bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Singlet-oxygen-sensitized delayed fluorescence of phthalocyanines caused by photosensitized and direct excitation of dissolved oxygen by laser radiation
Authors: Krasnovsky Alexander A. , Stremedlovskaya Valentina S.
Published: July 2009

This paper provides a brief account of the prior studies of singlet-oxygen-sensitized delayed fluorescence (SOSDF) of phthalocyanines and related compounds caused by photosensitized singlet oxygen generation in dye solutions, and presents new results, which unambiguously demonstrate that SOSDF also appears in phthalocyanine solutions upon direct excitation of dissolved oxygen by 1270 nm laser radiation. In all cases, light emission was shown to appear owing to the unique property of phthalocyanine molecules to efficiently accumulate energy of two molecules of singlet oxygen. Dependences of the IR-excited SOSDF on the phthalocyanine concentration, laser power and addition of singlet oxygen quenchers have been studied and kinetic equations are proposed for analyses of these data.
Coordination polymers built from metal tripyrrin units
Authors: Bröring Martin
Published: July 2009

This account summarizes recent advances in the coordination chemistry of tripyrrins and related ligands with a special emphasis on the structural chemistry of coordination polymers with such ligands. The tripyrrin ligand is unique in supporting the formation of 1D- and 3D-supramolecular structures from pentacoordinate transition metal ions due to an effective blockage of their sixth coordination site. Linear coordination polymers have been observed with a multitude of bidentate and tridentate bridging ligands like trifluoroacetate, azide, thio- and selenocyanate, and higher order pseudohalides. Homo- and heterodimetallic species have been obtained by the use of cyanometallates and could be characterized structurally in two cases. Besides the covalent coordination bonds, several secondary interactions like hydrogen bonding and π-stacking were found to support these coordination polymers and are demonstrated to allow the preparation of species with functionalized inner surfaces.
Bis-porphyrin tweezers: rigid or flexible linkers for better adjustment of the cavity to bidentate bases of various size
Authors: Solladié Nathalie , Aziat Farid , Bouatra Souhaila , Rein Régis
Published: July 2009

We report herein the binding studies of three bis-porphyrinic tweezers bearing nucleosidic linkers and a bis-porphyrinic dipeptide with two bidentate bases of different size, DABCO and 4,4' -bipyridine. In the nucleosidic series, the nucleoside confers, for two dimers out of three, sufficient preorganization to the dimers to enhance the association constants, documenting the fact that rigid dimers are not necessary for preorganization, and opening up new routes to the faster synthesis of flexible tweezers capable of complexing guests with a high association constant. Comparison of these results with those obtained for rigid tweezers shows a better efficiency of the flexible nucleosidic dimers. We thus document the fact that the choice of rigid spacers is not the only way to pre-organize bis-porphyrins, and that some well-chosen nucleosidic linkers offer an interesting option for the synthesis of such devices.
Programming matrix algorithms-by-blocks for thread-level parallelism
Authors: Quintana-Ortí Gregorio , Quintana-Ortí Enrique S. , Geijn Robert A. Van De , Zee Field G. Van , Chan Ernie
Published: July 2009

With the emergence of thread-level parallelism as the primary means for continued performance improvement, the programmability issue has reemerged as an obstacle to the use of architectural advances. We argue that evolving legacy libraries for dense and banded linear algebra is not a viable solution due to constraints imposed by early design decisions. We propose a philosophy of abstraction and separation of concerns that provides a promising solution in this problem domain. The first abstraction, FLASH, allows algorithms to express computation with matrices consisting of contiguous blocks, facilitating algorithms-by-blocks. Operand descriptions are registered for a particular operation a priori by the library implementor. A runtime system, SuperMatrix, uses this information to identify data dependencies between suboperations, allowing them to be scheduled to threads out-of-order and executed in parallel. But not all classical algorithms in linear algebra lend themselves to conversion to algorithms-by-blocks. We show how our recently proposed LU factorization with incremental pivoting and a closely related algorithm-by-blocks for the QR factorization, both originally designed for out-of-core computation, overcome this difficulty. Anecdotal evidence regarding the development of routines with a core functionality demonstrates how the methodology supports high productivity while experimental results suggest that high performance is abundantly achievable.
Algorithm 896
Authors: Lukšan Ladislav , Matonoha Ctirad , Vlček Jan
Published: July 2009

We present 14 basic Fortran subroutines for large-scale unconstrained and box constrained optimization and large-scale systems of nonlinear equations. Subroutines PLIS and PLIP, intended for dense general optimization problems, are based on limited-memory variable metric methods. Subroutine PNET, also intended for dense general optimization problems, is based on an inexact truncated Newton method. Subroutines PNED and PNEC, intended for sparse general optimization problems, are based on modifications of the discrete Newton method. Subroutines PSED and PSEC, intended for partially separable optimization problems, are based on partitioned variable metric updates. Subroutine PSEN, intended for nonsmooth partially separable optimization problems, is based on partitioned variable metric updates and on an aggregation of subgradients. Subroutines PGAD and PGAC, intended for sparse nonlinear least-squares problems, are based on modifications and corrections of the Gauss-Newton method. Subroutine PMAX, intended for minimization of a maximum value (minimax), is based on the primal line-search interior-point method. Subroutine PSUM, intended for minimization of a sum of absolute values, is based on the primal trust-region interior-point method. Subroutines PEQN and PEQL, intended for sparse systems of nonlinear equations, are based on the discrete Newton method and the inverse column-update quasi-Newton method, respectively. Besides the description of methods and codes, we propose computational experiments which demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithms.
Algorithm 897
Authors: He Jian , Watson Layne T. , Sosonkina Masha
Published: July 2009

VTDIRECT95 is a Fortran 95 implementation of D. R. Jones' deterministic global optimization algorithm called
DIRECT
, which is widely used in multidisciplinary engineering design, biological science, and physical science applications. The package includes both a serial code and a data-distributed massively parallel code for different problem scales and optimization (exploration vs. exploitation) goals. Dynamic data structures are used to organize local data, handle unpredictable memory requirements, reduce the memory usage, and share the data across multiple processors. The parallel code employs a multilevel functional and data parallelism to boost concurrency and mitigate the data dependency, thus improving the load balancing and scalability. In addition, checkpointing features are integrated into both versions to provide fault tolerance and hot restarts. Important algorithm modifications and design considerations are discussed regarding data structures, parallel schemes, error handling, and portability. Using several benchmark functions and real-world applications, the software is evaluated on different systems in terms of optimization effectiveness, data structure efficiency, parallel performance, and checkpointing overhead. The package organization and usage are also described in detail.
Browser security
Authors: Reis Charles , Barth Adam , Pizano Carlos
Published: July 2009

To shield the browser from attacks, Google Chrome developers eyed three key problems.
Revitalizing computing education through free and open source software for humanity
Authors: Morelli Ralph , Tucker Allen , Danner Norman , De Lanerolle Trishan R. , Ellis Heidi J. C. , Izmirli Ozgur , Krizanc Danny , Parker Gary
Published: July 2009

The humanitarian focus of socially useful projects promises to motivate community-minded undergrads in and out of CS.
Distinguishing citation quality for journal impact assessment
Authors: Lim Andrew , Ma Hong , Wen Qi , Xu Zhou , Cheang Brenda
Published: July 2009

Introduction

The research community has long and often been fervently keen on debating the topic of journal impact. Well, just what is the impact of a journal? Today, the Science Citation Index (SCI) recognizes over 7,000 journals. The sheer number of available journals renders it pivotal for researchers to accurately gauge a journal's impact when submitting their papers, as it has become commonplace that researchers regard publishing their work in established journals to have significant influence on peer recognition. For journals in Management Information System (MIS), such research studies have continuously been published since the 1990s. Nine of them have been summarized by Carol Saunders, whereby seven were based on respondent perceptions by surveying experts, and two were based on the citation quantity to indicate the journal impact.

It is generally accepted that citation analysis is purported to be a more objective method than the expert survey. The main reason is citation analysis uses objective measurements, which are based on the viewpoint that the influence of a journal and its articles is determined by their usefulness to other journals and articles, and where their usage can be reflected by citations that they have received. However, using citation quantity only is also considered to have bias to a certain degree, due to a widely held notion that citation quantity does not represent citation quality. Regarding the impact in the MIS discipline for example, a citation by a paper published in a prestigious MIS journal should far outweigh a citation by a paper published in an unremarkable MIS journal or in an external journal outside the MIS field. Such intuition suggests that the citation quality can be divided into the following two aspects:

• Citation Relevance (CR): indicating how relevant the journal giving the citation is to the discipline we are interested in;

• Citation Importance (CI): indicating how important the journal giving the citation is in the discipline we are interested in.

However, these concerns about citation quality have not been properly addressed in citation analysis literature.

To address our concerns about citation quality for assessing journal impact, we propose a method, which first clusters "pure" MIS journals to identify relevant citations, and then score the impact for each journal, according to its citations that are received from pure MIS journals and weighted by citation importance. Although our method is only applied to MIS journals, it is general enough to evaluate the impact of journals in other disciplines.
Digital anastylosis of the Octagon in Ephesos
Authors: Thuswaldner Barbara , Flöry Simon , Kalasek Robert , Hofer Michael , Huang Qi-Xing , Thür Hilke
Published: July 2009

Anastylosis is the archaeological and architectural reconstruction of a ruined monument at the historic site after careful study of the remaining original elements. We present research results concerning 3D technologies that are used in the digital anastylosis of cultural heritage monuments. Based on current state-of-the-art research, we present 3D data collection, digital artifacts reconstruction, and digital reassembly of existing fragments illustrated by means of the Octagon monument in Ephesos, Turkey. Our focus is on methods that belong to geometry processing.
The arrigo showcase reloaded—towards a sustainable link between 3D and semantics
Authors: Havemann Sven , Settgast Volker , Berndt René , Eide Øyvind , Fellner Dieter W.
Published: July 2009

It is still a big technical problem to establish a relation between a shape and its meaning in a sustainable way. We present a solution with a markup method that allows for labeling parts of a 3D object very much like labeling parts of a hypertext. A 3D markup can serve both as hyperlink and as link anchor, which is the key to bidirectional linking between 3D objects and Web documents. Our focus is on a sustainable 3D software infrastructure for application scenarios ranging from email and Internet over authoring and browsing semantic networks to interactive museum presentations. We demonstrate the workflow and the effectiveness of our tools by redoing the Arrigo 3D Showcase. We are working towards a best practice example for information modeling in cultural heritage.
Pyrrolidine Dithiocarbamate Attenuates Paraquat‐Induced Lung Injury in Rats
Authors: Chang Xiuli , Shao Chunfeng , Wu Qing , Wu Qiangen , Huang Min , Zhou Zhijun
Published: July 2009

Paraquat (PQ) has been demonstrated that the main target organ for the toxicity is the lung. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of PDTC on the PQ‐induced pulmonary damage. Fifty‐four rats were divided into control, PQ‐treated and PQ+PDTC‐treated groups. Rats in the PQ group were administrated 40 mg/kg PQ by gastric gavage, and PDTC group with 40 mg/kg PQ followed by injection of 120 mg/kg PDTC (IP). On the days 3, 7, 14 and 21 after treatments, the activities of GSH‐Px, SOD, MDA level and the content of HYP were measured. TGF‐β1 mRNA and protein were assayed by RT‐PCR and ELISA. MDA level in plasma and BALF was increased and the activities of GSH‐Px and SOD were decreased significantly in the PQ‐treated groups (P< .05) compared with control group. While the activities of GSH‐Px and SOD in the PQ+PDTC‐treated groups was markedly higher than that of PQ‐treated groups (P< .05), and in contrast, MDA level was lower. TGF‐β1 mRNA and protein were significantly lower in the PQ+PDTC‐treated groups than that of PQ‐treated groups (P< .05). The histopathological changes in the PQ+PDTC‐treated groups were milder than those of PQ groups. Our results suggested that PDTC treatment significantly attenuated paraquat‐induced pulmonary damage.
Highly Sensitive Sensors Based on Photonic Crystal Fiber Modal Interferometers
Authors: Villatoro Joel , Finazzi Vittoria , Badenes Gonçal , Pruneri Valerio
Published: July 2009

We review the research on photonic crystal fiber modal interferometers with emphasis placed on the characteristics that make them attractive for different sensing applications. The fabrication of such interferometers is carried out with different post‐processing techniques such as grating inscription, tapering or cleaving, and splicing. In general photonic crystal fiber interferometers exhibit low thermal sensitivity while their applications range from sensing strain or temperature to refractive index and volatile organic compounds.
Bullatacin Triggered ABCB1‐Overexpressing Cell Apoptosis via the Mitochondrial‐Dependent Pathway
Authors: Liang Yong-Ju , Zhang Xu , Dai Chun-Ling , Zhang Jian-Ye , Yan Yan-Yan , Zeng Mu-Sheng , Chen Li-Ming , Fu Li-Wu
Published: July 2009

This paper was to explore bullatacin‐mediated multidrug‐resistant cell apoptosis at extremely low concentration. To investigate its precise mechanisms, the pathway of cell apoptosis induced by bullatacin was examined. Bullatacin causes an upregulation of ROS and a downregulation of ΔΨm in a concentration‐dependent manner in ABCB1‐overexpressing KBv200 cells. In addition, cleavers of caspase‐9, caspase‐3, and PARP were observed following the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria after bullatacin treatment. However, neither cleavage of caspase‐8 nor change of expression level of bcl‐2, bax and Fas was observed by the same treatment. Pretreating KBv200 cells with N‐acetylcysteine, an antioxidant modulator, resulted in a significant reduction of ROS generation and cell apoptosis induced by bullatacin. Bullatacin‐induced apoptosis was antagonized by z‐LEHD‐fmk, a caspase‐9 inhibitor, but not by z‐IETD‐fmk, a caspase‐8 inhibitor. These implied that apoptosis of KBv200 cells induced by bullatacin was associated with the mitochondria‐dependent pathway that was limited to activation of apical caspase‐9.
Elementary Statistical Models for Vector Collision-Sequence Interference Effects with Poisson-Distributed Collision Times
Authors: Lewis John Courtenay
Published: July 2009

In a recent paper (Lewis, 2008) a class of models suitable for application to collision-sequence interference was introduced. In these models velocities are assumed to be completely
randomized in each collision. The distribution of velocities was assumed to be Gaussian. The
integrated induced dipole moment μk, for vector interference, or the scalar modulation μk, for scalar
interference, was assumed to be a function of the impulse (integrated force) fk, or its magnitude
fk, experienced by the molecule in a collision. For most of (Lewis, 2008) it was assumed that μk∝fk and μk∝fk, but it proved to be possible to extend the models, so that the magnitude of the
induced dipole moment is equal to an arbitrary power or sum of powers of the intermolecular force.
This allows estimates of the infilling of the interference dip by the disproportionality of the induced
dipole moment and force. One particular such model, using data from (Herman and Lewis, 2006), leads to the most realistic
estimate for the infilling of the vector interference dip yet obtained.
In (Lewis, 2008) the drastic assumption was made that collision times occurred at equal intervals. In the
present paper that assumption is removed: the collision times are taken to form a Poisson process.
This is much more realistic than the equal-intervals assumption.
The interference dip is found to be a Lorentzian in this model.
Long-Term Safety and Effectiveness of Unprotected Left Main Coronary Stenting With Drug-Eluting Stents Compared With Bare-Metal Stents
Authors: Kim Young-Hak , Park Duk-Woo , Lee Seung-Whan , Yun Sung-Cheol , Lee Cheol Whan , Hong Myeong-Ki , Park Seong-Wook , Seung Ki Bae , Gwon Hyeon-Cheol , Jeong Myung-Ho , Jang Yangsoo , Kim Hyo-Soo , Seong In-Whan , Park Hun Sik , Ahn Taehoon , Chae In-Ho , Tahk Seung-Jea , Chung Wook-Sung , Park Seung-Jung
Published: July 2009

Background—

Limited information is available on long-term outcomes for patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease who received drug-eluting stents (DES).

Methods and Results—

In the multicenter registry evaluating outcomes among patients with unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis undergoing stenting with either bare metal stents (BMS) or DES, 1217 consecutive patients were divided into 2 groups: 353 who received only BMS and 864 who received at least 1 DES. The 3-year outcomes were compared by use of the adjustment of inverse-probability-of-treatment-weighted method. Patients receiving DES were older and had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and multivessel disease. In the overall population, with the use of DES, the 3-year adjusted risk of death (8.0% versus 9.5%; hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval, 0.36 to 1.40;
P
=0.976) or death or myocardial infarction (14.3% versus 14.9%; hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.49 to 1.40;
P
=0.479) was similar compared with BMS. However, the risk of target lesion revascularization was significantly lower with the use of DES than BMS (5.4% versus 12.1%; hazard ratio, 0.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.22 to 0.73;
P
=0.003). When patients were classified according to lesion location, DES was still associated with lower risk of target lesion revascularization in patients with bifurcation (6.9% versus 16.3%; hazard ratio, 0.38; 95% confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.78;
P
=0.009) or nonbifurcation (3.4% versus 10.3%; hazard ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.17 to 0.88;
P
=0.024) lesions with a comparable risk of death or myocardial infarction.

Conclusions—

Compared with BMS, DES was associated with a reduction in the need for repeat revascularization without increasing the risk of death or myocardial infarction for patients with unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis.
Anatomic Properties of Myocardial Bridge Predisposing to Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Ishikawa Yukio , Akasaka Yoshikiyo , Suzuki Koyu , Fujiwara Mieko , Ogawa Takafumi , Yamazaki Kazuto , Niino Hitoshi , Tanaka Michio , Ogata Kentaro , Morinaga Shojiroh , Ebihara Yoshiro , Kawahara Yutaka , Sugiura Hitoshi , Takimoto Toshiro , Komatsu Akio , Shinagawa Toshihito , Taki Kazuhiro , Satoh Hideaki , Yamada Kazuaki , Yanagida-Iida Maki , Shimokawa Reiko , Shimada Kazuyuki , Nishimura Chiaki , Ito Kinji , Ishii Toshiharu
Published: July 2009

Background—

A myocardial bridge (MB) that partially covers the course of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) sometimes causes myocardial ischemia, primarily because of hemodynamic deterioration, but without atherosclerosis. However, the mechanism of occurrence of myocardial infarction (MI) as a result of an MB in patients with spontaneously developing atherosclerosis is unclear.

Methods and Results—

One hundred consecutive autopsied MI hearts either with MBs [MI(+)MB(+) group; n=46] or without MBs (n=54) were obtained, as were 200 normal hearts, 100 with MBs [MI(−)MB(+) group] and 100 without MBs. By microscopy on LADs that were consecutively cross-sectioned at 5-mm intervals, the extent and distribution of LAD atherosclerosis were investigated histomorphometrically in conjunction with the anatomic properties of the MB, such as its thickness, length, and location and the MB muscle index (MB thickness multiplied by MB length), according to MI and MB status. In the MI(+)MB(+) group, the MB showed a significantly greater thickness and greater MB muscle index (
P
<0.05) than in the MI(−)MB(+) group. The intima-media ratio (intimal area/medial area) within 1.0 cm of the left coronary ostium was also greater (
P
<0.05) in the MI(+)MB(+) group than in the other groups. In addition, in the MI(+)MB(+) group, the location of the segment that exhibited the greatest intima-media ratio in the LAD proximal to the MB correlated significantly (
P
<0.001) with the location of the MB entrance, and furthermore, atherosclerosis progression in the LAD proximal to the MB was largest at 2.0 cm from the MB entrance.

Conclusions—

In the proximal LAD with an MB, MB muscle index is associated with a shift of coronary disease more proximally, an effect that may increase the risk of MI.
Ameliorating Hypertension and Insulin Resistance in Subjects at Increased Cardiovascular Risk
Authors: Ruggenenti Piero , Cattaneo Dario , Loriga Giacomina , Ledda Franca , Motterlini Nicola , Gherardi Giulia , Orisio Silvia , Remuzzi Giuseppe
Published: July 2009

Insulin resistance, a key component of the metabolic syndrome, is a risk factor for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Acetyl-
l
-carnitine infusion acutely ameliorated insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetics with insulin resistance. In this sequential off-on-off pilot study, we prospectively evaluated the effects of 24-week oral acetyl-
l
-carnitine (1 g twice daily) therapy on the glucose disposal rate (GDR), assessed by hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps, and components of the metabolic syndrome in nondiabetic subjects at increased cardiovascular risk a priori segregated into 2 groups with GDR ≤7.9 (n=16) or >7.9 (n=16) mg/kg per minute, respectively. Baseline GDR and systolic blood pressure were negatively correlated (n=32;
P
=0.001;
r
=−0.545), and patients with GDR ≤7.9 mg/kg per minute had higher systolic/diastolic blood pressure than those with higher GDR. Acetyl-
l
-carnitine increased GDR from 4.89±1.47 to 6.72±3.12 mg/kg per minute (
P
=0.003, Bonferroni-adjusted) and improved glucose tolerance in patients with GDR ≤7.9 mg/kg per minute, whereas it had no effects in those with higher GDRs. Changes in GDR were significantly different between groups (
P
=0.017, ANCOVA). Systolic blood pressure decreased from 144.0±13.6 to 135.1±8.4 mm Hg and from 130.8±12.4 to 123.8±10.8 mm Hg in the lower and higher GDR groups, respectively (
P
<0.05 for both;
P
<0.001 overall) and progressively recovered toward baseline over 8 weeks posttreatment. Total and high molecular weight adiponectin levels followed specular trends. Diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased only in those with higher GDRs. Treatment was well tolerated in all of the patients. Acetyl-
l
-carnitine safely ameliorated arterial hypertension, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, and hypoadiponectinemia in subjects at increased cardiovascular risk. Whether these effects may translate into long-term cardioprotection is worth investigating.
Effects of Chronic Baroreceptor Stimulation on the Autonomic Cardiovascular Regulation in Patients With Drug-Resistant Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Wustmann Kerstin , Kucera Jan P. , Scheffers Ingrid , Mohaupt Markus , Kroon Abraham A. , de Leeuw Peter W. , Schmidli Jürg , Allemann Yves , Delacrétaz Etienne
Published: July 2009

In patients with drug-resistant hypertension, chronic electric stimulation of the carotid baroreflex is an investigational therapy for blood pressure reduction. We hypothesized that changes in cardiac autonomic regulation can be demonstrated in response to chronic baroreceptor stimulation, and we analyzed the correlation with blood pressure changes. Twenty-one patients with drug-resistant hypertension were prospectively included in a substudy of the Device Based Therapy in Hypertension Trial. Heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence were analyzed using 24-hour ECG. Recordings were obtained 1 month after device implantation with the stimulator off and after 3 months of chronic electric stimulation (stimulator on). Chronic baroreceptor stimulation decreased office blood pressure from 185±31/109±24 mm Hg to 154±23/95±16 mm Hg (
P
<0.0001/
P
=0.002). Mean heart rate decreased from 81±11 to 76±10 beats per minute
−1
(
P
=0.001). Heart rate variability frequency-domain parameters assessed using fast Fourier transformation (FFT; ratio of low frequency:high frequency: 2.78 versus 2.24 for off versus on;
P
<0.001) were significantly changed during stimulation of the carotid baroreceptor, and heart rate turbulence onset was significantly decreased (turbulence onset: −0.002 versus −0.015 for off versus on;
P
=0.004). In conclusion, chronic baroreceptor stimulation causes sustained changes in heart rate variability and heart rate turbulence that are consistent with inhibition of sympathetic activity and increase of parasympathetic activity in patients with drug-resistant systemic hypertension; these changes correlate with blood pressure reduction. Whether the autonomic modulation has favorable cardiovascular effects beyond blood pressure control should be investigated in further studies.
Modelling Bedriaga's rock lizard distribution in Sardinia: An ensemble approach
Authors: Vignoli Leonardo , Bologna Marco , Bombi Pierluigi , Salvi Daniele
Published: July 2009

Many techniques for predicting species potential distribution were recently developed. Despite the international interest for these procedures, applications of predictive approaches to the study of Italian fauna distribution are exceptionally rare. This paper aimed at: (a) detecting climatic exigencies of A. bedriagae in Sardinia; (b) predicting the Archaeolacerta bedriagae Sardinian potential distribution; (c) identifying the most vulnerable Italian populations of the species. Literature and field data were utilized as presence records. Six modelling procedures (BIOCLIM, DOMAIN, ENFA, GAM, GLM, and MAXENT) were adopted. The species climatic requirements were defined using the WorldClim databank for deriving the environmental predictors. AUC and Kappa values were calculated for models validation. AUC values were compared by using Anova Monte Carlo. The best four models were combined through the weighted average consensus method for producing a univocal output. GAM and MAXENT had the best performances (respectively: AUC = 0.93 ± 0.03, Kappa = 0.77 ± 0.08; AUC = 0.93 ± 0.03, Kappa = 0.78 ± 0.07). Good results were also obtained by GLM and DOMAIN (respectively: AUC = 0.89 ± 0.04, Kappa = 0.72 ± 0.05; AUC = 0.88 ± 0.04, Kappa = 0.69 ± 0.07). BIOCLIM and ENFA gained relatively low performances (respectively: AUC = 0.78 ± 0.07, Kappa = 0.57 ± 0.14; AUC = 0.75 ± 0.06; Kappa = 0.49 ± 0.10). In Sardinia A. bedriagae is mainly influenced by seasonality, which causes the evidenced range fragmentation. Moreover, the general importance of multi-methods approaches and consensus techniques in predicting species distribution was highlighted.
Are sex ratios of larval alpine newts (Mesotriton alpestris) biased in high-altitude spawning sites with different temperature regimes?
Authors: Schabetsberger Robert , Grabherr Helmut , Sztatecsny Marc
Published: July 2009

Amphibians generally have genetic sex determination which should lead to equal sex ratios. However, populations of the alpine newt (Mesotriton alpestris) from cold, high-altitude breeding sites in the Austrian Alps showed strongly female-biased sex ratios of up to 3.7 females to 1 male over 6 years. Temperature dependent sex determination has therefore been considered as possible reason to explain the observed skews. To investigate if a female excess already exists during gonadal differentiation of M. alpestris larvae before metamorphosis, we assessed larval sex ratios in high-altitude spawning sites with different temperature regimes. The sex was determined by histological analyses of cross sections of the gonads. In no case a significant divergence from a 1:1 sex ratio was found. Based on these results and previous karyological, skeletochronological, and ecological work we conclude that higher mortality rates of adult males are the most plausible explanation for the female excess in high-altitude populations of alpine newts. However, future studies should focus on the development of sex-specific genetic markers to allow early determination of gender in embryos and larvae.
Assessing whether disinfectants against the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis have negative effects on tadpoles and zooplankton
Authors: von Rütte Mirjam , Peyer Niklaus , Schmidt Benedikt , Keller Nina , Geiser Céline
Published: July 2009

Chytridiomycosis is an emerging disease of amphibians that has led to global population declines and possible extinctions. Vectoring of the pathogen, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) by anthropogenic means is thought to be important in its spread. To limit further increase in the distribution of Bd, field biologists and amateur naturalists ought to disinfect their boots and materials. However, imprudent use of potentially harmful disinfectants may have unwanted negative side effects on amphibians. We used a factorial experiment to test whether commonly used disinfectants (bleach and Virkon S) affect tadpole performance and zooplankton abundance. At the high dose of bleach, all tadpoles and zooplankton died. Tadpole performance and zooplankton abundance in the low dose of bleach and Virkon S treatments were undistinguishable from the control. Therefore, when bleach is used as a disinfectant, it must not get in contact with amphibians. Virkon S appears to be a disinfectant that can be used against Bd with no detectable negative effects on tadpoles and zooplankton.
Confronting Delinquency: Probations Officers’ Use of Coercion and Client-Centered Tactics to Foster Youth Compliance
Authors: Schwalbe Craig S. , Maschi Tina
Published: July 2009

Youthful compliance with juvenile court mandates is a cornerstone of effective probation practice. Despite this, research has not examined probation strategies for encouraging and enforcing youthful compliance with probation conditions. This study describes the use of confrontational tactics and client-centered approaches reported by probation officers in their supervision of delinquent youths. The study was conducted with data from a Web-based survey of probation ( N = 308). Results indicate that officers balanced confrontational approaches with client-centered approaches. Officers employed confrontational tactics more frequently than client-centered strategies for youths with substance use problems, with younger youths, and with African American females. Alternatively, officers reported more client-centered approaches with females who had higher histories of prior service utilization and with youths who were perceived by officers to be honest. These findings open new avenues for research on the effectiveness of confrontation and client-centered approaches toward an evidence base for effective probation practice.
Inspection of Drop-weight Impact Damage in Woven CFRP Laminates Fabricated by Different Processes
Authors: Zhang J. , Fox B.L. , Gao D. , Stevenson A.W.
Published: July 2009

The influence of manufacturing process on the drop-weight impact damage in woven carbon/epoxy laminates was inspected by visual observation, dye-penetrant X-ray technique, and optical microscopy observation. The MTM56/ CF0300 woven quasi-isotropic laminates were fabricated by two processes: the autoclave and the Quickstep processes. QuickstepTM is a novel composite manufacturing process, which was designed for the out-of-autoclave production of high-quality composite parts at lower cost. It utilizes higher heat conduction of fluid other than gas to transfer heat to components, which results in much shorter cure cycles. The laminates cured by this fast heating process showed different impact failure modes from those cured by the conventional autoclave process. The residual indentation in the top side of the Quickstep-cured laminates had a bigger diameter, but a smaller depth at the same impact energy level. Dye-penetrant X-ray revealed more intense and connected impact damage regions in the autoclave-cured laminates. Optical micrography as a supplementary method showed less severe matrix damage in the quickstep-cured laminates indicating a more ductile property of the resin matrix cured at a faster heating rate.
Investigation of Different Reinforced Composite Materials for Surface Roughness and Capacity of Being Drilled
Authors: Pihtili Hasim , Canpolat Nusret
Published: July 2009

In this study, drilling performance and cutting parameters with holes having different qualities, drill kinds, and drill diameters were examined in different composite materials. HSS, TIN, and carbide drills with 5, 10, and 15 mm diameter were used in drilling processes. Experiments were conducted with dry drilling at different cutting speeds of 125, 250, and 315 rpm and progresses of 0.056, 0112, and 0.16 mm/rev. Different kinds of composites with different reinforced composites were used as materials. As a result of the drilling operations, it is found that as rotation and progress speed increases, surface roughness on the processed surface increases as well. Better results in terms of surface roughness were obtained with small-scaled drills. All obtained values were conveyed into the graphics as well as the tables. Furthermore, photos of all samples under electron microscope were taken and the condition of the photos were examined for surface roughness intensity.
Development of a Modified Flat-plate Test Specimen and Fixture for Composite Materials Crush Energy Absorption
Authors: Feraboli Paolo
Published: July 2009

There are currently no specialized test methods for the characterization of specific energy absorption (SEA) of composite materials. Based on an original concept developed by NASA in the early 1990s, a test method that utilizes a flat plate-like specimen and a modified anti-buckling fixture is presented here that introduces a region of unsupported material in the proximity of the crush front, and allows the specimen to deform freely. A systematic experimental investigation is conducted with two unidirectional tapes to verify the general applicability of the test method to screen candidate material systems, and to isolate the effect of the unsupported distance on the measured SEA values. In general, it is found that there are four failure mechanisms (fragmentation, frond formation, local, and global buckling) that compete as the dominating mode according to the chosen unsupported distance. The specimen and fixture combination presents several limitations, but with a properly selected unsupported distance it could be used to assess the SEA of material and structures whose dominating failure mechanism is frond formation.
Modulus Measurement for Prepreg-based Discontinuous Carbon Fiber/Epoxy Systems
Authors: Feraboli Paolo , Peitso Elof , Cleveland Tyler , Stickler Patrick B.
Published: July 2009

The elastic modulus of discontinuous carbon fiber/epoxy laminates produced by compression molding of chopped unidirectional prepreg tape is measured by several means. Commercial applications for this type of material form already exist, such as Hexcel HexMC®. Although the average elastic modulus of this material has been shown to be as high as that of the continuous fiber quasiisotropic benchmark, its non-homogenous nature gives rise to variations as high as 19% in the measurement by means of strain gage or extensometer. This phenomenon would be attributed to the variability of the manufacturing process, were it not for the fact that strength variation is much lower, with a maximum of 9%. In order to assess whether the variation observed is a result of the measurement technique and not an actual variation in material properties, a series of tensile tests is conducted while systematically varying strain gage length and location. The measurements are then compared relative to each other as well as to multiple extensometer readings along the length and opposite sides of the specimen. Digital image correlation (DIC) technique is used to gain further insight on the observed phenomena, and it has shown to be fundamental to obtain a full-field strain measurement, which is more repeatable than any of the traditional measurement techniques. Furthermore, DIC shows that complex strain distributions exist on the surface of the specimen, varying greatly along the width and across the length of the specimen, and these are associated to the non-homogeneous nature of the sub-structure.
Fixed Dosing Versus Body Size—Based Dosing of Monoclonal Antibodies in Adult Clinical Trials
Authors: Wang Diane D. , Zhang Shuzhong , Zhao Hong , Men Angela Y. , Parivar Kourosh
Published: July 2009

Although without clear scientific rationale, body size—based dosing is often used for administering monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This simulation study compared the performance of body size—based and fixed dosing in reducing pharmacokinetic (PK) and/or pharmacodynamic (PD) variability in adults for 12 mAbs with published population PK and/or PD models. At the population level, 95th percentile intervals of concentration‐time profiles, distribution, and variability of exposure for 1000 subjects after both dosing approaches were examined. At the individual level, the difference between the exposures of patients with extreme body sizes from the typical exposure following both approaches was compared. The results show that the 2 dosing approaches perform similarly across the mAbs investigated with fixed dosing being better for some mAbs and body size—based dosing being better for the others. Based on this finding, we recommend using fixed dosing in first‐in‐human (FIH) adult studies because it offers other advantages. When sufficient data become available, a full assessment of body size effect on PK/PD should be conducted to determine the optimal dosing approach for phase 3 trials. Other factors that may affect the selection of dosing approach were also discussed. Dosing approach for mAbs in the pediatric population is out of the scope of this study.
A Latent Class Typology of Juvenile Victims and Exploration of Risk Factors and Outcomes of Victimization
Authors: Reid Joan A. , Sullivan Christopher J.
Published: July 2009

Although juveniles are known to experience relatively high levels of violence and abuse, study of their victimization is underdeveloped. Using data from a nationally representative survey of 1,000 youth, this study used latent class analysis to construct a typology of juvenile victims and latent class regression to explore previously proposed correlates to juvenile victimization based on lifestyle or routine activity theory of victimization. An analytically derived typology was identified with three classes: minimally victimized youth, victims of bullying, and universally victimized youth. Parental supervision, school violence, family adversity, and age were found to significantly affect the placement of youth into the various classes. Implications for juvenile justice and other service providers include the importance of attending to the harmful effects of peer victimizations and providing trauma-recovery treatment.
Assessment of Reoffense Risk in Adolescents Who Have Committed Sexual Offenses
Authors: Viljoen Jodi L. , Elkovitch Natasha , Scalora Mario J. , Ullman Daniel
Published: July 2009

Clinicians are often asked to assess the likelihood that an adolescent who has committed a sexual offense will reoffend. However, there is limited research on the predictive validity of available assessment tools. To help address this gap, this study examined the ability of the Estimate of Risk of Adolescent Sexual Offense Recidivism (ERASOR), the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI), the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV), and the Static-99 to predict reoffending in a sample of 193 adolescents. Youth were followed for an average of 7.24 years after discharge from a residential sex offender treatment program. Although none of the instruments significantly predicted detected cases of sexual reoffending, ERASOR’s structured professional judgments nearly reached significance ( p = .069). Both the YLS/CMI and the PCL:YV predicted nonsexual violence, any violence, and any offending; however, the YLS/CMI demonstrated incremental validity over the PCL:YV. Although the Static-99 has considerable support with adult sex offenders, it did not predict sexual or general reoffending in the present sample of adolescents.
Grounding Critical Communication Studies: An Inquiry Into the Communication Theory of Karl Marx
Authors: Fuchs Christian
Published: July 2009

In this paper theoretical foundations of critical media and communication studies are discussed. The assumption of scholars such as Marshall McLuhan and Jean Baudrillard that Marx in his analysis of capitalism did not take into account media and communication is discussed. It is shown that counter to such opinions Marx provided important insights for analyzing the role of the media in commodity and ideology production, circulation, and consumption and for discussing the role of alternative media production, circulation, and reception. Marx’s works are systematically reconstructed in order to identify aspects of the media and communication. This reconstruction is based on the Marxian circuit of capital. Marx provided important groundwork for media and communication theory that can be connected to contemporary critical media and communication studies.
Resisting Abridgment Librarianship as Media Reform
Authors: Nappo Caroline M.
Published: July 2009

Media reform is a vital component for sustaining public access to information, and supports libraries in fulfilling their mission as what educator Robert D. Leigh termed “a public agency of communication,”. In many ways, the struggles for media democracy are waged side by side with those of librarians. Like media activists, librarians are deeply concerned about issues related to information production, dissemination, and access. In this article, the author will describe how American librarianship complements a democratic media system and will provide examples of how libraries have played a key role in providing public access to independent media (i.e., alternative, noncorporate, or small press) in print and electronic formats. Finally, considering the interdependency of their goals and interests, the author wishes to advocate for greater collaboration between the media reform movement and library activists.
Effectiveness of Corporate Well-Being Programs
Authors: Anand Keller Punam , Lehmann Donald R. , Milligan Katherine J.
Published: July 2009

Health is a major component of well-being and quality of life (QOL) and an increasingly costly one. We examine the role of employers for promoting QOL. A meta-analysis examines the impact of fifty well-being programs, which address six health issues and use seven marketing approaches. The analysis indicates that well-being programs and marketing approaches significantly improve employee health and depend on company size and employee gender. Results, based on sixty studies, show there is significant opportunity to efficiently tailor corporate health programs.
An Analysis of Social Skills Instruction Provided in Teacher Education and In-Service Training Programs for General and Special Educators
Authors: Dobbins Nicole , Higgins Kyle , Pierce Tom , Tandy Richard D. , Tincani Matt
Published: July 2009

An adapted version of the Teacher/Staff Skillstreaming Checklist was used to determine the level, type, and area of social skills instruction provided to general and special education teachers. Nine universities participated in the study in which facilitators advertised the adapted questionnaire to licensed general and special education teachers enrolled in university-based degree programs over a 6-month period. A total of 237 participants completed the questionnaire. Results indicate that general and special education teachers receive a limited amount of direct and incidental social skills instruction in their preservice and/or in-service training programs. The general and special education teachers reported receiving more instruction in particular areas of social skills within their in-service training. Special education teachers who teach in self-contained settings did not receive more social skills instruction than did resource room teachers in preservice or in-service training programs. However, special education teachers who teach in resource rooms did receive more social skills instruction than did general education teachers, but only in their preservice training programs.
Pay for Performance—Panacea or Pandora’s Box? Revisiting an Old Debate in the Current Economic Environment
Authors: Martin Bevilacqua Christine , Singh Parbudyal
Published: July 2009

New research in neuroeconomics suggests that money may be a more powerful motivator than previously thought, with important implications for incentive pay programs.
Modeling Brand Equity of a U.S. Apparel Brand as Perceived by Generation Y Consumers in the Emerging Korean Market
Authors: Eun Young Kim  , Knight Dee K. , Pelton Lou E.
Published: July 2009

This study examined causal relationships among brand awareness, brand perceptions, and purchase intention by focusing on Korean Generation Y (Gen Y) consumers. A total of 235 usable questionnaires were obtained from college students in major cities in South Korea. Structural and measurement models using a correlation matrix with maximum likelihood was estimated using LISREL 8.53. Findings indicated that Korean consumers’ perceptions of the U.S. apparel brand consisted of three dimensions: perceived quality, prestigious image, and emotional value. Brand awareness was significantly related to three factors of brand perceptions among Korean Gen Y consumers. Brand awareness, especially, affected the prestigious image of a U.S. apparel brand in the Korean market. In addition, emotional value had a positive effect on purchase intention for the U.S. apparel brand among Korean Gen Y consumers. Findings provide implications for brands and retailers developing entry strategies into the Korean fashion market.