bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessing the spatial structure of population variables in England and Wales
Authors: Lloyd Christopher D
Published: May 2014

Areas within England and Wales have population profiles that make them distinct from other locales; some areas have lower unemployment rates than others, while, in some places, there is a greater mix of ethnic groups than elsewhere. Thus, the degree of difference between areas differs geographically and between population sub‐groups. Being able to measure change in these differences is crucial in assessing whether the population has become more or less similar over time. The spatial distribution of the population by, for example, ethnicity or employment status can be characterised and the resulting measures show how the population is geographically organised, and how this changes through time. For example, spatial concentrations of the population by age may be less obvious locally (e.g. within a town or city) or regionally (e.g. the north west of England) than by housing tenure. This paper makes two key contributions: (i) it introduces methods for the analysis of spatial distributions of population sub‐groups and (ii) enhances our understanding of the characteristics of population sub‐groups in England and Wales and how they have changed over time. Based on Census data for Output Areas, the analysis uses the index of dissimilarity, Moran's I autocorrelation coefficient and the variogram to measure (spatial) variation in variables representing population sub‐groups by age, ethnic group, housing tenure, car or van ownership, qualifications, employment, limiting long term illness and National Statistics Socio‐economic Classification. The analysis shows that, between 2001 and 2011, unevenness in most population sub‐groups reduced and the populations in individual Census zones across England and Wales became more similar. Neighbouring Census zones also became more similar (more ‘clustered’). The findings suggest that there were decreased differences both within and between regions for many population variables between 2001 and 2011.
Capitalism and the production of uneven bodies: women, motherhood and food distribution in Britainc.1850–1914
Authors: Rioux Sébastien
Published: May 2014

This article argues that processes of social reproduction are central to our understanding of body formation under capitalism. Articulated through a feminist historical materialist framework founded on a social ontology that recognises the material foundation of social life as constituted of both productive and reproductive activities, this paper develops the concept of uneven body as a more holistic approach integrating into corporeal geography a social reproduction lens. I explore the social and historical analytical capacity of the concept through a study of food distribution in Britainc.1850–1914 in order to reveal how certain bodies absorbed, mediated and embodied contradictions between production and social reproduction.
ELASTOGRAPHY OF THE NORMAL CANINE LIVER, SPLEEN AND KIDNEYS
Authors: Holdsworth Andrew , Bradley Kate , Birch Sally , Browne William J. , Barberet Virginie
Published: May 2014

Elastography is a simple, expedient and noninvasive technique that may be used to assess the elasticity or stiffness of a tissue, in conjunction with traditional B‐mode ultrasonography. Quantitative assessment of tissue stiffness can be made which involves measurement of the shear wave velocity within the tissue of interest. The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility of elastography for clinical use in the abdomen of conscious small animals and to investigate factors that affect shear wave velocity measurement. Elastography was performed on the liver, spleen, and kidneys of 15 dogs at predefined depths within the parenchyma. Breed, age, gender, neuter status, and weight were documented for each animal. Depth at which measurements were taken had a significant negative relationship with the shear wave velocity value obtained. Individual dog effects, such as weight and gender, also appeared to have a significant effect on the shear wave velocity measurement for specific organs; weight had a significant positive effect on the shear wave velocity for each of the organs examined, whereas the effect of gender was inconsistent between organs (having a positive effect for the liver and a negative effect for the spleen). It is hoped that these results may act as a baseline to guide further work into the field of elastography in companion animals.
The flaws of laser Doppler in negative‐pressure wound therapy research
Authors: Kairinos Nicolas , McKune Andrew , Solomons Michael , Hudson Donald A. , Kahn Delawir
Published: May 2014

Recent studies, using modalities other than laser Doppler, have indicated that perfusion during negative‐pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is reduced, contrary to world literature. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether the measuring technique of the laser Doppler could be influenced by the compressive nature of NPWT dressings and whether this could explain the conflicting findings. A hypothesis that it may be possible for laser Doppler to record similar readings to those obtained during NPWT by merely compressing tissues manually was tested on 12 NPWT dressings, with each undergoing an alternating series of manual compressive forces and NPWT (−125 mmHg). During the periods of NPWT (n = 12), the mean perfusion recording increased in five experiments, reduced in six, and remained unchanged in one. During the period when manual pressure was applied (n = 12), there was a mean increase in perfusion in six experiments and a reduction in six. The type of change in perfusion (increase or decrease) was the same for both NPWT and manual pressure in 10 of the 12 experiments. In conclusion, laser Doppler can incorrectly record increased perfusion when tissues are compressed, implying that it is flawed in the field of NPWT research as tissues are always compressed to some degree by the NPWT dressing.
Role of adipose‐derived stem cells in wound healing
Authors: Hassan Waqar Ul , Greiser Udo , Wang Wenxin
Published: May 2014

Impaired wound healing remains a challenge to date and causes debilitating effects with tremendous suffering. Recent advances in tissue engineering approaches in the area of cell therapy have provided promising treatment options to meet the challenges of impaired skin wound healing such as diabetic foot ulcers. Over the last few years, stem cell therapy has emerged as a novel therapeutic approach for various diseases including wound repair and tissue regeneration. Several different types of stem cells have been studied in both preclinical and clinical settings such as bone marrow‐derived stem cells, adipose‐derived stem cells (ASCs), circulating angiogenic cells (e.g., endothelial progenitor cells), human dermal fibroblasts, and keratinocytes for wound healing. Adipose tissue is an abundant source of mesenchymal stem cells, which have shown an improved outcome in wound healing studies. ASCs are pluripotent stem cells with the ability to differentiate into different lineages and to secrete paracrine factors initiating tissue regeneration process. The abundant supply of fat tissue, ease of isolation, extensive proliferative capacities ex vivo, and their ability to secrete pro‐angiogenic growth factors make them an ideal cell type to use in therapies for the treatment of nonhealing wounds. In this review, we look at the pathogenesis of chronic wounds, role of stem cells in wound healing, and more specifically look at the role of ASCs, their mechanism of action and their safety profile in wound repair and tissue regeneration.
Clinical impact of negative‐pressure wound therapy: A 1,126‐patient observational prospective study
Authors: Téot Luc , Guillot‐Masanovic Margot , Miquel Pierre , Truchetet François , Meaume Sylvie , Dompmartin Anne , Charles Kerihuel Jean , Trial Chloé , Faure Christine
Published: May 2014

Negative‐pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was developed in the early 1990s and reported in 1997 by Argenta and Morykwas. Ignored at first, this technique progressively came to be considered as an outstanding advancement in reconstructive surgery. Several randomized controlled studies produced evidence for the effect of NPWT on promotion of granulation tissue formation and prevention of tissue damage and amputation. However, no important longitudinal study has yet produced clinical and economic data on the consequences of integrating NPWT into practice in multiple institutions.

This prospective, comparative longitudinal study of NPWT as a clinical‐practice innovation was conducted in 1,126 patients between March 2006 and June 2009 in 30 university and nonuniversity public and private hospitals in France. NPWT was proposed in a nonrandomized fashion for various clinical indications, and the patients were divided into two groups, one using NPWT, the second using standard care. Efficacy criteria were spontaneous closure, closure after surgical coverage using skin grafts or flaps, or achievement of 40% wound area regression. The results, observed in a pragmatic but not randomized study, are suggestive of a favorable impact of NPWT in multiple clinical situations. The significance of differences between surgical patients who underwent NPWT and those who did not was unclear, as NPWT had already been adopted by most of the surgical wards.
Sample Size Determination in NT-Net Quasi-Monte Carlo Simulation
Authors: Huang Wenzhen
Published: May 2014

Monte Carlo (MC) technique prevails in probabilistic design simulation, such as in statistical tolerance analysis and synthesis. A quasi-Monte Carlo (e.g., number theoretic net method (NT-net)) with better computation efficiency over MC has recently attracted interests in application. In spite of a comprehensive case study (Huang et al., 2004, “Tolerance Analysis for Design of Multistage Manufacturing Processes Using Number-Theoretical Net Method (NT-net),” Int. J. Flexible Manuf. Syst., 16, pp. 65–90 and Zhou et al., 2001, “Sequential Algorithm Based on Number Theoretic Method for Tolerance Analysis and Synthesis,” ASME J. Manuf. Sci. Eng., 123(3), pp. 490–493) for comparison between NT-net and MC, a method for sample size determination of NT-net is still not available. Combinatorial theory and the solution of occupancy problem are used for estimating equivalent sample sizes of MC and NT-net, allowing the NT-net sample size determination in application. A multivariate Chebyshev polynomial with variant coefficients is used to represent generic design functions for validation. The results are verified by case studies.
Results from Finland’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Authors: Liukkonen Jarmo , Jaakkola Timo , Kokko Sami , Gråstén Arto , Yli-Piipari Sami , Koski Pasi , Tynjälä Jorma , Soini Anne , Ståhl Timo , Tammelin Tuija
Published: May 2014

The Finnish 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity (PA) for Children and Youth is the first assessment of Finland’s efforts in promoting and facilitating PA opportunities for children and youth using the Active Healthy Kids Canada grading system. The Report Card relies primarily on research findings from 6 Research Institutes, coordinated by the University of Jyväskylä. The Research Work Group convened to evaluate the aggregated evidence and assign grades for each of the 9 PA indicators, following the Canadian Report Card protocol. Grades from A (highest) to F (lowest) varied in Finland as follows: 1) Overall physical activity—fulfillment of recommendations (D), 2) Organized sport participation (C), 3) Active play (D), 4) Active transportation (B), 5) Sedentary behaviors (D), 6) Family and peers (C), 7) School (B), 8) Community and the built environment (B), and 9) Government (B). This comprehensive summary and assessment of indicators related to PA in Finnish children and youth indicates that Finland still has many challenges to promote a physically active life style for youth.
Results from Mexico’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Authors: Martinez María del Pilar Rodriguez , Galaviz Karla I. , Ulloa Edtna Jauregui , Gonzalez-Casanova Ines , Taylor Juan Ricardo Lopez y
Published: May 2014

Background:

The Mexican Report Card on Physical Activity in children and youth was first developed in 2012 as a tool aimed at informing policy and practice. The objective of this paper is to update the Report Card to reflect the current situation in Mexico.

Methods:

A literature search was conducted in Spanish and English using major databases, and complemented with government documents and national health surveys. Information on the 9 indicators outlined in the Global Matrix of Report Card Grades was extracted. Experts from Mexico and Canada met to discuss and assign a grade on each indicator.

Results:

The physical activity indicator was assigned a C+, which was higher than in the previous report card. Sedentary behavior was assigned a D, which was lower than the previous report card. Organized Sports and Active Transportation, which were not graded in the previous report card, were assigned grades of D and B-, respectively. Government and Built Environment were assigned grades of C and F, respectively. Family and Peers and Active Play were not graded (INC).

Conclusions:

Levels of PA and sedentary behaviors among Mexican children and youth were below the respective recommended references. The implementation and effectiveness of current government strategies need to be determined. The Mexican Report Card is a promising knowledge translation tool that can serve to inform policies and programs related to physical activity.
Results from New Zealand’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Authors: Maddison Ralph , Dale Leila Pfaeffli , Marsh Samantha , LeBlanc Allana G. , Oliver Melody
Published: May 2014

Background:

This brief report provides grades for the 2014 New Zealand Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth. The Report Card presents a review of current evidence across 9 key indicators, including physical activity (PA), organized sport and free play, sedentary behavior, and community and government initiatives across New Zealand.

Methods:

Nationally representative survey data were collated by researchers at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, between June and December 2013. The grade for each indicator is based on the percentage of children and youth meeting a defined benchmark: A is 81%−100%; B is 61%−80%; C is 41%−60%, D is 21%−40%; F is 0%−20%; INC is incomplete data.

Results:

Overall PA received a score of B, as did Organized Sport Participation and Active Play. PA participation in School Environment scored slightly less with a score of B-. Sedentary Behaviors, Family and Peers, and Community and Built Environment scored a grade of C. Active transportation received a score of C-. An inconclusive grade was given for the Government indicator due to a lack of established international criteria for assessment.

Conclusions:

PA participation in New Zealand is satisfactory, but could improve. However, sedentary behavior is high. Of particular concern is the age-related decline in PA participation, particularly among adolescent females, and the increase in sedentary behavior.
Results from Nigeria’s 2013 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth
Authors: Akinroye Kingsley K. , Oyeyemi Adewale L. , Odukoya Oluwakemi O. , Adeniyi Ade F. , Adedoyin Rufus A. , Ojo Olatunde S. , Alawode Damilola A. , Ozomata Ebenezer A. , Awotidebe Taofeek O.
Published: May 2014

Background:

Physical activity (PA) promotion in children and youth is an impetus for prevention and control of NCD morbidity and mortality, but evidence is needed for effective interventions. The aim of the present paper is to summarize the results of the 2013 Nigerian Report Card on Physical Activity for children and youth.

Methods:

The Technical Report Committee conducted a comprehensive review of available literature in Nigeria. Grades were assigned to 10 PA indicators modeled after the Active Healthy Kids Canada (AHKC) grading system.

Results:

Specific grades were assigned for several indicators: Overall Physical Activity Levels, C; Organized Sport and Physical Activity Participation, Incomplete; Active Play and Leisure, C-; Active Transportation, B; Sedentary Behaviors, F; Overweight and Obesity, B+. The following indicators were graded as INCOMPLETE: Physical Activity in School setting, Family and Peers, Community and Built Environment, and Government Strategies and Investments.

Conclusions:

PA levels of Nigerian children and youth are moderate while sedentary behaviors are high. The development of national guidelines for PA and sedentary behaviors can better inform policy and practice on healthy living among Nigerian children and youth.
Nongenomic Thyroid Hormone Signaling Occurs Through a Plasma Membrane–Localized Receptor
Authors: Kalyanaraman Hema , Schwappacher Raphaela , Joshua Jisha , Zhuang Shunhui , Scott Brian T. , Klos Matthew , Casteel Darren E. , Frangos John A. , Dillmann Wolfgang , Boss Gerry R. , Pilz Renate B.
Published: May 2014

Signaling from a plasma membrane–associated receptor contributes to the effects of thyroid hormones on bones.
Defective Astrocytes in Huntington’s
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: May 2014

Deficiency in a potassium channel in astrocytes causes excitotoxic neuronal symptoms in mouse models of Huntington’s disease.
Protein Binding of Rifapentine and Its 25-Desacetyl Metabolite in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Egelund Eric F. , Weiner Marc , Singh Rajendra P. , Prihoda Thomas J. , Gelfond Jonathon A. L. , Derendorf Hartmut , Mac Kenzie William R. , Peloquin Charles A.
Published: May 2014

Rifapentine is highly protein bound in blood, but the free, unbound drug is the microbiologically active fraction. In this exploratory study, we characterized the free plasma fraction of rifapentine in 41 patients with tuberculosis. We found a lower total rifapentine concentration but significantly higher free rifapentine levels in African patients of black race compared to non-Africans. These data support larger pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic studies to confirm these findings and assess free rifapentine in relation to microbiological and clinical outcomes.
Complement Factor C5 but Not C3 Contributes Significantly to Hydrosalpinx Development in Mice Infected with Chlamydia muridarum
Authors: Yang Zhangsheng , Conrad Turner , Zhou Zhou , Chen Jianlin , Dutow Pavel , Klos Andreas , Zhong Guangming
Published: May 2014

Hydrosalpinx is a pathological hallmark of tubal infertility associated with chlamydial infection. However, the mechanisms of hydrosalpinx remain unknown. Here, we report that complement factor 5 (C5) contributes significantly to chlamydial induction of hydrosalpinx. Mice lacking C5 (C5−/−) failed to develop any hydrosalpinx, while ∼42% of the corresponding wild-type mice (C5+/+) did so following intravaginal infection withChlamydia muridarum. Surprisingly, deficiency in C3 (C3−/−), an upstream component of the complement system, did not affect mouse susceptibility to chlamydial induction of hydrosalpinx. Interestingly, C5 activation was induced by chlamydial infection in oviducts of C3−/−mice, explaining why the C3−/−mice remained susceptible to chlamydial induction of hydrosalpinx. Similar levels of live chlamydial organisms were recovered from oviduct tissues of both C5−/−and C5+/+mice, suggesting that C5 deficiency did not affectC. muridarumascending infection. Furthermore, C5−/−mice were still more resistant to hydrosalpinx induction than C5+/+mice, even when liveC. muridarumorganisms were directly delivered into the upper genital tract, both confirming the role of C5 in promoting hydrosalpinx and indicating that the C5-facilitated hydrosalpinx was not due to enhancement of ascending infection. The C5−/−mice displayed significantly reduced lumenal inflammatory infiltration and cytokine production in oviduct tissue, suggesting that C5 may contribute to chlamydial induction of hydrosalpinx by enhancing inflammatory responses.
Eosinophils Are Recruited in Response to Chitin Exposure and Enhance Th2-Mediated Immune Pathology in Aspergillus fumigatus Infection
Authors: O'Dea Evan M. , Amarsaikhan Nansalmaa , Li Hongtao , Downey Joshua , Steele Emery , Van Dyken Steven J. , Locksley Richard M. , Templeton Steven P.
Published: May 2014

In patients infected with the fungusAspergillus fumigatus, Th1 responses are considered protective, while Th2 responses are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. How host-pathogen interactions influence the development of these protective or detrimental immune responses is not clear. We compared lung immune responses to conidia from two fungal isolates that expressed different levels of the fungal cell wall component chitin. We observed that repeated aspirations of the high-chitin-expressing isolate Af5517 induced increased airway eosinophilia in the lungs of recipient mice compared to the level of eosinophilia induced by isolate Af293. CD4+T cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of Af5517-aspirated mice displayed decreased gamma interferon secretion and increased interleukin-4 transcription. In addition, repeated aspirations of Af5517 induced lung transcription of the Th2-associated chemokines CCL11 (eotaxin-1) and CCL22 (macrophage-derived chemokine). Eosinophil recruitment in response to conidial aspiration was correlated with the level of chitin exposure during germination and was decreased by constitutive lung chitinase expression. Moreover, eosinophil-deficient mice subjected to multiple aspirations of Af5517 prior to neutrophil depletion and infection exhibited decreased morbidity and fungal burden compared to the levels of morbidity and fungal burden found in wild-type mice. These results suggest that exposure of chitin in germinating conidia promotes eosinophil recruitment and ultimately induces Th2-skewed immune responses after repeated aspiration. Furthermore, our results suggest that eosinophils should be examined as a potential therapeutic target in patients that mount poorly protective Th2 responses toA. fumigatusinfection.
Enhanced radiation effect on tumor growth using oxygen-rich microcapsules
Authors: Harada S. , Ehara S. , Ishii K. , Sato T. , Koka M. , Sera K. , Goto S.
Published: May 2014

The aim of this study was to determine whether oxygen-releasing microcapsules could be used to sensitize cancer cells to kill by radiation. The microcapsules were generated by spraying a mixture of 0.1% alginate and hyaluronic acid into a 0.3 mmol/l solution of CaCl2 and FeCl2. These were then subcutaneously injected around a MM48 tumor (a cell line derived from human breast cancer) in the left hind legs of C3H/HeN mice, and tumors were dosed with 60Co γ-ray radiation. We showed that the oxygen released from the microcapsules enhanced the anti-tumor effect of radiation treatment via the generation of oxygen radicals.
Quantitative analysis with a two-detector measuring system in in-air PIXE-design to improve detection sensitivity at low energies
Authors: Sera K. , Goto S. , Takahashi C. , Saitoh Y.
Published: May 2014

In this paper, a two-detector measuring system in in-air PIXE system composed of two Si(Li) detectors has been developed for simultaneous measurement of low- and high-Z elements. In order to improve detection sensitivity of the detector for low energy region, a new device which is attached at the tip of the detector has been designed. It is made of acryl and has a thin end on which a 1.5 μm-thick Mylar film is stuck. As a result, it exhibited a miraculous effect in improving detection sensitivity at low energies and it became possible to detect K X-rays of aluminium. In order to perform quantitative analysis in in-air system, we have measured detection efficiencies for the two Si(Li) detectors including the effect of X-ray absorption in air on the basis of the method that we developed. Concerning the beam energy at the target and corresponding X-ray production cross-sections, the same values as were reported in the previous paper were applicable since conditions of irradiating system were unchanged. It was confirmed that the new method allows us to quantitatively analyze all the elements heavier than aluminum and to obtain mostly the same results as those by in-vacuum PIXE for various kinds of samples. Accuracy of analysis was also confirmed by using a standard material.
𝔓-quantization, 𝔔-quantization and Weyl quantization of a ray in classical phase space
Authors: He Rui , Chen Feng , Fan Hong-Yi
Published: May 2014

By examining three quantization schemes of a ray function in classical phase space (a geometric ray is expressed by δ(x-λq-νp)), we find that the Weyl quantization scheme can reasonably demonstrate the correspondence between classical functions and quantum mechanical operators, since δ(x-λq-νp) really maps onto the operator δ(x-λQ-νP), where [Q, P] = iℏ, and δ(x-λQ-νP) represents a pure state (the coordinate-momentum intermediate representation), while 𝔓-ordered, 𝔔-ordered quantization schemes δ(x-λq-νp) to two different Fresnel integration kernels in Weyl-ordered form. Thus, Weyl quantization is more reasonable and preferable.
Exit from accelerated regimes by symmetry breaking in a universe filled with fermionic and bosonic sources
Authors: Ribas Marlos O. , Zambianchi Pedro , Devecchi Fernando P. , Kremer Gilberto M.
Published: May 2014

In this paper we investigate a universe filled with a fermionic field and a complex scalar field, exchanging energy through a Yukawa potential; the model encodes a symmetry breaking mechanism (on the bosonic sector). In the first case, when the mechanism is not included, the cosmological model furnishes a pure accelerated regime. In the second case, when including the symmetry breaking mechanism, we verify that the fermion and one of the bosons, of Higgs type, become massive, while the other boson is massless. Besides, the mechanism shows to be responsible for a transition from an accelerated to a decelerated regime, which certifies the importance, in cosmological terms, of its role. After symmetry breaking, the total pressure of the fields change its sign from negative to positive corresponding to the accelerated–decelerated transition. For large times, the universe becomes a dust (pressureless) dominated universe.
BUFFER ENGINEERING FOR MODIFIED FAT TREE NoCs FOR MANY-CORE SYSTEMS-ON-CHIP
Authors: ELRABAA MUHAMMAD E. S. , BOUHRAOUA ABDELHAFID
Published: May 2014

As networks-on-chips (NoCs) are expected to provide the necessary scalable communication medium for future many-core systems-on-chips (SoCs) optimizing their resources is of great importance. What is really needed is an efficient NoC architecture with optimized resources that requires very little customization by the SoC developers. One of the most important area and power hungry resources is the NoC's buffers. In this work, a new Modified Fat Tree (MFT) NoC architecture with buffers engineered for maximum efficiency (performance versus area) is presented. Extensive simulations are used to show optimum buffer design/placement under different conditions of traffic types and NoC sizes.
The accelerating universe and dark energy
Authors: Baltay Charles
Published: May 2014

The recent discovery by Riess et al.1 and Perlmutter et al.2 that the expansion of the universe is accelerating is one of the most significant discoveries in cosmology in the last few decades. To explain this acceleration a mysterious new component of the universe, dark energy, was hypothesized. Using general relativity (GR), the measured rate of acceleration translates to the present understanding that the baryonic matter, of which the familiar world is made of, is a mere 4% of the total mass-energy of the universe, with nonbaryonic dark matter making up 24% and dark energy making up the majority 72%. Dark matter, by definition, has attractive gravity, and even though we presently do not know what it is, it could be made of the next heavy particles discovered by particle physicists. Dark energy, however, is much more mysterious, in that even though we do not know what it is, it must have some kind of repulsive gravity and negative pressure, very unusual properties that are not part of the present understanding of physics. Investigating the nature of dark energy is therefore one of the most important areas of cosmology. In this review, the cosmology of an expanding universe, based on GR, is discussed. The methods of studying the acceleration of the universe, and the nature of dark energy, are presented. A large amount of experimentation on this topic has taken place in the decade since the discovery of the acceleration. These are discussed and the present state of knowledge of the cosmological parameters is summarized in Table 7 below. A vigorous program to further these studies is under way. These are presented and the expected results are summarized in Table 10 below. The hope is that at the end of this program, it would be possible to tell whether dark energy is due to Einstein's cosmological constant or is some other new constituent of the universe, or alternately the apparent acceleration is due to some modification of GR.
Azimuthal structure of charged particle emission in 28Si–Ag/Br interaction at 14.5A GeV and 32S–Ag/Br interaction at 200A GeV
Authors: Mali Provash , Mukhopadhyay Amitabha , Sarkar Soumya , Singh Gurmukh
Published: May 2014

Presence of unusual azimuthal structures in the particle emission data obtained from the 28 Si – Ag / Br interaction at 14.5A GeV and from the 32 S – Ag / Br interaction at 200A GeV, are investigated in the framework of the Cherenkov gluon emission and/or Mach shock wave formation in nuclear/partonic medium. Nuclear photographic emulsion technique is used to collect the experimental data. The experiment is compared with the predictions of two simulations, namely (i) the Relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (RQMD) and (ii) the Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (UrQMD). A charge reassignment algorithm is implemented over the outputs of the simulations to mimic the Bose–Einstein correlation (BEC) effect. Our analysis confirms presence of jet-like structures in both experiments beyond statistical noise. Such structures are more pronounced in the 32 S data than in the 28 Si data.
On influences of the jet production to charged particles multiplicity distribution in pp-collisions at Tevatron energies
Authors: Zaman Ali , Suleymanov Mais , Khan Kamal Hussain , Ajaz Muhammad
Published: May 2014

Effect of the jet production on the multiplicity distribution (MD) of secondary charged particles produced in pp-collisions at 1.8 TeV is studied using the HIJING code. The charged particles MDs for a whole polar angle range and for six polar angular regions as a function of different number of jets were analyzed. The obtained simulation results were compared with experimental MDs coming from the Tevatron and SPS experiments. The increasing behavior of multiplicity of the secondary charged particles influenced by multi-jet events is discussed.
Quantum state sharing of arbitrary known multi-qubit and multi-qudit states
Authors: Wang Ming-Ming , Chen Xiu-Bo , Chen Jin-Guang , Yang Yi-Xian
Published: May 2014

In this paper, we propose a new version of quantum state sharing (QSTS) scheme of an arbitrary multi-qubit state. Then we extend the scheme to a general form of sharing an arbitrary multi-qudit state in the high-dimensional system. The schemes consider the most general case where an arbitrary quantum state can be shared among an arbitrary number of agents in a symmetric way that any agent can recover the state with the help of the others. Compared with a traditional QSTS scheme sharing an unknown state, our schemes are more efficient since the dealer only needs to perform a simpler measurement and consume less classical communication costs.
Design and Operation Analysis of a New Biped Mechanism
Authors: Li Tao , Ceccarelli Marco , Luo Min-Zhou
Published: May 2014

This paper presents a new biped mechanism, which has been designed with main features for low-cost and easy-operation. The biped mechanism is supposed to have the same basic motion capabilities as conventional multi-actuator biped robots, such as straight walking, changing direction, overcoming obstacle, descending and ascending stairs. Furthermore, with two wheels installed on the shank, the biped mechanism has two basic walking modes, which are legged mode and wheeled mode. Walking with proper mode for different environments makes the biped mechanism possess the advantages of both legged and wheeled robots.
Stepwise synthesis of symmetrically substituted azaporphyrins
Authors: Müller Claudia M. , Montforts Franz-Peter
Published: May 2014

Porphyrins that have one nitrogen atom instead of a methine bridge at the meso-position are named monoazaporphyrin. This class of porphyrinoid compounds though first investigated by Fischer in the thirties of the last century is still less common compared to other porphyrin derivatives. We describe here a concise convergent synthetic route leading to a symmetric azaporphyrin 7a and its zinc compex 22.
INTERDEPENDENCE AND COMMUNICATION BETWEEN TECHNICALLY TRAINED MANAGERS AND MARKETING MANAGERS DURING INNOVATION PROJECTS
Authors: MASSEY GRAHAM R. , KYRIAZIS ELIAS
Published: May 2014

Interdependence between Technically Trained Managers and Marketing Managers in new product development (NPD) teams is inherent, though few studies have investigated its effects within such teams. Here, interdependence is disaggregated into two underlying dimensions — the dependence of the Technically Trained Manager on the Marketing Manager, and the dependence of the Marketing Manager on the Technically Trained Manager during the project. Our model is tested using data from 184 Technically Trained Managers from Australian companies involved in NPD. The results suggest that interdependence is an important contextual variable during NPD projects. Senior managers should communicate its importance to NPD team members because of its positive effects within the NPD team. Where the Technically Trained Manager and Marketing Manager recognise their interdependence, they engage in more frequent, and more bidirectional communication. This is important because more effective communication between these two managers positively influences the quality and effectiveness of their working relationships, which in turn can increase NPD project success.
INDUSTRY-DRIVEN AND CIVIL SOCIETY-DRIVEN STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENTS IN THE IRON MINING AND SMELTING COMPLEX OF CORUMBÁ, BRAZIL
Authors: MOTA ANA CECI , LA ROVERE EMILIO LÈBRE , FONSECA ALBERTO
Published: May 2014

Historical records of socio-environmental impacts related to large-scale iron ore development in Brazil are driving different planning approaches in the burgeoning iron mining and smelting complex of Corumbá, located at the border of the Pantanal ecosystem in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul. Among the most relevant efforts are two strategic environmental assessments (SEA): one was led by a mining company and the other by a civil society committee. This paper assesses to what extent these SEAs can contribute to the mitigation of negative socio-environmental impacts of the Corumbá Complex. It also evaluates if the SEA methodologies meet a number of SEA Performance Criteria. The analyses, which were based on literature reviews and content analysis of the SEA documents, reveal that the two SEAs represent an important effort to incorporate environmental variables into more strategic levels of the Pantanal region's planning. Nonetheless, both SEAs have serious limitations, given that they are not formally nested in governmental policies, plans and programmes.
Differences in Management Practices and Productivity in Micro and Small Enterprises in Industrial Clusters
Authors: Sonobe Tetsushi , Higuchi Yuki , Otsuka Keijiro
Published: May 2014

In recent years, several randomized controlled experiments as well as experiments that are not randomized have been conducted to assess the impacts of management training intervention on the productivity and other aspects of business performance of firms. Yet the role played by management improvement vis-à-vis that of technology transfer or borrowing in industrial development remains unclear. This paper attempts to narrow this gap by developing a heuristic model and reviewing experimental studies of management training and case studies of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in cluster-based industrial development. The paper argues among other things that the improvement of management provides the basis for successful technology transfer.
Design Guidelines for Multiplayer Video Games on Multi-touch Displays
Authors: Reda Khairi , Chau Dennis , Mostafa Yasser , Sujatha Nagarajan , Leigh Jason , Nishimoto Arthur , Kahler Edward , Demeter Jason
Published: May 2014

The proliferation of multi-touch, tabletop display systems during the last few years have made them an attractive option for interactive, multiuser applications such as museum exhibits and video games. While there is a large body of research on the use of multi-touch and tabletop devices in general purpose applications, far less research has investigated the use of these systems in video games and other entertainment applications. This paper provides a set of guidelines specific to multi-touch displays that can be used to augment existing video game development principles. Through example, we illustrate how the unique capabilities of multi-touch displays can be leveraged to create unique forms of gameplay that offer highly engaging multiplayer game experience. We describe three multiplayer games that have been developed by students as part of an interdisciplinary course in video game design.
Caffe Neve
Authors: Gracanin Denis , Zhang Xiaoyu
Published: May 2014

The popularization of podcasting provides Internet users more opportunities to access interesting and entertaining multimedia content. The podcasting content hosting sites became the shared platforms for all Internet users to access third-party contributions. More and more Internet users are encouraged to become active content providers that share their resources and multimedia productions. Building a large scale multi-user 3D application can benefit from the same content distribution pattern as the development cost can be distributed if the application implementation is outsourced. The application is constructed by integrating 3D content from various third-party service providers. In addition, the implementation outsourcing can inspire contributors to provide creative application content. Unfortunately, sharing and distributing 3D resources are more challenging and the podcasting framework cannot resolve the problems effectively.

We introduce a standardized framework that supports the seamless integration of distributed 3D resources as coarse-grained components of constructed Distributed Virtual Environments (DVEs). Component Application Framework For Extensible NEtworked Virtual Environments (Caffe Neve) uses service-oriented architecture (SOA) and incorporates streaming technology for dynamic content delivery. Using Caffe Neve, third-party developers can create distributed services to stream 3D content. The framework provides an application integrator that constructs a shared virtual environment and delivers the application content to the end users.

In this paper we describe the framework details. The application integration infrastructure of the framework is designed based on a distributed Model-View-Controller model. The framework uses an ontology to support the semantic level content integration and service coordination. In addition, the framework incorporates streaming within the architecture for the real-time data delivery and improved performance. By deploying services within the framework, 3D resource owners can conveniently podcast or broadcast their 3D content to the end users. In the end, we demonstrate how to use the framework to construct 3D podcast and broadcast applications. Regardless of the type of 3D applications and delay tolerance, performance is important and has to be carefully studied. We evaluate the framework performance by examining the sample application and present the analysis results. We also present the experiment results on the simulated framework application in large scale by using simulation tools.
Security and Privacy Protection in Visual Sensor Networks
Authors: Winkler Thomas , Rinner Bernhard
Published: May 2014

Visual sensor networks (VSNs) are receiving a lot of attention in research, and at the same time, commercial applications are starting to emerge. VSN devices come with image sensors, adequate processing power, and memory. They use wireless communication interfaces to collaborate and jointly solve tasks such as tracking persons within the network. VSNs are expected to replace not only many traditional, closed-circuit surveillance systems but also to enable emerging applications in scenarios such as elderly care, home monitoring, or entertainment. In all of these applications, VSNs monitor a potentially large group of people and record sensitive image data that might contain identities of persons, their behavior, interaction patterns, or personal preferences. These intimate details can be easily abused, for example, to derive personal profiles.

The highly sensitive nature of images makes security and privacy in VSNs even more important than in most other sensor and data networks. However, the direct use of security techniques developed for related domains might be misleading due to the different requirements and design challenges. This is especially true for aspects such as data confidentiality and privacy protection against insiders, generating awareness among monitored people, and giving trustworthy feedback about recorded personal data—all of these aspects go beyond what is typically required in other applications.

In this survey, we present an overview of the characteristics of VSN applications, the involved security threats and attack scenarios, and the major security challenges. A central contribution of this survey is our classification of VSN security aspects into data-centric, node-centric, network-centric, and user-centric security. We identify and discuss the individual security requirements and present a profound overview of related work for each class. We then discuss privacy protection techniques and identify recent trends in VSN security and privacy. A discussion of open research issues concludes this survey.
A Survey of Directed Entity-Relation--Based First-Order Probabilistic Languages
Authors: Howard Catherine , Stumptner Markus
Published: May 2014

Languages that combine aspects of probabilistic representations with aspects of first-order logic are referred to as first-order probabilistic languages (FOPLs). FOPLs can be divided into three categories: rule-based, procedural-based and entity-relation--based languages. This article presents a survey of directed entity-relation--based FOPLs and their associated model construction and inference algorithms.
Adaptive Model-Driven User Interface Development Systems
Authors: Akiki Pierre A. , Bandara Arosha K. , Yu Yijun
Published: May 2014

Adaptive user interfaces (UIs) were introduced to address some of the usability problems that plague many software applications. Model-driven engineering formed the basis for most of the systems targeting the development of such UIs. An overview of these systems is presented and a set of criteria is established to evaluate the strengths and shortcomings of the state of the art, which is categorized under architectures, techniques, and tools. A summary of the evaluation is presented in tables that visually illustrate the fulfillment of each criterion by each system. The evaluation identified several gaps in the existing art and highlighted the areas of promising improvement.
Faster Algorithms for Semi-Matching Problems
Authors: Fakcharoenphol Jittat , Laekhanukit Bundit , Nanongkai Danupon
Published: May 2014

We consider the problem of finding
semi-matching
in bipartite graphs, which is also extensively studied under various names in the scheduling literature. We give faster algorithms for both weighted and unweighted cases.

For the weighted case, we give an
O
(
nm
log
n
)-time algorithm, where
n
is the number of vertices and
m
is the number of edges, by exploiting the geometric structure of the problem. This improves the classical
O
(
n
3
)-time algorithms by Horn [1973] and Bruno et al. [1974b].

For the unweighted case, the bound can be improved even further. We give a simple divide-and-conquer algorithm that runs in
O
(√
nm
log
n
) time, improving two previous
O
(
nm
)-time algorithms by Abraham [2003] and Harvey et al. [2003, 2006]. We also extend this algorithm to solve the
Balanced Edge Cover
problem in
O
(√
nm
log
n
) time, improving the previous
O
(
nm
)-time algorithm by Harada et al. [2008].
The salience of governance mechanisms in contributingto electronic repositories
Authors: Kayhan Varol Onur , Bhattacherjee Anol
Published: May 2014

Expert- and community-governance are becoming popular mechanisms to verify contributions in electronic repositories. This study examines the conditions under which employees make contributions to expert- and community-governed repositories. We conduct a qualitative study using data collected through interviews. Analysis of data using the grounded theory approach reveals that two groups of categories are salient for contribution behaviors: content-based, and need-based. Content-based categories concern the type of content provided for each contribution and involve whether contributions are suggestions/ideas and whether they have sensitive content. Need-based categories concern the different needs of employees and involve whether employees have a need for peer input, expert opinion, or recognition. Findings suggest that employees are more likely to contribute to community-governed repositories if contributions are suggestions/ideas and there is a need for peer input. On the other hand, employees are more likely to contribute to expert-governed repositories if contributions have sensitive content and there is a need for expert opinion and recognition. This study contributes to extant work by distinguishing between two types of governance mechanisms and identifying the salient categories in contributing to repositories that employ these mechanisms.
File systems deserve verification too!
Authors: Keller Gabriele , Murray Toby , Amani Sidney , O'Connor Liam , Chen Zilin , Ryzhyk Leonid , Klein Gerwin , Heiser Gernot
Published: May 2014

File systems are too important, and current ones are too buggy, to remain unverified. Yet the most successful verification methods for functional correctness remain too expensive for current file system implementations-we need verified correctness but at reasonable cost. This paper presents our vision and ongoing work to achieve this goal for a new high-performance flash file system, called BilbyFs. BilbyFs is carefully designed to be highly modular, so it can be verified against a high-level functional specification one component at a time. This modular implementation is captured in a set of domain specific languages from which we produce the design-level specification, as well as its optimised C implementation. Importantly, we also automatically generate the proof linking these two artefacts. The combination of these features dramatically reduces verification effort. Verified file systems are now within reach for the first time.