bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of deer management on the abundance of Ixodes ricinus in Scotland
Authors: Gilbert L , Maffey G. L. , Ramsay S. L. , Hester A. J.
Published: March 2012

The management of wildlife hosts for controlling parasites and disease has a history of mixed success. Deer can be important hosts for ticks, such as Ixodes ricinus, which is the primary vector of disease‐causing zoonotic pathogens in Europe. Deer are generally managed by culling and fencing for forestry protection, habitat conservation, and commercial hunting, and in this study we test whether these deer management methods can be useful for controlling ticks, with implications for tick‐borne pathogens. At different spatial scales and habitats we tested the hypotheses that tick abundance is reduced by (1) culling deer and (2) deer exclusion using fencing. We compared abundance indices of hosts and questing I. ricinus nymphs using a combination of small‐scale fencing experiments on moorland, a large‐scale natural experiment of fenced and unfenced pairs of forests, and cross‐sectional surveys of forest and moorland areas with varying deer densities. As predicted, areas with fewer deer had fewer ticks, and fenced exclosures had dramatically fewer ticks in both large‐scale forest and small‐scale moorland plots. Fencing and reducing deer density were also associated with higher ground vegetation. The implications of these results on other hosts, pathogen prevalence, and disease risk are discussed. This study provides evidence of how traditional management methods of a keystone species can reduce a generalist parasite, with implications for disease risk mitigation.
Development and application of multi‐proxy indices of land use change for riparian soils in southern New England, USA
Authors: Ricker M. C. , Donohue S. W. , Stolt M. H. , Zavada M. S.
Published: March 2012

Understanding the effects of land use on riparian systems is dependent upon the development of methodologies to recognize changes in sedimentation related to shifts in land use. Land use trends in southern New England consist of shifts from forested precolonial conditions, to colonial and agrarian land uses, and toward modern industrial–urban landscapes. The goals of this study were to develop a set of stratigraphic indices that reflect these land use periods and to illustrate their applications. Twenty‐four riparian sites from first‐ and second‐order watersheds were chosen for study. Soil morphological features, such as buried surface horizons (layers), were useful to identify periods of watershed instability. The presence of human artifacts and increases in heavy metal concentration above background levels, were also effective indicators of industrial–urban land use periods. Increases and peak abundance of non‐arboreal weed pollen (Ambrosia) were identified as stratigraphic markers indicative of agricultural land uses. Twelve 14C dates from riparian soils indicated that the rise in non‐arboreal pollen corresponds to the start of regional deforestation (AD 1749 ± 56 cal yr; mean ± 2 SD) and peak non‐arboreal pollen concentration corresponds to maximum agricultural land use (AD 1820 ± 51 cal yr). These indices were applied to elucidate the impact of land use on riparian sedimentation and soil carbon (C) dynamics. This analysis indicated that the majority of sediment and soil organic carbon (SOC) stored in regional riparian soils is of postcolonial origins. Mean net sedimentation rates increased ∼100‐fold during postcolonial time periods, and net SOC sequestration rates showed an approximate 200‐fold increase since precolonial times. These results suggest that headwater riparian zones have acted as an effective sink for alluvial sediment and SOC associated with postcolonial land use.
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Metastatic to the Mandible
Authors: Huang Po Hsien , Shyng Yih Chuen , Sloan P , Ou Keng-Liang , Hsia Y. J. , Devlin H.
Published: March 2012

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is one of the most common malignancies in the head and neck region, especially
among those of Chinese origin. NPC has multifactorial aetiologies including genetic susceptibility, consumption of
food with high salt content, and the Epsteinâ€“Barr virus. The primary tumour usually arises from the lateral walls of the
nasopharynx and is characterized by a rich sub-mucosal lymphatic structure, often leading to cervical lymph node metastasis.
Distant metastasis has been recognized to be a major cause of treatment failure in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Bone, liver and lung are the most frequent sites of NPC metastases.
NOMA: A Preventable “Scourge” of African Children
Authors: Ogbureke Kalu U.E , Ogbureke Ezinne I
Published: March 2012

Noma is a serious orofacial gangrene originating intraorally in the gingival-oral mucosa complex before spreading extraorally to produce a visibly destructive ulcer. Although cases of noma are now rarely reported in the developed countries, it is still prevalent among children in third world countries, notably in sub-Sahara Africa, where poverty, ignorance, malnutrition, and preventable childhood infections are still common. This review summarizes historical, epidemiological, management, and research updates on noma with suggestions for its prevention and ultimate global eradication. The global annual incidence remains high at about 140,000 cases, with a mortality rate exceeding 90% for untreated diseases. Where the patients survive, noma defects result in unsightly facial disfigurement, intense scarring, trismus, oral incompetence, and social alienation. Although the etiology has long been held to be infectious, a definitive causal role between microorganisms cited, and noma has been difficult to establish. The management of noma with active disease requires antibiotics followed by reconstructive surgery. Current research efforts are focused towards a comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology, and further elucidation of the microbiology and pathogenesis of noma.

Although a formidable public health challenge, noma can be prevented with a potential for subsequent global eradication. To achieve both desirable goals, detection of early disease is crucial because these early lesions respond to conventional antibiotic treatments when instituted side by side with nutritional rehabilitation, and obviates the necessity for extensive surgical reconstruction often indicated in late stage disease. The eradication of noma in the developed world in the mid 20thcentury bears out the notion of a similar outcome following effective preventive strategies in Africa. A fundamental and necessary step towards attaining this goal is for the international community to adopt a perception of noma as an urgent global public health challenge. Research effort toward deciphering the microbiology, molecular events, and pathogenesis of noma also should intensify.
A Method for Rapid Demineralization of Teeth and Bones
Authors: Cho Andrew , Suzuki Shigeki , Hatakeyama Junko , Haruyama Naoto , Kulkarni Ashok B
Published: March 2012

Tooth and bone specimen require extensive demineralization for careful analysis of cell morphology, as well as gene and protein expression levels. The LacZ gene, which encodes the ß-galactosidase enzyme, is often used as a reporter gene to study gene-structure function, tissue-specific expression by a promoter, cell lineage and fate. This reporter gene is particularly useful for analyzing the spatial and temporal gene expression pattern, by expressing the LacZ gene under the control of a promoter of interest. To analyze LacZ activity, and the expression of other genes and their protein products in teeth and bones, it is necessary to carry out a complete demineralization of the specimen before cutting sections. However, strong acids, such as formic acid used for tooth demineralization, destroy the activities of enzymes including those of ß-galactosidase. Therefore, most protocols currently use mild acids such as 0.1 M ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA) for demineralization of tooth and bone specimen, which require a longer period of treatment for complete demineralization. A method by which hard tissue specimens such as teeth and bones can be rapidly, but gently, decalcified is necessary to save time and effort. Here, we report a suitable method for rapid demineralization of mouse teeth in 0.1M EDTA at 42˚C without any loss of ß-galactosidase activity.
A comparative analysis of the influence of different types of Carbopol® on the release rate of lithium-carbonate from matrix tablets
Authors: Toskic-Radojcic Marija , Pavlovic Marija , Gazikalovic Emilija , Arandjelovic Aleksandra , Kovacevic Aleksandra
Published: March 2012

Background/Aim. Hydrophilic matrix tablets represent the most commonly used
oral dosage form. Carbomers used in the concentration of 10%-30% for
preparation of matrix tablets, may significantly affect the profile of drug
release due to the formation of hydrogel matrix tablets. The aim of this
study was to compare the influence of different types of Carbopol? (carbomers
in the pharmacopoeia) on the release rate of lithium-carbonate and other
pharmaceutical, technological, physical and chemical properties of the
prepared formulations of matrix tablets. Methods. Three different
formulations of matrix tablets were made according to direct compression
method. The tablets were of the following composition: carbomer, lactose
monohydrate, magnesium-stearate, lithiumcarbonate in the proportion 75 : 120
: 5 : 300. The first formulation was made with Carbopol? 971P NF, the second
one with Carbopol? 974 P NF and the third one with Carbopol? 71G NF. The
quantity of lithium-carbonate was determined according to the BP 2009,
pharmaceutical and tecnological properties were examined in accordance with
the regulations of Ph. Jug. V, whereas the release rate of lithium-carbonate
from the formulations was examined by the application of dissolution test,
prescribed in the monography ?Lithium Carbonate Extended-Release Tablets? in
USP 26. Results. The profile of lithium-carbonate release from matrix tablets
with ?arbopol ? 974P NF entirely complies with the regulations of USP 26,
whereas the values obtained from the analysis of matrix tablets with
?arbopol? 971P NF and ?arbopol? 71G NF were considerably lower than the
prescribed ones. In all the investigated formulations the content of the
drug, mass variation and tablet hardness comply with the regulations set in
pharmacopoeia. Conclusion. In the formulation of matrix tablets with
lithium-carbonate, by the application of carbomers in the concentration of
15%, with ?arbopol? 974 P NF a favourable lithium-carbonate release profile
was achieved, whereas in the formulations with ?arbopol? 971P NF and
?arbopol? 71G NF, the release rate was significantly lower than that given in
the USP 26 monography.
Estimating Hepatic Glucokinase Activity Using a Simple Model of Lactate Kinetics
Authors: Stefanovski Darko , Youn Jang H. , Rees Matthew , Watanabe Richard M. , Ader Marilyn , Ionut Viorica , Jackson Anne U. , Boehnke Michael , Collins Francis S. , Bergman Richard N.
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

Glucokinase (GCK) acts as a component of the “glucose sensor” in pancreatic β-cells and possibly in other tissues, including the brain. However, >99% of GCK in the body is located in the liver, where it serves as a “gatekeeper”, determining the rate of hepatic glucose phosphorylation. Mutations in GCK are a cause of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY), and GCKR, the regulator of GCK in the liver, is a diabetes susceptibility locus. In addition, several GCK activators are being studied as potential regulators of blood glucose. The ability to estimate liver GCK activity in vivo for genetic and pharmacologic studies may provide important physiologic insights into the regulation of hepatic glucose metabolism.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Here we introduce a simple, linear, two-compartment kinetic model that exploits lactate and glucose kinetics observed during the frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) to estimate liver GCK activity (KGK), glycolysis (K12), and whole body fractional lactate clearance (K01).

RESULTS

To test our working model of lactate, we used cross-sectional FSIGT data on 142 nondiabetic individuals chosen at random from the Finland–United States Investigation of NIDDM Genetics study cohort. Parameters KGK, K12, and K01 were precisely estimated. Median model parameter estimates were consistent with previously published values.

CONCLUSIONS

This novel model of lactate kinetics extends the utility of the FSIGT protocol beyond whole-body glucose homeostasis by providing estimates for indices pertaining to hepatic glucose metabolism, including hepatic GCK activity and glycolysis rate.
Longitudinal Trajectories of HbA1c and Fasting Plasma Glucose Levels During the Development of Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Heianza Yoriko , Arase Yasuji , Fujihara Kazuya , Hsieh Shiun Dong , Saito Kazumi , Tsuji Hiroshi , Kodama Satoru , Yahagi Naoya , Shimano Hitoshi , Yamada Nobuhiro , Hara Shigeko , Sone Hirohito
Published: March 2012

OBJECTIVE

To describe the trajectory of HbA1c and glucose concentrations before the diagnosis of diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

The study comprised 1,722 nondiabetic Japanese individuals aged 26–80 years. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and HbA1c were measured annually for a mean of 9.5 (SD 1.8) years.

RESULTS

Diabetes occurred in 193 individuals (FPG ≥7.0 mmol/L, self-reported clinician-diagnosed diabetes, or HbA1c ≥6.5%). Mean HbA1c values were >5.6% each year before diagnosis in diabetes cases. Mean HbA1c (5.69% [95% CI 5.50–5.88]) was higher in the 21 individuals who developed diabetes 10 years after the baseline examination than in nondiabetic individuals after 10 years (5.27% [5.25–5.28]). From 3 years to 1 year prediagnosis, HbA1c increased 0.09% (SE 0.01)/year, reaching 5.90% (5.84–5.96) 1 year prediagnosis. In the entire group, marked increases in HbA1c of 0.3% (SE 0.05%)/year and FPG of 0.63 (0.07) mmol/L/year predicted diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

HbA1c trajectory increased sharply after gradual long-term increases in diabetic individuals.
Stereo bearings-only tracking of a wheelchair from a robot
Authors: Di Benedetto S. , Marhic B. , Delahoche L.
Published: March 2012

This project deals with technical assistance for people of reduced mobility. The goal of this work is to have a mobile platform with an embedded prehensive arm (MANUS®) track a wheelchair. The use of this mobile unit in relation to the patient’s wheelchair is carried out on a master-slave basis. This study, therefore, has a plural-disciplinary nature: Science for the Engineer, Human, Social and Clinical Sciences. To ensure the tracking of the wheelchair by the mobile platform, we applied a stereo bearings-only tracking (BOT) paradigm to a single moving target. The observer, the mobile platform (robot), is equipped with two omnidirectional vision sensors, that each provides output with which we compute two bearing angles. Having two bearing angles makes it possible to track a manoeuvring target. In this paper we will show how we take advantage of the multi-sensor data fusion to improve the BOT process and hence obtain a more reliable wheelchair tracking.
Scholarships to Recruit the “Best and Brightest” Into Teaching
Authors: Henry Gary T. , Bastian Kevin C. , Smith Adrienne A.
Published: March 2012

Is a popular innovation for increasing human capital in the teaching profession—competitive college scholarships for teachers—effective? The authors show that one large and long-standing merit-based scholarship program (a) attracts teacher candidates who have high academic qualifications; (b) yields graduates who teach lower performing students, although not as challenging as the students of other beginning teachers; (c) produces teachers who raise high school and third- through eighth-grade mathematics test scores more than other traditionally prepared teachers do; and (d) produces teachers who stay in public school classrooms for 5 years or more at higher rates than alternative entry or other traditionally prepared teachers.
Evidence and Rigor
Authors: Baker Bruce , Welner Kevin G.
Published: March 2012

The nation’s lawmakers have frequently voiced the basic principle that important policy decisions should be evidence based. In this commentary, the authors describe the approach the U.S. Department of Education has taken in its Increasing Educational Productivity project. The authors argue that the department’s actual practice in this instance has fallen short of the rhetorical embrace of evidence-based decision making, and they explain the potential harm done when leaders do not heed the importance of grounding policy in high-quality research.
Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy
Authors: Paris Django
Published: March 2012

Seventeen years ago Gloria Ladson-Billings (1995) published the landmark article “Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy,” giving a coherent theoretical statement for resource pedagogies that had been building throughout the 1970s and 1980s. I, like countless teachers and university-based researchers, have been inspired by what it means to make teaching and learning relevant and responsive to the languages, literacies, and cultural practices of students across categories of difference and (in)equality. Recently, however, I have begun to question if the terms “relevant” and “responsive” are really descriptive of much of the teaching and research founded upon them and, more importantly, if they go far enough in their orientation to the languages and literacies and other cultural practices of communities marginalized by systemic inequalities to ensure the valuing and maintenance of our multiethnic and multilingual society. In this essay, I offer the term and stance of culturally sustaining pedagogy as an alternative that, I believe, embodies some of the best research and practice in the resource pedagogy tradition and as a term that supports the value of our multiethnic and multilingual present and future. Culturally sustaining pedagogy seeks to perpetuate and foster—to sustain—linguistic, literate, and cultural pluralism as part of the democratic project of schooling. In the face of current policies and practices that have the explicit goal of creating a monocultural and monolingual society, research and practice need equally explicit resistances that embrace cultural pluralism and cultural equality.
Blood Transfusion: A Risk Factor in Retinopathy of Prematurity
Authors: Akter Shaheen , Hossain Mohammad Monir , Shirin Mahfuza , Khalil Ibrahim , Anwar Kazi Shabbir
Published: March 2012

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a retinal vascular disorder of preterm neonates resulting in visual impairement. Along with prematurity, very low birth weight and hyperoxia, role of blood transfusions in the occurrence of ROP has been strongly emphasized. Objective: To determine the relationship of timing and volume of blood transfusion and other factors with the development of ROP in preterm very low birth weight (VLBW) newborn infants. Methods: This was a prospective observational study. It was done among the premature (<34 weeks) VLBW neonates admitted to SCABU and ICU of Dhaka Shishu Hospital. Neonates who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were followed up daily to record certain clinical factors and effect of blood transfusions. Among 93 discharged neonates subjected to have ophthalmological screening, 58 (62%) completed the examinations. After ophthalmological study, they were divided into Normal group (n=35) that included newborns without ROP, and Abnormal group (n=23) that included newborns with ROP. Comparative analysis of recorded clinical factors was done between the two groups. Results: Blood transfusion during the first week of life (p=.002, OR 1.15; C.I. 1.01 1.32) and cumulative volume of transfused blood (ml/kg) (p=.002, OR2.8, CI: 1.65- 4.41) were significantly associated with the development of ROP. All neonates with ROP have got one or more transfusions (p=.003; OR 2.11 95% CI.012-.676). Univariate analysis demonstrated that VLBW (p=.03; OR .93; 95% CI=.87-.91), duration of oxygen inhalation (p=.001; OR 28; 95% CI 4.85-17.81) and mechanical ventilation (p= .001; OR3.36; 95% CI2.5-5.52) has significant relationship with ROP. Conclusion: This study showed that repeated blood transfusion resulting in large cumulative volume, transfusion in first week of life has significant association with ROP. Other risk factors are very low birth weight, prolonged oxygen inhalation and mechanical ventilation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjch.v34i2.10215 BJCH2010; 34(2): 38-43
HIV Infection in Infants and Children - An Updated Review
Authors: Ishrat Shakeela , Hussain Mohd. Zahid
Published: March 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjch.v34i2.10219 BJCH2010; 34(2): 62-66
Heritability of Radiation Response in Lung Cancer Families
Authors: Rosenberger Albert , Rössler Ute , Hornhardt Sabine , Sauter Wiebke , Bickeböller Heike , Wichmann H.-Erich , Gomolka Maria
Published: March 2012

Radiation sensitivity is assumed to be a cancer susceptibility factor due to impaired DNA damage signalling and repair. Relevant genetic factors may also determine the observed familial aggregation of early onset lung cancer. We investigated the heritability of radiation sensitivity in families of 177 Caucasian cases of early onset lung cancer. In total 798 individuals were characterized for their radiation-induced DNA damage response. DNA damage analysis was performed by alkaline comet assay before and after in vitro irradiation of isolated lymphocytes. The cells were exposed to a dose of 4 Gy and allowed to repair induced DNA-damage up to 60 minutes. The primary outcome parameter Olive Tail Moment was the basis for heritability estimates. Heritability was highest for basal damage (without irradiation) 70% (95%-CI: 51%–88%) and initial damage (directly after irradiation) 65% (95%-CI: 47%–83%) and decreased to 20%–48% for the residual damage after different repair times. Hence our study supports the hypothesis that genomic instability represented by the basal DNA damage as well as radiation induced and repaired damage is highly heritable. Genes influencing genome instability and DNA repair are therefore of major interest for the etiology of lung cancer in the young. The comet assay represents a proper tool to investigate heritability of the radiation sensitive phenotype. Our results are in good agreement with other mutagen sensitivity assays.
Optical Triangulation-Based Microtopographic Inspection of Surfaces
Authors: Costa Manuel F. M.
Published: March 2012

The non-invasive inspection of surfaces is a major issue in a wide variety of industries and research laboratories. The vast and increasing range of surface types, tolerance requirements and measurement constraints demanded during the last decades represents a major research effort in the development of new methods, systems and metrological strategies. The discreet dimensional evaluation the rugometric characterization and the profilometric inspection seem to be insufficient in many instances. The full microtopographic inspection has became a common requirement. Among the different systems developed, optical methods have the most important role and among those triangulation-based ones have gained a major status thanks to their flexibility, reliability and robustness. In this communication we will provide a brief historical review on the development of optical triangulation application to the dimensional inspection of objects and surfaces and on the work done at the Microtopography Laboratory of the Physics Department of the University of Minho, Portugal, in the development of methods and systems of optical triangulation-based microtopographic inspection of surfaces.
Software Packages to Support Electrical Engineering Virtual Lab
Authors: Valdez Manuel Travassos , Ferreira Carlos Machado , Maciel Barbosa Fernando Pires
Published: March 2012

The use of Virtual Reality Systems (VRS), as a learning aid, encourages the creation of tools that allow users/students to simulate educational environments on a computer. This article presents a way of building a VRS system with Software Packages to support Electrical Engineering Virtual Laboratories to be used in a near future in the teaching of the curriculum unit of Circuit Theory. The steps required for the construction of a project are presented in this paper. The simulation is still under construction and intends to use a three-dimensional virtual environment laboratory electric measurement, which will allow users/students to experiment and test the modeled equipment. Therefore, there are still no links available for further examination. The result may demonstrate the future potential of applications of Virtual Reality Systems as an efficient and cost-effective learning system.
Remote and Virtual Labs @ exp.at
Authors: Restivo Maria Teresa , Cardoso Alberto
Published: March 2012

exp.at
Protoforms of Linguistic Database Summaries as a Human Consistent Tool for Using Natural Language in Data Mining
Authors: Kacprzyk Janusz , Zadrozny Slawomir
Published: March 2012

We consider linguistic database summaries in the sense of Yager (1982), in an implementable form proposed by Kacprzyk & Yager (2001) and Kacprzyk, Yager & Zadrozny (2000), exemplified by, for a personnel database, “most employees are young and well paid” (with some degree of truth) and their extensions as a very general tool for a human consistent summarization of large data sets. We advocate the use of the concept of a protoform (prototypical form), vividly advocated by Zadeh and shown by Kacprzyk & Zadrozny (2005) as a general form of a linguistic data summary. Then, we present an extension of our interactive approach to fuzzy linguistic summaries, based on fuzzy logic and fuzzy database queries with linguistic quantifiers. We show how fuzzy queries are related to linguistic summaries, and that one can introduce a hierarchy of protoforms, or abstract summaries in the sense of latest Zadeh’s (2002) ideas meant mainly for increasing deduction capabilities of search engines. We show an implementation for the summarization of Web server logs.
Supporting CSCW and CSCL with Intelligent Social Grouping Services
Authors: Tsai Jeffrey J.P. , Zhang Jia , Huang Jeff J.S. , Yang Stephen J.H.
Published: March 2012

This article presents an intelligent social grouping service for identifying right participants to support CSCW and CSCL. We construct a three-layer hierarchical social network, in which we identify two important relationship ties – a knowledge relationship tie and a social relationship tie. We use these relationship ties as metric to measure the collaboration strength between pairs of participants in a social network. The stronger the knowledge relationship tie, the more knowledgeable the participants; the stronger the social relationship tie, the more likely the participants are willing to share their knowledge. By analyzing and calculating these relationship ties among peers using our computational models, we present a systematic way to discover collaboration peers according to configurable and customizable requirements. Experiences of social grouping services for identifying communities of practice through peer-to-peer search are also reported.
Regulatory Compliance and the Correlation to Privacy Protection in Healthcare
Authors: Grandison Tyrone , Bhatti Rafae
Published: March 2012

Recent government-led efforts and industry-sponsored privacy initiatives in the healthcare sector have received heightened publicity. The current set of privacy legislation mandates that all parties involved in the delivery of care specify and publish privacy policies regarding the use and disclosure of personal health information. The authors’ study of actual healthcare privacy policies indicates that the vague representations in published privacy policies are not strongly correlated with adequate privacy protection for the patient. This phenomenon is not due to a lack of available technology to enforce privacy policies, but rather to the will of the healthcare entities to enforce strong privacy protections and their interpretation of minimum compliance obligations. Using available information systems and data mining techniques, this article describes an infrastructure for privacy protection based on the idea of policy refinement to allow the transition from the current state of perceived to be privacy-preserving systems to actually privacy-preserving systems.
Optimization Model and Algorithm Help to Screen and Treat Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Authors: Zhao Kun , Chen Guantao , Gift Thomas , Tao Guoyu
Published: March 2012

Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC) are two common sexually transmitted diseases among women in the United States. Publicly funded programs usually do not have enough money to screen and treat all patients. Therefore, the authors propose a new resource allocation model to assist clinical managers to make decisions on identifying at-risk population groups, as well as selecting a screening and treatment strategy for CT and GC patients under a fixed budget. At the same time, the authors also develop a two-step branch-and-bound algorithm tailor-made for our model. Running on real-life data, the algorithm calculates the optimal solution within a very short time. The new algorithm also improves the accuracy of an approximate solution obtained by Excel Solver. This study has shown that a resource allocation model and algorithm might have a significant impact on real clinical issues.
Relevance of Mesh Dimension Optimization, Geometry Simplification and Discretization Accuracy in the Study of Mechanical Behaviour of Bare Metal Stents
Authors: Gagliardi Mariacristina
Published: March 2012

In this paper, a set of analyses on the deployment of coronary stents by using a nonlinear finite element method is proposed. The author proposes a convergence test able to select the appropriate mesh dimension and a methodology to perform the simplification of structures composed of cyclically repeated units to reduce the number of degree of freedom and the analysis run time. A systematic study, based on the analysis of seven meshes for each model, is performed, gradually reducing the element dimension. In addition, geometric models are simplified considering symmetries; adequate boundary conditions are applied and verified based on the results obtained from analysis of the whole model.
Home Blood Pressure Measurement
Authors: Kaur Gurmanik , Arora Ajat Shatru , Jain Vijender Kumar
Published: March 2012

Hypertension, the leading global risk factor for early mortality, cannot be detected or treated without accurate and practical methods of blood pressure (BP) measurement. Although home BP measurement has considerable popularity among patients, the lack of evidence needed to assure its place in modern clinical practice has hindered its widespread acceptance among physicians. This paper demonstrates that home BP measurement is more accurate than conventional clinic and ambulatory monitoring BP measurement and can be used effectively in clinical practice. On the basis of the data from different studies, it can be concluded that home BP measurement is an improvement over conventional clinic BP measurement. Home monitoring of BP is a convenient, accurate, and widely available option and may become the method of choice when diagnosing and treating hypertension. A paradigm shift is needed in BP measurement as evidence-based medicine suggests that clinic BP measurement should only be used for screening purposes.
Logistics Applied to Improve Bottling Water Distribution
Authors: Ortiz Zezzatti Carlos Alberto Ochoa , Castillo Nemesio , Martínez Wilebaldo , Velázquez Socorro
Published: March 2012

The optimization problems have been widely attacked in the area of evolutionary computation, this has been due mainly to the kindness they have shown to solve these problems. This chapter addresses the solution to the problem of optimizing the space within the vehicle to distribute purified water. To solve this problem using a cultural algorithm which helps determine the appropriate charge that provides the best value for the company of this kind of services to the customers of the product. This is done taking into account the space that is available within the vehicle and the different presentations that are distributed. In turn, this study helps us to understand the behavior of (Cultural Algorithms) with respect to the issues raised in the optimization of space vehicle for distributing purified water. In addition prepare a comparative analysis of the results obtained with respect to another method of solving optimization space, and finally describe an extended Partially Dynamic Vehicle Routing which permits determine complicated scenarios and reorganize the stratagems to solute these scenarios.
Logistics for the Garbage Collection through the use of Ant Colony Algorithms
Authors: Gallegos Julio Cesar Ponce , Aguilera Fatima Sayuri Quezada , Aguilar José Alberto Hernandez , Villalón Christian José Correa
Published: March 2012

The contribution of this chapter is to present an approach to explain the Ant Colony System applied on the Waste Collection Problem, because waste management is moving up to the concern over health and environmental impacts. These algorithms are a framework for decision makers in order to analyze and simulate various spatial waste management problems. In the last decade, metaheuristics have become increasingly popular for effectively confronting difficult combinatorial optimization problems. In the present work, an individual metaheuristic Ant Colony System (ACS) algorithm is introduced, implemented and discussed for the identification of optimal routes in the case Solid Waste collection. This algorithm is applied to a waste collection and transport system, obtaining recollection routes with the less total distance with respect to the actual route utilized and to the solution obtained by a previously developed approach.
Looking for Reverse Transformations between NP-Complete Problems
Authors: R. Rodolfo A.Pazos , C. Ernesto Ong , H. Héctor Fraire , R. Laura Cruz , F. José A.Martínez
Published: March 2012

The theory of NP-completeness provides a method for telling whether a decision/optimization problem is “easy” (i.e., it belongs to the P class) or “difficult” (i.e., it belongs to the NP-complete class). Many problems related to logistics have been proven to belong to the NP-complete class such as Bin Packing, job scheduling, timetabling, etc. The theory predicts that for any pair of NP-complete problems A and B there must exist a polynomial time transformation from A to B and also a reverse transformation (from B to A). However, for many pairs of NP-complete problems no reverse transformation has been reported in the literature; thus the following question arises: do reverse transformations exist for any pair of NP-complete problems? This chapter presents results on an ongoing investigation for clarifying this issue.
Crowdfunding to improve Environmental Projects’ Logistics
Authors: Ortiz Zezzatti Carlos Alberto Ochoa , Bustillos Sandra , Reyes Yarira , Tagliarducci-Tcherassi Alessandra , Jaramillo Rubén
Published: March 2012

Evolve computing is the generic name given to the resolution of computational problems, based in models of an evolutionary process. Most evolutionary algorithms propose biological paradigms, and concepts of natural selection, mutation, and reproduction. Nevertheless other paradigms exist which can be adopted in the creation of evolutionary algorithms. Many problems involve environments not structured which can be solved from the perspective of cultural paradigms, which offer plenty of category models where one does not know the possible solutions of a problem, a common situation in real life. This research analyzed the organization of a project using a Crowdfunding Model, supporting to social networking. Sociological research shows that Crowdfunding tends to reveal a bias toward social similarity. Therefore, in order to model this Project supported with Crowdfunding, the authors developed an Agent-Based Model that already manages the social interaction, together with featuring information of issues in different habitats and evolutionary belief spaces. To introduce these theoretical concepts Cultural Algorithms were used in the approach, explaining the process in detail. In recent decades, in all World supporting Environmental Projects evolved from its traditional form of swapping issues with another friend’s and stashing those involving too many people from diverse countries all dedicated to conservation of habitats, Natural Reserve or National Parks.
Improve Card Collection from Memory Alpha using Sociolinguistics and Japanese Puzzles
Authors: Ortiz Zezzatti Carlos Alberto Ochoa , Martínez José , Castillo Nemesio , González Saúl , Hernández Paula
Published: March 2012

Research examining the role of species bias in the Memory Alpha card market has been an emerging area of inquiry. However, empirical knowledge on the question: “Does the specie of the personage’s role on a series affect the value of the card?” remains inconclusive. This chapter analyzes one of the first studies on this topic. Data were derived for 787 Alpha, Beta. Gamma & Delta species from Memory Alpha which were elected by a vote of the users in this Web Community conformed by fans. Data for each species’ society, technology performance registers, design card price, and card availability with a range from common to extremely rare were obtained from secondary sources associated with Memory Alpha. Findings indicate that card availability and, to a lesser extent, technology performance is the most important factor affecting the value of a species´ card, while importantly, a society’s species is not a significant contributor to card value. Suggestions for future research are outlined.
Data Mining Applications in the Electrical Industry
Authors: Vacio Rubén Jaramillo , Ortiz Zezzatti Carlos Alberto Ochoa , Rios Armando
Published: March 2012

This chapter describes the experimental study partial discharges (PD) activities with artificial intelligent tools. The results present different patterns using a hybrid system with Self Organizing Maps (SOM) and Hierarchical clustering, this combination constitutes an excellent tool for exploration analysis of massive data such a partial discharge on underground power cables and electrical equipment. The SOM has been used for nonlinear feature extraction and the hierarchical clustering to visualization. The hybrid system is trained with different dataset using univariate phase-resolved distributions. The results show that the clustering method is fast, robust, and visually efficient.
Components and Frameworks in the Cloud Era
Authors: Konstantopoulos Dino , Pinkerton Mike , Braude Eric
Published: March 2012

The emergence and popularity of Cloud computing could not have happened were it not for the massive amount of underlying software reuse, as reuse of services and applications is what saves development dollars and allows IT infrastructure to adapt more nimbly to the changing environment. Software fosters two reuse syntaxes: Sharing and reuse of human-readable source code (open source), or sharing and reuse of machine-readable binary code (proprietary). Software also caters to two reuse semantics: where the software is either prepackaged as components or as frameworks. In this chapter, the authors examine software reuse in the Cloud. By categorizing it in these dual categories, they glimpse the practices that prime Cloud-based software for massive reuse.
Software Development Using Service Syndication Based on API Handshake Approach between Cloud-Based and SOA-Based Reusable Services
Authors: Singh Vishav Vir
Published: March 2012

Reusability in the software development realm is a momentous cornerstone in deciding the success of an organization. The quantum leap in reusability was provided by object-orientation, which fundamentally altered the manner of thinking of software architects. The notion of the object and the installation of reusability as one of the central tenets is a critical requisite. Components that represented bigger and better software aggregates easily utilized by businesses to gain instant execution for their business services have made great strides. This gave way to the ultimate notion of a service which took software aggregates in components to fine and sharpened streams of software execution called services. This has been another inflection point in the overall curve of reusability, and most importantly, in agility and turnaround time for software production. The notion of services mandated the birth of a secure and trusted public interface to a service, which is called the Application Programming Interface (API). APIs represent a directory of services that a given enterprise offers.
Information Feedback Based Architecture for Handling the Scalability Issues in the Reusable Cloud Components
Authors: Ramachandra Manjunath , Pattabhirama Pandit
Published: March 2012

With the evolution of the paradigm of cloud computing in every field of application, the demand on the reusable resources while providing the service has increased substantially. Although it is transparent to the user through virtualization, that is also a strength of cloud computing, the runtime scalability of resources to cater for a variety of services is to be addressed to meet the critical factor of the agreed quality of service. In this work, an architecture based on information feedback is presented to address this issue. The findings have been supported by the simulation results. The scalable architecture makes use of a hierarchy of resources, each level capable of providing a different degree of services. The demand for resources at each level, which is also equivalent to contention for resources or service drops, is computed using Random Early Detection (RED) or similar algorithms and used as feedback signal. The effectiveness of this signal may be enhanced by predicting the same several steps ahead of time. The prediction ensures the availability of a breathing time for the allocation of the resources.
Evaluation of Peak Ground Acceleration and Response Spectra Considering the Local Site Effects
Authors: G. Sitharam T. , S. Vipin K.
Published: March 2012

The local site effects play an important role in the evaluation of seismic hazard. The proper evaluation of the local site effects will help in evaluating the amplification factors for different locations. This article deals with the evaluation of peak ground acceleration and response spectra based on the local site effects for the study area. The seismic hazard analysis was done based on a probabilistic logic tree approach and the peak horizontal acceleration (PHA) values at the bed rock level were evaluated. Different methods of site classification have been reviewed in the present work. The surface level peak ground acceleration (PGA) values were evaluated for the entire study area for four different site classes based on NEHRP site classification. The uniform hazard response spectrum (UHRS) has been developed for the city of Bangalore and the details are presented in this work.
Analysis of Passive Earth Pressure and Displacements of Retaining Walls Using Pseudo-Dynamic Approach
Authors: Basha B. Munwar , Sivakumar G. L.
Published: March 2012

Using additional dynamic parameters in the pseudo-static method like shear wave and primary wave velocities of soil, phase change in the shear and primary waves, and soil amplification for seismic accelerations, one can benefit from another useful tool called pseudo-dynamic method to solve the problem of earth pressures. In this study, the pseudo-dynamic method is used to compute the seismic passive earth pressures on a rigid gravity retaining wall by considering both the planar failure and composite failure (log-spiral and planar) mechanisms. To validate the present formulation, passive earth pressure computed by the present method are compared with those given by other authors. Seismic passive earth pressure coefficients are provided in tabular form for different parameters. The sliding and rotational displacements are also computed and results of the comparative study showed that the assumption of planar failure mechanism for rough soil-wall interfaces significantly overestimates passive earth pressure and underestimate the sliding and rotational displacements.
DEM Simulations in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering Education
Authors: Vinod J. S.
Published: March 2012

Behaviour of geotechnical material is very complex. Most of the theoretical frame work to understand the behaviour of geotechnical materials under different loading conditions depends on the strong background of the basic civil engineering subjects and advanced mathematics. However, it is fact that the complete behaviour of geotechnical material cannot be traced within theoretical framework. Recently, computational models based on Finite Element Method (FEM) are used to understand the behaviour of geotechnical problems. FEM models are quite complex and is of little interest to undergraduate students. A simple computational tool developed using Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate the laboratory experiments will be cutting edge research for geotechnical earthquake engineering education. This article summarizes the potential of DEM to simulate the cyclic triaxial behaviour of granular materials under complex loading conditions. It is shown that DEM is capable of simulating the cyclic behavior of granular materials (e.g. undrained, liquefaction and post liquefaction) similar to the laboratory experiments.
Production Blast-Induced Vibrations in Longhole Open Stoping
Authors: Henning John , Mitri Hani
Published: March 2012

This paper examines stope design approaches employed at a metal mining operation in Canada for extraction of transverse primary, transverse secondary, and longitudinal stopes. Variations in stope and slot design, blast design, and blast vibration attenuation are presented in detail. It is shown that the type of blasthole stoping technique employed varies according to stope sequence and ore zone width. Within this range of stopes, blasting design practices have been standardized in terms of drillhole diameter, powder factor, and the type and pattern of the explosives used.
A Numerical Approach for Simulation of Rock Fracturing in Engineering Blasting
Authors: Saharan Mani Ram , Mitri Hani
Published: March 2012

An approach for simulation of rock fracturing as a result of engineering blasting is presented in this paper. The approach uses element elimination technique within the framework of finite element method to capture the physics of engineering blasting. The approach does not require pre-placement of fracture paths which is the severe drawback of the other existing methodologies and approaches. Results of plane stress modelling for isotropic brittle rock behaviour are presented in this paper and these results are in good agreement with the existing knowledge base. The authors also review the existing approaches of numerical modelling to compare the efficacy of the element elimination technique. It is anticipated that the further developments with this approach can prove to be good experimental tool to improve engineering blasting operations.
Contemporary Issues in Handheld Computing Research
Authors: Hu Wen-Chen , Zuo Yanjun , Chen Lei , Yang Hung-Jen
Published: March 2012

Mobile phones have become ubiquitous in today’s society. However, mobile users are no longer satisfied with simple phones but instead expect ever more powerful functions to be available from their mobile devices. Advanced phones known as smartphones allow mobile users to perform a wide variety of advanced handheld functions such as browsing the mobile Internet or finding a nearby theater showing a specific movie. The design and development of these new, improved handheld functions require the help of handheld computing research. This article introduces handheld computing research using three themes: (i) mobile handheld devices, (ii) mobile computing, and (iii) current issues in handheld computing research. Information about other handheld topics of interest to researchers is given in the last section.