bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Puerto Rico: The Evolution of America's Corporate Tax Haven
Authors: Schultz Thomas D. , Scott Kyle
Published: March 2014

We examine the taxation of corporate income earned in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and how the repeal of the possession tax credit available under Internal Revenue Code (IRC) §936 resulted in many U.S. companies converting former possessions corporations into controlled foreign corporations. Although Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, the conversions highlight that corporations organized under the laws of the Commonwealth generally are foreign corporations for U.S. tax purposes. A U.S. Senate Subcommittee reports Microsoft Corporation shifted offshore the recognition of nearly one-half of its U.S. net retail sales revenue for the period 2009–2011 by transferring intellectual property rights to a controlled subsidiary in Puerto Rico. We find that the corresponding U.S. tax benefits are significant compared to the credits once claimed under IRC §936, and over 20 percent of Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 firms were in a similar position to avoid federal taxation by shifting income between political subdivisions of the United States.
Assessment of Post-Operative Pain in Cats: A Case Study on Veterinary Students of Universiti Putra Malaysia
Authors: Lim Mei Yan , Chen Hui Cheng , Omar Mohamed Ariff
Published: March 2014

The ability to assess and control pain is listed as one of the desired Day One competencies among veterinary graduates. As such, a study was conducted to examine the current status and effectiveness of a video-based training module on the attitude toward and knowledge of pain assessment in cats among fourth- and final-year veterinary students of Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in January of 2013. A total of 92 students participated in this study, resulting in a response rate of 60.1%. Upon completion of a pre-training survey, the respondents undertook an interactive video-based presentation, followed by a post-training survey. The majority of the students (96.7%) agreed on the importance of pain management. Before the training, many (76.1%) disagreed that they had received adequate training, while 53.3% were not confident in their pain-recognition skills. After training, their knowledge and confidence in pain assessment increased. Responses to the survey were not associated with differences in gender, level of study, or field of interest. Students were found to have mistaken some physiologic parameters as good pain indicators after ovariohysterectomy. Their assessment of three standardized video cases revealed that they could recognize prominent signs of pain but failed to identify changes in behavior that were more subtle. Refinement to the training module is required to address the above deficiencies.
Examining Interrater Reliability and Validity of a Paediatric Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy Discharge Tool
Authors: Lati Jamil , Pellow Vanessa , Sproule Jeannine , Brooks Dina , Ellerton Cindy
Published: March 2014

Purpose: To determine the interrater reliability (IRR) of the individual items in the Paediatric Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy (CPT) Discharge Tool. This tool identifies six critical items that physiotherapists should consider when determining a paediatric patient's readiness for discharge from CPT after upper-abdominal, cardiac, or thoracic surgery: oxygen saturation, mobility, secretion retention, discharge planning, auscultation, and signs of respiratory distress. Methods: A total of 33 paediatric patients (ages 2 to <19 years) who received at least 1 day of CPT following cardiac, thoracic, or upper-abdominal surgery were independently assessed using the Paediatric CPT Discharge Tool by two designated assessors, who assessed each patient within 4 hours of each other. Results: Kappa analysis showed the following levels of interrater agreement for the six items of the Paediatric CPT Discharge Tool: Oxygen Saturation, excellent (κ=0.80); Mobility, substantial (κ=0.62); Secretion Clearance, moderate (κ=0.39); Discharge Planning, fair (κ=0.37); and Auscultation and Respiratory Distress, poor (κ=0.24 and κ=−0.08, respectively). Conclusion: Several of the items in the Paediatric CPT Discharge Tool demonstrate good IRR. The discharge tool is ready for further psychometric testing, specifically validity testing.
Viscoelastic and Electrical Properties of Carbon Nanotubes Filled Poly(butylene succinate)
Authors: Bandyopadhyay J. , Al-Thabaiti S. A. , Ray S. S. , Bousmina M.
Published: March 2014

The carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-containing composites of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) were prepared by melt-blending in a batch mixer with three concentrations by weight of CNTs: 1, 2 and 3 %. State of dispersion-distribution of the CNTs in the PBS matrix was examined by electron microscopic observations that revealed homogeneous distribution of agglomerated CNTs in PBS matrix. The dynamic mechanical studies demonstrated an increase in the storage modulus of PBS matrix with the CNTs loading. Melt-state rheological properties measurements were found to be modified with CNT loading changing from liquid-like, to gel-like and then to viscoelastic solid-like. Finally, the in-plane electrical conductivity was found to be substantially enhanced with CNT loading, whereas the through-plane conductivity was found to be only slighted increased with the CNT loading. Such changes in viscoelastic properties along with the improvements in both thermomechanical and electrical properties are expected to open opportunities for the use of PBS extending its applications from the classical field of packaging to new niches such as tissue-engineering.
High Shear Processing of (PP/EPR)/Silica Nanocomposites: Improvement of Morphology and Properties
Authors: Louizi M. , Massardier V. , Mélis F. , Alcouffe P. , Cassagnau P.
Published: March 2014

The aim of this article is to upgrade the performance of polypropylene/ethylene propylene rubber (PP/EPR) blends by addition of hydrophobic nanosilica (SiR805) and using “high shear processing technology”. The morphological developments, mechanical and rheological properties of these composites were investigated as a function of processing conditions. High shear processing has proved to be an efficient process to decrease the size of the dispersed phase (EPR) up to 300 nm and to disperse finely nanosilica particles to less than 30 nm especially at 800 min−1. Moreover, the morphology stability of the nanocomposite is ascribed to the formation of a core shell structure (EPR nodules = core; nano-silica = shell) and selective location of nanosilica at the interface. More importantly, this core-shell structure is favoured to enhance the impact strength of the (PP/EPR)/3 wt% SiR805 nanocomposite. In agreement to the obtained morphology, the improvement (about 60 %) of elongation at break attests a good adhesion between phases due to high shear effect as highlighted by viscoelastic properties. Therefore, high shear processing technology has proved to be a relevant method to prepare nanocomposites with high performances without adding any additive and offers new perspectives for recycling and lightening structures.
Postscript
Authors: Rhodes Lorna A.
Published: March 2014

Although the modern prison was one aspect of
colonial control, the literature on penality centers
almost entirely on the ways in which control
of populations has played out in advanced,
industrial democracies. Each of the articles in
this thematic section, on the other hand, describes
a prison in one of the countries of the
global South. The authors have given us beautifully
fine-grained descriptions of the internal
world of these prisons and much to think
about in terms of possible directions for future
work.
Social Cognition: A Literary Perspective
Authors: Chesters Timothy
Published: March 2014

The set of procedures called variously mindreading, mentalizing, or social cognition — broadly put, the process by which we know others — is one that literature can dramatize in peculiarly intense ways. This essay describes three accounts of these procedures in current cognitive scientific debate — Theory Theory, Simulation Theory, and Interaction Theory. It is argued that each account alone struggles to capture the strange blend of immediacy and opacity that confronts me when I seek to grasp the minds of others. Through close readings of two literary passages (one by François Rabelais, the other by Victor Hugo), it is further argued that literature can by contrast do exactly this. To read ‘cognitively’ is thus both to reveal and to enlist literature's power to think about thinking.
Shakespeare, Perception and Theory of Mind
Authors: Lyne Raphael
Published: March 2014

This essay explores the second ghost scene in Hamlet as an experiment in social cognition. It turns to scientific experiments on the relationship between vision and theory of mind, and to Shakespearean moments where audiences' experience of the visual world of a play is shaped by what characters say they are seeing. The ‘Dover Cliff’ scene in King Lear is considered as an example of an audience's constructive demeanour, rather than of the deception at the heart of theatre. The essay also recognizes the importance of the complexity of ghost belief in the period as a context for the scene's apparent attempts to switch between the perspectives of Hamlet (who can see the ghost) and Gertrude (who cannot).
Lexical and Conceptual Arguments and Historical Reading: on the History of SELF
Authors: Helgeson James
Published: March 2014

The terms ‘self’ and ‘moi’ appeared within the lexica of French and English at the end of the sixteenth century, for example in Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors. This paper takes a sceptical approach to lexical arguments about the history of the self and SELF-concepts. Initially, the relationship of SELF to the question of ‘paradigms’ and ‘conceptual schemes’ is discussed via recent work in developmental psychology (Susan Carey) and classic discussions within analytic philosophy (Donald Davidson). The questions raised in the theoretical discussion are then re-examined through short readings of texts that do not contain lexicalized SELF-vocabulary, by the sixteenth-century French writers Maurice Scève and Michel de Montaigne. It is suggested that the importance of lexical arguments to the history of selves and SELF-concepts has been exaggerated, and that cognitive study has the potential to transform the study of the first-person stance and its history.
In Vivo Non-Invasive Evaluation of Actinic Keratoses Response to Methyl-Aminolevulinate-Photodynamic Therapy (MAL-PDT) by Reflectance Confocal Microscopy
Authors: Venturini Marina , Zanca Arianna , Calzavara-Pinton Piergiacomo
Published: March 2014

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL) is an approved non-invasive treatment option for actinic keratoses (AKs). In vivo reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) is a non-invasive tool for real-time imaging of epidermis and superficial dermis in vivo that has been previously reported to facilitate the in vivo evaluation of skin lesions, including AKs. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of in vivo RCM in evaluating AKs response to MAL-PDT. For this reason a total of 10 biopsy-proven AKs were treated by MAL-PDT, according to standard PDT protocol for AKs. RCM investigation was performed before and after PDT and RCM-guided punch biopsies was taken at 3 months in all patients for histopathologic examination. At 3 months follow-up, complete clinical response was observed by clinical examination in 9 out of 10 lesions and a partial clinical response in 1 lesion. In vivo RCM detected two residual AKs in subclinical form, missed by clinical examination. Histological analysis confirmed these results. In vivo RCM may be a new alternative tool for the non-invasive diagnosis of AKs and evaluation of AKs response to non-invasive treatments, as MAL-PDT, improving the ability of dermatologists to diagnose AKs even in subclinical stage.
Hydrogen-Bonding Motifs in Piperazinediium Salts
Authors: Hawes Chris , Chen Cherry , Tran Andrew , Turner David
Published: March 2014

Four novel organic salts of piperazine and 2-methylpiperazine with p-toluenesulfonic acid and chloroacetic acid have been synthesized and structurally characterized. The hydrogen-bonding ring synthons that exist between the cation/anion pairs are compared and contrasted alongside database results.
Effects of Germanium Tetrabromide Addition to Zinc Tetraphenyl Porphyrin / Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells
Authors: Suzuki Atsushi , Nishimura Kenta , Oku Takeo
Published: March 2014

The effects of germanium tetrabromide addition to tetraphenyl porphyrin zinc (Zn-TPP)/fullerene (C60) bulk heterojunction solar cells were characterized. The light-induced charge separation and charge transfer were investigated by current density and optical absorption. Addition of germanium tetrabromide inserted into active layer of Zn-TPP/C60 as bulk heterojunction had a positive effect on the photovoltaic and optical properties. The photovoltaic mechanism of the solar cells was discussed by experimental results. The photovoltaic performance was due to light-induced exciton promoted by insert of GeBr4 and charge transfer from HOMO of Zn-TPP to LUMO of C60 in the active layer.
Osthole Suppresses the Migratory Ability of Human Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells via Inhibition of Focal Adhesion Kinase-Mediated Matrix Metalloproteinase-13 Expression
Authors: Tsai Cheng-Fang , Yeh Wei-Lan , Chen Jia-Hong , Lin Chingju , Huang Shiang-Suo , Lu Dah-Yuu
Published: March 2014

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common type of primary and malignant tumor occurring in the adult central nervous system. GBM often invades surrounding regions of the brain during its early stages, making successful treatment difficult. Osthole, an active constituent isolated from the dried C. monnieri fruit, has been shown to suppress tumor migration and invasion. However, the effects of osthole in human GBM are largely unknown. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is important for the metastasis of cancer cells. Results from this study show that osthole can not only induce cell death but also inhibit phosphorylation of FAK in human GBM cells. Results from this study show that incubating GBM cells with osthole reduces matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 expression and cell motility, as assessed by cell transwell and wound healing assays. This study also provides evidence supporting the potential of osthole in reducing FAK activation, MMP-13 expression, and cell motility in human GBM cells.
New Developments of Ti-Based Alloys for Biomedical Applications
Authors: Li Yuhua , Yang Chao , Zhao Haidong , Qu Shengguan , Li Xiaoqiang , Li Yuanyuan
Published: March 2014

Ti-based alloys are finding ever-increasing applications in biomaterials due to their excellent mechanical, physical and biological performance. Nowdays, low modulus β-type Ti-based alloys are still being developed. Meanwhile, porous Ti-based alloys are being developed as an alternative orthopedic implant material, as they can provide good biological fixation through bone tissue ingrowth into the porous network. This paper focuses on recent developments of biomedical Ti-based alloys. It can be divided into four main sections. The first section focuses on the fundamental requirements titanium biomaterial should fulfill and its market and application prospects. This section is followed by discussing basic phases, alloying elements and mechanical properties of low modulus β-type Ti-based alloys. Thermal treatment, grain size, texture and properties in Ti-based alloys and their limitations are dicussed in the third section. Finally, the fourth section reviews the influence of microstructural configurations on mechanical properties of porous Ti-based alloys and all known methods for fabricating porous Ti-based alloys. This section also reviews prospects and challenges of porous Ti-based alloys, emphasizing their current status, future opportunities and obstacles for expanded applications. Overall, efforts have been made to reveal the latest scenario of bulk and porous Ti-based materials for biomedical applications.
Simulation of Waveforms of a Ferrite Inductor with Saturation and Power Losses
Authors: Salas Rosa , Pleite Jorge
Published: March 2014

We propose a model of an equivalent electrical circuit specifically designed for a ferrite inductor excited by a sinusoidal waveform. The purpose of this model is its use in a circuit simulator. We calculate the model parameters by means of Finite Elements in 2D which leads to significant computational advantages over the 3D model. We carry out the validation for a toroidal ferrite inductor by comparing the experimental results and computed ones. We consider the saturation and power losses in the core. In addition, we have tested the model for the case of square waveform in order to generalize the results. We find excellent agreement between the experimental data and the results obtained by numerical calculations.
Surface Characterization of Retrieved Metal-on-Metal Total Hip Implants from Patients with Adverse Reaction to Metal Debris
Authors: Burbano Maria , Russell Robert , Huo Michael , Welch Robert , Roy Diana , Rodrigues Danieli
Published: March 2014

The use of metal-on-metal (MoM) total hip implants has decreased recently due to reports of high failure rates and adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR). It has been hypothesized that wear metal debris released from CoCr bearing surfaces may provoke delayed hypersensitivity reactions. The goal of this study is to evaluate the microscopic bearing surface characteristics of implants revised due to evidence of ALTR. The bearing surface of each head and cup was analyzed using multiple microscopy techniques for characterization of the surface features. The presence of severe mechanical scratching was a common characteristic found in all of the implants evaluated. Mechanical factors seemed to be the prevalent failure mode related to the appearance of ALTR with this particular set of retrieved implants.
Cooperation across Organizational Boundaries: Experimental Evidence from a Major Sustainability Science Project
Authors: Waring Timothy , Goff Sandra , McGuire Julia , Moore Z. , Sullivan Abigail
Published: March 2014

Engaged research emphasizes researcher–stakeholder collaborations as means of improving the relevance of research outcomes and the chances for science-based decision-making. Sustainability science, as a form of engaged research, depends on the collaborative abilities and cooperative tendencies of researchers. We use an economic experiment to measure cooperation between university faculty, local citizens, and faculty engaged in a large sustainability science project to test a set of hypotheses: (1) faculty on the sustainability project will cooperate more with local residents than non-affiliated faculty, (2) sustainability faculty will have the highest level of internal cooperation of any group, and (3) that cooperation may vary due to academic training and culture in different departments amongst sustainability faculty. Our results demonstrate that affiliation with the sustainability project is not associated with differences in cooperation with local citizens or with in-group peers, but that disciplinary differences amongst sustainability faculty do correlate with cooperative tendencies within our sample. We also find that non-affiliated faculty cooperated less with each other than with faculty affiliated with the sustainability project. We conclude that economic experiments can be useful in discovering patterns of prosociality within institutional settings, and list challenges for further applications.
Therapeutic Effects of Mouse Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Losartan in the Skeletal Muscle of Injured Mdx Mice
Authors: Lee Eun-Mi , Kim Ah-Young , Lee Eun-Joo , Park Jin-Kyu , Lee Myeong-Mi , Hwang Meeyul , Kim Choong-Yong , Kim Shin-Yoon , Jeong Kyu-Shik
Published: March 2014

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked genetic disorder caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) are an attractive source of cells for stem cell therapy. Losartan has been reported to improve ASC transplantation in injured mouse muscles. In the present study, we investigated whether the combined treatment of losartan and ASCs in the injured muscles of mdx mice improves regeneration. The combined treatment of ASCs and losartan remarkably improved muscle regeneration and induced muscle hypertrophy. In addition, ASCs and losartan treatment downregulated transforming growth factor-β and inhibited muscle fibrosis. We observed cells coexpressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) and dystrophin in the muscle samples of mice transplanted with GFP-positive ASCs. In the coculture in vitro experiment, we also observed that the GFP ASCs differentiated into dystrophin-expressing myotubes. The present study shows that the combination of transplanted ASCs and treatment with losartan ameliorated muscle fibrosis and improved muscle regeneration in injured mdx mice. Thus, we suggest that combined treatment with losartan and ASCs could help to improve muscle regeneration in the muscles of injured patients, including DMD patients.
EVALUATING RETAIL BANKING SERVICE QUALITY AND CONVENIENCE WITH MCDA TECHNIQUES: A CASE STUDY AT THE BANK BRANCH LEVEL
Authors: Ferreira Fernando A. F. , Santos Sérgio P. , Rodrigues Paulo M. M. , Spahr Ronald W.
Published: March 2014

The intangibility of banking services makes the evaluation of service quality and customer convenience difficult to measure. This paper aims to construct an integrated evaluation system for retail banking service quality and convenience at the bank branch level by combining cognitive mapping with measuring attractiveness by a categorical based evaluation technique. We strive to introduce transparency in the decision making process and add to the performance literature in retail banking. Strengths, weaknesses and practical applications of our multiple criteria evaluation system are also discussed.
IMPACT OF GREEN MANAGEMENT ON CEO COMPENSATION: INTERPLAY OF THE AGENCY THEORY AND INSTITUTIONAL THEORY PERSPECTIVES
Authors: Goktan A. Banu
Published: March 2014

There has been growing interest in green management practices among practitioners, researchers and regulators in recent years. However, there is limited research that examines the connection between natural environments and human resource management practices. The current study examined the relationship between Chief Executive Officer (CEO) compensation and green management practices within the agency theory and institutional theory frameworks. Results revealed a significant negative relationship between green management practices and CEO base pay, however, there was not a significant relationship between green management practices and CEO bonuses. In line with previous agency theory research, findings suggest a negative relationship between state regulation and CEO compensation in green states. An important implication for practice is that the negative relationship may strengthen negative perceptions about green management practices among CEOs and reduce willingness to implement green management practices.
Forelimb brachial muscle activation patterns using surface electromyography and their relationship to kinematics in normal dogs walking and trotting
Authors: Garcia T.C. , Sturges B.K. , Stover S.M. , Aoki K. , Liang J.M. , Reinhardt K.B. , Kapatkin A.S.
Published: March 2014

The objective of this study was to determine activity of the elbow flexor and elbow extensor groups of muscles relative to shoulder and elbow joint kinematics in normal walking and trotting dogs using surface electromyography (EMG), and to determine if muscle activity varies with gait or limb. Ten healthy mixed-breed dogs were walked and trotted across embedded force plates in a 6 m walkway while simultaneously recording muscle activation using surface EMG positioned over the biceps brachii (elbow flexor group) and triceps brachii (elbow extensor group); peak shoulder, elbow, and carpal joint angles from motion capture, and ground reaction forces. EMG magnitude, timing, and power spectral density (PSD) were used to analyse muscle activity. The effects of gait type and limb side on EMG measures and joint angles were assessed using an analysis of variance. Results showed that the elbow flexor group was maximally active at end of stance. The elbow extensor group was maximally active at the beginning of stance. Muscle activity occurred earlier in the gait phase (stance or swing) in the trot compared to the walk. The amplitude, frequency at maximum PSD (elbow flexor group only) and the median frequency were larger on the right side than on the left side. The maximum PSD and integrated PSD were larger on the left side than the right side. These data provide a reference for identifying abnormalities associated with orthopaedic, neurological, or rehabilitative changes. Limb asymmetry observed in muscle activation in clinically normal dogs should be further evaluated.
Training management of Standardbred trotters: a field survey in France
Authors: Fortier J. , Julliand V. , Harris P. , Goachet A.G.
Published: March 2014

This study aimed to characterise the training practices of French trainers and to describe the training load undertaken by unqualified (UT) and qualified Standardbred trotters (QT). During the Paris-Vincennes 2012 meeting, 20 trainers from the Grosbois training centre were surveyed. Details of their general training practices as well as the weekly workloads for UT and QT were obtained. A nonparametric Mann-Whitney test was used to compare the UT and QT data and a principal component analysis (PCA) was carried out to examine links between trainer characteristics and particular training practices. Four main exercises used to train trotters were identified: (1) ‘promenade’ exercise: light exercise at walk and at slow trot (5.1±0.4 m/s) lasting 48±9 min; (2) ‘jogging’: moderate trot exercise (6.9±1.5 m/s) lasting 44±12 min; (3) ‘parcours’ exercise: moderate/high intensity trot session (10.3±0.9 m/s) over 2,844±1,412 meters with a final sprint; (4) ‘interval’ type exercise: fast trot sessions (10.8±0.9 m/s) over 1,010±212 meters with sprint phases. Trainers used a combination of these four exercises to train both UT and QT. Moreover, the estimated training weekly workload did not appear to differ between the two age categories, with apparently similar exercises and training loads being used to train both UT and QT. The results of the PCA suggested that as trainers become older and more successful they tend to change the composition of exercises used. They preferably used more ‘jogging’ type exercise, regardless of the horses’ age or training level. Whilst the weekly training plan varied between trainers, it seems that the individual trainer's annual programme was relatively constant, consisting of a repetition of a typical training week.
Variable Interaction Networks in Medical Data
Authors: Winkler Stephan M. , Kronberger Gabriel , Affenzeller Michael , Stekel Herbert
Published: March 2014

In this paper the authors describe the identification of variable interaction networks based on the analysis of medical data. The main goal is to generate mathematical models for medical parameters using other available parameters in this data set. For each variable the authors identify those features that are most relevant for modeling it; the relevance of a variable can in this context be defined via the frequency of its occurrence in models identified by evolutionary machine learning methods or via the decrease in modeling quality after removing it from the data set. Several data based modeling approaches implemented in HeuristicLab have been applied for identifying estimators for selected continuous as well as discrete medical variables and cancer diagnoses: Genetic programming, linear regression, k-nearest-neighbor regression, support vector machines (optimized using evolutionary algorithms), and random forests. In the empirical section of this paper the authors describe interaction networks identified for a medical data base storing data of more than 600 patients. The authors see that whatever modeling approach is used, it is possible to identify the most important influence factors and display those in interaction networks which can be interpreted without domain knowledge in machine learning or informatics in general.
A New Hybrid Algorithm based on Watershed Method, Confidence Connected Thresholding and Region Merging as Preprocessing for Statistical Classification of General Medical Images
Authors: Zwettler Gerald , Backfrieder Werner
Published: March 2014

Segmentation of morphology in medical image data is a highly context specific and differs from various imaging modalities, necessitating the use of sophisticated mathematical models and algorithms to achieve good results. In this work an algorithm is presented for pre-segmentation of general medical input data, based on a watershed-segmentation strategy utilizing both, original intensities and derived gradient magnitudes for region growing. The number of resulting pre-classified regions is iteratively reduced to a user-defined threshold using merge metrics, accounting for the similarity of intensity profiles of two neighboring regions to merge, as well as the height of the gradient barriers to overcome and geometric aspects like sphericity and size of the border area with respect to the total region size. Based on such a context-independent pre-segmentation, the resulting manageable number of regions can be further merged and classified, utilizing texture features and a priori statistical models. Results are presented from brainweb database.
Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulations of the Aortic Flow in Presence of a Left Ventricle Assist Device with Two Outflow Graft Placements
Authors: Mazzitelli R. , Condemi F. , Renzulli A. , Serraino G. F. , Fragomeni G.
Published: March 2014

Cardiovascular diseases are considered to be the main cause of death in developed countries. Due to limitations resulting from in-vivo measurements of velocity, the analysis and evaluation of hemodynamic parameters by means of computational simulations have become the only efficient solution, especially in cases of pathological ventricle or of assisted conditions. A Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) has been used to provide hemodynamic support to patients with critical cardiac failure. The approach used in this work is to develop a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the aorta, including a mechanical support similar to the LVAD (Jarvik 2000 Heart Inc, New York, NY) in order to assess its effects on local haemodynamics. Its purpose is to analyse the hemodynamic effects of a continuous flow LVAD, evaluated in three different working conditions, taking into account the outflow-graft anastomosis in two different locations: thoracic and ascending aorta.
An Innovative Serious Game for Education and Training in Health Care
Authors: Bruzzone Agostino G. , Frascio Marco , Longo Francesco , Massei Marina , Nicoletti Letizia
Published: March 2014

The proposed research work introduces an innovative framework based on Serious Games and agent-driven models for supporting and renewing educational processes in Health Care. To this end the proposed solution, called MARIA (Model for Advanced and Realistic patient simulation driven by Intelligent Agents) includes new models of virtual humans driven by intelligent agents to be used as patients in a distributed simulation game together with students. MARIA’s main goal is to teach concepts related to the continuous care of patients in order to create a strong relationship among medical doctor, students and their set of personal virtual patients. Therefore it is able to reproduce the patient life cycles and teach subjects such as pathology evolution, preventive actions, symptoms identification and human relationships to the student. These features make the proposed solution an innovation in the educational programs for health students enabled by new technologies.
A New Multi-Objective Model for R&D Project Portfolio Selection Considering Potential Repetitive Projects and Sanction Impacts
Authors: Rabbani Masoud , Najjarbashi Amirhossein , Joudi Mohammad
Published: March 2014

In today’s highly competitive marketplace, selecting an appropriate set of projects from a portfolio of candidate projects is vital for enterprises. An accurate selection of projects can steer a company to great success, while a careless selection may lead it to bankruptcy. Variability of project parameters such as benefit, cost, risk (failure probability), etc. during planning horizon makes this selection more complicated and increases the importance of an elaborate analysis. In this article, we studied a multi-objective R&D project portfolio selection problem. There is a conflicting desire to maximize expected net benefit and minimize risk in companies. From a novel perspective, the authors considered repetitive projects and variable amounts for aforementioned project parameters during planning horizon that could be an effect of sanctions, in our model that are features of real world problems. Due to NP-hardness of the problem and its high computational effort especially when the number of projects grows, we solved test problems of different sizes using a Multi-Objective Differential Evolution (MODE) algorithm to find pareto optimal solutions.
A categorification of quantum $\mathfrak{sl}_3$ projectors and the $\mathfrak{sl}_3$ Reshetikhin–Turaev invariant of tangles
Authors: Rose David E. V.
Published: March 2014

We construct a categorification of the quantum

\mathfrak{sl}_3

projectors, the

\mathfrak{sl}_3

analog of the Jones–Wenzl projectors, as the stable limit of the complexes assigned to

k

-twist torus braids (as

k \to \infty

) in a suitably shifted version of Morrison and Nieh’s geometric formulation of

\mathfrak{sl}_3

link homology [14] We use these projectors to give a categorification of the

\mathfrak{sl}_3

Reshetikhin–Turaev invariant of framed tangles.
Salmonella typhi Liver Abscess Overlying a Metastatic Melanoma
Authors: Jorge Jannaina F. , Costa Andressa B. V. , Rodrigues Jorge L. N. , Girão Evelyne S. , Luiz Roberta S. S. , Sousa Anastácio Q. , Moore Sean R. , Menezes Dalgimar B. , Leitão Terezinha M. J. S.
Published: March 2014

Pyogenic liver abscesses caused by Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi, although rare, can occur especially in patients with pre-existing hepatobiliary disease, hepatocellular carcinoma, and metastatic liver tumors. We present a case of Salmonella liver abscesses complicating metastatic melanoma in a 24-year-old alcoholic male.
Treatment of Suspected Hyper-Reactive Malarial Splenomegaly (HMS) in Pregnancy with Mefloquine
Authors: Jaroensuk Juthamas , Stoesser Nicole , Leimanis Mara L. , Jittamala Podjanee , White Nicholas J. , Nosten Francois H. , McGready Rose
Published: March 2014

Malaria infections in pregnancy are associated with adverse outcomes for both mother and child. There are few data on hyper-reactive malarial splenomegaly, an aberrant immunological response to chronic or recurrent malaria in pregnancy. This retrospective assessment reviewed the impact of mefloquine treatment on pregnant women with suspected hyper-reactive malarial splenomegaly in an area of low malaria transmission in the 1990s, showing significant reductions in spleen size and anemia and anti-malarial antibody titers without any notable negative effect on treated women or their newborns.
The ‘Missing Mass Problem’ in Astronomy and the Need for a Modified Law of Gravity
Authors: Trippe Sascha
Published: March 2014

Since the 1930s, astronomical observations have accumulated evidence that our understanding of the dynamics of galaxies and groups of galaxies is grossly incomplete: assuming the validity of Newton’s law of gravity on astronomical scales, the observed mass (stored in stars and interstellar gas) of stellar systems can account only for roughly 10% of the dynamical (gravitating) mass required to explain the high velocities of stars in those systems. The standard approach to this ‘missing mass problem’ has been the postulate of ‘dark matter’, meaning an additional, electromagnetically dark, matter component that provides the missing mass. However, direct observational evidence for dark matter has not been found to date. More importantly, astronomical observations obtained during the last decade indicate that dark matter cannot explain the kinematics of galaxies. Multiple observations show that the discrepancy between observed and dynamical mass is a function of gravitational acceleration (or field strength) but not of other parameters (size, rotation speed, etc.) of a galaxy; the mass discrepancy appears below a characteristic and universal acceleration aM = (1:1±0:1) · 10-10 ms-2 (Milgrom’s constant). Consequently, the idea of a modified law of gravity, specifically the ansatz of modified Newtonian dynamics (MOND), is becoming increasingly important in astrophysics. MOND has successfully predicted various important empirical relations of galaxy dynamics, including the famous Tully-Fisher and Faber-Jackson relations. MOND is found to be consistent with stellar dynamics from binary stars to clusters of galaxies, thus covering stellar systems spanning eight orders of magnitude in size and 14 orders of magnitude in mass. These developments have the potential to initiate a paradigm shift from dark matter to a modified law of gravity as the physical mechanism behind the missing mass problem.
La geografia de la mort al poema de Gilgameš i al Pròxim Orient antic
Authors: Millet Adelina
Published: March 2014

Sembla que els habitants del Pròxim Orient Antic, tant els sumeris com els accadis, i en general tots els pobles que parlaven llengües semítiques, tenien la creença que l'existència al més enllà seria una continuació de la vida a la terra, però en unes altres condicions, més extremes i dramàtiques. Aquest lloc es trobaria a sota de la terra on hi són els vius, això és, l'inframón o infern. L'inframón és imaginat com un lloc que es troba, doncs, sota terra i on hi viuen els déus infernals, alguns dimonis i els morts. Aquest lloc és imaginat com un espai gran, més aviat trist i hostil. Aquesta visió, que percebem a partir d'alguns textos literaris, és la que haurien tingut els habitants de Mesopotàmia i la zona de Síria fins al Mediterrani, des de l'època sumèria fins l'època neo-assíria i neo-babilònica.

It seems that the people of the Ancient Near East, both the Sumerians as the Akkadian, and in general all the speaking Semitic languages, held the belief that the existence beyond would be a continuation of life on earth, but in other conditions, more extreme and dramatic. This place would be found under the earth where the living are, that is, the underworld or hell. The underwold is imagined as a place that is therefore under land and where the infernal gods, some demons and the dead live. This place is imagined as a great space, sad and hostile. This vision, which we perceive from some literary texts,is what would have been the inhabitants of Mesopotamia and the area from Syria to the Mediterranean, from the Sumerian period to neo-Assyrian and neo-Babylonian period.
Vecchi regionalismi e nuovo imperialismo: le ambasciate degli Stati Uniti a Baghdad: da Sert–Gourley–Jackson a Bergerm–Devine–Yaeger
Authors: Russo Spena Raffaella
Published: March 2014

Muovendo dalle campagne archeologiche svolte nel diciannovesimo secolo dagli inglesi e dagli americani in quella che era allora una provincia dell’Impero Ottomano, dopo aver sinteticamente ricostruito gli eventi che condussero alla indipendenza dell’Iraqmonarchico nel 1932 e alla transizione repubblicana del 1958, si assumono come immaginiiconiche dell’ambiguità regionalismo/imperialismo l’ambasciata degli Stati Uniti realizzatada Sert, Gourley e Jackson (1955-1961) e la nuova sede progettata da Bergerm, Devine eYaeger (2007-2011).

Starting from the archaeological excavations carried out in the nineteenth century by the British and the Americans in what was then a province of the Ottoman Empire, after having synthetically reconstructed the events that led to the independence of Iraqi monarchy in 1932 and the Republican transition in 1958, the Embassy of the United States built by Sert, Jackson and Gourley (1955-1961) and the new building designed by Bergerm-Devine-Yaeger (2007-2011) are assumed as iconic images of the ambiguity regionalism/imperialism.
Using Covariation Reasoning to Support Mathematical Modeling
Authors: Jacobson Erik
Published: March 2014

Table representations of functions allow students to compare rows as well as values in the same row.
Mathematical Explorations: Visualizing Algebraic Rules for the nth Term
Authors: Perry Christine A. , Cyrus Vivian F.
Published: March 2014

This article describes a visual method for finding the algebraic rule for the nth term using tile pictures. Activity sheets are included.
Differentiated Instruction in Shared Mathematical Contexts
Authors: Gearhart Maryl , Saxe Geoffrey B.
Published: March 2014

Try these methods for integrating diverse learners.
Using Constructed Knowledge to Multiply Fractions
Authors: Witherspoon Taajah Felder
Published: March 2014

Observe fourth graders' thinking in action as they connect the multiplication of whole numbers to arrays.
Digital Date Equations
Authors: Hildebrandt Martha
Published: March 2014

This article shares ideas for using the calendar date to increase students' mental mathematics and problem-solving skills. Postscript items are designed as rich grab-and-go resources that any teacher could quickly incorporate into his or her classroom repertoire with little effort and maximum impact.
Concise Review: Reprogramming Strategies for Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine: From Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to Direct Reprogramming
Authors: Budniatzky Inbar , Gepstein Lior
Published: March 2014

Myocardial cell-replacement therapies are emerging as novel therapeutic paradigms for myocardial repair but are hampered by the lack of sources of autologous human cardiomyocytes. The recent advances in stem cell biology and in transcription factor-based reprogramming strategies may provide exciting solutions to this problem. In the current review, we describe the different reprogramming strategies that can give rise to cardiomyocytes for regenerative medicine purposes. Initially, we describe induced pluripotent stem cell technology, a method by which adult somatic cells can be reprogrammed to yield pluripotent stem cells that could later be coaxed ex vivo to differentiate into cardiomyocytes. The generated induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes could then be used for myocardial cell transplantation and tissue engineering strategies. We also describe the more recent direct reprogramming approaches that aim to directly convert the phenotype of one mature cell type (fibroblast) to another (cardiomyocyte) without going through a pluripotent intermediate cell type. The advantages and shortcomings of each strategy for cardiac regeneration are discussed, along with the hurdles that need to be overcome on the road to clinical translation.
La « relocalisation » des Dènès sayisis et des Ahiarmiuts dans les années 1950
Authors: Laugrand Frédéric B. , Oosten Jarich G. , Bilgen-Reinart Üstün
Published: March 2014

La décision du Gouvernement fédéral, dans les années 1950, de forcer les Dènès sayisis et les Ahiarmiuts à abandonner leur mode de vie nomade dans la toundra pour se sédentariser dans les communautés de Churchill et d’Arviat a eu des conséquences désastreuses. Les Sayasis, qui étaient des chasseurs et des trappeurs compétents, sont devenus un peuple brisé, abandonné à lui-même et acculé à vivre de déchets dans le dépotoir de Churchill. Aujourd’hui, les enfants et petits-enfants de cette génération brisée vivent à Tadoule Lake et continuent à guérir des blessures infligées par plusieurs relocalisations. Les Ahiarmiuts, quant à eux, ont connu une série de relocalisations du lac Ennadai au lac Nelting, puis du lac Ennadai au lac Henik, du lac Henik à Arviat, puis à Rankin Inlet et finalement à Whale Cove, et ils attendent toujours des excuses de la part du Gouvernement fédéral et la reconnaissance des douleurs importantes qu’ils ont dû supporter au cours de toutes ces années. À partir de sources orales et de documents tirés des archives, cet article compare ces deux relocalisations. Il confronte les stratégies, les choix et les décisions de l’administration fédérale aux points de vue et expériences de ces chasseurs de caribou, dont les auteurs soulignent ici la résilience.
Characterization of nonpolar a-plane InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well using double nanopillar SiO2 mask
Authors: Son Ji-Su , Honda Yoshio , Yamaguchi Masahito , Amano Hiroshi
Published: March 2014

The characteristics of nonpolar a-plane (

) GaN (a-GaN) grown using single and double nanopillar SiO2 masks were investigated. The two nanopillar SiO2 masks were directly fabricated on an r-plane sapphire substrate and a-GaN by the epitaxial lateral overgrowth (ELOG) technique. Through the use of the single and double nanopillar SiO2 masks, the crystalline quality and optical properties of a-GaN were markedly improved because of the nanoscale ELOG effect and a number of voids in the single and double nanopillar SiO2 mask areas in comparison with the planar sample. The submicron pit densities of the planar, single, and double nanopillar mask samples were ∼2 × 109, ∼7 × 108, and ∼4 × 108 cm−2, respectively. The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) values at room temperature of three-period InGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) grown using the planar, single, and double nanopillar masks were 45, 60, and 68% at a carrier concentration of 1.0 × 1018 cm−3, respectively.
Structural Studies on Strained-Layer Lattices
Authors: Terauchi Hikaru
Published: March 2014

In strained-layer lattices including superlattices the mismatch of several percent or larger is taken up in strain of the thin films with the internal energy being less than the energy to form dislocations. The characteristic structures of strained-layer lattices such as III–V compounds, oxides and metals are discussed in terms of mismatch parameters and critical thicknesses of the lattices.
Deformation Potential in High Electron Mobility GaAs/GaAsAs Heterostructures
Authors: Gorczyca I. , Suski T. , Litwin-Staszewska E. , Dmowski L. , Krupski J. , Etienne B.
Published: March 2014

We have studied scattering mechanisms in high electron mobility GaAs/Ga0.7Al0.3 As heterostructures. We have performed measurements of two-dimensional electron gas concentration and mobility as functions of temperature and hydrostatic pressure. We focused our attention on two-dimensional scattering by acoustic phonons and we found that the magnitude of the deformation potential D for GaAs in the considered heterostructures is -12±1.0 eV. Contrary to the common assumptions about the pressure independence of D we have found that its absolute value decreases with applied hydrostatic pressure by about 10%/GPa.
Resonant Tunneling in Triple Barrier Diode under Pressure
Authors: Takarabe Kenichi , Takumi Masaharu , Minomura Shigeru , Nakagawa Tadashi , Ohta Kimihiro
Published: March 2014

Pressure-induced changes in the resonant voltages(quantum bound state energies) and the resonant currents(wave functions) in Al0.4Ga0.6As/GaAs triple barrier diode reveal that both of the Γ
b
X
b
contact (the subscript b denotes the barrier potential) and the Γ
b
X
w
alignment (the w denotes the well potential) in energy induce new boundary conditions for the Kronig-Penny potential.
Structural Studies on Se and Te with Synchrotron Radiation to Megabar Pressures
Authors: Holzapfel W. B. , Krüger T. , Sievers W. , Vijayakumar V.
Published: March 2014

By the use of energy dispersive X-ray diffraction with synchrotron radiation, pressure induced structural phase transitions and equations of state were studied on Se and Te in the extended pressure range up to 129 GPa. In contrast to a previous study on Se to 50 GPa, the higher resolution with synchrotron radiation in the present study allowed for an unambiguous identification of the structure for Se IV as rhombohedral (β-Po-type) with one atom in the rhombohedral unit cell, and thus, a close similarity to Te under pressure and Po at higher temperatures is reestablished.