bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acoustic emission monitoring of a reinforced concrete shear wall by b-value–based outlier analysis
Authors: Farhidzadeh Alireza , Salamone Salvatore , Luna Bismarck , Whittaker Andrew
Published: September 2012

Reinforced concrete shear walls are critical structural components in gravity and lateral force resisting systems. The objective of this work is to design and validate a monitoring system capable of rapid and automated damage assessment of reinforced concrete shear walls. The proposed system is based on a sparse array of piezoelectric transducers to receive acoustic emissions distributed across the wall and a statistical pattern recognition algorithm capable of identifying critical structural conditions to inform decision makers on the need for repair to ensure safe operation of the structure. The proposed system was validated on a full-scale reinforced concrete shear wall subjected to quasi-static cyclic loading.
Patent dispute resolution under the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act
Authors: Munck Suzanne Drennon
Published: September 2012

The Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009 (BPCIA) creates a pathway for expedited FDA approval of follow-on biologic drugs. As part of this pathway, the BPCIA includes special procedures to resolve patent disputes between the brand, or reference product sponsor, and the follow-on drug manufacturer. This article outlines the basics of the BPCIA and details procedures that reference product sponsors and follow-on applicants will follow to resolve patent issues under the Act. Finally, the article notes that the BPCIA patent dispute mechanism may lead to several unintended consequences: (1) it may be unlikely to provide patent certainty to the parties because it may not address the full portfolio of patents covering a biologic product; (2) it may also be unlikely to raise and resolve all pertinent patent issues prior to FDA approval; and (3) it is unclear whether there is a manner in which parties can enforce the rules of the patent dispute mechanism. At this time, no drug has been approved under the BPCIA, and no litigation has begun under the BPCIA's patent resolution procedures. While this article identifies potential outcomes, it will be important to monitor real-world experiences over the next several years.
Proteome dynamics and early salt stress response of the photosynthetic organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Mastrobuoni Guido , Irgang Susann , Pietzke Matthias , Aßmus Heike E , Wenzel Markus , Schulze Waltraud X , Kempa Stefan
Published: September 2012

Background

The cellular proteome and metabolome are underlying dynamic regulation allowing rapid adaptation to changes in the environment. System-wide analysis of these dynamics will provide novel insights into mechanisms of stress adaptation for higher photosynthetic organisms. We applied pulsed-SILAC labeling to a photosynthetic organism for the first time and we established a method to study proteome dynamics in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, an emerging model system for plant biology. In addition, we combined the analysis of protein synthesis with metabolic profiling to study the dynamic changes of metabolism and proteome turnover under salt stress conditions.

Results

To study de novo protein synthesis an arginine auxotroph Chlamydomonas strain was cultivated in presence of stable isotope-labeled arginine for 24 hours. From the time course experiment in 3 salt concentrations we could identify more than 2500 proteins and their H/L ratio in at least one experimental condition; for 998 protiens at least 3 ratio counts were detected in the 24 h time point (0 mM NaCl). After fractionation we could identify 3115 proteins and for 1765 of them we determined their de novo synthesis rate. Consistently with previous findings we showed that RuBisCO is among the most prominent proteins in the cell; and similar abundance and turnover for the small and large RuBisCO subunit could be calculated. The D1 protein was identified among proteins with a high synthesis rates. A global median half-life of 45 h was calculated for Chlamydomonas proteins under the chosen conditions.

Conclusion

To investigate the temporal co-regulation of the proteome and metabolome, we applied salt stress to Chlamydomonas and studied the time dependent regulation of protein expression and changes in the metabolome. The main metabolic response to salt stress was observed within the amino acid metabolism. In particular, proline was up-regulated manifold and according to that an increased carbon flow within the proline biosynthetic pathway could be measured. In parallel the analysis of abundance and de novo synthesis of the corresponding enzymes revealed that metabolic rearrangements precede adjustments of protein abundance.
An efficient RNA interference screening strategy for gene functional analysis
Authors: Chang Chih-Hung , Wang Hsiang-Iu , Lu Hsiang-Chia , Chen Cheng-En , Chen Hong-Hwa , Yeh Hsin-Hung , Tang Chuan Yi
Published: September 2012

Background

RNA interference (RNAi) is commonly applied in genome-scale gene functional screens. However, a one-on-one RNAi analysis that targets each gene is cost-ineffective and laborious. Previous studies have indicated that siRNAs can also affect RNAs that are near-perfectly complementary, and this phenomenon has been termed an off-target effect. This phenomenon implies that it is possible to silence several genes simultaneously with a carefully designed siRNA.

Results

We propose a strategy that is combined with a heuristic algorithm to design suitable siRNAs that can target multiple genes and a group testing method that would reduce the number of required RNAi experiments in a large-scale RNAi analysis. To verify the efficacy of our strategy, we used the Orchid expressed sequence tag data as a case study to screen the putative transcription factors that are involved in plant disease responses. According to our computation, 94 qualified siRNAs were sufficient to examine all of the predicated 229 transcription factors. In addition, among the 94 computer-designed siRNAs, an siRNA that targets both TF15 (a previously identified transcription factor that is involved in the plant disease-response pathway) and TF21 was introduced into orchids. The experimental results showed that this siRNA can simultaneously silence TF15 and TF21, and application of our strategy successfully confirmed that TF15 is involved in plant defense responses. Interestingly, our second-round analysis, which used an siRNA specific to TF21, indicated that TF21 is a previously unidentified transcription factor that is related to plant defense responses.

Conclusions

Our computational results showed that it is possible to screen all genes with fewer experiments than would be required for the traditional one-on-one RNAi screening. We also verified that our strategy is capable of identifying genes that are involved in a specific phenotype.
Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid improves spatial learning and hippocampal Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptors (PPARα and PPARγ) gene expression in rats
Authors: Hajjar Toktam , Meng Goh Y , Rajion Mohamed A , Vidyadaran Sharmili , Othman Fauziah , Farjam Abdoreza S , Li Tan A , Ebrahimi Mahdi
Published: September 2012

Background

This study examined the effects of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as different n-6: n-3 ratios on spatial learning and gene expression of peroxisome- proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) in the hippocampus of rats. Thirty male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly allotted into 3 groups of ten animals each and received experimental diets with different n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios of either 65:1, 22:1 or 4.5:1. After 10 weeks, the spatial memory of the animals was assessed using the Morris Water Maze test. The expression of PPARα and PPARγ genes were determined using real-time PCR.

Results

Decreasing dietary n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios improved the cognitive performance of animals in the Morris water maze test along with the upregulation of PPARα and PPARγ gene expression. The animals with the lowest dietary n-6: n-3 PUFA ratio presented the highest spatial learning improvement and PPAR gene expression.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that modulation of n-6: n-3 PUFA ratios in the diet may lead to increased hippocampal PPAR gene expression and consequently improved spatial learning and memory in rats.
Arabidopsis mutant sk156 reveals complex regulation of SPL15 in a miR156-controlled gene network
Authors: Wei Shu , Gruber Margaret Y , Yu Bianyun , Gao Ming-Jun , Khachatourians George G , Hegedus Dwayne D , Parkin Isobel AP , Hannoufa Abdelali
Published: September 2012

Background

The Arabidopsis microRNA156 (miR156) regulates 11 members of the SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN LIKE (SPL) family by base pairing to complementary target mRNAs. Each SPL gene further regulates a set of other genes; thus, miR156 controls numerous genes through a complex gene regulation network. Increased axillary branching occurs in transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing miR156b, similar to that observed in loss-of-function max3 and max4 mutants with lesions in carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases. Arabidopsis miR156b was found to enhance carotenoid levels and reproductive shoot branching when expressed in Brassica napus, suggesting a link between miR156b expression and carotenoid metabolism. However, details of the miR156 regulatory network of SPL genes related to carotenoid metabolism are not known.

Results

In this study, an Arabidopsis T-DNA enhancer mutant, sk156, was identified due to its altered branching and trichome morphology and increased seed carotenoid levels compared to wild type (WT) ecovar Columbia. Enhanced miR156b expression due to the 35S enhancers present on the T-DNA insert was responsible for these phenotypes. Constitutive and leaf primodium-specific expression of a miR156-insensitive (mutated) SPL15 (SPL15m) largely restored WT seed carotenoid levels and plant morphology when expressed in sk156. The Arabidopsis native miR156-sensitive SPL15 (SPL15n) and SPL15m driven by a native SPL15 promoter did not restore the WT phenotype in sk156. Our findings suggest that SPL15 function is somewhat redundant with other SPL family members, which collectively affect plant phenotypes. Moreover, substantially decreased miR156b transcript levels in sk156 expressing SPL15m, together with the presence of multiple repeats of SPL-binding GTAC core sequence close to the miR156b transcription start site, suggested feedback regulation of miR156b expression by SPL15. This was supported by the demonstration of specific in vitro interaction between DNA-binding SBP domain of SPL15 and the proximal promoter sequence of miR156b.

Conclusions

Enhanced miR156b expression in sk156 leads to the mutant phenotype including carotenoid levels in the seed through suppression of SPL15 and other SPL target genes. Moreover, SPL15 has a regulatory role not only for downstream components, but also for its own upstream regulator miR156b.
Antibacterial resistances in uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women: ECO·SENS II data from primary health care in Austria
Authors: Kamenski Gustav , Wagner Gernot , Zehetmayer Sonja , Fink Waltraud , Spiegel Wolfgang , Hoffmann Kathryn
Published: September 2012

Background

Uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) are a frequent reason for consultation of women in primary health care. To avoid therapy failure and development of resistances, the choice of an antibiotic should be based on the knowledge of recent local resistance data but these data are scarce for the Austrian primary health care sector. Within the context of the ECO·SENS II study it was the aim to obtain appropriate and relevant local resistance data and describe the changes in the resistance pattern in comparison to the ECO·SENS study.

Methods

23 GPs from different parts of Austria participated in the study between July 2007 and November 2008. According to the defined inclusion- and exclusion criteria female patients with symptoms of an uncomplicated UTI were included and a midstream urine sample was collected. In case of significant bacteriuria susceptibility testing of E. coli against 14 antibiotics was performed. Descriptive statistical methods were used.

Results

In 313 patients included in the study, a total of 147 E. coli isolates (47%) were detected and tested. The resistance rates were in %: Mecillinam (0.0), nitrofurantoin (0.7), fosfomycin trometamol (0.7), gentamycin (1.4), cefotaxime (2.7), ceftazidime (2.7), Cephadroxil (4.1) and ciprofloxacin (4.1). Higher resistance rates were found in amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (8.9), nalidixic acid (9.6), trimethoprim/sulphamethoxazole (14.4), trimethoprim (15.8), sulphamethoxazole (21.2) and ampicillin (28.8). Additionally, the comparison of these results with the results of the ECO·SENS study demonstrated an increase in resistance rates of ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin.

Conclusions

The resistance data for E. coli in uncomplicated UTIs in women gained by this study are the most recent data for this disease in Austria at the moment. The increased resistance rates of amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid should be respected when choosing an appropriate antibiotic for uncomplicated UTIs. The use of ampicillin, sulphamethoxazole, trimethoprim and trimethoprim/sulphametoxazole in uncomplicated UTIs in women should be questioned at all. The findings of this study should result in a regular surveillance system of resistances emerging in the ambulatory sector designed after the model of the EARS-Net.
Disaster exposure as a risk factor for mental health problems, eighteen months, four and ten years post-disaster – a longitudinal study
Authors: van den Berg Bellis , Wong Albert , van der Velden Peter G , Boshuizen Hendriek C , Grievink Linda
Published: September 2012

Background

Disaster experiences have been associated with higher prevalence rates of (mental) health problems. The objective of this study was to examine the independent relation between a series of single disaster experiences versus the independent predictive value of a accumulation of disaster experiences, i.e. a sum score of experiences and symptoms of distress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods

Survivors of a fireworks disaster participated in a longitudinal study and completed a questionnaire three weeks (wave 1), eighteen months (wave 2) and four years post-disaster (wave 3). Ten years post-disaster (wave 4) the respondents consisted of native Dutch survivors only. Main outcome measures were general distress and symptoms of PTSD.

Results

Degree of disaster exposure (sum score) and some disaster-related experiences (such as house destroyed, injured, confusion) were related to distress at waves 2 and 3. This relation was mediated by distress at an earlier point in time. None of the individual disaster-related experiences was independently related to symptoms of distress. The association between the degree of disaster exposure and symptoms of PTSD at waves 2 and 3 was still statistically significant after controlling for symptoms of distress and PTSD at earlier point in time. The variable ‘house destroyed’ was the only factor that was independently related to symptoms of PTSD at wave 2. Ten years after the disaster, disaster exposure was mediated by symptoms of PTSD at waves 2 and 3. Disaster exposure was not independently related to symptoms of PTSD ten years post-disaster.

Conclusions

Until 4 years after the disaster, degree of exposure (a sum score) was a risk factor for PTSD symptoms while none of the individual disaster experiences could be identified as an independent risk factor. Ten years post-disaster, disaster exposure was no longer an independent risk factor for symptoms of PTSD. Since symptoms of PTSD and distress at earlier waves perpetuate the symptoms at later waves, health care workers should aim their resources at those who still have symptoms after one and a half year post-disaster, to prevent health problems at medium and long-term.
Analysis of quantization effects on the performance of cooperative MIMO techniques in wireless networks
Authors: Shariatpanahi Seyed Pooya , Khalaj Babak Hossein , Shah-Mansouri Hamed , Del Ser Javier
Published: September 2012

The most successful achievable schemes for ad hoc wireless networks are those based on establishing cooperative multiple-input and multiple-output links. In this article, we analyze one of the important design parameters of such schemes, namely the number of quantization bits. Due to the digital architecture of these schemes, the received signal at nodes should become quantized before further processing. The scheme’s aggregate throughput highly depends on the resolution of the quantization process. We demonstrate that there is an optimum number of quantization bits which maximizes the network throughput. We show that the optimum number of quantization bits scales as β log2(SNR), for any strictly positive β independent of SNR, for the high SNR regime. Furthermore, we derive the optimum scaling of network throughput in such a regime. It is concluded that a good management of the number of quantization bits as a design parameter has a significant impact on the network performance.
Split feasibility problems for total quasi-asymptotically nonexpansive mappings
Authors: Wang Xiong Rui , Chang Shih-sen , Wang Lin , Zhao Yun-he
Published: September 2012

The purpose of this paper is to propose an algorithm for solving the split feasibility problems for total quasi-asymptotically nonexpansive mappings in infinite-dimensional Hilbert spaces. The results presented in the paper not only improve and extend some recent results of Moudafi [Nonlinear Anal. 74:4083-4087, 2011; Inverse Problem 26:055007, 2010], but also improve and extend some recent results of Xu [Inverse Problems 26:105018, 2010; 22:2021-2034, 2006], Censor and Segal [J. Convex Anal. 16:587-600, 2009], Censor et al. [Inverse Problems 21:2071-2084, 2005], Masad and Reich [J. Nonlinear Convex Anal. 8:367-371, 2007], Censor et al. [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 327:1244-1256, 2007], Yang [Inverse Problem 20:1261-1266, 2004] and others.

MSC:47J05, 47H09, 49J25.
A new contraction mapping principle in partially ordered metric spaces and applications to ordinary differential equations
Authors: Yan Fangfang , Su Yongfu , Feng Qiansheng
Published: September 2012

The aim of this paper is to extend the results of Harjani and Sadarangani and some other authors and to prove a new fixed point theorem of a contraction mapping in a complete metric space endowed with a partial order by using altering distance functions. Our theorem can be used to investigate a large class of nonlinear problems. As an application, we discuss the existence of a solution for a periodic boundary value problem.
Total quasi-ϕ-asymptotically nonexpansive semigroups and strong convergence theorems in Banach spaces
Authors: Chang Shih-sen , Kim Jong Kyu , Wang Lin
Published: September 2012

The purpose of this article is to modify the Halpern-Mann-type iteration algorithm for total quasi-ϕ-asymptotically nonexpansive semigroups to have the strong convergence under a limit condition only in the framework of Banach spaces. The results presented in the paper improve and extend the corresponding recent results announced by many authors.

MSC:47J05, 47H09, 49J25.
Systematic evaluation of three different commercial software solutions for automatic segmentation for adaptive therapy in head-and-neck, prostate and pleural cancer
Authors: La Macchia Mariangela , Fellin Francesco , Amichetti Maurizio , Cianchetti Marco , Gianolini Stefano , Paola Vitali , Lomax Antony J , Widesott Lamberto
Published: September 2012

Purpose

To validate, in the context of adaptive radiotherapy, three commercial software solutions for atlas-based segmentation.

Methods and materials

Fifteen patients, five for each group, with cancer of the Head&Neck, pleura, and prostate were enrolled in the study. In addition to the treatment planning CT (pCT) images, one replanning CT (rCT) image set was acquired for each patient during the RT course. Three experienced physicians outlined on the pCT and rCT all the volumes of interest (VOIs). We used three software solutions (VelocityAI 2.6.2 (V), MIM 5.1.1 (M) by MIMVista and ABAS 2.0 (A) by CMS-Elekta) to generate the automatic contouring on the repeated CT. All the VOIs obtained with automatic contouring (AC) were successively corrected manually. We recorded the time needed for: 1) ex novo ROIs definition on rCT; 2) generation of AC by the three software solutions; 3) manual correction of AC.

To compare the quality of the volumes obtained automatically by the software and manually corrected with those drawn from scratch on rCT, we used the following indexes: overlap coefficient (DICE), sensitivity, inclusiveness index, difference in volume, and displacement differences on three axes (x, y, z) from the isocenter.

Results

The time saved by the three software solutions for all the sites, compared to the manual contouring from scratch, is statistically significant and similar for all the three software solutions. The time saved for each site are as follows: about an hour for Head&Neck, about 40 minutes for prostate, and about 20 minutes for mesothelioma. The best DICE similarity coefficient index was obtained with the manual correction for: A (contours for prostate), A and M (contours for H&N), and M (contours for mesothelioma).

Conclusions

From a clinical point of view, the automated contouring workflow was shown to be significantly shorter than the manual contouring process, even though manual correction of the VOIs is always needed.
Morphogenesis underlying the development of the everted teleost telencephalon
Authors: Folgueira Mónica , Bayley Philippa , Navratilova Pavla , Becker Thomas S , Wilson Stephen W , Clarke Jonathan DW
Published: September 2012

Background

Although the mechanisms underlying brain patterning and regionalization are very much conserved, the morphology of different brain regions is extraordinarily variable across vertebrate phylogeny. This is especially manifest in the telencephalon, where the most dramatic variation is seen between ray-finned fish, which have an everted telencephalon, and all other vertebrates, which have an evaginated telencephalon. The mechanisms that generate these distinct morphologies are not well understood.

Results

Here we study the morphogenesis of the zebrafish telencephalon from 12 hours post fertilization (hpf) to 5 days post fertilization (dpf) by analyzing forebrain ventricle formation, evolving patterns of gene and transgene expression, neuronal organization, and fate mapping. Our results highlight two key events in telencephalon morphogenesis. First, the formation of a deep ventricular recess between telencephalon and diencephalon, the anterior intraencephalic sulcus (AIS), effectively creates a posterior ventricular wall to the telencephalic lobes. This process displaces the most posterior neuroepithelial territory of the telencephalon laterally. Second, as telencephalic growth and neurogenesis proceed between days 2 and 5 of development, the pallial region of the posterior ventricular wall of the telencephalon bulges into the dorsal aspect of the AIS. This brings the ventricular zone (VZ) into close apposition with the roof of the AIS to generate a narrow ventricular space and the thin tela choroidea (tc). As the pallial VZ expands, the tc also expands over the upper surface of the telencephalon. During this period, the major axis of growth and extension of the pallial VZ is along the anteroposterior axis. This second step effectively generates an everted telencephalon by 5 dpf.

Conclusion

Our description of telencephalic morphogenesis challenges the conventional model that eversion is simply due to a laterally directed outfolding of the telencephalic neuroepithelium. This may have significant bearing on understanding the eventual organization of the adult fish telencephalon.
Biological activities and volatile constituents of Daucus muricatus L. from Algeria
Authors: Bendiabdellah Amel , El Amine Dib Mohammed , Djabou Nassim , Allali Hocine , Tabti Boufeldja , Muselli Alain , Costa Jean
Published: September 2012

Background

In order to find new bioactive natural products, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of essential oil components extracted from the separated organs of the Algerian medicinal and aromatic plant Daucus muricatus L. were studied.

Results

The chemical composition of essential oils obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) was investigated using Gas Chromatography–Retention Indices (GC-RI) and GC–Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Two types of essential oils were produced by D. muricatus: (i) The oil from roots is mainly composed by nonterpenic oxygenated compounds (59.8 g/100 g), and (ii) the aerial part oils (i.e., the leaves, stems, flowers, and umbels) was mainly composed by terpenic hydrocarbon compounds (62.3–72.2 g/100 g). The chemical composition of the volatile fraction isolated from different organs of Daucus muricatus were studied by HS–SPME/GC–RI and GC–MS after optimization of Solid Phase MicroExtraction parameters. For all organs studied, the main volatiles emitted by the plant were hydrocarbon compounds (60.7–82.2 g/100 g). Only quantitative differences between the volatiles of the separated organs studied were observed. In addition, the activity of the oil of D. muricatus against eight bacterial strains and one yeast was investigated. The oil from roots revealed active against S. aureus, while the essential oil obtained from the aerial parts was active against the yeast C. albicans.

Conclusions

Daucus muricatus essential oil seems be a promising source of natural products with potential antimicrobial activity.
Breath-hold CT attenuation correction for quantitative cardiac SPECT
Authors: Koshino Kazuhiro , Fukushima Kazuhito , Fukumoto Masaji , Sasaki Kazunari , Moriguchi Tetsuaki , Hori Yuki , Zeniya Tsutomu , Nishimura Yoshihiro , Kiso Keisuke , Iida Hidehiro
Published: September 2012

Background

Attenuation correction of a single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) image is possible using computed tomography (CT)-based attenuation maps with hybrid SPECT/CT. CT attenuation maps acquired during breath holding can be misaligned with SPECT, generating artifacts in the reconstructed images. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of respiratory phase during breath-hold CT acquisition on attenuation correction of cardiac SPECT imaging.

Methods

A series of 201Tl-emission and 99mTc-based transmission computed tomography (TCT) scans was carried out along with CT-attenuation scans on 11 young normal volunteers using a hybrid SPECT/CT scanner. The CT scans were performed at three respiratory phases: end-inspiration (INS), end-expiration (EXP), and the midpoint (MID) between these phases. Using alignment parameters between attenuation maps and SPECT images without attenuation or scatter corrections, quantitative SPECT images were reconstructed, including corrections for attenuation and scatter. Regional radioactivity concentrations normalized by the subjects’ weights were compared between CT- and TCT-based attenuation correction techniques.

Results

SPECT images with CT attenuation maps at the EXP phase showed significant differences in regional weight-normalized radioactivity concentrations relative to the images using the other attenuation maps (p < 0.05), as well as systematic positive bias errors, compared to TCT-based images for all myocardial segments, 5.7% ± 2.7% (1.9% to 10.0%). No significant differences in regional weight-normalized radioactivity concentrations were observed between images with CT attenuation maps at MID and INS phases or between these and the TCT-based images, but regional tendencies were found: for anterior to anterolateral segment, positive bias of 5.0% ± 2.2% (1.3% to 8.1%) and 5.6% ± 1.9% (2.6% to 8.5%) and for inferior to inferoseptal segment, negative bias of −5.3% ± 2.6% (−9.1% to −1.7%) and −4.6% ± 2.5% (−8.8% to −1.5%) for the MID and INS phases, respectively.

Conclusions

Use of breath-hold CT attenuation maps at INS and MID phases for attenuation and scatter corrections demonstrated accurate quantitative images that would prove beneficial in cardiac SPECT/CT studies.
Estimation of dynamic petrophysical properties of water-bearing sands invaded with oil-base mud from the interpretation of multiple borehole geophysical measurements
Authors: Heidari Zoya , Torres-Verdín Carlos
Published: September 2012

Nonmiscible fluid displacement without salt exchange takes place when oil-base mud (OBM) invades connate water-saturated rocks. This is a favorable condition for the estimation of dynamic petrophysical properties, including saturation-dependent capillary pressure. We developed and successfully tested a new method to estimate porosity, fluid saturation, permeability, capillary pressure, and relative permeability of water-bearing sands invaded with OBM from multiple borehole geophysical measurements. The estimation method simulates the process of mud-filtrate invasion to calculate the corresponding radial distribution of water saturation. Porosity, permeability, capillary pressure, and relative permeability are iteratively adjusted in the simulation of invasion until density, photoelectric factor, neutron porosity, and apparent resistivity logs are accurately reproduced with numerical simulations that honor the postinvasion radial distribution of water saturation. Examples of application include oil- and gas-bearing reservoirs that exhibit a complete capillary fluid transition between water at the bottom and hydrocarbon at irreducible water saturation at the top. We show that the estimated dynamic petrophysical properties in the water-bearing portion of the reservoir are in agreement with vertical variations of water saturation above the free water-hydrocarbon contact, thereby validating our estimation method. Additionally, it is shown that the radial distribution of water saturation inferred from apparent resistivity and nuclear logs can be used for fluid-substitution analysis of acoustic compressional and shear logs.
Autonomy in specification of primordial germ cells and their passive translocation in the sea urchin
Authors: Yajima Mamiko , Wessel Gary M.
Published: September 2012

The process of germ line determination involves many conserved genes, yet is highly variable. Echinoderms are positioned at the base of Deuterostomia and are crucial to understanding these evolutionary transitions, yet the mechanism of germ line specification is not known in any member of the phyla. Here we demonstrate that small micromeres (SMics), which are formed at the fifth cell division of the sea urchin embryo, illustrate many typical features of primordial germ cell (PGC) specification. SMics autonomously express germ line genes in isolated culture, including selective Vasa protein accumulation and transcriptional activation of nanos; their descendants are passively displaced towards the animal pole by secondary mesenchyme cells and the elongating archenteron during gastrulation; Cadherin (G form) has an important role in their development and clustering phenotype; and a left/right integration into the future adult anlagen appears to be controlled by a late developmental mechanism. These results suggest that sea urchin SMics share many more characteristics typical of PGCs than previously thought, and imply a more widely conserved system of germ line development among metazoans.
Obstetric healthcare providers’ perceptions of communicating gestational weight gain recommendations to overweight/obese pregnant women
Authors: Grohmann Barbara , Brazeau-Gravelle Pauline , Momoli Franco , Moreau Katherine , Zhang Tinghua , J Keely Erin
Published: September 2012

Background

Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a major risk factor of poor pregnancy outcomes. Obese pregnant women frequently report bias and discrimination when dealing with healthcare providers (HCPs). Effective communication of GWG recommendations may impact risks. Study objectives were to identify perceptions of HCPs in communicating GWG recommendations and to identify potential gaps/opportunities that could be addressed in the development of appropriate materials/programmes.

Methods:

A survey tool was created using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to capture HCPs’ attitudes, behaviours and intentions, using four-point Likert questions. Surveys were distributed to obstetricians/gynaecologists, family physicians, obstetric residents/ fellows, midwives, registered/public health nurses and registered dietitians.

Results:

Results from 96 surveys show that HCPs agreed discussing GWG was important (100%), beneficial for patient-provider rapport (86%) and best practice (100%); however, most found it unpleasant (68%). Providers have confidence in their skills to provide nutrition advice (71%) and believe they have sufficient training (56%); yet, 31% acknowledged making derogatory comments and indicated that they could improve their communication of GWG (92%).

Conclusions:

HCPs believe they are providing GWG recommendations in an effective and empathetic manner. While an underlying current of bias/discrimination remains, there is recognition of the importance of more training and access to appropriate tools.
Engineering Properties of Geotextile Sand Containers and Their Effect on Hydraulic Stability and Damage Development of Low-Crested / Submerged Structures
Authors: Dassanayake Darshana T. , Oumeraci H.
Published: September 2012

Despite the considerable development of Geotextile Sand Container (GSC) technology, no proper design guidelines are yet available for the design of GSC-structures on a sound scientific base. This on-going research study aims to focus on developing simplified formulae and a computational tool for the design of GSC-structures. The significance of important engineering properties including the type geotextile material, the sand fill ratio, the interface friction, and their influence on the hydraulic stability of GSC-structures will also be evaluated. For this purpose and in order to better understand the effects of these properties on the hydraulic stability of GSC-structures, a series of systematic laboratory experiments were conducted. In this paper some of the most important findings are discussed, including the implications for the design practice.
Development of an RFID‐based Surgery Management System: Lesson Learnt from a Hong Kong Public Hospital
Authors: Ting S. L. , Tsang Albert H. C.
Published: September 2012

Medical errors happen during surgery such as leaving medical instruments in patient′s body after surgery. In recent years, numerous cases have shown successful applications of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in hospitals. This paper aims to investigate the potential applications of RFID in surgery management in a Hong Kong public hospital where the nurse to patient ratio is much lower than other countries. An RFID‐based Surgery Management System is proposed to tackle the problems identified in the current situation. Apart from helping to reduce medical errors and enhance patient safety, it is expected that this system will also reduce the workload of care givers so that they can put more emphasis on providing high quality services to patients.
Applying System Engineering to Pharmaceutical Safety
Authors: Leveson Nancy , Couturier Matthieu , Thomas John , Dierks Meghan , Wierz David , Psaty Bruce M. , Finkelstein Stan
Published: September 2012

While engineering techniques are used in the development of medical devices and have been applied to individual healthcare processes, such as the use of checklists in surgery and ICUs, the application of system engineering techniques to larger healthcare systems is less common. System safety is the part of system engineering that uses modeling and analysis to identify hazards and to design the system to eliminate or control them. In this paper, we demonstrate how to apply a new, safety engineering static and dynamic modeling and analysis approach to healthcare systems. Pharmaceutical safety is used as the example in the paper, but the same approach is potentially applicable to other complex healthcare systems. System engineering techniques can be used in re‐engineering the system as a whole to achieve the system goals, including both enhancing the safety of current drugs while, at the same time, encouraging the development of new drugs.
Methods for Designing Very High Partitions
Authors: Dhima Dhionis
Published: September 2012

The large number of buildings in which partitions of ever-increasing heights are used encounter a practical difficulty due to the limited size of the furnaces in which fire resistance tests can be carried out. In these conditions, it becomes essential to come up with solutions allowing for fire resistance to be evaluated, in order to overcome this problem. This article presents a design method based on a combination of experimental tests and calculations which allow this evaluation to be carried out. At the present time there is a large number of digital simulation models, but it is essential to define criteria of acceptability that are capable of being checked by testing, which may provide reliable evaluation of the fire response of high partition walls.
Impact & Energy Absorption of Road Safety Barriers by Coupled SPH/FEM
Authors: Thiyahuddin I. , Gu Y.T. , Thambiratnam D. P. , Gudimetla P.
Published: September 2012

Road safety barriers are used to minimise the severity of road accidents and protect lives and property. There are several types of barrier in use today. This paper reports the initial phase of research carried out to study the impact response of portable water-filled barrier (PWFB) which has the potential to absorb impact energy and hence provide crash mitigation under low to moderate speeds. Current research on the impact and energy absorption capacity of water-filled road safety barriers is limited due to the complexity of fluid-structure interaction under dynamic impact. In this paper, a novel fluid-structure interaction method is developed based on the combination of Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) and Finite Element Method (FEM). The sloshing phenomenon of water inside a PWFB is investigated to explore the energy absorption capacity of water under dynamic impact. It was found that water plays an important role in energy absorption. The coupling analysis developed in this paper will provide a platform to further the research in optimising the behaviour of the PWFB. The effect of the amount of water on its energy absorption capacity is investigated and the results have practical applications in the design of PWFBs.
Investigation and Optimization of Protective Properties of Metal Multi-Layered Shields: A Review
Authors: Ben-Dor Gabi , Dubinsky Anatoly , Elperin Tov
Published: September 2012

Effort to enhance protective properties of shields against high speed impact triggered investigations of the ballistic performance of multilayer barriers having different structure, their comparison with each other and with the monolithic barriers. In spite of a large number of publications on these topics there are no comprehensive surveys of this field. The goal of the present review is to close this gap. This review includes analytical, numerical and experimental investigations which can be useful for elucidating general properties of multi-layered metallic shields, e.g. effect of layering, spacing and change of the order of the plates on the protective performance of shields, and also studies which suggested analytical methods for optimization of multi-layered shields.
Using P-I Diagram Method to Assess the Failure Modes of Rigid-Plastic Beams Subjected to Triangular Impulsive Loads
Authors: Shi Haijian , Salim Hani , Ma Guowei
Published: September 2012

This paper puts forward a simplified method for assessing the failure modes of rigid-plastic beams by solving the governing partial differential equation with defined initial conditions based on five previously developed transverse velocity profiles. It is found that there are twelve different response patterns possible for a rigid-plastic beam subjected to a triangular pulse shape impulsive load. As developed in this paper, the P-I diagram is based on the derived deformation pattern such that selected failure criteria can be used to identify and differentiate various failure patterns. The shear-to-bending ratio, the boundary conditions, and the load pulse shape, all influence the response of the rigid-plastic beams, and are discussed in detail. Although the peak pressure and the shear-to-bending ratio together determine the response pattern, it is also found that the combination of peak pressure, impulse, and shear-to-bending ratio define the failure type and sequence. Fully clamped beams are relatively resistant to bending failure; however, they are more vulnerable to shear failure at the supports than simply supported beams. Compared with the triangular-shape impulsive load, the rectangular-shape impulsive load is more vulnerable in the pressure and impulse combination-controlled zone. The explicit solutions are compared with results obtained by using the Single-Degree-of-Freedom (SDOF) approach and are found to be exactly the same whether the beams have a small shear-to-bending ratio (υ ≤ 1) or a large such ratio (υ ≥ 1.5). But for beams with medium shear-to-bending ratio (1 ≤ υ ≤ 1.5), only the presented approach derived solutions.
Towards New Goals in European Journalism Education
Authors: Drok Nico
Published: September 2012

Journalism is involved in substantial change caused by technological, social and economic developments, which lead to the need for innovation at every level: the working process, the content of the product, the form of the product, the public, the platform that is used to get the message
across and the profession as a whole. For each of these elements of journalism we attribute one of the following major innovations: Transparency, navigation, storytelling, participation, crossmedia and entrepreneurship.

In which way will these innovations have an effect on the learning
goals in European journalism education, according to professional journalists? Our research shows that there is a large consensus among European professionals concerning the future key qualifications for young journalists. Furthermore, there is not much evidence that a majority of European
journalists is ready to make the jump to renewal, perhaps with the exception of online journalists. Most professional journalists across Europe appear to hold a rather traditional view on their profession.
Breaking frames: Mark Storor’s For the Best – A case study about an artist in residence
Authors: Walsh Aylwyn
Published: September 2012

This article analyses For the Best, referring to a research and development phase with chronically ill patients at both Evelina Children’s Hospital and the Royal Liverpool Hospitals and professional performances at the Unicorn Theatre and Gostin’s Building. The case study
makes an argument for the careful nurturing of multiple partnerships, and draws on the findings of the external evaluation of the project. As such, it offers a specific overview of a performance emerging through a residential model, drawing out good practice that was identified by clinicians,
partners and academics at symposia organized to coincide with the events. Such a model could be of value to other practitioners seeking to generate partnerships within health settings. However, the value of the residency itself is returned to as being of primary importance in the project model.
The screen politics of architectural light projection
Authors: Susik Abigail
Published: September 2012

Recent developments in projector technology and mapping software have enabled more artists and promotional firms to pursue large-scale, outdoor projections onto architectural and other public surfaces. Projection mapping techniques now have the ability to radically transform diverse
surfaces beyond the ‘white screen’, including animate bodies, with dominating and powerful light images. What are the politics and ethics of such an emerging ‘projection culture’, wherein any surface has the potential to become screen? How can interventionist architectural
light projections be distinguished from promotional projections? Recent examples of such projection practices in contemporary art and in the commercial sphere are examined.
Ali&Cia’s urbanophagy ceremonies
Authors: Cohen Simon , Ríos Alicia
Published: September 2012

For over fifteen years the Madrid-based Eat Art group Ali&Cia has built up an extensive repertoire of projects in which aspects of reality (clothing, urban and natural landscapes) are reinterpreted through food in a fantastical semiotic game of illusion and visual pun, and then
devoured collectively. A type of public performance art, these collective actions are participatory in their creation, presentation and in their final consumption by all those that attend the grand rituals of catharsis. This article examines Ali&Cia’s urbanophagy events, where edible
cities are collaboratively cooked, constructed and then eaten.
Can Brands Move in from the Outside? How Moral Identity Enhances Out-Group Brand Attitudes
Authors: Choi Woo Jin , Winterich Karen Page
Published: September 2012

Consumers tend to have more favorable attitudes for their in-group brands than their out-group brands. However, little is known regarding how brand managers can overcome consumers’ negative attitudes toward out-group brands. Drawing on the moral identity literature, the authors theorize that moral identity may enhance out-group (but not in-group) brand attitudes through decreased psychological distance. Four studies demonstrate that moral identity increases out-group brand attitudes. The authors also identify two important boundary conditions of this moral identity effect. These findings suggest that brand managers who want to overcome the less-than-favorable perceptions associated with out-group brands may benefit from drawing on consumers’ moral identity in marketing communications. Theoretically, this research establishes that moral identity extends beyond prosocial behaviors to influence marketplace judgments (i.e., brand attitudes and categorization).
Decoding Customer–Firm Relationships: How Attachment Styles Help Explain Customers' Preferences for Closeness, Repurchase Intentions, and Changes in Relationship Breadth
Authors: Mende Martin , Bolton Ruth N. , Bitner Mary Jo
Published: September 2012

Many firms strive to create relationships with customers, but not all customers are motivated to build close commercial relationships. This article introduces a theoretical framework that explains how relationship-specific attachment styles account for customers' distinct preferences for closeness and how both attachment styles and preferences for closeness influence loyalty. The authors test their predictions with survey data from 1199 insurance customers and three years of purchase records for 975 of these customers. They find that attachment styles predict customers' preferences for closeness better than established marketing variables do. Moreover, attachment styles and preferences for closeness influence loyalty intentions and behavior, controlling for established antecedents (e.g., relationship quality). Finally, exploring the underlying process, the authors show that preference for closeness partially mediates the effect of attachment styles on cross-buying behavior. This research provides novel customer segmentation criteria and actionable guidelines that managers can use to improve their ability to tailor relationship marketing activities and more effectively allocate resources to match customer preferences.