bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tempo of earliest Ordovician graptolite faunal succession: conodont-based correlations from the Tremadocian of Quebec
Authors: Landing Ed , Barnes Christopher R. , Stevens Robert K.
Published: January 2011

Successive Tremadocian planktic dendroid graptolite assemblages from continental slope sequences in Quebec can be correlated with North American platform biozonations on the basis of conodonts. Anisograptid-bearing (Assemblage 2), middle Tremadocian "Matane faunas" are associated with Early Ordovician Rossodus manitouensis Zone (new designation) conodonts. Younger middle Tremadocian faunas with adelograptids (Assemblage 3) are no younger than the Rossodus manitouensis Zone. Key dendroid evolutionary–immigration events take place within the lower conodont Fauna B interval. Rooted dendroids near Cap des Rosiers, Quebec, and in eastern New York State occur with lower Fauna B conodonts and the trilobites Pareuloma and Borthaspidella. However, the earliest Tremadocian (and earliest Ordovician) dendroid immigration event, represented by the local lowest occurrence of faunas with Dictyonema flabelliforme s.l. at localities in western Newfoundland, eastern New York State, Norway, and eastern China, also lies within the lower Fauna B interval. Finally, the lowest occurrence of key Assemblage 2 dendroid taxa falls within the lower Fauna B interval at the latter localities.The Rossodus manitouensis Zone is proposed as a new designation for a biostratigraphic unit that is appropriate for North American marginal and open shelf sequences. This zone is approximately equivalent to the "Loxodus bransoni Interval" of other authors and is characterized by Fauna C conodonts. Newly described taxa include Rossodus? highgatensis n. sp., Scolopodus? praecornuformis n. sp., and Variabiloconus n. gen.
Devonian faunas of the Sainte-Hélène Island breccia, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Authors: Boucot A. J. , Brett Carlton E. , Oliver Jr. W. A. , Blodgett Robert B.
Published: January 2011

Early and Middle Devonian fossils from the Sainte-Hélène Island diatreme breccias are criticially reviewed and analyzed stratigraphically. They include marine benthic faunas of Helderberg, Oriskany, Schoharie, Onondaga, and Hamilton ages. Brachiopods are the most abundant fossils; significant corals are also present and are discussed for the first time. These diatreme faunas from the Montréal region significantly augment the lithofacies–paleogeographic data known for this part of North America. For the first time, attention is paid to the lithologies in which the Sainte-Hélène Island faunas are embedded, as clues to the regional relations of these rock types. The absence of Silurian specimens is ascribed to nondeposition similar to that known in the Albany, New York, region to the south. The presence of marine, Hamilton age rocks and fossils at Montréal shows that the Acadian Orogeny and uplift into the nonmarine environment did not affect the area until at least some time in the Hamilton.
Diachronous tectonic collapse of the Ordovician continental margin, eastern Canada: comparison between the Quebec Reentrant and St. Lawrence Promontory
Authors: Lavoie Denis
Published: January 2011

The Upper Ordovician Trenton Group of southern Quebec represents the last Taconian foreland basin carbonate unit in the Quebec Reentrant, prior to final collapse of Laurentia's continental margin and its burial under synorogenic flysch. The Trenton Group, either conformably or unconformably, overlies the Black River Group and is in turn conformably overlain by the Utica Shales. The tripartite Trenton carbonate unit records progressive deepening: (1) very shallow to shallow subtidal, (2) shallow to deep carbonate ramp, and (3) shallow to deep outer shelf. Regional facies distribution, lithotectonic elements, and thickness variations indicate that the Trenton shelf was dissected by extensional faults delineating blocks subsiding at various rates. This scenario compares favourably with Taconian foreland basin development in the Middle Ordovician Table Head Group at the St. Lawrence Promontory, Newfoundland. A similar stratigraphic succession and tectono-sedimentary history occurring 10–15 Ma earlier at the St. Lawrence Promontory than in the Quebec Reentrant argues for a primary tectonic control for the demise of carbonate sedimentation at the margin. The diachroneity in the foreland evolution can be related to the irregular morphology of the Laurentia continental margin.
A latest Chadronian (Late Eocene) mammalian fauna from the Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan
Authors: Storer John E.
Published: January 2011

The Kealey Springs West (KSW) local fauna from the Cypress Hills Formation (Eocene to Miocene), Saskatchewan, is probably latest Chadronian in age, and is the northernmost assemblage representing a time near the Eocene–Oligocene boundary in North America. Presence of Pseudocylindrodon neglectus is strong evidence that the assemblage is Chadronian. Herpetotherium valens, Protosciurus, Namatomys cf. N. lloydi, and Centimanomys also suggest a Chadronian age. The assemblage contains Adjidaumo maximus and Palaeolagus cf. P. hemirhizis, species that have been cited as characteristic of the early part of the Orellan Land Mammal Age (early Oligocene), and the typically Orellan Heliscomys hatcheri and Eumys elegans. Several other tara in the KSW assemblage are known from both the Chadronian (late Eocene) and Orellan.
Ages of detrital and metamorphic zircons and monazites from a pre-Taltson magmatic zone basin at the western margin of Rae Province
Authors: Bostock H. H. , Breemen O. van
Published: January 2011

The western edge of Rae Province, prior to indentation of Slave Province, is conceived as a compressional tectonic margin in which Archean plutonic rocks were intruded by syntectonic granites of 2.4–2.3 Ga age as a result of eastward subduction. Subsequently this margin was intruded by the 2.0–1.90 Ga granites that characterize the Taltson magmatic zone. The latter granites engulf remnants of a widespread supracrustal assemblage of lower granulite facies metamorphic grade, the age of which has heretofore been unknown. We use U–Pb zircon and monazite geochronology to limit the age of cessation of deposition of these metasediments in a pre-Taltson granite basin to between 2.13 and 2.09 Ga.Similarities in geochronology and isotope geochemistry between western Rae Province and Buffalo Head domain, together with the presence of mafic to ultramafic rocks both within the basin and along the western Rae margin, suggest that basin formation was by rifting. Influx of 2.15 Ga detrital zircons probably from the west, and high-grade metamorphism accompanying basin closure at 2.09 Ga, suggest an eastward (inward) movement of magmatism at that time. A second similar eastward migration of magmatism occurred in association with the Slave–Churchill collision (2.0–1.9 Ga). These relations suggest a complex record of crustal accretion within Buffalo Head and Chinchaga domains, the details of which remain to be established.
Atomic parity violation in a single trapped radium ionThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Versolato O. O. , Wansbeek L. W. , Giri G. S. , van den Berg J. E. , van der Hoek D. J. , Jungmann K. , Kruithof W. L. , Onderwater C. J.G. , Sahoo B. K. , Santra B. , Shidling P. D. , Timmermans R. G.E. , Willmann L. , Wilschut H. W.
Published: January 2011

Atomic parity violation (APV) experiments are sensitive probes of the electroweak interaction at low energy. These experiments are competitive with and complementary to high-energy collider experiments. The APV signal is strongly enhanced in heavy atoms, and it is measurable by exciting suppressed (M1, E2) transitions. The predicted enhancement factor of the APV effect in the S-D transition in Ra+ is about 50 times larger than the S-S transition in neutral Cs. However, certain spectroscopic information on Ra+, needed to constrain the required atomic many-body theory, was lacking. Using the AGOR cyclotron and the TRIμP facility at KVI in Groningen, short-lived 212–214Ra+ ions were produced and trapped. First ever excited-state laser spectroscopy was performed on the trapped ions. These measurements provide a benchmark for the atomic theory required to extract the electroweak mixing angle to sub 1% accuracy and are an important step towards an APV experiment in a single trapped Ra+ ion. A lower bound on the radiative lifetime of the 62D5/2 state was found of 232(4) ms. This experimental confirmation of the long coherence time of the meta-stable 62D5/2 state is important in light of the possibility of using a single trapped radium ion as an optical frequency standard.
The two-photon approximation for the four-photon decay of the 4d excited state in hydrogenThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Solovyev D. , Labzowsky L.
Published: January 2011

The method of two-photon approximation for multiphoton decay is applied to the decay of the 4d state in the hydrogen atom. In the process of four-photon decay the two-photon contribution that leads to radiation escape, from the interaction with matter, is considered. This may be helpful for a strict description of the recombination process in the hydrogen atom and, in principle, for the history of hydrogen recombination in the early universe.
Universality of leading relativistic corrections to bound state gyromagnetic ratiosThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Eides Michael I. , Martin Timothy J.S.
Published: January 2011

We discuss the leading relativistic (nonrecoil and recoil) corrections to bound state g-factors of particles with arbitrary spin. These corrections are universal for any spin and depend only on the free particle gyromagnetic ratios. We explain the physical reasons behind this universality.
Continuous Lyman-alpha generation by four-wave mixing in mercury for laser cooling of antihydrogenThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Kolbe D. , Beczkowiak A. , Diehl T. , Koglbauer A. , Müllers A. , Scheid M. , Stappel M. , Steinborn R. , Walz J.
Published: January 2011

Cooling antihydrogen atoms is important for future experiments both to test the fundamental CPT symmetry by high resolution laser spectroscopy and also to measure the gravitational acceleration of antimatter. Laser cooling of antihydrogen can be done on the strong 1S–2P transition at the wavelength of Lyman-alpha (121.6 nm). A continuous wave laser at the Lyman-alpha wavelength based on solid-state fundamental lasers is described. By using a two-photon and a near one-photon resonance a scan across the whole phase matching curve of the four-wave mixing process is possible. Furthermore the influence of the beam profile of one fundamental beam on the four-wave mixing process is studied.
Search for trapped antihydrogen in ALPHAThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Madsen N. , Andresen G. B. , Ashkezari M. D. , Baquero-Ruiz M. , Bertsche W. , Bowe P. D. , Bray C. , Butler E. , Cesar C. L. , Chapman S. , Charlton M. , Fajans J. , Friesen T. , Fujiwara M. C. , Gill D. R. , Hangst J. S. , Hardy W. N. , Hayden M. E. , Humphries A. J. , Hydomako R. , Jonsell S. , Jørgensen L. V. , Kurchaninov L. , Lambo R. , Menary S. , Nolan P. , Olchanski K. , Olin A. , Povilus A. , Pusa P. , Robicheaux F. , Sarid E. , El Nasr S. Seif , Silveira D. M. , So C. , Storey J. W. , Thompson R. I. , van der Werf D. P. , Wurtele J. S. , Yamazaki Y.
Published: January 2011

Antihydrogen spectroscopy promises precise tests of the symmetry of matter and antimatter, and can possibly offer new insights into the baryon asymmetry of the universe. Antihydrogen is, however, difficult to synthesize and is produced only in small quantities. The ALPHA collaboration is therefore pursuing a path towards trapping cold antihydrogen to permit the use of precision atomic physics tools to carry out comparisons of antihydrogen and hydrogen. ALPHA has addressed these challenges. Control of the plasma sizes has helped to lower the influence of the multipole field used in the neutral atom trap, and thus lowered the temperature of the created atoms. Finally, the first systematic attempt to identify trapped antihydrogen in our system is discussed. This discussion includes special techniques for fast release of the trapped anti-atoms, as well as a silicon vertex detector to identify antiproton annihilations. The silicon detector reduces the background of annihilations, including background from antiprotons that can be mirror trapped in the fields of the neutral atom trap. A description of how to differentiate between these events and those resulting from trapped antihydrogen atoms is also included.
Precision spectroscopy of trapped radioactive radium ions This paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Giri G. S. , Versolato O. O. , Wansbeek L. W. , van den Berg J. E. , van der Hoek D. J. , Jungmann K. , Kruithof W. L. , Onderwater C. J.G. , Sahoo B. K. , Santra B. , Shidling P. D. , Timmermans R. G.E. , Willmann L. , Wilschut H. W.
Published: January 2011

Atomic parity violation (APV) can be measured in a single Ra+ ion, enabling a precise measurement of the electroweak mixing angle in the Standard Model of particle physics at low momentum transfer. This provides sensitivity to new particles such as extra Z0 bosons or leptoquarks. The Weinberg angle can be measured via a determination of the light shift in the forbidden 72S1/2–62D3/2 transition in a single trapped Ra+. Ultra-narrow transitions in such an ideal system can also be exploited to realize a high stability frequency standard. At the TRIμP facility of KVI, we have succeeded in the production of a series of radioactive short-lived radium isotopes. The radium isotopes produced were stopped and thermalized to Ra+ in a thermal ionizer, mass separated in a Wien filter, cooled in a gas filled radio frequency quadrupole and subsequently trapped as a cloud in a linear Paul trap. Laser spectroscopy in the trapped radium ions has been performed. The results of hyperfine structure, isotope shift, and lifetime measurements are important experimental inputs to test the accuracy of atomic theory, the precision of which is indispensable for extracting the Weinberg angle. These results are also of relevance for a possible atomic clock, based on trapped Ra+.
From first principles of QED to an application: hyperfine structure of P states of muonic hydrogenThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Jentschura Ulrich D.
Published: January 2011

The purpose of this article is twofold. First, we attempt to give a brief overview of the different application areas of quantum electrodynamics (QED). These include fundamental physics (prediction of atomic energy levels), where the atom may be exposed to additional external fields (hyperfine splitting and g factor). We also mention QED processes in highly intense laser fields and more applied areas like Casimir and Casimir–Polder interactions. Both the unifying aspects as well as the differences in the the theoretical treatment required by these application areas (such as the treatment of infinities) are highlighted. Second, we discuss an application of the formalism in the fundamentally interesting area of the prediction of energy levels, namely, the hyperfine structure of P states of muonic hydrogen.
Antihydrogen physics: gravitation and spectroscopy in AEgISThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Ferragut R. , Belov A. S. , Bonomi G. , Boscolo I. , Brusa R. S. , Byakov V. M. , Cabaret L. , Calloni A. , Canali C. , Carraro C. , Castelli F. , Cialdi S. , Comparat D. , Consolati G. , Dassa L. , Djourelov N. , Doser M. , Drobychev G. , Dudarev A. , Dupasquier A. , Ferrari G. , Fischer A. , Folegati P. , Fontana A. , Formaro L. , Giammarchi M. G. , Gninenko S. N. , Heyne R. , Hogan S. D. , Jorgensen L. V. , Kellerbauer A. , Krasnicky D. , Lagomarsino V. , Manuzio G. , Mariazzi S. , Matveev V. A. , Morhard C. , Nebbia G. , Nedelec P. , Oberthaler M. K. , Perini D. , Petracek V. , Prelz F. , Prevedelli M. , Al-Qaradawi I. Y. , Quasso F. , Riccardi C. , Rohne O. , Rotondi A. , Sacerdoti M. , Sandaker H. , Sillou D. , Stepanov S. V. , Stroke H. H. , Testera G. , Trezzi D. , Turbabin A. V. , Vaccarone R. , Villa F. , Warring U. , Zavatarelli S. , Zenoni A. , Zvezhinskij D. S.
Published: January 2011

AEgIS (Antimatter experiment: gravity, interferometry, spectroscopy) is an experiment approved by CERN with the goal of studying antihydrogen physics. In AEgIS, antihydrogen will be produced by charge exchange reactions of cold antiprotons with positronium atoms excited in a Rydberg state (n > 20). In the first phase of the experiment, controlled acceleration by an electric field gradient (Stark effect) and subsequent measurement of free fall in a Moiré deflectometer will allow a test of the weak equivalence principle. In a second phase, the antihydrogen will be slowed, confined, and laser-cooled to perform CPT studies and detailed spectroscopy. In the present work, after a general description of the experiment, the present status of advancement will be reviewed, with special attention to the production and excitation of positronium atoms.
The Lamb shift in muonic hydrogenThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Pohl Randolf , Antognini Aldo , Nez François , Amaro Fernando D. , Biraben François , Cardoso João M.R. , Covita Daniel S. , Dax Andreas , Dhawan Satish , Fernandes Luis M.P. , Giesen Adolf , Graf Thomas , Hänsch Theodor W. , Indelicato Paul , Julien Lucile , Kao Cheng-Yang , Knowles Paul , Le Bigot Eric-Olivier , Liu Yi-Wei , Lopes José A.M. , Ludhova Livia , Monteiro Cristina M.B. , Mulhauser Françoise , Nebel Tobias , Rabinowitz Paul , dos Santos Joaquim M.F. , Schaller Lukas A. , Schuhmann Karsten , Schwob Catherine , Taqqu David , Veloso João F.C.A. , Kottmann Franz
Published: January 2011

The long quest for a measurement of the Lamb shift in muonic hydrogen is over. Last year we measured the 2S 1/2F=1 –2P 3/2F=2 energy splitting (Pohl et al., Nature, 466, 213 (2010)) in μp with an experimental accuracy of 15 ppm, twice better than our proposed goal. Using current QED calculations of the fine, hyperfine, QED, and finite size contributions, we obtain a root-mean-square proton charge radius of rp = 0.841 84 (67) fm. This value is 10 times more precise, but 5 standard deviations smaller, than the 2006 CODATA value of rp. The origin of this discrepancy is not known. Our measurement, together with precise measurements of the 1S–2S transition in regular hydrogen and deuterium, gives improved values of the Rydberg constant, R∞ = 10 973 731.568 160 (16) m–1 and the rms charge radius of the deuteron rd = 2.128 09 (31) fm.
Illuminating the proton radius conundrum: the μHe+ Lamb shiftThis paper was presented at the International Conference on Precision Physics of Simple Atomic Systems, held at École de Physique, les Houches, France, 30 May – 4 June, 2010.
Authors: Antognini A. , Biraben F. , Cardoso J. M.R. , Covita D. S. , Dax A. , Fernandes L. M.P. , Gouvea A. L. , Graf T. , Hänsch T. W. , Hildebrandt M. , Indelicato P. , Julien L. , Kirch K. , Kottmann F. , Liu Y.-W. , Monteiro C. M.B. , Mulhauser F. , Nebel T. , Nez F. , dos Santos J. M.F. , Schuhmann K. , Taqqu D. , Veloso J. F.C.A. , Voss A. , Pohl R.
Published: January 2011

We plan to measure several 2S–2P transition frequencies in μ4He+ and μ3He+ by means of laser spectroscopy with an accuracy of 50 ppm. This will lead to a determination of the corresponding nuclear rms charge radii with a relative accuracy of 3 × 10−4, limited by the uncertainty of the nuclear polarization contribution. First, these measurements will help to solve the proton radius puzzle. Second, these very precise nuclear radii are benchmarks for ab initio few-nucleon theories and potentials. Finally when combined with an ongoing measurement of the 1S–2S transition in He+, these measurements will lead to an enhanced bound-state QED test of the 1S Lamb shift in He+.
THE IMPACT OF EXCHANGE RATE ON FDI AND THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF FDI OVER TIME
Authors: ALBA JOSEPH D. , WANG PEIMING , PARK DONGHYUN
Published: January 2011

We examine the impact of exchange rates on foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into the United States in the context of a model that allows for the interdependence of FDI over time. Interdependence is modeled as a two-state Markov process where the two states can be interpreted as either a favorable or an unfavorable environment for FDI in an industry. We use unbalanced industry-level panel data from the US wholesale trade sector and our analysis yields two main results. First, we find evidence that FDI is interdependent over time. Second, under a favorable FDI environment, the exchange rate has a positive and significant effect on the average rate of FDI inflows.
AN ACTUARIAL APPROACH TO ASSESSING PERSONAL INJURY COMPENSATIONS IN SINGAPORE: THEORY AND PRACTICE
Authors: CHAN FELIX W. H. , CHAN WAI-SUM , LI JOHNNY S. H.
Published: January 2011

In Singapore personal injury litigations, successful claimants usually receive their compensations as a lump sum. The main advantage of a lump sum payment is that the proceedings can be concluded with a 'clean break' between the parties. The lump sum is a result of discounting the future pecuniary values into a single present-day amount, considering the time value of money and the claimant's mortality. Conventionally, lump sum awards are determined by making reference to a spread of amounts in comparable cases. However, a fairer method would be one that involves input from not only lawyers but also other experts including economists and actuaries. This study, which is carried out by an inter-professional working group, provides a set of actuarially computed tables for use in personal injury settlements in Singapore. The calculations involve a consideration of recent advancements in stochastic mortality modeling and an empirical study on the econometrics of real returns on risk-free assets in Singapore. We then present two recent personal injury cases in Singapore, aiming at helping the Singapore legal profession understand and use the economic principles with actuarial tables, and educating economists and actuaries the legal concerns and concepts in personal injury cases.
ON THE STRING PAIR CREATION IN Dp–Dp′ BRANE SYSTEM
Authors: FARHOODI K. , MOGHISE M. , JAHAN A.
Published: January 2011

We address the bosonic string pair creation in a system of parallel D p– D p′ (p<p′) branes by applying the path integral formalism. We drive the string pair creation rate by calculating the one-loop vacuum amplitude of the setup in the presence of the background electric field defined over the D p′-brane. It is pointed out that just the components of the electric field defined over the p spatial directions (the common directions along which the both D-branes are extended) give rise to the pair creation.
MiniBooNE "WINDOWS ON THE UNIVERSE"
Authors: STEFANSKI RAY
Published: January 2011

We discuss the current state of measurements taken by MiniBooNE and emphasize the uniqueness of neutrino oscillations as an important probe into the "Windows on the Universe."
SOLUTION CONCEPT FOR A TWO PERSON BARGAINING PROBLEM WITH UNKNOWN PARAMETERS
Authors: FARIDA ACHEMINE , ABDELKADER MERAKEB
Published: January 2011

In this paper, we study a concept of solution for a bargaining problem involving two players and unknown parameters in the case of complete ignorance. The solution we propose is based on the Nash solution for a bargaining problem and the maxmin principle of Wald. We also give some properties of this solution and sufficient conditions for its existence. Finally, we propose an adequate procedure for its determination and an illustrative example.
GENERALIZED ATANASSOV'S INTUITIONISTIC FUZZY INDEX: CONSTRUCTION OF ATANASSOV'S FUZZY ENTROPY FROM FUZZY IMPLICATION OPERATORS
Authors: BUSTINCE HUMBERTO , BARRENECHEA EDURNE , PAGOLA MIGUEL , FERNANDEZ JAVIER , GUERRA CARLOS , COUTO PEDRO , MELO-PINTO PEDRO
Published: January 2011

In this paper we introduce the concept of Generalized Atanassov's Intuitionistic Fuzzy Index. We characterize it in terms of fuzzy implication operators and propose a construction method with order automorphisms. Finally, we obtain, by means of special aggregation functions applied to the generalized Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy index, the Atanassov's intuitionistic fuzzy entropy given by Burillo and Bustince.
A NEW APPROACH FOR SOLVING THE MINIMUM COST FLOW PROBLEM WITH INTERVAL AND FUZZY DATA
Authors: GHIYASVAND MEHDI
Published: January 2011

In particular, imprecise observations or possible perturbations mean that data in a network flows may well be better represented by intervals or fuzzy numbers than crisp quantities. In this paper we first consider the minimum cost flow problem with compact interval-valued lower and upper bounds, flows, and costs. We present a new method that shows this problem is solved using two minimum cost flow problems with crisp data. Then this result is extended to networks with fuzzy lower and upper bounds, flows, and costs. One of the best algorithms to solve the minimum cost flow problem with crisp data is the cost scaling algorithm of Goldberg and Tarjan.17 In this paper, the cost scaling algorithm is modified for fuzzy lower and upper bounds, flows and costs. The running time of the modified algorithm is equal to the running time of the cost scaling algorithm with crisp data.
AGGREGATION OF PREFERENCES IN CRISP AND FUZZY SETTINGS: FUNCTIONAL EQUATIONS LEADING TO POSSIBILITY RESULTS
Authors: CAMPIÓN M. J. , CANDEAL J. C. , CATALÁN R. G. , DE MIGUEL J. R. , INDURÁIN E. , MOLINA J. A.
Published: January 2011

We analyze various models introduced in social choice to aggregate individual preferences. We show that on the basis of most of these models there is a system of functional equations such that, in many cases, the origin of impossibility results in a social choice model is the non-existence of a solution for the corresponding system. Among the functional equations considered, we pay a particular attention to general means and associativity, proving that the existence of an associative bivariate mean is equivalent to the existence of a semilatticial partial order. This key result allows us to explain how the knowledge of associative bivariate means can be used to solve social choice paradoxes. In our analysis we deal both with crisp and fuzzy settings.
BIG BOSS INTERVAL GAMES
Authors: ALPARSLAN GÖK S. Z. , BRANZEI R. , TIJS S.
Published: January 2011

This paper introduces and studies a class of cooperative interval games suitable to model market situations with two corners where players face interval uncertainty regarding the outcome of cooperation. In one corner there is a powerful player called the big boss; the other corner contains players that need the big boss to benefit from cooperation. Various characterizations of big boss interval games are given. The interval core of a big boss interval game is explicitly described, bi-monotonic allocation schemes using interval core elements are introduced, and it is shown that each element of the interval core of a big boss interval game is extendable to such a scheme. Two value-type interval solution concepts are defined on the class of big boss interval games which generate for each such game the same interval core allocation which is extendable to a bi-monotonic interval allocation scheme.
INTERVAL METHODS IN KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION
Authors: Kreinovich Vladik
Published: January 2011

Please send your abstracts (or copies of papers that you want to see reviewed here) to vladik@utep.edu, or by regular mail to Vladik Kreinovich, Department of Computer Science, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968, USA.
The WNKs: Atypical Protein Kinases With Pleiotropic Actions
Authors: McCormick James A. , Ellison David H.
Published: January 2011

WNKs are serine/threonine kinases that comprise a unique branch of the kinome. They are so-named owing to the unusual placement of an essential catalytic lysine. WNKs have now been identified in diverse organisms. In humans and other mammals, four genes encode WNKs. WNKs are widely expressed at the message level, although data on protein expression is more limited. Soon after the WNKs were identified, mutations in genes encoding WNK1 and -4 were determined to cause the human disease familial hyperkalemic hypertension (also known as pseudohypoaldosteronism II, or Gordon's Syndrome). For this reason, a major focus of investigation has been to dissect the role of WNK kinases in renal regulation of ion transport. More recently, a different mutation in WNK1 was identified as the cause of hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type II, an early-onset autosomal disease of peripheral sensory nerves. Thus the WNKs represent an important family of potential targets for the treatment of human disease, and further elucidation of their physiological actions outside of the kidney and brain is necessary. In this review, we describe the gene structure and mechanisms regulating expression and activity of the WNKs. Subsequently, we outline substrates and targets of WNKs as well as effects of WNKs on cellular physiology, both in the kidney and elsewhere. Next, consequences of these effects on integrated physiological function are outlined. Finally, we discuss the known and putative pathophysiological relevance of the WNKs.
Role of Rab GTPases in Membrane Traffic and Cell Physiology
Authors: Hutagalung Alex H. , Novick Peter J.
Published: January 2011

Intracellular membrane traffic defines a complex network of pathways that connects many of the membrane-bound organelles of eukaryotic cells. Although each pathway is governed by its own set of factors, they all contain Rab GTPases that serve as master regulators. In this review, we discuss how Rabs can regulate virtually all steps of membrane traffic from the formation of the transport vesicle at the donor membrane to its fusion at the target membrane. Some of the many regulatory functions performed by Rabs include interacting with diverse effector proteins that select cargo, promoting vesicle movement, and verifying the correct site of fusion. We describe cascade mechanisms that may define directionality in traffic and ensure that different Rabs do not overlap in the pathways that they regulate. Throughout this review we highlight how Rab dysfunction leads to a variety of disease states ranging from infectious diseases to cancer.
A Sequential Algorithm for Training the SOM Prototypes Based on Higher-Order Recursive Equations
Authors: Tucci Mauro , Raugi Marco
Published: January 2011

A novel training algorithm is proposed for the formation of Self-Organizing Maps (SOM). In the proposed model, the weights are updated incrementally by using a higher-order difference equation, which implements a low-pass digital filter. It is possible to improve selected features of the self-organization process with respect to the basic SOM by suitably designing the filter. Moreover, from this model, new visualization tools can be derived for cluster visualization and for monitoring the quality of the map.
Strong Convergence Theorem for a New General System of Variational Inequalities in Banach Spaces
Authors: Imnang S , Suantai S
Published: January 2011

We introduce a new system of general variational inequalities in Banach spaces. The equivalence between this system of variational inequalities and fixed point problems concerning the nonexpansive mapping is established. By using this equivalent formulation, we introduce an iterative scheme for finding a solution of the system of variational inequalities in Banach spaces. Our main result extends a recent result acheived by Yao, Noor, Noor, Liou, and Yaqoob.
Voltage Stability Control of Electrical Network Using Intelligent Load Shedding Strategy Based on Fuzzy Logic
Authors: Jouini Houda , Jemai Kamel , Chebbi Souad
Published: January 2011

As a perspective to ensure the power system stability and to avoid the vulnerability leading to the blackouts, several preventive and curative means are adopted. In order to avoid the voltage collapse, load shedding schemes represent a suitable action to maintain the power system service quality and to control its vulnerability. In this paper, we try to propose an intelligent load shedding strategy as a new approach based on fuzzy controllers. This strategy was founded on the calculation of generated power sensitivity degree related to those injected at different network buses. During the fault phase, fuzzy controller algorithms generate monitor vectors ensuring a precalculated load shedding ratio in the purpose to reestablish the power balance and conduct the network to a new steady state.
BacMam Virus Transduced Cardiomyoblasts Can Be Used for Myocardial Transplantation Using AP-PEG-A Microcapsules: Molecular Cloning, Preparation, andIn VitroAnalysis
Authors: Paul Arghya , Khan Afshan Afsar , Shum-Tim Dominique , Prakash Satya
Published: January 2011

The potential of genetically modified cardiomyoblasts in treating damaged myocardium is well known. However, efficient delivery of these cells is of major concern during treatment. The limiting factors are the massive cell death that occurs soon after their intramyocardial transplantation into the beating heart. To address these problems, we generated recombinant baculoviruses (BacMam viruses) which efficiently transduced cardiomyoblast cells under optimized conditions. These genetically modified cells were then protected in a new polymeric microcapsule using poly-ethylene-glycol (PEG), alginate, and poly-L-lysine (PLL) polymers for efficient delivery. Results showed that microcapsules maintain cell viability and support cell proliferation for at least 30 days. The capsules exhibit strong immunoprotective potential and have high mechanical and osmotic stability with more than 70% intact capsules. The encased transduced cells showed a rapid transgene expression inside the capsule for at least 15 days. However, preclinical studies are needed to further explore its long-term functional benefits.
Psychological Stress Induces Temporary Masticatory Muscle Mechanical Sensitivity in Rats
Authors: Huang Fei , Zhang Min , Chen Yong-Jin , Li Qiang , Wu An-Zhen
Published: January 2011

To explore the relationship between psychological stress and masticatory muscle pain, we created a communication stress animal model to determine whether psychological stress could induce increased mechanical sensitivity in masticatory muscles and to study the changes of mechanical nociceptive thresholds after stress removal. Forty‐eight male Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into a control group (CON), a foot‐shocked group (FS, including 3 subgroups recorded as FS‐1, FS‐2, and FS‐3), a psychological stress group (PS), and a drug treatment group (DT). PS and DT rats were confined in a communication box for one hour a day to observe the psychological responses of neighboring FS rats.Measurements of the mechanical nociceptive thresholds of the bilateral temporal and masseter muscles showed a stimulus‐response relationship between psychological stress and muscle mechanical sensitivity. The DT rats, who received a diazepam injection, showed almost the same mechanical sensitivity of the masticatory muscles to that of the control in response to psychological stress. Fourteen days after the psychological stressor was removed, the mechanical nociceptive thresholds returned to normal. These findings suggest that psychological stress is directly related to masticatory muscle pain. Removal of the stressor could be a useful method for relieving mechanical sensitivity increase induced by psychological stress.
Targeted Signal-Amplifying Enzymes Enhance MRI of EGFR Expression in an Orthotopic Model of Human Glioma
Authors: Shazeeb Mohammed S. , Sotak Christopher H. , DeLeo Michael , Bogdanov Alexei
Published: January 2011

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) imaging in brain tumors is essential to visualize overexpression of EGFRvIII variants as a signature of highly aggressive gliomas and to identify patients that would benefit from anti-EGFR therapy. Seeking imaging improvements, we tested a novel pretargeting approach that relies on initial administration of enzyme-linked anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAb; EMD72000) followed by administration of a low-molecular-weight paramagnetic molecule (diTyr-GdDTPA) retained at the site of EGFR mAb accumulation. We hypothesized that diTyr-GdDTPA would become enzyme activated and retained on cells due to binding to tissue proteins. In support of this hypothesis, mAb-enzyme conjugates reacted with both membrane-isolated wild-type (wt) EGFR and EGFRvIII, but they bound primarily to EGFRvIII-expressing cells and not to EGFRwt-expressing cells. In vivo analysis of magnetic resonance (MR) tumor signal revealed differences in MR signal decay following diTyr-GdDTPA substrate administration. These differences were significant in that they suggested differences in substrate elimination from the tissue which relied on the specificity of the initial mAb binding: a biexponential signal decay was observed in tumors only upon preinjection with EGFR-targeted conjugates. Endpoint MRI in this setting revealed detailed images of tumors which correlated with immunohistochemical detection of EGFR expression. Together, our findings suggest an improved method to identify EGFRvIII-expressing gliomas in vivo that are best suited for treatment with therapeutic EGFR antibodies. Cancer Res; 71(6); 2230–9. ©2011 AACR.
LATS2 Is a Tumor Suppressor Gene of Malignant Mesothelioma
Authors: Murakami Hideki , Mizuno Tetsuya , Taniguchi Tetsuo , Fujii Makiko , Ishiguro Futoshi , Fukui Takayuki , Akatsuka Shinya , Horio Yoshitsugu , Hida Toyoaki , Kondo Yutaka , Toyokuni Shinya , Osada Hirotaka , Sekido Yoshitaka
Published: January 2011

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an aggressive neoplasm associated with asbestos exposure. We carried out genome-wide array-based comparative genomic hybridization analysis with 14 MM cell lines. Three cell lines showed overlapping homozygous deletion at chromosome 13q12, which harbored the LATS2 (large tumor suppressor homolog 2) gene. With 6 other MM cell lines and 25 MM tumors, we found 10 inactivating homozygous deletions or mutations of LATS2 among 45 MMs. LATS2 encodes a serine/threonine kinase, a component of the Hippo tumor-suppressive signaling pathway, and we transduced LATS2 in MM cells with its mutation. Transduction of LATS2 inactivated oncoprotein YAP, a transcriptional coactivator, via phosphorylation, and inhibited MM cell growth. We also analyzed LATS2 immunohistochemically and found that 13 of 45 MM tumors had low expression of LATS2. Because NF2 is genetically mutated in 40% to 50% of MM, our data indicate that Hippo pathway dysregulation is frequent in MM cells with inactivation of LATS2 or an upstream regulator of this pathway, Merlin, which is encoded by NF2. Thus, our results suggest that the inactivation of LATS2 is one of the key mechanisms for constitutive activation of YAP, which induces deregulation of MM cell proliferation. Cancer Res; 71(3); 873–83. ©2011 AACR.
Functional Activation of the Estrogen Receptor-α and Aromatase by the HDAC Inhibitor Entinostat Sensitizes ER-Negative Tumors to Letrozole
Authors: Sabnis Gauri J. , Goloubeva Olga , Chumsri Saranya , Nguyen Nguyen , Sukumar Saraswati , Brodie Angela M.H.
Published: January 2011

Approximately 25% of breast cancers do not express the estrogen receptor-α (ERα) and consequently do not respond to endocrine therapy. In these tumors, ERα repression is often due to epigenetic modifications such as methylation and histone deacetylation. For this reason, we investigated the ability of the histone deacetylase inhibitor entinostat (ENT) to trigger reexpression of ERα and aromatase in breast cancer cells, with the notion that this treatment would restore sensitivity to the aromatase inhibitor (AI) letrozole. ENT treatment of tumor cells increased expression of ERα and aromatase, along with the enzymatic activity of aromatase, in a dose-dependent manner both in vitro and in vivo. Notably, ERα and aromatase upregulation resulted in sensitization of breast cancer cells to estrogen and letrozole. Tumor growth rate was significantly lower in tumor xenografts following treatment with ENT alone and in combination with letrozole than in control tumors (P > 0.001). ENT plus letrozole also prevented lung colonization and growth of tumor cells, with a significant reduction (P > 0.03) in both visible and microscopic foci. Our results show that ENT treatment can be used to restore the letrozole responsiveness of ER-negative tumors. More generally, they provide a strong rationale for immediate clinical evaluation of combinations of histone deacetylase and aromatase inhibitors to treat ER-negative and endocrine-resistant breast cancers. Cancer Res; 71(5); 1893–903. ©2011 AACR.
Diagnostic Performance of the Chinese Frontal Assessment Battery in Early Cognitive Impairment in an Asian Population
Authors: Chong M.S. , Lim W.S. , Chan S.P. , Feng L. , Niti M. , Yap P. , Yeo D. , Ng T.-P.
Published: January 2011

Background: The Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) has been shown to be useful in evaluating frontal dysfunction. There is a paucity of studies validating cutoffs in the early cognitive impairment. We aim to validate the Chinese FAB in Asian subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early dementia. Methods: Eighty subjects with MCI and mild dementia and 100 cognitively healthy community subjects were studied. ROC analysis was done to determine the Chinese FAB’s optimal cutoff scores for age- and education-adjusted subgroups. Results: Chinese FAB scores were significantly lower in early cognitive impairment compared with cognitively normal controls. The optimal cutoff score was 12/13 (sensitivity 92%, specificity 78.7%). A similar cutoff score was obtained following age-adjustment and for subjects with <6 years’ education. Of note, the optimal cutoff for subjects with ≧6 years’ education was 13/14 (sensitivity 91.8%, specificity 70.3%), an improved diagnostic performance compared to the earlier reported 11/12 cutoff. In comparison, the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) had lower rule-out accuracy (77% sensitivity, 91.2% specificity). The combination of the Chinese FAB and MMSE was superior to either test in isolation. Conclusion: The education-adjusted Chinese FAB has good diagnostic performance, which can supplement the MMSE in early cognitive impairment evaluation with construct differences observed between the Chinese FAB and MMSE.
Orbitofrontal Dysfunction Discriminates Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia from Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Hornberger M. , Savage S. , Hsieh S. , Mioshi E. , Piguet O. , Hodges J.R.
Published: January 2011

Background: Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) patients show prefrontal cortex dysfunction and atrophy. Methods: We investigated whether executive function in conjunction with prefrontal cortex atrophy discriminates bvFTD and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients efficiently at presentation. Results: AD and bvFTD patients were distinguishable by 89.5% on their performance of 3 executive tasks: the Hayling Test of Inhibitory Control, Digit Span Backward and Letter Fluency. Similarly, scan ratings showed that orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex regions distinguish both patient groups. More importantly, employing the Hayling error score in conjunction with the OFC atrophy rating showed that 92% of patients can be correctly classified into bvFTD and AD. Conclusion: A combination of OFC and disinhibition measures appears to be a powerful diagnostic tool in differentiating bvFTD from AD patients in this preliminary study.
The Association of Metabolic Syndrome with Executive Dysfunction Independent of Subclinical Ischemic Brain Lesions in Japanese Adults
Authors: Bokura Hirokazu , Nagai Atsushi , Oguro Hiroaki , Kobayashi Shotai , Yamaguchi Shuhei
Published: January 2011

Background/Aims: The aim of this study is to examine whether metabolic syndrome is directly associated with cognitive impairment independent of subclinical ischemic brain lesions. Methods: We examined 1,543 neurologically normal subjects (44–86 years of age). Metabolic syndrome, brain MRI, and cognitive functions including general cognition and executive function were assessed. Results: After adjusting for silent brain lesions and demographic risk factors, metabolic syndrome was an independent risk factor for impairment of executive function (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.17–1.25 for Kohs’ Test; OR = 2.25, 95% CI = 1.64–3.07 for Frontal Assessment Battery). Among the components of metabolic syndrome, elevated fasting glucose was the only independent risk factor for impairment of executive function. Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is associated with impairment of executive function independent of silent brain lesions in the Japanese population.
Association between Body Mass Index and Cognitive Function among Chinese Nonagenarians/Centenarians
Authors: Zhou Yan , Flaherty Joseph H. , Huang Chang-Quan , Lu Zhen-Chan , Dong Bi-Rong
Published: January 2011

Aims: We examined the individual association between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive function among the very elderly. Methods: The present study analyzed data from a survey that was conducted on all residents aged 90 years or more from a district which had 2,311,709 inhabitants in 2005. The subjects were divided into 4 groups according to quartiles of BMI (<16.6, 16.6–18.9, 18.9–21.1 and >21.1), and according to classification criteria of underweight, normal weight, overweight and obesity in BMI (<18.5, 18.5–23.0, 23.0–27.5 and >27.5), respectively. Results: The subjects included in the statistical analysis were 211 men and 427 women. Those in the 3rd quartile of BMI (18.9–21.1) had higher cognitive function scores (p < 0.001) and were less likely to present possible dementia (p = 0.016) than the others. However, there was no difference in cognitive function scores (p = 0.350) or prevalence of possible dementia (p = 0.263) among obesity, overweight, normal weight and underweight groups. Conclusions: Concerning longevity in Chinese, there is an association between BMI and cognitive function. BMI of around 20 (18.9–21.1) is associated with the lowest risk of prevalence of possible dementia and the highest cognitive function scores.