bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development of an Efficient Embedded Discrete Fracture Model for 3D Compositional Reservoir Simulation in Fractured Reservoirs
Authors: Moinfar Ali , Varavei Abdoljalil , Sepehrnoori Kamy , Johns Russell T.
Published: July 2013

Many naturally fractured reservoirs around the world have depleted significantly, and improved-oil-recovery (IOR) processes are necessary for further development. Hence, the modeling of fractured reservoirs has received increased attention recently. Accurate modeling and simulation of naturally fractured reservoirs (NFRs) is still challenging because of permeability anisotropies and contrasts. Nonphysical abstractions inherent in conventional dual-porosity and dual-permeability models make them inadequate for solving different fluid-flow problems in fractured reservoirs. Also, recent technologies for discrete fracture modeling may suffer from large simulation run times, and the industry has not used such approaches widely, even though they give more-accurate representations of fractured reservoirs than dual-continuum models.

We developed an embedded discrete fracture model (DFM) for an in-house compositional reservoir simulator that borrows the dual-medium concept from conventional dual-continuum models and also incorporates the effect of each fracture explicitly. The model is compatible with existing finite-difference reservoir simulators. In contrast to dual-continuum models, fractures have arbitrary orientations and can be oblique or vertical, honoring the complexity of a typical NFR. The accuracy of the embedded DFM is confirmed by comparing the results with the fine-grid, explicit-fracture simulations for a case study including orthogonal fractures and a case with a nonaligned fracture. We also perform a grid-sensitivity study to show the convergence of the method as the grid is refined. Our simulations indicate that to achieve accurate results, the embedded discrete fracture model may only require moderate mesh refinement around the fractures and hence offers a computationally efficient approach. Furthermore, examples of waterflooding, gas injection, and primary depletion are presented to demonstrate the performance and applicability of the developed method for simulating fluid flow in NFRs.
Multi-unit auctions in the procurement of electricity
Authors: Trifunovic Dejan , Ristic Bojan
Published: July 2013

This paper reviews some multi-unit auction mechanisms that are used in the
procurement of electricity. In ordinary multi-unit auctions bidders compete
to buy several units of the same object from the seller, while in procurement
or reverse auctions suppliers of electricity compete to sell a certain number
of units. Reverse electricity auctions are used in numerous countries and
they create a competitive market for electricity, instead of state-owned
monopolies providing electricity at administratively set prices. In this
paper we will present the most commonly used multi-unit auction forms in
electricity markets. Auctions for electricity from renewable energy sources
deserve special attention, since these suppliers cannot compete with
large-scale producers at the present state of technology.
A Physical Function Test for Use in the Intensive Care Unit: Validity, Responsiveness, and Predictive Utility of the Physical Function ICU Test (Scored)
Authors: Denehy Linda , de Morton Natalie A. , Skinner Elizabeth H. , Edbrooke Lara , Haines Kimberley , Warrillow Stephen , Berney Sue
Published: July 2013

Background

Several tests have recently been developed to measure changes in patient strength and functional outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU). The original Physical Function ICU Test (PFIT) demonstrates reliability and sensitivity.

Objective

The aims of this study were to further develop the original PFIT, to derive an interval score (the PFIT-s), and to test the clinimetric properties of the PFIT-s.

Design

A nested cohort study was conducted.

Methods

One hundred forty-four and 116 participants performed the PFIT at ICU admission and discharge, respectively. Original test components were modified using principal component analysis. Rasch analysis examined the unidimensionality of the PFIT, and an interval score was derived. Correlations tested validity, and multiple regression analyses investigated predictive ability. Responsiveness was assessed using the effect size index (ESI), and the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) was calculated.

Results

The shoulder lift component was removed. Unidimensionality of combined admission and discharge PFIT-s scores was confirmed. The PFIT-s displayed moderate convergent validity with the Timed “Up & Go” Test (r=−.60), the Six-Minute Walk Test (r=.41), and the Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score (rho=.49). The ESI of the PFIT-s was 0.82, and the MCID was 1.5 points (interval scale range=0–10). A higher admission PFIT-s score was predictive of: an MRC score of ≥48, increased likelihood of discharge home, reduced likelihood of discharge to inpatient rehabilitation, and reduced acute care hospital length of stay.

Limitations

Scoring of sit-to-stand assistance required is subjective, and cadence cutpoints used may not be generalizable.

Conclusions

The PFIT-s is a safe and inexpensive test of physical function with high clinical utility. It is valid, responsive to change, and predictive of key outcomes. It is recommended that the PFIT-s be adopted to test physical function in the ICU.
Emerging Frontier of Prehistory and Burning Issues of its Study in Developing Countries
Authors: Khatiwada Som Prasad
Published: July 2013

Many more prehistoric locations and material remains of man’s past are identified from different part of the world from the scholars of developed countries. In the one hand great amount of facilities and resources provided by their governments and related institutions, scholars of developed countries are working continuously in the field of archaeology and prehistory. Besides this the developing countries are struggling for physical development of the country with low amount of resources and they are incapable to allocate national budget for such studies and the scholars and researchers are badly suffered with low income level and high price for livelihood resulting low level of research capabilities. In this context research work on archaeology and prehistory is far away for them and many more prehistoric sites are still hidden under the geological strata of developing countries. There is a great danger of manipulation in data, possibility of forgery like Piltdown forgery and possible damage of megalithic graves for finding antiquities by tomb hunters. Damage of prehistoric sites, tombs and shelters is a great loss for human being not only for related countries, but for the people of the whole world. Therefore, need of collaborative research among the scholars of developed and underdeveloped countries is must for the development of anthropology in global context. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/researcher.v1i1.8375   Researcher: A Research Journal of Culture and Society Vol.1(1) 2013
The history of external ventricular drainage
Authors: Srinivasan Visish M. , O'Neill Brent R. , Jho Diana , Whiting Donald M. , Oh Michael Y.
Published: July 2013

External ventricular drainage (EVD) is one of the most commonly performed neurosurgical procedures. It was first performed as early as 1744 by Claude-Nicholas Le Cat. Since then, there have been numerous changes in technique, materials used, indications for the procedure, and safety. The history of EVD is best appreciated in 4 eras of progress: development of the technique (1850–1908), technological advancements (1927–1950), expansion of indications (1960–1995), and accuracy, training, and infection control (1995–present). While EVD was first attempted in the 18th century, it was not until 1890 that the first thorough report of EVD technique and outcomes was published by William Williams Keen. He was followed by H. Tillmanns, who described the technique that would be used for many years. Following this, many improvements were made to the EVD apparatus itself, including the addition of manometry by Adson and Lillie in 1927, and continued experimentation in cannulation/drainage materials. Technological advancements allowed a great expansion of indications for EVD, sparked by Nils Lundberg, who published a thorough analysis of the use of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring in patients with brain tumors in 1960. This led to the application of EVD and ICP monitoring in subarachnoid hemorrhage, Reye syndrome, and traumatic brain injury. Recent research in EVD has focused on improving the overall safety of the procedure, which has included the development of guidance-based systems, virtual reality simulators for trainees, and antibiotic-impregnated catheters.
Socioeconomic factors associated with pituitary apoplexy
Authors: Jahangiri Arman , Clark Aaron J. , Han Seunggu J. , Kunwar Sandeep , Blevins Lewis S. , Aghi Manish K.
Published: July 2013

Object

Pituitary apoplexy is associated with worse outcomes than are pituitary adenomas detected without acute clinical deterioration. The association between pituitary apoplexy and socioeconomic factors that may limit access to health care has not been examined in prior studies.

Methods

This study involved retrospectively evaluating data obtained in all patients who underwent surgery for nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma causing visual symptoms between January 2003 and July 2012 at the University of California, San Francisco. Patients were grouped into those who presented with apoplexy and those who did not (“no apoplexy”). The 2 groups were compared with respect to annual household income, employment status, health insurance status, and whether or not the patient had a primary health care provider. Associations between categorical variables were analyzed by chi-square test and continuous variables by Student t-test. Multivariate logistic regression was also performed.

Results

One hundred thirty-five patients were identified, 18 of whom presented with apoplexy. There were significantly more unmarried patients and emergency room presentations in the apoplexy group than in the “no apoplexy” group. There was a nonsignificant trend toward lower mean household income in the apoplexy group. Lack of health insurance and lack of a primary health care provider were both highly significantly associated with apoplexy. In a multivariate analysis including marital status, emergency room presentation, income, insurance status, and primary health care provider status as variables, lack of insurance remained associated with apoplexy (OR 11.6; 95% CI 1.9–70.3; p = 0.008).

Conclusions

The data suggest that patients with limited access to health care may be more likely to present with pituitary apoplexy than those with adequate access.
Primary histiocytic sarcoma of the brain mimicking cerebral abscess
Authors: Almefty Rami O. , Tyree Tammy L. , Fusco David J. , Coons Stephen W. , Nakaji Peter
Published: July 2013

Histiocytic sarcoma is a rare malignancy with only 10 reports confirmed primarily involving the CNS. The diagnosis is dependent on the finding of malignant cells with histiocytic morphology and immunophenotype. The authors report a case of pathologically proven HS of the CNS. A 16-year-old boy presented with headaches, emesis, and altered sensorium. Noncontrast head CT scanning demonstrated a left parietal mass consistent with a tumor. Surgery was undertaken. Intraoperative findings revealed green-yellow exudates consistent with an abscess. Cultures were obtained and broad-spectrum antibiotics were started. The patient subsequently underwent multiple surgical procedures, including drainage and debulking of abscesses and hemicraniectomy. Two months after initial presentation, the patient's diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma was confirmed. Pathological examination demonstrated necrotizing inflammation with preponderant neutrophil infiltration, variably atypical mononuclear and multinucleate histiocytes, and numerous mitoses. Additional immunohistochemistry studies confirmed immunoreactivity for CD68, CD45, CD45RO, and CD15 and were negative for CD3, CD20, melanoma cocktail, CD30, CD1a, CD34, HMB-45, and melan-A. Once the diagnosis of histiocytic sarcoma was confirmed, antibiotics were stopped and radiation therapy was undertaken. Despite treatment, the patient's neurological status continued to decline and the patient died 126 days after initial presentation.

This case represents a rare confirmed example of CNS histiocytic sarcoma. A profound inflammatory infiltrate seen on pathology and green exudates seen intraoperatively make the condition difficult to distinguish from an abscess. Immunohistochemistry showing a histiocytic origin and negative for myeloid, dendritic, or other lymphoid markers is essential for the diagnosis. Further research is needed to establish consensus on treatment.
Minimally invasive lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas interbody fusion for L4–5 spondylolisthesis: clinical outcomes
Authors: Ahmadian Amir , Verma Sean , Mundis Gregory M. , Oskouian Rod J. , Smith Donald A. , Uribe Juan S.
Published: July 2013

Object

In this study the authors report on the clinical outcomes, safety, and efficacy of lateral retroperitoneal transpsoas minimally invasive surgery–lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-LIF) at the L4–5 disc space in patients with spondylolisthesis. This approach has become an increasingly popular means of fusion. Its most frequent complication is lumbar plexus injury. Reported complication rates at the L4–5 disc space vary widely in the literature, bringing into question the safety of MIS-LIF for the L4–5 region, especially in patients with spondylolisthesis.

Methods

The authors retrospectively reviewed prospectively acquired multicenter databases of patients with Grade I and II L4–5 spondylolisthesis who had undergone elective MIS-LIF between 2008 and 2011. Clinical follow-up had been scheduled for 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively. Outcome measures included estimated blood loss, operative time, length of hospital stay, integrity of construct, complications, fusion rates, visual analog scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), and 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36).

Results

Eighty-four patients with L4–5 MIS-LIF were identified, 31 of whom met the study inclusion criteria: 26 adults with Grade I and 5 adults with Grade II L4–5 spondylolisthesis who had undergone elective MIS-LIF and subsequent posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation without surgical manipulation of the posterior elements (laminectomy, foraminotomy, facetectomy). The study cohort consisted of 9 males (29%) and 22 females (71%) with an average age of 61.5 years. The mean total blood loss was 94 ml (range 20–250 ml). The mean hospital stay and follow-up were 3.5 days and 18.2 months, respectively. The average score on the ODI improved from 50.4 preoperatively to 30.9 at the last follow-up (p < 0.0001). The SF-36 score improved from 38.1 preoperatively to 59.5 at the last follow-up (p < 0.0001). The VAS score improved from 69.9 preoperatively to 38.7 at the last follow-up (p < 0.0001). No motor weakness or permanent deficits were documented in any patient. Correction of deformity did not have any neurological complications. All patients had improvement in anterolisthesis. Residual postoperative listhesis across cases was noted in 4 patients (12.9%). Transient anterior thigh numbness (Sensory Dermal Zone III) was noted in 22.5% of patients.

Conclusions

With its established surgical corridors through the retroperitoneum and psoas muscle, the MIS-LIF combined with posterior percutaneous pedicle screw fixation/reduction is a safe, reproducible, and effective technique for patients with symptomatic degenerative spondylolisthesis at the L4–5 vertebral segment.
Nutritional Status among Primary School Children in an Upozila of Bangladesh
Authors: Adhikary M
Published: July 2013

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/nimcj.v4i2.15833 Northern International Medical College Journal Vol.4(2) 2013: 265-268
Sense of Community and Festival Attendance
Authors: Van Winkle Christine M. , Woosnam Kyle M. , Mohammed Ann M.
Published: July 2013

Examining how festival involvement contributes to sense of community (SOC) is important to our understanding of how festivals impact the communities in which they exist; therefore, this study examines the relation between festival attendance and sense of community to provide insight,
based on community psychology theory, into how festivals contribute to community development. Sense of community was measured using the Brief Sense of Community Scale (BSCS), and the relation between the BSCS and festival attendance was examined. Although no relation between overall SOC and
festival attendance was found, the relation between festival attendance and the emotional connection factor of the BSCS suggests that festivals do contribute to SOC. Implications for practice and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Exploring Intentions to Attend a Convention: A Gender Perspective
Authors: Ramirez Danielle , Laing Jennifer , Mair Judith
Published: July 2013

The number of people attending conventions is growing worldwide, yet little is still known about convention attendees, particularly from a gender perspective. Scholars have recognized that gender is fundamental to travel decisions, yet there is still an absence of gender-specific research
in the convention attendee travel context. The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of gender on the convention attendance travel decision. It involved interviewing attendees at an international medical convention about their intentions to attend the next convention. The exploratory
findings reveal that some women consider certain factors to be more influential on their convention attendance decision than men, such as the networking opportunities. The results provide some preliminary insights into the potential role gender plays in the convention attendance decision.
The implications of these findings for convention marketing are discussed.
Who will win the race in childrens' oral cavities? Streptococcus mutans or beneficial lactic acid bacteria?
Authors: Güngör ö.E. , Kırzıoğlu Z. , Dinçer E. , Kıvanç M.
Published: July 2013

Adhesion to oral soft and hard tissue is crucial for bacterial colonisation in the mouth. The aim of this work was to select strains of oral lactic acid bacteria that could be used as probiotics for oral health. To this end, the adhesive properties of some lactic acid bacteria were investigated. Seventeen lactic acid bacteria including twoStreptococcus mutansstrains were isolated from the oral cavity of healthy children, while other strains were isolated from fermented meat products. The bacterial strains were applied to teeth surfaces covered with saliva or without saliva. A significant diversity in adhesion capacity to teeth surfaces among the lactic acid bacteria was observed. Lactic acid bacteria isolated from the oral cavity adhered the best to teeth surfaces covered with saliva, whereas lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented meat samples adhered the best to tooth surface without saliva. All strains of lactic acid bacteria were able to reduce the number ofS. mutanscells, in particular on saliva-coated tooth surface. Therefore, they might have potential as probiotics for the oral cavity.
Effect of a synbiotic on infantile acute gastroenteritis
Authors: Gundogdu Z.
Published: July 2013

Acute gastroenteritis is still a common disease worldwide. Synbiotics are being used to alleviate the effects of acute gastroenteritis-related diarrhoea. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of a synbiotic in reducing the duration of diarrhoea in children with acute gastroenteritis. The study has been carried out on data gathered from children with acute gastroenteritis between the age of three months and 14 years seen in paediatric polyclinics between August 2009 and April 2010. While synbiotic group patients got a sachet containing Bifidobacterium lactis 2211 with a minimum of 5×106 cfu active bacteria and 900 mg chicory inulin twice daily for five days together with an oral rehydration solution, the control group only received an oral rehydration solution. Therapy with synbiotic plus an oral rehydration solution shortened the duration of acute diarrhoea in children by approximately one day compared to oral rehydration solution only.
Is it who you are or what you do that is important in the human gut?
Authors: Avershina E. , Rudi K.
Published: July 2013

The current leading view is that functionality and not phylotype is the most important determinant for the services provided by the gut microbiota. Here we present an alternative opinion, advocating the importance of phylotype in addition to function. We believe the literature is misled by technical artifacts in defining operational taxonomic units (OTUs), which are binned groups of bacteria based on sequence homology. Furthermore, the current metagenomic approaches where the total DNA in a sample is mixed prior to sequencing and subsequently resolved by a bioinformatics approach, are highly error prone with respect to both functional and phylotype assignments. We argue that the directions of the OTU and metagenome errors are such that stable phylotypes are overlooked, while functional stability is overestimated. Taking these errors into account, we propose that phylotype represents an interface for functionality, and is for this reason an important determinant for the services provided by the gut microbiota to the host.
A corpus-based investigation into the use of metaphor in British business journalism
Authors: Partington Alan
Published: July 2013

L’article présente une analyse de la nature des métaphores récurrentes dans le discours journalistique des affaires. L’analyse est conduite principalement à partir d’un corpus de textes. À la lumière des résultats observés, on tente une comparaison entre deux importantes théories modernes de la métaphore : pragmatique et cognitive. La méthode utilisée pour cette analyse paraît productive, ou pourra l’étendre à l’étude de nombreux aspects lexicaux de genres particuliers.
Understanding Consumer Behavior through Mental Accounting
Authors: Ucma Tugba , Karabulut Ali Naci , Uzun Ali Caglar
Published: July 2013

By setting out from similar studies, this study falls within international literature. The intention is to measure, in connection with Turkey’s consumer market, in order to understand the behaviors of the Turkish consumers that are different in terms of cultural variables. The operability of this international theory is achieved by taking advantage of mental accounting. In seeking the essential objective of the research, a working group formed from two subgroups in order to manifest the decisiveness in the purchasing decisions of individuals, as well as the effects of the mental accounting theories. The first subgroup is formed by 100 university students whose ages are varied between 18 and 30. The second group forms from the same number of students at the same age range. According to the results of analysis carried out in the direction of the collected data from the sub groups, the consequences of this study support the results of the other a priori study in the literature. The greatest consequence of this research is the reactions developed in the expenditures and savings of the consumers subsequent to the formed sunk costs become varied with in terms of the independent “budget” variable.
Case Study on Relationship Marketing
Authors: Sharma Bhawana , Sood Tulika
Published: July 2013

A paradigm shift has occurred in the concepts of marketing from the production concept to the societal concept. A prominent concept today is the customer concept, which aims to build loyalty and lifetime value by creating, maintaining, and enhancing relationships with the customer by addressing individual customer needs. Relationship marketing is a bifurcation from the customer concept, which seeks to earn and retain long-term preferences, business, and ultimately, a marketing network. In relationship marketing, both parties collaborate on identifying needs to fulfill. Immediate sales are not of prime concern in this model. Organizations should understand the fact of when–and how–to use relationship marketing. The five R’s of Relationship Marketing are Relationship, Realization, Response, Relevance, & Respect. This case study addresses relationship marketing focusing on a service industry (i.e. Insurance Industry). A Sales representative needs to bond well with all his clients in order to be able to meet their expectations as required. Therefore, an employee with good PR skills is sure to climb the ladder of success. The protagonist in the case study, Mr. Sahil Sharma, an Employee of AFRO-INDIA Insurance Ltd., guides and trains his entire team to build, maintain, and enhance their relationship with their clients. This will not only make the clients loyal to the organization, but also will also make them brand ambassadors through word of mouth.
Intensive Care
Authors: Van Genderen Eric
Published: July 2013

Customer-centric organizations are those firms that seek to gain a strategic advantage by focusing on the customer (as opposed to the firm, product line/service(s), processes, financial statements, etc), thereby more effectively offering goods/services that meet the needs and wants of the customer. As an industry, healthcare has the added challenge of needing to offer customized products/services that not only address the needs/wants of customers, but must also do so in an ethical and sensitive way. Patients availing the products/services of healthcare professionals, more-often-than-not, require psychological support in addition to the requisite physical care and/or treatment. It has been well established that one’s psychological state has dramatic impact on the physical and vice versa. This case is set in the Middle East, and centers around the two main concepts of: 1). Customer-centric business practices, and 2). ethical healthcare behavior, respectively. The case, itself, is closely based on the author’s first-hand experience. Identifying information has been modified so as not to reveal the identities of the institution, managing enterprise, or employees.
International Branding at Mirza International
Authors: Dutta Gautam
Published: July 2013

Today, due to globalization, enterprises are increasingly looking towards the global marketplace to market their products. The business opportunities in the foreign markets are no longer considered as only available to large multinational enterprises with long term foreign market presence. Enterprises today, regardless size, take part in a global competitive market which is supported by great advances in information technologies, communication, and transportation. This trend solves one of the main weaknesses found in comparatively smaller enterprises of traditional focus: home country market dependency. The case focuses on Mirza International Limited which originated from a small Indian Tannery business. The company is led by an ambitious, aggressive management team which has helped in achieving phenomenal growth. The company has emerged as a frontrunner in the manufacturing and marketing of footwear. Headquartered in New Delhi, the company markets its leather and leather footwear products, across the globe the UK, Europe, South Africa, the Middle East, and so forth. However, company management is now at a crossroads in regards to a more aggressive approach to international brand building for its product and strategic decisions. This case aims to address these issues regarding smaller company’s internationalization and marketing. The case focuses on the dilemma often faced by medium sized firms from Asia in entering developed country markets in terms of branding or generic product development strategy. The case illustrates the differences in brand building that exist in a big multinational company and in smaller companies during internationalization.
Facebook
Authors: Sharma Lokesh
Published: July 2013

This case study is prepared for the informative purpose, as it will provide the Literature over Facebook and the technologies it is using. We also include the technology change and the shortcomings that Facebook was facing and how developers resolve them. There are detailed explanations of each and every topic which is included in this chapter.
Niche Marketing Strategies for Business Growth
Authors: Kautish Pradeep
Published: July 2013

The consumer behavior is the dynamic sum total of the range of political, economic, technological, demographical, and socio-environmental influences. The art of adapting to the changing environment may sound easy to accommodate to in marketing practice, but these changes are not visible to the insensitive myopic eyes. The essential condition for a professionally managed company to grow and keep growing is not taking pride in the high level of corporate marketing management. The strategy for seizing a market niche requires an understanding of important marketing concepts and strategies based on segmentation and targeting widely propounded marketing phenomenon. Considering the market as segmented into a host of individual homogenous elements implies a clear identification of the customers of each company to survive. It is thus necessary to determine, with absolute clarity, who the customers or target audience are for the company and to then offer products and services that match their needs effectively. This may also require the development of an optimal distribution mechanism framework to ensure quality of company offerings. The present case deals with the decision dilemma of a management professional who is in the process of deciding about acquiring a niche marketing company and the case elucidates four companies with respective marketing strategies employed for business operations by them. The case provides an opportunity to compare and contrast different marketing strategies with the protagonist’s decision dilemma in light of market trends.
Marketing of Tobacco Products in Australia
Authors: Sharma Rajeev
Published: July 2013

Liberal western, democratic traditions provide ‘freedom of choice’ to consumers. This doctrine is also extended to commercial organisations in developing their marketing and promotional strategies. Some products, tobacco in particular, have continued to attract a high level of social and legislative scrutiny in the industrialised countries. There is an argument that tobacco products are excessively harmful to the society–particularly the vulnerable and disadvantaged. As a result governments have a bigger responsibility and a significant role to play in regulating such goods and services. The Australian Federal Government has recently introduced a bill into Parliament. It aims to lay down very stringent guidelines and restrict the promotional options for tobacco product marketing in Australia. This real and evolving case study looks into the challenges faced by the marketers.
Tata GoldPlus
Authors: Ahmed Salma
Published: July 2013

The TATAs entered the jewelry market with a retail chain, Gold Plus, which was engaged in selling branded jewelry. Their focus was on the mass market with a presence in small towns and in rural India. The sale of jewelry is based on trust which cannot be established in a day and the jewelry market has been the domain of local players who have dominated for years and have developed strong bonds with their customers over many decades. Further, there are also many players in the branded jewelry segment such as Gitanjali, D’damas, Asmi, to name a few and many other multi-national firms. These would provide stiff competition to Gold Plus. Therefore it remains to be seen how far Tata Goldplus is able to make a place for itself in the crowded market.
Mobile IPv6
Authors: Arulogun Tayo , AlSa'deh Ahmad , Meinel Christoph
Published: July 2013

Mobile Internet Protocol (MIP) enables a mobile node to be recognized via a single IP address while the node moves between different networks. MIP attains the connectivity to nodes everywhere without user intervention. One general improvement in Mobile IPv6 (MIPv6) compared to MIPv4 is the enhanced security. However, there are areas still susceptible to various kinds of attacks. Security approaches for the MIPv6 are still in progress and there are few unsolved concerns and problems. This chapter focuses on MIPv6 security considerations, potential threats, and possible defense mechanisms. The authors discuss and analyze in detail the MIPv6 mobility management and security approaches with respect to the efficiency and complexity and bring forward some constructive recommendations.
A New Encryption Algorithm based on Chaotic Map for Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Zaibi Ghada , Peyrard Fabrice , Kachouri Abdennaceur , Fournier-Prunaret Danièle , Samet Mounir
Published: July 2013

A new and secure chaos-based block cipher for image encryption in wireless sensor networks is proposed. The security analysis and the performances of the proposed algorithm have been investigated. The statistical analysis includes the histograms and correlation coefficients of adjacent pixels. In the differential analysis, the authors use the Number of Pixels Change Rate (NPCR) and the Unified Changing Average (UACI) measures to demonstrate the security against differential attacks. Key sensitivity analysis and key space analysis show that the proposed cipher is secure and resistant to brute force attack. The authors demonstrate that the performance of the cipher exceeds the studied encryption algorithms as well as AES (Advanced Encryption Standard). An implementation on a real wireless sensor network testbed is realized, and the energy consumption is investigated.
Enhancing Intrusion Detection Systems Using Intelligent False Alarm Filter
Authors: Meng Yuxin , Kwok Lam-For
Published: July 2013

Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) have been widely implemented in various network environments as an essential component for current Information and Communications Technologies (ICT). However, false alarms are a big problem for these systems, in which a large number of IDS alarms, especially false positives, could be generated during their detection. This issue greatly decreases the effectiveness and the efficiency of an IDS and heavily increases the burden on analyzing real alarms. To mitigate this problem, in this chapter, the authors identify and analyze the reasons for causing this problem, present a survey through reviewing some related work in the aspect of false alarm reduction, and introduce a promising solution of constructing an intelligent false alarm filter to refine false alarms for an IDS.
A Mobile-Based Attribute Aggregation Architecture for User-Centric Identity Management
Authors: Augusto Alexandre B. , Correia Manuel E.
Published: July 2013

The massive growth of the Internet and its services is currently being sustained by the mercantilization of users’ identities and private data. Traditional services on the Web require the user to disclose many unnecessary sensitive identity attributes like bankcards, geographic position, or even personal health records in order to provide a service. In essence, the services are presented as free and constitute a means by which the user is mercantilized, often without realizing the real value of its data to the market. In this chapter the auhors describe OFELIA (Open Federated Environment for Leveraging of Identity and Authorization), a digital identity architecture designed from the ground up to be user centric. OFELIA is an identity/authorization versatile infrastructure that does not depend upon the massive aggregation of users’ identity attributes to offer a highly versatile set of identity services but relies instead on having those attributes distributed among and protected by several otherwise unrelated Attribute Authorities. Only the end user, with his smartphone, knows how to aggregate these scattered Attribute Authorities’ identity attributes back into some useful identifiable and authenticated entity identity that can then be used by Internet services in a secure and interoperable way.
The Austrian Identity Ecosystem
Authors: Stranacher Klaus , Tauber Arne , Zefferer Thomas , Zwattendorfer Bernd
Published: July 2013

Architectures and protocols for secure information technology are crucial to satisfy security requirements of current e-government solutions. Identity plays a central role in most e-government solutions, as users typically need to be reliably identified and authenticated. User identification and authentication approaches usually rely on complex cryptographic methods and sophisticated technical solutions. Additionally, these solutions need to be backed by appropriate organizational and legal frameworks that assure the legal validity of provided identification and authentication approaches. In this chapter, the authors introduce the Austrian identity ecosystem that represents one of the main pillars of the Austrian e-government infrastructure. They discuss underlying concepts and main building blocks of this comprehensive ecosystem and show how architectures and protocols for secure information technology are employed to assure the security of user identification and authentication processes. By discussing concrete use cases, the authors illustrate the applicability of the Austrian identity ecosystem for both Austrian and foreign citizens.
Effect of habitat type and pitfall trap installation on captures of epigaeic arthropod assemblages in the boreal forest
Authors: Bergeron J.A. Colin , Spence John R. , Volney W. Jan A. , Pinzon Jaime , Hartley Dustin J.
Published: July 2013

It is unrealistic to achieve high-resolution biodiversity inventories required to support local conservation strategies over large areas; however, benchmark associations between arthropods and ecosystem classification can support landscape scale biomonitoring. We investigated habitat associations of ground-dwelling spiders (Araneae), staphylinid beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), and carabid beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in three forest ecosystems in northwestern Alberta, Canada and also studied the effect of variation in depth of pitfall trap installation on catch. Composition and diversity of all three taxa were correlated with the ecosystem classification map, and 20 species were strong indicators of particular habitats. The black spruce (Picea mariana(Miller) Britton, Sterns, and Poggenburg; Pinaceae) bog supported fewer species and individuals of beetles but this trend was not observed for spiders because of natural history traits associated with their performance in this environment. Pitfall trapping biases were constant among habitats enabling proper comparison of ground-dwelling invertebrate assemblages. Three species of beetles (Agonum retractumLeConte (Coleoptera: Carabidae),Pterostichus brevicornis(Kirby) (Coleoptera: Carabidae), andQuedius veloxSmetana (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)) were disproportionally active beneath the soil surface, as catches were greater in pitfall traps with the lip situated 15–25 cm below the soil surface. Thus, even highly standardised trap placement will influence the concept of biodiversity achieved through pitfall trapping, because some target organisms are disproportionately active in subterranean zones.
Heterogeneity of Campylobacter species isolated from serial stool specimens of Egyptian children using pulsed field gel electrophoresis
Authors: El-Gendy Atef M. , Wasfy Momtaz O. , Mansour Adel M. , Oyofo Buhari T. , Yousry Marwa M. , Klena John D.
Published: July 2013

Background: The genus Campylobacter spp. is a common cause of human acute bacteria lenteritis and travellers’ diarrhoea worldwide.Objective: To determine whether multiple serial isolations of Campylobacter spp., when obtained from a single child, represented the same or a different organism.Methods: In a birth cohort study conducted in Egypt, numerous children showed serial isolations of Campylobacter spp. Of these, 13 children were selected from different households based on the successive isolation of six or more Campylobacter isolates from stool samples.Results: Eighty isolates were recovered and identified as either Campylobacter coli (n = 25) or Campylobacter jejuni (n = 55). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) revealed the presence of 38 unique C. jejuni and 24 C. coli profiles at a similarity level of ≥ 90%. Although no seriallyidentical isolates were detected in six children, others demonstrated at least one identical couple of isolates; all identified serially between one to six weeks. Two children demonstrated > 80% similar couples of isolates that appeared seven months apart. PFGE could be a useful tool for differentiating reinfection, relapse and convalescent excretion phases.Conclusion: Our data suggest that Campylobacter infection in children is a complex process; children are exposed to multiple species in endemic environments and strains of the same bacterium appear to be shed serially between one to six weeks after the first exposure. Isolates that persisted for longer periods were relatively less similar, as shown from the results of this study.
The relationship between wellbeing indicators and teacher psychological stress in Eastern Cape public schools in South Africa
Authors: Vazi Malik L.M. , Ruiter Robert A.C. , Van den Borne Bart , Martin Glynnis , Dumont Kitty , Reddy Priscilla S.
Published: July 2013

Orientation: Positive psychological and subjective wellbeing indicators have proven to be protective against certain physical illnesses but have been rarely assessed in teacher stress.Research purpose: The main objective of this study was to assess the relationship between indicators of wellbeing and stress and to further assess the relative importance of these wellbeing indicators in explaining stress variance in a large sample of Eastern Cape primary and high school teachers in South Africa.Motivation for the study: The majority of teacher stress studies focus on the misfit between the individual’s resources and the environmental demands. There is a scarcity of studies reporting on protective factors in teaching and we know little about their possible role as possible protective factors against stress. This is important in developing stress prevention strategies.Research design, approach and method: A cross-sectional survey was used targeting public school teachers in the Eastern Cape. The sample size was 562 randomly selected teachers from both public primary and high schools.Main findings: The results revealed that stress is prevalent amongst teachers. Subjective and psychological wellbeing factors added significantly to the explained stress variance. Also, both negative affect and role problems had significant positive correlations with stress, whilst psychological wellbeing had a strong inverse relationship with stress.Practical/managerial implications: The results implied that interventions focusing on improving psychological wellbeing and reduction of negative affect can contribute to stress prevention.Contribution/value-add: The results contributed towards a better understanding of the relative importance of wellbeing constructs as protective factors against teacher stress.
Short Communication: Prediction of in vitro dry matter digestibility with the ANKOM Daisy II system of ruminant feeds using the gas production technique
Authors: Plaizier J. C. , Li S.
Published: July 2013

Plaizier, J. C. and Li, S. 2013. Short Communication: Prediction of in vitro dry matter digestibility with the ANKOM Daisy II system of ruminant feeds using the gas production technique. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 93: 399–402. The potential of the gas production technique to predict in vitro dry matter digestibility was determined using 50 ruminant feeds, including grass/alfalfa forages, grain crop silages, grains, high protein feeds, and feed straws. Without including the chemical composition in the prediction equation, the prediction of IVDMD based on the cumulative gas production during 48 h alone was poor (R 2=0.48). Including the crude protein and neutral detergent fibre concentrations of the feed in the prediction equation improved the accuracy of the prediction (R 2=0.87), which was higher than that of predicting IVDMD based on the chemical composition alone (R 2=0.82).
Reduction of the Regularization Error of the Method of Regularized Stokeslets for a Rigid Object Immersed in a Three-Dimensional Stokes Flow
Authors: Nguyen Hoang-Ngan , Cortez Ricardo
Published: July 2013

We focus on the problem of evaluating the velocity field outside a solid object moving in an incompressible Stokes flow using the boundary integral formulation. For points near the boundary, the integral is nearly singular, and accurate computation of the velocity is not routine. One way to overcome this problem is to regularize the integral kernel. The method of regularized Stokeslet (MRS) is a systematic way to regularize the kernel in this situation. For a specific blob function which is widely used, the error of the MRS is only of first order with respect to the blob parameter. We prove that this is the case for radial blob functions with decay propertyϕ(r)=O(r−3−α) whenr→∞ for some constantα>1. We then find a class of blob functions for which the leading local error term can be removed to get second and third order errors with respect to blob parameter. Since the addition of these terms might give a flow field that is not divergence free, we introduce a modification of these terms to make the divergence of the corrected flow field close to zero while keeping the desired accuracy. Furthermore, these dominant terms are explicitly expressed in terms of blob function and so the computation time is negligible.
A Godunov-Type Solver for the Numerical Approximation of Gravitational Flows
Authors: Vides J. , Braconnier B. , Audit E. , Berthon C. , Nkonga B.
Published: July 2013

We present a new numerical method to approximate the solutions of an Euler-Poisson model, which is inherent to astrophysical flows where gravity plays an important role. We propose a discretization of gravity which ensures adequate coupling of the Poisson and Euler equations, paying particular attention to the gravity source term involved in the latter equations. In order to approximate this source term, its discretization is introduced into the approximate Riemann solver used for the Euler equations. A relaxation scheme is involved and its robustness is established. The method has been implemented in the software HERACLES [29] and several numerical experiments involving gravitational flows for astrophysics highlight the scheme.
Numerical Bifurcation Methods and their Application to Fluid Dynamics: Analysis beyond Simulation
Authors: Dijkstra Henk A. , Wubs Fred W. , Cliffe Andrew K. , Doedel Eusebius , Dragomirescu Ioana F. , Eckhardt Bruno , Gelfgat Alexander Yu. , Hazel Andrew L. , Lucarini Valerio , Salinger Andy G. , Phipps Erik T. , Sanchez-Umbria Juan , Schuttelaars Henk , Tuckerman Laurette S. , Thiele Uwe
Published: July 2013

We provide an overview of current techniques and typical applications of numerical bifurcation analysis in fluid dynamical problems. Many of these problems are characterized by high-dimensional dynamical systems which undergo transitions as parameters are changed. The computation of the critical conditions associated with these transitions, popularly referred to as ‘tipping points’, is important for understanding the transition mechanisms. We describe the two basic classes of methods of numerical bifurcation analysis, which differ in the explicit or implicit use of the Jacobian matrix of the dynamical system. The numerical challenges involved in both methods arementioned and possible solutions to current bottlenecks are given. To demonstrate that numerical bifurcation techniques are not restricted to relatively low-dimensional dynamical systems, we provide several examples of the application of the modern techniques to a diverse set of fluid mechanical problems.