bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retinal Pigment Epithelial Adenocarcinoma Presenting as an Amelanotic Mass
Authors: Klein Kendra A. , Lally David R. , Taney Lauren S. , Laver Nora V. , Duker Jay S.
Published: April 2015

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) neoplasms are extraordinarily rare and have been infrequently described in the literature. Most RPE tumors are pigmented and may simulate choroidal melanoma. The best management of RPE tumors has not yet been elucidated. In the current case, a 36-year-old man presenting with visual disturbance is found to have biopsy-proven RPE adenocarcinoma with subfoveal fluid. He is treated with grid laser over the lesion with complete resolution of fluid. RPE adenocarcinoma can present as an amelanotic mass, and grid laser over the lesion may represent a novel approach for treating associated subretinal fluid.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:369–372.]
Long-term Follow-up of Astrocytic Hamartoma of the Optic Disc Associated With Gyrate Atrophy
Authors: Sebrow Dov B. , Jung Jesse J. , Dagi Glass Lora R. , Horowitz Jason , Chang Stanley
Published: April 2015

This is a case report of a 15-year-old boy with multiple small peripapillary white growths in the right eye in the setting of gyrate atrophy. Over 3 years of follow-up, these lesions became more clearly delineated as astrocytic hamartomas of the retina and optic disc. In the setting of gyrate atrophy, astrocytic hamartomas are extremely rare. This report represents the second published case and includes characterization of these tumors using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:387–390.]
Localized Choroidal Thickness Variation and Pigment Epithelial Detachment in Dome-Shaped Macula With Subretinal Fluid
Authors: Deobhakta Avnish , Ross Adam H. , Helal John , Maia André , Freund K. Bailey
Published: April 2015

The objective of this report is to demonstrate that individuals with dome-shaped macula can develop persistent subretinal fluid due to abrupt changes in the thickness of the choroid, making it unlikely to be reported. Additionally, these patients often have pigment epithelial detachments, suggestive of possible choroidal neo-vascularization. These two qualities can often lead to persistent subretinal fluid that is refractory to treatment.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:391–392.]
Atypical Presentation of Acute-Onset Endophthalmitis After Uncomplicated Pars Plana Vitrectomy
Authors: Reilly Gayatri S. , Garfinkel Richard A. , Melamud Alexander
Published: April 2015

A 70-year-old woman presented with signs of acute-onset endophthalmitis within 24 hours of surgery, with retinal hemorrhages and vascular changes in the absence of pain or significant inflammation. She had undergone uncomplicated 25-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane with presenting visual acuity of 20/40– and significant distortion. Vitreous culture revealed
Staphylococcus epidermidis.
Final visual acuity was no light perception with persistent pain, and the patient ultimately underwent enucleation. Although rarely, acute-onset postoperative endophthalmitis can present as retinal vasculitis with intraretinal hemorrhages and mild inflammation.

[
Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina
. 2015;46:393–395.]
Where is the Missing Matter?
Authors: Mitev Tihomir
Published: April 2015

The additive manufacturing (or the popular 3D printing) is relatively new technology which opens new spaces for entrepreneurial imagination and promises next stage of the industrial revolution. It is creating three dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The printer transforms the file into a material object layer by layer, using different raw materials. Today, the additive manufacturing is successfully used in architecture, medicine and healthcare, light and heavy industries, education, etc. The paper analyses the roles of actors in manufacturing the objects. It starts with the Heideggerian questioning of technology (), searching for the causes of bringing into appearance of the 3D model. According to Heideggerian analysis the technology is represented as an ‘unveiling of the truth'. The paper suggests that the old understanding of matter as a thing-in-itself should be replaced by a new, flexible, fluid, concept of matter, which is more or less manipulable. The matter is no more an occasion for object's taking place. On the other hand, it seems 3D printing technology is reduced to mere means; a simple intermediary, a copier of ideas. From that perspective the paper questioning the problem of action in ANT and search how action and interaction is distributed and how actors constitutes themselves as well as their actor-world.
Fuzzy Causal Patterns of Humor and Jokes for Cognitive and Affective Computing
Authors: Wang Yingxu
Published: April 2015

Humor is an advanced emotional and cognitive ability of mankind that involves complex semantic inference and deep passionate appreciation. This paper presents the cognitive foundations of amusement and a general theory of humor based on the recent advances in cognitive informatics, cognitive linguistics, cognitive computing, and fuzzy causal analyses. A theory of fuzzy false causation (FFC) is introduced that reveals humor and jokes as false causations in fuzzy causal inferences. Base on the FFC theory, a general pattern of humor (GPH) is formalized for analyzing the settings and appreciations of a set of sample jokes. A formal measurement of the degree of amusement in jokes and humor is quantitatively described towards the rational explanation of jokes based on cognitive affective assessment. The formal models of humor and jokes enable machines for humor comprehension and appreciation in artificial intelligence, cognitive computing, computational intelligence, and cognitive robots.
Graph Similarity based Cloud Migration Service Composition Pattern Discovery
Authors: Wan Zhitao , Wang Ping , Duan Lihua , Meng Fan Jing , Xu Jing Min
Published: April 2015

The demands of migrating on-premises complex enterprise applications to cloud dramatically increase with the wide adoption of cloud computing. A recent research validates the possibility of combining multiple proprietary migration services offered by different vendors together to complete cloud migration. Pattern based service composition has been proven as an appealing approach to accelerate the service composition and ensure the qualities in the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) domain and can be applied to the cloud migration service composition theoretically. However, current pattern discovery approaches are not applicable for the cloud migration due to lack of either existing cloud migration business process knowledge or execution logs. This paper proposes a novel approach to discover cloud migration patterns from a set of service composition solutions. The authors formalize the pattern discovery as a special graph similarity matching problem and present an algorithm to calculate the similarities of these service composition solutions. Patterns are chosen out of the solutions by similarity under designed criteria. The benchmark results and quantitative analysis show that our proposed approach is effective and efficient in pattern discovery for cloud migration service composition.
Классификация корреляционно-иммунных и минимальных корреляционно-иммунных булевых функций от 4 и 5 переменных
Authors: Alekseev Evgeny Konstantinovich , Karelina Ekaterina Konstantinovna
Published: April 2015

Приведена классификация корреляционно-иммунных и минимальных корреляционно-иммунных булевых функций от $4$ и $5$ переменных относительно группы Джевонса. Приведены разложения представителей классов эквивалентности корреляционно-иммунных функций от $4$ и $5$ переменных на минимальные корреляционно-иммунные функции. Представлены характеристики различных разложений на минимальные корреляционно-иммунные функции функции-константы $\mathbf 1$.
Работа выполнена при поддержке Российского фонда фундаментальных исследований, проект 12-01-00680-а.
Замкнутые классы трехзначной логики, содержащие существенно многоместные линейные функции
Authors: Marchenkov Sergey Seraphimovich
Published: April 2015

Определяются все 23 замкнутых класса трехзначной логики, которые содержат существенно многоместные линейные функции. Устанавливается, что порядок каждого их этих классов не превосходит 3.
Работа выполнена при поддержке Российского фонда фундаментальных исследований, проект 13-01-00958.
Теоремы двумерного восстановления при слабых моментных ограничениях и критические ветвящиеся процессы Беллмана-Харриса
Authors: Topchii Valentin Alekseevich
Published: April 2015

Критические процессы Беллмана-Харриса с двумя типами частиц, у которых хвосты распределения продолжительности жизни имеют порядок $o(t^{-2})$ для первого типа частиц и правильно меняются с индексом от $-1$ до $0$ для второго, связаны с матрицами двумерного восстановления специального вида. Ранее в публикациях В.А. Ватутина и В.А. Топчия асимптотика этих матриц и их приращений первого и второго порядков позволила доказать ряд предельных теорем для исходных ветвящихся процессов. Мы описываем свойства таких матриц восстановления при существенно ослабленных условиях на распределения продолжительности жизни частиц, а затем применяем результаты к описанию асимптотики ряда моментов и их приращений для ветвящихся процессов.
Работа выполнена при финансовой поддержке РФФИ, проект № 14-01-00318.
Некоторые свойства трехмерных полиэдров Клейна
Authors: Illarionov Andrei Anatol'evich
Published: April 2015

Изучаются свойства трехмерных полиэдров Клейна. Основной результат заключается в следующем. Пусть $\mathscr{L}_s(N)$ - множество целочисленных $s$-мерных решеток определителя $N$, а $f'(\Gamma,k)$ - количество таких ребер $E$ многогранников Клейна решетки $\Gamma$, что $#(\Gamma\cap E)=k+1$ (целочисленная длина отрезка $E$ равна $k$). Тогда для любого целого $k>1$
$$
\frac{1}{#\mathscr{L}_s(N)}\sum_{\Gamma\in \mathscr{L}_s(N)}f'(\Gamma,k)=
C'_3(k)\cdot \ln^2 N+O_k(\ln N \cdot \ln\ln N), \qquad
N\to \infty,
$$
где $C'_3(k)$ - положительная постоянная, зависящая только от $k$, причем
$$
C'_3(k)=\frac{6}{\zeta(2)\zeta(3)}\cdot \frac{1}{k^3}+O(\frac{1}{k^4}).
$$
Библиография: 39 названий.
Аппроксимативные свойства средних типа Фейера и Валле-Пуссена частичных сумм специального ряда по системе $\{\sin x\sin kx\}_{k=1}^\infty$
Authors: Sharapudinov Idris Idrisovich
Published: April 2015

Рассмотрены ряды вида
$$
\Phi(\theta)=A_\Phi(\theta)+\sin\theta\sum_{k=1}^\infty\varphi_k\sin k\theta,
$$
где $\Phi(\theta)$ - четная $2\pi$-периодическая функция, принимающая конечные значения $\Phi(0)$ и $\Phi(\pi)$,
\begin{gather*}
A_\Phi(\theta)=\frac{\Phi(0)+\Phi(\pi)}{2} +\frac{\Phi(0)-\Phi(\pi)}{2}\cos\theta,
\qquad
\varphi(\theta)=\Phi(\theta)-A_\Phi(\theta),

\varphi_k=\frac{2}{\pi}\int_0^\pi\varphi(t)\frac{\sin kt}{\sin t} dt.
\end{gather*}
Подобные ряды возникают в качестве частного случая более общих специальных рядов по ультрасферическим полиномам Якоби, введенных и исследованных впервые в работах автора. Показано, что частичные
суммы вида $\Pi_n(\Phi)=\Pi_n(\Phi,\theta)=A_\Phi(\theta)+\sin\theta\sum_{k=1}^{n-1}\varphi_k\sin k\theta$
обладают рядом важных свойств, выгодно отличающих их от тригонометрических сумм Фурье вида
$S_n(\Phi,\theta)=\frac{a_0}{2}+\sum_{k=1}^na_k\cos k\theta$. Исследованы аппроксимативные свойства
средних типа Фейера и Валле-Пуссена для частичных сумм $\Pi_n(\Phi,\theta)$.
Библиография: 7 названий.
A Rare Benign Tumor of Vocal Cord: Myxofibrolipoma
Authors: Kanaujia Surendra Kumar
Published: April 2015

Laryngeal lipomas are rare. Most of these arise from the aryepiglottic folds of which intrinsic tumors most frequently originate from the false vocal cords. The present case report describes a giant tumor arising from true vocal cord, and that too with a rare histopathology which revealed lipoma with myxomatous degeneration and fibrous changes. Clinical features, management and relevant literature are discussed.

How to cite this article

Kanaujia SK, Soni A. A Rare Benign Tumor of Vocal Cord: Myxofibrolipoma. Int J Phonosurg Laryngol 2014;4(2):67-68.
An Elusive Submucosal Laryngeal Malignancy
Authors: Dominic Mathew , Mary Preethy
Published: April 2015

Submucosal laryngeal tumors, though uncommon, are not rare. Though the symptomatology may suggest a laryngeal malignancy, a routine direct laryngoscopy may not reveal the lesion. Obtaining tissue biopsy may also prove to be a challenge. Radiological modality becomes mandatory in these cases to get a representative biopsy.

The present report describes a case with an unusually high number of negative biopsies. The course of management and related literature are discussed.

How to cite this article

Mary P, Dominic M. An Elusive Submucosal Laryngeal Malignancy. Int J Phonosurg Laryngol 2014;4(2):71-72.
A Rare Case of Arytenoid Cyst presenting as Dysphagia
Authors: Gnanatilakan S , Prasad Vishal , Jeyalakshmi R
Published: April 2015

Objective

To report a rare benign condition of larynx in a very rare subsite. To emphasize on the role of coblator in the treatment of laryngeal cysts and to highlight the fact that arytenoid cyst should be considered in the differential diagnosis of dysphagia and hoarseness.

Case report

A 76-year-old adult male, Resident of Trichy, Tamil Nadu, Presented with Discomfort in throat—2 years, Change of voice—2 months and Dysphagia—2 months. Indirect Laryngoscopy and Flexible Laryngoscopy revealed a mass in the right arytenoid which was pedunculated and filling the supraglottis. The airway was however adequate. Contrast Enhanced CT scan of the neck revealed a cystic soft tissue mass arising from Right arytenoids extending into supraglottis. A provisional diagnosis of Arytenoid cyst was made. The patient underwent Direct Laryngoscopy and coblator assisted excision of the cyst under General Anesthesia.

Conclusion

This case report highlights the fact that an arytenoid cyst, although rare, must be considered in the differential diagnosis of any case presenting with dysphagia and/or hoarseness.

It also explains the role of coblation in the management of such lesions.

How to cite this article

Gnanatilakan S, Prasad V, Jeyalakshmi R. A Rare Case of Arytenoid Cyst presenting as Dysphagia. Int J Phonosurg Laryngol 2014;4(2):80-82.
Choroidal and Peripapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in Adults with Anisometropic Amblyopia
Authors: Kantarci Feride Aylin , Tatar Mehmet Gurkan , Uslu Hasim , Colak Hatice Nur , Yildirim Aydin , Goker Hasan , Karaca Emine Esra , Gurler Bulent
Published: April 2015

Purpose

To evaluate choroidal thickness, macular thickness, and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in amblyopic eyes compared to fellow and normal control eyes using high-definition spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methods

Fifty-four without any systemic problem and ocular disease participated in this prospective study. Inclusion criteria included individuals older than 18 years with anisometropic amblyopia. Choroidal thickness, central macular thickness (CMT), and RNFL thickness were measured by using enhanced depth imaging SD-OCT. The choroidal thickness was measured at the fovea and at 500 μm intervals from the foveal center in both temporal and nasal directions. Axial length measurements of the cases were also recorded.

Results

Mean peripapillary RNFL thickness of the amblyopic, fellow, and control eyes was 107.5 ± 15.5 μm, 109.3 ± 12.7 μm, and 108.8 ± 8.6 μm, respectively (p = 0.343). The average CMT was 231.7 ± 14.7 μm in amblyopic eyes, 232.5 ± 15.7 μm in fellow eyes, and 230.8 ± 14.8 μm in control eyes (p = 0.599). Mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was significantly greater in the amblyopic eyes than in the fellow and control eyes (396.3 ± 104.3 μm, 361.0 ± 103.9 μm, 390.6 ± 91.7 μm). Mean axial measurement in amblyopic eyes was 22.7 ± 1.3 mm (20.5–26.1), in fellow eyes 23.1 ± 0.9 mm (20.9–25.0), and in control eyes 23.3 ± 0.9 mm.

Conclusions

In adults with anisometropic amblyopia, subfoveal, temporal, and nasal choroidal thickness of amblyopic eyes are significantly thicker than in fellow eyes. However, no significant differences in peripapillary RNFL thickness or CMT were found between amblyopic and fellow or control eyes.
Quality of Outcome Data in Total Hip Arthroplasty: Comparison of Registry Data and Worldwide Non-Registry Studies from 5 Decades
Authors: Pabinger Christof , Bridgens Anna , Berghold Andrea , Wurzer Paul , Boehler Nikolaus , Labek Gerold
Published: April 2015

Purpose

This systematic review assessed evidence on outcome (revision rate for all reasons) following hip arthroplasty from its beginning 5 decades ago.

Methods

We evaluated all studies from all current hip implants since their market introduction in 1962 regarding “revision rate per 100 observed component years”. Data were compared with arthroplasty registries.

Results

A total of 54 different hip implants were included: for 81% (44 of 54) data is either absent or poor; for 30% (16 of 54) not a single publication could be found. For 52% (28 of 54) less than 100 revisions for all reasons are published in non-registry studies. The remaining 10 implants (19%) comprise 92638 primary implants with 4473 revisions. Control group were the same implants with 111658 primary cases and 3029 revisions from arthroplasty registries. A systematic developer bias as in knee arthroplasty could not be found but several independent authors were found to significantly bias the literature. The overall revision rates per 100 observed component years from non-registry studies (and joint registries) are 0.4 (0.5) for stems, 0.7 (0.7) for cups and 1.4 (2.1) for resurfacing systems.

Conclusions

For 81% of all hip implants assessed limited evidence exists from non-registry studies regarding outcome (revision rate) even 5 decades after market introduction. For the remaining 19% of implants no systematic developer bias could be found but several individual authors significantly biased results of single implants. We therefore ask for a more active publication of new implants.
Design and Evaluation of an Intelligent Artificial Anal Sphincter System Powered by an Adaptive Transcutaneous Energy Transfer System
Authors: Ke Lei , Yan Guozheng , Wang Yongbing , Wang Zhiwu , Liu Dasheng
Published: April 2015

Objectives

The aim of this study was to optimize an intelligent artificial anal sphincter system (AASS) II for patients with severe fecal incontinence.

Methods

Redesigning and integrating a pressure sensor into the sphincter prosthesis allows us to reduce the sensor volume and makes it suitable for a chronic, ambulatory application. Furthermore, a close-loop frequency control method was designed for the transcutaneous energy transfer system. Finally, a longer working time of the implanted device was obtained by the low-power design of the hardware and software. The new model was implanted in 2 dogs and studied for periods of up to 5 weeks.

Results

The output voltage induced on the load of 30 Ω, for a variation range in k of 0.12 ~ 0.42, was maintained at approximately 6.8 V with a frequency control range of the 270 ~ 320 kHz. The minimum and maximum output voltages of the pressure sensor were found to be 1.7 V and 2.34 V, respectively, which corresponded to a pressure range of 90 ~ 120 kPa with maximum change rate of approximately 3.7% caused by the temperature variations. Moreover, compared with AASS I, the low-power design resulting in 94% reduction in power consumption.

Conclusions

The efficacy of the device in achieving continence and sensing the need to defecate was assessed in an animal model. The technical concept and the design of the AASS II turned out to be capable of fulfilling the medical requirements.
Effectiveness of Different Irrigation Procedures for Removal of Dentin Debris from a Simulated Internal Resorption Cavity
Authors: Topçuoğlu Hüseyin S. , Akti Ahmet , Düzgün Salih , Ceyhanli Kadir Tolga , Topçuoğlu Gamze
Published: April 2015

Purpose

The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of different final irrigation techniques to remove artificially placed dentinal debris from a simulated internal root resorption (IRR) cavity.

Methods

Seventy teeth were prepared using the ProTaper system. The roots were then split longitudinally into two halves, in each of which standardized IRR cavities were prepared. Five teeth were set aside to serve as negative control group. Each cavity of the remaining 65 teeth was filled with dentin debris mixed with 2.5% NaOCl. Another 5 teeth (positive control) were not subjected to the debris removal procedure. Sixty teeth were randomly divided into four experimental groups (n = 15), according to the final irrigation technique used: conventional syringe irrigation (CSI), the Self-Adjusting File (SAF), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), and the EndoActivator (EA). Ten milliliters of 2.5% NaOCl was used during the debris removal procedure. The root halves were disassembled, and the amount of remaining debris was evaluated under a stereomicroscope at 30x magnification.

Results

SAF and PUI removed debris significantly better than CSI and EA ( P<.05). CSI was the least effective in debris removal ( p<0.05).

Conclusions

None of the irrigation techniques used was able to completely remove debris from simulated IRR cavities.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation after Liver Transplantation in a Patient with Hepatopulmonary Syndrome and an Atrial Septal Defect
Authors: Sharma Nirmal S. , Wille Keith M. , Guzman Enrique Diaz
Published: April 2015

Introduction

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a rare complication of liver cirrhosis that may result in refractory hypoxemia even after liver transplantation. ECMO has been rarely used after liver transplantation or in patients with HPS.

Methods

We present a patient with HPS who underwent liver transplantation and developed refractory hypoxemia requiring postoperative ECMO support at our institution. During our review of literature we found nine reports of ECMO use for cardiorespiratory failure after liver transplant in the past.

Results

Our patient had persistent intrapulmonary shunting and developed severe respiratory failure after liver transplant. Additionally, the patient was found to have an atrial septal defect (ASD) and required percutaneous closure while receiving ECMO support. Literature review suggests that survival among these patients who were supported with ECMO after liver transplant was 50% and catastrophic bleeding complications were described in only one report.

Conclusions

With careful selection of post-liver transplant patients and judicious management of anticoagulation, ECMO can be safely instituted in this cohort.
Possible role for interleukins as biomarkers for mortality and recurrence in oral cancer
Authors: Arduino Paolo G. , Menegatti Elisa , Cappello Nazario , Martina Eugenio , Gardino Nicolò , Tanteri Carlotta , Cavallo Franco , Scully Crispian , Broccoletti Roberto
Published: April 2015

Background

Salivary and serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) have previously been studied in oral cancer with conflicting results.

Methods

We designed a controlled study to assess the correlation between pretreatment salivary and serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8, and all-cause survival and cancer recurrence in oral cancer patients.

Results

Fifty-two oral cancer patients and 52 healthy control cases were selected. In univariate analysis, salivary IL-6 and IL-8 seemed to be more expressed in cases (p<0.001 and p = 0.010, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that higher pretreatment saliva IL-6 levels were significantly associated with better survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 8.62; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.21-62.50; p = 0.031).

Conclusions

To date, this is the largest prospective controlled study that has analyzed the pretreatment salivary and serum levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in oral cancer patients, suggesting salivary IL-6 as a possible prognostic biomarker. But further validation in a larger sample is still necessary.
Observed Effects of Warm Season Perennial Grass Agriculture on Resident Mammal Species
Authors: Leimbach David D. , Marcello Gregg J.
Published: April 2015

This study focused on the observed impact of switching from a corn / soybean agricultural rotation to the planting of warm season perennial grasses for use in biomass agriculture, as well as the subsequent effects on resident mammal populations. We trapped two parcels of land planted in warm season perennial grasses between September 2011 and October 2013 in order to obtain a census of the mammal populations residing upon the property and to determine the impact (if any) of the change in agriculture. During the first year of the study, a seemingly inhospitable (urban) agricultural area revealed a diverse population of inhabitants. The second year of trapping resulted in the capture of 2 new species (total of 7 species captured) and the noticeable absence of 1 species; a distinct shift in mammal populations had been observed. There was an inverse relationship between the population increase of Peromyscus maniculatus during 2012 and the decline in the population of Peromyscus leucopus. When a Chi-square test was run (P<0.05), the hypothesis of competitive exclusion appeared to be supported. In the third year, population numbers of Peromyscus maniculatus had also plummeted. We observed that warm season perennial grass monoculture had an adverse impact on resident mammal species.
Slachtoffer- en herstelgericht werken in Justitiële Jeugdinrichtingen: nieuwe data, groeimodel en advies
Authors: van Hoek Anneke
Published: April 2015

Victim oriented and restorative practices in juvenile detention centres: new data, maturity grid and advice

This article provides data about qualitative and quantitative research that was executed in juvenile detention centres in The Netherlands in the framework of the EU-funded Restorative Justice in Europe project. The results of a survey amongst 75 staff members are presented. Special attention is paid to the restorative handling of internal conflicts and crimes within the detention centre. Restorative Justice Nederland, executing this research, also developed a self-assessment tool for prisons, the Organisational Maturity Grid Restorative Practices, that can be used to assess how ‘mature’ restorative practices are within an organisation. Based on this maturity grid and the data of the research advice is provided on how restorative practices within juvenile detention centres can be brought to the next level.
Algorithms and a Framework for Indoor Robot Mapping in a Noisy Environment Using Clustering in Spatial and Hough Domains
Authors: Ravankar Ankit A. , Hoshino Yohei , Ravankar Abhijeet , Jixin Lv , Emaru Takanori , Kobayashi Yukinori
Published: April 2015

Map generation by a robot in a cluttered and noisy environment is an important problem in autonomous robot navigation. This paper presents algorithms and a framework to generate 2D line maps from laser range sensor data using clustering in spatial (Euclidean) and Hough domains in noisy environments. The contributions of the paper are: (1) it shows the applicability of density-based clustering methods and mathematical morphological techniques generally used in image processing for noise removal from laser range sensor data; (2) it presents a new algorithm to generate straight-line maps by applying clustering in the spatial domain; (3) it presents a new algorithm for robot mapping using clustering in a Hough domain; and (4) it presents a new framework to load, delete, install or update appropriate kernels in the robot remotely from the server. The framework provides a means to select the most appropriate kernel and fine-tune its parameters remotely from the server based on online feedback, which proves to be very efficient in dynamic environments with noisy conditions. The accuracy and performance of the techniques presented in this paper are discussed with conventional line segment-based EKF-SLAM and the results are compared.
A Balancing Act: Making Sense of Algebra
Authors: Katherine Gavin M. , Sheffield Linda Jensen
Published: April 2015

Students think and act like mathematicians while using balance scales and bar diagrams and, most important, mathematical reasoning.
The management of human resource in the local goverment through the presentation of the status of application of civil service in the Republic of Albania
Authors: Gërxhi Julejda
Published: April 2015

The aim of this study:This study aims to pick up the transparence and the efficence in the managmnet of human resource, through the presantion of the state of the Law “ For the civil service” in the Republic of Albania and especially in the administration of the local government, recommending some ways to go on in this field, that will be the basis for the good progress in the local goverment. Methodology: Five municipalities were chosen to realise this study. Concretely, they are Vlore, Berat, Durres, Shkoder and Elbasan, where the study visists were applied and then the interviewing of the white collars through questions. Two forms of questionnaires were prepaired. The first one for the white collars of differnt levels and the second is for the responsabile administrators for the human resource. Results:This study will introduce efficence in the managment of human resource in the chosen municipalities, through elaboration, analisys and the interpretion of the information, seeing the civil service in the point of view of the white collars themselves of the different levels and from the point of view of the responsible authority for the human resource. Also in the study will be combined the analysis of the result based on the identified causes with the actual legislation for the civil service in Albania. The conclusion:Through this study will be aimed to be realised a reflection of the reality state of the managment of human resource and will become possible the awareness of the responsible authority for the human resource, in order to follow on wards the best selection of specialists according to the job describtion and of the civil employment service and their qualification based on the legislation of the civil service and also provision of continuous protection , wheterver the political changes may be. Let this study be an incitement to evaluate more the white collar, the way of his selection according to the law of “Civil Services in the Albanian Republic” and also the implementation of this law in order to consolidate the public administration at local level.
Democratization Backwards: The Problem of Third-Wave Democracies
Authors: ROSE RICHARD , SHIN DOH CHULL
Published: July 2002

Countries in the third wave of democratization have introduced competitive elections before establishing basic institutions of a modern state such as the rule of law, institutions of civil society and the accountability of governors. By contrast, countries in the first wave of democratization became modern states before universal suffrage was introduced. Because they have democratized backwards, most third-wave countries are currently incomplete democracies. Incomplete democracies can develop in three different ways: completing democratization; repudiating free elections and turning to an undemocratic alternative; or falling into a low-level equilibrium trap in which the inadequacies of elites are matched by low popular demands and expectations. The significance of incomplete democratization is shown by analysing public opinion survey data from three new democracies varying in their predecessor regimes: the Russian Federation (a totalitarian past); the Czech Republic (both a democratic and a totalitarian past) and the Republic of Korea (formerly an authoritarian military regime).
The Importance of Love in Rawls's Theory of Justice
Authors: MENDUS SUSAN
Published: July 2002

In Part III of A Theory of Justice John Rawls asks whether we can show that the disposition to act justly is congruent with the good of the agent who cultivates it. His answer to the problem of congruence has been widely criticized, and Rawls himself now seems to think that this part of A Theory of Justice is defective because the Kantian interpretation implies a comprehensive conception of the good. This article questions that conclusion, and aims to show how the analogy between love and justice can be developed in a way which ensures congruence without implying comprehensiveness. The case of love provides a sense in which our good is neither a function of immediate desires, nor something entirely independent of desire. By showing how congruence is possible it answers the motivational question which lies at the heart of Part III and also promises a richer understanding of what is involved in cultivating the disposition to justice.
The Egalitarian Earnings Subsidy Scheme
Authors: WHITE STUART
Published: July 2002

How should society structure income redistribution so as to correct for ineliminable inequalities in marketable talent? This article explores the strengths and weaknesses of an ‘egalitarian earnings subsidy scheme’ (ESS) in which individuals receive (or pay) a subsidy (or tax) for each pound earned based on the difference between their earnings potential and their society’s average earnings potential. ESS corrects for brute luck inequality in earnings potentials in a well-targeted fashion; implements an attractive conception of reciprocity; and, in contrast to an alternative lump-sum tax proposal, does not entail the ‘slavery of the talented’. However, any practicable version of ESS may undermine at least one other egalitarian objective – that of maintaining equality of status amongst unequally talented citizens. As a status-friendly alternative, we might try to approximate ESS through a more conventional redistribution scheme using taxes and subsidies that implicitly ‘tag’ low- and high-ability individuals. While it is difficult to draw any firm policy conclusions, it seems clear that the idea of talent-based taxes and subsidies on the model of ESS should occupy a more prominent place in our thinking about tax–benefits policy to tackle earnings inequality.
Genetic engineering of crop plants: from genome to gene
Authors: Forster B. P. , Lee M. A. , Lundqvist U. , Millam S. , Vamling K. , Wilson T. M. A.
Published: July 2002

Genetic engineering of crop plants has been in progress since the dawn of agriculture, about 10 000 years ago. For millennia the genetic make-up of our crop plants has been changed by mankind's selection of naturally occurring variants. As the trade routes were developed, novel plant types were introduced into new environments and provided more variation from which to choose. At the end of the nineteenth century an understanding of the laws of heredity was gained and plant breeding protocols were devised whereby selection
became accompanied by deliberate crossing. As the knowledge of the genetic structure of crop plants improved, new ways of manipulation were invented and exploited. Indeed plant breeding became a testing bed for new ideas in genetics. For the plant breeder the techniques which were most widely employed in the past were those which aided breeding, for example techniques which speeded up the production of new varieties, but still used traditional routes of crossing and selection. This was a transitional phase between plant breeding as an art and plant breeding as a science.
PROFITABILITY OF FORAGE PRODUCTION IN SMALLHOLDER PERI-URBAN DAIRY PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Authors: AGYEMANG K. , DOGOO D. L. , MAKUN H. J.
Published: July 2002

Peri-urban dairy producers in West Africa face major production constraints including inadequate and poor quality feeds. In view of the high cost of traditional supplementary feeds such as oilseed cakes, the production of forage, especially legumes, is increasingly being advocated. However, it has not been established whether returns in terms of increased livestock productivity from sown forages will be adequate to encourage smallholder livestock owners to undertake forage production for indigenous livestock.

In three trials involving indigenous Bunaji cows biological and economic responses in terms of milk yields to farmer-planted forage legumes and tree legumes from home gardens were evaluated. Synthesis of the resulting data on labour inputs, forage yields, feed intakes, milk yields, value of outputs and cost of inputs such as seeds and fertilizers showed that for the semi-intensive smallholder and zero-grazed models considered in this study, the margin or profit from using home-grown fodder was 5–8 times the cost of acquiring the feed. The opportunity cost of using the land for forage production rather than for cultivating sorghum, a highly favoured cereal crop, was only 67% of the accrued benefits from milk yields produced by cows supplemented with the forage hays. Thus, there is a real potential for profitable dairy production in peri-urban areas using home-grown fodder.
YIELD OF BANANA GROWN WITH SUPPLEMENTAL DRIP-IRRIGATION ON AN ULTISOL
Authors: GOENAGA R. , IRIZARRY H.
Published: July 2002

A three-year study was conducted on an Ultisol to determine the water requirement, yield and fruit-quality traits of three ratoon crops (R1, R2, R3) of ‘Grande Naine’ banana (Musa acuminata Colla, AAA group) subjected to four levels of irrigation. The irrigation treatments were based on Class A pan factors ranging from 0.0 (rainfed) to 1.0 in increments of 0.25. When needed, drip irrigation was supplied three times a week on alternate days. Results showed significant (p < 0.01) irrigation treatment and crop effects on bunch weight, yield, bunch mean hand weight, weight and fruit diameter of the third and last hands, and length of fruits of the third hand. Highest marketable yield (47.9 t ha−1) was obtained from the R2 crop with water application according to a pan factor of 1.0. It was concluded that irrigating the crop according to a pan factor of 1.0 was sufficient to justify the investment of a drip-irrigation system for a farm in the mountain region.
Linkage disequilibrium mapping of the bolting gene in sea beet using AFLP markers
Authors: HANSEN MATS , KRAFT THOMAS , GANESTAM SARA , SÄLL TORBJÖRN , NILSSON NILS-OTTO
Published: July 2002

The possibility of using linkage disequilibrium mapping in natural plant populations was assessed.
In studying linkage disequilibrium among 137 mapped AFLP markers in four populations of sea
beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima (L.) Arcang.) it was shown that tightly linked loci could be
detected by screening for associations. It was hypothesized that the short distances spanned by
linkage disequilibrium enable markers that are very tightly linked to a target gene to be identified.
The hypothesis was tested by whole-genome screening of AFLP markers for association with the
gene for the annual growth habit, the B gene, in a sample of 106 sea beets. Despite the dominant
nature of AFLP, two markers showing significant linkage disequilibrium with the B gene were
detected. The results indicate the potential use of linkage disequilibrium for gene mapping in
natural plant populations.
The effect of life-history and mode of inheritance on neutral genetic variability
Authors: CHARLESWORTH BRIAN
Published: July 2002

Formulae for the effective population sizes of autosomal, X-linked, Y-linked and maternally transmitted loci in age-structured populations are developed. The approximations used here predict both asymptotic rates of increase in probabilities of identity, and equilibrium levels of neutral nucleotide site diversity under the infinite-sites model. The applications of the results to the interpretation of data on DNA sequence variation in Drosophila, plant, and human populations are discussed. It is concluded that sex differences in demographic parameters such as adult mortality rates generally have small effects on the relative effective population sizes of loci with different modes of inheritance, whereas differences between the sexes in variance in reproductive success can have major effects, either increasing or reducing the effective population size for X-linked loci relative to autosomal or Y-linked loci. These effects need to be accounted for when trying to understand data on patterns of sequence variation for genes with different transmission modes.
Do ΔF508 heterozygotes have a selective advantage?
Authors: WIUF CARSTEN
Published: July 2002

In this paper the fitness of the ΔF508 heterozygote is assessed and the age of the ΔF508 mutation in the cystic fibrosis locus is estimated. Data from three microsatellite loci are applied. The analysis is performed conditional on the present-day frequency of the ΔF508 mutation and based on assumptions about the demographic history of the European population and the mutation rate in the three microsatellite loci. It is shown that the data gives evidence of positive selection (up to 2–3% per ΔF508 heterozygote), but also that data could be explained by negative selection of roughly the same order of magnitude. The age of the ΔF508 mutation is subsequently estimated; it is found that the mutation is at least 580 generations old, but could be much older depending on the microsatellite mutation rate and the exact number of substitutions experienced in the history of the three microsatellite loci.
Effects of thyroid hormone deficiency on mice selected for
increased and decreased body weight and fatness
Authors: BÜNGER LUTZ , WALLACE HELEN , BISHOP JOHN O. , HASTINGS IAN M. , HILL WILLIAM G.
Published: July 2002

A study was undertaken to test whether the elimination of metabolic

pathways strongly involved
in growth and fatness, comprising thyroid hormones (TH) and growth hormone
(GH), is
responsible for a substantial part of the genetic change produced
by selection. Lines used in this
study have been selected for about 50 generations for high (PH) and low
(PL) body weight at 10
weeks and for high (F) and low fat content (L) at 14 weeks,
producing a 3-fold difference in body
weights and a 5-fold difference in fat content. Thyroid ablation was achieved
by repeated
backcrossing into the four selection lines of a transgene comprising
the HSV1-tk gene coupled to
the promoter of the thyroglobulin gene. Hemizygous pregnant dams were treated
with ganciclovir
leading to thyroid-ablated dams and offspring and therefore to a lack of
TH and subsequently of
GH. In the absence of TH and GH, lines still differ in body weight
over the period studied (10 d
to about 100 d; e.g. at the end PH=32·1 g vs PL=10·2 g)
and in fat content (F=16·2% vs
L=3·8%) ; the corresponding values for the wild-type controls
were PH=49·9 g vs PL=17·4 g
and F=27·5% vs L=4·8%. The effect of the transgene
depended on the genetic background for
body weights at most ages and for relative gonadal fat pad weights,
but less for fat content. The L
line showed the lowest growth depression. The lit gene,
which causes GH but not TH deficiency,
was also transferred by repeated backcrosses into three of these lines

(PH, PL, F). The combined
deficiency of TH and GH had bigger effects on body weights at earlier ages
than did GH
deprivation. The data show that changes in the TH- and GH-systems are not
the only cause of
line differences in growth and fatness resulting from long-term
selection, but both are involved to a
significant extent. The interactions between the effects of the
transgene and of the lit gene and the
genetic background were, nevertheless, relatively small and therefore these
results support a
polygenic model of selection response.
Bruce Cattanach: Mutagenesis and where it can lead you
Authors: BOYD Y. , EVANS E. P. , LYON M. F. , PETERS J.
Published: July 2002

This Special Issue of Genetical Research constitutes a
tribute to the work and achievements of Bruce
Cattanach on the occasion of his official retirement.
Bruce began his career working on mutagenesis in
mice. His interest in mutagenesis continued throughout his career
but through it he was led to a wide range
of major discoveries in mammalian genetics. The
contributions from his colleagues in this issue provide
a flavour of the various fields his work has covered.
Models of human genetic disease: how biased are the standard formulae?
Authors: HASTINGS IAN M.
Published: July 2002

Standard theory provides a simple prediction for the frequency of a recessive lethal allele
conferring heterozygous protection against an infectious disease (the best-known example being
sickle cell protection against malaria). This relationship allows historic disease mortality rates
to be estimated. There are, however, hidden biases in this approach. Reproductively active
human females in archaic societies normally produce children at intervals of around 4 years. If
death of the fetus or young infant (less than around 3 years of age) occurs, then the mother re-enters oestrus and produces another child. This ‘reproductive compensation’ reduces selection
against the agent causing early mortality (the recessive allele or infective agent) and biases our
estimates of historic mortality rates. The magnitude of these biases is investigated. Re-conception
also constitutes a demographic selective pressure acting alongside natural selection: lethal genetic
diseases (or tightly linked loci) will be selected to become ever more virulent, killing at ever
decreasing ages, to allow the mother to re-enter oestrus and re-conceive a (hopefully unaffected)
sibling; this effect also invalidates statistical tests using the number of alleles to distinguish
overdominance from drift as explanations for high allele frequency. The same bias affects
calculations of mutation/selection balance: for any given mutation rate, syndromes which kill early
in life will reach much higher frequencies than those killing at later ages. An intriguing
consequence is that lethal recessive disorders in humans will increase in frequency by up to 45%
as a consequence of the recent demographic transition to planned family size.
Role of growth hormone in the genetic change of mice
divergently selected for body weight and fatness
Authors: BÜNGER LUTZ , HILL WILLIAM G.
Published: July 2002

To elucidate the involvement of growth hormone (GH) in the genetic change produced by long-term selection in growth and fatness, a ‘GH knock-out study’ on over 900 mice was undertaken.
Lines used had been selected for more than 50 generations for high (PH) and low (PL) body
weight (initially protein mass) at 70 d(ays) and for high (F) and low fat content (L) at 98 d,
producing a 3-fold difference in body weight and a 5-fold difference in fat content. GH deficiency
was achieved by repeated backcrossing into each line a recessive mutant gene (lit) which has a
defective GH releasing factor receptor. In the absence of GH, the P lines still differ in body weight
(21 d to 98 d): e.g. at 98 d homozygous lit/lit: PH = 24·2 g,
PL = 10·0 g; wild-type (wt):
PH = 57·4 g, PL = 18·7 g. The effect of the GH deficiency on body weight (untransformed) was
very much larger in the PH than in the PL line, but the interaction was much smaller, although
still significant, on the log scale. This indicates that changes in the GH system contribute only a
small part of the selection response in growth. GH deficiency increased fat percentage in all lines
(including P), especially in males (99 d, males lit/lit:
F = 26·4%, L = 6·9%; wt: F = 22·0%,
L = 4·8%; females: 20·2%, 5·2%, 20·7%, 3·0%) with significant genotype×line and
genotype×sex interactions. The interactions between the effects of the lit gene and the genetic
background were, however, relatively small compared with these main effects and again indicate
that other systems contributed most of the selection response.