bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exhumation of subcontinental mantle rocks: evidence from ultramafic-bearing clastic deposits nearby the Lherz peridotite body, French Pyrenees
Authors: Clerc Camille , Lagabrielle Yves , Neumaier Martin , Reynaud Jean-Yves , de Saint Blanquat Michel
Published: November 2012

In the eastern Pyrenees, the lherzolites always outcrop as restricted bodies scattered across Mesozoic sedimentary units along the North Pyrenean fault. In this article, we focus on the sedimentary processes associated with the tectonic exhumation of the mantle rocks during the Lower Cretaceous and we provide a new detailed analysis of the ultramafic-bearing sedimentary sequences associated with the Lherz body. The Lherz body, 1.5 km long only, belongs to a series of ultramafic bodies of restricted size (a few m to some hundred of m), occurring within sedimentary formations composed mostly of carbonate breccias originating from the reworking of Mesozoic platform limestones and dolomites. The carbonate clasts include marbles displaying different evolutions in relation with the Cretaceous thermal metamorphic event. The clastic formations also include numerous layers of polymictic breccias reworking ultramafic clasts. These layers are found far from any peridotitic body, implying that ultramafic clasts have been transported far away from their sources by sedimentary processes after their disaggregation on the seafloor. In addition, clasts of ultramafic-rich breccias and sandstones are also observed which indicates rapid sedimentation and diagenesis within a tectonically active environment. We discuss the significance of these deposits and their bearing on our understanding of the tectono-sedimentary processes associated with mantle exhumation in a context of development of narrow intracontinental basins suffering extreme crustal thinning.
Risk assessment of treated municipal wastewater reuse in Sicily
Authors: Aiello Rosa , Cirelli Giuseppe L. , Consoli Simona , Licciardello Feliciana , Toscano Attilio
Published: November 2012

In Italy, the restrictive approach for treated wastewater reuse in agriculture has led to some difficulties in promoting this practice. In order to assess the health risk associated with the use of wastewater in agriculture, an experiment was conducted in an open field near the constructed wetland (CW) system of San Michele di Ganzaria (Eastern Sicily), during the irrigation seasons 2004–2009. In particular the impact on tomato crops of drip and sub-drip irrigation with treated municipal wastewater, as well as effects of wastewater reuse on the irrigation system, main production features, hydrological soil behaviour, and microbial soil and products contamination were investigated. Notwithstanding the fact that globally CW effluents did not match microbiological standards for wastewater reuse of Italian legislation, the median infection risk (function of the recommended tolerable additional disease burden of 10−6 DALY (disability-adjusted life year) loss per person per year) suggested by the 2006 World Health Organization Guidelines for rotavirus, Campylobacter and Cryptosporidium for lettuce irrigation under unrestricted irrigation scenario was achieved.
Dispersion and stability of titanium dioxide nanoparticles in aqueous suspension: effects of ultrasonication and concentration
Authors: Qi J. , Ye Y. Y. , Wu J. J. , Wang H. T. , Li F. T.
Published: November 2012

The increasing applications of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles raise concerns about their potential environmental impacts. To investigate the fate and transport of TiO2 nanoparticles in aqueous suspension, ultrasonication is widely used for the dispersion of TiO2 nanoparticles in laboratory-scale studies. There is a pressing need for detailed information on the dispersion and stability of TiO2 nanoparticles. This study investigated the change of size, zeta potential, and pH of TiO2 nanoparticles aqueous suspension under different conditions of ultrasonication and concentrations. It was found that the hydrodynamic diameter of TiO2 nanoparticles decreased with increasing suspension concentration and remained stable for more than 1 hour after sonication, which is enough for experimental research. The pH decreased with increasing nanoparticles concentration. Ultrasonication remarkably improved zeta potential to be above 15 mV for all the samples. Therefore, 20 minutes of ultrasonication (180 W) is sufficient for the dispersion of this rutile TiO2 nanoparticles suspension, which can remain stable for more than 1 hour. However, the optimum sonication time for TiO2 nanoparticles dispersion is influenced by many factors, such as TiO2 nanoparticles concentration, solution chemistry, and sonicator parameters.
Targeted Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Protein Kinase B as Anticancer Agents
Authors: Collins Ian
Published: November 2012

Protein kinase B (PKB or Akt) is a central component of the PI3K – PKB – mTOR signalling cascade and is firmly established as an attractive target for pharmacological intervention in cancer. A number of small molecule inhibitors with well-defined, direct molecular interactions with PKB are now known, covering a range of mechanisms from ATP- or substrate-competitive inhibition, through allosteric modulation of the kinase activity, to inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol-dependent activation process. The development of small molecule inhibitors of PKB has benefited greatly from the application of structural biology techniques, particularly for lead generation and the optimisation of compound potency and selectivity. The development of the major chemical series of PKB inhibitors will be outlined, with an emphasis on the application of structure-based design and the strategies used to optimise compound pharmacodynamics, efficacy and therapeutic window. The development of small molecules targeting PKB for anticancer therapy has reached an exciting stage, with the first selective inhibitors entering clinical trials, and several additional chemotypes demonstrating efficacy in preclinical models.
From Concept to Reality: The Long Road to c-Met and RON Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer
Authors: Dussault Isabelle , Bellon Steven F.
Published: November 2012

c-Met and RON are receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) that are closely related, both from a homology as well as from a functional stand point. Both receptors can induce cell migration, invasion, proliferation and survival in response to their respective ligand. Moreover, both possess oncogenic activity in vitro, in animal models in vivo and are often deregulated in human cancers. c-Met attracted a lot of interest shortly after its discovery in the mid-1980s because of its unusual role in cell motility. Moreover, a causal role for c-Met activating mutations in human cancer propelled an intensive drug discovery effort throughout the research and pharmaceutical communities to find inhibitors of c-Met. While c-Met is now a well-accepted target for an anti-cancer drug, less is known about the role of RON in cancer. Interestingly, despite their many common attributes, c-Met and RON are activated by different mechanisms in cancer cells. Because of the homology between the two RTKs, some small molecule kinase inhibitors of c-Met have inhibitory activity on RON, opening the door to exploring the role of both receptors in human cancers. In this review we will discuss the relevance of both c-Met and RON deregulation in human cancers and the progress so far in identifying small molecule kinase inhibitors that can block the activity of these targets in vitro and lead to anti-tumor effects in animal models.
The Effect of Lipoic Acid on Macro and Trace Metal Levels in Living Tissues Exposed to Oxidative Stress
Authors: Ciftci Harun , Bakal Unal
Published: November 2012

Environmental pollution resulting from fast-paced industrialization, various chemicals used in agriculture, additives in food, smoking and use of alcohol, radiation, some viruses and poor dietary habits all have currently increased the incidence and types of cancer. Polycyclic hydrocarbons are an example of this type of carcinogens. Living things are exposed to this free radical-increasing substance due to various reasons. Oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species has an important place in the etiology of cancer, which develops in relation to many factors. Injury caused by cancer in the organism may affect other organs, as well as the tumors organs and tissues. In addition, it is known that some changes take place in the content of macro and trace elements due to cancer in the organism. Our study is intended to explore the protective role of alpha-lipoic acid, which has antioxidant characteristics in living tissues exposed to oxidative stress, in the macro and trace element levels.
Actual and Potential Agents and Biomarkers in the Treatment of Cancer
Authors: Carrera M. P. , Ramirez-Exposito M. J. , Martinez-Martos J. M.
Published: November 2012

It is well known that cancer is defined as a group of diseases that differ both regarding the tissues they affect as well as their origin. For this reason, much effort is being made in the development of new drugs with the aim of increasing survival and patients quality of life. There is already a wide spectrum of anti-cancer agents that follow different mechanisms of action, such as the inhibitors of topoisomerases I and II and anti-mitotic chemicals, among others. Usually, these drugs are able to increase the patients survival, although their toxicity worsens the patients quality of life. Therefore, we should seriously consider alternative mechanisms, as well as the co-administration of these drugs with non-toxic compounds, such as melatonin or retinoic acid. This would increase the toxic effects of these drugs at low doses. Obviously, a better understanding of modified physiological systems during the development of these diseases would improve the diagnostic tools. This would be translated, in turn, into a higher survival index. The alteration of the proteolytic enzymes involved in the renin-angiotensin system and in the regulation of the gonadotrophins and TRH synthesis in breast cancer are examples of the above. These two proteins are regulated by the same enzyme, pyrrolidon carboxipeptidase, and both are directly involved in the initiation and development of breast cancer. Therefore, the aim of the present review is to revise the different options available at present to improve patients survival and to show alternative mechanisms that may be beneficial to patients well being.
Role of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Lung Cancer
Authors: Ansari J. , Palmer D. H. , Rea D. W. , Hussain S. A.
Published: November 2012

Protein tyrosine kinases are enzymes which catalyze the phosphorylation of tyrosine residues and activate a downstream cascade of cellular signalling pathways which regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis and a wide variety of cellular functions. Clinical developments over the past decade have identified several novel therapeutic agents which inhibit tyrosine kinase activity, either by direct receptor inhibition or indirect inhibition of tyrosine kinase controlled pathways. Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR TKI), such as gefitinib and erlotinib have been studied extensively in patients with refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Early studies with gefitinib showed undoubted clinical activity but failed to show a survival benefit, whereas studies with erlotinib showed a small but statistically significant benefit in overall survival. Subsequent studies explored the possibility of synergistic activity between targeted agents (gefitinib or erlotinib) and conventional chemotherapy drugs reporting disappointing results. Clinical trial results with gefitinib and erlotinib, either as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy, have failed to match the encouraging results noted in the pre-clinical setting. It is now increasingly recognised that clinical exploration of molecular targeted agents may not conform well to traditional phase I/II/III drug trial designs. Therapeutic responses may be limited to a small subpopulation of patients, therefore diluting the overall therapeutic effect. Hypothesising a genetic basis for the heterogeneity in trial results, biomarkers (such as EGFR gene mutation analysis, EGFR protein expression, and increased EGFR gene copy number) have been studied with a view to identifying a target population most likely to benefit from these drugs. Future clinical trials with targeted agents need to be carefully designed to incorporate correlative translational research elements that will allow selection of appropriate treatment strategies for individual patients. For assessment of phase III trial results in advanced disease, progression free survival may serve as a more appropriate end-point than response rate in an adequately designed trial in the appropriately selected population, although there should be no substitute for the overall survival and quality of life end points. The role of EFGR TKI in NSCLC will be discussed in detail and data from these studies will be used to illustrate the challenges in designing clinical trials and interpreting outcomes.
Therapeutic Exploitation of Endogenous Anti-Inflammatory Mechanisms:Old and New Leads
Authors: Renshaw D. , Urquhart P. , Perretti M.
Published: November 2012

Understanding the way our body switches off host defence responses has yielded some of the most innovative recent discoveries in inflammation research. In reality the concept is not new, and was already implicit in early publications of the 1970s which showed that during inflammation, glucocorticoids are increased in the circulation and that these protect the host from over-shooting and ensuing self-inflicted injury. Stemming from the first example of drugs developed on an endogenous anti-inflammatory pathway, that of the glucocorticoid, we have here touched upon other counterregulatory breakpoints, such as those centred on melanocortins; the annexin 1 system; the polyunsaturated fatty acid derivatives lipoxins and resolvins; galectin-1 and selected others, including novel chemical entities engineered to release anti-inflammatory gases and factors originally discovered in the developmental field. We propose that understanding the molecular mechanisms switched on by a given anti-inflammatory mediator and the events it modulates in target cells will be of great help in developing innovative ways to control inflammatory pathologies. This seems quite articulated and with a degree of complexity in the group of developmental axonal guidance factors. We propose that drugs discovered along this philosophy will have a better compliance and would be theoretically devoid of side effects since they will be acting by mimicking the way our own body assures the inflammatory response is restricted both spatially and temporally.
Cascade Points in the Northern Great Basin: A Radiocarbon-Dated Foliate Point Assemblage from Warner Valley, Oregon
Authors: Smith Geoffrey M. , Carey Peter , Middleton Emily S. , Kielhofer Jennifer
Published: November 2012

Although common in the northern Great Basin, foliate points sometimes referred to as Cascade points are generally regarded as poor temporal markers because they are found in early, middle, and even late Holocene contexts. It is unclear whether this broad timespan is a function of prolonged use of the point form, later groups recycling discarded artifacts, or a combination of both. We review the spatial and temporal distribution of foliate points in the northern Great Basin and present new data derived from work at a stratified rockshelter in Oregon's Warner Valley. There, we have uncovered foliate projectile points that meet the original definition and more recent refinements of the Cascade point type associated with a late early Holocene and middle Holocene occupation. We present technological and source provenance data for the points and the associated lithic assemblage and reconstruct how prehistoric foragers used the rockshelter.
Factors Associated with the Type of Psychotropic Medications Purchased for Common Mental Disorders in the Largest Managed Care Organization in Israel
Authors: Ayalon Liat , Gross Revital , Yari Aviv , Feldhamer Elan , Balicer Ran D. , Goldfracht Margalit
Published: November 2012

Objective:

To evaluate patient and physician characteristics associated with the type of psychotropic medications (anti-anxiety, antidepressant, or both) purchased.

Methods:

The Clalit Health Care Services is the largest managed care health fund in Israel, a country that employs a universal healthcare system. We randomly sampled 30,000 primary care patients over the age of 22 as of January, 2006.

Results:

Overall, 2,217 purchased either antidepressant or antianxiety medications at least once during the year 2006 and had no prior purchases during the last quarter of 2005. The majority (1,518; 68.4%) purchased only anti-anxiety medications and as many as 264 (12%) purchased both anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications. The remaining 435 (19.6%) patients purchased only antidepressant medications. Physician level characteristics explained only a small portion of the variance and, thus, were not included in further analysis. Several patient level characteristics, including age, somatic, and psychiatric diagnosis were associated with the purchase of different types of medications.

Conclusions:

Contrary to clinical guidelines, the purchase of anti-anxiety medications is more prevalent than the purchase of antidepressant medications. In a managed care setting, patient characteristics have a greater role in determining purchasing patterns than provider characteristics; potentially, because of the managed care characteristics that actively guide the care provided to patients.
Internal Marketing, Teacher Job Satisfaction, and Effectiveness of Central Taiwan Primary Schools
Authors: Hung Chih-Lun
Published: November 2012

In this study the effect of internal marketing on the job satisfaction of primary school teachers and the effectiveness of primary schools was tested. I used structural equation modeling to examine the relationships among internal marketing, job satisfaction, and school effectiveness,
and data were collected from 521 teachers in Central Taiwan primary schools. The results showed that both internal marketing and job satisfaction had a direct positive relationship with school effectiveness and job satisfaction had a partial mediating role in the association between internal
marketing and school effectiveness. The research implications are that those in charge of primary schools need to emphasize internal marketing strategies and realize, and take into account, the effect of job satisfaction in the relationship between internal marketing strategies of schools
and their effectiveness.
The Role of the Mother-Daughter Relationship in Taiwanese College Students' Career Self-Efficacy
Authors: Mao Ching-Hua , Hsu Ying-Chu , Fang Tzu-Wei
Published: November 2012

In this study, we examined the effects of the mother-daughter relationship on the career self-efficacy of 394 female Taiwanese college students, including feelings of attachment and psychological separation. Through hierarchical regression analysis, the mother-daughter attachment relationship
was found to separately and significantly facilitate predictions of career self-efficacy at the first level. The predictivity of the added psychological separation variable on career self-efficacy at the second level also reached significance after controlling for the mother-daughter attachment
relationship. Additionally, the communication of the attachment relationship and the functional independence and conflictual independence of psychological separation were significant predictors. This suggests that people who a) communicate well with their mothers and who are able to manage
personal matters without help from mothers, or b) have conflictual relationships with their mothers that lead to negative emotions, have better career self-efficacy.
Investigation on adsorption capacity of TiO2-P25 nanoparticles in the removal of a mono-azo dye from aqueous solution: A comprehensive isotherm analysis
Authors: Behnajady Mohammad , Yavari Shahrzad , Modirshahla Nasser
Published: November 2012

In this work TiO2-P25 nanoparticles with high surface area have been used as
adsorbent for the removal of C.I Acid Red 27 (AR27), as an organic
contaminant from aqueous solution. Characteristics of phases and crystallite
size of TiO2-P25 nanoparticles were achieved from XRD and the surface area
and pore size distribution were obtained from BET and BJH techniques.
TiO2-P25 nanoparticles with almost 80% anatase and 20% rutile phases, the
average crystallite size of 18 nm, have specific surface area of 56.82 m2
g-1. The effect of various parameters like initial AR27 concentration, pH,
contact time and adsorbent dosage has been carried out in order to find
desired adsorption conditions. The desired pH for adsorption of AR27 onto
TiO2-P25 nanoparticles was 3. The equilibrium data were analyzed with various
2-, 3- and 4-parameter isotherm models. Equilibrium data fitted very well by
the 4-parameter Fritz-Schluender model. Results of adsorption kinetics study
indicated that the pseudo-second order kinetics provided the best fit with
correlation coefficients close to unity.
NMR Spectroscopy: An Excellent Tool to Understand RNA and Carbohydrate Recognition by Proteins
Authors: Cléry Antoine , Schubert Mario , Allain Frédéric H.-T.
Published: November 2012

Structural biology plays a key role in understanding how networks of protein interactions with their partners are organized at the atomic level. In this review, we show that NMR is a very efficient method to solve 3D structures of protein – RNA and protein–carbohydrate complexes
of high quality. We explain the importance of studying such interactions and describe the main steps that are required to determine structures of these types of complexes by NMR. Finally, we show that X-ray crystallography and NMR are complementary methods and briefly report on advantages
and disadvantages of each approach.
Solution NMR Studies of Membrane-Protein–Chaperone Complexes
Authors: Burmann Björn M. , Hiller Sebastian
Published: November 2012

The biosynthesis of the bacterial outer membrane depends on molecular chaperones that protect hydrophobic membrane proteins against aggregation while transporting them across the periplasm. In our ongoing research, we use high-resolution NMR spectroscopy in aqueous solution as the main
technique to characterize the structures and biological functions of these membrane-protein–chaperone complexes. Here, we describe NMR studies addressing three functional aspects of periplasmic membrane-protein–chaperone complexes. Firstly, the Escherichia coli outer membrane
protein OmpX binds to each of the two chaperones, Skp and SurA, in structurally at least partially similar states despite fundamental differences between the three-dimensional structures of the chaperones. Secondly, we show that the Skp-bound state of OmpX is equivalent to a chemically denatured
state in terms of its refolding competence into detergent micelles in vitro. Thirdly, we use amino acid mutation analysis to show that the interaction of OmpX to Skp is not dominated by the two most hydrophobic segments of OmpX.
Mitigating the Protective-Services Orientation in Criminal Justice: An Opening Salvo at the University of Winnipeg
Authors: Jochelson Richard , Kohm Steven , Weinrath Michael
Published: November 2012

This article traces the development of a criminal justice (CJ) program at the University of Winnipeg and places that development in the context of the growth of criminology and criminal justice fields in Canada. The CJ program at the University of Winnipeg began as a distributed and interdisciplinary major, but through a process of self-reflection and discovery, CJ faculty attempted to build a program that was theoretically oriented while not losing sight of its applied roots. The journey can best be described as a mitigation of the protective-services orientation – a somewhat pejorative description of CJ levelled by critical scholars of crime, law, and society. We situate the development of a CJ program at the University of Winnipeg alongside shifts in the traditional liberal arts model of post-secondary education in Canada and reflect upon some of the emerging challenges that face similar departments in the current socio-economic and political climate. The article attempts to open up debate and dialogue about the nature of CJ education in Canada and offers the University of Winnipeg as a case study of the development of the discipline in Canada in a post-secondary context.
Path-Constrained Traffic Assignment
Authors: Jiang Nan , Xie Chi , Waller S. Travis
Published: November 2012

This paper presents a mathematical programming model and solution method for the path-constrained traffic assignment problem, in which route choices simultaneously follow the Wardropian equilibrium principle and yield the distance constraint imposed on the path. This problem is motivated by the need for modeling distance-restrained electric vehicles in congested networks, but the resulting model and solution method can be applied to various conditions with similar path-based constraints. The equilibrium conditions of the problem reveal that any path cost in the network is the sum of corresponding link costs and a path-specific out-of-range penalty term. The suggested method, based on the classic Frank–Wolfe algorithm, incorporates an efficient constrained shortest-path algorithm as its subroutine. This algorithm fully exploits the underlying network structure of the problem and is relatively easy to implement. Numerical results from the examples of problems provided show how the equilibrium conditions are reshaped by the path constraint and how the traffic flow patterns are affected by different constraint tightness levels.
Model for Optimization of Locations of Schools and Student Transportation in Rural Areas
Authors: Mandujano Pablo , Giesen Ricardo , Ferrer Juan-Carlos
Published: November 2012

Low population densities make it difficult to design efficient networks of schools in rural areas. The most common solution is to operate small schools with children in multiple grades in each classroom, even though this solution may not be the least expensive. School consolidation proposals are difficult to implement because communities may have emotional bonds with their local schools and the impacts on secondary services, such as student transportation, are difficult to evaluate. In rural areas, particularly in Brazil, reductions in the costs associated with school operations and student transportation could allow boards of education to allocate more resources to improve educational practices and teaching materials. This paper presents a methodology for optimizing the location of schools and student transportation in rural areas. This methodology is based on two mixed-integer programming models, which are used sequentially. The first one deals with the school location and sizing problem, and the second one deals with the school bus routing and shift programming problem. The methodology was applied with data from Barao de Grajaú, which is in the northeast region of Brazil, and provided savings in operating costs of 10% to 17%.
Application of Principal Component Analysis to Predict Dynamic Origin–Destination Matrices
Authors: Djukic Tamara , Van Lint J. W. C. , Hoogendoorn S. P.
Published: November 2012

Prediction of the time evolution of origin–destination (O-D) matrices is important for many applications in the traffic domain. These applications range from ex ante evaluation to real-time prediction and control. Since O-D matrices are high-dimensional multivariate data structures, both the specification and the estimation of O-D prediction models are methodologically and computationally cumbersome. This paper demonstrates that a significant reduction of the dimensionality of the O-D data that preserves structural patterns can dramatically reduce computational costs without a significant loss of accuracy. This paper explores the application of principal component analysis (PCA) for this purpose. PCA shows that the dimensionality of the time series of O-D demand can be reduced significantly. This paper also shows how the results from the PCA method can be used to reveal the structure in the underlying temporal variability patterns in dynamic O-D matrices. The results indicate three main patterns that can be distinguished in dynamic O-D matrices: structural, structural deviation, and stochastic trend patterns. Insight into how these trends contribute to each O-D pair and how this information can be further used to predict dynamic O-D matrices on the basis of a set of dynamic O-D matrices obtained from real data is provided.
Demand and Supply Calibration of Dynamic Traffic Assignment Models
Authors: Omrani Reza , Kattan Lina
Published: November 2012

The calibration of dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) models has evolved rapidly over the past decade and has been fueled by the need for applications ranging from long-term planning to real-time traffic operation. Numerous formulations and solution approaches based on either analytical or simulation-based approaches have been introduced. The aim of this paper is the documentation of the existing DTA model calibration approaches for future reference. The literature on the calibration of DTA models can be categorized on the basis of the two major components that need to be calibrated: demand and supply model estimation. Travel behavior modeling and origin–destination demand estimation problems are considered in the determination of demand models. Supply models simulate traffic dynamics, queue formation, dissipation, and spillback in either a microscopic or mesoscopic context. Early DTA model calibration efforts were based on iteration between the two demand and supply components. Recent frameworks have focused on the simultaneous calibration of both components. Therefore, different solution approaches have been addressed with various functional needs and degrees of robustness. This paper summarizes the current understanding of calibration and estimation of all input parameters for a DTA model, reviews the existing literature, and highlights the gaps that need to be addressed in future research.
Optimal Deployment of Emission Reduction Technologies for Large Fleets
Authors: Farzaneh Mohamadreza , Memisoglu Gokhan , Kianfar Kiavash
Published: November 2012

In states that have serious air quality problems, such as Texas and California, public fleet managers are under pressure to reduce emissions of their fleets. This paper presents an improved optimization framework for determining the most cost-effective assignment of emission reduction technologies to the vehicles in a large fleet and applies it in a much larger setting than previously done in the literature (in relation to fleet size, geographical area, and numbers of pollutants and technologies). Although the improved framework is applicable to any large setting, this study uses the fleet of the Texas Department of Transportation (DOT) as one example. An explanation of the three components of the framework (i.e., fleet data preprocessing, emissions rate estimation, and the binary integer programming optimization model) is followed by the presentation of two scenarios in which the framework is applied to the whole Texas DOT fleet. The resulting optimal deployment of nine technologies and five pollutants is reported. The improved framework uses weighting schemes for counties and pollutants that allow the optimization model itself to choose the best budget distribution strategy from an arbitrary number of possibilities acceptable to the decision maker. In contrast, previous frameworks could consider only an extremely small number of budget distribution strategies for counties.
Varieties of Logistics Centers
Authors: Higgins C. D. , Ferguson M. , Kanaroglou P. S.
Published: November 2012

Despite the growing interest in the development of intermodal logistics centers by scholars and public- and private-sector actors, there is no consensus on the definitions of these centers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the literature and propose a unified and standardized typology and hierarchy of logistics centers. Several current terms and definitions are presented and used to establish criteria for creating a combined typology of logistics centers. This information is used to form a hierarchy of facilities according to their size, influence, value-added activities, and function in freight and logistics processes. The resulting typology and hierarchy are useful as a foundation for advancing research in this area.
Note from the Editor Vol.7
Authors: Rafique Abu Bakr
Published: November 2012

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12254 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011
Reading Burgesss A Clockwork Orange: Cultural Oddities and Their Social Impact
Authors: Ahmed Mohammad Kaosar , Rahman Md Mizanur
Published: November 2012

Anthony Burgesss A Clockwork Orange (1962) portrays the disintegration of the traditional British culture and the rise of a new youth culture in revolt which produced violence and perversity. This youth culture started pervading the layers of the traditional British culture. The 1960s had found the British culture assuming a distorted shape both in values and norms - a culture completely opposite to its original tradition in terms of the socioeconomic changes that took place following the Second World War. The postwar generation had to peep into the collapsed world from a perspective quite different from the previous one because of the rising tension emerging out of a new threat from nuclear war hanging overhead. This paper seeks to explore the extent to which the newly emerged culture affected the young generation and brought about chaos and disorder in British society. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12260 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 63-72
The Advent of Islam in Bengal; An Economic Perspective
Authors: Islam Md Thowhidul
Published: November 2012

This article aims at examining the causes to the advent of Islam in Bengal with a view to identify the economic perspectives in particular. Islam took about six hundred years for its advent into Bengal with political conquest by Bakhtiyar Khalji in the early 13th century, while it had come to Arabia at the beginning of the 7th century. But long before the conquest of Bengal by Bakhtiyar Khalji, the Arab traders had established commercial relation with the coastal lands of Bengal. Islam began to enter into Bengal with the hands of these early Arab Muslim traders. With the beginning of this early advent, Islam started to enter into Bengal through both the sea and land routes on different circumstances. Though there were many other reasons and grounds for the advent of Islam in Bengal, but the economic perspectives were the foremost and forerunner of the causes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12262 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 91-106
Design, Implementation and Performance Analysis of a Low-cost Optical Tachometer
Authors: Bakibillah ASM , Uddin Muhammad Athar , Haque Shah Ahsanul
Published: November 2012

Electrical and mechanical machineries are used in industrial and domestic applications. Measurement of speed of revolving machineries is necessary for their proper functioning and controlling. Tachometer is an instrument which is used to measure the speed of revolving shaft, gear and pulley. This paper describes the basic construction of a low cost optical tachometer and analyzes its performance. The basic tachometer circuit consists of two stages. In the first stage monostable wired around IC NE555 is used, and in the second stage a digital counter based 4-digit counter IC 74C926 is used for the construction of the tachometer. A 5V regulated power supply circuit and an infrared light source circuit are also used. The instrument can measure speed upto 9999 RPM. This speed measurement instrument performs well in terms of accuracy, and can be very useful due to its simplicity and low cost. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12263 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 107-116
Internet Peculiarity and Territorial Traditionalism Converge on Cyberspace: A Study of Techno-legal Synchronization in the USA
Authors: Hoque Kazi Arshadul , Rahman Mohammad Mahabubur
Published: November 2012

Law is enacted and imposed by sovereign state authority. As the states are territorial in nature, the enforcement of law depends to a large extend on the ability to exercise physical control over the territory. Cyberspace and internet have no territorial-based boundaries and are almost entirely independent of physical location. In spite of inevitability of a distinct set of laws and legal principles to be adopted for cyber offences the traditional territorial law can supply element for cyber legal issues. The hi-tech pioneer American courts whether federal or provincial are very much inclined to decide the internet- cases on the basis of territorial concept by applying the principles of traditional territorial notions. This article concentrates on the study of the American cases as a representative type of hi-tech nations for searching the influences of traditional territorial concept on the settlement of internet- cases and the way for overcoming the problems came out of cyber peculiarity. This article will show how law together with internet has created a new environment in legal arena; and how the USA as high-tech nation relying upon previous territorial experience is making new pathway for the jurists, courts and all others. This article is based on keen observation and intensive analysis of American practice. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12264 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 117-130
Identity of an Islamic Ideological State: An Analytical Study
Authors: Hoque Muhammad Rafiqul
Published: November 2012

The Islamic system of state established by the Prophet (SM), existed from 623CE in Medina. The state of Medina was neither monarchic nor republican, ruled on the policy of the majority. This state was based neither on tribalism nor on nationalism, rather on humanism and Islamic monotheism. It was really an Ideological state and the ideology was Islam. In the present paper, an attempt has been made to describe the main features of an Islamic Ideological state through its main principles and distinguishing points of three basic organs and to analyse the differences between an Islamic state and secular states. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12266 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 147-178
Power System Switching Transient Detection using Wavelet Transformed Based Signal Decomposition
Authors: Alam M Shafiul , Chowdhury Md Shamimul Haque , Uddin Muhammad Athar
Published: November 2012

Switching transient phenomena in Electric Power System develop several disturbances, sometimes very hazardous for the electrical equipment life, for the environment and for the human life. Switching transient phenomena produce over voltage, over current and electrical fields, which haven't to neglect. Several types of wavelet network algorithms have been considered for detection of power system switching transients. But both time and frequency information are accessible by multiresolution analysis (MRA). This paper presents a wavelet transform based multiresolution analysis of power system signal to detect, localize and extract switching transients. Power system switching transients have been simulated using MATLAB-7.01. The key idea underlying the approach is to decompose a distorted signal into other signals which represents a smoothed version and detailed version of the original signal. The decomposition is performed using multiresolution analysis. The proposed method appears to be robust for detection and localization of power quality disturbances produced due to load switching and capacitor switching. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12270 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 241-248
Practices of Corporate Social Responsibility: A Study on some Islamic Organizations in Bangladesh
Authors: Haque Md Shariful , Ahmad Md Mokhter
Published: November 2012

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a commitment of the organizations to act ethically and contribute to economic development of the society while humanizing the quality of life of the workforce and the local community at large. This is a talented issue for the corporation the world over. CSR is required for the organizations to ensure its sustainability. Now-a-days the practice of CSR is subject to much debate and criticism. Critics argue that CSR deviates from the fundamental economic role of business; others argue that it is nothing more than superficial windowdressing; others yet argue that it is an attempt to pre-empt the role of governments as a watchdog over powerful multinational corporations. Notwithstanding, CSR is a global concern and all organizations practice it to some extent. In this article the authors made an effort to justify CSR and the concomitant issues in the light of Shar?ah, and examine the welfare practices of some Islamic Organizations in Bangladesh to see whether those fall under the traditional concept of CSR. An investigation has been made into some Islamic organizations in Bangladesh using an unstructured questionnaire. It transpires from the study that almost all these investigated Islamic organizations practice social responsibilities in different forms like Qard-EHasanah, scholarships/stipends, plantation, health services, establishing schools etc. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12271 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 249-282
Revisiting English Language Teaching (ELT) Curriculum Design: How Appropriate is Bangladesh Higher Secondary Level National ELT Curriculum as a Learner-Centred One?
Authors: Ali Md Maksud
Published: November 2012

ELT curriculum design has seen several transformations overtime, especially with the changing views on the educational ideologies and philosophies in the western world. As far as teaching English in an English as a Second/Foreign language (ESL/EFL) context is concerned, it is often suggested that the ESL or the EFL education should be acculturalized as to be responsive to a particular group of people, and that again refers to the need for a national curriculum for ELT in an EFL country. Thus, in designing an ELT curriculum in an ESOL context, the designers need to examine not only whether the curriculum is responsive to the needs of a group of learners but also if it is culturally appropriate in that context or not. Following a qualitative case study research method, this paper examines the extent to which the Higher Secondary ELT national curriculum in Bangladesh is responsive to the socio-cultural needs and the needs of the learners.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/iiucs.v7i0.12494 IIUC Studies Vol.7 2011: 283-296
strange frequencies – readingHamletwith Derrida and Nancy
Authors: Alfano Chiara
Published: November 2012

This essay sounds out Derrida's plurivocal term of frequencies as well as Nancy's understanding of resonance to argue that ghosts live in the ear. Heeding how the different nuances of this term bear on Derrida's reading of Hamlet, it not only seeks to understand the significance of the ghost's rhythmic appearance:disappearance in Shakespeare's play, but indeed, how it comes to frequent Derrida's Specters of Marx.
The Ghost of the Unnameable
Authors: Sellars Roy
Published: November 2012

According to Jacques Derrida, there is a différance – his infamous mis-spelling of the French différence – that ‘has no name in our language’ (‘Différance’, in Margins of Philosophy); its name is not différance, and it is not just nameless but ‘unnameable’. ‘The a of différance’, he also tells us, ‘remains silent, secret and discreet as a tomb’. My essay, which is haunted throughout by Derrida, seeks to address the following question: if the a of différance is like a tomb, then who or what died?

To Kzomil
Crises of Derrida: Theodicy, Sacrifice and (Post-)deconstruction
Authors: Moore Gerald
Published: November 2012

The last few years have seen the emergence of a more political, ‘post-Derridean’ generation, critical of the impotent messianism of the politics of deconstruction. As Žižek would have it: ‘Derrida's notion of ‘deconstruction as ethics’ seems to rely on a utopian hope which sustains the spectre of ‘infinite justice’, forever postponed, always to come’ (Žižek 2008: 225). The promise of redemption, it follows, would reside in an insubstantial promissory value, in the writing of irredeemable cheques that, if cashed in, could only ever lead to default. With its ethos of play and over-investment in an empty promise, deconstruction starts to look symptomatic of the now-bankrupt age of excess. Does the current financial crisis not entail a crisis of Derrida? This reading contrives to elide what is genuinely political in Derrida, and thereby fails to recognise the deconstruction of economic theodicy implicit in his work. Jean-Luc Nancy has argued that the concept of sacrifice is irreducibly linked to the short-circuiting of the political. We see in Derrida, however, that sacrifice is at the heart of politics, a response to undecidability that is precisely opposed to the fantasy of economics without sacrifice. Furthermore, sacrificial politics is the condition of possibility of the promise, which is constructed and contingent, rather than a priori. If there is a problem with this, it is that Derrida does not sufficiently entertain the prospect of the promise becoming so distant as to be effectively meaningless. Drawing on Bernard Stiegler, this article argues for an expansion of Derrida's account, to show not only that politics is sacrifice, but moreover that the promise of redemption cannot live on in the absence of sacrifice.
The Agricultural Ethics of Biofuels: The Food vs. Fuel Debate
Authors: Thompson Paul
Published: November 2012

Plant-based transportation fuels were the focus of extended criticism in the press, especially during 2008 when a portion of the blame for a spike in global food prices was associated with growth of the United States’ corn ethanol industry. The critique is based on an unsophisticated portrayal of the ethical issues at stake in the food security implications of biofuel. Three ethical critiques can be leveled at the food vs. fuel debate. First, although market drivers of biofuels indeed skew consumption of agricultural grains, this is not a problem that is unique to biofuels. Second, the critique does not reflect an adequate understanding of the way that rising food prices and changes in agricultural technology affect the food security of the poorest people. Third, although rising food prices could be beneficial to poor farm producers among the world’s poor, it is unlikely that benefits will materialize in the absence of concerted programs to deliberately select biofuel development strategies that are targeted to strengthen food security for poor and small-holding producers. An adequate agricultural ethics for biofuels will require commitment by both private and public sector biofuel developers to ensure that potentially positive attributes of biofuel development are realized.