bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Conceptual Framework for a Sustainable Product Development Collaboratory to Support Integrated Sustainable Design and Manufacturing
Authors: Kim Kyoung-Yun , Haapala Karl R. , Okudan Kremer Gu¨l E. , Murat Ekrem Alper , Chinnam Ratna B. , Monplaisir Leslie F.
Published: June 2012

This paper presents a research effort that is underway to integrate product, manufacturing process, and supply chain models to optimize product design variants in terms of costs and environmental impacts. Integrated sustainable design and manufacturing requires multidisciplinary knowledge from various industrial domains to design and manufacture environmentally-responsible products. Sustainable design should consider life cycle costs and environmental impacts, including those related to materials and energy requirements during the manufacturing, use, and end-of-life phases of a product’s life. This paper discusses important technological requirements in product architecture and integrated optimization to realize integrated sustainable design and manufacturing. Finally, this paper introduces a scalable design environment, called the Sustainable Product Development Collaboratory, which can convey sustainability principles in the context of product architectural design, manufacturing, assembly, and supply chain decisions to designers. Potential benefits of this platform are also discussed.
Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis and Experimental Verification of an Unbalanced Rotor Supported by Ball Bearings
Authors: Upadhyay S. H. , Sharma Satish C. , Harsha S. P.
Published: June 2012

In this paper, a dynamic model is presented for studying the dynamic properties of unbalanced rotor system supported by ball bearings under the effects of radial internal clearance and unbalanced rotor effect. The Newmark-β method is used to solve the nonlinear equations. The dynamics behaviors of a rigid rotor system are studied through frequency responses of the system. Clearances, nonlinear stiffness & nonlinear damping, radial forces and unbalanced forces—all these bring a significant influence to bear on the system stability. The validity of the proposed model verified by comparison of frequency components of the system response with those obtained from experiments. The peak-to-peak frequency response of the system for each speed is obtained.
Dynamic Key-Frame Based Airborne Scene Matching Vision Navigation
Authors: Li Yaojun , Pan Quan , Zhao Chunhui , Yang Feng , Cheng Yongmei
Published: June 2012

In order to develop a backup navigation scheme for allowing temporally GPS faults or degradations, this paper proposes a dynamic key-frame-based natural-landmark scene matching visual navigation method for UAV. Firstly, this method could autonomously describe and check featured natural landmarks by analyzing image sequence from on-board camera. Secondly, After abstraction of key-frames including featured natural landmark, UAV will be located by the means of NLSM (Natural-Landmark Scene Matching) which based on dynamic key-frame. Thirdly, this navigation scheme adopt inter-frame scene matching algorithm in order to improving the navigation performance of accuracy, reliability and runtime. Experiments show that the vision navigation scheme proposed fits the requirements of navigation in complex and unknown environment for UAV.
Identification of the Optimal Trajectory for a Race Driver
Authors: Braghin F. , Melzi S. , Sabbioni E. , Poerio N.
Published: June 2012

Due to increasing demands for time and cost efficient vehicle design, numerical simulation of closed loop maneuvers has become more and more important. Therefore the driver has to be included into the modeling. In the literature driver models are generally regarded as controllers acting through throttle-steer-brake inputs on a nonlinear plant (i.e. the vehicle) with the aim to follow a planned trajectory maintaining the vehicle stability. It is thus straightforward to understand that in the case of race driver models, the generation of a proper reference trajectory is essential, since it must allow achieving the minimum lap time with respect of the circuit geometry and of the vehicle dynamic characteristics. The issues concerned with the generation of reference trajectories are ought to: the reciprocal interaction between longitudinal and lateral vehicle dynamics, the driver’s maneuvers and the shape of the circuit. All these information have to be comprehensively analyzed through simplified logics in order to reduce the complexity of the problem. A methodology for identifying the trajectory allowing the minimization of the lap time is proposed in this paper. It splits the analysis into two steps: studying a geometric tool able to generate trajectories as a compromise between minimum space and minimum curvature paths; another one that according to the vehicle dynamic characteristics generates limit curves in order to obtain the speed profile associated to each trajectory. Combining the results of the developed tools the trajectory associated with the minimum lap time can thus be identified.
Virtual Reality-Based Lathe Skills Transfer Based on Brain Activity Assessment Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Watanuki Keiichi , Hou Lei
Published: June 2012

Here, we propose a new virtual reality-based job training program for human resource development. In our proposed system, the educational content is displayed in the immersive virtual environment with haptic information, very similar to the way a trainee may experience work in the virtual site operation. The brain functional activities of the trainee under virtual and real skills training are measured using near-infrared spectroscopy, and the characteristics of the activity patterns are analyzed in detail.
Developing a Tactile Actuator to be Integrated Into a Force Feedback Device for the Haptic Rendering of Virtual Textiles
Authors: Fontana Marco , Salsedo Fabio , Marcheschi Simone , Bergamasco Massimo
Published: June 2012

In the next future Virtual Reality technologies will allow the dramatic reduction of the development time of “soft products”, like textiles, household papers and car interiors, making possible the subjective assessment of their fine mechanical properties, through the realistic rendering of the visual and haptic sensations arising during the physical interaction of these objects with the human hand. This paper deals with the development issues of a complete haptic interface, able to allow the simultaneous generation on the human hand of both kinesthetic and tactile stimulations. The device has been conceived for the haptic rendering of textiles and is composed by a multipoint force feedback device, in charge of generating arbitrary resultant forces on the index and thumb fingertips, and by two independent tactile arrays, in charge of generating time and spatially distributed tactile stimulations on the palmar surface of the two fingertips. After a brief discussion of the reference configuration selected for the whole haptic interface, it has been reported the functionalities, architecture and performances of the realized force feedback device, hosting the tactile arrays. Then the papers focuses on the development issues of a suitable tactile array, discussing its general requirements and the selected architecture. Finally the technical solutions selected for the implementation of its main components and their experimental evaluations are reported.
Cell Carriage, Delivery, and Selective Replication of an Oncolytic Virus in Tumor in Patients
Authors: Adair Robert A. , Roulstone Victoria , Scott Karen J. , Morgan Ruth , Nuovo Gerard J. , Fuller Martin , Beirne Deborah , West Emma J. , Jennings Victoria A. , Rose Ailsa , Kyula Joan , Fraser Sheila , Dave Rajiv , Anthoney David A. , Merrick Alison , Prestwich Robin , Aldouri Amer , Donnelly Oliver , Pandha Hardev , Coffey Matt , Selby Peter , Vile Richard , Toogood Giles , Harrington Kevin , Melcher Alan A.
Published: June 2012

Oncolytic reovirus is carried by cells to tumors and protected from neutralizing antibodies in the circulation.
Seeing an Earful
Authors: Shrout Joshua D.
Published: June 2012

A noninvasive imaging method can detect bacterial infections in the middle ear.
May the Resolvins Be with You…
Authors: Skarke Carsten
Published: June 2012

Mediators that resolve acute inflammation reduce the requirement for antibiotics.
The Inflammasome Pathway: A Formidable Foe in Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Zeki Amir A.
Published: June 2012

The inflammasome pathway and its product interleukin-18 play a critical role in acute lung injury, a common complication in ICU patients.
Recurrent Microvirgula aerodenitrificans Bacteremia
Authors: Murphy Michael E. , Goodson Angus , Malnick Henry , Shah Jayesh , Neelamkavil Rahul , Devi Ruby
Published: June 2012

Microvirgula aerodenitrificans
is a denitrifying Gram-negative organism first described by Patureau et al. in 1998 (D. Patureau et al., Int. J. Syst. Bacteriol. 48:775–782, 1998). The organism has been isolated globally but has never been described as causative of clinical infection. We describe the first human case of bacteremia attributed to
M. aerodenitrificans
in an infant with Pompe's disease.
Tibial Osteomyelitis Caused by Gordonia bronchialis in an Immunocompetent Patient
Authors: Siddiqui Nauman , Toumeh Anis , Georgescu Claudiu
Published: June 2012

Gordoniaspecies are aerobic Gram-positive bacilli that rarely cause human infections, often in the setting of indwelling intravascular catheters. We report the first case of osteomyelitis caused byGordonia bronchialisin a healthy immunocompetent host in the absence of an intravascular catheter.
Cross-Platform Analysis of HIV-1 RNA Data Generated by a Multicenter Assay Validation Study with Wide Geographic Representation
Authors: Jennings Cheryl , Harty Brian , Granger Suzanne , Wager Carrie , Crump John A. , Fiscus Susan A. , Bremer James W.
Published: June 2012

HIV-1 RNA quantitation continues to be extremely important for monitoring patients infected with HIV-1, and a number of assays have been utilized for this purpose. Differences in assay performance with respect to log
10
recovery and HIV-1 subtype specificity have been well documented for commercially available assays, although comparisons are usually limited to one or two assay platforms. Two new FDA-approved assays, the Roche Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 test (RT) and the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay (AR), that utilize real-time PCR have replaced previous HIV-1 RNA platforms. Inadequate detection of some strains of HIV-1 resulted in the addition of a new primer/probe set and the introduction of a second version of the RT assay. In this study, comparisons of assay performance between the different FDA-approved HIV-1 RNA assay platforms (both new and existing) were performed by using validation data that included both well-characterized virus stock and locally collected clinical samples. Laboratories across diverse geographical regions performed the validation testing and submitted data to the Virology Quality Assurance program (VQA) for analysis. Correlation values for clinical sample testing varied across the assay platforms (
r
= 0.832 to 0.986), and average log
10
recoveries for HIV-1 RNA controls (compared to the nominal value) ranged from −0.215 to 0.181. These data demonstrate the need for use of one assay platform for longitudinal patient monitoring, but the data also reinforce the notion that no one assay is superior and that testing across platforms may be required for discordance reconciliation.
Adapted Tembusu-Like Virus in Chickens and Geese in China
Authors: Liu Ming , Chen Shaoying , Chen Yuhuan , Liu Chunguo , Chen Shilong , Yin Xiuchen , Li Gang , Zhang Yun
Published: June 2012

An outbreak of egg drop disease occurred in many chicken and goose farms in China in 2011. By using an NS5-specific reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR), we found that 56% of chicken and 38% of goose samples were positive for Tembusu-like virus (TMUV). Isolates showed high sequence homology to duck TMUVs, and chickens and geese showed signs of egg drop disease after experimental infection with duck TMUV. Our data suggest TMUV has adapted in domestic birds.
Development and Evaluation of a Single-Step Duplex PCR for Simultaneous Detection of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica (Family Fasciolidae, Class Trematoda, Phylum Platyhelminthes)
Authors: Le Thanh Hoa , Nguyen Khue Thi , Nguyen Nga Thi Bich , Doan Huong Thi Thanh , Le Xuyen Thi Kim , Hoang Chau Thi Minh , De Nguyen Van
Published: June 2012

A single-step multiplex PCR (here referred to as a duplex PCR) has been developed for simultaneous detection and diagnosis of
Fasciola hepatica
and
F. gigantica
. These species overlap in distribution in many countries of North and East Africa and Central and Southeast Asia and are similar in egg morphology, making identification from fecal samples difficult. Based on a comparative alignment of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) spanning the region of
cox1-trnT-rrnL
, two species-specific forward primers were designed, FHF (for
F. hepatica
) and FGF (for
F. gigantica
), and a single reverse primer, FHGR (common for both species). Conventional PCR followed by sequencing was applied using species-specific primer pairs to verify the specificity of primers and the identity of
Fasciola
DNA templates. Duplex PCR (using three primers) was used for testing with the DNA extracted from adult worms, miracidia, and eggs, producing amplicons of 1,031 bp for
F. hepatica
and 615 bp for
F. gigantica
. The duplex PCR failed to amplify from DNA of other common liver and intestinal trematodes, including two opisthorchiids, three heterophyids, an echinostomid, another fasciolid, and a taeniid cestode. The sensitivity assay showed that the duplex PCR limit of detection for each
Fasciola
species was between 0.012 ng and 0.006 ng DNA. Evaluation using DNA templates from 32
Fasciola
samples (28 adults and 4 eggs) and from 25 field-collected stools of ruminants and humans revealed specific bands of the correct size and the presence of
Fasciola
species. This novel mtDNA duplex PCR is a sensitive and fast tool for accurate identification of
Fasciola
species in areas of distributional and zonal overlap.
Comparison of Two Capillary Gel Electrophoresis Systems for Clostridium difficile Ribotyping, Using a Panel of Ribotype 027 Isolates and Whole-Genome Sequences as a Reference Standard
Authors: Xiao Meng , Kong Fanrong , Jin Ping , Wang Qinning , Xiao Kelin , Jeoffreys Neisha , James Gregory , Gilbert Gwendolyn L.
Published: June 2012

PCR ribotyping is the most commonly used
Clostridium difficile
genotyping method, but its utility is limited by lack of standardization. In this study, we analyzed four published whole genomes and tested an international collection of 21 well-characterized
C. difficile
ribotype 027 isolates as the basis for comparison of two capillary gel electrophoresis (CGE)-based ribotyping methods. There were unexpected differences between the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region (ISR) allelic profiles of the four ribotype 027 genomes, but six bands were identified in all four and a seventh in three genomes. All seven bands and another, not identified in any of the whole genomes, were found in all 21 isolates. We compared sequencer-based CGE (SCGE) with three different primer pairs to the Qiagen QIAxcel CGE (QCGE) platform. Deviations from individual reference/consensus band sizes were smaller for SCGE (0 to 0.2 bp) than for QCGE (4.2 to 9.5 bp). Compared with QCGE, SCGE more readily distinguished bands of similar length (more discriminatory), detected bands of larger size and lower intensity (more sensitive), and assigned band sizes more accurately and reproducibly, making it more suitable for standardization. Specifically, QCGE failed to identify the largest ISR amplicon. Based on several criteria, we recommend the primer set 16S-USA/23S-USA for use in a proposed standard SCGE method. Similar differences between SCGE and QCGE were found on testing of 14 isolates of four other
C. difficile
ribotypes. Based on our results, ISR profiles based on accurate sequencer-based band lengths would be preferable to agarose gel-based banding patterns for the assignment of ribotypes.
Detection and Genetic Diversity of Human Metapneumovirus in Hospitalized Children with Acute Respiratory Infections in Southwest China
Authors: Zhang Cui , Du Li-Na , Zhang Zhi-Yong , Qin Xian , Yang Xi , Liu Ping , Chen Xin , Zhao Yao , Liu En-Mei , Zhao Xiao-Dong
Published: June 2012

Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is the main pathogen causing respiratory tract infection in susceptible populations, particularly in children and the elderly. Specimens were collected from hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI), and the hMPV was detected by using real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). The full-length G gene of hMPV was amplified by RT-PCR. A total of 1,410 nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) were collected from April 2008 to March 2011, and 114 (10.2%) were positive for hMPV. Most hMPV-positive children were <5 years of age. The hMPV infection rate peaked in the spring-summer season of 2008 to 2009 and 2009 to 2010, while hMPV circulated predominantly during the winter-spring season of 2010 to 2011. The full-length G gene of 23 hMPV strains was amplified, and group A and B viruses accounted for 95.7% (22/23) and 4.3% (1/23), respectively. Genotype A2b of hMPV appeared to be predominant during the study period. Three genotypes (A2b, A1, and B1) were prevalent in the epidemic season of 2008 to 2009, and only genotype A2b was identified in the other two seasons (2009 to 2010 and 2010 to 2011). The G gene of hMPV was predicted to encode proteins with four different lengths, in which one with 210 amino acids was first identified in China. These findings suggest that hMPV was an important pathogen of ALRTI in pediatric patients, especially those <5 years of age. Genotype A2b of hMPV likely predominates in Southwest China, where other genotypes also circulate.
First Evaluation of Automated Specimen Inoculation for Wound Swab Samples by Use of the Previ Isola System Compared to Manual Inoculation in a Routine Laboratory: Finding a Cost-Effective and Accurate Approach
Authors: Mischnik Alexander , Mieth Markus , Busch Cornelius J. , Hofer Stefan , Zimmermann Stefan
Published: June 2012

Automation of plate streaking is ongoing in clinical microbiological laboratories, but evaluation for routine use is mostly open. In the present study, the recovery of microorganisms from the Previ Isola system plated polyurethane (PU) swab samples is compared to manually plated control viscose swab samples from wounds according to the CLSI procedure M40-A (quality control of microbiological transport systems). One hundred twelve paired samples (224 swabs) were analyzed. In 80/112 samples (71%), concordant culture results were obtained with the two methods. In 32/112 samples (29%), CFU recovery of microorganisms from the two methods was discordant. In 24 (75%) of the 32 paired samples with a discordant result, Previ Isola plated PU swabs were superior. In 8 (25%) of the 32 paired samples with a discordant result, control viscose swabs were superior. The quality of colony growth on culture media for further investigations was superior with Previ Isola inoculated plates compared to manual plating techniques. Gram stain results were concordant between the two methods in 62/112 samples (55%). In 50/112 samples (45%), the results of Gram staining were discordant between the two methods. In 34 (68%) of the 50 paired samples with discordant results, Gram staining of PU swabs was superior to that of control viscose swabs. In 16 (32%) of the 50 paired samples, Gram staining of control viscose swabs was superior to that of PU swabs. We report the first clinical evaluation of Previ Isola automated specimen inoculation for wound swab samples. This study suggests that use of an automated specimen inoculation system has good results with regard to CFU recovery, quality of Gram staining, and accuracy of diagnosis.
Phage-Mediated Acquisition of a Type III Secreted Effector Protein Boosts Growth of
Salmonella
by Nitrate Respiration
Authors: Lopez Christopher A. , Winter Sebastian E. , Rivera-Chávez Fabian , Xavier Mariana N. , Poon Victor , Nuccio Sean-Paul , Tsolis Renée M. , Bäumler Andreas J.
Published: June 2012

Information on how emerging pathogens can invade and persist and spread within host populations remains sparse. In the 1980s, a multidrug-resistant
Salmonella enterica
serotype Typhimurium clone lysogenized by a bacteriophage carrying the
sopE
virulence gene caused an epidemic among cattle and humans in Europe. Here we show that phage-mediated horizontal transfer of the
sopE
gene enhances the production of host-derived nitrate, an energetically highly valuable electron acceptor, in a mouse colitis model. In turn, nitrate fuels a bloom of
S
. Typhimurium in the gut lumen through anaerobic nitrate respiration while suppressing genes for the utilization of energetically inferior electron acceptors such as tetrathionate. Through this mechanism, horizontal transfer of
sopE
can enhance the fitness of
S
. Typhimurium, resulting in its significantly increased abundance in the feces.

IMPORTANCE
During gastroenteritis,
Salmonella enterica
serotype Typhimurium can use tetrathionate respiration to edge out competing microbes in the gut lumen. However, the concept that tetrathionate respiration confers a growth benefit in the inflamed gut is not broadly applicable to other host-pathogen combinations because tetrathionate respiration is a signature trait used to differentiate
Salmonella
serotypes from most other members of the family
Enterobacteriaceae
. Here we show that by acquiring the phage-carried
sopE
gene,
S
. Typhimurium can drive the host to generate an additional respiratory electron acceptor, nitrate. Nitrate suppresses genes for the utilization of energetically inferior electron acceptors such as tetrathionate while enhancing the luminal growth of
S
. Typhimurium through anaerobic nitrate respiration. Pathways for anaerobic nitrate respiration are widely conserved among members of the family
Enterobacteriaceae
, thereby making our observations relevant to other enteric pathogens whose relative abundance in the intestinal lumen increases during infection.
Epidemiology of death from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in New Mexico
Authors: Kaloostian Paul , Westhout Franklin , Taylor Chris L
Published: June 2012

Background

The authors report the first retrospective analysis of all reported cases of death from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the state of New Mexico from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2007.

Methods

Data were obtained from the New Mexico Vital Records and Health Statistics Department in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Results

The incidence of death from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the state of New Mexico is 2.96/100 000 people per year. Each cultural subgroup and various risk factors in these patients were further analyzed.

Conclusions

This report represents the first documented review of death from aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage in the state of New Mexico. There was a lower incidence in New Mexico compared with the national average. Cultural breakdowns and associated epidemiological factors are discussed.
Energy dependence for relativistic hadron emission from 32S nuclear collisions
Authors: Abdelsalam A. , Badawy B.M. , Hafiz M.E.
Published: June 2012

In this experiment, 32S interaction with emulsion nuclei is examined at 3.7A and 200A GeV. Backward relativistic hadron production seems to be an exact decay system, depending on the target size. For emulsion nuclei, the decay constant of this system nearly equals 1.3. Independent of the projectile size and energy, the backward relativistic hadrons are produced with probability values of ∼20%–30%. For projectile nuclei with mass numbers greater than or equal to 6 and at any incident energy, the average multiplicity of these backward hadrons tends to a saturation value of ∼0.4. Regarding the multiplicity range of forward relativistic hadrons, reaching 60 hadrons per event at 3.7A GeV and extending to ∼400 hadrons per event at 200A GeV, energy plays a fundamental role in forward relativistic hadron production. The results strongly support the assumption that relativistic hadrons are created as a result of energy from participant nucleons.
A reduced-geometry independent particle model calculation of high harmonic generation from closed-shell diatomic molecules
Authors: Murakami Mitsuko , Kirchner Tom , Horbatsch Marko
Published: June 2012

We propose a simple model to calculate high harmonic spectra from closed-shell diatomic molecules based on the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Quasi-Coulomb potentials are used to represent the two-center geometry of a diatomic molecule in two dimensions. A few outer occupied molecular orbitals are evolved independently using a single-electron Hamiltonian, and the harmonic spectra are evaluated from a coherent sum of single-electron dipole accelerations. According to this independent particle model, harmonic spectra from individual orbitals follow the semiclassical cutoff law, but their relative strengths vary depending on molecular orientations. When the contributions from different orbitals are of comparable strength, their net spectrum extends to the inner-orbital cutoffs, and in some cases acquires a local minimum where harmonic spectra from different molecular orbitals interfere destructively because of their phase difference.
Developing a tutorial to address student difficulties in learning curl: a link between qualitative and mathematical reasoning
Authors: Jung Kyesam , Lee Gyoungho
Published: June 2012

Many university students have difficulty understanding the concept of curl in our upper-level mechanics courses. This difficulty poses considerable problems when students learn upper-level physics, as the concept of curl is closely related to a wide variety of topics in physics, such as Maxwell’s equations, Faraday’s law, and conservative fields. However, few studies have considered the reasons that students experience difficulty or ways to help students overcome their difficulty grasping the notion of curl. Therefore, in this study, we try to address student difficulty in learning curl. First, we developed a questionnaire to investigate student difficulties in understanding curl and to obtain comments on a tutorial. The questionnaire involved an explanation and a Likert scale form (degrees 0 to 4). We administered a diagnostic test in which we posed two kinds of curl problems. As a result, students who showed qualitative reasoning to solve two types of curl problems were better at solving a curved-line problem than they were at solving a straight-line problem. In contrast, students who showed mathematical reasoning were better at solving the straight-line problem. Based on these results, we developed a tutorial to aid students in using both qualitative and mathematical reasoning. Use of the tutorial enhanced students’ explanations about the curl concept and increased a percentage of correct answers.
Hot isostatic pressing process simulation: application to metal powders
Authors: Redouani L. , Boudrahem S.
Published: June 2012

Deformation and transport mechanisms of matter, which intervene in the powder densification process by hot isostatic pressing (HIP), are very complicated to put into equation form. Their contribution to densification depends on powder characteristics, their configuration in aggregates, and the used HIP cycle parameters (temperature, pressure, and time). In this work, we have envisaged modifications that seemed to us necessary to bring to the previous simulations, so that their predictions will be related to experiment. New equations were established to evaluate the efficient pressure and the contributions of different mechanisms. The obtained results are used for the construction of densification diagrams by the HIP of copper, nickel, and tungsten powders and to the comparison with the experimental data. The comparative tables, between theoretical results and experimental data, were established for tin and lead. The simulation predictions are in good agreement with experimental results.
Evolution of the photon-added coherent state in a laser channel
Authors: Zhou Jun , Song Jun , Yuan Hao , Fan Hong-Yi
Published: June 2012

We investigate the time evolution of a quantum state in the laser channel with cavity gain coefficient g and loss coefficient κ by virtue of the thermo entangled state representation. This is a new approach for solving master equations. We exactly calculate the evolving result of the photon-added coherent state (PACS) governed by the master equation describing the laser process, and the normal ordered form of the density operator in the laser channel is derived, based on which we calculate the Wigner function analytically and graphically. The corresponding law of the PACS evolution in the laser channel is evaluated.
ZETA FUNCTION REGULARIZATION IN CASIMIR EFFECT CALCULATIONS AND J. S. DOWKER's CONTRIBUTION
Authors: ELIZALDE EMILIO
Published: June 2012

A summary of relevant contributions, ordered in time, to the subject of operator zeta functions and their application to physical issues is provided. The description ends with the seminal contributions of Stephen Hawking and Stuart Dowker and collaborators, considered by many authors as the actual starting point of the introduction of zeta function regularization methods in theoretical physics, in particular, for quantum vacuum fluctuation and Casimir effect calculations. After recalling a number of the strengths of this powerful and elegant method, some of its limitations are discussed. Finally, recent results of the so-called operator regularization procedure are presented.
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY IN GRAPHENE
Authors: FIALKOVSKY I. V. , VASSILEVICH D. V.
Published: June 2012

This is a short nontechnical introduction to applications of the Quantum Field Theory methods to graphene. We derive the Dirac model from the tight binding model and describe calculations of the polarization operator (conductivity). Later on, we use this quantity to describe the Quantum Hall Effect, light absorption by graphene, the Faraday effect, and the Casimir interaction.
COMPARISON BETWEEN EXPERIMENT AND THEORY FOR THE THERMAL CASIMIR FORCE
Authors: KLIMCHITSKAYA G. L. , BORDAG M. , MOSTEPANENKO V. M.
Published: June 2012

We analyze recent experiments on measuring the thermal Casimir force with account of possible background effects. Special attention is paid to the validity of the proximity force approximation (PFA) used in the comparison between the experimental data and computational results in experiments employing a sphere-plate geometry. The PFA results are compared with the exact results where they are available. The possibility to use fitting procedures in theory-experiment comparison is discussed. On this basis we reconsider experiments exploiting spherical lenses of centimeter-size radii.
MEASURING THE MAGNETIC BIREFRINGENCE OF VACUUM: THE PVLAS EXPERIMENT
Authors: ZAVATTINI G. , GASTALDI U. , PENGO R. , RUOSO G. , VALLE F. DELLA , MILOTTI E.
Published: June 2012

We describe the principle and the status of the PVLAS experiment which is presently running at the INFN section of Ferrara, Italy, to detect the magnetic birefringence of vacuum. This is related to the QED vacuum structure and can be detected by measuring the ellipticity acquired by a linearly polarized light beam propagating through a strong magnetic field. Such an effect is predicted by the Euler–Heisenberg Lagrangian. The method is also sensitive to other hypothetical physical effects such as axion-like particles and in general to any fermion/boson millicharged particle. Here we report on the construction of our apparatus based on a high finesse (> 2·105) Fabry–Perot cavity and two 0.9 m long 2.5 T permanent dipole rotating magnets, and on the measurements performed on a scaled down test setup. With the test setup we have improved by about a factor 2 the limit on the parameter Ae describing nonlinear electrodynamic effects in vacuum: Ae < 2.9 · 10-21 T-2 @ 95% C.L.
GENERALIZED RANDOM MATRIX THEORY: A MATHEMATICAL PROBE FOR COMPLEXITY
Authors: SHUKLA PRAGYA
Published: June 2012

The ubiquitous presence of complexity in nature makes it necessary to seek new mathematical tools which can probe physical systems beyond linear or perturbative approximations. The random matrix theory is one such tool in which the statistical behavior of a system is modeled by an ensemble of its replicas. This paper is an attempt to review the basic aspects of the theory in a simplified language, aimed at students from diverse areas of physics.
UPPER LIMIT OF RATE OF INFORMATION TRANSMISSION FOR THERMAL AND EXTERNAL COLORED NONGAUSSIAN NOISES DRIVEN DYNAMICAL SYSTEM
Authors: SEN M. K. , BAURA A. , BAG B. C.
Published: June 2012

In this paper we have studied information dynamics of both internal and external noises driven harmonic oscillator. Based on the Fokker–Planck description of the stochastic processes and the Schwarz inequality principle we have calculated upper bound of rate of change of information entropy with time and its deviation from the time derivative of the entropy. The bound and the deviation monotonically decreases to zero during the relaxation of a given nonequilibrium state to a stationery state. The relaxation time increase with increase of noise correlation time of the internal colored thermal noise but it is independent on the correlation time of the external colored noise. However, an extremum behavior appears in the variation of the bound as a function of parameter of the system such as damping strength, noise correlation time of thermal and nonthermal noises etc.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT GAMES
Authors: CURIEL IMMA
Published: June 2012

This paper studies situations in which companies can cooperate in order to decrease the earliest completion time of a project that consists of several tasks. This is beneficial for the client who wants the project to be completed as early as possible. The client is willing to pay more for an earlier completion time. The total payoff must be allocated among the companies that cooperate. Cooperative game theory is used to model this situation. Conditions for the core of the game to be nonempty are derived. We study a class of project management games for which necessary and sufficient conditions for the nonemptiness of the core can be derived. We will show that a subset of the set of balanced project management games can be partitioned into a class of 1-convex games and a class of big boss games. Expressions for the extreme points of the core, the τ-value, the nucleolus, and the Shapley-value of games in these two classes are derived.
ON THE EXISTENCE OF BERGE'S STRONG EQUILIBRIUM
Authors: DEGHDAK MESSAOUD , FLORENZANO MONIQUE
Published: June 2012

In this paper, we establish the existence of Berge's strong equilibrium for games with n persons in infinite dimensional space in the case where the payoff function of each player is quasi-concave. Moreover, we study the continuity of Berge's strong equilibria correspondence and essential games.
OUTSIDE OPTIONS IN PROBABILISTIC COALITION SITUATIONS
Authors: BELAU JULIA
Published: June 2012

In this paper, we introduce an extension of (TU) games with a coalition structure. Taking a situation where all coalitions are already established is not reasonable in order to forecast the reality; there is not only one possible coalition, there are several. We consider situations where coalitions are not established yet and take into account the likelihood of each possible coalition. This leads to a generalized, probabilistic setting for coalition structures. Probabilistic versions of known axioms as efficiency, symmetry or the null player axiom are introduced as well as new probabilistic axioms, the probabilistic influence axioms. The focus is on a generalization of the outside-option-sensitive χ-value in the new setting and an axiomatic characterization of it. The problematic of the impossibility of a direct axiomatization via deterministic pendants is discussed: As an example for a direct characterization we introduce and characterize a probabilistic version of the outside-option-insensitive pendant of the χ-value, the component restricted Shapley value. As another example for an outside-option-sensitive value without direct characterization we introduce a probabilistic version of the Owen value and show that a direct characterization is not possible; we link this to the problem of component decomposability.
THE ASSIGNMENT GAME WITH NEGATIVE EXTERNALITIES AND BOUNDED RATIONALITY
Authors: ERIKSSON KIMMO , JANSSON FREDRIK , VETANDER THOMAS
Published: June 2012

We introduce negative externalities in the form of ill will among the players of the classic two-sided assignment game of Shapley and Shubik, by letting each player's utility be negatively correlated with the payoff of all the players in his group. The new game is very complex, but under a certain assumption of bounded rationality we derive a straightforward notion of stable outcomes as certain conjectural equilibria. We prove that several well-known properties of the set of stable outcomes in the assignment game carry over to this new game.
BUILDING EXTERNAL NETWORKS AND ITS EFFECT ON THE PERFORMANCE OF OVERSEAS R&D BASE
Authors: YONEYAMA SHIGEMI
Published: June 2012

This paper examines the relationship between R&D collaborations with local organizations in the host countries and the performance of overseas R&D bases, considering the types of collaborations. The result of an empirical analysis shows that, while collaborations with local companies in the same industry of the host country just enhance the efficiency of R&D activities, those with local universities, public research institutions, and companies in the different industries increase the overall R&D performance including the efficiency of R&D activities and the quality of technological outputs. Also, as a factor that enables companies to build external networks, the effect of the nationality of top manager and researchers of R&D bases is investigated. The result demonstrates that R&D bases with top managers from the home countries are less active in developing R&D collaborations with local universities and that, as the percentage of the researchers from the home countries increases, the R&D bases tend to develop R&D collaborations with local companies in the same industry, but they do not develop those with local universities and other research institutions.
LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION IN ORGANIZATIONS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF FACTORS THAT MEDIATE OR MODERATE THE RELATIONSHIP
Authors: DENTI LEIF , HEMLIN SVEN
Published: June 2012

A leader supports teams and individuals as they turn their creative efforts into innovations (leader as facilitator) and manages the organization's goals and activities aimed at innovation (leader as manager). This review focuses on when and how leadership relates to innovation (i.e., the factors that moderate or mediate the relationship between leadership and innovation). The sample consists of 30 empirical studies in which leadership is treated as the independent variable and innovation as the dependent variable. In addition to reviewing moderating and mediating factors, we identified two factors where the findings are ambiguous. The review proposes three new factors that may mediate or moderate the relationship between leadership and innovation.
FUZZY BLACK'S MEDIAN VOTER THEOREM: EXAMINING THE STRUCTURE OF FUZZY RULES AND STRICT PREFERENCE
Authors: GIBILISCO MICHAEL B. , MORDESON JOHN N. , CLARK TERRY D.
Published: June 2012

Under certain aggregation rules, particular subsets of the voting population fully characterize the social preference relation, and the preferences of the remaining voters become irrelevant. In the traditional literature, these types of rules, i.e. voting and simple rules, have received considerable attention because they produce non-empty social maximal sets under single-peaked preference profiles but are particularly poorly behaved in multi-dimensional space. However, the effects of fuzzy preference relations on these types of rules is largely unexplored. This paper extends the analysis of voting and simple rules in the fuzzy framework. In doing so, we contribute to this literature by relaxing previous assumptions about strict preference and by illustrating that Black's Median Voter Theorem does not hold under all conceptualizations of the fuzzy maximal set.
STRATIFIED LATTICE-VALUED BALANCED NEIGHBORHOOD TOPOLOGICAL GROUPS
Authors: AL-MUFARRIJ JAWAHER
Published: June 2012

The aim of this article is to introduce the notion of stratified lattice-valued balanced neighborhood topological group. We also introduce the notions of equicontinuity in stratified lattice-valued neighborhood topological space, and uniform equicontinuity in stratified lattice-valued uniform space. We use these notions to characterize stratified lattice-valued neighborhood topological groups. Moreover, introducing the notions of lattice-valued neighborhood open function and lattice-valued uniformly open function, we show that in a stratified lattice-valued neighborhood topological group these notions are equivalent. Finally, we conclude with a characterization of balanced stratified lattice-valued neighborhood topological group in terms of uniform continuity of binary group operation.
PARTICLE DARK MATTER IN THE GALACTIC HALO: RESULTS FROM DAMA/LIBRA
Authors: BERNABEI R. , BELLI P. , MONTECCHIA F. , NOZZOLI F. , CAPPELLA F. , d'ANGELO A. , INCICCHITTI A. , PROSPERI D. , CERULLI R. , DAI C. J. , HE H. L. , MA X. H. , SHENG X. D. , WANG R. G. , YE Z. P.
Published: June 2012

The DAMA/LIBRA experiment, running at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory of the I.N.F.N. in Italy, has a sensitive mass of about 250 kg highly radiopure NaI(Tl). It is mainly devoted to the investigation of Dark Matter (DM) particles in the Galactic halo by exploiting the model independent DM annual modulation signature. The present DAMA/LIBRA experiment and the former DAMA/NaI one (the first generation experiment having an exposed mass of about 100 kg) have cumulatively released so far the results obtained with the data collected over 13 annual cycles; the total exposure is 1.17 ton × yr. They give a model independent evidence of the presence of DM particles in the galactic halo at 8.9 σ C.L. on the basis of the investigated DM signature. Few aspects of the obtained results are summarized and some comments addressed.
RAPID OPTICAL FOLLOW-UP OBSERVATIONS OF GAMMA-RAY BURSTS
Authors: BOËR MICHEL
Published: June 2012

The prompt emission of gamma-ray burst sources is still the main means of detection, and a privilegied access to the souce dynamics. It is detected from radio to GeV energies, and its study is crucial for the overall understanding of the phenomenom. We present here a panorama of the rapid optical observations, and what can be infered from the data. We will discuss also the new instruments which are planned for the observation of the prompt and early afterglow at optical and infrared wavelengths, with spectral capabilities.
PATCH EFFECT IN CYLINDRICAL GEOMETRY: THE STEP ACCELEROMETER
Authors: FERRONI VALERIO , SILBERGLEIT ALEXANDER
Published: June 2012

The actual distribution of charges on a metal does not guarantee its surface to be equipotential because of the impurities and microcrystal structure of the material. This phenomenon, known as patch effect, is responsible for the mutual force and torque between two metallic surfaces at a finite distance. Patch effect is important for any precision measurement whose set-up includes conducting surfaces in a closed proximity to each other. This is particularly true for the Satellite Test of the Equivalence Principle experiment where the differential motion of cylindrical test masses will be used to test the universality of free fall to an unprecedented accuracy of about 1 part in 1018.
SPACE-TIME EVOLUTION OF ELECTRIC FIELDS IN CORES OF COMPACT STARS
Authors: HAN WEN-BIAO , RUFFINI REMO , XUE SHE-SHENG
Published: June 2012

Studying the electrodynamics of proton and electron fluids in cores of compact stars, we find oscillations of electron density and electric field around their equilibrium configurations, provided cores undergo a pulsation or trigger of gravitational collapse. These field and density oscillations can possibly lead to observable electromagnetic radiation.
SUNSETS AND SOLAR DIAMETER MEASUREMENT
Authors: SIGISMONDI COSTANTINO
Published: June 2012

A sunset over the sea surface offers the possibility to chronometrate a solar transit across the horizon. The vertical solar diameter is proportional to the duration of the sunset, the cosine of the azimuth and the cosine of the latitude of the observing site. The same formula applies to every circle of equal height, called in arabic almucantarat, and it is exploited in the measurements of the solar diameter made with the Danjon's solar astrolabes. The analogies between sunsets and astrolabes observations are presented, showing advantages and sources of errors of these methods of solar astrometry.
NEGATIVE CORRELATION OF ELECTROMAGNETIC VACUUM FLUCTUATIONS AND MOTION OF A CHARGED PARTICLE
Authors: HSIANG JEN-TSUNG , WU TAI-HUNG , LEE DA-SHIN
Published: June 2012

The electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations seem to have a special property that since the self-force of a free charged particle in the semiclassical approximation is found insignificant, the velocity dispersion of the particle, caused by these fluctuations, do not grow without bound. We point out that it is related to the colored spectrum of the electromagnetic vacuum fluctuations, and is in connection with the presence of negative correlation of the fields. Some consequences are discussed.
VACUUM BUBBLES AND GRAVITY EFFECTS
Authors: LEE BUM-HOON , LEE WONWOO
Published: June 2012

The vacuum bubbles in the curved spacetime are analyzed. We classify the true and false vacuum bubbles with the cosmological constants from the minimum of the potential being either positive, zero, or negative. We introduce new type of solutions with Z2 symmetry when the potential has degenerate vacua, i.e., instanton solutions. This new type of solutions are possible only if gravity is taken into account.
Engineering Molecular Circuits Using Synthetic Biology in Mammalian Cells
Authors: Wieland Markus , Fussenegger Martin
Published: June 2012

Synthetic biology has made significant leaps over the past decade, and it now enables rational and predictable reprogramming of cells to conduct complex physiological activities. The bases for cellular reprogramming are mainly genetic control components affecting gene expression. A huge variety of these modules, ranging from engineered fusion proteins regulating transcription to artificial RNA devices affecting translation, is available, and they often feature a highly modular scaffold. First endeavors to combine these modules have led to autoregulated expression systems and genetic cascades. Analogous to the rational engineering of electronic circuits, the existing repertoire of artificial regulatory elements has further enabled the ambitious reprogramming of cells to perform Boolean calculations or to mimic the oscillation of circadian clocks. Cells harboring synthetic gene circuits are not limited to cell culture, as they have been successfully implanted in animals to obtain tailor-made therapeutics that have made it possible to restore urea or glucose homeostasis as well as to offer an innovative approach to artificial insemination.