bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Lesion-Induced Alterations in Astrocyte Glutamate Transporter Expression and Function in the Hippocampus
Authors: Schreiner Alexandra E. , Berlinger Eric , Langer Julia , Kafitz Karl W. , Rose Christine R.
Published: September 2013

Astrocytes express the sodium-dependent glutamate transporters GLAST and GLT-1, which are critical to maintain low extracellular glutamate concentrations. Here, we analyzed changes in their expression and function following a mechanical lesion in the CA1 area of organotypic hippocampal slices. 6-7 days after lesion, a glial scar had formed along the injury site, containing strongly activated astrocytes with increased GFAP and S100β immunoreactivity, enlarged somata, and reduced capability for uptake of SR101. Astrocytes in the scar’s periphery were swollen as well, but showed only moderate upregulation of GFAP and S100β and efficiently took up SR101. In the scar, clusters of GLT-1 and GLAST immunoreactivity colocalized with GFAP-positive fibers. Apart from these, GLT-1 immunoreactivity declined with increasing distance from the scar, whereas GLAST expression appeared largely uniform. Sodium imaging in reactive astrocytes indicated that glutamate uptake was strongly reduced in the scar but maintained in the periphery. Our results thus show that moderately reactive astrocytes in the lesion periphery maintain overall glutamate transporter expression and function. Strongly reactive astrocytes in the scar, however, display clusters of GLAST and GLT-1 immunoreactivity together with reduced glutamate transport activity. This reduction might contribute to increased extracellular glutamate concentrations and promote excitotoxic cell damage at the lesion site.
Hardy-Type Inequalities on Time Scale via Convexity in Several Variables
Authors: Donchev Tzanko , Nosheen Ammara , Pečarić Josip
Published: September 2013

We extend some Hardy-type inequalities with general kernels to arbitrary time scales using multivariable convex functions. Some classical and new inequalities are deduced seeking applications.
An Enhancement of AODV with Multi-Radio in Hybrid Wireless Mesh Network
Authors: Alrayes Mohammad Meftah , Biswash Sanjay Kumar , Tyagi Neeraj , Tripathi Rajeev , Misra Arun Kumar , Jain Sanjeev
Published: September 2013

AODV-MR (on-demand routing protocol with multi-radio extension) has been designed to support multi-radio interfaces; it uses more than one interface of the same mesh router or gateways for broadcasting duplicated control packets (i.e., RREQ, RRER, and HELLO message) or to rebroadcast it. We have modified AODV-MR, by allocating one interface in a dynamic manner for sending routing/control packets or data packets. This allocation of interfaces is based on type of mesh routers and traffic direction. The efficiency and effectiveness of the modification work have been evaluated compared with AODV-MR in terms of packet delivery ratio, routing packet overhead, end to end delay, and throughput.
Florid Cementoosseous Dysplasia: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Şentürk Mehmet Fatih , Kestane Recep , Yakar Elif Naz , Keskin Ahmet
Published: September 2013

Florid cementoosseous dysplasia (FCOD) is a rare, benign, fibroosseous, and multifocal dysplastic lesion of the jaw that consists of cellular fibrous connective tissue with bone and cementum-like tissue. FCOD is most commonly found in middle-aged black women, is generally asymptomatic, and is usually detected during radiological examination. FCOD associated with multiple impacted teeth and bone expansion is a very rare phenomenon, and there are only a few familial cases reported in the literature. In this report, a 35-year-old male Turkish patient is presented who was diagnosed with nonfamilial FCOD from clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings. To our knowledge this is the first case of the nonfamilial FCOD with this many impacted teeth and severely expanded bones.
Induction of Eosinophilic Esophagitis by Sublingual Pollen Immunotherapy
Authors: Miehlke Stephan , Alpan Oral , Schröder Sören , Straumann Alex
Published: September 2013

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) is increasingly investigated and utilized for the treatment of food and pollen allergies. Previous case reports suggested that eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) might develop as a long-term complication in children after completion of oral immunotherapy. Here, we describe a 44-year-old female with a medical history of pollinosis who for the first time in her life developed complete manifestation of EoE (peak eosinophils 164/high power field) 4 weeks after initiation of SLIT using specific soluble allergens (hazelnut, birch, alder) according to previous specific serum IgE testing. After discontinuation of SLIT, EoE resolved completely within 4 weeks without any other medical intervention. During a follow-up of 12 months the patient remained free of any esophageal symptoms. This is the first case report demonstrating a close and therefore likely causative association between pollen SLIT and EoE in an adult patient.
Atrial Fibrillation Patterns and Risks of Subsequent Stroke, Heart Failure, or Death in the Community
Authors: Lubitz Steven A. , Moser Carlee , Sullivan Lisa , Rienstra Michiel , Fontes João D. , Villalon Mark L. , Pai Manju , McManus David D. , Schnabel Renate B. , Magnani Jared W. , Yin Xiaoyan , Levy Daniel , Pencina Michael J. , Larson Martin G. , Ellinor Patrick T. , Benjamin Emelia J.
Published: September 2013

Background

Atrial fibrillation (
AF
) patterns and their relations with long‐term prognosis are uncertain, partly because pattern definitions are challenging to implement in longitudinal data sets. We developed a novel
AF
classification algorithm and examined
AF
patterns and outcomes in the community.

Methods and Results

We characterized
AF
patterns between 1980 and 2005 among Framingham Heart Study participants who survived ≥1 year after diagnosis. We classified participants based on their pattern within the first 2 years after detection as having
AF
without recurrence, recurrent
AF
, or sustained
AF
. We examined associations between
AF
patterns and 10‐year survival using proportional hazards regression. Among 612 individuals with
AF
, mean age was 72.5±10.8 years, and 53% were men. Of these, 478 participants had ≥2 electrocardiograms (median, 3; limits 2 to 23) within 2 years after initial
AF
and were classified as having
AF
without 2‐year recurrence (n=63, 10%), recurrent
AF
(n=162, 26%) or sustained
AF
(n=207, 34%), although some (n=46, 8%) were indeterminate. Of 432 classified participants, 363 died, 75 had strokes, and 110 were diagnosed with heart failure during the next 10 years. Relative to individuals without
AF
recurrence, the multivariable‐adjusted mortality was higher among people with recurrent
AF
(hazard ratio [
HR
], 2.04; 95% confidence interval [
CI
], 1.26 to 3.29) and sustained
AF
(
HR
, 2.36; 95%
CI
, 1.49 to 3.75).

Conclusions

In our community‐based
AF
sample, only 10% had
AF
without early‐term (2‐year) recurrence. Compared with individuals without 2‐year
AF
recurrences, the 10‐year prognosis was worse for individuals with either sustained or recurrent
AF
. Our proposed
AF
classification algorithm may be applicable in longitudinal datas ets.
Subliminal Semantic Priming Changes the Dynamic Causal Influence between the Left Frontal and Temporal Cortex
Authors: Matsumoto Atsushi , Kakigi Ryusuke
Published: September 2013

Recent neuroimaging experiments have revealed that subliminal priming of a target stimulus leads to the reduction of neural activity in specific regions concerned with processing the target. Such findings lead to questions about the degree to which the subliminal priming effect is based only on decreased activity in specific local brain regions, as opposed to the influence of neural mechanisms that regulate communication between brain regions. To address this question, this study recorded EEG during performance of a subliminal semantic priming task. We adopted an information-based approach that used independent component analysis and multivariate autoregressive modeling. Results indicated that subliminal semantic priming caused significant modulation of alpha band activity in the left inferior frontal cortex and modulation of gamma band activity in the left inferior temporal regions. The multivariate autoregressive approach confirmed significant increases in information flow from the inferior frontal cortex to inferior temporal regions in the early time window that was induced by subliminal priming. In the later time window, significant enhancement of bidirectional causal flow between these two regions underlying subliminal priming was observed. Results suggest that unconscious processing of words influences not only local activity of individual brain regions but also the dynamics of neural communication between those regions.
Unconscious Automatic Brain Activation of Acoustic and Action-related Conceptual Features during Masked Repetition Priming
Authors: Trumpp Natalie M. , Traub Felix , Pulvermüller Friedemann , Kiefer Markus
Published: September 2013

Classical theories of semantic memory assume that concepts are represented in a unitary amodal memory system. In challenging this classical view, pure or hybrid modality-specific theories propose that conceptual representations are grounded in the sensory–motor brain areas, which typically process sensory and action-related information. Although neuroimaging studies provided evidence for a functional–anatomical link between conceptual processing of sensory or action-related features and the sensory–motor brain systems, it has been argued that aspects of such sensory–motor activation may not directly reflect conceptual processing but rather strategic imagery or postconceptual elaboration. In the present ERP study, we investigated masked effects of acoustic and action-related conceptual features to probe unconscious automatic conceptual processing in isolation. Subliminal feature-specific ERP effects at frontocentral electrodes were observed, which differed with regard to polarity, topography, and underlying brain electrical sources in congruency with earlier findings under conscious viewing conditions. These findings suggest that conceptual acoustic and action representations can also be unconsciously accessed, thereby excluding any postconceptual strategic processes. This study therefore further substantiates a grounding of conceptual and semantic processing in action and perception.
Reaction Time for Object Categorization Is Predicted by Representational Distance
Authors: Carlson Thomas A. , Ritchie J. Brendan , Kriegeskorte Nikolaus , Durvasula Samir , Ma Junsheng
Published: September 2013

How does the brain translate an internal representation of an object into a decision about the object's category? Recent studies have uncovered the structure of object representations in inferior temporal cortex (IT) using multivariate pattern analysis methods. These studies have shown that representations of individual object exemplars in IT occupy distinct locations in a high-dimensional activation space, with object exemplar representations clustering into distinguishable regions based on category (e.g., animate vs. inanimate objects). In this study, we hypothesized that a representational boundary between category representations in this activation space also constitutes a decision boundary for categorization. We show that behavioral RTs for categorizing objects are well described by our activation space hypothesis. Interpreted in terms of classical and contemporary models of decision-making, our results suggest that the process of settling on an internal representation of a stimulus is itself partially constitutive of decision-making for object categorization.
Polymorphisms in the Dopamine Receptor 2 Gene Region Influence Improvements during Working Memory Training in Children and Adolescents
Authors: Söderqvist Stina , Matsson Hans , Peyrard-Janvid Myriam , Kere Juha , Klingberg Torkel
Published: September 2013

Studying the effects of cognitive training can lead to finding better treatments, but it can also be a tool for investigating factors important for brain plasticity and acquisition of cognitive skills. In this study, we investigated how single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and ratings of intrinsic motivation were associated to interindividual differences in improvement during working memory training. The study included 256 children aged 7–19 years who were genotyped for 13 SNPs within or near eight candidate genes previously implicated in learning: COMT, SLC6A3 (DAT1), DRD4, DRD2, PPP1R1B (DARPP32), MAOA, LMX1A, and BDNF. Ratings on the intrinsic motivation inventory were also available for 156 of these children. All participants performed at least 20 sessions of working memory training, and performance during the training was logged and used as the outcome variable. We found that two SNPs, rs1800497 and rs2283265, located near and within the dopamine receptor 2 (DRD2) gene, respectively, were significantly associated with improvements during training (p < .003 and p < .0004, respectively). Scores from a questionnaire regarding intrinsic motivation did not correlate with training outcome. However, we observed both the main effect of genotype at those two loci as well as the interaction between genotypes and ratings of intrinsic motivation (perceived competence). Both SNPs have previously been shown to affect DRD2 receptor density primarily in the BG. Our results suggest that genetic variation is accounting for some interindividual differences in how children acquire cognitive skills and that part of this effect is also seen on intrinsic motivation. Moreover, they suggest that dopamine D2 transmission in the BG is a key factor for cognitive plasticity.
Formation and Regulation of Dynamic Patterns in Two-Dimensional Spiking Neural Circuits with Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity
Authors: Palmer John H. C. , Gong Pulin
Published: September 2013

Spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) is an important synaptic dynamics that is capable of shaping the complex spatiotemporal activity of neural circuits. In this study, we examine the effects of STDP on the spatiotemporal patterns of a spatially extended, two-dimensional spiking neural circuit. We show that STDP can promote the formation of multiple, localized spiking wave patterns or multiple spike timing sequences in a broad parameter space of the neural circuit. Furthermore, we illustrate that the formation of these dynamic patterns is due to the interaction between the dynamics of ongoing patterns in the neural circuit and STDP. This interaction is analyzed by developing a simple model able to capture its essential dynamics, which give rise to symmetry breaking. This occurs in a fundamentally self-organizing manner, without fine-tuning of the system parameters. Moreover, we find that STDP provides a synaptic mechanism to learn the paths taken by spiking waves and modulate the dynamics of their interactions, enabling them to be regulated. This regulation mechanism has error-correcting properties. Our results therefore highlight the important roles played by STDP in facilitating the formation and regulation of spiking wave patterns that may have crucial functional roles in brain information processing.
A Biological Gradient Descent for Prediction Through a Combination of STDP and Homeostatic Plasticity
Authors: Galtier Mathieu N. , Wainrib Gilles
Published: September 2013

Identifying, formalizing, and combining biological mechanisms that implement known brain functions, such as prediction, is a main aspect of research in theoretical neuroscience. In this letter, the mechanisms of spike-timing-dependent plasticity and homeostatic plasticity, combined in an original mathematical formalism, are shown to shape recurrent neural networks into predictors. Following a rigorous mathematical treatment, we prove that they implement the online gradient descent of a distance between the network activity and its stimuli. The convergence to an equilibrium, where the network can spontaneously reproduce or predict its stimuli, does not suffer from bifurcation issues usually encountered in learning in recurrent neural networks.
Spontaneous Slow Oscillations and Sequential Patterns Due to Short-Term Plasticity in a Model of the Cortex
Authors: Leleu Timothée , Aihara Kazuyuki
Published: September 2013

We study a realistic model of a cortical column taking into account short-term plasticity between pyramidal cells and interneurons. The simulation of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons shows that low-frequency oscillations emerge spontaneously as a result of intrinsic network properties. These oscillations are composed of prolonged phases of high and low activity reminiscent of cortical up and down states, respectively. We simplify the description of the network activity by using a mean field approximation and reduce the system to two slow variables exhibiting some relaxation oscillations. We identify two types of slow oscillations. When the combination of dynamic synapses between pyramidal cells and those between interneurons accounts for the generation of these slow oscillations, the end of the up phase is characterized by asynchronous fluctuations of the membrane potentials. When the slow oscillations are mainly driven by the dynamic synapses between interneurons, the network exhibits fluctuations of membrane potentials, which are more synchronous at the end than at the beginning of the up phase. Additionally, finite size effect and slow synaptic currents can modify the irregularity and frequency, respectively, of these oscillations. Finally, we consider possible roles of a slow oscillatory input modeling long-range interactions in the brain. Spontaneous slow oscillations of local networks are modulated by the oscillatory input, which induces, notably, synchronization, subharmonic synchronization, and chaotic relaxation oscillations in the mean field approximation. In the case of forced oscillations, the slow population-averaged activity of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons can have both deterministic and stochastic temporal features. We discuss the possibility that long-range connectivity controls the emergence of slow sequential patterns in local populations due to the tendency of a cortical column to oscillate at low frequency.
Spider and Fly: The Leninist Philosophy of Georg Lukács
Authors: Le Blanc Paul
Published: September 2013

Abstract

From 1919 to 1929, the great Hungarian Marxist philosopher Georg Lukács was one of the leaders of the Hungarian Communist Party, immersed not simply in theorising but also in significant practical-political work. Along with labour leader Jenö Landler, he led a faction opposing an ultra-left sectarian orientation represented by Béla Kun (at that time also associated with Comintern chairman Zinoviev, later aligning himself with Stalin).

If seen in connection with this factional struggle, key works of Lukács in this period – History and Class Consciousness (1923), Lenin: A Study in the Unity of His Thought (1924), Tailism and the Dialectic (1926) and ‘The Blum Theses’ (1929) – can be seen as forming a consistent, coherent, sophisticated variant of Leninism. Influential readings of these works interpret them as being ultra-leftist or proto-Stalinist (or, in the case of ‘The Blum Theses’, an anticipation of the Popular Front perspectives adopted by the Communist International in 1935). Such readings distort the reality. Lukács’s orientation and outlook of 1923–9 are, rather, more consistent with the orientation advanced by Lenin and Trotsky in the Third and Fourth Congresses of the Communist International.

After his decisive political defeat, Lukács concluded that it was necessary to renounce his distinctive political orientation, and completely abandon the terrain of practical revolutionary politics, if he hoped to remain inside the Communist movement. This he did, adapting to Stalinism and shifting his efforts to literary criticism and philosophy. But the theorisations connected to his revolutionary politics of the 1920s continue to have relevance for revolutionary activists of the twenty-first century.
Contribution to the knowledge of the bryophyte flora of Ecuador
Authors: SCHÄFER-VERWIMP A. , LEHNERT M. , NEBEL M.
Published: September 2013

Fifty species, one subspecies and one variety of liverworts, as well as three species and one variety of mosses are newly reported for the bryophyte flora of Ecuador, based on extensive fieldwork in 2011 and 2012. 371 new province records of liverworts and 5 of hornworts are increasing the number of liverwort and hornwort state records from 1744 to 2120.
The Oriental lanternfly genus Scamandra: new species and taxonomical notes (Hemiptera: Fulgoromorpha: Fulgoridae)
Authors: CONSTANT JEROME
Published: September 2013

Three new species and one new subspecies are described: Scamandra lumawigi sp. n. (Luzon, Philippines), S. huangi sp. n. (Taliabu Island off Sulawesi), S. vanvyvei sp. n. (Sulawesi) and S. vanvyvei pelengana ssp. n. (Peleng Island off Sulawesi). The status of Scamandra mucorea Gerstaecker, 1895 is revised and the species is no more considered a subspecies of S. hermione Stål, 1864. The new name Scamandra stanjakli Constant, 2013 is proposed to replace S. jakli Chew Kea Foo et al., 2010 which is a junior homonym of S. jakli Rolcík, 2008. Male genitalia are illustrated for S. huangi, S. hermione, S. lumawigi, S. mucorea and S. jakli. Habitus illustrations are provided for all species except S. stanjakli. New distribution records are given for S. mucorea and S. stanjakli.
Description of the male, larva and nymphal stages of Cryptocellus iaci (Arachnida, Ricinulei), with an overview of tarsal sensilla and other integumental structures
Authors: SALVATIERRA LIDIANNE , TOURINHO ANA LÚCIA , GIRIBET GONZALO
Published: September 2013

The male, larva and nymphal stages of Cryptocellus iaci Tourinho, Lo Man-Hung & Bonaldo, 2010, a species previously known only from a single female, are described based on specimens from around the type locality, in an area of both Terra Firme forest and igapó (flooded forests), at the Jufari River, Roraima State, Brazil. The specimens were illustrated using live photography, stereomicroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, allowing us to examine and describe the large diversity of tarsal sensilla and other integumental structures in Cryptocellus and to compare them to those of the previously studied Pseudocellus. Based on the male somatic characters Cryptocellus iaci is placed in the foedus species-group. Cryptocellus iaci has two sensilla of type 1 on the distal tarsomeres of legs III (DT III), while only one has been reported for Pseudocellus spp., suggesting a potential value in this type of character for systematic studies of the group.
A new species of Homonota (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae) endemic to the hills of Paraje Tres Cerros, Corrientes Province, Argentina
Authors: CAJADE RODRIGO , ETCHEPARE EDUARDO GABRIEL , FALCIONE CAMILA , BARRASSO DIEGO ANDRÉS , ALVAREZ BLANCA BEATRIZ
Published: September 2013

The genus Homonota comprises nine South American species of terrestrial and nocturnal lizards. Homonota lizards lack the femoral pores typical of other South American Phyllodactylidae, and their infradigital lamellas are not expanded. We here describe a new species, Homonota taragui sp. nov., exclusively found on a small group of three hills up to 179 meters above sea level in central eastern Corrientes Province, Argentina. The new species differs from other Homonota species by a combination of characters, including: a well-marked dorsal, reticulate, dark pattern contrasting with a lighter colored background; small, star-shaped chromatophores on the abdomen; the post-orbital region of the head covered by granular scales; the dorsal and anterior regions of the thighs covered by keeled scales interspersed with cycloid scales; and the internasal scale in contact with rostral scales. The conservation status of Homonota taragui sp. nov. may be vulnerable, due to its localized endemism with populations on three small hills surrounded by intense agricultural and livestock activity. Two endemic plant species are known from these hills, and this new lizard represents the first endemic animal species.
Can Southern Ocean Eddy Effects Be Parameterized in Climate Models?
Authors: Bryan Frank O. , Gent Peter R. , Tomas Robert
Published: September 2013

Present-day control and 1% yr−1 increasing carbon dioxide runs have been made using two versions of the Community Climate System Model, version 3.5. One uses the standard versions of the ocean and sea ice components where the horizontal resolution is 1° and the effects of mesoscale eddies are parameterized, and the second uses a resolution of 1/10° where the eddies are resolved. This is the first time the parameterization has been tested in a climate change run compared to an eddy-resolving run. The comparison is made not straightforward by the fact that the two control run climates are not the same, especially in their sea ice distributions. The focus is on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current region, where the effects of eddies are of leading order. The conclusions are that many of the differences in the two carbon dioxide transient forcing runs can be explained by the different control run sea ice distributions around Antarctica, but there are some quantitative differences in the meridional overturning circulation, poleward heat transport, and zonally averaged heat uptake when the eddies are parameterized rather than resolved.
A Framework for Interpreting Regularized State Estimation
Authors: Sugiura Nozomi , Masuda Shuhei , Fujii Yosuke , Kamachi Masafumi , Ishikawa Yoichi , Awaji Toshiyuki
Published: September 2013

Four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-Var) on a seasonal-to-interdecadal time scale under the existence of unstable modes can be viewed as an optimization problem of synchronized, coupled chaotic systems. The problem is tackled by adjusting initial conditions to bring all stable modes closer to observations and by using a continuous guide to direct unstable modes toward a reference time series. This interpretation provides a consistent and effective procedure for solving problems of long-term state estimation. By applying this approach to an ocean general circulation model with a parameterized vertical diffusion procedure, it is demonstrated that tangent linear and adjoint models in this framework should have no unstable modes and hence be suitable for tracking persistent signals. This methodology is widely applicable to extend the assimilation period in 4D-Var.
Design optimization of fiber-reinforced laminates for maximum fatigue life
Authors: Ertas Ahmet H , Sonmez Fazil O
Published: September 2013

Composite structures are usually subjected to fluctuating loads in service leading to fatigue failure. Because it is one of the main failure modes, fatigue behavior of composites has been extensively studied to be able to design fatigue-resistant composite structures. However, little attention has been paid to their design optimization under fatigue loading. In this study, a methodology is proposed to find the optimum fiber orientation angles of composite laminates under various in-plane loads to achieve maximum fatigue life. Fawaz–Ellyin’s model is used to predict the fatigue life of the laminates. A variant of simulated annealing algorithm is used as the search algorithm in the optimization procedure. A number of problems are solved to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Actorness and effectiveness in international disaster relief: The European Union and United States in comparative perspective
Authors: Brattberg Erik , Rhinard Mark
Published: September 2013

This article examines the role of the European Union (EU) and United States as actors in international disaster relief. We take the analysis of ‘actorness’ one step further than normal by assessing the extent to which different aspects of EU and US actorness led to effectiveness in actual outcomes. In doing so, we make two contributions. First, we provide a rare comparison between EU and US foreign policy actorness, shedding light on the actor capability of each bloc in the area of international disaster relief. Second, we specify the relationship between actorness and effectiveness, a relationship which is too often assumed rather than explored. Using previous research of EU and US actorness as a starting point, we link four aspects of actorness to effectiveness and assess the resulting hypotheses using the case of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. We find support for our proposed links between actorness and effectiveness, although further research is needed before robust conclusions can be drawn.
Between EU actorness and aid effectiveness: The logics of EU aid to Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Carbone Maurizio
Published: September 2013

This article argues that, by acting autonomously and cohesively, the European Union (EU) was able to shape the global agenda on foreign aid throughout the 2000s, particularly on the issue of donor complementarity and division of labour. By contrast, its ability to promote aid effectiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa was significantly constrained by national aid bureaucracies and by the complex aid architecture. More generally, to fully understand whether or not the EU is an effective actor, it is necessary to take into account how EU actorness contributes to the issue being discussed. At headquarter level, the European Commission sought to enhance EU actorness, which was seen as key to aid effectiveness. On the ground, national aid bureaucracies resisted EU actorness in the name of aid effectiveness.
The European Union at the Copenhagen climate negotiations: A case of contested EU actorness and effectiveness
Authors: Groen Lisanne , Niemann Arne
Published: September 2013

This article analyses the extent of European Union (EU) actorness and effectiveness at the 15th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP) meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009. Although the EU has been characterised as a leader in international climate policy-making for some time, the COP 15 meeting in Copenhagen has overall brought about disappointing outcomes for the Union. This casts doubts on EU actorness and effectiveness in this field. We take the article by Jupille and Caporaso as a conceptual point of departure and then specify a more parsimonious actorness framework that consists of coherence and autonomy. Effectiveness is conceptualised as the result of actorness conditioned by the ‘opportunity structure’, that is, the external context that enables or constrains EU actions. We hold that EU actorness was only moderate, especially given somewhat limited coherence. In terms of the opportunity structure, we argue that the strong involvement of other important actors with rather different positions adversely impacted on EU effectiveness, along with a high degree of politicisation that constrained the European Union’s ability to negotiate effectively.
Robust supervisory control for avoiding deadlocks in automated manufacturing systems with one specified unreliable resource
Authors: Yue Hao , Xing Keyi
Published: September 2013

The design of supervisory controllers to resolve any deadlock issue in automated manufacturing systems (AMSs) has attracted the efforts of many researchers. A great deal of work, which assumes that allocated resources do not fail, has been done, while only a few works pay attention to the existence of unreliable resources in AMSs. In this paper, we focus on the robust supervisory control for avoiding deadlocks in AMSs, each of which has one specified unreliable resource. We develop a robust supervisory control policy under which the system can continue producing without manual intervention in the face of the unreliable resource’s failure and recovery. Our policy consists of a modified Banker’s Algorithm and the available resource constraints. After proving the correctness of our policy, we show that there are more reachable states under our policy than the existing one. Therefore, our policy imposes less restrictive constraints on the system and is more permissive than the original one. Finally, an example is provided to illustrate our control policy’s advantage in permissiveness.
Local Governments in Multilevel Systems
Authors: Agranoff Robert
Published: September 2013

In this article, the local government (LG) administrative implications of the movement from government to governance, involving multiple ties and externalized services operations, are examined from a cross-national perspective. Derived from a series of studies of LGs in multilevel systems, this article examines key patterns of cross-agency administration. First, administrative intergovernmental relations (IGR) are defined. Then common trends in local governments in their IGR arenas are identified. Next, changing managerial paradigms in outward as well as inward directions are introduced. Then a series of managerial challenges, including system development, IGR politics, collaborative knowledge development, network management, and interoperability are introduced. A research agenda for multilevel system local governments in IGR in the governance era concludes the article.
Questioning generosity in the golden age of philanthropy
Authors: Hay Iain , Muller Samantha
Published: September 2013

This is the golden age of philanthropy. Over the 55-year period 1998–2052, bequests to charity in the USA alone are estimated to be between $109 and $454 billion per year. This paper exhorts geographers to give critical attention to less-than-charitable consequences of the so-called ‘new philanthropy’ among the super-rich. It sets out a number of areas that appear to warrant critical geographical inquiry, including: bonds between philanthropic engagement and place; diaspora philanthropy; jurisdictional taxation arrangements favouring the wealthy and super-rich; characteristics of culturally variegated philanthropy; and philanthropy’s geographical links with spaces of exploitation and territories of guilt.
Precarious geopolitics and the possibilities of nonviolence
Authors: Woon Chih Yuan
Published: September 2013

This paper examines the deployment of nonviolence within critical geopolitics. It contends that geographers’ engagements with nonviolence lack grounding, often sliding towards ethical appeals for people’s responsive commitments. Building on Judith Butler’s notion of ‘precarious lives’, I underscore the emotional impetuses through which nonviolence can be harnessed as a concrete pathway for social change. ‘Precarious geopolitics’ as I call it, represents a geopolitics that is sensitive and sympathetic to the claims of nonviolence and a subdiscipline that can seize the opportune juncture truly to reposition itself as one of the arts of peace.
Synthesis and characterization of silane-grafted polyphenylene sulfide
Authors: Di Xinjun , Fang Li , Lin Qunfang , Zhang Ting , Zhou Xiaodong
Published: September 2013

A novel polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) modified by silane grafting and water cross-linking technology has been prepared using suspension grafting. Fourier transform infrared and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopic spectra demonstrated the achievement of silane grafting and subsequent water cross-linking. The grafting degree could be adjusted by altering the silane/PPS molar ratio, reaction temperature, reaction time, and so on. Wide angle x-ray diffraction analysis showed that the crystallinity and crystal size of the modified PPS decreased with increase in the grafting degree. Differential scanning calorimeter results also confirmed that the crystallinity and crystallization temperature decreased with the increase in the grafting degree. The silane-grafted PPS exhibited two weight loss stages in thermogravimetric curves, and the initial thermal decomposition temperature was much higher than the processing temperature. Therefore, the silane-grafted PPS is thermally stable enough to be used as a high-performance polymer and polymer matrix for structural applications. The extent of silane grafting plays a key role in the improvement of the impact toughness of the silane-grafted PPS. With the increasing silane grafting degree, the impact strength of the silane-grafted PPS/neat PPS blends obviously increased.
Optimization of machining parameters to minimize vibration amplitude while machining Al 6063 using gray-based Taguchi method
Authors: Sivasakthivel PS , Sudhakaran R , Rajeswari S
Published: September 2013

Vibration during end milling causes a destructive effect: it produces poor surface finish, accelerates tool wear and reduces tool life. This article presents the use of Taguchi method–based gray relational analysis to optimize the machining parameters such as helix angle of cutting tool, cutting speed, feed rate, axial depth of cut and radial depth of cut for reduced vibration amplitude in end milling operation. L25 Taguchi orthogonal design was employed for conducting the experiments. The experiments were conducted on aluminum Al 6063 by high-speed steel end mill cutter, and acceleration amplitude was measured using fast Fourier transform analyzer. The online signals recorded for vibration amplitude picked by accelerometer at two positions: one fixed in the spindle (channel I) and another fixed in the workpiece fixture (channel II). Signal-to-noise ratio and analysis of variance were employed to determine the optimum levels. Gray relational grade was used to optimize machining parameters by considering both responses at a time.
Optimization of the effect of welding heat input on the microstructure and mechanical properties of submerged arc welded joints by fuzzy-based multiobjective threshold acceptance algorithm
Authors: Roy Joydeep , Majumder Arindam , Saha Subhash C , Rai Ram N
Published: September 2013

This article investigates the influence of welding heat input on the microstructure, hardness, ultimate tensile strength and toughness of submerged arc welding of plain carbon steel. An attempt was also made to find an optimal welding heat input conditions using Fuzzy logic–based multiobjective threshold acceptance algorithm. Phase analysis of weldments was evaluated at different welding conditions varying from 7.806 to 17.955 kJ/cm. Results revealed that the percentage of ferrite increases with the heat but pearlite percentage decreases and significant grain coarsening was observed in weld zone. Mechanical properties of the weld joints decrease with the increase of heat input. Fuzzy interference system has been adopted to solve the multiobjective problem to avoid the imprecision and uncertainty in weights of the responses. Threshold acceptance method has been introduced for finding optimal welding heat input condition. Finally, a confirmatory test was carried out using the optimal result to verify the effectiveness of this approach.
Estimation of half-life periods in nonlinear data with fractional polynomials
Authors: Mayer Benjamin , Keller Frieder , Syrovets Tatiana , Wittau Mathias
Published: September 2013

Regression models are frequently used to model the functional relationship between an interesting outcome parameter and one or more potentially relevant explanatory variables. Objectives can be to set up as a prognostic model, for example, or an estimation model for a certain parameter of interest. Determining half-life periods can be viewed as a particular application of such an estimation model. However, specific to these modelling problems is that time-dependent active agent concentrations can be nonlinear. Concurrently, a major limitation to common regression approaches is the assumed linear relation of the investigated variables. Therefore, a more flexible approach is required to handle the problem of finding a model which fits the data adequately. One possibility is the use of fractional polynomials. The application of this modelling approach in a univariate setting is proposed in order to have an appropriate data model which subsequently serves as an estimation model for half-life periods. This estimation model includes Ridders’ method which is based on a regula falsi approach, a standard methodology of numerical analysis. The suggested procedure is applied to real data examples of antibiotic tissue concentrations in visceral surgery, nephropharmacology and clinical pharmacology and is furthermore compared to simple approaches of modelling nonlinear data.
Climate Change and Simulation/Gaming
Authors: Crookall David
Published: September 2013

This editorial outlines a number of connections between climate change and simulation/gaming/debriefing. First, the development of this symposium is mentioned, including appreciation for contributors, especially Klaus Eisenack, James E. Hansen, Dennis Meadows, and Diana Reckien. Second, a wide range of climate change dimensions is outlined, with emphasis on the increasingly important role that simulation/gaming and debriefing should play in educating people to combat climate change. Climate issues include anthropogenic warming, due largely to ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions, resulting in massive and irreversible upheaval of the biosphere and the socioeconomic system. Given the massive direct and indirect negative impact of climate change on health and mortality, due largely to the lethargy of politicians and big business, such people, in a saner world, could be facing accusation of crimes against humanity. The topic of climate change needs to become the backbone of education round the world, with simulation/gaming and debriefing being one of the main methods for learning to survive in ‘pockets of resilience’. Topics for simulation/games and debriefing could include resilience, urgency, climate change science, indicators, and effects (feedback loops, rising sea levels, storm severity, food scarcity and security, water, war, denial, nuclear power, irresponsibility of politicians, etc.). Third, the absurdities of the push for growth in a finite world and of the burning of more coal are highlighted. Simulation/gaming and debriefing provide opportunities for learning to survive with a dangerously changing climate.
Optimization of quasi-diagonal matrix–vector multiplication on GPU
Authors: Yang Wangdong , Li Kenli , Liu Yan , Shi Lin , Wan Lanjun
Published: September 2013

Sparse matrix–vector multiplication (SpMV) is of singular importance in sparse linear algebra, which is an important issue in scientific computing and engineering practice. Much effort has been put into accelerating SpMV, and a few parallel solutions have been proposed. This paper focuses on a special type of SpMV, namely sparse quasi-diagonal matrix–vector multiplication (SQDMV). The sparse quasi-diagonal matrix is the key to solving many differential equations, and very little research has been done in this field. This paper discusses data structures and algorithms for SQDMV that are efficiently implemented on the compute unified device architecture (CUDA) platform for the fine-grained parallel architecture of the graphics processing unit (GPU). A new diagonal storage format, a hybrid of the diagonal format (DLA) and the compressed sparse row format (CSR) (HDC) will be presented, which overcomes the inefficiency of DLA in storing irregular matrices and the imbalances of CSR in storing non-zero elements. Furthermore, HDC can adjust the storage bandwidth of the diagonal to adapt to different discrete degrees of sparse matrix, so as to get a higher compression ratio than DLA and CSR, and reduce the computational complexity. Our implementation in a GPU shows that the performance of HDC is better than that of other formats, especially for matrices with some discrete points outside the main diagonal. In addition, we combine the different parts of HDC to make a unified kernel to get a better compression ratio and a higher speedup ratio in the GPU.
The impact of sexual dysfunction on health-related quality of life in people with multiple sclerosis
Authors: Schairer Laura C , Foley Frederick W , Zemon Vance , Tyry Tuula , Campagnolo Denise , Marrie Ruth Ann , Gromisch Elizabeth S , Schairer David
Published: September 2013

Background:

Sexual dysfunction is a prevalent symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS) that may affect patients’ health-related quality of life (HrQoL).

Objective:

The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of sexual dysfunction on HrQoL in a large national sample using The Multiple Sclerosis Intimacy and Sexuality Questionnaire-19 (MSISQ-19).

Methods:

Participants were recruited from a large MS registry, the North American Research Committee on Multiple Sclerosis (NARCOMS) Registry. Participants self-reported demographic information and completed the Patient Determined Disease Steps (PDDS), MSISQ-19, and the Short Form-12 (SF-12).

Results:

The study population included 6183 persons (mean age: 50.6, SD = 9.6; 74.7% female, 42.3% currently employed). Using multivariate hierarchical regression analyses, all variables excluding gender predicted both the physical component summary (PCS-12) and the mental component summary (MCS-12) of the SF-12. Scores on the MSISQ-19 uniquely accounted for 3% of the variance in PCS-12 scores while disability level, as measured by PDDS, accounted for 31% of the variance. Conversely, MSISQ-19 scores uniquely accounted for 13% of the variance in MCS-12 scores, whereas disability level accounted for less than 1% of the variance.

Conclusion:

In patients with MS, sexual dysfunction has a much larger detrimental impact on the mental health aspects of HrQoL than severity of physical disability.
Community mobilisation in the 21st century: Updating our theory of social change?
Authors: Campbell Catherine
Published: September 2013

The article explores the Freirian theory of social change underpinning health-related community mobilisation in poor and marginalised communities. Highlighting potential shortcomings of its essentialist understandings of power and identity, and linear notions of change, it examines how lessons from the ‘new left’, and burgeoning global protest movements, can rejuvenate the field given the growing complexity of 21st-century social inequalities. It suggests the need for a pastiche of approaches to accommodate health struggles in different times and places. However, while needing some updating, Freire’s profound and actionable understandings of the symbolic and material dimensions of social inequalities remain a powerful starting point for activism.
HELIOS-EX: Blind control simulator and method with a consideration of adjacent buildings
Authors: Seong Yoon-Bok
Published: September 2013

Blinds are a common type of shading device and are increasingly operated automatically to overcome the limitations of manual operation. Automated blinds need to be controlled to maximize benefits of incoming daylight (sunlight and skylight) and solar irradiance for enhancing occupant comfort and reducing energy consumption. However, most previous control methods focused on minimizing the negative impacts of daylight, and so failed to maximize the positive impacts of daylight and solar heat gain. Furthermore, all of previous blind control methods never consider the impact of adjacent buildings. The rates of sunlight, skylight and solar irradiance to indoor are fluctuated by the disturbance of solar access, which can cause visual discomfort of occupants such as glare and have an effect on energy consumption due to variations of heating or cooling load. The objective of this paper is to propose the automated blind control strategy considering adjacent buildings’ geometry in order to minimize the occupants’ discomfort from glare and to maximize daylight inlet and solar heat gain, which can contribute to reducing energy consumption in a building. The proposed strategy was evaluated and verified through the computer simulations and analysis of results.