bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
To Live and Die, Free and French
Authors: Semley Lorelle D.
Published: December 2012

Haiti was not yet born when Toussaint Louverture wrote his 1801 Constitution as governor-general of the French colony of Saint-Domingue. Louverture declared loyalty to the French Republic and displayed his independent power with a third article declaring, “Here, all men are born, live, and die, free and French.” This essay examines the fraught construction of a new black citizenship based on slave emancipation and empire at the heart of Louverture's 1801 Constitution. In particular, I examine Louverture's Constitution alongside French constitutions of the 1790s and early Haitian constitutions in terms of gendered language of marriage and the family. As Louverture sought to transform racial slavery of the past into black citizenship for the future by enforcing ideals of order, purity, and the family, he presented new, problematic ways of thinking about “blackness,” “Frenchness,” and a gendered sense of self that can inform our understanding of human rights debates today.
The National City Bank of New York and Haiti, 1909 – 1922
Authors: Hudson Peter James
Published: December 2012

This essay examines the expansion of the National City Bank of New York into Haiti between the years 1909 and 1922 to demonstrate that, while National City's interest in Haiti often overlapped with the US State Department's strategic goals for the Caribbean region, this interest also emerged in the context of National City's early-twentieth century internal managerial reforms that saw the bank diversify its operations and, in an attempt to evade domestic regulatory restrictions, create new institutional forms to expedite the accumulation of capital both in the United States and abroad. The essay also recovers the biography of the little-known but controversial figure of Roger Leslie Farnham, a National City Bank vice president who is often seen as instrumental in the development of US intervention in Haiti, as a means of re-situating his historical role in fomenting the intervention while arguing that through him, we can understand how National City's encounters with Haiti were shaped by racial capitalism.
Kanaval
Authors: Gordon Leah
Published: December 2012

A selection from a photography and oral history project made over sixteen years during Carnival in Jacmel, southern Haiti, which employs costume, street theater, narrative, and satire to register Haiti's juncture between its history, its cosmology, and the present body politic.
Meditations on Traveling Diasporically: Jean-Ulrick Désert and Negerhosen2000
Authors: Philogene Jerry
Published: December 2012

“Meditations on Traveling Diasporically: Jean-Ulrick Désert and Negerhosen2000” examines Negerhosen2000, the complex multivisual performance project by Haitian-born artist Jean-Ulrick Désert. Jerry Philogene argues that Désert's transplanted Caribbean flaneur is an emblematic representative of sartorial representation and black modernity whose goal is to utilize artistic practice as a mode for radical black subjectivity.
Haiti and Its Revolution: Four Recent Books
Authors: Geggus David
Published: December 2012

This review examines four works on revolutionary Haiti: Laurent Dubois's Haiti: The Aftershocks of History (2012); John D. Garrigus's Before Haiti: Race and Citizenship in French Saint-Domingue (2006); Philippe R. Girard's The Slaves Who Defeated Napoleon: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the Haitian War of Independence, 1801 – 1804 (2011); and Jeremy Popkin's You Are All Free: The Haitian Revolution and the Abolition of Slavery (2010).
Clearance Pricing Optimization for a Fast-Fashion Retailer
Authors: Caro Felipe , Gallien Jérémie
Published: December 2012

Fast-fashion retailers such as Zara offer continuously changing assortments and use minimal in-season promotions. Their clearance pricing problem is thus challenging because it involves comparatively more different articles of unsold inventory with less historical price data points. Until 2007, Zara used a manual and informal decision-making process for determining price markdowns. In collaboration with their pricing team, we since designed and implemented an alternative process relying on a formal forecasting model feeding a price optimization model. As part of a controlled field experiment conducted in all Belgian and Irish stores during the 2008 fall-winter season, this new process increased clearance revenues by approximately 6%. Zara is currently using this process worldwide for its markdown decisions during clearance sales.
Blind Network Revenue Management
Authors: Besbes Omar , Zeevi Assaf
Published: December 2012

We consider a general class of network revenue management problems, where mean demand at each point in time is determined by a vector of prices, and the objective is to dynamically adjust these prices so as to maximize expected revenues over a finite sales horizon. A salient feature of our problem is that the decision maker can only observe realized demand over time but does not know the underlying demand function that maps prices into instantaneous demand rate. We introduce a family of “blind” pricing policies that are designed to balance trade-offs between exploration (demand learning) and exploitation (pricing to optimize revenues). We derive bounds on the revenue loss incurred by said policies in comparison to the optimal dynamic pricing policy that knows the demand function a priori, and we prove that asymptotically, as the volume of sales increases, this gap shrinks to zero.
Optimizing Intensive Care Unit Discharge Decisions with Patient Readmissions
Authors: Chan Carri W. , Farias Vivek F. , Bambos Nicholas , Escobar Gabriel J.
Published: December 2012

This work examines the impact of discharge decisions under uncertainty in a capacity-constrained high-risk setting: the intensive care unit (ICU). New arrivals to an ICU are typically very high-priority patients and, should the ICU be full upon their arrival, discharging a patient currently residing in the ICU may be required to accommodate a newly admitted patient. Patients so discharged risk physiologic deterioration, which might ultimately require readmission; models of these risks are currently unavailable to providers. These readmissions in turn impose an additional load on the capacity-limited ICU resources.

We study the impact of several different ICU discharge strategies on patient mortality and total readmission load. We focus on discharge rules that prioritize patients based on some measure of criticality assuming the availability of a model of readmission risk. We use empirical data from over 5,000 actual ICU patient flows to calibrate our model. The empirical study suggests that a predictive model of the readmission risks associated with discharge decisions, in tandem with simple index policies of the type proposed, can provide very meaningful throughput gains in actual ICUs while at the same time maintaining, or even improving upon, mortality rates. We explicitly provide a discharge policy that accomplishes this. In addition to our empirical work, we conduct a rigorous performance analysis for the family of discharge policies we consider. We show that our policy is optimal in certain regimes, and is otherwise guaranteed to incur readmission related costs no larger than a factor of [Formula: see text] of an optimal discharge strategy, where [Formula: see text] is a certain natural measure of system utilization.
Coordination of Outsourced Operations at a Third-Party Facility Subject to Booking, Overtime, and Tardiness Costs
Authors: Cai Xiaoqiang , Vairaktarakis George L.
Published: December 2012

We consider an outsourcing problem where a group of manufacturers outsource jobs to a single third party who owns a specialized facility needed to process these jobs. The third party announces the time slots available on her facility, and the associated prices. Manufacturers reserve, on a first-come-first-book basis, time slots that they desire to utilize. Booking of overtime is possible, at a higher cost. A job completed after its due date incurs a tardiness cost. Each manufacturer books chunks of facility time and sequences his jobs over the time slots booked to minimize his booking, overtime, and tardiness costs. This model captures the main features of outsourcing operations in industries such as semiconductor manufacturing, biotechnology, and drug R&D. In current practice, the third party executes all outsourced jobs without performing optimization and coordination. We investigate the issue of the third party serving as a coordinator to create a win–win solution for all. We propose a model based on a cooperative game as follows: (i) Upon receiving the booking requests from the manufacturers, the third party derives an optimal solution if manufacturers cooperate, and computes the savings achieved. (ii) She devises a savings sharing scheme so that, in monetary terms, every manufacturer is better off to coordinate than to act independently or coalesce with a subgroup of manufacturers. (iii) For her work, the third party withholds a portion ρ of the booking revenue paid by the manufacturers for time slots that are released after coordination. We further design a truth-telling mechanism that can prevent any self-interested manufacturer from purposely reporting false job data to take advantage of the coordination scheme. Finally, we perform a computational experiment to assess the value of coordination to the various parties involved.
Optimality of Myopic Policies for Dynamic Lot-Sizing Problems in Serial Production Lines with Random Yields and Autoregressive Demand
Authors: Sobel Matthew J. , Babich Volodymyr
Published: December 2012

We study lot-size policies in a serial, multistage manufacturing/inventory system with two key generalizations, namely (1) random yields at each production stage and (2) an autoregressive demand process. Previous research shows that the optimal policies in models with random yields (even in models with a single installation) lack the familiar order-up-to structure and are not myopic. Thus, dynamic programming algorithms are needed to compute optimal policies, and one encounters the “curse of dimensionality”; this is exacerbated here by the need to expand the size and dimension of the state space to accommodate the autoregressive demand feature. Nevertheless, although our model is more complex, we prove that there is an optimal policy with the order-up-to feature and, more importantly, that the optimal policy is myopic. This avoids the computational burden of dynamic programming. Our results depend on two assumptions concerning the stochastic yield, namely that the expected yield at a work station is proportional to the lot size, and the distribution of the deviation of the yield from its mean does not depend on the lot size. We introduce the concept of echelon-like variables, a generalization of Clark and Scarf's classical concept of echelon variables, to derive the structure of optimal policies. Furthermore, we show that the same kind of policy is optimal for several criteria: infinite-horizon discounted cost, infinite-horizon long-run average cost, and finite-horizon discounted cost (with the appropriate choice of the salvage value function).
Pattern-Based Modeling and Solution of Probabilistically Constrained Optimization Problems
Authors: Lejeune Miguel A.
Published: December 2012

We propose a new modeling and solution method for probabilistically constrained optimization problems. The methodology is based on the integration of the stochastic programming and combinatorial pattern recognition fields. It permits the fast solution of stochastic optimization problems in which the random variables are represented by an extremely large number of scenarios. The method involves the binarization of the probability distribution and the generation of a consistent partially defined Boolean function (pdBf) representing the combination (F,p) of the binarized probability distribution F and the enforced probability level p. We show that the pdBf representing (F,p) can be compactly extended as a disjunctive normal form (DNF). The DNF is a collection of combinatorial p-patterns, each defining sufficient conditions for a probabilistic constraint to hold. We propose two linear programming formulations for the generation of p-patterns that can be subsequently used to derive a linear programming inner approximation of the original stochastic problem. A formulation allowing for the concurrent generation of a p-pattern and the solution of the deterministic equivalent of the stochastic problem is also proposed. The number of binary variables included in the deterministic equivalent formulation is not an increasing function of the number of scenarios used to represent uncertainty. Results show that large-scale stochastic problems, in which up to 50,000 scenarios are used to describe the stochastic variables, can be consistently solved to optimality within a few seconds.
Interactions of Tc(IV) with citrate in NaCl media
Authors: Wall Nathalie A. , Karunathilake Nelum , Dong Wenming
Published: December 2012

This paper presents the experimental determination of the stability constant for the citrate complexes with TcO(OH)+and TcO(OH)20at different ionic strengths (NaCl), using a solvent extraction method. Data show that the stability constants for the formation of TcO(OH)Cit2−and TcO(OH)2Cit3−are 107.5 ± 0.2and 102.8 ± 0.2, respectively, at zero ionic strength, with an average of 106.5 ± 0.3and 102.8 ± 0.2, respectively, in the 1.0–3.0 M ionic strength range. PHREEQC calculations based on these stability constants show that the TcO(OH)Cit2−is the predominant species between pH 3 and 8 and that 50 mM citrate leads to a Tc(IV) solubility of 2 × 10−5 M at pH 5.
An electrochemical technique to prepare 55Fe source for the calibration of the X-ray detectors
Authors: Kumar Manoj , Gandhi Shyamala S. , Udhayakumar J. , Satpati A. K. , Shukla Rakesh , Tyagi A. K. , Dash Ashutosh
Published: December 2012

This paper describes an electrochemical method for the preparation of 55Fe sources, utilized in the calibration of low energy X-ray detectors. In this process, electrodeposition of 55Fe containing 185 MBq (∼5 mCi) of activity on a small circular cross sectional flat surface area (∼0.07 cm2) within a cylindrical Cu metal rod was carried out at a current density of 20 mA/cm2 at 18 ºC for 4 h using sulphate bath maintained at pH ∼ 2. The electrolytic cell, the experimental set up used and the process of 55Fe deposition were described. The effect of various experimental parameters influencing the electrodeposition of 55Fe were identified and optimized. The texture and morphology of the electrodeposited samples were examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM and EDS techniques. The quantity of deposited 55Fe activity was assayed in a calibrated ion chamber. Quality control tests were carried out to ensure nonleachability, uniform distribution of activity and stability of the sources.
Bosna: The Australian-Bosnian Weekly (The Bosnian Language in Australia)
Authors: Hill Peter M.
Published: December 2012

This paper investigates the state of the Bosnian language on the basis of an analysis of the Australian-Bosnian weekly Bosna. The concept of a Bosnian language (bosanski jezik) is not new but has taken on a new lease on life with the establishment of an independent state of Bosnia and Hercegovina (BH). The general consensus is that, while there is still a common vernacular in that republic and beyond within the neoštokavian area, a new BH standard is coming into being. It still has a very flexible (“wide” or “soft”) norm and this is reflected in the enormous degree of variation in the newspaper Bosna.
Spatial genetic structure and asymmetrical gene flow within the Pacific walrus
Authors: Sonsthagen Sarah A. , Jay Chadwick V. , Fischbach Anthony S. , Sage George K. , Talbot Sandra L.
Published: December 2012

Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) occupying shelf waters of Pacific Arctic seas migrate during spring and summer from 3 breeding areas in the Bering Sea to form sexually segregated nonbreeding aggregations. We assessed genetic relationships among 2 putative breeding populations and 6 nonbreeding aggregations. Analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence data suggest that males are distinct among breeding populations (ΦST = 0.051), and between the eastern Chukchi and other nonbreeding aggregations (ΦST = 0.336–0.449). Nonbreeding female aggregations were genetically distinct across marker types (microsatellite FST = 0.019; mtDNA ΦST = 0.313), as was eastern Chukchi and all other nonbreeding aggregations (microsatellite FST = 0.019–0.035; mtDNA ΦST = 0.386–0.389). Gene flow estimates are asymmetrical from St. Lawrence Island into the southeastern Bering breeding population for both sexes. Partitioning of haplotype frequencies among breeding populations suggests that individuals exhibit some degree of philopatry, although weak. High levels of genetic differentiation among eastern Chukchi and all other nonbreeding aggregations, but considerably lower genetic differentiation between breeding populations, suggest that at least 1 genetically distinct breeding population remained unsampled. Limited genetic structure at microsatellite loci between assayed breeding areas can emerge from several processes, including male-mediated gene flow, or population admixture following a decrease in census size (i.e., due to commercial harvest during 1880–1950s) and subsequent recovery. Nevertheless, high levels of genetic diversity in the Pacific walrus, which withstood prolonged decreases in census numbers with little impact on neutral genetic diversity, may reflect resiliency in the face of past environmental challenges.
Foraging and growth responses of stream‐dwelling fishes to inter‐annual variation in a pulsed resource subsidy
Authors: Bentley Kale T. , Schindler Daniel E. , Armstrong Jonathan B. , Zhang Rui , Ruff Casey P. , Lisi Peter J.
Published: December 2012

Pulsed resource subsidies generate ephemeral fluxes of nutrients and energy among ecosystems. The effects of pulsed subsidies should depend on the magnitude of the pulse, the in situ productivity of the recipient system, and the ability of consumers to capitalize on the resources, yet empirical data on these relationships are limited. We assessed the ecological consequences of variation in resource pulse magnitude, as represented by anadromous salmon returns, for the foraging and growth responses of two species of stream‐dwelling salmonids in two streams that vary in productivity in southwestern Alaska. Over 11 years and across a greater than 10‐fold variation in sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) density, both rainbow trout (O. mykiss) and Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) exhibited a relatively similar, but mechanistically different, non‐linear saturating growth response to increasing salmon density. This growth response was driven by both an increase in consumption of salmon eggs and also a decrease in dietary overlap between the two species. However, the relative change in growth from low to high salmon densities was different between streams and depended on in situ stream productivity. In low salmon density years the growth of resident consumers fell 46–68% relative to high years in the low productivity stream, but only by 26–34% in the high productivity stream. Our study provides strong evidence that understanding of both the foraging ecology of consumers and the in situ productivity of recipient ecosystems, which together regulate the ecological consequences of variation in resource subsidies, is required for successful implementation of ecosystem‐based management in systems dependent on pulsed resource subsidies.
Thermal decomposition of a molecular material {N(n-C4H9)4[FeIIFeIII(C2O4)3]}∞ leading to ferrite: A reaction kinetics study
Authors: Bhattacharjee Ashis , Roy Debasis , Roy Madhusudan , Adhikari Arunabha
Published: December 2012

A multi-step thermal decomposition of a molecular precursor,
{N(n-C4H9)4[FeIIFeIII(C2O4)3}? has been studied using non-isothermal
thermogravimetry (TG) measurements in the temperature range 300 to ~800 K at
multiple heating rates (5, 10 and 20 K min-1). The thermal decomposition of
the oxalate-based complex proceeds stepwise through a series of intermediate
reactions. Two different isoconversional methods, namely, improved iterative
method and model-free method are employed to evaluate the kinetic parameters:
activation energy and rate of reaction, and the most probable reaction
mechanism of thermal decomposition is also determined. The different reaction
pathways leading to different steps in the TG profile have also been explored
which are supplemented by earlier experimental observations of the present
authors.
Catalyst materials based on plasma-processed alumina nanopowder
Authors: Palcevskis Eriks , Kulikova Lidija , Serga Vera , Cvetkovs Antons , Chornaja Svetlana , Sproge Elina , Dubencovs Konstantins
Published: December 2012

A platinum catalyst for glycerol oxidation by molecular oxygen has been
developed applying the extractive-pyrolytic method and using, as a support, a
fine alumina powder with an average particle size of 30-60 nm processed by
plasma technology. The extractive-pyrolytic method (EPM) allows affixing
small amounts of catalytic metals (1-5%) with the particle size ranging from
several nanometers to several tens of nanometers onto the surface of the
support. The prepared material - 4.8 wt. % platinum on nano-sized alumina -
can be used as a catalyst for glycerol oxidation by oxygen with conversion up
to 84%, in order to produce some organic acids (glyceric and lactic acid)
with a selectivity of about 60%.
Effects of repeated sterilization cycles on primary stability of orthodontic mini-screws
Authors: Akyalcin Sercan , McIver Holly P. , English Jeryl D. , Ontiveros Joe C. , Gallerano Ron L.
Published: December 2012

Objective:

To determine if repeated sterilization has deleterious effects on the clinical stability of mini-screws.

Materials and Methods:

Thirty each of the following mini-screws were tested: Aarhus (American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, Wisc), VectorTAS (Ormco Corporation, Orange, Calif), Dual-Top (RMO, Denver, Colo), and Ortho Anchor (KLS Martin, Jacksonville, Fla). Controls were sterilized once using a steam autoclave (Statim 5000, SciCan USA, Canonsburg, Pa). Each group of mini-screws was divided into three groups: the control (n  =  10) and two test groups (n  =  10, each). Test groups were cycled five and 10 times respectively. All screws were inserted into custom-designed synthetic blocks that simulated mandibular bone. Maximum insertion torque and lateral displacement force data were recorded and subjected to statistical testing. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and three-way mixed ANOVA were used for statistical analyses for maximum insertion torque data and lateral displacement force data, respectively. Level of significance was established at P < .05.

Results:

Insertion torque values displayed significant differences between both of the groups and sterilization cycles (P < .05). Significant differences were observed between American Aarhus mini-screws and both RMO and KLS Martin mini-screws. Ormco Vector mini-screws also differed significantly from the KLS Martin mini-screws in this comparison (P < .05). For lateral displacement, there was a significant main effect of groups, F(1,36)  =  14.5 (P < .05). Significant differences were observed between American Aarhus mini-screws and all three of the other groups (P < .05).

Conclusions:

The examined groups displayed statistical differences of variable quality that may not affect their clinical stability.
The Policy Objectives of a Biofuel Industry in Canada: An Assessment
Authors: Le Roy Danny , Klein Kurt
Published: December 2012

Canada has a huge stock of biomass resources, which provides a basis (and a temptation) for development of a major bio-fuels industry. Both federal and provincial governments have engaged in a wide array of subsidies, mandates, and other measures to stimulate production and consumption of biofuels. As a result, biofuels has become a growth industry in Canada with production of ethanol almost 10 times higher than it was ten years earlier. However, this has come at considerable cost to taxpayers. Increased biofuel production has resulted in minimal reduction in greenhouse gases, short run (but not long run) increases in net farm income (that benefited grain and oilseed producers but hurt livestock producers), large increases in the prices of farm land due to the higher grain and oilseed prices, and minimal impacts on rural economic diversification.
Defining the Parameters of Incidental Learning on a Serial Reaction Time (SRT) Task: Do Conscious Rules Apply?
Authors: Barker Lynne
Published: December 2012

There is ongoing debate about the contribution of explicit processes to incidental learning, particularly attention, working memory and control mechanisms. Studies generally measure explicit process contributions to incidental learning by comparing dual- to single-task sequence learning on some variant of a Serial Reaction Time (SRT), usually adopting an auditory tone counting task as the secondary task/memory load. Few studies have used secondary working memory stimuli with the SRT task, those that have typically presented secondary stimuli, before, after or between primary task stimuli. Arguably, this design is problematic because participants may potentially “switch” attention between sequential stimulus sources limiting the potential of both tasks to simultaneously index shared cognitive resources. In the present study secondary Visual and Verbal, memory tasks were temporally synchronous and spatially embedded with the primary SRT task for Visual and Verbal dual-task conditions and temporally synchronous but spatially displaced for Visual-Spatial and Verbal-Spatial Above/Below conditions, to investigate modality specific contributions of visual, verbal and spatial memory to incidental and explicit sequence learning. Incidental learning scores were not different as an effect of condition but explicit scores were. Explicit scores significantly and incrementally diminished from the Single-task through Visual-Spatial Below conditions; percentage accuracy scores on secondary tasks followed a significant corresponding pattern suggesting an explicit learning/secondary memory task trade-off as memory demands of tasks increased across condition. Incidental learning boundary conditions are unlikely to substantially comprise working memory processes.
Time to Reconsider Stem Cell Induction Strategies
Authors: Denker Hans-Werner
Published: December 2012

Recent developments in stem cell research suggest that it may be time to reconsider the current focus of stem cell induction strategies. During the previous five years, approximately, the induction of pluripotency in somatic cells, i.e., the generation of so-called ‘induced pluripotent stem cells’ (iPSCs), has become the focus of ongoing research in many stem cell laboratories, because this technology promises to overcome limitations (both technical and ethical) seen in the production and use of embryonic stem cells (ESCs). A rapidly increasing number of publications suggest, however, that it is now possible to choose instead other, alternative ways of generating stem and progenitor cells bypassing pluripotency. These new strategies may offer important advantages with respect to ethics, as well as to safety considerations. The present communication discusses why these strategies may provide possibilities for an escape from the dilemma presented by pluripotent stem cells (self-organization potential, cloning by tetraploid complementation, patenting problems and tumor formation risk).
Association between Childhood Dental Experiences and Dental Fear among Dental, Psychology and Mathematics Undergraduates in Brazil
Authors: Oliveira Maurício , Bendo Cristiane , Ferreira Meire , Paiva Saul , Vale Miriam , Serra-Negra Júnia
Published: December 2012

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association between childhood dental experiences and dental fear in adulthood among dentistry, psychology and mathematics undergraduate students. A cross-sectional study of 1,256 students from the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, was performed. Students responded to the Brazilian version of the Dental Fear Survey (DFS) and a questionnaire regarding previous dental experiences. Both the DFS and the questionnaire were self-administered. Association was tested using descriptive, bivariate and multivariate linear regression analysis, with a 5% significance level. Dentistry undergraduates reported lower scores than psychology (p < 0.001) and mathematics undergraduates (p < 0.05) for all three dimensions of the DFS. Negative dental experiences in childhood was associated with dimensions of Avoidance (B = 2.70, p < 0.001), Physiological arousal (B = 1.42, p < 0.001) and Fears of specific stimuli/situations (B = 3.44, p < 0.001). The reason for first visit to dentist was associated with dimensions of Physiological arousal (B = 0.76, p < 0.01) and Fears of specific stimuli/situations (B = 1.29, p < 0.01). Dentists should be encouraged to evaluate the dental fear of their patients before treatment. The DFS has been found to be an effective instrument for this purpose.
X-Ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1 in Base Excision Repair
Authors: Hanssen-Bauer Audun , Solvang-Garten Karin , Akbari Mansour , Otterlei Marit
Published: December 2012

X-ray Repair Cross Complementing protein 1 (XRCC1) acts as a scaffolding protein in the converging base excision repair (BER) and single strand break repair (SSBR) pathways. XRCC1 also interacts with itself and rapidly accumulates at sites of DNA damage. XRCC1 can thus mediate the assembly of large multiprotein DNA repair complexes as well as facilitate the recruitment of DNA repair proteins to sites of DNA damage. Moreover, XRCC1 is present in constitutive DNA repair complexes, some of which associate with the replication machinery. Because of the critical role of XRCC1 in DNA repair, its common variants Arg194Trp, Arg280His and Arg399Gln have been extensively studied. However, the prevalence of these variants varies strongly in different populations, and their functional influence on DNA repair and disease remains elusive. Here we present the current knowledge about the role of XRCC1 and its variants in BER and human disease/cancer.
Analysis of the Endoplasmic Reticulum Subproteome in the Livers of Type 2 Diabetic Mice
Authors: Park Edmond , Kim Gun-Hwa , Yun Sung-Ho , Lim Hye , Hong Yeonhee , Kwon Sang-Oh , Kwon Joseph , Chung Young-Ho , Kim Seung
Published: December 2012

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that results from insulin resistance in the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue and relative insulin deficiency. The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays a crucial role in the regulation of the cellular response to insulin. Recently, ER stress has been known to reduce the insulin sensitivity of the liver and lead to type 2 diabetes. However, detailed mechanisms of ER stress response that leads to type 2 diabetes remains unknown. To obtain a global view of ER function in type 2 diabetic liver and identify proteins that may be responsible for hepatic ER stress and insulin resistance, we performed proteomics analysis of mouse liver ER using nano UPLC-MSE. A total of 1584 proteins were identified in control C57 and type 2 diabetic db/db mice livers. Comparison of the rER and sER proteomes from normal mice showed that proteins involved in protein synthesis and metabolic process were enriched in the rER, while those associated with transport and cellular homeostasis were localized to the sER. In addition, proteins involved in protein folding and ER stress were found only in the rER. In the livers of db/db mice, however, the functions of the rER and sER were severely disrupted, including the capacity to resolve ER stress. These results provide new insight into the research on hepatic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and are suggestive of the potential use of the differentially expressed hepatic ER proteins as biomarkers for hepatic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
A Review: Fundamental Aspects of Silicate Mesoporous Materials
Authors: ALOthman Zeid
Published: December 2012

Silicate mesoporous materials have received widespread interest because of their potential applications as supports for catalysis, separation, selective adsorption, novel functional materials, and use as hosts to confine guest molecules, due to their extremely high surface areas combined with large and uniform pore sizes. Over time a constant demand has developed for larger pores with well-defined pore structures. Silicate materials, with well-defined pore sizes of about 2.0–10.0 nm, surpass the pore-size constraint (<2.0 nm) of microporous zeolites. They also possess extremely high surface areas (>700 m2 g−1) and narrow pore size distributions. Instead of using small organic molecules as templating compounds, as in the case of zeolites, long chain surfactant molecules were employed as the structure-directing agent during the synthesis of these highly ordered materials. The structure, composition, and pore size of these materials can be tailored during synthesis by variation of the reactant stoichiometry, the nature of the surfactant molecule, the auxiliary chemicals, the reaction conditions, or by post-synthesis functionalization techniques. This review focuses mainly on a concise overview of silicate mesoporous materials together with their applications. Perusal of the review will enable researchers to obtain succinct information about microporous and mesoporous materials.
Large-Scale Separation of Alkaloids from Corydalis bungeana Turcz. by pH-Zone-Refining Counter-Current Chromatography
Authors: Wang Xiao , Dong Hongjing , Shu Xikai , Zheng Zhenjia , Yang Bin , Huang Luqi
Published: December 2012

pH-Zone-refining counter-current chromatography (pH-zone-refining CCC) was successfully applied for the large-scale separation of alkaloids from Corydalis bungeana. The crude extract was separated by a two-phase solvent system composed of petroleum ether–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (5:5:2:8, v/v) where triethylamine (10 mM) was added to the upper organic stationary phase as a retainer and hydrochloric acid (5 mM) to the aqueous mobile phase as a displacer. As a result, 285 mg of protopine, 86 mg of corynoloxine, 430 mg of coryno1ine, and 115 mg of acetylcorynoline were obtained from 3.0 g of crude extract in a one-step separation. The purities of these compounds were 99.1%, 98.3%, 99.0% and 98.5%, respectively, as determined by HPLC. The chemical structures of these isolated compounds were confirmed by ESI-MS, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR.
A New Concept for Quantifying the Complicated Kinematics of the Cervical Spine and Its Application in Evaluating the Impairment of Clients with Mechanical Neck Disorders
Authors: Yang Chia-Chi , Su Fong-Chin , Guo Lan-Yuen
Published: December 2012

Mechanical neck disorder (MND) is one of the most common health issues and is characterized by restricted cervical mobility. However, traditional kinematic information often focuses on primary movement in the cardinal plane, which seems insufficient to fully determine the kinematics of the cervical spine because of the complexity of the anatomical structures involved. Therefore, the current investigation aimed to modify the concept of the three-dimensional workspace to propose an objective mathematical model to quantify the complicated kinematics of the cervical spine. In addition, the observation evaluated the characteristics of the cervical workspace in asymptomatic and MND groups. Seventeen healthy volunteers and twenty-five individuals with MND participated in the study and executed the motion of circumduction to establish the cervical workspace using an electromagnetic tracking system. The results produced a mathematical model to successfully quantify the cervical workspace. Moreover, MND groups demonstrated significant reduction in the normalization of the cervical workspace with respect to the length of the head-cervical complex. Accordingly, the current study provided a new concept for understanding the complicated kinematics of the cervical spine. The cervical workspace could be a useful index to evaluate the extent of impairment of the cervical spine and monitor the efficacy of rehabilitation programs for patients with MND.
A Smartphone-Based Driver Safety Monitoring System Using Data Fusion
Authors: Lee Boon-Giin , Chung Wan-Young
Published: December 2012

This paper proposes a method for monitoring driver safety levels using a data fusion approach based on several discrete data types: eye features, bio-signal variation, in-vehicle temperature, and vehicle speed. The driver safety monitoring system was developed in practice in the form of an application for an Android-based smartphone device, where measuring safety-related data requires no extra monetary expenditure or equipment. Moreover, the system provides high resolution and flexibility. The safety monitoring process involves the fusion of attributes gathered from different sensors, including video, electrocardiography, photoplethysmography, temperature, and a three-axis accelerometer, that are assigned as input variables to an inference analysis framework. A Fuzzy Bayesian framework is designed to indicate the driver’s capability level and is updated continuously in real-time. The sensory data are transmitted via Bluetooth communication to the smartphone device. A fake incoming call warning service alerts the driver if his or her safety level is suspiciously compromised. Realistic testing of the system demonstrates the practical benefits of multiple features and their fusion in providing a more authentic and effective driver safety monitoring.
Winter Performance of Inter-Locking Pavers—Stormwater Quantity and Quality
Authors: Huang Jian , Valeo Caterina , He Jianxun , Chu Angus
Published: December 2012

This study examined the effectiveness of open-joint inter-locking pavers in a permeable pavement in cold (winter) conditions. A field-scale inter-locking paver cell (UNI Eco-Optiloc®) was built to evaluate the hydraulic performance and water quality improvements experienced during freeze-thaw and frozen conditions in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Hydraulic performance was assessed using stormwater runoff reduction (peaks and volumes) and surface infiltration capacity. Water quality performance for removal of total suspended solids (TSS), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorous (TP) and three heavy metals: copper, lead and zinc, was assessed. Results from the study demonstrated that the inter-locking pavers were effective in attenuating stormwater runoff peak volumes. The surface infiltration capacity decreased significantly due to the deposition of sanding and de-icing materials on the pavement surface during winter operation. Infiltrated stormwater was stored and treated within the pavement structure, which showed removal rates of 91% for TSS, 78% for TP, 6% for TN, 68% for zinc, 69% for copper and 55% for lead.
Trends in neonatal and post-neonatal tetanus admissions at a Nigerian teaching hospital
Authors: Oyedeji Olusola Adetunji , Fadero Francis , Joel-Medewase Victor , Elemile Peter , Oyedeji Gabriel Ademola
Published: December 2012

Introduction: Tetanus accounts for high morbidity and case fatality rates in developing countries. This study therefore aimed to identify reasons for the persistence of this disease. Methodology: Paediatric admissions at Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2008 diagnosed with tetanus were studied. Data was analyzed with SPSS 18 and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Of the total 1,681 paediatric admissions, 30 (1.8%) had tetanus. Of the 878 neonatal admissions, 8 (0.9%) had tetanus, while 22 (2.7%) of the total 803 post-neonatal admissions had tetanus. Neonatal tetanus admissions were significantly higher in 2006 compared to 2007 and 2008 (7 [2.3%] versus 1 [0.2%] [χ2= 7.50, P=0.01]). Of the eight mothers whose neonates had tetanus, seven did not receive tetanus toxoids in pregnancy and five (62.5%) were secondary school dropouts. Post-neonatal tetanus cases admitted in the years 2006, 2007, and 2008 were 4, 12, and 6 children respectively. Most of these 22 children did not receive tetanus toxoid immunization in their first year of life. None of the 22 children received booster doses of tetanus toxoids after their first years of life. Conclusion: Mothers at risk of their babies having tetanus, such as secondary school dropouts, must be identified antenatally and vaccinated with tetanus toxiod. Their babies should also receive good care post-delivery. Completion of routine tetanus toxoid schedule in the first year and booster doses in the post-neonatal age should be ensured.
Streptococcus agalactiae causing pyometra in an elderly female with cervical cancer
Authors: Gupta Ruchi , Das Anupam , Krishna Prakash S
Published: December 2012

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important cause of invasive infections in neonates and is emerging as an important pathogen in elderly females. S. agalactiae is a commensal organism of the female genital tract; however, isolation from the uterine cavity suggests ascending infection of this organism caused by occlusion of the uterine cavity. We report a case of S. agalactiae causing pyometra in an elderly female with cervical cancer.
Absence of routine molecular testing and prevalence of HIV-2 infection in regions hardest-hit by HIV infection
Authors: Forbi Joseph C , Esona Mathew D , Iperepolu Hellen O , Adoga Moses P , Agwale Simon M
Published: December 2012

Introduction: Investigating the incidence and dynamics of HIV-2 and false-negative HIV test results in a highly sexually active population where frequent opportunities exist for acquiring and transmitting infections provides additional understanding of the epidemiology of the virus in Africa. Methodology: The HIV status of 900 active female sex workers (FSWs) was determined using two lateral flow rapid assays in series. The second rapid test device incorporates type-specific recombinant peptides that discriminate between HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection. HIV sero-negative samples were re-tested for HIV infection and their viral loads determined using the NucliSENS real-time nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) platform. Results: In total, 335 FSWs were determined to be HIV positive, the majority (227; 67.8%) of whom were between the ages of 20 and 30 years. Eighteen (5.4%) were found to have evidence of HIV-2 infection, 17 of whom were co-infected with HIV-1. Only one HIV-2 mono-infection was observed. Out of 565 HIV-negative individuals determined by serology, 11(1.9%; p>0.05) were found to be HIV-1 positive when tested via the NASBA platform. Conclusion: False negative test results, HIV-2 infection, and complex transmission networks among FSWs may aid in fueling the HIV epidemic in the Nigerian population. These findings demonstrate the need to reevaluate the quality of HIV serological diagnostics, control services, and stress the need for widespread introduction of molecular testing among high-risk populations in the country.
Baseline Findings of an HIV Incidence Cohort Study to Prepare for Future HIV Prevention Clinical Trials in Kisumu, Kenya
Authors: Chege Wairimu , Pals Sherri L , McLellan-Lemal Eleanor , Shinde Sanjyot , Nyambura Monicah , Otieno Frederick O , Gust Deborah A , Chen Robert T , Thomas Timothy
Published: December 2012

Introduction: In an analysis of baseline findings of an HIV incidence cohort study, an assessment was made of HIV prevalence among persons presenting for enrollment and any differences in demographic characteristics between persons not enrolled compared to those enrolled.  We also described and compared HIV risk behaviors in males and females enrolled in the study. Methodology: A computer-assisted survey was administered to collect baseline demographic and HIV risk data from 1,277 men and women aged 18-34 years. Testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) was conducted.  Out of 1,277 persons prescreened for eligibility, 625 were enrolled. Results: HIV prevalence of all persons who completed screening was 14.8% (females: 21.1%; males: 8.1%).  The odds of being enrolled in the study were higher for persons 18-24 years compared to those 30-34 years of age [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.18, CI=1.13, 4.21] and males compared to females [AOR=2.07, CI=1.43, 2.99].  Among those enrolled in the study, the most prevalent HIV risk behaviors were unprotected sex (49%), alcohol use (45%), and transactional sex (30%) in the last three months. Compared to females, a significantly greater proportion of males reported using any alcohol or recreational drug in the last three months, a history of oral sex, sex with partner other than a spouse or main partner, ever having a blood transfusion, ever being treated for an STI, and having knowledge of their last HIV test result.Conclusion: The Kisumu Field Station successfully recruited individuals with HIV risk characteristics for the HIV incidence cohort study.
Building and Testing a Patient-Centric Electronic Bedside Communication Center
Authors: Dykes Patricia C. , Carroll Diane L. , Hurley Ann C. , Benoit Angela , Chang Frank , Pozzar Rachel , Caligtan Christine A.
Published: December 2012

In this article, the authors describe the development and pilot testing of an electronic bedside communication center (eBCC) prototype to improve access to health information for hospitalized adults and their family caregivers. Focus groups were used to identify improvements for the initial eBCC prototype developed by the research team. Face-to-face bedside interviews and questions were presented while patients used the eBCC for usability testing to drive further development. Qualitative methods within an iterative, participatory approach supported the development of an eBCC prototype that was considered both easy to use and helpful for accessing tailored patient information during an inpatient hospitalization to receive acute care.
Psychometric Evaluation of the Surrogate Decision Making Self-Efficacy Scale
Authors: Lopez Ruth Palan , Guarino A.J.
Published: December 2012

Currently, no instrument exists to assess self-efficacy for surrogate decision making. This study assessed the psychometric properties of the Surrogate Decision Making Self-Efficacy Scale (SDM-SES). Interview data from surrogate decision makers (SDMs) were used to generate the items. Items were assessed for face validity by expert gerontological nurses. Responses from a sample of 155 SDMs for nursing home residents with dementia were analyzed to assess the psychometric properties of the scale scores. Internal consistency was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and construct validity was evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient suggested high internal consistency, and results of the confirmatory factor analysis supported the construct validity of the instrument. The SDM-SES may be useful as an assessment instrument, as well as an outcome measure for interventions aimed at increasing the capacity of SDMs. Future validations are suggested to optimize its utility.
Dos notas a propósito de Castromao (Celanova, Ourense)
Authors: Fariña Busto Francisco
Published: December 2012

No disponible.
Tentativas para promover la industria del jabón en la Galicia setecentista
Authors: Meijide Pardo Antonio
Published: December 2012

Ha sido en el fructífero reinado de Carlos III cuando comienzan a adoptarse firmemente las primeras providencias a fin de impulsar lo más posible la industria nacional del jabón, cuyo principal punto de arranque atañe entonces a las ciudades de Sevilla, Alicante y Elche, con el claro designio de eludir la habitual y masiva introducción del artículo extranjero. Tal decisión política de apoyo oficial a empresarios privados habría de permitir, con inmediatez, la proliferación en diversos puntos de la geografía peninsular de numerosas fábricas de jabón, cuyo gran impulso vióse muy propiciado por la extraordinaria abundancia de aceite, sosa y barrilla.
Peregrinos jacobeos en Oviedo a finales del siglo XVIII
Authors: López Roberto J.
Published: December 2012

No disponible.
Obras en la red viaria que daba acceso a la Compostela del siglo XVIII
Authors: Ortega Romero M. S. D.
Published: December 2012

No disponible.