bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can Integrated Technology Improve Self-Care Behavior in Youth With Type 1 Diabetes? A Randomized Crossover Trial of Automated Pump Function
Authors: Neylon Orla M. , O’Connell Michele A. , Donath Susan M. , Cameron Fergus J.
Published: June 2014

Background:

Automated blood glucose (BG) and insulin pump systems allow wireless transmission of all BG readings to a user’s pump. This study aimed to assess whether use of such a system, as compared with a manual BG entry insulin pump, resulted in higher mean daily frequency of BGs recorded after 6 months.

Methods:

A 12-month randomized crossover trial, comprising 2 phases, was conducted. All participants used insulin pump devices with automated vs manual BG entry for 6 months each; order of system use was randomly assigned. Device interactions were assessed from pump and glucometer downloads.

Results:

Thirty-five participants were enrolled; 9 withdrew during the study. Use of the automated insulin pump system resulted in higher mean daily BG recorded over 6 months of use when compared to a manual BG entry system (5.8 ± 1.7 vs 5.0 ± 1.9; P = .02 [95% confidence interval, 0.14 to 1.58]). Bolus frequency was similar between groups. No HbA1c difference was observed between groups at 6 months (8.0% [64 mmol/l] ± 1.3 automated vs 7.7% [61 mmol/l] ± 0.9 manual; P = .38). Post hoc analysis demonstrated improved ΔHbA1c with automated system use in an adolescent subgroup with suboptimal baseline BG frequency (–0.9% vs + 0.5%; P = .003).

Conclusions:

Use of an automated glucometer/insulin pump resulted in higher number of BGs recorded over 6 months when compared to an insulin pump with manual BG entry. This may be especially beneficial for adolescent manual system users who enter <5 BGs per day into their pump.
Medical apps in endocrine diseases – hide and seek
Authors: Albrecht Urs-Vito , von Jan Ute
Published: June 2014

Objectives:

Quantitative review and categorization of available endocrinology related mobile apps for the iOS platform (Apple®) and outline of search strategies to identify appropriate mobile apps for this field.

Methods:

A total of 80 endocrinology related search terms were collected and grouped into 8 main categories covering different areas of endocrinology. These terms were then used to perform comprehensive searches in three categories of Apple’s app store, namely ‘Medicine’, ‘Health and Fitness’, and ‘Reference’.

Results:

Altogether, matches were found for only 33 of the 80 collected endocrinology related search terms; the majority of matches were found in the medical category, followed by matches for the health and fitness (27/33), and reference (16/33) categories. Restricting the search to these categories significantly helped in discriminating between health related apps and those having another purpose. The distribution of apps per category roughly matches what one can expect considering available data for incidence and prevalence of corresponding endocrinological conditions. Apps matching terms belonging to the spectrum of glucose homeostasis disorders are the most common. For conditions where patients do not have to constantly monitor their condition, apps tend to have a reference or educational character, while for conditions that require a high level of involvement from patients, there are proportionally more apps for self-management. With a single exception, the identified apps had not undergone regulation, and information about the data sources, professional backgrounds, and reliability of the content and integrated information sources was rare.

Conclusions:

While applying a good search strategy is important for finding apps for endocrinology related problems, users also need to consider whether the app they have found respects all necessary criteria regarding reliability, privacy and data protection before they place their trust in it.
Quantification of cerebral circulation and shunt volume in a tentorial dural arteriovenous fistula using two-dimensional phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Youn Sung Won , Kim Ho Kyun , Lee Hui Joong , Lee Jongmin
Published: June 2014

Venous hypertension is closely related to poor outcome of a dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF). However, no direct measurements have been made of the shunt flow and impaired venous drainage that are suggestive of venous hypertension. We present a case of a 35-year-old man who presented with cerebral hemorrhage and underwent coil embolization for tentorial DAVF. Two-dimensional (2D) phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to evaluate temporal changes in the flow volumes of the shunt and venous drainage between before and after embolization. The results demonstrated the feasibility of using 2D phase-contrast MRI to measure the shunt volume of a DAVF, which might be useful for assessing the improvement in cerebral circulation after embolization treatment.
Time and the Nation: Conceptualizing the Temporal Effects of a Global Media System
Authors: Saranovitz Eric
Published: June 2014

The vast expansion of the electronic media—and especially the rapid growth of digital media—in the last decades have brought about vast changes in the ways people interact and the spaces they inhabit. However, this article argues that in a mediated world, where technology has for all practicality conquered space, the temporal dimension, that is, communication across time, is all too often overlooked. As more and more scholarship on globalization looks at ways in which digital media are blurring the local and the distant, the public and the private, the ‘here’ and the ‘there’ of social interaction, I make a case for the importance of investigating the temporal dimension of communication in the construction, development and maintenance of societies.

As this article argues, despite the importance an understanding of time has played in theories about cultural and social development, little work has been undertaken by media and communication scholars to investigate ways that the electronic and digital media articulate a community’s relation to the past. Hence, this article brings together a varied body of literature from diverse fields of inquiry that have focused on different aspects of these issues. While many of these works have often been cited, the article does a rereading in order to excavate some of their central, yet overlooked, ideas in an attempt to construct a framework for understanding the temporal arrangement of communication in society and the nature of the media’s role in these arrangements.
Contemporary Indian Art and the ‘Semiotic Eye’: Issues and Perspectives
Authors: Khanwalkar Seema
Published: June 2014

This article has a focus on the semiotic value of contemporary Indian art practice. It takes a fundamental position that in India, the conceptual response to contemporary art (painting and visual art) needs to be understood for its potential to create ongoing interpretations, and not just for what it aims its potential meaningful destination to be. The article further emphasizes the need to understand these new expressions in terms of Peirce’s notion of the ‘Interpretant’, against the established fact that they are fundamentally distinct from the traditional art practices in their intent and purpose. The impetus for this position comes from the significant shifts, continuities and discontinuities that art in India has seen since ‘modernism’. Traditional Indian theories had highly developed treatises elaborating upon the formal processes that led to an experiential ‘object’ of transformation and ananda (joy). The attempt is to call for analytical frameworks that semiotic theory can provide to the works of Indian artists who have, ‘ontologically progressed beyond the initial appeal of Modernism and the attendant desire to use acknowledged Western idioms. More than anything else, they respond to politics, and work to impact social justice. This is where tradition appears-via narrative’ ( Seid, 2007 , p. 13).
Patriarchy, Labour Markets and Development: Contesting the Sexual Division of Labour in Sri Lanka
Authors: Withers Matt , Biyanwila Janaka
Published: June 2014

Although certain strides have been made towards increased female participation in paid work, Sri Lanka’s labour market remains heavily segmented and offers limited sustainable economic opportunity for a majority of women. Differentiated entitlements determined by gender, ethnicity and class have left women disproportionately burdened by the challenges of economic development. Shaped by neoliberal reforms embedded in patriarchal ethno-nationalist economic policies, women remain over-represented in the labour-intensive, low-paid occupations that have historically formed Sri Lanka’s export base and underpinned development. As migrant domestic workers and garment producers, a majority of Sri Lankan women have been restricted to earning their livelihood through vulnerable and exploitative work within stratified labour markets. By framing domestic labour markets as embedded in global production networks, this article explores the potential for International Labour Organization (ILO) and civil society initiatives to shape domestic policy measures to re-regulate labour markets by addressing mechanisms that devalue and marginalize women workers. It then considers the ways in which civil society actors, women workers groups and labour unions contest or complement entrenched patriarchal tendencies within labour markets. Although ILO and state-led measures are significant, the challenges women face in articulating their collective concerns within labour markets remain central to addressing conditions of exploitation that women workers endure.
Sexegesis: Logical Indeterminations
Authors: Banerjee Paramita
Published: June 2014

Sexegesis: the exegesis of the sex trade, or the lack of it. Logical: reasonable; explainable in terms of lived-in realities and comprehensible to the average human rationality (if there is such a phenomenon).2 Indeterminations: what cannot be definitely predicted or described, as also the factors that make a phenomenon so. The main purport of this article is, therefore, to offer an explanation for the factors that determine the presence of girls and women in the sex trade,3 even as it elucidates how varied and numerous those factors are, making it rather difficult, if not impossible, to develop a blueprint so exhaustive that it would contain all such factors.
‘Production’ and ‘Reproduction’ in Feminism: Ideas, Perspectives and Concepts
Authors: Paltasingh Tattwamasi , Lingam Lakshmi
Published: June 2014

The article examines the concept of ‘production’ and ‘reproduction’ within the feminist discourse. It aims at examining some of the important issues which have emerged in the debates concerning sexual division of labour and the organization of gender relations prevailing within the family and in a larger social structure. The conceptual framework for analyzing ‘production’ and ‘reproduction’ is discussed. Then, an analysis of these concepts is carried out through an account of the major feminist schools of thought. Thereafter, the interlinkage between production and reproduction in the light of maintenance and perpetuation of women’s subordination is examined by understanding the relationship between the market and family, between the production of things and the production of people and between patriarchy and capitalism. The article also attempts to arrive at a perspective in understanding the situation of women in contemporary India.
Capitalism and the ‘Animated Image’: Politics of Morphing on the ‘Culture’ of Animation
Authors: Ray Kaustubh
Published: June 2014

The early animated image under industrial production was intrinsically antirealist in nature and was informed by the dialectics of class conflict. It was the result of the exploited labouring body working alongside the repressed erotogenic body within the industrial process of cinema animation. This was done under the logic of just exchange and wage labour. The dialectics of class conflicts manifests in early animation as the dialectics of morphing in the freedom of creative expression of the subject. Morphing not only talks of ideological freedom but also acts as the harbinger of counter-ideologies by destabilizing the animated image, literally and figuratively; thus creating the revolting animator and the curious spectator. Hence, the morph becomes a threat to property structure, acts beyond the logic of private interest of capital, resulting in the creation of the uncanny. Nevertheless, capital preempts morphing in animation by bringing it within the logic of capital, by rationalizing it. Capital in the form of technological advancements, being unable to push further into the classical two-dimensional process, took a leap towards the digital processes that changed the relations of production. This alienation was made absolute as the virtual space literally removed the animator from the tactile processes of hand drawn or stop motion techniques. The digital process came to the rescue of capital by gradually removing morphs from the animated image thereby altering the culture of animation in cinema.
‘Indigenous Knowledge’ and ‘Science’ in the Age of Globalization
Authors: Ramnath Aparajith
Published: June 2014

Globalization accentuates the local, as seen in the increasing emphasis on ‘indigenous knowledge’ in the discourse of governments, universities and international organizations. This essay explores the categories of ‘indigenous knowledge’ (IK) and ‘science’/ ‘Western science’ (WS) as used by scholars in science policy, anthropology and the history of science, and examines how the similarities and differences between IK and WS have been understood. It argues that IK is an imprecisely formulated term, and highlights recent scholarship that sees IK and WS as constructed categories that emerged in particular historical circumstances. It concludes by discussing briefly the notion that these mutually exclusive labels should be avoided, so as not to privilege some forms of knowledge over others.
Sonographic Discovery of Leriche Syndrome and the Development of Collaterals
Authors: Barry Ashley N.
Published: June 2014

Leriche syndrome, also referred to as aortoiliac occlusive disease, is complete occlusion of the infrarenal aorta and bilateral common iliac arteries. The development of collateral pathways allows reconstitution of arterial blood flow to the lower extremities, preventing limb ischemia. Patients typically present with a triad of symptoms, which include intermittent claudication of the buttocks and thighs, decreased or absent femoral pulses, and impotence in men. Sonography may play a significant role in diagnosing Leriche syndrome, particularly in cases with contraindications to other more invasive tests. Knowledge of the presentation of aortoiliac occlusion along with recognition of developing collateral pathways assists with the diagnosis and management of this disease.
Astragalus membranaceus up-regulate Cosmc expression and reverse IgA dys-glycosylation in IgA nephropathy
Authors: Ji Ling , Chen XiaoLei , Zhong Xiang , Li Zi , Yang Lichuan , Fan Junming , Tang Wanxing , Qin Wei
Published: June 2014

Background

Decreased Core I β3-Gal-T-specific molecular chaperone (Cosmc) expression induced IgA1 aberrant glycosylation is the main characteristic of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). This study tried to elucidate the effect of Astragalus membranaceus on Cosmc expression and IgA O-glycosylation of peripheral B lymphocytes in IgAN patients.

Methods

Peripheral B lymphocytes of 21 IgAN patients and 10 normal controls were isolated and cultured with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Astragalus membranaceus injection (AMI). Cosmc mRNA and protein expression levels were measured by real-time RT-PCR and Western blot. IgA1 and glycosylation level were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and VV lectin-binding method.

Results

Cosmc mRNA expression and IgA1 O-glycosylation level in IgAN patients was significantly lower than normal controls at baseline. Treatment of LPS could obviously inhibit Cosmc expression and increase the IgA1 secretion in peripheral B lymphocytes of IgAN patients, which resulted in a significantly increase in IgA1 aberrant glycosylation level. Addition of AMI could remarkably up regulated Cosmc expression, decrease IgA1 secretion, and reverse glycosylation level in a dose related manner.

Conclusion

AMI can up-regulate Cosmc expression of peripheral B lymphocytes and reverse IgA1 aberrant O-glycosylation level, which might be the underlying mechanism of AMI therapy in treating IgAN.

Trial registration

TCTR20140515001 (Registration Date: 2014-05-15)
Identification of conserved, centrosome-targeting ASH domains in TRAPPII complex subunits and TRAPPC8
Authors: Schou Kenneth B , Morthorst Stine K , Christensen Søren T , Pedersen Lotte B
Published: June 2014

Background

Assembly of primary cilia relies on vesicular trafficking towards the cilium base and intraflagellar transport (IFT) between the base and distal tip of the cilium. Recent studies have identified several key regulators of these processes, including Rab GTPases such as Rab8 and Rab11, the Rab8 guanine nucleotide exchange factor Rabin8, and the transport protein particle (TRAPP) components TRAPPC3, -C9, and -C10, which physically interact with each other and function together with Bardet Biedl syndrome (BBS) proteins in ciliary membrane biogenesis. However, despite recent advances, the exact molecular mechanisms by which these proteins interact and target to the basal body to promote ciliogenesis are not fully understood.

Results

We surveyed the human proteome for novel ASPM, SPD-2, Hydin (ASH) domain-containing proteins. We identified the TRAPP complex subunits TRAPPC8, -9, -10, -11, and -13 as novel ASH domain-containing proteins. In addition to a C-terminal ASH domain region, we predict that the N-terminus of TRAPPC8, -9, -10, and -11, as well as their yeast counterparts, consists of an α-solenoid bearing stretches of multiple tetratricopeptide (TPR) repeats. Immunofluorescence microscopy analysis of cultured mammalian cells revealed that exogenously expressed ASH domains, as well as endogenous TRAPPC8, localize to the centrosome/basal body. Further, depletion of TRAPPC8 impaired ciliogenesis and GFP-Rabin8 centrosome targeting.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that ASH domains confer targeting to the centrosome and cilia, and that TRAPPC8 has cilia-related functions. Further, we propose that the yeast TRAPPII complex and its mammalian counterpart are evolutionarily related to the bacterial periplasmic trafficking chaperone PapD of the usher pili assembly machinery.
Breast-related effects of selective estrogen receptor modulators and tissue-selective estrogen complexes
Authors: Smith Carolyn L , Santen Richard J , Komm Barry , Mirkin Sebastian
Published: June 2014

A number of available treatments provide relief of menopausal symptoms and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, as breast safety is a major concern, new options are needed, particularly agents with an improved mammary safety profile. Results from several large randomized and observational studies have shown an association between hormone therapy, particularly combined estrogen-progestin therapy, and a small increased risk of breast cancer and breast pain or tenderness. In addition, progestin-containing hormone therapy has been shown to increase mammographic breast density, which is an important risk factor for breast cancer. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) provide bone protection, are generally well tolerated, and have demonstrated reductions in breast cancer risk, but do not relieve menopausal symptoms (that is, vasomotor symptoms). Tissue-selective estrogen complexes (TSECs) pair a SERM with one or more estrogens and aim to blend the positive effects of the components to provide relief of menopausal symptoms and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis without stimulating the breast or endometrium. One TSEC combination pairing conjugated estrogens (CEs) with the SERM bazedoxifene (BZA) has completed clinical development and is now available as an alternative option for menopausal therapy. Preclinical evidence suggests that CE/BZA induces inhibitory effects on breast tissue, and phase 3 clinical studies suggest breast neutrality, with no increases seen in breast tenderness, breast density, or cancer. In non-hysterectomized postmenopausal women, CE/BZA was associated with increased bone mineral density and relief of menopausal symptoms, along with endometrial safety. Taken together, these results support the potential of CE/BZA for the relief of menopausal symptoms and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis combined with breast and endometrial safety.
Breast cancer risk assessment using genetic variants and risk factors in a Singapore Chinese population
Authors: Lee Charmaine Pei Ling , Irwanto Astrid , Salim Agus , Yuan Jian-min , Liu Jianjun , Koh Woon Puay , Hartman Mikael
Published: June 2014

Introduction

Genetic variants for breast cancer risk identified in genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in Western populations require further testing in Asian populations. A risk assessment model incorporating both validated genetic variants and established risk factors may improve its performance in risk prediction of Asian women.

Methods

A nested case-control study of female breast cancer (411 cases and 1,212 controls) within the Singapore Chinese Health Study was conducted to investigate the effects of 51 genetic variants identified in previous GWAS on breast cancer risk. The independent effect of these genetic variants was assessed by creating a summed genetic risk score (GRS) after adjustment for body mass index and the Gail model risk factors for breast cancer.

Results

The GRS was an independent predictor of breast cancer risk in Chinese women. The multivariate-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of breast cancer for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of the GRS were 1.26 (0.90 to 1.76), 1.47 (1.06 to 2.04) and 1.75 (1.27 to 2.41) respectively (P for trend <0.001). In addition to established risk factors, the GRS improved the classification of 6.2% of women for their absolute risk of breast cancer in the next five years.

Conclusions

Genetic variants on top of conventional risk factors can improve the risk prediction of breast cancer in Chinese women.
Inflammation biomarkers and delirium in critically ill patients: new insights?
Authors: Sobbi Shokoufeh Cheheili , van den Boogaard Mark
Published: June 2014

The pathophysiological mechanism of the serious and frequently occurring disorder delirium is poorly understood. Inflammation and sepsis are known risk factors for ICU delirium and therefore these patients are highly susceptible to delirium. Several studies have been performed to determine which cytokines are most associated with delirium but the results are inconclusive. Also, new biomarkers associated with brain dysfunction and cognitive impairment are still recognized and need to be studied to determine their relation with delirium. In this commentary we address some limitations concerning an interesting new study that warrants directions for future studies.
Performance evaluation of WMN-GA system for different settings of population size and number of generations
Authors: Barolli Admir , Sakamoto Shinji , Oda Tetsuya , Spaho Evjola , Barolli Leonard , Xhafa Fatos
Published: June 2014

Wireless Mesh Networks (WMNs) distinguish for their low cost nature that makes them very attractive for providing wireless Internet connectivity. Such infrastructures can be used to deploy community networks, metropolitan area networks, municipal and corporative networks, and to support applications for urban areas, medical, transport and surveillance systems. The main issues in WMNs are achievement of network connectivity and stability as well as QoS in terms of user coverage. In this paper, we deal with the effect of changes in population size and number of generations for node placement problem in WMNs for Normal distribution of mesh clients. We consider two population sizes 8 and 512 and for every population size the number of generations are 200 and 20,000. As evaluation metrics we used size of giant component and number of covered users. The simulation results have shown that the increase of the population size results in better performance. Best results are obtained for the number of generation 20,000. However, when the number of generation is increased, the computation time is also increased.
Ultra-low voltage MEMS switch using a folded hinge structure
Authors: Kim Min-Wu , Song Yong-Ha , Ko Seung-Deok , Ahn Sang-Joon , Yoon Jun-Bo
Published: June 2014

An ultra-low voltage microelectromechanical system (MEMS) switch for low-power integrated circuit (IC) applications is proposed, fabricated and demonstrated. The folded hinge structure allows a large beam structure to be suspended with a designed air gap, effectively suppressing unwanted deflection. The actuation voltage of the switch was measured to be 1.7 V, the lowest among electrostatic switches. There was no variation in the actuation voltage until 106 cyclic actuations, showing the stability of a low actuation voltage in electrostatic actuation for the first time. The contact resistance was around 12 Ω, caused by a low contact force below 1 μN despite an Au–Au contact.
Performance-Based Fire Safety Design of Special Structures in Germany
Authors: Zehfuß Jochen , Klinzmann Christoph , Paliga Karen
Published: June 2014

The objective of this article is the illustration of the calculation of natural fires and fire resistance of structural members based on the Eurocodes of two types of special structures, in this case a railway bridge and an airplane hangar. The railway bridge has a width of nearly 70 meters and consists of steel beams and a massive concrete slab that are supported by massive columns and walls and for that reason can be compared to a tunnel. The load-bearing structure of the roof of the hangars is made of steel and is supported by steel columns. The choice of a fire scenario on the safe side is crucial for the design process of the unprotected steel structure.
Investigation on the Behaviour of a Composite Floor Made of Cellular Beams in Fire Situation
Authors: Bihina Gisèle , Zhao Bin , Bouchaïr Abdelhamid
Published: June 2014

The main results from a numerical investigation on a composite floor made of cellular beams at elevated temperatures are presented. From a full-scale natural fire test, a 3D finite element model has been developed under ANSYS code to simulate the thermo-mechanical behaviour of a composite floor with cellular beams. The calibration of this numerical model is based on the measured material properties and temperatures. A good correlation between the test and the numerical simulation is observed, in terms of temperatures, deformed shape and deflections. The finite element model is then used in a parametric study varying bay size, mechanical load and fire resistance rate. The results from this parametric study are compared to those from an analytical method, highlighting the conservativeness of the latter.
Stability Behavior of Steel Building Structures in Fire Conditions: Role of Composite Floor System with Shear-Tab Connections
Authors: Agarwal Anil , Selden Kristi , Varma Amit
Published: June 2014

This paper presents a qualitative assessment of the influence of the composite floor system and shear-tab connections on the stability behavior of a typical mid-rise (10-story) steel building subjected to corner compartment fires. A ten-story steel building with composite floor systems was designed following the design practices in the US. The building had an interior core of reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls to resist the lateral loads. Effects of gravity loads and fire conditions were simulated using the finite element method and numerical analysis techniques. The concrete material model used in the numerical simulations was benchmarked using experimental data from concrete slab thermal tests. The results from the numerical investigations indicated that at elevated temperatures, the composite beam undergoes elongation, sagging and rotation at the beam ends. This results in additional rotation and compression demands on the connections at the ends. The shear-tab connections provided significant negative moment resistance at the beam ends at elevated temperatures. This negative moment resistance at the shear-tab connections increased the flexural capacity of the composite beam by effectively redistributing the moment demands due to the applied gravity loads.
Analysis of the Thermo-Mechanical Behaviour of Steel-to-Timber Connections in Bending
Authors: Dhima Dhionis , Audebert Maxime , Bouchaïr Abdelhamid
Published: June 2014

Two different configurations of steel-to-timber connections are tested in bending in normal conditions and under ISO-fire exposure. To observe the influence of clearances in the connection area on the fire resistance of the connections, two specimens were previously tested under cyclic loadings. These tests consist in the application of loading-unloading cycles by controlled displacements. The experimental results of connections tested in cold and under ISO-fire conditions are analyzed and commented. These results are then used to validate a finite element model. This model allows to simulate numerically the evolution of the temperatures inside the connections as well as their mechanical and thermo-mechanical behaviours. The thermal modelling is validated on the basis of the temperature-time evolutions measured during fire tests. The nonlinear modelling of the mechanical behaviour of timber is done using the Hill yield criterion in combination with the Tsaï-Wu failure criterion. The thermo-mechanical modelling allows obtaining fire resistances of the tested connections in good agreement with the experimental ones.
Analysis of the Shear Resistance Force of Filled Gravels Confined in a Flexible Frame Using an Assembled Distinct Element Method
Authors: Horiguchi T. , Katsuki S.
Published: June 2014

In this paper, we propose a distinct element method (DEM) for estimating the shear resistance force of filled gravels in stair-shaped and flexible steel frames such as a gabion. The filled gravels were modelled by the DEM, using assembled elements to take into consideration the roughness of their surfaces, which produced interlocking and rotational resistance, among other effects. The assembled elements used in this study consisted of six similar-sized overlapping spherical elements symmetrically arranged in the shape of a regular octahedron. The ratio of the non-overlapped depth to the diameter of the spherical elements was termed the protruding coefficient β, which could be used to control the internal friction angle of the filled gravels and represent their dilatancy. The angle of repose of the gravels, which were filled in a stair-shaped steel frame check dam or a flexible steel frame such as a gabion, could be easily measured in the field. By inserting the value the experimental angle of repose into the relationship between the analytical angle of repose and the protruding coefficient β, the protruding coefficient β of the gravel model is obtained. The analytical angle of repose obtained by the assembled element model was identical with the value experimentally determined for the adopted gravels. The experimental results for both the stair-shaped frame and the real-size gabion were simulated using the proposed method to evaluate the shear resistance force. The analytical and experimental results were observed to be in good agreement.
Impact Performance of Ultra-High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete Beam and its Analytical Evaluation
Authors: Fujikake Kazunori
Published: June 2014

The aim of this study was to experimentally examine the impact performance of an Ultra-High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) beam and to develop an analytical model to represent its impact response. Thus, a drop hammer impact test was performed to investigate the influence of drop height of the hammer on the impact response of the UHPFRC beam. The impact test revealed that UHPFRC beams had excellent impact resistance compared to conventional RC beams. To attain the development of the analytical model, a comprehensive approach was adopted as follows in this study. First, the effects of strain rate on the compressive and tensile mechanical properties of UHPFRC specimens were investigated through a rapid loading test to formulate a rate-dependent constitutive model for UHPFRC. Subsequently nonlinear analysis based on a fiber model technique was developed to predict the load-midspan deflection relationship of a UHPFRC beam under high rate loading and was verified with the data obtained from the rapid loading test of UHPFRC beams. Finally, the response of a UHPFRC beam subjected to a drop hammer impact could be well demonstrated by the two degrees of freedom mass-spring-damper system model formulated through this comprehensive study.
Computational science: shifting the focus from tools to models
Authors: Hinsen Konrad
Published: June 2014

Computational techniques have revolutionized many aspects of scientific research over the last few decades. Experimentalists use computation for data analysis, processing ever bigger data sets. Theoreticians compute predictions from ever more complex models. However, traditional articles do not permit the publication of big data sets or complex models. As a consequence, these crucial pieces of information no longer enter the scientific record. Moreover, they have become prisoners of scientific software: many models exist only as software implementations, and the data are often stored in proprietary formats defined by the software. In this article, I argue that this emphasis on software tools over models and data is detrimental to science in the long term, and I propose a means by which this can be reversed.
Design and Sustained Release Evaluation of Rifampicin from Polyurethane Membranes
Authors: Mandru Mihaela , Ciobanu Constantin , Lebrun Laurent , Nistor Alexandra , Gradinaru Luiza Madalina , Popa Marcel , Vlad Stelian
Published: June 2014

Drug delivery membranes based on polyurethanes have been used for prolonged release of rifampicin. Therefore, two polyurethane structures with concentrations in urethane groups of 1.5 mmol/g and 2.5 mmol/g, respectively were tested for delivery of rifampicin. The influence of the surface morphology in drug release was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and contact angle measurements. The kinetics, drug release mechanisms and dynamic vapour sorption (DVS) were studied. Prolonged nature of the release of rifampicin is assured by the urethane concentration 2.5 mmol/g but also to the surface of the membrane systems. It was found that the rifampicin release is function of polymer-drug membranes composition and the surface properties. One can assume that the mechanism of diffusion is Fickian, and the experimental data verify this law. Finally, the possibility of applications of the polyurethane matrix with rifampicin was shown by biological test.
Die Ehe als Institution – für Hetero- und Homosexuelle Überlegungen zur Diskussion über die EKD-Orientierungshilfe
Authors: Karle Isolde
Published: June 2014

The guidelines on family life published by the EKD (Evangelical Church in Germany) has triggered an intensive debate, especially regarding the understanding of marriage. The author demonstrates that the objections against same-sex marriage are not substantial. Instead the church should rather have an interest in opening up marriage because it highly values the concept of lasting love. On the other hand, the author points to the fact that, despite high divorce rates, the integrative force of marriage as an institution should not be underestimated. She discusses from a sociological, juridical and theological perspective how marriage provides stability, relief, confirmation, and strength. The essay concludes with a plea for marriage - of hetero- and homosexuals alike.
Die Hoffnung der Erde Die ökologische Wende der christlichen Theologie und der christlichen Spiritualität
Authors: Moltmann Jürgen
Published: June 2014

The concept of humanity and the relationship of the modern world towards nature were formerly determined by the idea that ›man‹ is situated at its center while governing nature and its forces. It was backed by a theology which unilaterally emphasized the relationship between god and ›man‹. Such an approach became questionable because of the ecological crisis. This essay presents a new ecological theology that shall accompany the transition into a postmodern, ecological era. A basic shift of paradigm is needed: from man as »center of the world« to a cosmic integration of humanity, from the arrogance of global dominion to cosmic humbleness, from a distinction between god and world to a mutual participation of a »world in god« and »god in the world«. Hence, Christian spirituality is no longer informed by the idea of »god and the soul«, but opens itself towards »god and sensuality«.
Towards Geodesign: Repurposing Cartography and GIS?
Authors: Goodchild Michael F.
Published: June 2014

One of the original visions for GIS was as a tool for creating designs, but GIS has evolved in numerous other directions. Definitions of geodesign are reviewed, together with a short history of the concept. A distinction is drawn between Design and design, the latter being addressed through spatial decision support systems, and the former being seen as a superset of the latter. Geodesign also has a strong and well-defined relationship with cartography. The vision of landscape architecture propounded by the late Ian McHarg also provides a foundation for geodesign. Two existing gaps in the computation tools available for geodesign are identified: support for sketch and implementation of models representing scientific knowledge of how the world works. Two important areas of research are identified that would address problems that currently impede geodesign.
Another Goode Method: How to Use Quantitative Content Analysis to Study Variation in Thematic Map Design
Authors: Muehlenhaus Ian
Published: June 2014

Many methods have been embraced to analyze maps and compare them with oneanother. One method that has not been regularly used to study thematic mapsis quantitative content analysis (QCA). QCA is an established scientific methodthat is exceptional for longitudinal and large sample studies of media images.Using a sample of thematic maps from Goode’s World Atlas as an example study,this article does two things. First, it demonstrates the benefits and drawbacksof using quantitative content analysis to study the evolution of thematic mapdesign. Thematic maps were selected from the past 80 years of Goode’s WorldAtlas and analyzed using QCA to see if and how their thematic and cartographicrepresentations have evolved over time. Second, this article walks the readerthrough the process of setting up and using QCA to count, measure, and comparecartographic differences and changes in a map sample. Each step of the QCAprocess is explained, to help readers embrace the method in their own map research.Best practice advice is described throughout the case study. The article concludeswith a synopsis of the benefits and pitfalls of using this method.
Mapping Potential Metro Rail Ridership In Los Angeles County
Authors: Mo Bin (Owen)
Published: June 2014

Los Angeles County, as in many metropolitan areas, is coping with increasing street and highway traffic. Transit, and particularly rail, often is regarded as a strategy to help reduce urban traffic congestion especially in these economic downturn times, the rising price of gasoline and the acute awareness of global warming. The objectives of this paper are to identify the total potential riders who have access by walking to the Metro Rail, and the level of utilization, using the process of Trip Generation for data research. The potential ridership produced and attracted to each station is estimated using certain assumptions about the number of trips possibly generated by each person from residential and employment regions, based on the Origin-Destination (OD) flow patterns.  Estimating the number of potential riders accessing the Metro Rail System involves a spatial analysis regarding the location of current Metro Rail stations serving populations in a reasonable access time by walking. Service Area Zones (SAZ) were mapped, representing the areas that the potential riders could be served by existing stations within a ten minute interval. The potential ridership was measured to be approximately one million, which represents a figure ten times larger than the present one. The results of the analysis were used to build an Atlas of Los Angeles County Ridership as the cartographic contribution in transportation and visual communication for transit forecasting and service planning of the system.
Imagining Space and Time in Kenneth Slessor’s “Dutch Seacoast” and Joan Blaeu’s Town Atlas of The Netherlands: Maps and Mapping in Kenneth Slessor’s Poetic Sequence The Atlas, Part Three
Authors: Haft Adele J.
Published: June 2014

“Dutch Seacoast” by the acclaimed Australian poet Kenneth Slessor (1901–1971) is thecenterpiece of The Atlas the five-poem sequence opening his 1932 collection Cuckooz Contrey. Like the other four poems, “Dutch Seacoast” pays tribute to cartography’s “Golden Age,” Toonneel der Steden van de vereenighde Nederlanden being the poem’s epigraph and the title that Joan Blaeu gave to one of two volumes comprising his Town Atlas of the Netherlands (1649). While focusing on Blaeu’s exquisitely ordered map of Amsterdam, Slessor suggests that he is gazing at the map described by his poem and invites us to consider how poets and cartographers represent space and time.An intensely visual poet, Slessor was also attracted to lyrical descriptions of objects: his inspiration for “Dutch Seacoast” was a particularly poetic, but sparsely illustrated, catalogue of maps and atlases. After reprinting the poem and describing its reception, my paper traces the birth of “Dutch Seacoast” (and The Atlas generally) in Slessor’s poetry notebook, the evolution of the poem’s placement within the sequence, and the complex relationships between the poem, the catalogue, and Blaeu’s spectacular atlas. Comparing Blaeu’s idealistic view of Amsterdam with that city’s dominance during the Dutch“Golden Century,” Slessor’s darker obsessions with the poem’s ending, and his “other countries of the mind” with his native Australia, we come to understand why “Dutch Seacoast” remained for the self-deprecating poet one of his eight “least unsuccessful” poems.
Controlling formation and assembling of nanoparticles by control of electrical charging, polarization, and electrochemical potential
Authors: Koehler Johann Michael , Visaveliya Nikunjkumar , Knauer Andrea
Published: June 2014

The well-known concept of electrical charging for the stabilization of colloidal solutions is extended to a general concept for explanation of behavior of nanoparticles during their formation, in their response behavior on chemical or electrochemical stress, and in particle/particle interactions. This concept helps to understand the formation of polynuclear sphere-like plasmonic nanoparticles of gold, the surprising high stability of extended flat silver nanoprisms, and their switch-like transformation as well as the formation of special types of nanoparticle assemblies. It can be used for controlling the size of nanoparticles, for the synthesis of composite micro and nanoparticles, and for the generation of different classes of nonspherical polymer particles by particle/particle interactions during the process of particle growth. The reported experimental examples were mainly obtained by microfluidic experiments, which supplied a high homogeneity of the product particles. This high homogeneity is an excellent basis for studying the nanoparticle behavior in analogy to molecular processes and helps to get new insights in to the importance of electrical effects for nanoparticle synthesis and nanoparticle assembling.
Photo-polymerization of methacrylate based polymer electrolyte for dye-sensitized solar cell
Authors: Imperiyka Mahamed , Ahmad Azizan , Hanifah Sharina Abu , Umar Akrajas Ali , Mohamed Nor Sabirin , Rahman Mohd. Yusri Abd.
Published: June 2014

The ionic conductivity of poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethyl methacrylate) [P(GMA-co-EMA)]-lithium perchlorate (LiClO4)-ethylene carbonate (EC) electrolyte and photovoltaic performances of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) utilizing the electrolyte were investigated. P(GMA-co-EMA) as a host material of the electrolyte was synthesized by UV-curing and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). P(GMA-co-EMA) based solid polymer electrolyte containing 80 wt% EC exhibited the highest room temperature ionic conductivity. The crystallinity degree of the electrolyte decreases with the EC content, as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. The electrochemical stability investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) reveals that the electrolyte is stable up to 4.8 V. A dye-sensitized solar cell of fluorine tin oxide (FTO)/TiO2-dye/P(GMA-co-EMA)-LiClO4-EC/Pt possessed the photovoltaic effect with a short-circuit current density (J

sc
) of 4.85×10-3 mA cm-2 and open circuit voltage (V

oc
) of 0.4 V, respectively, under light intensity of 100 mW cm-2.
Structural, Magnetic and Electromagnetic Characterization of In3+ Substituted Mn-Zn Nanoferrites
Authors: Thakur Atul , Thakur Preeti , Hsu Jen-Hwa
Published: June 2014

Nanostructured ferroxide particles with nominal composition
Mn0.4Zn0.6In0.2Fe1.8O4 are prepared by
a citrate precursor method. The prepared powder is pre-sintered at
600 ℃ and finally sintered at
900 ℃ for three hours each. X-ray diffraction,
transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy
confirmed the size, structure and morphology of the
nanoferrite. Single phase spinel structure is confirmed from XRD study
with particle size 25 nm and 45 nm before and
after sintering. The superparamagnetic behaviour is confirmed by
vibrating sample magnetometer study with no hysteresis. The resonance
in electromagnetic properties is observed beyond 300 MHz,
making this material suitable for high to very high frequency
(10–300 MHz) applications.
Deficiency of ERβ and prostate tumorigenesis in FGF8b transgenic mice
Authors: Elo Teresa , Yu Lan , Valve Eeva , Mäkelä Sari , Härkönen Pirkko
Published: June 2014

Estrogens contribute to the development and growth of the prostate and are implicated in prostate tumorigenesis. In their target tissues, estrogens mediate their effects via estrogen receptor α (ERα (ESR1)) and β (ERβ (ESR2)). Hyperplasia and decreased differentiation of epithelial cells in the prostate have been reported inERβknockout (BERKO) mice. Herein, we studied the effect of ERβ deficiency on prostate tumorigenesis by crossing BERKOFVBmice with prostate-targeted human fibroblast growth factor 8b transgenic (FGF8b-Tg) mice. Consistent with results described in our previous report, the prostates of 1-year-oldFGF8b-Tg mice displayed stromal aberrations, prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (mPIN) lesions, inflammation, and occasionally cancer. The prostates of BERKOFVBmice exhibited mild epithelial hypercellularity and inflammation. The prostate phenotypes ofFGF8b-Tg-BERKOFVBmice closely resembled those ofFGF8b-Tg mice. However, mucinous metaplasia, indicated by Goblet-like cells in the epithelium, was significantly more frequent in the prostates ofFGF8b-Tg-BERKOFVBmice when compared withFGF8b-Tg mice. Furthermore, compared withFGF8b-Tg mice, there was a tendency for increased frequency of inflammation but milder hyperplasias in the prostate stroma ofFGF8b-Tg-BERKOFVBmice. The expression levels of mRNAs forFGF8b-regulated genes including osteopontin (Spp1), connective tissue growth factor (Ctgf), fibroblast growth factor receptors (Fgfrs), and steroid hormone receptors and cytokines were similar in the prostates ofFGF8b-Tg andFGF8b-Tg-BERKOFVBmice. Our results indicate that ERβ plays a role in the differentiation of the prostatic epithelium and, potentially, in the defensive mechanism required for protection against inflammation but do not support a direct tumor-suppressive function of ERβ in the prostate ofFGF8b-Tg mice.