bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality Certification, Performance and Size in Hotel Chains
Authors: Pereira-Moliner Jorge , Tarí Juan José
Published: November 2013

This paper examines the relationship between quality certification and performance, and quality certification and size in hotel chains operating in Spain. In an initial phase, a quantitative study is made with secondary and objective data to analyse these relationships. In a second phase, a qualitative analysis is applied to reach a better understanding of the quantitative results. The findings show that chains with certified hotels achieve better performance levels; that better performance levels increase with the percentage of certified hotels within the chain; and that quality certification has positive effects on some performance variables. In addition, size is not a key factor for certification, although it could be an enabler.
Manga Drawing as Stereotyped Aesthetics
Authors: Lau Chung Yim
Published: November 2013

This essay is based on findings of my longitudinal phenomenological research study conducted from 2006 to 2009. The aim of my study was to understand the manga drawings produced by young adolescents in Hong Kong. Based on my findings, I present the argument that these adolescents have derived a conception of beauty from the manga images they have seen in popular visual culture, and that they have the ability to connect this concept with their life experiences. I also argue that their manga productions assist these students in making sense of the world around them.
Verbalization as a Threshold in Children’s Drawing Encounters
Authors: Schulte Christopher M.
Published: November 2013

Centered on the drawing practice of a four-year old boy, the author of this essay considers the extent to which verbalization, as a threshold, enables the child-adult and researcher-participant relationship to be consumed and continually re-articulated as something other than. In doing so, the author of this essay forwards the idea that the relational space of verbalization-in addition to subtending, supplementing, and extending the images of others that one wields-induces one’s knowing and being into an encounter with difference.
The Becoming Art Teacher: A Reconciliation of Teacher Identity and the Dance of Teaching Art
Authors: Unrath Kathleen A. , Anderson Mark A. , Franco Mary J.
Published: November 2013

The purpose of this research was to investigate themes of personal and professional development in the becoming art teacher. Through interpretive biographical methodology and a series model of phenomenological interviews of one first-year professional, we sought to illuminate the identity challenges unique to teachers of art. Of particular interest to us were the emergent art teacher’s formation and reconciliation of an artistteacher identity and how she grew through reflective analysis. By means of sequenced narrative, she expressed her metacognitive awareness of multifaceted teaching practice within the metaphor of dance. We concluded that our informant’s insights could resonate with emergent teachers across all disciplines.
Teacher Leadership in Art Education Preparation
Authors: Cera Jane
Published: November 2013

In this essay, I set forth arguments for including teacher leadership in art education preparation in order to empower emerging professional art educators with the skills necessary for teaching content that engages contemporary visions of art education. An analysis of relevant literature suggests that art educators have begun to examine the importance of leadership in art education preparation. My essay discusses goals and pedagogical practices for inclusion of leadership as content for art teacher preparation. Discussion includes goals that will empower future art teachers with strategies I have found to be useful in varying educational contexts. As I argue here, these strategies must be informed by a vision that embraces contemporary socio-cultural theories that will require careful adaptation to current pre-K-12 school cultures.
Iphimediidae of New Zealand (Crustacea, Amphipoda)
Authors: Coleman Charles Oliver , Lörz Anne-Nina
Published: November 2013

New Zealand species of Iphimediidae, Amphipoda, are revised. Based on new material from the Chatham Rise, east of New Zealand, two new species are described in detail: Labriphimedia meikae sp. nov. and Labriphimedia martinae sp. nov. A key to the six species belonging to three genera of New Zealand Iphimediidae is provided.
Nitrato nas águas subterrâneas do Sistema Aquífero Bauru, área urbana do Município de Marília (SP)
Authors: VARNIER Claudia , IRITANI Mara Akie , VIOTTI Maurício , ODA Geraldo Hideo , FERREIRA Luciana Martin Rodrigues
Published: November 2013

O monitoramento das águas subterrâneas no Estado de São Paulo tem detectado concentrações anômalas de nitrato em amostras de água do Sistema Aquífero Bauru em poços tubulares situados nas áreas urbanas de inúmeros municípios do interior paulista. Diante deste cenário, o Instituto Geológico, juntamente com outras instituições, está desenvolvendo um projeto para avaliar as tendências de distribuição das concentrações desse contaminante nas águas subterrâneas, ao longo do tempo e espaço, frente aos padrões de ocupação urbana. Uma das áreas de estudo compreende a cidade de Marília, onde o Sistema Aquífero Bauru é representado pelos aquíferos Marília (superior) e Adamantina (inferior). As atividades realizadas compreenderam o cadastro de poços, tratamento estatístico dos dados hidroquímicos pré-existentes e avaliação entre possíveis relações das concentrações de nitrato observadas com a expansão urbana ao longo das últimas décadas. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que as maiores concentrações de nitrato (até 16,9 mg/L N-NO3-) ocorrem nas áreas com ocupação urbana mais antiga e em poços com profundidades até 150 m. Isto sugere que a contaminação está relacionada aos sistemas de esgotamento sanitário (fossas antigas e vazamentos na rede coletora de esgotos) e ocorre predominantemente no Aquífero Marília. As porções mais profundas deste aquífero são menos permeáveis devido à cimentação carbonática, o que limita a movimentação desse contaminante para o Aquífero Adamantina, evidenciado pela qualidade da água dos poços mais profundos, que apresentaram baixas concentrações de nitrato, em geral, inferiores a 3,0 mg/L N-NO3-.
Águas transfronteiriças - Qualidade e questões ambientais/econômicas com interesse ao desenvolvimento Sul Americano
Authors: DUARTE Gerusa M.
Published: November 2013

Todos os países Sul Americanos compartilham águas continentais com os países limítrofes. Essas são principalmente águas de rios, mas, há também de lagos/lagoas, águas subterrâneas e águas em estado sólido como glaciares e neves. O Brasil compartilha águas superficiais, especialmente fluviais quer recebendo-as como no caso de rios da Bacia do Amazonas, quer emitindo-as, como nos casos das Bacias fluviais do Paraná, Paraguai e Uruguai. Há ainda pantanais e lagos de vários tamanhos relacionados a ambiente fluvial e a ambiente costeiro. Elas constituem recursos hídricos transfronteiriços. Há compartilhamento de importantes corpos de água por dois ou mais países, contudo faltam processos educativos internos capazes de evitar a escassez de água, poluição e contaminantes prejudiciais para as suas populações. Políticas econômicas que têm esses efeitos sobre as águas freqüentemente demonstram ausência de preocupação com os resultados danosos para as populações, uma vez que visam o lucro máximo, seja na mineração ou em quaisquer outras atividades extrativas, ou na agricultura com o uso de agroquímicos. Não há também preocupação com a destruição de outros recursos além da água, tais como solos, flora e fauna. Durante atividades envolvendo mineração, agricultura, ou extração de madeira, a falta dos cuidados necessários resulta em perda de solo cujo material é levado aos rios, lagos naturais e artificiais e/ou áreas de pântanos causando todo tipo de problemas, como poluição química, assoreamento, elevada carga de sólidos em suspensão, com mudança profunda das características desses corpos de água. Fauna e flora diminuem não apenas em ambientes subaéreos, mas, também em habitats aquáticos que são seriamente prejudicados; o resultado é a redução drástica da pesca. Comumente as populações ribeirinhas são as primeiras a sofrerem danos; contudo, mesmo populações de áreas mais distantes, que necessitam derivar essas águas, também sofrerão. Populações indígenas ou tradicionais, com suas importantes relações com as águas, não podem ser esquecidas, ao contrário, devem sempre ser lembradas e reconhecidas.
A pedologia e a evolução das paisagens
Authors: ESPINDOLA Carlos Roberto
Published: November 2013

Geomorfologia e pedologia surgiram em épocas distintas e com diferentes métodos de investigação das paisagens, instituindo a dualidade morfogênese-pedogênese. Às fases de evolução do relevo foram ajustados graus de desenvolvimento dos solos, estando normalmente aí envolvidas causas tectônicas e mudanças climáticas. Datações relativas das superfícies associavam critérios altimétricos a formas assumidas como testemunhas de antigos processos: lateritas, stone lines e paleossolos. A evolução da ciência mostrou que estas formas não precisam ser obrigatoriamente tomadas como paleo, e que a própria autoevolução dos solos pode afetar o modelado superficial. Métodos sedimentológicos e datações absolutas associados às transformações dos horizontes pedológicos em topossequências possibilitam vislumbrar a instituição de uma morfopedogênese, ou uma pedomorfogênese, pela indissociabilidade do solo e do relevo na gênese das paisagens, posto que dependentes dos mesmos fatores de formação.
Mineração e geoconservação: o sítio paleontológico de Santa Rosa de Viterbo, SP
Authors: GESICKI Ana Lúcia Desenzi , SANTUCCI Rodrigo Miloni
Published: November 2013

Os depósitos fossilíferos são bens da União e cabe ao Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral - DNPM fiscalizar sua extração em território nacional, assim como garantir medidas de proteção do patrimônio paleontológico e o combate à extração ilegal de fósseis. Cabe também ao órgão mediar conflitos entre a produção legalizada de bens minerais e a proteção de depósitos fossíliferos de relevante valor científico ou cultural. Com este objetivo, a Diretoria de Fiscalização do DNPM implantou um programa de fiscalização no Estado de São Paulo com o intuito de diagnosticar áreas de mineração em situação de conflito com a preservação de depósitos fossilíferos já conhecidos pela comunidade geocientífica. Este diagnóstico priorizou a fiscalização de minerações de calcário do interior do estado com aproveitamento de rochas permianas do Subgrupo Irati (Bacia do Paraná), devido à ocorrência de fósseis de mesossauros, invertebrados e icnofósseis. Não foram identificados conflitos significativos nas áreas vistoriadas, exceto em uma mina de Santa Rosa de Viterbo, devido à ocorrência de estromatólitos dômicos de dimensões métricas cujo depósito é diretamente lavrado pela empresa mineradora para a produção de corretivo de solo. Os depósitos estromatolíticos do Subgrupo Irati que afloram nesta mina correspondem às únicas ocorrências conhecidas da Bacia do Paraná e também são raros em relação aos depósitos calcários do Fanerozóico em geral. Diante da necessidade de garantir medidas efetivas de conservação de sítio fossilífero tão raro, o DNPM/SP providenciou a interdição de uma área de 680 m², localizada em uma porção inoperante da área de concessão, onde foram garantidas exposições representativas do depósito, segurança em relação às operações de lavra e facilidade de acesso. Esta iniciativa demonstra que é viável implantar medidas de geoconservação dentro de áreas de mineração e que se deve buscar a articulação entre o poder público, o segmento produtivo e a comunidade geocientífica.
Health Information and Advertising Appeals in Food Commercials: A Content Analysis
Authors: Chan Kara , Leung Vivienne , Tsang Lennon
Published: November 2013

A content analysis of 311 food commercials broadcast on television networks in Hong Kong was conducted. There were nearly equal proportions of ads for healthy and unhealthy foods. The three most frequently used advertising appeals were taste/flavor/smell/texture, health/wellbeing and physical performance/speed/strength. Altogether 54 percent of the food ads contained health-related claims. Intriguingly, 23 percent of the ads for unhealthy food contained health-related claims. The prevalent use of general health claims in unhealthy food ads calls for policy makers to devise better ways to regulate health claims in food advertisements. This is the first content analysis of health and nutrition information in food advertising arising from a society with a rich herbalist tradition.
Preparation of Low-Phenylalanine Macro Peptides and Estimation of its Phenylalanine Content by Fluorometric Technique
Authors: Pérez Elevina , Pérez Liz , Requena Lucrecia , Mahfoud Antonieta , Domínguez Carmen Luisa , Rengel Alejandra , Cueto Davdmary , Guzmán Romel , Rodríguez Pablo , Crespo Erika , Araujo Katiuska , Sua Leny
Published: November 2013

The aims of the study were to prepare macro peptides low in phenylalanine (Phe) from non-conventional raw materials, and to demonstrate the feasibility of using the fluorometric technique to measure the diminution of their Phe content. Aqueous solution of flours of legumes, and amaranth panicles were used to elaborate the concentrates by using isoelectric precipitation. These protein concentrates, and a whey solution were incubated with proteolytic enzymes to hydrolyze the peptide link at the aromatic amino acids, and then these macro peptides were filtrated through activated charcoal, in order to reduce its phenylalanine concentration. The Phe concentration, of the each prepared macro peptides, was analyzed by using fluorometric technique, and it was later validated by using HPLC. The crude protein contents in the concentrates have varied from 90% in the protein isolate from lentils, 76% in those from the frijol white, and 44% in those from amaranth panicles. Protein concentrates, and whey were hydrolyzed by using the following enzymes: pepsin from the pig gastric mucosa, protease from Aspergillus oryzae, and protease type XIV from Streptomyces griseus. It was determined that the enzymes with the better hydrolysis capacity, were the proteases from S. griseus and A. oryzae. The macro peptides with non-linked phe were filtered through activated charcoal. Reductions of Phe of up to 99% in the second and third filtrate were observed and this reduction was corroborated by using HPLC technique. It was also established the higher sensitivity of the fluorometric method to detect Phe, than the HPLC technique.
Formulation, Characterization, Study of Swelling Kinetics and Network Parameters of Poly (MA-co-VA-co-AA) Terpolymeric Hydrogels with Various Concentrations of Acrylic Acid
Authors: Zohra Rubab , Malana Muhammad Aslam , Iqbal Zafar
Published: November 2013

The ter-polymeric hydrogels of vinylacetate (VA), methacrylate (MA) and acrylicacid (AA) were prepared using ethyleneglycoldimethacrylate (EGDMA) as a cross linker and benzoylperoxide (BPO) as an initiator. The effect of acrylic acid concentration on various swelling parameters was studied at different pHs (1.0, 4.0, 5.5, 7.4 and 8.0). A promising relationship was found to exist between media penetration velocity and equilibrium media content of hydrogels at all pH values for various concentration of acrylic acid. The fastest dynamic swelling was observed for the highest concentration of acrylic acid (40 mol % of AA) at pH 8.0. In the kinetic study, during the first hours, a first order kinetics (Fick Model) was observed at pH higher than the value of pKa (4.75) of acrylic acid, the hydrogels exhibiting non-Fickian diffusion mechanism. Whereas, for the acidic media pH, a second order kinetics was observed (Schott Model). Network parameters strongly support the swelling out comes. The relaxations of the ter-polymeric chain were observed after swelling at pH 8.0 via SEM pictures. Thermo gravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetric analysis also agree with the above conclusions. Well controlled swelling behavior, network properties, SEM out comings and thermo-gravimetric analysis support the idea to use these hydrogels for targeted drug delivery in the colon part of the digestive tract.
Diffuse descending necrotizing mediastinitis: surgical treatment and outcomes in a single-centre series
Authors: Janilionis Ričardas , Jagelavičius Žymantas , Petrik Pavel , Kiškis Gintaras , Jovaišas Vytautas , Kybartas Algis , Žilinskas Arūnas , Liubertienė Irena , Navickas Giedrius , Valančius Ramūnas
Published: November 2013

Objectives. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a severe infection spreading from the cervical region to the mediastinum. Since this pathology is uncom­mon, only a few reports of large series of patients with descending nec­rotizing mediastinitis have been published. The present aim was to eval­uate our treat­ment strategy and survival for this disease by a retrospective chart review.
Methods. Retrospective analysis of 45 cases with descending necrotizing mediastinitis was performed between 2002 and 2011. The mean age was 55.3 ± 15.4 years. The primary oropharyngeal infection was found in 16 (35.6%), an odontogenic abscess in 17 (37.7%) and other causes in 12 (26.7%) patients. Endo type I mediastinitis was assessed in 25 (56%) patients, Endo type IIA in 10 (22%) and Endo type IIB in 10 (22%) patients. Broad spectrum antibiotics were administered empirically and surgical treatment consisting of cervical drainage, thoracotomy with radical surgical debridement of the mediastinum and placement of permanent mediastinal irrigation were performed in all the cases.
Results. Collar incision and drainage only were performed in 16 (35.6%) patients, whereas only transthoracic approach was used in five cases (11%). In the remaining 24 (53.4%) patients cervical drainage and thoracic operation were performed. Fifteen patients had severe complications: septic shock, multiple organ failure and haemorrhage from mediastinal vessels. The median hospital stay was 21  days. The outcome was favourable in 35 patients. Ten patients died (overall mortality 22.2%).
There was a negative correlation between the time from the onset of symptoms till the first admittance to hospital and hospitalization time (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.357, p = 0.016). That allows us to suggest that time of illness spent at home without appropriate treatment plays a crucial role on the survival. It was found that younger age, Endo type I, negative bacterial culture and longer hospital stay are true precursors of favourable outcome.
Conclusions. For descending necrotizing mediastinitis limited to the upper part of the mediastinum a transcervical approach and drainage may be sufficient. However, in advanced cases an immediate and more aggressive surgical approach is required to combat a much higher morbidity and mortality in this subset of patients.
Sternal pseudoarthrosis after resternotomy treated with the Strasbourg Thoracic Osteosyntheses System: a case report
Authors: Janilionis Ričardas , Falcoz Pierre-Emmanuel , Jovaišas Vytautas , Jagelavičius Žymantas , Valančius Ramūnas
Published: November 2013

Sternal dehiscence is a serious complication after general thoracic and cardiac surgery. Sternal resuturing, performed by simple rewiring or technical modification of rewiring, can fail overall when the bone quality is poor or the sternum is completely destroyed. A number of different sternal closure systems, consisting of plates, screws, clips and titanium bars, have been recently intoduced to treat the complicated sternal dehiscence. We describe the use of the Strasbourg Thoracic Osteosyntheses System (STRATOS) to treat complicated sternal dehiscence causing chest and back pain, sternum and chest instability, which was applied for the first time in Lithuania.
Sous le regard de Da : enfance et destin dans L’odeur du café et Le charme des après-midi sans fin de Dany Laferrière
Authors: Boucher Monique
Published: November 2013

Dans L’odeur du café et Le charme des après-midi sans fin, Dany Laferrière propose un regard romancé sur son passé, son enfance et ses origines, donnant ainsi l’occasion aux lecteurs d’appréhender son parcours littéraire et, plus globalement, les douleurs associées à l’exil. Or, le long récit fragmenté présenté dans ces deux romans peut aisément être associé aux mythes initiatiques. L’originalité de l’auteur est d’avoir associé à ce parcours non pas un modèle masculin et/ou paternel, comme on pourrait s’y attendre, mais bien celui d’une femme, une grand-mère, qui s’apparente ainsi à l’image des grandes déesses de la mythologie universelle.
Partager le patrimoine numérique, construire le territoire en ligne
Authors: Fourcade Marie-Blanche
Published: November 2013

Les expositions virtuelles fleurissent sur la toile. Les inventaires patrimoniaux et les collections muséales en ligne se structurent et s’enrichissent, tissant de denses réseaux de connaissances dans le cyberespace. Des projets de musées virtuels de plus en plus audacieux voient progressivement le jour. Le champ de la cybermuséologie se construit ainsi dans l’entrecroisement d’un héritage institutionnel fort et de pratiques en constant développement. Si l’on s’intéresse de prime abord à la frénésie technologique qui justifie le renouvellement des pratiques et l’intérêt des publics, il faut cependant, pour quelques instants, abandonner la forme pour tenter de comprendre les projets qui sous-tendent de tels déploiements. Les expériences de collaboration citoyenne et communautaire qui visent la conservation et la diffusion d’un petit patrimoine tantôt matériel, tantôt immatériel, offrent à cet égard un terrain remarquable pour saisir les dynamiques sociales, identitaires à l’oeuvre dans le virtuel. À travers l’étude de trois projets associés à la collecte de mémoires – Dane Wajich. Contes et chants : les rêveurs de leur terre (2007), le Musée de Toronto en ligne (2011) et Sacrée montagne (2011) –, nous tenterons de dégager quelques contributions possibles de la cybermuséologie à la mise en valeur d’un patrimoine parfois méconnu, voire invisible, et de saisir les effets sur la constitution de territoires alternatifs d’appartenance.
Regarder et lire
Authors: Chatzimanassis Alice
Published: November 2013

Une évaluation a été menée en avril 2010 au musée d’Ixelles, à Bruxelles. Au moyen d’entretiens conduits à la sortie du musée, il s’agissait d’identifier et de comprendre les modes d’appropriation et le comportement des visiteurs envers le dispositif textuel dans deux expositions en cours, à savoir EL CUBISMO. Cubism and its Context from the Fundación Telefónica Art Collection et Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec : La collection complète des affiches. Si l’importance du texte en tant qu’aide à l’interprétation dans les musées est aujourd’hui largement reconnue, l’enquête qualitative a permis de développer une réflexion sur les spécificités de l’écrit quand il est confronté à des oeuvres d’art et sur ses fonctions dans la pratique de contemplation et d’interprétation chez les visiteurs.
Towards a Technology Enhanced Interaction Framework
Authors: Angkananon K. , Wald M. , Gilbert L.
Published: November 2013

This paper focuses on the development and validation of a general interaction framework to help design technology to support communication between people and improve interactions between people, technology and objects, particularly in complex situations. A review of existing interaction frameworks shows that none of them help technology designers and developers to consider all of the possible interactions that occur at the same time and in the same place. The main and sub-components of the framework are described and explained and examples are given for each type of interaction. The framework was successfully validated by three designer experts and three accessibility experts. The designer experts focused on the main and subcomponents of the framework while accessibility experts focused on the accessibility aspects. As a result of the comments from the experts some changes to the framework components will be made. Work is now in progress to provide designers with a method to apply the framework to create technology solutions to complex communication and interaction problems and situations.
Operational Analysis Revisited: Error Measure Limits of Assumptions
Authors: Bengtson Neal M.
Published: November 2013

The assumptions used to develop operational analysis computer performance measures, such as number of jobs at a device or response times, are stated in terms of the data itself, rather than the underlying system which produces the data. In spite of claims of validity and as an aid in introducing queueing theory in teaching, little has been written about operational analysis in the past ten years. Accuracy of operational analysis performance measures depend on data behavior assumptions which can be validated with data based error measures. Increased soundness of the operational analysis approach may be obtained by determining the limits of assumption errors as the time period of observation increases. Part I of this paper is a review of operational analysis and addresses some of the previous concerns with its approach. Part II develops further understanding of operational analysis assumption errors by examining their limits. Limits are found for the assumption errors of job flow balance, homogeneous arrivals and homogenous services. While the job flow balance assumption error measure is shown to approach zero over time, the homogeneity assumption error measures, in general, do not.
Evaluating Player Strategies in the Design of a Hot Hand Game
Authors: Williams Paul , Nesbitt Keith , Eidels Ami , Washburn Mark , Cornforth David
Published: November 2013

The user’s strategy and their approach to decisionmaking are two important concerns when designing user-centric software. While decision-making and strategy are key factors in a wide range of business systems from stock market trading to medical diagnosis, in this paper we focus on the role these factors play in a serious computer game. Players may adopt individual strategies when playing a computer game. Furthermore, different approaches to playing the game may impact on the effectiveness of the core mechanics designed into the game play. In this paper we investigate player strategy in relation to two serious games designed for studying the ‘hot hand’. The ‘hot hand’ is an interesting psychological phenomenon originally studied in sports such as basketball. The study of ‘hot hand’ promises to shed further light on cognitive decision-making tasks applicable to domains beyond sport. The ‘hot hand’ suggests that players sometimes display above average performance, get on a hot streak, or develop ‘hot hands’. Although this is a widely held belief, analysis of data in a number of sports has produced mixed findings. While this lack of evidence may indicate belief in the hot hand is a cognitive fallacy, alternate views have suggested that the player’s strategy, confidence, and risk-taking may account for the difficulty of measuring the hot hand. Unfortunately, it is difficult to objectively measure and quantify the amount of risk taking in a sporting contest. Therefore to investigate this phenomenon more closely we developed novel, tailor-made computer games that allow rigorous empirical study of ‘hot hands’. The design of such games has some specific design requirements. The gameplay needs to allow players to perform a sequence of repeated challenges, where they either fail or succeed with about equal likelihood. Importantly the design also needs to allow players to choose a strategy entailing more or less risk in response to their current performance. In this paper we compare two hot hand game designs by collecting empirical data that captures player performance in terms of success and level of difficulty (as gauged by response time). We then use a variety of analytical and visualization techniques to study player strategies in these games. This allows us to detect a key design flaw the first game and validate the design of the second game for use in further studies of the hot hand phenomenon.
Automated Regression Testing within Video Game Development
Authors: Ostrowski Michail , Aroudj Samir
Published: November 2013

Automated testing reduces the costs of software development. We propose a testing model that is specifically designed for the creation and execution of fully automated regression tests within video game development without the need of test isolation. The proposed model combines the usability and veracity of record and playback techniques and the possible test coverage of tests written in a game specific scripting language. The model has an intuitive structure that enables professional video game testers to create meaningful tests by using only a rudimentary set of programming skills within a graphical user interface. The resulting tool establishes a network connection with one or several concurrently running applications under test while the required performance can be distributed between several dedicated computers. The application under test is modified to process incoming function calls and to generate output that is used to dynamically control the course of the tests and to evaluate if the tested application operates within acceptable parameters.
A Study in Multimedia Design Applied to Film Editing to Construct a Multiple Plots Movie
Authors: Chen Wu-Hsiung
Published: November 2013

Narrative has lead filmmaking since the first film was made until now. Digital technologies have become increasingly involved in filmmaking but without changing the single plot storytelling model of a filmmaking. The study proposed an intercut design using Multimedia technology to film editing providing multiple and variety plots in one film. The audiences can experience different plot to the film in every watch. The design concept and process are provided. Future development and recommendation are listed for widen the research area.
Sunderland Software City: The Impact of a Collaborative Project to Develop the Software Industry Within the North East of England
Authors: Dunn David , Irons Alastair , Smith Peter , MacIntyre John
Published: November 2013

This paper uses a case study approach to evaluate the impact of a collaborative initiative within the North East of England which sets out to grow and sustain a software industry, based on the strengths of regional players. The project Sunderland Software City has the ambitious aim of developing the people, the infrastructure and the business and enterprise culture to create and sustain a software industry. This paper focuses upon the impact of the project, and presents some lessons learned to date.
Continuous Density Hidden Markov Model for Hindi Speech Recognition
Authors: Sinha Shweta , Agrawal S S , Jain Aruna
Published: November 2013

State of the art automatic speech recognition system uses Mel frequency cepstral coefficients as feature extractor along with Gaussian mixture model for acoustic modeling but there is no standard value to assign number of mixture component in speech recognition process.Current choice of mixture component is arbitrary with little justification. Also the standard set for European languages can not be used in Hindi speech recognition due to mismatch in database size of the languages.Parameter estimation with too many or few component may inappropriately estimate the mixture model. Therefore, number of mixture is important for initial estimation of expectation maximization process. In this research work, the authors estimate number of Gaussian mixture component for Hindi database based upon the size of vocabulary.Mel frequency cepstral feature and perceptual linear predictive feature along with its extended variations with delta-delta-delta feature have been used to evaluate this number based on optimal recognition score of the system . Comparitive analysis of recognition performance for both the feature extraction methods on medium size Hindi database is also presented in this paper.HLDA has been used as feature reduction technique and also its impact on the recognition score has been highlighted.
Dynamical response of the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer process to uncertainties in sea‐ice concentration
Authors: Seo Hyodae , Yang Jiayan
Published: November 2013

Impact of sea‐ice concentration (SIC) on the Arctic atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) is investigated using a polar‐optimized version of the Weather Research and Forecasting (Polar WRF) model forced with SIC conditions during three different years. We present a detailed comparison of the simulations with historical ship and ice station based data focusing on September. Our analysis shows that Polar WRF provides a reasonable representation of the observed ABL evolution provided that SIC uncertainties are small. Lower skill is obtained, however, with elevated SIC uncertainties associated with incorrect seasonal evolution of sea ice and misrepresentation of ice thickness near the marginal ice zone (MIZ). The result underscores the importance of accurate representation of ice conditions for skillful simulation of the Arctic ABL. Further, two dynamically distinctive effects of sea ice on the surface wind were found, which act on different spatial scales. Reduced SIC lowers ABL stability, thereby increasing surface‐wind (W10) speeds. The spatial scale of this response is comparable to the basin scale of the SIC difference. In contrast, near‐surface geostrophic wind (Wg) shows a strong response in the MIZ, where a good spatial correspondence exists among the Laplacian of the sea level pressure (SLP), the surface‐wind convergence, and the vertical motion within the ABL. This indicates that SIC affects Wg through variation in SLP but on a much narrower scale. Larger‐amplitude and broader‐scale response in W10 implies that surface‐wind stress derived from Wg to drive ice‐ocean models may not fully reflect the effect of SIC changes.
Comprehensive modeling and CFD simulation of absorption of CO2 and H2S by MEA solution in hollow fiber membrane reactors
Authors: Hashemi Aref , Memardoost Saber , Dehkordi Asghar Molaei
Published: November 2013

A comprehensive mathematical model has been developed for the simulation of simultaneous chemical absorption of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide by means of Monoethanolamine (MEA) aqueous solution in hollow fiber membrane reactors is described. In this regard, a perfect model considering the entrance regions of momentum, energy, and mass transfers was developed. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques were applied to solve governing equations, and the model predictions were validated against experimental data reported in the literature and excellent agreement was found. Effects of different disturbances on the dynamic behavior of the reactor were investigated. Moreover, effects of various parameters such as wetting fraction, gas and liquid inlet velocities, inlet temperature of the solvent, MEA concentration, and CO2 and H2S compositions were carefully studied. It was found that for large values of gas velocity or small values of liquid velocity, the thermal energy equation can play an important role in the model predictions. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J 60: 657–672, 2014
Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type: A characterization of the patients' lived experience
Authors: Murray Brittney , Yashar Beverly M. , Uhlmann Wendy R. , Clauw Daniel J. , Petty Elizabeth M.
Published: November 2013

Hypermobility type Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS‐HT) is an inherited connective tissue disorder clinically diagnosed by the presence of significant joint hypermobility and associated skin manifestations. This article presents a large‐scale study that reports the lived experience of EDS‐HT patients, the broad range of symptoms that individuals with EDS‐HT experience, and the impact these symptoms have on daily functioning. A 237‐item online survey, including validated questions regarding pain and depression, was developed. Four hundred sixty‐six (466) adults (90% female, 52% college or higher degree) with a self‐reported diagnosis of EDS‐HT made in a clinic or hospital were included. The most frequently reported symptoms were joint pain (99%), hypermobility (99%), and limb pain (91%). They also reported a high frequency of other conditions including chronic fatigue (82%), anxiety (73%), depression (69%), and fibromyalgia (42%). Forty‐six percent of respondents reported constant pain often described as aching and tiring/exhausting. Despite multiple interventions and therapies, many individuals (53%) indicated that their diagnosis negatively affected their ability to work or attend school. Our results show that individuals with EDS‐HT can experience a wide array of symptoms and co‐morbid conditions. The degree of constant pain and disability experienced by the majority of EDS‐HT respondents is striking and illustrates the impact this disorder has on quality of life as well as the clinical challenges inherent in managing this complex connective tissue disorder. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Novel half‐sandwich η5‐Cp *–rhodium(III) and η5‐Cp *–ruthenium(II) complexes bearing bis(phosphino)amine ligands and their use in the transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones
Authors: Ok Fatih , Aydemir Murat , Durap Feyyaz , Baysal Akın
Published: November 2013

Two new half‐sandwich η5‐Cp*–rhodium(III) and η5‐Cp*–ruthenium(II) complexes have been prepared from corresponding bis(phosphino)amine ligands, thiophene‐2‐(N,N‐bis(diphenylphosphino)methylamine) or furfuryl‐2‐(N,N‐bis(diphenylphosphino)amine). Structures of the new complexes have been elucidated by multinuclear one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR spectroscopy, elemental analysis and IR spectroscopy. These Cp*–rhodium(III) and Cp*‐ruthenium(II) complexes bearing bis(phosphino)amine ligands were successfully applied to transfer hydrogenation of various ketones by 2‐propanol. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Generally applicable and efficient esterification of aldehydes with alcohols catalyzed by cyclopalladated ferrocenylimine
Authors: Ma Gaizhi , Leng Yuting , Qiao Huijie , Yang Fan , Wang Shiwei , Wu Yangjie
Published: November 2013

The palladacycle‐catalyzed esterification of a variety of aldehydes with alcohols was developed. This reaction allows formation of esters in moderate to excellent yields not only for various aldehydes but also alcohols. In addition, the esterification could proceed well under mild conditions with a low catalyst loading of 0.0625 mol%. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Viscoelastic and adhesive properties of single‐component thermo‐resistant acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives
Authors: Lu Xingchen , Cao Gang , Niu Zhengfa , Pan Qinmin
Published: November 2013

Poly(butyl acrylate‐vinyl acetate‐acrylic acid) based acrylic pressure sensitive adhesives (PSAs) were synthesized by solution polymerization for the fabrication of high performance pressure sensitive adhesive tapes. The synthesized PSAs have high shear strength and can be peeled off substrate without residues on the substrate at temperature up to 150°C. The PSAs synthesized in the present work are single‐component crosslinked and they can be used directly once synthesized, which is convenient for real applications compared to commercial multi‐component adhesives. The results demonstrated that the viscosity of the PSAs remained stable during prolonged storage. The effects of the preparation conditions such as initiator concentration, cross‐linker amount, organosiloxane monomer amount and tackifier resin on the polymer properties, such as glass transition temperature (Tg), molecular weight (Mw), surface energy and shear modulus, were studied, and the dependence of the adhesive properties on the polymer properties were also investigated. Crosslinking reactions showed a great improvement in the shear strength at high temperature. The addition of tackifier resin made peel strength increase compared to original PSAs because of the improvement of the adhesion strength. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40086.
Multiresponsive polyanionic microgels with inverse pH responsive behavior by encapsulation of polycationic nanogels
Authors: Knipe Jennifer M. , Chen Frances , Peppas Nicholas A.
Published: November 2013

Intelligent, stimuli‐responsive hydrogels have great utility in various fields spanning biomedical technology, separations, and catalysis. Their overall response to surrounding fluids may be further tailored to a specific application by incorporation of one or more intelligent responses within one material, known as multiresponsive hydrogels. This is a report on the facile synthesis and characterization of poly(methacrylic acid‐co‐N‐vinylpyrrolidone) microgels encapsulating polycationic nanogels (70–100 nm) to incorporate inverse pH responsive behavior within a single hydrogel. Potentiometric titration and pH swelling studies reveal a swelling response dependent on both pH and crosslinking agent. Additionally, a protein and a small molecule are loaded and released to evaluate the pH‐dependent binding affinity. Such a material could exhibit unique protein‐binding capacity and pH‐responsive behavior for use in separation or drug delivery applications. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40098.
Historic Shipwreck Study in Dongsha Atoll with Bathymetric LiDAR
Authors: Tian‐Yuan Shih Peter , Chen Ya‐Hsing , Chen Jie‐Chung
Published: November 2013

Dongsha Atoll is a coral reef located in the South China Sea. The surrounding area is characterized by dangerous shoals. Historic shipwrecks mark past human activities. Due to the shallow water and risky navigational conditions in the area, a sonar survey with platforms on the water surface was not feasible. Airborne bathymetric LiDAR, which utilizes green laser for measurement, however, is a proven convenient method for studying shipwrecks around the atoll, particularly in shallow‐water areas. At a point density of about 3.5 m by 3.5 m, four shipwrecks were identified. The bathymetric measurements allow not only the length of the shipwreck to be estimated, but also its height above the sea floor. The full waveform record of the laser reflection also provided information to separate the wreckage from its surroundings. This provides an excellent working environment for marine archaeological analysis, as not only the location, but also the depth and geomorphological information can be assessed in an integrated setting. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anatomy of green open access
Authors: Björk Bo‐Christer , Laakso Mikael , Welling Patrik , Paetau Patrik
Published: November 2013

Open access (OA) is free, unrestricted access to electronic versions of scholarly publications. For peer‐reviewed journal articles, there are two main routes to OA: publishing in OA journals (gold OA) or archiving of article copies or manuscripts at other web locations (green OA). This study focuses on summarizing and extending current knowledge about green OA. A synthesis of previous studies indicates that green OA coverage of all published journal articles is approximately 12%, with substantial disciplinary variation. Typically, green OA copies become available after considerable time delays, partly caused by publisher‐imposed embargo periods, and partly by author tendencies to archive manuscripts only periodically. Although green OA copies should ideally be archived in proper repositories, a large share is stored on home pages and similar locations, with no assurance of long‐term preservation. Often such locations contain exact copies of published articles, which may infringe on the publisher's exclusive rights. The technical foundation for green OA uploading is becoming increasingly solid largely due to the rapid increase in the number of institutional repositories. The number of articles within the scope of OA mandates, which strongly influence the self‐archival rate of articles, is nevertheless still low.
Epidemiologic characteristics of birth defects in the Hainan Province from 2000 to 2010, China
Authors: Fan Lichun , Gong Tian , Cao Xia , Du Yukai
Published: November 2013

BACKGROUND

Although the prevalence of congenital malformations is high in China, little information is available on the Hainan Province.

METHODS

Data used in this study were collected from 2000 to 2010 by monitoring newborns (including both live births and stillbirths) in the Hainan Province. Comparison analyses were conducted by performing χ2 tests.

RESULTS

The data showed an increasing temporal trend of the birth defect prevalence in the Hainan Province; however, the rate of birth defects changed over time.

CONCLUSION

The Hainan Province is confronted with the challenge to reduce the prevalence of birth defects. Interventions should focus on the rural areas where a higher prevalence of birth defects is observed. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:750–754, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Enhancement of the helical content and stability induced in a linear oligopeptide by an i, i+4 intramolecularly double stapled, overlapping, bicyclic [31, 22, 5]‐(E)ene motif
Authors: Mazzier Daniela , Peggion Cristina , Toniolo Claudio , Moretto Alessandro
Published: November 2013

Two consecutive i, i+4 intramolecular, side chain‐to‐side chain, macrocyclizations of different type carried out on a preformed, partially helical peptide result in a largely predominant, double stapled, overlapping, bicyclic [31,22,5]‐(E)ene motif. A detailed ECD and NMR conformational study revealed a significant enhancement of the original helical content and stability, accompanied by an increase of the α‐helix amount over that of the 310‐helix. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 102: 115–123, 2014.
Preorganized Anion Traps for Exploiting Anion–π Interactions: An Experimental and Computational Study
Authors: Bretschneider Anne , Andrada Diego M. , Dechert Sebastian , Meyer Steffen , Mata Ricardo A. , Meyer Franc
Published: November 2013

1,3‐Bis(pentafluorophenyl‐imino)isoindoline (AF) and 3,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐1,8‐bis(pentafluorophenyl)‐9H‐carbazole (BF) have been designed as preorganized anion receptors that exploit anion–π interactions, and their ability to bind chloride and bromide in various solvents has been evaluated. Both receptors AF and BF are neutral but provide a central NH hydrogen bond that directs the halide anion into a preorganized clamp of the two electron‐deficient appended arenes. Crystal structures of host–guest complexes of AF with DMSO, Cl−, or Br− (AF:DMSO, AF:Cl−, and ${{\rm A}{{{\rm F}\hfill \atop 2\hfill}}}$:Br−) reveal that in all cases the guest is located in the cleft between the perfluorinated flaps, but NMR spectroscopy shows a more complex situation in solution because of E,Z/Z,Z isomerism of the host. In the case of the more rigid receptor BF, Job plots evidence 1:1 complex formation with Cl− and Br−, and association constants up to 960 M−1 have been determined depending on the solvent. Crystal structures of BF and BF:DMSO visualize the distinct preorganization of the host for anion–π interactions. The reference compounds 1,3‐bis(2‐pyrimidylimino)isoindoline (AN) and 3,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐1,8‐diphenyl‐9H‐carbazole (BH), which lack the perfluorinated flaps, do not show any indication of anion binding under the same conditions. A detailed computational analysis of the receptors AF and BF and their host–guest complexes with Cl− or Br− was carried out to quantify the interactions in play. Local correlation methods were applied, allowing for a decomposition of the ring–anion interactions. The latter were found to contribute significantly to the stabilization of these complexes (about half of the total energy). Compounds AF and BF represent rare examples of neutral receptors that are well preorganized for exploiting anion–π interactions, and rare examples of receptors for which the individual contributions to the binding energy have been quantified.