bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Solidary Labour: Its Nature and Marginalisation
Authors: Lynch Kathleen
Published: August 2011

This paper represents an attempt to analyse the labour involved in producing and reproducing caring relationships as a form of work. The term ‘solidary’ or ‘love labour’ is coined to differentiate this kind of work from other forms of human service work, domestic work and/or economic labour.

We suggest that solidary labour cannot be understood as a structural necessity emanating from the political and economic requirements of the wider system. Yet, the tatter approach has been the modal one in both structural functionalist and Marxist analyses of caring. Caring and being cared for involve the construction of symbolic bonds regardless of the economic context in which they are embedded. The sociological understanding of these, demands that we take account of the situated meaning of solidary relations and not merely reduce them to by-products of structural forces.

In the latter part of the paper we use time-budget studies and other surveys to show how solidary labour is being marginalised in our society. In particular, we argue that both domestic labour and productive material labour are in open competition with solidary labour for the use of time. Research to date would suggest that solidary labour is the loser in this competition.
Men, Women, and Clergymen: Opinion and Authority in a Sacred Organization
Authors: Aldridge Alan
Published: August 2011

The Church of England faces a potential crisis over the ordination of women to the priesthood. This article presents survey and interview evidence of patterns of clerical opinion on the problem, showing that the trend of clerical opinion is in favour. However, the organizational context of clerical life means that whereas a clergyman's opinion is fateful for women it may have little consequence for the man himself. Clergymen have an assured status conferred by their priest's orders; they are integrated into professional structures and social networks; they exercise an authority which is seldom openly challenged, and they enjoy a high degree of autonomy and freedom from accountability. Since they are able, if they wish, to insulate themselves from women's ministry, they are often indifferent to its future course. It is not, therefore, a matter of material concern in the working lives of most parish clergymen. Yet women's admission to the priesthood is symbolically momentous. Clerical ambivalence about women priests reflects conflict within the sacred organization between the forces of tradition, charisma and rational-legality.
Bosanquet's Social Theory of the State
Authors: Emmet Dorothy
Published: August 2011

Bosanquet's political philosophy was a social theory of the function of the State as ‘hinderer of hindrances to the best life’, where individual development was supported by relationships within a community. This was worked out in the context of considerable knowledge of conditions among the London poor at the turn of the century, and reinforced by his wife's practical work and research. He sympathized with Durkheim's pioneering sociology, and was in contact with him through the Sociological Society. His ‘New Liberal’ approach, seeing problems of poverty as to be met by informed charitable activity, was restricted by insufficient recognition of the structural aspects of social problems and conflicts. The bearing of his Idealist Metaphysics is critically considered, and it is claimed that, although a good deal of this may not be acceptable, it gave a background to a kind of social thinking which is of interest to those looking for a communitarian type of political philosophy.
Restructuring Structuration Theory
Authors: Mouzelis Nicos
Published: August 2011

The article looks critically at Giddens's duality of structure notion which is at the centre of his structuration theory. It argues that the concept of subject/object dualism, which is not seriously considered by structuration theory, is as essential as the concept of duality for an understanding of how actors orient themselves to rules and resources as a virtual order, as well as to sets of interactions in time and space.
Reflexivity, Recursion and Social Life: Elements for a Postmodern Sociology
Authors: Platt Robert
Published: August 2011

The paper examines, and seeks to develop, the sociological concept of reflexivity. It identifies two senses of reflexivity, one associated with ethnomethodological accounts of members' practical reasoning, the other with a more philosophical sense of conscious self-referencing, and analyses their relationship. The paper argues that the development of this form of analysis leads to a form of propositional undecidability which makes it typically ‘postmodern’. The development is linked to ideas of recursion, as these are expounded in computer science and mathematics, and to Derrida's interpretation of ‘textual fold’ – this also being used to ground the association of reflexivity with postmodernism. The analysis ‘returns to the social’ by considering aspects of Niklas Luhmann's explication of social reflexivity. It concludes by examining the understanding that a postmodern sociology might have of a postmodern society in which the grounds for social order have become undecidable.
Melatonin protects against rotenone‐induced cell injury via inhibition of Omi and Bax‐mediated autophagy in Hela cells
Authors: Zhou Hongyan , Chen Jie , Lu Xilin , Shen Cunzhou , Zeng Jinsheng , Chen Ling , Pei Zhong
Published: July 2011

Abstract:  Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, and environmental toxins such as rotenone play an important role in causing degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. Melatonin, a major secretory product of pineal, is recently reported to protect against rotenone‐induced cell death in animal models. Yet, the mechanism involved in this protection needs to be elucidated. Here, we report that rotenone treatment (0–100 μm) decreased cell survival of Hela cells in a dose‐dependent manner. At concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 100 μm, rotenone induced a dose‐dependent increase in the expression of microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)‐II, a protein associated with the autophagosomal membrane. Knockdown of Bax or Omi using shRNA inhibited 1 μm rotenone‐induced autophagy. To determine whether melatonin would protect cells against rotenone‐induced cell death and autophagy, we pretreated Hela cells with 250 μm melatonin for 24 hr in the presence of rotenone. Melatonin inhibited Bax expression and the release of the omi/HtrA2 into the cytoplasm induced by 1 μm rotenone. Melatonin 250 μm treatment also suppressed cell death induced by 0.1–100 μm rotenone and protected against the formation of LC3‐II in cells exposed to 1 μm rotenone. This work demonstrates a novel role for melatonin as a neuroprotective agent against rotenone.
Determination of Noscapine’s Localization and Interaction with the Tubulin‐α/β Heterodimer
Authors: Alisaraie Laleh , Tuszynski Jack A.
Published: July 2011

Noscapine, the benzylisoquinoline alkaloid, 5‐(4,5‐Dimethoxy‐3‐oxo‐1,3‐dihydro‐isobenzofuran‐1‐yl)‐4‐methoxy‐6‐methyl‐5,6,7,8‐tetrahydro‐[1,3]dioxolo[4,5‐g]isoquinolin‐6‐ium, has been extensively used as a cough‐suppressing medication with low toxicity. It has been recently shown to also have anti‐cancer activity in mice and humans. In this work, usingin silicoanalyses, the most probable binding site for noscapine is identified to be at the intradimer region of the α and β subunits of the tubulin heterodimer. By utilization of small molecule docking techniques, and an analysis of the thermodynamically favorable binding modes of noscapine in its binding site, the key residues of tubulin monomers interacting with noscapine are determined. Upon noscapine binding, the conformational change in the tubulin heterodimer along with a potential long‐range allosteric effect on both the N and E sites is studied by means of molecular dynamics simulations. Noscapine is found to function as a tubulin‐stabilizing agent that interacts strongest with the lateral and longitudinal segments of the tubulin dimer, impacting the interaction between monomers in neighboring protofilaments. We infer that this may act as a depolymerization inhibitor of microtubules. As a result of this study, we have designed novel analogues of noscapine with the ultimate goal of finding agents with increased anti‐tumor activity and lower inhibitory concentrations than that of noscapine.
Synovial Fluid D‐Dimer Concentration in Foals with Septic Joint Disease
Authors: Ribera T. , Monreal L. , Armengou L. , Ríos J. , Prades M.
Published: July 2011

Background:Increased synovial fibrinolytic activity (detected by increases in synovial D‐Dimer concentrations) has been observed in different joint diseases in humans and adult horses, presumably in order to minimize fibrin deposition within the joint and thus avoid its detrimental effects.

Objective:To investigate fibrinolytic pathway activation in joint sepsis in foals by measuring synovial D‐Dimer concentrations.

Animals:Eighteen septic foals with septic joints, 9 septic foals without septic joints, 9 systemically healthy foals with septic joint, and 3 controls are included.

Methods:Prospective observational clinical study of foals admitted for septic arthritis. Synovial D‐Dimer concentration and routine synovial fluid analysis were performed. Diagnosis of joint sepsis was made whenever synovial total nucleated cell count was >30,000 cells/μL, synovial total protein >4 g/dL, and neutrophil percentage of >80%, or synovial fluid culture resulted positive. Results were compared among groups by general lineal models.

Results:Synovial D‐Dimer concentration was significantly (P< .001) higher in the foals with septic joints compared with foals without joint disease (P< .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance:Septic joint disease is associated with a marked increase of synovial D‐Dimer concentration (marked activation of the fibrinolytic activity) within the affected joint. Although further studies are needed, the measurement of synovial D‐Dimer concentration may be considered a complementary diagnostic marker of septic joint disease.
A METHOD OF TREATING INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN MULTI‐DIMENSIONAL SCALING*
Authors: Keats J. A.
Published: August 2011

Three studies are reported in which results obtained by analysis using the multi‐dimensional ‘unfolding’ method are compared with those obtained by multi‐dimensional scaling. Attitudes of undergraduates towards crime, political parties and types of accommodation were assessed by presenting the stimuli two at a time and asking subjects to indicate preference as well as rate the differences between each pair of stimuli. Subjects were also asked to indicate whether they liked, disliked or felt indifferent towards each of the stimuli. Samples of approximately 200, 500 and 1,000 subjects respectively were used in the three studies. Where the individual differences in attitudes were relatively small, as in the crimes data, the two methods gave equally adequate representations of the data. However in their attitudes towards political parties the students showed large individual differences and this was reflected in considerable disparity between the results obtained by the two methods. An attempt was made to combine the two methods to investigate distortion produced by strong negative attitudes and the results obtained were linked to a theory of psychological balance. This theoretical explanation seemed appropriate to the results obtained from the study of students reactions to different types of accommodation.
AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF GENERALIZABILITY COEFFICIENTS FOR UNMATCHED DATA
Authors: Shoemaker David M. , Osburn H. G.
Published: August 2011

Operating within the framework of the theory of generalizability, the main objective of the investigation was that of empirically studying the effect of item difficulty and item content stratification on the gamma coefficients using an unmatched item design. The principal results were as follows: (a) the reliability of an unstratified test using the unmatched item design was found to be lower than the reliability of a comparable test using the matched item design, and (b) stratification on item difficulty was found to be an extremely important factor in the unmatched item design. These and other results obtained on the gamma coefficients were contrasted with previously reported results for the alpha coefficients involving a matched item design.
Three-Dimensional Flow Calculations of the Stator in a Highly Loaded Transonic Fan
Authors: Emmerson P. R.
Published: July 2011

A three-dimensional viscous solver has been used to model the flow in the stator of a highly loaded single-stage transonic fan. The fan has a very high level of aerodynamic loading at the hub, which results in a severe hub endwall stall. Prediction of the flow at the 100 percent speed, peak efficiency condition has been carried out and comparisons are made with experiment, including stator exit traverses and fixed blade surface pressure tappings and flow visualisation. Comparisons are also made with an analysis of the rotor and stator rows using the DERA S1–S2 method. The three-dimensional predictions show good qualitative agreement with measurements in all regions of the flow field. Quantitatively the flow away from the hub region agreed the best. The general trends of the severe hub endwall stall were predicted, although the shape and size did not match experiment exactly. The S1–S2 system was unable to predict the hub endwall stall, since it arises from fully three-dimensional flow effects.
High-Accuracy Turbine Performance Measurements in Short-Duration Facilities
Authors: Haldeman C. W. , Dunn M. G.
Published: July 2011

This paper describes work done in preparation for the measurement of stage efficiency in a short-duration shock-tunnel facility. Efficiency measurements in this facility require knowledge of the flow with path pressure and temperature, rotating system moment of inertia, and mass flow. This paper describes in detail and improved temperature compensation technique for the pressure transducers (Kulite) to reduce thermal drift problems, and measurements of the rotating system moment of inertia. The temperature compensation has shown that the conversion to pressure is accurate to within 0.689 kPa (0.1 psi) over the 40°C test range. The measurement of the moment of inertia is shown to be accurate to within 0.7 percent of the average value.
Measurements and Prediction of the Effects of Surface Roughness on Profile Losses and Deviation in a Turbine Cascade
Authors: Kind R. J. , Serjak P. J. , Abbott M. W. P.
Published: July 2011

Measurements of pressure distributions, profile losses, and flow deviation were carried out on a planar turbine cascade in incompressible flow to assess the effects of partial roughness coverage of the blade surfaces. Spanwise-oriented bands of roughness were placed at various locations on the suction and pressure surfaces of the blades. Roughness height, spacing between roughness elements, and band width were varied. A computational method based on the inviscid/viscous interaction approach was also developed; its predictions were in good agreement with the experimental results. This indicates that good predictions can be expected for a variety of cascade and roughness configurations from any two-dimensional analysis that couples an inviscid method with a suitable rough surface boundary-layer analysis. The work also suggests that incorporation of the rough wall skin-friction law into a three-dimensional Navier–Stokes code would enable good predictions of roughness effects in three-dimensional situations. Roughness was found to have little effect on static pressure distribution around the blades and on deviation angle, provided that it does not precipitate substantial flow separation. Roughness on the suction surface can cause large increases in profile losses; roughness height and location of the leading edge of the roughness band are particularly important. Loss increments due to pressure-surface roughness are much smaller than those due to similar roughness on the suction surface.
Effect of Periodic Wake Passing on Film Effectiveness of Inclined Discrete Cooling Holes Around the Leading Edge of a Blunt Body
Authors: Funazaki K. , Koyabu E. , Yamawaki S.
Published: July 2011

Detailed studies are conducted on film effectiveness of inclined discrete cooling holes around the leading edge of a blunt body that is subjected to periodically incoming wakes as well as free-stream turbulence with various levels of intensity. The cooling holes have a configuration similar to that of a typical turbine blade and are angled at 30 and 90 deg to the surface in the spanwise and streamwise directions, respectively. A spoked-wheel-type wake generator is used in this study to simulate periodically incoming wakes to turbine blades. In addition, two types of turbulence grid are used to elevate a free-stream turbulence intensity. We adopt three blowing ratios of the secondary air to the mainstream. Most of the dominant flow conditions are reproduced in this study, except for the air density ratio of the secondary air and the main stream. For each of the blowing ratios, wall temperatures around the surface of the test model are measured by thermocouples situated inside the model. The temperature is visualized using liquid crystals to obtain traces of the injected secondary air on the test surface, which consequently helps us interpret the thermocouple data.
Rotation Effect on Jet Impingement Heat Transfer in Smooth Rectangular Channels With Four Heated Walls and Radially Outward Crossflow
Authors: Parsons J. A. , Han J. C. , Lee C. P.
Published: July 2011

The effect of channel rotation on jet impingement cooling by arrays of circular jets in two channels was studied. Jet flow direction was in the direction of rotation in one channel and opposite to the rotation direction in the other channel. The jets impinged normally on two smooth target walls. Heat transfer results are presented for these two target walls, for the jet walls containing the jet producing orifices, and for side walls, connecting the target and jet walls. The flow exited the channels in a single direction, radially outward, creating a crossflow on jets at larger radii. The mean test model radius-to-jet diameter ratio was 397. The jet rotation number was varied from 0.0 to 0.0028 and the isolated effects of jet Reynolds number (5000 and 10,000), and wall-to-coolant temperature difference ratio (0.0855 and 0.129) were measured. The results for nonrotating conditions show that the Nusselt numbers for the target and jet walls in both channels are about the same and are greater than those for the side walls of both channels. However, as rotation number increases, the heat transfer coefficients for all walls in both channels decrease up to 20 percent below those results that correspond to nonrotating conditions. As the wall-to-coolant temperature difference ratio increases, heat transfer coefficient decreases up to 10 percent with other parameters held constant.
Analysis of Unsteady Tip and Endwall Heat Transfer in a Highly Loaded Transonic Turbine Stage
Authors: Shyam Vikram , Ameri Ali , Chen Jen-Ping
Published: July 2011

In a previous study, vane-rotor shock interactions and heat transfer on the rotor blade of a highly loaded transonic turbine stage were simulated. The geometry consists of a high pressure turbine vane and a downstream rotor blade. This study focuses on the physics of flow and heat transfer in the rotor tip, casing, and hub regions. The simulation was performed using the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes code MSU-TURBO. A low Reynolds number k-ε model was utilized to model turbulence. The rotor blade in question has a tip gap height of 2.1% of the blade height. The Reynolds number of the flow is approximately 3×106/m. Unsteadiness was observed at the tip surface that results in intermittent “hot spots.” It is demonstrated that unsteadiness in the tip gap is governed by inviscid effects due to high speed flow and is not strongly dependent on pressure ratio across the tip gap contrary to published observations that have primarily dealt with subsonic tip flows. The high relative Mach numbers in the tip gap lead to a choking of the leakage flow that translates to a relative attenuation of losses at higher loading. The efficacy of new tip geometry is discussed to minimize heat flux at the tip while maintaining choked conditions. In addition, an explanation is provided that shows the mechanism behind the rise in stagnation temperature on the casing to values above the absolute total temperature at the inlet. It is concluded that even in steady (in a computational sense) mode, work transfer to the near tip fluid occurs due to relative shearing by the casing. This is believed to be the first such explanation of the work transfer phenomenon in the open literature. The difference in pattern between steady and time-averaged heat fluxes at the hub is also explained.
Concentrated Solar Energy to Study High Temperature Materials for Space and Energy
Authors: Charpentier Ludovic , Dawi Kamel , Eck Julien , Pierrat Baptiste , Sans Jean-Louis , Balat-Pichelin Marianne
Published: July 2011

In this paper, the concentrated solar energy is used as a source of high temperatures to study the physical and chemical behaviors and intrinsic properties of refractory materials. The atmospheres surrounding the materials have to be simulated in experimental reactors to characterize the materials in real environments. Several application fields are concerned such as the aerospace and the energy fields: examples of results will be given for the heat shield of the Solar Probe Plus mission (NASA) for the SiC/SiC material that can be used as cladding materials for next nuclear reactor (gas-cooled fast reactor—GFR, Generation IV) and for new advanced materials for solar absorbers in concentration solar power (CSP) plant. Two different facilities—REHPTS and MEDIASE—implemented at the focus of two different solar furnaces of the PROMES-CNRS laboratory—5 kW and 1 MW—are presented together with some experimental results on the behavior of high temperature materials.
Concentrated Solar Power Harvesting Using Self-powered, Wireless, Thin-profile, Lightweight Solar Tiles
Authors: Ardanuç Serhan M. , Lal Amit , Jones Samuel C.
Published: July 2011

This paper presents a modular and scalable approach to concentrated solar power (CSP) harvesting by using low-profile, light-weight, sun-tracking, millimeter-to-centimeter-scale mirror arrays that can be wirelessly controlled to reflect the incident solar energy to a central receiver. Conventional, utility-scale CSP plants use large-area heliostats, parabolic troughs, or dish collectors that are not only heavy and bulky, but also require significant labor for installation and maintenance infrastructure. Furthermore, form-factors of current heliostats are not compatible with low-profile roof-mountable systems, as seen by the dominance of the conventional Photovoltaic systems for roof-top installations. Solar TILE (STILE) technology to be presented in this work enables concentrated solar power harvesting on a given surface with form factor and weight per unit area comparable to those of ceramic tiles used on walls/floors or that of Photovoltaic modules. Self-powered operation by integrated solar cells, elimination of wiring for power transfer, wireless control, and weather-proof enclosure of moving parts help STILE technology promise lower installation and maintenance costs than PV approaches, while enabling novel beam-redirection applications over large surfaces. As the STILEs are made of mostly plastic, which costs at least an order of magnitude less than solar grade silicon, associated material costs could potentially be much cheaper than silicon PV cells. After a description of the STILE technology and a discussion of mirror scaling, we present a prototype tile with dimensions 33 × 33 × 6.4 cm3 and detail its wireless operation.
Optimization Model for Solar Thermochemical Reactor: Efficiency Increase by a Nonuniform Heat Sink Distribution
Authors: Tescari S. , Mazet N. , Neveu P. , Abanades S.
Published: July 2011

This study focuses on thermochemical cavity-type reactor, with a reactive material directly irradiated by concentrated solar energy. General tendencies of reactor performance are analyzed as a function of the reactor geometry. The objective is to define a simplified model that can be adapted easily to different reactor designs or different operating conditions. For this reason, the chemical reaction is not precisely fixed but rather characterized by a reaction temperature and a useful power consumed by the endothermic reaction, inside the reactive material. In order to increase the efficiency, two new reactor designs are proposed. These designs allow obtaining a nonuniform distribution of the useful power consumed by the reaction with the depth in a circular cylindrical cavity (z-axis). This is done in two ways: by varying the reactive material thickness along the axis or by varying its density at a constant thickness. The results show that these reactor concepts lead to a more uniform temperature distribution along the z-axis and a diminution of the heat losses. Thus, the reactor efficiency can increase significantly. The results of the simplified model can be used as a system predesign. A more accurate CFD model could be used afterward to refine the optimal shape.
A new Michaelis–Menten‐based kinetic model for transport and phosphorylation of glucose and its analogs in skeletal muscle
Authors: Huang Hsuan‐Ming , Ismail‐Beigi Faramarz , Muzic Raymond F.
Published: July 2011

Purpose: A new model is introduced that individually resolves the delivery, transport, and phosphorylation steps of metabolism of glucose and its analogs in skeletal muscle by interpreting dynamic positron emission tomography (PET) data.Methods: The model uniquely utilizes information obtained from the competition between glucose and its radiolabeled analogs. Importantly, the model avoids use of a lumped constant which may depend on physiological state. Four basic physiologic quantities constitute our model parameters, including the fraction of total tissue space occupied by interstitial space (fIS), a flow‐extraction product and interstitial (ISg) and intracellular (ICg) glucose concentrations. Using the values of these parameters, cellular influx (CI) and efflux (CE) of glucose, glucose phosphorylation rate (PR), and maximal transport (VG) and phosphorylation capacities (VH) can all be determined. Herein, the theoretical derivation of our model is addressed and characterizes its properties via simulation. Specifically, the model performance is evaluated by simulation of basal and euglycemic hyperinsulinemic (EH) conditions.Results: In fitting the model‐generated, synthetic data (including noise), mean estimates of all but ICg of the parameter values are within 5% of their values for both conditions. In addition, mean errors of CI, PR, and VG are less than 5% whereas those of VH and CE are not.Conclusions: It is concluded that under the conditions tested, the novel model can provide accurate parameter estimates and physiological quantities, except ICg and two quantities that are dependent on ICg, namely CE and VH. However, the ability to estimate ICg seems to improve with increases in intracellular glucose concentrations as evidenced by comparing ICg estimates under basal vs EH conditions.
Measured and Monte Carlo calculated kQ factors: Accuracy and comparison
Authors: Muir B. R. , McEwen M. R. , Rogers D. W. O.
Published: July 2011

Purpose: The journal Medical Physics recently published two papers that determine beam quality conversion factors, kQ, for large sets of ion chambers. In the first paper [McEwen Med. Phys. 37, 2179–2193 (2010)], kQ was determined experimentally, while the second paper [Muir and Rogers Med. Phys. 37, 5939–5950 (2010)] provides kQ factors calculated using Monte Carlo simulations. This work investigates a variety of additional consistency checks to verify the accuracy of the kQ factors determined in each publication and a comparison of the two data sets. Uncertainty introduced in calculated kQ factors by possible variation of W/e with beam energy is investigated further.Methods: The validity of the experimental set of kQ factors relies on the accuracy of the NE2571 reference chamber measurements to which kQ factors for all other ion chambers are correlated. The stability of NE2571 absorbed dose to water calibration coefficients is determined and comparison to other experimental kQ factors is analyzed. Reliability of Monte Carlo calculated kQ factors is assessed through comparison to other publications that provide Monte Carlo calculations of kQ as well as an analysis of the sleeve effect, the effect of cavity length and self‐consistencies between graphite‐walled Farmer‐chambers. Comparison between the two data sets is given in terms of the percent difference between the kQ factors presented in both publications.Results: Monitoring of the absorbed dose calibration coefficients for the NE2571 chambers over a period of more than 15 yrs exhibit consistency at a level better than 0.1%. Agreement of the NE2571 kQ factors with a quadratic fit to all other experimental data from standards labs for the same chamber is observed within 0.3%. Monte Carlo calculated kQ factors are in good agreement with most other Monte Carlo calculated kQ factors. Expected results are observed for the sleeve effect and the effect of cavity length on kQ. The mean percent differences between experimental and Monte Carlo calculated kQ factors are −0.08, −0.07, and −0.23% for the Elekta 6, 10, and 25 MV nominal beam energies, respectively. An upper limit on the variation of W/e in photon beams from cobalt‐60 to 25 MV is determined as 0.4% with 95% confidence. The combined uncertainty on Monte Carlo calculated kQ factors is reassessed and amounts to between 0.40 and 0.49% depending on the wall material of the chamber.Conclusions: Excellent agreement (mean percent difference of only 0.13% for the entire data set) between experimental and calculated kQ factors is observed. For some chambers, kQ is measured for only one chamber of each type—the level of agreement observed in this study would suggest that for those chambers the measured kQ values are generally representative of the chamber type.
A Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus-Encoded Ortholog of MicroRNA miR-155 Induces Human Splenic B-Cell Expansion in NOD/LtSz-scid IL2Rγ
null
Mice
Authors: Boss Isaac W. , Nadeau Peter E. , Abbott Jeffrey R. , Yang Yajie , Mergia Ayalew , Renne Rolf
Published: August 2011

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that function as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), a B-cell-tropic virus associated with KS and B-cell lymphomas, encodes 12 miRNA genes that are highly expressed in these tumor cells. One viral miRNA, miR-K12-11, shares 100% seed sequence homology with hsa-miR-155, an oncogenic human miRNA that functions as a key regulator of hematopoiesis and B-cell differentiation. So far,
in vitro
studies have shown that both miRNAs can regulate a common set of cellular target genes, suggesting that miR-K12-11 may mimic miR-155 function. To comparatively study miR-K12-11 and miR-155 function
in vivo
, we used a foamy virus vector to express the miRNAs in human hematopoietic progenitors and performed immune reconstitutions in NOD/LtSz-scid IL2Rγ
null
mice. We found that ectopic expression of miR-K12-11 or miR-155 leads to a significant expansion of the CD19
+
B-cell population in the spleen. Subsequent quantitative PCR analyses of these splenic B cells revealed that C/EBPβ, a transcriptional regulator of interleukin-6 that is linked to B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders, is downregulated when either miR-K12-11 or miR-155 is ectopically expressed. In addition, inhibition of miR-K12-11 function using antagomirs in KSHV-infected human primary effusion lymphoma B cells resulted in derepression of C/EBPβ transcript levels. This
in vivo
study validates miR-K12-11 as a functional ortholog of miR-155 in the context of hematopoiesis and suggests a novel mechanism by which KSHV miR-K12-11 induces splenic B-cell expansion and potentially KSHV-associated lymphomagenesis by targeting C/EBPβ.
Republished error management: Paediatric dosing errors before and after electronic prescribing
Authors: Jani Yogini Hariprasad , Barber Nick , Wong Ian Chi Kei
Published: July 2011

Objective

To compare the incidence and severity rating of dose prescribing errors before and after the implementation of a commercially available electronic prescribing system at a tertiary care children’s hospital.

Methods

Dose errors were identified using prescription review to detect errors. Severity rating was determined by five judges using a validated, reliable scoring tool. The mean score for each error was used as an index of severity.

Results

Dose prescribing errors occurred in 88 of the 3939 (2.2%) items prescribed for outpatients and inpatients, and on discharge prescriptions prior to the implementation of electronic prescribing (EP). After EP, there were 57 dose errors in 4784 (1.2%) items prescribed (1% absolute reduction (p<0.001 χ2 test; 95% CI of difference in proportions −1.6% to −0.5%)). A decrease in the severity rating of dose errors was also seen: dose errors with potentially minor outcomes 35/3939 (0.89%) pre vs 21/4784 (0.44%) post (95% CI of difference in proportions −0.8% to −0.11%, p=0.009 χ2 test); moderate outcome 46/3939 (1.17%) pre vs 33/4784 (0.69%) post (95% CI of difference in proportions −0.91% to −0.08, p=0.019, χ2 test); severe outcome: 7/3939 (0.18%) pre vs 3/4784 (0.06%) post (95% CI of difference in proportions −0.31% to +0.04, p=0.11, χ2 test).

Conclusion

Electronic prescribing appears to reduce rates of dosing errors in paediatrics, but larger studies are required to assess the effect on the severity of these errors and in different settings.
In-stent restenosis after revascularization of myocardium with drug-eluting stents is accompanied by elevated level of blood plasma eosinophil cationic protein
Authors: Gabbasov Zufar A. , Kozlov Sergei G. , Imaeva Asiya E. , Saburova Olga S. , Zykov Kirill A. , Masenko Valery P. , Smirnov Vladimir N.
Published: July 2011

The aim of this study was to assess the involvement of eosinophil cationic protein, a marker of eosinophil activation, in the development of in-stent restenosis after drug-eluting stent implantation. Follow-up angiography at 6 to 12 months was performed in 32 patients who were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention and implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents. Blood plasma levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and total immunoglobulin E (IgE) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and the level of C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) by high-sensitivity nephelometry. According to angiography data, in-stent restenosis occurred in 13 patients, while 19 patients did not develop it. There were no differences between the hs-CRP and IgE levels in patients with or without restenosis. In contrast, ECP level was higher in patients with restenosis compared with that in patients without restenosis [17.7 ng/mL (11.2–24.0) vs. 9.0 ng/mL (6.4–12.9), p = 0.017]. The incidence of in-stent restenoses was 63% in patients with ECP level higher than or equal to 11 ng/mL, and 19% in patients with an ECP level lower than 11 ng/mL (p = 0.019). These findings suggest that elevated eosinophil activation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of in-stent restenosis after implantation of drug-eluting stents.
AN INTEGRATED GUI-BUSINESS COMPONENT MODELING METHOD FOR THE MDD- AND MVC-BASED HIERARCHICAL DESIGNS
Authors: SONG CHEEYANG , CHO EUNSOOK , KIM CHULJIN
Published: July 2011

Due to complex applications, such as the reactive system, the importance of graphic user interface (GUI) component modeling has increased. The existing GUI modeling methods, however, do not focus on hierarchical GUI and business component modeling based on the MDD and MVC patterns. Furthermore, there is a lack of systematic component-mapping mechanisms integrating GUI and business/DB component modeling, which consequently makes it difficult to establish a GUI component modeling process integrated with business tasks and ultimately deteriorates the reusability of GUI-business application models.

This paper proposes a layered metamodel and an integrated modeling process that can hierarchically build a GUI-business component model based on MDD and MVC. Towards this end, the GUI metamodel and the component metamodel hierarchically established based on the PIM/PSM (MDD) and MVC styles are first defined. Then a GUI-business component modeling process is constructed based on these metamodels, in three modeling phases. Finally, the result of a case study in which the proposed method is applied to an ISMS system is discussed.

With the use of the modeling elements and modeling process of the well-defined metamodels based on MDD and MVC, it is hoped that it can be shown that a systematic and layered GUI-business component model can be established, and that the reusability of the constructed GUI-business model can be maximized.
APPLYING VISUAL LEARNING IN THE TEACHING OF SOFTWARE MEASUREMENT CONCEPTS
Authors: CUADRADO-GALLEGO JUAN JOSE , HERRERA BORJA MARTIN , PASTOR OSCAR , MARÍN BEATRIZ
Published: July 2011

Applying new learning methodologies in education, such as visual learning based on virtual reality and three-dimensional (3D) environments, is an important aspect in education, since it offers possibilities that can remarkably improve the current education system. Technological advances, along with the chance to create and represent the varying contents offered by information technologies, make the new learning methodologies the focus of attention in the future. Currently, 3D methodologies are only used in Computer Science to improve physical characteristics (virtual laboratories, virtual worlds, etc.), but they are not used to improve the internal mental processes by which human beings understand and retain abstract concepts. In these cases, the use of visual learning helps to clarify them. In Computer Science, particularly in Software measurement courses, the complexity of the concepts is possibly greater than in other courses because there is a lot of learning material that is based on abstract concepts that students find hard to recognize in the real world. In this paper, we present a visual environment that can be used to learn software measurement concepts like the IFPUG functional size measurement method. To validate the new learning model, an experiment was carried out.
OPTIMAL DESIGN OF LOW-CONTRAST TWO-PHASE STRUCTURES FOR THE WAVE EQUATION
Authors: ALLAIRE GRÉGOIRE , KELLY ALEX
Published: July 2011

This paper is concerned with the following optimal design problem: find the distribution of two phases in a given domain that minimizes an objective function evaluated through the solution of a wave equation. This type of optimization problem is known to be ill-posed in the sense that it generically does not admit a minimizer among classical admissible designs. Its relaxation could be found, in principle, through homogenization theory but, unfortunately, it is not always explicit, in particular for objective functions depending on the solution gradient. To circumvent this difficulty, we make the simplifying assumption that the two phases have a low constrast. Then, a second-order asymptotic expansion with respect to the small amplitude of the phase coefficients yields a simplified optimal design problem which is amenable to relaxation by means of H-measures. We prove a general existence theorem in a larger class of composite materials and propose a numerical algorithm to compute minimizers in this context. As in the case of an elliptic state equation, the optimal composites are shown to be rank-one laminates. However, the proof that relaxation and small-amplitude limit commute is more delicate than in the elliptic case.
COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR OF BIOLOGICAL AGGREGATIONS IN TWO DIMENSIONS: A NONLOCAL KINETIC MODEL
Authors: FETECAU RAZVAN C.
Published: July 2011

We construct and investigate a new nonlocal kinetic model for the formation and movement of animal groups in two dimensions. The model generalizes to two dimensions, the one-dimensional hyperbolic model from (R. Eftimie, G. de Vries, M. A. Lewis and F. Lutscher, Modeling group formation and activity patterns in self-organizing collectives of individuals, Bull. Math. Biol.69 (2007) 1537–1566). The main modeling aspect in the present approach concerns the assumptions we make on the turning rates, to include, in a nonlocal fashion, the three types of social interactions that act among individuals of a group: attraction, repulsion and alignment. We show that solutions to the new mathematical model are bounded, along with their gradients. We also present numerical results to illustrate three types of group formations that we obtained with the new model, starting from random initial conditions: (i) swarms (aggregation into a group, with no preferred direction of motion), (ii) parallel/translational motion (uniform spatial density, movement in a certain preferred direction) and (iii) parallel groups (aggregation into a group, with movement in a preferred direction).
The Encounter
Authors: Gopinath Mohan , Castelino Edwin , Iyengar Srividya
Published: August 2011

This case is based on real life incidents in a large international bank. There is a confrontation between an experienced officer (who does not have an MBA degree) and a newly recruited officer who is a novice to office decorum. There is a crisis because of the encounter between the strong willed experienced banker and the newly recruited one who possesses an MBA degree. There was a simmering discontent in the senior banker because she did not possess the required qualifications (degree in Business Administration) to move up the ladder. Circumstances in her younger days had forced her to take up the job in the bank but without this qualification, and the matter had rankled in her mind. Over the years, this had taken the form of a simmering dislike for everyone who possessed this degree, in spite of her best efforts to try and maintain a professional and detached relationship with the degree holders. The situation was also exacerbated by the fact that she felt that the younger employees did not treat her with the respect she deserved because of the lack of the professional degree.

The case also shows the sometimes devious ways in which senior bankers who are in positions of trust can have a detrimental impact on the career of younger officers if the latter do not live up to their expectations in terms of office decorum and discipline. Experience is always a good teacher but it should be kept in mind that academic inputs brought in by employees also have their value in the success of an organization. The case does not end with a tidy conclusion and it is up to the reader to try and find possible solutions on how to resolve the issues raised.
REAL-VARIABLE CHARACTERIZATIONS OF HARDY SPACES ASSOCIATED WITH BESSEL OPERATORS
Authors: YANG DACHUN , YANG DONGYONG
Published: July 2011

Let λ > 0, p ∈ ((2λ + 1)/(2λ + 2), 1], and [Formula: see text] be the Bessel operator. In this paper, the authors establish the characterizations of atomic Hardy spaces Hp((0,∞),dmλ) associated with △λ in terms of the radial maximal function, the nontangential maximal function, the grand maximal function, the Littlewood–Paley g-function and the Lusin-area function, where dmλ(x) ≡ x2λ dx. As an application, the authors further obtain the Riesz transform characterization of these Hardy spaces.
NEW RAZUMIKHIN TYPE STABILITY THEOREM FOR IMPULSIVE FUNCTIONAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS WITH INFINITE DELAYS
Authors: WANG JIAYU , LI XIAODI
Published: July 2011

In this paper, the stability of impulsive functional differential equations with infinite delays are investigated. By using Lyapunov functions and the Razumikhin technique, a new theorem on the uniform asymptotic stability and global asymptotic stability for such differential equations is obtained. An example is given to illustrate the feasibility of the result.
Young's Modulus and Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion of ZnO Conductive and Transparent Ultra-Thin Films
Authors: Yamamoto Naoki , Makino Hisao , Yamamoto Tetsuya
Published: July 2011

A new technique for measuring Young's modulus of an ultra-thin film, with a thickness in the range of about 10 nm, was developed by combining an optical lever technique for measuring the residual stress and X-ray diffraction for measuring the strain in the film. The new technique was applied to analyze the mechanical properties of Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) films, that have become the focus of significant attention as a substitute material for indium-tin-oxide transparent electrodes. Young's modulus of the as-deposited GZO films decreased with thickness; the values for 30 nm and 500 nm thick films were 205 GPa and 117 GPa, respectively. The coefficient of linear thermal expansion of the GZO films was measured using the new technique in combination within-situresidual stress measurement during heat-cycle testing. GZO films with 30–100 nm thickness had a coefficient of linear thermal expansion in the range of 4.3 × 10−6– 5.6 × 10−6 °C−1.
The Inverse Fundamental Operator Marching Method for Cauchy Problems in Range‐Dependent Stratified Waveguides
Authors: Li Peng , Zhong Weizhou
Published: July 2011

The inverse fundamental operator marching method (IFOMM) is suggested to
solve Cauchy problems associated with the Helmholtz equation in stratified waveguides.
It is observed that the method for large‐scale Cauchy problems is computationally
efficient, highly accurate, and stable with respect to the noise in the data
for the propagating part of a starting field. In further, the application scope of the
IFOMM is discussed through providing an error estimation for the method. The estimation
indicates that the IFOMM particularly suits to compute wave propagation
in long‐range and slowly varying stratified waveguides.
Development of a 2‐Plex Luminex‐Based Competitive Immunoassay to Quantify Neutralizing Antibodies Induced by Virus‐Like Particles for Human Papillomavirus 16 and 18
Authors: Lv Pin , Zhu Hongmei , Wang Hongfang , Wang George
Published: July 2011

Human papillomavirus (HPV) L1 virus‐like particles (VLPs) were proven an effective vaccine candidate to prevent against HPV‐16 and ‐18 infections. In order to evaluate the potency of our produced HPV‐16 and ‐18 L1 VLPs‐based vaccine candidates, also to quantify neutralizing antibodies induced by them, a 2‐plex Luminex‐based competitive immunoassay was developed. Unlike the published paper, the no‐biotin conjugated neutralizing mAbs spiked normal human serum (NHS) was used for standard curve preparation, while phycoerythrin (PE) was not labeled directly to neutralizing mAbs for signaling. After the coupling optimization of VLPs to microspheres and the neutralizing mAbs biotinylation, the 2‐plex standard curve was prepared with good fit and high dynamic range. In addition, no cross‐reactivity was also confirmed. The 2‐plex Luminex‐based immunoassay represents good potential not only for vaccine candidate′s evaluation but also for its further clinical use.