bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
‘Work always wins’: client colonisation, time management and the anxieties of connected freelancers
Authors: Gold Michael , Mustafa Mona
Published: November 2013

This article focuses on ‘connected freelancers’ as a category of teleworkers and examines the pressures placed on their work‐home balance by their relationship with clients. Based on diaries, questionnaires and interviews, it reveals that, while connected freelancers do not generally work excessively long hours, they do work irregular hours. This is because ‘work always wins’ in a conflict with domestic commitments, a phenomenon the article dubs ‘client colonisation’. Client colonisation was a source of anxiety for respondents, who found themselves continually thinking about the current and future projects on which their livelihoods depend. The article illustrates the porous ways in which they interleave work with non‐work activities and contrasts traditional ‘monochronic’ forms of work with emerging ‘polychronic’ forms, which erode work‐home boundaries. It concludes that a new model of work—one in which individual patterns of control over work‐home balance are paramount—already coexists alongside traditional models but is still insufficiently socially understood and accepted.
In search of employment: online technologies and Polish migrants
Authors: Janta Hania , Ladkin Adele
Published: November 2013

This paper seeks to advance our understanding of recruitment strategies focusing on a hitherto undeveloped research area, which scrutinises the relationship between social media and recruitment strategies in the context of facilitating international migration. The case study used to explore this activity is migrant workers from Poland seeking and engaging in employment in the UK hospitality sector. Using empirical findings, the paper outlines the role of the Internet fora as a transnational platform for job searching and job advertising, emphasising migrants' role as recruitment agents.
Developments in the correction of presbyopia I: spectacle and contact lenses
Authors: Charman W. Neil
Published: November 2013

Purpose

To outline the refractive problems associated with presbyopia and to review the basis and relative merits of currently‐available methods for their correction, with detailed consideration of spectacle and contact lens approaches.

Contents

In the developed world, most of the present population will spend roughly half their lives as presbyopes. The well‐known presbyopic changes with age in amplitude of accommodation and required near addition are briefly reviewed, together with the less widely acknowledged slow drifts that occur in distance refraction. The desirability of restoring to presbyopes clear vision for objects at any distance, ideally corresponding to vergences within the range of at least 0 to −5 D, in any viewing direction, is stressed. A general outline is given of possible corrective methods. Methods which satisfy the needs of a 50 year‐old may not be suitable for the 80 year‐old. Corrections may involve both fixed‐ and variable‐focus lens systems, and surgical methods which modify the optics of the cornea, replace the crystalline lens with different fixed optics, or attempt to at least partially restore active accommodation. Some more recent methods of spectacle and contact lens correction are described in more detail. Particular attention is given to recent commercially‐developed spectacles in which the corrective power can be varied actively by either mechanical (liquid‐filled deformable lenses or Alvarez lenses) or electrical (liquid crystal lenses) means to allow objects at different distances to be seen clearly. Contact lens corrections show less progress and are still preferred only by a minority of older patients, most of whom are early presbyopes.

The rising proportion of presbyopes in the population, covering an age span of around 40 years, represents both a problem for those concerned with giving their patients the best vision possible at both far and near viewing distances and a commercial opportunity. Traditional single‐vision distance and near, bifocal, and progressive spectacle lens solutions, together with contact lens modalities for presbyopic correction, are being challenged by a variety of new approaches. It remains to be seen whether the latter will receive wide acceptance in practice.
Patterns of macroevolution through the Phanerozoic
Authors: Seilacher Adolf
Published: November 2013

Evolution is seen as a future‐blind process driven by ecology. At geological time scales (macroevolution), complex ecosystems (including parasites) have caused periods of relative stasis, while evolutionary change may be fostered by two kinds of exceptional situation: (1) after an extinction event, the availability of open niches gave innovative groups the chance to gain ecologic power; (2) a climatically controlled Golden Age before the event allowed Darwinian optimization to exceed the constructional limits of established bauplans. Increasing specialization, however, automatically raised the vulnerability towards biologically unforeseeable events, because niches become narrower, and conservative (plesiomorphic) features happen to become fatal ‘Achilles’ heels’ under unusual conditions. The interplay between Darwinian diversification and extinctional counter‐evolution results in cascading clade histories that resemble individual life cycles without any teleonomic underpinnings.
Crossing the boundary: an elasmobranch fauna from Stevns Klint, Denmark
Authors: Adolfssen Jan S. , Ward David J.
Published: November 2013

The chondrichthyan faunas from the Danish Maastrichtian chalk and the K/T boundary clay, the Fiskeler, are described for the first time. The rich and diverse fauna discovered in the late Maastrichtian chalk experienced a massive drop in diversity prior to the boundary. However, the fauna started to recover immediately after the deposition of the impact layer during earliest Danian times and had regained much of its diversity during the first few millennia after the bolide impact. Precision sampling has made it possible to document the recovery of the fauna, which did not suffer an extinction event of the same magnitude, as apparently observed in Morocco. At Stevns Klint, only 33 per cent of the chondrichthyan fauna became extinct compared with the 96 per cent in Morocco. The drop in diversity before the boundary is attributed to a sudden change in sea level. Among the sharks found in the chalk and Fiskeler are rare species such as Parasquatina and Echinorhinus and the first representative of Nebrius in Europe.
MORPHIT: an observational study on morphine titration in the postanesthetic care unit in children
Authors: Bernard Remy , Salvi Nadège , Gall Olivier , Egan Michael , Treluyer Jean‐Marc , Carli Pierre A. , Orliaguet Gilles A.
Published: November 2013

Background

Little information is available on the titration of morphine postoperatively in children. This observational study describes the technique in terms of the bolus dose, the number of boluses required, the time to establish analgesia, and side effects noted.

Methods

Morphine was administered if pain score (VAS or FLACC) was >30. Patients weighing less than 45 kg received a 50 μg·kg−1 bolus of morphine with subsequent boluses of 25 μg kg−1 as required. Patients weighing over 45 kg received boluses of 2 mg. Pain and Ramsay scores were recorded up to 90 min after the end of the titration and any side effect or complication was noted. Data are presented as the median [interquartile Q1–Q3 range].

Results

Overall, 103 children were studied. The median age was 4.2 years [0.8–12.2 years]. The median weight was 15.5 kg [8.2–35.0 kg]. The protocol was effective for pain control with a significant decrease in pain scores over time. The median pain score (VAS or FLACC) was 70 [50–80] prior to the initial bolus and 0 [0–10] 90 min after the last bolus. Median Ramsay score was 1 [1–2] before the initial bolus administration and 4 [2–4] at 90 min. The median total dose of morphine was 100 [70–140] μg·kg−1, and the median number of boluses was 3 [2‐5]. Side effects were observed in 17% of cases. No serious complications were observed.

Conclusions

Our study of morphine titration for children shows that our protocol was effective for pain control with a significant decrease in pain scores over time. No serious complications were encountered. More studies on larger cohorts of patients are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this protocol.
Interaction between salt and heat stress: when two wrongs make a right
Authors: COLMENERO‐FLORES JOSÉ M. , ROSALES MIGUEL A.
Published: November 2013

This article comments on: The combined effect of salinity and heat reveals a specific physiological, biochemical and molecular response in tomato plants
The Global Context and People at Work: Special Issue Introduction
Authors: Kraimer Maria L. , Takeuchi Riki , Frese Michael
Published: November 2013

Although considerable research has been conducted on a variety of cross‐cultural management topics, we still know very little about how organizations can effectively manage people involved in global work or how cross‐cultural differences impact individuals and groups at work. To address this gap, we edited a special issue of Personnel Psychology that presents scholarly research contributing to understanding how global experiences and contexts impact people at work. We identified 3 research themes: cross‐cultural comparisons, the different types of global workers, and theoretical perspectives that underlie the accepted articles’ contributions to this special issue. We conclude with specific theoretical and methodological recommendations for research on human resource management and organizational behavior topics incorporating the global context.
“Glass fairies” and “bone children”: Adolescents and young adults with anorexia nervosa show positive reactions towards extremely emaciated body pictures measured by the startle reflex paradigm
Authors: Reichel Valeska A. , Schneider Nora , Grünewald Barbara , Kienast Thorsten , Pfeiffer Ernst , Lehmkuhl Ulrike , Korte Alexander
Published: November 2013

In this study, we investigated the emotional processing of extremely emaciated body cues in adolescents and young adults with (n = 36) and without (n = 36) anorexia nervosa (AN), introducing a new picture type, which was taken from websites that promote extreme thinness and is targeted specifically at adolescents interested in extreme thinness. A startle reflex paradigm was used for implicit reactions, while a self‐assessment instrument was used for subjective responses. We found a significant group difference with a startle inhibition (appetitive response) among the patients and a startle potentiation (aversive response) among the controls, whereas no such difference for subjective measures was found. The results are in contrast to previous studies, which proposed a general failure to activate the appetitive motivational system in AN, but in keeping with findings from other addictions, where the same response pattern has been found. Implications for prevention and therapy are discussed.
Emergence of methicillin resistance and Panton‐Valentine leukocidin positivity in hospital‐ and community‐acquired Staphylococcus aureus infections in Beira, Mozambique
Authors: van der Meeren Birgitta T. , Millard Peter S. , Scacchetti Marco , Hermans Mirjam H. , Hilbink Mirrian , Concelho Timótio B. , Ferro Josefo J. , Wever Peter C.
Published: November 2013

Objectives

The objective of this study was to investigate the antibiotic resistance patterns, including methicillin resistance, inducible macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin B (MLSB) resistance and Panton‐Valentine leukocidin (PVL) toxin gene carriage among hospital‐acquired Staphylococcus aureus (HA‐SA) and community‐acquired S. aureus (CA‐SA), in Beira, Mozambique.

Methods

In 2010–2011, two prospective surveillance studies were conducted on post‐operative and burn wound infections at the Central Hospital of Beira and on skin and soft tissue abscesses at the São Lucas Health Centre. We cultured pus samples, identified suspected S. aureus isolates and performed antimicrobial susceptibility testing, including detection of MLSB resistance. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect mecA, Martineau and PVL genes.

Results

The prevalence of hospital‐acquired methicillin‐resistant S. aureus (HA‐MRSA) infection among 53 inpatients was 15.1%; the prevalence of community‐acquired methicillin‐resistant S. aureus (CA‐MRSA) infection among 100 outpatients was 1.0%. Inducible MLSB resistance was present in 41.7% and 10.7% of HA‐SA and CA‐SA isolates, respectively. PVL toxin gene was detected in 81.1% of methicillin‐susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) compared with 11.1% of methicillin‐resistant S. aureus.

Conclusions

Our study shows, for the first time in Mozambique, the emergence of HA‐MRSA. The prevalence of CA‐MRSA was low, whereas the rate of PVL toxin gene carriage in MSSA was high. The high rate of inducible MLSB resistance indicates the importance of performing routine D‐tests. Overall, our results show the need of strengthening laboratory facilities to provide microbiological data for both directed therapy and surveillance.
An 8‐week Brain MRI Follow‐up Analysis of Rat Eosinophilic Meningitis Caused by Angiostrongylus cantonensis Infection
Authors: Shyu L. Y. , Tsai H. H. , Lin D. P. , Chang H. H. , Tyan Y. S. , Weng J. C.
Published: November 2013

Early differential diagnosis and timely follow‐up are advantageous in the management of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection. This study aimed to characterize angiostrongyliasis in the rat brain for an 8‐week period using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with contrast‐enhanced T1‐weighted images (T1WI), T2‐weighted imaging (T2WI), fluid attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) and R2 mapping sequences. The data were analysed with Mathematica and Matlab software programs for weekly changes in each brain following the infection of 20, 50, 100 and 300 third‐stage larvae (L3), respectively. The results showed that the average subarachnoid space detected by T2WI technique was peaked up to 10% increase of original size on day 35 after 100 or 300 larvae infection, while those infected with 20 or 50 larvae showed less than 4% increase during the entire course of observation. This increase was relevant to the mortality of the infected rats, because those with 100 or 300 larvae infections showed a sharp decrease in survival rate before day 40. After day 40, the average subarachnoid space was decreased, but the average ventricle size was persistently increased, with the highest increase observed in the group infected with 300 larvae on day 56. Furthermore, the R2 mapping mean and R2 mapping size were significantly different between the brains with severe infection (100 and 300 larvae groups together) and those with mild infection (20 and 50 larvae groups together) on day 49, but not on day 35. Our results showed that diagnosis for different quantity of larvae infection using MRI is possible and follow‐up characterization is informative in revealing the effects of angiostrongyliasis on different brain areas. In conclusion, our results support the use of MRI as a non‐invasive diagnostic technique for eosinophilic meningitis caused by A. cantonensis infection.
Finding a Common Weight Vector of Data Envelopment Analysis Based upon Bargaining Game
Authors: Sugiyama Manabu , Sueyoshi Toshiyuki
Published: November 2013

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) is a mathematical programming method for measuring the relative efficiency of Decision Making Units (DMUs) by evaluating their outputs and inputs. In the history of DEA, the cross-efficiency of jth DMU is widely used as an efficiency measure of a given DMUo among researchers. The approach always utilizes weights related to inputs and outputs in the assessment. Unfortunately, the weights are not always uniquely determined in the cross-efficiency measurement because DEA always suffers from an occurrence of multiple solutions, so indicating an occurrence of multiple weights. To overcome such a difficulty, this paper proposes a new approach for determining a common weight vector of DEA based on bargaining game.
Stability Monitoring of Rotorcraft Systems: A Dynamic Data-Driven Approach
Authors: Sonti Siddharth , Keller Eric , Horn Joseph , Ray Asok
Published: November 2013

This brief paper proposes a dynamic data-driven method for stability monitoring of rotorcraft systems, where the underlying concept is built upon the principles of symbolic dynamics. The stability monitoring algorithm involves wavelet-packet-based preprocessing to remove spurious disturbances and to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the sensor time series. A quantified measure, called Instability Measure, is constructed from the processed time series data to obtain an estimate of the relative instability of the dynamic modes of interest on the rotorcraft system. The efficacy of the proposed method has been established with numerical simulations where correlations between the instability measure and the damping parameter(s) of selected dynamic mode(s) of the rotor blade are established.
Centrifugal Pump Derating for Non-Newtonian Slurries
Authors: Kalombo J. J. N. , Haldenwang R. , Chhabra R. P. , Fester V. G.
Published: November 2013

The Hydraulic Institute method, developed for predicting centrifugal pump performance of viscous Newtonian fluids, is used by some for non-Newtonian fluids. This requires an average value of viscosity representing the variable non-Newtonian viscosities. To determine such an average viscosity, two approaches exist in the literature: the use of a Bingham plastic viscosity and the use of the apparent viscosity. Results from these two approaches are not in agreement. This study evaluates the two approaches using two independent datasets, obtained from three pumps and three fluids. Results indicate that using the apparent viscosity approach gave better head prediction and using the Bingham plastic viscosity resulted in better efficiency prediction.
Windage and Churning Effects in Dipped Lubrication
Authors: Kolekar Anant S. , Olver Andrew V. , Sworski Adam E. , Lockwood Frances E.
Published: November 2013

In dipped (splash) lubrication, a rotating component, such as a gear, is partly submerged in a reservoir of liquid lubricant and acts to distribute it within the lubricated machine. Dipped lubrication is widely used for low to medium speed applications in the industrial and automotive sectors and there is a significant interest in the associated energy loss (the “churning” loss) because of its influence on efficiency and fuel consumption. In this study, a simple test rig consisting of a spur gear rotating in a cylindrical enclosure, partly filled with a liquid, was used to study the effect of fluid properties on the churning loss. The inertia rundown method was used to determine the power losses. Lubricating oils, water and aqueous glycerol solutions were among the fluids used. Correlations with Froude and Reynolds and Bond numbers are presented. It was found that the churning losses were significantly affected by the fluid disposition within the housing. In turn this was affected by the ratio of inertial forces to gravity (Froude number) and by air pressure. The influence of the pressure of the air within the enclosure was also investigated. When the air was evacuated from the enclosure, the churning losses increased, by a factor of up to 4.5 times. This can be explained by the effect of air (windage and aeration) on the liquid disposition, factors neglected in most previous work.
Analytical Treatment With Rigid-Elastic Vibration of Permanent Magnet Motors With Expanding Application to Cyclically Symmetric Power-Transmission Systems
Authors: Wang Shiyu , Xiu Jie , Cao Shuqian , Liu Jianping
Published: November 2013

The phasing effect of the slot/magnet combination on rigid-elastic vibration is addressed by incorporating the cyclic symmetry of permanent magnet (PM) motors. Expanding research is also carried out to achieve more general findings in rotary power-transmission systems widely available in practical engineering. To these aims, model-free analysis is used to deal with the effect via superposition treatment. The results imply that the vibration induced by temporal-spatial excitation can be classified into rotational, translational, and balanced modes, all of which have rigid and elastic vibrations having specific base and/or contaminated deflections, and the elastic vibration can be of the standing, forward traveling, and backward traveling waves. These modes can be suppressed or excited depending on whether particular algebraic relationships are satisfied by slot/magnet combination, excitation order, and base and contaminated wave numbers. Since the analysis is independent of any models, specified magnetic force, and rigid-elastic vibration, analytical results regarding the expected relationships can be naturally created due to the structural and force symmetries of the PM motors. Because of this, similar results can be found for other rotary systems basically consisting of a rotary rotor and a stationary stator both having equally-spaced features, apart from the PM motors, typically including the turbine machines having fluid field and planetary gears with a mechanical contact. As an engineering application, the proposed method can serve as a fundamental tool when predicting or even suppressing the possible excitations associated with particular vibration modes in the mechanical and electrical designs of the symmetric systems. The superposition effect and analytical predictions are verified by the finite element method and strict comparisons against those from disk-shaped structures in an existing study.
Dynamic Modeling and Analysis of Spacecraft With Variable Tilt of Flexible Appendages
Authors: Guy Nicolas , Alazard Daniel , Cumer Christelle , Charbonnel Catherine
Published: November 2013

This article describes a general framework to generate linearized models of satellites with large flexible appendages. The obtained model is parameterized according to the tilt of flexible appendages and can be used to validate an attitude control system over a complete revolution of the appendage. Uncertainties on the characteristic parameters of each substructure can be easily considered by the proposed generic and systematic multibody modeling technique, leading to a minimal linear fractional transformation (LFT) model. The uncertainty block has a direct link with the physical parameters avoiding nonphysical parametric configurations. This approach is illustrated to analyze the attitude control system of a spacecraft fitted with a tiltable flexible solar panel. A very simple root locus allows the stability of the closed-loop system to be characterized for a complete revolution of the solar panel.
Prevalence, patterns and predictors of nursing care left undone in European hospitals: results from the multicountry cross-sectional RN4CAST study
Authors: Ausserhofer Dietmar , Zander Britta , Busse Reinhard , Schubert Maria , De Geest Sabina , Rafferty Anne Marie , Ball Jane , Scott Anne , Kinnunen Juha , Heinen Maud , Strømseng Sjetne Ingeborg , Moreno-Casbas Teresa , Kózka Maria , Lindqvist Rikard , Diomidous Marianna , Bruyneel Luk , Sermeus Walter , Aiken Linda H , Schwendimann René ,   on behalf of the RN4CAST consortium
Published: November 2013

Background

Little is known of the extent to which nursing-care tasks are left undone as an international phenomenon.

Aim

The aim of this study is to describe the prevalence and patterns of nursing care left undone across European hospitals and explore its associations with nurse-related organisational factors.

Methods

Data were collected from 33 659 nurses in 488 hospitals across 12 European countries for a large multicountry cross-sectional study.

Results

Across European hospitals, the most frequent nursing care activities left undone included ‘Comfort/talk with patients’ (53%), ‘Developing or updating nursing care plans/care pathways’ (42%) and ‘Educating patients and families’ (41%). In hospitals with more favourable work environments (B=−2.19; p<0.0001), lower patient to nurse ratios (B=0.09; p<0.0001), and lower proportions of nurses carrying out non-nursing tasks frequently (B=2.18; p<0.0001), fewer nurses reported leaving nursing care undone.

Conclusions

Nursing care left undone was prevalent across all European countries and was associated with nurse-related organisational factors. We discovered similar patterns of nursing care left undone across a cross-section of European hospitals, suggesting that nurses develop informal task hierarchies to facilitate important patient-care decisions. Further research on the impact of nursing care left undone for patient outcomes and nurse well-being is required.
Root production of hybrid poplars and nitrogen mineralization improve following mounding of boreal Podzols
Authors: Bilodeau-Gauthier Simon , Paré David , Messier Christian , Bélanger Nicolas
Published: November 2013

Successful establishment of fast-growing trees could depend on early root development and the access to belowground resources. Boreal podzolic soils present a distinctive vertical zonation wherein nutrient availability and the presence of plant roots decline sharply with depth. Mechanical soil preparation that modifies the vertical arrangement of soil layers creates microsites with improved physical conditions but potentially lower nutrient availability. We compared the vertical distribution of proximal roots of young hybrid poplars in soil layers of mechanically prepared (by mounding) and unprepared microsites. We also evaluated the relationship between root distribution and the availability and mineralization of soil nitrogen. Hybrid poplar roots were less abundant in the surface organic layer of unprepared soils, whereas they proliferated in the buried organic layer of mounds. Total mineralized N was highest in the upper mineral layer of mounds, whereas it was similar between the buried organic layer of mounds and the unprepared organic layer. Altogether, mounding created conditions conducive to greater soil N mineralization and greater production and vertical distribution of proximal roots. This possibly provided access to a larger soil volume and greater soil nutrient pools, which may explain the success of mounding in terms of aboveground growth of hybrid poplars.
Photolithography-free Ge–Se based memristive arrays; materials characterization and device testing
Authors: Latif M.R. , Csarnovics I. , Kökényesi S. , Csik A. , Mitkova M.
Published: November 2013

The focus of this work is on the formation of a lithography-free redox conductive bridge memristor array, comprised of different compositions of GexSe1−x chalcogenide glasses with the aim of selecting the chalcogenide material that provides the best performance. Various memristive arrays were fabricated on a metal–chalcogenide–metal stack. This structure offers high device density with the simplest configuration and allows access to each nano redox conductive bridge device. It was found that the device stability and threshold voltage were a function of the chalcogenide glass composition, with the Ge-rich film contributing to the best device performance, which is attributed to the formation of rigid structure and the availability of Ge–Ge bonds. Additionally, these parameters were dependent on the thickness and the surface roughness of the chalcogenide glass. Application of a nonlithography method for fabricating the array structure offered excellent yield, stable ON–OFF states and good uniformity. This demonstration, along with success achieved at the single cell level, suggests that the redox conductive bridge memristor is well positioned for ultrahigh performance memory and logic applications.
Three-layered supernetwork evolution model and the application for China-world's top 500 enterprises supernetwork
Authors: Liu Qiang , Fang Jin-Qing , Li Yong
Published: November 2013

Network of network (NON) or so-called supernetwork extensively exists in the real world. However, so far the definition of NON is not mutually recognized, relevant theory is rather lacking. In order to reveal certain characteristics of NON, we proposed four kinds of three-layered supernetwork evolution models (TLSEM) based on WS small-world and BA scale-free model, and defined two kinds of layer cross-degrees as new measures of cooperative-competition relationship for different layer nodes. The idea and methods of TLSEM are applied to the construction and analysis of China-world's top 500 enterprises supernetworks as a typical empirical example. The analytical results show that the layer cross-degree is better description than other network characteristics, and TLSEM may lay a certain foundation and extend to study more multilevel supernetworks.
The analysis of HIV/AIDS drug-resistant on networks
Authors: Liu Maoxing
Published: November 2013

In this paper, we present an Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) drug-resistant model using an ordinary differential equation (ODE) model on scale-free networks. We derive the threshold for the epidemic to be zero in infinite scale-free network. We also prove the stability of disease-free equilibrium (DFE) and persistence of HIV/AIDS infection. The effects of two immunization schemes, including proportional scheme and targeted vaccination, are studied and compared. We find that targeted strategy compare favorably to a proportional condom using has prominent effect to control HIV/AIDS spread on scale-free networks.
Opinion formation of free speech on the directed social network
Authors: Su Jiongming , Ma Hongxu , Liu Baohong , Li Qi
Published: November 2013

A dynamical model with continuous opinion is proposed to study how the speech order and the topology of directed social network affect the opinion formation of free speech. In the model, agents express their opinions one by one with random order (RO) or probability order (PO), other agents paying attentions to the speaking agent, receive provider's opinion, update their opinions and then express their new opinions in their turns. It is proved that with the same agent j repeats its opinion more, other agents who pay their attentions to j and include j's opinion in their confidence level at initial time, will continue approaching j's opinion. Simulation results reveal that on directed scale-free network: (1) the model for PO forms fewer opinion clusters, larger maximum cluster (MC), smaller standard deviation (SD), and needs less waiting time to reach a middle level of consensus than RO; (2) as the parameter of scale-free degree distribution decreases or the confidence level increases, the results often get better for both speech orders; (3) the differences between PO and RO get smaller as the size of network decreases.
MOTIVIC L-FUNCTION IDENTITIES FROM CFT AND ARITHMETIC MIRROR SYMMETRY
Authors: SCHIMMRIGK ROLF
Published: November 2013

Exactly solvable mirror pairs of Calabi–Yau threefolds of hypersurface type exist in the class of Gepner models that include nondiagonal affine invariants. Motivated by the string theoretic automorphy established previously for models in this class, it is natural to ask whether the arithmetic structure of mirror pairs varieties reflects the fact that as conformal field theories, they are isomorphic. Mirror symmetry in particular predicts that the L-functions of the Ω-motives of such pairs are identical. In this paper this prediction is confirmed by showing that the Ω-motives of exactly solvable mirror pairs are isomorphic. This follows as a corollary of the proof of a more general result establishing an isomorphism between nondiagonally and diagonally induced motives in this class of varieties. The motivic approach formulated here circumvents the difficulty that no mirror construction of the Hasse–Weil zeta function is known.
PRIVATE HIGGS AT THE LHC
Authors: BENTOV YONI , ZEE A.
Published: November 2013

We study the LHC phenomenology of a general class of "Private Higgs" (PH) models, in which fermions obtain their masses from their own Higgs doublets with [Formula: see text] Yukawa couplings, and the mass hierarchy is translated into a dynamical chain of vacuum expectation values. This is accomplished by introducing a number of light gauge-singlet scalars, the "darkons," some of which could play the role of dark matter. These models allow for substantial modifications to the decays of the lightest Higgs boson, for instance through mixing with TeV-scale PH fields and light darkons: in particular, one could accommodate [Formula: see text] flavor-uncorrelated deviations from the SM [Formula: see text] vertices with TeV-scale degrees of freedom. We also discuss a new implementation of the PH framework, in which the quark and neutrino mixing angles arise as one-loop corrections to the leading order picture.
THREE-INPUTS-ONE-OUTPUT CURRENT-MODE UNIVERSAL BIQUAD USING TWO CURRENT CONVEYORS
Authors: HORNG JIUN-WEI , CHIU TO-YAO , HSIAO CHING-PAO , HUANG GUANG-TING
Published: November 2013

A current-mode universal biquadratic filter with three input terminals and one output terminal is presented. The architecture uses two current conveyors (CCs), two grounded capacitors and two grounded resistors; and can realize all standard second-order filter functions — highpass, bandpass, lowpass, notch and allpass. Moreover, the circuit still offers the following advantage features: very low active and passive sensitivities, using of grounded capacitors and resistors which is ideal for integrated circuit implementation, without requirements for critical component matching conditions and very high output impedance. The workability of the proposed circuit has been verified via HSPICE simulations using TSMC 0.18 μm, level 49 MOSFET technology.
ENERGY CAPACITY OF A VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT CAPACITOR FOR THE CALCULATION OF MOSFET's SWITCHING LOSS
Authors: KULVITIT YOUTHANA
Published: November 2013

Energy capacity of a voltage-dependent capacitor is investigated and defined. An equation for the calculation of energy capacity of the MOSFET's parasitic capacitance is formulated. The defined energy capacity of a voltage-dependent capacitance can be used to calculate switching loss of resonant switches by simply calculating the energy transferred into or retrieved from the MOSFET. The validity of the proposed formula is verified by computer simulation. The discrepancy between energy capacity of the MOSFET's parasitic capacitance calculated from the formulated equation and that calculated from the results of computer simulation is negligible. Computer simulation is also used to validate the proposed switching-loss calculation technique.
A LOW POWER HIGH RESOLUTION ROIC DESIGN WITH 14-BIT COLUMN-LEVEL ADC FOR 384 × 288 IRFPA
Authors: ZHANG YAJING , LU WENGAO , WANG GUANNAN , CHEN ZHONGJIAN , ZHANG YACONG
Published: November 2013

A readout integrated circuit (ROIC) of infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) with low power and low noise is presented in this paper. It consists of a 384 × 288 pixel array and column-level A/D conversion circuits. The proposed system has high resolution because of the odd–even Analog to Digital Conversion (ADC) structure, containing correlated switches design, multi-Vth amplifier design and high speed high resolution comparator design including latch-stage. Designed and simulated in 0.35-μm CMOS process, this high performance ROIC achieves 81.24 dB SNR at 8.64 KS/s consuming 98 mW under 5 V voltage supply, resulting in an ENOB of 13.2-bit.
A LOW-NOISE HIGH-VOLTAGE INTERFACE CIRCUIT FOR CAPACITIVE MEMS GYROSCOPE
Authors: FANG RAN , LU WENGAO , WANG GUANNAN , TAO TINGTING , ZHANG YACONG , CHEN ZHONGJIAN , YU DUNSHAN
Published: November 2013

This paper presents a high-voltage control and readout interface circuit implemented for capacitive Micro-Electro-Mechanic System (MEMS) gyroscope. A charge sensitive amplifier (CSA) with chopper technique is used to accomplish low-noise capacitive sensing. The stabilization of the closed drive loop is maintained by an auto gain controller (AGC) and an adjustable phase shifter. The outputs of the ASIC directly drive the gyroscope after buffered by an on-chip high-voltage level shifter. The chip is fabricated in a 0.35 um 5 V/12 V Bipolar, CMOS and DMOS (BCD) process. The test of the chip is performed with a MEMS vibratory gyroscope. The result shows that the Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) can ensure a stable oscillation in the drive axis, and the noise floor is 0.0015°/s/√Hz within 100 Hz.
AN ON-CHIP BUS MODELING AND PARAMETER SIMULATION METHOD BASED ON UTILIZATION ANALYSIS
Authors: SHI ZAIFENG , LUO TAO , LI YUANQING , XU YAN , YAO SUYING
Published: November 2013

In system level design or architecture design stage of SoCs, it is important to estimate the system parameters such as bus utilization and buffer capacity. A novel bus modeling method which was derived from Markov model for obtaining these parameters of an on-chip-bus system has been proposed in this paper. This modeling approach employs Markov chain to describe the state change of the system. This method was used in architecture design verification of a video format converting (VFC) chip. By comparing the simulation result and the pessimistic estimate value, the rationality and high efficiency of this method were verified, and more than 55% of FIFOs size are saved. It is suitable for analyzing various bus systems, such as user-defined buses, industrial standard buses, multi-core and multi-bus systems.
A LOW POWER CRYOGENIC CMOS ROIC DESIGN FOR 512 × 512 IRFPA
Authors: ZHAO HONGLIANG , ZHAO YIQIANG , SONG YIWEI , LIAO JUN , GENG JUNFENG
Published: November 2013

A low power readout integrated circuit (ROIC) for 512 × 512 cooled infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) is presented. A capacitive trans-impedance amplifier (CTIA) with high gain cascode amplifier and inherent correlated double sampling (CDS) configuration is employed to achieve a high performance readout interface for the IRFPA with a pixel size of 30 × 30 μm2. By optimizing column readout timing and using two operating modes in column amplifiers, the power consumption is significantly reduced. The readout chip is implemented in a standard 0.35 μm 2P4M CMOS technology. The measurement results show the proposed ROIC achieves a readout rate of 10 MHz with 70 mW power consumption under 3.3 V supply voltage from 77 K to 150 K operating temperature. And it occupies a chip area of 18.4 × 17.5 mm2.
ADSORPTION OF H2 ON FRAGMENTS OF MOF-210: A DFT INVESTIGATION
Authors: LIU Z.
Published: November 2013

Molecular hydrogen adsorption on MOF-210 was evaluated at the density functional theory level. The most stable H 2 adsorption occurs near the acetenyls in the organic linker, but its binding energy (0.113 eV) is not sufficient to satisfy the minimum value (0.24 eV) required for practical applications. Meanwhile, Li cation-decorated MOF-210 has the average hydrogen adsorption energies of 0.28 eV, and its saturated hydrogen storage capacity reaches 5.35 wt.%.
EUROPEAN OPTION PRICING WITH LIQUIDITY SHOCKS
Authors: LUDKOVSKI MICHAEL , SHEN QUNYING
Published: November 2013

We study the valuation and hedging problem of European options in a market subject to liquidity shocks. Working within a Markovian regime-switching setting, we model illiquidity as the inability to trade. To isolate the impact of such liquidity constraints, we focus on the case where the market is completely static in the illiquid regime. We then consider derivative pricing using either equivalent martingale measures or exponential indifference mechanisms. Our main results concern the analysis of the semi-linear coupled Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman (HJB) equation satisfied by the indifference price, as well as its asymptotics when the probability of a liquidity shock is small. A comparative analysis between the model price and the classical Black–Scholes benchmark is given using the concepts of implied and adjusted time to maturity. We then present several numerical studies of the liquidity risk premia obtained in our models leading to practical guidelines on how to adjust for liquidity risk in option valuation and hedging.
Asymptotic properties of coupled forward–backward stochastic differential equations
Authors: Cruzeiro Ana Bela , Gomes André de Oliveira , Zhang Liangquan
Published: November 2013

In this paper, we consider coupled forward–backward stochastic differential equations (FBSDEs in short) with parameter ε > 0, of the following type [Formula: see text] We study the asymptotic behavior of its solutions and establish a large deviation principle for the corresponding processes.
CONSTRUCTION OF FREE COMMUTATIVE INTEGRO-DIFFERENTIAL ALGEBRAS BY THE METHOD OF GRÖBNER–SHIRSHOV BASES
Authors: GAO XING , GUO LI , ZHENG SHANGHUA
Published: November 2013

In this paper, we construct free commutative integro-differential algebras by applying the method of Gröbner–Shirshov bases. We establish the Composition-Diamond Lemma for free commutative differential Rota–Baxter (DRB) algebras of order n. We also obtain a weakly monomial order on these algebras, allowing us to obtain Gröbner–Shirshov bases for free commutative integro-differential algebras on a set. We finally generalize the concept of functional monomials to free differential algebras with arbitrary weight and generating sets from which to construct a canonical linear basis for free commutative integro-differential algebras.
ON THE CENTER OF ZERO-DIVISOR AND IDEAL-DIVISOR GRAPHS OF FINITE COMMUTATIVE RINGS
Authors: BLOOME LANE , PECK HAILEE
Published: November 2013

This paper is concerned with investigating the center and radius of zero-divisor and ideal-divisor graphs of finite commutative rings. In particular, we examine the interplay between the center and cut-sets of zero-divisor graphs. Of interest are conditions that need to be met in order for either of these sets to contain the other. We then explore the radius and central sets of ideal-divisor graphs, particularly the classification of the center via radius results.
ALMOST INJECTIVE MODULES — A BRIEF SURVEY
Authors: JAIN S. K. , ALAHMADI ADEL
Published: November 2013

This is a brief survey on almost injectivity that has been studied mostly by Harada, and his collaborators. Baba introduced this concept as a dual to the concept of almost projectivity. In this survey, we state salient results by main contributors on this topic and some recent results by the authors. This exposition is not claimed to be exhaustive but is meant to highlight important discoveries made in the area and to point out future possible work. A list of open questions is given. The interested readers, particularly graduate students, would benefit most by going over the wealth of information contained in the referenced papers on almost injectivity and projectivity.
SILVER NANOPARTICLE IMPREGNATED BIO-BASED ACTIVATED CARBON WITH ENHANCED ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY
Authors: SELVAKUMAR R. , SURIYARAJ S. P. , JAYAVIGNESH V. , SWAMINATHAN K.
Published: November 2013

The present study involves the production of silver nanoparticles using a novel yeast strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae BU-MBT CY-1 isolated from coconut cell sap. The biological reduction of silver nitrate by the isolate was deducted at various time intervals. The yeast cells after biological silver reduction were harvested and subjected to carbonization at 400°C for 1 h and its properties were analyzed using Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope attached with energy dispersive spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The average size of the silver nanoparticles present on the surface of the carbonized silver containing yeast cells (CSY) was 19 ± 9 nm. The carbonized control yeast cells (CCY) did not contain any particles on its surface. The carbonized silver nanoparticles containing yeast cells (CSY) were made into bioactive emulsion and tested for its efficacy against various pathogenic Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The antimicrobial activity studies indicated that CSY bioactive nanoemulsion was effective against Gram negative organisms than Gram positive organism.
DYNAFOLD: A DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING APPROACH TO PROTEIN BACKBONE STRUCTURE DETERMINATION FROM MINIMAL SETS OF RESIDUAL DIPOLAR COUPLINGS
Authors: MUKHOPADHYAY RISHI , IRAUSQUIN STEPHANIE , SCHMIDT CHRISTOPHER , VALAFAR HOMAYOUN
Published: November 2013

Residual Dipolar Couplings (RDCs) are a source of NMR data that can provide a powerful set of constraints on the orientation of inter-nuclear vectors, and are quickly becoming a larger part of the experimental toolset for molecular biologists. However, few reliable protocols exist for the determination of protein backbone structures from small sets of RDCs. DynaFold is a new dynamic programming algorithm designed specifically for this task, using minimal sets of RDCs collected in multiple alignment media. DynaFold was first tested utilizing synthetic data generated for the N – H , Cα– Hα, and C – N vectors of 1BRF, 1F53, 110M, and 3LAY proteins, with up to ±1 Hz error in three alignment media, and was able to produce structures with less than 1.9 Å of the original structures. DynaFold was then tested using experimental data, obtained from the Biological Magnetic Resonance Bank, for proteins PDBID:1P7E and 1D3Z using RDC data from two alignment media. This exercise yielded structures within 1.0 Å of their respective published structures in segments with high data density, and less than 1.9 Å over the entire protein. The same sets of RDC data were also used in comparisons with traditional methods for analysis of RDCs, which failed to match the accuracy of DynaFold's approach to structure determination.
FUNCTIONALLY GRADED EPOXY COMPOSITES USING SILANE COUPLING AGENT FUNCTIONALIZED MULTIWALLED CARBON NANOTUBES
Authors: WANG YI , NI QING-QING , ZHU YAOFENG , NATSUKI TOSHIAKI
Published: November 2013

Functionally graded multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced epoxy matrix composites are fabricated using a centrifugal method. Aggregation of the MWCNTs during the epoxy curing process is prevented using a two-step aminosilane modification. Chemical interaction of the silane with the oxidized nanotube surface is confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy of acid-treated MWCNTs corroborates the formation of surface defects owing to the introduction of carboxyl groups. The mechanical and microwave absorption property gradients of the composites correspond with those produced via silane modification indicating potential application to microwave absorbing materials. The MWCNTs are better dispersed in the epoxy resin after the modification, making it possible for them to become efficiently graded in the epoxy matrix. We therefore show that it is possible to fabricate functionally graded nanofiller-reinforced materials using the centrifugal method by modifying the surface of the nanofiller.