bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Islamic Mediation in Turkey: The Role of Ulema
Authors: Köse Talha , Beriker Nimet
Published: April 2012

In this study, Islamic dispute resolution methods and processes in contemporary Turkey are examined. The findings indicate that the dispute coming to ulema (Islamic scholars who are experts in Islamic legal jurisprudence) forms three cluster types: marital, financial, and those related to fights and accidents. The ulema’s legitimacy is faith and knowledge based, and does not depend solely on professional expertise, procedures, or settings. Transformational, facilitative, and muscle mediation approaches do not directly correspond to the ulema’s third‐party approaches. Family elder/counselor, peace‐broker, and facilitator/arbitrator are indigenous third‐party roles. Their techniques include elements of the mediation procedures employed in western contexts, as well as those originating in Islamic law, such as fatwa, kısas‐diya, and providing explanations according to sharia. Ulema do not get additional help from other third parties and do not socialize with disputants. Adelet (“justice”), mahremiyet (“privacy”), kardeşlik (“brotherhood”), and bağışlamak (“forgiveness”) are concepts and metaphors to which reference is frequently made in explaining the logic and fundamental values of the ulema’s intervention.
Performance, Spectacle, and Visual Poetry in the Sixtieth Anniversary National Day Parade in the People's Republic of China
Authors: Kuever Erika
Published: April 2012

The sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 2009 was marked with a massive parade in the heart of Beijing viewed on hundreds of millions of television screens across the nation. English‐language media coverage focused primarily on what it saw as the event's explicit message: the Communist Party's celebration of the nation's military might and continued economic growth, and its origins in a coherent and uniquely Chinese ideology. Such coverage largely reflected international fears of China and thus misread the parade's import and impact on its domestic audience. I argue that the National Day events are better understood as a form of visual poetry that relied on performance to emotionally conflate party, nation, and state. Both the speeches of party leaders and the scripted remarks of state media commentators relied on language and ideas that the Chinese public has heard numerous times. The visual elements of the parade, in contrast, were unprecedented in both scale and spectacle. Hundreds of thousands took part in displays of collective harmony, unified patriotic sentiment, and ethnic unity. The distinctive style and rhythm of the parade depicted a vision of nationhood without the ethnic fractures, labour unrest, and massive inequalities that constitute the greatest threat to the power of the party‐state as it embarks on its seventh decade of continuous rule.
Symbols and Rituals in the Mobilisation of the Romani National Ideal
Authors: Kapralski Slawomir
Published: April 2012

This article analyses recent attempts of Roma/Gypsy organisations to construct a pan‐Romani ethnic‐national identity. It is argued that although Roma do not fit the classical picture of a nation, in the globalised world such a project of transnational or diasporic identity may be viable in spite of the fragmentation of Romani communities. The article presents two groups of rituals employed by the Romani political movement: linguistic rituals, associated with the attempt to introduce an umbrella concept of ‘Roma’, and rituals of remembrance, which ‘authenticate’ certain streams of Romani history to introduce among Roma a sense of a common past. The article concludes that the ritual approach may be an efficient method to study the project of Romani national identity. With functions similar to religious ritual, Romani political rituals form a bridge between empirical Roma identity and the projected national identity, although in other contexts there may be little communication between them.
Primary central nervous system lymphoma in immunocompetent patients: A retrospective review of MRI features
Authors: Sutherland Tom , Yap Kelvin , Liew Elaine , Tartaglia Con , Pang Mai , Trost Nicholas
Published: April 2012

Introduction: To define the features of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) on MRI in immunocompetent patients.

Methods: A retrospective review of the authors' institutional database was performed to identify histologically proven cases of PCNSL. Images were retrieved and reviewed with respect to location, lesion number, size, signal intensity, enhancement characteristics, oedema and necrosis.

Results: Thirty‐one cases of histologically proven PCNSL had available imaging. One patient was excluded due to immunosuppression. Of the 30 remaining cases, the average age was 65.5 years, and males and females were equally represented. A total of 68 lesions (average of 2.5 per patient) were identified. With diffusion‐weighted imaging, all but two had restricted diffusion (40.3% mild and 55.6% marked) and all but one had enhancement (51.5% homogeneous, 42.6% heterogeneous and ring 4.4%). Most lesions were isointense to grey matter (75.8% on T2‐weighted image (WI) and 82.5% on T1‐WI). Oedema was mild in 43.4% and marked in 55.2%. Necrosis was seen in only five lesions (7.4%). On a per patient basis, 50% had bilateral lesions and 96.7% had lesions contacting a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surface. 16.7% of patients had posterior fossa involvement and 30% had lesions in the basal ganglia or thalami.

Conclusion: The vast majority of cases of PCNSL in immunocompetent patients have lesions contacting a CSF surface, enhancement and restricted diffusion with no necrosis. These features should alert radiologists to the diagnosis of PCNSL.
Implementation of a lung radiosurgery program: Technical considerations and quality assurance in an Australian institution
Authors: Siva Shankar , Chesson Brent , Aarons Yolanda , Clements Natalie , Kron Tomas , MacManus Michael , Ball David
Published: April 2012

Introduction: The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre has established a stereotactic lung radiosurgery program for the treatment of isolated lung metastases. The aim of this study was to critically assess the technical feasibility of performing stereotactic lung radiosurgery in an Australian institution.

Methods: A single 26‐Gy fraction of radiotherapy was delivered to patients with positron emission tomography (PET) staged solitary lung metastases. Motion management was addressed using four‐dimensional computed tomographic simulation, and cone beam CT (CBCT) online soft‐tissue matching. Treatments were with multiple coplanar and non‐coplanar asymmetric beams. Patients were immobilised in a dedicated stereotactic body cradle. Quality assurance (QA) of treatment plans with both ion chamber and film measurements was performed accounting for patient‐specific respiratory motion.

Results: Between February 2010 and February 2011, nine patients received stereotactic lung radiosurgery. One grade 1 toxicity and one grade 2 toxicity were recorded after treatment. The mean planning target volume was 22.6 cc. A median of eight beams were delivered per treatment plan (range 7–10) with a median of two non‐coplanar beams (range 0–6). At treatment plan QA, the difference between planned and delivered dose was ≤1.76% in all static and dynamic ion chamber recordings. A mid‐treatment CBCT was performed at a median time of 21 min, with the mean displacement discrepancy from initial set‐up being 0.4 mm (range 0–2 mm).

Conclusions: Stereotactic radiosurgery to the lung was both feasible and tolerable at our institution. Intrafractional immobilisation within 2 mm was reproducible. Excellent concordance between planned and delivered treatments was achieved in the phantom QA.
Pulmonary embolism: Are we there yet?
Authors: Agarwal Aanchal , Persaud Jennifer , Grabinski Rafal , Rabinowitz Dean , Bremner Alexandra , Mendelson Richard
Published: April 2012

Introduction: Clinical prediction rules (such as Wells model) are a reliable assessment tool for diagnostic work‐up of suspected pulmonary embolism (PE). When used as part of a clinical algorithm and in combination with a D‐Dimer, the model can safely exclude PE in low‐risk groups and indicate when further investigations are unnecessary. The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of adherence to local diagnostic imaging guidelines for suspected PE and to ascertain the impact of interventions.

Methods: Retrospective search of all patients referred from the Emergency Department (ED) of Royal Perth Hospital for computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) or V/Q scan between 11 September 2005 to 10 March 2006 (pre‐intervention) and 1 January 2008 to 31 March 2008 (post‐intervention) was conducted. The guidelines on ‘Diagnostic Imaging Pathways’ were considered as gold standard. Interventions included orienting ED doctors to guidelines and modified request forms for mandatory completion of Wells score. A prevalence‐ and bias‐adjusted kappa (PABAK) score analysed the level of agreement between documentation on notes (R‐score) and stamp (S‐score).

Results: Thirty‐five per cent (n = 187) and 22% (n = 109) deviated from the pathway pre‐intervention and post‐intervention, respectively (13% absolute reduction; P = 0.017). Stamp compliance was only 55% despite mandatory filling requirement. PABAK for ‘PE as most likely diagnosis’ was 0.25 for V/Q group and – 0.26 for CTPA. In addition, 44/60 (73%) had an intermediate or high S‐score, yet only 11 of those 44 had a matched intermediate to high R‐Score.

Conclusions: Interventions reduced inappropriate practice but did not eliminate it completely. Compliance issues may be managed in the future via the introduction of electronic request linked to decision support.
Identifying Cinderella species: uncovering mammals with conservation flagship appeal
Authors: Smith Robert J. , Veríssimo Diogo , Isaac Nicholas J.B. , Jones Kate E.
Published: April 2012

International conservation NGOs rely on flagship species campaigns for fundraising but this approach has been criticized for benefiting a limited number of species. However, this criticism assumes these campaigns do not fundraise for broader issues and that alternative species with similar appeal to the target audience exist. We investigated this by: (1) recording the use of threatened mammal species in international NGO flagship campaigns, and; (2) using these data to identify “Cinderella species,” which we define as aesthetically appealing but currently overlooked species. We found these NGOs only used 80 flagship species and that 61% of their campaigns only raised funds for the species itself. We also found these existing flagships are generally large and have forward‐facing eyes and that there are 183 other threatened species with similar traits. Thus, the current approach is overly limited but NGOs could overcome this by adopting some of these Cinderella species as new flagships.
Prognostic Factors and a Prognostic Index for Cats with Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Lee Y.‐J. , Chan J.P.‐W. , Hsu W.‐L. , Lin K.‐W. , Chang C.‐C.
Published: April 2012

Background

The clinical manifestations of acute kidney injury (AKI) range from mild to fatal in cats; however, prognosis factors have been rarely studied.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To find the clinical factors significantly correlated with the outcome among cats withAKIand to develop a simple prognostic index.

Animals

Seventy cats withAKIwere recruited.

Methods

Demographic and clinicopathological data obtained from 70 cats withAKIwere retrospectively collected.Student'st‐test orMann–WhitneyU‐test andPearson chi‐square test orFisher's exact were applied to determine the factors associated with survival in cats withAKI. Using logistic regression, the statistically significant factors associated with prognosis were identified and a new prediction model was generated.

Results

The overall case fatality rate was 64% (45/70). The results showed that nonsurviving cats had significantly lower levels ofPCV,WBC,RBC,LDHand albumin, a lower albumin/globulin ratio, lower blood glucose, and a reduced body temperature, as well as being older. Serum urea and creatinine concentrations were not statistically significant as prognostic factors, but a decrease in these 2 variables in 3 days was significantly related to a reduction in death. A summary prognostic index including body temperature andLDHand albumin concentrations had area under the receiver‐operating characteristic curve (AUROC) for predicting death of 0.86 (P < .05) and a cut‐off value of 0.82, a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 90%.

Conclusions

The prognosis in cats withAKIis quite different from that found for human and dogs.
On the use of non‐invasive hormone research in uncontrolled, natural environments: the problem with sex, diet, metabolic rate and the individual
Authors: Goymann Wolfgang
Published: April 2012

1. Methods to measure metabolites of steroid hormones from faeces have become very popular in wildlife conservation and ecology, because they allow gathering physiological data without the necessity to capture the animals. However, this advantage comes at costs that are particularly relevant when studying free‐living animals in their natural environments. Previous methodological reviews have stressed the importance of validations to prove that real metabolites of the hormone in question are measured, but the research community has largely ignored further caveats relating to sex, diet, metabolic rate and individual differences in hormone metabolite formation.

2. Often the sexes differ in how they metabolize hormones. As a consequence, one may not be able to compare hormone metabolite concentrations between males and females of one species.

3. Diet can alter the way hormones are metabolized, and different diets can change the amount of faecal bulk. Both phenomena can result in measurement artefacts that may seriously distort the estimation of hormone metabolite concentrations. As a consequence, comparisons of hormone metabolite concentrations, for example, between seasons or populations, may become problematic.

4. Changes in ambient temperature and food availability may trigger large fluctuations in metabolic rate of free‐living animals. These fluctuations may then result in major distortions of faecal hormone metabolite concentrations without any change in bioactive hormone levels.

5. Bacteria metabolize hormones in the gut. Individual differences in bacterial composition can cause differences in how hormones are decomposed. Thus, individuals may differ with regard to what kind of hormone metabolites they form and with regard to the relative composition of these hormone metabolites. As only specific metabolites are measured, differences in metabolism may distort the results.

6. In summary, non‐invasive hormone research measures various end products of a hormone after its clearance from the circulation and extensive modification by bacteria. Not only does this increase random variance, it may also generate systematic noise, which may seriously distort the signal (i.e. the hormonal status of the individual) in a non‐random manner. Thus, we still need to learn much more about whether this widely used technique reliably measures the physiological status of animals in uncontrolled environments.
Improving physical self‐perception in adolescent boys from disadvantaged schools: psychological outcomes from the Physical Activity Leaders randomized controlled trial
Authors: Morgan P. J. , Saunders K. L. , Lubans D. R.
Published: April 2012

Objectives

To evaluate the effect of a school‐based obesity prevention programme on physical self‐perception and key physical‐activity related cognitions in adolescent boys from disadvantaged secondary schools. A secondary objective was to determine if any psychological changes were associated with improved weight status.

Methods

Participants (n = 100, age = 14.3[0.6]) were randomized to the PALS (Physical Activity Leaders) intervention (n = 50) or a control group (n = 50) and assessed at baseline, 3‐ and 6‐month follow up. Measures included BMI, BMI z‐score and % body fat (bioelectrical impedance analysis). Students also completed the Children's Physical Self‐Perception Profile and a physical activity‐related cognitions questionnaire. The findings include secondary data analyses.

Results

Relative to the controls, the PALS group significantly increased their physical self worth (p = .01), perceived physical condition (p = .02), resistance training self efficacy (p < .001) and their use of physical activity behavioural strategies (p = .02).

Conclusions

A school‐based obesity prevention programme that targeted leadership skills improved psychological health in the physical domain in adolescent boys from disadvantaged schools.
Regional brain blood flow in man during acute changes in arterial blood gases
Authors: Willie C. K. , Macleod D. B. , Shaw A. D. , Smith K. J. , Tzeng Y. C. , Eves N. D. , Ikeda K. , Graham J. , Lewis N. C. , Day T. A. , Ainslie P. N.
Published: April 2012

Key points

The partial pressures of arterial carbon dioxide () and oxygen () has a marked influence on brain blood flow.

It is unclear if the larger brain arteries are also sensitive to changing and and if different areas of the brain possess different sensitivities.

We separately altered and and measured the diameter and blood flow in the main arteries delivering blood to the cortex and brainstem.

During alterations in and , the large arteries changed diameter and blood flow to the brainstem changed more than that to the cortex.

These findings change the basis of our understanding of brain blood flow control in humans.

Abstract  Despite the importance of blood flow on brainstem control of respiratory and autonomic function, little is known about regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) during changes in arterial blood gases. We quantified: (1) anterior and posterior CBF and reactivity through a wide range of steady‐state changes in the partial pressures of CO2 () and O2 () in arterial blood, and (2) determined if the internal carotid artery (ICA) and vertebral artery (VA) change diameter through the same range. We used near‐concurrent vascular ultrasound measures of flow through the ICA and VA, and blood velocity in their downstream arteries (the middle (MCA) and posterior (PCA) cerebral arteries). Part A (n= 16) examined iso‐oxic changes in , consisting of three hypocapnic stages (=∼15, ∼20 and ∼30 mmHg) and four hypercapnic stages (=∼50, ∼55, ∼60 and ∼65 mmHg). In Part B (n= 10), during isocapnia, was decreased to ∼60, ∼44, and ∼35 mmHg and increased to ∼320 mmHg and ∼430 mmHg. Stages lasted ∼15 min. Intra‐arterial pressure was measured continuously; arterial blood gases were sampled at the end of each stage. There were three principal findings. (1) Regional reactivity: the VA reactivity to hypocapnia was larger than the ICA, MCA and PCA; hypercapnic reactivity was similar. With profound hypoxia (35 mmHg) the relative increase in VA flow was 50% greater than the other vessels. (2) Neck vessel diameters: changes in diameter (∼25%) of the ICA was positively related to changes in (R2, 0.63 ± 0.26; P < 0.05); VA diameter was unaltered in response to changed but yielded a diameter increase of +9% with severe hypoxia. (3) Intra‐ vs. extra‐cerebral measures: MCA and PCA blood velocities yielded smaller reactivities and estimates of flow than VA and ICA flow. The findings respectively indicate: (1) disparate blood flow regulation to the brainstem and cortex; (2) cerebrovascular resistance is not solely modulated at the level of the arteriolar pial vessels; and (3) transcranial Doppler ultrasound may underestimate measurements of CBF during extreme hypoxia and/or hypercapnia.
Scatter correction in cone‐beam CT via a half beam blocker technique allowing simultaneous acquisition of scatter and image information
Authors: Lee Ho , Xing Lei , Lee Rena , Fahimian Benjamin P.
Published: April 2012

Purpose

: X‐ray scatter incurred to detectors degrades the quality of cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) and represents a problem in volumetric image guided and adaptive radiation therapy. Several methods using a beam blocker for the estimation and subtraction of scatter have been proposed. However, due to missing information resulting from the obstruction of the blocker, such methods require dual scanning or dynamically moving blocker to obtain a complete volumetric image. Here, we propose a half beam blocker‐based approach, in conjunction with a total variation (TV) regularized Feldkamp–Davis–Kress (FDK) algorithm, to correct scatter‐induced artifacts by simultaneously acquiring image and scatter information from a single‐rotation CBCT scan.

Methods

: A half beam blocker, comprising lead strips, is used to simultaneously acquire image data on one side of the projection data and scatter data on the other half side. One‐dimensional cubic B‐Spline interpolation/extrapolation is applied to derive patient specific scatter information by using the scatter distributions on strips. The estimated scatter is subtracted from the projection image acquired at the opposite view. With scatter‐corrected projections where this subtraction is completed, the FDK algorithm based on a cosine weighting function is performed to reconstruct CBCT volume. To suppress the noise in the reconstructed CBCT images produced by geometric errors between two opposed projections and interpolated scatter information, total variation regularization is applied by a minimization using a steepest gradient descent optimization method. The experimental studies using Catphan504 and anthropomorphic phantoms were carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme.

Results

: The scatter‐induced shading artifacts were markedly suppressed in CBCT using the proposed scheme. Compared with CBCT without a blocker, the nonuniformity value was reduced from 39.3% to 3.1%. The root mean square error relative to values inside the regions of interest selected from a benchmark scatter free image was reduced from 50 to 11.3. The TV regularization also led to a better contrast‐to‐noise ratio.

Conclusions

: An asymmetric half beam blocker‐based FDK acquisition and reconstruction technique has been established. The proposed scheme enables simultaneous detection of patient specific scatter and complete volumetric CBCT reconstruction without additional requirements such as prior images, dual scans, or moving strips.
Strain‐compounding technique with ultrasound Nakagami imaging for distinguishing between benign and malignant breast tumors
Authors: Liao Yin‐Yin , Li Chia‐Hui , Tsui Po‐Hsiang , Chang Chien‐Cheng , Kuo Wen‐Hung , Chang King‐Jen , Yeh Chih‐Kuang
Published: April 2012

Purpose

: The scatterer properties of breast tissues are related to the presence of collagen structures, while the elasticity properties of breast tissues depend on their structural organization; these two characteristics are functionally complementary in ultrasound‐based tissue characterizations. This study investigated the use of a strain‐compounding technique with Nakagami imaging to provide information associated with the scatterer and elasticity characteristics of tissues when attempting to identify benign and malignant breast tumors.

Methods

: The efficacy of the proposed method was tested by collecting raw data of ultrasound backscattered signals from 50 clinical cases (25 benign tumors and 25 malignant tumors, as verified by histology biopsies). The different strain conditions were created by applying manual compression. For each region in which breast tumors were suspected, estimates of the full width at half maximum (FWHM) from the Gaussian fitting curve for the Nakagami‐parameter histogram in the strain‐compounding Nakagami images were divided by those of the corresponding reference Nakagami images (uncompressed images); this parameter was denoted as the FWHM ratio. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was adopted to assess the diagnostic performance.

Results

: The results demonstrated that the difference in scatterer distributions between before and after compounding was greater for benign tumors than for malignant tumors. The FWHM ratio estimates for benign and malignant tumors were 0.76 ± 0.14 and 0.96 ± 0.06 (mean ± standard deviation), respectively (p < 0.01). The mean area under the ROC curve using the FWHM ratio estimates was 0.92, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.83–1.00.

Conclusions

: These findings indicate that the strain‐compounding Nakagami imaging method based on the acquisition of multiple frames under different strain states could provide objective information that would improve the ability to classify benign and malignant breast tumors.
Development of a video‐guided real‐time patient motion monitoring system
Authors: Ju Sang Gyu , Huh Woong , Hong Chae‐Seon , Kim Jin Sung , Shin Jung Suk , Shin Eunhyuk , Han Youngyih , Ahn Yong Chan , Park Hee Chul , Choi Doo Ho
Published: April 2012

Purpose:

The authors developed a video image‐guided real‐time patient motion monitoring (VGRPM) system using PC‐cams, and its clinical utility was evaluated using a motion phantom.

Methods:

The VGRPM system has three components: (1) an image acquisition device consisting of two PC‐cams, (2) a main control computer with a radiation signal controller and warning system, and (3) patient motion analysis software developed in‐house. The intelligent patient motion monitoring system was designed for synchronization with a beam on/off trigger signal in order to limit operation to during treatment time only and to enable system automation. During each treatment session, an initial image of the patient is acquired as soon as radiation starts and is compared with subsequent live images, which can be acquired at up to 30 fps by the real‐time frame difference‐based analysis software. When the error range exceeds the set criteria (δmovement) due to patient movement, a warning message is generated in the form of light and sound. The described procedure repeats automatically for each patient. A motion phantom, which operates by moving a distance of 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 cm for 1 and 2 s, respectively, was used to evaluate the system performance. The authors measured optimal δmovement for clinical use, the minimum distance that can be detected with this system, and the response time of the whole system using a video analysis technique. The stability of the system in a linear accelerator unit was evaluated for a period of 6 months.

Results:

As a result of the moving phantom test, the δmovement for detection of all simulated phantom motion except the 0.1 cm movement was determined to be 0.2% of total number of pixels in the initial image. The system can detect phantom motion as small as 0.2 cm. The measured response time from the detection of phantom movement to generation of the warning signal was 0.1 s. No significant functional disorder of the system was observed during the testing period.

Conclusions:

The VGRPM system has a convenient design, which synchronizes initiation of the analysis with a beam on/off signal from the treatment machine and may contribute to a reduction in treatment error due to patient motion and increase the accuracy of treatment dose delivery.
Wnt/β-Catenin and MAPK Signaling: Allies and Enemies in Different Battlefields
Authors: Guardavaccaro Daniele , Clevers Hans
Published: April 2012

The crosstalk between two signaling pathways can be either pro- or anti-oncogenic, depending on the type of cancer.
Toward Precision Medicine: A New Social Contract?
Authors: Desmond-Hellmann Susan
Published: April 2012

Patients have the power to drive development of a new taxonomy of disease and precision medicine.
Prospective Screening of Novel Antibacterial Inhibitors of Dihydrofolate Reductase for Mutational Resistance
Authors: Frey Kathleen M. , Viswanathan Kishore , Wright Dennis L. , Anderson Amy C.
Published: April 2012

Resistance to trimethoprim (TMP) resulting from point mutations in the enzyme drug target dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) drives the development of new antifolate inhibitors effective against methicillin-resistant
Staphlococcus aureus
(MRSA). For the past several years we have used structure-based design to create propargyl-linked antifolates that are highly potent antibacterial agents. In order to focus priority on the development of lead compounds with a low propensity to induce resistance, we prospectively evaluated resistance profiles for two of these inhibitors in an MRSA strain. By selection with the lead inhibitors, we generated resistant strains that contain single point mutations F98Y and H30N associated with TMP resistance and one novel mutation, F98I, in DHFR. Encouragingly, the pyridyl propargyl-linked inhibitor selects mutants at low frequency (6.85 × 10
−10
to 1.65 × 10
−9
) and maintains a low MIC (2.5 μg/ml) and a low mutant prevention concentration (1.25 μg/ml), strongly supporting its position as a lead compound. Results from this prospective screening method inform the continued design of antifolates effective against mutations at the Phe 98 position. Furthermore, the method can be used broadly to incorporate ideas for overcoming resistance early in the development process.
A NEW POLYNOMIAL INTERIOR-POINT ALGORITHM FOR THE MONOTONE LINEAR COMPLEMENTARITY PROBLEM OVER SYMMETRIC CONES WITH FULL NT-STEPS
Authors: WANG G. Q.
Published: April 2012

In this paper, we present a new polynomial interior-point algorithm for the monotone linear complementarity problem over symmetric cones by employing the framework of Euclidean Jordan algebras. At each iteration, we use only full Nesterov and Todd steps. The currently best known iteration bound for small-update method, namely, [Formula: see text], is obtained, where r denotes the rank of the associated Euclidean Jordan algebra and ε the desired accuracy.
BcDECAYS TO HEAVY-LIGHT ORBITALLY EXCITED MESONS
Authors: WANG ZHI-HUI , WANG GUO-LI , FU HUI-FENG , JIANG YUE
Published: April 2012

We calculate the exclusive semileptonic and nonleptonic decays of Bcmeson to heavy-light orbitally excited states in the framework of the improved Bethe–Salpeter method. The hadronic matrix elements are calculated and expressed as overlap integrals of the relativistic Salpeter wave functions of corresponding mesons, decay rates of the semileptonic and nonleptonic Bcdecays to [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are obtained. Some channels provide us sizable ratios, for examples, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], with such ratios, the missing scalar Bs0may be detected though its cascade strong decays in the forthcoming LHC experiment.
THE SYNCHRONIZATION FOR AUTONOMOUS CHAOTIC SYSTEMS WITH DISTURBANCE OF PARAMETER
Authors: WANG XINGYUAN , XU BING
Published: April 2012

This paper analyzes the synchronizations for autonomous chaotic systems with disturbance of parameter, achieves the self-synchronization of Lü system, a modified coupled dynamos system and a four-dimensional hyperchaotic system by the methods of active control and adaptive parameter. In addition, the synchronization of Lorenz system and Chen system is presented. Numerical simulations are provided for illustration and verification of the proposed method.
MAGNETIC INCOMMENSURABILITY IN p-TYPE CUPRATE PEROVSKITES
Authors: SHERMAN A.
Published: April 2012

For the superconducting phase with a d-wave order parameter and zero temperature, the magnetic susceptibility of the t–J model is calculated using the Mori projection operator technique. Conditions for the appearance of an incommensurate magnetic response below the resonance frequency are identified. A fast decay of the tails of the hole coherent peaks and a weak intensity of the hole incoherent continuum near the Fermi level are enough to produce an incommensurate response using different hole dispersions established for p-type cuprates, in which such response was observed. In this case, the nesting of the itinerant-electron theory or the charge modulation of the stripe theory is unnecessary for the incommensurability. The theory reproduces the hourglass dispersion of the susceptibility maxima with their location in the momentum space similar to that observed experimentally. The upper branch of the dispersion stems from the excitations of localized spins, while the lower one is due to the incommensurate maxima of their damping. The narrow and intensive resonance peak arises if the frequency of these excitations at the antiferromagnetic momentum lies below the edge of the two-fermion continuum; otherwise the maximum is broad and less intensive.
MODELING FISH BIOMASS STRUCTURE AT NEAR PRISTINE CORAL REEFS AND DEGRADATION BY FISHING
Authors: SINGH ABHINAV , WANG HAO , MORRISON WENDY , WEISS HOWARD
Published: April 2012

Inverted biomass pyramids (IBPs) seem to be extremely rare in natural communities. Until recently, the only examples have been in freshwater and marine planktonic communities. In 2002 and 2008, investigators documented inverted biomass pyramids for nearly pristine coral reef ecosystems within the NW Hawaiian islands and the Line Islands, where apex predator abundance comprises up to 85% of the fish biomass. Large predator:prey biomass ratio seems to be a signature of nearly pristine coral reefs. While the mechanism responsible for the IBP for homogeneously mixed planktonic communities seems to be well understood, this mechanism is not strictly applicable to nearly pristine coral reefs where much of the prey use coral as refuge and are inaccessible to the predators. We construct a mathematical model with an explicit refuge to illustrate a new biologically plausible mechanism that can explain stable IBPs in nearly pristine coral reefs. New modeling components include a refuge of explicit size, a refuge size dependent functional response, and refuge size dependent prey growth rate. Utilizing realistic life history parameters of coral reef fishes, our model exhibits a stable inverted biomass pyramid. We prove that all fishing decreases the biomass ratio and sufficiently strong fishing transforms the inverted biomass pyramid to be bottom heavy. Finally we use our model to test the conjecture that pristine coral reefs will rebound faster from environmental shocks and find that it is not always true.
FAST FACTORISATION OF PROBABILISTIC POTENTIALS AND ITS APPLICATION TO APPROXIMATE INFERENCE IN BAYESIAN NETWORKS
Authors: CANO ANDRÉS , GÓMEZ-OLMEDO MANUEL , PÉREZ-ARIZA CORA B. , SALMERÓN ANTONIO
Published: April 2012

We present an efficient procedure for factorising probabilistic potentials represented as probability trees. This new procedure is able to detect some regularities that cannot be captured by existing methods. In cases where an exact decomposition is not achievable, we propose a heuristic way to carry out approximate factorisations guided by a parameter called factorisation degree, which is fast to compute. We show how this parameter can be used to control the tradeoff between complexity and accuracy in approximate inference algorithms for Bayesian networks.
MEASURING INCLUSION, SIMILARITY AND COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN ATANASSOV'S INTUITIONISTIC FUZZY SETS
Authors: XIE BIN , HAN LI-WEN , MI JU-SHENG
Published: April 2012

This paper establishes an axiomatic definition of inclusion measures between Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy (A-IF for short) sets. Some kinds of A-IF inclusion measures are constructed by different A-IF operators especially by A-IF implicator, and some new methods for measuring the degree of similarity between A-IF sets are proposed. Moreover, the similarity measure obtained from an A-IF inclusion measure satisfies properties of normal similarity measure. We then define a compatibility measure by a predicates logical idea and construct several functions to measure compatibility for an intuitionistic t -norm.
STUDY BY AES AND EELS OF InP, InSb, InPO4 AND InxGa1-xAs SUBMITTED TO ELECTRON IRRADIATION
Authors: GHAFFOUR M. , ABDELLAOUI A. , BOUSLAMA M. , OUERDANE A. , AL-DOURI Y.
Published: April 2012

The surface of materials plays an important role in their technological applications. In the interest to study the stability of materials and their behavior, we irradiate them by the electrons by using the electron spectroscopy such as the Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and the electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). These methods have proved their good sensitivity to study material surfaces. In this paper, we give some results about the effect of the electron beam irradiating the compounds InP , InSb , InPO4 and In x Ga 1-x As . The III–V semiconductors InP and InSb seem to be sensitive to the electron irradiation. This breaks the chemical bonds between the element III and V which leads to an oxidation process at the surface. The AES and EELS spectroscopy are also used to characterize the oxide InPO4 whose thickness is about 10 Å grown on the substrate InP (100). The irradiation of the system InPO4/InP(100) by the electron beam of 5 keV energy leads to a structural change of the surface, so that there is breaking of chemical bonds between indium and phosphorus (In–P) and formation of new oxide other than InPO4 . In this study we show an important result concerning the effect of the electron beam on the compound In x Ga 1-x As by varying the parameter x to obtain In0.2Ga0.8As and In0.53Ga0.47As . It appears that the electron beam affects In0.2Ga0.8As too much in comparison with In0.53Ga0.47As . In the case of the irradiation of In0.2Ga0.8As , there is breaking of chemical bonds between indium and GaAs leading to formation of indium oxide associated to GaAs .
EFFECT OF pH VALUE AND CALCINATION TEMPERATURE ON STRUCTURE AND MAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF STRONTIUM HEXAFERRITE THIN FILM
Authors: SHANAGHI A.
Published: April 2012

Strontium hexaferrite was widely used in the fabrication of commercial permanent magnets and certain microwave devices. In this study, the strontium hexaferrite nanoparticle coatings were prepared by sol–gel method and using spin coating process on silicon substrate, then the effect of pH value, such as 5, 7 and 9, and calcination temperatures, such as 600°C, 800°C, and 1000°C, on structural and magnetic properties of strontium hexaferrite thin films were investigated by XRD, SEM and VSM measurements. The maximum saturation magnetization value of 57.43 emu/g and coercivity value of 3908 Oe were achieved for the thin film with crystallite size approximately 41 nm, prepared at pH value of 7 and calcinations temperature of 800°C.
SYNTHESIS OF CROSS Bi2 WO6 MICROWAFERS WITH ENHANCED PHOTOCATALYTIC ACTIVITY UNDER VISIBLE LIGHT IRRADIATION
Authors: WANG GUIZHEN , WAN GENGPING , LIN SHIWEI
Published: April 2012

Novel cross Bi2 WO6 microwafers have been fabricated by a facile acetone-assisted solvothermal method in high quantity. The structure characterizations of the microwafers were investigated in detail by means of X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The results indicate that the orthorhombic phase of Bi2 WO6 with high crystallinity can be obtained and each microwafer is polycrystalline in nature and organized by the nanoflake subunits. UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectrum of the prepared Bi2 WO6 microwafers demonstrates that they have absorption in the visible light region. The photocatalytic activity of cross Bi2 WO6 microwafers toward (Rhodamine B) RhB degradation under visible light was investigated, and it was found to be significantly better than that of Bi2 WO6 sample prepared by solid-state reaction (SSR-Bi2 WO6) .
THE DIRECT INVERSION OF HELIUM ATOM SCATTERING (HAS) DIFFRACTION SPECTRA
Authors: SHUTTLEWORTH I. G.
Published: April 2012

An algorithm that provides direct, efficient ND polynomial factorization is presented to solve the numerical issues that arise during the direct inversion of helium atom scattering (HAS) diffraction spectra. For an n-variate polynomial the algorithm directly deflates the polynomial to n-single variable equations by evaluating the ratio of pairs of polynomial coefficients. Error estimation of the coefficients of the 1D polynomials is then performed automatically using standard 1D search techniques. The effectiveness of the technique is demonstrated against bi- and trivariate polynomials and an approximate range of validity for error prone polynomials is demonstrated. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the technique, HAS diffraction spectra for the low coverage (2 × 1)-H/Pd(311) system have been analyzed using direct inversion and have revealed that H binds in a three-fold hollow site.
NOISE DETECTION AND ELIMINATION FOR IMPROVED ACOUSTIC DETECTION OF CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE
Authors: ZIA MOHAMMAD K. , GRIFFEL BENJAMIN , SEMMLOW JOHN L. , FRIDMAN VLADIMIR , SAPONIERI CESARE
Published: April 2012

There is extensive prior research in coronary artery disease (CAD) detection using sounds recorded from the chest. The acoustic approach to CAD detection is cost-effective, noninvasive and easy to implement; however, it is sensitive to external and internal noise commonly encountered in the clinical setting, which can reduce its reliability. If this noise can be accurately detected and eliminated, the accuracy of the acoustic approach to CAD detection can be significantly improved. In this paper, we develop and evaluate an algorithm to detect noise in acoustic recordings made in the clinical setting. This approach uses signals from a reference microphone placed near the stomach that detects both external and internal noise in the acoustic recording. Applying spectral subtraction and a histogram-based threshold to the reference signal, we are able to identify and eliminate segments that contain noise in the acoustic recording. This algorithm is effective in detecting noise from both external and internal sources.
A MODEL OF MACROEVOLUTION AS A BRANCHING PROCESS BASED ON INNOVATIONS
Authors: KELLER-SCHMIDT STEPHANIE , KLEMM KONSTANTIN
Published: April 2012

We introduce a model for the evolution of species triggered by generation of novel features and exhaustive combination with other available traits. Under the assumption that innovations are rare, we obtain a bursty branching process of speciations. Analysis of the trees representing the branching history reveals structures qualitatively different from those of random processes. For a tree with n leaves generated by the introduced model, the average distance of leaves from root scales as ( log n)2to be compared to log n for random branching. The mean values and standard deviations for the tree shape indices depth (Sackin index) and imbalance (Colless index) of the model are compatible with those of real phylogenetic trees from databases. Earlier models, such as the Aldous' branching (AB) model, show a larger deviation from data with respect to the shape indices.
ON QUANTITATIVE STRUCTURE–TOXICITY RELATIONSHIPS (QSTR) USING HIGH CHEMICAL DIVERSITY MOLECULES GROUP
Authors: TARKO LASZLO , PUTZ MIHAI V.
Published: April 2012

This paper presents result of QSTR (quantitative structure–toxicity relationship) study obtained using the PRECLAV software. The dependent property is toxicity against rat (Rattus norvegicus), measured by TD50 values. The calibration/training/learning set includes 49 molecules having a very high chemical diversity. There are five outliers in calibration set. In the presence of outliers the predictive power of QSTR is very low (r2 = 0.5425, F = 10.4, [Formula: see text]). After elimination of outliers the predictive power of QSTR is much higher (r2 = 0.9078, F = 44.3, [Formula: see text]). All eight predictors are nonlinear functions (parabolic and products) of descriptors. The LogP is not predictor. Presence of C = CH2 and N–NO molecular fragments increases toxicity. Presence of C6H4 molecular fragment decreases toxicity.
POSITIONING OF Ftz–F1 DOMAIN AFFECTS ON THE ACTIVITY OF HUMAN LRH-1: MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDY ON HUMAN LRH-1-DNA COMPLEXES
Authors: LI SHUAI , WU LEI , YU HUI , GAO XUEFENG , LI ZHENGQIANG , ZHAO XI , HUANG XU-RI
Published: April 2012

Molecular dynamics simulations for hLRH-1 (human liver receptor homologue-1) — DNA complexes were to investigate how the Ftz-F1 domain to regulate the transcriptional activity of hLRH-1. Comparative analyses of the three MD trajectories of hLRH-1 complexes suggest that the differential transcriptional activities of the wild-type hLRH-1, double-mutant and triple-mutant are due to alterative protein-DNA interactions. Further, the changes of position of Ftz–F1 domain can only exert limited effects on structures of the DBD (DNA binding domain), while the differences in the bound DNA's bending angles and helical parameters of key base pairs in the three systems result from the altering in distributions of the electrostatic potential surface, which varies with the positioning between the Ftz–F1 and the DBD. The disruptions or weakening of key interactions on several base pairs in the core sequence are mainly due to their distinct displacements from the helical axis in the mutant forms. So the Ftz-F1 domain can regulate the activity of the hLRH-1 by influencing conformations of the bound DNA.
REALIZATION OF NONLOCAL QUANTUM GATE THROUGH ASSISTED-CAVITIES
Authors: XIONG WEI , WU TAO , YE LIU
Published: April 2012

We propose a scheme for implementing a three-qubit controlled-Not-Not (CNNOT) gate and a two-qubit SWAP gate between atoms and single-photon pulse through cavity QED. In the scheme, we can one-step realize multiple-qubit GHZ state and two-qubit Bell state by applying multiple-qubits CNNOT gate. We have also shown that our scheme would be robust against practical imperfections in current cavity QED experiment setup through simple numerical estimates. Finally, we provide the current parameters to show that our scheme is feasible.
cPSCLASS: A CONSTRUCTIVE PARTICLE SWARM CLASSIFIER
Authors: SZABO ALEXANDRE , DE CASTRO LEANDRO NUNES
Published: April 2012

The data classification task is one of the main tasks within the knowledge discovering from databases field. Its goal is to allow the correct classification of new objects (records from a database), unknown to the classifier, based upon the extraction of knowledge from objects whose classes are known a priori. The known data can be used to generate a classification model, or simply to infer the class of new objects from those whose classes are known. This paper presents a proposal for a classification algorithm, called Constructive Particle Swarm Classifier (cPSClass), which uses mechanisms from the Particles Swarm Clustering algorithm and Artificial Immune Systems to determine dynamically the number of prototypes from a database and use them to predict the correct class to which a new input object should belong. For performance evaluation the cPSClass was applied to several datasets from the literature and its performance was compared with that of its predecessor version, the nonconstructive Particle Swarm Classifier, and also to some classic algorithms from the literature.
IMMUNE-INSPIRED COOPERATIVE MECHANISM WITH REFINED LOW-LEVEL BEHAVIORS FOR MULTI-ROBOT SHEPHERDING
Authors: RAZALI SAZALINSYAH , MENG QINGGANG , YANG SHUANG-HUA
Published: April 2012

In this paper, immune systems and its relationships with multi-robot shepherding problems are discussed. The proposed algorithm is based on immune network theories that have many similarities with the multi-robot systems domain. The underlying immune-inspired cooperative mechanism of the algorithm is simulated and evaluated. The paper also describes a refinement of the memory-based immune network that enhances a robot's action-selection process. A refined model, which is based on the Immune Network T-cell-regulated — with Memory (INT-M) model, is applied to the dog–sheep scenario. The refinements involves the low-level behaviors of the robot dogs, namely shepherds' formation and shepherds' approach. These behaviors would make the shepherds form a line behind the group of sheep and also obey a safety zone of each flock, thus achieving better control of the flock and minimize flock separation occurrences. Simulation experiments are conducted on the Player/Stage robotics platform.