bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Practice and Economic Geography
Authors: Jones Andrew , Murphy James T.
Published: April 2010

Economic geography has over the last decade become increasingly interested in the role of practice, conceptualised as the regularised or stabilised social actions through which economic agents organize or coordinate production, marketing, service provision, exchange and/or innovation activities. Interest in practice is most clearly manifest in a growing body of research concerned to conceptualise how the regularized social relations and interactions linking economic actors (e.g. entrepreneurs, firms) shape the nature of economies, industries, and regional development processes. However, an emphasis on social practice faces significant challenges in that it lacks conceptual coherence, a clear methodological approach, and relevance for public policy. This article critically assesses the idea that practice‐oriented research might or should become a core conceptual or epistemological approach in economic geography. In doing so, we identify at least four distinct strands to economic geographical interest in practice: studies centred on institutions, social relations, governmentality and alternative economies respectively. We then argue however that this shift towards practice‐oriented work is less a coherent turn than a development and diversification of longstanding strands of work within the sub‐discipline.
Geographies of Corporate Decision‐Making and Control: Development, Applications, and Future Directions in Headquarters Location Research
Authors: Rice Murray D. , Lyons Donald I.
Published: April 2010

This article surveys the body of investigation related to the location of headquarters and other elite corporate decision‐making activities, a research field known as quaternary location studies. The discussion includes four main sections following an introduction. The first reviews the initial development of headquarters location research from the early 20th century to 1980. The second section discusses contemporary developments and criticisms of the field that have diversified the field beyond its early focus on large‐firm headquarters alone to examine the geography of all activities related to corporate decision making. We posit that incorporation of rapidly growing firms in quaternary research is a key element of this diversification. The third section examines the possibilities for further headquarters location research by making a connection between decision‐making location and the literature of techno‐economic paradigms. The article concludes by summarizing the current state of the field, and argues that a continued diversification of research interests and perspectives is vital to the advancement of quaternary location studies as an important contributor to improved corporate strategies and more effective public policy.
Desirable Difference: The Shadow of Racial Stereotypes in Creating Transracial Families through Transnational Adoption
Authors: Kubo Kazuyo
Published: April 2010

The article analyzes how parents decide to adopt a child transnationally by detailing how the meaning of race is articulated in the formation of family. Drawing from my interviews with adoptive parents, I examine how they internalize ideas about different racial groups. For example, I investigate how what they have learned from the adoption agencies, their own perceptions of racial stereotypes, and their perceptions of the communities in which they reside influence their understanding of race. The article suggests that adoptive parents, when considering whether to adopt children from the U.S. or overseas, use a criteria dictated by racial stereotypes in understanding Asian Americans as the model minority, African‐Americans as a deficient group, and Latinos occupying an intermediary position.
The Herman–Chomsky Propaganda Model: A Critical Approach to Analysing Mass Media Behaviour
Authors: Mullen Andrew , Klaehn Jeffery
Published: April 2010

The Propaganda Model (PM), developed by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky and published in Manufacturing Consent in 1988, sought to explain the behaviour of the mass media in the United States. Analysing the function, operation and effects of the media are essential to any understanding of contemporary societies and the article begins by sketching out the contours of the liberal‐pluralist vs. critical‐Marxist debate about the role of the media. The article then presents an overview of the PM, locates it within the field of media and communication studies, considers its reception, discusses a number of complementary methodological and theoretical approaches, and argues that the PM, more than 20 years after its formulation, continues to provide an invaluable tool for understanding the media within contemporary capitalist societies.
Dementia and Dementia Care: The Contributions of a Psychosocial Perspective
Authors: Harris Phyllis B.
Published: April 2010

The social sciences have and continue to play a unique role in the study of dementia and dementia care. For central to the social sciences, particularly the discipline of sociology is a history of critical inquiry that challenges long held societal assumptions, a concern for issues of social justice, social exclusion and the treatment of marginalized populations. All significant areas to consider when caring for a person with dementia. This chapter will trace the development of the study of dementia and dementia care starting with its biomedical roots, examine the contributions of the social sciences in furthering the conceptual development of the field, and suggest future areas where sociologists can play a critical role in the provision of quality dementia care.
Eino Kaila's Political Views: A Comment on Sven Ove Hansson's “A History ofTheoria”
Authors: MANNINEN JUHA , STRANG JOHAN
Published: April 2010

This comment on Sven Ove Hansson's article on the history of the journalTheoriaelaborates and corrects Hansson's characterisation of the political standpoint of the Finnish philosopher Eino Kaila as “sympathetic towards the German regime”. Although not an easy question, particularly considering Kaila's unfortunate publications during the Second World War, it is argued that the characterisation is plainly wrong if it refers to the mid‐1930s.
Lag screw fixation of dorsal cortical stress fractures of the third metacarpal bone in 116 racehorses
Authors: JALIM S. L. , McILWRAITH C. W. , GOODMAN N. L. , ANDERSON G. A.
Published: April 2010

Reasons for performing study:The effectiveness and best method to manage dorsal cortical stress fractures is not clear. This study was performed to evaluate the success of lag screw fixation of such fractures in a population of Thoroughbred racehorses.

Hypothesis:Lag screw fixation of dorsal cortical stress fractures is an effective surgical procedure allowing racehorses to return to their preoperative level of performance.

Methods:The records of 116 racehorses (103 Thoroughbreds) admitted to Equine Medical Centre, California between 1986 and 2008 were assessed. Information obtained from medical records included subject details, limb(s) affected, fracture configuration, length of screw used in repair and presence of concurrent surgical procedures performed. Racing performance was evaluated relative to these factors using Fisher's exact test and nonparametric methods with a level of significance of P<0.05.

Results:Of 92 Thoroughbred horses, 83% raced preoperatively and 83% raced post operatively, with 63% having ≥5 starts. There was no statistically significant association between age, gender, limb affected, fracture configuration or presence of concurrent surgery and likelihood of racing post operatively or of having 5 or more starts. The mean earnings per start and the performance index for the 3 races following surgery were lower compared to the 3 races prior to surgery; however, 29 and 45% of horses either improved or did not change their earnings per start and performance index, respectively.

Conclusions and potential relevance:Data show that lag screw fixation is successful at restoring ability to race in horses suffering from dorsal cortical stress fractures.
Frictional Characteristics of Atomically Thin Sheets
Authors: Lee Changgu , Li Qunyang , Kalb William , Liu Xin-Zhou , Berger Helmuth , Carpick Robert W. , Hone James
Published: April 2010

Thin Friction

The rubbing motion between two surfaces is always hindered by friction, which is caused by continuous contacting and attraction between the surfaces. These interactions may only occur over a distance of a few nanometers, but what happens when the interacting materials are only that thick?Leeet al.(p.76; see the Perspective byMüser and Shakhvorostov) explored the frictional properties of a silicon tip in contact with four atomically thin quasi–two dimensional materials with different electrical properties. For all the materials, the friction was seen to increase as the thickness of the film decreased, both for flakes supported by substrates and for regions placed above holes that formed freely suspended membranes. Placing graphene on mica, to which it strongly adheres, suppressed this trend. For these thin, weakly adhered films, out-of-plane buckling is likely to dominate the frictional response, which leads to this universal behavior.
A Gating Charge Transfer Center in Voltage Sensors
Authors: Tao Xiao , Lee Alice , Limapichat Walrati , Dougherty Dennis A. , MacKinnon Roderick
Published: April 2010

Open and Closed Case

Voltage-dependent ion channels are gated by voltage sensors that show a switchlike response to voltage differences across the membrane.

Tao
et al.

(p.
67
; see the cover) used mutagenesis, electrophysiology, and x-ray crystallography to gain insight into the molecular basis of this response in voltage-dependent potassium channels. An occluded site was identified that catalyzes translation of positive charges across the membrane. The closed channel appears to be associated with a distribution of conformations, depending on the degree of hyperpolarization of the membrane, whereas the open channel appears to be associated with a specific conformation. Thus, the transition of the ion channel from open to closed occurs over a very small voltage difference.
Why Thick Can Be Slick
Authors: Müser Martin H. , Shakhvorostov Dmitry
Published: April 2010

Studies of various lamellar materials show a general trend between thickness and friction irrespective of the material.
Mixing or Not Mixing
Authors: Ray-Gallet Dominique , Almouzni Geneviève
Published: April 2010

How are parental and newly synthesized histones distributed into nucleosomes during eukaryotic cell division?
'Asilomar 2' Takes Small Steps Toward Rules for Geoengineering
Authors: Kintisch Eli
Published: April 2010

Last week, nearly 200 experts in geosciences and other scientific and policy disciplines met to confront a new kind of risky research: large-scale geoengineering projects aimed at countering the buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
The Chimpanzee Genome Project's Seedy Origins
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: April 2010

The DNA sequenced for the Chimpanzee Genome Project came mainly from one chimp, Clint, of Yerkes National Primate Research Center, and he was chosen for the most haphazard of reasons.
Talking Chimp to Chimp
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: April 2010

Language may be unique to humans, but our closest relatives do a lot of vocalizing, and researchers are trying to figure out what they're yakking about.
Getting Intimate With the Chimp Mind, Japanese Style
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: April 2010

At Kyoto University's Primate Research Institute in Inuyama, researchers conduct cognitive experiments with 14 animals that are taking the field to new heights.
Highly Persistent and Effective Prime/Boost Regimens against Tuberculosis That Use a Multivalent Modified Vaccine Virus Ankara-Based Tuberculosis Vaccine with Interleukin-15 as a Molecular Adjuvant
Authors: Kolibab Kristopher , Yang Amy , Derrick Steven C. , Waldmann Thomas A. , Perera Liyanage P. , Morris Sheldon L.
Published: April 2010

Novel immunization strategies are needed to enhance the global control of tuberculosis (TB). In this study, we assessed the immunizing activity of a recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) construct (MVA/IL-15/5Mtb) which overexpresses five
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
antigens (antigen 85A, antigen 85B, ESAT6, HSP60, and Mtb39), as well as the molecular adjuvant interleukin-15 (IL-15). Homologous prime/boost studies showed that the MVA/IL-15/5Mtb vaccine induced moderate but highly persistent protective immune responses for at least 16 months after the initial vaccination and that the interval between the prime and boost did not significantly alter vaccine-induced antituberculosis protective immunity. At 16 months, when the
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG and MVA/IL-15/5Mtb vaccine-induced protection was essentially equivalent, the protective responses after a tuberculous challenge were associated with elevated levels of gamma interferon (IFN-γ), IL-17F, Cxcl9, and Cxcl10. To amplify the immunizing potential of the MVA/IL-15/5Mtb vaccine, a heterologous prime/boost regimen was tested using an ESAT6-antigen 85B (E6-85) fusion protein formulated in dimethyldiotacylammonium bromide/monophosphoryl lipid A (DDA/MPL) adjuvant as the priming vaccine and the MVA/IL-15/5Mtb recombinant virus as the boosting agent. When MVA/IL-15/5Mtb vaccine boosting was done at 2 or 6 months following the final fusion protein injections, the prime/boost regimen evoked protective responses against an aerogenic
M. tuberculosis
challenge which was equivalent to that induced by BCG immunization. Long-term memory after immunization with the E6-85-MVA/IL-15/5Mtb combination regimen was associated with the induction of monofunctional CD4 and CD8 IFN-γ-producing T cells and multifunctional CD4 and CD8 T cells expressing IFN-γ/tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), TNF-α/IL-2, and IFN-γ/TNF-α/IL-2. In contrast, BCG-induced protection was characterized by fewer CD4 and CD8 monofunctional T cells expressing IFN-γ and only IFN-γ/TNF-α and IFN-γ/TNF-α/IL-2 expressing multifunctional T (MFT) cells. Taken together, these results suggest that a heterologous prime/boost protocol using an MVA-based tuberculosis vaccines to boost after priming with TB protein/adjuvant preparations should be considered when designing long-lived TB immunization strategies.
Detection of Latin American Strains of
Histoplasma
in a Murine Model by Use of a Commercially Available Antigen Test
Authors: Allton David R. , Rivard Robert G. , Connolly Patricia A. , McCall Suzanne , Durkin Michelle M. , Boyd Tonya M. , Flanagan Joseph P. , Wheat L. Joseph , Hospenthal Duane R.
Published: April 2010

During a
Histoplasma
outbreak in a colony of fruit bats at a southern United States zoo, it was observed that although
Histoplasma
was recovered in culture from multiple sites at necropsy, none of the samples collected from those bats tested positive for
Histoplasma
antigen (HAg). Five of the
Histoplasma
isolates from the bats were subsequently identified as Latin American (LA) clade A, restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) class 6. These observations raised concern as to whether the commercially available HAg test could detect
Histoplasma
antigen not of the North American clade upon which the HAg test had been developed. To evaluate this concern, a murine model of disseminated histoplasmosis was established, and mice were infected with multiple LA
Histoplasma
isolates, including clinical isolates recovered from Brazilian AIDS patients (RFLP class 5 and class 6) and isolates recovered from the bats during the outbreak (RFLP class 6).
Histoplasma
antigen was detected in all infected mice in our experiments, even when
Histoplasma
was not recovered in culture. Because the currently available HAg test is able to detect
Histoplasma
antigen in mice infected with Latin American isolates, this suggests that bat host factors rather than differences among
Histoplasma
RFLP classes were responsible for the inability to detect HAg in infected bats.
Positive Deamidated Gliadin Peptide Antibodies and Negative Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Antibodies in a Pediatric Population: To Biopsy or Not To Biopsy
Authors: Parizade Miriam , Shainberg Bracha
Published: April 2010

Reports from our clinical laboratory database show that 75% of children <2 years old tested for celiac serology who were found positive for deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP) antibodies had negative results for tissue transglutaminase IgA. DGP levels were shown to decline and disappear without a gluten-free diet. This observation questions DGP's specificity for diagnosis of celiac disease.
Synergic Effect of Genotype Changes in Pertussis Toxin and Pertactin on Adaptation to an Acellular Pertussis Vaccine in the Murine Intranasal Challenge Model
Authors: Komatsu Eiji , Yamaguchi Fuminori , Abe Akio , Weiss Alison A. , Watanabe Mineo
Published: April 2010

The
Bordetella pertussis
pertussis toxin and pertactin (Prn) are protective antigens and are contained in acellular pertussis vaccines. Polymorphisms in the A subunit of pertussis toxin (PtxA) and pertactin have been proposed to mediate vaccine resistance and contribute to pertussis reemergence. To test this hypothesis, previous studies compared clinical isolates expressing different alleles for the proteins. However, other virulence factors or virulence factor expression levels also may vary, confounding the analysis. To overcome these limitations, we constructed isogenic mutants of
B. pertussis
Tohama expressing the alleles
ptxA1
or
ptxA2
and
prn1
or
prn2
and compared the efficacies of an acellular pertussis vaccine against the mutants in a mouse model. While the vaccine was effective against all of the
B. pertussis
strains regardless of the allele expression pattern, the strain expressing
ptxA1
and
prn2
displayed a survival advantage over the other strains. These results suggest that an allele shift to the
ptxA1 prn2
genotype may play a role in the emergence of pertussis in vaccinated populations.
Multicenter Evaluation of a New Shortened Peptide Nucleic Acid Fluorescence
I
n
S
itu
Hybridization Procedure for Species Identification of Select Gram-Negative Bacilli from Blood Cultures
Authors: Morgan Margie , Marlowe Elizabeth , Della-Latta Phyllis , Salimnia Hossein , Novak-Weekley Susan , Wu Fann , Crystal Benjamin S.
Published: April 2010

A shortened protocol for two peptide nucleic acid fluorescence
in situ
hybridization (PNA FISH) assays for the detection of Gram-negative bacilli from positive blood cultures was evaluated in a multicenter trial. There was 100% concordance between the two protocols for each assay (368 of 368 and 370 of 370 results) and 99.7% (367 of 368 and 369 of 370 results) agreement with routine laboratory techniques.
Legionella feeleii
Serotype 2 Pneumonia in a Man with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: a Challenging Diagnosis
Authors: Siegel Marc O. , Fedorko Daniel P. , Drake Steven K. , Calhoun Leslie B. , Holland Steven M.
Published: April 2010

Legionella feeleii
has rarely been reported as causing pneumonia in patients with hematologic malignancies. We present a case of
Legionella feeleii
serotype 2 pneumonia with empyema in a man with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and describe the methods of identifying this organism using both standard methods and newer diagnostic techniques.
False-Positive IgM Serology in Coccidioidomycosis
Authors: Kuberski Tim , Herrig Judith , Pappagianis D.
Published: April 2010

The clinical observation has been made that there might be an unacceptable number of false-positive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test results for IgM among persons suspected of having coccidioidomycosis. Patients with a positive result for IgM by EIA are thought to have a diagnosis of acute coccidioidomycosis. However, this study found that 82% of patients with an IgM-positive and IgG-negative EIA result did not have coccidioidomycosis.
Viral Entry Inhibitors Targeted to the Membrane Site of Action
Authors: Porotto Matteo , Yokoyama Christine C. , Palermo Laura M. , Mungall Bruce , Aljofan Mohamad , Cortese Riccardo , Pessi Antonello , Moscona Anne
Published: April 2010

The fusion of enveloped viruses with the host cell is driven by specialized fusion proteins to initiate infection. The “class I” fusion proteins harbor two regions, typically two heptad repeat (HR) domains, which are central to the complex conformational changes leading to fusion: the first heptad repeat (HRN) is adjacent to the fusion peptide, while the second (HRC) immediately precedes the transmembrane domain. Peptides derived from the HR regions can inhibit fusion, and one HR peptide, T20 (enfuvirtide), is in clinical use for HIV-1. For paramyxoviruses, the activities of two membrane proteins, the receptor-binding protein (hemagglutinin-neuraminidase [HN] or G) and the fusion protein (F), initiate viral entry. The binding of HN or G to its receptor on a target cell triggers the activation of F, which then inserts into the target cell and mediates the membrane fusion that initiates infection. We have shown that for paramyxoviruses, the inhibitory efficacy of HR peptides is inversely proportional to the rate of F activation. For HIV-1, the antiviral potency of an HRC-derived peptide can be dramatically increased by targeting it to the membrane microdomains where fusion occurs, via the addition of a cholesterol group. We report here that for three paramyxoviruses—human parainfluenza virus type 3 (HPIV3), a major cause of lower respiratory tract diseases in infants, and the emerging zoonotic viruses Hendra virus (HeV) and Nipah virus (NiV), which cause lethal central nervous system diseases—the addition of cholesterol to a paramyxovirus HRC-derived peptide increased antiviral potency by 2 log units. Our data suggest that this enhanced activity is indeed the result of the targeting of the peptide to the plasma membrane, where fusion occurs. The cholesterol-tagged peptides on the cell surface create a protective antiviral shield, target the F protein directly at its site of action, and expand the potential utility of inhibitory peptides for paramyxoviruses.
Interplay of RNA Elements in the Dengue Virus 5′ and 3′ Ends Required for Viral RNA Replication
Authors: Friebe Peter , Harris Eva
Published: April 2010

Dengue virus(DENV) is a member of theFlavivirusgenus of positive-sense RNA viruses. DENV RNA replication requires cyclization of the viral genome mediated by two pairs of complementary sequences in the 5′ and 3′ ends, designated 5′ and 3′ cyclization sequences (5′-3′ CS) and the 5′ and 3′ upstream of AUG region (5′-3′ UAR). Here, we demonstrate that another stretch of six nucleotides in the 5′ end is involved in DENV replication and possibly genome cyclization. This new sequence is located downstream of the AUG, designated the 5′ downstream AUG region (5′ DAR); the motif predicted to be complementary in the 3′ end is termed the 3′ DAR. In addition to the UAR, CS and DAR motifs, two other RNA elements are located at the 5′ end of the viral RNA: the 5′ stem-loop A (5′ SLA) interacts with the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and promotes RNA synthesis, and a stem-loop in the coding region named cHP is involved in translation start site selection as well as RNA replication. We analyzed the interplay of these 5′ RNA elements in relation to RNA replication, and our data indicate that two separate functional units are formed; one consists of the SLA, and the other includes the UAR, DAR, cHP, and CS elements. The SLA must be located at the 5′ end of the genome, whereas the position of the second unit is more flexible. We also show that the UAR, DAR, cHP, and CS must act in concert and therefore likely function together to form the tertiary RNA structure of the circularized DENV genome.
Hepatitis C Virus Differentially Modulates Activation of Forkhead Transcription Factors and Insulin-Induced Metabolic Gene Expression
Authors: Banerjee Arup , Meyer Keith , Mazumdar Budhaditya , Ray Ratna B. , Ray Ranjit
Published: April 2010

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is often associated with insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Insulin regulates gene expression of key enzymes in glucose and lipid metabolism by modulating the activity of specific Forkhead box transcriptional regulators (FoxO1 and FoxA2) via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)-Akt signaling pathway in the liver. In this study, we observed that HCV infection of human hepatocytes impaired insulin-induced FoxO1 translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and significantly reduced accumulation of FoxA2 in the nucleus. Phosphorylation of FoxO1 at Ser
256
, a downstream target for Akt, was inhibited in hepatocytes infected with HCV or expressing the core protein or full-length (FL) genome of HCV. Further, an interaction between FoxO1 and 14-3-3 protein, important for FoxO1 translocation, was inhibited in HCV core-expressing cells. Hepatocytes infected with HCV, expressing the core protein alone or polyprotein displayed an increased level of glucose-6-phosphatase (G6P) mRNA. On the other hand, microsomal triglycerol transfer protein (MTP) activity and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) secretion were significantly reduced in hepatocytes expressing HCV proteins. Together, these observations suggest that HCV infection or ectopic expression of the core protein either alone or together with other viral proteins from an FL gene construct differentially modulates FoxO1 and FoxA2 activation and affects insulin-induced metabolic gene regulation in human hepatocytes.
Conformational Changes in the Capsid of a Calicivirus upon Interaction with Its Functional Receptor
Authors: Ossiboff Robert J. , Zhou Yi , Lightfoot Patrick J. , Prasad B. V. Venkataram , Parker John S. L.
Published: April 2010

Nonenveloped viral capsids are metastable structures that undergo conformational changes during virus entry that lead to interactions of the capsid or capsid fragments with the cell membrane. For members of the
Caliciviridae
, neither the nature of these structural changes in the capsid nor the factor(s) responsible for inducing these changes is known. Feline junctional adhesion molecule A (fJAM-A) mediates the attachment and infectious viral entry of feline calicivirus (FCV). Here, we show that the infectivity of some FCV isolates is neutralized following incubation with the soluble receptor at 37°C. We used this property to select mutants resistant to preincubation with the soluble receptor. We isolated and sequenced 24 soluble receptor-resistant (
srr
) mutants and characterized the growth properties and receptor-binding activities of eight mutants. The location of the mutations within the capsid structure of FCV was mapped using a new 3.6-Å structure of native FCV. The
srr
mutations mapped to the surface of the P2 domain were buried at the protruding domain dimer interface or were present in inaccessible regions of the capsid protein. Coupled with data showing that both the parental FCV and the
srr
mutants underwent increases in hydrophobicity upon incubation with the soluble receptor at 37°C, these findings indicate that FCV likely undergoes conformational change upon interaction with its receptor. Changes in FCV capsid conformation following its interaction with fJAM-A may be important for subsequent interactions of the capsid with cellular membranes, membrane penetration, and genome delivery.
Making Sense of Antisense: Seemingly Noncoding RNAs Antisense to the Master Regulator of Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Lytic Replication Do Not Regulate That Transcript but Serve as mRNAs Encoding Small Peptides
Authors: Xu Yiyang , Ganem Don
Published: April 2010

The mammalian transcriptome is studded with putative noncoding RNAs, many of which are antisense to known open reading frames (ORFs). Roles in the regulation of their complementary mRNAs are often imputed to these antisense transcripts, but few have been experimentally examined, and such functions remain largely conjectural. Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) encodes two transcripts that lack obvious ORFs and are complementary to the gene (RTA) encoding the master regulator of the latent/lytic switch. Here, we show that, contrary to expectation, these RNAs do not regulate RTA expression. Rather, they are found on polysomes, and genetic analysis indicates that translational initiation occurs at several AUG codons in the RNA, leading to the presumptive synthesis of peptides of 17 to 48 amino acids. These findings underscore the need for circumspection in the computational assessment of coding potential and raise the possibility that the mammalian proteome may contain many previously unsuspected peptides generated from seemingly noncoding RNAs, some of which could have important biological functions. Irrespective of their function, such peptides could also contribute substantially to the repertoire of T cell epitopes generated in both uninfected and infected cells.
Refrigeration cycle design for refrigerant mixtures by molecular simulation
Authors: Smith William R. , Francová Magda , Kowalski Marian , Nezbeda Ivo
Published: April 2010

We describe a molecular simulation methodology to calculate the properties of a vapor-compression refrigeration cycle and its Coefficient of Performance, in the case when the refrigerant is a mixture. The methodology requires only a molecular force-field model for each refrigerant pure component and, for improved accuracy, an expression for the vapor pressure of each pure component as a function of temperature. Both may be constructed by means of theoretical approaches in combination with minimal amounts of experimental data, and the latter may also be estimated by empirical formulae with reasonable accuracy. The approach involves a combination of several available molecular-level computer simulation techniques for the individual processes of the cycle. This work extends our earlier study to cases when the refrigerant is a pure fluid. The mixture refrigerant simulations entail the calculation of bubble- and dew-point curves for the refrigerant mixtures, and we propose a new approach for dew-point calculations via molecular simulation. We compare results for a test case with those obtained from the Equation-of-State model used in the standard REFPROP software and with experimental data for a commercially available refrigerant mixture of R32 (CH2F2) and R143a (CH2FCF3).
The effectiveness of physical and organisational ergonomic interventions on low back pain and neck pain: a systematic review
Authors: Driessen Maurice T , Proper Karin I , van Tulder Maurits W , Anema Johannes R , Bongers Paulien M , van der Beek Allard J
Published: April 2010

Ergonomic interventions (physical and organisational) are used to prevent or reduce low back pain (LBP) and neck pain among workers. We conducted a systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on the effectiveness of ergonomic interventions. A total of 10 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. There was low to moderate quality evidence that physical and organisational ergonomic interventions were not more effective than no ergonomic intervention on short and long term LBP and neck pain incidence/prevalence, and short and long term LBP intensity. There was low quality evidence that a physical ergonomic intervention was significantly more effective for reducing neck pain intensity in the short term (ie, curved or flat seat pan chair) and the long term (ie, arm board) than no ergonomic intervention. The limited number of RCTs included make it difficult to answer our broad research question and the results should be interpreted with care. This review, however, provides a solid overview of the high quality epidemiological evidence on the (usually lack of) effectiveness of ergonomic interventions on LBP and neck pain.
Some Pile Loading Tests in Stiff Clay
Authors: Lo K Y , Stermac A G
Published: April 2010

Loading tests on two timber piles and a Franki pile, embedded principally in a stiff clay, were carried out. Analysis of the results appear to indicate that the adhesion of the piles is the fully mobilized undrained shear strength of the clay. Reasons for this apparent anomaly with data reported in the literature are suggested.Pore water pressures set up in the soil adjacent to the piles during load testing were very small and calculations in terms of effective stresses, indicated that the ratio of horizontal to vertical effective stress at failure is approximately 1.2.
Sand Displacement and Compaction around Model Friction Piles
Authors: Robinsky E I , Morrison C F
Published: April 2010

By means of radiography techniques the displacement and compaction of sand around strain gage instrumented model piles has been studied. Tests reveal a possible explanation for the low transfer of load through “skin friction” developed by a straight-sided pile, and the high transfer of load developed by the tapered pile. The limits of “visible” soil movement (displacement envelopes) have been determined for nine different pile conditions and a direct relationship has been found to exist between the magnitude of the displacement envelope and pile capacity, indicating interdependence of transfer of load through the pile point and pile wall.
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF NEGATIVITY AND CONCURRENCE BASED ON SPIN COHERENT STATES
Authors: BERRADA K. , El BAZ M. , ELEUCH H. , HASSOUNI Y.
Published: April 2010

In this paper, we investigate two different entanglement measures, the negativity and concurrence, in the case of pure and mixed states of two-qubit system basing on the spin coherent states. For two-qubit pure states, the negativity is the same as the concurrence. For mixed states, using a simplified expression of concurrence in Wootters' measure of entanglement, we write the bounds of Verstraete et al.1as a function of some new parameters and we compare the both measures for a class of mixed states.
A NEW MODEL FOR DESCRIBING EVOLUTION AND CONTROL OF DISASTER SYSTEM INCLUDING INSTANTANEOUS AND CONTINUOUS ACTIONS
Authors: CHEN CHANG-KUN , LI ZHI , SUN YUN-FENG
Published: April 2010

A new model for describing the disaster system including instantaneous and continuous action synchronously has been developed. The model is composed of three primary parts, that is, the impact from its causative disaster events, stochastic noise of disaster node and self-healing function, and every part is modeled concretely in terms of their characteristics in practice. Some key parameters, namely link appearance probability, retardation coefficient, ultimate repair capacity of government, dynamical modes considering different disaster evolving chains, and the positions of link with the specific performance in disaster network system are involved. Combined with a case study, the proposed model is applied to a certain disaster evolution system, and the influence law of different parameters on disaster evolution process, in disaster networks with instantaneous-action and/or continuous-action, is presented and compared. The results indicate that the destructive impact in the networks by link in continuous action is far greater an order of magnitude than that in instantaneous action. If a link in continuous action emerges in the disaster network system, properties of the causative event for the link, link appearance probability and its position in the network all have a notable influence to the severity of the disaster network. In addition, some peculiar phenomena are also commendably observed in the disaster evolution process based on the model, such as the multipeaks emerging in the destroyed rate number curve for some crisis nodes caused by their various inducing paths together with the relevant retardation coefficients, the existence of the critical value for ultimate repair capacity to recover the disaster node, and so on.
COMPARISON BETWEEN MOLECULAR DYNAMICS AND MONTE CARLO DESCRIPTIONS OF SOLID–LIQUID PHASE-TRANSITION OF LENNARD–JONES FLUIDS
Authors: MARTINS A. S. , SEIXAS C. X. S. , dos SANTOS L. B. , RIOS P. R.
Published: April 2010

Molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo techniques are employed for the study of Lennard–Jones fluids near the solid–liquid transition region. Systematic comparisons between the predictions of both techniques are discussed, with particular emphasis on the structural evolution and location of the transition (melting) temperature Tm.
LATTICE BOLTZMANN MODEL FOR SIMULATING VISCOUS COMPRESSIBLE FLOWS
Authors: WANG Y. , HE Y. L. , LI Q. , TANG G. H. , TAO W. Q.
Published: April 2010

A lattice Boltzmann model is developed for viscous compressible flows with flexible specific-heat ratio and Prandtl number. Unlike the Maxwellian distribution function or circle function used in the existing lattice Boltzmann models, a polynomial kernel function in the phase space is introduced to recover the Navier–Stokes–Fourier equations. A discrete equilibrium density distribution function and a discrete equilibrium total energy distribution function are obtained from the discretization of the polynomial kernel function with Lagrangian interpolation. The equilibrium distribution functions are then coupled via the equation of state. In this framework, a model for viscous compressible flows is proposed. Several numerical tests from subsonic to supersonic flows, including the Sod shock tube, the double Mach reflection and the thermal Couette flow, are simulated to validate the present model. In particular, the discrete Boltzmann equation with the Bhatnagar–Gross–Krook approximation is solved by the finite-difference method. Numerical results agree well with the exact or analytic solutions. The present model has potential application in the study of complex fluid systems such as thermal compressible flows.
TRAFFIC BEHAVIOR AROUND THE WEAVING SECTION IN CELLULAR AUTOMATA MODEL
Authors: JIA BIN , LI XIN-GANG , JIANG RUI , GAO ZI-YOU
Published: April 2010

In this paper, the traffic behavior around the weaving section, in which an on-ramp and an off-ramp are joined together by an auxiliary lane, is investigated. The drive-in vehicle should merge into the main road while the exit vehicle should diverge from the main road. The influence of those merging and diverging behavior on the dynamics of traffic around the weaving section is studied by analyzing the phase diagram in different spaces and the total flux depending on each parameter. When the number of drive-in vehicle and the number of exit vehicle are close to each other, the total flux is less disturbed. But when they have large difference, the total flux is greatly reduced. We also studied the total flux as a function of the length of the weaving section. It is shown that the weaving section should not be shorter than 150 m.
WATER WAVE PROPAGATING IN ONE-DIMENSIONAL COMBINATION BOTTOM SYSTEMS
Authors: YANG YANTING , YANG YANMING , ZHAO YU JUN , CHENG JING
Published: April 2010

The water wave transmission properties and the frequency spectra of one-dimensional combination bottom of water and mercury with different filling fractions are studied by the transfer matrix method. For the periodic bottoms (PBs), the effect of the steps' numbers and the width on the band gaps are discussed. Each of whole band gaps is the juxtaposition of the gaps of three kinds of PBs, without covering. The numerical results show that the band gaps could be enlarged effectively by choosing the steps' width properly.
STRUCTURAL PHASE TRANSITION IN BORON COMPOUNDS AT HIGH PRESSURE
Authors: TALATI MINA , JHA PRAFULLA K.
Published: April 2010

The high-pressure induced structural phase transitions and pressure induced elastic and anharmonic behavior of boron compounds viz. BN, BP, and BAs have been investigated using an inter-ionic potential approach based on charge transfer effect. These compounds go to NaCl phase (B1) under pressure from zinc blende phase (B3). The variations of second-order elastic constants and their combinations follow a systematic trend with pressure, identical to that observed in other compounds of zinc blende structure family. Shear stiffness constants decrease with increasing pressure up to phase transition pressure. The bulk moduli of these compounds are in reasonably good agreement with other theoretical and experimental data. The values of phase transition pressure of these compounds obtained by using the present approach are also in good agreement with those predicted by using the pseudo potential approach. The present approach has also succeeded in predicting the Born and relative stability criterion for stable zinc blende phase of these compounds. We also present a set of third-order elastic constants and pressure derivatives of second-order elastic constants for boron compounds.
AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR DETECTING CHAOS IN FRACTIONAL-ORDER SYSTEMS
Authors: CAFAGNA DONATO , GRASSI GIUSEPPE
Published: April 2010

This paper illustrates a reliable binary test for detecting the presence of chaos in nonlinear systems described by fractional-order differential equations. The method, which is inspired by the technique proposed in [Gottwald & Melbourne, 2004] for integer-order differential equations, does not require phase space reconstruction of the fractional system. It consists of obtaining the data series, constructing a random walk-type process and studying how the variance of the random walk scales with time. In order to show the capabilities of the approach, the test is successfully applied to three well-known dynamical systems, i.e. fractional Chua, Chen and Lorenz systems.
FRACTAL FORMATION IN THE CIRCULAR CHAOS GAME: A TOPOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION
Authors: GAMA ANDERSON LUIS , DE FREITAS MARIO SERGIO TEIXEIRA
Published: April 2010

Barnsley Chaos Game was adapted for time series without the usual discretization, applying the series to a circle instead of a polygon. When the time series is the chaotic nonfractal solution of logistic map with parameter equal to 4, it is shown that the attractive set presents fractal characteristics. Such characteristics are justified through an analysis of topological features that are present in the formation process, and also in the information that is preserved along iterations. We include a discussion about the criterion for identifying a fractal set, considering its formation process, in addition to the visual analysis and statistical methods.
CONSTRUCTING MULTIWING HYPERCHAOTIC ATTRACTORS
Authors: YU BO , HU GUOSI
Published: April 2010

Few reports have introduced chaotic attractors with both multiwing topological structure and hyperchaotic dynamics. A simple construction method, for designing chaotic system with multiwing attractors, is presented in this paper. The number of wings in the attractor was doubled on applying this method to an arbitrary smooth chaotic system. Moreover, the hyperchaotic property is preserved in the new system. A new hyperchaotic system with 16-wing attractors is constructed; the result system is not only verified via numerical simulation but also confirmed by a DSP-based experiment.
COOPERATION IN THE PRISONER'S DILEMMA GAME IN RANDOM SCALE-FREE GRAPHS
Authors: PONCELA JULIA , GÓMEZ-GARDEÑES JESÚS , MORENO YAMIR , FLORÍA LUIS MARIO
Published: April 2010

In this paper we study the cooperative behavior of agents playing the Prisoner's Dilemma game in random scale-free networks. We show that the survival of cooperation is enhanced with respect to random homogeneous graphs but, on the other hand, decreases when compared to that found in Barabási–Albert scale-free networks. We show that the latter decrease is related to the structure of cooperation. Additionally, we present a mean field approximation for studying evolutionary dynamics in networks with no degree-degree correlations and with arbitrary degree distribution. The mean field approach is similar to the one used for describing the disease spreading in complex networks, making a further compartmentalization of the strategists partition into degree-classes. We show that this kind of approximation is suitable to describe the behavior of the system for a particular set of initial conditions, such as the placement of cooperators in the higher-degree classes, while it fails to reproduce the level of cooperation observed in the numerical simulations for arbitrary initial configurations.
SEMI-AUTOMATIC SURFACE SCANNER FOR MEDICAL TANGIBLE USER INTERFACES
Authors: SHERSTYUK ANDREI , TRESKUNOV ANTON , BERG BENJAMIN
Published: April 2010

Mixing real and virtual components into one consistent environment often involves creating geometry models of physical objects. Traditional approaches include manual modeling by 3D artists or use of dedicated devices. Both approaches require special skills or special hardware and may be costly.

We propose a new method for fast semi-automatic 3D geometry acquisition, based upon unconventional use of motion tracking equipment. The proposed method is intended for quick surface prototyping for Virtual, Augmented and Mixed reality applications (VR/AR/MR), where quality of visualization of scanned objects is not required or is of low priority.
THE SEGMENTATION OF BRAIN MR IMAGES USING REFORMATIVE EXPECTATION-MAXIMIZATION ALGORITHM
Authors: WU JIE , CHEN JIABI , ZHANG XUELONG , CHEN JINGHAI
Published: April 2010

We propose a reformative Expectation-Maximization algorithm for brain MRI segmentation. The method extends the traditional EM method to a power transformed version. To test the algorithm we compare it with the method used in SPM software. The test results show that the method performs well in brain MR images segmentation, the brain MR images can be segmented into distinct tissue types.
Porosity development, diagenesis and basin modelling of a Lower Cretaceous (Albian) carbonate platform from northern Spain
Authors: Rosales I. , Pérez-García A.
Published: April 2010

This paper describes an integrated field, petrographic and geochemical study of an Albian carbonate platform from the Basque-Cantabrian basin (northern Spain). It examines the distribution and evolution of porosity and the relationships between facies variations, sequences and variations in diagenesis. These platform carbonates were deposited on the footwall crests of active tilted blocks formed during continental rifting related to the Mesozoic opening of the Bay of Biscay and North Atlantic. The studied units document an early Albian aggradational steep-sloping platform and a late Albian, low-gradient expansive shelf separated by a hiatal unconformity spanning the middle–early late Albian (
c.
5 Ma). The late Albian platform unit also exhibits a major internal unconformity. Platform geometries and facies architecture were mainly controlled by tectonics, hydrodynamic energy level and water depth.

Petrographic, cathodoluminescence and geochemical analyses suggest that early meteoric diagenesis developed during sub-aerial exposure in strata below these two major unconformities. The platform carbonates have been affected during burial by a number of diagenetic processes that include four phases of dissolution, several fracture generations, and six cement sequences with development of at least 13 calcite and dolomite cement zones (Z0–Z12). A contrasting diagenetic response from the different platform environments illustrates the role of primary sediment composition and unconformity development in controlling porosity and cement distribution. Limestone stabilization and cementation were relatively early processes that were mostly completed within the first kilometre of burial depth beneath the depositional surface. Below this burial depth, fluid circulation was concentrated along restricted pathways (fractures and fault zones). Migration of hydrothermal-related fluids along fault zones created localized dolomite patches and large-scale porosity associated with cavities and collapse breccias, but did not significantly increase the small-scale porosity.