bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decrease in oral health may be associated with length of time since beginning dialysis
Authors: Sekiguchi Ricardo Takiy , Pannuti Claudio Mendes , Silva Jr. Helio Tedesco , Medina‐Pestana José Osmar , Romito Giuseppe Alexandre
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate how oral health is affected by the length of time a patient has been receiving hemodialysis (HD) treatment. Ninety‐four subjects participated in this study. Demographic, periodontal parameters, and decayed missing and filled teeth (DMFT) index were recorded by a trained and calibrated examiner. The subjects were divided into two groups: Group L (subjects who had been on HD for less than 36 months), and Group M (those who had been on HD for more than 37 months). In Group M, the mean probing depth was deeper (p= 0.01) and clinical attachment loss was significantly higher (p= 0.02) than subjects in Group L. The DMFT index score was also significantly higher in Group M (p= 0.03). A moderate correlation between length of time on HD and DMFT index, probing depth, and clinical attachment loss was observed. The group of subjects who had been on HD for more than 37 months had more periodontal disease and higher DMFT index scores, suggesting that the length of time on HD could negatively impact oral health.
Dental treatment of patients with systemic diseases compared to patients with developmental disabilities under general anesthesia
Authors: Peretz Benjamin , Spierer Ayala , Spierer Shoshana , Rakocz Meir
Published: January 2012

The medical and dental records were examined for 46 patients with systemic diseases (SD) and 75 patients with developmental disabilities (DD) aged 2–20 years, who had received dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA). Age, gender, decayed missing and filled teeth (dmft/DMFT), dental procedures, duration of GA, and posttreatment hospitalization were recorded. Before treatment, dental disease in the primary teeth was significantly higher among the group with SD (p= 0.04). In the permanent teeth, dental disease was higher among the group with DD, though not significantly. More teeth were restored, (p= 0.015) and total dmft (p= 0.043) was significantly higher among subjects with SD. In the permanent teeth, more extracted and more restored teeth and higher DMFT were noted among subjects with DD, though not significantly. Only pulpectomies were significantly more prevalent among those with DD (p= 0.038). Six subjects needed hospitalization due to their diseases after GA.
Duplication of CXC chemokine genes on chromosome 4q13 in a melanoma‐prone family
Authors: Yang Xiaohong R. , Brown Kevin , Landi Maria T. , Ghiorzo Paola , Badenas Celia , Xu Mai , Hayward Nicholas K. , Calista Donato , Landi Giorgio , Bruno William , Bianchi‐Scarrà Giovanna , Aguilera Paula , Puig Susana , Goldstein Alisa M. , Tucker Margaret A.
Published: January 2012

Copy number variations (CNVs) have been shown to contribute substantially to disease susceptibility in several inherited diseases including cancer. We conducted a genome‐wide search for CNVs in blood‐derived DNA from 79 individuals (62 melanoma patients and 17 spouse controls) of 30 high‐risk melanoma‐prone families without known segregating mutations using genome‐wide comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) tiling arrays. We identified a duplicated region on chromosome 4q13 in germline DNA of all melanoma patients in a melanoma‐prone family with three affected siblings. We confirmed the duplication using quantitative PCR and a custom‐made CGH array design spanning the 4q13 region. The duplicated region contains 10 genes, most of which encode CXC chemokines. Among them, CXCL1 (melanoma growth‐stimulating activity α) and IL8 (interleukin 8) have been shown to stimulate melanoma growth in vitro and in vivo. Our data suggest that the alteration of CXC chemokine genes may confer susceptibility to melanoma.
Low‐dose endostatin normalizes the structure and function of tumor vasculature and improves the delivery and anti‐tumor efficacy of cytotoxic drugs in a lung cancer xenograft murine model
Authors: Ning Tao , Jiang Ming , Peng Qian , Yan Xi , Lu Ze‐Jun , Peng Yu‐Lan , Wang He‐Lan , Lei Na , Zhang Hui , Lin Hong‐jun , Li Mei , Luo Feng
Published: January 2012

Introduction:  To some extent endostatin normalizes tumor vasculature. However, the optimum time window and optimum drug dose for tumor vascular normalization need to be explored. Here we investigate the effect of low‐dose endostatin on the structure and function of tumor vasculature and the delivery and anti‐tumor efficacy of cytotoxic drugs.

Methods:  A lung cancer xenograft murine model was treated with low‐dose endostatin for 10 days. The structure and function of the tumor vasculature were evaluated using various techniques. Paclitaxel was added in different schedules.

Results:  Endostatin caused a significant reduction in microvessel density. Tumor vascular walls after endostatin treatment were better structured. Tumor blood perfusion was increased on day six after endostatin administration. On days three, six, and 10, Evans blue extravasation into the parenchyma of tumors was decreased. On days three and six, endostatin‐treated mice had greater paclitaxel delivery. The time window of vascular normalization was approximately three to six days. On days one to three, and days four to six, combined therapy with paclitaxel significantly inhibited tumor growth.

Conclusions:  Low‐dose endostatin aids normalization of tumor vasculature. This resulted in improved delivery of cytotoxic drugs to the tumor, which closely correlates with synergistic efficacy when combined with paclitaxel during the normalization window.
In Situ Active Noise Cancellation Applied to Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Rudd Brent W. , Lim Teik C. , Li Mingfeng , Lee Jing-Huei
Published: January 2012

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a powerful medical diagnostic tool. Unfortunately, the loud sound produced during scanning is unpleasant, potentially harmful to patients, and may limit imaging protocol. Previously, a variety of approaches have been proposed to reduce noise exposure with limited success. This work is directed at the application of an active noise control system which generates a secondary sound signal fed into a set of headphones that could be worn by the patient. To this end, prior studies have been conducted in a sound quality chamber to aid in the development and implementation of the hardware, algorithms and procedures, which resulted in an active noise cancellation system tailored to conditions present during MRI. This system performs well during physical simulation of scanning conditions. In this study, the headphones are worn by a dummy during in situ MRI scanning. Our specific effort is to take a selected set of successful experiments under simulated conditions and repeat it during live scanning to evaluate the real time performance of the system conducted in situ. The evaluation was conducted with an echo planar imaging (EPI) scanning sequence and the procedure adjusted to maximize the performance of the system. The sound pressure levels at the patient’s ear were measured with and without active control operational, and the results were compared to evaluate the active noise cancellation system’s performance during live scans. The controller produced an overall reduction of 10.6 dBA across the full audible spectrum.
Position Control of a Rehabilitation Robotic Joint Based on Neuron Proportion-Integral and Feedforward Control
Authors: Jiang Xian-Zhi , Huang Xin-Han , Xiong Cai-Hua , Sun Rong-Lei , Xiong You-Lun
Published: January 2012

The joint of the upper limb rehabilitation robot, which is designed and built in our lab, is driven by pneumatic muscles (PMs) in an opposing pair configuration. Each PM drives the robotic joint through a steel wire with a flexible sleeve and a tension device, which causes delay and various frictions as disturbances to the robotic joint system. These factors make the rehabilitation robotic joint very complex to model and control. Especially in position control, the overshoot is difficult to deal with when the directions of the friction forces are changing. The main purpose of this paper is to enhance the position control performance of the robotic joint by neuron PI and feedforward. Neuron PI control has a powerful capability of learning, adaptation, and tackling nonlinearity, and feedforward control demonstrates good performance in dealing with frictions, which cause overshoot. The results of the experiments indicate that the proposed controller, which combines neuron PI and feedforward, can enhance the performance in position control of the robotic joint, especially on dealing with overshoot.
Biomechanical Strain Analysis at the Interface of Brain and Nanowire Electrodes on a Neural Probe
Authors: Zhu Rui , Huang G. L. , Yoon Hargsoon , Smith Courtney S. , Varadan Vijay K.
Published: January 2012

The viability of neural probes with microelectrodes for neural recording and stimulation in the brain is important for the development of neuroprosthetic devices. Vertically aligned nanowire microelectrode arrays can significantly enhance the capabilities of neuroprosthetic devices. However, when they are implanted into the brain, micromotion and mechanical stress around the neural probe may cause tissue damage and reactive immune response, which may degrade recording signals from neurons. In this research, a finite-element model of the nanowire microelectrode and brain tissue was developed. A rigid body method was provided, and the simulation efficiency was significantly increased. The interface between the microelectrode and brain tissue was modeled by contact elements. Brain micromotion was mimicked by applying a displacement load to the electrode and fixing the boundaries of the brain region. It was observed that the vertically aligned nanostructures on the electrode of the neural probe do increase the cellular sheath area. The strain field distributions under various physical coupling cases at the interface were analyzed along with different loading effects on the neural electrode.
Intruders below the Radar: Molecular Pathogenesis of Bartonella spp
Authors: Harms Alexander , Dehio Christoph
Published: January 2012

Bartonellaspp. are facultative intracellular pathogens that employ a unique stealth infection strategy comprising immune evasion and modulation, intimate interaction with nucleated cells, and intraerythrocytic persistence. Infections withBartonellaare ubiquitous among mammals, and many species can infect humans either as their natural host or incidentally as zoonotic pathogens. Upon inoculation into a naive host, the bartonellae first colonize a primary niche that is widely accepted to involve the manipulation of nucleated host cells, e.g., in the microvasculature. Consistently,in vitroresearch showed thatBartonellaharbors an ample arsenal of virulence factors to modulate the response of such cells, gain entrance, and establish an intracellular niche. Subsequently, the bacteria are seeded into the bloodstream where they invade erythrocytes and give rise to a typically asymptomatic intraerythrocytic bacteremia. While this course of infection is characteristic for natural hosts, zoonotic infections or the infection of immunocompromised patients may alter the path ofBartonellaand result in considerable morbidity. In this review we compile current knowledge on the molecular processes underlying both the infection strategy and pathogenesis ofBartonellaand discuss their connection to the clinical presentation of human patients, which ranges from minor complaints to life-threatening disease.
Gibberellins – terpenoid plant hormones: Biological importance and chemical analysis
Authors: Urbanová Terezie , Tarkowská Danuše , Strnad Miroslav , Hedden Peter
Published: January 2012

Gibberellins (GAs) are a large group of diterpenoid carboxylic acids, some members of which function as plant hormones controlling diverse aspects of growth and development. Biochemical, genetic, and genomic approaches have led to the identification of the majority of the genes that encode GA biosynthesis and deactivation enzymes. Recent studies have shown that both GA biosynthesis and deactivation pathways are tightly regulated by developmental, hormonal, and environmental signals, consistent with the role of GAs as key growth regulators. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the GA biosynthesis and deactivation pathways in plants and fungi, and discuss methods for their qualitative and quantitative analysis. The challenges for their extraction and purification from plant tissues, which form complex matrices containing thousands of interfering substances, are discussed.
The dispersal pattern and behaviour of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence: results from tagging experiments
Authors: Tamdrari Hacène , Castonguay Martin , Brêthes Jean-Claude , Galbraith Peter S. , Duplisea Daniel E.
Published: January 2012

We examined how the distribution of Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua ) is influenced by abiotic (temperature, salinity, depth, suitable habitat) and biotic (stock biomass) factors based on tagging−recapture data collected from 1995 to 2008 by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. We calculated a centre of gravity index and a dispersion index using only individuals recaptured more than 1 year after tagging during the summer. The centre of gravity showed a northward expansion and eastward contraction in recent years, reflecting both fish distribution and changes in fishing effort. The dispersion index was significantly related to temperature, habitat suitability, and biomass but not to salinity or depth. These results indicate that interannual fluctuations of temperature and stock abundance both influence the dispersion pattern of cod. This new information could influence spatio-temporal fisheries management strategies for northern Gulf cod.
Effect of prey abundance and size on the distribution of demersal fishes
Authors: Johnson Andrew F. , Valls Maria , Moranta Joan , Jenkins Stuart R. , Hiddink Jan G. , Hinz Hilmar
Published: January 2012

Many demersal fish species rely on benthic prey as food sources for part of, or in some cases, all of their life history. We investigated the relationships between prey and predator abundance and prey size and predator mouth gape size for nine demersal fish species. Of the species analysed, four showed a significant positive increase in abundance with increasing prey abundance. Prey size is thought to be an important parameter for demersal fish that are limited in their feeding potential by their mouth gape size, as it influences consumption rate and energy expenditure while foraging. The relationship between prey size and mouth gape was investigated using both stomach content data and prey availability data. Stomach content analysis revealed positive relationships between maximum prey size and predator mouth gape size for six of the species. Indications of prey size selectivity were only seen in the environment for European hake ( Merluccius merluccius ), highlighting the potential importance of prey size over prey abundance for this species. The results demonstrate that prey abundance and size are of significance for some demersal fish species feeding primarily on benthos and will help in defining habitat requirements of demersal fish species.
FLAVOR VIOLATION IN A MINIMAL SO(10)×A4 SUSY GUT
Authors: ALBAID ABDELHAMID
Published: January 2012

Flavor violating processes in the quark and lepton sectors are investigated within a realistic supersymmetric SO(10)×A4 grand unification model. By employing exotic heavy fermion fields, this model successfully describes various features of the fermion masses and mixings including large neutrino mixings accompanied by small quark mixings. In this model the flavor violation is induced at GUT scale, at which A4 flavor symmetry is broken, as a consequence of the large mixings of the light fermion fields with these exotic heavy fields. The stringent experimental constraint from μ→eγ decay rate necessitates a high degree of degeneracy of the supersymmetry breaking soft scalar masses of the exotic heavy fields and supersymmetric scalar partners of the light fermion fields. The choice of slepton masses of order 1 TeV is found to be consistent with the constraints from branching ratio of μ→eγ and with all other flavor changing neutral current processes being sufficiently suppressed.
A CHAOS-BASED ROBUST WATERMARKING ALGORITHM FOR RIGHTFUL OWNERSHIP PROTECTION
Authors: RAWAT SANJAY , RAMAN BALASUBRAMANIAN
Published: January 2012

Traditional singular value decomposition (SVD)-based watermarking schemes, already exist for watermark embedding on the image as a whole. In this paper, a chaos-based hybrid watermarking scheme that combines the Fourier transform and the SVD is proposed. Instead of modifying the original cover image to embed the watermark, a reference image is formed in the proposed scheme to embed the watermark. The watermark is embedded by modifying the singular values of the reference image. The watermark extraction process is semi-blind, i.e. it does not require the original image. Chaotic map is used to shuffle the pixel positions of the image, which can be used as a secret key to improve the security of the algorithm. The security of the scheme is further strengthened by applying Zig-Zag scan on the watermark before embedding. A series of experiments is conducted to prove the fidelity and robustness property of the proposed scheme. Experimental results show that our scheme is strong enough to resist common image-processing attacks, geometric distortions, and some composite attacks. The results also show that our scheme outperforms related works in most cases.
IMAGE SEGMENTATION WITH COMPLEMENTARY USE OF EDGE AND REGION INFORMATION
Authors: WANG WEI , CHUNG CHI-KIT RONALD
Published: January 2012

Two familiar approaches to image segmentation are the salient contour extraction approach and the closed-contour deformation approach. The former uses Gestalt laws to link individual edge elements and construct segmentation boundaries. However, it is often difficult to have both closure and precision of the boundary addressed at the same time. The latter starts with a closed contour and deforms the contour to localize the segmentation boundary more precisely whilst maintaining the closure. The approach does not have the closure problem, but how to assign a proper initial contour for it remains an open issue. In this work, we propose a scheme that puts together the two approaches to let them work complementarily. Specifically, we design a salient contour extraction process that extracts a proper initialization of the closed contours; the process looks into edge evidence and proximity to the desired segmentation boundaries. Then, a region-based active contour in a level set formulation is adopted to refine the contour position to locate the segmentation boundaries more precisely. The scheme requires neither manual input on contour initialization nor prior knowledge about the imaged scene. Experiments on extensive benchmarking image-sets are presented to illustrate the performance of the scheme.
EFFECTS OF GELATIN MODIFICATION ON RAPID PROTOTYPING PCL SCAFFOLDS FOR CARTILAGE ENGINEERING
Authors: CHEN CHIH-HAO , CHEN JYH-PING , LEE MING-YIH
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the attachment and proliferation of cells on selective laser-sintered (SLS) polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds coated with gelatin for cartilage tissue engineering using chondrocytes isolated from the articular cartilage of swine. Scaffolds without modification were used as control groups. Cell proliferation was measured by cell count 1, 3 and 5 days after cell seeding into the scaffolds. The biocompatibility of the scaffold was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PCL scaffolds coated with gelatin had higher hydrophilicity. The results provided a useful strategy for modifying the microenvironments to increase cell attachment, growth and the formation of extracellular matrix on scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering.
VERTICAL SILICON NANOWIRES WITH ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION WITH HfO2 MEMBRANE FOR pH SENSING APPLICATION
Authors: LIN YI-TING , YU YU-HONG , CHEN YU , ZHANG GUO-JUN , ZHU SHI-YANG , YANG CHIA-MING , LU KUA-YI , LAI CHAO-SUNG
Published: January 2012

Vertical silicon nanowire (SiNW) platforms are candidates for use in ultrasensitive biosensors, with surface-to-volume ratio higher than one-dimensional SiNW . In this paper, a vertical SiNW electrolyte–insulator–semiconductor (EIS) structure with an ALD-HfO2 sensing membrane is proposed for use in a hydrogen ion sensor. Hafnium dioxide is used as the sensing membrane, which was deposited on the surface of the vertical SiNW structure by atomic layer deposition. The sensing properties were examined using a HP4284A high-precision LCR analyzer. A linear relationship was found between the flatband voltage shift and the hydrogen ion concentration. Comparing with different diameters of SiNW , the sensitivity with diameter of 200 nm was slightly higher than 100 nm. A post-deposition rapid thermal annealing (RTA) was utilized to optimize the sensing properties, and the sensitivity was increased to 51.07 mV/pH.
EVALUATION CRITERIA OF NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS — A COMPARISON STUDY BETWEEN INDONESIA AND TAIWAN INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING FIRMS
Authors: WANG KUNG-JENG , LEE YUN-HUEI , KURNIAWAN FEINY
Published: January 2012

New product development (NPD) is one of the most important processes for firms to increase their profit and competitiveness. This study presents the result of a comparison study between Taiwan and Indonesia industry in the employment of evaluation criteria for NPD process. This study is guided by a stage-gate process to derive a structured NPD performance evaluation framework. In this study, we use 20 evaluation criteria that are grouped into five dimensions, market-, financial-, product-, process-, and intuition-based measures. Based on a sample of 148 industrial firms, the findings of the study present guidelines for R&D managers as measuring product development and employing appropriate evaluation dimensions for effectiveness and efficiency in NPD related decision making.
THE INFLUENCE OF CONJUGACY CLASS SIZES ON THE STRUCTURE OF FINITE GROUPS: A SURVEY
Authors: Camina A. R. , Camina R. D.
Published: January 2012

The importance of conjugacy classes for the structure of finite groups was recognised very early in the study of groups. In this survey we consider the results from the many articles which have developed this topic and examined the influence of conjugacy class sizes or the number of conjugacy classes on the structure of finite groups. Whilst we begin by mentioning the early results of Sylow and Burnside, our major objective is to highlight the more recent work and present some interesting questions which we hope will inspire further research.
A NEW CONTINUATION PRINCIPLE FOR THE NAVIER–STOKES EQUATIONS
Authors: Gala Sadek , Chen Xiaochun
Published: January 2012

The aim of this work is to establish a new continuation principle for local in time classical solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations in multipliers between Sobolev spaces, which generalizes substantially the previous results in [5, 2, 3].
CONVERGENCE OF ITERATIVE SCHEMES FOR NONEXPANSIVE MAPPINGS
Authors: Sangago Mengistu Goa
Published: January 2012

Let K be a nonempty closed convex subset of a real uniformly convex Banach space X and suppose T : K → K is a nonexpansive mapping with the nonempty fixed point set Fix(T). Let [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] be sequences in [0, 1] such that [Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text] for some constants a, b, α, β, and γ. Let x0 ∈ K be any initial point. Then it is proved that the implicit iteration [Formula: see text] defined by [Formula: see text] converges weakly to a fixed point of T. Furthermore, it is generalized that if [Formula: see text] is a finite family of nonexpansive self-mappings of K with the nonempty common fixed points set [Formula: see text] and if the parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] satisfy the conditions (0.1), (0.2), (0.3), and [Formula: see text] for some constant c , then the modified implicit iteration [Formula: see text] defined by [Formula: see text] where Tn = Tn(modN), converges weakly to a common fixed point of the family [Formula: see text]. The results presented in this paper improve and extend the corresponding results of Z. Opial [11], S. Reich [13], H.-K. Xu and R. G. Ori [20], and Zhao et al. [21].
BUSINESS CYCLE EFFECTS ON CONCERN ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE: THE CHILLING EFFECT OF RECESSION
Authors: KAHN MATTHEW E. , KOTCHEN MATTHEW J.
Published: January 2012

This paper uses two different sources of data to investigate the association between the business cycle — measured with unemployment rates — and public concern about climate change. Building on recent research that finds internet search terms to be useful predictors of health epidemics and economic activity, we find that an increase in a state's unemployment rate decreases Google searches for "global warming" and increases searches for "unemployment," and that the effect differs according to a state's political ideology. From national surveys, we find that an increase in a state's unemployment rate is associated with a decrease in the probability that residents think global warming is happening and reduced support for the U.S. to target policies intended to mitigate climate change. We also examine how socio-demographic characteristics affect opinions about whether climate change is happening and whether government should take action. Beyond providing the first empirical estimates of macroeconomic effects on concern about climate change, we discuss the results in terms of the potential impact on environmental policy and understanding the full cost of recessions.
Recent Advances in Morphological Cell Image Analysis
Authors: Chen Shengyong , Zhao Mingzhu , Wu Guang , Yao Chunyan , Zhang Jianwei
Published: January 2012

This paper summarizes the recent advances in image processing methods for morphological cell analysis. The topic of morphological analysis has received much attention with the increasing demands in both bioinformatics and biomedical applications. Among many factors that affect the diagnosis of a disease, morphological cell analysis and statistics have made great contributions to results and effects for a doctor. Morphological cell analysis finds the cellar shape, cellar regularity, classification, statistics, diagnosis, and so forth. In the last 20 years, about 1000 publications have reported the use of morphological cell analysis in biomedical research. Relevant solutions encompass a rather wide application area, such as cell clumps segmentation, morphological characteristics extraction, 3D reconstruction, abnormal cells identification, and statistical analysis. These reports are summarized in this paper to enable easy referral to suitable methods for practical solutions. Representative contributions and future research trends are also addressed.
Older People and Social Connectedness: How Place and Activities Keep People Engaged
Authors: Yen Irene H. , Shim Janet K. , Martinez Airin D. , Barker Judith C.
Published: January 2012

To understand how older adults perceive and navigate their neighborhoods, we examined the implications of activity in their neighborhoods for their health. We interviewed 38 adults (ages 62–85) who lived in San Francisco or Oakland, California. Seven key themes emerged: (1) people express a wide range of expectations for neighborliness, from “we do not bother each other” to “we have keys to each other’s houses”, (2) social distance between “other” people impede a sense of connection, (3) ethnic differences in living arrangements affect activities and activity locations, (4) people try to stay busy, (5) people able to leave their homes do many activities outside their immediate residential neighborhoods, (6) access to a car is a necessity for most, and (7) it is unusual to plan for the future when mobility might become limited. Multiple locations influence older adults’ health, including residential neighborhoods. Older adults value mobility, active lives, and social connections.
Entropy and Multifractality for the Myeloma Multiple TET 2 Gene
Authors: Cattani Carlo , Pierro Gaetano , Altieri Giuseppe
Published: January 2012

The nucleotide and amino‐acid distributions are studied for two variants of mRNA of gene that codes for a protein which is involved in multiple myeloid. Some patches and symmetries are singled out, thus, showing some distinctions between the two variants. Fractal dimensions and entropy are discussed as well.
The Influence of Abiotic Factors on an Invasive Pest of Pulse Crops,Sitona lineatus(L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in North America
Authors: Olfert O. , Weiss R. M. , Cárcamo H. A. , Meers S.
Published: January 2012

Pea leaf weevil,Sitona lineatus(L.), native to Europe and North Africa, has been introduced into many other countries around the world, including the USA and Canada. Adults are oligophagous pests on leguminaceous plants.Sitona lineatuswas first recorded in Canada in 1997, near Lethbridge, Alberta. Since then, it has spread north in Alberta and west into Saskatchewan in 2007. Bioclimatic simulation models were used to predict the distribution and extent of establishment ofS. lineatusin Canada based on its current geographic range, phenology, relative abundance, and empirical data. The study identified areas in Canada that are at risk for future establishment ofS. lineatusand developed a better understanding of climate effects. Climate change projections (General Circulation Models) were then imposed on the bioclimatic model ofS. lineatus. Bioclimatic model output varied for each of the three General Circulation Models. In terms of suitability for pest establishment (Ecoclimatic Index), the NCAR273 CCSM climate data resulted in the most significant shift northward.
A Note on Noneffective Weights in Variable Lebesgue Spaces
Authors: Fiorenza Alberto , Krbec Miroslav
Published: January 2012

We study noneffective weights in the framework of variable exponent Lebesgue spaces, and we show thatLp(⋅)(Ω)=Lωp(⋅)(Ω)if and only ifω(x)1/p(x)~constantin the set wherep(⋅)<∞, andω(x)~constantin the set wherep(⋅)=∞.
Particle Swarm Optimization and Bacterial Foraging Optimization Techniques for Optimal Current Harmonic Mitigation by Employing Active Power Filter
Authors: Patnaik Sushree Sangita , Panda Anup Kumar
Published: January 2012

Conventional mathematical modeling-based approaches are incompetent to solve the electrical power quality problems, as the power system network represents highly nonlinear, nonstationary, complex system that involves large number of inequality constraints. In order to overcome the various difficulties encountered in power system such as harmonic current, unbalanced source current, reactive power burden, active power filter (APF) emerged as a potential solution. This paper proposes the implementation of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and bacterial foraging optimization (BFO) algorithms which are intended for optimal harmonic compensation by minimizing the undesirable losses occurring inside the APF itself. The efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of two approaches are compared for two different conditions of supply. The total harmonic distortion (THD) in the source current which is a measure of APF performance is reduced drastically to nearly 1% by employing BFO. The results demonstrate that BFO outperforms the conventional and PSO-based approaches by ensuring excellent functionality of APF and quick prevail over harmonics in the source current even under unbalanced supply.
Benefits from Long-Term Treatment in Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Evangelista Stefano
Published: January 2012

It is known that irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disease of cyclic nature characterized by recurrent symptoms. IBS patients should receive, as initial therapeutic approach a short course of treatment which, if effective, has the additional value of confirming the diagnosis. Long-term treatment should be reserved to diagnosed IBS patients with recurrent symptoms. Clinical trials with stabilized therapies and new active treatments showed an improvement of the symptoms over placebo that is often time-dependent but with high relapse rates (around 40%–50% when stopping treatment). Relapse is not always immediate after stopping treatment and the recent data from OBIS trial with otilonium bromide or with psychotherapy, showed that due to different chemico-physical characteristics of the drugs or the psychosomatic impact to the disease not all treatment gave the same relapsing rate if compared to placebo. Results of IBS clinical trials with different therapies tailored to the patient needs indicate that a cyclic treatment therapy is advisable to counteract the nature of the disease.
Sepsis-Induced Adipokine Change with regard to Insulin Resistance
Authors: Hillenbrand Andreas , Weiss Manfred , Knippschild Uwe , Wolf Anna Maria , Huber-Lang Markus
Published: January 2012

Background. Assessment of white adipose tissue has changed in recent years, with WAT now being considered as an active endocrine organ, secreting a large number of bioactive mediators, so-called adipokines. Besides other functions, these adipokines are involved in inflammatory response thereby exhibiting predominantly proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory properties and contribute to insulin resistance.Methods. Comprehensive review of the literature of the role of adipokines relevant to critical care medicine using PubMed search.Results. Adiponectin—the prototype of an anti-inflammatory and insulin-sensitizing adipokine—is diminished in sepsis, while resistin—a protein with proinflammatory properties—is elevated. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10, and tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha mediate insulin resistance and are elevated in sepsis, while retinol-binding protein-4 concentrations are significantly reduced in sepsis. Chemerin displays potent anti-inflammatory and insulin-resistance properties, while monocyte chemotactic protein-1—increased in sepsis—contributes to macrophage infiltration in adipose tissue and insulin resistance.Conclusions. The expression of adipokines in humans is altered as well in obese as in septic patients with elevated levels of proinflammatory adipokines. Changes in adipokine levels in acute sepsis could contribute to insulin resistance. Consequently, in critically ill patients, these alterations underline a possible contribution of adipokines in the development of hyperglycemia.
Dairy Cows: Workers in the Shadows?
Authors: Porcher Jocelyne , Schmitt Tiphaine
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Despite the interest that sociologists, especially in the English-speaking world, show in animals and human-animal relations, we know little about the place that animals actually have in work. The social sciences still see work as a distinctive feature of humans. Based on the hypothesis that animals are actors involved in the process of work, and not simply objects, the relationship of a herd of 60 cows was studied (a) with their farmer, (b) among themselves, and (c) with a milking robot. Our findings show that cows do collaborate in the farmer’s work, and our results raise the question: can cows’ collaboration in work be considered work?
Practical Work at School Reduces Disgust and Fear of Unpopular Animals
Authors: Randler Christoph , Hummel Eberhard , Prokop Pavol
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Disgust and fear are basic emotions that protect humans against pathogens and/or predators. Natural selection favored individuals who successfully escaped or avoided harmful animals; thus animals who pose a disease threat activate aversive responses in humans. However, all these animals who are generally disliked have rights to their own existence and play important roles in ecosystems. Here, we used three unpopular live animals (wood louse, snail, and mouse) in practical biology work with 11-13-year-old children (experimental group). The control group had no opportunity to work with animals. Reported disgust and fear of these animals significantly decreased during the study in the experimental group but not in the control group. This study experimentally supports the idea that attitudes toward animals are positively influenced by physical contact with them.
A Christian Future for the Church's Ministry: Some Critical Moves
Authors: Pickard Stephen
Published: January 2012

This article explores the kinds of moves required in order for the future ministry of the church of Jesus Christ to remain firmly Christian. The article identifies a number of critical moves that involve greater integration, organic thinking and practice, and an emphasis upon cooperation, character and friendship. Such moves in fact are interdependent and belong to a more collaborative understanding of the church and its ministerial practices. In this sense the article is an attempt to offer some conceptual clarity regarding what a mission shaped ministry might actually involve.
Tropical Atlantic Biases in CCSM4
Authors: Grodsky Semyon A. , Carton James A. , Nigam Sumant , Okumura Yuko M.
Published: January 2012

This paper focuses on diagnosing biases in the seasonal climate of the tropical Atlantic in the twentieth-century simulation of the Community Climate System Model, version 4 (CCSM4). The biases appear in both atmospheric and oceanic components. Mean sea level pressure is erroneously high by a few millibars in the subtropical highs and erroneously low in the polar lows (similar to CCSM3). As a result, surface winds in the tropics are ~1 m s−1 too strong. Excess winds cause excess cooling and depressed SSTs north of the equator. However, south of the equator SST is erroneously high due to the presence of additional warming effects. The region of highest SST bias is close to southern Africa near the mean latitude of the Angola–Benguela Front (ABF). Comparison of CCSM4 to ocean simulations of various resolutions suggests that insufficient horizontal resolution leads to the insufficient northward transport of cool water along this coast and an erroneous southward stretching of the ABF. A similar problem arises in the coupled model if the atmospheric component produces alongshore winds that are too weak. Erroneously warm coastal SSTs spread westward through a combination of advection and positive air–sea feedback involving marine stratocumulus clouds.

This study thus highlights three aspects to improve to reduce bias in coupled simulations of the tropical Atlantic: 1) large-scale atmospheric pressure fields; 2) the parameterization of stratocumulus clouds; and 3) the processes, including winds and ocean model resolution, that lead to errors in seasonal SST along southwestern Africa. Improvements of the latter require horizontal resolution much finer than the 1° currently used in many climate models.
Performance of a Wind-Profiling Lidar in the Region of Wind Turbine Rotor Disks
Authors: Aitken Matthew L. , Rhodes Michael E. , Lundquist Julie K.
Published: January 2012

As the wind energy sector continues to grow, so does the need for reliable vertical wind profiles in the assessment of wind resources and turbine performance. In situ instrumentation mounted on meteorological towers can rarely probe the atmosphere across the full span of modern turbine rotor disks, which typically extend from 40 to 120 m above the surface. However, by measuring the Doppler shift of laser light backscattered by particles in the atmosphere, remote sensing lidar is capable of estimating wind speeds and turbulence at several altitudes in this range and above. Consequently, lidar has proven a promising technology for both wind resource assessment and turbine response characterization. The aim of this study is to quantify data availability for a coherent detection wind-profiling lidar—namely, the Leosphere Windcube.

To determine situations of suitable data return rates, a Windcube, collocated with a Vaisala CL31 ceilometer, was deployed as part of the Skywatch Observatory at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Aerosol backscatter, as measured by the ceilometer, and lidar carrier-to-noise ratio (CNR) are strongly correlated. Additionally, lidar CNR was found to depend on atmospheric turbulence characteristics and relative humidity in another deployment at a location in the United States Great Plains. These relationships suggest an ability to predict lidar performance based on widely available air quality assessments (such as PM2.5 concentration) and other climatic conditions, thus providing guidance for determining the utility of lidar deployments at wind farms to characterize turbine performance.
Optimum Sampling Designs for a Glider–Mooring Observing Network
Authors: Alvarez A. , Mourre B.
Published: January 2012

Ocean observing systems (OOSs) constituted by moorings and gliders are becoming relevant in oceanographic and climate studies. In these observing networks, the temporal variability is captured by mooring observations, while the spatial variability is obtained from gliders sampling in the surrounding area. The advent of this observing capability brings the need to find optimal procedures to sample a given ocean region with a glider in the presence of a neighboring mooring, in order to maximize the information content of the data collected by this observing network. Different criteria (e.g., A, G, or E optimality) commonly used in the geosciences to obtain an optimum design lead to different sampling strategies. The question of which criterion performs better for optimal design in the marine environment remains open. This work investigates optimal procedures to sample a given ocean region with a glider in the presence of a mooring. Specifically, observing systems simulation experiments (OSSEs) are carried out in the Ligurian Sea (western Mediterranean) in August 2010 to study the different sampling strategies. Three criteria, which respectively aim at minimizing the trace (A optimal), maximum diagonal value (G optimal), and maximum eigenvalue of the error covariance matrix (E optimal), are considered. The resulting temperature field estimations are evaluated against a control field at 50-, 100-, and 150-m depth. The results indicate that the most appropriate strategy for environmental characterization using gliders employs the A optimal criterion, minimizing the mean uncertainty over the study area.
The Tornadic Vortex Signature: An Update
Authors: Brown Rodger A. , Wood Vincent T.
Published: January 2012

A tornadic vortex signature (TVS) is a degraded Doppler velocity signature of a tornado that occurs when the core region of a tornado is smaller than the half-power beamwidth of the sampling Doppler radar. Soon after the TVS was discovered in the mid-1970s, simulations were conducted to verify that the signature did indeed represent a tornado. The simulations, which used a uniform reflectivity distribution across a Rankine vortex model, indicated that the extreme positive and negative Doppler velocity values of the signature should be separated by about one half-power beamwidth regardless of tornado size or strength. For a Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) with an effective half-power beamwidth of approximately 1.4° and data collected at 1.0° azimuthal intervals, the two extreme Doppler velocity values should be separated by 1.0°. However, with the recent advent of 0.5° azimuthal sampling (“superresolution”) by WSR-88Ds at lower elevation angles, some of the extreme Doppler velocity values unexpectedly were found to be separated by 0.5° instead of 1.0° azimuthal intervals. To understand this dilemma, the choice of vortex model and reflectivity profile is investigated. It is found that the choice of vortex model does not have a significant effect on the simulation results. However, using a reflectivity profile with a minimum at the vortex center does make a difference. The revised simulations indicate that it is possible for the distance between the peak Doppler velocity values of a TVS to be separated by 0.5° with superresolution data collection.
Organized sensemaking: A commentary on processes of interpretive work
Authors: Weick Karl E
Published: January 2012

The contributions to this special issue focus on links among sensemaking, organizing, and storytelling. They are re-examined in terms of to what the authors pay attention, with what, and for what. In pursuit of linkages, authors attend to accounts of consulting failure, hearings about the recent financial crisis, life history storytelling by elite actors, conflict in a rugby team on tour in Australia, and recurring stories told by jazz musicians. With analyses of dominant stories, discursive devices, life stories, documentaries, and oral tradition, these authors aim for a deeper understanding of order, constraint, conflict, legitimation, embodiment, and distributed improvisation. An assessment of these efforts shows how they deepen, extend, and consolidate our understanding of interpretive work.
Multiscale Physiology‐Based Modeling of Mineral Bone Disorder in Patients With Impaired Kidney Function
Authors: Riggs Matthew M. , Peterson Mark C. , Gastonguay Marc R.
Published: January 2012

A physiologically based, multiscale model of calcium homeostasis and bone remodeling was used to describe the impact of progressive loss of kidney function over a typical 10‐year course of chronic kidney disease (CKD), including the evolution of secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) caused by diminished renal phosphate clearance and increased plasma phosphate. An important sequela of HPT is marked elevations in bone resorption and loss of bone mineral density (BMD). Clinically, this CKD‐related disease state is described as mineral bone disorder, or CKD‐MBD. A multiscale physiologic model previously had been shown to describe CKD‐MBD‐related clinical changes in phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcitriol. The authors have extended the model to link bone remodeling markers with BMD elimination (0.000145 h−1) and formation rates. The composite model predicted lumbar spine BMD losses, relative to baseline, at months 28 (glomerular filtration rate = 58 mL/min), 50 (39 mL/min), and 120 (16 mL/min) of approximately −0.98%, −3.0%, and −6.5%, respectively, compared to the observed BMD values in corresponding renal function groups, scaled to a 100‐mL/min baseline, of −0.5%, −4.0%, and −8.1%, respectively. In addition, simulated interventions with a hypothetical calcimimetic agent and calcitriol are provided to show the utility of this model as a platform for evaluating therapeutics.
Understanding Renal Replacement Therapy and Dosing of Drugs in Pediatric Patients with Kidney Disease
Authors: Zuppa Athena F.
Published: January 2012

Multifaceted factors need to be considered when prescribing renal replacement therapy (RRT) and dosing of drugs in pediatric patients with kidney disease. RRTs in pediatrics such as intermittent hemodialysis, continuous venovenous hemofiltration, continuous venovenous hemodialysis, and continuous venovenous hemodiafiltration affect solute and drug clearance. Drug properties such as molecular weight, molecular charge, volume of distribution, and protein binding affect drug clearance. RRT prescription parameters such as blood flow rate, ultrafiltration rate, membrane size, and pore size can also influence drug clearance. Furthermore, the pediatric patient presents additional concerns because of developmental factors in children that affect both pharmacokinetics of drugs.