bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adiponectin and lipoprotein metabolism
Authors: Christou G. A. , Kiortsis D. N.
Published: August 2013

Adiponectin is secreted by the adipose tissue and it has been shown to be down‐regulated in states of insulin resistance and in cardiovascular disease. It has also been found to be correlated with various parameters of lipoprotein metabolism, and in particular, it is associated with the metabolism of high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglycerides; adiponectin appears to induce an increase in serum HDL, and conversely, HDL can up‐regulate adiponectin levels, and in addition, adiponectin lowers serum triglycerides through enhancement of the catabolism of triglyceride‐rich lipoproteins. Studies investigating whether adiponectin is causally linked with lipoprotein metabolism have yielded conflicting data, and the mechanisms underlying the interplay between adiponectin and lipoproteins remain to be elucidated. The adiponectin–HDL relationship can explain at least in part the presumed protective role of adiponectin in cardiovascular disease and the adiponectin changes observed after dieting, exercise and lipid‐lowering treatment. Statins, fibrates, niacin and n‐3 fatty acids may influence circulating adiponectin levels, indicating that adiponectin may mediate some of the metabolic effects of these agents. Further studies to investigate more thoroughly the role of adiponectin in lipoprotein metabolism in the human setting should be carefully planned, focusing on causality and the possible impact of adiponectin on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.
Pediatric preoperative blood ordering: when is a type and screen or crossmatch really needed?
Authors: Fernández Allison M. , Cronin Jessica , Greenberg Robert S. , Heitmiller Eugenie S.
Published: August 2013

Background

Unnecessary testing for and ordering of blood products adds to overall healthcare costs.

Objectives

Determine intraoperative red blood cell (RBC) product utilization for pediatric procedures and costs associated with perioperative testing and ordering.

Methods

A retrospective chart review captured perioperative blood testing and intraoperative transfusion data for patients <19 years of age who underwent noncardiac surgery over a 13‐month period at one tertiary care hospital. The main outcome measure was cost associated with testing for blood products in patients undergoing procedures that had a zero rate of transfusion.

Results

The intraoperative transfusion rate for 8620 noncardiac pediatric procedures was 2.78%. Of 8380 nontransfused patients, 707 (8.4%) had type and screen, and of those, 420 (5%) were crossmatched for RBC products in preparation for surgery. The 10 surgical procedures that had the highest perioperative blood testing but no instances of transfusion were as follows: colostomy or ileostomy takedown, spinal cord untethering, tunneled catheter placement, laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication, elbow reduction and fixation, lumbar puncture, suboccipital craniectomy, hip arthrogram, percutaneous intravascular central line, and tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Procedures with low transfusion probability and high crossmatch testing were ventriculoperitoneal shunt revision and growing rod distraction. For all nontransfused patients, the cost of obtaining type and screen was $31 815, and the cost for crossmatch was $25 200.

Conclusion

Patients may undergo preoperative type and screen or crossmatch for procedures rarely associated with transfusion. Historic transfusion probability may be used to predict need for transfusion for specific surgical procedures and reduce unnecessary perioperative testing and associated costs.
Predicting Political Biases Against the Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party Movements
Authors: Crawford Jarret T. , Xhambazi Eneda
Published: August 2013

Accusations of hypocrisy have flown against both supporters and opponents of the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) and Tea Party movements. Integrating the ideologically objectionable premise model (IOPM), a newly devised model of political judgment, with political tolerance research, we find that how the political activities of OWS and Tea Party demonstrators are described determines whether or not biases against these groups emerge among people low and high in right‐wing authoritarianism (RWA). Specifically, people low in RWA were more biased against the Tea Party than OWS regardless of whether the groups engaged in normatively threatening or reassuring political behavior, whereas people high in RWA were more biased against OWS than the Tea Party when the groups engaged in normatively threatening (and therefore objectionable), but not normatively reassuring (and therefore acceptable) behavior. These findings further support the IOPM's contention that premise objectionableness, not right‐wing orientation, determines biases in political judgment.
Applying the Flanker Task to Political Psychology: A Research Note
Authors: McLean Scott P. , Garza John P. , Wiebe Sandra A. , Dodd Michael D. , Smith Kevin B. , Hibbing John R. , Espy Kimberly Andrews
Published: August 2013

One of the two stated objectives of the new “Research Note” section of Political Psychology is to present short reports that highlight novel methodological approaches. Toward that end, we call readers' attention to the “flanker task,” a research protocol widely employed in the study of the cognitive processes involved with detection, recognition, and distraction. The flanker task has increasingly been modified to study social traits, and we believe it has untapped value in the area of political psychology. Here we describe the flanker task—discussing its potential for political psychology—and illustrate this potential by presenting results from a study correlating political ideology to flanker effects.
Authoritarianism, Anger, and Hostile Attribution Bias: A Test of Affect Displacement
Authors: Milburn Michael A. , Niwa Miho , Patterson Marcus D.
Published: August 2013

Past research has supported the hypothesis that the relationship between harsh childhood punishment and adult political attitudes is due to the displacement of negative emotions that arise onto punitive public policies, e.g., support for the death penalty (Milburn, Conrad, Sala, & Carberry, 1995). Cognitions associated with childhood punishment may also impact adult political attitudes, yet their effects have not yet been examined, despite research that shows that punitive childhood experiences increase the tendency to attribute hostility to others. Thus, we investigated whether the tendency to make hostile attributions about others' behavior influences a person's authoritarianism, controlling for their parents' political orientation. Respondents completed an online survey concerning their childhood punishment experiences, their parents' political orientation, their trait anger, their level of hostile attribution bias (HAB), and their authoritarianism. Multiple regression analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM) found that higher childhood punishment has a significant direct effect on higher levels of authoritarianism, even after controlling for parents' political orientation, and that trait anger and HAB appear to mediate the effects of childhood punishment experiences on authoritarianism,. These results support the process of affect displacement as an important influence on adult punitiveness and political orientation.
Being in transit and in transition The experience of time at the place, when living with severe incurable disease ‐ a phenomenological study
Authors: Ellingsen Sidsel , Roxberg Åsa , Kristoffersen Kjell , Rosland Jan Henrik , Alvsvåg Herdis
Published: August 2013

The aim of this study is to describe the experience of time as it presents itself at the place being situated when living with severe incurable disease and receiving palliative care. The empirical data consist of 26 open‐ended interviews with 23 patients receiving palliative care at home, at a palliative day care, in a palliative bed unit in hospital or in a nursing home in Norway. A common meaning of a shifting space for living emerged from the analysis and was revealed through three different aspects: (i) Transition from a predictable to an unpredictable time: To live with severe incurable disease marks a transition to a changed life involving an ongoing weakened and altered body with bothersome symptoms making experience of time different and unpredictable. (ii) Transition between a safe and unsafe time: When time is unpredictable, feeling safe is revealed as essential to how time is experienced at the place being situated. (iii) To be in transition from a homely to a homeless existence: In a time of increased bodily weakness, unpredictable ailments and displacements, the sense of belonging to the place is revealed as significant to the experience of time. Not knowing where to be in a time of change is like an existential cry of distress where the foothold in existence is lost. The findings are discussed and interpreted as an embodied experience originating from the passage of time continually affecting life sometimes so fundamentally that it marks a transition to a changed space of life that is reflected in the experience of time.
From Peacemaker to Warmonger? Explaining Denmark's Great Power Politics
Authors: Wivel Anders
Published: August 2013

Danish post‐Cold War security policy is typically portrayed as a transformation from an anti‐militaristic and multilateralist member of a Nordic bloc in international relations promoting international solidarity and global peace into an activist proponent of a liberal world order to be defended by military means when necessary. Focusing on Danish peace policy, this article puts forward a contending analysis arguing that what appears as change entails a considerable amount of continuity. Now, as in the past, the Danish contribution to international peace reflects a combination of international demand and the ability and willingness of Danish policy‐makers to meet this demand in accordance with their liberal‐egalitarian values and pragmatic approach to international relations.
A novel HLA‐B allele, HLA‐B*39:01:16, identified by super high‐resolution single‐molecule sequence‐based typing in a Japanese individual
Authors: Miyazono T. , Shiina T. , Michino J. , Yasumura S. , Sugiyama T.
Published: August 2013

HLA‐B*39:01:16 differs from B*39:01:03 by one nucleotide 348 (codon 116) T to C.
A new allele, HLA‐DQB1*04:09
Authors: Testi M. , Troiano M. , Guagnano A. , Testa G. , Andreani M.
Published: August 2013

The novel allele HLA‐DQB1*04:09 differs from DQB1*04:02:01 by three nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions in exon 2.
A novel HLA allele, HLA‐B*40:227, was identified by polymerase chain reaction sequence‐based typing in a Chinese individual
Authors: Wang W. , He J. , Zhang W. , Zhu F.‐M. , Lv H.‐J.
Published: August 2013

HLA‐B*40:227 has one nucleotide change from B*40:01:01 in exon 2 at position 265 C>G.
Genomic full‐length sequence of two HLA‐A alleles, A*30:01:01 and A*30:04:01, identified by cloning and sequencing
Authors: Li Z. , Xu Y. P.
Published: August 2013

Genomic full‐length sequences of HLA‐A*30:01:01 and A*30:04:01, were identified by cloning and sequencing from two Chinese donors.
Intradiploic hematoma of the frontal bone with secondary exophthalmos in a mare
Authors: Kafarnik Christiane , Donaldson David , Payne Richard , Holloway Andrew
Published: August 2013

A 13‐year‐old cob mare was presented with exophthalmos and periocular swelling of the left eye. The diagnostic work‐up included ocular ultrasound, sonographic examination through the thinned frontal bone, radiography, standing computed tomography of the skull and exploratory osteoplastic surgery. Histopathology was consistent with an organized hematoma. An intradiploic hematoma of the frontal bone was diagnosed 5 years after head trauma, with progressive expansion and deformation of the skull resulting in exophthalmos. Exophthalmos with facial bone deformation was the only clinical finding of intradiploic hematoma. Standing computed tomography (CT) aided the diagnosis to differentiate intradiploic hematoma from other, more common causes of facial bone distortion associated with paranasal sinus diseases. Intradiploic hematoma of possible traumatic origin is a differential diagnosis for sinonasal disease and exophthalmos in the horse.
Globalization, postcolonial Englishes, and the English language press in Kenya, Singapore, and Trinidad and Tobago
Authors: CANAN HÄNSEL EVA , DEUBER DAGMAR
Published: August 2013

This paper analyzes online English‐language newspapers from the former British colonies of Kenya, Singapore, and Trinidad and Tobago with respect to Americanisms in spelling and vocabulary. The guiding question is whether the degree of Americanization can be related to the different degrees to which these countries participate in globalization. It is shown that the influence of American English is least pronounced in Kenya and most in Trinidad and Tobago, with Singapore in between, and that globalization is indeed a factor, but that other factors including official language attitudes play a role as well. The role of international news agencies in disseminating Americanisms is also considered and is found to be prominent mainly in the case of Singapore.
Advanced Dublin English in Irish radio advertising
Authors: O'SULLIVAN JOAN
Published: August 2013

In the late 1990s, Ireland's increased prosperity and elevated international position created a need among ‘socially‐mobile’ speakers in the capital, Dublin, for a less local and more sophisticated form of Irish English. This sparked the development of a new form of pronunciation which differentiated and distanced itself from local Dublin speech forms. This form has spread at a rapid pace, not only in Dublin, but throughout southern Ireland and has been given the term new pronunciation (Hickey 2004b:48), and more recently, advanced Dublin English (Hickey 2012). Since this new pronunciation form is seen by Hickey (2005) as indisputably the most important case of language change in contemporary Ireland, the extent to which it is reflected in and exploited in the Irish advertising context demands attention. This paper outlines research into the extent and functions of advanced Dublin English in Irish advertising through a quantitative and qualitative analysis of a corpus of 160 radio advertisements from a prominent Irish radio station. Following Lee (1992), Sussex's (1989) categorisation of the Action (associated with dialogic interaction in particular contexts) and comment (associated with slogan or voice of authority) components of the ads are employed.
The use of Singlish in the teaching of Islam
Authors: CHEW PHYLLIS GHIM‐LIAN
Published: August 2013

Singlish is used in many ways in the Islamic classroom in Singapore. Singlish softens the effect of introducing English instead of Malay and Arabic as the medium of instruction, helps the teacher to evoke camaraderie and fellowship, and is a means of scaffolding. It can be used to signal a change of footing, to attend to latecomers in a less threatening way, to humanize, to solicit students’ contribution, and to negotiate task instructions; in brief to generate a warmer, friendlier atmosphere all round. The data for this paper is organized under four themes: the use of I (international) and L (local) Englishes, the use of L Englishes together with L Malay, the simultaneous use of both L and I forms of English, Malay and Arabic; and last but not least, the style‐switching between I and L Malay, an activity which parallels the style‐switching observed between I and L English.
Phylogeny of eriphioid crabs (Brachyura, Eriphioidea) inferred from molecular and morphological studies
Authors: Lai Joelle C. Y. , Thoma Brent P. , Clark Paul F. , Felder Darryl L. , Ng Peter K. L.
Published: August 2013

The evolutionary relationships of the brachyuran crab superfamily Eriphioidea, commonly known as stone or rubble crabs, are examined. Analysis of three mitochondrial (12S, 16S and COI) and two nuclear loci (18S and Histone 3) was carried out for 51 taxa representing the Carpilioidea, Dairoidea, Eriphioidea, Goneplacoidea, Parthenopoidea, Pilumnoidea, Portunoidea, Pseudozioidea and Xanthoidea. Phylogenetic analyses of molecular data used three methods of inference that recovered similar topologies with minor differences. Maximum parsimony analysis of 20 morphological characters taken from first zoeas of 11 species yielded two equally parsimonious trees and generally supported the molecular analyses. None of the analyses recovered Eriphioidea as monophyletic, and each of the eriphioid families represented by two or more taxa was shown to be polyphyletic in both molecular and larval analyses. This study indicates that the present classification based on adult morphology is incongruent with phylogenetic relationships and that the diagnostic characters the result of convergence (particularly in feeding morphology) rather than shared ancestry.
Deformation Behavior of Magnesium Extrusions With Strong Basal Texture: Experiments and Modeling
Authors: Mohr Dirk , Chevin Marc-Antoine , Greve Lars
Published: August 2013

Reverse tension-compression and compression-tension experiments are performed on an extruded AZ31B magnesium sheets using a newly-developed antibuckling device. In addition, combined tension and shear experiments are performed to investigate the material response to multiaxial loading. A constitutive model is proposed which makes use of a single crystal approach to describe the dominant twinning and detwinning response, while a quadratic anisotropic yield function is employed to model the slip-dominated material response. The model accounts for the characteristic tension-compression asymmetry in the hardening mechanisms. Both the convex-up shaped stress-strain response under twinning and concave-down shaped response for slip-dominated behavior are predicted accurately. Furthermore, the effect of latent hardening among slip and twinning systems is taken into account. Due to strong simplifications regarding the kinematics of twinning, the model is computationally efficient and suitable for large scale structural computations.
Steady Mixed Convection Flow on a Horizontal Circular Cylinder Embedded in a Porous Medium Filled by a Nanofluid Containing Gyrotactic Micro-Organisms
Authors: Tham L. , Nazar R. , Pop I.
Published: August 2013

In this paper, the steady mixed convection boundary layer flow past a horizontal circular cylinder with a constant surface temperature embedded in a porous medium saturated by a nanofluid containing both nanoparticles and gyrotactic micro-organisms in a stream flowing vertically upwards for both cases of a heated and cooled cylinder is numerically studied. The resulting system of nonlinear partial differential equations is solved numerically using an implicit finite-difference scheme. By considering the governing parameters, namely, the mixed convection parameter λ, the bioconvection Lewis number Lb, the traditional Lewis number Le, the bioconvection Péclet number Pb, the buoyancy ratio Nr, the bioconvection Rayleigh number Rb, the Brownian motion Nb, and the thermophoresis Nt, the numerical results are obtained and discussed for the skin friction coefficient, the local Nusselt number, the local Sherwood number, the local density number of the motile micro-organisms as well as the velocity, temperature, nanoparticle volume fraction, and density motile micro-organisms profiles.
Experimental Measurements of Critical Heat Flux in Expanding Microchannel Arrays
Authors: Miner Mark J. , Phelan Patrick E. , Odom Brent A. , Ortiz Carlos A.
Published: August 2013

The effect of an expanding microchannel cross-section on flow boiling critical heat flux (CHF) is experimentally investigated across four rates of expansion. A pumped-loop apparatus is developed to boil R-134a in an array of microchannels cut into copper; a test section is designed to facilitate interchange of the microchannel specimens, allowing consistency across experiments. An optimum expansion angle allowing maximum heat flux is observed, the location of which increases with the mass flow rate. The boiling number does not indicate any optimum in the range observed, showing a nearly monotonic increase with expansion angle. The familiar increase in critical heat flux with mass flux is observed, though expansion shifts the CHF-mass flux curves in a favorable direction. The existence of an optimum expansion angle confirms an earlier qualitative hypothesis by the authors and suggests that microchannel heat sinks offer opportunities for methodical improvement of flow boiling stability and performance.
Data Reconciliation and Suspect Measurement Identification for Gas Turbine Cogeneration Systems
Authors: Syed Mohammed S. , Dooley Kerry M. , Carl Knopf F. , Erbes Michael R. , Madron Frantisek
Published: August 2013

Data reconciliation is widely used in the chemical process industry to suppress the influence of random errors in process data and help detect gross errors. Data reconciliation is currently seeing increased use in the power industry. Here, we use data from a recently constructed cogeneration system to show the data reconciliation process and the difficulties associated with gross error detection and suspect measurement identification. Problems in gross error detection and suspect measurement identification are often traced to weak variable redundancy, which can be characterized by variable adjustability and threshold value. Proper suspect measurement identification is accomplished using a variable measurement test coupled with the variable adjustability. Cogeneration and power systems provide a unique opportunity to include performance equations in the problem formulation. Gross error detection and suspect measurement identification can be significantly enhanced by increasing variable redundancy through the use of performance equations. Cogeneration system models are nonlinear, but a detailed analysis of gross error detection and suspect measurement identification is based on model linearization. A Monte Carlo study was used to verify results from the linearized models.
Modifying the Classical One-Dimensional Catalyst Model to Include Axial Conduction and Diffusion
Authors: Loya Sudarshan , Depcik Christopher
Published: August 2013

Lean NOx trap (LNT) catalytic aftertreatment devices are one potential option for the reduction of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in the exhaust of compression ignition engines. They work through a controlled modulation between a storage phase that captures NOx over an alkali earth metal and a regeneration phase that reduces the stored nitrates on the surface using a rich pulse of injected fuel or via stoichiometric engine operation. This rich phase has an associated fuel penalty while being relatively difficult to control through temperature and chemical species. In order to improve system efficiency, a number of researchers have proposed dual leg LNT systems using two LNTs, one of which is always storing while the other is undergoing regeneration. The majority of the exhaust flows through the storage LNT while only a small fraction (low space velocity) advects across the regeneration LNT. This increases the regeneration residence time, improving effectiveness and decreasing the amount of fuel used. From an LNT simulation standpoint, most researchers utilize the classical one-dimensional (1D) aftertreatment model constructed from the Euler equations of motion that neglect axial conduction and diffusion. This paper explores the applicability of this model under low flow situations prevalent in a dual leg LNT system through a carbon monoxide light-off experiment. The authors chose this type of experiment in order to focus purely on fluid mechanics and not the choice of LNT reaction mechanism. The results suggest that a Navier–Stokes (N–S) version of the 1D aftertreatment model is preferred for the regeneration leg of a dual LNT system. Moreover, the authors provide the solution of such a model within this paper.
Turbulent Heat Transfer From a Slot Jet Impinging on a Flat Plate
Authors: Benmouhoub Dahbia , Mataoui Amina
Published: August 2013

The flow field and heat transfer of a plane impinging jet on a hot moving wall were investigated using one point closure turbulence model. Computations were carried out by means of a finite volume method. The evolutions of mean velocity components, vorticity, skin friction coefficient, Nusselt number and pressure coefficient are examined in this paper. Two parameters of this type of interaction are considered for a given impinging distance of 8 times the nozzle thickness (H/e = 8): the jet-surface velocity ratio and the jet exit Reynolds number. The flow field structure at a given surface-to-jet velocity ratio is practically independent to the jet exit Reynolds number. A slight modification of the flow field is observed for weak surface-to-jet velocity ratios while the jet is strongly driven for higher velocity ratio. The present results satisfactorily compare to the experimental data available in the literature for Rsj ≤ 1.The purpose of this paper is to investigate this phenomenon for higher Rsj values (0 ≤ Rsj ≤ 4). It follows that the variation of the mean skin friction and the Nusselt number can be correlated according to the surface-to-jet velocity ratios and the Reynolds numbers.
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in Solar Cells
Authors: Wong Kaufui V. , Perilla Nicholas , Paddon Andrew
Published: August 2013

Energy is a big challenge in the coming years. The global population is increasing. Not only are there more people in the world, but the human drive to increase living standards have increased individual energy demands. Growing energy needs were typically met by finding new sources of fossil fuels. People have fortunately begun to realize the adverse environmental impact of burning fossil fuels and that this practice cannot be maintained indefinitely, leading to renewed interest in photovoltaic technologies. The discovery of the photoelectric effect brought hope to the objective of helping to fill the world energy needs with an already continuously delivered source. The discovery of the photoelectric effect was the birth of the idea, but it was the development of the crystalline silicon cell that marked the beginning of the industry. The cost and inefficiency of these solar panels have prevented them from becoming an economically competitive form of everyday power generation. Cost was reduced with the introduction of amorphous silicon thin-film cells despite slightly lower efficiencies. Their lower manufacturing costs have allowed solar energy to be included in more applications; the costs have not been reduced enough to compete with current grid rates. The current trend in research suggests that the application of nanotechnology may be the awaited break needed to break this cost barrier. Nanotechnology promises to reduce cost because they require less controlled conditions, which will greatly reduce the cost per cell, and the initial cost of a new cell type. Nanoscience and nanotechnology are being researched and developed to help solve problems that have prevented the use of other promising technologies, and improving efficiencies of those technologies that have been developed. The addition of nanoparticles to the matrix is a possible way to improve electron transport, and nanotubes could be used in conjunction with nanoparticles. The science of interactions and addition of nanoparticles and their function in solar photovoltaic cells is known, but still developing. Nanoscience has produced proof-of-concept photovoltaic cells made of small perfect crystals, rather than large, perfect silicon crystals that are more expensive to produce. Nanowhiskers are being experimented as new antireflective coating. Sensitizing dyes are being used to increase the range and location of the wavelengths that can be absorbed to be more favorable to sunlight, allowing the use of materials that lack this key characteristic. Quantum dots could be an improvement to these dyes, as the smaller particles will have the added benefit of having multiple electrons created per photon without impeding electron transfer. Recent research has also shown a method to transform optical radiation into electrical current that could lead to self-powering molecular circuits and efficient data storage. The many possible applications of nanotechnology make photovoltaic cells a promising pursuit.
Drag Reduction of a Bluff Body by Grooves Laid Out by Design of Experiment
Authors: Seo Seong-Ho , Nam Chung-Do , Han Jung-Young , Hong Cheol-Hyun
Published: August 2013

In this study, we used the Taguchi method to derive the optimal design parameters for the grooves formed on the upper surface of a circular cylinder. Using the derived values of the optimal design parameters, we created grooves on diphycercal the surfaces of a circular cylinder and analyzed the wake flow and the boundary-layer flow of the circular cylinder. The streamwise time mean velocity and turbulence intensity of the wake flow field were used as the characteristics. Based on these characteristics, the optimal design parameter values were selected: n = 3, k = 1.0 mm (k/d = 2.5%), and θ = 60 deg. When the grooved cylinder was used, the streamwise time mean velocity in the wake of the cylinder showed 12.3% recovery, the wake width was reduced by 18.4% compared to the results from the smooth cylinder and we had 28.2% drag reduction from that of smooth cylinder. Also, the flow on the smooth cylinder separated at around 82 deg but the flow separation on a grooved cylinder appeared beyond 90 deg, that reducing the drag.
Dual Injection Distributed Combustion for Gas Turbine Application
Authors: Khalil Ahmed E. E. , Gupta Ashwani K.
Published: August 2013

Distributed combustion has been shown to provide significantly improved performance with near zero emissions for stationary gas turbine applications. Characteristics of distributed combustion include uniform thermal field in the entire combustion chamber (improved pattern factor), ultra-low emissions of NOx and CO, low noise, enhanced stability, and higher efficiency. Distributed combustion with swirl have been investigated to determine the beneficial aspects of such flows on clean and efficient combustion under simulated gas turbine combustion conditions with ultra-low NOx emissions. Results are presented here on the impact of employing dual injection of air and fuel in contrast to single injection. Dual and multi-injection is of great importance for combustor design scale up as to maintain flow similarities. Results showed that careful implementation of dual injection can result in emissions as low as single air/fuel injection method. With adequate fuel injection strategy, further reduction in emissions has been demonstrated. Results obtained on pollutants emission with dual injection and different fuel injection strategies at various equivalence ratios showed ultra-low emission (<5 PPM NO and <15 PPM CO) and high performance. OH* chemiluminescence revealed relative position of the flame within the combustor under various conditions for further improvements in distributed combustion conditions and to further reduce NOx emission.
The use of dc glow discharges as undergraduate educational tools
Authors: Wissel Stephanie A. , Zwicker Andrew , Ross Jerry , Gershman Sophia
Published: August 2013

Plasmas have a beguiling way of getting students interested in physics. We argue that plasmas can and should be incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum as both demonstrations and advanced investigations of electromagnetism and quantum effects. We describe a device, based on a direct-current (dc) glow discharge tube, which allows for a number of experiments into topics such as electrical breakdown, spectroscopy, magnetism, and electron temperature.
Neutrino tomography
Authors: Millhouse Margaret A. , Latimer David C.
Published: August 2013

Neutrinos are produced in weak interactions as states with definite flavor—electron, muon, or tau—and these flavor states are superpositions of states of different mass. As a neutrino propagates through space, the different mass eigenstates interfere, resulting in time-dependent flavor oscillation. Though matter is transparent to neutrinos, the flavor oscillation probability is modified when neutrinos travel through matter. Herein, we present an introduction to neutrino propagation through matter in a manner accessible to advanced undergraduate students. As an interesting application, we consider neutrino propagation through matter with a piecewise-constant density profile. This scenario has relevance in neutrino tomography, in which the density profile of matter, like the Earth's interior, can be probed via a broad-spectrum neutrino beam. We provide an idealized example to demonstrate the principle of neutrino tomography.
Laboratory Investigation of Noise-Canceling Headphones Utilizing “Mr. Blockhead”
Authors: Koser John
Published: August 2013

While I was co-teaching an introductory course in musical acoustics a few years ago, our class investigated several pieces of equipment designed for audio purposes. One piece of such equipment was a pair of noise-canceling headphones. Our students were curious as to how these devices were in eliminating background noise and whether they indeed block low-frequency sounds as advertised.
Evolution of the Significant Figure Rules
Authors: Carter Ashley R.
Published: August 2013

Today, almost all introductory physics textbooks include standardized “rules” on how to find the number of significant figures in a calculated value.1–6 And yet, 30 years ago these rules were almost nonexistent. Whyhave we increased the role of significant figures in introductory classes, and should we continue this trend? A look back at the evolution of significant figures over the last 300 years, from Newton to Millikan to modern authors, sheds some light on their purpose moving forward. While there is much discussion for7,8 and against9,10 their use, especially in chemistry, a review of earlier versions of the rules suggests that we have lost some items of value, most notably, a significant figure rule for angles. In addition, we have lost the emphasis that the significant figure rules were designed to calculate an approximate (not exact) precision. Now that the significant figure rules are ingrained into our introductory physics sequence, we would be wise to reiterate that these are just general “rules of thumb.”
Classroom Materials from the Acoustical Society of America
Authors: Adams W. K. , Clark A. , Schneider K.
Published: August 2013

As part of the new education initiatives of the Acoustical Society of America (ASA), an activity kit for teachers that includes a variety of lessons addressing acoustics1 for a range of students (K-12) has been created. The “Sound and Music Activity Kit” is free to K-12 teachers. It includes materials sufficient to teach a class of 30 students plus a USB thumb drive containing 47 research-based, interactive, student-tested lessons, laboratory exercises, several assessments, and video clips of a class using the materials. ASA has also partnered with both the Optical Society of America (OSA) and the American Association of Physics Teachers. AAPT Physics Teaching Resource Agents (PTRA) have reviewed the lessons along with members of the ASA Teacher Activity Kit Committee. Topics include basic learning goals for teaching the physics of sound with examples and applications relating to medical imaging, animal bioacoustics, physical and psychological acoustics, speech, audiology, and architectural acoustics.
Resistivity in Play-Doh: Time and Color Variations
Authors: Fuse Christopher , August Brandon , Cannaday Ashley , Barker Casey
Published: August 2013

The study of electricity and magnetism is fundamental to all first-year physics courses. Developing simple electricity laboratory experiences that are open ended and inquiry based can be difficult. We wished to create a lab experiment where the students have some control over the experimental design, data analysis is required, and students investigate the concept of resistivity as found in Halliday Resnick, and Walker.1 This experiment uses modeling clay or Play-Doh™ to demonstrate the properties of ohmic materials and resistivity. We were familiar with the paper “Resistance Measurements on Play-Doh™” by Jones2 and we have worked to more accurately explain the physics of the experiment. We have also further developed the experiment to better understand how the resistivity of Play-Doh changes with time. This lab is an exciting, fun experiment that connects a new concept with a familiar childhood toy.
Dilepton production in thermal-dependent baryonic quark–gluon plasma
Authors: Singh S. Somorendro , Kumar Yogesh
Published: August 2013

We evolute a fireball of quark–gluon plasma (QGP) at thermal-dependent chemical potential (TDCP) through a statistical model in the pionic medium. The evolution of the fireball is explained through the free energy created in the pionic medium. We study the dilepton production at TDCP from such a fireball of QGP and hadronic phase. In this model, we take a finite quark mass dependence on temperature and parametrization factor. The temperature and factor enhance in the growth of the droplet formation of quarks and gluons as well as in the dilepton production rates. The production rate shows dilepton spectrum in the low mass region of the lepton pair as 0–1.2 GeV and in the intermediate mass region of 1.0–4.0 GeV. The rate of production is observed to be a strong increasing function of the TDCP for quark and antiquark annihilation. We compare the result of dilepton production at this TDCP with the production rate of the recent dilepton productions at zero and finite baryonic chemical potential and found the result far ahead in the production rates of dilepton at TDCP.
Calcium paradox induces apoptosis in the isolated perfusedRana ridibundaheart: involvement of p38-MAPK and calpain
Authors: Aggeli Ioanna-Katerina , Zacharias Triantafyllos , Papapavlou Georgia , Gaitanaki Catherine , Beis Isidoros
Published: August 2013

“Calcium paradox” as a term describes the deleterious effects conferred to a heart perfused with a calcium-free solution followed by repletion, including loss of mechanical activity and sarcomere disruption. Given that the signaling mechanisms triggered by calcium paradox remain elusive, in the present study, we tried to investigate them in the isolated perfused heart from Rana ridibunda. Calcium paradox was found to markedly activate members of the MAPKs (p43-ERK, JNKs, p38-MAPK). In addition to lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release in the perfusate (indicative of necrosis), we also confirmed the occurrence of apoptosis by using the TUNEL assay and identifying poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) fragmentation and upregulated Bax expression. Furthermore, using MDL28170 (a selective calpain inhibitor), a role for this protease was revealed. In addition, various divalent cations were shown to exert a protective effect against the calcium paradox. Interestingly, SB203580, a p38-MAPK inhibitor, alleviated calcium-paradox-conferred apoptosis. This result indicates that p38-MAPK plays a pro-apoptotic role, contributing to the resulting myocardial dysfunction and cell death. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the calcium paradox has been shown to induce apoptosis in amphibians, with p38-MAPK and calpain playing significant roles.
CFD ANALYSIS OF FLOW THROUGH HORIZONTAL CEILING OPENING DUE TO BUOYANCY AND PRESSURE DIFFERENCE
Authors: GERA B. , SHARMA P. K. , SINGH R. K.
Published: August 2013

The buoyancy driven exchange flow through the large openings in horizontal partitions occurs in many practical situations such as in enclosed regions with a ceiling opening and a heat source such as fire. The density difference between two compartments arises partly due to difference in composition and partly from the difference in temperature. A heavier fluid located on the top of a lighter fluid and separated by a horizontal vent constitutes a gravitationally unstable system. Horizontal vents produce flow, which are unstable with irregular oscillatory behavior. However, when lower compartment is slightly pressurized the flow becomes stable and unidirectional. A numerical study has been performed to characterize the bi-directional flow and transition to unidirectional flow through a horizontal vent in an enclosure, due to differences in pressure and density across the vent. Fresh and salt water has been considered as working fluids to create density difference across the vent with a pressure field imposed in the lower compartment. The pressure in the lower region was increased to find the critical pressure corresponding to transition to unidirectional from bi-directional flow. Unsteady, 2D axisymmetric, incompressible Navier–Stokes equation along with species, turbulence and continuity equation have been solved with finite volume method using the in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code. Several cases were examined to compute the critical pressure for various density differences for low opening aspect ratio. The code has been validated with reported experiments and used to simulate various other practical cases occurred during fire induced flow through such openings.
A NEW DYNAMIC COMMUNITY MODEL FOR SOCIAL NETWORKS
Authors: LU ZHE-MING , WU ZHEN , GUO SHI-ZE , CHEN ZHE , SONG GUANG-HUA
Published: August 2013

In this paper, based on the phenomenon that individuals join into and jump from the organizations in the society, we propose a dynamic community model to construct social networks. Two parameters are adopted in our model, one is the communication rate Pa that denotes the connection strength in the organization and the other is the turnover rate Pb, that stands for the frequency of jumping among the organizations. Based on simulations, we analyze not only the degree distribution, the clustering coefficient, the average distance and the network diameter but also the group distribution which is closely related to their community structure. Moreover, we discover that the networks generated by the proposed model possess the small-world property and can well reproduce the networks of social contacts.
RISKY CHOICES IN A RISK-TAKING EXPERIMENT: ARE SINGAPOREANS DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD?
Authors: CHEO ROLAND
Published: August 2013

This paper introduces a rich experimental environment which allows one to control for possible status quo effects as well as the "anticipatory fear of loss" inherent in gambles by framing scenarios in terms of gains and losses. A total of 162 undergraduates — Africans, Caucasians, Singaporeans and Chinese — are recruited for this study. From the risk choices that students take, we can see how Singaporeans differ from their counterparts elsewhere. The results show that Singaporeans are less risk averse than African or Caucasian exchange students. In terms of risk seeking behavior, when using Caucasians as a reference group, Singaporeans and Chinese undergraduates are also relatively more risk seeking as well. The majority of the players are risk neutral in this experiment. Singaporeans, like the Caucasians and Chinese in the sample, are all more likely to favor risk neutral strategies if their default gamble is one with higher expected payoffs.
COMPUTATIONAL COMPLEXITY OF VARIOUS MAL'CEV CONDITIONS
Authors: HOROWITZ JONAH
Published: August 2013

This paper examines the computational complexity of determining whether or not an algebra satisfies a certain Mal'Cev condition. First, we define a class of Mal'Cev conditions whose satisfaction can be determined in polynomial time (special cube term satisfying the DCP) when the algebra in question is idempotent and provide an algorithm through which this determination may be made. The aforementioned class notably includes near unanimity terms and edge terms of fixed arity. Second, we define a different class of Mal'Cev conditions whose satisfaction, in general, requires exponential time to determine (Mal'Cev conditions satisfiable by CPB0 operations).
RELATIONS BETWEEN VARIOUS BOUNDARIES OF RELATIVELY HYPERBOLIC GROUPS
Authors: TRAN HUNG CONG
Published: August 2013

Suppose a group G is relatively hyperbolic with respect to a collection ℙ of its subgroups and also acts properly, cocompactly on a CAT(0) (or δ-hyperbolic) space X. The relatively hyperbolic structure provides a relative boundary ∂(G, ℙ). The CAT(0) structure provides a different boundary at infinity ∂X. In this paper, we examine the connection between these two spaces at infinity. In particular, we show that ∂(G, ℙ) is G-equivariantly homeomorphic to the space obtained from ∂X by identifying the peripheral limit points of the same type.
HYPERGRAPHS AND REGULARITY OF SQUARE-FREE MONOMIAL IDEALS
Authors: LIN KUEI-NUAN , MCCULLOUGH JASON
Published: August 2013

We define a new combinatorial object, which we call a labeled hypergraph, uniquely associated to any square-free monomial ideal. We prove several upper bounds on the regularity of a square-free monomial ideal in terms of simple combinatorial properties of its labeled hypergraph. We also give specific formulas for the regularity of square-free monomial ideals with certain labeled hypergraphs. Furthermore, we prove results in the case of one-dimensional labeled hypergraphs.
Radially symmetric solutions to the Hénon–Lane–Emden system on the critical hyperbola
Authors: Musina Roberta , Sreenadh K.
Published: August 2013

We use variational methods to study the existence of non-trivial and radially symmetric solutions to the Hénon–Lane–Emden system with weights, when the exponents involved lie on the "critical hyperbola". We also discuss qualitative properties of solutions and non-existence results.
REMARKS ABOUT MIXED DISCRIMINANTS AND VOLUMES
Authors: ARTSTEIN-AVIDAN S. , FLORENTIN D. , OSTROVER Y.
Published: August 2013

In this note we prove certain inequalities for mixed discriminants of positive semi-definite matrices, and mixed volumes of compact convex sets in ℝn. Moreover, we discuss how the latter are related to the monotonicity of an information functional on the class of convex bodies, which is a geometric analogue of the classical Fisher information.
Aspects of multivariable operator theory on weighted symmetric Fock spaces
Authors: Kaptanoğlu H. Turgay
Published: August 2013

We obtain all Dirichlet spaces ℱq, q ∈ ℝ, of holomorphic functions on the unit ball of ℂNas weighted symmetric Fock spaces over ℂN. We develop the basics of operator theory on these spaces related to shift operators. We do a complete analysis of the effect of q ∈ ℝ in the topics we touch upon. Our approach is concrete and explicit. We use more function theory and reduce many proofs to checking results on diagonal operators on the ℱq. We pick out the analytic Hilbert modules from among the ℱq. We obtain von Neumann inequalities for row contractions on a Hilbert space with respect to each ℱq. We determine the commutants and investigate the almost normality of the shift operators. We prove that the C*-algebras generated by the shift operators on the ℱqfit in exact sequences that are in the same Ext class. We identify the groups K0and K1of the Toeplitz algebras on the ℱqarising in K-theory. Radial differential operators are prominent throughout. Some of our results, especially those pertaining to lower negative values of q, are new even for N = 1. Many of our results are valid in the more general weighted symmetric Fock spaces ℱbthat depend on a weight sequence b.
Ergodicity and partial hyperbolicity on the 3-torus
Authors: Hammerlindl Andy , Ures Raúl
Published: August 2013

If a non-ergodic, partially hyperbolic diffeomorphism on the 3-torus is homotopic to an Anosov diffeomorphism A, it is topologically conjugate to A.