bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodology of Risk Management in Pipeline Projects
Authors: Agrawal J. P. N. , Srivastava S. P.
Published: October 2013

Organizations of all types and sizes face internal and external factors and influences that make it uncertain whether and when they will achieve their business objectives. The effect this uncertainty has on an organization’s objectives is “RISK”. In recent times all sectors of the economy have shifted focus towards the management of risk as the key to making organizations successful in delivering their objectives while protecting the interests of their stakeholders. Risk may be defined as events or conditions that may occur, and whose occurrence, if it does take place, has a harmful or negative impact on the achievement of the organization’s business objectives. The exposure to the consequences of uncertainty constitutes a risk.

Organizations that are most effective and efficient in managing risks to both existing assets and to future growth will, in the long run, outperform those that are less so. Simply put, companies make money by taking intelligent risks and lose money by failing to manage risk intelligently.

Risk management is the identification, assessment, and prioritization of risks (defined in ISO 31000 as the effect of uncertainty on objectives, whether positive or negative) followed by coordinated and economical application of resources to minimize, monitor, and control the probability and/or impact of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of opportunities. Risks can come from uncertainty in financial markets, project failures (at any phase in design, development, production, or sustainment life-cycles), legal liabilities, credit risk, accidents, natural causes and disasters as well as deliberate attack from an adversary, or events of uncertain or unpredictable root-cause. Several risk management standards have been developed including the Project Management Institute, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, actuarial societies, and ISO standards. Methods, definitions and goals vary widely according to whether the risk management method is in the context of project management, security, engineering, industrial processes, financial portfolios, actuarial assessments, or public health and safety.

Risk management is a holistic, integrated, structured and disciplined approach to managing risks with the objective of maximizing shareholder’s value. It aligns strategy, processes, people & culture, technology and governance with the purpose of evaluating and managing the uncertainties faced by the organization while creating value.

Broadly this paper deals with the objective of risk management along with identification, polarization, mitigation and governance of risks associated with pipeline projects. Further the criteria for assigning the probabilities and impact of an identified risk along with their classification based on its probability and impact are also incorporated in the paper.
Crude Oil Network Modeling, Simulation and Optimization: Novel Approach and Operational Benefits
Authors: Rizwan Mohamed , Al-Otaibi Mohammed F. , Al-Khaledi Sadoun
Published: October 2013

This technical paper presents the approach adopted by Kuwait Oil Company to establish an integrated Crude Oil Export Pipeline simulation model in South & East Kuwait area to achieve increase in overall asset-wide production and to improve future Pipeline & Facilities Design.

The simulation used As-Built pipeline data along with field data to achieve the objectives of the study.

The study had the following objectives:

• Identify additional capacity/ deficiency within the system.

• Perform Hydraulic Calculations (Pressure losses, Temperature Changes & Estimation of Pumping requirements from Gathering Centers).

• Determination of operating constraints/bottlenecks due to non-availability of any critical pipe segments.

• Optimization of Network.

Accuracy of the pipeline model was verified by comparing simulation results of the existing pipelines & Manifolds with the operating data to confirm that model results duplicated field measurements. The model developed in this study has the characteristics and the ability to predict the flows and pressures under wide range of conditions — including various operational modes and constraints.

The model accurately predicted the capacities and also raised few flags which were solved within short time and subsequently the network was optimized. Hydraulics study revealed that no additional capacity or looping were required. Model was studied for reliability of supply under wide range of conditions subject to potential bottlenecks and constraints which were identified in the study.
TOF SIMS analyses of stray Ga during FIB milling
Authors: Santeufemio Christopher , Gorman Brian P. , Zhou Chuanzhen , Giannuzzi Lucille A. , Stevie Fred A.
Published: October 2013

A blind study using two different 30 keV state-of-the-art Ga+ focused ion beam (FIB) columns was performed to analyze the surface concentration of Ga as a function of distance from a FIB milled feature. Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry was used to measure Ga surface and near surface concentration by a series of depth profiles at a distance up to 6.5 mm from a 100 μm ×100 μm constant dose FIB milled square. In column “A,” >1 × 1012 atoms/cm2 of Ga was detected up to ∼5 mm from the FIB milled square. Column “B” showed considerably less Ga but still detected >1 × 1012 atoms/cm2 at ∼250 μm from the FIB milled square. The depth profiles show that the Ga concentration was similar to a depth of ∼1 nm from the surface for both columns, indicating that these implantation depths correspond to a particle energy <250 eV. The low energy presence of Ga far from the intended region of interest was likely due to either secondary sputtering from instrument optics and other structures near the sample, or redeposited Ga from sputtered or backsputtered particles emitted from the area under primary ion irradiation.
Soft Acoustic Metamaterials
Authors: Brunet Thomas , Leng Jacques , Mondain-Monval Olivier
Published: October 2013

Soft materials that embed small resonators in a host material can dampen or focus sound.
Strain-Induced Ultrahard and Ultrastable Nanolaminated Structure in Nickel
Authors: Liu X. C. , Zhang H. W. , Lu K.
Published: October 2013

Taking the Strain

When heavily deformed through compressive or torsional loading, crystalline metals will generate an increasing density of defects or dislocations that effectively strengthens the metal against further deformation. However, at some stage, the fine-grained structure that forms saturates.

Liu
et al.

(p.
337
; see the Perspective by

Ramtani

), show that combining the application of a very-high-rate shear deformation with high strain gradients to the surface layer of a pure sample of nickel can overcome this saturation. Instead of a three-dimensional fine-grained structure, a top layer with a two-dimensional layered structure occupied the first 80 micrometers. In addition to being stronger, this layered nickel structure was also more thermally stable.
Perovskite-Based Solar Cells
Authors: Hodes Gary
Published: October 2013

Organic-inorganic hybrid semiconductors may provide the basis for the next generation of thin-film solar cells.

[Also see Reports by

Stranks
et al.

and

Xing
et al.

]
How to Be Both Strong and Thermally Stable
Authors: Ramtani Salah
Published: October 2013

An ultrafine-grained nickel material is stronger and more thermally stable than previously reported materials of this kind.

[Also see Report by

Liu
et al.

]
Science Demystified
Authors: Alberts Bruce , McNutt Marcia
Published: October 2013

We are pleased to announce a new resource from science for exposing pre-college and university students to the nature of science as a fascinating and powerful way of knowing about the world. The need to do so is by no means new.
*
“Being well informed about science is not the same thing as understanding science…What is needed is methods for importing some knowledge of the tactics and strategy of science to those who are not scientists.”
†
Our new initiative,
Science in the Classroom (SitC)
, is designed to help demystify how scientists build a basis for understanding the world. It is freely available (
http://scienceintheclassroom.org
) as a resource to enable more effective teaching and understanding of the sciences.
Stunning Skull Gives a Fresh Portrait of Early Humans
Authors: Gibbons Ann
Published: October 2013

The most complete early
Homo
skull ever found, from Dmanisi, Georgia, gives our genus a new look.
U.S. Shutdown Disrupts Long-Term Ecosystem Studies
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: October 2013

The U.S. government shutdown, even if it ends soon, could have long-term effects on long-term ecological research.
Nitrate Reductase Assay for Rapid Detection of Isoniazid, Rifampin, Ethambutol, and Streptomycin Resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Coban Ahmet Yilmaz , Deveci Aydin , Sunter Ahmet Tevfik , Martin Anandi
Published: October 2013

Colorimetric phenotypic tests recently gained interest because traditional primary drug susceptibility testing of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
isolates takes a long time. We used meta-analysis techniques to review the reliability and accuracy of the nitrate reductase assay (NRA), which is one of the most popular colorimetric methods to detect resistance to first-line drugs. Medline, PubMed, ISI Web, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were used to search for studies enrolled in the meta-analysis. The analysis included 35 studies for isoniazid (INH), 38 for rifampin (RIF), and 22 for ethambutol (EMB) and streptomycin (STR). Summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were applied to summarize diagnostic accuracy. The meta-analyses were performed by the use of Meta-DiSc software (version 1.4) and were focused on sensitivity and specificity values for measurements of accuracy. The pooled sensitivities were 96% for INH, 97% for RIF, 90% for EMB, and 82% for STR. The pooled specificities for INH, RIF, EMB, and STR were 99%, 100%, 98%, and 96%, respectively. The times required to obtain results were between 5 and 28 days by the direct NRA and between 5 and 14 days by the indirect test. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis showed that the NRA is a reliable low-cost rapid colorimetric susceptibility test that can be used for the detection of multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis, including detection of EMB resistance. However, the test appears to have a relatively low sensitivity for STR and needs further improvement.
Homology Analysis of Pathogenic Yersinia Species Yersinia enterocolitica, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and Yersinia pestis Based on Multilocus Sequence Typing
Authors: Duan Ran , Liang Junrong , Shi Guoxiang , Cui Zhigang , Hai Rong , Wang Peng , Xiao Yuchun , Li Kewei , Qiu Haiyan , Gu Wenpeng , Du Xiaoli , Jing Huaiqi , Wang Xin
Published: October 2013

We developed a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme and used it to study the population structure and evolutionary relationships of three pathogenic
Yersinia
species. MLST of these three
Yersinia
species showed a complex of two clusters, one composed of
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
and
Yersinia pestis
and the other composed of
Yersinia enterocolitica
. Within the first cluster, the predominant
Y. pestis
sequence type 90 (ST90) was linked to
Y. pseudotuberculosis
ST43 by one locus difference, and 81.25% of the ST43 strains were from serotype O:1b, supporting the hypothesis that
Y. pestis
descended from the O:1b serotype of
Y. pseudotuberculosis
. We also found that the worldwide-prevalent serotypes O:1a, O:1b, and O:3 were predominated by specific STs. The second cluster consisted of pathogenic and nonpathogenic
Y. enterocolitica
strains, two of which may not have identical STs. The pathogenic
Y. enterocolitica
strains formed a relatively conserved group; most strains clustered within ST186 and ST187. Serotypes O:3, O:8, and O:9 were separated into three distinct blocks. Nonpathogenic
Y. enterocolitica
STs were more heterogeneous, reflecting genetic diversity through evolution. By providing a better and effective MLST procedure for use with the
Yersinia
community, valuable information and insights into the genetic evolutionary differences of these pathogens were obtained.
Prevalence and Genotype Distribution of Pneumocystis jirovecii in Cuban Infants and Toddlers with Whooping Cough
Authors: Monroy-Vaca Ernesto X. , de Armas Yaxsier , Illnait-Zaragozí María T. , Toraño Gilda , Diaz Raúl , Vega Dania , Alvarez-Lam Ileana , Calderón Enrique J. , Stensvold Christen R.
Published: October 2013

This study describes the prevalence and genotype distribution of
Pneumocystis jirovecii
obtained from nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs from immunocompetent Cuban infants and toddlers with whooping cough (WC). A total of 163 NP swabs from 163 young Cuban children with WC who were admitted to the respiratory care units at two pediatric centers were studied. The prevalence of the organism was determined by a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay targeting the
P. jirovecii
mitochondrial large subunit (mtLSU) rRNA gene. Genotypes were identified by direct sequencing of mtLSU ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) gene amplicons. qPCR detected
P. jirovecii
DNA in 48/163 (29.4%) samples. mtLSU rDNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of three different genotypes in the population. Genotype 2 was most common (48%), followed in prevalence by genotypes 1 (23%) and 3 (19%); mixed-genotype infections were seen in 10% of the cases. RFLP analysis of DHPS PCR products revealed four genotypes, 18% of which were associated with resistance to sulfa drugs. Only contact with coughers (prevalence ratio [PR], 3.51 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.79 to 6.87];
P
= 0.000) and exposure to tobacco smoke (PR, 1.82 [95% CI, 1.14 to 2.92];
P
= 0.009) were statistically associated with being colonized by
P. jirovecii
. The prevalence of
P. jirovecii
in infants and toddlers with WC and the genotyping results provide evidence that this population represents a potential reservoir and transmission source of
P. jirovecii
.
Mosquito Saliva Serine Protease Enhances Dissemination of Dengue Virus into the Mammalian Host
Authors: Conway Michael J. , Watson Alan M. , Colpitts Tonya M. , Dragovic Srdjan M. , Li Zhiyong , Wang Penghua , Feitosa Fabiana , Shepherd Denueve T. , Ryman Kate D. , Klimstra William B. , Anderson John F. , Fikrig Erol
Published: October 2013

Dengue virus (DENV), a flavivirus of global importance, is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. In this study, we developed
in vitro
and
in vivo
models of saliva-mediated enhancement of DENV infectivity. Serine protease activity in
Aedes aegypti
saliva augmented virus infectivity
in vitro
by proteolyzing extracellular matrix proteins, thereby increasing viral attachment to heparan sulfate proteoglycans and inducing cell migration. A serine protease inhibitor reduced saliva-mediated enhancement of DENV
in vitro
and
in vivo
, marked by a 100-fold reduction in DENV load in murine lymph nodes. A saliva-mediated infectivity enhancement screen of fractionated salivary gland extracts identified serine protease CLIPA3 as a putative cofactor, and short interfering RNA knockdown of CLIPA3 in mosquitoes demonstrated its role in influencing DENV infectivity. Molecules in mosquito saliva that facilitate viral infectivity in the vertebrate host provide novel targets that may aid in the prevention of disease.
Characterization of the Envelope Glycoprotein of a Novel Filovirus, Lloviu Virus
Authors: Maruyama Junki , Miyamoto Hiroko , Kajihara Masahiro , Ogawa Hirohito , Maeda Ken , Sakoda Yoshihiro , Yoshida Reiko , Takada Ayato
Published: October 2013

Lloviu virus (LLOV), a novel filovirus detected in bats, is phylogenetically distinct from viruses in the generaEbolavirusandMarburgvirusin the familyFiloviridae. While filoviruses are known to cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and/or nonhuman primates, LLOV is biologically uncharacterized, since infectious LLOV has never been isolated. To examine the properties of LLOV, we characterized its envelope glycoprotein (GP), which likely plays a key role in viral tropism and pathogenicity. We first found that LLOV GP principally has the same primary structure as the other filovirus GPs. Similar to the other filoviruses, virus-like particles (VLPs) produced by transient expression of LLOV GP, matrix protein, and nucleoprotein in 293T cells had densely arrayed GP spikes on a filamentous particle. Mouse antiserum to LLOV VLP was barely cross-reactive to viruses of the other genera, indicating that LLOV is serologically distinct from the other known filoviruses. For functional study of LLOV GP, we utilized a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotype system and found that LLOV GP requires low endosomal pH and cathepsin L, and that human C-type lectins act as attachment factors for LLOV entry into cells. Interestingly, LLOV GP-pseudotyped VSV infected particular bat cell lines more efficiently than viruses bearing other filovirus GPs. These results suggest that LLOV GP mediates cellular entry in a manner similar to that of the other filoviruses while showing preferential tropism for some bat cells.
Chronic Joint Disease Caused by Persistent Chikungunya Virus Infection Is Controlled by the Adaptive Immune Response
Authors: Hawman David W. , Stoermer Kristina A. , Montgomery Stephanie A. , Pal Pankaj , Oko Lauren , Diamond Michael S. , Morrison Thomas E.
Published: October 2013

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a reemerging mosquito-borne pathogen that causes incapacitating disease in humans characterized by intense joint pain that can persist for weeks, months, or even years. Although there is some evidence of persistent CHIKV infection in humans suffering from chronic rheumatologic disease symptoms, little is known about chronic disease pathogenesis, and no specific therapies exist for acute or chronic CHIKV disease. To investigate mechanisms of chronic CHIKV-induced disease, we utilized a mouse model and defined the duration of CHIKV infection in tissues and the associated histopathological changes. Although CHIKV RNA was readily detectable in a variety of tissues very early after infection, CHIKV RNA persisted specifically in joint-associated tissues for at least 16 weeks. Inoculation ofRag1−/−mice, which lack T and B cells, resulted in higher viral levels in a variety of tissues, suggesting that adaptive immunity controls the tissue specificity and persistence of CHIKV infection. The presence of CHIKV RNA in tissues of wild-type andRag1−/−mice was associated with histopathological evidence of synovitis, arthritis, and tendonitis; thus, CHIKV-induced persistent arthritis is not mediated primarily by adaptive immune responses. Finally, we show that prophylactic administration of CHIKV-specific monoclonal antibodies prevented the establishment of CHIKV persistence, whereas therapeutic administration had tissue-specific efficacy. These findings suggest that chronic musculoskeletal tissue pathology is caused by persistent CHIKV infection and controlled by adaptive immune responses. Our results have significant implications for the development of strategies to mitigate the disease burden associated with CHIKV infection in humans.
Alternative Reassortment Events Leading to Transmissible H9N1 Influenza Viruses in the Ferret Model
Authors: Kimble J. Brian , Angel Matthew , Wan Hongquan , Sutton Troy C. , Finch Courtney , Perez Daniel R.
Published: October 2013

Influenza A H9N2 viruses are common poultry pathogens that occasionally infect swine and humans. It has been shown previously with H9N2 viruses that reassortment can generate novel viruses with increased transmissibility. Here, we demonstrate the modeling power of a novel transfection-based inoculation system to select reassortant viruses under
in vivo
selective pressure. Plasmids containing the genes from an H9N2 virus and a pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) virus were transfected into HEK 293T cells to potentially generate the full panel of possible H9 reassortants. These cells were then used to inoculate ferrets, and the population dynamics were studied. Two respiratory-droplet-transmissible H9N1 viruses were selected by this method, indicating a selective pressure in ferrets for the novel combination of surface genes. These results show that a transfection-based inoculation system is a fast and efficient method to model reassortment and highlight the risk of reassortment between H9N2 and pH1N1 viruses.
Transcription of True Late (γ2) Cytomegalovirus Genes Requires UL92 Function That Is Conserved among Beta- and Gammaherpesviruses
Authors: Omoto Shinya , Mocarski Edward S.
Published: October 2013

Human cytomegalovirus-encoded UL92 plays an essential role in viral replication that has not been resolved. We show here that this gene controls the accumulation of true late (γ
2
) viral transcripts, a property shared with several other recently evaluated genes (UL79, UL87, UL91, and UL95) conserved among beta- and gammaherpesviruses. When the UL92 mutant virus was evaluated, function was fully complemented by either the natural protein or the homologous Rh127 protein from rhesus cytomegalovirus. N-terminal epitope-tagged UL92 protein is functional, follows complex early-late expression kinetics, and localizes in the nucleus within viral replication compartments. UL92 severely impacts the late (72-h postinfection) expression of nine genes encoding virion proteins (UL32, UL55, UL73, UL75, UL80, UL86, UL99, and UL115), as well as UL91 and itself, but does not influence the levels of UL44, UL82, or UL83 accumulation. Although viral DNA is made at normal levels, viral capsid accumulation in the nucleus is severely compromised in UL92 mutant virus-infected cells, and mature virions are not observed in the cytoplasm. Taken together, UL92 is a key regulator of late viral gene expression, apparently functioning with four other beta- or gammaherpesvirus gene products in a pattern that appears reminiscent of gene regulation in T4 DNA bacteriophage.
Recurrent non-tuberculous mycobacterial keratitis after deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty for keratoconus
Authors: Murthy Somasheila I , Jain Rajat , Swarup Rishi , Sangwan Virender S
Published: October 2013

A 26-year-old farmer underwent deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) for keratoconus. After 3 months, he presented with interface keratitis. Medical treatment failed and he underwent a repeat DALK. Microbiological scrapings from the interface revealed an infection caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria. Despite the use of intensive antibiotic therapy and a repeat lamellar keratoplasty, the infiltrates recurred. The patient underwent therapeutic penetrating keratoplasty. Microbiology of the corneal tissue revealed growth ofMycobacterium chelonae, and on histopathology, the acid-fast bacilli were noted to be located deep at the pre-Descemet level. There was complete resolution of the infection with no episodes of recurrence and final best-corrected visual acuity was 20/40 at 1 year of follow-up. Medical therapy is unlikely to succeed in post-DALK interface keratitis and penetrating rather than lamellar keratoplasty may be considered the surgery of choice.
Disseminated histoplasmosis: missed opportunistic infection in a HIV-infected patient
Authors: Mehta Anita , Desai Shivang , Desai Nayan , Mookerjee Anuradha
Published: October 2013

Oral ulcers are common in HIV-infected patients, with a broad differential, including viral, bacterial, fungal, mycobacterial and neoplastic aetiologies. We present a case of a patient with AIDS with oral ulcer, which was a cutaneous presentation of disseminated histoplasmosis. Our patient responded excellently to treatment.
Myositis ossificans circumscripta, secondary to high-velocity gunshot and fragment wound that causes sciatica
Authors: Gokkus Kemal , Sagtas Ergin , Suslu Feride Ekimler , Aydin Ahmet Turan
Published: October 2013

This report concerns an unusual cause of sciatica. The case presented is of a young man with myositis ossificans that resulted in sciatica and was treated with en bloc excision and low-dose radiotherapy and indomethacine. The aim of this study was to explain the different diagnostic properties of myositis ossificans around the hip and non-classic causes of sciatica.
Guillain-Barre syndrome-like illness in association with electrical shock injury
Authors: Anderson Michelle Louise , O'Riordan Jonathan
Published: October 2013

A 19-year-old man presented 4 weeks after an electrical shock injury with gradual onset limb weakness, altered sensation in the peripheries and respiratory difficulty. There was immediate tingling of the fingers following the electrical injury that persisted. He subsequently had transient facial weakness responsive to oral steroids before the development of further limb symptoms. On admission the clinical picture and investigation findings, including neurophysiology, cerebrospinal fluid examination and MRI were consistent with a Guillain-Barre syndrome. He was managed with a course of intravenous immunoglobulin and extensive physiotherapy and occupational therapy. He made an initial modest improvement but worsened again over the subsequent 4–6 weeks. Further investigation identified no ongoing active disease and he is left with a significant residual deficit.
On the “elastic stiffness” in a high-cycle accumulation model — continued investigations
Authors: Wichtmann Torsten , Niemunis Andrzej , Triantafyllidis Theodoros
Published: October 2013

The high-cycle accumulation (HCA) model proposed by the authors can be used to predict permanent deformations or stress relaxation due to a large number (e.g., several millions) of load cycles with relative small strain amplitudes (<10−3). The predicted stress relaxation depends on the isotropic “elastic stiffness”, [Formula: see text], used in the HCA model. To calibrate the bulk modulus, K, the rate of pore pressure accumulation obtained from an undrained cyclic test and the rate of volumetric strain accumulation measured in a drained cyclic test are compared. Poisson’s ratio, ν, can be determined from the shape of the stress relaxation path measured in an undrained test with anisotropic consolidation stresses and strain cycles. Unfortunately, the calibration of K shown for a medium coarse sand in a previous paper by Wichtmann et al. in 2010 was affected by membrane penetration effects. Consequently, all further studies have been performed on a fine sand for which membrane penetration is negligible. The present paper reports on the new results. The strong pressure dependence of K and its independence from amplitude found in the previous study could be confirmed by the new tests. In addition, the new experimental results reveal a density dependence of K, while the bulk modulus is rather independent of stress ratio. Furthermore, for the first time Poisson’s ratio, ν, used in the HCA model has been calibrated based on tests performed with different amplitudes, densities, and initial stresses.
Leaf architecture of terrestrial and epiphytic ferns from an Araucaria forest in southern Brazil
Authors: Larcher L. , Boeger M.R.T. , Soffiatti P. , Da Silveira T.I.
Published: October 2013

Studies of angiosperms have associated the mechanical design of petioles with leaf form and the occurrence of simple and compound leaves. Petiole anatomy can respond differently, according to different leaf forms, to maintain plant architecture. The present study evaluated whether this premise applies to fern leaf architecture. Leaves of five ferns (Blechnum binervatum (Poir.) C.V. Morton & Lellinger, Ctenitis falciculata (Raddi) Ching, Megalastrum connexum (Kaulf.) A.R. Smith & R.C. Moran, Microgramma squamulosa (Kaulf.) de la Sota, and Serpocaulon catharinae (Langsd. & Fisch.) A.R. Sm.) from a remnant of an Araucaria Forest in southern Brazil were collected and their morphological and anatomical traits were analyzed. Results indicate that the biomechanical patterns of these terrestrial and epiphytic ferns are similar to those reported for angiosperms, except for the presence of subepidermal sclerenchyma in fern petioles. Independently of leaf form, the rigid structure of fern petioles appears to be an important adaptation to biomechanically support leaf position for maximum light interception in forest understories.
LARGE-x CONNECTIONS OF NUCLEAR AND HIGH-ENERGY PHYSICS
Authors: ACCARDI ALBERTO
Published: October 2013

I discuss how global QCD fits of parton distribution functions (PDFs) can make the somewhat separated fields of high-energy particle physics and lower energy hadronic and nuclear physics interact to the benefit of both. I review specific examples of this interplay from recent works of the CTEQ-Jefferson Lab collaboration, including hadron structure at large parton momentum and gauge boson production at colliders. I devote particular attention to quantifying theoretical uncertainties arising in the treatment of large partonic momentum contributions to deep inelastic scattering (DIS) observables, and to discussing the experimental progress needed to reduce these.
AXIGLUON PHENOMENOLOGY USING ATLAS DIJET DATA
Authors: DÍAZ BASTIÁN , ZERWEKH ALFONSO R.
Published: October 2013

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest on axigluons as part of a possible extension of strong interactions at high energies. In this paper, we use recent ATLAS measurements of the dijet spectrum in order to set limits on the axigluon mass and coupling to quarks. We pay special attention to the methodology used to extract the resonant contribution from theoretical simulations. Finally, we present some predictions for the next LHC run at [Formula: see text].
MICROPHASE SEPARATION IN POLYDISPERSE GRAFT COPOLYMERS
Authors: ALIEV M. A. , Yu KUZMINYKH N.
Published: October 2013

The phase behavior of the polydisperse An+1Bnmultigraft copolymer melt is considered in a framework of weak segregation theory. The phase diagrams of melt are constructed within first harmonics approximation for two special cases: (i) lengths of backbone subchains between successive grafting points in each macromolecule are distributed according to the Schultz–Zimm distribution whereas lengths of side chains are fixed and (ii) both lengths of backbone subchains and side chains are distributed according to the same Schultz–Zimm distribution. The regions of stability of LAM, HEX and BCC mesophases in phase diagrams deform considerably as compared with the case of monodisperse graft copolymer. For both the cases the mean field phase diagrams indicate that order–disorder transition temperature grows as polydispersity index increases.
THE U(5)–O(6) PROPERTIES OF 102Pd, 106 Cd, 124Te AND 128Xe NUCLEI
Authors: AHMED I. M.
Published: October 2013

The low-lying collective properties of 102 Pd , 106 Cd , 124 Te and 128 Xe nuclei have been established. The relation between gamma-energy over spin Eγ/I as a function of spin I has been drawn to determine the properties of these nuclei in the ground states band. The combined vibrator-γ-soft energy equation was used to calculate the energy of the ground states band for the above nuclei, and it was compared with the calculated energy by using the U(5)–O(6) of the IBM-1. The calculation of the combined equation and the IBM-1 is in good agreement with the measured and other calculated values.
NOISE LEVEL MEASUREMENT TEST TO PREDICT THE ABRASION RESISTANCE OF ROCK AGGREGATES
Authors: KAHRAMAN S. , DELIBALTA M. S. , COMAKLI R.
Published: October 2013

Compared to the indirect tests, the determination of the Los Angeles abrasion loss is time consuming and expensive, and requires a large amount of samples. For this reason, the prediction of Los Angeles abrasion loss from some indirect tests is useful for preliminary studies. In this study, Los Angeles abrasion, noise level (NL) measurement, density, and porosity tests were carried out on 27 different rock types such as igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. The test results were evaluated using the simple and multiple regression analysis. A good relation was found between the Los Angeles abrasion loss and the NL. In order to check the possibility of obtaining more significant relations, multiple regression analysis was performed by including density and porosity values. However, the regression analysis showed that the correlation coefficients of the multiple regression equations were slightly higher than that of the simple regression equation. Since the simple regression equation is practical and statistically significant, it is suggested for estimation purpose. In conclusion, it can be said that Los Angeles abrasion loss of aggregates can be reliably estimated from NL measurement.
Fracture modelling based on the stochastic extended finite element method
Authors: Mingming Tang , Jinliang Zhang , Huifang Ma , Shuangfanga Lu
Published: October 2013

Because a large number of oil and gas reservoirs are naturally fractured, they play an important role in hydrocarbon exploration and production. To fully extract and model the fracture system features of reservoirs, a new fracture modelling method, called the stochastic extended finite element (SEFE) method, is presented in this paper. This method couples fracture mechanics and the kriging method with a multi-field trend in an attempt to benefit from the advantages of each method: compliance with fracture mechanics equations and the reproduction of the fracture’s observed data, respectively. Based on the SEFE simulation method, we wrote a fracture modelling system software and built a fracture propagation model and a fracture distribution model of the Upper Cretaceous Formation in the Daqingzi region. A parallel study was performed to verify the fracture propagation pattern and boundary conditions in the proposed model based on a geomechanical analogue experiment. The results of these studies demonstrate that fracture modelling based on the SEFE method may improve the precise characterization of fractured reservoirs.
Authoring and animating painterly characters
Authors: Bassett Katie , Baran Ilya , Schmid Johannes , Gross Markus , Sumner Robert W.
Published: October 2013

Artists explore the visual style of animated characters through 2D concept art, since it affords them a nearly unlimited degree of creative freedom. Realizing the desired visual style, however, within the 3D character animation pipeline is often impossible, since artists must work within the technical limitations of the pipeline toolset. In order to expand the range of possible visual styles for digital characters, our research aims to incorporate the expressiveness afforded by 2D concept painting into the computer animation pipeline as a core component of character authoring and animation. While prior 3D painting methods focus on static geometry or simple animations, we develop tools for the more difficult task of character animation. Our system shows how 3D stroke-based paintings can be deformed using standard rigging tools. We also propose a configuration-space keyframing algorithm for authoring stroke effects that depend on scene variables such as character pose or light position. During animation, our system supports stroke-based temporal keyframing for one-off effects. Our primary technical contribution is a novel interpolation scheme for configuration-space keyframing that ensures smooth, controllable results. We demonstrate several characters authored with our system that exhibit painted effects difficult to achieve with traditional animation tools.
Robust and accurate mobile visual localization and its applications
Authors: Liu Heng , Mei Tao , Li Houqiang , Luo Jiebo , Li Shipeng
Published: October 2013

Mobile applications are becoming increasingly popular. More and more people are using their phones to enjoy ubiquitous location-based services (LBS). The increasing popularity of LBS creates a fundamental problem: mobile localization. Besides traditional localization methods that use GPS or wireless signals, using phone-captured images for localization has drawn significant interest from researchers. Photos contain more scene context information than the embedded sensors, leading to a more precise location description. With the goal being to accurately sense real geographic scene contexts, this article presents a novel approach to mobile visual localization according to a given image (typically associated with a rough GPS position). The proposed approach is capable of providing a complete set of more accurate parameters about the scene geo-context including the real locations of both the mobile user and perhaps more importantly the captured scene, as well as the viewing direction. To figure out how to make image localization quick and accurate, we investigate various techniques for large-scale image retrieval and 2D-to-3D matching. Specifically, we first generate scene clusters using joint geo-visual clustering, with each scene being represented by a reconstructed 3D model from a set of images. The 3D models are then indexed using a visual vocabulary tree structure. Taking geo-tags of the database image as prior knowledge, a novel location-based codebook weighting scheme proposed to embed this additional information into the codebook. The discriminative power of the codebook is enhanced, thus leading to better image retrieval performance. The query image is aligned with the models obtained from the image retrieval results, and eventually registered to a real-world map. We evaluate the effectiveness of our approach using several large-scale datasets and achieving estimation accuracy of a user's location within 13 meters, viewing direction within 12 degrees, and viewing distance within 26 meters. Of particular note is our showcase of three novel applications based on localization results: (1) an on-the-spot tour guide, (2) collaborative routing, and (3) a sight-seeing guide. The evaluations through user studies demonstrate that these applications are effective in facilitating the ideal rendezvous for mobile users.
Experiential media systems
Authors: Sundaram Hari
Published: October 2013

This article presents a personalized narrative on the early discussions within the Multimedia community and the subsequent research on experiential media systems. I discuss two different research initiatives—design of real-time, immersive multimedia feedback environments for stroke rehabilitation; exploratory environments for events that exploited the user's ability to make connections. I discuss the issue of foundations: the question of multisensory integration and superadditivity; the need for identification of “first-class” Multimedia problems; expanding the scope of Multimedia research.
Harmonic parameterization by electrostatics
Authors: Wang He , Sidorov Kirill A. , Sandilands Peter , Komura Taku
Published: October 2013

In this article, we introduce a method to apply ideas from electrostatics to parameterize the open space around an object. By simulating the object as a virtually charged conductor, we can define an object-centric coordinate system which we call Electric Coordinates. It parameterizes the outer space of a reference object in a way analogous to polar coordinates. We also introduce a measure that quantifies the extent to which an object is wrapped by a surface. This measure can be computed as the electric flux through the wrapping surface due to the electric field around the charged conductor. The electrostatic parameters, which comprise the Electric Coordinates and flux, have several applications in computer graphics, including: texturing, morphing, meshing, path planning relative to a target object, mesh parameterization, designing deformable objects, and computing coverage. Our method works for objects of arbitrary geometry and topology, and thus is applicable in a wide variety of scenarios.
Integration of Net-Length Factor with Timing- and Routability-Driven Clustering Algorithms
Authors: Liu Hanyu , Rajavel Senthilkumar T. , Akoglu Ali
Published: October 2013

In FPGA CAD flow, the clustering stage builds the foundation for placement and routing stages and affects performance parameters, such as routability, delay, and channel width significantly. Net sharing and criticality are the two most commonly used factors in clustering cost functions. With this study, we first derive a third term, net-length factor, and then design a generic method for integrating net length into the clustering algorithms. Net-length factor enables characterizing the nets based on the routing stress they might cause during later stages of the CAD flow and is essential for enhancing the routability of the design. We evaluate the effectiveness of integrating net length as a factor into the well-known timing (T-VPack)-, depopulation (T-NDPack)-, and routability (iRAC and T-RPack)-driven clustering algorithms. Through exhaustive experimental studies, we show that net-length factor consistently helps improve the channel-width performance of routability-, depopulation-, and timing-driven clustering algorithms that do not explicitly target low fan-out nets in their cost functions. Particularly, net-length factor leads to average reduction in channel width for T-VPack, T-RPack, and T-NDPack by 11.6%, 10.8%, and 14.2%, respectively, and in a majority of the cases, improves the critical-path delay without increasing the array size.
Exception handlers for healing component-based systems
Authors: Chang Hervé , Mariani Leonardo , Pezzè Mauro
Published: October 2013

To design effective exception handlers, developers must predict at design time the exceptional events that may occur at runtime, and must implement the corresponding handlers on the basis of their predictions. Designing exception handlers for component-based software systems is particularly difficult because the information required to build handlers is distributed between component and application developers. Component developers know the internal details of the components but ignore the applications, while application developers own the applications but cannot access the details required to implement handlers in components.

This article addresses the problem of automatically healing the infield failures that are caused by faulty integration of OTS components. In the article, we propose a technique and a methodology to decouple the tasks of component and application developers, who will be able to share information asynchronously and independently, and communicate implicitly by developing and deploying what we call healing connectors. Component developers implement healing connectors on the basis of information about the integration problems frequently experienced by application developers. Application developers easily and safely install healing connectors in their applications without knowing the internal details of the connectors. Healing connectors heal failures activated by exceptions raised in the OTS components actually deployed in the system.

The article defines healing connectors, introduces a methodology to develop and deploy healing connectors, and presents several case studies that indicate that healing connectors are effective, reusable and efficient.
SAAPHO
Authors: Rivero-Espinosa Jesica , Iglesias-Pérez Andrés , Gutiérrez-Dueñas Jose Antonio , Rafael-Palou Xavier
Published: October 2013

This paper describes the main design aspects and core functionalities of the system architecture created for the SAAPHO project (aal-2010-3-035). SAAPHO aims to provide active aging services to help older people to be more independent, integrated in the society, safe at home, and with the possibility of controlling their health through the use of ICT. Thus, an innovative Ambient Assisted Living architecture was needed to develop in order to offer such services integrated in a scalable, accessible and usable system for the older people.
Regulation of NKCC2 activity by inhibitory SPAK isoforms: KS-SPAK is a more potent inhibitor than SPAK2
Authors: Park Hae J. , Curry Joshua N. , McCormick James A.
Published: October 2013

The cation cotransporters Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter 1 and 2 (NKCC1 and NKCC2) and Na+-Cl cotransporter (NCC) are phosphorylated and activated by the kinases Ste20-related proline alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) and oxidative stress-responsive kinase (OSR1), and their targeted disruption in mice causes phenotypes resembling the human disorders Bartter syndrome and Gitelman syndrome, reflecting reduced NKCC2 and NCC activity, respectively. We previously cloned a kinase-inactive kidney-specific SPAK isoform, kidney-specific (KS)-SPAK, which lacks the majority of the kinase domain present in full-length SPAK. Another putative inactive SPAK isoform, SPAK2, which only lacks the initial portion of the kinase domain, is also highly expressed in kidney. The functional relevance of inactive SPAK isoforms is unclear. Here, we tested whether KS-SPAK and SPAK2 differentially affect cation cotransporter activity. While KS-SPAK and SPAK2 both strongly inhibited NKCC1 activity, SPAK2 was a much weaker inhibitor of NKCC2 activity. Removal of the catalytic loop from SPAK2 resulted in an inhibitory effect on NKCC2 similar to that of KS-SPAK. Full-length SPAK is phosphorylated and activated by members of the with-no-lysine[K] (WNK) kinase family. Mutation of a WNK phosphorylation in KS-SPAK did not alter its ability to inhibit NKCC2 activity. In contrast, we found that residues involved in KS-SPAK interactions with cation cotransporters are required for it to inhibit cotransporter activity. Finally, both KS-SPAK and SPAK2 associated with NKCC2, as demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation. Together, these data identify the structural basis for the differential effects of KS-SPAK and SPAK2 on cation cotransporter activity that may be physiologically important.
Effect of acute acid-base disturbances on ErbB1/2 tyrosine phosphorylation in rabbit renal proximal tubules
Authors: Skelton Lara A. , Boron Walter F.
Published: October 2013

The renal proximal tubule (PT) is a major site for maintaining whole body pH homeostasis and is responsible for reabsorbing ∼80% of filtered HCO3−, the major plasma buffer, into the blood. The PT adapts its rate of HCO3−reabsorption ( JHCO3−) in response to acute acid-base disturbances. Our laboratory previously showed that single isolated perfused PTs adapt JHCO3−in response to isolated changes in basolateral (i.e., blood side) CO2and HCO3−concentrations but, surprisingly, not to pH. The response to CO2concentration can be blocked by the ErbB family tyrosine kinase inhibitor PD-168393. In the present study, we exposed enriched rabbit PT suspensions to five acute acid-base disturbances for 5 and 20 min using a panel of phosphotyrosine (pY)-specific antibodies to determine the influence of each disturbance on pan-pY, ErbB1-specific pY (four sites), and ErbB2-specific pY (two sites). We found that each acid-base treatment generated a distinct temporal pY pattern. For example, the summated responses of the individual ErbB1/2-pY sites to each disturbance showed that metabolic acidosis (normal CO2concentration and reduced HCO3−concentration) produced a transient summated pY decrease (5 vs. 20 min), whereas metabolic alkalosis produced a transient increase. Respiratory acidosis (normal HCO3−concentration and elevated CO2concentration) had little effect on summated pY at 5 min but produced an elevation at 20 min, whereas respiratory alkalosis produced a reduction at 20 min. Our data show that ErbB1 and ErbB2 in the PT respond to acute acid-base disturbances, consistent with the hypothesis that they are part of the signaling cascade.