bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of rolling walkers used by older adults in senior‐living communities
Authors: Liu Hao (Howe) 
Published: January 2009

Aim:  Rolling walkers (RW) are among the most common ambulatory devices used in senior‐living communities. However, many observational studies have associated RW use with an increased risk of falling. Studies on how older RW users obtain and use their RW are lacking. Therefore, this study's purpose was to provide information about RW use that can aid clinical professionals in understanding how to educate RW users.Methods:  Data was gathered from 158 RW users (≥65 years old) who had used their RW for an approximate mean of 24 months. Assessment utilized questionnaires, inspections and demonstrations.Results:  Almost 80% of all participants obtained an RW without consultation with a medical professional (61% through their own means; 19% through medical professionals without receiving instruction or demonstration). The most common misuse was incorrect RW height (55%). Maintenance problems were observed in approximately 17% of the RW. All users admitted that their walkers had not been rechecked by medical professionals since they had obtained them. Forward‐leaning posture was apparent in participants during static standing (40%) and during ambulation (50%). Forward‐leaning posture during ambulation seemed to be more problematic in causing falls.Conclusion:  Lack to consult a medical professional when obtaining an RW, incorrect RW height, poor RW maintenance and forward‐leaning posture were problems commonly identified. This knowledge could assist medical professionals in implementing strategies to address these problems.
Full‐term pregnancies after multiple hepatobiliary operations for choledochal cyst: A case report
Authors: Hasiakos Dimitris , Papakonstantinou Katerina , Vaggos George , Vitoratos Nikolaos , Papadias Konstantinos 
Published: January 2009

AbstractCholedochal cysts are rare congenital cystic dilatations of the biliary tree. Choledochal cysts in pregnancy are a rare entity and represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The authors present a case of two full‐term pregnancies in a woman who underwent multiple hepatobiliary operations for a choledochal cyst. The patient had two major problems: a type IVa choledochal cyst with atrophy of the left side of the liver and a congenitally dilated pancreatic duct in the head of the gland. She underwent a drainage surgical procedure using a Roux loop of jejunum and a revision surgery in which complete excision of the cyst and hepaticojejunostomy was performed. The surgical management was completed by a left lateral hepatic segmentectomy. During her first pregnancy, she experienced an episode of cholangitis, most probably due to the remaining congenitally dilated pancreatic duct. In succeeding years, the patient presented with recurrent pancreatitis and finally she underwent a Whipple operation. After that, the patient had a second pregnancy without any complications from the biliary tract system. Although choledochal cysts rarely occur in pregnancy, clinicians should be aware of this condition, as delayed or inappropriate therapy may be catastrophic for both the mother and the fetus.
New frontiers of assisted reproductive technology (Chien Tien Hsu Memorial Lecture 2007)
Authors: Ho P. C. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractMany significant advances have been made in assisted reproductive technology since the birth of the first baby conceived with in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer. The development of recombinant gonadotropins and gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonists helps to simplify the ovarian stimulation. Excessive ovarian stimulation should be avoided because of the risks of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and reduction in endometrial receptivity. Maturation of oocytes in vitro has been developed in some centers. It is still uncertain whether techniques such as assisted hatching, blastocyst transfer and pre‐implantation aneuploidy screening can improve the live birth rates in assisted reproduction. The introduction of pre‐implantation genetic diagnosis for selection of human lymphocyte antigens (HLA) compatible embryos for treatment of siblings has raised ethical concerns. There is a higher risk of obstetric complications and congenital abnormalities even in singleton pregnancies achieved with assisted reproduction. Because of the risks of multiple pregnancies, elective single embryo transfer is increasingly used in good‐prognosis patients. With a good freezing program, the cumulative pregnancy rate (including the pregnancies from subsequent replacement of frozen‐thawed embryos) is not adversely affected. Improvement in cryopreservation techniques has made it possible to cryopreserve slices of ovarian tissue or oocytes, thus helping women who have to receive sterilizing forms of anti‐cancer treatment to preserve their fertility. It is important that the development of the new techniques should be based on good scientific evidence. Ethical, legal and social implications should also be considered before the introduction of new techniques.
An unsupervised classification method of uterine electromyography signals: Classification for detection of preterm deliveries
Authors: Diab M. O. , Marque C. , Khalil M. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractAim: This article proposes an unsupervised classification method that can be applied to the electromyography signal of uterine contractions for the detection of preterm birth.Methods: The frequency content of the electromyography changes from one woman to another, and during pregnancy, so wavelet decomposition is first used to extract the parameters of each contraction, and an unsupervised statistical classification method based on Fisher's test is used to classify the events. A principal component analysis projection is then used as evidence of the groups resulting from this classification. Another method of classification based on a competitive neural network is also applied on the same signals. Both methods are compared.Results: Results show that uterine contractions may be classified into independent groups according to their frequency content and according to term (either at recording or at delivery).
The strength of annealed, heat‐strengthened and fully tempered float glass
Authors: VEER F. A. , LOUTER P. C. , BOS F. P. 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTIn the last two decades architectural glass has made an enormous leap from a secondary material to a material that combines structural and cladding roles. The structural role is a new and problematic one. In contrast to most other engineering materials the strength of glass is not a material parameter but a parameter dependent on processing quality and damage to the glass surface. There is also no real agreement on how strong glass is. There is a concept Euronorm for structural glass that has values for the characteristic strength for annealed, heat‐strengthened, fully tempered and chemically toughened glass. There is however no real agreement on the validity of these values for design of glass beams or columns. To provide an independent set of values a statistically significant series of four‐point bending tests on glass were conducted using both lying and standing positions resulting in a set of values for the characteristic strength.
Stress‐intensity factors for circular hollow section V‐joints with a rack‐plate chord
Authors: QIAN XUDONG 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTThis study investigates the fatigue crack‐driving force, measured by the linear‐elastic stress‐intensity factors (SIFs), for a surface crack at the root of the welds in a thick‐walled, circular hollow section (CHS) V‐shape joint, typically installed in modern offshore jack‐up platforms. The primary (chord) member of the V‐joint consists of two half CHSs welded to both sides of a thick rack plate, while the secondary (brace) member adopts thick‐walled CHSs. The surface‐breaking crack considered in this study locates at the interface between the rack plate and the weld metal joining the half CHS, and represents an initial flaw introduced by lack of penetration in the welding procedure. The finite‐element model incorporates a very detailed, local crack‐front mesh in a global continuous mesh through a mesh‐tying procedure, which ensures displacement continuity between the independent master surface and the dependent slave surface. A simple plate model verifies the mesh‐tying procedure in computing the linear‐elastic stress‐intensity factors for two remote loading conditions. The computation of the stress‐intensity factors employs a linear‐elastic interaction integral approach. The comparison of the computed SIF values with a previous experimental measurement for a CHS T‐joint verifies the accuracy and feasibility of the interaction integral approach in computing SIF values for surface cracks in welded tubular connections. Subsequent numerical analysis on the gapped V‐joints examines the mixed‐mode SIF values for different loading conditions and includes an array of practical joint geometric parameters and crack sizes. The nondimensional mode I stress‐intensity factors generally increases with the following variations in the joint geometric parameters: an increase in the chord radius to the wall thickness ratio (γ=d0/2t0), an increase in the brace diameter to the chord diameter ratio (β=d1/d0), a decrease in the crack depth ratio (a/t) or an increase in the crack length c. The current study identifies a practical group of V‐joints that requires detailed treatment in the fatigue assessment procedure. These V‐joints adopt a large β ratio and demonstrate high mode‐mixity angles [ψ= tan−1(KII/KI)] with correspondingly high mode I and mode II stress‐intensity factors.
Carrying photosynthesis genes increases ecological fitness of cyanophage in silico
Authors: Hellweger Ferdi L. 
Published: January 2009

SummarySeveral viruses infecting marine cyanobacteria carry photosynthesis genes (e.g. psbA, hli) that are expressed, yield proteins (D1, HLIP) and help maintain the cell's photosynthesis apparatus during the latent period. This increases energy and speeds up virus production, allowing for a reduced latent period (a fitness benefit), but it also increases the DNA size, which slows down new virus production and reduces burst size (a fitness cost). How do these genes affect the net ecological fitness of the virus? Here, this question is explored using a combined systems biology and systems ecology (‘systems bioecology’) approach. A novel agent‐based model simulates individual cyanobacteria cells and virus particles, each with their own genes, transcripts, proteins and other properties. The effect of D1 and HLIP proteins is explicitly considered using a mechanistic photosynthesis component. The model is calibrated to the available database for Prochlorococcus ecotype MED4 and podovirus P‐SSP7. Laboratory‐ and field‐scale in silico survival, competition and evolution (gene packaging error) experiments with wild type and genetically engineered viruses are performed to develop vertical survival and fitness profiles, and to determine the optimal gene content. The results suggest that photosynthesis genes are nonessential, increase fitness in a manner correlated with irradiance, and that the wild type has an optimal gene content.
Orlistat 120 mg improves glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients with or without concurrent weight loss
Authors: Jacob S. , Rabbia M. , Meier M. K. , Hauptman J. 
Published: January 2009

Background:  Both obesity and type 2 diabetes are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Published data suggest that orlistat 120 mg, a lipase inhibitor used to treat obesity, may improve glycaemic parameters through weight loss–independent effects.Aim:  To investigate the effect of orlistat 120 mg on weight loss, and assess whether changes in glycaemic parameters [fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)] are independent of weight loss.Methods:  This retrospective analysis of pooled data from seven multicentre, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled studies involved overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes (aged 18–70 years). Patients were required to have a body mass index of 27–43 kg/m2, HbA1c of 6.5 to <13%, and stable weight for ≥3 months. Subjects received orlistat 120 mg tid or placebo for 6 or 12 months.Results:  A total of 2550 overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled and randomized to treatment with orlistat 120 mg tid (n = 1279) or placebo (n = 1271). For the whole population, patients treated with orlistat 120 mg had significantly greater mean decreases in FPG compared with placebo‐treated patients (−1.39 mmol/l vs. −0.47 mmol/l; p < 0.0001). In addition, orlistat 120 mg provided significantly larger mean decreases in HbA1c compared with placebo (−0.74% vs. −0.31%; p < 0.0001). For patients with minimal weight loss (≤1% of baseline body weight), orlistat 120 mg still provided a significantly greater decrease in the least squares mean value for both FPG (−0.83 mmol/l vs. ±0.02 mmol/l; p = 0.0052) and HbA1c−0.29% vs. ±0.14%; p = 0.0008). This suggested that the improvement of glycaemic control with orlistat 120 mg was independent of weight loss. Using linear regression analysis, improvement in glycaemic control (FPG and HbA1c) with orlistat 120 mg was less strongly correlated with weight loss than for placebo.Conclusion:  Orlistat 120 mg appears to improve glycaemic control more than would be predicted by weight loss alone in overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes. Postulated mechanisms underlying this effect include an improvement of insulin sensitivity, a slower and incomplete digestion of dietary fat, reduction of postprandial plasma non‐esterified fatty acids, decreased visceral adipose tissue, and stimulation of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 secretion in the lower small intestine.
Blended e‐learning skeleton of conversation: Improving formative assessment in undergraduate dissertation supervision
Authors: Heinze Aleksej , Heinze Beverley 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThe supervision of undergraduate student dissertations is an area in need of research. Although some studies have already addressed this, these are primarily based on academic staff responses.This study contributes to knowledge by gathering the responses of students and focusing on formative electronic assessment. Data was collected using a student focus group and student questionnaire.Unsurprisingly, the findings suggest that good supervisor–student communication is crucial to the supervision process and a number of students felt unhappy with this aspect. However, to facilitate this communication, the perceived absolute necessity of regular supervisor–student meetings is being questioned and a combination of technology‐enabled communication is advocated. It is suggested that to improve the undergraduate student dissertation experience, a combination of face‐to‐face and electronic formative assessment is used. In addition, the blended e‐learning skeleton of conversation model provides a sound theoretical framework that could guide supervisors and students in the supervision process. This model is advocated for use in dissertation module design and in supervisor development.
What are learners actually regulating when given feedback?
Authors: Draper Stephen W. 
Published: January 2009

Abstracte‐Assessment cannot benefit learners, and so education, unless it supports them in doing something differently in future. What, however, are learners trying to do better? This paper adopts a perspective in which learners simultaneously self‐regulate multiple variables that are relevant to learning, and develops a theoretical argument that a key issue is the ambiguity of feedback events (such as a failed task or a poor mark) as to which variable should be adjusted. A common tacit assumption is that the relevant loop is about technical expertise, but in reality, students must and do also adjust effort, learning methods and course choices. Two methods for helping learners by resolving this ambiguity are discussed: telling learners directly which interpretation is relevant, and structuring learning activities to focus on one variable. Which loops are most important to learners generally shifts in the transition from school to university, implying that the role of feedback also changes. e‐Assessment needs a major rethink to address these needs, and to understand why feedback is so often apparently ignored by students. Conversely, attending to all these loops would be to open new dialogues with learners.
The Craniofacial Reconstruction from the Local Structural Diversity of Skulls
Authors: Pei Yuru , Zha Hongbin , Yuan Zhongbiao 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThe craniofacial reconstruction is employed as an initialization of the identification from skulls in forensics. In this paper, we present a two‐level craniofacial reconstruction framework based on the local structural diversity of the skulls. On the low level, the holistic reconstruction is formulated as the superimposition of the selected tissue map on the novel skull. The crux is the accurate map registration, which is implemented as a warping guided by the 2D feature curve patterns. The curve pattern extraction under an energy minimization framework is proposed for the automatic feature labeling on the skull depth map. The feature configuration on the warped tissue map is expected to resemble that on the novel skull. In order to make the reconstructed faces personalized, on the high level, the local facial features are estimated from the skull measurements via a RBF model. The RBF model is learnt from a dataset of the skull and the face feature pairs extracted from the head volume data. The experiments demonstrate the facial outlooks can be reconstructed feasibly and efficiently.
Reconstructing head models from photographs for individualized 3D‐audio processing
Authors: Dellepiane M. , Pietroni N. , Tsingos N. , Asselot M. , Scopigno R. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractVisual fidelity and interactivity are the main goals in Computer Graphics research, but recently also audio is assuming an important role. Binaural rendering can provide extremely pleasing and realistic three‐dimensional sound, but to achieve best results it's necessary either to measure or to estimate individual Head Related Transfer Function (HRTF). This function is strictly related to the peculiar features of ears and face of the listener. Recent sound scattering simulation techniques can calculate HRTF starting from an accurate 3D model of a human head. Hence, the use of binaural rendering on large scale (i.e. video games, entertainment) could depend on the possibility to produce a sufficiently accurate 3D model of a human head, starting from the smallest possible input. In this paper we present a completely automatic system, which produces a 3D model of a head starting from simple input data (five photos and some key‐points indicated by user). The geometry is generated by extracting information from images and accordingly deforming a 3D dummy to reproduce user head features. The system proves to be fast, automatic, robust and reliable: geometric validation and preliminary assessments show that it can be accurate enough for HRTF calculation.
Knitting a 3D Model
Authors: Igarashi Yuki , Igarashi Takeo , Suzuki Hiromasa 
Published: January 2009

AbstractA knitted animal is made of a closed surface consisting of several knitted patches knitted out of yarn and stuffed with cotton (Fig. 1). We introduce a system to create a knitting pattern from a given 3D surface model (mainly designed for rotund animal models). A knitting pattern is an instructional diagram describing how to knit yarn to obtain a desired shape. Since the creation of knitting patterns requires special skill, this is difficult for nonprofessionals. Our system automates the process and allows anyone to obtain his or her original knitting patterns from a 3D model. The system first covers the surface of the model with parallel winding strips of constant width. The system then samples the strip at constant intervals to convert it into a knitting pattern. The result is presented in a standard visual format so that the user can easily refer it during actual knitting. We show several examples of knitted animals created using the system.Example of a knitted animal. A typical knitted animal consists of several circular and cylindrical patches.image
Perceptual Evaluation of Color‐to‐Grayscale Image Conversions
Authors: Ĉadík M. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractColor images often have to be converted to grayscale for reproduction, artistic purposes, or for subsequent processing. Methods performing the conversion of color images to grayscale aim to retain as much information about the original color image as possible, while simultaneously producing perceptually plausible grayscale results. Recently, many methods of conversion have been proposed, but their performance has not yet been assessed. Therefore, the strengths and weaknesses of color‐to‐grayscale conversions are not known. In this paper, we present the results of two subjective experiments in which a total of 24 color images were converted to grayscale using seven state‐of‐the‐art conversions and evaluated by 119 human subjects using a paired comparison paradigm. We surveyed nearly 20000 human responses and used them to evaluate the accuracy and preference of the color‐to‐grayscale conversions. To the best of our knowledge, the study presented in this paper is the first perceptual evaluation of color‐to‐grayscale conversions. Besides exposing the strengths and weaknesses of the researched methods, the aim of the study is to attain a deeper understanding of the examined field, which can accelerate the progress of color‐to‐grayscale conversion.
Distortion Optimization based Image Completion from a Large Displacement View
Authors: Liu Chunxiao , Yang Yingzhen , Peng Qunsheng , Wang Jin , Chen Wei 
Published: January 2009

AbstractWe present a new image completion method based on an additional large displacement view (LDV) of the same scene for faithfully repairing large missing regions on the target image in an automatic way. A coarse‐to‐fine distortion correction algorithm is proposed to minimize the perspective distortion in the corresponding parts for the common scene regions on the LDV image. First, under the assumption of a planar scene, the LDV image is warped according to a homography to generate the initial correction result. Second, the residual distortions in the common known scene regions are revealed by means of a mismatch detection mechanism and relaxed by energy optimization of overlap correspondences, with the expectations of color constancy and displacement field smoothness. The fundamental matrix for the two views is then computed based on the reliable correspondence set. Third, under the constraints of epipolar geometry, displacement field smoothness and color consistency of the neighboring pixels, the missing pixels are orderly restored according to a specially defined repairing priority function. We finally eliminate the ghost effect between the repaired region and its surroundings by Poisson image blending. Experimental results demonstrate that our method outperforms recent state‐of‐the‐art image completion methods for repairing large missing area with complex structure information.