bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate Environmental Sustainability in Danish SMEs: A Longitudinal Study of Motivators, Initiatives, and Strategic Effects
Authors: Reyes‐Rodríguez Juan Felipe , Ulhøi John P. , Madsen Henning
Published: May 2014

While industry leaders proactively address environmental issues as an integrated part of corporate strategy, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) often perceive it as a means of cost reduction. The aim of this paper is to track the development of motivators, environmental initiatives, and their perceived effects on competitive advantage among SMEs. For that purpose, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of 4 repeated surveys over a period of 14 years among Danish manufacturing SMEs. Results show that Danish SMEs have increasingly deployed environmental initiatives that are associated with both lower costs and a differentiation dimensions of competitive advantage. The study also shows that over managerial attitudes, strategic intent has been the main driver when adopting such initiatives. Furthermore, we found that despite some differences between small and medium‐sized firms in terms of the levels of environmental engagement, the competitive benefits are generally robust regarding firm size. Before concluding, implications for future research and corporate managers are pointed out. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Meta‐analysis and the reversed Theorem of the Means
Authors: Edwardes Michael D. deB.
Published: May 2014

Conventional meta‐analysis estimators are weighted means of study measures, meant to estimate an overall population measure. For measures such as means, mean differences and risk differences, a weighted arithmetic mean is the conventional estimator. When the measures are ratios, such as odds ratios, logarithms of the study measures are most frequently used, and the back‐transform is a weighted geometric mean, rather than the arithmetic mean. For numbers needed to treat, a weighted harmonic mean is the back‐transform. The Theorem of the Means effectively states that unless all of the studies have an equal result, the arithmetic mean must be greater than the geometric mean, which must be greater than the harmonic mean. When the weights are fixed sampling weights, the inequalities are in the expected direction. However, when the weights are the usual reciprocal variance estimates, the inequalities go in the opposite direction. The use of reciprocal variance weights is therefore questioned as perhaps having a fundamental flaw. An example is shown of a meta‐analysis of frequencies of two classes of drug‐resistant HIV‐1 mutations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Long‐term cortisol levels measured in scalp hair of obese patients
Authors: Wester Vincent L. , Staufenbiel Sabine M. , Veldhorst Margriet A. B. , Visser Jenny A. , Manenschijn Laura , Koper Jan W. , Klessens‐Godfroy Francoise J. M. , van den Akker Erica L. T. , van Rossum Elisabeth F. C.
Published: May 2014

Objective

In obese subjects a relatively high cortisol output in urine has been observed compared to nonobese individuals. However, cortisol levels in blood, saliva, and urine in association with obesity have been inconsistent across studies, possibly due to the high variability of systemic cortisol levels. Cortisol levels measured in scalp hair provide a marker for long‐term cortisol exposure, and have been associated with cardiovascular disease in an elderly population and to disease course in Cushing's disease. We aimed to compare hair cortisol levels between obese patients and nonobese controls.

Methods

Hair cortisol levels of 47 obese patients (median BMI 38.8, range 31.1‐65.8), 41 overweight, and 87 normal‐weight subjects using an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were measured.

Results

Obese patients had higher hair cortisol levels than overweight and normal weight subjects (respectively 30.8 vs 8.5 and 8.4 pg/mg hair, P < 0.001). No significant difference in hair cortisol levels was found between normal weight and overweight subjects.

Conclusions

Our results suggest a higher long‐term cortisol exposure in obese patients, which may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk. Future research will determine whether long‐term cortisol levels provide a novel treatment target in the management of cardiovascular disease risk in obesity.
Preparation and Characterization of Aqueous Nanothermite Inks for Direct Deposition on SCB Initiators
Authors: Nellums R. Ross , Son Steven F. , Groven Lori J.
Published: May 2014

Nanothermites are a promising replacement energetic for many devices but their use has been limited by high sensitivity during processing, hazardous processing solvents, and time consuming deposition. Incorporating processing and deposition into a single step, especially if no organic solvents were used, could allow nanothermites to be applied safely in a wider range of applications. This work reports on the performance and characterization of direct‐deposited water processed nanothermite inks on semiconductor bridge (SCB) initiators. Specifically, it investigates the replacement of nanothermites processed by resonant mixing (Resodyn LabRAM) in the solvent N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) with nanothermites processed in water. Processing safety and mixture performance were then characterized. It was found that water processed nanothermites were stable for up to 480 min in a water bath at 50 °C only if both metal and metal oxide particles were coated with palmitic acid. In addition, water processed nanothermites were found to have better mixing intimacy, which resulted in better performance than nanothermite processed in DMF. Direct deposition of water processed nanothermites also mitigates electrostatic discharge (ESD) sensitivity, while the material remains wetted, improving processing safety dramatically. For the system investigated, it was found that processing at a solids loading of 30 vol.% resulted in a high density, high performance ink that was deposited directly onto the SCBs. This resulted in a 25 % reduction in the all fire threshold over traditional energetics. This mixing approach uses an environmentally friendly mixing medium, can result in a higher density final material, and allows safe one‐step mixing and deposition.
A modified procedure for gas‐source isotope ratio mass spectrometry: the long‐integration dual‐inlet (LIDI) methodology and implications for clumped isotope measurements
Authors: Hu Bin , Radke Jens , Schlüter Hans‐Jürgen , Heine Frank Torsten , Zhou Liping , Bernasconi Stefano M.
Published: May 2014

RATIONALE

High‐precision stable isotope measurements in gas‐source isotope ratio mass spectrometry are generally carried out by repeated comparison of the composition of an unknown sample with that of a working gas (WG) through a dual‐inlet (DI). Due to the established DI protocols, however, most of the sample gas is wasted rather than measured, which is a major problem when sample size is limited. Here we propose a new methodology allowing the measurement of a much larger portion of the available sample.

METHODS

We tested a new measurement protocol, the long‐integration dual‐inlet (LIDI) method, which consists of a single measurement of the sample for 200 to 600 seconds followed by a single measurement of the WG. The isotope ratios of the sample are calculated by comparison of the beam ratios of the WG and sample at equivalent intensities of the major ion beam.

RESULTS

Three isotopically very different CO2 samples were analyzed. The LIDI measurements of large samples (50 to 100 µmol of CO2) measured at quasi‐constant beam sizes, and of small samples (1.5 to 2 µmol of CO2) measured in micro‐volume mode, generated results that are indistinguishable from the standard DI measurements for carbon, oxygen and clumped isotope compositions. The external precision of Δ47 using the LIDI protocol (~±0.007 ‰) is similar to that of the state of the art DI measurements.

CONCLUSIONS

For traditional and clumped isotope measurements of CO2, the LIDI protocol allows the measurement of a much larger portion of the sample gas rather than only ~20 % of it. In addition, the sample can be measured at higher signal intensity and for longer time, allowing the measurement of smaller samples while preserving precision. We suggest that other gases commonly used for stable isotope measurements with gas‐source mass spectrometry would also benefit from this new protocol. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Novel method to analysis benzo[a]pyrene in filter by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry: Application to assess mouth level benzo[a]pyrene exposure
Authors: Zhang Xiaotao , Hou Hongwei , Shi Longkai , Liu Yong , Wang An , Hu Qingyuan
Published: May 2014

RATIONALE

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is a well‐known carcinogenic compound produced from incomplete combustion of organic compounds. During cigarette smoking, cigarette filters trap a portion of mainstream smoke B[a]P and accurate measurement of B[a]P levels in cigarette filter can be used to estimate human exposure level of this compound.

METHODS

A rapid and sensitive method to quantify B[a]P levels trapped by cigarette filter was developed. The method is based on liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure photoionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/APPI‐MS/MS). Validation was provided in smoked cigarette filter.

RESULTS

The method involved no extensive manual cleanup and concentration steps, hence is easy to use. The limit of detection was 0.064 ng/mL. The recovery ranged from 82.68% to 103.27% and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 7%. A regression model between mainstream cigarette smoke and trapped B[a]P by cigarette filter was established (y = 2.5089x – 0.1851, R2 = 0.999, n = 6). This model was applied to estimate mouth‐level B[a]P exposure of smokers.

CONCLUSIONS

The LC/APPI‐MS/MS method developed in this work had an excellent throughput in estimating the mouth‐level exposure under natural human smoking conditions. Mouth‐level B[a]P exposure based on a study of three cigarettes (8, 10 and 13 mg tar levels) showed significant positive correlations with B[a]P trapped by cigarette filter measured (y = 2.5456x – 0.5056, R2 = 1, n = 249). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of ten hexabromocyclododecane diastereoisomers using two coupled reversed‐phase columns and liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Han Qian , Song Han , Gao Shutao , Zeng Xiangying , Yu Zhiqiang , Yu Yunjiang , Sheng Guoying , Fu Jiamo
Published: May 2014

RATIONALE

Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) are raising concern due to their potential persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity. Apart from the widely reported isomers α‐, β‐, γ‐HBCD, other HBCD diastereoisomers such as δ‐HBCD have been also recently found in environmental media and biota. These newly reported diastereoisomers might give more insight into the degradation and biotransformation of HBCDs.

METHODS

A reversed‐phase C18 column coupled to a C8 column was used to improve the chromatographic resolution. A gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol, acetonitrile, and water, as well as tandem mass spectrometry parameters, were optimized. Ten HBCD diastereoisomers were finally determined by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry in multiple reaction monitoring mode with negative electrospray ionization.

RESULTS

Eight of the ten HBCDs could be chromatographically separated by using the coupled reversed‐phase columns. Results of the method validation indicate high reproducibility and good sensitivity. The limit of detection ranged from 0.4 to 0.8 pg, and the relative standard deviations of intra‐ and inter‐day injections ranged from 1.8 to 5.1% and from 2.7 to 9.5%, respectively. The developed method was further applied to the analysis of HBCDs in HBCD commercial products and soil samples. δ‐, η‐, θ‐, and ε‐HBCD were detected in commercial products and soil samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that δ‐, η‐, θ‐, and ε‐HBCD might occur ubiquitously in environmental media and biota. These newly reported diastereoisomers may help us to better understand the fate and transformation of HBCDs in the environment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Total Synthesis of the Congested Propellane Alkaloid (−)‐Acutumine
Authors: Castle Steven L.
Published: May 2014

The enantioselective total synthesis of (−)‐acutumine is described. The synthetic strategy was inspired by the premise that the cyclohexenone ring could be derived from an aromatic precursor. After successful construction of a propellane model system, an initial attempt to prepare the spirocyclic subunit was thwarted by incorrect regioselectivity in a radical cyclization. A second‐generation approach involving a radical–polar crossover reaction was successful, and the chemistry developed in the aforementioned model system was then applied to synthesize the natural product. Key reactions included a phenolic oxidation, a diastereoselective ketone allylation utilizing Nakamura's chiral allylzinc reagent, an anionic oxy‐Cope rearrangement, an acid‐promoted cyclization of a secondary amine onto an α,β‐unsaturated ketal, and a regioselective methyl enol etherification of a 1,3‐diketone.
Effect of unmodified and modified sago starch on properties of (sago starch)/silica/PVA plastic films
Authors: Ismail H. , Zaaba N.F.
Published: May 2014

Sago starch was modified by crosslinking with sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP). Different formulations of films were prepared by a blending process and a casting method. A suitable plasticizer was added to the blend. Mechanical properties of plastic films with unmodified and modified sago starch were compared. From the results obtained, films with modified sago starch had better compatibility and interaction with polyvinyl alcohol than unmodified sago starch films. Thus, the tensile strength of modified films was higher, but lower in elongation at break than unmodified sago starch plastic films. Films with modified sago starch also showed lower water absorption, water vapor transmission, and degradation than unmodified sago starch plastic films. Chosen were 1 wt% and 2 wt% of silica as the optimum formulation that produced the best tensile properties for modified and unmodified sago starch plastic films. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 20:185–192, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Developmental genetics of the Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx
Authors: Pilon Marc
Published: May 2014

The Caenorhabditis elegans pharynx is a rhythmically pumping organ composed initially of 80 cells that, through fusions, amount to 62 cells in the adult worm. During the first 100 min of development, most future pharyngeal cells are born and gather into a double‐plate primordium surrounded by a basal lamina. All pharyngeal cells express the transcription factor PHA‐4, of which the concentration increases throughout development, triggering a sequential activation of genes with promoters responding differentially to PHA‐4 protein levels. The oblong‐shaped pharyngeal primordium becomes polarized, many cells taking on wedge shapes with their narrow ends toward the center, hence forming an epithelial cyst. The primordium then elongates, and reorientations of the cells at the anterior and posterior ends form the mouth and pharyngeal‐intestinal openings, respectively. The 20 pharyngeal neurons establish complex but reproducible trajectories using ‘fishing line’ and growth cone‐driven mechanisms, and the gland cells also similarly develop their processes. The genetics behind many fate decisions and morphogenetic processes are being elucidated, and reveal the pharynx to be a fruitful model for developmental biologists. WIREs Dev Biol 2014, 3:263–280. doi: 10.1002/wdev.139

This article is categorized under:

Gene Expression and Transcriptional Hierarchies > Cellular Differentiation

Invertebrate Organogenesis > Worms

Nervous System Development > Worms
ON DEFICIENT-PERFECT NUMBERS
Authors: TANG MIN , FENG MIN
Published: May 2014

For a positive integer $\def \xmlpi #1{}\def \mathsfbi #1{\boldsymbol {\mathsf {#1}}}\let \le =\leqslant \let \leq =\leqslant \let \ge =\geqslant \let \geq =\geqslant \def \Pr {\mathit {Pr}}\def \Fr {\mathit {Fr}}\def \Rey {\mathit {Re}}n$, let $\sigma (n)$ denote the sum of the positive divisors of $n$. Let $d$ be a proper divisor of $n$. We call $n$ a deficient-perfect number if $\sigma (n) = 2n - d$. In this paper, we show that there are no odd deficient-perfect numbers with three distinct prime divisors.
Predicting CCHF incidence and its related factors using time-series analysis in the southeast of Iran: comparison of SARIMA and Markov switching models
Authors: ANSARI H. , MANSOURNIA M. A. , IZADI S. , ZEINALI M. , MAHMOODI M. , HOLAKOUIE-NAIENI K.
Published: May 2014

Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is endemic in the southeast of Iran. This study aimed to predict the incidence of CCHF and its related factors and explore the possibility of developing an empirical forecast system using time-series analysis of 13 years’ data. Data from 2000 to 2012 were obtained from the Health Centre of Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Climate Organization and the Veterinary Organization in the southeast of Iran. Seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (SARIMA) and Markov switching models (MSM) were performed to examine the potential related factors of CCHF outbreaks. These models showed that the mean temperature (°C), accumulated rainfall (mm), maximum relative humidity (%) and legal livestock importation from Pakistan (LIP) were significantly correlated with monthly incidence of CCHF in different lags (P < 0·05). The modelling fitness was checked with data from 2013. Model assessments indicated that the MSM had better predictive ability than the SARIMA model [MSM: root mean square error (RMSE) 0·625, Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) 266·33; SARIMA: RMSE 0·725, AIC 278·8]. This study shows the potential of climate indicators and LIP as predictive factors in modelling the occurrence of CCHF. Our results suggest that MSM provides more information on outbreak detection and can be a better predictive model compared to a SARIMA model for evaluation of the relationship between explanatory variables and the incidence of CCHF.
The WTO and Regional Trade: a family business? The WTO compatibility of regional trade agreements with non-WTO-members
Authors: MOSSNER LOUISE EVA
Published: May 2014

Numerous WTO members pursue regional economic integration with both other members and non-WTO-members. The resulting derogation from the most-favoured-nation principle needs to be justified in accordance with the relevant WTO provisions. Regional integration in the service sector is expressly allowed between WTO and non-WTO members pursuant to GATS Article V. In the absence of clear regulation, it has been questioned whether the same is true for regional trade agreements (RTAs) covering trade in goods. Providing a comprehensive interpretation, this paper argues that neither GATT Article XXIV nor the Enabling Clause require the WTO membership of all the parties to an RTA.
The monetization of global poverty: the concept of poverty in World Bank history, 1944–90
Authors: Konkel Rob
Published: May 2014

This article traces the history of the concept of poverty within the institutional framework of the World Bank, from its inception to its establishment of the dollar-a-day global poverty threshold. The Bank's evolving conceptualization of poverty and how it related to the development process affected the policies that were advanced to boost the productivity of underdeveloped countries. Internal and external influences and constraints conditioned the Bank's approach to poverty and its alleviation from the beginning, when poverty was conceived as a political issue beyond the scope of the Bank's mandate. Separating the political implications of poverty alleviation from the Bank's development agenda was tenuous, and by the 1970s a universal, absolute concept of poverty became the focal point of Bank operations. The eventual monetization of global poverty reflected the increasingly technical nature of the Bank's development work and its need for a practical yardstick by which to measure the success of its anti-poverty policies.
A global non-coding RNA system modulates fission yeast protein levels in response to stress
Authors: Leong Hui Sun , Dawson Keren , Wirth Chris , Li Yaoyong , Connolly Yvonne , Smith Duncan L. , Wilkinson Caroline R. M. , Miller Crispin J.
Published: May 2014

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are frequent and prevalent across the taxa. Although individual non-coding loci have been assigned a function, most are uncharacterized. Their global biological significance is unproven and remains controversial. Here we investigate the role played by ncRNAs in the stress response of Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We integrate global proteomics and RNA sequencing data to identify a systematic programme in which elevated antisense RNA arising both from ncRNAs and from 3′-overlapping convergent gene pairs is directly associated with substantial reductions in protein levels throughout the genome. We describe an extensive array of ncRNAs with trans associations that have the potential to influence multiple pathways. Deletion of one such locus reduces levels of atf1, a transcription factor downstream of the stress-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, and alters sensitivity to oxidative stress. These non-coding transcripts therefore regulate specific stress responses, adding unanticipated information-processing capacity to the MAPK signalling system.
Using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) for oilfield produced water treatment with environmentally acceptable endpoints
Authors: Zaib Qammer , Aina Oluwajinmi Daniel , Ahmad Farrukh
Published: May 2014

In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were employed to remove benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) from low and high salinity water pre-equilibrated with crude oil.
Morphological analysis of the pancreas and liver in diabetic KK-Aymice treated with zinc and oxovanadium complexes
Authors: Moroki Takayasu , Yoshikawa Yutaka , Yoshizawa Katsuhiko , Tsubura Airo , Yasui Hiroyuki
Published: May 2014

Pathological conditions for type 2 diabetes mellitus in mice are recovered after treatment with a Zn2+complex in terms of histology of organs.
Vacuum processable donor material based on dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]thiophene and pyrene for efficient organic solar cells
Authors: Kwon Jongchul , Kim Tae-Min , Oh Hong-Se , Kim Jang-Joo , Hong Jong-In
Published: May 2014

A bulk heterojunction device based on DDT : C70 = 1 : 4 exhibited an efficient power conversion efficiency of 3.60%.
Nitrite and catalase levels rule oxidative stability and safety properties of milk: a review
Authors: Silanikove Nissim , Merin Uzi , Leitner Gabriel
Published: May 2014

This review focuses on recent evidence showing that various types of udder inflammation (mastitis) are associated with increased concentration of NO˙-derived metabolites, nitrite and nitrate, and oxidatively modified organic components under commercial farming and experimental conditions.
Filtering power divider with good isolation performance
Authors: Chao Shih‐Fong , Lin Wei‐Cheng
Published: May 2014

A filtering power divider (PD) with good isolation performance is presented. The isolation performance is improved by introducing a distributed isolation network (DINW) to replace the conventional resistor isolation network. Moreover, the proposed DINW can be incorporated into a filter design to form a filtering PD. The filtering power divider was implemented at a centre frequency of 1 GHz with a fractional bandwidth of 56%, and the measured isolation is better than 23 dB across the entire operating band.
Four‐channel 60 GHz upconversion mixer with 14 dB gain and 2.5 dBm P1dB using transformer matching network
Authors: Chen Lin Hui , Li Lianming , Cui Tie Jun
Published: May 2014

A 60 GHz upconversion mixer is realised in a 65 nm LP CMOS. The mixer consists of a Gilbert cell, a LO buffer and a RF buffer. To enhance the bandwidth and reduce the area, the transformer impedance matching network is used. The measured results show that the mixer covers the IEEE 802.15.3c standard four channels, from 57 to 66 GHz. In each channel, the gain flatness is <1.5 dB. In channel 2, the mixer achieves a gain of 14 dB and an output power 1 dB compression point of 2.5 dBm, while consuming 32 mW power drain from a 1 V supply. To the best of authors’ knowledge, this is an advance in the state‐of‐the‐art mixers.
Power‐efficient low‐noise 86 GHz broadband amplifier in 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS
Authors: Ding Ran , Xuan Zhe , Yao Peng , Baehr‐Jones T. , Prather D. , Hochberg M.
Published: May 2014

A power‐efficient, low‐noise, broadband amplifier is demonstrated in a 130 nm SiGe BiCMOS process. The circuit exhibits a 20 dB gain, 86 GHz bandwidth and consumes only 89 mW DC power, achieving a gain‐bandwidth against DC power efficiency of 9.66 GHz/mW – a significant improvement over the prior art. Ultra‐high data rates (>80 Gbit/s) are supported owing to a low group delay variation of ±5.9 ps up to 100 GHz. Intended as a low‐noise transimpedance front‐end for optical receivers, the circuit exhibits a low average input‐referred‐noise of 20.4 pA/✓Hz, which is comparable to or better than the state‐of‐the‐art at much lower data rates.
Probing contactless injection dielectric charging in RF MEMS capacitive switches
Authors: Michalas L. , Koutsoureli M. , Papaioannou G.
Published: May 2014

Dielectric charging is a major reliability issue preventing commercialisation of RF MEMS capacitive switches. To date two major modes have been considered as responsible for the charging of the dielectric films in RF MEMS. The one takes place during the pull‐down state and therefore it is called contacted or injection charging, whereas the second occurs when the bridge is still in the up state and is referred to as contactless or induced charging. Experimental results supporting contactless charge injection as an additional charging mechanism in RF MEMS capacitive switches are presented.
Combined CSK and pulse position modulation scheme for indoor visible light communications
Authors: Luna‐Rivera J.M. , Perez‐Jimenez R. , Guerra‐Yañez V. , Suarez‐Rodriguez C. , Delgado‐Rajo F.A.
Published: May 2014

The use of pulse‐coded signals over each colour component on a colour shift keying (CSK) modulation is explored. This codification improves the time‐synchronisation recovery capability on the IEEE 802.15.7 PHY III standard and reduces the overall system complexity. Different symbol codification rates are studied so as to improve the symbol error rate while minimising the effect over the throughput of the whole system.
Relay selection based on coalitional game for secure wireless networks
Authors: Liu Zhongjian , Shang Yong , Zhang Rongqing , Xiang Haige
Published: May 2014

In this study, a two‐stage decode‐and‐forward cooperative network is investigated consisting of a source, a corresponding destination, an eavesdropper and several intermediate nodes. In this study, the authors present an analysis of overall secrecy rate considering both distributed relay selection and secure beamforming problems. The achievable rate constraint is newly included into the system model. This modelling framework offers a more reliable approximation of the practical wireless channel. The relay selection is formulated as a coalitional game with transferable utility, which decreases the computation complexity in solving the distributed relay selection problem. A new ‘Max–Pareto order’ is constructed, which not only considers the player value, but also reflects the dominated weight of coalition value. Moreover, a distributed merge‐and‐split coalition formation algorithm is presented in this study. This algorithm achieves the system performance close to the theoretical upper limit, but it requires much less computation consumption.
Multi‐layer Gelfand–Pinsker strategies for the generalised multiple‐access channel
Authors: Emadi Mohammad Javad , Khormuji Majid Nasiri , Skoglund Mikael , Aref Mohammad Reza
Published: May 2014

The authors study a two‐user state‐dependent generalised multiple‐access channel (GMAC) with correlated states. It is assumed that each encoder has ‘non‐causal’ access to channel state information (CSI). They develop an achievable rate region by employing rate‐splitting, block Markov encoding, Gelfand–Pinsker multicoding, superposition coding and joint typicality decoding. In the proposed scheme, the encoders use a partial decoding strategy to collaborate in the next block, and the receiver uses a backward decoding strategy with joint unique decoding at each stage. The author's achievable rate region includes several previously known regions proposed in the literature for different scenarios of multiple‐access and relay channels. Then, they consider two Gaussian GMACs with additive interference. In the first model, they assume that the interference is known non‐causally at both of the encoders and construct a multi‐layer Costa precoding scheme that removes ‘completely’ the effect of the interference. In the second model, they consider a doubly dirty Gaussian GMAC in which each of interferences is known non‐causally only at one encoder. They derive an inner bound and analyse the achievable rate region for the latter model and interestingly prove that if one of the encoders knows the full CSI, there exists an achievable rate region which is ‘independent’ of the power of interference.
Informative visual words construction to improve bag of words image representation
Authors: Farhangi Mohammad Mehdi , Soryani Mohsen , Fathy Mahmood
Published: May 2014

Bag of visual words model has recently attracted much attention from computer vision society because of its notable success in analysing images and exploring their content. This study improves this model by utilising the adjacency information between words. To explore this information, a binary tree structure is constructed from the visual words in order to model the is – a relationships in the vocabulary. Informative nodes of this tree are extracted by using the χ2 criterion and are used to capture the adjacency information of visual words. This approach is a simple and computationally effective way for modelling the spatial relations of visual words, which improves the image classification performance. The authors evaluated our method for visual classification of three known datasets: 15 natural scenes, Caltech‐101 and Graz‐01.
Specific heat measurement set-up for quench condensed thin superconducting films
Authors: Poran Shachaf , Molina-Ruiz Manel , Gérardin Anne , Frydman Aviad , Bourgeois Olivier
Published: May 2014

We present a set-up designed for the measurement of specific heat of very thin or ultra-thin quench condensed superconducting films. In an ultra-high vacuum chamber, materials of interest can be thermally evaporated directly on a silicon membrane regulated in temperature from 1.4 K to 10 K. On this membrane, a heater and a thermometer are lithographically fabricated, allowing the measurement of heat capacity of the quench condensed layers. This apparatus permits the simultaneous thermal and electrical characterization of successively deposited layers in situ without exposing the deposited materials to room temperature or atmospheric conditions, both being irreversibly harmful to the samples. This system can be used to study specific heat signatures of phase transitions through the superconductor to insulator transition of quench condensed films.
Apparatus to characterize gas sensor response under real-world conditions in the lab
Authors: Kneer J. , Eberhardt A. , Walden P. , Ortiz Pérez A. , Wöllenstein J. , Palzer S.
Published: May 2014

The use of semiconducting metal-oxide (MOX) based gas sensors in demanding applications such as climate and environmental research as well as industrial applications is currently hindered by their poor reproducibility, selectivity, and sensitivity. This is mainly due to the sensing mechanism which relies on the change of conductivity of the metal-oxide layer. To be of use for advanced applications metal-oxide (MOX) gas sensors need to be carefully prepared and characterized in laboratory environments prior to deployment. This paper describes the working principle, design, and use of a new apparatus that can emulate real-world conditions in the laboratory and characterize the MOX gas sensor signal in tailor-made atmospheres. In particular, this includes the control of trace gas concentrations and the control of oxygen and humidity levels which are important for the surface chemistry of metal-oxide based sensors. Furthermore, the sensor temperature can be precisely controlled, which is a key parameter of semiconducting, sensitive layers, and their response to particular gas compositions. The setup also allows to determine the power consumption of each device individually which may be used for performance benchmarking or monitoring changes of the temperature of the gas composition. Both, the working principle and the capabilities of the gas measurement chamber are presented in this paper employing tin dioxide (SnO2) based micro sensors as exemplary devices.
Correlations between 1/f noise and thermal treatment of Al-doped ZnO thin films deposited by direct current sputtering
Authors: Barhoumi A. , Leroy G. , Yang L. , Gest J. , Boughzala H. , Duponchel B. , Guermazi S. , Carru J. C.
Published: May 2014

Al-doped ZnO thin films (AZO) have been deposited on amorphous glass substrates by DC sputtering at different substrate temperatures Ts. X-Ray diffraction results reveal that AZO thin films have a hexagonal wurtzite structure with (002) preferred orientation. (002) peaks indicate that the crystalline structure of the films is oriented with c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. Three-dimensional (3D) atomic force microscopy images of AZO thin films deposited on glass substrate at 200 °C, 300 °C, and 400 °C, respectively, shows the improvement of the crystallinity and the homogeneity of AZO thin films with Ts which is in agreement with the noise measurements. The noise was characterized between 1 Hz and 100 kHz and we have obtained 1/f spectra. The noise is very sensitive to the crystal structure especially to the orientation of the crystallites which is perpendicular to the substrate and to the grain boundaries which generate a high current flow and a sharp increase in noise. Through time, Rsh and [αμ]eff increase with the modification of the crystallinity of AZO thin films. Study of noise aging shows that the noise is more sensitive than resistivity for all AZO thin films.
Communication: System-size scaling of Boltzmann and alternate Gibbs entropies
Authors: Vilar Jose M. G. , Rubi J. Miguel
Published: May 2014

It has recurrently been proposed that the Boltzmann textbook definition of entropy S(E) = k ln Ω(E) in terms of the number of microstates Ω(E) with energy E should be replaced by the expression $S_G (E) = k\ln \sum\nolimits_{E^\prime < E} {\Omega (E^\prime)} $SG(E)=kln∑E′<EΩ(E′) examined by Gibbs. Here, we show that SG either is equivalent to S in the macroscopic limit or becomes independent of the energy exponentially fast as the system size increases. The resulting exponential scaling makes the realistic use of SG unfeasible and leads in general to temperatures that are inconsistent with the notions of hot and cold.
Sound archives and linguistic variation
Authors: Sornicola Rosanna , Calamai Silvia
Published: May 2014

Sound archives are important resources for sociophonetic analysis: first, they contain relatively uncontrolled speech styles, not usually included in the speech databases used in sociophonetic research; second, they allow us to study in a historical perspective some phonetic phenomena that would otherwise be known only for their most recent or contemporary manifestations. Several complex phonetic phenomena such as Romance diphthongization may be better understood by means of sound archives of spontaneous speech. The paper describes the general principles underlying the building of ADICA (Archivio dei dialetti campani), an archive of spoken dialectal texts from the Phlegraean area. The main features of Phlegraean diphthongs are thus discussed with particular attention to their variability, their social distribution, together with their historical development.
Ejectives in English and German
Authors: Simpson Adrian
Published: May 2014

This paper describes the phonetic form, the distribution and the possible functions of ejectives in English and German, proposing that ejectives are on the increase in different varieties in English. The problems of teasing apart the different contributions of allophonic regularity, interactional function, sociophonetic variability and epiphenomenal inevitability in accounting for ejectives in English are discussed. Possible production mechanisms behind ejectives in both languages are explored and doubt is cast on previous epiphenomenal accounts which have ignored the importance of a pulmonic component in creating the necessary intra-oral pressure increase. This, in turn, raises questions about possible production mechanisms behind ejectives in languages in which they play a regular part in the phonological inventory.
The Semiotic Production of the Good Student: A Peircean Look at the Commodification of Liberal Arts Education
Authors: Urciuoli Bonnie
Published: May 2014

Liberal arts education has become highly commodified, but what is the nature of the object commodified? I argue that that objectification is brought together through the branding process in the form of the Good Student, an unambiguously positive image of the product of higher education. Drawing from Peircian concepts and from recent works on branding as semiotic process, I show how college marketers produce this construction. I also argue that the Good Student is particularly suited to objectifying liberal arts education because of the peculiar qualities of liberal arts education: it does not train students for particular jobs, it is notoriously diffuse in academic content, and it is largely about class reproduction. The Good Student stands in as the ideal neoliberal middle-class product of such education: intelligent, flexible, self-controlled, productive, and socially safe.
Generation of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mice by reprogramming of a mature NKT cell
Authors: Ren Yue , Dashtsoodol Nyambayar , Watarai Hiroshi , Koseki Haruhiko , Quan Chengshi , Taniguchi Masaru
Published: May 2014

NKT cells are characterized by their expression of an NKT-cell-specific invariant antigen-receptor α chain encoded by Vα14Jα18 gene segments. These NKT cells bridge the innate and acquired immune systems to mediate effective and augmented responses; however, the limited number of NKT cells in vivo hampers their analysis. Here, two lines of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived mice (NKT-iPSC-derived mice) were generated by reprogramming of mature NKT cells, where one harbors both rearranged Vα14Jα18 and Vβ7 genes and the other carries rearranged Vα14Jα18 on both alleles but germline Vβ loci. The analysis of NKT-iPSC-derived mice showed a significant increase in NKT cell numbers with relatively normal frequencies of functional subsets, but significantly enhanced in some cases, and acquired functional NKT cell maturation in peripheral lymphoid organs. NKT-iPSC-derived mice also showed normal development of other immune cells except for the absence of γδT cells and disturbed development of conventional CD4 αβT cells. These results suggest that the NKT-iPSC-derived mice are a better model for NKT cell development and function study rather than transgenic mouse models reported previously and also that the presence of a pre-rearranged Vα14Jα18 in the natural chromosomal context favors the developmental fate of NKT cells.
De novo detection of differentially bound regions for ChIP-seq data using peaks and windows: controlling error rates correctly
Authors: Lun Aaron T.L. , Smyth Gordon K.
Published: May 2014

A common aim in ChIP-seq experiments is to identify changes in protein binding patterns between conditions, i.e. differential binding. A number of peak- and window-based strategies have been developed to detect differential binding when the regions of interest are not known in advance. However, careful consideration of error control is needed when applying these methods. Peak-based approaches use the same data set to define peaks and to detect differential binding. Done improperly, this can result in loss of type I error control. For window-based methods, controlling the false discovery rate over all detected windows does not guarantee control across all detected regions. Misinterpreting the former as the latter can result in unexpected liberalness. Here, several solutions are presented to maintain error control for these de novo counting strategies. For peak-based methods, peak calling should be performed on pooled libraries prior to the statistical analysis. For window-based methods, a hybrid approach using Simes’ method is proposed to maintain control of the false discovery rate across regions. More generally, the relative advantages of peak- and window-based strategies are explored using a range of simulated and real data sets. Implementations of both strategies also compare favourably to existing programs for differential binding analyses.
Properties of intrinsic polarization angle ambiguities in Faraday tomography
Authors: Kumazaki Kohei , Akahori Takuya , Ideguchi Shinsuke , Kurayama Tomoharu , Takahashi Keitaro
Published: May 2014

Faraday tomography is a powerful method to diagnose polarizations and Faraday rotations along the line of sight. The quality of Faraday tomography is, however, limited by several conditions. Recently, it is reported that Faraday tomography indicates false signals in some specific situations. In this paper, we systematically investigate the condition of the appearance of false signals in Faraday tomography. We study this by pseudo-observing two sources within a beam, and change in the intrinsic polarization angles, rotation measures, intensities, and frequency coverage. We find that false signals arise when the rotation measure between the sources is less than 1.5 times the full width at half maximum of the rotation measure spread function. False signals also depend on the intensity ratio between the sources and are reduced for large ratios. On the other hand, the appearance of false signals does not depend on frequency coverage, meaning that the uncertainty should be correctly understood and taken into consideration, even with future wide-band observations such as the Square Kilometer Array (SKA).
Reservoir monitoring of steam‐assisted gravity drainage using borehole measurements
Authors: Tøndel Richard , Schütt Hartmut , Dümmong Stefan , Ducrocq Alexandre , Godfrey Robert , LaBrecque Douglas , Nutt Les , Campbell Allan , Rufino Rogelio
Published: May 2014

This paper presents the results from a research project focusing on permanent cross‐well geophysical methods for reservoir monitoring during steam‐assisted gravity drainage. A feasibility study indicated detectable differences in seismic and electrical reservoir properties based on expected changes in temperature and fluid saturation during the production of extra heavy oil. As a result of this, a permanent cross‐well system was installed at the Leismer Demonstration Area, located in the Athabasca Oil Sands region in Alberta, Canada. Baseline data sets, including cross‐well seismic, three‐dimensional vertical seismic profiling and cross‐well electrical resistivity tomography, have been acquired. Comparisons between conventional surface seismic and downhole seismic data show an increase in resolution and frequency content as expected. Steam‐assisted gravity drainage‐induced time‐lapse effects are clearly visible in the 3D vertical seismic profiling and electrical resistivity tomography data sets, even after a few months of oil production. In general, the 3D vertical seismic profiling images show a higher resolution than the surface seismic data, in particular when dealing with vertical positioning of the time‐lapse events. The electrical resistivity tomography baseline shows clear separation between zones of high and low electrical resistivity, and during 23 months of electrical resistivity tomography measurements the maximum reduction of resistivity is 85%. Time‐lapse observations from acoustic and electrical borehole data correspond well, and are also supported by temperature measurements in the two observation wells. Emerging technologies, updated models, improved flexibility, and reduced costs will allow future reservoir monitoring with surface and borehole data in combination, or even with borehole data exclusively.
Characterization of chitinase‐producing Serratia and Bacillus strains isolated from insects
Authors: Han Kook‐Il , Patnaik Bharat Bhusan , Cho Ah‐ra , Lim Ho Kab , Lee Jae Min , Jang Young Geun , Jeong Yun Seon , Yoo Tae Kyeong , Lee Gyeong Seok , Han Man‐Deuk
Published: May 2014

Chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) are enzymes that hydrolyze chitin by cleaving β‐1,4 N‐glycosidic bonds. These enzymes have been used for multiple applications in biotechnology, especially for controlling insect pests and phytopathogenic fungi. In the present study, we isolated two chitinase‐producing bacteria strains from insects (strain SCH‐1 from Moechotypa diphysis and strain SCH‐2 from Sphedanolestes impressicollis). Serratia sp. SCH‐1 was a short, rod‐shaped facultative anaerobe, while Bacillus strain SCH‐2 was a rod‐shaped endospore‐forming anaerobe. Strains SCH‐1 and SCH‐2 were identified as Serratia sp. and Bacillus sp., respectively based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Strain SCH‐1 shared maximum homology (99.44%) with Serratia nematodiphila DZ0503SBS1 and Serratia marcescens subsp. sakuensis KRED. Strain SCH‐2 had a maximum homology of 99.24% with Bacillus thuringiensis ATCC 10792 and Bacillus toyonensis BCT‐7112. Serratia sp. SCH‐1 contained greater levels of saturated fatty acids, but the concentration of branched acids, especially iso‐C15:0, was highest in Bacillus sp. SCH‐2. Serratia sp. SCH‐1 possessed chitinase activity of 1.59 unit/mg protein after 5 days of incubation in culture medium. In contrast, Bacillus sp. SCH‐2 had a maximum activity of 0.84 unit/mg protein after 4 days of incubation. Chitinase isozymes produced by Serratia sp. SCH‐1 appeared as five bands with sizes of 20, 26, 36, 45 and 54 kDa. Bacillus sp. SCH‐2 showed a chitinase isozyme profile with three bands having sizes of 36, 45 and 50 kDa on SDS‐PAGE gels.
Temporal Variation in Soluble Human Leukocyte Antigen‐G (sHLA‐G) and Pregnancy‐Associated Plasma Protein A (PAPP‐A) in Pregnancies Complicated by Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and in Controls
Authors: Beneventi Fausta , Simonetta Margherita , Locatelli Elena , Cavagnoli Chiara , Badulli Carla , Lovati Elisabetta , Garbin Giulia , Genini Emilia , Albertini Riccardo , Tinelli Carmine , Martinetti Miryam , Spinillo Arsenio
Published: May 2014

Problem

To target gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) by means of temporal variation in pregnancy‐associated plasma protein A (PAPP‐A) and soluble human leukocyte antigen‐G (sHLA‐G).

Method of study

Retrospective analysis of PAPP‐A and sHLA‐G blood levels in historical samples of 112 GDM and 112 controls, drawn at first trimester, and prospective study in 18 GDM and 105 controls collected in triplicate along the pregnancy. Six hundred and sixty‐five samples were analyzed.

Results

Gestational diabetes mellitus had significantly lower first‐trimester PAPP‐A concentrations than controls (2343 ± 1519 versus 2996 ± 1955 mU/mL, in retrospective brunch and 2490.57 ± 1828.52 versus 3240.84 ± 1930.69 mU/L in prospective one, P < 0.001). First‐trimester sHLA‐G level was significantly lower in GDM than in controls (52.88 ± 59.69 versus 66.81 ± 50.14 ng/mL, P < 0.001) and increased during gestation in diabetic women showing an opposite trend with respect to the controls.

Conclusion

PAPP‐A and sHLA‐G are independent markers of GDM. Quantitative variations during pregnancy help to early unravel the onset of GDM.