA scores, using classification and regression trees for survival data. Intervention effects, expressed as hazard ratios (HR), were analyzed using Cox regression analysis adjusted for a propensity model to detect subgroup heterogeneity of the effects of rhTM on in-hospital mortality.

Results
Participants were 162 patients with sepsis-induced DIC; 68 of these patients received rhTM and 94 did not. After adjusting for imbalances, rhTM administration was significantly associated with reduced mortality in high-risk patients (APACHE II: 24 to 29; HR: 0.281; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.093 to 0.850; P = 0.025). A similar nonsignificant tendency was observed in the very high-risk subset (APACHE II: ≥30; HR: 0.529; 95% CI: 0.202 to 1.387; P = 0.195) but was not evident in the moderate-risk subset of patients (APACHE II: <24; HR: 0.814; 95% CI: 0.351 to 1.884; P = 0.630). A similar tendency was observed in analysis of SOFA scores (moderate-risk subset (SOFA: <11), P = 0.368; high-risk subset (SOFA: ≥11), P = 0.042).

Conclusions
Survival benefit was observed with rhTM treatment in sepsis-induced DIC and high risk of death according to baseline APACHE II and SOFA scores.
RAD51, XRCC3, and XRCC2 mutation screening in Finnish breast cancer families
Authors: Pelttari Liisa M , Kiiski Johanna I , Ranta Salla , Vilske Sara , Blomqvist Carl , Aittomäki Kristiina , Nevanlinna Heli 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Majority of the known breast cancer susceptibility genes have a role in DNA repair and the most important high-risk genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 are specifically involved in the homologous recombination repair (HRR) of DNA double-strand breaks. A central player in HRR is RAD51 that binds DNA at the damage site. The RAD51 paralogs RAD51B, RAD51C, RAD51D, XRCC2, and XRCC3 facilitate the binding of RAD51 to DNA. While germline mutations in RAD51C and RAD51D are associated with high ovarian cancer risk and RAD51B polymorphisms with breast cancer, the contribution of RAD51, XRCC3, and XRCC2 is more unclear. To investigate the role of RAD51, XRCC3, and XRCC2 in breast cancer predisposition and to identify putative recurrent founder mutations in the Finnish population where such mutations have been observed in most of the currently known susceptibility genes, we screened 182 familial Finnish breast or ovarian cancer patients for germline variation in the RAD51and XRCC3 genes and 342 patients for variation in XRCC2, with a subset of the patients selected on the basis of decreased RAD51 protein expression on tumors. We also performed haplotype analyses for 1516 breast cancer cases and 1234 controls to assess the common variation in these genes. No pathogenic mutations were detected in any of the genes and the distribution of haplotypes was similar between cases and controls. Our results suggest that RAD51, XRCC3, and XRCC2 do not substantially contribute to breast cancer predisposition in the Finnish population.
Data analysis and visualization for the bridge deck inspection and evaluation robotic system
Authors: La Hung Manh , Gucunski Nenad , Kee Seong-Hoon , Nguyen Luan Van 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Background
Bridge deck inspection is essential task to monitor the health of the bridges. Condition monitoring and timely implementation of maintenance and rehabilitation procedures are needed to reduce future costs associated with bridge management. A number of Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE) technologies are currently used in bridge deck inspection and evaluation, including impact-echo (IE), ground penetrating radar (GPR), electrical resistivity (ER), ultrasonic surface waves (USW) testing, and visual inspection. However, current NDE data collection is manually conducted and thus faces with several problems such as prone to human errors, safety risks due to open traffic, and high cost process.

Methods
This paper reports the automated data collection and analysis for bridge decks based on our novel robotic system which can autonomously and accurately navigate on the bridge. The developed robotic system can lessen the cost and time of the bridge deck data collection and risks of human inspections. The advanced software is developed to allow the robot to collect visual images and conduct NDE measurements. The image stitching algorithm to build a whole bridge deck image from individual images is presented in detail. The ER, IE and USW data collected by the robot are analyzed to generate the corrosion, delamination and concrete elastic modulus maps of the deck, respectively. These condition maps provide detail information of the bridge deck quality.

Conclusions
The automated bridge deck data collection and analysis is developed. The image stitching algorithm allowed to generate a very high resolution image of the whole bridge deck, and the bridge viewer software allows to calibrate the stitched image to the bridge coordinate. The corrosion, delamination and elastic modulus maps were built based on ER, IE and USW data collected by the robot to provide easy evaluation and condition monitoring of bridge decks.
Face and content validity of a novel, web-based otoscopy simulator for medical education
Authors: Wickens Brandon , Lewis Jordan , Morris David P , Husein Murad , Ladak Hanif M , Agrawal Sumit K 
Published: February 2015

Background Despite the fact that otoscopy is a widely used and taught diagnostic tool during medical training, errors in diagnosis are common. Physical otoscopy simulators have high fidelity, but they can be expensive and only a limited number of students can use them at a given time. Objectives 1) To develop a purely web-based otoscopy simulator that can easily be distributed to students over the internet. 2) To assess face and content validity of the simulator by surveying experts in otoscopy. Methods An otoscopy simulator, OtoTrain™, was developed at Western University using web-based programming and Unity 3D. Eleven experts from academic institutions in North America were recruited to test the simulator and respond to an online questionnaire. A 7-point Likert scale was used to answer questions related to face validity (realism of the simulator), content validity (expert evaluation of subject matter and test items), and applicability to medical training. Results The mean responses for the face validity, content validity, and applicability to medical training portions of the questionnaire were all ≤3, falling between the “Agree”, “Mostly Agree”, and “Strongly Agree” categories. The responses suggest good face and content validity of the simulator. Open-ended questions revealed that the primary drawbacks of the simulator were the lack of a haptic arm for force feedback, a need for increased focus on pneumatic otoscopy, and few rare disorders shown on otoscopy. Conclusion OtoTrain™ is a novel, web-based otoscopy simulator that can be easily distributed and used by students on a variety of platforms. Initial face and content validity was encouraging, and a skills transference study is planned following further modifications and improvements to the simulator.
Innovative consolidating products for stone materials: field exposure tests as a valid approach for assessing durability
Authors: Natali Irene , Tomasin Patrizia , Becherini Francesca , Bernardi Adriana , Ciantelli Chiara , Favaro Monica , Favoni Orlando , Pérez Vicente J Forrat , Olteanu Iulian D , Sanchez Maria Dolores Romero , Vivarelli Arianna , Bonazza Alessandra 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
The impact of climate on cultural heritage surfaces leads to several damage processes and the protection and the preservation of works of art is a challenge for conservation scientists and restorers. Traditional and innovative products are used in consolidating treatments in order to reduce the effects of the interaction environment-materials. The EC NANOMATCH Project aims at the development of innovative consolidating agents for carbonate matrices, wood and glass whose features should result in high compatibility, efficiency and long-lasting effect. In this project, metal alkoxides, molecular precursors for the deposition of metal carbonate are synthesized, characterized, tested and proposed as an alternative to traditional consolidating agents as well as to calcium hydroxide nanoparticles. This paper gives an overall description of the methodological approach adopted for the in field evaluation of durability taking into account the environmental impact. Preliminary results of the analyses carried out on carbonate stones aimed at investigating the features of the consolidating treatment are here presented and discussed.
Clinical evaluation of respiration-induced attenuation uncertainties in pulmonary 3D PET/CT
Authors: Kruis Matthijs F , van de Kamer Jeroen B , Vogel Wouter V , Belderbos José SA , Sonke Jan-Jakob , van Herk Marcel 
Published: February 2015

Abstract

Background
In contemporary positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scanners, PET attenuation correction is performed by means of a CT-based attenuation map. Respiratory motion can however induce offsets between the PET and CT data. Studies have demonstrated that these offsets can cause errors in quantitative PET measures. The purpose of this study is to quantify the effects of respiration-induced CT differences on the attenuation correction of pulmonary 18-fluordeoxyglucose (FDG) 3D PET/CT in a patient population and to investigate contributing factors.

Methods
For 32 lung cancer patients, 3D-CT, 4D-PET and 4D-CT data were acquired. The 4D FDG PET data were attenuation corrected (AC) using a free-breathing 3D-CT (3D-AC), the end-inspiration CT (EI-AC), the end-expiration CT (EE-AC) or phase-by-phase (P-AC). After reconstruction and AC, the 4D-PET data were averaged. In the 4Davg data, we measured maximum tumour standardised uptake value (SUV)max in the tumour, SUVmean in a lung volume of interest (VOI) and average SUV (SUVmean) in a muscle VOI. On the 4D-CT, we measured the lung volume differences and CT number changes between inhale and exhale in the lung VOI.

Results
Compared to P-AC, we found −2.3% (range −9.7% to 1.2%) lower tumour SUVmax in EI-AC and 2.0% (range −0.9% to 9.5%) higher SUVmax in EE-AC. No differences in the muscle SUV were found. The use of 3D-AC led to respiration-induced SUVmax differences up to 20% compared to the use of P-AC.
SUVmean differences in the lung VOI between EI-AC and EE-AC correlated to average CT differences in this region (ρ = 0.83). SUVmax differences in the tumour correlated to the volume changes of the lungs (ρ = −0.55) and the motion amplitude of the tumour (ρ = 0.53), both as measured on the 4D-CT.

Conclusions
Respiration-induced CT variations in clinical data can in extreme cases lead to SUV effects larger than 10% on PET attenuation correction. These differences were case specific and correlated to differences in CT number in the lungs.
A Population-Based Study of Prevalence and Risk Factors of Chronic Kidney Disease in León, Nicaragua
Authors: Lebov Jill F , Valladares Eliette , Peña Rodolfo , Peña Edgar M , Sanoff Scott L , Cisneros Efren Castellón , Colindres Romulo E , Morgan Douglas R , Hogan Susan L 
Published: February 2015

Background: Recent studies have shown an excess of chronic kidney disease (CKD) among younger adult males in the Pacific coastal region of Nicaragua and suggest a non-conventional CKD etiology in this region. These studies have been conducted in small, non-representative populations. Objectives: We conducted a large population-based cross-sectional study to estimate CKD prevalence in León, Nicaragua, and to evaluate the association between previously investigated risk factors and CKD. Methods: Estimated glomerular filtration rate, derived using the MDRD equation, was assessed to determine CKD status of 2275 León residents. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence odds ratios. León CKD prevalence was also standardized to the demographic distributions of the León Health and Demographic Surveillance System and the León 2005 Census. Results: CKD prevalence was 9.1%; twice as high for males (13.8%) than females (5.8%). In addition to gender, older age, rural zone, lower education level, and self-reported high blood pressure, more years of agricultural work, lija (unregulated alcohol) consumption, and higher levels of daily water consumption were significantly associated with CKD. Notably, self-reported diabetes was associated with CKD in adjusted models for females but not males. Conclusions: Our findings are comparable to those found in regional studies and further support the hypothesis of a Mesoamerican Nephropathy.