bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Finiteness of Clauses and Raising of Arguments in Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Jonah Lin Tzong‐Hong
Published: December 2010

Abstract.  This paper argues that Mandarin Chinese clauses exhibit the finite/nonfinite contrast, and, based on this discovery, shows that the EPP is the driving force for A‐movement. The evidence is the raising of arguments from the TP complements of different kinds of modals. It is argued that the epistemic modals in Mandarin Chinese take a finite TP complement, whereas the modal hui‘will’ and the root modals take a nonfinite TP complement. Though the epistemic modals take a finite TP complement, they nonetheless permit subject‐to‐subject raising. This phenomenon can be accounted for if we assume that the EPP drives A‐movement, and agreement blocks it. Mandarin Chinese does not have grammatical features; as a consequence, the subject of a finite clause does not perform checking of grammatical features, and thus is free to raise. This phenomenon, therefore, is evidence against the checking‐based theory of A‐movement. If feature checking is involved in raising in Mandarin Chinese sentences, extra assumptions must be made, with a heavy burden of proof on the checking‐based theory.
The Market Reward for Achieving Analyst Earnings Expectations: Does Managing Expectations or Earnings Matter?
Authors: Athanasakou Vasiliki , Strong Norman C. , Walker Martin
Published: December 2010

Abstract:  This study explores the market response to achieving analyst earnings expectations, distinguishing between expectations achieved through earnings forecast guidance and earnings management. We consider three earnings management tools: real earnings management, working capital accruals management, and classification shifting. Analysis indicates that UK firms use earnings forecast guidance and classification shifting to achieve analyst expectations. The market does not reward firms that achieve expectations through forecast guidance, and achievers that classification shift receive a lower market reward than genuine achievers. The market response aligns with information on future profitability and rational pricing tests show that there is no overall mispricing of achievers. Evidence of stock price incentives to engage in earnings forecast guidance is found only within more opportunistic downward forecast revisions mainly driven by high market growth expectations.
The Safety of Low‐Potassium Dialysis
Authors: Weisberg Lawrence S. , Rachoin Jean‐Sebastien
Published: December 2010

Patients with kidney failure depend on dialysis to maintain neutral potassium balance. The amount of potassium removed during a hemodialysis treatment is inversely proportional to the potassium concentration in the dialysis bath. Nephrologists adjust the dialysis bath potassium to account for individual variation in potassium intake among their patients. This management strategy is remarkably successful, because most patients on maintenance hemodialysis have a normal predialysis serum potassium concentration. But the serum potassium concentration of patients on maintenance hemodialysis is not constant over time; it follows a sawtooth pattern. It is this instability—especially the acute fall during dialysis—that has concerned nephrologists for decades, particularly in view of the crucial role of potassium in cardiac electrophysiology. This concern is amplified by the extraordinarily high rate of sudden death among patients on maintenance hemodialysis. In this paper, we review the safety of low‐potassium dialysis and make recommendations for managing patients whose serum potassium concentration falls outside the target range.
Activité des hommes ǎgés dans les pays de l'OCDE: réforme des retraites et «armée de réserve de travailleurs»
Authors: O'BRIEN Martin
Published: December 2010

De nombreux gouvernements ont considéré les travailleurs ǎgés comme une «armée de réserve» et facilité par divers moyens leur retrait anticipé de la population active. Selon l'OCDE, il faut lutter contre la surcharge budgétaire associée au vieillissement de la population par une réforme des régimes de retraite, afin d'augmenter le taux d'activité des tranches d'ǎge supérieures. Après avoir modélisé l'activité des hommes ǎgés de 55 à 59 ans et de 60 à 64 ans dans douze pays de l'OCDE, sur la période 1967–2007, l'auteur conclut que les variables relatives au marché du travail ont un pouvoir explicatif supérieur à celles qui sont associées aux réformes des retraites et à d'autres déterminants spécifiquement nationaux. Faute de prendre en considération la situation des marchés du travail, les prescriptions types de l'OCDE en matière de réformes des retraites semblent donc vouées à l'échec.
Législation sur la protection de l'emploi et stabilité des emplois: une analyse transversale en Europe
Authors: CAZES Sandrine , TONIN Mirco
Published: December 2010

S'appuyant sur les données d'Eurostat pour la période 1999–2006, les auteurs étudient l'évolution de l'ancienneté dans l'emploi des salariés de l'Union européenne. Ils n'observent pas de baisse généralisée de cette ancienneté, mais un raccourcissement tendanciel parmi les jeunes travailleurs (15–24 ans) dans de nombreux pays. Leurs résultats montrent que cette tendance est associée à une plus faible protection de l'emploi conférée et par le droit et par la présence de syndicats. Etant donné le faible pouvoir de négociation individuelle des jeunes travailleurs, la tendance à une plus forte individualisation des relations d'emploi pourrait, en effet, plus particulièrement les toucher.
La formation en cours d'emploi en Europe: déterminants et effets sur les salaires
Authors: ALBERT Cecilia , GARCÍA‐SERRANO Carlos , HERNANZ Virginia
Published: December 2010

Partant des données du Panel communautaire de ménages (PCM) pour la période 1995–2001 dans six pays, les auteurs étudient les déterminants des activités de formation et les effets de celle‐ci sur les salaires. A partir de quatre indicateurs caractérisant la formation, ils montrent que, si les estimations par la méthode des moindres carrés ordinaires indiquent que, presque partout, la formation valorise substantiellement les salaires, les estimations avec effets fixes font apparaǐtre une incidence quasi nulle. Les effets sur les salaires seraient donc surestimés faute de prise en compte adéquate de la corrélation entre la formation et d'autres facteurs affectant les salaires.
Obstacles invisibles et représentation des femmes aux postes de décision en Espagne
Authors: Castaño Cecilia , Martín Juan , Vázquez Susana , Martínez José Luis
Published: December 2010

Les auteurs présentent les résultats d'une étude sur les caractéristiques personnelles et les qualifications d'hommes et de femmes assumant des fonctions de direction dans des entreprises espagnoles, leur situation professionnelle et leur point de vue sur l'égalité des sexes. Par rapport à leurs homologues masculins, les Espagnoles occupant des postes à responsabilités sont plus jeunes mais aussi qualifiées, voire plus, et elles ont moins d'enfants. Cependant, elles sont toujours confrontées à des obstacles qui empěchent la pleine exploitation d'un capital humain précieux. Malgré les mesures adoptées, plus de neuf postes de décision sur dix sont toujours occupés par des hommes.
La flexicurité en Belgique: une proposition fondée sur des principes économiques
Authors: Cockx Bart , Vander Linden Bruno
Published: December 2010

En Belgique, l'assurance chǒmage et la législation sur la protection de l'emploi en vigueur ont été conçues dans un contexte oü les relations entre les travailleurs et les entreprises étaient durables et stables. La mondialisation de l'économie et les rapides changements technologiques et organisationnels les obligent à plus de flexibilité. Les institutions doivent ětre réformées rapidement pour accorder ce nouveau besoin avec celui de sécurité pour les travailleurs. L'appel à la «flexicurité» n'est pas nouveau, mais il n'y a pas d'unanimité sur le modèle institutionnel qu'elle implique. Les auteurs proposent une réforme qui est explicitement fondée sur des principes issus de l'analyse économique.
Las pensiones y los varones de edad madura activos e inactivos en la OCDE
Authors: O'BRIEN Martin
Published: December 2010

Muchos gobiernos han tratado a los trabajadores de edad madura como «un ejército laboral de reserva», permitiéndoles que abandonaran la fuerza de trabajo. Ahora bien, para aligerar el lastre que soporta el erario público por el envejecimiento de la población, la OCDE recomienda que se prolongue el tiempo de actividad de los trabajadores y que se reformen las pensiones. El autor estudia las tasas de actividad de los varones de 55–59 años y de 60–64 años de doce países de la OCDE durante el período 1967–2007. Llega a la conclusión de que dependen más de la situación laboral que de las pensiones y de otros factores nacionales. Así pues, deben tenerse presentes las condiciones del mercado de trabajo si no se quiere que la reforma de las pensiones — una receta habitual de la OCDE— esté condenada al fracaso.
Barreras invisibles y mujeres directivas en España
Authors: Castaño Cecilia , Martín Juan , Vázquez Susana , Martínez José Luis
Published: December 2010

Los autores dan cuenta de una investigación sobre los perfiles personales y académicos de hombres y mujeres con responsabilidades directivas en empresas españolas, su situación profesional y su postura respecto a la igualdad de género. Las directivas españolas son más jóvenes que sus homólogos masculinos, pero los alcanzan o superan en cualificación profesional y tienen menos hijos que ellos. Sin embargo, siguen luchando contra las barreras que impiden el aprovechamiento pleno del enorme capital humano femenino. A pesar de las medidas tomadas, más de nueve de cada diez puestos directivos siguen ocupados por hombres.
La transición de Tailandia en las esferas laboral y sanitaria
Authors: Kelly Matthew , Strazdins Lyndall , Dellora Tarie , Khamman Suwanee , Seubsman Sam‐ang , Sleigh Adrian C.
Published: December 2010

La economía de Tailandia ha cambiado rápidamente de la agricultura a la industria manufacturera y el sector de los servicios, pero el ordenamiento del mercado laboral y la representación de los trabajadores son mucho menos consistentes que en los países desarrollados, donde hubo una transición más lenta y gradual hace ya décadas. Los autores estudian el robustecimiento de las políticas y la legislación tailandesas en el ámbito de la seguridad y la salud en el trabajo, que obedece a las normas internacionales y a la nueva Constitución democrática. Por último, identifican los principales retos pendientes, entre ellos el cumplimiento de la ley y una medición mejor de los efectos del trabajo en la salud física y mental.
The Cardiovascular Effects of GLP‐1 Receptor Agonists
Authors: Okerson Theodore , Chilton Robert J.
Published: December 2010

Glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor (GLP‐1R) agonists have been shown to regulate blood glucose concentrations by mechanisms including enhanced insulin synthesis/secretion, suppressed glucagon secretion, slowed gastric emptying, and enhanced satiety. GLP‐1 receptors have also been identified in the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels, leading to the hypothesis that GLP‐1R agonists may affect cardiovascular function or cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this literature review was to assemble and assess preclinical and clinical data of potential medical importance regarding the cardiovascular effects of GLP‐1R agonists. Preclinical studies with the GLP‐1R agonists GLP‐1, exenatide, or liraglutide provided evidence that GLP‐1R stimulation favorably affects endothelial function, sodium excretion, recovery from ischemic injury, and myocardial function in animals. Similar observations have been made in exploratory studies on GLP‐1 infusion in normal subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes. Post hoc analyses of phase III studies of patients with type 2 diabetes treated with exenatide(bid or qw) or liraglutide(qd) showed that these GLP‐1R agonists reduced blood pressure, an effect largely independent of weight loss, and that liraglutide slightly increased heart rate. Preliminary data also indicated that GLP‐1R agonists reduced markers of CVD risk such as C‐reactive protein and plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1. Ongoing studies are examining the effects of administering GLP‐1R agonists to patients at risk of CVD, postangioplasty patients, post‐CABG patients, and patients with heart failure. Additional studies should provide meaningful data to determine whether GLP‐1R agonists provide unique treatment benefits to patients at risk for or with established CVD.
AIDS and ‘building a wall’ around Christian country in rural Papua New Guinea
Authors: Dundon Alison
Published: December 2010

This paper explores an ongoing dialogue about Christianity in light of the recent influx of HIV and AIDS into the villages of the Gogodala of Western Province, Papua New Guinea. I argue that a suggestion by a woman in late 2004 to ‘build a wall’ around the Gogodala region in Western Province in order to stop or slow the spread of HIV/AIDS reflects a recent concern with the sustainability of this rural Christian community, referred to in English as ‘Christian country’. Understanding AIDS to be a threat posed largely from outsiders, whether Papua New Guinean or European, sections of these primarily village‐based communities aim to create both a physical and metaphorical boundary between themselves and outsiders. At present, local prevention and intervention strategies concerning HIV and AIDS focus on conservative, evangelical narratives about the preservation of the principles and practices of Christian country, through the repudiation of unrestrained sexuality, for example, which is believed to be increasingly prevalent not only in their own area but throughout urban Papua New Guinea. A growing divide between rural and urban Gogodala, then, has become a major part of the local dialogue about AIDS and represents significant contestation over the practices and ideational basis of Christian country.
The Evil Eye (għajn) in Malta: Grappling with Skinner’s pigeons and rehabilitating lame ducks1
Authors: Baldacchino Jean‐Paul
Published: December 2010

In this paper, I construct a plea for superstition and examine the ways in which contemporary scholars use the term to denote irrational belief. ‘Superstition’ has, throughout history, been used as a derogatory term denoting inferior and dangerous beliefs. Examining the process whereby people continue to believe that which they deem irrational, I adopt a reflexive and phenomenological approach. Focussing on the evil eye (għajn) in Malta and the Mediterranean, I redefine ‘superstition’ as the product of an intrasubjective antinomy between orthodoxy and its subversion.
When brother–sister marriage becomes incest
Authors: Evans Grant
Published: December 2010

This essay traces how marriages between brothers and sisters in the Lao and Thai royal families came to be conceptualised as ‘incest’ and therefore taboo over the first half of the twentieth century. This change was associated with changing royal marriage strategies and changing ideas about the nature of royal persons. The article concludes with some broader theoretical reflections on incest.
Improving Chucking Accuracy and Repeatability by Reducing Kinematic Redundancy
Authors: Byun Jeongmin , Liu C. R.
Published: December 2010

In this paper, the effect of kinematic redundancy on chucking, especially, on the positioning accuracy of a cylindrical workpiece was investigated. No previous research on the effect of kinematic redundancy on the positioning accuracy and the repeatability of a workpiece in chucking has been reported, even if kinematic principle has been known for a long time. Starting from the description of the issues, a series of systematic experiments was carried out. It was demonstrated that the nonrepeatability and the chucking error proportionally increase as the kinematic redundancy increases. Also, it was shown that kinematic redundancy had a significant effect on the positioning accuracy of chucked workpieces, especially the workpieces with a relatively higher length/diameter ratio. The contact area between the workpiece and the jaws was reduced to the extent, which does not hurt the chucking rigidity and the safety to reduce kinematic redundancy. It was shown that the concentricity of the workpieces was improved as much as ten times by just minimizing the kinematic redundancy in the finish hard turning of the rings of a taper roller bearing.
On the Effectiveness of Higher-Order Terms in Refined Beam Theories
Authors: Carrera Erasmo , Petrolo Marco
Published: December 2010

This work deals with refined theories for beams with an increasing number of displacement variables. Reference has been made to the asymptotic and axiomatic methods. A Taylor-type expansion up to the fourth-order has been assumed over the section coordinates. The finite element governing equations have been derived in the framework of the Carrera unified formulation (CUF). The effectiveness of each expansion term, that is, of each displacement variable, has been established numerically considering various problems (traction, bending, and torsion), several beam sections (square, annular, and airfoil-type), and different beam slenderness ratios. The accuracy of these theories have been evaluated for displacement and stress components at different points over the section and along the beam axis. Error-type parameters have been introduced to establish the role played by each generalized displacement variable. It has been found that the number of terms that have to be retained for each of the considered beam theories is closely related to the addressed problem; different variables are requested to obtain accurate results for different problems. It has, therefore, been concluded that the full implementation of CUF, retaining all the available terms, would avoid the need of changing the theory when a problem is changed (geometries and/or loading conditions), as what happens in most engineering problems. On the other hand, CUF could be used to construct suitable beam theories in view of the fulfillment of prescribed accuracies.
Axisymmetric Problem of Energetically Consistent Interacting Annular and Penny-Shaped Cracks in Piezoelectric Materials
Authors: Shodja H. M. , Moeini-Ardakani S. S. , Eskandari M.
Published: December 2010

The axisymmetric problem of a concentric set of energetically consistent annular and penny-shaped cracks in an infinite piezoelectric body subjected to uniform far-field electromechanical loading is addressed. With the aid of a robust innovated technique, the pertinent four-part mixed boundary value problem (MBVP) is reduced to a decoupled Fredholm integral equation of the second kind. The results of two limiting cases of a single penny-shaped crack and a single annular crack are recovered. The contour plots of dimensionless intensity factors (IFs) at each crack front provide the stress and electric displacement intensity factors (SIFs and EDIFs, respectively) for all combination of crack sizes. The impermeable, permeable, and semipermeable models are also examined as limiting cases.
New Approach to the Modeling of Complex Multibody Dynamical Systems
Authors: Schutte Aaron , Udwadia Firdaus
Published: December 2010

In this paper, a general method for modeling complex multibody systems is presented. The method utilizes recent results in analytical dynamics adapted to general complex multibody systems. The term complex is employed to denote those multibody systems whose equations of motion are highly nonlinear, nonautonomous, and possibly yield motions at multiple time and distance scales. These types of problems can easily become difficult to analyze because of the complexity of the equations of motion, which may grow rapidly as the number of component bodies in the multibody system increases. The approach considered herein simplifies the effort required in modeling general multibody systems by explicitly developing closed form expressions in terms of any desirable number of generalized coordinates that may appropriately describe the configuration of the multibody system. Furthermore, the approach is simple in implementation because it poses no restrictions on the total number and nature of modeling constraints used to construct the equations of motion of the multibody system. Conceptually, the method relies on a simple three-step procedure. It utilizes the Udwadia–Phohomsiri equation, which describes the explicit equations of motion for constrained mechanical systems with singular mass matrices. The simplicity of the method and its accuracy is illustrated by modeling a multibody spacecraft system.
Stochastic Averaging of Quasi-Nonintegrable-Hamiltonian Systems Under Poisson White Noise Excitation
Authors: Zeng Y. , Zhu W. Q.
Published: December 2010

A stochastic averaging method for predicting the response of multi-degree-of-freedom quasi-nonintegrable-Hamiltonian systems (nonintegrable-Hamiltonian systems with lightly linear and (or) nonlinear dampings subject to weakly external and (or) parametric excitations of Poisson white noises) is proposed. A one-dimensional averaged generalized Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov equation for the transition probability density of the Hamiltonian is derived and the probability density of the stationary response of the system is obtained by using the perturbation method. Two examples, two linearly and nonlinearly coupled van der Pol oscillators and two-degree-of-freedom vibro-impact system, are given to illustrate the application and validity of the proposed method.
Diffraction of Plane Compressional Waves by an Array of Nanosized Cylindrical Holes
Authors: Zhang Q. F. , Wang G. F. , Schiavone P.
Published: December 2010

When the radius of a hole reduces to nanometers, the influence of surface energy becomes prominent in its mechanical behavior. In the present paper, we consider the diffraction of plane compressional waves by an array of nanosized circular holes in an elastic medium. The effect of surface energy is taken into account through surface elasticity theory. Using the wave expansion method, we derive the corresponding elastic diffraction fields. Dynamic stress concentrations around the holes and the scattering cross section are calculated to address the surface effects on the diffraction phenomena.
Modeling and
Simulation of Wave Propagation Based on Atomistic Field
Theory
Authors: Wang Xianqiao , Lee James
D. , Deng Qian
Published: December 2010

Motivated by the need for a more efficient simulation of material behavior at both larger length scale and longer time scale than direct molecular dynamics simulation, an atomistic field theory (AFT) for modeling and simulation of multiphase material systems has been developed. Atomistic formulation of the multiscale field theory and its corresponding finite element implementation are briefly introduced. By virtue of finite element analysis of classical continuum mechanics, we show the existing phenomena of spurious wave reflections at the interfaces between regions with different mesh sizes. AFT is employed to investigate the wave propagation in magnesium oxide from the atomistic region to the continuum region without any special numerical treatment. Unlike some other atomistic/continuum computational methods, AFT has demonstrated the capability to display both acoustic and optic types of wave motion. Numerical results show that AFT has the capability to significantly reduce the wave reflections at the interface. This work provides a more fundamental understanding of wave reflections at the atomistic/continuum interface.
An Optimal Analytic Approximate Solution for the Limit Cycle of Duffing–van der Pol Equation
Authors: Turkyilmazoglu Mustafa
Published: December 2010

The present paper is concerned with the accurate analytic solution of the limit cycle of the Duffing–van der Pol equation. Instead of the traditional Taylor series or asymptotic methods, the homotopy analysis technique is employed, which does not require a small perturbation parameter or a large asymptotic parameter. It is known that such a method is extremely powerful in gaining the exact solution of the physical problem in terms of purely trigonometric functions, yet the computational cost of the method is considerably high. We propose here an approach that not only greatly reduces the computational efforts but also presents an easy to implement task of application of the homotopy analysis method to the Duffing–van der Pol equation. The explicit analytical expressions obtained using the proposed approach generates the displacement, amplitude, and frequency of the limit cycle that compare excellently with the numerically computed ones.
Interaction Between Solid Copper Jets and Powerful Electrical Current Pulses
Authors: Appelgren Patrik , Carlsson Torgny E. , Helte Andreas , Hurtig Tomas , Larsson Anders , Lundberg Patrik , Skoglund Melker , Westerling Lars
Published: December 2010

The interaction between a solid copper jet and an electric current pulse is studied. Copper jets that were created by a shaped-charge device were passed through an electrode configuration consisting of two aluminum plates with a separation distance of 150 mm. The electrodes were connected to a pulsed-power supply delivering a current pulse with amplitudes up to 250 kA. The current and voltages were measured, providing data on energy deposition in the jet and electrode contact region, and flash X-ray diagnostics were used to depict the jet during and after electrification. The shape of, and the velocity distributions along, the jet has been used to estimate the correlation between the jet mass flow through the electrodes and the electrical energy deposition. On average, 2.8 kJ/g was deposited in the jet and electrode region, which is sufficient to bring the jet up to the boiling point. A model based on the assumption of a homogenous current flow through the jet between the electrodes underestimates the energy deposition and the jet resistance by a factor 5 compared with the experiments, indicating a more complex current flow through the jet. The experimental results indicate the following mechanism for the enhancement of jet breakup. When electrified, the natural-formed necks in the jet are subjected to a higher current density compared with other parts of the jet. The higher current density results in a stronger heating and a stronger magnetic pinch force. Eventually, the jet material in the neck is evaporated and explodes electrically, resulting in a radial ejection of vaporized jet material.
Lattice Boltzmann Method for Advection and Anisotropic Dispersion Equation
Authors: Zhou Jian Guo
Published: December 2010

A lattice Boltzmann method is developed for the solution of the advection and anisotropic dispersion equation. In the approach, a novel local equilibrium distribution function is formulated to preserve the advantage of using a single relaxation time for the recovery of the isotropic or anisotropic dispersion tensor in the equation. The method fully retains the innate kinetic features and the simple procedure of the standard lattice Boltzmann method, with an additional benefit of being suitable for rectangular lattices at little extra computational cost. The model has been verified and the results have shown that it can produce accurate solutions with great potential to general advection and dispersion problems, leading to broad applications within a variety of interdisciplinary areas.
Green Function for the Problem of a Plane Containing a Circular Hole With Surface Effects
Authors: Mogilevskaya S. G. , Pyatigorets A. V. , Crouch S. L.
Published: December 2010

This paper presents the complex Green function for the plane-strain problem of an infinite, isotropic elastic plane containing a circular hole with surface effects and subjected to a force applied at a point outside of the hole. The analysis is based on the Gurtin and Murdoch [1975, “A Continuum Theory of Elastic Material Surfaces,” Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal., 57, pp. 291–323; 1978, “Surface Stress in Solids,” Int. J. Solids Struct., 14, pp. 431–440] model, in which the surface of the hole possesses its own mechanical properties and surface tension. Systematic parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of both surface elasticity and surface tension on the distribution of hoop stresses on the boundary of the hole and on a line that connects the point of the applied force and the center of the hole.
Dynamic Tensile Response of Porcine Muscle
Authors: Nie Xu , Cheng Jen-I , Chen Weinong W. , Weerasooriya Tusit
Published: December 2010

The stress-strain response of a porcine muscle along and perpendicular to the muscle fiber direction was characterized over a wide range of strain rates under uniaxial tension. A modified Kolsky tension bar was used to conduct the experiments at high strain rates. Tubular specimen geometry was used to achieve uniform loading within the specimen and to minimize lateral inertia effect. Loading pulse was controlled to facilitate constant strain rates and dynamic stress equilibrium. Quasi-static experiments were also performed to explore the rate effects over a wider range of strain rates. The results show that the nonlinear tensile stress-strain responses in both directions along and perpendicular to the fibers are highly sensitive to strain rates. Compared with high-rate compression response, the strain rate sensitivity in the tensile test is less dependent on the fiber orientation to the loading direction.
Flow of Damp Powder in a Rotating Impervious Cone
Authors: Bizard Arnaud F. M. , Symons Digby D. , Fleck Norman A. , Durban David
Published: December 2010

A one dimensional analytical model is developed for the steady state, axisymmetric flow of damp powder within a rotating impervious cone. The powder spins with the cone but migrates up the wall of the cone (along a generator) under centrifugal force. The powder is treated as incompressible and Newtonian viscous, while the shear traction at the interface is taken to be both velocity and pressure dependent. A nonlinear second order ordinary differential equation is established for the mean through-thickness velocity as a function of radius in a spherical coordinate system, and the dominant nondimensional groups are identified. For a wide range of geometries, material parameters, and operating conditions, a midzone exists wherein the flow is insensitive to the choice of inlet and outlet boundary conditions. Within this central zone, the governing differential equation reduces to an algebraic equation with an explicit analytical solution. Furthermore, the bulk viscosity of the damp powder does not enter this solution. Consequently, it is suggested that the rotating impervious cone is a useful geometry to measure the interfacial friction law for the flow of a damp powder past an impervious wall.
A Sixth-Order Theory of Shear Deformable Beams With Variational Consistent Boundary Conditions
Authors: Shi Guangyu , Voyiadjis George Z.
Published: December 2010

This paper presents the derivation of a new beam theory with the sixth-order differential equilibrium equations for the analysis of shear deformable beams. A sixth-order beam theory is desirable since the displacement constraints of some typical shear flexible beams clearly indicate that the boundary conditions corresponding to these constraints can be properly satisfied only by the boundary conditions associated with the sixth-order differential equilibrium equations as opposed to the fourth-order equilibrium equations in Timoshenko beam theory. The present beam theory is composed of three parts: the simple third-order kinematics of displacements reduced from the higher-order displacement field derived previously by the authors, a system of sixth-order differential equilibrium equations in terms of two generalized displacements w and ϕx of beam cross sections, and three boundary conditions at each end of shear deformable beams. A technique for the analytical solution of the new beam theory is also presented. To demonstrate the advantages and accuracy of the new sixth-order beam theory for the analysis of shear flexible beams, the proposed beam theory is applied to solve analytically three classical beam bending problems to which the fourth-order beam theory of Timoshenko has created some questions on the boundary conditions. The present solutions of these examples agree well with the elasticity solutions, and in particular they also show that the present sixth-order beam theory is capable of characterizing some boundary layer behavior near the beam ends or loading points.
CANDU Reactor Space-Time Kinetic Model for Load Following Studies
Authors: Xia Lingzhi , Jiang Jin
Published: December 2010

This paper presents the development of a three-dimensional space-time neutronic kinetic model of a Canadian deuterium uranium (CANDU) reactor using a modal method. In this method, the reactor space-time neutron flux is synthesized by a time-weighted series of precalculated neutron flux modes. The modes are eigenfunctions of the governing neutron diffusion equation during reference steady-state operation. The xenon effect has also been considered. The reactor model is then implemented within a simulation platform of a CANDU6 reactor regulating system in MATLAB/SIMULINK. A nondimensionalized SIMULINK representation of the reactor kinetic model is established. The behavior of the reactor during load following transients has been simulated using the developed reactor-modeling module. The simulation results prove the efficiency of the model. A three-dimensional neutron flux distribution during transients is represented.
Porphyromonas gingivalis
Cysteine Proteinase Inhibition by κ-Casein Peptides
Authors: Toh Elena C. Y. , Dashper Stuart G. , Huq N. Laila , Attard Troy J. , O'Brien-Simpson Neil M. , Chen Yu-Yen , Cross Keith J. , Stanton David P. , Paolini Rita A. , Reynolds Eric C.
Published: December 2010

Porphyromonas gingivalis
is a major pathogen associated with chronic periodontitis, an inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth. The Arg-specific (RgpA/B) and Lys-specific (Kgp) cysteine proteinases of
P. gingivalis
are major virulence factors for the bacterium. In this study κ-casein(109-137) was identified in a chymosin digest of casein as an inhibiting peptide of the
P. gingivalis
proteinases. The peptide was synthesized and shown to inhibit proteolytic activity associated with
P. gingivalis
whole cells, purified RgpA-Kgp proteinase-adhesin complexes, and purified RgpB proteinase. The peptide κ-casein(109-137) exhibited synergism with Zn(II) against both Arg- and Lys-specific proteinases. The active region for inhibition was identified as κ-casein(117-137) using synthetic peptides. Kinetic studies revealed that κ-casein(109-137) inhibits in an uncompetitive manner. A molecular model based on the uncompetitive action and its synergistic ability with Zn(II) was developed to explain the mechanism of inhibition. Preincubation of
P. gingivalis
with κ-casein(109-137) significantly reduced lesion development in a murine model of infection.
Characterization of the Novel CMT Enzyme TEM-154
Authors: Robin Frédéric , Delmas Julien , Machado Elisabete , Bouchon Bernadette , Peixe Luísa , Bonnet Richard
Published: December 2010

TEM-154, identified in Portugal in 2004, associated the substitutions observed in the extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) TEM-12 and in the inhibitor-resistant penicillinase (IRT) TEM-33. This enzyme exhibited hydrolytic activity against ceftazidime and a low level of resistance to clavulanic acid. Surprisingly, the substitution Met69Leu enhanced the catalytic efficiency of oxyimino β-lactams conferred by the substitution Arg164Ser. Its discovery confirms the dissemination of the complex mutant group of TEM enzymes in European countries.
Republished: Which antibody and which cancer in which paraneoplastic syndromes?
Authors: Gozzard Paul , Maddison Paul
Published: December 2010

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes can be associated with the presence of onconeural antibodies. These antibodies are the result of an immune response against a tumour that is ectopically expressing a neuronal antigen. The ‘classical’ onconeural antibodies (anti-Hu, Yo, Ma2, CRMP-5, amphiphysin and Ri) are directed against intracellular antigens and are strongly associated with underlying malignancy. By contrast, onconeural antibodies directed against cell surface antigens (eg, anti-NMDA, VGKC, AChR) have a weaker tumour association. This article gives a practical overview of the tumour associations, and the neurological associations, of the onconeural antibodies. There is also guidance on how to investigate occult malignancy in antibody positive cases.
Republished paper: The quest to eliminate intrathecal vincristine errors: a 40-year journey
Authors: Noble Douglas J , Donaldson Liam J
Published: December 2010

Background

Intrathecal administration of vincristine is a rare event but catastrophic for the patient, family and clinical team involved. Analysis of this source of harm shows it to be a classic systems error which has proved intractable for nearly 40 years. Failure to learn from history, communicate safety solutions nationally and internationally, create safety agencies which effectively and reliably prevent adverse events, conduct investigations and enquiries which fully reveals how to mitigate system error, develop robust physical design solutions to prevent harm to patients, make effective solutions universal and preparing for the unexpected are all major challenges.

Conclusions

The elimination of rare yet catastrophic errors like this remains one of the tests of whether we can make healthcare safer. In this paper, we discuss why effective learning has been so slow and illustrate lessons for other fields of patient safety.
Trichomycetes from Newfoundland, including Gros Morne National Park
Authors: Strongman D. B.
Published: December 2010

Twenty-one taxa of trichomycetes are recorded from aquatic insects collected from sites on the east and west coasts of Newfoundland. Three new species, Smittium colboi Strongman sp. nov., Smittium georgense Strongman sp. nov., and Stachylina forantipes Strongman sp. nov., are described. Spartiella barbata Tuzet & Manier ex Manier is reported for the first time in North America, and six species are new geographic records for Newfoundland. Of these six, three are new records for Atlantic Canada. Pennella hovassi Manier ex Manier was recovered from sites in eastern Newfoundland, and taxonomically important features of this and other species in the genus are discussed.
Ascospore germination patterns revealed ascomycetous biotrophic mycoparasite specificity to Fusarium hosts
Authors: Goh Yit Kheng , Vujanovic Vladimir
Published: December 2010

Sphaerodes mycoparasitica is an ascomycetous mycoparasitic taxon commonly found growing and sporulating on Fusarium pathogens in Canada. Ascospores of S. mycoparasitica failed to germinate under different standard laboratory conditions (sterile distilled water, water agar, and commercially available media), even after heat- and cold-shock treatments. In contrast, spore germination was obtained on commercial potato dextrose agar medium amended with Fusarium filtrates. Significant improvement in the percentage of spore germination was obtained for the spores suspended in Fusarium filtrates. Fusarium avenaceum and Fusarium oxysporum filtrates induced the highest germination, whereas Fusarium sporotrichioides and Fusarium proliferatum triggered lower germination frequency. Filtrates of beneficial fungal inoculants, including Trichoderma harzianum (RootShield®), Penicillium bilaii (JumpStart®), and Chaetomium globosum , had no impact on germination. Ascospore suspensions showed a double-polar germination pattern in F. avenaceum filtrate and single-polar germination when challenged with F. oxysporum filtrate. Sphaerodes mycoparasitica grown on F. oxysporum maintained the same spore germination patterns when transferred on F. avenaceum for three subsequent offspring generations, indicating a stable genome-regulated expression. Preliminary phylogenetic analyses based on large subunit rDNA showed the evolution of a group of mycoparasitic Sphaerodes species from nonmycoparasitic ancestors, but no clear evidence of coevolution or cospeciation between known Sphaerodes and their Fusarium hosts.
The effects of fluctuations in the nutrient supply on the expression of ANR1 and 11 other MADS box genes in shoots and roots of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Gan Yinbo , Zhou Zhongjing , An Lijun , Bao Shengjie , Liu Qing , Srinivasan Murali , Goddard Peter
Published: December 2010

We previously reported that the response of ANR1 expression in shoots to nitrogen (N) starvation and resupply was different from its response in roots. However, how the other root-expressed MADS box genes respond to different N fluctuations in the shoot, and how these MADS box genes respond to complete nutrient fluctuations in the root, were unknown. Results from this study have shown that some members of these root-expressed MADS box genes have different responses in the shoot and root to N treatments, whereas others have similar responses or no responses to the N treatments. Among these 12 root-expressed MADS box genes, AGL16 was the only gene to show a similar response to N fluctuation in both shoots and roots in the same way as ANR1. Results from this study have also shown that ANR1, AGL12, AGL16, AGL19, and SOC1 responded to changes of the complete nutrient condition, which might indicate that they could play key roles in general nutrient stress. These novel findings will help us to further characterize these 12 MADS box genes to uncover the complex regulatory networks that integrate plant responses to changes in nutrient availability.
Relative importance of available energy, environmental heterogeneity, and seed availability for seedling emergence on a limestone pavement
Authors: Lundholm J. T.
Published: December 2010

Environmental heterogeneity at fine spatial scales is expected to be especially important in determining community patterns at seed germination and establishment stages. I compared seedling and adult species richness patterns in relation to environmental gradients by adding seeds from 39 species across an elevation gradient, unimodally related to species richness on a limestone pavement. Environmental variables linked to habitat fertility (“available energy”), within-plot spatial or temporal variability (“environmental heterogeneity”), and spatial coordinates were evaluated as contributors to richness patterns using variance partitioning. Variables related to available energy explained most of the variance in species richness for adults and seedlings in sown plots; pure spatial variation, shared variation between energy and heterogeneity variables, and other shared fractions explained more of the variance in seedling richness in unsown plots. Seedling density and richness increased with sowing, but the relative increase differed along the elevation gradient; relative increase in richness was greatest at the lowest and highest elevations. Limited seed dispersal from parent plants may result in seedlings colonizing less favorable microsites in unsown plots, whereas sowing resulted in greater explained variance owing to environmental factors, and lower variance attributable to space alone, indicating that appropriate species are more able to reach suitable microsites. While many experimental studies have revealed associations between microsite characteristics and species-specific recruitment responses, seed limitations in natural communities can contribute to the spatial structure of seedling communities and mask environmental control of seedling species richness.
A COMPARISON OF SOFTWARE PRODUCT LINE SCOPING APPROACHES
Authors: LEE JIHYUN , KANG SUNGWON , LEE DANHYUNG
Published: December 2010

During the past decade a number of methods and techniques for software product line scoping have been developed. Although their basic goal is the same, when it comes to details it is often hard to see what they have in common, where they differ and what their strengths and weaknesses are. This makes it difficult for the user to decide when and how to use them because these methods and techniques sometimes describe the same concepts and activities with different terminologies and, more often than not, by that the activities and tasks defined in them do not exactly match with each other and their inputs/outcomes are not clearly defined. In this paper, we compare and analyze the mainstream approaches to software product line scoping, deduce their essential components and develop them into a unified approach that can be easily referred to and utilized by the user companies planning to launch product lines.
PROJECT RELIABILITY GROWTH MODEL BASED ON CURVES OF ACCUMULATED COMMUNICATION TOPICS FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT
Authors: HANAKAWA NORIKO
Published: December 2010

New trends in software development, such as agile software development, have a difficulty in conventional document-based management. Executable software has a higher priority than development documents such as detail design documents and formal bug reports. If managers depend on development reports in order to determine the project progress and the product quality, they will miss the opportunity of determining the progress and quality in agile software development. Therefore, we proposed a project reliability growth model for determining the project state without development documents. This model is based on conventional software reliability growth models. The parameters related to bugs are replaced with communication topic parameters. The concept and procedure of the model are the same as those of the software reliability growth model. By applying this model to open source projects, it is possible to detect a significant change in the project state without development documents.
FORMAL ANALYSIS OF UML 2.0 ACTIVITIES USING GRAPH TRANSFORMATION SYSTEMS
Authors: RAFE VAHID , RAHMANI ADEL T. , RAFEH REZA
Published: December 2010

Graph transformation is a general visual modeling language which is suitable for stating the dynamic semantics of the designed models formally. We present a highly understandable yet precise approach to formally define the behavioral semantics of UML 2.0 Activity diagrams by using graph transformation. In our approach we take into account control flow and data flow semantics. Our proposed semantics is based on token-like semantics and traverse-to-completion. The main advantage of our approach is automated formal verification and analysis of UML Activities. We use AGG to design Activities and we use our previous approach to model checking graph transformation system. Hereby, designers can verify and analyze designed Activity diagrams. Since workflow modeling is one of the main application areas of the Activities, we use our proposed semantics for modeling and verification of workflows to illustrate our approach.
ON A NEW INVARIANT OF FINITELY GENERATED MODULES OVER LOCAL RINGS
Authors: CUONG NGUYEN TU , CUONG DOAN TRUNG , TRUONG HOANG LE
Published: December 2010

Let M be a finitely generated module on a local ring R and [Formula: see text] a filtration of submodules of M such that do < d1 < ⋯ < dt = d, where di = dim Mi. This paper is concerned with a non-negative integer [Formula: see text] which is defined as the least degree of all polynomials in n1, …, nd bounding above the function [Formula: see text] We prove that [Formula: see text] is independent of the choice of good systems of parameters [Formula: see text]. When [Formula: see text] is the dimension filtration of M, we can use the polynomial type of Mi/Mi-1 and the dimension of the non-sequentially Cohen–Macaulay locus of M to compute [Formula: see text], and also to study the behavior of it under local flat homomorphisms.