bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sports Video Analysis
Authors: Chen Hua-Tsung , Lee Suh-Yin
Published: May 2011

The explosive proliferation of multimedia data necessitates the development of automatic systems and tools for content-based multimedia analysis. Recently, sports video analysis has been attracting more and more attention due to the potential commercial benefits, entertaining functionalities and mass audience requirements. Much research on shot classification, highlight extraction and event detection in sports video has been done to provide the general audience interactive video viewing systems for quick browsing, indexing and summarization. More keenly than ever, the audience desire professional insights into the games. The coach and the players demand automatic tactics analysis and performance evaluation with the aid of multimedia information retrieval technologies. It is also a growing trend to provide computer-assisted umpiring in sports games, such as the well-known Hawk eye system used in tennis. Therefore, sports video analysis is certainly a research issue worth investigation. In this chapter, the authors propose to review current research and give an insight into sports video analysis. The discussion on potential applications and encouraging future work is also presented.
Is Modeling a Treatment for the Weakness of Software Engineering?
Authors: Osis Janis , Asnina Erika
Published: May 2011

The authors share with some other experts the opinion that the way software is built is primitive. Therefore, this chapter discusses a role of modeling as a treatment for software engineering. The role of modeling became more important after appearance of principles proposed by Model Driven Architecture (MDA). The main advantage of MDA is architectural separation of concerns that showed necessity of modeling and opened the way to software development to become engineering. However, the weakness is that this principle does not demonstrate its whole potential power in practice, because of a lack of mathematical formalism (or accuracy) in the very initial steps of software development. Therefore, the question about the sufficiency of modeling in software development is still open. The authors believe that software development in general, and modeling in particular, based on mathematical formalism in all its stages together with the implemented principle of architectural separation of concerns can become Software Engineering in its real sense. The authors introduce such mathematical formalism by means of topological modeling of system functioning.
A Multidimensional Approach for Concurrent Model-Driven Automation Engineering
Authors: Rose Sebastian , Lauder Marius , Schlereth Michael , Schürr Andy
Published: May 2011

Automation engineering heavily relies on concurrent model-driven design activities across multiple disciplines. The customization and integration of domain-specific modeling languages and tools play an important role. This contribution introduces a conceptual framework for this purpose that combines the modeling standards of the Object Management Group (OMG) with precisely defined specification techniques based on metamodeling and graph grammars. The main focus is on the development of synchronization mechanisms between modeling tools and on the presentation of some extensions of the underlying graph grammar formalism motivated by its application to a real-world scenario. These techniques are presented by a case study about the application of graph grammars within automation engineering.
Exploring Business Value Models for E-Service Design
Authors: Zdravkovic Jelena , Ilayperuma Tharaka
Published: May 2011

Contemporary enterprises face strong pressures to increase competitiveness by engaging in alliances of several kinds. In a rapidly increasing degree, traditional organizational structures evolve towards online business using modern ICT – such as the Internet, semantic standards, process- and service-oriented architectures. For efficient applications of inter-organizational information systems, the alignment between business and ICT is a key factor. At the ICT level, Web services are used as the cornerstones for modeling the interaction points of Web applications. So far, development of Web services has focused on a technical perspective, such as the development of standards for message exchanges and service coordination. Thereby, business concepts, such as economic values exchanged among the cooperating actors, cannot be traced in Web service specifications. As a consequence, business and ICT models become difficult to keep aligned. To address this issue, the authors propose a MDA-based approach for design of software services which may be implemented using Web services and Web service coordinations. The proposal focuses on a value-explorative analysis and modeling of business services at the CIM level, and model transformations using UML 2 to the PIM level, by utilizing well-defined mappings.
Model-Driven Impact Analysis of Software Product Lines
Authors: Cho Hyun , Gray Jeff , Cai Yuanfang , Wong Sonny , Xie Tao
Published: May 2011

Software assets, which are developed and maintained at various stages, have different abstraction levels. The structural mismatch of the abstraction levels makes it difficult for developers to understand the consequences of changes. Furthermore, assessing change impact is even more challenging in software product lines because core assets are interrelated to support domain and application engineering. Model-driven engineering helps software engineers in many ways by lifting the abstraction level of software development. The higher level of abstraction provided by models can serve as a backbone to analyze and design core assets and architectures for software product lines. This chapter introduces model-driven impact analysis that is based on the synergy of three separate techniques: (1) domain-specific modeling, (2) constraint-based analysis, and (3) software testing. The techniques are used to establish traceability relations between software artifacts, assess the tradeoff of design alternatives quantitatively, and conduct change impact analysis.
Social Computing
Authors: Chaka Chaka
Published: May 2011

This chapter investigates instances of social computing and the affordances it offers enterprise social networking. Employing a thematic synthesis approach, it argues that social computing in the form of blogs, wikis, social networking sites, and virtual worlds serves as an ideal platform that enterprises can tap into for enterprise social networking purposes. In addition, the chapter explores the way in which social computing can help enterprises leverage the relationship economy inherent in enterprise social networking. Against this background, the chapter provides, first, an overview of social computing and enterprise social networking. Second, it characterises, using examples of real world applications obtained through thematic synthesis, how enterprises can exploit instances of social computing cited above to extract business benefits from them. Third, it outlines how enterprises can harness the relationship economy, Value 2.0 and Prosumerism 2.0 to enhance their brand image and boost their online presence. Fourth, it presents caveats regarding how terms such as enterprise social networking, wikinomics, collective intelligence, relationship economy, Prosumerism 2.0 and Value 2.0 may degenerate into mantras. Fifth and last, the chapter delineates future trends likely to characterise enterprise social computing.
Constructing and Evaluating Social Software
Authors: Douce Christopher
Published: May 2011

The process of developing interactive systems necessitates designers to have a comprehensive understanding of the needs of the user and the context in which a device or system is to be used. Interactive systems are often designed through a series of iterations, guided by a sequence of evaluations. This chapter describes how the research and development techniques used within the field of Interaction Design (ID), a successor to the field of human-computer interaction, can be used to inform the development and evaluation of social software systems. Particular attention is given to the challenging area of end-user culture and how different evaluation paradigms and techniques can be applied. The chapter concludes by presenting pointers towards a number of international standards and highlighting a number of potentially useful research directions.
From Real to Virtual and Back Again
Authors: Kaplan Andreas M. , Haenlein Michael
Published: May 2011

Researchers and practitioners alike have speculated that virtual social worlds and social gaming will likely be major platforms for business operations in the future. This chapter shows how major IT companies make use of virtual social worlds (esp. the online application Second Life), focusing on the examples of Dell, Hewlett-Packard, International Business Machines (IBM) and Microsoft. Specifically, the authors investigate whether and how corporate presences within Second Life can be used as platforms to distribute Real Life products and services, so-called virtual commerce (v-Commerce). They show that although the four firms included in our analysis all have a different perspective on the potential of virtual social worlds, each of them made an active and conscious choice about how to use this medium. With regard to v-Commerce, their results indicate that although the short-term profit potential of this form of distribution is still limited, Second Life residents perceive the idea of buying products through in-world stores as positive and exciting. Based on these results, they derive a set of key insights regarding the business potential of virtual social worlds, consumers’ reactions towards corporate presences within Second Life, and advice for firms planning to enter this type of application.
The Link between Cognitive Measures and ADLs and IADL Functioning in Mild Alzheimer′s: What has Gender Got to Do with It?
Authors: Hall James R. , Vo Hoa T. , Johnson Leigh A. , Barber Robert C. , O′Bryant S. E.
Published: May 2011

Objectives. To investigate the link between neurocognitive measures and various aspects of daily living (ADL and IADL) in women and men with mild Alzheimer′s disease (AD). Methods. Participants were 202 AD patients (91 male, 111 female) with CDR global scores of ≤1. ADLs and IADLs ratings were obtained from caregivers. Cognitive domains were assessed with neuropsychological testing. Results. Memory and executive functioning were related to IADL scores. Executive functioning was linked to total ADL. Comparisons stratified on gender found attention predicted total ADL score in both men and women. Attention predicted bathing and eating ability in women only. Language predicted IADL functions in men (food preparation) and women (driving). Conclusions. Associations between ADLs/IADLs and memory, learning, executive functioning, and language suggest that even in patients with mild AD, basic ADLs require complex cognitive processes. Gender differences in the domains of learning and memory area were found.
Biosynthesis of Galactofuranose in Kinetoplastids: Novel Therapeutic Targets for Treating Leishmaniasis and Chagas' Disease
Authors: Oppenheimer Michelle , Valenciano Ana L. , Sobrado Pablo
Published: May 2011

Cell surface proteins of parasites play a role in pathogenesis by modulating mammalian cell recognition and cell adhesion during infection.β-Galactofuranose (Galf) is an important component of glycoproteins and glycolipids found on the cell surface ofLeishmaniaspp. andTrypanosoma cruzi.β-Galf-containing glycans have been shown to be important in parasite-cell interaction and protection against oxidative stress. Here, we discuss the role ofβ-Galfin pathogenesis and recent studies on the Galf-biosynthetic enzymes: UDP-galactose 4′epimerase (GalE), UDP-galactopyranose mutase (UGM), and UDP-galactofuranosyl transferase (GalfT). The central role in Galfformation, its unique chemical mechanism, and the absence of a homologous enzyme in humans identify UGM as the most attractive drug target in theβ-Galf-biosynthetic pathway in protozoan parasites.
Dilemma of HCV Infection in Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Ashry Ahmed Gheith Osama
Published: May 2011

Hepatitis C virus, which usually starts during dialysis therapy, is currently the main cause of chronic liver disease in such population. The majority of patients acquired the disease through intravenous drug use or blood transfusion, with some risk factors identified. In this review we are dealing with the effect of renal transplantation on HCV infection and HCV-related complications after renal transplantation. Moreover, we are discussing the therapeutic options of HCV infection before and after renal transplantation, the best immunosuppressive protocol and lastly graft and patient survival in patients who underwent pretransplant management vs. those who were transplanted without treatment.
Trypanosome Prereplication Machinery: A Potential New Target for an Old Problem
Authors: Calderano Simone Guedes , Godoy Patricia Diogo de Melo , da Cunha Julia Pinheiro Chagas , Elias Maria Carolina
Published: May 2011

Approximately ten million people suffer from Chagas disease worldwide, caused byTrypanosoma cruzi, with the disease burden predominately focused in Latin America. Sleeping sickness is another serious health problem, caused byTrypanosoma brucei, especially in sub-Saharan countries. Unfortunately, the drugs currently available to treat these diseases have toxic effects and are not effective against all disease phases or parasite strains. Therefore, there is a clear need for the development of novel drugs and drug targets to treat these diseases. We propose the trypanosome prereplication machinery component, Orc1/Cdc6, as a potential target for drug development. In trypanosomes, Orc1/Cdc6 is involved in nuclear DNA replication, and, despite its involvement in such a conserved process, Orc1/Cdc6 is distinct from mammalian Orc1 and Cdc6 proteins. Moreover, RNAi-mediated silencing of trypanosome Orc1/Cdc6 expression inT. bruceidecreased cell survival, indicating that Orc1/Cdc6 is critical for trypanosome survival.
Breast Cancer in the Setting of HIV
Authors: Palan Mitul , Shousha Sami , krell Jonathan , Stebbing Justin
Published: May 2011

Oncogenesis in immunocompromised patients occurs due to a number of factors including reduced immune surveillance or other viral pathogens. Breast cancer, unlike other non-AIDS-defining cancers, does not appear associated and has rarely been reported. We describe a case with evidence of immune reactivity around the tumor, but not in the tumor itself.
Model-Integrated Estimation of Normal Tissue Contamination for Cancer SNP Allelic Copy Number Data
Authors: Stjernqvist Susann , Rydén Tobias , Greenman Chris D.
Published: May 2011

SNP allelic copy number data provides intensity measurements for the two different alleles separately. We present a method that estimates the number of copies of each allele at each SNP position, using a continuous-index hidden Markov model. The method is especially suited for cancer data, since it includes the fraction of normal tissue contamination, often present when studying data from cancer tumors, into the model. The continuous-index structure takes into account the distances between the SNPs, and is thereby appropriate also when SNPs are unequally spaced. In a simulation study we show that the method performs favorably compared to previous methods even with as much as 70% normal contamination. We also provide results from applications to clinical data produced using the Affymetrix genome-wide SNP 6.0 platform.
Mini-Workshop: Linear Series on Algebraic Varieties
Authors: Bauer Thomas , Di Rocco Sandra , Harbourne Brian , Szemberg Tomasz
Published: May 2011

Linear series have long played a central role in algebraic geometry. In recent years, starting with seminal papers by Demailly and Ein-Lazarsfeld, local properties of linear series – in particular local positivity, as measured by Seshadri constants – have come into focus. Interestingly, in their multi-point version they are closely related to the famous Nagata conjecture on plane curves. While a number of important basic results are available by now, there are still a large number of open questions and even completely open lines of research.
Mini-Workshop: Higher Dimensional Elliptic Fibrations
Authors: Brown Gavin D. , Degeratu Anda , Wendland Katrin
Published: May 2011

Elliptic fibrations play a central role in the geometry of complex surfaces, and there is a comprehensive array of theory and examples. They arise also as a tool in many applications, such as the construction of rational points in arithmetic, metrics in differential geometry and certain string dualities in physics. In higher dimensional geometry, the foundational results of the past 30 years have not yet developed into a practical collection of everyday tools, as they have in the surface case. Nevertheless, the applications already work in higher dimensions – a glance at the literature shows the extent to which practical calculations in physics alone now far outpace the existing theory. This workshop brings together geometers, physicists and others to compare applications of elliptic fibrations and the state of the general theory.
Operator Theory and Harmonic Analysis
Authors: Borichev Alexander , Mortini Raymond , Nikolski Nicolai , Seip Kristian
Published: May 2011

The major topics discussed in this workshop were the Feichtinger conjecture and related questions of harmonic analysis, the corona problem for the ball

\mathbb B^n

, the weighted approximation problem, and questions related to the model spaces, to multipliers, (hyper-)cyclicity, differentiability, Bezout and Fermat equations, traces and Toeplitz operators in different function spaces. A list of open problems raised at this workshop is also included.
Avaliação do espectro semântico de instrumentos para organização da informação
Authors: Almeida Maurício Barcellos , Souza Renato Rocha
Published: May 2011

O termo "semântica" tem sido amplamente utilizado nos últimos anos em diversas áreas de pesquisa e, em particular, em áreas relacionadas à tecnologia da informação. Um dos motivadores de tal apropriação é a visão da Web Semântica, originada na expansão da web e nas limitações dos instrumentos de busca baseados em sintaxe. Cabe questionar, entretanto, qual é esta "semântica" de que trata a Web Semântica, uma vez que o estudo do assunto é complexo e controverso. O presente artigo se insere nesse contexto, analisando o que é semântica, discutindo-a no âmbito da tecnologia da informação e propondo alternativas interpretativas. Avalia-se criticamente um espectro, o qual propõe a ordenação de instrumentos (modelos, linguagens, estruturas taxonômicas, etc.) de acordo com uma escala semântica. Espera-se tornar claro o uso do termo em contextos diversos, bem como propor um novo espectro a partir das considerações do presente artigo.
A bibliometria na pesquisa científica da pós-graduação brasileira de 1987 a 2007
Authors: Araújo Ronaldo Ferreira , Alvarenga Lidia
Published: May 2011

A bibliometria, como área de estudo da ciência da informação, tem um papel relevante na análise da produção científica de um país, uma vez que seus indicadores retratam o grau de desenvolvimento de uma área do conhecimento. O artigo verifica a inserção dos estudos bibliométricos na pesquisa científica da pós-graduação no Brasil a partir da analise de teses e dissertações que abordaram em seus estudos aspectos da abordagem bibliométrica. Foram analisados 82 trabalhos que abrangem o período de 1987 até 2007, chegou-se a esse universo após levantamento junto ao Banco de Teses da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (Capes). Trata-se de um estudo de método quantitativo-descritivo, no qual verifica-se o uso da bibliometria a partir das variáveis: ano, instituição, região geográfica, nível (mestrado ou doutorado), área do conhecimento e orientação. Os resultados apontam uma retomada mais do que significativa no estudo da temática, tendo 2007 como o ano de maior produção. Revela ainda uma multiplicidade na produção que releva o interesse pela abordagem bibliométrica por várias áreas do conhecimento, ensejando análises sobre a interdisciplinaridade entre ciência da informação e outros campos de conhecimento.
First space-based derivation of the global atmospheric methanol emission fluxes
Authors: Stavrakou T. , Guenther A. , Razavi A. , Clarisse L. , Clerbaux C. , Coheur P.-F. , Hurtmans D. , Karagulian F. , De Mazière M. , Vigouroux C. , Amelynck C. , Schoon N. , Laffineur Q. , Heinesch B. , Aubinet M. , Rinsland C. , Müller J.-F.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. This study provides improved methanol emission estimates on the global scale, in particular for the largest methanol source, the terrestrial biosphere, and for biomass burning. To this purpose, one complete year of spaceborne measurements of tropospheric methanol columns retrieved for the first time by the thermal infrared sensor IASI aboard the MetOp satellite are compared with distributions calculated by the IMAGESv2 global chemistry-transport model. Two model simulations are performed using a priori biogenic methanol emissions either from the new MEGANv2.1 emission model, which is fully described in this work and is based on net ecosystem flux measurements, or from a previous parameterization based on net primary production by Jacob et al. (2005). A significantly better model performance in terms of both amplitude and seasonality is achieved through the use of MEGANv2.1 in most world regions, with respect to IASI data, and to surface- and air-based methanol measurements, even though important discrepancies over several regions are still present. As a second step of this study, we combine the MEGANv2.1 and the IASI column abundances over continents in an inverse modelling scheme based on the adjoint of the IMAGESv2 model to generate an improved global methanol emission source. The global optimized source totals 187 Tg yr−1 with a contribution of 100 Tg yr−1 from plants, only slightly lower than the a priori MEGANv2.1 value of 105 Tg yr−1. Large decreases with respect to the MEGANv2.1 biogenic source are inferred over Amazonia (up to 55 %) and Indonesia (up to 58 %), whereas more moderate reductions are recorded in the Eastern US (20–25 %) and Central Africa (25–35 %). On the other hand, the biogenic source is found to strongly increase in the arid and semi-arid regions of Central Asia (up to a factor of 5) and Western US (factor of 2), probably due to a source of methanol specific to these ecosystems which is unaccounted for in the MEGANv2.1 inventory. The most significant error reductions achieved by the optimization concern the derived biogenic emissions over the Amazon and over the Former Soviet Union. The robustness of the derived fluxes to changes in convective updraft fluxes, in methanol removal processes, and in the choice of the biogenic a priori inventory is assessed through sensitivity inversions. Detailed comparisons of the model with a number of aircraft and surface observations of methanol, as well as new methanol measurements in Europe and in the Reunion Island show that the satellite-derived methanol emissions improve significantly the agreement with the independent data, giving thus credence to the IASI dataset.
Analysis of exceedances in the daily PM10 mass concentration (50 μg m−3) at a roadside station in Leipzig, Germany
Authors: Engler C. , Birmili W. , Spindler G. , Wiedensohler A.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Five years of PM10 and PM2.5 ambient air measurements at a roadside, an urban, and a regional background site in Leipzig (Germany) were analyzed for violations of the legal PM10 limit value (1999/30/EC, 1999). The annual mean PM10 concentrations at the three sites were well below the legal threshold of 40 μg m−3 (32.6, 22.0 and 21.7 μg m−3, respectively). However, at the roadside site, the daily maximum value of 50 μg m−3 was exceeded on 232 days (13 % of all days) in 2005–2009, which corresponds to 57 days more than warranted by the EC directive. We analysed the meteorological and local source factors that eventually led to these surplus exceedences. Not surprisingly, the highest pollutant concentrations and most exceedance days were observed in winter. Average concentrations for exceedance and non exceedance days of 64 and 28 μg m−3 at roadside and 40 and 19 μg m−3 in the regional background were observed, suggesting urban contributions of 24 and 8 μg m−3, respectively. Statistical and back trajectory cluster analysis yielded the essential result that PM10 concentrations were regionally enhanced during high pressure conditions, characterized by very low temperature, dry air masses, very low wind speeds, and stable stratification. The latter factor was instrumental in generating high PM10 concentrations at roadside as well as in the regional background through pollution trapping below the atmospheric inversion. During winter exceedance days, the highest organic and elemental carbon mass concentrations were measured. The fewest exceedance days were observed during fast moving air masses from the west, characterized by slightly unstable stratification and lower air pressure. During wintrily exceedance days, about half of PM10 at roadside was originating from regional transport and half from the urban-related sources. This result indicates that both are equally important in generating exceedance days in case of favourable meteorological conditions and cannot be separately considered. Our conclusion is that a combined effort of local, national and international reduction measures could most likely avoid systematic exceedances of the daily limit value in the future.
Apparent temperature anisotropies due to wave activity in the solar wind
Authors: Verscharen D. , Marsch E.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. The fast solar wind is a collisionless plasma permeated by plasma waves on many different scales. A plasma wave represents the natural interplay between the periodic changes of the electromagnetic field and the associated coherent motions of the plasma particles. In this paper, a model velocity distribution function is derived for a plasma in a single, coherent, large-amplitude wave. This model allows one to study the kinetic effects of wave motions on particle distributions. They are by in-situ spacecraft measured by counting, over a certain sampling time, the particles coming from various directions and having different energies. We compare our results with the measurements by the Helios spacecraft, and thus find that by assuming high wave activity we are able to explain key observed features of the measured distributions within the framework of our model. We also address the recent discussions on nonresonant wave–particle interactions and apparent heating. The applied time-averaging procedure leads to an apparent ion temperature anisotropy which is connected but not identical to the intrinsic temperature of the underlying distribution function.
Present and LGM permafrost from climate simulations: contribution of statistical downscaling
Authors: Levavasseur G. , Vrac M. , Roche D. M. , Paillard D. , Martin A. , Vandenberghe J.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. We quantify the agreement between permafrost distributions from PMIP2 (Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project) climate models and permafrost data. We evaluate the ability of several climate models to represent permafrost and assess the inter-variation between them. Studying an heterogeneous variable such as permafrost implies to conduct analysis at a smaller spatial scale compared with climate models resolution. Our approach consists in applying statistical downscaling methods (SDMs) on large- or regional-scale atmospheric variables provided by climate models, leading to local-scale permafrost modelling. Among the SDMs, we first choose a transfer function approach based on Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) to produce high-resolution climatology of air temperature at the surface. Then, we define permafrost distribution over Eurasia by air temperature conditions. In a first validation step on present climate (CTRL period), this method shows some limitations with non-systemic improvements in comparison with the large-scale fields. So, we develop an alternative method of statistical downscaling based on a Multinomial Logistic GAM (ML-GAM), which directly predicts the occurrence probabilities of local-scale permafrost. The obtained permafrost distributions appear in a better agreement with data. In average for the nine PMIP2 models, we measure a global agreement by kappa statistic of 0.80 with CTRL permafrost data, against 0.68 for the GAM method. In both cases, the provided local information reduces the inter-variation between climate models. This also confirms that a simple relationship between permafrost and the air temperature only is not always sufficient to represent local-scale permafrost. Finally, we apply each method on a very different climate, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) time period, in order to quantify the ability of climate models to represent LGM permafrost. The prediction of the SDMs is not significantly better than large-scale fields with 0.46 (GAM) and 0.49 (ML-GAM) of global agreement with LGM permafrost data. At the LGM, both methods do not reduce the inter-variation between climate models. We show that LGM permafrost distribution from climate models strongly depends on large-scale air temperature at the surface. LGM simulations from climate models lead to larger differences with permafrost data, than in the CTRL period. These differences reduce the contribution of downscaling and depend on several other factors deserving further studies.
A framework to utilize turbulent flux measurements for mesoscale models and remote sensing applications
Authors: Babel W. , Huneke S. , Foken T.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. Meteorologically measured fluxes of energy and matter between the surface and the atmosphere originate from a source area of certain extent, located in the upwind sector of the device. The spatial representativeness of such measurements is strongly influenced by the heterogeneity of the landscape. The footprint concept is capable of linking observed data with spatial heterogeneity. This study aims at upscaling eddy covariance derived fluxes to a grid size of 1 km edge length, which is typical for mesoscale models or low resolution remote sensing data. Here an upscaling strategy is presented, utilizing footprint modelling and SVAT modelling as well as observations from a target land-use area. The general idea of this scheme is to model fluxes from adjacent land-use types and combine them with the measured flux data to yield a grid representative flux according to the land-use distribution within the grid cell. The performance of the upscaling routine is evaluated with real datasets, which are considered to be land-use specific fluxes in a grid cell. The measurements above rye and maize fields stem from the LITFASS experiment 2003 in Lindenberg, Germany and the respective modelled timeseries were derived by the SVAT model SEWAB. Contributions from each land-use type to the observations are estimated using a forward lagrangian stochastic model. A representation error is defined as the error in flux estimates made when accepting the measurements unchanged as grid representative flux and ignoring flux contributions from other land-use types within the respective grid cell. Results show that this representation error can be reduced up to 56 % when applying the spatial integration. This shows the potential for further application of this strategy, although the absolute differences between flux observations from rye and maize were so small, that the spatial integration would be rejected in a real situation. Corresponding thresholds for this decision have been estimated as a minimum mean absolute deviation in modelled timeseries of the different land-use types with 35 W m−2 for the sensible heat flux and 50 W m−2 for the latent heat flux. Finally, a quality lagging scheme to classify the data with respect to representativeness for a given grid cell is proposed, based on an overall flux error estimate. This enables the data user to infer the uncertainty of mesoscale models and remote sensing products with respect to ground observations. Major uncertainty sources remaining are the lack of an adequate method for energy balance closure correction as well as model structure and parameter estimation, when applying the model for surfaces without flux measurements.
Sea surface temperature anomalies, seasonal cycle and trend regimes in the eastern Pacific coast
Authors: Ramos-Rodríguez A. , Lluch-Cota D. B. , Lluch-Cota S. E. , Trasviña-Castro A.
Published: May 2011

Abstract. We used the extended reconstruction of sea surface temperature (ERSST) to analyze the variation of surface temperature and the seasonal cycle along the coast of the eastern Pacific (60° N–60° S, 61 pixels alongshore) from 1950 to 2010 (732 months). First we analyzed the monthly anomalies and looked for a relationship of such anomalies with total solar radiation (TSI) and then, the regime shift detector (RSD) was applied to detect possible temperature regimes in the series. Posterior to this, we calculated a yearly temperature range per pixel (amplitude of seasonal cycle) and through the subtraction of a latitudinal theoretical curve of temperature based on solar irradiance, the residuals of the seasonal cycle were obtained. The results showed an almost complete spatial synchrony and dominance of negative anomalies from 1950 to mid-late 1970's, with a switch to near-zero and positive anomalies in the late 1990's when a shift to negative values is detected. Such a shift lasted until the early 2000's when positive anomalies appear again but there is a change to negative anomalies in the late 2000's. These results were supported by the RSD. The TSI variability shows a clear relationship with that in sea surface temperature anomalies and with the regime changes. This would be due to a difference in the amount of energy received from the sun. Comparing two consecutive periods, 1952–1975 with 1977–1999, the second received 0.39 % more energy (approximately 3 × 108 J m−2) from the sun. Seasonal cycles show larger range at northern latitudes (>40° N), northern tropical-template transition zone (20°–26° N) and in the tropical-equatorial band (0°–30° S). The smaller ranges occur at 0°–16° N and 50°–60° S. The residuals (seasonal minus the theoretical curve) indicate a clear modulation due to advection by ocean currents.
The conceptual design of a continuous pervaporation membrane reactor for the production of 1,1‐diethoxy butane
Authors: Agirre Ion , Güemez M. Belén , Motelica Anatolie , van Veen Henk M. , Vente Jaap F. , Arias Pedro L.
Published: May 2011

Acetals are considered as an important bio‐based diesel additives. Generally, the catalytic production of these compounds from an alcohol and an aldehyde suffers from a low conversion because of thermodynamic limitations. These limitations can be overcome through the in situ removal of the by‐product water using, for example, a water selective membrane. A critical evaluation on the membrane performance, catalyst activity, optimal configuration, and feed composition leads to the conclusion that a combined reaction and separation is unlikely to be advantageous. The water permeance of the selected membrane was assessed to be too low in relation with the catalyst activity. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 1862–1868, 2012
Development of the Gubernaculum During Testicular Descent in the Rat
Authors: Nation T.R. , Buraundi S. , Farmer P.J. , Balic A. , Newgreen D. , Southwell B.R. , Hutson J.M.
Published: May 2011

Gubernacular elongation during inguinoscrotal testicular descent and cremaster muscle development remains poorly described in mammals. The role of the genitofemoral nerve (GFN) remains elusive. We performed detailed histological analysis of testicular descent in normal rats to provide a comprehensive anatomical description for molecular studies. Fetuses and neonatal male offspring (5–10 per group) from time‐mated Sprague‐Dawley dams (embryonic days 15, 16, and 19; postnatal days 0, 2, and 8) were prepared for histology. Immunohistochemistry was performed for nerves (Class III tubulin, Tuj1) and muscle (desmin). At embryonic days 15 and 16, the gubernaculum and breast bud are adjacent and both supplied by the GFN. By embryonic day 19, the breast bud has regressed and the gubernacular swelling reaction is completed. Postnatally, the gubernacular core regresses, except for a cranial proliferative zone. The cremaster is continuous with internal oblique and transversus abdominis. By postnatal day 2 (P2), the gubernaculum has everted, locating the proliferative zone caudally and the residual mesenchymal core externally. Eversion creates the processus vaginalis, with the everted gubernaculum loose in subcutaneous tissue but still remote from the scrotum. By P8, the gubernaculum has nearly reached the scrotum with fibrous connections attaching the gubernaculum to the scrotal skin. A direct link between GFN, gubernaculum, and breast bud suggests that the latter may be involved in gubernacular development. Second, the cremaster muscle is continuous with abdominal wall muscles, but most of its growth occurs in the distal gubernacular tip. Finally, gubernacular eversion at birth brings the cranial proliferative zone to the external distal tip, enabling gubernacular elongation similar to a limb bud. Anat Rec, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of the Spatial Arrangement of Secondary Osteons in the Diaphysis of Equine and Canine Long Bones
Authors: Shahar Ron , Lukas Carolin , Papo Sharon , Dunlop John W.C. , Weinkamer Richard
Published: May 2011

The blood supply of bone cells in compact bone is provided primarily by blood vessels located within Haversian canals forming the centre of osteons. Mid‐diaphysial cross‐sections of radii and third metacarpal bones from two horses and radii from two mature dogs were studied using reflective light microscopy to quantify the spatial ordering of canals and compared to a computational model. The distributions of canals were analyzed using: 1) the autocorrelation function (ACF), which describes the probability of finding two canals separated by a given distance and 2) the shortest distance distribution (SDD), which describes the probability that a site within bone is located at a given distance from the nearest canal. The order in the investigated horse radii, as characterized by the oscillations of the ACF, was found to be independent of the anatomical location although, in the metacarpal bone the order was higher in the lateral than in the cranial location. Among the dogs, marked differences were only found in the ACF. An analysis of the SDD demonstrates that ordering of canals minimizes the distance of osteocytes from a blood vessel. This suggests that the efficiency of the blood supply can be adapted through differences in the order of the Haversian canals. In our model, the ordering of canals is achieved via an exclusion zone around each canal, imposed upon newly formed osteons. Simulations demonstrate that differences in the observed order can be explained by either a larger size or a larger variability of this exclusion zone. Anat Rec,, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Synthesis, Cytotoxicity Testing, and Structure–Activity Relationships of Novel 6‐Chloro‐7‐(4‐phenylimino‐4H‐3,1‐benzoxazin‐2‐yl)‐3‐(substituted)‐1,4,2‐benzodithiazine 1,1‐dioxides
Authors: Pomarnacka Elżbieta , Kornicka Anita , Kuchnio Anna , Heinrichs Maike , Grünert Renate , Gdaniec Maria , Bednarski Patrick J.
Published: May 2011

A new series of 16 6‐chloro‐1,1‐dioxo‐7‐{4‐[(4‐R1‐phenyl)imino]‐4H‐3,1‐benzoxazin‐2‐yl}‐3‐(substituted amino)‐1,4,2‐benzodithiazines 7–22 was prepared in order to evaluate the cytotoxic activity against six human cancer cell lines. The structures of the new compounds were confirmed by IR, 1H‐, and 13C‐NMR, elemental analysis and in the cases of 11 and 31 by X‐ray crystal structure analysis. This analysis showed that contrary to our earlier report the structures contain a benzoxazine ring instead of the proposed quinazolinone ring. The bioassay indicated that the benzodithiazine derivatives 7–22 possess cancer cell growth‐inhibitory properties. Some compounds showed a high level of selectivity for certain cell lines. The most active compounds 11, 12, 16, 19, 21, and 22 exhibited potency higher or comparable to cisplatin. The compounds were particularly effective in LCLC‐103H and MCF‐7 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.49–1.60 µM. Quantitative structure activity relationships (QSAR) revealed that a chloro substituent R1 in the phenyl ring as well as the shape of the substituted amino group at R2 (e.g., unsaturation is beneficial) are important for potency.
Chemistry of Phosphorus Ylides. Part 33. Synthesis and Antitumor Activities of Some New Chromenone Derivatives
Authors: Maigali Soher S. , Abd‐El‐Maksoud Mansoura A. , Soliman Fouad M.
Published: May 2011

The reaction of nucleophilic phosphacumulene and phosphallene ylides with different chromenone derivatives was investigated. Heterocycles and carbocycles of various ring sizes and heteroatom patterns such as pyrano‐, oxaphosphino‐, cyclopenta‐, phosphoranylidene cyclobutane‐, and phospholo‐chromenones were obtained. The antitumor (breast and liver) properties of some new compounds were performed in vitro. Some of these compounds were more potent than the comparative standard.
Zinc to cadmium replacement in the A. thaliana SUPERMAN Cys2His2 zinc finger induces structural rearrangements of typical DNA base determinant positions
Authors: Malgieri Gaetano , Zaccaro Laura , Leone Marilisa , Bucci Enrico , Esposito Sabrina , Baglivo Ilaria , Del Gatto Annarita , Russo Luigi , Scandurra Roberto , Pedone Paolo V. , Fattorusso Roberto , Isernia Carla
Published: May 2011

Among heavy metals, whose toxicity cause a steadily increasing of environmental pollution, cadmium is of special concern due to its relatively high mobility in soils and potential toxicity at low concentrations. Given their ubiquitous role, zinc fingers domains have been proposed as mediators for the toxic and carcinogenic effects exerted by xenobiotic metals. To verify the structural effects of zinc replacement by cadmium in zinc fingers, we have determined the high resolution structure of the single Cys2His2 zinc finger of the Arabidopsis thaliana SUPERMAN protein (SUP37) complexed to the cadmium ion by means of UV–vis and NMR techniques. SUP37 is able to bind Cd(II), though with a dissociation constant higher than that measured for Zn(II). Cd‐SUP37 retains the ββα fold but experiences a global structural rearrangement affecting both the relative orientation of the secondary structure elements and the position of side chains involved in DNA recognition: among them Ser17 side chain, which we show to be essential for DNA binding, experiences the largest displacement. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 95: 801‐810, 2011.
HER-2 status in primary oesophageal cancer, lymph nodes and distant metastases
Authors: Schoppmann S F , Jesch B , Zacherl J , Wrba F , Hejna M , Maresch J , Langer F B , Riegler M F , Pluschnig U , Birner P
Published: May 2011

Background

Some 10–15 per cent of patients with oesophageal cancer overexpress human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) 2 at the primary tumour site, leading to the hope that specific targeted systemic therapy might favourably influence clinical and subclinical disease at locoregional and distant sites. This approach is based on primary tumour characteristics, without knowledge of expression patterns at metastatic sites. In oesophageal cancer, concordance between HER-2 status at the primary tumour and other sites is unknown.

Methods

The HER-2 status of primary tumours and corresponding metastatic sites (lymph node and distant) and local recurrence were evaluated in a series of patients with oesophageal cancer, using immunohistochemistry and dual colorimetric in situ hybridization.

Results

There were 97 adenocarcinomas (ACs) and 79 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Some 14 per cent of primary ACs and 1 per cent of primary SCCs were staged as HER-2-positive. The HER-2 status was identical in the primary tumour and lymph node metastases in 95 per cent of ACs and 99 per cent of SCCs respectively (P = 0·375, sign test). Nineteen of 22 distant metastases from AC and all from SCC had identical HER-2 status to the primary tumour. In two of 22 patients with AC the primary tumour was classed as negative but distant metastases were HER-2-positive.

Conclusion

With over 85 per cent concordance in HER-2 status between primary tumours and distant metastases in oesophageal cancer, routine HER-2 testing of metastases to confirm HER-2 positivity is not warranted. Assessment of HER-2 status at metastatic sites may be worthwhile in some patients with easily accessible metastases and negative HER-2 status at the primary tumour, or if adequate material cannot be obtained from the primary site.
Pore Network Models of Drying, Contact Angle, and Film Flows
Authors: Prat M.
Published: May 2011

Pore network modeling is now a well‐established and successful technique for understanding and predicting a wide range of drying features. This paper presents an overview of recent works with special focus on the effect of liquid films and wettability. The capability of pore network models is also illustrated through a discussion of the classical drying curve of capillary porous media, which is divided into three main periods. Some open problems and future prospects are discussed.
New Real‐Time Loop Recorder Diagnosis of Symptomatic Arrhythmia Via Telemedicine
Authors: Leshem‐Rubinow Eran , Berger Michael , Shacham Jacob , Birati Edo Y. , Malov Nomi , Tamari Mira , Golovner Michal , Roth Arie
Published: May 2011

Background:

One disadvantage of current loop recorders is the long interval between recording an electrocardiogram (ECG), establishing a diagnosis, and taking appropriate medical measures. The Cardio R loop recorder transmits cardiac recordings by cellular communication at the push of a button. Users can concomitantly relay symptoms, thereby providing a symptom/cardio‐rhythm correlation.

Hypothesis:

The Cardio R is capable of early detection of cardio‐electrical events that could account for patients' symptoms.

Methods:

This observational study was designed to evaluate patients who were referred from community physicians/cardiologists for evaluation of various cardiac symptoms that were not observed by regular office ECGs or traditional 24‐hour Holter cardiac monitoring. Transmitted recordings were instantly displayed on a monitor for immediate diagnosis by the on‐duty medical team at SHL‐Telemedicine's call center. Abnormal tracings, especially when accompanied by symptoms selected from the prepared list, enabled the staff to instruct the subscriber, notify their physician, and/or dispatch a mobile intensive care unit to the scene.

Results:

Between January 2009 and August 2010, there were 17 622 ECG transmissions received from 604 patients (age range, 10–95 years) who completed a 1‐month trial with the Cardio R device. Palpitation, presyncope, and chest pain were the leading complaints. A disturbance in rhythm that could account for symptoms occurred during recording in 49% cases and was displayed within 7 minutes in 93% of them. No longer than 2 days elapsed from recording onset to diagnosis.

Conclusions:

The Cardio R device enables prompt ECG confirmation/exclusion of a probable arrhythmic cause of symptoms, enabling rapid intervention for cardiac‐relevant complaints. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Dr. Arie Roth is a medical consultant for SHL‐Telemedicine.

The authors have no other funding, financial relationships, or conflicts of interest to disclose.