bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prenatal prediction of need for ventriculoperitoneal shunt in open spina bifida
Authors: Khalil A. , Caric V. , Papageorghiou A. , Bhide A. , Akolekar R. , Thilaganathan B. 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo investigate whether the need for ventriculoperitoneal shunting in neonates with open spina bifida can be predicted prenatally.MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of all fetuses with open spina bifida identified at a single referral center between 1998 and 2012. Ultrasound records were reviewed and outcomes were ascertained from maternal, neonatal and pediatric records. The performance of screening was determined by receiver–operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis.ResultsWe identified 124 cases of isolated open spina bifida, of which 48 were liveborn. Detailed postnatal follow‐up was available for 39 cases, with an average follow‐up time of 3.6 years. A shunt was inserted in 22 (56.4%) cases. The width of the posterior horn of the lateral ventricle (Vp) and the ratio between its width and that of the cerebral hemisphere (Vp/H) at diagnosis were significantly greater in cases that required a shunt compared with those that did not subsequently require a shunt (Vp: median 12.4 mm vs 7.7 mm, P < 0.001, and Vp/H: median 0.54 vs 0.33, P < 0.001, respectively). Similarly, at the last scan before delivery, Vp and Vp/H were significantly higher in those requiring a shunt (Vp: median 23.1 mm vs 8.2 mm, P < 0.001; and Vp/H: 0.54 vs 0.21, P < 0.001, respectively). Using Vp and Vp/H at the initial assessment, the rates of detection of fetuses requiring a shunt postnatally were 68.2% and 86.4% for a false‐positive rate of 13%, with positive likelihood ratios of 6 and 7, respectively. All fetuses with a Vp of ≥ 12 mm or a Vp/H of ≥ 0.6 at the time of diagnosis required postnatal shunt insertion (positive predictive value = 100%).ConclusionsIn cases with open spina bifida the need for a postnatal shunt can be predicted prenatally. This novel observation should be useful in the prediction of outcome and therefore for accurate prenatal counseling and triaging cases for fetal surgery. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Is nuchal translucency a useful aneuploidy marker in fetuses with crown–rump length of 28–44 mm?
Authors: Grande M. , Solernou R. , Ferrer L. , Borobio V. , Jimenez J. M. , Bennasar M. , Soler A. , Borrell A. 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo investigate whether increased nuchal translucency (NT) in fetuses with a crown–rump length (CRL) below 45 mm needs to be re‐evaluated at a later stage, or whether the early NT measurement can be used effectively as an aneuploidy marker.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study including all singleton fetuses with a CRL between 28 and 44 mm, scanned in our center during 2002–2012. The CRL, NT, fetal karyotype (when available) and pregnancy outcome were recorded. NT reference ranges were constructed using the Lambda‐Mu‐Sigma (LMS) method in non‐referred pregnancies after exclusion of chromosomal anomalies. The 95th percentile was used to calculate detection rates for chromosomally abnormal fetuses.ResultsNT was successfully measured in 643 of 672 fetuses with a CRL of 28–44 mm. Subsequent cytogenetic analysis revealed 11 cases of trisomy 21, 14 cases of trisomy 13 or 18, three cases of monosomy X, three sex trisomies, three triploidies and 12 balanced anomalies. NT was above the 95th percentile in 64% of the fetuses with trisomy 21, in 71% with trisomy 13 or 18 and in all three cases of monosomy X.ConclusionNT appears to be useful as a marker for the early detection of fetal trisomies at 9–10 weeks' gestation (28–44 mm CRL). Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
An ultrasound algorithm for identification of endometrial cancer
Authors: Dueholm M. , Møller C. , Rydbjerg S. , Hansen E. S. , Ørtoft G. 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo propose a scoring system to predict endometrial cancer using different ultrasound image characteristics at gray‐scale, with and without enhancement by gel infusion, and Doppler transvaginal sonography (TVS) and to evaluate intra‐ and interobserver variability in assessment of these characteristics.MethodUnenhanced TVS, Doppler examinations and gel infusion sonography (GIS) were performed prospectively in 174 consecutive postmenopausal women with endometrial thickness ≥ 5 mm. The reference standard in all women was hysteroscopy or hysterectomy with pathological evaluation of the malignancy. The presence of various ultrasound pattern characteristics indicative of endometrial malignancy and intra‐ and interobserver variability in their assessment were evaluated. Multivariate logistic regression was used to correlate image and clinical parameters to presence of endometrial cancer.ResultsA simple Doppler flow score (which considered only presence of vascularity and not presence of single/double dominant vessel, multiple vessels, large vessels, color splash or densely packed vessels) had an area under the receiver–operating characteristics curve (AUC) of 0.83 in the prediction of endometrial cancer. Models including endometrial thickness, Doppler score and interrupted endomyometrial junction on unenhanced TVS predicted endometrial cancer with an AUC of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.92–0.99) and, with addition of irregular surface on GIS, the AUC was 0.97 (95% CI, 0.94–0.99). A risk of endometrial cancer (REC) scoring system based on body mass index, Doppler score, endometrial thickness and interrupted endomyometrial junction on unenhanced TVS and irregular surface at GIS performed very well at identifying endometrial cancer; at a REC‐score of ≥ 4 the sensitivity for detection of endometrial cancer was 91% and specificity was 94%. Observers agreed in 82.3% of cases (kappa, 0.63 (0.48–0.78)) when subjective parameters were analyzed in stored videoclips.ConclusionOur observer‐dependent proposed scoring system seems to perform well in the prediction of endometrial cancer and should be tested in future studies. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Integration of EEMD and ICA for wind turbine gearbox diagnosis
Authors: Wang Jinjiang , Gao Robert X. , Yan Ruqiang 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTGearbox failure becomes a major concern for reliability of wind turbine because of complex repair procedures, long downtime and high replacement costs. Prior studies showed that the majority of gearbox failures were initiated from bearing failures. Because of the low signal‐to‐noise ratio (mixture of bearing defect signals and gear meshing signals) and transient nature of bearing signals, it poses significant difficulty for bearing defect diagnosis in wind turbine gearbox at the incipient stage. To address it, this paper presents an effective fault component separation method that integrates ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD; an adaptive signal decomposition method in time‐frequency domain) with independent component analysis (ICA; a blind source separation technique), without requiring a priori information on the rotating speeds or bandwidth. The method firstly decomposes one‐channel vibration measurements into a series of intrinsic mode functions as pseudo‐multi‐channel signals, by means of EEMD. ICA is performed on the intrinsic mode functions to separate bearing defect‐related signals from gear meshing signals. Envelope spectrum analysis is performed on the bearing defect‐related signals to identify bearing structural defects. The effectiveness of the developed method in separating bearing defect‐related signals from gear meshing signals for more effective fault diagnosis in bearings is evaluated and confirmed, numerically and experimentally. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On atmospheric stability in the dynamic wake meandering model
Authors: Keck Rolf‐Erik , de Maré Martin , Churchfield Matthew J. , Lee Sang , Larsen Gunner , Aagaard Madsen Helge 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTThe present study investigates a new approach for capturing the effects of atmospheric stability on wind turbine wake evolution and wake meandering by using the dynamic wake meandering model. The most notable impact of atmospheric stability on the wind is the changes in length and velocity scales of the atmospheric turbulence. The length and velocity scales in the turbulence are largely responsible for the way in which wind turbine wakes meander as they convect downstream. The hypothesis of the present work is that appropriate turbulence scales can be extracted from the oncoming atmospheric turbulence spectra and applied to the dynamic wake meandering model to capture the correct wake meandering behaviour. The ambient turbulence in all stability classes is generated using the Mann turbulence model, where the effects of non‐neutral atmospheric stability are approximated by the selection of input parameters.In order to isolate the effect of atmospheric stability, simulations of neutral and unstable atmospheric boundary layers using large‐eddy simulation are performed at the same streamwise turbulence intensity level. The turbulence intensity is kept constant by calibrating the surface roughness in the computational domain. The changes in the turbulent length scales due to the various atmospheric stability states impact the wake meandering characteristics and thus the power generation by the individual turbines.The proposed method is compared with results from both large‐eddy simulation coupled with an actuator line model and field measurements, where generally good agreement is found with respect to the velocity, turbulence intensity and power predictions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A torque matched aerodynamic performance analysis method for the horizontal axis wind turbines
Authors: Al‐Abadi Ali , Ertunç Özgür , Weber Horst , Delgado Antonio 
Published: September 2013

AbstractAn analysis method is developed to test the operational performance of a horizontal axis wind turbines. The rotor is constrained to the torque–speed characteristic of the coupled generator. Therefore, the operational conditions are realized by matching the torque generated by the turbine over a selected range of incoming wind velocity to that needed to rotate the generator. The backbone of the analysis method is a combination of Schmitz' and blade element momentum (BEM) theories. The torque matching is achieved by gradient‐based optimization method, which finds correct wind speed at a given rotational speed of the rotor. The combination of Schmitz and BEM serves to exclude the BEM iterations for the calculation of interference factors. Instead, the relative angle is found iteratively along the span. The profile and tip losses, which are empirical, are included in the analysis. Hence, the torque at a given wind speed and rotational speed can be calculated by integrating semi‐analytical equations along the blade span. The torque calculation method is computationally cheap and therefore allows many iterations needed during torque matching. The developed analysis method is verified experimentally by testing the output power and rotational speed of an existing wind turbine model in the wind tunnel. The generator's torque rotational speed characteristic is found by a separate experimental set‐up. Comparison of experiments with the results of the analysis method shows a good agreement. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exotic grasses and wildlife in northern Mexico
Authors: Ortega‐S J. Alfonso , Ibarra‐Flores Fernando A. , Melgoza Alicia , Gonzalez‐Valenzuela Eduardo A. , Martin‐Rivera Martha H. , Ávila‐Curiel J. Miguel , Ayala‐Alvares Felix , Pinedo Carmelo , Rivero Otilia 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTSeeding exotic grasses remains a common practice to increase forage production for cattle in northern Mexico. Even while interest in wildlife conservation and management has been increasing since the late 1990s because of the economic value of wildlife for sport hunting, cattle production still represents an important part of the ranch income. Our objective was to review the available information on exotic grasses and its effect on native rangelands and wildlife. To obtain the information included in this article, we reviewed the published information and personal information and observations. Ranchers need to balance and make commitments to optimize cattle and wildlife economic output. In general, the negative perception of biologists, ranchers, and the general public toward exotic grasses is less pronounced than in the United States even when the ecological benefits of maintaining healthy native rangelands is well‐understood. Differences in primary productivity and domestic animal production between exotic and native grasses are well‐documented; however, information on impacts of exotic grasses on wildlife is extremely limited. The preservation of native rangelands is important; however, exotic grasses will continue to be seeded in northern Mexico as long as cattle production remains an important economic activity. Exotic grasses in many cases will be impossible to eradicate; therefore, management will be necessary to ensure optimization of habitat for livestock and wildlife species. In this context many research questions need to be answered to optimize domestic livestock production and maintain healthy wildlife populations. Governments, non‐governmental organizations, and other entities interested in conservation should combine efforts and develop incentive programs for ranchers to preserve native rangelands in Mexico and to avoid seeding exotic grasses. © 2013 The Wildlife Society.
Surfactant Synthesis via Lipase Esterification of Methyl α‐d‐Glucopyranoside with Selected Aliphatic Carboxylic Acids
Authors: Ariffin Maryam F. K. , Annuar M. Suffian M. , Heidelberg Thorsten 
Published: September 2013

AbstractLipase‐catalyzed esterification and properties of synthesized carbohydrate esters were investigated. Methyl α‐d‐glucopyranoside was the acyl group acceptor and different carbon atom chain lengths of aliphatic carboxylic acids (C12, C14 and C16) as the acyl group donors were applied in the esterification. Physico‐chemical studies on the synthesized carbohydrate esters were carried out. It was found that melting point for the methyl 6‐O‐hexadecanoyl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside was the highest consecutively followed by methyl 6‐O‐tetradecanoyl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside and methyl 6‐O‐dodecanoyl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside. Liquid crystal properties of the synthesized carbohydrate ester synthesized were evaluated via optical polarized microscopy. It was found that the liquid crystal textures for mono‐substituted carbohydrate esters were of the smectic phase. In a quaternary system (carbohydrate ester/n‐butanol/n‐hexadecane/water), a maximum 34 % of water (by mass) was contained in the monophasic region of methyl 6‐O‐tetradecanoyl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside and a maximum of 52 % water (by mass) was contained in a monophasic methyl 6‐O‐dodecanoyl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside. For methyl‐6‐O‐dodecanoyl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside, its concentration at aggregation was 5.2 × 10−4 mM, with minimum air/water surface tension of 26 mN m−1. The Gibbs energy of micellization was calculated at −50 kJ mol−1. The maximum adsorption density of methyl 6‐O‐dodecanoyl‐α‐d‐glucopyranoside was determined at 4 × 10−6 mol m−2 while its minimum area per surfactant molecule at the air/water surface was 47 Å2.
Static/dynamic friction and wear of some selected polymeric materials for conformal tribo-pairs under boundary lubrication conditions
Authors: Nilsson Daniel , Prakash Braham 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
This work is aimed at investigating the friction and wear performance of different polymeric materials having potential for hydraulic system components under lubricated sliding conditions against a steel counter face. A pin-on-disc test configuration was used for the experimental study. The different polymeric materials selected for these studies were commercial polyimides (PI), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), and flouropolymers. Some of these materials were bulk materials whereas others were used as coatings applied on to the cast iron substrate. The tribological characteristics of the polymers were compared with a reference grey cast iron. The frictional characteristics were evaluated in both static and dynamic conditions. The results have shown that by using polymeric materials it is possible to reduce breakaway friction by an order of magnitude compared to grey cast iron. However, the breakaway friction increased significantly after the wear tests. The polymeric materials having lowest breakaway friction have shown the highest wear with the exception of the PEEK-PTFE coating which showed low wear. PI with graphite fillers also showed low wear but it resulted in relatively high friction. The carbon fibre reinforced materials resulted in unstable friction as well as higher wear compared to the PI materials with graphite fillers.
Impact of a program of physiotherapy and health education on the outcome of obstetric fistula surgery
Authors: Castille Yves‐Jacques , Avocetien Chiara , Zaongo Dieudonné , Colas Jean‐Marie , Peabody James O. , Rochat Charles‐Henry 
Published: September 2013

AbstractObjectiveSurgery is the only successful treatment for most obstetric fistulae. The present study measured the impact of a structured program of pre‐ and postoperative physiotherapy and health education on the outcome of surgery for obstetric fistula.MethodsWe compared the postoperative outcomes of 2 consecutive groups of women with obstetric fistulae who were recruited and followed‐up by 2 local nongovernmental organizations at a hospital in Tanguiéta, Benin. The first group of women (n = 99) had fistula repair using standardized techniques. The second group (n = 112) had a standardized surgical approach plus a structured program of pre‐ and postoperative health education and physiotherapy.ResultsThe program had a significant positive impact on recovery in general and on urinary incontinence in particular. After physiotherapy, the odds of recovery were 2.72 times greater for women in the physiotherapy group than for control patients, and the probability of postoperative stress incontinence was considerably higher for patients in the control group than for those in the physiotherapy group (P < 0.001).ConclusionA structured program of health education and physiotherapy by experienced nurses and physiotherapists improves the likelihood of a successful outcome after surgical repair of obstetric fistula.
Psychological and ethical implications related to infertility
Authors: Minucci Daria 
Published: September 2013

AbstractBeing a parent is deeply demanding and one of the most important events in life; parents experience the deepening of human relationships with their partner, within their families, and in society, and moreover the fundamental relationship between parent and child. Every medical, social, and political effort must be made to prevent infertility but also to offer infertile couples the best diagnostic and therapeutic paths. Understanding the suffering of the couple and their families prevents and helps ease the possible psychological and social complications of infertility. Therefore, infertility concerns not only biomedical sciences but also psychological and social ones—ethics and law—in their combined efforts to identify areas of understanding and of research for solutions while respecting the dignity of the couple and unborn child. The Catholic Church offers an ongoing contribution through dialogue in looking for ethical principles guiding scientific and medical research respectful of the true life of human beings.
Management of female infertility from hormonal causes
Authors: Luciano Antony A. , Lanzone Antonio , Goverde Angelique J. 
Published: September 2013

AbstractHormonal causes of female infertility involve ovulatory dysfunctions that may result from dysfunction of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐ovarian axis, peripheral endocrine glands, nonendocrine organs, or metabolic disorders. It is important to think of anovulation not as a diagnosis but as a symptom of a metabolic or endocrine disorder that requires a thorough diagnostic evaluation to identify the specific cause and to implement effective therapies that assure the best possible pregnancy outcome and avoid long‐term adverse health consequences. In most instances, the medical history points to the underlying dysfunction, which can usually be confirmed with laboratory or imaging tests. For more challenging cases, more extensive evaluations may be needed, including perturbation studies. Nevertheless, the management of anovulatory infertility is gratifying because its causes are often manifest and the treatment usually results in resumption of ovulatory cycles, restoration of fertility, and healthy offspring through natural conception without requiring expensive and intrusive assisted reproductive technologies.
“Lord of the Forecastle”: Serangs, Tindals, and Lascar Mutiny, c.1780–1860
Authors: Jaffer Aaron 
Published: September 2013

AbstractThis article focuses on the diverse body of seafarers from the Indian Ocean region known as “lascars”. Very little is known about mutiny amongst those employed aboard European merchantmen during the age of sail. Private voyage journals and other sources offer scattered glimpses of demonstrations, strikes, and assaults on officers. Lascars used such tactics to air grievances, resist unpopular orders, and extract concessions from their superiors. They also took part in more serious forms of mutiny, in which they murdered captains, commandeered ships, and expropriated cargoes. The depositions taken in connection with such incidents provide an unparalleled window on to their working lives. Labour intermediaries known as serangs and tindals feature prominently in these various disturbances. The unique position they occupied enabled them to undermine European officers and even depose captains. Their involvement in shipboard uprisings serves as a reminder of the ways in which mutiny could be staged, manipulated, and controlled.