bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A watchdog to reckon with: Delivering WikiLeaks in the Israeli and Australian press
Authors: Handley Robert L , Ismail Amani
Published: June 2012

The discussion about the relationship between globalization and journalism has stressed the westernization of information flows, contra-flows, and the globalization of news practices. Beyond information flows and news practices, it is important to examine the impact that globalization has on news narratives. With the emergence of the extra-national WikiLeaks, it is possible that the ‘national narrative’ through which journalists interpret information is eroded and replaced by an increasingly autonomous journalism. This study tests this possibility by examining how an Israeli newspaper and an Australian newspaper incorporated leaked documents into news coverage and how they framed WikiLeaks’ contribution to journalism. It finds that the papers in each country mined the leaks for geopolitical relevance to their respective countries, but did so in a way that facilitated debate about what the national interest should be. In doing so, the papers reframed WikiLeaks from a problem for the state to a whistleblower against their countries’ and US officials. By extension, the papers positioned themselves as whistleblowers and democratic facilitators. A ‘national lens’ continues to inform newswork, but the ‘national narrative’ has eroded.
Neuroradiology Can Predict the Development of Hand Function in Children With Unilateral Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Holmefur Marie , Kits Annika , Bergström Jakob , Krumlinde-Sundholm Lena , Flodmark Olof , Forssberg Hans , Eliasson Ann-Christin
Published: June 2012

Background. Much variation is found in the development of hand function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (CP). Objective. To explore how anatomic brain abnormalities can be used to predict the development of hand function. Methods. A total of 32 children with unilateral CP (16 boys and 16 girls) were evaluated at least once a year by the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA). The data collection covered an age range from 18 months to 8 years (mean time in study, 4 years and 6 months). Computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were assessed for patterns of brain damage, including the location of gray and extent of white-matter damage. The children were divided into groups according to lesion characteristics, and a series of univariate models were analyzed with a nonlinear mixed-effects model. The rate and maximum limit of development were calculated. Results. The highest predictive power of better development of hand function was the absence of a concurrent lesion to the basal ganglia and thalamus, independent of the basic type of brain lesion. This model predicted both the rate of increasing ability and hand function at age 8 years. Hand function was also predicted by the basic pattern of damage and by the extent of white-matter damage. The presence of unilateral or bilateral damage had no predictive value. Conclusions. Neuroradiological findings can be used to make a crude prediction of the future development of the use of the affected hand in young children with unilateral CP.
Investigation on the transporting properties of biomolecules through multi-nanochannels
Authors: Liu Lei , Yang Yue , Wang Bing , Lan Liangsheng , Sha Jinjie , Chen Yunfei
Published: June 2012

In this work, the transporting of biomolecules is investigated by using an integrated testing set-up, which is made up of a pair of containers separated by multi-nanochannels. When a constant voltage is applied to the two separated containers, the electrolyte ions and biomolecules can be driven from one side to the other, and the resulting ion current is recorded at the same time. The ion current will be modulated by biomolecules in the solution because of their physical place-holding effect and gelation effect. The influences on modulated ion currents by many factors, such as the concentration of electrolyte and biomolecules, are discussed and the possible mechanism is suggested.
Using the GoingStick to assess pitch quality
Authors: Caple Matt CJ , James Iain T , Bartlett Mark D
Published: June 2012

Mechanical behaviour of natural turf sports pitches is commonly assessed using the Clegg Impact Soil Tester and the studded disc apparatus under benchmark frameworks. Using the studded disc is time consuming and laborious, which restricts the frequency at which data on surfaces can be collected. To address this, the GoingStick® was evaluated for use as a surface assessment tool. The device was originally developed for testing horseracing tracks, and quantifies both the penetration resistance and shear resistance of the turf surface. Data were collected on three sports pitches (rugby union and football) of varying sporting level and soil texture over two seasons of sport. A laboratory experiment was also conducted assessing data from the GoingStick and the Clegg Impact Soil Tester for four soil treatments. The first season data highlighted that the maximum measurable value was too low on the device, owing to sports pitches being harder than race tracks. This issue was also found for the harder soil treatments in the laboratory study. The development of a new sports pitch calibration resolved this issue for the second season, where the entire range of resistance was successfully measured. Linear relationships were evident between penetration resistance measured with the GoingStick and impact hardness measured with the third drop of the 2.25 kg Clegg Impact Soil Tester (r2 = 0.75), and between shear resistance measured with the GoingStick and peak torque resistance measured by the studded disc (r2 = 0.88). The results of the study indicate the potential for the GoingStick to efficiently quantify the mechanical behaviour of natural turf pitches. Further work should aim to determine benchmark ranges for the measured parameters and incorporate the device within decision-support frameworks for surface management.
Time in organizational research: Catching up on a long neglected topic in order to improve theory
Authors: Sonnentag Sabine
Published: June 2012

Time should be an important aspect of organizational theory, but it has been neglected for decades. In this essay, I describe four different ways in which time can be conceptualized in organizational research. I give examples from recent theoretical work that include a temporal perspective. I also specify some directions about how future theory development and refinement should incorporate time.
The kunitz protease inhibitor domain of protease nexin-2 inhibits factor XIa and murine carotid artery and middle cerebral artery thrombosis
Authors: Wu Wenman , Li Hongbo , Navaneetham Duraiswamy , Reichenbach Zachary W. , Tuma Ronald F. , Walsh Peter N.
Published: June 2012

Coagulation factor XI (FXI) plays an important part in both venous and arterial thrombosis, rendering FXIa a potential target for the development of antithrombotic therapy. The kunitz protease inhibitor (KPI) domain of protease nexin-2 (PN2) is a potent, highly specific inhibitor of FXIa, suggesting its possible role in the inhibition of FXI-dependent thrombosis in vivo. Therefore, we examined the effect of PN2KPI on thrombosis in the murine carotid artery and the middle cerebral artery. Intravenous administration of PN2KPI prolonged the clotting time of both human and murine plasma, and PN2KPI inhibited FXIa activity in both human and murine plasma in vitro. The intravenous administration of PN2KPI into WT mice dramatically decreased the progress of FeCl3-induced thrombus formation in the carotid artery. After a similar initial rate of thrombus formation with and without PN2KPI treatment, the propagation of thrombus formation after 10 minutes and the amount of thrombus formed were significantly decreased in mice treated with PN2KPI injection compared with untreated mice. In the middle cerebral artery occlusion model, the volume and fraction of ischemic brain tissue were significantly decreased in PN2KPI-treated compared with untreated mice. Thus, inhibition of FXIa by PN2KPI is a promising approach to antithrombotic therapy.
The TWEAK/Fn14 pathway as an aggravating and perpetuating factor in inflammatory diseases; focus on inflammatory bowel diseases
Authors: Dohi Taeko , Burkly Linda C
Published: June 2012

Review on the TWEAK/Fn14 pathwayˈs emerging role in inflammatory diseases, with focus on IBD, and its interaction with other pathways to influence pathological processes.

The TWEAK/Fn14 pathway is a ligand/receptor pair of the TNFSF that has emerged as a prominent player in normal and pathological tissue remodeling. TWEAK/Fn14 pathway activation drives many processes relevant to autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. IBDs, including CD and UC, are chronic, relapsing inflammatory diseases of the GI tract. These diseases differ in their clinical, macroscopic, and histopathological presentation; however, pathological processes that prominently contribute, more or less in each case, include breakdown of the mucosal epithelial barrier, chronic inflammation, and tissue remodeling with fibrosis. TWEAK may promote the pathogenesis of IBD by signaling through Fn14, which can be up-regulated on IECs, thereby contributing to breakdown of the mucosal barrier; the induction of IEC-derived mediators that promote chronic inflammation and shape gut immunity against commensal flora; and delayed healing and fibrosis. TWEAK may also exert its action on endothelial and stromal cell types, including smooth muscle cells and fibroblasts, to promote chronic inflammation, dysregulated tissue repair, and fibrosis. Here, we review the data supporting an emerging role of the TWEAK/Fn14 pathway in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, with a particular focus on IBD, and discuss how it interplays with other prominent pathways, including IL-13, TNF-α, and TGF-β, to aggravate and perpetuate the pathological processes underlying IBD.
Minireview: Effects of Different HT Formulations on Cognition
Authors: Maki Pauline M.
Published: June 2012

Evidence from preclinical studies, randomized clinical trials (RCT), and observational studies underscores the importance of distinguishing among the different forms of estrogen and progestogens when evaluating the cognitive effects of hormone therapy (HT) in women. Despite this evidence, there is a lack of direct comparisons of different HT regimens. To provide insights into the effects of different HT formulations on cognition, this minireview focuses on RCT of verbal memory because evidence indicates that HT affects this cognitive domain more than others and because declines in verbal memory predict later development of Alzheimer's disease. Some observational studies indicate that estradiol confers benefits to verbal memory, whereas conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) confer risks. RCT to date show no negative impact of CEE on verbal memory, including the Women's Health Initiative Study of Cognitive Aging. Similarly, the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study showed no negative impact of CEE on dementia. Transdermal estradiol in younger postmenopausal women improved verbal memory in one small RCT but had no effect in another RCT. RCT of oral estradiol in younger and older postmenopausal women had neutral effects on cognitive function. In contrast, RCT show a negative impact of CEE plus medroxyprogesterone acetate on verbal memory in younger and older postmenopausal women. Small RCT show neutral or beneficial effects of other progestins on memory. Overall, RCT indicate that type of progestogen is a more important determinant of the effects of HT on memory than type of estrogen.
Origin ofDrosophilamushroom body neuroblasts and generation of divergent embryonic lineages
Authors: Kunz Thomas , Kraft Karoline F. , Technau Gerhard M. , Urbach Rolf
Published: June 2012

Key to understanding the mechanisms that underlie the specification of divergent cell types in the brain is knowledge about the neurectodermal origin and lineages of their stem cells. Here, we focus on the origin and embryonic development of the four neuroblasts (NBs) per hemisphere in Drosophila that give rise to the mushroom bodies (MBs), which are central brain structures essential for olfactory learning and memory. We show that these MBNBs originate from a single field of proneural gene expression within a specific mitotic domain of procephalic neuroectoderm, and that Notch signaling is not needed for their formation. Subsequently, each MBNB occupies a distinct position in the developing MB cortex and expresses a specific combination of transcription factors by which they are individually identifiable in the brain NB map. During embryonic development each MBNB generates an individual cell lineage comprising different numbers of neurons, including intrinsic γ-neurons and various types of non-intrinsic neurons that do not contribute to the MB neuropil. This contrasts with the postembryonic phase of MBNB development during which they have been shown to produce identical populations of intrinsic neurons. We show that different neuron types are produced in a lineage-specific temporal order and that neuron numbers are regulated by differential mitotic activity of the MBNBs. Finally, we demonstrate that γ-neuron axonal outgrowth and spatiotemporal innervation of the MB lobes follows a lineage-specific mode. The MBNBs are the first stem cells of the Drosophila CNS for which the origin and complete cell lineages have been determined.
Near Infrared Dynamic Measurements of Activated Sludge Settling Highlight the Possibility of a Local Modification of Free Water Properties
Authors: Thierie Jacques
Published: June 2012

This study relates to water purification and thus environmental biotechnologies, but also possibly to other applications of decantation and sedimentation of particulate solids in the presence of biomacromolecules. Activated sludge settling characteristics are of paramount importance both for design and performances of activated sludge water treatment plants and we developed a device to observe this phenomenon. Using our device, our dynamic measurements of activated sludge decantation in the near infrared region (940 nm) presented apparent aberrations. For example, light transmission in the sample transitorily exceeded 100% of the transmission of pure water under certain conditions. Arguments are provided to interpret these results by a modification of the solvent (H2O) properties, especially concerning some vibrational modes of water molecules. This assumption warrants a meticulous validation involving spectrometric analysis in the visible and near infrared region.
Prediction of Wood Density Independently of Moisture Conditions Using near Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Fujimoto Takaaki , Kobori Hikaru , Tsuchikawa Satoru
Published: June 2012

Near infrared (NIR) spectra obtained from 100 Japanese larch ( Larix kaempferi) wood samples containing various amounts of moisture were used to examine the effect of moisture conditions on the accuracy of predicting wood density. Partial least squares regression (PLS-R) analysis was performed to predict wood density under air dry (DEN_ar), water impregnated (DEN_wi) and oven dry (DEN_ov) conditions. The NIR spectra varied with the moisture conditions of the wood, where the characteristic absorbance bands in the vicinity of 7320 cm−1 (1366 nm), 7160 cm−1 (1400 nm) and 7000 cm−1 (1428 nm) were related to cellulose and water. The spectral differences between high- and low-density samples varied depending on the moisture conditions; high-density samples showed low absorbance values at 7160 cm−1 when wet and showed high absorbance values at 7320 cm−1 and 7000 cm−1 when dry. DEN_ar, DEN_wi and DEN_ov could be predicted using spectra collected from the corresponding moisture conditions [coefficient of determination ( R2) = 0.79–0.89; standard error of prediction ( SEP) = 24–26 kg m−3]. Prediction of DEN_ar and DEN_ov could also be achieved using spectra collected from various moisture conditions ( R2 = 0.86–0.87, SEP=22 kg m−3). The loadings from PLS-R analysis indicated that the absorption bands in the vicinity of 7320 cm−1, 7160 cm−1 and 7000 cm−1 played an important role in predicting wood density. NIR spectroscopy has the potential to predict wood density independently of the moisture content of the sample.
Rapid Prediction of the Lignocellulosic Compounds of Sugarcane Biomass by near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy: Comparing Classical and Independent Cross-Validation
Authors: Sabatier Damien , Thuriès Laurent , Bastianelli Denis , Dardenne Pierre
Published: June 2012

Among cultivated tropical Poaceae, sugarcane ( Saccharum spp.) has the highest potential for energy production, mainly thanks to its agronomic traits. Modelling is the best way to design new sugarcane cropping systems for multi-use biomass production focusing on an energetic valuation of fibre co- and by-product. On the other hand, sugarcane industries have to rapidly adapt to changes in quality characteristics of biomass. Both require quality assessment using fast, efficient and robust analytical methods to determine biomass characteristics and/or to adjust processes. In this study, near infrared (NIR) reflectance spectroscopy was assessed for the prediction of the lignocellulosic compounds of sugarcane biomass. A total of 228 samples were taken from three genotypes grown at four contrasting locations in Reunion Island (SW Indian Ocean) and harvested at three ages during one plant crop cycle. The field samples were separated into five anatomical parts (millable stalk, top of the stalk, green leaf blade, green leaf sheath and trash), ground using two different methods and then analysed by the sequential van Soest method. Finally, 456 powders were scanned using a NIR XDS monochromator. Modified partial least square (MPLS) regression was applied on spectra scatter-corrected with standard normal variate and detrend followed by second derivative (SNVD-D2). Four calibration models were developed from leave-one-out location calibration data sets. To avoid over-optimistic results, independent validation was carried out at each location. This original validation method demonstrated the actual potential of our NIR model to predict the lignocellulosic compounds of independent sugarcane samples. At the same time, the performance of the NIR model will facilitate the timely supply of reference values for use in ecophysiological growth models.
Mechanism of radioprotection by δ-tocotrienol: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and modulation of signalling pathways
Authors: Satyamitra M , Ney P , Graves J , Mullaney C , Srinivasan V
Published: June 2012

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between in vivo  δ-tocotrienol (DT3) pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and radiation protection, and to evaluate the effect of DT3 pre-treatment on radiation-induced alterations in apoptotic and autophagic pathways.

Methods

We evaluated pharmacokinetics (plasma, 0.5 to 12 h) and pharmacodynamics (peripheral blood indices; day 3, 7, 10 and 14) after a single subcutaneous injection of 300 mg kg−1 DT3 in unirradiated CD2F1 mice. Next, we monitored 30-day post-irradiation survival (9.25 Gy) and haematopoietic recovery of DT3-treated mice (7 Gy) exposed to cobalt-60 γ-irradiation. The effects of DT3 on irradiated bone marrow apoptosis and autophagy were determined by analyses of key caspases (3, 7, 9 and 8), beclin-1 and light chain 3 conversion.

Results

Plasma concentration of DT3 reached ∼195 µM (Cmax) 1 h after injection (Tmax), and DT3 was eliminated from plasma 12 h later. In unirradiated mice, DT3 significantly increased white blood cells (WBCs), neutrophils, lymphocytes (day 3 post DT3 injection) and platelets (day 7) by 1.5- to 2-fold, over vehicle-treated control. DT3 pre-treatment improved 30-day survival to 100% (∼15% in control) and accelerated recovery of reticulocytes, platelets, WBCs, neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes in peripheral blood. DT3 reduced activation of caspase-8, caspase-3 and caspase-7, inherent to apoptosis, while increasing autophagy-related beclin-1 expression in irradiated bone marrow.

Conclusion

These data indicate that DT3 stimulates multilineage haematopoiesis, protects against radiation-induced apoptosis downstream of the mitochondria and stimulates cytoprotective autophagy. Apart from a potent antioxidant activity, DT3 may elicit survival advantage following irradiation by enhancing haematopoiesis and modulating signalling pathways.
Expected Tardiness Computations in Multiclass Priority M/M/c Queues
Authors: Hafızoğlu A. Baykal , Gel Esma S. , Keskinocak Pınar
Published: June 2012

We discuss the evaluation of expected tardiness of an order at the time of arrival in an M/M/c queuing system with N priority classes, considering both nonpreemptive and preemptive service disciplines. Upon arrival, a customer order is quoted a lead time of d, and placed in the queue according to the priority class of the customer. Orders within the same priority class are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. We derive the Laplace transforms of the expected tardiness of the order given the quoted lead time, priority class of the order, and system status. For the special case of single priority class, the Laplace transform can be inverted into a closed-form expression. For the case with multiple priority classes, a closed-form expression cannot be obtained, hence, we develop three customized numerical inverse Laplace transformation algorithms. Two of these algorithms provide upper and lower bounds for the expected tardiness under a simple condition on system parameters. Using this property, we obtain error bounds for our customized algorithms; such bounds are not available for general purpose numerical inversion algorithms in the literature. Next, we develop a novel methodology to compare the precision of general purpose numerical inversion algorithms and analyze the performances of three algorithms from the literature. Finally, we provide a recommendation scheme given computational time and error tolerances of the decision maker. The methods developed in this paper for the accurate estimation of expected tardiness establish an important step toward developing due date quotation policies in a multiclass queue, contributing to the due date quotation literature that has been largely focused on single-class queues.
Robust Modified Policy Iteration
Authors: Kaufman David L. , Schaefer Andrew J.
Published: June 2012

Robust dynamic programming (robust DP) mitigates the effects of ambiguity in transition probabilities on the solutions of Markov decision problems. We consider the computation of robust DP solutions for discrete-stage, infinite-horizon, discounted problems with finite state and action spaces. We present robust modified policy iteration (RMPI) and demonstrate its convergence. RMPI encompasses both of the previously known algorithms, robust value iteration and robust policy iteration. In addition to proposing exact RMPI, in which the “inner problem” is solved precisely, we propose inexact RMPI, in which the inner problem is solved to within a specified tolerance. We also introduce new stopping criteria based on the span seminorm. Finally, we demonstrate through some numerical studies that RMPI can significantly reduce computation time.
Sustainable Development Law on Environmental Migration: The Story of an Obelisk, a Bag of Marbles, and a Tapestry
Authors: Mayer Benoît
Published: June 2012

No specific, consistent law deals with migration in the context of environmental phenomena (specifically of climate change) as a distinct issue. From this simple assessment, an oft-heard discourse identifies a ‘legal gap’ that should accordingly be filled through new norms specific to environmental migration. A new international treaty, in particular, would build such a normative monolith – an ‘obelisk’. However, I argue that some existing international norms may indeed play at least a partial role. The Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Draft Articles on State Responsibility, among others, are part of a ‘bag of marbles' – a collection of isolated norms that should be held together if possible. However, these isolated norms have little consistency and need to be woven together into a coherent synthesis. The nascent notion of an international sustainable development law helps us in conceiving such a ‘tapestry’ – a comprehensive analysis of a plethora of existing norms helping us to form a coherent response to the issues raised by environmental migration. Even though this cannot tackle all the issues relating to environmental migration, it should at least allow us to identify the multiple insufficiencies of international law, instead of referring simply to an incurable unique ‘legal gap’.
India and Sri Lanka's Civil War
Authors: Destradi Sandra
Published: June 2012

This article focuses on India's relationship with Sri Lanka in examining why a regional power failed to manage a conflict in its immediate neighborhood. Historical and domestic factors help explain India's largely hands-off policy (1991–2006). In contrast, regional and international factors underpin its support of Colombo's military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, including New Delhi's concerns about China.
Low Temperature Plasma Synthesis of Nanocrystals and their Application to the Growth of Crystalline Silicon and Germanium Thin Films
Authors: Roca i Cabarrocas P. , Kim K.H. , Cariou R. , Labrune M. , Johnson E.V. , Moreno M. , Rios A. Torres , Abolmasov S. , Kasouit S.
Published: June 2012

We summarize our research studies on the synthesis of silicon and germanium nanocrystals and their application to the growth of a variety of thin films, spanning the range from fully disordered amorphous up to fully ordered crystalline. All these films are deposited in a standard radio-frequency glow discharge system at low temperature (~200 °C). We show how the plasma synthesis of silicon nanocrystals, initially a side effect of powder formation, has become over the years an exciting field of research which has opened the way to new opportunities in the field of materials deposition and their application to optoelectronic devices. Our results suggest that epitaxy requires the melting/amorphization of the nanocrystals upon impact on the substrate, the subsequent epitaxial growth being favored on (100) c-Si substrates. As a consequence, the control of the impact energy is a critical aspect of the growth which will require new strategies such as the use of tailored voltage waveforms.
Terahertz light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation in optically pumped graphene
Authors: Otsuji Taiichi , Tombet Stephane Boubanga , Satou Akira , Chan S. , Ryzhii Victor
Published: June 2012

Recent advances in terahertz light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation in optically pumped graphene are reviewed. We present, within a picosecond time scale, fast relaxation and relatively slow recombination dynamics of photogenerated electrons and holes in an exfoliated graphene under infrared pulse excitation. We conduct time-domain spectroscopic studies using an optical pump and terahertz probe with an optical probe technique and show that graphene sheet amplifies an incoming terahertz field. The graphene emission spectral dependency on laser pumping intensity shows a threshold-like behavior, testifying to the occurrence of the negative conductivity and the population inversion. The emission spectra clearly narrow at a longer terahertz probe delay time, giving an evidence that the quasi-Fermi energy moves closer to the equilibrium at this longer terahertz probe delay time.
Reconfiguring South Asian Islam: From the 18th to the 19th Century
Authors: Ernst Carl W.
Published: June 2012

Distinctive shifts in the character of South Asian Islamic culture took place between eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This article tracks these changes through two notable examples, Ghulam ‘Ali Azad Bilgrami (d. 1786) and Hajji Imdad Allah Muhajir Makki (d. 1899). Analysis of writings by and about these two figures demonstrates shifting models of what it meant to be a South Asian Muslim intellectual. The confident cosmopolitanism of Bilgrami, on the cusp of the British colonial conquest, yields to a much more defensive posture in Hajji Imdad Allah, who was indeed engaged in resistance against the ultimately victorious British rule. Loss of traditional Muslim patronage coincided with the decline of philosophical traditions and interest in Hindu culture, along with the rise of the scriptural reformism typified by the Deoband school, which addressed a broader Muslim public. The relatively short time during which these changes occurred emphasizes the significant cultural gap between the pre- and post-colonial periods of South Asian Islam.
A new analytical method for calculating seismic displacements in reinforced retaining walls
Authors: Mojallal M. , Ghanbari A. , Askari F.
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT: Calculating the seismic displacement of reinforced retaining walls is important for optimal design of these structures. Using the limit analysis theorem, in this study an innovative approach has been proposed for calculating the coefficient of yield acceleration and permanent displacements of geosynthetic-reinforced soil-retaining walls with full-height rigid concrete facing (GRS-FHR walls). In this manner, based on the upper-bound theory of limit analysis and Newmark's sliding block theory, a group of charts has been proposed to estimate the permanent sliding displacements and the coefficient of yield acceleration for this type of wall. In these charts, the effect of the following parameters on the magnitude of permanent displacements and on the coefficient of yield acceleration of the wall has been investigated: vertical spacing of reinforcements; ratio of width to height of facing; ratio of length of reinforcements to height of facing; and internal friction angle of the soil. Results obtained from the suggested method have been compared with the sliding displacements reported by other researchers as well as those measured at the toe of a well-known GRS-FHR wall called Tanata under the Kobe earthquake (Japan, 1995). The suggested charts are believed to provide an appropriate, handy tool for estimating the coefficient of yield acceleration and permanent sliding displacements of GRS-FHR retaining walls.
Small strain stiffness of salt-cemented granular media under low confinement
Authors: TRUONG Q.H. , LEE C. , KIM Y.U. , LEE J.S.
Published: June 2012

The mechanical behaviour of granular soils is affected by particle bonding including natural cementation. This study addresses a simple model of small strain stiffness and salt concentration based on the wave measurements of salt-cemented particulate media. Glass beads with a median diameter of D50 = 0·5 mm are prepared in rectangular cells using the water-pluviated method in salt water with different concentrations. Piezo disc elements and bender elements embedded in the cell are used for the measurements of the compressional and shear waves. The relationships between the elastic wave velocities and salt concentration show an exponential function. The measured small strain stiffness matches well the predicted small strain stiffness based on the micromechanics of simple cubic monosized spherical particles. This study demonstrates that the salt concentration in a salt-cemented specimen can be evaluated by using elastic wave velocities.
SOME DETERMINANTS OF REMOTE BEHAVIORAL HISTORY EFFECTS IN HUMANS
Authors: Hirai Mariko , Okouchi Hiroto , Matsumoto Akio , Lattal Kennon A.
Published: June 2012

Undergraduates were exposed to a series of reinforcement schedules: first, to a fixed‐ratio (FR) schedule in the presence of one stimulus and to a differential‐reinforcement‐of‐low‐rate (DRL) schedule in the presence of another (multiple FR DRL training), then to a fixed‐interval (FI) schedule in the presence of a third stimulus (FI baseline), next to the FI schedule under the stimuli previously correlated with the FR and DRL schedules (multiple FI FI testing), and, finally, to a single session of the multiple FR DRL schedule again (multiple FR DRL testing). Response rates during the multiple FI FI schedule were higher under the former FR stimulus than under the former DRL stimulus. This effect of remote histories was prolonged when either the number of FI‐baseline sessions was small or zero, or the time interval between the multiple FR DRL training and the multiple FI FI testing was short. Response rates under these two stimuli converged with continued exposure to the multiple FI FI schedule in most cases, but quickly differentiated when the schedule returned to the multiple FR DRL.
DELAY DISCOUNTING: I'M A K, YOU'RE A K
Authors: Odum Amy L.
Published: June 2012

Delay discounting is the decline in the present value of a reward with delay to its receipt. Across a variety of species, populations, and reward types, value declines hyperbolically with delay. Value declines steeply with shorter delays, but more shallowly with longer delays. Quantitative modeling provides precise measures to characterize the form of the discount function. These measures may be regarded as higher‐order dependent variables, intervening variables, or hypothetical constructs. I suggest the degree of delay discounting may be a personality trait. In the end, the ontological status of measures of delay discounting is irrelevant. Whatever delay discounting may be, its study has provided the field of behavior analysis and other areas measures with robust generality and predictive validity for a variety of significant human problems. Research on moderating the degree of delay discounting has the potential to produce substantial societal benefits.
Comparison of the presence and partitioning behavior of indicator organisms and Salmonella spp. in an urban watershed
Authors: Krometis Leigh-Anne H. , Characklis Gregory W. , Drummey Patricia N. , Sobsey Mark D.
Published: June 2012

The appropriateness of indicator organisms as surrogates for human pathogens in water quality modeling is dependent on similarities in both presence and transport behavior; however, very little data relating indicator and bacterial pathogen transport behavior in receiving waters is available. In this study observations of presence, partitioning behavior (i.e. association with settleable particles) and removal by upland detention basins were used to assess the suitability of six indicator organisms as surrogates for Salmonella spp. bacteria in an urban watershed. The fecal indicator bacteria (fecal coliforms, E. coli and enterococci) were most closely correlated with Salmonella in terms of presence and partitioning behavior (25–35% associated with settleable particles on average); however, further resolution of the variability associated with Salmonella partitioning is required. Higher removal of particle-associated microbes relative to the total microbial concentration by the detention ponds suggests that sedimentation may be an important removal mechanism. However, large fluctuations in pond performance between storm events and occasional net microbial exports in effluents indicate that these best management practices (BMPs), as currently implemented, will be unlikely to achieve water quality objectives.
Towards understanding of classes versus data types in conceptual modeling and UML
Authors: Milicev Dragan
Published: June 2012

Traditional conceptual modeling and UML take different vague, ambiguous, and
apparently incompatible approaches to making a distinction between two
different entity types - classes and data types. In this paper, an in-depth
theoretical study of these ambiguities and discrepancies is given and a new
semantic interpretation is proposed for consolidation. The interpretation is
founded on the premise that populations of the two kinds of entity types are
defined in two substantially different ways: by intensional (for data types)
and extensional (for classes) definitions. The notion of a generative
relationship set is introduced to explain the role of specific relationship
types that are used to define populations of structured data types by
cross-combinations of populations of the related entity types. Finally, some
important semantic consequences are described through the proposed
interpretation: value-based vs. object-based semantics, associations vs.
attributes, and identity vs. identification. The given interpretation is
based on runtime semantics and allows for fully unambiguous discrimination of
the related concepts, yet it fits into intuitive understanding and common
practical usage of these concepts.
Journal evaluation based on bibliometric indicators and the CERIF data model
Authors: Ivanovic Dragan , Surla Dusan , Rackovic Milos
Published: June 2012

In this paper we propose an application of extended CERIF data model for
storing journal impact factors and journal scientific fields and also propose
a journal evaluation approach based on these data. The approach includes an
algorithm for journal evaluation based on one metric for journals ranking
that is also stored using the CERIF data model and that is in accordance with
the rule book for evaluation of scientific-research results which is
prescribed by the Republic of Serbia. The algorithm does not unambiguously
evaluate journal, i.e. the algorithm suggests possibly journal categories
according to the values of the metric, but final decision is made by
commission. The proposed evaluation approach is implemented within CRIS UNS
and verified on scientific-research results of researchers employed at
Department of Mathematics and Informatics, University of Novi Sad. The
complete evaluation approach proposed in this paper is based on the CERIF
standard that allows an easy application of this evaluation approach in any
CERIF-compatible CRIS system.
Implementation of EasyTime formal semantics using a LISA compiler generator
Authors: Fister Iztok , Mernik Marjan , Fister Iztok , Hrncic Dejan
Published: June 2012

A manual measuring time tool in mass sporting competitions would not be
imaginable nowadays, because many modern disciplines, such as IRONMAN, last a
long-time and, therefore, demand additional reliability. Moreover, automatic
timing-devices based on RFID technology, have become cheaper. However, these
devices cannot operate as standalone because they need a computer measuring
system that is capable of processing incoming events, encoding the results,
assigning them to the correct competitor, sorting the results according to
the achieved times, and then providing a printout of the results. This
article presents the domain-specific language EasyTime, which enables the
controlling of an agent by writing the events within a database. It focuses,
in particular, on the implementation of EasyTime with a LISA tool that
enables the automatic construction of compilers from language specifications,
using Attribute Grammars.
Between children and parents: Housing (in)dependence and “growing up”
Authors: Dragisic-Labas Sladjana , Ljubicic Milana
Published: June 2012

In this paper we explore the relationship between financial and residential
independence of young people and some aspects of their psychological
separation from parents. Namely, the adequate psychological separation of the
youth from their parents is affected by the characteristics of family
dynamics as a whole, by family narratives, and also by the ecosystem
conditions (opportunities) for the financial and housing independence from
parents. In order to examine these findings, which have been confirmed almost
without exception in the foreign literature, we bring young people who live
with their parents into the focus of this study, comparing them with their
peers who have become independent in this respect. The analysis included a
total of 1627 respondents aged 19-35 years, 909 of whom lived with their
parents. We were interested in whether there were any significant differences
in terms of statistics between these two diverse housing categories of
respondents, considering material possibilities of the physical separation
and some aspects of psychological separation from parents. These are:
emotional, conflicting, and functional independence, and lack of privacy in
the family. We obtained the following findings: there are clear differences
in some aspects of psychological separation among those young people who
continue living at their parents' home and those who chose (had a possibility
of) physical separation. These findings must be interpreted from a broader,
ecosystem perspective, in anticipation of the possible implications of the
overall (non)independence of young people for their life outcomes.
Stalled de-standardization of partnerships: Case of young people in Serbia
Authors: Bobic Mirjana
Published: June 2012

The paper tackles reasons for the delay of family formation in contemporary
Serbia in the cultural context of pro-familism and standardized life course.
Life course perspective is applied as the most suitable one because it
fruitfully reconciles structure and agency, demography and sociology. Young
people?s transition to adulthood in Serbia is assessed as protracted,
somewhat like in Mediterranean and CEE countries (e.g. Slovenia). The
empirical evidence is based on various sources of data, combining
quantitative (surveys and demographics) and qualitative approaches. The main
conclusion is that structural barriers mostly hamper individualization and
emancipation of young people from the family of origin, although personal
reasons are not negligible (lack of a ?proper partner?). Entry into marriage
and start of childbearing are tightly related and compressed processes in a
life course of young people in Serbia, thus identifying markers of adulthood.
If we expect these groups of population to be the forerunners of
(post)modernization, then more social, political support and action is needed
for the sake of fostering: empowerment (employment, housing, and development
of welfare state), services aimed at institutionalization of parenthood and
care work, as well as gender equality in everyday life.
Media use among young people in Serbia
Authors: Stanojevic Dragan
Published: June 2012

The aim of this paper is to present how the electronic and print media have
been used among the youth in Serbia. The analysis aims to show diverse modes
of media usage in relation to the demographic and socio-economic
characteristics of the youth, on the assumption that age, sex, residence,
education, occupation, etc. influence the choice of media, the contents that
young people prefer, as well as the amount of time spent on their usage. The
issue that prompted our attention most is access to different types of media
(print, television and internet) because the media also represent one of the
key preconditions of social participation.
Towards a Non-Deterministic Reading of Pierre Bourdieu: Habitus and Educational Change in Urban Schools
Authors: Barrett Brian D. , Martina Camille Anne
Published: June 2012

Building on the social reproduction theory of Pierre Bourdieu, this study examines the impact of school context and institutional agency on shaping urban students' access to social and cultural capital resources, which are selectively valued and rewarded by the education system, in two schools across two high-poverty, intensely segregated urban districts in the United States. These resources are linked in turn to students' habitus: their educational expectations and the orientations and practices they generate. Although the concept of habitus is often conceptualized as a durable product of socialization within families, we present findings to suggest conditions in schools under which it can be altered. This study elucidates key conceptual frameworks within institutional contexts that can be operationalized in shaping students' habitus and facilitating positive educational outcomes.
Peer Pressure: Comments on the European Educational Reform
Authors: Liesner Andrea
Published: June 2012

This article reports on the growing influence of informal and not democratically legitimised authority within the educational field in Europe. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the Bologna Process and the European Qualifications Framework are discussed as instances of neoliberal strategies of modernisation that change the European idea and institutional practice of education dramatically.
The Structure of Walking Activity in People After Stroke Compared With Older Adults Without Disability: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Roos Margaret A. , Rudolph Katherine S. , Reisman Darcy S.
Published: June 2012

Background

People with stroke have reduced walking activity. It is not known whether this deficit is due to a reduction in all aspects of walking activity or only in specific areas. Understanding specific walking activity deficits is necessary for the development of interventions that maximize improvements in activity after stroke.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine walking activity in people poststroke compared with older adults without disability.

Design

A cross-sectional study was conducted.

Methods

Fifty-four participants poststroke and 18 older adults without disability wore a step activity monitor for 3 days. The descriptors of walking activity calculated included steps per day (SPD), bouts per day (BPD), steps per bout (SPB), total time walking per day (TTW), percentage of time walking per day (PTW), and frequency of short, medium, and long walking bouts.

Results

Individuals classified as household and limited community ambulators (n=29) did not differ on any measure and were grouped (HHA-LCA group) for comparison with unlimited community ambulators (UCA group) (n=22) and with older adults without disability (n=14). The SPD, TTW, PTW, and BPD measurements were greatest in older adults and lowest in the HHA-LCA group. Seventy-two percent to 74% of all walking bouts were short, and this finding did not differ across groups. Walking in all categories (short, medium, and long) was lowest in the HHA-LCA group, greater in the UCA group, and greatest in older adults without disability.

Limitations

Three days of walking activity were captured.

Conclusions

The specific descriptors of walking activity presented provide insight into walking deficits after stroke that cannot be ascertained by looking at steps per day alone. The deficits that were revealed could be addressed through appropriate exercise prescription, underscoring the need to analyze the structure of walking activity.
The US/Mexico Border: A Binational Approach to Framing Challenges and Constructing Solutions for Improving Farmworkers’ Lives
Authors: Rosales Cecilia , Ortega Maria Isabel , De Zapien Jill Guernsey , Paniagua Alma Delia Contreras , Zapien Antonio , Ingram Maia , Aranda Patricia
Published: June 2012

Mexican migrant and seasonal farmworkers in the US-Mexico border region face health hazards and occupational risks and are becoming commonly known in the public health literature. According to several studies, farmworkers have high levels of chronic diseases such as diabetes and respiratory problems, are at risk for infectious diseases, and experience among the highest incidences of work-related injuries of any profession. The findings from two studies are considered and presented with the objective of contributing to an overall understanding of migrant farmworkers as a workforce moving across national boundaries and affected by the work environments and health stressors both shared and unique to each context. We propose a binational approach to comprehensively address the health problems and socioeconomic challenges faced by migrant and seasonal farmworkers. In this paper we present the results of two distinct but complementary studies of farmworker health on the Arizona-Sonora border.