bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Belief Norms and Blindspots
Authors: Raleigh Thomas
Published: June 2013

I defend the thesis that beliefs are constitutively normative from two kinds of objections. After clarifying what a “blindspot” proposition is and the different types of blindspots there can be, I show that the existence of such propositions does not undermine the thesis that beliefs are essentially governed by a negative truth norm. I argue that the “normative variance” exhibited by this norm is not a defect. I also argue that if we accept a distinction between subjective and objective norms, there need be no worrying tension between doxastic norms of truth and doxastic norms of evidence. I show how a similar approach applies to the attitude of guessing. I then suggest that if we distinguish between practical and theoretical rationality, we will prefer a negative form of norm that does not positively oblige us to form beliefs. I finish by considering an alternative possible subjunctive form of norm that would also avoid problems with blindspots, but I suggest this has a nonintuitive consequence.
Kids Talking About Race: Tween‐agers in a Post‐Civil Rights Era
Authors: Risman Barbara J. , Banerjee Pallavi
Published: June 2013

Our research examines how American children understand and talk about how race matters in their everyday lives. We draw on interviews with 44 middle school children who attend schools in an integrated county‐wide system and find that while some use color‐blind rhetoric, most children in our study know that race matters, while they offer alternative accounts for why and how. Some explain race as social inequality, while others offer cultural accounts of racial differences. Our analysis suggests that for white children, gender matters; more girls describe racial inequality than boys. For children of color, class seems to be key, with middle‐class children giving cultural explanations, including negative evaluations of others in their own racial group. We use an intersectionality framework to analyze the alternative and complex narratives children give for their own experiences of race and race relations between peers.
Further Beyond the Durkheimian Problematic: Environmental Sociology and the Co‐construction of the Social and the Natural
Authors: Rice James
Published: June 2013

The biophysical environment is not tangential to the social; it is only tangential to conventional sociological thought. Environmental sociology arose in the 1970s based on this presupposition, but over time theory and empirical research have generally adopted a social constructionist or natural realist approach. Despite rejection of the Durkheimian dictum of explaining social facts through the invocation of other social facts, and thus refusal to presuppose human exemptionalism from ecological constraints, scholarship continues to reflect this nature/culture divide. When environmental sociologists focus on one side or the other of the nature/culture divide, the intertwining and conjoint constitution of the social and the biophysical–material is obscured. The intent of the present essay is to articulate a co‐constructionist ontological position sensitive to the temporal emergence of hybridity between the social and the natural and amenable to recognition of salient dynamics not readily envisioned from either side of the nature/culture divide. In doing so, the argument builds upon prior metatheoretical scholarship in environmental sociology and science and technology studies and highlights ontological conundrums that must be confronted in order to further the move toward a viable co‐constructionist posture.
The Role of Job Insecurity in Explanations of Racial Health Inequalities
Authors: Fullerton Andrew S. , Anderson Kathryn Freeman
Published: June 2013

The literature documenting substantial health differences for racial minorities in the United States is well developed and has considered a multitude of explanations for such disparities. However, the literature seldom addresses the health effects for racial minorities produced in the workplace. This study bridges these two literatures in order to understand the mediating role of job insecurity in explanations of racial health disparities. Our central argument is that racial differences in job insecurity resulting from the marginalized labor market positions of racial minorities are partially responsible for racial disparities in health. This study utilizes adjacent category and partial adjacent category logit models of general health using data from the 2000 to 2010 General Social Survey in order to test this claim. Overall, the results from this study indicate that there are substantial racial differences in job insecurity, and both race and job insecurity are important predictors of general self‐rated health. Additionally, racial differences in job insecurity help explain a portion of the racial disparities in health. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for the study of health disparities in the United States.
Political Stability After the Arab Spring
Authors: Doomen Jasper
Published: June 2013

The task to reshape governments in the countries confronted with the Arab Spring prompts the question whether there are necessary conditions to realize a stable society that simultaneously seeks to eliminate the elements that have led to the uprisings. Acknowledging some constitutional rights seems indispensable in such a process. I argue that such a state of affairs is indeed the case, at least now that the “old” justifications to differentiate between people do not suffice anymore. That is not to say that the countries involved will have identical laws in each respect, but merely that a common basis has to be realized, manifested in political and legal equality, so this given does not derogate from the fact that each country's specific legislation needs to be shaped in the light of its own history. Such a basis has no “moral” character, but is a necessary condition to prevent sedition.
Black‐White Biracial Children's Social Development from Kindergarten to Fifth Grade: Links with Racial Identification, Gender, and Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Csizmadia Annamaria , Ispa Jean M.
Published: June 2013

In this study, we investigated trajectories of Black‐White biracial children's social development during middle childhood, their associations with parents’ racial identification of children, and the moderating effects of child gender and family socioeconomic status (SES). The study utilized data from parent and teacher reports on 293 US Black‐White biracial children enrolled in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study‐Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS‐K). Growth curve models suggested increasing trajectories of teacher‐reported internalizing and externalizing behaviors between kindergarten and fifth grade. Parents’ racial identification of children predicted child externalizing behavior trajectories such that teachers rated biracially identified children's externalizing behaviors lower relative to those of Black‐ and White‐identified children. Additionally, for White‐identified biracial children, the effect of family SES on internalizing behavior trajectories was especially pronounced. These findings suggest that in the USA, how parents racially identify their Black‐White biracial children early on has important implications for children's problem behaviors throughout the elementary school years.
Mono‐industrialism and the Struggle for Alternative Development: the Case of the Roşia Montană Gold‐mining Project
Authors: Vesalon Lucian , Creţan Remus
Published: June 2013

This study proposes a critical discussion of a recent gold‐mining project at Roşia Montană, Romania and of the alternative development solutions for the area. The aim of the research is to examine the socio‐economic consequences of the mining project proposed by the multinational company Roşia Montană Gold Corporation and the struggle of the resistance movement to the mining project for an alternative development, in order to understand the complexity of development processes in rural communities in post‐communist Romania. In analysing the socio‐economic risks involved in conventional development, we focus especially on revealing the intrinsic limits of mono‐industrialism and on the issue of population displacement by development. In the second part of the paper we discuss the feasibility of alternative development solutions for the area. The paper relies on a theoretical framework that combines the critical literature on conventional development and the recent debates on grassroots development.
Influence of antiviral therapy in the long‐term outcome of recurrent hepatitis C virus infection following liver transplantation
Authors: García‐Reyne A. , Lumbreras C. , Fernández I. , Colina F. , Abradelo M. , Magan P. , San‐Juan R. , Manrique A. , López‐Medrano F. , Fuertes A. , Lizasoain M. , Moreno E. , Aguado J.M.
Published: June 2013

Introduction

Severity of recurrent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in liver transplant recipients (LTR) is variable and the influence of different factors, including the administration of antiviral therapy in the long‐term outcome is controversial.

Methods

We analyzed the outcome of a cohort of HCV‐infected LTR who were transplanted in our institution. Patients were divided into 2 groups (severe and non‐severe HCV disease) depending on the presence of a fibrosis score of F ≥2 in the Scheuer index and/or fibrosing cholestasic hepatitis (FCH) in a graft biopsy. Risk factors were studied using logistic regression analysis. Survival of patients was estimated using Kaplan–Meier plots. A total of 146 patients were followed for a mean of 58 months.

Results

Fifty‐six (34%) patients developed severe HCV disease and showed shorter survival (P < 0.024). Donor age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.06) and pre‐transplant viral load (VL) >106 UI/mL (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.42–10.61) were the only factors associated with severe HCV infection. Over‐immunosuppression (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.2–4.41) was specifically associated with the development of FCH. Overall, patient survival in recipients who received a full course of anti‐HCV therapy was higher than in patients who did not complete antiviral therapy (P = 0.004) or received no treatment (P = 0.007). Patients with non‐severe HCV infection have a higher probability of receiving a full course of antiviral therapy (P = 0.033).

Conclusion

In conclusion, donor age, pre‐transplant VL, and over‐immunosuppression were associated with the long‐term development of severe HCV recurrence in liver grafts. Administration of a full course of antiviral therapy was associated with better survival.
Feeling Resistance: Emotions and Gender in Retail Organizing
Authors: Coulter Kendra
Published: June 2013

This article examines retail organizing with a focus on the role of emotions. The data enlisted were collected through participant observation in organizing projects and interviews with retail workers who organized or sought to unionize their workplaces. Three main intersections of emotions and retail organizing are identified and outlined: the galvanizing, mobilizing, and polarizing dimensions. The article argues that emotions are intimately interwoven with organizing in retail, and in some instances are the primary determinants of the outcome. It concludes with a discussion of the implications that stem from a deeper understanding of the significance and gendered politics of emotions in retail organizing.
In Their Own Words: Insurgents and the Limits of Reform in Organized Labor
Authors: LaTour Jane
Published: June 2013

The legacy of union labor lawyer and rank‐and‐file democracy advocate Burton H. Hall carries on, now more than 20 years after his death. Hall represented dissidents who sought to expand representation and democracy in their unions. To break the bureaucratic stranglehold over unions, Hall advocated and promoted efforts at insurgency and insurrection. While we assess the last 22 years of neoliberal and financial reforms that have broken working class unions, Hall's advocacy reminds us that unions’ own failure to promote rank‐and‐file activism and democracy is also responsible for the decline in unions. Active and militant workers struggling within working class organizations is essential to resist the capitalist assault that has eroded wage standards, working class, and communities.
Neo‐Nazism and Neoliberalism: A Few Comments on Violence in Athens At the Time of Crisis
Authors: Dalakoglou Dimitris
Published: June 2013

The so‐called Greek crisis implies a rapid transition towards a regime of extreme neoliberalism, but it also implies the rise of the extreme Right. This article examines briefly the rise of Greek neo‐Nazism and a genealogy of its violence. It emphasizes the links between formal and informal violent state apparatuses, focusing on the paradigmatic turn of the form of governance in Greece towards authoritarianism and extreme‐Right wing discourses and practices.
Extremal Sasakian geometry on and related manifolds
Authors: Boyer Charles P. , Tønnesen-Friedman Christina W.
Published: June 2013

We prove the existence of extremal Sasakian structures occurring on a countably infinite number of distinct contact structures on${T}^{2} \times {S}^{3} $and certain related 5-manifolds. These structures occur in bouquets and exhaust the Sasaki cones in all except one case in which there are no extremal metrics.
Analysis of Radial Migration of Hot-Streak in Swirling Flow Through High-Pressure Turbine Stage
Authors: Khanal B. , He L. , Northall J. , Adami P.
Published: June 2013

The high pressure (HP) turbine is subject to inlet flow nonuniformities resulting from the combustor. A lean-burn combustor tends to combine temperature variations with strong swirl and, although considerable research efforts have been made to study the effects of a circumferential temperature nonuniformity (hot-streak), there is relatively little known about the interaction between the two. This paper presents a numerical investigation of the transonic test HP stage MT1 behavior under the combined influence of the swirl and hot-streak. The in house Rolls-Royce HYDRA numerical computational fluid dynamics (CFD) suite is used for all the simulations of the present study. Baseline configurations with either hot-streak or swirl at the stage inlet are analyzed to assess the methodology and to identify reference performance parameters through comparisons with the experimental data. Extensive computational analyses are then carried out for the cases with hot-streak and swirl combined, including both the effects of the combustor-nozzle guide vane (NGV) clocking and the direction of the swirl. The present results for the combined hot-streak and swirl cases reveal distinctive radial migrations of hot fluid in the NGV and rotor passages with considerable impact on the aerothermal performance. It is illustrated that the blade heat transfer characteristics and their dependence on the clocking position can be strongly affected by the swirl direction. A further computational examination is carried out on the validity of a superposition of the influences of swirl and hot-streak. It shows that the blade heat transfer in a combined swirl and hot-streak case cannot be predicted by the superposition of each in isolation.
Direct Numerical Simulations of Transitional Separation-Bubble Development in Swept-Blade Flow Conditions
Authors: Brinkerhoff Joshua R. , Yaras Metin I.
Published: June 2013

This paper describes numerical simulations of the instability mechanisms in a separation bubble subjected to a three-dimensional freestream pressure distribution. Two direct numerical simulations are performed of a separation bubble with laminar separation and turbulent reattachment under low freestream turbulence at flow Reynolds numbers and streamwise pressure distributions that approximate the conditions encountered on the suction side of typical low-pressure gas-turbine blades with blade sweep angles of 0 deg and 45 deg. The three-dimensional (3D) pressure field in the swept configuration produces a crossflow-velocity component in the laminar boundary layer upstream of the separation point that is unstable to a crossflow instability mode. The simulation results show that crossflow instability does not play a role in the development of the boundary layer upstream of separation. An increase in the amplification rate and the most amplified disturbance frequency is observed in the separated-flow region of the swept configuration and is attributed to boundary-layer conditions at the point of separation that are modified by the spanwise pressure gradient. This results in a slight upstream movement of the location where the shear layer breaks down to small-scale turbulence and modifies the turbulent mixing of the separated shear layer to yield a downstream shift in the time-averaged reattachment location. The results demonstrate that although crossflow instability does not appear to have a noticeable effect on the development of the transitional separation bubble, the 3D pressure field does indirectly alter the separation-bubble development by modifying the flow conditions at separation.
Driving on Renewables—On the Prospects of Alternative Fuels up to
2050 From an Energetic Point-of-View in European Union Countries
Authors: Ajanovic Amela , Jungmeier Gerfried , Beermann Martin , Haas Reinhard
Published: June 2013

The core objective of this paper is to investigate the perspectives of “renewable fuels” mainly from an energetic point-of-view in a dynamic framework until 2050 in comparison to fossil fuels. In addition, the impact on the economic prospects of an improvement of the energetic performance is analyzed. As renewable fuels, various categories of first and second generation biofuels as well as electricity and hydrogen from renewable energy sources are considered. The most important results of this analysis are: (i) While for first generation biofuels, the relatively high share of fossil energy is the major problem, for second generation biofuels, the major problems are the low conversion efficiency and the corresponding high input of renewable feedstocks. Up to 2050, it is expected that these problems will be relieved, but only slightly. (ii) The energetic improvements up to 2050 will lead to substantial reduction of energetic losses in the well-to-tank as well as in the tank-to-wheel part of the energy service provision chain. (iii) By 2050, the total driving costs of all analyzed fuels and powertrains will almost even out. (iv) The major uncertainty for battery electric and fuel cell vehicles is how fast technological learning will take place especially for the battery and the fuel cells.
On a Seemingly New Three-Dimensional Stagnation-Point Flow
Authors: Weidman Patrick D. , Magyari Eugen
Published: June 2013

In a recent paper by Abbassi and Rahimi (2009, “Nonaxisymmetric Three-Dimensional Stagnation-Point Flow and Heat Transfer on a Flat Plate,’’ ASME J. Fluids Eng, 131(7), p. 074501) the existence of a new nonaxisymmetric 3D stagnation-point flow has been reported. The present paper shows, however, that the model of Abbassis and Rahimi is fully equivalent to the classical 3D stagnation-point flow of Howarth (1951, “The Boundary Layer in Three-Dimensional Flow—Part II: The Flow Near a Stagnation Point,’’ Philos. Mag., 42, pp. 1433–1440) published more than sixty years ago. Thus their “new’’ solution can be recovered from Howarth's known solution by simple transformations, without any additional research effort. Once this flow problem is solved, the solution of the heat transfer problem of Abbassi and Rahimi (2009, “Nonaxisymmetric Three-Dimensional Stagnation-Point Flow and Heat Transfer on a Flat Plate,’’ ASME J. Fluids Eng, 131(7), p. 074501) can be calculated by a semi-analytical or by a usual numerical procedure.
Trichomycetes occurring in both lentic (lake) and lotic (stream) habitats within the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada
Authors: William R.T. , Strongman D.B.
Published: June 2013

Trichomycetes are an ecological group of fungi and protists found inside the gut lumen of aquatic insect larvae and have been reported virtually everywhere trichomycetologists have looked for them. Trichomycetes are common in freshwater aquatic habitats, both lentic and lotic, though lentic habitats have been explored less frequently. An inventory of trichomycetes inhabiting both stream (lotic) and lake (lentic) habitats was conducted within the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada, including one site at the interface where a stream emptied into a lake. Twenty-six species of trichomycetes were collected from both lotic and lentic sites, nine of which are new species, all isolated from midge (Chironomidae) larvae. These are as follows: Smittium adaiosporum sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman, Smittium cryptancora sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman , Smittium petilum sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman, Smittium peculiare sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman, Stachylina abundans sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman, Stachylina extensiva sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman, Stachylina infrequens sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman, Stachylina somnisimilis sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman, and Stachylina uranus sp. nov. R.T. William and Strongman. In addition, a new continental record for Smittium hecatei L.G. Valle & Santam. previously reported from Spain and new regional geographic records for Smittium minutisporum Lichtw., Siri & M.M. White and Smittium mucronatum Manier & Mathiez ex Manier are documented. In addition, 14 other trichomycetes previously reported from Atlantic Canada were recorded and these included both harpellid fungi and protists in the genus Paramoebidium. Insects from the orders Diptera, Ephemeroptera, and Plecoptera were all found to contain trichomycetes. Data on the frequency of occurrence and the habitat preference for some gut fungi are discussed.
Ordovician conodont biostratigraphy and redefinition of the age of lithostratigraphic units on northeastern Melville Peninsula, Nunavut
Authors: Zhang Shunxin
Published: June 2013

Northeastern Melville Peninsula, Nunavut, Canada, preserves the stratigraphic record of the northwestern margin of the Foxe Basin. The Ordovician sequence on the peninsula includes the Lower Ordovician Ship Point Formation and Upper Ordovician Frobisher Bay, Amadjuak, Akpatok, and Foster Bay formations. Their biostratigraphic ages and correlations are poorly understood; in particular it is unclear whether the organic-rich “Boas River Formation” exists on the peninsula. Following extensive sampling of these stratigraphic units, studies of numerous conodont elements from both outcrops and rubble at about 60 localities have established five conodont assemblages through the five lithostratigraphic units on the peninsula. Oepikodus communis – Jumudontus gananda Assemblage in the Ship Point Formation is correlated to the Reutterodus andinus Zone in the uppermost Ibexian, Lower Ordovician. The other four assemblages from the Upper Ordovician are as follows: Appalachignathus delicatulus – Polyplacognathus ramosus – Belodina confluens in the Frobisher Bay Formation correlated to lower B. confluens Zone in the upper Chatfieldian; Belodina confluens – Periodon grandis in the Amadjuak Formation to the upper B. confluens, Oulodus velicuspis, O. robustus, and lower Aphelognathus grandis zones from Edenian to lowest Richmondian; Amorphognathus ordovicicus – Plegagnathus and Rhipidognathus symmetricus – Aphelognathus cf. A. divergens in the Akpatok and Foster Bay formations to the lower and upper Richmondian. The biostratigraphy is combined with geographical information systems (GIS) and Google Earth technologies in estimating the thickness of Paleozoic strata, which reduces the likelihood of “Boas River Formation” existing on Melville Peninsula to minimum.
Genesis of dispersal plumes in till
Authors: Hooke Roger LeB. , Cummings Don I. , Lesemann Jerome-Etienne , Sharpe David R.
Published: June 2013

In regions formerly covered by continental ice, till sheets may contain distinctive clastic particles derived from local bedrock sources such as ore bodies. Such particles, especially in thicker tills, may be distributed in three-dimensional dispersal trains or plumes. Developments in our understanding of glacial erosion, entrainment, and deposition over the past two or three decades help clarify formation of these plumes. Much of the debris in the basal ice of ice sheets is likely incorporated at places where water is freezing onto the base of the ice sheet. This water, largely a product of melting of basal ice further upglacier, has migrated downglacier under the influence of a gradient in the hydraulic potential controlled primarily by the ice surface slope and secondarily by basal topography and thermal regime. Refreezing occurs over a substantial distance along flow, so as the ice moves away from an ore body, material eroded from the body is later elevated above the bed by refreezing of more meltwater, incorporating additional material derived from the country rock. Broadening and mixing of the plume, both vertically and horizontally, can occur by shear in the ice, by shifting ice flow directions, by collisions between particles, and by folding of basal ice layers. Further downflow, where net basal melting resumes, the debris is deposited by meltout or lodgement. Many idiosyncrasies of dispersal plumes are likely caused by non-steady-state changes in basal thermal regime.
Impacts of population and fishery spatial structures on fishery stock assessment
Authors: Guan Wenjiang , Cao Jie , Chen Yong , Cieri Matthew
Published: June 2013

Fish populations and fishing efforts in most fisheries exhibit spatial heterogeneity. However, spatial considerations are generally ignored in fishery stock assessment and management because of a lack of spatially explicit data and poor understanding of the spatial dynamics of most fisheries. This study uses a simulation approach to evaluate the consequences of misspecifying spatial structure and migration during the assessment process. We developed an operating model to simulate a fishery using US Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) as our model species. This population consists of two well-defined spawning substocks distributed and mixed in four management areas. Simulations were done for three alternative “true” populations, each having a different spatial structure both biologically and with regard to the geographic distribution of fishing effort. Stock assessments were then performed for the three simulated “true” populations using standard methodologies and assumptions currently used. Management-area-based assessments lead to overestimation of spawning stock biomass and underestimation of fishing mortality because of the interaction within the management area between the spatial structure of the population and that of the spatially heterogeneous fishery removals. In contrast, when fishing is spatially homogeneous, movement across management boundaries may not be relevant to modeling population dynamics. Such an idealized situation does not typically hold, however.
The trouble with salmon: relating pollutant exposure to toxic effect in species with transformational life histories and lengthy migrations
Authors: Ross P.S. , Kennedy C.J. , Shelley L.K. , Tierney K.B. , Patterson D.A. , Fairchild W.L. , Macdonald R.W.
Published: June 2013

The control of point-source contaminants and regulations designed for specific waste discharges have reduced incidents of fish kills. These actions, however, do not protect fish like salmon, which encounter many different contaminants during extensive migrations. Attempts to document pollutant-associated toxicity is challenging in migratory salmon, although a few laboratory and field studies have produced a convincing body of evidence that lifelong contaminant exposure can contribute to the demise of fish. The case of the decline of Fraser River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) in British Columbia, Canada, brought into sharp relief the difficulty of assigning a specific cause (e.g., climate, disease, or contaminants) to a diffuse problem (i.e., low fish returns). Determining the effects that pollutants have on wild salmon requires study designs that consider life history, habitat, and the real world of complex contaminant exposures. In the absence of evidence from such study designs, the future survival of salmon may hinge on the application by managers of the precautionary approach to stressors that are within immediate jurisdictional control, such as toxic chemicals.
THE COMPLEXITY OF COVERAGE
Authors: CHATTERJEE KRISHNENDU , ALFARO LUCA DE , MAJUMDAR RUPAK
Published: June 2013

We study the problem of generating a test sequence that achieves maximal coverage for a reactive system under test. We formulate the problem as a repeated game between the tester and the system, where the system state space is partitioned according to some coverage criterion and the objective of the tester is to maximize the set of partitions (or coverage goals) visited during the game. We show the complexity of the maximal coverage problem for non-deterministic systems is PSPACE-complete, but is NP-complete for deterministic systems. For the special case of non-deterministic systems with a re-initializing “reset” action, which represent running a new test input on a re-initialized system, we show that the complexity is coNP-complete. Our proof technique for reset games uses randomized testing strategies that circumvent the exponentially large memory requirement of deterministic testing strategies. We also discuss the memory requirement for deterministic strategies and extensions of our results to other models, such as pushdown systems and timed systems.
AUTOMATED TERMINATION IN MODEL-CHECKING MODULO THEORIES
Authors: CARIONI ALESSANDRO , GHILARDI SILVIO , RANISE SILVIO
Published: June 2013

We identify sufficient conditions to automatically establish the termination of a backward reachability procedure for infinite state systems by using well-quasi-orderings. Besides showing that backward reachability succeeds on many instances of problems covered by general termination results, we argue that it could predict termination also on interesting instances of the reachability problem that are outside the scope of applicability of such general results. We work in the declarative framework of Model Checking Modulo Theories that permits us to exploit recent advances in Satisfiability Modulo Theories solving and model-theoretic notions of first-order logic.
LOWER BOUNDS FOR THE LENGTH OF RESET WORDS IN EULERIAN AUTOMATA
Authors: GUSEV VLADIMIR V.
Published: June 2013

For each odd n ≥ 5 we present a synchronizing Eulerian automaton with n states for which the minimum length of reset words is equal to [Formula: see text]. We also discuss various connections between the reset threshold of a synchronizing automaton and a sequence of reachability properties in its underlying graph.
PERMANENCE IN NONAUTONOMOUS DISCRETE LOTKA–VOLTERRA n-SPECIES COMPETITIVE SYSTEMS WITH PURE-DELAYS AND FEEDBACK CONTROLS
Authors: MUHAMMADHAJI AHMADJAN , TENG ZHIDONG , NIE LINFEI
Published: June 2013

The paper discusses nonautonomous discrete Lotka–Volterra type n-species competitive systems with pure-delays and feedback controls. New sufficient conditions for which a part of the n-species remains permanent and others is driven to extinction are established by using the method of multiple discrete Lyapunov functionals and introducing new analysis technique. Our results show that the feedback controls cannot influence the permanence of species.
A FRACTAL APPROACH TO SPONTANEOUS IMBIBITION HEIGHT IN NATURAL POROUS MEDIA
Authors: YOU LIJUN , CAI JIANCHAO , KANG YILI , LUO LIANG
Published: June 2013

Spontaneous imbibition of wetting liquids in porous media is of great importance in many fields. In this paper, an analytical model for characterizing spontaneous imbibition height versus time in natural porous media was derived using fractal approach. The average imbibition height in porous media is in terms of porosity, fractal dimensions, maximum pore size and viscosity, surface tension and liquid–solid interactions. The developed model is consistent with previous results and is tested against available experimental data showing fair agreements.
MULTICONFIGURATION HARTREE–FOCK THEORY FOR PSEUDORELATIVISTIC SYSTEMS: THE TIME-DEPENDENT CASE
Authors: HAJAIEJ HICHEM , MARKOWICH PETER A. , TRABELSI SABER
Published: June 2013

In [Setting and analysis of the multi-configuration time-dependent Hartree–Fock equations, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal.198 (2010) 273–330] the third author has studied in collaboration with Bardos, Catto and Mauser the nonrelativistic multiconfiguration time-dependent Hartree–Fock system of equations arising in the modeling of molecular dynamics. In this paper, we extend the previous work to the case of pseudorelativistic atoms. We show the existence and the uniqueness of global-in-time solution to the underlying system under technical assumptions on the energy of the initial data and the charge of the nucleus. Moreover, we prove that the result can be extended to the case of neutron stars when the number of electrons is less than a critical number N cr .
AN ENGEL CONDITION WITH AUTOMORPHISMS FOR LEFT IDEALS
Authors: LIU CHENG-KAI
Published: June 2013

Let R be a prime ring and L a nonzero left ideal of R. For x, y ∈ R, we denote [x, y] = xy-yx the commutator of x and y. In this paper, we prove that if R admits a non-identity automorphism σ such that [[…[[σ(xn0), xn1], xn2], …], xnk] = 0 for all x ∈ L, where n0, n1, n2, …, nk are fixed positive integers, then R is commutative. The analogous results for semiprime rings and von Neumann algebras are also obtained.
SUPPORTING ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY FOR KNOWLEDGE BROKERS: EVIDENCE OF CANADIAN HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS
Authors: ZIAM SALIHA , LANDRY RÉJEAN , AMARA NABIL
Published: June 2013

The importance of using healthcare evidence by policy-makers is widely recognized [Lavis (2006), Ward et al. (2009)]. For over a decade, several strategies to improve the use of knowledge by policy-makers have been promoted [Landry et al. (2006); Amara et al. (2004)]. Among them, the use of individuals called "intermediaries" or "knowledge brokers" is presented as a potential strategy [Hargadon (2002); Lomas (2007)]. Situated at the organizational interface, these actors benefit from a strategic position allowing easier access to external knowledge [Cohen and Levinthal (1990)]. Therefore, they must develop good skills to be able to properly enjoy all opportunities to create value for their organization. In fact, many authors consider brokers as true knowledge integrators that assess, interpret, synthesize, exploit and transfer pertinent knowledge. Despite the presence of several studies that stress the importance of the multifaceted role of brokers, few have explored how these actors concretely integrate or absorb knowledge and especially, what skills are necessary for the success of their activities. The aims of this paper are: to propose a new conceptual model on research integration by knowledge brokers and to provide an empirical testing of this proposed model. The conceptual framework to be presented in this study builds on recent theoretical developments on the concept of knowledge absorptive capacity [Todorova and Durisin (2007)]. To test the conceptual framework, we collected survey data. The sample of 297 respondents was composed of professionals and managers involved at different levels of health services in Canada. To be eligible, respondents had to be engaged in knowledge brokering activities. Data analysis allowed presenting a first portrait of the profile of knowledge brokers working in health organizations in Canada. In this perspective, several descriptive analyses, such as the distribution of knowledge brokers according to their membership organizations, their status, education, experience, etc., were completed. Other confirmatory analyses with EQS were completed to confirm the theoretical validity of the dimensions of the broker's absorptive capacity. Finally, bivariate analyses were used with these dimensions to compare knowledge brokers regarding their absorptive capacity and the explanatory variables documented in the literature. In the last part of this paper, we discuss the implications of the results on the role of knowledge brokers regarding the use of evidence in health organizations and public policy.
UPPER AND LOWER BOUNDS FOR THE VOLUME OF A COMPACT SPACELIKE HYPERSURFACE IN A GENERALIZED ROBERTSON–WALKER SPACETIME
Authors: ALEDO JUAN ÁNGEL , ROMERO ALFONSO , RUBIO RAFAEL M.
Published: June 2013

We provide upper and lower bounds for the volume of a compact spacelike hypersurface in an (n + 1)-dimensional Generalized Robertson–Walker (GRW) spacetime in terms of the volume of the fiber, the hyperbolic angle function and the warping function. Under several geometrical and physical assumptions, we characterize the spacelike slices as the only spacelike hypersurfaces where these bounds are attained. As a consequence of these results, we get an upper bound for the first eigenvalue of a compact spacelike surface in a three-dimensional GRW spacetime whose fiber is a topological sphere, which includes the case of the three-dimensional De Sitter spacetime, and show that the bound is attained if and only if M is a spacelike slice.
THERMOMAGNETIC PROPERTIES OF RARE-EARTH REPLACEMENT CRITICAL MAGNETIC MATERIALS FROM DFT CALCULATION: MnBi AND MnSb
Authors: KIM SOO KYUNG , LI DONGSHENG , KHALEEL MOE A. , FERRIS KIM F. , GARMESTANI HAMID
Published: June 2013

MnBi has gained much attention as a replacement for critical rare earth magnetic material not only due to its strong magnetization and coercive power, but also because of its capability to retain magnetization at elevated temperatures while most other compounds decline. To investigate the origin of this temperature dependence, we have performed a series of first principles electronic structure calculations on the thermomagnetic properties of MnBi and compared it with MnSb , another ferromagnetic material with a strong magnetic energy product, same crystal structure at room temperature and similar Curie temperature. Three structural phases were considered in this study: NiAs -type ( B81 ), MnP -type ( B31 ) and a zincblende-type ( B3 ) structures. Calculated magnetizations demonstrated structural effects on temperature dependent magnetization. For the same NiAs -type structure, MnBi has a monotonic increase in magnetization with increasing temperature while MnSb decreases. In the other two structures, magnetization in MnBi and MnSb are much less sensitive to temperature. Results from this study suggest a structural design rule for the development of new MnBi related materials.
CYCLIC VISCOPLASTICITY OF SEMICRYSTALLINE POLYMERS WITH FINITE STRAINS: OBSERVATIONS AND CONSTITUTIVE MODELING
Authors: DROZDOV A. D. , DUSUNCELI N. , KLITKOU R. , CHRISTIANSEN J. deC.
Published: June 2013

Observations are reported on low density polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene in uniaxial tensile cyclic tests (oscillations between maximum elongation ratios k max and the zero minimum stress σmin with k max increasing monotonically with number of cycles). Constitutive equations are developed in cyclic viscoplasticity of semicrystalline polymers with finite strains. Adjustable parameters in the stress–strain relations are found by fitting the experimental data. Ability of the model to describe the characteristic features of the mechanical behavior and to predict the viscoplastic response in cyclic tests is confirmed by comparison of the results of numerical simulation with observations in additional tests.
Coefficient-Based Regression with Non-Identical Unbounded Sampling
Authors: Cai Jia
Published: June 2013

We investigate a coefficient-based least squares regression problem with indefinite kernels from non-identical unbounded sampling processes. Here non-identical unbounded sampling means the samples are drawn independently but not identically from unbounded sampling processes. The kernel is not necessarily symmetric or positive semi-definite. This leads to additional difficulty in the error analysis. By introducing a suitable reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) and a suitable intermediate integral operator, elaborate analysis is presented by means of a novel technique for the sample error. This leads to satisfactory results.
Effect of pH on the Characteristics of Cu2ZnSnS4Nanoparticles
Authors: Lydia R. , Sreedhara Reddy P.
Published: June 2013

We have investigated the effect of pH on the structural and optical properties of chemical coprecipitated Cu2ZnSnS4(CZTS) nanoparticles. The CZTS nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized at different pH values ranging from 6 to 9, keeping all other deposition parameters as constant. X-ray diffraction and Raman studies confirmed the Kesterite structure. The powders synthesized at a pH value of 8 exhibited preferred orientation along (112) and (220) with near stoichiometric ratio. The as synthesized nanoparticles exhibited direct band gap of 1.4 eV which is an optimum value for the absorber layer in the fabrication of photovoltaic cells.
Legionellosis and Lung Abscesses: Contribution ofLegionellaQuantitative Real-Time PCR to an Adapted Followup
Authors: Descours G. , Tellini C. , Flamens C. , Philit F. , Celard M. , Etienne J. , Lina G. , Jarraud S.
Published: June 2013

We report a case of severe Legionnaires' disease (LD) complicated by a lung abscess in an immunocompetent patient who required ECMO therapy and thoracic surgery. The results of repeatedLegionellaquantitative real-time PCR performed on both sera and respiratory samples correlated with the LD severity and the poor clinical outcome. Moreover, the PCR allowed for the detection ofLegionellaDNA in the lung abscess specimen, which was negative when cultured forLegionella. This case report provides a logical basis for further investigations to examine whether theLegionellaquantitative PCR could improve the assessment of LD severity and constitute a prognostic marker.
Maternal BMI, IGF-I Levels, and Birth Weight in African American and White Infants
Authors: Vidal Adriana C. , Murtha Amy P. , Murphy Susan K. , Fortner Kimberly , Overcash Francine , Henry Nikki , Schildkraut Joellen M. , Forman Michele R. , Demark-Wahnefried Wendy , Kurtzberg Joanne , Jirtle Randy , Hoyo Cathrine
Published: June 2013

At birth, elevated IGF-I levels have been linked to birth weight extremes; high birth weight and low birth weight are risk factors for adult-onset chronic diseases including obesity, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. We examined associations between plasma IGF-I levels and birth weight among infants born to African American and White obese and nonobese women. Prepregnancy weight and height were assessed among 251 pregnant women and anthropometric measurements of full term infants (≥37 weeks of gestation) were taken at birth. Circulating IGF-I was measured by ELISA in umbilical cord blood plasma. Linear regression models were utilized to examine associations between birth weight and high IGF-I, using the bottom two tertiles as referents. Compared with infants with lower IGF-I levels (≤3rd tertile), those with higher IGF-I levels (>3rd tertile) were 130 g heavier at birth, (β-coefficient=230,se=58.0,P=0.0001), after adjusting for gender, race/ethnicity, gestational age, delivery route, maternal BMI and smoking. Stratified analyses suggested that these associations are more pronounced in infants born to African American women and women with BMI ≥30 kg/m2; the cross product term for IGF-I and maternal BMI was statistically significant (P≤0.0004). Our findings suggest that the association between IGF-I levels and birth weight depends more on maternal obesity than African American race/ethnicity.
Magnetofection: A Reproducible Method for Gene Delivery to Melanoma Cells
Authors: Prosen Lara , Prijic Sara , Music Branka , Lavrencak Jaka , Cemazar Maja , Sersa Gregor
Published: June 2013

Magnetofection is a nanoparticle-mediated approach for transfection of cells, tissues, and tumors. Specific interest is in using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) as delivery system of therapeutic genes. Magnetofection has already been described in some proof-of-principle studies; however, fine tuning of the synthesis of SPIONs is necessary for its broader application. Physicochemical properties of SPIONs, synthesized by the co-precipitation in an alkaline aqueous medium, were tested after varying different parameters of the synthesis procedure. The storage time of iron(II) sulfate salt, the type of purified water, and the synthesis temperature did not affect physicochemical properties of SPIONs. Also, varying the parameters of the synthesis procedure did not influence magnetofection efficacy. However, for the pronounced gene expression encoded by plasmid DNA it was crucial to functionalize poly(acrylic) acid-stabilized SPIONs (SPIONs-PAA) with polyethyleneimine (PEI) without the adjustment of its elementary alkaline pH water solution to the physiological pH. In conclusion, the co-precipitation of iron(II) and iron(III) sulfate salts with subsequent PAA stabilization, PEI functionalization, and plasmid DNA binding is a robust method resulting in a reproducible and efficient magnetofection. To achieve high gene expression is important, however, the pH of PEI water solution for SPIONs-PAA functionalization, which should be in the alkaline range.
Inflammation and Oxidative Stress in Diabetic Nephropathy: New Insights on Its Inhibition as New Therapeutic Targets
Authors: Mima Akira
Published: June 2013

Diabetes and insulin resistance can greatly increase microvascular complications of diabetes including diabetic nephropathy (DN). Hyperglycemic control in diabetes is key to preventing the development and progression of DN. However, it is clinically very difficult to achieve normal glucose control in individual diabetic patients. Many factors are known to contribute to the development of DN. These include diet, age, lifestyle, or obesity. Further, inflammatory- or oxidative-stress-induced basis for DN has been gaining interest. Although anti-inflammatory or antioxidant drugs can show benefits in rodent models of DN, negative evidence from large clinical studies indicates that more effective anti-inflammatory and antioxidant drugs need to be studied to clear this question. In addition, our recent report showed that potential endogenous protective factors could decrease inflammation and oxidative stress, showing great promise for the treatment of DN.
Evidence-Based Cerebral Vasospasm Surveillance
Authors: Kistka Heather , Dewan Michael C. , Mocco J.
Published: June 2013

Subarachnoid hemorrhage related to aneurysmal rupture (aSAH) carries significant morbidity and mortality, and its treatment is focused on preventing secondary injury. The most common—and devastating—complication is delayed cerebral ischemia resulting from vasospasm. In this paper, the authors review the various surveillance technologies available to detect cerebral vasospasm in the days following aSAH. First, evidence related to the most common modalities, including transcranial doppler ultrasonography and computed tomography, are reviewed. Continuous electroencephalography and older instruments such as positron emission tomography, xenon-enhanced CT, and single-photon emission computed tomography are also discussed. Invasive strategies including brain tissue oxygen monitoring, microdialysis, thermal diffusion, and jugular bulb oximetry are examined. Lastly, near-infrared spectroscopy, a recent addition to the field, is briefly reviewed. Each surveillance tool carries its own set of advantages and limitations, and the concomitant use of multiple modalities serves to improve diagnostic sensitivity and specificity.