bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical Approach to Patients With Infection
Authors: Wilson John W. , Estes Lynn L.
Published: July 2012

•Define the host: Identify factors that influence the type of infection, disease progression, and prognosis, which include:

• Host factors such as patient age, immune status (eg, immunosuppression or the absence of a spleen), the presence of foreign bodies (eg, central venous catheter, permanent pacemaker, intracardiac defibrillator, prosthetic heart valves, prosthetic joints), or other comorbid conditions, ...
Surgical Prophylaxis
Authors: Wilson John W. , Estes Lynn L.
Published: July 2012

Surgical prophylaxis should be directed toward the microorganism likely to cause infection after the operation.

• Infusion just before incision is critical to success but continuation beyond a 24-hour maximum (48-hour maximum for cardiac surgery) is not necessary; resistance and complications may result from prolonged use of prophylaxis...
Acute Native Joint Infections
Authors: Wilson John W. , Estes Lynn L.
Published: July 2012

•Clinical: Acute monoarticular swelling, typically of a large joint, with fever and pain

•Radiology: Normal osseus structures (early) with soft-tissue swelling

•Laboratory: Elevated leukocytes, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein

•Arthrocentesis: >50,000–100,000 leukocytes (predominantly neutrophils), absence of crystals, Gram stain often negative...
Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Infection
Authors: Wilson John W. , Estes Lynn L.
Published: July 2012

• Obtain confirmatory human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing by rapid test or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); optimally repeat HIV viral load (VL) and CD4 T-cell (CD4) count 2 times before initiation of therapy; a substantial change in CD4 count is generally >30%

• Perform VL immediately before treatment initiation (or change in therapy) and again 2–8 weeks later; for the latter, the optimal decrease would be at least 1 log...
Zoonotic (Animal-Associated) Infections
Authors: Wilson John W. , Estes Lynn L.
Published: July 2012

•General information: Four species are known to cause disease in humans: B abortus (cattle), B canis (kennel-raised dogs), B melitensis (goats and sheep), and B suis (swine)

•Geographic distribution: Mediterranean (eg, Spain, Italy, Greece), Latin America, Middle East (eg, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iraq, Kuwait)...
Diaquadi-μ-formato-bis{μ-2,2′-[propane-1,3-diylbis(nitrilomethanylylidene)]diphenolato}cadmium(II)dinickel(II) dihydrate
Authors: Zhang Jian-Feng , Wan Bo , Liu Wen , Shi Qian
Published: July 2012

In the centrosymmetric title compound, [CdNi2(C17H16N2O2)2(HCOO)2(H2O)2]·2H2O, The NiIIcation is chelated by a 2,2′-[propane-1,3-diylbis(nitrilomethanylylidene)]diphenolate (salpn) anion, and further coordinated by a formate anion and a water molecule in a distorted NiN2O4octahedral geometry. The CdIIcation, located on an inversion center, is coordinated by four deprotonated hydroxy groups from two salpn anions and two carboxylate O atoms from formate anions in a distorted octahedral geometry. Both formate and salpn anions bridge the Cd and Ni cations, forming a trinuclear complex. Within the salpn anion, the benzene rings are twisted to each other at a dihedral angle of 61.46 (18)°. Intermolecular O—H...O hydrogen bonding is present in the crystal structure. The lattice water molecule is disorder over two positions with an occupancy ratio of 0.75:0.25.
catena-Poly[[(2-{[2-(dimethylammonio)ethyl]iminomethyl}pyridine-κ2N,N′)bis(thiocyanato-κN)manganese(II)]-μ-thiocyanato-κ2N:S]
Authors: Wang Jun , Zhu Wubiao , Li Jichang
Published: July 2012

In the title one-dimensional coordination polymer, [Mn(NCS)3(C10H16N3)]n, the MnIIatom is coordinated by anN,N′-bidentate Schiff base and four thiocyanate ligands in a distorted octahedral N5S geometry. Bridging thiocyanate ligands interconnect adjacent [Mn(NCS)2(C10H16N3)] units, giving rise to helical chains extending along thebaxis. The chains are further linked through N—H...S hydrogen bonds, leading to a three-dimensional supramolecular network.
Poly[[pentaaqua(μ4-pyridine-2,4,6-tricarboxylato)(μ3-pyridine-2,4,6-tricarboxylato)diterbium(III)] monohydrate]
Authors: Yu Xiao-Ke , Zhu Hong-Lin
Published: July 2012

The three-dimensional title coordination polymer, {[Tb2(C8H2NO6)2(H2O)5]·H2O}n, was hydrothermally synthesized by reacting the corresponding rare-earth salt with pyridine-2,4,6-tricarboxylic acid (H3ptc). There are two independent TbIIIatoms in the structure, one of which is nine-coordinated, forming a monocapped NO8square-antiprism and the other is eight-coordinated exhibiting a 4,4-bicapped NO7trigonal–prismatic environment. The complex units are interconnected through the ptc3−anions acting in different coordination modes, resulting in a three-dimensional coordination polymer. The crystal structure features extensive O—H...O hydrogen bonds.
N-(2-Chlorophenyl)-2-nitrobenzenesulfonamide
Authors: Chaithanya U. , Foro Sabine , Gowda B. Thimme
Published: July 2012

In the title compound, C12H9ClN2O4S, the N—H bond in the –SO2—NH– segment issynto both theortho-nitro group in the sulfonylbenzene ring and theortho-Cl atom in the aniline ring. The molecule is twisted at the S—N bond with a torsion angle of 75.0 (2)°. The dihedral angle between the sulfonylbenzene and aniline rings is 54.97 (11)°. The amide H atom shows bifurcated hydrogen bonding, generatingS(7) andC(4) motifs. In the crystal, N—H...O(S) hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains.
Boron carbide, B13-xC2-y(x= 0.12,y= 0.01)
Authors: Sologub Oksana , Michiue Yuichi , Mori Takao
Published: July 2012

Boron carbide phases exist over a widely varying compositional range B12+xC3-x(0.06 <x< 1.7). One idealized structure corresponds to the B13C2composition (space groupR-3m) and contains one icosahedral B12unit and one linear C—B—C chain. The B12units are composed of crystallographically distinct B atoms BP(polar, B1) and BEq(equatorial, B2). Boron icosahedra are interconnected by C atomsviatheir BEqatoms, forming layers parallel to (001), while the B12units of the adjacent layers are linked through intericosahedral BP—BPbonds. The unique B atom (BC) connects the two C atoms of adjacent layers, forming a C—B—C chain along [001]. Depending on the carbon concentration, the carbon and BPsites exhibit mixed B/C occupancies to varying degrees; besides, the BCsite shows partial occupancy. The decrease in carbon content was reported to be realizedviaan increasing number of chainless unit cells. On the basis of X-ray single-crystal refinement, we have concluded that the unit cell of the given boron-rich crystal contains following structural units: [B12] and [B11C] icosahedra (about 96 and 4%, respectively) and C—B—C chains (87%). Besides, there is a fraction of unit cells (13%) with the B atom located against the triangular face of a neighboring icosahedron formed by BEq(B2) thus rendering the formula B0.87(B0.98C0.02)12(B0.13C0.87)2for the current boron carbide crystal.
catena-Poly[[bis(thiocyanato-κN)cobalt(II)]-di-μ-thiourea-κ4S:S]
Authors: Rajarajan K. , Sendil Kumar K. , Ramesh V. , Shihabuddeen V. , Murugavel S.
Published: July 2012

In the title polymeric complex, [Co(NCS)2{SC(NH2)2}2]n, the asymmetric unit comprises a CoIIion, which is situated on an inversion centre, anN-bound thiocyanate anion and a μ2-bridging thiourea molecule. The CoIIatom is coordinated in a distorted octahedral fashion within an N2S4donor set. The bridging thiourea ligands link CoIIions into a polymeric chain extending along [100]. The molecular conformation is stabilized by intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bonds, which generateS(6) ring motifs. The crystal packing is stabilized by N—H...S interactions, which connect the chains into a three-dimensional architecture.
4-Methyl-2-(2-nitrobenzenesulfonamido)pentanoic acid
Authors: Arshad Muhammad Nadeem , Danish Muhammad , Tahir Muhammad Nawaz , Khalid Savera , Asiri Abdullah M.
Published: July 2012

In the title compound, C12H16N2O6S, the S atom adopts a distorted tetrahedral geometry with an O—S—O angle of 119.76 (13)°. The nitro group is twisted by 35.34 (2)° with respect to the aromatic ring; it accepts an N—H...O hydrogen bond, resulting in aS(7) motif. In the crystal, N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds connect the molecules into an infinite chain along theaaxis. The methyl C atoms of the isopropyl group are disordered in a 1:1 ratio.
(E)-2-Amino-4-(3,3-dimethyl-2-oxobutylidene)-1-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl]-6-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carbonitrile
Authors: Kim Hyung Jin , Kim Young Hyun , Otgonbaatar Enkhzul , Kwak Chee-Hun
Published: July 2012

In the title compound, C17H25N3O3, there are intramolecular hydrogen bonds between an amine H atom and the epoxy O atom, and between a dihydropyridine ring H atom and the ketone O atom. In the crystal, molecules are linked into a zigzag chain running parallel to thecaxis by hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy group and the ketone O atom. There are also weak C—H...O and C—H...π interactions which link the molecules into sheets lying in thebcplane.
Dimethylammonium 5-carboxy-2-(1-oxo-1λ5-pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazole-4-carboxylate
Authors: Dai Chuntao , Nie Jianhua , Lin Yuehua , Wang Jun
Published: July 2012

In the title salt, C2H8N+·C10H6N3O5−, the imidazolecarboxylate anion is essentially planar [maximum deviation from the least-squares plane = 0.046 (5) Å], with a dihedral angle between the rings of 2.7 (2)°. This conformation is maintained by the presence of both intramolecular carboxy–carboxylate O—H...O and imidazole–oxide N—H...O hydrogen bonds. Iin the crystal, cation–carboxylate N—H...O and cation–imidazole N—H...N hydrogen bonds result in chains along thebaxis.
A new time‐dependent mobility degradation model for MOS transistors
Authors: Özcelep Yasin , Kuntman Ayten
Published: July 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a time‐dependent mobility degradation model which is independent from the process or operating conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, four transistors under test are electrically stressed using constant positive electrical stress voltage technique with the gate bias of VG=40 V DC, where the source and drain were grounded. The authors increased the stress voltage step by step to avoid electrostatic discharge and recorded the ID‐VDS and ID‐VGS measurements in time intervals during the stress.

Findings

The experimental results show that the output current and the threshold voltage of the transistor are increased after the stress. Mobility and channel length are decreased. The changes in the transistor parameters were associated to interface state Si/SiO2 effects. The authors used the physical changes in transistor and proposed a new‐time dependent mobility degradation model. The mobility change was calculated using the proposed model and compared with the experimental results. It was seen that the calculated and experimental results are in good agreement.

Originality/value

This is an original research paper and enables the mobility degradation to be predicted independently from effects of process or operational changes such as oxide thickness, substrate doping, and applied voltages on transistor.
The potential of converged mobile telecommunication services: a conjoint analysis
Authors: Nikou Shahrokh , Bouwman Harry , de Reuver Mark
Published: July 2012

Purpose

Fearing that their voice and SMS business will be substituted by IP‐based services from internet companies, mobile operators are developing various IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) based technologies to enable richer communication services. They reason that since the new rich communication services – such as enhanced presence, group communication and seamless switching between devices and media types within the same communication session – provide secure and more reliable services than those offered by internet companies – Skype, Whatsapp and Google+, for instance – consumers will readily appreciate their services and consequently use them. This paper seeks to address these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

To validate these claims, this study analyzes the results of a conjoint survey among 82 respondents in The Netherlands, France and Spain. Are users really willing to adopt these rich communication services and, if so, do issues like reliability, privacy and security impact their decision?

Finding

The results indicate that while users are most interested in “group communication” features of rich communication services, they appreciate other services like “switching devices”, “switching media during communication sessions” and “file‐sharing”. Still, for all services, reliability, security and interoperability (i.e. switching between devices) are valued as important requirements.

Research limitation/implications

These findings contribute to the debate on platform competition, as these rich communication services are provided on the basis of the IMS platform, while competing services are offered via an internet base platform.

Originality/ value

This paper contributes to the discussion in the mobile telecommunications domain on whether and how operators can counter the threat from internet players that look to take over their voice and SMS business. Theoretically, this paper will contribute both to understanding why users intend to adopt advanced mobile services and creating insight into the consumer‐related factors that drive the war between competing service platforms.
Alliance network and innovation: evidence from China's third generation mobile communications industry
Authors: Lin Runhui , Zhang Hongjuan , Fan Jianhong , Hou Rujing
Published: July 2012

Purpose

This paper seeks to explore the evolution of a third generation mobile communications (3G) industry based on TD‐SCDMA technical standard in China through the lens of network analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors argue that inter‐firm alliances help companies gain and integrate internal and external resources and foster technical innovation. The paper analyzes alliance governance structures and governance mechanisms in particular, and shows how they protect and improve network‐based innovation capabilities and competitive advantages during a ten‐year period with the method of social network analysis and case studies.

Findings

The authors offer a theoretical model that incorporates cooperation among organizations, the maturity of the industrial chain, and the accumulation of organizational knowledge and social capital.

Originality/value

The paper offers a theoretical model of factors that contributes greatly to the development of technical innovation.
Bio‐energetics underpins the spatial response of North Sea plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.) and sole (Solea solea L.) to climate change
Authors: Teal Lorna R. , van Hal Ralf , van Kooten Tobias , Ruardij Piet , Rijnsdorp Adriaan D.
Published: July 2012

Climate change is currently one of the main driving forces behind changes in species distributions, and understanding the mechanisms that underpin macroecological patterns is necessary for a more predictive science. Warming sea water temperatures are expected to drive changes in ectothermic marine species ranges due to their thermal tolerance levels. Here, we develop a mechanistic tool to predict size‐ and season‐specific distributions based on the physiology of the species and the temperature and food conditions in the sea. The effects of climate conditions on physiological‐based habitat utilization was then examined for different size‐classes of two commercially important fish species in the North Sea, plaice, Pleuronectes platessa, and sole, Solea solea. The two species provide an attractive comparison as they differ in their physiology (e.g. preferred temperature range). Combining dynamic energy budget (DEB) models with the temperature and food conditions estimated by an ecosystem model (ERSEM), allowed spatial differences in potential growth (as a proxy for habitat quality) to be estimated for 2 years with contrasting temperature and food conditions. The resulting habitat quality maps were in broad agreement with observed ontogenetic and seasonal changes in distribution as well as with the recent changes in distribution which could be attributed to an increase in coastal temperatures. Our physiological‐based model provides a powerful tool to explore the effect of climate change on the spatio‐temporal fish dynamics, predict effects of local or broad‐scale environmental changes and provide a physiological basis for observed changes in species distributions.
Hepatitis E virus infection in Ghanaian blood donors – the importance of immunoassay selection and confirmation
Authors: Meldal B. H. M. , Sarkodie F. , Owusu‐Ofori S. , Allain J.‐P.
Published: July 2012

Background and Objectives  Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is emerging as a potential new threat to blood safety after several cases of transfusion–transmission were reported from non‐epidemic countries. On the basis of seroprevalence data, HEV is endemic in Ghana where poor sanitary conditions and regular flooding are prevalent. However, no data are available for HEV prevalence in blood donors.

Materials and Methods  Plasma samples from 239 Ghanaian blood donors were tested for anti‐HEV IgG and IgM by ELISA (two and three assays, respectively) and Western blot (recomLine) and for HEV‐RNA by RT‐qPCR.

Results  All donors were RNA negative. Results from the different serological assays were discrepant: reactivity in two of the three IgM assays was correlated with elevated IgM levels, but the discrepancies between IgG assays were unrelated to the donors’ IgG levels and more likely related to assay sensitivity. Fourteen samples (5·9%) were anti‐HEV IgM reactive and 11 samples (4·6%) anti‐HEV IgG reactive in at least two serological assays from different manufacturers.

Conclusions  (a) In the absence of accepted confirmatory assays, it is crucial to confirm anti‐HEV reactive samples with an alternative assay, especially when the population tested carries high levels of immunoglobulin M. (b) Although asymptomatic HEV infections are common in Ghanaian blood donors, currently, it does not seem to be a major risk to blood safety.
Stoichiometric flexibility as a regulator of carbon and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems under change
Authors: Sistla Seeta A. , Schimel Joshua P.
Published: July 2012

Ecosystems across the biosphere are subject to rapid changes in elemental balance and climatic regimes. A major force structuring ecological responses to these perturbations lies in the stoichiometric flexibility of systems – the ability to adjust their elemental balance whilst maintaining function. The potential for stoichiometric flexibility underscores the utility of the application of a framework highlighting the constraints and consequences of elemental mass balance and energy cycling in biological systems to address global change phenomena. Improvement in the modeling of ecological responses to disturbance requires the consideration of the stoichiometric flexibility of systems within and across relevant scales. Although a multitude of global change studies over various spatial and temporal scales exist, the explicit consideration of the role played by stoichiometric flexibility in linking micro‐scale to macro‐scale biogeochemical processes in terrestrial ecosystems remains relatively unexplored. Focusing on terrestrial systems under change, we discuss the mechanisms by which stoichiometric flexibility might be expressed and connected from organisms to ecosystems. We suggest that the transition from the expression of stoichiometric flexibility within individuals to the community and ecosystem scales is a key mechanism regulating the extent to which environmental perturbation may alter ecosystem carbon and nutrient cycling dynamics.
TRPV1–tubulin complex: involvement of membrane tubulin in the regulation of chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy
Authors: Goswami Chandan
Published: July 2012

Existence of microtubule cytoskeleton at the membrane and submembranous regions, referred as ‘membrane tubulin’ has remained controversial for a long time. Since we reported physical and functional interaction of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Sub Type 1 (TRPV1) with microtubules and linked the importance of TRPV1‐tubulin complex in the context of chemotherapy‐induced peripheral neuropathy, a few more reports have characterized this interaction in in vitro and in in vivo condition. However, the cross‐talk between TRPs with microtubule cytoskeleton, and the complex feedback regulations are not well understood. Sequence analysis suggests that other than TRPV1, few TRPs can potentially interact with microtubules. The microtubule interaction with TRPs has evolutionary origin and has a functional significance. Biochemical evidence, Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer analysis along with correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence anisotropy measurements have confirmed that TRPV1 interacts with microtubules in live cell and this interaction has regulatory roles. Apart from the transport of TRPs and maintaining the cellular structure, microtubules regulate signaling and functionality of TRPs at the single channel level. Thus, TRPV1‐tubulin interaction sets a stage where concept and parameters of ‘membrane tubulin’ can be tested in more details. In this review, I critically analyze the advancements made in biochemical, pharmacological, behavioral as well as cell‐biological observations and summarize the limitations that need to be overcome in the future.
Feeling my way: emotions and empathy in geographic research with fathers in Valparaíso, Chile
Authors: Evans Monica
Published: July 2012

This article contributes to emerging discussion on ‘placing’ emotions and empathy in geographic research processes in ways that matter personally and politically. Based on reflections from a qualitative research project with young fathers in Valparaíso, Chile, and drawing from psychotherapeutic and social work literature as well as from within the discipline of geography, the article argues that exploring interpersonal emotional experiences such as empathy can help researchers to understand more about how issues of power, identity, difference and commonality operate in research relationships, and about the personal and wider political implications of these issues for researchers and participants.
A Three‐Dimensional Finite Element Analysis for Overdenture Attachments Supported by Teeth and/or Mini Dental Implants
Authors: Fatalla Abdalbseet A. , Song Ke , Du Tianfeng , Cao Yingguang
Published: July 2012

Purpose: The aim of this study was to establish the optimum design and attachment combination to support an overdenture with minimal stress and flexing produced in the alveolar bone surrounding any natural teeth and/or mini dental implants.

Materials and Methods: Twelve models were included in the study: the six main models (A, B, C, D, E, and F) were categorized according to the support designs of the overdenture prosthesis, and each model was further subdivided according to the attachment combinations into model 1: with Dalbo elliptic and/or O‐ring attachments only and model 2: with flexible acrylic attachments. Vertical loads (35 N) and 17.5 N lateral loads under static conditions were applied to the models to simulate the occlusal forces following the concept of lingualized occlusion. All conditions were created using a finite element software program. Maximum von Mises stress at the level of the attachments and at the bone support foundation interfaces were compared in all 12 models. The flexing of the mandible and the attachments were also compared qualitatively.

Results: Stress on these models was analyzed after the given loading condition. The results showed that the model with three freestanding mini dental implants and flexible acrylic attachments showed the lowest von Mises stress and flexing, while the models with four freestanding mini dental implants and O‐ring attachments showed the highest von Mises stress.

Conclusion: Three freestanding mini dental implants with flexible acrylic attachment systems supporting an overdenture were better choices than four mini dental implants with O‐ring attachment systems, which showed the maximum flexing and stress values in this qualitative comparison.
Diversity in recognition of glycans by F‐type lectins and galectins: molecular, structural, and biophysical aspects
Authors: Vasta Gerardo R. , Ahmed Hafiz , Bianchet Mario A. , Fernández‐Robledo José A. , Amzel L. Mario
Published: July 2012

Although lectins are “hard‐wired” in the germline, the presence of tandemly arrayed carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), of chimeric structures displaying distinct CRDs, of polymorphic genes resulting in multiple isoforms, and in some cases, of a considerable recognition plasticity of their carbohydrate binding sites, significantly expand the lectin ligand‐recognition spectrum and lectin functional diversification. Analysis of structural/functional aspects of galectins and F‐lectins—the most recently identified lectin family characterized by a unique CRD sequence motif (a distinctive structural fold) and nominal specificity for l‐Fuc—has led to a greater understanding of self/nonself recognition by proteins with tandemly arrayed CRDs. For lectins with a single CRD, however, recognition of self and nonself glycans can only be rationalized in terms of protein oligomerization and ligand clustering and presentation. Spatial and temporal changes in lectin expression, secretion, and local concentrations in extracellular microenvironments, as well as structural diversity and spatial display of their carbohydrate ligands on the host or microbial cell surface, are suggestive of a dynamic interplay of their recognition and effector functions in development and immunity.
Self-Learning Based Centrifugal Compressor Surge Mapping With Computationally Efficient Adaptive Asymmetric Support Vector Machine
Authors: Wu Xin , Li Yaoyu
Published: July 2012

When an air compressor is operated at very low flow rate for a given discharge pressure, surge may occur, resulting in large oscillations in pressure and flow in the compressor. To prevent the damage of the compressor, on account of surge, the control strategy employed is typically to operate it below the surge line (a map of the conditions at which surge begins). Surge line is strongly affected by the ambient air conditions. Previous research has developed to derive data-driven surge maps based on an asymmetric support vector machine (ASVM). The ASVM penalizes the surge case with much greater cost to minimize the possibility of undetected surge. This paper concerns the development of adaptive ASVM based self-learning surge map modeling via the combination with signal processing techniques for surge detection. During the actual operation of a compressor after the ASVM based surge map is obtained with historic data, new surge points can be identified with the surge detection methods such as short-time Fourier transform or wavelet transform. The new surge point can be used to update the surge map. However, with increasing number of surge points, the complexity of support vector machine (SVM) would grow dramatically. In order to keep the surge map SVM at a relatively low dimension, an adaptive SVM modeling algorithm is developed to select the minimum set of necessary support vectors in a three-dimension feature space based on Gaussian curvature to guarantee a desirable classification between surge and nonsurge areas. The proposed method is validated by applying the surge test data obtained from a testbed compressor at a manufacturing plant.
Guaranteed Cost Adaptive Control of Nonlinear Platoons With Actuator Delay
Authors: Yue Wei , Guo Ge
Published: July 2012

This paper presents a guaranteed cost adaptive control (GCAC) algorithm for vehicular platoons with nonlinear dynamics (i.e., combined nonlinearities of manifold dynamics, aerodynamic drag, unmodeled dynamics, etc.) and actuator delay (i.e., fueling and braking delay). First of all, a nonlinear mathematic model of the platoon’s longitudinal movement is established, which is shown to be a great improvement of the existing models. The controller is designed by splitting the new model into a linear part and a nonlinear one. In particular, we use a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) to compensate for the nonlinear part by making precise estimation of it based on a decentralized adaptation law. Then a guaranteed cost controller is designed based on the linear part and the adaptive neural network compensator. The obtained control scheme achieves the objective of both individual vehicle stability and platoon string stability. Simulations are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Mode-Independent Stabilization of Markovian Jump Systems With Time-Varying Delays: A Sliding Mode Approach
Authors: Huang Ran , Lin Yan , Lin Zhongwei
Published: July 2012

This paper investigates mode-independent stabilization of Markovian jump systems with time-varying delays via a sliding mode approach. A sufficient condition is proposed to guarantee the existence of a mode-independent sliding surface. Because the real plant regime mode is not directly accessible and instantly available, a controller is reconfigured online by calculating a detection function such that the closed-loop system converges to the sliding surface in finite time. A comparison example is presented to illustrate merits of the developed theory.
Specific Gene Responses of Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 during Growth in Soil
Authors: Iino Toju , Wang Yong , Miyauchi Keisuke , Kasai Daisuke , Masai Eiji , Fujii Takeshi , Ogawa Naoto , Fukuda Masao
Published: July 2012

Transcriptome analysis of
Rhodococcus jostii
RHA1 during growth in sterilized soil was performed. A total of 165 soil-specific genes were identified by subtracting genes upregulated in late growth phases and on solid medium from 264 genes commonly upregulated during growth on biphenyl or pyruvate in sterilized soil. Classification of the 165 genes into functional categories indicated that this soil-specific group is rich in genes for the metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids, carbohydrates, and nitrogen and relatively poor in those for cellular processes and signaling. The ro06365–ro06369 gene cluster, in which ro06365 to ro06368 were highly upregulated in transcriptome analysis, was characterized further. ro06365 and ro06366 show similarity to a nitrite/nitrate transporter and a nitrite reductase, respectively, suggesting their involvement in nitrogen metabolism. A strain with an ro06366 deletion, D6366, showed growth retardation when we used nitrate as the sole nitrogen source and no growth when we used nitrite. A strain with a deletion of ro06365 to ro06368, DNop, utilized neither nitrite nor nitrate and recovered growth using nitrite and nitrate by introduction of the deleted genes. Both of the mutants showed growth retardation in sterilized soil, and the growth retardation of DNop was more significant than that of D6366. When these mutants were cultivated in medium containing the same proportions of ammonium, nitrate, and nitrite ions as those in the sterilized soil, they showed growth retardation similar to that in the soil. These results suggest that the ro06365–ro06369 gene cluster has a significant role in nitrogen utilization in sterilized soil.
Predicting the Presence of Non-O157 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli in Ground Beef by Using Molecular Tests for Shiga Toxins, Intimin, and O Serogroups
Authors: Bosilevac Joseph M. , Koohmaraie Mohammad
Published: July 2012

When 3,972 ground beef enrichments with 6 confirmed to contain a non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing intimin-positive
Escherichia coli
isolate were tested for Shiga toxin, intimin, and O group (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145) genes, 183 potential positives and only 2 of the 6 confirmed positives were identified.
ELECTRONIC STRUCTURES AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES OF SINGLE CRYSTALLINE GaN NANOTUBES
Authors: LI ENLING , HOU LIPING , CUI ZHEN , ZHAO DANNA , LIU MANCANG , WANG XUEWEN
Published: July 2012

The electronic structures and transport properties of single crystalline GaN nanotubes with 0.92 nm inner diameter and different wall thicknesses of 0.08 nm, 0.26 nm and 0.54 nm are studied based on the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) of density functional theory (DFT) and the nonequilibrium green's function (NEGF). The research shows that (1) the three single crystalline GaN nanotubes have direct band gaps, decreasing with the increase of wall thickness; (2) the electronic density of state and electronic transmission spectra of two-probe system have their own pulse-type sharp peaks with almost the same location of electron energy; (3) under different bias-voltages, two-probe systems of the single crystalline GaN nanotubes have the I–V properties which reveal that the single-wall GaN nanotube and the single-layer GaN nanotube are semiconducting and the double-layer GaN nanotube appears nearly metallic.
Exposure to cigarette smoke induces overexpression of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor in mouse skeletal muscle
Authors: Basic Vladimir T. , Tadele Elsa , Elmabsout Ali Ateia , Yao Hongwei , Rahman Irfan , Sirsjö Allan , Abdel-Halim Samy M.
Published: July 2012

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a well-established risk factor in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In contrast, the extent to which CS exposure contributes to the development of the systemic manifestations of COPD, such as skeletal muscle dysfunction and wasting, remains largely unknown. Decreased skeletal muscle capillarization has been previously reported in early stages of COPD and might play an important role in the development of COPD-associated skeletal muscle abnormalities. To investigate the effects of chronic CS exposure on skeletal muscle capillarization and exercise tolerance, a mouse model of CS exposure was used. The 129/SvJ mice were exposed to CS for 6 mo, and the expression of putative elements of the hypoxia-angiogenic signaling cascade as well as muscle capillarization were studied. Additionally, functional tests assessing exercise tolerance/endurance were performed in mice. Compared with controls, skeletal muscles from CS-exposed mice exhibited significantly enhanced expression of von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor (VHL), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2D1 (UBE2D1), and prolyl hydroxylase-2 (PHD2). In contrast, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression was reduced. Furthermore, reduced muscle fiber cross-sectional area, decreased skeletal muscle capillarization, and reduced exercise tolerance were also observed in CS-exposed animals. Taken together, the current results provide evidence linking chronic CS exposure and induction of VHL expression in skeletal muscles leading toward impaired hypoxia-angiogenesis signal transduction, reduced muscle fiber cross-sectional area, and decreased exercise tolerance.
Vascular remodeling alters adhesion protein and cytoskeleton reactions to inflammatory stimuli resulting in enhanced permeability increases in rat venules
Authors: Yuan Dong , He Pingnian
Published: July 2012

Vascular remodeling has been implicated in many inflammation-involved diseases. This study aims to investigate the microvascular remodeling-associated alterations in cell-cell adhesion and cytoskeleton reactions to inflammatory stimuli and their impact on microvessel permeability. Experiments were conducted in individually perfused rat mesenteric venules. Microvessel permeability was determined by measuring hydraulic conductivity (Lp), and endothelial intracellular calcium concentration, [Ca2+]i, was measured in fura-2-perfused vessels. Alterations in VE-cadherin and F-actin arrangement were examined by confocal imaging. Vascular wall cellular composition and structural changes were evaluated by electron microscopy. Vessels exposed to platelet activating factor (PAF) on day 1 were reevaluated 3 days later in rats that had undergone survival surgery. Initial PAF exposure and surgical disturbance increased microvascular wall thickness along with perivascular cell proliferation and altered F-actin arrangement. Although basal permeability was not changed, upon reexposure to PAF, peak endothelial [Ca2+]i was augmented and the peak Lp was 9.3 ± 1.7 times higher than that of day 1. In contrast to patterns of PAF-induced stress fiber formation and VE-cadherin redistribution observed in day 1 vessels, the day 4 vessels at the potentiated Lp peak exhibited wide separations of VE-cadherin between endothelial cells and striking stress fibers throughout the vascular walls. Confocal images and ultrastructural micrographs also revealed that the largely separated VE-cadherin and endothelial gaps were completely covered by F-actin bundles in extended pericyte processes at the PAF-induced Lp peak. These results indicate that inflammation-induced vascular remodeling increased endothelial susceptibility to inflammatory stimuli with augmented Ca2+ response resulting in upregulated contractility and potentiated permeability increase. Weakened adhesions between the endothelial cells and contractile mechanisms are both involved in increasing permeability in the intact microvessels and are aggravated during remodeling. The perivascular cells play important roles in stabilizing the microvessel wall, while lessening an otherwise much greater magnitude of leakage during cytoskeletal contraction.
Using Personal Qualities Assessment to Measure the Moral Orientation and Personal Qualities of Medical Students in a Non-Western Culture
Authors: Tsou Kuo-Inn , Lin Chaou-Shune , Cho Shu-Ling , Powis David , Bore Miles , Munro Don , Sze Daniel Man-Yuen , Wu Hsi-Chin , Hsieh Ming-Shium , Lin Chyi-Her
Published: July 2012

How to select candidates with appropriate personal qualities for medical school is an important issue. This study examined the psychometric properties and group differences of the Personal Qualities Assessment (PQA) to test the feasibility of using it as a tool to assess the medical school applicants in a non-Western culture. Seven hundred forty-six medical students in Taiwan completed two psychometric measures: Mojac to assess moral orientation and NACE to assess four aspects of interpersonal relationships. Thirty-one students completed the tests twice to establish test–retest reliability. A subsample of 127 students also completed a measure of the “Big Five” personality traits to examine the construct validity of these scales. Both Mojac and NACE had acceptable internal consistency and test–retest reliability. Conceptually, coherent and significant relationships were observed between test components and between the NACE and Big Five. NACE but not Mojac varied significantly between different sociodemographic groups. Both tests demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties. However, the predictive validity of PQA requires future studies.
The vicissitudes of the Marxian idea of abolition of the state – can the idea be revived?
Authors: Zilbersheid Uri
Published: July 2012

The abolition of the state is a central element in Marx’s vision of human emancipation. However, at a later stage of his intellectual development Marx seems to have retreated from this idea. Marx’s theory should be defined as the primacy of labor: labor, or instrumental productive activity, brings about, as its unintended, as-if-natural results, different social relations, including the state. At the core of communism, as first envisaged by Marx, is the abolition of labor and its unintended social results. However, Marx did not hold to the idea of abolition of labor in his later writings. If labor cannot be abolished, the social relations that have developed as its unintended results, notably the state, cannot be abolished either. Any revival of the conception of abolition of the state should be connected to a revival of the conception of abolition of labor, as a regulative idea, based on modern, computer technology.
Lone parents working for welfare in New Zealand
Authors: O’Brien Michael
Published: July 2012

Increased participation in the paid work force is one of the major goals of welfare reform in New Zealand. This goal is unlikely to be achieved given the high proportion of lone parents without a school qualification and labour market demands for skills. The outcome will be even worse outcomes for lone parents and their children, most of whom are below the poverty line, and greater surveillance of beneficiaries.
Trial participants’ experiences of early enhanced speech and language therapy after stroke compared with employed visitor support: a qualitative study nested within a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Young Alys , Gomersall Timothy , Bowen Audrey ,   on behalf of the ACT NoW investigators
Published: July 2012

Objectives:

To explore trial participants’ experiences of the process and outcomes of early, enhanced speech and language therapy after stroke with support from an employed visitor.

Design:

Qualitative study nested within a randomized controlled trial.

Participants:

Twney-two people who, after stroke, had a diagnosis of aphasia (12), dysarthria (5) or both (5) and who participated in the ACT NoW study.

Setting:

Eight English NHS usual care settings.

Method:

Individual interviews. Thematic content analysis assisted by a bespoke data transformation protocol for incorporating non-verbal and semantically ambiguous data.

Results:

Participants highly regarded regular and sustained contact with someone outside of immediate family/friends who engaged them in deliberate activities/communication in the early months after stroke. Participants identified differences in the process of intervention between speech and language therapists and employed visitors. But no major discriminations were made between the impact or value of this contact according to whether provided by a speech and language therapist or employed visitor. Participant-defined criteria for effectiveness of contact included: impact on mood and confidence, self-recognition of progress and the meeting of individual needs.

Conclusions:

As in the randomized controlled trial, participants reported no evidence of added benefit of early communication therapy beyond that from attention control. The findings do not imply that regular contact with any non-professional can have beneficial effects for someone with aphasia or dysarthria in the early weeks following a stroke. The study points to specific conditions that would have to be met for contact to have a positive effect.
Effectiveness of aerobic physical training for treatment of chronic asymptomatic bacteriuria in subjects with spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lavado Edson L , Cardoso Jefferson R , Silva Luiza GA , Dela Bela Lais F , Atallah Alvaro N
Published: July 2012

Objective:

To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of aerobic physical training for treatment of chronic asymptomatic bacteriuria in subjects with spinal cord injury.

Design:

Randomized controlled trial.

Setting:

University hospital.

Subjects:

Forty-two participants with spinal cord injury between C8 and T12 segments were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups.

Intervention:

In the intervention group, subjects received a risk evaluation, stress test and urinary culture before the start of the study and after 16 weeks. The study consisted of aerobic physical conditioning with moderate intensity for the intervention group while the control group was asked to maintain their daily life activities.

Main measures:

Increase of estimated peak oxygen consumption and also if there was a decrease in the proportions of positive urinary culture.

Results:

The intervention group showed an increase of estimated peak oxygen consumption of between 939 (714–1215) and 1154 (1005–1351) mL/min ( P = 0.009) and a reduction of chronic asymptomatic bacteria of between 52.3% (29.8–74.3%) and 14.2% (3–36.3%) ( P < 0.001). No adverse effects related to physical activity were recorded during the period of training.

Conclusion:

The regular practice of physical activity of moderate intensity applied to patients with spinal cord injury may be an effective and safe method for the treatment of chronic asymptomatic bacteriuria.
The NEO Personality Inventory–Revised
Authors: Furnham Adrian , Guenole Nigel , Levine Stephen Z. , Chamorro-Premuzic Tomas
Published: July 2012

This study presents new analyses of NEO Personality Inventory–Revised (NEO-PI-R) responses collected from a large British sample in a high-stakes setting. The authors show the appropriateness of the five-factor model underpinning these responses in a variety of new ways. Using the recently developed exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) technique, the authors show that model fits improve markedly over conventional confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) of the same data set, but that (a) factor interpretations do not change under ESEM analyses, (b) ESEM factor scores, just like CFA factors scores, correlate at near unity with sums of observed scores, (c) NEO-PI-R facets under ESEM analyses are invariant across gender, and (d) ESEM highlights the inappropriateness of alpha and beta as a higher order representation of NEO-PI-R facets, whereas a CFA approach might lead researchers to believe in the appropriateness of these higher order factors. These results, coupled with the existing validity evidence for the NEO-PI-R, suggest that the five-factor structure is the most parsimonious structure for summarizing NEO-PI-R responses from high-stakes settings in the United Kingdom.
“That must be so hard”- Examining the impact of children’s palliative care services on the psychological well-being of parents
Authors: Gupta Vineeta , Prescott Helen
Published: July 2012

In 2003 the New Opportunities Fund (NOF, now known as The Big Lottery) awarded £48 million to 70 home-based care teams to enable them to provide a range of services to allow children with non-malignant life-limiting conditions to be cared for at home. Four grants were made available in Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset to enhance existing children’s palliative care services.

As there is limited evidence about the impact of palliative care services on psychological well-being, this study measured parental stress and the psychological wellbeing of parents of newly referred children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. Measures were administered at the point of referral and at 12 months follow-up.

Statistical analysis indicated that there was no significant change at 12 month follow-up. The lack of deterioration in levels of parental stress and psychological wellbeing is viewed positively within this context. It is hypothesised that multi-agency and partnership working was a significant contributory factor in not increasing levels of parental stress and psychological wellbeing through social support.
Process and outcomes of a skin protection intervention for young adults
Authors: Heckman Carolyn J , Zhu Fang , Manne Sharon L , Kloss Jacqueline D , Collins Bradley N , Bass Sarah Bauerle , Lessin Stuart R
Published: July 2012

Efforts to reduce skin cancer risk behaviors using appearance-oriented interventions (e.g. ultraviolet (UV) light photos showing skin damage) or motivational interviewing (MI) have shown promise in recent trials. In the study a randomized 2 (UV photo versus no UV photo) x 2 (MI versus no MI) factorial design with longitudinal follow up was used. Results showed that progression in stage of change (SOC) was significantly more likely in the photo than the education condition. Treatment credibility as rated by participants and counselor perceived positive therapeutic alliance predicted SOC progression. There was also preliminary evidence for differential intervention effectiveness by baseline SOC. The implications are discussed.