bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acting or reacting? Preferential attachment in a people‐tagging system
Authors: Raban Daphne Ruth , Ronen Inbal , Guy Ido
Published: February 2011

Social technologies tend to attract research on social structure or interaction. In this paper we analyze the individual use of a social technology, specifically an enterprise people‐tagging application. We focus on active participants of the system and distinguish between users who initiate activity and those who respond to activity. This distinction is situated within the preferential attachment theory in order to examine which type of participant contributes more to the process of tagging. We analyze the usage of the people‐tagging application in a snapshot representing 3 years of activity, focusing on self‐tagging compared to tagging by and of others. The main findings are: (1) People who tag themselves are the most productive contributors to the system. (2) Preferential attachment saturation is reached at 12–14 tags per user. (3) The nature of participation is more significant than the number of participants for system growth. The paper concludes with theoretical and practical implications.
A method for eliminating articles by homonymous authors from the large number of articles retrieved by author search
Authors: Onodera Natsuo , Iwasawa Mariko , Midorikawa Nobuyuki , Yoshikane Fuyuki , Amano Kou , Ootani Yutaka , Kodama Tadashi , Kiyama Yasuhiko , Tsunoda Hiroyuki , Yamazaki Shizuka
Published: February 2011

This paper proposes a methodology which discriminates the articles by the target authors (“true” articles) from those by other homonymous authors (“false” articles). Author name searches for 2,595 “source” authors in six subject fields retrieved about 629,000 articles. In order to extract true articles from the large amount of the retrieved articles, including many false ones, two filtering stages were applied. At the first stage any retrieved article was eliminated as false if either its affiliation addresses had little similarity to those of its source article or there was no citation relationship between the journal of the retrieved article and that of its source article. At the second stage, a sample of retrieved articles was subjected to manual judgment, and utilizing the judgment results, discrimination functions based on logistic regression were defined. These discrimination functions demonstrated both the recall ratio and the precision of about 95% and the accuracy (correct answer ratio) of 90–95%. Existence of common coauthor(s), address similarity, title words similarity, and interjournal citation relationships between the retrieved and source articles were found to be the effective discrimination predictors. Whether or not the source author was from a specific country was also one of the important predictors. Furthermore, it was shown that a retrieved article is almost certainly true if it was cited by, or cocited with, its source article. The method proposed in this study would be effective when dealing with a large number of articles whose subject fields and affiliation addresses vary widely.
Not just information: Who searches for what on the search engine Google?
Authors: Waller Vivienne
Published: February 2011

This paper reports on a transaction log analysis of the type and topic of search queries entered into the search engine Google (Australia). Two aspects, in particular, set this apart from previous studies: the sampling and analysis take account of the distribution of search queries, and lifestyle information of the searcher was matched with each search query. A surprising finding was that there was no observed statistically significant difference in search type or topics for different segments of the online population. It was found that queries about popular culture and Ecommerce accounted for almost half of all search engine queries and that half of the queries were entered with a particular Website in mind. The findings of this study also suggest that the Internet search engine is not only an interface to information or a shortcut to Websites, it is equally a site of leisure. This study has implications for the design and evaluation of search engines as well as our understanding of search engine use.
Exploiting navigational queries for result presentation and caching in Web search engines
Authors: Ozcan Rifat , Altingovde Ismail Sengor , Ulusoy Ozgür
Published: February 2011

Caching of query results is an important mechanism for efficiency and scalability of web search engines. Query results are cached and presented in terms of pages, which typically include 10 results each. In navigational queries, users seek a particular website, which would be typically listed at the top ranks (maybe, first or second) by the search engine, if found. For this type of query, caching and presenting results in the 10‐per‐page manner may waste cache space and network bandwidth. In this article, we propose nonuniform result page models with varying numbers of results for navigational queries. The experimental results show that our approach reduces the cache miss count by up to 9.17% (because of better utilization of cache space). Furthermore, bandwidth usage, which is measured in terms of number of snippets sent, is also reduced by 71% for navigational queries. This means a considerable reduction in the number of transmitted network packets, i.e., a crucial gain especially for mobile‐search scenarios. A user study reveals that users easily adapt to the proposed result page model and that the efficiency gains observed in the experiments can be carried over to real‐life situations.
Adaptive road border crossing system management: the role of priority programs
Authors: Brijmohan Andy , Khan Ata
Published: February 2011

Land border crossings in North America, such as those between Canada and U.S.A., are expected to experience severe imbalance of travel demand and capacity of processors. During peak travel periods, this is already the case at high traffic locations. The land border crossing authorities have to address problems of congestion, national security and environmental impacts in the operation of the existing systems and to continue to address these problems as a part of infrastructure expansion plans. There is a need to adapt the crossing system management in order to accommodate efficiency and productivity‐oriented priority crossing measures. From a methodological perspective, it is a challenge to evaluate the role of priority crossing measures within the complex border crossing system. This paper reports research on modelling priority crossing initiatives. A microsimulation approach was used to model and analyse integrated processors of the Peace Bridge crossing system between Fort Erie (Ontario) and Buffalo (New York) under different scenarios of travel demand, customs processing times, priority crossing and queue jump lanes for automobile and truck traffic. Findings show the extent to which a border crossing system with priority crossing and queue jump lanes is more efficient and productive than one without these innovations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A fuel tankering model applied to a domestic airline network
Authors: Guerreiro Fregnani José Alexandre Tavares , Müller Carlos , Correia Anderson Ribeiro
Published: February 2011

This paper presents a linear programming model designed to determine the optimum fuel loading quantities along a route network for a Brazilian domestic airline. Assuming that there are no volume purchase or storage capacity restrictions on each station, the analysis is carried out for one aircraft on one day of its schedule. Results are extrapolated for a monthly and yearly basis. Through the proposed model, it is seen that such a fuel tankering technique leads to a 5% economical saving, but produces a 1% additional fuel burn. A discussion on the environmental impact for this procedure is also proposed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Starre Faltungen als Leichtbauprinzip im Bauwesen
Authors: Herkrath Ralf , Trautz Martin
Published: February 2011

Unter dem Begriff “Starre Faltungen” sind neben Faltwerken und ähnlichen Konstruktionen des Bauwesens vor allem Anwendungen des Strukturformprinzips “Faltung” zu verstehen, wie sie z. B. Geodätische Kuppeln darstellen. Ihre facettenartigen dreieckigen oder rautenförmigen Blechelemente bilden einerseits die geometrischen Grundelemente eines regelmäßig geformten Körpers, nämlich der Kugel, andererseits die Bausteine eines Leichtbausystems, mit dem selbsttragende dreidimensional gekrümmte Raumflächen erzeugt werden.

Auf Basis moderner Computermethoden lassen sich auch unregelmäßige, frei geformte Flächen‐ und Hüllformen unabhängig von mathematisch‐funktionalen Beschreibungen generieren, denen verschiedenartige Faltmuster — abhängig von der Gestaltung, der Fassadentechnik und dem statischem Verhalten — eingeprägt werden können. Diese Faltungen lassen sich geometrisch bis hin zum einzelnen Bauteil beschreiben, ausdetaillieren und in unterschiedlichen Materialien durchkonstruieren. Starre Faltungen repräsentieren so ein Leichtbauprinzip, das auf freie Formen angewendet, neue, noch unerschlossene bautechnische Dimensionen eröffnet.

Rigid Folded Plate Construction as a Principle for Lightweight Buildings. The term “Rigid Folded Plate Construction” refers to conventional folded plate structures made of concrete as well as to applications of the morphological principle of folding as they are represented by thin‐walled‐structures like Geodesic Domes. Their facetted triangular elements on one hand form the geometrical basic elements of a regularly, mathematically defined body and on the other hand the structural components of a lightweight construction system.

Based on modern computer methods irregular free‐form‐surfaces can also be generated independently from mathematical‐functional descriptions. These surfaces may be provided with different folding patterns, depending on the design or the requirements due to the façade engineering or static behavior. Those folded structures can be geometrically described down to the individual element and detailed out in different materials. This way rigid folded plate construction represents a principle of lightweight construction for free form facades and structures opening new and still unexplored structural dimensions.
Glockenturmschwingungen und ihre normgerechte Reduzierung durch geeignete Maßnahmen am Geläut
Authors: Kuhlmann Wolfram , Kempen Thomas , Krause Hans‐Jürgen
Published: February 2011

Glockentürme sind dynamischen Lasten ausgesetzt, die immer wieder unterschätzt wurden. Daher kommt es auch heute noch an einer Vielzahl von Türmen zu erheblichen Turmschwingungen und Schäden. Inzwischen sind zwar sowohl der Ansatz der dynamischen Lasten als auch die Größe von Turmschwingungen, die unbedenklich sind, normativ geregelt. Für bestehende Türme stellt sich allerdings immer noch häufig die Frage, wie die Turmschwingungen auf ein akzeptables Maß reduziert werden können. In diesem Artikel werden verschiedenen Lösungsmöglichkeiten anhand konkreter Beispiele erläutert. Ziel der Maßnahmen war es jeweils, die Turmschwingungen auf die entsprechend der Norm unbedenklichen Werte zu reduzieren. Anhand der Beispiele wird deutlich, dass eine ausreichende Reduzierung der Turmschwingungen in den meisten Fällen durch geeignete Maßnahmen möglich ist. Es wird auch deutlich, dass die Wahl der jeweilig optimalen Maßnahme in jedem Einzelfall individuell ermittelt werden muss — auch wenn die äußeren Randbedingungen gleich erscheinen.

Bell tower vibrations and their standard compliant reduction by appropriate measures of the peal of bells. Bell towers are subject to dynamic forces which have been underestimated repeatedly. For this reason up to now a multitude of towers show considerable vibrations of the tower and damage. Today the calculation of the dynamic forces as well as the size of vibrations of the tower which are considered harmless are defined in the codes. How ever, for existing towers the question still arises frequently how the vibrations of a tower can be reduced to an uncritical extent. In this article the different possible solutions are illustrated by concrete examples. The aim of the measures was always to reduce the tower’s vibrations in a way that the acceptable value given in the code is not exceeded. The examples show that a sufficient reduction of the tower’s vibrations is usually possible. It becomes also apparent that the choice of the optimal measure has to be determined in each case individually — even if the outward appearance of the towers seems to be similar.
Die Überdachung der Trambahnhaltestelle Münchner Freiheit
Authors: Winkler Thomas , Findeiß Rudolf , Betko Marian
Published: February 2011

Am 12. Dezember 2009 eröffneten die Stadtwerke München (SWM) als Bauherr die neue ca. 3 km lange Trambahnlinie 23 zwischen der Münchner Freiheit und der Parkstadt Schwabing. Neben der Schrägseilbrücke am Münchner Tor wurde dabei insbesondere die Haltestellenüberdachung an der Münchner Freiheit als architektonisches Highlight ihrer Bestimmung übergeben. Zusammen mit der zeitgleich abgeschlossenen Neugestaltung des U‐Bahnhofs erhielt die Münchner Freiheit durch die gänzliche Neugestaltung der Umsteigehaltestelle ein neues Aussehen, das vor allem durch die frei geformte ca. 1500 m2 große Überdachung geprägt ist. Den tragwerksplanerischen Entwurf der Stahlkonstruktion in Form eines gekrümmten Flächentragwerks mit 18 aufgelösten Stützen (Bilder 1 und 2) erarbeitete das Münchner Ingenieurbüro Sailer Stepan und Partner. Bis diese Konstruktion von der Fa. Stahlbau Bitschnau ausgeführt werden konnte, waren intensive Planungen notwendig, die Fragen zur Wahl des Materials, der optimalen Form und zu einer mit dem Bestand des U‐Bahn Bauwerks verträglichen Lastableitung beantworteten.

Canopy roof to the terminus Münchner Freiheit. On 12th December 2009 the new tram line number 23 was opened by the client/operator Stadtwerke München (SWM). The new cable stayed bridge at Münchener Tor and the new canopy roof to the terminus at Münchener Freiheit form the architectural highlights along the 3km route from Münchner Freiheit to Parkstadt Schwabing. The connecting underground station at Münchener Freiheit was also refurnished and reopened at the same time resulting in a general facelift, dominated by the free form of the 1500 m2 canopy to the tram station. Structural engineers Sailer Stepan and Partners designed the steel structure of the double curved grid shell with 18 freestanding columns. By the time that the canopy structure was erected by steel fabricators Stahlbau Bitschnau an intense design process had determined the choice of materials, the optimised shape of the roof and the restricted load transfer to the existing underlying structure of the U‐Bahn station.
Assessing the trend of gastroschisis prevalence in China from 1996 to 2007 using two analytical methods
Authors: Xu Lili , Li Xiaohong , Dai Li , Yuan Xiuqin , Liang Juan , Zhou Guangxuan , Li Qi , He Chunhua , Miao Lei , Wang Yanping , Zhu Jun
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND

In recent years, the prevalence of gastroschisis has increased remarkably in some areas and remained unchanged in other areas; however, in general, there is a recent increasing trend compared to the 1970s and 1980s. In this study, we explored the time trend of gastroschisis prevalence in China during 1996 to 2007.

METHODS

Data were retrieved from the hospital‐based national monitoring database maintained by the Chinese Birth Defects Monitoring Network (CBDMN). The monitored subjects were infants born on the 28th gestational week or later, including live births and stillbirths. The maximal time for the diagnosis of a congenital malformation was the seventh day after birth. The secular trends on the overall prevalence and the different feature‐specific prevalence of gastroschisis in China were analyzed using the linear chi‐square test and the Poisson regression model.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of gastroschisis in China was 2.54 per 10,000 births during 1996 to 2007. Except for the prevalence of gastroschisis that significantly increased among infants whose mothers were 20 to 24 years old (p = 0.0498 for the linear chi‐square test, p = 0.0032 for the Poisson regression model analysis) and significantly decreased among infants whose mothers were 30 to 34 years old (p = 0.0177 for the Poisson regression model analysis), no significant changes were found in the overall and remaining feature‐specific prevalences.

CONCLUSION

The overall prevalence of gastroschisis in China did not change remarkably during 1996 to 2007; but the prevalence of gastroschisis significantly increased among infants whose mothers were 20 to 24 years old and decreased among infants whose mothers were 30 to 34 years old. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Agrin function associated with ocular development is a target of ethanol exposure in embryonic zebrafish
Authors: Zhang Chengjin , Turton Qwan M. , Mackinnon Shanta , Sulik Kathleen K. , Cole Gregory J.
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND

Alcohol (ethanol) is a teratogen known to affect the developing eyes, face, and brain. Among the ocular defects in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are microphthalmia and optic nerve hypoplasia. Employing zebrafish as an FASD model provides an excellent system to analyze the molecular basis of prenatal ethanol exposure‐induced defects because embryos can be exposed to ethanol at defined developmental stages and affected genetic pathways can be examined. We have previously shown that disruption of agrin function in zebrafish embryos produces microphthalmia and optic nerve hypoplasia.

METHODS

Zebrafish embryos were exposed to varying concentrations of ethanol in the absence or presence of morpholino oligonucleotides (MOs) that disrupt agrin function. In situ hybridization was used to analyze ocular gene expression as a consequence of ethanol exposure and agrin knockdown. Morphologic analysis of zebrafish embryos was also conducted.

RESULTS

Acute ethanol exposure induces diminished agrin gene expression in zebrafish eyes and, importantly, combined treatment with subthreshold levels of agrin MO and ethanol produces pronounced microphthalmia, markedly reduces agrin gene expression, and perturbs Pax6a and Mbx gene expression. Microphthalmia produced by combined agrin MO and ethanol treatment was rescued by sonic hedgehog (Shh) mRNA overexpression, suggesting that ethanol‐mediated disruption of agrin expression results in disrupted Shh function.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies illustrate the strong potential for using zebrafish as a model to aid in defining the molecular basis for ethanol's teratogenic effects. The results of this work suggest that agrin expression and function may be a target of ethanol exposure during embryogenesis. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
VACTERL association and mitochondrial dysfunction
Authors: Solomon Benjamin D. , Patel Ankita , Cheung Sau Wai , Pineda–Alvarez Daniel E.
Published: February 2011

BACKGROUND

VACTERL association includes the presence of malformations affecting the vertebrae, anus, heart, trachea and esophagus, kidneys, and limbs. The causes remain largely unknown, but rare patients with mitochondrial dysfunction have been reported. Although clinical signs and symptoms consistent with possible mitochondrial disease are not uncommon in patients with VACTERL association, the necessary testing to confirm mitochondrial dysfunction is infrequently performed.

METHODS

We describe a patient with relatively classic signs of VACTERL association who had an onset of clinical signs of mitochondrial dysfunction at 13 months of age. These signs included progressive muscle weakness, autonomic dysregulation, episodic hypoglycemia, and exocrine pancreatic dysfunction. The patient was later shown to have evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction (cytochrome c oxidase deficiency).

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormal mitochondrial function may be associated with VACTERL association, and clinicians who encounter patients with VACTERL association should have a low threshold for considering mitochondrial dysfunction. Birth Defects Research(Part A), 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dead cell counts during serum cultivation are underestimated by the fluorescent live/dead assay
Authors: Zhou Shengda , Cui Zhanfeng , Urban Jill
Published: February 2011

The live/dead fluorescent assay provides a quick method for assessing the proportion of live and dead cells in cell culture systems or tissues and is widely used. Dead cells are detected by the fluorescence produced when propidium iodide (PI) binds to DNA; PI and similar molecules are excluded from live cells but can penetrate dead cells because of their loss of membrane integrity. Here we investigated the effect of serum in the culture medium on the reliability of the method. We assessed viability of chondrocytes with/without serum using both a live/dead assay kit and also trypan blue staining. We found that after 2 days of culture, the DNA‐binding dye PI could no longer detect dead cells if serum was present but they were readily detected in serum‐free medium or if an inhibitor to DNase I was added to the serum‐containing medium. Dead cells could be detected by trypan blue staining in all cultures. Hence dead cells are no longer detected as the DNase I present in serum degrades their DNA. DNA‐binding dyes may thus not give a reliable estimate of the number of dead cells in systems that have been cultured in the presence of serum for several days.
Stress‐related challenges in pentose fermentation to ethanol by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Almeida João R. M. , Runquist David , Sànchez Nogué Violeta , Lidén Gunnar , Gorwa‐Grauslund Marie F.
Published: February 2011

Conversion of agricultural residues, energy crops and forest residues into bioethanol requires hydrolysis of the biomass and fermentation of the released sugars. During the hydrolysis of the hemicellulose fraction, substantial amounts of pentose sugars, in particular xylose, are released. Fermentation of these pentose sugars to ethanol by engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae under industrial process conditions is the subject of this review. First, fermentation challenges originating from the main steps of ethanol production from lignocellulosic feedstocks are discussed, followed by genetic modifications that have been implemented in S. cerevisiae to obtain xylose and arabinose fermenting capacity per se. Finally, the fermentation of a real lignocellulosic medium is discussed in terms of inhibitory effects of furaldehydes, phenolics and weak acids and the presence of contaminating microbiota.
Recombinant dengue virus type 3 envelope domain III protein from Escherichia coli
Authors: Tripathi Nagesh K. , Shrivastava Ambuj , Biswal Karttik C. , Rao P. V. Lakshmana
Published: February 2011

Dengue is a public health problem of global significance for which there is neither an effective antiviral therapy nor a preventive vaccine. The envelope protein of dengue virus is the major antigen to elicit neutralizing antibody response and protective immunity in hosts. Optimization of culture media was carried out for enhanced production of recombinant dengue virus type 3 envelope domain III (rDen 3 EDIII) protein in E. coli. Further, batch and fed‐batch cultivation process were also developed in optimized medium. After fed‐batch cultivation, the dry cell weight was about 22.80 g/L of culture. The rDen 3 EDIII protein was purified using immobilized metal affinity chromatography. This process produced ∼649 mg of purified rDen 3 EDIII protein per liter of culture. The purity of the protein was determined by SDS–PAGE analysis and the reactivity was checked by Western blotting as well as ELISA. These results show that the purified protein may be used for the dengue diagnosis or further prophylactic studies for dengue infection.
Folding of a single‐chain, information‐rich polypeptoid sequence into a highly ordered nanosheet
Authors: Kudirka Romas , Tran Helen , Sanii Babak , Nam Ki Tae , Choi Philip H. , Venkateswaran Neeraja , Chen Ritchie , Whitelam Stephen , Zuckermann Ronald N.
Published: February 2011

The design and synthesis of protein‐like polymers is a fundamental challenge in materials science. A means to achieve this goal is to create synthetic polymers of defined sequence where all relevant folding information is incorporated into a single polymer strand. We present here the aqueous self‐assembly of peptoid polymers (N‐substituted glycines) into ultrathin, two‐dimensional highly ordered nanosheets, where all folding information is encoded into a single chain. The sequence designs enforce a two‐fold amphiphilic periodicity. Two sequences were considered: one with charged residues alternately positive and negative (alternating patterning), and one with charges segregated in positive and negative halves of the molecule (block patterning). Sheets form between pH 5 and 10 with the optimal conditions being pH 6 for the alternating sequence and pH 8 for the block sequence. Once assembled, the nanosheets remain stable between pH 6 and 10 with observed degradation beginning to occur below pH 6. The alternating charge nanosheets remain stable up to concentrations of 20% acetonitrile, whereas the block pattern displayed greater robustness remaining stable up to 30% acetonitrile. These observations are consistent with expectations based on considerations of the molecules' electrostatic interactions. This study represents an important step in the construction of abiotic materials founded on biological informatic and folding principles. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 96: 586–595, 2011.
Solid‐phase synthesis of functionalized bis‐peptides
Authors: Brown Zachary Z. , Alleva Jennifer , Schafmeister Christian E.
Published: February 2011

We demonstrate the first solid‐phase synthesis of highly functionalized bis‐peptides. Bis‐peptides are ladder oligomers composed of stereochemically pure, cyclic bis‐amino acids joined by substituted diketopiperazine linkages. They have a shape‐programmable backbone that is controlled by controlling the stereochemistry and sequence of the monomers within each oligomer. Functionalized bis‐peptides are assembled using a new amide bond forming reaction (acyl‐transfer coupling) that we have previously developed and a novel activation strategy that allows the sequential formation of penta‐ and hexa‐substituted diketopiperazines from extremely hindered N‐alkyl‐α,α‐disubstituted amino acids. We present mechanistic evidence that acyl‐transfer coupling is competitive with direct acylation in the formation of hindered amide bonds. We also detail the synthesis of four functionalized bis‐peptides, and that by combining bis‐peptides with amino acids through diketopiperazine linkages, bis‐peptides can mimic the display of residues i, i+4, i+7 of an α‐helical peptide. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 96: 578–585, 2011.
A convenient approach to synthesizing peptide C‐terminal N‐alkyl amides
Authors: Fang Wei‐Jie , Yakovleva Tatyana , Aldrich Jane V.
Published: February 2011

Peptide C‐terminal N‐alkyl amides have gained more attention over the past decade due to their biological properties, including improved pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles. However, the synthesis of this type of peptide on solid phase by current available methods can be challenging. Here we report a convenient method to synthesize peptide C‐terminal N‐alkyl amides using the well‐known Fukuyama N‐alkylation reaction on a standard resin commonly used for the synthesis of peptide C‐terminal primary amides, the peptide amide linker‐polyethylene glycol‐polystyrene (PAL‐PEG‐PS) resin. The alkylation and oNBS deprotection were conducted under basic conditions and were therefore compatible with this acid labile resin. The alkylation reaction was very efficient on this resin with a number of different alkyl iodides or bromides, and the synthesis of model enkephalin N‐alkyl amide analogs using this method gave consistently high yields and purities, demonstrating the applicability of this methodology. The synthesis of N‐alkyl amides was more difficult on a Rink amide resin, especially the coupling of the first amino acid to the N‐alkyl amine, resulting in lower yields for loading the first amino acid onto the resin. This method can be widely applied in the synthesis of peptide N‐alkyl amides. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 96: 715–722, 2011.
A comparison of students' and jury panelists' decision‐making in split recovery cases
Authors: Fox Paul , Wingrove Twila , Pfeifer Courtney
Published: February 2011

This study was designed to assess jury decision‐making for 289 participants reading a medical malpractice vignette as a function of participant type (undergraduate students or jury panelists), punitive damage award apportionment (none, half, or all to the plaintiff), and compensation previously assigned to the plaintiff (low, medium, or high). We found several sample differences. Overall, jury panelists awarded more money for punitive damages. Jury panelists were also more affected by compensatory‐relevant information when making punitive decisions, including assigning punitive damages and rating the fairness of the traditional apportionment scheme, where the plaintiff receives all of the money. Compared with students, more jury panelists were in favor of the plaintiff receiving the entire punitive award. Most students endorsed split recovery. The authors suggest that psycholegal research conducted solely with student samples, rather than community members, may misestimate the likely behavior of actual juries. The implications of the study for split recovery policy are also discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How reason for surgery and patient weight affect verdicts and perceptions in medical malpractice trials: A comparison of students and jurors
Authors: Reichert Jenny , Miller Monica K. , Bornstein Brian H. , Shelton Hon. Donald E.
Published: February 2011

Jurors' decision‐making processes are often influenced by extra‐legal factors, including judgments of defendants and plaintiffs. Two studies comparing the decisions of university students with those of community jurors sought to determine if extra‐legal factors such as individual differences (including identity as a student or juror participant), the reason for surgery (medically necessary vs. elective), the type of surgery (e.g., gastric bypass, nasal reconstruction) or weight of the patient influenced jurors' decisions and perceptions in medical malpractice suits, such that participants would hold negative perceptions of overweight patients or patients who undergo elective surgeries. Results indicate that students and jurors differ in perceptions of the patient's injury and perceptions of risk, which explains some of the variance in liability verdicts. Students were more likely to find doctors liable, but also were more likely to assign responsibility to patients than were jurors. Patients who had undergone elective surgery were seen as more responsible for their situation – and their doctors were assigned less responsibility – than those who had undergone a medically necessary surgery. Tests of weight bias showed that jurors found overweight patients less responsible for their situation than patients of normal weight, but students showed the opposite pattern. Theoretical explanations are explored and implications discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A web‐based intelligent tutoring system for a basic control course
Authors: Bulut Özek Müzeyyen , Akpolat Zuhtu Hakan , Orhan Ahmet
Published: February 2011

The most important feature of the intelligent tutoring systems (ITS), one of the most popular study topics of recent years, is that it provides an opportunity for individual learning by taking students' individual differences into account. In order to be able to realize this feature, it is necessary that the system recognizes students well. The process of recognizing student is performed as a result of observations which ITS applies on students. A number of uncertainties arise during these observations. In order to minimize learning uncertainties and create a productive and effective ITS, type‐2 fuzzy logic, one of the artificial intelligence techniques, is used in the system developed in this study. In order to show the effectiveness of the developed web‐based ITS, it is applied to the teaching of a basic Control Course. The educational evaluation of the system is presented in the paper. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21: 561–571, 2013
Using MatLab's fuzzy logic toolbox to create an application for RAMSET in software engineering courses
Authors: Martínez Luis G. , Licea Guillermo , Rodríguez Antonio , Castro Juan R. , Castillo Oscar
Published: February 2011

Role Assignment Methodology for Software Engineering Teams (RAMSET) methodology relates personality, abilities, and software roles for building Software Engineering Teams, applying sociometric, and psychometric techniques. This paper presents the results and experience of applying RAMSET's software supporting tool developed under a fuzzy approach. This software facilitates the role assignment decision making process, which results in a choice of role selection for individuals in working team projects. It has been applied in Software Engineering Courses of our Computer Engineering Program with great success giving students a practical experience in learning objectives, functions, responsibilities, and tasks of a member in a specific role during the Software Engineering Process. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21: 596–605, 2013
Applying genetic classifier systems for the analysis of activities in collaborative learning environments
Authors: Molina Ana I. , Jurado Francisco , Duque Rafael , Redondo Miguel A. , Bravo Crescencio , Ortega Manuel
Published: February 2011

The analysis of activities in CSCL (Computer‐Supported Collaborative Learning) environments can provide us with some interesting conclusions about collaborative learning processes themselves. Specifically, such an analysis can show the effectiveness of such processes and allow for the definition of intervention mechanisms which can motivate and engage the students in the learning activities. Until now, this analysis has focused on the collaboration process and the resulting product separately. We hypothesize that the use of Artificial Intelligence techniques can be useful for the production of a rule‐based system that considers both the process and the product. Of the existing techniques, we propose the use of Genetic Classifier Systems (GCS) for their ability to evolve and adapt. The use of these rules allows for the identification and characterization of learning situations, in addition to the generation of feedback that can guide the students and the group towards a more effective learning experience. At the same time, the rule system can adapt to the new learning activities. The analysis method proposed in this article focuses on CSCL environments in which the collaboration takes the form of a conversation. We also present a tool that implements this approach and the results of its application to some learning activities, using an environment for collaborative learning of design. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21: 704–716, 2013
The role of OSC‐based projects in meeting new challenges of education—concept and exemplification
Authors: Ilie‐Zudor Elisabeth , Kemény Zsolt , Szathmári Marcell , Monostori László
Published: February 2011

Latest developments in economy and industry have shed light on the growing importance of flexible and practice‐oriented skills of industrial employees. Much improvement can be achieved by adapting the current practices of education accordingly, for example, by emphasizing hands‐on experience and preparing learners (both students and employees in extended training) for independent life‐long learning strategies. The paper highlights the importance of open‐source software in this context. After giving an overview of R&D projects delivering open‐source solutions and existing open‐source communities, the example of the TraSer project (an open‐source solution platform for track‐and‐trace applications) is closely examined, with special emphasis on its potential role in education at universities and industrial companies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21:E141–E151, 2013
Simulation as an integrator in an undergraduate biological engineering curriculum
Authors: Datta A. K. , Rakesh V. , Way D. G.
Published: February 2011

A novel multifaceted elective course in Biological Engineering is described, along with the experience in its instruction and development over 14 years. The course introduces modeling and simulation to solve biological/biomedical problems to students with a background in transport processes but with no prior experience in modeling. The critical elements needed to introduce such modeling to less experienced students are discussed, such as simplifying a problem for problem formulation, case studies that build a clear bridge to their preparation in fundamentals, and extracting important details from a simulation. The question of a black box versus a white box approach to presenting simulations is addressed. Active learning practices such as think‐pair‐share and distributed learning are introduced as enablers for this course. Student motivation has been increased by making the course student‐centered with the students themselves selecting and executing the modeling projects. The authors describe how the same course can serve many purposes in a curriculum, including the introduction of a state‐of‐the‐art design tool, extending fundamental knowledge to solve realistic problems, enhancing the fundamentals, introducing teamwork, written and oral communication, and design concepts. Although we have discussed the course in the context of biological/biomedical engineering, it can also be extended to other engineering curricula such as Mechanical and Chemical Engineering. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21: 717–727, 2013
E‐assessment of Matlab assignments in Moodle: Application to an introductory programming course for engineers
Authors: Ramos Julián , Trenas María A. , Gutiérrez Eladio , Romero Sergio
Published: February 2011

This article introduces a novel extension for Moodle supporting the automatic verification of codes written in Matlab. It has been applied when teaching the basics of imperative programming in a course aimed at chemical engineering students. The extension derives from the module CTPracticals, originally developed by the authors to enable the automatic assessment of VHDL assignments in Moodle. Several major changes have been made, mainly in the automatic verification engine, in the core of the system, and in several user interfaces. The module partially frees teachers from the repetitive task of verifying assignments, allowing them to invest more time assisting students and tackling new pedagogical objectives. An anonymous student survey proved that students are satisfied with the system because they find the feedback and the constantly updated view of the status of their assignments helpful. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21: 728–736, 2013
A tool for facilitating the teaching of smart home applications
Authors: Jiménez Manuel , Sánchez Pedro , Rosique Francisca , Álvarez Bárbara , Iborra Andrés
Published: February 2011

This article presents a new tool that can be used to improve the teaching methods of smart home systems development. The main contribution of this tool is that it allows stakeholders to develop home automation (HA) systems using platform‐independent graphical elements. Teachers can use this tool to introduce the development of smart home applications and to demonstrate concepts and theories pertaining to this domain. In addition, students can use the tool as an autonomous‐learning environment. From the students' point of view, the development of a new system starts with the use of a smart home‐specific graphical language, instead of using platform‐dependent tools. The article is not only concerned with the description of the tool but also with the methodology to be followed by teachers and students. An example of use is also included illustrating the usefulness of the tool in engineering education. In order to evaluate the benefits of the approach, we conducted a survey amongst students who used the tool. The analysis of the outcome of this survey shows the chance to enable the development of HA applications with improved usability quality factors. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 22: 178–186, 2014
Visual Wavelet‐Lab: An object‐oriented library and a GUI application for the study of the wavelet transform
Authors: Roselló Emilio G. , Dacosta Jacinto G. , Lado María J. , Méndez Arturo J. , Sampedro José , Cota Manuel P.
Published: February 2011

In this work, we present Visual Wavelet‐Lab, a software application that offers object‐oriented library and a graphical user interface (GUI) to learn and apply wavelet transforms to one‐ and two‐dimensional signals. The solution described is based on encapsulating and reusing the proprietary environment Matlab and the corresponding Wavelet Toolbox. This will allow for developing custom user applications, with well‐defined and specific characteristics, aimed at learning the wavelet transform and applications. Since functionality is reused, and therefore it has not to be implemented, we gain the possibility to build in powerful and ad hoc tools for teaching and investigating, in a short term and at low costs. The application developed was presented to several users and evaluated in terms of usability. The results obtained are encouraging and indicate that using Visual Wavelet‐Lab can be a useful tool for educational purposes. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 22: 23–32, 2014
Experimental system for teaching induction motor faults during the startup transient and steady state
Authors: Romero‐Troncoso R. J. , Garcia‐Perez A. , Cabal‐Yepez E. , Osornio‐Rios R. A.
Published: February 2011

Induction motors are critical components for industry and they can present multiple‐combined faults. Thus, there is a necessity of closely monitoring the motor condition. A computer‐aided tool is developed to analyze current/vibration signals during the startup transient/steady state, helping students to improve their understanding and learning on induction motor monitoring. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 22: 33–38, 2014
Culture and empowerment in the Deaf community: An analysis of internet weblogs
Authors: Hamill Alexis C. , Stein Catherine H.
Published: February 2011

Although deafness is traditionally conceptualized as a medical problem or disability, about 500 000 deaf people in the United States identify as members of an ethno‐linguistic minority that takes pride in being Deaf. This study examined 416 Internet weblog posts authored by nine Deaf bloggers to describe aspects of Deaf culture and individual and community level empowerment strategies expressed in weblogs. Results highlight aspects of American Deaf culture, such as the value placed on American Sign Language and equal treatment of D/deaf and hearing people. Findings also provide evidence of expressions of Deaf culture such as the use of humour and supporting the community that have been less emphasized in previous literature. Community level empowerment strategies evident in posts included disseminating information, rallying the involvement of members and advocating for social justice. Overlap between expressions of Deaf culture and empowerment strategies were also found. Present results inform a growing literature on empowerment strategies that occur without intervention by professionals. Implications of the study for community research and action are discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From Molecular to Macroscopic Engineering: Shaping Hydrogen‐Bonded Organic Nanomaterials
Authors: Yoosaf K. , Llanes‐Pallas Anna , Marangoni Tomas , Belbakra Abdelhalim , Marega Riccardo , Botek Edith , Champagne Benoît , Bonifazi Davide , Armaroli Nicola
Published: February 2011

The self‐assembly and self‐organization behavior of chromophoric acetylenic scaffolds bearing 2,6‐bis(acetylamino)pyridine (1, 2) or uracyl‐type (3–9) terminal groups has been investigated by photophysical and microscopic methods. Systematic absorption and luminescence studies show that 1 and 2, thanks to a combination of solvophilic/solvophobic forces and π–π stacking interactions, undergo self‐organization in apolar solvents (i.e., cyclohexane) and form spherical nanoparticles, as evidenced by wide‐field optical microscopy, TEM, and AFM analysis. For the longer molecular module, 2, a more uniform size distribution is found (80–200 nm) compared to 1 (20–1000 nm). Temperature scans in the range 283–353 K show that the self‐organized nanoparticles are reversibly formed and destroyed, being stable at lower temperatures. Molecular modules 1 and 2 were then thoroughly mixed with the complementary triply hydrogen‐bonding units 3–9. Depending on the specific geometrical structure of 3–9, different nanostructures are evidenced by microscopic investigations. Combination of modules 1 or 2 with 3, which bears only one terminal uracyl unit, leads to the formation of vesicular structures; instead, when 1 is combined with bis‐uracyl derivative 4 or 5, a structural evolution from nanoparticles to nanowires is observed. The length of the wires obtained by mixing 1 and 4 or 1 and 5 can be controlled by addition of 3, which prompts transformation of the wires into shorter rods. The replacement of linear system 5 with the related angular modules 6 and 7 enables formation of helical nanostructures, unambiguously evidenced by AFM. Finally, thermally induced self‐assembly was studied in parallel with modules 8 and 9, in which the uracyl recognition sites are protected with tert‐butyloxycarbonyl (BOC) groups. This strategy allows further control of the self‐assembly/self‐organization process by temperature, since the BOC group is completely removed on heating. Microscopy studies show that the BOC‐protected ditopic modules 8 self‐assemble and self‐organize with 1 into ordered linear nanostructures, whereas BOC‐protected tritopic system 9 gives rise to extended domains of circular nano‐objects in combination with 1.
Computational Studies on Azaphosphiridines, or How to Effect Ring‐Opening Processes through Selective Bond Activation
Authors: Espinosa Arturo , Streubel Rainer
Published: February 2011

The relative energies of azaphosphiridine and its isomers, the ring stability towards valence isomerization, and the ring strain, as well as the kinetics and thermodynamics of possible ring‐opening reactions of PIII derivatives (1–5) and PV chalcogenides (6–9; O to Te), were studied at high levels of theory (up to CCSD(T)). The barrier to inversion at the nitrogen atom in the trimethyl‐substituted PIII derivative 5 increases from 12.11 to 15.25 kcal mol−1 in the P‐oxide derivative 6 (PV); the relatively high barrier to inversion at the phosphorus in 5 (75.38 kcal mol−1) points to a configurationally stable center (MP2/def2‐TZVPP//BP86/def2‐TZVP). The ring strain for azaphosphiridine 5 (av. 22.6 kcal mol−1) was found to increase upon P‐oxidation (6) (30.8 kcal mol−1; same level of theory). Various ring‐bond‐activation processes were studied: N‐protonation of PIII (5) and PV (6, 7) derivatives leads to highly activated species that readily undergo PN bond cleavage. In contrast, metal chlorides such as LiCl, CuCl, CuCl2, BeCl2, BCl3, AlCl3, TiCl3, and TiCl4 show little PN bond activation in 5 and 7. Remarkably, TiCl3 selectively activates the CN bond, and induces stronger bond activation for PV (6, 7) than for PIII azaphosphiridines (5). The ring‐expanding rearrangement of PV azaphosphiridines 6–9 to yield PIII 1,3,2‐chalcogena‐azaphosphetidines 32 a–d is predicted to be preferred for the heavier chalcogenides 7–9, but not for the P‐oxide 6. The first comparative analysis of three bond strength parameters is presented: 1) the electron density at bond critical points, 2) Wiberg’s bond index, and 3) the relaxed force constant. This reveals the usefulness of these parameters in assessing the degree of ring bond activation.