bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
DOPRINOS TEHNOLOGIJI IZVOĐENJA KONSTRUKCIJE SKELE LUČNOG ARMIRANO BETONSKOG MOSTA
Authors: Obradović Miljan , Hadžić Rašid
Published: April 2012

Lučni armirano-betonski mostovi predstavljaju smjelu nosivu inžinjersku konstrukciju u graditeljskoj teoriji i praksi. Takav respekt se prožima kroz edukaciju u studiju građevinske tehnike, a za konkretan primjer projektnim i graditeljskim – izvođačkim rješenjem prije svega skele a zatim svega što slijedi. Konkretno, osvrt i doprinos se posvećuje skeli mosta u ambijentu izuzetno složene konfiguracije lokaliteta građenja. To je most preko rijeke Tare u ponoru ispod sebe od 150 m, što je jedna od najvećeih premoštenja kanjona u svijetu. Rad tretira u konačnom prikazu moguću varijantu konstrukcije skele vijadukta i mosta ukupne dužine kolovozne konstrukcije od 370 m.
Spatial and Temporal Variability in Chert Exploitation on Santa Cruz Island, California
Authors: Perry Jennifer E. , Jazwa Christopher S.
Published: April 2012

Chert outcrops on eastern Santa Cruz Island were of vital importance to the inhabitants of the Santa Barbara Channel region because of their comparatively limited availablity elsewhere on the California Channel Islands. Temporally diagnostic artifacts and radiocarbon dates from associated shell middens suggest that chert quarries were exploited throughout the Holocene. The importance of these quarries has been well documented in regard to microlith production as part of the shell bead industry during the late Holocene. However, relatively little is known about local chert tool manufacture and exchange in earlier times. Systematic documentation of 26 known chert quarries, and sampling at associated shell middens on eastern Santa Cruz Island has resulted in the identification of significant spatial variability in chert exploitation through time. Whereas chert quarrying during the middle Holocene appears to have been opportunistic and dispersed throughout the landscape, comparable activities during the late Holocene became increasingly circumscribed as microlith production was intensified. These trends in chert procurement are interpreted in the context of temporal changes in subsistence, tool manufacture, and residential mobility on the northern Channel Islands, and have broad implications for spatial and temporal patterning in prehistoric lithic exploitation.
Of Strawmen, Herrings, and Frustrated Expectations
Authors: McGhee Robert
Published: April 2012

The author argues that these critiques are based primarily on mistaken readings of his original article. He contends that Indigenous archaeology is a social project without a demonstrated intellectual foundation.
Computational Modeling and Neolithic Socioecological Dynamics: A Case Study from Southwest Asia
Authors: Barton C. Michael , Ullah Isaac , Mitasova Helena
Published: April 2012

Archaeology has an opportunity to offer major contributions to our understanding of the long-term interactions of humans and the environment. To do so, we must elucidate dynamic socioecological processes that generally operate at regional scales. However, the archaeological record is sparse, discontinuous, and static. Recent advances in computational modeling provide the potential for creating experimental laboratories where dynamic processes can be simulated and their results compared against the archaeological record. Coupling computational modeling with the empirical record in this way can increase the rigor of our explanations while making more transparent the concepts on which they are based. We offer an example of such an experimental laboratory to study the long-term effects of varying landuse practices by subsistence farmers on landscapes, and compare the results with the Levantine Neolithic archaeological record. Different combinations of intensive and shifting cultivation, ovicaprid grazing, and settlement size are modeled for the Wadi Ziqlab drainage of northern Jordan. The results offer insight into conditions under which previously successful (and sustainable) landuse practices can pass an imperceptible threshold and lead to undesirable landscape consequences. This may also help explain long-term social, economic, and settlement changes in the Neolithic of Southwest Asia.
Population History of the Onondaga and Oneida Iroquois, A.D. 1500–1700
Authors: Jones Eric E.
Published: April 2012

Much of the discussion about North American precontact and contact-period populations has focused on continent-wide estimates. Although the associated work has produced valuable information on the demographic and cultural history of the continent, it has failed to generate agreed-upon estimates, population trends, or detailed demographic knowledge of Native American cultures. Using archaeological settlement remains and methods developed in recent research on Iroquoian cultures, this study estimates and examines population trends for the Onondaga and Oneida cultures of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) from A.D. 1500 to 1700. Onondaga population appears to have increased until the mid—seventeenth century, when drastic declines in settlement area and population size occurred. This depopulation event is both several decades after first contact with Europeans and at least a decade after the first known depopulation event among the Haudenosaunee. Oneida populations show a much more complex history that suggests the need for more detailed analyses of contact-period Native American population data. In conjunction with archaeological evidence and ethnohistoric information, the population trends generated by this study create a model of two precontact Native American populations and display the effects of European contact on those populations.
A New Method Using Graph and Lattice Theory to Discover Spatially Cohesive Sets of Artifacts and Areas of Organized Activity in Archaeological Sites
Authors: Merrill Michael , Read Dwight
Published: April 2012

We propose a new method to analyze spatially cohesive sets of artifacts and relate them to intrasite activity areas using the spatial similarity and cohesion of artifact types. This method can handle heterogeneous data and is able to reveal and deconstruct overlapping areas into their constituent elements. Application to a Mousterian habitation site from the Levant as a case study enables us to distinguish three spatially cohesive yet overlapping sets ("tool kits") of artifact and ecofact types within the boundaries of an excavated 50 m² sub-area of the site.
Ritual Architecture in Prehistoric Complex Hunter-Gatherer Communities: A Potential Example from Keatley Creek, on the Canadian Plateau
Authors: Morin Jesse
Published: April 2012

A comparative analysis of housepit structures at the Keatley Creek site on the Canadian Plateau indicates that the ones on the periphery of the site cluster as a group, distinct from the domestic housepits in the core of the site. Comparison of the material attributes from a sample of peripheral structures with expectations of various nondomestic structures for the study region suggests that these structures were used as feasting or meeting-houses and not domestic residences. These peripheral structures originate during the Plateau horizon (2400–1200 B.P.) occupation of the site and were also used during the late Kamloops horizon (400–200 B.P.). It is argued here that understanding the history of these structures as loci of restricted ritual knowledge and training can contribute much to our interpretations of the bases and origins of social inequality in Keatley Creek, and other transegalitarian communities.
Social Transformation in Old Hawai'I: A Bottom-Up Approach
Authors: Dye Thomas S.
Published: April 2012

A bottom-up approach based in structuralism and Marxism cast in the "old language of rights" is used to explain traditional Hawaiian import of metric tons of poor-quality oven stone to the Waimanalo Plain, and to explain decline in the traditional use of tree firewood. The presence of poor-quality oven stones and the pattern of tree firewood use are linked to a long-term decline in the importance of rights of person and a concomitant increase of rights of property associated with the demise of lineage organization and the development of social stratification. It is argued that a bottom-up approach is more productive in the current archaeological situation than a top-down approach based in functionalism and neoevolutionary theory.
Down to Seeds and Stones: A New Look at the Subsistence Remains From Shawnee-Minisink
Authors: Gingerich Joseph A.M.
Published: April 2012

The Shawnee-Minisink site is well known for yielding fish and plant remains from Clovis contexts. New investigations at Shawnee-Minisink have provided a sample of macrobotanical remains for comparison with the ten plant species previously recovered at the site. In this paper, I reevaluate the subsistence remains recovered during the 1970s excavations by American University and conclude that a limited number of plants were actually exploited by the site's occupants. The new macrobotantical remains from Shawnee-Minisink have provided a series of AMS dates, which offer the most precise age estimate for Clovis in the Northeast and provide an alternative interpretation concerning the role plants played in the subsistence practices of early Paleoindians. The subsistence evidence from Shawnee-Minisink shows variation in diet, but a difference that should be expected at large habitation sites.
The Spatial Scale of Social Learning Affects Cultural Diversity
Authors: Premo L. S. , Scholnick Jonathan B.
Published: April 2012

Sewall Wright's (1943) concept of isolation by distance is as germane to cultural transmission as genetic transmission. Yet there has been little research on how the spatial scale of social learning—the geographic extent of cultural transmission—affects cultural diversity. Here, we employ agent-based simulation to study how the spatial scale of unbiased social learning affects selectively neutral cultural diversity over a range of population sizes and densities. We show that highly localized unbiased cultural transmission may be easily confused with a form of biased cultural transmission, especially in low-density populations. Our results have important implications for how archaeologists infer mechanisms of cultural transmission from diversity estimates that depart from the expectations of neutral theory.
Evaluating Mobility, Monumentality, and Feasting at the Sapelo Island Shell Ring Complex
Authors: Thompson Victor D. , Andrus C. Fred T.
Published: April 2012

Two of the most salient anthropological questions regarding southeastern shell ring sites are related to the season(s) that they were occupied and whether or not the deposits represent monumental constructions and/or feasting remains. This paper addresses these questions through the analysis of growth band of clams (Mercenaria spp.) (N = 620) and stable oxygen isotope ratios of clam and oyster shells (Crassostrea virginica) (N = 58) at the Sapelo Island Shell Ring complex located on the Georgia coast, USA. The season of death and the samples' position in the shell matrix at Sapelo provide important information on the rate of shell deposition and the season(s) the site was occupied. These data support the view that at least some portion of the human population at Sapelo occupied the site year-round. Additionally, while it appears that two shell rings at the site formed through the gradual deposition and accumulation of daily subsistence, other areas evidence short term, large-scale, shellfish processing and may lend credence to the view that at some point shell rings become monuments, commemorating rituals and gatherings.
Pushing Limits and Finding Interpretive Balance: A Reply to Monks and Orchard
Authors: Cannon Aubrey , Yang Dongya Y.
Published: April 2012

We reiterate the basis for our interpretation of the Namu site as a winter-village settlement from at least 7000 B.P., and note that Monks and Orchard do not provide an alternative interpretation of the available data. They also mistakenly suggest an assertion on our part that all Northwest Coast villages were dependent on a salmon-based storage economy by 1000 B.P. We never argued for this point. Finally, Monks and Orchard offer a lengthy defense of methods for seasonality estimation, which we support. We used those same methods, and continue to support their refinement and application toward understanding the nature of seasonal activity at Namu.
An Experimental Study of Bipolar and Freehand Knapping of Naibor Soit Quartz from Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania)
Authors: Diez-Martín Fernando , Yustos Policarpo Sánchez , Domínguez-Rodrigo Manuel , Prendergast Mary E.
Published: April 2012

Recent excavations carried out in several Bed I and Bed II sites have shown that hominins at Olduvai Gorge used both bipolar and freehand knapping methods for quartz reduction. Due to the petrographic nature of quartz and to its heterogeneous response to fracture, the identification of bipolar knapping at any given site can be ambiguous and controversial. This work aims to overcome this problem by developing an experimental referential framework for the recognition of characteristic features of flakes produced through both bipolar and freehand reduction of Naibor Soit quartz cores. The final goal of this work is to use a set of variables related to the response of local Olduvai quartz to freehand and bipolar fracture, obtained through two independent controlled experiments, in order to statistically differentiate the diagnostic technological traits that best indicate bipolar reduction on this raw material type.
A Mito-Style Structure at Chavín De Huántar: Dating and Implications
Authors: Contreras Daniel A.
Published: April 2012

Excavations west of the monumental core at Chavín de Huántar, Peru in 2005 revealed a well-preserved plastered structure with a central circular hearth, in the style of the Mito Architectural Tradition. This find challenges standard definitions of both the Mito Tradition and Chavín itself. I discuss the material remains and associated radiocarbon dates from this feature, and use these new data to re-assess Chavín’s involvement in interregional networks and its relationship to earlier ceremonial centers in the Central Andean highlands.
Cultural Transformations of the Chanka Homeland (Andahuaylas, Peru) During the Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1000–1400)
Authors: Bauer Brian S. , Kellett Lucas C.
Published: April 2012

One of the largest demographic shifts to occur in Andean prehistory took place during the Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1000–1400). Across a large expanse of the central Andes a vast number of lower elevation settlements were abandoned and local populations were concentrated in newly constructed, defensibly positioned sites, located along high ridges. In this article we examine this dramatic settlement shift in relation to the Chanka ethnic group that occupied the Andahuaylas region (Department of Apurimac, Peru). The results indicate that the shift from valley to hilltop settlements in the Andahuaylas region occurred around A.D. 1000. We propose that the shift reflects an increased dependency on agro-pastoralism that resulted from a period of climate change. We also suggest that in this region of the Andes the shift was augmented by growing levels of political competition after the dissolution of the Wari Empire and that current models, which situate the Chanka as a uniquely powerful ethnic group at the time of the Inca expansion, need to be reexamined.
Social Implications from Agricultural Taskscapes in the Southwestern Amazon
Authors: Walker John H.
Published: April 2012

Across the Americas, but particularly in the Amazon Basin, precolumbian farmers invested their labor in features such as canals, causeways, and raised fields, creating agricultural landscapes. These landscapes required organized action in order to build and maintain them. Such actions can be usefully described as "tasks" to draw specific connections between communal work and landscape features (Ingold 1993). Using two parallel examples from the precolumbian Bolivian Amazon, this article presents landscape features as correlates of the variety and scale of tasks that compose the processes of creating and managing them. Data come from remote sensing and pedestrian survey. The execution of some tasks affects the execution of others, meaning that landscapes are the result of overlapping, interdependent communal tasks. This taskscape perspective allows landscapes to be compared with greater precision and shows that details of local spatial and task organization are important to understanding agricultural change. The comparison of two taskscapes reveals details of daily life and intensive agriculture that are obscured by the classification of societies as states or chiefdoms.
Montículos, jerarquía social y horticultura en las sociedades indígenas del Delta Del Río Paraná (Argentina)
Authors: Bonomo Mariano , Politis Gustavo , Gianotti Camila
Published: April 2012

En las últimas dos décadas se ha producido un incremento notable de la información arqueológica sobre las Tierras Bajas sudamericanas. No obstante, el mapa arqueológico de este área sigue contando con algunos vacíos importantes para conocer las particularidades del registro en cada región específica y muchas regiones están aún poco estudiadas. Uno de estos vacíos corresponde al Delta del río Paraná, que en los últimos años ha empezado a ser objeto de investigaciones sistemáticas. En este artículo se realiza una revisión crítica del estado actual de las investigaciones en el Delta del Paraná y se sintetiza la evidencia obtenida en las nuevas investigaciones efectuadas por los autores en el Delta Superior. Se discuten además los patrones de uso del espacio deltaico durante el Holoceno Tardío. En este contexto, se aborda el desarrollo de la arquitectura en tierra en el marco de una perspectiva suprarregional y comparada, integrando en la discusión otros casos de áreas vecinas (Uruguay y sur de Brasil) en los que la ocupación intensiva de tierras bajas condujo a la construcción de montículos (localmente denominados cerritos). Finalmente se exploran las evidencias arqueológicas e históricas que sugieren cierto grado de desigualdad social entre las poblaciones humanas del Delta del Paraná.
Analisis de morfometría geométrica en puntas cola de pescado del Uruguay
Authors: Castiñeira Carola , Cardillo Marcelo , Charlin Judith , Baeza Jorge
Published: April 2012

Las puntas de proyectil Cola de Pescado o tipo Fell I son comúnmente asociadas con las poblaciones que habitaron Sudamérica durante el Pleistoceno Tardío - Holoceno Temprano. La mayoría de estas puntas han sido recuperadas en la región pampeana argentina, Uruguay, Chile central y Patagonia meridional. Se definen por poseer limbo convexo, hombros redondeados, pedúnculo de bordes levemente cóncavos, base cóncava y en algunos casos acanaladura en una o ambas caras del pedúnculo. La presencia de acanaladura y su asignación cronológica han sido propuestas como evidencias para sustentar el vínculo cultural con las puntas tempranas de Norteamérica. Con el objetivo de explorar cuantitativamente las variaciones en forma y tamaño, se aplicaron técnicas de morfometría geométrica a una muestra de 24 puntas recuperadas en Uruguay. Las variaciones morfológicas fueron contrastadas con atributos métricos, procedencia geográfica y tipo de materia prima lítica. Los resultados no sugieren relaciones entre las variables morfológicas, procedencia y tipo de materia prima. Sin embargo, se observa una correlación significativa entre forma y tamaño, lo cual indica una relación alométrica. Finalmente, se discuten los resultados en términos de diseño e historia de vida de los artefactos y sus relaciones con la tecnología de los cazadores-recolectores del Pleistoceno Tardío-Holoceno Temprano.
Effect of body mass index on mortality and clinical status in rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Wolfe Frederick , Michaud Kaleb
Published: April 2012

Objective

To study the relative risk (RR) of all‐cause and cause‐specific mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated with body mass index (BMI), and to quantify the clinical and outcome consequences of abnormal BMI.

Methods

We studied mortality in 24,535 patients over 12.3 years, dividing patients into 3 age groups, <50, 50–70, and >70 years and fit Cox regression models separately within each age stratum. We used BMI categories of <18.5 kg/m2 (underweight), 18.5 to <25 kg/m2 (normal weight, reference category), 25 to <30 kg/m2 (overweight), and ≥30 kg/m2 (obesity).

Results

BMI ≥30 kg/m2 was seen in 63–68% and underweight in ∼2%. Reduction in the RR (95% confidence interval [95% CI]) for all‐cause (AC) and cardiovascular mortality was seen for overweight (AC 0.8 [95% CI 0.8, 0.9]) and obese groups (AC 0.8 [95% CI 0.7, 0.8]), with and without comorbidity adjustment. Underweight was associated with increased mortality risk (AC 1.9 [95% CI 1.7, 2.3]). By contrast, obesity produced profound changes in clinical variables. Compared with normal weight, the odds ratio in the obese group was 4.8 for diabetes mellitus, 3.4 for hypertension, 1.3 for myocardial infarction, 1.4 for joint replacement, and 1.9 for work disability. Total semiannual direct medical costs were $1,683 greater, annual household income $6,481 less, pain scores 1.1 units higher, Health Assessment Questionnaire 0.28 higher, and EuroQol utility 0.7 units lower in the obese.

Conclusion

Overweight and obesity reduce the RR of all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality across different age groups and durations of RA. By contrast, overweight and obesity are associated with substantial increased risks of comorbidity, total joint replacement, greater pain, medical costs, and decreased quality of life.
Obesity and the prediction of minimal disease activity: A prospective study in psoriatic arthritis
Authors: di Minno Matteo Nicola Dario , Peluso Rosario , Iervolino Salvatore , Lupoli Roberta , Russolillo Anna , Scarpa Raffaele , di Minno Giovanni
Published: April 2012

Objective

We prospectively evaluated whether obesity impacts achievement of minimal disease activity (MDA) in subjects with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods

Among PsA subjects with an active disease and who were starting a treatment with tumor necrosis factor α blockers, 135 obese (body mass index [BMI] >30 kg/m2) patients and 135 patients of normal weight (controls) were followed up for 24 months. At baseline and at the 12‐ and 24‐month followup, all subjects underwent a clinical, rheumatologic, and laboratory assessment.

Results

With the exception of the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia, case and control subjects were similar for all the clinical and demographic characteristics analyzed. At the 12‐month followup, in both cases and controls, no significant changes in body weight were found (P > 0.05 for all). MDA was achieved by 98 (36.3%) of the 270 PsA individuals. The prevalence of obesity was higher in those that did not achieve MDA than in those that did (64.0% versus 25.5%; P < 0.001). After adjusting for all the other variables, obesity was associated with a higher risk of not achieving MDA (hazard ratio [HR] 4.90, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 3.04–7.87; P < 0.001). The HR of not achieving MDA was 3.98 (95% CI 1.96–8.06, P < 0.001) and 5.40 (95% CI 3.09–9.43, P < 0.001) in subjects with first‐degree (BMI <30 kg/m2) and second‐degree (BMI 30–35 kg/m2) obesity, respectively. Among the 98 subjects who had achieved MDA at the 12‐month followup, the presence of obesity was associated with a poor probability of sustained MDA at the 24‐month followup (HR 2.04, 95% CI 1.015–3.61; P = 0.014).

Conclusion

Obesity is a negative predictor of achieving and maintaining MDA.
Simplified Large‐Area Manufacturing of Organic Electrochemical Transistors Combining Printing and a Self‐Aligning Laser Ablation Step
Authors: Blaudeck Thomas , Ersman Peter Andersson , Sandberg Mats , Heinz Sebastian , Laiho Ari , Liu Jiang , Engquist Isak , Berggren Magnus , Baumann Reinhard R.
Published: April 2012

A hybrid manufacturing approach for organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) on flexible substrates is reported. The technology is based on conventional and digital printing (screen and inkjet printing), laser processing, and post‐press technologies. A careful selection of the conductive, dielectric, and semiconductor materials with respect to their optical properties enables a self‐aligning pattern formation which results in a significant reduction of the usual registration problems during manufacturing. For the prototype OECTs, based on this technology, on/off ratios up to 600 and switching times of 100 milliseconds at gate voltages in the range of 1 V were obtained.
Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy Study of a Pt/TiO2 Catalyst Model Placed in an Atmospheric Pressure of N2 Environment
Authors: Kokawa Ryohei , Ohta Masahiro , Sasahara Akira , Onishi Hiroshi
Published: April 2012

A catalyst model comprising platinum nanoparticles deposited on a TiO2(110) wafer was prepared in a vacuum, transferred in air, and characterized with a Kelvin probe force microscope placed in a N2 environment. The topography and local work function of individual nanoparticles were observed with single‐nanometer resolution in the N2 environment of one atmosphere pressure. Some nanoparticle presented positive shifts of work function relative to that of the TiO2 surface, while the others showed negative shifts. This finding suggests heterogeneous properties of the nanoparticles exposed to air and then N2. The ability of the advanced microscope was demonstrated in observing the work function of metal nanoparticles on a metal oxide support even in the presence of vapor environments.
Pharmacologic treatment of hyperthyroidism during pregnancy
Authors: Cassina Matteo , Donà Marta , Di Gianantonio Elena , Clementi Maurizio
Published: April 2012

Clinical hyperthyroidism has been associated with an increased risk of maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications. The available antithyroid drugs are methimazole/carbimazole and propylthiouracil. Several case reports and some epidemiologic studies suggest that methimazole/carbimazole exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations, including ectodermal anomalies, choanal atresia, esophageal atresia, and omphalocele. However, the absolute risk appears to be very small, and it remains unclear whether the association is driven by the maternal disease, the medication, or the combination of both factors. Propylthiouracil exposure has not been associated with an increased risk of congenital malformations and is the recommended drug during the first trimester of pregnancy. Since propylthiouracil‐induced hepatotoxicity has been reported in approximately 0.1% of exposed adults and the number of case‐reports of severe liver injury is increasing, treatment with low dose methimazole during the second and third trimesters should be considered. Until now, there has been no evidence that children prenatally exposed to methimazole/carbimazole or propylthiouracil have an increased risk of neurodevelopmental delay. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 94:612–619, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structural changes and relaxations monitored by luminescence
Authors: Wang Y , Yang B , Townsend PD
Published: April 2012

Luminescence data have often been used to study imperfections and to characterize lattice distortions because the signals are sensitive to changes of structure and composition. Previous studies have included intentionally added probe ions such as rare earth ions to sense distortions in local crystal fields caused by modified structural environments. An under‐exploited extension of this approach was to use luminescence to monitor crystalline phase changes. A current overview of this new and powerful technique shows that continuous scanning of the sample temperatures immediately offered at least three types of signatures for phase transitions. Because of high sensitivity, luminescence signals were equally responsive to structural changes from inclusions and nanoparticles. These coupled to the host material via long‐range interactions and modified the host signals. Two frequently observed examples that are normally overlooked are from nanoparticle inclusions of water and CO2. Examples also indicated that phase transitions were detected in more diverse materials such as superconductors and fullerenes. Finally, luminescence studies have shown that in some crystalline examples, high dose ion implantation of surface layers could induce relaxations and/or structural changes of the entire underlying bulk material. This was an unexpected result and therefore such a possibility has not previously been explored. However, the implications for ion implication are significant and could be far more general than the examples mentioned here. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using the project‐based learning approach for incorporating an FPGA‐based integrated hardware/software tool for implementing and evaluating image processing algorithms into graduate level courses
Authors: Guzmán‐Ramírez E. , Garcia I. A.
Published: April 2012

Visual information plays an important role in almost all areas of our life. Today, much of this information is represented and processed digitally. Digital image processing is any form of signal processing for which the input is an image, such as a photograph or video frame; the output of image processing may be either an image or a set of characteristics or parameters related to the image. In this context, implementation and evaluation of image processing algorithms are complex tasks that require highly technical and multidisciplinary skills. Graduate students are required to develop both practical and theoretical exercises to understand how an algorithm works; however, they have to learn in an individual manner without adequate support. This article presents an innovative Project‐Based Learning approach to teach image processing algorithms using an FPGA‐based tool as the main support. Thus, instead of learning heavy programming tasks and mathematical functions, students are led step by step through five phases and then allowed to experiment with different algorithms. This article evaluates the proposed tool and shows results with diverse algorithms. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21:E73–E88, 2013
Incidence of definite stent thrombosis or in‐stent restenosis after drug‐eluting stent implantation for treatment of coronary in‐stent restenosis: From Western Denmark heart registry
Authors: Jensen Jesper Khedri , Jensen Lisette Okkels , Terkelsen Christian Juhl , Lassen Jens Flensted , Tilsted Hans Henrik , Hansen Knud Noerregaard , Maeng Michael , Thuesen Leif , Thayssen Per
Published: April 2012

Background

There are limited data on the optimal management of in‐stent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stent (BMS) or drug‐eluting stent (DES) implantations. We assessed the clinical presentation, the incidence, and prognosis of definite stent thrombosis or restenosis after DES implantation for treatment of restenosis.

Methods

From January 2002 to June 2005, all consecutive patients with restenosis < 12 months after index PCI with DES or BMS implantation, were identified in the population‐based Western Denmark Heart Registry. Patients were followed until 24 months after their first restenosis.

Results

A total of 589 lesions were treated for clinically driven restenosis with target lesion revascularization (TLR) within 12 months after the index PCI. Among those, 302 lesions were treated with DES (BMS‐restenosis n = 244 and DES‐restenosis n = 58). Admission were due to stable angina pectoris (n = 249 (82.4%)), unstable angina pectoris (n = 34 (11.3%)), or non‐ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (n = 19 (6.3%)). The clinical indication was not different between patients with BMS restenosis compared to DES restenosis. In the BMS restenosis group, older age, longer lesion, longer stent length, and a higher number of stents used was observed compared to the DES restenosis group. After a first restenosis, clinically driven re‐TLR was seen in 26 (8.6%) patients within the following 24 months, stent thrombosis (median duration 155 days, interquartile range (IQR) 9–627 days) was seen in 3 lesions (1.0%), and secondary restenosis (median duration 168 days, IQR 88–266 days) was seen in 23 (7.6%) [DES restenosis group 6.9% vs. BMS restenosis group 7.8%, P = 0.818] lesions.

Conclusion

The clinical presentation did not differ between BMS or DES and most patients present with stable angina pectoris. Risk of stent thrombosis or restenosis was not increased in patients with DES restenosis compared to patients with BMS restenosis treated with DES. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Embolization of radiopaque tip component of clip delivery system of MitraClip device: A rare complication with successful percutaneous retrieval
Authors: Casserly Ivan P. , Salcedo Ernesto , Carroll John
Published: April 2012

This case report describes a rare complication that occurred during the performance of a MitraClip procedure. Following deployment of the clip, the portion of the device that attaches the clip to the clip delivery system (CDS), referred to as the radiopaque tip, embolized to the left atrium during removal of the CDS through the guide catheter. The percutaneous strategy that was used to successfully retrieve the radiopaque tip is described and discussed.© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design of Monitoring and Sensor Systems for Bioprocesses by Biomechatronic Methodology
Authors: Mandenius C.‐F.
Published: April 2012

Biomechatronic design methodology is discussed for the design of monitoring and sensor systems for biotechnological processes. The bioprocess monitoring systems are examples of complex biomechatronic systems between electronic, mechanical, and biological subsystems, and where in particular the biological parts, through active microbial or cellular components, influence the design solutions in a complex manner. The biomechatronic approach facilitates configuration of the monitoring and sensor systems with production and quality needs in focus, and can by that lead to more efficient design solutions.
Efficient Chemo‐Enzymatic Epoxidation Using silcoat‐Novozym®435: Characterizing the Multiphase System
Authors: Bhattacharya S. , Drews A. , Lyagin E. , Kraume M. , Ansorge‐Schumacher M. B.
Published: April 2012

Silicone composites of Novozym®435 (silcoat‐NZ435) demonstrate improved leaching and mechanical stability compared to native Novozym®435 (NZ435). Here, the application scope of this novel enzyme preparation has been broadened significantly by the transfer from single‐phase esterification to a complex chemo‐enzymatic epoxidation reaction in a three‐phase system. The reaction gave up to 80 % yields with almost 100 % selectivity in 50 h when operated in the absence of mass transfer limitations. Characterization of the system revealed that octanoic acid inhibited the reaction at concentrations around 6 M. The silcoat‐NZ435 catalyst could be reused over five days with less than 50 % loss in activity when 5 M H2O2 was present. H2O2 was also identified as the component which deactivates the enzyme at high concentration (17.5 M) demanding spatial separation of the silcoat‐NZ435 for optimal operation.
Predicting Crystal Morphology Grown from Solution
Authors: Schmidt C. , Ulrich J.
Published: April 2012

The crystal growth process is modeled considering the concentration of solvent and solute in the solution. Molecular dynamics (MD) is performed to model the solvent effect on crystal morphology. Molecular modeling is used as tool to estimate the face growth rates of a crystal. Investigations on the liquid phase (solution), the phase separation, and the resulting solid phase (crystal) are conducted. The commercial software Materials Studio 4.0 is applied to build a layered system consisting of solution (liquid phase) and crystal surface (solid phase). The data allow predicting the crystal morphology in the presence of a solvent. The achieved predictions are in good agreement with experimental results, here presented for benzoic acid.
Enantioselective Crystallization Exploiting the Shift of Eutectic Compositions in Solid‐Liquid Phase Diagrams
Authors: Le Minh T. , Lorenz H. , Seidel‐Morgenstern A.
Published: April 2012

Ternary solubility data of the chiral 3‐chloromandelic acid (3ClMA) system are estimated for different solvents from binary solubility data using the non‐random two‐liquid (NRTL) model and compared to experimental data. The parameters of the NRTL model are determined by minimizing an objective function based on the difference between experimental and calculated temperatures corresponding to saturation concentrations. The results reveal that, for this system, the heterochiral interactions between the enantiomers can be considered as ideal in a wide temperature range. The ternary solubility phase diagrams are also described well by the NRTL model and predict eutectic compositions close to the enantiomer axes. Based on known ternary phase diagrams, enantiomer purification is performed experimentally, exploiting the identified shift of the characteristic eutectic compositions in the ternary phase diagram of chiral 3ClMA in different solvents.
[TeX3]+ Cations Stabilized by the Weakly Coordinating [Al(ORF)4]− Anion: FIR Spectra, Raman Spectra, and Evaluation of an Abnormal Halogen Dependence of the 125Te NMR Chemical Shifts
Authors: Engesser Tobias A. , Hrobárik Peter , Trapp Nils , Eiden Philipp , Scherer Harald , Kaupp Martin , Krossing Ingo
Published: April 2012

TeX3[Al(ORF)4] (X=Cl, Br, I; RF=C(CF3)3) were synthesized by the reaction of Ag[Al(ORF)4] and TeX4 or the reaction of AuX, Ag[Al(ORF)4], and elemental tellurium in liquid SO2. The compounds were characterized by 125Te NMR in solution and by X‐ray diffraction, Raman, and IR spectroscopy in the solid state. The vibrational spectra and the crystal structure show very weak secondary interactions, indicating “pseudo gas phase conditions” in the condensed phase. The observed trend of the 125Te NMR chemical shifts along the [TeX3]+ series follows neither the monotonous decrease known as “normal halogen dependence” nor the increase known as “inverse halogen dependence”. By relativistic two‐component calculations based on the ZORA approach, we find that this “abnormal halogen dependence” results from an interplay of relativistic and solvent effects, where non‐negligible scalar relativistic effects and intermediate‐sized spin‐orbit effects compensate to some extent. The reasons for these trends are evaluated in the context of the Te s‐orbital character of the TeX bonds and compared with the halogen dependence(s) within the isoelectronic [SeX3]+ and PX3 series and related trihalomethyl [CX3]+ cations.
Anodic Stripping Voltammetry of Heavy Metals on a Metal Catalyst Free Carbon Nanotube Electrode
Authors: Yue Wei , Riehl Bill L. , Pantelic Nebojsa , Schlueter Kevin T. , Johnson Jay M. , Wilson Robert A. , Guo Xuefei , King Edward E. , Heineman William R.
Published: April 2012

Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) determination of Pb2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+ was done using metal catalyst free carbon nanotube (MCFCN) electrodes. Osteryoung square wave stripping voltammetry (OSWSV) was selected for detection. The MCFCNTs are synthesized via Carbo Thermal Carbide Conversion method which leads to residual transition metal free in the CNT structure. The new material shows very good results in detecting heavy metal ions, such as Pb2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+. The calculated limits of detection were 13 nM, 32 nM and 50 nM for Pb2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+, respectively with a deposition time of 150 s.
Estimation of diffuse pollution loads in Europe for continental scale modelling of loads and in‐stream river water quality
Authors: Malve Olli , Tattari Sirkka , Riihimäki Juha , Jaakkola Elina , Voβ Anja , Williams Richard , Bärlund Ilona
Published: April 2012

An export coefficient model of diffuse pollution at large scales has been developed as part of a larger study investigating and mapping the present and future patterns of the quantity and quality of European water resources. The model was developed to provide reasonable estimates across the whole of Europe based on readily accessible datasets, and that would be amenable to application within a gridded model of water quality loadings to surface waters. The export coefficient models for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphors (TP) were fitted to data from European Union European Environment Agency databases of 79–106 selected river basins around Europe depending on the variable in question. Estimated export coefficients were on a reasonable level with estimates made by other methods within Europe. Firstly, it was shown that runoff, number of livestock and point load were common factors for BOD, TP and TN loads with runoff as the most important factor. Secondly, cropland area also contributed to diffuse TN load. Thirdly, average slope steepness and runoff, as a combined factor, had a negative effect on diffuse TP load. Fourthly, lake area reduced diffuse loads because of retention mechanisms in lakes. A larger set of data with higher spatial and temporal resolution and partitioning of the data based on, e.g. climate or spatial patterns would further improve the precision of the export coefficient estimates. When applied at the catchment scale, the parameters should be updated with local data. In the long run, adaptive modelling should be applied in order to fit the model to continuously accumulating data and experience, although the study showed that the export coefficients derived were stable over time. It is also advisable to integrate the administrative monitoring, modelling and management of river basins more closely to improve data availability, model predictions and cost efficiency of management measures and policies. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ENVISIONING INNOVATIVE GROUNDWATER REGULATION POLICIES THROUGH SCENARIO WORKSHOPS IN FRANCE AND PORTUGAL
Authors: Rinaudo J‐D , Montginoul M. , Varanda M. , Bento S.
Published: April 2012

Groundwater management policies will need to be revised in many Mediterranean countries, in light of the impact of climate change and the increasing demand for water. In this paper, we analyse stakeholder perceptions of three groundwater policy scenarios which respectively assume a strengthening of state intervention, the introduction of market regulation mechanisms, and the transfer of regulation responsibility to farmers. The method consists of organizing scenario workshops with experts, institutional representatives and farmers. It is applied in two case studies in France and Portugal. From a methodological viewpoint, the research demonstrates farmers' ability to contribute to an exploratory assessment of possible future water management scenarios. From a policy viewpoint, it clarifies expectations concerning state intervention and self‐regulation by farmers. It also provides some insights regarding the acceptability of tradable groundwater permits in two European contexts. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, AND INITIAL FINDINGS FROM A COMMUNITY‐BASED CULTURAL MENTAL HEALTH INTERVENTION FOR AMERICAN INDIAN YOUTH AND THEIR FAMILIES
Authors: Goodkind Jessica , LaNoue Marianna , Lee and Lance Freeland Christopher , Freund Rachel
Published: April 2012

Through a CBPR partnership, university and American Indian (AI) tribal members developed and tested Our Life intervention to promote mental health of AI youth and their families by addressing root causes of violence, trauma, and substance abuse. Based on premises that well‐being is built on a foundation of traditional cultural beliefs and practices, and that it requires a process of healing and understanding, the 6‐month intervention had four components: 1) recognizing/healing historical trauma; 2) reconnecting to traditional culture; 3) parenting/social skill‐building; and 4) strengthening family relationships through equine‐assisted activities. Feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and preliminary outcomes were examined in a mixed‐method within‐group design. Engagement and retention were challenging, suggesting that families faced numerous barriers to participation. Youth who completed the program experienced significant increases in cultural identity, self‐esteem, positive coping strategies, quality of life, and social adjustment. Qualitative data supported these findings and suggested additional positive effects.
Prey Capture Behavior of Native vs. Nonnative Fishes: A Case Study From the Colorado River Drainage Basin (USA)
Authors: ARENA ANTHONY , FERRY LARA A. , GIBB ALICE C.
Published: April 2012

The Colorado River drainage basin is home to a diverse but imperiled fish fauna; one putative challenge facing natives is competition with nonnatives. We examined fishes from Colorado River tributaries to address the following questions: Do natives and nonnatives from the same trophic guild consume the same prey items? Will a given species alter its behavior when presented with different prey types? Do different species procure the same prey types via similar feeding behaviors? Roundtail chub (Gila robusta) and smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), midwater predators, and Sonora sucker (Catostomus insignis) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio), benthic omnivores, were offered six ecologically relevant prey types in more than 600 laboratory trials. Native species consumed a broader array of prey than nonnatives, and species from a given trophic guild demonstrated functional convergence in key aspects of feeding behavior. For example, roundtail chub and smallmouth bass consume prey attached to the substrate by biting, then ripping the prey from its point of attachment; in contrast, Sonora sucker remove attached prey via scraping. When presented with different prey types, common carp, roundtail chub, and smallmouth bass altered their prey capture behavior by modifying strike distance, gape, and angle of attack. Gape varied among the species examined here, with smallmouth bass demonstrating the largest functional and anatomical gape at a given body size. Because fish predators are gape‐limited, smallmouth bass will be able to consume a variety of large prey items in the wild, including large, invasive crayfish and young roundtail chub—their presumptive trophic competitors. J. Exp. Zool. 317:103–116, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CDH1 methylation in preoperative peritoneal washes is an independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer
Authors: Yu Qi‐Ming , Wang Xin‐Bao , Luo Jun , Wang Shi , Fang Xian‐Hua , Yu Jiang‐Liu , Ling Zhi‐Qiang
Published: April 2012

Background and Objectives

To investigate the clinical value of CDH1 methylation in preoperative peritoneal washes (PPW) from gastric cancer patients.

Methods

CDH1 methylation was detected by real‐time methylation specific‐PCR in tumor tissues and corresponding PPW from 92 gastric cancer patients, gastric mucosa from 40 chronic gastritis patients and 48 normal persons.

Results

CDH1 methylation was found in 75 of 92 (81.5%) gastric cancer tissues, which significantly correlated with size, growth pattern, differentiation, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and TNM stage of tumor (all P < 0.05), but its relationship to age, gender, tumor site, and H. pylori infection was not found (all P > 0.05). The percentage of CDH1 methylation in PPW was 48.9%, of which the Aζ value of ROC curve was 0.8 compared to that in gastric cancer tissues. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that there was a significant difference in disease‐free survival (DFS) between the patients with or without methylated CDH1 in their PPW (χ2 = 109.64, P < 0.000). Cox regression analysis revealed CDH1 methylation in PPW was an independent risk factor for gastric cancer patients, with a remarkable decrease in DFS after postoperative 30 months.

Conclusions

Methylated CDH1 in PPW predicts poor prognosis for gastric cancer patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:765–771. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.