bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attitudes and beliefs of women about the factors responsible for the development of cervical carcinoma
Authors: Dugandzija Tihomir , Miladinov-Mikov Marica , Mandic Aljosa , Nincic Dejan , Latinovic Miroslav
Published: August 2011

Background: To determine the level of knowledge among women about factors
responsible for the development of cervix carcinoma and the necessity of
education and health promotion. Methods: Three groups of women were
interviewed according to measuring instruments by the specially created
questionnaire for this research. The statistically significant difference in
answers was determined by the ANOVA test. Results: In most of the
investigated factors (7 of 11) statistically significant differences in
answers were observed among the groups. Only six participants in all groups
indicated human papillomavirus as the factor responsible for the development
of cervix carcinoma. Conclusion: In all three groups of the interviewed
women, bacterial and viral causes of the disease were highly ranked in
comparison to other risk factors. Only a small number of participants
indicated human papillomavirus as an etiological factor. There is need to
improve the knowledge about risk factors through health promotion and health
education in order to change the epidemiological situation concerning
cervical carcinoma.
Estimating the turnover time of high intravenous intake of vitamin C
Authors: Wong Alfred
Published: August 2011

Background: Intravenous dosing is generally recognized to be the only
effective means of maintaining a high concentration of vitamin C in the
plasma. High dosing of vitamin C has been reported to be beneficial in, among
other things, improving the quality of life as well as survival time of
patients with terminal cancer. There is a paucity of information on the
depletion of vitamin C in plasma at the high dosing regimen. Methods: The
primary human-subject data reported by Levine et al. and Riordan et al. were
used in this analysis. It is generally recognized that chemical kinetic
studies could be used to deduce the underlying mechanism involved in the
transport of vitamin C from the plasma into the cell structure. Results: A
single rate constant was found to be essentially applicable to describe the
rate of depletion of vitamin C from the plasma of healthy volunteers as well
as for cancer patients, over the range of intravenous administration of 200
mg to 60,000 mg. Conclusion: The application of first-order reaction kinetics
has been shown to provide a means to estimate the depletion time at any
intravenous high dosing of vitamin C.
Pulmonary hamartoma: Case report and review of literature
Authors: Lazovic Biljana , Jakovic Radoslav , Dubajic Snezana , Gataric Zorica
Published: August 2011

Pulmonary hamartoma is the most common benign tumor of the lung. We report
the case of a healthy, 46-year-old woman with an incidentally discovered
chondromatous hamartoma, which has been excised thorascopically. She
developed hamartoma within a year.
On traces of analytic Gp type spaces, mixed norm spaces and harmonic Bergman classes on certain polydomains
Authors: Shamoyan Romi , Mihic Olivera
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we introduce new Qp type spaces and mixed norm analytic
function spaces on polyballs and describe completely their traces on unit
ball. Complete descriptions of traces of harmonic Bergman classes on products
of unit balls of Rn and products of Rn+1 half spaces will be also provided.
A note on soft near-rings and idealistic soft near-rings
Authors: Sezgin Aslıhan , Atagün Osman , Aygün Emin
Published: August 2011

Molodtsov introduced the theory of soft sets, which can be seen as an
effective mathematical tool to deal with uncertainties, since it is free from
the difficulties that the usual theoretical approaches have troubled. In this
paper, we apply the definitions proposed by Ali et al. [M. I. Ali, F. Feng,
X. Liu, W. K. Min and M. Shabir, On some new operations in soft set theory,
Comput. Math. Appl. 57 (2009), 1547-1553] to the concept of soft near- rings
and substructures of soft near-rings, proposed by Atag?n and Sezgin [A. O.
Atag?n and A. Sezgin, Soft Near-rings, submitted] and show them with
illustrating examples. Moreover, we investigate the properties of idealistic
soft near-rings with respect to the near-ring mappings and we show that the
structure is preserved under the near-ring epimorphisms. Main purpose of this
paper is to extend the study of soft near-rings from a theoretical aspect.
A new generalization of the Ostrowski inequality and applications
Authors: Masjed-Jamei Mohammad , Dragomir Sever
Published: August 2011

A new generalization of the Ostrowski inequality for functions in Lp-spaces
is introduced and then applied to provide some estimates for the error value
of numerical quadrature rules of equal coefficients type.
Multivalued generalizations of the Kannan fixed point theorem
Authors: Damjanovic Bosko , Djoric Dragan
Published: August 2011

In this paper we obtain multi-valed mapping generalizations of two recent
theorems of Kikkawa and Suzuki [M. Kikkawa and T. Suzuki, Some similarity
between contractions and Kannan mappings, Fixed Point Theory Appl., (2008),
Article ID 649749, 1-8] and the main theorem of Enjouji et all. [Y. Enjouji,
M. Nakanishi and T. Suzuki, A Generalization of Kannan?s Fixed Point Theorem,
Fixed Point Theory and Applications, Volume 2009, Article ID 192872, 10
pages].
Best proximity point theorems for weak cyclic Kannan contractions
Authors: Petric Ancuţa
Published: August 2011

In this paper we introduce the notion of weak cyclic Kannan contraction. We
give some convergence and existence results for best proximity points for
weak cyclic Kannan contractions in the setting of a uniformly convex Banach
space.
The associated Schur complements of M = [A B/C D]
Authors: Wang Hongxing , Liu Xiaoji
Published: August 2011

Let S1 = A ? BD?C and S2 = D?CA?B be the associated Schur complements of M =
[A B/C D]. In this paper, we derive necessary and sufficient conditions for
S1 = 0 imply S2 = 0 by using generalized inverses of matrices and singular
value decompositions.
Uniqueness and differential polynomials of meromorphic functions sharing one value
Authors: Xia Jiying , Yan Xu
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we study the uniqueness of differential polynomials of
meromorphic functions sharing one value, and obtain some results, which
improve and generalize the related results due to Fang, Zhang-Lin, and
Bhoosnurmath-Dyavanal, etc.
On some weighted integral inequalities for convex functions related to Fejér’s result
Authors: Tseng K.L. , Hwang Shiow-Ru , Dragomir S.S.
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we introduce some functionals associated with weighted
integral means for convex functions. Some new Fej?r-type inequalities are
obtained as well.
Existence results for some differential equations with deviating argument
Authors: Lauran Monica
Published: August 2011

In this paper we shall establish sufficient conditions for the existence of
solutions of some differential equation and its solvability in CL, subset of
the Banach space (C [a, b], ||?||). The main tool used in our study is the
nonexpansive operator technique.
On some new sequence spaces of non-absolute type related to the spaces ℓp and ℓ∞ I
Authors: Mursaleen M. , Noman Abdullah
Published: August 2011

In the present paper, we introduce the sequence space l?p of non-absolute
type and prove that the spaces ??p and lp are linearly isomorphic for 0 < p ?
?. Further, we show that ??p is a p-normed space and a BK-space in the cases
of 0 < p < 1 and 1 ? p ? ?, respectively. Furthermore, we derive some
inclusion relations concerning the space ??p. Finally, we construct the basis
for the space ??p, where 1 ? p < ?.
A fixed point result for mappings with contractive iterate at a point in G-metric spaces
Authors: Gajic Ljiljana , Lozanov-Crvenkovic Zagorka
Published: August 2011

Using the setting of generalized metric space, so called G-metric space, a
fixed point theorems for mappings with a contractive iterate at a point are
proved. This result generalize well known comparable result.
Common fixed point theorems for mappings satisfying common property (E.A.)in symmetric spaces
Authors: Gopal Dhananjay , Imdad Mohammad , Vetro Calogero
Published: August 2011

In this paper, common fixed point theorems for mappings satisfying a
generalized contractive condition are obtained in symmetric spaces by using
the notion of common property (E.A.). In the process, a host of previously
known results are improved and generalized. We also derive results on common
fixed point in probabilistic symmetric spaces.
Impact of occasionally weakly compatible property on common fixed point theorems for expansive mappings
Authors: Imdad M. , Ali Javid , Popa V.
Published: August 2011

A general common fixed point theorem for two pairs of occasionally weak
compatible expansive mappings satisfying a significantly enriched implicit
function is proved in symmetric spaces which generalizes several previously
known results. Some related results and illustrative examples are also
discussed.
On (λ,µ)-statistical convergence of double sequences on intuitionistic fuzzy normed spaces
Authors: Kumar Vijay , Mursaleen M.
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we define (?, ?)- statistical convergence and (?,
?)-statistical Cauchy double sequences on intuitionistic fuzzy normed spaces
(IFNS in short), where ? = (?n ) and ? = (?m) be two non-decreasing
sequences of positive real numbers such that each tending to ? and ?n+1 ? ?n
+ 1, ?1 = 1; ?m+1 ? ?m + 1, ?1 = 1. We display example that shows our method
of convergence is more general for double sequences in intuitionistic fuzzy
normed spaces.
Stability of certain functional equations via a fixed point of Ciric
Authors: Akkouchi Mohamed
Published: August 2011

Let S be a non empty set. We prove the stability (in the sense of Ulam) of
the functional equation: f(t)=F(t,f (?(t))), where ? is a given function
of S into itself and F is a function satisfying a contraction of Ciric type
([5]). Our analysis is based on the use of a fixed point theorem of Ciric
(see [5] and [4]). In particular our result provides a generalization and a
natural continuation of a paper of Baker (see [3]).
Coupled fixed point theorems in partially ordered cone metric spaces
Authors: Ding Hui-Sheng , Li Lu
Published: August 2011

This paper is concerned with mixed monotone mappings in partially ordered
cone metric spaces. We establish several fixed point theorems, which
generalize and complement some known results. Especially, even in a partially
ordered metric space, our main results are generalizations of the fixed point
theorems due to Bhaskar and Lakshmikantham [T. Grana Bhaskar, V.
Lakshmikantham, Fixed point theorems in partially ordered metric spaces and
applications, Nonlinear Anal. TMA 65 (2006) 1379-1393].
Notes on L-fuzzy γ-open sets
Authors: Günel Gizem , Aslım Gülhan
Published: August 2011

The aim of this paper is to present a common approach allowing to obtain
families of L-fuzzy sets in an L-topological space of Goguen type
generalizing the class of all open L-fuzzy sets. In particular, we study the
notion of an L-fuzzy ?-open set where ? is a monotone operator on the family
of all L-fuzzy subsets of an L-topological space X and discuss some
properties of L-fuzzy ?-open sets.
On Ψ~e G-sets in grill topological spaces
Authors: Al-Omari Ahmad , Takashi Noiri
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we introduce and study ?~e G-sets and utilize the ?G-operator
to define interesting generalized open sets and study their properties.
Stability of a mixed type additive, quadratic and cubic functional equation in random normed spaces
Authors: Gordji Eshaghi , Savadkouhi Bavand
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we obtain the general solution and the stability result for
the following functional equation in random normed spaces (in the sense of
Sherstnev) under arbitrary t-norms f(x+3y)+f(x?3y)= 9(f(x+y)+f(x?y))?16f(x).
Statistical limit superior and limit inferior in probabilistic normed spaces
Authors: Mursaleen M. , Lohani Danish
Published: August 2011

In this paper we study the concept of statistical limit superior and
statistical limit inferior in probabilistic normed spaces. Our results are
analogous to the results of Fridy and Orhan [Proc. Amer. Math. Soc.
125(1997), 3625-3631] but proofs are somewhat different and interesting. We
also demonstrate through an example how to compute these points in PN-spaces.
Baire spaces and quasicontinuous mappings
Authors: Borsík Ján , Holá Lubica , Holý Dusan
Published: August 2011

The notion of quasicontinuity was perhaps the first time used by R. Baire in
[2]. Let X, Y be topological spaces and Q(X,Y) be the space of
quasicontinuous mappings from X to Y. If X is a Baire space and Y is
metrizable, in Q(X,Y) we can approach each (x, y) in the graph Grf of f
along some trajectory of the form {(xk, fnk (xk )): k??} if and only if
we can approach most points along a vertical trajectory. This result
generalizes Theorem 5 from [3]. Moreover in the class of topological spaces
with the property QP we give a characterization of Baire spaces by the above
mentioned fact. We also study topological spaces with the property QP.
On 1-gaps in 3D digital objects
Authors: Maimone Angelo , Nordo Giorgio
Published: August 2011

In Digital Geometry, a gap is a location of a digital object through which a
discrete ray can penetrate with no intersection. More specifically, for a 3D
digital object we distinguish between 0- and 1-gaps depending on the relative
position of such a ray. Although in some applications it is important to know
how many gaps has a set of voxels, it is quite complicated to find an
efficient algorithm to directly count them. In this paper, we provide a
formula that states the number of 1-gaps of a generic 3D object using the
notion of free cell of dimension 1 and 2.
Metric spaces and Caristi-Nguyen-type theorems
Authors: Kadelburg Zoran , Radenovic Stojan , Simic Suzana
Published: August 2011

In this paper we prove cone metric versions of common fixed point theorems
for two and four mappings with the Caristi-Nguyen-type contractive
conditions. Also, sufficient conditions for two or four mappings to have no
common periodic points are deduced. Examples are given to distinguish these
results from the known ones and to show that certain conditions cannot be
omitted.
Estimation of a condition number related to A(2)T,S
Authors: Mosic Dijana
Published: August 2011

In this paper we get estimation of the absolute condition number a Hilbert
space operator, which is related with the outer generalized inverse of a
given operator.
An instability theorem for a certain fifth-order delay differential equation
Authors: Tunç Cemil
Published: August 2011

The main purpose of this paper is to introduce a new instability theorem
related to a fifth order nonlinear differential equation with a constant
delay. By means of the Lyapunov-Krasovskii ([8], [13]) functional approach,
we obtain a new result on the topic.
On an integral-type operator from Qk(p,q) spaces to α-bloch spaces
Authors: Pan Chunping
Published: August 2011

Let g ? H(D), n be a nonnegative integer and ? be an analytic self-map of D.
We study the boundedness and compactness of the integral operator Cn ?,g, which
is defined by Cn ?,g f)(z) = ?z0 f(n)(?(?))g(?)d?, z?D, f?H(D), from
QK(p,q) and QK,0(p,q) spaces to ?-Bloch spaces and little ?-Bloch spaces.
Some symmetric semi-classical polynomial sets
Authors: Sghaier Mabrouk
Published: August 2011

We show that if ? is a regular semi-classical form (linear functional), then
the symmetric form u defined by the relation x?u=??? where ?u is the even
part of u, is also regular and semi-classical form for every complex ? except
for a discrete set of numbers depending on ?. We give explicitly the
recurrence coefficients, integral representation and the structure relation
coefficients of the orthogonal polynomials sequence associated with u and the
class of the form u knowing that of ?. We conclude with some illustrative
examples.
Common fixed point results for three maps in G-metric spaces
Authors: Abbas Mujahid , Nazir Talat , Vetro Pasquale
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we use the setting of generalized metric spaces to
obtain common fixed point results for three maps. These results generalize
several well known comparable results in the literature.
The weak and the strong equivalence relation and the asymptotic inversion
Authors: Djurcic Dragan , Mitrovic Ivan , Janjic Mladen
Published: August 2011

In this paper we discuss the relationship between the weak and the strong
asymptotic equivalence relation and the asymptotic inversion, for positive
and measurable functions defined on a half-axis [a,+?) (a > 0). As the main
results, we prove a certain characterizations of the functional class of all
rapidly varying functions, as well as some other functional classes.
On the maximum and minimum first reformulated Zagreb index of graphs with connectivity at most k
Authors: Su Guifu , Xiong Liming , Xu Lan , Ma Beibei
Published: August 2011

The authors Milicevic et al. introduced the reformulated Zagreb indices
[1], which is a generalization of classical Zagreb indices of chemical graph
theory. In this paper, we mainly consider the maximum and minimum for the
first reformulated index of graphs with connectivity at most k. The
corresponding extremal graphs are characterized.
Cesáro type operators on spaces of analytic functions
Authors: Naik S.
Published: August 2011

In this article, we consider a two parameter family of generalized Ces?ro
operators P b,c , Re (b + 1) > Re c > 0, on classical spaces of analytic
functions such as Hardy (H p ), BMOA and a- Bloch space (Ba). We Prove that
P b,c, Re(b+1)>Re c > 0 is bounded on H p if and only if p ?(0, ?) and
on Ba if and only if a ? (1, ?) and unbounded on H ?, BMOA and Ba, a ?(0,
1]. Also we prove that ?-Cesaro operators C? is a bounded operator from the
Hardy space H p to the Bergmann space Ap for p ? (0, 1). Thus, we improve
some well known results of the literature.
On I-Alexandroff and Ig-Alexandroff ideal topological spaces
Authors: Ekici Erdal
Published: August 2011

In this paper, the notions of I -Alexandroff and Ig-Alexandroff ideal
topological spaces are introduced and studied. Also, characterizations and
properties of I-Alexandroff and Ig-Alexandroff ideal topological spaces are
investigated.
On the convergence of three-step iterative sequences with errors for nonself asymptotically quasi-nonexpansive type mappings in Banach spaces
Authors: Temir Seyit , Kiziltunc Hukmi
Published: August 2011

In this paper, it is proved that the three-step iteration sequence converges
strongly to a fixed point for nonself asymptotically quasi-nonexpansive type
mappings in Banach space. The results obtained in this paper extend and
improve the recent ones announced by S.S. Chang and Y.Y. Zhou[2], S. Quan,
S. Chang and J. Long [13] , W. Nilsrakoo, S. Saejung [10] and many others.
Hille-yosida theorems for local convoluted C-semigroups and cosine functions
Authors: Kostic Marko
Published: August 2011

The theory of convoluted C-operator families is an active research field. The
main purpose of this paper is to prove several Hille-Yosida type theorems for
local convoluted C-semigroups and cosine functions.
Moleculobiological characteristics of oral squamous cell carcinomas
Authors: Tanic Nikola , Dedovic-Tanic Nasta , Popovic Brandon , Kosanovic Rade , Milasin Jelena
Published: August 2011

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) are associated with poor prognosis, and
despite advances in therapy approaches, no major improvement in survival has
been achieved in the recent years. Efforts are now directed toward finding
new biological markers that could predict tumor behavior more accurately.
OSCCs, as the majority of malignant tumors, arise from progressive
accumulation of genetic and epigenetic lesions, transforming normal cells
into malignant. In this paper, an analysis of current studies directed to
understanding the underlying mechanisms of OSCC pathogenesis was presented.
The emphasis was put on mutational analysis of cancer genes, as well as on
the role of viral infections and methylation processes in OSCC. Finally, an
overview of studies that tried to determine the possibility for developing
OSCC was given.
Postoperative pain after primary endodontic treatment and retreatment of asimptomatic teeth
Authors: Petrovic Violeta , Opacic-Galic Vanja , Zivkovic Slavoljub
Published: August 2011

Introduction. Postoperative pain may develop after chemomechanical
preparation during endodontic treatment or retreatment. It is associated with
acute apical periodontitis caused by bacteria penetrated from the root canal
into the periapical tissue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the
incidence of postoperative pain during endodontic treatment after intracanal
medication performed with calcium hydroxide (CH) paste or 1% chlorhexidine
gel (CHX). Material and Methods. The study included 22 asymptomatic teeth in
both male and female patients. Fourteen teeth had the diagnosis of pulp
necrosis and the other eight were retreatment cases. The root canals were
prepared by crown-down technique using K files and copious irrigation with
0.5% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl). Intracanal dressing was performed using
either calcium hydroxide paste or 1% CHX gel. Each medicament was placed in
the root canals of eleven randomly selected teeth. The teeth were restored
with temporary filling. Postoperative pain was registered during the seven
day period between two appointments. The level of pain was rated as follows:
no pain, mild pain, moderate pain and severe pain (flare-up). The obtained
data was analyzed using Fisher exact test. The level of significance was
?=0.05. Results. Postoperative pain was absent in 77.3% of total number of
treated teeth. Severe pain (flare-up) was registered in 2 cases (9%). There
was no significant difference in pain incidence between the CH paste and CHX
gel group (p=0.610). Conclusion. Endodontic procedure used in this study
which considered root canal instrumentation and irrigation followed by
intracanal medication with CH and CHX resulted in low incidence of
postoperative pain.
Dental status of adults in the eastern region of Republika Srpska
Authors: Stojanovic Nikola , Krunic Jelena , Cicmil Smiljka
Published: August 2011

Introduction. A significant change in frequency and characteristics of oral
diseases in developed countries has been detected recently. The aim of this
study was to determine the dental status of teeth in adults in the eastern
region of Republika Srpska and to determine possible difference in the
prevalence of dental diseases according to the demographic characteristics.
Materials and Methods. The study included 182 respondents aged 35-44 years
and 185 respondents aged 65-74 years, selected randomly from four
municipalities in the eastern region of Republika Srpska. Dental examinations
were conducted according to the standards and criteria developed by the World
Health Organization. Dental status, determined by DMFT index, was analyzed
according to the gender and place of residence (urban/rural). Results. The
mean DMFT index was 20.2 in the age group 35-44 years and 28.5 in subjects
aged 65-74 years. The dominant component of the index in both studied groups
was the number of extracted teeth. For subjects aged 65-74 years from rural
areas a significantly higher DMFT index as compared to the residents in urban
regions (p<0.05) was reported. Females had fewer caries lesions (p<0.05) and
greater number of restored (p<0.01) teeth as compared to male respondents in
the age group 35-44 years. On the other hand, in the older population study
group, females had lower number of restored teeth (p<0.01), higher number of
missing teeth (p<0.01) and higher DMFT index (p<0.2001) as compared to males.
Conclusion. The present results indicate that the prevalence of caries in
adults in the eastern region of Republika Srpska is very high.
Society as a crime victim of legal entities
Authors: Tanjevic Natasa
Published: August 2011

Tortious acts of legal entities have unforeseen harmful consequences in all
areas. In the greedy desire to gain profit, certain legal entities do not
have any regard for the most important resources of individuals and society.
Damage resulting from the commission of criminal acts is very high for the
whole society, especially when it comes to crimes against the environment. In
order to prevent and combat corporate crime in criminal law, an increasingly
wider acceptance of criminal liability of legal entities was adopted. This
paper discusses the basic characteristics of corporate crime, as well as the
reasons for the introduction of the criminal responsibility of legal
entities. In this regard, we analyzed the law provisions regarding the
liability of legal entities for criminal offenses, and concluded that despite
the criminal-political need to react with more serious sanctions to the
offenses of legal entities, there are certain obstacles and problems that
stand in the way of introducing this responsibility.
Support for victims of crime: Analysis of the VDS info and victim support service in 2010
Authors: Copic Sanja , Tripkovic Mirjana , Saciri Bejan
Published: August 2011

VDS info and victim support service is a victim support service, which was
established in 2003 within the Victimology Society of Serbia. The
service provides emotional support, information and, if necessary, referral
to other relevant services, as well as witness support. The target group of
the service are direct and indirect victims of all forms of crime, of both
sexes, regardless of any personal characteristics. In addition, support is
provided to victims in court, as well as to women victims of violence who
are in prison. In most cases victim support is provided by volunteers who
are trained to work with victims of crime. This paper analyzes the work of
the service in 2010. Special attention is paid to the problems of workplace
violence and domestic violence, which are the most common reasons for
contacting the service. The aim of the paper is to present the work of the
service in the past year, as well as to highlight the trends observed in
comparison to the previous period.
Pure Erythroid Leukemia Following Precursor B-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Xu Min , Finn Laura S. , Tsuchiya Karen D. , Thomson Blythe , Pollard Jessica , Rutledge Joe
Published: August 2011

Therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia is an unfortunate sequel to current multimodal intensive chemotherapy. The patient described was diagnosed with pure erythroleukemia, AML-M6b, during therapy for precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this unusual association.
Radio-Frequency Interference Detection and Mitigation Algorithms for Synthetic Aperture Radiometers
Authors: Camps Adriano , Gourrion Jerome , Tarongi Jose Miguel , Vall Llossera Mercedes , Gutierrez Antonio , Barbosa Jose , Castro Rita
Published: August 2011

The European Space Agency (ESA) successfully launched the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission in November 2, 2009. SMOS uses a new type of instrument, a synthetic aperture radiometer named MIRAS that provides full-polarimetric multi-angular L-band brightness temperatures, from which regular and global maps of Sea Surface Salinity (SSS) and Soil Moisture (SM) are generated. Although SMOS operates in a restricted band (1400–1427 MHz), radio-frequency interference (RFI) appears in SMOS imagery in many areas of the world, and it is an important issue to be addressed for quality SSS and SM retrievals. The impact on SMOS imagery of a sinusoidal RFI source is reviewed, and the problem is illustrated with actual RFI encountered by SMOS. Two RFI detection and mitigation algorithms are developed (dual-polarization and full-polarimetric modes), the performance of the second one has been quantitatively evaluated in terms of probability of detection and false alarm (using a synthetic test scene), and results presented using real dual-polarization and full-polarimetric SMOS imagery. Finally, a statistical analysis of more than 13,000 L1b snap-shots is presented and discussed.
Nitrogen Isotope Fractionation and Origin of Ammonia Nitrogen Volatilized from Cattle Manure in Simulated Storage
Authors: Lee Chanhee , Hristov Alexander N. , Cassidy Terri , Heyler Kyle
Published: August 2011

A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to establish the relationship between nitrogen (N) isotope composition of cattle manure and ammonia emissions, potential contribution of nitrogenous gases other than ammonia to manure N volatilization losses, and to determine the relative contribution of urinary- vs. fecal-N to ammonia emissions during the initial stage of manure storage. Data confirmed that ammonia volatilization losses from manure are most intensive during the first 2 to 3 days of storage and this coincides with a very rapid loss (hydrolysis) of urinary urea. Long-term (30 days) monitoring of δ15N of manure and emitted ammonia indicated that the dynamics of N isotope fractionation may be complicating the usefulness of the isotope approach as a tool for estimating ammonia emissions from manure in field conditions. The relationship between δ15N of manure and ammonia emission appears to be linear during the initial stages of manure storage (when most of the ammonia losses occur) and should be further investigated. These experiments demonstrated that the main source of ammonia-N volatilized from cattle manure during the initial 10 days of storage is urinary-N, representing on average 90% of the emitted ammonia-N. The contribution of fecal-N was relatively low, but gradually increased to about 10% by day 10. There appears to be substantial emissions of nitrogenous gases other than ammonia, most likely dinitrogen gas, which may account for up to 25% of N losses during the first 20 days of manure storage. This finding, which has to be confirmed in laboratory and field conditions, may be indicative of overestimation of ammonia emissions from cattle operations by the current emissions factors.
Chemical Data Assimilation—An Overview
Authors: Sandu Adrian , Chai Tianfeng
Published: August 2011

Chemical data assimilation is the process by which models use measurements to produce an optimal representation of the chemical composition of the atmosphere. Leveraging advances in algorithms and increases in the available computational power, the integration of numerical predictions and observations has started to play an important role in air quality modeling. This paper gives an overview of several methodologies used in chemical data assimilation. We discuss the Bayesian framework for developing data assimilation systems, the suboptimal and the ensemble Kalman filter approaches, the optimal interpolation (OI), and the three and four dimensional variational methods. Examples of assimilation real observations with CMAQ model are presented.
Toll-Like Receptor 4 Signaling Integrates Intestinal Inflammation with Tumorigenesis: Lessons from the Murine Model of Colitis-Associated Cancer
Authors: Hernandez Yasmin , Sotolongo John , Fukata Masayuki
Published: August 2011

Chronic inflammation has long been implicated as a predisposition for cancer, but the underlying mechanism for how this occurs has remained obscure. Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the large intestine which is known to be highly linked to colorectal cancer. During chronic inflammation the intestinal mucosa is in a constant cycle of injury and repair resulting in aberrant epithelial proliferation, a process that increases the risk of neoplastic transformation. In particular, the coexistence of commensal flora in the intestine plays an important role in the regulation of mucosal restitution after epithelial injury. It has become apparent that signaling through toll-like receptors (TLRs), the receptor family recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns, is crucial to intestinal epithelial proliferation and mucosal restitution. We have recently described two important downstream pathways underlying TLR4-mediated epithelial proliferation in a mouse model of colitis-associated cancer; i.e., cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2)-mediated production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and induction of specific ligands for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These two pathways are closely involved with mucosal levels of PGE2 and other prostanoids such as 15-deoxy-delta 12,14-prostaglandin-J2 (15d-PGJ2). Understanding the fine interplay between the TLR signaling and intestinal tumorigenesis in the setting of chronic inflammation can contribute to establishing a novel treatment strategy for inflammation-associated cancers.
Treatment of Extra — Abdominal Desmoid Tumors with Chemotherapy
Authors: Montgomery Corey , Emory Cynthia , Adams Sheila , Cohen Jonathan , Pitcher John David , Potter Benjamin Kyle , Temple H. Thomas
Published: August 2011

Fibromatosis, or extra-abdominal desmoid tumor, is a benign disease which often has an aggressive clinical course that can be difficult to treat. We performed a retrospective review of 16 patients (12 females and four males) with a mean age of 34.2 years treated with methotrexate and vinblastine for newly diagnosed or recurrent extra-abdominal desmoid tumor. The mean age of our patient cohort was 34.2 years (range 11–70), and the mean tumor size was 11.5 cm (range 2.5–21.2 cm). The mean duration of therapy was 12 months with an average follow-up of 43 months (range 1–149 months). Fourteen of 16 patients demonstrated a clinical response to treatment. Eight of 14 patients demonstrated a radiologic decrease in tumor size. Only one patient progressed on therapy. Six patients developed recurrent symptoms after discontinuation of treatment. Chemotherapy-related symptoms including neutropenia, nausea, and vomiting were common and observed in most patients, however these side effects were mild and transient. Five patients developed peripheral neuropathy that prompted a change from vinblastine to vinorelbine during treatment. One potentially life-threatening complication (pneumocystis pneumonia) occurred which was diagnosed early and successfully treated. The use of methotrexate and vinblastine/vinorelbine in the management of fibromatosis appears to be an effective treatment with minimal treatment-related side effects.
Phase-Controlled Atom-Photon Entanglement in a Three-Level V-Type Atomic System via Spontaneously Generated Coherence
Authors: Abazari Mohammad , Mortezapour Ali , Mahmoudi Mohammad , Sahrai Mostafa
Published: August 2011

We investigate the dynamical behavior of the atom-photon entanglement in a V-type three-level quantum system using the atomic reduced entropy. It is shown that an atom and photons are entangled at the steady-state; however disentanglement can also be achieved in an special condition. It is demonstrated that in the presence of quantum interference induced by spontaneous emission, the reduced entropy and the atom-photon entanglement are phase-dependent. A non-stationary solution is also obtained when the quantum interference due to the spontaneous emission is completely included.
Spectral Entropy in a Boundary-Layer Flow
Authors: Isaacson LaVar King
Published: August 2011

This article presents a comparison of the entropy production in a laminar and transitional boundary layer flow with the spectral entropy produced in a region of instability induced by an imposed periodic disturbance. The objective of the study is exploratory in nature by computing a boundary-layer environment with well-established computer techniques and comparing the predictions of the maximum rate of entropy production in the wall shear layer with the deterministic prediction of the spectral entropy growth within an inceptive instability in the inner region of the upstream boundary-layer flow. The deterministic values of the spectral entropy within the instability are brought into agreement with the computed rate of entropy production inversely along the shear flow with the assumption that the instability is of a span-wise vortex form and that the spectral entropy components are transported into the wall shear layer by vortex down sweep and are processed into thermodynamic entropy in the boundary-layer wall region.
An S-Transform and Support Vector Machine (SVM)-Based Online Method for Diagnosing Broken Strands in Transmission Lines
Authors: Jiang Xingliang , Xia Yunfeng , Hu Jianlin , Zhang Zhijin , Shu Lichun , Sun Caxin
Published: August 2011

During their long-term outdoor field service, overhead transmission lines will be exposed to strikes by lightning, corrosion by chemical contaminants, ice-shedding, wind vibration of conductors, line galloping, external destructive forces and so on, which will generally cause a series of latent faults such as aluminum strand fracture. This may lead to broken transmission lines which will have a very strong impact on the safe operation of power grids that if the latent faults cannot be recognized and fixed as soon as possible. The detection of broken strands in transmission lines using inspection robots equipped with suitable detectors is a method with good prospects. In this paper, a method for detecting broken strands in transmission lines using an eddy current transducer (ECT) carried by a robot is developed, and an approach for identifying broken strands in transmission lines based on an S-transform is proposed. The proposed approach utilizes the S-transform to extract the module and phase information at each frequency point from detection signals. Through module phase and comparison, the characteristic frequency points are ascertained, and the fault information of the detection signal is constructed. The degree of confidence of broken strand identification is defined by the Shannon fuzzy entropy (SFE-BSICD). The proposed approach combines module information while utilizing phase information, SFE-BSICD, and the energy, so the reliability is greatly improved. These characteristic qualities of broken strands in transmission lines are used as the input of a multi-classification SVM, allowing the number of broken strands to be determined. Through experimental field verification, it can be shown that the proposed approach displays high accuracy and the SFE-BSICD is defined reasonably.
Classification of Fundamental Ferroresonance, Single Phase-to-Ground and Wire Breakage Over-Voltages in Isolated Neutral Networks
Authors: Chen Lin , Yang Qing , Wang Jing , Sima Wenxia , Yuan Tao
Published: August 2011

This paper proposes a simple and effective method for classification of fundamental ferroresonance, single phase-to-ground and wire breakage over-voltages. In isolated neutral networks, power frequency over-voltages due to ferroresonance, single phase-to-ground and wire breakage may exist for a long time, and have very highly similar voltage features. If the improper suppression operation is applied due to incorrect identification, the accident is likely to worsen further. In this paper, the voltage and current features of these faults are analyzed, and a new effective classification criterion for fundamental ferroresonance and single phase-to-ground based on zero sequence current is proposed. A comprehensive identification method based on voltage, current and zero sequence current features is proposed, which is feasible and promising for real applications.
Chromatin Organization by Repetitive Elements (CORE): A Genomic Principle for the Higher-Order Structure of Chromosomes
Authors: Tang Shao-Jun
Published: August 2011

Eukaryotic genomes contain a large amount of DNA repeats (also known as repetitive DNA, repetitive elements, and repetitive sequences). Here, I propose a role of repetitive DNA in the formation of higher-order structures of chromosomes. The central idea of this theory is that chromatin regions with repetitive sequences pair with regions harboring homologous repeats and that such somatic repeat pairing (RP) assembles repetitive DNA chromatin into compact chromosomal domains that specify chromatin folding in a site-directed manner. According to this theory, DNA repeats are not randomly distributed in the genome. Instead, they form a core framework that coordinates the architecture of chromosomes. In contrast to the viewpoint that DNA repeats are genomic ‘junk’, this theory advocates that repetitive sequences are chromatin organizer modules that determine chromatin-chromatin contact points within chromosomes. This novel concept, if correct, would suggest that DNA repeats in the linear genome encode a blueprint for higher-order chromosomal organization.
Prevalence of Symptoms of Severe Asthma and Allergies in Irish School Children: An ISAAC Protocol Study, 1995–2007
Authors: Kabir Zubair , Manning Patrick J. , Holohan Jean , Goodman Patrick G. , Clancy Luke
Published: August 2011

Childhood asthma is a recurring health burden and symptoms of severe asthma in children are also emerging as a health and economic issue. This study examined changing patterns in symptoms of severe asthma and allergies (ever eczema and hay fever), using the Irish International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) protocol. ISAAC is a cross-sectional self-administered questionnaire survey of randomly selected representative post-primary schools. Children aged 13–14 years were studied: 2,670 (in 1995), 2,273 (in 1998), 2,892 (in 2002–2003), and 2,805 (in 2007). Generalized linear modelling using Poisson distribution was employed to compute adjusted prevalence ratios (PR). A 39% significant increase in symptoms of severe asthma was estimated in 2007 relative to the baseline year 1995 (adjusted PR: 1.39 [95% CI: 1.14–1.69]) increasing from 12% in 1995 to 15.3% in 2007. Opposite trends were observed for allergies, showing a decline in 2007, with an initial rise. The potential explanations for such a complex disease pattern whose aetiological hypothesis is still evolving are speculative. Changing environmental factors may be a factor, for instance, an improvement in both outdoor and indoor air quality further reinforcing the hygiene hypothesis but obesity as a disease modifier must also be considered.
Online Social Networking and Addiction—A Review of the Psychological Literature
Authors: Kuss Daria J. , Griffiths Mark D.
Published: August 2011

Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are virtual communities where users can create individual public profiles, interact with real-life friends, and meet other people based on shared interests. They are seen as a ‘global consumer phenomenon’ with an exponential rise in usage within the last few years. Anecdotal case study evidence suggests that ‘addiction’ to social networks on the Internet may be a potential mental health problem for some users. However, the contemporary scientific literature addressing the addictive qualities of social networks on the Internet is scarce. Therefore, this literature review is intended to provide empirical and conceptual insight into the emerging phenomenon of addiction to SNSs by: (1) outlining SNS usage patterns, (2) examining motivations for SNS usage, (3) examining personalities of SNS users, (4) examining negative consequences of SNS usage, (5) exploring potential SNS addiction, and (6) exploring SNS addiction specificity and comorbidity. The findings indicate that SNSs are predominantly used for social purposes, mostly related to the maintenance of established offline networks. Moreover, extraverts appear to use social networking sites for social enhancement, whereas introverts use it for social compensation, each of which appears to be related to greater usage, as does low conscientiousness and high narcissism. Negative correlates of SNS usage include the decrease in real life social community participation and academic achievement, as well as relationship problems, each of which may be indicative of potential addiction.
Green Synthesis and Characterization of Silver/Chitosan/Polyethylene Glycol Nanocomposites without any Reducing Agent
Authors: Ahmad Mansor Bin , Tay Mei Yen , Shameli Kamyar , Hussein Mohd Zobir , Lim Jenn Jye
Published: August 2011

This paper presents the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) in aqueous medium. This method was performed by reducing AgNO3 in different stirring times of reaction at a moderate temperature using green agents, chitosan (Cts) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). In this work, silver nitrate (AgNO3) was used as the silver precursor while Cts and PEG were used as the solid support and polymeric stabilizer. The properties of Ag/Cts/PEG nanocomposites (NCs) were studied under different stirring times of reaction. The developed Ag/Cts/PEG NCs were then characterized by the ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.
Chemical Structures of 4-Oxo-Flavonoids in Relation to Inhibition of Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)-Induced Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction
Authors: Yi Long , Jin Xin , Chen Chun-Ye , Fu Yu-Jie , Zhang Ting , Chang Hui , Zhou Yong , Zhu Jun-Dong , Zhang Qian-Yong , Mi Man-Tian
Published: August 2011

Vascular endothelial dysfunction induced by oxidative stress has been demonstrated to be the initiation step of atherosclerosis (AS), and flavonoids may play an important role in AS prevention and therapy. Twenty-three flavonoids categorized into flavones, flavonols, isoflavones, and flavanones, all with 4-oxo-pyronenucleus, were examined for what structural characteristics are required for the inhibitory effects on endothelial dysfunction induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). Human vascular endothelial cells EA.hy926 were pretreated with different 4-oxo-flavonoids for 2 hs, and then exposed to oxLDL for another 24 hs. Cell viability and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) were measured, respectively. Then, correlation analysis and paired comparison were used to analyze the structure–activity relationships. Significant correlations were observed between the number of –OH moieties in total or in B-ring and the inhibitory effectson endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, 3',4'-ortho-dihydroxyl on B-ring, 3-hydroxyl on C-ring and 2,3-double bondwere correlated closely to the inhibitory effects of flavonolson cell viability decrease and lipid peroxidation. 5,7-meta-dihydroxyl group on A-ring was crucial for the anti-inflammatory effects of flavones and isoflavones in endothelial cells. Moreover, the substituted position of B-ring on C3 rather than C2 was important for NO release. Additionally, hydroxylation at C6 position significantly attenuated the inhibitory effects of 4-oxo-flavonoids on endothelial dysfunction. Our findings indicated that the effective agents in inhibiting endothelial dysfunction include myricetin, quercetin, luteolin, apigenin, genistein and daidzein. Our work might provide some evidence for AS prevention and a strategy for the design of novel AS preventive agents.
Antioxidant Protective Effect of Honey in Cigarette Smoke-Induced Testicular Damage in Rats
Authors: Mohamed Mahaneem , Sulaiman Siti Amrah , Jaafar Hasnan , Sirajudeen Kuttulebbai Nainamohamed Salam
Published: August 2011

Cigarette smoke (CS) can cause testicular damage and we investigated the possible protective effect of honey against CS-induced testicular damage and oxidative stress in rats. CS exposure (8 min, 3 times daily) and honey supplementation (1.2 g/kg daily) were given for 13 weeks. Rats exposed to CS significantly had smaller seminiferous tubules diameter and epithelial height, lower Leydig cell count and increased percentage of tubules with germ cell loss. CS also produced increased lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity, as well as reduced total antioxidant status (TAS) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). However, supplementation of honey significantly reduced histological changes and TBARS level, increased TAS level, as well as significantly restored activities of GPx, SOD and CAT in rat testis. These findings may suggest that honey has a protective effect against damage and oxidative stress induced by CS in rat testis.