bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Observations of a Large-Amplitude Internal Wave Train and Its Reflection off a Steep Slope
Authors: Bourgault Daniel , Janes David C. , Galbraith Peter S.
Published: December 2010

Remote and in situ field observations documenting the reflection of a normally incident, short, and large-amplitude internal wave train off a steep slope are presented and interpreted with the help of the Dubreil–Jacotin–Long theory. Of the seven remotely observed waves that composed the incoming wave train, five were observed to reflect. It is estimated that the incoming wave train carried Ei = (24 ± 4) × 104 J m−1 to the boundary. The reflection coefficient, defined as the ratio of reflected to incoming wave train energies, is estimated to be R = 0.5 ± 0.2. This is about 0.4 lower than parameterizations in the literature, which are based on reflections of single solitary waves, would suggest. It is also shown that the characteristics of the wave-boundary situation observed in the field are outside the parameter space examined in previous laboratory and numerical experiments on internal solitary wave reflectance. This casts doubts on extrapolating current laboratory-based knowledge to fjord-like systems and calls for more research on internal solitary wave reflectance.
Effect of Decadal Kuroshio Extension Jet and Eddy Variability on the Modification of North Pacific Intermediate Water
Authors: Qiu Bo , Chen Shuiming
Published: December 2010

Salinity modifications in the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) core layer of 26.7–26.8 σθ in the western North Pacific Ocean are investigated using temperature–salinity data from available profiling float and hydrographic measurements in 2002–09. During 2002–05, when the Kuroshio Extension (KE) jet was intense and zonally elongated, coherent positive salinity anomalies appeared along the inflow KE jet southeast of Japan and in the downstream Mixed Water region east of 152°E. Broad-scale negative salinity anomalies were detected south of the KE jet and in the upstream Mixed Water region west of 152°E. The signs of these observed salinity anomalies were reversed in 2006–09, when the KE jet transitioned to a weakened and zonally contracted dynamic state. By adopting an isopycnal advection–diffusion model and conducting model runs with the time-dependent advective field inferred from the eddy-resolving satellite altimeter sea surface height data, it is found that the observed salinity anomalies are oscillatory in nature and are determined not only by the decadally varying KE jet itself but also by mesoscale eddy signals that modulate temporally and longitudinally along the path of the KE jet.
Silicone polymer composites for thermal protection system: fiber reinforcements and microstructures
Authors: Koo J.H. , Miller M.J. , Weispfenning J. , Blackmon C.
Published: December 2010

A new class of silicone polymer matrix composites was evaluated using a simulated solid rocket motor test apparatus. Conversion of this organic silicone polymer to a ceramic (i.e. silica) structure on exposure to flame impingement or high temperature, accounts for its outstanding thermal stability. A research program was aimed to develop and evaluate this new class of thermal protection materials for military applications. This article presents the effects of the type and form of reinforcements on the thermal performance of a novel class of silicone polymer matrix composites. Reinforcement types such as glass, silica, quartz, NextelTM, and NicalonTM were used. Reinforcement forms such as random continuous-fiber mat, chopped-fiber mat, 2-D fabric, 3-D fabric, chopped roving, and broadgood tapes with different ply angles were tested. Detailed microstructural, mass loss, and peak erosion analyses were conducted on the phenolic-based matrix composite (control) and silicone-based matrix composites to understand their protective mechanisms.
Acupuncture for Depression?
Authors: Ernst E. , Lee Myeong Soo , Choi Tae-Young
Published: December 2010

Acupuncture is often advocated as a treatment for depression, and several trials have tested its effectiveness. Their results are contradictory and even systematic reviews of these data do not arrive at uniform conclusions. The aim of this review is to critically evaluate all systematic reviews of the subject with a view of assisting clinical decisions. Thirteen electronic databases were searched to identify all relevant articles. Data of these systematic reviews and the primary studies they included were extracted independently by the two authors according to predefined criteria. Eight systematic reviews including seventy-one primary studies were found. Five of the reviews arrived at positive conclusions and three did not. All the positive reviews and most of the positive primary studies originated from China. There are reasons to believe that these reviews are less than reliable. In conclusion, the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment of depression remains unproven and the authors' findings are consistent with acupuncture effects in depression being indistinguishable from placebo effects.
Stochastic motion planning and applications to traffic
Authors: Lim Sejoon , Balakrishnan Hari , Gifford David , Madden Samuel , Rus Daniela
Published: December 2010

This paper presents a stochastic motion planning algorithm and its application to traffic navigation. The algorithm copes with the uncertainty of road traffic conditions by stochastic modeling of travel delay on road networks. The algorithm determines paths between two points that optimize a cost function of the delay data probability distribution. It can be used to find paths that maximize the probability of reaching a destination within a particular travel deadline. For such problems, standard shortest-path algorithms do not work because the optimal substructure property does not hold. We evaluate our algorithm using both simulations and real-world drives, using delay data gathered from a set of taxis equipped with global positioning system sensors and a wireless network. Our algorithm can be integrated into on-board navigation systems as well as route-finding websites, providing drivers with good paths that meet their desired goals.
Learning impedance control of antagonistic systems based on stochastic optimization principles
Authors: Mitrovic Djordje , Klanke Stefan , Vijayakumar Sethu
Published: December 2010

Novel anthropomorphic robotic systems increasingly employ variable impedance actuation with a view to achieving robustness against uncertainty, superior agility and improved efficiency that are hallmarks of biological systems. Controlling and modulating impedance profiles such that they are optimally tuned to the controlled plant is crucial in realizing these benefits. In this work, we propose a methodology to generate optimal control commands for variable impedance actuators under a prescribed tradeoff of task accuracy and energy cost. We employ a supervised learning paradigm to acquire both the plant dynamics and its stochastic properties. This enables us to prescribe an optimal impedance and command profile (i) tuned to the hard-to-model plant noise characteristics and (ii) adaptable to systematic changes. To evaluate the scalability of our framework to real hardware, we designed and built a novel antagonistic series elastic actuator (SEA) characterized by a simple mechanical architecture and we ran several evaluations on a variety of reach and hold tasks. These results highlight, for the first time on real hardware, how impedance modulation profiles tuned to the plant dynamics emerge from the first principles of stochastic optimization, achieving clear performance gains over classical methods that ignore or are incapable of incorporating stochastic information.
Different differences: The use of ‘genetic ancestry’ versus race in biomedical human genetic research
Authors: Fujimura Joan H. , Rajagopalan Ramya
Published: December 2010

This article presents findings from our ethnographic research on biomedical scientists’ studies of human genetic variation and common complex disease. We examine the socio-material work involved in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and discuss whether, how, and when notions of race and ethnicity are or are not used. We analyze how researchers produce simultaneously different kinds of populations and population differences. Although many geneticists use race in their analyses, we find some who have invented a statistical genetics method and associated software that they use specifically to avoid using categories of race in their genetic analysis. Their method allows them to operationalize their concept of ‘genetic ancestry’ without resorting to notions of race and ethnicity. We focus on the construction and implementation of the software’s algorithms, and discuss the consequences and implications of the software technology for debates and policies around the use of race in genetics research. We also demonstrate that the production and use of their method involves a dynamic and fluid assemblage of actors in various disciplines responding to disciplinary and sociopolitical contexts and concerns. This assemblage also includes particular discourses on human history and geography as they become entangled with research on genetic markers and disease. We introduce the concept of ‘genome geography’ to analyze how some researchers studying human genetic variation ‘locate’ stretches of DNA in different places and times. The concept of genetic ancestry and the practice of genome geography rely on old discourses, but they also incorporate new technologies, infrastructures, and political and scientific commitments. Some of these new technologies provide opportunities to change some of our institutional and cultural forms and frames around notions of difference and similarity. Nevertheless, we also highlight the slipperiness of genome geography and the tenacity of race and race concepts.
Matters of care in technoscience: Assembling neglected things
Authors: de la Bellacasa Maria Puig
Published: December 2010

This paper aims to encourage an ethos of care in the study of science and technology. It starts with a reading of Bruno Latour’s notion of ‘matters of concern’ as favouring an awareness of the ethico-political effects of constructivist accounts in STS. Introducing attention to concern brings us closer to a notion of care. However, there is a ‘critical’ edge to care that Latour’s politics of things tends to disregard. Drawing upon feminist knowledge politics, I propose to treat matters of fact and sociotechnical assemblages as ‘matters of care’ and argue that engaging with care requires a speculative commitment to neglected things.
Sociocultural Subjectivities
Authors: Kirschner Suzanne R.
Published: December 2010

Strongly constitutive sociocultural perspectives in psychology have become more developed and influential in recent decades, particularly during the past 15 years. These approaches include constructionist, discursive, relational, dialogical, and neo-Vygotskian theories. They diverge from one another in some respects, but are alike in that they all consider psychological processes, such as mind and self, to emerge out of social, cultural, and historical contexts. This paper explores some central themes and commitments that inhere in these approaches, particularly with regard to how subjectivity is historically and relationally constituted. It emphasizes the importance of further legitimizing them within psychology and adjacent disciplines. It also points out some current limitations, suggesting that they risk what social theorist Dennis Wrong called an “oversocialized” conception of human beings.
From Theory Construction to Deconstruction
Authors: Looren de Jong Huib
Published: December 2010

Theoretical psychology seems to have moved from helping theory construction in mainstream psychology to deconstructing and criticizing it. Three projects for theoretical psychology are sketched: theory construction (Kukla), naturalism (the Churchlands) and its variant metascience, and social constructionism (Gergen). It is argued that each is in itself valuable, but also that each is lacking in important respects. Metascience has no resources for a critical distance; social constructionism seems often stuck in de(con)structive mode; and theory construction seems captive to an outdated divide between data and theory. The thesis is that we may conceive of theoretical psychology as a continuum from theory construction to deconstruction, with different degrees of reflection, interpretation, integration, and criticism of research programs in psychology. Furthermore, reflection will often start from existing empirical research ( contra Kukla, and, in a different way, contra Gergen), but nevertheless have the resources to criticize it ( contra ultra-naturalistic metascience). Some examples of theoretical projects are listed to illustrate this picture.
Between the General and the Unique
Authors: Salvatore Sergio , Valsiner Jaan
Published: December 2010

In accordance with Windelband’s original proposal, the notions of nomothetic and idiographic are complementary terms, rather than an oppositional dyad. Given their dynamic and field-dependent nature, psychological phenomena are inherently unique—the relationship between their way of being and their constant becoming is mediated by the contingent conditions of the field. Therefore, science cannot be anything but idiographic—always facing a new unique event—while it is aimed at producing general knowledge of the nomothetic kind out of the ever-changing processes that unfold through irreversible time. The uniqueness of psychological phenomena makes it unfeasible for science to rely exclusively on inductive generalization that works through accumulation of empirical evidence provided by aggregated collections of specimens either within a single case (accumulation over time) or by assuming equivalence of exemplars across single cases subsumed under the same general class (a category viewed as a population). Abductive generalization can be a solution to the class←→ individuals relationship problem as it allows characterizing the dynamics of the unique case while it arrives at generalization.
Severe hemorrhagic corpus luteum complicating anticoagulation in antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Yamakami LYS , de Araujo DB , Silva CA , Baracat EC , de Carvalho JF
Published: December 2010

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a disorder of coagulation that causes thrombosis as well as pregnancy-related complications, occurring due to the autoimmune production of antibodies against phospholipid. Full anticoagulation is the cornerstone therapy in patients with thrombosis history, and this can lead to major bleeding. During a 3-year period, 300 primary and secondary APS patients were followed up at the Rheumatology Division of the authors’ University Hospital. Of them, 255 (85%) were women and 180 (60%) were of reproductive age. Three of them (1%) had severe hemorrhagic corpus luteum while receiving long-term anticoagulation treatment and are described in this report. All of them were taking warfarin, had elevated international normalized ratio (>4.0) and required prompt blood transfusion and emergency surgery. Therefore, we strongly recommend that all women with APS under anticoagulation should have ovulation suppressed with either intramuscular depot-medroxyprogesterone acetate or oral desogestrel.
Why the United States did not become a party to the Kyoto Protocol: German, Norwegian, and US perspectives
Authors: Hovi Jon , Sprinz Detlef F. , Bang Guri
Published: December 2010

According to two-level game theory, negotiators tailor agreements at the international level to be ratifiable at the domestic level. This did not happen in the Kyoto negotiations, however, in the US case. We interviewed 26 German, Norwegian, and US participants in and observers of the climate negotiations concerning their views on three explanations for why the United States did not become a party to Kyoto. Explanation 1 argues that Kyoto delegations mistakenly thought the Senate was bluffing when adopting Byrd–Hagel. Explanation 2 contends that Europeans preferred a more ambitious agreement without US participation to a less ambitious agreement with US participation. Finally, explanation 3 suggests that in Kyoto the Clinton–Gore administration gave up on Senate ratification, and essentially pushed for an agreement that would provide them a climate-friendly face. While all explanations received some support from interviewees, explanation 1 and (particularly) explanation 3 received considerably more support than explanation 2.
Political Blogging and (Re) Envisioning the Virtual Public Sphere: Muslim— Christian Discourses in Two Egyptian Blogs
Authors: el-Nawawy Mohammed , Khamis Sahar
Published: December 2010

This study utilizes the Habermasian public sphere as a theoretical framework to analyze the discussions and deliberations surrounding the Muslim—Christian discourses in Egypt as they were portrayed in two of the most popular Egyptian political blogs launched by a prominent male and a female political blogger in Egypt, namely, Wael Abbas and Nawara Negm, respectively. The study focused on the portrayal of Muslim—Christian tensions, in particular, as an especially sensitive and controversial issue to explore the extent to which the postings on these blogs reflect a new form of vibrant and dynamic virtual public sphere, and the degree to which this newly constructed virtual public sphere conforms to, or deviates from, the idealized Habermasian public sphere. Our analysis showed that although there was a genuine Habermasian public sphere reflected in some of the threads on the two blogs, there was a general lack of rational— critical debates, reciprocal deliberations, and communicative action as envisioned by Habermas. It also showed that this newly (re)envisioned virtual public sphere aimed to revitalize civil society, through broadening the base of popular participation, which in turn led to boosting and expanding the concept of citizen journalism, beyond the official sphere of mainstream media.
Deregulation of Aiolos expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemia is associated with epigenetic modifications
Authors: Billot Katy , Soeur Jérémie , Chereau Fanny , Arrouss Issam , Merle-Béral Hélène , Huang Meng-Er , Mazier Dominique , Baud Véronique , Rebollo Angelita
Published: December 2010

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by a clonal accumulation of mature neoplastic B cells that are resistant to apoptosis. Aiolos, a member of the Ikaros family of zinc-finger transcription factors, plays an important role in the control of mature B lymphocyte differentiation and maturation. In this study, we showed that Aiolos expression is up-regulated in B-CLL cells. This overexpression does not implicate isoform imbalance or disturb Aiolos subcellular localization. The chromatin status at the Aiolos promoter in CLL is defined by the demethylation of DNA and an enrichment of euchromatin associated histone markers, such as the dimethylation of the lysine 4 on histone H3. These epigenetic modifications should allow its upstream effectors, such as nuclear factor-κB, constitutively activated in CLL, to gain access to promoter, resulting up-regulation of Aiolos. To determine the consequences of Aiolos deregulation in CLL, we analyzed the effects of Aiolos overexpression or down-regulation on apoptosis. Aiolos is involved in cell survival by regulating the expression of some Bcl-2 family members. Our results strongly suggest that Aiolos deregulation by epigenetic modifications may be a hallmark of CLL.
Cocaine-mediated induction of platelet-derived growth factor: implication for increased vascular permeability
Authors: Yao Honghong , Duan Ming , Buch Shilpa
Published: December 2010

Neuroinflammation associated with advanced HIV-1 infection is often exacerbated in cocaine-abusing, HIV-infected patients. The underlying mechanisms could, in part, be attributed to the increased impairment of blood brain barrier integrity in the presence of cocaine. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) has been implicated in several pathologic conditions, specifically attributable to its potent mitogenic effects. Its modulation by drug abuse, however, has received very little attention. In the present study, we demonstrated cocaine-mediated induction of PDGF-BB in human brain microvascular endothelial cells through the binding to its cognate σ receptor. Furthermore, this effect was mediated, with subsequent activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and Egr-1 pathways, culminating ultimately into increased expression of PDGF-BB. Cocaine exposure resulted in increased permeability of the endothelial barrier, and this effect was abrogated in mice exposed to PDGF-BB neutralizing antibody, thus underscoring its role as a vascular permeant. In vivo relevance of these findings was further corroborated in cocaine-treated mice that were administered neutralizing antibody specific for PDGF-BB as well as in Egr-1−/− mice. Understanding the regulation of PDGF-BB expression may provide insights into the development of potential therapeutic targets for neuroinflammation associated with HIV infection and drug abuse.
Lipid droplets as ubiquitous fat storage organelles in C. elegans
Authors: Zhang Shaobing O , Trimble Rhonda , Guo Fengli , Mak Ho Yi
Published: December 2010

Background

Lipid droplets are a class of eukaryotic cell organelles for storage of neutral fat such as triacylglycerol (TAG) and cholesterol ester (CE). We and others have recently reported that lysosome-related organelles (LROs) are not fat storage structures in the nematode C. elegans. We also reported the formation of enlarged lipid droplets in a class of peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation mutants. In the present study, we seek to provide further evidence on the organelle nature and biophysical properties of fat storage structures in wild-type and mutant C. elegans.

Results

In this study, we provide biochemical, histological and ultrastructural evidence of lipid droplets in wild-type and mutant C. elegans that lack lysosome related organelles (LROs). The formation of lipid droplets and the targeting of BODIPY fatty acid analogs to lipid droplets in live animals are not dependent on lysosomal trafficking or peroxisome dysfunction. However, the targeting of Nile Red to lipid droplets in live animals occurs only in mutants with defective peroxisomes. Nile Red labelled-lipid droplets are characterized by a fluorescence emission spectrum distinct from that of Nile Red labelled-LROs. Moreover, we show that the recently developed post-fix Nile Red staining method labels lipid droplets exclusively.

Conclusions

Our results demonstrate lipid droplets as ubiquitous fat storage organelles and provide a unified explanation for previous studies on fat labelling methods in C. elegans. These results have important applications to the studies of fat storage and lipid droplet regulation in the powerful genetic system, C. elegans.
Increased levels of the calcification marker Matrix Gla Protein and the inflammatory markers YKL-40 and CRP in patients with type 2 diabetes and ischemic heart disease
Authors: Thomsen Stine B , Rathcke Camilla N , Zerahn Bo , Vestergaard Henrik
Published: December 2010

Objective and design

Low grade inflammation is of pathogenic importance in atherosclerosis and in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Matrix GLA protein (MGP), an inhibitor of medial calcification of arteries, is increased in patients with atherosclerosis. In the present study levels of markers of calcification (MGP) and inflammation (YKL-40, hsCRP) were evaluated in patients with T2 D and/or ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Materials and methods

The study population consisted of 1) patients with T2D (n = 45); 2) patients with IHD (n = 37); patients with both T2D and IHD (n = 20) and 4) healthy controls (n = 20). Biochemical parameters were measured in venous blood samples.

Results

Levels of MGP, YKL-40 and hsCRP were increased in patients with IHD and/or T2D (p < 0.0001) and patients with T2D and IHD had higher MGP levels (p < 0.001). In multiple linear regression analyses MGP was associated with patient category (r = 0.36, p < 0.001), and HDL-cholesterol levels (r = 0.29, p < 0.001) adjusting for the significant covariates.

Conclusions

In patients with T2D and/or IHD we found increased levels of plasma MGP indicative of a progressing calcification process. This process is paralleled by increased levels of YKL-40 and hsCRP, which most likely reflect the concomitant low grade inflammatory state in these patients
Use of cervicovaginal fluid for the identification of biomarkers for pathologies of the female genital tract
Authors: Zegels Geert , Van Raemdonck Geert AA , Tjalma Wiebren AA , Van Ostade Xaveer WM
Published: December 2010

Cervicovaginal fluid has an important function in the homeostasis and immunity of the lower female genital tract. Analysis of the cervicovaginal fluid proteome may therefore yield important information about the pathogenesis of numerous gynecological pathologies. Additionally, cervicovaginal fluid has great potential as a source of biomarkers for these conditions.

This review provides a detailed discussion about the human cervicovaginal proteome and the proteomics studies performed to characterize this biological fluid. Furthermore, infection-correlated pathological conditions of the female genital tract are discussed for which cervicovaginal fluid has been used in order to identify potential biomarkers. Recent years, numerous studies have analyzed cervicovaginal fluid samples utilizing antibody-based technologies, such as ELISA or Western blotting, to identify biomarkers for preterm birth, premature preterm rupture of membranes, bacterial vaginosis and cervical cancer. The present article will discuss the importance of proteomic technologies as alternative techniques to gain additional meaningful information about these conditions. In addition, the review focuses on recent proteomic studies on cervicovaginal fluid samples for the identification of potential biomarkers. We conclude that the use of proteomic technology for analysis of human cervicovaginal fluid samples is promising and may lead to the discovery of new biomarkers which can improve disease prevention and therapy development.
Expression of MDR1, HIF-1α and MRP1 in sacral chordoma and chordoma cell line CM-319
Authors: Ji Zhengang , Long Hua , Hu Yunsheng , Qiu Xiuchun , Chen Xiang , Li Zhao , Fan Degang , Ma Baoan , Fan Qingyu
Published: December 2010

Background

Chordoma was a typically slow-growing tumor. The therapeutic approach to chordoma had traditionally relied mainly on surgical therapy. And the main reason for therapeutic failure was resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However the refractory mechanism was not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of three genes (MDR1,HIF-1αandMRP1) associated with resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy in chordoma and chordoma cell line CM-319.

Materials and methods

Using immunohistochemical techniques, the expression of MDR1, HIF-1α and MRP1 was investigated in 50 chordoma specimen. Using RT-PCR and Western blot, the expression of MDR1, HIF-1α and MRP1 was investigated in chordoma and chordoma cell line CM-319.

Results

Expression of MDR1, HIF-1α and MRP1 was observed in 10%, 80% and 74% of all cases, respectively. Expression of MRP1 was correlated with HIF-1α. On the other hand, expression of MDR1 was not correlated with the expression of HIF-1α or MRP1. The expression of HIF-1α and MRP1 was observed, but MDR1 was not observed in chordoma and CM-319.

Conclusion

Expression of HIF-1α and MRP1 was observed in most chordoma specimen and CM-319 cell line; expression of HIF-1α correlated with MRP1. HIF-1α and MRP1 may play a role in the multidrug resistance of chordoma to chemotherapy.
Dynamic elastic properties of coal
Authors: Morcote Anyela , Mavko Gary , Prasad Manika
Published: December 2010

Laboratory ultrasonic velocity measurements of different types of coal demonstrate that their dynamic elastic properties depend on coal rank and applied effective pressure. In spite of the growing interest in coal beds as targets for methane production, the high abundance in sedimentary sequences and the strong influence that they have on seismic response, little data are available on the acoustic properties of coal. Velocities were measured in core plugs parallel and perpendicular to lamination surfaces as a function of confining pressure up to [Formula: see text] in loading and unloading cycles. P- and S-wave velocities and dry bulk and dry shear moduli increase as coal rank increases. Thus, bituminous coal and cannel show lower velocities and moduli than higher ranked coals such as semianthracite and anthracite. The [Formula: see text] relationship for dry samples is linear and covers a relatively wide range of effective pressures and coal ranks. However, there is a pressure dependence on the elastic properties of coal for confining pressures below [Formula: see text]. This pressure sensitivity is related to the presence of microcracks. Finally, the data show that coal has an intrinsic anisotropy at confining pressures above [Formula: see text], the closing pressure for most of the microcracks. This intrinsic anisotropy at high pressures might be due to fine lamination and preferred orientation of the macerals.
“Outside the Gates of Everything”: Hardy's Exclusionary Realism
Authors: Jaffe Audrey
Published: December 2010

Focusing on scenes of exclusion in The Return of the Native, The Woodlanders, and Jude the Obscure, this article argues that Hardy reveals realist representation to be structured by a dynamic of inclusion and exclusion. Rather than claim Hardy as a realist or antirealist, the article shows how he fits both categories, as the novels disclose the exclusionary potential of realist conventions that tend to function invisibly, providing comfort and coherence. The novels as a whole may be viewed as similarly (and simultaneously) inclusive and exclusive, since they delimit a world in which the real, defined by convention and consensus, is ultimately indistinguishable from fantasy.
Rhys, Keynes, and the Modern(ist) Economic Nation
Authors: Karl Alissa G.
Published: December 2010

What does it mean for a novel, or a nation, to “add up”? Where a number of prominent critics have outlined the ways in which the novel amounts to a persuasive representation of the nation, this essay considers another prominent discourse of accounting—economics—to evaluate the formal and representational means through which national totalities are formulated in late imperial Britain. This essay places Jean Rhys's Voyage in the Dark (1934) in conversation with neoclassical and Keynesian economic theory and policy to specify where both are preoccupied with the notion of “equilibrium” (or the balance of “inputs” and “outputs” to national, economic, or political systems) in the 1930s. Handily demonstrated by Phillips's economic computer, a machine built to literally embody Britain's economy, Keynesian thought in particular is invested in quantifying and containing the nation's components. I contend, however, that Rhys's metrocolonial novel contests such measures through temporal frameworks and a treatment of sexual economies that offer contending models of formal closure, ultimately challenging the pervasive tropes of economic inclusion and exclusion in her late-imperial context. It is my argument here that Rhys's novelistic form works as a technology of national representation to refute techniques of national quantification that would exclude or oversimplify imperial history or colonial subjectivity; more broadly, Rhys's novel exposes the limits of national analyses that rest upon territorial-corporeal imaginings of the nation.
Ambient temperature shapes reproductive output during pregnancy and lactation in the common vole (Microtus arvalis): a test of the heat dissipation limit theory
Authors: Simons Mirre J. P. , Reimert Inonge , van der Vinne Vincent , Hambly Catherine , Vaanholt Lobke M. , Speakman John R. , Gerkema Menno P.
Published: December 2010

The heat dissipation limit theory suggests that heat generated during metabolism limits energy intake and, thus, reproductive output. Experiments in laboratory strains of mice and rats, and also domestic livestock generally support this theory. Selection for many generations in the laboratory and in livestock has increased litter size or productivity in these animals. To test the wider validity of the heat dissipation limit theory, we studied common voles (Microtus arvalis), which have small litter sizes by comparison with mice and rats, and regular addition of wild-caught individuals of this species to our laboratory colony ensures a natural genetic background. A crossover design of ambient temperatures (21 and 30°C) during pregnancy and lactation was used. High ambient temperature during lactation decreased milk production, slowing pup growth. The effect on pup growth was amplified when ambient temperature was also high during pregnancy. Shaving fur off dams at 30°C resulted in faster growth of pups; however, no significant increase in food intake and or milk production was detected. With increasing litter size (natural and enlarged), asymptotic food intake during lactation levelled off in the largest litters at both 21 and 30°C. Interestingly, the effects of lactation temperature on pup growth where also observed at smaller litter sizes. This suggests that vole dams trade-off costs associated with hyperthermia during lactation with the yield from investment in pup growth. Moreover, pup survival was higher at 30°C, despite lower growth, probably owing to thermoregulatory benefits. It remains to be seen how the balance is established between the negative effect of high ambient temperature on maternal milk production and pup growth (and/or future reproduction of the dam) and the positive effect of high temperatures on pup survival. This balance ultimately determines the effect of different ambient temperatures on reproductive success.
Whistling in caterpillars (Amorpha juglandis, Bombycoidea): sound-producing mechanism and function
Authors: Bura Veronica L. , Rohwer Vanya G. , Martin Paul R. , Yack Jayne E.
Published: December 2010

Caterpillar defenses have been researched extensively, and, although most studies focus on visually communicated signals, little is known about the role that sounds play in defense. We report on whistling, a novel form of sound production for caterpillars and rare for insects in general. The North American walnut sphinx (Amorpha juglandis) produces whistle ‘trains’ ranging from 44 to 2060 ms in duration and comprising one to eight whistles. Sounds were categorized into three types: broadband, pure whistles and multi-harmonic plus broadband, with mean dominant frequencies at 15 kHz, 9 kHz and 22 kHz, respectively. The mechanism of sound production was determined by selectively obstructing abdominal spiracles, monitoring air flow at different spiracles using a laser vibrometer and recording body movements associated with sound production using high-speed video. Contractions of the anterior body segments always accompanied sound production, forcing air through a pair of enlarged spiracles on the eighth abdominal segment. We tested the hypothesis that sounds function in defense using simulated attacks with blunt forceps and natural attacks with an avian predator – the yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia). In simulated attacks, 94% of caterpillars responded with whistle trains that were frequently accompanied by directed thrashing but no obvious chemical defense. In predator trials, all birds readily attacked the caterpillar, eliciting whistle trains each time. Birds responded to whistling by hesitating, jumping back or diving away from the sound source. We conclude that caterpillar whistles are defensive and propose that they function specifically as acoustic ‘eye spots’ to startle predators.
Reproductive regulators in decapod crustaceans: an overview
Authors: Nagaraju Ganji Purna Chandra
Published: December 2010

Control of reproductive development in crustaceans requires neuropeptides, ecdysone and methyl farnesoate (MF). A major source of neuropeptides is the X-organ–sinus gland (XO–SG) complex located in the eyestalk ganglia of crustaceans. The other regulatory factors (either peptides or neuromodulators) are produced in the brain and thoracic ganglia (TG). Two other regulatory non-peptide compounds, the steroid ecdysone and the sesquiterpene MF, are produced by the Y-organs and the mandibular organs, respectively. In the current review, I have tried to recapitulate recent studies on the role of gonadal regulatory factors in regulating crustacean reproduction.
Mechanics, hydrodynamics and energetics of blue whale lunge feeding: efficiency dependence on krill density
Authors: Goldbogen J. A. , Calambokidis J. , Oleson E. , Potvin J. , Pyenson N. D. , Schorr G. , Shadwick R. E.
Published: December 2010

Lunge feeding by rorqual whales (Balaenopteridae) is associated with a high energetic cost that decreases diving capacity, thereby limiting access to dense prey patches at depth. Despite this cost, rorquals exhibit high rates of lipid deposition and extremely large maximum body size. To address this paradox, we integrated kinematic data from digital tags with unsteady hydrodynamic models to estimate the energy budget for lunges and foraging dives of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest rorqual and living mammal. Our analysis suggests that, despite the large amount of mechanical work required to lunge feed, a large amount of prey and, therefore, energy is obtained during engulfment. Furthermore, we suggest that foraging efficiency for blue whales is significantly higher than for other marine mammals by nearly an order of magnitude, but only if lunges target extremely high densities of krill. The high predicted efficiency is attributed to the enhanced engulfment capacity, rapid filter rate and low mass-specific metabolic rate associated with large body size in blue whales. These results highlight the importance of high prey density, regardless of prey patch depth, for efficient bulk filter feeding in baleen whales and may explain some diel changes in foraging behavior in rorqual whales.
Use of radio-tagging to map spatial organization and social interactions in insects
Authors: Moreau Mathieu , Arrufat Patrick , Latil Gérard , Jeanson Raphaël
Published: December 2010

Understanding of the organization of animal societies often requires knowledge of the identity of group members and their spatial location. We propose an original experimental design to track automatically the position of individuals using radio frequency identification technology (RFID). Ants equipped with passive transponders were detected by a reader mounted on a mobile arm moving across the nest surface. We developed an algorithm to accurately extract the positions of individuals moving in two dimensions. Our method was validated on synthetic test cases and then used for characterization of the spatial distribution of ants within nests. This approach provides an amenable system for monitoring large populations of individuals over long periods of time.
Linear matrix inequality approach to passive filtering for delayed neural networks
Authors: Ahn C K
Published: December 2010

The delay-dependent passive filtering problem is studied for delayed neural networks. A new delay-dependent passive filter is proposed such that the filtering error system is asymptotically stable and passive from the external disturbance to the output error. The desired filter matrix gain is characterized in terms of the solution to a linear matrix inequality (LMI), which can be easily facilitated by using some standard numerical packages. An illustrative example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed filter.
Investigation of the influence of multiple gasoline direct injections on macroscopic spray quantities at different boundary conditions by means of visualization techniques
Authors: Martin D , Pischke P , Kneer R
Published: December 2010

The reduction of combustion emissions and fuel consumption can be achieved by controlling the fuel mixture to be burned and therefore the fuel injection. In this study a gasoline direct injection (GDI) piezo hollow cone injector is investigated by visualization measurements. Both single and double injection events are examined in a pressurized chamber. For the single injection, the influence of the ambient temperature and pressure is analysed in detail. For the double injection, the ambient conditions and the time interval between two injections are varied.

For the single injection, the general shape of the spray, the recirculation eddy formed at the spray edge, the stringy structure of the hollow cone, and defined quantities such as the penetration length or the spray width are examined with respect to the influence of the ambient conditions. For the double injection, the same properties are evaluated, with the focus put not only on the influence of the ambient conditions, but also on the mutual interaction of two spray events.

The experimental results show a clear impact of both the ambient conditions and the time difference between two injections. In particular, the investigation of the recirculation eddy may be helpful in determining possible positions for the spark plug, since the spark plug is preferably placed in regions where the air–fuel mixture variations are minimal.
Organic gas emissions from a stoichiometric direct injection spark ignition engine operating on ethanol/gasoline blends
Authors: Kar K , Tharp R , Radovanovic M , Dimou I , Cheng W K
Published: December 2010

The organic gas emissions from a stoichiometric direct injection spark ignition engine operating on ethanol/gasoline blends have been assessed under warmed-up and cold idle conditions. The speciated emissions show that the total organic gas emissions (in ppm C1) decrease with increase in ethanol content. The mole fraction of ethanol in the exhaust is proportional to the volume fraction of ethanol in the fuel: a 10 per cent increase in the latter would yield a 5.5 per cent increase in the former. The ethanol–acetaldehyde ratio (by mol) in the exhaust is 6. These results hold for both the warmed-up and the cold idle conditions, with the exception of E85 at cold idle because of the difficulty in fuel evaporation. The dependence of the organic gas emissions on injection timing may be divided into three regimes. With early injection, the fuel bounce from the piston results in high emissions. With injection in mid-stroke, the emissions are low and not sensitive to the fuel pressure. With injection close to the bottom of the stroke, the interaction of the fuel deposit on the wall and the piston (which comes up shortly) results in higher emissions. The behaviour is similar for all the ethanol/gasoline blends with the exception of E85 under cold idle condition.
Pinworm infection in laboratory mice in southern China
Authors: Chen Xiao-Mei , Li Xin , Lin Rui-Qing , Deng Jun-You , Fan Wen-Ying , Yuan Zi-Guo , Liao Miao , Zhu Xing-Quan
Published: December 2010

The present investigation examined the prevalence and intensity of pinworm infection in laboratory mice from three laboratory animal centres in China's southern Guangdong Province between August 2008 and April 2009. A total of 301 laboratory mice representing BALB/c, Kunming (KM) and C57BL/6J breeds were examined and the worms were counted and identified according to existing keys and descriptions, and their specific identity was ascertained by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal DNA. While the BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice were not found to be infected with pinworms, postmortem examination of the KM mice revealed a prevalence of 46.7%. PCR amplification of ITS-2 rDNA and subsequent sequencing confirmed that the mice were infected with Syphacia obvelata. The results of the present investigation demonstrated that the prevalence of pinworm infection in laboratory mice was high in the Guangdong province, and integrated control strategies and measures should be implemented to prevent and control pinworm infection in laboratory mice.
Kernel Estimation of the Greeks for Options with Discontinuous Payoffs
Authors: Liu Guangwu , Hong L. Jeff
Published: December 2010

The Greeks are the derivatives (also known as sensitivities) of the option prices with respect to market parameters. They play an important role in financial risk management. Among many Monte Carlo methods of estimating the Greeks, the classical pathwise method requires only the pathwise information that is directly observable from simulation and is generally easier to implement than many other methods. However, the classical pathwise method is generally not applicable to the Greeks of options with discontinuous payoffs and the second-order Greeks. In this paper, we generalize the classical pathwise method to allow discontinuity in the payoffs. We show how to apply the new pathwise method to the first- and second-order Greeks and propose kernel estimators that require little analytical efforts and are very easy to implement. The numerical results show that our estimators work well for practical problems.
Average Cost Single-Stage Inventory Models: An Analysis Using a Vanishing Discount Approach
Authors: Huh Woonghee Tim , Janakiraman Ganesh , Nagarajan Mahesh
Published: December 2010

An important problem in the theory of dynamic programming is that of characterizing sufficient conditions under which the optimal policies for Markov decision processes (MDPs) under the infinite-horizon discounted cost criterion converge to an optimal policy under the average cost criterion as the discount factor approaches 1. In this paper, we provide, for stochastic inventory models, a set of such sufficient conditions. These conditions, unlike many others in the dynamic programming literature, hold when the action space is noncompact and the underlying transition law is weakly continuous. Moreover, we verify that these conditions hold for almost all conceivable single-stage inventory models with few assumptions on cost and demand parameters. As a consequence of our analysis, we partially characterize, for the first time, optimal policies for the following inventory systems under the infinite-horizon average-cost criterion, which have thus far been a challenge: (a) capacitated systems with setup costs, (b) uncapacitated systems with convex ordering costs plus a setup cost, and (c) systems with lost sales and lead times.
No Extraneous Information, Please: Adding Drug to Hanging IV Bag Poses Many Risks: Doribax-Zovirax Name Confusion: Ambiguous Directions, Wrong Assumption by Patient
Authors: Cohen Michael R. , Smetzer Judy L.
Published: December 2010

These medication errors have occurred in health care facilities at least once. They will happen again-perhaps where you work. Through education and alertness of personnel and procedural safeguards, they can be avoided. You should consider publishing accounts of errors in your newsletters and/or presenting them at your inservice training programs.

Your assistance is required to continue this feature. The reports described here were received through the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) Medication Errors Reporting Program. Any reports published by ISMP will be anonymous. Comments are also invited; the writers' names will be published if desired. ISMP may be contacted at the address shown below.

Errors, close calls, or hazardous conditions may be reported directly to ISMP through the ISMP Web site ( www.ismp.org ), by calling 800-FAIL-SAFE, or via e-mail at ismpinfo@ismp.org . ISMP guarantees the confidentiality and security of the information received and respects reporters' wishes as to the level of detail included in publications.
Stanford V Regimen for Hodgkin Lymphoma
Authors: Yarbro Laura M. , Solimando Dominic A. , Waddell J. Aubrey
Published: December 2010

The complexity of cancer chemotherapy requires pharmacists be familiar with the complicated regimens and highly toxic agents used. This column reviews various issues related to preparation, dispensing, and administration of antineoplastic therapy, and the agents, both commercially available and investigational, used to treat malignant diseases.