bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seasonal variation of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) species diversity and community structure in tropical streams of Thailand
Authors: PRAMUAL Pairot , WONGPAKAM Komgrit
Published: March 2010

Seasonal variation of the physicochemical conditions of streams plays an important role in aquatic insect diversity and community structure. Asian tropical streams profoundly change between seasons due to the effects of monsoons. However, little is known about how these changes affect aquatic insect diversity and community structure. The objectives of this study are to examine seasonal variations of the physicochemical conditions in tropical streams in Thailand and to assess the effects of these changes on black fly community structure and diversity. Black flies were sampled and physicochemical conditions recorded at eight sites between December 2007 and December 2008. A total of 10 black fly species were found. Comparisons of the streams between seasons revealed that physical conditions related to rainfall rate were significantly different. Canonical correspondence analysis differentiated sampling sites from each season. Streams in the rainy season were faster and deeper, with higher discharge and conductivity than those of the cold and dry seasons. Species richness was significantly higher in the rainy season than in the cold and dry seasons (F = 6.23, P = 0.004). Community structure profoundly changed between the low‐flow season (cold and dry) and high‐flow season. Black fly species found predominantly in the low‐flow season (Simulium siamense“cytoform A”, S. aureohirtum) decreased dramatically during the high‐flow season. In contrast, species found at high frequency during the high‐flow season (S. nakhonense, S. angulistylum) disappeared in the low‐flow season. The study demonstrates the importance of seasonal variation of stream conditions on black fly community structure and diversity.
New species of Dialeurodes Cockerell (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) with diagnoses and keys to puparia and adults from Taiwan
Authors: KO Chiun‐Cheng , CHEN Young‐Fa , DUBEY Anil K.
Published: March 2010

Adult and immature stages of a new whitefly species Dialeurodes swidi Ko are described and illustrated. It can be distinguished from other species by the abundant large tubercles scattered over its dorsum, each of them bearing a geminate pore. The biology, comparative notes and identification keys to puparia and adults of Dialeurodes species of Taiwan are provided.
UV reflectance of inter‐subspecific hybrid females obtained by crossing cabbage butterflies from Japan (Pieris rapae crucivora) with those from New Zealand (P. rapae rapae)
Authors: OBARA Yoshiaki , WATANABE Kenta , SATOH Toshiyuki
Published: March 2010

Cross‐mating was performed between subspecies of cabbage butterfly Pieris rapae crucivora from Japan and P. rapae rapae from New Zealand, whose females are known to reflect and absorb ultraviolet (UV) light, respectively. In the female F1 hybrids UV reflectance was intermediate between the two parent females. Further, the UV reflectance was significantly higher in the female F1 hybrids derived from females of the New Zealand subspecies than in those derived from females of the Japanese subspecies.
Desiccation tolerance in fully developed embryos of two cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata
Authors: MORIYAMA Minoru , NUMATA Hideharu
Published: March 2010

In two Japanese cicadas, Cryptotympana facialis and Graptopsaltria nigrofuscata, with different habitat distributions, fully developed embryos hatch in response to high humidity due to rainfall. Despite the advantage of hatching on rainy days, this trait burdens embryos with an extra period of desiccation until the unpredictable advent of rain. We compared the ability of the fully developed embryos of these cicadas to endure periods of low humidity. Eggs were exposed to a combination of different humidities (43% and 75% relative humidity, RH) and durations (0–15 days), and then transferred to an environment with 100% RH to stimulate hatching. In both species, total hatching rates decreased as duration increased, although there was no significant effect of humidity. In C. facialis, a considerable proportion of the eggs hatched during the desiccation period, and the hatching rate was higher at 75% RH than at 43% RH. After transfer to 100% RH, most hatching occurred within a day regardless of the desiccation level. In G. nigrofuscata, no nymphs hatched during the desiccation periods. However, more eggs required more than a day after transfer to 100% RH to hatch after desiccation at 43% RH than at 75% RH. Consequently, the overall proportion of timely hatching of eggs (eggs hatching within a day of moisture supply) was higher after desiccation at 43% RH in C. facialis, but it was higher after desiccation at 75% RH in G. nigrofuscata. These different physiological responses of the two species may reflect adaptation to habitat dryness.
Seasonal life cycles and resource uses of flower‐ and fruit‐feeding drosophilid flies (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in central Japan
Authors: MITSUI Hideyuki , BEPPU Katsura , KIMURA Masahito T.
Published: March 2010

Seasonal life cycles and resource uses of flower‐ and fruit‐feeding drosophilids (Diptera: Drosophilidae) were studied from low to high altitudes in central Japan to understand their adaptation to seasonal changes of environmental conditions. Drosophila unipectinata and D. oshimai specialized to flowers, D. suzukii and D. subpulchrella depended almost on fruits, while D. lutescens, D. rufa, D. auraria, D. biauraria and D. sternopleuralis used both of them. It was assumed that D. unipectinata moved from low to high altitudes in June while D. oshimai, D. suzukii and D. subpulchrella in July. Migration of D. unipectinata is considered as a means to avoid summer heat or exploit early‐summer resources at high altitudes. On the other hand, D. oshimai, D. suzukii and D. subpulchrella have the capacity to pass the summer at low altitudes, and therefore their migration is assumed as a means to escape from resource‐poor conditions in summer at low altitudes or exploit resources at high altitudes. The generalist species, D. lutescens, D. rufa, D. auraria, D. biauraria and D. sternopleuralis, would not perform such extensive movements between low and high altitudes. They may pass the summer at low or mid altitudes depending on accidentally fallen immature fruits and/or some other resources such as decayed leaves.
Apical Systolic Eccentricity Index: A Better Marker of Right Ventricular Compromise in Pulmonary Hypertension
Authors: López‐Candales Angel , Bazaz Raveen , Edelman Kathy , Gulyasy Beth
Published: March 2010

Background: Systolic eccentricity index (sEI) has been traditionally measured at the papillary muscle (PM) level. However, this measurement does not take into account the remodeling that occurs in the right ventricle (RV) during chronic pulmonary hypertension (cPH). Methods: Standard echocardiographic data were collected on 50 patients (age 58 ± 14 years) with known cPH (74 ± 22 mmHg; range 45–120 mmHg) who had adequate short‐axis views at the mitral valve (MV), PM, and apical (AP) levels to measure sEI. All had a normal left ventricular ejection fraction (72 ± 10%). Results: In a multivariate analysis, the traditional PM level sEI correlated the best with cPH when pulmonary artery systolic pressures (PASP) ranged between 45 and 60 mmHg (r =−0.569, P < 0.001) while AP level sEI was better when all patients were included in the analysis (r =−0.843, P < 0.0001). Not only was AP level sEI the only echo variable helpful in identifying a dilated end diastolic RV area (r =−0.730, P < 0.0001) but also patients with worse RV systolic performance (r = 0.686, P < 0.0001). MV level sEI was not better than PM level sEI. Conclusions: AP level sEI appears to be superior to traditional PM level sEI measurement as it correlates better with worsening PH severity, RV cavity dilation and RV systolic dysfunction. Further studies are now required to prospectively study how these septal abnormalities in cPH may affect RV as well as LV systolic and diastolic function. (Echocardiography 2010;27:534‐538)
Hope and Purification in the Writings of Ayi Kwei Armah and Ama Ata Aidoo
Authors: MacKenzie Clayton G.
Published: March 2010

Taban Lo Liyong sees the task of the African writer as one of “reconstructing Africa from the imperial wreck of the last two thousand seasons” (Liyong 1990, 171). The erosion of the African culture by modernization and colonialism has deprived indigenous peoples of their religions, their traditions, their mores, and in some cases their languages. It is not clear, though, what form Liyong’s “reconstruction” is to take. Other commentators, like the Nigerian poet Tanure Ojaide, seem more specific in demanding that the African artist should take a moral, political line in asserting that his/her active role is to “remedy a bad situation” (Ojaide 1994, 17). The object would be to purify an African way of life that has been tainted by invasive, self‐gratifying, materialistic attitudes. But, again, what is that “remedy” to be? While recognition of Africa’s postcolonial malaise is widespread, and its cause axiomatically and correctly assigned to the experience of colonialism, African writers have been somewhat tentative in suggesting what exactly it is that should be done. It is one thing to identify a problem, and to express it in the most forthright or damning terms, but quite another to locate and postulate the possible means for its resolution.

The two Ghanaian artists whose work this paper addresses, Ayi Kwei Armah and Ama Ata Aidoo, have been all too frequently accused of the pessimistic recitation of African ills. Molly Mahood has spoken of the “almost total disillusionment” (Fraser 1980, 15) of Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born; and Liyong has described the work as one of those “tearing down exercises” (Liyong 1990, 176). Adeola James has identified a “certain somberness” (James 1990, 17) and Arlene Elder a “pessimism” (Elder 1987, 117) in Aidoo’s short stories; and Femi Ojo‐Ade has styled the Ghana of No Sweetness Here as “hell” (Oje‐Ade 1987, 174). The optimistic dimensions of their work have often gone unnoticed. Even contemporary readings that have attempted to soften the gloom of the two texts have sought in some way to qualify their observations. Tsegaye Wodajo’s excellent study of five Armah novels, Hope in the Midst of Despair: A Novelist’s Cures for Africa (2005), perceives The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born as a literature of protest that finds a hopeful riposte in the later novels. And while Nanna Jane Opoku‐Agyemang’s fine 1999 essay brings a valuable comparative dimension to No Sweetness Here, her insights fail to lift the pall of despair that is customarily judged to hang over this collection of eleven stories.

This paper will argue that Aidoo’s No Sweetness Here and Armah’s The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born offer greater scope for optimism than many critics have hitherto suggested; and that both articulate a process of purification that actively opposes the dystopian settings of their respective narratives.
Scottish Extractions. ‘Race’ and Racism in Devolutionary Fiction
Authors: Macdonald Graeme
Published: March 2010

Black Scottish and Scots Asian representations have been prominent in twenty‐first‐century Scottish literature. This essay contends that such fiction (covering the period 1995–2004) is most productively read in correlation with a wider contemporary debate on race, ethnicity and nationalism in a devolved Scotland and it provides such a reading, focusing among others on Jackie Kay’s Trumpet (1998), Suhayl Saadi’s Psychoraag (2004), Luke Sutherland’s Venus as a Boy (2004) and Jelly Roll (1997), and James Robertson’s Joseph Knight (2003). I argue that a preoccupation with ‘race’ and racial issues in this fiction cannot but be read as contiguous with an ongoing devolutionary momentum in Scottish culture and politics that has shifted the parameters of Britain and Britishness since the delivery of political devolution in 1997. In such a momentous context of political transformation, literature has sought to challenge undetected (or underwritten) levels of Scottish racial discrimination that weigh heavily in discussions surrounding Scotland’s autonomous position – culturally and politically – in a ‘post‐British’ world and it provides an opportunity to interrogate an emergent controversy concerning the political economy of ‘orthodox’ Scottish identity.

Underpinning my analysis are a number of issues at the heart of debates over ‘devolutionary’ identities. I question whether the novels discussed register a collapse of Britishness in a period when the coherence of ‘British’ fiction becomes increasingly unstable. The stability of ‘black British’ as a unitary cultural term after devolution is also questioned in relation to the emergence of ‘black Scottish’ literature. Relative to this is the issue of how the protagonists of these novels situate themselves in relation to debates surrounding Scotland’s settled ethnic heritage. I argue that contemporary Scottish novels instigate a focus on relatively suppressed Scottish patterns of race and racism and that they challenge the manner in which Scottish identity is predominantly figured in terms of ethnicity. In conclusion, my overview suggests that these novels are far from being myopic in their Scottish focus and that the dislocated Scottish characters gesture to a greater international understanding of the manner in which globalised conditions are permanently entangled with localised forms of exclusion and extraction. A devolved literature is also an internationally engaged one. Its bilateral focus, I suggest, configures the alignment of Scottish racial issues with devolutionary matters in the UK and global realignments in class and cultural geographies.
STUDY ON PREDICTIVE MODELS RELATING PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES TO TEXTURE OF COOKED RICE AND THE APPLICATION IN RICE BLENDS
Authors: ZHU BO , LI BIN , ZHENG XIAO DONG , XU BAO LI , LIANG SHEN , KUANG XUAN , MA MEI HU
Published: March 2010

The reports about predictive model developed between textural properties and physicochemical parameters are insufficient, and the application and feasibility of predictive model in rice blend have not been reported. The purpose of our study was to determine the extent to which the physicochemical parameters can be used to predict the textural properties of cooked rice and to make analysis of the application and feasibility of predictive model in rice blends. The results showed that amylose content (AC), blue value (BV) and moisture content (MC) had significant correlation with textural properties and the principal component factor analysis results indicated that AC and MC were the first factor and BV was the second. The predictive models for estimating texture of cooked rice with high accuracy were developed, which were validated with acceptance for application in rice blends by conducting 95% confidence limits validation of Statistical Analysis System (SAS) procedure on simplex‐lattice design rice blends. Also, the optimized predictive models could be extensively used in single rice cultivars as well as rice blends, which is helpful to improve the use of low‐quality rice cultivars by blending high‐quality and low‐quality rice to meet the needs of consumers at relatively lower cost.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The reports about predictive model developed between textural properties and physicochemical parameters are insufficient, and the application and feasibility of predictive model in rice blend have not been reported. The application of this study lies in developing predictive models for estimating texture of cooked rice with high accuracy and further obtaining the optimized predictive models that could be extensively used in single rice cultivars as well as in rice blends. The findings can be utilized to improve the use of low‐quality rice cultivars by blending high‐quality and low‐quality rice to meet the needs of consumers at relatively lower cost.
FLOW VELOCITY OF A BOLUS IN THE PHARYNX AND RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF AGAR AND GELATIN
Authors: MORITAKA HATSUE , NAKAZAWA FUMIKO
Published: March 2010

The flow velocity through the human throat and rheological properties of 0.2–0.8% agar and 0.8–2.4% gelatin were investigated. The maximum flow velocity decreased with increasing concentrations of agar and gelatin, with marked changes from 0 to 0.4% in agar, and from 0 to 1.4% in gelatin, with no further changes at concentration higher than 0.4% in agar but changes at concentration up to 2.4% in gelatin. Although the hardness and adhesiveness increased with increasing concentrations of agar and gelatin, the cohesiveness decreased. In the sensory evaluation, agar and gelatin became difficult to swallow with increasing agar and gelatin concentration.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This research contributes to enhance the knowledge of the investigation area of the flow velocity of bolus in a pharynx. Moreover, this research is useful in order to make the foods for person with difficulties in chewing and swallowing. In fact, the results demonstrate the importance of measuring the flow velocity of bolus in the pharynx part not only the rheological properties of food.
COMPOSITION AND QUALITY OF RICE FLOUR–FISH MINCE BASED EXTRUDED PRODUCTS WITH EMPHASIS ON THERMAL PROPERTIES OF RICE FLOUR
Authors: DILEEP A.O. , SHAMASUNDAR B.A. , BINSI P.K. , HOWELL N.K.
Published: March 2010

Extruded products with rice flour and ribbonfish mince mixture were prepared using a twin‐screw extruder with varying barrel temperatures, and the quality of the final product was evaluated. The optimum process conditions, as revealed by organoleptic evaluation for acceptable final products, included a barrel temperature of 90C and fish mince concentration of 10%. The amino acid composition of final extruded product revealed a higher content of lysine, glutamic acid and leucine. The increase in expansion ratio and water absorption capacity of extrudate with 10% fish mince was significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by barrel temperature. The breaking strength of the extrudate increased significantly (P < 0.05) with addition of 20% fish mince. The differential scanning calorimetric studies of rice flour indicated the peak value of endothermic transition at 64.73C, which is specific for short grain rice flour. The dynamic rheological testing of rice flour solution (10%) indicated gelatinization temperature at 63.3C.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Extruded food products are widely used as snack products. Usually, extruded products are prepared using cereal flour, which have less protein content and are limited in some essential amino acid. In order to increase the nutritive value of such products, the incorporation of protein‐rich fish mince is important. Preparation of extruded products using cereal flours incorporating fish mince, without compromising the quality of the final product, would help to improve their nutritional quality. Hence, the present investigation aimed at preparing extruded products using rice flour with added ribbonfish mince. Barrel temperature and the percentage of fish mince for the preparation of extruded products were optimized in order to commercialize such snack foods. This will help to enrich the nutritive value of the rice flour‐based extruded products, which are widely used in developing countries.
RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN INSTRUMENTAL MEASUREMENTS AND SENSORY EVALUATION IN INSTANT NOODLES STUDIED BY PARTIAL LEAST SQUARES REGRESSION
Authors: XUE DAN , GAO HAIYAN , ZHAO LEI , YIN JINGYUAN
Published: March 2010

The PLS regression technique was used to study how chemical composition of the wheat flours and physical properties of dough (independent variables, x) were related to the sensory attributes (dependent variables, y) of instant noodles. Five wheat flours were characterized and physical properties of doughs were measured. About 68% of the variability in sensory could be explained by the chemical composition of flours and physical dough properties. The albumin, starch and amylose were positively and the total protein content, gliadin, globulin, ash, Zn and Mg were negatively related to sensory attributes along the PLS‐factor1. Along the PLS‐factor2, water and Ca of wheat flours were positively and negatively related to the sensory attributes, respectively. The PLS‐factor1 consisted mainly of farinograms and extensograms parameters, while PLS‐factor2 mainly described variation in gelatinization properties. The glutelin and SP had a small contribution to the sensory appeals of instant noodles.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

The relationship between instrumental measurements and sensory evaluation in instant noodles were studied by partial least squares regression. The results of this research might be useful for the evaluation of the texture of instant noodle objectively and accurately.
Globalising New Zealand : Fonterra Co‐operative Group, and shaping the future
Authors: Gray Stuart , Le Heron Richard
Published: March 2010

New Zealanders have little collective vision of their position and future in a globalising world. Recent developments in New Zealand's primary sector show potential pathways to the future. We explore two claims: thinking about New Zealand is to think about the emergence of Fonterra Co‐operative Group in New Zealand's globalising economy. Thinking about Fonterra is to think about New Zealand and the implications that spring from globalising activities. Fonterra is a lens to understand better the possibilities and development options and the challenges that are arising as New Zealand forges its place in a globalising world.
A constructivist approach to using GIS in the New Zealand classroom
Authors: Kinniburgh John
Published: March 2010

The development of the revised New Zealand Curriculum provides an excellent opportunity to investigate GIS‐based learning pedagogies within the social sciences classroom. The new curriculum privileges inquiry‐based activities with a more participatory approach to learning, providing students with greater autonomy in their studies. This paper emphasises the value of GIS technology for extending student learning when situated within a problem‐based learning (PBL) framework. Using GIS, students undertake geographic inquiry through meaningful learning grounded in constructivist learning theory. PBL is well suited as an instructional strategy for integrating GIS as students actively learn when presented with authentic, real‐world problems.
Prevalence and risk factors of Barrett's esophagus in patients undergoing endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms
Authors: XIONG Li Shou , CUI Yi , WANG Jin Ping , WANG Jin Hui , XUE Ling , HU Pin Jin , CHEN Min Hu
Published: March 2010

OBJECTIVE:  To investigate the prevalence of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and its risk factors in patients undergoing endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms in a Chinese tertiary referral medical center.

METHODS:  All consecutive patients receiving an endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms in our medical center from September to December 2007 were recruited. BE was explored for at endoscopy when a suspected columnar‐lined esophagus was found. Patients with specialized intestinal metaplasia in the distal esophagus were defined as having BE.

RESULTS:  A total of 2022 patients (1053 male and 969 female) were recruited. The patients were aged 18 to 88 years and with a mean age of 46.97 ± 14.84 years. BE was found in 21 patients (15 male and 6 female), a prevalence of 1.0% of all patients receiving endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal symptoms in our medical center. One of the 21 patients had low‐grade dysplasia. By logistic multivariate analysis, age (OR 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00, 1.07) and reflux esophagitis (OR 4.44; 95% CI, 1.22, 16.17) were factors associated significantly with BE.

CONCLUSION:  The prevalence of BE in our study was lower than that reported in other studies, especially in studies from developed countries. Older age and reflux esophagitis may be the risk factors for developing BE.
Progression of inflammatory bowel disease in China
Authors: WANG Yu Fang , OUYANG Qin , HU Ren Wei
Published: March 2010

The epidemiology and phenotype of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in the Chinese population is not well‐known. We performed a comprehensive search of the Chinese biomedical literature database from 1989 to 2007 using the following key words: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD). The investigation of hospitalized IBD patients from 1990 to 2003 was also carried out in 23 medical centers of 11 cities over China. There are some notable epidemiological and phenotypical differences between Chinese IBD and Caucasian IBD, including a lack of familial clustering, male predominance, a relatively later onset of the illness with no second peak age occurrence after 50 years old, a milder clinical course, less extra‐intestinal manifestations and complications, and less fistulous and peri‐anal complications in Chinese CD. The data indicate an increased incidence of IBD in China with many complicated clinical problems, which offers potential opportunities to study the disease prospectively and identify the etiological factors, leading also to the better management of this disease in China.
Natural orifice surgery: applications in colonic surgery
Authors: Leroy J. , Cahill R. , Wu H. S. , Marescaux J.
Published: March 2010

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic abdominal surgery, or NOTES, allows invasive operations to be performed through a single or multiple natural‐orifice approach either in isolation (“pure”) or in combination with a transparietal (”hybrid”) access format. Therefore, to facilitate a colonic or rectal resection, the transgastric, transrectal or transcolonic routes, as well as the transvaginal route in women, can all be used either alone or in combination. We are now performing resectional colonic techniques on our patients that have been inspired by this revolutionary concept, carefully planned with storyboarding and validated in porcine models with survival analysis. Adaptation of existing equipment along with the use of new instruments and some simple ideas, such as magnetic fields to retract and mobilize the colon, have allowed us to simplify and standardize the operative technique (the first steps to ensuring procedural reproducibility). Initial potential applications can easily be imagined for partial colonic resections for voluminous benign polyps and for small early cancers, but these applications may extend to incorporate inflammatory bowel diseases such as diverticular disease of the sigmoid colon. For these techniques to further improve and the concept to become a concrete reality, a change in current surgical practice is required, and conventional laparoscopic techniques must be understood to represent a point along the evolutional development of surgery and not considered the final destination. However, as important as technical capacity is, due consideration and assurance of oncological and immunological propriety is essential, as is the issue of clarifying precise patient harm:benefit risk ratios.
Eigenvalue enclosures and exclosures for non-self-adjoint problems in hydrodynamics
Authors: Malcolm Brown B. , Langer Matthias , Marletta Marco , Tretter Christiane , Wagenhofer Markus
Published: March 2010

In this paper we present computer-assisted proofs of a number of results in theoretical fluid dynamics and in quantum mechanics. An algorithm based on interval arithmetic yields provably correct eigenvalue enclosures and exclosures for non-self-adjoint boundary eigenvalue problems, the eigenvalues of which are highly sensitive to perturbations. We apply the algorithm to: the Orr–Sommerfeld equation with Poiseuille profile to prove the existence of an eigenvalue in the classically unstable region for Reynolds number R=5772.221818; the Orr–Sommerfeld equation with Couette profile to prove upper bounds for the imaginary parts of all eigenvalues for fixed R and wave number α; the problem of natural oscillations of an incompressible inviscid fluid in the neighbourhood of an elliptical flow to obtain information about the unstable part of the spectrum off the imaginary axis; Squire’s problem from hydrodynamics; and resonances of one-dimensional Schrödinger operators.
Controlled growth of (100) or (111) CdTe epitaxial layers on (100) GaAs by molecular beam epitaxy and study of their electron spin relaxation times
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Li Yunpu , Pagliero Daniela , Charles William , Shen Aidong , Meriles Carlos A. , Tamargo Maria C.
Published: March 2010

The authors demonstrate control of the crystalline orientation [(100) or (111)] of molecular beam epitaxy-grown CdTe films on (100) ZnSe/GaAs substrates. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction is used to observe the nucleation of the epitaxial layers in situ during growth. X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence measurements indicate that in both cases, the CdTe film is of high structural quality despite the large lattice constant mismatch of 14.3% between CdTe and ZnSe. They also use time-resolved Kerr rotation to monitor the electron spin dynamics in these films. While the spin lifetime is found to depend on material quality, only (100) films show a clear temperature dependence, a peculiar feature they believe to arise from residual strain.
A Conformal, Bio-Interfaced Class of Silicon Electronics for Mapping Cardiac Electrophysiology
Authors: Viventi Jonathan , Kim Dae-Hyeong , Moss Joshua D. , Kim Yun-Soung , Blanco Justin A. , Annetta Nicholas , Hicks Andrew , Xiao Jianliang , Huang Younggang , Callans David J. , Rogers John A. , Litt Brian
Published: March 2010

Flexible electronics and sensors that adhere to the surfaces of living, moving tissues allow detailed mapping of cardiac electrical activity in a porcine animal model.
Some Rozi for CF Too!
Authors: Ahmad Shama
Published: March 2010

PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone reverses inflammation and mucus retention in CF mice models.
HOW TO HANDLE INTERVAL SOLUTIONS FOR COOPERATIVE INTERVAL GAMES
Authors: BRANZEI R. , TIJS S. , ALPARSLAN GÖK S. Z.
Published: March 2010

Uncertainty accompanies almost every situation in our lives and it influences our decisions. On many occasions uncertainty is so severe that we can only predict some upper and lower bounds for the outcome of our (collaborative) actions, i.e., payoffs lie in some intervals. Cooperative interval games have been proved useful for solving reward/cost sharing problems in situations with interval data in a cooperative environment. In this paper we propose two procedures for cooperative interval games. Both transform an interval allocation, i.e., a payoff vector whose components are compact intervals of real numbers, into a payoff vector (whose components are real numbers) when the value of the grand coalition becomes known (at once or in multiple stages). The research question addressed here is: How to determine for each player his/her/its payoff generated by cooperation within the grand coalition – in the promised range of payoffs to establish such cooperation – after the uncertainty on the payoff for the grand coalition is resolved? This question is an important one that deserves attention both in the literature and in game practice.
ABOUT DATABASE SUMMARIZATION
Authors: SASSI MINYAR , TOUZI AMEL GRISSA , OUNELLI HABIB , AISSA INES
Published: March 2010

The summarization system takes a Database (DB) table as input and produces a reduced version of this table through both a rewriting and a generalization process. The resulting table provides records with less precision than the original but it is very informative of the actual DB content. This reduced form can be used as input for advanced Data Mining processes. Several approaches of DB summarization have been proposed in the literature. The most recent is the SaintEtiQ summarization model, proposed initially by Raschia.1 Based on a hierarchical conceptual clustering algorithm, SaintEtiQ builds a summary hierarchy from DB records. In this paper, we propose to extend this DB summarization model by introducing some optimization processes including: (i) minimization of the expert risks domain, (iii) building of the summary hierarchy from DB records, and (iv) cooperation with the user by giving him summaries in different hierarchy levels.
CONCEPT SIMILARITY IN FUZZY FORMAL CONCEPT ANALYSIS FOR SEMANTIC WEB
Authors: FORMICA ANNA
Published: March 2010

This paper presents a method for evaluating concept similarity within Fuzzy Formal Concept Analysis. In the perspective of developing the Semantic Web, such a method can be helpful when the digital resources found on the Internet cannot be treated equally and the integration of fuzzy data becomes fundamental for the search and discovery of information in the Web.
CONFLICTS AND THEIR RESOLUTIONS IN FUZZY RELATIONAL MULTIDATABASES
Authors: MA Z. M. , YAN LI
Published: March 2010

Database integration is an important discipline for constructing heterogeneous multidatabases on one hand. On the other hand, fuzzy information has been introduced into databases and studied extensively. One of the main problems in integration of multidatabases developed in different sites is resolution of conflicts. This problem becomes very complex when databases contain fuzzy information. Little has been reported on integrating fuzzy multidatabases so far. In this paper, we focus on integrating possibility-based fuzzy relational databases. The new types of conflicts arising in schema level and instance level in the fuzzy multidatabase integration are identified. The resolutions of the new types of conflicts are proposed. In particular, a method for identifying the entities in the fuzzy multidatabase integration with incompatible keys is developed.
UNCERTAINTY EXTENSION THEOREM AND PRODUCT UNCERTAIN MEASURE
Authors: YOU CUILIAN
Published: March 2010

The additivity axiom of classical measure theory has been challenged by many mathematicians. Different replacements of the additivity correspond with different theory. In uncertainty theory, the additivity is replaced with self-duality and countable subadditivity. Similar to classical measure theory, there are some properties studied in uncertainty theory. Given the measure of each singleton set, the measure can be fully and uniquely determined in the sense of the maximum uncertainty principle. Generally speaking, a product uncertain measure may be defined in many ways, in this paper, a kind of definition is proposed.
A NEW TYPE OF ATTRIBUTE REDUCTION FOR INCONSISTENT DECISION TABLES AND ITS COMPUTATION
Authors: YE DONGYI , CHEN ZHAOJIONG
Published: March 2010

We introduce in this paper a new type of extended attribute reduction called M-reducts for an inconsistent decision table, which is defined to preserve the membership degree to a maximum decision class for each object of the table. It is shown that a M-reduct can actually preserve more decision information than it does by definition, including the maximum decision class itself and all deterministic decision information. Compared with other types of extended attribute reductions, the proposed type of attribute reduction is a better trade-off between the knowledge preserving capability and reduction efficiency. Illustrative examples are given and an effective algorithm for computing a M-reduct based on two summation functions of attribute sets is proposed together with its complexity analysis.
ARFIMA Tests for Random Walks in Exchange Rates in Asian, Latin American and African-Middle Eastern Markets
Authors: Karemera David , Cole John
Published: March 2010

This article examines fractional processes as alternatives to random walks in emerging foreign exchange rate markets. Sowell's (1992) joint maximum likelihood is used to estimate the ARFIMA parameters and test for random walks. The results show that, in most cases, the emerging market exchange rates follow fractionally integrated processes. Forecasts of exchange rates based on the fractionally integrated autoregressive moving average models are compared to those from the benchmark random walk models. A Harvey, Leybourne and Newbold (1997) test of equality of forecast performance indicates that the ARFIMA forecasts are more efficient in the multi-step-ahead forecasts than the random walk model forecasts. The presence of fractional integration is seen to be associated with market inefficiency in the exchange markets examined. The evidence suggests that fractional integrated processes are viable alternatives to random walks for describing and forecasting exchange rates in the emerging markets.
An Empirical Study on Issues in taiwanese Employee Reward Plans
Authors: Lin Wen-Hsiang , Ko Po-Sheng , Chien Hsueh Fang , Lee Wen-Chih
Published: March 2010

The human resources are the most important input for the enterprise, so the management of talents is necessary. Especially under level-management philosophy, the agency problem between owners and professional managers often influence the pursuit of enterprise's value maximization. Therefore, an effective rewarding system can make the agent bear some performance responsibility, and can lighten the idle duty problem. Based on this argument, first, this research examines the implementation of a reward plan with employees' bonus and employees' warrant, and whether it can improve the enterprises' performances and shareholder's value. Second, this research uses the Mishkin test (1983) to analyze whether the investors have rational pricing to employees' reward system.
PROBE-LEVEL UNIVERSAL SEARCH (PLUS) ALGORITHM FOR GENDER DIFFERENTIATION IN AFFYMETRIX DATASETS
Authors: KARYAGYNA ANNA S. , VASSILIEV MICHAIL O. , ERSHOVA ANNA S. , NURTDINOV RAMIL N. , LOSSEV ILYA S.
Published: March 2010

Affymetrix microarrays measure gene expression based on the intensity of hybridization of a panel of oligonucleotide probes (probe set) with mRNA. The signals from all probes within a probe set are converted into a single measure that represents the expression value of a gene. This step diminishes the number of independently measured parameters and eliminates from consideration individual "good-working" probes. We propose a new feature selection algorithm (Probe Level Universal Search or PLUS algorithm) for probe-level analysis of gene expression datasets. The algorithm evaluates the intensities of perfect-match Affymetrix probes individually and selects probes that allow one to distinguish two given classes of samples. The algorithm was used to differentiate the samples according to their gender ("gender differentiation"). The universal gender differentiating set of 3' Gene Affymetrix microarray probes was selected; the set consists of 38 probes from XIST gene of X-chromosome and 17 probes from five Y-chromosome genes: RPS4Y1, EIF1A, DDX3Y, JARID1D and USP9Y. The selection procedure based on the probes selected by PLUS algorithm differentiates the sex chromosome karyotype of the sample, reveals samples with incorrect gender labels and samples from patients with hereditary syndromes or cancer-associated chromosome abnormalities.
Radiation Chemistry in Chemically Amplified Resists
Authors: Kozawa Takahiro , Tagawa Seiichi
Published: March 2010

Historically, in the mass production of semiconductor devices, exposure tools have been repeatedly replaced with those with a shorter wavelength to meet the resolution requirements projected in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors issued by the Semiconductor Industry Association. After ArF immersion lithography, extreme ultraviolet (EUV; 92.5 eV) radiation is expected to be used as an exposure tool for the mass production at or below the 22 nm technology node. If realized, 92.5 eV EUV will be the first ionizing radiation used for the mass production of semiconductor devices. In EUV lithography, chemically amplified resists, which have been the standard resists for mass production since the use of KrF lithography, will be used to meet the sensitivity requirement. Above the ionization energy of resist materials, the fundamental science of imaging, however, changes from photochemistry to radiation chemistry. In this paper, we review the radiation chemistry of materials related to chemically amplified resists. The imaging mechanisms from energy deposition to proton migration in resist materials are discussed.
Highly Transparent and High Haze Bilayer Al-Doped ZnO Thin Film Employing Oxygen-Controlled Seed Layer
Authors: Kang Dong-Won , Kuk Seung-Hee , Ji Kwang-Sun , Ahn Seh-Won , Han Min-Koo
Published: March 2010

Al-doped ZnO (AZO) film was continuously deposited by DC magnetron sputtering using pure Ar on a thin AZO seed layer prepared using an approximately 4% dilution of oxygen with Ar. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the AZO film grown on the seed layer exhibited a much higher crystallinity and larger grain size than that without the seed layer. The electrical properties such as resistivity and Hall mobility were improved. The average visible transmittance was increased from 81.6 to 86.2%, and near infrared (NIR) transmittance was increased from 76.0 to 84.4% by employing the seed layer. The haze value characterizing the light scattering property was significantly increased from 59.4 to 89.5% in the visible region by the seed layer, and it was increased from 15.1 to 50.8% in the NIR region. Surface topography analysis showed that the bilayer AZO film had larger craters allowing for improvement of the light scattering properties than the conventional AZO film without the seed layer.
Excitation Processes of Photoluminescence and Origin of Absorption Peak Shift in ZnO Porous Films Modified with Eu Ions
Authors: Yamamoto Aishi , Noritake Masashi , Harumoto Yoshiyuki , Yanagi Hisao , Mizuta Kazuho , Yoshida Tsukasa
Published: March 2010

Porous ZnO films modified with Eu3+ ions were fabricated by electrodeposition and their optical properties were investigated. The porous ZnO films were cathodically electrodeposited in a bath containing eosin Y (EY) dye molecules and the surface of ZnO was modified with Eu3+ ions. Photoluminescence (PL) peaks due to the intra-4f transitions of Eu3+ ions were clearly observed. From the PL excitation (PLE) spectra, it was found that the Eu3+ ions are mainly excited from photoexcited ligands, though another excitation process remains unidentified. Furthermore, the absorption peak energy of the porous ZnO observed in PLE as well as diffuse reflection spectra was 90 meV higher than the A exciton energy of bulk crystals. This energy shift was attributed to the opposing influence of the Burstein–Moss and many-body effects.
First-Principles Study of Structural Trend of BiMO3 and BaMO3: Relationship between Tetragonal or Rhombohedral Structure and the Tolerance Factors
Authors: Miura Kaoru , Furuta Tatsuo
Published: March 2010

The relationship between a tetragonal or rhombohedral structure and the tolerance factors in BiMO3 and BaMO3 has been investigated using a first-principles calculation with optimized structures. BiMO3 and BaMO3, which consist of M ions with d0-state transition metals (TMs) or non-TMs, were optimized within frameworks of P4m
m (tetragonal) and R3m (rhombohedral) structures, and their total energies (E
tetra and E
rhombo, respectively) were compared. In BiMO3, except for BiGaO3, the total energy difference ΔE (≡E
rhombo-E
tetra) as a function of the tolerance factor t increases monotonically and smoothly, and the critical value from negative to positive in ΔE is about 1.00. In BiGaO3 with d10-state Ga ions, the tetragonal structure is more stable despite t<1.00. This result is due to the strong Coulomb repulsion between Ga 3s, 3p, and 3d states and O 2p states, which is consistent with tetragonal BiZn0.5Ti0.5O3 recently reported. In BaMO3, on the other hand, the dependence of ΔE is more complicated, that is, positive, zero [i.e., cubic (P
m3m)], negative, and positive, as t increases. The trend of the above calculated results is consistent with that of experimantal results, and can be a principal guideline for material design. The above crystal structures of A
MO3 (A=Bi or Ba) are found to be closely related to the contribution of A ions to the local electric fields at M ions by the analysis of Lorentz corrections.
Study of Ion-Beam-Induced Damage and Luminescence Properties in Terbium-Implanted AlGaN
Authors: Park Ji-Ho , Wakahara Akihiro , Okada Hiroshi , Furukawa Yuzo , Kim Yong-Tae , Chang Ho-Jung , Song Jonghan , Shin Sangwon , Lee Jong-Han , Sato Shin-ichiro , Ohshima Takeshi
Published: March 2010

Terbium (Tb) ions were implanted into Al0.35Ga0.65N epitaxial layers at room temperature to investigate ion-beam-induced damage and luminescence properties at various doses of 1×1012–2.8×1016 Tb/cm2. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry/channeling (RBS/channeling) reveals that ion-beam-induced damage level steeply increases and that the damage cannot be fully suppressed even after rapid thermal annealing at 1100 °C, when the dose exceeds 5×1014 Tb/cm2. However, cathodoluminescence (CL) intensity related to Tb3+ transitions increased initially and saturated above a dose of 1×1013 Tb/cm2. Furthermore, transient decay time determined by time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) decreased faster and a fast decay component related to the formation of nonradiative Tb-defect complexes became dominant, as Tb ion dose increases. Therefore, the results suggest that Tb-related luminescence properties are much susceptible to defects and nonradiative defects, namely, Tb-defect complexes, are formed under low-dose conditions even at a very low structural defect density.
Diffraction Properties in Polarization Holography Written by Elliptical Polarized Light
Authors: Ono Hiroshi , Nakamura Manabu , Emoto Akira , Kawatsuki Nobuhiro
Published: March 2010

The diffraction properties of polarization holographic gratings fabricated using the orthogonally elliptical polarized light have been systematically investigated on the basis of the Jones calculus. The theoretical prediction based on the Jones calculus was experimentally confirmed to be valid by fabricating the polarization holographic gratings in azobenzene-containing amorphous polymer films. The ellipticity of the diffraction beam was well-controlled by varying the ellipticities of the writing beams. The diffraction properties were well explained by the Jones calculus.
Growth, Optical Properties, and Scintillation Light Yield of CaF2:Ce Crystals with Different Ce Concentration
Authors: Yanagida Takayuki , Kim Kyoung Jin , Kamada Kei , Yokota Yuui , Maeo Shuji , Yoshikawa Akira , Kawaguchi Noriaki , Fukuda Kentaro , Sarukura Nobuhiko , Chani Valery
Published: March 2010

Present work describes the first detailed γ-ray light yield of Ce3+ perturbed emission in CaF2 host. (1-, 3-, 5-, 10-, and 20-mol %-) Ce3+-doped single crystalline CaF2 scintillator crystals were grown by the micro-pulling-down method. Their transmittances were measured to be approximately 80% at UV to visible wavelengths. All the crystals exhibited emission peaks at approximately 330 nm, which were identified as the Ce3+ perturbed emission, when they were irradiated by 1 GBq 137Cs. The photoluminescence decay kinetics was measured to be about 40 ns for all the crystals. Scintillation light yield in unit of photons/MeV (ph/MeV) was measured, and the 5% sample showed the highest light yield of around 900 ph/MeV with 2 µs shaping time.