bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Orbital feedback linearization for multi‐input control systems
Authors: Li Shun‐Jie , Respondek Witold
Published: February 2014

A nonlinear control system is said to be orbital feedback linearizable if there exist an invertible static feedback and a change of time scale (depending on the state) which transform the system into a linear system. We give geometric necessary and sufficient conditions describing multi‐input control‐affine systems that are orbital feedback linearizable out of equilibria and in the case of equal controllability indices. We also describe a construction of the time rescaling needed to orbitally linearize the system. Moreover, we analyze close relations between orbital feedback linearizable control‐affine systems and control‐linear systems that are feedback equivalent to a multi‐chained form comparing geometric structures corresponding to both problems. We illustrate our results by two examples, one being a rigid bar moving in .Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
World Cup Fever!
Authors: Bowman Jo
Published: February 2014

Why Coca‐Cola and McDonald’s are investing millions in sponsoring the biggest sporting event of 2014.
Debunking Myths Through Statistics
Authors: Mahmoud Omar
Published: February 2014

Football is a science–and so is marketing.
Enhancement on strongly secure group key agreement
Authors: Tseng Yuh‐Min , Tsai Tung‐Tso , Huang Sen‐Shan
Published: February 2014

In 2011, Zhao et al. presented a new security model of group key agreement (GKA) by considering ephemeral secret leakage (ESL) attacks. Meanwhile, they proposed a strongly secure GKA protocol under the new model. In this paper, two security weaknesses on their protocol are pointed out and remedied, in which, their GKA protocol must rely on a signature scheme with existential unforgeability under adaptive chosen message attacks (UF‐ACMA) to achieve the security goals of authenticated key exchange and mutual authentication in the new model. We argue and illustrate that a UF‐ACMA secure signature scheme is insufficient to promise the security goals because the employed signature scheme does not consider the ESL attacks. For providing authentication functionality of some future cryptographic mechanisms (e.g., authenticated GKA protocols, authenticated key agreement protocols, and authentication schemes) resistant to the ESL attacks, we define a novel security notion for digital signature schemes, termed existential UF‐ACM and ephemeral secret leakage attacks. On the basis of Schnorr's signature scheme, we propose the first UF‐ACM and ephemeral secret leakage attacks secure signature scheme. We demonstrate that the proposed scheme is provably secure under the hardness of computing discrete logarithms in the random oracle model. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis of protein‐assisted aqueous Ag2S quantum dots in the bovine serum albumin solution
Authors: Chen Xia , Ding Ling , Liu Peng , Wang Qisui
Published: February 2014

A one‐step method was developed for preparing Ag2S quantum dots (QDs) using a common protein [bovine serum albumin (BSA)] to entrap QDs precursors (BSA–Ag+). Fluorescence (FL) and ultraviolet spectra showed that the molar ratio of Ag+/BSA, temperature, and pH are the crucial factors for the quality of QDs. The QDs absorption wavelength and emission wavelength were about 340 and 450 nm. The average QDs particle size was estimated to be less than 5 nm, determined by transmission electron microscopy. The X‐ray power diffraction and XPS results showed that the synthesized product was indeed monoclinic Ag2S. With Fourier transform infrared spectra and thermogravimetry analysis, there might be conjugated bonds between Ag2S QDs and –OH, –NH, and –SH groups in BSA. In addition, FL spectra suggest that the designed QDs can produce static quenching with BSA and the Stern–Volmer quenching constant (Ksv) was calculated as 2.145 × 104. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experience report: evolution of a web‐integrated software development and verification environment
Authors: Cook Charles T. , Sun Yu‐Shan , Sitaraman Murali
Published: February 2014

This paper summarizes our experiences over the last 4 years in creating a web‐integrated software development and verification environment. The environment has been used for both research experimentation and education. It has been used in undergraduate computer science courses to teach modular software development and analytical reasoning principles at multiple institutions. In the process, the environment has undergone many refinements to meet demands for improved functionality and to leverage rapidly changing underlying technology for the improvements. The environment is tailored to present formal specifications and alternative implementations of components, and enable correctness checking through a server‐side verifying compiler. This paper presents a detailed account of the development and evolution of the environment—its functionality, user interface, and underlying technology—that we hope will serve as a model for others, especially as the benefits of online learning systems are becoming increasingly obvious. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Use of Cold Liquid Metal Models for Investigations of the Fluid Flow in the Continuous Casting Process
Authors: Timmel Klaus , Wondrak Thomas , Röder Michael , Stefani Frank , Eckert Sven , Gerbeth Gunter
Published: February 2014

The measurement of flow quantities in a real steal caster is still a huge challenging task. Up to now, only some rough velocity information was obtained from casting plants with liquid steel. More insight into the casting process can be achieved by model experiments, which operate with low melting point liquid metals. The advantage of such cold metal laboratory experiments consists in the capability to obtain quantitative flow measurements with a reasonable spatial and temporal resolution. They are therefore an important tool to investigate the flow structure and related transport processes in melt flows relevant for metallurgical applications. We present two experimental facilities for modeling the continuous casting process of steel. The parameters and dimensions of the facilities will be given. LIMMCAST, the bigger setup, is using the alloy SnBi and works at temperatures of 200–400°C. Possibilities for flow investigations in tundish, submerged entry nozzle, and mould will be discussed. Next, the smaller set‐up Mini‐LIMMCAST will be presented. This experimental setup works with the alloy GaInSn, which is already liquid at room temperature. During the last decade, new measurement techniques have been established for detecting the velocities in liquid metal flows and which are operating in the considered temperature ranges. By this, it is now possible to do experimental investigations for a satisfying characterization of flow quantities in the two models. A selection of results from both experimental setups will be shown. These flow measurements deliver a valuable experimental database being suitable for validation of numerical simulations.
Modified nucleosides as biomarkers for early cancer diagnose in exposed populations
Authors: Seidel Annerose , Seidel Peter , Manuwald Olaf , Herbarth Olf
Published: February 2014

There is increasing worldwide interest in developing of markers for tumor diagnosis and identification of individuals who are at high cancer risk. Cancer, like other diseases accompanied by metabolic disorders, causes characteristic effects on cell turnover rate, activity of modifying enzymes, and RNA/DNA modifications. This results in an increased excretion of modified nucleosides in cancer patients. Therefore, for many years modified nucleosides have been suggested as tumor markers. The aim of the study was to elucidate further the usefulness of urinary nucleosides as possible markers at early detection of cancer in persons which are exposed against tumor promoting influences during their working life. Uranium miners are exposed to many kinds of pollutants that can cause health damage even lead to carcinogenesis. We analyzed modified nucleosides in urine samples from 92 miners who are at high risk for lung cancer to assess the levels of nucleosides by a multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifier – a neural network model. Eighteen nucleosides/metabolites were detected with reversed‐phase high‐pressure liquid chromatography (RP‐HPLC). A valid set of urinary metabolites were selected and multivariate statistical technique of multilayer perceptron neural network were applied. In a previous study, MLP shows a sensitivity and specificity of 97 and 85%, respectively. MLP classification including the most relevant markers/nucleosides clearly demonstrates the elevation of RNA metabolism in miners, which is associated with possible malignant disease. We found that there were 30 subjects with early health disorders among 92 uranium workers based on MLP technique using modified nucleosides. The combination of RP‐HPLC analysis of modified nucleosides and subsequent MLP analyses represents a promising tool for the development of a non‐invasive prediction system and may assist in developing management and surveillance procedures. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 30: 956–967, 2015.
Temporal lobe dysplasia: a characteristic sonographic finding in thanatophoric dysplasia
Authors: Wang D. C. , Shannon P. , Toi A. , Chitayat D. , Mohan U. , Barkova E. , Keating S. , Tomlinson G. , Glanc P.
Published: February 2014

Objective

To determine the incidence of temporal lobe dysplasia (TLD) detected on prenatal ultrasound in thanatophoric dysplasia (TD) over an 11‐year period in a tertiary referral center.

Methods

An 11‐year retrospective review of perinatal autopsies from 2002 to 2013 was performed to identify cases of TD. The ultrasound images and corresponding reports of all TD cases were examined for the presence of TLD. The same set of images subsequently underwent a retrospective review by a perinatal radiologist with knowledge of the features of TLD to determine whether they could be identified.

Results

Thirty‐one cases of TD underwent perinatal autopsy, and prenatal ultrasound imaging was available for review in 24 (77%). Mean gestational age at diagnosis of TD was 21.3 (range, 18–36) weeks. TLD was identified and reported in 6/24 (25%) cases; all six cases occurred after 2007. Retrospective interpretation of the ultrasound images identified features of TLD in 10 additional cases. In total, 16/24 (67%) cases displayed sonographic evidence of TLD. Temporal trends showed that TLD features were present in 50% (5/10) of all TD cases between 2002 and 2006 and in 79% (11/14) of those detected between 2007 and 2013.

Conclusions

At present, the detection rate of TLD by ultrasound is low but may be increased by modified brain images that enhance visualization of the temporal lobes. Prenatal identification of TLD may help in the prenatal diagnosis of TD and thus provide more accurate prenatal counseling and guide molecular investigations to confirm the specific diagnosis of TD. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Prediction of the extreme wind speed in the mixed climate region by using Monte Carlo simulation and measure‐correlate‐predict method
Authors: Ishihara Takeshi , Yamaguchi Atsushi
Published: February 2014

The extreme wind speed at an offshore location was predicted using Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) and measure‐correlate‐predict (MCP) method. The Gumbel distribution could successfully express the annual maximum wind speed of extratropical cyclone. On the other hand, the estimated extreme wind speed of tropical cyclones by analytical probability distribution shows larger uncertainty. In the mixed climate like Japan, the extreme wind speed estimated from the combined probability distribution obtained by MCP and MCS methods agrees well with the observed data as compared with the combined probability distribution obtained by the MCP method only. The uncertainty of extreme wind speed due to limited observation period of wind speed and pressure was also evaluated by the Gumbel theory and Monte Carlo simulation. As a result, it was found that the uncertainty of 50 year recurrence wind speed obtained by MCS method is considerably smaller than that obtained by MCP method in the mixed climate. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of wind turbine wakes on wind‐induced motions in wood‐pole overhead lines
Authors: MacIver C. , Cruden A. , Leithead W. E. , Bertinat M. P.
Published: February 2014

Wood‐pole overhead conductor lines are known to be subject to different wind‐induced motions, some which lead to conductor fatigue over long periods and others that can cause severe damage over short, isolated incidences. These lines are often located in rural areas, and, with the ever increasing deployment of onshore wind farms, the potential impact of the wind turbine wakes on these conductor motions is a matter of interest. Discussion of the potential effects of conductor fatigue on wood‐pole overhead conductor lines is important as this could impact the planning, modelling and siting of onshore wind farms. This paper presents a literature analysis of both the mechanism by which different conductor motions are excited and wind turbine wake characteristics with specific interest at low levels akin to wood‐pole height. The archival value of this paper is that experimental data from an active wind farm, at wood‐pole overhead line heights, is analysed and discussed for the first time, and the results show that wake effects at these heights are likely to be minimal. However, turbulent buffeting in particular is cited as a problem of interest, and the potential effects on wood‐pole motions are outlined. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physiological characterization of ATP-citrate lyase in Aspergillus niger
Authors: Chen Hong , He Xihong , Geng Hongran , Liu Hao
Published: February 2014

Acetyl-CoA, an important molecule in cellular metabolism, is generated in multiple subcellular compartments and mainly used for energy production, biosynthesis of a diverse set of molecules, and protein acetylation. In eukaryotes, cytosolic acetyl-CoA is derived mainly from the conversion of citrate and CoA by ATP-citrate lyase. Here, we describe the targeted deletions of acl1 and acl2, two tandem divergently transcribed genes encoding subunits of ATP-citrate lyase in Aspergillus niger. We show that loss of acl1 or/and acl2 results in a significant decrease of acetyl-CoA and citric acid levels in these mutants, concomitant with diminished vegetative growth, decreased pigmentation, reduced asexual conidiogenesis, and delayed conidial germination. Exogenous addition of acetate repaired the defects of acl-deficient strains in growth and conidial germination but not pigmentation and conidiogenesis. We demonstrate that both Acl1 and Acl2 subunits are required to form a functional ATP-citrate lyase in A. niger. First, deletion of acl1 or/and acl2 resulted in similar defects in growth and development. Second, enzyme activity assays revealed that loss of either acl1 or acl2 gene resulted in loss of ATP-citrate lyase activity. Third, in vitro enzyme assays using bacterially expressed 6His-tagged Acl protein revealed that only the complex of Acl1 and Acl2 showed ATP-citrate lyase activity, no enzyme activities were detected with the individual protein. Fourth, EGFP-Acl1 and mCherry-Acl2 proteins were co-localized in the cytosol. Thus, acl1 and acl2 coordinately modulate the cytoplasmic acetyl-CoA levels to regulate growth, development, and citric acid synthesis in A. niger.
Improved Expression of Recombinant Human Factor IX by Co-expression of GGCX, VKOR and Furin
Authors: Liu Jianming , Jonebring Anna , Hagström Jonas , Nyström Ann-Christin , Lövgren Ann
Published: February 2014

Recombinant human FIX concentrates (rhFIX) are essential in the treatment and prevention of bleeding in the bleeding disorder haemophilia B. However, due to the complex nature of FIX production yields are low which leads to high treatment costs. Here we report the production of rhFIX with substantially higher yield by co-expressing human FIX with GGCX (γ-glutamyl carboxylase), VKOR (vitamin K epoxide reductase) and furin (paired basic amino acid cleaving enzyme) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Our results show that controlled co-expression of GGCX with FIX is critical to obtain high rhFIX titre, and, that co-expression of VKOR further increased the yield of active rhFIX. Furin co-expression improved processing of the leader peptide of rhFIX but had a minor effect on yield of active rhFIX. The optimal expression level of GGCX was surprisingly low and required unusual engineering of expression vector elements. For VKOR and furin the control of expression was less critical and could be achieved by standard vector element. Using our expression vectors an rhFIX-producing clone with an expression level of up to 30 mg/L of active rhFIX was obtained. In addition an efficient single step purification method was developed to obtain pure and active rhFIX with up to 94 % yield.
Current Concepts: Mallet Finger
Authors: Alla Sreenivasa R. , Deal Nicole D. , Dempsey Ian J.
Published: February 2014

Loss of the extensor mechanism at the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint leads to mallet finger also known as baseball finger or drop finger. This can be secondary to tendon substance disruption or to a bony avulsion. Soft tissue mallet finger is the result of a rupture of the extensor tendon in Zone 1, and a bony mallet finger is the result of an avulsion of the extensor tendon from the distal phalanx with a small fragment of bone attached to the avulsed tendon. Mallet finger leads to an imbalance in the distribution of the extensor force between the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and DIP joints. If left untreated, mallet finger leads to a swan neck deformity from PIP joint hyper extension and DIP joint flexion. Most mallet finger injuries can be managed non-surgically, but occasionally surgery is recommended for either an acute or a chronic mallet finger or for salvage of failed prior treatment.
Radioelement-bearing Secondary Zoned Apatite around Govardhanagiri–Chinnakolumulapalli–L. Banda Areas of Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh
Authors: Sarvanan R. , Srivastava S. K. , Kumar T. S. Sunil , Kumar S. Niranjan , Mohanty R. , Babu P. V. Ramesh
Published: February 2014

Zoned Apatite crystals with intrinsic radioactivity are widespread in the S-type basement granite around Govardhanagiri–Chinnakolumulapalli–L.Banda areas of Kurnool District, A.P. The granite is overlain by Gulcheru quartzite and in turn by Vempalle dolostone of Papaghni Group belonging to the Cuddapah Supergroup. The area (4 km x 6 km) is characterized by conjugate fracture system comprising ENE-WSW and WNW-ESE of varying extents, of which, ENE-WSW is sympathetic to the major deep seated Gani Kalva fault. The apatite crystals are frequently zoned and vary in size from few microns to 1000 microns, occur mostly as veins or associated with pulverized matrix of granite cataclasite. Veins (upto 2 cm. thick) generally follow the major fracture-trend (ENE-WSW) in the area. The apatites are also found intimately associated with fluorite, tourmaline and sulphides, which suggest their derivation from pneumatolytic fluids. The intrinsic accessory uranium as scarce grains of uraninite and other labile phases of granite were remobilized consequent upon the deformation and locked up as ferroan-oxy/hydroxyl inclusions in slowly growing apatite crystals under very low temperature conditions.
On Some Fabaceous Fruits from the Siwalik Sediments (Middle Miocene-Lower Pleistocene) of Eastern Himalaya
Authors: Khan Mahasin Ali , Bera Subir
Published: February 2014

Four legume fruits (Fabaceae) from the Siwalik sediments (middle Miocene to lower Pleistocene) of Darjeeling and Arunachal Pradesh of Eastern Himalaya are described here. One fossil fruit, Dalbergia prelatifolia sp. nov., is recovered from the lower part of the Siwalik succession (Gish Clay Formation of Sevok Group; middle to upper Miocene) of Darjeeling foothills. Mastertia neoassamica sp. nov. and Acacia miocatechuoides sp. nov. are collected from the lower part of the Siwalik succession (Dafla Formation; middle Miocene to upper Miocene), while Pongamia kathgodamensis Prasad is recovered from the upper part of the Siwalik succession (Kimin Formation; upper Pliocene-lower Pleistocene) of Arunachal sub Himalaya. Their presence indicates a warm and humid tropical environment in the region during the Siwalik sedimentation.
Canadian Association of Radiologists Consensus Guidelines for the Prevention of Contrast-Induced Nephropathy: Update 2012
Authors: Owen Richard J. , Hiremath Swapnil , Myers Andy , Fraser-Hill Margaret , Barrett Brendan J.
Published: February 2014

Purpose

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury or contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a significant complication of intravascular contrast medium (CM). These guidelines are intended as a practical approach to risk stratification and prevention. The major risk factor that predicts CIN is pre-existing chronic kidney disease.

Methods

Members of the committee represent radiologists and nephrologists across Canada. The previous guidelines were reviewed, and an in-depth up-to-date literature review was carried out.

Results

A serum creatinine level (SCr) should be obtained, and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) should be calculated within 6 months in the outpatient who is stable and within 1 week for inpatients and patients who are not stable. Patients with an eGFR of ≥ 60 mL/min have an extremely low risk of CIN. The risk of CIN after intra-arterial CM administration appears be at least twice that after intravenous administration. Fluid volume loading remains the single most important measure, and hydration regimens that use sodium bicarbonate or normal saline solution should be considered for all patients with GFR < 60 mL/min who receive intra-arterial contrast and when GFR < 45 mL/min in patients who receive intravenous contrast. Patients are most at risk for CIN when eGFR < 30 mL/min. Additional preventative measures include the following: avoid dehydration, avoid CM when appropriate, minimize CM volume and frequency, avoid high osmolar CM, and discontinue nephrotoxic medications 48 hours before administration of CM.
Creating Law from the Ground Up: Land Law in Post-Conflict Cambodia
Authors: Trzcinski Leah M. , Upham Frank K.
Published: February 2014

Since 1990, successive waves of foreign experts have introduced legal transplants into Cambodia dealing with the possession, use, and ownership of land. The Land Law of 2001, sponsored by the World Bank, first created a registration system that made land ownership dependent exclusively on a central cadastral registry. The 2007 Civil Code, sponsored by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, subsequently cast doubt on the exclusivity of the registry by declaring it only presumptive evidence of ownership. Both laws are based on foreign models that presume economic, technical, and professional resources that Cambodia, as a very poor, post-conflict country, lacks. Despite recent efforts to reconcile the laws, implementation remains uneven and legal ambiguity persists. While it is too early to make conclusive judgments, the Cambodian experience brings into question not only the wisdom of top-down foreign intervention but also the desirability of any form of centralized formal legal construction in a society without the necessary social, political, and institutional prerequisites.
Disaster-Related Environmental Health Hazards: Former Lead Smelting Plants in the United States
Authors: Wang Yao , Kanter Robert K.
Published: February 2014

Objective

Natural disasters exacerbate risks of hazardous environmental exposures and adverse health consequences. The present study determined the proportion of previously identified lead industrial sites in urban locations that are at high risk for dispersal of toxic chemicals by natural disasters.

Methods

Geographic analysis from publicly available data identified former lead smelting plants that coincide with populated urban areas and with high-risk locations for natural disasters.

Results

From a total of 229 urban smelting sites, 66 (29%) were in relatively high-risk areas for natural disasters: flood (39), earthquake (29), tornado (3), and hurricane (2). States with urban sites at relatively high risk for natural disaster included California (15); Pennsylvania (14); New York (7); Missouri (6); Illinois (5); New Jersey (4); Kentucky (3); Florida, Oregon, and Ohio (2 each); and Indiana, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah, and Washington (1 each). Incomplete historical records showed at least 10 smelting site locations were affected by natural disaster.

Conclusions

Forgotten environmental hazards may remain hazardous in any community. Uncertainty about risks in disasters causes disruptive public anxiety that increases difficulties in community responses and recovery. Our professional and public responsibility is to seek a better understanding of the risks of latent environmental hazards. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1–7)
Flat bundles, von Neumann algebras andK-theory with ℝ/ℤ-coefficients
Authors: Antonini Paolo , Azzali Sara , Skandalis Georges
Published: February 2014

LetMbe a closed manifold andα:π1(M) →Una representation. We give a purelyK-theoretic description of the associated element in theK-theory group ofMwith ℝ/ℤ-coefficients ([α] ∈K1(M; ℝ/ℤ)). To that end, it is convenient to describe the ℝ/ℤ-K-theory as a relativeK-theory of the unital inclusion of ℂ into a finite von Neumann algebraB. We use the following fact: there is, associated withα, a finite von Neumann algebraBtogether with a flat bundleℰ→Mwith fibersB, such thatEα⊗ℰis canonically isomorphic with ℂn⊗ℰ, whereEαdenotes the flat bundle with fiber ℂnassociated withα. We also discuss the spectral flow and rho type description of the pairing of the class [α] with theK-homology class of an elliptic selfadjoint (pseudo)-differential operatorDof order 1.
The Employment Effects of Immigration: Evidence from the Mass Arrival of German Expellees in Postwar Germany
Authors: Braun Sebastian , Omar Mahmoud Toman
Published: February 2014

This article studies the employment effects of one of the largest forced population movements in history, the influx of millions of German expellees to West Germany after World War II. This episode of forced mass migration provides a unique setting to study the causal effects of immigration. Expellees were not selected on the basis of skills or labor market prospects and, as ethnic Germans, were close substitutes to native West Germans. Expellee inflows substantially reduced native employment. The displacement effect was, however, highly nonlinear and limited to labor market segments with very high inflow rates.
Discrimination or Social Networks? Industrial Investment in Colonial India
Authors: Gupta Bishnupriya
Published: February 2014

Industrial investment in colonial India was segregated by the export industries, such as tea and jute that relied on British firms and the import substituting cotton textile industry that was dominated by Indian firms. Empirical evidence in this article does not suggest that barriers to entry faced by Indian entrepreneurs created this separation. Informational asymmetry played an important role. British entrepreneurs knew the export markets and the Indian entrepreneurs were familiar with local markets. Conditional on the initial advantage in entry, social network effects determined subsequent entry of firms by ethnicity and created separate spheres of industrial investment.
Plagues, Wages, and Economic Change in the Islamic Middle East, 700–1500
Authors: Pamuk Şevket , Shatzmiller Maya
Published: February 2014

This study establishes long-term trends in the purchasing power of the wages of unskilled workers and develops estimates for GDP per capita for medieval Egypt and Iraq. Wages were heavily influenced by two long-lasting demographic shocks, the Justinian Plague and the Black Death and the slow population recovery that followed. As a result, they remained above the subsistence minimum for most of the medieval era. We also argue that the environment of high wages that emerged after the Justinian Plague contributed to the Golden Age of Islam by creating demand for higher income goods.
Structural Change in Argentina, 1935–1960: The Role of Import Substitution and Factor Endowments
Authors: Debowicz Dario , Segal Paul
Published: February 2014

This article investigates structural change in Argentina between 1935 and 1960, a period of rapid industrialization and of relative decline of the agricultural sector. We use a dynamic three-sector computable general equilibrium model of the period to analyze the effects of the policies of import-substituting industrialization (ISI), and changing factor endowments, on the structure of the economy. We find that the declining land-labor ratio was more important than ISI in explaining relative stagnation in agriculture. ISI gave a substantial boost to manufacturing, but primarily at the expense of non-traded services, rather than of agriculture.
Dominating the news: government officials in front-page news coverage of policy issues in the United States and Korea
Authors: Yoon Jiso , Boydstun Amber E.
Published: February 2014

What determines which political actors dominate a country’s news? Understanding the forces that shape political actors’ news coverage matters, because these actors can influence which problems and alternatives receive a nation’s public and policy attention. Across free-press nations, the degree of media attention actors receive is rarely proportional to their degree of participation in the policymaking process. Yet, the nature of this “mis”-representation varies by country. We argue that journalistic operating procedures – namely, journalists’ incentive-driven relationships with government officials – help explain cross-national variance in actors’ media representation relative to policymaking participation. We examine two free-press countries with dramatically different journalistic procedures: United States and Korea. For each, we compare actors’ policymaking participation to news coverage (using all 2008New York TimesandHankyoreh Dailyfront-page stories). Although exhibiting greater general discrepancy between actors’ policymaking and media representation, diverse actors are over-represented in United States news; in Korea, governmental actors are dominant.
Early comprehension of the Spanish plural
Authors: ARIAS-TREJO NATALIA , CANTRELL LISA M. , SMITH LINDA B. , CANTO ELDA A. ALVA
Published: February 2014

Understanding how linguistic cues map to the environment is crucial for early language comprehension and may provide a way for bootstrapping and learning words. Research has suggested that learning how plural syntax maps to the perceptual environment may show a trajectory in which children first learn surrounding cues (verbs, modifiers) before a full mastery of the noun morpheme alone. The Spanish plural system of simple codas, dominated by one allomorph -s, and with redundant agreement markers, may facilitate early understanding of how plural linguistic cues map to novel referents. Two-year-old Mexican children correctly identified multiple novel object referents when multiple verbal cues in a phrase indicated plurality as well as in instances when the noun morphology in novel nouns was the only indicator of plurality. These results demonstrate Spanish-speaking children's ability to use plural noun inflectional morphology to infer novel word referents which may have implications for their word learning.
Bott periodicity in the Hit Problem
Authors: AULT SHAUN
Published: February 2014

In this short paper, we use Robert Bruner's $\cal{A}$(1)-resolution of $P = {\mathbb{F}_2[t]$ to shed light on the Hit Problem. In particular, the reduced syzygies Pn of P occur as direct summands of $\widetilde{P}^{\otimes n}$, where $\widetilde{P}$ is the augmentation ideal of the map $P \to \mathbb{F}_2$. The complement of Pn in $\widetilde{P}^{\otimes n}$ is free, and the modules Pn exhibit a type of “Bott periodicity” of period 4: Pn+4 = Σ8Pn. These facts taken together allow one to analyse the module of indecomposables in $\widetilde{P}^{\otimes n}$, that is, to say something about the “$\cal{A}$(1)-hit Problem”. Our study is essentially in two parts: first, we expound on the approach to the Hit Problem begun by William Singer, in which we compare images of Steenrod squares to certain kernels of squares. Using this approach, the author discovered a nontrivial element in bidegree (5, 9) that is neither $\cal{A}$(1)-hit nor in kerSq1 + kerSq3. Such an element is extremely rare, but Bruner's result shows clearly why these elements exist and detects them in full generality; second, we describe the graded ${\mathbb{F}_2$-space of $\cal{A}$(1)-hit elements of $\widetilde{P}^{\otimes n}$ by determining its Hilbert series.
Escherichia colibacteraemia in adults: age-related differences in clinical and bacteriological characteristics, and outcome
Authors: ROUBAUD BAUDRON C. , PANHARD X. , CLERMONT O. , MENTRÉ F. , FANTIN B. , DENAMUR E. , LEFORT A.
Published: February 2014

To explore the specificities ofEscherichia colibacteraemia in the elderly, the demographic, clinical and bacteriological characteristics and in-hospital mortality rate of ‘young’ (18–64 years,n = 395), ‘old’ (65–79 years,n = 372) and ‘very old’ (⩾80 years,n = 284) adult patients of the multicentre COLIBAFI cohort study were compared. Clinical and bacteriological risk factors for death were jointly identified by logistic regression and multivariate analysis within each group. ‘Young’ and ‘old’ patients had more comorbidities than ‘very old’ patients (comorbidity score: 1·5 ± 1·3 and 1·6 ± 1·2vs. 1·2 ± 1·2, respectively;P < 0·001), and were more frequently nosocomially infected (22·3% and 23·8%vs. 8·8%, respectively;P < 0·001). ‘Old’ patients had the poorest prognosis (death rate: 16·4%vs.10·4% for ‘young’ and 12·0% for ‘very old’ patients, respectively;P = 0·039). Risk factors for death were age group-specific, suggesting a host–pathogen relationship evolving with age.
TAXONOMIC NOTES ON ONOSMA SECT. APONOSMA FROM IRAN (BORAGINACEAE)
Authors: Ranjbar M. , Almasi M.
Published: February 2014

Onosma mahabadensis Ranjbar & Almasi (Boraginaceae), a new species endemic to Iran, is described. This species belongs to Onosma sect. Aponosma DC. and is confined to the western part of Iran (West Azerbaijan Province). It is closely related to Onosma sericea Willd. and is distinguished by its subpatent-bristly indumentum (vs. appressed-sericeous) with sparse short hairs (vs. dense), and bracts 14–16 mm long (vs. 6–8 mm long). A cytogenetic analysis indicates that Onosma mahabadensis is a tetraploid species, 2n = 4x = 32, consistent with the proposed base number of x = 8 for Onosma sect. Aponosma.
A tree-based learning approach for document structure analysis and its application to web search
Authors: PEMBE F. CANAN , GÜNGÖR TUNGA
Published: February 2014

In this paper, we study the problem of structural analysis of Web documents aiming at extracting the sectional hierarchy of a document. In general, a document can be represented as a hierarchy of sections and subsections with corresponding headings and subheadings. We developed two machine learning models: heading extraction model and hierarchy extraction model. Heading extraction was formulated as a classification problem whereas a tree-based learning approach was employed in hierarchy extraction. For this purpose, we developed an incremental learning algorithm based on support vector machines and perceptrons. The models were evaluated in detail with respect to the performance of the heading and hierarchy extraction tasks. For comparison, a baseline rule-based approach was used that relies on heuristics and HTML document object model tree processing. The machine learning approach, which is a fully automatic approach, outperformed the rule-based approach. We also analyzed the effect of document structuring on automatic summarization in the context of Web search. The results of the task-based evaluation on TREC queries showed that structured summaries are superior to unstructured summaries both in terms of accuracy and user ratings, and enable the users to determine the relevancy of search results more accurately than search engine snippets.
The production diversity of subsistence farms in the Bolivian Andes is associated with the quality of child feeding practices as measured by a validated summary feeding index
Authors: Jones Andrew D
Published: February 2014

Objective

To determine the validity of a summary infant and child feeding index (ICFI) and the association with the index of factors related to agricultural production.

Design

A cross-sectional survey in eight health-post jurisdictions identified as priority nutrition regions. All households with children aged 6–23 months in eligible communities were administered an integrated survey on agricultural production and nutrition-related practices. Quantitative 24 h dietary recall, food frequency data and anthropometric measurements were collected for each child. Ninety-one per cent of eligible families participated.

Setting

The northern region of the Potosí department in the Bolivian highlands.

Subjects

Two hundred and fifty-one households with children aged 6–23 months.

Results

In multiple regression models controlling for potential confounding variables, infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices as measured by an ICFI showed positive associations with child length-for-ageZ-score (mean difference of 0·47 in length-for-ageZ-score between children in the high ICFI tertile compared with the low tertile), child energy intake (mean difference of 1500 kJ between tertiles) and the micronutrient adequacy of child diets (mean difference of 7·2 % in mean micronutrient density adequacy between tertiles;P< 0·05). Examining determinants of IYCF practices, mother's education, livestock ownership and the crop diversity of farms were positively associated with the ICFI, while amount of agricultural land cultivated was negatively associated with the ICFI. Crop diversity and IYCF practices were more strongly positively correlated among households at high elevations.

Conclusions

Nutrition-sensitive investments in agriculture that aim to diversify subsistence agricultural production could plausibly benefit the adequacy of child diets.
Earnings related pension schemes and human capital formation
Authors: KINDERMANN FABIAN
Published: February 2014

In this paper, I show that traditional earnings related pay-as-you-go pension systems as we see them in many OECD countries subsidize human capital formation. The reason is that these systems come along with an implicit tax structure that features high tax rates at the beginning of working life and low tax rates toward the end. When the costs of human capital investment are mainly time costs, such an implicit tax structure lowers the costs of human capital investments and simultaneously increases the payoff. The fact that higher skilled workers tend to have steeper wage profiles over the working phase than the unskilled enforces this mechanism. I first show this result in a simple analytical model and then quantify the macroeconomic and welfare effects of making the implicit tax structure age independent in a large-scale overlapping generation model, in which households can invest in human capital both by going to college and through on-the-job training. In terms of welfare, such a reform comes along with a lot of intergenerational redistribution. Although the welfare of current retirees may increase by about 4.5% of their remaining life-time resources, current older workers will lose due to an increase in their implicit tax rates. The welfare of future generations slightly declines by 0.1%.
Do 401k plan advisors take their own advice?
Authors: DVORAK TOMAS
Published: February 2014

Sponsors of defined contribution plans often hire financial advisors to help them design and monitor their plans. I find that advisors have a significant impact on the menu of investment options of their clients’ plans. Clients of the same advisor tend to hold the same funds and fund families. They also tend to delete and add the same funds. Advisors’ plans are similar to their clients’ plans in that they tend to hold identical funds, use the same fund families, and fund categories. Thus, to a large extent, advisors take their own advice. However, funds that are in clients’ plans but not in their advisors’ plans have higher expense ratios than the funds held by advisors. Since advisors’ compensation is often tied to the expense ratio of their clients’ funds, this pattern is consistent with misaligned incentives on the part of advisors and their clients.
Association Between ERCC2 Lys751Gln Polymorphism and Lung Cancer Risk: A Meta-Analysis Involving 23,370 Subjects
Authors: Tan Xiang , Xian Lei , Chen Xinyu , Shi Lijun , Wang Yongyong , Guo Jianji , Liang Guanbiao , Zhao Zhenqing , Chen Mingwu
Published: February 2014

Recent studies report a correlation between excision repair cross-complementing group 2 (ERCC2) Lys751Gln polymorphism and an increased risk of lung cancer, but results are controversial and inconclusive. Thus, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis in order to assess the correlation between them. Our study uses an odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) to evaluate the strength of the association; we also performed Begg's funnel plot and the Egger's test to assess the publication bias of previous articles. Finally, our meta-analysis is comprised of 28 full studies, including 23,370 subjects (10,242 cases and 13,128 controls). Our overall research shows that ERCC2 Lys751Gln polymorphism carries an increased risk of developing lung cancer (C vs. A: OR = 1.160, 95% CI = 1.081–1.245, p = .000; CC vs. AA: OR = 1.252, 95% CI = 1.130–1.388, p = .000; CA vs. AA: OR = 1.152, 95% CI = 1.060–1.252, p = .001; CC+CA vs. AA: OR = 1.186, 95% CI = 1.089–1.292, p = .000; CC vs. CA+AA: OR = 1.196, 95% CI = 1.087–1.316, p = .000). In ethnic subgroup analyses, we find a significant risk among Caucasians (C vs. A: OR = 1.106, 95% CI = 1.048–1.166, p = .000; CC vs. AA: OR = 1.233, 95% CI = 1.103–1.378, p = .000; CC+CA vs. AA: OR = 1.113, 95% CI = 1.033–1.199, p = .005; CC vs. CA+AA: OR = 1.185, 95% CI = 1.069–1.313, p = .001) and among Asians under two genetic models (CA vs. AA: OR = 1.265, 95% CI = 1.034–1.549, p = .023; CC+CA vs. AA: OR = 1.252, 95% CI = 1.015–1.544, p = .036). These results were confirmed by similar findings, demonstrated by stratified analyses in study design and histological typing. This meta-analysis indicates that ERCC2 Lys751Gln polymorphism may lead to an increased susceptibility to lung cancer risk among Caucasians and Asians.
Drug Delivery by Tattooing to Treat Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Authors: Shio Marina Temi , Paquet Marilene , Martel Caroline , Bosschaerts Tom , Stienstra Stef , Olivier Martin , Fortin Anny
Published: February 2014

This study establishes a proof-of-concept that a tattoo device can target intra-dermal drug delivery against cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). The selected drug is oleylphosphocholine (OlPC) formulated as liposomes, particles known to be prone to macrophage ingestion. We first show that treatment of cultured Leishmania-infected macrophages with OlPC-liposomes results in a direct dose-dependent killing of intracellular parasites. Based on this, in vivo efficacy is demonstrated using a 10 day tattooing-mediated treatment in mice infected with L. major and L. mexicana. In both models this regimen results in rapid clinical recovery with complete regression of skin lesions by Day 28. Parasite counts and histopathology examination confirm high treatment efficacy at the parasitic level. Low amount of drug required for tattooing combined with fast clinical recovery may have a positive impact on CL patient management. This first example of tattoo-mediated drug delivery could open to new therapeutic interventions in the treatment of skin diseases.
Preparation of hollow molecular imprinting polymer for determination of ofloxacin in milk
Authors: Tang W. J. , Zhao T. , Zhou C. H. , Guan X. J. , Zhang H. X.
Published: February 2014

A porous hollow molecular imprinting polymer with ofloxacin as template and SiO2 nanoparticle as sacrifice core was synthesized and used as adsorbent for fluoroquinolone antibiotics in milk.
Disordered amyloidogenic peptides may insert into the membrane and assemble into common cyclic structural motifs
Authors: Jang Hyunbum , Teran Arce Fernando , Ramachandran Srinivasan , Kagan Bruce L. , Lal Ratnesh , Nussinov Ruth
Published: February 2014

Aggregation of small Aβ oligomers into common β-sheet rich annular structural motifs is responsible for Alzheimer's disease.
A ruthenium-grafted triazine functionalized mesoporous polymer: a highly efficient and multifunctional catalyst for transfer hydrogenation and the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions
Authors: Salam Noor , Kundu Sudipta K. , Roy Anupam Singha , Mondal Paramita , Ghosh Kajari , Bhaumik Asim , Islam S. M.
Published: February 2014

A new ruthenium grafted mesoporous organic polymer has been synthesized and it showed excellent catalytic activity in transfer hydrogenation and C–C cross-coupling reactions.
Synthesis of magnetic ion-imprinted composites and selective separation and preconcentration of U(vi)
Authors: Liu Mancheng , Chen Changlun , Wen Tao , Wang Xiangke
Published: February 2014

The synthesis route to magnetic ion-imprinted composites.
Axially bonded pentads constructed on the Sn(iv) porphyrin scaffold
Authors: Pareek Yogita , Lakshmi Vellanki , Ravikanth Mangalampalli
Published: February 2014

Three pentads based on the Sn(iv) porphyrin scaffold were synthesized using three covalently linked dyads such as porphyrin–ferrocene, porphyrin–BODIPY and porphyrin–sapphyrin as axial units. The spectral, electrochemical and photophysical properties were studied for these dyads and pentads.
A significant cathodic shift in the onset potential of photoelectrochemical water splitting for hematite nanostructures grown from Fe–Si alloys
Authors: Wang Lei , Lee Chong-Yong , Kirchgeorg Robin , Hildebrand Helga , Müller Julian , Spiecker Erdmann , Schmuki Patrik
Published: February 2014

Thermal oxidation of Fe to nanostructured hematite (wires, flakes) is currently widely investigated to produce efficient photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting.
The Houk–List transition states for organocatalytic mechanisms revisited
Authors: Armstrong Alan , Boto Roberto A. , Dingwall Paul , Contreras-García Julia , Harvey Matt J. , Mason Nicholas J. , Rzepa Henry S.
Published: February 2014

The ten year old Houk–List model for rationalising the origin of stereoselectivity in the organocatalysed intermolecular aldol addition is revisited, using a variety of computational techniques that have been introduced or improved since the original study.
Synthesis, electronic structures and luminescent properties of Eu3+ doped KGdTiO4
Authors: Zhang Niumiao , Guo Chongfeng , Zheng Jiming , Su Xiangying , Zhao Jin
Published: February 2014

Eu3+-activated layered perovskite ionic conductor KGdTiO4 red emitting phosphors to be used for ultraviolet based light emitting diodes (LEDs) and field emission displays (FEDs) were successfully synthesized by a modified sol–gel method.
Model identification of a template-directed peptide network for optimization in a continuous reactor
Authors: Hernandez Andres F. , Wagner Michael J. , Grover Martha A.
Published: February 2014

With an open driven system, the chemical network can be controlled to new nonequilibrium steady states.
Ionic liquids from cationic palladium(ii) chelate complexes: preparation, thermal properties, and crystal structures
Authors: Hosokawa Hitoshi , Funasako Yusuke , Mochida Tomoyuki
Published: February 2014

Ionic liquids containing cationic palladium chelate complexes were prepared. These salts were yellow crystals with melting points of 60–90 °C. X-ray structure determination revealed the tendency of dimer-like arrangement of the cations in the solid state.